Boskone, New England’s longest-running scifi and fantasy convention takes place at the Westin Waterfront hotel in Boston, from February 15–17. Hope to see you there!
Alone in the Dark
15 Feb 2019, Friday 21:00 – 21:50, Burroughs (Westin)
A look at why horror protagonists are often in it alone. Is it just a case of the observation tainted by the presence of the observer? Is the fear worse when you don’t have anyone around with whom to face it? And why do their flashlight and cell phones batteries always die at the worst possible moment?
With: Barry Lee Dejasu, Jack Haringa, Cadwell Turnbull, Joe Monti
The Evolution of the Slayer in Dark Fantasy
16 Feb 2019, Saturday 13:00 – 13:50, Marina 2 (Westin)
Since Van Helsing’s debut as the original vampire hunter in 1897’s Dracula, characters such as Buffy, Sam and Dean Winchester, Hellboy, Wynonna Earp, and John Constantine have all, er, staked their claim to the mantle of Slayer. How have these characters changed the role — or have we evolved to think about it differently? Why is this character type so popular? What part have Slayers played In the growth of the dark fantasy genre?
With: James Moore, Christopher Golden, Bracken MacLeod, Jack Haringa
Reading by Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert
I have my own reading slot! Come listen to me read from one of my recent short stories (I’m not sure which one, yet :-))
16 Feb 2019, Saturday 16:30 – 16:55, Independence (Westin)
If Only It Were Real
16 Feb 2019, Saturday 20:00 – 20:50, Griffin (Westin)
What science fiction concept, other than space travel, would you most like to see realized? Flying cars? Matter replicators? Time travel? Why? What would be the impact on civilization of this wish fulfillment? Flying cars crashing into buildings, replicators putting manufacturers out of business, time travelers running wild, oh my!
With: Alan Brown, Marshall Ryan Maresca, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Karl Schroeder
How to Survive a Horror Story
17 Feb 2019, Sunday 12:00 – 12:50, Marina 4 (Westin)
Who knows better than a horror writer how to survive a horror story? Join he fun and “lively” conversation as our panelists discuss scenarios from horror novels and films as if they themselves were characters within the scenes. Will their special authorial insights keep them safe? Will they split up to look for the cat? What are they willing to do to survive (relatively) intact? Who dies first? Who lives to tell the tale?
With: Marshall Ryan Maresca, Barry Lee Dejasu, Nicholas Kaufmann, Clarence Young
Note: This is a new idea at Boskone, and sounds like a blast!
