Entertainment Weekly posted its annual top 10 picks for the Best Movies and TV Shows of 2014. While there weren’t many genre items on the list, it turns out that Boskone is doing panels on all three of their “Best Picks” that fall into the SF/F categories. Special thanks to Carrie Cuinn for suggesting Jodorowsky’s Dune, which she will be on with Dan Kimmel as moderator.

Here’s what Entertainment Weekly had to say about these three items. You can view all of their other Best Picks on the Entertainment Weekly website, and you can also get in on the discussion of your favorite shows while at Boskone!

In the meantime, here’s what EW has to say….

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY’S BEST MOVIE PICKS FOR 2014:

10. Jodorowsky’s Dune
Easily the geekiest and most obsessive documentary I saw all year, Frank Pavich’s Jodorowsky’s Dune is an exhumation of the weirdest movie never made. In the mid-’70s, eccentric Chilean auteur Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) tried and failed to adapt Frank Herbert’s sci-fi talisman Dune. The false starts, bizarre detours, and cult luminaries attached to the project are probably more interesting than the film would’ve been. But Pavich argues (convincingly) that Star Wars, Alien, and The Terminator wouldn’t exist as we know them were it not for one man’s epic fail. A delightful celebration of a visionary whose dream never got the chance to live outside his head.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy
When it comes to superhero movies, I have become an agnostic. I have neither the faith of a fanboy nor the knee-jerk derision of a men-in-tights heathen. But if there’s one movie that’s come the closest to making me a believer, it’s James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Marvel’s merry band of squabbling misfits goosed anarchic life into a genre that tends to get mired in existential heaviosity. And what’s not to love about a posse of anti-heroes that includes Chris Pratt’s cocky Star-Lord and Zoe Saldana’s green-skinned assassin, plus a mound of muscles, a foulmouthed raccoon, and a grunting tree named Groot? Guardians works precisely because it’s so unlike every other comic-book movie. At last, an excitingly unpredictable blockbuster.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY’S BEST TV SHOW PICKS FOR 2014:

8. Game of Thrones (HBO)
After four seasons of hero-decapitating, wedding-massacring, small boy-defenestrating suspense, you’d think Game of Thrones couldn’t shock us anymore. But with Joffrey’s poisoning, the Red Viper’s eye-gouging, and Tywin’s death atop the, uh, ”throne,” there were more opportunities than ever to yell ”WHAT?!” at the TV. What’s surprising, then, is that the most talked-about scenes weren’t the out-of-nowhere deaths, but the scenes that made us care fiercely about the living. Cersei’s rape might’ve been a showrunner blunder, but it inspired more thoughtful debates about consent than you’ll find on most college campuses. And Tyrion’s courtroom lampooning of the hypocrites in the Red Keep was deeply satisfying. He wasn’t just defending himself—he was speaking for all of us.

Thank you EW for choosing 3 excellent shows. While we definitely have to agree with these three picks, we can’t help but to wonder why Gotham, Agents of Shield, and The Walking Dead aren’t on their list or the fabulous new series The Librarians…which is just way too much fun. Well, we got ’em at Boskone, and that’s what counts. Right?

For the number crunchers out there, we have a few Boskone statistics that you may enjoy chewing on…However, I have to remind you that the program items are still in flux. So, these numbers are accurate as of right now. Things might shake out slightly differently by February 13, 2015 when Boskone starts.

Right now we have scheduled:

• 65 Individual Readings
• 30 Kaffeeklatsches, featuring 35 program participants
• 54 Autographings
• 15 Discussion Groups
• 17 DragonsLair items, designed just for Children
• 15 Solo Talks and Dialogs on everything from the Art of Jeffrey Jones to Penguins in Antarctica, Death Rays, and Steven Brust!
• 25+ Filk/Music items that range from music specific panels to Open Jam Sessions
• 110+ Panels on topics ranging from the Dark Side of Doctor Who to Cooking with Science, Sidekicks and Henchmen, the Legacy of D&D, the Evolution of Urban Fantasy, and MORE!
• We have an fantastic Art Show that is bursting at the seems with amazing art and a Dealers’ Room that is fully stocked and ready to go!

But who are the program participants who will be on these items and talking about these things? You can find the full list of confirmed program participants on the Official Boskone website, which is in the process of being updated with the final list of names. However, we think you will be pleased by all of the familiar faces who are returning yet again to Boskone as well as all of the new faces that you are sure to have either read or heard about who will be coming to Boskone for the first time as a program participant!

Also, special thanks goes out to ALL of the program participants who have agreed to show up early for the free programming on Friday from 2:00-6:00 pm that is open to the public. Memberships are needed to attend programming after 6:00 pm on Friday and for the duration of the convention.

And that is Boskone’s program by the numbers. We’re planning to post the final program in early/mid-January. So, stay tuned for more information. In the meantime….

Click here to Purchase your Boskone membership!

Calling all young adults and readers who are young at heart! We’ve got an awesome lineup of young adult authors and editors in today’s Boskone Mini Interviews. This year, Boskone’s expanded Young Adult programming is very exciting, and with authors and editors like Stacey Friedberg, Fran Wilde, Ken Altabef, ACE Bauer and Carrie Vaughn, it is no wonder we are looking forward to February!

Stacey Friedberg

Stacey Friedberg is an Assistant Editor at Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House. She focuses on middle grade and young adult novels, and has previously worked as an Editorial Assistant at Lightspeed Magazine. A lifelong fan of fantasy and horror (and a more recent fan of sci-fi), Stacey is always looking for novels that open her imagination and bring her to new worlds. Follow Stacey on Twitter @staceyfriedberg.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Even though I’m a participant, my very favorite thing to do at Boskone is to sit in on other people’s panels and listen in on all the funny and thought-provoking things the other panelists have to say. I just love learning new things, and it’s such a treat to be able to sit in on discussions held by interesting, intelligent people. Of course I’m going to go to all of the children’s and YA themed panels, but I also love being able to learn about things outside of my field, like real-world science or film. So, I am greatly looking forward to sitting in the audience and being totally enraptured.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I’m always working on multiple projects at once—the challenge lies in juggling them! Right now, I’m working on Lauren Magaziner’s next whimsical middle grade novel (it will be tough to top her first, The Only Thing Worse Than Witches), which is a hilarious school-based story, but not necessarily the sort of school you’d want to attend. It needs a title, which is I guess one of the challenges I am facing! I’m also working on Marked by Jenny Martin, the sequel to her heart-pounding sci-fi debut Tracked. Revising a sequel is always tricky, and revising a sequel that takes place in a sf/f world especially so, because everything needs to stay consistent between the two books—besides a connecting narrative voice, the cultures portrayed and even the slang used need to feel in sync. Finally, I am wrapping up The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes, a punch in the gut sort of read that makes you question what you believe and why. Half the book is told in flashback, which was a huge challenge to edit—getting the timeline right was difficult. But now that it’s wrapped up, I couldn’t be happier—and I am super excited for it to come out!

