Dragons at World Fantasy Convention 2012 by Stephen B. Pearl

To the staff at WFC, I offer my deepest thanks. 

 The check-in ran like a well oiled machine, taking only seconds to obtain the full kit which included a con-badge holder that I am using at all other cons do to its functionality. I must not forget to mention the book bag I was instructed to retrieve from another room. I admit to being a little bemused by this latter item, but with a shrug I went to the room indicated and picked up a fine canvas bag that I am sure will serve me at cons for years to come. The best part though was the stack of books filling it to near overflowing. I have heard from others the bags weighed about fifty pounds. I’m not sure, but there were enough books there to keep my lips moving while I read for a year or more.

A Dragon at the Surrey International Writers Conference

 A Dragon at the Surrey International Writers Conference

by

Tyner Gillies

For the past 6 years, this year included, October has found me within the Guildford Sheraton Hotel, in Surrey, BC, for the Surrey International Writer's Conference (SiWC). Without exception, each year has gotten better than the last, and I've come away a better storyteller.

What I've found, within the confines of the hotel, is what I like to refer to as a "Society of Likeminded Ink Heads." Both the Presenters, who are of the highest calibre, and the attendees, who are the greatest kind of people, are there for the same purpose: to celebrate the written word, and hone their craft. There is no animosity or competition among anyone there, only a palpable feeling of goodwill and companionship, and sincere desire for everyone to succeed.

The conference, which just celebrated it's twentieth anniversary, is one of the largest, and most well attended of it's kind in North America. Rather than being a festival or convention, it is a professional development seminar, geared towards providing education to writers. Topics discussed range from the proper use of grammar, to plotting our novel in a three act sequense, to adding tension to your prose, and utilizing the archtype of the hero's journey in your storytelling. The topics are too numerous to list, and cover any topic a budding writer might be curious about.

The SiWC board manages to recruit spectacular presenters for each conference. This year they hosted such notable personalities as Canadian Science Fiction author, Robert J Sawyer (who has won every science fiction award known to man); Historical Fiction Author, Jack Whyte; New York Times bestselling author, Diana Gabaldon, and many, many others.

Along with the cost of your registration you get one "Pitch Appointment" and one "Blue Pencil Appointment."

The Pitch Appointment gives you 10 minutes to sit down with the editor/agent/publisher of your choice (provided there is availability) and pitch your work to them. On some occasions, well-spoken writers have been able to sell their work during these pitch sessions. One year (I think it was 2010) a young lady signed a three-book contract with TOR publishing, based on that pitch session.

During the Blue Pencil appointments, you get 15 minutes with the writer of your choice, and they go over three pages of your work with you. In previous years I've been able to sit down and present my stuff to Jack Whyte, Terry Brooks, and CC Humphreys. The assistance and guidance I received in those 15 minute sessions has proven to be invaluable, and has doubtless made me a better writer.

The greatest thing about the conference is that it gives you an opportunity to mingle, talk to, and actually connect with some of these writers. It gives you some insite into what the life of a full time, professional author is like, and helps put things into perspective for you.

One of the highlights of this years conference for me was Robert J Sawyer's Keynote address during the Friday night banquet. To paraphrase, he said not to chase trends, to not be concerned over monetary gain or success. The important thing, he said, was the story. He told us to write the stories we want to read, and not to worry about anything anyone else said. "Your story might not matter to everyone," he told us. "But it will matter, very much, to someone."

With words like that cascading off the insides of my head, I have returned home with a renewed passion for my writing. The lessons I learned, and the inspiration I found at this years conference, will shore me up for the rest of the year, and help push me forward.

If you get an opportunity to attend the conference, I would wholeheartedly recommend it. 
 __________________

Tyner Gillies is the author of THE WATCH.
It is available in trade paperback and ebook formats such as Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony, etc. For a full description of this riveting horror, please check out www.darkdragonpublishing.com/thewatch.html 
Dark Dragon Publishing offers free shipping and handling within Canada and to the USA. 
You can find more information about Tyner by visiting his website, www.tynergillies.com

Dragons at World Fantasy (Thunder of Dragons v1i3)

Dark Dragon authors Karen Dales, author of the award winning series, The Chosen Chronicles, and Stephen B. Pearl, author of Nukekubi, will be at World Fanatsy November 1st to November 4th! They will be signing copies of their novels at our table in the dealer's room.

On Thursday, Nov 1st at 2pm. Stephen will be moderating the WHITHER THE DARK ARTS? Panel
"Psychic detectives were popular throughout much of the twentieth century, and in the 1960s the novels of Dennis Wheatley played heavily on the Black Mass and other occult practices. Do psychic detectives still have “legs” in the technological world of the twentyfirst century? The overtly occult is more common in secondary worlds. Why is this? And will psychic detectives and the dark arts make a comeback?  Stephen Pearl (M), Richard Gavin, Derek Kunsken, David Sakmyster, Mark Teppo."

