Panels by Panelist
Panel Listings
Panelist | Day | Start Time | End Time | Room | Title | Description | All Panelists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A. A. Jankiewicz | Friday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Aurora | GoT - did it end well? | Game of Thrones - did it end well? Who should have ruled instead? | David Clink (m), James Bambury, Jen Frankel, A.A. Jankiewicz, , Jeff Beeler |
A. A. Jankiewicz | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Markham A | Publishing 101 | Are you ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Wondering what path is right for you? Do you know your path but navigating it feels like the rapids before going head-long over a waterfall? Join us as we walk you through traditional publishing, self-publishing, and being a hybrid author. Come with your questions and finally get some answers. | MJ Moores (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A. A. Jankiewicz, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury, Donald Montgomery |
A. A. Jankiewicz | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan West | Worldbuilding 201 | All fiction is speculative. Panelists will discuss the process and fundamentals of realistic world-building, including how and when to combine imagined with real setting details for best effect. | Arlene F. Marks, Ed Greenwood, A.A. Jankeweicz, Luke Maynard, J.M. Tibbott |
A. A. Jankiewicz | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Series Without Losing Your Way (or your mind) | Publishers love it when authors propose a series of books. But there's more to it than just writing one novel after another. This is a discussion about the nuts and bolts, the pitfalls and the rewards of diving into series fiction, provided by those who have been there (or still are). | Arlene F. Marks (m), Julie Czerneda, Tanya Huff, Janet Kellough, A. A. Jankiewicz |
A. A. Jankiewicz | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | The Art of Worldbuilding | Do you like to create? Creating fictional properties can seem like an overwhelming task. Do you begin from the small village or city and work your way out, or do you think of the grand schemes of the universe that govern your world and work your way all the way down to the very house your characters will start in? Learn a few tips on making your worlds make sense. | Thomas Gofton (m), Karl Schroeder, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A.A. Jankiewicz, Sarah WaterRaven, Amanda Sun |
A. A. Jankiewicz | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 1080 | Brave New Girls (A.A. Jankiewicz & Lisa Toohey) | A. A. Jankiewicz | |
A.A. Jankiewicz | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | Buttonville | Reading: A.A. Jankiewicz | A. A. Jankiewicz | |
Adam Shaftoe | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Aurora | Star Wars, the Final Movie | Star Wars Episode IX - Can the beloved saga conclude in a way that will satisfy fans? | Adam Shaftoe (m), Kari Maaren, Luke Maynard, James Bambury, Melissa Small |
Adam Shaftoe | Friday | 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM | Aurora | James and Adam NanoCon | Late Night Comedy, with James and Adam | James Bambury, Adam Shaftoe |
Adam Shaftoe | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | To Boldly Make Discovery in the Expanse | Star Trek lives on, in two contrasting seasons of Discovery and (to a degree), The Orville. The Expanse, meanwhile, takes a starkly different view of future space exploration, one more in keeping with contemporary SF writing. What do the differing approaches bring to our understanding of SF and our own possible futures? | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Adam Shaftoe, David Clink, Paul Roberts, Gillian Clinton |
Adam Shaftoe | Saturday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Oakville | 2019 - is this the peak? | 2019 - is this the peak, with so many series coming to an end this year? Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Marvel's MCU, Big Bang Theory | Adam Shaftoe (m), Elizabeth Hirst |
Alan Pollard | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan | Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard Concert | Morva and Alan perform an eclectic mix of classic and not so classic filk mixed with some folk tunes. Music written by artists across Canada, the US and the UK. Subjects include Valentina Tereshkova, fairy tale daughters, Bletchley Park, Arthurian legend, and sirens. (Not all in one song, sadly!) And we love it when people sing along! | Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard |
Alan Pollard | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Alan Pollard | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Amanda Sun | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Keeping a Canadian identity in an American world | How to keep your Canadian identity as a writer in an American market. Should you let some things go and fight for others? | Stephanie Bardy (m), MJ Moores, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff, Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith |
Amanda Sun | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham A | Sci-Fi and Fantasy for Young Adults | The Katniss Everdeens. The Beatrice Priors. The Meg Murrys. Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy has had its fair share of strong female leads (as well as some poorly written ones, of course). We all know the girl who's "not like everyone else" and is the chosen one to save the day. But why has it been in mostly dystopian or paranormal fiction? And why is there almost always a romance? Come join us as we discuss feminism and YA SFF. We'll talk about what trends we've seen in the past, and how, if at all, we believe the YA genre is progressing in its female-lead SFF stories. | Rebecca Diem (m), Avi Silver, Cathy Hird, Melissa Small, Kari Maaren, Amanda Sun |
Amanda Sun | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan West | Get an editor! | It can be hard to accept an editor's comments. Why do authors need those outside eyes? Why do authors find it hard to follow editors' suggestions. Panelists will talk about their strategies for interpreting the comments of editors. | Cathy Hird (m), James Alan Gardner, Kit Daven, Mike Rimar, Elizabeth Hirst, Amanda Sun |
Amanda Sun | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Aurora | Tales from the Plexis | Julie Czerneda, Roger Czerneda, Tanya Huff | |
Amanda Sun | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | The Art of Worldbuilding | Do you like to create? Creating fictional properties can seem like an overwhelming task. Do you begin from the small village or city and work your way out, or do you think of the grand schemes of the universe that govern your world and work your way all the way down to the very house your characters will start in? Learn a few tips on making your worlds make sense. | Thomas Gofton (m), Karl Schroeder, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A.A. Jankieweicz, Sarah WaterRaven, Amanda Sun |
Amanda Sun | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Oakridges | How to Solve Writers' Block | Discussion by panel on times they have been stymied by writers block, how long it lasted, what they did to ease it, and what they plan on doing in the future to avoid it. | M. J. Moores (m), Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith, Maaja Wentz, |
Amanda Sun | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Aurora | I Hate Common: Exploring Language in Spec Fic | Tired of monolingual fantasy empires? Want to show off the diversity of your multi-species space colony? This panel will discuss the ways language and linguistics can be used to enrich worldbuilding and create interesting conflict in everything from novels to TTRPG campaigns. We'll spend time both on language as a plot device and on tips for creating your own fictional languages! | Sienna Tristen (m). Cameron S. Currie, Amanda Sun, Luke Maynard |
Andre Lieven | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Oakville | The DC Cinematic Universe: What Works and What Doesn't | A discussion of the DC movies to date, with thoughts on what has worked, what has not, ideas on how the parts that didn't work could have been made better, and what story opportunities could have thus been opened up. | Andre Lieven (m), David Clink, James Bambury, Luke Maynard, Fingers Delaurus |
Arlene F. Marks | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Markham A | Seriously, I Want to be Taken Seriously | There is humourous science fiction and there is serious science fiction. But what if you don't want to write either Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe or 1984, but something in between? How do you add humour and comic relief to a basically serious novel? How do you make them laugh while still being taken seriously? Should you even try to blend humour with a serious subject? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), James Alan Gardner, Arlene Marks, Jen Frankel |
Arlene F. Marks | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Buttonville | Reading: Arlene Marks & J.M. Tibbott | Arlene Marks & J.M. Tibbott | |
Arlene F. Marks | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Vaughan West | Research before you Write | Discussion of the value of research and where to go to find almost anything you need. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Tanya Huff, Elizabeth Hirst, Beverly Bambury, Janet Kellough, Tony Pi |
Arlene F. Marks | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan West | Worldbuilding 201 | All fiction is speculative. Panelists will discuss the process and fundamentals of realistic world-building, including how and when to combine imagined with real setting details for best effect. | Arlene F. Marks, Ed Greenwood, A.A. Jankeweicz, Luke Maynard, J.M. Tibbott |
Arlene F. Marks | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Series Without Losing Your Way (or your mind) | Publishers love it when authors propose a series of books. But there's more to it than just writing one novel after another. This is a discussion about the nuts and bolts, the pitfalls and the rewards of diving into series fiction, provided by those who have been there (or still are). | Arlene F. Marks (m), Julie Czerneda, Tanya Huff, Janet Kellough, A. A. Jankiewicz |
Arlene F. Marks | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham B | Mi Setting, Su Setting | One author setting a story in another author's established universe is not a new idea. Edgar Rice Burroughs and Otis Adalbert Kline were doing it at the turn of the twentieth century. Their incursions into each other's space were the farthest thing from fan fiction; nowadays, things are a lot friendlier. Authors with experience at writing in shared settings will discuss the ins and outs of this unique kind of collaboration, as well as its pitfalls and etiquette. | Ed Greenwood (m), Avi Silver, Sienna Tristen, J.M. Tibbott, Arlene F. Marks |
Arlene F. Marks | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Markham B | Troubleshooting Your Manuscript | You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Before submitting that manuscript to a prospective agent or editor, make sure it's the best that it can be, using these revision, editing and proofreading tips from a panel of authors and editors. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Herb Kauderur, Vanessa Ricci-Thode |
Arlene F. Marks | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Aurora | How to Give Your Story Legs | Stories travel on two legs, just as we do. In this workshop, led by a veteran writing instructor, participants will learn how to coordinate conflict and suspense to create the texture and dramatic tension that editors are looking for. | Arlene F. Marks |
Arlene F. Marks | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Eye of the Tiger, Hide of the Rhino | A sharing of strategies for dealing with rejection in all its forms, including bad reviews, form letter "no, thanks"Â from publishers, and unsupportive friends and family members. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, J.M. Tibbott, Kit Daven, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith |
Arlene F. Marks | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | Documenting Aliens | Readers and viewers want to see fully-fleshed, believable alien characters in their speculative fiction, including in main roles. But protagonists have to be relatable. How can you create a realistic, sympathetic alien protagonist who won't come across as a human in a costume? Attend this panel discussion and find out. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, Costi Gurgu, JD DeLuzio, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Donald Montgomery |
Avi Silver | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham A | Sci-Fi and Fantasy for Young Adults | The Katniss Everdeens. The Beatrice Priors. The Meg Murrys. Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy has had its fair share of strong female leads (as well as some poorly written ones, of course). We all know the girl who's "not like everyone else" and is the chosen one to save the day. But why has it been in mostly dystopian or paranormal fiction? And why is there almost always a romance? Come join us as we discuss feminism and YA SFF. We'll talk about what trends we've seen in the past, and how, if at all, we believe the YA genre is progressing in its female-lead SFF stories. | Rebecca Diem (m), Avi Silver, Cathy Hird, Melissa Small, Kari Maaren, Amanda Sun |
Avi Silver | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Oakridges | Speculative Gender: How Heteronormativity is Holding Back Your Fiction | When creating a story, writers often dive into worldbuilding through language, religion, fashion, etc. but fail to explore an exciting opportunityÂgender systems! What if sex and gender werenÂt societally correlated? What if being trans wasnÂt automatically stigmatized? What if your human civilization (not just your aliens!) had nonbinary gender roles? On this panel, we will explore the benefits of expanding your worldbuilding beyond binary notions of gender, and how doing so can elevate your spec fic. | Sienna Tristen (m), Avi Silver, Derwin Mak, Jen Frankel |
Avi Silver | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan West | Indie Author Marketing 101 | Congratulations, you've published a book! Now, it's time to put on your "boss" hat and tell the "art director" to scram. Gain some insight on how small press and self-published authors are able to help bolster their income with tips and tricks of the trade. | MJ Moores (m) , Sarah WaterRaven, Avi Silver, Beverly Bambury, Kit Daven, Marilyn Klieber, Rebecca Diem |
Avi Silver | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham B | Mi Setting, Su Setting | One author setting a story in another author's established universe is not a new idea. Edgar Rice Burroughs and Otis Adalbert Kline were doing it at the turn of the twentieth century. Their incursions into each other's space were the farthest thing from fan fiction; nowadays, things are a lot friendlier. Authors with experience at writing in shared settings will discuss the ins and outs of this unique kind of collaboration, as well as its pitfalls and etiquette. | Ed Greenwood (m), Avi Silver, Sienna Tristen, J.M. Tibbott, Arlene F. Marks |
Avi Silver | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 1080 | Two Dark Moons (The Shale Project) | Avi Silver | |
Avi Silver | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham B | Writing Animals in Speculative Fiction | Everybody focuses on the human characters in a story, but animal characters can add an extra layer to the narrative. Animal characters can add humour, heart and much-needed tension to a story, and help tap into new potential audiences. Join our panel of authors as they discuss their treatment of animals in their stories, and their approach to writing them well. | Elizabeth Hirst (m), Avi Silver, Catherine Fitzsimmons |
Avi Silver | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | Mental Health and Fandom | Sunday afternoon discussion about mental illness challenges and how science fiction helps or hinders coping with them. | Patrick McDonald (m), Avi Silver, Vanessa Ricci-Thode |
Beverly Bambury | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Markham A | Publishing 101 | Are you ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Wondering what path is right for you? Do you know your path but navigating it feels like the rapids before going head-long over a waterfall? Join us as we walk you through traditional publishing, self-publishing, and being a hybrid author. Come with your questions and finally get some answers. | MJ Moores (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A. A. Jankiewicz, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury, Donald Montgomery |
Beverly Bambury | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Vaughan West | Research before you Write | Discussion of the value of research and where to go to find almost anything you need. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Tanya Huff, Elizabeth Hirst, Beverly Bambury, Janet Kellough, Tony Pi |
Beverly Bambury | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan West | Indie Author Marketing 101 | Congratulations, you've published a book! Now, it's time to put on your "boss" hat and tell the "art director" to scram. Gain some insight on how small press and self-published authors are able to help bolster their income with tips and tricks of the trade. | MJ Moores (m) , Sarah WaterRaven, Avi Silver, Beverly Bambury, Kit Daven, Marilyn Klieber, Rebecca Diem |
Beverly Bambury | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham A | The Business of being a Writer | So you are starting out as a writer. Can you deduct those expenses from your taxes? Do you have to register a business name? What about getting paid from another country? How do I.... ? Should I... ? Can I.... ? Our panelists are here to help answer your questions! | Larry Hancock (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Janet Kellough, Beverly Bambury |
Beverly Bambury | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Oakridges | How to publish a beautiful novel with a limited budget | Self-publishing has more credibility and more advantages than ever. But we've all seen disasters with hideous covers and terrible formatting. How do you create a professional-looking book when you don't have the budget to hire a design team? Learn tips and tricks to make a book that looks just as good on the shelf as a book by a major imprint. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, MJ Moores, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury |
