Programming
The proposal deadline is May 7, 2010. That’s this Friday! It’s important to Sirens that attendees take a part in devising the conference program through making proposals and presentations. The perspectives of readers, of writers, of scholars, of professionals, of artists, of fans—these help everyone understand the community of fantasy, and its past, present, and future. So, as we often reiterate, please don’t be shy. You can visit the Sirens website for more information, or review our series on how you can participate in programming as a presenter on the Sirens LiveJournal.

Programming Chat
Want to brainstorm? Looking for collaborators? Need to talk out your idea? Seeking technical help? We’ve scheduled a chat tomorrow night specifically for last-minute programming help: 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.

DATE: Tuesday, May 4, 2010
TIME: 9-11 p.m. Eastern/8-10 p.m. Central/7-9 p.m. Mountain/6-8 p.m. Pacific
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.

Travel Tip #1: Humidity
While Vail gets an average of 200 inches of snowfall each winter, its altitude and alpine location mean that it’s still pretty dry. The Vail Cascade Resort and Spa offers humidifiers in every guest room, and we recommend that you try using yours while you’re in your room. (We noticed better sleep and more comfortable sinuses when we used ours each night.) Otherwise, extra water and some Gatorade will help combat dehydration, though beware alcohol and caffeine, which have stronger effects at Vail’s average altitude of 8150 feet above sea level.

Travel Tip #2: Dining
Some meals at Sirens are on your own, and there are several options on and immediately adjacent to the Vail Cascade. If you’d like to explore more widely, there are many restaurants with a variety of price points accessible via the Gore Creek walking path as well as via a short ride on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle. Even better, Vail Restaurant Month runs September 20–October 17, 2010, so be sure to keep an eye out for specials. (As Sirens is held during a quiet time for the area, you can often find fantastic deals and fixed price offerings at local eateries.) Check out the list we’ve compiled here that includes local restaurants and services. We’d love to hear your reviews of any of the listed establishments! (We like Blue Moose Pizza, Sushi Oka, and The Red Lion when we’re on a budget, and Sweet Basil when we’re seeking a meal fit for a faery queen.)

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

For More Information
Please feel free to contact us at (help at sirensconference.org). We’re happy to answer any questions you might have. You can leave general questions in the comments here as well.

We hope to see you in Vail!

Programming
The proposal deadline in May 7, 2010. That’s sooner than you think! Remember, all attendees are welcome to submit proposals, even if new to Sirens, new to presenting or both! We’re hosting a series on how you can participate in programming as a presenter on the Sirens LiveJournal. Please spread the word–and please consider submitting a proposal. We really value the opportunity to include the voices of our attendees. If you’re not sure about how to make a proposal, visit our LiveJournal for how-to information for papers, panels, and (coming soon) workshops, roundtables, and afternoon classes. You can also visit the Sirens website for programming proposal instructions.

Magic Mind Melds
Are you looking for someone to present with? You’re not the only one, we promise! The Sirens message boards have several threads with people looking for co-presenters. Feel free to respond to these or to start your own! We’ll happily feature you in upcoming posts and newsletters. Current threads can be seen here. (Keep an eye out on the Sirens LiveJournal for one more fun feature: we’ll do a post where you can submit your interests and we’ll offer you a topic to propose.)

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: Saturday, April 17, 2010
TIME: 2-4 p.m. Eastern/1-3 p.m. Central/noon-2 p.m. Mountain/11-1 p.m. Pacific
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.

Registration
Remember, the current registration rate of $165 expires April 30, 2010. After that, the rate is $180 until September 8, 2010 (when we stop registration until we open again at the door). Registration includes access to all conference programming and events, including the three keynote presentations by our guests of honor and a conference T-shirt available only to attendees, as well as a dessert reception, two lunches, and a breakfast. Via registration, you can also add a ticket for the Sirens Supper, a pre-conference kickoff banquet, or the Sirens Shuttle, which provides service from Denver International Airport to Vail. Find out more or register now at the Sirens website.

Travel Tip: Room Budgeting
The rate of $119 (for one or two people) or $139 (for three or four people), plus tax and resort fee, per night at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa can be shared with a roommate or three to help your budget. Make a reservation here, and feel free to post here if you’re seeking roommates. To break it down, your room cost for three nights could be $357 if you choose to stay alone (plus applicable taxes and fees), and you’ll have the fluffy bathrobes all to yourself. Alternatively, you can find three people to share a slumber party, and you’ll each pay only $104.25 (again, plus applicable taxes and fees).

