Tag: wiscon panels

wiscon

My WisCon 41 Schedule

By:  TempestEvents

I’ll be at WisCon this weekend, just as I am every year. EVERY YEAR. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you want to find me, here’s my schedule:

Stop, Collaborate and Listen | Fri, 4:00–5:15 pm Conference 2

Amal El-Mohtar has a history of collaborating with likeminded souls, from editing a poetry zine to performing with a troupe of writer/musicians to co-writing fiction and beyond. How is it possible to discover fellow travelers and co conspirators across space and time(zones)? What are the benefits of such long distance collaborations, and how do different kinds of collaborative projects come together?

Julia Starkey, K. Tempest Bradford, Amal El-Mohtar, C. S. E. Cooney , Max Gladstone

Social Media in 2017 | Sat, 10:30–11:45 pm University C

LiveJournal is now hosted in Russia and doesn’t support HTTPS. Facebook is infected with fake news and trolls (not to mention giving us only random access to what friends have to say). Twitter keeps adding features we don’t want and allowing trolls to flourish. What’s worth using? Is there any way to change the social media landscape?

Rachel Kronick, K. Tempest Bradford, Emma Humphries, Sunny Moraine

How Lazy Writing Recreates Oppression | Sun, 10:00–11:15 am Capitol A

Themes of colonialism and racial oppression are extremely popular in the genre of science fiction. Authors of sci-fi often use the tropes of the genre to explore real issues in the world, however, colonialism and oppression is only alluded to in the fictional elements and not in the elements of the story based in the real world. Practices like color-blind casting are not only lazy but uphold white-default characterizations, stereotypes of marginalized people, and damage the spirit of real diversity and inclusion. On this panel, we will discuss stories like Doctor Strange, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Doctor Who and Star Wars, and how these stories fall short and recreate oppression in their stories through lazy writing, as well as what writers need to be aware of when writing.

Mark Oshiro, K. Tempest Bradford, Nicasio Reed

Reading: Looking for Trouble | Sun, 1:00–2:15 pm Michelangelos

I will be reading from my story The Copper Scarab, which will be just out in Clockwork Cairo!

K. Tempest Bradford, Eileen Gunn, Pat Murphy, Nisi Shawl

Steven Universe and Consent | Sun, 2:30–3:45 pm Caucus

Rebecca Sugar, creator of Steven Universe, said the following at San Diego Comic-Con: “It’s very important to me that we speak to kids about consent. That we speak to kids about identity. There’s so much I have to say about this. I want to feel like I exist and I want everyone else who wants to feel that way to feel that way too.” Let’s talk about how the show deals with issues of consent, especially in regards to its use of SF ideas like mind-sharing, body-swapping, and fusion. What can we learn from SU about how to (or how NOT to) discuss consent in SF texts? What history is there of discussing consent explicitly in SF, and how does SU  connect to it or fail to connect to it? And, going back to Sugar’s comments: how does consent relate directly to identity on SU?

Ty Blauersouth, K. Tempest Bradford, Seth Frost, thingswithwings, JP Fairfield, Jo Vanderhooft

Decentering Whiteness in Fandom | Sun, 10:00–11:15 pm University C

A more in-depth look at how whiteness is always the focus in fandom, fan works in particular. How POC characters are forgotten, written out, killed off by fandom so their white faves who do no more than glance at each other can be together in fanon bliss. How do we de-center the narratives built around minor white characters and problematic faves versus existing POC characters? A hard topic and not for those who think this doesn’t happen.

Tanya D., K. Tempest Bradford, Mark Oshiro

 

Wiscon 38 Panel Brainstorming Post

By:  TempestConventions
Wiscon 38 Panel Brainstorming Post

NOTE: If you’re coming for the first time, here are the panels that still need work:

—————-

Panel submissions for WisCon 38 close soon, and I have many ideas! I know many of my friends have ideas too, but might need some help brainstorming or fleshing them out. Thus, I have created this post.

Anyone who has an idea can put it in the comments, not just me! Let us know what you need, such as: making a kernel of an idea into a full-fleshed panel, help crafting an effective description, coming up with a punchy title, or finding fellow panelists so you can submit a pre-populated idea.

It will make discussions easier if you put one panel idea per comment (make as many as you want) and then folks can reply below each in the thread.

