Talk Descriptions, Organized by Speaker (count 535)

18...OKAY, YOU'VE GOT THE MOON. WHAT'RE YOU GONNA DO WITH IT? (scitech)(90 min) ACC 210-D | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Edwin L. Strickland III, Paul A. Abell, Ctein(M), G. David Nordley

How do we make a lunar colony pay in the same way colonies on Earth traditionally paid for their creators? Is pure science the way to go? A launching pad for reaching the rest of the solar system? Industrial applications? A mix? If we can't make a permanent human presence on the Moon pay, will it ever be viable in the long-term?

81...THE DAY JOB (scitech)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Sam Scheiner, Paul A. Abell, John Scalzi, Wil McCarthy, Steven Lopata(M)

Many SF writers and SF fans are scientists in real life. How do they combine the two? What is doing science for a living really like? Are we all really mad scientists who want to rule the world?

127..21^ST CENTURY SNAKE OIL (general)(90 min) ACC 210-C | Thu 10:00 am

Speaker(s): James Hay, Paul A. Abell, Courtney Willis, Jordin Kare(M)

"It must be true, I saw it on the Internet." How has pseudo-science infected popular culture lately? How does this kind of charlatanism interfere with progress and rational discourse? Are there things we can do to counter the untruths that are spread around?

162..THE COLD WORLDS: COLONIZING THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM (scitech)(90 min) ACC 203-AB | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Paul A. Abell(M), Edwin L. Strickland III, Larry Niven, Jordin Kare, Dr. Kevin R. Grazier

Eventually, the inner solar system will be crowded. Will we explore, exploit, and settle the vicinity of the outer planets? How about comets? The fringes of interstellar space? How? Why?

440..WEAPONIZING SPACE (scitech)(90 min) ACC 208-AB | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Paul A. Abell, Hugh S. Gregory(M), James Killus, David F. McMahon, MD

Good idea? Bad idea? Inevitable whether or not we think it's good or bad? How do you define a weapon when a rock dropped from space can create massive damage?

569..HAS SF KILLED THE SPACE PROGRAM? (scitech)(90 min) ACC 208-AB | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Michael Cassutt, Paul A. Abell(M), Jerry Pournelle, Tobias S. Buckell, Allen M. Steele

There are some people who think the slick and easy answers of science fiction have turned people off to the hard and slow progress real space exploration takes. Why did we go to the moon and then turn back?

46...MY LIFE IN A TIME MACHINE (oneman)(90 min) ACC 209-B | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Forrest J Ackerman

Forrest J Ackerman talks about his participation in the early history of science fiction Fandom, literature, and films.

90...THE WONDERS OF THE ACKERMANSION (fandom)(90 min) ACC 210-C | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Forrest J Ackerman

Long time fan, writer, editor, agent, and collector Forrest J Ackerman gives a slide show of his fabled collection.

181..AUTOGRAPHING: FORREST J ACKERMAN (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR3 | Thu 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Forrest J Ackerman

(no description)

851..PACIFICON MEMORIES (fandom)(90 min) HILTON BALC | Sat 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Jack Speer, Art Widner(M), Forrest J Ackerman, Len J. Moffatt

60 years ago, Los Angeles held its first World Science Fiction Convention. Come here some of the people who were there talk about what it was like and how things have changed, for Fandom, for Worldcons, for Los Angeles, and for them, in the sixty years since Pacificon I.

288..CHANGING HUMAN NATURE (general)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Thu 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Steven Barnes(M), Sean Williams, Courtney Willis, Eric M. Van, Andrew Adams

Has human nature changed through recorded history, or are we the same old apes with new technology?

745..OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE (scitech)(90 min) ACC 203-AB | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Loretta McKibben(M), Eric S. Raymond, Andrew Adams, Cory Doctorow

Why should you care? What's out there? Do you need licenses? If you do it, can you quit your day job?

886..ADVANCES IN COMPUTER SCIENCE (scitech)(90 min) ACC 201-B | Sat 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Jerry Pournelle, James P. Hogan(M), Don Sakers, Andrew Adams

How are computers changing? What do the advances in micro-technology, superconductivity, graphics, etc. mean to the future of micros, minis, and main frames?

442..IT CRAWLED OUT OF THE SLUSH PILE (writpub)(90 min) ACC 210-B | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Stephen Eley, Betsy Mitchell, Alan Rodgers, John Joseph Adams

Editors share their "favorite" stories of manuscripts that were a triumph of hope over talent.

200..KEVIN DRUM ON POLITICS & THE FUTURE (oneman)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Thu 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Kevin Drum, Warren Adler(M)

The Washington Monthly's Political Animal blogger brings his worldview on politics to the Worldcon and lets us know what he thinks is in store in the decades to come.

797..GODZILLA AT 50 (media)(90 min) ACC 201-D | Sat 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Bob Eggleton, Eric L. Hoffman(M), Takayuki Tatsumi, Gary Westfahl, Keith Aiken

Fifty years ago, Godzilla was released in the US. (It was released two years earlier in Japan.) Over the years, Godzilla has gone from giant monster and anti-nuclear message to a heroic warrior, keeping nasty monsters at bay, and back again. In that time, fans have come to love the giant lizard. How has he changed? Which changes were for the better? And where is he headed now?

40...FANTASY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ABOUT KINGS AND WIZARDS (lit)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Sean Williams, Mary Kay Kare, Alma Alexander

Well, does it? It seems like 100% of fantasy is set in medieval worlds with wizards and dragons and witches and elves and things. What other kinds of fantasy is there?

91...FANTASY -- HOW CAN IT BE GOOD? (lit)(90 min) ACC 210-D | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): ElizaBeth Gilligan, Alma Alexander, Vera Nazarian

To a lot of hard SF readers, fantasy stories are those where the authors don't have to be consistent -- it works because it's magic. But good fantasy is consistent, within each world's own rules. What are the rules and the restrictions for writing a "good" fantasy.

123..CROSSING GENRES (lit)(90 min) ACC 209-A | Thu 10:00 am

Speaker(s): John Maddox Roberts, Nancy Holder, Keith R.A. DeCandido(M), Alma Alexander

Some writers work in more than one genre. SF. Horror. Mystery. Romance. Westerns. Whatever. Does working in one area influence the way you write in another? Also, some books are in more than one genre. Does that ever work?

210..WHAT IS EVIL? (writpub)(90 min) ACC 212-B | Thu 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Fiona Avery, P C. Hodgell, Stephen Leigh, Brandon Sanderson, Alma Alexander(M)

Novels seem to always pits good versus evil, the hero/heroine (who must do battle, sacrifice endlessly, travel to the ends of the earth to save the world) and the evil protagonist. Sounds simple. But how do you define what is truly evil? And are your characters black and white or many shades of gray? How bad is the bad guy? Is evil marked by character, action, the enormity of destruction, the totality of deceit, or is it possible that evil is in the perception?

351..GOOD ENDINGS (writpub)(90 min) ACC 212-B | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Brandon Sanderson(M), Alma Alexander, Kay Kenyon, Fiona Avery, John Kessel

Writing is hard. There's lots of work, lots of thought that goes into every sentence. But no matter how good your story is, how compelling your characters are, if your ending falls flat, so does everything else. How do you make your ending work?

429..HOW TO KILL OFF A CHARACTER (writpub)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Richard Chwedyk, Madeleine E. Robins, Deborah J Ross(M), Alma Alexander

You spend time crafting characters, thinking about who they are, what they want, what they care about. You tell stories about them, lovingly crafted. Now it's time for them to die. How do you do it? And what can happen if you do.

552..KAFFEKLATSCH: ALMA ALEXANDER (kaffe)(60 min) ACC KAFF3 | Fri 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Alma Alexander

(no description)

825..AUTOGRAPHING: ALMA ALEXANDER (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Sat 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Alma Alexander

(no description)

871..READING: ALMA ALEXANDER (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Sat 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Alma Alexander

(no description)

254..2081: THE REMAKE EVERYONE WAS WAITING FOR (media)(90 min) ACC 210-C | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Mark Alexander, Jean Kerr, Manu "Day" Kumar

2001: A Space Odyssey is considered by many one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. Now, being prepared for the 40th anniversary of the original, is a remake for today's generation. Meet some of the filmmakers and hear their plans.

618..EXTRATERRESTRIALS (scitech)(90 min) ACC 207-C | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Thomas R. McDonough(M), Roger MacBride Allen, Geoffrey A. Landis, John Scalzi, G. David Nordley

Where are the Extraterrestrials? Why haven't we been contacted? A gold mine for SF ideas, the academic study of this problem has come a long way in the last 10 years. Are we victims of a galactic conspiracy, or is the forest full of wolves?

894..DEATH OF THE BOOK (general)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sat 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Louise Marley, Roger MacBride Allen, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Mike Shepherd Moscoe(M), Steve Saffel

It's been predicted several times but it still hasn't arrived. What's keeping books around? What are the alternatives? Why aren't they making a louder noise?

1046.I, ROBOT TO MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER (general)(90 min) ACC 207-C | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Greg Pak, Elisabeth Malartre, Roger MacBride Allen, James P. Hogan(M), Tom Galloway

Right now robots are pretty much remotely-controlled devices to conduct certain tasks like bomb disposal or mindless repetitive-motion machines for chores like vacuuming rugs. But what will "real" robots be like? Will be Asimov's dutiful three-laws obeying pals or our sneaky lords and masters a la the Magnus comics? The singularity suggests, perhaps, the latter. Or will it be somewhere in between?

