Here’s where to find me at Readercon today. Assuming my flight isn’t further delayed.
8:00 PM F Mastering the Puppets. Erik Amundsen, Gwendolyn Clare, John Crowley, Mary Robinette Kowal (leader), Barry N. Malzberg.Catherynne M. Valente uses the phrase “touching the puppets” as critical shorthand for protagonists–and, by extension, stories–interacting with fantastical elements rather than merely coexisting with them. Copious puppet-touching creates an inherently speculative story (e.g. City of Saints and Madmen), but plenty of stories with speculative settings succeed despite leaving the puppets relatively untouched (e.g. Star Wars, in which the droids could be people and the lightsabers could be swords without changing the story at all). What makes those stories work for speculative fiction audiences? What are the advantages and disadvantages to touching the puppets, and what drives an author to go one way or the other?
Sounds like a wonderful workshop. Had I the time and the money, I would love to attend.