Category: News

WisCon 33

By:  TempestConventions
WisCon 33

Later with this than anyone else, but there were some changes to my panel lineups and I was waiting to make sure everything else was settled. As I emailed everyone on the panel I’m moderating on Sunday, I figure I can be public about it all now.

NOT ANOTHER F*CKING RACE PANEL — Fri 9:00 – 10:15PM — Senate A
Nora Jemisin (M), K. Tempest Bradford, Moondancer Drake, Nnedi Nkemdili Okorafor, Naamen Gobert Tilahun

Writers of color working in F/SF face unique challenges, it’s true. But, at the end of the day, being a ‘person of color’ is only one aspect of what makes up our identities as writers and, while it’s very flattering to asked to be on panels, most of these panels never crack the ceiling of Race 101. With that in mind, wouldn’t it be nice for multiple writers of color to sit on a panel that isn’t about race at all? Here’s our chance to do just that. So, what are we gonna talk about, instead? Practically anything! Presented in game show format, NOT ANOTHER F*CKING RACE PANEL brings together writers of color to get their geek on about any number of pop culture topics (perhaps chosen from a spinning wheel of fortune)—none of them race related.

Was It Good for You? — Sat 10:30 – 11:45PM — Conference 4
Nora Jemisin (M) , K. Tempest Bradford, Sumana Harihareswara, Rachel Kronick, Betsy Lundsten

A common response to requests for increased representation of women/PoC in science fiction seems to be—we are just looking for good stories. Writers are concerned that, even absent overt discrimination, the themes they want to write about and the stories they want to tell will be dismissed as irrelevant to the white male audience. This doesn’t really have anything to do with quality. What stories do readers wish they could see more of and what stories do they wish they never had to read again? How many technically proficient stories about nothing, and stories that are metaphorical for male orgasm, do we have to read, anyway? Why is it so hard to find stories about my experience?

Judging the Tiptree — Sun 8:30 – 9:45AM — Senate B
K. Tempest Bradford, Gavin J. Grant, Catherynne M. Valente

I think maybe Gavin might not be there after all, so it coudl end up being the Tempest and Cat show. At 8:30am on Sunday we may have to promise people major shenanigans to get a crowd.

Authorial Intent vs. Reader Response — Sun 4:00 – 5:15PM — Capitol A
Vito Excalibur (M), K. Tempest Bradford, Ellen Kushner, Debbie Notkin, Delia Sherman

Umberto Eco said once that a novel was “a machine for generating interpretations….” Once a book has been released into the cruel world, does it matter what the author intended for people to get out of the book? If it does, does it matter more than what the readers see in the book?

Netbook Show and Tell — Sun 10:00 – 11:15PM — Conference 5
K. Tempest Bradford (M), Shaun Kelly, Rowan, Genevieve Valentine

Asus EEE, Acer Aspire One, HP Mininote … do those names sound familiar? What are those wee laptops around the size of a hardback book? Bring your netbook and show it off! Discuss the pros and cons. Q&A for those looking to purchase their very own netbook.

Additionally I will be participating in the following POC-only events:

POC Meet & Greet — Fri 5:30 – 7:30PM — Madison Concourse Lobby

We’ll head somewhere to eat or chat at 6:00PM.

Meet the Angry Black Women — Sun Lunch — Noodles & Company
K. Tempest Bradford, Nojojojo, Karnythia

Have lunch with the three contributors to the Angry Black Woman blog.

I think I am most excited about the netbook panel! Not just because I am mod, but because after 3 days of RACE GENDER LITERARY THEORY and TIPTREE I feel I will enjoy being able to just geek out about computers for an hour. The Not A Race Panel panel should be a good time, too. Also, I am on a panel with Ellen and Delia and Debbie and Vito?  *swoon*

There will be other additions to this schedule once the final, full-length one comes out.

