Diversicon

Speculations Reading Series!

2009-03-16T09:40:00.003-05:00

We've updated the Speculations reading series info -- three terrific authors will read in March, April, and June at Dreamhaven Books (2301 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis). Check it out at http://www.diversicon.org/SFMinnesota.html or go to http://www.diversicon.org/ and click on the blue SF Minnesota logo in the lower left.

This seems like a good time to note that a key contributor to SF Minnesota, Intermedia Arts, has encountered a challenging funding environment and is no longer able to sponsor the Speculations reading series. (Read here for details.) Though we are continuing the series on our own, the lack of sponsorship means a $750 gap in our annual budget. We are a small organization with an annual budget of around $5,000. Thus, we are facing about a 15 percent shortfall. We're also committed to keeping the con as accessible as possible; thus, we are loathe to raise our membership rates.

We know that this is a tight year for everybody -- the economy is a dark and scary place right now. Nonetheless, we ask that if having a programming-centered SF convention that celebrates diversity of people, community, media, and ideas in the Twin Cities is important to you, that you support SF Minnesota and Diversicon however you can. One way is by buying a membership in the convention. Another is by making a donation (no amount too small). Another is by purchasing an ad in the convention program book. Other ways involve no money whatsoever. If you've had a good experience at Diversicon in the past, talk it up to your friends and on your blog. Alternatively, just show up at one of the readings or our parties at other cons -- your presence and energy are welcome!

May 2009 be a good year for all of you, despite all the reasons it might not be.

2009 Speculations Readings; D17 Flash Fiction Contest

2009-01-09T06:44:00.003-06:00

The Web site is almost up-to-date.

The Diversicon 17 hotel info is now up, including a link to a map.
The D17 Activities page has been updated, including with information about our second Flash Fiction Contest.
Information about more wonderful authors in the Speculations reading series has been posted.

The first Progress Report is planned to go in the mail soon. Don't forget: The early registration deadline is March 15, 2009! A registration form is at the Web site, as well as instructions for registering via PayPal.

Diversicon 18: Proposals Wanted!

2009-01-01T16:36:00.002-06:00

Diversicon 18 will be held in 2010, but it's time to start planning now. SF Minnesota has published a Request for Proposals. (You can also go to the site's main page and click on the purple box labeled "Prospectives.") The deadline to know of your interest is Monday, January 5, so if you've ever thought about steering a Diversicon from twinkle in the eye to a successful Closing Ceremonies, now is the time.

Diversicon 17: Guests, Hotel, . . . !

2008-12-28T19:36:00.004-06:00

The Webmistress has taken a break, but she's ba-ack. The site will see a steady succession of updates over the coming weeks. To start with, we now have all our Guests posted. We're excited that two Special Guests will be joining author GoH Kay Kenyon at D17: scholar and author Michael Levy and poet Sandra Lindow. Check out their bios and photos.

Also, we have a contract signed with a hotel. We'll get full info up at the site soon. In the meantime, here's the basics:

D17 will be at the home of four previous Diversicons, umpteen Arcanas, and two Con-Sarnits: the Best Western—Bandana Square, 1010 Bandana Blvd. W., St. Paul (651-647-1637). [Click on the address link to see a map.] The hotel is built inside an historic train repair shop, incorporating the original train tracks and wood beams in the lobby; the lobby's ample seating makes a great locus for hanging out. Our programming and party space will be conveniently located on the first floor around the lobby. The Diversicon room rate is $97.99 + 13.25% tax per night; mention Diversicon when reserving a room. Deadline: July 10, 2009.

It's a Wrap!

2008-08-05T04:44:00.003-05:00

We have Diversicon-ed! For the 16th time!

Many thanks to everyone who came and made D16 a wonderful experience -- especially to our author guests, our panel participants, our dealers, and our volunteers.

Special thanks also to everyone who filled out a member survey form. We'll be compiling and digesting the feedback once we catch our breath. One bit of data that's very gratifying is the response to this question: Will you attend Diversicon again? Respondents had a choice of definitely yes, maybe yes, don't know, maybe not, and definitely not. 100% of respondents say Definitely Yes! That's so gratifying. And SF Minnesota will work hard to make the con even better.

Even better? That means there's another con? Yep, Diversicon 17. Guest of Honor is noted SF author Kay Kenyon. Also honoring Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Dates are July 31 - August 2, 2009. Location TBD, probably in a week or so. And we'll be blogging the con here as it takes shape.

