POTTSTOWN, Pa., Feb. 1, 2021—Realm Makers, the premier writers community for Christian authors of fantasy and science fiction, opened registration today for its annual conference on July 15–17 in St. Louis, Missouri. Authors can register at RealmMakers.com for the event hosted at the Sheraton Westport Chalet Hotel.

This year’s hybrid conference gives writers two options to participate. They can sign up to attend in person, up to a current guest limit of 250, or they can use the online option to experience the conference from home, interacting socially with the in-person attendees on the dedicated Realm Makers social network. Organizers said they expect in-person tickets to sell out quickly, given the limited 50 percent capacity required to follow COVID-19 requirements. However, all Realm Makers speakers and instructors will host their classes live from the St. Louis hotel, both for in-person guests (who will observe local safety requirements) and online attendees.

New York Times–bestselling novelist Frank E. Peretti will keynote the conference. Peretti’s novels have sold over 15 million copies worldwide, including the spiritual warfare thrillers This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. He has written other supernatural-themed novels as well as The Cooper Kids Adventure Series.

“We’re excited to offer the conference even in these tumultuous times,” said conference director and co-founder Rebecca P. Minor. “We believe this is a pivotal point in history for authors to equip themselves to effectively contribute their voices to the world’s dialogue on so many heart-centered issues. Fantastical stories have a unique ability to circumvent readers’ presuppositions. At Realm Makers, our goal is to create a welcoming space where our faith-focused attendees can explore both their craft and the deeper spiritual implications of the creative life.”

Attendees will choose from classes taught by industry professionals, agents, and mentors such as David Farland, Steve Laube, and Allen Arnold. Novelists such as Nadine Brandes and Sharon Hinck will share their experience in crafting and selling fiction. Teen writers can also sign up for their own course taught by Daniel Schwabauer, author and creator of the One Year Adventure Novel.

At 7 p.m. Friday, July 16, attendees and faculty are invited to celebrate their favorite stories at the Realm Awards banquet. Organizers encourage guests who attend in person or online to feature their costumes as Realm Makers announces winners in several categories for the best speculative novels released in 2020.

Visit RealmMakers.com for more event information, including updated lists of faculty members, conference fees, available classes, and attendance figures.

About Realm Makers: Realm Makers began in 2013, and from small origins has grown to serve hundreds of Christian fiction authors at annual conferences, whose faculties have included bestselling novelists such as Ted Dekker, Tosca Lee, Brent Weeks, and N. D. Wilson. Realm Makers exists to help creative Christians in their journeys, providing education in craft, connections with industry professionals, and strategies for finding readers who love these kinds of stories. Meanwhile, the Realm Makers Bookstore offers a curated collection of speculative fiction from Christian authors, traveling to sci-fi and fantasy cons as well as homeschool conventions.