My LonCon3 Schedule
After a little back-and-forth, I now have my schedule for LonCon 3, aka the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention, aka WorldCon. I’m a little sad that the panel discussing the Best FanCast finalists couldn’t find enough qualified panelists for the time slot. The 7(!) finalists are all awesome in their own way and it would have been fun to talk about them.
On the plus side, I have a reading! That’s genuinely a pleasant surprise. The programme committee has come up with a bunch of really interesting panels. (If I understand correctly, there should also be a “The World at WorldCon: Chinese SF.” I’m really looking forward to seeing that panel.)
We’ll see how it goes…
Stroll with the Stars #
Saturday 09:00 - 10:00, Front of Aloft (ExCeL)
This will be a nice morning stroll with some of our favourite Authors, Artists and Editors. (And we stress, “stroll” - def: a leisurely walk. This will not be a heart-pounding aerobic activity, it will be a stroll). Join us for some fresh air, a healthy stroll and some good conversation. A leisurely mile - which will take a little more than a half hour but less than an hour. Strolls will leave at 9AM from in front of the Aloft Hotel, and will return by 10AM, rain or shine.
Edward James (M), Robin Hobb, John Chu, Scott Edelman, Bill Fawcett, Thomas Olde Heuvelt, Jody Lynn Nye, Jeff VanderMeer, Ann Vandermeer
Reading: John Chu #
Saturday 10:30 - 11:00, London Suite 1 (ExCeL)
John Chu
The World at Worldcon: Chinese Diaspora SF #
Saturday 15:00 - 16:30, Capital Suite 14 (ExCeL)
Chinese immigrants have gone all over the world for 400 years. However, the Chinese diaspora has written science fiction only in the last 4 decades, with Laurence Yep possibly being the first Chinese American science fiction writer. Now they are becoming more prominent, and writers such as Ken Liu and Ted Chiang have become well known. What do their stories say about the immigrant experience (often a sort of alien experience) and about ethnicity, identity, and culture in America, Canada, Europe, Philippines, Malaysia, and other countries? How have they combined Chinese society with those of other countries?
Emily Jiang (M), Eric Choi , John Chu, Derwin Mak
Understanding Translation #
Saturday 19:00 - 20:00, Capital Suite 8+11 (ExCeL)
The profile of non-Anglophone science fiction and fantasy seems to be on the rise in the Anglophone world. As a result, there’s also increasing interest in translation as both a phenomenon and a process. Our panel of translators will discuss their experiences of the mechanics of translating, the editorial role of the translator, and the specific challenges of the languages they work in.
Fabio Fernandes (M), Dirk van den Boom, John Chu, Marianna Leikomaa, Didi Chanoch
Forte! Classical Music, Opera and the fantastic. #
Monday 12:00 - 13:30, Capital Suite 16 (ExCeL)
As the mass entertainment of previous centuries and arguably the preferred musical form for current blockbuster movies and games, classical music and, to an extent opera, are natural partners with fantastic story-telling. Panelists explore these connections: both themes of the fantastic in classical compositions and music depicted in SF&F.
Rachel Erickson (M), Tanya Brown, John Chu, Catja Pafort