Aggiecon or bust

Well, by this time tomorrow I should be in the booming cultural Mecca of College Station, participating in what should have been my 20th Aggiecon. It's not, though, because I wasn't invited two years ago, and although I was invited last year, the con com was so unresponsive and slow to deliver information that conflicts arose in the interim and I had to bow out. The guest list is more impressive this year, with Steven Gould, Martha Wells and Ellen Datlow headlining, so that's an encouraging sign. The bad news is that despite assurances from the con com, I have no reading on the schedule (drat) and I'm listed as being on three morning panels, which is contrary to the one programming request I made to them. Ah well, I'll manage.

Because of the consecutive disasters that were the previous two Aggiecons, the group's budget is less than shoestring this year. This is bad. Also, because of renovations to the Memorial Student Center and Rudder Complex on campus, Aggiecon's being held off-campus, at the Hilton, for the first time since 1973 or so. This is even worse, as it puts a greater strain on an already stressed budget. But I shall do my best to give them a good con. Hopefully, Aggiecon will live to see another day. If not, at least I can say I was at the last one.

And yes, before you ask, I am indeed driving over there early in order to do some research on the Chicken Ranch. Much fun, yes. Here's my programming schedule if you want to drop in and say "Howdy."

Friday 4 p.m.
"Harvey Dent for President" How do science fiction and fantasy media comment on current political situation? Panelists discuss how these genres can be used as a powerful medium to talk about cultural issues. [Rosen, Gould, Sarath*, Blaschke]

Saturday 10 a.m.
"Year End Review: Books" What our panelists liked best from this past year as well as a preview to what books you won't want to miss in 2010. Also a discussion about 2009's award winners. [Cupp, Blaschke*, Datlow, Knowles]

11 a.m.
"Sorcerers in the Sewers, Dragons in the Penthouse" We decided in our Urban Fantasy world dragons would not live in the New York sewers but be running the town from a Manhattan penthouse. All things concerning the popular sub©genres of fantasy that have a modern setting. [Clement-Moore, Leicht*, Gould, Martinez, Blaschke, L. Donahue]

6 p.m.
"Whedonverse: A Developing Empire" Is he picking up or losing steam? What happened to Firefly? What's he doing next? And what happened to Dollhouse? [Bowers*, Montz, Blaschke, Rose, Leicht, C. Spector]

Sunday 11 a.m.
"Back to the Future, Again" Orwell's 1984 may not have come true in the eighties, but his Oceania is looking very familiar today. We look back at what science fiction thought today would look like. [Cupp*, Oliver, Blaschke, Turner, Sullivan]

2 p.m.
"New Directions: Star Trek" With the new Abrams movie, the Star Trek legacy has been expanded to give future writers more freedom. Is this blasphemous to earlier canon or a creative solution? [Leicht, Bas, Oliver, Blaschke*, Rosen]

Now Playing: Melissa Etheridge Yes I Am