Loading…
This event has ended. Visit the official site or create your own event on Sched.
Type: Writing clear filter
arrow_back View All Dates
Saturday, March 28
 

10:00am EDT

Fiction Writing: Where to Begin
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Got an idea you want to turn into a story? Seasoned pros will walk you through the process of turning an idea into a story with all the necessary elements.
Moderators
avatar for Stephanie Loree

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
avatar for Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters is an American author known for his genre-blending narratives that span thrillers, suspense, science fiction, and literary fiction. His stories often delve into the unexpected, exploring life's quirky tangents with a unique voice that combines humor and darkness... Read More →
avatar for Jean Davis

Jean Davis

Sci-fi & Fantasy Author
Jean Davis writes an array of speculative fiction and plays with chickens. She has written short story collections, a space opera series, stand-alone novels, children’s books about her chickens, many projects that aren’t yet finished, and a lot of pages that you will never se... Read More →
avatar for Ray Tabler

Ray Tabler

Author, Science Fiction You Can Enjoy
My aim is to write science fiction you can enjoy. So far that's manifested as what I call Light Space Opera. Imagine Starship Troopers, hijacked by Monty Python, or space opera as produced by Gilbert and Sullivan, while bankrolled and bullied by Flo Ziegfeld. Additional links:
Ray... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Blackstream

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Algonquin A

10:00am EDT

World Building in a Dystopia
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
So you're inspired to write a dystopia but not sure where to start. This workshop walks you through the rules of a dystopia and the multiple approaches to world/story building while leaving time to discuss works/ideas in progress and workshop them as a group.
Speakers
avatar for Katie Spina

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Montcalm

11:00am EDT

Ask a Publisher!
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Q&A with Detroit area small press Atthis Arts managing editor Chris Bell. Ask anything about the business of publishing: including contracts, finance/accounting, distribution, crowdfunding, book design (layout/ebooks/audio). Questions submitted ahead of time are encouraged. Self-publishing questions are welcome.
Speakers
avatar for Chris Bell

Chris Bell

Managing Editor, Atthis Arts, LLC
Chris Bell (he/him) is Managing Editor for Detroit-based indie publisher Atthis Arts. With a particular fondness for speculative fiction, Atthis Arts strives to publish quality books that honor the authentic and artistic voice of authors while striving for social responsibility. An... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Charlevoix B

11:00am EDT

Author Signing - Jennifer Blackstream & Christine Daigle
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Author Signing - Jennifer Blackstream & Christine Daigle
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Blackstream

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 →
avatar for Christine Daigle

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Bookstore

11:00am EDT

What I Wish I'd Known
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Authors discuss what they've learned about writing, publishing, and marketing they wish they'd known when they first started.
Speakers
avatar for Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters is an American author known for his genre-blending narratives that span thrillers, suspense, science fiction, and literary fiction. His stories often delve into the unexpected, exploring life's quirky tangents with a unique voice that combines humor and darkness... Read More →
avatar for Jean Davis

Jean Davis

Sci-fi & Fantasy Author
Jean Davis writes an array of speculative fiction and plays with chickens. She has written short story collections, a space opera series, stand-alone novels, children’s books about her chickens, many projects that aren’t yet finished, and a lot of pages that you will never se... Read More →
avatar for Katie Spina

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 →
avatar for Ray Tabler

Ray Tabler

Author, Science Fiction You Can Enjoy
My aim is to write science fiction you can enjoy. So far that's manifested as what I call Light Space Opera. Imagine Starship Troopers, hijacked by Monty Python, or space opera as produced by Gilbert and Sullivan, while bankrolled and bullied by Flo Ziegfeld. Additional links:
Ray... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Algonquin A

11:00am EDT

Writing Truth in Fiction
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Our written voice gives us a connection to our readers. It is important to be truthful to the readers. Through our characters and the situations they endure, we can instill empathy in our readers, help them see new possibilities, or simply help them escape the real world for a bit of time. Our words need to be honest to allow the reader to suspend disbelief and accept the world we’ve created. If what you’ve written doesn’t feel real to you, the writer, the reader won’t believe it either.
Speakers
avatar for Leslie Gulvas

