Denvention Schedule:
Wednesday * *
Thursday * *
Friday * *
Saturday * *
Sunday
Denvention Program Participants
2007 Worldcon Schedule * * 2009 Worldcon Schedule * * Worldcon Programs
1: How to enjoy your first convention
What is there to see and do at Worldcon? A new fan's introduction to the convention.
(M) Gay Haldeman, Rusty Hevelin
2: Heinlein - Short Fiction
In the beginning, there were short stories. Some of them were classics. Most of the early works of Robert A Heinlein were published in magazines.
(M) Bonnie Kunzel, David Silver, Graham Sleight, Joseph Major, Pamela Somers
3: Reading Tolkien in the early years
What was it like to read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy as it came out? Did people actually read Tolkien in hardback, before the Ballantine or even Ace paperbacks? Our panel discusses early Tolkien enthusiasts and the fandom that grew out of their interest in this most famous book of the 20th century.
Bruce Leonard, David Louis Edelman, Ed Meskys, Edward Willett, (M) Jo Walton, Susan Fichtelberg
4: Has the Internet destroyed Ham radio?
Ham radio operators are still plentiful and busy – but has their role changed in the Internet age?
Henry Stratmann, James Bryant, (M) Kevin Standlee, Lisa Hayes Standlee
5: Giant Monster Movies – where's Mothra when you really need her?
Do you remember Saturday afternoons at the local theatre watching a double feature of Mothra and Godzilla? Or did you first watch these classic movies on TV or even on Netflix? Our panel of movie enthusiasts will discuss the monster classics and tell us about their favorites.
Bob Eggleton, (M) Frank Wu, Joshua Bilmes, Mark Leeper
6: The Electronic Storyteller's Bowl
In previous centuries, storytellers would set out a bowl, start a story — and when their listeners were hooked, they'd stop until someone put money in the bowl. No editors, no publishers, no bookstores, just a storyteller and an audience, and the money depended on keeping the listeners interested. Now a few authors have been trying the same stunt on the web, with surprising results.
Don Sakers, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Phil Foglio, Sharon Lee, (M) Steve Miller
7: How to write a good query letter
Paper or electronic, you still have to do it right. What's needed in that query letter, and what's too much information?
(M) Kristin Nelson, Lizzy Shannon, Michael Carroll
8: Launch Pad: Astronomy for Writers
Launch Pad is a week-long crash course in modern astronomy for writers founded by Mike Brotherton and held each summer at the University of Wyoming. NASA foots the bill with the goal of increasing the quality and quantity of astronomy reaching the public. Come hear instructors and participants discuss the experience.
David Levine, Deanna Hoak, Mary Robinette Kowal, (M) Michael Brotherton, Samantha Henderson
9: Writers as Readers
Some SF&F writers are avid readers, starting before they became writers. Some don't read the stuff much. A discussion of what writers read, why the read, and how it influences what they write — if it does.
Connie Willis, George RR Martin, Lois McMaster Bujold, Louise Marley, (M) Mary Morman
10: Trends in book collecting: Who's hot, who's not, & what does the future look like?
Don't you wish that you had kept that first edition hardcover of Stranger in a Strange Land in pristine condition instead of taking it with you to the swimming pool? Our panel of book collectors will discuss how to make an educated guess as to what current books are going to be worth more in the future, and what volumes in your library might be worth more than you think.
Bradford Lyau, Mark Olson, Tom Whitmore, (M) William Priester
11: Science Fiction as a Tool for Social Change
How can science fiction change how we look at our society and ourselves? Has this already occurred?
(M) John Barnes, Lancer Kind, Laurel Anne Hill, Randy Smith
12: Artificial Intelligence: Why would sentient computers want to talk to us?
AI has been a major theme in science fiction over the years. But if computers reached a level of sentience, would they really want to have anything to do with their puny little carbon-based creators?
(M) Dan Hoyt, Dani Kollin, Eytan Kollin, Tom Galloway, Warren Hammond
13: What Happened to Novels under 300 pages?
Most of Heinlein's early novels wouldn't even make it to press in the 21st century, and Tolkien's "trilogy" might well have come out as one volume! Why does the modern market demand longer and longer books, and how is this effecting SF storytelling?
(M) Liz Gorinsky, Mark Graham, Milt Stevens
14: Has there ever been a good movie adaptation of an SF book?
From War of the Worlds to the adventures of Harry Potter, some people love the movie adaptations and some hate them. What makes the movement from page to screen worth watching? What literary devices have to be cut or changed for the transition to the silver screen? Are there any really good movie adaptations out there?
Chris Roberson, Craig Miller, (M) Matthew Rotundo
15: Treasure Hunt Orientation
Throughout Denvention, kids will be able to hunt for "treasure" and get rewards at youth programming.
Amy Sterling Casil
16: Great Expectations. Panelists read & discuss favorite story openings
What makes an opening good? What should it cover? How long should it be? What does it tell the reader about the rest of the story? Can an opening be a cheat?
James Patrick Kelly, James Van Pelt, (M) Steven Silver
17: Schmoozing 101
The art of small talk – it doesn't come naturally to everyone. Pick up some tips on how to introduce yourself, make small talk, and connect with others in both your professional and personal lives.
Ginjer Buchanan, John Scalzi, (M) Mary Robinette Kowal, Michael Kabongo
18: Creating Star Trek: a Rick Sternbach slide show
A presentation by our Artist Guest of Honor on creating the art of Star Trek.
19: Programmable Matter
Historically, the properties of matter are determined at the time of manufacture, through careful mixing and processing. But now we find ourselves at the dawn of a new age, where substances exist whose optical, electrical, magnetic and even mechanical properties can be adjusted at the flip of a bit. Ten years after the Programmable Matter concept was first proposed, nanostructured materials with tunable properties are finding their way into early commercial applications.
Wil McCarthy
20: Reading
Jo Walton
21: Reading
Lawrence M. Schoen
22: Reading
Steve Rasnic Tem
23: The Songs of Kathy Mar
Kathy's songs, and what they mean to the filk community
Blind Lemming Chiffon, (M) Joey Shoji, Kathleen Sloan, Kathy Mar
24: 2008: The Year in SF
The year's not over yet, but our panelists already have some striking suggestions about what's best and most interesting in the world of SF for 2008.
Charles Brown, David Hartwell, Jonathan Strahan
25: Timeless Stars: Zenna Henderson
Zenna Henderson's "People" found a place in the minds and hearts of many fans as the Southwestern schoolteacher published her gentle stories year after year in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Is her legacy still appealing to the modern reader?
Mary Morman, (M) Priscilla Olson
26: Introduction to the WSFS Business Meeting
What is the WSFS business meeting all about? Who can attend and who can vote? What kind of issues does WSFS vote on anyway? Join us for an introduction to recreational parlimentarianism.
(M) Don Eastlake, Kevin Standlee, Pat McMurray
27: Using Real Science in Science Fiction
What exactly is the difference between science fiction and fantasy? If a book has spaceships and ray guns – but no scientific basis for them – is it still SF? Do science fiction authors really need to know hard science?
Bill Higgins, (M) Geoffrey Landis, Stephen Baxter
28: Food & Where to Find it: a walk thru the Denvention Restaurant Guide
Friendly native guides take you through the downtown Denver restaurant scene, and other places of interest.
(M) Melissa Morman, Sheila McClune
29: Wonders of 1958: James Blish's A Case of Conscience and The Triumph of Time
Some call Conscience Blish's finest book. Is it science fiction? Is it a story? Is its best moment when the Pope says "What did you do about it?" In the same year came the last of the four Cities in Flight novels. Is it a success standing alone? How does Time compare to Conscience?
(M) John Hertz
30: What makes a writer?
What are the characteristics of a successful writer? Our panelists discuss whether people are born to be writers, make themselves writers, or have writing thrust upon them.
Craig Miller, Cynthia Felice, David Gerrold, (M) Ken Scholes
31: Libertarian Futurist Society Awards
Presentation of the Prometheus Awards for libertarian science fiction novels, which are given out annually by the Libertarian Futurist Society.
F.C. Moulton, Harry Turtledove, Jo Walton
32: Wizards of the Coast Presentation
A presentation by Wizards of the Coast, publishers of games based on fantasy and science fiction themes, best known for the Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering card games.
Erin Evans
33: Cover Art in the Internet Age
"Don't judge a book by its cover." How does this maxim work in the Internet age when books are sold online (with small images of the cover) or even more so in e-books.
John Picacio, (M) Laura Givens, Lou Anders
34: Reading
Howard S. Smith
37: Art Show Docent Tour
Sandra Childress
38: Autographing (75 minutes)
John Scalzi, Michael Flynn
39: Autographing (45 minutes)
Laurel Anne Hill, John Barnes, Joy Ward
40: Autographing (45 minutes)
Deanna Hoak, Graham Sleight
41: Timeless Stars: Doc Smith
A retrospective on a writer who shaped science fiction and space opera from the early days of the genre, but whose work is largely unknown to many modern readers.
Ben Yalow, Michael J. Walsh, (M) Tony Lewis
42: Building Spaceships
Most spaceships these days seem to be built by Industrial Light and Magic. Who'll build the real ones? Where will they build them, and what will they look like? And, of course, who's going to pay for it?
Frank Wu, (M) Henry Spencer, John Douglass
43: I don't have to know anything, I can just look it up on Google
Memorization, mnemonics, even spelling may be things of the past! 21st century society counts on immediate personal computer access to answer any question we have – from driving directions to Latin declensions. How does this effect our society? Are there hidden pitfalls to trusting everything to the Internet?
(M) Dan Hoyt, Genevieve Dazzo, Rosemary Hahn, Laurie Mann
44: Robert Heinlein's GoH Speech from the 1941 WorldCon
Connie Willis takes us back to the first Denvention in 1941 as she reads Robert Heinlein's Guest of Honor speech from the third World Science Fiction Convention.
45: Kip Russell's Slip Stick – The Slide Rule in life and science fiction
Time was when every serious student of math or science carried a slide rule and performed complex calculations at lightning speed. The panelists will display a variety of fancy slip sticks and explain their use, and the scientific calculations that depended on them before the computer age.
(M) Courtney Willis, Mark Olson
46: Kids in Space
Ever wonder what it would be like to be in space? Find out here from real space experts – even if the Space Chimps did get there first.
Amy Sterling Casil
47: Small Press Publishing
How do you get in the front door? Could a small press be a better option for the neo-pro? Do small presses allow the author more creative control?
Andrew Porter, David Rozansky, Heidi Lampietti, (M) Lee Martindale
48: The Greatest Villains in SF
My favorite villain can beat up your favorite villain! Who are the greatest villains in SF? Why are they more villainous?
(M) LE Modesitt, Milt Stevens, Paul Cornell
49: Survival Tips for Beginning Writers
You've sold a few short stories, or your first book. What will you do to continue in your chosen profession? Get some guidance from some writers who have already been down that path.
Darlene Marshall, David Coe, Mary Robinette Kowal
50: Age & Wisdom: The Older Protagonist in SF
Being young isn't everything it's cracked up to be! Our panel discusses the pros and cons of writing older, more experienced characters.
Elizabeth Moon, Larry Niven, Lois McMaster Bujold, (M) Margaret Bonham, Robert Silverberg
51: Anne McCaffrey: A Life With Dragons
An illustrated presentation based on the recently-released biography of Anne McCaffrey, one of science fiction's founding mothers. Learn how this best-selling writer managed to be the first woman to win a Hugo and a Nebula.
Robin Roberts
52: Reading
David Levine
54: Reading
Ben Jeapes
55: Welcome to Denver Filk Circle
Panelists from Denver, former Denverites, and newly-arrived residents sing songs about Denver, or maybe even John Denver, Bob Denver or Denver Omelettes, or anything else they want to sing.
Anne Prather, (M) Blind Lemming Chiffon, Cheryl Clark, Fred Capp, Kathleen Sloan, Kathy Mar
56: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
57: Autographing (75 minutes)
Cynthia Felice, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Lou Anders, Mike Resnick, Warren Hammond
59: Opening Ceremonies
The official opening of the Denvention3 Worldcon! Join us as we welcome our guests and make a few interesting presentations. Be prepared for a few surprises.
Kathy Mar, Kent Bloom, Lois McMaster Bujold, Rick Sternbach, Tom Whitmore, Wil McCarthy
60: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
62: Summerfair on Barrayar
Our Guest of Honor reception will follow immediately after the Opening Ceremonies. Join diplomats from all over the galaxy at His Majesty Gregor Vorbarra's Summerfair Reception on Imperial Barrayar.
Irene Urban, Kathy Mar, Kent Bloom, Lois McMaster Bujold, Mary Morman, Rick Sternbach, Susan de Guardiola, Tom Whitmore, Wil McCarthy
63: Mark Protection Committee
The WSFS Mark Protection Committee meets. WSFS service marks are registered and protected by this committee.
Kevin Standlee
64: Theme Circle: Space
Songs of outer space, inner space, the space program, Lost In Space, spacey songs in general, or even finding a parking space – this circle has space for them all.
Fred Capp, (M) Kathleen Sloan, Paul "Dr. Snark" Estin
65: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
66: Theme Circle: Media
Fan of Firefly? Turned on by Trek? Excited by X-Files? Bitten by Buffy? Share a tune or just sit back and be dazzled.
Brooke Lunderville, (M) Joey Shoji, John Caspell, Terence Chua
67: Gripe Session – Wednesday
Not pleased with something that happened at the con? Have a suggestion for a better way to run things? Come to the gripe session and air your views. Constructive comments appreciated.
Kent Bloom
68: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
69: Theme Circle: Absent Friends
Remembering filkers who have left the circle, and other departed musicians whose songs have touched the filk community.
Blind Lemming Chiffon, Harold Stein, Joey Shoji, John Caspell, (M) Mark Bernstein
70: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
71: Bardic Open Filk
Play, pass, or pick out a song or performer. Everyone gets a turn, in order.
72: Morning yoga
Start the day off with a relaxing class session in beginning yoga.
John Douglass
73: About SF Teacher Training Program
This one-day workshop focuses on the benefits and background of science fiction, including its literary, cultural, and historical significance, and how attendees can incorporate it in their classes. The day is organized around four questions: "Why should I teach science fiction?" "What science fiction should I teach?" "How do I teach science fiction?" and "What resources are available for teaching science fiction?" Participation in the workshop is available free to all Denvention members on a space-available basis.
Nathaniel Williams, James Van Pelt
74: Writers reading from their juvenilia
Jane Austen began writing at the age of eleven, and kept volumes of her juvenile writing throughout her life. Some science fiction writers began writing at an equally early age, and (with only minor amounts of blackmail) have agreed to let fans have a listen to some of their earliest work.
Connie Willis, (M) Edward Willett, Joshua Palmatier, Sarah Hoyt
75: Does Science Fiction Matter? How does it impact the world & our future?
Is science fiction just an odd escapist habit, or does it really have meaning in defining the future of humankind? Are you embarrassed to be caught reading it, or proud to flash your covers at other subway passengers?
(M) Jeff Fennel, Paul Cornell
76: Reading Heinlein as a Juvenile
The Heinlein juveniles were the first taste of science fiction for many fans. And many young readers went on to read his more involved adult novels while still very young themselves. What was it like for readers to read Heinlein during their formative years, and how did it influence their attitude towards SF?
Elizabeth Moon, Henry Stratmann, (M) Jorge Espinosa, Pati Nagle, Robert Hoyt, Sibylle Hechtel
77: Hadley Rille Books Presentation
Eric T. Reynolds, Lawrence M. Schoen
78: The Future of Mental Health: Defining it & Deciding how to Implement it
Will insanity be allowed in the world of the future? What defines sanity, anyway, and who gets to say what to do about it? Our panel examines the standards of mental health and the positive and negative points of establishing a litmus test for sanity.
Adam Stemple, (M) Helen Montgomery, Steven Barnes, Uncle River
79: Short Fiction: On its way out or a way to break into the market?
