ArmadilloCon 20 Program Schedule


Contents

Schedule of Events

* = moderator
Fr1600D Anti-Hero or Jerk? Creating Sympathetic Characters
Fri 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Ballroom D
Williams*, Denton, Effinger
How does a writer make a problematic protagonist (e.g., Brad Denton's Jimmy Blackburn) into someone the reader can identify with? What happens if the writer fails?
Fr1600E Books We Read as Kids That Influenced Where and Who We Are Now
Fri 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Ballroom E
Blaschke, Carl, Gould, Mixon*, Spencer, Van Gelder
What SF/F reading experiences shaped the young minds and spirits of these worthy panelists? Would the same books work for today's kids?
Fr1600F Fine Art Versus Commercial Art
Fri 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Ballroom F
Bentley*, Cat, Loubet, Picacio, Ranson
How does the intended market for your artwork affect the content, style, and medium of your work? Should all artists yearn for a wealthy patron, or are there advantages to creating on demand to pay the rent?
Fr1700A Reading
Fri 5:00 PM-5:30 PM Amphitheater
Lynn Ward
Fr1700D Welcome to ArmadilloCon: How to Have a good time, Sailor.
Fri 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Ballroom D
Hoff, Kimbriel, M. Pinsonneault, J. Ward, Wolf*
First time here? Let our savvy convention meisters share tips and techniques for enjoying the con without letting it overwhelm you.
Fr1700E Generating Ideas That Sell
Fri 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Ballroom E
Barrett, C. Spector, Webb, Wentworth*
Where do writers get their nifty ideas (subscribe to the Time Idea-of-the-Month Club?), and how do they fashion those nifty ideas into saleable stories?
Fr1700F Happy Birthday, Star Wars: Now Legal in All 50 States
Fri 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Ballroom F
Allston*, Hambly, Wells
Luke, Han, and Leia have barely grown up while we've grown a lot older, yet Star Wars is more popular now than ever. What has George Lucas tapped into here?
Fr1730A Reading
Fri 5:30 PM-6:00 PM Amphitheater
Alexis Glynn Latner
Fr1800R2 Board Gaming
Fri 6:00 PM-10:00 PM Room 102
Hoff
Featuring tournaments of FIGHT!, Give Me the Brain, Kill Dr. Lucky, and Settlers of Catan.
Fr1800R4 Open Gaming
Fri 6:00 PM-9:00 PM Room 104
Bring your decks/dice/board/computers and imaginations!
Fr1800A Reading
Fri 6:00 PM-7:00 PM Amphitheater
Dennis L. McKiernan
Fr1800D It Ain't Over 'til the Fat Lady Goes FTL: The Space Opera Panel
Fri 6:00 PM-7:00 PM Ballroom D
Clark, Gibbons, Hamilton, McCarthy, Moon*
Space opera seems to be making a comeback, but it's grown up since the Forties and Fifties.
Fr1800E E-Fiction Notice: Online and Interactive
Fri 6:00 PM-7:00 PM Ballroom E
Cramer, Dalton-Woodbury*, Datlow, Mixon, W. Spector
In fits and starts, and with some notable failures behind us, science fiction seems to be moving into electronic media. What are the advantages? The drawbacks? How do we find out about these things in the enormity of the Internet?
Fr1800F Nanotechnology and Human Engineering
Fri 6:00 PM-7:00 PM Ballroom F
Richey, Sherlock, Spencer, Sterling, L. Ward, Williams*
Practical nanotechnology is just around the corner, and the Human Genome Project is ahead of schedule. What do we want to do with our new toys?
Fr2000D Opening Ceremonies
Fri 8:00 PM-9:00 PM Ballroom D
Bentley, Denton, Gould*, Hamilton, Hartwell, Ranson
Let our toastmaster introduce you to our esteemed guests and the rest of our program participants.
Fr2100L Meet the Pros Party
Fri 9:00 PM-Midnight Lobby
Meet and mingle. Enjoy!
Fr2100R4 Open filking
Fri 9:00 PM-6:00 AM Room 104
M. Pinsonneault, S. Pinsonneault
Experience SF fandom's answer to folk singing.
