Radcon 7 and Norwescon 39 Panel Schedule

It's con season again! I'm so excited to announce my panel schedule for Radcon 7 (Pasco, WA) and Norwescon 39 (Sea-Tac, WA March 24-27). These are some really awesome topics at two of my most favorite cons. I hope to see you there!

Radcon Feb 12-14, 2016

The Science of Believing

Lots of people believe in things that are, or aren't, real. Not everyone can be right, but everyone thinks they are. As humans, we cling to our convictions as if they were life preservers. Why do we believe things, even when those things are strange or unpopular? And why is it so hard to face being wrong? Science has studied these questions and come up with interesting answers. Come learn about cognitive dissonance theory, cognitive biases, the levers of influence, and mental shortcuts that leave all of us ready to defend our beliefs, sometimes even to the death.

Fri 1:45-2:45p – Rm 2205 

With: Peter Jones, Rory Miller

Empaths, Synesthetes, & Other Super Powers

What does science tell us about empathic abilities, synesthesia, and other multi-sensory ways of perceiving - and interacting with - the world? Explore the benefits and challenges experienced by people with these "super powers". Be ready to share. Excellent opportunity for writers crafting a character with one or more of these traits.

Fri 5:30-6:30p – Rm 2201

With: Alma Alexander, John Alexander, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Tamra Excell

Polyamory Revival

Polyamory is returning to mainstream consciousness with hit shows like "Polyamory: Married and Dating" on Showtime and feature stories in major news outlets. Learn how polyamory is from times of old, how agriculture and property ownership changed family dynamics, and how certain polyamory models are especially empowering for women. Enjoy the discussion, and walk away with suggested readings to further your knowledge on this fascinating subject.

Fri 8:00-9:00p – Rm 2201

With: Amanda Baldwin, Bruce Kenoyer II, Craig Jackson, Kevin Wiley, Tamra Excell

50 Shades of Consent

With the success of books like 50 Shades of Grey, more people than ever are reading about BDSM. But when writing about it, what are some misunderstandings or common errors to avoid? How can writers present it in ways that are safe, sane, and consensual?

Fri 9:15-10:15p – Rm 2201

With: Amanda Baldwin, Craig Jackson, Peter Jones, Rhiannon Louve

Mind Control

Your villain runs a creepy cult. Your protagonist chooses to remain in an abusive relationship. Your antagonist is a manipulative con artist. A side character is a cult exit counselor. What can transform an intelligent skeptic into a Koolaid-drinker? No magic, truth serums, hypnotic chants, or hand-waving required. Learn the real science behind cults, cons, and coercion for writing realistic mind control.

Sat 11:15-12:15a – Rm 2201

With: Peter Jones, Rory Miller

Reading: TBA (Theogenesis Gimmick?)

Sat 12:30-1p – Rm 2211

Surviving the Post-Apocalypse with Disabilities

Survive a post-apocalyptic world with disabilities, both mental and physical, visible and invisible. How do you find food when you have difficulty walking? How do you defend yourself against mutants and rogues while managing PTSD triggers? What will you do without ready access to medications that stave off chronic pain, heart disease, depression, or attention difficulties? Might some disabilities actually become hidden strengths in a world where society has been turned upside down? The panelists are personally experienced with disabilities and will discuss their plans to stay alive through whatever may come. Bring your survival instinct and prepare to prevail.

Sat 5:30-6:30p – Rm 2205

With: Bill Holden, Eytan Kollin, John McDonald

Diversity in Fiction

Our world, and our fandom, is expanding. How is a simple SF/F author to keep up? Come talk with a panel of authors who know a thing or two about inclusive writing. Find out how to go about, why to go about it, and when to go about it (Hint: The answer is now!).

Sun 10:00-11:00am – Rm 2203

With: Alma Alexander, J Tullos Hennig, Kaye Thornbrugh, Peter Jones

Geek Boys vs. the Feminists: An Empathetic Look at Gender in the Geek Community

Through the 70s, 80s, and 90s, geeks banded together against an oppressive world that mistreated them and refused to understand them. They created acceptance and friends where previously they had only experienced bullying and ostracism. Now those geeks feel oppressed by a new threat: feminism. Except, the threat isn't new. And it isn't a threat. Male geeks and feminist geeks have more in common than we have different. Let's discuss the intersectionality of the geek cause with the feminist cause, and why inclusion, not busty body armor, should be the common interest that holds the geek community together.

