It’s here, folks! Starting tomorrow at nine AM, Life, The Universe, and Everything begins!
I don’t know how much more there is I can say on this (but clearly a lot, judging from the size of this post). I mean, I’ve just about covered it backwards to forwards pretty clearly. Life, The Universe, and Everything is the Fantasy/Sci-Fi writing convention all about creating Fantasy and Science-Fiction. With hundreds of panels staffed by authors from all across the industry, LTUE is absolutely the best place to be if you want to learn about the art of writing a well-crafted story.
Seriously, take a look at the schedule (PDF warning for those on mobile) and all the different topics that’ll be on display as soon as LTUE opens its doors tomorrow, and marvel at the awesome contained therein. There are panels on various scientific methods for building cities on and under the ocean (surprisingly, I didn’t end up on this one). There’s a panel on building a brand. There’s a panel on using weather in fiction (I’m on that one!).
All of these are in the first hour. LTUE is awesome. Every year I inevitably find two or three panels I wish to attend that are all at the same time, and lacking the ability as of yet to be in multiple places at once, must choose which panel to attend.
Some are laugh-out-loud funny. Others are fascinating explorations of technology or writing techniques I’ve not explored. Some are just (for myself) a nice refresher.
But there are so many to chose from! Even just glancing at the schedule, I can see panels I’d love to attend. The Cold War and Science-Fiction? Or Folk, City, and Farm Magic?
Well, I’m on the latter, so I think my choice has been made for me. This is another “two places at once” situation. Anyone got a time-turner or a delorean I can borrow?
Oh, and let’s not forget that the launch of A Dragon and Her Girl also happens tomorrow at LTUE. Those of you that have pre-ordered your copies, start checking your accounts then! I’m excited to get my hands on it as well, since while I’ve read my story in it, there are still nineteen other stories about dragons and heroines in there I want to pore over!
If you’re not going to make it to the launch party but will still be at LTUE, you can also track me down during the con or during the signing event on Friday night and get your copy signed by yours truly! Yes, I will be at the book signing/sale fair. Curious how that’s going to work out as my books are all digital? Well, they are … but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a presence, sign copies of A Dragon and Her Girl, and a few surprises in store for those that swing by my table.
Seriously, LTUE is going to be awesome. Those of you attending, if you spot me walking the halls (see my mug there to the left) feel free to say hello! If I’m running to a panel I’ll let you know, but if not, you’ve got a very good chance of snaring me in a conversation! Many a time at LTUE an entire hour has vanished in conversations between folks in the halls, sometimes digging deeper into the topics of a panel, other times books, and even sometimes obscure but fascinating topics like the restoration of Santa Fe 2926 (a conversation which I look forward to engaging in once again this year and hearing how the last year’s progress has gone).
Also, before we hit the jump, which will head to my LTUE schedule so those of you attending can know where I’ll be, some other bits of news you’ll want to be notified of.
First, everything is on sale for LTUE. Colony is 50% off, Jungle is 25% off, Shadow of an Empire is 50% off, Dead Silver is 67% off, and Unusual Events is 50% off. The only one that’s not discounted is One Drink, because it’s already as low as it can go under the current store rules. It’s 99 cents, folks.
Anyway, the big LTUE sale will run through Monday, February 17th, so if you’re looking to complete your collection, or looking to expand it as a newcomer who just picked up a copy of A Dragon and Her Girl, you’re in luck! You can literally grab everything I’ve published to date for $15. That’s over a million words of adventure, mystery, magic, mayhem, and more.
But only until the 17th. Click the cover to the right to go to the Amazon page and start browsing!
Now, onto the final bit of news before the jump and the schedule: Fireteam Freelance. Episode 0 dropped last week and, within a single day, became the most-read feature on the site that week. Off to a good start, I’d say. Well, for those of you that are fans, I’ve got good news. This weekend you’ll be getting an interlude. Not a whole new episode, but a smaller piece that slots in between “0” and “Kamchatka” while work continues on that next episode.
Patreon supporters, meanwhile, will get that interlude today. Rewards for supporting Being a Better Writer and all that. So if you’re a Patreon supporter, look for that interlude today, if you’re not, then come back this Saturday for a small glimpse leading into Episode 1!
All right, that’s all the news. Hit the jump for my schedule, and I hope to see you at LTUE!
Thursday, February 13th
9 AM – It’s Always Sunny in Fantasyland Except When it’s Not
- Using weather in fiction to drive characters and plot
1 PM – Folk, Farm, and City Magic: How Population Affects Technique
- How does location affect what magic can be done? We look at the differences living in a small village or town may have on a practitioner of magic, from folk magic and local lore to distance.
3 PM – A Dragon and Her Girl Anthology Release
- LTUE’s newest anthology launches here! Is there anyone that wouldn’t like a collection of stories about heroines and dragons from a bunch of famous (or soon-to-be-famous) authors?
- Yes, this is when you all at last get to read A Game of Stakes. This is the collection it’s in. And it’s an absolute blast. Come pick up a release copy and get it signed!
5 PM – The Story Rollercoaster: Subverting Science Fiction Tropes to Make Stories Different
- We’re all pretty familiar with the classic, trope beats of the Science-Fiction genre. How can we subvert a reader’s expectations of what’s come before without pushing them away or straying too far from what’s fun?
Friday, February 14th
12 PM (Noon) – Droids and Drones: Nonbiological Characters
- Writing humans is tricky sure, but what about robots, drones, and sentient AIs? How might their perspectives, goals, and motivations differ?
1 PM – Readings from A Dragon and Her Girl
- That’s right, come see the authors of some of the shorts in the LTUE Benefit Anthology read their work!
- (Now to start the lingering fear that I’ll have a sore throat that day)
3 PM – Like Reality unless Otherwise Noted: Writing Nonhuman POV Characters
- Writing from a non-human perspective sounds easy, but often the reader ends up reading “a human with a hat.” Come learn techniques for keeping your POV character firmly their own species without driving readers away.
- Claws-down the panel I’m most excited for!
6:30 PM – Book Signing Event!
- Hundreds of authors! Colored pens of every size and shape imaginable! Signatures! Books! I mean, you know what this is.
- I’ll be signing copies of A Dragon and Her Girl, as all my other books are digital. But hey, if you want me to sign something else, I’ll do it. Save body parts. That gets weird.
Saturday, February 15th
4 PM – Hacking the Night Away: Realistic Computer Hacking and Cracking
- Hacking in a lot of fiction is just plain bad, both in accuracy and engagement. You want to know how to do it right, but also keep it engaging? This is the panel for you.
Unusual Things 