SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Hi everyone,

This topic is for posting information about upcoming science fiction & fantasy conventions being held online due to COVID-19. If you know of one, please post it here. Online isn't the same as in-person, but on the other hand, it means we don't have to travel long distances and book a hotel!

I'll go first. Balticon is a big regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, now in its 54th year. Because of the pandemic, it will be held online this year--for free. The virtual convention will kick off Friday night May 22nd, 2020 and run until Monday afternoon.

Here's what's planned:
* Panels, Presentations, and Readings hosted as webinars
* Music concerts streamed live
* Open Filking hosted through an online platform
* Watch parties of past presentations at Balticon, along with discussions featuring the presenters on the BSFS Discord Server
* Watch parties of TV shows, movies, and anime through streaming services, along with discussions on the BSFS Discord Server
* Online tabletop RPGs and board games
* A collection of links to the online stores of our dealers and artists
* Open conversation on the BSFS Discord Server and in a Balticon Second Life Region

See https://www.balticon.org/wp54/ for more information as it's posted.

Cheers,
T. C. Weber

That is cool, thanks T.C.

Great! Thanks for the heads up!

Great!

WorldCon in New Zealand (CoNZealand) in July/August has gone digital, but I don't know yet whether any of it will be free: https://conzealand.nz

Thanks: I've added BaltiCon to my calendar! :-D

Locus Magazine has a post about events moved online: https://locusmag.com/2020/04/virtual-...

"With so many conventions and events postponed or canceled due to COVID-19, many organizers are moving to online alternatives. We will update this list of virtual SF events as we learn about more. If you know of other such events, please send us the information at locus@locusmag.com."

Joelle wrote: "WorldCon in New Zealand (CoNZealand) in July/August has gone digital, but I don't know yet whether any of it will be free: https://conzealand.nz

Thanks: I've added BaltiCon to my calendar! :-D"

This was going to be my first WorldCon - as I live in Australia, and at last it was close by. I'd even volunteered and was on the events team. Sadly, I have just cancelled my hotel reservation, and will now attend digitally.

Still looking forward to it, though.

I'm a supporting member for the upcoming Worldcon as NZ was too far to travel, but now I'm awaiting the cost to upgrade to attending as the digital version seems much more manageable.

This isn't a convention really, but it's called PRH Virtual Con, so I guess I'll add it here. It's happening right now, today, with author Q&As and such. I just heard about it a minute ago, so that's all I know.

A Virtual Balticon Update!
The schedule for Virtual Balticon (May 22-25th) is now live:
https://balticon.org/wp54/programming...

Thank you!

Balticon starts today!
Here's the schedule: https://www.balticon.org/wp54/program...

That program looks great!

T.C. wrote: "A Virtual Balticon Update!
The schedule for Virtual Balticon (May 22-25th) is now live:
https://balticon.org/wp54/programming..."

Do you know if they will replay the webinars for those who miss them? One I'm interested in starts at 11 PM in my time zone.

Yes, I believe they will be recording things and posting them later on YouTube.

Are you attending? I was in three panels yesterday. Really great.

Glad you're enjoying it! I'm attending and have been on some panels. I live near Baltimore and go every year.

Balticon was a lot of fun. They recorded most of the panels and presentations, and will post them on YouTube.

Next up, May 29-31: The 2020 Nebula Conference!
https://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-confe...

Unfortunately, this one isn't free (cost = $150). But it comes with a 1-year subscription to archived content.

My favorite panel on Balticon was yesterday, "Fleshing out your Cast". It had really good panelists, but somehow I had the impression of not many people being there because I was the only one asking a question. Still, quite informative.

Nebula and WorldCon are probably and at least for now beyond my budget for an online event. I understand that they have to pay their costs, but I think that they would have a lot more people attending if it was cheaper.

Leticia wrote: "My favorite panel on Balticon was yesterday, "Fleshing out your Cast". It had really good panelists, but somehow I had the impression of not many people being there because I was the only one askin..."

Zoom doesn't let you see other people's questions unless they're being answered. Did you see any activity in chat? The panels had something like 70-100 attendees on average. I was on the Fleshing out your Cast panel (I'm a Balticon regular) so I'm glad you liked it! There were a lot of good science presentations too; my favorite was the one on ants.

I agree about the Nebula and WorldCon costs; I would have assumed since they didn't have to rent space (the most expensive budget item), they could lower the price.

I 'was' going to World Con, and am still going to 'attend' online. I had volunteered, and was going to be on the events team, which would have been great.

People have had the chance to be refunded some or all of their memberships, if they want. https://conzealand.nz/register/conzea...

And there are all kinds of new things they have to do. https://conzealand.nz/blog/2020/04/15...

TorCon is this weekend.

Anna wrote: "TorCon is this weekend."

Thanks for the heads-up!

Anna wrote: "TorCon is this weekend."

Very interesting but unfortunately too late for my time zone. :-(

I think I missed the Christopher Paolini one - I was not awake yet! :(

Edit: Oh it's prerecorded.

The Gaiman cast was excellent. Made me want to read more of his books.

Mary Robinette Kowal just read the first chapter of Relentless Moon and she was amazing I need a videobook!

