Blog - Gary David Gillen

ConFusion Detroit 2026 Conference Recap

Introduction

I attended the ConFusion Detroit 2026 Conference at the Sheraton Detroit Novi at 21111 Haggerty Road, Novi, Michigan, from January 30, 2026, to February 1, 2025. I also attended ConFusion Detroit in 2019, 2020, (2021 was canceled due to COVID-19), 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association sponsored the conference. I attended the opening ceremonies, the guests of honor’s dessert reception, four panels, the guest of honor’s interview, and one author’s reading. This year’s theme was Magical Confusion.

This is a link to the ConFusion website.

http://confusionsf.org/

The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association sponsors Detroit ConFusion.

This is my badge for ConFusion Detroit 2026.

The Theme for 2026 was Magical ConFusion

This year’s Writing Guest of Honor was Maurice Braddus.

Home

This is my plate from the guest of honor’s dessert reception held on Friday evening. Yum!

Summary

ConFusion Detroit 2026 Conference Recap

[insert summary here]

Recommendation – Conclusion

[insert recommendation here.]

Links

This is my post about the ConFusion Detroit 2025 Conference from January 24 to 26, 2025. The theme was Monumental ConFusion for the 50^th time they held the event. My stars of the con were John Scalzi and Marie Vibbert.

ConFusion Detroit 2025 Conference

This is my post about the SF conference ConFusion in Detroit, Michigan from January 19 to 21, 2024. The theme was the Labyrinth of ConFusion. My star of the con was Author John Scalzi.

ConFusion Detroit 2024 Conference Recap

In January 2023, I attended the SF conference ConFusion in Detroit, Michigan. I still want to write a post about that.

I attended the SF conference ConFusion in Detroit, Michigan, from January 21 to 23, 2022. The theme was Rising ConFusion. My stars of the con were Guest of Honor author Jim C. Hines and Science Guest of Honor Dr. Jordan Steckloff.

Links – Continued

ConFusion Detroit 2022 Conference Recap

I attended the SF conference ConFusion in Detroit, Michigan, from January 16 to 19, 2020. I attended four panels, two readings, and one interview. The theme of the con was How to Train Your ConFusion, based on the movie, How to Train Your Dragon. My star of the con was John Scalzi. He gave an excellent reading of Chapter Two of his upcoming book, The Last Emperox. My other highlights were Kameron Hurley’s interview and the lecture on Edible Insects and Human Evolution. I’ll be back next year.

Conference Recap ConFusion Detroit 2020

I attended the SF conference ConFusion in Detroit, Michigan, from January 18 to 20, 2019. The theme of the con was Storming the ConFusion, so they chose the areas with names related to the movie The Princess Bride. I had a great drive to Detroit just before the snowstorm came. My star of the con was John Scalzi. He gave an excellent reading and was engaging in the panel I attended. My other highlights were Ada Palmer’s interview and watching The Princess Bride at the Con. I’ll be back next year.

Conference Recap ConFusion Detroit 2019

The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham

The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham (Book #4 of The Long Price Quartet)

Introduction

The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham is the fourth and final book in the Long Price Quartet. The magic of the beings called the andat protects the cities of Khaiem. Their Empire and their magic have receded, so the non-magical Empire of Galt tries to overthrow them. The best Galt general takes away their andat. The former poet Maati seeks to bring back the andat and fix his mistakes. The Emperor of the Khaiem, Otah, seeks to make peace with the Galts. Will Maati or Otah prevail, or will the andat destroy the cities of the Khaiem?

Summary – Background

The cities of the Khaiem are connected by the use of sentient magical creatures called the andat. Each city has one andat controlled by a person called a poet who binds them with a series of words. They name andat by the special task they can perform. Seedless, the andat of the city Saraykeht can magically pick seeds from cotton, functioning just like a magical cotton gin. The andat of the city of Machi called Stone-Made-Soft can help with the mining of ores. The andat also protect the cities by having the power to destroy enemies of the Khaiem. No one has defeated the cities since they obtained their andats. The Old Empire before them used the andat but was destroyed, serving as a warning to them of what could go wrong.

Summary

The Empire of Galt defeated the Khaiem. Balasar Gice was their best general. In winning, he lost for his people.

Maati Vaupathai is a scholar, an apprentice poet who missed his chance to control the andat called Seedless. His actions caused the loss to the Galt’s in the war. He wants to start a school for women to bind andat. In this way, he hopes to atone for his mistakes.

Otah Machi is the sixth son of the Khai Machi. He became the ruler of the city of Machi after his father died. He became a poet apprentice, where he met Maati, and later, Otah was exiled as a laborer. Maati is his old friend, but they have a complicated relationship. The Galts destroy all of the Khaiem except Machi. Otah becomes the Emperor of the Khaiem. He wants to make peace with Galt.

