I got back from GenCon last night. Instead of relaxing and decompressing, I ended up launching right into a game of Power Grid, which made for a nice transition home.

I spent most of the con at my booth, selling When the Hero Comes Home. If you purchased it this weekend, thank you! If you’ve read it and liked it, please consider posting a review on your blog, on Amazon or on Goodreads. Or at the very least, send me a comment and let me know!

The people around me made Author’s Avenue and the Writers Symposium a pleasure. I got to spend quality time with writers, editors and game designers. I bought shiny things. I made new friends, saw old friends, and got to meet some long-time friends in person. I got a couple exciting new opportunities, and I was able to open a few doors for others, as well. I gave writing advice. I got writing advice. I got turned on to a few new games I want to check out, and books I want to read. I wore a corset, and posed for pictures with monsters, giant kitties, and Ed Greenwood. I remained vigilant in my abstinence from caffeine. Somehow.

While I was gone, Inkpunks posted a guest post I wrote: On Seeing It Through is advice and encouragement for writers trying to survive publishing’s long wait.

Also while I was gone, Dead Robots Society posted an interview with Ed Greenwood and me. We talk about all sorts of writery topics, including our new book, editing, heroes and their journeys, tips for putting anthologies together, and the importance of treating people well.

Check out the links, enjoy, read, listen, and so on. Normal service has more or less resumed!

Next stop: WorldCon…Will I see you there?

For those of you attending Westercon 64 in San Jose this weekend, here’s where you can find me. I’m excited about these panels–they’re mostly things I haven’t done before.

Friday, Jul 01 2:30 PM to Friday, Jul 01 4:00 PM in room: Regency Ballroom 1
Getting Edgy
While fantasy used to center around noble and good-hearted heroes, a growing subgenre of recent years has celebrated a less savory breed of protagonist. Knights and wizards-in-training are giving way to thieves, assassins, mercenaries and cutthroats. What is the appeal of this form of anti-hero, and what are its origins? How does changing the protagonist alter the kind of story you are able to tell?
Panelists: Sarah Mazel Beebe, Valerie E. Frankel, Gabrielle Harbowy, Kevin Andrew Murphy (Moderator)

Saturday, Jul 02 11:30 AM to Saturday, Jul 02 1:00 PM in room: Regency Ballroom 2
The Great Red Spot: Writers’ Regrets
A writer is looking over his or her story in a magazine and suddenly realizes he or she left in a mistake – the sun rising on the wrong side of the planet, or Saladin ordering a ham sandwich. The ‘Great Red Spot’ is the mark left when the writer smacks himself on the forehead. Panelists confess their own errors-in-print, then share their methods for getting things as right as they possibly can.
Panelists: Kyle Aisteach, Chaz Brenchley, John DeChancie, Lisa Goldstein, Marty Halpern (Moderator), Gabrielle Harbowy

Sunday, Jul 03 10:00 AM to Sunday, Jul 03 11:30 AM in room: Valley
Iron Editor
Normally any “writers’ workshop” is a private behind closed doors affair, inviting rumors on ancient and tribal rites involving Styrofoam, marshmallows and duct tape. This panel is designed to bring to the public what the process looks and sounds like. Using submissions from the audience members, our panelists will quickly mark up and present a critique. All of our Iron Editors have been published themselves, and have a very good idea of what a story needs to get published. To participate bring up to 2 double spaced pages of creative writing either to the panel or drop it off in the box at the Info Desk. You must be present to have your submission critiqued! The more – the merrier!! Also, non-submitting audience members are more than welcome.
Panelists: Marty Halpern (Moderator), Gabrielle Harbowy, Wanda Kurtcu, Deirdre Saoirse Moen

Sunday, Jul 03 5:30 PM to Sunday, Jul 03 7:00 PM in room: Regency Ballroom 2
Finding the Right Voice
When representing different accents and speech patterns in fiction, some authors choose to add the occasional slang term or flourish while others go to the lengths of writing entire novels in a vernacular accent. How much is too much? Is it worth sacrificing readability for authenticity? Tips, strategies and techniques for accurately representing speech in fiction.
Panelists: Gabrielle Harbowy, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Jason Stewart (Moderator), Rachel Swirsky

Monday, Jul 04 11:30 AM to Monday, Jul 04 1:00 PM in room: Crystal
Getting the Details Right
How hard is it to learn basic science and tech if you’re a writer who skated through that part of his or her education? How can that be overcome? Does it matter? How does credible science in a story bolster the believability of the parts that are obviously fabricated?
Panelists: Paul Carlson, Gabrielle Harbowy, Robert Hole (Moderator), Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Juliette Wade

In a bit of an impromptu change of plans, the fates are sending me to Norwescon 34 in Seattle this Saturday and Sunday.

