I guess we are doing LTUE

IDK, I didn't go for a few years, but for some reason I am feeling the pull to go again. I can't really explain why, but I think I'll resume going annually. 

Pasted my loose schedule, which may or may not actually work. I suspect that the freebies table will be mostly empty (if it's even still a thing) by the time I get there after my long run. 

I am planning to get my badge at around 10 or 10:30 AM. 

I am gonna get lunch or even drive home to practice music from 12-1

I am going to be Super Social TM and by Super Social, I mean I am going to be buried in my laptop and iPad the entire time because I have the social skills of a dead jellyfish on the beach. 

I remember being SO CONFUSED when I went my first year to "game development" and "writing for games" panels and there was not a single video game in sight. All board games and TTRPG. Big "wait, what?" moment. Welp, I'm not going to any of those most likely. See below:

2026 February Saturday 14 11am

How Illustration Pros Work: Working with Art Directors, Publishers, and Private Clients

Room: Elm

Join us in a discussion on working with and finding clients, using proper etiquette and interaction

techniques, negotiating pricing, creating and accepting a contract, work for hire vs. retaining

copyright, and more. Learn about each step in the process from receiving concepts from the client,

getting to work, and sealing the deal.

2026 February Saturday 14 1pm

From Side Quest to Main Quest: Turning Art into Income

Room: Maple

Your art is your passion—but is it still just a side quest? In this session, we’ll map the path to

turning your creative work into a main quest that earns real income without grinding your life away.

Through a playful RPG-inspired approach, you’ll learn how to identify the “stats” of your creative

business, pick the right quests (income streams), and build your skill tree for sustainable growth.

Whether you’re a writer, artist, or multiclass creative, this class will give you the map and tools to

start making gold without losing the joy of creating.

2026 February Saturday 14 2pm

Villainry Academy

Room: Bryce

In this wickedly entertaining panel, top-notch writers take on the personas of fully embodied

villains to reveal what makes a truly unforgettable antagonist. Learn from the masters of malice

themselves as they explain—in character—how to earn a reader’s fear, fascination, and maybe even

sympathy while discovering how a great villain makes the hero shine. Attendance is

mandatory—villains hate being ignored.

2026 February Saturday 14 3pm

Keynote: Ron Clements

Room: Zion

Come hear from our guest of honor!

2026 February Saturday 14 4pmReference: How to Make It Real Even When It Isn’t

Room: Maple

Join fantasy illustrator Carly Milligan for a look into how the sausage, I mean painting, is made.

She’ll deep dive into her reference processes for all things fantastical and imaginative: from

photographing models to images searches to Blender and maquettes. Just like good research makes

for good writing, good references make for stronger narrative pictures, whether or not realism is the

goal.

2026 February Saturday 14 5pm

Swords and Spears and Axes, Oh, My! (Medieval Weapons 101)

Room: Canyon

Why is the idea of a three-foot-long bronze sword wielded by an eleven-year-old laughable? What

is the difference between a long sword and a great sword? A saber and a rapier? How about a

thrusting spear, a throwing spear, and a hewing spear? How hard is it to swing a war hammer or a

mace? This is a HANDS-ON presentation of various types of swords, axes, spears, and other

weapons and armor, ranging from the 3000 B.C. to the early twentieth century, from copper to

bronze to steel (and obsidian). Participants will have the opportunity to handle and heft actual

weapons and learn how they were employed.

2026 February Saturday 14 6pm

The Wealth of Dragons

Room: Amphitheater

In worlds where fortunes can be measured in gold, credits, or enchanted relics, wealth can shape

the plot of a story as much as any army! This presentation delves into how vast treasures, economic

disparity, and coveted prizes drive societies and motivate heroes and villains alike within the

frameworks of fantasy and science fiction worlds. Come explore with Max Florschutz, author of

Axtara and the UNSEC Space Trilogy, how the form that money takes in a world can effect

kingdoms, galaxies, and narratives!

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