2021 Draft Schedule

Here’s the tentative schedule for panels, workshops, readings and more for Rainbow Space Magic 2021.

Friday March 12th

Combat Writing Workshop

Friday PT 10:00am / MT 11:00am / CT 12:00pm / ET 1:00pm / UK 6:00pm

By Heather O’Malley

Description: Writing engaging combat is a tricky skill, especially since movies have upped the expectations of readers. Between the specific skills and movements of martial arts, weapons work, and fire arms, knowing how to best convey the action makes a difference on how action can develop a character and move a story. In this workshop we will discuss how to write quick action packed combat, how to learn what you need to know of specific styles of fighting and weapons, and how combat can build your characters and your world.

Branding Sci Fi

Friday PT 11:00am / MT 12:00pm / CT 1:00pm / ET 2:00pm / UK 7:00pm

By E. Robert Dunn

Description: What do DC Comics, The Home Depot, Warby Parker, Hulu, Apple and 1-800-Flowers share in common? Well, not much. Except that they’re all killer brands. Whether you’re launching a book or a new cos-play, a web series or more prosaic old-line business, few things build company value faster and more reliably than an effective brand: how do you do that? This panel will discuss the basics to how to choose a brand name, build your brand, snag at URL, to marketing.

The Writer’s Guide to Green Stuff Workshop

Friday PT 12:00pm / MT 1:00pm / CT 2:00pm / ET 3:00pm / UK 8:00pm

By Olivia Wylie

Description: Writing an herbalist? Dropped your MC in the middle of the woods? Trying to keep your valiant hero alive on roots and berries? Bring your writing samples, your questions and your queries about plant life, and them out with a professional horticulturist who is trained in ethnobotany. Let’s get your green stuff to make sense!

Book Justice: Criminal Justice for Authors Workshop

Friday PT 1:00pm / MT 2:00pm / CT 3:00pm / ET 4:00pm / UK 9:00pm

By Kim Fielding

Description: Sooner or later, many of our characters are going to come in contact with the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, helping them successfully navigate through the system can be confusing and frustrating. Get a crash course on the U.S. criminal justice system with special emphasis on subjects authors often get wrong—or need to take special care with. We’ll cover all the major components of the system, including laws, police, courts, and jails and prisons. Leave with a better idea of how to get your characters into and out of trouble, while finding a few fresh plot bunnies along the way.

Keynote Speaker – Jewelle Gomez

Friday PT 3:00pm / MT 4:00pm / CT 5:00pm / ET 6:00pm / UK 11:00pm

With Jewelle Gomez

Description: Beyond the Edge of Our Existence: what in our writing and in our lives as humans makes us valuable to the world?

Readings & Author Q&A

Friday PT 4:00pm / MT 5:00pm / CT 6:00pm / ET 7:00pm / UK 12:00am Sat

With Adrian J. Smith, Christine Wright, Harry F. Rey

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Dis/Abilities Panel

Friday PT 5:00pm / MT 6:00pm / CT 7:00pm / ET 8:00pm / UK 1:00am Sat

With Ceeley Mack, Tenacity Plys, Cody Sisco, Heather O’Malley

Description: Disabled, Chronically Ill and Neurodiverse in Queer Fiction (#ownvoices): Own voices creators discuss how to write differently-abled characters well and the opportunities available in SFF.

Readings & Author Q&A

Friday PT 6:00pm / MT 7:00pm / CT 8:00pm / ET 9:00pm / UK 2:00am Sat

With Dorian Graves, Gillian St. Kevern, Michael G. Williams

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Opening Night Party

Friday PT 7:00pm / MT 8:00pm / CT 9:00pm / ET 10:00pm / UK 3:00am Sat

Description: TBA


Saturday March 13th

Writing Queer Female Protagonists (#ownvoices) Panel

Saturday PT 7:00am / MT 8:00am / CT 9:00am / ET 10:00am / UK 3:00pm

With Olivia Wylie, Antonia Aquilante, Adrian J. Smith, Kellie Doherty, Edale Lane

Description: Authors discuss writing women – both as characters and in relationships, mistakes they’ve seen, and how to do it well.

