Message from the Convention Chair 4 Message from the Arisia President 6 Code of Conduct and Policies 8 Convention Committee and Staff 10 Program Participants 25

The Arisia Souvenir Book is copyright © 2018 by Arisia, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Bylined articles are copyright their respective authors. Cover and interior artwork are copyright by Ashe Samuels, and are used with permission. Arisia is a service mark of Arisia, Incorporated. www.arisia.org FROM THE CONVENTION CHAIR ¡Hola y bienvenidos! Welcome to Arisia 2018! New Things! As a community, Arisia is constantly changing and growing. Every My name is Jaime Garmendia, and I am most excited to present to you year brings new initiatives and projects, and 2018 is no different. Here our latest convention! There are so many things to see and do here that are some of the new highlights this year: not even I know about all of them — and I am sure each of you will be entertained and made welcome. Arisia isn’t just a great time, we are Incident Response Team a year-long community of friends and volunteers. We foster a culture Arisia takes our Code of Conduct seriously, but we also recognize of inclusivity and consent. We stand proud as feminist and queer, that it must be a living document. Every year we try to incrementally polyamorous and Pagan, conservative and Christian, all under one roof. improve on past practices, and that includes how we manage our community standards. Two years ago, several Arisians took our best Our Guests of Honor practices and codified them into an Incident Response Team for One of the pleasures of being convention chair is getting to appoint MidAmericon II, the 2016 WorldCon. Arisia 2017 in turn adapted our Guests of Honor. I agonized over this! I’m happy to say that we some lessons learned, and in 2018 we are formally adopting the have an awesome slate for Arisia 2018. This year, we are celebrating the structure and training we piloted for MAC2. IRT members are ready works and achievements of several amazing women: and able to take reports on Code of Conduct violations throughout the convention. You can still talk to any Watch member or Senior Staff Author Guest of Honor: Victoria “V.E.” Schwab (with a black ribbon) and we will make sure you are taken care of. Victoria is perhaps best known for her Darker Shades of Magic trilogy, but her oeuvre is deep and varied. She’s written everything from dark Arisia Indie*Expo fantasy to YA horror, from superhero fiction to Scholastic kid lit. Her Please extend a welcome to our new exhibitors in the Arisia sensibilities are wicked and macabre, yet uplifting. If the zombie Indie*Expo. Two years ago, we ran a one-day Indie Game Expo, and apocalypse overruns South Boston, Victoria will not only help us all it was such a hit that we had to bring it back. And this year, it will be escape, she’ll conquer the hordes through sheer wit, grit, and charisma. even bigger and better! On both Saturday and Sunday, you can swing by Grand Ballroom A to network with and shop from independent Artist Guest of Honor: Ashe Samuels creators of all sorts. We have indie comics, indie makers and crafters, Ashe is an up-and-coming artist best known for her cover work on and yes, indie games. Everything you loved about the Arisia Artist Power and Magic: A Queer Witch Anthology. Make sure to check Alley and Indie Game Expo — all under one roof! out Ashe’s amazing work in the Art Show, on the Arisia sales and volunteer t-shirts, and on our social media accounts. I especially News Desk like her Harpy series. I believe it’s important to recognize not just This year we have organized our Communications Division a little established greats, but new talents whose work we will enjoy for years differently to maximize at-con collection and dissemination of news. to come. Ashe is new to the fan convention scene, so I hope y’all give If you have a newsworthy event to report, email [email protected] her 4500 reasons to come back! and our News Desk staff will accept stories and photos to post on all our social media, the website, and the convention newsletter. Speaking Fan Guest of Honor: Mikki Kendall of photos, our new team of Convention Photographers are excited to Mikki is on a mission to save fandom from itself. I asked Mikki to document the heck out of all the fun times. Our photography policies return to Arisia as Fan Guest this year on the strength of her work as are the same as last year, included in the Code of Conduct. past Chair of WisCon. She took the reins on the heels of a scandal that shook the heart of WisCon’s identity as the premier feminist sci-fi So Many Thanks! fan convention, and I am confident in saying WisCon would not exist Thank you to John Merrow for introducing me to Arisia, and to Shira today without her leadership. We at Arisia have often looked toward Lipkin for hiring me in my first staff role. Thank you to Rachel Silber our sisters at WisCon as role models, and I hope we can live up to for taking a chance on promoting a relatively new and untested staffer their example in owning our mistakes and making no excuses. Mikki into senior leadership. And thanks above all to my partners in crime also writes professionally, in sci-fi, fantasy, non-fiction, and comics. Kris Pelletier and Kris “Nchanter” Snyder for helping us all survive And let’s not forget her Twitter feed (@karnythia), which is worthy of this experience! recognition all by itself! And muchisimas gracias to each and every attendee! Thank you Comics Guest of Honor: Shannon Watters for your well-spent dollars. Thank you for your countless hours Before Arisia, my first fandom was the independent comics convention of volunteering. Thank you for caring so damn much about this circuit, as a member of the arts collective known as the Boston Comics convention. Without each of you, there would be no Arisia now or in Make the Future Roundtable. I first joined Arisia staff as the Comics Track Manager, the future. I hope you find your community here, and hope we can and I am ecstatic to be able to bring comics to the center stage. In her welcome you back for years to come! role as Editor of her own imprint, Boom! Box, Shannon has curated an incredible lineup of works that are queer, feminist, and kid-friendly. Saludos, She’s employed many of the friends I made tabling at SPX, MoCCA, and Jaime Garmendia, Convention Chair, Arisia 2018 other indie-friendly comics shows. If you haven’t checked out her own fantastic co-creation, Lumberjanes, you are missing out! 4 Make the Future FROM THE ARISIA PRESIDENT Welcome to Arisia. As you may have seen on our web site, we this year: the Safer Space for Arisians of Color. This permanent are New England’s largest and most diverse science fiction and space for Arisians of color grew out of our POC meetups, and I’m fantasy convention, and that is only possible because of all of the pleased we’re making this space available. Much like the Quiet wonderful program, Room we have had for event, and other several years, this will participants, our be a place for Arisians tireless volunteers, of color to go when and of course all of the feeling overwhelmed by dedicated fans that the convention or when attend each year. looking to network with other Arisians of If I didn’t already know color. how amazing the people who attend this Arisia is a continually- convention are, I was evolving event, and we reminded of it over the love to hear what our last few weeks when members have to say. we found out that our If you see something hotel was going to be you liked this year, or doing renovations, something that you taking a large number feel could be improved, of rooms off-line. We please let us know by put out a call for folks using our online form to volunteer to move at www.arisia.org/ to our overflow hotel, Feedback, by filling out and in a matter of a one of our feedback few short days enough forms available at the people stepped up that, Info Desk, or by coming as I write this, it looks to one of the feedback like we won’t have to sessions listed in the move anyone else. This Pocket Program. incredible willingness to step forward Lastly, for those surprised some on who don’t know, our staff, but not me. this convention is I’ve had the pleasure run by a nonprofit of being involved in organization, Arisia Arisia almost from its Inc. The corporation inception, and I’ve seen makes decisions how this wonderful about important thing we call Arisia things such as the happens year after convention budget year run entirely by and also administers a volunteers. grant fund to channel surplus funds back into the broader world of fandom. If you I mention diversity because we consider it vital to what Arisia are wondering how to get involved in Arisia beyond just the is today, and we always work to embrace it. We strive to be a convention, I encourage you to say hello. This year, I’ll be working welcoming place to fans of all ages, genders, racial backgrounds, in Operations, mostly in the Stone Room. You can also attend the sexual orientations, and gender identities. We seek to bring people January Arisia Corporate Meeting on Sunday at 1:00 pm. Check out together around being fans of speculative fiction in the broadest the Pocket Program or the schedule app for the location or check sense. Whether your interests lie in books, media, games, art, us out online at corp.arisia.org. costuming, or something else entirely, we work to make space for you here. In the meantime, enjoy the con!

Along those lines, I’d like to call attention to something new Noel Rosenberg, R.R.A.B, President, Arisia, Inc.

6

CODE OF CONDUCT AND BEHAVIOR POLICIES To help ensure our members’ happiness and Sleeping in public or convention areas of the Children under 12 years old may attend a successful convention, we have established hotel is forbidden by the hotel management. with either their own paid convention a Code of Conduct and Behavior Policies This is private property. membership, or with a free Kids-in-Tow for all members and staff. Please read this membership (with and under the document and help us have a safe and Program participants, moderators, and supervision of an authorized adult at all welcoming convention for all. event coordinators are responsible for the times). Arisia requires that there be at least comfort and safety of convention members one supervising adult with a membership Arisia reserves the right to revoke, without in their areas. Disruptive behavior by adults accompanying every three Kids-in-Tow refund, the membership of anyone for just or children is not acceptable. Any request members. cause. This may also lead to being banned to leave an area must be complied with from future Arisia conventions. Persons immediately; appeals should be brought to Parents should make sure to be aware of the violating the law may be turned over to attention of “The Watch” (Arisia Security hours of Fast Track and Turtle Track. Parents the police or the hotel security force. We Staff) and directed to the responsible who are late in picking up children may will refund the membership fee of anyone Division Head, the Convention Chairperson, have their children barred from Babysitting who finds the policies contained herein or the Arisia Corporate Executive Board. and/or Fast Track at the current or future unacceptable prior to accepting their badge. conventions. The general principles of this Code of Convention Badges must be worn by Conduct apply to the Arisia convention and all attendees and volunteers and must Any unattended children (which includes: also to all the activities of the convention be visible to access any convention area children not picked up at Fast Track/ committee, whether before or after the (including Dealers Room and Open Parties). Turtle Track; children that do not have convention. Exceptions may be made for special cases, free-roaming ribbons found outside of e.g., uniformed professionals (police or Fast Track) will be brought to “The Watch” General Demeanor nurses) and masquerade participants while (Arisia Security), who will follow procedure Arisia expects its members to respect each on-stage (but masquerade participants do to ensure the safety of the child. other and behave in a generally civilized need to have memberships in any case). fashion. Members should respect common Please remember that the convention and sense rules for public behavior, personal Student Memberships for ages 13-25 require hotel is not “child-proofed.” There are many interaction, common courtesy, and respect a current valid student ID for students aged items (including costumes, displays, art, for private property. If you wouldn’t do it in 18 and older. etc.) that are easily damaged. Additionally public, please don’t do it here. Additionally, there are things that might place a young all Staff are representatives of Arisia and Children as Fans and child at potential risk. It is the parents’ therefore are held to a higher standard of Companions responsibility to supervise their children behavior, even when off duty. Note: In this section where “Parent” is used, so they do not venture anywhere or touch it can mean a parent, guardian, or person anything inappropriate. Reminder: The hotel is not dedicated charged with a child’s welfare. completely to our use for the weekend. Participation in some regular program items Members of the general public stay here Arisia makes every effort to protect fans of by minors may require parental permission or visit the hotel to dine and socialize. all ages and provide a healthy environment or the presence of a supervising adult. Some Please be considerate of non-convention with many opportunities for fun and program items dealing with adult topics individuals at all times. learning. Children are a valued part of may be closed to children under 18 years our membership, and we welcome their of age. Although children under 18 years of Arisia forbids abusive, insulting, appropriate participation. age may register as “adults,” membership harassing, and / or intimidating behavior in the convention in no way supersedes which includes, but is not limited to, All children aged 8 and under must be with local, state, or federal laws. Some items may stalking, physical or verbal intimidation, an adult, in Turtle Track (Childcare), or in require the supervision of a child by parents. discriminatory comments, inappropriate Fast Track (Children’s Programming) con It is the parents’ responsibility to review the physical contact, and unwelcome sexual areas. schedule and decide which items they will attention. allow their child to participate in, either Parents of children ages 9-12 who believe with or without adult supervision Please report any incidents in which a their children are mature enough (and who member of the convention is abusive, have their own paid membership) may Please review the separate Children’s insulting, intimidating, bothersome, or choose to allow their children to freely roam Policies for a full description and acting in an unsafe or illegal manner to “The the convention on their own. Any child restrictions. Watch” (Convention Security), an Assistant who excessively misbehaves or engages Div Head, a Division Head, an Assistant Con in inappropriate, disruptive or dangerous Costume and Masquerade Chair, or the Con Chair. behavior is subject to having free-roaming Guidelines privileges or their entire membership All costumes are welcome at Arisia, whether revoked. created by the wearer or not. However, 8 purchased and rented costumes are not Arisia prohibits the consumption of Anyone using recording equipment must eligible for awards. Awards are made to the alcohol in all convention areas except for ask permission before recording any creator of the costume, not the wearer. alcohol purchased from the hotel and individual or group. Anyone who does consumed directly in the area in which not wish to be recorded should state their Costume weapons are permitted, but must it was purchased. The legal drinking age wishes unambiguously. be peace-bonded by “The Watch” (Arisia in Massachusetts is 21. You may be asked Security) upon arrival at the convention, to provide a valid ID if ordering alcoholic We presume that you are acting in an unless worn solely for the masquerade as beverages. amateur capacity unless otherwise stated. part of an on-stage costume. The use of If you are acting on behalf of a publication, any weaponry as part of your costume, Arisia’s corkage waiver does not apply to video production organization, or news as well as the use of any special effects, serving of alcohol. According to hotel policy medium (freelance or employed) of any must first be approved by the Masquerade all alcoholic beverages must be purchased kind, you must register as a member of Director. Remember, it’s okay to surprise the through the hotel. the press (commercial publication, media, audience, but not the staff. fanzine). Press passes may be obtained by Laws governing illicit substances, obscenity, going to the information desk and ask to During the masquerade, flash photography weapons, public behavior, and the treatment speak with the press liaison to receive an and laser pointers are forbidden. If you take of minors must be strictly observed. orientation and press kit. Articles or media photos or videos during the Masquerade, Remember, there may be members of the coverage released after the convention may do not obstruct the view of other audience Boston Police Department on patrol at the earn you a membership to the next Arisia, or members.. All electronic devices (e.g., cell convention. a refund for this year. phones, pagers, tablet computers) must be silenced and their screens must be dimmed. The list of Illegal weapons in Massachusetts Attendees agree to be bound by include, but are not limited to: blackjacks, the Convention policies on making Participants in the masquerade must read billy clubs, any sort of double-edged knife recordings. These policies are available and agree to the terms contained in a (symmetrical cross-section, even if one on the Convention website and in Arisia separate costumer release and masquerade side is dull), shuriken (throwing stars) and Operations and given to anyone who rules. nunchucks. For further information see MA registers with the Convention as a member General Laws, Part 4, Title 1, Chapter 269, of the Press or as a Photographer. Do not Parties in Guest Rooms Section 10. manipulate recordings in ways that are For individuals or groups wishing to host a malicious or misleading. Some areas, events, party (Open or Closed), you must register While the hotel is private property, the hotel and/or program items may further restrict with the convention in advance and use a is still required by the Boston Licensing recordings. room in the “Active” room block. Parties Board to enforce standards of conduct registered in advance with Arisia will and nudity. Accordingly, street-legal attire Arisia’s Code of Conduct requires respect be moved to a “Party Host room”, which is required in all convention spaces and for other attendees, including obtaining ensures that you are covered by Arisia’s hallways. permission to make recordings, not corkage agreement (allowing you to serve using recordings for malicious purposes, food and non-alcoholic drinks). Photography Policy and following the applicable laws and In this section, “recording” is defined regulations established by the hosting Parties may be “open” (all convention as any recorded media (including but facility. members welcome, or with doors open not limited to: still photographs, audio or ajar, or publicly advertised) or “Closed recordings, and film/video recordings in Vending Policies Parties” (private, doors closed, no both analogue and digital formats), or the All vending (exchange of money for advertising). Serving of alcohol is not production of any such media. goods or services) must be authorized by allowed in Open Party areas. the convention, and only take place in This is a private event; by registering, authorized locations. Vendors must comply Party hosts are responsible for adhering individuals grant Arisia and designated with all applicable laws (including but not to convention policies, hotel rules, and photographers a non-exclusive right to limited to copyright and tax laws). local, state, and federal laws, including photograph, videotape, otherwise record, the enforcement of the drinking age. All and publish (in print or electronically) Party Hosts must review and adhere to the themselves, companions, activities, Other Policies separate Party Host Rules. costumes, artwork, sales goods, and other All raffles and drawings, whether for profit property used or displayed in their normal or charitable reasons, must comply with the Smoking, Alcohol, Weapons, participation of the convention. Flash City of Boston guidelines. Nudity and Illegal Acts photography is permitted at Arisia except The Westin hotel bans smoking in all areas for areas or events where it is specifically Attendees may only post signs on official of the hotel, including all guest rooms. banned (e.g. in performances). Arisia Sign Kiosks, located around the hotel, Smoking is allowed outside the building using the tape provided. away from the doorways.

9 CONVENTION COMMITTEE AND STAFF

CON CHAIR: Jaime Garmendia AD SALES: Rick Katze DEPUTY CON CHAIR: PRINT PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR: Kate Kris Pelletier: Liaison to Student Art & Student Writing Wechsler Contests SOUVENIR BOOK DESIGN/LAYOUT: Allison Holt ASSISTANT CON CHAIRS: SOUVENIR BOOK CONTENT: Catt Kingsgrave Dale Meyer-Curley: Hotel, Events, Gaming, RESTAURANT GUIDE: Kate Wechsler, Jess Steytler, Programming, and Documentation LiAm Wexelblat Diana Hsu: Member Services, Registration, Staff POCKET PROGRAM: Leslie Pocklington Services, Youth Services, and Diversity FAMILY FRIENDLY GUIDE: Beth Kevles Daniel Eareckson: Exhibits, Food, Operations, Tech, ARTIST AND GRAPHIC DESIGN: Allison Holt and Special Projects COPY EDITORS: Alan Wexelblat, Kate Wechsler, Allison CON CHAIR ADVISORS: Anna Bradley, Nicholas “Phi” Holt, Kris Pelletier, Holly Nelson Shectman KONOPAS: Mary Olszowka, Peter Olszowka CON CHAIR SPECIAL PROJECTS: Daniel Eareckson SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD: Gabriel Lefton SCAVENGER HUNT CZAR: Cate Schneiderman NEWS DESK LEAD: Marc Ebuña EXPO AREA HEAD: Daniel Eareckson BLOG EDITOR: Alan Wexelblat EXPO STAFF: Anna Bradley, Chris Buck, Dan PROGRESS REPORTS: Alan Wexelblat Callahan, Charles E. Leiserson Jr. PHOTOGRAPHY COORDINATOR: Cat Trzaskowski CONVENTION TREASURER: Ellie Younger PHOTOS STAFF: Cassia Hawke SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO CONVENTION PRESS LIAISON: Justin du Coeur TREASURER: Tom Traina DEPUTY PRESS LIAISON: Leah Schenkel CASH OFFICE HEAD: Kathleen Morrison GUEST OF HONOR LIAISON: Kathryn Kun EVENTS: Persis Thorndike ASSISTANT GUEST OF HONOR LIAISON: Buzz ASSISTANT DIVISION HEADS: Sharon Sbarsky, Beth Harris Kevles LIAISONS TO FAN GUEST OF HONOR: Emily EVENTS LIAISONS: Cate Clifford, Harriet Severino, Wagner, Siobhan Krzywicki Lynn E. Cohen Koehler, Bria Leigh Yazic PRE-CON STAFF: Michelle/Pygment WANDERING MINSTRELS: Jeff Keller DIVERSITY CO-CHAIRS: Diana Hsu, Rashawn Seams ASSISTANT MINSTREL WRANGLER: Joshua DIVERSITY COMMITTEE: Anna Bradley, Jaime Kronengold Garmendia, Aaron Heuckroth, Donna Martinez, AT-CON MINSTREL WRANGLER: Susan Weiner Cody Mattes, James Meickle, Mark Oshiro, Summer WEAPONS DEMONSTRATIONS LIAISON: Steven Plum, Mink Rose, Rachel Silber, Kris “Nchanter” Hirsch Snyder YOGA CLASS MANAGER: Eric Bornstein DOCUMENTATION TEAM CHAIR: Taylor Hartwin MASQUERADE DOCUMENTATION COMMITTEE: Cody Mattes, MASQUERADE DIRECTOR: James Hinsey Dale Meyer-Curley ASSISTANT MASQUERADE DIRECTOR: Kat APPLICATION IT TEAM LEAD: Peter Olszowka Amitrano ZAMBIA SYSADMIN: Dan Franklin STAFF: Debi Chowdhury, Jen Grover, Susan Isaacs, CONVENTION MASTER SYSADMIN: Matt Barr Roberta Moore STAFF: Benjamin Levy MASQUERADE TABLE: Kat Amitrano MC: Chris Doherty COMMUNICATIONS STAGE MANAGER: Kaede Morales ASSISTANT DIVISION HEAD, PUBLICATIONS: PRESENTATION JUDGES: Gaia Eirich, Richard Hill, Alan Wexelblat Jamila Sisco ASSISTANT DIVISION HEAD, MEDIA: Gregorian WORKMANSHIP JUDGES: Christine Evans, Lily Hawke Fehler WEBSITE LEAD: Catya Belfer JUDGES’ CLERKS: Jen Grover, Susan Isaacs, Roberta WEBSITE EDITORS: Leslie Pocklington, Alan Wexelblat Moore WEBSITE PROGRAMMERS: Benjamin Levy, Catya GREEN ROOM MANAGER: Dr. Karen, Carol Salemi Belfer, Peter Olszowka REPAIR TABLE MANAGER: Debi Chowdhury WEBSITE DESIGNERS: Leslie Pocklington, Alan HEAD NINJA: Ann Catelli Wexelblat BACKSTAGE PIRATE: Greykell Dutton 10 OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER: Derek Kouyoumjian VIDEO GAMES AREA HEAD: Janet Stickle MASQUERADE COMPUTER GURU: James Hinsey HOTEL LIAISON: Emily Coombs EXHIBITS: David “DDA” D’Antonio ASSISTANT DIVISION HEADS: Debby Sommer, Andy ASSISTANT DIVISION HEADS: Benjamin Levy, Jill Rosequist Eastlake OVERFLOW HOTEL CONTACT: Kris Snyder FIXED INSTALLATIONS AT-CON LIAISONS: Julia Kedge, Amos Meeks, Matt ART SHOW: Megan Lewis, Nicholas “phi” Shectman Ringel ASSISTANT ART SHOW DIRECTOR: Julia Austein BEO WRITER: Paul Kraus AUTOMATION: Jo Hogan CO-ASSISTANT BEO WRITERS: Kim Sward, Todd BAG CHECK: Richard L. Schmeidler Cooper CATALOG: Rachel Mello F&B WRANGLER: Lia CATALOG AD SALES: Buzz Harris BEO DATA ENTRY & PROOFREADER: Lenore Jean CHECKIN/CHECKOUT: Sabrian Hewitt, Rick Katze, Jones Eyal Sagi, Michael Sharrow INNKEEPER CHECKIN/CHECKOUT CHIEF: Carol London PRE-CON INNKEEPER: Holly Nelson MAIL-IN/MAIL-OUT: D. Cameron Calkins, Mary Jo AT-CON INNKEEPER STAFF MANAGER: Meg Kahler Calkins, Kit Carlson Frank MAIL-IN LOGISTICS: Sandy “Pink” Sutherland AT-CON INNKEEPERS: Kendra Albert, Ben “Books” SALES: Deborah L. Coombs, Paul Selkirk Schwartz, Meg Frank SALES CHIEF: Andrea Senchy PARTY CZAR: Joel Herda SETUP/TEARDOWN: D. Cameron Calkins, Derek ASSISTANT PARTY CZAR: Andy Rosequist Fox, Liana Hertel, Ken London, William Mui, Mary Perez, Foxy Squire MEMBER SERVICES: Tanya Washburn SETUP CHIEF: Rex Powell ASSISTANT DIVISION HEAD: Elena Canadas LIGHTING CHIEFS: Ellen Blackburn, Lenny Foner ACCESS TEAM HEAD: Cody Mattes TACTILE TOUR: Tegan Kehoe ASSISTANT ACCESS HEAD: Josh Burson TRAINING: Michael Sharrow ACCESS: TACTILE TOUR: Tegan Kehoe GENERAL ART SHOW STAFF AND RUNTIME BLOOD DRIVE: John Hodges CREW: Joni Dashoff, Elliott Mitchell, Laurel BONE MARROW DRIVE: Paul Kominers Richman, Harvey Rubinovitz COAT CHECK: April Kingston, Greykell Dutton, Giuliani DEALERS’ LIAISON: Ed Trachtenberg Montanari ASSISTANT DEALER LIAISON: Sabina Fecteau COAT CHECK STAFF: Maya Gournard, Barbara FAN TABLES: Aurora Celeste Jewell, Leah Schenkel, LiAm Wexelblat TAX ID CZAR: Mieke Citroen FOOD TRUCKS LIAISON: Jude Shabry GALLERIA MANAGER: Skip Morris INFO DESK: Kris Page PROJECTED MEDIA INFO DESK STAFF: Jean Rossner, Diane Rosenburg, ANIME: Mike Toole Fred Isaacs, Lia VIDEO COORDINATOR: Michael Kerpan LINE MANAGEMENT: DeAnna Sumner PHOTO BOOTH: Jane Winans FOOD: Miri Brodie-Grossman, Tamar Amidon PHOTO BOOTH STAFF: Catherine Wechsler, CON SUITE CO-AREA HEADS: Nicholas Lassiter, Stephen Karpf, Jordan Allen, Jennifer Cooney, Wolf Danielle COSPLAY REPAIR STATION: Mieke Citroen DEAD DOG: Laurel Richman Unger COSPLAY REPAIR STATION STAFF: Kathryn GREEN ROOM: Catelynn Lieber, Shelly Maple, Krista Rose, Missy Schuman, GREEN ROOM ASSISTANT: Elizabeth Crefin Jess Steytler GREEN ROOM STAFF: Mary Elizabeth Bahl, Gabby QUIET ROOM: Pat Vandenberg , Bill Thomasson, Clare Morel Jones QUARTERMASTER: Austin Noto-Moniz PROMOTIONS AND SPONSORSHIPS: Misty STAFF DEN HEAD: Paul Grossman Pendragon STAFF DEN SHIFT LEAD: Sue Cochran PRONOUN RIBBONS: Sy Salinas STAFF DEN STAFF: Hannah Cohen, Nesya Cohen, TIPTREE BAKE SALE: Kate Nepveu Yitz Cohen, Swati Joshi WAYFINDING SIGNAGE: Peter Kukolich

