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April 25, 2005
ICFA26 - Dale Knickerbocker on the IF Division
First, as a rookie Div Head (International Fantastic), I’d like to thank the officers and other Div Heads for their advice and support defore and during ICFA. It was challenging, exhausting, but mostly FUN!
The first thing that called my attention as I looked at the list of IF participants was that the number of first-timers and veterans was almost even—which I consider a healthy sign. Hopefully, we convinced the newbies that returning is always a good idea. I was especially encouraged by the quality of papers given by first-time grad student attendees (thanks Hiroko, Miri, Shannon, Stephanie).
The variety of topics was even more mind-blowing (to stop just sort of bizarre) than ever, running from Brazilianizing Tolkein to werewolves and shapeshifters in anime and manga to Cuban Horror to Eastern yogic influences on Philip K. Dick to the transreal in early Protestant mysticism (yes, you read it correctly) to genetic memory and hermaphroditism. Dizzying to read, isn’t it?
It was also a truly international ICFA, with IF participants coming from as far away as Finland, Sweden, Germany, Japan, France—not to mention even more exotic places such as Southern California and South Florida.
I would like to thank the participants in the panel session on U.S literary “imperialism” in Western Europe and the difficulties faced by European authors in publishing and selling their work: ICFA veterans Lokke Heiss, Gideon Haberkorn, and David Dickens; (the ubiquitous) Stefan Ekman, and authors Niklas Krog and Irma Hirsjarvi. And moreso the hearty souls who got up at 8:30 on Saturday to attend. Panelists took loose threads of topics (brainstormed by e-mail) and weaved them into an edifying discussion. I know I learned much.
And of course thanks to the core group of friends I look forward to seeing each year, even if you haven’t been mentioned specifically, we certainly don’t take you for granted.
Two items of business:
1)PLEASE BE THINKING OF TOPICS FOR A PANEL FOR NEXT YEAR AND
2) LET’S SEE IF WE CAN ALSO COME UP WITH AN IF ROUND TABLE:
We would need a text accessible and interesting to the wide variety of research interests represented in IF—preferrably related to the visual arts.
I’m already taking suggestions…
Thanks again to all, and see you next year.
Posted by ChrissieMains at 09:27 PM | Comments (0)
ICFA26 - Chip Sullivan reports
The Children's/Young Adult Literature Panel, "The Lion and the Unicorn Special Issue on YA Science Fiction," drew a good crowd on Thursday morning. Mary Harris Russell (moderator), Brian Attebery, Mike Levy, and Chip Sullivan discussed the idea of YA science fiction as a sub-genre, referring to the essays in The Lion and the Unicorn 28.2 (2004) for examples, and then engaged members of the audience in a lively discussion of YA SF in general, with those in the audience and on the panel commenting on their own early reading. The panel proved that the topic of YA SF is one that could certainly stand more critical attention.
Don Palumbo and Chip Sullivan discussed their series with McFarland Press at "Publishing Opportunities" on Thursday afternoon. The series, "Critical Explorations in Science Ficxtion and Fantasy" is fairly new, with three books contracted thus far, and Palumbo and Sullivan are seeking viable proposals. For additoional information, e-mail Don Palumbo (enpalumbo AT earthlink.net) for proposals that deal with science fiction, film, art, or popular culture, and Chip Sullivan (SullivanC AT mail.ecu.edu) for proposals that deal with fantasy, mythology, or folklore.
Posted by ChrissieMains at 09:24 PM | Comments (0)