Kevin Hearne heads Sci-Fi Extravaganza at Poisoned Pen

Kevin Hearne achieved a writer's dream last year. The creator of the best-selling "Iron Druid Chronicles" quit his job as an English teacher at Desert Ridge High School in Mesa and became a full-time author.

He also left Arizona for the cooler climes of Colorado.

"Basically it was for the weather," he says during a recent interview. "And trees. I like them and Phoenix doesn't have them."

But he is returning this week, albeit briefly, as a guest of Phoenix Comicon.

"Kevin Hearne once thought that he could leave Phoenix, that he could leave me," local author Sam Sykes says jokingly. "But the bonds of blood and ink are thick and elastic and sooner or later, they all come snapping back."

Hearne is also hosting a Sci-Fi Extravaganza at the Poisoned Pen on Wednesday, May 27, with 16 other sci-fi and fantasy authors.

"The idea was to have a get-together for fans who weren't able to make Comicon," Hearne says. "We originally planned on 11 authors and were calling it 'Elevengeddon.' But more authors heard about it and wanted to get involved, so it's gotten bigger and bigger."

Buckeye's Beth Cato is one of the authors joining Hearne at the Sci-Fi Extravaganza. Her second novel, "The Clockwork Crown," will be available at the event before its June 9 release.

"Elevengeddon is like a big family reunion," she says. "Events like Elevengeddon and Phoenix Comicon allow us to crawl out of our computerized caves, squint at the sun, then goof off with like-minded eccentric souls. We're authors, but we're also readers who completely geek out over meeting our favorite authors."

And Hearne is excited to meet some of the authors as well.

"Naomi Novik is going to be there," he says. "I loved her "Temeraire" series and her new novel, "Uprooted," is great. But I've never met her. I'm a total fanboy, so I can't wait to squee and tell her how awesome she is."

Many of the authors appearing at the Sci-Fi Extravaganza are also involved in the "Holy Taco Church," a loose group of writers who share recipes and blog about food, of which Hearne is the "Taco Pope."

"Authors are obliged to self-promote, but that can be hard on the writer and the reader — the hard-sell approach, saying 'buy my book' " he says. "So we decided to talk about food — we all love our tacos and margaritas. And after sharing recipes or reviews of cool places to find tacos, we'd mention that we also write books. It's a more user-friendly, soft-sell approach and the readers appreciate it."

Cato, the "High Priestess of Churromancy" in the Holy Taco Church, agrees.

"We're all part of it because we believe happiness is found in good company and good food and drink, and hey, we all love books, too. Promoting our books is an aside."

While he is visiting, Hearne is also looking forward to revisiting some of his old local haunts, like Taco Guild and especially Rula Bula.

"They seriously had the best fish and chips I've ever tasted. I haven't found anything that comes close," he says of the the Tempe pub. "I've found a decent taco place (in Colorado) that makes me happy, but I haven't found a good Irish pub in general yet."

Rula Bula figures prominently in the "Iron Druid Chronicles." The series follows Atticus, an ancient druid running an occult bookstore in Tempe. That shop is located near Ash Avenue and University Drive, and Atticus often visits Rula Bula for lunch, sharing plates of sausages with his immortal wolfhound, Oberon.

"His shop is next door to Casey Moore's, but I wanted (Atticus) to have adventures along Mill Avenue as he visited Rula Bula. It was convenient storytelling on my part." he says. "And what can I say, I like Rula Bula's fish and chips better!"

Hearne is winding down the "Iron Druid" series soon. The eighth book, "Staked," is expected later this year, with a final, ninth book due in 2016. But he has plenty other work on his plate. He is working on a new epic fantasy novel and recently published the "Star Wars" novel "Heir to the Jedi." The novel, set shortly after "A New Hope," follows Luke Skywalker as he struggles to learn about the Force while flying covert missions for the Rebellion.

It was the opportunity to tell the story of something I always wondered about as a kid. How did Luke grow in the Force between Episodes Four and Five?" he says. "Ben Kenobi was dead, but Luke hadn't met Yoda yet. He still starts out with new telekinesis powers that were never explained. I got to tell that story. It was a great opportunity."

So whether you want to geek out over "The Force Awakens," share your latest Mexican-food discovery or get your Iron Druid novels signed, join Hearne and his friends at the Poisoned Pen.

"It's probably going to spill outside, but 7 p.m. in May shouldn't be too uncomfortable. Come in, say hi to whoever you'd like. Get some books signed, take a picture or two," he says. "It's going to be a friendly evening."

And Cato says not to be afraid to approach "his holiness."

"Readers might feel shy about approaching big-name authors, authors who have been on the New York Times list, but Kevin is down-to-earth and approachable. He's so sweet, your teeth hurt if you stand too close to him," she says.

"He's a jovial, Santa Claus-like Taco Pope."

Sci-Fi Extravaganza, aka Elevengeddon

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 27.

Where: Poisoned Pen Bookstore, 4014 N. Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale.

Admission: Free.

Details: 480-947-2974, poisonedpen.com.

The following authors will be joining Hearne at the Sci-Fi Extravaganza.

