WisCon 34's eCube #1 is online!

eCube Number One is now available online with news about a very special hotel special, ConCom vacancies, the full Tiptree Winners List and the annual WisCon33 Lost and Found list (are you missing a purple Montefiore pen?)

Take Back the SciFi: WisCon's response

WisCon members who attended a WisCon 33 panel entitled "Take Back the SciFi," have expressed serious concerns about the panel's focus and moderation. They have raised important questions about comments and decisions the moderator made in guiding the conversation and accepting questions during the discussion of personal experiences.

The panel was intended to focus on the use of rape and sexual assault in science fiction writing and the influence of rape culture in the genre. The panel was described as "Sexual assault and rape frequently get used as symbolic plot devices with no consideration about the realities of how these events effect survivors and the people around them and the larger social realities of this epidemic. Sometimes these stories get told well but often they perpetuate social myths and stereotypes that normalize predatory behavior and make survivors complicit. How do authors work to create a culture where stories that perpetuate rape myths are not acceptable? Examples?"

However, as can happen in programming on topics such as this, the discussion shifted to personal experiences of rape and sexual assault. Unfortunately, the panel also became a place in which male survivors, their families, and friends felt marginalized and re-traumatized.

We are very sorry that this occurred. As organizers of a feminist convention, we understand that rape knows no gender.

We thank the panelists and attendees who have expressed their concerns. WisCon's Convention Committee (ConCom) will continue to discuss these concerns and to respond to people who contact us directly. Also, ConCom members have spoken with the moderator, who may choose to respond individually. Moderators, like all program participants, are volunteers who express interest in a panel. Although we believe the moderator had no intent to harm, we know that harm occurred and we take that harm seriously. In response to member suggestions, this programming item will be offered again at WisCon 34 in a facilitated discussion format to encourage audience participation.

We understand that panelists and attendees will continue to engage in dialogue about this panel, and we welcome any additional suggestions that arise from these discussions. Please contact us at program34@wiscon.info.

Help WisCon Provide A Better Con Experience - Complete the Survey!

If you attended WisCon33, help the WisCon concom provide you with a better con experience! Please complete the WisCon 33 Survey and let us know what you liked, what you didn't like, and what we can improve for WisCon 34!

Thanks so much!

WisCon34 Guests of Honor

WisCon is pleased and thrilled to announce that Mary Anne Mohanraj, writer, editor, and spec-fic community activist, and Nnedi Okorafor, author of The Shadow Speaker and Zarah the Windseeker, are our Guests of Honor for WisCon 34.

Suggest Panels and Program Items for WisCon34

Did a great idea for a panel pop into your head during that intense post-panel discussion? Is there a panel that WisCon33 is missing that you'd like to see at WisCon34? Share your ideas with the WisCon34 programming committee now via the programming idea suggestion form, now open for WisCon 34.

Sunday Programming Changes

Panel 151, Judging the Tiptree
Sunday, 8:30-9:45 am, Senate B
Gavin Grant was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 152, The Etiquette of Self Promotion
Sunday, 8:30-9:45 am, Wisconsin
Marianne Kirby will also be on this panel.

Reading 162, Scotch and Bacon
Sunday, 10-11:15 am, Conference 2
Gregory Frost was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 174, The Obligatory Workshop Panel
Sunday, 1-2:15 pm, Wisconsin
Debbie Lynn Smith was unable to attend WisCon.
Alex Wilson will also be on this panel.

Panel 175, Battlestar Galactica: Our Sine Qua Non
Sunday, 1-2:15 pm, Capitol A
Michael Underwood was unable to attend WisCon.
Larry Sanderson will also be on this panel.

Panel 183, Fathers and Daughters in SF & F
Sunday, 1-2:15 pm, 629
Greer Gilman was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 186, Hey, Wait a Minute…
Sunday, 2:30-3:45 pm, Caucus
Michael Underwood was unable to attend WisCon.
John Helfers will also be on this panel.

Panel 187, Adapt, Revise, Revisit
Sunday, 2:30-3:45 pm, Senate A
Debbie Lynn Smith was unable to attend WisCon.
Bill “whump” Humphries will also be on this panel.

Panel 223, Women of the Horror Film: The British Fears
Sunday, 10-11:15 pm, Caucus
This panel was moved to Saturday, 10:30-11:45

Panel 225, Death Is Weirder Than We Think
Sunday, 10-11:15 pm, Senate B
Gregory Frost was unable to attend WisCon.
Catherine Cheek will be moderating this panel.
Kerrie Hughes will also be on this panel.

Joan Vinge was unable to attend WisCon.

Alex Lamb was unable to attend WisCon.

