Worldcon 2019 Schedule

Friends! I’m very briefly back home in Ottawa after several weeks on the road, during which I taught at the Locus Awards weekend and Clarion West, did book launch events in Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, and Ottawa, and attended the wedding of two dear friends to each other (which I pride myself on having catalyzed, with their blessing). More on all that anon — when I got back from the wedding I was so exhausted that I slept for 10 hours straight two nights in a row, and have even been napping, an activity at which I have never been proficient.

I have photos to share, and thoughts, and bafflingly exciting book news — but first! My Dublin 2019 Worldcon schedule, because it looks fantastic! I’ve got a great mix of panels, an autographing session and a kaffeeklatsch — that last one’s an opportunity to just hang out in a small group with me and chat, but you have to sign up for it in advance and it’s first-come, first-served, so best to get on that early if you’re interested.

Not beyond Tolkien

Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 22:00 – 22:50, Wicklow Hall 2B (CCD)
(This was inspired by a Twitter thread of mine that went viral! I’m so happy!)

There has been much discussion of how elements of Tolkien’s work have become staples in fantasy and how certain tropes are Tolkienesque, but what about the things Tolkien did that have become rare or unusual? ‘Tolkienesque’ has become shorthand for general high fantasy, but the panel will discuss the aspects of his work that did not spread widely beyond him.

Justin Call, Ms Sultana Raza, Dr Nick Hubble (Brunel University London) (M), Amal El-Mohtar

Time travel novellas after the end of history

Format: Panel
17 Aug 2019, Saturday 16:00 – 16:50, Liffey Room-1 (CCD)

Time travel is as fascinating to writers now as it has always been, but its portrayal has evolved in recent years. How do the preoccupations of time travel writers today differ from those of the past? Do they see new futures, and how do they reimagine the past? How have changes in the publishing landscape encouraged these new time travel plots and experiments?

Dr Tiffani Angus (Anglia Ruskin University), Kate Heartfield, Kelly Robson (SFWA) (M), Amal El-Mohtar

Authors and social media: friends or foes?

Format: Panel
17 Aug 2019, Saturday 20:00 – 20:50, Wicklow Hall-1 (CCD)

Join us as we explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of the relationship between authors and social media. Where should you be? What should you do? And how much is too much? From Twitter to Facebook, via Instagram:  how to make social media work for you and avoid digging your own digital grave in the process.

Francesca T Barbini (Luna Press Publishing) (M), Gareth Powell, Georgina Kamsika, Amal El-Mohtar

Autographs: Sunday at 12:00

Format: Autographing
18 Aug 2019, Sunday 12:00 – 12:50, Level 4 Foyer (CCD)

(Bring stuff for me to sign! Ideally stuff I’ve written or had writing in, but I’ll keep an open mind.)

The Golden Age of Animated SF

Format: Panel
18 Aug 2019, Sunday 14:00 – 14:50, Wicklow Room-3 (CCD)

We are in a Golden Age of Animation. Animated form and content have been pushed in ambitious ways, both through storytelling and technology. in film (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), TV (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and streaming services (Love, Death & Robots), but few have received recognition. We discuss what titles are doing well, how animation (both traditional and CGI) and live-action have influenced each other, and what fans should look out for.

Michelle Coleman (University of Nottingham), Edward Kramer (Wizards of Hollywood Productions), Amal El-Mohtar

Kaffeeklatsch: Amal El-Mohtar

Format: Kaffeeklatsch
18 Aug 2019, Sunday 16:00 – 16:50, Level 3 Foyer (KK/LB) (CCD)

(As I said above, you’ll need to sign up for this in advance! The convention will have more information on how to do this closer to the date, but in years past it’s been a matter of turning up at the registration desk. Keep an eye on the website for more info!)

That’s it for now — more soon, including appearances in London, Glasgow and New York City!