FogCon 4: Day One

First day down. A really strong set of panels today. As usual, my to-read list is exploding. :) And I didn't even go to the "lesser known writers that need more attention" panel. The highlights:

• A panel on secret worlds in fiction: portal worlds like Narnia and Oz, and worlds hidden in the shadows of our own like the wizarding world in Harry Potter. This is where I got most of my best book recommendations.


• Another panel on the related but separate topic of secret histories in fiction. ("Secrets" is the theme of the con this year.) More discussion of what makes a good secret history, and more book recommendations of course.


• Dinner with people -- I went up to say hi to a friend, and she was gathering people together for a pre-planned meal, and she invited me to tag along, which was nice. The conversation was mostly about con planning, which was quite interesting even if I have little to no practical experience with the subject. :)


• ConTention: an annual event in which folks get together for a good old fashioned hour of arguing about things. This is one of my favorite things at the con, because everyone attends it with an open mind and without taking it too seriously -- people often end up switching sides on a topic, sometimes more than once. I did more listening than talking this time, although I did get pretty involved in the question of whether the Game of Thrones tv series is superior to the books. (I argued on the side of the books, and my main issue with the show -- that it plays straight many of the fantasy tropes that GRRM is subverting in the books -- was well received by the crowd.)


• A very well-done panel about rape in fiction. One of the guests of honor is Seanan McGuire; she was on the panel, and the jumping-off point was an infamous question she received from a fan about when one of her female characters was going to be raped. Not if; when. As if rape is an inevitable fact of being a female protagonist in a fantasy setting. The discussion centered around the problems with using rape as a plot and character development subject. It was an excellent panel, well-moderated, thoughtfully handled, and so many times I wished I was live-tweeting because Seanan is so very quotable. (If you are a fan and get the chance to see her in person, take it. So much fun.)


• And then a stop by the con suite and a room party, and then back to my room to take my notes and decompress. A good day, but I am ready for some rest. Especially since I'm doing a panel tomorrow morning!