I’m not on any programming and I have no set schedule, but I’ll be around. If you’re going to be there, find me and say hi!

Twitter will probably the best way to keep up with me (@gabrielle_h), though I can’t promise I’ll be tweeting dependably or in context.

Meanwhile, I’m loving all the praise that’s coming in for TRIPTYCH, I’m preparing for the May launch of THE EMPRESS SWORD, working on several other manuscripts, and getting very near to being able to make another announcement regarding WHEN THE HERO COMES HOME.

Exciting times!

I’m getting ready to head up to Toronto for Ad Astra! If you’re around next weekend (April 8-10), come and say hello! Here’s where you’ll be able to catch me:

- Sat., 10am, Salon 241, Ad Astra Success Stories — Julie Czerneda, Sarah Jane Elliott, J.M. Frey, Gabrielle Harbowy

- Sat., 11am, Salon 241, Writing Agent Query Letters — Gabrielle Harbowy, Shawna McCarthy

- Saturday night, Con Suite, Triptych Launch

- Sun., 1pm, Ballroom East, What Makes a Hero? — David Clink, Ed Greenwood, Gabrielle Harbowy, Tamora Pierce, Gregory Wilson

- Sun., 2pm, Salon 241, Editing a Novel — Leah Bobet (m), Aaron Allston, Ziana de Bethune, Gabrielle Harbowy, Brett Alexander Savory

Despite rumors to the contrary, I will not be attending FogCon, BayCon or SXSW this year.

However, you’ll be able to spot me at these upcoming events:

• Ad Astra – April 8-10, Toronto

• Balticon – Memorial Day weekend, Baltimore MD
• GenCon – August 4-7, Indianapolis IN
• WorldCon / Renovation – August 17-21, Reno NV
• DragonCon – September 2-5, Atlanta GA

Specific schedules will be made available closer to the dates.

I’ve got a light schedule… which is good, because Dragon*Con is full of things to do and people to see! You can catch up with me at:

SAT Sept 4, HILTON 204, 10:00 AM
Podcasting Authors Roundtable.
Join a roundtable discussion of working writers who utilize podcasting to distribute and promote their work.
Panelists: Scott Sigler, Gail Z. Martin, Michael A. Stackpole, Christiana Ellis, P.G. Holyfield, Gabrielle Harbowy

SAT Sept 4, HYATT Regency V Ballroom, 4:00 PM
5th Annual Parsec Awards
The Parsec Awards recognize excellence in Speculative Fiction Podcasting

Or drop me a line on Twitter or via the contact tab above.

DESTINY’S BLOOD by Marie Bilodeau (Dragon Moon Press, 2010) is now available from Barnes&Noble.com.

Marie will be officially launching the novel at CAN•CON (Ottawa, Aug 20-22), where she is guest of honor.

Layela Delamores wants nothing more than to settle into a quiet, peaceful life, running a small flower shop with her twin sister, Yoma. But Layela is tormented each night by terrifying visions that she cannot remember when she wakes. When Yoma vanishes, Layela is certain that her nightly visions hold the key – but only her sister’s thieving friend, one of the last survivors of the ether races, can unlock them. Layela suspects that her friend isn’t telling her the whole truth, instead sheltering her from her own visions.

Ripped from the safety of her flower shop into a universe of smugglers and assassins, Layela must pursue her sister across space in a desperate bid to overcome the destiny of destruction foretold in her dreams.

But without full knowledge of her visions, Layela has no way to prevent them from coming to pass. And the fate of a whole world is on the line: the mythical First Star is on a path to self-destruction and the annihilation of all life. Unless Layela finds a way to stop it.

But to stop it would mean sacrificing her sister. Or herself.

Marie Bilodeau loves to make things up, which is why she’s both a performing storyteller and an author. She’s performed in bars, pubs and tea shops across most of Canada, telling modernized fairy tales, myths, and stories of nuns scratching her butt. To breathe new life into her tales and increase their audience, she’s also morphed some of her stories into podcasts. Her published works include a fantasy trilogy, the Heirs of a Broken Land series, and the space fantasy novel, Destiny’s Blood. Her short fiction has also appeared in anthologies and magazines. For more information on Marie and to check out what’s next, go to www.mariebilodeau.com.

The 2010 Parsec Award Finalists have been announced, and I’m quite pleased to see my story “Swimming Lessons” from P.G. Holyfield’s Tales of the Children anthology listed in the Best Speculative Fiction Story (Short Form) category!

I’m up against some serious competition. It’s an honor to even be nominated alongside writers like Peter Watts, Mike Resnick, Scott Sigler and Tim Pratt.

