LiveJournal was my first social media account. I kept it open for years after the platform's sale to the Russians, despite all they were doing to destabilize the world, to track the entries of the friends who remained, But the invasion of Ukraine was the final straw. My LJ is gone. Done. Deleted. Many thanks to Dreamwidth for providing an archive for my posts and the opportunity to connect with friends who still journal. 

Finally, I’m going to a real, live convention this weekend (October 1-3). Capclave 2021 will be the first in-person con I’ve participated in since…well, since Capclave 2019. But the wait will totally be worth it, because this year’s Capclave will be two conventions in one. Not only does the con boast Guest of Honor Peter S. Beagle, but it will also be hosting Eric Flint and the 2021 Ring of Fire Con.

You just can’t go wrong with that. Check it out at the Rockville Hilton and Executive Center in Rockville, Maryland. For a taste, check out my panels:

Friday

5 PM: Reading (Monroe Meeting Room)
Yes, there will be chocolate, a soupcon of Dionysus, and possibly the opening of the story where I bellow “Struuuuudel!” at random intervals. Join us and find out!

Saturday

5 PM: What I Did to Survive the Great Pandemic (Washington Theater)
Participants: Mary Fan, Natalie Luhrs, Suzanne Palmer, Jean Marie Ward, Ted Weber (Moderator)
What did people do to survive the pandemic? What changed in their lives? How are they adjusting to getting their lives back? How comfortable are you with post-pandemic conditions? What does normal mean? How will your life be different? When will you give up your mask?

7 PM: How Do I Use History Without a Ph.D. in It? (Eisenhower Meeting Room)
Participants: Tom Doyle, Eric Flint, Alan Smale (M), Jean Marie Ward, Ted Weber
Okay, Harry Turtledove and Arkady Martine have advanced degrees in history. What can other authors do to get historical information? What are the best and most reliable sources? Should writers do all their research before outlining or just leave blanks to research later? Which sources are best for inspiring ideas, and which are helpful inwriting? How do you identify biased sources, and can you still use them? What if your sources conflict? How much history do you put in your novel?
 

Sunday

Noon: Magic’s Price (Truman Meeting Room)
Participants: Donald S. Crankshaw (M), Carolyn Ives Gilman, Karlo Yeager Rodriguez, Jean Marie Ward
In many stories there is a cost to doing magic. What are the costs of doing magic: physical, mental, societal, or other? When are the gains worth the price, and when is this in question? What books show this well?
 

1 PM: Twice Upon a Time—Revisiting Classic Tales (Washington Theater)
Participants: Leah Cypess, Mark Huston, Jean Marie Ward (M), A.C. Wise
Disney was not the first to redo fairy tales. As part of an oral tradition, they were never static but were altered by every storyteller. Re-tellers have remixed archetypes and traditional elements down to the present day. So how can writers give new life to these old stories? And given that everyone knows how the original stories went, what can authors do to make their version stand out?
 

If you like what you read, check out the Capclave website <https://www.capclave.org/capclave/capclave21/> for more program goodness and join us at the Rockville Hilton, Friday through Sunday, October 1-3. Looking forward to seeing you there!

 

October isn’t just Halloween. It’s also Capclave, the Washington DC area’s hometown science fiction and fantasy convention. Like so many cons, they’ve gone virtual this year, but that doesn’t mean the guests or the programming are any less stellar. Guests of Honor from past Capclaves are returning to help the con celebrate its twenty-year anniversary—an anniversary like no other. You can check out the full schedule here.

But we know you’re all here for me. 😉 So I’ll make it easy on you. Check out these offerings:

 

Saturday, October17

1:30 PM

Panel: Magic – Obvious or Mysterious

Participants: Sarah Beth Durst, Charlotte Honigman, John Skovran, Carrie Vaughn, Jean Marie Ward (Moderator)

Some modern fantasy settings have the existence of magic and magical creatures known to the public—think True Blood or Poul Anderson’s Operation Chaos. Others have the magic secret such as Seanan McGuire’s Incryptid series or the TV show Supernatural. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach? Why might an author choose one or the other? Are some authors better than one or the other?

