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Wiscon: My Schedule at its Most Ambitious
Plan for Thursday, the 22nd
Work
The Capitol! ♦ 8:00am - ????pm
Registration Packet Stuffing
Special ♦ Thursday, 4:30 P.M.-6:30 P.M. ♦ 2nd Floor Lobby, Concourse Hotel
A Room of One's Own Reception
Special ♦ Thursday, 6:00 P.M. ♦ 307 W. Johnson Street, Madison
Madison's feminist bookstore, A Room of One's Own, will host its annual reception honoring authors attending WisCon. Both Guests of Honor, L. Timmel Duchamp and Maureen McHugh, will give readings.
Nerd Karaoke
Thursday, 8:30pm, Karaoke Kid
Unofficial gathering planned by
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cabell, which will include both Wiscon people and grad school students who are friends of my boyfriend (AND THUS, ME). I'm not 100% sure if I'll attend this or not yet: It will depend on how tired I am, I guess, and who's going. Despite living in Madison, I've never actually been to the Karaoke Kid. My friends usually go there as their last bar of the night, so I've usually gone home by them.Spontaneous Panel: Shoujo Bodies
Special ♦ ????, ????am/pm ♦ Somewhere in the Concourse
Most bodies in shoujo manga are thin and wispy, with an emphasis on androgyny. Many of the men tend to lack muscle definition (think Yuu Watase), while the women are much less curvy than their shounen manga counterparts. What does this mean to us? What other body types are there in shoujo manga? We will hopefully talk about gender-bending, cross-dressing, body image, and the fashion industry. Suggested series to discuss: After School Nightmare, Paradise Kiss, Walkin' Butterfly, Angel Sanctuary, Fruits Basket, W Juliet, Rose of Versailles, and Princess Knight.
Oyce says: Time and place should be decided on Thursday at Wiscon; keep an eye out on the spontaneous programming board. I'll let this float on each day of my schedule for now. If I can attend it, I will!
Spontaneous Panel: Octavian Nothing Book Club
Special ♦ ????, ????am/pm ♦ Somewhere in the Concourse
M.T. Anderson's Octavian Nothing is a brilliant and heartbreaking young adult novel that examines race, capitalism, history, science, and the racial and political implications of the construction of knowledge, liberty, property, and freedom in the colonial U.S. It is heartbreaking. It is not science fiction and it is not alternate history or even secret history: it's historical fiction about history in ways that history books have not put history together. Reading it was like reading, in narrative form, a story that perfectly exemplified what so many of us have been trying to articulate over the past few years in fandom about the connections between race, power, oppression, and how the constructions of "objectivity," "science," and "knowledge" are affected by and implicated in the oppression of people of color. It is both specifically about American history and globally about world history and how the principles of the Enlightenment acted as instruments of European imperialism and white supremacy.
Let's talk about the book: What works? What doesn't work? How does it express feminist and critical race theory and anti-capitalist critique?
I checked this book out from the library solely because of coffeeandink's description in that paragraph. If I can read the book before Wiscon, I would love to attend this panel. I'll let this float on each day of my schedule for now. If I can attend it, I will!
Spontaneous Panel: Seal Press Boycott
Special ♦ ????, ????am/pm ♦ Somewhere in the Concourse
WOC, PhD called for girlcott of Seal Press for its disparagement, erasure, and stereotyping of women of color in the blogosphere and in their marketing and acquisition strategies. This is especially relevant to Wiscon because of the presence of Seal authors among attendees and because of Seal's marketing their publications to Women's Studies departments and feminist organizations.
If you're not committed to boycotting Seal Press but are disturbed by their recent behavior, please come to discuss/suggest alternative strategies.
I'll let this float on each day of my schedule for now. If I can attend it, I will!
Plan for Friday, the 23rd
Work
8:00am - ????pm ♦ The Capitol!
The Gathering
Special ♦ Friday, 1:00–4:00 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin & Capitol Ballrooms
Particular things I would like to check out at The Gathering:
Clothing Swap
Here's a chance to freeshop all those great clothes your WisCon compatriots have passed on, guided by the totally non-professional but ever enthusiastic Fashion Divas/Booth Staff, assisted by the incomparable divas Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman.
Lisa Cohen, Staci A Straw, Julia Starkey, Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman
How to Fold An Elephant
In mere moments, transform your towels from useful objects into an elephant too cute for everyday use.
Kate Schaefer
(I wonder if you have to bring a towel?!)
Making Your Own Curry Powder
Ever wondered what mysterious ingredients went into curry powder? At this cooking demo, you'll smell the aromatic pre-roasted spices, grind and mix your own Sri Lankan curry powder, and get a free sample and recipe to take home with you. Vegetarian-friendly!
