Thank you for your interest in Sirens! Many of our most commonly asked questions are below, along with answers. If your question isn't included, or if you would like additional information, we invite you to contact us at (help at sirensconference.org) for most inquiries, (web at sirensconference.org) for issues with our website, or (chairs at sirensconference.org) for anything at all.
General
Registration
Travel
Programming & Events
Miscellaneous
General
What is Sirens?
Sirens is an academic conference and networking retreat focused on women in fantasy literature. Scholars, authors, professionals, readers, and anyone with an interest in women's place in fantasy are invited to attend.
When is Sirens? Where is it?
Sirens will take place October 7–10, 2010, at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa in Vail, Colorado, a world-class resort town in the Rocky Mountains.
Why is the focus women in fantasy literature?
Our conference team believes strongly that women's place in fantasy literature—as characters, as authors, as publishers, as readers—is a vital, vibrant topic for discussion and debate. Some of our favorite books are fantasy works by women authors and some of our favorite people are women who write fantasy—and we hope you feel the same!
Who should attend Sirens?
We hope that adult scholars, authors, professionals, readers, and others with an interest in women in fantasy literature will consider joining us. Men are absolutely welcome, though you'll likely find more women than men in attendance. Since Sirens is a conference designed for adults, all attendees need to be at least 18 years old. (Narrate Conferences does plan events where teens are welcome; we're working on a conference focused on young adult literature, and if you're interested in that event, please join the Narrate Conferences mailing list to receive the event announcement.)
How many people can attend Sirens?
One of our goals with Sirens is to provide a welcoming, cozy atmosphere for our attendees, so we have capped our registration at 500 people.
Registration
How much does it cost to attend Sirens?
At the moment, a registration costs $165. That price will increase on May 1, and once registration closes on September 8, 2010, any additional attendees will have to register at an increased price at the door, if registrations are still available.
What does my registration include?
All programming and events, including our three keynote presentations, are included with a registration. Attendees will receive access to all conference programs, a dessert reception, two lunches, and a breakfast, and will receive a conference T-shirt as well. Neither the Sirens Shuttle nor the Sirens Supper is included in the registration cost.
Are registration discounts available?
All attendees—including presenters, staff, and volunteers—must register for Sirens. We've chosen to make the cost as low as possible by asking everyone to pay for his or her registration at the same rate.
Can I have a refund on my registration if I can't attend?
As stated in the registration system, we do not refund registration payments. One option you may want to consider is the purchase of travel insurance, which is a good idea any time you take a trip with non-refundable arrangements. Another option is to sell the registration to someone else. We have set aside a section of the Sirens forums just for this purpose. (Please note that arrangements between individuals are at your own risk.) Once you've sold your registration, please contact (registration at sirensconference.org) to have it transferred to your buyer.
What is your privacy policy with regard to registration information?
We gather personal information about you during the registration process so that we may collect payment, prepare your registration packet, and check you in at the conference. Only designated staff members can see this information, and our on-site registration volunteers will have only the information necessary to check you in. We will not share your information with third parties unless we are required to by law. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
Travel
Why did you choose Vail?
Sirens is meant to be a welcoming, cozy conference where everyone feels comfortable jumping into a discussion of women in fantasy literature. To help create that atmosphere, we've chosen a resort in a smaller town that makes welcoming guests its top priority. We've designed Sirens as a retreat as well as a scholarly conference, and we hope it is both for you.
Do you have an official hotel?
The Vail Cascade Resort and Spa will be the location of Sirens. It is a AAA Four-Diamond resort in Vail and has luxurious rooms, welcoming public spaces, a friendly staff, and fabulous mountain views. Attendees are welcome to stay at the Vail Cascade for $119 per night for single/double occupancy and $139 per night for triple/quad occupancy. More information on how to make a reservation may be found on our hotel page.
Do I have to stay at the conference hotel?
No, you don't, but we'd appreciate it if you could stay with us. One of the ways that we're able to arrange meeting space for Sirens is by having attendees stay at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, and your staying there is a convenient way to help make Sirens successful. Also, since you won't have to travel back and forth to your alternate lodgings or pay for parking, you can experience the full range of the conference.
Is the Vail Cascade handicapped-accessible?
Yes, it is. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the hotel.
Some meals are included, but not all of them. What am I going to eat?
The Vail Cascade Resort and Spa just finished a $30 million renovation in 2009, and you'll have several dining options during Sirens: a marketplace with breakfast, lunch, and snacks (most meals ranging from $6–10); a casual dining area in the lounge; and a restaurant featuring fine dining. In addition, there is a complimentary hotel shuttle that runs to Lionsgate (0.7 miles) and Vail Village (1.2 miles), so you can take advantage of off-season dining prices nearby. Also, if you'd like to join a group for a meal not provided at the conference, we'll help you do so at our information desk.
