Patchree Jones

Speaker

As a girl, Patchree Jones grew up watching Thai dramas with her mom and dreamt of being a playwright. While life took her on a different path, her love of stories never faltered. In fact, she truly believes that it takes a fighter to share one's vision with the world, and Patchree hopes to blaze the trail for all readers to go after their dreams unapologetically. Currently, she has published two children's books: SKYLIGHT, book one in the Mehk Light trilogy, and THE WHITE ELEPHANT OF HIMMAPAN, an original Thai folklore chapter book. Patchree was recently named a Bookstagram 2025 Awards finalist for Children's Author of the Year. Her first story in the adult fiction sphere will be published in the upcoming IN THE WORDS OF A FLOWER Anthology with Inked in Gray. Patchree Jones is Thai-American author and currently lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and one lazy dog.

5:00PM - 6:30PM EDT

Saturday July 11th

Elevator Pitch Workshop

Author Patchree Jones talks about elevator pitches for books from a communications theory background, with plenty of tips for traditionally and indie published authors. (Moderator: Dawn Vogel)

7:30PM - 9:00PM EDT

Saturday July 11th

A Few Strange Things: The World of an Unreliable Narrator

Most of the time, readers are meant to root for their main characters. We empathize and cheer them on as we follow their stories. But what happens when your MCs can't be trusted? How are you supposed to feel when your characters are intentionally unreliable? This panel explores the motivations, implications, and techniques of unreliable narrators. Whether we love or hate our MCs, unreliable narrators serve a unique and realistic foundation for so many stories. Or do they? (Moderator: Patchree Jones)

1:00PM - 2:30PM EDT

Sunday July 12th

Worldbuilding Workshop: Crafting a Queernormative World

Join C.M. Rosens in this interactive workshop to explore worldbuilding specifically for queernormative worlds. (Moderator: Patchree Jones)

2:30PM - 4:00PM EDT

Sunday July 12th

Trains are Awesome: Transportation in Fiction

Moving a character from one location to the next can be as easy as writing, "They left and then they arrived," but there are also plenty of opportunities for development and worldbuilding during these scene changes! This panel discusses how to get your character where they need to go, literally and metaphorically. (Moderator: S. Morgan Burbank)

4:00PM - 5:00PM EDT

Sunday July 12th

Guest of Honor: Carmeline Melchior

Join us for an exclusive interview with Guest of Honor, Carmeline Melchior! We'll talk about her writing journey, influences, challenges, and more! Born in Bangalore, India, and raised in Dubai, UAE, Carmeline Melchior strives to depict the cultures she grew up in accurately and authentically. Her writing is inspired by her challenges growing up in a patriarchal society, her experience as a former strategic affairs journalist, and her love for the great outdoors. Carmeline is represented by Marsal Lyon with the Tobias Literary Agency, and Carolina Beltran and Nicole Weinroth with MWE for film and television. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and baby dog. (Moderator: Patchree Jones)

5:00PM - 6:30PM EDT

Sunday July 12th

How to Find the Right Home for Poems and Short Stories

While many of us trudge through the trenches with our numerous novels and long-form work, there's another side of the industry one may have never considered. Literary magazines, small presses, and online publications often host calls for submissions of short-form work like flash fiction, poetry, and short stories. Sometimes, focusing on short form work has its advantages. This panel discusses the ins and outs of submitting poems and short stories for publication. From the benefits and challenges, to agents and trends, learn about how you can break into publishing with your poems and short stories! (Moderator: Patchree Jones)