One of the books that NESFA Press is launching at Boskone 53 is a special limited hardback edition of The Grimm Future, edited by Erin Underwood. The Grimm Future is a new science fiction anthology of reimagined Grimm fairy tales that features original fiction by Boskone 53’s Guest of Honor Garth Nix as well as Boskone 53 program participants Dana Cameron, Max Gladstone, Carlos Hernandez, John Langan, Peadar O’Guilin, and more!

A special reading for The Grimm Future will be held at Boskone this year and we will be highlighting the anthology at the Boskone Book Party on Saturday night. We look forward to seeing you at Boskone. Buy your copy of The Grimm Future at Boskone 53 by visiting the NESFA Press table in the Dealers Room.

About the Book

Blending fresh new science fiction with a futuristic dash of magic, The Grimm Future is a unique anthology of reimagined Grimm fairy tales from some of today’s most exciting authors—along with the original stories that inspired them. The Grimm Future examines our humanity and what that term might come to mean through the eyes of future generations as society advances into an age when technology consumes nearly every aspect of our lives or has ultimately changed life as we know it. How might these timeless stories evolve? Given the relentless onrush of technology, there is even greater need for fairy tales and Grimm magic in our future. Read on!

Table of Contents

• “Introduction” by Erin Underwood
• “Pair of Ugly Stepsisters, Three of a Kind” by Garth Nix
  based upon multiple Grimm fairy tales, including Little Brother and Little Sister, Rapunzel, Little Red-Cap, and Cinderella
• “The Iron Man” by Max Gladstone
  based upon Iron John
• “Zel and Grets” by Maura McHugh
  based upon Hansel & Gretel
• “For Want of a NAIL” by Sandra McDonald & Stephen D. Covey
  based upon The Nail
• “The Shroud” by Dan Wells
  based upon The Shroud
• “Long-Term Employment” by Mike Resnick
  based upon Death’s Messengers
• “Swan Dive” by Nancy Holder
  based upon The Six Swans
• “The White Rat” by Dana Cameron
  based upon The White Snake
• “Origins” by Carlos Hernandez
  based upon The Star-Talers
• “Angie Taylor in: Peril Beneath the Earth’s Crust” by John Langan
  based upon The Brave Little Tailor
• “The Three Snake-Leaves” by Jeffrey Ford
  based upon The Three Snake-Leaves
• “The Madman’s Ungrateful Child” by Peadar Ó Guillín
  based upon The Bremen Town-Musicians
• “Stories of the Trees, Stories of the Birds, Stories of the Bones” by Kat Howard
  based upon The Juniper Tree
• “Be Still, and Listen” by Seanan McGuire
  based upon Little Briar-Rose

Book Information:

Publisher: NESFA Press
Price: $35.00
ISBN-13: 978-1-61037-315-9
Release Date: February 19, 2016 at Boskone 53 in Boston, MA

Editor: Erin Underwood
Cover Art: Richard Anderson
Cover Design: Alice N. S. Lewis
Interior Design: David Grubbs

Richard Anderson, cover artist & Boskone 53 Official Artist
Richard Anderson began his art career as a freelance concept artist before joining Seattle-based ArenaNet in 2003 as a 3D artist for the GuildWars franchise. In 2011, he moved to London to work on a variety of films, including Thor: The Dark World, Prometheus, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Richard is currently at Rocksteady Studios, where he serves as their Senior Concept Artist for the Arkham series. He created his first book cover for Tor Books in 2008 and continues working on covers for publishers such as Tor, Orbit, Random House, Amazon, and Harper Collins.  In 2011, Richard received a Gold Award from Spectrum.

Erin Underwood, editor
Erin Underwood is a writer, editor, and convention runner. She is also the founder of Underwords Press, a small press that specializes in young adult science fiction. Her fiction has appeared in various anthologies. Her non-fiction regularly appears in the Science Fiction Writers of America’s Bulletin and Amazing Stories Magazine. She is also the editor of Futuredaze: An Anthology of YA Science Fiction (Feb 2013), Futuredaze 2: Reprise (Aug 2014) Geek Theater: 15 Plays by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers (Oct 2014), and The Grimm Future (Feb 2016).

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Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates (good through January 19th):

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

We’re getting closer and closer to Boskone! We also have three new Mini Interviews for you today! Come meet E. J. Stevens, Errick Nunnally, and N.A. Ratnayake. You may have seen them at Boskone before, but this is their first time attending as program participants. So, please help us give them a warm welcome this year!

E. J. Stevens

E.J. Stevens is the author of fourteen works of speculative fiction, including the Spirit Guide young adult paranormal romance series, the Hunters’ Guild urban fantasy series, and the award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series. She is known for filling pages with quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines. Visit her on her website, follow her on Twitter, friend her on Facebook, and find her on Goodreads.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

I am looking forward to so many things at Boskone 2016. I love seeing old friends and discussing books and writing with people who share my passion for speculative fiction, but the thing I look forward to the most at events like Boskone is spending time with my readers.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I’m currently working on Hound’s Bite, the fifth full-length novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective urban fantasy series.

The greatest challenge when writing a novel in a long running series is to maintain consistency while demonstrating character growth and, of course, holding the reader’s interest. So much has happened in the previous books of this series—assassination attempts, trips to the Otherworld, and attacks on the city of Harborsmouth by bloodthirsty water fae, a demonically enhanced abductor of fae children, a serial killer skilled in necromancy, and a horde of pyromaniacal imps—that reader expectations are high. I’m excited to say that readers anticipating another wild ride with Ivy Granger and her supernatural allies have something special to look forward to with the July 2016 release of  Hound’s Bite.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

I am a HUGE fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I have been increasingly impressed with the two Netflix Original series Daredevil and Jessica Jones that released in 2015. As my readers may have deduced, I love damaged characters. The more broken a hero or heroine is the better. Matt Murdock and Jessica Jones are exquisitely damaged by their pasts and tortured by the weighty responsibility of their supernatural gifts. I can’t wait to see what happens with these characters in season two.

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?

My favorite Star Wars scene is when Han is about to be frozen in carbonite. Leia blurts out, “I love you” and Han replies, “I know.”

