Heading to World Science Fiction Convention in a couple weeks. It’s in Montreal, where even the Klingons speak French. Ian — age 13, fanboy already — will be there with me, digging the scene. Wait til he finds out that SF authors never leave the bar.

If you happen to be coming, here’s my schedule for all the non-bar activities. (Mom, it’s where we do business. I swear it.)

I’m especially looking forward to the panel, “Are We Conscious?”  At least, my brain is looking forward to it. I wouldn’t know.

Friday 10am: When did SF Conquer the Mainstream?
Location:  P-518A
Daryl Gregory, Fred Lerner, Julie McGalliard, Kathy Morrow, John Joseph Adams, moderated by Julie McGalliard.
Once upon a time, very little science fiction was to be found that didn’t appear either as a novel of ideas with a dash of action (Wells, Rosny) or a juvenile yarn with a dash of ideas (Verne, E. E. Smith).  Today, science fiction runs the entire gamut from the pulpish to the mainstream (Chabon, McCarthy) and ideas may be served up wholesale in many other media.

Friday, 3:30pm: Are We Conscious and Does it Matter?
Location:  P-512CG
Daryl Gregory, James Morrow, Kathryn Cramer, Peter Watts, with Kathryn Cramer as moderator
What do we mean by consciousness? Has it become as much of a distraction as wondering whether there is a heaven? Would we act any differently if we didn’t think we were conscious? How important is the concept to fantasy and science fiction?

Friday, 8pm: Post-Modern, Post-Human: Writing Beyond the Human Race
Location:  P-513B
Daryl Gregory, Geoff Ryman, Geza A.G. Reilly, Nancy Kress, Geza Echs, and Geza A.G. Reill moderating.
What is there in post-modernism that invites exploration in post or trans-human stories? Is there a connection between a reaction to modernist technique and a movement away from the “just
human”?

Saturday, 1pm: Autograph signing