Download: Mythcon 38 - Call for Papers (PDF)

Guests of Honor: Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman

Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman are both Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning authors for their novels Thomas the Rhymer and The Porcelain Dove respectively. Both authors published new novels in 2006, Kushner's The Privilege of the Sword and Sherman's Changeling. Kushner's public radio series Sound & Spirit is a renowned weekly program "exploring the human spirit through music and ideas." Both have made great contributions to the mythopoeic and interstitial arts, and we are proud to welcome them to Mythcon 38.

Fantasy literature features many characters who journey along a path from beginner to adept, from apprentice to master. How is this journey portrayed? What various highways and byways have such seekers traveled? What are the stages of transformation and the elements of the process of achieving mastery? How is mastery demonstrated, and what happens if these skills are lost? From the seasoning of Tolkien's Merry and Pippin to the wizard-school training of Ursula K. Le Guin's Ged and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, the journey to mastery runs throughout fantasy.

Papers dealing with the conference theme are especially encouraged. We also welcome papers focusing on the work and interests of the Inklings (especially J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams), of our Guests of Honor, and other fantasy authors and themes. Papers from a variety of critical perspectives and disciplines are welcome.

Each paper will be given a one-hour slot to allow time for questions, but individual papers should be timed for oral presentation in 40 minutes maximum. Participants are encouraged to submit papers chosen for presentation at the conference to Mythlore, the refereed journal of the Mythopoeic Society. All papers should conform to the MLA Style Manual (2nd ed). Paper abstracts (250 word maximum), along with contact information, should be sent to the Papers Coordinator at the following address (e-mail is preferable) by April 15, 2007. Please include your AV requests and the projected time needed for your presentation. All paper presenters must register for the full conference; please see the Mythcon 38 web page, www.mythsoc.org/mythcon38.html, for information and rates.

Eleanor M. Farrell
Mythcon 38 Papers Coordinator
PO Box 6707
Altadena CA, 91003
emfarrell@earthlink.net

The Mythopoeic Society is an international literary and educational organization devoted to the study, discussion, and enjoyment of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and mythopoeic literature. We believe the study of these writers can lead to greater understanding and appreciation of the literary, philosophical, and spiritual traditions which underlie their works, and can engender an interest in the study of myth, legend, and the genre of fantasy. Find out about the Society's activities at: www.mythsoc.org.