Potlatch 15 Programming

Call for Panelists

We're looking for folks who are interested in and believe they have something to add to our programming (listed below). At Potlatch, panels are generally considered a dialog among equals: we usually expect that there will be people in the "audience" who will be as knowledgeable as (or moreso than) the people on the "panel" -- but it is still our desire to find the most passionate and experienced people to guide the discussion. So if you think this means you, let us know: send a brief message with your interest in the topic, and any relevant background, to Blunt Jackson.

Program Descriptions

Note: This is not a full calendar of events, only panels.

[Fri: 7:30 PM] "Entry Points & Points of Contact"
What was the first work of science fiction or fantasy you read? What made you a fan? Discuss and list your earliest favorites then, what kinds of books bring new readers now, and we all honor Andre Norton. (Note: This is more of a discussion-in-the-round and less of a "panel".)

[SAT 10:00-11:00] "Are Science Fiction and Fantasy the Same Thing?"
Are science fiction and fantasy bundled together for marketing purposes -- a strange frankenstein hybrid concocted in the backroom labs of the New York publishers -- or is there some essential connection between the two?

We analyze the history of these two genres, their inter- connections, what sets them apart, and what similiarties draw them together, and reserve the right to consider other related forms such as alternate history, historical fantasy, magical realism, and so forth.

[SAT 11:15-12:15] "Apocalypse Now: Welcome to the Distopia They Used to Imagine"
Political deterioration, environmental collapse, the end of oil, fascism and democracy converging on a corporate totalitarianism, the rise of the omnipotent corporations... is this the beginning of the end?

We look at science fiction as political tool, and political prophecy.

*** LUNCH : 12:15 - 1:30 ***

[SAT 1:30 - 2:30] "The Avram Davidson Treasury"
Come prepared to discuss, analyze, and learn more about the life and works of Avram Davidson.

[SAT 2:45 - 3:45] "Evolution of Short Fiction"
Once upon a time, short fiction was the premier vehicle for the genre. Magazines thrived, and produced riches of brilliant and bold ideas, while only a few books came out each year. Now, the top-tier magazines are in a slow decline, while SciFiction -- the top paying market for science fiction writers -- has shut down completely. Subscription numbers are negligible, and barely holding on. Yet: more new writers are producing more innovative new short fiction every year. Gardner Dozois has declared this the golden age of the short story. How is the nature and the role of short fiction changing?

[SAT 4:00 - 5:00] "The Bleeding Edge"
Science Fiction has always been about new ideas. What are the new ideas in science fiction now? New writers are bringing new life to the genre: who are today's "new" writers, and what are they doing that is different from last year's sci-fi? What established writers are pushing the boundaries of the genre? In a world where most cutting edge science requires years of study to even comprehend, what is the role of science in science fiction?

Come prepared to share your thoughts on the brightest, the best, the boldest... the bleeding edge.

-- Blunt Jackson

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