WisCon 34 Online Registration Now Available for Memberships, Hotels

Online reservations are now open for WisCon34.

Hotel reservations for WisCon34 are now open for both the Inn on the Park and the Concourse Hotel. The Concourse now offers online reservations for your convenience. Details to register at both hotels are available on the hotel information page.

At-Con Newsletter #2

A Momentary Taste of Wiscon #2 is now available online.

Articles include:

WisCon34 Registration begins on Sunday

VOL_NTEE_S - What's Missing? UR!

Notices for program participants, Tor.com meetup, lost & found, restaurant guide, Saturday's off-site readings.

Volunteering in the Consuite

The Consuite is a great resource for everyone - but it doesn't run itself. This is especially so given the new food safety procedures in place, which require more intensive work, and less casual help (for example, those serving food must wash up and wear gloves and aprons.) This is putting a lot more stress on our regulars in the consuite, who do yeoperson work keeping us fed.

Help support our Consuite by signing up for a shift or two, especially for mealtimes and party time. The signup is just to the right of the hot dog grill. It's a great way to meet people - like Rick's, everyone comes to the consuite sooner or later - (hey, I served Geoff Ryman a hot dog last night!) and it really, really helps out WisCon.

And remember, those who volunteer for six hours or more are eligible for a membership rebate....

Programming Changes and Updates, 5/22/09

Here are the programming changes and updates as of 5/22/09:

Panel 119, SF/F TV Shows This Season
Saturday 4-5:15 pm, Caucus
James Frenkel replaces Kate Mason as moderator

Panel 158, Andrea Smith’s Conquest
Sunday 10-11:15 am, Senate B
Diantha Sprouse will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 231, An Uncertain God: A-gnostic Mysticism in History
and Speculative Fiction
Monday 8:30-9:45 am, Senate B
Steven Schwartz will also be participating in this panel.

SignOut
Marianne Kirby will be participating in SignOut.

Panel 38, Rethinking Disabling Metaphor
Friday, 4-5:15 pm, Conference 3
Deanne Fountaine will not be able to participate in this panel.

Panel 40, The Female Bachelor
Friday, 4-5:15 pm, Conference 5
Greer Gilman was unable to attend WisCon.
K. S. Latta was unable to attend WisCon.
Annalee Newitz will not be able to participate in this panel.
M.K. Hobson will also be participating in this panel.
Marianne Kirby will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 41, The Object In the Story, the Story In the Object
Friday, 4-5:15 pm, 623
Catherine Crowe will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 51, Norovirus and You: Responses to WisCholera 2008
Friday, 9-10:15 pm, Caucus
Susan Simensky Bietila will also be participating in this panel.

Academic 55, Humans, Machines and Science Fiction
Friday, 9-10:15 pm, Conference 3
Rosalyn Berne (Urgent and Essential: The Role and Function of Science Fiction in the Societal Stabilizing the Converging Technologies) was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 68, It Are Fact: Science and Oppression Intersect
Saturday, 8:30-9:45 am, Capitol B
Safiya Mohamed was unable to attend WisCon.

Reading 84, Attendees Receive Free Cyborg Unicorn
Saturday, 10-11:15 am, Room Of Ones Own
Greer Gilman was unable to attend WisCon.
Rosalyn Berne was unable to attend WisCon.

Reading 102, Wisps, Wizards…
Saturday, 1-2:15 pm, Michaelangelo’s
Heather Shaw and Tim Pratt were not able to attend WisCon.

Panel 107, Your Friend Academia
Saturday, 2:30-3:45 pm, Wisconsin
Gregory Frost was unable to attend WisCon.
Ariel Franklin-Hudson will also be participating in this panel.
Larisa Mikhaylova will also be participating in this panel.

Reading 110, Myths, Dreams, and Stories
Saturday, 2:30-3:45 pm, Conference 2
Delia Sherman will also participate in this reading.

Panel 118, Are We Done Believing in God Yet?
Saturday, 4-5:15 pm, Assembly
K. S. Latta was unable to attend WisCon.
Keith Watson will be joining and moderating this panel.

Panel 119, SF/F TV Shows This Season
Saturday 4-5:15 pm, Caucus
Michael Underwood was unable to attend WisCon.
Debbie Lynn Smith was unable to attend WisCon.
Richard S. Russell will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 131, Roll to See if I Advance the Plot
Saturday, 4-5:15 pm, 629
Pan Morigan will not be participating in this panel.

Party 136, Verb Noire
Jamie Nesbitt Golden will also be hosting this party.

