It’s Boskone this weekend (and possibly yet another blizzard)
This weekend, it’s Boskone. Friday afternoon is free so you can try the con out to see if you like it before you commit for the weekend. (And since there may be a lot of snow coming Saturday night, Boskone may be quite the commitment this year.)
Anyway, here my Boskone schedule:
The Continuing Adventures of the QUILTBAG
Friday 18:00 - 18:50, Harbor II (Westin)
Our media may be starting to feature more characters and situations from the queer/questioning, undecided, intersex, lesbian, transgender/transsexual, bisexual, allied/asexual, gay/genderqueer (QUILTBAG) perspective, but there’s still a long way to go. How do we move from tokenism to full inclusion? We’ll discuss favorite characters, new challenges, and available resources for writers and readers.
John Chu (M), Susan Jane Bigelow, Justine Graykin, Julia Rios, Jill Shultz
Translation in SF and Fantasy
Saturday 10:00 - 10:50, Marina 4 (Westin)
Translated books can expand our imaginations with ideas from different perspectives and cultures. We’ll discuss why it’s important to share books via translation as well as the challenges specific to translating science fiction, fantasy, and some of our other favorite genres. Panelists also share some of their favorite “must read” translations.
Neil Clarke (M), John Chu, Fred Lerner, Ken Liu
Reading: Julia Rios
Saturday 14:00-14:25 Independence
I’ll be reading a snippet from my short story “Double Time” published in the anthology Kaleidoscope as part of Julia’s reading.
Writing About Groups to Which You do not Belong
Saturday 15:00 - 15:50, Harbor I (Westin)
Writing diverse characters necessarily requires writing people who are not like you. When these characters come from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented or targets of discrimination, it is necessary to approach this task with care — but the need to be careful sometimes scares off well-intentioned authors. What techniques can be used to understand and communicate their perspectives? Where is the line between writing inclusively and co-opting a story that is not yours to tell?
David Anthony Durham, Jarvis Sheffield, Brianna Spacekat Wu, John Chu
Fun with Silly Poses
Saturday 21:30 - 22:00, Harbor II+III (Westin)
Expect to emit great giggles at our group reenactments of scenes from SF/fantasy/horror cover art. Warning: high probability of awkward audience participation and pretty pathetic props.
Erin Underwood (M), John Chu, Bruce Coville, David Anthony Durham, Max Gladstone, Mur Lafferty
The New Doctor Who Crew
Sunday 10:00 - 10:50, Harbor III (Westin)
Doctor Who has a new Doctor as well as new recurring characters. What do we think? How well are they representing the series? What should they do next? What wouldn’t be tolerated?
Jim Mann (M), Kate Baker, Dana Cameron, Tim Szczesuil, John Chu
Reading: John Chu
Sunday 12:00 - 12:25, Griffin (Westin)
I’m not sure what I’ll be reading yet. Show up and find out!