QUICK LINKS: Thursday, Oct. 22 • Friday, Oct. 23 • Saturday, Oct. 24 • Sunday, Oct. 25
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Thursday, October 22, 2026
World Fantasy Dealers Room and Art Show 12noon – 6PM
Thursday, October 22, 2026 3:30PM-5PM Salon 3 & 4
READINGS: T. K. Rex, Victoria Shi, Andrea Stewart
Moderator Kimberly Unger
Thursday, October 22, 2026 4PM-5PM Salon 1 & 2
Haunted Waters: Reclaiming the Southern Gothic
The Gothic is often treated as only a European inheritance of ruined manors. But in America, the gothic is also found in the South, in landscapes that relied on Blackness: plantations, marshes, swamps, and geographies where the past keeps re-surfacing. We’ll discuss other classic Southern Gothic writers like Flannery O’Connor, as well as newer classics such as Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno Garcia, among others, and focus on contemporary Black gothic works, and what the genre becomes when told from the inside.
Panelists: John Jennings, Ebony Toussaint, Audrey Williams
Moderator: Michele Tracy Berger
Thursday, October 22, 2026 5PM-6PM Salon 1 & 2
Fantastic California
California got its name from a 16th century Castilian epic work of chivalry, and, ever since, it’s been home to writers – Ambrose Bierce, Jack London, Pat Murphy, Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury, and others – who can’t resist its unique charm and challenges. We’ll discuss and celebrate the fantasy fiction set in the Golden State, and the many ways it inspires fantasy literature to this day.
Panelists: Lisa Goldstein, Pat Murphy, Pamela Troy, Dave Smeds, Ysabeau Wilce
Moderator: Tim Foley
Thursday, October 22, 2026 5PM-6:30PM Room 203
Broad Universe: Rebecca Gomez Farrell, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Rebecca Inch Partridge, Clara Ward
Thursday, October 22, 2026 7PM-8PM Salon 1 & 2
Apocalypse Then & Now: Writing Dystopic Fantasy for Young Readers
Dystopic fantasy isn’t just a subgenre for today’s young readers—they’re living it. Whether it’s the firestorms they’re escaping from, the polluted air they breathe, or the weather shifting around them, how does dystopian fantasy give them the tools they need to survive the coming storms?
Panelists: Susan Palwick, Michael Marshall Smith, Mary Thompson
Moderator: Kimberly Unger
Thursday, October 22, 2026 7:30PM-9PM Room 208
READINGS: Karen G. Anderson, S. B. Divya, Thomas Ha
Moderator, Dale Weatherwax Hanes
Thursday, October 22, 2026 8PM-9PM Salon 3 &4
Tarot and Cartomancy: Predicting the Future in Fantastic Fiction
We’ll explore the history and use of tarot decks, playing cards and their archetypes over the centuries, and what makes them still so attractive as a magical device in the fiction of the 21st century. Join panelists who have either produced tarot decks, feature them in their fiction, or practice the art of divination themselves.
Panelists: Marie Brennan, Jessica Fure, Alyc Helms, Stephanie Law, Khan Wong
Moderator: Sally Rose Robinson
Thursday, October 22, 2026 8PM – 10PM The Skyline Room, 21st floor
Join filmmaker Arwen Curry for a screening of The Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin. A chat with Arwen Curry, Pat Murphy, and Julie Phillips (biographer of the forthcoming Le Guin biography) follows.
Thursday, October 22, 2026 9PM-10PM Salon 1 & 2
Horror Is Always With Us
What is it about the world seemingly falling apart that draws people to the macabre? Join a panel of authors as they dive into why horror matters, especially during times of dread.
Panelists: Jonathan Fortin, Carol Gyzander, E.M. Markoff, Francesca Maria
Moderator: Loren Rhoads
Thursday, October 22, 2026 9PM-10:30PM Room 212
Poetry Reading: Linda Addison, Betsy Aoki, Emily Jiang, Raymond K.Rugg, Sumiko Saulson
Thursday, October 22, 2026 9PM-10:30PM Room 208
READINGS: Meg Turville-Heitz, Eileen Gunn, Andrea Hairston
Moderator Audrey Williams
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2026
Friday, October 23, 2026
World Fantasy Dealers Room and Art Show 10AM – 6PM
KAFFEEKLATSCHES
This is an opportunity to sit and chat with some of your favorite authors! Seating is limited to 10 participants, and signup sheets will be at Registration beginning on Thursday at 3PM.
