Superstars Writing Seminars 2025: Full Schedule

10:15am MST

Creating Audiobooks

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MST

From authors to narrators to A/V experts, our panel will talk about how to convert your stories from ready-to-read to ready-to-listen.

Speakers

Cindy Gunderson

Cindy Gunderson is a voice actress and award-winning author. Since she has commitment issues, she writes both sci-fi and fantasy, as well as contemporary romance and women's fiction under the pen name, Cynthia Gunderson.

Eric Madrid

Eric Madrid started audio engineering at a young age, pirating songs off the radio. With that ramshackle set up he recorded 1000 hours of book to tape for the Colorado deaf and blind school for his Eagle Scout project, Enharmonic studios was born. While dabbling in the touring rock... Read More →

Ray Porter

Ray Porter is a multiple award winning narrator with over 500 titles. His narration of “Project Hail Mary” garnered 2021 Audie awards for Best Science Fiction and Audiobook of the Year. In addition to being the voice of Darkseid in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”, he can... Read More →

Jeanette Strode

During the last 8 years as COO of Shadow Alley Press, Jeanette’s learned a lot about Indie Publishing. It takes persistence, a dedicated team, and big goals and dreams. Since 2016, she’s worked with numerous authors on these exact things. Helping them to narrow down their goals... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MST
White River I

Panel

10:15am MST

The Art of the Con

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

How do you connect on-the-spot with an in-person, unknown audience of possible readers, and convince them to give your books a try? Our panel of experts shares their experience hand-selling books at conventions.

Speakers

Todd Fahnestock

Todd Fahnestock is an award-winning, #1 bestselling author of fantasy for all ages and winner of the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age Award. He is a founder of Eldros Legacy—a multi-author, shared-world mega-epic fantasy series—three-time winner of the Colorado... Read More →

Chaz Kemp

I have been a professional illustrator for 25 years and I've done hundreds of book covers, interior illustrations and posters for clients in dozens of industries. In that time, I've studied marketing, branding and business. I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge with the Superstars... Read More →

Jonathan Maberry

Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, and comic book writer. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was produced as a Netflix original series. He writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction... Read More →

Lydia Sherrer

Lydia Sherrer is the award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author of the Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus universe of books which have sold over three-quarters of a million copies worldwide. She has also published the TransDimensional Hunter series with NYT bestselling author John Ringo... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

11:30am MST

A Beginner's Guide to Indie Publishing

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

The world of independent publishing is evolving faster than you can learn it. Where does a complete newcomer get started? Our panel of experts share their recommendations and experience.

Speakers

James Hunter

James Hunter is a full-time Inkslinger and the bestselling author of Vigil Bound, Rogue Dungeon, Shadowcroft Academy, Discount Dan, and the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online! In addition to writing, James also runs Shadow Alley Press, a publishing company that specializes in LitRRP... Read More →

Chris Kennedy

A Webster Award winner and three-time Dragon Award finalist, Chris Kennedy is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author, speaker, and small-press publisher who has written over 65 books and published more than 500 others. Get his free book, “Shattered Crucible,” at his website, https://chriskennedypublishing.com... Read More →

Lydia Sherrer

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

11:30am MST

AMA: Book Marketing Services

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MST

White River I

Anything you ever wanted to know about BookFunnel, Crave Books, Bookvault, and Draft2Digital

Speakers

Damon Courtney

Damon Courtney is the creator and CEO of BookFunnel, an ebook delivery service for authors and publishers. Though he would like to be a highly successful indie author, he can only lay claim to publishing a single fantasy trilogy that he does really like, despite its lack of sales... Read More →

Kerrie Flanagan

Kerrie Flanagan, with 25+ years in publishing, is an accomplished author, consultant, and instructor. She’s written for top magazines, authored 24 books, and developed the Magazine Writing Blueprint. Kerrie supports authors through her expertise and dedication and through speaking... Read More →

Alex Smith

Alex Smith has been with Printondemand-worldwide for over 7 years during which time he has gained an in-depth knowledge of the publishing industry. This placed him in the perfect position to lead the redevelopment of the Bookvault platform. He has worked very closely with some of... Read More →

Nick Thacker

I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author, with over 40 thrillers published to my name. I run Book Career In A Year, helping authors reach the next level.

