With over 3 days of Boskone’s top-notch programming, over 100 program items to choose from Boskone 58 is shaping up to be a weekend you won’t soon forget!

Check out the full schedule now 

Welcome to the Boskone 58 Mini Interview Series! Get to know some of  top authors, scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry, why they’re looking forward to Boskone, and perhaps a sneak peek at what they’re working on next.

We are continuing our first week of Boskone 58 Mini Interview Series with David B. Coe/D.B. Jackson, Darlene Marshall, and Sara Megibow!

David B. Coe/D.B. Jackson

Visit David B. Coe/D.B. Jackson on their Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

Connecting with friends and fans. Writers are, for the most part, used to a certain level of isolation. We spend a good deal of time in our own heads, alone (except for our characters!), hard at work on the next story or novel. And honestly, many of us like it that way. But even the most dedicated creative hermit would be starved for company and conversation after the year we’ve been through. And, as it happens, I’m a fairly gregarious hermit. So, I am excited to reconnect with fellow writers, to interact with con attendees, to feel again that I’m part of a community.

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

I would love to answer with some cool fantasy world that I’ve read or created — and there are so many that intrigue me. But the truth is, most of us populate our worlds with some nasty types that make me hesitant to visit. Demons, giants, evil mages, and power-hungry royals. Not that those last are absent from our own world, but there is something to be said for limiting ones interactions to the devils we know… So I would choose to visit the American Southwest. I’ve been there many times before, and I never tire of it. I’m a dedicated amateur photographer, and I am drawn to the vast, ever-changing skies, the deep reds of sandstone, the startling shapes and contrasts of cliffs and canyons, stark stone and delicate flora. Whenever I go there, I am inspired and renewed.

Authors, artists, and creators often listen to music while they work. If you have a playlist you’d like to share or an album to recommend, please add it here. We’ll be compiling a list of lists to help Boskone attendees get their creative juices flowing. 

“Skip, Hop, and Wobble,” by Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, and Russ Barenberg

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

I have a number of projects in the works, actually. I have been working on a trilogy of novellas set in my Thieftaker universe (written as D.B. Jackson). The novellas are interrelated and together form a novel-length story called “The Loyalist Witch. They should be out early in 2021. I am also working on a supernatural thriller, and have recently sold it to a publisher. It’s not clear yet whether I’ll be publishing that one as David B. Coe or D.B. Jackson. And I am editing a themed anthology with Joshua Palmatier for his Zombies Need Brains imprint. The anthology is called Derelict, and its stories are all focused on some sort of wrecked ship. For that one, I am co-editing as David B. Coe, and submitting a Thieftaker story as D.B. Jackson. So, 2021 is already shaping up to be a busy year!

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Darlene Marshall

Visit Darlene Marshall on their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Website, Pinterest, and Goodreads!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

The possibility of seeing my friends who I’d normally see in person, but the added attraction of meeting new people who might not have been inclined to travel to Boston in February in the past.

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

This is a tough one. My visceral response is to say, “I want to see my children”. One’s in NYC, one’s on the west coast, and the last time I saw them face-to-face was after Boskone57. It seems like a lifetime ago, and in some ways, it was.

My second choice is Paris because I was supposed to attend a romance writers and readers conference which got cancelled due to COVID in April, and I still hope that I’ll be able to visit in the next few years.

Authors, artists, and creators often listen to music while they work. If you have a playlist you’d like to share or an album to recommend, please add it here. We’ll be compiling a list of lists to help Boskone attendees get their creative juices flowing. 

My writing music is epic soundtracks: James Horner, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, etc.

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

My brain was like tapioca through most of the spring and summer, but I’m finally back in gear. I’m working on a historical romance about smuggling in early 19th C. Florida, but my stories often veer far away from where I see them going initially. That’s half the fun of actually writing–letting the characters and the story surprise me.

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Sara Megibow

Visit Sarah Megibow on their Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

Cons inspire me. For Boskone 58, I’m looking forward to that feeling of excitement and connection I get from being around artists and gamers and geeks. I know the panels are virtual-only but I’m so excited to *see* people and revel in good discussions!