Mary Ann Mohanraj
Numerology
Based on an analysis of your name and birthdate, numerology can tell you a lot about who you are, and who you are becoming. Come explore your Emerging Self! All you need is to be truthful about your birth month, date, and year.
Lettie Prell
(So I'm Catholic and I don't believe in this stuff, but I still find it interesting, especially considering how important it can be in manga and fantasy.)
Renaissance and Fancy Hair Braids
Sit down, relax, and let our master braiders turn your tresses into your crowning glory! Learn the basic three-strand plait, classic French braid, four-strand chain, five-strand weave, rope accents, and the elegant crown.
John Wardale, Katje Sabin
(I didn't know they taught other people how to braid. I can braid my hair normally, and can also French braid (although I would probably have to practice a few times - it's been a while), but it would be neat to learn other kinds!)
2 Nordic Trek
Reading,Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Friday, 2:30-3:45 P.M. ♦ Senate B
The long journey across the Gethen Glacier in Left Hand of Darkness. The Svalbard of Iorek Byrnison in The Golden Compass. Even the Alaskan village of 30 Days of Night. The frozen north holds allure for more than Green Bay Packer fans. Whence cometh this fascination? Panel may include dramatic readings; the highly imaginative (or suggestible) should bring sweaters.
M: Adrian Simmons, Evelyn Browne, Maureen Cohen, Lori Devoti
4:00-5:15pm = Undecided. I'm not wild about either of these panels, so if I end up meeting people I normally only converse with on the Internet, it's okay to squee and chat a lot. If not, here are two activities I'm interested in:
11 And Now For Something Completely Different
Reading ♦ Friday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Michelangelo's
Ellen Klages, Delia Sherman, P. C. Hodgell, Holly Black
OR
6 It's Not About Identity
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Friday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Assembly
In the wake of the demise of 'woman' as a unified category, many second-wave feminists felt undermined, saying that there could be no feminism unless there were some absolute, essential definition of the category woman. Other feminists (both second- and third-wave) have argued, though, that this attitude rests on a misunderstanding of the relation between political theory and practice of politics. This panel will explore some suggestions for new ways of thinking about feminism and its future.
M: L. Timmel Duchamp, Sylvia Kelso, Lauren Lacey, Joan Haran
12 Opening Ceremonies
Special ♦ Friday, 7:30-8:30 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin
Oh man, there are a lot of good panels in the 8:45-10:00pm slot. Someone help me decide!
13 LiveJournal and WisCon
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Friday, 8:45-10:00 P.M. ♦ Assembly
You're on LiveJournal (LJ). Like a lot of the people at WisCon, you enjoy keeping in touch with your WisCon friends through this powerful tool for connections. You might even have come to WisCon for the first time because you heard about it from LJ friends who share your interest in feminism and SF&F. You relish the chance to engage in discussions year round about the topics that make you passionate—gender, race, power and privilege, writing, etc. But all of a sudden, you've made someone on LJ mad — really mad. More than that, lots of people you don't know are mad, now that your comment has been linked. What do you do now? Jump in, cave in, bow out? How do you respond at all and keep a measure of your privacy, given that the people blogging may know your real name, your sexual orientation, the details of your marriage and your relationship with your parents, and are in a position to share a lot, online or offline, with the untold numbers who now think they know what an ignorant person you are?
M: Vylar Kaftan, Bill Humphries, Cilian Edwards, Candra Gill
(I have been blogging for 7 years, but I still feel like I have a lot to learn, especially as I try to figure out what to keep previate.)
14 Not Just Japan: Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Friday, 8:45-10:00 P.M. ♦ Caucus
What works of science fiction and fantasy are being produced in Asia today? How does the popularity of anime and manga fit into this, and how do we bring in other Asian nations and not focus solely on Japan? Questions to tackle may include: Can we even classify certain works and genres, such as wuxia, as SF/F, and is there a difference in how speculative fiction in Asia might be thought of? How do people who are just being introduced to Asian SF/F react to a different set of tropes and genre expectations, versus those who grew up with it? And where do Asian-(nationality) folks (e.g. Asian-Americans, British Asians) fit in?
M: Rachel Kronick, Vandana Singh, K. Joyce Tsai
15 Elves and Dwarves: The Racism Inherent in Fantasy
Power, Privilege & Oppression ♦ Friday, 8:45-10:00 P.M. ♦ Senate A
Elves are slim, tall, light-skinned forest-lovers. Dwarves are stout, working-class, good craftsmen. Asians are good with math. Jews have a natural gift with money. Issues of racial stereotyping in fantasy are generally passed over pretty lightly. If a race of lizards are portrayed as slow-moving and lazy, well, that's to be expected, they're cold-blooded, right? They're biologically different from the rest of us. Is it OK to casually make generalizations and judgments about cultures and races in SF/F, whether real or imaginary, or this dangerous racism? Do responsible authors owe it to their readers to avoid using simple biological imperatives instead of carefully developing alternate cultures? And what of the characters that rebel against the norm? Are they brave iconoclasts, or merely the exception that proves the rule?
