Events

Brooklyn Books & Booze
@ Barrow’s Intense Tasting Room

Tuesday, November 21
7pm
Brooklyn, NY

Reading with C.S.E. Cooney, Marielena Gomez, and Sarena Straus

Free and open to the public. Register here.
 

Book Signing
Thursday, November 30
Elkins Park, PA
Details to come.

Past 2023 Events

Rosemont College Reading Series
January 30, 7pm
Rosemont College | Rosemont PA

“The 21st Century Horror Novel” at AWP 2023
with Juan Martinez, Addie Tsai, and Erika Wurth
Friday, March 10, 1:45-3pm
AWP | Seattle, WA

Rooftop Reading Series
with Julia Bartz, Fran Hawthorne, and Nicholas Kaufmann
Tuesday, March 28, 7pm
Barrow’s Intense Tasting Room, 86 34th Street | Brooklyn, NY
Tickets (note: ticket website has yet to be corrected to March 28)

Nicks @ Nite, Season 2
with Nick Gregorio, Nick Mehalick, and Nick Perilli
Friday, March 31, 6:30pm
A Novel Idea | Philadelphia, PA

“Gender and Sexuality in Speculative Fiction” at ICFA
March 15-18
ICFA | Orlando, FL

Barnes & Noble Philadelphia Grand Reopening
Book Signing
Friday, April 14, 5-7pm
1708 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA

Independent Bookstore Day at Main Point Books
Book Signing
Saturday, April 29, noon-2pm
116 N. Wayne Ave, Wayne, PA

The Book of Gems by Fran Wilde Book Launch
with Eric Smith and Fran Wilde
Tuesday, June 20, 6:30pm

A Novel Idea | Philadelphia, PA

StokerCon 2023 in Pittsburgh
Saturday, June 17
–9am – Author Reading with Sarah Read, Zachary Rosenberg, & Tamika Thompson
–12pm – “Listening to the Voices in Your Head: Crafting Point of View” with Douglas Ford, Ruthann Jagge, Joseph Scipione, Catriona Ward, & Valerie B. Williams

House Woman: Adorah Nworah In-Conversation with Stephanie Feldman
Friday, June 9, 6:30pm

A Novel Idea | Philadelphia, PA

Milford Readers and Writers Festival
Saturday, September 23
“The Monsters that Make Us”
with Carol Gyzander, Robert Levy, Dr. Charles E. Gannon, and Karen Heuler

Book Launch for A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper
Friday, October 13

Barnes & Noble Philadelphia

 

Fall 2022

Philadelphia Saturnalia Launch Party
with A.C. Wise
and Philly Tarot fortune reading by Gina Tomaine

October 11, 7pm
Main Point Books | Wayne, PA
Share and RSVP via Eventbrite

A Requiem for Witches at Fall for the Book
with Hester Fox
October 15, 1pmGeorge Mason University | Fairfax, VA
Full Festival Schedule

Cul-de-Sac Book Launch
with Nick Perilli, Daniel DiFranco, and Christina Rosso
October 21, 7pm
Arcadia University | Glenside, PA
Share and RSVP via Facebook

Book Signing at Reads & Co.
October 22, 4pm
Reads and Co. | Phoenixville, PA
Share and RSVP via Facebook

Franklin Park Reading Series
with Erin A. Adams and Michael Seidlinger
October 24, 8pm-9:30
Franklin Park Bar | Brooklyn, NY

Tales That Keep You Up at Night
with Erin A. Adams, Craig Laurence Gidney, and Christina Rosso
O
ctober 29, 5pm
A Novel Idea | Philadelphia, PA
Share and RSVP via Eventbrite

World Fantasy Convention
Friday, November 4, 8pm: mass signing
Saturday, November 5, 2pm: reading
New Orleans, LA

Fantastic Fiction Reading Series
with Eileen Gunn
November 9, 7pm
KGB Bar | New York, NY