Stephen Blackmoore

This urban-fantasy author writes LA noir, following necromancer Eric Carter through a hard-boiled world filled with brujos and Aztec death cultists. The most recent novel, "Broken Souls," came out in 2014, with the third entry, "Hungry Ghosts," delayed until 2016.

Beth Cato

This Buckeye resident released her debut novel, "The Clockwork Dagger," in Sept. 2014. The steampunk fantasy, about a magical healer involved in a murder mystery on an airship, is a finalist for the Locus Award for best debut novel. The sequel, "The Clockwork Crown," comes out June 9, but will be available in advance at the Sci-Fi Extravaganza and Phoenix Comicon.

Wesley Chu

A stuntman and actor (he appeared in a commercial with Michael Jordan), Chu is known for his "Tao" trilogy, a humorous sci-fi adventure series where aliens possess humans and control our history. The finale, "The Rebirths of Tao," hit stores in April, and he has a new novel, "Time Salvager," coming in July. Chu is also up for the John D. Campbell Award for best new writer, which will be presented with the Hugo Awards this year.

Myke Cole

This Coast Guard Reserve officer and New York police officer won the Compton Crook Award for best debut with 2013 military fantasy "Control Point," which he describes as "Black Hawk Down" meets the X-Men. His latest, "Gemini Cell," follows a slain Navy SEAL who becomes an undead killing machine for a government spook agency.

Delilah S. Dawson

Dawson's work spans from romance and horror to dystopian YA. She also teaches regular online classes for aspiring writers. Her latest novel, "Hit," which hit shelves just before tax day, is set in the near future where the economy has collapsed and collection agencies allow people to work off their credit-card debt by performing assassinations.

Jason Hough

Hough's debut trilogy, "The Dire Earth," was released in rapid succession in 2013. Set in a post-apocalyptic Australia where humanity is threatened by a virus that turns people into zombies, the survivors head to Darwin to build a space elevator with the aid of the alien Builders. His new novel, the unrelated "Zero World," comes out in August.

Richard Kadrey

This San Francisco-based author published his debut novel, the cyberpunk "Metrophage," in 1988, but he is best known for the hard-boiled "Sandman Slim" urban-fantasy series. Set in an undead-filled Los Angeles, the series follows James "Sandman Slim" Stark, a damned soul who fought in hell's gladiator pits before escaping back to Earth. The latest entry, "Killing Pretty," is coming in July.

Michael Martinez

Take Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin tall-ship adventures and set them in outer space and you have Martinez's series, "Daedalus." But there's more. The tale of space-faring Napoleonic frigates intersects with a futuristic alien invasion in this unusual alternate-history series, the latest of which, "The Venusian Gambit," was released May 5.

Brian McClellan

A former student of best-selling author Brandon Sanderson ("Mistborn," "Words of Radiance"), McClellan writes "flintlock fantasy." His "Powder Mage Trilogy" features sharpshooters who ingest gunpowder for magically heightened senses. The finale, "The Autumn Republic," was released in February.

Naomi Novik

Known for her "Temeraire" series, a reimagining of the Napoleonic Wars with intelligent dragons and air combat, Novik recently returned to her Polish immigrant heritage with "Uprooted." The dark fairy tale, which draws from "Beauty and the Beast" stories and the legend of Baba Yaga, hit stores May 19.

Andrea Phillips

A transmedia writer and game designer, Phillips has worked with Roland Emmerich for the video game the 2012 Experience, based on the movie "2012," as well as with musician Thomas Dolby for "A Map of the Floating City." Her debut novel, "Revision," hit stores May 5.

Cherie Priest

Best known for the pioneering steampunk series "The Clockwork Century," Priest recently earned a acclaim for her weird horror novel "Maplecroft," which featured ax-whacker Lizzy Borden fighting Lovecraftian sea creatures. Her latest book is the YA graphic novel "I Am Princess X," which comes out Tuesday, May 26.

Brian Staveley

A professor and small-press editor, Staveley debuted with "The Emperor's Blades," which came out in early 2014. The first in "The Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne" trilogy, it follows the three children of an assassinated emperor as they attempt to unearth the conspiracy behind their father's death, which points to a race of godlike beings thought long dead. The second entry, "The Providence of Fire," hit shelves in January.

Sam Sykes

The son of "Outlander" author Diana Gabaldon, this Scottsdale author recently published his fourth novel, "The City Stained Red." The first in his "Bring Down Heaven" trilogy, it follows a group of broken, unlikable adventurers as they attempt to collect a reward in a powder keg of a city filled with cultists, armies and giant spiders.

Chuck Wendig

This irascible and prolific novelist, screenwriter and game designer blogs writing advice from his shed in between his numerous novels. Best known for the Miriam Black urban-fantasy series, he is publishing the upcoming "Star Wars" novel "Aftermath," which picks up the story after the events of "Return of the Jedi." His latest novel, the YA adventure "Atlanta Burns," came out in January.

Django Wexler

Another flintlock fantasist, Wexler debuted with the "Shadow Campaigns" series, which features 19th-century colonial warfare mixed with sorcery. The latest, "The Price of Valor," hits stores in July; in the meantime you can read his unrelated YA offering "The Mad Apprentice," about a magical teen who can enter books and subdue monsters within the pages.