Volunteering
Hello, starving college students (and others)! For 2010, we’ll provide a modest snack in the form of items like apples and granola bars for each volunteer shift you complete. On-site volunteers help keep presentations running on time, troubleshoot electronics, and provide information to others. If you’re interested in volunteering, you can sign up here to get more information (typically, we start letting people claim volunteer shifts once the conference schedule is posted). If you signed up last year, no need to sign up again: you’ll get group e-mails once volunteering news is available.

Recommended Reading
Tell us! What have you been reading? What did you love? What are you raving about? Leave us a comment!

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend Link
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

For More Information
Please feel free to contact us at (help at sirensconference.org). We’re happy to answer any questions you might have. You can leave general questions in the comments here as well.

We hope to see you in Vail!

Programming
As you might have noticed, we’re hosting a series on how you can participate in programming as a presenter on the Sirens LiveJournal. We encourage you to become a presenter, whether this is your first conference or your hundredth. Sirens’s programming will be designed, proposed, and presented by you–and will represent your interests, research, work, and passions. We’d also love to include as many viewpoints as possible. Signal boosting is welcomed and appreciated!

This month and next, we’ll provide how-to information for papers, panels, workshops, roundtables, and afternoon classes. In the meantime, you can visit the Sirens website for programming proposal instructions. Proposals are due May 7, 2010.

The Matchmaker
Are you looking for someone to work with? You’re not the only one. There are several threads on the Sirens message boards with people looking for co-presenters–feel free to respond to these or to start your own! We’ll happily feature you in upcoming posts and newsletters.

Current threads can be seen here, and they include:

Fantasy Book Covers
Faerie Folklore from Around the World
Fairy Tale Panel
Queer Fairy Panel

Programming Chat
Want to brainstorm? Looking for collaborators? Just need to talk things out a little to get your idea to gel? Instead of discussing a faery book, we’re devoting our chat this weekend 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. We hope you’ll join us!

DATE: Saturday, March 6
TIME: 2-4 p.m. Eastern/1-3 p.m. Central/noon-2 p.m. Mountain/11-1 p.m. Pacific
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.

Follow Along
Sirens has a number of information outlets. The most complete is the Sirens website. The most frequently updated is the Sirens LiveJournal, with the message boards following closely behind. Newsletters are posted to our Facebook group and mailing list. We’ve started using our Twitter account on occasion as well, and used it to post schedule reminders at Sirens in 2009. (If you don’t use Twitter, you can also subscribe to sirens_con’s RSS feed.)

Registration
As a reminder, the current registration rate of $165 expires April 30, 2010. After that, the rate is $180 until September 8, 2010 (when we stop registration until we open again at the door). Registration includes access to all conference programming and events, including the three keynote presentations by our guests of honor and a conference T-shirt available only to attendees, as well as a dessert reception, two lunches, and a breakfast. Via registration, you can also add a ticket for the Sirens Supper, a pre-conference kickoff banquet, or the Sirens Shuttle, which provides service from Denver International Airport to Vail.

Find out more or register now at the Sirens website.

Banner Exchanges
We’re excited to be exchanging banners and buttons with a number of sites, including newsletters, archives, conferences, artists, and online stores. To see the offerings or to exchange a banner, visit the Banner Exchange page of the Sirens website.

Travel Tip
The rate of $119 (for one or two people) or $139 (for three or four people), plus tax and resort fee, per night at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa can be shared with a roommate or three to help your budget. Make a reservation here, and feel free to post here if you’re seeking roommates.

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend Link
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

For More Information
Please feel free to contact us at (help at sirensconference.org). We’re happy to answer any questions you might have. You can leave general questions in the comments here as well.

We hope to see you in Vail!

Programming!
It’s time! Time to start turning all of your great ideas about women in fantasy into programs! Over the coming weeks–right up until the proposal deadline of May 7, 2010–we’ll be hosting a series of posts right here on our LiveJournal and message boards that will guide you through the process of becoming a presenter. (You’re welcome to post want ads for co-presenters on Facebook, but we won’t post all of the series there.)

