Salt Lake Comic Con 2016...Stephen King's "On Writing" Panel

On Friday, September 2, 2016 at 8pm, guests and panelists will gather in Room 253A of the Salt Palace Convention Center to discuss a little book written by Stephen King. 

It's called, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.

Here are the panelists scheduled to attend: 

Richard Paul Evans

Cindy Grigg

JP Roth

Jonathan Ryan

J. Scott Savage

Callie Stoker

And me, Scott Taylor

As you can see, there's a lot of knowledge and experience in this group. I finished King's book the first time a few months ago. I was so impressed with it, I suggested this panel, and the Salt Lake Comic Con scheduling gurus blessed me with a killer line-up. I know several of the authors personally, others I'm excited to meet. If you Google any of these people, you'll be blown away by their accomplishments. I feel both honored and humbled to be a part of this team.

My goal was to gather authors who both write full-time and those (like me...) who do what we can while working another job. I believe we'll have that. If you're attending this year's Salt Lake Comic Con, check us out. You'll not only receive great writing counsel from one of the most successful writers of our time, but hear from others who love the art of writing.

Remember, Friday, September 2, at 8pm in Room 253A. We'd love to see you there!

Someone Asked Me What Panels I've Been On...So I Counted Them

Next month another convention rolls into town. Actually, it doesn't really "roll." It's more like a mass of people assemble and the magic happens. Because of my schedule, I didn't think I could attend. So when I found out I could, I e-mailed those in charge of next month's convention and asked if I could attend as a panelist, even though I was late to the party.

She e-mailed me back and she asked me a question.

What panels have you done in the past?

That was a good question. I answered back and gave her an overview. I told her in which conventions I've been fortunate enough to participate. I gave her my educational background as well as some awards I've won through my writing. I wasn't sure if I'd hear back, but I did. This time she asked another good question.

Can you give me some of the specific panels you've been on so we can see how we can use you at our convention?

That made me think. Just how many panels have I been on since I began this little writing adventure? It took some digging, but I went back to 2013. It's one of the advantages of keeping a daily blog since before then. Turns out I've been on over forty panels, forty-one to be more specific. I've also helped out on a panel here and there.

I e-mailed her back with my list. I knew it was probably more than she asked for, but just putting the list together brought back some wonderful memories. I've met some amazing people and developed many lasting friendships. Thanks to all who've been a long for the ride. See you at the next convention!

My Forty Panels (Plus 1...)

Salt Lake Comic Con FanX 2016:

Steampunk: Beyond Goggles

Video Game Design Pioneers

Being a Resilient Writer: Not For the Faint of Heart

Salt Lake Comic Con FanX 2015:

Harry Potter: Why HP Needed Hermione to Survive Every Time

How to Get Past Writer’s Block

How to Writer Middle Grade/YA to Specific Audiences

Beyond the Deathly Hallows: The Past and Future of Harry Potter

Sometimes it’s Okay to Kill the Good Guy

Salt Lake Comic Con FanX 2014:

Paranormal Stories: The Case for the Supernatural at Wal-Mart

Brainstorming for Writers and Artists

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Films as Adaptations

Steampunk for the Ages

Downtown Abbey: How a Stuffy British Drama Became One of TV’s Most Addictive Shows

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

Salt Lake Comic Con 2015:

Orphan Black—discussed the hit TV show

Cutting the Cord: Media Options in the 21^st Century

Saucy or Gory: Discussion on Writing Sex vs. Violence

Salt Lake Comic Con 2014:

Geek Parenting: Raising the Next Generation of Geeks

Steampunk, Cyberpunk, and Punk Rock

From Graphic Novels to Feature-Length Films

Structuring Life to Support Creativity

Salt Lake Comic Con 2013:

Making a Film On a Shoestring Budget

Managing Your Artistic Career While Working a Full-Time Job

Steampunk: What Is It? Is It Here to Stay?

Life, The Universe, And Everything (LTUE)

LTUE 34, 2016:

Learning the Lingo: Understanding Writing Terms

Science Fiction vs. Science Fantasy

LTUE 33, 2015:

Philip K. Dick as an Example of Adaptation

Everything is Awesome! The genius of the LEGO Movie

Finding Your Muse

Learning From Failure

Publishing With a Small Press

LTUE 32, 2014:

Small Press Publishing

The Screenwriting Process

E-Publishing Short Stories

Writing For Film

Salt City Steamfest, 2014:

Space Balrogs: Choose Your Own Apocalypse

Salt City Steamfest, 2013:

Getting Your Steampunk Writing Published

Conduit/Westercon

Conduit 2015:

Geek Parenting

WesterCon 2014:

Turning Fantasy in Reality: The Art of Adapting Comics and Art to Film & TV

Tag Team Jeopardy & the Avenue of Awesomeness

E-Publishing Short Stories and Poetry

Prepare Ye...For Westercon Is Coming!