Clarion workshop is now open for public. Join the webinars here:
http://clarion.ucsd.edu/clarion-conve...

I never clicked the registration so fast before seeing that panel with Ted Chiang in it, moderated by KSR and also featuring Sam Miller.

Silvana wrote: "Mary Robinette Kowal just read the first chapter of Relentless Moon and she was amazing I need a videobook!"

Not a videobook but the audiobook pre-order just went up on Audible
https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Relent...

It's not just SFF, but there are a number of Black SFF authors participating in the Juneteenth Book Fest tomorrow: https://twitter.com/juneteenthbkfst

Comic-con International San Diego

https://www.comic-con.org/cciathome/2...

CoNZealand Fringe is a week of panels organized by Booktubers to complement the NZ Worldcon. It starts tomorrow, and everything happens during the UK daytime. The organizers put it together last week, which is why it was announced so late.

I couldn't watch the Aotearoa panel live, but I'm watching it now, and three minutes into the video I've already bought one book! :D I'll tell you about it in the short fiction thread :) I have no idea if that was the highlight of the panel, but I doubt it, and anyone looking for NZ speculative fiction should check it out!

What Is Modern Aotearoa New Zealand Speculative Fiction?

Here's registration for reCONvene 2020 a one day online con partnering with the New England Science Fiction Society for August 15!

https://reconvenesff.com/

Thanks, Anna
OMG, nine hours from now worldcon!

Allison wrote: "Here's registration for reCONvene 2020 a one day online con partnering with the New England Science Fiction Society for August 15!

https://reconvenesff.com/"

Wow, I have not even finished my Comic con panels... 😆

Allison wrote: "Here's registration for reCONvene 2020 a one day online con partnering with the New England Science Fiction Society for August 15!

https://reconvenesff.com/"

Awesome share, thank you! Just registered!!

T.C. wrote: "Hi everyone,

This topic is for posting information about upcoming science fiction & fantasy conventions being held online due to COVID-19. If you know of one, please post it here. Online isn't th..."

Thanks so much for starting this thread!! Great idea.

FIYAH has a convention! https://theconvention.fiyahlitmag.com/

Anyone in WorldCon right now? I e-met Leonie who's volunteering.
Watched a super crazy panel today on non-Western spirits featuring Mimi Mondal and Graci Kim

Silvana wrote: "FIYAH has a convention! https://theconvention.fiyahlitmag.com/

Anyone in WorldCon right now? I e-met Leonie who's volunteering.
Watched a super crazy panel today on non-Western spirits featuring ..."

That panel was so good!!
I'm at WorldCon, & I'll be at FIYAH-Con. :-D

If you want to start a thread to discuss Worldcon panels (and other things) in depth, you can! I'm not saying you have to, but I know I was bursting to talk about everything when I was attending (physically), so just saying that's an option! And since it's a paid virtual con, and everyone reading this thread can't attend, it might make some people, not talking about myself at all, less jealous! :P

Anna wrote: "If you want to start a thread to discuss Worldcon panels (and other things) in depth, you can! I'm not saying you have to, but I know I was bursting to talk about everything when I was attending (p..."

It's okay, Anna. The attendees can follow up in Discord. I just wanna check if there are other fellow Goodreaders in there.

Joelle.P.S wrote: "Silvana wrote: "FIYAH has a convention! https://theconvention.fiyahlitmag.com/

Anyone in WorldCon right now? I e-met Leonie who's volunteering.
Watched a super crazy panel today on non-Western sp..."

I knew it! I think I saw your name there. Ah, too bad we can't meet in person. I made a Goodreads members channel in the fan table and could be found there. I have been promoting SFFBC like crazy.

<3

Yay, Silvana that's great! ^_^

For short fiction, Capclave will be online Oct. 17-18.
https://www.capclave.org/capclave/cap...

I scoured the internet and found the following online SF conventions for the rest of 2020. I couldn't create a table here, so pardon the bad formatting.

Convention Start Date End Date Link
NASFIC 8/21 8/23 https://columbus2020nasfic.org/
ArmadilloCon 8/28 8/30 https://armadillocon.org/d42/
DragonCon 9/3 9/7 https://www.dragoncon.org/
HawaiiCon 9/24 9/27 https://www.hawaiicon.com/
RoberCon 9/26 9/27 https://www.robercon.org/
Capclave 10/17 10/18 https://www.capclave.org/capclave/cap...
MileHiCon 10/23 10/25 https://milehicon.org/
PhilCon 11/20 11/22 https://philcon.org/
ChessieCon 11/27 11/29 http://chessiecon.org/

And tormorrow is ReCONvene by the New England SF Assoc :)

https://reconvenesff.com/

Great collection, TC!

Yes, I forgot to mention that. The cost is only $10:
https://reconvenesff.com/register/

The time difference is killing me (starts at 10 PM my time) but I am ready to watch Ted Chiang and the other panelists. Loving the schedule so far.

Silvana wrote: "The time difference is killing me (starts at 10 PM my time) but I am ready to watch Ted Chiang and the other panelists. Loving the schedule so far."

Alas! It's all 1am-7am in my time zone. And not being recorded for late viewing. :-(

Nonetheless I hope it's wonderful & people enjoy it! (Great price!!)