Friday, October 23, 2026
- 10AM-11AM Room 210 Annalee Newitz
- 1PM-2PM Room 210 Robin Hobb
- 2PM-3PM Room 210 Peter S. Beagle
- 5PM-6PM Room 210 Brian Evenson
- 5PM-6PM Room 211 Andrea Hairston
Friday, October 23, 2026 9AM-11AM The Oakland Room, 3rd Floor
World Fantasy Board Meeting
- 9AM-10AM – open to membership. Future bids for WFC may be presented at this time
- 10AM-11AM – open to current members of the World Fantasy Board and their guests
Friday, October 23, 2026 9AM-10AM Room 201
Fictional Characters as Wisdom Guides
Many regard fictional characters as sources of strength and wisdom; we ask their advice, and we talk with and to them. Fictional characters such as Granny Weatherwax and Tom Bombadil draw upon these real-life counterparts, and real-world traditions provide a conduit to the author’s imagination. Let’s discuss examples of what these rituals can do to help us live well and deal with difficulties.
Panelists: Gregory Amato, Martin Cahill, Craig Chalquist, Victoria Shi
Moderator: Audrey Williams
Friday, October 23, 2026 9AM-10AM Salon 1 & 2
Hopeful Futures
Borrowing from Katherine Addison’s essay, “Of Better World and Worlds Gone Wrong,” what is the role that hope plays in dark fantasy today? Books like The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, The Best of All Possible Worlds, by Karen Lord, and Be the Sea, by Clara Ward, are exploring unlooked for hope in the face of dystopian situations. What makes characters refuse to give up even when the future doesn’t look bright?
Panelists: Paolo Bacigalupi, T. A. Chan, Clara Ward, Erik Grove
Moderator: S.B. Divya
Friday, October 23, 2026 9AM-10AM Salon 3 & 4
It Came in Through the Transom Window
Cautionary tales of the profession from those who lived to tell them! Reminiscences of the heady joys and colossal disappointments inherent in the exciting world of publishing! How has it changed, what’s different, and what is challenging these days?
Panelists: Ginjer Buchanan, Kate Cowan, Stephen Jones, Betsy Wollheim
Moderator: Theresa DeLucci
Friday, October 23, 2026 9AM-10:30AM Room 208
READINGS: Rosemary Smith, William Ledbetter, Sharon Shinn
Moderator, Kate Maruyama
Friday, October 23, 2026 10AM-11AM Salon 3 & 4
Fantasy and Horror Writing: An Act of Resistance
Recent years have seen numerous sociopolitical takedowns of inequality of unjust systems in fantasy. We will discuss how genre writers take on fascism, isolationism, weaponized nationalism, and authoritarianism in their books.
Panelists: Linda D. Addison, Cynthia Gomez, Kate Maruyama, Tamika Thompson
Moderator: Naseem Jamnia
Friday, October 23, 2026 10AM-11AM Salon 1 & 2
Twice Upon a Time: Retelling Classic Stories
From Homer to Holmes to the Brothers Grimm, readers love retellings. But what works and what doesn’t? Why retell a story at all? We’ll discuss creating fresh takes on fairy tales, folklore, and myths.
Panelists: Jeffrey Ford, David D. Levine, Todd Lockwood, David Sandner, Helen Wecker
Moderator: Mike Verant
Friday, October 23, 2026 10AM-11:30M Room 208
READINGS: Nathaniel Williams, Julie Day, Brian Evenson
Moderator, James Patrick Kelly
Friday, October 23, 2026 10:30AM-11AM Room 202
READINGS: Pamela Troy, Samantha Mills, Louise Marley
Moderator, Julia Vee
Friday, October 23, 2026 11AM -12 noon Uptown Room
The Art of John Picacio
Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning artist John Picacio presents 30 years of his SFF and horror cover art, including the making of his nationally-bestselling debut picture book, The Invisible Parade, co-written with #1 New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo. Come see sneak-peeks of his upcoming works, and bring all your questions about cover art past, present, and future.
Friday, October 23, 2026 11AM-12 noon Room 208
Wanted Dead or Undead
Gunslingers firing on eldritch horrors. Travelers stumble upon frontier towns populated by ghosts. From Wynonna Earp to Laura Anne Gilman’s elegant The Devil’s West series, one of genre’s most exciting sandboxes is having a big moment. We’ll explore the ways the Weird West debunks the mythos of the American Frontier and how diverse perspectives deepen the breadth of storytelling available.
Panelists: K. C. Grifant, Raymond K. Rugg, Sarah Stegall, Mark Williams
Moderator: Rick Klaw
Friday, October 23, 2026 11AM-12 noon Room 201
Fantastic Food – Can your Army March on its Stomach?
