I’ll be at Capricon
This weekend, I’ll be at Capricon, a four-day science fiction convention held annually in the Chicago area since 1981. This is a fan-run convention created entirely by volunteers. Attendance might reach 1000 people — the right size for friendship and fun.
It will be held at the Sheraton Grand Chicago in downtown Chicago, 301 E. North Water Street. You can attend for the whole weekend or come for just a day. More information about registration is here: https://capricon.org/registration/
This year’s theme is The Endurance of Stars: “No matter where they’re from, what media/genre they appear in, or where their journey takes them, protagonists of our favorite stories often look up to the night sky, just as we do ourselves. The stars provide hope, guidance, and a sense of continuity, for all that they wheel and spin around us and constellations slowly creep into new configurations. Stars give an anchor to orbits, provide essential guides to navigators, and bring light and life to the universe.”
If you can come, say hi. I’ll be on some panels:
How to Moderate Panels – Bridgeport, Friday, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Great moderation can make the a difference between a mediocre panel and a fantastic one. Come learn tips from our panel of experienced moderators. Moderator: Janice Gelb; Alessandra Kelley, Jerry Gilio, Sue Burke, and Dina Krause.
When SF Goes Literary – Sheraton II, Friday, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. If you’ve ever seen a work of SF called “literary,” you might wonder what that even means. Is “literary SF” something easily described? Or is it another of those “I know it when I see it” situations? And what are the implications of defining some SF works in this way? Our panelists discuss the meaning of “literary” in the SF world and explore the impact and influence of so-called “literary SF” works. Moderator: Sue Burke; Gary K Wolfe, James Bacon, and K.V. Peck.
SLF’s Mini Deep Dish Reading – Sheraton I Salon, Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. The Speculative Literature Foundation is a Chicago-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literary quality in speculative fiction. In this mini-version of their Deep Dish reading series, you’ll hear from a variety of local authors giving short readings. Moderator, Angeli Primlani; Shaun Duke, Jim Cherry, Sue Burke, and Darius Vinesar.
Self-Editing for Writers – Columbus, Saturday, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. For many writers, editing is a daunting task. How are you supposed to sit down and make meaningful changes to your own work when you’ve spent days, weeks, months, or even a year writing it? Our panelists share their tips and tricks for self-editing to demystify the editing process. Moderator: Sue Burke; Clif Flynt, Steven H Silver, K.V. Peck, and JM Guilfoyle.
Random Panel Topic – Sheraton II, Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. What happens to the panel ideas that get rejected? They are reborn here as random panel topics. Our panelists will choose topics (at random, of course) and speak expertly on them for five minutes each. You’ll be rolling on the floor with laughter. Moderator: Sue Burke; Brian Sebby, Ariela Housman, and Will Saddler.
