Schedule

The Gothsicles roll in from Boston bringing an energetic performance of 20 years’ worth of industrial music and video with a comic flair about everything from the videogame Contra to the world’s most amazing animals. As COMA Music Magazine said, “The Gothsicles are one of the forerunners in industrial music for the nerdy masses.”

Make and take! Materials will be provided to make fun takeaways like badge ribbons, geeky holiday ornaments, and fantasy eye masks.

Get books signed by Steven H Silver

Get your books signed by Patricia A. Jackson

Celebrated steampunk band Victor Sierra will be regaling us from Paris, France, with songs of the airship Hydrogen Queen and the adventures of its crew. The band invites you to go beyond the horizon line, to go for the strange, to be stirred in unison, and to live unpredictable experiences!

Bring your artistic talent (or lack thereof!) and join the fun guessing fannish phrases, titles, or characters, based on drawings by you or your fellow fans.

Please note: Virtual streaming of this session will be audience-only. Participation through drawing and guessing will be limited to on-site attendees due to technical constraints.

Fanzines have been a vital part of science fiction and fantasy from the beginning of modern genre fiction in the 1930s. They provide a record of friends, feuds, fashion, and fascinations. Periodically their demise is predicted, but they are still going strong, drawing in new participants and evolving along with fandom. This is a chance to talk to current and previous Hugo nominees about why they produce fanzines.

Come join us for freeform gaming!

Online, visit the gaming channels on Discord.   

Onsite, visit the gaming room, which is the Blue Room Prefunction space on level one. Stop by for a pickup game, or to see the schedule of games people are looking to run.

Want to run a game?  Fill out our online form to share the details for both onsite and online games. Or simply leave a note in person on the message board in the gaming room.

Dungeons & Dragons is the 800-pound gorilla, but what are some other cool role-playing games? Panelists discuss their favorite RPGs, what sets them apart, and what is needed to play them.

Welcome to the convention.  We will present the First Fandom and Big Heart awards, as well as remarks from the Chair.

Reading with author/artist Hildy Silverman and Jennifer R. Povey

Welcome to Camp DisCon! Let’s gather ’round the “campfire” and sing! You know the tunes; we supply the music (your Head Counselor Filthy Pierre at the keyboard), and the words (on the big screen). We’ll sing the glories of the Outer Space Marines and Frodo Baggins; the miseries of slow elevators and bad hotel food; and of Star Trek doings we’ll never see in prime time. “S’mores,” anyone?

Get books signed by Chris Panatier

Get books signed by Jonathan Pace Brazee

An artificial intelligence does not necessarily have to think like a human being. How do current AIs approach questions of cognition and meaningful analysis? What are other ways that an intelligent AI might perceive and understand the world?

Come to hear regional fans discuss their favorite Washington, DC, landmarks and destinations, including the lesser-known places you might otherwise miss.

Come join us in honoring local creators here at Worldcon. Bring your autographs books because we’re bringing them all together in one location for you to meet.

Sassafrass is a singing group led by science fiction author and Pegasus-nominated composer Ada Palmer. They perform original a cappella music with fantasy, mythology and science fiction themes. Noted for their close harmonies and their intricate narrative lyrics, Sassafrass unveiled their Norse song cycle Sundown: Whispers of Ragnarok at Balticon in 2013.

What does the future hold for carnivorous foodways as factory farming becomes less and less sustainable and more socially unpopular? Is the future cloned meat, vat steaks, cricket burgers, or fungus-based “chicken?” Are we growing past the need to refer to products as meat substitutes? Can we trust the companies which produce them? What are the ethical implications?

Join Maurizio Manzieri in a journey through galaxies and faraway worlds. The Hugo-nominated artist will guide us through his fantastic portfolio, talking about recent illustrations and the magic surrounding his multi award-winning career.

Online small group conversation with CL Polk.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

This is the first of two meetings at DisCon III of the only permanent body of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), the Mark Protection Committee (MPC). As its name suggests, the MPC manages the intellectual property for WSFS, including the registered marks for “Worldcon,” “Hugo Award,” and “NASFiC.” Wednesday’s meeting will finalize its report to WSFS for 2021. The MPC meets again on Sunday after the adjournment of the WSFS business meeting and will choose its officers for 2021-22. 

Reading – Keith DeCandido

Description: Museums aren’t just historical repositories. They play an essential role in shaping how we see the future. To celebrate the Smithsonian’s 175th anniversary, Arizona State University led an effort to imagine possible futures for the national museums and the communities they serve. Join artist Brian Miller, Elizabeth Merritt of the Center for the Future of Museums, and Ruth Wylie of the Center for Science and the Imagination to discuss the project and explore how museums can ignite civic imagination.

What the heck is all of this? What’s going on? What can I do? What should I do? Who is everyone? If you’ve never been to Worldcon before, this panel is for you.

Some movie franchises and TV series were great when they started but lost their way long before their final installments. What are or were some of the worst examples of this phenomenon, and what caused these once-great properties to go off the rails?

Join us for a discussion of the books, TV shows, movies, comics, and computer games that have become classics and ask why they have stayed with us. Panelists will discuss everything from the content through to the context, the contemporary market, and the modern memory.

The World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) is the body of fans who choose the recipients of the Hugo Awards and the locations for future Worldcons and NASFiCs. By attending DisCon III, you are a WSFS member, and can participate in the annual business meeting which takes place in sessions throughout the convention. But the meeting can be hard to follow if you don’t know the topics of discussion. Panelists will review the business passed on from last year’s con and the new proposals to be discussed.

The vast majority of the world’s population uses some kind of prosthetic or assistive device, from glasses, to mobility aids, to those jar-opening doohickies. How should they change our conceptions of disability and what using a prosthetic device really means?  What bleeding-edge assistive technologies are out there right now that may seem like science fiction? Do engineers overthink it, and are some technologies impositions. And when is simpler, better?

An author reading by DisCon III Guest of Honor Nancy Kress.

In Hollywood, “breaking a story” means listing each scene in a story and arranging them in order for maximum dramatic effect. This panel will discuss how to apply this technique to novels and other narratives.

