Bookish Goings-On at San Diego Comic-Con 2015

Kate Cornell
July 8, 2015

If you’ve ever hit San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), you know there’s a ton going on, but you don’t always know when and where. If you’ve never been to Comic-Con before, be aware that Hall H and Ballroom 20 are the rooms people wait overnight to get into. If you know of any other book panels or off-site book events, tweet @FreshFiction with #SDCC2015.

For your scheduling pleasure, we have all the bookish goings-on you may want to see. The YA-specific list is second.

THURSDAY

The Modern Fairytale Room 32AB 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Myth, legends, folk, and fairy tales make up some of the oldest and most treasured stories of human history. More than just entertainment, they teach lessons, preserve tradition, and influence entire generations. Heroes, heroines, dragons, faeries, genies, and demons live on in today's popular fiction. Authors Renee Ahdieh (The Wrath and the Dawn), Laura Bickle (Dark Alchemy), Tonya Hurley (Hallowed), Julie Kagawa (Talon & Rogue), and Naomi Novik (Uprooted) discuss new works of fiction that borrow from these stories and other tales as old as time. Moderated by Ali T. Kokmen (Barnes & Noble, Nook Digital).

Resurgence of Science Fiction Room 32AB 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Welcome to the promised land, oh geeks and nerds: your time has come. Star Wars is getting new movies, and so is Star Trek. Andy Weir’s The Martian and Scalzi’s Old Man’s War are heading to the big and small screens and Mars One is looking for volunteers. Science Fiction and the draw of technology, futurism, space and the final frontier are hot on everyone’s mind. Petra Mayer of NPR discusses science fiction with Margaret Stohl (Dangerous Deception), Mel Odom (Master Sergeant), Adam Christopher (The Machine Awakens), Peter Clines (The Fold), Chris Weitz (The New Order) and Jason Hough (Zero World). Come join a panel of distinguished genre authors as they discuss this renaissance of sci-fi, and why now is an exciting time to live in, for both fiction and fact.

Return of the Smitten Word Horton Grand Theatre 1:30pm - 2:30pm

Bestselling authors Rachel Hawkins (Miss Mayhem), Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard), and Anna Todd (After) talk about the evolution of fan fiction and the power of online readership and engage in another hilarious battle over movies, TV shows, and Hollywood's hottest. The discussion will be led by S.J. Harper (Reckoning).

Terry Brooks and The World of Shannara Horton Grand Theatre 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Del Rey Books published The Sword of Shannara in 1977. Since then, legendary fantasy author Terry Brooks has written more than 25 New York Times bestselling novels. After more than three decades of readers falling in love with Terry Brooks' world, MTV will bring Shannara to life in a new TV series. Join Terry as he talks about the history of Shannara, his life as a writer, and what's to come in the future. Moderated by Ali T. Kokmen (Barnes & Noble, Nook Digital).

Worldbuilding Room 25ABC 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Worlds are important; but how are they made? Top authors Peter Clines (The Fold), Richard Kadrey (Killing Pretty), Sabaa Tahir (An Ember in the Ashes), Josephine Angelini (The Wordwalker Trilogy), Brandon Mull (Five Kingdoms series), and Virginia Boecker ( The Witch Hunter) along with moderator Charlie Jane Anders (All the Birds in the Sky) describe how they set the stage for their stories and create a living universe for their characters.

I’m Sleeping with the Lights On: Horror and Thriller Authors Discussion Room 25ABC 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Horror and thriller novels have an amazing way of keeping readers up at night. Whether it is demons and zombies, from the historical settings to the seemingly mundane, authors find bone-chilling ways to make sure the reader keeps turning the pages. Join Del Howison, owner of Dark Delicacy Bookstore, as he chats with distinguished horror and thriller writers J.T. Ellison (What Lies Behind), Kevin P. Keating (The Captive Condition), Matthew Reilly (The Great Zoo of China), Mira Grant (Symbiont), Diana Rowland (Vengeance of the Demon), and Robert Brockway (The Unnoticibles) about what motivates them to scare you.

