Welcome back to our Boskone 56 Mini Interviews! Today was are talking with Victoria Sandbrook Flynn, R.W.W. Greene, and M.R. Richardson!

Victoria Sandbrook Flynn

Victoria Sandbrook is a speculative fiction writer, freelance editor, and Viable Paradise graduate. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in SWORD & SONNET, PODCASTLE, SHIMMER, CAST OF WONDERS, and elsewhere. In her editorial life, she recently published STARTING FROM SCRATCH: A Primer on Writing and Editing Cookbooks through the Editorial Freelancers Association. She is an avid hiker, sometimes knitter, long-form talker, and initiate baker. She often loiters around libraries, checking out anything from picture books to monographs. She spends most of her days attempting to wrangle a ferocious, destructive, jubilant tiny human. Victoria, her husband, and their daughter live in Brockton, Massachusetts. Find her on victoriasandbrook.com and on Twitter at @vsandbrook.

Visit Victoria Sandbrook on her Facebook, Twitter, Website, and Goodreads!

In 10 words or less, how would you recommend Boskone to a friend or fan?

A comfortable, focused, thought-provoking gathering of SFF pros and fans.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

There are a handful of books, stories, and movies I’d love to revisit with a fresh mind, but I’ll go with the film 28 DAYS LATER. It was the first zombie flick I’d seen and I had no idea of what to expect, no experience with the genre’s tropes or history in book, film, or comic form. My husband made me a plate of food about halfway through watching and I was so entranced, revolted, and engaged I couldn’t bear to eat. I couldn’t move. The sensation of being totally carried away by a story, of being unmoored from everything you expect, is precious for anyone who works with words.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

In my past-life as an in-house development editor of nonfiction, I worked (and worked and WORKED) on THE UNOFFICIAL GAME OF THRONES COOKBOOK, which by chance debuted the same year as A FEAST OF ICE AND FIRE, the *official* compendium of recipes. The publishing company where I worked had established this unofficial line years before with some success, and we followed our format very carefully so as to not step on the toes of the official property. Well, of course that was also the year George R. R. Martin came to Boskone. I dared myself to have him sign it. He did, with a firmly raised eyebrow, of course. But it was a very proud moment for me: I’d put a lot of work into this fan-work and got to connect my face and name with the end-result (which so few editors get to do). And George was gracious about it, thank goodness. It’d take me a few more years to feel less star-struck around published authors I respected, but that was definitely a step in the right direction.

R.W.W. Greene

R.W.W. Greene is a New Hampshire writer who once believed he’d be living in orbit by now. His fiction has seen daylight in Metaphorosis, Stupefying Stories, and Daily Science Fiction, among other places. He collects typewriters, keeps bees, and Tweets about it all @rwwgreene.

Visit R.W.W. Greene on his Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

I have always liked that Boskone has such a strong focus on writers and literature, and the event is small enough that you can easily meet and hobnob with some of the best speculative-fictions producers in the biz. As an added bonus, you never know if you will be sitting next to an astronaut, a glassblower, or a chemical engineer, and that diversity of background and knowledge makes discussions lively. The SF-Fantasy gestalt at Boskone is deep and wide and powerful.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I’m going to change this prompt a little to my first experience with a character, and I’m picking Spock as played by Leonard Nimoy and expanded upon in the James Blish novelizations. Spock taught me a lot about masculinity, emotional control, and the power of knowledge and invention. So many of my pre-Spock “heroes” were the cowboys, the take-charge-and-punch-faces guys. Spock showed me a different way of doing and behaving.

Do you have a favorite photo from a book event or literary convention? If so, when and where was it taken? What do you enjoy most about this photo?

The photo I picked was taken during a book-launch event on Oct. 26, 2018 (my 47th birthday) at the Bookery in Manchester. NH. It was the local launch of “Writers Resist: The Anthology,” a collection of poems, essays, and short stories written in wake of Donald Trump’s election to the U.S. presidency. There also were launch events in San Diego, Bethesda, MD, and Brooklyn, NY. I like the pic, not only because I am proud of my inclusion in the anthology, but (notwithstanding the dance step I seem to be doing) because I appear sanguine about doing my thing and sharing my work. It has taken me a while to get to that point.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

Eh … 2019, as I sit here in December, seems so far away. The short answer is: Yeah, I’m working on a book and shopping short stories, but I don’t know what will hit when. I can tell you that, in the waning days of 2018, some stuff came out. “Writers Resist: The Anthology” came out in October 2018. The Manawaker Flash Fiction Podcast audio-published my story, “Love in the Time of Light Speed,” in November 2018, and the same story was included in “Passages: Best of NewMyths Anthology, Vol. 1,” which came out in December 2018. Incidentally, “Love in the Time of …” first saw daylight at the Boskone Flash Fiction Contest a few years ago, and it inspired the book “The Light Years,” which I am currently shopping around.

M.R. Richardson

M.R. Richardson with a clear mastery of world-building creates compelling wild, cutthroat novels. Balancing vivid action, with personal reflection, existential dilemmas, and richly detailed worlds, his space operas are far more complex than first meets the eye. Combining war, politics, and intrigue, his first novel Galactic Mandate: A Radical Cause is an epic debut.

Visit M.R. on his Facebook and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

It’s on the east coast so I will meet new people and new types of people. It is fun to get out of my area.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

District 9, Because it opened my eyes to what a film could be

They say you can find hints of creators in their work. Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. most closely resembles you? Why?

All of them. Because I can see myself doing/ saying/ being any of my characters if I had their backstory.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

I like meeting authors I admire and seeing how humble they are.

Do you have a favorite photo from a book event or literary convention? If so, when and where was it taken? What do you enjoy most about this photo?

Not yet but I’m hoping to make some.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

Look out for Galactic Mandate: The Scream and Galactic Mandate Trail of Destruction

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Register for Boskone 56 today!

Welcome back again to the Boskone 56 Mini Interviews! Hope you all had a great weekend! Let’s start off this week by hearing from Brett James, Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert, and Kenneth Schneyer!

Brett James

Brett James is the author of the popular novel The Drift Wars, as well as several others. He has worked various jobs in support of his writing career, some of which are interesting (Harpers Magazine), some of which are less so (programming). He recently released the second novel in his Tangent septology, Lies and Silence, and he will be releasing a new novel, Tunnel, in April. He crafts a handmade edition of all of his books and also makes pocket copies of his short stories, which he distributes at conventions such as Boskone (check the free table).

