InConJunction 43 - SF&F Convention

Various interesting panels, sessions and events beginning Friday afternoon will be scheduled for your enlightenment and enjoyment. Subjects range from the delightfully silly to the seriously sublime.

If you would like to be part of our panels, sessions and events, or just have programming suggestions, go to the new Event Planning Dashboard and log in (or create a new account). From there you can volunteer as a Programming Participant, request a table in the Creators' Alley*, make programming suggestions and much more.

*Please note that tables in the Creators' Alley area of the Expo Hall are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are reserved specifically for authors, artists, etc. that are interested in selling, promoting, and autographing their own works and would like to have additional opportunities to meet face-to-face with their fans and other attendees of InConJunction. Authors, artists, etc. that are planning on selling any other additional merchandise must purchase vendor space in the InConJunction Expo Hall. Artists that would like to display their works and make them available for purchase (in particular artists that are not planning on attending InConJunction or who may require additional hanging/display space) are encouraged to contact the Art Show organizer to reserve space in the InConJunction Art Show.

If you have questions about InConJunction's programming, have any recommendations or suggestions that you would like to share, or need any other additional information please feel free to contact our Programming Coordinator via email at programming@inconjunction.org or write to:

Social media thrives on drama. The more divisive a community, the more social platforms thrive, and the bookish community is not immune. In a post-BookTok world, it can be hard for both fans and creators to feel comfortable among their own peers. Despite coming together through a love of books and the stories within, the underlying fear of miscommunications leaves many silent and jaded. In this open discussion, we will look at recent events that rocked the BookTok world, what to do when things go wrong, how we can learn through our missteps and hold others accountable, and what we can all do to fight rage farming and fabricated drama.

Exploring what defines Afrofuturism and its significance in speculative fiction. Also, discussing emerging and popular Afrofuturist authors and their works.

This expert panel of writers will discuss how they determined the rules of the worlds they've built, why it's important to be consistent, and when it's okay to break your own established rules.

Join us again as our panel of readers and authors shares their top books they've read since 2023's InConJunction. Books do not need to be new, but they must make the panelist top list of books they've read since the previous convention. We'll gather our list ahead of our presentation and have copies of it for folks who want one.

A basic introduction to self-defense in general, followed by a discussion of what is possible (and practical!) in combat. Designed for writers but with practical demonstrations, with time for questions and answers. I practice Pekiti Tirsia Kali, Dutch Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and I assist with personal self-defense at my local gym.

A discussion of the basic form for effective lyrics, how to build a song and when to use a chorus or bridge.

In this workshop, we'll take a look at the building blocks of real-world languages and how we can use them to create believable fictional languages.

A panel discussion of DC and Marvel comics, movies, television series and video games. This panel will explore the history of these companies, their characters, their rivalries, future direction, and impact on fans and pop culture.

Did you like the ending of "Star Trek: Discovery?" What were the highs and lows of the season and the series? Come and discuss.

This workshop is designed to break down and identify the Foundations of Fiction so they can be used to strengthen your writing. The Foundations of Fiction may be applied to all genres of fiction as well as screenwriting and comic-book writing. This workshop will also cover why an understanding of the Foundations of Fiction is extremely instrumental to good writing at any stage of the writer's journey.

I'm ready to once again do the filk circles. Last year was a good success, and I feel we're gaining momentum.

This panel will discuss how to effectively implement time travel in stories without breaking your story.

Our panelists will discuss best practices for writing romance scenes in speculative fiction.

Join us as we take a look at some of the most "what the heck?!" moments in some of the weirdest horror films. From a haunted piano that snacks on people, to semi-trucks that hold people hostage, there's no end to the strangeness in these films! If you like weird, odd - and often hilarious - horror movies, this is the panel for you!

Whether your problem is an evil mastermind, an imploding star or melting ice caps, it can be difficult to balance the flow of your narrative when the entire world is at stake. This expert panel of writers and editors will discuss how to maintain the tension without overwhelming the reader while driving home a satisfying ending.

We will discuss the benefits and cautions of co-writing, as well as how to be a good writing partner and/or editor.