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

In the real world? I’m tempted to say a beach or Napa Valley or something. But in reality, what I really really want to do is just go to a friend’s house for an epic night of table top gaming, eating good food and drinking good wine. It’s the little things, right?

In a fictional world? I read two amazing books this year set in/around sea-faring worlds. I’m obsessed with both of them so I think I’d either visit the Meridian from Rebecca Roanhorse’s BLACK SUN or the world of Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s THE MERMAID, THE WITCH AND THE SEA. Incidentally, both have mermaids. Love it!

Authors, artists, and creators often listen to music while they work. If you have a playlist you’d like to share or an album to recommend, please add it here. We’ll be compiling a list of lists to help Boskone attendees get their creative juices flowing. 

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

I’m a literary agent so I’m constantly working with authors on their upcoming books and 2021 is going to be epic!!

A few examples:

THREADER ORIGINS – the first in a new series by international bestselling author Gerald Brandt. String theory science fantasy – so exciting! (January 2021 from DAW Books)

TWENTY-FIVE TO LIFE by R.W.W. Greene – a road trip tale set in the near future starring those left behind when a generation ship leaves Earth (August 2021 from Angry Robot)

FORGING A NIGHTMARE by debut author Patricia A. Jackson – an urban fantasy Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse adventure. Swords, battles and magical horses – Huzzah! (November 2021 from Angry Robot)

And in series, I’m very much looking forward to SPECTRUM by Julie E. Czerneda (Book #3 of the Webshifter’s Library series) and REQUIEM OF SILENCE by L. Penelope (Book #4 of the Earthsinger Chronicles series).

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Curious about who else is coming to Boskone 58? With 3 days of over 100 top-notch items paired with top authors, scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry, you won’t want to miss out. Join your fellow fans and writers by registering today!

Don’t miss out! Register for Boskone 58 today!

Welcome to the Boskone 58 Mini Interview Series! Get to know some of  top authors, scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry, why they’re looking forward to Boskone, and perhaps a sneak peek at what they’re working on next.

We are continuing our first week of Boskone 58 Mini Interview Series with KT Bryski, Greer Gilman, and Marcin Klak!

KT Bryski

KT Bryski is a Canadian author, playwright, and podcaster. Her fiction has appeared in Nightmare, Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, and Augur, among others. She’s won the Parsec and the Toronto Star Short Story Contest, and she has been shortlisted for the Sunburst Award. KT co-chairs ephemera, a speculative fiction reading series occurring monthly in Toronto (or YouTube, depending on COVID-19). KT is a graduate of the Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing, and she is represented by Kim-Mei Kirtland of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. When she’s not writing, KT can be found frolicking through Toronto, enjoying choral music and craft beer.

Visit KT Bryski on their Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

I’m looking forward to connecting with a vibrant, passionate community of readers and authors! I’ve always enjoyed Boskone (it was my last pandemic pre-COVID) and I’m pleased to experience some of the camaraderie and insights from afar.

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

Prior to the pandemic, some friends and I were planning a walking trip across Scotland. I’d still very much like to go – sometimes dreams just get delayed, that’s all.

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

Currently, I’m working on a novel based on faeries and body-snatchers (the 19th century practice of stealing recently-dead cadavers, not the aliens!). I’m also juggling a few short stories at any given time – you can find my most recent in Nightmare (CW for queerphobia/homophobic slurs): http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/tigers-feast/

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Greer Gilman

Visit Greer Gilman on their Website and Dreamwidth!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

Conversation.  Faces. I’ve missed you.

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

O my. What I’m longing for is a gathering of friends from everywhere: fabulous company in an ancient many-roomed house with (of course) a great library, artworks of all centuries, a cabinet of curiosities, and windows opening on marvelous views.  Gifted musicians and great cooks would be of the party. Private theatricals…

Hey, what book is this?   Do I have to write it?

All right, we’re in a manor house in a wood between worlds. There’s a pleasant walk any way you set out: paths to any place at any period you like, or into any otherworld. If it’s countryside you want, you can stroll into May Day in the Très Riches Heures, or Mole End, with the carollers coming, or the Green Knight’s castle in midwinter, or a wood near Athens. Or if it’s cities you desire, you can spend your time in Harlem in the 1920s, or 15th-century Florence, or the Floating World, or fin-de-siècle Paris; in Xanadu, Heorot, Alexandria, Gormenghast, Time City, or Lud-in-the-Mist. Myself, I would head with friends (immune to plague) for Shakespeare’s London, to see the first performances of all his plays, not excepting Cardenio and Love’s Labour’s Won.