Leslie Gulvas

I'm a collector of experiences and writer of both fact and fiction. I live on a farm with a giant wolf hound, a disgruntled guard pig, silly cats and an old gray horseMy books are:
Carnival Charlatan an urban fantasy,
Brenda's House a middle grade ghost story, and
Off the Reservatio... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Montcalm

11:00am EDT

Kaffeeklatsch - David Weber, Jarod K. Anderson, and Richard C. White
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with David Weber, Jarod K. Anderson, and Richard C. White.
Speakers
avatar for Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson is a writer and poet from Ohio. His new fantasy novel Strange Animals was called "a wholly captivating tale of magic and nature" by Publishers Weekly. His book about nature and mental health Something in the Woods Loves You was praised as a "brilliantly poignant... Read More →
avatar for Richard C. White

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Hamlin

12:00pm EDT

Author Signing - Jim Butcher
Saturday March 28, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Author Signing - Jim Butcher
Speakers
Saturday March 28, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Bookstore

1:00pm EDT

Author Signing - Jarod K. Anderson
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Author Signing - Jarod K. Anderson
Speakers
avatar for Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson is a writer and poet from Ohio. His new fantasy novel Strange Animals was called "a wholly captivating tale of magic and nature" by Publishers Weekly. His book about nature and mental health Something in the Woods Loves You was praised as a "brilliantly poignant... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Bookstore

1:00pm EDT

Effective Worldbuilding
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Fiction requires creating interesting, immersive worlds, especially in Fantasy, SciFi, and Horror. Panelists discuss the most popular worlds in fiction and why they stand out, as well as how the panelists create the worlds they use in their fiction.
Speakers
avatar for Richard C. White

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 →
avatar for Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters is an American author known for his genre-blending narratives that span thrillers, suspense, science fiction, and literary fiction. His stories often delve into the unexpected, exploring life's quirky tangents with a unique voice that combines humor and darkness... Read More →
avatar for Ray Tabler

Ray Tabler

Author, Science Fiction You Can Enjoy
My aim is to write science fiction you can enjoy. So far that's manifested as what I call Light Space Opera. Imagine Starship Troopers, hijacked by Monty Python, or space opera as produced by Gilbert and Sullivan, while bankrolled and bullied by Flo Ziegfeld. Additional links:
Ray... Read More →
avatar for Evan Dicken

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Algonquin A

1:00pm EDT

Kill 'Em or Make 'Em Wish They Were Dead
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
In fiction (you can't really do this in nonfiction without getting arrested), you should be mean as hell to your characters. This is particularly true for genre fiction, and doubly so for Horror. In this panel, we'll discuss how far to go, whether it's okay to kill your protagonist (spoiler: I have no problem doing this), and how to do it in a way that won't leave the reader mad at you (probably).
Speakers
avatar for Ken MacGregor

Ken MacGregor

Ken is a Speculative Fiction (mostly Horror) author with four story collections, an award-winning YA/MG novella, and a novel he co-wrote with Kerry Lipp. He has edited three original anthologies (one co-edited with Douglas Gwilym), one of which was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Charlevoix B

1:00pm EDT

Self-Publishing 101
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Self-published authors discuss why they chose the self-published route and detail just how they went about publishing their own books.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Hans

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 →
avatar for Jean Davis

Jean Davis

Sci-fi & Fantasy Author
Jean Davis writes an array of speculative fiction and plays with chickens. She has written short story collections, a space opera series, stand-alone novels, children’s books about her chickens, many projects that aren’t yet finished, and a lot of pages that you will never se... Read More →
avatar for Tracy Barnett

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 →
avatar for Katie Spina

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 →
avatar for Jennifer Blackstream

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

1:00pm EDT

Kaffeeklatsch - Storm Michael Humbert
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Storm Michael Humbert.
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Hamlin

2:00pm EDT

Author Signing - Evan Dicken
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Author Signing - Evan Dicken
Speakers
avatar for Evan Dicken