VIRTUAL: Fall 2022 Speculative Novelists in Conversation
with Ethan Chatagnier and Aimee Pokwatka

November 14
hosted by Literari Bookstore | Ann Arbor, MI
Details TK

Charm City Spec Reading Series
with Craig Laurence Gidney and Ray Nayler
November 16, 6pm
Bird in Hand Cafe
Baltimore, MD

In Conversation at the Rosenbach
December 14, 6pm

The Rosenbach Museum | Philadelphia, PA
Details and Buy Tickets

Pete’s Reading Series
December 15
Pete’s Candy Store | Brooklyn, NY

Details TK

VIRTUAL: Christmas Ghost Story Party
December 17

hosted by Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, San Diego, CA
Details TK


Past Events

July 12, 7pm: Hooked Book Launch

I’m exciting to join AC Wise in conversation as she launches her new novel, Hooked, set in the same world as last year’s fantastic Wendy, Darling. Celebrate with us at Main Point Books (Wayne, PA) on Tuesday, July 12, at 7pm. (As of today, masks required.) We’ll talk about feminist retelllings, grief and survivor guilt, and of course, monsters and the enduring allure of Peter Pan.

Register for free at Eventbrite and order your copy of Hooked from Main Point.

Summer 2022: Structure Your Novel Bootcamp

Four Thursdays, 8:30-10pm EST, beginning July 28

People are natural storytellers, yet writing a compelling story isn’t always intuitive. This four-week course recognizes that a good story requires technical skill, but that finding that organic and individual story also requires reflection, practice, and conversation.

This course—open to those who have yet to start writing, and those who are revising full-length drafts—guides you in developing a complete story structure for your novel. It provides tools for outlining new projects and finding fresh insight into stalled projects.

In this course, we will use written guides, writing exercises, assigned stories, and discussions to move from premise to detailed synopsis, identifying universal principles that will make your distinct story a satisfying read. Writers will leave with outlines for their works-in-progress and a toolkit of strategies for future projects.

Read more and register here.

May 12-15: StokerCon

Thurs., 4pm: 
Fiction Reading
with David Rose and Sam Rebelein

Sat., 3pm:
“Ghost Stories: They Haunt Your Dreams”
with Heather Graham, Usman Malik, Karley Pardue, and AC Wise

March 24, 6pm: The CLAW Reading for AWP ’22

with Piyalia Bhattacharya, Ariel Delgado Dixon, Carmen Maria Machado, Sara Nović, and Asali Solomon
Kelly Writers House
3805 Locust Walk, Philadelphia (UPenn campus)

In-person attendance is free and open to the public. Proof of vaccination required.
Register here.

Or stream live via YouTube.

March 16-20: International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts

Weds., 3/16, 4:30 pm:
I’m hosting a reading for Valya Dudycz Lupescu, Gregory Frost, Jacob Weisman, and Rick Wilbur
Vista A

Thurs., 3/17, 10:30am:
Creative Panel: Is there a Craft?
with Eileen Gunn, Joe Haldeman, and Marge Simon
Vista B

Thurs., 3/17, 2:30 pm:
Author Reading with Dennis Danvers, Micah Dean Hicks, Elle E. Ire (host), and Alethea Kontis
Vista A

Winter 2021-22 Classes for Novelists

This winter, I’m excited to bring back my one-day intensive and four-week bootcamp, both for aspiring and dedicated novel-writers.

For aspiring novelists who who have an idea but don’t know how to start, Laying the Groundwork tackles the fundamentals of character and conflict; the elements of a satisfying narrative arc; and practical strategies for completing that first draft. Our time together will include presentations, guided writing, and discussion. In the end, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and concrete plans for your novel, as well as three worksheets to apply to this and future writing projects.

Solve Your Novel’s Structure takes a more in-depth approach. Over four weeks, we will use written guides, writing exercises, assigned stories, and discussions to move from idea to detailed synopsis, identifying universal principles that will make your distinct story a satisfying read. Writers will leave with outlines for their works-in-progress and a toolkit of strategies for future projects. The course is designed for both students who have yet to start writing and those who are revising full-length drafts.