At this point in The Empire Strikes back, Leia has endured imprisonment at the hands of the Empire, and had to watch as her family was murdered and her home world was destroyed. Her reaction to losing Han is all the more heartbreaking when you consider what she has already had to endure. But then Han flashes that crooked grin and replies, “I know,” and the scene becomes even more powerful, because here is a man about to face possible death and he is being strong, not for himself, but for the woman he loves.

I also have the following Star Wars lines displayed in my writing space to help keep me motivated.

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” –Yoda
“Never tell me the odds.” –Han Solo
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.” –Darth Vader
“In my experience there is no such thing as luck.” –Obi-Wan Kenobi
“Impressive. Most impressive.” —Darth Vader
“Stay on target.” –Gold Five

Errick Nunnally

Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Errick A. Nunnally served one tour in the Marine Corps before deciding art school would be a safer—and more natural—pursuit. He strives to develop his strengths in storytelling and remains permanently distracted by art, comics, science fiction, history, and horror. Trained as a graphic designer, he has earned a black belt in Krav Maga with Muay Thai kickboxing after dark. Errick’s successes include: the novel, Blood For The Sun; a comic strip collection, Lost in Transition; and first prize in one hamburger contest. The following are short stories and their respective anthologies: Lycanthrobastards (Wicked Seasons); Harold At The Halfcourt (Inner Demons Out); Legion (Doorways to Extra Time); The Last Apology (A Dark World of Spirits and The Fey); You Call This An Apocalypse? (After The Fall); Recovery (Winter Animals: stories to benefit PROTECT.ORG); PROTECTORS 2 (stories to benefit PROTECT.ORG) and The Elevation of Oliver Black (Distant Dying Ember). He also has two lovely children and one beautiful wife. Visit him on his website and follow him on Twitter.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

No idea! Well, finding out what it’s all about, I’ve never been. Ironically, I have picked up a friend from the airport and driven him there without any clue as to what was going on there. He’d done some work with Ian Tregellis, developing the author’s web site. When I dropped him off, I spotted a Toyota hybrid with the custom plate “MONTAG” and knew I was missing something.

What event or experience stands out as one of those “defining moments” that shaped who you are today?

Not too long after buying a home in Boston (Dorchester), the company that I’d been happily working for (a graphic design firm) closed it’s doors. I decided to work for myself for a while and I set five goals for myself during that time. One of them was to finally write the book that I’d been putting off since my final years in college. “Blood for the Sun” came to fruition and it took some time, but I refined it enough to sell to a publisher. I suppose the defining moment came when I finally realized, after over a decade, that I should do more to follow my heart’s desire rather than half-step through the world, coloring within the lines. Nothing lasts forever, of course, and I headed back into the workforce a couple of years after completing the book. Since then, it’s been one epic battle after another to redefine my life so that it satisfies my soul rather than someone else’s bottom line.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

I tend to write somewhere around the thriller genre with elements of science fiction and horror. When I was much younger, I spent a great deal of my time reading sci-fi and other forms of speculative fiction. To be as involved as I am with monsters and the noir-ish side of the supernatural, I wish I’d read some more of what’s considered the horror classics. Most of my early horror influences came from movies rather than the books those movies were adapted from. It’s actually something I regret. With that in mind, instead of recommending a particular book (or books), I’d recommend a few authors to dig into. The obvious one is Stephen King. I’ve enjoyed his short fiction up to novellas, but his longer stuff has always left me cold. Still, I wish I’d read Salem’s Lot, Cujo, and Carrie a lot earlier in my life. The works of Rick Hautula, John Skipp, Craig Spector, Chet Williamson, Jack Ketchum, and later: Ray Garton and Joe Landsdale would have been fine, earlier additions to my reading repertoire.

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? Why does it continue to stick with you today?

I was all of nine years-old when Star Wars premiered in 1977. My mind was blown when I first saw that movie–like so many others my age. I remember begging everyone and anyone to take me with them when they went to see it and it resulted in my going to the theater eleven times. Each time, the crowds were more and more dense until I recall stumbling out of the place shoulder to shoulder with scores of excited people.

In the intervening years, I became a Star Wars “truther.” Han Solo shot first and Lucas’ tinkering with the character’s continuity and other aspects of Star Wars was an atrocity!

(Also, those other three films were planned, but never happened; only one actor portrayed Khan Noonien Singh and embodied the character so well that no other actor dared take the role, and Michael Jackson died shortly after recording “Off The Wall,” his last and greatest album.)

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

M work is a mishmash of my genre favorites, sculpted into something I wanted to see out in the wild. In my case, noir-ish crime thrillers with hefty doses of supernatural horror and science fiction influenced by my background in the military, close-combat training, and growing up in Boston’s inner-city. Two of my favorite comments about my first novel: “A love letter to fandom” and “Everything a gritty urban fantasy thriller should be.” I write what I love and I want to share that with fans of the same.

N.A. Ratnayake

N.A. Ratnayake is a former NASA engineer turned science teacher and science fiction writer. His short story “Remembering Turinam” received an honorable mention in Gardner Dozois’s The Year’s Best Science Fiction, Thirty First Edition. His new novel, Red Soil Through Our Fingers, explores human rights in a future of corporate expansion and colonization of space.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

It’s a certain caliber of nerd that travels to New England in February for the sake of a science fiction convention. And for those who live around here, any extra shoveling and time spent on the MBTA in the winter is a true sign of dedication. The eclectic mix of intellect, passion, curiosity, and creative energy at Boskone is wonderful. Every year I leave the con refreshed with new ideas, writing knowledge, and creative projects to consider.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

My new novel, Red Soil Through Our Fingers, was recently released in January. The book is the first in a series, so I’m now working on laying out the two books that will follow it.

Red Soil Through Our Fingers was very challenging for me, being my first novel-length work. I had to learn so much about writing, revision, publication, and marketing over the last couple of years. I’m hoping that the second one is easier, at least logistically, now that I’m a little further along the learning curve.

I’ve started to embrace the idea of this series as a political thriller in space. It’s been exciting to learn more about the thriller genre and what makes them work, then trying to imagine what these elements would look like in a hard sci-fi future setting.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

My stories tend to feature stubborn idealists of various flavors in conflict with social or political systems that are oppressive or unjust in some way. Though I have harsh criticism for some aspects of our present society, I also believe in actively presenting a positive way forward into a better future.