Tiptree Award Winners

By:  TempestNews
Tiptree Award Winners

It can now be told, this year’s winners are:

*confetti!*

Full press release and shortlist are here. Judging the Tiptree was a very intense experience. But in the end I find myself super happy that I and the other jurors were able to honor some amazing books. I will probably not read this much fiction in one year again in my life, though!

Calling All Artists!

By:  TempestEvents
Calling All Artists!

You’ve been waiting for weeks, and now the official announcement can be made: The Interstitial Arts Foundation is holding another auction to benefit the Interfictions anthologies.  Yes, that is plural, because Interfictions 2 will be out this winter.  The auction will coincide with the publication of the book, allowing us to create an artistic celebration and event for a book that does not exist in the world yet.  I know, awesome, right?

The IAF is looking for amazing artists, crafters, musicians and people who love to create to donate portable/wearable/singable art and music based on the stories in Interfictions 1 and 2. Yes, 2!

But how, you ask, will we base creations on that which we have not read?  Excellent question!

If you visit the IAFAuction Call to Artists you will see short excerpts from stories in Interfictions 2 floating around the page.  Read them, flip through them (there are about 30 in all), find one that grabs you, inspires you, makes you want to read more.  Then scroll down the page and fill out the participant form.  There you can tell us about you and your art, tell us which story you like, and request that we send it to you.

Yes, that’s right.  Participating artists get to read one story from the anthology long before it comes out.  All you have to do is promise to donate the art or music you create based on that story to the auction. (Artists who participated in last year’s auction get a special surprise — email me!)

You can also base your art/music on fiction from the original anthology (available in fine bookstores and as a Kindle download).

See the website for more details and to ask questions.  If you are not inclined to participate, please help us spread the word!  We’d love to get submissions from artists and musicians of every kind, interstitial or not.

One in a Million

By:  TempestMy Fiction
One in a Million

Had a lovely birthday gift on Sunday when I found out that Until Forgiveness Comes is on the Million Writers Award list of 2008’s notable fiction.  As previously stated, this award seeks to highlight and celebrate online fiction in all genres, not just SF/F.  I join 3 of my fellow Altered Fluidians on the list — 2 others from Strange Horizons!  SH obviously liked us last year. Also, fellow Black Bean Meghan McCarron.  And a large number of writers I am pleased to call my friends.  I know tons of talented people!

On May 15th a shorter list of 10 stories (picked by the award administrator) will battle it out to see who can claim best story of the year. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will be on that list.

Even if I’m not, I am super, super excited to be on the long list.  Yay!

Jill Sobule + NYC + Tempest = Best Night Evar

By:  TempestEvents
Jill Sobule + NYC + Tempest = Best Night Evar

One of my favorite singers, Jill Sobule, is performing in NYC on the 14th of April. Only one show announced so far and I definitely want to go. I’ll go by myself because I love her that much but I would love to have some company.

Tickets are $18 and the concert is at Joe’s Pub, which means you aren’t guaranteed a seat unless you also make a dinner reservation which carries a $12 minimum (I know, they suck, and I would not put up with it except it’s Jill….). Anyway, I already made a reservation for two. If you buy a ticket, you can join me!

Any takers?  She’s really awesome… :)

For All Your Federated Needs

By:  TempestMy Fiction

The Federations anthology now has it’s own website. Exciting! There you can find interviews with all of the authors, read three free stories (one by my homegirl Genevieve Valentine), and subscribe to the feed so you’ll be up to date on all Federation-y news. Remember, you can pre-order the book now.  The more people who pre-order the more… um… angels get their spaceships. Yeah, that’s it…

Electric Velocipede 17/18 Cover

By:  TempestNews

On the heels of the stunning Federations cover comes this from the next issue of Electric Velocipede:

Electric Velocipede 17-18

(click to embiggen)

Isn’t it lovely? Also, I must point out that I’m sharing a TOC with fellow Altered Fluidians Mercurio D. Rivera and Matthew Kressel.  Also of note: Richard Bowes, Yoon Ha Lee, and Caroline Yoachim.

