This post's purpose is to collect my common tags in one place, so readers (and I!) can easily access entries on several subjects.

Fri 7:00 PM in Plaza I
FANTASY BASED ON NON-EUROPEAN SOURCES
Victoria Janssen (mod), Stephanie Burke, James L. Cambias, Christine Norris, Tom Doyle

You don't have to go "all medieval on me" to write fantasy. What are the best examples of fantasy not based on European backgrounds to date?


Fri 8:00 PM in Plaza VII
THE BOOKS WE COME BACK TO
Victoria Janssen (mod), Michael J. Walsh, KT Pinto, Caroline Cox, Lawrence Kramer

There are some books we read over and over again. What qualities do these books have that make them worth visiting again?


Fri 11:59 PM in Plaza IV
EYE OF ARGON READING
Oz Fontecchio (mod), Keith R.A. DeCandido, Lawrence M. Schoen, Phil Kahn, Hildy Silverman, Victoria Janssen

Reputedly, the worst story in the genre's history. Just try and read it without laughing.


Sat 11:00 AM in Plaza II
BROAD UNIVERSE RAPID FIRE READING
Christine Norris (mod), Catherine Asaro, Dina Leacock, E. F. Watkins, Gail Z. Martin, Victoria Janssen

All the Broad Universe authors in attendance give a short reading, creating a kind of “snack sampler” for the audience.


Sat 12:00 PM in Executive Suite 623
VICTORIA JANSSEN READING


Sat 2:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two
ARE WE HEADED FOR THE POST-LITERATE WORLD?
Bud Sparhawk (mod), Catherine Asaro, Victoria Janssen, Rebecca Maines, Tom Purdom]

How has easy access to technology changed the way that we read, write and think? How is this reflected in the more recent novels of the field?


Sat 4:00 PM in Plaza II
MAKING IT WITH VAMPIRES, SHAPESHIFTERS AND OTHER CREATURES
Victoria Janssen (mod), Desirina Boskovich, L.A. Banks, Genevieve Iseult Eldredge, Nina Ely, Stephanie Burke

What is the psychological appeal?


Sat 8:00 PM in Plaza I
INSERT TAB B INTO SLOT A
Victoria Janssen (mod), Lawrence M. Schoen, Michael Swanwick, Stephanie Burke, Lee Gilliland

The treatment of sex in Science Fiction.


Sun 1:00 PM in Grand Ballroom A
WHERE WILL THE ROMANCE/SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY CONNECTION GO?
Victoria Janssen (mod), Catherine Asaro, Robert Jeschonek, L.A. Banks, Oz Drummond

Is the crossover between Science Fiction/Fantasy and the Romance genre cresting or still on the rise? Where is it going? Is it affecting the whole field?

I'll be at CapClave 2009 this weekend.

Here's my schedule:
Fantasy-Mystery
Friday, 8pm, Montrose
Andrew Fox (m), Peter Heck, Victoria Janssen, Jean-Marie Ward, Diane Weinstein
From Harry Dresden to Rachel Morgan to Sookie Stackhouse to Anita Blake, a lot of popular urban fantasies/paranormal romances seem to be mysteries. Why add a third element to the mix? What works/doesn't work when you combine them?

Paranormal Romance: Just Chick Lit?
Saturday, 11am, Montrose
Jean-Marie Ward (m), Mattie Brahen, Victoria Janssen, Mindy KlaskyWhy is the main character in paranormal romances usually female? Is the audience meant to be women only? What is the right balance between the paranormal and the romance?

Broad Universe RapidFire Readings
Saturday, 1pm, Twinbrook

Bridging From YA to Adult
Saturday, 6pm, Montrose
John Hemry (m), John Bentancourt, A.C. Crispin, Victoria Janssen, Mindy Klasky, Karen Newton
What books overlap the YA and adult genres? What is the distinction? Are there books that shifted from being classed one way to the other? Are there changing attitudes as to what is appropriate for younger ages?

My Worldcon schedule, for August 6-10, 2009.

