We made it up to WisCon yesterday, coming in a day early to do some writing / workshopping with folks. I have a very heavily-scheduled con, as anytime I’m not on panels or doing a reading, I’ll be staffing the SLF table in the dealer’s room, or doing a volunteer shift in the art show. (Wiscon folks, if you can possibly help me with a 90-minute dealer table shift, let me know?)
I may have made a small error last night, as I stayed up to play a game of Terraforming Mars with two of my favorite people in the world. It was great fun, even though Alex totally destroyed us per usual, and we did get to introduce Benjamin to the Colonies expansion (and I got to actually play it, which I’ve only done maybe twice before, and not effectively at all previously).
The error part is that we didn’t finish playing ’til late, didn’t go to bed until 1:30, and didn’t actually get to sleep until 3 (these days, if I miss my normal sleep window, I have a really terrible time falling asleep), and then woke at 6, per usual. So I’m a little groggy and tired right now, which is not ideal for going into a heavily-scheduled con; I’m going to try to catch a nap today if I can. We’ll see.
(No regrets about playing, though — especially given the pandemic, getting to Terraform Mars with two of my besties for hours late into the night was a rare treat. So I guess it wasn’t really an error at all. Not taking Hoverlord when I had the chance, though — THAT was an error. Sigh.)
*****
Anyway, here’s my public Wiscon schedule, for those interested:
THURSDAY:
6:30 p.m. — school board meeting, join remotely
FRIDAY:
1 – 2:15 — panel: Marriage Story: SFF and Literary Fiction
Conference 4 • Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing Science Fiction
The critical and commercial success of books like Station Eleven and Her Body and Other Parties has drawn new attention to literary fiction that might just as easily be classified as SFF. But SFF often dismisses litfic as tedious and predictable, while litfic turns up its nose at genre fiction. In this panel, we’ll discuss the uneasy relationship of these genres, explore the places they intersect, and rec some of our favorite crossover titles.
2:30 – 4 — Curry powder booth at Gathering — come learn how to make curry powder!
4 – 5:15 — panel: What We Write About When We Write About War • Assembly • The Craft and Business of Writing
Why is war centered in so many fantasy and science fiction narratives? How do war stories allow us to explore issues around race, nationality, and imperialism? We’ll discuss these topics, and explore anti-war stories as well as subversive military science fiction.
5:15 – 6: SLF small press co-op table in dealer’s room — stop by to learn more about the SLF and/or buy books
6pm – 7:30pm — Opening of Art Show: meet the artists and shop! I’ll have scarves, photo prints, soaps, and more!
The art show will continue to be open Sat 9:30 – 6, Sunday 9:30 – 6, and Monday 9:30 – 11. (I’ll probably only be there from 6 – 6:30, as I need to set up for the SLF party.)
Party! Speculative Literature Foundation / Serendib Press
Friday night, Room 629, 8 p.m. – midnight
Join us to learn more about the SLF, which offers grants for writers, free online writing lessons, and much more. We’ll also have A Feast of Serendib, a Sri Lankan cookbook by Mary Anne Mohanraj, which initially launched in March 2020 (terrible timing!), and is having an extended re-launch now, along with some of Mary Anne’s other titles (immigrant fiction (Bodies in Motion) and science fiction (The Stars Change)).
(Dan and Ben help.)
SATURDAY:
10 – 11:15 panel: Red as Blood, White as Snow: Gothic Horror.
Conference 5 • Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing Science Fiction
What draws us to stories about haunted houses, desolate moors and the early version of Final Girl?
11:30 – 2:30 – SLF small press co-op table in dealer’s room — stop by to learn more about the SLF and/or buy books
2:30 – 3:45 reading: Specters of the Oort Cloud!
Conference 2 • Reading
In space, no one can hear you wail.
Benjamin Rosenbaum, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Anthony Ha, Jackie M.
4:00 – 6:00 – SLF small press co-op table in dealer’s room — stop by to learn more about the SLF and/or buy books
SUNDAY:
9:30 – 11:15: Art show volunteer shift
11:30 – 1 – SLF small press co-op table in dealer’s room — stop by to learn more about the SLF and/or buy books
1:00 PM–2:15 PM — panel: Not Another F*cking Race Panel 2022 • Ansible 1 • Power, Privilege, and Oppression
Writers of color working in F/SF face unique challenges, it’s true. But at the end of the day, being a “person of color” is only one aspect of what makes up our identities as writers. With that in mind, join us for this year’s iteration of the perennially popular panel where multiple writers and fans of color gather on a panel that isn’t about race at all.
2:30 PM–3:45 PM — panel: The Future of WisCon
Assembly • Fandom as a Way of Life
This roundtable is organized by the SF3 board, and is an opportunity to talk both about bold ideas for the future of WisCon, and the practical realities of making those ideas possible. Come with your questions, or with your ideas about building our membership, making it easier for people to get involved with WisCon and with SF3 (and what is SF3 anyway?), or about how WisCon might change in the future.
MONDAY:
10 – 11:15 — panel: No Gods, No Dungeon Masters
Conference 4 • Interactive Storytelling & Media
One of the classic features of D&D, the Dungeon Master, has become a key feature of other games in the form of the Game Master (GM). This person is granted extra authority over the game’s narrative and world that the players do not have. Many designers, especially in recent years, have been creating roleplaying games that buck this idea: GM-less games like Fiasco, Ironsworn, or Dialect give the power and responsibility to shape the story to the players. How do GM-less games change the dynamics of a roleplaying game?
Monday 12 – 2 – SLF small press co-op table in dealer’s room — stop by to learn more about the SLF and/or buy books
