My Anticipation Schedule
Posted on July 29, 2009 Posted by John Scalzi 28 Comments
For those of you heading to Montreal next week for Worldcon, here’s the schedule of what I’m doing there and when.
Thu 14:00 @ P-524B
Hollywood’s Favorite SF Writer
David Weingart, Jason Bourget, Lou Anders, John Scalzi, Lenny Bailes
Forty years ago it might have been Jules Verne or H. G. Wells. Today it’s the late Philip K. Dick who died before the release of “Blade Runner,” based on his “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Since then we’re seen “Minority Report,” “Total Recall,” “Next,” “Screamers,” “Imposter,” “Paycheck” and “A Scanner Darkly.” More are on the way. Why has Hollywood embraced PKD even as they ignore other giants on the bookshelf? Which of the films have been most successful? Most faithful?
Notes: Hey, who doesn’t like Dick? Hmm, that didn’t come out right.
Fri 12:00
John Scalzi Autographing
Notes: This date and time is very likely to change. The reason for this is that they’ve scheduled me for a half hour autographing session and then scheduled me for a panel a half hour later, so either I look like a dick by not sticking around for my entire autographing time in order to get to my panel, or I look like a dick by coming in late to my panel. I noted to the programming people that if I’m going to look like a dick, I prefer it to be because of something I willfully did, not because of scheduling on someone else’s part (translation: I did a diva footstomp about it). Fortunately the programming people are fine people and are working on setting up another signing time, likely Monday at some (early) point. I’ll post when/if I get confirmation. Also, when you get to Anticipation, check the “pink sheets,” which will tell you about late schedule changes and etc.
Fri 12:30 @ P-512AE
Author Reading: Hugo Nominated Non-Fiction
Farah Mendlesohn, Paul Kincaid, John Scalzi
John Scalzi, Paul Kincaid and Farah Mendlesohn read from their nominated works.
Notes: Because, honestly, why should the fiction nominees have all the fun? The folks in the Best Related Book category in fact wrote rockin’ tomes, and if you come out for this, you’ll hear for yourself. I all ready know which bit of Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded I’ll be reading from, and I will read with unreserved glee. You know you want to be there for it.
Fri 20:00 @ P-517D
Singles Meet-and-Greet
Eva Whitley, John Scalzi
A one-evening mini-relaxacon where single con-goers can meet and get acquainted in a no-pressure setting, hosted by Eva Whitely and John Scalzi.
Notes: No, I’m not single (just ask my wife). However, the Worldcon Powers That Be figure I might be a genial host type for you singles out there. Why not come by and find out? Because other singles will be there too. You can tell the kids how you met your future spouse!
Sat 10:00 @ P-512AE
Author Reading
Jon Courtenay Grimwood, John Scalzi, Peter Watts
Notes: This time I’ll be reading fiction. I think I’ll bring something new. And short, since the three of us have an hour slot.
Sat 11:00 @ P-524B
Abby Normal: Comedy and SF
James Zavaglia, Joe Pearce, John Scalzi
The 35th anniversary of the Mel Brooks spoof “Young Frankenstein” is a good excuse to look at movies that treat science-fiction, fantasy and horror not with reverence but for laughs. How difficult is it to balance the genre with the comedy? Movies like “Galaxy Quest” and “The Princess Bride” get it right, while recent spoofs like “Epic Movie” get it horribly wrong. Do you have to love the genre to laugh at it?
Notes: I dunno. I’m not very funny.
Sat 14:00 @ P-521B
John Scalzi Kaffeklatsch
Notes: Get up close and personal with me! John Scalzi! This is one of those things you’ll have to sign up for, so don’t forget to do so. They won’t just let you slide through the door.
Sun 9:00 @ P-512CG
How Not to be a Jerk Online
Catherynne Valente, Kate Nepveu, John Scalzi, Michelle Kendall
Is there an equivalent of Miss Manners for this modern age? How to avoid flamewars and actually learn something.
Notes: There is irony in the fact I’m the moderator of this particular panel. That said, these are really excellent co-panelists, so my plan is to let them do most of the talking.