What is there to do in Vail?
Vail, Colorado is a premier skiing town and one of the world's most popular mountain destinations. It features several pedestrian villages full of boutiques, dining, and activities, including horseback riding, fly-fishing, hot-air ballooning, and more. Our discounted room rate at the Vail Cascade is good starting the night of October 4, 2010, and continues through the night of October 12, 2010. We hope you'll consider staying an extra day or two to explore Vail and the Rocky Mountains.
How can I get to Vail? Are there travel discounts?
Please visit our Travel page for more information on traveling to Sirens. We expect that most of our attendees will fly into Denver International Airport. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer travel discounts.
Will I get altitude sickness?
To be very honest, we don't know, though altitude sickness does affect only a small percentage of the population. At just over 8,000 feet, Vail is within the zone where altitude issues are possible, and everyone is likely to feel dehydrated and slightly out of breath at first. Doctors don't have a good way of predicting who will and who won't get altitude sickness. You may want to consider purchasing travel insurance in case you must leave Sirens and go to a lower altitude, or you may wish to come in a day or two early to rest and become acclimated before Sirens begins. For more information about altitude sickness, please visit our page on altitude and Vail.
Programming & Events
What is on the schedule for Sirens?
Our conference includes programming that will intrigue anyone with an interest in women in fantasy literature, including scholars, educators, librarians, authors, artists, businesspeople, and readers. In addition, we offer keynote presentations by our guests of honor, evening events for interaction and fun, and more informal games and programs. Our goal is to provide a thought-provoking, fun weekend for discussion, debate and networking, and we hope that's what you find in Vail.
Who presents Sirens's programming?
Our attendees do. The programming schedule is created from the information our attendees choose to share. All potential attendees are invited to propose presentations, panels, roundtables and workshops to present to other attendees. Our vetting board will review these submissions, and the Sirens programming schedule will include approved proposals.
When will your submission system be open? When is the submissions deadline?
Our submissions system is currently open, and the submissions deadline is May 7, 2010.
Do you have a Call for Proposals that I can distribute?
Absolutely. You may download our Call for Proposals here.
Can I be on your vetting board?
Our vetting board was chosen by our programming team to ensure that the board has a wide range of collective scholarship and experience. If you are interested in serving on a board in the future, please send a cover letter and resume to our programming team at (programming at sirensconference.org). Please be aware that many factors influence our programming team's choices, so you may not be included in any given year.
Will you be publishing proceedings from the conference?
Those who present at Sirens will be offered the opportunity to submit written versions of their presentations to the conference compendium, which assuming sufficient participation, will be published about a year after the event. Not all presenters will choose to participate, but we intend to publish the compendium so that attendees and others can have a record of the conference's programming.
I'd like to be a guest of honor. How can I be included? How can I suggest someone?
Our guests of honor are chosen by a private committee, sometimes several years in advance, and invited by our conference staff. While we don't currently solicit ideas for guests of honor, we do encourage authors, scholars, teachers, editors, agents, and others to take an active part in our conference programming, which is a great way to connect with others and share your work.
Is it okay to send you a copy of my book?
Absolutely—and thank you! We read all sorts of books (in advance review and final copies), pass them to our staff and guests of honor committee, give them to volunteers to blog about, donate them to book drives, package them as contest prizes, give them away at conferences, and so on. (We regret that we can't promise a particular use for any title.) Additionally, we're happy to receive news about upcoming releases of interest to Sirens. Our mailing address is Sirens, c/o Narrate Conferences, P.O. Box 149, Sedalia, CO, 80135.
Miscellaneous
Who is presenting Sirens?
Narrate Conferences, Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational organization, is the presenting company behind Sirens. Our company was founded in 2006 to provide conferences that welcome scholars, professionals, authors, and readers to discuss, debate, and collaborate with one another. You can find more information about Narrate Conferences on our website.
I'd like to make sure Sirens is successful. How can I help?
We always appreciate donations and sponsorships, and they're especially important in our first years. Please visit our Donate page for more information, or consider purchasing a Supporting Registration if you aren't able to attend. Equally important is spreading the word about Sirens to your friends and readers of your website or blog. Please see our Banner Exchange and Downloads pages for more information on helping to promote Sirens. Finally, if you are interested in spreading the word in person at other events, please volunteer for our conference. We'll be able to get you materials and information.
Who did your logo?
Lori Sammy, an artist and friend of the conference, created our logo.
May I use your artwork?
It's not impossible, but it is difficult for us to permit you to use our artwork, due to the Internal Revenue Service rules governing endorsements by charities. Please e-mail (chairs at sirensconference.org) if you'd like to inquire.
May I obtain a press pass to Sirens?
