This weekend, I’ll be at the Kriti South Asian arts and literature festival in Chicago from September 25-28, 2014, at the University of Illinois as a guest editor for science fiction & fantasy. My schedule is below — hope to see some of you there!
Friday, September 26th:
Friday 10 – 10:50
Q&A with Editor Diana Pho: Daley Library, Room 1-470
Pho answers every question you’ve ever had about book editors and publishers — or as many as she can fit into an hour. An informal discussion with Diana Pho.
Friday 12 – 12:50
What are today’s alternatives to “traditional” publishing, and how do you decide if one of them is good fit for you? The publishing industry has undergone, and continues to undergo, massive and rapid change. The array of publishing options now runs the gamut from traditional publishing to self-publishing, each with its own characteristics. What is happening in the middle of the spectrum? How is a writer to decide what path to follow? What are the relative pros and cons, and what are the questions to ask oneself in order to ensure a positive publishing experience? This panel will address small press publishing, self-publishing, crowdfunding, social media, and more. As it occurs over lunchtime, please feel free to bring a brown bag lunch. (Anjali Mitter Duva, Mary Anne Mohanraj (m.), Rajdeep Paulus, Diana Pho)
Friday 2:00 – 2:50
Writing and Arts Activism: Institute for the Humanities, open room
Writers discuss the intersection between art and activism; how can we use our work to support / challenge society’s assumptions and strictures? What pitfalls stand in the way of the artist-activist? What strategies can we use to make our activism more effective?
Saturday, September 27th
Saturday, 11:00 – 11:50
Crossing Genre Boundaries: Daley Library, Room 1-470
We’ve all seen the epic South Asian family novel, a tale of marriage and politics and history and social conflict. What other kinds of S. Asian fiction is out there? Who are our science fiction and fantasy writers, our mystery, spy novel, romance, and political thriller authors? Writers discuss the challenges of breaking out of the ‘literary’ ghetto as an ethnic writer, and recommend favorite work in other genres. (Vidhu Aggarwal, Sonali Dev, Phiroozeh Romer, Mina Khan, Diana Pho (m.))
Saturday 12:00 – 12:50
Q&A with Editor Diana Pho: Institute for the Humanities, open room
Pho answers every question you’ve ever had about book editors and publishers — or as many as she can fit into an hour. An informal discussion with Diana Pho.
Sunday, September 28th
Sunday, 12:00 – 12:50
Ask the Editor: Institute for the Humanities, open room
Editors gather to discuss their work, and invite your questions.
(Syed Haider, Pooja Garg Singh, Diana Pho)
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Beyond Victoriana 