M: Vito Excalibur, Janine Young, Carol Hightshoe, Elise Matthesen
16 Punctuation, Grammar, Usage: Who Needs 'Em?
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Friday, 8:45-10:00 P.M. ♦ Senate B
The difference between 'that' and 'which' or 'anxious' and 'eager'; proper use of the subjunctive mood; the serial comma. Lots of rules...why should you care? Panelists discuss the delicate balance between the precision of expression that the rules are meant to support and the fact that living language is fluid and malleable, and how this all applies to a genre which is sometimes described as unconstrained by time, space, or reality.
M: Delia Sherman, Deb Taber, Rebecca Maines, Tom LaFarge, Sarah Monette
(The English major in me is salivating.)
A special note for a reading that makes me say, "UGGHHH! I OWN THAT BOOK AND THIS READING SOUNDS SO COOL, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO READ IT YET!"
18 Narrative Process in SF
Academic ♦ Friday, 8:45-10:00 P.M. ♦ Conference 3
Women, Reading and Power: Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age, Victoria Gaydosik
Victoria Gaydosik
Friday, 10:15 to 11:30 P.M.
Panels in Which I Am Interested Include:
29 Fanfic and Slash 101
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Friday, 10:15-11:30 P.M. ♦ Senate A
Want to know more about fan fiction and slash? Always wondered what 'slash' means in the first place? Want to know why people read it? Write it? Love it? Hate it? This is the panel for you.
M: JJ Pionke, Anastasia Salter, Evelyn Browne, Jim Nelson
30 Sherlock Dracula: The Appeal of the Vampire Detective
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Friday, 10:15-11:30 P.M. ♦ Senate B
Whether it's strictly forensic or mystically motivated, television vampires seem to have a nose for crime-stopping. In Toronto there's Tanya Huff's one-time royal heir Henry Fitzroy of Blood Ties, and actual cop Nick Knight of Forever Knight (on the night shift, of course). In L.A. there's brooding Angel of Angel Investigations and now private investigator Mick St. John of Moonlight. Why has the intersection of the detective genre and the vampire genre become so popular? It is all about redemption, or about sexy vampire powers that are good on a hunt?
M: Linda McAllister, Michael D. Thomas, Jorjet Harper
I went to a Slash 101-ish panel last year, so I'm leaning toward the Vampire Detective panel.
Schedule for Saturday, the 24th
I doubt that I'll want to wake up early enough for the first timeslot, but just in case, I have two options:
35 Ancient Mythology in Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 8:30-9:45 A.M. ♦ Senate A
How do you blend ancient myths into a novel while still keeping the book fresh and modern? What are some examples of authors who do this successfully? Which myths have been overdone or underexplored? What is important to leave out to keep from bogging down the story? What should you put in to flesh things out?
M: Gregory Frost, JoSelle Vanderhooft, Lori Devoti, Ann Leckie, Joyce Frohn
36 Balancing Creativity And The Day Job
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 8:30-9:45 A.M. ♦ Senate B
Unfortunately, most of us can't support ourselves with our prose, nor do we have patrons who pay our bills for us. So how do you cram a nine-to-five job, a commute, exercise, writing, a personal life, errands, chores, entertainment, and adequate sleep into a twenty-four hour day without totally losing your mind?
M: Jennifer Pelland, Catherine Lundoff, Caroline Stevermer, Jordan Castillo Price, Vandana Singh
Once again, I'm undecided on what to do in this timeslot. I'm not really excited about any of these panels, so maybe I'll sleep in or something.
42 Soylent Green or Just Plain Soy?
Science and Technology ♦ Saturday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Senate A
Soy has been portrayed as a miracle product, able to be transformed into food to please any human or alien palate. Is a vegetable-based diet inevitable as we realize the environmental impacts of deforestation to raise cattle, animal waste contamination of ground water, and massive water shortages? What would a world full of vegetarians look like? Will our brave new vegetarian world be a soy monoculture, or are there alternatives that can still feed the world? Is there such a thing as vegetarian SF/F?
M: Heather Galaxy, Johanna Eeva, Ian Hagemann, Isabel Schechter
44 Defining God
Spirituality, Organized Religion & Politics ♦ Saturday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Wisconsin
"What would it take to get you to believe in God?" Omnipotence? Intelligence? Enlightenment? Benevolence? This workshop explores the definition of a "higher power" in an increasingly technological world. What if human capacity rose to this level? What about computers? Will our concept of "god" change as technology grows?