Amy McNally is that chick in a skirt and no shoes who sits on the floor with a violin and a stash of Pixy Stix. Yeah, that one, with the hair. She’s been hanging around jam circles like that for 20 years and playing fiddle for over 30 years now. Playing with multiple bands, singing with Lady Mondegreen, performing guerrilla accompaniment, and on recordings with assorted musicians and rogues, she does folk, Celtic, and historical music too, but considers herself a filker first.

Ben Newman is a singer-songwriter and filker who writes songs on a wide variety of topics: science fiction and fantasy, religion (several), science and computers, and many more. He writes original melodies and borrows tunes from other songwriters, soundtracks, and media such as movies and video games.

Ever wonder why your costumes don’t look as sharp as the ones on the front of the pattern? Our panel will discuss how to select the right fabric, why interfacing exists, the importance of ironing, and indispensable finishing techniques.

Grab your knitting needles, embroidery thread, or any other supplies you have. Let’s make some art together.

Online small group conversation with Beverly Bambury.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

Kaffeeklatsch with Heather Rose Jones.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

A small-group discussion with DisCon III Guest of Honor Sheree Renée Thomas. Advance sign-up required.

DisCon III presents the almost complete 2010 restoration of the classic science fiction film Metropolis with an original rescore by musical artist Ryako. A Q&A session with Ryako will follow the screening.

New con-goers are invited to hang out with published writers, critics, and convention veterans. A great way to make new friends and get the vibe of the con! We’ll break into groups of 4-5 people, each with a mix of newer and more experienced folks. Sips With the Stars events are planned on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings at 7–8 p.m. in the private dining room of the hotel restaurant. Bring your own drinks!

Crude conceptions of disabled people abound in shallowly-written historical fantasy and popular imagination, but how was disability actually treated in historical cultures around the world? Our panel of archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and other experts sheds a modern, well-researched light on this oft-stereotyped area.

An author reading by DisCon III Guest of Honor Sheree Renée Thomas and friends Andrea Hairston and Pan Morigan.

Twenty years ago, a new age of internet magazines started rising alongside the print favorites. Now there are so many different ways to broadcast, produce, and consume short fiction. How are magazines changing to reflect that? We’ll look at how everything has changed over time, from what stories are popular to delivery methods to submissions rules and processes, and speculate about what may be coming next.

Online small group conversation with Nicole Glover.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

Small group discussion with Hugo-nominated artist Maurizio Manzieri. Advance sign-up recommended.

Small group conversation with Audiobook narrator Natalie Naudus

Calling all ukulele players! It’s time for a jam session. Come make music with other uke enthusiasts.

Making music all night long. Unicorns, space flight, cons, cats—the topic could be anything and could change at any time. All styles of music welcome. Singers, instrumentalists, and listeners all welcome.

What is a pick-pass-perform song circle? Everyone in the room gets the chance to perform a number, pick a song by asking for a specific song, asking a specific person to perform, or picking a song topic, or pass their turn. All forms of music welcome.

Making music all night long. Unicorns, space flight, cons, cats the topic could be anything and could change at any time. All styles of music welcome. Singers, instrumentalists, and listeners all welcome.

A fully inclusive, gentle yoga class for people of all abilities. Practicing in a chair or on a mat with some optional standing poses, participants will move, stretch, rejuvenate and relax through a series of gentle yoga movements, breathing exercises, and meditation. This class will offer different variations and options, encouraging participants to explore at their own pace and expand their yoga experience within a welcoming and inclusive community. Companions and support people are welcome.

Meet up with facilitator Debra Nickelson at 9 a.m. in the lobby of the hotel for the now-traditional morning stroll.

The WSFS Business Meeting is open to all Worldcon members. This is where rules regarding Hugo Awards, site selection of future Worldcons, and related matters are voted upon. The preliminary meeting considers resolutions (including extensions of Hugo Award eligibility), and sets the agenda and debate time limits for the other meetings. This meeting can kill newly submitted business, but not proposals pending ratification from past years. Arrive early for handouts and orientation.

CRISPR, the gene-editing tool, has made much greater precision potentially possible in editing the genes of bacteria, viruses, crops, animals, and humans. How far can an organism’s genome be changed? What are the possibilities, ethics, and outcomes of tinkering with genomes, including our own?

Come talk with us about how the Worldcon is going and how we can improve.

Come join us for freeform gaming!

Online, visit the gaming channels on Discord.   

Onsite, visit the gaming room, which is the Blue Room Prefunction space on level one. Stop by for a pickup game, or to see the schedule of games people are looking to run.

Want to run a game?  Fill out our online form to share the details for both onsite and online games. Or simply leave a note in person on the message board in the gaming room.

A few years ago, NASA published an amazing series of exoplanet travel posters jointly developed by artists, designers, and scientists. The project exemplified art-centered outreach efforts by NASA and other space agencies. Panelists will discuss these efforts and how they are being used to promote understanding and generate interest in space exploration.

Online small group conversation with Hannah Onoguwe.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

Kaffeeklatsch with AJ Odasso.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Small group conversation with editor Neil Clarke. Advance sign-up recommended.

Small group discussion with author Seanan McGuire. Advance sign up recommended

From the gaslit streets of Victorian London emerges a shadowy figure…Mrs. Hawking, a lady vigilante who stands for the downtrodden women of society. Join co-writers Phoebe Roberts & Bernie Gabin and members of the cast as they shed light into the world of Mrs Hawking from the series’s inception onstage to the innovative new “Zoom plus” productions.

 Then, be sure to catch the performances of Mrs Hawking: Fallen Women and Gentlemen Never Tell, both of which are streaming during the con.

Virtual cons have been contemplated for a while, but 2020 forced many of us to get serious about them for the first time. In the process, organizers were presented with a lot of new organizational and technical challenges. The panelists will explore the different challenges, organizational structures, and opportunities presented by a virtual con versus an in-person event.

The 1918 flu pandemic had huge impacts on culture over the subsequent decades, including significant changes to architecture and personal fashion. What kinds of long-term changes to our public aesthetic will we see in reaction to COVID-19? Will restaurants and other public spaces need to change their room layouts and building designs? Will branded, designer facemasks become de rigueur symbols of conspicuous consumption?

Reading with Tom Doyle

Get books signed by Meg Elison

Get books signed by Wesley Chu

This panel will discuss the Nommo Award and other awards and contests that create visibility for speculative fiction writers on the African continent.

This panel will discuss the differences between fictional artificial intelligence and the real thing. How are the real dangers of AI different from the ones envisioned in fiction and popular media?

Many readers love real science, or just the appearance of real science, in their science fiction. It is no small challenge to create compelling literature that also triggers a scientific sense of wonder. Panelists discuss how to do it right.

The reluctant hero is a solid staple of fiction and comic books. Panelists discuss how to write the heroes who never wanted to be, what motivates them, how to maintain their reluctance throughout a whole series, and how to make them relatable to readers.

Gary Ehrlich is a singer songwriter from the DC area. A structural engineer by profession, he often works architectural themes into his songs, be it designing whimsical hotels or dreaming of future cities.

Let’s visit horror traditions from all over the world, providing creatures such as manananggal, vampire pumpkins, and Wurdulac. What frightens us? What do our fears tell us about the way societies work? How do different traditions write fear?

Online small group conversation with Gautam Bhatia.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

Kaffeeklatsch with Aliza Greenblatt.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Small group discussion with editor Ellen Datlow. Advance sign-up recommended.

Small group conversation with author Naomi Kritzer.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Small group conversation with Sumiko Saulson.

Gain confidence in sewing for everyday wear and cosplay! Learn how to adjust a flat pattern to fit before cutting your fabric. This workshop will cover fitting patterns from the hips and up. We will cover full bust adjustment, narrow and wide shoulders, protruding abdomen, dowager hump, large biceps, and many more fitting issues. If time allows, we will also discuss how to spot fitting issues in a sewn garment. A supply fee of $15 will include a workbook and enough worksheets to make a sample of each pattern adjustment. Students will go home with a completed workbook of samples.

Reading with Andrea Stewart

Readings with  Martha Wells and Matthew S. Rotundo

Really Weird Science: An introduction to Real Quantum Computing

Kevin Roche, Advisory Engineer-Scientist, Quantum Ambassador, Qiskit Advocate, IBM Research Almaden

The hype around Quantum Computing makes it hard to tell what is real and what is marketing. Kevin will try to dispel those clouds of uncertainty, starting with an introduction to the weird science that enables this new technology, and demonstrating how you can try out real quantum computers yourself (for free!) on the IBM Quantum Labs website. This presentation is intended for an interested audience with any level of technical background (no fancy mathematics required!)

Get books signed by Carrie Vaughn

Get books signed by Lawrence M. Schoen

Get books signed by T.C. Weber

The Scientific Core of African Sci-fi, African lore and religion in Science & Magic systems & world building. One of the core features of African SFF writing is the continuity of traditional and spiritual belief—and their validity as effective technologies and sciences.

Middle Grade sf, fantasy and horror works with the hopes and fears of the young; it explores moral and ethical dilemmas. Some of these are interpersonal issues, but many are about the way the we treat the world around us, and how it treats us. Our panellists will discuss the most challenging YA fiction in our field and how it responds to the concerns of younger readers.

There are more audio books on the market every year. This panel will tackle questions such as how much they cost to produce, how to market them, what makes science fiction and fantasy audiobooks good, how to choose the right voice, and what can the reader get from an audio book that they might not get from reading the page?

Wrangling volunteers, publishing fanzines, beta reading, negotiating hotel contracts… Plenty of fannish skills can be converted to real-world professions. How can you translate fannish experiences into a career?

Bespoke shoemaker SunnyJim Morgan takes you on a tour of what’s on your feet. Ever wondered what makes an Oxford different from a derby? How high heels are made? Are elves involved? We’ll cover that, as well as some history of shoes and shoemaking, the parts of a shoe, methods of construction, materials used, and a few of the places you can go to learn more.

Lawrence Dean first encountered filk at the Brighton Worldcon in 1979. He wrote his first sci-fi song, “The Ballad of Arthur Dent,” in 1980 and is active in UK filk. Lawrence has written over 135 songs, nearly half of which are filk or filk-related. The rest are a mix of folk, country, and contemporary. His music has been performed and recorded by professional folksingers and fellow filkers across America, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Lawrence is the winner of the 2021 Pegasus Awards for Best Filk Song and Best Writer/Composer.

This is a pair of 30-minute concerts by Lynn Gold and Roberta Rogow. Roberta is from North Jersey. Lynn is a “naturalized” Californian. This will be a battle of the North vs. the South—of New Jersey! Watch two women correct each others’ pronunciations while making you laugh and think.

This guided walking event will take participants on a tour of DisCon III’s main panel areas, Dealers Room, Art Show, freebie/flyer tables, exhibits, social spaces, party boards, and so much more!

In honor of his recent passing, our panelists explore the continuing influence of Charles Saunders’ inversion of sword and sorcery — “sword and soul” — on current writers and publishers such as P. Djeli Clark, Nalo Hopkinson, Troy Wiggins, and Sheree Renée Thomas. Learn how FIYAH Magazine and others are continuing Saunders’ work of encouraging Black speculative fiction writing collectives. Hear about the efforts to turn the Imaro books into a TV series.

After the fight, what shape is your hero in? Can they realistically carry on hero-ing in the next scene, or will they need a recovery scene before jumping back into the fray? What are some good ways to plausibly introduce complications into the healing and medical processes established in your setting to make the hero’s recovery more interesting?

Kaffeeklatsch with J.T. Greathouse

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Kaffeeklatsch with author Jenn Lyons. Advance sign-up recommended.

Kaffeeklatsch with Scott Edelman.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Small group discussion with Wesley Chu. Advance sign-up recommended.

Complex logistics are required to respond to mundane natural disasters. How could we handle a natural disaster occurring on another planet or in space? What additional political and diplomatic complications arise when working on an interplanetary scale?

How are the productivity gains depicted in science fiction distributed? Why do so many stories feature an oligarchical ruling class? Does the expression of class differ across times, cultures, and nations? How do science fiction and fantasy writers discuss the intersection of class and other modes of oppression and discrimination? 

Readings with Chris Panatier and A.C. Wise

Low-Cost Space Launch via SSTO, Pat Bahn

TGV Rockets created a conceptual design for a small single stage to orbit (SSTO) reusable launch vehicle (RLV) that utilized our eutectic fuel blend and an altitude compensating nozzle.

