Boskone Schedule
This weekend, I'm heading north, through the snow, slush, and ice, up to Boston. I will be a program participant at Boskone, the annual Boston fantasy and science fiction convention, held this year at the Westin Waterfront hotel from February 16-18.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For those of you outside of my brain, here is why this is incredibly cool:
1. Boskone is my favorite convention ever. Fabulous authors and editors always attend; the schedule usually includes several panels on YA and children's literature (my passion); and there are kaffeeklatsches. Kaffeeklatsches are awesome. At a kaffeklatsch, you and up to 10 other people get to simply hang out and chat with an author or editor.
2. I have been attending Boskone since 1999. It is now 2007. This is the first year that I will be a program participant. You do the math. I have been waiting for this for a loooong time.
3. Just look at my schedule. Look, look, look!
Sarah's Boskone Schedule:
Sat. Feb 17, 11am - Panel - Sarah Beth Durst, Daniel Kimmel, Priscilla Olson - "Should Harry Die? Speculations on the final Harry Potter novel"
Sat. Feb 17, 1pm - Panel - Bruce Coville, Sarah Beth Durst, Kate Laity, Tamora Pierce, Jane Yolen - "The Many Genres of Young Adult Fiction"
Sat. Feb 17, 2pm - Kaffeeklatsch - Sarah Beth Durst
Sun. Feb 18, 11:30am - Reading - Sarah Beth Durst
I love my schedule. First, how cool is the topic of my first panel? Very fun. Second, look at that list of panelists for my second panel! Bruce Coville, Tamora Pierce, Jane Yolen... *gasp*, *wheeze*, *gasp again*. Third, I have my very own kaffeeklatsch! Fourth, I'll be doing a reading from INTO THE WILD! (And if you look at the complete schedule, you'll see that my reading directly follows Bruce Coville's reading, in the same room! Eeeee!!!)
Here is my one itsy bitsy teeny weeny little worry: I don't want to cluck like a chicken.
I've never been on a panel before, and I have this little (okay, not so little) fear that my brain will simply freeze as I sit up there between not just one but several of my all-time favorite writers ever. What if I forget how to speak? What if I remember how to speak and only say drivel? What if I suddenly start clucking like a chicken?
Help me out here, guys. If you have thoughts on either of my panel topics -- Harry Potter #7 or subgenres in YA fiction -- please leave a comment so that I can steal your ideas and avoid looking like an idiot. And even if you don't have suggestions, please just think un-chicken-like thoughts sometime on Saturday, and hopefully I'll absorb some of the good non-poultry vibe. :)
Labels: Boskone
posted by Sarah Beth Durst @ 12:25 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Sarah:
Wow, that sounds like FUN!
#1 panel: NO, don't let Harry die! (I'm into at least minimally happy endings.)
#2 panel: Believe it or not, I think I've just jumped to writing YA fiction. One of the reasons why is because there ARE so many options. I feel open to being able to mix genres a little, and have all sorts of different elements-- fantasy, adventure, alternate worlds, coming-of-age, romance--if I want to. That seems more of a possibility with YA than with adult fiction.
(the other reason is because of all the books I've read in my life, YA books resonate the most. Don't know why!)
Have fun!
Sarah, I'm so jealous! In a nice sort of way, of course, because you're an awesomely cool person and I'm glad you're getting to do this. But Jane Yolen! Gleeps! (Did I just write "gleeps"? Did I just steal a word from Trixie Belden? Yea verily I did!)
#1 panel: Harry must NOT die! No! No! No! No! No! No! He must NOT! Neville might possibly die, although he'd better not, but if he does it can ONLY be after he triumphantly takes out Bellatrix Lestrange.
Jane Yolen. I'm awed. I mean, Bruce Coville--fantastic, Tamora Pierce--wow, but Jane Yolen!!!!!!!
Oh MAN I wish I was gonna be there! Have fun, and give us a VERY DETAILED report. ;)
SUSAN: Gotta admit that I'm a happy-ending gal myself. And I really like your point for panel #2. There's a wonderful amount of freedom that the writer has with MG/YA books.
FAITH: Ooh, Trixie Beldon reference. So good! I loved those books!
Poor Neville.
ERIN: I promise I'll do a nice, long trip report. :)
Harry should only die if the story demands it, and I'm not sure the setup for that is really there.
He also should only die if his author has learned how to kill off characters well, and to good effect, something I'm not sure has been true with any of the other characters she's killed.
I'm fine with unhappy endings, so long as they're not cheaply done, but are written as what needs to happen.
JANNI: Ooh, very good points. He should only die if he NEEDS to die -- if, in hindsight, it is inevitable that he dies. Yeah, I like that. Thanks!
Wow, Sarah, that sounds like so much fun! I've never heard of that convention. Congrats on the great panels. I hope it's as wonderful as it sounds!
Thanks, Laini! The convention is in a new location this year, but it's always been fabulous. I'm soooooooo excited!
You were great, Sarah. The reading was smooth. The YAs I was with loved it and so did I.
From what I have heard, those at the panels you were on thought the panels were great - and nobody said "but why did they have that person who doesn't seem to speak English on it?" So, I suspect that your fears were not realized there, either!
Thanks so much, Josh! That's a relief to hear. I was more than a little bit nervous. :)
Great to see you at Boskone! Glad we had a chance to chat.
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