Due to our limited space, we will not be offering press passes for Sirens. Members of the media are welcome to attend by purchasing a registration, and are welcome to contact us to arrange a special badge designation that will inform other attendees of their press affiliation if they plan to cover the event for a media outlet.
Can my publisher send books to your attendees?
Of course, but we do ask that they contact us at (donate at sirensconference.org) before shipping any materials. This way, we can advise on items that we know are most often appreciated or discarded, as well as on what sorts of items we cannot accept due to our tax-exempt status.
I have fantasy, whimsical, literary, or other items to sell that I think Sirens attendees might like. Will there be a dealer room?
Currently, we aren't planning to include a dealer room at Sirens, but we hope to do so in the future. If you'd like to inquire, please e-mail us at (vendors at sirensconference.org). If you are looking for opportunities to promote your business or products to our attendees, please e-mail (vendors at sirensconference.org) as well so we may discuss providing items or coupons.
Do you have a "freebie" table?
Yes, we do. We are happy to accept flyers, bookmarks, postcards, and small items for attendees; please note that we do reserve the right to reject any item that violates any law, including trademark or copyright law, or that we deem otherwise inappropriate. You may bring items and place them on the freebie table or mail them (to arrive no later than September 17, 2010) to Sirens, c/o Narrate Conferences, P.O. Box 149, Sedalia, CO 80135. As not all attendees will take home one of each freebie, 25-50 of your item is usually sufficient to reach all those with interest.
Is there a green room/con suite/masquerade/art show?
Narrate Conferences' events draw their overall shape from academic, professional, media, fan, and association conferences, so some elements that you may be familiar with might not appear at Sirens—and you might discover some elements that are new to you. We won't have any of the elements listed above, but we will have a few others that we think you'll enjoy. Please visit our Events section for more information.
Can I talk about other genres here? I'm interested in programming about science fiction/speculative fiction/steampunk/romance/horror/suspense/mystery/something else.
The main focus for Sirens, at least at present, is fantasy, whether it's for adults, teens, or children. There are other events focused on different genres, of course, and while our staff and our attendees certainly enjoy other genres, we wanted to create a space specifically about fantasy written by and starring women and girls. That said, you will probably find that fantasy encompasses themes and stories that include all of the above, and cross-genre, interdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary programming is more than welcome, as are cross-genre, interdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary scholars, professionals, and readers.
May I take photographs at Sirens?
Of course! Please bear in mind, however, that not everyone wishes to have their picture taken. Please do not take pictures of individuals who are not comfortable having you do so. For this reason, Sirens prohibits photographs during programming sessions, unless the program book indicates that the presenter has given permission. Please respect others' wishes in this matter.
Can Sirens accommodate my food allergies?
Sirens will do its best to accommodate a variety of diets and food needs during the weekend, and will always offer meat and vegetarian entrée options or a flexible entrée option. In the summer of 2010, we will contact all attendees about dietary issues and collect food preferences, and we will work with the caterer to accommodate restrictions. We do recommend, however, if you have special concerns, that you ask the catering staff before partaking; we will also designate a staff member to help you contact the catering staff at all meal functions. Our staff does not have the recipes for any particular items served over the weekend, and cannot provide absolute assurance that an ingredient is not present. If after reviewing our menus, which will be available in the upcoming months, you are concerned about your dietary issues, please e-mail us at (help at sirensconference.org).
Can I bring my child? Do you provide childcare? Do you have children's activities?
We are happy to allow infants and pre-mobile babies to attend Sirens alongside a parent at no charge, so long as the child does not cause a distraction or disruption. Sirens has no child-appropriate activities, however, and requires all other attendees to be at least 18 years old by the first day of the conference. The Vail Cascade Resort and Spa does provide short-term children's activities and babysitting referrals; advance reservations are required. You may also contact the Vail Cascade for recommendations on local babysitters, who frequently cater to travelers. Finally, please feel free to use our forums to connect with other parents, set up cooperative childcare arrangements, and share resources.
How can I contact staff if I have a question? When will I get a response? Can I call you?
Most sections of our website have a contact address that will connect you directly to someone who will answer your e-mail as soon as possible, or you may use the e-mail addresses at the top of this page. Generally, you'll receive a reply within 24 hours, though we may take up to 72 hours to answer non-urgent e-mail during holiday periods, vacations, or when we're receiving a large volume of messages, which can happen around the programming presentations deadline, the close of online registration, and so on. Our staff is made up entirely of volunteers, but we do try our very best to respond as quickly as we can; if you don't hear back within a few days, please feel free to write to us again because your e-mail or our answer might have been misdirected into a bulk mail folder, caught in an internet outage, or sent awry some other way. Unfortunately, because we're volunteers working from around the world, we don't have a customer service phone number to give you. We appreciate your understanding.
