The Literature track promotes and celebrates authors, editors, publishers and literary agents from the science fiction and fantasy publishing industry. Whether they are large publishing giants or tiny specialty presses, printed on the page or on the screen, makes no difference if the talent is great. We hope that by bringing these talents to the membership of I-CON, that we encourage literacy and the love of reading.

 

Look for our guests at panels, readings and book signings throughout the weekend! Many guests are planning to attend the Meet the Pros party on Friday night at the hotel.

 

 

Click here to View All Literature Guests

 

 

Robert J. Sawyer

Guest of Honor

 

 

Author of Flashforward.

 

Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell award winner.

 

He will be reading selections from his new book Wake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naomi Novik

Special Guest

(Appearing Saturday Only)

 

 

Author of the Temeraire series

 

John W. Campbell and Locus Award winner and

NY Times Bestselling Author

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel R. Delany

Gallun Award Winner

(Appearing Saturday Only)

 

 

This award is given out for life time achievement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Frenkel

Moscowitz Award Winner

 

 

This is an award handed out for outstanding contributions to fandom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Screening, with an introduction by it's Director:

 

The Polymath, or, The Life and Opinions of Samuel R. Delany, Gentleman
Fred Barney Taylor, Director

 

SYNOPSIS

The Polymath is a candid and revealing cinematic portrait of Samuel R. Delany, considered by many to be one of the world's greatest writers. "Chip", as he is known, has led an extraordinary life; he is an award-winning novelist, gay activist, sexual adventurer, cultural and social historian, professor and literary critic. His grandfather was born a slave.

 

The film fluidly fuses meditative and experimental imagery, autobiographical anecdotes, family home movies, and literary excerpts to produce a stylized and highly unusual documentary.

 

Delany's life is as courageous, outrageous and experimental as his critically acclaimed writing. A black gay man trying to live as a heterosexual, he came of age in the East Village where he enthusiastically sampled the radical sexual, cultural, and artistic freedom of the early sixties. He somehow found time to write and publish five novels before he was 22.

 

Delany has published 23 novels, 12 works of non-fiction, and innumerable critical essays. He has won numerous awards, both for his literary achievement and his gay activism. His Dhalgren, written in 1975, remains one of the most highly-regarded and best-selling SF novels of all time.

 

Back in the day, Chip shared a stage with Bob Dylan, drank with W.H. Auden, wrote an opera, made a film, formed a theatre company, and authored several issues of Wonder Woman. Despite his many accomplishments, he is severely dyslexic. He looks like Santa Claus. And he has had, by his count, over 50,000 sexual partners during the course of his lifetime.

 

The Polymath's nonlinear structure follows Delany's own use of autobiography, science-fiction, social criticism, pornography and semiotics. The film also features an appearance by novelist Jonathan Lethem.