Creating lived-in worlds often means adding familiar anchors like food and food rituals. Provisioning your elvish army or making sure your magical librarians have food through the winter is an essential part of any society, even in fiction. Even the scarcity of food is a form of world building. Join the panelists to discuss ways food shows up in SFF fiction.
Panelists: Chaz Brenchley, Erin Brown, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Ryan Rose
Moderator: Julia Vee
Friday, October 23, 2026 11AM-12 noon Salon 3 & 4
Author Guest of Honor, Ted Chiang in conversation with Cliff Winnig
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Friday, October 23, 2026 1:00PM-2:00PM Room 208
The Real World in Historical Fantasy
What are the risks and rewards of setting fantasies in the history of the real world? We’ll explore how past settings, cultures, and real figures can inspire character development, setting, and plot, and how to best balance creative freedom with historical accuracy.
Panelists: Karen Joy Fowler, Cecelia Holland, Ellen Klages, Nancy Kress, Tad Williams
Moderator: Jewelle Gomez
Friday, October 23, 2026 1PM-2:30PM Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Samantha Mills, Kemi Ashing-Giwa, Ted Chiang
Moderator, Tom Whitmore
Friday, October 23, 2026 1:30AM-1PM Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Caroline Yoachim, Bruce McAllister, Charlie Jane Anders
Moderator, Remy Nakamura
Friday, October 23, 2026 1:30PM-3PM Salon 3 & 4
READINGS: Auston Habershaw, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Paolo Bacigalupi
Moderator, Tim Melody Pratt
Friday, October 23, 2026 2PM-3PM Room 202
Grandmother Stories as Source Code
Long before large language models, cultures used common folklore, cosmology, root work, and survival knowledge as living systems for memory, ethics, and becoming. Afrofuturists, Afro Surrealists, Queer Worldbuilders, and Indigenous-Futurists use these technologies as source code for richer worlds and more humane AI, or as we call it, “Ancestral Intelligence.”
Panelists: Millie Abecassis, Dr. Lonny Brooks, Valya Lupescu Dudya, Viengsamai Fetters, Dorothy Hearst
Moderator: Keyan Bowes
Friday, October 23, 2026 2PM-3PM Room 201
The Mermaids Are Singing: Music and Composition in Fantasy Literature
Music can charm, warn, terrify, or comfort, depending on how it’s used in the plot. A simple piano tune can call up eldritch horrors; a brass band can delight a dragon; your mermaid might be an opera star! What musical motif enhances your story?
Panelists: Gregory Norman Bossert, Curtis Chen, Ellen Kushner, Cliff Winnig
Moderator: Emily Jiang
Friday, October 23, 2026 2:30PM-4PM Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Ann Marie Wilson, David D. Levine, Jewelle Gomez
Moderator, Michele Berger
Friday, October 23, 2026 3PM-5PM Room 212
WORKSHOP: Bookbinding with the American Bookbinders Museum
Join the American Bookbinders Museum to create a handmade book using traditional bookbinding techniques. Choose between two classic styles while learning the fundamentals of sewing, covering, and decorating books. No experience is necessary. Workshop limited to 10 participants
Japanese Stab Binding: Create a book using the traditional stab-binding style, known for its decorative exposed stitching and elegant sewn spine. Popular throughout East Asia, this binding uses single sheets of paper sewn directly through the cover with a variety of classic sewing patterns.
Cost: $45 – all materials included
Please Register & Pay Here: https://book.peek.com/s/a48684f0-c9aa-438a-aeab-a458107e31d2/byexE
Friday, October 23, 2026 3PM-4PM Room 202
Romance: Resistance or Reinforcement?
Romantic fiction tells stories about power, desire, and happy endings. Fantasy literature often provides the opportunity to allow female protagonists to guide their own destinies. How do these romantic tropes reinforce or challenge existing ideas about gender, power, and hierarchy? With the surge in cross-pollination between romance and speculative fiction over the past few years, how what romance used to its fullest potential in fantasy and horror?
