Placeholder for a revised Montreal ad, or more artwork. Westin Waterfront Hotel Boston, Massachusetts ARISIA 2015 January 16–19, 2015

Writer Guest of Honor Appreciation by Kate Elliott 10 Bibliography 11 N. K. Jemisin L’Alchimista 13

Fan Guest of Honor Appreciation by John Glindeman & 20 Colette H. Fozard Tim Roberge

Artist Guest of Honor Appreciation by Scott Lefton 22 Lee Moyer Portfolio 23

Message from the ConChair 3 Message from the President 3 Code of Conduct & Policies 4 Convention Committee & Staff 6 Program Participant Bios 31 Arisia History 50

The Arisia Souvenir Book is Copyright © 2015 by Arisia, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Bylined articles are copyright by their authors. Cover and interior artwork is copyright by Lee Moyer, and used with permission. Arisia is a service mark of Arisia, Incorporated. www.arisia.org 1

Message from the ConChair by Michael J. Sprague elcome to Arisia. Since then, I’ve been back every year. I’ve met sev- As I look out and see the faces of all those eral Guests of Honor, danced until dawn, and made Wthat come to entertain, educate, work, or attend our some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Every year brings convention, I ask the question that many convention something new, unexpected, and brilliant. Every year, chairs have asked over the course of fandom history. we add something or try to make things better, and in How the hell did I get here? a lot of ways we succeed. This is in part due to one of For me, it was a circuitous route. Growing up, I the core values of Arisia. We believe there is a place was the resident geek in my neighborhood. I was into at Arisia for everyone, so long as you make a place reading SF/F novels and comic books, playing video for others. Regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, games and tabletop RPGs, and an SF TV show or mov- and/or class, we are here to celebrate the things we ie that I hadn’t already seen was a rare thing. I’d heard think are cool and want to share with others. We are about conventions, but they were always far away from not here to be gatekeepers and sit in judgement over where I lived. In college I met other fans and took a who is a “true fan” or not. Whether this is your first road trip to my first convention. It was like walking Arisia or your 26th you are welcome here. There’s a into Neverland. It was three strange days filled with saying about life, “you get out of it what you put into geeky conversations, games, parties, and staying up it”, and that’s true of Arisia as well. If you’d like to get later than any sane person should. Soon after I heard to know more people, see how things run behind the of a new con starting up in Boston. scenes, or both, volunteer for a shift or two. It’s a good It was called Arisia. way to meet new people, and without fans like you There were a little over 800 of us crammed into a we wouldn’t have the small downtown hotel that year. It was friendly, cool, amazing convention brilliant, funny, and filled with passionate people cele- that we get to experi- brating the things they love—all the things you want a ence every year. I hope good convention to be. The following year a friend told you all have a fantastic me that if I helped out during move-in and move-out, Arisia. Now put down not only could I get in for free, but I also got free pizza. this souvenir book and It was the free pizza that did it. go do something fun. ,

Message from the President by Conor Walsh thing I’ve always loved about Arisia is that every room) and say hello. Or, part of the con is someone’s favorite part. We if you want to tell us Adon’t put too much stock in tradition, so everything what your favorite part we’ve done is because someone once thought it would is after the con, drop be a great idea, and everything we keep doing is be- us a line at arisia.org/ cause they were right. It’s not always easy, but the end feedback. Or if we’ve result is more than worth it: a fantastic mix of thou- screwed something up, sands of people moving from one thing to another, tell us that too! saying Hi to friends, waving to people they recognize We’re all volunteers from previous panels, or just smiling happily as they and can’t always imple- pass each other in the hallways, headed to totally ment every good idea, different things. At Arisia we love to say yes, and this but all of us who work means we have a zillion great things, and this also on the con do it because we want the weekend to be means it takes a zillion people to make this all work. as amazing as possible. As Arisia grows, we’re going to So if you’ve got a favorite part of the con you want to need more and more feedback from our attendees (and keep happening, or if you’ve got one that doesn’t exist staff) to make the right decisions, so don’t be shy—and yet, come on down to Team Arisia HQ (in the Quincy thanks for being a part of my favorite community. ,

3 Code of Conduct and Behavior Policies To help ensure our members’ happiness and a Student Memberships for ages 13–25 re- child to participate in, either with or without successful convention, we have established a quire a current valid student ID for students adult supervision Code of Conduct and Behavior Policies for all aged 18 and older. Please review the separate Children’s Pol- members and staff. Please read this document icies for a full description and restrictions. and help us have a safe and welcoming con- Children as Fans & Companions vention for all. Note: In this section where “Parent” is Costume and Masquerade used, it can mean a parent, guardian, or per- Guidelines Arisia reserves the right to revoke, son charged with a child’s welfare. All costumes are welcome at Arisia, without refund, the membership of anyone Arisia makes every effort to protect fans whether created by the wearer or not. How- for just cause. This may also lead to being of all ages and provide a healthy environment ever, purchased and rented costumes are not banned from future Arisia conventions. with many opportunities for fun and learn- eligible for awards. Awards are made to the Persons violating the law may be turned ing. Children are a valued part of our mem- creator of the costume, not the wearer. over to the police or the hotel security bership, and we welcome their appropriate Costume weapons are permitted, but force. We will refund the membership fee participation. must be peace-bonded by Arisia Security of anyone who finds the policies contained All children aged 8 and under must be upon arrival at the convention, unless worn herein unacceptable prior to accepting their with an adult, in Turtle Track (Childcare), or solely for the masquerade as part of an on- badge. The general principles of this Code in Fast Track (Children’s Programming) con stage costume. The use of any weaponry as of Conduct apply to the Arisia convention areas. part of your costume, as well as the use of any and also to all the activities of the conven- Parents of children ages 9–12 who be- special effects, must first be approved by the tion committee, whether before or after the lieve their children are mature enough (and Masquerade Director. Remember, it’s okay to convention. who have their own paid membership) may surprise the audience, but not the staff. choose to allow their children to freely roam During the masquerade, flash photogra- General Demeanor the convention on their own. Any child who Arisia expects its members to respect each phy and laser pointers are forbidden. If you excessively misbehaves or engages in inap- other and behave in a generally civilized fash- take photos or videos during the Masquerade, propriate, disruptive or dangerous behavior is ion. Members should respect common sense do not obstruct the view of other audience subject to having free-roaming privileges or rules for public behavior, personal interac- members. All electronic devices (e.g., cell their entire membership revoked. tion, common courtesy, and respect for pri- phones, pagers, tablet computers) must be Children under 12 years old may attend vate property. If you wouldn’t do it in public, silenced and their screens must be dimmed. with either their own paid convention mem- please don’t do it here. Additionally, all Staff Participants in the masquerade must read bership, or with a free Kids-in-Tow member- are representatives of Arisia and therefore are and agree to the terms contained in a separate ship (with and under the supervision of an held to a higher standard of behavior, even costumer release and masquerade rules. authorized adult at all times). Arisia requires when off duty. that there be at least one supervising adult Parties in Guest Rooms Reminder: The hotel is not dedicated com- with a membership accompanying every For individuals or groups wishing to host pletely to our use for the weekend. Members three Kids-in-Tow members. a party (Open or Closed), you must register of the general public stay here or visit the ho- Parents should make sure to be aware of with the convention in advance and use a tel to dine and socialize. Please be considerate the hours of Fast Track and Turtle Track. Par- room in the “Active” room block. Parties reg- of non-convention individuals at all times. ents who are late in picking up children may istered in advance with Arisia will be moved Arisia forbids abusive, insulting, harassing have their children barred from Babysitting to a “Party Host room”, which ensures that or intimidating behavior. and/or Fast Track at the current or future you are covered by Arisia’s corkage agreement Please report any incidents in which a conventions. (allowing you to serve food and non-alcoholic member of the convention is abusive, insult- Any unattended children (which includes: drinks). Party hosts can request a free ice ing, intimidating, bothersome, or acting in an children not picked up at Fast Track/Turtle delivery from the hotel. unsafe or illegal manner to Convention Secu- Track; children that do not have free-roaming Parties may be “Open” (all convention rity, an Assistant Div Head, a Division Head, ribbons found outside of Fast Track) will be members welcome, or with doors open or an Assistant Con Chair, or the Con Chair. brought to Arisia Security, who will follow ajar, or publicly advertised) or “Closed Par- Sleeping in public or convention areas of procedure to ensure the safety of the child. ties” (private, doors closed, no advertising). the hotel is forbidden by the hotel manage- Please remember that the convention and Serving of alcohol is not allowed in Open ment. This is private property. hotel is not “child-proofed.” There are many Party areas. Program participants, moderators, and items (including costumes, displays, art, etc.) Party Hosts are responsible for adhering event coordinators are responsible for the that are easily damaged. Additionally there to convention policies, hotel rules, and local, comfort and safety of convention members are things that might place a young child at state, and federal laws, including the enforce- in their areas. Disruptive behavior by adults potential risk. It is the parents’ responsibility ment of the drinking age. All Party Hosts or children is not acceptable. Any request to to supervise their children so they do not must review and adhere to the separate Party leave an area must be complied with immedi- venture anywhere or touch anything inap- Hosting Guide. ately; appeals should be brought to attention propriate. of Arisia Security Staff and directed to the Participation in some regular program Smoking, Alcohol, Weapons, responsible Division Head, the Convention items by minors may require parental per- Nudity and Illegal Acts Chairperson, or the Arisia Corporate Exec- mission or the presence of a supervising adult. The Westin hotel bans smoking in all areas utive Board. Some program items dealing with adult top- of the hotel, including all guest rooms. Smok- Convention Badges must be worn by all at- ics may be closed to children under 18 years ing is allowed outside the building away from tendees and volunteers and must be visible to of age. Although children under 18 years of the doorways. access any convention area (including Dealers age may register as “adults,” membership in Arisia prohibits the consumption of alco- Room and Open Parties). Exceptions may be the convention in no way supersedes local, hol in all convention areas except for alcohol made for special cases, e.g., uniformed pro- state, or federal laws. Some items may require purchased from the hotel and consumed di- fessionals (police or nurses) and masquerade the supervision of a child by parents. It is the rectly in the area in which it was purchased. participants while on-stage (but masquerade parents’ responsibility to review the schedule The legal drinking age in Massachusetts is participants do need to have memberships in and decide which items they will allow their 21. You may be asked to provide a valid ID if any case). ordering alcoholic beverages.

