Boskone

I'll be heading across to Boston this weekend for Boskone, a conference I enjoy quite a bit. I've got a busy schedule this time. If you're heading that way, make sure to say hello!

Here's what I'll be doing:

Friday 19:00 - 19:25, Reading, Independence 

Friday 21:00 - 21:50, After the End of the World, Burroughs

Sorry Mayans, the world didn't end on 12/21/12 after all. And that's not the first time we've been disappointed like that. Let's discuss apocalyptic prophecies through the ages. What do they say about their creators -- and believers?

David Anthony Durham (M), Brendan DuBois , Allen M. Steele , Alexander Jablokov, Michael F. Flynn

Saturday 10:00 - 11:00, Kaffeeklatsche, Galleria-Kaffeeklatsch 2

Saturday 12:00 - 12:50, Military Motifs in Fantasy, Harbor I

Walter H. Hunt  (M), Craig Shaw Gardner, Myke Cole, Faye Ringel, David Anthony Durham

Saturday 15:00 - 15:50, Writing Advice: The Next Level, Harbor II

Writer Nick Mamatas says, "By the time someone finds their way to a panel at an SF con, stuff like 'Don't quit your day job' and 'Read widely' and 'You have to finish a story before you submit it' is no longer necessary...There is certainly a need for higher-level advice. I had a student recently who had never heard of Freytag's triangle." So let's elevate the answers, people--and the questions.

Jeanne Cavelos  (M), Elizabeth Bear, Beth Meacham, David Anthony Durham, Kate Baker

Saturday 16:00 - 16:50, The Young Adult & Middle Grade Fiction (R)evolution, Harbor II

There seems to be a revolution or evolution in young adult and middle grade fiction that started with series like Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games, and everyone seems to want in on the action. Where did YA & MG fiction come from? What is it? Where is it going? And most importantly who should you be reading?

Erin Underwood  (M), Daniel P. Dern, Jordan Hamessley, David Anthony Durham

Sunday 10:00 - 10:50, Worlds You Won't Forget, Harbor I ( Westin)

Sometimes a created world is so vivid or unusual, it becomes a character in its own right. From old favorites like Ringworld, Riverworld, and Middle Earth to newer, less well-known places like Shellworld, Earwa, or Umayma, what fantastic landscapes do you remember best? What makes a world come alive? Is detailed worldbuilding always worth it for the reader?

David Anthony Durham  (M), Charles Stross, Melinda Snodgrass, Vernor Vinge, Elizabeth Bear

Sunday 11:00 - 11:25, Reading, Lewis

Sunday 13:00 - 13:50, Non-English Fiction & Translation, Burroughs

When translating works of fiction into English, what are some of the dangers associated with capturing the original piece "meaning for meaning?" What affect do cross-cultural references have or the lack of historical knowledge have on either the translator or the reader of the newly translated piece of fiction? Moreover, is the translated work as valid as the original? How might translation techniques impact the interpreted work for good or ill? Panelists will also discuss examples of translated work.

David Anthony Durham (M), Jack M. Haringa, John Chu

Sunday 14:00 - 15:00, Autographing, Galleria-Autographing

James Patrick Kelly, David Anthony Durham, David G. Hartwell