Panel 142, One God or Many—Or None
Saturday, 10:30-11:45 pm, Senate A
Safiya Mohamed was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 151, Judging the Tiptree
Sunday, 8:30-9:45 am, Senate B
Gavin Grant was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 152, The Etiquette of Self Promotion
Sunday, 8:30-9:45 am, Wisconsin
Marianne Kirby will also be participating in this panel.

Reading 162, Scotch and Bacon
Sunday, 10-11:15 am, Conference 2
Gregory Frost was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 174, The Obligatory Workshop Panel
Sunday, 1-2:15 pm, Wisconsin
Debbie Lynn Smith was unable to attend WisCon.
Alex Wilson will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 175, Battlestar Galactica: Our Sine Qua Non
Sunday, 1-2:15 pm, Capitol A
Michael Underwood was unable to attend WisCon.
Larry Sanderson will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 183, Fathers and Daughters in SF & F
Sunday, 1-2:15 pm, 629
Greer Gilman was unable to attend WisCon.

Panel 186, Hey, Wait a Minute…
Sunday, 2:30-3:45 pm, Caucus
Michael Underwood was unable to attend WisCon.
John Helfers will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 187, Adapt, Revise, Revisit
Sunday, 2:30-3:45 pm, Senate A
Debbie Lynn Smith was unable to attend WisCon.
Bill “whump” Humphries will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 223, Women of the Horror Film: The British Fears
Sunday, 10-11:15 pm, Caucus
This panel has been moved to Saturday, 10:30-11:45 pm in Conference 2.

Panel 225, Death Is Weirder Than We Think
Sunday, 10-11:15 pm, Senate B
Gregory Frost was unable to attend WisCon.
Catherine Cheek will be moderating this panel.
Kerrie Hughes will also be participating in this panel.

Panel 240, Always a Companion, Never a Doctor
Monday, 10-11:15 am, Conference 5
Safiya Mohamed was unable to attend WisCon.

Developer Recruiting Meeting
Monday, 11:30 am-12:45 pm, 627
Come meet the developers of the new WisCon application, volunteer to help, and tell us how the app could be improved. Pizza will be served.
Panelists: Piglet, Jim Hudson, John H. Kim

SignOut
Monday, 11:30 am-12:54 pm, Capitol/Wisconsin
Gregory Frost was unable to attend WisCon.
Greer Gilman was unable to attend WisCon.
Geoff Ryman will participate in SignOut.

The following bios were not in the pocket program:

Janice Bogstad was one of the three folks who started SF-3, WisCon and Janus in 1975. She has been writing about, reviewing books by, and doing interviews with women in science fiction, writers and critics, since before that time. She currently reviews for 11 publications, including ones on women and science fiction and fantasy, but also women in China, women in medieval culture and library journals on collection development. She is a professor, head of collection development, for McIntyre Library at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and also teaches in the Women’s Studies and English departments. Her language-studies of SF and women include French, German and Chinese, as well as English and she especially enjoys literature and history from 7th, 12th and 20th-21st century China and 12th and 20th-21st century France.

Eileen Gunn is the author of the story collection Stable Strategies and Others and the co-editor of The WisCon Chronicles Two. Her fiction has received the Nebula Award in the US the and Sense of Gender Award in Japan, and been nominated for the Hugo, Philip K. Dick, and World Fantasy awards and short-listed for the James Tiptree, Jr. award. She is the editor/publisher of the Infinite Matrix webzine and for twenty years has been a member of the board of directors of the Clarion West Writers Workshop.

The Final eCube - No. 9

The final, very last edition of the WisCon33 eCube is now available, with news about programming changes, hotel reservations for WisCon34, the Clothing Swap, the Rule, and more.

Last time, No. 9.

WisCon33 Interactive Program Schedule Now Online

The brand-new, extremely shiny WisCon 33 Programming Schedule is now online. Simply click on the name of any panel to see the description and the panelists.

[Note: If you're using IE7 on Windows, you may notice that the grid layout gets a little wacky if you click on a panel and then hit the back button to see the whole schedule grid. We're working on the issue; for now, we suggest that you refresh the page. That will return the grid to its usual orderly self.]

eCube #8 is here!

14 days to WisCon, and you know what that means:

A shiny new eCube chock full of information about volunteering, at-the-door memberships, the Tiptree Award, auction, and bakesale, and more.

2008 Tiptree Award Winners

The 2008 Tiptree Award Winners are The Knife of Never Letting Go, a young adult novel by Patrick Ness (Walker 2008) and Filter House, a short story collection by Nisi Shawl (Aqueduct 2008). The Tiptree Award will be celebrated at WisCon33.

Full details, including the Tiptree Honor List, can be found at the James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award website.

