It’s almost upon us, folks. Nerd Prom, aka San Diego Comic Con, is almost here, and I’m thrilled to have been asked to speak on a panel again.
Friday, July 10 • 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Ask An Agent
Literary agents Holly Root (Waxman Leavell Literary Agency), Michael Bourret (Dystel & Goderich Literary Management), and Kate Testerman (kt literary) team up with film agent Brandy Rivers (ICM Partners) to take your questions and discuss the wild world of manuscript querying, the role of agents in the publication and film rights process, and more. No pitches, please. Room 24ABC.
But maybe one panel isn’t enough time to spend with me! Here’s a few of the other book-related panels I’m looking forward to attending, including a few with some of our awesome KT Literary clients (in bold):
Wednesday, July 8 • 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Creating Superheroes in the Classroom: An Interactive Workshop for Teachers
Antero Garcia, Peter Carlson, Susan Kirtley, and Jenn Anya Prosser lead a hands-on workshop for K-12 educators interested in utilizing comic books in classrooms. Open to teachers of all subjects, the program will look at how content-area literacy can be supported through comic books and popular culture in various disciplines. During this workshop panelists will explore how comics support student achievement, discuss ways teachers can align curriculum to use comic books meaningfully, and provide resources for participants to take into their own classrooms.
Thursday, July 9 • 10:00am – 11:00am
The Buffy Effect: Teen Heroines Then and Now
Buffy the Vampire Slayer revolutionized the paradigm of the teen heroine, especially in young adult books. Now, eighteen years later, Buffy continues to have an impact on the TV shows and books we read today. Hear your favorite authors discuss Buffy, the queen of the teen heroine, and how she single-handedly changed the game for strong and snarky female characters who are not the sidekicks. Panelists are Kiersten White, Rachel Hawkins, Rae Carson, Brittany Geragotelis, Brittany Geragotelis, and Valerie Tejeda. Moderated by Sarah Kuhn.
Thursday, July 9 • 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Return of the Smitten Word
Bestselling authors Rachel Hawkins (Miss Mayhem), Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard), and Anna Todd (After) talk about the evolution of fan fiction and the power of online readership and engage in another hilarious battle over movies, TV shows, and Hollywood’s hottest. The discussion will be led by S.J. Harper (Reckoning).
Thursday, July 9 • 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Spotlight on Rainbow Rowell
Rainbow Rowell (New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, and Landline) sits down with Leigh Bardugo (New York Times bestselling author of the Grisha Trilogy) to talk about books, fantasy, “the last three words,” and what Rainbow has planned for this year’s Carry On, her much-awaited return to young adult fiction.
Friday, July 10 • 1:00pm – 2:00pm
From Novel to Comic to Film: Turning Books into Other Forms of Pop Culture
New York Times bestselling author Hugh Howey sits down with his literary agent Kristin Nelson, John Nee (co-CEO of Cryptozoic Entertainment and book packager), Paul Morrissey (Eisner-nominated editor, Jet City Comics), Jimmy Palmiotti (writer and owner of paperfilms), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Gary Whitta (Book of Eli) to discuss how popular novels are turned into comic adaptations and feature films. Get the behind-the-scenes and nitty gritty, from selling options to major film studios to working with visual artists and comic book writers in their adaptations. Hugh Howey’s novel WOOL is in development with Ridley Scott, and the comic adaptation and graphic novel are available from Jet City Comics. Gary Whitta is also adopting Howey’s novel SAND for television.
Friday, July 10 • 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Building the Modern (Super)Heroine
More and more, heroines are being positioned front and center on the page and screen-Katniss, Agent Carter, Tris, Furiosa, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel, just to name a few. What do creators and fans want out of a powerful female protagonist? How can you pay tribute to the heroines of the past while still looking toward the future? What’s the difference between writing established heroines and creating your own? And how can one best position and support these characters to usher in a whole new era of totally bad ass (super)heroines across all platforms? This dynamic group of creators and expert commentators will discuss the challenges of building modern heroines in a variety of mediums. With Cecil Castellucci (Stone in the Sky), Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex), Andrea Letamendi (psychologist, Arkham Sessions), Jose Molina (Agent Carter), and Babs Tarr (Batgirl). Moderated by Amy Ratcliffe (Star Wars online).
Saturday, July 11 • 11:30am – 12:30pm
Inside the Writers’ Room: The Pilot: Part One
Before there can be a hit series (or even a Manimal), there has to be a pilot, and this panel of expert creators and writers will share their experiences-the good, bad, and the very ugly-in selling and making a television pilot. Get the straight scoop from some of today’s most talented and outspoken creators. Moderated by Sony Pictures Television’s senior VP of drama development and production, Chris Parnell. Panelists include Sarah Watson (Parenthood, About a Boy), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman, Lost, Helix), Ashley E. Miller (Terminator, Fringe), Craig Engler (Z Nation), Kay Reindl (Scream, Millennium), Steve Kriozere (Agent X, NCIS), Amy Berg (Caper, Da Vinci’s Demons) and Thomas P. Vitale (Fmr. EVP Chiller Strategic Operations, SYFY Original Movies and co-productions).
Saturday, July 11 • 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Fantasy Literature
Learn about fantasy literature and book-to-movie adaptations from New York Times bestselling authors Heather Brewer (Vladimir Tod series) and Jonathan Maberry (Rot & Ruin), Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures series), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series) and Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle series). Moderated by Henry Herz (Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes).
Saturday, July 11 • 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Choosing the Right Publishing Path for Your Manuscript: Traditional, Small Press or Self-Publishing
Authors Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass series), Seanan McGuire (October Daye series), Cora Carmack (Losing It) and Elizabeth Briggs (Chasing the Dream series), along with editor Adam Wilson (Simon & Schuster) and literary agent Holly Root (Waxman Leavell Literary Agency), discuss the various options for publishing fiction and how to determine what works for different genres. Moderated by author, former literary agent, and all-around publishing guru Nathan Bransford.
Saturday, July 11 • 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Author Talk with Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books has been publishing the best of science fiction and fantasy for nearly 40 years. Authors Alan Dean Foster (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Jason Hough (Zero World), Naomi Novik (Uprooted), Scott Sigler (Alive), and Harry Turtledove (Bombs Away) discuss their latest novels and answer questions about writing and publishing. Moderated by Tricia Narwani (editorial director, Del Rey).
If you’ll be there, some find me and say hello! You may even see me indulging in one of my many extracurricular hobbies — either cosplay or photography!