GAMING: Kevin “Yellow Tie Guy” Schendell TABLETOP GAMING AREA HEAD: Daniel R. Abraham TABLETOP GAMING ASSISTANT AREA HEAD: Arnis Kletnieks LARPS AREA HEAD: Alison Love 11 ASSISTANT: Sarah Lynn Weintraub MEDIA: Dan Toland OPERATIONS: Noel Rosenberg MEETUPS: Kris “Nchanter” Snyder ASSISTANT DIVISION HEADS: Jodie Lawhorne, Crow MUSIC: Jeremy H. Kessler Meloccaro ASSISTANT: Angela Kessler IT SUPPORT: Shirley Márquez Dúlcey SCIENCE: David G Shaw IT SUPPORT ASSISTANT AREA HEAD: Lee Walter ASSISTANT: Mark Amidon IT STAFF: Adam Cohn, Bob Webster WORKSHOPS: Inanna Arthen LOGISTICS: Lisa Hertel WRITING: Anna Erishkigal ASSISTANT AREA HEAD: Dan Noé PROGRAM NEXUS MANAGER: Shana Fuqua LOGISTICS STAFF: Hobbit, Elliott Mitchell, jweiss, NEXUS STAFF: David Clifton, Cheryl A. Haskell- Sandy “Pink” Sutherland, Rick Kovalcik, Eric Dragonfly, Jasra, Ilene Tatroe Morrison, Krista Rose, Theo Wozencraft, Julia Austein, Dan Goldsmith, Mark Hertel REGISTRATION: Anna Bradley OPS DESK AREA HEAD: Linh Tran ASSISTANT DIVISION HEADS: Kelly Fabijanic & Melia OPS DESK ASSISTANT AREA HEAD: Allan Beetham Converse REGISTRATION MANAGER: Rob Castiello, Jennifer OPS DESK STAFF: Zephyr Converse, Maria Cornier, Fitzsimmons-Gauger, Skye Souter, Eve Stein, Heather Tom Traina, Kat Dutton, Craig McDonough, Andrea Cougar Carney COMPS BOSS: Tamar Amidon RADIO WRANGLER: Grace Taverna AT-CON STAFF: Eve Buchhalter, Pam Burr, Josh Burson, SIGN SHOP: Christopher Hatton Jenne Foronjy, Beth Goldman, Kathy Grider, Brooks SIGN SHOP ASSISTANT AREA HEAD: Jack Harrelson, Lenore Jean Jones, Judy Kaplan, Kevin Luckner Kennedy, Jamie Leibrandt, Felicia Livingston, George SIGN SHOP STAFF: Luca Alexander, Catelyn Johnson Lussier, Jenny Mabee, Susan Putnins, Mary Stock, Will SIGN PRINTING: CapyBaron Wagner, Lisa Weber, Joanna Weston, Carolyn Wilk FIRST AID: Sue Thompson FIRST AID ASSISTANT AREA HEAD: Sue Arnie STAFF SERVICES: B. Diane Martin, Terry Holt FIRST AID STAFF: Rayne Holt ASSISTANT DIVISION HEAD: Mike Sprague HARBOR DOCKMASTER: Jerry "Pendragon" Hartung VOLUNTEERS AREA HEAD: Erik J. Meyer-Curley THE WATCH: Chris Flynn, Joe Mogel DUCK HUNT COORDINATOR: Sherene Raisbeck WATCH STAFF: Adam, Wayne Armstrong, Eddie TEAM ARISIA HEADQUARTERS STAFF: Samantha Asencsios, Sabrina Barandiaran, Jasper Bliss, Dings, Becky Kletnieks, JB Segal, Kate Wood Jonathan Breindel, Bobby, Jason Crandall, Dan TSHIRTS/SWAG COORDINATOR: Terry Holt DeSousa, Ed, Elias, Seamus Fitzpatrick-Rys, Brandon THURSDAY NIGHT STAFF DINNER: Diane Martin Horsford, Hunter, Jen Kruh, John, Katie Lagana, RIBBONS: Sharon Sbarsky Alex Lobodan, Soran Marlovic, Mendoza, Mila, Raul SPACE PILOT PROGRAM AREA HEAD: Allison Montero, Alexis Moore, Nick, Nik, Olivia, Pirk, Crys Feldhusen Reynolds, Sam, Samuel, Sarah, RaShawn Seams, MASSAGE DEN AREA HEAD: Stephen R. Balzac Kriss Shrestha, Uts Shrestha, Malcolm Smith, Mariah Smith-Jones, Spencer, Jason Tan, Susan Thompson, TECHNICAL SERVICES: Rick Kovalcik Vampira, Ivan Wong, Zelda ASSISTANT DIVISION HEAD/ASSISTANT TECH DIRECTOR: Kristin Seibert PROGRAMMING: Kris “Nchanter” Snyder ASSISTANT TECH DIRECTORS (AT-CON): BDan ASSISTANT DIVISION HEADS: Adam Lipkin, Mink Fairchild, Angela “Gela” Morley Rose, Mike Sprague TECH DESK MANAGER: Rachel “Fray” Downing, Ekvi PROGRAMMING STAFF (PRE-CON): Wendee TECH DESK QUARTERMASTER: BDan Farichild Abramo, Jackie Kamlot, Daniel Miller, Jennifer Old- TECH DESK STAFF: Maria Eskinazi, Ruthie d’Entremont ARISIA TV: z! PANELIST OUTREACH: Rachel Silber ARISIA TV PROGRAM: Rachel “Fray” Downing TRACK MANAGERS: DANCE HALL TECH DIRECTOR: Kristin Seibert ANIME: Colin Janson & Zachary Clemente DANCE HALL LIGHTING AND PROJECTION: ART & MAKER: Aaron Heuckroth Viking Drew ASSISTANT: Kevin Osborn LIGHTING DESIGNER: David Silber COMICS: Donna Martinez & Zachary Clemente LIGHTING DESIGNER FOR MASQUERADE: COMMUNITIES: Summer Plum Daniel Johnson-Carter COSTUMING: Milo Martinez LIGHTING DESIGNER FOR MRS. HAWKING FAN INTEREST: Jesi Lipp PLAYS: Bernie Gabin GAMING: Justin du Coeur LIGHTING DESIGNER FOR KADESH FLOW LITERATURE: Erik Amundsen CONCERT: Lowell GIlbert 12 MASTER ELECTRICIAN: Daniel Johnson-Carter “Enif” Fine, Stephanie Fine, Pi Fisher, Lisa Hertel, ASST. MASTER ELECTRICIANS: Lowell Gilbert Ryan “Sourbrains” Hirsch, Hobbit, Dana Hughes, Yoni PROGRAM AV: Joseph Averett Kamensky, Sue Keaney, Dan Kessel, Kat McCorkle, PROGRAM AV STAFF: Matt Bartle, Will Coakley, Trish McGinty, Abby Noyce, Alvin Sanchez, Kylie Luna Inverse, Scarlett Kluger, Tim Roberge, Cortney Selkirk, Catie Shaw, Michele Weinstein, Jonathon “Acora” Schultz-Corson, Ben Warmus “jweiss” Weiss ROOM DRAWINGS: Daniel Johnson-Carter SOUND DESIGNER: Jason Kuehl YOUTH SERVICES: Nicole Robinson ASSISTANT SOUND DESIGNERS: Sariel, Stephan ASSISTANT DIVISION HEAD: Jaelen Hartwin Ahonen FAST TRACK (CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING): VIDEO DESIGNER: Peter Olszowka Aimee Bouchard ASSISTANT VIDEO DESIGNER: Syd Weinstein FT FRONT DESK: Ian Rose VIDEO STAFF: Bill Miller, Michael Rafferty FT QUARTERMASTER: Micah Schneider GENERAL TECH STAFF & RUNTIME CREW: Stephan TEEN LOUNGE: Susan Fabijanic, Imogen Watts Ahonen, Aaron Bauer, Fred Bauer, Janice Bauer, TEEN UNCONFERENCE: Catherine Burroughs Kelcey Bauer, Covert Beach, Aaron “Pup” Block, Elliott TURTLE TRACK (BABYSITTING): Ocean “Taniith” Borenstein, Keith Brezinsky, Michael Carroll, Thundermoon Ed Council, Maria Eskinazi, Peter Ferguson, Richard

STUDENT WRITING Support Utah’s bid CONTEST FINALISTS for NASFiC 2019 "Remember" "Cloud 9" Layton, Utah, USA July 4th - 7th, 2019 by Lily Andrulat by Julia Dickman Science Fiction, Fantasy, Art, Writing, Costuming, Horror, Steampunk, Gaming, Science, Anime, "Define Berkeley: Prologue" by Brynn McQuaid Poetry, Surprise Guests and Much More! Pre-support helps us finance the bid and spread the word. If "The Pentagram" "The Arena" you pre-support and vote at Worldcon 76 in San Jose, California, by Rina Peromsik by Alexis Romero you get a discount on membership should we win, with perks along the campaign trail. Note: Should you not vote, any pre-support amount goes The Arisia Student Writing And to the Arisia 2018 towards your membership at our event. Let’s Drive the Bid and Contest Committee Committee Members: celebrate the150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. congratulates the writing Kris Pelletier, Chair of contest finalists for Arisia Student Contests; Terry 2018. High school students Holt, Chair of Student from around the New Writing Contest; Anna England region submitted Bradley, Jaelen Hartwin, $25 - Ship Maul $50 - Slug Devil Spike Maul works of fiction in the sci-fi Rev. Johnny Healey, Allison $75 - Thor Hammer $100 - Scythe Forging Hammer or fantasy genre between Holt, Fred Isaacs, Skip $200 - Grabthar’s Hammer 1000-3000 words. Winners Morris, Dr. Abby Noyce, Find & Pre-Support us online at: receive cash prizes and free David Silber, Mike Sprague, memberships to Arisia 2018. Carolyn VanEseltine, and UTAHFOR2019.COM The first-place winner’s Conor Walsh. Or email us at [email protected] Utah for 2019 is supported by the Utah Fandom Organization, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. "World Science Fiction school also receives a Society", "WSFS", "World Science Fiction Convention", "Worldcon", "NASFiC", "Hugo Award", the Hugo Award Logo, and the distinctive design of the Hugo Award Rocket are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, matching prize. All finalists’ stories an unincorporated literary society. You can contact the WSFS Mark Protection Committee at [email protected]. can be viewed after the Placement will be announced convention on Arisia’s and finalists will receive their corporate site at corp.arisia. awards during the Arisia org/SWC-Winners. Masquerade, Sunday night at 8pm. For more information on Arisia’s student Many thanks to our Finalist writing contest, please Judges: Mikki Kendall, email writingcontest@arisia. Sioban Krzywicki, Victoria org. Schwab, and Trisha Wooldridge.

13 Author Guest of Honor V. E. SCHWAB

Photo courtesy Jenna Maurice.

“It starts with a crack, a sputter, and a spark.” And that, too, is why I care about books, about stories. The order matters, the components matter, the luck Those were the first words fromVictoria Schwab that and the timing and the fusion of everything and I’d read — the first I’d heard, in fact, though that seems nothing, this all matters. so surprising to me now, since it was only just five years ago. Victoria Schwab is the kind of writer that strikes one like a star — you read her book, and you are dazzled. Do nearby molecular clouds notice when their Brilliance in storytelling, like sunspots left when you neighbors change, when some pockets collapse close your eyes after coming into the bright day. together, becoming something incandescent, even holy, in their fusion? Are galaxies tuned to hear dissonance, And only if you are the sort to find joy in hard work, to find joy or loss or wonder in the intensity of new in perfected craft, will you look deeper to notice how forms? this sort of thing happened, why the multiplicity of elements and timing are behind Schwab’s seemingly I confess here that I’ve only (perhaps obviously) been a quick ascendance as a novelist. student of the “soft” sciences, prone to doing things like assigning resonance to gases and atoms and nebulae- I saw V speak sometime after I’d read her first YA novel, in-waiting — but if you’ll allow one last meander: it the one I’d quoted above, and I was delighted to find fascinates me that something as singular, as awesome and that in person, she’s as charming and determined (and dazzling, as a star, is borne of a tiny chain of moments. likely as dangerous) as any one of her sharp and beloved 14 characters. This would serve us well, as we jokingly one of the things that makes her so interesting. First, referred then to our plans of glory, but truly — I can’t they are just fun to read — tell me you don’t want to ever decide if the thing I value most about V as a writer read about magical coats and missing pieces and worlds is her shadowed depth of fascinating creative intention apart and cheating death. But then her characters say or her commitment and work ethic. Though perhaps it’s silent things, if you are inclined to listen. They make that other thing we share — the drive to be better-than. you examine the parts you like least about yourself — It isn’t that V strives to be “better” than another writer, your ruthlessness, your dependence, your envy, your but that she always fears — and engage with is fiercely trying to the contradictions of be better than her choice and action. And experiences. She for all the darkness this works to stretch in implies — the struggles her own writing, are worthwhile, and to drive her books consequential, and the harder and compete outcomes feel earned, with her own past if not always happy. selves in their But Schwab does her workings. But best to build in at least Victoria Schwab a crack into each of wants the world to be her endings, a doorway better, or at the very to another potential, least more nuanced giving her books a true- — but mostly more magical, and she tries actively to-life feel, because the only constant is change, after to match up her higher ideal with the realities of the all. And, if you are truly lucky, you will meet someone mundane. She builds doors to wonder, escapes for those along the way who inspires you, each and every day, and who need it, inspires those who are still searching for Victoria Schwab is such a person — and I am deeply magic, too, on the page. lucky to call her an author and a friend.

Her body of work can be read on two levels, which is - Miriam Weinberg

Excerpt from V.E. Schwab’s Vicious

VICTOR readjusted the shovels on his shoulder and him when someone was near. stepped gingerly over an old, half-sunken grave. His trench billowed faintly, brushing the tops of Sydney watched him frown slightly. “Are we alone?” she tombstones as he made his way through Merit asked. Cemetery, humming as he went. The sound carried like wind through the dark. It made Sydney shiver in her too Victor blinked, and the frown was gone, replaced by big coat and her rainbow leggings and her winter boots the even calm he always wore. His shoe slid from the as she trudged along behind him. The two looked like gravestone. “Just us and the dead.” ghosts as they wove through the graveyard, both blond and fair enough to pass for siblings, or perhaps father They made their way into the heart of the cemetery, the and daughter. They were neither, but the resemblance shovels tapping softly on Victor’s shoulder as they went. certainly came in handy since Victor couldn’t very well Sydney kicked a loose rock that had broken off from tell people he’d picked up the girl on the side of a rain- one of the older graves. She could see that there were soaked road a few days before. He’d just broken out of letters, parts of words, etched into one side. She wanted jail. She’d just been shot. A crossing of fates, or so it to know what they said, but the rock had already seemed. In fact, Sydney was the only reason Victor was tumbled into the weeds, and Victor was still moving beginning to believe in fate at all. briskly between the graves. She ran to catch up, nearly tripping several times over the frozen ground before He stopped humming, rested his shoe lightly on a she reached him. He’d come to a stop, and was staring tombstone, and scanned the dark. Not with his eyes down at a grave. It was fresh, the earth turned over and so much as with his skin, or rather with the thing that a temporary marker driven into the soil until a stone crept beneath it, tangled in his pulse. one could be cut.

