San Diego, here I come…

Had barbecue this morning (brisket, corn, salad, beans), and have spent the rest of the day doing research for the next Hunter Kiss book, which I’m hard at work on.  I’ve been asked if this will be the last book in the series, and chances are good it will be.  I’m certainly treating it like that, just in case.  It’s definitely going to be the most wrenching of them.

Onward, though, to Comic Con.  Yes, it’s that time of year again.  I wasn’t certain I’d be able to go, for the same reason that I had to cancel Clarion, but all’s well that ends well: on Wednesday morning I’ll be boarding a plane for San Diego.

Something different this year, though: I’ll be sharing a booth with the wonderful Anne Elizabeth, at #236.  I don’t have signing times yet, but I’ll be there as much as I can, handing out free copies of my books, including a special gift that I’ll talk more about in a day or two.

THURSDAY

10:00-11:00 Racebending.com: Creating Spaces for Diverse Characters and Representations— Creators and artists are developing engrossing characters from underrepresented groups. Panelists from different mediums will discuss their creative processes and how can fans support their diversity efforts. Featuring novelist and comic book writer Marjorie Liu (Astonishing X-Men), video game writer David Gaider (Dragon Age), comic book writer Brandon Thomas (Miranda Mercury), showrunner and screenwriter Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman), writer Sarah Kuhn (One Con Glory), and Comic-Con special guest N.K. Jemisin (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms); moderated by Racebending.com. Room 23ABC

SIGNING – 2:00 – 3:00 at the Marvel Booth

4:30-5:30 Marvel: Next Big Thing— The Marvel Universe is where the biggest comic stories happen-so wouldn’t you like to be the first to know what Marvel has planned? Get the latest news on Marvel’s plan for their biggest heroes and villains, with some surprises along the way! Editor Sana Amanat, editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, Marvel talent scout C. B. Cebulski, and others answer all your burning questions while giving you a sneak peek at the future of Marvel. Room 6DE

FRIDAY

12:30-1:30 Paranormal Love Potion— From super-hot vampires to seductive Fae and beyond, authors divulge the secrets behind crafting steamy love scenes in their action-packed novels. Whether characters be vampiric, ghostly, faierie, witchy, shape-shifting or angelic, these authors know how to keep the passion sizzling between them. Find out more from the writers themselves, and you’ll learn what makes these books red hot! Participants include Tessa Gratton (The Blood Journals), Andrea Cremer (The Nightshade series), Marjorie Liu (The Mortal Bones), Sylvia Day (The Renegade Angels series), Shawntelle Madison (Coveted), Aprilynne Pike (Wings series), and Kelley Armstrong (Thirteen), led by moderator Stephanie Perkins (Lola and the Boy Next Door). Room 5AB

SIGNING:  2:00 – 3:00 in the Autograph Hall @ AA9, with Tessa Gratton, Andrea Cremer, Shawntelle Madison, Sylvia Day, Kelley Armstrong, and Stephanie Perkins

SIGNING – 4:00 – 5:00 at the Marvel Booth

SATURDAY

1:00-2:00 Northstar: Coming Out to Getting Married!— Northstar, the first openly gay superhero in mainstream comics and a member of both the X-Men and Alpha Flight, came out of the closet 20 years ago-and this year he ties the knot! Northstar has led a challenging life, facing villains, personal challenges, family rivalries, disease, death, and accusations of being put back in the closet. Now Northstar starts a major new chapter in his life, with a high-profile wedding. Prism Comics celebrates Northstar and explores how he and the comics community’s attitudes toward LGBTQ characters have changed over the years. Moderator Chance Whitmire (Fanboys of the Universe) delves into the past and the bright future of everyone’s favorite gay mutant with guests David Gabriel (VP of sales, Marvel Comics), Phil Jimenez (New X-Men), Marjorie Liu (Astonishing X-Men), Scott Lobdell (Uncanny X-Men), and Jase Peeples (The Advocate magazine). Room 25ABC

SUNDAY

11:15-12:15 Marvel: Women of Marvel — From Ms. Marvel to the X-Men, from tumblr to Twitter, women in comics has been one of the most talked-about topics in comics for the last year. Join the conversation as women from every discipline in the creative process at Marvel discuss what it’s like working as a woman in comics today and what it means for the future of the industry. These ladies are smashing through the four-color ceiling! Panelists include editors Jeanine Schaefer and Sana Amanat. Room 5AB

SIGNING – 1:00 – 2:00 at the Marvel Booth