I’ve just received notification of my scheduling duties for Boskone 51 (February 14-16, Boston) and it looks like they are tapping me for far more than I ever expected. I hope to see a whole bunch of you there. Here is where I will be:
Friday 20:00 – 20:50
Understanding Fan Culture
What is fandom? If you consider yourself part of it, how would you describe it? Is there anything about it that makes it particularly appealing? How has it changed? And what do you think people from outside the community (especially those trying to break in) most need to know about it? How can we better understand what it means to be a fan in the 21st century and beyond?
Janice Gelb (M), Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Steve Davidson, Erin Underwood, Bill Roper
Saturday 11:00 – 11:50
Gateway Drugs: The Stories That Turn People Into Fans
Panelists discuss the works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that captured their imaginations and opened the floodgates to fandom. What stories hooked them? What was it about these works that made them want more? What newer tales might have that power to intoxicate?
Joe Siclari(M), Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Jo Walton, Steve Davidson, Ellen Asher
Sunday 11:00 – 11:50
Ezines, Fanzines, and Blogs, Oh My!
Fanzines, ezines, and blogs come and go, and return again in new and different forms. What is it about fanzines that gives them such resiliency when so many readerships remain in perpetual flux? What are the advantages of these forms? What do their readers — and writers — get out of each?
Steve Davidson (M), Joe Siclari, E. C. Ambrose, Steve Miller
The ‘M’ in parenthesis stands for panel moderator.
So – looks like I’m stuck with uber-fan Joe Siclari twice and the Nielsen Haydens are tag-teaming me. On the other hand, Erin Underwood contributes to Amazing so that first panel should have some Amazing dominance….and Jo Walton and I have traded many, many emails and comments over the past several years so getting together with her ought to be a lot of fun…not that getting together with those other folks won’t be fun either!
Man, I wish I could be there!