Visit Brett on his Facebook, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

As a writer, I find a lot at Boskone that is focused on the process of writing, as well as creativity and idea management. It’s pretty easy to find such panels at a beginner’s level, but Boskone definitely goes beyond. I think even the most experienced writer would have to work hard not to find something that excites them at Boskone.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

The Once and Future King by T.H. White, without a doubt. It is, at times, shocking how irreverent he is to such exalted material, and yet in doing so, he transforms the classic tale in a way that makes it immediate and timeless.

They say you can find hints of creators in their work. Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. most closely resembles you? Why?

While my major characters are always (hopefully) far more interesting than myself, I like include myself as a minor character, where I can, much like the classic muralists did. No hints, but for those who know me, I hear that those characters are easy to spot.

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

There are a lot, so don’t expect me to always pick the same one, but I’ll say Archie Goodwin of the Nero Wolfe series. The entire series, which is extensive, is basically a monologue by Archie. It’s beyond belief how entertaining this one character manages to be, over such a long period of time. For me, no living person could compete, and I imagine that even Rex Stout, his creator, was no match for him.

Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert

Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert writes science fiction, horror, dark fantasy, and the occasional poem. Her short fiction had appeared in the anthologies The Final Summons, Killing It Softly (Vol.1), and The Deep Dark Woods. Read her poetry in the anthology Wicked Witches, the websites Tales of the Zombie War and Eternal Haunted Summer, and in The Wayfarer: A Journal of Contemplative Literature. Suzanne is a freelance content creation expert, editor, and marketing consultant. She has degrees in Communication and Sociology. Find her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter @SuzsMuses.

Visit Suzanne on her Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

In 10 words or less, how would you recommend Boskone to a friend or fan?

Boskone is THE convention for serious, Boston-area specfiction fans.

They say you can find hints of creators in their work. Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. most closely resembles you? Why?

I recently wrote a horror short story, “Unafraid,” about an aspiring writer who wishes to be unafraid in her writing work. My inspiration for this character (unlike me in many ways, otherwise) was my own self-doubt and fear of putting my authentic voice out there. Writing this story helped exorcise some of my lingering fear. Unlike my character–for whom things end badly–I believe I’m headed in the right direction and getting past my apprehension.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

I still laugh thinking about this–it was at Readercon about nine years ago, and I had just started attending cons as an aspiring writer. I got into an elevator with Samuel Delany, and I realized who he was as soon as I stepped in. After a few seconds, I sputtered, “You’re Samuel Delany, aren’t you?” He confirmed that he was. “Oh my God, you’re so awesome!” I said. He was so gracious and kind. It was NOT my most articulate moment!

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

My fantasy/horror short story “In Darkness, She Sheds” is part of the New England Speculative Writers premier anthology, “The Final Summons,” due February 5, 2019. I’m waiting to hear on the status of two other short stories. If all goes well, they will also be published in anthologies during 2019.

I also intend to self-publish a follow-up to my first poetry chapbook sometime in 2019. The first was titled, “Interview with the Faerie (Part One) and Other Poems of Darkness and Light.” The follow-up will be “Interview with the Faerie (Part Two) and Other Poems Fantastical and Mundane.” I don’t have a release date for that yet.

I also plan to try and teach myself how to write a novel! I have about 1/3 of it written already.

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

My favorite literary character is Lauren Oya Olamina from Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” and follow-up, “Parable of the Talents.” Lauren is far from perfect, but what makes her compelling is that she is incredibly smart, brave, resilient, and able to overcome the many shortcomings of her upbringing and the society in which she was raised (and which consequently falls apart around her.) She suffers terribly, yet comes out a survivor and a pioneer for a new way of thinking and being.

Kenneth Schneyer

Kenneth Schneyer received a Nebula nomination, and was a finalist for the Sturgeon Award, in 2014. His short fiction appears in Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, Analog, Uncanny, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Clockwork Phoenix 3 & 4, Daily Science Fiction, Escape Pod, PodCastle, Pseudopod, and elsewhere. In 2014, Stillpoint Digital Press released his first collection, The Law & the Heart. By day, he teaches law, logic, and literature to undergraduates in Providence, Rhode Island. Ken was born in Detroit, but has lived in southern New England for over 30 years. He’s interested in astronomy, politics, history, propositional logic, constitutive rhetoric, feminist theory, and practically everything else.

Visit Kenneth on his Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

In 10 words or less, how would you recommend Boskone to a friend or fan?

Boston-area SFF writers will have time to talk to you.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

The 1978 film version of Superman. I was 18, and had been a fan of the comics as long as I could read. The opening credits came on, and the music began to build — then there was a fanfare, and the “S” symbol came on the screen. I swear the hairs stood up on the back of my neck; it was like seeing a ghost and having all your wildest dreams fulfilled at the same time. After that moment, it didn’t really matter how good the rest of the film was.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

As a new writer, I approached Michael Swanwick and asked him to sign a book for me. He complied, inscribing the following: “Next time, you give the autograph.” <3

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

I have a bunch of stories in process: a short story about making golems, a novel about people who can alter the desires of others, a crossover fanfic for my own entertainment, and a bunch of projects that are only speculative.

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Register for Boskone 56 today!

BOSKONE 56 is coming February 15-17, 2019!  and the program schedule is now online.

Come check out all of the exciting activities and start planning your convention! The schedule is available through the Grenadine app schedule so that you can personalize your Boskone experience or you can view the text-only schedule.

Boskone 56 Program Highlights!
Be sure to check out the full program schedule to see what else you would most like to attend, but here are a few highlights from this year’s signature events:

Free Friday Afternoon Programming (January 15 2:00-6:00 pm)
We’re hosting Free Friday Afternoon again, which means all Boskone programming begins at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 15th and is free to the public from 2:00-6:00 pm. Memberships are required after 6:00 pm on Friday and throughout the rest of the convention.

