Arisia 2019, from my perspective, went pretty well. It was chaotic due to the different venue and the difficulty of the events leading up to the con, but it went fine. Nice conversations, fun people, and, memorably, a Toast Party. I look forward to watching the convention continue to develop as well as its return to the Westin.
Now we slide from one convention right into another!
Y'all ready for Boskone? Because here's my schedule.
Now we slide from one convention right into another!
Y'all ready for Boskone? Because here's my schedule.
Agency and Free Will in Speculative Fiction
Format: Panel
15 Feb 2019, Friday 18:00 - 18:50, Harbor III (Westin)
Fantasy often makes use of prophecy. But when a protagonist is the prophesied one, how can they experience true conflict, risk — or agency? They can’t fail, right? Shouldn’t this deflate the reader’s interest? What happens when you have conflicting prophecies? And if we’re in a mechanistic universe, governed by the laws of physics, where is free will?
Juliana Spink Mills (M), Gillian Daniels, Rebecca Roanhorse, Greer Gilman, M. C. DeMarco
Speculative Films for the Ages
Format: Panel
15 Feb 2019, Friday 20:00 - 20:50, Marina 4 (Westin)
Star Wars and 2001 are perennial front-runners in the list of greatest SF/F/H films of all time. Would you include The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, since it inspired Godzilla? The Matrix? Blade Runner? And how about non-Western films? Come ready with your roster — and your reasons — to challenge the choices of our film-buff panelists.
Bob Devney (M), Gillian Daniels, Garen Daly (44th Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Marathon) , Elwin Cotman (Vanguard Classical East), Daniel M. Kimmel
Reading by Gillian Daniels
Format: Reading
16 Feb 2019, Saturday 14:00 - 14:25, Independence (Westin)
Gillian Daniels
Tough Love for New Writers
Format: Panel
16 Feb 2019, Saturday 20:00 - 20:50, Burroughs (Westin)
The writing profession is tough, but not without opportunities. If you have a thin skin, need quick gratification, or aren't in it for the long haul, give up now. Still interested? Where does a wordsmith go to hone his skill? Where can a writer find a critique group? From online to print, a plethora of publications are accepting submissions. Some of them reject with lightning speed; others take months to say no! But say an acceptance arrives. Some pay; some don't. What does "success" really mean? And why should you plan on keeping your day job for a long, long time?
Brett James (M), E. C. Ambrose, Neil Clarke (Clarkesworld Magazine), Gillian Daniels, Joe Monti (Saga Press, Simon & Schuster)
The Power of Female Friendships
Format: Panel
17 Feb 2019, Sunday 14:00 - 14:50, Marina 4 (Westin)
Stories featuring heroines like Wynonna Earp and Buffy Summers have given us strong female characters who aren't dependent upon or eroded by romantic relationships. While formidable female friendships are becoming more common in SF/F/H literature and film, they are still rare. What other examples can we find? Why are they so striking and powerful? Why don't we see more of them?
Kate Elliott, Gillian Daniels (M), Julia Rios (Fireside Magazine), Brenda Noiseux, Erin Roberts
