Well folks, tomorrow morning (8/29) I’ll be heading out for DragonCon in Atlanta for the first time in several years. I’m not 100% overjoyed re: no mask or vaccine requirements, but I got a booster a month ago and I have a fat stack of N95s ready to roll. Yes, I plan to be masked - at least most of the time and on panels. You do you, but I have some health issues that are nobody’s business, and I don’t feel like catching another round of Covid if I can help it.
At any rate. What does this mean for you, the casual reader of this blog who probably idly clicked a link to see this post? It depends.
If you’re a Twitter/BlueSky/Insta friend, it means the odds of me posting the pet pictures of my usual routine are slim to none. Sorry. I am scheduled out the wazoo starting Thursday afternoon, and tomorrow will be all travel, all day long. (Wednesday is for decompressing/jet lag adjustment; Thursday an old friend from Chattanooga is coming down to hang.)
If you’re someone who plans to be at DragonCon and would like to see me there, it means something entirely different! To wit, I will be all over the damn place. I’m scheduled for more than a dozen panels and signings, which you can find via the free convention app - or so I am told. Or you can bookmark this page and just scroll down.
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Title: No Return: The Yellowjackets Fan Panel
Time: Thu 07:00 pm
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Join the thrilling panel about Showtime's Yellowjackets. Explore the dark secrets, survival struggles, and psychological unraveling. Don't miss the buzz! Panelists: Thomas Mariani, Corinne O'Flynn(M), Cherie M. Priest, Valerie Dawn Hampton
Title: Mythic Quest: Finding Your Way Back
Time: Fri 10:00 am
Location: M301 Marriott (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Meant to be a simple office comedy, Mythic Quest has turned into more than that. With the promise of another season, expect more hijinks from this crew as they are all back under one roof again. Shades of pathos, mixed in with egos and comedy, and a touch of geekery make for a lot of fun.
Panelists: Beth Hadden Verant, M. C. Williams, Cherie M. Priest, Kelley Harkins(M), Mari Mancusi
Title: From Beyond the Grave: Summoning Compelling Ghost Stories
Time: Fri 11:30 am
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Our panel of acclaimed authors share their secrets to crafting spine-chilling ghost stories. From plotting and character development to setting and tone, our experts will reveal the key elements that make for a successful ghost story. Panelists: Cherie M. Priest, Leanna Renee Hieber, Erika Lance, Tony Sarrecchia(M), Jessi Ann York, Richard Lee Byers
Title: Mysteries & Hijinks: A Ghosts (US) Fan Panel
Time: Fri 01:00 pm
Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: A moderated fan panel discussion of Season 2 of the hit show. Panelists: Carol Malcolm(M), Cherie M. Priest, Kristin Jackson, Lindy Rae Keelan, Cecilia Dominic, F.T. Lukens
Title: Graphic Audio Booth Signing with Cherie Priest
Time: Friday 2:00 p.m.
Location: Graphic Audio Booth (#3205 Floor 3, Building 2)
Title: Doom Patrol: Always Not So Normal
Time: Fri 07:00 pm
Location: M301 Marriott (Length:1 Hour)
Description: So many choices on the Doom Patrol team - leadership choices, path choices, and then there's the butts. Yep, they're back and meaner than ever. Struck by the merger of Warner/HBO & Discovery, the team's left up in the air with only the Red to show for it. A look back, and to what might have been. Panelists: Fr. Bryan Small, Michael Collins, Beth Hadden Verant(M), Brandon Wagner, Cherie M. Priest
Title: Living among Us: Good Omens 2
Time: Fri 10:00 pm
Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: A moderated fan panel discussion of Season 2 of the Amazon show, with a look back at Season 1. Panelists: Rob Levy, Cherie M. Priest, Fr. Bryan Small, Thomas Mariani, F.T. Lukens, Carol Malcolm(M)
Title: Unsettling Settings: Creating a Sense of Place in Horror
Time: Sat 11:30 am
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: This panel explores the art of creating immersive and chilling settings in Horror fiction. Panelists discuss techniques to evoke fear and tension through descriptions, worldbuilding, and sensory details. Panelists: Scott Sigler, Chesya Burke, Jessi Ann York(M), Cherie M. Priest, Tony Sarrecchia, Richard Lee Byers
Title: Cherie Priest signing booth 1201
Time: Sat 02:00 pm
Location: Vendor Hall Floor 1 Mart2 (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Come to The Missing Volume for a special author signing at booth 1201Panelists: Cherie M. Priest
Title: Decoding M. Night Shyamalan
Time: Sat 04:00 pm
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Join us as we discuss the career of M. Night Shyamalan, the director known for his signature twist endings. From his breakthrough film The Sixth Sense to A Knock at the Cabin, we'll explore the themes and techniques that make his films unique. Panelists: Bill Mulligan(M), Cherie M. Priest, Crystal Cleveland, Thomas Mariani, Clay Gilbert