M: Bradford Lyau, Alexander Lamb, Mary Kay Kare, Carolyn Gilman, Gayle Kaplan
(I feel like this panel could make me really angry, but maybe I should try it anyway?)
45 Fantastic Groves of Academe
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Capitol A
How do the characters of fantasy and SF receive their education? On Roke in Earthsea? At Unseen University? Lyra's Oxford? Hogwarts? Miskatonic U? Saganami Island? Breakness Institute? Stevermer's College of Magics? Where would you like to have gone to school, and why? If you are an education professional, what's your critique of the curriculum?
M: Susan Groppi, Victoria Gaydosik, Tom LaFarge, Ariel Franklin-Hudson, Keridwen Luis
53 Elemental Magic
Reading ♦ Saturday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Fair Trade
Yoon Ha Lee, Helen Keeble, Pamela Freeman, Nancy Sauer
53a Tiptree Bake Sale
Party ♦ Saturday, 11:15 A.M.-2:15 P.M. ♦ 627
"World Domination Through Bake Sales!" That's one of our slogans at Tiptree Juggernaut Headquarters. Home-made treats donated by Tiptree supporters can be purchased by-the-plate at the Tiptree Bake Sale on Saturday starting at 11:30 A.M. and continuing throughout the afternoon. Leftovers may be sold an encore bake sale during the Sunday lunch break. Look for posters. Yum!
There are a lot of good panels in this timeslot; it will be difficult to pick!
56 The Curious Boundaries of YA Fantasy
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 1:00-2:15 P.M. ♦ Senate A
What are the limits of what can be discussed in YA fantasy? What themes and issues are considered appropriate, and which are taboo? Who sets these limits and do they mesh with the desires and expectations of YA readers?
M: Mary Anne Mohanraj, Sharyn November, Tamora Pierce, Sarah Beth Durst
57 Disability in SF and Fantasy Fiction
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 1:00-2:15 P.M. ♦ Senate B
Disability in fiction: Which shows and books get it right? Which shows and books get it wrong? Which parts of disability do they get right (and wrong), and which eye-gougingly bad stereotypes do you wish you could never encounter again?
M: Carrie Ferguson, Adrian Simmons, Joyce Scrivner, JoSelle Vanderhooft
(I just finished taking a class this semester called "Disability in Literature." We read Richard III, Austen's Persuasion, Our Nig, Sula, The Bone People, The Yellow Wall-Paper, and some other stuff. It would be really cool to go to this panel. Buuuut....Tamora Pierce! *grabby-hands*)
60 How I Did It All Wrong And Got Published Anyway
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 1:00-2:15 P.M. ♦ Capitol B
Mom's favorite aphorism was 'Do as I say, not as I do.' How you can learn from published authors' mistakes (and unexpected successes) and tighten up that learning curve.
M: Eileen Gunn, Kathy Steffen, Jim Munroe, Jeannie Bergmann
Also undecided for this slot:
74 Here's Where The Story Ends
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 2:30-3:45 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin
Maureen McHugh's novels, some say, don't have proper endings; others think that since life goes on past the end of the novel, the ending's a matter of the author's choice. We'll discuss where to end a novel, how much denouement to give the characters, and other questions of wrapping things up.
M: Jim Munroe, Ellen Kushner, Rachel Swirsky, Maureen McHugh, Paul Stevens, Lyda Morehouse
76 Curses! YA Villains Unite
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 2:30-3:45 P.M. ♦ Capitol B
Evil stepmothers, mean fairies, jealous sisters, wicked enchanters and greedy kings, the fairy tale itself—YA fantasy protagonists have more enemies than they can shake a spindle at. Let's talk about what defines a worthy opponent, which characters deserve to be defeated, and which are simply the misunderstood heroes of their own stories.
M: Tamora Pierce, Gwenda Bond, Cecil Castellucci, Sharyn November, P. C. Hodgell
78 Creative Futures of Fiction & Politics
Academic ♦ Saturday, 2:30-3:45 P.M. ♦ Conference 3
1) Science Fiction as Creative Discourse: Activism, Science and Shadow Man, Gretchen Treu
2) Utopia, Fiction and Fandom: Conflict, Community and "Queer Female Space," Alexis Lothian
Alexis Lothian, Gretchen Treu
(OMF: GRETCHEN! It's so cool that Gretchen will be on an academic panel! I remember meeting her in the dorms when I was an awkward freshman - how we have grown! (Okay, more her than me!))
79 Books You Haven't Heard Of, The People of Color Edition!
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 2:30-3:45 P.M. ♦ Conference 4
You've heard of Octavia Butler, Samuel Delany, and Nalo Hopkinson as people of color who write SF/F. Let's talk about other writers of genre fiction who are people of color. Who are your favorites that everyone should be reading?