194..FREE ENTERPRISE - THE SPECIAL EDITION REVEALED (media)(180 min) ACC 204-ABC | Thu 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Mark Altman, Robert Meyer Burnett

See the new, expanded special edition of Free Enterprise, the legendary cult classic about two sci-fi fans who meet their idol William Shatner and find out he's even more screwed up than they are. Starring Eric McCormack and William Shatner as himself, you can watch it in the comfort of fellow geeks just like you. Featuring new scenes and special effects! The new 2 DVD Special Edition was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment in March 2006, but this is the first time to be able to see it projected on the big screen, and, for the very first time, with an introduction and Q&A by the creators themselves, no, not Jackson Roykirk, but writer/producer Mark A. Altman and director/writer Robert Meyer Burnett. See it again for the very first time -- unless, of course, this is your first time.

432..STARSHIP SMACKDOWN (PRESENTED BY GEEK MAGAZINE) (media)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Mark Altman, Daren Dochterman, Robert Meyer Burnett, Steve Melching, Chris Gossett, Kay Reindl, Jeff Bond

The legendarily geekiest convention panel of all-time makes its first Worldcon appearance after another SRO appearance at last year's San Diego Comic Con. Ever wonder if the Jupiter 2 could kick the Sulaco's ass? Can the Serenity make mincemeat out of a Klingon D-7 battle cruiser? And will the Yamato ever be able to beat Captain Kirk's Starship Enterprise? There's only one way to find out. Be there or be squarer than you already are.

963..FILMMAKING: THE PROCESS (media)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Sun 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Mark Altman, Ronald B. Moore(M), Robert Gordon, Mike DeMeritt

A lot has to happen before a film is ready for showing. What is the actual filmmaking process that transforms a vague idea into a finished 70mm dolby stereo blockbuster?

1039.IS STAR TREK DEAD? NOT AS LONG AS WE REMEMBER IT (PRESENTED BY GEEK & CFQ MAGAZINES) (media)(90 min) ACC 203-AB | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Mark Altman, Robert Meyer Burnett, Bill Hunt, Jeff Bond, Steve Melching, Daren Dochterman

A fond look back at 40 years of Star Trek along with a hopeful look forward at what J.J. Abrams may or may not do with the franchise in the coming years.

44...FUTURE TRENDS IN SCIENCE FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 208-AB | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): James Patrick Kelly(M), John-Henri Holmberg, Mark von Schlegell, Gary K. Wolfe, Lou Anders

Not long ago, we were awash in Splatterpunks, Cyberpunks, and even Steampunks. What happened to those SF literary movements? What's the next trend?

180..AUTOGRAPHING: LOU ANDERS (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Thu 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Lou Anders

(no description)

277..KAFFEKLATSCH: LOU ANDERS (kaffe)(60 min) ACC KAFF2 | Thu 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Lou Anders

(no description)

338..PUBLISHING SCIENCE FICTION (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Anthony R. Lewis, Alan Rodgers, Michael J. Walsh(M), Lou Anders, Jaime Levine

From small press to major publishing houses, science fiction is a popular place to be. What's it take to know the field and to get your books into the stores?

517..PYR: A LOOK FORWARD (writpub)(90 min) ACC 201-B | Fri 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Lou Anders, Mike Resnick

One of science fiction's newest major publishers give a look at their future publications. Meet our authors.

742..OMNIBUS PUBLISHING PANEL (comics)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Gordon Van Gelder, Evo Terra(M), Robert Meyer Burnett, Lydia C. Marano, Lou Anders

Publishers from different areas of publishing -- a major imprint, a small press, an on-line magazine, a prozine -- compare the similarities and differences in their tasks.

926..THE INFLUENCE OF EDITORS ON THE SF FIELD (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-C | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): David Hartwell, Lou Anders, Stanley Schmidt, Ellen Datlow(M), Sheila Williams

Do editors publish what the readers want to buy or does the field reflect the editors' tastes?

973..IN DEFENSE OF ESCAPIST LITERATURE (lit)(90 min) ACC AR-2 | Sun 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Stephen Eley, Brandon Sanderson(M), Pat Cadigan, Lou Anders

Science fiction has had a moniker of being junk food for the mind; escapist fare only. Is that true? Not all of it is literature but surely some of it must be? Mustn't it? What literary trends can be found? What will withstand the test of time? And does it matter?

265..THE GENIUS BAR, COSTUMING STYLE (costuming)(90 min) HILTON MLBU | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Kent Elofson, Sandy Pettinger, Joy Day, Dana MacDermott(M), Pierre E. Pettinger, Janet Wilson Anderson, Kevin Roche

Bring your problems. Let's figure out how to solve them.

336..ADAPTING SF AND FANTASY FOR THE STAGE . (media)(90 min) ACC 205-B | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Steve Collins, William Shunn(M), Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Janet Wilson Anderson, Brian Coghill

Today's SF and fantasy films rely heavily on computer generated characters and effects. How can you bring them believably to the stage? Or should you even try?

446..FORGOTTEN FAVORITES OF CHILDHOOD (lit)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Amy Thomson(M), Garth Nix, K. A. Bedford, Janet Wilson Anderson, Rachel Manija Brown

What books and stories do you remember best from childhood? Our panelists talk about their favorites and ask about yours.

817..BEGINNING GLITZ AND GLITTER (costuming)(90 min) HILTON MLBU | Sat 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Zelda Gilbert, Bruce MacDermott, Carole Parker, Jess Miller, Dana MacDermott, Janet Wilson Anderson(M)

Glitzy, glittery and gaudy techniques to make your costume stand out. Learn materials and basic techniques for adding sparkle, shine and focus to your hall or masquerade costume.

1051.IT'S WHAT'S UNDERNEATH THAT COUNTS (costuming)(90 min) HILTON MLBU | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Sandy Pettinger, Janet Wilson Anderson(M)

Add variety and distinctiveness with supports, structures, and frameworks. Alter and manipulate your silhouette with corsets, bustles, bustiers, and more.

28...KAFFEKLATSCH: KAREN ANDERSON (kaffe)(60 min) ACC KAFF3 | Wed 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Karen Anderson

(no description)

87...CLASSICS REMEMBERED: TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (lit)(90 min) ACC 209-A | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Alex Eisenstein, Mark von Schlegell, Karen Anderson, Evelyn C. Leeper(M), G. David Nordley

Jules Verne's novel begat two motion pictures, a Classics Illustrated comic book, and the world's first atomic-powered submarine: not bad for inspiration. Who's the hero? Professor Aronax? Captain Nemo? Ned? Conseil? Why?

99...IN CONCERT: KAREN ANDERSON (filking)(30 min) HILTON LAGA | Wed 08:00 pm

Speaker(s): Karen Anderson

(no description)

125..ALTERNATE HISTORIES IN REALITY (general)(90 min) ACC 210-A | Thu 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Sean McMullen, Takayuki Tatsumi, John G. Hemry(M), Karen Anderson, Harry Turtledove, Brad Linaweaver

Science fiction is filled with "alternate histories". But so are history books. "History is written by the victors," wrote Machiavelli. Time does its part for re-writing history, too. Alternate histories abound. Think American Indians were noblemen of the plains who all lived in harmony with the land? Guess again. Then there's Disney's version of Pocahontas. And don't forget Shakespeare's rewriting of Richard III.

260..RUDYARD KIPLING: FILKWRITER (filking)(90 min) HILTON CAPAB | Thu 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Fred Lerner, Leslie Fish, Karen Anderson

An examination of Rudyard Kipling's poetry as filk lyrics.

366..THEME CIRCLE: SONGS OF STAR TREK (filking)(60 min) HILTON LAGB | Thu 09:00 pm

Speaker(s): Roberta Rogow, Leslie Fish, Karen Anderson, David Kushner, Gary Ehrlich

Kirk, Spock, Picard, and the rest of Star Fleet in song.

431..HOWARD DEVORE MEMORIAL (events)(90 min) ACC 201-D | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Andrew I. Porter, Rusty Hevelin, Karen Anderson, Roger Sims(M), Roger Sims(M), Joe Siclari, Len J. Moffatt

Come share your memories -- happy and sad, funny and really funny -- about Howard DeVore. L.A.con's Fan Guest of Honor may not be with us in person, but we know he's watching. Come celebrate his life with family and friends.

487..HYMNAL SING: THE FILKSONG MANUAL (filking)(90 min) HILTON CAPAB | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Erwin S. Filthy Pierre Strauss, Karen Anderson

Join Erwin S. �Filthy Pierre� Strauss and Karen Anderson singing from Bruce Pelz's Filksong Manual

-.... (nocat)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Sat 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Karen Anderson

(no description)

719..FILK CLASSICS (filking)(90 min) HILTON CAPAB | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Erwin S. Filthy Pierre Strauss, Dick Eney, Karen Anderson, David Kushner

What defines a "classic"? What are some classic filksongs? How many do you know?

844..HARD FANTASY (writpub)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Sat 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Fiona Patton(M), Brandon Sanderson, Tim Powers, Karen Anderson, Phyllis Eisenstein

Is there such a thing as "hard" fantasy, like "hard" science fiction? Is it just a matter of research or better world building? What does it take to make a fantasy "hardcore"? Who's writing hard fantasy, what is it, and how does it work?

907..THEME CIRCLE: THOSE FILKS WE LOVE TO HATE (filking)(90 min) HILTON CAPAB | Sat 09:00 pm

Speaker(s): TJ Burnside-Clapp, Leslie Fish, Karen Anderson, Mary Creasey

Young Man Mulligan, Horsetamer's Daughter, Banned from Argo, and more!

415..READING: KEVIN J. ANDERSON (readings)(60 min) HILTON SMCA | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Kevin J. Anderson

(no description)

484..SPACE CADETS SIGNING (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR1 | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Mike Resnick, Nancy Kress, David Gerrold, Tobias S. Buckell, Elisabeth Malartre, Larry Niven, Nick DiChario, Connie Willis, Bradley H. Sinor, David Brin, Craig Miller(M), Harry Turtledove, Stephen Leigh, James Gurney, Kay Kenyon, John DeChancie, Kevin J. Anderson, Dr. Gregory Benford

The authors and others involved with L.A.con IV's limited edition anthology, Space Cadets, gather to sign copies of the book.