Panelists: Erin Cashier, Amy Z. Chan, Rebecca Inch-Partridge, Addie Woolridge
Moderator: Rebecca Hunter
Friday, October 23, 2026 3PM-4PM Room 201
Brick & Mortar in the 21st Century
We all have our favorite bookstores – but what keeps them in business? Specialty SFFH stores like Other Change of Hobbit were legion back in the day (San Francisco had no less than 10 at one point) – so what keeps the stalwarts like DreamHaven Books, Big Blue Marble Bookstore, Dark Carnival, Uncle Hugo’s and The BookBin, open, successful, and relevant in today’s electronic world? (
Panelists: Charlie Jane Anders (Bookstore & Chocolate Crawl), Greg Ketter (DreamHaven), Jack Rems (Dark Carnival), Brandy Whitten Klaw (bookseller)
Moderator: Tom Whitmore (The Other Change of Hobbit)
Friday, October 23, 2026 3PM-4PM Room 208
Publisher Guest of Honor, Bill Campbell in conversation with Scholar Guest of Honor, John Jennings
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Friday, October 23, 2026 3PM-4:30PM Salon 3 & 4
READINGS Tim K. Robinson, Julie Leong, Stephen Graham Jones
Moderator, Daryl Gregory
Friday, October 23, 2026 4PM-5PM Room 201
Red Ink is Our Medium: Editing as an Art Form
The relationship between author and editor can be a match made in heaven, or a deal with the devil. What drives a good relationship between you and your editor, and how is the gold that is a national bestseller spun from the straw?
Panelists: Deborah Beale, Ellen Datlow, Nick Mamatas, Shawna McCarthy
Moderator: Jaymee Goh
Friday, October 23, 2026 4PM-5PM Room 202
Speculative Fiction in the Rainforest
What makes the majestic forests and mountain ranges of the Pacific Northwest so conducive to speculative fiction? We’ll discuss what stories are being imagined in the rainforests, hiking trails, and the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Panelists: Remy Nakamura, Brenda Cooper, Patrick Swenson
Moderator: Jack Skillingstead
Friday, October 23, 2026 4PM-5PM Room 202
READINGS : Claire Light, Paul Park, Robert Olen Butler
Moderator, Bruce McAllister
Friday, October 23, 2026 4:30PM-6PM Room 208
READINGS: Steven Boyett, Steve Rasnic Tem, Maurice Broaddus
Moderator, Curtis Chen
Friday, October 23, 2026 5PM-6PM Room 201
It’s the Only Earth We Have… Is Escape An Option? Eco-fantasy in Today’s Stories
Whether it’s fantastic climate fiction, resource management in sword and sorcery, or endangered magical species in Mordor, the fantasy genre has critiqued industrial exploitation of nature from the beginning. Now, at the height of the climate crisis, how are authors exploring devastation and solutions in ways that go beyond the headlines? Can we heal ourselves and Mother Earth at the same time?
Panelists: Kemi Ashing-Giwa, James Patrick Kelly, Elise Stephens
Moderator: T. K. Rex
Friday, October 23, 2026 5PM-6PM Salon 1 & 2
Prose to Panels: The Mechanics of Graphic Novel Adaptation
Graphic novels have soared in popularity among readers of all ages. This panel explores the craft of translating traditional prose into sequential art, and how to balance visual and textual storytelling, script effectively for artists, and craft multi-modal narratives that capture a new audience for the book.
Panelists: Bill Campbell, Tim Fielder, Verzell James, John Jennings
Moderator: Andrea Horbinski
Friday, October 23, 2026 8:00PM-10PM Grand Ballroom
Bars open from 7:00PM-10:00PM Doors open for Members at 8:00PM
MASS AUTOGRAPHING SESSION
Please note: For safety’s sake, no wheeled carts or backpacks are allowed
Every published author is invited to participate! It’s a party – join us! If you plan to attend as an author, please check in at the door of the Grand Ballroom between 7:30PM and 8:00PM for your name card and grab a pen. It’s general seating except for our Guests of Honor, and you may sell your own books if they are not available in the Dealers Room.
We ask that authors make a special effort to attend this highlight event of the World Fantasy Convention! People will be looking for you to sign their books!
Book collectors:
- There will be tables on the right-hand side of the entrance for you to stage your books.
- Our rule is “3 books at a time, then back in line” as it gives everyone a fair shot at getting books signed.
- Please ask the author before taking any photos or videos; if the answer is no, then no, you can’t.
Dealers:
- The Dealers Room will have a door open between the East 1&2 and the Grand Ballroom.
- You will be able to either stage your books with the collectors, or go back and forth between your table and the Autographing during the event.
- Only Dealers with a Dealer Ribbon on their badge will be allowed to do this.
Friday, October 23, 2026 10PM-11PM Salon 1 & 2
Fault Lines: What’s Shaking in SF Bay Area Spec-Lit Publishing
The San Francisco Bay Area has an active and thriving fantasy and speculative-fiction publishing community. On offer are live readings series, like Litquake, Stir, and SF in SF, poetry readings, new print periodicals, digital trailblazers, and groundbreaking small presses. Come meet some of the innovators that are keeping literature alive in the Bay Area.
