A.C. Smart, aka Barbara Forman, made her first professional sale, "Broken Canes," to Meisha Merlin’s Bending the Landscape: Horror anthology (2001). As she was teaching at an inner-city middle school at the time, she used a pseudonym, Alexi Smart. Subsequent professional sales were in the fantasy genre as A.C. Smart: Havoc, and Bellwether, both published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Since then she has achieved both a bachelor's and master's in forensic anthropology, supplementing previous degrees in biology and psychology. Having left behind the 100-to-148-hour work weeks (no, that was not a typo) required to pay for said degrees, she has settled into a database research position which she enjoys and describes as "working puzzles." She volunteers at a food bank, attends fossil-club field trips, scuba dives, trains cats, and has again taken up the pen. The taphonomy studies in her yard are placed so as not to disturb the neighbors, but the WV DNR has found her queries disconcerting. Her parents live in Oklahoma, where they homesteaded when the author was a teen. She schedules trips home around Soonercon.
Some of the most memorable characters in fiction are not human at all. Writing protagonists who are robots, sea creatures, aliens, or other non-human beings presents unique challenges for writers. This panel explores how creators give such characters believable motivations, emotions, and perspectives. What makes audiences connect with heroes who think, feel, and experience the world very differently from us?
Fantasy creatures often follow familiar patterns, but small creative changes can make them feel entirely new. This panel challenges creators to rethink classic monsters and mythological beings with fresh ideas. Panelists discuss how design choices, cultural influences, and narrative roles can reshape legendary creatures. Learn ways to reinvent familiar myths for modern audiences.
Self-doubt can hit harder than any boss fight, and most of us weren’t exactly handed a guidebook on how to feel good in our own skin. This panel is all about building real confidence for everyday life, whether you struggle with talking to people, feeling comfortable in your body, figuring out your style, or just getting out of your own head. We’ll cover practical habits, emotional tools, mindset shifts, and small changes that make a big difference.
What makes worlds like Middle-Earth and Atlantis feel alive? Great worldbuilding! This session will teach you how to craft immersive settings, from sprawling fantasy kingdoms to oceanic civilizations, and make them feel as real as our own.