Copy/paste the description of your character into an AI image generator to see if it matches your vision of the character? Do a Google image search for images of a "thing" you want in your story? Using Google Maps to street-walk down the place your story will take place to make accurate descriptions? Are these all legit uses of the technology, or are they pushing the bad edge? What else might you do, and where do you draw the line?

With government and conservative groups banning books at an alarming rate, librarians are at the forefront of the fight for free speech. Join us for a discussion with librarians and activists to discuss what dangers we face, what is being done and what we can do to keep books in our libraries.

In honor of the theme of InConJunction 43, talk about your favorite robots, fix-it types and everything -punk.

What was your favorite part of InCon 43? What can we do better last year? And what is the Circle of Janus?

TammyJo will be reading from the first two books of her new adult science fiction series Almost Partners.

We know the book is usually better, but what happens when the book is based on the movie? Come explore the wild world of movie novelizations as we ask questions like: Why did so many '90s movies get a book? Are some of these good, actually? Who's writing these things? and How many authors does it take to adapt Free Willy into a 90-page book?

Would the sport of golf be improved by the addition of ninjas and dragons? How does learning how to type help defeat zombies? Learn the answers to these strange questions and more as we examine some of the weirdest video games of the past.

Star Trek & Star Wars: Using the Force to Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before

This panel will discuss the various facets of Star Trek and Star Wars lore, specifically the books, films and TV shows. It will also discuss the rivalry and comradery between fans of both franchises, and where they meet in the middle.

A discussion of the seasons of "What If?", "Invincible" and "X-Men '97." What went well and what didn't?

This is exactly what it sounds like: a panel where cosplayers give advice to other cosplayers on how to approach cosplay from a more sustainable angle, especially as the "TikTok-ification" of cosplay has led it to a lot of the same problems fast fashion has today. I addition to explaining how to source and reuse materials for cosplay, the panel also goes over ways to be a more sustainable congoer for anyone who attends them, cosplayers or not.

Despite publishing being 500 years old, the past 20 years have seen more changes to the landscape of publishing than any other time in history. E-books, print on demand, self-publishing, BookTok - things evolve at a breakneck pace, and even for readers keeping up can be a challenge. Yet despite the constant evolution, book covers remain one of the most important marketing aspects for any book. The tools and aesthetic may have changed, but a book cover can make or break whether a book rises to the top, or gets swept away in an oversaturated market. We will go over the current state of book covers, technical considerations, how to create or commission a cover, and how niche genres play a role for both authors and readers.

What did you like or not like? What were the big moments? The funniest lines? Let's talk!

Since their inception, science fiction and fantasy have used allegory as a way to process through and expose the issues of their era. Classic stories like 1984 have been lauded as predicting the future, when in reality they reflect cyclical issues plaguing the author's time. Speculative fiction is also a shorthand for creators to process through traumatic experiences with distance. By camouflaging what they endured through the avatars of unicorns and space pirates, the reality of that pain becomes clearer even if the face and shape is different. In this roundtable discussion, creators as well as fans talk through how speculative fiction has helped them come to terms with their pasts and the uncertainty of the future.

Would you like to volunteer to help out with the convention? Do you want to apply to be a participating guest, artist, or vendor? Do you have promotional items you want to provide or items that you'd like to donate to our charity auction? Want to receive the latest convention flyer and be kept informed of upcoming events? You can do all this and more via our Online Address Book form. All InConJunction participants (both approved and those pending approval) can login and update their Participant Profile and Settings via the new Event Planning Dashboard.

Send an E-Mail to the current Convention Chair-Person at conchair2024@inconjunction.org if you would like any additional information about InConJunction. Send an E-Mail to the convention webmaster at webmaster@inconjunction.org with questions or comments about the InConJunction web page.

InConJunction is dedicated to providing a harassment-free convention experience for everyone. This policy applies to all participants, whether Convention Committee members, volunteers, vendors, invited guests or paying attendees.

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InConJunction, The Circle of Janus, and their respective logos are trademarks of The Circle of Janus, Inc. Note: This information is tentative and is subject to change without notice! Copyright 2024 InConJunction and The Circle of Janus.