I’m an aerospace engineer and science teacher professionally. I love realistic space settings and credible projections of technology. However, I believe a great story is ultimately about people, not the technical details. I try to create a rigorous, believable, and technically-consistent world, and then move it to the background where it belongs.

If you enjoy being at the intersection of people and ideas, I invite you to give my stories a read!

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?

When we were little, my brother and I used to enjoy impersonating all of the characters and improvising our own new (hilarious) plot lines, in the vein of what Robot Chicken has done now. So I have lots of good brotherly memories of the two of us being silly.

My favorite moment from the movies is Vader’s redemption just before he dies. I think that scene in the context of the whole trilogy says a lot about the nature of evil. I remember it being a very powerful moment when my twelve-year-old self realized that even this baddest of bad guys had a good person sort of trapped inside a dark shell. In retrospect, I think it marked the beginning of a slow realization that good and evil are not absolute, mutually exclusive, binary concepts.

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Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates (good through January 19th):

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

Happy New Year from Boskone! Today we bring you two new mini interviews that are sure to put a smile on your face and kick off 2016 with a bang. Please welcome Esther Friesner and Grady Hendrix to the Boskone Blog. I think you’re really going to enjoy these two interviews.

Also, a quick note that Boskone’s pre-convention membership prices go up on January 19, 2016. So, please don’t delay! Get your memberships now while you can still take advantage of the lower price.

Esther Friesner

Nebula Award winner Esther Friesner is the author of over 40 novels and almost 200 short stories. Educated at Vassar College and Yale University, where she received a Ph.D. in Spanish, she is also a poet, a playwright, and the editor of several anthologies. The best known of these is the Chicks in Chainmail series that she created and edits for Baen Books. The sixth book, Chicks and Balances, appeared in July 2015. Deception’s Pawn, the latest title in her popular Princesses of Myth series of young adult novels from Random House, was published in April 2015. Esther is married, a mother of two, grandmother of one, harbors cats, and lives in Connecticut. She has a fondness for bittersweet chocolate, graphic novels, manga, travel, and jewelry. There is no truth to the rumor that her family motto is “Oooooh, SHINY!”

Visit Esther online by following her on Twitter and friending her on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

The thing I enjoy most about Boskone is the sense of camaraderie, being with so many people ready and willing to have interesting, fun conversations about just about anything.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today? 

I’ve had several “defining moments” in my life. Setting aside the important family-related ones, almost all of these have to do with stories. When I was little, my father’s idea of great bedtime story material was Walt Kelly’s POGO comics. That’s where I learned that language is a playground and that humor can talk about some extremely serious subjects, including extreme censorship (this from the McCarthy era strips where one character opined that there’s nothing quite so pretty as the sight of a brightly burning book). My mother filled long car rides by telling me stories from American literature, like “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” I kept begging for more until she finally said, “Learn to read and you can have all the stories you want!” Both of them were right and I am so grateful!

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

Right now I’m trying to get back to publishing more short stories while at the same time thinking deep and dangerous thoughts about doing something new as far as novel-writing goes. The latter is still in the think-it-through stage, which is both exciting and challenging since even I don’t know how it will all turn out, happy-ending-wise. It’s rather like riding one of those scary-huge roller coasters, but as long as I find joy and satisfaction in all parts of the writing process (and I do), it’s going to be a great ride!

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?

Much as I love the original Star Wars film, I’m going to be a rebel and say that my favorite Star Wars memory is the Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars special. And okay, putting the Adulting Hat back on for a second, I must think back to seeing Star Wars in the theater and beholding the opening chase scene where the Bad Guys’ ship just keeps going and going and going and GOING. That was pretty much when I knew it was going to be awesome.

Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix is the author of the novel Horrorstör, about a haunted IKEA. It’s been translated into 14 languages and is being adapted into a TV series by Gail Berman and Charlie Kaufman. He is the screenwriter for the upcoming movie, Satanic Panic, and his new novel, My Best Friend’s Exorcism, will be published in May, 2016.

Visit Grady on his website, friend him on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

I’ve never been to Boskone before, so I’m really hoping that no one stabs me, locks me in a closet, sets my luggage on fire, or tells me it’s a “clothing optional” party and then I show up and everyone is fully clothed except me.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I just wrapped up my new novel, My Best Friend’s Exorcism, which comes out in May, 2016 from Quirk Books. It’s all about friendship, high school, demons from Hell, tapeworms, bodybuilders, possession, exorcism, and the Eighties. They say “Write what you know,” and I had to dig deep for this one. Except for the tapeworms, it’s all based on my high school experience, which is a bit uncomfortable.

If you could recommend a book to your teenage-self, what book would you recommend? Why did you pick that book?

The Physician’s Desk Reference. We all would have made so many better decisions about what we were ingesting, if we’d had one of these back then.

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?

My older sister saw Star Wars way before I did, and so I had to rely on her blow-by-blow of the movie which revolved entirely around the trash compactor scene for some strange reason. So for about six weeks I thought it was a movie about a long, hairy monster that lived in garbage on a Death Star full of garbage, and it had to protect itself from people who wanted to steal its garbage.

<In honor of Grady’s trash compactor Star Wars memory, here’s a little something you guys might enjoy! …and if you are one of the five people in fandom who haven’t yet seen any of the Star Wars movies, this video clip might be a spoiler. *grin*>

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U3Oti2L8S4]

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Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates (good through January 19th):

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

As we head into the final days of 2015, Boskone brings you two new Mini Interviews that feature returning Boskone participants Janet Catherine Johnston and Jon Hunt. If you’ve walked through the Art Show in the Galleria at Boskone, you’re sure to have seen Jon’s work or if you have attended one of the science talks, you’ve probably heard Janet speak. However, you may not have had the chance to meet them. So, it is our pleasure to introduce you to Janet and Jon. When you see them at Boskone this year, be sure to say hello.

Janet Catherine Johnston

Janet Catherine Johnston is a published science fiction author, playwright, master costume designer, fashion consultant, private pilot, fortune teller, singer, Middle Eastern Dance performer/choreographer, seismologist, astrophysicist and engineer. She holds four degrees from MIT in four different disciplines. Born in Manhattan, she moved to Massachusetts in 1971; although she has visited or worked in over 45 countries, lived in New York, Virginia, London and Moscow, she always returns to her beloved Plum Island home, where she has lived since 1976. Her hard science fiction stories have an unsettling edge to them and have been described as “H.P. Lovecraft meets Arthur C. Clark.”

