Tachyon authors David Liss (THE PECULIARITIES), Ellen Datlow (BODY SHOCKS, NIGHTMARES, LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS, and more), David Ebenbach (HOW TO MARS), and Peter V. Brett (THE GREAT BAZAAR & BRAYAN’S GOLD) are all attending this years Awesome Con, August 20-22 at Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Awesome Con is Washington DC’s Comic Con! We’re a star-studded celebration of geek culture, bringing over 70,000 fans together with their favorite stars from across comics, movies, television, toys, games, and more! And just like DC, we’re smart, family-friendly, and inclusive – as Awesome Con is home to:

Science Fair, an area of Awesome Con exploring where science and science fiction meet!
Book Fair, THE area of Awesome Con for passionate book dragons, dewy-eyed indie authors, casual readers, and lit lovers of all ages!
Awesome Con Jr, an all-ages destination for the next generation of fans
Pride Alley, a celebration of queer creators and fans curated by GeeksOUT
Destination Cosplay, an area of Awesome Con for cosplay fanatics with photo opportunities, Cosplay Meetups, and much much more!

Awesome Con

David Liss, Ellen Datlow, David Ebenbach, and Peter V. Brett are all participating in the varied and extensive Awesome Con programing.

Friday August 20

2:30 PM

The Appeal of Magic

Everyone wishes they could wave a magic wand every now and then, and the popularity of magic as a theme in books is proof of that. The allure of having secret powers to make all your wishes come true is a universal concept that has spurred millions of books, comic books, movies, and TV shows. How is it that magic is such a pervasive theme in fiction?

J. Kelley Skovron, Constance Sayers, Jordan Ifueko, Cerece Rennie Murphy, Peter V. Brett, Ulysses Campbell (m)

3:30 PM

The Appeal of Magic Signing

J. Kelley Skovron, Constance Sayers, Jordan Ifueko, Cerece Rennie Murphy, Peter V. Brett

Saturday, August 21

10:15 AM

Ask An Editor

What do editors do and what do they look for when acquiring a writer’s work? Get the inside scoop on what you can expect from an editor before they acquire your work and if they do, acquire it–from that point on in the process. Join Ellen Datlow, award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and horror editor and anthologist, during this Q&A session.

Ellen Datlow

11:15 AM

Ask An Editor Signing

Ellen Datlow

Ask An Author

Interested in becoming an author? Curious what it takes to go the distance as a writer? Your burning and bookish questions will be answered during this Q&A session with a variety of established authors across various genres including politics, children’s fiction, fantasy, YA, science fiction, and thriller.

Tommy Jenkins, Sam Maggs, Jordan Ifueko, David Ebenbach, David Liss, Emily Whitten

12:15 PM

Ask An Author Signing

Tommy Jenkins, Sam Maggs, Jordan Ifueko, David Ebenbach

From Fandom to Creation

Every creator starts out as a fan. Join our panelists as they discuss the books, films, and comics that first inspired them to begin their own creative journey and how their personal fandoms influence their work to this day.

Cerece Rennie Murphy, Sam Maggs, David Liss, Ulysses Campbell (m)

Sunday, August 22

11:30 AM

How to Build a Fantasy World

If you’re a fantasy writer, building a fully fleshed out world is the first step in making your creation real to the reader. Unless you can fully understand the world in which your characters live, you won’t be able to effectively write about their experiences.

J. Kelley Skovron, Constance Sayers, L. Penelope, Peter V. Brett, Jordan Ifueko, Emily Whitten (m)

12:30 PM

Creating Terror through the Written Word

How do horror and thriller authors keep us on the edges of our seats? Why do they know what makes us worry? The what ifs are always taken to the extreme in exceptionally well written horror and thriller works.

David Liss, Ellen Datlow

1:30 PM

Creating Terror through the Written Word Signing

David Liss, Ellen Datlow

2:30 PM

Writing a Series

How does one book become two, then three, then ten? There is an art to creating a fully fleshed out story contained within one book, but leaving more unanswered questions in a way that keeps your reader coming back for more. It’s more than just spreading out one story over multiple books, it’s about pacing, story flow, and when to drop the essential bombs which excite and delight readers.

J. Kelley Skovron, David Liss, Peter V. Brett, Sam Maggs, L. Penelope, Harrison Demchick (m)

3:30PM

Writing a Series Signing

J. Kelley Skovron, David Liss, Peter V. Brett, Sam Maggs, L. Penelope