There are rooms for all, and doors to all your longed-for places. You’re invited.

Authors, artists, and creators often listen to music while they work. If you have a playlist you’d like to share or an album to recommend, please add it here. We’ll be compiling a list of lists to help Boskone attendees get their creative juices flowing. 

https://nineweaving.dreamwidth.org/477901.html

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

How do I hedge gracefully? I don’t. Like many artists, I got stomped flat by 2020. But as the world reopens slowly, slowly? I hope to take up and re-imagine my evolving story about Ben Jonson, John Donne and his unruly daughter, and the machinations of faerie.

As long ago (or recently) as 2019, I got to write an introduction for Of Cats and Elfins, a fantastic collection of Sylvia Townsend Warner?s stories, out from Handheld Press. It includes The Cat’s Cradle Book of the folktales cats tell their kittens, and her uncollected elfin stories, above all, the magnificent, queer The Duke of Orkney’s Leonardo. I also wrote and performed in a one-act blank-verse play, Little Kingdom. Scene: the Moon. Ben Jonson has been stuck in an afterlife, auditioning for apotheosis. Now he is joined by Dame Ethel Smyth, composer, suffragist, Sapphist. Opera ensues.

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Marcin Klak

Visit Marcin Klak on their Facebook, and Website!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

I firstly heard about Boskone a few years ago and I wanted to attend it ever since. I am especially looking forward to meeting other fans and feeling the convention atmosphere. I live in Poland and meeting fans from other countries and learning how we differ yet remain similar is a thing I really enjoy. I am also really curious about the programme and all the interesting items there.

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

That is a tough question! I have plenty of places in the real world I would love to see but if I would get the chance to go to fictional world I would definitely choose it. As a big Tolkien fan I would love to visit Middle-earth in one of the relatively calmer periods. I think that the tour around Beleriand would be perfect. It would give me the chance to not only see the beauty f the country but also meet some of my favourite characters. Yet I am really not sure how Fingolfin would react to a fanboy asking for an autograph?

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

I am not a writer or artist so there is rather no big releases from me. I am regularly writing about conventions for my blog (www.FandomRover.com). I also work on my fanzine but as it is published in Polish I am afraid most people will find it unreadable :(.

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Curious about who else is coming to Boskone 58? With 3 days of over 100 top-notch items paired with top authors, scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry, you won’t want to miss out. Join your fellow fans and writers by registering today!

Don’t miss out! Register for Boskone 58 today!

Welcome to the Boskone 58 Mini Interview Series! Get to know some of  top authors, scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry, why they’re looking forward to Boskone, and perhaps a sneak peek at what they’re working on next.

Our interview series culminates with our Guest interviews during the convention, including our Guest of Honor interview with best-selling fantasy author, Joe Abercrombie, moderated by Joe Hill.

Grab a cup of something refreshing and let’s kick off our Boskone 58 Mini Interview Series with Brad Abraham, Gene Doucette, and Sarah Jean Horwitz.

Brad Abraham

Brad Abraham is a multi-talented author, screenwriter and comic book creator with over two decades of industry experience. His film and TV credits include the horror comedy feature FRESH MEAT; the SyFy Channel’s smash hit TV movie STONEHENGE APOCALYPSE, and the cult classic SyFy miniseries ROBOCOP PRIME DIRECTIVES. His series work includes I LOVE MUMMY, NOW YOU KNOW, and THE CANADA CREW. His genre-busting urban fantasy novel MAGICIANS IMPOSSIBLE (St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books) was published in 2017 to broad acclaim, recipient of starred reviews in Library Journal, Booklist, and School Library Journal, and was named Best Debut Novel by Suspense Magazine. As a comic book creator he is best known for the acclaimed indie series MIXTAPE, currently in active development with Little Engine Motion Pictures. He lives in New England with his wife and son, his collection of vintage vinyl records, and piles upon piles of movie novelizations

Visit Brad Abraham on their Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

I’m most looking forward to seeing how this new reality we’re living in has impacted the SFF community. Sci-Fi in particular has liked to imagine pandemic scenarios through fiction; now we’re living through an actual pandemic. I am interested in learning how other members of the community have weathered this particular storm, and how Sci-Fi cons like Boskone are managing a world where face-to-face and in-person conventions seem to be on the endangered species list.

