Mancunicon
Mancunicon is approaching rapidly and I have my schedule. I'm particularly looking forward to interviewing Aliette de Bodard on Saturday and to the Tanith Lee tribute item. I hope to see at least some of you there!
Revealing History, Revealing Now
Friday 17:30 - 18:30, Room 8&9 (Hilton Deansgate)
We think of historical fantasy and alternate history as changing the past: but can they be used, instead, to reveal it? How do the tools of SF and fantasy enable writers to tell stories that allow us to think differently about our understanding of history? How can such stories help us to better understand the present? (And which "us" is defining "our", in any case?)
Susan Bartholomew (M), Jacey Bedford, Aliette de Bodard, Kari Sperring, Sarah Walters.
A Tribute to Tanith Lee
Saturday 14:30 - 15:30, Deansgate 3 (Hilton Deansgate)
Tanith Lee was the first woman to win the British Fantasy Award, for Death's Master (1980). She was nominated for and won various World Fantasy Awards, and wrote over 90 novels, 300 short stories, poetry, a children's book and episodes of the TV show Blake's 7. Her work explored feminism and sexuality. In this discussion, five of her literary "nieces", who all have a short story in an anthology dedicated to her (to be published by Storm under the title Night's Nieces), enthuse about her works and what made her such a critical figure in female and British Fantasy until her untimely death in May 2015.
Storm Constantine, Kari Sperring, Sarah Singleton, Freda Warrington, Liz Williams, John Kaiine
Guest of Honour Interview - Aliette de Bodard
Sunday 16:00 - 17:00, Deansgate 2&3 (Hilton Deansgate)
Aliette de Bodard was born in the USA, and grew up in London and Paris, where she now lives and works.
She began publishing short fiction in 2006, and gained rapid notice, particularly for work in her Xuya setting, including the Nebula Award-winning stories "Immersion" (2012) and "The Waiting Stars" (2013), and the Hugo-nominated novella On a Red Station, Drifting (2012).
Her first novel Servant of the Underworld, published in 2010, began the Obsidian & Blood series of Aztec mysteries. Her most recent book is The House of Shattered Wings, a BSFA Award nominee this year.
Kari Sperring (M), Aliette de Bodard.
Historical Fiction and Fanfiction
Sunday 17:30 - 18:30, Room 8&9 (Hilton Deansgate)
Historical fiction is set in the past. Fanfiction is produced by fans, for fans, using famous people or source texts as an inspiration. Frequently the worlds overlap. This panel discusses the overlaps, benefits and pitfalls of them. The overlaps include writing fanfiction about historical fiction, setting fanfiction in an alternative universe by placing the narrative in a different historical era, fanworks about real-life historical figures (Historical RPF), or historical fanworks - any fanwork set in the past.
Amanda Baker (M), V Allan, Kari Sperring, Zoe Sumra, ickle_tayto
Science Fiction Criticism - Masterclass 1
Sunday 19:00 - 20:00, Room 10 (Hilton Deansgate)
Every Summer the Science Fiction Foundation holds a Masterclass in Science Fiction Criticism with world-renowned critics, academics and authors. This session provides a taster. Participants are required to sign up in advance (at Ops) and should read the short story assigned for the session. There is a limit of ten participants.
This session will be looking at Liz Williams, 'The Banquet of the Lords of Night', which can be found online athttp://clarkesworldmagazine.com/williams_05_13_reprint/
Tony Keen, Kari Sperring.
I will also be working in Green Room (when aren't I? My favourite place!) and helping out with the bid for Follycon, so this is shaping up to be a busy convention.
Revealing History, Revealing Now
Friday 17:30 - 18:30, Room 8&9 (Hilton Deansgate)
We think of historical fantasy and alternate history as changing the past: but can they be used, instead, to reveal it? How do the tools of SF and fantasy enable writers to tell stories that allow us to think differently about our understanding of history? How can such stories help us to better understand the present? (And which "us" is defining "our", in any case?)
Susan Bartholomew (M), Jacey Bedford, Aliette de Bodard, Kari Sperring, Sarah Walters.
A Tribute to Tanith Lee
Saturday 14:30 - 15:30, Deansgate 3 (Hilton Deansgate)
Tanith Lee was the first woman to win the British Fantasy Award, for Death's Master (1980). She was nominated for and won various World Fantasy Awards, and wrote over 90 novels, 300 short stories, poetry, a children's book and episodes of the TV show Blake's 7. Her work explored feminism and sexuality. In this discussion, five of her literary "nieces", who all have a short story in an anthology dedicated to her (to be published by Storm under the title Night's Nieces), enthuse about her works and what made her such a critical figure in female and British Fantasy until her untimely death in May 2015.
Storm Constantine, Kari Sperring, Sarah Singleton, Freda Warrington, Liz Williams, John Kaiine
Guest of Honour Interview - Aliette de Bodard
Sunday 16:00 - 17:00, Deansgate 2&3 (Hilton Deansgate)
Aliette de Bodard was born in the USA, and grew up in London and Paris, where she now lives and works.
She began publishing short fiction in 2006, and gained rapid notice, particularly for work in her Xuya setting, including the Nebula Award-winning stories "Immersion" (2012) and "The Waiting Stars" (2013), and the Hugo-nominated novella On a Red Station, Drifting (2012).
Her first novel Servant of the Underworld, published in 2010, began the Obsidian & Blood series of Aztec mysteries. Her most recent book is The House of Shattered Wings, a BSFA Award nominee this year.
Kari Sperring (M), Aliette de Bodard.
Historical Fiction and Fanfiction
Sunday 17:30 - 18:30, Room 8&9 (Hilton Deansgate)
Historical fiction is set in the past. Fanfiction is produced by fans, for fans, using famous people or source texts as an inspiration. Frequently the worlds overlap. This panel discusses the overlaps, benefits and pitfalls of them. The overlaps include writing fanfiction about historical fiction, setting fanfiction in an alternative universe by placing the narrative in a different historical era, fanworks about real-life historical figures (Historical RPF), or historical fanworks - any fanwork set in the past.
Amanda Baker (M), V Allan, Kari Sperring, Zoe Sumra, ickle_tayto
Science Fiction Criticism - Masterclass 1
Sunday 19:00 - 20:00, Room 10 (Hilton Deansgate)
Every Summer the Science Fiction Foundation holds a Masterclass in Science Fiction Criticism with world-renowned critics, academics and authors. This session provides a taster. Participants are required to sign up in advance (at Ops) and should read the short story assigned for the session. There is a limit of ten participants.
This session will be looking at Liz Williams, 'The Banquet of the Lords of Night', which can be found online athttp://clarkesworldmagazine.com/williams_05_13_reprint/
Tony Keen, Kari Sperring.
I will also be working in Green Room (when aren't I? My favourite place!) and helping out with the bid for Follycon, so this is shaping up to be a busy convention.