Arisia 2026 is upon us! This weekend, you can find me on programming. As a note, "Harvard Square," "Kendall Square," and "Porter Square" refers to conference rooms in the hotel, not the actual squares in the Greater Boston area.
I'm looking forward to seeing folks this weekend. Please say "hi!" I'd love to talk about the novel process and everything that goes with it.
Ask The Toastmaster: House of Toast
3:00 PM
Harvard Square
Gillian Daniels (moderator), Joseph Andelman, Lyndsay Ely, Sam Smith
It's Arisia's favorite snack party, the House of Toast! How did this delicious event come to be? Hear from the Toastmaster General and his assistants and get all your sticky, crumbly questions answered. Toast not included.
1% Nightmares
4:15 PM
Kendall Square
Gillian Daniels (moderator), Kid Coraller, Moriko
The wealth inequality in the United States continues to expand ever year, with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Like many other social issues, the horror genre has commented on this matter. From The People Under the Stairs to Ready or Not, the affluent aren't meant to be envied but feared. Panelists will discuss how scary pop culture has critiqued the ultra wealthy.
Saturday Readings
5:30 PM
Kendall Square
Andrea Hairston, BH Pierce, Gillian Daniels, Greer Gilman, Katie Hallahan
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Beasts In Books: Mythological, Cryptid, and More
4:15 PM
Porter Square A
Gillian Daniels (moderator), Kevin Turausky, Liz "Khaaaaaan" Salazar, Siobhan Flanagan
Creatures that are magical, mysterious, and creepy abound in speculative fiction. Find out how the representation of these beings has changed over time and with an increasing awareness of nonhuman animals' intellectual, social, and emotional capacities.
The Twisted History of Body Horror
8:00 PM
Porter Square A
Gillian Daniels (moderator), Kristina Spinney, Timothy Luz
Between the recent critical and financial successes of The Substance and Together, body horror is having a moment. But if one looks further back, this subgenre where bodies undergo disturbing changes is nothing new. From Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to The Fly to The Ugly Stepsister, our panel will break down body horror over time, and why it is having a resurgence now.
