I'm a Panelist at Boskone (Check Out My Schedule)

Join me at Boskone (February 16-18, 2018) in Boston, MA for New England's longest running science fiction and fantasy convention. It's going to be a fun weekend filled with discussions of books, film, art, music, games, and more. For more information about Boskone, visit The Boskone Blog, Twitter, and Facebook as well as by going to the Boskone website to register at http://www.boskone.org/register/

Here are a list of my panels/workshop/readings:

Black Publishers in SF/F

17 Feb 2018, Saturday 11:00 - 12:00, Marina 3 (Westin)

Science fiction and fantasy work by black writers is thriving. The environment is slowly (but finally) changing, as more publishers, editors, and artists enter the market every day. Our panelists discuss the lay of the land, the challenges of publishing black-themed content, getting shelf space at large and/or independent bookstores, and more.

Christine Taylor-Butler (M), Kenesha Williams, Justin Key, Gerald L. Coleman, Clarence Young

The Heart of Horror & Stephen King

17 Feb 2018, Saturday 12:00 - 13:00, Marina 3 (Westin)

The throne of the King of Horror seems more secure than ever, with recent releases including the novel Sleeping Beauties (with his son Owen), and movies based on his work including The Dark Tower, It, Gerald's Game, and 1922, plus TV series The Mist and Mr. Mercedes — as well as an anniversary reprint of The Stand plus a Christine video short and a collector’s DVD of The Dead Zone. Stephen King revitalized and sustained the horror genre through a rough period of redefinition and rebranding. What is it about his scary stories that’s so compelling? Why do his characters stand out? Which tales will keep our dark little hearts beating faster for years to come?

Vincent O'Neil (M), Lauren Roy, Kenesha Williams, Paul Tremblay, Jack M. Haringa

Myths and Legends in Urban Fantasy

17 Feb 2018, Saturday 14:00 - 15:00, Marina 4 (Westin)

Urban fantasy may focus on stories set within cities, but many of these tales come with some sort of mythology or legend at their core. What is it about the mix of ancient mythology and modern city that we find so interesting? How do we blend stories from our rural past into a contemporary cityscape without creating a hot mess?

Kenesha Williams, Erin M. Hartshorn, Elaine Cunningham, James Moore, Beth Meacham

Editing Online Magazines

17 Feb 2018, Saturday 16:00 - 17:00, Marina 1 (Westin)

Curating the content of any online periodical comes with its own special opportunities and challenges. Our experienced panelists share what it takes to pull an online magazine together — and how the process may differ from life on Planet Print. They'll also take a look at some of the newest and best zines now online.

Don Pizarro (M), Kate Baker, Shahid Mahmud, Kenesha Williams, Julia Rios

Creating a Franken-Story

18 Feb 2018, Sunday 10:00 - 11:00, Galleria - DragonsLair (Westin)

Kids work with author Kenesha Williams as they create and stitch together a scary original story.

Kenesha Williams, Persis Thorndike

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

18 Feb 2018, Sunday 12:00 - 13:00, Burroughs (Westin)

Octavia Butler's prescient dystopian novel Parable of the Sower was written 25 years ago. Set in the 2020s, it presents a society beset by climate change, social and economic collapse, corporate greed, wealth inequality … need we go on? What did Butler’s masterpiece get right — and wrong? How do her beleaguered characters cope? And what can the novel teach us today?

Jennifer Pelland (M), Vandana Singh, Kenesha Williams, Scott Lynch, Marshall Ryan Maresca

Afrofuturism Group Reading

18 Feb 2018, Sunday 13:00 - 14:00, Griffin (Westin)

Boskone's Afrofuturism Reading features a wide selection of authors who come together for this special group reading.

William Hayashi (M), Kenesha Williams, Errick Nunnally, Christine Taylor-Butler, Clarence Young