Until Midnight (& Sometimes Later)

I’m a part of this week’s Mind Meld at SF Signal–read about which genre author I think deserves more recognition. And about which authors Jamie Todd Rubin, Jonathan Laden, Mike Resnick, R. Leigh Hennig, Nick Mamatas, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Deborah Walker, Eric James Stone, Anna Yeatts, Alex Shvartsman, Lynne M. Thomas, and Marguerite Kenner deemed worthy of more appreciation.

Read all about it at:
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014/08/mind-meld-underappreciated-genre-authors/. And while you’re at it, check out SF Signal. It’s full of fun!

Detcon1, the North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC) will be from Thursday (17 July) to Sunday (20 July) in Detroit, Michigan at the Renaissance Center Marriot. I’ve got several panels on Friday, and I’ll be spending the rest of the weekend promoting the DC in 17 Worldcon Bid. Look for me at our fan table and parties.

Here’s where you’ll find me:

FRIDAY, 18 July
10am – Mackinac West
Going from Book to Movie: Adaption
[Panelists: Lisa Padol (m), Al Bouchard, Elektra Hammond, Steven Barnes]
Why does Hollywood have trouble translating books, comics, etc. into
movies & TV shows? Is it inherent in the original texts or in the
process/constraints of adaptation? Which have succeeded and which have
failed? What would we like to see adapted?

1pm – Ambassador Salon 3
Writing Humor and Comedy in SFF
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond (m), Jim C. Hines, Oz Wilson Jr., Cath Schaff-Stump, Sam Morgan]
Our panel discusses the challenges of writing humor and comedy in SFF. Is it as easy as it looks? Or as hard as some people say it is?

6pm – Joliet A
Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond (m), Roberta Rogow, Ellen Denham]
Readings by members of Broad Universe. I’ll be reading from “In the Form of a Question,” in which Norse Gods play Jeopardy!. It appears in the parody anthology TV Gods–and I’ll have copies for sale.

P.S. It’s a popular weekend to be going to Detroit–Joe Biden and I are arriving at just about the same time . . . .

Balticon 48 will be from Friday (23 May) to Monday (26 May) in Hunt Valley, Maryland at the Baltimore Hunt Valley Inn. Look for me at parties and book launches and stuffs! When I’m not scheduled, I’ll be at DC in 17 stuff.

Here’s where you’ll find me:

FRIDAY, 23 May
8pm – Belmont
Copy Editing Do’s and Don’ts
[Panelists: Holliann Russell Kim, Elektra Hammond, Sue Baiman, Cindy Young-Turner, John French]
Finding an effective copy-editor, what makes someone good or bad as a copy editor, and why you may not want to have someone close to you edit your work

SATURDAY, 24 May
1pm – Salon B
5 Books for the Last Town on Earth
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond, Brenda Clough, Larry Hodges, Cindy Young-
Turner, Amy Kaplan]
By some freaky quirk of fate, your little city survived a major cataclysm. As far as you know, you are all that’s left, but you DO want to survive. What five books will help you and your neighbors survive?

4pm – Pimlico
Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
[Panelists: Gail Z Martin, Reesa Herberth, Jean Marie Ward, Elektra
Hammond, Michelle Moore]
Rapid Fire readings from some amazing women/authors.

6pm to 8pm – Frankie & Vinnie’s (Consuite)
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond, Mike D’Ambrosio, Jeff Young, Christopher Pisano, Brian Koscienski, Jon Sprunk, Eric Hardenbrook]
TV Gods book launch
Fortress Publishing, Inc. Presents TV Gods:
“Picture your favorite TV show! Imagine your favorite Pantheon! Mash them
together — What could possibly go wrong?” The great pantheons of the world run amok through eighteen tales of wonder and hilarity. Discover how the Egyptian gods use night court for judging the souls of the dead. What will happen when an office of Greek gods get downsized? Why are there Norse gods on a space ship?
Come join Fortress Publishing, Inc. in celebrating the launch of this exciting new anthology.

SUNDAY, 25 May
4pm – Salon B
They Play in Other Sandboxes
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond, Sarah Pinsker, Carl Cipra, Robert Glaub,
Jo Walton]
Panelists discuss successful and well-known SF writers who write in other genres and recommend some examples we might want to read.