He might have stopped humming, but the sensation Sydney made a noise, a small groan of discomfort that never did, keeping on with a faint electrical buzz that had nothing to do with the biting cold. Victor glanced only he could hear and feel and read. A buzz that told back and offered her the edge of a smile. 15 “Buck up, Syd,” he said casually. “It’ll be fun.” moment, home would have been any place that wasn’t Merit Cemetery. Sydney eyed the grave, tightening her Truth be told, Victor didn’t care for graveyards, either. fingers on the wooden grip. Victor had already begun to He didn’t like dead people, mostly because he had no dig. effect on them. Sydney, conversely, didn’t like dead people because she had such a marked effect on them. “What if...,” she said, swallowing, “... what if the other She kept her arms crossed tightly over her chest, one people accidentally wake up?” gloved thumb rubbing the spot on her upper arm where she’d been shot. It was becoming a tic. “They won’t,” cooed Victor. “Just focus on this grave. Besides...” He looked up from his work. “Since when are Victor turned and sunk one of the spades into the earth. you afraid of bodies?” He then tossed the other one to Sydney, who unfolded her arms just in time to catch it. The shovel was almost “I’m not,” she snapped back, too fast and with all the as tall as she was. A few days shy of her thirteenth force of someone used to being the younger sibling. birthday, and even for twelve and eleven twelfths, Which she was. Just not Victor’s. Sydney Clarke was small. She had always been on the short side, but it certainly didn’t help that she had “Look at it this way,” he teased, dumping a pile of dirt barely grown an inch since the day she’d died. onto the grass. “If you do wake them up, they can’t go anywhere. Now dig.” Now she hefted the shovel, grimacing at the weight. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said. Sydney leaned forward, her short blond hair falling into her eyes, and began to dig. The two worked in the dark, “The faster we dig, the faster we get to go home.” only Victor’s occasional humming and the thud of the shovels filling the air. Home wasn’t home so much as a hotel room stocked only with Sydney’s stolen clothes, Mitch’s chocolate Thud. Thud. Thud. milk, and Victor’s files, but that wasn’t the point. At this

16 Artist Guest of Honor ASHE SAMUELS I first metAshe Samuels on a semi-secret forum for watching you as you watch it. There is a power dynamic gamers and game-makers of color. My own interest in between us and these works as one glimpses into a games begins and ends with a few visual novels (plus world and onto beings who exist above and beyond a theoretical interest in making them myself one day), us. Sometimes a simple human character is portrayed so while gaming was how we met, it definitely wasn’t as well, always in the role of observer, back turned to why I remembered her well past the life of the forum. the viewer. Portrayed or not, the observer is almost It mattered way more that we were both mixed-race always presented with a striking image composed artists living in the Pacific Northwest, and that her of complementary colors and golden light. The few paintings took “Black Girl Magic” to a whole new level. images in Ashe’s portfolio that feature more “subdued” analogous or monochromatic palettes still burn with While my visual novel career remains theoretical, reds and golds. Her prismatic vision of another world my career as a publisher of creator-owned comics far more beautiful than our own — where dragons recently became very real. Power & Magic Press’ goal breathe flowers and little brown girls discover the is to empower creators of color, LGBTQ+ creators, unknown — embodied “power” and “magic.” and everyone at the intersections. Our debut book showcases the talents of women, demigirls, and Ashe’s cover for POWER & MAGIC: The Queer Witch bigender creators of color working in the fantasy genre, Comics Anthology is a revolutionary image: three and every story within represents their diversity and witches of color pouring forth a golden brew, their power. The cover art for such a collection had to be, for faces peaceful, assured, and their hair dominating lack of a better word, spellbinding. the space around them. Like her three witches, Ashe poured everything she had into this piece, and it shows. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell someone not It not only shows in the quality of the work, but in to judge a book by its cover its continuing effect on — for better or worse, it’s everyone who lays eyes on what we do. The perfect it. cover is both alluring and true to the spirit of the At conventions, I get to work. It draws you in and bear witness. People stop to keeps you in. Even as our look at the stack of books internet haunts diverged, quietly, timidly asking if Ashe’s work had kept a part they are allowed to touch of me in. them, feeling a need to explain: “I was walking by, Working primarily in the but then I saw the cover… I medium of digital painting, had to turn around.” she focuses strongly on the figure, especially Black “Who drew this?” figures who are presented as more than human. I “This is the most beautiful think that’s an important cover I’ve ever seen.” distinction (“more than” human as opposed to “...I need it.” “not quite” or “less than” human), as she blends the Ashe has said that one of human form with scales, her goals as an artist is to feathers, fur, and talons create work that will be in a manner that exalts remembered. I for one will her characters. Like the always remember. sphynx, most of them don a human face, and their — Joamette Gil expressions make you feel as if the character is calmly

17 @LivUniPress

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Javier A. Martinez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Andrew M Butler, Canterbury Christ Church University Print ISSN: 0014-5483 |Online ISSN: 2047-7708 John Rieder, University of Hawaii Gerry Canavan, Marquette University Rachel Haywood-Ferreira, Iowa State University online.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/extr

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Print ISSN: 1754-3770 | Online ISSN: 1754-3789 Current Editors Gerry Canavan, Marquette University online.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/sfftv Dan Hassler-Forest, Utrecht University

Liverpool University Press Tel: +44 (0)151 794 2233 Email: [email protected] Head of Journals: Clare Hooper [email protected] Order via Turpin Distribution Email: [email protected] Fan Guest of Honor MIKKI KENDALL Fandom, as hard as it tries, isn’t always as accepting as it should be. In theory, a community of people who have an interest in sci-fi or fantasy would be understanding of marginalized groups, but communities are filled with people and people are flawed. Yes despite this, there are always those within the community who are willing to do the work needed to make it better, be it by bureaucracy or brute force. Mikki Kendall is one who is willing to do both.

“How did you like WisCon?”

It’s a simple enough question, that if most people had From left to right: Patrick, Xavier, Malcolm and Mikki Kendall. asked me would have gotten a canned answer. “It was fun,” followed by a slightly too tight smile. However with a year because this person loves fanfic, and that it wasn’t just anyone who’d asked me this question, it person listens to that podcast, and oh you like comics? was Mikki, who could see through a canned response a Well so-and-so writes them, you should talk to them mile away. This was after my first WisCon back in 2011. about their most recent work. I was naive and didn’t Mikki as well as a few other friends had encouraged me see it at the time, but Mikki was building a community to go, despite my swearing off cons after several bad within WisCon, one that both gave back to the con in experiences. She had warned me that it wouldn’t be volunteer work but would also look out for each other perfect, but it would be an improvement on cons I’d when the inevitable microaggression arrived. previously been to. The year she was co-chair of WisCon was also the year I “It was a lot,” I’d started as a group of my friends and I learned about her previous experiences at WisCon. She debriefed our experience. It was fun when we were with and a few other people talked about their experiences at one another, but there were more than a few occasions the con being hostile back when they first started going. of microaggressions, rude comments and unwanted They’d gone for the same reason a lot of folks had, they hair touching. I didn’t realize it at the time but Mikki were fans who also wanted to be writers, and thought was on the WisCon ConCom for the upcoming year, and a feminist writing convention would be the perfect had already had the gears turning in her head on how place for them to start careers and meet others with to improve things. She listened to our complaints, and the same interests. Instead it had been a difficult and after giving us information about things like the POC painful. She’d decided then that instead of washing her and LGBT Safe Spaces, as well as the POC dinner, she hands of the whole thing she was going to fight back, in got to work. She only had one request from us: “Come hopes that she could help build a space that welcomed back next year.” marginalized fans.

Over the next few years, up to her becoming a co-chair As the years have gone by, Mikki hasn’t been able to give of WisCon, Mikki made an effort to make WisCon an as much time as she previously could to the ConCom, even more accepting space both behind the scenes and but still contributes as much as she can. She continues with attendees individually. Every year she encouraged to make sure people connect with one another and us to come back, and every year she would introduce us makes sure they feel welcome. And she never forgets to to more and more people she knew we shared interests ask them to “come back next year.” with. She encouraged us to volunteer, to throw parties, to talk with people we hadn’t had the chance to speak - De Ana Jones From Mikki Kendall’s Archives

Originally posted by Mikki Kendall on LiveJournal ,02 July 2007. by step proof of the racism, because apparently it’s all just the way things are written and we’re making too much of it. I’m noticing a lot of people insisting that the portrayal of Martha as strong and capable automatically negates any accusation of And really, were we talking about sexism and its stereotypes sexism in the latest season of Who. And people demanding step as framed for white women they might have a leg to stand on 19 but sexism isn’t a one size fits all sort of a category. Portrayals of to sacrifice everything to protect the ones that can actually do women (and the attendant sexism) vary greatly depending on the some good. Theoretically I suppose the flirting is supposed to race of the woman. Generally speaking young white women have ameliorate the Mammy stereotype, but each time the flirtation options in terms of being chaste/being sexy and being heroines is almost completely unconvincing (What is it with the guy in 42 or being painted as damsels in distress. That’s because the key flirting back, but then looking utterly shocked when she snogs word there actually isn’t the distress part. It’s the word damsel. him?) and there is no hope of the flirtation going anywhere. Damsels are always desirable, no matter how much ass they kick On an individual level the incidents aren’t that bad, and could (or don’t) and nothing they do makes them unworthy of love or conceivably be construed as germane to the story. protection. But that doesn’t explain the treatment of Tish and Francine. The The stereotype start to swing in whole new directions when it portrayal of Francine as the Sapphire stereotype complete with comes to other ethnic groups. Latina women (assuming you can the emasculated husband (who incidentally gets to be portrayed find many on TV) are usually either oversexed or completely as a janitor) and Tish as a Jezebel that manages to get the hots for sexless with a large number of children. If they have Latino a man that was in his 80’s a scant ten minutes earlier who has a boyfriends/husbands the men are usually portrayed as criminals wife no less is particularly telling. In fact we are told repeatedly or at best overtly chauvinistic. Mostly though they aren’t that Tish is getting jobs for which she isn’t remotely qualified portrayed at all. There have been some exceptions, but not many solely as part of Saxon’s master plan. He even tells her at one and mostly those exceptions are in sitcoms. Asian women get to point that her job is to stand around looking pretty, which really be sexy or smart, but generally not both and they certainly don’t made me wonder about sexual harassment laws in the UK. Yet have relationships with Asian men. But hey, Asian men aren’t he has no interest in capitalizing on Martha’s relationship with usually portrayed at all or if they are the options are sexless, king her brother or her father until her Dad makes the effort to warn fu master, or geek who is obsessed with sex. Doubt me? Find me her. And you know, Tish didn’t particularly strike me as a stupid ten Asian male characters that don’t fit any of those molds. Same girl when she and Martha were helping to stop Lazarus, so why with Latino men. And just look at Tosh on Torchwood for the wouldn’t she be qualified for the PR job? She certainly seemed Asian woman stereotype that keeps screaming at the top of its to manage to put together a beautiful gala in very short order. lungs. You can also look at Lucy Liu in Ally McBeal. Martha’s dad manages vaguely to attempt to fight back, but it’s clear he isn’t actually seen as being anywhere near as much of a Now, let’s talk about black people. Black women tend to get threat as Jack. And Leo seemingly disappears completely from two choices. Mammy or Jezebel. Occasionally the third option every one’s mind. No strength or heroism to be found in him at of Sapphire (see nagging shrew constantly emasculating a all. And it’s not just Martha’s family that gets short shrift. weak black man) rears its ugly head. But mostly the choices are asexual Mammy or nympho Jezebel. And yes, Martha is smart Let’s not forget Mickey being portrayed first as ridiculously and she comes from a good family and really it’s not like we see cowardly (cowering behind Rose’s legs and then being called her or her family running around as servants complete with little the idiot for most of his appearances) ala a whole host of racist uniforms...oh wait. Let’s start with the portrayal of Martha as stereotypes including the old favorite of Step and Fetchit. In Mammy (see her taking care of the Doctor repeatedly including fact even when Mickey manages to grow a pair and break it off being a maid for three months but also working to support him with Rose it’s still made very clear that he’s useless, and he only in the 1960’s), no agency of her own to speak of when it comes to manages to gain redemption by abandoning his entire life (which saving the world (particularly when you note that the grand plan again apparently wasn’t worth much anyway) and sidestepping amounts to her telling everyone to clap to save Tinkerbell) and into an alternate universe. One in which apparently he’s still then let’s talk about her spending the entire season being made content being Rose’s tin dog. There are very few character’s of to feel like second best. She even gets the dubious joy of being color in the Who verse to begin with, and for all of them to fit told directly not to get above herself in Human Nature/Family so neatly into various stereotypes? At some point that’s not of Blood. And I suppose the argument could be made that the accidental nor is it germane to the story. Is it meant to be overt characterizations were appropriate to the time of 1913. racism? No. But it fits the definition of aversive racism very nicely, as does the insistence of much of white fandom that the However that doesn’t tidy up the rest of the season where Martha POC are seeing things that aren’t there. Sometimes the people alternates between flirting* with every available white man who regularly have to experience racism? Know it when they see that crosses her path, pining after the unattainable Doctor and it. And when the white fans that also see it say “Oh my yes, it’s sacrificing her pride to save the Great White Hope. Martha’s clearly there?” Then the Emperor is not wearing new clothes and repeatedly laying it all on the line for a guy that treats her like carrying a bouquet, he’s naked and carrying a noose. crap, and I don’t mean his lack of interest in a relationship. I mean his telling her (even after it’s clear that Saxon is the * I found it quite interesting that she never managed to be Master) that she doesn’t need to know anything else about attracted to a single man of color, and neither was Tish. The him, or the screaming at her (which happens a few times, but Whoverse is mighty white even in the depths of space. In most notably in Utopia) and even the point at which she goes Gridlock the young couple trying to make a life involves a WOC out to get them all dinner while he and Jack hide out in the and a white man. Newsflash, sometime POC date other POC. No Warehouse in Sound of Drums. Martha isn’t being protected, she really, and we make lovely successful families too. Also shockingly isn’t treated as a damsel. It’s the Strong Black Woman/Mammy some MOC don’t pine after white women. myth complete with the idea that she is supposed to be willing 20 MK5175_PLAYTIME_Arisia_Ad_V3.indd 2 12/13/17 10:13 AM Master of Fine Arts in Popular Fiction Writing & Publishing

Science fiction. Fantasy. Horror. Mystery. Young adult.

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Your story starts here. emerson.edu/popfiction [email protected] 617-824-8610 Comics Industry Guest of Honor SHANNON WATTERS

In comics, you’re not supposed to become friends with Braden and Shelli and I got to decide that we wanted to your editors. pass the book off to a new team, so we took Shannon out to dinner. We had a great time, and then at the end Your editors are there to help you, to make your work of the meal we broke the news: we were going to leave better, but they’re not there to be your buddy. Sure, the book. Shannon said she understood, said she knew you can be friendly, but that’s something like what we had on about as far as it should go. Adventure Time wouldn’t last The reason is simple: comics is forever, couldn’t last forever. It an itinerant business, and there was all very professional. We will come a day when you’re not were all very professional. on the book anymore, and this “friend” will have to, effectively, Then she looked at me, and fire you. This whole process I was on the verge of tears. is easier if it’s a business And then she was on the verge relationship. Everything goes of tears. And then I started smoothly if you’re not friends. crying and then she started crying and then we were all Oops. crying and it was a big mess and the other tables were I still have the first email uncomfortable, but they knew Shannon sent me. It’s only a the risks. I was crying because few sentences long, and it can I thought that this was maybe be boiled down to “Hi, I’m a friend breakup, that this Shannon, would you have any was the end of the Shannon interest in writing Adventure and Ryan and Braden and Time comics?” When people ask me how I broke into Shelli show. But of course it wasn’t. We’ve all worked comics, “I waited until Shannon Watters emailed me” together on things since then. I still call Shannon is a lousy story. But that story obscures what actually every time I have an excuse, and we chat for a long time happened. Shannon had been reading my webcomic, before getting down to the ostensible reason for my call. Dinosaur Comics, for over decade when she was still in school. She’d never emailed me (THANKS A LOT, This is what’s great about Shannon: she’s someone who SHANNON) but during those years in which I thought cares deeply about what she’s working on, which is I was putting up some funny strips about talking an ideal property in anyone, let alone an editor. She’s dinosaurs, to Shannon I was actually showing my sense creative, inventive, and open to whatever you have to of humour, showing I could meet a deadline (especially bring her. You can put a crazy new idea on her desk one that’s self-imposed, which are the hardest ones to that will make her job way harder, but if it makes the meet), and showing the different sorts of things I was book better, she’s always down for it. Beyond editing interested in telling stories about. Shannon graduated, she also writes, so she knows the problems that can got a job at a comics company, and when she was tasked crop up from both sides of the table. She’s responsible with finding someone to write Adventure Time, she for a licensed comic from a cartoon show winning an thought “hey, how about the Dinosaur Comics guy?” Eisner Award. She co-created Lumberjanes, for crying out loud. And my entire career in print comics starts (And this is the secret career advice section of this “why with Shannon Watters emailing me. Shannon is so great” essay: put your work online. You never know who’ll see it, and it turns your 10,000 hours I’m so happy she’s your Comics Industry Guest of of Gladwellian practice from something private to Honour. Go meet her, go say hi. Check out the work something that can be life-changing.) she’s shepherded into the world. You might laugh, you’ll might be inspired, you might even be challenged. Anyway, I wrote back and said yes, and then I met Braden Lamb and Shelli Paroline (the artists on the But you won’t be disappointed. book) who also became friends, and we did 35 issues of the comic, all together as Team Comics. And then -- Ryan North

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PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS Marc Abrahams is the founder of the Ig www.polutexni.com. Her dollmaking site is has been a street performer many years Nobel Prize ceremony. The prizes, awarded www.dollmaking.org. at Waterfire (Providence, RI) and other each year since 1991, honor achievements venues. He also has taught origami at local that make people laugh, then think. He is E. C. Ambrose writes the Dark Apostle libraries and museums throughout New also editor and co-founder of the science series of historical fantasy novels about England. He is a member, instructor, and humor magazine Annals of Improbable medieval surgery concluding with volume 5, shop lead at Artisan's Asylum, a maker space Research, and the author of several Elisha Daemon (02/18). As Elaine Isaak, she in Somerville, MA. He is an engineering books. His web site and blog are at www. wrote The Singer's Crown and its sequels. consultant on a wide variety projects, and is improbable.com Either way, you do not want to be her also helping build a houseboat that sails. hero. In her research, she learned to hunt Wendee Abramo is a life long dabbler. with a falcon, clear a building of intruders, Athena School of Arms is a Boston- In 2008 she discovered belly dance and pull traction, and steer a pirate ship. The based Modern School of Historical Fencing finally found her favorite thing to geek author is a graduate of and instructor for and Martial Arts. We have two primary out about. As half of Ki-Ra Luna, she's the Odyssey Writing workshop. She leads programs: the Longsword tradition of performed at Arisia as an ewok, an evil adventure camp and makes wearable art Johannes Lichtenauer, and a rotating clown, a chicken, and a Ghostbuster. She clothing. schedule of Rapier, Broadsword, Sabre, can also be found dancing at local faires Smallsword, Dagger, Sword & Buckler, and and festivals, teaching American Tribal Mark L. Amidon first read Isaac Grappling arts. Training includes free play, Style® dance, and ranting about cat cafes. Asimov's Nightfall in 1971 and has been drills, test cutting, and physical fitness; She lives, and occasionally podcasts, in heavily involved in science fiction ever since. together, these elements help students to Brighton with her soon to be husband and He has been attending Arisia since 1991, understand and recreate combat on the their dog. Also, there is a cat. facebook.com/ and with his wife since 1992. He lives in battlefield, the list, and in personal defense. KiRaLunaDance the future, right now, and for a living tells Find us on Facebook. computers what to do and how to do it. His Hanna Lee Rubin Abramowitz After cats remain aloof. Inanna Arthen (Vyrdolak) is a freelance having one of the hardest years of her life, book designer, voice actor and author of Hanna is ready to have some fun. She is Thomas A. Amoroso I’m a medical The Vampires of New England Series: Mortal excited to get back in the world and share director for a regional health plan, a Touch (2007), The Longer the Fall (2010), her love of nerd-culture. Stop by and say practicing emergency physician with All the Shadows of the Rainbow (2013) hi to her if you see her. She will likely be disaster response experience, a polyamorous and Human Services (2018). Inanna runs dressed in cosplay but an Eevee shirt and parent, and a licensed ham radio operator. By Light Unseen Media and is a member hat or not out of the question. I can claim to be a published author, but of New England Horror Writers, Broad Arisia members don't care about my work Universe, IPNE and IBPA. Their short story Three words that one might use to describe in the Emerg. Med Clin. North Amer. or my "The Fishman and His Wife" appears in Adri are “generic”, “geek” and “girl”. appearance in Health Affairs. I talk too loud, Twice Upon an Apocalypse (Crystal Lake, Sometimes all at once. rant too much, and have way too much fun 2017). Find out more at inannaarthen.com. for an introvert. I’m also a peacemaker, and Heather Albano is a storyteller I am pretty much out of characters. Good Terri Ash is the Manager and Artist and game designer - the author of the night, and good luck. Wrangler at Geek Calligraphy. She's an avid steampunk time travel trilogy Keeping Time, knitter who cooks, makes her own jam, and the creator of the steampunk Sherlock- Bekah Anderson is a fantasy writer gardens via the practice of benign neglect. Holmes-themed interactive novel A Study in training and disability activist. She is A voracious consumer of many kinds of SFF In Steampunk, the co-creator of five Choice a co-founder of the student organization media, nothing makes her happier than of Games titles, and a contributing writer to Collective of Students Affected by Ableism, talking about it for hours. the Amazon Alexa game Codename Cygnus. which works to support students with She's always looking for new ways to tell disabilities and advocate for their needs. Lisa A. Ashton is a SF/Fantasy/ stories, and is currently excited to bring her She has published pieces about disability, Historical costumer living in Harpers live action design experience to augmented queerness, and religion with the Wild Goose Ferry, WV. Last Arisia, she was part of reality games. Festival and the New Sacred blog. Her "3-fold Goddess" winning BIS. 2017 also fantasy writing, as yet unpublished, tends saw her in "Sweet 16's" at Balticon and tied Dawn Albright is involved in many to be character driven and sad. She blogs for BIS at the CC35 Historical. She is the different areas of fandom. She's a short story irregularly at bekahmaren.blogspot.com. founder of Miss Lizzy's Traveling Historical writer, editor of anthologies (New Altars and Fashion Show, collecting antique photos Vision Quest), a dollmaker and costumer. Michael Anderson and tintypes as well as Authentic Victorian Her most recent project is a web journal garments and artifacts. called Polu Texni which can be found at Andrew Anselmo has been creating and folding origami for over 20 years, and 25 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Author. Fencer. Sometime actor. Full-time performer and stage combat director with Beazlebub nerd. J.M. Aucoin writes swashbucklers & the Connecticut Renaissance Faire. award-winning historical adventure novels. Steve Berman He's also an avid costumer/cosplayer. Visit Stephen R. Balzac, Ph.D., is the author him at jmaucoin.com of The 36-Hour Course in Organizational Elizabeth Birdsall is a longtime fan Development and Organizational and occasional author, as well as a queer Jacqui B. I run the editing business Psychology for Managers. He has written lady and a lover of a wide variety of random Literary Sidekick. I'm a member of Editorial over 20 LARPs and was a member of the subjects. She has had short stories published Freelancers Association and a graduate of original Society for Interactive Literature. here and there, most notably in the "Women Emerson College’s Writing, Literature, and Steve was the founder of the MIT Assassins' Destroy Science Fiction!" special issue of Publishing program. My superpowers are Guild and, with his wife, Aimee Yermish, Lightspeed Magazine. She lives in the Boston storytelling and editing. My fandoms are founder of the Society for Interactive area with two excellently geeky housemates many: Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Star Literature West. Steve's doctoral research and two extremely inept cats. Trek, Star Wars, Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, was on LARPing and leadership. Storm/X-Men, Graceling, The Parasol Carol Bittenson has been part of Protectorate, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Jess Barber lives in Cambridge, MA, the Boston area contra dance community Bitch Planet, and the list goes on. where she spends her days (and sometimes her whole life. She is a classically trained nights) building open-source electronics. violinist and an avid contra dancer, starting Kel Bachus's published several stories She is a graduate of the 2015 Clarion Writing both at an early age. Over 30 years ago, she under their prior name Kate Bachus, Workshop, and her work has recently put the two together and began playing most recently "Pinono Deep" in Asimov's appeared in Strange Horizons, Lightspeed, fiddle for contra dances. She has played all and the Sturgeon finalist "Things Greater Clarkesworld, and The Year’s Best Science over New England and as far as California than Love" in Strange Horizons. Game Fiction. You can find her online at www.jess- and believes that dancing and playing for design credits include narrative design barber.com. dances is more fun than anything. Her work on Elder Scrolls Online, 38 Studios' playing has been described as rhythmic and unrelased Kingdoms of Amalur MMO and Born in poverty, raised in mythology driving. Disruptor Beam's Game of Thrones game, Marzell Barker is always curious in conjunction with George RR Martin about what people think. Currently a W. "Ian" Blanton and HBO. They are currently an Assistant graduate studying counseling psychology, Professor of Game Design at Champlain after receiving their license they plan to be Charlie Boatner has written for College. certified in sex therapy. They have many DC and Vertigo, Marvel, Archie, and interest that stem from mythology and other publishers. His favorite projects Dr. Darcie Little Badger is a Lipan culture from food, music, clothing,kink, were a Batman/Metal Men teamup, a Apache scientist and writer. Her short and animals (keeping some of these interest T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents reboot, and the fiction has appeared in places like Love separate for basic decency of course). graphic novel The Hiding Place with Beyond Body, Space, and Time (Nicholson, artist Steve Parkhouse. He answered ed.), Strange Horizons, The Dark, E. J. Barnes is a cartoonist and comics children's letters to DC's kids' books as Mythic Delirium, Fantastic Stories of the writer, artist, and editor, having been "Johnny DC." He draws the webstrip www. Imagination, and Cicada Magazine. Darcie’s published in newspapers, magazines, and BureauofBeasties.com. debut comic, “Worst Bargain in Town,” was anthologies. She exhibits at independent published in Moonshot: The Indigenous comic-book conventions, and her comic John Borecki Comics Collection, Volume 2. She has comics books, self-published under Drowned Town forthcoming in Relational Constellation Press (drownedtownpress.com) are sold Eric Bornstein and Deer Woman: An Anthology by Native across the country. Realities. The Boston Area Guild of Reuben Baron is a writer, filmmaker, Puppeteers has operated locally for Michael Bailey is a professional writer and general nerd with a particular interest more than fifty years, supporting local from Worcester, Massachusetts who kind in animation. They do freelance writing for puppeteers through grants, workshops, a of hates writing bios. After 15 years in Comic Book Resources and used to write for puppet/video library, a monthly newsletter, journalism, Michael left to focus on his MyAnimeList before they censored one of and diverse programming and resources. creative writing career. He is the author their articles to appease Nazis (seriously). The Guild welcome local enthusiasts who of two ongoing series, Action Figures and Short films of theirs include The Music of want to be connected to local events as The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot, Erich Zann (based on the Lovecraft short well as regional and national conventions. and is preparing to launch his new urban story) and The Making of a Superhero www.puppetsbostonguild.org | www. fantasy trilogy Well-Behaved Women in Musical (featuring Neil Gaiman!). facebook.com/Boston-Area-Guild-of- 2018. In his spare time Michael is a regular Puppetry-110301439006332/