*

Next month Westerncon rolls into town and I am a participant. I'm both excited and honored to be chosen as a panelist. On the list of those attending my name appears with others whom I consider friends and who possess incredible talents in both writing and the visual arts. 

I'm also a little nervous about going. I'm nervous because it will be a first for me at this particular convention. It's sort of how I felt when attending a Comic Con for the first time last fall. I had no idea what to expect back then, either.

Westerncon organizers have contacted me several times in the past month making sure that any special requests I might have concerning the convention are covered, requests such as tables, having books available for sale and to sign, and even my preferences in food. It reminds me just how much work behind the scenes goes into an event like this, hard work that fosters success.

You can check out Westerncon's website: HERE. Also, taking place across the street at the very same time is FantasyCon (their website is: HERE). Celebrities, artists, authors and performers will all be there, so it's practically guaranteed you'll find something to satisfy any interests you have.

Westerncon is coming! Are you ready?

* Photo used without permission from: https://www.facebook.com/Westercon67

Ladies And Gentlemen, I Present Tom Carr...

One of the best parts of attending a conference is creating and building friendships. Some call it networking, but for me, networking is too informal, too stuffy. The guys and gals I hung out with over this past weekend are friends. 

I met many new people last weekend at LTUE and enjoyed being with others I already knew. And as today was President's Day, my mind wondered to a friend who recently wrote, directed, produced, starred in a show about President Lincoln. My friend's name is Tom Carr.

To put it simply, Tom is amazing! There's really no other way to describe him. I first met Tom at the Salt City Steamfest convention last summer. The table our publishing company rented kept encroaching on Tom's table. Tom never complained, at least, not to me.

Since then Tom and I attended both the Salt Lake Comic Con, and LTUE as panelists. I friended him on Facebook and have followed his posts for several months. He has a project called Pinkertons A Secret Mission and he tried several fundraising efforts to produce the series. So far, he hasn't raised enough to do what he wants with that--and several other--projects.

There is no quit in Tom. The guy's tenacious! I probably would have given up after trying one fundraising effort. Then again, I might not have started up such a project in the first place. I'm just not as brave. You can see an excerpt of Pinkertons on YouTube: HERE. If you get a chance, watch it. It's not perfect and Tom admits as such, but he worked hard and he created it, flaws and all.

Tom and I shared several panels at the conferences we attended. I'm hoping we'll be able to share more in the future. And as I hear him talk about his experiences, his successes and not so successful endeavors, I will sit and be impressed by him. I hope only the best for him because if he accomplished a tenth of all the things he wants to do, I think everyone in the world would definitely know who Tom Carr is. I'm lucky enough to already know.

So, You're Telling Me There's A Green Room...?

"So, where are you headed next?" I asked my friend Chas we walked along the semi-crowded halls of the Provo Marriott (that doesn't have free internet for guests, by the way...grrrr). 

"I'm going to go see if there are any free eclairs left."

"Free eclairs?" I asked, for chocolate creaminess sounded pretty good right about then.

"Yeah," he said casually. "They're in the Green Room."

"What?! There's a Green Room?"

"Yeah, it's just up here at the Willow room."

And so, I almost made the same mistake TWICE! I almost missed out on free food at the Green Room set up for panelists and other guest at this year's LTUE writer's conference.

Last year I was honored to be a panelist at the country's most successful Comic Con, the Salt Lake Comic Con, and I didn't realize until after I read a fellow panelist's Facebook post weeks later that he had an incredible experience meeting celebrities in the Comic Con Green Room.

I had no idea a Green Room at Comic Con even existed and I found out weeks after it was over. Today I spoke to the panelist and told him how I only found out about the room after reading his Facebook post.

"Oh yeah! It was great!" he said smiling." They had a chef who would make whatever you wanted right there for you!" This did not improve my spirits, but it forever cemented the thought in my mind that if I'm again fortunate enough to be invited to be a panelist at another Comic Con (or any event, for that matter...), the first thing I'm going to do is find the Green Room!