Young adult sf convention
Link to LJ group for the convention, Link to introductory post (Thanks, Alice!)But when it comes to the presence of kidlit authors at conventions? Our favorite conventions welcome writers of content for younger readers, but these writers are in the minority at the con. Often kidlit writers are treated by members of adult F&SF cons in a manner that is patronizing at best, snubbing or scornful at worst. In recent months this has been a growing burr under our saddles, until chance remarks after a recent con got us to talking about the place of YA and kids' F&SF in the literary world in general.
Ours is an outsider arena--not mainstream enough for the purely kidlit crowd, not adult enough for the F&SF purists. And yet, most F&SF readers were introduced to the genres as kids and still re-read their favorites, if they don't continue to read the new F&SF which is being published for younger readers! We run into as many adult readers of kidlit at cons as we do actual, real, well--you know--kids and teens!
Following a long and fruitless hunt for a kidlit con, we started talking about making our own. Think of it, folks. Your dream date: writers, editors, star booksellers, artists, critics, art, videos, anime, and a dealer's room filled with treats. Panel topics about the art you love, discussions on publishing books for children and teens, what works (what lasts) in movies for kids. A con for the well-read, regardless of age, featuring the writers who changed your life.
That's what we're doing here. A project of this size needs a lot of active participation in its planning and execution. In other words, we need help, in the form of volunteers, ideas, and funding. This is where we open the floor to you all for suggestions, recommendations, and all of the assistance we can get. Do you know anyone who might provide us with grant money? (Can you write grants?) Are you willing to work on a con committee, and in what capacity? Have you started a convention and are you willing to give advice on starting a convention? Who would you like to see, as guests and as the first Guests of Honor (writer and artist)? Your input is welcome!
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Sounds like a great idea for an audience that is generally neglected. (If I remember correctly) When I went to the first Harry Potter Convention in FL attendees had to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian. It would be nice to see a F&SF convention actually targeted towards younger readers. All the younger people around here go to Otakon and other anime conventions, but maybe a nice book-oriented con would push them in the proper direction! :p
Have you talked to the Exploratorium?
Lawrence Hall of Science?
Wozniak?
I recall Bill Atkinson, one of the most amazing early Apple team, quit Apple to go into education, is he around?
Seems to me if you invite scientists and engineers as well as writers, and invite _them_ to invite kids, you'll get a heady mix.
The Exploratorium employs Pat Murphy, one of the great sf writers of our era.
Anyone who's actually been to an anime con recently knows that those are where a lot of the younger sci-fi/fantasy fans are ending up - and the cons are being changed as a result. The cons aren't just about anime anymore, but they do manga, and music, and fashion, and modeling, and novels and so forth - it won't be long before someone gets the bright idea to focus a convention around sci-fi/fantasy, bringing us full-circle.
Ha! Cute girls!
Ooo Ooo Ooo!!!
Nominated the Westerfeld/Larbalesiter Dynamic Duo for Guests of Honor. Not only are they amazing teen and young adult writers in their own right (and their books read just as well for adults as they do the younger set), but they're married to each other and yet write in completely different styles that seem to defy the inevitable marital brain meld syndrome most of us hitched folks seem to wind up with. And they're both just as cool as hell.
It's two, two, two great tastes in one!
The Haruhi cosplay pic had me thinking...is there really not a (supported) market for YA fantasy and sci-fi in the English-speaking world? Here in Japan it's the rule, not the exception. There's no end to "light novels"...a genre of 200 or so paged stories that are aimed at junior high/high school kids and immature adults. They're not necessarily landmarks of literary achievement in all cases, but books like the "Haruhi Suzumiya" series have made a huge impact on the nation. Japan even imports/translates a huge amount of foreign YA F&SF material. I'm guessing the reverse hasn't been true in America...or has it? I haven't been to an American bookstore in 2 years, I know manga took off, but have Japanese novels been translated too? There's probably a place for translation of some of the better Japanese stuff, as well as homegrown YA lit.
Not sure I made sense there, but word.