I made it back to Kent on Sunday from IAFA 2008. I consider the conference a great success, because my presentation on Transformers, the Global War on Terror, and the new post-9/11 SF Narrative went astoundingly well and I met some of the best folks in SF Studies! I think the guy with TB on my return flight passed it on to me, because I’m fighting a sore throat and a cough. I’m taking plenty of medicine and vitamin supplements, so I expect to pull through in a few days. Expect updates this week summarizing my experiences at IAFA and the panels I attended.
Back from IAFA 2008
March 26, 2008
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Conference, Science Fiction | Tagged: backinkent, Conference, iafa, icfa | 
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Posted by Jason W Ellis
IAFA or Bust!
March 21, 2008My wonderful girlfriend, Yufang, drove me up to the Cleveland Airport so that I could catch a plane headed back down south to IAFA in Orlando, FL. I flew Continental Airlines, and I had a First Class seat. Normally I don’t fly First Class, but I waited too long to purchase my ticket and that’s all that was left for non-stop flights between Cleveland and Orlando. However, the price was more expensive, but the First Class experience (my first) was well worth it! I had a spacious seat, three glasses of red wine, a snack that included more wine, cheese, meat, crackers, and cookies (as opposed to just a packet of mixed nuts), and a fellow non-First Class traveler as my next-seat mate (a produce supply chain manager–not sure about his official job title, but it his work sounds interesting–though I had more questions than I was comfortable asking regarding modern farming and displacement practices).
After arriving at the Orlando Airport Marriott, I ran into Lisa Yaszek and Doug Davis who were on their way out to the pool. Later that night, I talked to two long-time IAFA-goers, Tim and Brian, at the opening reception. Then, I ran into Karen Hellekson and Craig Jacobsen, co-editors of SFRA Review. We all moved outside and had an enjoyable talk out on the dock behind the hotel on a large pond. While enjoying the night breeze, Taryne Jade Taylor joined us. If she’s representative of Florida Atlantic’s MA in English, SF and Fantasy track, then they must have an outstanding program! After the first exodus of bodies, Aidan-Paul Canavan lurked into the darkness under the gazebo. It was great seeing him again (he’s in the PhD program at the University of Liverpool).
What a great arrival to the conference–enjoying time with old friends and new!
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Posted by Jason W Ellis
Blogging IAFA 2008
March 20, 2008I’m currently reporting from the first of three conferences I’m attending this year–the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts 2008 Conference. It goes by different names IAFA or ICFA. Look for posts detailing my first IAFA conference experience. The night’s young, and there’s a lot to recap on my first and second days here!
P.S. Fresh out of the “Politics and Singularity” panel, James Patrick Kelly and Ted Chiang walk into the bar. Hm, there might be a joke in there somewhere…
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Posted by Jason W Ellis
