Part of the Professional Development Lecture Series for Writers
Michael A. Stackpole takes you through a series of exercises that will let you build a story from the barest spark through twists and turns. He’ll give you several story recipes and show you how you can work from them to create delightfully complex and engrossing stories.
Michael A. Stackpole is the multiple New York Times bestselling author of over forty fantasy and science fiction novels, his best known books written in the Star Wars® universe, including I, JEDI and ROGUE SQUADRON, as well as the X-Wing graphic novel series. He has also written... Read More →
Enter a world of folklore fantasy, epic storytelling and mighty magic! Set in the Grimm world of 18th Century dark fairytales. You will make your own treacherous pathway through the wild woodlands, encounter strange mythical creatures and find lost arcane artefacts.
Alone or with friends you must choose a dangerous quest but beware only those with the skill, intelligence and bravery of a hero will survive.
Quick to learn, portable and most importantly really fun. This game is a unique hybrid of Role-playing, board and choose your own adventure book.
Bio: Wanda Harward is a member of The Charlotte Geeks, assisting Joey Starnes and Carol Cowles with The Geekery Market, and other shenanigans as required. Her geeky interests include painting minis, filk music, renaissance faires, and gaming (online and tabletop). She runs a twice... Read More →
Check out a wide variety of new and exciting games including: Return to Dark Tower, Crossbows & Catapults as well as Clarion Game's:
Hull Breach is a sci-fi cards-and-dice game featuring epic space combat between ships, firefights between Marine boarding parties, and plenty of clever tactics and galaxy-shaking events. You assume command of a space station belonging to one of our several in-game factions and fight it out with one or more other Commanders to achieve galactic domination! The object of the game is to protect your Station - your home in space - from other Commanders while trying to capture or destroy theirs. Be warned - they’re trying to do the same thing to you. It's a tough galaxy and at the end of the day only one Commander gets to remain standing.
Henchman: The Card Game is a light, fast-playing card game for 2-6 players featuring cooperative backstabbing and a healthy dose of humor. Players take on the role of a lowly Minion at Evil Overlord, Inc... but here at EOI, the Evil Overlord's right hand man, the Henchman, has moved on to (or is that under?) greener pastures. All the Minions want to be the next Henchman - after all, the Henchman gets not only Dental, but reserved parking at the office, AND the privilege of assisting His Evilness directly! Players take turns being the Minion in Charge (MIC). The MIC is responsible for doling out tasks to the other Minions, who then play cards to either help or hinder their abilities to complete the tasks. Completing a task rewards both the minion who undertook it, as well as the MIC—after all, one of the core responsibilities of any leader is delegation. However, failing to complete a task results in facing the wrath of the Evil Overlord and that wrath falls on the MIC as well as the failing Minion. Four Horsemen: The Omega Wars Based in the universe of the popular SF novel series from Chris Kennedy Publishing, it's your turn to "Kill Aliens - Get Paid!" In The Four Horsemen: Omega War, you assume command of an base belonging to one of our several in-game factions and fight it out with one or more other Commanders to achieve victory on the battlefield. The object of the game is to protect your base - your home away from home - from other Commanders while trying to capture or destroy theirs. Be warned - they’re trying to do the same thing to you. It's a tough galaxy and at the end of the day only one Commander will remain standing. Only through careful planning can the most daring gain command of the galaxy. Four Horsemen uses many of the same core mechanics that Hull Breach! perfected, but adds an entire new theater of ground combat to the mix!
It's a Geek Summer Vacation! There are plenty of worlds we would love to visit, but which ones would we want to take our family on vacation? From camping in Lothlorien in Middle Earth to staying at the Inn of the Last Home on Krynn, let's talk about all the places we would visit if we had the ability.
Artificial intelligence has long been a cornerstone of the Star Trek universe, from the sentient android Data in The Next Generation to the advanced AI systems in Discovery and Picard. But how closely do these fictional representations of AI mirror the developments and challenges we face in the real world today? Join a diverse panel of scientists, technologists, and Star Trek experts as they explore the fascinating correlation between AI in Star Trek and the cutting-edge AI technologies shaping our future.
Aliens are so tired of hurtful stereotypes! Many sci-fi alien species are defined by a single dominant characteristic: Warlike or peaceful, hot-tempered or zen, wise or foolish. What makes an alien culture "alien," and how can you create a rich alien culture that defies stereotyping based on a single trait?