 

7:30 PM

Panel: Sharing a Universe

Participants: Iver Cooper, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Carrie Vaughn, Jean Marie Ward

Shared universes have been around for years. 1632 is its own cottage industry these days, and Wild Cards has experienced a rebirth. Panelists will discuss the advantages, disadvantages and what it takes to work in this type of writing. What is the appeal to authors and readers? Why do some shared universes work while others produced a handful of volumes and vanished? What caused Thieves World to turn dark and toxic, and how can other shared worlds avoid their fate?

 

Sunday

1:30 PM

Reading

 

Hope to see you in Capclave’s virtual panel rooms soon. Stay safe!

Dragon Con is going virtual this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same wild mix of media stars, writers, artists, panels, gaming, costumes, performances, music and all the rest—even the blood drive! For everything that’s been awful about 2020, the year has given folks who wouldn’t normally make it to Atlanta over Labor Day a chance to share the fun. For free!

That’s right, Dragon Con is offering three free 24/7 streaming channels of live and pre-recorded programming at https://dragoncon.tv/virtual: Main Programming, Fan Programming and Classic Programming. In addition, each of their programming tracks will be offering a selection of live and pre-recorded programs on venues ranging from Facebook to YouTube and all the social media in between. For those of us who can’t imagine Labor Day without the camaraderie of the various hotel bars, there’s even a BarCon running on Discord. And all of that is also free.

In addition, they’ve created the best virtual art show and vendors rooms I’ve seen so far. Artists, makers and dealers have been particularly hard hit by the loss of physical conventions. This is the perfect chance to show your love and support for the people who bring so much joy to the world.

For more details, head to https://dragoncon.org. The page is phenomenally easy to navigate. There’s even a link to a pdf of the Quick Start Guide we all live by at the RL con. Links to the individual track offerings can be found on p. 23.

Or you can check out the feeds of your favorite Dragon Con participants. You can find me several places this weekend:

Friday, 7 PM

SF Literature Track

Reading: I’ll be reading from four of my science fictions: “The Wrong Refrigerator” (which has just been translated into Chinese for Science Fiction World. Squeeeeeee!), “The Wizard of Woodrow Park” from Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens, “The Ellsberg Variations” from Lost Signals of the Terran Republic, and “Yesterday, I Will”, my shortest published work from the anthology of the same name. Check out how many times I can stumble over my own words. You’d think I’d never seen them before. Well, not for several months anyway. LOL

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173171899402965/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn6yQUcszuJFwMw1iLMnP-w

Saturday, 2:30 PM

Alternate and Historical Fiction Track

Fact or Fiction AFHT Edition: AFHT’s historical fiction writers will refresh your memory on major historical events and goings on. Of course, not everyone can remember history as it truly happens. Is it fact? Is it fiction? Join our cast of unlucky souls who will determine which story is FACT and which is FICTION... Panelists: Tony Ballard-Smoot, AJ Hartley, L. Jagi Lamplighter, Michael Martinez, Tamsin Silver, Jean Marie Ward Moderators: Liz Carpenter, Alison Helfferich, Brett Gordon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DConAlternateHistoryTrack/

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzbMmPbV4bRnRdJ2zCYkPEA/featured

Sunday, Noon

Writers Track

Mentoring Sessions: Four opportunities for me to share all the craziness I’ve experienced over a quarter century reporting on, writing for and editing in this strange business we call publishing

Sign-up Sheet: https://form.jotform.com/202435857025050

Mentoring Schedule: https://www.notion.so/Dragon-Con-Writers-Track-Mentoring-Schedule-9c72a7a124234eee9c2913e833c6c9e8

Sunday, 2:30 PM

Alternate & Historical Fiction Track

Quarantine Reads: A laid-back face-to-face with some of our favorite panelists discussing recently released and forthcoming alternate history and historical fiction books for the next year. What should you be reading to prepare for 2021? Panelists: L. Jagi Lamplighter, Tamsin Silver, Jean Marie Ward Moderators: Liz Carpenter, Alison Helfferich

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DConAlternateHistoryTrack/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzbMmPbV4bRnRdJ2zCYkPEA/featured

Sunday, 8 PM

Urban Fantasy Track—Live!

