Book Expo America (BEA) and Bookcon are coming up! While I’ve attended BEA in the past as a book reviewer, this time I’ll be on the other side of the table–the side where I’ve always wanted to be. I’ve never been to Bookcon and look forward to seeing what it’s like. This is my schedule–and note that if you catch my signing on Thursday, you get a signed ARC of Last Song Before Night. 

• Thursday, May 28th at 10:45am I’m on a panel called “Tor Books: The Next Generation.” Here’s the official description from Tor.com:

Tor Books has published quality science fiction and fantasy for thirty-five years by some of the biggest names in genre today! But the Orson Scott Cards and Brandon Sandersons were once new authors themselves. Meet this year’s crop of debut authors and see what makes them tick in a rousing game of “Would You Rather: The SFF Edition” with host, John Scalzi (The End of All Things) and featuring: Ilana C. Myer (Last Song Before Night), Seth Dickinson (The Traitor Baru Cormorant), Lawrence M. Schoen (Barsk: The Elephant’s Graveyard), and Fran Wilde (Updraft).

• That same day, from 2-3pm I’ll be signing ARCs at Tor Table #8 in the company of fellow debut author Seth Dickinson. Two for one!

• On Sunday, May 31st I have a panel at Bookcon about villains. This should be fun. Here’s the description:

The Big Bad Theory: Tropes and Archetypes of Evil in Science Fiction and Fantasy, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Room 1A06

Ilana Myer with Scott Westerfeld, David Wellington and Michael Buckley; moderated by Charlie Jane Anders.

Any author can tell you that conflict is key to a good story, and there’s no one readers love to hate more than a compelling antagonist. But in Sci-Fi and Fantasy, the “big bad” character can go to all new levels of evilness and depravity—they can be a monstrous zombie, a power-mad tyrant with magical powers, etc. etc. The interesting bit is how authors make a fantastic take on an antagonist feel real—and scary. Let’s face it, Frodo wouldn’t be a hero if it weren’t for Sauron, and Luke Skywalker is nothing without Darth Vader.