Born and raised in central Minnesota, Dennis M. Myers developed a serious reading habit early in life due to the influence of his grandmother. In late high school he read one particularly "awful" book and, with all that teenage hubris, decided that he could do better.After spending... Read More →
Jim Beall (BS-Math, MBA, PE) has been a nuclear engineer for 50 years, beginning as a nuclear engineering officer in the US Navy. Civilian experience includes design, construction, inspection, enforcement, and assessment with a nuclear utility, an architect engineering firm, and the... Read More →
Jo Boone is the author of the Combined Service series: The Magnetar, Elaninae, and The Celestial Sea, published by Chris Kennedy Publishing/Theogony Press. Jo’s science fiction and fantasy stories have appeared in Remnants of Empire and (under the byline Jennifer Busick) in the... Read More →
Disney tells beautiful stories with great characters and enchanting storylines. But what happens when you see Disney as a metaphor? From the obvious (Inside Out) to the more subtle (Encanto), let's talk about how Disney uses characters, objects, and events to represent deeper ideas and themes.
One of the most magical aspects of reading is being immersed in a completely unique world. Authors talk all about worldbuilding: what they think about and how they create the realities in their stories, some common pitfalls when writing, and what other authors' worlds have inspired them the most.
Darin Kennedy, born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC, is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Bowman Gray School of Medicine. After completing family medicine residency in the mountains of Virginia, he served eight years as a United States Army physician and wrote his first novel... Read More →
Stuart Jaffe is the madman behind The Max Porter Paranormal Mysteries, the Nathan K thrillers, The Ridnight Mysteries, the Parallel Society novels, The Malja Chronicles, The Pathway Ring series, Founders, Real Magic, and much more. He trained in martial arts for over a decade until... Read More →
Timothy Zahn was born in Chicago in 1951 and grew up in the western suburb of Lombard. He attended Michigan State University, earning a B.S. degree in physics in 1973, and moved on to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. He earned a M.S. degree there, also in physics, in... Read More →
Getting feedback is a crucial part of producing consumable writing and improving your craft, but how do you do it? Join us as we discuss the obvious and unexpected values of getting and giving critique, how to find or form a solid critique group, and how to interact with feedback good and bad.
requests: Angela Giddings, Kevin Davis, bill Tracy
Molly Ann McDonough is an author, poet, and multidisciplinary engineer with short stories featured in science fiction and fantasy anthologies. Jumpmaster Press has scheduled her debut fantasy novel, A World Apart, for release in 2026. When Molly isn’t reading, writing, or coding... Read More →
Michael G. Williams writes queer-themed horror and science fiction celebrating the monstrous and the macabre. His books include the award-winning vampire series The Withrow Chronicles (Laine Cunningham Award); the thrilling urban fantasy time travel series Servant Sovereign; the sci-fi... Read More →
Jennifer Whitworth is an engineer and writer from Huntsville AL. Currently working at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, she supports Artemis and Gateway Payload Integration working directly with the science teams to help them through the various processes to design, build, test... Read More →
Learn how to create without being overtaken by artificial intelligence by exploring open source software tools and resources that offer control over your work. This session will introduce creators to freely available options for writing, drawing, video processing, and visualization, providing a range of tools to support independent creation and maintain autonomy in the creative process.
There is a lot of crossover between fans of musicals and geeks. So let's talk about those geeky musicals - from Little Shop of Horrors to Hadestown to Wicked to Back to the Future: The Musical. How do musicals bring a new twist to genre storytelling?
Michael G. Williams writes queer-themed horror and science fiction celebrating the monstrous and the macabre. His books include the award-winning vampire series The Withrow Chronicles (Laine Cunningham Award); the thrilling urban fantasy time travel series Servant Sovereign; the sci-fi... Read More →
Sarah J. Sover is the author of fantasy crossover novels, short stories, and nonfiction articles. Sarah writes the Fractured Fae Series (Fairy Godmurder, Faed to Black, and Pixie Dusted), Contemporary Fantasy she calls Jessica Jones with sparkle, for Falstaff Books. Her comedic fantasy... Read More →
SYRINX is active across multiple entertainment platforms, blending creativity with music production, acting, and media. As an independent music producer and remixer, he previously worked with a record label from 2017 until its disbanding in 2023. Alongside his music career, he has... Read More →
Description: Is it the best comic book movie ever made? It's certainly the best one involving ninjas, testudines, and Sam Rockwell! Our panel of experts will talk about the high kicks, the low blows, and determine the best pizza toppings that pair with nunchucks! (Note to Tera - if there's any way we can order some pizzas to make this panel a Pizza Party, that would be fantastic. If not, I understand!)