Sun 12:30-1:30p – Rm 2201

With: J Tullos Hennig, Tim Martin

The Psychology of hackers and gamers; a male/female perspective

With the advent of Gamergate and the press a portion of the gaming community has garnered, people are looking at the anti-social aspect of gaming and of hacking. What are these issues, which are real and which are myths? Come join us for what promises to be a lively discussion.

Sun 1:45-2:45p – Rm 2207

With: L James, Meg James, Peter Jones, Tim Martin

Norwescon March 24-27, 2016

The Future of Accessibility

As much as we might want a future where every injury can be healed, chances are there will always be some things beyond our ability to fix, and situations where tried-and-true will remain the best course. So how might one navigate micro gravity with a leg cast? Would a paraplegic still use a wheelchair, or would exo-skeletons or bionic legs be standard practice? Could robots replace service animals? Let's talk.

Thur 9:00-10:00p – Cascade 3&4

With: Pat MacEwen (M), Sar Surmick, Dr. Ricky

Invisibile Disabilities

Not every disability is apparent at a glance, nor is anyone's personal health anyone else's business. From mental illness to chronic disease to a variety of syndromes and impairments too lengthy to list, we'll discuss the difficulties of living with chronic health conditions, the stigmas associated, what progress has (or hasn't) been made in reforming public perception, and strategies on getting other people to mind their own blasted business.

Fri 12:00-1:00p – Cascade 10

With: Gregory Gadow (M), Cheryce Clayton, Michael 'Tinker' Pearce

Magic Rumble

Join our pros as they each are given a magical system and debate which would reign supreme.

Fri 5:00-6:00p – Cascade 3&4

With: Grant T. Riddell (M), Peter Orullian, Logan L. Masterson

Creativity & Disabilities

Whether your problems are physical or psychological, there's no denying that being creative and creating art is difficult to almost impossible when a disability stands in your way. Come learn how different artists and writers work with, past, or through their personal disabilities and limitations to create their art.

Fri 6:00-7:00p – Cascade 10

With: Kevin Mathews (M), Liv Rainey-Smith, Mark Chapman, Spencer Ellsworth

Consensual Non-Monogamy 101

What is consensual non-monogamy? Is it polyamory or swinging or polygamy or relationship anarchy? Why would anyone want more than one partner? What important advice is there for starting out? How do you do you minimize hurt feelings? Can you? How do more conservative family members react to these plural relationships? Should you, shouldn't you? What are the pros and cons?

Fri 7:00-8:00p – Evergreen 1&2

With: Sar Surmick (M), Sheye Anne Blaze, Wednesday Phoenix, Burton Gamble

A Culture By Any Other Name

Many alien cultures bear a strikingly humanized feel to them. Yet, does creating alien cultures too foreign in design make them too hard to be relatable? The pitfalls, pros, and cons of alien cultures is discussed.

Sat 12:00-1:00p – Cascade 10

With: Jason Bourget (M), Caroline M. Yoachim, Kim Ritchie, Lawrence M. Schoen

Reading: Theogenesis Gimmick (forthcoming in the Truth in Paradox anthology by Onyx Path)

A young woman finds out what happens when you click one of those "One Weird Trick!" ads and finds herself awakened to a puzzling world filled with gods and magic.

Sat 1:00-1:30p – Cascade 1

Sex & Gender Fluidity

We are used to thinking about people in binary terms, but reality is nowhere near that simple. Join our panelists as they discuss what we know -- and do not know -- about the biology of sex and gender.

Sat 8:00-9:00p – Cascade 5&6

With: Sar Surmick (M), Amber Clark, Wednesday Phoenix, Gregory Gadow

A Thousand Words

Literature may be the art of beautiful words, but sometimes great writing comes from--or cooperates with--great images. Come hear how writers use drawings, photographs, and maps for inspiration, worldbuilding, character development, and more.

