Just back from Chessiecon & Looking forward to DisconIII

Over Thanksgiving Weekend I was at Chessiecon, well, virtually. I was hoping for being in-person, but the hotel the convention was booked at is apparently still under contract by FEMA for Covid-19 Quarantine cases.

I was on six panels via Zoom during the long weekend, all of which were recorded.

My first panel was "Writing YA (Young Adult) for Two Audiences," a topic close to my heart since I’ve been writing novels with not just YA, but adult audiences in mind, for many of my books. The panel was moderated by author and developmental story editor, Harrison Demchick and the other panelist was author Intisar Khanani. We discussed what makes a story YA and how our stories may feature young adult protagonists but also appeal to adults.

I shared that when traditionally publishing there’s another audience being written for too, the publisher — and particularly their marketing departments. Knowing what market they are targeting is key for a publisher, who won’t publish a book without a clear market strategy and understanding. Intisar Khanani pointed out that publishers like books that can be marketed to a broader audience, so writers of YA should keep that in mind as they write their stories. Indy authors planning to self-publish have a bit more latitude as will books published by small presses in the defined lines of what makes a book Young Adult. In YA you need to keep in mind the limits or what is included in a YA book versus and adult novel. That include language, and no erotica, but often also has other limits limit main characters boy or girlfriend need to be teenagers, too. One YA author I spoke with had to shave the age of the boyfriend by three years when the publisher's marketing department realized the boyfriend was in his early twenties.

Another session I enjoyed being on was “Large Publishing Houses? Small Publisher? Self-Publishing? Who to Go With?” Harrison Demchick moderated that panel as well, which featured Danielle Ackley-McPhail, author and editor, and Guest of Honor for Chessiecon, and Aleksandr Poryshkin, who works on the contract side of Wildside Press. Danielle’s first book was published by a small press while she was working for Random House. She shared that she prefers publishing with small presses because Large Publishers will release a novel about 2 years after acceptance, then you wait for royalties. Small presses publish what they accept much faster, which means royalty payment start sooner too.

I shared my experience with having been published by two small presses and why I’m now self-publishing. Aleksandr Poryshkin spoke about the importance of understanding one’s contract. I can’t stress that enough, an author needs to carefully read their contract before signing — and strike out points they don’t agree with. There can be very detrimental clauses that the publisher may intentionally or not have included. Harrison pointed out that in Maryland there’s an organization that will, at no cost, review contracts for creatives (not just authors).

One of the panels I had the most fun being part of was “Star Wars: What Went Wrong? What Went Right?” Thomas Aktinson, a longtime fan, who has a wonderful collection of Star Wars toys, moderated. Author Linda Adams was on the panel with me as well. I leave it to your imagination how that discussion went, then again, it was recorded, so you might want to check it out.

I’m a longtime fan of Star Wars and am delighted seeing teens so excited by the Mandalorian and everything Star Wars, just as I was at their age when Star War came to my local theater in 1977.

In only a couple of weeks, I’ll be at DisconIII (Worldcon) in Washington D.C. The con will be in-persons. I'm scheduled to be on a couple of panels and am looking forward to seeing author friends and fans, and being a fan at the same time. I’ve only been at Worldcon once previously and the panels are great. I learned a lot and that’s why, whether virtual or in-person, cons are so important for would-be writers and writers to attend.

On the giveaway front this month and through the holidays, Dragon’s Curse, a prequel to Highmage’s Plight, and Last Knight, prequel to Knight of the Broken Table, appear in Fantasy & Science Fiction Giveaway.

Knight of the Broken Table, Bigfoot is Not Your Friend, and Nowhere to Go But Mars are available in Sci-Fi Reign, a promo for books in Kindle Select.

Grounding a Mockingbird, a related story to Lessers Not Losers, and Apocalypse Knot, prequel to Bigfoot is Not Your Friend are available in Holiday Sci-Fi Giveaway.

So, Dare to Believe, my friends, and happy holidays!

D.H.