M: Nisi Shawl, David Anthony Durham, Debbie Notkin
Mildly undecided for this slot, although I'm pretty sure I'll go to the Buffy panel.
85 Fighting the Good Fight with Limited Resources
Spirituality, Organized Religion & Politics ♦ Saturday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Senate A
It's incredibly easy to feel overwhelmed when there are so many problems in the world that have to be addressed, and as we get older, we often lose the confidence that there will be enough time to effect change. Add physical and financial limitations, and the process gets even more daunting. How can we target our efforts without draining ourselves? Let's discuss strategies.
M: Cynthia Gonsalves, Joyce Scrivner, Nabil Hijazi, Marna Nightingale
89 The Slayer's Legacy: Ten Years of the Buffyverse
Reading,Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Capitol B
Ten years ago, the television series Buffy The Vampire Slayer debuted, headed by Joss Whedon, a self-proclaimed feminist. The show created spinoffs, academic disciplines, and a fiercely loyal fan community, and embraced ideals of cooperation, alternative sexualities, smart heroines, and the mix between monster and human. Buffy fans embrace all types, from academics in linguistics and gender theory, theologians, writers, ceremonial magicians, artists, bloggers and more. Buffy is still a viable site for discourse and inspiration ten years later and it came in with feminist ideals—there are even Buffy discussion groups at feminist bookstores today. How does this change the landscape of science fiction today—what is the Slayer's legacy? We'll look at how feminist ideals of cooperation have spread to the support of the WGA strike, and how Buffy has created a new kind of fan, actor, writer, and artist. We'll look at the links between fan culture, feminism, academia and how the Buffyverse has shared feminism and feminist ideals with the world.
M: Olivia Luna, Candra Gill, Jody Wurl, Ariel Franklin-Hudson
92 Making Ends Meet
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Conference 4
Making ends meet and more—financial planning for writers (and readers). Money is an uncomfortable subject for lots of people, especially writers and artists, but we can't afford for it to be. Economic power is an important aspect of social change that we ought to pay attention to, both in our own households and out in the world. What are some strategies for dealing with tight budgets and tough times?
M: Kat Beyer, Yanni Kuznia, Shana Cohen, Catherynne M. Valente, Caroline Stevermer
Saturday, 7:30 to 10:15 P.M.
96 Tiptree Auction
Special ♦ Saturday, 7:30-10:15 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin/Capitol A
This isn't your everyday fundraising auction. At past Tiptree auctions, auctioneer/comedian Ellen Klages has auctioned off her own hair, Mary Doria Russell's brassiere, a hand-knitted uterus, a kangaroo-scrotum purse, a cherry pie, and a Xena Lawn Butt. Among some of the more sublime offerings have been vests hand quilted by Kate Schaefer, silk-screened montage art created by Freddy Baer, sea creatures beaded by Vonda McIntyre, calligraphy by Jae Adams, chapbooks hand made by Ursula LeGuin, cakes decorated by Georgie Schnobrich, and texts annotated by Alice Sheldon. It's always lots of fun. All proceeds are donated to the James Tiptree, Jr. Award.
M: Ellen Klages
Must Decide!
97 Fanfic and Slash 201
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Saturday, 9:00-10:15 P.M. ♦ Assembly
Are you a fan of fanfic or slash? Want to have some serious discussions about pairings/genres/etc? This is not a panel for people who have no idea what fanfic or slash is. Serious discussion of fanfic and slash communities and the stories themselves will be discussed here.
M: JJ Pionke, Cecilia Tan, Joanna Lowenstein, Cat Meier, Patrick Rothfuss, Lyda Morehouse
(I loved the slash panel with JJ and Lyda Morehouse last year, and the addition of Patrick Rothfuss will probably just make me grin the whole time!)
99 Male Feminists: You Don't Get A Cookie
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Saturday, 9:00-10:15 P.M. ♦ Senate A
Allies are an important part of any movement and there is always a level of satisfaction when someone takes a step down from their role as oppressor and attempts to throw off the benefits of male privilege. However, do we somehow give the voices of male feminists a greater weight than women with the same opinion? Do we allow male feminists a pass where we would never allow the same behavior/sayings in other men? Some male allies never choose to examine the way male privilege impacts their lives and their social interactions. From arguing their right to enter women-only spaces to talking over female colleagues and taking up much more than their fair share in conversations. This is of course not true of all male allies but it does seem to be present in a significant number. How can we deal with their presence? Are there ways to spot and deal with these allies in a way that educates and doesn't alienate? Most of all how much cachet do you deserve for deciding that women should be treated as human beings?