Sun 11:00-12:00a – Evergreen 3&4

With: Brenda Carre (M), Nina Post, Gregory A. Wilson

The Human Element: PTSD in Science Fiction

Be it the rigors of space travel or the weight of destroying an entire species, protagonists in science fiction take those fights home with them. Join our panelists as they discuss the nature of post-traumatic stress disorder in science fiction.

Sun 3:00-4:00p – Cascade 5&6

James C. Glass (M), Sar Surmick, Robert J. Sawyer

RadCon 6b Schedule

If you're in the Tri-Cities, WA (my hometown), come see me at RadCon this weekend! Their tagline is "The big con with the little con feel", and that's true.

I'm on many panels this weekend and am also manning the NIWA book-selling booth in the Small Press room.

Here is my schedule:

Friday: 

2pm – Indie Professionalism in Self-Publishing
2205
Do you have what it takes to be a successful indie? Selling your book to hundreds of readers requires more skill than selling it to a single editor (not less). Discussing professional behavior in networking, PR, and dealing with rejection.
With: Willich, Dameon      Thornbrugh, Kaye      Chinakos, Mike      Boop, David

4pm – Picture This!
Fan Suite
Everyone has a mental movie that plays as we read. Our writers bring bits of story to share for artists to sketch to.  Beginners and experts welcome!
With:  Jones, Peter     Sturgeon, Jeff     Townsend, S. Evan
          Tayler, Howard,    Gray III, John    Hall, Vandy      Leonhard, Herb

6:30pm – Reading "Touch of Tides" 2209

8pm – Polyamory Revival
2205
Polyamory is returning to mainstream consciousness with hit shows like “Polyamory: Married and Dating” on Showtime and feature stories in major news outlets. There are several misconceptions about polyamory, the first being that it is a “new” type of relationship model.  Learn how polyamory is from times of old, how agriculture and property ownership changed family dynamics, and how certain polyamory models are especially empowering for women. Enjoy the discussion, and walk away with suggested readings to further your knowledge on this fascinating subject.
With: Jones, Peter     Goldstein, Ari     Baldwin, Amanda  Thomas, Johnathan   Lindsey, Roland

9:15 – 50 Shades of Consent
2205
With the success of books like 50 Shades of Grey, more people than ever are reading about BDSM. But when writing about it, what are some misunderstandings or common errors to avoid? How can writers present it in ways that are safe, sane, and consensual?
With: Jones, Peter     Thomas, Johnathan     Baldwin, Amanda  Lindsey, Roland

Saturday:

11am-4pm – NIWA Booksales Booth - Small Press Room (2209?)
Emerald City Dreamer will be available for sale in print the whole weekend. Come during this time and get it signed!

8pm – Gender and Sexuality
Fan Suite
How do the gender roles society places on us affect our behavior and steer morality, self-esteem, even legal code? How about sexual preferences, gender identity and asexuality? Be prepared for a lively and open discussion!
With: Foster, Voss     Excell, Tamra     Lindsey, Roland   Louve, Rhiannon

Sunday:

11:15am – Getting into the mind of the Religious Fanatic
2203
Uber villain or bit player, what are they like? Are there any useful generalizations? Are they likely to be suicidal and does that depend on the religion or the person?
With:  Louve, Rhiannon     Guizzetti, Elizabeth  Letourneau, Guy

12:30pm – Writing Neurodiversity
2203
Creating neurodiverse characters with autism, Aspergers, ADHD, bipolar, OCD, and synesthesia, can give your writing new dimensions. Come learn the right way to represent these unique strengths and weaknesses.
With: Berry, DiAnne     Freeman-Daily, Janet     Townsend, S. Evan     Wacks, Peter

As you can see, it's a very busy con. Come see me!

2013 Accomplishments - 2014 Goals

What a year. In reviewing my goals from last year, looks like I got way off track, but I'm very pleased with what I accomplished.