Session ID: 269
What's New in SF/F for Children and Teens: A discussion of what's new in science fiction and fantasy for kids.
Fri 10:00 AM, P-510C, 1 hour
Sharon Rawlins (mod.), Susan Fichtelberg, Victoria Janssen
(I've had a year or so break from doing YA panels, so this should be fun because I can talk about some newer books.)

Session ID: 201
Author Readings
Fri 3:30 PM, P-521A, 1 ½ hours
Eric Choi, James Cambias, Louise Marley, Victoria Janssen
(Not sure yet what I'm reading - likely either from The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover or from Moonlight Mistress. I'm not far enough into the pirate book to feel comfortable reading from it.)

Session ID: 672
Writing Workshop Q
Sun 11:00 AM, D-Royer, 2 hours
P. C. Hodgell, Victoria Janssen
(We're doing novel excerpts.)

Session ID: 724
Vampire Rules--and How to Recognize Them Without a Mirror. Are there vampire rules that writers MUST follow? Some experts and enthusiasts discuss vampires, including eastern vs western vampires.
Fri 9:00 PM, P-513B, 1 hour
Victoria Janssen (mod.), Inanna Arthen, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Karen Dales
(Since I'm the moderator, I defintely want to chat about some Asian vampires, as well as Asian-style Western vampires such as the ones that often show up in anime. I'm also a vampire disliker, so maybe I'm a devil's advocate as well.)

Session ID: 769
Erotic Writing Sources and Venues: Writers talk about what they write: erotica. How do they research it, how much plot is required, what's the market for it, and how do they keep things "fresh."
Fri 10:00 PM, P-522B, 1 hour
Traci N. Castleberry (mod.), Peter Cohen, Darlene Marshall, Victoria Janssen
(I like this description a lot more than the usual nudge-nudge wink-wink business the erotica panel usually gets. Also, my fellow panelists are great.)

Session ID: 855
Paranormal Romance for Teens: Who knew romance could be so weird? Meet an author of many of the Sweet Valley High books, and other writers who like to romanticize vampires, werewolves, and zombies.
Sun 10:00 AM, P-524A, 1 hour
Cathy Petrini (mod.), Anne Harris, Carole Ann Moleti, Kerrie Hughes, Victoria Janssen
(I might be the token vampire-disliker on this panel. But I do like werewolves and I love YA, and I've read some pretty good vampire YA in the last year.)

As always with Readercon, my experience was somewhat like that of being a pinball in a particularly elaborate pinball machine.

The trip up was lovely--no heat wave, no breakdowns, no tow truck, no last-minute boatlike rental car, no desperate attempts to keep driver awake (last year was quite an adventure).  I rode up with two fellow workshoppers, Judith and Steve; we continued discussing some of the topics from our July 5th meeting, and career issues, and the like.

I had a reading shortly after I arrived, then half an hour to eat a little hummus with vegetables (with my tax person, whom I didn't even glimpse for the rest of the con), then a discussion group, then my sole "regular" panel.  By the discussion group, I was really missing my hoodie, which I'd left up in the room.  Long sleeves were not enough for the arctic air conditioning.  After I was done with the panel, I rushed upstairs and got my hoodie and a pair of socks, then went back down to the bar with the express intention of eating a cow.  I didn't see anyone I knew well enough to accost, so I headed into the lobby and snagged Ann and Geary and Rosemary to join me, and then we acquired Jeff Carver as well.  I had iced tea, which just barely kept me awake for the Meet the Prose party, which was later than usual.  Also mobbed.  I collected stickers all along my arm, and then took a picture of them, and then ripped them off--they weren't entirely comfortable and looked like a cyberpunkish cast.  Michael Swanwick's sticker ended up on my nose.  I don't know why I let him get away with these things.

