Boskone is hosting a string quartet to play during the Boskone Reception on Friday, February 13th from 8:30-10:00 pm. While we’re all fans of Bach, Bethoven, and the other musical greats, we thought we’d liven things up with a special twist and ask our musicians to play music that is specific to fandom. To that end, we are looking for suggestions to share with the string quartet.

Some of the pieces that we are considering include the “Main Titles” from:

• Star Wars Episode IV
• Superman
• Firefly
• Battlestar Galactica
• Doctor Who
• Games of Thrones
• Lord of the Rings
• …Friday the 13th? 😉
• Add Your Suggestions in the Comments…

We won’t be able to include everything, but we want as many options as possible for the String Quartet to consider. So, please feel free to list all of your musical choices in the comments section below whether they are from a movie, a television show, or even a game!

Like Soylent Green, Boskone is made of people! <Queue a frantic Charlton Heston!> Okay, we’re just kidding about Soylent Green, but people really are what makes Boskone special. Just ask Charlie Stross, Sarah Langan, and Jeff Hecht. It’s the people who bring them back to Boskone. Our Mini Interviews continue with three new perspectives, three new set of stories, and three truly amazing people–all of whom we are excited about seeing at Boskone!

Charlie Stross

Charles Stross, 48, is a full-time science fiction writer and resident of Edinburgh, Scotland. The author of six Hugo-nominated novels and winner of the 2005 and 2010 Hugo awards for best novella (“The Concrete Jungle” and “Palimpsest”), Stross’s latest publications are the novel Neptune’s Brood and the novella “Equoid.” For more information, visit Charlie’s webisite and follow him on Twitter @cstross.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Charlie Stross (CS): The weather! Ha ha, no. Actually, it’s all about the people.

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

(CS): Right now I’m working on two tracks: the next couple of Laundry Files novels — “The Annihilation Score” is in production for release in July, and I’m just now starting on “The Nightmare Stacks” for 2016 — and a trilogy of new Merchant Princes universe books — my big fat post-Edward Snowden parallel universe technothriller!

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

(CS): I tell lies for money. Also, I have a warped sense of humour, revolving around beer, computers, bureaucracy, and our endless ability to misunderstand each other.

Sarah Langan

Sarah Langan is the author of the novels The Keeper, This Missing, and Audrey’s Door. Her work has garnered three Bram Stoker Awards, a New York Times Editor’s Pick, an ALA selection, and a PW favorite Book of the Year selection. Her short fiction has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Brave New Worlds, Fantasy Magazine, Lightspeed Magazine, the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, etc. She’s at work on her fourth novel, The Clinic, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters. For more information, visit Sarah on her website, follow her on Twitter @SarahVCLangan, and Friend her on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Sarah Langan (SL): It’s cheesy but true: I’m looking forward to seeing old friends, and making new ones. Since having kids five years ago, I pretty much stopped traveling and going to conventions. That was fine for a while, but I find that I thrive on the exposure to other writers. I like going to panels and hearing smart comments, meeting people who are excited about what they do. It’s energizing and reminds me how much I love what I do and how lucky I am to be able to do it.

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

(SL): I’m working on a novel called The Clinic. It’s about a family under duress, an evil clinic, psychic powers, and high frequency trades. I love rolling up my sleeves and getting dirty, learning all about subjects that interest me, and creating characters set in real-life situations that reflect modern times. I’m a social critic, underneath all that gore. But Gawd, it’s a lot of work, and very, very daunting. I’m finally coming to the conclusion that it doesn’t have to be perfect, so much as done. THEN I can work on perfect.

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

(SL): This isn’t genre, but I’ve fallen head over heels for the Italian writer Elena Ferrante. I can’t wait to read part two of her Neapolitan Series, The Story of a New Name. Ferrante’s characters are underdogs, beaten and neglected, trying to figure out how not just to survive, but to thrive in a world that would prefer they fade.

Jeff Hecht

Jeff Hecht is a freelance science and technology writer and consultant for New Scientist magazine and Laser Focus World, based in Newton, Massachusetts. His short fiction has appeared in Analog, Asimov’s, Interzone, Nature, and Daily Science Fiction. He has written several books on lasers and fiber optics. For more information, visit Jeff on his website and follow him on Twitter @jeffhecht.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Jeff Hecht (JH): Meeting old and new friends and talking about interesting ideas. Boskone attracts an interesting group of people, and they make for stimulating discussions.

