Convention appearance: Ad Astra 2015 (Toronto)

I'll be attending Ad Astra in Toronto again this year from April 10-12 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel at 600 HWY-7 E in Richmond Hill (Hwy 7 and Hwy 404). Ad Astra is a long running and excellent con that traditionally has had a strong literary focus. 

Here is my schedule of panel appearances and readings, all conveniently scheduled back-to-back-to-back (sigh) on Saturday night:

When the Gods Run Amok: Ancient, New and Urban Mythology

Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Room: Markham B

Panellists: Chadwick Ginther, Kelley Armstrong, Marie Bilodeau

Urban fantasy gives us the chance to play around with our archetypal fairy tales and mythology. We can bring the gods down to our level and we get to bring magic into the everyday.

Why is this so compelling?

Believable Characters and Dialogue

Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Room: Markham B

Panellists: Kelley Armstrong, Nina Munteanu, Suzanne Church
 
Orphan Black: Send in the (Canadian) Clones

Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Room: Oakridge

Panellists: JD DeLuzio, Kate Heartfield, Matthew Johnson

Filmed right here in Toronto, Orphan Black has become a huge hit. This show about cloning and conspiracies even mentions Scarberia, and correctly. We'll talk about all the stuff we love about it. Did Season 2 fulfill the promise seen in Season 1, and where do we see the various plot-lines headed?

Readings: Douglas Smith & Matthew Johnson

Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Room: Whitchurch

I'm not sure what I'll be reading from yet, but I will have gifts and giveaways. 

Hope to see you there!

Reading event: WordJammin' 2015

This is very short notice, but if you're in Toronto, I'll be one of ten authors doing readings at the inaugural WordJammin' 2015 event, being held Sunday March 15 (tomorrow) at the Yellow Griffin Pub at 2202 Bloor Street West (just east of the Runnymede subway stop) from 2-6 pm. I will be reading at 3:15pm.

No charge, plus there will be book giveaways and books available to purchase at specially discounted pricing. More info here. Hope to see you there!

 

Bringing Diversity to SF: The Young Explorer's Adventure Guide

Young Explorer's Adventure Guide coverI'm thrilled to announce that I'll have a story in a wonderful and important new SF anthology, The Young Explorer's Adventure Guidefrom Dreaming Robot Press.

Aimed at middle grade readers, the anthology's goal is to bring greater diversity to science fiction, a genre that remains dominated by white males, both in terms of writers and characters in SF. This anthology is the first in a planned annual series, and this edition will predominantly feature stories with strong female characters as their protagonists.

The project is being funded by a Kickstarter campaign. They've reached not only their initial goal required to produce the anthology, but also the first three of their stretch goals. The second stretch goal meant my story, "Jigsaw," will be included (woo hoo!). "Jigsaw" first appeared in 2004 in the anthology Odyssey, edited by Julie Czerneda, and features a young female geologist on a spaceship who must solve a planet-sized problem to save her crewmates before time runs out.

From the Kickstarter page:

Sally Ride, first American woman in space and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, famously said:

“Young girls need to see role models in whatever careers they may choose, just so they can picture themselves doing those jobs someday. You can’t be what you can’t see.”

Girls need to read stories where any number of possible roles are modeled for them. Just as importantly, boys need to read stories where girls are active participants in adventures. And children of all colors and backgrounds need to know the future includes them.

According to a 2011 study of 6,000 children’s books, only 31 percent had central female characters, and even fewer featured main characters of color.

A genre that’s supposed to inspire us towards a bright future isn’t making space for half the population’s dreams. Boys go and have adventures, girls are to be defended, or prizes to be won, and the landscape is very, very white.

It’s time for a bigger universe.

Although the editors have reached the goal and some of their stretch goals, we would all like to see all the stretch goals reached so that the remaining stories will be included and some additional prizes awarded. This anthology is incredibly worthwhile, and I hope that you'll check out the Kickstarter page and consider contributing. 

Inspire! Toronto International Book Fair: My Report

Inspire! TIBF 2014 panelAs I mentioned earlier, I was one of the author presenters this weekend at INSPIRE!: The Toronto International Book Fair. Yesterday, I had the great pleasure to be on a panel on the Spark Stage at the TIBF with friends and fellow writers, Julie Czerneda and Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, and got the chance to meet Ottawa writer, Andrew Barton, who ably moderated our panel on "Science Fiction: The Future Ain't What It Used to Be." We had a lively and fun discussion with plenty of interesting questions from a packed crowd. Here's a pic of the panel in progress taken by Crystal Huff, who was at the Fair promoting the Helsinki 2017 WorldCon bid.

TIBF 2014 SFWA boothBefore and after the panel, I signed books and helped staff the SFWA booth with fellow SFWA authors from our panelists and other SFWA authors. Here's a photo of the motley crew. Left to right, that is Stephanie, Julie, me, our Canadian SFWA rep, Ottawa writer Matthew Johnson, and Andrew. Not in the picture but also staffing the booth all weekend was Jaym Gates, the SFWA Communications Director. Thanks to another writer friend, Mike Rimar, for taking the photo, and a special thanks to Matthew for coordinating the SFWA booth on behalf of all of us.

Earlier in the day, I managed to catch William Gibson being interviewed about his latest novel, The Peripheral, on the main stage. All in all, I was quite impressed by this inaugural TIBF. Everything was professional and well organized. The volunteer staff were consistently friendly, enthusiastic, and helpful, both for the panel and through the entire weekend. I look forward to another TIBF in 2015.