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
White River I

Panel

2:00pm MST

Collaborating with Other Writers

Thursday February 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST

White River I

Collaborative writing can take many forms: co-writing, ghost writing, tag-teaming, mentoring, and more. Learn from industry professionals as they talk about their experiences in collaboration. Hear about the pros and cons, the highs and lows, the dangers and benefits, and find out if collaboration might be a good fit for you.

Speakers

JanaLee Brown

Jana S. Brown has been involved in publishing as an Author, Editor, Presenter, slush reader, executive secretary, and marketer for nearly 30 years. She is the acceptance editor for Book Cave and an editor and author coach specializing in self-publishing. She writes the weird and the... Read More →

Chuck Gannon

Dr. Charles E. Gannon‘s best-selling books have won the Dragon Award, the ALA Choice Award (Outstanding Book), the Compton Crook Award, and have been nominated for four Nebulas. He is best known for the Caine Riordan series of hard sf novels, which have all been national best-sellers... Read More →

James Hunter

David Weber

David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1952. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and “a passel of dogs”.With a blue-collar, science-fiction loving father, a college... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
White River I

Panel

2:00pm MST

Poetry: Beat by Beat

Thursday February 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Our panel of poets talk about what it is about poetry that makes our hearts thump, and how and why write poetry.

Speakers

Jayrod P. Garrett

Jayrod P. Garrett (they/them) is a storyteller with an MFA in English: Creative Writing from the UNR. They have published work with the League of Utah Writers and currently work on poetry, novels, editing, and storytelling projects. They live in northern Utah with their spouse and... Read More →

Michael La Ronn

Michael La Ronn (also known as M.L. Ronn) has published over 100 science fiction & fantasy novels and self-help books for writers.Michael also runs the award-winning YouTube channel “Author Level Up,” with over 40,000 subscribers and 2 million views. Writer’s Digest voted the... Read More →

Jonathan Maberry

Thursday February 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

3:15pm MST

Guerilla Marketing for Indies

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MST

White River I

Our panel of experts discusses out-of-the-box ideas for authors taking charge of their own marketing efforts.

Speakers

Dana Claire

Dana Claire, a marketing and sales expert, public speaker, and young adult author, founded The INKfluence, a specialized marketing agency for authors. The INKfluence offers special edition design & production, Kickstarter campaign management, and direct sales website build outs. Passionate... Read More →

Andrew Cobble

Andrew Cobble is an independent fantasy author, publishing as AC Cobble, and is the founder of Merrick Books, which offers crowd-funding campaign management and direct-to-consumer book distribution for projects and direct sales. As an author, he’s published 19 titles and counting... Read More →

Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Mark has worked in the book industry since 1992, published more than thirty-five books, and is a pioneer in digital publishing. Past roles include President of Canadian Booksellers Association, Director of Self-Publishing & Author Relations and Director of Business Development, and... Read More →

Jeanette Strode

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MST
White River I

Panel

3:15pm MST

The Science of Science Fiction

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Our panel of experts discusses how and how much science to insert into science fiction.

Moderators

Kevin Ikenberry

Kevin Ikenberry is a life-long space geek, bestselling science fiction and alternate history author, and teacher. With more than twenty-five novels published in multiple universes under his belt, Kevin continues writing stories uplifting the power of the human spirit in difficult... Read More →

Speakers

Ronald Coleman

Ronald Coleman is a scientist and author from San Diego, California. He has a PhD in Biology from The Scripps Research Institute. He’s consulted as a scientist on projects for television, film, and novels. He has notably contributed to Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger novels where... Read More →

Chris Kennedy

Jonathan Maberry

Craig Martelle

Craig Martelle is a million-selling author of Sci-Fi and Thrillers. He runs the Successful Indie Author series of author-help videos, books, and group.

