My first time ever on a panel at a convention, and they put me on FIVE! I couldn’t be more excited and pleased. The panel choice is excellent, and I am truly honored to be paneling with all of the following amazing fellow writers and professionals.

In addition to the following panels, I will also have a display up in the art displays room (not sure where that is yet!) titled Wheels of Magic. It’s an exploration of what magic in our stories might look if it manifested itself in our world. Check it out if you have time!

All in all, it’s going to be one sick-ass World Con. If you’re there, find me and we’ll kick it! <3

Cooking the books: food in fantasy
15 Aug, Thursday 15:00 – 15:50, Wicklow Room-1 (CCD)
Hobbits had their second breakfast and elves had their lembas. Fantasy books are full of great scenes of food, whether it’s elaborate feasts or people desperate to survive foraging for what they can get. How have authors used food to enhance the realities of their fantasy worlds? What does the scarcity or abundance of food tell us about fantasy societies? The panel will discuss their favourite fantasy feasts and how food has been used as a worldbuilding tool in fantasy novels.
Moderated by: Fran Wilde
Ms. Nicole Kimberling (Blind Eye Books), Rei Rosenquist, Gillian Polack, Giovanni De Feo

Gender and sexuality in YA
17 Aug, Saturday 10:00 – 10:50, ECOCEM Room (CCD)
Young adulthood is a formative time in many ways, but especially when it comes to gender and sexuality. Both topics have been increasing in interest and importance in YA books. How do our books reflect explorations of identity? Why is it important that they do so? Has this changed over time? And how can we approach these topics respectfully – and with an eye on intersectionality?
Moderated by: Sam Bradbury (Hodder & Stoughton)
Diana M. Pho (Tor Books), Victoria “V.E.” Schwab (Tor Books, Titan, HarperCollins, Scholastic), Rei Rosenquist, Rachel Hartman

Beyond binary
17 Aug, Saturday 14:00 – 14:50, Wicklow Room-1 (CCD)
This panel seeks to explore the concept of gender in SFF. In particular, it will focus on societies in literature and other media that do not follow binary definitions of gender. What examples already exist and are they presented favourably? What are some good and bad examples? Do the panellists have ideas for how they would write a non-binary society?
Moderated by: Lex Beckett
Alex Acks, Sarah Groenewegen, Rei Rosenquist

Polyamory in theory and practice
18 Aug, Sunday 12:00 – 12:50, Wicklow Room-3 (CCD)
Resources abound for how to get started in opening up your relationship, but how do you make polyamory work in the real world? What do you do when your relationship styles seem to clash with those of your partners? How can you set effective boundaries with metamours? In this panel, we’ll tackle some of the harder questions that come up when theory meets practice.
Moderated byL Kris “Nchanter” Snyder
Ian Paul Power, Mary Anne Mohanraj (Speculative Literature Foundation / University of Illinois at Chicago), Rei Rosenquist

You’re bard: drinking songs in genre fiction
18 Aug, Sunday 19:00 – 19:50, Liffey Room-2 (CCD)
Fantasy is awash with taverns, ale, and hard-drinking dwarves, which often leads to a rousing drinking song. Raise your glass as our panellists discuss the best drinking songs in fantasy and what makes for a convincing drinking song – and may even break into song themselves!
Moderated by: R.W.W. Greene (New Hampshire Writers’ Project)
Anne Coleman, Rei Rosenquist, Claudia Rapp PhD