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

YA was only just starting to emerge as a genre when I was a teen. At the time, young adult books weren’t “hot,” and the books that were published for that age group often didn’t get much notice. Gabrielle Zevin’s Elsewhere came out in 2005, when I was a teenager, but I hadn’t heard of it at the time. It’s one of my very favorite books today. It’s touching and funny and heartbreaking all at once, and it’s a book that really makes you think, which is something I’ve always loved. And it’s so imaginative and beautifully written. I would have treasured this book as a teenager, and thinking about it now gives me such mixed emotions: I’m happy that the YA market has exploded, so that teens today can easily find and enjoy great books written just for them. But I’m sad that I missed out on it! Luckily, I read Elsewhere a few years ago, so at least that gem didn’t slip through my grasp. And now, I can recommend it to others (and I always do!).

Fran Wilde

Fran Wilde is an author, programmer, and technology consultant. She’s worked as a science and engineering writer, a sailing instructor, a game developer, and a jeweler’s assistant. Her first novel is forthcoming from Tor in 2015, with two more to follow. Her short stories appear in Asimov’s, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Nature, and The Impossible Futures anthology. Her nonfiction “Cooking the Books” column has appeared at Strange Horizons, the SFWA blog, and on Fran’s website. Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @Fran_Wilde, and connect with her on Google Plus.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

This is my third Boskone and what I enjoy most are the conversations that happen here — in panels, hallways, at kaffeklatsches, and over meals. Also, the readings, the YA track, and I love watching the demonstrations. So those are my favorite. Wait. The art show! Definitely the art. … Nope, I can’t pick. I’m looking forward to the weekend. Also I hear Steven Brust is pretty funny. He’d better be funny.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I am finishing Cloudbound, the second book in my Bone City trilogy for Tor. And I’m getting ready to share Updraft, the first book, with everyone in 2015. Updraft is about a city high above the clouds, built on towers of living bone. Kirit, the protagonist in UPDRAFT, is seventeen when the novel begins. The themes and story within UPDRAFT include politics, environmental issues, monsters and an entire city on the cusp of change. While this book is appropriate for older YA readers, it is classic fantasy, leaning new weird. After Boskone a couple years ago, I went up to New Hampshire to the indoor skydiving center to do research for both books, so topping that is going to be a challenge. Maybe. ^^ We’ll see.

Ken Altabef

As an active SFWA member, Ken’s short fiction has appeared three times in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and also Interzone, Buzzymag, Abyss & Apex, Stupefying Stories, Unsettling Wonder and various anthologies.  ALAANA’S WAY is his 5-book epic fantasy series with an arctic twist.  His first short story collection Fortune’s Fantasy was published by Cat’s Cradle Press in September 2014 .  He was an editor on the mixed-genre short story anthology Drastic Measures and its sequel Wash the Spider Out. Visit Ken’s website and follow him on Twitter @KenAltabef.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

What I enjoy most about Boskone is an opportunity to interact with the readers. I see writing as a form of communication. I construct the prose in such a way as to convey images, to give a semblance of life for the characters and meaning to the story. I’m doing all of that, alone in a room. But the reader is foremost in my mind all the time. I think about what they should know and when they should know it, how they perceive the characters and the environment, how to make them laugh, when to tease them a little and when to reveal the big secrets. Am I doing it right? Are they getting my message? At conventions I get to hear the other side of the conversation, the point of view of the readers. I often like to float new ideas at cons and get reactions. I also have a longstanding tradition of giving out autographed copies of one of my novels to everyone who attends my readings, and will continue that this year.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

When I was thirteen, I read both Dandelion Wine and The Hobbit in the same month. Boom! That’s where it all started for me. In those ancient days, Ray Bradbury was taught in grade school English class. From Bradbury I learned that it’s not enough just to tell an entertaining story, you have to tell it beautifully. Dandelion Wine is all about finding fantastical stories in commonplace items (such as a new pair of sneakers). But The Hobbit is all about fantasy with no semblance of reality at all – hobbits, elves, goblins, dragons. So many choices. In my novels I try to keep a balance by having fantastical characters and also a full cast of realistic human beings facing their own problems (such as survival in the arctic).

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

My current project, Alaana’s Way is an epic fantasy series of novels (5 in all) which take place in the arctic. The fantasy world is based on Inuit mythology and that’s a world readers don’t encounter very often. Instead of elves and dwarves and wizards, we have Inuit shamans and polar bears, and a golden walrus spirit with a sarcastic sense of humor. All things that you can only see in the arctic setting. My heroine Alaana has one of the most unusual sidekicks in fantasy fiction. It’s a tupilaq – which is the reanimated carcass of a black seal stuffed with amulets and created for bloody revenge upon another shaman. Alaana reconsiders her intentions and decides to educate and raise the thing on human kindness, feeding it with the laughter of children. It has a raven’s beak stuck in the middle of its forehead and can talk through both the seal’s mouth and the raven’s beak with two different personalities. That’s a character you can only find in the arctic. There are a lot of other wild and fun characters including The Whale-Man, Tornarssuk the guardian spirit of the polar bears, the Moon-Man and Tulukkaruq the mischievous Raven himself. Alaana’s Way Book One (The Calling) will be on free Kindle download during January 16-18 if anyone wants to check it out ahead of time, and also during Boskone weekend.

