It’s time for Phoenix ComicCon! We have authors on a bunch of exciting panels this year, plus our own Director of Publicity Patty Garcia will tell you all about some of the books we love this year in the Totally Tor! panel on Thursday. Here’s the lineup:
Wednesday, June 1
The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM
Hosted by Kevin Hearne and featuring Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, Pierce Brown, Beth Cato, Adam Christopher, Ryan Dalton, Leanna Renee Hieber, Jason Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Tom Leveen, Michael Martinez, Brian McClellan, Joseph Nassise, Sarah Remy, V.E. Schwab, Scott Sigler, Michael J. Sullivan, Sam Sykes, Dan Wells, and Django Wexler
Thursday, June 2
- 3:00 – 4:00 PM Evil as Heck
It’s not enough to have a faceless villian who hides in the shadows, our authors discuss whether villiany can be a sympathetic motivation. Featuring Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, and V.E. Schwab.
Location: North 128B
- 4:30 – 5:30 PM Totally Tor!
What’s new from Tor! Join Patty Garcia, Director of Publicity for Tor Books as she takes you through current and upcoming releases, and a take a sneak peak at big titles coming in 2017! Raffle and giveaways throughout the presentation.
Location: North 129A
Friday, June 3
- 12:30 – 2:30 PM Writing Excuses Podcast
Join Writing Excuses hosts Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal and Howard Taylor as they interview Alan Dean Foster, Greg Van Eekhout, Trina Philips and Victoria Schwab.
Location: West 301A
- 12:00 – 1:00 PM Trope Talks: Kick Ass Heroines
As a protagonist, a woman of action is high in demand. This Trope Talk focus on the allure of woman of action and where she is going next. Featuring Alyssa Wong, Christina Henry, Dan Wells, Django Wexler, Lexie Dunne, and Yvonne Navarro.
Location: North 128A
- 1:30 – 2:30 PM Spotlight: Adam Christopher
Comics, super-heroes, and science fiction Adam Christopher does it all, come geek out with one of Tor’s most celebrated authors.
Location: North 128A
- 1:30 – 2:30 PM Is This a Kissing Book?
Are romantic relations really important to fantasy? Is the pursuit of love just as important as the hero conquering all? Our panel of authors discuss where romance fits in the crafting of fantasy. Featuring Bradley Beaulieu, Leanna Renee Hieber, Sam Sykes, and Suzanne Young.
Location: North 129A
- 3:00 – 4:00 PM Building a Believable World: The Deets
Building a believable a world is more than just a good map, our pannelist discuss the finer points of constructing a believable universe. Featuring Bradley Beaulieu, Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Michael Martinez, Shannon Messenger, and Victoria Schwab.
Location: North 129A
- 4:30 – 5:30 PM Spotlight: Victoria Schwab
Join Victoria Schwab, best selling author of A Darker Shade of Magic, in a one hour discussion of books, tea, and magic.
Location: North 128A
- 6:00 – 7:00 PM Would You Lie to Me?
Authors lie for a living, but are they any good at knowing when they are being lied to? Hosted by Jason Hough, our two teams of authors will try to outwit each other and discern fact from fiction. Featuring Beth Cato, Brandon Sanderson, Jason Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Sam Sykes, Scott Sigler, and Victoria Schwab.
Location: North 128B
Saturday, June 4
- 10:30 – 11:30 AM Crossing the Streams: Genre Splicing
It’s too much to ask genres to stay neat and organized. As the number of genres grow, so too does the chance for cross-genres to be born. Our panelists discuss what happens stories refuse to stay in one genre and behave. Featuring Adam Christopher, Aprilynne Pike, Michael Martinez, Neo Edmund, and Yvonne Navarro.
Location: North 128A
- 10:30 – 11:30 AM Mother Flippin’ Wizards
Everyone loves a good magic system, but what impact does it have on characters? Our panelists will talk about their favorite stories and their favorite wizards from Gandalf to Harry Potter and discuss how magic impacts people on a personal level. Featuring Bradley Beaulieu, Christina Henry, Leanna Renee Hieber, Sam Sykes, and Victoria Schwab.