Cehmai held but lost the binding on the andat named Stone-Made-Soft. He considers Maati a mentor. He disappeared after his loss.

Kiyan is Otah’s wife, and she recently passed. She is the mother of their daughter Eiah and their son Danat, Otah’s heir.

Sinja Ajutani is a mercenary captain from Machi. He is the former lover of Kiyan. He is Otah’s best friend and bodyguard.

Recommendation

The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham is a great finale for this fantasy series. The fantasy elements in the series were subtle, focusing more on the political and business spheres, until the ending of the previous novel. The use of the andat in that novel created catastrophic consequences. Maati seeks to bring back the andat to defeat Galt and fix his mistakes. Otah wants to make peace with Galt. The ending of this novel is bittersweet and appropriate.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11550699-the-price-of-spring

In An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham, the magic of the andat protects Otah Machi’s country. The best Galt general learns how to take away their andat. Will Otah Machi defeat the Galts, or will they destroy him and all the cities of Khaiem?

An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham

In A Betrayal in Winter by Daniel Abraham, the Khai Machi is dying, and his sons must fight to the death to follow him. His youngest son, Otah was exiled and presumed dead. Otah still wants to be hidden but is drawn into their conflict. If he doesn’t win, his city will be sacked by the Galts.

Betrayal in Winter by Daniel Abraham

In A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham, the poet-magician Heshai must keep control of the magical creature Seedless, or the Summer Cities will fall to the Empire of Galt.

Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

Memory of Light by Robert Jordan

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, Book Fourteen of the Wheel of Time series.

Introduction

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is the fourteenth book of The Wheel of Time series. The novel follows seven main plot arcs featuring Rand, Mat, Perrin, Elayne, Egwene, Aviendha, and Nynaeve. All seven characters face difficult choices and must grow to get closer to their goals. Will the forces of Light be ready for the Last Battle or will the Dark One win?

Summary – Prologue

The prologue has twelve point-of-view characters, and each point of view sets up a plot arc.

[Insert Summary Here]

Summary–Main Plot Arcs

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson has seven main arcs.

[Insert Summary Here]

Summary–Best Chapters

Two Chapters stand out in A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is the last novel of the series. Rand gets everyone to the Field of Merrilor for the Last Battle, Tarmon Gai’don. Rand, Perrin, Mat, Elayne, Aviendha, Gawyn, and Egwene must overcome challenges. The Final Battle occurs and creates unforeseen consequences.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60508036-a-memory-of-light

Review of Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Rand, Mat, Perrin, Elayne, Egwene, Gawyn, and Aviendha get closer to their goals in this novel.

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan

Review of Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Gawyn get closer to their goals in this novel.

Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan

Review of Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan. Rand, Mat, Perrin, Elayne, and Egwene get closer to their goals in this novel.

Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan

Review of Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan. Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Egwene get closer to their goals in this novel.

Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan

Winters Heart by Robert Jordan has some brilliant scenes but misses conclusions to the plot arcs explored

Winters Heart by Robert Jordan

Review of Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan. When Rand fights the Seanchan, will they defeat him, or will he win across the Path of Daggers?

Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan

Links Continued

This is the link to my review of Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan. When Rand forces the hand of one of the Forsaken, will the Forsaken defeat him, or will he earn a Crown of Swords?

Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan

This is the link to my review of Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan, Book Six of the Wheel of Time. Chaos reigns in the Westlands. They push Rand to the edge of insanity. Will he survive the box?

Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan

This is the link to my review of Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan, Book Five of the Wheel of Time.

Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan

This is the link to my review of Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan, Book Four of the Wheel of Time.

Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan

This is the link to my review of Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan, Book Three of the Wheel of Time.

Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan

This is the link to my review of The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan, Book Two of the Wheel of Time.

Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

This is the link to my review of Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, Book One of the Wheel of Time.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

Writing Progress Report February 2026

This is my Writing Progress Report February 2026.

I attended ConFusion in Novi, Michigan, from January 30, 2026, to February 1, 2025. The conference is located at the Novi Sheraton. This is my plate from the guest of honor dessert reception held on Friday evening. Yum!

Writing Progress from January 2026.

I wrote four blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. Including my writing progress report for January 2026, which I linked below.

Writing Progress Report January 2026

In January 2025, I presented the short story named Pinky Swear to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call.

I will write new short stories in January, February, and March. Last year I completed the novelette version of Chemithurgy. My plan is to expand the story to novella length in 2026.

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in December 2025.

Events from January 2026.