Congrats, also, to all the rest of this year’s nominees!

The Parsec Award ceremony will be held at DragonCon on Saturday, September 4 at 4 PM in the Hyatt’s Regency V Ballroom.

It’s been a busy couple of weeks!

• I went to Ad Astra and had a wonderful time! I staffed a Dragon Moon Press table with Erik Buchanan and Chris Jackson – a couple of really great people. I spoke on four panels, we had a very successful launch (click for pictures) for Erik’s new book Cold Magics, I met even more great people, snuck in some quality time, shook hands on a couple of exciting upcoming projects, and even remembered to sleep now and then.
• I’m now on the editorial staff of Lambda Literary, and proud to have my name in very distinguished company on their masthead.
• Ace Books has set a release date of October 26, 2010 for Geist by Philippa Ballantine.
• Parsec Award nominations are now open. The Parsecs recognize excellence in speculative fiction podcasting. Go and nominate your favorite podcasts.
• I got to spend time with the fantastic Phil Rossi and his family. We put in good work on a couple of strong projects, and had a great time at it. Phil has some sort of aura that increases the alcohol tolerance of the people around him. I’m not sure about this; I think I have to do more research. You should definitely give it a try for yourself if you get a chance.
• On a personal note, I got to attend my grandmother’s 100th birthday party yesterday. It was, without a doubt, the best 100th birthday party I’ve ever been to! My grandmother is an incredible lady, sharp and bright and funny, always happy and positive. She’s already reserved the date for the party for her 105th, and it’s on my calendar now, too.
• I’m anticipating the release of Dragon Moon’s podcast anthology (you can join the Facebook fan page in the meantime!) and putting the finishing touches on P.G. Holyfield’s Murder at Avedon Hill for its May release (click for a peek at yet another great cover by Alex White).
• J. Daniel Sawyer’s podcast Down From Ten wrapped up this week. You can catch my voice in the “story so far” segment for episode 24. Dan’s full-cast productions are first rate, and the voice actors are all extremely talented and perfectly cast. This is a gripping character-driven mystery that’s definitely worth a listen. It’s available on itunes, or at downfromten.jdsawyer.net.
• JM Frey has adapted Adrienne Kress’s book Alex and the Ironic Gentleman for the stage, and Adrienne blogs about her visit to Quaker Road School’s production.
• I’ll be appearing live on Blog Talk Radio on April 29th at 6pm Pacific time, talking to the podioracket folks about Dragon Moon Press, how to get published, and whatever else you ask me!

Busy times! It’s been a month of great developments, with lots more good things in the works.

Ad Astra is going to keep my on my toes this year!

I’m especially thrilled to see other people interested in speaking on the verbal/written dichotomy. Working with the novels of so many podcasters, it’s become a strong interest of mine.

I note that Dragon Moon Press dominates the “working with a small press” panel this year, and that Erik Buchanan and I will get a chance to heckle each other publicly about the editing of his books on the “editing your own work” panel. Should be a great time!

The schedule is subject to change, but for now here’s where to find me (and some of the other usual suspects!):

Fri 8:00 PM Salon 443 — Podcast vs. Print
Gabrielle Harbowy, Justine Lewkowicz, Herb Kauderer
We respond differently to the spoken word than we do to the printed page. What are the differences that authors need to keep in mind between writing for podcasts and writing for print?

Fri 9:00 PM Ballr. East — Working with Smaller Presses
Gabrielle Harbowy, Chris A. Jackson, Brett Alexander Savory, Derwin Mak, Erik Buchanan
Is a smaller press the right choice for you? How does a small press work? How can you find them? Panelists will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of working with a smaller press.

Sat 11:00 AM Ballr. East — Editing Your Own Work
Gabrielle Harbowy, Rick Wilber, Jana Paniccia, Erik Buchanan
Authors and editors share tips on how to spot the problems that are so easy to miss in your own work, how to add a bit more polish to your writing, and how to prepare your draft so that editing goes as smoothly as possible.

Sat 3:00 PM Salon 443 — Beyond Wikipedia
Gabrielle Harbowy, Douglas Smith, Karin Lowachee, Bob Boyczuk, Justine Lewkowicz
Research techniques and pitfalls for writers. How do you know whether the information on the internet is accurate? What are your best reference sources, when are books better than the internet, and when (and how!) do you talk to an expert?

Sat 10:00 PM ConSuite — Cold Magics Launch (to 1am)

Sun 1:00 PM Ballr. East — An Editor’s Dream
Gabrielle Harbowy, Brett Alexander Savory, Jana Paniccia, Eric Choi, Robert Pincombe
Learn the characteristics that editors appreciate in an author.