BookCon 2017: Saturday Schedule Highlights

Saturday officially begins BookCon at the Javits Center in New York City! If you’ve been attending BookExpo earlier this week, then you’re already prepped and ready to go. Panels start pretty early today, so be prepared.

If you’re planning on attending a panel in the Main Stage, make sure to go to the right panel line in the morning to get your badge scanned. Also, in case you don’t already know, you can reserve autographing area tickets online at BookCon’s website for Saturday and Sunday. Here are our panel highlights:

Chad Michael Murray – an American Drifter — 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM Room 1E10

Head to your first panel of the day with your pre-teen celebrity crush Chad Michael Murray. Obviously known for his leading role on One Tree Hill and also a part of the Agent Carter team, Murray is here to promote American Drifter. Written with romance author Heather Graham, American Drifter is a murder-mystery-romance set in Rio de Janeiro. The panel features Murray and Graham on stage to discuss their novel!

Carrying On with Rainbow Rowell — 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Room 1E14

It’s been over half a decade since Rainbow Rowell came into our lives, but she’s still going just as strong. Although she’s here to promote Carry On, Rowell has more than her share of best-selling YA and adult contemporary novels to full the hour with stories about her life as a critically-acclaimed author, dealing with controversy, and dealing with Hollywood.

Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo: Magic With An Edge — 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Room 1E10

If you’re even a little bit familiar with YA fantasy, then you know Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo. Both Black and Bardugo have made a name for themselves writing magic that’s dark and edgy. A far cry from anything that’s generic, both authors are here to discuss their upcoming books. For Black, it is a premiere installment of her new The Folk of Air Trilogy called The Cruel Prince, for Bardugo, it’s The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic, a book of folk and fairy tales set in her Grishaverse.

Find Your Voice with Sarah Dessen, Shannon Hale, Jenny Han, and Morgan Matson — 1:45 Pm – 2:45 PM Room 1E10

Sarah Dessen stands as one of the most formative authors of my pre-teens. Now she, Shannon Hale, Jenny Han, and Morgan Matson have teamed up for a super panel on bildungsroman. They will be talking about the events of their books and also how they found their voice in writing.

Do You Ship This? — 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Main Stage

Ah ships, the cause of happiness and flame wars. Authors Danielle Paige, Victoria Aveyard, and Veronica Roth chat all about who they are shipping. This event takes place in the Main Stage, if you wish to participate, you must scan your badge in the morning at the end of the line dedicated to the Main Stage Panel you want to see. That panel is coded into your badge and when you arrive back to the queue hall in 1C before the panel, you will have to scan your badge for entry. Make sure to do this guys!

Jeffrey Tambor Spotlight — 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM Room 1E16

I definitely know Tambor from his work on Arrested Development as George Sr., but he’s not only got an impressive filmography but also a collection of personal essays called Are You Anybody?. Exploring on his creative process and professional accomplishments, Tambor’s memoir is colored by his humor and also his insight.

Tor Science Fiction and Fantasy — 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Room 1E10

Tor’s no stranger to genre fiction, and at BookCon they’ll be highlighting their science fiction and fantasy authors. Th panel will feature Charlie Jane Anders, Cory Doctorow, Annalee Newitz, and John Scalzi promoting their books.

The YA/Adult Crossover — 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Room 1E16

The line between YA and adult fiction can tend to be blurred when it comes to fiction these days. The genre of YA is evolving every day and Tor authors V.E. Schwab, Cora Carmack, Susan Dennard, and Gregg Hurwitz are here to talk about it.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Margaret Atwood and Showrunner Bruce Miller from the New Series on Hulu — 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM Room 1E10

Who hasn’t seen The Handmaid’s Tale these days? Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s legendary novel, the dystopian story has never been more relevant and controversial. The iconic Canadian author will be stepping on stage with showrunner Bruce Miller and talking about Atwood’s influential work and the social effects of the dystopian novel.

Girling Up: Mayim Bialik Spotlight — 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM Room 1E16

Perhaps known best as Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, Mayim Bialik is at BookCon to promote her girl’s guide to growing up, Girling Up: How To Be Strong, Smart, and Spectacular. Bialik’s guide centers around her own experiences, from first kisses to figuring out your place in the world, the book has it all.

BookTubers Booksplosion — 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM Room 1E14

If you’ve got any interest in books and enjoy youTube, you know of these guys. Whether it’s Christine Riccio aka PolandBananasBooks or Jesse George aka JesseTheReader or Kat O’Keeffe aka Katytastic, this Q&A panel lets you interact with the booktubers you know and love.

Transforming a Bestseller onto the Silver Screen: The Book to Film Experience — 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Room 1E10

Hollywood loves an adaptation. It’s no secret that if a new movie isn’t based on a comic book or a sequel, it’s most likely based on a book. Join bestselling authors R.J. Palacio, Nicola Yoon, Stephen Chbosky, and Lauren Olivier as they talk about the best and worst aspects of having their work adapted into film.

Don’t forget: