We have good news—and even better news! First, we have finished our research on the Sirens Shuttle, so we have dates, times, and other information for you. Second, and even better, the ticket price is cheaper than last year!

Just like in past years, as the logistics and cost of arranging transportation between the closest airport and the Sirens hotel can be daunting, we're offering the Sirens Shuttle, a charter bus reserved just for Sirens's attendees. We hope this helps you travel more cheaply, ride in comfort, and enjoy the company of friends along the way.


When will the Sirens Shuttle run?
The Sirens Shuttle will pick up from Portland International Airport at 3:30 p.m. on both Wednesday, October 10, and Thursday, October 11. The Sirens Shuttle will pick up from Skamania Lodge at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, October 14. The Sunday departure time is admittedly strange, but we noticed that some major connecting flights depart for the East Coast at 12:15 p.m., and we wanted to make sure those flights were an option for riders.


What flight times work?
We recommend that you book a flight arriving in Portland no later than 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday or Thursday (depending on which day you arrive). We recommend that you book a flight leaving Portland no earlier than 12:15 p.m. on Sunday.


What does the shuttle cost?
Round-trip tickets on the Sirens Shuttle cost $75. That’s actually less than a one-way trip on a commercial shuttle—and, of course, less than half the cost of a round trip!


What is the Sirens Shuttle route?
Our shuttle will follow the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway from Portland to Skamania (and back). The view is majestic, with the Cascade Mountains rising on either side of the Columbia River. And the nice thing about a bus is that you can do all the gawking—and picture-taking—that you like! The shuttle will make a brief stop at Multnomah Falls in Oregon, one of the tallest year-round waterfalls in the United States, for sight-seeing on Wednesday and Thursday.




How do I buy a shuttle ticket?
Our shuttle tickets are now available in our registration system. If you've yet to register for Sirens, just add the shuttle when you do. If you've already registered, just log back in to your registration and add the shuttle. You won't need your flight information to add a shuttle ticket yet, but if you don't have your information now, please make sure to add it to your registration later this summer so we can track your flights.


What if I have questions?
Ask! Just shoot us an e-mail at (registration at sirensconference.org) and we'll be glad to help.

This is the official newsletter for Sirens, a conference dedicated to women in fantasy literature. The newsletter is published once a month to the Sirens message boards, mailing list, LiveJournal, and Facebook. Certain other updates are posted on the conference’s Twitter. Between regular editions, the Sirens LiveJournal also hosts special updates, in-depth information posts, and helpful hints for traveling, registering, and getting involved with programming. This newsletter is part of the Sirens website and is not presented under a cut on LiveJournal. Once a month, you’ll have a longer post on your LiveJournal friends list. For alternatives to this longer post, please click here.

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Volume 4 – Issue 7
May 2012

Programming Proposal Deadline
The deadline for proposing programming is Sunday, May 6, 2012. That’s just 4 days away! We can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you take part. Your thoughts on everything from this year’s theme, tales retold, to fantasy by and about women, to craft-focused presentations and even general fantasy discussion are welcome—but we do need you to submit them for consideration! Even though the proposal deadline is now, you’ll have until October to finish your paper or presentation, polish your panel, refine your workshop, firm up your roundtable discussion questions, or add the finishing touches to your afternoon class.

Where to Get More Information
We highly recommend the following links:
The programming section of the Sirens website
This is where we go over our requirements for programming in a formal manner, and where you can find the submissions system to provide us with your proposal.

The archive section of the Sirens website
For all of your questions about whether something has ever been presented before.

The Sirens LiveJournal programming tag
For a series of informal posts on how to put together a proposal.

(programming at sirensconference.org)
Where to e-mail us for more specific questions or for clarification.

Where to Find Collaborators
Folks have ads up and are looking for people to partner for presentations at...
This brainstorming post
The Sirens Chat LiveJournal
Facebook
Sirens message boards

Programming Deadline Chat
Just ahead of the programming deadline, we’ll open the chat room so that you can get last-minute feedback from others, ask questions, or just hang out to be a cheerleader and talk about books. Please note that this chat is at an unusual time for us!