A.C.E. Bauer

A.C.E. Bauer is the author of two middle grade novels, No Catles Here and Come Fall; and a young adult novel, Gil Marsh. She also published a short story in Ladybug Magazine called “The Piano Lesson.” Her books have been chosen for the ALA Rainbow List and CCBC Choices Books, and have received starred reviews in Kirkus Reviews and Publisher’s Weekly. Born and raised in Montreal, she spends most of the year in Connecticut, and much of the summer on a lake in Quebec. For more information, visit A.C.E.’s website, friend her on Facebook or LiveJournal, and follow her on Twitter @ACEBauer1.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

The people! This is my first Boskone, and I’m excited to meet fans, pros, volunteers, and participants.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

There are so many books that I’d recommend, so it’s hard to pin down just one. But as a teenager, I’m pretty sure I’d have loved The War of the Oaks by Emma Bull. It’s the novel that introduced me to urban fantasy. Filled with complex, fully formed characters, a rich setting, and a host of faery folks, it has an compelling and intricate plot. It’s so beautifully crafted, I reread it willingly.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

I write fiction mostly for young readers that fits into the magical realism genre. I describe it as realistic fiction where magic can occur, but usually doesn’t. It’s a kind of fantasy, sort of.

When I was a kid, I believed that anything could happen, especially magic. But day-to-day, I had to brush my teeth, comb my hair, go to school, do my homework, and get shots every year at the doctor’s office. The bully in fourth grade cornered me in a stairwell, and my older brother was more interested in hockey than in playing with me. There was no magic.

But I still believed it existed. If I opened the right door, or read the right book, or met the right person, or I wound up my courage and visited a strange house, I might find it. I didn’t expect to be sent into a fantastical world of wizards and dragons, or meet elves or fairies, but I knew that somehow, I’d brush up against a little strangeness, something that didn’t quite make sense, and that would be magic. This is what I try to capture for my characters in my writing.

Carrie Vaughn

Carrie Vaughn is the author of the New York Times bestselling series of novels about a werewolf named Kitty, the most recent installment of which is Low Midnight. She’s written several other contemporary fantasy and young adult novels, as well as upwards of 70 short stories. She’s a contributor to the Wild Cards series of shared world superhero books edited by George R. R. Martin and a graduate of the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop. An Air Force brat, she survived her nomadic childhood and managed to put down roots in Boulder, Colorado. Visit Carrie’s website and follow her on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

This will be my first ever Boskone. I only get to the East Coast for conventions every other year or so, so I’m really looking forward to meeting and hanging out with people I don’t get to see very often, meeting fans in a part of the country where I’ve not yet done an event, and checking out a whole new convention that I’ve heard great things about.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

Right this minute, I’m working on a screenplay adaptation of one of my stories. Writing a screenplay has been on my long term “to do” list for years. It’s inevitable that I would try it someday, since I’m such a fan of movies (see my blog for my impromptu, idiosyncratic movie reviews). It’s a different kind of writing, demanding a lot of precision and planning, and I’m learning a lot. I don’t know if anything will come of it, but it’s something I really wanted to try.

I’m also putting the finishing touches on a YA space opera novel which is a huge amount of fun.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

I end up saying, “No, really, just try it,” to people about my work a lot. People who aren’t fans of urban fantasy see the label and are skeptical. But I tell them I write quirky, character-driven stories of contemporary fantasy with an eye toward realism, and that gets them interested.

Want to download the report as a PDF? Click here 

INTRODUCING BOSKONE 52
Boskone is New England’s longest running classic science fiction and fantasy convention for the whole family, drawing program participants from North America, Europe, and beyond. Join us February 13-15, 2015, at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston, MA.

Guest of Honor Steven Brust is the author of the Vlad Taltos series and has published more than 26 novels. He writes fantasy, urban fantasy, and more. He’s also an enthusiastic amateur drummer, guitarist, banjo player, and poker player.

Official Artists Charles Lang and Wendy Snow-Lang are artists whose work embraces vintage-style Halloween imagery, Lovecraft inspired themes, and holiday collectibles. They are also co-founders of the Terror Fantasies Art Show in Salem, MA, which may be the longest running Halloween art show in the U.S. Wendy is also a writer and comic book artist.

Special Guest Robert K. Wiener is the president of Donald M. Grant Publisher, Inc. (releasing first editions of Stephen King books among many others). Prior to that he had founded Archival Press. Robert is also a well-known collector of SF art and illustration. He began collecting art in 1965 and has contributed to all of the previous Boskone Art Exhibits as well as to many World Fantasy, Worldcon, the Society of Illustrators and Spectrum Exhibitions. Somehow, he still manages the time to be a fan as well.

Featured Filkers Maya and Jeff Bohnhoff are professional musicians and songwriters. They are known for their clever and ingenious filk parodies, which are not to be missed! In addition, Maya is also a New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen speculative fiction novels, and Jeff has produced albums for many of fandom’s top filkers.

The Hal Clement Science Speaker is David L. Clements. He is an astrophysicist based in London, and his work is focused on extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology, including working on the Herschel and Planck space missions for more than 10 years. To top it all off, he has just published a new popular science book on infrared astronomy and is also a science fiction writer.

The NESFA Press Guest is the Hugo award winning artist Vincent Di Fate,. He is also recognized as one of the foremost authorities on science fiction and fantasy art. His book Infinite Worlds is considered the major reference on the field. He teaches science fiction illustration and film at FIT. Di Fate is a past president of the Society of Illustrators, a Worldcon Guest of Honor (1992, MagiCon) and a founding member and a past president of the Association of Science Fiction/Fantasy Artists.

PROGRAM
Boskone’s program is known for its creativity, depth, and high-caliber speakers. Join in the fun as we discuss what’s new in science fiction, fantasy, science, films, horror, music, and more! Some of our participants are Guy Consolmagno, Bob Eggleton, Christopher Golden, Andrea Hairston, Elizabeth Hand, John Langan, Ken Liu, Marjorie Liu, Scott Lynch, Melissa Marr, Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Charlie Stross, Carrie Vaughn, Walter Jon Williams, Brianna Spacekat Wu, Jane Yolen, and many others!