4 Arisia’s corkage waiver does not apply to raphers a non-exclusive right to photograph, convention (including the masquerade) must serving of alcohol. According to hotel policy videotape, otherwise record, and publish read and agree to the terms contained in a all alcoholic beverages must be purchased (in print or electronically) themselves, com- separate photographers/videographers con- through the hotel. panions, activities, costumes, artwork, sales tract. Laws governing illicit substances, obscen- goods, and other property used or displayed Individuals or organizations violating ity, weapons, public behavior, and the treat- in their normal participation of the conven- these guidelines by selling, reproducing, ment of minors must be strictly observed. tion. broadcasting, or publishing materials ob- Remember, there may be members of the Photographers, ask permission before you tained at an Arisia convention without per- Boston Police Department on patrol at the photograph or audio/videotape any individu- mission may be guilty of copyright violation convention. al or group. Anyone who does not wish to be and/or trespass, and may be prosecuted to The list of Illegal weapons in Massachu- photographed or recorded should state their the full extent of the law. If you have any setts include, but are not limited to: black- wishes unambiguously. questions as to what is appropriate, contact jacks, billy clubs, any sort of double-edged We presume that you are acting in an am- the Press Liaison for further information. knife (symmetrical cross-section, even if one ateur capacity unless otherwise stated. If you side is dull), shuriken (throwing stars) and are acting on behalf of a publication, video Other Policies nunchucks. For further information see MA production organization, or news medium Dealers are limited to the Dealer’s Room General Laws, Part 4, Title 1, Chapter 269, (freelance or employed) of any kind, you must in the Galleria space. Vending from hotel Section 10. register as a member of the press (commercial rooms is not allowed. While the hotel is private property, the publication, media, fanzine). Press passes may All raffles and drawings, whether for profit hotel is still required by the Boston Licensing be obtained by going to the information desk or charitable reasons, must comply with the Board to enforce standards of conduct and and ask to speak with the press liaison to City of Boston guidelines. nudity. Accordingly, street-legal attire is re- receive an orientation and press kit. Articles Attendees may only post signs on official quired in all convention spaces and hallways. or media coverage released after the conven- Arisia Sign Kiosks, located around the hotel, tion may earn you a membership to the next using the tape provided. , Photography Policy Arisia, or a refund for this year. This is a private event; by registering, indi- Anyone wishing to sell photographs, au- viduals grant Arisia and designated photog- dio, or video recordings of any part of the

5 Convention Committee and Staff Con Chair: Mike Sprague Contra Dances: Jeff Kaufman, Kristin Seibert, Amy Assistant Con Chairs: Englesberg, Mari Black Benjamin Levy (Communications, Food, Exhibits, SCA/Renaissance Dance: Hermankyn of Quintavia Member Services, Ops, Staff Services) Live Performances: Kris “Nchanter” Snyder (Events, Hotel Liaison, Kirk Poland: Eric M. Van, Craig Shaw Gardner Programming, Registration, Tech, Youth Services) Buffy Sing-Along: Teseracte Players of Boston Con Chair staff: Nicholas “phi” Shectman Dr. Horrible: Teseracte Players of Boston Debrief: Rachel Silber Psyche Corporation: Psyche Corporation Promotional Parties: Kris “Nchanter” Snyder, Mike Brighter Than a Thousand Suns: Randy Roswell, Sprague Angelika Roswell, Andre Tangredi Sales T-Shirt: Allen Holt Geeky Belly Dancing: Samara Martin Convention Treasurer: Alex Latzko Rocky Horror Picture Show: Teseracte Players of GOH Liaison: Debi Chowdhury Boston, Glenn Macwilliams Assistants: Lisa Hagar, Heather Ryan “Serenity”, “Out of Gas”, “Jaynestown”: RKO Army Artist GOH Liaison: Michelle Wexelblat (pre-con), Lisa “Space Seed”: Post-Meridian Radio Players Hagar (at-con) Ig Nobel Readings: Marc Abrahams, Katherine Griffin Fan GOH Liaison: Evelyn Ryan Hallucinating Shakespeare: Michael Anderson Writer GOH Liaison: Debi Chowdhury Lost Pig: Brad Smith, Mindy Klenoff Mary Bichner and Benjamin Levy (pro tem) “Sailor Moon”-themed Concert: Communications: Planetary Quartet Roster Graphics: Lee Moyer Salem Trayned Band, Salem Zouaves, Legio III Flyers: Benjamin Levy, Nicholas “phi” Shectman Cyrenaica demos: Mark Millman Souvenir Book: Paul Selkirk Athena School of Arms demos: Steven Hirsch Cover Design: Lee Moyer Worcester Historical Swordsmanship demos: Ken Pocket Program: Paul Selkirk Mondschein Cover Design: Lee Moyer Piano Rock: Matthew Ebel Proofreading: Daniel and Liz Miller Mrs. Hawking: Phoebe Roberts & the Watch City Players Ad Sales: Rick Katze SCA Rapier Fencing demo: Meg Swanton Newsletter: Brenna Levitin, Sara Weinstein One-Act Plays: Janet Catherine Johnston, Carl Danielson Staff: Vincent Anderson, Brenda Noiseux, Mary Purdey Wand Dueling workshop: Harry Potter New York City Restaurant Guide: Lia Olsborg Masquerade: James Hinsey Sign Shop: Catelyn Johnson Assistant: Jill Eastlake Staff: Talia Lefton Staff: Aurora Celeste, Kathleen Amitrano, Harriet Website Design: Cidney Hamilton Severino, Dr. Karen Purcell Website Content: Cidney Hamilton, Benjamin Levy Registration: Aurora Celeste Forums Moderator: Mike Sprague Registration Table: Kathleen Amitrano Social Media Coordinator: Terri Ash MC: Richard Hill Twitter: Crystal Huff Stage Manager: Michael Rafferty Progress Reports: Benjamin Levy Judges: KonOpas: Eemeli Aro Presentation Judges: N. K. Jemisin, Lee Moyer, Guidebook: James Van Zandt Colette H. Fozard, Jennifer Old-d’Entremont Online Schedule: Paul Selkirk Workmanship Judge: Carol Salemi Events: David “DDA” D’Antonio Judges’ Clerk: Kathleen Amitrano Assistant : Conor Walsh Green Room Manager: Jill Eastlake Event Liaisons: Anna Erishkigal, Talis Thorndike Love, Green Room Staff: Donald Eastlake III, Toni Lay Conor Walsh Den Moms: Deborah Coombs, Toni Lay Liaison Mentors: Samantha Dings, Patricia Vandenberg Repair Table Manager: Harriet Severino Outreach Liaison: Conor Walsh Kamikaze Kids: Dawn Albright, Jill Silvester Dances: Head Ninja: Ann Catelli Friday Night Club Dance: Rabbit Revolution Backstage Pirate: Greykell Dutton Saturday Night Club Dance: DJ Dirge, DJ Xero Official Photographer: Sandy Middlebrooks Drum and Dance: Penny Messier, Angela Bowen, Rich Assistant Photographers: James Boykin, Michael Parker Hailey, Derek Kouyoumjian, Julius Prince, Ray Fairy Tales Ball and Civil War/Victorian Afternoon Swagerty Dance: Barbara Pugliese, Antonia Pugliese Videographer: Syd Weinstein, Ray Swagerty Swing Dance: Julie Kaufmann Hall Costume Awards: NoeL (Northern Lights Costumers’ Guild)

