Balticon May 22-25, 2020 - D.H. Aire Appearances
The Balticon staff is working overtime to pull off this con Virtually… and driving me a little crazy in the process. They sent me a final schedule of just three panels, all of which I’m moderating, then listed me on the website for the original six panel I’d agreed to participate, and now they’ve sent me the Zoom links to all six panels.
So, as far as I know, I am appearing on six panels. Virtual Balticon: https://www.balticon.org/wp54/#, which is free, so you can register to attend any of these sessions and many more.
My current schedule with descriptions:
Friday, May 22, 6PM EST, Alternate History — Just Add Magic!
Starting with a well known period of history and throwing in magical elements into the mix is a popular approach to developing a basic concept for a story. Examples of this include Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell, the Enchanted Chocolate pot, and the Lord Darcy stories. We will talk about the benefits and pitfalls of this approach, how much rigor to put into the magical system, how much history you need to learn, and how to decide where to get started.
Saturday, May 23, 2PM EST, Time Travel and Paradoxes
What are the unique challenges of working time travel into a story? How does chronological complexity affect characterization, plot structure, and reader immersion? We’ll talk about ways to keep everything (relatively) straight for both creators and audiences, how to identify subtle (and possibly not so subtle) clues, and how to appreciate curveballs rather than be confused by them.
Saturday, May 23, 4PM EST, Historical Research — Not Just Words, D.H. Aire (Moderator)
Much historical scholarship takes the form of written media, but other forms of information are available. We'll talk about where to go to find these resources and how to use them for inspiration.
Sunday, May 24, 1PM EST, How Contemporary Fears Shape Apocalyptic Fiction, D.H. Aire (Moderator)
From nuclear war to disease to computers run amok, horror and apocalyptic fiction hold a mirror up to society's fears and show us just how badly things can go wrong. How have the terrors of different eras shaped stories of the end times, and how do different ways of portraying them affect their respective audiences?
Sunday, May 24, 3PM EST, There is No Finish Line: Momentum for Writers
Experienced writers who have been on the roller coaster for a while know the big secret: you never really "make it." Just because you've sold one book doesn't mean you'll sell the next one, and just because you didn't sell the last one doesn't mean the next one won't hit big. Our panel offers tips and strategies for maintaining the will to keep creating.
Sunday, May 24, 1PM EST, How Contemporary Fears Shape Apocalyptic Fiction, D.H. Aire (Moderator)
From nuclear war to disease to computers run amok, horror and apocalyptic fiction hold a mirror up to society's fears and show us just how badly things can go wrong. How have the terrors of different eras shaped stories of the end times, and how do different ways of portraying them affect their respective audiences?
Monday, May 25, 10AM EST, Fleshing Out Your Cast, D.H. Aire (Moderator)
So you've come up with an amazingly detailed and interesting main character — what about everyone else? How do you develop a supporting cast of distinct and nuanced characters to fill out your story and build audience investment? We'll talk about how to create the sidekicks, antagonists, fellow travellers, and memorable one-offs that make a story distinct and vibrant.
The entire program is available on the Balticon webpage: https://www.balticon.org/wp54/#. There are links to the participating authors and guests, and the Virtual Dealers Room, which we hope lots of folk will check out. I’ll be reachable for vendor questions at dhr2believe@writing.com and, as I learn all the platforms over the con, may be found lots of places.
Hope to “see you” there.
D.H.