CONvergence 2010

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In July I’ll be attending CONvergence 2010 in Minneapolis, MN. This four-day connvention is jam packed with seminars and panels – 8 9 (I don’t know how to count and I’ve been added to two  more) of which I’ll actually be on.  This is exciting and terrifying for a number of reasons, first and foremost – my crushing stage fright. I’d said last year that I’d be on a few panels with Rob Callahan, and then chickened out at the last minute. He’s far more skilled at public speaking than I’ll ever be, plus I wanted to get a feel for the convention. After spending my days hitting panels and mingling with the incredibly cool people, I thought I’d take the plunge this year.

Talk about jumping into the middle of the ocean with naught but a rubber tire and a bottle of water!

I originally signed up for eleven panels, and as of RIGHT NOW, I’m on  8 9 of them. These things could change with the drop of a hat (I see a panel I *was* on and am no longer) , so I’m keeping a close eye on things. Another reason I’m a little excited is that I’m on a panel with one of the Guests of Honor – LA Banks, she of the Vampire Huntress Legends. This panel, Genre Fiction by Women and Minorities sounds very interesting.  I often see lots of blog posts on POC in genre fiction and the writers whole encounter difficulties in getting those pieces published, or readers that take strong stance one one side or another.  As my characters aren’t assigned race, nor do I necessarily tout my gender as a selling point, I’m curious to see how others writers relate, create and then get published. It will probably be packed (for the Guest of Honor alone) and we’ll probably let her speak for most of it.

My schedule is something like this:

Thursday, July 1

Panel: Audio Books
Venue: Bloomington
Time: 3:30PM to 4:30PM
About: When listening to a book is a good substitue for reading it. The best audio books you’ve taken on a road trip with you.
Speaker/Artist(s): Taylor Kent, MontiLee Stormer, John Debnam
Tags: Literature

Panel: Psychology of Criminals
Venue: Atrium 4
Time: 8:30PM to 9:30PM
About: Many SF/Fantasy villains are portrayed as just plain evil, but in reality there is a deeper psychology behind criminal behavior that is not explored outside crime novels. Is criminal psychology ever effectively explored in genre characters?
Speaker/Artist(s): Christoforo Pasquarette, MontiLee Stormer, Jeannie Holmes, Sherry L.M. Merriam, Dana Baird
Tags: Hot Dish

Friday, July 2
Panel: Genre Films Outside of the US
Venue: Plaza 1
Time: 5:00PM to 6:00PM
About: “City of Lost Children, Pan’s Labyrinth, Let the Right one In, The Host” and other films that address genre topics with subtitles. Foreign films that you should be watching.
Speaker/Artist(s): Jen Manna, Paul Harmeyer, M. K. Melin, MontiLee Stormer, C. Robert Cargill
Tags: Movies

Saturday, July 3

Panel: You Got Monsters In My Jane Austen *ADDED*
Venue: Bloomington
Time: 12:30PM to 1:30PM
About: The new genre of inserting monsters into public domain works. Is it a passing fad or is it here to stay? Is any of it any good?
Speaker/Artist(s): MontiLee Stormer, Catherine Lundoff, Jody Wurl
Tags: Literature

Panel: Evolution of Common Themes
Venue: Bloomington
Time: 2:00PM to 3:00PM
About: How do you reinvent something that has been done to death in a way that is interesting without seeming forced? Vampires, werewolves, androids, zombies and sentient computers that want to rule the world.
Speaker/Artist(s): S.D. Hintz, Matthew Davis, Kelly McCullough, MontiLee Stormer
Tags: Literature

Actvity: Esoteric Faith Systems *ADDED*
Venue: Vista Suite
Time: 3:30PM to 4:30PM
About: Using unconventional faith systems as a basis for spirituality in your writing.
Speaker/Artist(s): John Shea, MontiLee Stormer, Veronica Cummer
Tags: Lit Lounge

Sunday, July 4

Panel: Genre Fiction by Women and Minorities
Venue: Bloomington
Time: 11:00AM to 12:00PM
About: Personal experiences from those working in the field. Hopefully you will leave with some new ideas for authors to discover.
Speaker/Artist(s): L.A. Banks, MontiLee Stormer, Sandra Lindow, Catherine Lundoff, Dana Baird
Tags: Literature

Panel:Death of the Magazine
Venue: Cabana 118
Time: 12:30PM to 1:30PM
About: The internet age is killing the media we love. Can we save it? Can we move it online? What happens to the writers when these publications go away? The bathwater is gone, can we still save the baby?
Speaker/Artist(s): R. Scott McCoy, Michael D. Thomas, Joshua Lynsen, Michael Merriam, MontiLee Stormer
Tags: Krushenko’s

Panel: eBook Readers Overview
Venue: Atrium 7
Time: 2:00PM to 3:00PM
About: Explore and evaluate the Kindle, the Nook, Netbooks, and other eBook readers..
Speaker/Artist(s): Jay Curry, John Debnam, Kathy Sullivan, Greg Riedesel, MontiLee Stormer
Tags: Science & Technology

Full schedule can be found here.

Should you see me wandering around on the floor with a shell-shocked look on my face, just point me into the direction of the next panel.  Someone will be along to take care of me

(apologies if you’re not linked above or it’s the wrong link.  I’m afraid I don’t know most of the names and I went with the best possible choice, when available.)