Remember:

• Everyone is welcome to submit a proposal for a paper, panel, roundtable, workshop, an afternoon class, or something similar. It’s great if you’ve presented elsewhere and it’s great if it’s your very first time to step out of the audience. We want our programming, created by you, to represent important topics in fantasy, what you’re interested in, and what you’d like to share with others.
• We have some guidelines for presenters as far as format, length, and so on, because like all conferences, we need to fit into our reserved space and time. Start your planning now by visiting the programming section of the Sirens website and reading through the links on the left.
• We’ll be hosting some topic exchange posts on LiveJournal and our conference message boards, where you can drop off ideas and pick up something that sounds interesting. Nearly all of our programming comes from the proposals attendees make and participate in! If you want something to be on the schedule, please consider organizing a proposal, whether that means gathering a group of presenters or leading the presentation yourself. Also, don’t forget that we have a section of our message boards devoted entirely to discussing programming topics, finding co-presenters and asking questions.
• Lacking inspiration? You still have plenty of time to try some books from the Sirens reading list! And remember, while faeries are our 2010 focus, programming need not be about faeries. All submissions on women in fantasy literature are welcome!
• As you plan your proposal, we’re happy to help with technical difficulties, answer procedural questions, and advise on special situations. The programming team is always available at (programming at sirensconference.org).

Online Chats
Our next chat is Saturday, March 6, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. Chats are a great place to talk about books, travel, and that presentation you’ve been thinking about proposing–and to meet other book lovers and potential attendees. No particular software or programs are necessary to join in: this page will turn into a chat room at the appropriate time on March 6. We’ll be skipping a faery work in March in favor of helping everyone get presentations together and answering questions about the submissions and vetting process. If you have ideas, if you’d like encouragement, or if you’re looking for collaborators, we hope that you’ll join us–or write us at (programming at sirensconference.org).

Reminder: Book Discussions
Over the months leading up to Sirens–and at Sirens itself–we’ll be reading, reading, reading and then discussing. We’ve featured works by women in fantasy at our periodic chats, and we’ll feature more this summer. If you’d like to get a jump on our summer discussion books, take a look at Kin (The Good Neighbors) by Holly Black, Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan, and both The Changeling and A Midsummer Night’s Faery Tale by Terri Windling. Our Books and Breakfast program will be returning at Sirens this fall as well, so brush up on your faery reading now!

Share Sirens!
Do you have a friend or colleague who would be interested in Sirens? Just about every page of the Sirens website has a link to “Tell a Friend” about the conference. We’ve already written the e-mail, and you can send it with just a click! Please do remember to tell people about Sirens. Our first year was great, and we want to make sure our second year is great as well.

Are you going to a conference or an event? Do you work somewhere that connects to fantasy aficionados? We are printing new and updated bookmarks for Sirens, and we’d be happy to send you some to hand out or leave on a freebie table. The bookmarks should be ready to ship out in mid-March. If you’d like a set to give away, please write to (help at sirensconference.org) with your name, address, and where they’ll go, and allow three weeks between your request and your event.

Travel Tip: Two Days of Sirens Shuttle to Vail
Did you know that the Sirens Shuttle is available on Wednesday this year? That’s right, if you’re looking to come in early to acclimate, to explore Vail or to join us for our rollicking Sirens Supper, we will be running a shuttle from Denver International Airport to Vail, leaving at 3:30 p.m. We’ll still be running a shuttle on Thursday, of course, also leaving Denver International at 3:30 p.m., and all shuttle folks will be returning to Denver International by 2:00 p.m. on Sunday (for flights leaving at 3:30 p.m. or later). You can book your shuttle ticket when you register.

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend Link
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

We hope to see you in Vail!

Have questions? You can leave them here in the comments section or e-mail them to (help at sirensconference.org).

Happy New Year
Welcome to 2010! We hope you had a fun, safe New Year’s, and are ready for a grand 2010. And of course with 2010 comes a new Sirens. We’re already gearing up for the conference, and programming proposal time is coming, so please read on.

Online Chats
Our first chat of the year is this Saturday, January 9, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. Chats are a great place to talk about books, travel, and that presentation you’ve been thinking about proposing–and to meet other book lovers and potential attendees. No particular software or programs are necessary to join in: this page will turn into a chat room at the appropriate time on January 9.

Also, in case anyone wants to chat about a specific book, we’ve selected Emma Bull’s War for the Oaks from the Sirens reading list for this chat. If you can’t make the chat, or you’d like to discuss other books (from the reading list or not), check out our message boards. You don’t need to be an attendee to use them, and we think you’ll find everyone very friendly and very fun.

