Diversicon 15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Paula L. Fleming, PR/publications
E-mail: paulafleming[ AT ]comcast.net
http://diversicon.org/index.html

15th Annual Diversicon to Be Held in Twin Cities

Convention Celebrates Diversity in Speculative Fiction Fields

Minneapolis, MN -- May 1, 2007 -- Diversicon 15, a convention celebrating and exploring multicultural speculative fiction (science fiction and fantasy, or SF), will be held August 3–5, 2007, in Bloomington, MN. Diversicon provides programming and social opportunities to encourage the multicultural, multimedia exploration of SF by those within and outside of the traditional SF community.

Proposed programming this year is as diverse as the convention's name would suggest, including panels on the changing nature of the discussion of race in the United States, the sustainability of empires both historical and fictional, and the legacy of violence against women in SF; discussions of TV shows including Medium, Battlestar Galactica, and Six Feet Under; reviews of recent developments in Japanese anime/manga and Hollywood SF films; a survey of the current state of GLBT characters and issues in SF; presentations on Asian mythologies and Cervantes's Don Quixote; discussions of science-related topics such as the discovery of new species on Earth, exploration of the solar system, and cosmology; panels on the craft of writing; and readings by authors and improvisational storytelling.

This year's guest of honor is African-American author Andrea Hairston, a professor of Afro-American studies and theater at Smith College in Massachusetts. Hairston's speculative fiction novel, Mindscape (Aqueduct Press, 2006), was described by the New York Review of Science Fiction as having "a plotline of great complexity and great swaths of originality, presented through a headlong and ferociously vivid mise-en-scene." It was short-listed for the 2006 Tiptree Award, which honors the exploration of gender and sexuality in speculative fiction, and the 2006 Philip K. Dick Award, which honors distinguished science fiction published in paperback. Hairston is also the artistic director of Chrysalis Theatre, a cross-cultural, multidisciplinary performance ensemble in Massachusetts, which has produced three of her science fiction plays.

Other special guests are Christopher Jones and Melissa S. Kaercher, Twin Cities artists who illustrate the comic book Dr Blink! Superhero Shrink (Dork Storm Press). Jones has worked professionally in comics since 1988. Kaercher, who holds a BS in biology, also colors educational comics for Capstone Press.

Diversicon will also honor Octavia Butler (1947–2006). An African-American writer, Butler was a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Grant and won two Hugo and four Nebula awards during her prolific and distinguished career.

Diversicon 15 will be held at the Holiday Inn Select International Airport/Mall of America. In addition to three tracks of programming, it will host a dealers' room, an art show, an informal hospitality suite, and nightly parties. Held in the Twin Cities area every year since its inception in 1992, Diversicon prides itself on presenting distinguished guests of honor and stimulating programming in a welcoming, hospitable atmosphere. Rates for Diversicon 15, which include all convention activities, are $25 through March 15, $30 through July 14, and $40 at the door.

# # #

For further information on Diversicon 15 (August 3–5), including to arrange interviews with convention organizers and/or guests of honor, please contact Paula L. Fleming at paulafleming[ AT ]comcast.net.