Get books signed by A.T. Greenblatt

Get books signed by Ellen Datlow

Get books signed by Jennifer R. Povey

Get books signed by Guest of Honor Nancy Kress

Nancy Kress won the Hugo and the Nebula in 1991 with Beggars in Spain. She won the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 2013 for After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, and again in 2015 for Yesterday’s Kin. She is a prolific short story writer and novelist. Her most recent book is Sea Change (2020). Come discuss with our panelists the work of DisCon III’s Author Guest of Honor Nancy Kress.

Is it best to publish under the name in your wallet? Should you have different names for every genre, or put all your work under a single name so your fans can find you? Is it disingenuous to use a pen name to imply an identity that’s not your own, or is this just creative expression? Under what circumstances does using a pen name cross a line? Panelists explore these questions, and the degree to which authors “become” their pen names.

It’s 2021, do you still need an agent? Typically, yes! Agents are very useful, not only in securing a traditional book deal, but also in handling contract disputes, foreign rights, and helping you land that elusive movie or TV option. Panelists will discuss when and why agents are useful, and how to determine if your agent is doing the best job for you.

What makes a good short story? How do you know it’s ready? Where should you send it and how should you respond to comments? This is your chance to ask burning questions to a panel of respected short fiction editors.

Time for some nerdcore rap! Ardamus is a DC local who summarizes the scope of his work as “music.money.sex.drugs.politics.spirits.comedy” but who can get real with deeply personal topics as well.

Have you ever wanted to hear a Disney princess singing about the things you love–board games, ninjas, and krakens? Rhiannon’s Lark is happy to make your wish come true. This geek-goddess-girl tackles everything from T. Rex to moral dilemmas with insightful lyrics, gorgeous vocals, and gentle humor.

What happens when you combine stuffed animal body parts with kids’ imaginations? We provide the stuffies and assistance with needle and thread, you bring the big ideas. 

Online small group conversation with Mary Soon Lee.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

From The Languages of Pao to Embassytown, authors from all eras have explored the limits of humankind’s greatest invention: language. In this panel, linguists and language experts discuss what works and what doesn’t, and how to walk the line between science and science fiction with respect to language.

What makes a good speculative fiction book or magazine cover? How can you give good art direction to help the artist succeed? How do we feel about eye-catching covers that show scenes that aren’t actually in the book? Our artists and publishers cover the subject in as much detail as 50 minutes will allow!

Learn about The Heinlein Society, which honors the written work and lives of Robert and Virginia Heinlein.

Poets of all experience levels are welcome to share their work at DisCon III’s open mic! 

Readings with Daryl Gregory and Su J. Sokol

Robert’s Rules of Order is a set of strict rules for running meetings used by governmental bodies and many fan groups. They can also present a significant entry barrier for many, including people with disabilities, non-native English speakers, and people with nontraditional educational backgrounds. How can we work within the framework of Robert’s Rules to ensure accessibility to everyone who wants to participate?

Get books signed by Scott Edelman

Get books signed by Alex Shvartsman

Get books signed by Mary Robinette Kowal

Being a Chosen One isn’t always happily-ever-after. The season-by-season model of television, and the multi volume novel,  allows viewers to explore the arc of the chosen one-type hero after the initial hero’s journey is complete. What are some of the emotional impacts and plot implications of the Chosen One’s story? What kind of generational trauma can being, or being near, the Chosen One inflict?

In the colonies of the future, who will be responsible for planning what the city looks like and how it develops? Is this a job for engineers, for the civil service, or someone else? What factors should be considered?

Storyboard artist and fantasy writer Tenaya Anue walks workshop participants through the nuts and bolts of creating the characters, storylines, and images for webcomics. Appropriate for attendees of all ages and skill levels.

Food can be a vital element to help readers better understand the world of a speculative fiction story. How does technology in your story define the food culture (or is it the other way around)? What does the food say about trade and commerce, and how does it reflect class structure?

Join the Art Show staff for a group stroll through the Art Show to view and discuss the works on display.

What makes a good novel? How do you know it’s ready? Where should you send it and how should you respond to comments? This is your chance to ask burning questions to a panel of respected agents and editors.

DisCon III Special Guest Sheree Renée Thomas and other panelists discuss Black speculative poetry and read from their own work.

We all know what cities look like. How do you take that foundation and turn it into a setting for your urban fantasy story? This panel will offer tips and suggestions to get you started.

Just a blink ago, Bill and Brenda Sutton were a wild, romantic, crazy, young singing duo. Now they’re a grizzled curmudgeon and a silver-haired granny, still belting out songs. Their sets are always lively and filled with the unexpected.

A chance to talk with Ben Yalow about his long career in con-running. Ben has been involved in SF fandom for about 45 years, attended more than 800 cons, and worked on about a third of them. His first con was Lunacon 14 in 1971. He has been a member of numerous Worldcon bids and has worked on many of them staring in the mid-1970s. He coined the phrase “wimpy zone.” One of his apothegms: “Running a Worldcon is impossible. Running a NASFiC is harder.”

DisCon III is delighted to host a conversation between Author Guest of Honor Nancy Kress, Bob Silverberg, and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro. This conversation is prerecorded for broadcast at the convention, and is introduced by DisCon III Chair Mary Robinette Kowal.

Reading with authors Meg Elison and Usman T. Malik

Presented with all of SFF to review, how does a reviewer determine their beat? Should they read widely, and address work as a knowledgeable generalist, or read deeply within their specialty, and bring that specialty to bear? Reviewers will discuss their practices of how they choose what to review or not to review, their path to their current specialty, if any, and their intentions for future work.

Get books signed by Alan Smale

Get books signed by Jo Walton

Get books signed by Sumiko Saulson

Speculative media content is increasingly offered through subscription services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and CBS All Access. Do your subscriptions reflect your identity as a consumer and fan? What does it say if you subscribe to Britbox and Shudder versus Prime and Disney+?

Program participation surveys vary in form and interest, but they all have one thing in common: they want to know what makes you interesting and what you can offer. All program teams can tell similar stories: “you know me, just assign me to something,” topics so popular they could run nonstop for 35 hours with a different team every hour, “I know nothing about this but I love talking about it so I’m ideal.” Come to this panel to learn what program teams really want to know about you.

Understanding and preserving the past can be a challenge. How have new technologies, including developments in remote sensing and physical preservation, allowed us to study the past in a less destructive manner? Where do digital archives fit in? What about preserving digital media as artifacts?