M: Betsy Lundsten, Woodrow Hill, Gregory Frost, Jeremy Lassen, Bradford Lyau
112 Making 'War' on 'War,' Part 2
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Saturday, 10:30-11:45 P.M. ♦ Senate B
Last year's panel explored America's love of war as a metaphor for every problem and how it seems to set us up to be 'defeated' in our 'battles' in many areas of life. Now we mean to brainstorm language that conveys action, intensity, commitment and courage without serving War. (Or feeling wimpy.) Can we do it? Will you help? Subvert! Hack the system! Solve the conundrum!
M: Georgie Schnobrich, Ian Hagemann, Shweta Narayan, Sylvia Kelso
(I was at the Part I panel last year, so it would probably be interesting to see Part 2 this year!)
Sunday Plans
I doubt I'll get up this early, but....
15 Cliché or Trope?
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 8:30-9:45 A.M. ♦ Senate A
Stranded orphans become great wizards. Evil sorcerers try to destroy the world. Wizards with pointy hats, androgynous elves with longbows ... a large portion of fantasy's bad reputation is tied to its worn-out clichés. At what point does 'done' become 'overdone'? Where can you expect your readers to draw the line? Can good storytelling reclaim a clichés, or are some story elements so exhausted that they cannot be revived?
M: Sean M. Murphy, M.K. Hobson, Gregory Frost, Theodora Goss
116 Phillip Pullman vs. C.S. Lewis: Smackdown!
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 8:30-9:45 A.M. ♦ Capitol A
Philip Pullman has attacked the work of C.S. Lewis as, among other complaints, antifeminist. He has set his own His Dark Materials trilogy up as the anti-Narnia, and proclaimed his own atheism as a rebuttal of Lewis's Christianity. Although Lewis isn't available to debate, and Pullman probably won't be at WisCon, it seems worth discussing the remarkable parallels in the two collective works, as well as the recent competing major motion pictures: The Golden Compass and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. So far, Pullman may be winning some of the battles: the Whitbread prize, the all-time Carnegie Medal (Lewis's Carnegie Medal-winner, The Last Battle, wasn't even listed as a finalist), etc. On the other hand, first movie was a huge popular hit and Compass has been something of a box-office disappointment.
M: Victoria Gaydosik, Judith Moffett, Janice Bogstad, Heidi Waterhouse
Choose from:
120 'How to Manage Teh Stupid': White Allies Confronting Racism
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Sunday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Assembly
Combating learned racism is our duty as white allies, and this is the time to come together for that purpose. But how do we begin? How do we know when to speak and when simply to listen to our friend of color, so that we reach an honest understanding? When is anger a strength and when is it a wall built between us and the facts? What do we need to do to really hear the truth of racism without internalizing everything and taking these conversations as personal marks of guilt? Acknowledging white privilege may be the first step, but what do we do to champion true social change?
M: Rebecca Holden, Doselle Young, Cabell Gathman, Richard F. Dutcher, Leah Marcus
121 Time To Put Down The Laptop?
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Caucus
Everyone and her sister/brother/dog seems to be blogging these days. Do you find blogging a waste of creative energy and a bane to more polished fiction? Does talking about your process keep you from engaging in it? Counting your words rather than crafting them? Or do you think this is a false economy of scarcity? Does blogging actually help you write more, better, faster, better-crafted? If so, how?
M: Alan Bostick, M.K. Hobson, Naamen Tilahun, Cecilia Tan, Vylar Kaftan
124 Narrative and Politics
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Wisconsin
A group of writers discuss the politics of narrative. How does narrative reinforce traditional notions of power and identity? How does it challenge them? If you don't want to tell the same story as before, how do you need to change the structure of what you write?
M: L. Timmel Duchamp, Susan Palwick, Carolyn Gilman, Pat Murphy, Eileen Gunn
125 Why Return a King (or Queen)?
Power, Privilege & Oppression ♦ Sunday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Capitol A
Why are fantasy writers from democratic countries so fascinated by monarchy? Why is The Return of the King assumed to be a good thing? And why do some women writers seem to adopt monarchy and just substitute a queen instead of a king? Is it just easier to write 'in the tradition', or are there deeper forces at work?
M: Georgie Schnobrich, Chris Hill, Tamora Pierce, Sarah Monette, P.C. Hodgell
130 Can Internet Drama Change The World?
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Sunday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Conference 5
Impassioned blog debates have initiated many into feminist praxis, queer critique, and antiracist ideology. But they also generate frustration, disillusionment, and flamewars. Participants in online political discussions are frequently derided for wasting energy that would be better expended in 'real' political work than in online drama, but many can also attest to the importance of online participation to developing understandings of power and privilege. This roundtable will raise questions of the validity and importance of online micro-political interventions, and their relationship to social justice activism on a larger scale.