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

4:30pm MST

Plotters vs. Pantsers and Everyone in Between

Thursday February 6, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

A mix of authors from across the plotter-pantser spectrums discuss what works for them, what doesn't, and why being on one end doesn't preclude you from learning tips from the other end

Speakers

Jennifer Brody

Jennifer Brody (a/k/a Vera Strange) is a Bram Stoker Award Finalist and the author of A SACRIFICE OF BLOOD & STARS, DISNEY CHILLS, THE 13TH CONTINUUM trilogy, STAR WARS: STORIES OF JEDI AND SITH, and SPECTRE DEEP 6, prompting Forbes to call her “a star in the graphic novel worl... Read More →

Todd Fahnestock

Kevin Ikenberry

Nick Thacker

I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author, with over 40 thrillers published to my name. I run Book Career In A Year, helping authors reach the next level.

Thursday February 6, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

4:30pm MST

Upmarket: Finding That Sweet Spot

Thursday February 6, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm MST

White River I

Learn what upmarket fiction is, and how to talk about and pitch your stories in this highly popular genre, from our panel of experts in this space.

Speakers

Sabine Berlin

Sabine is an avid reader, writer, and editor. She has a BA in History, a Certificate of Proficiency in Editing and Document Design, and an M.Ed in Higher Education Leadership. During the day she works in higher education. At night she reads, writes, edits fiction, and watches K-dramas... Read More →

Lindsay Flanagan

Lindsay Flanagan is an award-winning editor with an MA in English and Creative Writing.Her debut novel, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, was published by Young Dragons Press in August 2023, with two more books about AnnaGrey slated for publication in 2024 and 2025.She’s edited for... Read More →

Rebecca Moesta

Rebecca Moesta (pronounced MESS-tuh) is a freelance editor, co-publisher at WordFire Press, and bestselling author. She writes SF/F and nonfiction books for writers, both solo and with her husband, Kevin J. Anderson. Her work includes novels in Star Wars, Star Trek, and Buffy the... Read More →

Kristin Nelson

Kristin established Nelson Literary Agency, LLC, in 2002 and over the last two decades, she has represented over fifty-five New York Times bestselling titles and many USA Today bestsellers. Her clients include Shelby Van Pelt, Hugh Howey, Jamie Ford, Marie Lu, Stacey Lee, Ally Carter... Read More →

Thursday February 6, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm MST
White River I

Panel

8:45am MST

Collaborating With Experts

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

White River I

Multi-genre author Jonathan Maberry and scientist Ronald Coleman chat about how they collaborate on the science aspects in some of Maberry's bestselling novels.

Speakers

Ronald Coleman

Jonathan Maberry

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
White River I

Panel

8:45am MST

The Economics of Self-Publishing

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Our panel of self-pub experts gets down into the nitty gritty of how to launch an indie career without breaking the bank.

Speakers

Chris Kennedy

Mark Leslie Lefebvre

David Sherrer

David Sherrer is a lifelong gamer and story teller, and is the Marketing Director of Chenoweth Press and Lead Game Designer of Chenoweth Games. His debut card game "Cat Magic: The Game" released in 2022 and was funded on Kickstarter within hours of launching.

Jeanette Strode

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

10:00am MST

The State of Traditional Publishing

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Editors and agents from the trad-pub world talk about what they think 2025 is going to bring to the industry, and how to navigate the rest of the year.

Speakers

Anne Fonteneau

Anne began at Blackstone Publishing in 2001 and quickly became Head of Retail Sales, significantly boosting sales. By 2008, she was managing Digital Sales, leading to rapid sector growth. Her innovative leadership as Chief Sales Officer has been key in adapting strategies in the dynamic... Read More →

Kristin Nelson

Cherry Weiner

Born and raised in Australia. Came to American when I married a Brooklyn boy. I worked for one of the biggest Literary Agents in NY until he fired me and then his clients took two years to convince me to open my own agency by sending me authors and their manuscripts. I handle all... Read More →

Toni Weisskopf

Toni Weisskopf is an American science fiction editor and the publisher of Baen Books. She has been nominated four times for a Hugo Award. She has won the Phoenix Award, the Rebel Award, and the Neffy Award for best editor.

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

10:00am MST

Using Social Media in Your Book Marketing Strategy

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

White River I

Social media marketing isn't just about Facebook ads anymore. Learn from our panel of gurus about social media strategies that have worked for them or their clients.

