Vendor Expo

One Day. Every Tool You Need. Your Complete Author Business Built.

• Meet your dream cover designer face-to-face
• Test-drive the latest AI and productivity tools
• Get exclusive event-only discounts
• Build your perfect production team in hours, not months
• Skip the endless online research - try everything in person
• Collect stamps in our Expo Prize Quest

Evening Meetup

Vendor Mixer

Connect with vendors over evening drinks and networking.

Stick around for the Expo Prize Quest drawing, where you could win a ticket and hotel stay for 2026 or take home exclusive prizes from our vendors!

Opening Session

Author Nation Team: Praxis

In this high-energy kickoff, we're ripping up the old playbook where you learn, go home, and hope to implement.

Opening Keynote

Andrew Davis: 

The Cube of Creativity

Why adding constraints sparks innovation, action, & builds business.

We all need bigger budgets, more resources, more time! You'd love more team members, fewer meetings, and better equipment. Yeah, we'd all love to see bigger, faster results! We're all stressed out, overworked, and doing more with less.

Maybe, instead of fighting all these constraints, we need to embrace them.

All-Day Sessions

Choose your path: Dive into expert-led sessions spanning craft to AI, network at our buzzing Mix & Mingle Midway, or dabble in a bit of both.

This year's programming features nine power tracks all running simultaneously - from Marketing to Mindset, Audio to Automation.

Chase what calls to you. Build what you need.

Evening Meetup

Genre Mixer

Connect with authors in your genre over evening drinks and networking.

Morning Sessions

Transform your morning with dynamic learning that matters to you.

Whether you're drawn to our cutting-edge AI workshops, intimate craft sessions, or the vibrant networking hub, your perfect path awaits.

Every hour brings new opportunities to connect, create, and grow. Make this morning count.

Afternoon Sessions

Roll straight from lunch into advanced intensives: deep-dive marketing funnels, master AI tools hands-on, crack the audiobook code, or scale your IP empire.

Grab your laptop—we're building your future in real-time.

Evening Meetup

Regional Mixer

Connect with authors in your geographic region over evening drinks and networking.

Morning Sessions

Launch into a high-impact final day designed to elevate your author journey.

Choose from intensive craft deep-dives, advanced marketing, or hands-on tech workshops that turn tools into opportunities.

Nine parallel tracks deliver exactly what you need—from scene mastery to sales funnels, brand building to business automation. 

Afternoon Sessions

Cap off your conference experience with focused sessions that turn inspiration into action. Whether you're fine-tuning your series strategy, mastering rapid release techniques, or mapping out your next twelve months, Thursday afternoon is all about concrete next steps. Our specialized tracks merge creative craft with business savvy - from advanced story structure to revenue optimization, launch logistics to long-term career design. 

Closing Keynote

A Master Storyteller's Journey: James Patterson

Close out our conference with one of the world's most compelling storytellers. James Patterson, whose books have sold over 425 million copies, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable journey from advertising executive to literary phenomenon. With his signature blend of candor and wit, Patterson shares the unconventional decisions that shaped his career, his bold moves to reach new readers, and his passionate commitment to promoting literacy. Get ready for an unforgettable hour of industry insights, creative wisdom, and the unexpected stories behind his global bestsellers.

From revolutionizing the thriller genre to reimagining what's possible in publishing, Patterson's keynote promises to send you home inspired to push your own boundaries and write your next chapter. Don't miss this rare opportunity to learn from a true pioneer who continues to transform the publishing landscape.

Reader Nation

Attend the signing event featuring 200+ authors.

• Your ticket grants you access to our reader event.
• Your ticket doesn't include access to a signing table—applications to have a table open in March for ticket holders.

The After Party

The Virtual Vault: Where No Session Goes Unseen

Miss some must-see sessions? We've got you covered. Our innovative video after party transforms FOMO into opportunity with full access to every moment of magic from our multi-track conference.

Dive into any session you couldn't attend, but with an exclusive bonus—join live virtual Q&As with each speaker, turning recorded content into dynamic conversations.
 

Your all-access pass includes:

• Lifetime access to recordings of every breakout session
• Downloadable audio files for learning on the go
• Advanced AI-powered search tools to find exactly what you need
• Interactive transcripts for quick reference
• Live virtual Q&As with speakers for deeper insights

Transform overwhelming options into unlimited opportunity. The conference may end, but your learning journey is just beginning.