San Diego Comic-Con for the Bookish Set

It's that time of year again! San Diego Comic-Con is next week. This is one of my favorite times of year, an event as epic as BEA to me. What's great about Comic-Con though is it actually allows me to indulge in some fun time for one of my other great loves...TV. But even though Comic-Con is like mecca for the TV fan, there's a ton of great bookish stuff going on and I will be joining in for quite a bit of it.

If you're a fan of fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction, that kind of thing, Comic-Con is really one of the best places to go since literary festivals often ignore this type of fiction. I've scoured the schedule to check out what bookish events will be happening and present them for you below. I've included some panels that aren't strictly bookish but may have a well known author on the panel or TV shows based on beloved books.

*Please note this doesn't include any booth events such as signings or giveaways. Publishers if you have this information and would like to share please let me know by emailing me at mypalamyATgmailDOTcom or leaving a comment and I'll add it. Also! If you are one of the bookish people planning to be at Comic-Con please fill out this form. Maybe we can meet up!

THURSDAY
10:00-11:00 The Spark of Imagination— Peek inside the minds of leading authors and filmmakers to explore how imagination informs the creative process. New York Times bestselling children's author Tony DiTerlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles) details the precedent-setting augmented reality used in his new Simon & Schuster novel The Search for Wondla; LAIKA president/CEO Travis Knight (lead animator, Coraline) explains his studio's commitment to bold subject matter; artist/writer Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy) pinpoints how and where inspiration strikes; director John Stevenson (Kung Fu Panda) explores how creativity is enhanced by artistic collaboration in moviemaking; and graphic novelist and Comic-Con special guest Doug TenNapel (Earthworm Jim) describes exactly how a blank page comes to be inhabited with his compelling imagery. Join moderator Geoff Boucher, reporter and HeroComplex.com blogger with The Los Angeles Times, for this fascinating panel discussion and Q&A. Room 25ABC

10:30-11:30 The Power of Myth— Fantasy authors discuss claiming world mythology to shape one's own stories. Authors include Amber Benson (the Calliope Reaper-Jones Novels), Esther Friesner (Sphinx's Princess), Thomas Greanias (The Promised War), Lev Grossman (The Magicians), Les Klinger (editor, The New Annotated Dracula), Seanan McGuire (the October Daye novels), Michael Scott (the Secret of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series), and Thomas Sniegoski (Where Angels Fear To Tread). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 24ABC

1:00-2:00 Spotlight on Charlaine Harris— Author and Comic-Con special guest Charlaine Harris gathered a huge fan base with her novels and stories featuring her characters mystery-solving librarian Aurora Teagarden; Shakespeare, Arkansas resident Lily Bard; and the telepathic barmaid who befriends vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, Sookie Stackhouse. Once Sookie and company moved to the small screen with HBO's True Blood, Harris entered the superstar realm. Be a part of the very first Spotlight panel devoted to Charlaine and hear what she has to say about what comes next for Sookie and everyone else! Room 6BCF

1:30-2:30 Once Upon a Time— Fantasy authors discuss whether Epic Fantasy requires bigger-than-life heroes and heroines. Authors include Lynn Flewelling (The White Road), Christopher Paolini (the Inheritance cycle), Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind), Brandon Sanderson (The Way of Kings, Book 1 of The Stormlight Archive), Megan Whalen Turner (the Queen's Thief series), and Brent Weeks (the Night Angel Trilogy). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 24ABC

3:00-4:00 Kiss Them or Kill Them? Conflict Management for the Creatures Among Us— Urban fantasy and paranormal romance authors discuss when to kill the monster, date the monster...or both and in what order. Authors include J. F. Lewis (ReVamped), Maria Lima (Blood Line series), Adrian Phoenix (the Maker's Song series), Kat Richardson (the Greywalker novels), Diana Rowland (Kara Gillian -- Detective and Demon Summoner series), Samantha Sommersby (the Forbidden Series), Anton Strout (the Simon Canderous urban fantasy series), Linda Thomas-Sundstrom (Wolf Moons series), and Rob Thurman (author of the Cal Leandros Novels and The Trickster Novels). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 25ABC

4:00-5:00 Twisting Genres— Fantastic fiction authors talk about pushing the envelope on genre, not confining it to one definition. Participants include China Miéville (Kraken), Justin Cronin (The Passage), Naomi Novik (Tongues of Serpents), Daryl Gregory (The Devil's Alphabet), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Cold Black Hearts), Robert Masello (Blood And Ice), Keith Thompson (The Leviathan trilogy), and Scott Westerfeld (The Leviathan trilogy). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 25ABC