6 House Manager: Matthew Barr Staff Den: Tamar Amidon Halftime Entertainment: RKO Army Chefs Behind the Green Curtain: Dave Shaw, Rikibeth Masquerade Computer Guru: James Hinsey Stein, Mali Turner, Rachel Olsen Wetherheimer Exhibits: Jaime Garmendia Green Room: Suli Isaacs Art Show: Nicholas “phi” Shectman Staff: Emily Isaacs, Fred Isaacs, Ambar Hammond, Joel Assistant Director: Megan Lewis Phillips Automation: Jo Hogan Hotel Liaison: Amos Meeks Baggage Check: Richard L. Schmeidler At-Con Hotel Liaisons: Emily Coombs, Craig McDonough, Forms Design: Skip Morris Matt Ringel, Rachel Silber GoH Installation Assistants: Gabriel Lefton, Talia Innkeeper: Ellie Younger Lefton Staff: Kendra Albert, Michael Feldhusen, Meg Frank, Layout: Gay Ellen Dennett Jason Melchert Lighting Crew Chiefs: Lenny Foner, Ellen Blackburn Party Czar: Joel Herda Logistics: Lisa Hertel BEO (Rooms) Wrangler: Paul Kraus Sales: Andrea Senchy Food BEOs: Paul Kraus Setup/Teardown Lead: Arthur “Thumper” Ercolini Food Truck Coordinator: Kris “Nchanter” Snyder Setup/Teardown Crew: Rob Allison, Jeanise Bertrand, Wrangler: Jude Shabry D. Cameron Calkins, Yvonne Carts-Powell, Mieke Whisperer: LA Sweet Citroen, Amanda Coakley, Jen Dudley, Shirley Márquez Parking: Benjamin Levy Dúlcey, Larry Dunne, Angela Ercolini, Michael Kerpan, Member Services: Sharon Sbarsky Ken London, Brianna Lueders, William Mui, Rex Powell, Assistant: Tim Szczesuil Rickland Powell, Debby Sommer, Sandy Sutherland, Concourse Layout: Lia Olsborg Courtney Varga, Scott Varga, Michele Weinstein Access: Tanya Washburn Sommelier: Jaime Garmendia Staff: Masha Sten-Clayton, Mieke Citroen Staff: Ariana Berns, Scott Catton, Adam Cohn, Deborah Blood Mobile Liaison: John Hodges Coombs, Gillian Daniels, Joline Desrosiers, Roger Onsite Recruitment: The Naughty Nurses Gifford, Daphne Gould, Shoshanna Holzer, Raymond Bone Marrow Drive Liaison: Paul Kominers Isaacs, Alice Iu, Jenny Kraus, Bridget McManus, Elliott Coat Check: Katherine E. Cunningham Mitchell, James Reynolds, Harvey Rubinovitz, Ann Staff: Greykell Dutton, Rachel Olson Wertheimer, Marie Rudolph, A. Julia Severino, Christiana Toomey, Barbara Jewell, Maya Gounard, Louisa Ricker, Emily Trina Toups, Joan Turner Westland, Jermetrian Troy, Karen Allain, Amanda Student Art Contest: Jacob Lefton Coakley Dealers’ Liaison: Edward Trachtenberg Fan Tables: Lin Daniel, Kara Conner Assistant Dealers’ Liaison: Amy Chused Info Desk: Kris and Jack Page Dealers’ Room Coordinator: Sabina Fecteau Photo Booth: Crystal Huff Artist’s Alley: Christine Denise Day Cosplay Repair Station: Mieke Citroen Tax ID Czarina: Anna Erishkigal Quiet Room: Lee Ann Dorr Assistant Division Head for Gaming: Andy Rosequist Press Relations: Alan Wexelblat Table Top Games: Mike Dlott, Bill Todd Advisor: Bill Yerazunis LARPs: Jason Schneiderman Promotions/Sponsorships (Freebies): Stephanie Clarkson Masters of Jacks and Aces: Dave Cantor, Dale Farmer Tiptree Bake Sale: B. Diane Martin Video Gaming Liaison: Janet Stickle Video Games Provider: Game Underground Ops: Daniel Eareckson Arcade Games Provider: Joshua Allen Assistant Division Head: Walter Kahn Anime: PJ Letersky IT Support: Assistant Anime Coordinator: Christine Palyo Pre-Con Planning: Mark Hertel Video/Web Shows Coordinator: Lance Oszko Printers: Rick Kovalcik Film Festival Coordinator: Scott “Kludge” Dorsey Logistics: Michael “Lucky” Leuchtenburg Silent Film Organist: Marnen Laibow-Koser Assistant/Loadmaster: *Hobbit* Projectionist: Scott Norwood Staff: Janet Stickle Truck Driver: Melissa McDowell Ops Desk: David Axel Kurtz Staff: Bryan Maynard, Craig McDonough Food: Tom Traina Security: Adam Burdick Oracle of Foodstuffs: Conor Walsh Assistant: Timothy Yee Quartermaster/Bulk Purchasing: Terry Karney Security Secretary: Tonja Johnson Bread Fairy: Vicki Schnoes and the Brookline Food Co-Op Dispatchers: Russell Blake, Rachel Jarnes Con Suite: Austin Noto-Moniz Lieutenants: Ly Meloccaro-Price, Nick Down, Paige Staff: Daphne Gould, Joel Gould, Kanisha Grover, Murray, Todd Cochran, Jon Mendoza Raymond Isaacs, Danielle LaRose, Blake Meloccaro- NCO’s (Squad Leaders): Edward Asencios, Danny Lee, Price, Solly Ross, Nick Sitar Heather Down, Damien Harris, Bobby Huntly

7 Security Officers: Emily Walton, Ashlie McCall, Rob Technical Services: Persis Thorndike Rabito, Matt Brightman, Miguel Valentin, Will Munoz, Assistant: Abby Noyce Byron McNeal, Pat Brennan, Jennie Michel, Grace TD Minder: Erin Benson Taverna, Sue Thompson, Joe Mogel, Justine Murray, Events Liaisons: Persis Thorndike, Abby Noyce Tex Whittemore, Spencer Thompson, Benn Kesler, Dance Events Liaison: BDan Fairchild Garrett Colon, Padraic Gribbons, Zachary Gallant, Bill Room designs and documents: David H. Silber Sherman, Sarah Gullion, Chistopher Criner, John Shaw Program AV: Rick Kovalcik Programming: Micah Schneider Staff: Joseph Averett, Will Coakley, Sherene Raisbeck, Assistants: Dash, Pam Larson Greg Westland Diversity Coordinator: Dash Lighting Designer: David H. Silber Track Managers: LD Emeritus: *hobbit* Art & Maker: Drew Van Zandt Assistant LD: Liana Olear Anime: Christa Newman-Morris Dance Tent LD: Angela Morley Comics: Donna Martinez, Alex Jarvis Sound Designer: Meg Nuge Communities: Aimee Bouchard, Michelle Driscoll SD Emeritus: Paul Kraus Costuming: Jennifer Old-d’Entremont Assistant SDs: K Wiley, Nick Jones Fan Interest: Shana Fuqua Dance Tent SD: Kiran Wagle Five Minute Talks: David Shaw Video Designer: Syd Weinstein Literature: Shira Lipkin, Erik Amundsen Assistant VD: Peter Olszowka Gaming: Andy Rosequist, Ian Campbell Video Gear Wrangler: Peter Olszowka Media: Adam Lipkin Video Staff: Megan Gentry Music: Jeff Keller Video Engineer: Bill Miller Assistant: Jeremy Kessler Intercom: Sam Kopel Science: Mark Amidon Arisia TV Feed: Carl Zwanzig Writing: Lisa Hagar Arisia TV Programming: Rachel Downing Program Nexus: Jeff Warner Czar[ina] of Screens and Projectors: Tom Dings, Nexus Staff: Rick Katze Samantha Dings Zambia: Peter Olszowka Tech Mom: Maura Taylor SysAdmin: Dan Franklin Tech Access: Ruth Schoonover General Tech Staff: Seph Aliquo, Matthew Barr, Aaron Melia Beetham Registration: Block, Michael Carroll, Heidi Clark, Ed Council, Scott Joshua Rachlin, Peter Brenton Assistant : Dorsey, Greykell Dutton, Rich Fine, Stephanie Fine, Ken Sara Gussin, Diana Hsu, Amol Vaidya Pre-con Staff: Fink, Pi Fisher, Stephanie Friedman, Sol Gartner Bellows, Wendee Abramo, Rob Castiello, Jesse Cox, At-con Staff: Eric Gassior, Marty Gear (in absentia), Lowell Gilbert, Kelly Fabijanic, Jennifer Fitzsimmons-Gauger, Shazza Lisa Hertel, Jim Housell, Ariela Housman, Danielle Gilbert, Timothy O. Goyette, Kathy Grider, Sara Gussin, Hughes, Daniel Johnson-Carter, Lilienne Lethe, Leon Diana Hsu, Kara Hurvitz, Nurit Janovich, Danielle Marr, Paul Mossip, Genni Mushlin, Dan Noé, Lia Olsborg, Reese, Jana Spencer, Skye Souter, Amol Vaidya, Nora Mary Olszowka, Michael Rafferty, Sparr Risher, Demetri Vitale, Rob Castiello Sampas, Harriet Severino, Chuck Shimada, Wrenn Simms, Dave Shevett Congo Assistance: Peter Smiley, Lauren Smith, Ellen Sontag-Miller, Sarah Staff Services: Anna Bradley, Terry Holt “Pie” Stauff, Janet Stickle, Brian Trimmer, Ben Warmus, Massage Den: Stephen Balzac Jonathon Weiss, Ariela Zonderman Eric Bornstein, Lilith Asteroth, Audrey Adams, Cat Staff: Dale Meyer-Curley, Kris Pelletier Stoltz, Becca Mandel, Whitney Adams Youth Services: Turtle Track (Childcare/Babysitting): Ocean Erik J. Meyer-Curley Volunteer Coordinator: Thundermoon Volunteer Lounge Coordinator: Terry Holt Fast Track: Aimee Bouchard Assistants: Elliot Oberholtzer Front Desk: Jill Silvester Duck Hunt: Talis Thorndike Love Quartermaster: Mieke Citroen Space Pilot Program: Allison Feldhusen Programming: Nicole Robinson Staff Newsletter: Terry Holt, Anna Bradley Teen Lounge: Carolyn Wilk Training: Shaina Doberman T-Shirt and Swag Coordination: Anna Bradley Volunteer Shirt Art: Jenny Akerman Ribbons: Sharon Sbarsky, Anna Bradley Thursday Night Staff Dinner Coordinator: Terry Holt