Yes, I do see Will Shetterly, too. I am trying to pretend he is not there.

There are plenty of fabulous writers in this issue and you must buy it.  You know you want to.  If you don’t buy and read it, well…

Read Electric Velocipede

Raise Your Hand If You’ve Ever Been Mistaken For Nalo (or Chip, or Octavia…)

By:  TempestConventions
Raise Your Hand If You've Ever Been Mistaken For Nalo (or Chip, or Octavia...)

I was just reading this excellent entry by Pam Noles. There’s a rather long sidetrack in there about being mistaken for Whoopi Goldberg often and in public and also being mistaken for Nalo Hopkinson at SF cons/events. There’s some verbiage in there about why the latter ends up being more annoying than the former.

Whenever I go to a con, I can usually count on at least one person mistaking me for some other black person, be they Nalo or just some black woman who is also at the con. Apparently at last year’s World Fantasy people kept confusing N K Jemisin with Alaya Dawn Johnson and Doselle Young with David Anthony Durham.

Yes, I am being serious.

I find this equal parts funny and annoying. Some days I just laugh, some days I’m like, “Really, people? REALLY?”

Anyway, I fall on the side of being slightly amused by this today, so I wrote a silly poll (ETA: poll taken down because the plugin is ass). Just how widespread is this phenomenon? How many people experience it, and where? Who do they think you are if they don’t think you’re you?

And also, when Nalo is around, who do they think she is?

On Being An Unemployment Statistic (Yes, I Am One)

By:  TempestNews

Some people already know this, some don’t: a couple of weeks ago I was laid off. This sucks not only because being out of work right now is definitely not a position I want to be in, but also because I loved my job and co-workers. It was all down to economics, sadly, and nothing to do with me personally. My boss was really upset to have to let me go.

Since then I’ve been doing all the normal stuff: haunting job boards, networking, letting folks know I’m available for full-time or freelance gigs. There’s even a very attractive resume to show off. Feel free to pass that along to others.

Though I am unhappy to be laid off, I am not panicking. I’m mostly calm about it, possibly because I’m deep-down confident in my ability to find another job or otherwise survive in this city, which I’ve been doing pretty successfully for three years (and five before that). Perhaps I’m just deluding myself. Still, this whole thing where I decide what my life is going to be and then it is that has worked for me since 2003, I see no reason for it to stop.

Good thing is that I have more time for writing! Also, jump-starting some projects lagging behind. And catching up with my poor, neglected interns at Fantasy.

You may be thinking: Oh no! What can I do?

Other than passing around my rez, as previously stated, not much except think happy thoughts for me. I greatly appreciate all happy thoughts. I am, luckily, not in dire financial straits. For once in my professional life, I’m eligible for unemployment, which should help keep me afloat as I look. I don’t intend to sit on my laurels, but this time around I don’t need to freak out.

I will still be at WisCon.

I know I am not alone in this. Beyond the statistics, my friends list and blog feeds are full of people reporting layoffs, firings, or other such news. The economy blows. Hopefully we’ll all have good fortune in the coming months.

WisCon Netbook Meetup

By:  TempestConventions

So, over at my tech blog, Victoria mentioned that she wanted to have a netbook panel at WisCon.  I know she’d talked about this before, but I didn’t see it on the programming form.  I suggested that we have a luncheon or something similar where people who have netbooks can gather to talk about how awesome they are and people who are interested in netbooks can come, ask questions, and actually touch some of the beasts.  I’ll do my best to bring more than one, myself (though I don’t know if I will be allowed to do so).

Does this sound like a good idea to anyone else?  Shall we do it in an overflow room, head to Michaelangelo’s, or option C to be named in comments?  I think it could be a lot of fun.

So this is my week to get everything wrong on the internet!  :)  I think I will now just go to bed and not blog anymore for a while.  But yay netbook panel.