This year, I:

• Was a panelist at Radcon.
• Went to Rainforest Writer's Retreat and met lots of amazing people.
• Sold a story to a pro-paying market, Crossed Genres. It will also come out in a print anthology this year.
• Gave one reading (at Radcon).
• Released Emerald City Dreamer in print.
• I got diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. And started becoming an expert on autism.
• And now for something completely different, I wrote a 150,000 word nonfiction book, Releasing Agency: Lifting the Veil of Mormon Mind Control. 

One reason I didn't accomplish all of my 2013 goals is because of that little sidetrack. It's a book I had thought about writing based on my mind control website in 2005, forgotten about, and then on a whim decided to crank it out "real quick". The effort took 7 months (with distractions in between). It is currently out to alpha readers.

Emerald City Iron made it through the writer's group, and is ready for the next round of edits, when I can get to it.

I have a bunch of stories to submit, and one in particular is totally publishable. It's been rejected twice, both with a personal note from the editor, so I know it will sell. I just have to get it, and the others, out there. I set the bar pretty high for myself. I currently only submit stories to pro-paying markets until those venues are exhausted, and then I might send it to semi-pro markets. My time and splines are fairly limited, so I'd rather spend time aiming at high targets, being a perfectionist, and working on totally unplanned projects. ;)

So my goals for this year:

• Publish Recovering Agency in print and ebook.
• Market Recovering Agency, including launching a new website and giving interviews.
• Be a panelist at Radcon again.
• Be invited as a visiting pro at another con for 2015. Norwescon would be nice.
• Speak at Defcon.
• Speak elsewhere, either a seminar, or Exmormon Foundation, or some convention related to cults or religion, on the topic of mind control.
• Write a whole bunch of blog posts on autism and mind control.
• Release Emerald City Iron.
• Complete a major step in a novel: Either write the first draft of the next Dreams by Streetlight book or the second draft of The Sun Never Rises.
• Sell two stories to pro-paying markets. I'd really love to sell to an anthology.

If that seems like alot, it's because it is. So we'll see. :) There's a significant chance I will be caught up in marketing Recovering Agency for many months. It's already generated plenty of interest. I need to be okay with dropping many of the above goals in trade for promoting a book that could really help people. And maybe pay some bills in the process.

So here's to 2014. May it be a very good year for all of us.

Radcon 6A Madcap Recap

Okay, false advertising. Radcon 6A was not actually madcap, nor is this post. But sometimes a title presents itself and refuses to dislodge itself.

Weather-permitting, Radcon has marked the first of spring for me since my college days in the late 90's. Mid-February is often the first day of warm sun in Eastern Washington, turning the winter's average 20's chill to a nice 50-something. That tradition carried on even after I moved to Seattle, where the winter is a bit warmer, but the sun more scarce. There have been disappointing exceptions, especially the year an icy wind tossed around a thick layer of gravel-sized dust particles all weekend. Yuck.

This year, however, did not disappoint. On our drive, the car reported an outside temperature of 54 degrees, and the sun shone a little too brightly to make for a comfortable drive. I found myself wishing I'd packed more short-sleeved shirts. As soon as we reached the hotel, I stripped out of my boots and thick thigh-high socks to free my feet of the swelter.

This year, the theme for me seemed to be "Growing Old". This was my 18th Radcon, and I've not missed a one since 1995, not even the year I had a kidney infection and had to sit out most of the con. This was my ninth Radcon since moving to Seattle, which means I reached an equilateral point - as many Radcons living away from the Tri-Cities as local.

Radcon used to be a river of familiar faces rushing down the hallways. Each year, there are fewer and fewer, and this time, I realized I can no longer identify Radcon by its people. Some held a hint of familiarity, yet changed so much by age. Most were entirely new faces, a young generation of Tri-Citian geeks. They will never know that I once attended CBC across the street and traveled to NorWesCon with my Sci-Fi Club friends. They will never know that I bounced excitedly through the halls LARPing with my Camarilla friends or that I ran tabletop games and was in a fake secret-society and helped put on the LAN party every year, or that I wore glitter or that people asked me what I was on when I was stone cold sober. They're too busy making their own friends and having their new experiences, which for me are well-tread adventures.

