#chicon8

[whilereadingandwalking]

Attending the 80th World Science Fiction Convention, ChiCon8, was such an (exhausting) joy. I walked away with a stack of books—including old favorites, books that spoke to my heart, and books I fell in love with after reviewing them for Booklist—signed by their authors. I made many new friends over cocktails and ribbons, and was able to have coffee in real life with people I knew from the back-and-forth of online acquaintance-ship. Thanks to one of those people, I briefly and carefully held a Hugo Award in my own hands. 

I went to the awards ceremony itself in royal blue and applauded, cheered, and cried. I dreamt of winning one myself, someday, on that glorious stage, applauded by my peers. I was on three panels, talking bookstagram, mental illness, and believability, defending the youth and introducing some people to Susan Sontag. I was proud of my restraint as I walked the dealers' room and didn't end up buying a dozen new books or the gorgeous, rare omnibus of Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis. 

I hope another WorldCon is not too, too far away in the future, but either way, I am thrilled to have attended this one.

[irisbleufic]

I finally, finally got to meet Connie Willis face to face and have her sign my Doomsday Book. I was carrying around my last couple books of my own with me, copies of The Sting of It. She asked me to sign one for her, and I was over the moon to give it to her. I just. I’m so happy. She’s my writing hero.

[sarahreesbrennan]

Back home in Ireland but before I left Chicago in a taxi cab I had to grab BOOKS and DEEP DISH PIZZA. The books are most excellently full of resilient women. The pizza is like being hit in the face with a cheese brick! In a good way. The last thing I did at the con was a signing, and I always fear nobody will show but I had a line, and I love every person in it. 💕 Thanks for having me, Chicago. #chicon8 #deepdishpizza #booksbooksbooks #wesleychu #megelison #stephengrahamjones #sarahreesbrennan #myheartisachainsaw https://www.instagram.com/p/CiL03eLI_Dz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thegeneha]

At the Closing Ceremony at @chicagoworldcon and thinking about my fave cosplay from the world’s greatest and oldest SFF convention! #Raccacoonie #EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce #EverythingBagel #MichelleYeoh #Chicon8 #VirtualC8 (at Hyatt Regency Chicago) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiIxo32J__f/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[matociquala]

Hello Chicago! Well that view doesn't suck. #worldcon2022 #chicon8 (at Chicago, Illinois) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch8GCKWvHnm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sarahreesbrennan]

Thank you, Chicago! I had an amazing time at #Chicon8 talking life, art, and fantasy with brilliant people, signed copies of my #FatetheWinxSaga prequel for the first time and saw the gorgeous city properly for the first time too: gothic skyscrapers and all. I’m signing in the Hyatt Regency on East Wacker Drive at 4pm, and then flying away with fond memories. #chicagoculturalcenter #chicagoarchitecture #americanwritersmuseum https://www.instagram.com/p/CiGLYGhrxbf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[morganhazelwood]

Inverted Tropes

These days, the term trope is often used as a sign of derision, but not all tropes are bad! There are times to use them, times to subvert them, and times to invert them. As long as the story is well written, you can use almost any trope! #chicon8

These days, the term trope is often used as a sign of derision, but not all tropes are bad! There are times to use them, times to subvert them, and times to invert them. As long as the story is well written, you can use almost any tropes that fit your story. These are my final notes from WorldCon 80, otherwise known as ChiCon 8. The panelists for the titular panel were: Foz Meadows, Micaiah…

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[morganhazelwood]

Black Speculative Poetry

The roots of Black speculative poetry run deep. What makes for good speculative poetry? What makes a good black speculative poet? And who should I be reading? Notes from #ChiCon8 #blackpoets #sff

Poetry hasn’t always been my thing. Then, I spent a year and a half reading slush for an online Americana magazine and started attending my local writer’s open mic nights. I learned what types of poetry I don’t like — and which types I actually do. With that in mind, I’ve started looking for poets to actually look up. The roots of Black speculative poetry run deep. From jazz poets Sun Ra and Gil…

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