A. L. Kaplan

Tag: Alan Smale

  • My Balticon 60 Schedule

    My Balticon 60 Schedule

    I’m thrilled to announce that I will, once again, be a panelist at Balticon, the amazing Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention held on Memorial Day weekend. This year is their 60th anniversary and there are some special events planned.

    Here is where you can find me:

    Friday, May 22

    Food in Fiction – 5:30 PM

    From the feasts in Song of Ice and Fire to the elaborate cuisines in Steven Brust’s works, food is often featured in fiction, sometimes even central to the plot. Descriptions of meals and meal creation can drive a lot of storytelling. What fictional foods would you like to eat? How do some writers describe food in ways that leave readers hungry for more?

    Mark Painter, Martin Wilsey, A. L. Kaplan, Jen Finelli, MD

    Saturday, May 23

    Writing Novels – The Long Haul – 10:00 AM

    Writing a novel can be a marathon. It can take years – whether from life changes or plot and character problems. Our panelists will discuss staying motivated during the process, and the new perspectives that arise over time.

    Alan Smale, Maeghan Jo Kimball, Patrick, A. L. Kaplan, Sally Wiener Grotta

    Where Have All the Parents Gone? – 11:30 AM

    Kids are always being thrown into life threatening situations in books, but in real life, their parents would never let this happen. Is that why so many parents in middle grade and young adult stories are either dead or oblivious? How can authors navigate the “parent problem”? What does portraying neglectful adults as normal or even beneficial teach young audiences? Do authors have the responsibility of addressing who should be watching these kids?

    Patrick Thomas, DM Mewha, Wendra Colleen, A. L. Kaplan, Rigel Ailur

    Author Reading – 4:00 PM

    Authors A.L. Kaplan, DM Mewha, and Mark Painter will read selections from their works.

    Sunday, May 24

    Memories of Balticons Past – 10:00 AM

    No sh*t, there I was… This really happened at Balticon…. And nobody was arrested. Let’s listen to some fans and pros talk about past Balticons.

    A. L. Kaplan, Tom Schaad, Thomas The Red, Eva Whitley, Brick Barrientos

    Authographs – 4:00 PM

    Monday, May 25

    The Structured Pantser – 10:00 AM

    What if I’m neither a pantser nor a plotter, but something in-between? What if I want to focus my discovery writing without tying myself to an outline? What if I want more discovery writing without ruining a perfectly good outline? Like most things in writing, there is no one answer. Panelists will discuss ways to combine the two methods.

    A. L. Kaplan, Samantha Mills -CC 2025 Winner, Jen Brinn, Haley Gelfuso-CC 2026 Winner, Cecilia Tan

  • My Balticon Schedule

    Balticon is a four-day celebration of Science Fiction and Fantasy!

    May 24-27, 2024 (Memorial Day Weekend)

    Renaissance Harborplace Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland

    When I’m not volunteering or hanging out at the Maryland Writers’ Association table, here is where you can find me:

    Saturday: 11:30 AM — Location: St. George

    Author Reading: A.L. Kaplan and Ruthanna Emrys

    Saturday: 1:00 PM — Location: Room 8029

    The Power of Writing Retreats: John Appel, Adeena Mignogna, Martin Wilsey, Alex Jenning, A. L. Kaplan

    Saturday: 4:00 PM — Location: Pride of Baltimore II

    When Research Becomes a Rabbit Hole: Martin Wilsey, Sarah Pinsker, Melissa Scott, A. L. Kaplan, Elektra Hammond

    Sunday: 10:00 AM — Location: Mount Washington

    Weavers, Coopers, Chandlers, and More!: Jennifer Della’Zanna, Ann Chatham, Rosemary Clair Smith, Melissa Scott, A. L. Kaplan

    Sunday: 2:30 PM — Location: Pride of Baltimore II

    When to Tell Instead of Show: Alan Smale, Melissa Scott, A. L. Kaplan, Zack Be, Sheila Williams

    Sunday 4:00 PM — Location: 5th Floor Lobby

    Autographs: A. L. Kaplan and D. H. Timpko

    Monday 10:00 AM — Location: Gibson

    How to Incorporate Critique: A. L. Kaplan, Ryan O’Nan, Scott Edelman, Jen Brinn, Wayland Smith

    Monday: 11:30 AM — Location: Guilford

    Just How Many People Live in Your Fantasy City, Anyway? Chris Oakley, Roberta Rogow, A. . Kaplan, Lee Hawkridge

    Hope to see you there!

