As previously advertised, Steve and I will be at Boskone.  In addition to our Duties to the Con, listed below, we are pleased to be Guests of Honor at NarniaCon, the convention-within-the-convention, run out of the coat check closet, naturally enough, in the Westin.  This year, NarniaCon will be hosting a scavenger hunt based on the game of Clue.

FRIDAY, February 14

Fandom 2.0: Being a Good Fan
Panel: 4:00 – 4:50, Marina 3 (Westin)
Modern fandom has developed a wonderfully interconnected network, with instant access to authors, fellow fans, and fan communities around the world. This instant connectivity is neither good nor bad, but it can be used in ways that harm as well as help. As fans, what responsibility do we have to each other, to our communities, and to the creators who make the work we love? Join us for a constructive conversation to help figure out how to build a stronger, more thoughtful community.
Steve Miller (M), Gerald L. Coleman, Charlaine Harris, Ginjer Buchanan, Erin Underwood

Journalism in Speculative Fiction
Panel: 5:00 – 5:50, Marina 2 (Westin)
From Wells and Orwell to Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow, and Annalee Newitz, there’s a long tradition of reporters becoming writers of SF/F/H. Our veteran newshounds report on what a background in journalism can bring to genre work. Are you already accustomed to research, deadlines, and low wages? Does the drive to get the facts mean it’s harder to make stuff up? Can reporters be written as good genre characters? While pounding out a hot story, must you wear a fedora?
Darlene Marshall (M), Clea Simon, Dan Moren, Daniel P. Dern, Sharon Lee

SATURDAY, February 15

The Future of Libraries
Panel: 10:00 – 10:50, Marina 4 (Westin)
The card catalog is already kaput. How long can stacks, carrels, and tome-laden tables last? How soon till the world’s One Big Library is seamlessly interconnected with everybody’s local, a collaborative sharing space with digital pipes to every seat and a helpful robotic assistant “manning” the “desk”? Any room left for the most systematically refined information storage technology of all: the book?
Fred Lerner, Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert (M), April Grant, Steve Miller, Debra Doyle

Pacing the Novel
Panel: 11:00 – 11:50, Marina 4 (Westin)
It’s crucial to the feel of the novel, but one of the least discussed aspects of fiction. How do you intensify a scene, bringing the reader deep into the narrative — yet still keep the novel moving along? Panelists share techniques for balancing intensity and movement within their work.
Tabitha Lord (M), Melissa Caruso, Steve Miller, Paul Tremblay, Sarah Smith

If you Like This, You’ll Like That
Panel: 12:00 – 12:50, Marina 2 (Westin)
Just like it says! Our panel of experts will suggest new (and classic) reads for you, if you’re looking for a new read and don’t know what to pick next. Audience participation encouraged!
Joseph Siclari (M), Sharon Lee , John Chu, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Tui Sutherland

Shaping the Genre
Panel: 1:00 – 1:50, Marina 2 (Westin)
With the evolution of print, ebooks, and audiobooks — not to mention other digital media — the speculative genre keeps changing. How has SF shaped and been shaped by society? Past transformational writers included Asimov, Bradbury, Butler, and Le Guin, to name a few. What authors are reshaping the genre today? How much do current technology and delivery media affect the power to mold SF? What role do publishers, large and small, play in the genre’s evolution?
Julia Rios (M), Steve Miller, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Shahid Mahmud

Developing Future Histories
Panel: 1:00 – 1:50, Marina 3 (Westin)
Is it still possible to write a future history? Is it still worthwhile? How do you build a future history, anyway? How about alternate futures based on alternate pasts? Let’s dive into the great what-ifs and maybes of tomorrow!
Mark Olson (M), Dr Jonathan McDowell, David B. Coe/ D.B. Jackson, Sharon Lee, Michael Swanwick

Troubleshooting Troublesome Manuscripts
Panel: 3:00 – 3:50, Marina 2 (Westin)
Our intrepid authors come together to share tips and tricks for tackling the most notorious issues that arise when writing and editing their work. Find out how to fix hidden plot holes, dangling loose ends, and the endings that just won’t end!
Joshua Bilmes (M), Matthew Warner, Steve Miller, Sharon Lee, Tabitha Lord

Autographing: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller, Tui Sutherland, Cadwell Turnbull
4:00 – 4:50, Galleria – Autographing (Westin)

SUNDAY, February 16

Friends of Liad Breakfast TBA
Sauciety, off the Westin Lobby, left
This is the traditional winter gathering of the Friends of Liad; think family catch-up time. This is not a convention event. All must be prepared to pay for their own meal (Sharon and Steve expect to pay for their meals; nobody needs to stand us a meal.). All are welcome!

Reading: Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
12:00 – 12:25, Griffin (Westin)

Kaffeeklatsch: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
1:00 – 1:50, Galleria – Kaffeeklatsch 1 (Westin)