From science to history to magic, the world is full of source material for writes if you only know where to look. Our panel of writers, game designers and fellow travelers will discuss how they develop their background to make their creative endeavor more realistic.

Isaac Asimov wrote provocative fiction about the about the role of robots in a futuristic society. His three Laws of Robotics made for fascinating reading. Time has marched on and we are on the cusp of modern automation. Are these laws still relevant? Come find out!

Science fiction and fantasy give authors and their readers the chance to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations. Yet, even the Starship Enterprise came back to Starfleet in San Francisco between voyages. What are the challenges and opportunities presented by staying close to home?

The terrible news about the risks of climate change are almost impossible to dodge, as are the attempts to "greenwash" the organizations and institutions that are responsible for the current situation and essential to resolving it.

Given an estimate of how big the magma volume is how long does it take for a Super Volcano Eruption (VEI 9+) to happen. There's a mystical reference to 150 days of hell with multiple (I use six and they're symmetrical so it's easier for me) vents cutting open the edge of what will be the caldara. I show how this results in a yellowstone class eruption, but not in the US.

A panel to discuss importance of great characters-how to design them, avoids tropes, create unique characters in stories. Also discuss good and bad characters in books & media. Breaking stereotypes and goals for characters. Discuss issues (example why is a strong woman often tagged stubborn instead of strong).

"Own Voices" deserve to be heard, and people, especially underrepresented people should get to tell their own stories. But, does that mean we can only write about characters that look like us and have the same background? Taken to a logical extreme, can men ever write authentic female characters? Where are the lines when it comes to "writing the other?" When does the folk process become cultural theft or exploitation? What is the role of "sensitivity readers" in all this, and can they help of...

Robots are just the latest iteration of technology designed to imitate life, augment human power, and save humans from harmful jobs. Plus they're just so cool! We give a brief history of mechanical devices and discuss their relationship to the society they were devised in.

It's a familiar accusation for many writers. We're told our work is "woke" or someone tries to ban our books. But SF and Fantasy have always been political. We'll talk about holding off the dreaded accusation, "That's Too Political."

Getting input and finding friends to write with is both easier and harder, after Covid. the tools for online meetings are much more mainstream and available. Come find out some tricks and resources for creating, managing or finding Writers groups online in 2024.

North America (THe US & Canada) use about 1,000,000 barrels of oil a day. Given that and the average yield of gasoline and diesel how much electricity will be needed when all the cars trucks trains and what have you are converted to electric.

"Nobody is the villain in her own movie," except some people are. But more often than not they are somewhere nearer the middle of the scale, kind and decent sometimes, thoughtless or cruel in other circumstances. And, sometimes, even good people are left with nothing but bad choices. Can you write satisfying adventure stories without twirling mustaches and capes flapping in the breeze? 

Do you have this wonderful story idea that you can’t find the time or energy to write about? Our panel of writers with real day jobs will share stories of how they fit it in.

Magical healing is found in many fantasy (and science fiction, depending on your definition of “magical”) stories. What are the limits of it, and what are the costs to either the caster or the recipient? Can magic heal mental trauma as well as physical? If the mind can be healed with magic, does it require something different than physical healing?

A hands-on discussion with antique swords and armor, from the perspective of a historian, reenactor, collector, and writer.

Robots are just the latest iteration of technology designed to imitate life, augment human power, and save humans from harmful jobs. Plus they're just so cool! We give a brief history of mechanical devices and discuss their relationship to the society they were devised in.

Before we contact extraterrestrial civilizations, we can practice communicating with alien intelligences right here. Researchers are trying to create a lexicon of dolphin vocalizations in the Caribbean, elephants communicate in frequencies that humans are just learning to “see” with spectrograms and, as programmers inch their way toward a general AI, the question is if it will “think” in a way we can fathom.

Come discuss with professional authors on a critical aspect of successful writing, mindset. What we think as we approach our work has critical impact on how much we get done, how quickly we recover from failures, and what ends up on the written page. What mindsets will fire you up to write everyday, kill doubt and the inner critic, and illuminate your work lighting a fire in the hearts of your readers?

From science to history to magic, the world is full of source material for writes if you only know where to look. Our panel of writers, game designers and fellow travelers will discuss how they develop their background to make their creative endeavor more realistic.

Isaac Asimov wrote provocative fiction about the about the role of robots in a futuristic society. His three Laws of Robotics made for fascinating reading. Time has marched on and we are on the cusp of modern automation. Are these laws still relevant? Come find out!

This presentation will discuss the arguments for and against nuclear power, including how nuclear power implants the environment, the economy, and public health.