Vickey Malone Kennedy (vck) creates most of her science fiction, fantasy, paranormal romance, and spicy romance stories in her vivid dreams. Lazy by nature and a professional procrastinator, vck primarily writes short fiction, because she can actually finish a short story. She has been published in several anthologies, including Yard Dog Press collections. She has written scripts for the Oklahoma 48 Hour Film Festival and Norman’s 24 Hour Play Productions. After earning a BA in Theatre/Acting/Set Design at USAO in Chickasha, and continuing her graduate studies in Theatre/Acting/Light Design at OSU in Stillwater, she walked away from the stage to have babies. She served three terms as President of Oklahoma Writers’ Federation Inc., is currently First Vice-President of OWFI, former VP of Norman Galaxy of Writers, and co-founded Rose Rock wRiters. vck has won numerous writing awards including a Cupid Award, an OWFI Crème de la Crème, a Darryl Award for Best Published Mid-South Short Story, and 1st Place Writer's Digest Award in Genre Fiction. When she is not writing or editing tall tales, she is busy playing the role of Granny to four gorgeous grand-darlings. Occasionally, she even plays a background extra in a movie.
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?
Curious about how music and fandom connect? In this panel, we'll discuss filk music, its history, and its role in fan gatherings. You'll learn how a filk circle works, hear some examples, and—time permitting—get the chance to create your own filk!
Stories across myth and fiction warn that wishes rarely turn out the way we expect. Tales like King Midas, the Sibyl’s cursed immortality, and countless Twilight Zone episodes show how a poorly worded wish can spiral into disaster. This panel explores the long tradition of wish-granting gone wrong and why storytellers love the twist. Could you craft a wish that would not backfire?