WHAT’S NEW?
The convention opens at 2:00 pm! And will be free to the public on Friday, February 13 from 2:00-6:00 pm. Memberships are required after 6:00 pm on Friday and for the duration of the convention.

But Wait, There’s More
We have a room dedicated to anime and films, an expanded young adult program, and a heavy-hitting art program that is a “can’t miss” event for art lovers! Plus, Boskone’s roving judges will hand out Hall Costume ribbons, but please be considerate toward others in your costume design.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Friday features Boskone’s Opening Ceremony and Reception. Saturday includes the Featured Filker Concert and the Multi-Author Book Party followed by the Awards Ceremony, a special improv show, and more late night events!

GAMING
Our well-stocked gaming area provides more room for activities and fun. We will have everything from Agricola to Zombie Dice. Try your luck on the Atari, Genesis, Wii, Xbox 360, or PS3 systems. You can save the world with Pandemic, play Dominion to your heart’s content, or take a shot at the Guru of the Game Room Tournament.

ART SHOW
The Boskone Art Show is consistently one of the best around, featuring professional and amateur artists from across the country. Not only can you enjoy the elaborate SF and fantasy-themed artwork, you can bid on and buy many of these original works of art and learn more about each piece during a guided tour. We have a Special Exhibit showcasing SF/F art history as well as a ComiC Book Legal Defense Fund charity painting auction.

DEALERS’ ROOM
Looking to buy something? You’ll find it here, in our own shopping area for amazing and fantastic objects. Here are things you simply can’t get online. Vendors include booksellers, artists, small presses, games, jewelry, those must-have shirts, and, of course, NESFA Press.

DRAGONSLAIR
DragonsLair is our program for young fans. Here you’ll find readings, toys, games, crafts, talks, and hands-on demos designed to appeal to elementary school-aged children.

CON SUITE
The center of Boskone is the Con Suite. Grab a quick snack, have a conversation, or relax and watch the con go by. You can also participate in one of the many Kaffeeklatsches — group discussions with our participants — or get that special book signed by your favorite author!

REGISTRATION & HOTEL
Online pre-registration rates are available through January 21, 2015: Adults $50, College Students $35, and K-12 Students $25. Visit our website for day rates.

Westin Waterfront Hotel is located at 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA. Boskone’s room rates are $157 single/double, $167 triple, and $177 quad.

 

What better way to top off the holiday season than another set of Boskone Mini Interviews? Today we bring you the amazing Jane Yolen who puts a little bit of sparkle in everything she does, the science fiction author and engineer John Murphy, and the multi-talented researcher Joan Slonczewski.

Jane Yolen

Heading toward Book 350, and in 2013-2014 the following SF/F books out: The Hostage Prince, B.U.G., Curse of the Thirteenth Fey, How Do Dinosaurs Say I’m Mad, Romping Monsters/Stomping Monsters, Waking Dragons, Sister Fox’s Field Guide to Writing, Bloody Tide, The Last Changeling. For more information, visit Jane’s website, friend her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter @JaneYolen.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Seeing old friends,making new ones.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

Meeting David Stemple who became my husband for 44 years until his death in 2006. I am a better, broader, deeper person since knowing him.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

Two new things that have my creative juices really galloping (not just flowing.): The STONE COLD graphic novel trilogy (written with son Adam Stemple),a noir mystery in three parts set in Edinburgh in the 1930s and the Nero Wolf character is a gargoyle! And a verse novel about a girl who runs away from an abusive home and ends up in a forest where she comes upon a little hut on chicken feet, called FINDING BABA YAGA.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

Well, the author I disliked until I hit my sixties and discovered how truly funny and insightful she was is Jane Austen. I wish I could reintroduce my sixteen year old self to her work.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

Protean. Diverse. For all ages and stages of life. Sometimes outrageously punny. Other times weepingly sad. The best of times deep and moving. (Or so I’m told.) I want the following on my tombstone: She wrote many good books and one great one. (It’s a Rorschach test!)

John Murphy

John P. Murphy is an engineer and writer living in New Hampshire. His research interests include robotics and network security. His fiction has focused on mystery in SFF. For more information, visit John’s website and follow him on Twitter at @dolohov.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

I have a number of friends in the SFF community who I really only get to see once a year at Boskone — some of whom I met there in the first place! I’m very much looking forward to catching up with them, and to meeting new friends to look forward to seeing next year. I think it speaks very highly of Boskone that I can rely on seeing so many interesting people come back for more every year.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

When I was signing up for college courses freshman year, I was mostly looking at engineering classes, but in the back of my head remembering that humanities requirement. Just flipping through the catalog, I saw that they taught Japanese. At the time, growing up in West Virginia, I knew nothing about the language or the country — I wasn’t even an anime fan like half my class turned out to be. I just thought, “hey, that might be cool” and on the spur of the moment added it to the list. I took that class, then the next, and wound up studying in Japan. I saw parts of the world I never would have otherwise, met fascinating people, and got introduced to an enormous body of film, literature, and food that has enriched my life over the years.

It’s taken a long time, and I’m still not sure I’ve fully learned the lesson, but learning to randomly say “yes” to unexpected opportunities that present themselves, trusting that “hey, that might be cool” instinct, has turned out to be a very useful life skill.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I’m working on a novel-length sequel to my SF mystery novella Claudius Rex, which was an homage to the Nero Wolfe mysteries. I’m excited about bringing these characters to a longer form where they have more space to interact with each other and near-future Boston, and to fully develop as characters in their own right, and I find that I have a lot more to say on the subject of how people might get along with artificial intelligences. But at the same time, that novella was structured as an origin story, which gives a lot of opportunity to naturally worldbuild, and the novella->novel sequence is likely to mean a higher new reader ratio than an ordinary sequel would have. It’s been tough trying to naturally introduce the characters and the setting to new readers without that origin story structure and also without boring the folks who already know them.