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why?

I’d like to visit an alternate version of 2020 where COVID never happened and I got go on that vacation to England that had been in the works at the beginning of this strange year. How *was* that vacation? How did I find England, (beyond taking a right at Greenland)? I guess you can ask me that in 2022. I hope.

Authors, artists, and creators often listen to music while they work. If you have a playlist you’d like to share or an album to recommend, please add it here. We’ll be compiling a list of lists to help Boskone attendees get their creative juices flowing. 

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

Presently I’m hard at work on the pilot for the TV series based on my comic book series MIXTAPE, which is in active development with Little Engine Moving Pictures. It’s a non-sf story set against the backdrop of the alternative rock explosion of the 1990s, detailing the lives, loves, and fears of a group of teens moving through the early years of that decade. It’s easily the most personal thing I’ve ever written and am thrilled to be making it my next project.

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Gene Doucette

Visit Gene Doucette on their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumblr, and Website!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

One thing I learned from the 2020 Nebulas (which were virtual) is that I’m MUCH better at interacting and mingling remotely, whether in panels or breakout rooms. My default introversion evidently doesn’t kick in when I can just log out, am sitting in my own house, and may not have on pants. So I’m looking forward to seeing what Boskone is like when my wallflower tendencies are disabled.

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

So I know this question is about visiting a fantastical place like Middle Earth, Narnia or Hogwarts, but coming as it does at the end of 2020–when none of us could travel ANYWHERE, all vacations were staycations, and a trip to the grocery store was a mini epic–the first place that popped into my mind was Las Vegas. I’d love to stay in a ridiculous hotel surrounded by ridiculous people doing ridiculous things, while spending too much for food I definitely shouldn’t eat. It’s not very SFF of me, but there you go. Give me something tacky and crowded.

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

I’ve got a lot going on! I’m writing this the day before the second book in my self-published series Tandemstar–it’s called THE MADNESS OF KINGS–is being released. I’m working on the third book (THE OCEAN IN THE SKY) right now and hope to have it out by late July.

Meanwhile, on May 25th, my standalone sci-fi novel THE APOCALYPSE SEVEN will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It’s already picking up some great early buzz.

I also have a short story called HYPNOPOMPIC CIRCUMSTANCE that will be published in Lightspeed Magazine’s May edition. And an earlier short of mine–SCHRODINGER’S CATASTROPHE–was published by Lightspeed in November 2020, and has already been selected for one Best-of-2020 collection. It’s being reprinted in translation by Science Fiction World (in China) in January.

I have a few other things going on, but I can’t talk about them just yet…

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Sarah Jean Horwitz

Visit Sarah Jean Horwitz on their Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

What you most looking forward to at virtual Boskone 58?

I am looking forward to connecting with online writer and reader friends I made during this crazy year, as well as hearing from some of my favorite creators. This is my first virtual convention, so I’m excited to see how it goes!

If you were planning a holiday or vacation and could visit any location, whether in the real world or fictional worlds, where would you go? Why? 

This is a very 2020 answer, but right now, the place in the world I’d most want to travel to is…*drumroll*…New Jersey. My parents live there and it has been over a year now since I’ve seen them. It would be a dream come true to be able to hug them again. After that, we’ll re-do Christmas in Hogsmeade.

Authors, artists, and creators often listen to music while they work. If you have a playlist you’d like to share or an album to recommend, please add it here. We’ll be compiling a list of lists to help Boskone attendees get their creative juices flowing. 

Virtual girl group K/DA has some great tracks to write fantasy/action sequences to!

What are you currently working on? Any new releases that fans should know about?

