I look forward to attending the Philadelphia Science Fiction Convention (Philcon) next weekend, November 22-24, 2024. If you’ll be there, too, and would like to catch up, here is my schedule of events.

Sat, 11/23 10:00-10:50 AM / Plaza 4 – Music and the Writing Process. How can listening to music or to specific ambience soundscapes impact the nature of what an author writes? How helpful is it for setting the mood in one’s mind, and in turn, for setting the scene on a page? Do different genres benefit more than others from this technique? Panelists: David Simms (mod), Susan Shwartz, Wayland Smith, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Phil Giunta

Sat, 11/23 12:00-12:50 PM / Readings –  Readings: Michael A. Ventrella, Randee Dawn, and Phil Giunta

Sat, 11/23 1:00-1:50 PM / Autograph Table – Autographs: Eric Avedissian, Michael A. Ventrella, and Phil Giunta

Sat, 11/23 6:00-7:30 PM / ConSuite – Book Launch Party for Ruth and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel by Celestial Echo Press. Several contributors, myself included, will be on hand to sign copies and read excerpts from our stories!

Sat,11/23  9:00-9:50 PM / Plaza 3 – I’ll Write Any Horror Story, but I Won’t Write THAT! Horror is a multi-faceted genre that includes ghosts, creatures, slashers, demons, psychological horror, body horror, Lovecraftian, and much more but not every trope appeals to every horror writer. Are werewolves, vampires, and zombies oversaturated? Is body horror too disgusting? Panelists will discuss which horror tropes they love to write, which they avoid (if any), and why. Panelists: Phil Giunta (mod), David Simms, Carol Gyzander, Amy Grech, Eric Avedissian

Sun, 11/24 1:00-1:50 PM / Plaza 2 – What’s Happened to the Traditional Ghost Story? Vampires have become a genre unto themselves. But has the old-fashioned ghost story or haunted house story been left behind? Are there present day examples of the genre that illustrate how the themes and tropes have evolved? What do we miss (or don’t) about classic ghost/haunted house tales? Our panelists discuss what they consider the staples of a ghost and/or haunted house story and how they have been, or could be enhanced, subverted, or otherwise tweaked to keep this subgenre fresh and exciting. Panelists: Melanie Moyer (mod), Nghi Vo, Phil Giunta, Ty Drago, James L. Cambias