My Lunacon 2016 schedule

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Michael A. Ventrella

Robert Sawyer is the one on the right

I will be at Lunacon this weekend, one of the oldest science fiction conventions in the country. The Guest of Honor is Robert Sawyer, and I’m anxious to meet him in person having interviewed him here on the blog and talked to him on Facebook many times.

My schedule is very full (like I like it) and I’m honored that they have asked me to be the host of the Masquerade competition. Should be fun!

Promoting Your Book (Friday 6 pm): What works when promoting a book? Do book-signings really help a new author? Are bookmarks and/or postcards effective at garnering attention? What internet presence works or is a time-waster/PITA. Does a blog help or hurt an author? Does an author have to have a website? How do you find good reviewers? What tactics do NOT work? What methods might work for an established author that wouldn’t work for a beginner? Can you do it all yourself? With Frederick Doot, C.E. Lawrence, and Paul Levinson.

The Eye of Argon (Friday 11 pm): The worst fantasy story gets a reading and the audience is invited to join in and see how far they can get before they crack up laughing. With Daniel Kimmel and Ian Randal Strock

Promoting Yourself in a Positive Way (Saturday 1 pm): Self-Promotion is an important part of building a career. Done poorly, it can do more harm than good. We will discuss items of self promotion to include book signings, postcards, bookmarks, a blog, website etc.. Do they help or hurt? With Daniel Kimmel and David Walton

Censorship v. Free Speech (Saturday 2 pm): The arguments, the petitions, the points of view. With Marilyn Brahen, Gordon Van Gelder, and Kate Paulk

The Biggest Mistakes New Writers Make (Saturday 5 pm): From poor openings to uninteresting characters to cliched plots, this panel will discuss the most common storytelling mistakes seen from new authors. This will also discuss promotional and business mistakes. With Gary Frank, Gordon Van Gelder, Larry Hodges, Robert J. Sawyer, and Hildy Silverman

The Masquerade (Saturday 7 pm): Come and cheer on the best of the costumes as they march across the stage for your entertainment. (I’m the host!)