Cameron S. Currie | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | He don't know talkin' good like us | Not every character speaks like an Oxford scholar, and accents and other quirks of dialogue help bring a character to life. But is it y'all or ya'll? How do you write a Scottish brogue that doesn't need translation? Even when you're breaking the grammar rules, there are conventions to follow. Learn to write dialogue that sounds natural and is also clear to read. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, James Alan Gardner, Elizabeth Hirst, Tony Pi |
Cameron S. Currie | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Oakridges | How to publish a beautiful novel with a limited budget | Self-publishing has more credibility and more advantages than ever. But we've all seen disasters with hideous covers and terrible formatting. How do you create a professional-looking book when you don't have the budget to hire a design team? Learn tips and tricks to make a book that looks just as good on the shelf as a book by a major imprint. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, MJ Moores, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury |
Cameron S. Currie | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakridges | How villainous is the villain: pencil-thin moustaches and black hats | What is the difference between a cartoonish villain and one who is a real challenge for the hero, a real threat to the world, and a real treat to read? | Cameron S. Currie (m), Jen Frankel, James Alan Gardner, Ika Mudzar, Matt Moore |
Cameron S. Currie | Sunday | 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Cameron S. Currie | Cameron S. Currie | |
Cameron S. Currie | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Aurora | I Hate Common: Exploring Language in Spec Fic | Tired of monolingual fantasy empires? Want to show off the diversity of your multi-species space colony? This panel will discuss the ways language and linguistics can be used to enrich worldbuilding and create interesting conflict in everything from novels to TTRPG campaigns. We'll spend time both on language as a plot device and on tips for creating your own fictional languages! | Sienna Tristen (m). Cameron S. Currie, Amanda Sun, Luke Maynard |
Caro Soles | Sunday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Oakridges | Crowdfunding Strategies | So you want to fund your film, book, game or invention? Come to this panel and hear the tricks, tips, downfalls and reality of making your next level maneuver in crowdfunding. Learn about the different platforms, styles and methods to help you gain maximum success. | Thomas Gofton (m), Caro Soles |
Catherine Fitzsimmons | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan East | Writing fight scenes | There's nothing more exciting to read than a well-executed fight scene, but nothing more mood-killing tha a badly written one. How do you write a good one? Where do you start, and stop? How do you make it both more interesting and believable? We'll break down the elements of a good fight scene in this panel and share examples of great ones. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Herb Kauderer, Jen Frankel, Mike Rimar, Ian Keeling |
Catherine Fitzsimmons | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | He don't know talkin' good like us | Not every character speaks like an Oxford scholar, and accents and other quirks of dialogue help bring a character to life. But is it y'all or ya'll? How do you write a Scottish brogue that doesn't need translation? Even when you're breaking the grammar rules, there are conventions to follow. Learn to write dialogue that sounds natural and is also clear to read. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, James Alan Gardner, Elizabeth Hirst, Tony Pi |
Catherine Fitzsimmons | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Oakridges | How to publish a beautiful novel with a limited budget | Self-publishing has more credibility and more advantages than ever. But we've all seen disasters with hideous covers and terrible formatting. How do you create a professional-looking book when you don't have the budget to hire a design team? Learn tips and tricks to make a book that looks just as good on the shelf as a book by a major imprint. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, MJ Moores, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury |
Catherine Fitzsimmons | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham B | Writing Animals in Speculative Fiction | Everybody focuses on the human characters in a story, but animal characters can add an extra layer to the narrative. Animal characters can add humour, heart and much-needed tension to a story, and help tap into new potential audiences. Join our panel of authors as they discuss their treatment of animals in their stories, and their approach to writing them well. | Elizabeth Hirst (m), Avi Silver, Catherine Fitzsimmons |
Catherine Fitzsimmons | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Aurora | Creating Extraordinary Creatures | Discussion of the tips for designing creatures, finding names, modeling after our own fauna, using imagination, and finalizing creating a mystery around them. | Ed Greenwood (m), Julie Czerneda, James Alan Gardner, Costi Gurgu, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Sarah WaterRaven |
Catherine Fitzsimmons | Sunday | 1:30 PM | 2:00 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Catherine Fitzsimmons | Catherine Fitzsimmons | |
Catherine Fitzsimmons | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | Documenting Aliens | Readers and viewers want to see fully-fleshed, believable alien characters in their speculative fiction, including in main roles. But protagonists have to be relatable. How can you create a realistic, sympathetic alien protagonist who won't come across as a human in a costume? Attend this panel discussion and find out. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, Costi Gurgu, JD DeLuzio, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Donald Montgomery |
Cathy Hird | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | Pagans, Heathens and Polytheists, Oh My! | Non-monotheist religions have been around since before humans began to write 5600 years ago. In the Western world, within literature and media, more and more there is a move to incorporate these myths, deities and practices, as well as invent others. What makes these belief structures so appealing to write about or even discover as a spiritual path? How to ensure that your writing rings true to these ancient, and often misrepresented faiths? | Moira Scott (m), Evan Dales, Sarah WaterRaven, Cathy Hird, Derwin Mak |
Cathy Hird | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham A | Sci-Fi and Fantasy for Young Adults | The Katniss Everdeens. The Beatrice Priors. The Meg Murrys. Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy has had its fair share of strong female leads (as well as some poorly written ones, of course). We all know the girl who's "not like everyone else" and is the chosen one to save the day. But why has it been in mostly dystopian or paranormal fiction? And why is there almost always a romance? Come join us as we discuss feminism and YA SFF. We'll talk about what trends we've seen in the past, and how, if at all, we believe the YA genre is progressing in its female-lead SFF stories. | Rebecca Diem (m), Avi Silver, Cathy Hird, Melissa Small, Kari Maaren, Amanda Sun |
Cathy Hird | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan West | Get an editor! | It can be hard to accept an editor's comments. Why do authors need those outside eyes? Why do authors find it hard to follow editors' suggestions. Panelists will talk about their strategies for interpreting the comments of editors. | Cathy Hird (m), James Alan Gardner, Kit Daven, Mike Rimar, Elizabeth Hirst, Amanda Sun |
Cathy Hird | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Oakville | Sixties Sci-fi | This panel will talk about the best and worst of science fiction writing and television. What we go back to read and watch; what we avoid like the plague; what we both love and hate. | Cathy Hird (m), David Clink, Herb Kauderer, Derwin Mak, Jeff Beeler |
Cathy Hird | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham B | Writing About the Middle Ages | One common thread across the range of speculative fiction is the use of medieval, or medieval-like, settings. From fantasy to paranormal to historical fantasy and historical realism to time-travel science fiction, authors of speculative fiction have been drawn to write about or place their stories in this time period. What about the Middle (or Dark) Ages appeals to writers of all types of speculative fiction? How can we "get it right" - or is getting it right even necessary? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), Cathy Hird, Herb Kauderer, Luke Maynard |
Cathy Hird | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Aurora | Who gets to go? | With space tourism on the horizon for the richest, who do writers imagine will be the first colonists? Some writers imagine new colonies as a way to deal with overpopulation on Earth. Some imagine countries on Earth sending their people into the stars. How do writers answer this question? What do we think may actually happen? | Cathy Hird (m), Herb Kauderer |
Chris Clarke | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | Vaughan | Chris Clarke Concert | Chris has been writing music for 15 years and will be performing his own original music including songs inspired by the fantastic works of CS Lewis, Vampire and Zombie movies, D&D Adventures and one or two less geeky songs! He combines social awareness and humour with solid vocals and pick & slap rhythm for a fun and folky listener's experience. | Chris Clarke |
Chris Warrilow | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham B | Weapons in SF | Weapons in the world of SciFi have fantastic properties and ingenious designs, such as the Star Fleet Phaser, the Klingon Bat'leth, the Star Wars light saber and Logan's Run Sandman Pistol. How are these weapons used, in combat or as part of the story? Are they possible in this world? | Chris Warrilow (m) |
Christie de Souza | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Christina Carr | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | Steampunk. Future Past | Into Murdoch Mysteries, Jules Verne or Wild Wild West? Well come on over to this information presentation of making Steampunk Gadgets, costume pieces and meet our Mechanical pup, MUT. We will go over painting techniques, mechanics and the joys of stuffing yourself into a corset. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Christina Carr | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham B | Translating a costume from the pages of a book | Bring with you your favourite book and the passage(s) that best describes the character you are trying to recreate and we will assist you in suggesting materials, interpreting colours and recommending techniques. DO the graphic novel thing or comic book and there is just something that looks impossible? Bring that instead and make sure you pre bookmark 2-4 pages that show the costume the most. We have years experience trying to interpret artist renderings and director/Props head descriptions to produce what they are after. Allow us to make some suggestions that may clear your head a little. Due to limit in time we will ask you to sign in when you arrive. First come, first looked at. And please be curious to the others in the room by focussing and taking notes (or recording) so that we can move ahead. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Christina Carr | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Markham B | Don't Poke the Lion | Life when you've been in the entertainment industry since childhood and are going through Perimenopause, can get interesting enough, but add being a geek and a maker, you have an unusually strong mess. Time to get this out there. If you miss me here, find me on Facebook as Don't Poke the Lion | Christina Carr |
Christina Carr | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Production to Cosplay | From Stargate to Legends of Tomorrow's ATOM armour; Cyclop's Visor to Diggle's Helmet; Total Recall 2070 recall devices to Cody Banks modified iPod.... Come get a grasp as to how it was done on set to how you could do it for yourself. Whether you're replicating or are planning a career, best place to start is in your home and your heart. Select samples of both Âhomemade and production items will be presented. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Christina Carr | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Masquerade Green Room | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Christina Carr | Saturday | 8:30 PM | 9:30 PM | Markham A | Masquerade | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Christina Carr | Sunday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham B | Surviving the Entertainment Industry | For two people who never thought theyÂd still be doing this, they are still doing this. Come spend some time with CarrHunger as they take you through the stories that brought them into this lifestyle, their realities in this field and how they have gone through some of the best and the worse and come out the other side. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Christina Carr | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan | Wings and Things | Whether you are a cosplayer, prop maker or just want to impress this Hallowe'en, come learn the ins and outs of making wings, crowns, fake metal items, costume pieces and various other items to complete your next costume. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Cliff Goldman | Saturday | 10:00 PM | 2:00 AM | Vaughan | Dance | Saturday Night Dance | DSoL - Th'Elf, J-Man and DJ Dan |
Cody Crain | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | King | Creating Communities Through Podcasting | So you either listen to podcasts, or host one yourself. Good, that means you're human. Podcasts are an exciting media platform, that give a voice to anyone who wants it. This panel will discuss how to get the most out of your podcasts by taking advantage of the ever-expanding podcast communities. Hosted by members of "The Sonar Network", Toronto's podcast collective. | Michael Mongiardi, Cody Crain |
Costi Gurgu | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 1:30 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Costi Gurgu | Costi Gurgu | |
Costi Gurgu | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Aurora | Creating Extraordinary Creatures | Discussion of the tips for designing creatures, finding names, modeling after our own fauna, using imagination, and finalizing creating a mystery around them. | Ed Greenwood (m), Julie Czerneda, James Alan Gardner, Costi Gurgu, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Sarah WaterRaven |
Costi Gurgu | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | Documenting Aliens | Readers and viewers want to see fully-fleshed, believable alien characters in their speculative fiction, including in main roles. But protagonists have to be relatable. How can you create a realistic, sympathetic alien protagonist who won't come across as a human in a costume? Attend this panel discussion and find out. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, Costi Gurgu, JD DeLuzio, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Donald Montgomery |
D Larry Hancock | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Oakville | Graphic Novel | The popularity of the Graphic Novel is on the rise, but how does it compare to traditional novels? | D Larry Hancock (m), Kari Maaren, Sarah WaterRaven, Lar deSouza |
Danar Beacock | Saturday | 10:00 PM | 2:00 AM | Vaughan | Dance | Saturday Night Dance | DSoL - Th'Elf, J-Man and DJ Dan |
Dayna the Sloth | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Dayna the Sloth | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Dayna the Sloth | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Markham B | Introduction to Cosplay Armor | Dayna the Sloth (m) | |
Dayna the Sloth | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Masquerade Green Room | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Dayna the Sloth | Saturday | 8:30 PM | 9:30 PM | Vaughan | Masquerade | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Dayna the Sloth | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
David Clink | Friday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Aurora | GoT - did it end well? | Game of Thrones - did it end well? Who should have ruled instead? | David Clink (m), James Bambury, Jen Frankel, A.A. Jankiewicz, , Jeff Beeler |
David Clink | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham A | The Word Panel | Words. They can portray a panoply of emotions. They can engage our imaginations. They can express complex ideas. They are what we use to communicate with each other, and they have power. The panel will explore how writers use words, choose words and, sometimes, abuse words. It is sure to be a panel not to be missed, snubbed, passed over, overlooked, unseen, or disregarded. | David Clink (m), Ira Nayman, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff |
David Clink | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Oakville | Sixties Sci-fi | This panel will talk about the best and worst of science fiction writing and television. What we go back to read and watch; what we avoid like the plague; what we both love and hate. | Cathy Hird (m), David Clink, Herb Kauderer, Derwin Mak, Jeff Beeler |
David Clink | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Oakville | The DC Cinematic Universe: What Works and What Doesn't | A discussion of the DC movies to date, with thoughts on what has worked, what has not, ideas on how the parts that didn't work could have been made better, and what story opportunities could have thus been opened up. | Andre Lieven (m), David Clink, James Bambury, Luke Maynard, Fingers Delaurus |
David Stephenson | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakville | Tomorrow we fry. | A discussion about the coming climate upheaval and how to survive it with a smile, while consuming beer at a dollar a can. | David Stephenson, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder, Jeff Beeler |