Speakers

Z.S. Diamanti

Z.S. Diamanti is the award-winning author of the Stone & Sky series, an epic fantasy adventure and Guard in the Garden, the first book in the Fables of Finlestia cozy fantasy series. He attended college forever and has far too many pieces of paper on his wall. He’s a USAF veteran... Read More →

Cindy Gunderson

James Hunter

Lydia Sherrer

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
White River I

Panel

11:15am MST

Diversity and Inclusion in Publishing

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

White River I

Including a wide variety of characters and viewpoints can be incredibly validating for writers and readers alike. Learn from our panel why diversity and inclusion matters.

Moderators

Jayrod P. Garrett

Speakers

Chaz Kemp

Michael La Ronn

Lisa Mangum

Lisa Mangum is the Managing Editor for Shadow Mountain. She is also the author of four national best-selling YA novels, several short stories and novellas, and the nonfiction book Write Fearless. Edit Smart. Get Published. She regularly teaches at writing conferences. She lives in... Read More →

David R. Slayton

David R. Slayton (he/him) grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and finding fantasy novels with diverse characters was downright impossible. Now he writes the books he always wanted to read. His epic fantasy, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea, won... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
White River I

Panel

11:15am MST

Patreon

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Learn from our panel of Patreon pioneers on how and why you should consider launching a Patreon for your fans.

Speakers

Chuck Gannon

Lydia Sherrer

James Artimus Owen

James Artimus Owen is part artist, part writer, and all heart. He has written and illustrated the Mythworld series, two dozen Starchild comics, available as The Twentieth Anniversary Nearly-Complete Essential Starchild, The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica (and coloring books... Read More →

Clark Rowenson

Fascinated by magic since pine cones could be fireballs, C. R. Rowenson (Clark) is an award-winning author, blogger, and writing coach that studies magic building like others study oil-painting. His prime directive is to help storytellers craft and repair unforgettable magic systems... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

1:45pm MST

Live Editing and Q&A

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

White River I

Editors answer all your editing questions while showing (not telling) the editing process, live.

Speakers

Joshua Essoe

Joshua Essoe is a full-time editor who’s edited for NYT bestsellers, like David Farland and Piers Anthony, along with hundreds of independents. His books on writing, funded in just hours on Kickstarter cover the most-common issues he sees in fiction writing. Find him teaching at... Read More →

Lisa Mangum

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
White River I

Panel

1:45pm MST

The Future of AI in Publishing

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

AI isn't just a plot device; it's already here, there, everywhere. How will impact publishing in the next year or two? Our panel discusses ideas and theories, as well as real-world implications.

Speakers

Chuck Gannon

James Hunter

Nick Thacker

I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author, with over 40 thrillers published to my name. I run Book Career In A Year, helping authors reach the next level.

Toni Weisskopf

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

3:00pm MST

Mystery: Keeping Readers in Suspense

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

White River I

A panel of bestselling writers pick apart the puzzle of keeping readers mystified—but hooked.

Speakers

Marc Cameron

New York Times bestselling author Marc Cameron has written short fiction for The Saturday Evening Post and Boys’ Life Magazine. He’s the author of thirty books—Westerns, Jericho Quinn Thrillers, Arliss Cutter Mysteries featuring a deputy US marshal based in Alaska, and seven... Read More →

Casey Cowan

Casey brings thirty years of expertise in journalism, publishing, and design to his work as a graphic designer, reporter, and publisher. His career began with a foundation in graphic design, where his creative vision shaped countless projects across various industries. In 2013, Casey... Read More →

Laura Hayden

An early reader, Laura exhausted the children’s section of her local library by age ten. At that point, she switched to adult mysteries and science fiction and never looked back. Trained as an engineer, she continued to write “for fun” until one day, she decided to write “for... Read More →

Jonathan Maberry

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
White River I

Panel

3:00pm MST

Panel: Writers of the Future

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Colorado

Writers of the Future was launched in 1984 by L. Ron Hubbard to provide a means for writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and had some of the biggest names in SF&F as its judges, which continues to this day. Join Writers of the Future and WotF judges as they discuss the backstory to Writers of the Future as well as what it has meant to the SF&F community.