That’s it, let’s have fun!

 

Social Media Resources for Sipping From The Firehose #WisCon36

By:  TempestConventions
Social Media Resources for Sipping From The Firehose #WisCon36

Just about to head into my next panel, “Sipping From the Firehose: Managing Writing and Social Media,” and wanted to get this list of resources up for those attending and those who are following along via Twitter. The hashtag for this panel is: #SocialMediaSFF.

This post will change slightly as the discussion goes along, and hopefully there will be a panel report or two from the audience I’ll link to.

Social Networks That Are Useful For Writers

These are in a roughly most useful to least useful configuration, but the relative usefulness also depends on what kind of writing and promoting you do. This is not a prescriptive list — every writer does not need to be on every network. This is just a list to consider. After the panel I’ll try to add context for which networks are good for what kinds of activities.

  • Facebook
  • GoodReads
  • LibraryThing
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • Dreamwidth
  • LinkedIn
  • LiveJournal
  • Delicious
  • Flickr
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • DeviantArt
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Social Networking Tools

These are services, apps, and plugins that make dealing with social media a bit easier, especially if you have multiple accounts.

  • Hootsuite — A social media dashboard that puts several social networks in one place. See updates from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WordPress, Ping.fm and FourSquare from one window. Update multiple accounts at once. Schedule updates for the future. Accessible from any browser and via apps for Android, iPhone and iPad.
  • Tweetchat — Tool that lets you focus on one hashtag at a time. Good for participating in Twitter chats.
  • TweetBot — The best iPhone/iPad Twitter client.
  • TweetCaster — One of the better Twitter clients for Android.
  • RSS Graffiti — Facebook app that posts a status update whenever you update your blog.
  • JournalPress — A WordPress plugin that crossposts to LiveJournal and DreamWidth.

Tempest’s WisCon 36 Panel and Party Schedule

By:  TempestEvents
Tempest's WisCon 36 Panel and Party Schedule

WisCon 36 is almost upon us. Here’s where I’ll be!

Parties

Riots of Bloom | Sat, 9:00 pm Room 607

I’m the DJ.

Join us for spicy samosas and wine as we dance the night away to world beats! Riots of Bloom is a party to celebrate the speculative fiction of authors of color who have books and stories releasing this year. (N. K. Jemisin, Neesha Meminger, Kiini Salaam, Ibi Zoboi, Alaya Dawn Johnson) We are especially honored to celebrate WisCon 36 Guest of Honor and Tiptree winner, Andrea Hairston! So put on your most riotous colors and come prepared to boogie on down to the rhythmic beats of reggae, calypso, salsa, bhangra, and other world music!

Unnamed, not on the schedule shenanigans | Friday 11:00 pm room TBD

So there has been talk for a while about doing a party wherein we watch and heavily criticize Jem! and My Little Pony and some other beloved cartoons of our child and adulthood while eating gummi bears soaked in rum, vodka flavored with Skittles, and a number of other ridiculous, not safe for kids foods. Given the nature of the foods in question, it was suggested to me that we NOT make this an official party. So we’re going to find a suitable space and have it semi-privately.

Panels

From Sherlock to Sheldon: Asexuality and Asexual Characters in SF/F
Fri, 4:00–5:15 pm | Senate B

K. Tempest Bradford (mod), Liz Argall, Dawn Ash, L J Geoffrion, Jed Hartman

We’re all familiar by now with the sexual orientations homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual. Much less discussed are asexuals, persons who do not experience sexual attraction. This panel discusses what asexuality is and is not, and proposes ways for authors to explore this overlooked orientation in their characters. Is it enough that a character has no on-page sex life, or should asexuality be more positively portrayed? Asexuality in real-time fandom and asexual characters in fiction and media may also be discussed as time allows.

Feminist Blogging: What Is It and What Role Can It Play in Creating Social Change?
Sat, 10:00–11:15 am | Caucus

K. Tempest Bradford (mod), Brit Mandelo, Andrea Chandler, Michelle Kendall, Rachel Virginia Swirsky

The internet has seen an upsurge in feminist blogs, with those words returning millions of results in search engines. What are feminist blogs? How can feminist blogs help create positive change? In what ways can these spaces model an inclusive, non-hierarchical environment? What are the downsides to feminist blogging? Join us as we discuss new ways the internet can help further the discourse around issues of social and economic justice, feminism, and anti-oppression.