8

Writer Guest of Honor

An AppreciationN. K. by Kate Jemisin Elliott

diversity of its contributors.” She doesn’t have the luxury of ignoring hostile attacks or pretending that racism and sexism do not exist, and I want to express my own great appreciation of how vital it is to the field and for every one of us that Nora is willing to keep putting herself out there and calling out the bigotry in the field we love. She shouldn’t have to, but she does. It takes courage and stubbornness and brilliance, all of which she possesses in abundance. Every time she writes that “everyone who dreams is capable of participating in these genres” (WisCon Guest of Honor speech, 2014), she holds up a lamp that acts as a beacon to bring more writers and artists and readers and professionals into a field that, to truly fulfill its promise, needs to be actually as universally vast as the claims made for its vision and scope. Of course most of us know her best for her fiction. She started publishing short fiction in 2004. Her excellent debut novel came out in 2010 and won the 2011 Locus Award for Best First Novel as well as the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award; it was also nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, Crawford, Gemmell, Tiptree, and World Fantasy awards. Say that five times fast. n trying to track down how Nora and I first met, I Her sixth novel, The Fifth Season, is due in August ran across two emails from 2009. 2015, and is one of the most eagerly awaited releases First, she emailed me to thank me for writing of the year. Ia blurb for her (fabulous) debut novel, The Hundred For me one of the striking elements of Nora’s fiction Thousand Kingdoms (“the provocative and exciting is its insistence on unfolding the human condition in debut novel by a writer whose work I hope to be a way that demands we consider humanity in all its reading for a long time to come,” a comment I enthu- worst, and best, aspects. Hers is a complex vision that siastically stand by). doesn’t trade in easy answers. She reminds the reader Four months later I emailed her to ask if by any that people are complicated, flawed, and inconsistent, chance she would be willing to beta read an early draft that they make mistakes and compound them and of Cold Magic, and she kindly was. The critique she maybe, possibly, try to redeem themselves. She sees gave exemplifies a lot about her: She cut me no slack both cruelty and love as possibilities, and her work because she simply assumed I was up for the truth. always digs at the deep connections that, for better or Her writing on science fiction and fantasy, enter- worse, link people together. tainment, race, and politics has made a powerful im- She is also adept at voice. Her first person writing pression in the field, first on LiveJournal and later on truly creates the personality of the speaker; none of her own blog and in other online venues. In the USA, her first person narratives could ever be mistaken for it is never a simple or safe act to speak openly and hon- any of the others because they are each so distinct estly about culture and history, and even less simple or both in language use and in how and what they convey safe to do so when you are a black woman. As a writer about the individual telling the story. Her third person of both non-fiction and fiction in multiple forms, Nora prose has gorgeous descriptive language and the abili- consistently and persistently speaks truth. She hasn’t ty to shock and delight in equal measure. been “shy about offering suggestions for change,” as Nora and I met in actual person at World Fantasy she said in her Guest of Honor Speech at Australian Convention in San Jose in the Fall of 2009. I vividly convention Continuum in 2013, where she discussed recall going to her reading; the room was packed, how “it is time that we all recognized the real history and the space breathed a palpable excitement as she of this genre, and acknowledged the breadth and read an excerpt from her forthcoming debut. Her

10 command of voice, the way she uses language to evoke Akaka Falls, Waipio Valley, an ancient Hawaiian heiau personality and setting, has a strength that makes her (temple), and (of course) eating and drinking. All that writer’s voice unmistakable and unforgettable. day we carried on an extended conversation about Many of our subsequent meetings have taken place women in genre, a discussion we afterward kept en- over food and/or drinks: a Scandinavian restaurant in couraging ourselves to try to recapture in a joint blog Manhattan, a Brooklyn hipster joint, her launch party post which we never had time to write. We touched on for the novel Kingdom of Gods, complete with the a little of it in our joint Rocket Talk podcast discussion game Twister (the main character being a trickster/ with Justin Landon, at Tor.com. child god, natch) and mixed drinks appropriate to a Here’s the thing about Nora: She has a lot of im- “Sleepover of the Gods” themed pajama party, like the portant things to say, and I for one will never get tired Rummy Bear (White rum, blue Curacao, lemon juice, of listening to and reading her. , simple syrup, with gummy bear garnish). However I have a special personal fondness for the visit she made to the Big Island of Hawaii to do Kate Elliott is the author of multiple SF/F novels, including Cold research for The Fifth Season. I flew over for the day Magic, Spirit Gate, King’s Dragon, and Jaran. She lives in Hawaii where, for fun, she paddles outrigger canoes. from Oahu, and we drove around the Big Island seeing

Selected Bibliography The Inheritance Trilogy The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (2009) The Broken Kingdoms (2010) The Kingdom of Gods (2011) The Dreamblood The Killing Moon (2012) The Shadowed Sun (2012) Anthology Systems Fail, with Hiromi Goto (WisCon 38 GOH book, 2014) Short Fiction L’Alchimista (2004) Too Many Yesterdays, Not Enough Tomorrows (2004) Red Riding-Hood’s Child (2005) Cloud Dragon Skies (2005) The Narcomancer (2007) The Brides of Heaven (2007) The You Train (2007) Bittersweet (2007) Playing Nice With God’s Bowling Ball (2008) Non-Zero Probabilities (2009) Sinners, Saints, Dragons, and Haints, in the City Beneath the Still Waters (2010) On the Banks of the River Lex (2010) The Trojan Girl (2011) The Effluent Engine (2011) 1929: The Singular Taffy Puller (2011) Valedictorian (2012) Walking Awake (2014) The Awakened Kingdom (2014) Stone Hunger (2014)

Collated from NKJemisin.com and The Internet Speculative Fiction Database (isfdb.org).

11 NESFA’S REGIONAL SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION BOSKONE 52 February 13–15, 2015 • Boston, MA The Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel

GUEST OF HONOR Steven Brust

OFFICIAL ARTISTS Charles Lang & Wendy Snow-Lang

FEATURED FILKERS Maya & Jeff Bohnhoff

SPECIAL GUEST Robert K. Wiener, fn

SCIENCE SPEAKER Dave Clements

NESFA GUEST Vincent DiFate

Love science fiction and fantasy? Join us at Boskone, New England’s longest running science fiction convention! image © Charles Lang & Wendy Snow-Lang image © Charles Lang & Wendy REGISTRATION RATES (prices through January 19, 2015): www.boskone.org adult: $50 college student: $35 [email protected] high school student and under: $25 L’Alchimista by N. K. Jemisin

he assistants had ruined the caponata soup. “The special tonight is hare.” She said it gruffly, Screaming and flinging hot pappardelle after picking up a nearby rag to give the table a cursory them, Franca stopped on the inn’s sidewalk to swipe. “Nothing left of tonight’s soup though, and Tpant for air as their backs faded into the snow-flecked tomorrow’s caponata is scorched so you’ll have to do night. without an appetizer. I suppose there might still be “Problematic, signora,” said a voice to her left. some pappardelle.” “Now who will help you in the kitchen?” The man sat down, not removing his hat and coat. Franca turned, lifting her ladle to confront a spec- “Hare?” He lifted his head slightly—his face was still ter. Or so the man seemed, hidden as he was within in shadow—and sniffed the air. “Roasted in an herb- a voluminous winter coat and wide-brimmed hat. In crust?” the light from the sodium lamps she could make out “And a dolce e forte sauce, with Sicilian cabernet.” the etching of a face within the hat’s shadow. Thin “You’ll have used tomatoes as a thickener, then.” graceful lines of nose and chin and lips, the lattermost “I’ll have used hare’s blood, as God intended before curved in a smile. The smile did not help her mood. the damned Americas were discovered. Do you want “More problematic than they’re worth,” Franca it or not?” said, putting her free hand on one ample hip, “and “Please. With the pappardelle—such as you have so will you be if you’re here a-begging. Or if you’re a left.” flasher, go find the widow Annabella down the street; Franca snorted and went into the kitchen. For a I hear she’s not picky.” moment she contemplated simply reheating leftovers The smile widened. “Not begging, signora, except from the freezer. The sauce’s tart sweetness would perhaps for some warmth and a good meal. I heard only have deteriorated a little, and her guest would both could be found here.” probably never know the difference. “Heard where?” Franca narrowed her eyes, suspi- Bah—she was thinking like one of the stupid as- cious. None of the travel websites would list any inn sistants, for whom the subtle arts of the kitchen were where she worked. merely a job, a living, a way to impress their friends. “The market, the taxi, folk on the street. Your kitch- What did her audience matter, dignitary or destitute? en comes highly recommended among those who care She cooked for herself, and she had never cooked less more about skill than popularity.” than her best. It was cheap flattery, but enough that she gave him So she cut apart the hare and browned the quarters a second look. His old coat was of decent quality, its with garlic and onion, searing the meat to seal the lines elegant if plain. The hat was the sort of thing she juices before removing it to the oven to roast. Then recalled seeing on old men in the mountain villages, after deglazing the browning pan with red wine, she the ones who sat about all day commenting on the added vegetables, herbs, the organ meats and blood. world. Not a beggar, perhaps, but certainly no man of This she simmered uncovered to reduce, meanwhile means. Still, he had taste and tact; that was enough to basting the oven quarters with honey and horseradish. decide her. The pappardelle she boiled in salted water, al dente, “The Milano night is cold,” she said, gesturing and tossed with the sauce. As a finishing touch she set toward the door with the ladle. “I suppose I can keep the roasted hare portions to stand at the center and my kitchen warm awhile longer.” grated parmeggiano around the dish’s edge. “You have my gratitude, signora.” The man moved And while she worked, the small nuisances of the past her and inside, pausing first to knock snow off his day faded and her mind focused wholly on the marvel boots at the door. of creation. There was such balance in food. Sweetness The common room of the inn had closed down for and sharpness, blood and oil, the delicate influence of the evening some time before, though the smell of ingredients and the controlling power of flame… If cigarettes and prosciutto lingered in the air. Old deaf only men and women could be so simple, so malleable! Giovanni hummed to himself as he swept behind the “Give me a well-stocked kitchen and I could rule the bar; long used to Franca’s tantrums, he had already world,” she whispered to herself, and wished for all her cleaned up the pappardelle from the walls and floor. heart that it was true. The stranger paused to look about and for a moment The meal was done. She carried the platter out to Franca sighed, ashamed as always by the badly-sealed the common room and set it down in front of the man. stone walls, the uneven wooden floor, and the yel- “You’ll want wine?” lowed newspaper clippings and photographs decorat- “In a moment.” The man lifted a hand to waft the ing the walls. It was a cozy little inn, the locals said. So dish’s steam toward himself; Franca could barely hear rustic, so quaint. his soft inhalation. “Ah. And now…” He took up the So far have I fallen, she thought. spoon and tasted the sauce, then plucked loose a mor-