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?
The level of knowledge of the fans there. They have read such a wide range of authors, spanning many years of publication. I always come away with a new perspective on some science fiction topic and suggestions for reading new (old) books and authors.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?
The death of a man I loved. I became kinder and more tolerant. My eyes even changed color, I thought it was from all the tears, but if eyes are truly the window to soul then I have independent evidence I really changed.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?
I’m working on a screenplay based on my novella, “Lune Bleue,” (Analog 2013). It’s about 3 people struggling to survive on the Moon in the wrong place, at the wrong time, having to deal with creepy, autonomous robots, failing life support facilities, giant mutant rats, and World War III–and did I mention one of them is crazy? I thought this would be relatively straightforward after turning two of my short stories into one-act comedy science fiction plays that kindly were produced at Arisia last year, but a screenplay is yet a different animal!

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?
Although much of my life philosophy comes more from Star Trek, the scene in Empire Strikes Back where Yoda raises Luke’s fighter out of the swamp after Luke exclaims ‘shuffling stones around is one thing but this (lifting the fighter) is totally different’. To this “It’s only different in your mind,” Yoda says and this is my favorite line. As a congenital amputee, I have tried not to let things that at first glance seem impossible discourage me from at least trying. Things like getting a pilot’s license and teaching Martial arts, or sewing and winning a worldcon masquerade…

Jon Hunt

​I work in both traditional and digital media for book jackets, storyboards and concept art, collectible card games, role playing manuals, music videos, and magazines. I freelance for Frombie where I work with a talented group of young artists designing collectible toys, comics, pins, posters and more. In addition to my freelance work, I have developed my own line of creepy character pins called EEPz. I also write a bi-monthly column called “Art Drone” for Art Hive Magazine and am an adjunct illustration professor at three colleges. For more information, visit Jon’s website, friend him on Facebook, and follow him on Instagram.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?
I really enjoy the atmosphere. Boskone is one of the most laid back and conversation-friendly conventions I have ever attended. A bunch of us got snowed-in last year–which was annoying at first, but it actually ended up being a great experience (there’s no better way to end a long weekend than sleeping on a hotel room floor with 4 other illustrators and writers)! Since I am an illustrator, the Art Show is definitely a focal point for me. I can always count on being humbled by a diverse and inspiring selection of paintings and prints by some of the most talented and influential artists working in the genre. And this year’s guest list is stellar! I look forward to catching up with friends as well as networking with artists, art directors, editors and fans.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?
I teach illustration as an adjunct at the college level and I have been working on a variety of freelance illustration projects. This year, in addition to 6 book covers, I have done concept art for games and a comic, created a logo design for a clothing company and labels for beer bottles. I drew storyboards for TV commercials and old-school comic-style illustrations that were animated for a documentary about the dangers of fracking. I write a bi-monthly column on art and creativity for the arts and entertainment magazine Art Hive. The diversity of the subjects that I tackle in my freelance work is both exciting and challenging and really keeps me on my toes. It’s a good thing I love research!

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?
I was disappointed with Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium, but I feel he redeemed himself with the quirky moral ambiguity of Chappie. I am especially looking forward to seeing what his unique take will be on the Alien property!

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?
I was nearly 11 years old when the first Stars Wars (A New Hope) was released. I grew up watching Saturday morning Creature Features and science fiction movies from the 1940s-1960s. So, despite being a bit clumsy and cheesy by my adult standards, back in 1977 Star Wars was an epiphany for me on so many levels. Lucas’ film was the modern incarnation of everything that I loved from those old movies. When I walked out of the theater that afternoon in 1977, my fate was sealed: To this day, through my own art and writing I am still trying to re-live the wonder and awe that the film and the concept art of Ralph McQuarrie inspired in me.

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Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates:

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

It is such a pleasure to bring two longtime Boskone favorites to you in this set of Mini Interviews. Whether or not you have had the opportunity to meet Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, authors of the much loved Liaden Universe®, they are two people you will enjoy knowing. So, without further ado, here are their Mini Interviews, which we hope you enjoy.

Also, be sure to pick up your Boskone 53 membership  before the price increase in January and book your hotel room before the block sells out.

Sharon Lee

Sharon Lee is one-half of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, best known for their collaborative work in the Liaden Universe®, a space opera geography of their own devising. Their latest novel — their 22nd collaboration; and the18th set in the Liaden Universe® — was Dragon in Exile (June 2015, Baen); upcoming is Alliance of Equals (July 2016, Baen). Sharon has also written a contemporary fantasy trilogy, set on the coast of Maine — Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas — published by Baen. Sharon lives in Maine with her husband, Steve Miller, and four Feline Companions — Maine Coon cats Belle, Sprite, and Trooper; and Scrabble, the office manager. Visit Sharon Lee online at her website, follow her on Twitter, friend her on Facebook, and check out her Live Journal.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Well, I’ve always been fond of the Blizzard Betting Pool, but you can’t really say that it’s of, or about, Boskone.  The thing I enjoy most at Boskone is The Big Living Room.  I love the comfy chairs and the groups of people knitting, or reading, or talking, or all of the above, just like an extended family which has come together to celebrate a major holiday, and catch themselves up.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

Well, let’s see.  I was in my early 20s, I guess, working full-time as a secretary at a university.  One of the benefits I received from my job was that I could attend classes at the university for free. I had determined to be a writer, and had written what I fondly believed was a Novel. A fantasy novel.

Now, I had a speech impediment; I stammered — not so much, by then, but occasionally, mostly when I was tired or nervous. In addition, unless I concentrated very closely, I got the words in my spoken sentences all in the wrong order, and it was sometimes quite a job of work to untangle everything into sense.  As a result, I didn’t talk very much, and when I did, I spoke briefly.  In fact, I had determined to be a writer exactly because, when you write the words down, they stay where you put them.

