The following are the panels I will be on during my visit to Eastercon 2009… So you can listen to me waffle on all these subjects. I don’t know what I will be doing at my launch… but there is free wine… and you can chat to me. In fact, if you’re around, and you spot me (I look much the same as the picture above) do PLEASE say hello… I am VERY friendly :)

Researching your world
Fri 20:00
“Do you research first or do you invent it all? Does it give you more
freedom or constraints? Do you feel free to ignore scientific or
historical accuracy? Is building your alternate timeline, is it as
complex as building an alternate world?”
Ricardo Pinto (moderator)
Oisin McGann
Cory Doctorow
Charlie Stross
Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Ian MacLeod

Mapping the mysterious

Sat 12:30
An epic story needs an epic setting. Find out what you need to do when
desiging your world. Then create your own maps.
Ralph Horsely (moderator)
David Angus
Ricardo Pinto
Liam Sharp

Music of the Spheres
Sat 14:00
“How music and our understanding of the universe have developed, hand in hand.”
Ricardo Pinto (moderator)
Doug Fazzani
Emma J. King
Nicholas Jackson
Gary Lloyd
Andrew Patton

“SF, technology and games”
Sat 17:00
“Almost every SF trend, from artificial intelligence to virtual
reality was embraced by the gaming industry first (or at least that?s
what some gamers like to think). But what has the gaming world really
been like over these last few decades? How did it compare to what SFi
promised us it would be? Which are the noteworthy games in this
regard, past and future? And where is the industry really heading to?
”
Ricardo Pinto (moderator)
Chris Wooding
John Coxon
Alison Scott

Are role-players authors?
Sat 22:00
“Role-players often describe role-playing as a collaborative process a
creative outlet for interactive stories. Can the stories we weave
around the gaming table or online be compared to those written by
authors consciously working to create plot and characterization to
stimulate and entertain others? Do we want them to compare? Do
role-players create novels, and are they any good?”
Ricardo Pinto (moderator)
Kari
Max
Amanda Kear
Jonny Nexus

Music as Universal Communication
Sun 10:00
“Given its mathematical base, perhaps music would make an ideal
universal language?”
Liam Proven (moderator)
Ricardo Pinto
Sparks

Ricardo Pinto Book Launch
Sun 19:00
Ricardo Pinto launches his new book from Transworld
Ricardo Pinto post@ricardopinto.com

World-building with Music
Mon 10:00 Tech required for this item
“The power of music to inspire imagination & world-building, including
Tolkien’s Middle Earth books (Tolkien’ s universe was sung into
existence as part of the wider creation myth in The Silmarillion),
Wagner’s Ring Cycle (and the concept of Leitmotif), Narnia, Marianne
L’Engle. H. Beam Piper (Omnilingual), Piers Anthony, Greer Gilman…”
Valerie Housden (moderator)
Ricardo Pinto
Vince Docherty
John Clute

Unfortunately, because this clashes with a radio interview I agreed to do for the BBC, I will not longer be attending the following panel:

Terraforming vs Pantropy
Mon 12:30
“If we ever make it to other solar systems, we’ll find that we need a
place to live. Discuss concepts for colonizing away from Mother Earth
- biospheres, terraforming, and more.”
Colin Harvey (moderator)
David Angus
Nik Whitehead
Ricardo Pinto