So excited to be on the road again. I have been neglecting this blog while concentrating on Here’s the Clean…, but this weekend I will have my writer’s hat on. 🙂

Heading up to Dallas for the first con of the year– ConDFW. I had to miss it last year, and I am so glad that isn’t the case this year.

Here’s my schedule for the weekend:

FRIDAY:

Panel Room 1 – Warwick
5pm – Where’s My Unicorn? Trends in Fantasy
Panelists: S. Boyd Taylor, Bill Fawcett (M), Brad Sinor, Rie Sheridan Rose, Julia Mandala
With the recent surge of genre mashups, something may have been lost – the pure worlds of fantasy. Where are the worlds of unicorns, mages and no hint of sparkly vampires? Where are the modern versions of Tolkien? Our panelists try to figure out where the genre of Fantasy is going – and whether it needs saving.

Panel Room 3 – Canterbury
9pm – Yard Dog Press Road Show
Panelists: Selina Rosen, Ethan Nahte, Julia Mandala, Linda Donahue, Chris Donahue, Lou Antonelli, Melanie Fletcher, Bev Hale, William Ledbetter, Gloria Oliver, K. Hutson, Dusty Rainbolt, Rie Sheridan Rose, Frank Summers, Kathy Turski, Mel White
The fantastic authors of the Yard Dog Press put on their always entertaining Road Show! Make sure not to miss this.

SATURDAY:

Panel Room 4 – Churchill
11am – This Present Darkness: Trends in Young Adult
Panelists: Rachel Caine, Bev Hale, Ethan Nahte, Rie Sheridan Rose, Frank Summers (M)
Young Adult books have gotten progressively darker in the past couple of years to the point where even the New York Time has noticed. This hasn’t stopped Young Adult from becoming more and more popular – from the dark ending of Harry Potter to the Hunger Games and beyond. Is this healthy for teen readers? Or is this a sign that our world is growing dark? Our YA novelists talk about the health of the genre, and where it is going.

Panel Room 4 – Churchill
12pm – The Next Challenger Has Arrived! Heroines in Young Adult
Panelists: Rachel Caine, Frances A. May, Aelle Ables (M), O.M. Grey, Rie Sheridan Rose
The rise of teen heroines is significant these days. From the “Morganville Vampires” and Claire to the “Hunger Games” and Katniss, strong female leads are appearing more and more. Our novelists describe the role YA heroines have to fill and why it is so vitally important they do so.

Signings:
4 pm – Lou Antonelli, Rie Sheridan Rose, O.M. Grey

SUNDAY:

Readings:
12 pm – Rachel Caine, Rie Sheridan Rose

Elizabeth Burton and I are going up together this afternoon to be relaxed before the con starts, and coming home Monday morning, so I’ll have some visiting time if you want to drop by the hotel. 😉