I’d like to help with Deb Mensinger’s liver transplant, but I’m not sure what to donate.  Suggestions?

a) A 750-word flash fiction story about anything the bidder wants.  Go on, make me write about fire hydrants cross-breeding with robot goldfish in a secret CIA program.

b) A critique of a short story, or 3 novel chapters plus synopsis

c) An Italian aria belted out somewhere in public, perhaps WisCon, and I will perform while kneeling before you.

d) A painted miniature from Reaper (the little figures used in gaming, any mini you like under $10 with any hair/clothing colors you want.

Any of these sound like something people would bid on?  Someday I’ll be cool enough to have galleys, first editions, and writerly-stained underwear…

Who lives in Northampton? I know that some of you do, but I’m not sure who. (It’s all one big East Coast blur to me.)

I have a good friend who’s moving out there, and she really would like to know some people before she goes. She’s a biology professor who will be teaching at Smith. She’s liberal, environmental, and outdoorsy. She’s moving with her husband and 6-month-old son.

If anyone would be interested in saying hi to her, maybe showing her a few cool things in Northampton, and possibly making a new friend if you hit it off–please let me know! You can post here or email me privately. Thank you!

Sorry if this question is vague–I’m trying to nail down an elusive idea.

I want to list mythical/legendary sentient creatures which are like humans, but not human. Preferably ones which are reasonably familiar to many readers and come with a set of expectations. I want the creatures to be diverse within their own people as well.

The only example I’ve got is the fae (fairies). If I tell you a character is fae, it sets up some expectations about how they work and what the rules are (which I can alter, but at least they’re there). The category of fae contains many different types–sidhe, pookas, brownies, pixies–depending on who you ask.

Elves or dwarves might count, but they’re more homogenous than I’d like.

Dungeons and Dragons uses the term “demi-human” and Shadowrun calls them “metahuman.” Both words imply a relationship to humanity that doesn’t seem accurate to me.

Can anyone name other categories like fae?

ETA: What I want here is the overarching term for non-humans in fantasy. A term that avoids the problems of describing sentient non-humans as another “race.” “Species” is too generic; it covers plants and microbes. I want to complete this parallel: Science fiction authors write about aliens. Fantasy authors write about…?

I think this term doesn’t exist and I need to invent it. Help me poke my brain with a sharp stick and see what happens.

Journeymen Writers Meeting moderator Sat 11:30AM – 1:00PM 629

A place for journeymen writers to discuss business, craft, marketing strategies, or anything else we like. Open to anyone with one or more SFWA–qualifying sales. Check with the moderator if you’re not sure about your sales. Bring your own lunch.

Lightspeed Magazine Launch Event participant Sat 10:30 – 11:45PM Conference 2

Join us to celebrate the launch of Lightspeed Magazine (www.lightspeedmagazine.com), a new online science fiction magazine published by Prime Books (publisher of Fantasy Magazine). Lightspeed editors John Joseph Adams and Andrea Kail, along with publisher Sean Wallace, will be on hand to discuss this exciting new venture, and will present readings by the authors.

Once Upon a Time moderator Sun 1:00 – 2:15PM Senate A

Pro writers use the card game “Once Upon a Time” to tell half–baked fairy tales for laughs. Find out what happens when four panelists play tug–of–war on a story, trying to bend it towards wildly different endings.

Taboo III: Now with Even More Taboo! participant Sun 2:30 – 3:45PM Conference 2

The authors will be reading from transgressive and challenging work. No topic is off–limits.

Including Disabled Characters in Your Work(s) participant Mon 10:00 – 11:15AM Assembly

How to include disabled people in your works—and how not to. For example: don’t kill them, use them as decor, de–humanize them, or cure them. What are some good examples of authors who include characters with disabilities in their works?

Hey folks. I’m going to write a FOGcon FAQ. I’ve already seen a few good questions on various LJs and so on, and will include some of those. If you have questions you’d like answers for, ask away (or email me privately if you prefer).