13 sel of hare. He chewed slowly and thoughtfully, then for a true artist of the kitchen for some time, signora. swirled a few fat ribbons of pappardelle in the sauce I beg you not to disappoint me.” before slurping them up. He took his time tasting this She stared after him as he straightened, touched as well. fingertips to the brim of his hat, and walked out with Franca folded her arms. She usually didn’t watch a smile. when people ate her dishes—it felt somehow incestu- Bemused, she picked up the sack and emptied it ous—but something about this man had piqued her onto the table. An astonishing number of items fell interest. “Well?” out: an assortment of what looked like balls of dirt, The man looked up at her and for the first time she a wad of moss, twenty or thirty fresh herb-bunches got a good look at his face. Older than she’d expected, tied with string, and three great gnarled things like gaunt and solemn though his eyes were merry. Might the mating of an onion with a tree-bole. Last there have been handsome twenty years before. Not Italian, fluttered out a small roll of parchment paper, held shut though his Milan accent had been flawless; she could with an old-fashioned wax seal. not guess his ancestry other than that. French, per- “Not a beggar indeed; a madman,” she murmured, haps, or UK. but she picked up the scroll and opened it neverthe- “Marvelous. The perfect balance of salt and sweet- less. ness, the tang of the capers, the tender texture… all Signora, blended with such subtlety. Signora, you are amazing.” The ingredients of this recipe must be blended “I know.” Inordinately pleased, Franca went to the precisely. Any deviation could be dangerous. Please bar and returned with a wine bottle, a corkscrew, and do not waste the frava root; it is very difficult to a glass, all of which she thumped down in front of him. come by. Old Giovanni was gone, probably to bed. Isadora, the This was followed by a beautifully illegible signa- inn’s owner, might notice the missing wine when she ture and a list of the ingredients provided. The gnarled next did inventory, but Franca would blame it on the things must be the frava root, she decided, whatever assistants she’d just fired. “Call me when you’re done.” that was. The herbs were a mixture of familiar and She’d just finished cleaning up the kitchen—per- unfamiliar; tarragon was followed by “3 sprigs taki­ haps she would miss the assistants a little—when she prik” and “powdered honavia”. Then she gasped, for heard his call from the common room. “Mi scuza, the recipe listed something that was truly impossible. signora, I’ve just finished the best meal of my life.” She set the parchment down and snatched up one of She stepped outside to see with satisfaction that he the dirtballs. had cleaned his plate. “I suppose I could make some- Tartufo bianco. A white truffle. thing for dessert.” Freshly-dug; the clay covering hadn’t even dried. A “Perhaps next time, signora. I cannot linger to- dozen of them lay scattered on the table—no, two doz- night, though I shall most certainly return.” The man en. Last she’d heard, white truffles sold for 1500 Euros dabbed his lips with a napkin, belched heartily, and a kilo in the chefs’ markets uptown. Her “beggar” had pushed back his chair. “In the meantime, I must repay been carrying a fortune in fungi about in his coat. you for your talent and effort—though for that I have She took a shaking breath and picked up the parch- something more interesting than money to offer. A ment again. At the bottom of the page was the recipe challenge.” itself. She made herself read it, and read it again. Then, She did not particularly care whether he paid; it disbelieving, she read it through a third time. wasn’t her inn. But at his words she lifted an eyebrow. “Roast the truffles…” That was bad enough. Truffles “What sort of challenge?” were best uncooked. But a little further on she saw “A very special one.” He slipped a hand into his “evaporate the anise effusion under a cheesecloth” coat like an old-fashioned pistolero, but before Franca and later “on bisection of the frava: a blowtorch will could worry he pulled out a bulging sack made of what be required.” looked like deerhide. He set this on the table—careful- It was a bitch of a thing. A monster of a thing. And ly, Franca noted. cruel; it would use up more than half the truffles he’d “You are willing to follow a recipe? So many chefs given her, if not all. of your caliber think themselves above the direction And yet… she felt the familiar clench in her belly, of others.” the thrill along her spine. A challenge, the man had She lifted her chin. “I was head chef for Parliament called it. Oh and it was, for even as her practical mind once—before that bastard Berlusconi, anyhow. While insisted she ignore the mad recipe and take the truf- I was there I had to make Florentine dishes like a fles out to sell, her heart was pounding in excitement. Florentine and Venetian dishes like a Venetian and the She got to her feet, gathered up the ingredients, and Madonna help me if I did them wrong. If the recipe is carried them into the kitchen. She put them into their sound, I can follow it.” proper places—herbs in the herb rack, strange roots “This one is sound. Just difficult. I present it to you, with the potatoes. The truffles she put into a risotto along with a few special ingredients.” He gestured basket and tucked away under the sink. She took in toward the sack with a flourish. “I have been looking the dishes the man had emptied, wiped down the

14 table, and cleaned up the kitchen. Then she shut off turpentine, with a subtle underflavor of rotten egg. the lights and headed home. She waited for his disgust while mourning the waste I’ll sleep on it, she told herself, but that was a lie. of so many beautiful truffles. She had already made up her mind. “Ah,” breathed the man, wafting the scent toward 1 3 h 4 2 himself. “Just now ripe, I see. And the taste…” He It took five days. picked up one of the cakes and popped it into his Franca informed Isadora that she would be taking mouth. She winced as he grimaced, but then he swal- a vacation that week. Isadora was upset at the late lowed and smiled. “Perfect.” notice, but had no choice; she had asked Franca to “Perfect?” She stared at him. “If I hadn’t tasted one work through August when the most of the country myself I would say you just ate poison, signore. Never enjoyed its traditional four weeks of vacation. Franca’s in my life have I made anything so foul.” price had been compensatory time whenever she He smiled and lifted the glass of riesling she’d wanted. But when Franca informed Isadora that she poured in hope of countering the cakes’ bitterness would be using the kitchen during her vacation, the with sweet. “But they aren’t meant to taste good, old innkeeper had grown curious. “Who works on signora,” he said. He paused to take a long sip of the vacation?” she asked. And Franca had replied that she wine. She nearly bounced on her toes while he held would not be working, but creating. it in his mouth a moment before swallowing. “The There were problems. The unidentifiable ingredi- important thing is that the ingredients were mixed ents: she researched on the internet, browsed through in the proper proportions. Doing it wrong creates books, even did chemical tests to make sure she knew a substance so noxious the very fumes can kill. But what was what. But in all her searching, she never once doing it right…” found any reference to a frava root. The root’s smell He stretched out a hand, examining the back of was bitter when she finally wrestled one open, and it. She followed the gesture in confusion. “Yes? Yes? there was a faint underscent of something fouler, like Doing it right?” hot asphalt. She made herself taste it and her tongue He looked up at her. The hat still shadowed his eyes, went numb for two days—a severe handicap for any but—She blinked, frowned, peered closer. Then took a chef, but doubly frustrating under the circumstances. step back. Worse, the recipe was unclear. “A pinch” here and He was handsome now. Not quite as handsome as “a spoonful” there, interspersed with “select a mid- she’d speculated, but certainly better-looking. As if sized” example of this or that. She had never worried he’d suddenly become a good ten years younger. about such things before; art was rarely exact. But He smiled and popped another of the cakes into his the strange fellow’s note had been emphatic about mouth. This time it happened while Franca watched. precision, so Franca had no choice but to employ a The deepest-etched lines in his face lightened and the blend of intuition and quasi-science to determine the gauntness filled out. In a few seconds she was looking correct balance. She calculated that the truffles’ oils at a hale and healthy man of middle years. would need to be emulsified by an equal proportion “Go and look at yourself, signora,” he said, his eyes of ground herbs. She added a third thread of saffron twinkling. “You tried one, didn’t you?” because the mixture’s color just didn’t look right. “Oh, Madonna,” Franca whispered, and hurried She also thanked God she’d fired the assistants. through the kitchen to the employees’ bathroom. Even Just having them around would have cocked up ev- in Isadora’s cheap lighting the difference was clear. erything. The lines in her face had faded, and the second chin But despite the stress and the labor, she persevered she’d been working on since her mid-forties was now and triumphed—or so she thought. The resulting con- smooth taut skin. She examined herself everywhere coction, shaped into bite-sized loaves each precisely and found that she’d lost ten pounds and her breasts thirty grams in weight, looked unappetizing and were still in the vicinity of her chest. smelled worse. Surely the things were not supposed When the shock finally began to fade, she stumbled to develop that greenish oily sheen after she chilled back to the common room. Her guest stood beside the them? She stored them in the small freezer, for fear table, inserting the last of the cakes into a wooden box the deep freeze’s thermostat might spark and set the incised with strange designs. He closed the lid and cakes on fire. smiled at her again. On the night that she finished, the stranger re- “How…?” It was all she could manage. turned. “Through your five days of labor, of course,” he 1 3 h 4 2 replied, “and your pure skill in the kitchen. The last Franca hovered nervously this time while her guest time I tried this recipe it nearly killed me. Thanks to sat down to table. She had opted for a presentation of you, my life is now renewed.” elegant simplicity on plain china, but this was a feeble She stared at him, mind and tongue mute. Then he diversion. The frava cakes had the color and texture of gave another of those little flourishes and she noticed that American monstrosity called Spam. They smelled that another deerhide sack lay on the table. like petrol, and the one she’d dared to taste had been “No.” She shook her head, unable to express her indescribable—somewhere between fish liver and horror. She needed a month of sleep. She could not

