Of Dragons and Conventions

Aug. 29 - Sept. 2 in Atlanta

It is almost that time of year, the date upon which the entire Fandom Universe Calendar is based; I am talking, of course, about Dragon Con.

Imagine 80,000 of your closest nerd friends spread out over 4 hotels in a geek fest of monumental proportions. I am attending as a professional once again, which means I’ll be on panels waxing philosophic on everything from the next generation of podcasts, to mortality in horror fiction, conveying horror through language, and figuring out which fears are best suited to your horror niche. I’ve listed my complete schedule below.

As always, I will have Harry Strange Radio Drama Ribbons to give away for folks who attend my panels, or just stop me in one of the host hotels and show me a picture of your dog(s) or cat(s) (or, just ask me if I have one).

I will have two books available for purchase: Harry Strange in The Stones of Solomon, the story that launched the Harry Strange Radio Drama. This book is the complete scripts as written for season one, which means it includes bits we had to cut from production because of time.

The second book is the Georgia Gothic anthology, which includes my short story “Grady’s Plantation” as well as stories by other writers who are also attending Dragon Con (Darrell Grizzle, Jessie Ann York, Jessica Nettles, and a foreword by Gini Koch). Georgia Gothic is full of ghosts, witches, snakes, and swamps, and a few traditional crumbling mansions and more creepiness that you could haul in a good sized pickup truck. Buy a book, get an autograph! A Special Dragon Con discount will be in-effect.

That’s it! I hope to see you there. As always, share this update with friends, neighbors, lovers, spouses, clergy…well, you get the idea.

See you at Dragon Con.

My Schdeule

Title: Fiction Podcasts (Not your father's old time radio drama)
Description: Audio drama has returned in a big way to the podcast space. Creators use the latest tech to create interesting & entertaining stories that keep us glued to our earbuds. But how do you find cast and crew, what do the scripts look like, and, equally important, how do you monetize your fiction podcast?
Panelists: Tony Sarrecchia(M), Jeff Hays, Bobby Nash, David Benedict, Robin T. Williams
Time: Fri 10:00 am
Location: Galleria 6 Hilton (Length: 1 Hour)


Title: Before the Grave: Themes of Mortality in Horror Fiction
Description: Discover how the shadow of mortality shapes horror's narratives, characters, and our own darkest imaginations. Embrace the darkness and confront the fears that make us human.
Panelists: Cherie M. Priest, Violette L Meier, Erika Lance, Richard Lee Byers, Brent Abell, Tony Sarrecchia(M)
Time: Fri 02:30 pm
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)


Title: Screams & Whispers: Conveying Horror Through Language
Description: Words have the power to frighten readers and build a haunting world on the page. Join our macabre wordsmiths as they dissect the art of crafting words into the horrors keeping readers up at night.
Panelists: Violette L Meier, Cherie M. Priest, L. Marie Wood, Erika Lance, Richard Lee Byers, Tony Sarrecchia(M)
Time: Sat 11:30 am
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)


Title: The Sound Lab
Description: Step right up to A/V lab where we do a step-by-step tutorial on setting up a sound system for your recordings, setting up video for your streams, and everything in between. See the difference between industry-standard hardware and software of all budgets as we create content and learn together.
Panelists: Scott Moore, Gabriel Perez, Tony Sarrecchia, Anthony Vito(M)
Time: Sat 01:00 pm
Location: Galleria 6 Hilton (Length: 1 Hour)


Title: Unearthing Your Literary Horror Niche
Description: Embark on a frightful journey to uncover the intersection of your deepest, darkest fears and find your writing voice. Explore different dark corners in horror fiction with our panel while you face your fears and learn to unleash your inner darkness on the page.
Panelists: Jessi Ann York(M), Darrell Z. Grizzle, L. Marie Wood, Tony Sarrecchia, Anya Martin
Time: Sun 11:30 am
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)


Title: From Heists and High Jinx to Crime and Punishment
Description: We explore that the wide world of crime! Of course with a magical spin on it!
Panelists: Gini Koch(M), J. B. Garner, Stuart Jaffe, Mel Todd, Tony Sarrecchia, Griffin Barber
Time: Sun 02:30 pm
Location: Embassy CD Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)


Title: Signing Showcase: Fantasy Lit Track: Heists & Hijinks, Crime & Punishment
Description:
Panelists: Gini Koch, J. B. Garner, Stuart Jaffe, Mel Todd, Griffin Barber, Tony Sarrecchia
Time: Sun 04:00 pm
Location: Overlook Westin (Length: 1 Hour)


Title: Mastering Fear: Overcoming Adversity in Horror Fiction
Description: This panel will guide you through how to create horrific challenges for your characters to overcome. What wicked traps and snares will your characters face when you plot your next story?
Panelists: Jessi Ann York, Clay Gilbert, Bill Mulligan, Tony Sarrecchia, D.J. Bodden(M)
Time: Mon 01:00 pm
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)