26 SELECTED ART "Harpy Stars" - Front cover "Encounter" - Pages 28-29 "Rose Fawn" - Inside front cover "Squid Ball" - Page 30 "Owl Beer" - Page 3 "Deer Princeling" - Page 30 "Power and Magic Press" - Page 6 "Two Bettamaids" - Page 30 "Monster Girl May Harpy" - Page 27

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PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Aimee Bouchard is a bi, poly, kinky, Comic Industry Awards. She is editor-in- with her husband, Michael A. Burstein, and geeky, hippie, crafty, girly sort of gal. chief of No Flying No Tights. She loves their twin daughters. speculative stories in every format from Angela Bowen comics to podcasts to television shows. Jonathan Cademy-Pfeffer

Anna R. Bradley is a gamer, LARPer, Cyd Brezinsky Part-time biologist, Writing, cooking. fandom, costuming, costumer, knitter, software engineer and part-time artist, full-time Dragon Lady (or history, gaming, music, kink, polyamory, volunteering junkie. Anna has played and so it says on my Deviantart page). Over 30 paganism... a little bit of this and that run LARP for over 20 years. She has been years ago, I had a car with no radio, a long all combining into a quirky package. playing and running Garou games for the commute, and an idea that dogged me about Mildred Cady's written works have past 10. Last year she was the con chair of the anatomy of dragons. This ultimately been a part of the Metamor City and Nobilis Arisia. This year she is division head of resulted in the creation of creatures that Erotica podcasts, as well as occasional registration. sometimes fight back. The wire skeleton appearances on other geeky podcasts. of my winged reptiles is the one of the David E. Brahm, Ph.D., CFA, is a inspirations for the costume wings in this Kevin Cafferty is a documentary portfolio manager at Geode Capital year's workshops. filmmaker from Massachusetts. His film Management in Boston. Dr. Brahm holds It's a Bash! (which is about punk rock) was an S.B. in physics and math from MIT, Daniel Brian given four stars by The Providence Journal, and a Ph.D. in theoretical particle physics aired on New England PBS affiliates, and is from U.C. Berkeley. Following six years of Terri Bruce available on DVD from Midway Pictures. postdoctoral physics research at Caltech He is currently working on a film about and Carnegie Mellon, he joined Fidelity Rachel A. Brune is the author of the immersive theater. He has been nominated Investments in 1996, and became one of the Rick Keller Project series, published by for four Emmy awards, can be followed founders of Geode in 2001. Untold Press, as well as many other works of on Twitter at @kcafferty, and was named short fiction. She publishes interviews and Person of the Year by Time magazine in Chris Brathwaite articles on her blog, Infamous Scribbler, as 2006. well as a series on Medium about writing as James Bredt was one of two technical a veteran. Caitlin founders of Z Corporation, which makes 3D Printers, and holds over 20 issued patents Nat Budin is a singer/songwriter/ Ian Campbell Works in IT, moonlights as in 3DP technology. His present company, LARPer/programmer. He has written and an amateur collectible card game developer. Viridis3D sells industrial 3D printers to run over a dozen LARPs, has served as con Likes long swordfights on the beach, space the foundry industry. He also occasionally chair of Intercons I and P as well as the first cowboys, Oberyn Martell, giant monsters/ teaches materials science at MIT, and is three Festival of the LARPs conventions at robots, and games. Many games. writing a graphic novel. For the pase 25 Brandeis University, and writes open source years, he has appeared as a human spotlight software in the Ruby on Rails community. The Barony of The Waytes of at the Ig Nobel Awards Ceremony. Carolingia is the Boston branch of Michael A. Burstein, winner of the the Society for Creative Anachronism, a ML Brennan is the author of the 1997 Campbell Award for Best New Writer, worldwide club that recreates the fun bits Generation V urban fantasy series, where an has earned ten Hugo nominations and four of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. We do utterly non-sparkly vampire and his kitsune Nebula nominations for his short fiction, everything from armored combat to dance wing-woman roam the mean streets of collected in I Remember the Future. He lives to brewing to fencing to storytelling. All are Providence and face the existential question with his wife Nomi and their twin daughters welcome: if you're interested, we'd be happy of how to pay this month’s rent. The four in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he is an to provide more information. The Waytes books combine humor, horror, vampiric elected Town Meeting Member and Library are Carolingia's dance band, who practice family tensions, and pop culture references. Trustee. He develops science curriculum regularly and perform at balls around the Brennan holds an MFA in writing and is when not writing. He has two degrees in region. employed as an adjunct professor. Follow Physics and attended the Clarion Workshop. her at @BrennanML or visit at See www.mabfan.com. Grant Carrington Member, Clarion www.mlbrennan.com. 68-69, Tulane 71, associate editor Amazing/ Nomi S. Burstein is a technical writer, Fantastic 72-74, Nebula finalist 76, Time's Robin Brenner is Teen Librarian at freelance editor, and fiction writer. Her Fool (novel, Doubleday, 1981). Brief Candle the Public Library of Brookline. She writes debut novel, Flying Without a Net, was Press: Time's Fool and Other Stories (2014), articles, nonfiction guides, and fandom published in November 2016 under the Annapolis to Andromeda (collection, coverage for professional journals. She has name EM Ben Shaul. When she is not 2015), Down in the Barraque (novel, 2015). served on awards committees from the involved in professional word-nerditry, CDBaby: Songs Without Wisdom (2001), Michael L. Printz Award to the Will Eisner Nomi knits, sews, and performs amateur Ancient Laughter (2011). Full production, word-nerditry. She lives in Brookline, MA, 5 plays, Baltimore, 1982-1993. Computer 31 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D) programmer, Goddard Space Flight Center Jeanne Cavelos is an award-winning Aurora Celeste 62-68, Savannah River Ecology Lab 77-80. editor, bestselling writer, and director of Math BA 1962, MA 1970. the Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Julia Chartove Trust. Jeanne was a senior editor at Bantam D. L. Carter was decanted from her Doubleday Dell, where she ran the SF/F Don Chase Author, illustrator, picture incubation pod in the outback of Australia and horror programs and won the World taker and hopefully-one-day movie maker. many decades ago. This terrifying event was Fantasy Award. Jeanne has had seven closely followed by shrieks of "there, there books published by major publishers, Ellen Cheeseman-Meyer blogs it goes. Hit it with a brick!" These valiant two nominated for the Bram Stoker for tor.com. She has written re-reads attempts to correct the existence of D.L. Award. She is director of Odyssey (www. of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series were, unfortunately, unsuccessful and she odysseyworkshop.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan now resides in New Jersey in a box with her dedicated to helping writers of F/SF/H Saga. She also teaches history and reads toys, two human beings, and three cats. improve their work. a lot. In November 2017, Ellen served as a voting town meeting representative in her Melissa Carubia acts, sings, dances, Emma Caywood is a Children's and hometown. games, and composes in the Boston area. Youth Librarian in Wellesley, where she She wrote the award-winning musical recommends books, entertains babies, hosts The CHEMAS Group (Cambridge T: An MBTA Musical, and Beneath the ukulele jam sessions, and turns picture Historical European Martial Arts Studies) Skin, a musical about mental illness. Her books into plays. She has previously worked translates and interprets extant combat performance credits include Avenue Q, Les as a drama teacher, storyteller, actress, treatises from the medieval, Renaissance, Misérables and The Little Mermaid with the environmental science teacher, playwright, and early modern eras. Its members Company Theatre, plus performing with literary manager for screenwriters, grammar occasionally present demonstrations based ImprovBoston and Urban Improv. She also teacher, mask maker, and once did a one on their work. can be found rocking out on keytar with day stint as the receptionist at the Jazzercise her band, Minusworld. During the day she Corporate Headquarters. Married to Andy Benjamin Chicka holds a Ph.D. in is Director of Education for the Company Hicks. philosophy of religion and theology from Theatre of Norwell.

32 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Claremont Graduate University and is the WPI. Todd travels to Canada frequently and James Cronen is a nerd-of-all-trades co-founder of TheoNerd.com. His academic although a proud US citizen can name all who enjoys running, board gaming, work focuses on the relationship between the Canadian provinces. Todd is passionate microelectronics, juggling, and making religion and science, American pragmatism, about cutting up nice plush soft stuff cocktails. He strives to teach his sons to and religious pluralism. Benjamin has animals and making them into creative appreciate the finer things in life: Picasso's published scholarly articles on astronomy, monsters. blue period, Dvorak's Eighth Symphony, neuroscience, philosophy, and theology. wildflowers undulating in a summer He writes for more popular audiences Andrea Corbin is a Boston-based breeze, and rolling a natural 20 when you at Patheos.com and often speaks at PAX writer of speculative fiction. She has work desperately need it. James spends his days East and other gaming conventions about in Shimmer, Flash Fiction Online, Crossed writing software and evenings communing diversity issues. Genres, Sub-Q, The Sockdolager, and with wife Robin, their three boys, and good Recompose. All of her work, including friends new and old in Troy, NY. Bob Chipman is a film critic and interactive fiction, can be found at her entertainment writer for Geek.com and website, amcorbin.com. She also talks a lot Morgan Crooks grew up in the Finger Screen Rant, Chairman of the Boston of nonsense on Twitter @rosencrantz, and Lakes of New York, a beautiful part of Online Film Critics Association and the has a cat named Hatshepsut. the country carved into being by ancient creator of In Bob We Trust, The Game glaciers. He now lives with his wife outside OverThinker, The Big Picture and Escape Sith Lantern Cosplay Extra-Life of Boston, and is obsessed with wasps, to The Movies. He has published seven (Extra-life.org), 2009 - Present; Boston cosmic horror, and ziggurats. His works volumes of collected work, along with the Guild VP 2002-2005; Boston Guild President have appeared in Electric Spec, Daily Science full-length gaming analysis book Super 2005-Present. Rebel Legion (rebellegion. Fiction, and Theme of Absence. Find him Mario Bros 3: Brick-By-Brick. com), Alderaan Base, 2016 - Present; Luke online @raponikoff on Twitter and on Skywalker (The Force Awakens), Generic ancientlogic.blogspot.com. Gwendolyn Clare's debut novel, Ink, Jedi. 501st Legion (501st.com), New England Iron and Glass, is the first in a steampunk Garrison, 2016 - Present. Mandalorian Mercs Alex Cumming duology about a young mad scientist (mandalorianmercs.com), Firaxan Clan, with the ability to write new worlds into 2017 - Present. Costumes: Sith Lantern, M.J. Cunniff is a PhD student at Brown existence, coming out Feb 20, 2018 from Darth Vader, Assasith Creed, Jedi, Luke University, interested in poetry, ecopoetics, Imprint/Macmillan. Her short fiction has Skywalker (TFA), Mandalorian, Imperial feminism, queer theory, and representations appeared in Asimov’s, Analog, Fantasy & Officers. of alterity (or, for the elevator pitch, "gay Science Fiction, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies, witches and weird trees from 1400 to 2017.") among others. She teaches college biology Corbin Covault is on the faculty of They are also a poetry editor at Strange in central Pennsylvania. the physics department at Case Western Horizons. Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio where Zachary Clemente lives in Boston he teaches physics (usually introductory Leo d'Entremont has been a and writes for and about comics. He's been physics) and conducts research in contributing panelist at Arisia for ten years, published at least once and helps run MICE. experimental astrophysics, specifically high speaking on topics ranging from costuming Office hours are at Diesel Cafe, typically energy cosmic ray physics and ground-based to gender issues to Star Trek to autism. He's 7AM-10AM Mondays and Thursdays. gamma-ray astronomy. He is also pursing a biologist, veteran, published author, EMT, research in observational optical SETI. and all-round nerd. He's currently working LJ Cohen is a novelist, poet, blogger, on a book about gender issues in the United ceramics artist, Whovian, and relentless Donald S. Crankshaw has a Ph.D. in States. If you offer him a nice Scotch, he'll optimist. After almost twenty-five years electrical engineering from MIT, which was happily sit down with you and talk about as a physical therapist, LJ now uses her more useful for writing fantasy than he had almost anything. He's still amazed that his clinical skills to injure characters in her expected, though less helpful for writing fabulous wife lets him run around at Arisia science fiction and fantasy novels. Parallax science fiction than he had hoped. He has unsupervised. (Halcyone Space Book 4), her 7th novel, was previously published stories in Nature published in 2017. She lives outside Boston Futures, Daily Science Fiction, and Black Garen Daly with her family, her dogs, and the occasional Gate. In 2016, he and his wife, Kristin Janz, international student. www.ljcohen.net published the anthology Mysterion. Gillian Daniels lives, writes, and creates art in Somerville, MA. After Will Coon designs secret dating sims for Deirdre Crimmins is a Cleveland- attending the 2011 Clarion Writing government agencies. based film and literature critic. Primarily Workshop, she has had poetry and prose focused on horror film, she also has a published in Apex Magazine, Beneath Todd Cooper is a consummate computer place in her heart for science fiction and Ceaseless Skies, Fireside Fiction, Strange geek. Todd has a BA in Computer Science fantasy. You can find her writing at Birth. Horizons, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, from Colgate University as well as an MBA Movies.Death, Rue Morgue magazine, and and other venues. She's also a local theater and Masters in Computer Science from FilmThrills.com. 33 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D) critic with The New England Theatre Tom Deady's first novel, Haven, won blogs, and upcoming events, find him Geek blog. She blogs and sometimes posts the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior online: xero.seedarkly.com drawings at www.gilliandaniels.com. Achievement in a First Novel. Tom's second novel, Eternal Darkness, was released in Clay Dockery For all your late-night dancing needs, early 2017. His novella, Weekend Getaway, Danner provides downtempo music to will be available later this year from N.S. Dolkart is the author of two-and- feel the flow. Focusing on fusion partner Grinning Skull Press. Tom also has a young a-half novels: Silent Hall, its sequel Among dance, he'll provide the beats necessary adult series for which he is seeking agent the Fallen, and the half-finished A Breach to connect with other dancers. Bring representation. Tom has a Master's Degree in the Heavens, which will be published by whatever dance styles you have, you'll be in English and creative writing from SNHU. Angry Robot Books in October. By day he able to incorporate them. Flow arts also He resides in Massachusetts where he is is the Memory Care Director at an assisted November 23‐25, 2018 at the Radisson North Baltimore Necessity encouraged! working on his next novel. living residence, a career that has bled into his writing only a little. He is a fine Jo Walton has published thirStarlings, teen novels, most recently . She has Christopher K. Davis is a long-time Angela DeCarlis is a classically trained upstanding citizen, despite his mysterious also published three poetry coGuest of Honor: Jo Walton llections, an essay collection, Tooth reader of science fiction, player of board portrait artist, contra dance caller, graphic love for epic fantasy. and and Claw a collection of short stories. She won the John W. Campbell Among Others games, and computer systems wrangler. designer, and jazz singer. Whether she's Award for Best New Writer in 2002, the World Fantasy Award for My Real Children drawing musicians, scatting vocals at a Debra Doyle is a science fiction and in 2004, the Hugo and Nebula awards for in An avid gamer (role-playing and miniatures) fantasy writer living in northern New What Makes This Book So Great contra dance, or teaching musicians how 2012, and in 2014 both the Tiptree Award for and the and reader (sci-fi and fantasy, mainly) since to process their experiences through visual England. She has a Ph.D. in English from Locus Non Fiction award for . She comes early adolescence, T. Christopher art forms like Crankies, you will always find the University of Pennsylvania, and does Davis is now an amateur game designer her frolicking at the interstices of her many freelance editorial and critique work from Wales but lives in Montreal where the food and books are much and writer, as the love for the written word beloved communities. Her work can be seen when she isn't writing. Her most recent better. She gets bored easily so she tends to write books that are different has grabbed hold and taken control of his online at www.angeladecarlis.com. publications (co-written with her husband from each other. Her work includes two alternate histories, a trilogy about soul. Now he only hopes to find a buyer for James D. Macdonald) include the short gods and robots setting up Plato's Republic, an urban fantasy, a domestic what he loves to write so that he may do Daniel P. Dern stories "One Night in Bavari" in Conspiracy!, fantasy, a sentimental Victorian novel where all the characters are much more of it. from NESFA Press, and "Gertrude of dragons, and she is presently working on a book she describes as Alexa Dickman is a blogger who runs Wyoming" in Altered States of the Union, "Savonarola Groundhog Day". She also reads a lot, enjoys travel, theatre, Randee Dawn is a Brooklyn-based author the Ladies Making Comics Tumblr (www. from Crazy 8 Press. talking about books, and eating great food. She plans to live to be ninety‐nine and write a book every year. and journalist whose stories have been ladiesmakingcomics.com). She is also a published in Fantasia Divinity, Well-Told member of the Boston Comics Roundtable Michelle Driscoll lives in Western Tales and the Children of a Different Sky (though currently living in the DC-area) Massachusetts with 3 partners (who can anthology, among others. She is the author and an avid comics historian who runs the be found running Fast Track) and their Dr. Crowell teaches music theory and music appreciation at a local North of the short story collection Home for Women in Comics wiki (womenincomics. three kids. She has hosted relationship Alabama community college as well as private piano lessons out Music Guest of Honor: Mary Crowell of her home the Holidays and co-author of the Law & wikia.com). She's also a newly-minted IP discussion groups of many sorts in the poly studio. She loves to write songs about mythology, gaming, beagles, Order: SVU Unofficial Companion. When nerd. Her other interests include fanfiction, and kink worlds, and has been involved in pomegranates, and lately ‐‐ running. She has been enjoying the challenge of not making stuff up she is a journalist who the leadership of Transcending Boundaries, buying books she has no time to read, writing a song per week (or more) since the beginning of 2017 as part of an writes for outlets including Variety, the L.A. making her own tea blends, and young, Inc. She identifies as queer, femme, online songwriters group. She also makes short quirky midi compositions and Times and the Today Show. Her Westie, scrappy and hungry founding fathers. polyamorous, and geek-adjacent. Birdie, says, "Rowf!" arranges piano music, violin and piano duets, marimba duets, and more! These DJ Dirge (Allure, Excess, Haven) is known Thom Dunn is a writer, musician, past two years she’s been �ilming and editing fun music videos with a host of Julie C. Day has published over two for his raucous parties and genre-defying and new media artist. He is a published incredibly creative people (including her son Simon Crowell and her husband dozen stories in magazines such as mixing. Dirge is the resident DJ at several fiction and comic book author, a former Wesley Crowell) for her patrons on Patreon. Interzone, Podcastle, Black Static, and dance nights in and around Boston and Playwriting Fellow at Boston's Huntington Dr. Crowell is active in several bands, but primarily gigs with Play It With Electric Velocipede. Her first collection, New England. Dirge's musical selections Theatre Company, and a writer for the New Moxie and Three Weird Sisters, releasing respectively Play It With Moxie, Live! Uncommon Miracles, is forthcoming range from EBM, IDM, electro, dubstep, York Times' Wirecutter, Upworthy, and (2012) and, Third Thyme’s the Charm (2012). Both bands were created in the from PS Publishing. Julie holds an MFA new wave, goth, and rock. Never one to hold other sites. Thom enjoys mythophysics, greater Atlanta area of Georgia through the GAFIA �ilk community, but now in creative writing from the University of back, Dirge infuses energy and excitement robots and whiskey, and Oxford commas, include members living in London, England; Toronto, Ontario; anMembership Ratesd the Southern Maine and a Masters of Science into every event. Dirge is New England's and firmly believes that Journey’s “Don’t Midwest. Adult Age 12‐18 Under 12 in microbiology from the University of only living-dead DJ, playing music to wake Stop Believing” is the single greatest Through December 31, 2017 Massachusetts. You can find her at the dead. atrocity ever committed against mankind. @thisjulieday or on her blog stillwingingit. He is represented by the Kepner Agency. Through March 15, 2018 $45 $35 Free com. Café writing and long baths with paper DJ Xero (Haven, Excess), an operative thomdunn.net / @thomdunn Through November 1, 2018 $50 $40 Free books are also a thing. of SeeDarkly™, has spun regularly in New At Door England's dark alternative goth-industrial $55 $45 Free dance club scene since 2006. He also writes $60 $45 Free a weekly blog about dark-alternative cover songs and their origins. For mixes, playlists, Full programming tracks in science �iction, fantasy, feminism, myths, music, costuming, and steampunk! Workshops, vendors, meet & greets, dances, gaming, author readings, bardic circle, and much more! 34 November 23‐25, 2018 at the Radisson North Baltimore Necessity

Jo Walton has published thirStarlings, teen novels, most recently . She has also published three poetry coGuest of Honor: Jo Walton llections, an essay collection, Tooth and and Claw a collection of short stories. She won the John W. Campbell Among Others Award for Best New Writer in 2002, the World Fantasy Award for My Real Children in 2004, the Hugo and Nebula awards for What Makes This Book So Great in 2012, and in 2014 both the Tiptree Award for and the Locus Non Fiction award for . She comes from Wales but lives in Montreal where the food and books are much better. She gets bored easily so she tends to write books that are different from each other. Her work includes two alternate histories, a trilogy about gods and robots setting up Plato's Republic, an urban fantasy, a domestic fantasy, a sentimental Victorian novel where all the characters are dragons, and she is presently working on a book she describes as "Savonarola Groundhog Day". She also reads a lot, enjoys travel, theatre, talking about books, and eating great food. She plans to live to be ninety‐nine and write a book every year.