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

(JH): Answering a tiny little ad in the help wanted section of the Boston Globe 40 years ago. I was getting bored out of my skull writing computer manuals for Honeywell. I had all but finished my project, and was sitting around writing science fiction and sending out resumes. The tiny little ad was from a trade magazine looking for an assistant editor. It turned out to be a laser magazine, and I had worked one summer in a laser lab, and had a degree in electrical engineering.

I talked my way into the job. And it was a hell of a lot more fun than computer manuals. It got me launched into a career as a science journalist, something that I hadn’t really thought about very much before. My boss was an old-line journalist who put up with my erratic spelling because I understood more about physics and engineering than he did. He also tutored me in writing. And he turned out to be an old friend of Damon Knight who was not bothered by my side interest in science fiction.

I stayed seven years, learned laser geek speak, and quit to become a full-time freelancer and write about more than lasers. That led to more adventures in writing the history of fiber optics, going through the madness of the Bubble, and covering news stories like the Piltdown bird (Archaeoraptor).

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

(JH): I write about lasers and dinosaurs. Seriously. I make my living writing about science and technology, and somewhat by happenstance two of the areas I specialize in are optics (lasers, fiber optics, photonics, and so forth) and paleontology (earth science, history of the earth, fossils, and – of course – dinosaurs. I’ve been known to write fiction about them, but mostly I write science fact, for magazines including New Scientist and Laser Focus World.

Let the Boskone Mini Interviews continue! We’ve had a few days of silence on the Boskone Blog as we ironed out the draft schedules for our program participants (which will be sent to participants soon). However, we are now up and running with a new set of Mini Interviews for your enjoyment. Today we have Boskone’s Hal Clement Science Speaker David L. Clements as well as fantasy author David Anthony Durham and agent Joshua Bilmes. Now, enough from us! Here are the people you came to read.

David L. Clements

David L. Clements is an astrophysicist based at Imperial College London. His main work concerns extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology and he has been working on the Herschel and Planck space missions for the past 10 years. His first book, a popular book called Infrared Astronomy: Seeing the Heat, was published at the end of 2014. He is also a science fiction writer with stories published in Analog, Nature and numerous anthologies. He also arranges science programmes for conventions, most recently at LonCon3. For more information, visit Dave on his website and follow him on Twitter @davecl42.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

I’ve never been able to go to a Boskone before, so I’m looking forward to finding out what I’ll enjoy most!

This is also the first time I’ve ever been a guest at a convention, so that’s going to be a completely new experience.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Boskone is one of the classic SF conventions, and one I’ve wanted to go to for a while but have never managed it. So just going is something I’m looking forward to!

Among many things I’m looking forward to seeing friends I already know in Boston fandom, making new ones, talking about science and science fiction, and the links between them, and sharing the fascination of the results we’re getting from Herschel, Planck and other astronomical instruments.

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

Being a child during the time of the Apollo landings, and the first flush of SF on TV – including Star Trek, Dr Who, Thunderbirds and many others. This gave me an enthusiasm and interest in space, SF, and in the possibilities of understanding how the universe works.

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

I’ve just published my first (non-fiction) book! It’s called Infrared Astronomy: Seeing the Heat and tells the story of the universe as seen through infrared eyes, I got my first copies yesterday and I’m still on a high!

The book is available here from the publishers, from all the usual online retailers, and maybe from your local bookstore as well. 🙂

I’ve also got a short story out in Analog’s Jan/Feb issue. Once I’ve got another short fiction project finished I’ll be going back to the novel in progress, and hopefully get that out to agents and/or potential publishers some time in 2015.

Research-wise I’m working on looking for the most distant dusty galaxies in the universe — we published the current record holder (redshift 6.32) in 2013 but I’m seeing if we have any more distant objects in the current observations from Herschel and ground-based observatories at longer, submm and millimetre, wavelengths. I also have a project looking at clusters of galaxies where there is an unusually high rate of star formation in some of their constituent galaxies.