Friday, 5:00 PM (free to public)
Special Event: Interview with The Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin Director Arwen Curry
Theodora Goss, Arwen Curry
Marina 1 · 50 min · Interview
Theodora Goss interviews director Arwen Curry about her feature documentary Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin. With Le Guin’s active participation, Curry followed her for a decade to document her life and work. From A Wizard of Earthsea (1968) with the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award to Lavinia (2008) with the Locus Award, Le Guin’s numerous accolades include multiple Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Awards. This special interview with Arwen Curry is hosted in coordination with the Boston premiere of Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin at the Boston SF Film Festival on Thursday, February 14. Official Trailer: Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin from Arwen Curry on Vimeo.

Friday, 9:00 PM
Opening Ceremony: Meet the Guests
Cindy Pon, Christopher Golden, Jim Burns, Elizabeth Hand, Vandana Singh, David G. Grubbs (M), Michael Swanwick
Galleria – Stage · 15 min · Event
Welcome to Boskone, New England’s longest-running convention for fans and creators of science fiction, fantasy, and horror! Whether you are attending for the first time or the fifty-sixth, we invite you to join us in the Galleria to meet this year’s guests:

• Guest of Honor: Elizabeth Hand
• Special Guest: Christopher Golden
• Official Artist: Jim Burns
• Young Adult Fiction Guest: Cindy Pon
• Hal Clement Science Speaker: Vandana Singh
• NESFA Press Guest: Gardner Dozois (in memoriam)

The Opening Ceremony ends with a toast to Gardner Dozois by Michael Swanwick.

Friday, 9:15 PM
Boskone 56 Reception
Vandana Singh, Elizabeth Hand, Cindy Pon, Christopher Golden, Jim Burns
Galleria – Art Show · 105 min · Event
Connoisseurs and philistines alike: welcome to the Boskone Art Show! Join us in the Galleria for an upscale social mixer. Meet our program participants while enjoying refreshments, stimulating conversation, and exceptional art that’s a feast for the eyes. Experience the music and the festivities as Boskone celebrates another year of science fiction, fantasy, and horror in Boston.

Saturday, 6:30 PM
Boskone Book Party
Brenda W. Clough, Erin Underwood (M), Cerece Rennie Murphy, Isadora Deese, Christopher Paniccia, Steve Davidson, Suzanne Palmer, Clea Simon, Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, Julie C. Day, Karen Heuler, Jeff Hecht, KJ Kabza, Grady Hendrix, Kenneth Rogers Jr., Clarence Young
Galleria – Stage · 50 min · Event
Come join the fun at Boskone 56’s Book Party — and meet the presses and authors who have new books coming out at the con! This is your chance to see what’s new from writers you already love, as well as those you have yet to discover.

This is NESFA Press’s official release party for On the Road with Gardner Dozois: Travel Narratives 1995-2000 (NESFA Press, February 2019) with a special “Introduction” by Michael Swanwick and “Memories of Gardner” by Robert Silverberg, Sheila Williams, Walter Jon Williams, Eileen Gunn, James Patrick Kelly, and Erin Underwood.

Saturday, 8:00 PM
Boskone 56 Awards Ceremony
David G. Grubbs (M), Daniel M. Kimmel, Jane Yolen, Bruce Coville, Gay Ellen Dennett, Michael Sharrow
Harbor II+III · 20 min · Event
Saturday night’s extravaganza begins with the New England Science Fiction Association’s Award Ceremony, in which we present our annual Skylark and Gaughan awards. The Skylark Award honors the work and personal qualities of an exceptional contributor to science fiction. The Gaughan Award is presented to a talented up-and-coming / emerging speculative artist. We’ll also be announcing the winner of the NESFA Short Story Contest!

Sunday, 11:00 AM
Boskone Book Club: Want by Cindy Pon
Cindy Pon, Bob Kuhn (M)
Griffin · 50 min · Discussion Group
The Boskone Book Club continues! Join us for a conversation that brings con-goers together to consider one noteworthy work at length. This year we are reading Want by Cindy Pon (our Young Adult Fiction Guest). Boskone’s own Bob Kuhn will lead the discussion; Cindy Pon will join the group halfway through for a Q&A. To participate, please read the book and come ready with your thoughts and questions.

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Want to attend Boskone? We’d love to see you there. All attendees need to purchase a Boskone 55 convention membership before the price rise on January 23. Click here to buy yours today! 

Full Weekend Rates

These rates are good through January 22, increasing on January 23.

• Adult Full Convention: $55
• College Student Full Convention: $35(school ID required)
• Grade: K-6 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)
• Grade: 7-12 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)

One Day Rates

• Friday One Day: $25
• Saturday One Day: $50
• Sunday One Day: $20

Memberships for Children and Kids-in-Tow

All children (ages 7–12) who use Dragonslair services must be convention members. However, children who stay with their parents at all times are considered “kids-in-tow,” and need not have memberships. (“Kids-in-tow” do not receive any convention materials.) We are not able to offer babysitting through the convention.

Day rates for College and K-12 students will be available at-con with the rates above.

If you have additional questions, please contact us at registration@boskone.org.

With over 300 program items, including panels, readings, workshops and special events, Boskone 56 is shaping up to be a weekend you won’t soon forget!

 

We are pleased to announce that Boskone has joined with the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival (BSFFF) and Women in Film and Video of New England (WIFVNE) to bring filmmaker Arwen Curry to Boston for two special events.

Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin by producer/director Arwen Curry is the first feature length documentary about the life and legacy of science fiction icon Ursula K. Le Guin. Though primarily funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, California Humanities, and the Berkeley Film Foundation, Arwen also turned to Kickstarter to raise the additional funding from nearly 3,200 backers to complete the project.

Join us at Boskone for a Special Interview with director Arwen Curry and award-winning author Theodora Goss
Friday, February 15, at 5:00 pm **corrected day**
Hosted by Boskone
Westin Waterfront Hotel
425 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210
Boskone membership needed to attend the interview at the Westin. Viewing the film’s Friday premiere is not required. (Buy your Boskone membership here.)

 

Watch the Boston Premier of Worlds of Ursula K. LeGuin with Director Q&A
Thursday, February 14 at 7:00 pm
Hosted by the Boskone Science Fiction Film Festival (BSFFF)
Somerville Theatre
55 Davids Square
Somerville, MA 02144
BSFFF ticket needed to attend viewing at the Somerville Theater. (Buy a Film Festival tickets here. You can use the code BoskoneSF44 for a 20% discount when purchasing a festival pass online (which expires 2/11) or you can purchase a single ticket for the documentary without a discount. For additional details, please visit the BSFFF site.)

