Gen Con 2024 - Writers Symposium Behind the Scenes Photos

Click here for my Gen Con 2024 coverage table of contents.  

Opening Ceremony

Chris Bell had very kind words regarding my previous Chair roles and passing the torch to him.  He rocks as a leader.

Gen Con 2024 - Deep Madness

Click here for my Gen Con 2024 coverage table of contents. 

Being a huge Deep Madness fan and reviewer of Diemension Games' writer Byron Leavitt's work (link to many previous posts)... and having interviewed him and had him on panels at Gen Con and contributed to the Madness Reborn expansion (thanks to Phil Blake and Oscar Bok and others), I had to catch up with Byron and Sarah at their booth.

Gen Con Panels 2024 - Sword and Sorcery, Pulp, & Horror (aka Beautiful Nasty stuff)

Click here for my Gen Con 2024 coverage table of contents.  

Thanks to Sean CW Korsgaard, (editor/author/S&S-aficionado) who filmed a bunch of Gen Con 2024 panels, you can listen in on two of the panels I moderated.

Janet E. Morris - Memorial Tribute

 

Perseid Press recently announced the passing of author, editor, and publisher Janet E. Morris (JEM) in August 2024. A group of us who have known and written for her and published by her, decided to honor her memory and her legacy with this group memorial. 

Janet E Morris Memorial Tribute - Black Gate Article (link)

This ad-hoc remembrance has organically turned into a virtual shrine. This post initially has ~17 contributions, but collecting testimonials can be chaotic and more comments may be added. Janet and Chris Morris made a remarkable creative couple, and our deepest condolences extend to Chris.

S.E. Lindberg's Reflections

I will miss JEM’s love for elevating other storytellers’ craft and her uncanny ability to seamlessly blend myth,  fantasy, & history in her writing.

• REVIEWS: We first met ~2013 as I moderated the Goodread’s Sword & Sorcery Group and she challenged a statement I made that Lovecraftian-Cosmic-Horror differed from elements of classical myths. She schooled me, her insights of ancient myths proved more expansive than my views. I was early into reviewing, so I read/reviewed (link) her Beyond Sanctuary book (Sacred Band series) and, beyond enjoying the story and feeling like I was living within the Baroque style cover, I was struck by not being able to discern between history, myth, and fantasy.

• INTERVIEWS: This prompted me to go beyond reviewing books and start an interview series on “Art & Beauty in Fantasy Fiction” with Janet being the first up to bat (link) (I plan to repost that on Black Gate soon). She pushed people’s expectations of sexuality and the role of women in fantasy fiction since 1976, and having her perspective was eye-opening. That interview was Jan 2014, and the decade since I’ve interviewed 27 others (including Carol Berg, C.S. Friedman, Darrell Schweitzer, Anna Smith Spark, C. Dean Andersson…). Black Gate started broadcasting this series ~2018.

• WRITING: As I was beginning to independently publish, she invited me to contribute to Perseid Press, and I’ve been honored to have over seven stories published across the Heroes in Hell and Heroika series (listing on Perseid Press site).

• ROLE MODEL: as much as I am honored to have known JEM, learned from her and developed by role in the writing community, my experience is not unique. Testimonials from dozens of aspiring and veteran authors are being posted. Her legacy is admirable, and she serves as a beautiful role model.

• A TOAST: Cheers, dear JEM. Thank you for sharing your passion and igniting mine. “Life to you and everlasting glory!”

Writers Symposium Image Prompt Contest Winners

Click here for my Gen Con 2024 coverage table of contents.  

Just posted the winners for the Gen Con Writers' Symposium Image Prompt Contest
https://genconwriters.org/prompt-contest/

Last year we tried out an image prompt contest, and it was a blast. The addition of art in our hallway plus the engagement of authors was overwhelming–in the best way! Check out the 2023 contest in the Archive.

For 2024 we lured in two more artists with ties to the Writers Symposium, Ava Kelly (author) and Alex Steffen, the artist who created the cover for the 2024 Anthology.

Like last year, each piece of art was put on a poster with a QR code to enable submission of (a) micro fiction (300 words or less) inspired by the art or (b) a “caption” to explain it. Winners of the contest were promised to have their entries posted on this website and a copy of the artist-signed poster (winners elected via a selection process that involved the artists’ input and feedback from some of the organizational committee.)

Everyone who submitted is a winner, since the goal was merely to promote a creative atmosphere. We highlight the poster-award winners and runners-up in separate announcement posts (below links). Yet everyone who submitted can claim bragging rights since the PDF below has the list of all the submissions–i.e., you all have your caption posted on this website!

Thank you to the artists and the creatives who replied!

Samuel Dillon - Original Orphan Maker Art

In 2022, I was thrilled to have my short story appear in Dyscrasia Fiction in Skull #9.  It was granted two illustrations, one by Samuel Dillon and the map by Aaron Kreader. 

Shown above, is me holding the original, framed pointillism by Samuel Dillon; soon to be hanging beside the cover prints of the Dyscrasia Fiction covers.

I am exploring more custom art by Samuel for a collection of tales, the working title "Grave's Daughters."

To Walk on Worlds - review of Matthew John's S&S Collection

Simulcast on Black Gate July 20th, 2024 (link)

To Walk on Worlds Rogues in the House Podcast, 2024, 188pages); Cover art by Mike Hoffman

Black Gate highlighted Rogues in the House (RitH) podcast in 2022, and in a few years, that crew rapidly expanded with Sword & Sorcery publications that include: A Book of  Blades (2022)  and A Book of Blades Vol. II (2023), and a collection of John R. Fultz's stories in The Revelations of Zang (2024)  This post reviews the newest collection of stories from RitH's own Matthew John released this June: To Walk on Worlds is available now in eBook and paperback. Matthew John is fascinated with adventure fiction and moonlights as a writer and game designer for Monolith in addition to his podcast responsibilities.  This post reviews To Walk on Worlds with excerpts.

If Gandalf was an a**hole, then we'd call him a "Meddler" instead of an "Istar"

The back cover indicates Lachmannon may be the protagonist of focus, and this Northman of Kaelta displays clear, Conan-like vibes while featuring in many of the stories as the key barbarian. He rocks, but the everpresent, and more unique character (anti-hero?) across the book is Maxus the Meddler. A "meddler" is a sorcerer, and Maxus gains the god-like power to move (and exploit and dominate) multiple realms; the titular phrase 'To Talk on Worlds' emphasizes that readers will experience Maxus's exploration and machinations.  Interior illustrations by Sandy Carruthers feature Maxus most, and he appears physically like Gandalf. So Maxus is phenotypically a wizard, but he is otherwise a bonafide a** hole. In the rare instances Maxus requires assistance from other beings, he does not form a fellowship. He may lure in rogue champions, like Lachmannon, to aid him but he would never consider them a partner. Maxus the Meddler is a splendid character, and it is super fun to witness him gain power and exploit other characters.

The table of contents (below) reveals eleven stories, seven of which were published in popular S&S venues.  They read even better together, with four additional stories helping flesh out the land containing the capital city of Pathra, Keal, Vescivius, Spatha, and the Burning Isle. Oddly, perhaps on purpose, every story has an abundance of grinning characters.  Matthew Johns's writing style is very accessible, moving at the fast pace one would expect from pulpy fiction.

Check out the excerpts that convey (1) weird foes, (2) desperate melee, and (3) vile sorcery!