David Stephenson | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Aurora | What Happened to Space Tourism | It's been 15 years since Spaceship One first flew to space. At the time, commercial civilian tourist flights to space were only "a couple of years away" and still not a single paying passenger has been flown. What happened, what's going to happen and why. | Eric Choi (m), Paul Roberts, David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton |
David Stephenson | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Aurora | Fermi's Paradox by the author | The phrase "Fermi's Paradox" was first printed under my name in 1977. Why can't we detect the activities of intelligent aliens in the galaxy? I will review the past and continuing quest to understand our place in the universe. | David Stephenson |
David Stephenson | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | What's New in New Space? | 20 year ago the was a rush of new companies planning to "do space differently". Some have prospered, some have not. What's the current state of the new space industry and what ahs happened to some of the old companies of this new industry? | Eric Choi (m), David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder |
Derwin Mak | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | Pagans, Heathens and Polytheists, Oh My! | Non-monotheist religions have been around since before humans began to write 5600 years ago. In the Western world, within literature and media, more and more there is a move to incorporate these myths, deities and practices, as well as invent others. What makes these belief structures so appealing to write about or even discover as a spiritual path? How to ensure that your writing rings true to these ancient, and often misrepresented faiths? | Moira Scott (m), Evan Dales, Sarah WaterRaven, Cathy Hird, Derwin Mak |
Derwin Mak | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Oakridges | Speculative Gender: How Heteronormativity is Holding Back Your Fiction | When creating a story, writers often dive into worldbuilding through language, religion, fashion, etc. but fail to explore an exciting opportunityÂgender systems! What if sex and gender werenÂt societally correlated? What if being trans wasnÂt automatically stigmatized? What if your human civilization (not just your aliens!) had nonbinary gender roles? On this panel, we will explore the benefits of expanding your worldbuilding beyond binary notions of gender, and how doing so can elevate your spec fic. | Sienna Tristen (m), Avi Silver, Derwin Mak, Jen Frankel |
Derwin Mak | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Oakville | Sixties Sci-fi | This panel will talk about the best and worst of science fiction writing and television. What we go back to read and watch; what we avoid like the plague; what we both love and hate. | Cathy Hird (m), David Clink, Herb Kauderer, Derwin Mak, Jeff Beeler |
Derwin Mak | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 1:30 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Derwin Mak | Derwin Mak | |
Devin Melanson | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Vaughan | Devin Melanson and Friends Concert | Devin's secret alter ego is as a singer/songwriter/producer up in the hills of Ontario.  He will be sharing both his original Filk songs, as well as a standard song or two from the genre.  Expect songs about his favourite topics: dragons, technology, Emilia Airhart, board games, and other geeky pursuits. This concert is not scheduled* to contain any heavy metal music, and he will limit himself to just 18 strings.  *Schedule subject to change. | Devin Melanson and Friends Concert |
Devin Melanson | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Home recording tips and tricks | The home recording enthusiast usually has two constraints when trying to capture a great performance: - We are always on a budget for gear - We are always on a budget for time Come join a panel of successful of home "Pretend-Gineers" as they share their tips and tricks to getting the most sound out of the least space and bank account. Hardware, software, and techniques will be presented for the composing/recording/mixing/mastering process. We sincerely hope you can steal some useful ideas! | Devin Melanson (m), Eric Distad, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Rand Bellavia |
Devin Melanson | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Setting up a recording space | Your audio message may be music, podcast, voice over, or narration. And your fans want to hear this message... but not necessarily the dog, laundry machine, or the neighbour's stereo. A panel of home recording enthusiasts discuss and demonstrate their favourite ways to create a recording space. They will share strategies from "Mild to Wild" when it comes to setting up your little corner of audio creation! | Tom Jeffers (m), Devin Melanson, Eric Distad, Phil Mills |
Devin Melanson | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Doc Morgan | Friday | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 1062 | Steampunk Gaming Evening | Come join the Toronto Steampunk Society for an evening of Steampunk Gaming. You will have the opportunity to play the Abney Park game âTerror of the Skiesâ, Steampunk Munchkin, Edison, Ticket to Ride, and a few surprises as members dig through their gaming chests and bring out some of their Steamy favourites. Come on out and enjoy a fun evening while terrorizing the skies or building your own railroad empire. | TSS: Doc Morgan, Todd Clark |
Doc Morgan | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 1062 | Steampunk Tesla Charity Tea | Fancy a lovely spot of tea apart from the delightful hubbub of the main con? Come and join the Toronto Steampunk Society and guests for the Tesla Charity Tea in support of Autism Ontario. There will be readings, games, the ever popular Tea Duelling, a raffle, and polite conversation. And, of course, there will be tea, sample a selection of outstanding teas generously supplied by Galaxy Teas. All this for a suggested charity donation of at least $5. Steampunk attire is optional. | TSS: Doc Morgan, Todd Clark |
Doc Morgan | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Oakridges | Reasons to NOT Buy a 3D Printer | A tongue in cheek look at some of the common misunderstandings about 3D printing, the basics of the technology, and what these amazing devices can and cannot do for you. The panel will include a live 3D printing demonstration, examples of 3D printed items and will leave plenty of time for your questions. | Doc Morgan (m) |
Doc Morgan | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham B | Steampunk Culture and Fiction | Most of us have heard the term âSteampunkâ, but many do not know much about the origins of the genre nor the range and depth of Steampunk culture The panel start with a general introduction to Steampunk and will include an interactive session with the audience exploring Steampunk literature. | Doc Morgan, Todd Clark |
Donald Montgomery | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Markham A | Publishing 101 | Are you ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Wondering what path is right for you? Do you know your path but navigating it feels like the rapids before going head-long over a waterfall? Join us as we walk you through traditional publishing, self-publishing, and being a hybrid author. Come with your questions and finally get some answers. | MJ Moores (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A. A. Jankiewicz, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury, Donald Montgomery |
Donald Montgomery | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | Appealing to an Aging Readership | Science fiction used to be the fiction of young, inquiring, future-minded readers. But now more and more those younger readers interested in speculative fiction are slipping away to fantasy and paranormal fiction. Looking out an a con, we see more and more 'mature' faces. How can we write to this loyal audience? What ideas, themes, plots and characters appeal to them? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Donald Montgomery |
Donald Montgomery | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Aurora | Tales from the Plexis | Julie Czerneda, Roger Czerneda, Tanya Huff | |
Donald Montgomery | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | Documenting Aliens | Readers and viewers want to see fully-fleshed, believable alien characters in their speculative fiction, including in main roles. But protagonists have to be relatable. How can you create a realistic, sympathetic alien protagonist who won't come across as a human in a costume? Attend this panel discussion and find out. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, Costi Gurgu, JD DeLuzio, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Donald Montgomery |
Douglas Smith | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Keeping a Canadian identity in an American world | How to keep your Canadian identity as a writer in an American market. Should you let some things go and fight for others? | Stephanie Bardy (m), MJ Moores, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff, Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith |
Douglas Smith | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham A | How to Edit like a Pro | Discussion of all of the tips and tricks of editing your manuscript so that your final professional editor has a clean and clear manuscript to work from. Discuss the savings of time, frustration and , of course, money. | J.M. Tibbott (m), Julie Czerneda, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Sienna Tristan, MJ Moores, Douglas Smith |
Douglas Smith | Saturday | 1:30 PM | 2:00 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Douglas Smith | Douglas Smith | |
Douglas Smith | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Oakridges | How to Solve Writers' Block | Discussion by panel on times they have been stymied by writers block, how long it lasted, what they did to ease it, and what they plan on doing in the future to avoid it. | M. J. Moores (m), Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith, Maaja Wentz, |
Douglas Smith | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Eye of the Tiger, Hide of the Rhino | A sharing of strategies for dealing with rejection in all its forms, including bad reviews, form letter "no, thanks"Â from publishers, and unsupportive friends and family members. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, J.M. Tibbott, Kit Daven, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith |
Ed Greenwood | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Ed Greenwood | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Buttonville | Reading / Autograph - Ed Greenwood | Ed Greenwood | |
Ed Greenwood | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Ed Greenwood | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan West | Worldbuilding 201 | All fiction is speculative. Panelists will discuss the process and fundamentals of realistic world-building, including how and when to combine imagined with real setting details for best effect. | Arlene F. Marks, Ed Greenwood, A.A. Jankeweicz, Luke Maynard, J.M. Tibbott |
Ed Greenwood | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan East | Past GoH Hour - Ed Greenwood | Autographs to follow - Vaughan East | Ed Greenwood |
Ed Greenwood | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham B | Mi Setting, Su Setting | One author setting a story in another author's established universe is not a new idea. Edgar Rice Burroughs and Otis Adalbert Kline were doing it at the turn of the twentieth century. Their incursions into each other's space were the farthest thing from fan fiction; nowadays, things are a lot friendlier. Authors with experience at writing in shared settings will discuss the ins and outs of this unique kind of collaboration, as well as its pitfalls and etiquette. | Ed Greenwood (m), Avi Silver, Sienna Tristen, J.M. Tibbott, Arlene F. Marks |
Ed Greenwood | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Ed Greenwood | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Aurora | Creating Extraordinary Creatures | Discussion of the tips for designing creatures, finding names, modeling after our own fauna, using imagination, and finalizing creating a mystery around them. | Ed Greenwood (m), Julie Czerneda, James Alan Gardner, Costi Gurgu, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Sarah WaterRaven |
Elizabeth Hirst | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Vaughan West | Research before you Write | Discussion of the value of research and where to go to find almost anything you need. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Tanya Huff, Elizabeth Hirst, Beverly Bambury, Janet Kellough, Tony Pi |
Elizabeth Hirst | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan West | Get an editor! | It can be hard to accept an editor's comments. Why do authors need those outside eyes? Why do authors find it hard to follow editors' suggestions. Panelists will talk about their strategies for interpreting the comments of editors. | Cathy Hird (m), James Alan Gardner, Kit Daven, Mike Rimar, Elizabeth Hirst, Amanda Sun |
Elizabeth Hirst | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | He don't know talkin' good like us | Not every character speaks like an Oxford scholar, and accents and other quirks of dialogue help bring a character to life. But is it y'all or ya'll? How do you write a Scottish brogue that doesn't need translation? Even when you're breaking the grammar rules, there are conventions to follow. Learn to write dialogue that sounds natural and is also clear to read. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, James Alan Gardner, Elizabeth Hirst, Tony Pi |
Elizabeth Hirst | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham B | Writing Animals in Speculative Fiction | Everybody focuses on the human characters in a story, but animal characters can add an extra layer to the narrative. Animal characters can add humour, heart and much-needed tension to a story, and help tap into new potential audiences. Join our panel of authors as they discuss their treatment of animals in their stories, and their approach to writing them well. | Elizabeth Hirst (m), Avi Silver, Catherine Fitzsimmons |
Elizabeth Hirst | Saturday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Oakville | 2019 - is this the peak? | 2019 - is this the peak, with so many series coming to an end this year? Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Marvel's MCU, Big Bang Theory | Adam Shaftoe (m), Elizabeth Hirst |
Elizabeth Hirst | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Oakville | Empowering Marginalized People Through Horror | Horror hasn't always had the best track record with representation or marginalized groups, and there are many examples of careless stories that contribute to racism, sexism and stigma against mental illness, among other issues. However, horror has also always had a thread of resistance running through it, from the first horror author, Mary Shelley, and her depiction of the monstrous implications of parenthood. A panel of diverse authors and fans will talk about how horror can amplify its tradition of resistance while avoiding tropes that are harmful to marginalized people, as well as looking at the ways that horror can bring hope to people experiencing adverse life circumstances or oppression. | Elizabeth Hirst |
Eric Choi | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Eric Choi | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Eric Choi | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Oakville | What Happened to Space Tourism | It's been 15 years since Spaceship One first flew to space. At the time, commercial civilian tourist flights to space were only "a couple of years away" and still not a single paying passenger has been flown. What happened, what's going to happen and why. | Eric Choi (m), Paul Roberts, David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton |
Eric Choi | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham B | We're Not Alone | Up to date information and discussion about life beyond our planet. Reference article in March issue of National Geographic by Jamie Shreeve. How close are we to receiving definitive proof? | Eric Choi (m), Gillian Clinton, Julie Czerneda, Karl Schroeder |
Eric Choi | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | To Boldly Make Discovery in the Expanse | Star Trek lives on, in two contrasting seasons of Discovery and (to a degree), The Orville. The Expanse, meanwhile, takes a starkly different view of future space exploration, one more in keeping with contemporary SF writing. What do the differing approaches bring to our understanding of SF and our own possible futures? | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Adam Shaftoe, Paul Roberts, Gillian Clinton |
Eric Choi | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | What's New in New Space? | 20 year ago the was a rush of new companies planning to "do space differently". Some have prospered, some have not. What's the current state of the new space industry and what ahs happened to some of the old companies of this new industry? | Eric Choi (m), David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder |
Eric Choi | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Aurora | And what would your Space TV Franchise look like? | This panel will start with a general discussion, and then open up to the possibilities of various panelist and audience member's ideas for an SF franchise. | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Ira Nayman Fingers Delaurus, Jeff Beeler |
Eric Choi | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Eric Choi | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Markham A | Past GoH Hour - Eric Choi | Autographs to follow - Markham B | Eric Choi |
Eric Distad | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Vaughan | Faithful Sidekicks Concert | The Faithful Sidekicks are the Filk/Geek Pop duo of Eric and Jen Distad. They write and perform an eclectic mix of original catchy songs about the geeky stuff they love from comedic pop songs like "Han Solo For President" to love songs written in SQL Code, and everything in between. They've been delighting audiences at Sci-Fi Conventions, Coffee Shops, and Clubs around the US and parts beyond since 2014. They have released two CDs, the most recent being "Achievement Unlocked". | Eric & Jen Distad |
