P1100217 Josh Rountree and Derek Johnson

at Stump the Panel, an event that challenges panelists to find science-fictional uses for everyday objects. It's an annual ArmadilloCon tradition, but I'm sad to see it lose traction. This year there were only 4 people in the audience -- as many as there were panelists. Traditionally the objects to be "stumped by" were brought by the audience; last year, the panelists brought their own stuff to be stumped by. This year, only one person brought an object, so in just five minutes panelists ran out of stuff to talk about. I guess the panel title literally came true -- the panelists were thoroughly stumped!

(They didn't stay silent the rest of the time -- they talked about publishing.)

The single object brought before the panelists was the miniature globe Derek is holding. Challenged to think of a science-fictional interpretation for it, Nate Southard said this was Earth after reality-condensing catastrophe, and Rie Sheridan said it was alien GPS device. Derek: "Atlas Shrugged said, f--- it! Can we make it smaller?"

My blog posts on ArmadilloCon 2010:

Writers' workshop, and sandwiches that cost their weight in gold.

Nancy Kress toastmaster speech: secret deal between Google and SFWA

What you should have read this year -- a list of recent science fiction and fantasy books recommended by our knowledgeable panelists..

Religion in worldbuilding -- why is it hard to add religion to your science fiction or fantasy novel without it looking like a caricature?

Time travel meanders

Ilona and Gordon Andrews' special guest interview -- when a non-native English speaker becomes a published author in the US, there has to be an interesting story in there.

Or see all my blog posts from ArmadilloCon 31 (2010) in one page.