News & Blog

World Fantasy 2014 is a-comin’, folks! November 6th through 9th in Washington, D.C., and I’ll be there! The convention has finally announced its programming schedule, and it looks like I’m on a panel Saturday night, during prime bar time. That’s what I get for being a late registrant! But if you’re not in the mood for drinking and socializing, here’s where you can find me:

The Myriad Faces of Dragons
Time: 8pm-9pm, Nov. 8, Washington
Panelists: Michael A. Stackpole, Marie Brennan, Nicholas Kaufmann, James Maxey (M), Naomi Novik
Description: Dragons are a staple in European and Asian mythology and fantasy literature presents them across the spectrum from wise beings to destructive forces, from symbols to complex characters. Whether it is the great warbeasts of Temeraire , the mysterious councilors of A Wizard of Earthsea, the humorous scoundrels of How To Train Your Dragon or the deep and august beast that is Smaug, dragons continue to fascinate and delight. Then there is the treatment of dragons by science fiction authors, such as Anne McCafferty’s Pern and Jack Vance’s The Dragon Masters? Does including a dragon make these works secretly fantasies? A discussion at the various forms of dragons and why they are still are compelling today.

I actually know very little about dragons, despite having written three books now that feature them, so this should be…interesting. Here’s hoping I don’t come off sounding like a fool. Or more a fool than usual, I should say!

I didn’t get a reading slot this year. That’s also what I get for being a late registrant! But despite this minor disappointment, I’m looking forward to the convention. Lots of friends I haven’t seen in ages will be there, as well as many authors whose work I enjoy and admire. Year after year, the World Fantasy Convention is where it’s at!