Beyond that I’m looking to future space missions, including Euclid, SPICA, and a rather interesting possibility for looking at the cosmological dark ages, before the first generation of stars formed.

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

The new season of Sherlock should be starting on the BBC soon – we’ll all be watching that over Christmas. Bookwise I’m looking forward to William Gibson’s latest, Peripheral, and Peter Watts’ latest, Echopraxia. Filmwise, the next Avengers movie is hopefully going to be good, but on films, the unexpected, innovative independent film, if you can cope with the odd rough edge, can be a real surprise. I found The Machine on Netflix recently and was really impressed. Hopefully, I’ll find more like that.

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

There are lots of books that weren’t written then that I’d recommend, but of those that were available I’d point myself to A Song for Lya, a short story collection by George RR Martin when he was writing excellent SF. The title story itself is awesome.

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

In terms of fiction I try to write hard, cosmological SF, though sometimes I write things that are a bit less wide screen. In both my fiction and my non-fiction I want to give readers a sense of place for things that are far, far away, a feel for the vast oceans of space and time that surround us, but despite all this, convey the significance of people to each other and, potentially, to the universe.

In my research I’m interested in finding out the role that dusty galaxies play in the history of star formation, and in sorting out new ways that far-infrared astronomy can be used in cosmology.

David Anthony Durham

David Anthony Durham is the author of the Acacia Trilogy of fantasy novels, as well as the historical novels Pride of Carthage, Walk Through Darkness and Gabriel’s Story. His novels have been published in the UK and in nine foreign languages. Four of them have been optioned for development as feature films. For more information, visit David’s website and friend him on Facebook.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Hanging out with old friends and making new ones. It’s funny, but that really is the first thing that comes to mind. The panels are wonderful — either to be on or to sit and listen to. The organization is top-notch, with so much to choose from. I’m never bored. Indeed, I usually feel spoiled for choice. And I don’t mind admitting it’s lovely to hear from people who’ve been kind enough to read my work. That happens every now and then. 😉

But what I really think of first about Boskone is socializing. Relaxing on the couches in the lobby. Strolling with someone through the art show. Lively debate and discussion in the bar. Talking late into the night at some function or another. That’s a surprisingly big part of it. The people.

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

Two things. The most SFF-related is that I’m currently working on another series of stories for the next Wild Cards collaborative novel, edited by George RR Martin and Melinda Snodgrass. It’s called High Stakes. It’s the third consecutive one I’ve been in, and I’m very pleased with that. What excites me is the same as what challenges me about the project – weaving together my character’s stories with the other authors stories, each of us adding our own piece into something that, with sharp editing from George and Melinda, becomes more than the sum of its pieces. Of course, it isn’t always easy. There can be a lot of rewriting. George in particular isn’t shy about speaking his mind when he doesn’t like something!

I’ve also just finished a long-delayed historical novel about the Spartacus rebellion in ancient Rome. It’s still in the editing process, so I’ll be living with it for awhile still. I knew I was drawn to the story for my own reasons, but I knew it would be a challenge to pull away from existing takes on Spartacus and craft something new. I wanted to write it in a way nobody had done before, and it took me longer than I expected to find my approach. I’m very pleased with how it turned out, though.

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

I’m a big The Walking Dead fan. But I live up in the hills in Western Massachusetts. No cable. No high speed internet. I can only watch the series once it’s out on dvd, which means I’m way-hungry for Season Five. If I see you at the con, don’t tell me what happened! Now, I know that the show has it’s wonky moments, but in general I find each and every episode engaging, surprising, and skillfully written. I love the casting and complexity of the character relationships. And, for me, it’s no small thing that the show has come to have such an ethnically diverse cast, or that it’s filled with strongly drawn female characters. I’ll be a very happy chap when I can get my hands on the next season.