The following chat is scheduled for March 6, and our featured topic will be helping everyone get presentations together and answering questions about the submissions and vetting process. If you have ideas, if you’d like encouragement, or if you’re looking for collaborators, we hope that you’ll join us–or write us at (programming at sirensconference.org).

Presentations, Presentations, Presentations
Speaking of presentations, Sirens is very likely different from other types of conferences you’ve known in terms of programming. While we create the schedule, events, and the conference as a whole, the presentations–the papers, panels, workshops, roundtable discussions, and afternoon classes–are concepted, developed, and presented by you. If you want to see something on the schedule, design it–and then propose it, or nudge someone else to do so or to join you as a co-presenter. (You can even use the Tell a Friend feature if you like.)

Start with a few big ideas: Sirens focuses on women in fantasy–as authors, as readers, as artists, as professionals, as characters of interest in fantasy works–so connect your presentation to this overarching idea. The 2010 theme is faeries, so presentations related to the theme are of special interest, but in no way does your presentation have to be about faeries. Read more here on the call for proposals page. Proposals will be accepted until May 7, 2010.

And look for posts this winter and spring on types of presentations, possible topics up for grabs, and the submissions and vetting process. We do hope you’ll consider submitting!

Book Discussions
Some of you might remember that last year we featured book discussions for one work by each of our guests of honor over the summer. We’ll be doing the same this summer, and if you’d like to get a jump start on those books, take a look at Kin (The Good Neighbors) by Holly Black, Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan, and both The Changeling and A Midsummer Night’s Faery Tale by Terri Windling.

Who’s Your Faery?
Congratulations to tinuviell, who won the prize for Who’s Your Faery? A copy of Shannon Hale’s The Goose Girl was provided to the lucky winner.

Travel Tip: The Terrace Wing
When you make your reservation at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, remember one quirky feature of the Terrace Wing rooms: not all floors lead directly to the conference center. The first floor rooms (like room 180) have a corridor connecting to the main part of the hotel, but from the upper floors, you’ll have to return to the first floor and then either take a flight of stairs or walk to a main elevator to be able to reach the second floor meeting rooms. It’s slightly more private in the Terrace Wing, and an upgrade in features and cost, but if you’d like to trade that for a shorter walk, a standard room in the main building will be more convenient. (Most convenient? Ask for a room on the second floor near the business center.)

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend Link
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

See you in Vail!

Have questions? You can leave them here in the comments section or e-mail them to (help at sirensconference.org).

Who’s Your Faery?
They’re enchanters, evil queens, changelings, purveyors of pixie dust, and more. Faeries play a variety of roles in literature, film, and on the stage. Which faery story is your favorite? Tell us in a comment of at least two sentences by December 15, 2009, and we’ll choose one commenter through a random process involving tiny strips of pressed plant fibers and a hat, and send the randomly chosen person a book from the Sirens Reading List. (Current Sirens staff members are not eligible to win, though they may leave a comment, but all volunteers, attendees, and I-wish-I-could-attendees are welcome to tell us their favorites.)

While you’re perusing the Reading List just in case you’re the winner, don’t forget that if you use our links to purchase anything on Amazon or CafePress, a portion of your cost will be provided to Sirens, which helps us expand our offerings–and registrations make lovely holiday gifts as well. Registration is currently at $165, and it includes all of Sirens’s programming, events, keynote presentations (with a dessert reception and two lunches), one breakfast, afternoon tea, a conference t-shirt, and all the mountain air you can breathe. You can also purchase some separate, optional items: tickets for the Sirens Shuttle from Denver International Airport to Vail (with a trip to Vail on Wednesday, October 6 and another on Thursday, October 7, with one return trip on Sunday, October 7) and tickets for the pre-conference staff-hosted Sirens Supper.

Chat Schedule
Sirens will have an open chat on Saturday, January 9, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. Chats are a great place to talk about books, travel, and that presentation you’ve been thinking about proposing. No particular software or programs are necessary to join in: this page will turn into a chat room at the appropriate time on January 9.

Presentations, Presentations, Presentations
Ready to start brainstorming for that paper, workshop, panel, roundtable discussion, or afternoon class? The programming section of the message boards is the perfect place to put up an advertisement for a collaborator or two, or just to knock around ideas. Visit the Programming section of the Sirens website to get the information you need to get started with your planning. Proposals will be accepted until May 7, 2010.