Photo from my Hydra's Hearth reading

Hydra's Hearth reading

As I mentioned earlier, I was one of the dozen authors invited to read at the inaugural Hydra's Hearth reading series in Toronto this weekend. Here's a pic of me during the reading. I read this past Friday night from my current work-in-progress, a young adult urban fantasy novel.

Thanks to the organizers for the invitation and to SFContario for hosting the readings this year. And thanks to everyone who turned out and for your feedback after. Much appreciated.

I'm appearing at the Toronto International Book Fair

Toronto International Book Fair logoAnother short notice post about an upcoming appearance. I'm one of the author guests at another inaugural literary event this weekend, the brand new Toronto International Book Fair. Yes, it's a busy weekend.

I'll be at the SFWA booth (Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America) (booth #118) from 2-4pm on Saturday November 15, signing my books. I'm also on a panel with Andrew Barton, Julie Czerneda, and Stephanie Bedwell-Grime from 5-6 pm on Saturday on the Spark Stage (SW corner of the TIBF area). 

The panel is titled "The Future Ain't What It Used to Be" and we are supposed to be discussing:

"Despite the amazing technological advances of the last fifty years, our world looks very different from the future predicted by science fiction. This panel asks the question of what role SF writers play in predicting and preparing us for the future."

All of us on the panel will then be signing our books at the SFWA booth (#118) after the panel from 6-7pm. The TIBF is being held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (North Building), 255 Front Street West, Toronto

I hope to see you there. If you're attending, please drop by the SFWA booth while I'm there or attend the above panel or the signing after. Hope to see you there!

I'm reading at the Hydra's Hearth Reading Series

Wolf at the End of the World coverShort notice, I know, but I'll be one of the dozen authors who will be reading at the inaugural event in the new Hydra's Hearth Reading Series. From the organizers:

Through the generosity of a grant from the Toronto Arts Council, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Society of Upper Canada is pleased to present “The Hydra's Hearth.” The Hydra’s Heath is a reading series that will present 12 of Toronto’s finest science fiction and fantasy authors in an warm and interactive setting located in SFContario 5’s function space. This reading series will be open to the public. The series will be held in conjunction with SFContario 5, November 14-16, 2014, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, 300 Jarvis St, Toronto, ON.

I am reading tonight, Friday November 14, from 8-9 pm. See above for the location. Given that I have an hour, I'll probably read from a couple of things, one of which might be my current work-in-progress, a YA urban fantasy. Hope to see you there!

FYI, here is the entire list of authors who will be appearing and their scheduled reading times:

Fri 7 PM Karl Schroeder

Fri 8 PM Douglas Smith

Fri 9 PM Derwin Mak

Sat 11 AM Madeline Ashby

Sat 12 PM David Nickle

Sat 2 PM Hugh Spencer

Sat 3 PM Eric Choi

Sat 4 PM Robert J. Sawyer

Sat 5 PM Peter Watts

Sun 11 AM Michelle Sagara West

Sun 12 PM Lesley Livingston

Sun 1 PM Alyx Dellamonica

 

Eating Authors: An interview

Low Port anthology coverI've been busy busy busy lately and am way behind in posting here. And I'm especially late in linking to an interview that fellow author Lawrence M. Schoen did with me on his website. 

I first met Lawrence over ten years ago when we both had stories in the SF anthology, Low Port (editors Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Meisha Merlin, 2003). We met at the WorldCon that year at the signing table for the launch of the book. It was my first WorldCon and my first group signing. I had a lot of fun and will always have fond memories of that antho. Sharon and Steve were great to work with, plus my contribution to the antho, my story "Scream Angel," went on to win the Aurora Award in 2004.

Back to Lawrence. In his many of his stories, his protagonist is a gourmand. So a few years ago, he started a unique and very cool feature on his blog where he invites other authors to share their recollections of their most memorable meal. The interview series is called "Eating Authors," and Lawrence was kind enough to invite me to contribute.

Here's the link to my interview. Lawrence, thanks for the invitation!

Playing the Short Game makes a Recommended Reading list

The multiple award-winning author and editor, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, gives a shout-out to my new writer's guide, Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction, in her August 2014 Recommended Reading List.

Here's what Kris had to say about the book, for which she wrote the introduction:

I don’t always plug books that I’ve written introductions for ... I might like them, but I might not love them enough to recommend to you.

Doug wrote an indispensible book for those of us who love to write short fiction. He includes indie publishing, and a lot of traditional publishing tips. ... [Doug is] one of the best short story writers in the business, and one of the best at the business of short story writing. I learned a few things from this book, and sometimes I think I’ve seen it all.

So, if you have any interest in writing short fiction, or you’re already making a living a short fiction, take a peek at this book. It’s wonderful.

Thanks, Kris!

If you'd like to pick up a copy of the book, it's available from my bookstore and at all major retailers. A description of the book's contents along with full buying links can be found here.

And while we're talking about writing courses...

I also wanted to mention and recommend two courses that novelist, short story writer, and editor Nina Munteanu is teaching in the fall in Toronto:

Creating Science Fiction (George Brown College)

Learn about what is involved in writing science fiction and getting it published. Explore the essential tools used in this genre (including world building, research and plot approaches), and work toward a publishable original work by learning to generate and follow through with premise, idea and theme.

SF Writing Master Class (University of Toronto)

This 12-week workshop-style course will provide extensive opportunity to develop your in-progress science fiction novel and to gain a deeper understanding of world-building, dramatization of premise, and integration of character with setting, theme and plot.

I hope you'll check these out as well as my course. Nina will help you improve your craft of writing, and I will help you sell what you write.

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