Fr2200A Reading
Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM Amphitheater
Laura Mixon
Fr2200D The Rebirth of Hard SF
Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM Ballroom D
Gibbons, Hamilton, Hartwell*, Hogan, Latner
For years we've been hearing that the science in science fiction was becoming an endangered species. Now, with hot new authors like Egan, Hamilton, and Baxter, it's roaring back into the fray.
Fr2200E AFI's Top 100: The Best SF Films of All Time?
Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM Ballroom E
Bentley, Person*, W. Spector
How can we take any best movie list seriously if it doesn't include Blade Runner?
Fr2200F Reviving Roadkill: The Sorry State of Texas SF Conventions
Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM Ballroom F
Beckwith, Blaschke, Cupp*, C. Siros, Wells, Wolf
Lone Star conventions are going belly up all over the state. What's to be done?
Fr2300A Reading
Fri 11:00 PM-Midnight Amphitheater
Mark Shepherd
Fr2300D Recent SF Movies: The Good, the Bad, and the Very Ugly
Fri 11:00 PM-Midnight Ballroom D
Cat*, Dalton-Woodbury, Dyson, Klaw
Which Big-Rock-Hitting-The-Earth movie was this summer's best? What's your favorite Will-Smith-Saves-The-Earth-From-Aliens film?
Fr2300E Victual Reality: You Are What You Eat and How You Eat and Where You Eat...
Fri 11:00 PM-Midnight Ballroom E
Effinger, Foster, Hale*, Mills, Ranson, Ross
Ah, a topic near and dear to our hearts: food in sf.
Fr2300F The Varieties of Gaming Experiences: The Hottest New Online, CD-ROM, RPG, Arcade, Board, and Card Games
Fri 11:00 PM-Midnight Ballroom F
Hoff*
Join Marty Hoff and other gamers to hear about the newest and best games of all kinds.
Fr0000D Round Robin Horror Storytelling
Fri Midnight-1:00 AM Ballroom D
Daemon, Denton, Klaw*
Madness at Midnight.
Sa1000R2 Board Gaming
Sat 10:00 AM-9:00 PM Room 102
Hoff
Featuring tournaments of FIGHT!, Give Me the Brain, Kill Dr. Lucky, and Settlers of Catan.
Sa1000R4 Battletech: Gunslinger Tournament
Sat 10:00 AM-3:00 PM Room 104
Crull
Sa1000D Unarmed Conflict: Martial Arts in SF
Sat 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Ballroom D
Allston, Gould, Osborne, Shepherd, Williams*
A popular ingredient in a rash of new sf and fantasy.
Sa1000E Exposing Yourself: How to Get Your Art Before the Masses
Sat 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Ballroom E
Bentley, Cat, Foster, Ranson*, Sherlock
Sa1000R1 Book Discussion: Door Number Three by Patrick O'Leary
Sat 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Room 101
Person
Sa1000A Reading
Sat 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Amphitheater
Barbara Hambly
Sa1000F Reading
Sat 10:00 AM-10:30 AM Ballroom F
James Richey
Sa1030F Reading
Sat 10:30 AM-11:00 AM Ballroom F
Lillian Stewart Carl
Sa1100D 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Science
Sat 11:00 AM-Noon Ballroom D
Dyson*, Gibbons, Hogan, Latner, Moe, Moon
And not just to enjoy science fiction.
Sa1100E What the New York Review of Science Fiction can Do For You
Sat 11:00 AM-Noon Ballroom E
Houghton, Hartwell, Van Gelder*
Current and former editors of the multiply award nominated semiprozine give you the lowdown.
Sa1100F Issues in Comics
Sat 11:00 AM-Noon Ballroom F
Cupp*, Hale, Klaw, Picacio, Potter
Exploring recent creative trends and news in the industry.
Sa1100A Reading
Sat 11:00 AM-11:30 AM Amphitheater
Neal Barrett, Jr.
Sa1100R2 Heavy Gear Game Demos
Sat 11:00 AM-4:00 PM Room 102
Hoff
The Austin Pod Corps will be conducting hourly demos of this tactical war game.
