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mmerriamThe programming is up for 4th Street Fantasy Convention. This small convention (membership capped at 250) has single track of programming. 4th Street Fantasy is intimate, literate, smart, and the best little fantasy convention on the block. These are my programming items for the year:
It's a Secret to Everyone - 10:00am – 11:00am Saturday
What makes secrets work in fiction, and what are some ways they can be mishandled? How much of a difference does it make when the reader is in on the secret? What's the difference between a surprise that will make the reader remember a book for years to come, and a twist that will leave them feeling cheated?
Panelists: Anne Gwin, Michael Merriam (Moderating), Will Shetterly, Patricia C. Wrede
Novelty, Complexity, and Mass Appeal – 10:00am -- 11:00am Sunday
Readers of popular fantasy series often see them as groundbreaking in ways that experienced readers don't. Similarly, the nuances that appeal to the latter group can disorient and disconcert the former. How important is the perception of novelty in a series having breakout appeal, and what kinds of novelty matter? What sorts of complexity are audiences willing to put up with immediately, and which kinds wouldn't work in a stand-alone work but might in an ongoing series?
Panelists: Alec Austin (Moderating), Emma Bull, Scott Lynch, Michael Merriam, Sherwood Smith
It's a Secret to Everyone - 10:00am – 11:00am Saturday
What makes secrets work in fiction, and what are some ways they can be mishandled? How much of a difference does it make when the reader is in on the secret? What's the difference between a surprise that will make the reader remember a book for years to come, and a twist that will leave them feeling cheated?
Panelists: Anne Gwin, Michael Merriam (Moderating), Will Shetterly, Patricia C. Wrede
Novelty, Complexity, and Mass Appeal – 10:00am -- 11:00am Sunday
Readers of popular fantasy series often see them as groundbreaking in ways that experienced readers don't. Similarly, the nuances that appeal to the latter group can disorient and disconcert the former. How important is the perception of novelty in a series having breakout appeal, and what kinds of novelty matter? What sorts of complexity are audiences willing to put up with immediately, and which kinds wouldn't work in a stand-alone work but might in an ongoing series?
Panelists: Alec Austin (Moderating), Emma Bull, Scott Lynch, Michael Merriam, Sherwood Smith