Saturday started off with waking up way too early, then breakfast with Judith and Graham and conversation about Dubai and Dr. Who, at separate times, not in relation (though the latest ep was filmed there).  I bought Greer's gorgeous Cloud and Ashes, and at the Wesleyan table, the paperback of Farah Mendlesohn's On Joanna Russ and a re-release of Delany's Jewel-Hinged Jaw essay collection.  Then I absconded quickly with my loot so as to avoid buying more.  Chatted with Alaya and Tempest in the green room.  Had lunch with Judith and Connie, with whom I discussed some website stuff, saw Kat and Beth's cute baby!!! then became a Minion of Ellen Klages for her "Improv for Writers" workshop.  That was most excellent--I am most certainly not an actor,  but I loved the way the techniques she described and then had people use were applicable to writing and the writing process.  I left in the final half hour of the two-hour workshop due to a desperate need for sleep; after an hour's nap, I was much revived and joined a posse of people for Korean barbecue--Judith, Ben, Beth, Amy, Tom, Hildy, and at the last minute we snagged Jim.  After delicious, delicious food (one of my favorites in the world), someone asked if anyone wanted to go to the nearby new used bookstore.  Clearly, this was a rhetorical question.  I got a hardcover of Paul Fussel's The Great War and Modern Memory, and Mr. Kipling's Army, and a book on Daily Life in Babylonia, and a really cool book on the Spanish Armada which Jim pimped to me.  We returned to the hotel and laughed like crazy at the Kirk Poland Memorial Bad Prose Competition -- Tournament of Champions!  "In the beginning was the Word...and the Word begat the Phrase, and (etc., etc.) the Paragraph begat the Little Sections Set Off by Asterisks...."

Sunday, breakfast with Ann and Judith, duscussing careers and life and How to Suppress Women's Writing and how sadly applicable it is still, and had a visit from Tom and side-chats with Greer and Faye abuot women's colleges.  I also chatted with Gene Wolfe about oatmeal.  I had my kaffeeklatsch which, fortuitously, involved someone who was a big fan of clipper ships and had done a lot of sailing, so I picked her brain a lot.  We had never met before, but she came because she was interested in the Duchess book--she didn't know I was working on a sea adventure!  I love it when a plan comes together.

Extensive loitering in the green room and lobby followed--got to tell Ellen how much I'd enjoyed her workshop and how useful it was, chatted with Sarah and Tempest and Ann and assorted Macdonalds and Connie and Ellen (Kushner) and Susannah and probably some other people I have forgotten about.

Then Drive-Con Two, and further discussion of the panels/talks we attended, careers, projects, future projects, and bonus me reading aloud from How to Suppress Women's Writing.  Got home around 9:30 pm.

Tired now.

Anticipation will be held in Montréal, Quebec, at the Palais des congrès de Montréal from August 6th - 10th, 2009.

Tentative Worldcon Schedule

Session ID:  201
Author Readings
Fri 3:30 PM, P-521A, 1 1/2 hours
Eric Choi, James Cambias, Louise Marley, Victoria Janssen

Session ID:  269
What's New in SF/F for Children & Teens: A discussion of what's new in science fiction and fantasy for kids.
Fri 10:00 AM, P-510C, 1 hour
Sharon Rawlins (mod.), Susan Fichtelberg, Victoria Janssen

Session ID:  672
Writing Workshop Q
Sun 11:00 AM, D-Royer, 2 hours
P. C. Hodgell, Victoria Janssen

Session ID:  724
Vampire Rules--and How to Recognize Them Without a Mirror: Are there vampire rules that writers MUST follow? Some experts and enthusiasts discuss vampires, including eastern vs western vampires.
Fri 9:00 PM, P-513B, 1 hour
Victoria Janssen (mod.), Inanna Arthen, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Karen Dales

Session ID:  769
Erotic Writing Sources and Venues: Writers talk about what they write: erotica. How do they research it, how much plot is required, what's the market for it, and how do they keep things "fresh." 
Fri 10:00 PM, P-522B, 1 hour
Traci N. Castleberry (mod.), Cecilia Tan, Darlene Marshall, Victoria Janssen

Session ID:  855
Paranormal Romance for Teens: Who knew romance could be so weird? Meet an author of many of the Sweet Valley High books, and other writers who like to romanticize vampires, werewolves, and zombies.
Sun 10:00 AM, P-524A, 1 hour
Cathy Petrini (mod.), Anne Harris, Carole Ann Moleti, Kerrie Hughes, Victoria Janssen

Back from WisCon. Con fatigue.

