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Dragoncon schedule announced

Below is the schedule set for me at Dragoncon this year. I am deep in the creepy-crawlies this time, with lots of fun among the horror writers. Friday is my busiest day, spending most of the day at the Westin hotel, then the author Gather that evening. Meetups will probably be on Saturday, as I apparently have much of the daytime free! That never happens… 

I will have books with me at my reading, signing and Gather. I am also happy to meet up with folks, but advance notice helps! I am flying to Dragoncon and can only bring a limited supply, so if you want to get something in particular from me, contact me in advance and I’ll reserve it for you. 

See you in Atlanta!

 

Title: Igniting the Horror Muse
Description: Authors are always asked where they get their ideas from. Join us as we pick the brains of our horror author panelists to learn how they get in the right mind to craft their fiction and unleash their chilling tales.
Panelists: Jessi Ann York(M), Darrell Z. Grizzle, Elizabeth Donald, Brent Abell, Trisha J. Wooldridge
Time: Fri 10:00 am
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: Creatures of the Night or Your Next Door Neighbors? Vampires in Urban Fantasy
Description: Vampire characters in urban fantasy vary from those that seek to blend in with human society to the scary monsters everyone fears. Our panel of authors will discuss the depictions they use in their work and why they chose that type over another.
Panelists: J.D. Monroe, Elizabeth Donald, Clay Shepard Griffith, Jeaniene Frost, Drew Hayes, Jennifer Morris(M)
Time: Fri 01:00 pm
Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Author Signing
Authors: Z W Taylor, D.R. Perry, Kim Harrison, Drew Hayes, Elizabeth Donald
Time: Fri 04:00 pm
Location: Overlook Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Authors Gather!

Hyatt International Ballroom

Time: Fri 08:00 pm to midnight

Title: The Adventure Begins
Description: New writers always ask “Where do you get your ideas?” Or “How do I get started writing a book or story?” The years of experience racked up by our panel discussion will answer some of these questions–and more.
Panelists: Bill Fawcett(M), D.B. Jackson, Elizabeth Donald, Richard Fierce, James Palmer, Todd McCaffrey
Time: Sat 05:30 pm
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: 101 Fascinating Ways to Kill off a Character.
Description: Readers love a good killin’–if it’s done in an interesting way. Panelists discuss some not-so-common ways they’ve killed characters or favorite authors have killed characters.
Panelists: John Robinson(M), L. Marie Wood, Darin Kennedy, Darrell Z. Grizzle, Bob McGough, Elizabeth Donald
Time: Sat 10:00 pm
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Thrills and Chills Just Keep on Comin’
Description: Everybody (almost) loves a good scare. What can writers do to make their thriller and horror novels more scary? Are readers tired of the same old stuff? Where does your inspiration come from? How do you get it written down?
Panelists: Nancy Knight(M), Ernest Dempsey, Richard Lee Byers, Rachel A. Brune, James A. Hunter, Elizabeth Donald
Time: Sun 11:30 am
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Reading Session
Description: Hmmm, what shall I read…
Panelists: Elizabeth Donald
Time: Sun 01:00 pm
Location: Marietta Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: From Myth to Magic in Fiction
Description: Where do your novels/stories come from? Many come from myths or legends. Explore how tapping into this rich source can elevate your fiction.
Panelists: DL Wainright, Jody Lynn Nye, Elizabeth Donald, Nancy Northcott, Bill Fawcett(M), Kaitlin Bevis
Time: Mon 11:30 am
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

 

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Imaginarium ahoy!

This weekend, Jim and I will be heading to Louisville, Ky. for Imaginarium. We are looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new folks, talking up the craft and hopefully selling some books.

Jim is booth babe this time around, plus or minus a crop top. I, however, have a solid schedule, listed below:

  • The Art of Legal Prostitution: Selling Your Stuff at Cons and Festivals (solo workshop, 12p Friday)
  • AI and Ethics in Every Medium (panel, 8p Friday)
  • Death, Taxes and Freelancing: Managing Money for Working Writers (solo workshop, 11:30a Saturday)
  • Nevermore: Edgar Allan Poe and The Raven (solo lecture, 4p Saturday)
  • Literary Fiction (panel, 11:30a Sunday)

In addition, my screenplay based on “The Train” is one of 15 finalists for the Imadjinn Film Festival Awards. We opted not to get banquet tickets since we are flat broke this year, but will definitely attend the awards part of the ceremony to see if I win.

