Saturday June 20th
Building Queer Character Arcs: Fashioning Authentic LGBTQ+ Protagonists, Antagonists and Storylines
With Olivia Helling, Valerie Mikles, and Chloe Spencer
Description: How do you create authentic queer characters, build tension between them, and structure a compelling story arc? Our authors share their own tips and tricks for aspiring and new authors.
Religion/Queer Intersectionality in Spec Fic
With Harry F Rey, Lynn Lorenz, Olivia Helling, and Rory niCoileain
Description: Religion and the queer community have long been at odds, though that has changed slowly over time. How do religion and queerness play off one another in speculative fiction? Our panel will discuss the intersectionality between the two, and their favorite examples.
Ace/Aro Characters in Spec Fic
With Antonia Aquilante, Nicole Dennis, Rory niCoileain, and Ellis Kincaide
Description: Another “up and coming kind of protagonist is the asexual and/or aromantic character. We’re seeing more and more of these as this slice of the community gains recognition. The panel will discuss where we still need to work on this, and share some of their favorite books with ace and aro characters.
What Makes Queer Spec Fic Queer (Hint: It Ain’t the Sex)
With Elle E Ire, J Scott Coatsworth, and Chloe Spencer
Description: There’s more to a queer spec fic story than a romance or coming out story. Who else gets to use the LGBTQ tag on their book? Is an incidental queer character enough or do you expect more from a story that touts itself as queer spec fic? Our panel will discuss what makes a spec fic title queer and share some of their favorite examples.
What Could Go Right: Hopeful Queer Fiction for Dark Times
With Belinda McBride, OE Tearmann, Alex Washoe, and Cody Sisco
Description: Tired of dystopic futures filled with intolerance and bigotry? Let’s talk about what tropes we’re tired of seeing, and what we want to go right in the worlds. We’ll also talk about some of their favorite works of queer spec fic that offer a hopeful take on our collective future.
Sunday June 21st
How Does Our Queer Past Influence the Queer Sci Fi Future?
With Trevor Barton, RR (Bob) Angell, Catherine Lundoff, and Michael G Williams
Description: The queer community has historically suffered oppression and discrimination, and still does in many places. When writing about the future, how do we honor that past without recreating it? Let’s talk about what the queer future might look, and how it can honor our past.
Outlaws and Adversaries
With Angel Martinez, Kim Fielding, KL Noone, and Vance Bastian
Description: Do you love Robin Hood and his fight with the Sheriff of Nottingham? How about Batman and the Joker? For this panel, we’ll take a look at the queering of outlaws and their adversaries – favorite works and why this dynamic is so relevant to queer spec fic.
The Gender Spectrum: Going Beyond CisBinary in Spec Fic
With José Pablo Iriarte, Valerie Mikles, Alex Washoe, and KS Murphy
Description: Queer spec fic isn’t a binary choice. We’re seeing more and more transgender, gender fluid, gender queer and non binary characters every year. The panel will share some of their favorite examples, and look at where the future may take us.
Queer BIPOC Representation in Spec Fic
With José Pablo Iriarte, Ryane Chatman, Arshad Ahsanuddin, and Nikki Woolfolk
Description: The myth that speculative fiction must be white centered to be successful has been demolished several times over. Non-Eurocentric world building and characters in our stories are the intersectional diversity that so many queer readers crave. Our panelists will discuss their favorite authors and characters of color, and talk about how and how not to include BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and Other People of Color) characters in speculative fiction.
Jumping Into the Mainstream: How Queer Authors Are Breaking Into “Mainstream” Spec Fic
With Elle E Ire, J Scott Coatsworth, Kim Fielding, and Heather O’Malley
Description: Queer authors have long found a home in smaller presses, in queer romance and other places that have become a safe haven for our work. But many of us want more. How do you move from being a big fish in a small pond to swimming with the whales? Our panel offers their suggestions.