Does anyone read short stories anymore? The increase in original anthology collections, coupled with both the Internet and paper magazine market would tend to say yes. But many fans tell us they just don't read short fiction anymore. What's the real story?(M) David Levine, Ellen Datlow, James Patrick Kelly, Lisa Mantchev, Sheila Williams
80: The responsibility of the artist
Do artists have any responsibility to our culture and society? As fan/speculative artists are we fulfilling that responsibility or are we just self indulgent Bohemians?
(M) Barry Short, Delphyne Woods, Jim Humble, Loren Damewood, Susan Williams
81: Science for non-scientists: Researching hard science
How do non-scientists keep things straight in their novels? How scientifically accurate does science fiction have to be? For those who want to keep on the straight and narrow, our panel will suggest how to do your research.
Charles Walther, Genevieve Dazzo, (M) Gerald Nordley, MM Buckner
82: Clarion West: 25 Years of Fantastic Stories
This summer Clarion West held its twenty-fifth consecutive workshop. Alumni, students, and instructors return to the oral tradition as they regale us with stories of inspiration, perspiration, and humor at Clarion West. What has the workshop experience meant to them, both as writers and individuals? How has this intensive six-week workshop influenced the field over the last 25 years? Audience participation encouraged!
David Hartwell, Diane Dieter, (M) Leslie Howle
83: Chronological Dissonance: Modern Archetypes & Morals in a Historical Setting
Nothing is more off putting to the reader than a glaring anachronism in a time travel or alternate history setting. But surely this can extend to attitudes and beliefs as well as language, settings, and mechanical devices. How does the author keep his characters from acting like anachronisms themselves?
Haley Elizabeth Garwood, Laura Frankos, Patricia Wrede, (M) Walter Hunt
84: How to Enjoy Your 1st Convention
What is there to see and do at Worldcon? A new fan's introduction to the convention.
(M) Grant Kruger, John Hertz, Jon Singer
85: Rising Stars 101
Don't ask what the con will do for you, ask what you can do for the con! Avoid the dreaded "Wall of Books" on panels. Fan-run SF conventions aren't like your typical commercial media cons. Learn the differences, and how aspiring writers can make themselves welcome and unique guests.
Gay Haldeman, Joe Haldeman
86: WSFS Business Meeting
This is the preliminary WSFS Business meeting, where reports are received and the agenda for the main business meeting(s) is set.
Don Eastlake
87: Hugo Nominee Film: Stardust
88: Why didn't SF predict the Internet?
Travel to the moon and Mars, starships, time travel, nuclear winter, alien invasion – SF has imagined them all. But the Internet? Not so much! Our panel will talk about why this recent but life-changing scientific development didn't make it into the pages of most SF novels, and will laud the few that did foretell the future of the Web.
Ashley Grayson, David Louis Edelman, (M) Warren Hammond, William Priester
89: Ask Dr. Science
Dr. Science will conduct experiments and explain his specialized, esoteric knowledge in a way that keeps everyone amused.
Courtney Willis
90: The Return to the Moon
It's been decades since man walked on the moon! Why did our governments stop Lunar exploration, and why hasn't private industry filled in where the Apollo missions left off? Will mankind return to the moon?
Dan Dubrick, Henry Spencer, (M) John Strickland, Michael Carroll
91: Kaffeeklatsch
Glen Cook, Jo Walton, John Kessel, Wil McCarthy
92: Reading
James Frenkel
93: Reading
Glenda Larke
94: Reading
PC Hodgell
95: Reading
Carrie Vaughn
97: Art Show Docent Tour
Margaret Organ-Kean
98: Autographing (75 minutes)
Patrick Rothfuss, Louise Marley
100: Autographing (45 minutes)
Misty Massey, Tobias Bucknell, William Dietz
101: How do eBooks change writing – an eBook writing primer.
Is there a difference between writing for eBook only and writing books that are later converted? Are there stories that can only be told by eBooks?
Darlene Marshall, (M) Dave Howell, Jetse de Vries, Traci Castleberry
102: An Introduction to F&SF Costuming
Masquerade Balls have been part of the history of science fiction since the earliest conventions and over the years those balls have developed into the current Masquerade costume contest that we know today. Masquerade costumes, hall costumes, Regency dance costumes – this panel will introduce you to a variety of SF costuming options.
Carole Parker, John Barnes, Pierre Pettinger, Roberta Rogow, (M) Sandra Pettinger
103: Fan Funds Past, Present, & Future
A review of TAFF, DUFF, GUFF, and D30 stuff.
Chris Garcia, (M) Guy Lillian, Steve Francis, Sue Francis
104: Science Fiction & Religion: How readers and writers mix the two
Religion and science fiction can be an uneasy mix. Readers can sometimes read the story through their own preconceptions – how does the writer handle this? Can you successfully make religion the foundation of a story?
(M) Alexis Glynn Latner, Daryl Gregory, Janice Gelb, Samantha Henderson
105: Creating a Mythos
What we can learn from Cthulhu, Buffy, Minneapolis in '73, and other imaginary worlds. The panelists and audience will use what they discover to create a new Mythos.
Elaine Isaak, Julia Phillips, LE Modesitt
106: The Agent Behind the Curtain: Making Famous Authors
Writers create the stories, but agents bring them to fruition with a publisher. Our panel of agents discuss what they look for, how they get things published, and tell stories of both success and failure.Eleanor Wood, (M) Joshua Bilmes, Kristin Nelson, Lucienne Diver, Michael Kabongo
107: The world in miniature: F&SF model building
Part of the magic that let's us display science fiction on the screen is the model building that makes miniature towns, spaceships, and battlefields come alive. How does it work, and who's making it happen?
(M) Christian McGuire, John Douglass, Rick Sternbach
108: Into the Mouths of Characters: Food as a Basis for World Building
What goes into creating believable dining and nutrition? How that influences the behavior of characters and the development of plot?
Beverly Hale, (M) Laurie Mann, Louise Marley, Richard Foss
109: Clarion West Student Readings: the Early Years
Clarion West had a couple of workshops in the 70s before it began its consecutive streak. Come listen to some of those earliest Clarion alumni read their fiction for your enjoyment!
Amy Thomson, (M) Steve Miller
110: Treasure Hunt Day Two
Get your assignments for your treasure hunt and show what you found on Wednesday.
Amy Sterling Casil
111: Depicting Christianity in F&SF
Without knocking the reader over the head with Christian allegory as C. S. Lewis did in his Narnia tales, many F&SF writers successfully draw from Christian archetypes to add depth and vision to their work. Is this becoming more difficult in an increasingly secular world?
Ben Jeapes, (M) Randy Smith, Ronald Oakes
112: Books that Haven't Yet Been Made into Films but Might Be
A favorite pastime on many fan listservs is to "cast" characters from an author's books and discuss techniques for turning favorite writings into film. Our panel explores what we might see on the silver screen in the next generation.
Christopher Becker, (M) Daniel Kimmel, David Gerrold
113: Good Data: Difficult, Dangerous, & Expensive
Richard Dutcher, (M) Tom Whitmore, William Priester
114: History & Alternate History
Some authors write about the way things really happened, and others write about how they might have happened differently. At times, it can be hard to differentiate between the two! How much historical training do authors need to believably change the web of events?
Harry Turtledove, John Maddox Roberts, (M) John Strickland, Steven Silver, Walter Hunt
115: Global Warming – or Maybe Not?
What is global warming – a scientific fact or a political scam? And if the world is getting warmer, what can we expect to happen? Our panel discusses the science behind the issues.
Courtney Willis, James Killius, (M) Michael Brotherton
116: Trends in new SF: Where are we going and why?
What is new and different in the SF&F of today, and what will we be reading tomorrow?
Charles Brown, Jim Minz, (M) Ken Scholes, Sheila Williams
117: Kaffeeklatsch
Bob Eggleton, Brandon Sanderson, SM Stirling, Stanley Schmidt
118: Reading
Karl Schroeder
119: Reading
Lillian Stewart Carl
120: Reading
Melinda Snodgrass
121: Reading
Stephen Baxter
122: Reading
Connie Willis
123: Art Show Docent Tour
Ctein, Teresa Nielsen Hayden
124: Autographing (75 minutes)
John Picacio, Kevin Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, Wil McCarthy
125: Autographing (45 minutes)
Edward Willett, Elissa Malcohn, Melanie Fletcher
127: Kathy Mar Vocal & Performance Workshop
Are you a shy filker? Have you wondered how to find your own voice? Our music guest, Kathy Mar will help you find that voice and give you professional tips on performing with confidence.
128: Autographing (45 minutes)
Laura Frankos, Leslie Howle, Robert Hoyt
129: Fannish Inquisition
Everyone expects the Fannish Inquisition, where you can hear about future Worldcons. Witness tough questions, surprising answers, and a preview of things to come.
Bobbie DuFault, Dave McCarty, (M) Kent Bloom, Patty Wells, Perry Middlemiss, Vincent Docherty
130: Kimono Workshop
How to wear a simple kimono with discussion of the covering trailing (geisha type) kimono, wedding kimono, obi ties, and a historical overview.
April Faires
131: The Limits of Empire: How big can a galactic empire really be?
Even if you posit FTL transportation, you still have problems of scale in running a galactic empire. Who's going to write the rules and run the bureaucracy? And what happens when it comes to enforcement? Our panel will posit "How big is too big?"
Jacqueline Lichtenberg, (M) Mary Kay Kare, Mike Resnick
132: SLOF: We Know What You Read
Librarians often know what books their readers enjoy. A feel for what's popular helps in allocating decreasing library budgets. But now government agencies also want in on who's reading what books – and can request that information without court order. What are libraries and librarians doing to support privacy, and what price are they paying not to reveal readers' records?
Bonnie Kunzel, (M) Diana Herald, Misty Massey, Rosemary Hahn
133: What makes SF work? Characters, Society, or Technology
Panelists talk about the primary elements of a SF story, and try to decide which are most important to our genre. What makes SF different from other stories? Does it have to include social or technical speculation to be SF?
J. Alan Erwine, Ken Scholes, Larry Niven, (M) Shanna Swendson
134: People who Knew Heinlein
People who knew and worked with Robert Heinlein discuss the man behind the genius.Ben Bova, Bill Patterson, Eleanor Wood, (M) Joseph Martino, Pat Cadigan
135: How to prepare a portfolio for the beginning artist:
Preparing a portfolio and approaching shops and galleries. You don't have to spend a fortune to make a professional looking portfolio! We will talk about what to include with tricks and ideas from artists who have been there.
(M) Jim Humble, Michael Georges, Patricia McCracken, Peri Charlifu, Stephen Daniele
136: Mermaids and Sirens and Other Attractive Nuisances
Panelists discuss fantasy creatures that have dual natures -- beautiful but deadly!
(M) James Daugherty, Julia Mandala, Linda Donahue
137: The Return of the King: the novelist's fascination with monarchy
Much fantasy fiction relies on a monarchy for its political structure, and members of the aristocracy for its characters. This panel examines the enduring appeal of royalty in speculative fiction for both writers and readers.
Brandon Sanderson, (M) Karen Miller, Margaret Bonham, Pamela Freeman, Patrick Rothfuss
138: Me & My Little Dragon: Make your own dragon out of polymer clay
A workshop to make and paint your own little dragon of polymer clay. Materials provided. Space limited to 20 participants. Sign up in the Young Fan room earlier in the con to reserve your space.
Mitzi Bartlett
139: Filk 101
What filk is, how it originated, how it's developed, types of circles, how to find your local filk community, and basic filk etiquette
Andrew Ross, Fred Capp, (M) Gary Ehrlich, John Caspell, Roberta Rogow
140: The Swiftly Tilting World of Madeline L'Engle
For 50 years, Madeline L'Engle enthralled young readers with her imaginative tales of tesseracts and more. We honor her memory in this panel.
Beverly Hale, (M) Priscilla Olson
141: Tie-in novels for TV and gaming
Star Trek may be off the air, but Star Trek novels are still flourishing in print. What started as fan fiction for TV, movie, and gaming favorites has become a major publishing industry.
Erin Evans, Faith Hunter, Joe Pearce, Lawrence Watt- Evans, Russell Davis, (M) William Dietz
142: Remembering the Baycon Worldcon 1968 – 40 years of SF Fandom
The Baycon Worldcon of 1968 marked a turning point in who attended Worldcons, how many people attended, and what kinds of activities they undertook. Return with us to the Claremont hotel in Berkeley, California in September of 1968 and find out why... it all started at Baycon.
Ginjer Buchanan, Lois McMaster Bujold, Mary Morman, Suzanne Tompkins, (M) Tom Whitmore
142a: Hugo Nominee Film Heroes (unaired pilot episode)
143: Unique Astronomical Environments: living in extreme places
Can mankind really live in high or low gravity environments? What about extremes of temperature or atmosphere? Scientists discuss what it might be like to live in extreme environments and how humans might adapt.
David Summers, Gerald Nordley, (M) James Killius, Michael Brotherton, Michael Carroll
144: Bleeding Heart Liberals & Military SF
Military SF is very popular, even among the politically liberal. Why is that and will it change their views?
Adrian Bedford, (M) Elizabeth Moon, Joe Haldeman, John Hemry, John Scalzi
145: Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics
Absolutely! See? The numbers said so! How can you make the numbers say what you want them to?
Michael Flynn
146: Kaffeeklatsch
James Frenkel, Kate Elliott, Lawrence M. Schoen, Sarah Hoyt
147: Reading
Valerie Frankel
148: Reading
Mario Acevedo
149: Reading
David Coe
150: Reading
David Louis Edelman
151: Reading
George R.R. Martin
152: Autographing (75 minutes)
James Frenkel, Jo Walton, Mary Robinette Kowal
153: Autographing (45 minutes)
Alexis Glynn Latner, Michael Kabongo
154: Autographing (45 minutes)
Daryl Gregory, MM Buckner, Pati Nagle, SL Farrell
155: Choosing an eBook Format: technological & economic considerations
If your application goes away, will you lose your book? Will a standard eBook format ever come to the fore? Can I read my Microsoft reader copy on a Kindle?
Dave Howell, (M) Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Peter Bullock
156: Timeless Stars: Olaf Stapledon
A retrospective on a critically acclaimed author who gave shape to the science fiction genre during the first half of the 20th century.
(M) Evelyn Leeper, John Hertz, Robert Silverberg
157: Aliens – Writing about what you don't know
Unless you've been abducted recently, getting inside an alien's mind and body is an exercise in imagination. What are the tips and tricks that let authors write about beings that are very different, but still get their readers to identify with them?
(M) Jetse de Vries, Larry Niven, LE Modesitt
158: Fans of the Future: the Alternative to the Greying of Fandom
Everyone's talking about the greying of fandom, but our panel of younger fans let you in on the new wave of conrunners, fanzine writers, and general SF enthusiasts.
Chris Garcia, (M) Jared Dashoff, Matt Mishalak, Robert Hoyt, Robert Marshall
159: Slipstream Fiction
What is slipstream fiction? Everyone's talking about it, but who's writing it, and how do authors get on the bandwagon?
(M) James Patrick Kelly, John Kessel, Steve Rasnic Tem
160: Making a Living as a Writer – but not necessarily a novelist
When we think of professional writers, our minds turn to the authors of our favorite fiction, but there's a wide scope of the writing business that lies outside of the fiction market. Our panel of non-fiction writers will explore the other side of the industry.Craig Miller, Daniel Kimmel, Jim Fiscus, (M) John Scalzi, Judy Lazar, Rebecca Lyons
161: Imagining the Future: how does SF art impact engineering and science
If we imagine it, will science build it? Join our panelists for a discussion of how the artists imagination can inspire scientists.
Bob Eggleton, (M) Jeff Fennel, Margaret Organ-Kean, Rick Sternbach
162: Timeless Stars: C.M. Kornbluth
A retrospective on a talented author who shaped fantasy writing from the early days of the genre, but whose work is largely unknown to many modern readers.
(M) Alex Eisenstein, David Curtis, Mark Rich, Phyllis Eisenstein, Richard Chwedyk
163: Going to the Dogs
Man's best friend often accompanies the SF hero into future society. Our panel explores dogs in science fiction, and the place of dogs in future society.