549..AUTOGRAPHING: BRIAN P. HERBERT & KEVIN J. ANDERSON (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR6 | Fri 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Brian P. Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson

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559..DUNE AGAIN (lit)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Kevin J. Anderson, Brian P. Herbert

Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert talk about continuing the Dune series of novels, working from Frank Herbert's notes and manuscripts, and how the project came about.

621..THE BUSINESS OF WRITING (writpub)(90 min) ACC 210-A | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Gay Haldeman(M), Rebecca Moesta, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Eleanor Wood, Kevin J. Anderson

Inside you there's a hundred stories, crying to get out. Characters who need to be brought to life. But you still need to eat and pay the rent. What do you have to know and do (besides how to write).

79...JAMES T. KIRK: THREAT OR MENACE (media)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Richard Arnold(M), D.C. Fontana, Lance Sibley, Bridget Landry, Chris M. Barkley

Was a larger-than-life scenery-chewing damn-the-Prime-Directive-full-speed-ahead heroic starship commander the one primary thing responsible for the enduring success of classic Star Trek? Is the absence of such a character why the following Star Trek series all lacked the same punch? Or should there have been more discretion, more consideration before acting? Is Jean Luc Picard the model to follow?

7....WHAT I DO WHEN I SHOULD BE WRITING (writpub)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Sarah Monette, Fiona Avery(M), David D. Levine, Phyllis Eisenstein

Me, I read e-mail. What do you do? How do you get yourself back to writing?

76...READING: FIONA AVERY (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDC | Wed 05:00 pm

Speaker(s): Fiona Avery

(no description)

210..WHAT IS EVIL? (writpub)(90 min) ACC 212-B | Thu 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Fiona Avery, P C. Hodgell, Stephen Leigh, Brandon Sanderson, Alma Alexander(M)

Novels seem to always pits good versus evil, the hero/heroine (who must do battle, sacrifice endlessly, travel to the ends of the earth to save the world) and the evil protagonist. Sounds simple. But how do you define what is truly evil? And are your characters black and white or many shades of gray? How bad is the bad guy? Is evil marked by character, action, the enormity of destruction, the totality of deceit, or is it possible that evil is in the perception?

257..GUILTY PLEASURES (general)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Fiona Avery, Eric L. Hoffman, Darlene Marshall(M)

Here are activities that give us great personal pleasure but somehow, down deep inside, we're just a bit ashamed to admit that we like the Smurfs... or bowling... or mud wrestling. Hear people reveal their Guilty Pleasures and why they indulge.

351..GOOD ENDINGS (writpub)(90 min) ACC 212-B | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Brandon Sanderson(M), Alma Alexander, Kay Kenyon, Fiona Avery, John Kessel

Writing is hard. There's lots of work, lots of thought that goes into every sentence. But no matter how good your story is, how compelling your characters are, if your ending falls flat, so does everything else. How do you make your ending work?

610..SHERLOCK HOLMES & SCIENCE FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): John R. Douglas, Jody Lynn Nye, Fiona Avery(M), Jon L. Breen, Barbara Hambly

We all know the great detective. He's somehow come to fascinate science fiction authors. There are probably hundreds of Holmesian references throughout science fiction, and some authors have come up with their own version, including Derleth's Solar Pons. What captivates us so about Holmes?

771..AUTOGRAPHING: FIONA AVERY (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR4 | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Fiona Avery

(no description)

1035.A QUIET PLACE TO WRITE (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Fiona Avery(M), Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen, Madeleine E. Robins, Connie Willis, Harry Turtledove

Does where you write matter? How about whether or not you face a window? Authors will talk about how they set up their writing spaces -- a separate office, the living room couch, the dining room table? -- what's in the room, what they listen to, and what they wear (if they wear anything at all).

267..SHOULD CALIFORNIANS BE FARMERS? (scitech)(90 min) HILTON SMCA | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Amy Thomson, Sam Scheiner, Paolo Bacigalupi(M), Richard Foss

Generations of engineers and agronomists have turned California's deserts into lush farmland. Nearly 80% of California's water is used for agriculture. What is the long-term environmental impact of this water diversion and artificial fertility? Are California's farms a triumph of human ingenuity or an unsustainable house of cards? Should industrial countries become net importers of food from more fertile places, or can we rely on an ongoing technological cornucopia to feed the rich nations?

805..UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES (scitech)(90 min) ACC 207-B | Sat 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Mary A. Turzillo, John G. Hemry, Paolo Bacigalupi(M), G. David Nordley

Indoor plumbing led to polio epidemics. Lead in paint and gas poisoned people. To what extent is modern science and technology responsible for figuring out whether or not something that seems good is also going to cause serious problems?

13...BLOGS & E-FANZINES (fandom)(90 min) ACC 207-C | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Lisa Deutsch Harrigan, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Christopher J. Garcia, Andrew T Trembley(M), James Bacon

Fandom has had paper fanzines from the beginning. At one point, it seemed like almost every fan at least read these paper fanzines or wrote for them or published one (if only for APAs). But their prominence has been on the wane for many years. Now, blogs are exploding. And fanzines published on the web seem to be increasing. Are these fanzines different or just a different form? What effect will they have on Fandom as a whole?

83...CONVENTIONS: BUTCHERING THE SACRED COWS (fandom)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Pierre E. Pettinger(M), Mark L. Olson, Kevin Standlee, James Bacon, John Pomeranz

Are Masquerades, Art Shows, Dealers Rooms, etc. really worth their cost in money and manpower? Or are they just so habitual that cons never think about getting rid of them? What would happen if a con did get rid of them? What would we replace them with?

454..SPACE PIRATE CRASH TEST DUMMIES - SPACE SHIP BUILD (scitech)(60 min) ACC CSP | Fri 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, Max, James Bacon, Lara Collins

Like the car manufacturers of the 20th century who tested the safety of their vehicles by crashing them with human "dummies" inside them, we design and build space ships today and do the same tests tomorrow!! The ship will need to travel a specified distance under it's own power to enter. The Pirate Pilot will either be a raw egg or one filled with jello, previously decorated.

543..ROBOT-MANGA-WARRIOR-PIRATE-FIGHTING (gaming)(60 min) ACC CSP | Fri 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, Max, James Bacon, Lara Collins

The difficulty of operating a Space Mech can never be underestimated; here we offer the cheapest adventure imaginable pitting Mech-Warrior against Mech-Warrior where YOU are inside and in-control of the Mech using your available weapons to destroy your opponent. Only the most violent will win !!!

598..ZOMBIE PIRATES (costuming)(30 min) ACC CSP | Fri 05:00 pm

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, Max, James Bacon, Lara Collins

Time to get messy and corpse like when the team transform you from a mild-mannered human into a flesh-craving, ship-stealing avatar of death - Zombie Pirates!!! With undead pirates and school kids being the theme, we get pointers on how to act like a zombie from the team. Fake,but REAL looking blood and wounds will be common here - the squeamish need not apply! (Warning-some fake blood may stain. Bring costume that you don't mind being ripped/torn/distressed and BLOODIED!!!!! We should have some spare tho)

629..LIVE ACTION ZOMBIE QUIDDITCH - HOGWARTS VS. PIRATES (gaming)(30 min) ACC CSP | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, Max, James Bacon, Lara Collins

You'll lose your head if the Quaffle hits it! A Live Game of Qudditch, dressed as Zombies (come to the panel before this one to become undead and bloody!)

668..HOW TO DEFEAT A DALEK (media)(60 min) ACC CSP | Sat 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, Max, James Bacon, Lara Collins

Ever had nightmares of running down long corridors away from Dr.Who's nemesis, praying to find some stairs? This panel will hopefully cure them, as there's interactive construction - while the panel discuss ways to stop the Daleks we build their preventative measures, and then see if they are up to the task

727..LIGHT SABRES VS. CUTLASSES (gaming)(60 min) ACC CSP | Sat 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, Max, James Bacon, Lara Collins

So! Darth Vader vs Jack Sparrow - you think Darth will win??? We show you how to make light sabres and cutlasses, and then see who has the best swordsmanship skills as we fight on planks.

873..SPACE PIRATE CRASH TEST DUMMIES - SPACE SHIP DESTRUCTION!!! (gaming)(30 min) ACC CSP | Sat 04:30 pm

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, James Bacon, Lara Collins

Yesterday you designed and started making your own spaceship, today we finish building them and then CRASH them!!! Yes, it's all about destruction now - who's space ship will perform the test crash into the obstruction WITHOUT splattering it's "pilot" all over the cockpit, and who's space ship will make the BIGGEST mess of it's "pilot"???

874..LEGO PIRATE AND SPACE MECH GAME (gaming)(60 min) ACC CSP | Sat 05:00 pm

Speaker(s): Stef Lancaster, Elvis Elder, Simone van Zyl, Max, Steve Jackson(M), James Bacon, Lara Collins

We create a game using Lego Pirate ships and Mechs who battle one another.

902..COLLECTION OF ITEMS (misc/sigs)(30 min) ACC CSP | Sat 06:00 pm

Speaker(s): James Bacon

An opportunity to collect various items made or left over the past two days.

934..HOW TO START (AND END) A CLUB (fandom)(90 min) HILTON PLVD | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Lee Whiteside, John Mansfield(M), Lenny Bailes, Mike Willmoth, James Bacon

What is the lifespan of the average fan club? How do you define a successful club and what are the pitfalls associated with orchestrated group activities?

