Looking Ahead: San Diego Comic Con 2019!

It’s almost time! In a few days, I’ll be lost in a huge crowd somewhere in the San Diego Convention Center. Before I go, I try to formulate some sort of plan/schedule, because once you get there, it’s pretty chaotic and not always easy to figure out what’s going on. I’ve seen the official panel schedule and I’ve bookmarked some panels I’m interested in attending (see below for more details), but I’m also plotting my schedule around the books that are up for grabs at Comic Con! After pouring over all the publisher’s giveaway/signing schedules, I’ve come up with a list of books/ARCs I’d like to snag and authors I’m hoping to meet!

Most of these are listed as being available for either giveaway or purchase, but a few I’m speculating on. I know Leigh Bardugo is going to be there, but I don’t know for sure that they’ll be giving out ARCs of Ninth House. It would be awesome, but I’m not holding my breath! Likewise, I’m not sure if The Starless Sea is going to be there either. Erin Morgenstern will be signing books, but the schedules I’ve seen are pretty vague about exactly which books she’ll be signing.

There are also a bunch of authors on panels, who will probably be in the Sails Pavilion signing area after their panel, but whether their upcoming books will be up for grabs (ARCs) remains to be seen. Here are the panels I’m interested in attending, and I hope to catch some of them at their signings afterwards:

Tor Magic X Mayhem in SF&F

2019 is the year for breaking all the rules. Gone are the days of simple good-versus-evil narratives; these are complicated times that call for complicated characters. Pop culture has clearly shifted its attention to the messy, the morally ambiguous, and the weird. In short, fans want magic, and they want mayhem. Magic X Mayhem features an eclectic mix of daring new speculative fiction authors and new voices from Tor Books and Tor.com Publishing: Annalee Newitz (The Future of Another Timeline, Autonomous), Charlie Jane Anders (The City in the Middle of the Night), Sarah Gailey (Magic for Liars), Seanan McGuire (Middlegame), S. L. Huang (Null Set), and Tochi Onyebuchi (War Girls, Riot Baby).

Marginalized Voices in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror

Authors Rebecca Roanhorse (Trail of Lightning) and Wesley Chu (The Lives of Tao) explore the underrepresented experiences of the Navajo Nation and mainland China through their works of speculative fiction. Listen to them and other authors discuss the widening scope of voices, perspectives, and representation in SFF literature.

The Fantastic Flavors of Fantasy

From urban fantasy to epic fantasy to superheroes, fantasy contains multitudes of the amazing and the astonishing. Authors Renee Ahdieh (The Beautiful), Lauren Shippen (The Infinite Noise), Katy Pool (There Will Come a Darkness), Nicole Conway (Legend), Sherrilyn Kenyon (Stygian, Deadman’s Cross series), and Marissa Meyer (Supernova) serve up spicy tropes and savory imaginations across a multitude of subgenres in conversation with David Canfield (Entertainment Weekly).

Wherefore Dystopia and Darkness? Enjoying Creators’ Unjust Wretched Societies

Why do so many readers want to spend time in an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives? Authors Marie Lu(Rebel), Jess Rothenberg (The Kingdom), Rachel Caine (Sword and Pen), Richard Kadrey (The Grand Dark), Ally Condie (The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe), and S. L. Huang (Null Set) discuss the delights of dark works with Mallory O’Meara (The Lady from the Black Lagoon).

Stellar Stories and Awesome Adventures

It’s a great big universe, filled with an amazing assortment of challenges and perils for characters to face and extraordinary encounters to discover. Boldly go forth with authors Maura Milan (Ignite the Stars and Eclipse the Skies), Mark Siegel (5 Worlds Book 3: The Red Maze), Tochi Onyebuchi (War Girls, Riot Baby), and Ashley Poston (Soul of Stars, The Princess and the Fangirl), in conversation with Maryelizabeth Yturralde of Mysterious Galaxy.

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I also try to hit all the publishers’ panels, which are held in the evenings. This year there’s a conflict!!

What’s Up With Penguin

Anne Sowards (Ace Books), Caitlin Whalen (Penguin Young Readers Group), and Jennifer Dee (Penguin Young Readers) give you the dish on forthcoming books from their authors and licensed properties, such as William Gibson, Marie Lu, Stephen Donaldson, Renee Ahdieh, Patricia Briggs, Stephane Perkins, Traci Chee, Brendan Reichs, Rachel Caine, and many more. You can expect giveaways like finished books or advanced reading copies!

Calling All Booklovers: A Sneak Peek from Tor, Tor.com and Tor Teen

From Robert Jordan to V. E. Schwab, Tor has been publishing the best of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror for almost as long as San Diego Comic Con has been around. This panel shines a spotlight on the best of what Tor, Tor Teen, and Tor.com Publishing have to offer. Every attendee will leave with a book in hand.

What’s New from Del Rey Books?

Adventure, science fiction, fantasy, and fairytales; the publisher of some of genre’s best and brightest stars is here to talk about what’s next on the horizon from Del Rey Books. Hear from authors Pierce Brown (Red Rising series), Adam Christopher (Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town), Paul Krueger(Steel Crow Saga), Delilah S. Dawson (Kill the Farm Boy, Star Wars: Phasma), Chuck Wendig (Wanderers, Miriam Black series), and Timothy Zahn (Star Wars: Thrawn: Treason) as they discuss their new and upcoming books with moderator Tricia Narwani (Del Rey editorial director).

What’s the Scoop at Simon & Schuster

Liesa Abrams (marketing), Chrissy Noh (marketing), Lisa Moraleda (publicity), Devin MacDonald (marketing), Jill Hacking (marketing), and Lili Feinberg(publicity) offer a sneak peek at the hottest books and properties coming from Simon & Schuster in 2019, including books by fan-favorite authors. Attendees will take home exclusive swag.

Harper Voyager After Dark: Skip the Bar and Get Booked With Us Instead

New York Times bestselling author Richard Kadrey questions Harper Voyager executive editor David Pomerico, who is going to sing like a canary about spec fiction’s “most wanted” reads of the summer, fall, and winter seasons. Attendees will receive complimentary books from Harper Voyager at the conclusion of the panel.

Del Rey and Simon & Schuster panels are at the exact same time. This was very poor planning, because it’s literally the same audience who wants to go to both panels. I’ll most likely go to Del Rey because they chat with their authors and it’s a bunch of fun. But I’m disappointed, because I’d love to go to the S&S panel as well.

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Oh, and you may be wondering: what about Hall H? What about cosplay, movies, celebrities, TV, comics and video games? Ha ha. Well, Comic Con has all that stuff too. If I had five clones I could do almost everything! But as usual, my focus is on books, authors and publishers.

So there you have it, my sort-of plans for Comic Con! Come back next week for a recap:-D