Bought Ellen Klages White Sands, Red Menace and Nisi Shawl's Filter House; picked up trib copy of WisCon Chronicles Volume 3. Also received a most wonderful selection of traditional Regencies from daedala, including Knave of Hearts, the Loretta Chase I have not read.

Did two panels, attended two panels. I have notes from the two I attended that I will write up. ETA: wait, I attended three panels. I forgot about the fan vidding panel, for which I took no notes, but it was awesome.

BTW, deepad is one awesome panelist.

Just received line edits for Moonlight Mistress.

As usual, I am at a con and up way too early; not meeting 1crowdedhour for another half-hour. Outside, it is raining. Will have to borrow an umbrella from the front desk, if they have one. Knew I should have brought mine, despite the weather forecast I saw!

So far, it's been pretty nonstop. After starting off having lunch with veejane and then shopping at Goodwill and Lands End, I chatted for a while with nojojo and jenwrites. Then found oyceter! Who already finished reading the new Sherry Thomas book! Then I went to the lobby to await oursin, where I found truepenny, who had news of oursin, veejane, and very soon, 1crowdedhour with a lot of luggage. Also Gabby, who might or might not have an LJ. Also some other people going in and out. The lobby of the Concourse is like that during WisCon, or even before it officially starts. I entertained wild_irises with my deconstruction of The Duchess, Her Maid, etc. cover, and then oursin arrived! Went to dinner at the Turkish place with her and veejane. We talked about syphilis in the Crimean War and about the Alamo and stuff like that.

After, hung in the lobby again. Met a new person, Sumina, and chatted briefly with sparkymonster and then saw Alaya Dawn Johnson and littlebutfierce! Then Pearl North arrived! You say, who is Pearl North? I say, new pseud for a friend of mine, whose YA science fiction book, Libyrinth, which has a library on another world, is finally going to be out from Tor in July. I do not reveal her name in case it is a secret. But the book sounded cool last time I heard her talk about it, and the cover is lovely. I bought Pearl a drink in the bar, while everyone who looked at her book postcards first asked who Pearl was, and then said that the name sounded like the author of a much smuttier book, which I found very funny. Pearl sounds like a Sexy Librarian name to me. Or perhaps a Tiny Grandmother in Flowered Dresses.

Crashed after that. Hopefully, jonquil and cofax7 got in safe and sound late last night or early this morning.

Gadgets: Then, Now and When
Sat 1:00 - 2:15PM
Conference 4

Moderator: Michelle Murrain, John Helfers, Elise Anna Matthesen, Victoria Janssen, Allison Morris.

Cyberpunk and steampunk are alluring gadget–heavy genres: what roles do gadgets and their inventors play in characterization and world–building? What gadgets exist that we never dreamt we'd see, and which do we think we may see within our lifetimes? What are the fictional gadgets we wish really existed? Which real gadgets can't we live without, and which do we take for granted?

Witches and Wizards: Gender and Power in Portrayals of Magic
Sat 10:30 - 11:45PM
Caucus

Moderator: Sarah G. Micklem, Gerri Balter, Melodie Bolt, Beverly Friend, Victoria Janssen.

Are witches female and wizards male? Feminism has created a new norm where Hermione gets to go to wizard school too, but let's take a closer look. Are there still implicit assumptions about the gender of magic in many fantasies?

Who's going to the Montreal Worldcon?

Happy Inauguration Day!

I'm back from Arisia and back online. As you can probably tell, since I'm posting this message....

Con was good. I particularly enjoyed the gender panel, which benefitted from an excellent moderator, Lee Harrington (who often gives workshops, facilitates, etc., which was really evident). I attended a couple of panels in their entirety and a few partially, as they were scheduled at the same time as each other. I only had to participate in two panels and a reading, so the amount of time to actually attend other stuff was unusual for me, and fun. I was really tired during the Steampunk/Cyberpunk panel I was on, and also we were sitting near a door to outside, so my feet were cold the whole time. The "Trend? What Trend?" panel was a blast. There were only four of us on that one, and we had a range of knowledge of different genres, so it moved pretty quickly.

It snowed, very beautifully, most of Sunday.

Best news of con, Sarah Smith is done with the ghost book she was working on, and is back to the next in her mystery series! I am curious to see how the mystery is going to tie in to the Titanic, which features in the plot.