15 bear more strange ingredients. She was afraid of an- midsized birds with brilliant red-gold feathers. A large other recipe that could cook the impossible. She was wart-covered melon of some sort. A length of vine afraid of him, who brought such things. laden with cherry-red fruits. An ancient, dusty bottle, “The choice is yours, signora. The ingredients will sealed liberally with wax. keep until you’re ready. No recipe this time; I want Franca snorted to herself. No worse than the mas- to see what you can do on your own. When you’re ter chef’s exam. finished, if you finish, we’ll speak again.” So she set to work, sorting the mushrooms and test- He tipped his hat once more and strode out on his ing the herbs. She plucked and gutted one of the birds, vigorous younger legs. puzzling for a moment over a strange, hard object in 1 3 h 4 2 its gullet which was hot to the touch. Though the vine She took another week off. fruits smelled heavenly, she quickly discovered that Isadora was incensed, but finally capitulated as their fragrance could send her into a daydreaming Franca had known she would. If Franca hadn’t once fugue for an hour or more. “Potential,” she declared, spat on the most powerful man in Italy (who’d had the then plugged her nose and sliced them up anyhow. nerve to call her zabaglione boring!) Isadora would And as always while she worked, the small nui- have been stuck with a second-rate chef from a third- sances of life faded, and she lost herself in the marvel rate school. Franca needed the job, but Isadora needed of creation. to keep Franca happy. 1 3 h 4 2 “At least the vacation is doing you some good,” Franca put the finishing touches on her dishes and Isadora grumbled. “You don’t look quite so much the carried them out to the table. Not at all to her surprise, hag today.” the man was waiting for her, smiling from beneath his The deerhide bag sat on a counter in the kitchen. wide-brimmed hat. Franca did not touch it for several days. She cleaned “Such rich aromas,” he said, watching as she set up the mess left behind by the frava cakes and went down the tray. She had draped a covering cloth over it; home to sleep for the whole weekend. On Lunedi she steam curled from beneath the cloth’s edge. “But the rose, went to the hairdresser (who exclaimed over the items I gave you weren’t meant—” perfection of her coloring job; the gray was all but “Never mind what was meant. They are what they gone), visited her favorite stalls at the farmers’ piazza are,” Franca said primly. “A true chef never interferes and the fish pier, and meandered home. The whole with the power of food. She simply reveals it.” time her mind was racing, her heart a-thud. The deer- And with a flourish she pulled the covering cloth hide bag. The waiting nightmare. The possibilities. away. His eyes widened. She let him absorb what Returning to her bungalow, she set down her pur- he saw while she poured him a very dry sauvignon chases and went to the mirror. Her own face stared blanc. When he picked up his fork, she smiled at his back at her, haunted and younger. Once she had been hesitation. at the top of her field: a certified master, a respected “You made a dessert out of the firebirds?” woman in a man’s profession, an artist with a prom- “Is that what they’re called? Yes, their livers had a ising career. One error of judgment had sentenced sweetness that I liked once I blanched out the toxins. her to an endless Purgatory of downscale, dead-end Ground fine with beet juice and muscat wine, then restaurants. She would not have minded that so much chilled. The cups are pumpkin coated with honeyed if the appreciation had not vanished along with the isinglass.” acclaim, but there it was: she was a better chef now The hat tilted up as he peered at her, then back than she’d been at the height of her career, and no one down. “And this?” He pointed toward a plate holding cared. Except one man. puffy circles of squid-ink pasta, drizzled with golden I want to see what you can do on your own, her sauce and a startlingly white powder. stranger had said. “Panicles stuffed with basil-flavored ricotta, taki­ A slow, ferocious smile stretched across her lips. prik, and electric mushroom strips soaked in Brunello Had she been actually looking at herself in the mirror, wine. Dusted with potato flour to soften the tartness. she might have marveled at the beauty this smile The sauce is clarified butter warmed with picklemelon produced, but her mind had already turned to the extract.” deerhide bag. The hat tilted up again. “Electric mushroom. “Just you wait,” she whispered to herself, and to her Picklemelon.”­ peculiar dining guest. “Just you see what I can do.” “Well, I had to call them something.” She went to the inn, and into the kitchen, and there “Indeed.” He pointed wordlessly then at the center she opened the bag. course, a silver platter bearing half of the pickle- Three more sprigs of taki­prik. An assortment of melon’s rind as a bowl for a whole roasted fowl. The more mushrooms, including several which were red smoking globule in its beak made for a particularly with vibrant blue stripes. Five vials of powdered herbs dramatic presentation. which were fortunately labeled, though she had never “Whole hen firebird. The stuffing is a seven-mush- before heard the names. The carcasses—somehow room blend with mincemeat, pork sausage, rosewater fresh, though the bag had lain about for days—of four herb, and sage. Are you going to eat any of this?”

16 M S A E N G H A

O F L E O

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N Au gust 7-9, 2015 O E B V D I Boston, MA U R C ~ $20 weekend regi strat ion for Ari sia attendees T T S Use di scount code AR2015 before March 1st I O Y N M WWW.MYST ERIUM.NET “There’s so much, in such variety. Where do you “Because all things contain power, signora, and recommend I begin?” some have more power than most. Science has only She pointed at a platter of bruschetta on slabs of recently discovered that truth, but certain professions crusty bread. “Tomino cheese, fresh sardines, olive oil in the world—yours, mine—have known it for centu- pressed with dreamfruit seed, and pine nuts marinat- ries. Who is to say plutonium is more powerful than, ed in absinthe. I find the absinthe eases the narcotic say, rice? One takes away a million lives, the other effect of the dreamfruit. The dreams last hours, but saves a hundred times as many.” He smiled, pausing to are far less… shall we say, overwhelming? Instead they take a long appreciative sip of wine. stimulate the other senses so that one more properly “So now you’re a nuclear technician.” enjoys the rest of the meal.” Another laugh. “What I am is your apprentice, “Ah, thus the appetizer. Then there I shall begin.” signora, if you’ll have me. My art is too primitive for And he did. these times. The old techniques no longer have the Franca watched, feeling quite smug as he discov- same effect, and when they do the effect is less potent. ered each dish’s delights. He gasped when the stuffed More importantly, I no longer want to use the old panicles gave him a jolt, but then he chuckled and techniques.” He made a face. “I find them… crude. But amused himself throwing bolts of lightning across the you, signora, understand subtlety and balance, the room at the doorknobs. Then he sampled the partridge proper places of form and function, the interaction breast crepe rolls, liberally sprinkled with the strange of the world with the senses.” He put a hand over his elixir that had come from the dusty bottle. She had waist and offered a little bow from his seat. “I would found that this marvelously spicy and thick substance learn that from you, if you will teach me.” caused the occasional imp to appear, so to counter She stared at him, but her mind came alive with the that effect she had gone to the nearby church and possibilities. No more customers with tastebuds of gotten some holy water to thin the crepe batter. His stone. No more assistants with fumbling fingers and eyes widened in pleasure as the elixir and holy water proleterian minds. Her guest had already shown ten sizzled together in his mouth; she smirked. As she had thousand times more refinement; it would be a joy to planned, the firebird’s glaze—which contained a few teach him. And yet… drops of leftover frava oil—sparked on the flintgizzard She put her hands on her hips. “I’m no easy task- in its mouth and caught fire the moment he tried to mistress. I expect work. I expect art.” carve a slice. The illusory flames billowed and curled He pushed back from the table and got to his feet, around the dish like the bird’s lost feathers, and the sweeping his hat from his head in a true bow. “As slice he’d cut floated gracefully to his plate. much as my poor soul can produce, signora.” And so it went. By the time he’d finished the des- “My kitchen will need to be top notch.” sert he was laughing aloud in pure delight and the “Two floors of my citadel shall be yours to remodel common room was a wreck. That had been mostly and stock as you please.” the result of the dreamvine gnocchi, which he ate A citadel. This had promise. “I’ll ask no apprentice too soon after the firebird roast gave him temporary fee of you, but I expect room and board and a stipend.” wings. Vandals, she would tell Isadora. Probably the “Two more floors for an apartment, outfitted to disgruntled former assistants. your liking. As for the stipend, I have little in the way “Well,” he said at last, dabbing his lips with a nap- of ready funds but you will lack for nothing materially.” kin, “now I truly have had the best meal of my life, “An expense account?” signora. Grazie, grazie. You’ve surpassed my every “A substantial supply of lead, actually, bought for hope.” a pittance. It converts very well to gold through the “Oh?” Franca raised both eyebrows. “Does this application of a certain aromatic oil.” mean you’ll leave me another bag of strange things?” She considered this for a moment. “All right. And “I could, signora, but I would prefer instead to show I’ll want a sample of that oil. Aromatics always have you where to find your own.” possibilities.” She tensed in interest. “My own?” “But of course, signora.” “Certainly. And then if I may be bold, I have an She tapped her foot, wondering how far she dared. offer for you. A job offer, I should say.” “And vacation in August like everyone else.” She quirked a wry eyebrow. “You really aren’t much He smiled. “Whenever you wish.” of a beggar, are you, signore? You’re not poor enough She folded her arms, regarding his young-old face by far.” in silence now, debating with herself. He could be He laughed. “If it’s any consolation signora, I am lying about all of it. He could be a crazy murderer. He a poor man now by the standards of my past. In my could be a politician. youth—my true youth—one could work wonders with Well. Probably not a politician. eye of newt and a cauldron. But alas, the world has “I suppose I can at least see this citadel of yours,” changed.” she said at last. “If the kitchen space is as large as you “I should hope so. Whyever would you waste your say, I’ll need to begin inventory on what stock you time with something as foul as newts’ eyes?” already have. Amateurs never have the right pots and pans.”

