M50 Programming Brainstorm

The following is the list of ideas for panels/activities at Minicon 50: April 2-5, 2015. GOHs include Jane Yolen, Larry Niven, Brandon Sanderson, Adam Stemple, and Tom Doherty.

If you have an idea you'd like to add, you may either edit this page or send it to the programming department at programming@minicon50.mnstf.org

To sign up to be a panelist, send an email to programming@minicon50.mnstf.org If you are an author and would like to schedule a reading and/or signing, send an email to readings@minicon50.mnstf.org

Fandom and Zeitgeist

Life with Fuzzy Pink (and Her Slippers)

Before marrying Larry Niven, Marilyn J. Wisowaty was a well-known science fiction and Regency literature fan, and active in SF Clubs; in fact, she is one of the founders of the New England Science Fiction Association. A discussion of the fan history associated with Larry and Fuzzy.

Carleton SFA Reunion

The Carleton Science Fiction (and Fantasy) Alliance will be 30 years old in 2015, having been founded as the Doctor Who Club in 1985. The SFA is having an all-class 30th anniversary reunion get-together, including a big meet-and-greet retrospective on (probably) Saturday. (Other events may be added to this description later.)

Geeks Like Beer

You may not be a home-brewer (yet), but it's still cool. What is it? How does it work? We'll talk styles, breweries, books of beer. Maybe even a home-brew tasting.

Gaming

The Superhero Genre in RPGs

There are currently several Superhero RPGs, such as the Hero System, Champions, Silver Age Sentinels, and Godlike. Which Superhero RPG allows you to play your favorite comic book hero? Which allows you to make your own special super hero? What does a Superhero Genre game bring to the table that other games don't bring?

Table Management Strategies

How do you handle table talk, such as rules lawyerism or talking out of character? How do you handle disruptive activities at the table or in a convention setting? What about distractions at the table (e.g. electronic)? Snacking or no snacking?

Literature/Writing

Adventures in Collaboration

Larry Niven, Brandon Sanderson, Jane Yolen, Steven Brust and Marissa Lingen have co-authored narrative works with other writers. How did such collaborations come about? What has been the reception of their collaborations?

Inappropriate (Mis)uses of Astrophysical Matter

Forget about using the universe for good! That's not the human way of doing things! Murder by black hole was used as a plot device by Larry Niven in his Hugo award-winning "The Borderland of Sol." Dominic Green postulated using a Penrose accelerator as a waste management "solution" in his Hugo-nominated story, "The Clockwork Atom Bomb [1]." A discussion of the Pandora's Box aspect of particle physics and astrophysics within SF.

Media

Anime and Manga for Speculative Fiction Fans

From the days of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy and its intelligent robots, manga and anime with science fiction and fantasy themes have been popular. Let's discuss some of the most interesting ones for speculative fiction fans, both current and vintage.

Minicon/Mnstf History

Minicon 1

What was it like at the very first Minicon? Come listen to some of the original members talk about their experiences. (Can we get Anthony Tollin (talked to Clay at CONvergence), Ellen Kuhfeld, and Fred Levy Haskell to all come?)

Next Generation

Beginnings in SF

Everyone has their own origin stories - how we found SF and how we found fandom. How have these paths into speculative fiction and its communitites changed with the new generation? What effect has the Internet had on the finding of fandom?