first convention of the year: HELIOsphere 2022!

After pulling out of Albuquerque Comic-Con, Pensacon, and Farpoint due to concerns related to COVID-19, I’m finally attending my first convention of 2022 this coming weekend: the triumphant return of HELIOsphere! This relatively new NYC-area convention had to go virtual the last two years due to the recent apocalypse, but they’re back this year (and insisting that all attendees be vaccinated). It’ll be held from the 25th to the 27th of March in a new location: the Radisson in Piscataway, New Jersey.

As I have every other year of the con’s existence, I will be an author guest, doing some programming, and also putting in time at the eSpec Books table. Here’s my current schedule:

Friday

5.15-6.20pm: “Beware the Second Banana: Secondary Characters that Steal the Limelight,” w/Vikki Ciaffone, Peter David, and Gordon Linzner (Salon D)

Saturday

10-11.15am: Books & Brews (Salon A/B) — you need to sign up for this at the con

11.30am-12.45pm: “The Ship as Character,” w/Andy Campbell, Peter David, and Jeff Warner (Salon C)

1-1.30pm: autographing, w/Amy Grech and Gordon Linzner (Salon A/B)

2-3.05pm: reading, w/Chris Kreuter (Library)

8-10pm: eSpec Books Launch Party (Salon C)

Sunday

11.30am-12.45pm: “Supernatural: Did They Stick the Landing?” w/James Prego and Hildy Silverman (Salon C)

I’m hoping for a reading, also, but there don’t seem to be any on the schedule. EDITED TO ADD: I now have a reading! And an autographing and a Books ‘n’ Brews and another panel! Yay!

The eSpec launch will mainly focus on their latest anthology, Even in the Grave, but, since this is their first launch party in two years, they’ll also be “launching” a ton of others, including my own To Hell and Regroup and The 18th Race Omnibus (both with David Sherman), Systema Paradoxa: All-the-Way House, and the Devilish and Divine anthology.

Hope to see folks there!