18 He grinned as if she’d given him a kiss. “As you like, “Are foul, and should never be forced upon another signora. Shall we?” human being. I can bake up a hundred ways to keep us He tossed the cloth over the emptied dishes, young, never fear. It is only a matter of art.” stepped around the shattered chairs, and offered her He stared at her for a long moment, and then his his arm. She took it, blushing a little as he led her young face stretched in a slow smile. “So it must be, toward the door. signora. So it must be.” “You must promise me one final thing, signore.” They walked together, arm in arm, into the snowy “And that is?” Milano night. , “The truffles, signore. Never ask me to cook them again.” First published in the anthology Scattered, Covered, Smothered, He raised both eyebrows. “But the frava cakes—” Two Cranes Press, 2004.

19 Fan Guest of Honor

ColetteAn Appreciation by John H. Glindeman Fozard & Tim Roberge

ntro: January 20, she went from not there to omnipresent in a very short 2014—8:00am time. While my friend Mike Sprague obfuscates in a (MLK Monday at crowd, Colette just appears and was always there at IArisia). Two police the center of the event.” detectives knock on a Tim looked upward momentarily, as if mentally hotel room door. Tim’s reviewing an internal inventory before he replied, “We bloodshot eyes peer out had gone past each other in the hallways at Balticon a from above the linked few times. I think that I finally met her in ’97 at Arisia, security chain covered as I came in to give a heads-up to the ChocolateCon gap of the open door. party that the hotel was about to put some pilots in the “Dude, the party is room next door.” He chuckled before he added, “Little closed.” did I know then that I had just met a super hero with The detectives’ up- a giant robot.” held badges accompany Detective Scolder was quick to jump on that last bit the male cop’s smooth of information. “Are you saying she has access to some baritone as he gestures kind of advanced weapons technology, that she uses to himself and then the an alias, or has an alternate identity?” redheaded woman standing next to him. John laughed at the idea of the direct and forthright “Detective Scolder and my partner Detective Mul- Colette needing to hide who she was at all, or needing ley.” to resort to violence when her keen mind had never Tim’s sleep blurred eyes attempt to focus as he tries failed her yet, and shook his head negatively. to process the information with his exhausted brain, Tim rebuffed the question with a hurriedly added then he simply nods politely. explanation, “Remember what I said about meeting a “We need to speak to John Glindeman and Tim super hero? I always thought that she was just a little Roberge.” overboard with the Hello Kitty madness sometimes. A yawn cracks apart Tim’s weary expression before Recently, things started to make sense. She admitted, he asks, “Can it wait—we just got to bed?” after that story about Hello Kitty being a girl in a “We just need to ask you a few questions.” The mask and not being a cat came out, that she had been firmness in the detective’s tone makes it clear that it Hello Kitty all along.” Tim paused for breath before he can’t. Tim excuses himself, rouses John, and the two added, “This explains her ability to inspire people, and of them slip quietly into the hall to let the rest of the her sudden appearances seemingly out of nowhere. room continue sleeping. Where she had the giant robot parked all of these Under the dim lights of the hotel hallway, with years, I have no idea. It’s probably hidden under the the ubiquitous industrial carpeting cushioning the endless pile of Hard Rock Cafe Bears.” He grinned sounds of their movements, the detectives move a few knowingly at John, who added, “She does have quite paces away from the room’s door and begin their in- a personal collection of Hello Kitty tchotchkes, and terrogation of the two men. “You aren’t in any trouble, other fandom memorabilia. She’s an avid collector of we just need some information for our…investigation. what she loves. She saw my son’s Hello Kitty costume It appears our records are incomplete, and we were dress last Arisia, and asked for one of her own. We’re directed to you two as possible sources. We aren’t sure working on getting one together for her now.” which one of you might know what we need to know, Detective Scolder looked at Detective Mulley and so if you both could answer our questions, when you mouthed the words “son”, “Hello Kitty”, and “costume have anything to say, that would be very helpful.” De- dress”, showing some slight confusion on the matter. tective Mulley reassured them with her sincere tone The woman merely raised an eyebrow and mouthed and an open handed gesture, while Detective Scolder back “drag queen?” silently, while shrugging her took out his notepad and pen. shoulders slightly, giving little of her personal opinion With a slight smile the redheaded woman asked, on the subject away. “How did you meet Colette Fozard?” Clearing his throat briefly, Detective Scolder asked, John stifled a yawn before shaking his head slowly “Where might we find her?” and then admitted, “I don’t recall exactly when Co- John chimed in first this time, “Usually you can lette showed up in my part of Fandom—I just know find Colette one of three places—where the problem

20 is in need of resolution, where there is a chance to moment before adding, “She’s the only person I know find new recruits, or where the party is going on to who had a coin toss at her wedding.” celebrate that all is going smoothly.” He added a nod of Detective Mulley looked like she wanted to ask for approval to emphasize his certainty at this. clarification on that last statement, hands firmly on Pointing first with one hand, and then the other, her hips at this point, but Detective Scolder gave her by way of illustration, Tim echoed the sentiments just an “I’ll explain it to you later” look and forged ahead. expressed, “Either in the center of the maelstrom, suc- “Does she have any known associates?” cessfully herding cats to cancel it out…or running a Tim smiled widely as he spoke up. “The question party that outlasts the Admiral’s party down the hall.” isn’t so much, ‘Who associates with her?’ It’s more John chuckled as he included another fond memo- like, ‘Who doesn’t?’ Not only does she make new ry. “We host rocket fuel parties, and Colette has been friends at every convention, she has been bringing known to stay until the party closes down, talking the different circles together for years.” With a slight with anyone and everyone, enjoying the camaraderie, shrug of apology, John added, “I’m a board gamer, and blowing off some steam in the process.” and Colette’s husband Chuck, also a gamer, has been Detective Mulley interjected, taking up the line known to game with us, with Colette dropping by laid out by the earlier comment on finding new re- from time to time, just to check up on us. But they’ve cruits. “Has she recruited you to work in Fandom? also managed to convince my wife and me to volun- Nodding, John replied, “Yes, both directly and teer at different convention than this one, thanks to indirectly. Colette makes the process of running con- their sterling example of being willing to serve other’s ventions fun, even to veterans who should know bet- needs to make sure a con succeeds for everyone who ter than to expect smooth sailing. She resolves issues attends it.” with a professional manner, but doesn’t forget we are a Both of the detectives caught each other’s eyes volunteer social group. You are drawn in by the mes- and exchanged a significant glance at that moment. merizing way that she makes it all look so effortless, Detective Scolder tucked his notebook away and laced and then your loyalty is ensured when she is willing to his fingers together in a gesture of completion. “Well, put it all on the line to make everything work perfect- I think that about answers all of our questions. Thank ly. Or at least as well as it can, given the limitations of you gentlemen for your time. We are sorry to have dis- any intersection between plans and fandom.” turbed you at this hour, but time was of the essence.” Tim was eager to add his two cents at this point, At that it was Tim and John’s turn to eyeball each “Not exactly, but she did keep me from gafiating other, and they both asked, one after the other, “You completely by dragging me into Anime Convention said we weren’t in trouble, but is Colette okay?” “Yeah, work for a spell. She also was the only person since what is this all about?” the millennium to get me to work Arisia at staff level. The woman detective looked at the man and Where she got those photos, I still don’t know…oops.” shrugged, indicating she didn’t care if he answered He clapped his hand over his mouth to stop anything or not. He suddenly looked sheepish and admitted incriminating from coming out next. warily, “Well, you see, we met Colette while she was It was a good thing the detectives were more con- performing some convention duties that intersected cerned with the unfamiliar vocabulary and queried with ours; we were called in as outside expert security together, “Gafiating? What is that?” advisors, to speak at a panel…. And one thing led to Tim explained quickly, “Dude, it’s getting away another…. It appears she’s convinced us to volunteer from it all…when you burn out on fandom and take a at another convention in the future.” break from it. Though I’ve never yet known Colette to John simply shook his head and laughed merrily, do that.” while Tim suddenly remembered something, judging The male detective took the lead on the next ques- by the look on his face and asked urgently, “…You’re tion. “Does she have a Modus Operandi?” not gonna tell anyone about those pictures. Are you?” Both men exchanged glances and smiles, with The two detectives paused for a moment and ad- John nodding to Tim to go ahead. Tim’s eyes lit up in mitted, “We won’t tell if you won’t.” eagerness to explain this fascinating woman. “She's Tim and John turned tiredly back to their hotel a whiz at knowing what to do or who to call to solve room, finally free to head back for some much de- any issue. Think of her as a deluxe model Swiss Army served sleep, and the two detectives turned down the knife, only made in Boston, and trying to be Japanese. hallway, murmuring as they left. At the same time, she somehow makes it fun to raise “So, Scolder, do you believe everything they said the bar on service.” about Colette, can she really be that amazing?” He suddenly shivered and added quickly, “Don’t get “It’s like I always tell you, The Truth is Out There, between her and her Patriots. You wouldn’t like her if Mulley, The Truth is Out There.” , you got between her and her Patriots.” John nodded in the affirmative. “As a Chargers fan I’ve been on the John Glindeman is a veteran hospitality party thrower and con- vention volunteer. Tim Roberge denies the existence of those receiving end of that. When her Patriots were losing, pictures, and doesn’t know what you’re talking about. I feared for my life…a little.” He ruminated for a