1008.COMING ACROSS: CURRENT UK FANZINES (fandom)(90 min) HILTON SUNS | Sun 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Jerry Kaufman, Bridget Bradshaw, Spike(M), James Bacon

Highlights of the British fannish press. Examples will be shown, addresses shared.

758..WHY DO PEOPLE WRITE FOR FANZINES? (fandom)(90 min) HILTON LAJO | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Guy H. Lillian III(M), Chaz Boston Baden, Lenny Bailes, Andrew T Trembley, Christopher J. Garcia

Old and young fans discuss what motivates them and present views of fanwriting.

821..HOW TO START YOUR OWN CONVENTION (fandom)(90 min) HILTON SMCA | Sat 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Linda Deneroff(M), Chaz Boston Baden, Kevin Standlee, Mike Willmoth

Let's go over the basics, from philosophy to raising capital to gaining recognition from fellow fans, businesses, and governments alike.

1049.RUNNING CONVENTIONS -- WHY DO YOU DO IT? (fandom)(90 min) HILTON BALC | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Marah Searle-Kovacevic, Lance Sibley, Suzanne Tompkins, Chaz Boston Baden, Priscilla Olson(M)

It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. And if they didn't, we wouldn't be here. But why do they do it? It can't be the money. There isn't any. Come see con runners from around the country fumble for an answer.

178..FAVORITE FANNISH BLOGS & WEBSITES (fandom)(90 min) HILTON PLVD | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Vanessa Van Wagner, Lenny Bailes(M), Mary Kay Kare

What are your favorites? (Or least favorites?) Our panel will tell you theirs and ask for yours. Have reasons waiting.

348..BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE (general)(90 min) ACC 210-D | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Amy Thomson, Lenny Bailes, Chris M. Barkley, Sheila Finch, Harry Turtledove(M)

Some books have a profound effect on people. Come hear from our panelists which books had a major effect on them and share your own stories.

581..WHAT MAKES A GOOD FANZINE? (fandom)(90 min) HILTON PLVD | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Jerry Kaufman(M), John-Henri Holmberg, Suzanne Tompkins, Spike, Lenny Bailes

Is it the community, the gestalt, or the craft?

631..FANDOM IN THE '60S (fandom)(90 min) HILTON PLVD | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Milton F. Stevens(M), Anthony R. Lewis, David A. Kyle, Rich Lynch, Lenny Bailes

Richard Lynch is hard at work on his history of SF Fandom in the 1960s. He's got an outline worked out. Come hear about his progress, offer support, information, corrections, etc.

655..FROM SMALLVILLE TO SECRET IDENTITY (comics)(90 min) ACC 203-AB | Sat 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Lee Whiteside, Marv Wolfman, Lenny Bailes, Tom Galloway(M), Doselle Young

Kurt Busiek, Jeph Loeb/Alfred Miller, Grant Morrison, and others have found radically different ways to retell and re-invent Superman's story. Panelists discuss approaches that add to and detract from the collective myth.

758..WHY DO PEOPLE WRITE FOR FANZINES? (fandom)(90 min) HILTON LAJO | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Guy H. Lillian III(M), Chaz Boston Baden, Lenny Bailes, Andrew T Trembley, Christopher J. Garcia

Old and young fans discuss what motivates them and present views of fanwriting.

934..HOW TO START (AND END) A CLUB (fandom)(90 min) HILTON PLVD | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Lee Whiteside, John Mansfield(M), Lenny Bailes, Mike Willmoth, James Bacon

What is the lifespan of the average fan club? How do you define a successful club and what are the pitfalls associated with orchestrated group activities?

1043.OBSCURE DICK (lit)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): John R. Douglas, David Hartwell, Mark von Schlegell, Eric M. Van, Lenny Bailes(M)

Discussion and appreciation of the lesser-known works of Philip K. Dick. What did you think of "Now Wait for Last Year"?

8....NEW MAPS OF HEAVEN (lit)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Ellen Kushner, Robin Wayne Bailey, Fiona Patton, Vera Nazarian(M)

Recent times have seen an explosion of science fiction and fantasy tales centered in cosmologies and mythologies outside of the North American mainstream. Writers discuss what draws them to these other mythos and what lessons they offer.

47...YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN CAREER (writpub)(90 min) ACC 210-A | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Robert J. Sawyer(M), Nancy Holder, John Scalzi, Robin Wayne Bailey, Buzz Dixon

How to manage your life as a writer.

129..INVENTIONS SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVENT (general)(90 min) ACC 211-A | Thu 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Cynthia Felice, Robin Wayne Bailey, Simon R Green

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a...? What would happen if our technological dreams came true? If we had transporters or free, unlimited energy? And how would things change if we had them?

164..ALIENS AMONG US (writpub)(90 min) ACC 205-B | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Robin Wayne Bailey, Tobias S. Buckell, Margaret Wander Bonanno, ElizaBeth Gilligan, Don Sakers(M)

We write about alien civilizations, but there are cultures we don't know about among us. One of the ways to write alien cultures is to talk to people in cultures outside that are alien to us.

237..READING: ROBIN WAYNE BAILEY (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDC | Thu 02:00 pm

Speaker(s): Robin Wayne Bailey

(no description)

420..AUTOGRAPHING: ROBIN WAYNE BAILEY (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR4 | Fri 11:00 am

Speaker(s): Robin Wayne Bailey

(no description)

500..KAFFEKLATSCH: ROBIN WAYNE BAILEY (kaffe)(60 min) ACC KAFF3 | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Robin Wayne Bailey

(no description)

522..SFWA MEETING (misc/sigs)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Fri 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Sheila Finch(M), Howard V. Hendrix, Robin Wayne Bailey

A meeting for members of the Science Fiction Writers of America.

660..IS "REALISTIC FANTASY" AN OXYMORON? (lit)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sat 10:00 am

Speaker(s): David Keck, Ellen Klages, Robin Wayne Bailey, James Gurney, Tim Powers(M)

What does it take to create "real" fantasy? Are there rules in a universe run by magic? How do you build a fantasy world?

918..SCIENCE FICTION OF THE '70S & '80S (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-D | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Robin Wayne Bailey, James Frenkel, Jim Young(M), George R.R. Martin

A discussion of science fiction of the period. How was it different from what's out there today? From what came before it? Was it better? What are some of the best examples?

53...SF SPELLING BEE (performances)(90 min) ACC SPL | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Chris M. Barkley

Sure, spelling antidisestablishmentarianism is easy. And those incredibly long latin agglutinative scientific terms are a snap. Now spell "tanstaafl". How about "kzinti"? Try your hand in our science fiction and fantasy spelling bee (or just come watch).

79...JAMES T. KIRK: THREAT OR MENACE (media)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Richard Arnold(M), D.C. Fontana, Lance Sibley, Bridget Landry, Chris M. Barkley

Was a larger-than-life scenery-chewing damn-the-Prime-Directive-full-speed-ahead heroic starship commander the one primary thing responsible for the enduring success of classic Star Trek? Is the absence of such a character why the following Star Trek series all lacked the same punch? Or should there have been more discretion, more consideration before acting? Is Jean Luc Picard the model to follow?

193..LOST: SF OR ?? (media)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Thu 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Perrianne Lurie, Nicki Lynch(M), Chris Roberson, Chris M. Barkley, Priscilla Olson

So just what is Lost? Is it a science fiction series? If it's not, what is it? And why do so many people like it?

240..10 BOOKS I'D... (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-D | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Bradford Lyau, Chris M. Barkley, Michael Engelberg(M), John Kessel

Which ten books would you want to take with you to a desert island? How about give to someone who says they don't like science fiction or fantasy? Give to a new reader?

348..BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE (general)(90 min) ACC 210-D | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Amy Thomson, Lenny Bailes, Chris M. Barkley, Sheila Finch, Harry Turtledove(M)

Some books have a profound effect on people. Come hear from our panelists which books had a major effect on them and share your own stories.

470..WHY IS FANDOM SO WHITE? (fandom)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Cecilia Tan(M), Grant Kruger, June Moffatt, Chris M. Barkley

An exploration of minorities in Science Fiction Fandom.

622..THE INCREDIBLES (comics)(90 min) ACC 210-B | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): John G. Hemry, Richard Chwedyk, Ric Meyers, Chris M. Barkley(M), Janine Ellen Young

Was The Incredibles simply the best super-hero movie ever made? So what if it was a comedy? The animation was amazing, and the writing was even better. Why are so many other super-hero movies so much worse?

750..MOVIES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE (media)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Alan Dean Foster, MaryAnn Johanson(M), Fiona Patton, Chris M. Barkley, K. A. Bedford

Some movies have a profound effect on people. Come here from our panelists which movies had a major effect on them and share your own stories.

801..WHAT IF SUPERHEROES WERE REAL? (comics)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Sat 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Bradford Lyau(M), Ed Green, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Chris M. Barkley

Superpowers we'll accept as a given. But what effects would there be on society if there really were superheroes? Would government's just let them act? Would near absolute power corrupt? Would the existence of superheroes ultimately bring forth supervillains? What toll (or benefit) would the world see from years or decades of superpowered daring-do?

916..RACE & RACISM IN SCIENCE FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Tobias S. Buckell, William F. Wu, James Killus(M), Chris M. Barkley, Pat Cadigan

Why is science fiction so white? The characters seem almost all to be Caucasian or Alien. Is this simply because so many of the writers are white? (And why is that?) Or are there marketing concerns at work? Should we care whether Kimball Kinnison or Teela Brown is Black, White or Hispanic?

1005.CLASSIC TREK, NEW TREK, OR DIET CHERRY TREK: WHICH IS BEST? (trek)(90 min) ACC AR-1 | Sun 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Margaret Wander Bonanno, Chris M. Barkley(M), Marah Searle-Kovacevic

A discussion of Star Trek's various incarnations, what worked, what didn't work in each.

