I’m so excited about BayCon – I’ll be doing seven panels in three days.  I’m practicing looking knowledgeable.  I’d love to meet some Geek Girl In Love fans at the convention as well as any fans of my reviews at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books (I write under the name ‘CarrieS’).  So please stop by BayCon and say hello to the short woman in the book cape or the Jane Austen Steampunk outfit – that’s me!

Here’s a link to Baycon’s homepage:  www.baycon.org

And here’s my schedule:

1.  Steampunk’s Parents: Mary Shelley, H.G. Wells, and Jules Verne on Friday at 5:00 PM in Lafayette
(with G. David Nordley, Bob Brown)

Let’s visit the source of steampunk! Come discuss the classics!

2. BoF: Vaginal Fantasy Book Club on Saturday at 11:30 AM in Other 5
 (with SallyRose Robinson)

Come and hang out with people who love the Geek and Sundry Show Vaginal Fantasy BookClub. Join them as they share their love of paranormal romances and chick lit aand which episode an d books they love. Some of the Panelists are part of the In Person SF MeetUp-The Wicked Grounders.

 3. Paranormal Romance: Ripping Bodices Since… Yesterday? on Saturday at 3:30 PM in Napa III
 (with Irene Radford, D. M. Atkins, Deirdre Saoirse Moen (M))

 What is this genre? Where it come from, where is it going and does it even merit classification as a separate genre? If all you’ve read are stories about sparkly vampires, you haven’t even scratched the surface.

 4. Monsters In Love! on Sunday at 10:00 AM in Alameda
 (with Margaret McGaffey Fisk, Nick Facer)

Paranormal Romance is going all over the place these days. We have dino romance, wolf pack romance, there is even BigFoot romance! Where is this coming from and where can we take it? The Panelist give their takes, ideas and thoughts on all things romantic and monsters!

5. Creating family in fiction and in fandom on Sunday at 11:30 AM in San Tomas
(with Setsu Uzume, Brad Lyau, Colin Fisk, Tory Parker)

The idea of a family of choice is one that has always been powerful in science fiction and fantasy literature. Examples of groups who create familial bonds range from the Fellowship in Tolkien to the crew of the Serenity in Firefly. Similarly, Fandom has its own sense of belonging and fellowship. In this panel we talk about the different ways family can be defined and built, both in fiction and in our fan communities.

6. Strange Love – Using Romance Tropes in Science Fiction and Fantasy on Sunday at 3:30 PM in Bayshore
(with Amy Sterling Casil, D. M. Atkins, Deirdre Saoirse Moen, Beth Barany, S.L. Gray)

What are science fiction and fantasy’s most powerful love stories, and why do we love them so much? What’s the difference between a romance novel and a novel with romance? Find out how romance novels have changed in the last two decades, and how the digital market has opened up a whole new crossover world.

 7. Steampunk in Literature on Monday at 10:00 AM in Stevens Creek
(with Cliff Winnig, Laurel Anne Hill, Steve Frankel)

Discussion of Victorian technology and the proper use of steam power, gunpowder, goggles, and the pith helmet. Especially the goggles.