Sun 11:00 @ P-516D
Michael Jackson’s THRILLER: SF Culture Landmark
Nora K. Jemisin, Stephen H. Segal, John Scalzi
In 1983, Michael Jackson’s THRILLER video gave us lycanthropic romance, zombie dancers, and state-of-the-art special effects — not to mention Vincent Price reciting graveyard poetry. How did this watershed television moment set the stage for the next 25 years worth of SF/pop music/pop culture crossovers, from Jackson’s own subsequent oeuvre through Rob Zombie and beyond?
Notes: They’ve scheduled this for 90 minutes, which I think is a bit optimistic. Also, Melissa Auf der Maur was originally supposed to be on it. I’m very sad she appears not to be on the panel anymore because ZOMG I have such a crush. But I guess 90 minutes of me making cow eyes at her wouldn’t be entertaining for anyone else.
Sun 12:30 @ P-512CG
Is Privacy a Thing of the Past?
Jason Bourget, Steven R. Boyett, John Scalzi
Governments spy on us, we photograph police officers, and our children broadcast their sex lives on the internet. Does privacy matter any more? What is it for?
Notes: While I’m sure this will be an interesting and enlightening panel, I’m mostly just chuffed that I’m going to meet Steven R. Boyett, whose novel Ariel I am a huge fan of. Yes, I’m a fan boy. Sue me.
Sun 17:00 @ P-517D
The New Space Opera 2
Session ID: 1702
Meet the editors and authors of both the first and second The New Space Opera anthologies. Jonathan Strahan, Gardner Dozois and Tom Clegg will attend the entire event and will be available for autographing. Other New Space Opera writers may drop by.
Notes: I’m going to try to swing by this, but I’ll note it’s just a couple of hours before the Hugo ceremony and I may be a big bundle of twitch. In which case I may just stay in my hotel room and shiver. Call it 50/50.
Beyond these scheduled events, I’m likely also to do a stint hanging out at the SFWA table as well as attending some of the various publisher’s parties, and of course I’ll also be wandering about aimlessly throughout the Worldcon. If you see me, please feel free to say hello.
I’ll note updates to this as they come.
I think this is going to be a very cool Worldcon.
When: Thu 14:00
Location: P-524B
Title: Hollywood’s Favorite SF Writer
Session ID: 392
All Participants: David Weingart, Jason Bourget, Lou Anders, John
Scalzi, Lenny Bailes
Moderator: Lou Anders
Description: Forty years ago it might have been Jules Verne or H. G.
Wells. Today it’s the late Philip K. Dick who died before the release
of “Blade Runner,” based on his “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”
Since then we’re seen “Minority Report,” “Total Recall,” “Next,”
“Screamers,” “Imposter,” “Paycheck” and “A Scanner Darkly.” More are
on the way. Why has Hollywood embraced PKD even as they ignore other
giants on the bookshelf? Which of the films have been most
successful? Most faithful?
Duration: 1:30 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Media
AV/Internet request: None
When: Fri 12:00
Location: Other
Title: John Scalzi Signing
Session ID: 1479
All Participants: John Scalzi
Moderator: <Not Available>
Description: John Scalzi Signing
Duration: 0:30 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Autographs
AV/Internet request: None
When: Fri 12:30
Location: P-512AE
Title: Author Reading: Hugo Nominated Non-Fiction
Session ID: 245
All Participants: Farah Mendlesohn, Paul Kincaid, John Scalzi
Moderator: <Not Available>
Description: John Scalzi; Paul Kincaid; Farah Mendlesohn read from
their nominated works.
Duration: 1:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Reading
AV/Internet request: None
When: Fri 20:00
Location: P-517D
Title: Singles Meet-and-Greet
Session ID: 112
All Participants: Eva Whitley, John Scalzi
Moderator: Eva Whitley
Description: A one-evening mini-relaxacon where single con-goers can
meet and get acquainted in a no-pressure setting, hosted by Eva
Whitely and John Scalzi.
Duration: 1:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: The Light Programme
AV/Internet request: None
When: Sat 10:00
Location: P-512AE
Title: Author Reading
Session ID: 818
All Participants: Jon Courtenay Grimwood, John Scalzi, Peter Watts
Moderator: <Not Available>
Description: John Scalzi; Jon Courtenay Grimwood; Peter Watts
Duration: 1:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Reading
AV/Internet request: None
When: Sat 11:00
Location: P-524B
Title: Abby Normal: Comedy and SF
Session ID: 388
All Participants: James Zavaglia, Joe Pearce, John Scalzi
Moderator: James Zavaglia
Description: The 35th anniversary of the Mel Brooks spoof “Young
Frankenstein” is a good excuse to look at movies that treat
science-fiction, fantasy and horror not with reverence but for laughs.