 

On Saturday, November 3rd at 1pm Karen will be on THE CHANGELING Panel.

"The idea of the fairy changeling is an old one, rooted in myth. Frong Le Fann's 'The Child Who Went with the Fairies' to more contemporary works such as Robert Aickman's 'Growing Boys,' Keith Donohue's 'The Stolen Child,' Kim Newman's 'The Gypsies in the Wood,' and Graham Joyce's 'Some Kind of Fairy Tale,' it has exerted a powerful influence on writers. The pane examines the changeling and its use in fantasy fiction. How does the changeling reveal the hallucinatory nature of what we call reality better than many other creatures (in that we can no longer believe what we see, or what we gave birth to?). What happens to us as readers when we develop more empathetic connections with the changeling 'monster' than with human characters. Jeffe Kennedy (M), Holly Black, Karen Dales, Graham Joyce, Sean Williams."

 

Copies of all our books will be available at our table. If you can't make it to World Fantasy, please make sure you pick up your copy of your favourites at http://darkdragonpublishing.com/books.html Books available in Trade Paperbacks, Kindles, Nooks, and epub at listed retailers at our website. We offer free shipping and handling within Canada and to the USA.

HALLOWE'EN SPECIAL!!!

Dark Dragon Publishing is proud to announce that from

Monday, October 29th to Wednesday, November 7th the following titles will be available for $.99 on KINDLE and SMASHWORDS!

On Thursday, November 8th, the following titles go back to their regular prices so make sure you get yours this week!

KINDLE - $.99 each!

 Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen Chronicles by Karen Dales 
http://www.amazon.com/Changeling-Prelude-Chosen-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B004XJCLIS 

Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen Chronicles by Karen Dales http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Death-Chosen-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B004XJ6V3Y/

Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen Chronicles by Karen Dales http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Death-Chosen-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B004XDY67S

Nukekubi by Stephen B. Pearl  http://www.amazon.com/Nukekubi-ebook/dp/B006VYHR0U 

The Watch by Tyner Gillies  http://www.amazon.com/The-Watch-ebook/dp/B008C5X886

Secrets by Dawn Kirby  http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-ebook/dp/B008GFZWWC


SMASHWORDS - $.99 each!

Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen Chronicles by Karen Dales https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/58024

Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen Chronicles by Karen Dales https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/69830

Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen Chronicles by Karen Dales  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/75142

Nukekubi by Stephen B. Pearl https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/121313  Use Coupon Code HV75J

The Watch by Tyner Gillies https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/163665 Use Coupon Code TT94V

Secrets by Dawn Kirby https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/169730 Use Coupon Code HQ22J 

And don't forget that Time Assassins by R. Kyle Hannah is only $4.99 on KINDLE http://www.amazon.com/Time-Assassins-ebook/dp/B009V3FN7M  and SMASHWORDS https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/241919

TIME ASSASSINS by R. Kyle Hannah RELEASES THIS WEEKEIND (Thunder of Dragons v1i2)

Time Assassins 

Releases This Weekend!!!

Dark Dragon Publishing is proud to announce the release of R.Kyle Hannah's new time jumping, science-fiction novel, Time Assassins, available in trade paperback, kindle, nook, and epub!

Read Kyle's interview by Danielle Sibarium and learn more about Kyle and his amazing new novel! http://www.daniellesibarium.com/blog

History has always been written by the victor, but in the shadows, history has been manipulated by a an ancient Guild of Time Assassins. Until now.

Rick Brewer, assassin's apprentice, is sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. He escapes to a distant past and, stranded in time, seeks revenge against the Guild by creating instability in the time-line by choosing powerful targets - The Presidents of the United States of America.

Reginald Mayweather is a ruthless business tycoon and not one to accept no as an answer, but when a business prospect fails, he demands the help of the Assassin's Guild to eradicate the competition by killing his competitor's ancestors. If successful, it could prove disastrous to the   time-line on a global scale.

Jason Lassiter joined the Assassin's Guild because he wanted to experience history first hand. Little does he know that his future, and the future of the Guild, rests in his hands. 

ISBN: 978-0-9879726-4-4

eISBN:978-0-9879726-5-1

AISN: B009V3FN7M

You can get your copy at the following retailers:

Trade Paperback

Dark Dragon Publishing (free shipping to USA and Canada) 

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes and Noble

BooksaMillion

Booktopia

Powell's

Book Depository

Ebook Formats

Kindle 

Nook

Smashwords