I stopped to chat with very few people, because even of those I recognized, many did not recognize me, and I had long forgotten their names, if I ever knew them. I was happy for the familiar faces I did see, and the people I was able to reconnect with. Those I expected to see, and didn't, I miss with a deep remorse. I am old enough to know that you cannot recapture time.

I am old enough to know nostalgia can be an intense sad feeling of loss.

But I've always complained about being too old, even back at my first Radcon, age 20, when my now-adult son was just a baby. Of course I didn't know what I was talking about then. And I'm sure I don't know what I'm talking about now.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I'm the one who changes, and even then, not much. Perhaps that is what growing old is -- realizing how little is new.

If being jaded is a result of having too much life experience, there's a flipside to that coin. One I rather enjoyed. Now I don't just know stuff, I've done stuff. Lots of stuff. I'm wise and more confident, and that makes me awesome.

It means this year I got to be on panels, and what a rush that was.

My reading Friday night was sparsely attended, and by sparse, I mean three people. Quite a far cry from my first reading last summer, in which my and Michael Montoure packed the Wayward. But as I learned from another author, Laurel Anne Hill, audience size will vary. Earlier that day she'd spoken to a crowd of 500-700 students. Just a few hours later, we (and our partners) were each other's audience. I greatly enjoyed hearing her story.

After that, I sat on my first panel, Stop Thief!, about piracy and other intellectual property topics. There I met Peter "Frog" Jones and Jim Burk. We didn't agree on everything, and I learned a few new things, and I think our audience learned even more. A question was asked about how to detect online piracy and what to do about it, which requires a far more technical answer than I could offer in person. I promised a detailed post on the subject, so stay tuned.

Roland and I took Friday night pretty easy, which set a pattern for the rest of the con. We had drinks at the Grizzly Bar (yes, that is its real name) and wandered around a bit and then went to bed.

I had two panels the next day. As I guessed, I was sorely outclassed in the Worldbuilding for Planets panel. CJ Cherryh and Hugh Gregory know a ton of science, and when CJ builds, she starts with the geology and astrophysics, and moves up. I have a completely different approach -- I start with the story idea and then research the science to see how I can build a planet to suit. That left me little room to interject.

I learned a valuable lesson that how I introduce myself at a panel will set the tone for the rest of the hour -- a character template of who "Luna Lindsey" is that can open or close doors. Even if I don't have the kind of experience I'd like, it's good for attendees to see a variety of opinions. I will always have something I can highlight, which will direct the conversation towards things I know more about. In this case, I truly love worldbuilding in general, and while I've not completed any sci-fi stories written off-earth, I've been working hard at a couple of hard-sf worlds. I should have made that the focus of my introduction.

I put that hard-earned knowledge to good use later.

Either way, I learned lots of fun things about astrophysics from Hugh and CJ, and even managed to say one or two things.

Directly afterwards, I paneled on Sex, Love, and Writing in a Changing World. That was a really fun one. I got to meet Tamra Excell and Christine Morgan, and got to re-meet Jim Burk and Peter Jones. In this case, I got to rely not only on what I've read and written on the topic, but on my own life experiences. My fellow-panelists were from a wide variety of backgrounds, which I quickly learned makes for the most interesting panels. The attendees had lots of questions and there was never a dull moment.

The next stop was an interactive panel not previously on my schedule -- Image This! hosted by Tim Morgan. The concept is simple - an author (in this case, me) reads a story while artists sketch, as inspired. In the second hour, attendees are shown a painting, and write a story. Thankfully, I had two other stories with me, both of which I've read before and are visual enough to sketch. The Metro Gnome and Let the Bugs Work Themselves Out. Since I couldn't fill the whole hour, another attendee read from his work, which was quite well-written. (I didn't catch his name.) As always, I loved reading aloud. It was a special thrill to see the drawings my words inspired.

The second half was not on my schedule, so I was only able to stay for the first picture. The writing side was fun, but it was even more fun to see what other stories people came up with, all based on the same image. I've done similar activities in writer groups, where we all write a story with the same title, or write to a specific theme. It just goes to show that an "idea" is less important than its implementation, and every writer can have something new to say.

