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ConFusion programming schedule
Jan. 7th, 2018 07:56 amHere's my schedule for programming items at ConFusion convention in Novi, Michigan, January 18-21:
12pm Friday Isle Royale
The Care and Feeding of Your Subject Expert
Writing science fiction and fantasy requires a ton of research. Having the internet at our fingertips makes it easier than it used to be, but sometimes we need to ask an expert. Many folks are delighted to geek out about their specialties, but we still need to do due diligence, respect their time, and make sure we're asking the right questions. How do you find qualified experts? Do you approach them with prepared questions? When is it ethical to pick someone's brain for free, and when should you insist on compensating your expert?
5pm Friday Isle Royale
Disaster Response in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Many SFF stories feature cataclysmic events, both natural and man-made, that rain destruction on civilian populations. We're accustomed to seeing the camera spend a few moments "looking for the helpers" as our heroes crash through occupied buildings or drop mines on the Klingon fleet, but what about the hours and days that follow? What opportunities do science fiction and fantasy present to educate and reflect on disaster response processes in the real world?
10am Saturday Charlevoix
Pacifism in Speculative Fiction
Representations of pacifism in speculative fiction are often unsympathetic and/or unrealistic. It seems that the only way a character can be a pacifist and a hero is if they're not a pacifist at all. Shephard Book's pacifism in Firefly dissolves into kneecapping bad guys as soon as the plot requires it, and Charles Xavier gets called a pacifist when he funds and trains a private army. Who are our favorite real pacifists in speculative fiction, and how can speculative fiction contend with the conflict of being a pacifist in a violent world without running for the easy conclusion that pacifism is naive, selfish, and unsustainable?
4pm Saturday Charlevoix
Reading: A. T. Greenblatt, Marissa Lingen, Izzy Wasserstein
I am still taking suggestions for what to read here, but so far my favorite ideas are unpublished flash or the first chapter of one of my novels. Fitting it into a time slot with two other people means sharing well, so getting the entirety of a non-flash short story read is pretty much a non-starter.
The email I got listed me as doing autographs after that, but I find that short story writers don't have a fabulous time at autographings, so I intend to...not. So if there's anything you want me to sign at ConFusion, by all means accost me and I will sign it, but not in the time slot provided.
12pm Friday Isle Royale
The Care and Feeding of Your Subject Expert
Writing science fiction and fantasy requires a ton of research. Having the internet at our fingertips makes it easier than it used to be, but sometimes we need to ask an expert. Many folks are delighted to geek out about their specialties, but we still need to do due diligence, respect their time, and make sure we're asking the right questions. How do you find qualified experts? Do you approach them with prepared questions? When is it ethical to pick someone's brain for free, and when should you insist on compensating your expert?
5pm Friday Isle Royale
Disaster Response in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Many SFF stories feature cataclysmic events, both natural and man-made, that rain destruction on civilian populations. We're accustomed to seeing the camera spend a few moments "looking for the helpers" as our heroes crash through occupied buildings or drop mines on the Klingon fleet, but what about the hours and days that follow? What opportunities do science fiction and fantasy present to educate and reflect on disaster response processes in the real world?
10am Saturday Charlevoix
Pacifism in Speculative Fiction
Representations of pacifism in speculative fiction are often unsympathetic and/or unrealistic. It seems that the only way a character can be a pacifist and a hero is if they're not a pacifist at all. Shephard Book's pacifism in Firefly dissolves into kneecapping bad guys as soon as the plot requires it, and Charles Xavier gets called a pacifist when he funds and trains a private army. Who are our favorite real pacifists in speculative fiction, and how can speculative fiction contend with the conflict of being a pacifist in a violent world without running for the easy conclusion that pacifism is naive, selfish, and unsustainable?
4pm Saturday Charlevoix
Reading: A. T. Greenblatt, Marissa Lingen, Izzy Wasserstein
I am still taking suggestions for what to read here, but so far my favorite ideas are unpublished flash or the first chapter of one of my novels. Fitting it into a time slot with two other people means sharing well, so getting the entirety of a non-flash short story read is pretty much a non-starter.
The email I got listed me as doing autographs after that, but I find that short story writers don't have a fabulous time at autographings, so I intend to...not. So if there's anything you want me to sign at ConFusion, by all means accost me and I will sign it, but not in the time slot provided.