Dr. Crowell teaches music theory and music appreciation at a local North Alabama community college as well as private piano lessons out Music Guest of Honor: Mary Crowell of her home studio. She loves to write songs about mythology, gaming, beagles, pomegranates, and lately ‐‐ running. She has been enjoying the challenge of writing a song per week (or more) since the beginning of 2017 as part of an online songwriters group. She also makes short quirky midi compositions and arranges piano music, violin and piano duets, marimba duets, and more! These past two years she’s been �ilming and editing fun music videos with a host of incredibly creative people (including her son Simon Crowell and her husband Wesley Crowell) for her patrons on Patreon. Dr. Crowell is active in several bands, but primarily gigs with Play It With Moxie and Three Weird Sisters, releasing respectively Play It With Moxie, Live! (2012) and, Third Thyme’s the Charm (2012). Both bands were created in the greater Atlanta area of Georgia through the GAFIA �ilk community, but now include members living in London, England; Toronto, Ontario; anMembership Ratesd the Midwest. Adult Age 12‐18 Under 12 Through December 31, 2017

Through March 15, 2018 $45 $35 Free Through November 1, 2018 $50 $40 Free At Door $55 $45 Free $60 $45 Free

Full programming tracks in science �iction, fantasy, feminism, myths, music, costuming, and steampunk! Workshops, vendors, meet & greets, dances, gaming, author readings, bardic circle, and much more! PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

You've seen Greykell (werewulf!!) America, both as a podcaster and with Lily Fehler is a cosplayer, theatrical Dutton before in the morning at coat his comedy band The Sponge Awareness costumer, costume historian, historical check, or backstage at the masquerade and Foundation, as heard on The Doctor seamstress, and an MA candidate at the starting in 2017 on random panels. She is a Demento Show. Kevin is also an organizer Fashion Institute of Technology in historic professional mom, a master of a ridiculous and event host for Boston Skeptics, a group textile conservation. Her special interests number of eclectic skills and was the Arisia of nerds promoting science and critical are Spanish traditional costume, 19th Fan Guest of Honor in 2017. Volunteering thinking. century fashion, and the dress of working is life! Fun is the most important discipline women in the early 20th century. She has of all! Lyndsay Ely is the author of Gunslinger won awards for her costumes at Arisia and in Girl, which is her debut novel. She spent her other major competitions, the most recent Katarina Dutton teenage years wanting to be a comic book at New York Comic Con and Anime Boston. artist but, as it turned out, she couldn’t draw Find her on Instagram @albinoshadowfire Jill Eastlake is a Master Costumer and very well, so she began writing instead. An Lifetime Achievement Award winner is the inhabitant of Boston, she spends her free Alex Feinman hacks hackers for a living: International Costumers’ Guild. She has run time pursuing the best cocktails in the city, he helps design a programming language Masquerades at Arisia, Costume-Con, and searching thrift stores for hidden treasures, used by millions worldwide. His sci-fi Worldcons. As part of a group costume she and lurking around local cons. thriller Duplicate and cyberpunk series has also won Best in Show for Presentation We Were Gods are available online. he is at Noreascon 4. She has participated on Ruthanna Emrys is the author currently finishing up a YA fantasy novel. staff and committees for Arisias, Boskones, of Winter Tide, the first book in the Worldcons, and Costume-Cons. And, she is Innsmouth Legacy series. Deep Roots Feklar42 I am a fan of crushing the a recruiter, so beware as she lures you into is forthcoming in July 2018. Ruthanna patriarchy and fighting the spread of something fun and exciting! co-writes Tor.com's Lovecraft Reread, and banality. Otherwise, I enjoy science writes short stories about religion and fiction and fantasy pro- and fanworks: TV, Gaia Eirich I am a master costumer and aliens and psycholinguistics. She lives in a movies, books, comics, anime, cartoons, I have been costuming at conventions for mysterious manor house on the outskirts games, fanfiction, and fanvids. I would almost twenty years. I have been sewing and of Washington, DC with her wife and their happily spend hours a day in coffee shops creating costumes in a wide variety of forms large, strange family. She makes home-made fancasting books and comics, or debating including fantasy, historical, and anime vanilla, gives unsolicited advice, and who's boinking whom, who's doing shots costumes for conventions and commissions, occasionally attempts to save the world. with whom, and, of course, who would beat belly dance costumes for a studio, wedding whom in karaoke. FTR, the answer to all dresses, accessories, and also basic quilt- Anna Erishkigal is an attorney who three is Xena. making. I am also the secretary of the writes fiction under a pen-name so her Greater Columbia Fantasy Costumer's colleagues don't question whether her Lisa Batya Feld is a writer and editor Guild (GCFCG), the local chapter of the legal pleadings are fantasy fiction as well. who won the Glenna Luschei Award for her International Costumer's Guild (ICG). Much of law, it turns out, is fantasy fiction. short story "Fracture." She lives in Boston, Lawyers just prefer to call it "zealously where she is currently at work on multiple Genevieve Iseult Eldredge writes representing your client." novels. angsty LGBTQ urban fantasy YA romance — where girls who are mortal enemies kick Christine Evans Sara Felix butt, take names, and fall in love against all odds. She enjoys long hikes in the woods, Lisa Evans Writing, costuming, Mr. Ferguson is a math teacher at a believing in fairies (in fact, she's clapping researching, reenacting, gaming, even co- school for students with above average right now), being a self-rescuing princess, founding one of the oldest college science intelligence and emotional differences. He and writing diverse books about teenage fiction clubs in the country — I've done is also a youth sword instructor, so please girls finding love, romance, and their own it all, and then some. Ask me about my ask him if you want your children to learn inner power. She might be planning high tea feminist/fannish agenda! the knightly art of the sword. and he is a at the Fae Court right now. Her Circuit Fae storyteller with over 25 years' experience, series is taking Amazon and Goodreads by Wonder Wendy Farrell is an award although some would say the first ten years storm! winning costume designer with Wonder don't count because he wasn't over 18 yet. Wendy & Friends. She is a member of Kevin Eldridge hosts The Flopcast, a the Northern Lights Costumers Guild Fish ridiculous weekly podcast about comics, (NOEL). Her fabric hoard is both a source conventions, Saturday morning cartoons, of inspiration and frustration. Her nerd Greg R. Fishbone is the author of 70s and 80s pop culture, and rubber family enjoys travelling to cons for fun and books for young readers including the chickens. He has performed at clubs, adventures. Galaxy Games series of sporty sci-fi novels, coffeehouses, and conventions throughout featuring a team of Earth kids competing

36 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D) against aliens across the Milky Way. His Psychosis #2. He's editor and co-publisher does everything James Joyce ever did, only current project takes Mycenaean gods and of Dangerous Times and New Frontiers backward and in high heels. monsters in a new direction of myth-based for Evolution Comics, and a producer and fantasy. More info at gfishbone.com host for two radio shows on WBAI-FM in Julia Gilstein is a fantasy writer, editor, NYC: one on ecology and one on comic medievalist, tea addict, and cosplayer. Colette H. Fozard has been keeping books. He was on the board of the Celtic She’s a member of the Boston Speculative SF and anime conventions running for more League American Branch and a former math Fiction Writing Group, New England than twenty years. Her love of working at textbook writer. www.comicbookradioshow. Asexuals, Boston Sci-Fi/Fantasy Meetup conventions has led to a professional event- com Group, Historyphiles, and Dress Up Boston. planning career and she is the Director of Julia lives north of Boston and—when her Operations for the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Games by Play Date is a game design nose isn’t buried in a book—can often be Street Festival in Washington, DC each and publishing studio centered in southern found procrastinating on Etsy, perusing spring — the largest one-day celebration of New Hampshire. They make analog games the NaNoWriMo forums, and stealing her Japanese Culture in the United States. She that interest them and hopefully you. roommate’s lapdog. Keep up with Julia on served as Vice Chair of Worldcon 75 and is Twitter @JGilstein. a DDH in Facilication for Dublin 2019, an Craig Shaw Gardner is the author of Irish Worldcon. a bunch of books and short stories, many of Larissa Glasser is a librarian, genre which are now being released as e-books. writer, and queerAF trans woman from William Frank, aka "scifantasy," is His latest novel, Temporary Monsters, Boston. Her work has appeared in Wicked a geek and lawyer, in roughly that order. features an unemployment agency that Haunted (New England Horror Writers), Professionally, he is an in-house trademark secretly controls the world. Tragedy Queens: stories inspired by Lana counsel, has interned for the Electronic Del Rey and Sylvia Plath (Clash Books), Frontier Foundation and the Creative Jaime Garmendia is the Convention and Resilience: a collection of stories by Commons, and was a computer programmer Chair of Arisia 2018. He is also a member trans writers (Heartspark Press). Her debut before he turned to evil—err, law. Fannishly, of the Boston Comics Roundtable novella F4 is available from Eraserhead he has interests in pretty much everything, where he writes, produces, publicizes, Press. She is a Member at Large of Broad entered fandom through filk, and was Vice- and markets independent comics of all Universe. She is on Twitter @larissaeglasser Administrator of the 2016 Hugo Awards. genres. His first published game is the and blogs at https://larissaglasser.com/. This is Will's eighth Arisia, his sixth as a Wuxing Empire expansion for Your Move panelist. Games' Battleground. He has run both the Mehitabel Glenhaber Programming and Exhibits Divisions in past Terry Franklin, from Amherst, MA, years. In his secret identity, he is a lifelong Tanya Gold is a book editor, writing has written science fiction and science public servant. coach, and literary omnivore. She works on journalism, along with being a political fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. It activist, and book lover. His new novel is Dr. Pamela Gay is an astronomer, writer, has been suggested that she owns too many Winter Dream. and podcaster focused on using new media dictionaries for her own good. to engage people in science and technology. Adam Fromm is a musician, writer, She works as the Director of Technology and Ana Gondring crossword constructor, the bearded half of Citizen Science at the Astronomical Society folk duo Murder Ballads, and a man with of the Pacific. Through cosmoquest.org, Timothy Goyette was born, raised, and insufficient control over his hair's daily she engages people in learning and doing lives in New Hampshire. He is the Editor of activities. He has recently moved to the science. Join me as we map our solar system Quantum Muse, an online webzine. He runs wilds of Rhode Island in a bid to bolster his in unprecedented detail through our citizen the online writing groups at Quantum Muse. underdog status, and between songwriting, science projects, and learn astronomy He is also the editor of Quantum Muse performing, procrastinating on editing that through media productions like Astronomy Books. He has a collection of short stories same damn novel, and commuting daily Cast. titled Digital Voodoo and a far future science to Lexington for reasons even he doesn't fiction novel, Lockdown. understand, he keeps pretty busy. Can be Tiptree, World Fantasy, Greer Gilman, bribed with Thai food. of the Gilman kind, writes and has written Anabel Graetz has helped professional of Jonson and Cloud; gives airy nothing singers solve serious problems and helped Ed Fuqua a life and a larynx, in Mythopoetical thousands conquer the fear of singing. Ink, and aloud. Her mythic fantasies are Trained in Bel Canto, studied on a Fulbright Bernie Gabin Cloud & Ashes: Three Winter's Tales and Fellowship in Bulgaria; sings with the Moonwise. Her metaphysical mysteries Victorian duo The Proper Ladies (a.k.a. The Ken Gale's first published story, "Swords set in 1600 London are Cry Murder! In a Bawdy Ladies) creator of The Festival of in the World Series," was recently reprinted Small Voice (Shirley Jackson Award) and Light & Song and the all-woman ensemble by Dark Horse, and he also had sales to Exit, Pursued by a Bear. She likes to say she Laduvane. Screen credits: Mrs. Merriman in DC Comics. He had an eco-horror story in Olive Kitteridge; Ida in Ida’s 85th Birthday 37 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Party; on the escalator with John Lithgow in Katie Hallahan is an award-winning two national LGBTQ rights organizations. Daddy’s Home 2; and Ruth in the upcoming game designer, co-owner and founder of She lives in San Francisco with her partner Island Zero. Phoenix Online Studios, lifelong sci-fi and and two floofy cats. fantasy reader and writer, TV junkie (and April Grant lives in Somerville, MA. She sometimes reviewer), incorrigible snarker, Wes Hazard has published poetry in Strange Horizons shipper, and Boston native. In her day job, and Mythic Delirium. She is a singer, she's also a mild-mannered editor and Jeff Hecht writes about science and storyteller, and poet. content strategist. technology for magazines including New Scientist, IEEE Spectrum, Nature, Optics Sidney J Hackney is a software engineer Phillip Hallam-Baker & Photonics News and Sky & Telescope on (read: professional nerd) and an admin for topics from planetary science and lasers to the occasionally-rabid fan group Boston Forest Handford is a fire artist dinosaurs. His short fiction has appeared Whovians! Though largely composed of from Berlin, MA. Forest works as an in Nature Futures, Analog, Asimov's, Daily cat hair, Sidney is indeed human and a engineering manager at Affectiva. While Science Fiction, Twilight Zone, Interzone, long-time fan of all things geek. One-time not at work, he's bringing his family Odyssey and several anthologies. His books artists alley artist and avid cosplayer, they on wacky adventures. His website is include Understanding Lasers and City of have played through the entirety of Resident EastCoastGames.com, where he publishes Light: The Story of Fiber Optics and he is Evil 5 — twice. video and writings about various topics. writing a history of laser weapons. He recently founded VoteSquared.org, the Abby Hafer is a professor of anatomy site for rating politicians. Forest is currently Alec Heller and physiology. She has a D.Phil. in zoology working on publishing a novel called Cyber from Oxford University and gives frequent Revolution about gender equity in tech and Lisa Hertel is an artist from a long line public lectures debunking Creationism, how tech companies can fight against bad of artists (to be continued). She mostly Intelligent Design, and the gender binary. governments. works in clay and watercolors, but also uses Her book, The Not-So-Intelligent Designer: alcohol inks, encaustics (painting with wax), Why Evolution Explains the Human Body Buzz Harris is a former Arisia conchair, and more. In her spare time, she helps run and Intelligent Design Does Not, has been and, in his real life, was the Executive science fiction conventions, including being followed by a chapter on "Christianity in Director of the Ida B. Wells Center for the chair of Arisia 2014. Before becoming the Light of Science" in the upcoming book Investigative Journalism. He recently retired an artist, Lisa was a pharmacist for over 25 Women v. Religion and co-authorship of the to take up life as a professional mosaic artist years. Visit her, along with 300 other artists, upcoming book Darwin’s Apostles. (and sometime troublemaker). at Western Avenue Studios in Studio #109 in Lowell, where she offers art classes for James Hailer is a writer, artist and Morgana Hartman has been reading children and adults. adventurer born and raised in Boston manga for most of her life, and has written Massachusetts. Sometimes he's writing about anime and manga for Amazing Stories For the past three decades Hilary L. science fiction, sometimes he's doing Magazine, The Mary Sue, and Kronos' Hertzoff has assisted on and off with science experiments in his garage. On top Speakeasy. She has been the manga buyer various con committees, and participated of that he writes and draws the web comic, and manager at Comicopia in Kenmore in both rl and online fan communities. Myanmar Folktales, learns more languages Square for the last two and a half years. Her current projects include volunteering than people know exist and travels the world When she's not chin-deep in manga... with Archive of Our Own and co-modding eating all the best food. When he's not well, she's pretty much always chin-deep Yuletide, a multifandom fanfic exchange, splitting infinitives or atoms he's planning a in manga. But she also likes tea, cats, when she's not working as a children's wedding for his lovely wife and himself this bishonen, and ghosts. Follow her on Twitter librarian. She's also owned by two bunnies. October. @MorganaRhalina for more rants about They'll tell you that this is the most being a professional nerd. important thing to know about her, but Andrea Hairston is author of Will they're biased. Do Magic For Small Change, finalist for the Glenn Hauman Mythopoeic Award, Lambda Award, Tiptree Andy Hicks is the producer and co-host Award, and a New York Times Editor’s pick. Rose Hayes is an engineering director of the Coal Hill AV Club podcast and a Other novels include: Redwood and Wildfire, at Google, where she has lead a variety of producer for WGBH in Boston, where he's a Tiptree and Carl Brandon Award winner, machine intelligence projects, including worked on projects for Stories From The and Mindscape, winner of a Carl Brandon the Knowledge Graph. She's been an avid Stage, The Curiosity Desk, and Downton Award. She has also published essays, plays, science fiction fan since she was 8 years Abbey. He's an actor, musician, video and short fiction, and received grants from old and attended her first science fiction artist, sound designer, and fuzzy-headed the NEA, Rockefeller Foundation, and Ford convention at the age of 16 (Boskone, as dreamer with a heart of gold. He's also been Foundation. Andrea is a professor of theatre Arisia did not exist yet). She is active in published in Outside In Makes It So, Why and Africana studies at Smith College. LGBTQ rights and serves on the board of I Geek, and You On Target, and performs