Joshua Bilmes

President of JABberwocky Literary Agency with 25 years experience; represents #1 bestsellers Charlaine Harris and Brandon Sanderson and many other leading authors in SF/fantasy. For more information, visit him on his website, follow him on Twitter @awfulagent or @jabbermaster, and on his blog.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

The dealer’s room! I’ll get to chat up the people at Larry Smith Booksellers in the dealer’s room and find out what they’re reading and recommending and see all of the new books. Maybe the biggest Barnes & Noble locations that do a good business in sf/f get all of the new releases, but even the typical B&N doesn’t these days. There will be a new hardcover or trade paperback that the big chains aren’t carrying at all of their locations or the new mass market book with just one or two copies on order that disappears into the alphabetical shelving. So I don’t think there’s any substitute for going to the Larry Smith table and seeing pretty much everything. And then after I’m done there, I will probably buy way too much fudge from the Auntie Erwin stand, which has lots of different flavors. Everyone who’s at the convention will be in the dealer’s room at some point, so it’s a good place to meet people. And once I’m there, I can wander a little bit and find some food at the con suite and the art show and lots of other fun stuff to do.

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

I’d never read science fiction to speak of before 1979, when we were coincidentally staying at the Boskone hotel, and ended up getting some free samples of the first few issues of Omni Magazine, which had started six months before. The short fiction in Omni, including great stories by Orson Scott Card and George R R Martin, was my first taste of reading sf/fantasy, and I was hooked pretty much instantly. Soon I was subscribing to Omni and Analog and Asimov’s and getting my initial shipment from the SF Book Club, and everything I’ve done since takes off from that.

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

Boskone will be taking place just days after Myke Cole’s Gemini Cell goes on sale, and this is a great book  that I’m excited people will be able to get at Boskone. It takes all of the good things about his Shadow Ops series and builds on them. So there’s lots of great action which reflects Myke’s experience in and knowledge of the military, but there’s a classic love story with some sf/f twists, and there’s a lot of heart. It’s like taking his Shadow Ops books, adding in some Cold Mountain, and making it warm and engaging.

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author. You can also get more information on the Official Boskone website and by friending us on Facebook. If you’re on Twitter, follow us @boskonenews and look for us using #Boskone.

Purchase your Boskone membership!

Boskone brings you thee new Mini Interviews to help us get through the mid-week blues. Today, the skeletons are coming out of the closet with Toni Kelner, we get interstellar with Allen Steele, and Jon Hunt gets artsy!

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Toni L.P. Kelner (Leigh Perry)

Toni L.P. Kelner has published eleven mystery novels, twenty-something short stories, and five anthologies (co-edited with Charlaine Harris). Starting in September, she’ll be a split personality–she’ll edit anthologies as herself but will be writing the Family Skeleton mysteries under the pen name Leigh Perry. Find more information by visiting Toni on her website, follow her on Twitter @Family_Skeleton, and friend her on Facebook.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Toni Kelner (TK): Honestly, my favorite part is hanging in the bar, and I don’t even drink that much! It’s all about talking with the fascinating folks who come to Boskone. Not that I don’t adore the panels, and the art show, and the dealer’s hall, and all that good stuff, but the best part is meeting new people and talking to old friends.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

(TK): This year, I’m particularly looking forward to catching up with Melissa Marr.

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

(TK): I’m working on the third novel in my Family Skeleton series (written as Leigh Perry). The biggest challenge is that it is the third. You see, I think a lot of people picked up the first and maybe even the second because they were intrigued and/or amused by one of my main characters, Sid the Skeleton. That’s not a nickname. Sid is actually a skeleton. So that’s quirky enough in the world of cozy mysteries to get people’s attention. Now I need to prove that Sid is more than just a gimmick, and make sure I’ve got the plot to keep people reading. And of course, I need to flesh out Sid’s character. (Har!)

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

(TK): So many! In movies and TV, the second Avengers movie, the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie, the Doctor Who Christmas special, the next episodes of Sherlock! In books, the next from Seanan McGuire, Illona Andrews, Charlaine Harris, and Jim Butcher. In comics, Saga and Fables. I’m a well-rounded geek.

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

(TK): Well, it didn’t exist then, but if they had, the Harry Potter books. The story-telling and characters are something I would have loved back then. I adored them as an adult, too, but I think they would have meant a lot more to me back then.

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

(TK): My current series of novels are woo-woo cozy mysteries, meaning traditional mysteries with a paranormal element. Namely, Sid the Skeleton. In short stories, I’ll try anything.