DATE: Friday, May 4, 2012
TIME: 9 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Pacific), lasting about two hours
LOCATION: www.sirensconference.org/chat/

Remember, you won’t need any special software or a login; the page will turn into a chat room during the chat time. (You will need to refresh the page if it isn’t in chat mode when you arrive.)

You’re Excited About...

Kristin Cashore’s Bitterblue, a companion book to both Graceling and Fire, was released on May 1! Veronica Roth’s Insurgent, sequel to Divergent, was also released on May 1! --Sabrina

And Kristin Cashore, a past Sirens's guest of honor, is going on tour for Bitterblue. More info is on her blog: http://kristincashore.blogspot.com/--Amy

Flora’s Fury, the third book in Ysabeau Wilce’s Flora series, about a plucky girl in a very strange world indeed, is coming out May 8. --Sarah

Travel Tip: Sirens Shuttle
Are you waiting for the information on the Sirens Shuttle from Portland International Airport to Skamania Lodge before you finalize your plans? We are too! We’ve been working with local transportation providers on quotes so that we can, in turn, offer you a no-fuss option for getting to and from Sirens at a cost cheaper than car rentals and private shuttles. We just about have the details sorted, and we expect to pass them on to you later this month. Once the Sirens Shuttle information is ready, you’ll be able to add a ticket to a new registration or log in to your existing reservation to purchase your space on the shuttle.

Travel Tip: Hotel Reservations
Skamania Lodge is part of the same hotel system as the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, so you might already be familiar with their reservation policies. If you’re not, Skamania Lodge operates a little differently from most hotels. One of the differences is that you need to make or change reservations in advance of when you might make them at other venues. You can get the discounted Sirens rate from October 7-16, in case you’d like to extend your stay, but reservations and changes must be made by September 18, 2012. For more about Skamania’s policies, please visit the Skamania Lodge page on the Sirens website.

If you missed the pictures from our recent staff trip to Skamania Lodge, you can see them on the Sirens website here.

---

Questions? You can comment here or write to us at (help at sirensconference.org).

There are just 21 days left to get proposals for 2012 in to the vetting board! Jump on over to the programming section of the Sirens website if you're ready to submit your proposal now.

A brainstorming session is up at http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/45083.html! Also, if you're looking for co-presenters, why not place an ad in one--or all--of these places?
sirenschat
Facebook
Sirens message boards

Reminder: Programming Chat
Want to brainstorm? Looking for collaborators? Need to talk out your idea? We're devoting our next chat to programming: topic discussions, possible collaborator matching, and answering all of your questions about the proposal submissions process. As always, general chatter, book chatter, and conference questions are welcome as well: bring your recommendations of what to read. We hope you'll join us!

DATE: Sunday, April 22. 2012
TIME: 11:00 a.m. Eastern (8 a.m. Pacific), lasting about two hours
LOCATION: www.sirensconference.org/chat/
You don't need to download anything or have any special software to participate: the webpage will turn into a chat room when the chat begins.

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In this last part of our annual series on programming proposals, it makes sense to us to combine our posts about proposing workshops and afternoon classes because the format for both types of proposals is very much the same.

Workshops
Workshop sessions are led by an instructor and focus on the application and practice of craft. Generally, an attendee will expect to gain or expand upon a particular skill at a workshop, and the opportunity for participation marks this style of presentation. Seating specifics depend on the allotted rooms and overall program schedule, but typically, workshops have limited seating so that the instructor (or instructors) can answer questions and provide assistance to all of a workshop's attendees. These often focus on some aspect of fantasy-related craft, like writing or art, but might also take a practical turn, perhaps helping the audience plan a book club/reading group, addressing professional topics, or providing resources and hands-on time for planning library collections. Workshops are scheduled in 50-minute time blocks; a request in one’s abstract (or lesson plan) for additional time can be considered for more in-depth presentations.

