Philcon 2010 & "Hints of Mystery" at K.S. Manning's Blog

Today, I'm visiting K.S. Manning's Blog talking about "Hints of Mystery" in the plot of The Duke and The Pirate Queen.

Please stop by!

I'll be at Philcon 2010 this weekend (November 19-21). Here's my schedule:

Fri 7:00 PM in Plaza VII (1 hour)
Breaking into the fantastic erotica market
Victoria Janssen (moderator), Stephanie Burke, Jennifer Williams, Lynn Perkins
How to be part of this burgeoning market for strange and sexy tales.

Fri 10:00 PM in Executive Suite 623 (1 hour)
Victoria Janssen, Reading

Fri 11:59 PM in Crystal Ballroom Three (1 hour)
Eye of Argon reading
Oz Fontecchio (moderator), Keith R.A. DeCandido, Victoria Janssen, Gregory Frost, Hildy Silverman, Michael A. Ventrella
Science fiction professionals and members of the audience compete in a live reading contest of what may well be the genre's worst story ever. Last year's contest played to an audience that spilled half way down the hall and to peals of laughter. Come see what all the guffawing is about!

Sat 12:00 PM in Grand Ballroom A (1 hour)
Is steampunk a rejection of the present?
Victoria Janssen (moderator), Jeff Mach, Gil Cnaan, Philippa Ballantine, C.J. Henderson
What is the appeal of steampunk? What is the source of its enormous popularity?

Sat 3:00 PM in Plaza III (1 hour)
The avoidable cliches of steampunk
Jared Axelrod (moderator), Jeff Mach, Victoria Janssen, Bernie Mojzes
As this sub-genre has crystallized, what are the elements we see too much of?

Sat 9:00 PM in Plaza VI (Six) (1 hour)
The paranormal romance
L.A. Banks (moderator), Stephanie Burke, C.J. Henderson, Victoria Janssen, Gail Z. Martin
What is meant by the term paranormal romance, and what are the significant works in this field?

Sun 10:00 AM in Grand Ballroom A (1 hour)
Robots since Asimov
Ty Drago (moderator), Victoria Janssen, Neal Levin
There is more to robots than Asimov's Three Laws. A discussion of recent science fiction about robotics and artificial intelligence.

Sun 1:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Three (1 hour)
Vampires thick as fleas
Victoria Janssen (moderator), L.A. Banks, Genevieve Iseult Eldredge, Michael A. Ventrella
Has this trend crested? Is it going to take over the field or has it become a ghetto unto itself?