Allen Steele

Allen Steele has published nineteen novels and nearly a hundred works of short fiction. His work has received numerous awards, including three Hugos, and has been translated and reprinted worldwide. In 2013 he received the Robert A. Heinlein Award. His most recent novel is _V-S Day_. He lives in western Massachusetts with his wife and dogs. He doesn’t like potato chips and he can’t take torts. For more information, visit Allen on his website.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Allen Steele (AS): Seeing old friends and making new ones.

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

(AS): The novel I just finished, Arkwright, is a very realistic look at interstellar exploration. It involves the descendents of a famous science fiction writer of the 20th century and their efforts, over the course of many years, to use his fortune to build the first starship and send it to a distant world. The biggest challenge was designing a vessel that had as little “wish-fulfillment” technology as possible while still projecting forward to the late 21st century.

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

(AS): Generally speaking, I write a traditional form of science fiction that’s solidly based on science and technology while also dealing with mature issues.

Jon Hunt

I make art in both traditional + digital media for book jackets, storyboards + concept art, collectible card games, role playing manuals, music videos, + magazines. I write a bi-monthly column on illustration + creativity for Art Hive magazine. I am the art director for Frombie where I work with a talented group of young artists designing collectible toys, comics, pins, posters + more. In addition to working for freelance clients, I have developed my own line of creepy character pins called EEPz. I also teach drawing, painting + illustration at the college level. I am from the North East, but currently live in South Florida with my wife + two kids. For more information visit Jon at his website, on Facebook, and on Instagram.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Jon Hunt (JH): I really enjoy the atmosphere of Boskone. 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. Boskone is also one of the most laid back and conversation-friendly conventions I have ever attended. I look forward to catching up with friends as well as networking with artists, art directors, editors and fans.

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

(JH): Discovering Science Fiction and Fantasy literature and films was a huge defining moment for me. Reading did not seem all that interesting until I discovered books about spaceships, robots, monsters and dragons! Madeline L’Engle, Robert Heinlein, Edgar Rice Burroughs H.P. Lovecraft and Anne McCaffrey, Batman, Watchmen, X-Men, Star Wars, Alien, Bladerunner, Evil Dead… These are just a few of the genre authors, films and comics have influenced my early style and also inspired me to create fantastical art in the first place!

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

(JH): I am working on a variety of exciting projects right now. I was honored this past year to illustrate the cover for the Romanian edition of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I have also been illustrating, writing and art directing for a collectible toy and pin company called Frombie (www.frombies.com). My association with Frombie inspired me to create my own line of collectible pins and comics called EEPz (creepyeepz.com) which I debuted at New York Comic-Con in October 2015.

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author. You can also get more information on the Official Boskone website and by friending us on Facebook. If you’re on Twitter, follow us @boskonenews and look for us using #Boskone.

We have two more Boskone Mini Interviews for you. This time we’re featuring the much loved Ginjer Buchanan and the very talented Myke Cole. Like Ginjer and Myke, we are looking forward to seeing all of our friends, new and old, who are coming to Boston this year for Boskone 52. To keep up with all of Boskone’s activities, you can friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @boskonenews. Now, back to Ginjer and Myke. Enjoy!

Ginjer Buchanan

While a student at Carnegie Mellon University, Ginjer Buchanan helped start the Western Pennsylvania Science Fiction Association. In the early 1970s, she moved from Pittsburgh to New York City where she made her living as a social worker, while doing free-lance editorial work. In 1984, she took a job as an editor at Ace Books. She now works as an acquisitions editor for Penguin USA, which now incudes Putnam, Berkley and Ace Books.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Ginjer Buchanan (GB): I always look forward to Boskone because it’s an opportunity for me to see some of my fan and pro friends from all over the world who attend regularly.

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

GB: I’d been a long-time reader of science fiction and fantasy, but hadn’t really shared my interest with anyone. Then in 1967, I went to a meeting of the newly-formed Western Pennsylvania Science Fiction Association (WOOPSFA) and “officially joined” science-fiction fandom. That changed my life completely. Through fandom, I made life-long friends, met my husband, and eventually, found my second career as a sf/f editor.

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

GB: Hmmm–the books I would recommend to my teen-age self didn’t exist when I was a teen-ager, of course. YA as a separate category, in fact, didn’t exist then. However, I would have devoured both the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series because girl characters like Hermione and Katniss were, in actuality, few and far between in the sf/fantasy I was reading.

