News & Blog

Readercon 28 is fast approaching on the weekend of July 13th-16th! Here’s where you can find me on programming:

Friday, July 14th

12:00 PM  Back from the Dead. Judith Berman, John Crowley, N.S. Dolkart, Nicholas Kaufmann, Sioban Krzywicki (leader). There are many characters in SF/F who die in what appears to be a permanent fashion, only to be brought back from death. Examples, left intentionally vague to avoid spoilers, appear in Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books, George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, Daniel José Older’s Bone Street Rumba books, and as far back as J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books. How do the characters interact with resurrection (their own or someone else’s) and in some cases even prepare for it? When do readers feel like this works and is believable and satisfying, and when does it feel like a cheap trick or a cop-out? What is it like to read these stories while grieving, or keenly aware of one’s own mortality?

(I’m so psyched to be on a panel with the great John Crowley, and to get a chance to talk about why I made Trent from Dying Is My Business and Die and Stay Dead a hero who can’t die.)

2:30 PM  Reading: Nicholas Kaufmann. Nicholas Kaufmann reads from a work in progress.

(I’m not 100% sure what I’m reading yet, but I’m leaning toward something from the novel I’m currently working on, The Scarred Man. Or maybe I’ll read something else. Come on by and be surprised!)

6:00 PM  Kaffeeklatsch. Nicholas Kaufmann.

(Come hang out with me, drink coffee if you like, and ask me all sorts of questions! Or just sit there and stare at me creepily, I don’t care.)

As you can see, my programming schedule is Friday-heavy this year. The rest of the time, you’ll definitely find me attending other interesting panels and readings, as well as hanging out in the lobby/bar with friends and perusing the Readercon Bookshop. I will also be happy to sign any of my books for you! Feel free to come right up and say hello!

I’ve got a pretty busy summer coming up with lots of appearances around the Northeast. Here’s where you’ll find me in the coming months:

Saturday, June 10th, at 12 PM – Speaking to the Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers at the Old Bridge Library in Old Bridge, NJ. My presentation is called “No Way To Slow Down: Writing Fast-Paced Novels That Will Keep Readers Turning the Pages” and is open to the public!

July 13th-16th – Readercon 28 in Quincy, Massachusetts. The schedule isn’t set yet, but you can expect to find me on panels as well as doing a live reading and possibly a kaffeeklatsch.

July 20th-23rd – Necon 37 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The schedule isn’t set yet, but you can expect to find me on panels as well as co-hosting the annual Necon Roast with Jeff Strand.

Saturday, August 5th, at 3 PM – Reading at the Line Break Reading Series at Q.E.D. in Astoria, Queens. I’m excited to be reading with Olena Jennings, Rajan Khanna, and some other great writers!

August 17th-20th – NecronomiCon Providence in Providence, Rhode Island. I’ll be attending this one as an interested and excited audience member, not as a programming participant, so you’ll likely find me milling about or in the bar.

I’ll update the list if more events and appearances are scheduled. In the meantime, please come on out and say hi! I’m always happy to meet readers and sign books!

Surprise! I’m going to be at Lunacon this weekend! Alas, I can only be there on Saturday, April 8th, but you can still find me on programming at these times:

10:30 AM – Reading (Dutchess). I’m not sure what I’m going to read yet. Maybe something from the novel in progress?

11:00 AM – Telling the Monster’s Tale, with Darrell Schweitzer (moderator), Elektra Hammond, Pauline J. Alama, Nicholas Kaufmann, Kate Paulk (Hudson). This is a writing workshop in which we’ll be focusing on writing from the monster’s perspective.

12:00 AM – Confronting the Monster, with Orin Davis (moderator), Bob Eggleton, Chris Adams, Terence Taylor, Matthew Shean, Rick Bowes, Nicholas Kaufmann (Grand Ballroom G). This should be a very fun and informative panel on “the monster within” and how it informs our work.

That’s a lot of monster talk for one man, but hey, when something’s in your wheelhouse… In fact, they also initially put me on a 7 PM writing workshop called Children Are Afraid of Monsters, along with the venerable John Langan and others, but I’ve had to let the convention know that unfortunately I won’t be able to stay late enough to be part of it. You’re in good hands with Langan!

This is my first time attending Lunacon, and I’m excited to see what it’s all about. If you can’t make it to any of my events Saturday morning, you’re sure to see me wandering around the convention until late afternoon. Come say hi!

Going to Readercon this year? Good, me too! Here’s where you can find me:

Friday July 08

7:00 PM    6    Sensuality and Exploitation. Gillian Daniels (moderator), Ben Francisco, Elaine Isaak, Nicholas Kaufmann, Vinnie Tesla. Sex in fiction, as in real life, is often fraught with questions. Our panelists will discuss sex in science fiction and fantasy and what they consider representative or exploitative. Where and when do you draw the line? Is someone’s trashy beach read someone else’s master’s thesis in 20th- and 21st-century courtship?

3:00 PM    CL    Kaffeeklatsch. Nicholas Kaufmann, Jo Walton.

I plan on talking primarily about how convenient their public restrooms are.