Michael A. Ventrella

It’s time for Philcon, Philadelphia’s oldest literary convention. It’s in New Jersey.  (Look, it was cheaper, okay?)

This year’s Guest of Honor is my good friend NY Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry! Jonathan and I edited the Baker Street Irregulars series together and he’s also contributed a story to my anthology Three Time Travelers Walk Into… . We’re both featured in the new anthology The Four ??? of the Apocalypse, edited by Keith R.A. DeCandido and Wrenn Simms, and there will be a release party at the convention.

I’ve been a guest at Philcon for years, and it’s always great to go back there and see so many of my friends. This year’s event will be on the weekend of November 17-19.

Here’s my schedule:

Meet the Pros (Friday 9 pm): This is where all the guests come out and have a nice reception with everyone

Autographs (Saturday noon): Keith R.A. DeCandido and I will be sharing an autographing table

Bending the Elements: Comparing Avatar: The Last Airbender and the Dragon Prince (Saturday 3 pm): Tim Souder (moderator), Eric Hardenbrook, Michael A. Ventrella, Katrina S. Forest. Despite being released in 2005, Avatar: The Last Airbender still resonates with audiences today. The first season of Dragon Prince premiered in 2018 to much anticipation. How does this new series compare – a triumph or a pale imitation? Is it a worthy successor to Avatar? What are the similarities and differences? 

Reading (Saturday 4:40 pm): I’ll be reading my new story “Horseman, Horseman, Horseman & Horseman, Attorneys at Law” (assuming the Masquerade rehearsal is done in time)

Tips for New Writers (Saturday 5:00 pm): Michael A. Ventrella (moderator), Christopher Stout, P.D. Cacek, Jon McGoran, Kelley Armstrong. So you’ve got an idea for a story that you think could really *be* something. The problem is, you’ve not written much before – other than what you had to for school assignments – and you’re finding the process a little daunting. Here’s some advice that might help you find your groove. (And if you’ve got questions, please ask them!)

The Sandy Swank Memorial Masquerade (Saturday 8:00 pm): Abigail Welsher (moderator), Heidi Hooper, Michael A. Ventrella, Jonathan Maberry, Keyo: The Masquerade entrants take to the stage to show off all their hard work and creativity. Recreation costumes and cosplay, original designs, and historical recreations will all be on display. Our Young Fan Division will present first, with awards to follow immediately, then the adults will have their turn to shine. This year’s halftime will feature the triumphant return of “Trailer Park” to entertain you while the judges deliberate on awards. (I’m the Master of Ceremonies for this!)

The Four ???? of the Apocalypse Release Party (Saturday 9:00 pm): I’ll be attending this as soon as the Masquerade is over.

The Rejection Letter (Sunday 10 am): Ty Drago (moderator), Eric Avedissian, Neil Clarke, Christine Norris, Michael A. Ventrella. Every writer has received this politely worded “Thanks but no thanks” note, leaving the writer clueless about what might be a very good reason for the rejection. If a publication’s submission webpage mentions a 6-week turnaround time and you get a rejection within a day, what does that mean? What are the most common reasons for a rejection at the slush pile stage? At later stages? How can you tell when it’s worth resubmitting a new draft to the same publisher?

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It’s time for Philcon, Philadelphia’s oldest literary convention. It’s in New Jersey.  (Look, it was cheaper, okay?)

This year’s Guest of Honor is my good friend Keith DeCandido! Keith even asked me to write his introduction for the program book, and let’s hope he’ll still be my friend after he reads it! (Joke! That’s a joke!)

I’ve been a guest at Philcon for years, and it’s always great to go back there and see so many of my friends. This year’s event will be on the weekend of November 18-20.

Here’s my schedule:

The Lure of Secret History (Friday 8 pm) with Darrell Schweitzer, Elektra Hammond, Chuck Rothman, Michael A. Ventrella, Jean Marie Ward: We all love to be in on the secret, and sometimes magical explanation of what really happened, and why. We’ll talk about secret histories such as Tim Powers’s The Anubis Gates and Tom Doyle’s American Craftsmen series.

The Eye of Argon: The Play! (Friday 9 pm) with Michael A. Ventrella (moderator), Ian Randal Strock, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Gregory Frost, Peter Prellwitz, Hildy Silverman, Jean Marie Ward: This performance of the adventures of Grignr the Barbarian is drawn from The Eye of Argon by Jim Theis. It’s the world’s worst fantasy story, acted out by a bunch of non-actors who haven’t practiced. Should be hilarious!

