Conferences and Conventions

All posts in the Conferences and Conventions category

Philcon!!

Published November 18, 2014 by christinenorris

If you’re going to be attending Philcon this weekend, I’ll be there. I usually float around the dealer’s room, but there will be many chances to see me on panels. Many, many chances…

Sat 1:00 PM in Plaza V (Five) (1 hour)
THE MOVIES WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE TURN INTO TV SHOWS (1928)

[Panelists: Allyn Gibson (mod), Andre Lieven, Bill Spangler,
Christine Norris]

Is it Avatar? Harry Potter? The Road? 28 Days Later? Men in Black?
Too many movies end with us wanting more. Panelist and fans will
discuss what movies they would love to see made into TV shows, which
ones would work and those that tney should of just ended. (cartoons
and internet spin-offs are fair game

Sat 3:00 PM in Plaza III (Three) (1 hour)
THE MODERN LIBRARY (1947)

[Panelists: Suzanne Rosin (mod), Tony Finan, Scheherazade Jackson,
Christine Norris, Meredith Schwartz, Mary Spila]

In the age of internet, Google, smartphone, and tablet, do we still
need libraries?  And, if so, what role do they have to play?  And
how has the role of librarian changed over time, and how might it
continue to change going forward

Sat 5:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Three (1 hour)
THE CAPALDI REPORT: A NEW WHO (1816)

[Panelists: Victoria Janssen (mod), Gordon Linzner, Deborah Stanish,
Rebecca Robare, Christine Norris, Gail Z. Martin]

With the first season of Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor concluded
and fandom awaiting the Doctor Who Christmas special, what has
worked and what has not? Has this new “alien” Doctor worked out
well?  How has Moffat’s new season helped or hurt the arrival of the
new Time Lord?  Where do Capaldi and Doctor Who go from here

Sat 6:00 PM in Plaza V (Five) (1 hour)
ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS… (1817)

[Panelists: Christine Norris (mod), Marilyn Brahen, Gil Cnaan, Debby
Lieven, Hildy Silverman, Savan Gupta]

Come discuss with panelists the various shows on fairy tales and
fantasy. Which ones should YOU be watching

Sun 11:00 AM in Plaza III (Three) (1 hour)
FANS AND GEEKS AS PARENTS (1847)

[Panelists: Lynn E. Cohen Koehler (mod), Todd Dashoff, Christine
Norris, Pam Smith, Peter Prellwitz, Katie Gardner]

What is life like AFTER you’re a parent?  Can you still be what you
were before? How do your interests in matters fannish and geekish
affect how raise your children?  Have they shared your interests

 

So…that happened. Publishing nightmares become real.

Published June 25, 2014 by christinenorris

I guess enough time has passed that I’m ready to talk about what happened last week. You’ve all most likely heard the news, or read my FB or Twitter to know what that my publisher closed up shop very suddenly.

I got the call on Thursday afternoon, after what had already been a trying day. My agent texted me and said we needed to talk. About the book. She broke it to me gently, but it was still painful. Strange Chemistry and Exhibit A, the YA and mystery imprints of Angry Robot books, were cut. Effective immediately. Last Thursday.

I was sick over it. Really nauseous. Panicked a bit, even. This wasn’t supposed to happen! I had a contract with a very respectable and well-known publisher. This wasn’t supposed to be the way it went.

But it did. Crash and burn. There was the reason for the unexplained cover delay. And here I am with an orphaned book. A Curse of Ash and Iron will not be coming out in September. Now that I’ve had a little distance, well, it still sucks. Big time. BUT…

–it didn’t happen after the book came out. Those poor authors’ books are in limbo for a bit.

–it didn’t happen in the middle of a series. Those are a tough sell.

— I hadn’t yet put money down on a launch party venue or spent anything on promotion.

It could have ended MUCH worse. I have to thank my editor Amanda Rutter and the publicity manager Caroline Lambe for being SO insanely supportive. They’ve been great from day one, and I know they’re feeling just as awful as I am.

I am still going to CONvergence next week, because I said I would. I’m on panels, I have other books to promote to a new audience. And I could use a vacation, why not Minneapolis? I’ve never been. I ordered 100 Library of Athena  series postcards to sign and give away.  If you see me there, ask for one. I’m going to get a shiny silver paint pen to sign them with.

The outpouring of support from fans and other authors has been tremendous. Twitter kind of blew up that day with sympathy and messages of support. People pre-ordered my book AFTER the news broke as a sign of support.

