Just because some of the laws of physics are different doesn't mean they aren't laws. What does technology look like in a fantasy universe? How has this been explored in speculative fiction, and how might it be explored? How many elements of magic, (e.g. teleportation, FTL travel) can be included in hard SF before it becomes fantasy? Some classic noteworthy interplay exists in Ringworld (Niven), Operation Chaos (Anderson), and Darkover (Bradley).
Heather Rose Jones
Event session
Heather will be reading from -- and celebrating the release of! -- her new novel Mother of Souls, the third book in the Alpennia series. She will have some celebratory freebies to give away to attendees.
Too shy to just walk up to me in the hallway and ask questions? The Kaffeeklatsch is great chance for a small group conversation. This is a limited-number event with a completely open format. Signups are available at the convention information desk that morning. Last year I brought genuine Alpennian almond cakes to share and did a dramtic performance of "nailing the plot-octopus to the wall". I can't promise baked goods this year, but there may be some surprise give-aways. Since the Kaffeeklatsch ends at 5pm, I'll be quite open to rolling it over into dinner with any interested parties.
Since I don't expect I'll have long lines waiting, and my autograph slot is early in the convention, it's a great opportunity to find me pinned down in one place and either introduce yourself or make social plans for later in the con or both!
A look at the roots of so much science fiction and fantasy in the works of Jane Austen and Mary Shelley. While Shelley's Frankenstein is an obvious predecessor to science fiction and horror, Austen's literature has also had a tremendous influence on modern authors.
In a world once filled with magic, mystery, and beauty, where the Old Magic slipped away from the forests, the gates to Faerie closed, and the last ships sailed to the west, what does it mean when the magic fades? We look at representations of coming back to the real world or letting go, and wonder why it is such a potent part of fantasy writing.
When we think of heroes within fantasy fiction, the first stories that often come to mind are Lord of the Rings, The Once and Future King, or even The Chronicles of Narnia. However, with more contemporary novels, the gender lines between defining the heteronormative hero get muddled. Let's reconsider the heroic "norm" and discuss the queer heroic fantasy already in existence. What's out there in print? Who's publishing it? What what else would we like to see?
I'll probably be reading from something yet to be published. Perhaps an excerpt from Mother of Souls.
You really, really want to write or film or build, but how do you find the time?
Meet and ask for autographs from
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