A performer for more than 35 years, Chuck Parker has filled many musical roles: heavy metal guitarist, singer/songwriter, jazz sideman, open mic host, filk circle regular, session player, and World’s Okayest Bassist™.Chuck has been a regular on the con circuit for more than a... Read More →
J.E. Pittman dabbles in many speculative worlds. He blurs the borders between genre and crafts salient lies to tell a measure of truth. His work has been described as: capriciously chimeric, dreamlike, and a vivid enigma with indelible images stamped on your brain. He independently... Read More →
Gary Mitchel is a writer, reviewer, gamer, podcaster, and general geek living near Atlanta.Gary is the Co-Director, with Joe Crowe, of the American Sci-Fi Classics Track at Dragon Con. Together, they plot panels on various geeky topics, from 80s vampires, to cats in space, to the... Read More →
We've already highlighted JAWS and Rocky Horror but let's talk about the other movies and TV Shows of 1975 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Tommy, Escape to Witch Mountain, Wonder Woman (Pilot Movie), Alice Cooper: The Nightmare, and Rollerball.
Carol has long been a fixture of Geek Culture in Charlotte, NC. She has served for several years as the Programming Director for ConCarolinas and worked the Carolina and Arizona Renaissance Festivals for 15 years. She also podcasts – she is Carol the Cat on Guardians of the Geekery... Read More →
Sammie Cassell is a NC based actor, producer and comedian. He has been seen in Halloween Kills, Eyes of Tammy Faye, Please Don’t Destroy, Righteous Gemstones and many local films. He does Improv comedy out of the Idiot Box Comedy Club in Greensboro NC and is a performer with the... Read More →
Bill Mulligan is a podcaster, author, and indie filmmaker with a passion for horror and storytelling. With years of experience in independent cinema, he has contributed to numerous film projects as a writer, director, and special effects artist, such as 400 Ways To Kill A Vampire... Read More →
The craft of writing vs. the business of being an author can be a tricky balancing act. Authors chat about finding that balance and how it's evolved as writers and then as published authors. We'll discuss what they wish they knew while starting out and tips that have helped them along the way.
requests: Sarah Sover, Kevin Davis, Molly McDonough, Stuart Jaffe
Randall grew up on a working farm in Kentucky before studying biology at UK and then doing a PhD in neuroscience at a medical school in Rochester, NY. He did research there and in Texas before teaching at the high school and college levels. Now he runs the biology department's internship... Read More →
Michael G. Williams writes queer-themed horror and science fiction celebrating the monstrous and the macabre. His books include the award-winning vampire series The Withrow Chronicles (Laine Cunningham Award); the thrilling urban fantasy time travel series Servant Sovereign; the sci-fi... Read More →
William C. Tracy (he/him) writes and publishes queer science fiction and fantasy through his indie press Space Wizard Science Fantasy. His largest work is the Dissolutionverse: a space opera with music-based magic including nine books and a TTRPG. He’s also published Fruits of the... Read More →
Livestreaming in the modern age presents a multitude of platform choices such as TicToc, Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube for individuals to share their content globally in real-time. To navigate this landscape successfully, streamers should align their content with their interests and expertise, stay updated on trends for broader appeal, optimize technical aspects for a professional and engaging stream, and engage with their audience in real-time to cultivate a sense of community and gather feedback to tailor content effectively. Let's talk about how streamers can maximize their impact, build a loyal following, and create a successful livestreaming experience.
Miriam, also known as Tink, is a UNC Chapel Hill graduate with a degree in Studio Art. Though art has been a life-long passion, her introduction to costuming and leather work was through her post collegiate pursuit of replicating the outfit of her childhood hero -- Xena. She has... Read More →
Everyone had to start somewhere. Join our panelists as they talk about thier first costume, the trials and tribulations thereof, and where it led them. What made them decide to create a costume? What genre did it come from? What challenges did they face in creating that first costume and how did they overcome them?
Miriam, also known as Tink, is a UNC Chapel Hill graduate with a degree in Studio Art. Though art has been a life-long passion, her introduction to costuming and leather work was through her post collegiate pursuit of replicating the outfit of her childhood hero -- Xena. She has... Read More →
Seriously, don’t come to this panel. There is nothing for you here. No one will talk to you. They probably won’t even acknowledge that you exist. There will be no discussions. There will be nothing interesting happening. There is nothing fun here. And there most certainly won’t be prizes for anyone that manages to stick around from beginning to end… or maybe there will be. Who knows? Don’t say we didn’t warn you. In fact, don’t say anything. Don’t even come. Why are you still reading this?? Go away.