Decorating with the Fae
In need of a new desktop, AIM or journal icon, button, or banner? We’ve got just the thing. The faery and reader for Sirens in 2010 have been transformed into pretty graphics just for you. Download these and other graphics on the downloads page of the Sirens website!

Have questions? You can leave them here in the comments section or e-mail them to (help at sirensconference.org).

The Recap
Sirens’s first year was fantastic! We had a great time listening to all of the formal presentations and informal discussions, getting recommendations for new books to read, sharing tea with new friends, and generally being delighted that we had such awesome attendees. We’re thrilled that your participation and enthusiasm means that we can provide a second Sirens conference on women and fantasy literature in 2010, too.

Website Open for 2010!
Check it out: The Sirens website is updated with information for 2010–and it’s changed to reflect next year’s theme of faeries. Please take a few minutes to look around, to note updates, to grab a new icon/desktop image/banner, to use the Tell a Friend feature, or to check out the updated reading list.

Talk About It All
Sirens will have an open chat on Saturday, November 7, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. This year, we’ll be holding occasional chats–which might become regular with enough interest–for 2009 attendees, potential 2010 attendees, people who have questions about becoming attendees, and people who just want to chat with some amazing people about books, authors, and other things. You’re welcome to bring thoughts about women in fantasy literature or questions about Sirens, and if you’re looking for something more focused, we’ll be choosing a faery book from the Sirens 2010 reading list to discuss at each chat. November is Janni Lee Simner’s Bones of Faerie. No particular software or programs are necessary to join in: this page will turn into a chat room at the appropriate time on November 7.

Registrations and Reservations
With the website open, registration is open as well. Registration is currently at $165, and it includes all of Sirens’s programming, events, keynote presentations (with a dessert reception and two lunches), one breakfast, afternoon tea, a conference t-shirt, and all the mountain air you can breathe. You can also purchase some separate, optional items: tickets for the Sirens Shuttle from Denver International Airport to Vail (with a trip to Vail on Wednesday, October 6 and another on Thursday, October 7, with one return trip on Sunday, October 7) and tickets for the pre-conference staff-hosted Sirens Supper.

Rates at the Vail Cascade have undergone a slight adjustment, now that their renovations are complete, but they’re still fantastic for Vail in the autumn months. To make your hotel reservation at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, please visit the hotel page (and, as always, if you have any issues making your reservation, please let us know).

Programming
And, of course, the programming proposal system is open now as well. The schedule for Sirens is, in large part, made up of presentations by and of interest to attendees. You may make proposals until May 7, 2010, so there’s plenty of time to brainstorm and put your proposal together. To get started, take a look at the Call for Proposals and the presentation elements, as a few things have been changed for the next year.

If you’re curious about the scope of Sirens, the Call for Proposals is a good place to start:

The theme for 2010 is “faeries,” and programming prompted by the theme is encouraged; presenters are not limited to this theme, however, and proposals that address specific aspects of a work or series, works related by other themes, and studies of the fantasy genre across all disciplines are encouraged as well. A non-exhaustive list of sample topics includes literary analyses of novels; studies of genre history; use of fantasy works in schools and libraries for education; examination of related business and legal issues; media and fan studies; craft-based workshops in writing, art, and publishing; and overviews of how fantasy works fit into larger contexts.

In other words, if it’s connected to women authors, professionals or characters in fantasy and you find it interesting and worthy of discussion, there’s a good chance someone else does too.

Presenter Notes from 2009
If we made a recording of you and it turned out okay (unfortunately, some did not), you should have received a notice about where you can download a copy. If you don’t have a notice for a particular presentation that was recorded, and it’s not in your e-mail’s bulk folder, it’s safe to assume that the recording wasn’t salvageable. (Please note that these recordings are only available to presenters; Sirens does not have the authorization from all the presenters to distribute these more widely.) Thank you to everyone who allowed us to experiment with our recording software this year–and we hope to capture more recordings in future years.

Also, compendium submissions for presentations from 2009 are due by November 15, 2009. On that date, we’ll review the overall submissions and decide whether or not we’ll need to combine the papers with next year’s presentations, and we’ll let you know the status of the compendium as soon as we can. If you’ve lost your link for making your compendium submission, please write to (programming at sirensconference.org) and we’ll send it to you again.

Have questions? You can leave them here in the comments section or e-mail them to (help at sirensconference.org).

