Debbie Yutko lives near Atlanta with her husband, two children, and two cats. When she isn’t gardening, rescuing homeless kittens, or cramming math formulas into teenagers’ brains, she can be found stringing words together at her computer and dreaming of adventures in far-off lands. She is a lifelong reader of Science Fiction and Fantasy and a veteran attendee of Dragon Con, where she enjoys attending panels and working with the talented staff of the Daily Dragon.
During the “Build & Break a Character of Two” workshop on Friday at 1PM in the Hyatt Hanover AB, prolific author Michael Stackpole shared the methods he uses to create memorable and engaging characters. Stackpole stressed the importance of characterization. “Characters,” he said, “are the windows through which we enter stories.” Readers are “emotional surrogates,” mirroring the character’s emotions and… Read more →
Private astronaut Richard Garriott shared his perspective of space during the panel “Richard Garriott: A Private Journey to the ISS—a Retrospective 10 Years On” Friday at 10AM in the Hilton Crystal Ballroom. Garrett flew privately to the International Space Station as a member of VC15, Visiting Crew 15, on October 12, 2008, aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, and returned 12… Read more →
“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” the moderator of the SpongeBob SquarePants panel, Michele Rittwage, asked the eagerly waiting audience at 4PM Friday in the Hyattt Regency VI–VII. “SpongeBob SquarePants!” the audience roared. To everyone’s delight, Patchy the Pirate’s voice called out from the wings, “I can’t hear you!” The crowd was primed and ready as Tom Kenny,… Read more →
Perceptions change, attitudes change, and the idea of a strong woman is beginning to evolve from a chick in armor so skimpy it wouldn’t protect a flea to a woman who is not afraid to be herself. Take a hint, fellas. We are NOT all the same. Sure, some women are tough and scrappy and wouldn’t shy away from a… Read more →
Tim Rozon (Doc) and Michael Eklund (Bobo) from Wynonna Earp faced off at a press conference Sunday afternoon at the Marriott. Their cheerful banter started with Eklund admitting that Dragon Con 2017 is his first convention ever. “But you were at Comic-Con,” Rozon said. Eklund replied that he hadn’t been invited, so he’d had to crash it. So what does… Read more →
Give your inner child a treat. Visit floor 3 (yes, there are three floors in Building 2) of AmericasMart, and you’ll find some amazing, little-known gems. I ventured behind the first building to the second, managed to find the escalators to the second floor of building 2, and heard that those escalators way over on the right side led to… Read more →
The delightful Megan Follows shared memories, lessons learned, and appreciation for her fondly remembered role as the titular character, Anne Shirley, in Anne of Green Gables, Friday morning in Hyatt International South. Currently known as the scheming Catherine de’ Medici in Reign, Follows began the panel with a tribute to what she termed the most noble profession. No, not ruling… Read more →
The “Reign: Noble Gestures” panel on Saturday at 11:30AM in the Marriott Atrium Ballroom began with rousing cheers from the crowd. Panelists Adam Croasdell, Rachel Skarsten, Adelaide Kane, and Megan Follows began by showing their appreciation for their fans and for the wild, wonderful celebration that is Dragon Con. Fellows said it was a blast to wander the streets Friday… Read more →