Afternoon Classes
Less formal demonstrations or classes in areas related to fantasy literature may be proposed as well. They are not meant to replace workshops; instead, they are an opportunity for presentations that are of interest to fantasy fans but that are less closely related to the conference's focus or theme, or topics that are fantasy-based but not necessarily related to a particular work. A non-exhaustive list of sample topic areas includes historical dress and music, martial arts, weaponry, battle strategy, costume construction, and so forth. Afternoon classes may be similar to workshops or be more demonstration-based, and may be led by one instructor or a group. Lesson plans are a welcome alternative to abstracts for this type of proposal. These classes are scheduled in blocks that range from one hour to 90 minutes, depending on available spaces during the conference, but instructors should plan for a shorter time block rather than a longer one.

And please note: If you’re unsure about which particular proposal type to choose, we’re happy to help. You can leave a comment here, attend an open chat, or write to (programming at sirensconference.org) for a consultation.

( Getting Your Workshop or Afternoon Class Proposal Ready )

How can I connect with other presenters or collaborators?
Please feel free to post responses here, and to check out our message boards to suggest ideas that you’d like to see someone propose, to search for collaborators, and to brainstorm topics.

Questions? Concerns? Please e-mail general queries to (help at sirensconference.org) and questions about programming to (programming at sirensconference.org).

Happy spring! Our Sirens team, on a visit to Skamania last week, had a beautiful mix of sunshine and temperamental rain, much like you might expect from the Pacific Northwest in April. Which means that our pictures from our rooms at Skamania range from this:




To this:




But don’t let me get ahead of myself with the amazing pictures of the Columbia River and the Cascade Mountains! We were there to do things other than gawk, and I promise we did.

As many of you know, moving a conference takes a lot of time, consideration, and care. Things that we’ve long since figured out about Vail – the conference schedule, the marketplace, Jake the Bus Driver – have to be reconsidered and reconfigured. So off we went to Skamania to meet with our hotel team.

You’ll be pleased to know that Skamania remains simply wonderful: cozy public spaces, thoughtful staff, glorious views. Our team has voted, and we think it’s actually prettier than Vail. (Seriously, take a look at the pictures above.) And it’s only 207 feet above sea level!

The lobby has all-day coffee, tea, and cocoa; a Forest Service office with advice about surrounding trails and wildlife; and a fabulous sitting area that offers a three-story real-wood fireplace:




And, oh, the view from the lobby looks like this:




The hotel has two restaurants, though, alas, no marketplace, so item number one was to discuss how to offer attendees quick-shop meal options throughout the day. I’m happy to report that we’re well on our way to not only doing so, but doing so with locally sourced food. The new chef – who stopped by our breakfast – is charming, fun, and best of all, interested in continuing Skamania’s commitment to local food sourcing. Here are some of his creations:

Green eggs and ham:




And winter desserts:




We’re also well on our way to rolling out custom catering menus for our Sirens meals. We’ve emphasized our desire for local, creative options, so we’re waiting to see if that means Columbia River Gorge fish, pasta with local vegetables, the most fabulous tofu curry, or something entirely different! (Can you tell I’m pulling for the tofu?)

By the way, if you’re taking the Sirens Shuttle, more information is coming soon! But the views along the shuttle route to Skamania look like this:

The view from Vista House:




To the view of Multnomah Falls, the second-highest, year-round waterfall in the United States at 620 feet:




If I were you, I might think about taking the shuttle just so I could gawk without becoming a hazard!

If you feel like relaxing, Skamania – of course! – has a spa and some amazing pools and hot tubs! (We did not take pictures, since there were people, but the outside hot tub is especially fun.) And if you’re feeling more adventurous, there are hiking trails…with evidence of a sasquatch:




Now that we’ve met with the Skamania team, we’ll have more information about our schedule, our menus, our shuttle, and other programs coming in the next couple months. In the meantime, though, remember that our programming submissions deadline is May 6, 2012. And if you have any questions or concerns, just ask!