FRIDAY

10:00-11:00 With Great Power Come Great Stories— Authors discuss creating superhero superfiction, including novels and stories in anthologies like Masked and Wild Cards. Authors include Lou Anders (Masked), Jackie Kessler (the Icarus Project novels), Caitlin Kittredge (the Icarus Project novels), Gini Koch (Touched by an Alien, the Katherine "Kitty" Katt series), Kevin Andrew Murphy (the Wild Cards series), Chris Roberson (Book of Secrets), Caroline Spector (Wild Cards contributor), and Matt Sturges (Justice Society of America). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 32AB

11:30-12:30 Dark Horse Comics: Make Contact in 2010— Couldn't get into the Dark Horse panel last year? Well, here's another chance to be at the forefront of breaking news from comics' most dynamic publishing house. Dark Horse president and publisher Mike Richardson, plus a host of the industry's top creators, present a firsthand look at the future of the medium. Featuring everyone from Eisner award winner Gerard Way to New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich, this is one panel you don't want to miss. Room 3

12:30-1:30 Spotlight on Tanya Huff— Special guest, author Tanya Huff (the Blood series, The Truth of Valor) will read a short story and then throw the room open to a Q&A; if you've got questions, now's the time to ask. Room 5AB

2:00-2:45 Bones— Creator and executive producer Hart Hanson and star David Boreanaz are on hand to discuss what went down in Season 5 of Bones and the cliffhanger finale as well as what's in store for Booth and Brennan in the exciting new Season 6! The panel will be followed with a Q&A session. Ballroom 20

3:00-4:00 Bite Me: Evolving Urban Fantasy Beyond the Vampire Phenomenon— Some of the top names in urban fantasy gather to discuss how to evolve the urban fantasy genre beyond the vampire phenom, spurred by the mass commercial appeal of The Twilight Saga and True Blood. Authors include Tanya Huff (the Victoria Nelson novels), Mario Acevedo (the Felix Gomez detective-vampire series), Merrie Destefano (Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles), Jocelynn Drake (Pray for Dawn), Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim), Lauren Kate (Fallen series), and Marjorie M. Liu (In the Dark of Dreams). Moderator: Diana Gill, executive editor at HarperCollins Publishers. Room 8

5:15-6:15 True Blood Panel and Q&A session— Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode third season June 13 on HBO. The series, which has earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series-Drama, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Golden Globe winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for The Piano), who can hear people's thoughts, and her soulmate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy-winning HBO series Six Feet Under) created and serves as executive producer of the series, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The series also features Nelsan Ellis as Lafayette Reynolds, Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte, Rutina Wesley as Tara Thornton, Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica Hamby, Kristin Bauer van Straten as Pam, Denis O'Hare as Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi, and Joe Manganiello as Alcide Herveaux. (Note: names in bold will be appearing on the panel.) Moderated by Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly. Ballroom 20

5:30-6:30 What's up with Penguin— Anne Sowards (executive editor, Ace/Roc), Jessica Wade (editor, Ace/Roc), and Mardie Cohen (marketing coordinator, Penguin Young Readers Group) give you the dish on forthcoming books from such exciting authors and licensed properties as Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, S. M. Stirling, Rachel Caine, Heather Brewer, Richelle Mead, Kathy Reichs, John Flanagan, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and many more. You can expect lots of giveaways you won't see anywhere else at Comic-Con, including free advance reading copies! Room 32AB

SATURDAY

11:00-12:00 Reading with Brains: The Rise and Unrelenting Stamina of Zombie Fiction— Authors and survivors include Amelia Beamer (The Loving Dead), Max Brooks (The Zombie Survival Guide), Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer), Mira Grant (The Newsflesh trilogy). Walter Greatshell (Xombies: Apocalypticon), Jonathan Maberry (Rot & Ruin), Ryan Mecum (Zombie Haiku), John Skipp (Zombies: Encounters with the Hungry Dead), and Joan Frances Turner (Dust). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart, Mysterious Galaxy. Room 7AB

12:00-1:00 Fang Girls and Fang Boys: The Popularity of Vampire Lit— Authors of vampire fiction for young adults and adults discuss the appeal of their worlds and characters. Authors include Charlaine Harris (the Sookie Stackhouse Series), Heather Brewer (the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod), Rachel Caine (the Morganville Vampires series), Christopher Farnsworth (Blood Oath: The President's Vampire), Chris Marie Green (the Vampire Babylon series), Richelle Mead (the Vampire Academy series), and Jeanne C. Stein (the Anna Strong series). Moderated by Brian Truitt, associate editor, USA Weekend Magazine/USA Today. Room 7AB