Joan Slonczewski

Joan Slonczewski researches bacteria in extreme environments and writes award-winning SF about future medicine, revolutions, and alien sexualities. In The Highest Frontier (Tor Books, 2011; Campbell Award) a Cuban-American student goes to college at an orbital space habitat protected from alien invasion by Homeworld Security. Slonczewski’s earlier Campbell-award winner, A Door into Ocean, creates a world covered entirely by ocean, inhabited by an all-female race of humans who use genetic engineering to defend their unique ecosystem.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

1) A year with my family in Zurich, surrounded by the Alps. One day the school teacher cancelled classes and took us up the mountain to ski. Our school still learned faster than in the USA. There are always things to learn bedsides school–if you have a good school.

2) In the 80s, I was with Quakers protesting the launch of a Trident sub. A grandmother lay down in the road, requiring a police officer to pick her up to take to jail. Behind the factory fence, a worker stared out at me. “You’re right,” he said. People always have a responsibility to work for what’s right.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I am on a field project in Antarctica, the Dry Valley Lakes, which resemble Mars. We are isolating new microbes for study. What excites me is that I am learning a lot about extreme landscape–and about the ability of my body to adapt to it. See my blog: Ultraphyte.com

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

A Year on Ice, documentary about Antarctica, including winter and summer seasons. The McMurdo people tell me this is the best documentary ever made about Antarctica.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

Mary Renault, The Last of the Wine. I married a classicist (Greek, Latin).

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

I write about biological aliens that coevolve with young people, who help them save the Earth from destruction. I conduct microbiology research with a team of a dozen students, who investigate how E. coli bacteria tell the brain to eat chocolate.

~

Happy Boskone to all, and to all a good con!

Boskone is hosting a string quartet to play during the Boskone Reception on Friday, February 13th from 8:30-10:00 pm. While we’re all fans of Bach, Bethoven, and the other musical greats, we thought we’d liven things up with a special twist and ask our musicians to play music that is specific to fandom. To that end, we are looking for suggestions to share with the string quartet.

Some of the pieces that we are considering include the “Main Titles” from:

• Star Wars Episode IV
• Superman
• Firefly
• Battlestar Galactica
• Doctor Who
• Games of Thrones
• Lord of the Rings
• …Friday the 13th? 😉
• Add Your Suggestions in the Comments…

We won’t be able to include everything, but we want as many options as possible for the String Quartet to consider. So, please feel free to list all of your musical choices in the comments section below whether they are from a movie, a television show, or even a game!

Like Soylent Green, Boskone is made of people! <Queue a frantic Charlton Heston!> Okay, we’re just kidding about Soylent Green, but people really are what makes Boskone special. Just ask Charlie Stross, Sarah Langan, and Jeff Hecht. It’s the people who bring them back to Boskone. Our Mini Interviews continue with three new perspectives, three new set of stories, and three truly amazing people–all of whom we are excited about seeing at Boskone!

Charlie Stross

Charles Stross, 48, is a full-time science fiction writer and resident of Edinburgh, Scotland. The author of six Hugo-nominated novels and winner of the 2005 and 2010 Hugo awards for best novella (“The Concrete Jungle” and “Palimpsest”), Stross’s latest publications are the novel Neptune’s Brood and the novella “Equoid.” For more information, visit Charlie’s webisite and follow him on Twitter @cstross.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Charlie Stross (CS): The weather! Ha ha, no. Actually, it’s all about the people.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

(CS): Right now I’m working on two tracks: the next couple of Laundry Files novels — “The Annihilation Score” is in production for release in July, and I’m just now starting on “The Nightmare Stacks” for 2016 — and a trilogy of new Merchant Princes universe books — my big fat post-Edward Snowden parallel universe technothriller!

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

(CS): I tell lies for money. Also, I have a warped sense of humour, revolving around beer, computers, bureaucracy, and our endless ability to misunderstand each other.

Sarah Langan

Sarah Langan is the author of the novels The Keeper, This Missing, and Audrey’s Door. Her work has garnered three Bram Stoker Awards, a New York Times Editor’s Pick, an ALA selection, and a PW favorite Book of the Year selection. Her short fiction has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Brave New Worlds, Fantasy Magazine, Lightspeed Magazine, the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, etc. She’s at work on her fourth novel, The Clinic, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters. For more information, visit Sarah on her website, follow her on Twitter @SarahVCLangan, and Friend her on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Sarah Langan (SL): It’s cheesy but true: I’m looking forward to seeing old friends, and making new ones. Since having kids five years ago, I pretty much stopped traveling and going to conventions. That was fine for a while, but I find that I thrive on the exposure to other writers. I like going to panels and hearing smart comments, meeting people who are excited about what they do. It’s energizing and reminds me how much I love what I do and how lucky I am to be able to do it.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

(SL): I’m working on a novel called The Clinic. It’s about a family under duress, an evil clinic, psychic powers, and high frequency trades. I love rolling up my sleeves and getting dirty, learning all about subjects that interest me, and creating characters set in real-life situations that reflect modern times. I’m a social critic, underneath all that gore. But Gawd, it’s a lot of work, and very, very daunting. I’m finally coming to the conclusion that it doesn’t have to be perfect, so much as done. THEN I can work on perfect.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

(SL): This isn’t genre, but I’ve fallen head over heels for the Italian writer Elena Ferrante. I can’t wait to read part two of her Neapolitan Series, The Story of a New Name. Ferrante’s characters are underdogs, beaten and neglected, trying to figure out how not just to survive, but to thrive in a world that would prefer they fade.

Jeff Hecht

Jeff Hecht is a freelance science and technology writer and consultant for New Scientist magazine and Laser Focus World, based in Newton, Massachusetts. His short fiction has appeared in Analog, Asimov’s, Interzone, Nature, and Daily Science Fiction. He has written several books on lasers and fiber optics. For more information, visit Jeff on his website and follow him on Twitter @jeffhecht.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Jeff Hecht (JH): Meeting old and new friends and talking about interesting ideas. Boskone attracts an interesting group of people, and they make for stimulating discussions.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

(JH): Answering a tiny little ad in the help wanted section of the Boston Globe 40 years ago. I was getting bored out of my skull writing computer manuals for Honeywell. I had all but finished my project, and was sitting around writing science fiction and sending out resumes. The tiny little ad was from a trade magazine looking for an assistant editor. It turned out to be a laser magazine, and I had worked one summer in a laser lab, and had a degree in electrical engineering.