Speakers

Kevin J. Anderson

Kevin J. Anderson is one of the founders of Superstars, a #1 international bestselling author known for his work in the Dune, Star Wars, X-Files, Batman and Superman universes. He is also publisher of WordFire Press, and director of the Publishing Masters Degree program at Western... Read More →

Rebecca Moesta

Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times Bestselling Author Todd J. McCaffrey has over sixty books in print including eight in the classic Dragonriders of Pern® series. He holds degrees in art and engineering, is a licensed pilot, and an Army veteran.

John Goodwin

John Goodwin, President Galaxy Press, has been involved with book publishing since 1986, publishing the fiction works of bestselling author L. Ron Hubbard which includes the Writers of the Future anthology. He is also host of the award-winning Writers and Illustrators of the Future... Read More →

Emily Goodwin

Emily has been involved with book publishing since 2007, including the international Writers & Illustrators of the Future Contests. She is the producer for the Writers of the Future annual Achievement Awards and the online writing workshop. She is involved in community activities... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Colorado

Panel

3:00pm MST

Writers Beware

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Our panel of expert agents and authors talk about some of the gotchas that writers should look out for, when seeking a book deal or licensing their work.

Speakers

Kevin Ikenberry

Craig Martelle

Craig Martelle is a million-selling author of Sci-Fi and Thrillers. He runs the Successful Indie Author series of author-help videos, books, and group.

Kristin Nelson

Cherry Weiner

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

8:00pm MST

Romance: A Hot Genre That Keeps Getting Hotter

Friday February 7, 2025 8:00pm - 10:00pm MST

Colorado

The hottest genre in the market is still romance! Learn from our panel of romance writers how to amp up the steam between your characters while keeping the genre fresh.

Speakers

C.J. Anaya

C. J. Anaya is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author and writes teen and young adult fantasy romance. However, she tends to tell stories within the genres she loves to read. So you can find her sweet romantic comedies of the billionaire variety under the pen name Cynthia... Read More →

JanaLee Brown

Lindsay Flanagan

Friday February 7, 2025 8:00pm - 10:00pm MST
Colorado

Panel

8:45am MST

Book Cover Trends

Saturday February 8, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Arkansas

What's trending in book covers today? Our panel of illustrators and book cover artists talk shop and design.

Speakers

Jake Clark

I make badass art for badass stories. Full of grit and storytelling, my work is geared to capture attention. Using 3-d modeling software combined with digital painting and other assets, my fully custom creations play with perspective and scale in a way few other covers do.

Casey Cowan

Chaz Kemp

James Artimus Owen

Saturday February 8, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Arkansas

Panel

8:45am MST

How to Sell Books Directly to Your Readers

Saturday February 8, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Getting around the 8,000-pound river gorilla has been the Holy Grail for a while. Learn from our panel of experts on how to cut out the middle-man and sell directly to your readers.

Speakers

Dana Claire

David Sherrer

Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Alex Smith

Saturday February 8, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

8:45am MST

Masters of Publishing and Genre Fiction

Saturday February 8, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

White River I

What are the advantages of a formal graduate degree in publishing that you can’t get just from online forums and writing conferences? Kevin J. Anderson and Allyson Longueira talk about their Publishing MA degree program at Western Colorado University.

Speakers

Kevin J. Anderson

Allyson Longueira

An award-winning writer, editor and designer, Allyson Longueira has worked in fiction andnonfiction in multiple media, including newspapers, magazines and books for twenty years. Sheholds a BA in English from Rutgers University and an MA in journalism from the prestigiousUniversity... Read More →

Johanna Parkhurst

Johanna Parkhurst is the author of multiple young adult and adult contemporary romance novels. Her most recently published ghostwritten work was a YA romance that received a Kirkus-starred review. She has been traditionally published, published by small presses, and she currently... Read More →

Saturday February 8, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
White River I

Panel

10:00am MST

Blending Genres

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Our panel of multi-genre authors talk about what makes cross-genre/multi-genre/blended genre stories so fun and appealing to readers.

Speakers

Jennifer Brody

Chris Kennedy

Jonathan Maberry

Todd McCaffrey

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

10:00am MST

Industry Tools Discussion

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

White River I

There are almost as many tools as there are published books, and finding the right one for what you need can be overwhelming. Our panel of experts discusses what's proven useful, what's new and upcoming, and how to find what you need.