Progress Report 2 Online and On Its Way

Progress Report 2 is in the mail and available online, with updates on programming, policies, transportation, hotels, guests of honor, the Tiptree Award, and everything else you need to know about attending WisCon 33.

eCube #7 online/ Gathering Apprentices needed

eCube #7 is now available online.

Gathering apprentices needed: The soon-to-retire Gathering coordinators are looking for apprentices to learn the ropes from this year's Gathering coordinators in preparation for taking over for WisCon 34. You don't have to be located in Madison to do the job, but you do need to arrive at the convention in time to begin set-up at 9am on Friday.

The Gathering Coordinators' duties include recruiting participants to do activities during the event, working with Programming to ensure all participants are listed in the database, working with the Volunteer Coordinator to get volunteers to help staff the event, working with the hotel liaison to order food and tables, writing an article or two for eCube and the program book, creating flyers, maps, and passports for the event, ordering prizes for attendees, and onsite set-up and tear-down.

It's easy to do the job out of state since the prep work is done via email. Once you're onsite, the job is completely done before Opening Ceremonies, so you are free to enjoy the rest of the convention. Plus, you get a sneak peak and first pick at Galley table and Clothing Swap! If you are interested, please let us know via gathering33@wiscon.info.

URGENT: Hotels: Last Chance!

If you are attending WisCon from out of town and you have not yet secured a place to stay, your opportunity to take advantage of the convention rates is rapidly disappearing.

WisCon's satellite hotel, The Inn on the Park, still has rooms available at the convention rate, but our special rate there ends on Thursday, April 23, and any rooms left unreserved go back into the general pool at rack rates. Call 800-279-8811 inside the US or 1-608-285-8000 from elsewhere in the world to make your reservation, and be sure to mention WISCON 2009 to get our special rate. WisCon 2009 rates at Inn on the Park are $124 for a room with one bed for one or two people, $134 for a room with two beds for up to four people, and $154 for a two-room suite with wet bar.

Convention rates at the Concourse end on Tuesday, April 22, but since the con rate is only available to the first 300 reservations and we had close to 350 at last count, it is extremely unlikely that enough cancellations would come in to reopen the con rate block. If you are especially eager to get a room at the Concourse, certainly call them (at 800-356-8293 or 608-257-6000) to see if a cancellation has opened up space there, but it would very likely be at the higher rack rate.

And finally, a plea to anyone who made a hotel reservation for WisCon 33 months ago and who has since had to change your plans about attending: if you have not yet cancelled your reservation, please do so as soon as possible! Not only will you free up a room that another convention member can use, you will also prevent any possibility that your credit card might be charged a night's rent.

For more details about both of WisCon's convention hotels, go to the WisCon website, where you will also find other options for accommodations in downtown Madison. Email rooms33@wiscon.info with any questions.

eCube #5 hits the atmosphere

eCube #5 is now available, with the most recent news updates for WisCon33, including programming updates, registration and hotel room news, and more.

"Con or Bust" Auction to benefit the WisCon FOC Assistance Project Now Open

A Reminder....

The Wiscon FOC Assistance Program (Fight Derailing), organized by Kate Nepveu, has opened its fundraising effort, "Con or Bust,", a fandom auction to support the program's sponsorships for fans of color attending WisCon 33 in 2009.

Visit now to view the auction and place bids on the many wonderful items there (if you're not a LiveJournal member, you may need to create an account to participate - and make sure to view all the posts to insure that you see all items on offer!) The auction runs through Monday, April 13, 2009.

Auction items are still needed. Fanfic offers, editing and beta assistance are encouraged along with tangible items. All donations of funds or auction items, no matter how small, are accepted. Those who wish to do fixed-donation offers are also invited to participate. If you have an item to donate, please visit the project's LJ community for details on posting your auction item.

The Wiscon FOC Assistance Program seeks to meet the needs of fans of color who would like to attend WisCon33, but are unable to do so without some form of assistance. Assistance offered includes, bus not limited to, money for travel, a con membership, and/or lodging space. You can find more information about the project by visiting the LiveJournal community, Fight Derailing.

eCube #4 now available online

eCube #4 is now available online or as a downloadable PDF document. It includes the full text of the WisCon Concom's statement on welcoming people of color, as well as updates on GOH nominations, child care, programming, and another installment of "Meet the Concom!"

WisCon Continues to Welcome People of Color

Welcoming people of color to WisCon is a central value of the entire WisCon convention committee, and has been so for over a decade.

We are aware that our efforts in this area have been incomplete and sometimes unsuccessful and we are committed to doing better.