Since I got those free courses as a benefit of my employment, I was taking a creative writing course at the university.  Some months in, I screwed up my courage to ask my instructor if he would read my novel.  He said that he would, but the next time I saw him he told me that, because he was Iranian, he felt that he couldn’t do justice to the fantasy elements, which he felt might carry cultural cues with which he was unfamiliar.  He had therefore passed my work on to one of his colleagues, who taught long-form writing, and who was an American.  I should make an appointment to speak with her, he said.

Well, I did that.  I was very nervous, and the long-form professor was not, I felt, particularly welcoming.  She had me sit down in the chair next to her desk and proceeded to quiz me on what I had been trying to achieve with the novel, my perception of the character’s journey, what the magic symbolized in the story. . .  The easy questions, you perceive.

Long story short, I stammered, and got every single word in every single sentence in as compromising a position as possible, until the professor said, “I thought so,” reached into her drawer, hauled out my manuscript and slammed it onto the desk.

“I think you’d better leave,” she said, coldly. “I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but I do know that no one who speaks like you do could possibly have written this!”

Yeah, I grabbed the novel and ran.  My victory was that I didn’t cry, then, though I did, later.  I thought about how I was going to have to give up on being a writer, and, boy, didn’t that make me cry some more. . .

And then it occurred me, that speaking and writing are two different processes. That I wanted to be a writer precisely because I could build, on the page, those perfectly ordered and modulated sentences, which would convey exactly what I meant to say.

That I spoke so differently than I wrote?  That wasn’t a bug; it wasn’t even a feature.

It was *proof* that I was, and could be, a writer.

And so. . .here I am, forty years, 28 novels, and a bunch of short stories later — a writer.

Sometimes, y’know?  I think that I ought to try to find that professor — and thank her.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

I do a couple of different things.  With Steve Miller — my husband and my co-author — I’ve written 23 novels, 22 of them are science fiction, and 19 of *those* are set in the Liaden Universe(R), which is space opera geography of our own devising.  We take the whole “opera” thing very seriously, in a let’s-have-fun sort of way.  The stories may be adventure, romance, intrigue — any or all.  They may be very large stories, involving the Fate of the Universe(tm); or they may be very small stories, involving the relationship between two people from very different, and possibly incompatible, cultures.

Our publisher, Baen, has made two complete Liaden novels available as free downloads, from their site (baen.com), and from Amazon:  The very first novel Steve and I wrote together in the Liaden Universe®, Agent of Change; and Fledgling, which is the beginning of a story arc within the Universe, and introduces a new character with troubles of her own.

Under my own byline, I’ve written a contemporary fantasy trilogy based in a Maine seaside resort town (Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas).  Those are a little less over-the-top sci-fi fun (though they’re still fun, of course).  They want to talk about the small magics, and the value of change, and the responsibility we hold for the land.  And? There’s a haunted carousel.

Steve Miller

Adopted Mainer Steve Miller is a lapsed journalist, publisher, con-running fan, poet, and librarian who writes SF professionally, mostly in the Liaden Universe® shared with Sharon Lee. Originally a Baltimore area convention and fanzine fan, writer, special collections librarian, art agent, and genre book store owner, he survived Clarion West and has participated in hundreds of SF conventions across North America including more than a dozen as a Guest of Honor. Recipient of Boskone’s 2012 Skylark Award as well as the Hal Clement Award for Best YA Novel, Steve was also an ebook publishing pioneer with his BPLAN Virtuals imprint in the late 1980s and early 1990s while his SRM Publisher imprint ran for 17 years and included chapbooks, mass market, trade paper, and hardcover originals. Locus Bestseller Dragon in Exile is the most recent of 25 novels, Liaden Universe Constellation No.3 the most recent short story collection, and the next of five contracted Liaden novels, Alliance of Equals, is due to hit the stands in July 2016. Visit him online on his website, follow him on Twitter, friend him on Facebook, and check him out at Patreon.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Split decision here, fan-side and pro-side, but overwhelming is the sense of community, of coming home to friends.

I’ve been coming to Boskone whenever I could since the mid-1970s and so one part of me likes the fannish side with a great art show and dealer’s room, the generally low-key parties, and the chance to catch up with lot of old friends and meet new ones at those parties. The con’s at a good hotel so I’m pleased not be a commuter, and the feeling of community is a real plus, especially coming after the cabin-fever generated by Maine winters.

The Other side of me is the pro side and I appreciate the challenging programming and the chance to work with newcomers I’ve not met before. The constants — readings and signings and kaffeeklatsches  — are always well done and now that they’ve been merged into the living room environment alongside the art show and dealer’s room the feeling of community is reinforced.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?

Not a single moment, but a moment two months long. In July and August of 1973 I took leave from my stereo & carpeting sales position and traveled by Greyhound bus from Baltimore to Seattle, attended Clarion West (SF writing workshop) and returned to my home north of Baltimore, totally changed. The workshop itself was six weeks long, and I had my 23rd birthday there. I met and worked with Joanna Russ, Peter Beagle, James Salis, Ursula LeGuin, Harlan Ellison, Terry Carr, and Vonda McIntyre as well as my 20-some fellow workshoppers; I went from thinking I might want to be a full-time writer to knowing it. The intensity of writing six and seven days a week and getting high level reaction from some of the top writers in the field — wow!

I returned to my sales job for a few weeks, but clearly my heart was no longer in it and I began freelancing for a dozen small newspapers, quit selling stereos — and then got an offer to take over the new SF collection at UMBC as Curator.

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?

The first seven and a half minutes of the first film still sticks with me. The wonderful planet and moons scene giving way to a space ship grabbed me, and then there was the “that’s not a space ship, this is a spaceship!” moment of the Imperial cruiser closing in. From there to the escape of a droids — clearly science fiction flicks and expectations had entered a whole new era.

~

Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates:

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

 

 

It’s time for an extra bit of FUN! with the Boskone Mini Interviews. Today we bring you the delightfully fun James Patrick Kelly and Bruce Coville. Both Jim and Bruce are longtime Boskone favorites. So, while many of you may already know them, perhaps you’ll glean something interesting and new in their Mini Interviews that you haven’t yet uncovered about these two dashing characters…AND you even get to read their favorite Star Wars memories!

We hope you enjoy these Mini Interviews and may the Force be with you! Remember to pick up your Boskone 53 membership  and book your hotel room today.

