4th Street Fantasy Convention

4th Street Fantasy Convention is fast approaching. As in it is happening on June 20th through June 22nd. Given that, it seems a good time to stop and post my schedule.

Saturday, June 21, 2014
9:30 AM - Originality and Micro-genre
Readers who are versed in a sub-genre and its conventions can find what outsiders see as minor variations on a theme to be significant and original differences. How does this relate to the frequently expressed desire among critics for originality and ambition, and how is the perception of originality informed by the breadth/focus of readers' experiences?

Seanan McGuire, Elizabeth Bear (m), Caroline Stevermer, Michael Merriam, Christopher K Davis


Saturday, June 21, 2014
2:00 PM - History as Trade Secret
Fantasy has a long tradition of borrowing (and outright stealing) the best bits from history and remixing them to taste. Sometimes historicity is just an aesthetic gloss, but in others it serves as the foundation for rich, detailed, and complex works. What makes us admire an author bending history to their ends, and which excesses snap our suspension of disbelief?

Tim Cooper (m), Alec Austin, Ann Chatham, Dana Baird, Michael Merriam