Joy Ward, (M) Margaret Bonham, Patricia Blair, Samantha Henderson
164: Bill Mayhew Tells Stories
Bill Mayhew will tell stories to delight Young Fans.
165: Soldiers of the Past: Using Historical Military Models in F&SF
Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. What influence do historical military models have on the writers of modern science fiction?
Glen Cook, (M) Harry Turtledove, SM Stirling, Walter Hunt
166: First Contact: Alternatives to landing on the White House lawn
What would you do if you were an alien species trying to make contact with the societies of Earth? Our panel will step outside their Terran roles to take a look at this perennial question from the alien viewpoint.
(M) Connie Willis, Milt Stevens, Stephen Baxter
167: Arrrrrrgh! The Pirate Panel
Pirates are really very nasty people, but from Captain Morgan to Han Solo they tend to appear as romantic characters in fiction. Why are pirates such a recurring them in space opera?
Darlene Marshall, (M) David Riley, Linda Donahue, Misty Massey
168: Have blogs and listservs replaced fanzines?
For decades, fanzines provided a way for geographically diverse fans to discuss science fiction and make social contact with each other. Has that intercourse all moved to the Internet? Is there a place in 21st century fandom for paper 'zines? Or are fanzines still fanzines, even without paper?
(M) David Levine, Guy Lillian, Janice Gelb, Jed Hartman, Nicki Lynch
169: Hugo Nominee Film: The Golden Compass
170: My summer vacation in Middle Earth: a slide presentation
Our own Wombat provides a photo tour of the New Zealand sites and sets used to film Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings.
jan howard finder
171: Space Drives: Scientific Possibilities
SF authors have been imagining space drives since the 19th century. But what are the real possibilities and limitations of space flight?
Ctein, (M) Dan Dubrick, Henry Spencer, Steven Howe, Wil McCarthy
172: Nanomedicine: What we know now, what might happen later
How will nanoscience influence the medical field over the next decade? What's being done now, and what are scientists working on for the near future?
Brad Aiken, (M) Edward M. Lerner, Henry Stratmann, Howard S. Smith, Marilyn Kosmatka
173: Kaffeeklatsch
Charles Brown, Chris Roberson, David Gerrold, Ed Bryant
174: Reading
Uncle River
175: Reading
Patricia Bray
176: Reading
Robert Buettner
177: Rising Stars Reception
Join Hosts Gay and Joe Haldeman as we welcome our newest writers to Denvention 3. Stop in and chat with these aspiring writers, recruit them for panels at your convention, get some autographs, find out whose book just came out or will be published in the near future!
Joe Haldeman, Gay Haldeman, Ann Marie Rudolph
178: Reading:
Mike Resnick
179: Reading:
Sharon Lee (and Miller)
180: Reading:
Steve Miller and Sharon Lee
181: Autographing (75 minutes)
Michelle Sagara West, Stanley Schmidt
182: Autographing (45 minutes)
Adrian Bedford, J. Alan Erwine, Lee Martindale, Pamela Freeman
183: Three Filk Concerts
Kathleen Sloan, Blind Lemming Chiffon, Anne Prather
184: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
185: ASFA Meeting
Annual meeting for members of the Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists, Inc. Open to anyone with an interest in art. Come by and find out more about ASFA!
Mike Willmoth
186: Autographing (45 minutes)
Ginjer Buchanan, Kate Elliott, Ronnie Seagren
187: Libraries of the Ancient World: What have we lost and what has been saved?
The library at Alexandria had more than half a million scrolls, but the majority of these ancient works are now known only by reference. What happened to the libraries of the ancients? What did they hold, and is there any chance that lost works still might be found?
Fred Lerner
188: Soldiers: Life vs. Fiction
From Starship Troopers to Honor Harrington, modern SF abounds with image of life in the military. How do fictional soldiers compare to those who have experienced the military as a career?
Elizabeth Moon, Francis Hamit, Joe Haldeman, Tanya Huff, (M) Tony Ruggiero
189: Fan Fiction: Writing for Pleasure, not Profit
Many authors began their careers writing fan fiction. Whether it's Star Trek or Harry Potter, can fan fiction change people's perception of the original characters? When authors don't give us enough, fans take over!
Carol Hightshoe, (M) Lillian Stewart Carl, Theresa Pridemore
190: How Star Trek changed the 20th century
From pocket communicators to computers that talk to us, life at the close of the 20th century was filled with gadgets and ideas popularized by Star Trek. Would we have thought to develop these devices without seeing Roddenberry's visionary future?
Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Marc Scott Zicree, Rick Sternbach, Roberta Rogow, (M) Suford Lewis
191: Magic & Science: Who can tell the difference?
Does it disturb you when the magical artifacts in the story you are reading suddenly turn into scientific devices from the far future? Does it matter if the time gate is magical or a relic of a fallen civilization? Who knows the difference, anyway?
Amy Sterling Casil, (M) Brandon Sanderson, Faith Hunter, SL Farrell
192: Writing in Concert
Can two write better than one, or do you get in each other's way?Dani Kollin, Eytan Kollin, (M) Patricia Wrede, Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
193: Preparing your paper work
Learn how to get a tax license, fill out the forms, keep track of taxes, receipts, and income. Track shows and plan strategies for selling to the public. If you sell your work to anyone, you're a small business, come and learn how to run it like one!
Jeff Sturgeon, (M) Peri Charlifu, Sage Bray
194: Gripe Session – Thursday
Not pleased with something that happened at the con? Have a suggestion for a better way to run things? Come to the gripe session and air your views. Constructive comments appreciated.
(M) Jack Heneghan, Kent Bloom
195: Fandom and SF outside the English- speaking world
Do you have to read English to be an SF fan? Certainly not! But it helps. International fans describe the joys and pleasures of reading SF and participating in fandom in non-English speaking countries.
Alvaro Zinos Amaro, (M) Christian Sauve, Rani Graff, Sarah Hoyt
196: What if I Don't Know What Comes Next? (Teen Writing Workshop)
A workshop for kids ages 11 and up. Find out how to turn your ideas into finished stories.
Amy Sterling Casil
197: Tragic Flaw to Achilles Heel - Every Hero's Weakness
A hero without a flaw is an unsympathetic bore. It's the flaws that help us identify with fictional heroes. Our panel will discuss what, how much, and how little it take to turn a practical paragon into a personable protagonist.
(M) Farah Mendlesohn, Pat Cadigan, Theresa Crater
198: Classic SF Films I'd Like to Remake
Is another film version of War of the Worlds really going to give us anything different? How do film makers deal with an audience that loves or hates particular bits of a previous movie? Are there still any stories that really need to be remade for a wider audience in the HD world?
(M) Christopher Becker, James Nelson Lucas, Mark Leeper, Misty Massey, Richard Chwedyk
199: Pulp Fiction
Oh, the pulps! Innocent days of discovery and exploration, or the sleazy underBelly of genre fiction? Discuss the stories that are, if not the root, certainly the trunk of science fiction.
(M) Bradford Lyau, David Boop, Fred Cleaver, Joe Sokola, Mike Resnick
200: Lois McMaster Bujold reads from Sharing Knife: Horizon
201: Daw Books Presents Upcoming Titles
Sheila Gilbert
202: Mars update
What's the latest buzz on and about the Red Planet? Find out what's happening and who's doing it from our specialists.
Bill Higgins, Geoffrey Landis, (M) Steven Howe
203: Breaking into SF: The Big Guns
Major New York publishers tell us why the big publishing houses can still be the key to success for new writers.
Ellen Datlow, James Frenkel, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Sheila Williams (M) Stanley Schmidt, Toni Weisskopf
204: Kaffeeklatsch
Benjamin Rosenbaum, Carrie Vaughn, James Morrow, John Hemry
205: Reading
Mary Robinette Kowal
206: Reading
Jeanne Stein
207: Reading
Scott Edelman
208: Special Interest Fans: Geocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets.
Eric Zuckerman
209: Reading
James Patrick Kelly
211: Art Show Docent Tour
Jean-Pierre Normand
212: Autographing (75 minutes)
Ctein, Glen Cook
213: Autographing (45 minutes)
Gerald Nordley, Margaret Organ-Kean, Mary Turzillo, Melinda Snodgrass, Steve Rasnic Tem
214: Two Filk Concerts
Joey Shoji, Paul Estin.
215: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
216: Food & Where to Find it: a walk through the Denvention Restaurant Guide
Local fans will answer questions on local eateries and provide a quick review of the Denver restaurant guide. Join us to find the best, the closest, the cheapest, and the most outre (Casa Bonita!).
Melissa Morman, Sheila McClune
217: Autographing (45 minutes)
Howard S. Smith
218: Technology for the Visually Impaired
Fen are nothing if not readers. And movie goers. But some of our eyes are not what they once were (or maybe never were). How do we get our SF fix? This panel will look at some of the alternatives.
Anne Prather, (M) Bill Thomasson, Ed Meskys
219: Torchwood: Doctor Who for Grownups?
Doctor Who has been a favorite for decades, but now we have Captain Jack and Torchwood! Who loves it, who hates it, and who thinks it's a step beyond the original series?
Jared Dashoff, (M) Patricia Bray, Peter Knapp
220: Life after Rocket Science: real life rocket scientists tell why they moved on to other careers
Everyone wants to be a rocket scientist, right? Well, not always. Our panelists discuss why they left careers in rocket science for a variety of other callings.
(M) David Summers, Ian Tregillis, Margaret Bonham, Mike Potter
221: Independent Book Stores: The Vanishing Storefront
Big box booksellers have driven many independent book stores out of business. Can personal service and specialty collections help those remaining compete in today's markets?
(M) Ann Chamberlin, Michelle Sagara West, Tom Whitmore
222: Space Law
When man moves into space, will he bring his current laws along with him, or will we develop something new and innovative? How will space law be enforced?
(M) Don Timm, Jorge Espinosa, Raymond Cyrus, Robert Buettner, Scratch Bacharach
223: Flatcats & Sandworms & Thoats: creating the creatures of science fiction
From cute little cuddly pets to giant man-eating monsters, SF authors over the years have added a variety of fauna and flora to our literary lives. How do writers come up with these alien animals?Dave Howell, David Gerrold, Robert Hole
224: WorldCon Masquerades for Beginners
Experience costumers talk about what a beginner need to know about Worldcon Masquerades.
(M) Jill Eastlake, Suford Lewis
225: The Home of the Future
Microwave ovens, food processors, robot vacuum cleaners... the 21st century home is a far cry from that of 50 years ago. What will homes be like in another generation or two? And what do we lose as we gain convenience and automation?
Jon Singer, (M) Steve Carper
226: Re-telling old stories: The new fairy tales
Fairy tales contain themes that apply to the human condition. How does re-telling them in an updated form effect these themes?
Adam Stemple, Lisa Spangenberg, (M) Shanna Swendson, Valerie Frankel
227: Storytelling & The Oral Tradition
Once upon a time, stories were passed orally from person to person and generation to generation. How has storytelling changed through the ages with the advent of the written word?
Bill Mayhew, James Nelson Lucas, Patrick Rothfuss, Randy Smith (M) Uncle River
228: Swashbucklers in Space
Not as evil as pirates, but twice as much fun! Swashbucklers, whether in space or on the high seas, are often found fighting on the side of the good guys – but in quite non-standard ways!
Chris Roberson, Darlene Marshall, (M) Karl Schroeder SM Stirling, Tobias Buckell
229: Taxes and the Writer
An author's income is far different from a regular bimonthly paycheck. What do you need to know about making your own tax deposits? What's deductible and what's not and how do you tell?
Beverly Hale, (M) Howard Rosenblatt
230: Special Music Guest Concert
Kathy Mar
231: New Books from Del Ray
Liz Scheier
232: You canna change the laws of physics: what really won't work
Scotty was continually pulling scientific rabbits out of a hat to save the crew of the Enterprise. The laws of physics, however, really are laws and not recommendations. Which of the tricks and notions of science fiction novelists really won't work? Even if we re-configure the neutron signatures and irradiate the ambient tachyon particle trail.
(M) Bill Higgins, Edward M. Lerner, Greg Bear, James Bryant, Jordin Kare
233: The Movie Year in Review
Seen a good movie lately? Our panel and audience will discuss science fiction and fantasy movies from the past year. What's hot and what's not?
(M) Daniel Kimmel, Jim Mann, Mark Leeper, Vincent Docherty
234: Kaffeeklatsch
Connie Willis, Harry Turtledove, Henry Spencer, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Lois McMaster Bujold
235: Reading:
Tom Trumpinski
236: Reading:
Stephen Segal
238: Wonders of 1958: Fritz Leiber's The Big Time
Spiders are the good guys, and our hero is a woman. The first Hero was a woman too, go look up Leander. Indeed this is a very classical book; it preserves the unities of time, place, and persons, which is mighty strange, considering. There's slashing drama, and if you've never been a party girl, it might not be what you think.
John Hertz
239: Writing the Rules Right: Teaching Other People to Play Your Game
Ever tried to teach someone Fizzbin? Or even Mah Jong? Learn how to write the rules to make it easy for people learn your game.
(M) Jim Minz, Schuyler DuPree
241: Reading:
LE Modesitt
242: Autographing (30 minutes)
Alvaro Zinos Amaro, Amy Thomson, Greg Hyde, Jeff Sturgeon, Julia Philips
243: Altitude & How to Deal with It
Denver isn't really that high – only about 5200 feet – but it still can put a strain on lungs and bodies not used to the oxygen level. Our panel provides sensible suggestions for dealing with Colorado altitude.
(M) Nina Else, Perrianne Lurie
244 "Finding the Future" screening and discussion
Joseph Formichella has produced a documentary on fandom and Worldcons. Come and see clips from the movie and dialogue with the creator.
Joseph Formichella
246: Growing Old in the SCA
In 1966 a group of science fiction fans began a Renaissance recreation group that became the Society for Creative Anachronism. Now more than four decades later, those early fans are aging knights and ladies. How is this affecting the organization, and what does it mean to have spent 40 years in The Society?
(M) Al Tegen, Linda Cole, Mary Morman, Penny Tegen, Richard Cole
247: The Colorado beer panel
What's a good beer? Where can we find one around here?
Jack Heneghan, (M) Wil McCarthy
245: Chesley Award Ceremony
Annual awards given out by the Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists, Inc., for works published during the previous year. Everyone is welcome. Named after famed artist Chesley Bonestell.
Mike Willmoth
248: A cardiologist presents: Sex in Space
Sex in Space might be more difficult than you imagine! Listen to a cardiologist's candid comments on the possibilities and difficulties.
Henry Stratmann
249: If I ran the zoo
Three teams of fans will compete in this game about running a Worldcon. Will you win people points and lose money? The lady or the snake? What will you do with the sick baby? Will your Guest of Honor die before the con? Join con runners in this hilarious organizational game.
(M) Don Timm, Kent Bloom
250: Two Filk Concerts
Brooke Lunderville, John Caspell
251: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
252: Heinlein and marriage
Robert Heinlein explored a variety of marriage forms in his writing, and portrayed happy marriages between couples, triples, groups, and lines. Were these drawn only from the writer's imagination, and what experiences have others had in turning fiction to reality?
David Silver, Deb Houdek-Rule, Eric James Stone, Geo Rule, Tom Trumpinski
252a: Square Dance on Ganymede
Put on your dancing boots and your ruffled space suit and come do-si-do with the fen! There will be live music!
253: Things Not to Do at an SF Convention
Death, destruction, and deluge – all of these things have happened at SF cons. What kind of things do con runners want to avoid and how do they go about doing that? Experienced concom members discuss their worst nightmares and how to deal with them.
Bob MacIntosh, Kevin Standlee, (M) Mark Olson, Vincent Docherty
254: Kathy Marred
A circle featuring some of the many fine parodies inspired by our music guest's songs.