Gifts, Missing Mojo, and Murder: A Lucifer Fan Panel: A moderated fan-panel discussion over Season 5A of the hit show.

Panelists: Kevin Bachelder, Susan Griffith, Lisa Harrison, Wendy Hembrock, Jean Marie Ward

Moderator: Carol Malcolm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DCUrbanFantasy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaz0h4NfjHCTTDka26gkVpA/

Can’t wait to see you there!

I don't do a lot of significant day posts, because frankly, I usually forget the day is significant until it's over. But today, as I read the news, I was struck with a correspondence I couldn't ignore. Today is the sixth of June, the anniversary of D-Day, the launch of Operation Overlord whose purpose was to retake western Europe from the racist, fascistic dictators and their minions who had devastated the world.
Last night people all over the US assembled in remembrance of those we have lost, especially those black lives we have lost, to injustice and systematic racism. In DC along #BlackLivesMatterWay, houses of worship rang their bells for 8 minutes 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd. In the same way, chaplains of all faiths--not just Christian, I say this as someone who knew people who were there--prepared the soldiers, sailors and marines about to land on the beaches of Normandy.
Today unknown thousands will assemble across the country to march toward a better tomorrow. Significantly, the Department of Defense has unilaterally ordered home the active duty forces ordered to DC and disarmed the National Guard in the area. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has reminded all military personnel in writing that the military's oath is to support and defend the Constitution and all Americans exercising their Constitutional rights.
Whatever happens today, it won't be the end. D-Day wasn't the end of World War II. Evil clutches its power with the desperation born of fear. Racists and tyrants are cowards at their core, terrified of being held accountable for their deeds. What's worse, evil never stays defeated. There's always a bully or would-be dictator awaiting their opportunity to strike. And tragically, the very forces we fought in Europe and elsewhere so many decades ago are still at work today. But I can't help looking at the parallels between that June 6, 76 years ago today, and hoping.
Hoping with all my heart.

 Like a lot of folks in these locked down times, I think about food. A lot--what I can find, what I can persuade people to deliver, and what I can cook. There is a school of culinary thought that says all US cuisine derives from African-American cuisine, and African-American cuisine is the United States' only original, homegrown cuisine. Sure, we eat food and dishes from all over, but our national bedrock, our unique contribution to the culinary world is the product of centuries of black cooks and black celebrity chefs. (Yes, our first homegrown celebrity chefs, dating to the early 19th century, were all African-American. Look it up.

Arturo Schomburg--writer, thinker and historian of the Harlem Renaissance--wanted to celebrate that legacy in a mammoth collection of 400 recipes. It was never published, but still became a seminal work of modern culinary history. What strikes me, however, is what a totally American tale the story of his never-finished cookbook is, from his book proposal's stated pan-American goals to its much more limited, US-centric focus to the one recipe it contained: a recipe for gumbo from a cookbook by Lafcadio Hearn.

Hearn, for those of you who aren't obsessed with Japanese movies (Greg Uchrin, I'm looking at you), was an Irish-Greek American newspaper man, who after years of covering stories around the US and the Caribbean, moved to Japan, took a Japanese name (Koizumi Yakumo), and wrote a number of seminal collections of Japanese ghost stories and legends, including KWAIDAN: STORIES AND STUDIES OF STRANGE THINGS. The United States is and always has been a melting pot, a great big glorious stew of people and ideas. Celebrate it!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/arturo-schomburg-cookbook

