My Salt Lake Comic Con FanX Schedule...Can't Wait!

A good friend asked me if I would like to help out with this week's Salt Lake Comic Con FanX as a panelist. It's really an amazing honor to be asked so last week and this week I've been cramming (I haven't studied this much since grad school...) to hopefully offer some viewpoints and input that will be interesting to those who paid good money to come.

I'm also stoked because of the subjects of the panels--great stuff! And I'm also going to be joined by some incredibly talented people--many are friends, some I don't know who I'm hoping to get to know better.

Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Steampunk, Star Trek, Downton Abbey, Paranormal Stories at Walmart...just the best stuff ever! I am a very lucky dude!

If you're planning on going and you'd be interested in these topics, or if you'd just like to stop by and say, "hello," here's where I'm going to be:

Thursday, 4/17, 12 noon to 1pm, 251A

Paranormal Stories: The Case for the Supernatural at Walmart

Does the strange and fantastic hide or does it find more mundane environs? Join our panel for a collection of stories that take place in the most common places you can imagine.

Special Guests:

Sean Smithson, Scott Taylor, Johnny Worthen

Friday, 4/18, 10am to 11am, 250A

Brainstorming for Writers and Artists

The blank page in front of you, it’s time to come up with your next brilliant creation. What happens next? Join our panel of writers and artists for ideas about how to make your brainstorming more effective and let the seeds of good ideas grow into fully realized artistic work.

Special Guests:

Scott Taylor, Peggy Eddleman, Larry Correia, Jenni James, Chris Hawkes, Aneeka Richins, Jason Anderson

Friday, 4/18, 1pm to 2pm, 250A

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Films as Adaptations

The monumental effort required to bring Peter Jackon’s six Middle Earth films to fruition are astounding. That said, there are areas where the films as strong as adaptations of Professor Tolkien’s work, and areas that fans of the books find vexing. Join our panel for an examination of the films and a discussion of their merits.

Special Guests:

Scott Taylor, Robert J. Defendi, Julie Henderson, James Wymore, Blake Casselman, Tracy Mangum

Friday, 4/18, 7pm to 8pm, 251A

Steampunk for the Ages

The steampunk genre has come of age. The beguiling combination of steam-powered technology and alternate history has been entertaining for decades now. What steampunk entertainment will stand the test of time? Join a discussion of the best that the form has to offer.

Special Guests:

James Wymore, Dan Willis, Jennifer McGrew, Kevin J. Anderson, Scott Taylor

Saturday, 4/19, 10am to 11am, 251A

Downton Abbey: How A Stuffy British Drama Became One of TV’s Most Addictive Shows

The crossover between geekdom and Downton Abbey isn't at once apparent, but when you combine excellent writing, superb acting, and a co-production of BBC and PBS, you get a show that has some of the world's biggest geeks drooling for more. What is it that attracts geeks to this show? Why is it so good? How in the world does it relate to the X-men? All will be told.

Special Guests:

Cindy Grigg, Bryan Young, Ben Hodson, J.R. Johansson, Scott Taylor, Mette Ivie Harrison

Saturday, 4/19, 2pm to 3pm, 251A

Star Trek vs. Star Wars - Living in a Post-JJ Abrams World Part Deux

Between the reboot of Star Trek and the continuation of Star Wars, JJ Abrams will do more to reshape the world of popular science fiction more than almost anybody. Is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing? Is Abrams better suited to one property or another? What is the future of Star Wars and Star Trek? Which is better?

Special Guests:

Scott Taylor, Jason Hamilton, Bryan Young, Tyler Whitesides

Saturday, 4/19, 7pm to 8pm, 255A

World Building for Dystopian, Utopian, and Apocalyptic Futures: How to Do it Right

Sometimes in order to get the best out of your characters, you need to put them somewhere extreme. Whether you want to create the perfect world or the worst place possible for your characters to live out their story, it’s easy for these extremes to become flat and boring. Join our panel of writers to learn how to create a believable world that still puts the characters through their paces.

Special Guests:

Robison Wells, John Steiner, David Butler, Brad R.Torgersen, Scott Taylor

Again, it's truly an honor to be asked. Thanks Blake! I owe you, big time! I hope everyone has as much fun there as I know I will. Rock on!