All posts tagged: Science Fiction

Doubleplusgood, Dystopia, and Dreams: Bryan Thao Worra a CONvergence Guest of Honor

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Award-winning Lao American writer Bryan Thao Worra was one of the Guests of Honor at this year’s CONvergence, one of the largest science fiction conventions in the Midwest. This year, over 6,251 participants came to the convention, whose theme centered around dystopias. CONvergence ran from July 2-5th at the Doubletree Hotel in Bloomington. Other Guests of Honor this year included leading figures of science fiction, fantasy, and horror such as Gordon Smuder, Lee Harris, Charlotte Fullerton, Nicole Dubuc, Chad Frey, Jennifer Ouellette, Wesley Chu, and Toni Weisskopf. Writer Rob Callahan served as the MC of the opening and closing ceremonies with the supportive guidance of the benevolent robot Connie Mark II. Thao Worra has played a pivotal role in bringing Lao culture forward in science fiction, fantasy and horror. He is the first Lao American member of the Horror Writer Association, and he received the Book of the Year Award from the Science Fiction Poetry Association for his collection DEMONSTRA. Many of his poems have been featured at the Smithsonian, the National Endowment for the Arts, …

Lao Science Fiction On the Rise

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Lao science fiction is making its mark! This weekend in Bloomington, award-winning Lao American playwright and poet Saymoukda Vongsay will be one of the guests of honor at the MarsCon convention, presenting “Kung Fu Zombies vs. Shaman Warrior.” In her presentation, she will discuss the often taboo subject of mental illness. She notes that for many communities it is often explained as demonic possession. Beliefs like this stem from centuries of folklore about demons, ghosts, monsters, and witch doctors. “I want to talk specifically about refugee communities and the second installment from my Kung Fu Zombieverse anthology of stage works,” Vongsay said. It’s an important subject. There are reports that for many years, there have been only two psychiatrists in all of Laos. The MarsCon theme this year is Heroes & Wizards & Fae, Oh, My! Vongsay’s work has been published nationwide. Her play, Kung Fu Zombies vs Cannibals, was produced by Mu Performing Arts and named Best Production of 2013 by L’etoile Magazine. She is the inaugural recipient of the 2010 Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry, …