Panelists: Isis Asare (Aunt Lute & Sistah SciFi), Matt Scott Carney & Kristin Eade (Club Chicxulub), Lezlie A. Kinyon, PhD (Roses & Wildflowers), Jacob Weisman (Tachyon Publications)
Moderator: Joshua Wilson, The Fabulist Magazine
Friday, October 23, 2026 10PM-11PM Salon 1 & 2
Those Who Have Gone Before, We Salute You
A look at who we have lost in the field lately, and a discussion of their works. Terry Bisson, Dick Lupoff, Jane Yolen, Vonda McIntyre, Dave Nee, John Crowley, and others. We’ll raise a glass to their memory at the end of the panel!
Moderator: Chloe Smith
Panelists: Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Rich Horton, Nancy Jane Moore, Gary K. Wolfe
SATURDAY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
World Fantasy Dealers Room and Art Show 10AM – 6PM
KAFFEEKLATSCHES
This is an opportunity to sit and chat with some of your favorite authors! Seating is limited to 10 participants, and signup sheets will be at Registration beginning on Thursday at 3PM.
Saturday, October 24, 2026
- 9AM-10AM Room 210 Nisi Shawl
- 1PM-2PM Room 210 Stephen Graham Jones
- 2PM-3PM Room 210 Helene Wecker
- 4PM-5PM Room 210 Paolo Bacigalupi
- 5PM-6PM Room 210 Sheree Renee Thomas
- 5PM-6PM Room 211 Jeffrey Ford
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9AM-10AM Room 201
Fae, Fairie, Faerie, or Fairy? Cultural Differences
Belief in fairies is a standard theme in fantasy literature, and these beliefs stem from folklore dating back to the concept of the Fae of medieval Western European folklore. Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Kingdoms of Elfin showed fairies in a different light – mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Disney shows them as an innocuous, often comedic, bunch. Let’s discuss the evolution of these creatures in their many guises among different cultures.
Panelists: Kimberly Bea, Henry Herz, Diana Paxson, Andrea Stewart
Moderator: Marley Rose-Teter
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9AM-10:30AM Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Eboni Dunbar, Molly Tanzer, Tad Williams
Moderator L.P. Kindred
Saturday, October 24, 2026 10AM-11AM Room 201
Typing Uphill Both Ways… What’s the Trick?
Veteran writers discuss navigating the opportunity and pitfalls inherent in traditional publishing, newer formats and platforms, social media, the loss of mass market paperbacks, and a dwindling midlist. They’ve seen it all through the years, but they’ve kept publishing despite these changes— so what’s their secret?
Panelists: Michael Kurland, Bruce McAllister, Deborah Ross, Sharon Shinn
Moderator: Tim Melody Pratt
Saturday, October 24, 2026 10AM-11AM Room 208
Transformation: Wouldn’t You Rather Have a Talking Frog?
People are magicked into becoming a bird, a rat becomes human; some even prefer their new state of being. How did this trope get started in fantasy literature, and why do people think it’s only werewolves? We’ll discuss examples and why turning into an enchanted being isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Panelists: Auston Habershaw, Robin Hobb, Robert Olen Butler
Moderator: Martin Cahill
Saturday, October 24, 2026 10AM-11AM Salon 3 & 4
Author Guest of Honor, Stephen Graham Jones in conversation with Kasey Lansdale
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Saturday, October 24, 2026 10:30AM-12 noon Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Trae Hawkins, Kathleen Jennings, Nancy Kress
Moderator, Molly Tanzer
Saturday, October 24, 2026 10:30AM-12 noon Room 201
READINGS: Rebecca Hunter, Julie Phillips, Diana Paxson
Moderator, Rebecca Gomez Farrell
Saturday, October 24, 2026 11AM-12 noon Room 208
The Influence of Book Design on Readers; The Cat on the Cover Made Me Buy It!
Cover and interior art and design matter—the first thing you notice is what the book LOOKS like. How does an artist decide what will grab the reader’s attention on the shelf? Interior art and design – just how is this determined and created to fit the story? Artists and editors discuss their own experiences and how these important elements of a book are chosen.
Panelists: John Berry, Stephanie Law, Jody Lee, Francesca Myman
Moderator: Karen Haber
Saturday, October 24, 2026 11AM-12:30PM Salon 3 & 4
Bookseller Guest of Honor, Greg Ketter, and Special Guests, Cecelia Holland, Helene Wecker, and Jaymee Goh, interviewed by Cliff Winnig
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Saturday, October 24, 2026 12 noon -1PM Salon 1 & 2
Anti-Imperialist Themes in 21st Century Fantasy and Horror
Though fantasy and horror historically often skewed towards a conservative longing for a “time that never was,” many of the 21st century’s most exciting and engaging works have had strong anti-imperialist themes. Let’s discuss contemporary works mining this thematic vein.