Sometimes I just need a news story that restores my faith in the world.

Probably lots of people have already heard about how Make-a-Wish made a boy into a superhero for a day. He got to rescue a sports team and fight an evil mastermind. He’s got a Facebook fan club and everything. If you haven’t heard this story, go take a look; it’s delightful.

So I went to Make-a-Wish’s site and browsed through the stories. There were lots of great stories about kids filling their dreams–a trip to Hawaii, a bedroom makeover, and so on. There was a teenage girl who wanted to have a high-fashion model shoot (she has great souvenir pics!) and a young kid who got to “fly” a powerful military jet (well, a simulation, but it was still awesome).

A few stories struck me in particular.

A 3-year-old meets Elmo. Sometimes the wish is so simple, and look how happy she is.
A 9-year-old wants a voice. Having a voice… now there’s something I take for granted every day.
A 10-year-old boy wants his little brother to have his wish. Both kids have heart problems. Somehow the kid thought there was only one wish per family, but of course they granted both kids wishes.
A 12-year-old gives his wish away to other kids. This story made me cry, it was so sweet. It happened in 2002. There’s no update on this kid, but with a brain tumor, he might not have made it. What a generous spirit.

Finally, the announcement many of you have been asking me about. And it’s always fun to quote myself on my own blog. 🙂

FOGcon, a new sf/f convention in San Francisco.

San Francisco, California — May 3, 2010 — Next March 11 marks the opening of the first Friends of Genre Convention (FOGcon). Award-winning authors Pat Murphy and Jeff VanderMeer will be among the Honored Guests at this reader-oriented con. The 2011 theme is “The City in Speculative Fiction.”

Both Honored Guests have published influential SF novels on the topic of cities. In The City, Not Long After, Murphy, who is a longtime resident of San Francisco, presents a shining vision of her home city, populated by ghosts and artists, creatively defending itself against invasion.

Jeff VanderMeer’s Ambergris novels chronicle a city of saints, madmen, and the annual Festival of Fresh Water Squid. His work has been compared to that of Borges and Nabokov. His teasingly post-modern stories explore the ways cities and individuals grow, thrive, and ultimately self-destruct.

“Each year we’ll explore a new theme related to speculative literature. Our goal is to build a literary-themed convention modeled after some of our favorite conventions, which include WisCon, ReaderCon, and Potlatch,” said Vylar Kaftan, convention chair. The convention is being produced in partnership with the Speculative Literature Foundation.

FOGcon is hoping to attract a diverse range of attendees, from committed SF fans to readers interested in exploring the world of speculative fiction. The convention hotel, the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, in San Francisco’s Nob Hill District, is offering the rate of $119/night to convention members.

To register for the con, go to http://fogcon.org/registration. Adult memberships are $55 until November 1; $65 from November 2, 2011, until February 1, 2011; and $75 at the door. Youth memberships (ages 11-17) are $45. Children through the age of 10 are free.

About FOGcon:

Friends of the Genre (FOGcon) is a literary-themed San Francisco SF/F con in the tradition of Wiscon and Readercon. Each year we’ll focus on a new theme in speculative fiction and invite Honored Guests ranging from writers to scientists to artists. We will build community, exchange ideas, and share our love for the literature of imagination.

The 2011 FOGcon will be held March 11-13, 2011. Confirmed Honored Guests are Pat Murphy and Jeff VanderMeer.

What I’m most excited about personally is the chance to build a new convention from the ground up, as well as the opportunity to build local community in the Bay Area.

Please help spread the word… and I hope to see you at FOGcon next March!

What artist do you have the most albums (or songs) by?

I have 19 Cirque du Soleil albums. A distant second place is Enya with 9 albums, and third is Queen with 8. I have a lot of 7’s and 6’s.

(Of course I have plenty of variety besides these. I listen to a _lot_ of music when I write.)

Just signed the contracts for “Hero-Mother” at GigaNotoSaurus, and “Prashkina’s Fire” at Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Hooray!