catherineldf | I can haz WisCon schedule

Parallel Universes: Lesbian Characters in Fantasy and Science Fiction (scheduled)	moderator	Sat, 4:00–5:15 pm	Conference 5
Moderator: Catherine Lundoff. Panelists: Catherine Lundoff, Jean Roberta, Nancy Johnston, JoSelle Vanderhooft
It's fair to say that Xena and the fanfiction related to the show created a whole new world of lesbian science fiction and fantasy, including new publishers, writers and tropes. Known as "lesfic," lesbian sf/f with romantic and paranormal plots flourishes alongside but outside of the mainstream of science fiction fandom. At the same time, authors like Joanna Russ, Nicola Griffith, Kelly Eskridge, Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett, Severna Park, and most recently Malinda Lo, have been writing lesbian characters that are read and celebrated in genre. Why is there such a split? Can an author or a reader inhabit both worlds? What's the future for lesbian characters in SF and F?
Moving to Small Press Publishing	participant	Sun, 2:30–3:45 pm	Room 634
Moderator: Cliff Winnig.Panelists: Cliff Winnig, Carla M. Lee, Kimberley Long-Ewing, Catherine Lundoff, Sean A. Wallace
What are the arguments for writers moving to small presses? Are small presses becoming more important in SF/F? Why do people start small presses?
Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading	participant	Sun, 4:00–5:15 pm	Assembly
Email fellow participants Julie Andrews, Katharine Beutner, Ada Milenkovic Brown, Lori Devoti, Moondancer Drake, Gwynne Garfinkle, Catherine Lundoff, Jennifer Pelland, Katherine Mankiller, Trisha J. Wooldridge, Phoebe Wray about this item.
Members of Broad Universe share tidbits of their available work or works in progress with the audience. Enjoy a buffet covering a wide range of speculative fiction from disturbing horror to humor, paranormal romance to dystopian action/adventure, poetry to prose... and all the realms in between.

Should be entertaining. Also in the cards: Jana's 50th birthday (which is why my sched is lighter than usual), mr_bad_example's birthday and the unveiling of my new Steampunk outfit.
I'm also signing up to work the Broad Universe Table on Saturday afternoon around noonish. Stop by and say hi!

And for the WisCon schedule in its glorious entirety - check here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Looks like fun, esp. the "extra-conventional" activities. Happy Birthday to Jana (infant!), and a plea for pictures of the new outfit's debut.

I shall pass the well wishes along :-)
We've got some pix - herself is doctoring them a tad (as in getting rid of the red eye) and I'll post when she's done.

Sounds absolutely delicious, sweetie! I just put up a posting about your role in these intriguing events. But, alas, we are winging toward Roma -- if planes are flying in those latitudes on Friday (given the Icelandic volcano).

I hope you haz a wonderful time, including at the "last dog" party!

Hugs, J

Thanks, hon. Have a great trip! :-)
The con isn't until the end of the month in any case - they were just done already so I figured I'd post. It also makes it easier for me to remember what I said I'd do. Huzzah for senior moments! :->>

Edited 2010-05-09 23:11 (UTC)

I do hope someone blogs that first one, in particular. Have a wonderful time!

Thank you! I'm bummed that you won't make it though. Hopefully next year!
I must admit to mixed feelings about having my panels blogged while in progress.It seems like a whole extra layer of being on the spot and I haven't seen a ton of particularly accurate panel in progress blogging. But this may prove the exception. I may try and post a synopsis after the fact.

I'm especially bummed that I won't make it, but it just didn't seem right to ask for time off before I've even completed the probation period on my new job... and my bank account is still pretty lean after 10 months without work.

This year I'll console myself with Readercon and WFC (both of which I'm attending for the first time) because I can save money by driving to them, but I do plan to be back at WisCon next year!

Let me know how Readercon goes. I've heard mixed reviews but am somewhat intrigued.

The lesfic thing sounds great - perhaps you could provide a list of must read books here for the uninitiated? And who the publishers who are accepting these are!
Am looking forward to the unveiling of your steam punk costume. Pix please! Cos play doesn't seem to have caught on here the way it has in Japan and parts of the US. (Maybe we Brits just take ourselves too seriously?) But if it's something that can be adapted to everyday it would be great. I've always had a bit of a yen for steam punk and cyber punk fashion. I suspect I couldn't pull it off, (am not the girlie type) so no worries about me copying your look - but it's great to see folks making an effort to look good. This casualness in everything depresses me sometimes. I like to get my suits out and be a bit flash, yet these days there is so little call and you actually get strange looks if you're in smart attire now, as you appear overdressed compared to everyone else.

There's 6 or 7 lesfic publishers that I know of - Just About Write - http://www.justaboutwrite.com/ - has one of the more up to date lists, plus calls for submissions. Most of these publishers are quite closely linked to each other so it's a good idea to check them out before submitting to see how they're doing what they're doing and whether it's a good fit for your work. And they're all very romance heavy. Bold Strokes, Regal Crest and Bywater are the ones who do some publishing outside romance and Bywater doesn't take sf/f as far as I know (but you may have something else that might fit).

As with many new publishers, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that there are some quality issues, ranging from lack of copyediting to cliched writing and beyond. Thus far, the best books I've read have been from Bywater, Regal Crest, Spinsters and Bold Strokes, with Bluefeather also having some titles I've liked. But then, I'm not a big fan of short romances - I like a more complex storyline - so that steers me away from some of the other publishers who may have perfectly fine books as well.
Costume pix soon, as in in the next day or two. :-)
The prevalence of cosplay here tends to vary from con to con but usually there's at least one person in costume at any given con. Except World Fantasy, cos you have to be all serious and professional there, supposedly.

Whimper. And I just finally threw in the towel on Wiscon, having decided I couldn't swing it. Again.

This looks like untold amounts of fun, and I'm sad to miss it. Good luck and great fun to you and yours :)

Oh no! :-(((
I'll keep my fingers crossed for next year. Thanks!

I can haz WisCon schedule

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"break a leg" (why not: it's sci-fi; they can give you a bionic one on the fly)

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Stuff - but no nonsence

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