 

[vimeo 268831999 w=640 h=360]

 

 

From the Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin website:

“Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin is a feature documentary exploring the remarkable life and legacy of the late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin. Best known for groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy works such as A Wizard of Earthsea, The Left Hand of Darkness, and The Dispossessed, Le Guin defiantly held her ground on the margin of “respectable” literature until the sheer excellence of her work, at long last, forced the mainstream to embrace fantastic literature. Her fascinating story has never before been captured on film.

“Produced with Le Guin’s participation over the course of a decade, Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin is a journey through the writer’s career and her worlds, both real and fantastic. Viewers will join the writer on an intimate journey of self-discovery as she comes into her own as a major feminist author, opening new doors for the imagination and inspiring generations of women and other marginalized writers along the way. The film features stunning animation and reflections by literary luminaries including Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, David Mitchell, Michael Chabon, and more.”

For more information about the project please visit https://worldsofukl.com/.

Welcome back to the Boskone 56 Mini Interviews! We hope that all of you have been thoroughly enjoying them so far! We are going to keep the fun going today with Paul Di Filippo, Sarah Beth Durst and David B. Coe!

Paul Di Filippo

With his first story sale in 1977, Paul Di Filippo has passed his fortieth anniversary of telling beautiful lies for money. His newest books are a story collection from WordFire, INFINITE FANTASTIKA, and a novella from PS Publishing, AEOTA. He continues to inhabit a home with 14,000 books in Providence, approximately 200 yards from the marker that denotes Lovecraft’s birthplace. His partnership with Deborah Newton surpasses his writing career by one year.

Visit Paul on his Facebook and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

The people are brilliant and friendly, both organizers and attendees. The programming is a fine blend of hardcore literary themes and whimsicality. The GOHs are always awesome. And Boston is beautiful and rich and rare!

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I would like to be nineteen years old again, having my mind blown by GRAVITY’S RAINBOW in the fraught year of 1973. Pynchon is the essence of the twentieth century.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

When the son of the man who wrote the pop song “Mairzy Doats” came up to me and said he liked my story of the same name.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

My second crime novel THE DEADLY KISS-OFF appears in April 2019. Also sometime in that year arrives my novella from PS Publishing, AEOTA.

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

Mr. Gissing, the canine hero of Christopher Morley’s WHERE THE BLUE BEGINS. He undoes his safe and placid existence because of vague mystical yearnings. He’s a doggo Buddha.

Sarah Beth Durst

Sarah Beth Durst is the award-winning author of seventeen fantasy books for adults, teens, and kids, including The Queens of Renthia series, Drink Slay Love, and The Stone Girl’s Story. She won an ALA Alex Award and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, and has been a finalist for SFWA’s Andre Norton Award three times. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. For more information, visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

Visit Sarah Beth on her Facebook, Twitter, Website, and Tumblr!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

I love Boskone! It’s filled with awesome people who love awesome books. I’m very happy that my schedule worked out this year so I can come. Really looking forward to it!

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I was going to say Star Wars, because I was so young when I first saw it that I can’t remember the wonder of seeing it for the first time. But I wouldn’t want to lose the thousands of times I’ve seen it since. That movie — really, the whole original trilogy — is so ingrained in my mind and heart that it defines the entire concept of story for me.

In fact, I don’t want to choose any of my favorite books or movies because I don’t want to sacrifice the years of loving them.

So I think I’ll pick Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle, because I was so shocked that that movie was actually really good. I’d like to re-experience all the laughing-with-surprise-that-it’s-funny.

Do you have a favorite photo from a book event or literary convention? If so, when and where was it taken? What do you enjoy most about this photo?

I look like I’m about to take flight in this photo, and I love it because I remember I was incandescently happy. It was taken at Boskone in 2007, shortly after my first book came out, and I was on a panel with Tamora Pierce and Jane Yolen. I’d wanted to be a fantasy writer for as long as I can remember, so this was a dream-come-true moment.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

I write fantasy books for kids, teens, and adults. My current YA book is FIRE AND HEIST, which was inspired by Ocean’s Eleven… with were-dragons! My next book for adults (coming in March) is THE DEEPEST BLUE, which is a standalone epic fantasy in my world of Renthia, about a young woman who is an oyster diver with the power to control sea monsters. And my next book for kids (coming in May) is SPARK, about a girl and her lightning dragon and how even a quiet voice can change the world. I’m really excited about all of them!

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

Alanna from ALANNA by Tamora Pierce. I love her determination. I read it when I was ten years old, and I have this crystal clear memory of closing the book and thinking, “If Alanna can become a knight, I can become a writer.”

And my runner-up choice is Silk from THE BELGARIAD by David Eddings. My mom introduced me to those books when I was ten years old and had finished devouring all the fantasy in the children’s room of our library. Silk was the first smart, irreverant, Trickster-type of character I remember reading, and I will always treasure him for the way he made me laugh.

David B. Coe

David B. Coe/D.B. Jackson is the author of twenty novels and as many short stories. As D.B. Jackson (http://www.DBJackson-Author.com), he is the author of TIME’S CHILDREN (October 2018), the first book in The Islevale Cycle, a time travel/epic fantasy series from Angry Robot Books. He also writes the Thieftaker Chronicles, a series set in pre-Revolutionary Boston that combines elements of urban fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction. Under his own name (http://www.DavidBCoe.com) he has written the Crawford Award-winning LonTobyn Chronicle, the critically acclaimed Winds of the Forelands quintet and Blood of the Southlands trilogy, the novelization Ridley Scott’s, ROBIN HOOD, and a contemporary urban fantasy series, the Case Files of Justis Fearsson. He is the co-author of How To Write Magical Words: A Writer’s Companion. He is currently working on several projects, including his next book for Angry Robot, his first editing endeavor, and a tie-in project with the History Channel. David has a Ph.D. in U.S. history from Stanford University. His books have been translated into a dozen languages.

