Monday, August 20, 2007

The 65th World Science Fiction Convention

So, here's my programming schedule for WorldCon:

Fri 1000 Sprawl Fiction
Participants: Ellen DATLOW, Gavin J. GRANT, Lou ANDERS, Yoshio KOBAYASHI
"Sprawl fiction" was coined to show how new writers, most in their thirties, are trying to expand our genre yet still loving its very core, straight SF. Terms like "new Weird", "interstitial", "strange fiction" or "new fabulist" don't cover the trend fully. It is a natural reflection of our urban society and probably heralds the new stage of our evolution; to the stars. We talk about why the new generation slipstream is not the fusion of literary fiction and SF/F.

Fri 1200 Remembering Robert Anton WILSON
Participants: Jack William BELL, Lou ANDERS, Yoshio KOBAYASHI
Remembering the golden days of the geeks.

Fri 1500 Pyr: Upcoming Books Slideshow
Participants: Lou ANDERS
A look at Pyr's upcoming schedule.

Sat 1000 What Editors Want From Artists
Participants: Bob EGGLETON, Jennie FARIES, John PICACIO, Karen HABER, Lou ANDERS
Is it realism? A particular color? Many editors return to the same artists again and again. What sets these paragons apart? Style? Originality? A distinctive look or varied approach? Reliable telepathy? (Oh, and must the artist read the story, or what?)

Sat 1100 Kaffeeklatsche
Participants: Lou ANDERS

Sat 1300 Autographs
Participants: Lou ANDERS

Sat 1400 SF Tribes? The New Communities in Internet Society.
Participants: Lou ANDERS, Mark L. VAN NAME, Yoshio KOBAYASHI
Our community has grown so big, we have many small cabals, each of which cares nothing for the others. Through the Internet, blogging and e-mails our ties are strengthened and old community values wear thin, as proved by Hurricane Katrina. Any connection there?

Add to that two awards ceremonies, and it looks like it's going to be a pretty busy two days. Two days? Yessir, this one's hit and run. Yes, I'm spending as much time in transit as I am at the con.

4 comments:

Aaron Hughes said...

Nice to see you in the paper of record today, Lou!

Lou Anders said...

Hey, thanks Aaron. I was just getting ready to blog about it!

Existential Weatherman said...

Hi Lou,
I'm at worldcon, and I caught your panel on Sprawl and really enjoyed your comments. I encountered your blog over a year ago, and you may recall my post from Kalamazoo, MI where a local reading group was discussing a PYR book.

I wish I'd had a chance to meet you at the con. It was my first con and I had a great time. I'm a defector from mimetic fiction, having left it for SF about five years ago, and I'm really enjoying current SF and now fandom.

Thanks for your work, and for your blog. Good luck at next year's Hugo!

Lou Anders said...

Hi Sean,
I'm so sorry you didn't catch me after the Sprawl panel, but thrilled you are enjoying the con. I'm back home in the US now, for all of 4 hours or so. It was an amazing con (report will follow when I'm coherent) and I wish I could have been there for more than 2 days! See you in Denver!