I’m currently working on two projects. The first is my first novel for adults; it’s a fantasy romance and has DRAGONS and lady detectives and dragon lady detectives, and some kissing. The second is a middle grade fantasy novel told partly from the point of view of a demonic sword. No new releases coming up at the moment, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sale in 2021. In the meantime, do check out my 2019 middle grade release, THE DARK LORD CLEMENTINE.

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Curious about who else is coming to Boskone 58? With 3 days of over 100 top-notch items paired with top authors, scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry, you won’t want to miss out. Join your fellow fans and writers by registering today!

Don’t miss out! Register for Boskone 58 today!

Happy New Year, Boskone fans! As we head into the new year, it’s the perfect time to ponder what you’ve read and enjoyed this year and what you’re looking forward to reading in 2021.

Let Boskone’s program participant list inspire you to explore new-to-you authors. With over 100 program participants, it can be hard to decide what to read, so here are a couple suggestions.

• Read at least one book from the Guest of Honor, best-selling fantasy author Joe Abercrombie. Be prepared for his program items, including the Boskone Book Club discussion of A Little Hatred. 
• Pick a theme. Maybe it’s books with hard science fiction, female protagonists, new authors. Be creative and try something you’ve always wanted to read but needed a little motivation for.

Finally, for those reading printed books, we’ve created something special for you: a downloadable bookmark! Download and print at home to remind you of all the fun you’ll soon be having with your science fiction, fantasy,and horror community. We look forward to see you there!

Not yet registered? Don’t miss out! Get yours today. Memberships are only$25 and include 3 days of fantastic programming. 

Need a last minute gift for the sci fi and fantasy fans in your life? Give the gift of Boskone!

Give them the experience of a 3-day convention without ever having to leave the comfort of home! With over 165 program items led by today’s top authors, scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry, we think there’s something for everyone. (Note: Most sessions will be recorded for on-demand playback through the end of February 2021.)

Been a good SFF fan yourself this year? Be your own Santa Claus and treat yourself! Memberships are only $25.

Happy Holidays from virtual Boskone 58!

Need a card to go with your gift? We’ve got you covered!

After registering, download and print this holiday card to give to your giftee to let them know all about Boskone!

Boskone 58 is going virtual! That means our Souvenir Book is also virtual, in other words, as a PDF only. This provides us unique opportunities since our our production costs are lower and multiple ways to share your ad with our community.

Special Offerings

• Ad rates that are significantly lower than printed editions
• Entire Souvenir Book designed in full color
• Virtual convention table space at no additional charge
• Boskone 58 Souvenir Book shared on the Boskone 58 website, convention website, and emailed to our members

Since production costs are lower, we’re passing along the savings to our community in a variety of ways. Ad rates for Boskone 58 are significantly lower than our regularly printed Souvenir Book. Being virtual also allows us to take advantage of full color design for the entire Souvenir Book, including ads.

In addition to the price reduction for ads, we also have the new opportunity to provide a virtual table on the Boskone 58 event site. Think of the virtual table as a landing page for your organization that lives inside of the convention site, giving you an even deeper connection to the community where you can post freebies, images, live chat with members, and even add link to offsite stores for sales.

Boskone 58 Souvenir Book Ads are perfect for:

• Announcing upcoming books, book launches, gallery shows, album releases
• Promoting your SFF podcast, stream, or Youtube channel
• Raising awareness of SFF fan organizations/events

 Due Dates & Deadlines:

• Purchase your ad today: Pay Online.
• Reservation deadline: December 31, 2020.
• Ad copy deadline: December 31, 2020.

Rates for Virtual Souvenir Book:

After placing your order, you will receive an email from our Boskone Ads team that will include a reminder about the due dates for your ad and link to a form where you can include additional information that our staff will use to create your virtual table aka Sponsor Page. Technical information and specs can be found here. 

Financial Transparency Statement

We have eliminated our printing costs for the Boskone 58 Souvenir Book since it will be PDF only this year. However, there are still some overhead costs that need to be covered. These costs include design work, software and digital assets, and staff access to create the virtual Sponsor Pages for our advertisers.

Recently we were asked why virtual Boskone 58 isn’t free. It’s an important question facing our community.

