It's that time of year again! My schedule's below, but if you see me around the convention, don't be afraid to say hi — especially because I'll have a pocket full of badge ribbons. If you find me, tell me what your favorite spaceship is (real or fictional) and why, and yea verily, I shall add to your ribbony glory.

Okay, on to the schedule. I've got five events on the program (including one on Friday at 11 AM that I am especially stoked for), plus a booth signing on Saturday. Hope to see you there!

Cheers,

Becky

PS, Replies to this newsletter will not make it to my inbox. If you'd like to get in touch, fill out my contact form.

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Science: The Core of SF's Sense of Wonder

16 Aug 2018, Thursday 14:00 - 15:00, 210DH

Many readers come to science fiction for the jolt of wonder at imagining the clouds of Venus, the chromosphere of the sun, or the frigid surface of Pluto. They want their breath taken away by the long scope of time of evolution and geology and the stars. What is that sense of wonder experience and how do people feel it differently? What science in science fiction most succeeds at getting to those feelings? Our panel of writers and readers of scifi wax rhapsodic about science in science fiction.

Panel includes me, Bridget McKinney (M), Suzanne Palmer, Stanley Schmidt, Vincent Docherty, and Annalee Newitz.

How Gaming is Important to Fandom

16 Aug 2018, Thursday 16:00 - 17:00, 211C

Despite being an intersection of innovative storytelling formats, fantastic visual artistry, audio dramas, and community interaction, gaming's place in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror is often overlooked. How do card, board, video, and other games continue to influence the way genre stories are told? And now with the advent of podcasting, how has fandom responded to the distributed performance of these games?

Panel includes me, Barry D Gold, Douglas Berry, Gideon Marcus, and Megan E. O'Keefe.

Collaborators in Genre: The Writer Calls On The Scientist

17 Aug 2018, Friday 11:00 - 12:00, 210B

Sci-fi authors commonly take liberty with the reality of how the world actually works. But how does the author get the background knowledge to know what is and isn't possible, and when to play fast and loose with the facts of real (and current) science?

Join an author and a science consultant as they discuss the intersection between real science and science fiction, as well as the working relationship between an author and consulting expert.  

A talk between me and astrobiology educator Nikki Chambers (YES, SHE'S MY MOM, I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THIS).

Autographs

17 Aug 2018, Friday 13:00 - 14:00, Autographing

Come get stuff signed! I mean, books, ideally, but anything that isn't alive or physically attached to you is fine.

Ready, Steady, Flash

17 Aug 2018, Friday 14:00 - 15:00, 210C

4 (four) pro authors. 1 (one) host with prompts. 5 (five) minutes to write like fire. The resultant shenanigans read. An audience votes. 1 (one) winner!

This madness includes me, Lee Harris, Alasdair Stuart, Seanan McGuire, and Daryl Gregory.

Booth signing at Borderlands Books

18 Aug 2018, Saturday 14:30-15:30, Dealer Room L15-L19

The excellent folks at Borderlands are hosting me, and I'll be there, with a pen!