10...THE WORST FUTURE YOU CAN IMAGINE (general)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Tad Daley(M), John Barnes, Kurt Miller, Scott Essman, David F. McMahon, MD

We hope for the best. We work for it. But what if things don't work out right? What can go wrong? What will that future be like?

43...MIX & MATCH WRITING CHALLENGE (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle, David D. Levine(M), John Barnes, Craig Miller, Valerie Estelle Frankel, K. A. Bedford

Authors are presented with a character description for a well-known character, the setting of a (different) famous work, and a brief plot description of still another work. Without knowing their sources, they create and tell a story on the fly. After the sources are revealed, the audience votes on who did best. (Think Frodo in a tale set in 1920s New York about a young wizard-in-training who must compete in a great competition of wizards, only to be captured by his arch-nemesis... )

116..THE SF GENERATION GAP (fandom)(90 min) ACC 212-A | Thu 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Bradford Lyau, John Barnes, Randy Smith, Mark von Schlegell, George R.R. Martin(M)

Have we reached a point where SF fans no longer share a common literary background? Until recently, there was a certain body of work that almost every SF fan was familiar. Heinlein, Herbert, Bradbury, Bester, to name a few of the giants. But many SF fans today haven't even heard of them. Instead, they're choosing Mercedes Lackey and David Eddings or Greg Bear and David Brin. We used to share a common body of literature and that sharing drew us together. Is that no longer true? Does this lack of commonality matter?

165..WHY CYBERPUNK IS DEAD (lit)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Elizabeth Bear(M), Ian McDonald, Takayuki Tatsumi, John Barnes, Mark von Schlegell

Twenty years ago, Cyberpunk was "it" in science fiction. It was bold, exciting, full of new ideas. What happened? Or is it still with us in different clothes?

245..I'LL PULL OUT YOUR EYESTALKS AND STOMP ON THEM (lit)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): John Maddox Roberts, John Barnes, Mark von Schlegell(M), Kay Kenyon

Science fiction has become more permissive over the years, as has most other media and genres. But are we now too violent? Is there anything wrong with violence as a theme? Should I punch out your lights if you disagree?

296..WHERE'S THE SF Y.A.? (lit)(90 min) ACC 210-B | Thu 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Laura Frankos, John G. Hemry, Ashley Grayson, John Barnes, Harry Turtledove(M)

The vast majority of Young Adult novels being published today are fantasy. Why aren't there more SF themes in Y.A.? What themes aren't being addressed because of the comparative lack of SF Y.A. novels? Are older writers afraid to write about future technology for kids who are immersed in tech that would've been regarded as SF a few decades ago?

414..READING: JOHN BARNES (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDC | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): John Barnes

(no description)

436..WORLD GOVERNMENT (general)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Brenda Cooper, Tad Daley(M), John Barnes, John Shirley

Is it a real possibility or mere science fiction? Many SF novels take something like a world state for granted, as part of the background of their future universe. Yet if one talks about world government as a concrete political goal -- however distant -- people often dismiss it as hopelessly naive and utopian. What is the likelihood of it ever happening?

661..WHY AM I SO WILD ABOUT SF & FANTASY (general)(90 min) ACC 207-B | Sat 10:00 am

Speaker(s): James Patrick Kelly(M), Eric M. Van, John Barnes, John F. Hertz, Stephen Leigh

None of us would be here if we simply kind of liked science fiction or fantasy. We're here because we need to be here, to interact with other people as impassioned as we are. What makes these stories resonate within us? What draws us here?

709..CONVERGENCE IN POST-MODERN FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC AR-2 | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): John Barnes(M), Kathleen Ann Goonan, Gary K. Wolfe, Takayuki Tatsumi, John Kessel

Are current "mainstream" writers like Neal Stephenson reinventing science fiction? What would you call the fiction appearing in "Wired" and "Mondo 2000"? Is it cross-pollination or merely self-abuse?

803..FIGHTING FOR SHELF SPACE (writpub)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Sat 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): John Barnes(M), Patrick Nielsen Hayden, James Frenkel, Betsy Mitchell

Why is the SF backlist disappearing? What does this mean to authors? To booksellers?

836..THE RENAISSANCE IN HARD SF (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-B | Sat 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Robert J. Sawyer, John Barnes, Alastair Reynolds, Dr. Gregory Benford, Allen M. Steele(M)

With the emergence of authors like Stross, MacLeod, Vinge, Egan, etc., Hard SF is making a comeback. What's brought it back to the fore? Or did it ever really go away?

986..KAFFEKLATSCH: JOHN BARNES (kaffe)(60 min) ACC KAFF1 | Sun 12:00 am

Speaker(s): John Barnes

(no description)

1004.YOU CAN'T MAKE A CUTTING EDGE BY GRINDING YOUR AXE (lit)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Sun 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Lee Martindale(M), John Barnes, Scott Edelman, Tim Powers, Vera Nazarian

It's an accepted truism in critical circles that If your motivation in writing is to promote a political, social, or cultural agenda, you're not going to produce great art. Is that really true? What about the works of Joanna Russ, Octavia Butler, Allen Ginsberg, Phil Ochs, or Neil Young? Is the truism actually false or is there something more to it?

23...AUTOGRAPHING: STEVEN BARNES (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Wed 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Steven Barnes

(no description)

110..TAI CHI (misc/sigs)(60 min) HILTON LIDA | Thu 09:00 am

Speaker(s): Steven Barnes

(no description)

186..READING: STEVEN BARNES (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Thu 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Steven Barnes

(no description)

288..CHANGING HUMAN NATURE (general)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Thu 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Steven Barnes(M), Sean Williams, Courtney Willis, Eric M. Van, Andrew Adams

Has human nature changed through recorded history, or are we the same old apes with new technology?

576..ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE FUTURE (general)(90 min) ACC 212-A | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Steven Barnes(M), Rudy Rucker, Lisa Snellings-Clark, G. David Nordley

With all the changes in our world -- political, social, economic, and scientific -- what will it be like for us, as people, to live in the future. What will the human condition be like?

650..TAI CHI (SAT) (misc/sigs)(60 min) HILTON LIDA | Sat 09:00 am

Speaker(s): Steven Barnes

(no description)

969..THE AUTHOR/EDITOR RELATIONSHIP (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sun 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Louise Marley, K. A. Bedford, Betsy Mitchell, Jim Minz, Steven Barnes

What makes a book great? Where does the editor's input begin? Where does it end? When does the author have to assert his/her creative authority? Are the relationships between editor and author today like they were years ago?

241..GETTING STARTED WRITING SF -- PART I (writpub)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell, Brenda Cooper, Jean-Noel Bassior, Michael S. Brotherton(M), K. A. Bedford

Going from amateur to professional is a big step. How do you get started? Should you write every day, whether the muse strikes or not? What mistakes shouldn't you make? Writers who have recently broken in will give you their advice today. Editors and others will advise in Part II on Friday.

349..SCIENCE FICTION TELEVISION OF THE 1950S (media)(90 min) ACC 211-A | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Charles Lee Jackson II, Mel Gilden, Eric L. Hoffman, Jean-Noel Bassior(M), Jeff Berkwits

In the 1950s, the world was agog with the possibilities of space travel and television was no different. Tom Corbett, Space Cadet; Space Patrol; Captain Video; Rocky Jones; and many others filled the airwaves.

523..SPACE PATROL: MISSIONS OF DARING (oneman)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Fri 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Jean-Noel Bassior

In many ways, Space Patrol laid the groundwork for Star Trek. What was it like on the set of a live show where anything could go wrong before millions of viewers - and often did? Jean-Noel Bassior discusses the show's groundbreaking contributions to TV production and how and why it taught many baby boomers life lessons they still can't forget.

567..COMMERCE & ART: CENSORSHIP OR COMMERCIAL REALITY (general)(90 min) ACC 207-C | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): John Skipp, Jean-Noel Bassior, James Stanley Daugherty, George R.R. Martin(M), Laura Anne Gilman

Some editors/publishers just don't like what you have to say. Is that censorship? Some don't want to publish anything controversial, to face the potential wrath of the Fundamentalists or the Parent Groups. It's their money; isn't it their choice?

663..MISTAKES WRITERS MAKE (writpub)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Sat 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Beth Meacham(M), Jack McDevitt, Jean-Noel Bassior, Mary A. Turzillo, Jaime Levine

Paying so-called agents a fee to represent them? Calling agents and editors every day to see how they like their novel? That ain't the half of it. Come hear established writers and editors give you a heads up on things you should know better than.

711..TURNING MENTAL BLOCKS INTO BUILDING BLOCKS (writpub)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Deborah J Ross(M), Jean-Noel Bassior, Karen Willson, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

How to break out of that most dreaded prison of creativity: writer's block. Having trouble finishing things? Ego not getting enough strokes? Our panelists will tell you what's worked for them.

850..WRITING NON-FICTION SCIENCE FICTION (writpub)(90 min) ACC AR-2 | Sat 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Lawrence Person(M), Paula Guran, David Cake, Gary Westfahl, Jean-Noel Bassior

Many science fiction magazines include non-fiction pieces about science fiction. There are books galore that talk about the field or about individual authors. How do you write non-fiction about science fiction? How do you get into the market? Just what is the market and how do you pitch pieces?

941..AUTOGRAPHING: JEAN-NOEL BASSIOR (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR4 | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Jean-Noel Bassior

(no description)

1047.THE QUERY LETTER (writpub)(90 min) ACC AR-1 | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell, Jean-Noel Bassior(M), Jacqueline Lichtenberg

You've come up with the idea, worked out the story. Maybe you've written the entire novel. Just one thing left to do. Sell it. There's little harder than writing that synopsis. How long should it be? How hard should you sell? Just what will it take to get that agent, that editor, to want to read your work or to offer you a contract to write it?