Eric Distad | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Home recording tips and tricks | The home recording enthusiast usually has two constraints when trying to capture a great performance: - We are always on a budget for gear - We are always on a budget for time Come join a panel of successful of home "Pretend-Gineers" as they share their tips and tricks to getting the most sound out of the least space and bank account. Hardware, software, and techniques will be presented for the composing/recording/mixing/mastering process. We sincerely hope you can steal some useful ideas! | Devin Melanson (m), Eric Distad, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Rand Bellavia |
Eric Distad | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Setting up a recording space | Your audio message may be music, podcast, voice over, or narration. And your fans want to hear this message... but not necessarily the dog, laundry machine, or the neighbour's stereo. A panel of home recording enthusiasts discuss and demonstrate their favourite ways to create a recording space. They will share strategies from "Mild to Wild" when it comes to setting up your little corner of audio creation! | Tom Jeffers (m), Devin Melanson, Eric Distad, Phil Mills |
Eric Distad | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | King | Writers: Learn to Love the Deadline | Deadlines can be ominous and intimidating, but they can also be a tool to give your creativity and productivity a boost. In this session we'll talk about the use of constraints to breed creativity and how timed writing challenges like NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and FAWM (February Album Writing Month) can help you practice the art of writing and can make Deadlines a useful tool. | Eric Distad (m), Kari Maaren, Phil Mills (+ 1-2 prose or poetry writer(s)) |
Erin Bellavia | Friday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Vaughan | Via Bella Concert | Rand and Erin Bellavia will perform songs from their album The Way Of Beauty, dealing with fandoms such as The Princess Bride, A Wrinkle in Time, Seanan McGuireÂs October Daye novels, Star Trek, and Agent Peggy Carter.  You might also hear a few of their Âdeconstructed covers of popular songs.  (Okay, youÂll hear three.)  Feel the soft rock fury of Via Bella! | Rand & Erin Bellavia |
Erin Bellavia | Saturday | 10:30 PM | 3:00 AM | King | Open Filk | Join a relaxed circle of people making music and laughing together. Bring songs or instruments or just come to listen. Circles are the heart of the filk community and where lasting friendships begin. | Erin Bellavia & Jen Distad hosting (first hour) |
Evan Dales | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | Pagans, Heathens and Polytheists, Oh My! | Non-monotheist religions have been around since before humans began to write 5600 years ago. In the Western world, within literature and media, more and more there is a move to incorporate these myths, deities and practices, as well as invent others. What makes these belief structures so appealing to write about or even discover as a spiritual path? How to ensure that your writing rings true to these ancient, and often misrepresented faiths? | Moira Scott (m), Evan Dales, Sarah WaterRaven, Cathy Hird, Derwin Mak |
Evan Dales | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Oakville | History of Witchcraft | Witches and witchcraft have been portrayed as a negative, harmful, or scary characters in writing, art, stage and screen through the centuries. From Goya to Shakespeare, to the Wizard of Oz, and modern paranormal novels, television and movies. Come learn where Witchcraft comes from, what it is, and why the Witch has become vilified over the centuries. | Moira Scott (m), Stephanie Bardy, Evan Dales, Karen Dales |
Faithful Sidekicks | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Fingers Delaurus | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Aurora | And what would your Space TV Franchise look like? | This panel will start with a general discussion, and then open up to the possibilities of various panelist and audience member's ideas for an SF franchise. | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Ira Nayman, Fingers Delaurus, Jeff Beeler |
Fingers Delaurus | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Oakville | The DC Cinematic Universe: What Works and What Doesn't | A discussion of the DC movies to date, with thoughts on what has worked, what has not, ideas on how the parts that didn't work could have been made better, and what story opportunities could have thus been opened up. | Andre Lieven (m), David Clink, James Bambury, Luke Maynard, Fingers Delaurus |
Gillian Clinton | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Oakville | What Happened to Space Tourism | It's been 15 years since Spaceship One first flew to space. At the time, commercial civilian tourist flights to space were only "a couple of years away" and still not a single paying passenger has been flown. What happened, what's going to happen and why. | Eric Choi (m), Paul Roberts, David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton |
Gillian Clinton | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham B | We're Not Alone | Up to date information and discussion about life beyond our planet. Reference article in March issue of National Geographic by Jamie Shreeve. How close are we to receiving definitive proof? | Eric Choi (m), Gillian Clinton, Julie Czerneda, Karl Schroeder |
Gillian Clinton | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | To Boldly Make Discovery in the Expanse | Star Trek lives on, in two contrasting seasons of Discovery and (to a degree), The Orville. The Expanse, meanwhile, takes a starkly different view of future space exploration, one more in keeping with contemporary SF writing. What do the differing approaches bring to our understanding of SF and our own possible futures? | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Adam Shaftoe, Paul Roberts, Gillian Clinton |
Gillian Clinton | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | What's New in New Space? | 20 year ago the was a rush of new companies planning to "do space differently". Some have prospered, some have not. What's the current state of the new space industry and what ahs happened to some of the old companies of this new industry? | Eric Choi (m), David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder |
Herb Kauderer | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan East | Writing fight scenes | There's nothing more exciting to read than a well-executed fight scene, but nothing more mood-killing tha a badly written one. How do you write a good one? Where do you start, and stop? How do you make it both more interesting and believable? We'll break down the elements of a good fight scene in this panel and share examples of great ones. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Herb Kauderer, Jen Frankel, Mike Rimar, Ian Keeling |
Herb Kauderer | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Oakville | Sixties Sci-fi | This panel will talk about the best and worst of science fiction writing and television. What we go back to read and watch; what we avoid like the plague; what we both love and hate. | Cathy Hird (m), David Clink, Herb Kauderer, Derwin Mak, Jeff Beeler |
Herb Kauderer | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Markham B | Troubleshooting Your Manuscript | You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Before submitting that manuscript to a prospective agent or editor, make sure it's the best that it can be, using these revision, editing and proofreading tips from a panel of authors and editors. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Herb Kauderer, Vanessa Ricci-Thode |
Herb Kauderer | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham B | Writing About the Middle Ages | One common thread across the range of speculative fiction is the use of medieval, or medieval-like, settings. From fantasy to paranormal to historical fantasy and historical realism to time-travel science fiction, authors of speculative fiction have been drawn to write about or place their stories in this time period. What about the Middle (or Dark) Ages appeals to writers of all types of speculative fiction? How can we "get it right" - or is getting it right even necessary? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), Cathy Hird, Herb Kauderer, Luke Maynard |
Herb Kauderer | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Aurora | Who gets to go? | With space tourism on the horizon for the richest, who do writers imagine will be the first colonists? Some writers imagine new colonies as a way to deal with overpopulation on Earth. Some imagine countries on Earth sending their people into the stars. How do writers answer this question? What do we think may actually happen? | Cathy Hird (m), Herb Kauderer |
Howard Scrimgeour | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrimgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Ian Keeling | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Ian Keeling | Ian Keeling | |
Ian Keeling | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan East | Writing fight scenes | There's nothing more exciting to read than a well-executed fight scene, but nothing more mood-killing tha a badly written one. How do you write a good one? Where do you start, and stop? How do you make it both more interesting and believable? We'll break down the elements of a good fight scene in this panel and share examples of great ones. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Herb Kauderer, Jen Frankel, Mike Rimar, Ian Keeling |
Ika Koeck (Mudzar) | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Aurora | Tales from the Plexis | Julie Czerneda, Roger Czerneda, Tanya Huff | |
Ika Koeck (Mudzar) | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakridges | How villainous is the villain: pencil-thin moustaches and black hats | What is the difference between a cartoonish villain and one who is a real challenge for the hero, a real threat to the world, and a real treat to read? | Cameron S. Currie (m), Jen Frankel, James Alan Gardner,Ika Koeck (Mudzar), Matt Moore |
Ira Nayman | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham A | The Word Panel | Words. They can portray a panoply of emotions. They can engage our imaginations. They can express complex ideas. They are what we use to communicate with each other, and they have power. The panel will explore how writers use words, choose words and, sometimes, abuse words. It is sure to be a panel not to be missed, snubbed, passed over, overlooked, unseen, or disregarded. | David Clink (m), Ira Nayman, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff |
Ira Nayman | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Aurora | And what would your Space TV Franchise look like? | This panel will start with a general discussion, and then open up to the possibilities of various panelist and audience member's ideas for an SF franchise. | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Ira Nayman, Fingers Delaurus, Jeff Beeler |
J.M. Tibbott | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham A | How to Edit like a Pro | Discussion of all of the tips and tricks of editing your manuscript so that your final professional editor has a clean and clear manuscript to work from. Discuss the savings of time, frustration and , of course, money. | J.M. Tibbott (m), Julie Czerneda, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Sienna Tristan, MJ Moores, Douglas Smith |
J.M. Tibbott | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Buttonville | Reading: Arlene Marks & J.M. Tibbott | Arlene Marks & J.M. Tibbott | |
J.M. Tibbott | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan West | Worldbuilding 201 | All fiction is speculative. Panelists will discuss the process and fundamentals of realistic world-building, including how and when to combine imagined with real setting details for best effect. | Arlene F. Marks, Ed Greenwood, A.A. Jankeweicz, Luke Maynard, J.M. Tibbott |
J.M. Tibbott | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan West | Indie Author Marketing 101 | Congratulations, you've published a book! Now, it's time to put on your "boss" hat and tell the "art director" to scram. Gain some insight on how small press and self-published authors are able to help bolster their income with tips and tricks of the trade. | MJ Moores (m) , Sarah WaterRaven, Avi Silver, Beverly Bambury, Kit Daven, J.M. Tibbott, Rebecca Diem |
J.M. Tibbott | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham B | Mi Setting, Su Setting | One author setting a story in another author's established universe is not a new idea. Edgar Rice Burroughs and Otis Adalbert Kline were doing it at the turn of the twentieth century. Their incursions into each other's space were the farthest thing from fan fiction; nowadays, things are a lot friendlier. Authors with experience at writing in shared settings will discuss the ins and outs of this unique kind of collaboration, as well as its pitfalls and etiquette. | Ed Greenwood (m), Avi Silver, Sienna Tristen, J.M. Tibbott, Arlene F. Marks |
J.M. Tibbott | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Eye of the Tiger, Hide of the Rhino | A sharing of strategies for dealing with rejection in all its forms, including bad reviews, form letter "no, thanks"Â from publishers, and unsupportive friends and family members. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, J.M. Tibbott, Kit Daven, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith |
James Alan Gardner | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Markham A | Seriously, I Want to be Taken Seriously | There is humourous science fiction and there is serious science fiction. But what if you don't want to write either Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe or 1984, but something in between? How do you add humour and comic relief to a basically serious novel? How do you make them laugh while still being taken seriously? Should you even try to blend humour with a serious subject? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), James Alan Gardner, Arlene Marks, Jen Frankel |
James Alan Gardner | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan West | Get an editor! | It can be hard to accept an editor's comments. Why do authors need those outside eyes? Why do authors find it hard to follow editors' suggestions. Panelists will talk about their strategies for interpreting the comments of editors. | Cathy Hird (m), James Alan Gardner, Kit Daven, Mike Rimar, Elizabeth Hirst, Amanda Sun |
James Alan Gardner | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | He don't know talkin' good like us | Not every character speaks like an Oxford scholar, and accents and other quirks of dialogue help bring a character to life. But is it y'all or ya'll? How do you write a Scottish brogue that doesn't need translation? Even when you're breaking the grammar rules, there are conventions to follow. Learn to write dialogue that sounds natural and is also clear to read. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, James Alan Gardner, Elizabeth Hirst, Tony Pi |
James Alan Gardner | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakridges | How villainous is the villain: pencil-thin moustaches and black hats | What is the difference between a cartoonish villain and one who is a real challenge for the hero, a real threat to the world, and a real treat to read? | Cameron S. Currie (m), Jen Frankel, James Alan Gardner,Ika Koeck (Mudzar), Matt Moore |
James Alan Gardner | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Aurora | Creating Extraordinary Creatures | Discussion of the tips for designing creatures, finding names, modeling after our own fauna, using imagination, and finalizing creating a mystery around them. | Ed Greenwood (m), Julie Czerneda, James Alan Gardner, Costi Gurgu, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Sarah WaterRaven |
James Alan Gardner | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
James Bade | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
James Bade | Sunday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham A | Closing Ceremonies and Feedback Panel | Ad Astra 2019 closes - share your feedback with the Ad Astra ConCom | James Bade (m), Ad Astra ConCom |
James Bambury | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Aurora | Star Wars, the Final Movie | Star Wars Episode IX - Can the beloved saga conclude in a way that will satisfy fans? | Adam Shaftoe (m), Kari Maaren, Luke Maynard, James Bambury, Melissa Small |
James Bambury | Friday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Aurora | GoT - did it end well? | Game of Thrones - did it end well? Who should have ruled instead? | David Clink (m), James Bambury, Jen Frankel, A.A. Jankiewicz, , Jeff Beeler |
James Bambury | Friday | 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM | Aurora | James and Adam NanoCon | Late Night Comedy, with James and Adam | James Bambury, Adam Shaftoe |