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Bookstore

2:00pm EDT

How To Stay Human in the Time of AI
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
With AI books flooding the market, how do we, as creators, stand out and connect with our audience? The panel will discuss tips and strategies to authentically connect with readers and rise above the AI slop.
Speakers
avatar for Stephanie Loree

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 →
avatar for Katie Spina

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 →
avatar for Christine Daigle

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

2:00pm EDT

The Paths to Publishing
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
An exploration of the various paths to becoming a published author and finding your audience, whether you want to be traditionally published, published with small or medium presses, or self-published.
Speakers
avatar for Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson is a writer and poet from Ohio. His new fantasy novel Strange Animals was called "a wholly captivating tale of magic and nature" by Publishers Weekly. His book about nature and mental health Something in the Woods Loves You was praised as a "brilliantly poignant... Read More →
avatar for Jean Davis

Jean Davis

Sci-fi & Fantasy Author
Jean Davis writes an array of speculative fiction and plays with chickens. She has written short story collections, a space opera series, stand-alone novels, children’s books about her chickens, many projects that aren’t yet finished, and a lot of pages that you will never se... Read More →
avatar for Matt Betts

Matt Betts

Writer/Poet and Programmer for the UA Library, UA Library
Talk to me about horror, pop culture, poetry, scifi, books, movies! I want it all!

I'm writer and poet, and I develop programming for the Upper Arlington Public Library.
avatar for Ray Tabler

Ray Tabler

Author, Science Fiction You Can Enjoy
My aim is to write science fiction you can enjoy. So far that's manifested as what I call Light Space Opera. Imagine Starship Troopers, hijacked by Monty Python, or space opera as produced by Gilbert and Sullivan, while bankrolled and bullied by Flo Ziegfeld. Additional links:
Ray... Read More →
avatar for Llewella Forgie

Llewella Forgie

Llewella Forgie is an award-wining author who creates stories of tenacious women battling injustice and creating their own happily-ever-after. Her current work-in-progress is a pentalogy that takes place in Europe in 1802. France is planning to invade, people with psychic powers have... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Algonquin A

2:00pm EDT

Reading-Valtinen Erik Karille, Vera West, A. Carina Spears
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Listen to readings by Valtinen Erik Karille, Vera West, A. Carina Spears
Speakers
avatar for A. Carina Spears

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Hamlin

3:00pm EDT

Author Signing - Stephanie Loree
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Author Signing - Stephanie Loree
Speakers
avatar for Stephanie Loree

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Bookstore

3:00pm EDT

Maintaining Motivation
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
A lot of writers struggle to finish a first draft. Pros offer tips and tricks to stick with and finish your book, even through the dreaded Middle.
Speakers
avatar for Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson is a writer and poet from Ohio. His new fantasy novel Strange Animals was called "a wholly captivating tale of magic and nature" by Publishers Weekly. His book about nature and mental health Something in the Woods Loves You was praised as a "brilliantly poignant... Read More →
avatar for Katie Spina

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 →
avatar for Evan Dicken

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Algonquin A

3:00pm EDT

Outline Like a Pro
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Outlining your novel can speed your writing and help you get to the finish line. Authors explore different ways to write an outline for your novel.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Hans

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 →
avatar for Matt Betts

Matt Betts

Writer/Poet and Programmer for the UA Library, UA Library
Talk to me about horror, pop culture, poetry, scifi, books, movies! I want it all!

I'm writer and poet, and I develop programming for the Upper Arlington Public Library.
avatar for Llewella Forgie

Llewella Forgie

Llewella Forgie is an award-wining author who creates stories of tenacious women battling injustice and creating their own happily-ever-after. Her current work-in-progress is a pentalogy that takes place in Europe in 1802. France is planning to invade, people with psychic powers have... Read More →
avatar for Christine Daigle

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

3:00pm EDT

Worldbuilding Through Food
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
How cuisine, trade, and scarcity shape believable fictional cultures more than maps or magic systems ever will.
Speakers
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Montcalm

3:00pm EDT

Reading-Ken MacGregor, Leslie Gulvas, Michael Cieslak
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Listen to readings by Ken MacGregor, Leslie Gulvas, Michael Cieslak
Speakers
avatar for Ken MacGregor

