Writers and Nebulas

If you’re involved with publishing or books in some way or another, you likely know that BEA (BookExpo America) is in Chicago this year (May 11-13). What you may not know is that there’s another literary event overlapping as well. The Nebula Conference is in Chicago on May 12-15 and will feature seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing.

NebulasPostcardFront20161-680x486

There is no one path to being a writer (except for the work of writing and revising). Some of us have gone through MFA or PhD programs. Some of us come from backgrounds in journalism or advertising. We are lawyers, teachers, therapists, burlesque dancers, parents, doctors, baristas, puppeteers. We have varied experiences, perspectives, and skill sets. Conventions and conferences give us the opportunity to learn from one another, and the Nebula Conference has assembled an impressive array of topics that are timely and relevant.

Here’s a sampling of the programming options for writers who register for the Nebula Conference Weekend:

Best Practices for an Author Website

Commissioning, Working With, and Compensating Expert Readers

Understanding Translation

Fighting the Harassment Game

Patreon

Podcasting for Writers

Language as Rebellion

Historical Research from the Margins

The Moral Responsibility of the Storyteller

Day Jobs for Writers

What Teens Are Looking for in YA Literature

The Future of Racism

Promotional Bootcamp

BarCon and other Secret Handshakes

So you want an assistant…

Western Narratives, There is No Single Voice in The West, So Why Do Only Hear From One?

Defense Against The Dark Arts: Protecting Yourself and Others From Harassment Online

Literary EstatesPart I and II (pre-reg required)

How to Give an Effective Reading

hodgman1Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the annual SFWA Nebula Conference will be held at the Palmer House and will include professional programming, receptions, and an awards banquet and ceremony with Toastmaster John Hodgman.

On May 13, a mass autographing session will also take place at the Palmer House that is FREE and open to the public. You can view the list of participants here.  (I’ll be there with Stephen signing copies of Geek Parenting! Stop by and say hello!)

While the organization sponsoring the weekend, SFWA, is a professional organization for authors of science fiction, fantasy and related genres, the programming and speakers participating in the conference are pertinent to all manner of professional writers. From freelancing to social media, digital assets to agents—these topics transcend genre and will be presented by professional writers, editors, lawyers, and social media specialists.   

More information about the SFWA Nebula Conference can be found at: http://www.sfwa.org/nebula-awards/2016-nebula-conference/

 Autographing

Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Fourth Annual Silent Auction

I have two longer blog posts to finish up, but I wanted to be sure to tell you about an important literary event coming up in Chicago this weekend. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ve heard me mention various things about the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, an organization dear to my heart. This Sunday, August 24, the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame is holding their fourth silent auction at the Haymarket Pub & Brewery from 5-8 p.m. The gracious and talented David Eigenberg is our special guest.

David Eigenberg, as Christopher Herrmann, on Chicago Fire
David Eigenberg, as Christopher Herrmann, on Chicago Fire

A Chicago-area native, David Eigenberg  graduated from Naperville Central in 1982. He was attending Washburne Trade School at 31st and Kedzie when they went on strike, an event that changed the course of his life.

“I had nothing to do,” David recalls. “Didn’t know how long the strike was going to be. A week into it, there was an audition.”

David tried out and was cast in the chorus of the play, One Shining Moment, and that put him on the path that lead from the U.S. Marine Corp Reserve, to acting school in New York, to one-off parts on shows like Homicide: Life on the StreetsERKing of QueensGhost Whisperer and NCIS, and his eventual breakthrough role of Steve Brady on the popular show Sex in the City. 

Three years ago, David was cast in the role of Christopher Herrmann on Chicago Fire, a show filmed entirely in Chicago. He returned to Chicago, and together with his wife, Chrysti, their five-year-old son Louie, and five-month old daughter Myrna,  they now call Chicago home from their Bucktown bungalow.

We are so grateful for David’s time and support of the auction.  I hope that you’ll take this opportunity to come to Haymarket and say hello, meet David, and support the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame.