How can you, as a writer, effectively build a spacefaring civilization into your work? What parts of space empires can be directly extrapolated from world history, and what elements will you need that are unique to interstellar commerce, diplomacy, warfare, and lifestyles?

This public reception provides a chance for members to meet the Hugo Award finalists and honor the winners from ConZealand.

The Nommo Award, presented by The African Speculative Fiction Society, recognizes works of speculative fiction by Africans, defined as “sf, fantasy, stories of magic and traditional belief, alternative histories, horror and strange stuff that might not fit in anywhere else.” Awards are given in categories for novel, novella, short story, and graphic novel. Four winners will discuss their work and read excerpts in prerecorded presentations. The master of ceremonies is Sheree Renée Thomas.

When video gamers create a character, we often want it to resemble us in gender, body type, age, and ability. However, the options in character generation are often limited by design choices that can be influenced by prejudice, assumption, or lack of anticipation of need. What companies are doing a good job? What could be done better?

Dr. Mary Crowell is a chanteuse who teaches piano and composition for a living. She loves RPGs, and sings about gaming, love, lust, and whatever else strikes her. She’s been known to go from sultry to silly in the blink of an eye.

Story, characters, and plot are important, but what often defines a book is the feel of the prose. It can turn a merely adequate story into a raging success… or an excellent story into something barely tolerable. The voice as heard by the reader is critically important. So, what defines voice? From stylistic choices like dialect and punctuation to narrative choices like POV, this panel will discuss how to find the authorial voice that best fits you.

Three academic talks:

Gillian Polack: Jewish Cultural Representation in Novik’s Spinning Silver. 

Foodways are integral to interpreting the use of food. How Jewish characters and culture are depicted in Spinning Silver through foodways demonstrates how Novik depicts cultures and religious values in the novel. Viewing foodways in the context of the culture of Jewish Lithuania in illuminates Novik’s invented Litvas.

Alison Baker: Folklore in Three British Children’s Fantasy Books.

In this paper I will be discussing the use made of three characters from folklore (the Black Dog, the Headless Horseman and the Brownie or Hob) in Briggs’ Hobberdy Dick, Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and  Pratchett’s The Wee Free Men. I will outline the use the authors make of folklore to underpin or under cut the sense of Britishness and social class.

Eugen Bacon: African Creation Mythologies.

Aligned with cultural influences on international genre works, this paper will gaze at creation mythologies in the African continent. It showcases the rich belief systems that carry across Africa and the diaspora, and that might inform current and future black speculative fiction. 

Online small group conversation with Phoebe Barton.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

Small group discussion with author Fonda Lee. Advance sign-up recommended.

Kaffeeklatsch with Jason Sanford.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Small group conversation with author Leslye Penelope.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Readings with John Scalzi and Carrie Vaughn

Climate Change Science, Mitigation, & Adaptation — Ted Weber

This presentation will describe the physics behind the greenhouse effect and how it is increasing temperatures and changing the climate. Then I’ll discuss methods to reduce future warming and damage, and how to adapt to warming that’s already occurring. Mitigation strategies include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, pulling them out of the atmosphere, and reflecting excess heat into space. Adaptation strategies include resistance, resilience, and transformation.

Feeding the sparrowhawk while the sky breathes fire — Claire McCague

In 2020, fossil-fuel CO2 emissions temporarily dropped by 5-7% due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and methane both rose. While optimists insist we can and must invent a pathway to rapidly decrease emissions, pragmatists point at the gap between emission reduction targets and the historic pace of global energy transitions. The greenhouse gas problem is a complicated hot mess. What are we going to do about it?

This panel features five-minute presentations by scientists about discoveries in their field that sound like science fiction but are real.

Worldcon awards the David A. Kyle Big Heart Award each year to a member of the science fiction community for their good work and great spirit. This panel features past winners of the Big Heart Award who will talk about its influence on fandom.

Over the past 10 years, the CW has become a major source for speculative television. Panelists will discuss the role of the CW shows in the development of genre TV, and how the network has had an impact on the mainstreaming of genre.

Panelists present three wacky stories about things that have happened at conventions. Only two are true. Can you, the audience, find the lie?

Making an illuminated manuscript feels like a magic trick—some paint, some gold, and suddenly you are holding a piece of the past. Join teaching artist Hannah Charlton to create tiny Medieval-style paintings using gouache and plant-based parchment. We will be making illuminated bookmarks using historical techniques and modern materials in a fun, friendly environment, and learn about a medium that shaped the world.

What did it look like when our ancestors created and wore costumes? The panelist will discuss knowledge derived from theater, historical art, costume parties, tableau, pageants, and early photography.

From found families to werewolf clans to polyamory to alien hives, this panel will discuss the best (and worst) examples of alternate family structures in science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

What was the Ishango bone for? What games did the Romans play with d20s? We may never know, but archaeologists spend a lot of time working it out. For the rest of us, it can be hard to tell the difference between a fact, a likely fact, and a mere educated guess. Learn how to tell the difference to make your historical fiction and fantasy better.

Author Wendy Van Camp reads from recently published or upcoming works.

Come hear the Chicon 8 team present its plans for the 80th World Science Fiction Convention in 2022 in Chicago.

Wreck The System is a DC-area nerdcore hip-hop band who blends other genres—including rock, EDM, dirty pop, dubstep, chiptune, and pretty much anything they want—into their music. Wreck The System is known for their energetic and amazing stage shows. Their fans identify with their overall message, which is “Be who you are without fear!”

Horror offers so much more than slasher movies and ghost stories. The importance of the horror genre across literature, film, and increasingly television can hardly be overstated as a crucial platform to explore human weakness and critique social ills—while sometimes delivering sensational scares! Join a discussion about what horror is for, and what horror can do across mediums.

Kaffeeklatsch with Mary Robinette Kowal.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Kaffeeklatsch with Randee Dawn.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

There have been 4 attempts to make a Fantastic Four movie (so far). They were all bad. The attendees of DisCon III can do better. Let’s plot, storyboard, and cast the perfect Fantastic Four movie.