    MARK OF THE GODDESS

    Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

    Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

  • MY SCHEDULE FOR BALTICON 57

    Balticon is one of my favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions. It is held on Memorial Day weekend an comprises of four days of fantasic programing. I’m loaded up on programing this year. Here is where you can find me.

    When Muses Collide (Sat 10:00 AM) Balancing your WIPs when you have more than one kind of creativity. How do you decide what you want to do? A. L. Kaplan moderator, Heidi Hooper, Sarah Pinsker, Eric Hardenbrook, Ariel Burgess

    Am I a Real Writer Now? (Sat 1:00 PM) At what point does a writer become a real writer? How does a person go from having a novel or a few stories to being a real Writer? What can people with a few things written do to make this a career? Early career writers talk about what they have done. Joshua Bilmes moderator, Jack Campbell, A. L. Kaplan, Elektra Hammond, Bjorn E. Hasseler

    Limits on YA (Sat 5:30 PM) There is often a problem with defining YA and it often boils down to whatever the publisher declares is YA. But are there limits to YA? Is there anything that cannot be included in YA or whose presence makes the book not YA? Dr. Jim Thorne, Michael A. Ventrella, A. L. Kaplan, Michael M Jones

    I’ll also be working as a judge’s clerk for the Masquerade Saturday night.

    Autographs (Sun 11:30 PM) A.L. Kaplan, Leah Cypress  

    Is SF/Fantasy Mere Escapism? (Sun 1:00 PM) Many critics dismiss SF/Fantasy as unrealistic and escapist. Is this true? Is there SF that rises above escapism? Or is entertaining the reader/viewer enough? Carl Cipra moderator, Ken Schrader, A. L. Kaplan, Walt Boyes

    Readings (Sun 4:00 PM) A. L. Kaplan, D. H. Aire

    Out of Control Characters (Sun 5:30 PM) Some authors tightly control their characters, requiring them to follow an outline. But other authors say there are things their characters won’t do. What do authors do when their characters go off script? Do you try to regain control (and how?) or go where the characters take you? Jennifer R. Povey moderator, Alan Smale, “Amy” A. L. Kaplan, Scott Edelman

    When I’m not busy on a panel or volunteering, You can find me wandering the halls with Fifi or helping out at the Maryland Writers’ Association table.

    Balticon 57

    May 26-29, 2023

    Renaissance Harborplace Hotel

    202 East Pratt Street

    Baltimore, MD 21202

    Hope to see you there.

    MARK OF THE GODDESS

    Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

    Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • VIRTUAL BALTICON

    Zoom_bkd_VB54_NASA1

    I’ll be attending Virtual Balticon this year

    Maryland’s Regional (Virtual)
    Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention
    May 22-25, 2020

    It’s Free and Open to All

    Here is my schedule

    You’ll need to register for each event to get the link, but it is free

    Saturday, May 23, 11AM
    What Makes a Compelling Fantasy Religion?
    Kim Hargan (Moderator), Daniel M. Ford, A.L. Kaplan, Mary G. Thompson
    Throughout history, religion has motivated people to perform acts of both great altruism and unbelievable cruelty.  A fantasy setting featuring a complex and consistent religion offers opportunities to explore deep, nuanced characters and plots. Which creators are notable for crafting believable and interesting religions, and what kind of stories have they been able to tell with them?
    50 minutes
    Literary, Religion
    Saturday, May 23, 1PM
    YA As Its Own Genre
    Mary Fan, Starla Huchton, A.L. Kaplan, Mary G. Thompson
    YA is often set aside as its own genre in bookstores, libraries, and suggested reading lists. Like children’s literature, it is frequently categorized by expected reader age, rather than style or content. How is a book classified as YA, and what differentiates it from adult books? Has this classification been beneficial to YA literature, or has it had a negative effect?
    50 minutes.
    Literary, Reading
    Monday, May 25, 10AM
    Reading: Kaplan and Smale
    A.L. Kaplan, Alan Smale
    50 minutes
    Live Reading
    Monday, May 25, 2PM
    Outlining vs. Pantsing
    A.L. Kaplan (Moderator), Charles Brown, J.L. Gribble, Vivian Shaw, Ryan Van Loan
    Some storytellers require a detailed outline to start fleshing out their story, but others prefer to write by the seat of the pants. What are some techniques to help you get better at one when you prefer the other?
    50 minutes
    Writing

     

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