Sa1130A Reading
Sat 11:30 AM-Noon Amphitheater
Don Webb
Sa1100DR Autographing
Sat 11:00 AM-Noon Dealers Room
Denton, Gould, Hamilton, Mixon, Wells
Sa1200D Fan Guest of Honor Interview
Sat Noon-1:00 PM Ballroom D
Hodgkinson*, Ranson
Debbie interviews Peggy Ranson (ask her about that incident at the Mardi Gras parade)
Sa1200E Writing 101
Sat Noon-1:00 PM Ballroom E
Shepherd
The Basics. Writer's workshop participants should attend
Sa1200F Can SF Magazines be saved?
Sat Noon-1:00 PM Ballroom F
Daemon, Datlow, Gibbons*, Person, Van Gelder
Or are they in the midst of long, drawn-out, painful death throes?
Sa1200DR Autographing
Sat Noon-1:00 PM Dealers Room
Bentley, Effinger, Moon, Hambly, Sherlock
Sa1200A Reading
Sat Noon-12:30 PM Amphitheater
Scott A. Cupp
Sa1230A Reading
Sat 12:30 PM-1:00 PM Amphitheater
Aaron Allston
Sa1300D Editor Guest of Honor Speech
Sat 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Ballroom D
Hartwell
He's an expert on SF, editing, writing, publishing, and fashion theory. Who knows what he'll talk about?
Sa1300E Re-inventing "Once Upon a Time": The Modern Fairy Tale
Sat 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Ballroom E
Bay, Datlow*, Richerson, Wade, Webb
Whether it's changing the famous tales we learned in childhood or inventing brand new stories with fairy tale forms and sensibilities, it's a fabulous pastime.
Sa1300F How Long Can You Tread Water? -- The Realities of a Writing Career
Sat 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Ballroom F
Hale*, Kimbriel, Martin, Mosiman, Wentworth
Exploring the choices and sacrifices one must make as a full time writer.
Sa1300A Reading
Sat 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Amphitheater
Bruce Sterling
Sa1300DR Autographing
Sat 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Dealers Room
Blaschke, Cat
Sa1400D Guest of Honor Event -- The Brad Denton Tribute (Roast)
Sat 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Ballroom D
Barrett, Denton, Gould*, C. Spector, Spencer, Van Gelder
Friends, Romans, Countrymen! We come here to roast Brad Denton, not to praise him. Don't forget your marshmallows!
Sa1400E Is Technology Replacing Ideology as the Driving Force in Human Events?
Sat 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Ballroom E
Dyson, Hamilton*, McCarthy, McKiernan, Sterling
If you have the technology to do something, should you? Whatever happened to right and wrong?
Sa1400F The Business of Writing and Selling
Sat 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Ballroom F
Carl, Clark*, Hambly, Hogan, Martin
From how to compose a query letter (and when to use one) to when to acquire an agent to how to protect your copyright, and more.
Sa1400DR Autographing
Sat 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Dealers Room
Mosiman, Osborne, Richey
Sa1500D Cross-Pollinating the Genre
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Ballroom D
Blaschke, Crider*, Mallory, Wade, Webb
Some writers just don't fit into a convenient genre cubby hole. Thank goodness.
Sa1500E Fan Awards: Do They Really Mean Anything?
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Ballroom E
Effinger, Foster, Hartwell*, Person, L. Ward
Are they based on merit or popularity? Do they help a writer's or artist's or editor's career? The Hugos are the most recent example, but there are other fan-based awards.
Sa1500F Ursa Major Brown Bag Book Auction
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Ballroom F
Get some great bargains on books and help out this San Antonio fan group at the same time.
Sa1500R1 Book Discussion: The Sparrow and Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Room 101
Dalton-Woodbury
Sa1500DR Autographing
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Dealers Room
Bay, Hogan, Kimbriel, McKiernan
Sa1500A Reading
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Amphitheater
Walter Jon Williams
Sa1500R4 Battletech: Designer Mech Tournament
Sat 3:00 PM-9:00 PM Room 104
Crull
Players must bring their designer sheets or layouts prior to tournament start time so a copy can be made in the computer. Level 3 rules will be used.