I promise to behave myself on the AI panel.

Seriously, I’m looking forward to chatting about these topics, and excited that I get to give the MFA a workout with some of these presentations.

Of course, we are bringing the Literary Underworld Traveling Bar. We’ll be open Friday and Saturday nights, with me on the bar and Jim as the bouncer. He’s tough, so behave yourselves. I mean, as much as you ever do. Weirdos.

After the convention, we’re taking a side trip up to Cincinnati to meet our new grandbaby, so don’t expect too much in the way of intelligent posting for the next several days. Don’t burn down the internet while we’re gone or I will turn this van around so help me.

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August linkspam – better late than never!

The above image is Setting Suns, the first book of mine to appear in print. I’d had a novel out before it and a second one was pending, but both were released in ebook-only in an era when ebooks weren’t really considered “real books,” so it was only when Setting Suns came out that I was considered a real live author. (Seriously, one of my first cons changed my bio to call me an “aspiring author” because I was in ebooks.)

But beyond what the publishing industry thought… Setting Suns was the first book where I opened a box and saw my name on the cover, and any author will tell you that’s a life-changer. See the links below for my essay on this moment.

Setting Suns was in print for 15 years, which is something of which I have always been proud. It’s a great run for a small press title, and I am always grateful for it and for the doors it opened for me. That run came to an end on July 31, and the book is now officially out of print. (I do still have a couple of copies, so if you were thinking of snagging it, click here and grab them before we run out.) 

In other news, I finally got the new author website going. I bid farewell to the moldy old website I’d been maintaining since the mid-2000s using iWeb, of all things. The demise of Setting Suns hastened its launch and I’m not entirely done with the design, so please feel free to offer feedback. Gently. 

In other other news, progress is actually… progressing? on Ye Olde Thesis and even on some fiction. By the time next month’s newsletter comes out, school will have started. Thus much of my time the next three weeks will be taken up with preparing my syllabus for the two classes I am teaching, as well as Year Two of the MFA. And finishing that thesis.

So… why is this newsletter super late this month? Because my Bungee Tour is undergoing constant changes! See below for details on how we might actually see each other in meatspace this weekend!

Publicity/Appearances

The Bungee Tour kicks off this weekend! I’m sorry to say a return to Louisville is off the menu, as the author fair I hoped to attend has been postponed to April. As of this writing, I plan to be in Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday, Aug. 14. The coffeehouse stop has been canceled, but I’ll be shooting in and around the Opryland area, so if you’d like to meet up and snag a book, contact me ASAP and we’ll make it happen! Then I’ll be at the Tamp & Tap Coffeehouse in Memphis, Tenn. at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15 with books in hand. At this time I’m not planning to bring art unless I get a special request, so if you want some, look at elizabethdonaldphotography.com and let me know!

Imaginarium was the highlight of July, with a new venue and hybrid format that worked really well. It was delightful to see many authors and publishers from the con circuit and to share a few (dozen) drinks. I always come away from Imaginarium reinvigorated with new ideas, and this one was no exception. Many thanks to my publisher Seventh Star Press and the terrific gang at Tomorrow Comes Media for hosting us, and to LitUnd henchman (new title!) David Tyler for hauling all the boxes of books and booze and standing as bouncer for the Traveling Bar, not that we need much security among the friendly folk of Imaginarium. That’s not always the case. Some of y’all get rowdy!

Sadly, the other event this month had to be canceled due to weather. The Alton artisans’ market may be rescheduled at a later date when the skies aren’t raining cats, dogs and small barnyard animals. 

The current schedule is:

• Bungee Tour, various. Aug. 14-17 
• Edwardsville Book Fair, Sept. 4 
• Archon, Collinsville Ill., Oct. 1-3
• ContraKC, Kansas City, Mo. Nov. 5-7
• Writers of the Riverbend, Alton, Ill. Nov. 20

And don’t forget I will be in New Orleans Sept. 1-6 for the SPJ National Conference. I am not presenting this year and there isn’t a signing scheduled at this time, but I will bring books if anyone local wants to meet up. EDIT: Never mind! SPJ has been converted to an all-virtual conference, so I will be attending from my comfy home office. Sorry, N’awlins!