Programming
Please keep an eye out on the Sirens website this month for a programming schedule grid. Before we publish it, we want to make sure that we’ve cleaned up any typos or formatting issues. Our grid will offer a reference before the conference begins; the final schedule in the published program book may look a little different.

Once the schedule is up, you can start to plan your weekend. You can catch papers and panels, workshops and roundtables, and interactive classes. Papers and panels will provide you and a larger audience with new perspectives to consider, and you’ll generally have a chance to ask questions and add to the discussion; roundtables and workshops have limited seats available so that everyone can take part in the action, have questions answered, or work with materials provided by the instructor. And, once you’ve figured out your schedule, you might be interested in volunteering as a room monitor to give presenters a hand–by closing the doors to mute that lively discussion in the hall, grabbing a glass of water, or signaling when time’s almost up–while attending the sessions that interest you most.

Online Book Discussion: Terrier
Each Monday in July, we held a discussion about Kristin Cashore’s Graceling, which recently won the Mythopoeic Award for Children’s Literature. In August, we’re discussing Tamora Pierce’s Terrier, followed by Sherwood Smith’s Crown Duel/Court Duel in September. You can add your voice to older discussions or catch the new ones by clicking here.

And speaking of good books, today is the official release of the final volume in Sherwood Smith’s Inda series: Treason’s Shore. Congratulations, and may copies fly off the shelves!

Meal Selections
All attendees should have received an e-mail regarding their meal selections for Sirens. The e-mail includes a link to a page where you may review the menus and indicate any special dietary issues. If you do not choose by September 1, you will be given the vegetarian option. We typically provide our counts for each entree to the hotel several weeks in advance in order to catch any problems, so we appreciate that many of you have already responded. It’s a huge help!

Dinner Excursions
At Sirens, you’ll find that your meals are–mostly–included. Dinner, however, is on your own. At 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, and 6:00 on Friday (October 2) and Saturday (October 3), you can meet at the Sirens Information Desk to find companions to eat with you, inside the hotel or out, with our Dinner Excursions program. We’ve made a list of restaurants, both at the hotel and in nearby neighborhoods, with as much information as is currently available, and you can find it on our website.

Hotel Reservations
As a reminder, hotel reservations must be made by September 7 in order to get the Sirens rate–and as a reminder, the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa is a mountain resort with somewhat different reservation policies than other hotels. The last day to modify, change, or cancel your reservation is September 7, 2009. Also, your first night’s stay will be charged to you on September 7, so if you intend to share the room’s costs with others, you may want to plan for this now!

And, as always, if you have issues completing your reservation or if you have problems booking the Sirens room rate for the room types we’ve asked the hotel to set aside, please e-mail us.

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend Link
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

For More Information
Please feel free to contact us at (help at sirensconference.org). We’re happy to answer any questions you might have.

See you in Vail!

Programming
Thank you to everyone who submitted a programming proposal. The vetting board has had the enjoyable but tough task of sorting through each proposal and selecting those to include for our 2009 conference. Once presenters are registered and their summaries prepared for publication, you’ll be able to see them on the accepted programming page of our website.

Online Book Discussion: Graceling
Have you read Kristin Cashore’s Graceling? If you have–or even if you haven’t and you don’t mind spoilers–join us starting Monday, July 6 at the Sirens LiveJournal for a discussion of girl warriors, boy warriors, bad kings, worse kings, a child queen, and of course, gender roles in fantasy fiction. We’ll post a new topic each Monday in July, and then follow up with discussions of Tamora Pierce’s Terrier in August and Sherwood Smith’s Crown Duel/Court Duel in September.

Want to discuss some books right now? Visit the reading list section of our message boards, and chat about realistic vs. invented fantasy worlds, favorite books, what you’re reading right now, and more.

Sirens Shuttle Between Denver International Airport and Vail–Now Available
A conference-sponsored shuttle will depart from Denver at 3:30 p.m. on October 1 and leave the Vail Cascade at 10:30 a.m. on October 4, which will accommodate flights arriving by 2:00 p.m. on October 1 or departing after 3:00 p.m. on October 4.