Myke Cole

Myke Cole is the author of the military fantasy Shadow Ops series (Control Point, Fortress Frontier, Breach Zone). As a secu­rity con­tractor, gov­ern­ment civilian and mil­i­tary officer, Myke Cole’s career has run the gamut from Coun­tert­er­rorism to Cyber War­fare to Fed­eral Law Enforce­ment. He’s done three tours in Iraq and was recalled to serve during the Deep­water Horizon oil spill. For more information, visit Myke’s website, follow him on Twitter @MykeCole, and friend him on Facebook.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Myke Cole (MC): Fandom faces a dynamic challenges. The renewed focus on making cons safe for all audiences, the transition to eReading, the rise of new media, just to name a few. Traditional, fan-run cons are largely losing ground to well-funded for-profit cons, and those that survive and thrive will need to do so by developing programming and amenities that speak to newer, younger populations of fans. I know that Boskone has been doing their best to meet this challenge, and look forward to seeing how they move into the future.

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

MC: By the time this is printed, my newest novel, Gemini Cell will have just hit shelves, and I’ll be a month away from turning in its sequel, Javelin Rain. These books tell the story of James Schweitzer, a US Navy SEAL who’s killed and brought back to life by the Gemini Cell, the earliest incarnation of the Supernatural Operations Corps fans will be familiar with from my Shadow Ops trilogy. The goal is to write something that new readers can enjoy without ever having read anything else of mine, and that Shadow Ops fans can feel at home with.

I’ve also just wrapped up the 5th draft of a “grimdark” fantasy novel that should be out to market for publishers.

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

MC: If Harry Potter joined Delta Force instead of going off to Hogworts, you’d get my work. Peter V. Brett also described it as “Black Hawk Down meets the X-Men.”

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author. If you’re on Twitter, look for us using #Boskone.

Purchase your Boskone membership!

The Mini Interviews continue with authors Vincent O’Neil and Jennifer Pelland who many of you may already know since they are two of our local authors who are returning again this year to Boskone. For those of you who are meeting them for the first time, we hope you enjoy this introduction to Vincent and Jennifer. For those of you who already know them, we think you’ll also enjoy these interviews because, hey!, it’s Vinny and Jen!

Vincent O’Neil

Vincent H. O’Neil is the Malice Award-winning author of five mystery novels. Most recently he’s published the military sci-fi survival tale Glory Main (as Henry V. O’Neil) and Interlands, a Lovecraftian horror novel set in Providence, Rhode Island featuring the historian Angela Morse. For more information visit Vincent’s website and find him on Facebook.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?

Vincent O’Neil (VO): Honestly, I really like to spend time in the con suite area. That seems to be the big crossroads of Boskone, and I can’t tell you how many friends I’ve made just striking up conversations there. Sci-fi and fantasy people are always so enthusiastic about the many different facets of these genres, and the Boskone crowd is extremely engaged on so many levels. There are a lot of things to do and see right there, from participating in different discussion groups to perusing the amazing art work on display. The Boskone program is always packed with excellent panels, but when I’m not at one of those I usually head back to the con suite to see what they’ve got going on and who’s up for a chat.

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

(VO):  Just after I graduated from West Point, I entered a grueling army training school known as the Ranger course. Ranger lasts two months, and the students aren’t fed much and don’t get to sleep much while carrying heavy loads over difficult terrain and accomplishing various graded tasks. It was an enormous challenge, but it was also a humbling experience that taught me a lot about myself. Whenever I’ve been faced with a tough situation, I’ve usually been able to reach back to the Ranger course for inspiration and motivation.

I based my first mil sci-fi novel Glory Main: Book One of the Sim War Series on the Ranger experience, placing my main characters in a survival situation with no water, food, or weapons. As they overcome one obstacle, an even worse one pops up to take its place. It was quite a trip down memory lane, and several of my classmates from Ranger have remarked that it is highly reminiscent of that experience.

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

(VO):  HarperVoyager is releasing the sequel to Glory Main, entitled Orphan Brigade, in January of 2015. Right now, I’m writing the third book in the Sim War series, and it’s a whole lot of fun to build on the universe and characters presented in the first two books.

