Joe Haldeman
Born in Oklahoma City, Joe Haldeman has won five Hugos and five Nebulas and was the 2010 SFWA Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master. His best-known book is The Forever War. His latest novel is Work Done for Hire. He’s won three SFPA Rhysling Awards for his poetry and is currently nominated to be a Grand Master of the Science Fiction Poetry Association. Joe was a combat soldier in Vietnam, which strongly influences his work. He’s retired from MIT, where he taught every fall semester for 30 years. When Joe’s not writing or teaching, he paints, bicycles, plays the guitar, and is an amateur astronomer. He’s been married to Mary Gay Potter Haldeman for 60 years.
Follow Joe Haldeman’s Socials
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Writing the Inhuman: Crafting Non-Human Protagonists
Some of the most memorable characters in fiction are not human at all. Writing protagonists who are robots, sea creatures, aliens, or other non-human beings presents unique challenges for writers. This panel explores how creators give such characters believable motivations, emotions, and perspectives. What makes audiences connect with heroes who think, feel, and experience the world very differently from us?
Opening Ceremonies
Cast off the lines and set sail for an unforgettable weekend! Join us for the official kickoff of Soonercon 34: Through Salt and Storm. Meet our Guests of Honor, get a first look at the weekend’s featured events, and hear the latest updates from the bridge. We’ll unveil the charity auction details, share essential survival tips for the con floor, and officially christen our voyage. Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a seasoned veteran of the Soonercon seas, this is the best way to get your bearings before the adventure begins!
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
The Evolution of Excellence: 50 Years of The Hugo Award
The Hugo Award is the most prestigious fan-voted honor in science fiction and fantasy, but the landscape of "excellence" has shifted dramatically since the 1970s. Join two titan award winners for a generational deep dive into the history of the Hugos.
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Table signing with Joe Haldeman
Q&A with Joe Haldeman and His Life in SF
Science fiction is more than just books; it’s a mode of thought. Spend an hour with Joe Haldeman as he shares stories from a life lived at the heart of the genre. From meeting legends like George R.R. Martin and Robert Silverberg to his early memories of the first post-war Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Joe weaves a narrative of how a boy with a Bakelite telescope became one of the most decorated authors in sf history. This is an intimate, storyteller-style panel focusing on the sensory memories and aesthetic realizations that fuel his work.