50...SHOTOKAN KARATE WORKSHOP (misc/sigs)(90 min) HILTON LIDA | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Keith G. Kato, Kenn S. Bates

Fans interested in the traditional martial art of Shotokan Karate are invited to come participate in this workshop that teaches the articulation of motion and physical principles behind simple blocks, punches, and kicks. The physical demands are very low, at the level of low-impact aerobics, and the safety of the participants will be ensured by no sparring or physical contact. Participants are asked to come in loose-fitting clothes.

712..SCIENTIFIC FRAUD (scitech)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Jonathan F Kotas(M), Robert Gounley, Jordin Kare, Michael Ward, Kenn S. Bates

Perpetual motion machines, converting water into gasoline, and the Dean drive. Famous scientific frauds all. But what are some others? And how do you distinguish a real scientific breakthrough from flummery?

43...MIX & MATCH WRITING CHALLENGE (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle, David D. Levine(M), John Barnes, Craig Miller, Valerie Estelle Frankel, K. A. Bedford

Authors are presented with a character description for a well-known character, the setting of a (different) famous work, and a brief plot description of still another work. Without knowing their sources, they create and tell a story on the fly. After the sources are revealed, the audience votes on who did best. (Think Frodo in a tale set in 1920s New York about a young wizard-in-training who must compete in a great competition of wizards, only to be captured by his arch-nemesis... )

168..REVISE, REVISE, REVISE! (writpub)(90 min) ACC 209-A | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Louise Marley, Peter S. Beagle, James Patrick Kelly(M), Kay Kenyon, Jacqueline Lichtenberg

Often the difference between an amateur writer and a professional is that the pro knows how to rewrite and the amateur thinks he got it right the first time.

281..THE WORST IDEAS IN FANTASY OR SCIENCE FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Thu 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle, Adam-Troy Castro(M), Darrell Schweitzer, Brandon Sanderson, Janine Ellen Young

We're always hearing the science fiction is a literature of ideas. And that this or that was a great idea. What just didn't work? What seemed like a good idea at the time but...

385..THE CONTRACT BETWEEN READER AND WRITER (lit)(90 min) ACC 210-A | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Louise Marley, Peter S. Beagle, Nancy Kress, Jean Lorrah, Ph.D., Lorien Gray(M)

An arrangement of convenience? How can we define the process, and what does each partner bring to it?

481..PARODY, PASTICHE, AND HUMOR (writpub)(90 min) ACC 211-A | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle, Lee Martindale, John Scalzi, Stanley Schmidt, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff(M)

There's a time and place for everything. Or is there? Does humor have a place in modern fiction? Can there ever be too much?

593..KAFFEKLATSCH: PETER S. BEAGLE (kaffe)(60 min) ACC KAFF3 | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle

(no description)

713..EDITING: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-B | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle, Tim Powers(M), Laura Anne Gilman, Betsy Mitchell

Come and hear stories about edits which went above and beyond clarity and reason. Writers discuss different editing styles they've encountered and talk about some of the good and bad experiences they've had with editors (names will be changed to protect the innocent).

784..AUTOGRAPHING: PETER S. BEAGLE (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Sat 02:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle

(no description)

834..READING: PETER S. BEAGLE (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Sat 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle

(no description)

165..WHY CYBERPUNK IS DEAD (lit)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Elizabeth Bear(M), Ian McDonald, Takayuki Tatsumi, John Barnes, Mark von Schlegell

Twenty years ago, Cyberpunk was "it" in science fiction. It was bold, exciting, full of new ideas. What happened? Or is it still with us in different clothes?

239..POST-APOCALYPTIC SF (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Elizabeth Bear(M), Ed Green, Takayuki Tatsumi, John G. Hemry, Nick Sagan

John Varley said "We all love after-the-bomb stories. If we didn't, why would there be so many of them?" Why do we all love them? During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear annihilation was very real; today, the world is a different place, but the threat of annihilation is once again very real. Has the sub-genre changed? How are 21st Century post-apocalyptic stories different from those written during the Cold War era?

587..AUTOGRAPHING: ELIZABETH BEAR (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Elizabeth Bear

(no description)

626..WHY IS SCIENCE FICTION SO WHITE? (writpub)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Elizabeth Bear(M), Ian McDonald, Fiona Patton, Alan Rodgers

An exploration of minorities in Science Fiction, both the writers and their characters.

-....HUGO CEREMONY REHEARSAL (events)(240 min) ACC ARENA | Sat 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Connie Willis, Elizabeth Bear, Tim Kirk, Jane Espenson, Bridget Bradshaw, Mike Glyer, Andrew I. Porter, James Gurney, Bob Eggleton

Nominees and presenters should try to find 15-30 minutes between noon and 4:00 pm on Saturday, the day of the ceremony, to familiarize themselves with the stage, the paths they may need to walk, etc. It's better to do this while the lights are on.

775..KAFFEKLATSCH: ELIZABETH BEAR (kaffe)(60 min) ACC KAFF3 | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Elizabeth Bear

(no description)

883..READING: ELIZABETH BEAR (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Sat 05:00 pm

Speaker(s): Elizabeth Bear

(no description)

931..SHAKESPEARE & SCIENCE FICTION (writpub)(90 min) HILTON LAJO | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Sarah Monette, Elizabeth Bear, Mary A. Turzillo, Sheila Finch, Amy Sterling Casil(M)

No, he didn't write any but he influenced a lot. Writers talk about how Shakespeare's work influence them and their writing.

597..READING: GREG BEAR (readings)(60 min) HILTON SMCA | Fri 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Greg Bear

(no description)

575..THE KILLER B'S & A V (general)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Vernor Vinge, Greg Bear, Dr. Gregory Benford(M), David Brin

Bear, Benford, Brin, and Vernor Vinge talk about The Bullets You Don't Hear. Which ones will get us, and why worry?

614..GUESS THE ARTIST (art)(90 min) ACC 205-B | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): John F. Hertz(M), Bob Eggleton, Tom Kidd, Greg Bear, Jane Frank, Alex Eisenstein

It's a game. No, it's a lesson in science fiction art history. Wait! You're both right! Come see a show of cover art by a variety of top artists from today and the past. Try to identify the artist. Hear why our panel of "experts" is sure it's by Michael Whalen or Richard Powers or Virgil Finlay.

848..H.G. WELLS AND THE BIRTH OF SCIENCE FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Sat 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Michael Engelberg(M), James Killus, Greg Bear, G. David Nordley

Sure, Verne was before him and there were others around the same time, but the popularity and acceptance of his "scientific romances" makes a strong case for his being the father of the form. Come hear about The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and First Men in the Moon, and about his lesser-known works like The War in the Air and Tono Bungay.

996..WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE "SCIENCE" IN SCIENCE FICTION? (general)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Sun 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Larry Niven, Robert Gounley, Greg Bear, James Killus(M), Dr. Gregory Benford

SF once was primarily a written medium which inspired countless young people to seek careers as engineers, scientists, and astronauts at NASA and in the aerospace industry. Today, SF covers a broad range of media, and many of its most well-known incarnations -- e.g. Star Wars -- present the visual window-dressing of science fiction without attempting to ground it in anything resembling science fact. Does contemporary science fiction still inspire young people to have science and engineering careers?

1038.DOES HARD SF HAVE TO BE DRY? (lit)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Beth Meacham(M), Bridget Landry, Greg Bear, Stanley Schmidt, Ben Yalow

Some people feel that "seeing all the rivets" is what makes science fiction good. But does it make Hard SF too stiff? Are there interesting characters in Hard SF books? Can they have the action of an old-fashioned sword-and-starship swashbuckler and still be good?

519..BLOGS & THE MEDIA (general)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Fri 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Craig Newmark, Craig Engler, Evo Terra, MaryAnn Johanson, Jerry Beck(M)

Over the last few years, blogging has exploded. Not just for geeks anymore, even commercial sites now frequently have blogs. There are blogs on every subject and the media has started using blogs not just as marketing tools but as sources for news stories. Vox populi and all that but is this a good thing?

717..ANIMATION & SCIENCE FICTION (media)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Jerry Beck(M), Kevin Rubio, Frank Wu, Chris Weber, Doselle Young, George Krstic

Animated science fiction on U.S. television goes back to Colonel Bleep and Tom Terrific (both 1957) and The Jetsons (1962). What are the unique aspects of creating and writing science fiction for animation? What's around today and what's coming in the future?

43...MIX & MATCH WRITING CHALLENGE (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle, David D. Levine(M), John Barnes, Craig Miller, Valerie Estelle Frankel, K. A. Bedford

Authors are presented with a character description for a well-known character, the setting of a (different) famous work, and a brief plot description of still another work. Without knowing their sources, they create and tell a story on the fly. After the sources are revealed, the audience votes on who did best. (Think Frodo in a tale set in 1920s New York about a young wizard-in-training who must compete in a great competition of wizards, only to be captured by his arch-nemesis... )

241..GETTING STARTED WRITING SF -- PART I (writpub)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell, Brenda Cooper, Jean-Noel Bassior, Michael S. Brotherton(M), K. A. Bedford

Going from amateur to professional is a big step. How do you get started? Should you write every day, whether the muse strikes or not? What mistakes shouldn't you make? Writers who have recently broken in will give you their advice today. Editors and others will advise in Part II on Friday.

322..AUTOGRAPHING: K. A. BEDFORD (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Thu 05:00 pm

Speaker(s): K. A. Bedford

(no description)

446..FORGOTTEN FAVORITES OF CHILDHOOD (lit)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Amy Thomson(M), Garth Nix, K. A. Bedford, Janet Wilson Anderson, Rachel Manija Brown

What books and stories do you remember best from childhood? Our panelists talk about their favorites and ask about yours.