Boskone is a labor of love. We’re shining a light on the behind-the-scenes work at Boskone to help our community understand, Boskone is different and that’s why we need to charge a small fee for memberships. Though there’s a lot we can do with volunteer time and free labor, there are still costs associated with running Boskone, whether in-person or virtual.

We’re an all volunteer team.

Like many other science fiction and fantasy (SF/F) conventions, Boskone is an all volunteer, fan-run convention. Each Boskone is organized by volunteers dedicated to bringing the science fiction and fantasy community together. Pulling together 3 days of fun and thoughtful programming, spaces for fellow fans and professionals to connect, and creating a memorable convention experience is truly a labor of love. Planning for the convention begins 14 months in advance of the convention when the chair is appointed and begins inviting guests, and it takes dozens of volunteers and thousands of hours to plan and pull off. None of the folks working on the convention get paid.

Even program participants volunteer their time.

From bestselling authors to renowned scientists, artists, and creators in the science fiction, fantasy and horror industry give their time to Boskone, providing program content, and participating in all facets of the convention alongside volunteers, fans, and professionals in our community. With the exception of Guests of Honor expenses for travel, room, and board expenses at our in-person conventions, our program participants do not get paid for their time and services.

We listened to our community’s wish list.

Our team pulled together a list of “wishlist items” and feedback from other online conventions, and our greatest source of inspiration was our summertime online convention reCONvene 2020. We listened to our members’ requests and constructive criticism to identify the things our community most wants in an online experience. This input drove our decision making process when we looked at event platforms and online experiences for Boskone. The platform and features we have chosen resonate strongly with what our community requested, and we believe these choices are a substantial step forward in making Boskone a terrific online experience. We also believe that we will be able to incorporate many of these virtual experiences into our future in-person conventions.

What about venue costs?

There are still venue costs for a virtual convention. For an in-person Boskone, the venue costs are easy to see and are mainly associated with the hotel, but venue costs don’t disappear in a virtual environment. Virtual events still need to be hosted, streamed and recorded, gated but with easy access for members, and designated space for content.

For the safety, inclusion, and enjoyment of all our members, we found it important to not solely rely on free tools to host virtual Boskone 58. In an effort to be fair and transparent, we reduced memberships to only $25 for a 3-day convention. In addition, we’ve posted a list of critical expenses that the $25 membership helps to cover:

• Costs associated with our event management platform that are necessary in a virtual environment, including expanded features such as scheduling, email communications, web-based event experience, virtual dealer/fan tables, art show space, chat/Q&A/polls during and after program items, global chat via type and video, and registration tools.
• Software licenses. Boskone requires an increased number of licenses for staff who need access to the event management platform and design programs.
• Technology and A/V expenses, including Zoom meeting rooms and webinars.
• Closed captioning services.
• Video storage for OnDemand program video playback of recorded programming.
• Email newsletter and communications software.
• Credit card processing fees for memberships.
• Marketing, promotion, and design.
• Awards for Boskone’s annual awards ceremony, which includes the Skylark.
• Guest thank you gifts.

*Any profits generated by virtual Boskone 58 memberships will be applied to future in-person Boskones to defray costs such as American Sign Language expenses, our New Voices Fund, and other critical expenses to modernize and sustain Boskone in the future.

Extending a welcoming hand.

Going virtual provides us with opportunities to include more people in the science fiction and fantasy community. Folks who may not have been able to travel to an in-person Boskone can now join us online. As a convention, we need to be mindful of schedule times, recorded programming, and closed captioning and the costs associated with providing those features — as well as the unknown expenses as we venture into this new space.

We also know that this time has been financially difficult for many folks in the speculative fiction community. Boskone also includes outreach through free and reduced memberships through our New Voices fund or organizations such as Con or Bust.

Boskone is a labor of love.

Boskone is a labor of love for our many, many volunteers and for our program participants, artists, dealers, members, and everyone who contributes. We are so thankful to those who strive to make Boskone a welcoming experience as one of the longest-running fan organized conventions. We look forward to seeing everyone at virtual Boskone 58.

Hello Boskone Community,

This is just a very short update on a variety of topics as we work to whip our virtual convention into shape. A more robust set up updates will be included in Hulmuth, Boskone email newsletter.