James Bambury | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Oakville | The DC Cinematic Universe: What Works and What Doesn't | A discussion of the DC movies to date, with thoughts on what has worked, what has not, ideas on how the parts that didn't work could have been made better, and what story opportunities could have thus been opened up. | Andre Lieven (m), David Clink, James Bambury, Luke Maynard Fingers Delaurus |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Markham A | Seriously, I Want to be Taken Seriously | There is humourous science fiction and there is serious science fiction. But what if you don't want to write either Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe or 1984, but something in between? How do you add humour and comic relief to a basically serious novel? How do you make them laugh while still being taken seriously? Should you even try to blend humour with a serious subject? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), James Alan Gardner, Arlene Marks, Jen Frankel |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | Appealing to an Aging Readership | Science fiction used to be the fiction of young, inquiring, future-minded readers. But now more and more those younger readers interested in speculative fiction are slipping away to fantasy and paranormal fiction. Looking out an a con, we see more and more 'mature' faces. How can we write to this loyal audience? What ideas, themes, plots and characters appeal to them? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Donald Montgomery |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Markham A | Theme: How to Keep Your Readers Thinking About Your Story After They've Read It. | A story with universal themes resonates with readers long after they've finished reading the last page. Those are the stories readers talk about, recommend to their friends, and which make them look up the next book by that author. In this workshop you will learn how to identify the natural themes in your story idea and how to develop those themes throughout your story using plot, echo, figures of speech and imagery. | Jane Ann McLachlan |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Markham A | What You Need to Know Before You Start Writing | A story idea has a natural energy to it. It calls to you, it energizes you, until you have to write it. But too often, in the writing, that energy and enthusiasm fades. How do you keep that energy alive, powering your writing? In this workshop you will learn how to spend more time exploring your idea before you begin to write. Specifically, you will learn the five things you need to know about your story before you start writing, and how to apply each of them to your story. | Jane Ann McLachlan |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham B | Writing About the Middle Ages | One common thread across the range of speculative fiction is the use of medieval, or medieval-like, settings. From fantasy to paranormal to historical fantasy and historical realism to time-travel science fiction, authors of speculative fiction have been drawn to write about or place their stories in this time period. What about the Middle (or Dark) Ages appeals to writers of all types of speculative fiction? How can we "get it right" - or is getting it right even necessary? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), Cathy Hird, Herb Kauderer, Luke Maynard |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Sunday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Aurora | Maintaining Tension & Suspense through Moral Dilemma | Moral dilemmas engage readers. Understanding what makes for a gripping ethical dilemma and the different approaches to resolving them can add depth and complexity to your characters and your story. In this presentation you will learn what an ethical dilemma is, how to create one that is complex and difficult to resolve, diverse approaches to resolving a dilemma and how to show your character's attempt to find the most ethical solution to his/her dilemma, one that will ring true for your readers. | Jane Ann McLachlan |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Eye of the Tiger, Hide of the Rhino | A sharing of strategies for dealing with rejection in all its forms, including bad reviews, form letter "no, thanks"Â from publishers, and unsupportive friends and family members. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, J.M. Tibbott, Kit Daven, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith |
Jane Ann McLachlan | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | Documenting Aliens | Readers and viewers want to see fully-fleshed, believable alien characters in their speculative fiction, including in main roles. But protagonists have to be relatable. How can you create a realistic, sympathetic alien protagonist who won't come across as a human in a costume? Attend this panel discussion and find out. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, Costi Gurgu, JD DeLuzio, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Donald Montgomery |
Jane Garthson | Saturday | 9:30 PM | 10:30 PM | King | Women of Filk: | Local filkers (male and female) each perform a few of their favourite songs written by female filkers | Janet Julian (m), Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Phil Mils, Jane Garthson |
Jane Garthson | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Janet Julian | Saturday | 9:30 PM | 10:30 PM | King | Women of Filk: | Local filkers (male and female) each perform a few of their favourite songs written by female filkers | Janet Julian (m), Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Phil Mils, Jane Garthson |
Janet Julian | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Janet Kellough | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Vaughan West | Research before you Write | Discussion of the value of research and where to go to find almost anything you need. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Tanya Huff, Elizabeth Hirst, Beverly Bambury, Janet Kellough, Tony Pi |
Janet Kellough | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Series Without Losing Your Way (or your mind) | Publishers love it when authors propose a series of books. But there's more to it than just writing one novel after another. This is a discussion about the nuts and bolts, the pitfalls and the rewards of diving into series fiction, provided by those who have been there (or still are). | Arlene F. Marks (m), Julie Czerneda, Tanya Huff, Janet Kellough, A. A. Jankiewicz |
Janet Kellough | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham A | The Business of being a Writer | So you are starting out as a writer. Can you deduct those expenses from your taxes? Do you have to register a business name? What about getting paid from another country? How do I.... ? Should I... ? Can I.... ? Our panelists are here to help answer your questions! | Larry Hancock (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Janet Kellough, Beverly Bambury |
JD DeLuzio | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | To Boldly Make Discovery in the Expanse | Star Trek lives on, in two contrasting seasons of Discovery and (to a degree), The Orville. The Expanse, meanwhile, takes a starkly different view of future space exploration, one more in keeping with contemporary SF writing. What do the differing approaches bring to our understanding of SF and our own possible futures? | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Adam Shaftoe, Paul Roberts, Gillian Clinton |
JD DeLuzio | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Oakville | Sub/Urban Folklore and e-Mythology | A pair of twelve-year-old girls stab a friend as a sacrifice to a meme. A man tries to liberate children that a ludicrous conspiracy theory tells him are held in a pizza parlor's non-existent basement. El chupacabra appears in horror movies while the New Jersey Devil challenges Marvel's Fantastic Four in comic books. Online and sub/urban lore are the new Brothers Grimm, and it's clear that the processes that produce folklore and religion have not stopped. What are the roots, benefits, and dangers of sub/urban and online lore? And how can the products of modern folklore enrich science fiction and fantasy? | JD DeLuzio (m), Melissa Small |
JD DeLuzio | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Aurora | And what would your Space TV Franchise look like? | This panel will start with a general discussion, and then open up to the possibilities of various panelist and audience member's ideas for an SF franchise. | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Ira Nayman Fingers Delaurus, Jeff Beeler |
JD DeLuzio | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | Documenting Aliens | Readers and viewers want to see fully-fleshed, believable alien characters in their speculative fiction, including in main roles. But protagonists have to be relatable. How can you create a realistic, sympathetic alien protagonist who won't come across as a human in a costume? Attend this panel discussion and find out. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, Costi Gurgu, JD DeLuzio, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Donald Montgomery |
Jeff Beeler | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakville | Tomorrow we fry. | A discussion about the coming climate upheaval and how to survive it with a smile, while consuming beer at a dollar a can. | David Stephenson, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder, Jeff Beeler |
Jeff Beeler | Friday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Aurora | GoT - did it end well? | Game of Thrones - did it end well? Who should have ruled instead? | David Clink (m), James Bambury, Jen Frankel, A.A. Jankiewicz, , Jeff Beeler |
Jeff Beeler | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Oakville | Sixties Sci-fi | This panel will talk about the best and worst of science fiction writing and television. What we go back to read and watch; what we avoid like the plague; what we both love and hate. | Cathy Hird (m), David Clink, Herb Kauderer, Derwin Mak, Jeff Beeler |
Jeff Beeler | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Aurora | And what would your Space TV Franchise look like? | This panel will start with a general discussion, and then open up to the possibilities of various panelist and audience member's ideas for an SF franchise. | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Ira Nayman Fingers Delaurus, Jeff Beeler |
Jen Distad | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Vaughan | Faithful Sidekicks Concert | The Faithful Sidekicks are the Filk/Geek Pop duo of Eric and Jen Distad. They write and perform an eclectic mix of original catchy songs about the geeky stuff they love from comedic pop songs like "Han Solo For President" to love songs written in SQL Code, and everything in between. They've been delighting audiences at Sci-Fi Conventions, Coffee Shops, and Clubs around the US and parts beyond since 2014. They have released two CDs, the most recent being "Achievement Unlocked". | Eric & Jen Distad |
Jen Distad | Saturday | 10:30 PM | 3:00 AM | King | Open Filk | Join a relaxed circle of people making music and laughing together. Bring songs or instruments or just come to listen. Circles are the heart of the filk community and where lasting friendships begin. | Erin Bellavia & Jen Distad hosting (first hour) |
Jen Frankel | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Markham A | Seriously, I Want to be Taken Seriously | There is humourous science fiction and there is serious science fiction. But what if you don't want to write either Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe or 1984, but something in between? How do you add humour and comic relief to a basically serious novel? How do you make them laugh while still being taken seriously? Should you even try to blend humour with a serious subject? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), James Alan Gardner, Arlene Marks, Jen Frankel |
Jen Frankel | Friday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Aurora | GoT - did it end well? | Game of Thrones - did it end well? Who should have ruled instead? | David Clink (m), James Bambury, Jen Frankel, A.A. Jankiewicz, , Jeff Beeler |
Jen Frankel | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan East | Writing fight scenes | There's nothing more exciting to read than a well-executed fight scene, but nothing more mood-killing tha a badly written one. How do you write a good one? Where do you start, and stop? How do you make it both more interesting and believable? We'll break down the elements of a good fight scene in this panel and share examples of great ones. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Herb Kauderer, Jen Frankel, Mike Rimar, Ian Keeling |
Jen Frankel | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Oakridges | Speculative Gender: How Heteronormativity is Holding Back Your Fiction | When creating a story, writers often dive into worldbuilding through language, religion, fashion, etc. but fail to explore an exciting opportunityÂgender systems! What if sex and gender werenÂt societally correlated? What if being trans wasnÂt automatically stigmatized? What if your human civilization (not just your aliens!) had nonbinary gender roles? On this panel, we will explore the benefits of expanding your worldbuilding beyond binary notions of gender, and how doing so can elevate your spec fic. | Sienna Tristen (m), Avi Silver, Derwin Mak, Jen Frankel |
Jen Frankel | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakridges | How villainous is the villain: pencil-thin moustaches and black hats | What is the difference between a cartoonish villain and one who is a real challenge for the hero, a real threat to the world, and a real treat to read? | Cameron S. Currie (m), Jen Frankel, James Alan Gardner,Ika Koeck (Mudzar), Matt Moore |
Jen Frankel | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Markham B | The Horrific Touch | The horror genre has changed a lot in the last hundred years, leaving us with the works of some great masters such as Poe, Hitchcock, King, Koontz, Rice, etc. But what makes effective horror? What are the tropes that need to fall away to the past, and what new ideas need to come into the dark light? | Karen Dales (m). Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Matt Moore, Jen Frankel |
Jody Rodier | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Masquerade Green Room | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Jody Rodier | Saturday | 8:30 PM | 9:30 PM | Vaughan | Masquerade | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Jody Rodier | Saturday | 10:00 PM | 2:00 AM | Vaughan | Dance | Saturday Night Dance | DSoL - Th'Elf, J-Man and DJ Dan |
Judith Hayman | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Vaughan East | Judith Hayman Concert | Judith is a singer-songwriter, with two albums released. Her concert will include songs based on SF&F book and media, the space program and possibly cats. Expect songs based on several authors and genre inspirations. | Judith Hayman |
Judith Hayman | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Judith Hayman | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Julie Czerneda | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Julie Czerneda | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Julie Czerneda | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham A | How to Edit like a Pro | Discussion of all of the tips and tricks of editing your manuscript so that your final professional editor has a clean and clear manuscript to work from. Discuss the savings of time, frustration and , of course, money. | J.M. Tibbott (m), Julie Czerneda, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Sienna Tristan, MJ Moores, Douglas Smith |
Julie Czerneda | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham B | We're Not Alone | Up to date information and discussion about life beyond our planet. Reference article in March issue of National Geographic by Jamie Shreeve. How close are we to receiving definitive proof? | Eric Choi (m), Gillian Clinton, Julie Czerneda, Karl Schroeder |
Julie Czerneda | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1080 | Julie Czerneda Pizza Party Private | ||
Julie Czerneda | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Series Without Losing Your Way (or your mind) | Publishers love it when authors propose a series of books. But there's more to it than just writing one novel after another. This is a discussion about the nuts and bolts, the pitfalls and the rewards of diving into series fiction, provided by those who have been there (or still are). | Arlene F. Marks (m), Julie Czerneda, Tanya Huff, Janet Kellough, A. A. Jankiewicz |
Julie Czerneda | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Aurora | Tales from the Plexis | Julie Czerneda, Roger Czerneda, Tanya Huff | |
Julie Czerneda | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Julie Czerneda | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Aurora | Creating Extraordinary Creatures | Discussion of the tips for designing creatures, finding names, modeling after our own fauna, using imagination, and finalizing creating a mystery around them. | Ed Greenwood (m), Julie Czerneda, James Alan Gardner, Costi Gurgu, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Sarah WaterRaven |
Julie Czerneda | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Markham A | Past GoH Hour - Julie Czerneda | Autographs to follow - Markham B | Julie Czerneda |
Karen Dales | Friday | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 1080 | Canadian Dreadful (Dark Dragon Publishing) | ||
Karen Dales | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Oakville | History of Witchcraft | Witches and witchcraft have been portrayed as a negative, harmful, or scary characters in writing, art, stage and screen through the centuries. From Goya to Shakespeare, to the Wizard of Oz, and modern paranormal novels, television and movies. Come learn where Witchcraft comes from, what it is, and why the Witch has become vilified over the centuries. | Moira Scott (m), Stephanie Bardy, Evan Dales, Karen Dales |
Karen Dales | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Markham B | The Horrific Touch | The horror genre has changed a lot in the last hundred years, leaving us with the works of some great masters such as Poe, Hitchcock, King, Koontz, Rice, etc. But what makes effective horror? What are the tropes that need to fall away to the past, and what new ideas need to come into the dark light? | Karen Dales (m). Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Matt Moore, Jen Frankel |
Kari Maaren | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Aurora | Star Wars, the Final Movie | Star Wars Episode IX - Can the beloved saga conclude in a way that will satisfy fans? | Adam Shaftoe (m), Kari Maaren, Luke Maynard, James Bambury, Melissa Small |
Kari Maaren | Friday | 11:00 PM | 3:00 AM | King | Open Filk | Join a relaxed circle of people making music and laughing together. Bring songs or instruments or just come to listen. Circles are the heart of the filk community and where lasting friendships begin. | Sue Jeffers & Kari Maaren hosting (first hour) |
Kari Maaren | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham A | Sci-Fi and Fantasy for Young Adults | The Katniss Everdeens. The Beatrice Priors. The Meg Murrys. Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy has had its fair share of strong female leads (as well as some poorly written ones, of course). We all know the girl who's "not like everyone else" and is the chosen one to save the day. But why has it been in mostly dystopian or paranormal fiction? And why is there almost always a romance? Come join us as we discuss feminism and YA SFF. We'll talk about what trends we've seen in the past, and how, if at all, we believe the YA genre is progressing in its female-lead SFF stories. | Rebecca Diem (m), Avi Silver, Cathy Hird, Melissa Small, Kari Maaren, Amanda Sun |
