Event wrap-up 2012 and 2013

Looks like it’s been a long time since I’ve done an event wrap-up, so here goes:

2012:

April

This was a huge month for me, acting as one of three organizers of the first edition of the Fantastic Literature Odyssey in Porto Alegre, Brazil. We received around 500 visitors for this first event, a huge success!

May

As an invited speaker at SENAC college, I discussed transmedia and The Elephant and Macaw Banner.

June

I was invited by the state government to speak on the creative industry in a major event related to the subject.

August

A visit to Chicago and Chicon 7, the 70th Worldcon, where I did a reading and participated in a load of programming.

September

A visit to Fantasticon, where I launched the third pocket book based on The Elephant and Macaw Banner and shared a roundtable on the Hydra Competition.

November

Things heated up this month with invites to three book fairs in the cities of Porto Alegre, Passo Fundo and Novo Hamburgo. In Passo Fundo, I spoke to several hundred students and had a book among the event’s best-sellers, a first for me. I also participated in a roundtable organized by an association linked to the Education and Cultural Ministries.

2013:

April

April meant the second edition of the Fantastic Literature Odyssey, this time with 1000 participants, 400 of them visiting from local schools. I personally spoke with around a hundred students, who had read my book leading up to the event. I also did three writing workshops at Pio XII high school in Novo Hamburgo.

May

In RPGCon Portão, I lectured on nerd culture. I also served on the jury at Fantaspoa, the International Fantastic Cinema Festival of Porto Alegre, perhaps the largest of its kind in South America.

June

At Multiverso ComicCon, I spoke on video games and comics.

August

A busy month where I participated in LoneStarCon 3, and gave a workshop on nerd culture in the classroom to teachers from the state education system.

September

An even busier month, with a lecture at SAP Brasil, two book launches (one at Fantasticon), one workshop for teachers and a workshop at the Caxias do Sul Book Fair.

October

A speaking engagement at Ildo Meneghetti high school, where the students packed in on a Saturday morning to hear me speak. I also had the honor of speaking at Tekoá Anhetenguá, a Guarani village.

November

This was a big month, with my participation in the Porto Alegre Book Fair and “Lord Byron’s Challenge”, a night where writers from around the world were locked in the state’s public library for a night and had to produce terror stories for an anthology. Unforgettable!

I also presented a talk on media adaptations at the first Adaptation Studies Journey.

Summary:

I think that about wraps it up. These have been a spectacular two years, with so many invites from so many places. Thanks so much to everyone involved. Every opportunity is an honor, and I hope to keep up in 2014!

Douglas Cohen writes about “The Fortuitous Meeting”

Douglas Cohen, the editor who chose “The Fortuitous Meeting of Gerard van Oost and Oludara” from the Realms of Fantasy Magazine slush pile, recently published a retrospective on issue #93 of the magazine, the one in which the story was published.

In his retrospective, he has many kind words to say about the story, and gives an interesting look at the process which led from slush to a selection as a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Novelette.

In honor of the retrospective, here’s a picture of me with Douglas and Shawna McCarthy (founder of Realms of Fantasy and Fiction Editor at the time of the story’s publication) at the Nebula banquet in 2011.  If I’m not mistaken, Realms of Fantasy recorded nine finalists (and two wins) for the Nebula Award during its run, with two of the finalists that year: mine and “How Interesting: A Tiny Man” by Harlan Ellison (a winner). It was a very special night for all three of us, one of my most unforgettable moments.

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Thanks so much, Douglas!

Visit to the Anhetenguá village

In one of my greatest honors to date as a writer, I was invited to the Tekoá Anhetenguá, a Guarani village, on October 22nd to discuss the portrayal of indigenous peoples in fiction. This village, located in the middle of Porto Alegre’s suburban sprawl, fights to pass along the traditions and culture of the Guarani. It was a pleasant day, everyone was wonderful and friendly, making me instantly feel at home. An oral culture, they explained to me how writing is new to them, but they see it as a great possibility of recording their stories and traditions. As their chief put it, “everyone has a story to tell.”

Respecting their traditions, I didn’t take any pictures, but the images of that visit will stay in my memory forever.

LoneStarCon 3 next week

I’ll be at LoneStarCon 3 (San Antonio) next week representing The Elephant and Macaw Banner, UniRitter University, and, I hope, having a good time.

Here’s my schedule for the event. If you’re there, please say hello!

Thursday, August 29

5pm-6pm – Living in Another Language: Does it Affect Your Writing?

Does being exposed to different languages on a day to day basis change the way you write? Is it beneficial? How does it compare to living in a monolingual society? Bradford Lyau, Jo Walton, Cenk Gokce, Christopher Kastensmidt

Friday, August 30

Noon-1pm – Conflicting Cultures When Preserving the Environment

Panel will identify first and third world perspectives related to environmental stewardship. Who has to pay, and what is the price? Liz Argall, John K Strickland Jr., Gail Carriger, Christopher Kastensmidt, Brenda Cooper

3pm-4pm – Science Fiction in South America

How is SF thriving in South America? What’s happening in native and imported written SF in print and online SF publishing, movies, and TV. Eileen Gunn, Derek Kunsken, Christopher Kastensmidt

4pm-6pm – SFWA Table, Dealer’s Room

I’ll be working at the SFWA table for three hours on Friday afternoon. A great time to stop by and chat!

Saturday, August 31

10am-11am – Adapting Folklore in Speculative Fiction: Brazil and Space Opera

In this academic session, I’ll be presenting a paper entitled: “From Brazilian folklore to speculative fiction: three recent approaches to integrating mythical characters”

Sunday, September 1

3pm-4pm – Judging Something by Its Cover

How do different cultures use cover styles, design motives and symbology to entice their audience? What adjustments need to be made for different markets? Jennie Faries , John Hornor Jacobs, Jon Schindehette, Christopher Kastensmidt, Irene Gallo

8pm – Hugo Award Ceremony

I’ll be at the ceremony representing my good friend Aliette de Bodard, nominated this year for two Hugo Awards!