O. Hai Mark is an online host and creator as well as and independent film producer. He is a Twitch streamer and web-show host who has who is releasing his third film (as a producer). In addition to producing online content and independent shorts, O. Hai Mark hosts online game nights... Read More →
Described by both press and colleagues as an "independent renaissance man" and "voice of the underground," among other things, Dave Harlequin is a professional screenwriter, journalist, author, and independent filmmaker from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the Creative Director of... Read More →
Andor in the Star Wars universe deviates from the usual focus on Jedi and their battles by emphasizing characters who aren't necessarily Jedi, offering intimate and personal narratives set in a complex galaxy. This shift allows for exploring themes of love, loss, betrayal, and redemption from a more relatable angle, challenging viewers to ponder the complexities of morality and heroism in a universe where light and dark are not always clear-cut. By prioritizing character-driven stories over cosmic conflicts, Andor offers a fresh and nuanced take on the Star Wars saga, diving into the inner lives and relationships of its protagonists and providing a compelling perspective on the eternal struggle between good and evil in a universe rife with conflict and deceit.
Jennifer Whitworth is an engineer and writer from Huntsville AL. Currently working at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, she supports Artemis and Gateway Payload Integration working directly with the science teams to help them through the various processes to design, build, test... Read More →
For the founder of the Mando Mercs Costume Club, being a Mandalorian fan goes all the way back to 1983, a five year old sitting in the theater watching Boba Fett fall into the Sarlacc Pit in “STAR WARS: Return of the Jedi.In 2007, Tom Hutchens founded the Mando Mercs Costume Club... Read More →
Mythology has continuously transcended traditional boundaries, merging with Science Fiction and Fantasy in stories like Percy Jackson, Hercules, Xena, and Stargate. This fusion creates captivating narratives that delve into the relationship between the divine and fantastical elements, reimagining gods and mythical beings in futuristic, alternate, and magical settings where they interact with mortals, supernatural forces, and interstellar civilizations. The convergence of gods and myths with speculative elements results in endless possibilities, creating a rich tapestry of worldbuilding that immerses audiences in imaginative realms ranging from Asgard to alien planets, Celtic forests to cybernetic cities. Let's discuss how, through these narratives, the enduring power of storytelling and universal themes resonate, encouraging exploration of the limitless potential of human imagination.
Misty Massey is the author of the Mad Kestrel series of rollicking fantasy adventures on the high seas, including Kestrel's Dance, winner of the 2023 Palmetto Scribe Award For Best Novel, and the upcoming Dead Man series. She freelances as a copy and developmental editor for Falstaff... Read More →
I am a North Carolina speculative fiction writer, mostly of dark fantasy and paranormal, but I don't really color inside the lines. I published my first short story when I was fourteen, and my mom insisted I use a pen name. I took some creative license with my actual first and middle... Read More →
Molly Ann McDonough is an author, poet, and multidisciplinary engineer with short stories featured in science fiction and fantasy anthologies. Jumpmaster Press has scheduled her debut fantasy novel, A World Apart, for release in 2026. When Molly isn’t reading, writing, or coding... Read More →
What does a comfort read mean to authors? What is it about genre fiction that can soothe the soul, especially during trying times? We'll chat about our favorite comfort reads, how moments of comfort keep a hero going on their journey, and striking the balance of taking care of oneself while still being present.
(Need to rewrite - stole from Awesomecon)
requests: JE Pittman, John Hartness, Michael G Williams, chris Oakley
From connecting your bluetooth to your partner's car or just plain forgetting to turn on the camera, what are those so embarrassing moments that you want to hide your face while livestreaming?
A performer for more than 35 years, Chuck Parker has filled many musical roles: heavy metal guitarist, singer/songwriter, jazz sideman, open mic host, filk circle regular, session player, and World’s Okayest Bassist™.Chuck has been a regular on the con circuit for more than a... Read More →
Part of the Professional Development Lecture Series for Writers
Michael A. Stackpole gives you a tool kit which will allow you to break down your novel, diagnose issues and substantially improve your next draft. He’ll cover the basics from how to know if you want to do one more draft, on through how to produce and package your book for sale. If you think your book isn’t quite there yet, or if you want to make sure everything is working the way it should, this seminar will provide you with techniques to answers to all your questions.
Michael A. Stackpole is the multiple New York Times bestselling author of over forty fantasy and science fiction novels, his best known books written in the Star Wars® universe, including I, JEDI and ROGUE SQUADRON, as well as the X-Wing graphic novel series. He has also written... Read More →
James Fulbright was introduced to AD&D by a friend in 1979. After joining his first gaming group, his friends convinced him to start attending conventions like StellarCon and Hexacon. It wasn’t long before attending cons led him to start helping out with those cons; which, in turn... Read More →