Blind Lemming Chiffon, Joey Shoji, Kathleen Sloan, (M) Kathy Mar, Robin Baylor
255: Sign Up Theme Circle
Sign up to select a theme for the circle. 30 minutes per theme.
256: Ghosts Like Me: a predilection for the paranormal
Why is it that certain people seem to be lightning rods for the paranormal? Are they just more open to possibilities? More gullible? Or do they just exude some indefinable essence that paranormal entities adore?
Jennifer Dunne
257: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
258: Bardic Open Filk
Play, pass, or pick out a song or performer. Everyone gets a turn, in order.
259: Sex & Perversion in The Lord of the Rings
What were Legolas and Gimli really doing in the Deep? What is the mythic significance of the "gap" of Rohan? Who's writing Frodo and Sam slash fiction?
Lisa Deutsch Harrigan
260: Morning yoga
Start the day off with a relaxing class session in beginning yoga.
John Douglass
261: Blood Drive
Our ghost of honor, Robert Heinlein, started the tradition of donating blood at SF conventions and it was an activity that he strongly supported. Come donate a pint in his memory and help another human being. The blood drive continues until 3:30pm
262: History of Cataloging, from Alexandria to WebCat
It's not enough for libraries to have the books, they have to know what they have and how to find it. This presentation takes a look at how librarians through the ages have solved those problems, and what inventive methods librarians of the future may use.
(M) Fred Lerner, Helen Gbala, Rosemary Hahn
263: SF fans who write in other genres
Why would someone who grew up reading Cherryh and Niven and LeGuin decide to make a living writing romance or westerns or detective novels? Authors who were fans before they were writers tell about the lure of crossover fiction.
Christine Merrill, (M) Darlene Marshall, Kat Richardson, Nancy Atherton, Susan Krinard
264: SF as a forum for questioning social norms
As a part of society, we tend to take it at face value, like a fish in water. But science fiction helps us step outside and take a look from a new perspective. Look at how it has been and could be done -- and what can and should be done with the results...
David Coe, Ian McDonald, (M) James Morrow Nancy Kress, Pat Cadigan, Robert Reed
265: Heroes with Disabilities
Do readers invest themselves more in characters who deal with disabilities? Is it easier to identify with human weakness and foibles than with mighty-thewed barbarians? Must the hero's disabling weakness be a physical one?
Ed Meskys, (M) Lee Martindale, Margaret Bonham, Margaret McBride
266: Traveling for the Long Term: Generation Ships
Without FTL drives, a trip to even the nearest stars might be a matter of generations. Should mankind attempt to colonize the planets of other star systems? Who would take the voyage, and what would it be like to live on a generation ship?
Frank Wu, (M) Howard Hendrix, James Killius, Stephen Baxter
267: The Use of Horses in Fantasy and SF: Doing it Right
The horse plays a major role in fantasy. How realistic do you want your particular horse to be, or how fantastic? What true details of horse-craft can make your story more believable? What mistakes should you avoid?Beth Meacham, Karen Miller, (M) PC Hodgell, Tanya Huff
268: SF Magazine publication & market share
How many people are still reading short fiction in monthly magazines? Is the market growing or contracting? What influence do anthologies and web- publication have on market share?
(M) Bradford Lyau, Charles Brown, Scott Edelman, Sheila Williams, Stanley Schmidt
269: Soldiers of the Future
From Starship Troopers to Forever War, Bujold's Dendarii Mercenaries to Scalzi's Ghost Brigades, SF writers have widely differing visions of tomorrow's militaries. How might the real thing differ? And how should it?
Andrea Novin, David Boop, Michael Bellomo, (M) Mike Shepherd Moscoe
270: Clarion West Writers Workshop: How it Helped My Career
Are you wondering if a workshop is a good thing for you? Are you wondering if Clarion West is the right workshop? What can it do for you? Come get your questions answered by several of CW's most distinguished alumni.
Benjamin Rosenbaum, (M) David Levine, Louise Marley
271: Without the Universal Translator: What might learning real alien languages be like?
A discussion about the methods we might use to learn alien languages. Is it even possible? How hard will it be? Do we need to start as children? Is there a process that we should follow?
Alexis Glynn Latner, Jean Lorrah, (M) Lawrence M. Schoen, Melanie Fletcher, Petrea Mitchell
272: Shakespeare's themes in SF
Shakespeare's stories get told over and over in modern fiction – sometimes with surprising twists! Even the Klingons like Shakespeare, and certainly a lot of science fiction fans do.
Ellen Klages, (M) Mary Turzillo, Paul Cornell, Sarah Hoyt
273: How to Give an Effective Reading
Workshop on how to make the most of this opportunity.
Mary Robinette Kowal
274: WSFS Business Meeting Friday
This is the first main meeting of the WSFS Business Meeting, where constitutional amendments and other business are discussed and may be adopted.
Don Eastlake
275: Hugo Nominee Film: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
276: Twisting Time: Alternate Histories
A discussion of Alternate History as a setting for stories. What does it take to make a story an Alternate History? How are these stories different? What are the limits an author must stay within?
Charles Stross, Harry Turtledove, Marilyn Kosmatka, (M) Moshe Feder, SM Stirling
277: Canadian Science Fiction
Canadian SF writers discuss their work and their native land.
Christian Sauve, Edward Willett, Jo Walton, (M) Karl Schroeder, Rene Walling, Robert J. Sawyer
278: The People Behind NASA
NASA celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. But, like any organization, NASA is made up of individuals. Our panel will take a look at some of the people behind the program.
(M) Edward M. Lerner, Geoffrey Landis, Grant Carrington, William Priester
279: Kaffeeklatsch
Jeff Carlson, Michael Swanwick, Patrick Rothfuss, Sharon Shinn
280: Reading
Patricia Wrede
281: Reading
Gerald Nordley
282: Reading
Brenda Cooper
283: Reading
Kevin Anderson
285: Autographing (75 minutes)
Bob Eggleton, Greg Bear, Rick Sternbach
286: Autographing (45 minutes)
Bill Patterson, Chris Roberson, Jody Lynn Nye
287: Autographing (45 minutes)
Dan Hoyt, Haley Elizabeth Garwood, James Nelson Lucas
288: Republishing Classic SF: Paper or Pixels?
Are electronic books the wave of the future? Will they replace the printed word? Are they a flash in the RAM? Is this the way to keep classic science fiction perpetually "in print"?
Erik Mona, James Frenkel, Michael J. Walsh, Priscilla Olson, (M) Toni Weisskopf
289: Heinlein & the Space Suit
Bill Higgins presents a slide show on the creation of the space suit at NASA and how Heinlein's work influenced the design.
Bill Higgins
290: What shall I read next? The influence of Librarians on Reading
Many of us have treasured memories of being turned on to Science Fiction by a local librarian. Is the next generation being reached in the same way?
(M) Bonnie Kunzel, Misty Massey, Susan Fichtelberg, Val Ontell
291: The History of Fandom
From First Fandom to slipstream – stories of how we got to where we are.
Andrew Porter, Astrid Anderson Bear, Joe Siclari, Larry Niven, Moshe Feder, (M) Tony Lewis
292: NaNoWriMo: 1500 words a day
Start-up writers talk about their participation in National Novel Writing Month.
Rebecca Lyons, (M) Sheila McClune
293: Book Reviewers: The Missing Link of the Publishing Industry
For good or ill, reviewers influence sales. We need them to filter the overload, but are they filtering the right stuff?D. Douglas Fratz, Graham Sleight, Jonathan Strahan, Karen Burnham, (M) Michelle Sagara West
294: Looking Ahead - What to Read and Watch Before You Nominate for the 2009 Hugos
Our panelists share their hot picks and don't miss movie choices.
Daniel Kimmel, David Hartwell, (M) Laurie Mann, Vincent Docherty
295: Luna City or Bust: the open source space program
An introduction to the Luna Project, with an explanation of the motivations and goals of the Lunar Settlement Plan, and a call to action.
CD Carson
296: Clarion West Student Readings: The Late 80s
The 80s were the beginning of the consecutive Clarion West workshops that we're celebrating this year. Listen to readings from alumni of those years.
Gerri Balter, Mary Rosenblum
297: Workshop on SF Origami
Learn to fold paper into animals and spaceships! Origami is the ancient Japanese art of making beautiful objects out of folded paper. Kids will learn how to create origami spaceships, fantasy creatures or shapes.
Karen Jordan, Mark Leeper
298: A World Made of Birds – What would the Earth be like if the Dinosaurs Had Lived?
Speculation about life on earth would have developed without the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
David Coe, Glenda Larke, Robert Hole, (M) Robert J. Sawyer
299: SF as modern mythology
Homer to Heinlein to Han Solo: Is SF creating new myths or just recycling old themes?
(M) Carol Berg, Linda Donahue, Lisa Mantchev, Milt Stevens
300: Are Writers Workshops Right for You?
Some authors swear by them, and others swear at them! Panelists will describe how writers workshops can make, or break, a beginning writer, and discuss the kinds of questions to consider before signing on to one.
Jeff Carlson, Leslie Howle, (M) Mark Van Name, Traci Castleberry
301: Urban Fantasy: Still Room to Grow?
There is a lot of urban fantasy on the shelves right now. Are we close to exhausting the possibilities in that setting, or is there still a lot of unexplored territory in the fantasy city?
Kat Richardson, Lucienne Diver, (M) Mary Kay Kare, Patricia Bray, Sarah Hoyt
302: "To be Announced": we pick the panel, audience picks the topic
Come early to enter your topic in the hopper.
Chris Garcia, Connie Willis, Greg Bear, (M) Jay Lake
303: Quantum Mechanics, Future Technologies, & Parallel Worlds
How quantum mechanics intersects and interacts with future technologies and parallel worlds. What if the current theory of quantum mechanics is wrong? What catastrophes might we awaken in experimenting with parallel worlds?
Kay Kenyon, (M) Todd Brun, Wil McCarthy
304: Kaffeeklatsch
Elizabeth Moon, James Patrick Kelly, Joe Haldeman, Lou Anders
304a: My First Five Pages and why my Book Didn't Sell
Bring the first five pages of your manuscript, sold or unsold, and Faith Hunter will lead the group in critiqueing the work. Attendence is limited to 20 people. There will be a sign-up sheet at the Information Desk.
Faith Hunter
305: Reading
Samantha Henderson
306: Reading
Adrian Bedford
307: Reading
John Kessel
308: Reading
Louise Marley
309: Reading
Harry Turtledove
310: Art Show Docent Tour
Tom Whitmore
311: Autographing (75 minutes)
Karl Schroeder, LE Modesitt, Michael Swanwick
312: Autographing (45 minutes)
Darlene Marshall, Ellen Datlow, James Killius, PC Hodgell
313: Multi-Instrumentalist Workshop
How to become a multi-instrumentalist one instrument at a time. Types of instruments, picking the one that's right for you, learning to play, accompanying yourself and others. Bring an instrument or 3!
Blind Lemming Chiffon, Fred Capp, Robin Baylor
314: Autographing (45 minutes)
Marilyn Kosmatka, Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Nancy Atherton, Pat Cadigan
315: Raising Kids in Fandom
How does growing up in fandom influence your life? Secret confessions of SF kids and parents.
Jared Dashoff, Jordan Brown, Valentine Davis
316: What makes a good SF film or TV show, and why are so many of them so bad?
A discussion of how Sturgeon's law applies to SF film and TV.
John Joseph Adams, John Strickland, (M) Lawrence Person, Misty Massey, Stephen Potts
317: History of the Campbell Award
How did the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer come about and how is it administered?
Chris Garcia, James Van Pelt, (M) Jay Lake, Stanley Schmidt
318: SF in CSI: What's possible. What's imaginary, & what's economically feasible
A panel of experts discusses the science and economics of CSI. What is real, what might be real soon or with large expenditures, and what is pure fiction?
(M) Colin Harvey, Cordelia Willis, Diana Rowland, Henry Stratmann, Perrianne Lurie
319: Filk 201
Internet filk communities (Live Journal, RecMusicFilk), filk conventions, filk-friendly cons, publications, Internet filk radio, where to find CDs, and stuff like that. Filk 101 (on Thursday) is a recommended prerequisite.Blind Lemming Chiffon, (M) Brooke Lunderville, Gary Ehrlich, Joey Shoji, John Caspell
320: Lost Wax Casting in Bronze: a slide presentation
An experienced sculptor explains the whole process, shows the materials used, describes the various steps in the process, and answers questions from the audience.
Butch Honeck
321: Timeless Stars: H. P. Lovecraft
Lovecraft redefined horror for the 20th century by recasting our ancient existential fears of the unknown in terms of the scientific, multi-dimensional cosmos. So where do we take that in the 21st century? Cthulhu has become an underground cultural icon — but as a cute plush doll. What's more important, Lovecraft's aesthetics or his ideas?
Charles Stross, Ed Bryant, Julie McGalliard, (M) Stephen Segal, Terence Chua
322: Quick Costumes for Kids
Ever thought of being in the masquerade? Or dressing up as your favorite story character? Experienced costumers will help kids create costumes from a variety of cloth, clothing, and craft items.
Kevin Roche
323: The Music Makes The Movie: Music from SF Films
Can anybody do it better than the 3 J's (Williams, Goldsmith, and Horner)? Well, sometimes yes! In addition to a variety of recorded movie music, and discussion of same, this presentation will include a live theramin demo to really set the tone.
(M) Christopher Becker, Victoria Lundy
324: Open Source Software and Intellectual Property
The impact of open source software on publishing and the Internet.
(M) Benjamin Rosenbaum, Elaine Normandy, Eric Raymond, Laura Majerus
325: The Secret of Being a Published Fiction Writer
Is there a magic bullet or is it just hard work and talent? Need some motivation? Need some insight into what could be ahead for you? Join Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch for an hour of discussion on these topics and more.
(M) Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
326: Adding Romance to Science Fiction and Fantasy
Romantic Science Fiction and Fantasy authors discuss how their work has broadened both genres.
Ann Aguirre, Carol Hightshoe, Lillian Stewart Carl, (M) Robin Owens, Sharon Shinn
327: Guest of Honor Speech – Lois McMaster Bujold
328: How has SF influenced modern medicine?
Speculative fiction often imagines medical miracles – but are they following the cutting edge of medical science, or is science really exploring the contents of the writer's imagination?
Brad Aiken, Frank Wu, Jody Lynn Nye, Joy Ward, (M) Matthew Jarpe
329: Kaffeeklatsch
Ben Bova, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Jean Lorrah, Rick Sternbach, Tanya Huff
330: Reading
Kate Elliott
331: Reading
Steve Barnes
332: Reading
Sean Williams
333: Critter Crunch
The finest rock-em, sock-em robot fighting contest in the world! Come and see the mechanical mayhem!
334: Reading
Patrick Rothfuss
335: Reading
Brandon Sanderson
336: Art Show Docent Tour
John Hertz
337: Autographing (75 minutes)
Larry Niven, Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
338: Autographing (45 minutes)
David Levine, David Williams, Edward M. Lerner, Phil Foglio
339: Autographing (45 minutes)
Jetse de Vries, Lawrence M. Schoen, Michael Bellomo, Walter Hunt
340: Reading Matter Migration
How do we get from where we were to where we want to be? Is it just book to PDF to reader or are there more details?
Dave Howell, (M) James Bryant, Rosemary Hahn
341: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly: Vampires and other creatures of the night
The image of the vampire has changed. Many are now heroes or sympathetic protagonists. How did this change come about? Where is it headed?
(M) Carrie Vaughn, Jeanne Stein, Jeremy Lewis, Kate Paulk, Mario Acevedo
342: The difference between US fans and UK fans or Two Fandoms separated by a common language
Fans from both sides of the pond speak out.
(M) jan howard finder, Vincent Docherty
343: So you want to run a bookstore
Running your own bookstore — the best job in the world, right? Well... maybe. Then again, maybe not. This panel looks at the pain and the passion of being a bookseller... not a job for the faint- hearted.
