May 29 2009
Readercon 2009 - The Conference on Imaginative Literature, Twentieth Edition
I have a great literature convention for those of you in the New England area! Readercon is “the conference on imaginative literature” and it is happening July 9-12, 2009 at the Burlington Marriott in Burlington, Massachusetts. The organizer’s describe the convention as such:
Readercon is, depending on your point of view, either an annual literary conference (except it’s infinitely more fun than that) or an annual science fiction convention (except we’ve stripped away virtually everything except talking about and buying books). In the course of its twenty years, it has become the standard bearer and role model for conventions that focus on the literature. A typical Readercon features well over 100 writers, editors, and critics (attracting prominent figures from Canada, the U.K., and occasionally even Australia) and more than 400 of their readers. Readercon is the only small convention regularly attended by such giants of literary sf as Samuel R. Delany, John Crowley, Barry N. Malzberg, and Jonathan Lethem.
Tickets for this unique convention are just $50 through June 30, 2009. You can make your purchase via mail, or via PayPal. There is no mention of an “at the door” price on the website.
Guests for the 2009 Readercon include: Elizabeth Hand, Greer Gilman, Hope Mirrlees, and about 159 others! That’s right, 159! You can see all the names and their bios on the official Readercon website.
Some of the annual programming events include a Meet the Pros(e) Party, the Rhysling Award Poetry Slan, the Kirk Poland Memorial Bad Prose Competition, panels reviewing the year in short fiction and in novels, panels about the guests of honor, 30-minute author talks, and more!
For those who are interested in getting involved in this convention, Readercon is looking for volunteers. They are especially looking for volunteers with expertise in web design (forms-based especially), record-keeping, publications, program, dealers, and publicity. Interested parties should contact the convention’s organizers.
If you attend Readercon, be sure to post a comment with links to your photos, videos, and convention reports!