Kari Maaren | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | King | Writers: Learn to Love the Deadline | Deadlines can be ominous and intimidating, but they can also be a tool to give your creativity and productivity a boost. In this session we'll talk about the use of constraints to breed creativity and how timed writing challenges like NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and FAWM (February Album Writing Month) can help you practice the art of writing and can make Deadlines a useful tool. | Eric Distad (m), Kari Maaren, Phil Mills (+ 1-2 prose or poetry writer(s)) |
Kari Maaren | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Oakville | Graphic Novel | The popularity of the Graphic Novel is on the rise, but how does it compare to traditional novels? | D Larry Hancock (m), Kari Maaren, Sarah WaterRaven, Lar deSouza |
Karina Sumner-Smith | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Aurora | Tales from the Plexis | Julie Czerneda, Roger Czerneda, Tanya Huff | |
Karina Sumner-Smith | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Oakridges | How to Solve Writers' Block | Discussion by panel on times they have been stymied by writers block, how long it lasted, what they did to ease it, and what they plan on doing in the future to avoid it. | M. J. Moores (m), Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith, Maaja Wentz, |
Karina Sumner-Smith | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Eye of the Tiger, Hide of the Rhino | A sharing of strategies for dealing with rejection in all its forms, including bad reviews, form letter "no, thanks"Â from publishers, and unsupportive friends and family members. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, J.M. Tibbott, Kit Daven, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith |
Karina Sumner-Smith | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Synopsis | For most writers the synopsis is harder than writing the book. How does one conquer the monster and get the step closer to publication or agent representation? | Mike Rimar (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Karina Sumner-Smith, Matt Moore |
Karl Schroeder | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakville | Tomorrow we fry. | A discussion about the coming climate upheaval and how to survive it with a smile, while consuming beer at a dollar a can. | David Stephenson, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder, Jeff Beeler |
Karl Schroeder | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham B | We're Not Alone | Up to date information and discussion about life beyond our planet. Reference article in March issue of National Geographic by Jamie Shreeve. How close are we to receiving definitive proof? | Eric Choi (m), Gillian Clinton, Julie Czerneda, Karl Schroeder |
Karl Schroeder | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | The Art of Worldbuilding | Do you like to create? Creating fictional properties can seem like an overwhelming task. Do you begin from the small village or city and work your way out, or do you think of the grand schemes of the universe that govern your world and work your way all the way down to the very house your characters will start in? Learn a few tips on making your worlds make sense. | Thomas Gofton (m), Karl Schroeder, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A.A. Jankieweicz, Sarah WaterRaven, Amanda Sun |
Karl Schroeder | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | What's New in New Space? | 20 year ago the was a rush of new companies planning to "do space differently". Some have prospered, some have not. What's the current state of the new space industry and what ahs happened to some of the old companies of this new industry? | Eric Choi (m), David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder |
Karl Schroeder | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 2:30 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Karl Schroeder | Karl Schroeder | |
Ken Lalonde | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Home recording tips and tricks | The home recording enthusiast usually has two constraints when trying to capture a great performance: - We are always on a budget for gear - We are always on a budget for time Come join a panel of successful of home "Pretend-Gineers" as they share their tips and tricks to getting the most sound out of the least space and bank account. Hardware, software, and techniques will be presented for the composing/recording/mixing/mastering process. We sincerely hope you can steal some useful ideas! | Devin Melanson (m), Eric Distad, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Rand Bellavia |
Kit Daven | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan West | Get an editor! | It can be hard to accept an editor's comments. Why do authors need those outside eyes? Why do authors find it hard to follow editors' suggestions. Panelists will talk about their strategies for interpreting the comments of editors. | Cathy Hird (m), James Alan Gardner, Kit Daven, Mike Rimar, Elizabeth Hirst, Amanda Sun |
Kit Daven | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan West | Indie Author Marketing 101 | Congratulations, you've published a book! Now, it's time to put on your "boss" hat and tell the "art director" to scram. Gain some insight on how small press and self-published authors are able to help bolster their income with tips and tricks of the trade. | MJ Moores (m) , Sarah WaterRaven, Avi Silver, Beverly Bambury, Kit Daven, Marilyn Klieber, Rebecca Diem |
Kit Daven | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 1080 | The Starry Rise (Kit Daven) | ||
Kit Daven | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Eye of the Tiger, Hide of the Rhino | A sharing of strategies for dealing with rejection in all its forms, including bad reviews, form letter "no, thanks"Â from publishers, and unsupportive friends and family members. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Jane Ann McLachlan, J.M. Tibbott, Kit Daven, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith |
Lar deSouza | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Lar deSouza | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Vaughan | GoH Hour - Lar deSouza | Autographs to follow - Hallway | Lar deSouza |
Lar deSouza | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Lar deSouza | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Oakville | Graphic Novel | The popularity of the Graphic Novel is on the rise, but how does it compare to traditional novels? | D Larry Hancock (m), Kari Maaren, Sarah WaterRaven, Lar deSouza |
Lar deSouza | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Larry Hancock | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham A | The Business of being a Writer | So you are starting out as a writer. Can you deduct those expenses from your taxes? Do you have to register a business name? What about getting paid from another country? How do I.... ? Should I... ? Can I.... ? Our panelists are here to help answer your questions! | Larry Hancock (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Janet Kellough, Beverly Bambury |
Lossien | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Lossien | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Lossien | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham B | Stage Presentation (and What Not To Do) | Lossien (m) | |
Lossien | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Markham B | Cosplay 101/An Introduction to Cosplay | Lossien (m) | |
Lossien | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Masquerade Green Room | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Lossien | Saturday | 8:30 PM | 9:30 PM | Vaughan | Masquerade | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Lossien | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Lossien | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Oakridges | Working With Knits: Tips and Tricks | Lossien (m) | |
Luke Maynard | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Aurora | Star Wars, the Final Movie | Star Wars Episode IX - Can the beloved saga conclude in a way that will satisfy fans? | Adam Shaftoe (m), Kari Maaren, Luke Maynard, James Bambury, Melissa Small |
Luke Maynard | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan West | Worldbuilding 201 | All fiction is speculative. Panelists will discuss the process and fundamentals of realistic world-building, including how and when to combine imagined with real setting details for best effect. | Arlene F. Marks, Ed Greenwood, A.A. Jankeweicz, Luke Maynard, J.M. Tibbott |
Luke Maynard | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 1062 | A Home Amng the Stars (Kay Hwkins) & The Season of the Plough (Luke Maynard) | ||
Luke Maynard | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham B | Writing About the Middle Ages | One common thread across the range of speculative fiction is the use of medieval, or medieval-like, settings. From fantasy to paranormal to historical fantasy and historical realism to time-travel science fiction, authors of speculative fiction have been drawn to write about or place their stories in this time period. What about the Middle (or Dark) Ages appeals to writers of all types of speculative fiction? How can we "get it right" - or is getting it right even necessary? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), Cathy Hird, Herb Kauderer, Luke Maynard |
Luke Maynard | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Oakville | The DC Cinematic Universe: What Works and What Doesn't | A discussion of the DC movies to date, with thoughts on what has worked, what has not, ideas on how the parts that didn't work could have been made better, and what story opportunities could have thus been opened up. | Andre Lieven (m), David Clink, James Bambury, Luke Maynard, Fingers Delaurus |
Luke Maynard | Sunday | 2:30 PM | 3:00 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Luke Maynard | Luke Maynard | |
Luke Maynard | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Aurora | I Hate Common: Exploring Language in Spec Fic | Tired of monolingual fantasy empires? Want to show off the diversity of your multi-species space colony? This panel will discuss the ways language and linguistics can be used to enrich worldbuilding and create interesting conflict in everything from novels to TTRPG campaigns. We'll spend time both on language as a plot device and on tips for creating your own fictional languages! | Sienna Tristen (m). Cameron S. Currie, Amanda Sun, Luke Maynard |
Maaja Wentz | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Markham A | Publishing 101 | Are you ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Wondering what path is right for you? Do you know your path but navigating it feels like the rapids before going head-long over a waterfall? Join us as we walk you through traditional publishing, self-publishing, and being a hybrid author. Come with your questions and finally get some answers. | MJ Moores (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A. A. Jankiewicz, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury, Donald Montgomery |
Maaja Wentz | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Oakridges | How to publish a beautiful novel with a limited budget | Self-publishing has more credibility and more advantages than ever. But we've all seen disasters with hideous covers and terrible formatting. How do you create a professional-looking book when you don't have the budget to hire a design team? Learn tips and tricks to make a book that looks just as good on the shelf as a book by a major imprint. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, MJ Moores, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury |
Maaja Wentz | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Oakridges | How to Solve Writers' Block | Discussion by panel on times they have been stymied by writers block, how long it lasted, what they did to ease it, and what they plan on doing in the future to avoid it. | M. J. Moores (m), Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith, Maaja Wentz, |
Martin Hunger | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | Steampunk. Future Past | Into Murdoch Mysteries, Jules Verne or Wild Wild West? Well come on over to this information presentation of making Steampunk Gadgets, costume pieces and meet our Mechanical pup, MUT. We will go over painting techniques, mechanics and the joys of stuffing yourself into a corset. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Martin Hunger | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham B | Translating a costume from the pages of a book | Bring with you your favourite book and the passage(s) that best describes the character you are trying to recreate and we will assist you in suggesting materials, interpreting colours and recommending techniques. DO the graphic novel thing or comic book and there is just something that looks impossible? Bring that instead and make sure you pre bookmark 2-4 pages that show the costume the most. We have years experience trying to interpret artist renderings and director/Props head descriptions to produce what they are after. Allow us to make some suggestions that may clear your head a little. Due to limit in time we will ask you to sign in when you arrive. First come, first looked at. And please be curious to the others in the room by focussing and taking notes (or recording) so that we can move ahead. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Martin Hunger | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham B | Production to Cosplay | From Stargate to Legends of Tomorrow's ATOM armour; Cyclop's Visor to Diggle's Helmet; Total Recall 2070 recall devices to Cody Banks modified iPod.... Come get a grasp as to how it was done on set to how you could do it for yourself. Whether you're replicating or are planning a career, best place to start is in your home and your heart. Select samples of both Âhomemade and production items will be presented. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Martin Hunger | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Masquerade Green Room | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Martin Hunger | Saturday | 8:30 PM | 9:30 PM | Markham A | Masquerade | Jody Rodier (m), Lossien, Dayna the Sloth, Christina Carr, Martin Hunger | |
Martin Hunger | Sunday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham B | Surviving the Entertainment Industry | For two people who never thought theyÂd still be doing this, they are still doing this. Come spend some time with CarrHunger as they take you through the stories that brought them into this lifestyle, their realities in this field and how they have gone through some of the best and the worse and come out the other side. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Martin Hunger | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan | Wings and Things | Whether you are a cosplayer, prop maker or just want to impress this Hallowe'en, come learn the ins and outs of making wings, crowns, fake metal items, costume pieces and various other items to complete your next costume. | Christina Carr, Martin Hunger |
Matt Moore | Saturday | 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Matt Moore | Matt Moore | |
Matt Moore | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakridges | How villainous is the villain: pencil-thin moustaches and black hats | What is the difference between a cartoonish villain and one who is a real challenge for the hero, a real threat to the world, and a real treat to read? | Cameron S. Currie (m), Jen Frankel, James Alan Gardner,Ika Koeck (Mudzar), Matt Moore |
Matt Moore | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Synopsis | For most writers the synopsis is harder than writing the book. How does one conquer the monster and get the step closer to publication or agent representation? | Mike Rimar (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Karina Sumner-Smith, Matt Moore |
Matt Moore | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Markham B | The Horrific Touch | The horror genre has changed a lot in the last hundred years, leaving us with the works of some great masters such as Poe, Hitchcock, King, Koontz, Rice, etc. But what makes effective horror? What are the tropes that need to fall away to the past, and what new ideas need to come into the dark light? | Karen Dales (m). Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Matt Moore, Jen Frankel |
Melissa Small | Friday | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Aurora | Star Wars, the Final Movie | Star Wars Episode IX - Can the beloved saga conclude in a way that will satisfy fans? | Adam Shaftoe (m), Kari Maaren, Luke Maynard, James Bambury, Melissa Small |
Melissa Small | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham A | Sci-Fi and Fantasy for Young Adults | The Katniss Everdeens. The Beatrice Priors. The Meg Murrys. Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy has had its fair share of strong female leads (as well as some poorly written ones, of course). We all know the girl who's "not like everyone else" and is the chosen one to save the day. But why has it been in mostly dystopian or paranormal fiction? And why is there almost always a romance? Come join us as we discuss feminism and YA SFF. We'll talk about what trends we've seen in the past, and how, if at all, we believe the YA genre is progressing in its female-lead SFF stories. | Rebecca Diem (m), Avi Silver, Cathy Hird, Melissa Small, Kari Maaren, Amanda Sun |
Melissa Small | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Oakville | Sub/Urban Folklore and e-Mythology | A pair of twelve-year-old girls stab a friend as a sacrifice to a meme. A man tries to liberate children that a ludicrous conspiracy theory tells him are held in a pizza parlor's non-existent basement. El chupacabra appears in horror movies while the New Jersey Devil challenges Marvel's Fantastic Four in comic books. Online and sub/urban lore are the new Brothers Grimm, and it's clear that the processes that produce folklore and religion have not stopped. What are the roots, benefits, and dangers of sub/urban and online lore? And how can the products of modern folklore enrich science fiction and fantasy? | JD DeLuzio (m), Melissa Small |
Michael Mongiardi | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | King | Creating Communities Through Podcasting | So you either listen to podcasts, or host one yourself. Good, that means you're human. Podcasts are an exciting media platform, that give a voice to anyone who wants it. This panel will discuss how to get the most out of your podcasts by taking advantage of the ever-expanding podcast communities. Hosted by members of "The Sonar Network", Toronto's podcast collective. | Michael Mongiardi, Cody Crain |
