Convention Listing

2018 Conventions throughout the United State:

• Stokercon 2018  -- March 1 - March 4, 2018 (Providence, RI). Horror's premier event.
• Horror Hound Weekend -- March 23 - 25, 2018 (Cincinnati, OH). A series of mid-west horror Conventions. 
• Spooky Empire -- April 6 - 8, 2018 (Orlando, FL). One of the most popular horror conventions in the nation. 
• Motor City Nightmares -- April 27 - 29, 2018 (Novi, MI). Michigan's premier horror convention. 
• Penguicon 2018 -- May 4 - 6, 2018 (Southfield, MI). A non-profit, community-run convention for open source software and hardware, science fiction, gaming, DIY, and more!
• Crypticon Seattle -- May 4 - 6, 2018 (Seattle, WA). Seattle's best convention of the macabre.
• 13th Annual Texas Frightmare Weekend -- May 4 - 6, 2018 (DFW Airport, Texas). The southwest's premier horror convention.  
• 
  Readercon 29 -- July 12 - 15, 2018 (Quincy, MA). The conference on imaginative literature. 
• Flashback Weekend: Chicago Horror Con -- August 3 - 5, 2018 (Chicago, IL). Chicago's largest and longest-running horror convention.
• 16th Annual Kerrytown Bookfest -- September 9, 2018 (Ann Arbor, MI), 10:30 am - 5:00 pm. This celebration of books (readers and writers) is held each September and showcases local individual, business, and organizational talents.
• 11th Annual Scarefest -- September 14 - 16, 2018 (Lexington, KY). 
• World Fantasy Convention 2018 -- November 1 - 4, 2018 (Baltimore, MD). An annual gathering of professionals, collectors, and others interested in dark fantasy art and literature.

Heroes Wanted

So You Want to be a Hero?

By M.A. Donovan

Heroes aren’t born, they are made. Society, relationships, and the way we live dictate whether or not we can become a hero to someone. In ancient times, you didn’t have to be completely honorable, loyal, or an upright citizen to become legendary. You just had to do something remarkable that people would talk about (and maybe write an epic) for years to come. For instance, Achilles, the Greeks’ greatest hero, tried to get out of fighting for his country and when that didn’t work, he sulked in his tent while his comrades were killed. But yet to die old and unsung would never do, so he stepped up and was remembered.

Today, heroes are defined by their values. Just doing something heroic isn’t enough; one must also live honorably, be healthy and strong within, learn humility, and have some redeeming qualities that someone will look up to.  

Heroes can be almost anything – the shy kid living next door, the 89-year-old veteran in a wheelchair, or your accountant. Animals have been known to carry out great feats in stories as well as real life news events. When writing a hero into a tale, they can wear many hats and have varying dispositions, but they all have one thing in common: the need to aid someone who is in trouble. They needn’t be superheroes with special powers or physically strong; anyone can be a hero and sometimes, you’ll find them hiding in the last place you would look.  Do you have it in you to be a hero to someone?

In The Golden Horn, my wayward hero, Galen, is a combination of the ancient legends and the modern day hero. He is humble and refuses to title himself, but yet, his heart breaks at the thought of all the struggles the common villager has to suffer. Galen is no stranger to pain, coming from a broken home filled with evil, but he finds a way to survive and decides to do something important with his life. With his sword and companion mage, Olstek, they travel the land, doing good whenever possible. He becomes the Hero of Shandor, even though he feels he’s not worthy to be called that.

The Golden Horn is available at amazon.com or createspace.com. Want to win a free signed copy along with a special gift from me? Enter my “Letter to a Hero” contest. Simply craft a genius letter to your special hero (can be a fictional character or a real person) and send to me at kariah@donovanfantasyauthor.com with “Letter to a Hero” in the subject. I’ll select a winner at the end of my virtual book tour, on or around March 1, 2013. Please make sure to include your name, mailing address, and email in your letter.

Visit M.A. Donovan online at http://www.donovanfantasyauthor.com or check out her blog at http://www.freethewriterinside.com.

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2014 Resolutions!

Welcome to 2014. Here are my character's resolutions for the new year:

Blaze Kerrigan: Get a good night's sleep.
Dylan Kerrigan: Get laid. Get a job.
Jenna Michaels: Find the man of her dreams; stay alive long enough to get to know him.

Angelique Chevalier: Win a Pulitzer.
Matthew Knight: Schedule at least one vacation this year.
Kyle Abernathy: To become immortal and rule the world.

Galen Hawkeye: To get out from beneath the shadow of his father; start a life of his own.
Olstek: To overcome the evil influences building up within him; to learn to control his magic.
Alyssa Moravian: Find adventure and see the world so that she can become a better ruler.
Klytepra: To become a master with the staff.

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The New Club!

Okay, so I decided to listen to my peers and re-activate The Michigan Horror Writers. We are open to writers (and fans) of horror, sci fi, and fantasy (preferably dark). My aim with this group is to improve my own writing through networking as well as help others with their publishing goals. I want to see all the members have at least one published item under their belt. So why not check us out today? We're online at http://www.michiganhorror.com .