Visit David on his Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

First of all, Boskone has a reputation for being fun, welcoming, literary in its programming emphasis, and extremely well run. And so I leapt at the opportunity to attend. I live in the Southeast — Tennessee — and I rarely get a chance to attend conventions in the Northeast, which is sad for me because I was born and raised in that part of the country, and lived for several years in New England. Again, that made me all the more eager to attend. And finally, one of my more recent series, the Thieftaker Chronicles, is set in 1760s/70s Boston. I have Ph.D. in U.S. history and have long been fascinated by that period. So having the chance to visit the city, to connect with fans with whom I haven’t had as much contact as I would like, and to return to my old stomping grounds — well, it was too much to turn down.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I am a huge fan of Guy Gavriel Kay. I believe he is one of the finest (if not THE finest) fantasy authors of the last half century. I’ve read everything he’s written and I have, in recent years, been fortunate enough to strike up a friendship with him (based on our both being fantasists, our politics, our love of Scotch, and our devotion to a certain baseball team from, well, let’s just say, points south of Boston). I still have a vivid memory of reading THE SUMMER TREE, the first volume in his first series, the Fionavar Tapestry. I was blown away by the depth of his character work, the richness of his world building, and the elegance of his prose. There is a pure joy to be derived from “discovering” a new writer, and when I read THE SUMMER TREE, I felt as though I walked through a door into a new world. By that time, I knew I wanted to write fantasy for a living, but I hadn’t yet found an author whose voice spoke to me the way Guy’s did. His work became the standard by which I judged everything I wrote. That joy I found in his first book, that sense of finally understanding what sort of writer I wanted to be — that is something I would love to experience again.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

This past year, Angry Robot Books put out TIME’S CHILDREN, the first novel in my new epic fantasy/time travel series The Islevale Cycle. I believe it’s the best thing I’ve published to date, and so I am incredibly excited about the second book in the series TIME’S DEMON (written as D.B. Jackson) which will be published in May 2019. The Islevale books have a lot of moving parts — time travel will do that to a narrative. In addition to time travelers, there are assassins and demons, spies and pirates. There is intrigue and action and a bit of romance. I love these books, and I hope you’ll love them as well.

And then, as David B. Coe, I have a book coming out that is a tie in with the History Channel’s Knightfall series. The book is called KNIGHTFALL: THE INFINITE DEEP, and if will be out in March. Knightfall is about the Knights Templar — it’s a fun series, and writing in that universe presented some intriguing challenges.

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Welcome back to the Boskone 56 Mini Interview series! Today we are sitting down with Trisha Wooldridge, Barry Lee Dejasu, and Kenesha Williams, all of whom have decided to shared some great memories from their convention photos!

Trisha Wooldridge

Trisha J. Wooldridge writes short stories, novellas, novels, articles, and poetry about bad-ass faeries, carnivorous horses, social justice witches, vengeful spirits—and mundane stuff like food, hay-eating horses, social justice debates, writer advice, and alcoholic spirits. Her recent work includes stories and poems in Gothic Fantasy Supernatural Horror, Dark Luminous Wings, Wicked Haunted, Darkling’s Beasts and Brews, Nothing’s Sacred Volume 4, and the HWA Poetry Showcase Volume 5. She’s a freelance editor of over fifty novels and three anthologies. As child-friendly T.J. Wooldridge, she’s published poetry and three spooky children’s novels. She spends rare moments of mystical “free time” with a very patient Husband-of-Awesome, a calico horse, and a bratty tabby cat. Join her adventures at www.anovelfriend.com.

Visit Trisha on her Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

I stepped away from Boskone several years back because I was doing too many conventions, but I returned a few years ago with some friends and was exceptionally surprised at how much more diverse and welcoming the convention had come to writers of color, of different ages, and of different backgrounds. There was more involvement in programming from attendees, and a lot more attendees than I remembered. It maintained a lot of the academic and thought-provoking panels and aspects I’d always appreciated, but had bloomed into something even more encompassing of genre literature and culture. I had an amazing time on panels, attending panels, interacting in the dealer’s room and with con staff, that I decided to make it one of my regular conventions again.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

I was at DragonCon on an SFLit panel about Women in Science Fiction, and after the panel, Lois McMaster Bujold, Kathryn Hinds, Sunder Addams, and I found a corner and chatted feminism and growing up geek women and how it influenced our writing and our lives. There were decades difference between all of us, so it was absolutely awesome and fascinating! It was a situation where we all were pros and fans and neither all at once; we all spoke freely, geeking out over our passions. And something that could ONLY happen at a convention!

Do you have a favorite photo from a book event or literary convention? If so, when and where was it taken? What do you enjoy most about this photo?

This was ReaderCon 2011, when Neil Gaiman won his Shirley Jackson Award. I happened to be getting out of a panel just as the Jackson awards and literally ran into him. I noticed the award and (in my head) was super cool and congratulated him on the award, then asked for this pic–which was taken by noneother than Amanda Palmer!

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

My favorite literary character of all time is Tasslehoff Burrfoot from the DragonLance Chronicles. His entire race (kenders) basically all had ADHD, which I didn’t know I also had until recently. But in my teens, he resonated true in what I now would call “neuroatypical”, and he developed coping mechanisms without giving up who he was…and his friends worked with him.

Barry Lee Dejasu

Barry Lee Dejasu is a writer of weird and horror fiction, and a member of the New England Horror Writers. Recent publications include the short stories “Tripping the Ghost,” published in the anthology WICKED HAUNTED (2017), “The Sleep Harvesters” (2017, in the NecronomiCon Providence Memento Book), and “Before This Night Is Done,” a limited-edition short story chapbook. An illustrator and artist, he is also a photographer with an eye for oddities in architecture and nature. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

Boskone has for years proven to be the most well-balanced, thoughtful, intelligent, progressive, and inclusive cons that I’ve ever attended. I wouldn’t dream of picking another one instead.

In 10 words or less, how would you recommend Boskone to a friend or fan?

Speculative fiction con, written and otherwise, all weekend. Let’s go!

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I would love to rewatch the film DARK CITY (1998) – in the form of its Director’s Cut. I was lucky enough, the first time I saw it, to have not seen a single preview or had any prior knowledge of it beside the poster, but given the drastically different presentations of the theatrical cut and the Director’s Cut, I would love to have an opportunity to have even less clues as the movie goes on of exactly what was going on, and to experience the film with a truly naive mind, all the better to experience its amazing twists and revelations.