Sipping From the Firehose: Managing Writing and Social Media
Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm | Senate A

K. Tempest Bradford (mod), Barth Anderson, Kimberly Gonzalez, Michael J. “Orange Mike” Lowrey, David J. Schwartz

FaceBook, Google+, LiveJournal, Tumblr, Twitter, blog, traditional website: Does a writer need them all? How do they help with self-promotion? How do they help with the isolation of writing? If you participate in social media, how do you keep it all up-to-date and still find time to write?

Creating Your Own Religion
Sun, 10:00–11:15 pm | Conference 4

K. Tempest Bradford (mod), Ann Leckie, Alex Dally MacFarlane, Deirdre M. Murphy, Larissa N. Niec

Which SF authors create interesting, believable religions, and which get religion wrong? (What does it mean to “get religion wrong” anyway?) Do made-up religions with intervening gods work better than those without? How can we as writers avoid making mistakes when creating and writing about fictional religions?

Not Everyone Lives in the Future
Mon, 10:00–11:15 am | Room 623

Carrie L. Ferguson (mod), K. Tempest Bradford, Ruthanna Emrys, Jesse the K, Na’amen Gobert Tilahun

Technology has an undeniably transformative effect on our lives and it is worth examining who has access to those effects. Geeks are generally very engaged with technology and it is easy to assume that the Internet, cell phones, computers, etc. are a given in everyone’s lives. However, there are large communities where technological access is not at the level that geeks take for granted. How does lack of access to technology impede communities’ ability to prosper? How can geeks help to make technology more available to communities that may benefit from them? Are these transformative effects even desirable? What are good examples of SF that highlight or problematize this issue?

Reading

Title TBA
Sun, 4:00–5:15 pm | Michelangelos

Group reading: K. Tempest Bradford, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Jackie Mierzwa, Larissa N. Niec

WisCon by the Twitters: The Revenge of the Not Another Fucking Race Panel

By:  TempestConventions

Here are the tweets I could find posted during the Revenge of the Not Another Fucking Race Panel at WisCon 34. A good time was definitely had by all:

@tinytempest Narrowly escaped being the Vanna White of this panel.

@wrdnrd This year’s not-another-race-panel features super awesome category “what would johanna do??” (Don’t cry, sis!)

@tinytempest @ceciliatan is DIRTY! hahahaha

@swanberg What small furryanimal would make the best zombie?

@alothian Which animal would make the best zombie? Andrea Hairston: kangaroos have handy pouches for body parts.

@yamainu Marsupial zombies rock the to-go bag

@tinytempest Amal: clearly it is time to breed the veliciraptor and the zombie. The Velocizombie’s time has come.

@tinytempest Sheveta: “Brains are smelly.” Amal: “But also delicious!”

@nivairface Peacock zombies! Oh my! I looove Not Another F%&$*ing Race Panel.

@alothian Discussion of tastiness of human brains. Amal El-Mohtar: the garlic slogan should be: even brains taste good with garlic.

@nivairface “Wow, we’re all women on this panel! … Oh, that’s right, WisCon.” <3333

@nivairface “Read the fanfic; there’s more sex.” GOOD TIP FOR LIFE. Thanks, Cecilia Tan!

@tinytempest “I would try to not have any emotions when people who said stupid things to me.” Andrea Hairston on her Spock impression as a kid.

@nivairface If you haven’t seen Andrea D. Hairston be Mr. Spock, you haven’t lived. ;)

@alothian Andrea Hairston talks about impersonating Spock as an academic persona: “Fascinating, but incorrect.”

@tinytempest “I feel like I have a long history of embarassment involving Mercedes Lackey.” @sparkymonster

@wrdnrd I love everyone on this panel SO HARD.

@tinytempest @ceciliatan: “Ricky Martin was pretending to be asleep in the next bed when I lost my virginity.”

@tinytempest @ceciliatan (continued) “Later, he told a friend of mine that that’s what turned him gay.” @ricky_martin

Several people tweeted the above :)

@yamainu Cecilia Tan admits to turning Ricky Martin gay, thus ensuring a best-selling autobiography.