And I love all you guys for that.  Really, I was totally touched. And though it felt like someone had punched me in the gut, it’ll be okay. We still have the manuscript, and it’s been WELL edited. Some lucky publisher is going to snatch it up, because most of the work’s already done. I fully expect to have a new announcement in the near future. The book WILL be read, just not on the previously released schedule. I hope those who wanted to read it before will STILL want to get it when we find it a new home.

I promise, it’ll be all right. Meanwhile, I’m excited to go to NJSCBWI this weekend. I think I need some time among my people, to laugh and get back into the right frame of mind.

Thanks, and hang in there!

 

Ah, the ups and downs of publishing

Published June 16, 2014 by christinenorris

Hallo my freaky darlings!

It’s been a long month. Or two. I just looked and saw that the last time I posted was  the end of April. Yikes! I know I said I’d give a video blog, but I haven’t had a chance to do it. Crazy!

Last month I spent three weekends in a row on the road, doing promotional stuff. It was all fun, but tiring when you have to return to a five-day-a-week full time job too. Especially when you just started said job. It was a rough start, but now we’re almost to summer and things are quieting down. I love being a school librarian, but yanno, if I had the means to just write and promote all the time, and travel all over to do it, I’d be there. I’d be crashing on Monday mornings instead of dragging myself to work.

So now I’m turning toward the next things on the agenda. I have the NJ
SCBWI conference coming up on the 27th, and then CONvergence over Independence Day. I’m starting to really work on promoting A CURSE OF ASH AND IRON. The manuscript has been edited, and copyedited, and turned over for proofreading. July will bring ARCs and the book being sent out on NetGalley for pre-publication reviews. I am setting up my fall appearance schedule a little bit.

I have a place in mind for the launch, which will be a Victorian tea party of sorts, and I think it will be at a local tea house. Super fun!

But, as with every endeavor, nothing goes perfectly. We make plans, God laughs, or whatever. Whether it’s Mercury in retrograde, or Murphy’s law, or just my luck, I don’t know. But I’m still waiting for the cover. I have the cover reveal scheduled for June 19th, but I will have to push it back unless I get the cover today or at the latest tomorrow. The publisher is upset at the delay as well. I don’t know the reason, but these things happen. I trust the artist, the awesome Steven Meyer-Rassow, will make it everything I want and it will be awesome.

And as much as I want the cover reveal to happen, more pressing is getting promotional swag made up for those above-mentioned upcoming appearances. I NEED to have something for CONvergence. I’m sure I’ll have the cover before then *crosses fingers* and if needs be I can get Staples to print them same day. It’ll be tight, but totally not a major crisis. Do you hear me? NOT. A. CRISIS.

Maybe you can all light a candle that the cover comes in time for the scheduled reveal? Pretty Please?

Just another day in the exciting world of publishing! LOL.

Official Philcon Schedule

Published November 7, 2013 by christinenorris

It’s that time of year again! Philcon! I will be there, as usual, and here is my currently official schedule:

Fri 7:00 PM in Plaza II (Two) (1 hour)
DYSTOPIA IN YOUNG ADULT FICTION  [FAMILY FRIENDLY] (1422)

[Panelists: Rebecca Robare (mod), Gil Cnaan, E.C. Myers, Christine
Norris, Aurora Celeste]

Dystopias have long been a part of science fiction, dating back to
Huxley, Orwell, and other classic authors. In the 1980s, Young Adult
authors like H.M. Hoover and William Sleator explored dystopic
futures. Today, with the recent explosion of Young Adult science
fiction and fantasy, dystopia is all over, from Scott Westerfields
“Uglies” to Suzanne Collins’s “Hunger Games.” This panel will
explore the use and meaning of dystopia and its special role in
Young Adult fiction

Sat 4:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two (1 hour)
THE SCIENCE OF STEAM PUNK (1502)

[Panelists: Christine Norris (mod), Neal Levin, Fran Wilde, Thomas
Willeford]

There are plenty of stories (mostly set in a fantastic Victorian
age) about incredible giant machines run on the POWER OF STEAM!  But
just how plausible is it? And if it IS plausible, why didn’t it
happen

Sun 10:00 AM in Plaza III (Three) (1 hour)
USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE YOUR CAREER (1543)

[Panelists: KT Pinto (mod), Christine Norris, Alyce Wilson, D.H.
Aire]

Whenever a writer is on Facebook, he or she is not working on their
writing.  What are the potential advantages and distractions of
social media

Sun 2:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Three (1 hour)
THE BUSINESS OF WRITING (1621)

[Panelists: Steve Miller (mod), D.H. Aire, Christine Norris, Alex
Lidell]

Everyone talks about the craft of writing, but what are some of the
hidden pitfalls from the business side of… well… the business?
From contract basics to handling taxes, published professionals will
talk about what you need to know, and what traps are out there for
the unwary

I will also be around off and on during the weekend in the dealer’s room. I WILL have books available, including copies of the NEW edition of The Talisman of Zandria. Stop on by the Dark Quest booth!