Sa1600D Armed Conflict: Military SF
Sat 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Ballroom D
Clark, Hamilton, McCarthy, Moon*, Osborne
It seems that we will always have wars, but is it really practical to wage a war in space?
Sa1600E Charity Auction
Sat 4:00 PM-6:00 PM Ballroom E
Come by and buy! Help out the Capital Area Food Bank, pick up some neat stuff, and see who we draft as auctioneer
Sa1600A Reading
Sat 4:00 PM-4:30 PM Amphitheater
Beverly A. Hale
Sa1630A Reading
Sat 4:30 PM-5:00 PM Amphitheater
John Gibbons
Sa1600DR Autographing
Sat 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Dealers Room
Carl, Sterling, L. Ward, Williams
Sa1700D Lone Star Cases: Texas Mystery Writers
Sat 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Ballroom D
Barrett*, Carl, Crider, Cupp, Mosiman
Texas is blessed with a number of talented writers of mysteries who also have ties to science fiction. Come and hear some of them take about what it's like to bestride two genres.
Sa1700F New Tips and Tools for Writers
Sat 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Ballroom F
Allston, Dalton-Woodbury, Latner, Mills*, Wentworth
Once all you needed was a dictionary, a thesaurus, a library card, a typewriter, and a copy of Novel and Short Story Writer's Market. Now things have gotten very interesting.
Sa1700A Reading
Sat 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Amphitheater
Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
Sa1700DR Autographing
Sat 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Dealers Room
Martin
Sa1800D Creating Compelling Worlds for Games and Novels
Sat 6:00 PM-7:00 PM Ballroom D
Bay*, Moe, Moon, Ross, W. Spector
How does the world smell? What do the people wear? What does your hero do for a living? How do the people bank, worship, cultivate food? It's a lot more complicated than just, What color is the sky?
Sa1800E Short Fiction Rules!
Sat 6:00 PM-7:00 PM Ballroom E
Blaschke, Datlow*, Richerson, Wade, Webb
Despite the dominance of huge novels and series in the marketplace, there are some advantages to working at shorter lengths. Learn about the experiments in style and content available best in short fiction.
Sa1800F SF Pictionary -- With Your Host, Steve Gould
Sat 6:00 PM-7:00 PM Ballroom F
Bentley, Cat, Gould*, Ranson, Sherlock
Pros vs. fans! Will this competition end in a draw?
Sa1800A Reading
Sat 6:00 PM-6:30 PM Amphitheater
Peter Hamilton
Sa2000F What it REALLY Takes to Get Published
Sat 8:00 PM-9:00 PM Ballroom F
Barrett, Datlow, Spencer, Van Gelder, Wentworth*
Veteran writers and editors will tell you the REAL secrets to getting your work in print. (C'mon, you always knew there was a secret to it, didn't you?)
Sa2000A Reading
Sat 8:00 PM-8:30 PM Amphitheater
Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury
Sa2030A Reading
Sat 8:30 PM-9:00 PM Amphitheater
Caroline Spector
Sa2000E Art Auction
Sat 8:00 PM-10:00 PM Ballroom E
Bentley
Sa2100F Moving From Fan to Pro
Sat 9:00 PM-10:00 PM Ballroom F
Crider*, Dalton-Woodbury, Hale, Wells
How to make that transition from fan to neo-pro to professional writer. Seriously.
Sa2100R4 Open filking
Sat 9:00 PM-6:00 AM Room 104
M. Pinsonneault, S. Pinsonneault
Sa2100A Reading
Sat 9:00 PM-9:30 PM Amphitheater
Carrie Richerson
Sa2130A Reading
Sat 9:30 PM-10:00 PM Amphitheater
William Browning Spencer
Sa2200D The Dance
Sat 10:00 PM-1:00 AM Ballroom D
Featuring our GoH's regular band Ax Nelson, with some possible guest shots
Sa2200A Reading
Sat 10:00 PM-10:30 PM Amphitheater
Wil McCarthy
Sa2230A Reading
Sat 10:30 PM-11:00 PM Amphitheater
Jayme Blaschke
Sa2300A Reading
Sat 11:00 PM-11:30 PM Amphitheater
Rick Klaw
Su1000D The David Hartwell Fashion Show
Sun 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Ballroom D
Hartwell
A tribute to a man who fashions himself a fashion theorist
Su1100R2 Board Gaming
Sun 11:00 AM-4:00 PM Room 102
Hoff
Tournament Finals!