National Marrow Donor Program

2008-07-31T15:26:00.002-05:00

Hours until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 3
Hours until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 28

Many thanks to Tamu Townsend, both for supporting Diversicon and for making us aware of bone marrow registry, an opportunity to save lives. Bone marrow matches are most often found between people of the same ethnic background. Many people are waiting for compatible donors, and donors of all ethnicities are needed. However, persons of color are underrepresented in the donor registry, making matches less likely. Whatever your background, please learn more about this opportunity to save a life.

National Marrow Donor Program (U.S.): www.marrow.org

Emru's Story: www.healemru.com

What's the Weather?

2008-07-29T21:23:00.002-05:00

Days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 2
Days until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 3

Looks as though it's going to be a nice weekend to be inside an air-conditioned hotel -- and to take the occasional stroll outside followed by a cold drink. Highs around 90, lows in the high 60s, no rain. If that changes (and when is the forecast ever entirely right?), one place to find the latest is at Wunderground.com.

The crossing of t's and dotting of i's continues to make sure we have an organized, enjoyable convention. Hard to believe that by this time next week, we will have conned!

Neighborhood/Parking Map

2008-07-29T06:22:00.003-05:00

Days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 2
Days until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 3

Unfamiliar with Minneapolis? Or just unfamiliar with the West Bank neighborhood? Here's a good map, courtesy of the U of Minnesota. It shows the Holiday Inn (right where it says "Seven Corners" in large letters) and highlights three parking ramps of interest: C86, 19th Avenue, and 21st Avenue.

Good restaurants at a variety of price points are located next to the hotel, across the street(s), and down Cedar Avenue.

Hospitality suite shopping is scheduled for Thursday morning. We're in the final countdown!

Insight News!

2008-07-26T02:44:00.003-05:00

Days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 5
Days until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 6

Diversicon 16's Special Guest Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, PhD, will be interviewed by Al McFarlane, editor-in-chief of Insight News, a Minneapolis-based African American newspaper. Mr. McFarlane also hosts Conversations with Al McFarlane on Tuesdays from 11 AM to noon on KFAI, a local public radio station (90.3; 106.7).

We're also excited that Sheree Renee Thomas (Diversicon 13's Guest of Honor and winner of two World Fantasy Awards) has contributed a wonderful biography of Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu for the convention Program Book, illuminating the interweaving connections between the author's cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and body of work.

Less than a week until con!!!

PFLAG!

2008-07-24T15:10:00.006-05:00

Days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 7
Days until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 8

We're delighted to announce that the Saint Paul/Minneapolis Chapter of Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered persons (PFLAG) is once again supporting Diversicon, this year with an ad in our Program Book.

PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons as well as their families and friends through

support, to cope with an adverse society;

education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and

advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal rights.

PFLAG provides opportunities for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.

The St Paul/Minneapolis chapter sponsors a monthly program and confidential support group (third Sunday of the month, 2:00–5:00 PM, Mayflower United Church of Christ, 106 East Diamond Lake Road, Minneapolis). It also provides numerous resources for GLBT persons and their friends and families, including a library of books, articles, and videos open to members and nonmembers.

Press Release

2008-07-21T18:37:00.002-05:00

Days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 11
Days until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 12

Tonight is the Con Comm's final meeting before the convention. We're planning some fun little flourishes this year as well as the usual high-quality programming. In addition, we're pleased that MiniCon and the Magazine of Speculative Poetry will be hosting parties with us this year.

Last week, we put out our final press release concerning Diversicon 16.

Don't forget! If you have concerns about the parking situation, information about less expensive or even free parking options is here.

And, if you've tried to reserve a hotel room in the convention room block and been told it is full or too late, that information was incorrect. Please contact the hotel liaison at paulafleming[ AT ]comcast.net; Paula will make sure you get a room at the block rate.

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder!

2008-07-17T01:44:00.005-05:00

Days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 14
Days until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 15

We are proud and delighted that the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder will again be covering Diversicon. Associate Editor Stephani Maari Booker and photographer Misha Oneby from this African American newspaper attended the convention last year, resulting in a terrific front-page article -- reprinted online at the Twin Cities Daily Planet -- about Diversicon 15 Guest of Honor Andrea Hairston and Posthumous Guest of Honor Octavia Butler. A warm welcome to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder!

Some other local news organizations have likewise expressed an interest in covering the event this year -- we hope to post more good news shortly.

Flash Fiction Contest Closed!

2008-07-15T19:42:00.002-05:00

Days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's reading at DreamHaven: 16
Days until Convention Opening Ceremonies: 17

The first ever Diversicon Flash Fiction Contest is closed midnight July 14. We got some terrific entries, and Anne Frasier is busily judging them. Many thanks to all who submitted their work!

