Penguicon 2026: Full Schedule

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3:00pm EDT

Writer's Block in the Age of Distraction

Friday March 27, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT

We're surrounded by distractions and it's easier than ever to procrastinate your writing. How do professionals make sure they keep putting down words in the face of a world on fire, smartphones full of notifications, and impostor syndrome?

Moderators

Katie Spina

Author, Awesome Authors Kids

Ms. Katie is an award-winning kidlit author who writes stories for kids where finding your fit means trusting in who you are. An avid reader, she loves all sorts of books across a wide spectrum. With a Bachelor's degree in Writing from the University of Michigan-Flint, she is a professional... Read More →

Speakers

Fyra B. Ginn

Christine Daigle

Christine Daigle is a multi-genre author whose latest release, Heavy Are The Stones, is a serial killer thriller co-authored with New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker. She and Barker are also collaborating on a reboot of Flatliners, based on the original screenplay. Christine... Read More →

Evan Dicken

By day, EVAN DICKEN studies old Japanese maps and crunches research data at The Ohio State University. By night, he does neither of these things.

His short fiction has appeared in: Analog, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and Strange Horizons, and he has written a hefty fistful of media tie-in novels for properties such as: Warhammer, Legend of the Five Rings, Banner Saga, and Arkham Horror... Read More →

Storm Humbert

Friday March 27, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

Writing

4:00pm EDT

Will Write for Loot: How to Start Writing for Games

Friday March 27, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT

Algonquin D

How do you get a job in an industry that doesn't have a "Help Wanted" sign for writers? Whether you’re looking to script branching dialogue for a video game, pen an official tie-in novel for a major franchise, create your own board game, or publish your own tabletop RPG adventures, the path to entry can feel like a locked high-level dungeon. This session is a roadmap for the aspiring pro across all platforms.

Moderators

Stephanie Loree

Freelance Writer & Copy Editor, Jinx Publishing LLC

Born and still based in Ohio, Stephanie Lorée writes fantasy fiction and occasionally moonlights as a rock star. Her stories have appeared in places like Abyss & Apex and as tie-in fiction for the Pathfinder RPG. In 2013, she was a finalist for the Writers of the Future award... Read More →

Speakers

Richard C. White

Original and Media Tie-in Author. I write Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy Noir, Action-Adventure, Historical Fantasy, and Non-Fiction. I will be releasing up to 4 new books in 2026 and have been a panelist/guest at MystiCon nine times in the pre-Covid shows.

My works can be found at http://www.richardcwhite.com/bibliography... Read More →

Tracy Barnett

Penguicon, Guest of Honor, Penguicon 2022

Tracy Barnett (they/them) is an award-winning non-binary games designer, podcast and game editor, and project manager from Ohio. They have been making games for almost 10 years. They specialize in games prompted by feelings and deep with story. You can find them online, anywhere... Read More →

Evan Dicken

Friday March 27, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

Writing

5:00pm EDT

How to Choose your Next Programming Language

Friday March 27, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT

Algonquin D

Costs. Benefits. Trade-offs. How to match your language choice to your application area and where in the stack you operate. With historical perspective on the long-term Transit language evolution. Also, how AI matters.

Speakers

Eric Raymond

Friday March 27, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

Technology

6:00pm EDT

Feeling Nostalgic?

Friday March 27, 2026 6:00pm - 6:50pm EDT

Algonquin D

What is nostalgia? Why is feeling nostalgic so common right now, and is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Speakers

Christine Stevens

Friday March 27, 2026 6:00pm - 6:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

Hack your Brain

7:00pm EDT

Boots on the Ground: Writing About Real World Locations

Friday March 27, 2026 7:00pm - 7:50pm EDT

Algonquin D

You research, you read up on them, you look up maps, but how different would your books be if you visited real world sites in person instead of just doing your homework online? Is it worth a trip? Meet an author who did both and find out what is different. Get a chance to hear about England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Canada, Japan, and the Bahamas.

Speakers

A. Carina Spears

Author, Guild House Classic

I'm one of the Shinigami Kami. I know way too much about something most people probably aren't familiar with. If you want to talk about Shinigami/Grim Reapers, awesome.
I write horror, romance, and fantasy. I also enjoy writing challenges and to that end am playing with fan-fictio... Read More →

Friday March 27, 2026 7:00pm - 7:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

Writing Food

8:00pm EDT

Ask the Author Guests of Honor

Friday March 27, 2026 8:00pm - 8:50pm EDT

Algonquin D

The PenguiCon 2026 Author Guests of Honor will answer your questions about their work and careers.

Moderators

Sarah Hans

Sarah Hans is an award-winning writer, editor, and teacher whose stories have appeared in more than 40 publications, including Apex Magazine, Love Letters to Poe, and Pseudopod. Her debut horror novel, Entomophobia, was released in 2022. You can read Sarah’s short stories in the... Read More →

Speakers

Tracy Barnett

Penguicon, Guest of Honor, Penguicon 2022

Jennifer Blackstream

Author

"Jennifer Blackstream is a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and fantasy romance. She is amazed and grateful to have made a writing career out of a Master’s degree in Psychology, hours of couch-detecting watching Murder She Wrote, and endless research into mythology... Read More →