They say you can find hints of creators in their work. Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. most closely resembles you? Why?

I’d say that although certain characters in my stories have similarities to aspects and quirks of my personality, “I” show up far more in my photography. I see the world, and especially my hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, in a particularly weird manner, and I try to capture that as much as I can. (You can see some of what I see on Instagram, @barrydprov).

Do you have a favorite photo from a book event or literary convention? If so, when and where was it taken? What do you enjoy most about this photo?

As with many things in life, I have many favorites when it comes to photos from events and cons. However, perhaps the largest number of them come from the Northeastern Writers Conference (Necon), held in Portsmouth, Rhode Island – my very first and longest-running con that I regularly attend.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

Unfortunately, as of the time of this interview, I have nothing confirmed for upcoming projects. However, I can say this: I currently have four short stories out in the aether, which I am hopeful will find homes in as many publications. Keep an eye out in 2019!

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

Oh, goodness, what a difficult question to answer! I don’t know if I’d call him a favorite, but perhaps Detective Hank Palace, from Ben H. Winter’s LAST POLICEMAN trilogy, utterly haunts me to this day. The world is literally coming to an end, and has already fallen into anticipatory chaos – so why should a detective try to solve a suicide which may, in fact, be a murder? Because in a world falling into ruin, he’s got to do something – and being a detective is the only thing he knows how to do. I admire that, and I can in many ways relate.

Kenesha Williams

Kenesha Williams is an independent author, screenwriter, speaker, and Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Black Girl Magic Lit Mag. She took to heart the advice, “If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself,” and created a Speculative Fiction Literary Magazine featuring characters that were representative of herself and other women she identified with. She has happily parlayed her love for the weird and the macabre into Black Girl Magic Literary Magazine, finding the best in undiscovered talent in Speculative Fiction. Kenesha was awarded First Runner Up for Best Short Screenplay for the Women in Horror Film Festival 2018 and her essay “Step into the Bad Side: Black Girl Magic Villains: was published in Fireside Fiction Quarterly in January 2019.

Visit Kenesha on her Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

Boskone 2018 was my first Boskone and the people, the panels, and the opportunity to impart on the young Boskone participants in the Dragon’s Lair was an amazing experience. I couldn’t wait to come back for 2019!

Do you have a favorite photo from a book event or literary convention? If so, when and where was it taken? What do you enjoy most about this photo?

My favorite photo from a literary convention is this one from Stokercon, the Horror Writers Association (HWA) convention. In it is 2018 Lifetime Achievement award winner Linda Addison. She is an unofficial mentor to me, and I admire all of the work she’s done on the page and for other writers, especially writers of color. This picture also contains the amazing Victor LaValle who has an amazing body of work and is also the author of my favorite graphic novel of 2018, “Victor LaValle’s Destroyer”. In this picture are also six new friends, three I knew only online until the conference, one I met at Boskone the month before, and two I met at Stokercon. It was an amazing night and an amazing experience.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

January’s Fireside Fiction Quarterly contains an essay of mine, entitled “Step in to the Bad Side: Black Magic Female Villains” that I’m excited about. I don’t think good guys or girls should have all the fun!
I have a fun cosmic horror/science fiction story in Boundary Shock Quarterly, also coming out in January that I’m excited about.

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Welcome back to the B56 Mini Interviews! Join us today as we talk with with Vincent O’Neil, Cindy Pon, and Paul Jeter, to find out who their favorite literary characters of all-time are, and what some of their favorite fan interaction have been!

Vincent O’Neil

Vincent H. O’Neil is the Malice Award-winning author of the Exile murder mystery series, as well as the theater-themed mystery Death Troupe. He’s also written two horror novels called Interlands and Denizens, featuring the historian Angela “Ree” Morse. Writing as Henry V. O’Neil, he recently published the fifth and final novel in his military science fiction Sim War series with HarperCollins. The books in that series are Glory Main, Orphan Brigade, Dire Steps, CHOP Line, and Live Echoes. A native of Massachusetts, Vincent is a graduate of West Point and holds a master’s degree in international business from The Fletcher School.

Visit Vincent on his Facebook and Website!

In 10 words or less, how would you recommend Boskone to a friend or fan?

Fun, interesting activities from early morning to late at night!

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

One of my favorite science fiction movies is 1997’s Gattaca. The story takes place in a not-distant future where all physical “imperfections” can be corrected in the womb. This creates an upper echelon that is physically superior to everyone born before them, and the main character is one of the people on the wrong side of that date line. He wants a career in space exploration, and has absolutely no chance unless he can pass himself off as a member of the genetically altered elite. He does this by conspiring with one of those superior specimens, impersonating him in the space program at a corporation called Gattaca.

Everything goes smoothly until there’s a murder at Gattaca, which brings a police investigation that threatens to expose him. I won’t go into any more detail than that, because if you haven’t seen Gattaca, it’s an excellent movie. The tricks and ploys used by the main character and his co-conspirator(s) are fascinating, and there are some highly suspenseful moments as the police narrow down their list of suspects. The cast is excellent (Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, and a host of other faces you’ll probably recognize) and the storytelling is top-notch.

What I’d like to experience again for the first time is the story itself, because it’s so poignant and relatable. It’s the underdog tale writ large, and so much more. There are twists and turns I never saw coming, and it would be nice to feel those surprises again. If you do see it, don’t take any of the characters at face value – which, oddly enough, is probably the central message of the movie.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

In this case, I’m the fan and the convention was my very first Boskone. I was checking into the hotel, and happened to glance around the lobby while waiting in line. George R.R. Martin was one of the featured guests that year, and he was sitting in the lobby chatting with some people.

For some bizarre reason, my mind said, “Oh look. There’s a George R.R. Martin impersonator.”

Thankfully I didn’t utter those words to anyone, or approach him in any way. I soon realized it was actually him, and later that weekend got to attend his live reading from one of his Song of Ice and Fire books. It was great.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

In 2017 I completed my five-novel mil sci-fi “Sim War” series with HarperCollins, writing as Henry V. O’Neil. I switched gears after that, to short stories and novellas. I’ve always alternated between book-length works and shorter efforts, because there’s a discipline to a maximum word count that I deeply enjoy.