I attended ConFusion in Novi, Michigan, from January 30, 2026, to February 1, 2025. The conference is located at the Novi Sheraton. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association Sponsors ConFusion.

https://2026.confusionsf.org/

The con theme this year is Magical ConFusion.

Here’s the registration details.

https://2026.confusionsf.org/registration/

This year’s Writing Guest of Honor was Maurice Braddus.

Home

Writing Goals for February 2026.

In February 2026, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com, including my Writing Progress Report for February 2026.

I plan to work on a story for the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call in February 2026.

In February 2026, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

In the past, I sent the stories, Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

The seven Flash Fiction Stories I sent out in 2020 and 2021 were Space-Dog Confession, Sleeping Sickness, Caliburnus, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, Wormhole Generator, Runs with Scissors, and Principled Rogue.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. No submissions for 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025.

I plan to submit short stories in 2026.

Planned Events for February 2026.

The next conference I plan to attend is the Cleveland Concoction, from March 6, 2026, to March 8, 2026. They will hold the conference at the Bertram Inn and Conference Center at 600 North Aurora Road, Aurora, Ohio.

This is a link to the ConCoction website.

http://www.clevelandconcoction.org/

Another event I plan to attend is the 41^st Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Lyndhurst, Ohio on March 28, 2026.

This is a link to the Cuyahoga County Library website.

https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

Introduction

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders follows the relationship between a witch, Patricia, and a techno-geek, Laurence. They were friends as children, but have been separated for ten years. Patrica lives in a world of magic, and Laurence lives in a world of science. They meet again when the world unravels. Can magic and science come together and save the world?

Summary

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

[Insert Recommendation Here]

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25372807-all-the-birds-in-the-sky

I think the following two novels I have read are similar to All the Birds in the Sky in terms of the setting and the handling of the romantic interests.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab is a fantasy novel. Will the powerful token that Kell found result in the destruction of the four cities named London?

Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. Tress’s close friend Charlie goes missing. Will Tress rescue him or perish herself?

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Starter Villain by John Scalzi.

Introduction

Starter Villain by John Scalzi is a stand-alone novel but uses a high-concept premise like two of the author’s other novels: The Kaiju Preservation Society and When the Moon Hits Your Eye. The concept for this novel is what if a supervillain passes away and leaves his evil empire to his simple drifter relative. The evil genius’s relative is his nephew, Charlie. What will Charlie do with the evil empire his uncle has left him?

Summary

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

[Insert Recommendation Here]

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Starter Villain by John Scalzi.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62326571-starter-villain

Shattering Peace by John Scalzi is the seventh book in the Old Man’s War series. The Colonial Union, the Earth, and the Conclave are in an uneasy 10-year truce, but something goes wrong with their shared secret Colony of Unity. Gretchen Trujillo, as a Colonial Union ambassador, must find out what happened at the colony. Will Gretchen save the colony, or will the colony perish, leading to the extermination of humanity?

Shattering Peace by John Scalzi

End of All Things by John Scalzi is the sixth book in the Old Man’s War series. Can the Colonial Union save humanity from extinction?

End of All Things by John Scalzi

Human Division by John Scalzi is the fifth book in the Old Man’s War series. The book is a series of 15 interrelated stories mainly about Lieutenant Harry Wilson of the Colonial Union’s B Team. Harry was a friend of John Perry, the hero of the previous novels in the series. Can the team avoid a war with the Conclave and save humanity?

Human Division by John Scalzi

Links continued

Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi is the fourth book in the Old Man’s War series. This novel tells the events from the previous story, The Last Colony, from the point of view of Zoe Boutin Perry.

Zoes Tale by John Scalzi

Last Colony by John Scalzi is the third book in the Old Man’s War series. John Perry and his family colonized a new planet. Can he protect the colony, or will the colony perish, leading to the extermination of humanity?

Last Colony by John Scalzi

Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi is the second book in the Old Man’s War series. Jared Dirac is a clone with another man’s memories. He must save humanity from three allied alien races determined to destroy humanity.

Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

Old Man’s War is the first novel in the Old Man’s War series. This is the link to my review.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

Female Man by Joanna Russ

Introduction

The Female Man by Joanna Russ was released in 1975, fifty years ago. Four identical women, separated by chance, come together for a reason revealed only at the end of the novel. The novel explores how their different upbringing shapes each of these women. It was disturbing and thought-provoking.

Summary

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

[Insert Recommendation Here]

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Female Man by Joanna Russ.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/845529.The_Female_Man

The following novel was published in 1974, one year before The Female Man, and covers a similar theme.

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. Will Kris Kelvin understand the Solaris entity before it is too late, and all the researchers are dead?

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem

Writing Progress Report January 2026

This is my Writing Progress Report January 2026.