Panelists: Bill Campbell, Eric L. Kaplan, Jeremy Lassen, Nisi Shawl
Moderator: Justin Key
Saturday, October 24, 2026 1PM-2PM Salon 1 & 2
Mapping Fantastic Worlds, Or Why Are Those Mountains There?
What’s with the chasm of knife-sharp rocks? Is that a lake or just a stagnant mere? Why is there an impenetrable forest? Author and artist Kathleen Jennings and others will discuss how to map an imaginary realm so as to enhance the story and discuss the elements that shape the lands and borders of fantastical worlds.
Panelists: Vanessa Fogg, Nancy Hightower
Moderator: Kathleen Jennings
Saturday, October 24, 2026 1:30PM-3PMPM Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Jay Hartlove, M. M. Olivas, Tim Melody Pratt
Moderator, Jewelle Gomez
Saturday, October 24, 2026 2PM-3PM Room 202
Little, Big; or, the Fairies Parliament: What Makes a Classic?
John Crowley’s masterpiece, Little, Big, is a classic of fantasy literature. According to Black Gate columnist Mark Rigney, “…those who have read the book fall into two distinct categories. The first is baffled, and does not even make it through Book One; it’s clearly not the meal they wanted. The second group adores Little, Big, and can barely speak coherently about it for fear of bursting into tears.” Which group are you in? (The second one, obviously!) Just what makes it so timeless and affecting? Readers, what did it mean to you?
Panelists: Charlie Jane Anders, Paul Park, Karen Joy Fowler, Bernie Goodman
Moderator: Delia Sherman
Saturday, October 24, 2026 2PM-3PM Room 201
“Why Yes, it IS a Magic Nose Ring!”: Adornment and Accessories in Fantasy
Magical adornments are nothing new; enchanted crowns, poison buttons, love charms woven into coats, and never-emptying bags harken back to medieval tales. What’s the purpose of transferring agency to these mundane items? Why do they work so well in fantasy and horror? And where can we buy them?!
Panelists: Sara Felix, Anya Martin, JiaLing Pan, Vivian Perry
Moderator: Jaym Gates
Saturday, October 24, 2026 2PM-3PM Salon 1 & 2
Artist Guest of Honor Stephanie Law in conversation with Karen Haber
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Saturday, October 24, 2026 3PM-4PM Room 201
Fantastic Flora: Using your Garden for Good and Evil
Join a panel of gardeners, who know better than to eat that red berry on the ornamental bush…We’ll discuss the various ways in which your garden flora can help you regain your kingdom, heal your soulmate, kill your enemy, or cure your favorite dragon’s tummy ache.
Panelists: R. J. Blain, Nikki Rossignol McCoy, Karen Schaefer
Moderator: Emily O’Malley Liu
Saturday, October 24, 2026 3PM-4PM Salon 1 & 2
Reimagined Identities in Fantastic Literature
Diasporic cultures that relocated to the West Coast over the centuries brought their legends, their fairytales, and their family’s stories right along with them. We’ll explore how the fantastic literature of today has been reworked and reimagined from these origins, and panelists will share the influences their own family history has had on their works.
Panelists: Brenda Clough, Thomas Ha, Julie Leong, K. Tempest Bradford
Moderator: Eboni Dunbar
Saturday, October 24, 2026 3PM-5PM Room 212
WORKSHOP: Bookbinding with the American Bookbinders Museum
Join the American Bookbinders Museum to create a handmade book using traditional bookbinding techniques. Choose between two classic styles while learning the fundamentals of sewing, covering, and decorating books. No experience is necessary. Workshop limited to 10 participants.
Casebound Hardcover: Construct a traditional hardcover book and add an optional decorative inlay to personalize your cover. This durable binding style has been used for hardcover books since the early days of printing and remains one of the most versatile forms of bookbinding.
Cost: $45 – all materials included
Please Register & Pay Here: https://book.peek.com/s/a48684f0-c9aa-438a-aeab-a458107e31d2/byexE
Saturday, October 24, 2026 3PM-4:30PM Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Jack Skillingstead, Rhonda Eudaly, Robin Hobb
Moderator, Debbie Notkin
Saturday, October 24, 2026 3PM-4PM Room 208
Author Robert Silverberg, interviewed by Richard Wolinsky
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Saturday, October 24, 2026 3:30PM-5PM Salon 3 & 4
READINGS: Beth Dawkins, Felicia Martinez, Carina Bissett, James Patrick Kelly
Moderator, Kemi Ashing-Giwa,
Saturday, October 24, 2026 3PM-5PM Room 203 & Room 204
“Crochet hooks at dawn!” Fighting a Realistic Sword Fight in Your Fiction (DEMO + PANEL)
3PM-4PM, Room 203
Curious about realistic dueling techniques? Could your heroine really disarm a ghoulish suitor, armed only with a crochet hook? Can your hero really get up and walk (or run!) away if stabbed by a stiletto? Join Tony Barajas of the Italian Renaissance Swordsmanship Academy in a discussion and demonstration of the traditional ways to handle these weapons, followed by a panel of authors.
