Locations of Events
GENERAL ADMISSION
Medina Convention Center
735 Lafayette Rd
Medina, OH 44256
MAIN STAGE
Williams on the Lake
787 Lafayette Rd
Medina, OH 44256
BLACK CAT BOOKS
420 S Court St
119 Lafayette St
Medina, OH 44256
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A General Admission Badge is Required to Attend Any Part of the Big Ohio Book Con. Park your car at this facility and ride the shuttle to other locations.
Main Stage Panels are Optional Add-Ons to Your Badge. Main Stage ticket holders are guaranteed not to be cut off in post-panel signing lines.
Two shuttle buses will take attendees back and forth from all three locations. Must have Big Ohio Book Con badge to ride the shuttle.
Who's speaking on each Main Stage panel? It's a mystery right now! (I mean, we know and admit it's pretty exciting.) The official author lineup & overall Con schedule, including Breakout Panels free with General Admission, drops in February.
In the meantime, take a look at the panel descriptions and save your seats now!
PANELS & EVENTS
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2026
MAIN STAGE
TICKETED EVENT
VIP Cocktail Party
Enjoy a themed cocktail and refreshment hour. Shop the exclusive VIP Book Fair, including signed books from your favorite authors who weren't able to attend this year's Con. (These books may not be available to General Admission-only badge holders.) Attend two exclusive panels with featured headlining authors. Then, join authors for a meet & greet, book sale, and book signing.
Add-on Ticket required to attend for $75 (includes both panels, VIP Book Fair, a cocktail, and Hors d'oeuvres).
Schedule
Author Lineup
Love in a World on Fire: The Rise of Romantasy
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4:30-5:30 p.m.: Themed Cocktail Hour & VIP Book Fair
5:30-6:15 p.m.: Love in a World on Fire: The Rise of Romantasy
6:15-7:50 p.m.: Romantasy Book Sale & Signing
8-8:30 p.m.: Headlining Author Keynote
8:30-9:30 p.m.: Headliner Book Sale & Signing
Location: Main Stage / Williams on the Lake
Headlining Author Keynote
PANELS & EVENTS
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2026
MAIN STAGE
TICKETED PANEL
Spells & Small Towns: The Ultimate Cozy Fiction Panel
Calling all lovers of witchy vibes, warm mugs, and small-town magic! Step into a world of enchanted bookshops, charming familiars, and mysteries by moonlight. This panel brings together your favorite authors who write cozy, magical fiction that feel like a hug. Whether you're into potion-brewing heroines, haunted teahouses, or low-stakes adventures with heart, come celebrate the stories that make magic feel right at home.
10-10:45 a.m.: Panel Discussion on the Main Stage
10:45-11:45 a.m.: Book Sale & Signing
Location: Main Stage / Williams on the Lake
Author Lineup
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MAIN STAGE
TICKETED PANEL
Beyond the Binary: Writing Authentic LGBTQIA+ Stories
LGBTQIA+ stories are as vast and vibrant as the community itself. Join a panel of authors as they discuss the power of authentic representation, the joy of writing beyond the binary, and how identity shapes story and voice. Whether you're looking to see yourself on the page or discover new perspectives, this conversation is a celebration of love, complexity, and the freedom to write (and read) our truest selves.
11-11:45 a.m.: Panel Discussion on the Main Stage
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.: Book Sale & Signing
Location: Main Stage / Williams on the Lake
Author Lineup
MAIN STAGE
TICKETED PANEL
Fire & Spice: From Slow Burn to Full Blaze
Get ready to turn up the heat! In this sizzling panel, your favorite spicy romance authors dish on all things steamy, from the delicious tension of a slow burn to the all-consuming blaze of passion. Hear behind-the-scenes stories about writing unforgettable chemistry, favorite tropes, steamy scenes that almost didn’t make the cut, and what really goes into crafting those fan-favorite spicy moments. Whether you're Team Anticipation or Team Immediate Spark, this panel is for every reader who loves their romance with a whole lot of fire and just the right amount of spice.
1-1:45 p.m.: Panel Discussion on the Main Stage
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.: Book Sale & Signing
Author Lineup
Location: Main Stage / Williams on the Lake
MAIN STAGE
TICKETED PANEL
I Didn't See that Coming: Mastering the Art of Twists & Turns
What makes a story truly terrifying? How do authors build suspense, manipulate fear, and craft moments that make readers sleep with the lights on? Join a chilling panel of horror and thriller writers as they pull back the curtain on the techniques, inspirations, and dark delights behind their most unsettling work. Whether it’s slow-burning dread, shocking twists, or the supernatural unknown, this conversation dives deep into the psychology of fear and the thrill of scaring readers senseless.
2-2:45 p.m.: Panel Discussion on the Main Stage
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.: Book Sale & Signing
Location: Main Stage / Williams on the Lake
Author Lineup
MAIN STAGE
TICKETED PANEL
From Fairytale to Fear: A Descent into Dark Fantasy
Magic, monsters, and quests are familiar elements of fantasy. But let's twist them through a darker lens. This panel explores the strange and unsettling side of the genre, where classic tropes meet the uncanny, and the fantastical becomes just a little… off. These authors blend wonder with unease, drawing on horror, surrealism, and the bizarre to reshape what fantasy can be. Expect eerie landscapes, haunted heroes, and narratives that defy expectations. If you like your dragons with a touch of dread, your magic laced with menace, and your worldbuilding just this side of nightmarish, this is your portal to the dark.
3-3:45 p.m.: Panel Discussion on the Main Stage
3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.: Book Sale & Signing
Author Lineup
Location: Main Stage / Williams on the Lake
MAIN STAGE
TICKETED PANEL
Past as Prologue: Horror’s Historical Lens
History is full of shadows: unsettling truths, forgotten tragedies, and stories that refuse to stay buried. In this chilling and insightful panel, historical horror authors explore how real events, ancient beliefs, and bygone eras shape not only the fears of the past but the anxieties we face today. Discover how writers transform historical injustices, cultural upheavals, and generational scars into haunting narratives that illuminate the ways the past still echoes through our current world. From gothic ruins to wartime terrors, from folklore origins to the haunting parallels of modern events, see how historical horror reveals the dark threads connecting then and now. Come for the ghosts of the past, stay for the truths they reveal.
4-4:45 p.m.: Panel Discussion on the Main Stage
4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.: Book Sale & Signing
Location: Main Stage / Williams on the Lake
Author Lineup
