I am attending Worldcon Kansas City aka Midamericon.
Here’s my schedule. Find me! Say hi! I will have bookmarks and postcards and intend to give them away. I will also have a few copies of The Secret Journal of Beatrice Hassi Barahal, with its 29 black and white Julie Dillon illustration (she’s won the Hugo twice!), and I just might be carrying around a copy of the brand new just released August 16 POISONED BLADE which I will give away to the first person who comes up to me and says, “Kiss off, Adversary.”
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY (August 19):
Friday 11:00 – 12:00, ROOM 3501B (Kansas City Convention Center)
BEYOND Fantasy Creation for the Bold
A reprisal of Sasquan’s 2015 worldbuilding panel dialogue between Kate Elliott and Ken Liu. This year the topics will include: respecting the intelligence of people of the past if you take inspiration from history for your fantasy world; cultural change and transformation as catalysts for conflict and plot; power dynamics and differentials between groups as the engines for ethics and institutions; mapping ethnicity in a secondary world; and more!
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Friday 14:00 – 15:00, ROOM 2207 (Kansas City Convention Center)
A Cast of Thousands and A Unity of Plots
How do you write a novel that features many, many characters with parallel/divergent plot lines that must be woven together seamlessly? How do you avoid plotting yourself into a corner? What tools, tips, techniques, research approaches, academic disciplines, etc. are useful? How do you leverage the knowledge of experts? How do you plan for and execute multiple plot lines?
Kate Elliott, Ginjer Buchanan (M), Charlaine Harris, Scott Lynch, Mr Robert Silverberg
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Tachyon Publications Book Signing
Friday 1515 – 1545 (Tachyon table in the Dealers Room) COME BY! Say hi!
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Friday 17:00 – 18:00, ROOM 2209 (Kansas City Convention Center)
Epic Fantasy
A look at the modern successors of J.R.R. Tolkien and what they are bringing to the quest.
Sarah Beth Durst, Kate Elliott (M), Tessa Gratton, Anna Kashina, Sharon Lee
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SATURDAY:
KAFFEEKLATSCHE
(you have to sign up for this in advance; 12 people only — basically we sit around a table and you can ask me anything)
Saturday 1300 – 1400; ROOM 2211 (KKCC)
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Saturday 15:00 – 16:00, ROOM 2504B Readings (Kansas City Convention Center)
Magazine Group Reading – Apex
Our Magazine Group Reading Series continues with a special group reading that features authors from Apex Magazine: Jason Sizemore (M), Ms Rachel Swirsky, Jason Sanford, Kate Elliott, Foz Meadows, Adam-Troy Castro
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Saturday 16:00 – 17:00, 2504B (Kansas City Convention Center)
Revealing the Past Through Alternate Histories
We think of historical fantasy and alternate history as revisioning the past: but can they be used, instead, to reveal it? How does sci-fi and fantasy enable writers to tell stories that make readers think differently about our history? What are the histories that we choose to tell ourselves?
Eric Flint (M), Alan Smale, Walt Boyes, Kate Elliott, Esther Friesner
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SUNDAY
Sunday 11:00 – 12:00 Autographing Space
AUTOGRAPHING
(please come if you can; I’ll have bookmarks and postcards, and I’ll write something special in your book. Or if you don’t have a book for me to sign, I’ll sign a bookmark!)
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Sunday 13:00 – 14:00, Room 2208 (Kansas City Convention Center)
Sense8
This Netflix original by J .Michael Straczinski and the Wachowski sisters has fallen under the radar. There is nonetheless a devoted and growing fan base, especially among politically active viewers. Panelists examine the groundbreaking representations of gender, sexuality, race, religion, and identity in the show while also challenging its US-centric interpretations of other countries. *Spoilers Abound* for non-viewers, but why not come see what you’ve been missing?
Kate Elliott (M), Mark Oshiro, Meg Frank, Sunil Patel
That’s it! (isn’t that enough?)