With the money raised, the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame will come closer to realizing their potential of being the primary champion of Chicago literature, finding additional ways to celebrate Chicago’s literary heritage and honor the writers who have shaped it.

Later this year, on October 4, we will present the 2014 Fuller Award to Harry Mark Petrakis at the National Hellenic Museum; and on December 6, 2014, we will hold our fifth annual induction ceremony honoring Margaret Anderson, David Hernandez, Edgar Lee Masters, Shel Silverstein, Willard Motley and Margaret Walker.

I hope to see you there this Sunday! You can buy your tickets at:

http://clhofsilentauction2014.eventbrite.com/

clhofeventbrite2014-4

 

Things Literary and Fantastic

This past weekend I returned to New York City to spend time with the wonderful Nancy Hightower (who just signed her poetry collection, The Acolyte, with Port Yonder Press).

Sara-Crowe

I also met with my new literary agent, Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc.

Sara represents children’s fiction and adult fiction and non fiction. Her clients include NYT Bestselling author Jonathan Maberry and USA Today Bestselling author Jeff Hirsch; her authors have been nominated for Edgars and the Morris Award, and have been on the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults list and in the Top Ten. She is consistently ranked among the top three YA and MG agents in Publishers Marketplace.

We had a lovely chat, and I know that my next book, The Supper Club, is in good hands.

Following our meeting, I headed to WORD Bookstore in Brooklyn with Nancy and Brooke Bolander to attend Jeff VanderMeer’s reading from his new book, Annihilation.

annihiltion

Jeff is a terrific reader—clever, witty, and well-spoken, and it was a fun event (so be sure to attend a reading and get your book signed if he comes to a town near you). I love stories where the setting is a character, so I’m especially excited to read Jeff’s newest novel, set in an eerie version of southern Florida’s wild coastline.

elecveloc27_V3

Friday was all about Electric Velocipede. Run by John Klima for twelve years, the beloved magazine published quality genre fiction by more than 250 writers, including Catherynne M. Valente, Jeffrey Ford, Rachel Swirsky, Jeff VanderMeer, and Jay Lake.

1909182_10152279033884493_1613142842_o

A release party/memorial service at Bluestockings Bookstore celebrated the 27th and final issue of Electric Velocipede and featured readings by ten writers who have been published in Electric Velocipede over the years:

1904066_822874825134_1542452198_n

After Bluestockings, people were invited to an after-party at David Edison’s place in the East Village. Earlier in the day, with the help of Stephen Segal, Nancy, Brooke, and I had gotten to work transforming David’s apartment with red lights, blue lights, and hanging skeletons.

1658438_10151919277556491_790770276_o

The space invites that kind of playful decoration, so we turned the three floors into a “Danse Macabre” backdrop for writers, editors, and other creatives to gather and celebrate John’s magazine and the excellent writing he published over the years. It was a full house and a joyful last hurrah.

1602003_10201013289809096_627362791_o

1966201_10201013288689068_888506763_o

1956811_10201013292689168_290801986_o

1622329_10201013292129154_2145897402_o

The following day, we were lucky enough to enjoy a lazy afternoon with friends, the perfect way to wind down and end my visit.

1978800_10151919277011491_1405726826_n

I caught the plane back to Chicago early the next morning (narrowly avoiding the next snowpocalypse-vortex), to come home to the family and a visit from the lovely Maura Henn, who was traveling through Chicago on her way to Minnesota.

1978852_10202170342113982_23074187_n

I think back to 2008 when I was living in Germany and feeling such a lack of creative community. Just over five years later, and I am grateful to be surrounded by talented, innovative, imaginative writers, editors, agents, and artists. Some are in different cities and others are in the same neighborhood, but we are a community.

It is certainly possible to navigate these waters alone, but for me, it’s so much more enjoyable to have a cherished circle. We do the work, we make our art, we tell our stories, we support one another when we can, and when we come together, sometimes we make magic. Together, the journey becomes as meaningful as the destination.