I talked my way into the job. And it was a hell of a lot more fun than computer manuals. It got me launched into a career as a science journalist, something that I hadn’t really thought about very much before. My boss was an old-line journalist who put up with my erratic spelling because I understood more about physics and engineering than he did. He also tutored me in writing. And he turned out to be an old friend of Damon Knight who was not bothered by my side interest in science fiction.

I stayed seven years, learned laser geek speak, and quit to become a full-time freelancer and write about more than lasers. That led to more adventures in writing the history of fiber optics, going through the madness of the Bubble, and covering news stories like the Piltdown bird (Archaeoraptor).

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

(JH): I write about lasers and dinosaurs. Seriously. I make my living writing about science and technology, and somewhat by happenstance two of the areas I specialize in are optics (lasers, fiber optics, photonics, and so forth) and paleontology (earth science, history of the earth, fossils, and – of course – dinosaurs. I’ve been known to write fiction about them, but mostly I write science fact, for magazines including New Scientist and Laser Focus World.

Let the Boskone Mini Interviews continue! We’ve had a few days of silence on the Boskone Blog as we ironed out the draft schedules for our program participants (which will be sent to participants soon). However, we are now up and running with a new set of Mini Interviews for your enjoyment. Today we have Boskone’s Hal Clement Science Speaker David L. Clements as well as fantasy author David Anthony Durham and agent Joshua Bilmes. Now, enough from us! Here are the people you came to read.

David L. Clements

David L. Clements is an astrophysicist based at Imperial College London. His main work concerns extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology and he has been working on the Herschel and Planck space missions for the past 10 years. His first book, a popular book called Infrared Astronomy: Seeing the Heat, was published at the end of 2014. He is also a science fiction writer with stories published in Analog, Nature and numerous anthologies. He also arranges science programmes for conventions, most recently at LonCon3. For more information, visit Dave on his website and follow him on Twitter @davecl42.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

I’ve never been able to go to a Boskone before, so I’m looking forward to finding out what I’ll enjoy most!

This is also the first time I’ve ever been a guest at a convention, so that’s going to be a completely new experience.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Boskone is one of the classic SF conventions, and one I’ve wanted to go to for a while but have never managed it. So just going is something I’m looking forward to!

Among many things I’m looking forward to seeing friends I already know in Boston fandom, making new ones, talking about science and science fiction, and the links between them, and sharing the fascination of the results we’re getting from Herschel, Planck and other astronomical instruments.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

Being a child during the time of the Apollo landings, and the first flush of SF on TV – including Star Trek, Dr Who, Thunderbirds and many others. This gave me an enthusiasm and interest in space, SF, and in the possibilities of understanding how the universe works.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I’ve just published my first (non-fiction) book! It’s called Infrared Astronomy: Seeing the Heat and tells the story of the universe as seen through infrared eyes, I got my first copies yesterday and I’m still on a high!

The book is available here from the publishers, from all the usual online retailers, and maybe from your local bookstore as well. 🙂

I’ve also got a short story out in Analog’s Jan/Feb issue. Once I’ve got another short fiction project finished I’ll be going back to the novel in progress, and hopefully get that out to agents and/or potential publishers some time in 2015.

Research-wise I’m working on looking for the most distant dusty galaxies in the universe — we published the current record holder (redshift 6.32) in 2013 but I’m seeing if we have any more distant objects in the current observations from Herschel and ground-based observatories at longer, submm and millimetre, wavelengths. I also have a project looking at clusters of galaxies where there is an unusually high rate of star formation in some of their constituent galaxies.

Beyond that I’m looking to future space missions, including Euclid, SPICA, and a rather interesting possibility for looking at the cosmological dark ages, before the first generation of stars formed.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

The new season of Sherlock should be starting on the BBC soon – we’ll all be watching that over Christmas. Bookwise I’m looking forward to William Gibson’s latest, Peripheral, and Peter Watts’ latest, Echopraxia. Filmwise, the next Avengers movie is hopefully going to be good, but on films, the unexpected, innovative independent film, if you can cope with the odd rough edge, can be a real surprise. I found The Machine on Netflix recently and was really impressed. Hopefully, I’ll find more like that.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

There are lots of books that weren’t written then that I’d recommend, but of those that were available I’d point myself to A Song for Lya, a short story collection by George RR Martin when he was writing excellent SF. The title story itself is awesome.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

In terms of fiction I try to write hard, cosmological SF, though sometimes I write things that are a bit less wide screen. In both my fiction and my non-fiction I want to give readers a sense of place for things that are far, far away, a feel for the vast oceans of space and time that surround us, but despite all this, convey the significance of people to each other and, potentially, to the universe.

In my research I’m interested in finding out the role that dusty galaxies play in the history of star formation, and in sorting out new ways that far-infrared astronomy can be used in cosmology.

David Anthony Durham

David Anthony Durham is the author of the Acacia Trilogy of fantasy novels, as well as the historical novels Pride of Carthage, Walk Through Darkness and Gabriel’s Story. His novels have been published in the UK and in nine foreign languages. Four of them have been optioned for development as feature films. For more information, visit David’s website and friend him on Facebook.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Hanging out with old friends and making new ones. It’s funny, but that really is the first thing that comes to mind. The panels are wonderful — either to be on or to sit and listen to. The organization is top-notch, with so much to choose from. I’m never bored. Indeed, I usually feel spoiled for choice. And I don’t mind admitting it’s lovely to hear from people who’ve been kind enough to read my work. That happens every now and then. 😉

But what I really think of first about Boskone is socializing. Relaxing on the couches in the lobby. Strolling with someone through the art show. Lively debate and discussion in the bar. Talking late into the night at some function or another. That’s a surprisingly big part of it. The people.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

Two things. The most SFF-related is that I’m currently working on another series of stories for the next Wild Cards collaborative novel, edited by George RR Martin and Melinda Snodgrass. It’s called High Stakes. It’s the third consecutive one I’ve been in, and I’m very pleased with that. What excites me is the same as what challenges me about the project – weaving together my character’s stories with the other authors stories, each of us adding our own piece into something that, with sharp editing from George and Melinda, becomes more than the sum of its pieces. Of course, it isn’t always easy. There can be a lot of rewriting. George in particular isn’t shy about speaking his mind when he doesn’t like something!