M: Alexis Lothian, Julia Starkey, K. Tempest Bradford, Woodrow Hill, K. Joyce Tsai
144 Philip Pullman: Threat or Menace?
Spirituality, Organized Religion & Politics ♦ Sunday, 1:00-2:15 P.M. ♦ Conference 5
The release of the film The Golden Compass has revived interest in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. Come and participate in a lively discussion that asks the following questions and more: What is this work? Is it an atheist/nihilist screed, as some insist? A neo-Enlightenment fable? What is the author's political and philosophical message? Is Lyra a feminist protagonist? Is Mrs. Coulter? Dr. Malone? Will? Did the changes made between the book and the movie change the basic premises of the story?
M: Victoria Gaydosik, Lilian Edwards, Gregory Frost, Vito Excalibur
153 Publishing, Profit, Agendas, and Ideals: The Eclipse One Cover Debate
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Sunday, 2:30-3:45 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin
Last year when Night Shade Books released the cover for their anthology, Eclipse One, a debate broke out over the names represented on the front. Namely, in an anthology that had 50/50 male and female authors, only male names appeared on the cover. The ensuing argument centered around two main points—the publishers felt that, of the authors in the anthology, the names they'd put on the cover were likely to attract the attention of more casual buyers. And because they were in the business of making money, they could not afford to put an 'agenda' ahead of anything else. Readers felt that, because no women were given a slot on the cover, the publishers were reinforcing patriarchal assumptions about who sells books, and who doesn't. Some expressed the opinion that the lack of women on the cover was actually likely to deter them from buying the book. In this panel, which will be a debate, let's explore both sides in depth. Does indulging agendas and ideals hinder profit? Or can adhering to an ideal lead to different and/or better ways of creating more profit?
M: K. Tempest Bradford, Micole Sudberg, Eileen Gunn, Jeremy Lassen
Must pick from:
166 Faux Diversity vs. Actual Diversity
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Senate B
Firefly was set in an Asia-dominated future that mysteriously contained no actual Asian people. More recently, the Last Airbender features a rich variety of cultures and societies with details taken from many Earth traditions, predominantly Asian—and almost no characters who are identifiably not white. What is with shows that use other kinds of diversity (or just the trappings of diversity) to stand in for racial diversity? It may come from good impulses on the part of show's creators, but is wrong, wrong, wrong in execution. We can talk about this in terms of racism, worldbuilding...possibly even (dare we say it?) cultural appropriation. Let's discuss any and all shows that come to mind, either as bad examples or (hopefully!) as good ones.
M: Linda McAllister, Rachel Kronick, Julia Starkey, Janine Young, Naamen Tilahun
(Umm, Katara and Sokka are two of the main characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and they are not white. Maybe the panel description is viewing them as token characters?)
167 Publishing: Meritocracy or Social Construct?
The Craft & Business of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin
Frequently authors, agents, and editors insist that artistic craft is all that matters. If a story or novel is excellent, it will succeed. In this view, the market is a meritocracy. The taste of agents, editors, or reviewers is downplayed, as is the historical/political/cultural context and any preference for certain narratives over others. Let's question this notion of meritocracy. What structural barriers do we face when our stories center on socially marginalized characters or our narratives challenge existing conventions and codes? Is the prevailing definition of 'good stories' too narrow? Should/can editors go out of their way to create a more welcoming atmosphere? If so, how?
M: Jed Hartman, Sharyn November, Gavin Grant, Paula Guran, Andrea Hairston
173 Some of Us Are Brave: Identity Intersections in an Election Year
Power, Privilege & Oppression ♦ Sunday, 4:00-5:15 P.M. ♦ Conference 5
With the Clinton and Obama candidacies, there has been a great deal of discussion in the press about race and gender. Unfortunately, this discussion is often framed in terms of which is the so-called bigger issue. Black women in particular have been singled out as facing a perceived dilemma in terms of identity framed as an either/or situation. This panel will look at identity intersections—ands instead of ors—using the discourse around the Clinton and Obama candidacies as a framework.
M: Candra Gill, Bradford Lyau, Nisi Shawl, Jacqueline Gross
177 GoH Speeches
Special ♦ Sunday, 8:30-10:00 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin
This Guest of Honor event is the high point of WisCon programming; it's the formal event at which we honor our guests and listen to what they have to say to us. In the past, guests have given us rallying calls to political action, humorous anecdotes, scholarly treatises, exposés, autobiographical histories, earthshaking ideas, and passionate and lyrical speeches. For instance, Pat Murphy initiated the Tiptree Award as part of her 1991 GoH speech at Wiscon 15.
For members allergic to dessert items, satellite viewing is available in Conference Room 1.