James Patrick Kelly

James Patrick Kelly has written novels, short stories, essays, reviews, poetry, plays and planetarium shows. His short novel Burn won the Nebula Award in 2007. He has won the Hugo Award twice: in 1996, for his novelette “Think Like A Dinosaur” and in 2000, for his novelette, “Ten to the Sixteenth to One.” His fiction has been translated into eighteen languages. With John Kessel he is co-editor of a series of anthologies including Feeling Very Strange: The Slipstream Anthology. He has two podcasts, James Patrick Kelly’s Storypod on Audible.com and the Free Reads Podcast. He writes columns for Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine and for Mothership Zeta is on the faculty of the Stonecoast Creative Writing MFA Program at the University of Southern Maine. Be on the lookout in 2017 for Mothership, his first novel in decades. Visit James Patrick Kelly online by visiting his website, friending him on Facebook, and following him on Twitter.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Boskone was the first convention I ever attended and over the years it has become my home con. It’s like that bar in that sitcom – what’s it called again? — the place where everyone knows your name. I can’t say that I’ve made every single Boskone in recent years, but pretty damn near! Boskone gives me a chance to catch up with my writer and reader pals, sign some books, and talk about all things science fictional, both on panels and at meals and at the many parties. Probably my favorite thing to do at Boskone is to read my own work. Those who have braved a JPK reading will tell you that I give every story the full Shatner treatment.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

Those eight or nine fans who have been following my career know that it’s been a while since I’ve published a novel. I can’t complain; the reception that pros and fans alike have given my short fiction has been gratifying – the stuff of a young writer’s dreams, actually. But I’m not a young writer anymore and my reputation as someone who only writes short has been feeling a little tight around the collar, recently. And the sleeves aren’t long enough! So I’m happy to announce that I’ve finished an 85,000 word novel that revisits a future I created for a couple of award-nominated stories, “Going Deep” and “Plus or Minus.” I have a new agent and I hope to have sold this book, called Mother Go, by the time we all meet up at Boskone 53.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?

My feeling is that if I could describe my work to strangers, then my career would have been a failure! I’ve always been a restless writer, and I deliberately try not to repeat myself. A couple of times I have returned to a world across several stories, but that has always been because I was trying to psyche myself into writing a novel set in that world. But I’ve published a lot of different stuff in a lot of different genres. Early on in my career, the cyberpunks tried to lump me into something called the humanist movement with my best pals John Kessel and Connie Willis and Stan Robinson. So I started writing cyberpunk stories just to show ‘em I could, and got one selected for official cyberpunk anthology Mirrorshades. When I was workshopping with Karen Joy Fowler and Carol Emshwiller and Kelly Link in the 90’s, I fell in love with magic of slipstream and published a clutch of stories in that mode.

I’ve written contemporary fantasy … um … urban fantasy … er … paranormal romance. I’ve been published in YA anthologies, humor anthologies, space opera anthologies, superhero anthologies, military sf anthologies … and I’ve edited six anthologies myself! My stage plays have been performed, my audio plays produced – hell, I even wrote a couple of planetarium shows! And I write a column on the internet for Asimov’s. So how would I describe my bibliography? Probably too scattered for my own good!

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?

It was eight years from the demise of Star Trek to the advent of Star Wars, and like most in science fiction, I spent that bleak time in mourning. I was waiting for another dramatic space opera that could be at once delicious and nutritious. My grieving ended with the opening shot of the first Star Wars, immediately after the Alderaanian cruiser flashed across the screen and I watched the Imperial Star Destroyer giving chase. As it passed over and over and over and kept passing over, I knew that this Lucas guy had got to me where I live and wasn’t about to let me go.

Bruce Coville

Bruce Coville has published over 100 books for children and young adults, including the international bestseller My Teacher is an Alien, and the Unicorn Chronicles series. His works have appeared in a dozen languages and won children’s choice awards in as many states. He has been a teacher, a toymaker, a magazine editor, a gravedigger, and a cookware salesman. He is also the founder of Full Cast Audio, an audiobook publishing company devoted to producing full cast, unabridged recordings of material for family listening. Mr. Coville lives in Syracuse, New York, with his wife, illustrator and author Katherine Coville. Visit Bruce Coville online at his website and follow him on Twitter.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

The chance to connect with so many friends that I don’t get to see nearly often enough!

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?

I’m working on the third book of “The Enchanted Files” a series that is told in diary form from the point of view of a magical being, interspersed with “supporting documents.”. The first was about a cantankerous brownie, the second about a young griffin who runs away from his aerie. The one I’m working on now is about a female troll who is passing as a human male in New York City.

So at the moment I am writing first person transvestite troll, which, yeah . . . is a bit of a challenge. But it’s also enormous fun. Which has been true for all three of these books. I have to inhabit a completely different creature each time I do one.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN! I love the Frankenstein mythos, and I’m fascinated by the new spin they’ve put on Igor. Can’t wait to see this one!

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?

A memory I cherish is having been present for the opening night of the first film way back in 1977. It was a joyful, enormously excited crowd, filled with hope for what we were about to see — and then utterly delighted when our hopes were completely fulfilled.

~

Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates:

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

The Boskone Mini Interviews bring you two program participants who are brand new to Boskone: Wesley Chu and Flourish Klink. We are very excited to have them join the February fun, and we hope you enjoy meeting them both. If you have any questions or you just want to say hello, feel free to post a note in the comments below.

Also, remember to pick up your Boskone membership today and book your hotel room before they sell out.

Wesley Chu

Wesley Chu is the bestselling author of the Tao series from Angry Robot Books. He won the 2015 John W Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His debut, The Lives of Tao, won the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Alex Award and was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Science Fiction. His newest book, Time Salvager, published by Tor books, was released on July 7th, 2015. For more information, visit Wesley’s website, follow him on Twitter, and friend him on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?
I love literary conventions. It’s a blast to talk to readers and meet (and drink) with other authors. I usually have a standard rotation of conventions I attend every year, so it’s exciting to explore new conventions. Each one always has its own unique flavor.

This year, I’m super excited to meet Richard Anderson, the Official Artist. I had the privilege of having Richard create the covers for two of my books, Time Salvager and Time Siege (they’re freaking fantastic) so I’m pumped to finally get the chance to meet him.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?
I’m currently working on the first book in a new trilogy based in the Tao universe called The Rise of Io for Angry Robot Books.

