We want to make sure that you connect with other Sirens attendees who share your interests—whether that means an academic specialty, a favorite book, a professional field, or a love of tales. To make sure you have a chance to do so, we've developed a series of interactive programs designed to encourage informal chatting, networking, and discussion during the conference.

Storyteller Tales

Start thinking of your favorite lady storyteller. She might be clever, changeable, wise, or enchanting. She might tell the truth—or she might not. She might be your mom, an author, a mentor, someone you've never met, a fictional character, or even yourself. We'll be collecting these stories during Sirens, and auctioning our collaborative work during the Sunday breakfast.

Book Discussions

Each year, we select a handful of books to discuss informally. Some might be books we've loved, some might be controversial, some might be classic. We'll select our books in the summer of 2012, and we hope you join us at Sirens for their discussions. (In past years, we've held the discussions over breakfast; we will announce the time for the discussions when we post the detailed schedule for 2012.)

Writing Time

During the conference, we'll have interactive workshops and challenges, and even some time to hang out with others who do what you do. So bring your writing with you, and we'll give you a chance to develop your work and meet some new people.

Murder Mystery

Each year, we host a murder mystery and attendees are welcome to question, analyze, and deduce until they solve the puzzle. We will again feature a story of a corpse of some renown during our ball on Saturday evening, so we hope you come ready to play.

Auction

We will have both silent and live auction items available during Sirens. Our past offerings have included signed books, original artwork, and an enormous bookbag of fantasy works, and we expect that this year's auction items will be similar.

And More

We are also planning a range of smaller activities for Sirens, which you might encounter when you check in or later in the weekend. Please make sure to bring books by our guests of honor for autographs, and perhaps give some thought to your favorite fantasy book or your favorite fantasy character. We'll see you in October!