@wrdnrd Cecilia Tan: “Now THAT’s a fic i could write.”

@tinytempest “If Tolkien can do it, you can do it.”

@wrdnrd WWjD question: Have you ever veganized a recipe or altered one for celiacs & had it go horribly wrong — or right?

@tinytempest Amal: “It’s not like she’s trying to eat vegetables to get back at them.”

@kiyasjoy Bourbon fixes everything!! @sparkymonster

@swanberg “I have learned not to disrespect cornmeal” @yoon li

@alothian What cybernetic enhancement would you choose? @sparkymonster: TWITTER IMPLANT. I concur.

@tinytempest Andrea Hairston “I want to BE a robot overlord. Fucking having an implant.”

@alothian @ceciliatan, not @sparkymonster, wanted the Twitter implant. Clearly I need it to help divide attention… Sorry!

@raanve This panel is the friggin best.

@swanberg “Kahnnnnnnn!” – the entire audience

@raanve Is there anything better than an ENTIRE ROOM yelling “Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!” ?? I THINK NOT.

@raanve Can we talk about Tasha Yar? Let’s!

@raanve Tasha Yar People: srsly, that tar monster? So much b-s! She & Data need to get their time in the sun.

@nivairface “In every show there are now red shirts, and I feel for them.” – Andrea Hairston

@kiyasjoy Uhura totally has a katana!!

@swanberg That’s your daddy issues – @sparkymonster to @CeliaTan

@wrdnrd WWjD question: What’s interesting in Finland?

@tinytempest Amal “Reindeers, like brains, are delicious.”

@swanberg “Khaaannnnn! yells that aren’t Khan. GO!” Wisconnnnnn! @Sparkymonster

@raanve Khan yells with names other than KHAN: I submit “Simon LeBooooonnnnnnnnn!”

@jdawley Not Another F’-ng Race Panel. “Kirk yells something that isn’t Khaaaaaan!!! Go!” Unanimous answer: “WisCooooooooooonnn!!!”

WisCon by the Twitters: Chicks Dig Time Lords

By:  TempestConventions

These are the tweets I could find associated with Friday’s Chicks Dig Time Lords panel at WisCon 34. It was a lot of fun talking about Doctor Who with such fine people, and Twitter can only capture part of it:

@tinytempest “I was seduced into Doctor Who fandom by a really cute boy” says @lynnemthomas

@rhiannonrevolts Asking me who my Doctor is…hard. Ten IS me, but I love others.

@rhiannonrevolts Really agreeing with @tinytempest about companions. Martha Jones saves the world!

@yamainu “Our fandom is bigger on the inside.” heard at Doctor Who panel.

@rhiannonrevolts RTD is going to get smacked by @tinytempest and I will laugh.

@charliejane i wanna watch! RT @rhiannonrevolts: RTD is going to get smacked by @tinytempest and I will laugh.

@rhiannonrevolts Martha Jones’ feelings for the Doctor were handled wrong, says @lynnemthomas and I agree.

@tinytempest “What’s the Tom Baker episode where he fellates an alien?”

@rhiannonrevolts RTD and teh Moff really have issues with women.

My WisCon 34 Schedule

By:  TempestConventions
My WisCon 34 Schedule

I have less than a week to go before WisCon, hooray! Thinking of that made me realize that I haven’t posted my panel schedule here. It’s light this year and thus I will likely be a lot saner. But I am contemplating doing a panel in the overflow room. We’ll see. Meantime, here you go:

Chicks Dig Time Lords

Fri 4:00 – 5:15PM – Conference 4

Lynne M. Thomas, K. Tempest Bradford, Evelyn Browne, Kathryn Sullivan

There is a perception that there weren’t many women in Doctor Who fandom before the New Series was launched. This is patently false. Women have had a major role in Doctor Who fandom since the inception of the show. Do women approach and experience their Doctor Who fandom (or other media fandoms) differently than men? This panel explores different approaches to media fandom by the women involved in it, functioning within an assumed male–dominated fandom. Approaches to fandom discussed will range from feminist critique to costuming to fan fiction.