I am planning, so far, to attend Arisia, WisCon, Readercon, CapClave, and Philcon. And Worldcon in Montreal.

Anybody planning on attending any of those?

Shades of Grey
Fri 7pm Montrose
Peter Heck [moderator], Mindy Klasky, Victoria Janssen, Ted White, Catherine Asaro
Anti-heroes and morally ambigious chracters (such as Elric or Snape). How do writers
portray a character not firmly good nor evil. Why would a writer want to create such a
character? What is the advantage of making an ambigious character the hero? The
antangonist?

Girl Meets Monster - Gets Boyfiend: Paranormal Romances
Sat 1pm Montrose
Victoria Janssen [moderator], Maria V. Snyder, Mindy Klasky, Jeri Smith-Ready, Traci Castleberry
What is paranormal romance? Is it absorbing urban fantasy or is it a completely separate
genre? Why is it so popular? Why now? Should they be filed under romance or fantasy?

E.T. Phone Earth: First Contact and Alien Communication
Sat 2pm Montrose
Lawrence M. Schoen [moderator], Judith Moffett, Victoria Janssen, Charles Gannon
What happens when humans meet aliens? How might we communicate with them?
What barriers stand in the way? How have different SF stories, TV, and movies
addressed this situation?

Reading
Sat 9pm Twinbrook
Victoria Janssen

Home from Gaylaxicon, off to Capclave on Friday. Found Philcon and Arisia invitations in my emailbox this morning.

Tired, so, a numbered list.

1. Gaylaxicon is small and relaxing.

2. The Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial are amazingly beautiful (and uncrowded) between 11 pm and 1 am. Thanks, feklar, for kidnapping me!

3. The Iwo Jima memorial is amazing from every angle. Contrapposto! Also, there were new battles engraved on the base since the last time I saw it. *sad*

4. I got to see annesible for the first time in a while, which was lovely. I also met Ginn Hale, C.S. Friedman, and tcastleb for the first time.

5. Got to talk Dr. Who with mroctober. We agree that Jo Grant was in love with Three.

Here's my schedule for this weekend at Gaylaxicon:

"The YA (Young Adult) Boom"
Saturday, 2:00 PM
Maybe it was Harry Potter, or maybe it was Buffy, but there's been a growing market boom in speculative YA works recently. These new YA works are complex, morally ambiguous, often feature young adults defying parents, and even include GLBT characters. These works are not just for young adults anymore. Who are some of the creators to read/watch for in this area?
Victoria Janssen, Steve Berman, RR Angell

"Is Sex A Viable Plot?"
Saturday, 10:00 PM
There's nothing wrong with sex, but can sex alone carry a story? What about erotica….does it need a plot too? Or porn? Is plot the difference between them?
Victoria Janssen, Cecilia Tan, Nathan James, Catherine Lundoff

"How To Break In"
Sunday, 10:00 AM
So you want to be a writer/creator? How do you break into the publishing world or the media production world? Beyond just having a great story to tell, what more do you need to do? Agents, contacts, editors……oh my!
Victoria Janssen, Joshua Bilmes, Lee Martindale

"Erotica In The Genre"
Sunday, 11:00 AM
It's time for works with erotic content to come into the light of day. Works like "Lust" by our Author Guest of Honor Geoff Ryman are incorporating significant sexual content in works intended for a non-erotica audience. Is the genre ready for this? Are there editorial or market concerns with including so much sexual content in a genre work? Will the inclusion of GLBT erotic content be considered part of the stereotype of the "hypersexxed" gay?
Victoria Janssen, Geoff Ryman, Rebecca Ore

"Romancing the Genre"
Sunday, 3:00 PM
Take a look at the bookshelves in the genre section these days and you'll clearly see a wealth of genre-romance crossovers. It's even had an impact on media works - with romantic relationships playing a major role in works like Torchwood and Battlestar Galactica and even Doctor Who. Why have we seen so much romance entering the genre? Has it been a good thing for the genre?
Joshua Bilmes, Victoria Janssen, Therese Szymanski, Anne Harris

Reading: Cecilia Tan, Victoria Janssen
Saturday, 3:00 PM

I am off for home in a few hours, and I think I'm ready. I've been pretty braindead since yesterday; oyceter and I spent the day chatting, watching vids, playing wii, and eating pastry before meeting up with rilina for Japanese food.

