Edge of the Universe
A free mid-year,
mini online,
LTUE Event
Date and Time to be determined.
Edge of the Universe
Presentations
Date and time to be determined.
The information below was for Edge of the Universe 2023.
Please check back as we plan this year’s event.
Streaming Live on YouTube
Three hours (nine sessions)
Channel Links
Dragon Room, Cat Room, Rocket Room
Channels go live around 10:00 AM
(about 1 hour before the first sessions start)
The Presentation Matrix below shows our three-hours (nine sessions) of topics and presenters.
See Additional presenter and presentation details at the bottom of the page (below the Presentation Matrix).
You can also meet presenters, panelists and committee members on Discord about an hour before the event starts.
Presentations Matrix
Presenter Daniel Schwabauer
Description – We all recognize great stories when we encounter them. But what makes stories work? Where does their power originate? Often what seems to be genius is the result of hard work and the careful application of story techniques. The real magic of our favorite stories is usually found in their emotive conflicts and honest treatment of human nature. In this presentation, we’re going to look behind the wardrobe, dig beneath the Shire, and take apart the light saber by exploring the five elements of story. The point is not to spoil our sense of wonder but to demystify the process so you can follow it yourself.
Biography
Daniel Schwabauer, M.A., is a lifelong reader of speculative fiction. He studied the genre under science fiction great James Gunn before graduating with honors from Kansas University’s Masters program in Creative Writing in 1995. Winner of the Eric Hoffer and Ben Franklin awards for his middle grade fantasy series, The Legends of Tira-Nor, and the Realm Award for his adult science fiction novel, Operation Grendel, Daniel enjoys riding his motorcycle on country roads and pondering other worlds. His newest novel, Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney, released in 2022 from Enclave. He lives outside Kansas City with his wife and dogs.
(Writing Track)
Committee contact – Brenda Sills Writing Presentations Track Head
Presenter C.M. Kosemen
Biography
C. M. Kosemen is an artist, author, and independent researcher from Ankara, Turkey. He studied at Cornell University, Istanbul’s Sabancı University and holds a Master’s degree from London’s Goldsmiths College.
His art work ranges from scientifically accurate portrayals of prehistoric and imaginary lifeforms, to figurative surreal paintings that draw inspiration from the land, history, and the lifeforms of the Mediterranean world. C.M. Kosemen’s surreal art has been displayed in exhibits in Catania, Vienna, Ulcinj, Istanbul, Ankara, Eskişehir, London and Tel Aviv. His book credits include Osman Hasan and the Tombstone Photographs of the Dönmes published by Libra Books of Istanbul; a book that earned the Eduard-Duckesz History Prize and has been purchased and used by renowned universities and research institutes around the world.
He authored All Yesterdays: Unique and Speculative Views of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals, which has been described as the ‘most important palaeoart book of the last four decades.’ His science-fiction book, All Tomorrows, has more than 11 million audiobook listens. He also worked as an editor for Benetton’s Colors magazine and continues to work for various advertising agencies as an editor and copywriter.
(Art Track)
Committee Contact – Logan Kearsley
Presenter Stephan Fassmann
How to develop a system to keep your research safe and accessible using Scrivener.
Knowledge Management has been something people have been working on since the invention of writing. There have been many attempts and techniques developed through the ages from simple to complex. This presentation covers a process, system and tools that you can add to your writing tool kit.
Biography
Stephan Fassmann is an engineer and a technical writer that has worked with software companies, IT departments and legal groups. He has worked on the Space Shuttle, ISS and SM3.
He is the Professional Development programming track head for LTUE 2024, and been on the committee since 2017 as Writing Track Head, and was the Co-Chair for LTUE 2023. He is currently giving care for aging parents, handicapped family members, taking care of his own disabilities.
(Pro-Dev Track)
Committee – Stephan Fassmann Pro-Dev Track Head
Presenter Robert Hatch
*This is for both novelists and screenwriters.
Join writer and director Robert Hatch as he teaches a variety of acting, directing and writing principles used in filmmaking that can help make your novels and screenplays much better, and more adaptable. He will cover elements of directing actors which can help you in your written character development. The class will also touch on comparisons between filmmakers location management and world building in written story. We will cover the power of subtext and knowing your audience to help inform your story decisions.
Biography
Robert Hatch started making films at a young age while still in high school. Writing, teaching acting, directing and creating great films are Robert’s passions. He has over 30 years experience as a director/producer/writer of dramatic films, documentaries, and television series. His work includes: Masque, Infinite Gift, fifty-six network television programs aired on VISN and PBS, seven TV programs for BBC, a TV series currently airing on FNX, Peace: Dream or Vision (a documentary on viable initiatives for gaining a just and lasting peace in the Middle East), Miracle Kids television specials and many more including an interactive series for Toyota USA. In addition to his commercial success, Robert’s films have received over three hundred awards and honors from film festivals in the U.S. and internationally.
He is the owner of Knowledge Network LLC.