Eric (Programming) and Paula (Publications/Publicity) retoured the hotel today to firm up plans for how best to use the new space. The function rooms and suites look great. The staff are super friendly. The space fits us well -- it'll be comfortable and intimate. Remember, you have until July 17 to reserve a room, and our room block will accommodate anyone who registers by then. Also, if you're concerned about parking, remember that we're right next-door to the U of MN and its less expensive or even free parking. (Details about parking are on the hotel page.)

Hotel Reservation Problems?

2008-07-11T07:22:00.003-05:00

Over the last couple of months, a number of D16 members have had trouble reserving sleeping rooms in the Diversicon room block at the the con hotel, the Holiday Inn Metrodome. Mostly they have been told that the block closed April 22. This is NOT true! The block closes July 17, and we even have some flexibility around that. The problem keeps getting fixed temporarily but then comes back.

If you have tried to reserve a room in the Diversicon block and been told that you can't, please contact Paula at paulafleming[ AT ]comcast.net -- we'll get things straightened out.

On a positive note, the folks working at the hotel are all very pleasant, and we think our space will be very nice. It's just the reservations computer that needs some work.

Dealers Room Is Full!

2008-07-08T21:28:00.003-05:00

The Diversicon 16 dealers room is full!

Just 23 days until Guest of Honor Anne Frasier's Speculations Series reading:
DreamHaven Books, Comics & Art
912 West Lake St., Minneapolis
6:30 PM, Thursday, July 31
Followed by dinner and hanging out with the author at Dulano's a couple of blocks from DreamHaven.

Parking Info!

2008-07-04T23:32:00.002-05:00

Happy July 4th! (If you're in another country and wondering what's so exciting about July 4, it's American Independence Day.) Fireworks are going off all over -- boom, crackle, pop -- as I write this. Also exciting is that we're just four weeks out from the convention.

We know that parking has been a concern for some of you coming by car. The hotel parking ramp is expensive. Fortunately, we're right next-door to the University of MN campus, where parking is much more affordable (or even free). Plus, at least four bus lines go right past the hotel door, so finding free on-street parking in another neighborhood and catching a quick bus ride is also an option. Details are at http://www.diversicon.org/Parking.pdf. The link is also on our Hotel page. If you have accessibility concerns, please contact paulafleming[ AT ]comcast.net -- we'll do our best to make Diversicon a welcoming place for everyone.

A Diversicon party will be held at CONvergence Sunday night in Krushenko's -- should be good fun.

Progress Report #2 & Media Guide!

2008-06-23T07:14:00.007-05:00

Diversicon 16 is . . . less than six weeks away! Needless to say, there's lots going on.

We have fabulous Goreyesque T-shirt art from Marge Simon. Sybil Smith plans to have a couple of Middle Eastern salads in the Hospitality Suite this year, courtesy of Paula Fleming. Eric Heideman has pages of stimulating programming ideas, from the sublime to the scientific to the silly, all contributed by convention members and reflecting their interests. The SF Minnesota Spring Garage Sale, hosted in David Christenson's garage, was a success, raising about $250.

Progress Report #2 made its appearance at WisCon and is in the process of being mailed out. You can also view it as a PDF document here or by clicking the "Progress Report #2" button from most pages within the Diversicon Web site.

And the Diversicon 16 Media Guide is available (PDF). It includes profiles of our Guests and the convention chairs as well as lots of Diversicon background and history. Click the link from this paragraph or go to the Diversicon Web site and navigate to the Media Info page.

D16 Flash Fiction Contest!

2008-04-05T04:55:00.002-05:00

New this year! Our Guest of Honor, professional writer Anne Frasier, has volunteered to judge a Diversicon 16 Flash Fiction Contest for members of the convention.

Short stories up to 250 words (firm) on the convention theme of "Oh, Sweet Mystery . . ." Entries will be judged on the creative interpretation of the theme, the quality of the writing, and emotional/intellectual impact. Top prize is a cool certificate, the honor of winning, a round of applause, the opportunity to read your work to the assembled convention, and maybe something else if we think of it.

Submit no later than midnight Central Time July 14, 2008, to diversicon16flash[ at ]gmail.com. No entry fee, but open only to attending members of the convention. Authors of any experience level are welcome to submit. Convention chairs and SF Minnesota board members are not eligible. Authors retain all rights to their stories.

Speculations Reading Series!

2008-03-31T04:38:00.002-05:00

The Speculations Reading Series continues at Dreamhaven Books and Comics with an all-star line-up for 2008: Joel Arnold, Tate Hallaway, William Alexander, Rebecca Marjesdatter, and many more. Find dates and bios of our terrific authors here or go to our home page and click on the SF Minnesota logo.