There are just 26 days left to get proposals for 2012 in to the vetting board! Jump on over to the programming section of the Sirens website if you're ready to submit your proposal now.

A brainstorming session is up at http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/45083.html! Also, if you're looking for co-presenters, why not place an ad in one--or all--of these places?
sirenschat
Facebook
Sirens message boards

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Next up in our ongoing series on preparing a programming proposal: roundtable discussions!

In brief, roundtable discussions are group chats led by a single moderator, and they depend on audience interaction for success. These discussions are scheduled in rooms that accommodate 20-30 attendees so that all can take an active part in the discussion, and so that it’s possible for the moderator to keep the discussion on track. Roundtables are proposed and led by Sirens attendees, so we hope you'll consider leading one, too.

If you're trying to figure out whether a topic is best suited to a roundtable or a panel, consider the degree of interactivity and the scale of participation. A roundtable is meant to be a small and highly interactive discussion among, say, 25 people, with one person keeping order and keeping the conversation moving; the topic needs to be familiar, or accessible, to most of the audience.

On the other hand, a panel is meant to be a small and highly interactive discussion among 3-5 panelists, with one person keeping order and keeping the conversation moving. The topic can be more specialized, as the panelists can explain the topic as part of their discussion. For a roundtable, the interest is in the discussion the audience brings to the presentation, and for the panel, the interest is in the viewpoints, discussion and knowledge of the panelists.

( What a Roundtable Proposal Looks Like )

How can I connect with other presenters or collaborators?
Please feel free to post responses here, and to check out our message boards and Facebook to suggest ideas that you’d like to see someone propose, to search for collaborators, and to brainstorm topics.

Questions? Concerns? Please e-mail general queries to (help at sirensconference.org) and questions about programming to (programming at sirensconference.org).

This is the official newsletter for Sirens, a conference dedicated to women in fantasy literature. The newsletter is published once a month to the Sirens message boards, mailing list, LiveJournal, and Facebook. Certain other updates are posted on the conference’s Twitter. Between regular editions, the Sirens LiveJournal also hosts special updates, in-depth information posts, and helpful hints for traveling, registering, and getting involved with programming. This newsletter is part of the Sirens website and is not presented under a cut on LiveJournal. Once a month, you’ll have a longer post on your LiveJournal friends list. For alternatives to this longer post, please click here.

---

Volume 4 – Issue 6
April 2012

Programming
Our programming submission deadline approaches! Our programming schedule, from topics to presentation types, is drawn from the submissions we receive from attendees. In other words, if you’d like to see it, you should propose it—or convince someone else to. We certainly hope you’ll consider taking part!

And we’re here to help! Our annual series on programming and how to be involved continues on LiveJournal under the programming tag: http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/tag/programming

There are currently posts on general preparation, papers, panels, and brainstorming (the last one is here: http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/45083.html).

Also, if you're looking for co-presenters, why not place an ad in one--or all--of these places?
sirenschat
Facebook
Sirens message boards

The deadline for proposing papers, panels, workshops, roundtable discussions, and afternoon classes is May 6, 2012. Those five weeks will fly by! If you have questions, please feel free to ask them here or to write to (programming at sirensconference.org).

Chat
The Sirens team will host a chat on Sunday, April 22. We'll make it a combined chat: lots of book talk, lots of reconnecting, and lots of programming brainstorming. Questions welcome!
Date: April 22
Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern (8 a.m. Pacific)
You don't need any special software or programs to participate; the page at http://www.sirensconference.org/chat/ will turn into a chat room at the appropriate time. (You may need to refresh the page.)

You're Excited About...