#ArturoSchomburg #LafcadioHearn #AmericanCooking #recipes

It's official. (I mean it's in Locus Magazine. You can't get more official than that, right?) I can now happy dance in public. "The Wrong Refrigerator" is one of the finalists in the novelette category of this year's Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine Readers Awards! I still can't quite believe it. Big thanks again to Sheila Williams for believing in the story. For those of you who didn't catch it the first time around, here's a link to the PDF, courtesy of Asimov's. And if the story inspires you to nominate it for one of those awards I mentioned yesterday, why I'd have no objection at all. ;-) If not, that's cool, too. I'm grateful to everyone who thought enough of the story to name it in their Readers Poll ballot. It's an honor to be on the same list with Nancy Kress, Ian R. MacLeod, Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Allen Steele.

Oops! I meant to post this earlier this week, but my current writing project had other ideas. I’m just glad it released its grip before the con began.

Capclave did me proud this year: six panels, an autograph session and two readings. It all takes place Friday-Sunday, September 28-30 at the Rockville Hilton and Executive Meeting Center, Rockville, Maryland. I hope to see you there—and remember, the autographing session always has cake…

Friday
4 PM: Writing at Different Lengths
Panelists: Nancy Kress, Suzanne Palmer, Jean Marie Ward (M), Alyssa Wong
Writing at a short length vs. writing a novella or novel. What are the differences, if any, in how to approach the writing of a short story vs. the writing of a novel. (Eisenhower)

6 PM: Humorous SF
Panelists: Darrell Schweitzer, Alex Shvartsman, Jean Marie Ward (M)
It's easy to name the funny fantasy books, but what about the funny SF books and short stories? For instance, Unidentified Funny Objects is an entire anthology of funny SF. (Truman)

10 PM: Writing on the Job
Panelists: Marilyn "Mattie" Brahen, Barbara Krasnoff (M), Hildy Silverman, Jean Marie Ward
Is it better for a writer to have a non-writing job to save his/her writing energies for fiction or to use writing skills to make a nonfiction living on the idea that any writing improves fiction writing? And when should you quit your day job? Hear writers discuss the relationship between their day job and their writing. (Washington Theater)

Saturday
1 PM: What Makes Alternate History So Compelling?
Panelists: Tom Doyle (M), J. L. Gribble, Bjorn Hasseler, Alan Smale, Jean Marie Ward
Alternate histories continue to proliferate, though in accordance with Sturgeon's Law, most fail the plausibility test, the storytelling test, or both. Why do the what-ifs continue to fascinate us, and what makes a powerful story in this subgenre? (Truman)

3 PM: Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
Panelists: Jeanne Adams, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Carol Ann Douglas, Jennifer Povey, Jean Marie Ward (M), Joan Wendland
Broad Universe is an international organization with the primary goal of promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women. Members will be doing readings from their own works. (Jackson)

4 PM: Middles
Panelists: Wendy S. Delmater, Andrew Fox, Nancy Kress, Jack Skillingstead, David Walton, Jean Marie Ward (M)
So now that you've started your story, how do you put meat on its bones? How do you develop plot and character at short fiction and novel lengths? How many Aristotelian unites can and should you violate in your story? (Washington Theater)

6 PM: Use of Mythology in SFF
Panelists: Tom Doyle, Michelle D. Sonnier, Jean Marie Ward, Steven H. Wilson, A.C. Wise (M)
There are a lot of different mythologies out there, with both similarities and differences. How do we incorporate and adapt them when writing our stories? Norse, Greek and Roman myths are the most common ones used in genre stories but are not the only mythologies out there. What's acceptable to adapt and change, especially when using a mythology from a culture not one's own. E.g. dragons in Europe and dragons in various Asian countries have quite different motives and personalities ascribed to them. (Washington Theater)

7:30 PM: Mass Autographing and Awards Ceremony
(Eisenhower) Ends at 8:55 PM

Sunday
1 PM: Reading
(Lincoln) Ends at 1:25 PM

3 PM: Superheroine to Wise Woman: Creating Powerful Female Characters
Panelists: Cerece Rennie Murphy, Michelle D. Sonnier, Jean Marie Ward, A.C. Wise (M)
What goes into creating strong, compelling female characters in fantasy worlds? Speculative fiction authors discuss how to approach elements such as world-building, magic, special powers, and plot when crafting a multi-dimensional character, and how to avoid the pitfalls of the "Mary Sue." (Jackson)

