Bleeding Hearts
Friday 18:00 – 18:50
A Valentine’s Day panel about romance in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. What are some of our great love stories for the ages? What stories turned out to be tragedies — or worse? Panelists will discuss how love can turn a character’s world upside-down.
Darlene Marshall (M), Steve Miller, Nancy Holder, Leigh Perry
Sherlock Holmes on TV
Friday 19:00 – 19:50
Not only are two successful Sherlock Holmes shows (Sherlock and Elementary) currently running on TV, characters influenced by Holmes are numerous, ranging from House to Madame Vastra on Doctor Who. Why do Sherlockian characters work so well? Are there any Sherlockian failures out there? If so, what went wrong? What are the current incarnations of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson doing right?
Dana Cameron (M) Jennifer Pelland, Nancy Holder, Tony Lewis, Ginjer Buchanan
Exploring the Whedonverse
Friday 21:00 – 21:50
From “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to the new “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” Joss Whedon has had a hand in some of the most significant genre television programming ever. How have Joss and his Whedonverse shaped TV (including shows he didn’t actually develop) and affected the wider genre community? What is the Whedon Effect? What would primetime television be like if Buffy never came to Sunnydale, or Serenity never lifted off? What was Dollhouse all about?
Stephen P. Kelner (M), Dana Cameron, Nancy Holder, Gillian Daniels, Erin Underwood
Tie-In Novels: Writing Within the Rules
Saturday 10:00 – 10:50
Tie-in novels give fans another way to experience a story they love. These stories take place in a familiar world and feature our favorite characters, but are unique unto themselves and must adhere to a special set of rules. Join our panelists for a fun discussion about the art of writing original fiction within established and well-known worlds.
Nancy Holder M, Craig Shaw Gardner, Ginjer Buchanan, Batya “The Toon” Wittenberg
Autographing with Dana Cameron, Michael Flynn & Nancy Holder
Saturday 12:00 – 12:50
Magicians in Society
Saturday 16:00 – 16:50
How do magicians and their magic fit into the political, social, and class structures within an imagined society — especially in worlds where most people don’t possess such powers? What special challenges do magic-wielders face in a culture where magic isn’t respected? Or even where it is? Moreover, what roles do science and scientists play in such a system, if any?
Nancy Holder, Sarah Beth Durs, Greer Gilma, Scott Lynch
Reading by Nancy Holder
Saturday 17:30 – 17:55
Flash Fiction Slam
Sunday 09:30 – 10:50
Join Boskone’s first Flash Fiction Slam. Eleven (11) writers compete for the title of The Flash, reading their own original fiction — which must tell a complete tale within a 3-minute period. Our expert panel of judges will score your work on a scale of 1 to 10, and you automatically lose 1 point for going over your 3-minute time. You may only read your own work. The reader with the top score wins! Sign up before the con for one of eight (8) advance reading slots on a first-come, first-served basis by e-mailing erin.m.underwood@gmail.com. (Please put “Flash Fiction Slam” in your e-mail’s subject line.) Or sign up onsite at Program Ops in the Galleria for one of three (3) at-con openings. A waiting list will also be available.
Erin Underwood (M), James Patrick Kelly, Nancy Holder, Walter Jon Williams, Paul Di Filippo
Future Fantasy and the Teen Protagonist
Sunday 12:00 – 12:50
Edgar Rice Burroughs once used the phrase “future fantasy.” Could this term find fresh usefulness today, for instance to describe developments in young adult (YA) literature, where we see a growing mix of fantastic elements? What works might qualify as future fantasy? Could blending the scientific with the fantastic lead to further innovations in fiction — or in science itself?
Erin Underwood (M) Nancy Holder, Stacey Friedberg, Anna Davis
Writers on Writing: Sex Versus Romance
Sunday 14:00 – 14:50
Authors share ideas and experiences about writing scenes that are erotic as compared to scenes that are romantic. Which is harder? Which is more fun to write? Does your protagonist’s gender or preference make a difference? How do you accommodate audiences of different ages or sexual orientations? Is romance just sex in soft focus?
Darlene Marshall (M) Nancy Holder, Carrie Cuinn, Anna Davis