534..SF IN AUSTRALIA (lit)(90 min) ACC 212-B | Fri 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Sean McMullen(M), David Cake, K. A. Bedford

Australian authors and fans talk about the works being generated down under and how they differ -- if at all -- from what's created in the US and elsewhere.

574..MYSTERIES & SCIENCE FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 211-A | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): John Maddox Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Jon L. Breen(M), K. A. Bedford, Barbara Hambly

Lots of science fiction writers also write mysteries: Vance, Brackett, Kuttner, Boucher. Some, like Niven, have written science fiction mysteries. Is there something inherently linking the two genres or is it just wide-ranging tastes and interests?

750..MOVIES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE (media)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Alan Dean Foster, MaryAnn Johanson(M), Fiona Patton, Chris M. Barkley, K. A. Bedford

Some movies have a profound effect on people. Come here from our panelists which movies had a major effect on them and share your own stories.

969..THE AUTHOR/EDITOR RELATIONSHIP (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sun 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Louise Marley, K. A. Bedford, Betsy Mitchell, Jim Minz, Steven Barnes

What makes a book great? Where does the editor's input begin? Where does it end? When does the author have to assert his/her creative authority? Are the relationships between editor and author today like they were years ago?

1031.READING: K. A. BEDFORD (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Sun 02:00 pm

Speaker(s): K. A. Bedford

(no description)

6....GREAT FIRST LINES (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-D | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Vanessa Van Wagner, Mike Resnick(M), Hilari Bell, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Michael F. Flynn

There's nothing like them for hooking a reader. "Call me Ishmael." "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." "Lessa woke, cold." "His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god." "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." "Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith." What are some of your favorites? And can you do anything special to force a great first line or do they just happen?

92...ISN'T Y.A. A GOOD THING? (writpub)(90 min) ACC 211-A | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Sherwood Smith(M), Hilari Bell, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Catherine S. McMullen

Young Adult writers report that it's hard to get respect from some of their peers, even though Y.A. is the doorway for many young adults into other SF and fantasy novels. Given the authors who've produced Y.A. (like Heinlein and Andre Norton) and the quality of much Y.A. produced, why doesn't it get more respect?

160..THE SLYTHERIN QUESTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-D | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Cecilia Tan, Hilari Bell(M), Kevin Andrew Murphy, Jean Lorrah, Ph.D., Lorien Gray

J.K. Rowling paints a negative picture of Slytherin House, its principles, and its students. Why would Hogwarts even have a house for teaching evil wizards? Isn't putting them together likely to end up just reinforcing their evil ways? Or will the final book in the Harry Potter series show us, somehow, that these characters aren't, um, lost to the dark side?

241..GETTING STARTED WRITING SF -- PART I (writpub)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell, Brenda Cooper, Jean-Noel Bassior, Michael S. Brotherton(M), K. A. Bedford

Going from amateur to professional is a big step. How do you get started? Should you write every day, whether the muse strikes or not? What mistakes shouldn't you make? Writers who have recently broken in will give you their advice today. Editors and others will advise in Part II on Friday.

282..BEST OF SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULTS (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Thu 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Tom Whitmore(M), Hilari Bell, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Ellen Klages, Fiona Patton

Finding the perfect science fiction or fantasy novel for your child, niece, or nephew.

425..READING: HILARI BELL (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Fri 11:00 am

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell

(no description)

458..AUTOGRAPHING: HILARI BELL (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Fri 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell

(no description)

528..CULTURE BUILDING 101 (writpub)(90 min) ACC 210-A | Fri 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell

An interactive workshop on creating cultures for your work and worlds.

628..CHILDREN'S FANTASY (lit)(90 min) ACC 212-B | Fri 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell(M), Garth Nix, Sharon Shinn, Delia Sherman, Catherine S. McMullen

What is children's fantasy? How does it compare with "adult" works? Does a work ever crossover between the two areas and what does it take to do it?

741..WHAT IS A "YOUNG ADULT" NOVEL? (lit)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Sat 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Sherwood Smith, Hilari Bell(M), Mary A. Turzillo, Mel Gilden, James Frenkel, Buzz Dixon

"Young Adult" is a popular category. But why are some stories about sex, drugs, blood, death, and sex considered Y.A.? Who's reading Y.A. novels, and why?

892..NEW SF & FANTASY FOR KIDS AND TEENS (lit)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Sat 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Sherwood Smith, Tom Whitmore, Hilari Bell, Devra Langsam(M), Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier

We all know about Narnia and Heinlein juveniles. But what else is out there? What's new that we might not know about?

993..BUILDING MAGICAL SYSTEMS (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-A | Sun 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell(M), David Keck, ElizaBeth Gilligan, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Kurt Miller

You can't just wave your wand and do whatever you want. Fiction that features magic as an intrinsic part of the world requires rule-setting and interweaving culture, religion, "science," and law. What are the challenges and opportunities in building a functional magical world?

1047.THE QUERY LETTER (writpub)(90 min) ACC AR-1 | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Hilari Bell, Jean-Noel Bassior(M), Jacqueline Lichtenberg

You've come up with the idea, worked out the story. Maybe you've written the entire novel. Just one thing left to do. Sell it. There's little harder than writing that synopsis. How long should it be? How hard should you sell? Just what will it take to get that agent, that editor, to want to read your work or to offer you a contract to write it?

167..REAL ALIENS (general)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Sheila Finch, Alastair Reynolds(M), Walter H. Hunt, Dr. Gregory Benford, G. David Nordley

Aliens in science fiction come in virtually all shapes, sizes, and colors. But, if they're out there, what will real aliens be like? Not just physically. How will they think? Will they have the same type of emotions and moral/ethical feelings we do? How will we say Hello?

255..JIM BAEN: A LIFE IN SCIENCE FICTION (lit)(90 min) ACC 210-D | Thu 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Jerry Pournelle, Toni Weisskopf(M), Larry Niven, William B. Fawcett, Dr. Gregory Benford

James Patrick Baen's life in science fiction and fantasy publishing started in the complaint department of Ace Books. He's been editor of magazines and novels, edited anthology series, and started his own publishing company, Baen Books, which publishes both on paper and on the internet. Hear friends and co-workers celebrate the life of this recently-lost mainstay of science fiction publishing.

484..SPACE CADETS SIGNING (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR1 | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Mike Resnick, Nancy Kress, David Gerrold, Tobias S. Buckell, Elisabeth Malartre, Larry Niven, Nick DiChario, Connie Willis, Bradley H. Sinor, David Brin, Craig Miller(M), Harry Turtledove, Stephen Leigh, James Gurney, Kay Kenyon, John DeChancie, Kevin J. Anderson, Dr. Gregory Benford

The authors and others involved with L.A.con IV's limited edition anthology, Space Cadets, gather to sign copies of the book.

575..THE KILLER B'S & A V (general)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Vernor Vinge, Greg Bear, Dr. Gregory Benford(M), David Brin

Bear, Benford, Brin, and Vernor Vinge talk about The Bullets You Don't Hear. Which ones will get us, and why worry?

707..THE IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL WARMING (scitech)(90 min) ACC 201-B | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Kim Stanley Robinson, Rich Lynch(M), Dr. Gregory Benford

Just what are the implications of global warming? What's the real science behind the opinions? What is being done to minimize the impact of continued fossil fuel use and all the other factors contributing to this potential environmental disaster?

836..THE RENAISSANCE IN HARD SF (lit)(90 min) ACC 201-B | Sat 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Robert J. Sawyer, John Barnes, Alastair Reynolds, Dr. Gregory Benford, Allen M. Steele(M)

With the emergence of authors like Stross, MacLeod, Vinge, Egan, etc., Hard SF is making a comeback. What's brought it back to the fore? Or did it ever really go away?

996..WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE "SCIENCE" IN SCIENCE FICTION? (general)(90 min) ACC 202-AB | Sun 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Larry Niven, Robert Gounley, Greg Bear, James Killus(M), Dr. Gregory Benford

SF once was primarily a written medium which inspired countless young people to seek careers as engineers, scientists, and astronauts at NASA and in the aerospace industry. Today, SF covers a broad range of media, and many of its most well-known incarnations -- e.g. Star Wars -- present the visual window-dressing of science fiction without attempting to ground it in anything resembling science fact. Does contemporary science fiction still inspire young people to have science and engineering careers?

5....WHY DO SF FANS LOVE THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES? (comics)(90 min) ACC 201-C | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Paul Cornell, Joe Bergeron, Priscilla Olson, Tom Galloway(M), Chris Weber

Even fans who read few or no other comics seem to find something in the Legion of Super Heroes to keep them buying and reading the comic, some of them for decades. Just what is there about the Legion?

387..SPACE ART (art)(90 min) ACC 201-B | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Frank Wu(M), Joe Bergeron, Joy Day, Rick Sternbach

Astronomical artists talk about their profession. Do you have to know a lot about astronomy and get the planets and stars exactly right or does it just have to look good?

434..THE ART OF JOE BERGERON (oneman)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Joe Bergeron(M)

The artist presents a slide show of his work.

477..FASTER THAN LIGHT OR SLOWER THAN MOLASSES (scitech)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Joe Bergeron, Allen M. Steele(M), Todd McCaffrey, Henry Harris, Jack McDevitt, Mark L. Olson

A discussion on the realities of space travel.

921..COMPUTER ART (art)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Lydia C. Marano(M), Joe Bergeron, Rick Sternbach

A discussion of computer art and graphics. How it's done, where it's used, and who's doing it.

202..TOM CORBETT, SPACE CADET REMEMBERED (media)(90 min) ACC 209-B | Thu 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Anthony R. Lewis, Charles Lee Jackson II(M), Eric L. Hoffman, Jeff Berkwits

Performers from the original series talk about their adventures, on and off the air, making one of the classics of television science fiction. Fans offer their remembrances of the show as well.