Spotlight on Rainbow Rowell Room 29AB 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Rainbow Rowell (New York Times bestselling author of ELEANOR & PARK, FANGIRL, and LANDLINE) sits down with Leigh Bardugo (New York Times bestselling author of the Grisha Trilogy) to talk about books, fantasy, "the last three words," and what Rainbow has planned for this year's CARRY ON, her much-awaited return to young adult fiction.

The Scoop at Simon & Schuster Room 4 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Lucille Rettino (director of marketing), Chrissy Noh (associate director of marketing), Carolyn Swerdloff (associate director of marketing), Jodie Hockensmith (associate director of publicity), and Joe Monti (director of marketing, Saga Press) give a sneak peek at the hottest books and properties coming from Simon & Schuster. Their discussion will be moderated by Jon Anderson (president and publisher), and attendees will take home an exclusive prize.

Generations in Conversation: Terry Brooks and Pierce Brown Room 4 7:30pm - 8:30pm

Terry Brooks (Shannara series) has been writing fantasy for nearly 40 years, and his editor Anne Groell has been editing for more than 20 years. Author Pierce Brown (Red Rising) arrived on the scene only 1 year ago, while his editor Michael Braff began his career 5 years ago. Both authors were instant New York Times bestsellers-Terry in 1977 and Pierce in 2014. Both have sold their stories to Hollywood. And both have very passionate fans. Join these authors and their editors as they discuss the changing landscape of book publishing, genre fiction, and how their experiences compare as the legend versus the rookie.

FRIDAY

From Novel to Comic to Film: Turning Books into Other Forms of Pop Culture Room 29AB 1:00pm - 2:00pm

New York Times bestselling author Hugh Howey sits down with his literary agent Kristin Nelson, John Nee (co-CEO of Cryptozoic Entertainment and book packager), Paul Morrissey (Eisner-nominated editor, Jet City Comics), Jimmy Palmiotti (writer and owner of paperfilms), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Gary Whitta (Book of Eli) to discuss how popular novels are turned into comic adaptations and feature films. Get the behind-the-scenes and nitty gritty, from selling options to major film studios to working with visual artists and comic book writers in their adaptations. Hugh Howey's novel WOOL is in development with Ridley Scott, and the comic adaptation and graphic novel are available from Jet City Comics. Gary Whitta is also adopting Howey's novel SAND for television.

Science Fiction That Will Change Your Life Room 25ABC 5:00pm - 6:00pm

What science fiction stories from the past year made you think and entertained you? Panelists talk about the year's smartest books, comics, movies, and TV with Gizmodo editor-in-chief Annalee Newitz and io9 editor-in-chief Charlie Jane Anders, along with authors Ernie Cline (Ready Player One, Armada), Jane Espenson (Once Upon a Time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The 100, The Middleman).

What’s Up with Penguin Room 9 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Anne Sowards (executive editor, Ace/Roc), Diana Gill (executive editor, Ace/Roc), and Erin Dempsey Berger (Penguin Young Readers Group) give you the dish on forthcoming books from exciting authors and licensed properties, such as Cherie Priest, Richelle Mead, Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, Rachel Caine, Marie Lu, Sabaa Tahir, Ilona Andrews, Andrew Smith, and many more. You can expect giveaways such as finished books and advanced reading copies.

Welcome to Night Vale: The Novel Room 9 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Coming October 2015 from Harper Perennial, Welcome to Night Vale is the debut novel from the creators of the international hit podcast. Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor will give an inside look into the book and how it fits into the world of the podcast and live shows.

SATURDAY

Jonathan Maberry on Writing Room 2 10:00am - 11:00am

Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestseller, a five-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, and a comic book writer for IDW, Marvel and Dark Horse. He is the author of Patient Zero, Rot & Ruin, The Nightsiders, Dead of Night and many novels; and his comics include Marvel Zombies Return, Captain America: Hail Hydra, V-Wars and Bad Blood. Several of his books are in development for TV and film.