How difficult is it to balance the genre with the comedy? Movies
like “Galaxy Quest” and “The Princess Bride” get it right, while
recent spoofs like “Epic Movie” get it horribly wrong. Do you have to
love the genre to laugh at it?
Duration: 1:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Media
AV/Internet request: None
When: Sat 14:00
Location: P-521B
Title: John Scalzi
Session ID: 1060
All Participants: John Scalzi
Moderator: <Not Available>
Description: A chance to ask one of your favourite authors those
burning questions.
Duration: 1:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Kaffeeklatsch
AV/Internet request: None
When: Sun 9:00
Location: P-512CG
Title: How Not to be a Jerk Online
Session ID: 930
All Participants: Catherynne Valente, Kate Nepveu, John Scalzi,
Michelle Kendall
Moderator: Yourself
Description: Is there an equivalent of Miss Manners for this modern
age? How to avoid flamewars and actually learn something.
Duration: 1:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Human Culture
AV/Internet request: None
When: Sun 11:00
Location: P-516D
Title: Michael Jackson’s THRILLER: SF Culture Landmark
Session ID: 1564
All Participants: Nora K. Jemisin, Stephen H. Segal, John Scalzi
Moderator: Stephen H. Segal
Description: In 1983, Michael Jackson’s THRILLER video gave us
lycanthropic romance, zombie dancers, and state-of-the-art special
effects — not to mention Vincent Price reciting graveyard poetry. How
did this watershed television moment set the stage for the next 25
years worth of SF/pop music/pop culture crossovers, from Jackson’s own
subsequent oeuvre through Rob Zombie and beyond?
Duration: 1:30 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: The Light Programme
AV/Internet request: None
When: Sun 12:30
Location: P-512CG
Title: Is Privacy a Thing of the Past?
Session ID: 931
All Participants: Jason Bourget, Steven R. Boyett, John Scalzi
Moderator: Steven R. Boyett
Description: Governments spy on us, we photograph police officers,
and our children broadcast their sex lives on the internet. Does
privacy matter any more? What is it for?
Duration: 1:30 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Human Culture
AV/Internet request: None
When: Sun 14:00
Location: P-517ABC
Title: Hugo Award Rehearsal
Session ID: 1560
All Participants: Neil Gaiman, Elisabeth Vonarburg, Taral Wayne, Tom
Doherty, Julie E. Czerneda, Alan F. Beck, Aliette de Bodard, Ann
VanderMeer, Beth Meacham, Bill Willingham, Cheryl Morgan, Christopher
J. Garcia, Cory Doctorow, Darlene Marshall, Dave Howell, David Anthony
Durham, David Hartwell, Elizabeth Bear, Ellen Datlow, Emma Hawkes,
Farah Mendlesohn, Gord Sellar, Gordon Van Gelder, Guy H. Lillian III,
Jay Lake, John Helfers, John Kessel, Jonathan Strahan, Karl Schroeder,
Kathryn Cramer, Kevin J. Maroney, Kij Johnson, Lillian Stewart Carl,
Lou Anders, Mary Robinette Kowal, Mike Resnick, Nancy Kress, Neil
Clarke, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Paul Cornell, Paul Kincaid, Rev. Randy
Smith, Sean Wallace, Stephen H. Segal, Yves Meynard, Steve Green,
Steven H Silver, Sue Mason, Tony Pi, Claude Lalumière, Mike Glyer,
John Hertz, John Scalzi, Stanley Schmidt, Charles Stross, John
Picacio, Frank Wu, Sheila Williams, Felix Gilman, Ginjer Buchanan,
LeAmber Kinsley, Paolo Bacigalupi, Pia Guerra, Tobias Buckell
Moderator: <Not Available>
Description: Hugo Award Rehearsal
Duration: 2:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Event
AV/Internet request: None
Notes: Each presenter and nominee should drop by for about 10 minutes
between 2 and 4 Sunday afternoon to see the layout of the stage.