3PM-4PM, Room 204
Among all the characters Robert E. Howard created, Agnes the Sword Woman is one of the most overlooked. Join authors Steven Boyett, Robin Hobb, Ellen Kushner, and Madeleine Robins, who have all written weapon-wielding female or nonbinary characters, as they discuss turning the sword and sorcery tropes on its head.
Saturday, October 24, 2026 4PM-5PM Room 208
Fine, Foxed, and Slightly Cocked: Why Collect Books?
From personal collections to institutional libraries, what drives us to collect books for posterity? Depositories ensure the work of a few are available to many, giving writers a chance at immortality on the shelf. Librarians discuss collecting strategies that preserve the printed word in today’s electronic world of Kindles, tablets, and phones.
Panelists: Mariah Anderson (Stanford Public Library), D. Steven Black (Cal Berkely Libraries), Jeremy Brett (Texas A&M), Brian Weaver (San Francisco Public Library)
Moderator: David Sandner (Cal State Fullerton)
Saturday, October 24, 2026 4PM-5PM Room 208
Toastmaster Jewelle Gomez in conversation with Poet Guest of Honor, Linda Addison
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Saturday, October 24, 2026 4:30PM-6PM Salon 1 & 2
READING: Kim Stanley Robinson
Saturday, October 24, 2026 5PM-6PM Room 208
Author Joe Haldeman interviewed by Richard Wolinsky
Please note: no signings will be done before or after this program item
Saturday, October 24, 2026 5PM-6:30PM Salon 3 & 4
Treehouse Writers Group: Chaz Brenchley, Nancy Jane Moore, Pat Murphy, Madeleine Robins,
Saturday, October 24, 2026 6PM-7PM Room 201
Stories as Structure: Teaching Identity, Foresight, and Future-Building Through Afrofuturist Literature
How can Afrofuturist literature help young people examine identity, history, systems, and possible futures? This interactive session introduces an Afrofuturism Studies and Foresight Skills framework, models its use with fantastic literature, and invites educators, authors, and readers to explore how stories can become tools for belonging, imagination, and future-building
Panelists: Dr. Reynaldo Anderson, Maurice Broaddus, Trae Hawkins, Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett, Sheree Renee Thomas
Moderator: Sherinda Bryant
Saturday, October 24, 2026 7PM – 9PM East 1 & 2
Join Artist Guest of Honor Stephanie Law and the WFC 2026 Artists, for our Art Show Reception!
Bars open at 6:00PM – 9:00PM
Please note that bidding for all items will close at 9PM sharp.
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9PM-10:30PM The Skyline Room, 21st Floor
Bar open from 8:30P-10:30PM in the Skyline Room
Saturday, October 2, 20264 9PM-10PM Room 202
To Ode or Not to Ode
Fantasy and horror poets weigh in on which poetic traditions and forms best lend themselves to speculative elements. Is an ode spooky by nature? Is an epic a natural fit for fantasy? How do poets play with these forms to find the best fit for their own poetry?
Panelists: Linda Addison, Betsy Aoki, Felicia Martinez, Dominica Phetteplace
Moderator: Rebecca Gomez Farrell
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9PM-10:30PM Salon 1 & 2
What Are We Going to Do about AI?
As “large “language models” (LLMs) dominate the tech industry and discourse, the literary world is struggling to survive during this transitional moment. This panel has two goals: to explain/dispel common myths about LLMs and to have experts discuss rewarding human creativity in an age of generative slop.
Panelists: Ted Chiang, Jason Denzel, Annalee Newitz, Avani Vaghela
Moderator: Molly Tanzer
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9PM-10PM Room 208
From Unknown to Uncanny: The Changing Roles of Magazines
Magazines, whether in print or online, are a staple of the SFFH field. Whether it’s a full-fledged magazine, an online zine, or an ashcan promo, people are reading them. Editors in the field discuss the historical role magazines have played in shaping the taste of the reading public, and why they continue to flourish online, and in print, well into the 21st century.