Whereas Glory Main was a gritty tale of survival, Orphan Brigade has a much broader scope and explores some of the darker ramifications of humanity’s war against the humanoid Sims. The third book ties several earlier threads together while adding still more complexity to the storyline, and it’s a real challenge to stay true to the preceding books while allowing the plot and the characters to continue to evolve.

That’s one of the best things about attending Boskone: Everyone is so well-read and well-versed in sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and other genres that I always come away excited about getting back to whatever I’m writing at the time. It’s really a great convention, and I highly recommend it.

Jennifer Pelland

Jennifer Pelland is a Boston-area writer and bellydancer. Her novel Machine and short story collection Unwelcome Bodies were published by Apex Publications. She’s most recently been published in Glitter and Mayhem, Chicks Unravel Time, and Queers Dig Time Lords.

What is it that you enjoy most about Boskone?
Visit Jennifer’s website for more information, find her on Facebook, check out her dancing, and follow her on Twitter @jenniferpelland

Jennifer Pelland (JP): Mostly that it’s relaxing. There’s much more time for me to just hang out and talk with my old writing friends at Boskone than there is at other cons. I appreciate that it’s not as insanely scheduled as other local conventions, and that it still has a lot of opportunities for fun. It was a lot less relaxing back when I was writing, but now that I’m just there as a fan? Ahhhh…

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

(JP): Right now, I’m working on crafting a belly dance piece for a show based on The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern. I’m going to be embodying the Ice Garden. It’s fascinating to be part of a dance show that’s based on a piece of literature. The toughest part, beyond satisfying the fans of the book, is the fact that my piece is glacially slow. So I need to make sure I completely banish my adrenaline before going on stage. I’ve managed to do it for previous super-slow performances, but each one is a new challenge.

The show is Saturday, December 6th at 7 pm at the Cambridge YMCA. All proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. For more information, visit http://www.worldofneylan.com/worldofneylan/Night_Circus.html

Once I’m done with that, then I need to start prepping for Arisia’s Geeky Belly Dance Show. Last year, I was a belly dancing Dalek, complete with twirling plunger, so that’s gonna be tough to top.

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

(JP): Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever already aired, so I guess I can’t use that as my answer. And I’m not sure The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore counts as something fannish, but I’m chomping at the bit for it. I hope it fills the void left behind by Totally Biased, because it was a crime when it was canceled. I guess I’m hoping for good things from SyFy’s version of Twelve Monkeys and from Ascension. They finally got their shit together with Helix (and to a lesser extent with Defiance), so hopefully they’re back to making good SF television. But who am I kidding? I’ll also watch Sharknado 3 when it airs. It doesn’t all need to be good.

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author.

Purchase your Boskone membership!

The Boskone Mini Interviews are part of a new series that features our guests and program participants as they share fun, interesting, and amusing thoughts with Boskone’s fans. Our inaugural Mini Interviews feature Steven Brust, this year’s Guest of Honor, and YA author Peadar Ó Guilín. This is your chance to meet them before the convention begins. Enjoy the interviews, and get the pre-con conversation started by leaving comments and sharing your thoughts!

Steven Brust, Guest of Honor

Bio: Steven is the author of twenty-six novels and one solo record. He’s an enthusiastic amateur drummer, guitarist, banjo player, and poker player. For more info, visit Steven’s website and find him on Twitter @stevenbrust.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Steven Brust (SB):  Simply being there. Let me explain. I’ve been in fandom since the mid 70’s, and so I remember clearly the old-style fannish conventions. By all reports, Boskone is one of those–there is a comfort, a relaxation, a
sense of being surrounded by family, that comes from that kind of
convention. I plan to dive in when I get there and not emerge until the
dog has died.

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

(SB):  I’ll just answer a couple of pieces of that: As a writer, it was in high
school, when I read Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. As a fan, it was my
first Minicon.

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

(SB):  I’m working on Vallista, the latest in an ongoing series. The real joy of
this series is finding the relationship between the simple story, what the
story is *about*, and how to best tell the story. That always changes,
and the process of discovering it with each book is different and
exciting.