When: Sun 17:00
Location: P-517D
Title: The New Space Opera 2
Session ID: 1702
All Participants: Bill Willingham, Cory Doctorow, James Patrick
Kelly, Jay Lake, John C. Wright, Jonathan Strahan, Mike Resnick,
Robert Charles Wilson, Robert Silverberg, Walter Jon Williams, Tom
Clegg, John Scalzi, Peter Watts, Gardner Dozois
Moderator: <Not Available>
Description: Meet the editors and authors of both the first and
second The New
Space Opera anthologies. Jonathan Strahan, Gardner Dozois and Tom
Clegg will attend the entire event and will be available for
autographing. Other New Space Opera writers may drop by
Duration: 1:00 hrs:min
Language: Bilingual
Track: Event
AV/Internet request: None
Notes: This is an informal event for most people related to The New
Space Opera book. Jonathan Strahan, Gardner Dozois and Tom Clegg
should be there at 5pm, this is a “drop-by” event for the remaining
writers.
When: Sun 18:00
Location: P-710A
Title: Hugo Awards Reception
Session ID: 10
All Participants: Neil Gaiman, Elisabeth Vonarburg, Taral Wayne, Tom
Doherty, Julie E. Czerneda, Alan F. Beck, Aliette de Bodard, Ann
VanderMeer, Beth Meacham, Bill Willingham, Cheryl Morgan, Christopher
J. Garcia, Cory Doctorow, Darlene Marshall, Dave Howell, David Anthony
Durham, David Hartwell, Elizabeth Bear, Ellen Datlow, Emma Hawkes,
Farah Mendlesohn, Gord Sellar, Gordon Van Gelder, Guy H. Lillian III,
Jay Lake, John Helfers, John Kessel, Jonathan Strahan, Karl Schroeder,
Kathryn Cramer, Kevin J. Maroney, Kij Johnson, Lillian Stewart Carl,
Lou Anders, Mary Robinette Kowal, Mike Resnick, Nancy Kress, Neil
Clarke, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Paul Cornell, Paul Kincaid, Rev. Randy
Smith, Sean Wallace, Stephen H. Segal, Yves Meynard, Steve Green,
Steven H Silver, Sue Mason, Tony Pi, Claude Lalumière, Mike Glyer,
John Hertz, John Scalzi, Stanley Schmidt, Charles Stross, John
Picacio, Frank Wu, Sheila Williams, Felix Gilman, Ginjer Buchanan,
LeAmber Kinsley, Paolo Bacigalupi, Pia Guerra, Tobias Buckell
Moderator: <Not Available>
Description: Reception for the Hugo award nominees, presenters and
guests
Duration: 2:00 hrs:min
Language: English
Track: Event
AV/Internet request: None
“Notes: I dunno. I’m not very funny.”
Riiiiight.
More on topic, I hope you have an awesome time at the con. I wish I could go, but haven’t won the darn lottery yet to help fix my bank account.
How Not to be a Jerk Online . . . Notes: There is irony in the fact I’m the moderator of this particular panel.
In fact one of the things I’m planning on is trying to keep it from being just about all the times you’ve been a jerk!
Seriously, though, I’m quite looking forward to it.
“How Not to be a Jerk Online”
The irony is any examples you could cite would probably say, “I know you are, but what am I?”
Wow! They are really working you. I take it that they’ll have you on a Coke Zero drip?
I think Melissa Auf der Maur is still getting over the swine flu, or whatever we’re calling it these days:
http://www.themarknews.com/articles/363-swine-flu-diary
You know Elegy Beach, a sequel to Ariel is coming out in November? Really looking forward to this one.
Yes, I did know that. And I’m psyched for it, and also the re-release of Ariel, which I believe is happening soon.
Oh, cool! I was wondering if you were going. Hopefully I will see you there if I can put things in order. Would you like hugs, kisses or heavy petting when I see you?
Maybe the “How Not To Be A Jerk Online” panel is really an intervention for you. I kid! I kid!
Have fun and good luck!
For the Thriller panel, you can always spend 15 minutes listening to it (not that it hasn’t been getting played everywhere recently).
I’m somewhat disappointed they didn’t schedule my SF Tube Talk. I was hoping to have you do a cameo to talk about Stargate Universe. I’ve ended up with two panels.