Readings with Steven H Silver and Carol Gyzander

Artificial Intelligence: Past, Present, Futures — John Ashmead

From neural nets and genetic algorithms to facial recognition and deep fakes, artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere today. What exactly do we mean by AI? How did AI get where it is today? What role will it play in our lives? What are the benefits and risks of AI? And when will we have real AI?

Neural network attack vectors — Avani Wildani

Neural networks in the brain are sparsely connected, composed of components with an over 50% failure rate, and still amazingly consistent in their high-level behavior over time. We are building models of biologically plausible neural networks to help explain how the brain can protect against a malicious adversary while keeping networks tiny, low power, and easily trained. Using parameters taken from the somatosensory cortex, we have built a prototype simulator to show the relationships between connectivity and severity of possible attacks.

New con-goers are invited to hang out with published writers, critics, and convention veterans. A great way to make new friends and get the vibe of the con! We’ll break into groups of 4-5 people, each with a mix of newer and more experienced folks. Sips With the Stars events are planned on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings at 7–8 p.m. in the private dining room of the hotel restaurant. Bring your own drinks!

Our Guest of Honor Malka Older is both a novelist academic, and humanitarian aid worker. She was named the 2015 Senior Fellow for Technology and Risk at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and has more than eight years’ experience in humanitarian aid and development. Our panelists will explore what this means for her science fiction.

Legally speaking, whether you can buy or sell body parts in the U.S. is an extremely gray area. You can’t sell a human kidney… unless it’s pickled in a jar, in which case you can. Sort of. Sometimes. How do you convey this kind of semi-legality in your imagined world? This panel will discuss worldbuilding through the lens of legal and semi-legal commerce.

The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra is a nonprofit community orchestra whose mission is to share video game music by putting on affordable, accessible concerts in the D.C. area. Founded in 2012, the ensemble has grown to more than 100 members between the orchestra and choir. Join them for an evening of music from some of your favorite video games.

Heather Margetson (formerly known as Heather Borean) is a singer-songwriter from Canada whose music will tug at your heartstrings.

Bring your instruments! After a 30-minute concert by Maugorn the Stray, he will lead the first portion of this instrumental play-along/jam session. All instruments welcome. As the evening grows late, the session will become self-organizing.

Americans may not hear much about it, but there’s a thriving culture of space exploration and science outside of the United States. Come hear about some of the notable missions, developments, and discoveries of 2020 and 2021.

Get your face painted with us at DisCon III! Tweens and teens welcome.

Online small group conversation with B. Morris Allen.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

Crafting, making, and cosplay all take space for equipment and materials. Panelists will discuss different approaches for finding space in your home for your projects—from unique storage solutions, to creating dedicated makerspaces in garages and basements. What are the pros and cons of using community makerspaces?

A song circle to honor of those from the fannish community who are no longer with us, followed by a session of making music all night long. Unicorns, space flight, cons, cats—the topic could be anything and could change at any time. All styles of music welcome. Singers, instrumentalists, and listeners all welcome.

Readings with Delia Sherman and Jenny Rae Rappaport

Werewolf, Mafia, and other social deduction games based around uncovering evil players have been mainstays of sleepovers and school trips for decades. One of the more recent video game versions, Among Us, became a pandemic phenomenon. How have social deduction games developed over the years, and how have their mechanics been incorporated into other genres of gaming?

What is a pick-pass-perform song circle? Everyone in the room gets the chance to perform a number, pick a song by asking for a specific song, asking a specific person to perform, or picking a song topic, or pass their turn. All forms of music welcome.

There are two rival bids who want to run the 2023 Worldcon. Come to this session where Chengdu and Winnipeg will tell you their plans prior to the vote on Friday.

Get ready to jingle on the dance floor as Hugo finalist John Scalzi spins all the most danceable tunes from the Bee Gees to The Weeknd and everything in between. It’ll be a very merry workout indeed.

Authors Iori Kusano and Yashima Yugen each read from their recently published or upcoming work.

Social media can be an excellent place to find online community, especially during a pandemic, but it can also be a fraught world of vicious gossip, lip service activism, and whatever the Algorithm is. The panel will explore ways of using different forms of social media to connect with like-minded people, while providing tips to avoid falling prey to such platform’s worst aspects. 

The Shōnen manga formula goes something like this: take relatable underdog characters marketed towards teenage boys, add melodramatic themes of friendship, loyalty, loss, and struggle plus some cool fights, and sprinkle with redemption arcs, coming-of-age conflicts, and character deaths to taste. What makes certain titles iconic or commercially successful? How do Shōnen stories distinguish themselves from Western coming-of-age narratives like Harry Potter or A Wrinkle in Time?

Practical barriers for creatives on the African continent include travel costs, visas, payment methods, conversation rates—not to mention failing electricity, high data costs, and PayPal not always working. Distinguished writers from the continent talk about the impact of practical problems, and if it gets better when you move to the West.

Meet up with facilitator Debra Nickelson at 9 a.m. in the lobby of the hotel for the now-traditional morning stroll.

The WSFS Business Meeting is open to all Worldcon members. Come see and participate in how the sausage is made regarding the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), relating to rules concerning the Hugo Awards, site selection of future Worldcons, and related matters. The main meeting debates and votes upon changes to the WSFS Constitution, including proposals pending ratification from past years, and new proposals that survived the preliminary business meeting. Arrive early for new handouts.

How can we make conventions safer and more inclusive for those of us with disabilities (visible and otherwise) through mutual support and cultural change?

Come talk with us about how the Worldcon is going and how we can improve.

Come join us for freeform gaming!

Online, visit the gaming channels on Discord.   

Onsite, visit the gaming room, which is the Blue Room Prefunction space on level one. Stop by for a pickup game, or to see the schedule of games people are looking to run.

Want to run a game?  Fill out our online form to share the details for both onsite and online games. Or simply leave a note in person on the message board in the gaming room.

From horse-drawn felts to drop spindles, bone needles to stone loom weights, our experts consider how historical fabric art processes developed across various regions and what impact fabric technology had in the lives and products of historical peoples. Join art historians and fabric arts specialists as they talk about their favorite historical examples and coolest research discoveries.

For the first time in its history, the Hugo Awards will honor a video game, using DisCon III’s discretionary Hugo Award. A trial best interactive video game Hugo Award was attempted in 2006, but was dropped due to lack of nominations. Since then, science fiction and fantasy video games have continued to evolve and generate intense interest from both reviewers and the wider fan community. This panel will discuss what we can learn from this year’s nominations for best video game.