Readings & Author Q&A

Saturday PT 8:00am / MT 9:00am / CT 10:00am / ET 11:00am / UK 4:00pm

With Elle E. Ire, Minerva Cerridwen, Ava Kelly

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Aging in Queer Spec Fic Panel

Saturday PT 9:00am / MT 10:00am / CT 11:00am / ET 12:00pm / UK 5:00pm

With Lloyd A. Meeker, Blaine D. Arden, Catherine Lundoff, Bob R R Angell

Description: So often, it’s all about the young ‘uns – the teenagers who suddenly discover they’re the Chosen One or the Last Hope of the Galaxy. In this panel, we discuss good examples of older characters in queer spec fic and what advantages age gives them in the story.

Readings & Author Q&A

Saturday PT 10:00am / MT 11:00am / CT 12:00pm / ET 1:00pm / UK 5:00pm

With Catherine Lundoff, Lloyd Meeker, A.M. Leibowitz

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Writing for Bisexual and Pansexual Characters Panel (#ownvoices)

Saturday PT 11:00am / MT 12:00pm / CT 1:00pm / ET 2:00pm / UK 7:00pm

With E.M. Hamill, Steve Turnbull, A.M. Leibowitz, Chloe Spencer

Description: Bi and Pan characters aren’t sometimes straight and sometimes queer. Panelists discuss the portrayal of Bi/Pan characters, good rep and the perpetuation of stereotypes, and provide recs for readers.

Vendor Pop Ups

Saturday PT 12:00pm / MT 1:00pm / CT 2:00pm / ET 3:00pm / UK 8:00pm

With Queen of Swords Press, Mischief Corner Books, Bridges Stamping

Description: Vendors share their wares in these pop-up blocks. See our vendor page here for more info.

Vendor Pop Ups

Saturday PT 2:00pm / MT 3:00pm / CT 4:00pm / ET 5:00pm / UK 10:00pm

With Rainbow Glade Designs, Dylan Edwards Comics and Art, Space Wizard (author co-op)

Description: Vendors share their wares in these pop-up blocks. See our vendor page here for more info.

Magic and Folklore Panel

Saturday PT 3:00pm / MT 4:00pm / CT 5:00pm / ET 6:00pm / UK 11:00pm

With Gillian St. Kevern, Michael G. Williams, M.D. Grimm, Anne Barwell, Elizabeth Noble

Description: Panelists examine magic and folklore in queer fiction – how they’re used and reinterpreted, how these elements relate to queerness, and the cultural biases we sometimes bring to the table.

Readings & Author Q&A

Saturday PT 4:00pm / MT 5:00pm / CT 6:00pm / ET 7:00pm / UK 12:00am Sun

With Kellie Doherty, Cody Sisco, Kim Fielding

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Queer-Friendly Tabletop RPGs Panel

Saturday PT 5:00pm / MT 6:00pm / CT 7:00pm / ET 8:00pm / UK 1:00am Sun

With Ellis Kincaide, Tenacity Plys, Heather O’Malley, Michael G. Williams

Description: Panelists talk about their favorite queer table-top RPGs, and share fun anecdotes of games such as the Widdershins RPG and Thirsty Sword Lesbians.

Readings & Author Q&A

Saturday PT 6:00pm / MT 7:00pm / CT 8:00pm / ET 9:00pm / UK 2:00am Sun

With M.D. Grimm, Antonia Aquilante, Nikki Woolfolk

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Fandom and Fanfiction Panel

Saturday PT 7:00pm / MT 8:00pm / CT 9:00pm / ET 10:00pm / UK 3:00am Sun

With Kim Fielding, Christine Wright, Dorian Graves, Katie Griffin, Kristen Noone

Description: Queer fans have always had their own takes on fandoms, from Star Trek on down. Panelists discuss how queer fans have interpreted and sometimes subverted fandoms and fanfiction.


