Happy Friday, Boskone fans! There’s so much to enjoy at Boskone 55, but don’t forget to read up on your favorite Boskone participants.

Kristy Acevedo

Kristy Acevedo is a YA author, high school English teacher, and huge Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Harry Potter fan. When she was a child, her “big sister” from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program fostered her love of books by bringing her to the public library every Wednesday. Her debut YA science fiction series, The Holo Series (Consider 2016 and Contribute 2017 with Jolly Fish Press) won the 2015 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award and was a 2017 finalist for the Philip K. Dick award. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters, and two cats. Visit her website, find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter @kristyace.

There are a number of conventions that you could attend. What is it about Boskone that makes you want to attend this convention?

As a sci-fi writer, Massachusetts local, and lover of sci-fi and fantasy, I’m thrilled to attend Boskone for the first time. I’m a total Trekkie (The Next Generation and Voyager are my favorites), so I hope to geek out with some other Trekkies, especially to talk about new Discovery series and The Orville.

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I have to go with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on this one since it’s my favorite book of the series. I read it in one, long marathon sitting, and I remember sobbing at my kitchen table when it ended. I would love to relive and savor each chapter over again for the first time.

Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. stands out as an all-time favorite? What is it about this piece that makes it stand out for you?

My favorite character in the Holo Series has to be the “crazy lady” from book 1, aka Katherine Kirkwood in book 2. I loved playing with her character and leaving some loose ends and breadcrumbs for readers to ponder. I could write a ton of Doctor Who-ish fan fiction about her. She reminds me of River Song.

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

I am currently working on a top secret YA project. I wish I could say more, but my agent has requested full confidentiality and will hunt me down if I let out any secrets.

If you were building a team of 3 (super)heroes to save the world from this trio of (super)villains: The Night King (GOT), the Emperor (Star Wars), and The Master/Missy (Doctor Who), who would you pick? The only catch is that you can’t pick characters from the GOT, Star Wars, or Doctor Who universes.  Share why you chose your 3 (super)heroes.

1. Johnny Storm (Human Torch) against The Night King: Basically, he’s fire and could burn the Night King and his army of White Walkers.
2. Dumbledore against the Emperor: Because that would be epic to watch.
3. Seven of Nine against Missy: Missy loves her Cybermen, and Seven of Nine as a severed borg is technically a cyberwoman. Seems ironically appropriate.

Alexander Jablokov

Alexander Jablokov recently published the novella The Forgotten Taste of Honey, his first real fantasy, and liked it so much he is turning it into a novel, currently titled Icecliff. Even more recently, he published How Sere Picked Up Her Laundry, the first in a projected series of science fiction mystery novellas set in a city packed with dozens of refugee alien species. His most recent novel was Brain Thief, an AI-hunting thriller that does not take itself too seriously. He’s written a number of other novels, and many short stories. His day job is creating marketing content for technical and healthcare companies. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Visit his website to learn more.

There are a number of conventions that you could attend. What is it about Boskone that makes you want to attend this convention?

I see a huge number of old friends here, and it is a real pleasure to do something in the middle of winter. Plus, I can get to it without driving.

What is your favorite Boskone memory or experience?

I enjoy Boskone so much I can’t really remember it.

When was the last time you dressed up for Halloween? What costume did you wear?

It was many years ago, in fact. I dressed as the Central Artery (then under construction) by putting a yellow strip down my front with a dead rat (not a real dead rat…at least I don’t remember it being a real dead rat) stapled to my shirt. My girlfriend came as Boston Harbor (bridesmaid dress with trash glued to the skirt).

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

I’m almost done with a novella about my character Sere Glagolit. It’s a detective story set in a city crowded with a variety species from various planets. I like her, I like the world, and I most of all like that it really is pretty much a mystery. I love reading mysteries, and have never been able to write one. That said, it’s not done right now. We’ll know if I succeeded by the time of Boskone.

