Arisia was a wonderful convention. I’m very pleased with the hotel change, to the Westin Waterfront in Boston (there were only a few problems with the hotel: the dearth and expense of parking, many people complained it was too cold inside [though I didn’t notice—too many years living in Buffalo, I guess], and traveling between panels or other event rooms took forever [it’s a big hotel, although the elevators were definitely up to the task). The hotel Arisia had been inhabiting the last few years, the Hyatt in Cambridge, is very nice, but far too small for the convention. The 2,800 or so people at this year’s convention didn’t feel the least bit cramped (except trying to make our way down Dealers’ Row, and in several parties). Actually, we felt a bit spread out (the convention used all of the hotel’s meeting space), and next year I’m hoping for better signage pointing con-goers to the dealers’ room and art show.
I spent most of my time in the dealers’ room, behind the Fantastic Books table. I had a very good time there, and saw nearly everyone I’d hoped to: one advantage of being in a fixed place most of the time. On the other hand, there were several people at the convention I actually never saw, and one person I was only able to talk with for the length of an escalator ride. I was very pleased with the response the books received, especially Daniel M. Kimmel’s Jar Jar Binks Must Die… and other Observations about Science Fiction Movies (over the course of the weekend, I sold out of all the copies I had there). There was a nice selection of stuff to be had in the dealers’ room, and even more atop the hotel on dealers’ row (a hall of rooms in which dealers took over entire rooms to display their wares—a few conventions offer this option, but not many).
On Sunday night, I hosted my first convention party (for Fantastic Books, Jar Jar Binks Must Die…, and SFScope). I had lots of help, lots of good people, lots of food, friends, and fun. The only down side to the party (and indeed, the whole weekend) was that I forgot to bring a camera. So if anyone has pictures of Fantastic Books at some point during the convention, I’d love to see them.
On the programming side, I was on five panels (I was scheduled for two more, but missed them due to traffic). The most lively was the first, “Idols with Feet of Clay”. It was a discussion of the question: “Can you still read the works of someone with whom you are on opposite sides politically?” The panel write-up specifically mentioned James P. Hogan’s Holocaust denial and Orson Scott Card’s opposition to homosexuality. Of the five panelists, I was the only one who said one ought to be able to divorce the art from the artist, and read the fiction regardless of one’s view of the writer. The other four panelists strenuously defended their view that one ought not read the works of a writer with whom one has such disagreement. I was pleased that we represented both sides of the issue, because I’ve been on too many “debate” type panels where all the panelists are on the same side of the issue, and the discussion gets very boring very quickly. However, I was somewhat taken aback that nearly all of the audience agreed with the majority of the panel, and I found myself in a very small minority. In retrospect, I should have expected most of the audience to disagree with me; those who agreed with me were probably not attracted by the panel topic, and went elsewhere for their entertainment. Nevertheless, I tried to defend my position rationally and logically. I don’t know if I succeeded, but I stand by my point of view. I was surprised when I questioned my fellow panelists if their view required them to research the background of each author before picking up a book. They all said no, that they would only avoid an author’s work if they knew the author’s views, but they didn’t feel a requirement to seek out those views first. I was also surprised when they said they felt no moral obligation to tell others to avoid an author’s work if they were so opposed to the author themselves. It was a loud, boisterous discussion, just the kind of panel I enjoy from both sides (although it is sometimes nice to be one of those holding the majority opinion, to not have that target painted so glaringly on my forehead).
Next up for me was a panel on John W. Campbell, Jr.’s, legacy within science fiction (Campbell was the editor of Analog Science Fiction and Fact from 1937 to 1971). There was no denying that he’s cast a long shadow and had a great influence. Instead, we discussed what that influence was, and if things might have been better if Campbell hadn’t held all the views he did (he pretty much required that all the heroes in Analog stories be humans, and men at that, with aliens being either villains or subservient to humans, which is why Isaac Asimov said he didn’t write stories with aliens; he disagreed with that view)> What surprised me here was that I had the closest association with Campbell (until the fifth panelist arrived late: he’d actually met and corresponded with Campbell). I worked at Analog for six years, and was the only panelist to have sold stories to Analog.
I found the panel on “Leadership and SF/F” a little disappointing. Only three of the five scheduled panelists appeared. My two co-panelists both work professionally in group dynamics and management topics, so the panel focused far more on leadership in the real world, with only occasional nods to speculative fiction.
Back-to-back scheduling had me running out of the leadership panel to “Many Ways to Tell a Story”, which I found very interesting. We were discussing the differences between written fiction, filmed (television or movie), stage adaptations, comic books, and more. There were no conclusions, but a great discussion. I was especially pleased that one of the panelists was an actress and screenplay writer and teacher; she brought points of view that are normally lacking when a bunch of novel/short story writers sit around talking. Actually, the panel lacked only a comics creator to give us the full spectrum of experience, but I think the audience was pleased, and not disappointed by the lack.
Those four panels filled Saturday. I’d specifically begged off programming on Sunday, in order to have enough time both in the dealers’ room and then setting up and hosting the party. In the latter tasks, I received wonderful assistance from Daniel Kimmel, my non-sf fan sister Laurie, Laura Anne Gilman, Gordon Linzner, John Glindeman, and several others whose names aren’t coming immediately to mind (apologies for leaving your names off). I think the party went well: we had covers of nearly all the Fantastic Books books I’ve published so far for decoration, lots of food and drinks, and a couple of FB authors in attendance. I also learned a lot about throwing a convention party, and will use that experience next time (whenever that is).
The last few years, Arisia has turned into a four-day convention, situated as it is on the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend. In some ways, the extra time is a wonderful addition (another night of partying, extra time to see people [though, see above], and even more fascinating panels). However, by the time Monday rolls around, quite a few people are dragging (this was also the first Arisia in three or four years without a major snowstorm during the convention; a pleasant surprise). On Monday, I was on the panel “Political Climates: Reflections in SF/F”. The key question in the write-up was “How much does the political climate of the time influence the content of genre works?” As a political scientist and sf pro, my view was that most sf is not a reflection of the time in which it is written, but rather a reaction to it. Much of the history of science fiction is presenting alternatives to force readers to think about ways in which life might change. I think I made my point, but I think the panel as a whole was a bit of a muddle.
Then I packed up the table (with the wonderful assistance of Laura Anne Gilman and Randee Dawn), drove home through miserable traffic, and now I’m almost completely caught up on my lost sleep.
What’s there to look forward to? Well, returning to the Westin for Arisia again next year (I think they’ve signed a four-year contract). And before that, returning to the Westin next month for Boskone. That should be an interesting contrast. Arisia split off from Boskone two decades ago, and the two conventions have diverged in their foci and attendance. But now they’ll both be in the same hotel. I wonder what it’s going to feel like in February in Boston.