Ken MacGregor

Ken is a Speculative Fiction (mostly Horror) author with four story collections, an award-winning YA/MG novella, and a novel he co-wrote with Kerry Lipp. He has edited three original anthologies (one co-edited with Douglas Gwilym), one of which was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson... Read More →
avatar for Leslie Gulvas

Leslie Gulvas

I'm a collector of experiences and writer of both fact and fiction. I live on a farm with a giant wolf hound, a disgruntled guard pig, silly cats and an old gray horseMy books are:
Carnival Charlatan an urban fantasy,
Brenda's House a middle grade ghost story, and
Off the Reservatio... Read More →
MC

Michael Cieslak

Dragon's Roost Press
Michael Cieslak is a lifetime reader and writer of horror, mystery, and speculative fiction. A native of Detroit, he lives in a house covered in Halloween decorations in October and dragons the rest of the year. He is a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers and is... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Hamlin

4:00pm EDT

Author Signing - Llewellla Forgie
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Author Signing - Llewellla Forgie
Speakers
avatar for Llewella Forgie

Llewella Forgie

Llewella Forgie is an award-wining author who creates stories of tenacious women battling injustice and creating their own happily-ever-after. Her current work-in-progress is a pentalogy that takes place in Europe in 1802. France is planning to invade, people with psychic powers have... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Bookstore

4:00pm EDT

Creating Compelling Characters with Agency
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Authors explain how they come up with characters that are complex, believable, and compelling to read about.
Speakers
avatar for Christine Daigle

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 →
avatar for Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters

Paul Michael Peters is an American author known for his genre-blending narratives that span thrillers, suspense, science fiction, and literary fiction. His stories often delve into the unexpected, exploring life's quirky tangents with a unique voice that combines humor and darkness... Read More →
avatar for Jean Davis

Jean Davis

Sci-fi & Fantasy Author
Jean Davis writes an array of speculative fiction and plays with chickens. She has written short story collections, a space opera series, stand-alone novels, children’s books about her chickens, many projects that aren’t yet finished, and a lot of pages that you will never se... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Algonquin A

4:00pm EDT

We Love to Be Scared
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Horror authors discuss why readers love the horror genre, why they write it, and what modern classics you should check out.
Speakers
MC

Michael Cieslak

Dragon's Roost Press
Michael Cieslak is a lifetime reader and writer of horror, mystery, and speculative fiction. A native of Detroit, he lives in a house covered in Halloween decorations in October and dragons the rest of the year. He is a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers and is... Read More →
avatar for Sarah Hans

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 →
avatar for Ken MacGregor

Ken MacGregor

Ken is a Speculative Fiction (mostly Horror) author with four story collections, an award-winning YA/MG novella, and a novel he co-wrote with Kerry Lipp. He has edited three original anthologies (one co-edited with Douglas Gwilym), one of which was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson... Read More →
avatar for Matt Betts

Matt Betts

Writer/Poet and Programmer for the UA Library, UA Library
Talk to me about horror, pop culture, poetry, scifi, books, movies! I want it all!

I'm writer and poet, and I develop programming for the Upper Arlington Public Library.
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Algonquin D

4:00pm EDT

Reading-Ray Tabler, Storm Humbert, Katie Spina
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Listen to readings by Ray Tabler, Storm Humbert, Katie Spina
Speakers
avatar for Ray Tabler

Ray Tabler

Author, Science Fiction You Can Enjoy
My aim is to write science fiction you can enjoy. So far that's manifested as what I call Light Space Opera. Imagine Starship Troopers, hijacked by Monty Python, or space opera as produced by Gilbert and Sullivan, while bankrolled and bullied by Flo Ziegfeld. Additional links:
Ray... Read More →
avatar for Katie Spina

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Hamlin

5:00pm EDT

Author Signing - David Weber
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Author Signing - David Weber
Speakers
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Bookstore

5:00pm EDT

Poetry Isn't Dead, It's Undead
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
A discussion of how to write poetry that resonates with a broad audience and challenges traditional ideas of verse. Poets will discuss speculative poetry and how the use of science fiction and horror tropes can make it more accessible. Panelists will also detail markets and opportunities for speculative poets, and give the audience prompts to help them get started on their own poems.
Speakers
avatar for Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson

Jarod K. Anderson is a writer and poet from Ohio. His new fantasy novel Strange Animals was called "a wholly captivating tale of magic and nature" by Publishers Weekly. His book about nature and mental health Something in the Woods Loves You was praised as a "brilliantly poignant... Read More →
avatar for Sarah Hans

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 →
avatar for Matt Betts

Matt Betts

Writer/Poet and Programmer for the UA Library, UA Library
Talk to me about horror, pop culture, poetry, scifi, books, movies! I want it all!

