Panel Topics

Please note that this is a tentative list of panel topics. Some panels may not appear on the final schedule.

1. LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW Our widely renowned and respected host Edo van Belkom and his sidekick Ed McClink conduct penetrating interviews. Top Ten by John-Allen Price.
2. WHAT LINE'S MINE? Watch the panel of esteemed authors make themselves look addled trying to remember if they wrote lines taken out of context. Hosted by Amy Kauderer. Another top Ten (or more) by John-Allen Price.
3. THE BEST & WORST OF SF, FANTASY, & HORROR FILMS OF 2006 The perennial panel with all of last year's films to discuss.
4. FICTIONAL WARS AND WHY WE REMEMBER THEM War Of The Rings, Battle Against The Empire, Great War in Final Blackout, etc.: panelists will each select a war and tell why it was memorable.
5. THE BEST SF "GUILTY PLEASURE" I EVER HAD Contest panel in which panelists & audience select the best SF (only) book or movie that gave them the best "Guilty Pleasure". A tacky, admittedly bad book or movie that's fun to read or watch. Special rules will apply and there will be a prize.
6. WHICH IS THE TOUGHEST GENRE SF, FANTASY, OR HORROR TO WRITE AND WHY? How did you pick your main genre?
7. TIPS FROM THE PROS Beginning writer? Successful authors answer your questions to help you get a writing career going.
8. RESEARCH FOR NON-EXISTANT THINGS Do you make up your own rules (such as for vampires) or follow rules of the past?
9. PLOT & CHARACTER VS. SCIENCE IN HARD SF Which should be considered first? Are all three necessary?
10. THE AWARD WINNERS & LOSERS Did the recent winners deserve them or were others more deserving? Who and why?
11. KEEPING UP WITH CHANGE How do you keep your stories up with science advancements, space probes, etc.? How do they affect your writing?
12. GOD IS DEAD! Can Gods be killed? If they can, should they be and why?
13. CREATING YOUR WORLD You've described it, given it a history and language. Do many authors write about the surroundings & neglect the story? How do you avoid doing this? Should you?
14. ALTERNATE CINEMA HISTORIES Some movies so twist events & personalities they supposedly depict, they amount to an alternative version; ie, why are there Americans in "THE LAST SAMURAI"? Panelists each select one movie so historically inaccurate as to amount to alternate history & detail all errors in it & explain why they were made. Audience will be invited to submit examples.
15. THE GREATEST QUEER SF AND FANTASY What are the greatest queer works of SF & Fantasy? A celebration of queer themes, queer characters and queer authors.
16. THE GOLDEN '50S The '50s were a Golden Era; authors, pulps, etc. How do you think it compared to today & why? Or do you think the main thing responsible for the "Good Old Days" is a poor memory?
17. MEMORABLE CITIES AND WORLDS Middle Earth, Atlantis, other planets; which stick in our minds & would we want to live there?
18. SMALL PRESS VS LARGE HOUSES What can the small press offer to its authors & readers that the large house can't. Do we need it?
19. ANIMA/MANGA 101 This is for people who don't know what ANIME is! You had better come to this panel to find out what you are missing. We will have POCKY.
20. THE DIFFERENT GENRES OF ANIME AND MANGA In case you're a sheltered ANIME goer who watches whatever is on TV, including TRINITY BLOOD, INU-YASHA & NARUTO, this panel will broaden your mind without scaring you away from the ANIME world.
21. DISGUSTING IDEAS IN THE GENRES What are the most disgusting ideas you ever wrote about and/or read? Where did you get the idea?
22. CREATING A SENSE OF FANTASY Are there special techniques that are effective? How can you maintain the sense with the reader?
23. MY FAVORITE EROTIC NOVEL IN THE GENRES & WHY Is it really good & well written or is it just pleasingly dirty?
24. THE RETURN OF DOCTOR WHO The TV series, older than TREK, returned with Super Bowl type ratings in the UK. Two successful years have brought two spin-off series to the US & Canada, a return to prime time, & a resurgent fandom. Were bigger budgets & adult themes the only reason for larger audiences or are the 3rd generation of TARDIS watchers more willing to accept SF TV?
25. FREE FOR ALL Panelists talk (and argue) about anything that comes to mind with each other and the audience.
26. JACK WILLIAMSON, NELSON BOND, L. SPRAGUE DECAMP, ETC. Recently deceased authors are discussed by those who knew them or just read them & give opinions on their value & whether they were influenced by them and how.