Plans for Diversicon 17 (July 31 - August 2, 2009) are well underway, with award-winning SF writer Kay Kenyon confirmed as our Guest of Honor. In addition, we'll be honoring Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as Posthumous Guests. Eric M. Heideman will be chairing D17 until the D16 postmortem, when Scott Lohman and Paula L. Fleming will take over.

And we have a fun surprise in store for Diversicon 16 -- announcement to come later this week!

Happy 2008! Progress Report #1

2008-01-03T09:04:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to you. We at Diversicon invite you to start 2008 out right by reading Progress Report #1 (PDF, 581k), a handy reference to everything you might want to know about Diversicon 16. Don't find everything you want to know? Our contact info is all over this Web site and the Progress Report. Feel free to get in touch with your questions; we're happy to answer them.

Board Solicits Diversicon 17 (2009) Leadership Proposals!

2007-12-17T12:30:00.000-06:00

Diversicon 17? Already?

Absolutely! In the spirit that one can never plan too much or too early, the SF Minnesota Board of Directors is now accepting Leadership Proposals for Diversicon 17 to be held in 2009. Leadership Proposals should follow the guidelines outlined on the Prospectives page of our Web site. Persons interested in chairing or co-chairing Diversicon 17 should submit their proposals at the January 14, 2008, Board meeting or, at least, indicate their interest to the Board prior to that meeting (details in the guidelines).

So if you like Diversicon, have some time and energy, and feel that bringing Diversicon 17 to fruition (with lots of help, of course!) might be your thing, take a look at the proposal guidelines. If you have questions, please feel free to contact any Board member--their contact info is at the bottom of the guidelines.

And this seems like a good time to remind everyone that Diversicon is a participatory convention! Diversity means inclusiveness, which means that everyone who wants to pitch in and help out generally gets to. Not much time? No problem--we've got lots of little jobs.

We also want your Programming ideas for Diversicon 16: submit your wonderful, wacky, weird, and wise ideas to Programming Head Eric so that D16 can reflect your interests and passions and concerns. Looking for inspiration? Check out the description of Diversicon Programming on the Activities page on our Web site, and/or take a look at the Diversicon 15 Program Book (PDF, ~5.5 MB).

Diversicon 15 Program Book Up

2007-12-15T10:11:00.001-06:00

Happy winter holidays to everyone! Not winter where you live? It sure is here in Minnesota, no matter what the calendar says. Brrr! But the snow is pretty, and the subzero temps now will make August 1-3 weather that much nicer for enjoying a stroll along the West Bank, a quick bus hop over to the East Bank (the U of MN campus straddles the Mississippi River), or sidewalk dining at one of many restaurants within a few minutes' walk of our new hotel.

Never been to Diversicon before? Heard strange rumors about us? Not sure what a "Diversicon" is? Take a look! Our Diversicon 15 (2007) Program Book is online as a PDF file: D15 Program Book. You can also link to it from the Activities and Retrospectives pages of our Web site.

Diversicon Hotel! More "Speculations" Readings!

2007-11-13T03:21:00.000-06:00

After considering several options, we've chosen the hotel for Diversicon 16: the Holiday Inn Metrodome. We're really excited about our new digs in the eclectic West Bank neighborhood, next door to the University of Minnesota and within a few minutes' walk of all sorts of dining, shopping, and cultural excitement. We'll be able to explore diversity within the convention and by stepping outside it! (If you've been to WisCon in Madison, WI, then you've wandered down State Street with your con-mates in search of food and funky. This will be kind of like that!) Check out all the hotel info at http://www.diversicon.org/hotel.html.

Also, we're pleased to announce that John Calvin Rezmerski and Terry Faust will be participating in the Speculations Reading Series the Mondays of January 28 and February 25, respectively, at Dreamhaven Books. More info is available at http://www.diversicon.org/SFMinnesota.html. And don't forget: Sandra Rector & P.M.F. Johnson are reading November 19, and Lois McMaster Bujold is reading December 17.

Finally, the Activities page has been updated to reflect the latest information about D16.

Classic Horror Films Party!

2007-10-25T13:15:00.000-05:00

The playlist for the 16th Annual Classic Horror Films Party on November 3 has been finalized, and it's a good one! Check it out at here or go to our home page at http://www.diversicon.org/ and click on the blue SF Minnesota logo in the lower left.

Special Guest! And very special she is!

2007-09-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

We are delighted and honored that Nigerian-American fiction author, playwright, journalist, and professor Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu will join us for Diversicon 16. Find out more about her plus a link to her Web site here or go to www.diversicon.org and click on "Guests".