In any case, I hope to do more of attending the convention this year. Last year I was at a fan table and was in charge of one party and helped run a second party. (For Discworld and WesterCon). This year my promotional commitments involves putting out flyers for LepreCon 36 and Phoenix ComiCon (for which a certain author will be a guest, although it hasn’t really been announced yet).
Notes: I dunno. I’m not very funny.
False modesty, Mr. Scalzi — someone who can open a novel with what amounts to a sustained fart gag (with a body count, no less) and make it work is a pretty funny fellow. Deal with it. :)
Sounds like a fun time for you and everyone who goes to those panels. I almost never go to them no matter how carefully I plan to, but I’ll try to make at least some of them.
Hey, is that singles thing just, you know, for men-seeking-women and women-seeking-men? I mean, is there going to be structure to it, based on the assumption of opposite-sex attraction? (Nightmare version: “OK, now all the boys stand over here, and all the girls stand over there…“) I’m not objecting if there is, just trying to figure out if I should attend.
Hmm, probably not a lot of structure if you’re calling it a relaxacon. Maybe I’ll go.
Sounds like fun!
You’ve made me want to go far more than the official website did. Next year, they should pay you to write their copy.
Cassie:
Next year it’ll be in Australia, which presents its own set of attractions and challenges.
Xopher:
As far as I’m concerned, anyone currently romantically unattached may attend. The more the merrier.
You are not very funny?? How can you seriously say that after writing the line “Dirk Moeller didn’t know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out.” That is the funniest opening paragraph of a novel ever!
Sigh- sounds like a great time- all y’all just go on and have fun without me. Personally, I vote for reading the Scooby-Doo bit from Hate Mail- it’s always good for drenching the keyboard/page with whatever one happens to be drinking at the moment.
It’s always a bit odd to see Stephen R. Boyett being referred to in such reverential tones, since to me he’ll always be that redhead I flirted with at DragonCon many years ago.
Do send him my regards. I bet it’ll freak him the hell out.
(Just don’t tell him I fucked up and misspelled his name like that. Dammit.)
All these authors whose blogs I follow are talking about the various cons they will be attending, and all the fun to be found there… It’s turning me into a giant glowing ball of HATE, for I am stuck on a mid-Pacific speck of rock with almost no chance of attending a con anytime in the next century.
::glower::
I’m mostly just chuffed that I’m going to meet Steven R. Boyett, whose novel Ariel I am a huge fan of. Yes, I’m a fan boy. Sue me.
OMG OMG OMG somebody else who’s read and loved Ariel!!! Now I feel less intimidated about being on the Michael Jackson panel with you — we can fangirl/fanboy over snarky unicorns! =)
Looking forward to it!
Is it just me, or does that Anticipation logo remind anyone else of Quebec separatists rocketing out of Canada?
Montreal, huh? Be sure to get your hands on a good smoked meat sandwich while you’re there. It’s a regional delicacy, and worth going out to a deli for.
Oh, and poutine. If you haven’t had poutine, you should try some, then submit a report once the defibrillation is complete.
And yeah, what red-blooded straight man who’s seen a latter-day Hole video doesn’t have a crush on Melissa Auf der Maur? I mean, seriously.
I would love to see a Youtube video of your talk about Comedy & SF if anybody posts it. I agree, I think you must love your topic in order to be able to spoof it effectively. I cite as an example “Hot Fuzz.” a buddy-cop action movie made by people who have watched every single buddy-cop action flick ever made and *loved* every one of them.
Epic Movie has nothing but contempt going for it, which makes for unfunny.
Any chance you could start a Pimp Your Panel thread? I’m sure I’m not the only Whateverite that also has panels (and frankly, I need as much help as possible getting people to one of them :)
I don’t want to threadjack this one unless you say it’s ok :)
Thanks!
regina
(legotech)
Aww man, I was so looking forward to not having to wait in line to have you sign, and instead just lean to my left and say, “hey, sign this, okay?”
And I was even practicing my Scalzi-signature, so I could help with the hordes of your fans (I figure I’ll have plenty of time after all).
Oh well. I’ll catch you Monday after my morning stroll.
Wait, Chang is going? Is Chang-Who-Is-Not-Chang also going to be making an appearance?
(Stilled bummed that I can’t go. Rats, crap, hell, dang….)