Black Heart, the third book in the Curse Workers series by Holly Black, is due out April 3rd! -- Sabs

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is up for Teen Choice Book of the Year at the 2012 Children's Choice Book Awards. More information about the award, the other finalists and the Children's Book Council can be found here: http://www.bookweekonline.com/voting. Voting ends May 3. -- Faye

April showers will bring Banner of the Damned!! Woot woot. -- Kristen

The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson comes out on April 17! -- Hallie

What Are You Excited About?
Do you have a book coming out, or are you excited about something new on the shelves? Have you just discovered everyone else’s old favorite fantasy series? Found an interesting fantasy-related link? Send your preferred name, a sentence or two about the exciting news, and any important dates or links to (hallie at sirensconference.org) or leave us a comment, and we'll feature you in next month's newsletter. We love good news!

Within a Day's Drive...
If you're planning to come in early to Sirens or stay late, you'll be just a few hours from some amazing scenery and some great cities. Here are just a few of the attractions within a day's drive from Stevenson, Washington. Some could be day trips; others will need two or three for drive time and sightseeing.

• Mt. Rainier


• Mt. Hood


• Mt. St. Helens


• Seattle (take at least one ferry ride!)


• Portland (check out: Powell's Bookstore, Voodoo Doughnut, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry)


• The Oregon coast, including Seaside, Lincoln City, and Cannon Beach


• Maryhill Winery and Maryhill Museum of Art--as well as other wine-friendly stretches of Oregon and Washington


• Multnomah Falls, Vista House, and other sights in the Columbia River Gorge


• Ka-Nee-Ta Resort on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation


• The temperate rainforest and cold Pacific beaches of the Olympic Peninsula

And, of course, you can always extend your stay at Skamania Lodge to read, write, hike, spa, swim, or soak in one of several hot tubs. Our discounted room rates are good from October 7 to October 16, 2012, based on availability.

Sirens Review Squad
( Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson )

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Questions? You can comment here or write to us at (help at sirensconference.org).

The Sirens April 2012 Newsletter is available on sirenscon!

Originally posted by <lj user="sirens_mods" /> at <a href="http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/45597.html">Sirens Newsletter - Volume 4, Issue 6 (April 2012)</a><div class="repost">The Sirens April 2012 Newsletter is available on <span class='ljuser ljuser-name_sirenscon' lj:user='sirenscon' style='white-space:nowrap'><a href='http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?v=92.2' alt='[info]' width='16' height='16' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;'/></a><a href='http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/'><b>sirenscon</b></a></span>!</div>

Brainstorming session is up at http://sirenscon.livejournal.com/45083.html! Also, if you're looking for co-presenters, why not place an ad in one--or all--of these places?
sirenschat
Facebook
Sirens message boards

Next up: panels. We've covered general proposal preparation, papers and talks and presentations, and we've brainstormed a little; you can click this link to see just the posts tagged "programming" in this LiveJournal community.

But on to panels!

Panels usually consist of 3-5 panelists and a moderator. The moderator and panelists discuss a topic of interest, with most of the discussion coming from the panel (though the moderator may take some questions from the audience). Panels are particularly well-suited for finding out about a group's experiences or for discussing a topic among several people with very diverse viewpoints. For example, you might have three people who are really interested in the use of dragons in fantasy; alternatively, you might have five people who are all at different points in their publishing careers. Perhaps you want to address a big question, like the future of fantasy, and host a debate about the genre’s path. If you’re thinking that you’d really like to see these items on the schedule, but you have more questions than answers, you could organize the panel as the moderator!

If you're trying to figure out whether a topic is best suited to a roundtable or a panel, consider the degree of interactivity and the scale of participation. A roundtable is meant to be a small and highly interactive discussion among about 25 people, with one person keeping order and keeping the conversation moving. On the other hand, a panel is meant to be a small and highly interactive discussion among 3-5 panelists, with one person keeping order and keeping the conversation moving. For a roundtable, the interest is in the discussion the audience brings to the presentation, and for the panel, the interest is in the viewpoints of the panelists.