I’m excited about this project because in my Tao books, we had Roen, the lovable loser, and Tao, the experienced and competent alien. In the Io, I flip the narrative. The readers are introduced to Ella, a scrappy street smart con woman, who is inhabited by Io, a Quasing of breathtaking incompetence and questionable morals. The two of them have to forge an uneasy alliance in order to survive the war between the Prophus and the Genjix.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?
What upcoming movie/show/book am I most looking forward to? Okay, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a no brainer so I’ll give another answer. Before I say another word, no judging, okay? Bygones be bygones and all jazz, but I’m really, really excited to see Zoolander 2.

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?
My favorite line from the Star Wars movie is from Han Solo.

Han: How we doing?
Luke: Same as always.
Han: That bad, huh?

Flourish Klink

My name is Flourish Klink. I’m a writer, producer and fangirl. I’ve been blogging in various places since 1999, most recently at Tank Lady. I grew up in the X-Files and Harry Potter fandoms. I’m currently into Outlander, Sleepy Hollow, and Elementary. I’m interested in the way that people use stories to figure out their own lives. I’m vegan. I’m Christian. I hold two black belts. I attended Reed College and MIT. I’m married to poet-programmer Nick Montfort. Some people call me Flor, Fleur, or Maddy (don’t try it). I was a partner in The Alchemists Transmedia Storytelling Co., and today I’m a partner in Chaotic Good LLC, a franchise development and production company. You might know me from Lincoln, NE; Sacramento, CA; Portland, OR; Cambridge, MA; or NYC.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?
I’m looking forward to my first time at Boskone, so it’s hard to say exactly! Boskone has been an important convention for many of my friends for many years, but I’ve never made it, so I’m really excited to get to come for the first time. Lately I’ve gone to a lot of conventions that are more commercialized. Also, so I’m looking forward to getting a chance to get back to my fandom roots and spend time in a space that’s really by the community and for the community.

What event or experience stands out as one of those ‘defining moments’ that shaped who you are today?
When I was about five or six years old, I was very ill for a whole year, and my father brought home books that people at Tower Books in Sacramento, CA had recommended to him for me. One of them was The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones. I think that might have been the most defining moment of my life, because up till then I’d enjoyed fantastical stories but I’d probably been more engaged by books like Charlotte’s Web and A Little House on the Prairie.

I don’t remember if I read it right away (it would have been definitely old for me if I had). It was the book that got me into SF&F because at the local library Diana Wynne Jones was filed with the adult SF&F rather than in the Children’s section. So through seeking more DWJ, I experienced the grown-up books for the first time, and from there…that was pretty much all she wrote for my tastes thereafter.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?
I’m working on a lot of things! One that I’m most excited about is an ongoing project, my podcast with Elizabeth Minkel, Fansplaining. A lot of my job, working in the entertainment industry, is explaining fan culture to people who don’t have a lot of familiarity with it—and helping people make good decisions about what to do or what not to do with beloved shows and movies. But that means I spend a lot of time talking about the surface stuff: “No, not all people who consider themselves ‘fans’ think alike,” “Just because one’s a fan of something doesn’t mean they don’t have any critiques of it,” and so forth.

Fansplaining is a chance to talk about fandom in both a deeper and broader way. It comes out every two weeks (a transcript too) and we have guests from different parts of fandom—and guests who are fans but not “part of fandom,” like sports fans and music fans who don’t necessarily see themselves as having much in common with SF&F fandom, or even media fandom more generally. I think it’s a really important thing because the internet simultaneously makes it easy to find your tribe and also makes it easy to forget that there’s anyone out there who’s not part of your tribe. So, when people talk about “fans,” they usually just mean “their friends group.” Yet there’s some issues that all fans should be concerned about: copyright and trademark issues, the way we’re portrayed in media, which particular fandoms are considered “cool” and which ones are considered creepy and what that means, and so on. Fansplaining is intended to bridge those gaps. Or that’s the hope.

I’m also working on a variety of fanfic projects, but curiously enough, my most recent fandom is One Direction—not likely to be a big hit at Boskone! (Although I’m sure there’s some secret Directioners out there… come out of the woodwork, y’all!)

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?
I wrote a book report on The Courtship of Princess Leia when I was in fifth or sixth grade (does that novel even count as being part of Star Wars any more now that the Extended Universe has been decanonized?). I remember very distinctly trying to express to everyone why it was the very coolest thing. Nobody else understood why I was so obsessed. I remember my teacher trying to convince me that perhaps I should read something else, something that was a little more literary, something that would actually challenge my reading skills. But never mind what she said; that was the first time I’d really geeked out on something, and even if nobody else understood why I was so interested in it, I wasn’t going to be dissuaded! (Although looking back on it, man, that book wasn’t great; my teacher was right, I could’ve found something better… oh well.)

~

Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates:

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

Winter may be coming, but so is Boskone 53 and that means the Mini Interviews are back! We’re excited to bring you our first two mini interviews, featuring Robert J. Sawyer and Cerece Rennie Murphy. We hope you enjoy meeting Robert and Cerece, and we’ll see you at Boskone in February 2016!

Robert J. Sawyer

Robert J. Sawyer has won the best-novel Hugo Award (for Hominids), best-novel Nebula Award (for The Terminal Experiment), and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (for Mindscan), plus the Aurora, AnLab, Galaxy, and Audie Awards, among others. According to the Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards, he has won more awards as a science-fiction or fantasy novelist than anyone else in history. He was the 2014 recipient of NESFA’s Edward E. Smith Memorial Award (the Skylark), and that year was also one of the initial nine inductees into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. His 23 novels include Calculating God, Rollback, Wake, Triggers, and Red Planet Blues; his next, Quantum Night, comes out March 1, 2016, from Ace. The ABC TV series FlashForward was based on his novel of the same name, and he was one of the scriptwriters for that series. Rob — who holds two honorary doctorates — has published in both the world’s top scientific journals, Science (guest editorial) and Nature (fiction). He lives just outside Toronto. For more information, visit his website, follow him on Twitter, or friend him on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?
It’s been a dozen years since I’ve last been to Boskone (although in 2014, NESFA was kind enough to give me its “Skylark” award). I very fondly remember the quality of the programming, and I’m looking forward to reconnecting with old friends.

