The Bard's Fire

With very few exceptions, I enjoy working first-time conventions. Certainly, I’ve seen my share of disasters, but I’ve also seen the first year turn into the second and on to a long tradition. And it’s a lot of fun to be part of that. Which is why I’m looking forward to MultiverseCon’s inaugural weekend. So far, the folks behind this one seem to be doing things right.

My schedule certainly looks like a lot of fun. Here’s what I’ll be up to:

Friday October 18

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm: Opening Ceremonies. Meet the ConComm! Meet the Guests of Honor! Hear about some of the fun in store for us! And we’re OFF!

2:30 pm to 3:30 pm: So You Want to Write. A good panel for new and aspiring writers to learn more about being a writer from veteran writers. Panelists: Darin Kennedy, Lee Martindale (M), Rena Mason, Seanan McGuire, Jarvis Sheffield

Saturday, October 19

11:30 am to 12:30 pm: Reading: Darin Kennedy and Lee Martindale. I’m leaning toward reading “Combat Shopping”, but that could change.

2:30 pm to 3:30 pm: Place As Character. The write-up: “Urban fantasy often delights its audience by setting stories in places they know like New Orleans, Atlanta, and New York. How important is Place to the authors of Urban Fantasy and how important is it that those places be from the real world or is approximation enough? Panelists: Stuart Jaffe, Kyoko M (M), Lee Martindale, L.L. McKinney

5:30 pm to 6:30 pm: Accessibility in Futuristic Societies. The write-up: “Accessibility is not just about bigger bathrooms or assistive devices. Creating welcoming environments for people with differing abilities and challenges is vital to a well-functioning society. From dampening loud noises for people with autism or PTSD, to strengthening floors for people wearing exoskeletons, panelists will discuss ways future societies can apply advancements to ensure everyone has what they need to thrive. Panelists: Meg Elison, Tiara Janté, Lee Martindale (M), Josh Roseman, Alex White

Sunday, October 20

10:00 am to 11:00 am: Beyond The Sword. The write-up: “The sword has a central place in fantasy. Panelists will discuss the swords they love and the swords they hate and what weapons from other cultures might fill the place the sword currently holds in fantasy. Panelists: Paige L. Christie, Milton Davis (M), Lee Martindale, Balogun Ojetade

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm: The Outsiders. The write-up: “Inclusion has become a large and important area of focus in fantasy. How do you write characters from outside your own experience? How do you avoid the pitfalls of stale, stereotypical characterizations that depend on old tropes that have become unviable in storytelling and bring something fresh and new to the genre? The panel will discuss writing characters from outside your culture, gender, and orientation. Panelists: Darin Kennedy, Kyoko M, Lee Martindale (M), Errick Nunnally

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Closing Ceremonies.