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

(SB):  I had the pleasure of reading Jo Walton’s The Just City. It is an
absolutely amazing accomplishment–you follow characters you deeply care
about in their struggles, and at the same time you find yourself in a
dialog with Plato. How can this not be fun? I’m told there is a sequel
coming, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Peadar Ó Guilín

Bio: In September 2007, Peadar Ó Guilín published his first novel, The Inferior, which the Times Educational Supplement called “a stark, dark tale, written with great energy and confidence and some arresting reflections on human nature.” Foreign editors liked it too, and over the years, translation rights have been sold to publishers as far afield as Germany, Korea, Japan and Turkey. His second novel, The Deserter is a direct sequel to The Inferior and received its first outing on 5th May 2011 in the UK and Ireland. It was published in North America in March 2012. Peadar’s fantasy and SF short stories have appeared in numerous venues, including Black Gate magazine and an anthology celebrating the best of the iconic Weird Tales.

For more info, visit Peadar’s website, friend him on Facebook, and find him on Twitter @theinferior.

What are you looking forward to at Boskone?

Peadar Ó Guilín (POG): Steven Brust is the short answer! I read his work for the first time 20 years ago or so, and I still remember the important points of “selling onions”. I can’t wait to see what he’s like in real life.

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

(POG): My novels aspire to be high speed adventures in bizarre but comprehensible worlds, with lots of mystery, sadness and sometimes, triumph. My short stories are all of the above, but slower, and with more sadness than triumph. I like to think that a higher proportion of my readers retire to monasteries in despair than those of any other author. But I might be wrong.

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

(POG): There are always dozens of books on my wish list — George R. R. Martin’s The Winds of Winter is an obvious example. But to be honest, the best book of the year is always the one I’m not expecting. Previous novels that came out of left-field to totally blow my mind include, Ancillary Justice, City of Stairs, Faith, Blindsight, Dark Eden and The Fade. I have no way of predicting what the next one will be.

~

Our next set of Mini Interviews is coming soon! Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email to avoid missing the interview with your favorite author.

Purchase your Boskone membership!

Boskone is starting early this year and YOU are invited to join in the fun!

Special early programming will begin at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 13th and will be free to the public until 6:00 pm.

Register today for your
full membership or a day-pass!

After 6:00 pm on Friday and through the duration of the convention, you’ll need to purchase an attending membership to stay and enjoy the events, panels, interviews, games, and more! Weekend passes as well as day passes are now available for purchase online.

Science Fiction / Fantasy / Horror / Comics / Art / Games / Young Adult / Children / Books / Film / Live Painting Demos / Music / Improv / Chocolate !

Boskone has it all.

Have a friend who’s been thinking of coming to Boskone? This is the year to bring him or her along. Come early, stay late, and return for more. It all begins at 2:00 pm on ….

Friday, February 13, 2015

Coming in December and January … Boskone announces a fun new series of posts called the Boskone Mini Interviews, featuring our guests and program participants who share all kinds of fun, thoughtful, and amusing comments about themselves and Boskone. You’re going to love them!

Sign up to follow the Boskone Blog via email using the field in the top right corner of the page.

To all of our friends in the U.S. and around the world, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving filled with fun, food, and great stories.

We look forward to seeing you in February!

The Boskone Blog has been a bit quiet, but that’s all about to change. The last few months have been about sorting out convention logistics and program planning. We’re in the process of finalizing the first draft of the schedule, which means we have some fun stuff to share. You can get the full scoop on our progress by reading the first edition of Helmuth, Boskone’s newsletter.

We’re also in the process of putting together the Boskone Mini Interviews, which is something new for the blog! The Boskone Mini Interviews are short and fun interviews that feature many of this year’s program participants. It should be a lot of fun to read what they have to say. Plus, the mini interviews will give you a nice opportunity to learn more about some of your favorite authors as well as to introduce you to authors who may still be new to you.

We’ll also be sharing information soon on the Multi-Author Book Party, the Paint-a-Thon, and the Boskone Reception — not to mention Boskone’s very own live improv show based on the hit TV series Whose Line is it Anyway, featuring its own “spec fic” spin! The fun is just beginning and we are looking forward to seeing you there (February 13-15, 2015). So, be sure to buy your membership and get ready for Boskone!

Let the fun begin.