Laurel Anne Hill

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A Brave New World for Women–How Dystopian Worlds Are Merging with the Times

West Coast Writers Conferences

Presented February 23-25

Genre-LA Creative Writers Conference 2018

Back: Tony Todaro, Desiree Duffy, Deborah M. Pratt, Chad Stroup, Sean Patrick Traver
Front: Diana Tierney, Leslie Ann Moore, Laurel Anne Hill, Christina Cigala

February 25, Keynote Address

A Brave New World for Women: How Dystopian Worlds are Merging with the Times A panel of women and men who are creating stories that send poignant messages to our society on the science fiction, fantasy, YA, and dystopian fiction front. On February 24, they brought to light topics such as:

  • Women’s empowerment themes and their roles in genre fiction. How are the times changing?
  • What are readers looking for? What messages are resonating today that writers should be aware of?
  • How do books impact the current zeitgeist—a world where sexual harassment accusations have impacted society with movements like #MeToo.
  • With the success of Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale, Wonder Woman, and other feminist fiction being adapted for TV and film—what does this mean for novel and screen writers?
  • What should a writer consider when developing characters who are a different gender than themselves?
  • Visions for the future, where are we heading?

Moderator: Diana Tierney, co-host of the podcast Wine, Women, Words.

Panelists included:

  • Christina Cigala, TV writer, producer and author of XXvXY: The Final World War
  • Laurel Anne Hill, author of The Engine Woman’s Light and Heroes Arise
  • Leslie Ann Moore, author of Griffin’s Daughter Trilogy, The Nuetierra Chronicles, and All Oceans Aglow
  • Sean Patrick Traver, author of Wraith Ladies Who Lunch, Red Witch: The Tales of Ingrid Redstone, and Graves End
  • Deborah M. Pratt, author of The Vision Quest Seriesand co-executive producer and writer for the TV Show Quantum Leap
  • Chad Stroup, author of over two dozen published short stories and poems, and author of the novels Secrets of the Weird and the forthcoming Sexy Leper

This was an amazing panel. I’m so honored to have participated on it. Special thanks goes to Tony Todaro (West Coast Writers Conferences), Los Angeles Valley College, Desireé Duffy (Black Château Enterprises) and Diana Tierney (Moderator).

Warm regards,

Laurel Anne Hill (Author and Former Underground Storage Tank Operator)