Location: North 129A
- 12:00 – 1:00 PM Spotlight: Brandon Sanderson
Fantasy’s favorite son comes to Phoenix. Join best selling author Brandon Sanderson for a discussion of his projects past, present, and future.
Location: North 129A
- 12:00 – 1:00 PM Beyond the Comics: Superheroes in Literature
With superheroes being more popular than ever, superhero fiction is on the rise. Or panelists discuss the next tall building for this genre to leap. Featuring Adam Christopher, Lexie Dunne, Ryan Dalton, and Weston Ochse.
Location: North 128A
- 1:30 – 2:30 PM Glowy Swords: Magical MacGuffins
The One Ring, Harry Potter’s wand, Excalibur, epic fantasy is full of magical MacGuffins, but is this just a mere plot device or is there a deeper purpose? Featuring Alyssa Wong, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, Sam Sykes, and Victoria Schwab.
Location: North 129A
- 1:30 – 2:30 PM Trope Talks: Unlikely Heroes
Reluctant, unsuitable, or just plain bad- heroes come in more varieties than ever this Trope Talk focuses on writing less than heroic protagonists. Featuring Dan Wells, Django Wexler, Kevin Hearne, Sarah Remy, Shannon Messenger, and Todd Lockwood.
Location: North 128A
- 4:30 – 5:30 PM Author Batsu
Join your favorite authors for Phoenix Comicon’s 3rd Annual Batsu game. Authors will play a Russian Roulette style game and hope to survive another year. Featuring Sam Sykes, Alyssa Wong, Becky Chambers, Jason Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Pierce Brown, and Scott Sigler.
Location: North 129A
- 6:00 – 9:00 PM Drinks with Authors
Join our Author Guests for a glass or two in an informal setting. There will be door prizes and other giveaways from our participating publishers.
Location: North 120 Seating and Events
Sunday, June 5
- 12:00 – 1:00 PM Shared Worlds
Some names carry the weight of a legacy with them. Authors who work in shared worlds are tasked with not only coming up with original creations, but building on what’s come before. Our panelists discuss establishing and helping legacy worlds. Featuring Adam Christopher, Jody Lynn Nye, Neo Edmund, and Yvonne Navarro.
Location: North 128A
- 1:30 – 2:30 PM Someone Else’s Sandbox
TV, Film, Comics, RPGs every property has a story to tell, these are the author who flesh out our favorite visual universes. Join these media-tie in craftspeople in a discussion about writing in someone else’s sandbox. Featuring Adam Christopher, Alan Dean Foster, Michael Kogge, and Yvonne Navarro.
Location: North 128B
- 1:30 – 2:30 PM World Building: Are We Still Talking About This?
It sometimes feels like worldbuilding and magic systems are the be-all, end-all of fantasy. Our panelists gather to discuss the times when it matters and the times when it doesn’t. Featuring Greg Van Eekhout, John Peck/Jack Heckel, Michael Martinez, and Sarah Remy.
Location: North 129A
- 1:30 – 2:30 PM Worst Panel in the World
At the end of another fine year of Phoenix Comicon, the grim survivors of the authors who made it out gather for one last hangover panel. Come shoot the breeze with authors as they discuss what’s fun and terrible in their industry. Featuring Dan Wells, Sam Sykes, Scott Sigler, and Suzanne Young.
Location: North 128A
- 3:00 – 4:00 PM Mythology and Folklore
Fantasy has always borrowed heavily from the myths and legends around the globe. As the genre expands, so too do the myths we draw upon. Our panelists discuss their favorite legends throughout history and how they use them in their work. Featuring Alyssa Wong, Joseph Nassise, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Todd Lockwood.
Location: North 129A
- 4:30 – 5:30 PM Embarrassing Author Con Stories
Everyone’s got one. Sometimes they witnessed it. Sometimes they were a part of it. Sometimes they caused it. Our authors relive hilariously awkward and light-heartedly embarrassing experiences at conventions. Featuring Kevin Hearne, Leanna Renee Hieber, Mary Robinette Kowal, Patrick Rothfuss, Pierce Brown, Sam Sykes, and Shannon Messenger.
Location: North 128B