James Patrick Kelly

James Patrick Kelly has won the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards — but that’s old news. What’s new is that he has just published his first novel in decades. Mother Go is a audiobook original available exclusively for downloading from Audible.com and Amazon. The audiobook, recorded by multiple Audie winner, January LaVoy, will be the only edition for the foreseeable future. His most recent short story collection was the career retrospective Masters of Science Fiction: James Patrick Kelly (2016) from Centipede Press, but there will be a new collection forthcoming any minute now Prime Books called The Promise of Space. Visit his website, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @jaspkelly.

There are a number of conventions that you could attend. What is it about Boskone that makes you want to attend this convention?

I come because I love driving through Boston in a February snow storm! No wait, that’s not it! I come because this is my local convention, and has been for decades. For me, Boskone is like the science fiction version of Cheers. As the song says, “Sometimes you wanna go/Where everybody knows your name/And they’re always glad you came.”

If you could relive your first experience with any book or film, which one would you pick? What is it about this book or film that you want to experience again for the “first time?”

I’ve always had a weakness for the old science fiction flick, Forbidden Planet, in part because it riffs on Shakespeare’s The Tempest and in part because I get a serious sense of wonder jolt from the scene where they tour the alien Krell’s vast underground machine that channels the id, which you can see here; the soundtrack of that sequence is as awesome as the visuals!

Looking back at your work, which character, piece of art, song, poem, article, etc. stands out as an all-time favorite? What is it about this piece that makes it stand out for you?

Right now I’m still standing by Mariska Volochkova the protagonist of my novel, Mother Go, which came out last July. I have often tried throughout my career to write from the point of view of a woman, and Mariska was a huge stretch, since she was a teenager growing up on the Moon as the start of the book. She has a difficult childhood and a stressful transition to adulthood and is not always the most sympathetic of characters. Nevertheless, I understand her and love her.

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

I am now gong through Raymond Chandler’s complete works for maybe the fifth time as I try to absorb some of his stylistic flourishes so I can write the third Fay Hardaway novella. Fay is the protagonist of my feminist PI series of novellas which include Men Are Trouble and The Last Judgement. The conceit of these books is that aliens visit us tomorrow and disappear all the men in order to improve our species. In the third novella, the aliens have recognized their mistake and are allowing boys to be born, so the background to this one examines the question of what kind of men would the women of my world bring up?

Michael Sharrow

Having been involved in fandom, lo these many years, I’ve developed many hobbies, interests, etc, such as science fiction, fantasy, comics, graphic novels, tv shows, movies and gaming. I’m currently the NESFA Short Story Contest Administrator. My latest adventure is learning to play the ukulele.

There are a number of conventions that you could attend. What is it about Boskone that makes you want to attend this convention?

Excellent panels on books, writing, superheroes, graphic novels, and the like. A chance to talk to some of my favorite authors. Some filking items that I enjoy. A game tournament with prizes on Saturday. If there could only be Lego Robotics, it’d be complete for me!

What is your favorite Boskone memory or experience?

I guess that’d have to be my first Boskone, that I attended as a teenager. Nothing specific really, just enjoyed the feeling of being ‘home’, before I really understood what that meant. People singing folk (aka filk) songs in the hallways, talking about books in a way I hadn’t done before. Visiting the dealers room, looking at all the cool costumes. made me realize that this is where I belong.

When was the last time you dressed up for Halloween? What costume did you wear?

A few years ago, I went to Salem, MA dressed as a pirate.

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

I’m in the process of completing a graphic novel, finishing a few short stories, and developing some board games from scratch. I’d have to say the one thing that really excites me is the idea of being ‘done’ writing these works, to the point that they’re ready to be published.

If you were building a team of 3 (super)heroes to save the world from this trio of (super)villains: The Night King (GOT), the Emperor (Star Wars), and The Master/Missy (Doctor Who), who would you pick? The only catch is that you can’t pick characters from the GOT, Star Wars, or Doctor Who universes.  Share why you chose your 3 (super)heroes.

Well, you could throw in Miracleman, because he has powers similar to Superman; then add the Phoenix, also one of the most powerful superheroes, and Rip Hunter, Time Master…just in case you make a mistake, then need to go back in time to fix your screw-up. Problem solved.