I’ve got several of those shorter pieces submitted in various places, and I’m pleased to announce that one will be released in the April, 2019 (Volume 8, Issue1) edition of Hypnos Magazine. The story is called “Elsie’s Whiskers” and it’s about a part-human huntress who prowls the deepest tunnels beneath New York City to keep a variety of monsters at bay. Elsie knows little about her origin or her creators, and an unexpected encounter in the cold darkness threatens to permanently alter her reality.

I also adapted one of my crime short stories into a TV pilot that I’m currently shopping around. It’s called Handler Hank, and it features an ex-cop who leads a double life helping police undercovers secretly communicate with their handlers and finds himself on both sides of the law. I’m currently fleshing out the details for the whole series, and it’s been quite fun juggling all these characters on such a long timeline.

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

My favorite book of all time is Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. Although I don’t believe there is such a thing as a “good” organized crime gang, this is a great read with some legendary characters. My favorite of those is the Godfather himself, Don Corleone. His memorable quotations have become part of our cultural lexicon (“I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse”) but for me his best line was the question “How did things ever get so far?”

That question is his opening line to a gathering of Mafia leaders. They’ve come together to end the long, destructive war between the Corleones and New York City’s other crime families, and Don Corleone starts by asking just how things got so out of hand. I feel he’s actually using that question to make a very broad observation: Violence begets violence, wars often take on lives of their own, and events can quickly spin out of control once the fighting starts.

For someone who based so much of his power on the threat and use of violence, this is quite a comment. I wonder if this was something that Don Corleone always secretly knew, or if it was something he learned (to his dismay) when his eldest son was killed in the fighting. To me, the Godfather is trying to share this costly insight with the others by beginning his address with this question – and that’s one reason I like that character so much.

Cindy Pon

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA; Serpentine and Sacrifice (Month9Books), which were both Junior Library Guild selections and received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus, respectively; and WANT (Simon Pulse), also a Junior Library Guild selection, is a near-future thriller set in Taipei. The sequel, RUSE, is slated to release March 2019. She is the cofounder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush-painting student of over a decade. Learn more about her books and art at http://cindypon.com.

Visit Cindy on her Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

In 10 words or less, how would you recommend Boskone to a friend or fan?

A wonderful array of invited guests that will surely provide interesting dialogues, located in an amazing city!

They say you can find hints of creators in their work. Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. most closely resembles you? Why?

I would say that Ai Ling, who is the heroine in my first novel and debut Silver Phoenix, has some similar traits to me. She is stubborn, and loves to eat, but also is a student of brush painting. In that way, I was able to use artistic references in the novel because we shared this background. She would notice the color of the bamboo stalks and leaves, because she painted them, and other flora, as they are common subjects in Chinese painting. It made it easier to write from her perspective as she was often seeing through my own artist eyes.

What is your favorite memory of a fan interaction at a convention? It could be you as a pro interacting with one of your fans or you as a fan meeting someone you admire.

I am lucky enough to be a young adult author, so many of my best interactions are with teen fans. I was at a Texas teen books convention a few years back, and this one is huge. They invite some of the most popular young adult authors and have thousands of students bussed in. After one particular panel, I had a teen girl walk with me as we were leaving the hall, and she told me how much she loved my stories, how when she read each novel, she was going through some major change in her life. She ended with: No one writes like Cindy Pon. I mean, to have a reader love your work in the exact way you hoped as a writer?there is no greater gift!

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

I’ll have to say Eugenides from Megan Whalen Turner’s The Queen’s Thief series! Because he is such an exasperating rogue and liar, yet still, you cannot help but love him. And wonder what his next mishap or adventure might be!

Paul Jeter

Paul is a multi-disciplinary artist who works in prose, comics, and painting. His work thrives on the font of his ideas. He is inspired by the innermost self and the greatest reaches of the unknown. He wants to discuss hard to grasp concepts, cave paintings, love, and dreams. At the moment, he is probably scribbling something down, concentrating on a piece, or doing some moderate yoga. Paul is a mashup of Geordi La Forge and Donatello. He has varied life experiences including college, struggle, deep meditation, surviving tragedy, and world travel. Show this hastily written paragraph at his table for a special gift.

Visit Paul on his Twitter and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

I’m interested in meeting more friends and fans in New England.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

It would be very interesting to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey again for the first time. I was a teenager and was much more interested at the time in my female company than the film. I was struck by the ending which lead me to read the complete series by Arthur C Clarke and absorb the film many times.

They say you can find hints of creators in their work. Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. most closely resembles you? Why?

Every sympathetic character of mine is a version of me. My villains are my enemies. The heroes are who I wish I could be.
My theme is heavy in each piece I write. You’ll recognize it when you read my stories.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

In 2019, my projects will include continuing my painting series, finishing a screenplay and completing another graphic novel that I will write and draw myself..

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

Owen Meany
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, 1989
He is morally righteous though tragic and a hero.

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Register for Boskone 56 today!

The membership price for Boskone 56 is increasing on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. So, don’t wait! Get your membership today.

Buying your membership online is easy! This is your chance to save some money and spend a fantastic weekend at Boskone–talking science fiction and fantasy with fans, pros, and friends.

Full Weekend Rates

• Adult Full Convention: $55
• College Student Full Convention: $35 (school ID required)
• K-6 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)
• 7-12 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)
• Kids-in-Tow: $0 (See Below for more information)

Adult Day Rates:

• Friday: $25
• Saturday: $50
• Sunday: $20

Memberships for Children

All children (ages 7–12) who use Dragonslair services must be convention members. However, children who stay with their parents at all times are considered “kids-in-tow,” and need not have memberships. (“Kids-in-tow” do not receive any convention materials.) We are not able to offer babysitting through the convention.

Find out more about our program and participants on the Boskone website.

Welcome back to the Boskone 56 Mini Interview series! Today we are sitting down with Laurence Raphael to talk about the influence of Roger Zelazny; Kate Elliot to talk about which character in her Spiritwalker Trilogy she relates most to; and Shannon Chakraborty to talk about a special moment during the release part for her debut novel!