I’ve also just finished a long-delayed historical novel about the Spartacus rebellion in ancient Rome. It’s still in the editing process, so I’ll be living with it for awhile still. I knew I was drawn to the story for my own reasons, but I knew it would be a challenge to pull away from existing takes on Spartacus and craft something new. I wanted to write it in a way nobody had done before, and it took me longer than I expected to find my approach. I’m very pleased with how it turned out, though.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

I’m a big The Walking Dead fan. But I live up in the hills in Western Massachusetts. No cable. No high speed internet. I can only watch the series once it’s out on dvd, which means I’m way-hungry for Season Five. If I see you at the con, don’t tell me what happened! Now, I know that the show has it’s wonky moments, but in general I find each and every episode engaging, surprising, and skillfully written. I love the casting and complexity of the character relationships. And, for me, it’s no small thing that the show has come to have such an ethnically diverse cast, or that it’s filled with strongly drawn female characters. I’ll be a very happy chap when I can get my hands on the next season.

Joshua Bilmes

President of JABberwocky Literary Agency with 25 years experience; represents #1 bestsellers Charlaine Harris and Brandon Sanderson and many other leading authors in SF/fantasy. For more information, visit him on his website, follow him on Twitter @awfulagent or @jabbermaster, and on his blog.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

The dealer’s room! I’ll get to chat up the people at Larry Smith Booksellers in the dealer’s room and find out what they’re reading and recommending and see all of the new books. Maybe the biggest Barnes & Noble locations that do a good business in sf/f get all of the new releases, but even the typical B&N doesn’t these days. There will be a new hardcover or trade paperback that the big chains aren’t carrying at all of their locations or the new mass market book with just one or two copies on order that disappears into the alphabetical shelving. So I don’t think there’s any substitute for going to the Larry Smith table and seeing pretty much everything. And then after I’m done there, I will probably buy way too much fudge from the Auntie Erwin stand, which has lots of different flavors. Everyone who’s at the convention will be in the dealer’s room at some point, so it’s a good place to meet people. And once I’m there, I can wander a little bit and find some food at the con suite and the art show and lots of other fun stuff to do.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

I’d never read science fiction to speak of before 1979, when we were coincidentally staying at the Boskone hotel, and ended up getting some free samples of the first few issues of Omni Magazine, which had started six months before. The short fiction in Omni, including great stories by Orson Scott Card and George R R Martin, was my first taste of reading sf/fantasy, and I was hooked pretty much instantly. Soon I was subscribing to Omni and Analog and Asimov’s and getting my initial shipment from the SF Book Club, and everything I’ve done since takes off from that.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

Boskone will be taking place just days after Myke Cole’s Gemini Cell goes on sale, and this is a great book  that I’m excited people will be able to get at Boskone. It takes all of the good things about his Shadow Ops series and builds on them. So there’s lots of great action which reflects Myke’s experience in and knowledge of the military, but there’s a classic love story with some sf/f twists, and there’s a lot of heart. It’s like taking his Shadow Ops books, adding in some Cold Mountain, and making it warm and engaging.

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author. You can also get more information on the Official Boskone website and by friending us on Facebook. If you’re on Twitter, follow us @boskonenews and look for us using #Boskone.

Purchase your Boskone membership!

Boskone brings you thee new Mini Interviews to help us get through the mid-week blues. Today, the skeletons are coming out of the closet with Toni Kelner, we get interstellar with Allen Steele, and Jon Hunt gets artsy!

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Toni L.P. Kelner (Leigh Perry)

Toni L.P. Kelner has published eleven mystery novels, twenty-something short stories, and five anthologies (co-edited with Charlaine Harris). Starting in September, she’ll be a split personality–she’ll edit anthologies as herself but will be writing the Family Skeleton mysteries under the pen name Leigh Perry. Find more information by visiting Toni on her website, follow her on Twitter @Family_Skeleton, and friend her on Facebook.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Toni Kelner (TK): Honestly, my favorite part is hanging in the bar, and I don’t even drink that much! It’s all about talking with the fascinating folks who come to Boskone. Not that I don’t adore the panels, and the art show, and the dealer’s hall, and all that good stuff, but the best part is meeting new people and talking to old friends.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

(TK): This year, I’m particularly looking forward to catching up with Melissa Marr.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

(TK): I’m working on the third novel in my Family Skeleton series (written as Leigh Perry). The biggest challenge is that it is the third. You see, I think a lot of people picked up the first and maybe even the second because they were intrigued and/or amused by one of my main characters, Sid the Skeleton. That’s not a nickname. Sid is actually a skeleton. So that’s quirky enough in the world of cozy mysteries to get people’s attention. Now I need to prove that Sid is more than just a gimmick, and make sure I’ve got the plot to keep people reading. And of course, I need to flesh out Sid’s character. (Har!)

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

(TK): So many! In movies and TV, the second Avengers movie, the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie, the Doctor Who Christmas special, the next episodes of Sherlock! In books, the next from Seanan McGuire, Illona Andrews, Charlaine Harris, and Jim Butcher. In comics, Saga and Fables. I’m a well-rounded geek.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

(TK): Well, it didn’t exist then, but if they had, the Harry Potter books. The story-telling and characters are something I would have loved back then. I adored them as an adult, too, but I think they would have meant a lot more to me back then.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

(TK): My current series of novels are woo-woo cozy mysteries, meaning traditional mysteries with a paranormal element. Namely, Sid the Skeleton. In short stories, I’ll try anything.