Speakers

Jason Hamilton

Jason Hamilton is a mythic fantasy author, former content manager at Kindlepreneur, and now runs the largest YouTube channel about the use of AI in creative writing (The Nerdy Novelist). His Story Hacker membership (StoryHacker.ai) has helped hundreds of authors write their first... Read More →

Dave Sheets

Indie Author Book Services

Dave Sheets has spent more than 28 years in the publishing industry working with many of the top book publishers, distributors, and printers in the industry, followed by owning a publishing services company working with independent authors. He has served clients in various sales and... Read More →

Alex Smith

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
White River I

Panel

10:00am MST

Thrillers: Keeping Readers on the Edge of Their Seats

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Arkansas

Our panel of authors talks about how to build stories with fast-paced action and heart-stopping twists and turns to keep thriller readers coming back for more.

Speakers

Marc Cameron

Laura Hayden

Troy Lambert

Troy is the author of over 30 novels, including the critically acclaimed Max Boucher series and the Capital Murders Series, along with several others, including the audio-first shorts, the Solitaire Series. He’s also a ghostwriter and the author of several non-fiction books, includng... Read More →

Nick Thacker

I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author, with over 40 thrillers published to my name. I run Book Career In A Year, helping authors reach the next level.

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Arkansas

Panel

11:15am MST

How to Curate a Successful Anthology

Saturday February 8, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

White River I

Learn from our panel of expert anthology editors how to plan, curate, and launch a successful anthology, year after year.

Moderators

JanaLee Brown

Speakers

John Goodwin

Sam Knight

Sam Knight has worked for three different publishers, curated five anthologies, authored six children’s books, four short story collections, three novels, and over five dozen short stories, including a Planet of the Apes story and a Wayward Pines story, both co-authored with Kevin... Read More →

Jonathan Maberry

Lisa Mangum

Saturday February 8, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
White River I

Panel

11:15am MST

Kickstarter

Saturday February 8, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

From Brandon Sanderon's recordbreaking Kickstarter to your indie writer's modest $500 funded Kickstarter project, it seems like every writer is suddenly looking to Kickstarter as a funding source. Learn from our panel of Kickstarter pioneers on how and why you should consider launching your next writing project on Kickstarter.

Speakers

Dana Claire

Joshua Essoe

Tanya Hales

When Tanya Hales was a baby, she enjoyed books by chewing them to pieces before eventually moving on to the higher art of reading. Tanya splits her time between her work as a writer, an illustrator, and a mother, all of which she loves intensely. She now lives in Utah with her family... Read More →

Lydia Sherrer

Saturday February 8, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

11:15am MST

The Genesis of Creation: Where We Get Our Ideas

Saturday February 8, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Arkansas

Ideas are all around us, if we know how to see them.

Speakers

JT Evans

J.T. Evans writes fantasy and urban fantasy novels. He’ll dabble with sci-fi and horror in short form as well. He is the former president of the Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group and Pikes Peak Writers. When not writing, he secures computers at the Day Job, and plays way too... Read More →

Todd McCaffrey

Rebecca Moesta

David Weber

Saturday February 8, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Arkansas

Panel

1:45pm MST

AMA: Working with Your Author or Voice Talent

Saturday February 8, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Arkansas

Narrator and voice actor Ray Porter has narrated many of bestselling author Jonathan Maberry's stories. Ask them anything about their work or their collaboration!

Speakers

Jonathan Maberry

Ray Porter

Saturday February 8, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Arkansas

Panel

1:45pm MST

Ethical Considerations of AI in Publishing and Illustrating

Saturday February 8, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

What could AI mean for artists? What are the potential impacts on publishing and illustrating? Is it an ethical means of generating creative work?

Speakers

Jake Clark

Casey Cowan

Chaz Kemp

James Artimus Owen

Saturday February 8, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

1:45pm MST

Self Publishing Round Up With Industry Service Pros

Saturday February 8, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

White River I

Industry pros from The INKfluence, CraveBooks, and ProWritingAid discuss the advantages of publishing with various publishing platforms.