(TMA Track)
Committee contact – Matt Harding TMA Track Head
Presenter DJ Butler
Ten Rules for Successful Worldbuilding and Worldtelling
Biography
D.J. (Dave) Butler has been a lawyer, a consultant, an editor, a corporate trainer, and a registered investment banking representative, and he is now a Consulting Editor for Baen Books. His novels published by Baen Books include the Witchy War series: Witchy Eye, Witchy Winter, Witchy Kingdom, and Serpent Daughter, and In the Palace of Shadow and Joy, as well as The Cunning Man and The Jupiter Knife, co-written with Aaron Michael Ritchey. He also writes for children: the steampunk fantasy adventure tales The Kidnap Plot, the Giant’s Seat, and The Library Machine are published by Knopf. Other novels include City of the Saints from WordFire Press and The Wilding Probate from Immortal Works. His novels have won the Whitney Award, the Association for Mormon Letters Award for Novel, and the Dragon Award.
Dave also organizes writing retreats and anarcho-libertarian writers’ events, and travels the country to sell books. He tells many stories as a gamemaster with a gaming group some of whom he’s been playing with since sixth grade. He plays guitar and banjo whenever he can, and likes to hang out in Utah with his wife, their children, and the family dog.
Committee contact – Rowan West Worldbuilding Track Head
Presenter John Jensen
Creating the Largest DND Game in History (John Jensen – Guinness World Record Holder).
Biography
John Jensen has always been a storyteller and performer, weaving stories together for a variety of mediums and performing on stage – “there is nothing like making a crowd happy.” He published a One shot for DND called “Nature of the Beast” during Covid. He has written other forthcoming DND games as well. Most recently, John wrote the Dead Wars DND Game Guide (for the new Guinness world record set on April 22, 2023 – the largest DND game ever played. They needed 500 players to break the old Guinness World Record. An official total of 1227 players was recorded by Guinness.
John served an LDS mission in Spain and then earned a finance degree from UVU in Orem, Utah. After UVU, he didn’t have that creative outlet from his theatre days, but, he wanted to do more than just finance; he wanted to be a writer and a creator. With DND, he found a way to bring his friends, family and large groups together. John is currently working on next year’s world record game guide and a web comic with his sister. He is also working on a series of short stories that will be published in the future.
(Gaming track)
Committee contact – Ryan Bouche Gaming Track Head
Presenter CM Adler (Christine Nielson)
The Morning After: I Have My Edits Back. Now What? You wrote a book, hooked up with a good editor, and now your book is back in your hands. What’s next?
Biography
Really, all you need to know is that CM Adler (Christine Nielson) has fantastic taste in witchy, demonic, and highly entertaining imaginary friends. With a Silver Quill Award for Young Adult Fiction from the League of Utah Writers, and an Editor’s Choice Short Story Award from Authorstand under her belt, CM Adler is now delving into fairy tale retellings with her young adult dark fantasy series Witches of Grimm.
In the more corporeal part of her existence, Christine helps other authors perfect their stories in her role as a professional freelance fiction editor. She specializes in working with first time authors who want some guidance on the writing and publishing process.
Fun facts:
- Second degree black belt in Shotokan Karate
- Hobbies include tarot and spinning fire
- If she reminds you of your high school principal, it’s because she was one.
(Editing track)
Committee contact – Ashley Higbee Editing Track Head
Presenter Beth Cutrer-Parraga
Reframing Past Bullying Experiences through the Lens of Harry Potter.
Biography
Beth earned a PhD in special education, and literacy intervention from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2016 and has worked as a special education teacher, general education teacher, English-language teacher, and literary specialist. Most recently Beth worked at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute as the Intervention Director for the Targeted Reading Intervention. Beth currently conducts qualitative research to support children’s academic and social emotional needs.
(Academics Track)
Committee contact – Deidre McCleery co-chair
Presenter Tys Grenz
Content, Covers and Choice – Judging a book by its cover and more – Insights on how the insides and outsides of the greatest books capture and keep our attention as reader’s.
Biography
In the small town of Dayton, near the center of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, sits a 1937 farmhouse. Most days, if you peered inside, you would find two cats, a man and his wife. That farmhouse is home to Tys Grenz, a retired English professor (MA), turned Epic Fantasy author. As a child, Tys read hard-core science fiction like Asimov and Clark because robots were cool. Being an avid reader, he ran out of things to read. One day his parents bought him a Fantastic Four comic book. Comic books became his obsession; The visual style; the heroes and their superpowers; The storytelling. It all shaped his way of thinking. So, it was only natural for him to channel that heroic response into fantasy role-playing games when he got to college. Those various gaming systems helped further shape his imagination and fueled his need to write his own stories. With his grounding in literature from Beowulf to the adventures in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, illuminated by just a sprinkle of mythology, symbolism along with a dash of science fiction, he knew he had stories to tell. Tys is currently finishing “Ghostclaw” (book one) of his Manacles of Madness fantasy series which is forthcoming in early 2024.
(Books track)
Committee contact – Nick Mills co-chair
Discord Discussions
Conversations and commentary will take
place on the app Discord. Join “The Edge of the Universe” Discord Server!
If you need help Downloading or Using Discord,
we have a handy tutorial here.
And here’s a tutorial for setting your Nickname.
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