Galleria Type Activities:
We are currently pulling together our plans to host a Dealers Space, an Art Show, and a Sponsors page for our friends to share their wares, works, and organizations with us. That information will be on the website shortly.

Program Update:
Our program team, led by James Boggie, has begun sending out program invitations via email. We are building a big program for a virtual convention, and we hope to invite a large contingent of our regulars as well as participants who are new to Boskone. While we will only be able to invite about 2/3 of our normal number of program participants, we are trying to include as many people as possible.

Program Invitations & Spam Folders:
As usual, program is sending the invitations and surveys through the Grenadine database from the email address program@boskone.org. Many of the invitations are being caught in spam filters and going unanswered. If you have requested a survey or hoped to receive one (without having asked for one) and you don’t see it in your in box, please check your spam filters. Emails started going out on November 9th. If you would like to be considered for programming, please contact us at program@boskone.org.

We Need Volunteers:
While there aren’t any heavy boxes to haul around, trucks to load, food to slice and set out, objects to build, etc., we still need volunteers. Some of the key areas are for data entry, people with web experience, people with online tech experience, and online room hosts, etc. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our Volunteer Form for Boskone 58. Thank you!

Registration / Memberships:
Memberships are now available online for purchase at the low “virtual” price of $25 per person. We hope you are able to join us! Purchase your membership today.

Opt-in and Receive the Boskone Online Newsletter: Helmuth
We send out an occasional newsletter to our community members to update them throughout the year. Over the next 4 months, the newsletter will become a monthly mailing. Opt-in now and get Boskone’s news sent directly to your in box.

Thank you for being a part of our community and for bearing with us as we navigate the virtual water of con running. We are excited about Virtual Boskone 58 and look forward to a fantastic event with you and our entire community.

For the first time ever, you don’t need to fear Snomageddon. This year, we are bringing Boskone to you!

Boskone 58 will be held online as a virtual convention on February 12-14, 2021. This means that anyone, anywhere can attend! While we wish we could meet in-person, since we love these fannish gatherings with you, we must think of the health and well-being of our community. We hope you are able to join us online for a fantastic virtual event in the comfort of your home.

Memberships for virtual Boskone 58 are $25 per person and are now available online. We have decided to shift all previously purchased or earned rollover memberships to Boskone 59 (with the exception of Life Members and former Guests) since the price of the Boskone 58 virtual convention membership is so much lower than for an in-person membership. If you have a question about your membership or would like to ask about alternate arrangements, please contact Boskone Registration at registration@boskone.org.

GUESTS:
Boskone 58 will be a three-day virtual convention (held online), starting in the afternoon on Friday, February 12 at 5:00 pm (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) and running through Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, Tamsyn Muir is not able to join us virtually this year as our guest. However, all of our other guests are able to join us online for a fantastic virtual Boskone. We are delighted to welcome our guests to Boskone 58:

• Joe Abercrombie – Guest of Honor
• Julie Dillon – Official Artist
• Sheree Renée Thomas – Special Guest
• Marc Gunn – Musical Guest
• Ursula Vernon – NESFA Press Guest
• Mike Brotherton & Christian Ready – Hal Clement Science Speaker

PROGRAM:
Programming will feature the full range of activities and a wide selection of program participants. This past August, NESFA hosted its inaugural virtual convention reCONvene, which has inspired the Boskone 58 program and helped us to learn how we can take advantage of the new opportunities that a virtual environment provides. We welcome your program ideas and if you would like to be considered for a spot on the Boskone 58 virtual program, please contact our Program Team at program@boskone.org.

VOLUNTEER:
We are also looking for volunteers who are comfortable working in an online environment. Roles include helping to staff virtual program rooms as well as helping with virtual logistics, marketing, program development, data entry, communications, and more. If you are interested, please fill in our Volunteer Form for virtual Boskone 58 and we will get back to you.

REGISTER:
We appreciate your support, admire your imaginations, and welcome your company as we come together in cyberspace this February. Purchase your membership for the virtual Boskone 58 today, and we will see you there!

Visit us online at https://b59.boskone.org, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/boskone, and Twitter at https://twitter.com/boskonenews. Got a question? Email us at info@boskone.org for more information.