Su1100R4 Gaming
Sun 11:00 AM-4:00 PM Room 104
Su1100D Special Guest of Honor Interview
Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Ballroom D
Cupp*, Hamilton
Interview and Q&A with this rising British star
Su1100E Roll with the Punches: the Changing Face of the RPG Industry
Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Ballroom E
Allston, Hale*, Loubet, Ross, W. Spector
Exploring recent and current trends in the creative and business aspects of the gaming industry
Su1100F Reading
Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Ballroom F
K. D. Wentworth
Su1100A Reading
Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Amphitheater
George Alec Effinger
Su1100R1 Book Discussion: Beggars Ride by Nancy Kress
Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Room 101
L. Ward
Su1100DR Autographing
Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Dealers Room
Cramer, Hartwell, McCarthy, Wade
Su1200D Artist Guest of Honor Slide Show
Sun Noon-1:00 PM Ballroom D
Bentley
Mitch will show examples of his work from his early days in art school to his latest professional achievements.
Su1200E Bad Boys in Leather: Our Love Affair With Brad Denton's Anti-Heroes
Sun Noon-1:00 PM Ballroom E
Meschke, Person, W. Siros, C. Spector, Van Gelder*, Webb
The protagonists of our GOH's books and stories such as Wrack & Roll and Blackburn are rarely traditional heroes, yet they're eminently likable and sympathetic. How does he do it?
Su1200F Collaborations: How to Survive and Thrive
Sun Noon-1:00 PM Ballroom F
Foster, Gould, Klaw, Mixon*, Richey, Sterling
From "I never could have created anything this good by myself" to "I thought YOU were going to write Chapter 7!"
Su1200A Reading
Sun Noon-1:00 PM Amphitheater
Elizabeth Moon
Su1200DR Autographing
Sun Noon-1:00 PM Dealers Room
Barrett, Clark, Crider, Denton, Spencer
Su1300D The Best of the Decade: The 90's in SF and Fantasy
Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Ballroom D
Daemon, Datlow, Hartwell, Houghton, W. Siros, Van Gelder*
Our panels of experts helps you find good stuff you should be reading.
Su1300E Meet your Local Fan Groups
Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Ballroom E
Duarte*, Hoff, Wolf
Representatives from local groups devoted to all aspects of the SF/F experience (literary, gaming, media, etc) tell you all want to know.
Su1300F Hollywood Options Your Book: Opportunity of a Lifetime or Bottomless Swamp?
Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Ballroom F
Barrett, Denton*, Spencer, Williams
Despite the financial rewards there are creative landmines. Adapting your work to another medium is rarely easy.
Su1300A Reading
Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Amphitheater
James P. Hogan
Su1300R1 Book Discussion: Blackburn by Bradley Denton
Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Room 101
Hale
Su1300DR Autographing
Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Dealers Room
Cupp, Shepherd, Wentworth
Su1400D Fantasy and SF Mysteries
Sun 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Ballroom D
Carl, Effinger, Hambly*, Hamilton, Wade
Learn about the modern day successors to Asimov's The Caves of Steel and Garrett's Too Many Magicians.
Su1400E Whither Heroic Fantasy?
Sun 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Ballroom E
McKiernan*, Martin, Moon, Shepherd, C. Spector, Wells
What's behind that cover illustration of the well-muscled hero fending off the evil hordes with his or her weapon of choice?
Su1400F Practical Space Flight: Can we Get There From Here?
Sun 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Ballroom F
Blaschke, Dyson, Gibbons, Hogan*, Latner, Wheeler
Isn't it about time that people start sentences with "If we can send a woman to Jupiter..."?
Su1400A Reading
Sun 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Amphitheater
Steven Gould
Su1400DR Autographing
Sun 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Dealers Room
Allston, Datlow, Klaw, W. Spector
Su1500D Reading
Sun 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Ballroom D
Bradley Denton

Participant Index