SWC 2026: 11:00AM Panels

Presentation
Room Four
11:00am- 50 minutes

Patti Hultstrand

For self-published authors, choosing the right print-on-demand partner can be confusing. Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, BookBaby, and other services each offer different advantages in cost, distribution, quality, and control. In this 50-minute panel, publishing professionals and experienced authors break down the major POD options, explain how each platform works, and discuss how writers can choose the printing and distribution approach that best fits their goals. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the print-on-demand landscape and practical guidance for making the right publishing decision.

Panel
Room Five
11:00am- 50 minutes

Jacob Hubbard, K.A. Bledsoe

For this panel, we would discuss what it is like to attend the Tucson Festival of Books as a vendor, strategies on promoting/marketing your book, and strategies getting into book festivals.

Presentation
Room Three
11:00am- 50 minutes

Sharon Skinner

Between social media, busy schedules, and the constant pull of everyday life, staying focused on writing can feel harder than ever. In this open and honest panel discussion, writers share practical strategies for protecting creative time, overcoming distractions, and maintaining momentum. The session includes audience participation and open discussion, giving attendees a chance to share challenges, ask questions, and discover that every writer struggles with distractions—and none of us are facing them alone. 

Workshop
Room TwoRoom Two
11:00am- 105 minutes

Eva Eldridge

You have an idea and turn it into a short story. Now what? The short story market has always been there, but like everything else in writing, getting into a magazine isn’t easy. Anthologies aren’t a big seller, either. However, anthologies are trending upwards. How can you take advantage of the short story market? 

This workshop will discuss research on the markets out there, specifics on submitting, and what to expect.

Panel
Room One
11:00am- 50 minutes

C.C. Harrison

Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski, Patricia Bonn, Roberta Gibson, Elaine Powers

Characters need to be true to her/his place in society and time. Use of 21st century verbiage won't make sense if the story is set in the American West of the 1800s. Neither will the polished language of an elitist Harvard grad fit a cartel member in Texas. Fantasy and paranormal writers are freer to make stuff up—they are the creators of their worlds. Most of us work in the real world and need to research some of the minutia that would catch the reader's eye as out of place in the story.