38 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Doctor Who based rap battles on Youtube. Steven Hirsch has a doctorate in swing dancing, smashing the kyriarchy, and He hasn't slept since election day, either. physical therapy. He has been training with drinking tea. swords since 2006 and unarmed martial Woodrow Hill arts since 1998, first with the Higgins and Diana Hsu has been involved with now teaching at his own school, Athena conventions of one sort or another since Ellie Hillis is an essayist, game School of Arms. Steven is also a professional 2005, and has been speaking about issues designer, comics historian and cosplayer. strength coach focusing on performance around race, feminism, and social justice Her work has been featured on sites such for combat sports and martial artists, his in fan spaces since 2011. For more of the as Rogue's Portal, Geek League of America, business is Fight with All Your Strength. Diana Experience, follow her on Twitter at Planet Zeist and The Geek Initiative. A @dromeda. She makes no guarantees about graduate of Smith College, she wrote her Cate Hirschbiel is the host of quality. senior thesis, The Surviving Superheroines, the Shakesplaining podcast. She enjoys with Professor N. C. Christopher Couch. consuming lots of media in the form of Walter H. Hunt A co-editor at Density Media, and a books, podcasts, television shows, and motivating force behind the Zine Games movies. She will happily go on at length Felicitas Ivey movement, she has written and created a about a number of topics including Game variety of RPGs. You can find her work at of Thrones, Outlander, Shakespeare, Alexander Jablokov's most recent elliehillis.com. superheroes, and the future of libraries. She published story was "How Sere Picked Up also plays lots of games. In her professional Her Laundry," the first of a series. His most Lee C. Hillman (Gwendolyn capacity she promotes the use of the college recent novel is Brain Thief, a fast-paced AI- Grace) Since dying at the age of 13 library by hanging posters and giving away hunting adventure, now out in paperback. months, "Gwenly" has amassed a number candy. His most recent story, "The Return of Black of vocations, including author, editor, actor, Murray" will appear in Asimov's. He is singer, songwriter, conference planner, Merav Hoffman the author of five other novels, including administrator, role-player, fanfic writer, Carve the Sky, Nimbus, and Deepdrive, SCA Laurel, and big damn geek. A native of Anastasia Holt I have been sewing and a number of short stories. He lives in western New York and proud Bostonian for for 15 years, I have been competing and Cambridge, Massachusetts. many years, she was most recently spotted costuming for about 9 years. I have learned as an independent contractor in Pittsburgh, many techniques from the many mentors Colin Janson has been an anime and where she hopes her genderfluid, atheist, and friends I possess. I am constantly manga fan since the halycon days when bisexual liberal vote will make more of learning about different things like armor Gundam Wing was airing on Toonami. He a difference. She finds pronoun choice and beading. I am still honing my skills reads a whole bunch of manga and has a stressful. as a costumer and am always eager to Crunchyroll subscription, so he's about as teach others what I know. I have recently qualified as you, probably. Naomi Hinchen is a video game been getting more and more interested developer who lives in Cambridge. She fills in historical costuming as well as more Victoria Janssen reviews for Publishers up her spare time by having far too many interested in original designs. Weekly. Her last novel, The Duke and hobbies, including theater, singing and the Pirate Queen, is fantasy erotica from playing music, cooking, square dancing Melissa Honig is the lead organizer Harlequin (2010). "Cinema Fantastique" and various forms of writing. She also for the Watch City Steampunk Festival in appears in Best Lesbian Erotica of the occasionally blogs at asinclinationleadsme. Waltham, MA, and likes to hang out with Year, Volume 2. For a full publications list, wordpress.com, usually about various bits of the New England Browncoats and the visit victoriajanssen.com. Other interests pop culture. Boston SciFi/Fantasy Meetup Group. She include fan fiction, fan studies, comics, and enjoys steampunk, costuming, weird crafts, fighting the patriarchy. She’s on Twitter @ James Hinsey is a lifelong lover of science and playing with the stuff she finds while victoriajanssen. fiction, fantasy, books, movies, TV shows, trying to clean up the craft room so she anime, '80s music, women, root beer, doesn't have to finish cleaning up. Kristin Janz was born in Vancouver, chocolate, Hawaii, Japan and family. He is Canada, and has moved across the continent half-Japanese, a reader, Potterhead, Trekker, Ariela Housman works in tech by three times, most recently to the Boston Browncoat, Costumer, book-collector, day and moonlights as a professional area in 1998. She is a Clarion West graduate model-maker, videographer, con-goer, calligrapher and scribe. In 2016 she founded whose fiction has appeared in Escape Pod, RISFC member, Sci-Fi Journal co-host, Psi Geek Calligraphy to bring her day job Daily Science Fiction, and On Spec. Along Upsilon brother, RPI alum, former naval and night jobs together. A geek of many with her husband, Donald S. Crankshaw, officer, brother, son, uncle, husband and flavors, Ariela consumes SFF in most media, she is a co-editor/publisher of the 2016 father of two young women. He is currently including novels, comics, TV, and movies. anthology Mysterion: Rediscovering the Arisia '17 Masquerade Director. SamuraiX47. She also enjoys tabletop games, costuming, Mysteries of the Christian Faith — stories that engage meaningfully with Christianity from a variety of perspectives. 39 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Alex Jarvis is a meat popsicle. Keffy R.M. Kehrli is a science fiction actually trying shoemaking, soapmaking, writer and editor. He runs the LGBTQ short wet felting, and dyeing. Aliza Jasmine fiction and poetry magazine GlitterShip, which can be found at www.glittership.com. Jeremy H. Kessler lives in Greater Clayton Jennings His own fiction has appeared in Lightspeed, Boston, where he is an instigator, singer, Apex Magazine and Uncanny among others. morris dancer, musician, cheesemaker, Frederic Jennings He is currently located underneath several drinker, and co-developer of the only dogs on Long Island while working on a known kosher boar's head. He co-runs local Emperor Joey-1 is a writer, cartoonist, PhD in genetics. He can be found blogging traditional sings like pub and chantey sings. beauty contest champion, and the part time at keffy.com and tweeting as @Keffy. He is the squire of the only Greater Boston party time Emperor of the United States of morris team to dance the AntiMorris. He America. Jeff Keller is a Boston-area song session danced the AntiMorris for Terry Pratchett leader, chantey singer, and occasional filker himself, and is quite proud that said author Lenore Jean Jones is a mostly-retired who has been working to expand, enrich, described it—in Wintersmith's author's tax accountant who lives near NYC with and revitalize Music Track since Arisia 2012. note—as "a bit creepy." one cousin and three cats. She has fond He's also a vintage dancer, the founder of the memories of living in the Boston area local vintage dance band (the Ad Hoc Waltz Dr. Roy Kilgard is an astrophysicist who during part of her childhood. Lenore has and Quadrille Band), and has done time researches black holes in nearby galaxies worked Registration, Finance, or Access at as a member of the Arisia technical crew with an emphasis on intermediate-mass many years of Worldcons, ran Registration and and as Music Track Manager as well as black holes: an enigmatic class of objects at WisCon for seven years, and works creating and running the Minstrel Program. whose origins are unclear, but which may Registration at Arisia at the restful minion help explain the supermassive black holes level. She hears much better when she can Rachel Kenley is a storyteller, muse and observed at the centers of galaxies. His see your face, is grateful for competent pleasure researcher. She loves retail therapy, lectures cover a wide variety of astronomical microphone use, and ecstatic when events anything to do with the movie The Wizard topics, including black holes and galaxies, are live captioned. of Oz, and inspiring others to look into their X-ray astronomy, historical astronomy, and own stories to find what they desire most. astrostatistics. He is also an incurable nit- Juliet Kahn has been covering comics She is the author of several novels, most picker of sci-fi minutiae. professionally for three years, primarily for recently the Melusine's Daughters mermaid Comics Alliance and Publishers Weekly. Her trilogy. She is also the co-host of Dragons, Andrew Kilgore first graphic novel, Fabiola & Ylini, will be Unicorns, and Other Creative Creatures on published by Oni Press in 2019. She is also YouTube (and NH cable TV) and can be Daniel M. Kimmel is a veteran film an employee of Hub Comics in Somerville's found online at www.rachelkenley.net. critic and author of Hugo finalist Jar Jar Union Square. Binks Must Die. His latest book is Time Paul Kenworthy is a military historian on My Hands: My Misadventures in Time Kate Kaynak was born and raised in and re-enactor with special expertise in Travel. He is moderator of the popular New Jersey, but she managed to escape. late medieval and renaissance polearm Movie Year in Review panel. His reviews After serving a five-year sentence in grad combat including armored combat. He can be found at NorthShoreMovies.net and school, she taught psychology around the was one of the co-founders of the Higgins Space and Time magazine. world for University of Maryland. While Armory Sword Guild, a group that interprets in Turkey, she started a conversation with historical fencing texts, In the summer he Born in 1967, Catt Kingsgrave- a handsome stranger in an airport… and is a National Park Service Ranger at a 17th Ernstein has not yet managed to ended up marrying him. They now live century historical site and in the winter he shuffle off the mortal coil, though not in New Hampshire with their three kids, teaches at Worcester State University. He for want of trying, apparently. She writes where she founded Spencer Hill Press in relaxes by practicing kyudo, traditional (fiction, music, poetry, recipes, and the 2010 and wrote the Ganzfield series. She now Japanese archery. occasional political rant), draws, paints, facilitates leadership programs with The sings, dances, cooks, builds and repairs Jennings Group. In an effort to make all the things, Angela houses, and occasionally makes an outright Kessler has so far tried sewing, crochet, fool of herself when confronted with her Megan Kearns is a film critic and the knitting, needle felting, embroidery, intellectual heroes. She also has Opinions. Managing Editor of Bitch Flicks. Her work bookbinding, rugbraiding, woodburning, No, wait! Don't run! has also appeared at Women and Hollywood, cheesemaking, canning, glass etching, lucet Bitch Media, Silver Century Foundation, and cord, and tablet weaving (varying from a Ken Kingsgrave-Ernstein is by Everyday Feminism, among other sites and single completed project through decades of day is a systems engineer with a strong publications. She's also a feminist vegan and experience). She also enjoys morris dance, problem-solving background. At night, on a life-long sci-fi fan. Kalevala storytelling, and singing. She has the weekends, and especially at conventions, studied but has not yet gotten around to

40 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

he is a photographer, costumer, crafter, and to provide a positive atmosphere that can be found frequently at Blues Union kinkster, and occasional stage technician. is both friendly and welcoming to all. They on Thursday nights, behind the DJ booth want you to come join their musical family or on the dance floor, and has DJed for Kirkette is a hobbyist cosplayer and and enjoy the nights with some of the best dancers from Burlington, VT to Dallas, part-time human being based out of Boston, music, friends, and vibes around. TX. She obsesses over collecting early 20th Massachusetts. She enjoys reading frankly century blues & jazz, along with musical ludicrous amounts of fanfiction and falling Asher Kory is a former literary agent instruments, art supplies, books, and asleep every night on silk sheets in a pile of turned software developer. They are cosplay pieces. dogs. Kirkette thinks that Batman Forever is a homebrewer, costumer, muay thai the best Batman movie of all time and she enthusiast, and they are a member of the Jason Kuehl will fight anyone to defend this conviction. 501st Legion and Rebel Legion Star Wars costuming organizations. They play roller Alisa Kwitney is a freelance editor Johnna Y. Klukas After a ten-year career derby as Jedi Mind Trix for the Long Island and the author of the DC Comics prestige in the defense and high-tech industries, Roller Rebels. miniseries Mystik U, which features Zatanna Johnna left the engineering world to become and other magical folks in their first year a full-time artist and woodworker. She was Sioban Krzywicki I've had my first at a college for magic. Alisa’s newest novel, the Artist Guest of Honor at Arisia 2016. short story published in the Hidden Youth Cadaver & Queen, a feminist Frankenstein- anthology. I've been helping run Readercon meets-Grey’s Anatomy tale, will be Lauren Knowles for 5 years in various roles and am the published by Harlequin Teen in February of conchair for 2018. 2018. A former editor at Vertigo/DC Comics, KNTRL brings a futuristic soundscape to she recently founded and edits Liminal the dance music scene! KNTRL mixes and Better known as a ukulele-slinging Comics, an imprint of Brain Mill Press. blends some of the best techno, house, and singer-songwriter and bandleader, Amy electronic music from classics to the hits Kucharik has been a sought-after DJ for Adria Kyne of tomorrow. Their goal is to provide an swing and blues dance events on the local environment centered around the people and national scene since around 2010. She

AN IRISH WORLDCON

Guests of Honour Jocelyn Bell Burnell Ginjer Buchanan Mary & Bill Burns Diane Duane Steve Jackson Ian McDonald

Art by Iain Clark

“World Science Fiction Society”, “WSFS”, “World Science Fiction Convention”, “Worldcon”, “NASFiC” “Hugo Award”, the Hugo Award Logo, and the distinctive design of the Hugo Award Trophy Rocket are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Marnen Laibow-Koser is a composer Scott Lefton makes and sells artwork Vol. 1 and Boundless Vol. 1. Olivia is the and multi-instrumentalist, performing in media including metal, wood, glass, and co-director of Robot Camp, a new comics actively at concerts, theater productions, Photoshop, is occasionally serious about collective and publisher. Her favorite stories and folk dances in the Boston and New photography, and works as a freelance are about girls with magic and robots with York areas. When not doing that, he can be mechanical designer and patent agent. He feelings, and vice versa. found developing software, reading about lives in a big old Victorian house in Melrose, the dark corners of linguistics, engaging in MA with his wife Rachel. Brian Liberge is Brian. Other Brian corpus analysis on the Voynich Manuscript, descriptors include but are not limited to knitting fun lacy stuff, or doing weird kinky Genevieve Leonard is a New York- dad, genderqueer, queer, game designer, and things with consenting partners. For more based contemporary artist and educator. theatre "kid." information, check out www.marnen.org! She had the privilege to be associate director of Digital Art Programs (Visual Effects / Gordon Linzner is founder and editor Emily Lam is a whimsical wanderer. Motion Graphics, Film, Animation) and emeritus of Space and Time Magazine; Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in electrical department chair of Digital Filmmaking at author of several novels and scores of short engineering. Her interests are ever-changing the Art Institutes. She is an active member stories; freelance editor; licensed New York but they currently include climbing, biking, of ASIFA East and Women in Animation City tour guide; and front man for Saboteur and running — a.k.a. avoiding screens — and has since moved to the New York area, Tiger blues band. His latest story will appear and not quite fantastical or science fiction where she is creating independent short in the anthology Baker Street Irregulars II. related. Oops. Current book bag book: films. Genevieve continues to be a mentor The Wise Man's Fear; lab desk book: Norse by teaching 3D animation and digital Adam Lipkin Mythology; bedside book: The Strange Case production at Pratt Institute. of the Alchemist's Daughter. Jesi Lipp Ryan Leonard David Larochelle has been trained D. Little has been a teacher for nearly as both a computer scientist and social David Leung is the president of Boston twenty years at home and abroad, a sci-fi scientist and works to understand the world Jedi, a lightsaber stage combat troupe. Dave and fantasy enthusiast whose interests using both data analysis and social theory. draws on his background in competitive crisscross all sorts of fandoms, and a lifetime His involvement with fandom began when ballroom dancing and teaching karate to dabbler in various arts and crafts. Teaching he joined the William & Mary Science motivate and refine choreography. and learning is her lifeblood and she uses Fiction and Fantasy Club (SKIFFY). He her love of language, culture, art, science served as vice president and was named Jet Levy has sought to bring the worlds and physical movement to spark students' senator for life upon gradation. and cultures that have surrounded her curiosity, imaginations, hopes and dreams. together in explosions of color and As a Teacher-Monk-Warrior she is currently Cody Lazri juxtapositions of texture. Her work can be focused on becoming a master craft foam found splashing across the stage, perched alchemist with a focus in mask design. Cassandra Lease is a Boston native upon the page, blasted through comic and lifelong geek who writes on AO3 as books, woven in the fiber arts, breathing Mrs. Hawking, Ladies Champion Themiscyra, cosplays as Amazon Pink, and new life into up-cycled sustainable art of London (a.k.a. Chameleon’s Dish) is sculpts handmade clay charms under the installations, punctuating pop-up funnies, committed to producing low-cost, high- brand Cassandra's Strange Charms. Her and clarifying educational notation in quality performances, with a focus on favorite fandoms include Star Trek, Power morphologically descriptive diagrams. She is creative vision and excellence in acting. Rangers, Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant, an activist, educator, and organizer. Our core consists of a multi-talented group Wonder Woman, and Disney (especially of writers, directors, and performance and The Little Mermaid). In her spare time, she Megan Lewis is a librarian/archivist visual artists, whose skills combine to create enjoys playing tabletop RPGs and first- in a museum and thus has many books. productions that are provocative on artistic person shooters, visiting theme parks, She has a great fondness for biographical and conceptual levels. We are particularly devouring horror stories and films, and dictionaries. As a crocheter, she has invested in bringing our Shakespearean hanging with her cats. participated in several collaborative projects. training and historical interests to bear Megan has attended Arisia for over a decade upon new and relevant topics, through both John Lechner and works Art Show (come buy some art!) original pieces and bold re-interpretations of classic works from a socially conscious L.B. Lee is a multivarious entity who Olivia Li is a comics artist and editor perspective. www.mrshawking.com was raised by imaginary wolves in a based in New York City. Most recently, her subconscious barn. They make mental work has been published in Dirty Diamonds Bhadrika Love What I am: A psych health comics, draw pretty pictures, and #8: Sex (Sept 2017) and New Frontiers (July nurse. A psych NP, even. Short, pink, bi, write stories about reality melting. You 2017). She was head editor of two Boston cis. What I do: Knit. And write. Teach. Play should talk to them. Comics Roundtable anthologies, Spellbound games. But mostly knit. And bake bread. What I have: Too many pets. Also chickens. 42 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Lots of boots. Issues. Way too much yarn. A Neil Clarke’s More Human Than Human he knows: Norse poetry, Norse culture, plan. What I want: Happy, strong offspring. anthologies. He is the assistant editor for alliterative poetry in general (particularly Cinnamon. Hugs. Silliness. What I need: To myths, legends, and fairy tales at Cosmic Old English and 14th century), medieval look forward, not back. Patience. Roots and Eldritch Shores. (particularly English) poetry in general, medieval costuming, and medieval/ Mike Luoma writes and publishes science James D. Macdonald is a science Renaissance combat. Yes, he likes to fight, fiction and comic books, produces the Glow- fiction and fantasy writer living in northern but he likes poetry a lot. in-the-Dark Radio podcast, and is music New England. When not writing novels director and midday host on The Point: or running as an EMT with the local Neil Marsh Vermont's Independent Radio Network. ambulance squad, he blogs at Absolute His Vatican Assassin introduced BC, a killer Write (absolutewrite.com) and does stage Shelley Marsh Rocket scientist by day; for the New Catholic Church whose story magic. His most recent publications — cook, knitter, spinner, seamstress, actress, unfolds in Vatican Ambassador and Vatican co-written with Debra Doyle — include model, singer, aerialist, and weaver by night. Abdicator. He now writes the Adventures the short stories "One Night in Bavari" Yes, she sleeps; she just has a messy house. of Alibi Jones, including the latest novel, in Conspiracy!, from NESFA Press, and Alibi Jones and The Hornet's Nest. Info at "Gertrude of Wyoming" in Altered States of B. Diane Martin began reading science mikeluoma.com and glowinthedarkradio. the Union from Crazy 8 Press. fiction at age nine, and later that same com. year she asked for her first telescope. She Glenn MacWilliams Business has a law degree, is a founder of several Quill Shiv is the pseudonymous name director for the past twenty-plus years companies, and has advised start-ups in for Corinne Luz, an artist, writer, and film of The Teseracte Players of Boston: New software, gaming, holography, and other podcaster living in Salem, MA. Her fiction England's Premier Traveling Shadowcast, technology areas. Diane (a.k.a. She Who has appeared in the anthologies Haikus performing The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Must Be Obeyed) lives with her husband, for Lovers (ed. Laura Roberts) and Choose Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and others. David G. Shaw, and their son Miles (He Who Wisely: 35 Women Up to No Good (eds H. Webpage: teseracte.com. Teseracte is always Will Not Be Ignored) in a Somerville, MA, L. Nelson and Joanne Merriam). She can available for charity and fund raising events. Victorian home filled with books, games, be heard on the podcast CinemaSpection Glenn is the general manager of Magic music, anime, and cookware. (www.cinemaspection.com) and contacted Dragon Comics in Arlington MA, the place on Twitter @WithSharpThings. More for new comics. Donna Martinez is a freelance information about her writing and art can cartoonist originally from New Mexico and be found at www.madewithsharpthings. Zoe Madonna has been a resident of Boston for almost 20 com. years. Donna is also a member of the Boston Mitty Magoo Comics Roundtable, contributing stories to Muse en Lystrala is a classically trained Inbound, Hellbound, The Greatest Comics singer, instrumentalist, and composer. She Becca Mandel is a healer-mage who Anthology of All Time, and issues #1 and is ensemble director of the classical music spends her time prancing about, singing at #3 of In A Single Bound. She is presently ensemble Geek Musica, which performs the top of her lungs, and bending down to happily married to fellow Round Table video game and film music. She performs as touch moss. writer/cartoonist Joey Peters. She dreams Sirenne, a solo darkwave and EBM project, of houses and places yet unseen but are and serves as lead singer and programmer Joy Marchand lives and works in Salem, waiting to be revealed. for symphonic metal band Crown of Massachusetts, where tragedy haunts the Melusine. Muse runs the Pagan sacred cemeteries, creatures of myth and legend hit Milo Martinez is a semi-professional music project and educational channel you up for cash, and magic is for sale. Her costumer living in Cambridge. His interests Umbra Oceania, and is also a model, author, short stories and poems have appeared in include leather working, costuming and photographer. She resides in upstate Interzone, Talebones, Apex, and Goblin Fruit, technology, craftwork (armor, casting, etc), New York. as well as various anthologies of science and villainy. An avid maker since childhood, fiction, fantasy, and horror. Joy is on the he uses mixed media and unconventional Miss M. Performer, storyteller, costumer, editorial board of Shimmer magazine (www. approaches to solve costuming challenges. author (minamurray.com/shop), blogger shimmerzine.com). (missminamurray.wordpress.com), a woman Rebecca Maxfield is a fantasy of few words. Alexan Mardigian fan, theatre director, and coder living in Providence, RI. She's interested in how media/ Robert B. Finegold, M.D. is a Dan "Grim" Marsh is a member of the narrative form serves or affects the stories we radiologist from Maine whose stories of Society of Creative Anachronism as Grim tell (and especially in liveness in theatre), in science fiction, fantasy, and Yiddishkeit the Skald; at this point pretty much just the ways real-life history was more diverse have appeared in Galaxy’s Edge magazine, his family and co-workers call him “Dan.” than you think, and in stories about women Giganotosaurus, and CRES, as well as He considers himself knowledgeable in crossdressing to do epic stuff (and possibly the Starlight, Mysterion, Robotica, and the following things, in order of how much become involved with other women). 43 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Marlin May at conferences, teaching programming Troy Minkowsky is a published comic courses, and organizing a yearly professional book writer, stand-up comedian, and Nora Maynard unconference. Other interests of note director. The pilot for his webseries Superlife include queer politics, political science, can be viewed on Youtube. He is currently Dan Mazur permadeath games, cooking, non- working on the short film The Garden. monogamy, co-op living, and Satanism. Elizabeth McCarty I am a sci-fi mom, Hillary Monahan feminist, atheist, and liberal fan. I was a Michael Meissner Professionally, I member of the SCA and then became an am a computer programmer and I work on Ken Mondschein is a PhD in medieval online gamer where I worked with Keeg.com enhancing the Gnu compiler collection. As history, college professor, and author, as well and GameSpy (as BetaStormOSKI) while a hobby, I am into digital photography, and as (fittingly for a historian of the Middle playing Quake, Team Fortress and CTF. I've been the official photographer for some Ages and Renaissance) a fencing master and Professionally, I've worked as a technology of the small renaissance faires in the area. jouster. project manager and product marketing Around 2010 I started thinking about how to manager as well as a meeting/wedding disguise my cameras when at faire. Around Richard Moore Presently, I am an planner. I now spend my time volunteering the same time, I discovered steampunk, and instructor teaching data science, cloud for conventions, mostly in promotions, and I have made many variations of steampunk computing and Hadoop courses. Previously, was the Marketing division head for two and dieselpunk cameras, incorporating my I have held a number of different technology World Science Fiction conventions. current digital cameras into my various jobs. More importantly, I have volunteered props. at every Arisia, and a few other conventions Dennis McCunney has been reading too. SF&F for over fifty years, and participating Penny Messier in gatherings like Arisia for over forty. He's Sarah Morehouse done most things you can do on a con, Samara Metzler Local teacher, including being chair. He's been a graphic performer and event producer. Sarah "Tashari" Morrison is a designer, ironworker, museum exhibit fantasy and children's book illustrator. In builder, solar energy analyst, junior financial Danny Miller is a local attorney and all- her "spare time" she sews gowns with hoop analyst, and systems, network and telecom around SF/F fan since high school who has skirts. Find her work at tashari.org. admin. These days he's involved in eBooks. always seen Arisia as his home convention. He has had several pieces printed in the Amy J. Murphy is not a Jedi. (Although John G. McDaid's fiction has appeared local Jewish paper, some of them even she’s married to this guy that claims to in Asimov's and F&SF. He attended Clarion relating to SF/F, and some of them even be one.) But, she is a fantastic liar. She in 1993 and sold his first story, the Sturgeon paying; he is currently in school for a slight discovered this power at an early age and Award-winning "Jigoku no mokushiroku," change in his career. He once turned the wields it for good instead of evil, crafting in 1995. In 2017, he won both the topical tap dance into his crusade, and enjoys books with kickass heroines. Two of her and Iron Filker songwriting contests at the proselytizing the uninitiated into the worlds novels were Dragon Awards finalists for Best Ohio Valley Filk Fest. Since retiring from a of assorted geekery. (Or, at least getting Military Science Fiction Novel, and she is a corporate communications job, he divides them to come to a pub trivia event.) Kindle Book Awards finalist. She’s a SFWA his time among writing, music, and political member and dwells in Vermont with the activism in Rhode Island. For fiction and Mark Millman is a member of the aforementioned alleged Jedi and two dogs. MP3s visit harddeadlines.com. Salem Zouaves/Salem Trayned Band Visit her at www.amyjmurphy.com. military re-enactment unit, which portrays Meg McGinley is a professional geek, in citizen militias of the 1630s and the early Maddy Myers reports on competitive that order. By day, she dons business suits, 1860s, and of the Commonwealth Vintage video games for Kotaku and Deadspin. She fights for under-privileged children and fills Dancers, New England's premier vintage- co-hosts a podcast about the X-Men called brains of college students as a professor. By dance company, which performs dances The Mutant Ages, as well as a movie review night she makes games with her business of the Federal, Civil War, Gilded Age, show called Let's Watch Two Movies. She partners at Games by Play Date that focus Ragtime, and Roaring Twenties eras. Both has been a journalist for ten years, during on fun and social justice. One of her hobbies groups make their own historically accurate which time she has worked for The Mary is high-fiving strangers. Help a nerd out! clothing and perform period movement Sue, Paste Magazine, and the Boston disciplines. He is also a long-time HEMA Phoenix, and freelanced for outlets like James Meickle has a day job writing student and teacher. Offworld, Bloomberg and MIT Technology automation software and provisioning cloud Review. She also writes synthpop music infrastructure, making him more or less a Mindy under the moniker MIDI Myers (midimyers. cyberpunk plumber. His less-than-ample com). free time goes into supporting professional education in technology through speaking