Read more about Laying the Groundwork for Your Novel Intensive and Solve Your Novel’s Structure Boot Camp and/or ask me a question.

Read more and sign up via Catapult.


2021

Saturday, August 14, 11am
“Reading Fantasy Through a Motif Lens Index” Panel
with Katherine Crighton, Jeffrey Ford, Karen Heuler, and L. Penelope
Readercon 31

2020

Friday, May 22, 6-7 pm
Free Library of Philadelphia Local Author Series
(online)

2019

Sunday, November 10, 5pm
with Emma Sloley, author of the new novel Disaster’s Children
A Novel Idea
1726 E. Passyunk Avenue
Philadelphia, PA

Wednesday, June 19, 7pm
in conversation with Deborah Shapiro,
author of the new novel The Summer Demands
Open Book Bookstore
7900 High School Road
Elkins Park, PA

Tuesday, April 9, 7pm
introducing Andrew Katz, author of The Vampire Gideon’s Suicide Hotline and Halfway House for Orphaned Girls
Arcadia University
Glenside, PA

Wednesday, April 17, 6pm
Folio Night
Holy Family College
Philadelphia, PA

2018

June 22, 8pm
Open Book Bookstore Author Cabaret
with Nathaniel Popkin, Tom McAllister, Madeline Miller, and Robin Black
Elkins Central (arts venue at the Elkins Park Train Station)
Elkins Park, PA
Details here.

June 26, 7pm
Who Will Speak for America? Launch Party
with Nancy Hightower, Ken Kalfus, Cynthia Dewi Oka,
Liz Moore, Carlos Perez Samano, Marc Anthony Richardson,
and Nathaniel Popkin
L’Etage, 624 S. 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA
Details and RSVP via Facebook

June 28, 7pm
Who Will Speak for America? Reading
with Melissa Febos, Bassey Ikpi, Lynn Melnick,
Cynthia Dewi Oka, and Nathaniel Popkin
Co-sponsored by VIDA: Women in Literary Arts
McNally Jackson, 52 Prince Street
New York, NY

July 2, 7pm
Who Will Speak for America? Reading
with Jericho Brown, Diane McKinney-Whetstone,
Malka Older, and Nathaniel Popkin
Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington D.C.

July 12-15: Readercon (Quincy, MA)

Thursday, 9pm. Blue Hills.
Panel: “Defying the Pigeonhole”
with Marissa Lingen, Michael Dirda, Chandler Klang Smith, and Ellen Datlow

Friday, 7pm. Salon B.
Reading.

September 5, 6pm
Who Will Speak for America? Reading
with Herman Beavers, Cynthia Dewi Oka, Fran Wilde,
Liz Moore, Ken Kalfus, Sarah Rose Etter, Marc Anthony Richardson,
Carlos José Pérez Sámano, and Nathaniel Popkin
Kelly Writers House, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

September 27, 7pm
Who Will Speak for America? Reading
with Herman Beavers, Sam J. Miller, Nancy Hightower,
KC Trommer, and Nathaniel Popkin
Powerhouse Arena, 28 Adams Street
Brooklyn, NY

October 15
in conversation with Lisa Locascio, author of Open Me
presented by Blue Stoop
Penn Book Center
Philadelphia, PA

November 5, 7pm (doors open), 7:30 (event begins)
Who Will Vote for America?
a mid-term voting pre-party
with Ken Kalfus, Nathaniel Popkin, Carlos José Pérez Sámano, Fran Wilde, and Two of a Kind, with special guests Fair Districts PA
co-sponsored by Big Blue Marble Books
Kismet Chestnut Hill, 12 W. Willow Grove Ave
Philadelphia, PA
RSVP and share via Facebook

December 6, 7pm
The Rally Reading Series
with Nathaniel Popkin and KC Trommer
Pete’s Candy Store
Brooklyn, NY

Past events.