As of today, tickets are available to new registrants as well as to those who are already registered. (If you’re already registered, please use the Change My Registration page to purchase a ticket.) Those holding a registration may also purchase additional tickets for friends and family to ride along. A round-trip ticket costs $95, which is about half the cost of using a scheduled-service commercial shuttle–and saves you the cost of gas and parking at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, not to mention navigating the winding freeway and awestruck tourists gawking at the Rocky Mountains! One more nice thing: you can leave the driving to someone who’s already familiar with mountain driving in all kinds of Colorado weather, leaving your hands free to take pictures of the flora and fauna.

Vail Cascade Resort and Spa
At last–the sawdust is swept away, the paint is dry, and the renovations are finished. Keep an eye on the Sirens LiveJournal for pictures and news from our recent site visit. A preview: new pool area, multiple hot tubs (including one for sixteen people), four places to grab a bite to eat on hotel property, better in-room cooling and heating options, upgraded spa facilities, and more.

In the June 2009 edition of the Sirens newsletter, we talked about the resort library and the kiosk inside that lets you grab a quick moment on the internet or print out boarding passes. The kiosk has been moved to the back of the Cascade Village Market and Cafe, in the area between the market and the gift shop.

Meet for Dinner
Now that we’ve gathered updated information on places to eat in Vail, we’re hard at work putting together a restaurant guide for you to use during dinner breaks. Want to go out with a group? On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during the conference, meet at the information desk and join a group headed to dinner in Lionshead or Vail Village by foot or hotel shuttle.

Sirens Supper
If you’ll be in Vail ahead of time, please feel free to join us for our staff dinner on Wednesday, September 30. Starting at 7:00 p.m., this western-style cookout costs $60, which includes food, non-alcoholic drinks, and gratuity. We’re waiting on a copy of the 2009 menu, but in past years, offerings on the buffet included several entrée options such as local fish and steak; soup, salad and sides; and a variety of desserts.

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend Link
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

For More Information
Please feel free to contact us at (help at sirensconference.org). We’re happy to answer any questions you might have.

See you in Vail!

Programming Deadline, We Really Mean It
The extended (and absolutely final) deadline for programming proposals is this Sunday, June 7, 2009. Even if this is your first conference, we encourage you to share what you know with others through papers, panels, workshops, or even by leading a roundtable discussion. Find all the information you’ll need on the Sirens LiveJournal and the Sirens website.

We’re also pleased to receive proposals for interactive afternoon classes. Share your related hobbies and activities with other attendees! The deadline for submitting to teach these classes is July 1, but if you can get your application in sooner, we’d certainly appreciate it.

Please also join in on our discussion of inspirations and favorite female characters in fantasy, whether or not you’ll be proposing a presentation.

Programming Preview!
Want a sneak peek at a sample of the presentations for Sirens? Check out the new accepted proposals page on the Sirens website. (And if you’re a presenter and don’t see your accepted proposal, please don’t panic; once we’ve confirmed your registration, the summary goes into a queue for editing and formatting, and it can take another few weeks to be published.)

Programming Panels
A few panels–one on women in Harry Potter, one on Mary Sues in fantasy, and one on Twilight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer–seek additional panelists. If you’d rather not present on your own, consider taking part in one of these moderator-focused panels. Visit this entry for details and contact information.

Sirens Shuttle Between Denver International Airport and Vail
It can cost $100 or more one-way between Denver and Vail if you take a commercial shuttle, and as much or more to rent a car and park in Vail. We’ve found a way to get you there and back again for half the price–and give you a chance to meet other attendees on the way. A conference-sponsored shuttle will depart from Denver at 3:30 p.m. on October 1 and leave the Vail Cascade at 10:30 a.m. on October 4, which will accommodate flights arriving by 2:00 p.m. on October 1 or departing after 3:00 p.m. on October 4. Registered attendees will receive an e-mail as soon as shuttle tickets are available, and will have the first opportunity to purchase the limited seats.

Vail Cascade Resort and Spa
Roommates wanted! If you’re looking for someone to share a room with, check out the Sirens message boards to read or write advertisements.

One of the things we like best about the Vail Cascade is the library across from the main desk. The library was donated by a frequent patron of the Vail Cascade, and comfy couches and squashy armchairs overlook the patio on Gore Creek.

There’s also a computer terminal and printer, provided so that you can check in for your flight and print a boarding pass before you head home.

Quick Links
The Sirens Website and Tell a Friend Link
Registration
Travel
Become a Supporter
Read the FAQ

For More Information
Please feel free to contact us at (help at sirensconference.org). We’re happy to answer any questions you might have.

See you in Vail!