Sunday March 14th (US Times change ahead 1 hour)

Cover So White Panel – Cancelled

Sunday PT 7:00am / MT 8:00am / CT 9:00am / ET 10:00am / UK 2:00pm
(Daylight Savings Time Starts in the USA)

Note – due to panelist scheduling issues, this panel has been cancelled.

Description: The Ongoing Problem of Whitewashed Covers: Authors address the self-perpetuating myth regarding books with BIPOC characters on the cover not selling and how to combat it.

Readings & Author Q&A

Sunday PT 8:00am / MT 9:00am / CT 10:00am / ET 11:00am/ UK 3:00pm

With Olivia Wylie, Valerie J. Mikles, Kristin Noone

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Intersectionality Panel (#ownvoices)

Sunday PT 9:00am / MT 10:00am / CT 11:00am / ET 12:00pm / UK 4:00pm

With Jose Pablo Iriarte, Alex Silver, Ceeley Mack, Harry F. Rey, J.S. Fields

Description: Coined in 1989 by professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality describes how race, class, gender, and other individual characteristics “intersect” with one another and overlap. Our panelists discuss this as a framework for understanding how aspects of a person’s social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege.

Readings & Author Q&A

Sunday PT 10:00am / MT 11:00am / CT 12:00pm / ET 1:00pm / UK 5:00pm

With Chloe Spencer, E.M. Hamill, Melodie Romeo

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Humor and Cynicism Panel

Sunday PT 11:00am / MT 12:00pm / CT 1:00pm / ET 2:00pm / UK 6:00pm

With Christine Wright, Maz Maddox, Angel Martinez, Valerie J. Mikles

Description: If you like Douglas Adams, you’ll love…???: Why so serious? Panelists discuss the use of humor and satire in queer SFF, and talk about their favorite new authors in the game.

Readings & Author Q&A

Sunday PT 12:00pm / MT 1:00pm / CT 2:00pm / ET 3:00pm / UK 7:00pm

With J. Scott Coatsworth, Angel Martinez, and Rory Ni Coileain

Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A

Meet the Featured Organizations

Sunday PT 2:00pm / MT 3:00pm / CT 4:00pm / ET 5:00pm / UK 9:00pm

Description: A representative of BLF Press will join us to talk about the press and what they do for queer authors and authors of color. Then we’ll showcase the other Featured Organizations we are supporting this year.

Keynote Speaker Discussion – Jewelle Gomez

Sunday PT 3:00pm / MT 4:00pm / CT 5:00pm / ET 6:00pm / UK 10:00pm

With Jewelle Gomez

Description: Jewelle will return for a one hour discussion, followed by a Q&A session at 4 PM PT.

Keynote Speaker Q&A – Jewelle Gomez

Sunday PT 4:00pm / MT 5:00pm / CT 6:00pm / ET 7:00pm / UK 11:00pm

With Jewelle Gomez

Description: Our keynote speaker takes questions from our attendees.

Query Letters and Getting an Agent

Sunday PT 5:00pm / MT 6:00pm / CT 7:00pm / ET 8:00pm / UK 12:00am Mon

With Elle E. Ire, Jose Pablo Iriarte, J. Scott Coatsworth, Harry F. Rey, J.S. Fields

Description: Authors share the best strategies for getting work in front of agents and presenting to publishers while answering the question: how to sell your queer fic without pigeonholing yourself?

The Queering of Modern Pop Culture in Recent Years Panel

Sunday PT 6:00pm / MT 7:00pm / CT 8:00pm / ET 9:00pm / UK 1:00am Mon

With J. Scott Coatsworth, Anne Barwell, Elizabeth Noble, Rory Ni Coileain, Nikki Woolfolk

Description: TV and Film are giving opportunities for more queer stories to be told. Who is doing it well, and who is falling into the pit of tokenism?

Closing Night Party

Sunday PT 7:00pm / MT 8:00pm / CT 9:00pm / ET 10:00pm / UK 2:00am Mon

Description: We celebrate the end of our second annual con.