Chicks Dig Time Lords Reading

Sun 10:00 – 11:15AM – Michelangelos

K. Tempest Bradford, Mary Robinette Kowal, Kathryn Sullivan, Lynne M. Thomas

Writing the Other: Shout–Outs

Sun 2:30 – 3:45PM – Assembly

Nisi Shawl, K. Tempest Bradford, Moondancer Drake, Nabil/nadyalec, Michelle Kendall

Fail is not the topic of this panel; instead, we want to hear about where you feel like your group was well represented in fiction by someone from outside it. This panel is the carrot, not the stick!

Take Back the Sci–Fi: Redux

Sun 4:00 – 5:15PM – Caucus

Shira Lipkin, K. Tempest Bradford, Michelle Kendall, Rachel Swirsky

Sexual assault and rape frequently get used as symbolic plot devices, with no consideration of how sexual violence actually affects survivors and the people around them. Let’s discuss books that accurately portray the repercussions of and recovery from sexual assault, as well as those that merely use it as a shortcut to character development and those that end up glorifying it in the process—and how we can write about sexual assault and rape in a way that is true to the character and respectful to survivors. Note: this is a discussion of rape and sexual assault in fiction, and is not the place to discuss our personal experience with sexual assault.

Yes, the majority of my panels are on Sunday :) Which makes it likely that Saturday something fun will happen. Stay tuned.

(More) WisCon POC Events

By:  TempestConventions
(More) WisCon POC Events

First one is something a lot of people asked for since it was pretty awesome last year.  Second one is something I’ve been wanting to do for months and months, especially since I didn’t follow up with the great ideas from last year. Third most of you know about already.

WisCon POC Meet & Greet

Come hang out with POC WisCon attendees Friday evening — at 5:30 (the dinner break) we’ll gather in the lobby of the Concourse and at 6:05 we’ll depart for a place to hang and talk or a place to eat and hang and talk. All POC are welcome to attend, whether this is your first WisCon (especially if so!) or your 30th or anywhere in-between.

Strategies for Talking Amongst Ourselves Both Online and Off

An informal POC discussion group. It’s no surprise to any person of color paying attention that there are plenty of us who love SF/F/H despite the problematic elements in both the community and the media. But not all of us are connected, even tangentially, to the larger/mainstream community or the satellite POC-specific groups that have formed online and off. How do we better facilitate the dialogue between SF-loving POC who aren’t on LiveJournal (or its clones) or Ning, or Facebook or online at all?

During this gathering I’d like to brainstorm ways to better connect with each other (jumping off of the excellent ideas put forward during last year’s discussion) and put the ideas into action before we quit the room. All POC attending WisCon are invited to attend. Bring your lunch and your laptop (if you’ve got one).

Time: Saturday, 11:30AM – 1PM
Place: Room 634

Meet (and Eat with) the Angry Black Women

All three contributors to TheAngryBlackWoman.com will be at WisCon 33. Together for the first time!: K. Tempest Bradford, Nojojojo, and Karnythia. If you’ve ever wanted to meet one or all of us, talk about angry blackness, blogging, or anything else, then come have lunch with us.

When: Sunday, 11:30AM – 1PM

Where: Noodles & Company (short walk from the Concourse) — very top level. Lots of options for vegetarians and meat-eaters

Who: We’d like to keep this part of the unofficial POC-only gig at WisCon. If you identify as POC, bring yourself on over.

What: We’ll just be talkin’ about angry black stuff. Also about guest blogging opportunities in the future and our own personal projects which include new books, new publishing ventures, and new shoes.

Please pass this along to any POC WisCon-goers who may be interested. You can also post to various interested communities or your own blog. There will be flyers at the con.

WisCon Panel Brainstorming Post

By:  TempestConventions
WisCon Panel Brainstorming Post

A few days ago WisCon opened up the panel suggestion form.  Yay!  I love suggesting panels.  Since the brainstorming post last year was a big hit and led to many good things, I thought I would host another.  Everyone is welcome to contribute.  If you have just an inkling of an idea or a well-formed one but don’t know how best to put it into words, post!  People will hopefully help you flesh ideas out, find new, interesting directions, or lend their wordsmithyness to your existing ideas.

Might also be fun to suggest some different styles of panels.  I know last year they were trying to get some debate-style things going on.  I would love to see suggestions of ways to shake up the panel format instead of it just being 6 people talk at you for 45 minutes.