MidAmeriCon II, I’ll be there!
I’m going to be at MidAmeriCon II (aka the 74th WorldCon) in Kansas City from August 17-21 and I will be on programming. Here is what I’m scheduled for:
Your Character Ate What? #
Thursday 17:00 - 18:00, 2504B (Kansas City Convention Center)
A Hollywood-Squares style game that will challenge your memory, your appetite, and your constitution at the same time.
Fran Wilde (M) , Elizabeth Bear, Scott Lynch, Max Gladstone, Esther Friesner, John Chu
Reading: John Chu #
Friday 10:30 - 10:57, 2202 (Readings) (Kansas City Convention Center)
(Yes, the reading runs to 10:57 because I have a panel at 11am.)
I’ll be reading… something. It’ll almost surely be something unpublished. Show up! What I read can be a surprise to the both of us.
John Chu
Privilege of Beauty in Film & Television #
Friday 11:00 - 12:00, 2206 (Kansas City Convention Center)
While characters in novels aren’t always attractive, the same cannot be said for those whose faces grace the big and small screens. There are few unattractive characters and most are outright stunning. When confronted by a steady stream of actors such as Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Jensen Ackles, Elizabeth Taylor, Lucy Liu, or Paul Newman, what effect does this lack of “beauty” diversity have on audiences? How does beauty differ from page to screen to real life? Do we crave the illusion of beauty in television and film or is it just part of a storytelling toolkit for the digital medium? Does beauty matter or is it another form of bias that we need to stamp out?
Mr. Peadar O Guilin, Nicki Lynch (M), Craig Miller, Christine Taylor-Butler, John Chu
Hamilton as Alternative History and Fanfiction #
Friday 18:00 - 19:00, 3501H (Kansas City Convention Center)
What does Hamilton have to do with science fiction? Quite a lot! If we accept Hamilton as a form of alternative history, it is absolutely SF. Even if we don’t, we can claim it to be fanfiction, which is a clear and present element within the SF community. We discuss Hamilton and everything about it.
Mark Oshiro (M), Mx Rachael Acks, John Chu, Sunil Patel, Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Magazine Group Reading: Lightspeed Magazine #
Saturday 17:00 - 18:00, 2202 (Readings) (Kansas City Convention Center)
Our Magazine Group Reading Series continues with a special group reading that features authors from Lightspeed Magazine.
John Joseph Adams (M), John Chu, Sarah Pinsker, Caroline M. Yoachim, Carrie Vaughn, Kenneth Schneyer
Doctor Who - The Companions #
Sunday 13:00 - 14:00, 2503B (Kansas City Convention Center)
Doctor Who has spanned decades of fans, several Doctors and many companions. With a new companion joining the adventure, this is a perfect time to discuss the Doctor’s different relationships across space and time. Panelists share their opinions about which relationships they think were the most moving, interesting, and dynamic. We will also look at what’s missing from the history of companions and what we hope to see in the future.
Jim Mann (M), John Chu, Katie Daniels, Cat Greenberg, Jenifer Boles