Speakers

Dana Claire

Kerrie Flanagan

Saturday February 8, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
White River I

Panel

3:00pm MST

A Modern Approach to Collaboration

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Arkansas

We've heard often about the many ways authors can collaborate all the way from working in the same house to penpals across an ocean. In this class, join the Plot Geeks as we dig into tools and methods for collaboration that you might not have used before. Our case study features Troy Lambert, a mystery and thriller expert, and CJ Anaya, the queen of romance, coming together to cowrite a thriller romance that combines their skills and authorial voices across two states! They'll talk about plotting, deadlines, software, and building a following by updating their progress weekly on YouTube! Have there been challenges? You betcha! They'll talk about those too!

Speakers

C.J. Anaya

JanaLee Brown

Troy Lambert

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Arkansas

Panel

3:00pm MST

Horror: Scaring Up an Audience

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Horror stories may be frightening, but readers' fascination with the genre is quite enlightening. Join our panel of horror writers, editors, and enthsiasts as they discuss writing and reading in the genre.

Speakers

Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Jonathan Maberry

Marie Whittaker

Marie Whittaker enjoys teaching about publishing and project management for writers. She’s Associate Publisher at WordFire Press and Executive Director of Superstars Writing. She started her career writing horror. Marie created The Adventures of Lola Hopscotch, is published in Weird... Read More →

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

3:00pm MST

Resilience for Writers

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

White River I

In our business, hard work is not always rewarded with success. We experience rejection on a regular basis, not just from publishers and editors, but also from the marketplace. Sometimes a project we love just doesn’t resonate with readers. In this panel, we’ll discuss strategies to deal with the rejections that too often come—and the slights we too often suffer.

Speakers

Joshua Essoe

Todd McCaffrey

Rebecca Moesta

Toni Weisskopf

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
White River I

Panel

4:15pm MST

Fantasy: Making it All Up From Soups to Settings

Saturday February 8, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm MST

Amphitheater (EPR)

Our panel of fantasy authors discuss why this genre is just pure magic for readers.

Speakers

Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and his new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying... Read More →

Todd Fahnestock

Lydia Sherrer

David R. Slayton

Saturday February 8, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm MST
Amphitheater (EPR)

Panel

4:15pm MST

Tips from the Editors

Saturday February 8, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm MST

Arkansas

Join in the discussion with professional editors for updates in the industry, dos and don’ts, and insights into the business.

Moderators

Joshua Essoe

Speakers

Amy Cowan

Amy Cowan, a seasoned professional with nearly a decade of experience in publishing, excels in acquisitions, editing, and financial intricacies. Presently the Publisher at Young Dragons, an imprint of Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates, she spearheads Children’s and Middle... Read More →

Mia Kleve

MRK'd Up Editing

Mia has been an avid reader since she was a kid, starting with science fiction and fantasy, but soon moving into detective fiction. She’s one of those people who always has a book. She started as a proofreader, but soon moved into line, copy, and developmental editing. She has... Read More →

Lisa Mangum

Adriel Wiggins

Adriel Wiggins provides a variety of services to authors from continuity editing and audiobook proofing to virtual assistant tasks and organizing your business. Find out more at AdrielWiggins.com

Saturday February 8, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm MST
Arkansas

Panel

4:15pm MST

YA/MG: How to Write and Market to Readers AND Their Guardians

Saturday February 8, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm MST

White River I

Our panel of authors writing for today's youth talk about how to capture young imaginations and parental pockets.

Speakers

Sabine Berlin

Jennifer Brody

Lindsay Flanagan

Rebecca Moesta

Saturday February 8, 2025 4:15pm - 5:15pm MST
White River I

Panel

8:00pm MST

Science Fiction: the Sweeping Stakes of Space Opera

Saturday February 8, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm MST

Colorado

Space opera is having is heyday again, thanks to recent successes like the "Dune" movies and new HBO series. Our panel of experts discusses what makes for big enough stakes in this far-reaching genre, that still draws readers in.

Speakers

D.J. Butler

D.J. (Dave) Butler has been a lawyer, a consultant, a corporate trainer, and a registeredinvestment banking representative, and he is now a Senior Editor for ARK Press. He plays guitarand banjo whenever he can, and hangs out in Utah with his wife, their children, and the familydo... Read More →