Allen Steele

Allen Steele has published nineteen novels and nearly a hundred works of short fiction. His work has received numerous awards, including three Hugos, and has been translated and reprinted worldwide. In 2013 he received the Robert A. Heinlein Award. His most recent novel is _V-S Day_. He lives in western Massachusetts with his wife and dogs. He doesn’t like potato chips and he can’t take torts. For more information, visit Allen on his website.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Allen Steele (AS): Seeing old friends and making new ones.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

(AS): The novel I just finished, Arkwright, is a very realistic look at interstellar exploration. It involves the descendents of a famous science fiction writer of the 20th century and their efforts, over the course of many years, to use his fortune to build the first starship and send it to a distant world. The biggest challenge was designing a vessel that had as little “wish-fulfillment” technology as possible while still projecting forward to the late 21st century.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

(AS): Generally speaking, I write a traditional form of science fiction that’s solidly based on science and technology while also dealing with mature issues.

Jon Hunt

I make art in both traditional + digital media for book jackets, storyboards + concept art, collectible card games, role playing manuals, music videos, + magazines. I write a bi-monthly column on illustration + creativity for Art Hive magazine. I am the art director for Frombie where I work with a talented group of young artists designing collectible toys, comics, pins, posters + more. In addition to working for freelance clients, I have developed my own line of creepy character pins called EEPz. I also teach drawing, painting + illustration at the college level. I am from the North East, but currently live in South Florida with my wife + two kids. For more information visit Jon at his website, on Facebook, and on Instagram.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Jon Hunt (JH): I really enjoy the atmosphere of Boskone. Since I am an illustrator, the Art Show is definitely a focal point for me. I can always count on being humbled by a diverse and inspiring selection of paintings and prints by some of the most talented and influential artists working in the genre. Boskone is also one of the most laid back and conversation-friendly conventions I have ever attended. I look forward to catching up with friends as well as networking with artists, art directors, editors and fans.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

(JH): Discovering Science Fiction and Fantasy literature and films was a huge defining moment for me. Reading did not seem all that interesting until I discovered books about spaceships, robots, monsters and dragons! Madeline L’Engle, Robert Heinlein, Edgar Rice Burroughs H.P. Lovecraft and Anne McCaffrey, Batman, Watchmen, X-Men, Star Wars, Alien, Bladerunner, Evil Dead… These are just a few of the genre authors, films and comics have influenced my early style and also inspired me to create fantastical art in the first place!

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

(JH): I am working on a variety of exciting projects right now. I was honored this past year to illustrate the cover for the Romanian edition of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I have also been illustrating, writing and art directing for a collectible toy and pin company called Frombie (www.frombies.com). My association with Frombie inspired me to create my own line of collectible pins and comics called EEPz (creepyeepz.com) which I debuted at New York Comic-Con in October 2015.

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author. You can also get more information on the Official Boskone website and by friending us on Facebook. If you’re on Twitter, follow us @boskonenews and look for us using #Boskone.

We have two more Boskone Mini Interviews for you. This time we’re featuring the much loved Ginjer Buchanan and the very talented Myke Cole. Like Ginjer and Myke, we are looking forward to seeing all of our friends, new and old, who are coming to Boston this year for Boskone 52. To keep up with all of Boskone’s activities, you can friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @boskonenews. Now, back to Ginjer and Myke. Enjoy!

Ginjer Buchanan

While a student at Carnegie Mellon University, Ginjer Buchanan helped start the Western Pennsylvania Science Fiction Association. In the early 1970s, she moved from Pittsburgh to New York City where she made her living as a social worker, while doing free-lance editorial work. In 1984, she took a job as an editor at Ace Books. She now works as an acquisitions editor for Penguin USA, which now incudes Putnam, Berkley and Ace Books.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Ginjer Buchanan (GB): I always look forward to Boskone because it’s an opportunity for me to see some of my fan and pro friends from all over the world who attend regularly.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

GB: I’d been a long-time reader of science fiction and fantasy, but hadn’t really shared my interest with anyone. Then in 1967, I went to a meeting of the newly-formed Western Pennsylvania Science Fiction Association (WOOPSFA) and “officially joined” science-fiction fandom. That changed my life completely. Through fandom, I made life-long friends, met my husband, and eventually, found my second career as a sf/f editor.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

GB: Hmmm–the books I would recommend to my teen-age self didn’t exist when I was a teen-ager, of course. YA as a separate category, in fact, didn’t exist then. However, I would have devoured both the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series because girl characters like Hermione and Katniss were, in actuality, few and far between in the sf/fantasy I was reading.

Myke Cole

Myke Cole is the author of the military fantasy Shadow Ops series (Control Point, Fortress Frontier, Breach Zone). As a secu­rity con­tractor, gov­ern­ment civilian and mil­i­tary officer, Myke Cole’s career has run the gamut from Coun­tert­er­rorism to Cyber War­fare to Fed­eral Law Enforce­ment. He’s done three tours in Iraq and was recalled to serve during the Deep­water Horizon oil spill. For more information, visit Myke’s website, follow him on Twitter @MykeCole, and friend him on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Myke Cole (MC): Fandom faces a dynamic challenges. The renewed focus on making cons safe for all audiences, the transition to eReading, the rise of new media, just to name a few. Traditional, fan-run cons are largely losing ground to well-funded for-profit cons, and those that survive and thrive will need to do so by developing programming and amenities that speak to newer, younger populations of fans. I know that Boskone has been doing their best to meet this challenge, and look forward to seeing how they move into the future.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

MC: By the time this is printed, my newest novel, Gemini Cell will have just hit shelves, and I’ll be a month away from turning in its sequel, Javelin Rain. These books tell the story of James Schweitzer, a US Navy SEAL who’s killed and brought back to life by the Gemini Cell, the earliest incarnation of the Supernatural Operations Corps fans will be familiar with from my Shadow Ops trilogy. The goal is to write something that new readers can enjoy without ever having read anything else of mine, and that Shadow Ops fans can feel at home with.

I’ve also just wrapped up the 5th draft of a “grimdark” fantasy novel that should be out to market for publishers.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

MC: If Harry Potter joined Delta Force instead of going off to Hogworts, you’d get my work. Peter V. Brett also described it as “Black Hawk Down meets the X-Men.”

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author. If you’re on Twitter, look for us using #Boskone.

Purchase your Boskone membership!