Book to Screen Room 7AB 11:00am - 12:00pm

We're in a heyday for science fiction and fantasy on screen, whether it's the big screen or the small. Some of the most popular series out there take advantage of the in-depth world and character building of book series to populate their vivid worlds. Ernie Cline (author of Ready Player One, soon to be adapted for the screen by Steven Spielberg), Melissa de la Cruz (author of Witches of East End, Lifetime show by the same name), Andy Weir (author of The Martian, a Ridley Scott-directed adaptation will be released later this year), Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (as James S. A. Corey, author of Leviathan Wakes, on which the upcoming Syfy show The Expanse is based), Lev Grossman (author of The Magicians, soon to be a Syfy show), and Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings (as Christina Lauren, author of Beautiful Bastard, which has been optioned by Constantin Film) discuss how their creations are coming to life on screen.

Spotlight on A. Lee Martinez Room 28DE 12:00pm - 1:00pm

The author of Gil's All Fright Diner (Tor Books), Monster (Orbit), and the upcoming Constance Verity trilogy (Simon & Schuster), A. Lee Martinez sits down with moderator Jenny Martin (author of Tracked) for a Q&A about his myriad fantasy worlds, what it means to be a "funny" writer, and the virtues of space squids and talking gorillas in fiction, as well as anything else the audience might want to throw his way.

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Hall H 12:15pm - 1:15pm

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in Jane Austen's classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th-century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry, and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Reilly) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper-class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield. Cast members Lily James, Sam Riley, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Jack Huston and Matt Smith along with writer/director Burr Steers and the book's author Seth Grahame-Smith for a first look at Screen Gem's adaptation of his acclaimed twist on the classic novel. Patient Zero An uprecedented global pandemic of a super strain of rabies has turned the majority of humankind into highly intelligent, streamlined killers known as 'The Infected'. One victim, Morgan (Matt Smith), who is asymptomatic and can communicate with the infected, leads the last survivors on a hunt for Patient Zero and a cure. Join cast members Matt Smith, John Bradley, Natalie Dormer, and Clive Standen along with director Stefan Ruzowitzky and screenwriter Mike Le for an exclusive first look of the film. Both panels will be moderated by Dalton Ross (Entertainment Weekly).

Diversity: We Demand Diverse Books Room 28DE 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Ethnic, religious, gender, racial, physical ability, and sexual diversity are underrepresented in science fiction and fantasy; but these authors are here to tell you that their stories speak for themselves. They seek to create worlds similar to our own, where people from various walks of life are represented and cross paths. Readers will find these authors and the tales they spin as empowering and fascinating as ever. Soman Chainani (School for Good and Evil), Cindy Pon (Serpentine ), Cece Bell (El Deafo), Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer), Scott Sigler (Alive ), and Judd Winick (Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth) discuss diversity in science fiction and fantasy with David Mariotte of Mysterious Galaxy.

Kill Your Idols: The Anxiety of Influence Room 23ABC 1:00pm - 2:00pm

How do you draw on the work that inspired you without simply imitating it? How do you transform your influences into something fresh? Lev Grossman (The Magicians), Cecil Castellucci (Tin Star) and Marc Bernardin (Genius) discuss the alchemy of transmuting admiration into originality with moderator Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics).

Author Talk with Del Rey Books Room 9 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Del Rey Books has been publishing the best of science fiction and fantasy for nearly 40 years. Authors Alan Dean Foster (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Jason Hough (Zero World), Naomi Novik (Uprooted), Scott Sigler (Alive), and Harry Turtledove (Bombs Away) discuss their latest novels and answer questions about writing and publishing. Moderated by Tricia Narwani (editorial director, Del Rey).