Multiple Hugo-winning artist John Picacio showcases several new artists on the speculative art scene who will present their work to the Worldcon audience.

Online small group conversation with Cora Buhlert.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Please use the link symbol to the left of the item name to register through SignupGenius. A Zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered participants 24 hours and one hour before the Kaffeeklatsch begins. The email you use to sign up must match the email associated with your DisCon III registration.

Small group discussion with author and rubber duck collector Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam. Advance sign-up recommended.

Small group discussion with author Melissa Caruso. Advance sign-up recommended.

Nancy Anne Kress began writing in 1976 and won the Hugo and Nebula Awards for her 1991 novella Beggars in Spain, which became a novel in 1993. Her five other Nebulas include recognition for her novellas After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall (2013), and Yesterday’s Kin (2015). Her most recent novels are Flash Point (2012), The Eleventh Gate (2020), and Sea Change (2020).

Kaffeeklatsch with teri.zin.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

What does a lifetime annuity mean to the undead? Are werewolves responsible for their actions during the full moon if they contracted lycanthropy by accident? Do mermaids have standing to bring citizen suits under the Clean Water Act? Do vampire thralls run afoul of anti-slavery laws? Not actual legal advice. Results may vary. Please contact your local coven before attempting to bargain with the fae.

Readings with Juliette Wade and Alan Smale

Get books signed by Gregory A. Wilson

Get books signed by John Scalzi

Get books signed by Natalie Naudus

Collaboration can be exhilarating—and infuriating. What’s the key to making it work? How do you stay true to your own voice while working on a project with someone else? How do you develop an idea together? This panel will discuss different techniques for working with a partner (including dividing the labor and communicating), as well as the psychological aspects of a partnership (when to compromise, how to play to each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and more).

Two academic talks:

Hirotaka Osawa: SF Prototyping for Business Innovation

SF prototyping is a business thinking method for utilizing science fiction narrative for making innovative ideas when considering the design of future societies. The method is getting famous in the US, China, and Japan. We compared it with conventional scenario planning in 9 groups, and the results were analyzed by 14 business experts with Mitsubishi Research Institute. The results suggest that the SF prototyping approach is more provocative and fun than the scenario planning approach.

Jesper Stage: Do Androids Dream of Taking Your Job?

In the past, technological breakthroughs have often led to job losses in individual economic sectors, but average wages have usually gone up and overall employment has generally increased as well. Might things be different in the future? What might artificial intelligence and robots mean for the labor market? This talk will look at some of the real-world economics of the impacts of technological change on the labor market and compare with how we see this depicted in science fiction.

Just when it looked as if labor was losing any levarage, and wages, working conditions and permanent work seemed on a downward spiral, the world is experiencing  post-pandemic labor shortages across sectors, and changes in worker expectations for compensation, safety, and work environment. What near-term labor market changes can we expect to be lasting? What can we learn from past plagues? What are the implications for extrapolating farther-flung future societies?

The good, the great, and the just plain weird. Writers, editors and filmmakers talk about works they love from Africa—novels, films, comics, and literary gossip mags.

The Arabic countries have a rich history of storytelling, but what stories are being told in the modern day? Who is telling them and who is reading them? What is the relationship of present-day storytelling to the colonial and romanticized past? Panelists will discuss Arabian fiction’s past, present and future, how it influenced fiction worldwide, what happened to it, where it is going, and what this all means to the rest of the world.

After spending years listening to music and singing the occasional harmony, Kathleen started solo performing after she moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1989. Since then, her clear soprano has braced many filk cons. Her award-winning songs are guaranteed to delight. Merav Hoffman lives in New Jersey and while best known for her harmonies is a marvelous solo performer as well. She is an accomplished songwriter and her concert is guaranteed to delight.

One of the astounding things about the internet has been the way historians—both amateur and professional—have used it to research, write, and make available histories that have not been accessible before. Histories of the marginalized, oppressed, sidelined, and disappeared are now available as the stuff of story. This panel will discuss the pleasures, possibilities, and pitfalls of the new true stories writers are discovering and using.

The authorities always said games would rot our brains. But these days there are tons of games and gaming techniques, both online and offline, that teach skills such as math, science, language, and critical thinking. Our panel of educators, game experts, and parents will provide input on how to navigate the gaming waters with an eye toward learning.

For superheroes to feel heroic, we want them to fight evil while remaining above the moral fray. But in many comics and comic book films, superheroes cross moral lines. How do we ethically evaluate heroes who act immorally, like Batman torturing villains, Wanda holding an entire town hostage, or Wonder Woman sexually assaulting a mind-controlled bystander? How can we talk about these stories in a way that holds heroes accountable for their immoral actions?

Got a book coming out? Got a project you want people to know about? Are you an expert in something? Then you need to get your voice heard in the media! It’s not as scary as you might think it is, but good prep, a little research and some training can turn you into the kind of source reporters will want to speak to again and again. And each time, they’ll mention your book, or your craft, or your business, or your project! Randee Dawn is a veteran entertainment journalist for outlets including Variety, the LA Times and Today.com, and she’ll show you in this special interactive workshop how to be the one fielding the questions … and the one with all the answers.

Kaffeeklatsch with Cass Morris.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Small group discussion with author Lawrence M. Schoen. Advance sign-up recommended.

Small group conversation with author Maquel A. Jacob

Kaffeeklatsch with Sarah Pinsker.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

There has been an explosion of interest in African science fiction and fantasy internationally. What is the situation of publishing on the continent? What impact has been had by the internet?  What are the highs and lows—and what may be coming next? Is there a downside to authors finding new audiences outside of Africa?

Readings with Alex Shvartsman and E. Lily Yu

Science fiction prototyping is a promising way of thinking about future societies in the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) era. SF prototyping creates scenarios using workshops to activate the knowledge of multiple persons in a company, and to discuss how society should be by backcasting from a future image. We welcome distinguished researchers from Japan.

Introduction to the James Webb Space Telescope, Scott Rohrbach

The James Webb Space Telescope will launch during DisCon III, on December 18, 2021. Scott will give us an overview of this new telescope’s capabilities as well as the plans the astronomical community has for exploring exoplanets, far-away galaxies, and numerous other astronomical phenomena.