MONDAY, 26 May
noon – Chase
How Hard Can it Be? Jumping out of Genre
[Panelists: KT Bryski (M), Elektra Hammond, Betsy Riley, Starla Huchton, Michael Hanson]
What do you do when you get a great opportunity…in a field in which you have NO experience? What are the advantages and pitfalls to writing in many genres? What are some strategies for leaving your comfort zone?

The DarkoverCon memorial book, honoring our late con chair Jaelle of Armida aka Judy Gerjuoy, is now available on amazon.

A number of Jaelle’s friends wrote remembrances of her and/or stories. It contains my short (flash) story “Come Now to War.” Copies will be available at the convention, and all proceeds go to support DarkoverCon.

I am now an affiliate member of Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA). That is all.

Last night I had an epiphany. I was working on (struggling really) with my work-in-progress, which is late in one direction and pushing deadline in another, and suddenly words starting flowing. This was a strongly outlined story–which suddenly went off in different directions as the characters just started, well, doing things on their own. Other writers talk about their characters taking on a life of their own, but its never happened to me before.

Now I routinely write movie reviews over at buzzymag, and I can crank out 400 words on just about any film with no problem (although I do take notes in the theater). My first fiction story was published in May 2011, and I’ve written book reviews and cat articles for various magazines over the years.

Yesterday I had a 2000+ word day. I didn’t want to stop to go to sleep.

I feel like a writer now. For real.

2012 will be remembered as the year I came to terms with living in Delaware and found a life here. We ended the year by going to several holiday parties, and spent New Year’s Eve in Philadelphia with lots of friends, watching the ball drop on TV.

I spent 2012 editing more than ever, but I also started reviewing movies at buzzymag–best job ever! It’s a start. I took Jonathan Maberry’s Novel in Nine Months class, and while I didn’t manage to write my novel, I did learn a lot. I put out my first solo anthology: Galactic Creatures, and I’m very proud of how it turned out. I didn’t lose the fifty pounds I wanted to, but I came close at forty-eight down.

Cat-wise, we produced a litter of maine coon kittens, a litter of munchkins, and a litter of havanas. We didn’t show much, and it looks like we won’t be showing all that much in 2013, either. I’ve got a few judging assignments lined up for the next year, but my focus has definitely shifted.

Looking ahead to 2013, I’ve signed up for some online classes from EFA to spruce up my copyediting skills (a refresher never hurts), and to learn how to format e-books. I’ve got lots of editing lined up, and a couple of short stories I *will* submit (or else!). I want to do more writing, including the movie (and book) reviews for buzzymag.

I’m going to be more involved in Philcon this year (I was assistant Masquerade director in 2012), and I hope to get more involved in PSFS, too. I’m hoping to learn more about how to put on conventions–it can’t be that different from putting on cat shows, right?

I’m within fifteen pounds of my goal weight. I’m on nutrisystem, and I *will* get there this year. Next up: more exercise.

Oh, and more filking. My first guitar lesson in thirty-plus years is tonight . . .

This weekend is the 17th Annual Baltimore Book Festival, a three-day extravaganza of book-related fun spread over several blocks of downtown Baltimore. Readings, panels, demos, and signings will be taking place, as well as all manner of books, new and used, for sale. Dark Quest Books is handling the book sales for SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America), who is a program partner for the event this year. I’ll be helping out with the book sales.

I’m also scheduled for two panels, both on Saturday, 29 September at the SFWA tent:

12 noon The Electronic Age
It’s here and it’s booming. A plethora of bonuses come with reading in the electro-optic age, including: eBooks, animation, audio books, and who knows what in the near future. Come hear what’s up in one of biggest developments in publishing.
Panelists include: Kate Milford, Sarah Pinsker, Harry Heckel, Elektra Hammond, Philippa Ballantine

1pm Steampunk and Gaslight: It’s Hot and on Top
Come talk with steampunk and gaslight authors about this immensely popular new genre.
Panelists include: Tee Morris, Tiffany Trent, Ellen Datlow, Richard White, Elektra Hammond

If you’re at the festival, stop by and say “hi.”

There is a very nice review of In an Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk over at SF Reader.

They take the time to say something nice about each and every story, and they really “got” what we were trying to do with the anthology.

I’ve been working under deadline to finish up a project (which has now gone to press), so I have a lot of news to share. Watch the skies!