Emily Hogan, (M) Karen Miller, Nina Else
344: Searching the Ruins: Archaeology in Science Fiction
It's more than Indiana Jones or The Mummy. Writers discuss archaeologists as characters and archaeology as a plot device in speculative fiction.
Ann Chamberlin, April Faires, Eric T. Reynolds, (M) Lancer Kind, Lauren Patten
345: Making the People We Want: Genetic Engineering
The benefits, costs, and unanticipated consequences of genetic engineering in human beings. Would there be fashions? At what point do they stop being human?Amy Sterling Casil, (M) John Moore, Mary Rosenblum, Nancy Kress, Tom Trumpinski
346: Organizing the Studio
A clean studio is a productive studio; sounds logical but how many artists can keep a clean, organized workspace? We will explore some effective, low cost alternatives, multi-tasking your work area and storage options. Get organized and start to make your work area work for you.
Jeff Sturgeon, (M) Margaret Organ-Kean, Mary Aileen Buss, Myles Pinkney, Peri Charlifu
347: Worldcon Fiction: Books set at the Worldcon
Murder at the Worldcon? Romance at the Worldcon? A discussion of stories set at Worldcons.
Mike Resnick, (M) Tom Galloway, Tom Whitmore, Tony Lewis
348: The original Star Trek. Why we loved it and why it hasn't aged well.
Star Trek broke onto the world in 1966 and immediately became the focus point of the week for many teens. We formed clubs, wore costumes, wrote fan fiction, and began to attend conventions. Forty years later, how does the original Star Trek hold up to the series of our imagination?
Bradford Lyau, (M) Lillian Stewart Carl, Lisa Deutsch Harrigan, Marc Scott Zicree, Pati Nagle
349: Imagination Training (We tell the story, you finish it!)
Once upon a time, there was a little robot who lived all by himself on planet Earth. He only had one friend, and that was a cockroach! He was super lonely, and... oh, wait! You already know the end to that story (WALL-E). You can finish it differently this time.
Amy Sterling Casil
350: Dark Destinies: The Worst Future You Can Imagine
Seems like no one wears rose-colored glasses anymore. Death, destruction, war, and pillage are the near-future images portrayed in many SF novels. What's the worst future that authors are imagining for us?
Michael Swanwick, (M) Warren Hammond, Wil McCarthy
351: City Building: from Ankh-Morpork to Ambergris
Well-crafted cities are central to the genre's most successful SF worlds. What goes into creating a believable city and its culture? What aspects of the urban experience are universal? How can a city affect the surrounding suburban areas, national politics and identity, scientific and artistic development, and everyday life?
Benjamin Rosenbaum, (M) Colin Harvey, PC Hodgell
352: Vanity press pitfalls
How do you avoid the stigma attached to self-publishing? Is this really a valid alternative in the Internet age?
(M) Jana Oliver, Jane Jewell, Peter Heck
353: What's New in Science Fiction and Fantasy for Children and Young Adults
Librarians discuss what's new and popular in YA fiction.
Bonnie Kunzel, Diana Herald, (M) Farah Mendlesohn, Susan Fichtelberg, Valerie Frankel
354: Trailer Park
Chuck Shimada shows previews of upcoming films.
355: Levers in the Time Stream: the most Change for the Least Effort
If you're going to change history, you don't want to start just anywhere. What are the crucial historical events that give time travel and alternate history authors the highest possibilities of change for the lowest input?
Eric Flint, (M) John Hemry, Paul Cornell
356: SF Tube Talk – News and information on upcoming SF TV
Lee Whiteside
357: Volcanos: Alien and Terrestrial
Michael Carroll, astronomical artist and author of Alien Volcanoes (Johns Hopkins University Press) discusses volcanoes on Earth and on other worlds.
358: Kaffeeklatsch
David Levine, George RR Martin, Kevin Anderson, Louise Marley, Rebecca Moesta
359: Reading
Kay Kenyon
360: Reading
Ellen Klages
361: Reading
Carol Berg
362: Reading
Joe Haldeman
363: Reading
Greg Bear
364: Autographing (75 minutes)
Patricia Wrede, Sharon Shinn
365: Autographing (45 minutes)
Ann Aguirre, James Patrick Kelly, Margaret Bonham, Matthew Jarpe
366: Two Filk Concerts
Mark Bernstein, Gary Ehrlich.
367: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
368: Autographing (45 minutes)
Anton Strout, John Maddox Roberts, Jonathan Strahan, Scott Edelman
370: More Leather than Books: the generation of the huckster room at science fiction conventions
Early convention dealers rooms were mostly filled with books. These days, with used books indexed by price on the Internet, the convention dealers room features gewgaws, models, jewelry, paintings, clothing, and leather – as well as books. Experienced dealers and con runners discuss the development of the dealers room over the last decades.
Laurie Edison, Marty Massoglia, Michael J. Walsh, (M) Scott Dennis
371: Firefly: What would the 2nd season have been like?
In most TV series, the second season is better than the first. A speculative panel on Josh Whedon's Firefly.
Craig Miller, Dani Kollin, Rebecca Moesta, Shanna Swendson
372: Student F&SF 'zines and clubs
From mimeo to Facebook: how student SF clubs have changed over the last decades.
(M) Jim Young, Joseph Martino, Peter Ahlstrom, Tony Lewis
373: Spaceships, Colonists, and Castaways: How Small Communities Function
What challenges do small communities face? How do they differ if they are designed for short-term (spaceship) or long-term (colonists)? How do planned colonies differ from castaway communities?
(M) Alan Lickiss, David Summers, Sheila Finch, Uncle River
374: Publicity: Whose Job is it Anyway?
If authors are being asked to take on more and more of the burden of promoting their work, where do the publishers fit into the equation?Astrid Anderson Bear, Ben Bova, Joy Ward, Matthew Peterson, (M) Pierce Watters, Roy Gray
375: How to mail art to conventions
Ever wonder how to send work to conventions? Is it really worth doing? Can you make money at it? Here are some effective and reliable strategies for shipping art to other cons, including what cons to try, how to do the paper work, organizing your work for shipping, packing hints, mailing hints, dealing with the negative aspects of the shows and planning, planning, planning!
Jim Humble, Margaret Organ-Kean, (M) Peri Charlifu, Theresa Mather
377: Gripe Session – Friday
Not pleased with something that happened at the con? Have a suggestion for a better way to run things? Come to the gripe session and air your views. Constructive comments appreciated.
(M) Jack Heneghan, Kent Bloom
378: Horror Tales With Mr. Creepy and Ms. Awful
Very scary stories with Mr. Creepy and his friend Ms. Awful. She's his only friend, and that's only because he made her himself in his lab in Transylvania.
Amy Sterling Casil
379: The Golden Years of SF: It's not what you read, it's when you read it
When was your the Golden Age of SF and why?
Bonnie Kunzel, Don Timm, Francis Hamit, Mark Graham, (M) Michael Flynn
380: What's wrong with being grey? Seasoned fans speak out
Does it matter if the people running cons are all over 50? Or are they? Experienced fans talk.
Andrew Porter, Carl Fink, Lawrence Person, (M) Peggy Rae Sapienza
381: Using Myths to Kick Off a Fantasy World
Do we really need another King Arthur story? Are there less used myths that can still help us tell a story?
David Coe, (M) Edward Muller, Glenda Larke, Joshua Palmatier, Patricia Blair
382: Humor in SF
"Dying is easy; comedy is hard." Does humor draw in the reader or does it go over their head? Know your audience.
Adam Stemple, Beverly Hale, David Dvorkin, Phil Foglio
383: The ages of a writer's life: writing to get published, writing for fans, writing for posterity
As writers mature and gain experience, their work may change, and their motivation may evolve. The panel explores how their focus has changed over the course of their careers.
Connie Willis, Larry Niven, Lois McMaster Bujold, Robert Silverberg, (M) Suford Lewis
384: Emerging Technologies: The top ten jobs of 2050 don't exist today
Some of us are old enough to remember when "computer programmer" wasn't even a job title. What new professions will the middle of the 21st century bring for our children and grandchildren?
(M) Brenda Cooper, David Louis Edelman, Laurel Anne Hill, Tom Easton
385: SETI
Scientists and authors discuss the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
David Brin, (M) Gerald Nordley, Stephen Baxter
386: The Baen Travelling Slide Show
Jim Minz, (M) Toni Weisskopf
387: Kaffeeklatsch
Charles Stross, Ctein, LE Modesitt, Mike Resnick
388: Reading
John Barnes
389: Reading
Lee Martindale
390: Reading
Ian Tregillis
391: Reading:
Michael Brotherton
392: Reading:
Elizabeth Moon
393: Art Show Docent Tour
Art Widner
394: Autographing (75 minutes)
Brandon Sanderson, Carrie Vaughn, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
395: Autographing (45 minutes)
Jeremy Lewis, John Hemry, Michael Carroll, Tanya Huff
396: Two Filk Concerts
Andrew Ross, Charlene MacKay
397: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
398: Autographing (45 minutes)
Ann Chamberlin, Dean Wesley Smith, Robin Owens, Uncle River
400: Webzines vs. Treezines: Are Online Magazines the Wave of the Future?
Webzines save trees, but many people find paper easier to read and more comfortable. What will the market decide?
Carol Hightshoe, Eric Flint, Graham Sleight, Jed Hartman, (M) Melanie Fletcher
401: Win Tom Whitmore's Books
You've watched "Win Ben Stein's Money" now participate in that thrilling fannish game show "Win Tom Whitmore's Books"!
(M) Tom Galloway, Tom Whitmore
402 Do younger fans still read Heinlein? Are the juvies dated?
Many people feel that Heinlein's young adult novels (many written for Boy's Life) are his best works. But 50 or more years after they were written, has 21st century technology passed these stories by? Or are they still as interesting to young people today as they were when they were first published?
Bill Patterson, Eleanor Wood, Geo Rule, (M) Herb Gilliland, Sarah Hoyt
403: The snake that swallowed his tail: Plotting Time Travel novels
How knowing your history can keep you from getting caught in a time warp – or wiping out civilization as we know it.
Connie Willis, Dani Kollin, Eytan Kollin, (M) Jana Oliver, SM Stirling
404: No swords, no horses: Fantasy without the Usual Tropes
Fantasy used to mean castles and horses and swashbuckling sword fights. No more! Many modern fantasy authors are combining fantasy elements with modern society full of cars, computers, and convenience stores.
Glen Cook, Liz Scheier, Michael Swanwick, Patrick Rothfuss
405: After the day job goes: writing full time to pay the mortgage
Now that you've made it, how do you organize your finances, your time, and your life? Discipline required.(M) Colin Harvey, Robin Owens, Russell Davis, Steve Miller
406: Making your art show sales more productive
Come and learn the secrets of how to make your sales more productive and how to survive the treacherous waters and eddies of the convention art show!
Barry Short, Michael Georges, Patricia McCracken, {m)Peri Charlifu, Theresa Mather
407: Moving to a new Venue
Running a con year after year at the same hotel can be comfortable for both con runners and attendees. But sometimes hotels change hands or close. And sometimes accidents or other incidents lose a con an established site. What happens when a con has to move?
Carl Fink, (M) Mark Olson, Patty Wells, Suzanne Tompkins, Vincent Docherty
408: Space Medicine
Neither people nor medical practice evolved for a space environment. A medical doctor presents his theories on the challenges that medical personnel will face and the technologies they will adapt to deal with them.
Henry Stratmann
409: Pre-Raphaelite and Neo-PreRaphaelites
Recursively Romanticizing the Renaissance
(M) Cat Rambo, Ed Meskys, Linda Robinett
410: Privacy: what is it, should we have it, do we deserve it?
Is it fair to say that the only privacy left is the anonymity of numbers? Those in charge can look at anything, but there's not enough time in the day to look at everything. Why have we given up our privacy, and what have we gained in return? Is there any way to go back, and would we want to?
Brad Templeton, David Brin, (M) Ian McDonald, Laura Majerus, Mary Turzillo
411 Dealing with publishers, Large and Small
Is it easier for authors to work with a large publisher or a small one? How to improve your relationship and maximize your results with either.
Anton Strout, Bill Fawcett, (M) Joy Ward, Lawrence Watt-Evans
412: My favorite planet: Real & Fictional
Is your favorite planet here in our solar system, or is it between the pages of your favorite novel?
(M) Edward M. Lerner, Geoffrey Landis, Petrea Mitchell
413: Christian McGuire interviews Artist GoH Rick Sternbach
Christian McGuire, Rick Sternbach
414: Is there a future for the New York Publishers?
Self-publishing, Internet publishing, small presses: Is there any market share left?
(M) Beth Meacham, James Frenkel, (M) James Patrick Kelly
415: The Possibilities of Hypnotism: Discussing it – not doing it
What can hypnotism really do? Some professionals in the field lead you through a look at the possibilities and limitations of hypnotism. This panel will be presentation and discussion, not demonstration.
(M) James Bryant, Lynda Hilburn, Paul Knight
416: Pyr Books Presentation
Lou Anders
417: Kaffeeklatsch
Melinda Snodgrass, Patricia Wrede, Robert J. Sawyer
418: Reading
James Morrow
419: Reading
Edd Vick
420: Reading
Pamela Freeman
421: Golden Guidelines for Good Game Design
Want to create and publish a game that's a best seller? What are the things that make for a well-designed game? Our panelists will suggest ideas for successful game design.
Dave Howell, (M) Erik Mona, Jody Lynn Nye, Joe Pearce
422: Reading
Nancy Kress
422a: Reading
S.M. Stirling
423: Autographing (30 minutes)
Dan Dubrick, David Summers, Jim Young, Kat Richardson, Kate Paulk, Patricia Blair
424: Concert
Terence Chua
425: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
426: Wonders of 1958: Jack Vance's The Languages of Pao
With four worlds in the spotlight, one populated by fifteen billion, this is a story of one boy and one man. Knowledge may be power. Concentration and diversity may each be extreme. The characters say linguistics is the science here; perhaps it is really cross-cultural study, or patience. Vance's own language is the gold.
(M) John Hertz
427: Sidewise Awards
Chris Roberson, Evelyn Leeper, Jay Lake, Jo Walton, John Scalzi, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Michael Flynn, Sheila Williams, Stephen Baxter, Steven Silver
428: How Science Fiction Authors Get Published
David Rozansky, Publisher of Flying Pen Press, explains how authors of science fiction novels find publishers to produce their work, describing the process step by step. Aspiring and experienced writers are encouraged to bring their manuscripts and best pitches, which will be received in front of the audience.
429: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
430: Writing Sex for Today's SF and Fantasy Market: Are There any Boundaries?
How far can sex scenes go? Who sets the standards? How have sex and science fiction mingled over the last few decades?
Faith Hunter
Join us for the Denvention Masquerade -- a glittering spectacle in the Mile High City! Doors open to the audience at 7pm and the show starts promptly at 7:30pm (I know we can do it -- where is that backhoe...).
431: Theme Circle: Cartoons & Animated Characters
Everything from soup to nuts – um..., make that Superman to Peanuts. Songs about heroes, villains, funny animals, anime and even Little Orphan Annie are fair game.
(M) Blind Lemming Chiffon, Kathy Mar, Terence Chua
432: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
433: Dark Shadows to Moonlight: Vampires on TV
TV vampires have been around for a long time. How have their characters changed and progressed? Not to mention the special effects! Barnabas lives!
Jeanne Stein, Julie McGalliard, Mario Acevedo, (M) William Priester
434: Torture
From time to time authors need to torture their characters. Is it emotionally difficult or is there some real satisfaction to be gained?
(M) Carol Berg, Elaine Isaak
435: Special Interest Fans: WSFA
A meet-up for the Washington Science Fiction Association
436: The Match Game SF
Get ready to match the stars! An SF-themed take on the classic 1970s game show. Audience members will be selected randomly as contestants and can win prizes by matching the answers our panel give to questions like "Captain Kirk has the biggest ___ in Starfleet!" This is the late night version of the game show classic — No holding back with your answers. (Mature audiences please)
Chris Garcia, Ed Green, Jack Heneghan, Jay Lake, Kevin Standlee, Leigh Ann Hildebrand, Lynn Gold, Michael Brotherton, Tom Galloway
437: Performer Circle
Informal mini-concert in the round. Performers to be announced. (Check the daily newsletter.)