Change isn’t always a Bad Thing

Published May 21, 2013 by christinenorris

Cross-posted from YA Authors You’ve Never Heard Of

 

I think I’ve talked about feeling really stagnated with my writing lately. Despite trying various things, it hadn’t been getting any better. The longer it went on, the more I felt trapped and frustrated. I have one last Library of Athena book to write, and it wasn’t going anywhere at all, which just made me irritated.

I needed a change. And I made a few. I won’t go into all of them, but since I’ve made these changes to my life, I feel better. It’s not just been changing things or people, but changing attitude. Maybe thinking that instead of reaching for something that I might never get, to be satisfied with the way things are, to strive to make the very best of what I’ve already got. And to work within that to get more, maybe to expand rather than go up.
It’s working for me so far. Still not writing like fire, but I have a chapter done, and I’m feeling like actually working on it. Once summer hits, I will be working every day.
Meanwhile, I am going to Balticon next weekend.  If you are going to be there, here is my con schedule:
Steam-powered: Rage of the New Victorians Friday, 9:00 PM; Salon A
Moderator: Christine Norris (50 minutes)
Panelists: Jeff Young, Jean Marie Ward; 2 SEATS OPEN
From werewolves of property to anti-zombie airship pilots, the Empire has struck back. Meet the
writers of this Brave Old World and learn about their stories and novels and where they get the
ideas for those crazy gadgets
The Portrayal of Female-Centric Faith Systems in Literature (50 minutes)
Moderator: Christine Norris  Saturday, 10:00 AM, Parlor 3041
Panelists: Gail Z Martin, T. J. Perkins, KT Pinto, Joy Ward; Vonnie Winslow Crist
How are female-centric faith systems portrayed in modern literature? How do historic femalecentric faith systems influence modern literature? Who were Lilith, Inana, Hecate, Astarte,
Diana, Isis, Kali, Durga and Demeter to the ancients? How are they appearing in today’s
literature?
YA literature: What’s hot, what’s not? Saturday, 1:00 PM, Salon B
Moderator: A. L. Davroe; (50 minutes)
Panelists: Justin R. Macumber, Christine Norris, Jeri Smith-Ready 1 SEAT OPEN
Why is everybody reading it? And why should you care?
YA literature is making a bigger mark than ever. Let’s talk about what young adults are
reading, why they are reading it, what about it appeals to adults, and what this upsurge in
young readers might mean for the Science Fiction and Fantasy community.
Broad Universe RFR: Saturday, 4:00 PM, Salon B
 You Were Published WHERE? Saturday, 10:00 PM, Salon B (I may not make this one, it’s way past my bedtime)
Moderator: Alex Shvartsman; (50 minutes)
Panelists: Christine Norris , Eric V. Hardenbrook 2 SEATS OPEN
A discussion about new magazines that have come and gone, new zines that seem to have
staying power, and short-lived publishing houses.
Standard Submission Guidelines Sunday, 10:00 AM, Salon B
Moderator: Christine Norris (50 minutes)
Panelists: Patrick Thomas, Elektra Hammond, Eric V. Hardenbrook, Brian Koscienski,
What are these anyway? Why are things done a certain way? How come they are different from
publisher to publisher?

From Slush to Sale Sunday, 1:00 PM, Salon B
Moderator: Sarah Pinsker; (50 minutes)
Panelists: Scott H. Andrews, Damien Walters Grintalis, Alex Shvartsman, Christine Norris,
Hildy Silverman
A detailed discussion on every aspect of the process of creating and publishing a professional and
semi-pro magazine. (No idea why I’m on this panel.)

The Dark Quest Books Mega-Launch Sunday, 7:00 PM, Frankie & Vinnies
Publisher: Neal Levin: (2 hours)
Dark Quest Books launches their Spring 2013 titles with guest editors and authors:
Danielle Ackley-McPhail (“The Eternal Cycle”), Danny Birt, Jack Campbell (“The Lost Fleet
series”), Myke Cole, Judi Fleming, Charles E. Gannon, Elektra Hammond, Eric V. Hardenbrook,
C.J. Henderson (“Teddy London”), Mike McPhail), Bernie Mojzes, Christine Norris, KT Pinto,
James Daniel Ross (“Radiation Angels”), Alex Shvartsman, Maria V. Snyder, Jim Stratton,
Patrick Thomas (“Murphy’s Lore”, Robert E. Waters, and John C. Wright (“Chronicles of Chaos”),
Jeff Young,