349..SCIENCE FICTION TELEVISION OF THE 1950S (media)(90 min) ACC 211-A | Thu 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Charles Lee Jackson II, Mel Gilden, Eric L. Hoffman, Jean-Noel Bassior(M), Jeff Berkwits

In the 1950s, the world was agog with the possibilities of space travel and television was no different. Tom Corbett, Space Cadet; Space Patrol; Captain Video; Rocky Jones; and many others filled the airwaves.

394..GIVING GOOD INTERVIEW (writpub)(90 min) ACC AR-2 | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Robert J. Sawyer, Lee Martindale, Evo Terra(M), Jeff Berkwits, Karen Willson

Panelists discuss what it takes to give a good press interview or anything involving promotion of your own works and activities.

562..AMAZING STORIES: 80TH ANNIVERSARY (lit)(90 min) ACC 205-A | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): David A. Kyle(M), Richard Chwedyk, Jim Young, Jeff Berkwits, Darrell Schweitzer

The first all-science-fiction magazine made its debut in 1926 and from it sprang other magazines, readers galore, local clubs, letter columns, and all that surrounds us today. Some of the early writers and readers of the magazine give their memories of how it affected them.

922..FRANKIE THOMAS MEMORIAL (events)(90 min) ACC 205-B | Sun 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Charles Lee Jackson II(M), Mel Gilden, Len J. Moffatt, Jeff Berkwits

Come share your memories -- happy and sad, funny and heartwarming -- about Frankie Thomas. L.A.con's Special Guest, the one and only Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, was an actor of note, an author of Sherlockian mysteries, a bridge teacher, and more. Come hear about his life and career and share your own memories of him as a friend or just what watching him perform meant to you.

667..MOONBASE SCIENCE (scitech)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Sat 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Hugh S. Gregory(M), Dr. Alan Binder, Edwin L. Strickland III, John Strickland, Kurt Miller, Rick Searfoss

Suppose we had a Moonbase? What kind of physics, astronomy, astrophysics, biology, etc. could be done there? Would this be strictly a science station, like our bases in Antarctica, or would colonization soon follow?

800..THE DANGEROUS DIMENSION (performances)(90 min) ACC 204-ABC | Sat 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Anne McCaffrey, Karen Black, Bob Caso, R.S. Daley

A "readers theatre" performance of a classic story of science fiction. Readers include Anne McCaffrey, Karen Black, Bob Caso, and R.S. Daley.

166..REVIEWING FILM & TELEVISION (media)(90 min) ACC 207-B | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Bill Warren, MaryAnn Johanson, Dr. Bob Blackwood(M)

It's not the same as reviewing books. Or is it? What special skills do you need to review movies and TV? Here from professional critics what it takes to do the job well.

236..READING: DR. BOB BLACKWOOD (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Thu 02:00 pm

Speaker(s): Dr. Bob Blackwood

(no description)

390..RELIGION IN SF BOOKS & MOVIES (general)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Fr. John Blaker(M), John Maddox Roberts, Dr. Bob Blackwood, Robert Charles Wilson, Randy Smith

Religion is frequently ignored in science fiction and fantasy. But sometimes it isn't. How is it treated? Do we see standard Earth religions or all-new ones? Or ones that just think they're all new? Some authors seem to think that, come the future, all people will just abandon their religious beliefs. Does that seem likely?

447..FILMS 2005/2006 (media)(90 min) ACC 207-B | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Bill Warren, MaryAnn Johanson, Dr. Bob Blackwood, Dr. John L. Flynn(M)

Not for the squeamish. That describes a number of the science fiction and fantasy films that have come out this year. It also describes the reviews a number of films have received. Come hear our experts' opinions and see how they differ from yours.

729..AUTOGRAPHING: DR. BOB BLACKWOOD (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR2 | Sat 12:00 am

Speaker(s): Dr. Bob Blackwood

(no description)

390..RELIGION IN SF BOOKS & MOVIES (general)(90 min) ACC 211-B | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Fr. John Blaker(M), John Maddox Roberts, Dr. Bob Blackwood, Robert Charles Wilson, Randy Smith

Religion is frequently ignored in science fiction and fantasy. But sometimes it isn't. How is it treated? Do we see standard Earth religions or all-new ones? Or ones that just think they're all new? Some authors seem to think that, come the future, all people will just abandon their religious beliefs. Does that seem likely?

915..CATHOLIC MASS/CHRISTIAN SERVICE (misc/sigs)(60 min) HILTON LAJO | Sun 09:00 am

Speaker(s): Fr. John Blaker, Randy Smith

(no description)

972..FIREFLY: GREAT SHOW, LOW RATINGS (media)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Sun 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Fr. John Blaker(M), Keith R.A. DeCandido, John O'Halloran, Lorien Gray

Firefly was a show that connected with some people yet left others cold. Why didn't it find an audience. Could audiences just not see past the dirt roads and western trappings?

12...STAR TREK: YEAR 41 & COUNTING (media)(90 min) ACC 207-B | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Paula Block, Paula Block

Come hear about all the new Star Trek projects, from video games to traveling exhibits to the first ever Star Trek "manga" from the people involved with making them happen, Paula Block, John Van Citters, Terry Erdmann, and others. All questions welcome.

12...STAR TREK: YEAR 41 & COUNTING (media)(90 min) ACC 207-B | Wed 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Paula Block, Paula Block

Come hear about all the new Star Trek projects, from video games to traveling exhibits to the first ever Star Trek "manga" from the people involved with making them happen, Paula Block, John Van Citters, Terry Erdmann, and others. All questions welcome.

1048.ART DIRECTION FOR MOTION PICTURES (media)(90 min) ACC AR-2 | Sun 02:30 pm

Speaker(s): Mike DeMeritt(M), Scott Essman, Bob Eggleton, Vladimir Blokh

Art Directors have to take today and make it look like tomorrow. How do they do it? What's their track record been like?

30...READING: MAYA KAATHRYN BOHNHOFF (readings)(60 min) HILTON CR9 | Wed 03:00 pm

Speaker(s): Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

(no description)

291..DIFFERENT TYPES OF WRITING? (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-C | Thu 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): James Patrick Kelly, Robert Silverberg, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff(M), Delia Sherman

The Novel, Novella, Short Story, etc. Is one just longer than the other or are they really different? And what about screenplays?

382..THE ANALOG STORY: WHAT IS IT? (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-C | Fri 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Michael F. Flynn(M), Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, Stanley Schmidt, Harry Turtledove, Allen M. Steele

Over the years, "Analog" editor Stanley Schmidt has discovered that there are a lot of common misconceptions about just what makes a story an "Analog" story. Along with several of the magazine's regular contributors, Schmidt will share his views of just what it is they're trying to do, how it isn't all rivets and getting the science right

481..PARODY, PASTICHE, AND HUMOR (writpub)(90 min) ACC 211-A | Fri 01:00 pm

Speaker(s): Peter S. Beagle, Lee Martindale, John Scalzi, Stanley Schmidt, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff(M)

There's a time and place for everything. Or is there? Does humor have a place in modern fiction? Can there ever be too much?

711..TURNING MENTAL BLOCKS INTO BUILDING BLOCKS (writpub)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Sat 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Deborah J Ross(M), Jean-Noel Bassior, Karen Willson, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

How to break out of that most dreaded prison of creativity: writer's block. Having trouble finishing things? Ego not getting enough strokes? Our panelists will tell you what's worked for them.

56...AUTOGRAPHING: MARGARET WANDER BONANNO (autog)(60 min) ACC ATGR3 | Wed 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Margaret Wander Bonanno

(no description)

86...CHARACTER VS. PLOT (writpub)(90 min) ACC 207-D | Wed 05:30 pm

Speaker(s): Ellen Kushner(M), Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen, Margaret Wander Bonanno, Connie Willis

Some readers (and writers) seem to be all about the characters. Others are only interested in the details of the plot. Can you write for both audiences? Should you?

118..CREATING BELIEVABLE ALIENS (writpub)(90 min) ACC 206-A | Thu 10:00 am

Speaker(s): Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen, Robert Silverberg, Margaret Wander Bonanno, Kay Kenyon, Todd McCaffrey(M)

There's little that's more annoying then to be reading a good SF story and to come across an alien that's either `just a guy in a suit' or too far from what evolution and the laws of physics would allow to be believed. So what does it take to create a believable alien?

164..ALIENS AMONG US (writpub)(90 min) ACC 205-B | Thu 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Robin Wayne Bailey, Tobias S. Buckell, Margaret Wander Bonanno, ElizaBeth Gilligan, Don Sakers(M)

We write about alien civilizations, but there are cultures we don't know about among us. One of the ways to write alien cultures is to talk to people in cultures outside that are alien to us.

444..WRITING CHARACTERS YOU DIDN'T CREATE (lit)(90 min) ACC 210-D | Fri 11:30 am

Speaker(s): Margaret Wander Bonanno, Melinda M. Snodgrass(M), Jane Espenson

It's one thing to create characters, come up with who they are, what they're like, and how they talk. It's quite another to come into someone else's world and have to tell stories with and about those characters. How do you keep them the same and still put some of yourself into them? Or should you even try?

572..STRANGER THAN SCIENCE FICTION (writpub)(90 min) ACC 210-C | Fri 04:00 pm

Speaker(s): Margaret Wander Bonanno, Joe W. Haldeman, John G. Hemry(M), Janine Ellen Young

The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to be believable. Panelists discuss things which really happened but which they could not use in their writing because no one would believe they'd actually occur.

687..READING: MARGARET WANDER BONANNO (readings)(60 min) HILTON LIDB | Sat 10:00 am