Merry Christmas!

Writing Progress from December 2025.

I wrote four blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. Including my writing progress report for December 2025, which I linked below.

Writing Progress Report December 2025

In December 2025, we did not meet during the holidays at the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call. In January and February, I will write new short stories. Last year I completed the novelette version of Chemithurgy. My plan is to expand the story to novella length in 2026.

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in December 2025.

Events from December 2025.

None this month

Writing Goals for January 2026.

In January 2026, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com, including my Writing Progress Report for January 2026.

I plan to work on a story for the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call in January 2026.

In January 2026, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

In the past, I sent the stories, Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. No submissions for 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025.

I plan to submit short stories in 2026.

Planned Events for January 2026.

The next conference I plan to attend is ConFusion in Novi, Michigan, from January 30, 2026, to February 1, 2025. The conference is located at the Novi Sheraton. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association Sponsors ConFusion.

Front Page

The con theme next year is Magical ConFusion.

Here’s the registration details.

Registration

This year’s Writing Guest of Honor is Maurice Braddus.

Home

Human Division by John Scalzi

The Human Division by John Scalzi, Old Man’s War Book #5

Introduction

Summary

The book was originally published online as 13 episodes. The episodes were collected with the addition of two more episode included.

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

[Insert Recommendation Here]

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Human Division by John Scalzi, Old Man’s War Book #5

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15698479-the-human-division

Shattering Peace by John Scalzi is the seventh book in the Old Man’s War series. The Colonial Union, the Earth, and the Conclave are in an uneasy 10-year truce, but something goes wrong with their shared secret Colony of Unity. Gretchen Trujillo as a Colonial Union ambassador must find out what happened at the colony. Will Gretchen save the colony, or will the colony perish leading to the extermination of humanity?

Shattering Peace by John Scalzi

End of All Things by John Scalzi is the sixth book in the Old Man’s War series. Can the Colonial Union save humanity from extinction?

End of All Things by John Scalzi

Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi is the fourth book in the Old Man’s War series. This novel tells the events from the previous story, The Last Colony, from the point of view of Zoe Boutin Perry.

Zoes Tale by John Scalzi

Last Colony by John Scalzi is the third book in the Old Man’s War series. John Perry and his family colonized a new planet. Can he protect the colony, or will the colony perish leading to the extermination of humanity?

Last Colony by John Scalzi

Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

Old Man’s War is the first novel in the Old Man’s War series. This is the link to my review.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Introduction

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is a dark fantasy satire about the potential coming of the apocalypse. Aziraphale is an angel posing as a rare book dealer in England and Crowley is a demon living like a rock star in England. They like their lives as they are. Crowley learns about the coming of the Antichrist, so he knows the time is near, and he asks Aziraphale to help him. Can Aziraphale and Crowley avoid Armageddon and keep their comfortable lives intact?

Summary of the Novel

There are several Point of view characters in the novel.

The main characters are the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale, who first meet at the Garden of Eden.

Crowley enjoys living in England at the current time. He remembers how bad it was in the 17^th century and even worse in the 14^th century and is happy now.

The forces of Hell give Crowley the Antichrist to swap with the baby of an American diplomat. The swap is botched unknown to Crowley. Crowley and Aziraphale try to steer the child to avoid Armageddon. But it’s the wrong child, Warlock Dowling.

The Antichrist grows up in England as Adam Young. He and his three friends call themselves The Them. Adam grows in his power as he ages.

Anathema Device is the descendant of the witch Agnes Nutter, who wrote cryptic prophecies. Anathema with the help of Witchfinder Private Newton Pulsifer try to decipher the prophecies and avoid Armageddon.

The four horsemen of the apocalypse arrive, Death War, Famine, and Pollution. All in their human form.

Recommendation

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is a great novel if you like British humor, which I do. Twisting the premise of The Omen is inspired and turning it into a comedy is gold. Aziraphale and Crowley are perfect together. The first season of the Amazon Prime Good Omens show adapted this novel. Their second proposed but unwritten novel was the basis for season two of the show. A movie is scheduled to release in early 2026 to wrap up the story. I’m looking forward to watching that to see how it ends.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44531714-good-omens

My review of American Gods by Neil Gaiman, book 1 of the American Gods series. The Old Gods have lost power. Shadow Moon is caught up in the war between the Old Gods and the New Gods. Will Shadow survive?

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Link to my review of Red Prophet by Orson Scott Card. Alvin Miller is the seventh son of a seventh son which gives him special powers in this alternate history tale of America set in 1811. In American Gods and in Red Prophet, the gods are alive and interact with people.

Red Prophet by Orson Scott Card