Doyle and I will be at Boskone in a couple of weeks.
This is our schedule:
Saturday, 14 February, 10:00 AM
Marina 2
The Future of Forensics
Advances in science and technology are driving the future of forensics. How will these changes affect the future of crime prevention and detection? What crimes committed today or yesterday might be solved in the future, and how might it be done? What relationship do these advances have to the future of crime fiction? And how do we keep it feeling “real” without wandering into science fantasy?
John P. Murphy (M), James D. Macdonald, Alison Sinclair
Saturday, 11:00 AM
Harbor III
Mythic Love and Epic Romance
Some of the greatest love stories come from ancient mythology, such as Psyche and Cupid or Odysseus and Penelope. However, great love stories that span the fantastic and (in some cases) the centuries also come in more modern tales, featuring couples such as Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese, Bella and Edward, Wesley and Buttercup, Dr. Frankenstein and Elizabeth, and Count Dracula and Mina. What do these tales of love and romance tell us about love? What do these epic love stories tell us about ourselves? And why are we drawn to them?
Darlene Marshall (M), Debra Doyle, Max Gladstone, Chris Jackson, Ada Palmer
Saturday, 2:00 PM
Marina 2
The Walking Dead: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Walking Dead opened its fifth season with a literal bang and seems to be going strong despite the occasional halting plot, erratic pace, and poor choices made by several characters in past seasons. Still, it remains the most popular show on cable television. What is it about TWD that compels 17 million viewers to keep watching a show that is possibly one of the most violent on television?
Erin Underwood (M), James D. Macdonald, Jennifer Pelland, Thomas Sweterlitsch, Steve Davidson
Saturday, 3:00 PM
Galleria-Discussion Group
The Hollywood Historical Past
Sleepy Hollow is not the first TV show with a historical backstory that diverges from real-world history. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Highlander also presented us with some highly dubious flashbacks. Is this a recent development, or only the latest product of the ahistorical approach to the past-as-story that gave us Shakespeare’s Italy and medieval writers’ fanciful versions of ancient Greece and Rome?
Debra Doyle
Saturday, 4:00 PM
Marina 3
Writing Fight and Combat Scenes
You can learn fencing, stage combat, or martial arts, but these skills are neither necessary nor sufficient to write compelling, realistic fight scenes. What does it take to write a fight scene that creates tension and drama without turning it into a play-by-play? Panelists will explore how to bring their readers into the fight and leave them gasping for air.
Myke Cole (M), Chris Jackson, James D. Macdonald, Ken Mondschein, Jen Gunnels
Saturday, 5:00 PM
Galleria-Autographing
Autographing: David L. Clements, Debra Doyle, James Macdonald, Allen Steele
David L. Clements, Debra Doyle, James D. Macdonald, Allen M. Steele
Sunday, 15 February, 11:00 AM
Marina 3
Writing Workshops: What’s Right for You as a New Writer?
Thinking about attending a writing workshop or an MFA program? Wondering how to pick which one is right for you? Once you do, then what? There is no magic formula to elicit an acceptance letter, but a solid application is a good place to start. Join representatives from various writing programs and learn how to present the best of what you have to offer as a student.
Kenneth Schneyer (M), Debra Doyle, Theodora Goss, Shahid Mahmud, Jill Shultz
Sunday, 12:30 PM
Griffin
Reading: James Macdonald and Debra Doyle
James D. Macdonald, Debra Doyle
The reading very likely will be “Silver Passing in Sunlight” from the upcoming DECO PUNK: The Spirit of the Age
anthology published by Pink Narcissus. A world premiere!
JAMES D. MACDONALD 