Mike Rimar | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan East | Writing fight scenes | There's nothing more exciting to read than a well-executed fight scene, but nothing more mood-killing tha a badly written one. How do you write a good one? Where do you start, and stop? How do you make it both more interesting and believable? We'll break down the elements of a good fight scene in this panel and share examples of great ones. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Herb Kauderer, Jen Frankel, Mike Rimar, Ian Keeling |
Mike Rimar | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan West | Get an editor! | It can be hard to accept an editor's comments. Why do authors need those outside eyes? Why do authors find it hard to follow editors' suggestions. Panelists will talk about their strategies for interpreting the comments of editors. | Cathy Hird (m), James Alan Gardner, Kit Daven, Mike Rimar, Elizabeth Hirst, Amanda Sun |
Mike Rimar | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Synopsis | For most writers the synopsis is harder than writing the book. How does one conquer the monster and get the step closer to publication or agent representation? | Mike Rimar (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Karina Sumner-Smith, Matt Moore |
MJ Moores | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Keeping a Canadian identity in an American world | How to keep your Canadian identity as a writer in an American market. Should you let some things go and fight for others? | Stephanie Bardy (m), MJ Moores, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff, Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith |
MJ Moores | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham A | How to Edit like a Pro | Discussion of all of the tips and tricks of editing your manuscript so that your final professional editor has a clean and clear manuscript to work from. Discuss the savings of time, frustration and , of course, money. | J.M. Tibbott (m), Julie Czerneda, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Sienna Tristan, MJ Moores, Douglas Smith |
MJ Moores | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Markham A | Publishing 101 | Are you ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Wondering what path is right for you? Do you know your path but navigating it feels like the rapids before going head-long over a waterfall? Join us as we walk you through traditional publishing, self-publishing, and being a hybrid author. Come with your questions and finally get some answers. | MJ Moores (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A. A. Jankiewicz, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury, Donald Montgomery |
MJ Moores | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Oakridges | How to publish a beautiful novel with a limited budget | Self-publishing has more credibility and more advantages than ever. But we've all seen disasters with hideous covers and terrible formatting. How do you create a professional-looking book when you don't have the budget to hire a design team? Learn tips and tricks to make a book that looks just as good on the shelf as a book by a major imprint. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, MJ Moores, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury |
MJ Moores | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Oakridges | How to Solve Writers' Block | Discussion by panel on times they have been stymied by writers block, how long it lasted, what they did to ease it, and what they plan on doing in the future to avoid it. | MJ Moores (m), Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith, Karina Sumner-Smith, Maaja Wentz, |
MJ Moores | Sunday | 11:30 AM | 12:00 PM | Buttonville | Reading: Melissa (MJ) Moores | Melissa (MJ) Moores | |
MJ Moores | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan West | Indie Author Marketing 101 | Congratulations, you've published a book! Now, it's time to put on your "boss" hat and tell the "art director" to scram. Gain some insight on how small press and self-published authors are able to help bolster their income with tips and tricks of the trade. | MJ Moores (m) , Sarah WaterRaven, Avi Silver, Beverly Bambury, Kit Daven, Marilyn Klieber, Rebecca Diem |
Moira Scott | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | Pagans, Heathens and Polytheists, Oh My! | Non-monotheist religions have been around since before humans began to write 5600 years ago. In the Western world, within literature and media, more and more there is a move to incorporate these myths, deities and practices, as well as invent others. What makes these belief structures so appealing to write about or even discover as a spiritual path? How to ensure that your writing rings true to these ancient, and often misrepresented faiths? | Moira Scott (m), Evan Dales, Sarah WaterRaven, Cathy Hird, Derwin Mak |
Moira Scott | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Oakville | History of Witchcraft | Witches and witchcraft have been portrayed as a negative, harmful, or scary characters in writing, art, stage and screen through the centuries. From Goya to Shakespeare, to the Wizard of Oz, and modern paranormal novels, television and movies. Come learn where Witchcraft comes from, what it is, and why the Witch has become vilified over the centuries. | Moira Scott (m), Stephanie Bardy, Evan Dales, Karen Dales |
Morva Bowman | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Vaughan | Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard Concert | Morva and Alan perform an eclectic mix of classic and not so classic filk mixed with some folk tunes. Music written by artists across Canada, the US and the UK. Subjects include Valentina Tereshkova, fairy tale daughters, Bletchley Park, Arthurian legend, and sirens. (Not all in one song, sadly!) And we love it when people sing along! | Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard |
Morva Bowman | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Morva Bowman | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Patrick McDonald | Friday | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Sheraton Parkette | Parking lot astronomy | Friday and Saturday night, round 9:30PM, weather permitting. Solar viewing around 11:30 AM, weather permitting. | Patrick McDonald |
Patrick McDonald | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Oakville | Does Spock's Home Planet Exist? | The multiple starsystem 40 Eridani was the basis for Spock's "home". Recently a "superearth" planet has been found to be orbiting the orange dwarf star. Possibilities abound! | Patrick McDonald (m) |
Patrick McDonald | Saturday | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Sheraton Parkette | Parking lot astronomy | Friday and Saturday night, round 9:30PM, weather permitting. Solar viewing around 11:30 AM, weather permitting. | Patrick McDonald |
Patrick McDonald | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | Mental Health and Fandom | Sunday afternoon discussion about mental illness challenges and how science fiction helps or hinders coping with them. | Patrick McDonald (m), Avi Silver, Vanessa Ricci-Thode |
Paul Roberts | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Oakville | Tomorrow we fry. | A discussion about the coming climate upheaval and how to survive it with a smile, while consuming beer at a dollar a can. | David Stephenson, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder, Jeff Beeler |
Paul Roberts | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Oakville | What Happened to Space Tourism | It's been 15 years since Spaceship One first flew to space. At the time, commercial civilian tourist flights to space were only "a couple of years away" and still not a single paying passenger has been flown. What happened, what's going to happen and why. | Eric Choi (m), Paul Roberts, David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton |
Paul Roberts | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | To Boldly Make Discovery in the Expanse | Star Trek lives on, in two contrasting seasons of Discovery and (to a degree), The Orville. The Expanse, meanwhile, takes a starkly different view of future space exploration, one more in keeping with contemporary SF writing. What do the differing approaches bring to our understanding of SF and our own possible futures? | JD DeLuzio (m), Eric Choi, Adam Shaftoe, Paul Roberts, Gillian Clinton |
Paul Roberts | Saturday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | What's New in New Space? | 20 year ago the was a rush of new companies planning to "do space differently". Some have prospered, some have not. What's the current state of the new space industry and what ahs happened to some of the old companies of this new industry? | Eric Choi (m), David Stephenson, Gillian Clinton, Paul Roberts, Karl Schroeder |
Paul Roberts | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham A | AGM | Annual General Meeting of the Ad Astra Science Fiction Society | Paul Roberts (m), Ad Astra Board of Directors |
Peggi Warner-Lalonde | Saturday | 9:30 PM | 10:30 PM | King | Women of Filk: | Local filkers (male and female) each perform a few of their favourite songs written by female filkers | Janet Julian (m), Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Phil Mils, Jane Garthson |
Phil Mills | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Setting up a recording space | Your audio message may be music, podcast, voice over, or narration. And your fans want to hear this message... but not necessarily the dog, laundry machine, or the neighbour's stereo. A panel of home recording enthusiasts discuss and demonstrate their favourite ways to create a recording space. They will share strategies from "Mild to Wild" when it comes to setting up your little corner of audio creation! | Tom Jeffers (m), Devin Melanson, Eric Distad, Phil Mills |
Phil Mills | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | King | Writers: Learn to Love the Deadline | Deadlines can be ominous and intimidating, but they can also be a tool to give your creativity and productivity a boost. In this session we'll talk about the use of constraints to breed creativity and how timed writing challenges like NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and FAWM (February Album Writing Month) can help you practice the art of writing and can make Deadlines a useful tool. | Eric Distad (m), Kari Maaren, Phil Mills |
Phil Mills | Saturday | 9:30 PM | 10:30 PM | King | Women of Filk: | Local filkers (male and female) each perform a few of their favourite songs written by female filkers | Janet Julian (m), Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Phil Mills, Jane Garthson |
Phil Mills | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Rand Bellavia | Friday | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Vaughan | Via Bella Concert | Rand and Erin Bellavia will perform songs from their album The Way Of Beauty, dealing with fandoms such as The Princess Bride, A Wrinkle in Time, Seanan McGuireÂs October Daye novels, Star Trek, and Agent Peggy Carter.  You might also hear a few of their Âdeconstructed covers of popular songs.  (Okay, youÂll hear three.)  Feel the soft rock fury of Via Bella! | Rand & Erin Bellavia |
Rand Bellavia | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Home recording tips and tricks | The home recording enthusiast usually has two constraints when trying to capture a great performance: - We are always on a budget for gear - We are always on a budget for time Come join a panel of successful of home "Pretend-Gineers" as they share their tips and tricks to getting the most sound out of the least space and bank account. Hardware, software, and techniques will be presented for the composing/recording/mixing/mastering process. We sincerely hope you can steal some useful ideas! | Devin Melanson (m), Eric Distad, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Rand Bellavia |
Rebecca Diem | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Markham A | Sci-Fi and Fantasy for Young Adults | The Katniss Everdeens. The Beatrice Priors. The Meg Murrys. Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy has had its fair share of strong female leads (as well as some poorly written ones, of course). We all know the girl who's "not like everyone else" and is the chosen one to save the day. But why has it been in mostly dystopian or paranormal fiction? And why is there almost always a romance? Come join us as we discuss feminism and YA SFF. We'll talk about what trends we've seen in the past, and how, if at all, we believe the YA genre is progressing in its female-lead SFF stories. | Rebecca Diem (m), Avi Silver, Cathy Hird, Melissa Small, Kari Maaren, Amanda Sun |
Rebecca Diem | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan West | Indie Author Marketing 101 | Congratulations, you've published a book! Now, it's time to put on your "boss" hat and tell the "art director" to scram. Gain some insight on how small press and self-published authors are able to help bolster their income with tips and tricks of the trade. | MJ Moores (m) , Sarah WaterRaven, Avi Silver, Beverly Bambury, Kit Daven, Marilyn Klieber, Rebecca Diem |
Robert J. Sawyer | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Robert J. Sawyer | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Keeping a Canadian identity in an American world | How to keep your Canadian identity as a writer in an American market. Should you let some things go and fight for others? | Stephanie Bardy (m), MJ Moores, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff, Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith |
Robert J. Sawyer | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Robert J. Sawyer | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham A | The Word Panel | Words. They can portray a panoply of emotions. They can engage our imaginations. They can express complex ideas. They are what we use to communicate with each other, and they have power. The panel will explore how writers use words, choose words and, sometimes, abuse words. It is sure to be a panel not to be missed, snubbed, passed over, overlooked, unseen, or disregarded. | David Clink (m), Ira Nayman, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff |
Robert J. Sawyer | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan East | Past GoH Hour - Robert J. Sawyer | Autographs to follow - Vaughan East | Robert J. Sawyer |
Robert J. Sawyer | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham A | The Business of being a Writer | So you are starting out as a writer. Can you deduct those expenses from your taxes? Do you have to register a business name? What about getting paid from another country? How do I.... ? Should I... ? Can I.... ? Our panelists are here to help answer your questions! | Larry Hancock (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Janet Kellough, Beverly Bambury |
Robert J. Sawyer | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Robert J. Sawyer | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Synopsis | For most writers the synopsis is harder than writing the book. How does one conquer the monster and get the step closer to publication or agent representation? | Mike Rimar (m), Robert J. Sawyer, Karina Sumner-Smith, Matt Moore |
Robert J. Sawyer | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Markham A | Reading / Autograph - Rob Sawyer | Robert J. Sawyer | |
Sarah WaterRaven | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Aurora | Pagans, Heathens and Polytheists, Oh My! | Non-monotheist religions have been around since before humans began to write 5600 years ago. In the Western world, within literature and media, more and more there is a move to incorporate these myths, deities and practices, as well as invent others. What makes these belief structures so appealing to write about or even discover as a spiritual path? How to ensure that your writing rings true to these ancient, and often misrepresented faiths? | Moira Scott (m), Evan Dales, Sarah WaterRaven, Cathy Hird, Derwin Mak |
Sarah WaterRaven | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Aurora | Apps for Authors | Tapas, Radish, Wattpad; publishing is changing again! The average Canadian spends two hours a day on their phone or tablet. Get up to speed on the latest publishing apps for writers and readers. | Sarah WaterRaven |
Sarah WaterRaven | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Vaughan West | Indie Author Marketing 101 | Congratulations, you've published a book! Now, it's time to put on your "boss" hat and tell the "art director" to scram. Gain some insight on how small press and self-published authors are able to help bolster their income with tips and tricks of the trade. | MJ Moores (m) , Sarah WaterRaven, Avi Silver, Beverly Bambury, Kit Daven, Marilyn Klieber, Rebecca Diem |
Sarah WaterRaven | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | The Art of Worldbuilding | Do you like to create? Creating fictional properties can seem like an overwhelming task. Do you begin from the small village or city and work your way out, or do you think of the grand schemes of the universe that govern your world and work your way all the way down to the very house your characters will start in? Learn a few tips on making your worlds make sense. | Thomas Gofton (m), Karl Schroeder, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A.A. Jankieweicz, Sarah WaterRaven, Amanda Sun |
Sarah WaterRaven | Saturday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Oakville | Graphic Novel | The popularity of the Graphic Novel is on the rise, but how does it compare to traditional novels? | D Larry Hancock (m), Kari Maaren, Sarah WaterRaven, Lar deSouza |
Sarah WaterRaven | Sunday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Aurora | Creating Extraordinary Creatures | Discussion of the tips for designing creatures, finding names, modeling after our own fauna, using imagination, and finalizing creating a mystery around them. | Ed Greenwood (m), Julie Czerneda, James Alan Gardner, Costi Gurgu, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Sarah WaterRaven |
Sienna Tristen | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham A | How to Edit like a Pro | Discussion of all of the tips and tricks of editing your manuscript so that your final professional editor has a clean and clear manuscript to work from. Discuss the savings of time, frustration and , of course, money. | J.M. Tibbott (m), Julie Czerneda, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Sienna Tristen, MJ Moores, Douglas Smith |
