My Boskone Schedule

Not much longer to wait for one of my favorite conventions ever. Boskone holds a special place in my heart because it was my first con, a con I’ve always shared with my husband and some of our extended family, and a con where I feel like I know so many people. Looking at my panels, I’m really excited to get to have conversations with these smart and talented SFF people, and I cannot wait to devour panels morning-to-night.

I’ll be bringing a copy of Shimmer 2017 (in which my story “The Moon, The Sun, and the Truth” appears, among many other superb works) to give away to one lucky reading attendee. Please come! I’ll be reading something new! (/suppresses a satisfied cackle)

Where and when you ask? Oh. Here.

 

AIs and the Female Image
Format: Panel
16 Feb 2018, Friday 14:00 – 15:00, Marina 3 (Westin)
When it comes to AIs wearing mechanical bodies, until recently, many “female” AIs were all about gorgeousness and sexuality. Now some portrayals emphasize strength and intelligence. Can you do both? How well do these creations represent women, metaphorically or realistically? How does the representation of “male” AIs differ?
Victoria Sandbrook (M), Catherine Asaro, Christine Taylor-Butler, Laurence Raphael Brothers, John P. Murphy
Angels in Speculative Fiction
Format: Panel
16 Feb 2018, Friday 15:00 – 16:00, Marina 4 (Westin)
Angels in fantasy, science fiction, and horror aren’t always what you might expect. There are the ones that behave, well, angelically, and the fallen angels — but also bad-tempered angels, angels from advanced civilizations, and more. What attracts writers (and readers) to this motif? What common themes, like redemption or the Fall, recur? Are there novel ways to write an angel?
Bob Kuhn (M), Alexander Jablokov, Victoria Sandbrook, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Walt Williams
Feminist Fairy Tales
Format: Panel
17 Feb 2018, Saturday 10:00 – 11:00, Burroughs (Westin)
Women frequently serve as the main characters of fairy tales. (Why, by the way?) It’s hard not to notice they’re often presented as victims, or the subjects of a lesson learned. Do any tales instead offer strong female role models? What can modern feminist perspectives contribute when considering stories from so long ago and/or far away?
Jane Yolen, Victoria Sandbrook, Andrea Corbin, Julia Rios, E.J. Stevens

Reading by Victoria Sandbrook
Format: Reading
17 Feb 2018, Saturday 11:00 – 11:30, Independence (Westin)

Women Who Write Science Fiction
Format: Panel
18 Feb 2018, Sunday 12:00 – 13:00, Marina 3 (Westin)
Mary Shelley, Leigh Brackett, Ursula K. Le Guin, Connie Willis, N. K. Jemisin —  women have been in the thick of writing science fiction for a very long time. Let’s discuss some of their landmark publications that captured our imagination. Why do we love these stories? What works should we look for the next time we’re browsing the shelves?
Victoria Sandbrook (M), LJ Cohen, Catherine Asaro, Erin Roberts, Marianna Martin PhD

My Arisia 2018 Schedule

It’s January and that means Arisia is here! It’s here! I’ve got panels on three of the four days and I hope you’ll consider stopping in for some great conversation.

Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading
Adams Sat 10:00 AM

Morven Westfield, Victoria Sandbrook, LJ Cohen, Larissa Glasser, Julie C. Day, Dianna Sanchez, Randee Dawn, Trisha J. Wooldridge, Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert, Anna Erishkigal, Heather Albano

Description Come discover your new favorite writer as members of Broad Universe read short excerpts from their work. Each writer has just a few minutes to show you what she’s capable of! We offer chocolate and the chance to win prizes. Broad Universe is an international organization that supports women writers, editors, and publishers.

Mosaic – PoC & Ally Meet Up
Otis Sat 2:30 PM

Victoria Sandbrook, Benjamin Chicka, Diana Hsu

Come hang out with people of color and allies in a welcoming and inclusive space! Chat about the con and make new friends. Discuss ways fandom (including Arisia) can work to be more actively inclusive of fans of all backgrounds. If so inclined, talk about what can be done at Arisia to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday.

Fantasy that Speculates
Marina 2 Sat 5:30 PM

James Hailer (mod), Victoria Sandbrook, Ruthanna Emrys, Victoria “V.E.” Schwab, Debra Doyle

Fantasy lands such as Westeros or Stillness, with their dramatic variations in climate or seismic activity, provide a fertile ground for speculation within the story. The Stillness plans ahead and takes these factors into account; Westeros does not. Why? This panel will discuss speculation in fantasy, which stories are more speculative, and how fantasy can extrapolate from its premise.

You Got Your Science in My Magic
Marina 2 Sun 11:30am

Ken Gale (mod), Victoria Sandbrook, Andrea Corbin, Roy Kilgard, Gwendolyn Clare

We often talk about science fiction, realism, and fantasy as separate things, but the genre borders are awfully fuzzy. In stories, what does magic look like in a modern setting? We’ll explore what happens when science collides with magic, especially when that magic isn’t rule-based, and books or movies where magic and non-handwavy science work together.

In Praise of Villainesses and Antiheroines
Marina 2 Sun 5:30 PM

Henry M. White (mod), Victoria Sandbrook, Hillary Monahan, Tom Deady, Gwendolyn Clare

We love villains. We love compelling, break-out, has a point villains and badass antiheroes who look cool and say cool one liners. The problem is, the list of those compelling bad (and sort of bad) guys are all… guys. Those femme-of-center villains and antiheroes that do appear often find themselves in the love-to-hate, rather than the hate-to-love. Our panelists will be exploring compelling villainesses and why they deserve more appreciation than they often receive.

Disney’s Second Renaissance
Burroughs Mon 11:30 AM

Heather Urbanski (mod), Victoria Sandbrook, Hilary L. Hertzoff, David Olsen, Hanna Lee Rubin Abramowitz

From 1989-1999, The Walt Disney Company experienced a period of creative resurgence known as the Disney Renaissance; *The Little Mermaid*, *Beauty and the Beast*, and *The Lion King* were artistic and financial wins for a studio coming out of a long slump. Recently, *Frozen*, *Moana* and others have led some to declare that the company is in the middle of a new success streak. We’ll discuss what we’ve seen in the past few years from this animation powerhouse, and look ahead to what’s to come.