What are you working on now? What excites or challenges you about this project?
I’m just finishing up the copyedit on my 23rd novel, Quantum Night, which will be officially published March 1, 2016 (although I’m hoping to convince Ace to free up a few advance copies for Boskone). One of my personal definitions is that “science fiction is the literature of intriguing juxtapositions,” and in this novel, I combine quantum physics and experimental psychology, two of my favorite fields but also disciplines that would almost never interact outside of SF. I’m an optimistic author, but never want to be thought of as Pollyannish or naïve, and Quantum Night is my attempt to wrestle with why there is so much evil in the world while still lighting the way to a better future.

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?
I’m a hard-SF writer, heavily influenced by the best of Frederik Pohl (I consider his Gateway to be the finest novel our field has ever produced). I’m also liberal, even by Canadian standards, and a rationalist, a secularist, and a humanist (Humanism Canada gave me their first ever “Humanism in the Arts” award) — and my work embraces all those things. I mostly do near-future or present day stories, usually set on Earth, with a strong philosophical bent. My prose is pellucid (much more Arthur C. Clarke than Gene Wolfe) and my tone usually upbeat.

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?
Honestly, I’ve never been the biggest Star Wars fan — I’m much more a classic Star Trek guy — and I do feel the public’s perception of science fiction has been diminished by Lucas’s contributions; we’re seen as adventure and escapism rather than a vehicle for rational extrapolation. But, not to be a party-pooper, my favorite line is, “So this is how freedom dies — to thunderous applause,” uttered by Padme in Episode 3, and just about the only time in the first six films that Lucas gives us what I think science fiction is supposed to provide: social comment and a reflection through a distorting mirror on current events.

Cerece Rennie Murphy

Cerece Rennie Murphy first fell in love with science fiction watching Empire Strikes Back at the Uptown Theater in Washington, DC with her sister and mother. She was only 7 years old, but it’s a love affair that has grown ever since. Mrs. Murphy’s love of the written word has grown throughout the years, evolving from reader to author of the best-selling Order of the Seers science fiction trilogy and the early reader children’s book, titled Ellis and The Magic Mirror. In addition to working on the 2nd book in the Ellis and The Magic Mirror children’s book series with her son, Mrs. Murphy is currently developing a historical adventure and a 2-part science fiction thriller set in outer space. Mrs. Murphy lives and writes in her hometown of Washington, DC with her husband, two children and the family dog, Yoda. To learn more about the author and her upcoming projects, please visit her website, follow her on Twitter, and friend her on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?
I love sci-fi conventions. For me, it’s a chance to connect with people who are just like me – weirdos, geeks and nerds who are inspired by fairies, aliens and super powers. It’s such a wonderful community, so I’m just looking forward to meeting new people and fully geeking-out without having to be concerned with whether or not anyone else thinks it’s strange.

From a fan perspective, what new book, film, TV show, or comic are you most looking forward to seeing/reading?
This year is an incredible fan year for me. We’ve got the new Star Wars movie coming out AND the new X-Files season on the horizon, so it pretty much doesn’t get any better for me. Star Wars got me into science fiction and the X-Files inspired my first piece of fan fiction, which got me on the road to writing my own science fiction. 🙂

How would you describe your work to people who might be unfamiliar with you?
Well, I’d have to say that as a science fiction writer, I enjoy exploring themes of community, individuality and spirituality within stories that have a lot of action and suspense. I like some romantic love in there, too, but just a bit. I’m also likely to write in any genre that suits me at the time. I just finished a children’s book with my son and I’m writing a time-bending love story now. After that, I’ll be writing a 2-part space opera and the 2nd book in my children’s book series.

Bonus Question:

What is your favorite Star Wars memory, scene, or line? What is it that that memory, scene or line that continues to stick with you today?
(It could be a moment from within any of the films, a moment associated with the films, or something inspired by the films. – My favorite scenes from Star Wars are all the scenes between Luke Skywalker and Yoda from Empire Strikes Back. I remember watching theses scenes in the theatre when I was 7 years old. They literally changed my perception of God, my place in the world and my potential. I realized then, as I still believe now, that we’re all Jedi, we just don’t know it. Watching Luke’s fear and doubt keep him from fully accessing his own potential was powerful for me, even then. I don’t think you can sum up the human condition any better than that. “Luminous beings are we….not this crude matter,” I really believe that the healing of our entire world could begin with this statement.

~

Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates:

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

The annual Boskone Book Club continues in 2016! Join us for a conversation that brings con-goers together to consider one noteworthy work at length. This year we are reading Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen by Guest of Honor Garth Nix.

Boskone’s own Bob Kuhn will lead the discussion; Garth Nix will join the group halfway through for a short Q&A about the book. To participate, please read the book and come ready with your observations.

Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen by Garth Nix
Book 4, a prequel to the New York Times bestselling Old Kingdom series.

Award-winning author Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom with a thrilling prequel complete with dark magic, royalty, dangerous action, a strong heroine, and flawless world-building. This epic fantasy adventure is destined to be a classic, and is perfect for fans of Game of Thrones.

Clariel is the daughter of one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most important, to the King. She dreams of living a simple life but discovers this is hard to achieve when a dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan.

When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers.

Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?

If you wish to join the Boskone Book Club discussion, please read the book, and come ready with your observations. We look forward to seeing you at Boskone 53!

~

Register for Boskone today. Join us February 19-21, 2016

Registration Rates:

• Adult rate: $50
• College student rate: $35
• K-12 student rate: $25
• Friday: $25; Saturday: $45; Sunday: $25

Are you planning to stay at the Westin Waterfront Hotel when you come to Boskone this year? If so, please remember to book your hotel room soon since the hotel block is sure to sell out, and you don’t want to miss out on getting your room and taking advantage of the special Boskone room rates.

Westin Waterfront

425 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 532-4600

Boskone Rates

• Single/Double rate: $162
• Triple rate: $172
• Quad rate: $182

These rates are available until January 18, 2016.

• Reserve a Standard Floor Room
• Reserve a Party Floor Room

If you have any issues with your hotel reservation, contact hotel@boskone.org as soon as possible.