My Schedule for When Words Collide

Next weekend will be very busy for writers in Calgary, and writers visiting Calgary.

When Words Collide, running August 12-14 (with specialist workshops before and after) is an award-winning, genre-crossing lit-fest for readers and writers, with Author Guests of Honour in SFF, Romance, & Mystery and programming streams for all those as well poetry/songwriting, editing/publishing, and more. Although attendance was raised to 700 this year, it's been sold out for more than a month. A few events are open to the public, including a special Guest-of-Honour reading session in collaboration with Calgary Public Library. Check out the festival website at http://www.whenwordscollide.org/index.php to find out when and where.


Where you can find me:
Friday, August 12:

4 p.m. Giving a Great Reading - 50 interactive minutes with me and EC Bell  on what makes a great reading, with exercises to improve delivery as well as tips and tricks from the trenches, er, bookstores. Bring a page of your writing to practice with. Kananaskis Room 1

6 p.m.  Around the World in 80 Murders - panel discussion on the excitement and obstacles to setting crimes in far-off places; Mystery GoH Ian Hamilton (author of the Ava Lee series), me, G.W Renshaw and Sharon Wildwind. Parkland-Bonavista-Willow Park Rooms.

8 p.m onward - Tyche Books/ Steampunk Arts & Sciences Society whisky and absinthe tastings; other gatherings. Suite 318


Saturday, August 13:

 2 p.m. - Enigma Front: Burnt - anthology launch and celebration,

with readings, autographs, and door prizes. Acadia Room.

3 p.m. - 50 Shades of Mystery - Troll the mean streets and smoky bars in Noir and Police Procedurals. Taste the poisoned teacups and toy with tainted hearts in Traditional Mystery and Romantic Suspense. Panel discussion between me, Dwayne Clayden, Axel Howerton and Mahrie G. Reid. Bonavista Room.

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Steampunk Banquet - Parkland, Bonavista, Willow Park Rooms.

6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Aurora Awards

Parkland, Bonavista, Willow Park Rooms.

8 - 9 p.m. - Mass autograph session. Parkland, Bonavista, Willow Park Rooms. 

9 p.m onward - Noir at the Bar YYC (Boomtown Pub); other social gatherings


Sunday, August 14th:

2 p.m. - Gaslights, Clockworks and Steam - panel discussion with Marty Chan, me, H. Leighton Dickson, Charles Prepolec, & Jeff Campbell. Authors examine the persistent allure of Victorian historical and fantastical tales, from Sherlock Holmes and HG Wells through modern Steampunk, and argue the balance between historical purity, paranormal, and techno-fantasy. Bonavista Room.

4 p.m. - Finding Creativity in Diversity and Learning Disabilities. panel discussion with Catherine Saykaly-Stevens, me, Adam Dreece, Aviva Bel'Harold, Val King. Writers discuss how disabilities (including physical and mental illnesses as well as learning disabilities) that once challenged us now allow us a unique perspective and distinctive creativity. Kananaskis 2.