So StokerCon is only a week away, and I seriously couldn’t be more excited for it! It’s in San Diego this year, and this will be my first time back in California since my husband and I were married there back in 2008. So needless to say, we’re very happy to be returning to The Golden State!
I’ll be super busy on Friday and Saturday, so if you’re looking for where to find me, here’s my full schedule for the weekend!
“I Go Both Ways”: Liminality and Depictions of Bisexuality in Turn-of-the-Century Horror Cinema on Friday, May 31st at 11am
Once again, I’ll be presenting at the fabulous Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference! Last year, it was bisexual vampires; this year, I’m all about liminality and bisexuality, in particular in movies from the 1990s and 2000s. Basically, this gives me an opportunity to share my love for Basic Instinct, Mulholland Drive, and Jennifer’s Body. <insert bi screams of joy> And if that wasn’t all cool enough, I’m in the same presenting block as the wonderful Rocky Colavito and Kevin Wetmore, Jr., so it’s sure to be a fabulous time!
The Rising Popularity of Folklore and Fairy Tales in Modern Horror on Friday, May 31st at 2pm
Moderated by the always awesome Ben Rubin of the Horror Studies Collection at the University of Pittsburgh, we’ll be discussing one of my favorite topics: folklore and fairy tales. This one is part of the Librarian’s Day event, and I’ll be joining panelists Cynthia Pelayo, Yaika Sabat, Tanya Pell, and Lee Murray. I can’t wait to see where this discussion goes, and I hope you’ll join us to find out!
Exploring Queerness as “Otherness” in Horror on Friday, May 31st at 3pm
I’m beyond thrilled to be moderating this one! I believe this is the only programming at the convention that focuses on queer horror, so I’m incredibly honored to be at the helm! The panel will include Chad Stroup, Norman Prentiss, Sofia Ajram, Lindsay King-Miller, and Ridley Harker, so with a lineup like that, you know it’s going to be an incredible discussion!
Purrfect Terrors: Cats in Horror on Saturday, June 1st at 2pm
Cats in horror! Is there anything better? Sarah Faxon will be moderating this one alongside panelists Sara Tantlinger, John Palisano, and Ashley (A.E.) Santana. No doubt I’ll be bringing up two of my favorite fearsome felines from cinema: Blanche from Hausu and Jezebel from The Sentinel! Hooray for creepy cats!
Witchcraft and Spiritualism in Horror on Saturday, June 1st at 5pm
Sarah Read is the dynamite moderator, and I seriously couldn’t be more excited. As a practicing witch myself, I’ve got plenty to say on the subject, and I’m very eager to hear everyone else’s thoughts as well. I’ll be joining panelists Christa Carmen, Johnny Worthen, Marie Whittaker, and Todd Keisling, and since this is my last programming of the weekend, it’s a perfect way to go out with a bang.
So those are all the places I’ll be on Friday and Saturday! And FYI: I decided to opt out of an author reading and the mass author signing, mostly because I have plenty to do already, and I don’t want to overtax myself at the convention. (This is me trying to practice better self-care after a lifetime of asking “What’s self-care?”) Also, if you can’t make it to any of the panels or my talk on bisexuality and horror, then just find me hanging around the convention and say hello! I’m fairly friendly when I’m not lurking in shadowy corners!
Happy reading, and happy StokerCon!