Panelists: Greg Ketter (DreamHaven Books), Leon Perniciaro (Haven Spec), Stephen Segal (Weird Tales), Sheree Renee Thomas (F&SF)
Moderator: Liza Groen Trombi (Locus)
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9PM-10:30PM Salon 3 & 4
The Writers Grotto: Names to come
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9PM-10:30PM Salon 1 & 2
READINGS: Elijah Kinch Spector, Walter Jon Williams, Helene Wecker
Moderator, Gary K. Wolfe
Saturday, October 24, 2026 10PM-11PM Room 208
Behind the Scenes: How Can Your Book Become a Film?
From authors, multiple script writers, producers, directors, and meddling studio executives, can any film based on a work of literature really have a purely definitive vision? Just how should the process work? Author and filmmaker Paul M. Sammon—who knew Robert Heinlein, Philip K Dick and Frank Herbert, and worked on the big screen adaptations of their best-known books—moderates a group discussion.
Panelists: Ted Chiang, Arwen Curry, Anand Gandhi, Fawaz Al-Matrouk
Moderator: Paul M. Sammon
SUNDAY OCTOBER 25, 2026 PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 25, 2026
World Fantasy Dealers Room 10AM – 5PM
Our World Fantasy Convention Dealers Room is open to the public today, so all Dealers will still be available once the Banquet and Awards Ceremony is over – go buy those award-winning books!
Sunday, October 25, 2026 10AM-5PM
The Art Show is closed – now’s the time to pay and pick up your winning bids!
Sunday, October 25, 2026 9AM-11AM The Oakland Room, 3rd Floor
World Fantasy Board Meeting
This meeting is open only to the current members of the World Fantasy Board and their guests
The Rise of Speculative Poetry
Sunday, October 25, 2026 10AM-11AM Room 201
This year the World Fantasy Convention recognizes its first-ever Poet Guest of Honor, poet Linda Addison. Last year Brandon O’Brien was recognized as the first Worldcon Poet Laureate, and Marie Brennan won the first-ever Hugo for Best Poem. We’ll discuss the broadening recognition for speculative poetry, and why it’s happening now.
Moderator: Audrey Williams
Panelists: Linda Addison, Joe Haldeman, Sumiko Saulson, Kory Vance
Subterfuge and the Siren’s Call; the Power Dynamics in Cautionary Myths and Legends
Sunday, October 25, 2026 9AM-10AM Room 208
Since the dawn of time, we’ve listened to our mothers and grandmother’s cautionary tales, passed down through the ages disguised as myth and magic. Whether it’s avoiding the clutches of Baba Yaga, rusalkas in the water, or resisting the siren’s call, why are these harmful creatures generally women? Why was it that woman were considered dangerous due to their appeal? How do these cultural markers still affect us?
Moderator: Julia Vee
Panelists: Beth Dawkins, Louise Marley, Kat Ogden, M. M. Olivas
Afro-cosmicism: Defining a Genre That’s Already There
Sunday, October 25, 2026 11AM-12 noon Room 208
Afro-Cosmicism is an emerging subgenre that bridges Afrofuturism and cosmic horror. Rather than being crushed by cosmic insignificance, the Afro-Cosmic figure uses it as a lens to examine alienation, historical trauma, and ultimate imaginative freedom. What is the unknowable dread beneath the weight of white supremacy or xenophobia?
Moderator: Chris Campbell
Panelists: Sumayyah Beck, Alex Jennings, L. P. Kindred, Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
Sunday, October 25, 2026
THE WORLD FANTASY BANQUET
Doors open at 12 noon, with general seating. Food service begins at 12:30
Don’t forget to purchase your Banquet Tickets here: https://wfc2026.org/the-world-fantasy-awards-banquet/
Deadline to order is Wednesday, October 21st. They will not be available for sale at the convention.
Reserve a table for 8 by emailing banquet@wfc2026.org
Sunday, October 25, 2026 12 noon Grand Ballroom
THE WORLD FANTASY AWARDS CEREMONY
The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year at the annual convention as the central focus of the event. They are one of the most prestigious speculative fiction awards in the field. The award was designed by sculptor Vincent Villefranca.
The Awards Ceremony will begin at 1:30, and all Members are welcome to attend at that time. This event will be livestreamed for our Virtual Members, and posted up on our WFC2026 YouTube Channel as well.
Sunday, October 25, 2026 5:00PM-7:00PM Room 208
SF in SF – Science Fiction, San Francisco…In Oakland!
The long-running San Francisco author event series presents authors Jeffrey Ford, Daryl Gregory, Tamika Thompson, and Reuben “Tihi” Hayslitt for a special edition of SF in SF. Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A with moderator Cliff Winnig. This event is free and open to all membership, and the public. Books will be available for sale at the event, courtesy of Dog-Eared Books and Tachyon Publications