Title: The Haunting of Mike Flanagan
Time: Sat 07:00 pm
Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Explore the chilling depths of Flanagan's television storytelling, from The Haunting of Hill House to Midnight Mass. Dive into the psychological terror, captivating characters, and supernatural twists that make his shows spine-tingling. Panelists: Mari Mancusi(M), Jessi Ann York, Karen Bembry, Tony Sarrecchia, Bill Bridges, Cherie M. Priest
Title: Back in Time: Historical Urban Fantasy
Time: Sat 08:30 pm
Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Our panelists explore supernatural beings & magic set in historical real-world settings. Panelists: Cherie M. Priest, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Marie Brennan, D.B. Jackson, Carol Malcolm(M), Aaron Michael Ritchey
Title: Creating the Monsters We Love to Hate
Time: Sun 10:00 am
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length:1 Hour)
Description: Freddie? Jason? Cujo? Horror writers want to create that next monster whom readers - and filmgoers - will love to hate. Here are some suggestions that can make that happen.Panelists: John G. Hartness, Nancy Knight(M), Richard Lee Byers, Cherie M. Priest, J.D. Blackrose, Eric R. Asher
Title: Mystery at Nevermore Academy: A Wednesday Fan Panel
Time: Sun 11:30 am
Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)
Description: A moderated fan panel discussion of the first season of the hit Netflix show. Panelists: Carol Malcolm(M), Marx Pyle, Cherie M. Priest, Rachel Rawlings, Lisa Harrison, Beth Dolgner
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As a casual aside, I was chatting with a friend who’ll be new to the event - and he asked for tips/pointers/etc, so I delivered. Then he said I should make a little blog post with these helpful tidbits, so okay. Sure. Here’s a casual list of tips and hints, though bear in mind that my intel is about 3 years out of date - and things may have changed since my last visit.
Ahem.
Bring a sweater. It’ll be pretty warm outside, but air conditioning in the south can be brutal. Yes, this means you’ll wind up carrying it around as often as not. I said what I said. Likewise, bring a small personal fan if you’ve got one. You won’t regret that, either.
Bring a power bank. Cell reception is terrible in places, and especially when you’re poking around in the lower levels of the Hyatt/Marriott, your phone may well keep searching for a signal, draining your battery with unexpected speed.
Bring cash. Not a zillion bucks, but you never know when someone’s card machine will be down and the ATM will be empty. For awhile there (a few years back), there were big problems in the vendor area with internet/cell signal which meant some folks couldn’t take credit cards, so. Just be aware that it’s a possibility.
Ask for a room below the tenth floor (or however many) - because the elevators will be an absolute shit-show and it’s often faster to just take the stairs if you’re physically capable of doing so. If not, disregard this one and may the elevator odds be ever in your favor.
Bring a small white noise machine, if possible. Especially if you’re on one of the lower floors. If you don’t have one, do not underestimate the sound-muffling properties of a couple of towels and/or an extra pillow stuffed against the bottom of the door.
Don’t make any big plans to cross the street on Saturday. The parade shuts the whole thing down, with cops and all that. If you need to go from one side of Peachtree to the other, you’ll have to go down to the metro tunnels to cross under the street - then come back up the other side. So budget an extra 15-20 minutes to get wherever you’re going.
There’s a big CVS in Peachtree Center (which is connected to the Marriot Marquis and the Hyatt by hamster tunnels above the street), so if you’ve forgotten any toiletries and/or want to get some snacks for your hotel room, that’s a good place to grab some.
There’s also a huge food court in Peachtree Center and some of the offerings are actually pretty good. I hope the pie place is still open. Mmm, savory handpies.
If you’re flying in to Hartsfield and you don’t want to spend dough on a car to your hotel, just take the MARTA. It’ll take you right to the station at Peachtree Center - which is right in the middle of the event (as noted above re: hamster trails and street-crossing). I forget which of the two lines is fastest, but you can ask somebody when you land. It’s cheap and efficient.
Anyway, that’s all that springs to mind, though you never know - I might update this post if more things occur to me. Regardless of whether you’ll be in Atlanta this coming week/end or not, I hope your run-up to Labor Day is grand in every way, and maybe I’ll see some of you at a panel or two, eh?