To that end, we continue to welcome suggestions for how to improve. The more constructive and specific those suggestions are, the more likely it is that the all-volunteer WisCon committee will be able to implement them. WisCon’s history shows that change happens best when spearheaded by a champion or a group of champions who bring additional energy along with their ideas. However, we care enough about this issue that many current committee members are ready to commit additional time and energy to improving our track record.

To that end, we are proud that WisCon 33 will host the first Cultural Appropriation 101 class that we’re aware of in the science fiction world, as suggested and created by the Carl Brandon Society. The class will take place on Friday afternoon and (again at the request of the Carl Brandon Society) will be clearly delineated as “highly recommended” for anyone who wishes to attend any programming on these topics. In addition, moderators of panels related to this topic will be provided with class materials well before the convention.

We are currently about 2 months away from the convention. We’re looking for additional ideas that we can implement in that time frame, as well as ideas for WisCons to come. Because WisCon is a physical space with many tendrils extending into the virtual world, one of the things we can best provide is space for face-to-face networking and problem-solving. To that end, we’re planning to set aside a room during the convention for discussion of moving-forward strategies and potential improvements. We will work closely with people of color to ensure that this does not become a space in which the offenses recycle.

We’ve extended our guest of honor nomination process for an additional 3 weeks specifically to encourage nominations of potential GoHs of color. To nominate a GoH for next year, send an e-mail to concom33@wiscon.info by Sunday, March 22 describing why you think they would be a good guests of honor.

One WisCon member, Kate Nepveu, is organizing scholarships to bring people of color to WisCon: more info on this at her LJ community, Fight Derailing .

These issues are not just important for people of color; they are important for all of us. The more we can do to improve in this area, the better WisCon will be. We ask for your help and guidance in achieving this goal: contact concom33@wiscon.info with your ideas.

Reminder - Deadlines for Programming & Readings Signups

Just a reminder that this is the last week you can volunteer to be a program participant, be a moderator, or sign up to do a reading or throw a party for WisCon33.

Note that the sign-up process is brand new and utilizes a new, purpose-built database (we've given last year's hamsters a well-deserved retirement.)

There are three basic steps involved in signing up to participate in programming or to be a moderator: Setting up your account, defining your personal information, and signing up for programs/telling us about your availability. Full details, including a written tutorial, are on the WisCon33 programming page. Look for the "My Account" link in the left sidebar to see your options.

Full instructions for signing up for a reading are also on the WisCon33 website.

Participant sign-up will close on this Friday, March 13, 2009. That's Friday the 13th. Sign up now, don't delay. After sign-up closes, we'll be looking at participant availability and starting to block out programming.

eCube#2 is now available online

eCube #2 is now available, with the most recent news updates for WisCon33.

Hot off the Presses: eCube 1 and Progress Report 1

Extra! Extra! eCube #1 is now available for your reading pleasure, with the most recent news updates for WisCon33!

And read all about it: Progress Report 1 is now online, with full information about WisCon33's guests of honor, programming, hotel arrangements, and other WisCon33 details!

Expanding The Time-Space Continuum (Deadlines!)

The deadline for submitting abstracts for the Academic Program has been extended through February 16. Please see the Academic Programming Page for full details.

The deadline for proposing ideas for programming has been extended through February 7. Submit your programming ideas through the program idea submission form, or visit the programming page for more information.

For Authors Attending WisCon33 ...

Posted on behalf of Jeanne Gomoll:

If you have a new book coming out and are going to attend WisCon, I'd like to contact your editor and invite them to buy an ad in the WisCon souvenir book. Selling ads to the publishers of authors attending WisCon was very successful last year, so I'd like to do it again.

As soon as you can, let me know what book of yours is coming out, the name of the publisher and when it is due. Give me a name and email address for the best person for me to contact about an ad.

I can also send you an ad guideline sheet if you would rather contact your editor yourself. Just ask.

I will certainly try to sell ads to publishers even if you aren't planning to attend WisCon, but judging from WisCon 32's program book last year, I'm far more likely to be successful if I can assure your editor that you will be here at WisCon, actively promoting your book.

Please respond to souvenirbook33@wiscon.info

Thank you!

WisCon 33 Call for Programming Ideas!

The WisCon 33 program committee is excited to announce that program idea submissions are now open!

WisCon gets its best programming ideas from you. We invite you to submit programming ideas for WisCon 33 through January 31, 2009. To submit an idea, please go to the Wiscon programming page and click on the link to the program idea submission form. We eagerly await your suggestions!

Please note that this web page is part of a new programming database system. We've tested it extensively, but please bear with any unexpected bugs as we implement it.

Joanna Lowenstein and Cat Hanna
Co-Chairs, Programming, WisCon 33.