Michael A. Ventrella

On the weekend of April 24th, I’ll be a guest at Ravencon, a small but fun convention in Richmond, Virginia. The Guest of Honor this year is Hugo-winning author Allen Steele. There’s also a costume competition and my artist wife Heidi Hooper is a judge. It’s always a lot of fun to visit my hometown, even if I hardly get to see any of it since I’m in a hotel all weekend.

Other guests include many I’ve interviewed here on this blog: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Philippa Ballantine, Gail Z. Martin, Mike McPhail, Tee Morris, KT Pinto, Tony Ruggiero, Lawrence Schoen, Bud Webster, and Allen Wold … as well as a few of the authors whose stories have been in the Tales of Fortannis books (Davey Beauchamp, Danny Birt, and Angela Pritchett).

Anyway, here are the panels where you can find me (and more may be added):

Double Dragon Book Launch!  (Friday 6 pm):  Join DD authors as they celebrate the release of the latest in the Tales of Fortannis fantasy anthologies “A Bard Day’s Knight” as well as Ventrella’s most recent novel “Bloodsuckers:  A Vampire Runs for President.”  They’ll be there to autograph copies of their books, and there will be a raffle of free book downloads as well!  With Gail Z. Martin, KT Pinto, and Angela Pritchett

Opening Ceremonies (Friday 7 pm): Guests are introduced to the audience.

Elementary, My Dear Watson (Friday 10 pm):  Why is  Sherlock Holmes still so popular?  People are flocking to recent comic releases, films, and plays. Panelists will discuss why Sherlock is still such a popular figure in contemporary culture.  With C.M. Adams, John Gregory Betancourt, Karen McCullough, and Bud Webster

CJ Henderson Memorial (Friday 11 pm):  Friends and Fans of CJ Henderson gather together to remember this iconic author.  With Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Heidi Hooper, Mike McPhail, and Jean Marie Ward

Why Editing Matters (Saturday 10 am):  Editors are the unsung heroes of the writing industry, and they sometimes get a bum wrap for asking the tough questions and getting the story ready for prime time. Why do editors have the reputation of “adversary” with some writers? What are your expectations for them? What is their job and how does it fit in with your job as a writer? What’s the difference between developmental and line edits? Why is editing so important?  With Philippine Ballentine, John Gregory Betancourt, and Emily Lavin Leverett

New Releases from Perseid Press (Saturday 11 am):  Come hear about this year’s upcoming releases from Perseid Publishing! With Richard Groller

Writing Critical Hits: RPG tie-in fiction (Saturday 8 pm):  Writing RPG tie in fiction without letting the reader hear the dice roll. This panel can also go into what to expect from RPG publishers as far as what you can and can’t do in their worlds.  With Harry Heckel, Chris Jackson, and Mike McPhail 

The Eye of Argon (Saturday 11 pm): The worst science fiction story ever written gets a reading by our brave panel as they compete to go the longest without tripping over a misspelled word or laughing uncontrollably. Audience members are also encouraged to take a chance. Can you keep a straight face, especially when the panel begins acting out the story? With Gail Martin and Ian Randal Strock

Is “Ancient Aliens” Racist?  (Sunday 11 am):  If ancient aliens exist, does this mean humanity is not responsible for inventing anything? A discussion of the likelihood and alleged evidence for ancient alien visitations.  With Robert Blaskiewicz, Nicole Givens Kurtz, and Randy Richards 

Visibility 101 (Sunday noon):  In an industry brimming with independent presses and magazines, it can be daunting for the burgeoning speculative writer to find a way to stand out. Writers and artists share the marketing secrets that have helped put them on the map.  With Gail Z. Martin, D. Alexander Ward and Meryl Yourish

Filed under: writing | Tagged: Ravencon, Ravencon 2015 |