#

Dragon Con is almost here! I’ll be heading out Wednesday, abandoning spouse and house panther to their own devices. (They’re afraid…very afraid. ;-) ) I can’t wait to see my friends—and learn what author and Falstaff Books publisher John Hartness is planning for the threatened Virgo birthday bash. (The Westin Bar may never recover.) In addition, this will be author Joshua B. Palmatier’s first time in the Merchandise Mart as the publisher of Zombies Need Brains. Drop by and say hello if you’re going in that direction.
I hope you’ll drop by a few of my panels, too. This year I have twelve. From the subjects and the other guests, they’re sure to be grand!

-------------------
Title: Social Media as an Effective Tool for Authors
Description: Social media can launch your career--or kill it. What's effective? What isn't? Learn how to navigate the tricky waters of social media.
Time: Fri 01:00 pm Location: Embassy CD - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Tyra A Burton, Denise Baker Camacho, Michael Chatfield, Jean Marie Ward, Lee Martindale, Aleron Kong)

-------------------
Title: A Genre Is a Genre Is a Genre: The Proliferation of Genres
Description: Every time you turn around, it seems there's a new genre on the bookshelves--or a sub-genre. Whatever happened to just science fiction or just fantasy or just...any genre you'd care to name? Our panelists discuss this. Is there any end in sight?
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: Embassy AB - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
(Tentative Panelists: Jean Marie Ward, Claire M. Eddy, Bill Fawcett, Henry Vogel, Dr. Charles E. Gannon)

-------------------
Title: Readings in Honor of Kathryn Fernquist Hinds
Description: Writers & friends celebrate the life of author, bard, poet, & teacher Kathryn Hinds with reminiscences & readings from her work.
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: Techwood - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
(Tentative Panelists: Jean Marie Ward, Gail Z. Martin, Jeanne P Adams, James Palmer, Trisha J. Wooldridge, Catherine M. Scully)

-------------------
Title: Ahoy, Mateys! Pirates in Popular Culture
Description: The drama and adventure of pirate history have inspired imaginations for centuries. Join us for some of our favorite pirate stories, including Pirates of the Caribbean, Black Sails, Treasure Island, Treasure Planet, The Goonies - even Cutthroat Island! No, we don't know where the rum has gone.
Time: Fri 08:30 pm Location: Athens - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Tim Powers, Darin M. Bush, Michael J. Martinez, Jean Marie Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon)

-------------------
Title: Reading Session: Jean Marie Ward
Time: Sat 01:00 pm Location: Marietta - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Jean Marie Ward)

-------------------
Title: Her-storically Speaking
Description: Well-behaved women rarely make history, as they say. So we'll be talking about some of the women who made waves, with a focus on pirates, Vikings, and detectives. History professors, writers, and all-around smart ladies talk about the stories we may not have been taught in history books.
Time: Sat 07:00 pm Location: Athens - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Octavia Randolph, Jean Marie Ward, Leanna Renee Hieber, Nancy Holzner)

-------------------
Title: The Oldest Profession: History's Most Famous Working Women
Description: History has a lot of unsung heroes, specifically in this profession. Contrary to what you may have read, some of the most notorious and celebrated madams and working women have shaped and often guided our history. This survey panel showcases some you should know about.
Time: Sat 11:30 pm Location: Athens - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Cecilia Dominic, Jean Marie Ward, Gail Z. Martin, Austin Sirkin, Valerie Hampton)

-------------------
Title: Oops, I Sold My Novel. Now What?
Description: Selling your novel is Step One. Presenters will discuss what happens next. How do you make your first novel the success you dreamed about?
Time: Sun 04:00 pm Location: Embassy CD - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: John L. Flynn, Lucienne Diver, Leanna Renee Hieber, Michael J. Martinez, Scott Sigler, Jean Marie Ward)