I'm writer and poet, and I develop programming for the Upper Arlington Public Library.
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Algonquin A

5:00pm EDT

What Is Style, and Do I Have It?
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
This workshop with Storm Humber will focus on breaking down what it means to have a prose style (spoiler, everyone does) and how we go about discovering, fine-tuning, foregrounding, and capitalizing on our personal styles.
Speakers
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Montcalm

5:00pm EDT

Kaffeeklatsch - Valtinen Erik Karille, and Stephanie Loree
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Valtinen Erik Karille, and Stephanie Loree.
Speakers
avatar for Stephanie Loree

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Hamlin

6:00pm EDT

Technical Writing - My Journey
Saturday March 28, 2026 6:00pm - 6:50pm EDT
So you want to become a technical writer. If you're in it for the money or the glowing admiration of your fans, might I suggest writing Urban Fantasy Porn instead? I would like this to be an open exchange about the journey and process.
Speakers
avatar for Mark Haynes

Mark Haynes

STEM, Dmarkhaynes Consulting
I’m a renaissance man trapped in a specialist’s body. My degree is in biology. That’s why I’m IT. I’ve worked as a software developer, with an elegant language for a more civilized age. I became a QA guy because breaking things is therapeutic. I became a process specialist... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 6:00pm - 6:50pm EDT
Algonquin C

7:00pm EDT

Why Horror?
Saturday March 28, 2026 7:00pm - 7:50pm EDT
A discussion of what draws people, especially young people, to the horror genre. Why some people are drawn to horror at a very young age.
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Blackstream

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 7:00pm - 7:50pm EDT
Board of Trustees

8:00pm EDT

Fantasy+Romance=Romantasy
Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 8:50pm EDT
"Romantasy" is considered by many to be a hot "new" genre. What's the deal?
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Hans

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 →
avatar for Ray Tabler

Ray Tabler

Author, Science Fiction You Can Enjoy
My aim is to write science fiction you can enjoy. So far that's manifested as what I call Light Space Opera. Imagine Starship Troopers, hijacked by Monty Python, or space opera as produced by Gilbert and Sullivan, while bankrolled and bullied by Flo Ziegfeld. Additional links:
Ray... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Blackstream

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 8:50pm EDT
Charlevoix B

8:00pm EDT

Reading-Matt Betts, Jean Davis
Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 8:50pm EDT
Listen to readings by Matt Betts, Jean Davis
Speakers
avatar for Matt Betts

Matt Betts

Writer/Poet and Programmer for the UA Library, UA Library
Talk to me about horror, pop culture, poetry, scifi, books, movies! I want it all!

I'm writer and poet, and I develop programming for the Upper Arlington Public Library.
avatar for Jean Davis

Jean Davis

Sci-fi & Fantasy Author
Jean Davis writes an array of speculative fiction and plays with chickens. She has written short story collections, a space opera series, stand-alone novels, children’s books about her chickens, many projects that aren’t yet finished, and a lot of pages that you will never se... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 8:50pm EDT
Hamlin

9:00pm EDT

Keep it Spicy: Writing Intimate Scenes
Saturday March 28, 2026 9:00pm - 9:50pm EDT
This is a late-night panel where writers discuss the dos and don'ts of writing physically intimate scenes.
Speakers
avatar for A. Carina Spears

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 →
avatar for Sarah Hans

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 →
avatar for Stephanie Loree

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 →
Saturday March 28, 2026 9:00pm - 9:50pm EDT
Charlevoix B
 
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.
Filtered by Date -