1:30-2:30 Spotlight on China Miéville— Multi-award-winning author and Comic-Con special guest China Miéville talks about his books -- including The City & the City, and his most recent, Kraken -- in this special Spotlight panel. Room 5AB

3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Ray Bradbury— He was at the very first Comic-Con and we kind of think he'll be at the very last one, too, far off in the future. Science fiction author Ray Bradbury is literally a national treasure. Ray talks with biographer Sam Weller and moderator writer/producer Arnold Kunert in his yearly visit with his fans at Comic-Con.

4:15-5:00 The Vampire Diaries Screening and Q&A— The cast and creative team behind The Vampire Diaries return to take a bite out of Comic-Con! Series stars Nina Dobrev (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Paul Wesley (Roll Bounce), Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Michael Trevino (Cane), and Matt Davis (Blue Crush) join executive producers/writers Kevin Williamson (Scream) and Julie Plec (Kyle XY) to show fans a fang-tastic season-one highlight reel, followed by a Q&A session. This edgy, romantic drama quickly became the number one series on The CW in its first season. The Vampire Diaries director/co-executive producer Marcos Siega (Dexter) will moderate the panel. From Bonanza Productions Inc., Outerbanks Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, The Vampire Diaries will return for its second season this fall, airing Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT on The CW, and The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD August 31. Ballroom 20

6:00-7:00 Lost But Not Forgotten— Lost Encyclopedia authors Tara Bennett and Paul Terry, along with other special Lost guests, discuss this seminal show's legacy, their thoughts on the finale, and the creation of the forthcoming Lost Encyclopedia. Attendees will have a chance to win a signed copy of the Lost Encyclopedia. Room 8

6:30-7:30 What's Hot @ Harper: A Special Sneak Preview of Upcoming SF, Fantasy, Urban Noir, Horror & More— Want to hear about The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan? Get a sneak preview of the next Kim Harrison? Meet some of the Eos and Avon authors and hear about their upcoming books? Plus get free stuff (including a chance to win a new e-Reader, so you can enjoy all of Harper's 'e' offerings)? Then don't miss this panel on HarperCollins's upcoming sci-fi/fantasy/horror titles and more! Moderated by Diana Gill, executive editor, HarperCollins Publishers, with authors Brom, Richard Kadrey, Marjorie M. Liu, and others. Room 26AB

SUNDAY

10:00-11:00 Spotlight on Rick Riordan— Comic-Con special guest Rick Riordan discusses his blockbuster book series Percy Jackson & the Olympians as well as his recently released The Kane Chronicles series and the upcoming all-new The Heroes of Olympus series. Join Rick for this one-on-one interview and Q&A session! Room 6A

11:00-12:00 Entertaining One's Inner Child— Ever since Harry Potter burst onto the scene, children's books have been taking over the bestseller lists. Creators discuss the thrills and challenges of creating memorable characters for the younger set. Panelists include Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules), Sina Grace (Among the Ghosts), Matt Holm (Babymouse), Adam Rex (Fat Vampire), David Steinberg (Daniel Boom), Greg Van Eekhout (Kid Vs. Squid) and moderator Jennifer Holm (Babymouse). Q&A to follow. Room 24ABC

12:00-1:00 Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Teen Angst in Young Adult Fiction— A discussion of the appeal for youthful protagonists in young adult fiction and beyond. Authors include Emily Drake (The Magickers novels), Nancy Holder (Wicked series), D. J. MacHale (Morpheus Road series), James Owen (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographic series), Christopher Pike (Thirst series), Kathy Reichs (Virals), Neal Shusterman (The Skinjacker Trilogy), and Michael Spradlin (The Youngest Templar Novels). Moderated by author Cindy Pon (Silver Phoenix). Room 24ABC

1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Douglas E. Richards— Comic-Con special guest Douglas E. Richards is the author of The Prometheus Project series -- science fiction thrillers that have been widely acclaimed by kids, adults, and SF fans alike (including Asimov's Science Fiction magazine). Douglas has also written extensively for National Geographic KIDS and American Fencing magazines. Bring your kids and join Douglas as he gives a fun and engaging presentation that has delighted students at middle grade assemblies. Douglas will touch on the secret to happiness, fiction plotting and writing, continuity errors, a behind-the-scenes look at his books, and more -- followed by a Q&A. Room 3

(Elizabeth Briggs also has a schedule for the bookish folk!)