Magic Systems and How to Use Them (Saturday noon) with Michael A. Ventrella (moderator), Dee Carter, Elektra Hammond, Aaron Rosenberg, Michelle D. Sonnier: Brandon Sanderson’s concept of Hard vs. Soft Magic Systems is one way to look at how magic works in fantasy fiction. Others look at the source of the magic, from supernatural beings to rituals to the elements.  When should details be included and when can the author handwave?

My First Time (Getting Published) (Saturday 3 pm) with Michael A. Ventrella (moderator), Christine Norris, Jennifer Povey, Ann Stolinsky, Eric Blair: Your name! In print! Next to a story you wrote! OK, you might not have gotten paid much (if at all), but every writer has a story of how they managed to get their first story published (or first novel), and what it was like to see their words shared with the universe. Let’s get some authors together to talk about that process, what advice they have for up-and-comers, and what outlets are friendliest to the new (and often unagented) writer.

Separating the Art from the Artist (Saturday 5 pm) with Lisa Hertel, Michael A. Ventrella, JeffWarner, Charles Urbach: Is it OK to like an artist’s work while finding the maker objectionable or even worse? Wil Wheaton posted a lively defense of doing so — in part, as he notes, because the work may be made up of so many other creatives aside from the problematic maker. Is this theory put to the test when the artist is an author? 

Foundations of Worldbuilding: Past Political Tensions and Turmoil (Saturday 8 pm) with Michael A. Ventrella (moderator), Dee Carter, Ian Randal Strock, Storm Humbert, Simone Zelitch: How does the history between the countries in your story shape the present of your world? When was the last time anyone declared war, and why? Are those old conflicts truly healed, or do the wounds still fester?

Autographs (Sunday 10 am) with Kathryn Sullivan, Michael A. Ventrella: Signing anything you want to put in front of us (except contracts in blood).

Reading (Sunday 11 am) with Michael A. Ventrella: Reading a short story probably

Meet the Editors! (Sunday noon) with Michael A. Ventrella (moderator), Ian Randal Strock, Neil Clarke, Margaret Riley, Ann Stolinsky: Magazine and small press editors discuss what goes into creating their publications, from the economics of staying viable in the electronic age to getting appropriate submissions.

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I’m looking forward to the Philcon science fiction convention the weekend of November 10th. It’s Philadelphia’s oldest literary convention. It’s in New Jersey.  (Look, it was cheaper, okay?)

I’ve been a guest at Philcon for years, and it’s always great to go back there and see so many of my friends.

I’ve got a nice schedule and it seems that they have me moderating each of the panels except one. Here’s my schedule:

MEET THE PROS (Friday 9 pm): An informal gathering where guests can meet all the panelists, writers and artists.

EYE OF ARGON INTERACTIVE: CHAPTER FIVE (Friday 11 pm):  Since everyone is usually laughing too hard to get through reading what has been dubbed the worst piece of published SF of all time, we thought we’d start where we left off last year. We’ve got a roster of pros to get it started, but after that, audience participation is expected. With David M. Axler, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Ef Deal, Peter Prellwitz, and Hildy Silverman

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PROS (Saturday 10:00 am): More and more, social media has become valuable — even necessary — as a means of making oneself known to potential readers (and publishers), promoting your work, and engaging with fellow professionals. Which platforms work best for each of these aspects? What are some things you should be aware of before engaging with your fans in such a direct and potentially interminable way. With Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Eric Avedissian, Russ Colchamiro, and Keith R.A. DeCandido

HARRY POTTER, TWENTY YEARS LATER (Saturday noon): How have the Potter books and movies held up over time? What are some of the plot problems we’ve seen since then? And what will the future hold? With Hakira D’Almah, Anna Kashina, and Christine Norris

HOW TO PLOT A STORY (Saturday 1:00 pm): You have a genre-busting world, a villain to make your skin crawl, and a sympathetic main character whose life you’re about to make very, very difficult.  But how?  When should the major conflict happen, and what happens on the way there?  Every story is different, but satisfying ones tend to follow some time-honored structures that can help you shape your story long before you draft your prose. With Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Roberta Rogow, David Walton, and Steve Wilson

AUTOGRAPHS (Saturday 5:00 pm): In which I will be sitting with my books for anyone who didn’t have the opportunity to speak with me at other times.

GAME OF THRONES SEASON 7 (Saturday 11:00 p.m.): So, what did you think of [redacted]? Or when [redacted] ran into [redacted] again? How about the deaths of [redacted] and [redacted]?! (Warning: panel will contain actual spoilers.) With Diane Kovalcin, Rock Robertson, and Jay Wile

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