191 Last time, on Battlestar Galactica...
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 11:30-12:45 A.M. ♦ Senate A
We saw the first part of Season Four, let's talk about it. Where is the series going? Let's speculate on the ramifications of the final five Cylons, Roslin's reoccurring cancer, and all the good stuff in the rest of Season Four.
M: Ben Burgis, Maddie Greene, JJ Pionke
Monday
194 How Much Is Too Much?
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Monday, 8:30-9:45 A.M. ♦ Assembly
Unless we're reading or writing about a utopia, the societies in our fantasy worlds are going to have problems. In fact, a culture without problems invariably comes off as shallow and unrealistic. Does this mean we need to include things like sexism and racism if we want to tell a believable story? And if so, are we, as authors, guilty of perpetuating whatever-ism in the real world?
M: Sarah Monette, Catherynne M. Valente, Gregory Rihn, Elissa Malcohn
One of these:
199 Classic Progressive Books For Children
Feminism & Other Social Change Movements ♦ Monday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Senate A
What are some great children's books with feminist, GLBT, and other progressive themes?
M: Janet Lafler, Michael Levy, Penny Hill
201 How To Be A Good Ally—And A Bad One
Power, Privilege & Oppression ♦ Monday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Wisconsin
As privileged allies in the struggles against various oppressions such as racism and sexism, sometimes we make mistakes, and some of our strategies are more successful than others. And some of us are frightened by the idea of tackling the learning curve and making fools of ourselves along the way. Others of us aren't even sure where to begin. This panel will discuss starting points, common pitfalls, embarrassing stories of mistakes made and overcome, and how to do it right.
M: Lori Selke, Debbie Notkin, Mary Robinette Kowal
203 Powerful Protagonists or Fetish Fantasies: Female Roles in Modern SF Television
Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Monday, 10:00-11:15 A.M. ♦ Capitol B
This is a panel discussion about modern SF shows with strong female characters such as Xena, Buffy, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, and Doctor Who. We will look at how these shows portray women and debate whether these are truly feminist characters.
M: Michael D. Thomas, Allison Morris, Jennifer Pelland, Jorjet Harper, Lynne Thomas
207 The SignOut
Special ♦ Monday, 11:00 A.M.-12:45 P.M. ♦ Wisconsin
Come and sign your works, come and get things signed, come and hang out and wind down before you leave.
As you can see my schedule is not completely decided in a number of places. If you have suggestions for what sounds the coolest, or what panels you might be attending, let me know!
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And we've BOTH changed since the dorms, OMF! Look at us, we're GRADUATING tomorrow! And hey, we were loving and critiquing SF back then, too: we just have better tools for it now :)
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Congratulations, though!
And yeah, isn't that just the thing. After all this planning, I'm sure my actual schedule will be much different!
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Random info
Delia Sherman, Ellen Klages, and Holly Black?!?! Gosh. I know people who adore PC Hodgell's books, too; I'm pretty sure you can't go WRONG with this one.
#13 -- LJ & WisCon
I've been to LJ panels at cons before, but this is the first time that these four people have been on a panel together. (NB: Lilian Edwards convinced me to get an LJ in the first place. I stood up for Bill at his wedding.) I've only seen Vylar Kaftan once, at a reading for Glorifying Terrorism (http://rackstrawpress.nfshost.com/), which came out last year and publicized initially on LJ. Bill's a nerdy nerd, Lilian is a law lecturer who specializes in electronic things, and Candra's a media specialist. They're all very smart about a lot of things.
OTOH, Vito Excalibur writes great comments on LJ, and the Asian F&SF panel is unusual for conventions. (Don't worry; someone's always having panels for one's inner copy editors. And to me, the lit-focused cons are ALL cracktastic for English majors.)
You know that the Academic track is all people presenting papers, yes?
#44 - Defining God
Brad Lyau and Mary Kay Kare are both very sensible and intelligent people. I don't know the other panelists, but I can't see Brad and Mary Kay doing much to piss believers off; they know better.
Sat. @ 1:00 p.m.
Mary Anne's cool, and Sharyn November's a YA editor too.
OTOH, I want to be Eileen Gunn when I grow up.
Sat. @ 2:30 p.m.
Argh! Well, at least someone might post recommendation lists from the POC panel. I may choose the McHugh panel simply because it's one of those that tends to happen only when someone's a Guest. Also, I worry about her health, considering her history with cancer.
Sat. @ 9 PM
Okay, I think you've convinced me to go to the Slash 201 panel.
#124 -- Narrative & Politics
Okay, I already mentioned Eileen Gunn. Pat Murphy's doing only a couple of panels this year, and one of them is closed to people who aren't mid-career writers. Listening to them all discuss the political implications of narrative? Cool. Probably more boring for people who have studied this in grad school, though.
OTOH, teh DRAMA!
[can't take it anymore . . must go]
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Re: Random info