44 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Daniel Neff I am a museum curator, classroom guest visits whenever possible, Red Box at age nine, he's played in dozens historian, and genealogist, currently current stay-at-home mother, and negligent of worlds and systems, including GM-ing a working for the Fairbanks House Museum housekeeper, Anne has been creating few LARPs over the years. He's done game in Dedham, MA. I specialize in colonial fantasy worlds since childhood and testing for various independent companies, American history, the history of medicine, continues to bring wide-ranging curiosity including Firehose Games and Choice and the history of marginalization. When to the work of art, writing, teaching, and of Games and even voice acting work for I'm not working I like X-Men comics, mothering. Reactive Studios. You can catch him as a table-top role playing games, Harry Potter, background actor in various feature films or and Pokemon Go. Elizabeth O'Malley is part of as the fourth season winner of Beauty and FanCons.com/AnimeCons.com, the leading the Geek. Kate Nepveu (pronounced "NEHV-you", web site dedicated to news and information the "p" is silent) is a reader, fan, and about conventions, contributing to Ken Olum is a research professor in reviewer. She was born in South Korea, both their website and weekly podcast, the Tufts Institute of Cosmology, where grew up in Massachusetts, and now lives in AnimeCons TV. She is also the past vice he studies cosmic strings, the possibility upstate New York. There, she practices law, president of the Northern Lights chapter of of time travel in general relativity, and is raising a family, and (in her copious free the International Costumers Guild. philosophical issues in cosmology. He lives time) is secretary/treasurer of Con or Bust, in Sharon, MA with his partners, Valerie which helps fans of color/non-white fans John O'Neil White and Judy Anderson, and his children, attend SF/F cons, and occasionally blogs for Jocelyn and Perry. Tor.com. She's got an overdeveloped sense A.J. Odasso's poetry has appeared in of responsibility. It's going to get her into an eclectic array of publications. Her Jacqueline Ortega trouble someday. début collection, Lost Books (Flipped Eye Publishing), was nominated for the 2010 Kevin Osborn Benjamin Newman has been filking London New Poetry Award and was also a since his college friends dragged him finalist for the 2010/2011 People's Book Prize. Mark Oshiro is the Hugo-nominated to his first convention his freshman Her second collection with Flipped Eye, The writer of the online Mark Does Stuff year at Swarthmore. Since then, he has Dishonesty of Dreams, was released in 2014; universe (Mark Reads and Mark Watches), written over 200 songs on a wide range of her third-collection manuscript, Things where he analyzes book and television series topics, including SF and fantasy, science, Being What They Are, was shortlisted for unspoiled. He was the nonfiction editor computers, and religion, both singly and the 2017 Sexton Prize. She serves as senior of Queers Destroy Science Fiction! and the in various whimsical juxtapositions. Ben poetry editor at Strange Horizons. co-editor of Speculative Fiction 2015. He is has also organized filk programming for the president of the Con or Bust board of Philcon, ConCertino, and Pi-con. Kat Tanaka Okopnik is currently directors and is usually busy trying to fulfill working on The Dictionary of Social Justice, his lifelong goal to pet every dog in the Joshua A.C. Newman is the publisher a gourmet marshmallow business, a novel, world. His YA contemporary debut, Anger Is of the literary SF roleplaying games, a dozen short stories, and raising two A Gift, is out May 22, 2018 with Tor Teen. Shock: Social Science Fiction and Shock: kids, while doing sensitivity reader work, Human Contact, as well as Mobile Frame every sort of editing but acquisitions, and Dr. Lisa Padol is a second-generation Zero, the tabletop wargame of tiny giant occasionally blogging at shadesbetween. SF fan, a filker, a gamer, and a player and LEGO robots. He is an avid proponent of com. writer of LARPs. She sings adequately and independent media, and produces his own consistently fails to identify harp tunes Patreon-funded speculative fiction on his Jennifer Old-d'Entremont is a when her spouse, Joshua Kronengold, is blog, xenoglyph, visible at glyphpress.com. hobbyist costumer who enjoys the study and noodling around on the harp. recreation of historical and ethnic dress. Brenda Noiseux Sci-fi geek, community She works as a medical lab technologist Ryan Pagella is the director of Atomic builder and writer for Women Write About to pay for this expensive hobby. Her soap Blue Productions. He works in film, Comics. Using my superhero powers for the box is empowering creative expression photography, podcasting, horror and special good of all kind. through costuming regardless of perceived effects make-up. He has been working in limitations, as well as making the hobby the media industry for 13 years. Ryan co- Abby Noyce is a cognitive neuroscientist, accessible to all. She is a compulsive hosts an X-Men podcast with Maddy Myers a knitter, and a parent. organizer and involves herself with called The Mutant Ages. To find more of his conventions at all levels. Jennifer is the work, visit him on Twitter @ryanpagella or Anne Nydam Essentially self-taught president of the Kansas City Costumers' Instagram @ryan.pagella. Visit his website artist making mostly relief block prints, Guild. at www.atomicblueproductions.com primarily self-published author writing mostly juvenile mostly fantasy, former David Olsen is an all-around geek who Suzanne Palmer is a SF/F author who is middle school teacher still making will happily talk your ear off about stories a regular contributor to Asimov's. She won and games. Since he first received the D&D the Asimov's Reader Award for Best Novella 45 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D) of 2016, the AnLab (Analog Magazine) her husband, daughters, and guinea pig live and horror, and have been performing at Reader Award for Best Novelette of 2016, and north of Boston. Arisia since 2006. www.pmrp.org was a finalist for both theTheodore Sturgeon and Eugie Foster Memorial Awards for short Israel Peskowitz (Izzy) is a Kellian Pletcher fiction. Her first novel is forthcoming from professional photographer, proficient DAW in 2019. plumber, a novice community activist, and Steve Popkes, his wife, son, dog and cat amateur fan. breed turtles on two acres in Massachusetts. Hannah Panek co-hosts the Game of He has been publishing science fiction and Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire podcast Chris Philbrook is the author of fantasy since 1986. He has three novels to Game of Owns. She lives in Washington DC, eight Adrian’s Undead Diary novels, three his name: Caliban Landing, Slow Lightning loves the wizard rock band Harry and the in The Reemergence, and three dark fantasy and Welcome to Witchlandia. When he's Potters, and rooibos tea. Kinless Trilogy novels set in the world disguised as a normal person, he is an of Elmoryn. He has years of experience aerospace software engineer. Richard Parker in game development, editing, and has written for many game design companies. Dr. Jim Prego is an ND and adjunct Elaine Pascale has been writing her He's edited two anthologies, and has many professor of biology at Molloy College and entire life. Her writing has been published short stories and novellas published. He has Touro College. He is a recipient of NYANP’s in magazines and anthologies. She is the business and psychology degrees. Chris, his Physician of the Year award. He is a fan author of the soon-to-be-released Blood wife, daughter, and one on the way call New of science fiction and enjoys discussing Lights and If Nothing Else, Eve, We’ve Hampshire home. biological topics, and many other topics Enjoyed the Fruit. Elaine enjoys a robust full both science- and non-science-related. He moon, chocolate, and collecting cats. Find Science fiction & fantasy editor Diana spent ten years as the New York delegate to out more at elainepascale.com, on Twitter @ Pho (Tor Books) has worked for ten years the American Association of Naturopathic doclaney, or at www.facebook.com/elaine. in the publishing industry. Authors she has Physicians and six years as a board member pascale. worked with include Alex Bledsoe, P. Djeli of the NYANP. He is involved in acting/ Clark, A.J. Hartley, Margaret Killjoy, Lettie shadowcasting, EMS, alt-lifestyles, gaming, Jennifer Pelland is a science fiction Prell, Lara Elena Donnelly, Thoraiya Dyer, and more. author-turned-bellydancer. For more, Robyn Bennis, and Bobby Sun. She is also visit www.jenniferpelland.com or www. involved with Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Antonia Pugliese is a graduate tassellations.com Time and George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards student in microbiology. She teaches universes. historical dancing, and performs with the Kris Pelletier is a mechanical engineer Commonwealth Vintage Dancers. When she who got into college with an essay about Samela St. Pierre I began practicing isn't sewing historical garments, she might how she wanted to be B'Elanna Torres yoga in 2005, when I was fourteen years old. be making superhero costumes. growing up and now designs military I earned my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training equipment — not quite a starship, but certification from the Kripalu School of Julia Pugliese is a part-time superhero we're working on it. Her fandom experience Yoga and have since completed One Voice and a part-time magical girl. spans the gamut from skulking around on YTT and Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra teacher Livejournal, attending/volunteering at cons, trainings. My intention for all of my classes Karen Purcell, DVM (a.k.a. Dr. Karen) and being a lead staff member and editor is to be a clearing for individuals to discover is currently practicing veterinary medicine for a multi-fandom podcast. She loves to what yoga can offer them in their lives, and in North Carolina. In her spare time (hah!), work with kids, especially when it comes I want the yoga mat to be a safe place for Dr. Karen spent many years wearing various to fostering an appreciation for the STEM students to work towards becoming fully hats at Arisia. She has also helped on various disciplines. self-expressed. Worldcons and costuming endeavors. She belongs to the Northern Lights Costumers Melissa Perreira-Andrews Founded in 2005 and based in the Boston guild and The Greater Columbia Fantasy area, the Post-Meridian Radio Costumer's Guild. She has been known to Leigh Perry writes the Family Skeleton Players are a group of actors, writers, belly dance now and then. mysteries featuring adjunct English FoleyFX artists, composers, sound designers professor Georgia Thackery and her best and other interested people dedicated to Tori Queeno is the founder and friend, an ambulatory skeleton named Sid. the preservation of radio drama and the president of the Boston Whovians, a The Skeleton Paints a Picture is the latest. development of audio theater as unique Boston-based Doctor Who fangroup As Toni L.P. Kelner, she’s the co-editor of art forms. They offer live performances and boasting over 1,600 members that hosts paranormal anthologies with Charlaine studio productions of both classic tales from meetups around the New England area. Tori Harris; the author of eleven mystery novels; the Golden Age of Radio and original works is a 25-year-old "real adult" aspiring to write, and an Agatha Award winner and multiple by new and experienced writers, with a teach literature, and costume for a living. award nominee for short fiction. She and special emphasis on science-fiction, fantasy, Tori is currently in the process of pursuing an MFA in creative non-fiction and works 46 Plan Ahead Now Save the Date…

Philcon 2018 November 16-18, 2018 The Crowne Plaza Hotel Cherry Hill, NJ Principal Speaker: Steven Brust Artist Guest of Honor: Gary Lippincott Special Guest: Marshall Ryan Maresca • Free parking & public transit access • Panels, art show, masquerade, concerts, gaming, anime, writers’ workshop, meet the pros, filking, vendors and more!

www.philcon.org www.Facebook.com/Philcon.PSFS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D) frantically to make the Boston Whovians which I chaired last year. Equally work everywhere possible. She remains an an entity of somewhat-organized chaos comfortable discussing literary SF and imperfect human being who is doing her with love and support from a boyfriend, fantasy, fanzines, kink, and sexual politics, best to get everyone to save the world. (Ask hedgehog, and cat. preferably over a couple of pints, but I've her how!) enjoyed the experience of doing so in front Daniel Raine of an audience at Arisia. Noel Rosenberg has been running cons for more years than not. He has Richard Ralston has been a fan of Julia Rios is a writer, editor, podcaster, worked on several major regionals, as well science fiction and anime since the late and narrator. Currently the fiction editor as Gaylaxicon, a few gaming cons, and a '60s. Rick has been staffing conventions for Fireside Magazine, she won the Hugo couple of Worldcons. Arisia is his home for the past fifteen years on the local and award in 2017 as poetry and reprint editor convention. Proving he has no friends, regional level. Rick is also the organizer of for Uncanny Magazine, and was a Hugo he has worked on every Arisia since '91, the local anime group in Albany, NY. Rick finalist as a senior fiction editor for Strange filled almost every division head position brings a unique point of view to the fandom Horizons. She is a co-host of The Skiffy and at least once, held several officer positions community. Fanty Show, a general SF discussion podcast, in Arisia, Inc., and in a past life was the and Walkthrough, a discussion of exercise con chair. He also chaired the Arisia Hotel Bruce Randall has been singing, and geekery with Amal El-Mohtar and Layla Search Committee, and has negotiated hotel teaching, and writing shape-note music for Al-Bedawi. contracts for a few cons. forty years; his composition "Mount Desert" can be found in the 1991 revision of The Santiago Rivas Andy Rosequist generally tries to make Sacred Harp. He also performs medieval and the world a better place. He's been involved Renaissance music, plays music for dances, Lee Roberts is a Salem, MA-based artist with Arisia at various staff responsibilities and is the founder and director of The and cosplayer. They are best known for their for a number of years. He works in tech, Boston West Gallery Quire, the only West Mr. Clever cosplay, which has been featured plays games, and is a facial hair enthusiast. Gallery group in the United States. in The Nerdist, The Mary Sue, multiple BBC sites and in Doctor Who magazine. A. Joseph Ross has been in fandom Victor Raymond PhD is a longtime Lee is actively involved in the Cosplay is since the 1960s. In 1964, he founded the SF/F reader and fan, and currently serves as Not Consent movement, enjoys promoting University of Massachusetts (Amherst) a board member of the Carl Brandon Society body positivity throughout the cosplay Science Fiction Society, then later became a and the Tekumel Foundation. In the past, community, and is involved in various member of MITSFS and NESFA, serving as he has served as president of the Interstitial LBGQT cosplay groups. In their spare time vice president of NESFA from 1970-72. He Arts Foundation, chair of WisCon 28, they volunteer as a foster home for felines. edited Volume I of the NESFA Hymnal in the co-chair of WisCon 33, and executive late 1970's. He was clerk of Arisia, Inc. from committee member of Minicon 28 and 33. Phoebe Roberts is the theater artist 1990-92 and president from 1992-94. He is a A professional sociologist, he is a member and dramatic writer who created the practicing attorney and expert in landlord- of the arts and sciences faculty of Madison Mrs. Hawking shows, a dramatic series of tenant law. College in Madison, Wisconsin. steampunk superhero stories that answer the question, "What if Sherlock Holmes Alexandra Rowland is a fantasy Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert writes were a lady Batman?" More information author, game monitor at an escape science fiction, horror, dark fantasy, and the can be found on the project website, www. room company, and occasional bespoke occasional poem. Her short fiction has been mrshawking.com. Roberts's other work in seamstress under the stern supervision published in the anthologies Killing It Softly theater and writing can be found at her of her feline quality control manager. She and The Deep Dark Woods. Her poetry has personal site, www.phoeberoberts.com. attended Truman State University, where appeared in places such as the anthology she studied world literature, mythology, and Wicked Witches, Tales of the Zombie War, A practicing massage therapist, herbalist, folklore. Look for her debut adult fantasy The Wayfarer: A Journal of Contemplative and mom, Nicole Robinson has been novel, A Conspiracy of Truths, available in Literature and Eternal Haunted Summer. enjoying Arisia for the past eight years. She's fall of 2018 from Saga Press. (Twitter: @_ Suzanne is an editor, holds down a an expert at playing board and card games alexrowland) job in marketing, and has degrees in with children, enjoys tribal dancing, and has communication and sociology. been known to make bad jokes. Lauren M. Roy

Mark W. Richards Fan, SMOF, and Mink Rose has been a part of the Arisia Karen S. Part-time voice actor, podcaster, kinkster, starting as an SF reader as soon as community for years, even before she began and writer of ridiculous fannish fictions. I could reach the bookshelf. Found fandom regularly attending in 2007. Mink served as Full-time geek and fanboy dork with a as a teen, kink as an adult. Involved on the first chair of the Diversity Committee particular fondness for cartoons, blooper committees and staff for events and served for Arisia 2016, and now helps with diversity reels, and turtles of the ninja variety. She on club boards, both fannish & kink. My work in the programming division. She does can be heard as one quarter of the Foxes latest is a new convention, HELIOsphere, her best to support intersectional feminist in the Hen House pop-culture round table 48 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D) podcast, and can be seen reprising her role Her middle-grade fantasy novel, A Witch's Costume-Con 37 in 2019 in Danvers, MA. as Captain Jane T. Kirk in the Post-Meridian Kitchen, debuted September 2016 from She creates web sites for fun and work. Radio Players' production of Gender- Dreaming Robot Press. Her short fiction Swapped Star Trek. appears in the 2017 and 2018 Young Micah Schneider is a long-time veteran Explorers' Adventure Guides. A Latina geek of Arisia, both on programming and staff. Eyal Sagi is a professor of psychology at a originally from New Mexico, she now lives in Micah completed his master's in history and liberal arts college. His research deals with the Boston area with her husband and two public history from UMass Amherst, but how language and text color our perspective. daughters. Follow her on Facebook and at somehow became a math teacher. In his free Recently, this research has focused on the www.diannasanchez.com. time, Micah enjoys running, highpointing, expression of moral values in political hiking, all kinds of gaming (especially cards and legal texts. His other interests include Victoria Sandbrook is a fantasy games like Magic and Pokemon), and being how the structure of a story reflects its writer, Viable Paradise graduate, and polyamorous as often as possible. He lives genre, and how language can be used to Boston Speculative Fiction Writing Group in western Massachusetts with his family promote character development. He also member. Her short fiction has appeared in of choice, their three children, and a small has extensive background in computing and Shimmer, Cast of Wonders, and Swords & coterie of animal companions. computer science from both the software Steam Short Stories. She is an avid hiker, and hardware perspectives. sometimes knitter, long-form talker, and Ben "Books" Schwartz lies to children initiate baker. She spends most of her days professionally. Mostly that's done at the Liz Salazar is managing director of wrangling a ferocious, destructive, jubilant LARPing summer camps they run and in the Post-Meridian Radio Players (www. tiny human. Victoria and her family live in the young adult stories they write. They're pmrp.org) and a co-host of Foxes in the Brockton, MA. She shares writerly nonsense currently hard at work on Event Horizon, a Hen House (www.soundcloud.com/ at victoriasandbrook.com and on Twitter at sci-fi destination LARP for adults that runs foxesinthehenhouse), a geeky roundtable @vsandbrook. each April. They also think you should send discussion podcast that’s only partially an your children to LARP camp, whether at the excuse to drink with friends. She’s a writer, Caelyn 'inurashii' Sandel is an Wayfinder Experience or elsewhere. director, GM, chainmailer, and overall experimental author born in the DC metro opinion-haver. area and moved to Boston. Caelyn has been Meredith Schwartz's short fiction writing and running roleplaying games for appeared in Strange Horizons, Reflection's The Salem Light Infantry, an elite militia more than fifteen years, but the past seven Edge, and Sleeping Beauty, Indeed. She company from Salem, Massachusetts, or so have been focused on interactive edited Alleys & Doorways, an anthology adopted Zouave dress and drill in April, 1861. fiction in particular. She self-published of homoerotic urban fantasy. She has Like the original unit, the reconstructed the novel Tales from the Securemarket and committed both screenwriting and Salem Zouaves specialize in historically released the games The Skeleton Key of conrunning, but she is much better now. accurate Civil War-era precision manual- Ambady and Bloom, and is currently a writer In her day job she edits a magazine about of-arms drill and the use of the bayonet, and and designer for Evil Overlord Games's libraries, but she is here speaking only for add military swordplay to their repertoire. Susurrus: Season of Tides and Freehold herself. They wear historically accurate reproduction Games's Caves of Qud. uniforms, made mostly by the individual Scratch played D&D from copies of unit members. Their other incarnation is as Rachel Sanderson Gygax's notes, went to his first con when the Salem Trayned Band. he was eight, was in comics as a letterer, Lauren Sara is an instructional designer, author, retailer, marketer, and publisher. Carol Salemi has worked more than passionate performer, creator, and science He has a great love of history, is a lapsed forty years in many aspects of costuming geek. She grew up in New York, marinating member of the SCA and has performed from creating and fabricating to teaching in performing arts, then moved to Boston. at and organized renaissance faires. to judging and masquerade directing. She She has vamped her vocals in choirs, He's kinksmart, although that's really is a master costumer who enjoys new, fun, cabarets, and musicals. Her past seven years none of your business. A professional challenging techniques that keep it fresh. have been dedicated to studying/performing performer from age four, these days he is Her most recent work can be seen on TLC's belly dance (tribal/ improvisational), the impresario for The Boston BeauTease My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding. She's theatrical fusion, and sword. She is a burlesque troupe, and owns the Thalia been a medical massage therapist for thirty founding member of the troupe Ki-ra Luna. Theatre in Cambridge. years, works for Regal Cinemas, Sondra Celli She loves all things makeup, and is thrilled Designs, has jobs in the Haunt Industry and by weather, animals, space, and guts. Jude Shabry (a.k.a. peacefrog) found likes making steampunk items. Check out Arisia in 1994 and hasn't been able to stay her jewelry in the Art Show! Sharon Sbarsky chaired Smofcon away since. Jude has attended as an artist, 15, Boskone 40 & 49, ran the Masquerade vendor, party host, techie, panelist, yoga Dianna Sanchez is the not-so-secret at Arisias and Sasquan, ran the Hugo teacher, climbing guide, wedding principle, identity of Jenise Aminoff, also known ceremony at Renovation, and will co-chair mama, food truck wrangler, and more. to her children as the Queen of Sarcasm. 49 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

