WisCon 42 Schedule

[catherineldf]

The gearing up for the annual expedition to Madison for WisCon has begun - I've got one panel and a Queen of Swords Press/Release Party for Murder on the Titania and Other Steam-Powered Adventures by Alex Acks. Also, shenanigans. Jana's work will be in the Art Show and our books will be in the Dealer's Room with DreamHaven and A Room of One's Own. The party will feature tea and munchies, some lowkey games, book signings by Alex, me and our special guest Robyn Bennis, for as long as chooses to hang out. Probably other guests too, depending on how things turn out. Stop by and say hi if you're there!

Beyond Batty - Old Lady Characters In SF&F (scheduled)		Sat, 2:30–3:45 pm	Wisconsin
Moderator: Timmi Duchamp. Catherine Lundoff, Isabel Schechter, Georgie L. Schnobrich about this item.
Older folks remain underrepresented as protagonists or major characters in SF&F films, books, and TV shows. Older women rarely appear even as supporting characters, and often only as batty old broads or other stereotypes we wish would go away. What stories break this mold? What stories are there yet to be told for older women in SF&F?
Queen of Swords Press Book Release Party for Alex Acks's Murder On The Titania (scheduled)		Sun, 8:45 pm–Mon, 3:00 am	Room 627
Queen of Swords Press (Catherine Lundoff, Publisher) is releasing author Alex Acks' Murder On The Titania And Other Steam-Powered Adventures in April 2018. The party includes a signing by Alex and promo information about Queen of Swords Press' other books, as well as tea and light refreshments.

Good times!

Comments

[queenoftheskies]

I wish I could be there for the Beyond Batty panel. That sounds awesome!!!

[catherineldf]

:-)
I hope you make it to Sirens this year! Did you get the promotion?

[queenoftheskies]

I would love to go. My primary concern is the altitude, since it's so much higher than Denver. Did you go last year?

The promotion is more of a long-term thing, sadly, and I don't think a raise would come until after the promotion.

[catherineldf]

It is waaayyyy up in the mountains and I did have a rough time with the altitude last year. It is also an epic multihour bus ride from Denver and back so you have to commit some serious time to going. I had a fine time but there's no way I could do it every year. I liked their previous location (from 4 years ago), which was much closer to the city.

Re: the promotion. Urgh. I hope it works out the way you want it to!

[queenoftheskies]

I liked the previous location, too. It was comfortable and friendly.

I don't really have people to hang out with any more at conventions, but I felt comfortable going alone there.

[marthawells]

Oh, a possible data point for the Old Lady Characters: Magic: the Gathering is reintroducing a character named Jaya to their storyline. She was one of the characters in the original storyline who lost power/immortality and has been slowly aging, so now she looks like she's about in her 60s. But she's still an extremely powerful mage.

[catherineldf]

Cool! I'll take a look. Thanks!

[satyapriya]

I am doing the represent in my novel writing of menopausal, pissed-off women. I imagine some would say this is 'menopausal writing'. So what? I'm bored with teen girls getting all the fun and vampires.

[catherineldf]

Very cool! Is it still in progress? Does it have a title?

[satyapriya]

I wrote the book as a YA for NaNoWriMo a few years ago. It has the uninteresting working title of NIGHT THINGS and is still in zero draft.
The first half of this year has been all about producing new short stories thanks to The Storied Imaginarium’s SFFT intersections course, and readying my book THE COMMUNICANT AND OTHER STORIES for launch a May 27.
Second half of the year is dedicated to more fresh story writing, and whipping my previously published articles into a cohesive collection.
Thus, NIGHT THINGS is relegated to 2019, to get my full attention then. That’s when my protagonist fully becomes a sweaty menopausal woman with burgeoning psychic powers.

[seeksadventure]

I'm looking forward to the book release party! (That panel sounds awesome, too, but I'm on one at the same time, alas. I hope a reading list will hit Twitter or something.)

[catherineldf]

Oh cool! Yes, please do come to the party! I can't recall if we've met offline or not yet, but I look forward to seeing you!
Re: the panel. I have this slowly growing list of female protagonists over 40 in SF/F, which is now also a Goodreads list. I think we'll jump off from there and I hope to be adding to both!
The original list - https://catherineldf.dreamwidth.org/362533.html
Goodreads version - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/114723.Old_er_Women_in_SF_F_