Is it really less than a month until Boskone 52? Yes, yes it is. And I’ll be very busy at it this year with four panels and a reading. My final schedule is below, and I think it will be a lot of fun: I’ll have enough time to read one of my favorite works, I’ll be on a panel that Ken Liu and I proposed, and I get to geek out about Welcome to Night Vale, one of my favorite podcasts!

Reading: John Murphy

Friday 20:00 – 20:25, Independence (Westin)

I’ll be reading one of my short stories. I’ve got a leisurely 25 minutes to do it in, and I think I have Just the Thing.

The Future of Forensics (Moderating)

Saturday 10:00 – 10:50, Marina 2 (Westin)

Advances in science and technology are driving the future of forensics. How will these changes affect the future of crime prevention and detection? What crimes committed today or yesterday might be solved in the future, and how might it be done? What relationship do these advances have to the future of crime fiction? And how do we keep it feeling “real” without wandering into science fantasy?

What’s Up with Welcome to Night Vale?

Saturday 12:00 – 12:50, Galleria-Discussion Group (Westin)

Welcome to Night Vale is supposedly a “radio show” bringing news and advertisements from a small town in the desert Southwest where some very strange things happen. What is it about this cult-hit podcast that has captured fans’ attention? Panelists dish on the origins of the show, some of the juicier episodes, and the fan community that has sprung up around this popular series.

Constructive Criticism for Revising Novel-Length Work

Saturday 15:00 – 15:50, Burroughs (Westin)

Both getting and giving constructive criticism can be a challenge when going through the revision process, particularly for longer works. As a writer: how do you know what to ask of a potential critic, and how do you provide feedback on the success of the critique? As a critic: how do you identify and communicate issues or problems to the author? How do you keep track of plot threads, identify themes, and figure out what questions need to be asked? Also, how should writer and critic approach a series?

Social Implications of New Technologies

Saturday 16:00 – 16:50, Harbor III (Westin)

What unexpected places may today’s tech take us tomorrow? How will we live with 3-D printing? Driverless cars? Robots that quit the factory’s floor and start sweeping ours? Handheld everythings? What gadgets will change our lives for good (or ill), and how? And what if those robots get minds of their own?