Lots of travel logistical stuff — D.C., San Jose, Paris, Winnetka, IL
– Visit to D.C. next weekend for OutWrite 8/3 – 8/6 (LGBT literature: http://thedccenter.org/outwrite/). I’ll be at the conference all day Saturday 8/4.
– WorldCon in San Jose (https://www.worldcon76.org), though I don’t have my actual schedule yet. (They’re having challenges, and I feel bad for them — conference scheduling can be a nightmare.) Kev has a conference that week too, so we’re juggling so he gets back and I leave without leaving the kids overnight, which means I’m going to arrive Fri 8/17 and leave Tues 8/21 (v. early). I’m pretty sure I’ll be at the Wild Cards signing from 10 – 12 on Saturday, and the SLF will be sponsoring the SFWA suite either Saturday lunch or teatime, but the rest of the schedule is TBD.
– booked travel for the Paris Plurality University workshop (11/28 – 12/3, https://www.plurality-university.org) — it turns out I can add 2 days to the trip without cancelling any extra classes (due to this semester Tues / Thurs schedule), so I am going to do a little sight-seeing in Paris after all. (That said, if anyone has a place I can stay for free or cheap in Paris in late November / early December, please do let me know! They’re covering the three nights of the conference, but not the two extra nights, understandably. Also, ping me if you’re in Paris and would like to meet up. Savvy local guides appreciated.)
– OCWW workshop (Writing the Taboo): April 11, 2019, Winnetka, IL (https://ocwwinfo7333.wildapricot.org). “Dorothy Allison suggests (in her book Skin: Talking about Sex, Class, and Literature) that the best writing happens when one is terrified, and writes through the fear. That’s great advice, but the question is *how* does one write through the fear? It’s often frightening when you’re trying write about subject matter that is in some manner taboo: material that violates social norms, that might upset family members, or that is simply personally difficult to confront.
In the hands-on workshop, we’ll explore a variety of taboo topics. We’ll look at how brilliant writers have delved into material that was forbidden for their place and time (some of which might seem quite tame by today’s standards), and then work through a series of exercises designed to push you into challenging places. At the end of the session, you should have some tools to lead you to stronger, braver work that takes more risks. Maybe it’ll challenge your audience too!
Important note: You won’t be required to share this work with anyone, though I may ask for volunteers to read bits of what they’ve written.”
Whew!