Friday, July 11, 2008
Science fiction enthusiasts need not go further than Lawrence this weekend to hear the most respected scholars in the genre.
For the first time in 25 years, the Science Fiction Research Association is holding its annual conference in Lawrence. Featured guests include sci-fi writers such as Karen Joy Fowler, Paul Kincaid and James Van Pelt. Anyone is invited to attend the conference, which began today and will last until Saturday. Today’s and tomorrow’s sessions will take place at the Holiday Inn Holidome, 200 McDonld Dr., and Saturday’s conference will be at the Kansas Union.
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Science Fiction Research Association Conference Holiday Inn Holidome Thursday, July 10 2:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday, July 11 9 a.m.-5:20 p.m. (followed by awards ceremony and reception)
Kansas Union Saturday, July 12 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Science-fiction book sale Watson Library Saturday, July 12 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Book reading and signing Oread Books (second level of Kansan Union) Saturday, July 12 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Several students from the University will present their coursework at the conference. An admitted science-fiction fan, Kristen Lillvis, Ashtabula, Ohio, graduate student, enrolled in a class about vampire literature last semester. She will be presenting a paper about vampire literature on a panel with three of her classmates.
“I’m a little bit nervous, but I’m also pretty excited,” Lillvis said. “I’ve heard that there are supposed to be some of the top vampire scholars in the country so I’m excited to hear them give me feedback about my work.”
Ali Brox, Shawnee graduate student, will be presenting on the panel with Lillvis. Brox said she didn’t have much background in science fiction literature before taking the vampire literature class. She said she decided to enroll in the class because the class themes of race and gender in sci-fi literature caught her interest.
“We’ve all seen sci-fi movies and heard the stories even when we were little,” Brox said, “so I thought it would be a good time.”
Like Lillvis, Brox said she was eager to receive feedback from the scholars about her work, but said she was anxious about presenting to experts.
“Since I am new to the genre I am nervous someone might have a question about something I’m not versed in,” she said.
Andrew Plisner, Overland Park senior, said he was excited to attend the panel that Lillvis and Brox would be hosting. Plisner will also present at the conference. He said he was new to the science fiction genre and was most interested in science fiction as told through an African-American lens.
“That hasn’t been comprehensively developed,” Plisner said. “What’s interesting to me is exploring new ways of looking at how older and contemporary stories are manifested in these different dynamics.”
In conjunction with the SFRA conference, KU libraries will be holding a science-fiction book sale from from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m on July 12. The sale will feature science-fiction novels that have been donated to the libraries. Lea Currie, associate librarian, said about 4,000 books would be available for purchase. Hard cover books will cost $3 and paperback books will cost $1. Currie said all proceeds will go toward processing and purchasing books in the library’s science-fiction collection and unsold books would be kept and sold at future book sales in the fall.
Currie said the library scheduled the sale in conjunction with the SFRA conference and expects a large turnout.
“It’s very unusual to have a collection like this available,” she said.
Plisner said he planned on spending several hours at the sale browsing the collection for anything he might be interested in. Brox said she was also going to attend the sale.
“I was talking to other people involved in the conference and we were making a wish list of books we would like to read,” she said. “I’m definitely going to have to stop by that sale and see if there are some things I can pick up from the list.”
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