438: Theme Circle: Songs of Fandom
Share songs about fandom, fans, filking, conventions, fanzines, etc.
Bill Laubenheimer, Blind Lemming Chiffon, (M) Gary Ehrlich, Kathy Mar
439: The Alferd G. Packer Panel
What to do when you're feeling peck-ish late at night and the con suite is closed. A discussion of cannibalism in science fiction and Colorado.
Cary Quinn, Don Timm, Milt Stevens
440: Weird Tales Reception
A reception for contributors to Weird Tales and those interested in meeting them.
Stephen Segal
441: Lovers in the Slipstream
Slipstream fiction is the current rage, but can it mix with romance?
(M) Jetse de Vries, John Kessel
442: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
443: Bardic Open Filk
Play, pass, or pick out a song or performer. Everyone gets a turn, in order.
444: "Necromancy Panel" How do we get Lovecraft back for the Packer panel, and other dark questions.
From the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead to D&D spells to "raise dead fully," necromancy has long appealed to those searching for power. Our panel will discuss ways and means to bring back friends and enemies and keep them doing what you want.
445: Morning yoga
Start the day off with a relaxing class session in beginning yoga.
John Douglass
446: The Future of Libraries: Has the Internet killed the library system?
With search engine capacities, sites like Wikipedia, and more and more information in digital format, do four- walled libraries make sense anymore?
Helen Gbala, (M) Laura Majerus, Linda Robinett, Roberta Rogow, Rosemary Hahn
447: Digging up SF: Paleontology in SF
Sentient dinosaurs? Fossilized alien remains? How does SF use paleontology and paleontologists – on earth or on distant planets – to further the plot line?
Eric Flint, Michael Swanwick, Robert Buettner, (M) Robert J. Sawyer
448: Dark Matter
Is Dark Matter the Dark Chocolate Fudge Factor of the Universe? Come and find out.
Edward M. Lerner, (M) Michael Brotherton, Wil McCarthy
449: Rolling up the Wheel of Time
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series has been rolling on for quite a few years now. Find out how Jordan wanted to finish the series, who is going to write the ending, and how the publishers are making it happen.
Brandon Sanderson, (M) Moshe Feder, Peter Ahlstrom, Tom Doherty
450: Social Control Technology: You Controlling Society Controlling You
It's a mobius strip - the people control the government that controls the people. What happens when some of the elements get out of line?
Jeff DeLuzio, (M) Jo Walton, Madeleine Robins, Pat Cadigan, Richard Dutcher
451: A Tribute to Jack Williamson
Best-known for the Legion of Space series and the Starchild Trilogy, Jack Williamson was named a Grand Master of Science Fiction by the Science Fiction Writers of America in the mid-70's. (He was only the second person to receive this honor. The first was Robert Heinlein.) He continued to write as a nonagenarian and won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards during the last decade of his life, by far the oldest writer to win those awards. Come listen to an appreciation of the man and his work.(M) Connie Willis, David Hartwell, Melinda Snodgrass, Scott Edelman
452: The Art of John Picacio
Hugo finalist John Picacio presents a slideshow of his recent and upcoming sf/fantasy illustrations, as well as the process and thoughts that created them
453: Clarion West Student Readings, the 90s
The Clarion West workshops from the 90s were full of ferment and excitement. Come listen to the folks from those years and their fiction.
(M) Diana Rowland
454: Music in the World To Come
Music has been part of human civilization since the earliest times. But for most of history, people have had to create it themselves. What will the advent of passive musical devices such as radio, records, CDs, MP3, and goodness knows what else do to the appreciation and composition of music in the future?
Adam Stemple, Henry Stratmann, (M) Jeff Fennel, Louise Marley, Michael Kabongo
455: The Comeback of Original Anthology Collections
New collections of original stories are appearing more frequently now than over the recent past. Original Anthology Collections may be substituting for or supplementing magazines as a market for short fiction. Why are we seeing this and what can we expect in the near future?
Ellen Datlow, Jonathan Strahan, (M) Lee Martindale, Lou Anders
456: What SF editors are looking for
Editors explain to new and incipient authors what kind of things they are looking for, and how to be successful in selling a book or story to an editor or publisher.
David Summers, Ginjer Buchanan, (M) Stanley Schmidt
457: WSFS Business Meeting – Saturday
This is the Site Selection special meeting, where the results of Site Selection are formally announced. It also will continue to discuss business not completed on Friday.
Don Eastlake
458: Hugo Nominee Film: Enchanted
459: A World Without Children: The social implications of a declining birthrate
As population pressure grows and standards of living increase, the birth rate drops. Many locations are not replacing their population. What will society be like when youth is a rarity?
(M) Alan Lickiss, Brenda Cooper, Nancy Kress, Robert Reed
460: Readings from the Slush Pile
Unsolicited manuscripts are a fact of publishing life. Come hear excerpts from some of the worst.
Erin Evans, Julia Mandala, Patrick Swenson
461: Stargate Bootcamp (3 hours)
From 10am to 1:00pm, Stargate Bootcamp recruits will attend intensive but fun training sessions, full of props, costumes, wacky characters, visual aids, and more.
From 1pm to 2:30pm, the Stargate recruits will be sent on a mission to test their knowledge and courage, and put into practice everything they have learned. The mission is a scavenger hunt to find all seven glyphs for a very particular Stargate address. Afterwards awards will go to those who excelled and the best teams will get special Stargate Boot Camp merchandise prices. All the competing teams or individuals who finish the training and the mission will be recognized.
Tillie Fong
462: Kaffeeklatsch
David Brin, Ellen Klages, Jay Lake, Lillian Stewart Carl
463: Reading
Michelle Sagara West
464: Reading
Jetse de Vries
465: Reading
Jeff Carlson
466: Reading
Dani & Eytan Kollin
467: Reading
Ben Bova
468: Autographing (45 minutes)
Colin Harvey, David Coe
469: Art Show Docent Tour
Rick Sternbach
470: Autographing (75 minutes)
Robert Silverberg, Stephen Baxter
471: Autographing (45 minutes)
Susan Krinard, Diana Herald, Heidi Lampietti, Shanna Swendson
472: Privacy, Free Speech and Copy Protection: How do new reading technologies change the issues?
Whose business is it what I read? Will electronic publishing make it easier for Big Brother or, worse yet, advertisers to track my reading habits? Will digital rights management be the copyright of the 21st century?
Ashley Grayson, Brad Templeton, David Friedman, (M) Jim Minz, Laura Majerus, Paul Melko
473: I Built it in my Basement: Lasers for the Modern World
What kinds of things can we accomplish with lasers? Who can build them, and how do they find out how to do it? Our scientists explain what it's all about.
Ben Bova, Howard S. Smith, Jon Singer, (M) Jordin Kare
474: Heinlein – The Later Novels
Bizarre twists or inspired convergence? Some love them. Some hate them. Few are indifferent to them. A discussion of the later novels of our Ghost of Honor.
David Gerrold, Geo Rule, Herb Gilliland, Lancer Kind, (M) Mary Kay Kare
475: Pubbing your Ish: Making Fanzines Happen
The perils and pitfalls of fanzine publishing and how to overcome them!
(m} Evelyn Leeper, Guy Lillian, Jeanne Mealy, Joseph Major, Suzanne Tompkins
476: The most underrated SF movies of all time
Some movies never get any respect. A discussion of the best SF and Fantasy movies you've never seen.
Christopher Becker, m)Daniel Kimmel, David Williams, Mark Leeper, Matthew Rotundo
477: Keeping a Job: What writers do to support their writing
Writers discuss the wide variety of day – and night! – jobs that have enabled them to keep on writing.(M) Bill Fawcett, Pamela Freeman, Sharon Lee, Sharon Shinn
478: Beyond the edge of Polymer clays:
Explore the options for the use of Polymer clays and epoxies. There not just for jewelry anymore! Learn the secrets for image transfers, marbling, setting stones, and much more! Learn how to use an armature and the secrets of multiple bakings.
Jim Humble, Peri Charlifu, (M) Sage Bray
479: Timeless Stars: Clifford Simak
An appreciation of the work of the late, great Clifford Simak. A review of the Denvention II Guest of Honor's work and his influence on the field.
Grant Carrington, (M) Jim Mann, John Stith, Mark Olson, Michael J. Walsh
480 Clarion West Student Readings, the 21st Century
Woo-hoo! The finest science fiction writers of the new millennium come from Clarion West and they're here to read their finest works for you!
Benjamin Rosenbaum, (M) Cat Rambo, David Levine, Erin Cashier
481 Envisioning a Society without Fossil Fuels: Fact and Fiction
The oil crisis is changing our lives. Speculation on what a society without fossil fuel will be like.
Cynthia Felice, Jim Young, (M) John Strickland, Mary Rosenblum, SM Stirling
482: SF Writers in the Colorado Community
Colorado is chock-full of lively and interesting writers. Come and listen to some of the local SF authors talk about their community, their surroundings, and their work.
Ed Bryant, Fred Cleaver, (M) Kevin Anderson, Ronnie Seagren, Steve Rasnic Tem
483: Lois McMaster Bujold reads from her new Vorkosigan novel
484: Living with a Famous Writer
Everything you never imagined about living with a creative professional.
Astrid Anderson Bear, Courtney Willis, (M) Gay Haldeman, Karen Haber
485: Wild Cards
The wildly successful Wild Cards series is continuing. What is it all about? What makes it unique and interesting? What is the attraction of writing in this universe?
Carrie Vaughn, (M) George RR Martin, Ian Tregillis, John Miller, Melinda Snodgrass, SL Farrell
485a: Kaffeeklatsch
Geoffrey Landis, Larry Niven, Nancy Kress, PC Hodgell
485b: Reading
Jody Lynn Nye
485c: Reading
Ian McDonald
486: Reading
Bill Patterson
487: Reading
Michael Swanwick
488: The Business of Creativity - Practical Seminar on Financial Matters
There is more to being a writer than creativity: tax forms, business plans, and other mundane stuff.
Beverly Hale, David Coe, Joshua Bilmes, (M) Mark Van Name
489: Autographing (75 minutes)
Connie Willis, Eric Flint, SM Stirling
490: Autographing (45 minutes)
Michael Brotherton, Robert Buettner, Sarah Hoyt
490a: Anne Harlan Prather: Guitar Workshop
Finger-Picking Great Accompaniments, Nifty Chords and Cool Melodies!
491: Autographing (45 minutes)
Brenda Cooper, Helen Gbala, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Jean Lorrah
492: eBook Pitfalls: What are the publishing, sales, & production traps?
What are the problems with publishing a book in electronic format? How much is an eBook worth? Should you pay the same for an eBook as for a trade paperback book? Can you read your eBook in the bathtub?
Dave Howell, (M) Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Peter Bullock
493: The Harry Potter Phenomenon
Why is Harry Potter so popular? What is unique and different about these books, compared to other children's and young adult fantasies? Or is it just the right series at the right time?
Bonnie Kunzel, Ian Brazee-Cannon, Petrea Mitchell, (M) Roberta Rogow, Valerie Frankel
494: Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
Broad Universe presents their signature Rapid Fire Reading with several women writers, some well-known and some not well-known, reading in very short 5 to 7 minute bursts. It's a great way to hear many different women, it tends to be lively, and moderator Theresa Crater will host, do introductions, and keep the event moving.
Alexis Glynn Latner, Camille Alexa, Carol Hightshoe, Elissa Malcohn, Kathy Sullivan, Lettie Prell, Melanie Fletcher, (M) Theresa Crater
495: Politics and the SF Fan
Does fandom stand together politically? What are the political leanings of fans – left, right, or libertarian? Denvention 3's unique stance in the midst of US party politics (and the Democratic Convention) are explored by our panel of politically erudite fans.
Bill Thomasson, Farah Mendlesohn, Joy Ward, (M) LE Modesitt
496: Battlestar Galactica
Who did it best and why? Was it really the same story told a different way, or was it something altogether different with a few familiar names?
Chris Roberson, (M) Edward Muller, John Joseph Adams, Randy Smith
497: Christian Fandom
A special interest group discussion for Christian Fandom.Randy Smith
498: Presenting your work:
Learn how to take a finished piece and get it ready for presentation. Learn how to mount, mat, and frame your work. You're a 3D artist? You need to know how to present that as well.
Barry Short, Michael Georges, Patricia McCracken, Peri Charlifu, (M) Theresa Mather
499: Worldcon Australia
There have been three World Science Fiction conventions in Australia, and there's another one likely in 2010. What things give Aussiecons their special flavor? Con Runners discuss the Australian worldcons of 1975, 1985, and 1999, and talk about possible future worldcons in Australia.
(M) Janice Gelb, Mark Linnemann, Perry Middlemiss, Stephen Boucher
500: Wonders of 1958: Algis Budrys' Who?
This penetrating study of identity, loyalty, uncertainty may be both more bleak and more hopeful than it seems. If there is a sermon, it is preached by silence. Budrys was known for his deftness and timing; here too are poetry, a fundamental grasp of tragedy, and the surprises of love.
Gerald Nordley, (M) John Hertz, Scott Edelman
501: Writing Workshop for Young Fans
Want to be an author? Come find out how to write your own stories so that everyone will want to read.
Beverly Hale
502: Private Space Programs: Who wants to invest in Harriman Industries?
Heinlein envisioned a future world where space was developed by entrepreneurs. A review of the current private space projects.
David Williams, (M) Henry Spencer, Jordin Kare
503: Cover Art and Culture: Selling to Readers in the UK and the US
Publishers put different covers on the same novel to sell it in the US or the UK. Panelists show examples and discuss why this really seems to work.
(M) Beth Meacham, Bob Eggleton, John Picacio, Stephen Segal
503a: Post-Masquerade Show & Tell
Some Masquerade Judges and Crew will answer questions about your costume and/or presentation, give requested feedback, and address issues. Bring costumes so all can look at your handiwork, be able to admire it, and share techniques.
Jill Eastlake
504: A Slide Show of Rick Sternbach's art
Our Artist Guest of Honor presents a slideshow of his work from over his career.
Rick Sternbach
505: Main SFWA Meeting
A meeting of the Science Fiction Writers of America. Elizabeth Moon, (M) Jane Jewell
506: Denvention 1941 – a retrospective by three attendees
Three fans who attended the first Denvention in 1941 talk about their experiences.
Art Widner, Erle Korshak, Rusty Hevelin, (M) Tom Whitmore
507: Kaffeeklatsch
Ellen Datlow
509: Reading
Nancy Atherton
510: Reading
Margaret Bonham
511: Reading
Howard Hendrix
512: Reading
Tanya Huff
513: Reading
Charles Stross
514: Autographing (75 minutes)
David Gerrold, Ed Bryant, Lillian Stewart Carl, Lois McMaster Bujold
515: Autographing (45 minutes)
Ellen Klages, David Friedman
516: Art Show Docent Tour
Jane Frank
517: Filk 401K
Panelists discuss the Pegasus Awards, the Filk Hall of Fame, Interfilk, the Filk Film Project, international filk communities, who is making a living as a filker (or trying to), and the future of filk. Filk 101 and 201 are recommended prerequisites.
Lynn Gold, (M) Mark Bernstein, Terence Chua, Tim Miller
518: Autographing (45 minutes)
Diana Rowland, Jeanne Stein, John Miller
519: The rise and fall of Manga: Japan vs. US
Is Manga really more popular in the US than in Japan and why?
Liz Scheier, Peter Ahlstrom
520: Podcasting for Fun and Profit
Podcasting, the distribution of music and other programming over the Internet, has been growing in leaps and bounds. Balticon posted podcasts of their GoH Speech, there is a Harry Potter podcast with news and interviews, and there are thousands of podcast music channels for hundreds of music genres (even filk and SCA music!) It is a new frontier with its own unique pleasures and pitfalls -- but can it pay your mortgage?