I would love to see this activity at more cons, and I hope Radcon does it again next year.

I met up with my friend Jenboi and with Roland and we hit the parties. We spent most of the time at the SpoCon room party. My favorite con party is the mellow kind, with low-volume music and a small crowd, with places to sit and talk. The SpoCon party did not disappoint, and we conversed until 3 am.

The next day I had only one panel late in the afternoon, so we took it even more easy. Why Horror? was late enough on a Sunday that we could have a small, intimate discussion. Once again, we had a wide variety of panelist backgrounds - Devi Snively is an academic with a background in film and was the Media GOH. Ron Leota authors games and runs a podcast. Eric Morget is a voice actor and indie film maker. Yet despite this, we all had one interesting thing in common -- a religious and sheltered past. I had a lot of fun doing this panel.

Several of the panels generated lots of interest in my writing. I also met a few people who had seen my bookmark and become interested in Emerald City Dreamer just from that. I also ran into a few people who had read my Sucker Punch analysis on this blog.

It's all very encouraging. I hope I was entertaining and informative to those who listened to me, and thanks to Radcon for giving me this opportunity. Being a panelist was everything I dreamed and more, and I hope I can do it again and again.

Radcon 6A Panel Schedule

I am honored to be on the panel schedule for Radcon 6A, this coming weekend, February 15-17th, 2013, in Pasco, WA.

I consider Radcon my home con. Not to jinx it, but I've attended every Radcon since my first in 1995. Though I no longer live in Eastern Washington, I make the long trek through the mountains back to Mordor, each year, and not even a pain-wracking, can-barely-move kidney infection has stopped me. It's a good con, "medium sized" by the old standards, but with cons like PAX exceeding 70,000 attendees, I suppose it's a small gathering.

Since my youthful days, when I still held the illusion that being a writer was glamorous and could get you lots of money and free stuff, I dreamt of being a panelist at Radcon. Now that day has arrived.

My schedule begins with a reading Friday evening at 5pm. I am currently planning to read my two recently published stories, Beyond Earth's Summer and Let the Bugs Work Themselves Out. If there's time, I may There will definitely not be time to read a passage from Emerald City Iron.

Then I'm on four panels over Saturday and Sunday about various writing and fiction topics. I'm greatly looking forward to it, and I hope when I'm up there, I will actually have something interesting to say. If you're there, stop by and see me!

Fri Feb 15 5:00:pm	Fri Feb 15 5:30:pm	Luna Lindsey reading
Small Press		Luna Lindsey reads from her favorite writing.
Lindsey, Luna

Sat Feb 16 12:00:pm	Sat Feb 16 1:00:pm	World Building for Planets
2201		How do you create a world for your characters to interact in? This panel will cover everything to creating planets to finding names--stressing the importance of building a solid world and keeping it solid.
Lindsey, Luna Gregory, Hugh Morrigan, Muffy

Sat Feb 16 1:00:pm	Sat Feb 16 2:00:pm	Sex, Love and Writing in a Changing World
Fan Room		Alternate sexuality is one of the final, vastly unexplored elements of science fiction and fantasy. Where has it been touched upon, and why so few times? Is it time to examine it, or should it stay in the shadows?
Burk, Jim Lindsey, Luna Jones, Peter Morgan, Christine Tamra, Excell

Sun Feb 17 11:00:am	Sun Feb 17 12:00:pm	Stop Thief!
Small Press		With the increasing popularity of ebooks comes the increasing opportunity for scam artists to take credit for the work of others. As a fan, how do we stop and address these issues? As an artist and author, how can you protect yourself and your intellectual interests? Join our panel of experts as we discuss what measures are available for both fans and authors.
Burk, Jim Lindsey, Luna Jones, Peter

Sun Feb 17 2:00:pm	Sun Feb 17 3:00:pm	Why Horror (and beyond)?
2207		Our symbiotic relationship with genre films that feature elements of dread - why do we like them? And how do they reflect our society?
Lindsey, Luna Leota, Ron Snively, Devi