David G. Shaw is, in no particular order: on Twitter as @hannsimp, on Instagram as for several conventions, including aspie, atheist, blogger, cook, curmudgeon, @hsimpso and at hannahsimpson.com. Worldcons and Arisia, and focuses on foodie, geek, musician, parent, partner, addressing harassment and creating more reader, scientist, skeptic. Jill R. Pelavin Singer I'm a crafter, inclusive spaces within fandom. software engineer, sailor, baker, singer Christopher Sheldon-Dante (vocalist)....I do a lot. I've been reading The Society for Creative fantasy since I was introduced to it by The Anachronism (SCA) is an international Yaron Shragai Littlest Dragonboy by Anne McCaffrey is organization dedicated to researching and middle school. And watching Star Trek re-creating the arts, skills, and traditions Alex Shvartsman is a writer, translator, since middle school. I live in the greater of pre-17th-century Europe. The Rapiers and game designer from Brooklyn, NY. Camberville area with my fianceé, Baruch, from the Barony of Carolingia (Boston’s More than 100 of his stories have appeared and our cats. local chapter) practice the art of the duel in Nature, Galaxy's Edge, InterGalactic and historical rapier play and techniques. Medicine Show, and many other magazines Jamila Sisco is an award-winning and anthologies. He won the 2014 WSFA costumer with a specialization in anime, Lisa J Steele is an attorney, writer, Small Press Award for Short Fiction and video game, and original costumes. She and game designer. As a lawyer, she has was a two-time finalist for the Canopus has worked on costumes for more than 15 been involved in litigation, teaching, and Award for Excellence in Interstellar years, usually working on making the big legislation about issues of science and the Fiction (2015 and 2017). He is the editor and elaborate come to life. She is the former criminal law. As a game designer, she is of the Unidentified Funny Objects annual president of the Northern Lights chapter of a co-author of the ENnie award-winning humorous anthology series. His website is the International Costumers' Guild. Bubblegumshoe, and has written for Steve www.alexshvartsman.com. Jackson Games, White Wolf, and Evil Hat. Elsa Sjunneson-Henry She has been attending Arisia since its Rachel Silber is always happy to talk inception. about complex systems, including safety of Rebecca Slitt is the author of Psy software-intensive technical systems (the High and an editor for Choice of Games, Raven Stern is fascinated by how day job), convention management (a strange LLC, a company that produces text-based technology influences the culture of our but rewarding hobby), and the odd things interactive fiction. Before that, she was past, present, and future. She can most that happen in our brains. a professor of medieval history. She's often be found in a ballgown dancing with played tabletop RPGs for more than 25 the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, Hildy Silverman is the publisher of years, LARPed for more than 20, and read or shooting with her stereoscope lens in Space and Time, a five-decade-old magazine mountains of SF and fantasy books. She's historic cities worldwide. Her role model is featuring fantasy, horror, and science fiction currently at work Psy High 2: High Summer, Ms. Frizzle. (www.spaceandtimemagazine.com). Her as well as Dark College Years, a Lovecraftian most recent fiction publications include, RPG about privilege and power at Yale. Ian Randal Strock is the editor “The Great Chasm” (2016, co-authored and publisher of Fantastic Books (www. w/David Silverman, Altered States of the Sarah Smith writes books. (Published fantasticbooks.biz) and an author of science Union, Hauman, ed.), “A Scandal in the in 14 languages, New York Times Notable, fiction and non-fiction. He has published Bloodline” (2017, Baker Street Irregulars, prizewinning, all that.) She has an three books on the presidency of the United Ventrella & Maberry, eds.), and "Invasive Edwardian mystery series (the Titanic book States (with Random House and Carrel Maneuvers" (2017, Love, Murder and is being shopped) and is working on a 19th- Books) and had stories in Analog, Nature, Mayhem, Colchamiro, ed). century Brazilian fantasy with pirates and and several anthologies. He was previously talking eagles. She has been to every single an editor with Artemis, Asimov’s, Analog, Emily Simon Arisia, starts thinking about Arisia around The Daily Free Press, and Science Fiction September, and her proudest Arisia moment Chronicle. He is also the northeast regional Hannah Simpson is an unabashed nerd, was when John Scalzi licked her Kindle. Try vice chairman of American Mensa. www. Red Sox fan, engineering grad, marathoner, her, you’ll like her. www.sarahsmith.com, ianrandalstrock.com public speaker, comedian, and snarky sarahwriter on Facebook and Twitter. young Jewish girl describing herself as John Sundman is the author of the "now available in female." She spent eight Kris "Nchanter" Snyder stumbled novels Acts of the Apostles, Biodigital, and years in Boston attending BU and working sideways into fandom in their early 20’s Mountain of Devils, and of the novellas at Brandeis. You may have caught her as for lack of anything else to keep them out Cheap Complex Devices and The Pains. His a panelist discussing life as a transgender of trouble. With a background in theater, newsletter "Technopotheosis" concerns woman live on MSNBC's Melissa Harris- the visual arts, and a love for SF/F fostered art, ethics, synthetic biology, literary Perry Show or FOX's Good Day New by their father from a young age, it soon criticism and construction labor, among York. Find her writing on Refinery29, The became obvious that this was where they, other things. The Technopotheosis Youtube Advocate, Bustle, and Huffington Post, plus and their colorful curls, belonged. Nchanter channel features long-form conversations now helps make fandom go by volunteering 50 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D) with prominent scientists, novelists, do not pet either her or the dog without a edited collection Writing and the Digital philosophers and activists. whole lot of permission. Generation: Essays on New Media Rhetoric, and The Science Fiction Reboot, all combine Meg Swanton Dan Toland is a writer and podcaster her fandom interests in science fiction and who thought it would be a healthy and not scholarly focus on rhetoric in pop culture. Sonya Taaffe's short fiction and poetry at all dangerously insane idea to run Arisia's She is currently an associate professor can be found most recently in the collection media track this year and plan a wedding of English Studies at Fitchburg State Ghost Signs (Aqueduct Press) and in the at the same time. He lives in Boston with University. anthologies Transcendent 2: The Year's Best a woman of nearly limitless patience, a Transgender Speculative Fiction, Broad dog who tries really hard you guys, and Gabriel Valdez finds himself at the Knowledge: 35 Women Up to No Good, also there is a cat. Hear him give voice to strange intersection of political organizing and Heiresses of Russ 2016: The Year's Best strongly-held opinions about inexpensively and media criticism, which were supposed Lesbian Speculative Fiction. She reads dead made British sci-fi, Reagan-era cartoons, to be two completely different occupations languages for fun, edits living poets for and Bronze Age team-up comics at before the sky fell in and 2017 introduced Strange Horizons, and and once named a Earth-2.net. itself. He's worked as a campaign manager, Kuiper belt object. She lives in Somerville investigative reporter, and garnered with her husband and two cats. Mike Toole is the editor at large at national honors for his work as a film critic. Anime News Network, the internet's biggest He doesn't always know which one he is Cecilia Tan is the multi-award winning English-language source for news, reviews, on a given day, and he's not so sure it's a author of The Prince's Boy, Telepaths Don't and info about anime and manga. He's also a good thing to be in the reality where that Need Safewords, and the Magic University producer at Discotek Media, a DVD/Blu-Ray somehow ends up working out. series and the founder of Circlet Press. publisher based in Florida. His latest Her award shelf includes the RT Reviewers Discotek project is the Captain Harlock Mercy Van Vlack has been a comics Choice Award, the Maggie Award for origin film Arcadia of My Youth. Mike's also pro since 1980, including writing Richie Excellence, and induction into the Saints been an onscreen host for both Anime News Rich; artist on Green Ghost and Lotus (set & Sinners LGBT Writers Hall of Fame. This Network and Crunchyroll, and will make his in Boston) and Miranda; inker for DC, year she will launch a new urban fantasy debut as a voice actor, playing the narrator Malibu, and others; illustrator for numerous series at Tor Books entitled The Vanished on Discotek’s new release of Bananya! fanzines, APAs, anthropomorphics and SF Chronicles. The first book in the series will cons; and artist of many Celtic calendars be Initiates of the Blood. Shoshana Traum and the Celtic Coloring Book. She also draws for private collections and makes Celtic Frederick Terrasi Kevin Turausky I'm primarily a science jewelry. She sings political satire with the fiction nerd but am gradually branching into Raging Grannies and is a long-time fan of Theatre@First is an all-volunteer fantasy. Star Trek is my favorite franchise, Dr. Demento and Tom Lehrer. community theater based in Somerville, but am quite fond of Stargate, Star Wars, MA. Founded in 2003, we fill a vital niche Babylon 5, or pretty much any show or Drew Van Zandt is an engineer, maker, in the vibrant Davis Square arts scene. film with cool spaceships. My professional and general geek. He's also on the board of We draw upon the talents and support of background is much more down to earth: I directors at the Artisan's Asylum, a hacker/ individuals and organizations throughout used to be a park ranger and worked at sites makerspace in Somerville, MA, and also the community to provide opportunities across the US, teaching nature and history on the board of directors of the Firefly Arts for our participants and audiences to to visitors, and now I teach college-level Collective. Drew is happiest when he's experience quality live theater in a variety anthropology and archaeology. teaching you to make something or making of local venues. For more about our current things himself. and past productions, as well as volunteer Damarie Aurora Underhill is a opportunities, please see our website: music technologist, tinkerer, caffeine addict, Pablo Miguel Alberto Vazquez theatreatfirst.org. and crafter. Lady Aurora Freyasdottir is considers themselves many things, the High Priestess of Coven of the Moonlit including performer, poet, wild fanboy, Tikva (raycho) is attending her Merloun and has been a member of the sometimes scholar/always student, agitator, bazillionth Arisia, and her fourth as a Sacred Order of the Black Forest for over bard-magus, and whatever else they comes panelist. She's a public health professional, ten years. Overall, the identities are pretty up with. They're a cinephile, DC Comics disability activist, baseball addict, and compatible but sometimes all the names get enthusiast, voracious reader, and avid gamer member of a poly family/household. She confusing. (tabletop/video). They traverse various hosts Geek Love, a weekly radio show on subcultural communities, from magical Boston Free Radio, which is kind of like Heather Urbanski holds a Master of lodges and mystic circles, unsanctioned Arisia except all year 'round. You may Arts in writing and a PhD in English. Her parties and kink events to underground rap recognize her via her trusty guide dog, who published works, Plagues, Apocalypses, and radical bookstores to, of course, science is small in size but large in swagger. Please and Bug-Eyed Monsters: How Speculative fiction and fantasy fandom. Fiction Shows Us Our Nightmares, the 51 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

Cecilia Villero does a variety of other things in not nearly Besides attending cons, something she's enough time. done since her teen years, Michelle The Vox Hunters (Armand Aromin & Wexelblat is a mother, wife, friend, Benedict Gagliardi) are seekers and singers David Weingart Fan, con runner, extrovert, self-employed clinical social of old songs, tireless multi-instrumentalists, occasional songwriter, IT consultant, ham worker, and poi spinner. Her talents include and a driving force of traditional folk music radio operator, traveler, runner, hiker, father writing poetry, prose, helping people heal in Rhode Island. With fiddle, concertinas, of two Eagle Scouts, lover of peaty whiskies. from trauma, and explaining complex banjo, and a pair of complementary voices, Hates writing program bios. things in simple ways that make sense. She’s they present an exciting repertoire of driving getting back into writing through doing dance tunes mixed with a delightfully Syd Weinstein is a masquerade text-based RPGs but has been delayed by eclectic selection of traditional songs. presentation judge at Arisia, Worldcons wanting to read all the books ever. Touted as strong tradition-bearers in and regionals. Syd works with tech as video their generation, they treat the music as a designer and video director for Arisia and Henry M. White is a writer, LARPer, communal good more than a profession. Worldcons. He has been a mentor at the and storyteller. Recently finished an MFA American Film Institute and has taught in writing for children at Simmons College. William C. Walker is an inveterate television production techniques to both Writes for and works with The Wayfinder gamer, reader, and writer. He is also a PhD children and adults. His current interests Experience (a LARP camp in New York's candidate at Northeastern University in include renewable energy and electric Hudson River Valley), has short and flash Law and Public Policy. His work is at the vehicles. fiction on fistfulofwits.com, and is querying intersection of future energy solutions and a middle-grade space adventure. governance. His first Arisia was in 2000, and Sarah Lynn Weintraub is the books he's happy to be coming back this year. manager at Pandemonium Books and A Vermont-licensed lawyer, Valerie Games in Central Square, Cambridge. White is a sexual freedom activist and Jared Walske lives around Boston She is working on getting her master's in practicing polyamorist. She's executive and spends his time obsessing over library science, when she is not trying to director of the Sexual Freedom Legal music, comics, movies, and just all sorts power her way through chronic illness. In Defense and Education Fund, on the of weird forgotten cultural detritus. He her free time, she enjoys watching cheesy advisory council of the Woodhull Freedom occasionally writes essays and review for gay-coded sci-fi, reading science fiction and Foundation, on the coordinating council of his blog, The World That's Coming, and is fantasy written by women, drinking tea, and Family Tree, and on the board of Unitarian an occasional guest on the anime podcast annoying her cat. You can find her on twitter Universalists for Polyamory Awareness. She Dub Talk. You can follow his ramblings at @ruarealmonster. speaks nationally on sex and the law. worldthatscoming.blogspot.com and at @Amonduulus on Twitter. Jesse Wertheimer is a dad, a dancer, Nightwing Whitehead was born in a geek, an avid boardgammer and a 1958. The Barbie doll was "born" in 1959; T.X. Watson is a writer involved in the programmer. so for a year she had nothing to do. Since solarpunk community. They're currently then, she's been making up for lost time in their final year at Hampshire College, Morven Westfield became fascinated by dressing anyone and anything that where they're studying Memetic Engines by the unseen in her childhood, delighting comes within her reach. She's worked for of Anticapitalism. Watson can be found on in superstitions and ghost stories. Her several theaters, dressed some stars, done Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube and Instagram as short stories have appeared in multiple some teaching, and has her own business txwatson, and online at txwatson.com. anthologies, and she regularly contributes designing and creating costumes for life. articles on folklore and the supernatural Kat Weiler I sing! I dance! I read to The Witches Almanac. Her two novels, Scott Wilhelm is a licensed biology, lots of books! Sometimes I do all three Darksome Thirst and The Old Power physics, math, and general science teacher simultaneously (though that never ends Returns, combine vampires, witches, and with more than ten years of experience, well)! Come sing with me! computer geeks. Like many writers, she mostly with high-school-aged learners with keeps a messy office and drinks way too learning disabilities and severe behavioral Sam Weiler much coffee. www.morvenwestfield.com problems. He combines deeply analytical lessons with fun activities to meet high Susan Weiner has been writing and Alan Wexelblat is a poly parent, an expectations with no tears for a very wide running LARPs for 13 years, primarily as amateur photographer, a long-time tabletop range of ages and abilities. part of Alleged Entertainment. On the side, RPG and online MMO gamer, and a writer she teaches physiology, dates a bunch of on intellectual property issues. He has been Connie Wilkins (often writing as Sacchi people, studies social insect behavior, plays at every Arisia since #2 and worked most Green) has published scores of short stories the violin and viola da gamba, writes songs, of them. This year he is Assistant Division and edited eighteen anthologies, many in cooks weird, overly complicated meals, and Head for Communications. the lesbian erotica genre. Two are winners of Lambda Literary Awards and four have won Golden Crown Literary Awards. 52 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (CONT’D)

She’s especially delighted to have brought Cas Wormwood is an artist, writer, former lives include molecular biologist, together lesbian erotica and classical fantasy aesthete, and absinthe enthusiast. Presently schoolteacher, black belt, and master in her recent anthology Witches, Princesses based out of Salem, MA, he runs the online assassin. She's still geeky. She enjoys music, and Women at Arms: Erotic Lesbian Fairy curiosity shop, Wormwood & Gall, through crafts, photography, and being outdoors, Tales. Next up will be her third gig as editor which he purveys darkly elegant vintage and keeps busy managing her cats, kids, and of Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year. apparel, decor, and jewelry. husband.

W.B.J. Williams, the author of The Frank Wu Ellie Younger is a biomedical engineer Garden At The Roof Of The World, holds by day. Her professional interests are in how advanced degrees in anthropology and Douglas Wynne wrote his first dark technology improves health and is used to archeology. He is an avid historian, fantasy novel at the age of fifteen but has treat all kinds of medical conditions. mystic, poet, and author who manages never found the courage to take it down an information security program at a from the attic and read it. After a long A child of the space race, Guillermo prominent New England firm. He is noted detour through rock bands and recording Zeballos has always been fascinated for his bad puns and willingness to argue studios, he came full circle back to fiction by fantastic vehicles and stories of space, from any perspective. He is endured by his writing and is recently the author of five real and fictional. He is active in designing beloved wife and two daughters, and lives in novels: The Devil of Echo Lake, Steel Breeze, and building spaceships out of paper and Sharon, Massachusetts. and the SPECTRA Files trilogy (Red Equinox, researching their designs. He is also a great Black January, and Cthulhu Blues). He lives fan of spaceship and futuristic art and Jason Wiser in Massachusetts with his wife and son and illustration, as well as those of the more a houseful of animals. familiar hero ships of film and television. Jonathan Woodward is the author or His professional background is in teaching, co-author of more than a dozen role-playing Tom Wysmuller computer-human interaction, collaborative game books, including the Hellboy RPG, systems, and interface design. Trinity, and GURPS Banestorm. He has been Keith Yatsuhashi is the author of an Arisia panelist for more than 20 years. Kojiki and Kokoro, two Japanese/anime Eric "in the Elevator" Zuckerman He lives near Boston with his wonderfully themed fantasy novels from Angry Robot was not a real talk show host, but he did complicated family. Books. Keith is represented by Laura play one on TV. He was Arisia 2008 Fan Zats, Red Sofa Literary. In his professional Performer Guest of Honor and Lunacon 2011 Trisha J. Wooldridge writes fiction, life, Keith is a consultant with the U.S. Special Guest. He is still associated with non-fiction, and poetry about bad-ass Department of Commerce and helps his former fan-participation video comedy faeries, carnivorous horses, Tarot cards, American companies sell products project, Eric in the Elevator. He lives in vengeful spirits, as well as food, hay- internationally. Berkeley, California with his wife of more eating horses, writer advice, and alcoholic than a quarter-century, Beth, and their two spirits. As child-friendly T.J. Wooldridge, Aimee Yermish, PsyD (aimee@ cats, Patience and Fortitude. she’s published poetry and three scary davincilearning.org) is a clinical children’s books. She’s edited more than psychologist and educational therapist, fifty novels and two anthologies. She has a offering a broad range of assessment, very patient Husband-of-Awesome, a calico therapy, and consulting services, across the horse, a giant Bunny-of-Doom, and a bratty lifespan, for people who are gifted or twice- tabby cat. Join her adventures at www. exceptional (gifted with disabilities). Her anovelfriend.com.

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NESFA®’S REGIONAL SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION BOSKONE55® FEBRUARY 16–18, 2018 THE BOSTON WESTIN WATERFRONT HOTEL PREREG RATES Mary Robinette Kowal Adult: $55 Guest of Honor College Student: $35 K–12 Student: $25 Craig Miller Prices good through Special Guest January 16. 2018

Marianne Plumridge Official Artist

Tamora Pierce Young Adult Fiction Guest

Catherine Asaro Hal Clement Science Speaker

Nat Segaloff NESFA Press Guest image © Marianne Plumridge

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A LIT FUSE: THE PROVOCATIVE LIFE OF HARLAN $35ELLISON plus shipping Hardcover with 32 pages of photos available at: www.nesfapress.org and www.amazon.com

An unguarded, uncensored, unquiet tour of the life of Harlan Ellison. In late 2011 Harlan Ellison—the multi-award-winning writer of speculative fiction and famously litigious personality— did an uncharacteristic thing: he asked biographer Nat Segaloff if he’d be interested in writing his life story. The result is the long-anticipated A Lit Fuse: The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison. Segaloff conducted exhaustive interviews with Ellison over the course of five years and also spoke with many of his friends and enemies in an effort to get inside the man and pin down the best-known “Harlan stories.” Their wide-ranging discussions cover his bullied boyhood, his storied marriages, his fabled lawsuits, and his compulsive writing process. But it also delves into the man’s deeply held principles, his fears, and the demons that have driven him all of his 83 (so far) years. Along the way, the reader is treated to an analysis of the Connie Willis controversy, the infamous dead gopher story, the adventure of fandom, and the final word on The Last Dangerous Visions. What emerges is a rich portrait of a man who has spent his life doing battle with his times and himself. It’s funny, wise, shocking, and—well, it’s Harlan.

Many of our books are now available as E-Books. Check our website for details. Please direct all inquiries to: [email protected]. Congratulations to our Arisia 2018 Author Guest of Honor V. E. SCHWAB

New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic Series

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This Summer, VENGEANCE Available this fall Available from has never been so sweet. VENGEFUL MACMILLAN AUDIO VICIOUS A Gathering of Shadows, On Sale A Conjuring of Light, with an all-new cover 9.25.18 On Sale 5.29.18 and Vengeful

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