Allan Gilbreath, (m) Brandon Sanderson, James Patrick Kelly, Melanie Fletcher
521: Is it different Down Under?
How is fandom in Oz different from US?
(M) Janice Gelb, Kate Paulk, Stephen Boucher
522: A Bryant of Books: book collecting past present and future
How many books in a Bryant? James Bryant and other collectors will discuss book collecting.
James Bryant, Jeff Sturgeon, (M) Lawrence Person, Roger Sims, Steve Francis
523: The Best SF TV Show Ever
Our panelists are all convinced they know the answer, but they may not agree.
Christine Merrill, Daniel Kimmel, Lawrence M. Schoen, Lee Whiteside, (M) Peter Knapp
524: Writing 101: Authors take questions from the audience
Experienced authors answer your questions on writing.Harry Turtledove, (M) Kate Elliott, Kay Kenyon
525: Bookbinding Workshop (3hours)
The first half hour of this 3 hour item will be a brief discourse about the art of making books to which all are welcome. The workshop (limited to 20 people, sign up at Information in Lobby D) will then begin. Discover the joy of making your own book with this hands-on workshop. You will sew pages, make the cover, and case the book block into it's cover. Your completed binding will be a usable and treasured keepsake! All materials will be provided. The workshop will be lead by Nancy Missbach, proprietress of Tangerine Book Arts.
Nancy Missbach
526: The Bad Guy in the White Hat: Changing Images of Heroes and Villains
Sometimes it's hard to tell the hero from the villain in new SF stories. Sometimes the hero is a villain. Panelists discuss how we view the characters in stories and how that is different from earlier, perhaps simpler, times.
(M) James Morrow, John Moore, Mario Acevedo, Rob Gates
527: Getting to the Top: Mountains in Fact and Fiction
In science fiction mountains can represent barriers, challenges, refuge, or even devices for catapulting ships into space. Our panel of writers and climbers discuss the realities as well as the myths.
Butch Honeck, (M) Matthew Rotundo, Suanne Warr
528: If You Were A Superhero, What Would Your Special Powers Be?
Superhero powers can be anything! Can you run faster than anybody, pick up a bus and throw it to another state, or see people on the other side of the ocean?
Amy Sterling Casil
529: 20 Essential SF books of the Past 20 Years
Our panelists share their opinions and make recommendations.
Charles Brown, (M) Cheryl Morgan, Gary Wolfe, Sheila Finch
530: The Evolution of Science Fiction
Science Fiction has changed a lot since the days of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. We think Edgar Rice Burroughs and Kenneth Robeson are pretty dated. But the field is continually changing. A discussion of where SF came from and where it is going.
Ben Bova, John Stith, (M) LE Modesitt, Robert J. Sawyer, Shoshana Glick
531: Becoming an Insider: Joining the Convention Community
Many new SF writers are coming from outside the fannish community. Blending in can enhance your success. Find out how to do it.
Carol Berg, Priscilla Olson, (M) Sam Scheiner
531a: Sir Arthur and I
Frederik Pohl presents a description of his work with Sir Arthur C. Clarke and the collaborative process they went through to create their new novel The Last Theorem.
532: The Best Convention Panel Ever
Survey says: "If you put these people on a panel, you don't need to do anything else." Come see if they were right.
Connie Willis, Joe Haldeman, Mike Resnick
533: Post SFWA Meeting
This time is set aside for any committee meetings or discussion groups that may follow the main SFWA meeting.
Elizabeth Moon, (M) Jane Jewell
534: The Evil Empire: Microsoft or Amazon?
Convenient, yes. But what are the consequences of supporting these behemoths?
Charles Stross, Seth Breidbart, (M) Tom Whitmore
535: Future Health: Living Longer in the 21st century
Compared to our great-grandparents, modern humans are taller, stronger, healthier, and can look forward to a much longer life span. Will this trend continue? What are we going to do to put our longer lives to use?
(M) Bill Thomasson, John Douglass, Scratch Bacharach, Sibylle Hechtel, Tore Hoie
536: Kaffeeklatsch
Darlene Marshall, Ian McDonald, Mary Rosenblum, Sharon Lee Steve Miller
537: Reading
Robin Owens
538: Reading
Mary Turzillo
539: Reading
Amy Sterling Casil
542: The Dowager Duchess of Denver's Ball
Join us for some whimsical entertainment as, following long-standing fannish tradition, Denvention 3 hosts a Regency Ball. Our dance mistress, Susan de Guardiola, will be teaching several country dances, some waltzes, a quadrille, and few other bits and pieces of period dance. We encourage you to come dressed in your 18th or 19th century best, but we also welcome the normal gamut of con attire from Klingons and elves to t-shirts and jeans. Our staff is planning a card room for those not inclined to the dance, and you are welcome to come observe, kibitz, or participate in a rubber of whist or piquet.
(M) Michelle Brothers, Susan de Guardiola
540: Reading
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
541: Reading
Sharon Shinn
543: Autographing (75 minutes)
David Brin, George RR Martin, Jay Lake
544: Autographing (45 minutes)
Adam Stemple, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Lawrence Person, Robert Hole
545: Concert: Story into Song
An all-star concert of songs based on works of Lois McMaster Bujold
Andrew Ross, Brooke Lunderville, Charlene MacKay, Denise Gendron, Gary Ehrlich, John Caspell, Kathleen Sloan
546: Autographing (45 minutes)
Howard Hendrix, Lynda Hilburn, Robert Reed, Valerie Frankel
547: A Passion for Electronic Publishing
Why should we prefer electronic publishing to other formats such as audio, video, or paper copies? Will eBooks open up the publishing market to new talent? How can we convince mainstream publishers to add eBooks to their repertoire?
Daryl Gregory, (M) Jim Minz, Peter Bullock
548: Creating Speculative Poetry
Readings and discussion.
Bryan ThaoWorra, Elissa Malcohn, Geoffrey Landis, (M) Jo Walton, Mary Turzillo
549: Heinlein in Colorado and Colorado in Heinlein's Writing
Robert Heinlein lived in and wrote at the foot of Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado for several years in the middle of his career, and he featured Colorado, NORAD, and Pike's Peak in many of his novels and short fiction. Let's take this opportunity to explore the relationship of Heinlein and Colorado.
David Silver
550: Read a Movie: Librarians find the stories behind the screen
How librarians and teachers use movies and TV shows to inspire kids to read.
Bonnie Kunzel, Laura Frankos, Susan Fichtelberg, (M) Val Ontell
551: Short stories or Long Novels: Fitting the right story to the right form
Does one start off to write a short story or a multi-book series, or does the story dictate the form?
(M) Paul Melko, Steve Miller, Steve Rasnic Tem, Tanya Huff
552: Writing Shared World Fiction
Shared world fiction is one of the hottest sellers in today's SF&F market. Do writers find it satisfying to write in someone else's universe? What are the challenges of writing in a shared world? What are the advantages?(M) Alan Stewart, Erin Evans, Jody Lynn Nye, Karen Miller, Kevin Anderson
553: Would you care for a little SF in that? Blurring Genre Lines
The panelists discuss books with elements of more than one genre. Mysterious SF&F. Paranormal Mysteries? Space Pirates? Romance in SF&F? Science Fiction elements in Romance? How can you tell what genre this is?
Emily Mah, Graham Sleight, Lucienne Diver, (M) Patricia Bray, Russell Davis, Susan Krinard
554: Magic and Metaphysics
What makes a magic system believable? How do authors and world builders create the rules that govern their magic? Our panel takes a look at who's doing it best, and how they manage it.
Allan Gilbreath, Patricia Wrede, Theresa Crater
555: Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
John Pomeranz will demonstrate how to make delicious ice cream the scientific way -- from super-cold liquid nitrogen!
John Pomeranz, Kathi Overton
556: Comics on the Big Screen
Why have so many Marvel characters made the transition to the big screen when DC has only been able to launch Superman and Batman? How did this year's entries (Iron Man, The Hulk) stack up to Spider-man and X-Men? And can anything be done to prevent any future Fantastic Four entries?
Milt Stevens, (M) Richard Chwedyk
557: Popularity vs. Critical Acclaim
Why are some authors selling truckloads of novels, but not winning prizes while others barely scratch out a living while filling their mantles with awards? Would you rather be a popular best-selling author, or garner the critical acclaim of the upper crust? Is it possible to do both?
Farah Mendlesohn, James Morrow, Karen Burnham, LE Modesitt, (M) Madeleine Robins
558: Shameless self-promotion
Will your blog on Amazon help you or hurt you? How to promote yourself without sounding like a blowhard.
(M) Cat Rambo, Joshua Bilmes, Joy Ward, Patrick Rothfuss
559: Art Auction
Doors open at 4:30pm!
560: Hugo Nominee Film: Battlestar Galactica: Razor
561: I'd Buy That!: An Imaginative Look at Inventions of the Future
A television set that can record and play back programs? An oven that cooks without heating? Not too long ago these sounded like flights of fancy. What might the next generation invent, and how will they market it?
David Brin, Howard S. Smith, Mark Van Name, (M) Steve Carper, Todd Brun
562: Choosing Religion as a Setting for a Novel
Using religion as a defining element in world building. Integrating it into a believable belief system. Using it as a key element of a story.
(M) Evan Friedman, Lois McMaster Bujold, Louise Marley, PC Hodgell, Sharon Shinn, SM Stirling
563: SIGMA
In 1992, SFWA member Dr. Arlan Andrews founded SIGMA, a science fiction think tank that consults with the government on futurism. With 35 members, SIGMA has worked with the Department of Homeland Security and others.
(M) Arlan Andrews, Ian Tregillis, John Hemry, Larry Niven, Michael Flynn, Wil McCarthy
564: Kaffeeklatsch
Eric Flint, John Scalzi, Karl Schroeder, Michelle Sagara West
565: Reading
James Van Pelt
566: Reading
Michael Carroll
567: Reading
Emily Hogan
568: Reading
Walter Hunt
569: Reading
Robert J. Sawyer
570: Autographing (75 minutes)
Harry Turtledove, Joe Haldeman
571: Autographing (45 minutes)
Camille Alexa, David Boop, Jeff Carlson, Kay Kenyon, Mario Acevedo
572: Three Filk Concerts
Roberta Rogow, Lynn Gold, Cheryl Clark
573: Autographing (45 minutes)
John Stith, Sean Williams
574: The Heinlein Society Annual Meeting
The Heinlein Society, an educational charity, will hold its Annual General Membership meeting. Visitors may attend.
David Silver
575: Editing and Being Edited: Is the pain worth the result?
A good editor can help make a novel successful, but the wrong editor can be a source of frustration. How do you make the relationship work?
Deanna Hoak, Eleanor Wood, Jo Walton, (M) Phyllis Eisenstein, Ronnie Seagren
576: Space Drives: Fictional Devices
Some SF authors spend a lot of time describing the physics of their FTL drives, while others rely on their imaginations and the directive to "show not tell." But everyone who wants to depict a star-wide civilization has to depend on some sort of space drive. How do authors decide what to do, and how do they sell their ideas to their readers?
(M) Elizabeth Moon, John Barnes, Larry Niven
577: Worth a Thousand Words: Authors Describe and Artists Sketch
Authors read a new or favorite brief description of a character, setting, or action, and the artists spontaneously illustrate it. The artists then reciprocate with a new or favorite original drawing, and the authors spontaneously write a description of it.
Bob Eggleton, David Brin, Frank Wu, (M) Robert Hole, Teddy Harvia
578: Inner Space vs. Outer Space: Is there still a market for submarine fiction?
Fiction about undersea adventures has a long history in the SF genre. Is there still room for Captain Nemo?
Andrea Novin, Gerald Nordley, Jorge Espinosa, (M) Julia Mandala
579: Eco-thrillers: Climate change and near future SF
MM Buckner, (M) Sibylle Hechtel580: The Return of the Dirigible: Will rising oil prices bring back floating palaces?
(M) David Friedman, Linda Donahue, Linda Robinett
581: Writing in Spite of Your Environment
Writers block is one thing but writing in a tent in the jungle surrounded by army ants is entirely another. How do writers manage to deal with adverse environments?
Glenda Larke, (M) Rebecca Lickiss
582: Fannish Estate Planning
You can't take it with you. Many fans have large accumulations of science fiction and related materials. An attorney will discuss how to control and protect this after death.
Howard Rosenblatt, (M) Joe Siclari, Joe Sokola
583: Trivia for Chocolate
Think you know a lot about science fiction? Here's your chance to prove it! Mark Olson will sponsor his famous "Trivia for Chocolate" game. Come and reap the sweet rewards that knowledge brings.
Mark Olson
584: Agents from the Writer's Perspective
An agent is necessary to break into certain markets. What are the alternatives and when do you make the change?
Ashley Grayson, Catherine Yankovich, Lizzy Shannon, (M) Pierce Watters
584a: Premier: Star Trek Phase II newest episode "Blood and Fire"
585: Science Fiction and Anime: Competition or Collaboration?
Science fiction and Anime – can they be friends? Maybe they can help each other? But then again, maybe not...
Beth Bloomquist, (M) Cary Quinn, Jared Dashoff, Rene Walling
586: The Appeal of Urban Fantasy
The modern world seems so mundane until you add fairy queens and werewolves.
(M) Ann Aguirre, Anton Strout, David Boop, Michael Kabongo
587: Mars through the SF ages: ERB to KSR
From Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom to Kim Stanley Robinson's Underhill, the Red Planet has fascinated writers. Panelists talk about their visions and how they have changed.
D. Douglas Fratz, Jeff DeLuzio, John Joseph Adams, (M) Margaret McBride, Mary Turzillo
588: Kaffeeklatsch
Carol Berg, Jody Lynn Nye, John Maddox Roberts, Michael Flynn
590: Reading
Alexis Glynn Latner
591: Reading
Carol Hightshoe
592: Reading
William Dietz
594: Autographing (30 minutes)
Bryan ThaoWorra, Ian Tregillis, Paul Melko
595: Concert
Kathy Sands
596: Special Interest Fans: The Mythopoeic Society
Bruce Leonard, Lisa Deutsch Harrigan
597: Bardic Open Filk
Play, pass, or pick out a song or performer. Everyone gets a turn, in order.
598: Theme Circle: Literary
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. This circle features songs based on SF & fantasy literature.
Andrew Ross, Blind Lemming Chiffon, Roberta Rogow
599: Meeting your mate through SF cons
Many fans meet each other at cons, and some end up forming long term relationships. Come and tell us your story about meeting your mate at a science fiction convention.
Bob Eggleton, Linda Donahue
You voted (you did vote, right?) now see the results at the prestigious 2008 Hugo Awards ceremony! Toastmaster Wil McCarthy will host.
Rick Sternbach, Tom Whitmore, Connie Willis, Robert Silverberg, Ed Bryant, Rusty Hevelin, Sue Francis, Steve Francis, Chris Garcia, Kathy Mar, Wil McCarthy
600: Bardic Open Filk
Play, pass, or pick out a song or performer. Everyone gets a turn, in order.
602: Mind Games: Science Fiction Improv
Six talented SF fans will play with your mind as they perform Improv Theatre on a variety of fannish topics.
Allan Gilbreath, Ellen Klages, Joy Ward, (M) Laura Givens, Lee Martindale, Todd Brun
603: My Favorite Sings
Our music guest hosts a circle where she picks performers that she loves to hear.
Blind Lemming Chiffon, Brooke Lunderville, Charlene MacKay, Joey Shoji, (M) Kathy Mar, Terence Chua
604: Bardic Open Filk
Play, pass, or pick out a song or performer. Everyone gets a turn, in order.
605: Special Interest Fans: DASFA
A meet-up for the Denver Area Science Fiction Association.
606: Writing SF Erotica
Is it SF or is it erotica? Do space aliens have sex appeal? How far has SF come since Barbarella?
Ann Chamberlin, Jennifer Dunne, Julia Mandala, (m) Traci Castleberry
607: Chaos Open Filk
Filkers sing in random order, making sure everyone who wants a turn gets one.