From a moderator's standpoint, panels take a little more prep time than roundtables, because you'll need to ask people to be part of your panel now, and because you'll want to (and probably need to!) have a conversation in advance about the shape of the panel, the emphases, how to manage your time, and so on. Roundtable discussions don't involve others at the proposal stage, but can be more challenging to moderate, because you won't have any idea who will attend or how the attendees will shape the discussion.

( What a Panel Proposal Looks Like )

Questions? Concerns? Please e-mail general queries to (help at sirensconference.org) and questions about programming to (programming at sirensconference.org).

Do you need a programming idea? Want to encourage someone else to take on an idea that you don't want? Brainstorming posts are a great place for that! Please feel free to add ideas, to take ideas, and to discuss ideas in this post.

Also, if you're looking for co-presenters, why not place an ad in one--or all--of these places?
sirenschat
Facebook
Sirens message boards


Here are some ideas from a recent Sirens chat.¹
( Read more... )

Want to grab one of these ideas? Let us know, and we'll cross it out (with no guarantee that someone else won't propose it--just as a note that someone is working on it).

Have an idea to share? Looking for collaborators? Please leave a comment!

If you're looking for more programming help, check out the programming tag.

1. Summarized here, rather than given in detailed form, or the conversation quoted just enough to give you an idea. We've also left out anything specific that it sounded like was already in progress, or could be soon.

Brainstorming session coming soon! In the meantime, if you're looking for co-presenters, why not place an ad in one--or all--of these places?
sirenschat
Facebook
Sirens message boards

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Recently, we posted some information on programming and different ways to structure your proposal. Today, we're going to give you an in-depth look at how to put together a proposal for a paper.

The papers option includes lectures and presentations, so this presentation style can range from a formal reading of a prepared paper to a more relaxed speech where the presenter refers to notes to make her points. The presenter can go solo or work with others on a paper, and there's also the option for a group of several people to submit pre-empaneled papers, meaning that they have some connection, no matter how small, and the group would like to share a 55-minute time block for presenting. (The only difference in the proposal process is that beyond each person needing to prepare an individual biography, summary, and abstract, the person who begins the proposal in the system will need to provide a title and summary for the group as a whole, as well as e-mail addresses for co-panelists, who will be contacted separately to provide their information.)

This type of presentation is very good for analyses--documenting patterns, looking for hidden or subtle meanings, bringing together knowledge from different areas to expand on what's in the books you've read, comparing and contrasting, reporting on research, or critiquing novels, for example. It's also good if you prefer to speak from a pre-written paper or speech, and you have the option of a shorter presentation or a longer one. It's especially good if you need to lay significant groundwork for your audience; if you suspect that you'll have more information than you audience will, please present it!

( What Does a Paper/Presentation Proposal Look Like? )

FAQ about Proposals for Papers, Lectures, and Presentations
( Read more... )

Questions? Concerns? Please e-mail general queries to (help at sirensconference dot org) and questions about programming to (programming at sirensconference dot org).

Also coming up this week: brainstorming! A bunch of you offered fantastic ideas in our recent chat, and we're looking forward to helping you share those.

In our last post in this series, we provided general information on programming, including who can participate, how it's selected, and where to find the information you'll need to make a proposal for something you'd like to see on the schedule.

Today, we want to provide some information on the presentation styles through which you can present topics. This post will cover the following:

• Papers, Lectures and Presentations
  
• Pre-empaneled Papers
  
• Panels
  
• Workshops
  
• Roundtable Discussions
  
• Combination Presentations
  and
  
• Afternoon Classes.

( Click here to figure out the best fit for your topic of choice! )

Read more about each type of presentation here.

Keep an eye out on sirenscon for what to put in a biography, summary and abstract, and posts simply for exchanging ideas and finding collaborators.

Quick links:
Programming Overview
Call for Proposals/Guidelines/Proposal Preparation
Specific Questions for the Programming Team: E-mail (programming at sirensconference.org)