Journalism/Essays

• Highland students to go maskless (Highland News-Leader)
• Highland reduces support for Madison County Fair (Highland News-Leader)
• Mask mandate remains unclear for fall (Highland News-leader)
• Town Square finishes renovations (Highland News-Leader)
• Freedom Day (Patreon)
• Farewell, old friend (blog)

Fiction

• Excerpt: The Cold Ones (Patreon)
• Excerpt: Tanglewilde (Patreon)

Patreon/Blogs

• Review: Old (Patreon)
• Review: The Alice Network (Patreon)
• Review: Black Widow, finally (Patreon)
• On the road again… (Patreon)
• Pardon our dust! (blog)


Photography

• Happy Independence Day! (Patreon)

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July linkspam!

If you’re hiding from the Evil Daystar in a cloud of Hoth-like air conditioning, then you’re having the same summer as I am! 

This first full month of summer has been mostly bound up in writing, getting back into the circuit with signings and appearances, making travel plans, and reorganizing my house as my son moves out. It’s a lot of changes going into this next phase of our lives at the same time as life is trying to return to whatever “normal” will be after the pandemic. 

That, and I’m working on the bloody thesis. It’s like stabbing a vampire over and over but not quite hitting the heart. So help me that sucker will be dust by summer’s end. 

Stay cool!

Publicity/Appearances

This past month I returned to public appearances at the Melting Pot in Granite City on June 5 and the Route 66 Festival in Edwardsville, Ill. on June 12, both as a solo act. It was great to see humans again and talk about my work, both in the writing and photography realms.

Next up is Imaginarium, rolling into Louisville, Ky. next weekend! I’ve been at every Imaginarium from its launch up until last year, and it’s always a great time. Jim will not be able to join me due to his new job at the university, but my minions and I will be there (and serving the booze!). 

The Cuppa Words local author group has a heavy calendar of events this summer, and I’m happy to be joining them after having to take most of last year off and hide. 

The current schedule is:

• Imaginarium, Louisville, Ky. July 9-11
• Alton Market, Alton, Ill. (tent.) July 31
• Peach Fest with Cuppa Words, Pere Marquette (tent.) Aug. 8
• Edwardsville Book Fair, Sept. 4 (Jim only)
• SPJ National Conference, New Orleans, Sept. 2-5 
• Apple Fest with Cuppa Words, Pere Marquette (tent.) Sept. 19
• Archon, Collinsville Ill., Oct. 1-3
• ContraKC, Kansas City, Mo. Nov. 5-7

Journalism/Essays

• Highland streetscape program continues (Highland News-Leader)
• Highland turns down dog groomer in zoning dispute (Highland News-Leader)
• School board approves amended budget (Highland News-Leader)
• Survey shows Highland businesses recovering from pandemic (Highland News-Leader)
• Show Your Work: The 2021 Awards (Patreon and Medium)
• The Amazing Adventures of Michael Chabon (Medium)

Fiction

• Flashback: Deep Breathing (Patreon)

Patreon/Blogs

• Review: Luca (Patreon)
• Review: In the Heights (Patreon)
• Review: Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Patreon)
• Review: The Conjuring – Devil’s Food (Patreon)
• Review: A Quiet Place Pt. 2 (Patreon)
• Review Roundup! (Patreon)
• Show Your Work: The 2021 Awards (Patreon and Medium)

Photography

• Our Town: A photo tour of Edwardsville (Patreon)

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Fall tour wrapping up!

This weekend I’m at ContraKC, an adult relax-a-con in Kansas City! I’m delighted to be back at Contra, which is the first convention that honored me as GOH several years ago and the people here have welcomed me as part of their family.

I’m looking forward to good conversation, good booze and BBQ second only to Memphis (sorry, KC, my heart belongs to the Bluff City).

And this will wrap up the Fall Deathmarch, which started way back at Labor Day, spans six states and I don’t want to speculate on the mileage. After this I’m settling back home for a bit, plus or minus a hometown signing in December and a possible trip to Washington D.C. for a photo shoot and visit to the Newseum before it dies.

Thanks to everyone who came out to see me at my various stops, who supported and cheered and bought books and art – especially that latter part, since that’s how I make my living. Extra thanks to my fellow authors and minions, especially my husband and son, Sela Carsen, David Tyler, and anyone else who helped us schlep books all over the midwest.

Touring is a grueling life living out of a suitcase with boxes of books and booze perpetually living in my mudroom so it can be loaded into the car next weekend, but it also has an extraordinary benefit: the chance to meet and talk with so many people who enjoy my work. That is a true blessing, and I am thankful for it.