Instagram, conventions, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, art galleries, local craft shows, Instagram, Etsy, Patreon, personal websites, and Instagram… What are the best ways to get your artwork noticed? Where do you focus your energy to get the most bang for your buck? Do you need an art agent, and if so, how do you get one? Why do you hate Instagram, and why do you have to use it anyway?

Get books signed by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam 

Get books signed by Carol Gyzander

Get books signed by Neil Clarke

How much do speculative fiction subgenres like cyberpunk and urban fantasy owe to noir? Are there tropes or other aspects of noir that spec fic should subvert or reject? What can speculative fiction noir do that regular noir can’t? From neon-lit future noir to hardboiled fairy tales, this panel will discuss the influence of classic noir and hardboiled fiction on speculative fiction.

For 25 years, The Chromatics have been a high-energy vocal band on a mission to delight audiences with a full spectrum of songs about science, technology, life, and their intersections. They have taken their astronomically correct a cappella songs (a project called AstroCappella) from coast to coast, and their CD has flown in space (for realz!). Here on earth they’ve captivated young and old alike in many places, including the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.

Success is equal parts preparation and luck—so be prepared when luck puts you in the right place at the right time! How do you get ready for a pitch opportunity with an editor or producer, when you may have less than a minute to sell your dream project?

Small group discussion with author Jo Walton. Advance sign up recommended.

Kaffeeklatsch with Mark L. Van Name.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Kaffeeklatsch with Patricia A. Jackson.

Advance signup is required to attend this session. Signup sheets will be at the Info Desk starting 12-24 hours before the Kaffeeklatsch begins.

Far from Earth’s gravity well, the brave and resourceful Belters have developed their own Creole language. Lang Belta combines languages from all over Earth with the unique culture of the Belt. This course is a friendly, hands-on introduction, teaching you to understand spoken Lang Belta and to produce original sentences of your own. No knowledge of The Expanse is required, and there will be no plot spoilers.

Translation is more than simply replacing words. Translators must ensure that the target audience can understand the work, while communicating the author’s voice as closely as possible. Panelists will discuss the creative art of translating and how translation can enhance, detract from, or even recontextualize an original text.

What are the cultural and social boons and banes that might come from a growing technological ability to change your physical appearance? What are the implications for identity? For fashion? How might governments, science fictional or otherwise, react to developments in body alterations and/or consciousness if less tied to a single physical form?  Will we all experience the benefits and banes equally?

The intersection of queerness and necromancy has cropped up several times in recent years. Is there something about defying heteronormativity that resonates with these themes? What inspiration can we draw from such works that challenge genre conventions?

Readings with Lesley Wheeler and Gregory A. Wilson

In 2018, this genre was barely a gleam in AO3’s eye. Suddenly it was all over Goodreads, Amazon, and paranormal romance forums, with dozens of series all over the web. Why and how did this extremely specific genre become the hot ticket of 2019 and 2020? What questions does it open up?

This panel will cover what makes for a great review? How does one go about becoming a reviewer? Where would one go to read SFF reviews? What is the benefit of a critical review, and how does one write such a review well? If a reviewer makes a misstep in a review, how should an editor respond?

Mario Livio

A fresh biography of Galileo Galilei which puts his scientific discoveries in context. Disturbed by rampant science denial in America that has only intensified in recent years, I researched the life, ideas, and actions of this brilliant man who encountered similar challenges centuries ago. The result is a fascinating biography filled with lessons relevant for today—whether with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic or climate change. I will discuss a few of these topics in this talk. My book GALILEO and the Science Deniers was selected by The Washington Post as one of the best books of 2020.

Get books signed by J.T. Greathouse

Get books signed by Katie Mack

Get books signed by Marie Brennan/M.A. Carrick

Get books signed by Nathan W. Toronto

Entertainment industry lobbyists keep pushing copyright life further and further into the future. If copyright in the U.S. hadn’t been extended in 1976 and again in 1998, many more works would now be in the public domain. Join us to discuss the fun mashups we might have had if copyright extension hadn’t passed. Bring your own soapbox.

What is “social science fiction?” How have authors used ideas from “soft” sciences like sociology, anthropology, and linguistics to craft convincing future scenarios, telling fascinating stories while shedding light on current human problems?

You’ve seen filk items on the convention schedule, but aren’t sure what it is. Come find out!

Maurizio Manzieri, 2021 Hugo Award nominee for best professional artist, is a renowned international cover artist and teacher of digital illustration, residing in Turin, Italy. During this exclusive workshop, he will be pleased to share his techniques of work.

In addition to being a professional author, Seanan McGuire is an award-winning singer/songwriter and an active member of the filk community. She says, “This is both because I love music, and because I have always specialized in acquiring way too many hobbies.” Seanan’s songs range from serious love songs, to sultry ballads about mad scientists, to educational songs about epidemiology. Come to this lively concert to hear Seanan and her backup band, Dead Sexy, perform songs by Seanan and others.

How do you choose a location? How much startup capital do you need? How do you assemble a staff? This panel will tell you everything you need to know, including what unsuspected resources are at your disposal, when putting together a Worldcon bid.

It can be hard to find people with common interests if you are isolated geographically, or when you move to a new place. What goes into finding fellow fans, conventions, gaming or social groups? How do you get to know a new community culture? What pitfalls should you avoid?

Duct tape, old buttons, tin foil, paper plates, glitter, glue sticks… We’ll supply the junk, you bring your imagination! We’ll help you make a costume from everyday scraps. No sewing skills needed.

A meetup for the fans of the Escape Artists podcasts, including 2021 Hugo nominees Escape Pod and PodCastle. Come chat all things audio short fiction with us!

NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) leads efforts to find and track near-Earth objects—asteroids and comets that can come near Earth—and to address the asteroid impact hazard. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), targeted for launch in late November, is NASA’s first test mission of an asteroid deflection technique. Join panelists from the PDCO and DART teams to learn more about planetary defense at NASA and DART’s epic journey to the Didymos binary asteroid system.

What is the process for self-publishing your own e-books? Who should you hire to create a high-quality product and make it stand out? Where can you sell it beyond Amazon? Come and learn how to get your e-books published and noticed by the right readers.

Readings – Jose Pablo Iriarte & T.C. Weber