When Words Collide 2026 has ended

When Words Collide 2026

A Festival for Writers, Readers, and Fans

Kenneth Gordon Neufeld

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About me

I am the author of Heartbreak and Rage: Ten Years Under Sun Myung Moon, A Cult Survivor's Memoir, and Prophet and Loss: Stories of Extreme Beliefs.

I am working on a novel that is part speculative fiction, part detective fiction, and part social satire.

3:00pm MDT

No Blueprint Required: Writing Careers Off the Map Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5Yewande Daniel-Ayoade • Miranda Krogstad • Andrew Buckley • Finnian Burnett

4:30pm MDT

Writing As Resistance: Using Our Words to Critique, Challenge, and Disrupt Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5Madison Joyce • Priscille Bukasa • Adrienne Adams • Alex Benarzi • O.L. McAnord

9:00am MDT

Pitch Games Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen BChris Corvan • Stacey Kondla • Lexie Angelo • Ed Willett • Ella Beaumont Beyond Character vs. Plot Driven: The Differences between Literary Upmarket, & Commercial Fiction - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req) Hyatt Regency Calgary - WalkerMira Landry Fractured Realities: Time Loops, Parallel Worlds, and What Breaks Between Hyatt Regency Calgary - DollValerie L. King • Michael Gillett • Ron S. Friedman • Randy McCharles

10:30am MDT

How To Pitch in Real Life Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9Carly Watters Creating a Unique Detective Figure Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5Chris Carolan • Juanita R Violini • Jonathan Whitelaw • Lexie Angelo Whose Plot is it Anyway? How to Master the Dominant Arc in Hybrid Fiction Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8Kim Cheel

12:00pm MDT

Live Action Slush: Short Fiction Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6Claire Bolton • Jennifer Chevais • Lexie Angelo • Cecilia "CeCe" Lyra

1:30pm MDT

Sawyer On Science Fiction Book Launch Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social HubEd Willett • Richard Graeme Cameron • Robert J. Sawyer Query Slush Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6Jennifer Chevais • Jennifer Sommersby • Erin Weir • Bonnie Jacoby

4:30pm MDT

Cinematic Storytelling: Does Hollywood Flair Work in Speculative Fiction? Hyatt Regency Calgary - DollChris Corvan • Rick Overwater • Don Miasek • James Downe • Michael Peterson

9:00pm MDT

Open Mic Night Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social HubRandy McCharles • Valerie L. King

9:00am MDT

What Next? Self-editing Strategies for Moving Your Manuscript Forward Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9Sandra McIntyre

10:30am MDT

Keynotes: The Changing Shape of Authorship: Future-Proofing Your Writing Career Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6Amanda Leduc • Danny Ramadan • Craig DiLouie Inside the Villain's Mind: The Psychology Behind The Crime Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5Pamela Donison • Valerie L. King • P.D. Workman • Dave Sweet

12:00pm MDT

10 SIGNS You’re Ready to Write a Murder Mystery - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req) Hyatt Regency Calgary - BannermanJuanita R Violini

3:00pm MDT

The Third Path to Publishing: Finding Author Success with a Small Press Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5Sarah Johnson • Hilary Faktor • Susan Carpenter • CM Shanahan

4:30pm MDT

Developmental Editing Your Book Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7Suzy Vadori Cross-Genre Careers: Keeping Series & Voice Coherent Across Genres Hyatt Regency Calgary - DollJennifer Sommersby • Alison McBain • Alexis Marie Chute • P.D. Workman Decolonization of Speculative Fiction Hyatt Regency Calgary - HeraldSusan Forest • Onyx Shelton • Zeva Mah • Calvin Jim

6:00pm MDT

Closing Ceremony: Keynotes on Courage, Identity, and our Stories Ahead with Andrew Buckley and Gemma Files; plus War of the Words and 2027 festival lookahead Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6Andrew Buckley • Gemma Files