-------------------
Title: Ursula K. Le Guin: Honoring a Grand Master
Description: The field lost a great voice last year when Ursula K. Leguin passed. We will be honoring the author of The Left Hand of Darkness and Wizard of Earthsea (among others) by discussing her work and life.
Time: Sun 05:30 pm Location: International South - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
(Tentative Panelists:) Erika A. Domeika, Jean Marie Ward, Trisha Wooldridge

-------------------
Title: Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Readings
Description: Tasty bite-sized readings from some of your favorite & soon-to-be-favorite authors.
Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: Techwood - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
(Tentative Panelists: Jean Marie Ward, Gail Z. Martin, John G. Hartness, K.M. Herkes, Linda Robertson, Trisha J. Wooldridge, Jeanne P Adams, Nancy Northcott)

-------------------
Title: Win, Lose, or Draw
Description: Our annual try at getting our fellow fans to figure out what you're drawing. There will be prizes for the winning team.
Time: Mon 01:00 pm Location: Embassy AB - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
(Tentative Panelists: Jean Marie Ward)

-------------------
Title: The Devil in the Details: A Lucifer Fan Panel
Description: A moderated fan-panel discussion of the hit show's third season
Time: Mon 02:30 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Kevin Bachelder, Eric R. Asher, Jean Marie Ward, Kristin Jackson, John G. Hartness)

Capclave, my hometown con specializing in short fiction, is coming up this weekend. Don’t miss your chance to see our award-winning guests of honor, Ken Liu and Neil Clarke, as well as hang with the some of the friendliest writers around. (Yeah, I’ll be there, too. But the rest of them are really nice. Honest.)
My schedule this year is particularly choice, encompassing a number of topics dear to my heart. I hope I’ll see you at the panels and readings. And as always, I come equipped with chocolate.

Friday
3 PM, Rockville/Potomac
Worldbuilding in Science Fiction vs. Fantasy
Are there distinctions in how worldbuilding is approached for a fantasy setting rather than a science fiction setting? Are there different approaches in how the result is presented to the reader? Are there challenges on one side of the fantasy/SF split that are less of an issue on the other? Panelists: Charles Gannon, Jean Marie Ward (m), Lawrence Watt-Evans, Allen Wold

7 PM, Rockville/Potomac
Write What You Don't Know
Fantasy authors rarely get irate email from dragons saying they got it wrong. How to write characters from places and times that you don’t know but members of your audience do, and why it’s important to get outside your comfort zone. Panelists: Scott H. Andrews, Joshua Palmatier, Michael Ventrella (m), Jean Marie Ward

Saturday
11 AM, Bethesda
Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
Broad Universe is an international organization with the primary goal of promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women. Members will be doing readings from their own works. Readers: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Jeanne Adams, Vickie Hartman DiSanto, Karen Wester Newton (aka Carmen Webster Buxton), Jennifer Povey, Janine K. Spendlove, Denise Timpko, Jean Marie Ward (m)

1 PM, Bethesda
Reading (30 minutes)

4 PM, Salon A
Use of Mythology in Science Fiction and Fantasy
There are a lot of different mythologies out there, with both similarities and differences. How do we incorporate and adapt them when writing our stories. What's acceptable to adapt and change, especially when using a mythology from a culture not one's own. E.g. dragons in Europe and dragons in various Asian countries often have quite different motives and personalities ascribed to them. Panelists: Jack Campbell, Carolyn Ives Gilman, Scott Roberts, Michelle Sonnier, Jean Marie Ward (m)

Sunday
3 PM, Frederick
The Economics of Magic
How do you use magic in your fantasy work so that it doesn't become a get out of jail free option? When your characters use magic what are the costs to the magic user or the fantasy world? Should conservation of energy apply? Panelists: Scott H. Andrews, Jean Marie Ward (m), Lawrence Watt-Evans