Laurence Raphael Brothers

Laurence Raphael Brothers is a writer and technologist with five patents and a background in high-tech R&D, including work in AI, Telecom and Internet applications, and on-line gaming. He has published stories in such magazines as Nature, PodCastle, the New Haven Review, and Galaxy’s Edge. He is seeking representation for a WWI-era historical fantasy novel and a near-future military-aviation alien-invasion AI romance. Visit his webpage at https://laurencebrothers.com/ for links to more stories that can be read or listened to online, and follow him on twitter: @lbrothers.

Visit Laurence Raphael on his Twitter, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

The mix of fun and serious program material is just about ideal. The opportunity to rendezvous with friends and to meet so many distinguished colleagues has a very strong appeal. And then there’s the history of the thing and the professionalism of execution…

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

The books I read around age 12-13 have had the most impact on me. And that’s when I discovered Roger Zelazny. Lord of Light. Creatures of Light and Darkness. Nine Princes in Amber. Such a powerful, distinctive, and lyrical voice, and such a great storyteller, too. For me his work broke new ground I hadn’t expected in science fiction and fantasy and opened new vistas of possibility, grandeur, and adventure. And there’s something about his style that just worked perfectly for me.

I could just as well have cited Ursula K Le Guin’s Earthsea books, however. Awesome depths of wonder and feeling, superb prose and profound, sympathetic understanding of humanity.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

I have a number of short stories scheduled for publication, but what I’m really hoping for is some long-form sales. These are the three works I’m most hoping to sell in 2019:

* The Demons of Wall Street – a hardboiled-noir contemporary urban fantasy novella with a strong romantic thread, perhaps a bit like The Thin Man in that respect.

* City of Magic and Desire – a sexy-gothic historical fantasy novella set in a 17th century Prague. Excellent prose style, if I say so myself. Features an incubus/succubus main character (one of two) with an indecent love of liquorice.

* Evolutionary Intelligence Enkidu – a near-future military-aviation alien-invasion AI romance novel. I want the aerial scenes to convey the promise of the power and freedom of flight that I feel when I watch an anime like Yukikaze or a live-action movie like R2B.

Who is your favorite literary character of all time? What is it about this character that you admire?

Ugh! So many choices! I guess I have to go with Aubrey and Maturin from Patrick O’Brian’s great historical series. First appearance in “Master and Commander”. I choose them over many cherished SF and fantasy characters because those two from O’Brian feel more real and present to me than any others in all of literature. Their voices sound in my ears without effort, their attitudes, qualities, and flaws come so clear I hardly have to think about them. If I happen to drift into a daydreamed “imaginary conversation” it’s more likely to be with one of those two than anyone else.

Kate Elliott

Kate Elliott has been writing science fiction and fantasy fiction and non fiction for thirty years. Her twenty-seven books include her recent YA trilogy Court of Fives, the Afro-Celtic post-Roman alt-history fantasy adventure with lawyer dinosaurs the Spiritwalker trilogy (Cold Magic), the sf Novels of the Jaran, the Crossroads trilogy (Spirit Gate) & Black Wolves, and the massive AND complete seven volume epic fantasy Crown of Stars (King’s Dragon). Expect gender-bent Alexander the Great as space opera in 2019. Her work has been nominated for the Nebula, World Fantasy, RT, Norton, and Locus Awards. Kate was born in Iowa, raised in Oregon, and now lives in Hawaii, where she paddles outrigger canoes and spoils her schnauzer, Fingolfin, High King of the Schnoldor (Finn for short).

Visit Kate on her Twitter, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

I’ve heard of the joys of Boskone for many years but never yet had a chance to attend. When YA Guest of Honor Cindy Pon asked me to be her plus one, I leaped at the chance. Cindy and I both live in year-round warm climates (San Diego and Hawaii, respectively), and we are particularly thrilled to be visiting Boston in the throes of winter. We hear it will be cold.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I thought about this question for a long time, and considered several possibilities. But in the end I’m satisfied to set my gaze forward and be excited about the first time readings and viewings I have ahead of me. With every book and film (& tv show) I start I’m always hoping for a well crafted narrative that works for me. A good book is a treasure. The exceptional experience that means the narrative has fully captured me on every level and/or has brought me a powerful lens of insight is rare but it’s still out there. What I hope and want to experience is the gift of creative imagination and craftsmanship shared with the world.

They say you can find hints of creators in their work. Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. most closely resembles you? Why?

Cat Barahal’s love of food and eating. She’s the protagonist of the Spiritwalker Trilogy (Cold Magic and sequels), and she spends a lot of the trilogy thinking about food, eating food, and appreciating the food she eats.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

I’m currently working on genderbent Alexander the Great in space, forthcoming from Tor Books.

Shannon Chakraborty

S. A. Chakraborty is a speculative fiction writer from New York City. Her debut, The City of Brass, was the first book in the Daevabad trilogy and has been short-listed for the Locus, British Fantasy and World Fantasy awards. When not buried in books about Mughal miniatures and Abbasid political intrigue, she enjoys hiking, knitting, and recreating unnecessarily complicated medieval meals for her family. You can find her online at www.sachakraborty.com or on Twitter at @SChakrabooks where she likes to talk about history, politics, and Islamic art.

Visit Shannon on her Twitter, and Website!

With many conventions to choose from and limited time in your schedule, what attracts you to Boskone?

This is my first time attending Boskone. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things from fellow writers so I’m really looking forward to it!

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It was my first Trek and remains my favorite; I also binge-watched it on DVD with my husband when we were newly married and it was a great bonding experience. There’s a lot to love about DS9–the characters have fantastic arcs and relationships with each other, exploring friendship, family, and love in a depth I’m not sure we got to see in the earlier incarnations of the show. It also looked at colonialism, war, religion, and the very underpinnings of the Federation’s ethos in ways I thought were incredible and ground-breaking for the era in which it originally aired.

Do you have a favorite photo from a book event or literary convention? If so, when and where was it taken? What do you enjoy most about this photo?

This photo was taken from the launch party for my debut novel, The City of Brass. It was the first time I received fan art, and it was just such a cool experience. To see a character I created–a character I never really imagined being able to share with the world–brought to life by someone who loved the book has to be one of the highs of a writer’s career and I was so honored and delighted by this.

Can you share some details about upcoming projects or what you’re working on now? Do you have releases in 2019 that readers should look for?

The second book in The Daevabad Trilogy, The Kingdom of Copper is out now

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