Oh happy day, most of the free books I got at RWA should be back home already, as I shipped a box containing them along with a bunch of swag like people's business cards and bookmarks, and the tiny vibrator that was the favor from the Passionate Ink cocktail party. Delivered other free books to my gracious hosts.

Visited cofax7 and got to see pantryslut and madrobins. Had great fun hanging with smokingpigeon at the conference, and got to see varkat there, for the first time in a while.

I did not cross the Golden Gate Bridge on foot as I'd hoped, but I did go under it on a boat and over it in a car. Will post some scenic photos when I get home.

I am at RWA Nationals and having a lovely time so far. Today, I helped set up for a luncheon, putting freebie books on chairs, then skipped out on the luncheon itself to walk around a bit. So far, the general aspect of SF reminds me of Manhattan, at least in this neighborhood. Perhaps tonight, I shall see fog!

I arrived yesterday evening and as soon as I'd checked in to the hotel, I went to the Literacy Signing, which was very like the World Fantasy signing or WisCon's signout, only with more people, and the proceeds going to charity. I first found my roommate, Robin Owens, whom I'd never met. We got on very well, and had breakfast together this morning, chatting about our writing, writing in general, the culture of the RWA conference, and science fiction/fantasy (she's been writing fantasy for Luna Books as well as sf for Berkeley). Also at the signing, I roamed about and fangirled various of my favorite authors, this activity made more dreamlike by my exhaustion, jetlag, and low blood sugar. I talked to Kalen Hughes, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh, Jo Beverley (!), Liz Carlyle, and several others. Then I checked in with the couple of people I actually knew, doublecheese and smokingpigeon, before running across Susan Krinard, whom I'd met years ago at the Boston Worldcon. I then had dinner with complete strangers in the hotel restaurant and had a lovely conversation.

So far as actual conference activities, I have attended a single workshop with Elizabeth Hoyt on dialogue. It was more general that I had hoped for, but still quite interesting. I chose the workshops I'd attend more by the presenters than by the topics.

slithytove, I saw webpetals and passed on greetings from you.

I should meet my editor tonight for the first time, and will see varkat as well. My agent is coming in tomorrow.

Saturday, I'm off to visit cofax7, then Wednesday over to oyceter, as well as a trip to the Exploratorium, so I can see madrobins.

These are my notes on the narrative panel at WisCon. Mostly, I didn't write down attributions, or try to make a sequence (or narrative!). This is just the bits that struck me, and that I wanted to refer to later. Also, there might be some of my own thoughts and interpretations, but not a lot.

The panelists were L. Timmel Duchamp, moderator; Carolyn Ives Gilman; Susan Palwick; Pat Murphy; and Eileen Gunn.

Received narrative as a force/atmosphere and combating/resisting received narrative; reader reading subversively, and writer leading/seducing reader into the subversive reading. The latter sounds like the hard part.

How do we make new narratives/stories for which the models don't exist? Subverting the conservative force of narrative: this equals story, this does not equal story. Making new story understood as story.

Narrative arc can be independent of structure; for example a single narrative arc, but structured as scenes going forward and backward in time. Structure can reinforce narrative arc, also. Thematic reinforcement ought to work as well.

The game of reading is to see narrative in a collage of events; seems to happen naturally when you have three random events; even two will do.

If reader is faced with a puzzle, must read interactively to assemble the puzzle/narrative.

Writer can write a story and then distance herself from the story, allowing her to rework it with greater freedom. "That story is done. I am now working on this story." (William Gibson recommended this technique to Eileen Gunn.)

Once a narrative is out in the world, it's no longer yours.

Exploit the holes in the story. [I think this meant, exploit the holes in one story to make a new, more interesting story.]

Carolyn Gilman: narrative is not explanation, it simulates explanation; narrative stresses competition and conflict; narrative tends to stress the personal and private over the public and political. Sequence in narrative implies causation.