Spec Fiction Sneak Peek: What’s new from HarperCollins Room 9 8:00pm - 9:00pm

With the proliferation of science fiction/fantasy in this year's movie and television landscape, it's a vibrant, transformational time in the SF/F publishing market. Harper Voyager executive editor David Pomerico discusses how the marketplace is rebounding from an overabundance of vampires and werewolves. Readers are hungry for tales more rooted in scientific reality, as well as magical espionage, supernatural noir, space opera, and military adventure. You can expect sneak previews and special giveaways of key new Voyager titles in these categories. From the publishing powerhouse that brought you Divergent and Dorothy Must Die comes the latest and greatest in teen fiction. HarperCollins presents major upcoming YA book releases that will transport you from a dystopian Oz to a land of magic and mayhem. Get ready to grab plenty of Epic Reads giveaways, limited-edition goodies, and advance copies.

Young Adult Goings-On

THURSDAY

The Buffy Effect Room 28DE 10:00am -11:00am

Buffy the Vampire Slayer revolutionized the paradigm of the teen heroine, especially in young adult books. Now, eighteen years later, Buffy continues to have an impact on the TV shows and books we read today. Hear your favorite authors discuss Buffy, the queen of the teen heroine, and how she single-handedly changed the game for strong and snarky female characters who are not the sidekicks. Panelists are Kiersten White, Rachel Hawkins, Rae Carson, Brittany Geragotelis, and Valerie Tejeda. Moderated by Sarah Kuhn.

From Zeroes to Heroes Horton Grand Theatre 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Authors Scott Westerfeld (Uglies, Leviathan), Leviathan), Margo Lanagan (Tender Morsels), and Deborah Biancotti (A Book of Endings), discuss Zeroes, their forthcoming collaboration about a group of kids with crowd-sourced superpowers. They'll analyze popular superhero tropes and what it is about superpowers that makes them so versatile and intoxicating for storytellers. Moderated by David Mariotte of Mysterious Galaxy.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Hall H 12:00pm-1:15pm

Lionsgate presents an exclusive first look at one of the studio's highly anticipated films coming to theaters this fall. Get a sneak peek into the powerful final chapter of the epic The Hunger Games film franchise. Attendees will be shown exclusive, never-before-seen footage from Mockingjay: Part 2 and treated to a cast and filmmaker Q&A session revealing details on the big-screen finale.

SATURDAY

Keep YA Weird Room 9 2:00pm - 3:00pm

One of our favorite things about YA lit is that it's not afraid to be totally weird. Experimental, risky, exciting, and fun-these are the things all our most beloved books have in common, which is why these panelists want to Keep YA Weird. Come discuss and celebrate literary experimentalism and extreme imagination in YA literature with authors Colleen Houck (Reawakened), Rachel Caine (Ink and Bone: The Great Library), Jenny Martin (Tracked), Rachel Hartman (Seraphina and Shadow Scale), and Tom Sniegoski (The Raven's Child). Moderated by Kim Liggett (Blood and Salt).

Fantasy Literature Room 29AB 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Learn about fantasy literature and book-to-movie adaptations from New York Times bestselling authors Heather Brewer (Vladimir Tod series) and Jonathan Maberry (Rot & Ruin), Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures series), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series) and Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle series). Moderated by Henry Herz (Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes).

SUNDAY

What’s Hot in Young Adult Fiction Room 5AB 3:45pm - 4:45pm

Strong protagonists, engrossing romance, humor, action, and angst! Join panelists for this popular annual Q&A session and chat about the hottest new titles and trends in YA fiction. Moderated by Nathan Bransford (The Jacob Wonderbar series) and featuring Alexandra Bracken (Darkest Minds series), Rae Carson (Girl of Fire and Thorns series), Susan Dennard (Something Strange and Deadly trilogy), Alan Gratz (The League of Seven), Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass series), Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me series), Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), and Sabaa Tahir (An Ember in the Ashes).

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