Sienna Tristen | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Oakridges | Speculative Gender: How Heteronormativity is Holding Back Your Fiction | When creating a story, writers often dive into worldbuilding through language, religion, fashion, etc. but fail to explore an exciting opportunityÂgender systems! What if sex and gender werenÂt societally correlated? What if being trans wasnÂt automatically stigmatized? What if your human civilization (not just your aliens!) had nonbinary gender roles? On this panel, we will explore the benefits of expanding your worldbuilding beyond binary notions of gender, and how doing so can elevate your spec fic. | Sienna Tristen (m), Avi Silver, Derwin Mak, Jen Frankel |
Sienna Tristen | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Markham B | Mi Setting, Su Setting | One author setting a story in another author's established universe is not a new idea. Edgar Rice Burroughs and Otis Adalbert Kline were doing it at the turn of the twentieth century. Their incursions into each other's space were the farthest thing from fan fiction; nowadays, things are a lot friendlier. Authors with experience at writing in shared settings will discuss the ins and outs of this unique kind of collaboration, as well as its pitfalls and etiquette. | Ed Greenwood (m), Avi Silver, Sienna Tristen, J.M. Tibbott, Arlene F. Marks |
Sienna Tristen | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Aurora | I Hate Common: Exploring Language in Spec Fic | Tired of monolingual fantasy empires? Want to show off the diversity of your multi-species space colony? This panel will discuss the ways language and linguistics can be used to enrich worldbuilding and create interesting conflict in everything from novels to TTRPG campaigns. We'll spend time both on language as a plot device and on tips for creating your own fictional languages! | Sienna Tristen (m). Cameron S. Currie, Amanda Sun, Luke Maynard |
Stephanie Bardy | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Keeping a Canadian identity in an American world | How to keep your Canadian identity as a writer in an American market. Should you let some things go and fight for others? | Stephanie Bardy (m), MJ Moores, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff, Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith |
Stephanie Bardy | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Oakville | History of Witchcraft | Witches and witchcraft have been portrayed as a negative, harmful, or scary characters in writing, art, stage and screen through the centuries. From Goya to Shakespeare, to the Wizard of Oz, and modern paranormal novels, television and movies. Come learn where Witchcraft comes from, what it is, and why the Witch has become vilified over the centuries. | Moira Scott (m), Stephanie Bardy, Evan Dales, Karen Dales |
Stephanie Bedwell-Grime | Sunday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Markham B | The Horrific Touch | The horror genre has changed a lot in the last hundred years, leaving us with the works of some great masters such as Poe, Hitchcock, King, Koontz, Rice, etc. But what makes effective horror? What are the tropes that need to fall away to the past, and what new ideas need to come into the dark light? | Karen Dales (m). Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Matt Moore, Jen Frankel |
Sue Jeffers | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Sue Jeffers | Friday | 11:00 PM | 3:00 AM | King | Open Filk | Join a relaxed circle of people making music and laughing together. Bring songs or instruments or just come to listen. Circles are the heart of the filk community and where lasting friendships begin. | Sue Jeffers & Kari Maaren hosting (first hour) |
Sue Jeffers | Saturday | 7:30 PM | 8:30 PM | Vaughan | Stone Dragons GoH Concert | The Stone Dragons hail from Toronto and have been performing all over the world their brand of science fiction, fantasy, fun songs and on-stage banter. They have won numerous awards, been guests at a number of filk conventions and have a debut CD called ÂDream of Flying that they released a few years ago. We are so looking forward to being guests at AdAstra and sharing our music. | Tom Jeffers, Sue Jeffers |
Sue Jeffers | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Sue Jeffers | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Sue Jeffers | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Tanya Huff | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Tanya Huff | Friday | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Markham A | Keeping a Canadian identity in an American world | How to keep your Canadian identity as a writer in an American market. Should you let some things go and fight for others? | Stephanie Bardy (m), MJ Moores, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff, Amanda Sun, Douglas Smith |
Tanya Huff | Friday | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 1073 (ConSuite) | Walking Tacos - GoH Meet and Greet | Please visit our ConSuite for an infamous Walking Taco. Guests of Honour are invited to pop in during this time. | Guest of Honour drop-in : Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Tanya Huff | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Vaughan West | Research before you Write | Discussion of the value of research and where to go to find almost anything you need. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Tanya Huff, Elizabeth Hirst, Beverly Bambury, Janet Kellough, Tony Pi |
Tanya Huff | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham A | The Word Panel | Words. They can portray a panoply of emotions. They can engage our imaginations. They can express complex ideas. They are what we use to communicate with each other, and they have power. The panel will explore how writers use words, choose words and, sometimes, abuse words. It is sure to be a panel not to be missed, snubbed, passed over, overlooked, unseen, or disregarded. | David Clink (m), Ira Nayman, Robert J. Sawyer, Tanya Huff |
Tanya Huff | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | How to Write a Series Without Losing Your Way (or your mind) | Publishers love it when authors propose a series of books. But there's more to it than just writing one novel after another. This is a discussion about the nuts and bolts, the pitfalls and the rewards of diving into series fiction, provided by those who have been there (or still are). | Arlene F. Marks (m), Julie Czerneda, Tanya Huff, Janet Kellough, A. A. Jankiewicz |
Tanya Huff | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | Vaughan East | GoH Hour - Tanya Huff | Autographs to follow - Vaughan East | Tanya Huff |
Tanya Huff | Saturday | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Aurora | Tales from the Plexis | Julie Czerneda, Roger Czerneda, Tanya Huff | |
Tanya Huff | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Tanya Huff | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham A | Reading / Autograph - Tanya Huff | Tanya Huff | |
Tanya Huff | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Thomas Gofton | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Oakridges | Film/Youtube and More! | Thinking about making a short film, a web series, feature or documentary? Want to learn how to grow your YouTube channel? Need some advice on where to start, how to finish and everything in between? This panel is designed for filmmakers of all levels that want to learn anything and everything about the process of indie and professional narrative film making. | Thomas Gofton |
Thomas Gofton | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | The Art of Worldbuilding | Do you like to create? Creating fictional properties can seem like an overwhelming task. Do you begin from the small village or city and work your way out, or do you think of the grand schemes of the universe that govern your world and work your way all the way down to the very house your characters will start in? Learn a few tips on making your worlds make sense. | Thomas Gofton (m), Karl Schroeder, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A.A. Jankieweicz, Sarah WaterRaven, Amanda Sun |
Thomas Gofton | Sunday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Oakridges | Crowdfunding Strategies | So you want to fund your film, book, game or invention? Come to this panel and hear the tricks, tips, downfalls and reality of making your next level maneuver in crowdfunding. Learn about the different platforms, styles and methods to help you gain maximum success. | Thomas Gofton (m), Caro Soles |
Todd Clark | Friday | 9:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 1062 | Steampunk Gaming Evening | Come join the Toronto Steampunk Society for an evening of Steampunk Gaming. You will have the opportunity to play the Abney Park game âTerror of the Skiesâ, Steampunk Munchkin, Edison, Ticket to Ride, and a few surprises as members dig through their gaming chests and bring out some of their Steamy favourites. Come on out and enjoy a fun evening while terrorizing the skies or building your own railroad empire. | TSS: Doc Morgan, Todd Clark |
Todd Clark | Saturday | 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 1062 | Steampunk Tesla Charity Tea | Fancy a lovely spot of tea apart from the delightful hubbub of the main con? Come and join the Toronto Steampunk Society and guests for the Tesla Charity Tea in support of Autism Ontario. There will be readings, games, the ever popular Tea Duelling, a raffle, and polite conversation. And, of course, there will be tea, sample a selection of outstanding teas generously supplied by Galaxy Teas. All this for a suggested charity donation of at least $5. Steampunk attire is optional. | TSS: Doc Morgan, Todd Clark |
Todd Clark | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Markham B | Steampunk Culture and Fiction | Most of us have heard the term âSteampunkâ, but many do not know much about the origins of the genre nor the range and depth of Steampunk culture The panel start with a general introduction to Steampunk and will include an interactive session with the audience exploring Steampunk literature. | Doc Morgan, Todd Clark |
Tom Jeffers | Friday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Vaughan West | Opening Ceremonies | Meet this year's guests of Honour and learn more about the fun things planned for this weekend. Hosted by the Ad Astra Chair, James Bade, and assorted ConCom. | James Bade (m), Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Tom Jeffers | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Home recording tips and tricks | The home recording enthusiast usually has two constraints when trying to capture a great performance: - We are always on a budget for gear - We are always on a budget for time Come join a panel of successful of home "Pretend-Gineers" as they share their tips and tricks to getting the most sound out of the least space and bank account. Hardware, software, and techniques will be presented for the composing/recording/mixing/mastering process. We sincerely hope you can steal some useful ideas! | Devin Melanson (m), Eric Distad, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Rand Bellavia |
Tom Jeffers | Saturday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | King | Sound Engineering: Setting up a recording space | Your audio message may be music, podcast, voice over, or narration. And your fans want to hear this message... but not necessarily the dog, laundry machine, or the neighbour's stereo. A panel of home recording enthusiasts discuss and demonstrate their favourite ways to create a recording space. They will share strategies from "Mild to Wild" when it comes to setting up your little corner of audio creation! | Tom Jeffers (m), Devin Melanson, Eric Distad, Phil Mills |
Tom Jeffers | Saturday | 7:30 PM | 8:30 PM | Vaughan | Stone Dragons GoH Concert | The Stone Dragons hail from Toronto and have been performing all over the world their brand of science fiction, fantasy, fun songs and on-stage banter. They have won numerous awards, been guests at a number of filk conventions and have a debut CD called ÂDream of Flying that they released a few years ago. We are so looking forward to being guests at AdAstra and sharing our music. | Tom Jeffers, Sue Jeffers |
Tom Jeffers | Sunday | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | GOH Brunch | Join Ad Astra's guests for Sunday morning Brunch. Tickets should be purchased online, but check with Registration Desk for limited onsite tickets. | Tanya Huff, Lar deSouza, Stone Dragons, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Ed Greenwood, Eric Choi, Lossien, Dayna the Sloth |
Tom Jeffers | Sunday | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Vaughan | Earth to the Moon - 50th Anniversary | This month we look back fifty years to the day mankind first reached the moon, walked on its surface, and returned safely to Earth. Our multimedia presentation tells the story of manned space exploration in the West through narration, iconic images, and classic original songs. Presented by an ensemble of performers. | Judith Hayman, Howard Scrmgeour, Devin Melanson, Christie de Souza, Stone Dragons, Faithful Sidekicks, Morva Bowman and Alan Pollard, Janet Julian |
Tom Jeffers | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | King | Story and Song: Songs Inspired by Genre Authors | Authors will do short readings of their own or other works followed by a song inspired by that story, novel or poem, performed by the song-writer. | Sue Jeffers (M), Phil Mills, Judith Hayman, Tom Jeffers, Jane Garthson, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Tanya Huff, James Alan Gardner, others tbd |
Tony Pi | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Vaughan West | Research before you Write | Discussion of the value of research and where to go to find almost anything you need. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Tanya Huff, Elizabeth Hirst, Beverly Bambury, Janet Kellough, Tony Pi |
Tony Pi | Saturday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Oakridges | He don't know talkin' good like us | Not every character speaks like an Oxford scholar, and accents and other quirks of dialogue help bring a character to life. But is it y'all or ya'll? How do you write a Scottish brogue that doesn't need translation? Even when you're breaking the grammar rules, there are conventions to follow. Learn to write dialogue that sounds natural and is also clear to read. | Catherine Fitzsimmons (m), Cameron S. Currie, James Alan Gardner, Elizabeth Hirst, Tony Pi |
Vanessa Ricci-Thode | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Markham A | How to Edit like a Pro | Discussion of all of the tips and tricks of editing your manuscript so that your final professional editor has a clean and clear manuscript to work from. Discuss the savings of time, frustration and , of course, money. | J.M. Tibbott (m), Julie Czerneda, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Sienna Tristan, MJ Moores, Douglas Smith |
Vanessa Ricci-Thode | Saturday | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Markham A | Publishing 101 | Are you ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Wondering what path is right for you? Do you know your path but navigating it feels like the rapids before going head-long over a waterfall? Join us as we walk you through traditional publishing, self-publishing, and being a hybrid author. Come with your questions and finally get some answers. | MJ Moores (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A. A. Jankiewicz, Maaja Wentz, Beverly Bambury, Donald Montgomery |
Vanessa Ricci-Thode | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Markham A | Appealing to an Aging Readership | Science fiction used to be the fiction of young, inquiring, future-minded readers. But now more and more those younger readers interested in speculative fiction are slipping away to fantasy and paranormal fiction. Looking out an a con, we see more and more 'mature' faces. How can we write to this loyal audience? What ideas, themes, plots and characters appeal to them? | Jane Ann McLachlan (m), Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Donald Montgomery |
Vanessa Ricci-Thode | Saturday | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Markham B | Troubleshooting Your Manuscript | You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Before submitting that manuscript to a prospective agent or editor, make sure it's the best that it can be, using these revision, editing and proofreading tips from a panel of authors and editors. | Arlene F. Marks (m), Herb Kauderur, Vanessa Ricci-Thode |
Vanessa Ricci-Thode | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | Markham B | The Art of Worldbuilding | Do you like to create? Creating fictional properties can seem like an overwhelming task. Do you begin from the small village or city and work your way out, or do you think of the grand schemes of the universe that govern your world and work your way all the way down to the very house your characters will start in? Learn a few tips on making your worlds make sense. | Thomas Gofton (m), Karl Schroeder, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, A.A. Jankieweicz, Sarah WaterRaven, Amanda Sun |
Vanessa Ricci-Thode | Sunday | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Aurora | Mental Health and Fandom | Sunday afternoon discussion about mental illness challenges and how science fiction helps or hinders coping with them. | Patrick McDonald (m), Avi Silver, Vanessa Ricci-Thode |
Yaroslav Sokolskyy | Friday | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | Aurora | Blood Bank 101: The ABOs of Transfusion Medicine | Do you know your blood type? What do those letters mean? Everyday, numerous patients are transfused with donated blood. Find out more about who gets what type of blood and why, the laboratory testing involved in those decisions, and the importance of blood donations. | Yaroslav Sokolskyy |
Yaroslav Sokolskyy | Saturday | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | Aurora | Antibiotic-Resistant Organisms - Not as Fictional as We'd Like | In science fiction, the idea of incurable disease isn't new, but most frighteningly it's becoming more "science" and less "fiction". Highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria (often referred to as superbugs) are a topic of great concern today, with the WHO announcing it as a major threat to global health. This presentation would cover MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus), and CPO (Carbapenemase-producing organisms) | Yaroslav Sokolskyy |
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