Second annual BLOOD OF THE BEAN literary event descends on Austin, Texas October 16th at Kick Butt Coffee.

AUSTIN, TX – For the second year in a row some of central Texas’ most intriguing authors will gather once again to share their recent work. From 5pm to 9pm at Kick Butt Coffee in Austin, Texas the thirteen writers will each perform fifteen minute dramatic readings from short stories to novel excerpts, that will be certain to chill the hearts and minds of all attending. Participating authors include Lee Thomas, Joe McKinney, Gabrielle Faust, Nate Southard, D. B. Grady, Ethan Nahte, Stina Leicht, Skyler White, Robert Stikmanz, Rhodi Hawk, Hank Schwaeble, Denise Broussard and Frank Summers. The wide variety of styles and influences from the collaborative of literary voices represents a distinct cross-section representation of the strength of today’s Texas writers in the horror and dark fantasy genres. All authors will have copies of their current and past work on hand for purchase and signing.

“Wow! Usually, one would have to visit the maximum-security wing of a state penitentiary to find so much imaginative energy dedicated to violence and mayhem gathered in one place. Who could resist such a treat?” Hank Schwaeble, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of “Damnable”, replied when asked about his participation in the 2010 event.

“My original intention in the creation of the BLOOD OF THE BEAN event in 2009 was to give local dark genre authors an additional opportunity to reach a new audience they might otherwise not had access to. Kick Butt Coffee provides a relaxed, yet highly creative atmosphere that is conducive to facilitating the promotion of indie arts in Austin. The meshing of the horror/dark fantasy genres with an already integral venue was a natural fit and after a successful debut event, the demand was there, not only from the audience, but from the authors as well, to make it an annual gathering.” Remarked BBII founder Gabrielle Faust, author of the acclaimed post-apocalyptic vampire series “Eternal Vigilance”.

As aforementioned, BLOOD OF THE BEAN II will take place at Kick Butt Coffee on October 16, 2010 from 5pm to 9pm. 5775 Airport Blvd. More information on Kick Butt Coffee can be found at http://kickbuttcoffee.com/. Kick Butt Coffee not only serves some of the best coffee Austin has to offer, but also provides a full bar and limited, but delicious, food menu. Happy Hour is from 4:15pm – 7:15pm with $4 Mocha Martinis and $1.50 Lone Stars. As author Rhodi Hawk said herself, “Scary stories and mocha martinis! Witching season has gone civilized!” Or has it?

For more information on the thirteen participating authors:

Lee Thomas: http://www.leethomasauthor.com/
Joe McKinney: https://joemckinney.wordpress.com/
Rhodi Hawk: http://www.rhodihawk.com/
Hank Schwaeble: http://www.hankschwaeble.com/
Gabrielle Faust: http://www.gabriellefaust.com
Nate Southard: http://www.natesouthard.com/
D. B. Grady: http://dbgrady.com/
Ethan Nahte: http://nahteboy.tripod.com/
Stina Leicht: http://www.csleicht.com/
Skyler White: http://www.skylerwhite.com/
Robert Stikmanz: http://www.robertstikmanz.com/
Denise Broussard: website coming soon!
Frank Summers: http://www.franksummers.com/

Media Inquiries:

Gabrielle Faust
P.O. Box 5698
Austin, Texas 78763
http://www.gabriellefaust.com
info@gabriellefaust.com
512-923-9604
http://www.twitter.com/Gabrielle_Faust
http://www.facebook.com/gabrielle.faust
http://www.myspace.com/gsfaust

ArmadilloCon 32 is coming up in just a few days, and so I thought I’d post a rundown of events I’ll be attending. This year is the Con’s first time at the Renaissance Hotel Austin, and they’ve got a lot of great guests lined up. If you’re in the Austin area the weekend of August 27th to the 29th, come on by.

Friday, August 27th

The ArmadilloCon Writer’s Workshop in the Hotel’s Main Room.

This is a closed event for registered students only. I’ll be on a few panels with other Workshop instructors, talking about the realities of publishing and the craft of writing. Afterwards, we’ll be breaking into groups to work on the students’ stories. Melissa Tyler and I will be coaching Team Tolkien.

Saturday, August 28th

Panel – The Limits of Research

I’ll be moderating a panel discussion on researching. Let’s face it, verisimilitude sells a story to your reader. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, your readers will know, and you can bet some reviewer on Amazon will call you on all your mistakes. So, how do you get started? And how do you integrate what you’ve researched into your stories? We’ll be going over these questions and others. Joining me on the panel are Jess Nevins, Martha Wells, Cary Osborne, Robert Jackson Bennett, and Melissa Tyler. We’ll be in the San Antonio Room from 10:00 to 11:00 am.

Panel – Writing Styles

I’ll be sitting on a panel with Steven Brust, Scott Lynch, Patrice Sarath, Nancy Kress, and Paul Benjamin, discussing the craft of writing and the mystery of the authorial voice. This ought to be a great panel, as it features some pretty amazing writers. We’ll be in the Sabine Room from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.

Group Signing

I’ll be in the Dealer’s Room from 3:00 to 4:00 pm signing copies of Dead City, Quarantined, Dead Set, and various anthologies. Joining me will be Howard Waldrop, Lawrence Person, Melanie Miller Fletcher, and Aaron Allston.

Sunday, August 29th

Panel – Worldbuilding: First Steps

We all love books with beautifully envisioned environments. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Larry Niven’s Ringworld, Piers Anthony’s Xanth series, and many others have helped to create a wonderful tradition of worldbuilding in SF and fantasy. With the help of Jayme Lynn Blaschke, Nancy Holzner, Steven Brust, and Mark Nelson I’ll be moderating a discussion on the craft of building worlds. We’ll discuss how to do it, why to do it, and who does it well. Join us in the Trinity Room from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.

Reading

I’m going to finish off the Con with a reading. This time around I’ll be reading my short story “Survivors,” from Dead Set. Join me in the Pecos Room from 2:00 to 2:30 pm.

Hope to see you there.