Category Archives: conventions

My 2016 Ad Astra Schedule

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adastra

My annual local convention, the wonderful Ad Astra, happens this weekend. It’s their 35th anniversary this year, and I realized the first time I attended was their 25th anniversary which means…I’m old.

Anyway, here’s my schedule. I’m only able to attend on Saturday but I’m on what should be some pretty cool panels. Frankly, I’m a bit intimidated by some of the other panelists. Not sure how I’ll sound like I know what I’m talking about. Fake it till you make it, I guess?

Wish me luck!

– S.

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The Decision to Self-Publish

April 30, 2016, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Hall: Richmond A Track: Self Publishing 101

It’s a basic question that all authors are faced with: do you seek out traditional publishing opportunities or do you dive into the world of self-publishing with the hopes of greater ownership and control over your own name and work. In this panel, hear several authors talk about their decision to self-publish or not and the things that they considered prior to making that decision.

Speakers:
A.A. Jankiewicz, Jennifer Jaquith, Marcy Italiano, Robert Boyczuk, Stephen Kotowych
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Modern Anxieties and Post-Apocalyptic Landscapes

April 30, 2016, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Hall: Markham A Track: Storytelling and Literature

Zombies. Outbreaks. Warfare. Environmental cataclysm. Sometimes all of the above. In recent years, post-apocalypses have become all the rage. But why? Why are we so interested as a culture in exploring the end of Western civilization in the 21st century? How do the post-apocalypses we create reflect real fears and anxieties in our own time? In this panel, we’ll explore the link between post-apocalyptic fiction and worlds and modern events.

Speakers:
Alyx Dellamonica, Catherine Asaro, Naomi Foyle, Peter Watts, Stephen Kotowych
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Crafting a Believable Alternate History

April 30, 2016, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Hall: Richmond B Track: Storytelling and Literature

Some authors borrow from history, others outright reimagine it, rewriting historical figures and scenarios in unexpected ways. Are there certain considerations to take when reimagining recent history over ancient history? What are some of the challenges of working with historical events with which the reader may (or may not) be familiar?

Speakers:
Charlotte Ashley, Dominik Parisien, Jack Whyte, Kate Story, Stephen Kotowych

“Super Frenemies” Nominated for Aurora Award!

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I’m thrilled to announce (after an agonizing two week embargo!) that my story “Super Frenemies” is nominated for this year’s Aurora Award in the Best English Short Fiction category. This is my second Aurora Award nomination: my story “Saturn in G Minor” was nominated in 2008.

AuroraWinner+NomineeLogos_2"“Super Frenemies” looks at a group of children who develop super powers as the result of a pandemic, and how schoolyard politics and power dynamics would play out if suddenly the bullied kids had the (super)power over the bully who tormented them for years. It was originally published in Caped: An Anthology of Superhero Tales (Local Hero Press, 2015).

I really love this story, and I’m so pleased that others did, too, and saw fit to nominate it for an Aurora. It was partly inspired by an idea from Harry Connolly, and partly from my three-year-old son’s growing love of superheroes. Though I’d been reading comics my whole life, it wasn’t until he started wanting to watch Superman and Batman cartoons that I truly realized how important violence is to superheroes, even the good guys…

The full list of the 2016 nominees can be found here. Congratulations to all the nominees! Looks like a fantastic ballot again this year.

A reading package of the nominated works (including “Super Frenemies”) will be available shortly, and voting will begin June 15. More details closer to those dates. The Aurora Awards will be presented during When Words Collide / Canvention 36 on the weekend of August 12-14, 2016 in Calgary.

– S.

My 2015 Ad Astra Schedule

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Having two small children means only being able to get away for one day–the Saturday–of Ad Astra this year, but I’m trying to make the most of it by doing three (nearly) back-to-back-to-back panels. If you’re attending I hope to see you there!

Sat 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: High Quality Self-Publishing
Panellists: Beverly Bambury, Caro Soles, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Mark Lefebvre, S.M. Beiko, Stephen Kotowych

It’s time to throw off the yoke of our oppression! Panellists discuss how to make it as an author without relying on a publishing overlord while still producing high quality product and content for your readers.

Sat 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Book Interior Design for Authors
Panellist: Stephen Kotowych (yup–just me for this one, folks!)

We spend so much time obsessing over our covers—but do we spend much time thinking about the look of what’s between them? Whether you’re a traditionally published author working with page proofs for the first time, or an indie author doing printed books through Createspace, any author can benefit from understanding more about the principles of book interior design. How can you tell what works in print and what doesn’t? Do you know the right terms to use when communicating changes to your typesetter or designer? How can you avoid simple mistakes in your self-published book that will scream “Amateur!” to your readers? Join Stephen Kotowych, a 12-year veteran of the traditional publishing biz, for a fast and fun look at the dos-and-don’ts of interior design for your next print genre book.

Sat 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM: The Big Bang Theory: Revenge of the Nerds or Geeksploitation?
Panellists: Ada Hoffmann, Matt Moore, Sephera Giron, Stephen Kotowych

There has been mixed reaction to TBBT in the SF fandom community. When the show first aired some hailed it as a breakthrough—there “we” were every week on TV! But not long after a backlash began: there “we” were every week on TV, the butt of the joke. Or are we? Are you a geek or nerd who loves TBBT? Are you a geek or nerd who loathes TBBT? Are you laughing with or at Sheldon, Howard, Raj, and Leonard? As TV’s idea of geeks are they portrayed as heroes or just hapless? Let’s discuss opinions of the show—ours and those of some insightful media commentators—and decide where we stand on The Big Bang Theory.