Guestblogging at Fiction That Defies Boundaries.

Today I am guestblogging for Michelle Lauren's Fiction That Defies Boundaries Blog. I wrote about some plot-generating worldbuilding techniques I'm using for my novel-in-progress, tentatively titled The Duke and The Pirate Queen.

Hope to see you there!

I'm at Readercon in Burlington, Massachusetts. My program schedule is:

Friday 6:00 PM, VT: Reading (30 min.)

Reading from Moonlight Mistress, forthcoming in December from Spice.

Friday 7:00 PM, ME/ CT: Talk / Discussion (60 min.)

Excellent Foppery: The Use of History in the Fantastic. Graham Sleight with discussion by John Clute, John Crowley, Greer Gilman, Victoria Janssen, Robert Killheffer

Following on from his talk at last year's Readercon (a potted history of the last twenty years in speculative fiction), Sleight now discusses the use of history in the fantastic - from John Crowley's AEgypt sequence to Tim Powers's fantasies of history. Other works discussed include Road Runner cartoons, Harry Potter, slash fiction, and the stories of Elizabeth Hand, Russell T. Davies, and Thomas Pynchon. Overarching theories may be suggested; gratuitous mentions of Shakespeare may also take place.

Friday 8:00 PM, Salon E: Panel

How Do We Choose What We Read? Michael Bishop, Michael Dirda, Victoria
Janssen, Rosemary Kirstein (L), Chuck Rothman, Rick Wilber

Those of us with broad tastes in literature are constantly choosing among many different types of story. What determines these choices? Do our story preferences vary with psychological state? What's behind the phenomena of concentrating on one subgenre or even one author, or acquiring a transient aversion to same?

Saturday 2:00 PM, RI: Workshop (120 minutes), Where Do You Get Your Ideas? Improv for Writers

Ellen Klages with participation by Nick Antosca, Inanna Arthen, Jeffrey A. Carver, Craig Shaw Gardner, Victoria Janssen, Vylar Kaftan, Shira Lipkin, Jennifer Pelland, Chuck Rothman

Remember when writing was fun? If you're stuck, out of ideas, or if your Editor/Critic keeps shutting down your muse-get out of your head and into this class. We're going to improvise, play with our imaginations, and rediscover our creativity. We'll explore characters, settings, plot twists, and dialogue, all using simple theater games. What bubbles up will be the basis for a few short writing exercises. Wear comfortable clothing, and come prepared to laugh. (2 hrs)

Sunday 11:00 AM, Vineyard: Kaffeeklatsch

Drink tea or coffee and chat with me!