608: Bardic Open Filk
Play, pass, or pick out a song or performer. Everyone gets a turn, in order.
609: Writing about Vampires
Vampires are the popular new topic for science fiction. What are the conventions for writing about vampires, and what make for interesting vampire fiction?
Dan Hoyt, (M) Julie McGalliard, Linda Donahue, Lynda Hilburn, Tony Ruggiero
610: Ecumenical Christian Service
Randy Smith
611: On-demand publishing – Trends and possibilities
What if instead of ordering an existing book from the library or a bookstore, you just pushed a button to print out your own personal copy? And do you even need a printed copy – why not just read it on line? Our panel explores the realm of on-demand publishing the changes it may make in the way we read.
Patrick Swenson
612: Timeless Stars: Edgar Rice Burroughs
From deepest Africa to the long dead seas of Barsoom, ERB held whole generations in thrall to his adventures. But now in the 21st century, are his tales still worth the telling?
John Hemry, Lawrence M. Schoen, (M) SM Stirling
613: Women Who Read Heinlein
Some women enjoy Heinlein's fiction for the plot and characters. Some see his female characters as role models. Others find his images of women to be insulting, unrealistic, and downright dirty. Our panel of women who read Heinlein will compare viewpoints and possibly do a little consciousness raising on both sides of the issue.
Beverly Hale, Deb Houdek-Rule, Elaine Normandy, (M) Jo Walton, Mary Kay Kare
614: Working with Science and Science Fiction Museums
Most of us are aware of the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle, but did you know there are numerous other collections and museums that also feature SF and comics? Our panel will let you know about what's out there and what it's like to work with a science fiction collection.
Chris Garcia, Edward Willett, (M) Ellen Klages, Liz Gorinsky, Robert Hole, Steve Miller
615: Doctor, Doctor, Who's the Best Doctor?
Dr. Who fans discuss the various incarnations and choose their favorite.
Christine Merrill, Jeremy Lewis, Lee Whiteside, Paul Cornell, Peter Knapp, (M) Terence Chua
616: Predicting Catastrophic Weather
Did meteor-caused weather destroy the dinosaurs? Did a volcanic eruption destroy the Mediterranean? From ancient times to modern hurricanes and tsunamis, weather deeply effects the life of our global civilization. How can science help us to predict – or even control – catastrophic weather?Charles Walther, James Killius, Lancer Kind
617: How much is that Dragon in the window?
Workshop on pricing strategies for F&SF artists who sell directly to the public. It will cover marketing tools and tricks, as well as some secrets from successful artists.
Alan Beck, Barry Short, Delphyne Woods, (M) Peri Charlifu, Theresa Mather
618: Inventing the Female Soldier
Science fiction has done more to invent the image of the female soldier than anything else in the last fifty years. Who's responsible for the pervasive images that have begun to work their way into the realities of modern society?
(M) Julia Mandala, Rebecca Lyons, Tanya Huff
619: Reading
Daniel Abraham
620: Flying Pen Press Presentation
Flying Pen Press presents its authors from its "Summer of Science Fiction" lineup of titles. Authors will speak briefly, and will be available for autographs and questions. The publisher will also be on hand to take questions from the audience.
David Boop, (M) David Rozansky, David Summers, James R. Strickland, Laura Givens, Ronnie Seagren
621: De revolutione scientiarum
Could the scientific revolution have happened three centuries sooner? What are the medieval roots of science? Why did it not happen sooner? What might have put it off until the 20th century?
James Patrick Kelly, John Maddox Roberts, Michael Flynn, Steven Silver, (M) Walter Hunt
623: WSFS Business Meeting – Sunday
If necessary, the main WSFS business meeting will continue on Sunday to complete any business not finished on Friday or Saturday.
Don Eastlake
624: Teresa Nielsen Hayden interviews Fan GoH Tom Whitmore
(M) Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Tom Whitmore
625: Golden Duck Awards
The Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's and Young Adult Science Fiction are sponsored by Super-Con-Duck-Tivity, from Dupage County, Illinois.
David Brin, Doug Drummond, Helen Gbala, Linda Stuckey
626: Poisons, Potions, & Pain Relief: Pharmaceutical Chemistry in the World to Come
From Bujold's "fast-penta" to Frank Herbert's "spice," SF has worked the magic of new drugs and their possibilities firmly into our imaginations. What are the real possibilities of near future science, and how will science fiction foretell them?
Allan Gilbreath, Brooke Lunderville, (M) Genevieve Dazzo, Laurel Anne Hill, Michael Bellomo
627: In the Beginning...
Many years ago, Lillian, Lois, and Patricia started writing -- and began reading each other's writing. Now they will tell the raw and un-cut story of a long-term and very successful writer's circle.
Lillian Stewart Carl, Lois McMaster Bujold, Patricia Wrede, (M) Peggy Rae Sapienza
628: Future Art
What new forms of art might arise from current technologies or aesthetics?
Cordelia Willis, (M) Dave Howell, Karen Haber, Moshe Feder, Rick Sternbach
629: Autographing (75 minutes)
Nancy Kress, Robert J. Sawyer
630: Autographing (45 minutes)
Carol Hightshoe, John Kessel
631: Autographing (45 minutes)
James Van Pelt, Mary Rosenblum
632: New and Upcoming F&SF Titles from Eos/Harpercollins
Diana Gill
633 New Myths for our Times
In 1977 Star Wars blazed into being on the movie screen and new mythos was born. Or was it new, after all? Our panel looks at new myths, the myths they grew from, and the new names and new heroes that are leading us forward.
(M) Amy Sterling Casil, Faith Hunter, Kay Kenyon, Valerie Frankel
634: Arthur C. Clarke: In Memoriam
British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, Arthur C. Clarke was most famous for the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America, and knighted by the Queen of England. He is sometimes referred to as one of the "Big Three" of classic science fiction, with Asimov and Heinlein. Come attend a memorial to the man and his work.
Frederik Pohl, Lawrence Person, Mark Olson, Stephen Baxter, (M) Vincent Docherty
635: Theological Interpretations of Modern Science: Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux
There are some topics not discussed in polite company – religion, politics, and computer operating systems. Our dauntless and outspoken panel will take on the latter topic and let you know how they really feel.
Courtney Willis, (m) Ted Monogue
636: How Will the Future Remember the 20th Century?
People remember Greek philosophers, Roman roads, and Renaissance painters. What will humans a thousand years from now remember about the 20th century?
(M) Harry Turtledove, James Morrow, Nancy Kress
637: Asimov, The Man Who Wrote Everything
Isaac Asimov wrote or edited more than 500 intelligent, engaging, successful books spanning nine out of the ten Dewey Decimal categories. What can we learn from how he did it? And what's your favorite Asimov work — fiction or nonfiction — that doesn't enjoy the same mass awareness as the Foundation or I, Robot stories?Patricia Blair, (M) Stephen Segal
638: Art software: which program is right for me?
Now that the computer is a major force in the art world, and with so many programs to choose from, what is right for you? Come discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your favorite programs.
Alan Beck, Donna Waltz, Laura Givens, Michael Georges, (M) Robin Monogue
639: Mark Protection Committee (after last business meeting)
The new WSFS Mark Protection Committee meets. WSFS service marks are registered and protected by this committee.
Kevin Standlee
640: Reading
David Brin
641: My Denvention Memories and Friendship Trading
You are sure to make new friends at Denvention. Talk about everything that happened, and make sure you won't lose track of your friends.
Amy Sterling Casil
642: Timeless Stars: Rudyard Kipling
Although he only wrote a few SF works, his influence on our genre is immense. His poetry has inspired professional and fannish creativity. A discussion of Rudyard Kipling's works and legacy.
(M) Fred Lerner, Gerry Letteney, John Hertz, Toni Weisskopf
643: Worldcon Canada
Canadians have been running Worldcons since Torcon I in 1948. From Toronto to Winnipeg to Montreal, what gives Canadian Worldcons their special appeal?
John Mansfield, Ken Smookler, (M) Rene Walling, Robbie Bourget
644: Breaking into Hollywood
Screenplays and TV scripts are one way to break into the professional writing business. This workshop gives tips and answers questions.
Melinda Snodgrass
645: The Successful Misfit as a theme in F&SF
Nerds, geeks, and absent-minded professors abound in the pages of SF. What is it about the social misfit that attracts readers and makes them empathize with the protagonist?
George RR Martin, James R. Strickland, Larry Niven, (M) Richard Dutcher
646: Robert Heinlein – Conventions, Interviews, and Films
Heinlein was a Guest of Honor at several conventions, including the 1941 worldcon. Some of his GoH speeches, interviews, and even some films of his presentations have survived. Join the panel for a discussion of Heinlein and fandom, and be prepared for the possibility of a major surprise screening.
Bill Patterson, Dan Hoyt, David Silver, (M) Jim Young, Joe Siclari, Mike Donahue
647: Making a living telling lies
Maybe your mamma told you to always tell the truth – but lies are what a fiction-writer's life is all about. If you make your living telling lies, does it become harder to differentiate between reality and make-believe?
(M) Bill Mayhew, Connie Willis, Jay Lake, Jo Walton
648: Mini Black Holes and the Politics of Fear
Some people are apparently pushing the notion that the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Europe could create a nano black hole, which the alarmists posit might escape and start eating the Earth. Physics rejects this notion for a variety of reasons, but the fear propaganda put out offers an opportunity to comment on claims of "Frankenscience," unintended consequences, the politics of fear, and how it plays into fiction, whether there's a basis for it or not.
David Friedman, (M) Gerald Nordley, Jared Dashoff
649: Crime and Detection in the world to come
Modern forensic science has given us a wide variety of ways to identify criminals. Will the next century bring even more methods, devices, and pharmacology? Will the detective give way to the scientist? Will any vestige of privacy remain?
David Boop, Emily Hogan, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Sharon Shinn, (M) Warren Hammond
650: Autographing (75 minutes)
Charles Stross, Elizabeth Moon, Lois McMaster Bujold
651: Autographing (45 minutes)
Allan Gilbreath, Christine Merrill, Daniel Abraham, David Louis Edelman
652: Ecumenifilk
Honor the deity of your choice in song.
(M) Kathleen Sloan
653: Autographing (45 minutes)
Patrick Swenson, Phyllis Eisenstein, Sheila Finch
654: Holy Holographic eBooks! Ideas for next gen reading technologies
What will the eBook reader of the future look like? Will it be built into your cell phone, your home or your head? Will it be dependent on lighting conditions or will book readers tell you the story?
Dani Kollin, Eytan Kollin, (M) James Bryant, Robert J. Sawyer
655: The Coming Thing – what's next and newest in SF
Panelists discuss what is next up in the SF pipeline. What new crazy ideas and approaches should we be looking for? What's going to be popular next year, and after that?
Charles Stross, (M) Daniel Abraham, Lou Anders
656: Heinlein – The Hugo Years
During the decade between 1956 and 1967, Heinlein won four Hugo awards for best novel. This pinnacle came in the middle of his career. Some people say this is his best work while others prefer his earlier or later work.
Bill Patterson, Bradford Lyau, (M) Robert Buettner, Tom Trumpinski, Toni Weisskopf
657: Uplift: What are we doing now, what does the future hold?
Would you agree that humans are the only sentient race on earth? Good question! Our panel with discuss sentience, uplift, and the obligations that go along with being a primary planetary species.
(M) Brad Templeton, David Boop, David Brin, Judy Lazar, Ronnie Seagren
658: Gripe Session - Sunday
Not pleased with something that happened at the con? Have a suggestion for a better way to run things? Come to the gripe session and air your views. Constructive comments appreciated.
(M) Jack Heneghan, Kent Bloom, Rene Walling, Robbie Bourget
659: Writers Married to Each Other
Well, lots of writers are married, but what happens when two writers are married to each other? Do they write in tandem or separately, and who fixes the meals and does the dishes?Alan Lickiss, Kevin Anderson, (M) Rebecca Lickiss, Rebecca Moesta, Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
660: Producing a 'zine on Mimeo: a workshop and demo
Cheryl Morgan and Colin Hinz will be demonstrating how to use a mimeograph along with assorted tools such as mimeo scopes and techniques such as illo tracing. In addition, there will be variety of papers from Fibertone gold to inkjet white to compare production results on. As a special bonus, the panel will be putting together a one-shot zine with contributions from well- known fanzine fen to give out to the audience.
Cheryl Morgan, Colin Hinz
661: Wonders of 1958: Robert Heinlein's Methuselah's Children
By painting portraits Heinlein repeatedly asks the next question. What if your life span was two hundred years? What if you didn't care? If you are hunted, should you run? Where should you go? Here too is the first and perhaps best of Lazarus Long. Extra credit: compare the carefully rewritten 1941 version in the July-September Astounding.
John Hertz
662: Ian and Betty Ballantine
Ian and Betty Ballantine were pioneering American publishers who founded and published the innovative paperback line of Ballantine Books, one of the earliest publishers of original SF books. Ballantine published Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl in the '50s, Anne McCaffrey and Larry Niven in the '60s, the first "authorized" edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's works, and the Adult Fantasy line of classics in the '70s, among many others. Ian & Betty Ballantine won two World Fantasy Awards and Betty received a special SFWA President's Award in 2002. Listen to our panel discuss this remarkable couple and their achievements!
Beth Meacham, David Hartwell, Tom Whitmore
663: The Law Of The Future Is Not What It Used To Be
Law has progressed over the last 150 years. Lawmakers claimed to be less tolerant of torture or slavery, civil rights had been enlarged, creative artists had real copyright in their work; are we still progressing?
Gary Feldbaum, John Pomeranz, (M) Ken Smookler, Laura Majerus, Raymond Cyrus
664: The possibilities of time travel - physics, not fiction
Time travel and alternate history novels are some of the hottest items on the market, but are they mere fantasy? Is time travel possible, and if so, how might we manage it? Our panel of scientists will discuss the physics of time travel.
David Friedman, Jeff Carlson, (M) Todd Brun
665: How Writers Fit into the Publishing Business
Writers are a necessity for publishing (we're pretty sure), but how do they fit into the structure and processes of the publishing industry? Or should they make the rules and let publishing woo them?
(M) Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
666: The Many Faces of Robert Asprin
Robert Asprin was an author, filker, storyteller, early SCA member, Dorsai Irregular, and many other personas. His recent death was a shock to many of us. We will remember him, and celebrate his life and contributions.
(M) Al Tegen, Mary Kay Kare, Phil Foglio
667: What's Upcoming at Tor Books
James Frenkel, Liz Gorinsky, (M) Patrick Nielsen Hayden
668: The Japanese Space Program
The Japanese have had a thriving space program since 1955. This will be an overview of their history, current events, and what they have planned.
Dan Dubrick
669: "Rocket Talk" with Fizz and Fuse the Reactor Brothers
(M) Bill Higgins, Jordin Kare
670: The Epic Journey: Life vs. Fiction
Both F&SF often feature "the journey" or "the journey- quest" as the armature of the novel. But how do those fictionalized journeys compare to real travel – either by modern conveyance or by foot? These panelists have all made major journeys and can comment on the details and dilemmas that writers often miss.
(M) Elissa Malcohn, Gay Haldeman, Lawrence Watt- Evans, Richard Foss
671: Autographing (60 minutes)
Ben Bova, Carol Berg, Emily Hogan, Faith Hunter, Ian McDonald, James Morrow, James R. Strickland
672: "To Be Announced" Concert
Deliberately left open, because there is always someone who ought to do a concert that somehow doesn't get on the program. They'll be here!
673: Closing Ceremonies
Join us as we thank our guests, bring Denvention 3 to a close, and pass the WorldCon gavel to Anticipation in Montreal!
Kathy Mar, Kent Bloom, Lois McMaster Bujold, Rene Walling, Rick Sternbach, Robbie Bourget, Tom Whitmore, Wil McCarthy
674: Filk Jam
Filkers play and sing together. Accompaniment encouraged.
Denvention Schedule:
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Thursday * *
Friday * *
Saturday * *
Sunday
Denvention Program Participants
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