SFContario 3 Schedule

I'll be going to SFContario 3 this weekend. I've had some fantastic times at the the last two instances of this convention and last year's was particularly special. I've really appreciated the focus they give to stories and science, the downtown location and a really comfortable setting where it's more about the quality of people and panels and not the volume. This will be the first time I'll be a panelist and I've got an interesting set of discussions ahead for the weekend.

Flash Fiction After Dark Can a short story be a thousand words? A hundred? Six? Listen to some short readings of recent speculative flash fiction and learn the tricks of how writers cram big stories into tiny word counts.

Friday 10:00 PM, Location TBA

Short Stories Our panelists discuss the role short stories have and will play in science fiction and fantasy, from proving ground to promotions to the merits of writing and reading short stories. We'll explore where the form is headed, whether its early popularity is enduring and what are the influence of contests and electronic publishing. 

Saturday 3:00 PM, Ballroom A

Will we ever stop being human? From the cyberpunk desire to transcend the flesh to speculative fiction's monstrous bodies, when does the category "human" cease to apply? This panel will explore what the terms "human,""transhuman," and "posthuman" really mean and, through the lens of science fiction, imagine what the future of humanity might look like. 

Saturday 4:00 PM, Gardenview

Writing in the digital age Many professional writers these days maintain an online persona. How does one survive as a writer in the digital age? How does an internet persona mesh with the introverted lifestyle of an author? What's the best way to deal with the trolls and haters? 

Sunday 10:00 AM, Ballroom BC