21 Artist Guest of Honor

An AppreciationLee by Scott LeftonMoyer

first crossed paths with Lee Moyer back in the ’50s and obsessively over their work. When he was work- in a part of Marrakesh that doesn’t appear on the ing on a collectible card game, he was producing three maps, with both of us on the trail of a girl, a small finished, high quality, publication-ready pieces of art Istatue with a gem in its forehead, and some cryogen- a day, and doing this for weeks at a time. The sense ically frozen Nazis. But I’m not supposed to tell you of humor shows through in much of his art, often about any of that, so let’s stick to the official version. with mischievous glee and a joy about his subject Lee first appeared in our circles back in the early matter that adds to the viewer’s appreciation of the ’80s, walking into an apartment full of gamers and image. Sometimes this includes odd media references, artists like the new gunslinger come to town. If the combined in unexpected ways. And he demonstrates apartment could have had a pair of saloon doors, they all this skill over an impressive range, doing book and would’ve swung open in that dramatic movie fashion, magazine covers, calendars, posters, games, product with the appropriate sound effects. He was the young packaging, comics, cartoons, and just about every brash hotshot artist and was going to show us all a other graphic medium. thing or two. These days he’s less young but still brash, In addition to his own distinctive art style, Lee is still a hotshot artist, and wow has he shown us. capable of being a stylistic chameleon, drawing or As far as I can tell, Lee was born a working artist. painting in the style of whichever artist or genre he And he works it like few can, with limitless creativity, feels like paying homage to or lampooning, or both incredible technical skill, a keen level of efficiency, and at the same time. Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Love- a very quirky sense of humor. He’s fast—terrifyingly craftian themes are dear to him, and make frequent fast from the point of view of artists who labor slowly appearances in his work. As do literary characters, comic characters, superheroes, mytho- logical beings, and classic movie idols. Besides drawing and painting, he’s a master of Photoshop and probably knows every tool, filter, speed trick, and shortcut there is in it. In all aspects of his work, he’s continually reassessing and improving or reinventing his processes. He’s also a good teacher. Lee has always been generous with his time, helping younger and up-and-coming artists by patiently answering their questions and showing them ways to work better and more efficiently, and to market them- selves more effectively. Part of his skill at explaining things probably comes from spending ten years as a docent and nat- uralist illustrator at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Lee is a wonderful raconteur, as one can only be if well-traveled, well-read and well-connected. He seems to know absolutely everybody and his stories are marvelous. So attend his panels, enjoy his artwork, and if time and circumstances permit, have a conversation with him. Just don’t ask him about Marrakesh. ,

Scott Lefton was a Maker before that word existed. He works in wood, metal, glass, and pixels, often at the same time.

22

Program Participant Bios Hanna Lee Rubin Abramowitz, or H-chan for Common, and many other venues. He also has 1966, and has been going to conventions since short, is what you might call a Jack-of-all-things- taught origami at local libraries and museums 1974. He has attended all the Arisias, brought geeky. She is an avid reader of YA fantasy, a video throughout New England. www.flappingbird. two friends, and brought his nephew to Arisia game player, a sci-fi TV show fan, a costumer com. He is a member of Artisan’s Asylum, a for four consecutive years—the next generation and crafter and most of all an artist. Her dream large maker space in Somerville, MA. of nerds is well in hand! is to one day become a published writer and Inanna Arthen is an artist, speaker and author Elizabeth Birdsall is a longtime fan and oc- cartoonist but right now is happy with writing of The Vampires of New England Series (http:// casional author, as well as a queer lady and a fan-fics, working on her online manga and being vampiresofnewengland.com): Mortal Touch lover of a wide variety of random subjects. She your not so average house-wife who works part (2007), The Longer the Fall (2010) and All the has had short stories published here and there, time at a tea-shop. At conventions you can find Shadows of the Rainbow (2013). Inanna is a life- most notably in the “Women Destroy Science her in costume wandering the halls, sitting in long scholar of vampire folklore, fiction and fact, Fiction!” special issue of Lightspeed Magazine. panels that interest her, participating in panels and runs By Light Unseen Media (http://by- She lives in the Boston area with two excellently that she has knowledge in or in the artist alley lightunseenmedia.com), an independent press geeky housemates and two extremely inept cats. oggling things she would like to buy. So if you dedicated to publishing vampire fiction and As Misty Pendragon, Gayle Blake is a published see her say a friendly “How do you do?” I promise nonfiction. She is a member of Broad Universe, she does not bite. writer, editor, and jewelry maker. Currently she New England Horror Writers, Horror Writers writes for the website, www.goodtobeageek. Yitzy Abramowitz comes from a family that is Association, Independent Book Publishers As- com, Carpe Nocturne Magazine and This Is four-fifths nerd and married into a family that sociation (IBPA) and Independent Publishers of Awesomeness! She has been doing panels at cons is two-thirds nerd. He is the kind of person who New England (IPNE). She holds an M.Div degree for too many years now, and you would find her will watch a show or read a manga obsessively from Harvard and is an outspoken advocate for on pretty much every Joss Whedon panel! Cur- until the bitter end, even if it begins to turn sour the Pagan and LGBTQI communities. She is the rently she works in the real life as a Tech Support coughHEROEScough. He is currently hooked on minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of rep for the area’s largest cable company. Current The Walking Dead, My Little Pony: Friendship Winchendon, MA. favorite quote is, “We have done the impossible, Is Magic, Sword Art Online, and Doctor Who, Lisa A Ashton is a Master-level costumer from and that makes us mighty,” by Joss Whedon. among other things. Yitzy dreams of one day Maryland. She has won Best In Show in the becoming an airplane. His brother has a blog A native of Phoenix, AZ who long ago decided he Arisia Masquerade in the past with “Home Im- preferred living somewhere with actual seasons where he does a super-mediocre job of reviewing provement”, “The Standing Stone” (with Diane manga at TheMangaConnoisseur.blogspot.com (namely Boston), W. “Ian” Blanton has been Seiler), and “Mary Gothins—Perfectly Evil”, spending the last decade or so focusing on ho- Three words that one might use to describeAdri “Victorian Lady’s Hunting Costume—An Amer- meschooling his daughter while being gainfully are “generic”, “geek” and “girl”. Sometimes all ican Tradition”, and “Victorian Tiki Calypso”, employed as a Mac Consultant. His previous life at once. which almost caused her to fall over upon win- interests include western/eastern martial arts, Heather Albano is a storyteller. Sometimes ing Best In Show. She enjoys costuming, beads, LARPs, costuming, Gaming (Video & RPG), she writes traditional fiction and sometimes she and hunting, and has been an Emergency PA for historical re-enactment, and flinching whenever makes games, and she finds the line between the over 25 years. Passionate interests include Vic- a “re-imagined” movie/TV show is announced. two growing fuzzier all the time. If you like ste- torian photo graphs and extant clothing of the His current project is mastering his handmade ampunk time travel, check out her novels Time- period, as well as vintage beadwork, for “Miss 18’ folding sea kayak, and he still hasn’t opened piece and Timekeeper; if you like Napoleonic Lizzy’s Traveling Historical Fashion Show”, now that OGRE board game box. naval battles, fantasy medieval court intrigues, a non profit. She is a contributor to “The Virtual Costumer” with articles about Victorian cloth- Aimee Bouchard is a bi, poly, kinky, geeky, hip- or zombie apocalypses, check out her Choice pie, crafty, girly sort of gal. of Games titles; if you like James-Bond-style ing research. Buy her a cup of coffee and talk spycraft and/or interactive radio dramas, check about quilts and costumes and Victorian fashion John Bowker has a history of writing things, out Codename Cygnus. If you want to know and she’ll love you for it! editing things, and occasionally talking about what she’s doing next, or just follow the random Software engineer, maker, and technology en- things, all of which combine to prove the old thoughts that wander through her head, check thusiast: at the moment Robert Jack Babb is chestnut that a little knowledge is a dangerous out www.heatheralbano.com. working on a variety of microcontroller projects thing. Reports that he wears a spandex uniform and blogging at www.dragonflythingworks.com. under his clothing are greatly exaggerated; but Dawn Albright is involved in many different the tall buildings/speeding bullet thing? Totally areas of fandom. She’s a short story writer, editor Stephen R Balzac is the author of The 36- true. of anthologies (New Altars and Vision Quest), Hour Course in Organizational Development, a dollmaker and costumer. Her most recent published by McGraw-Hill. He has also been Anna R Bradley is a gamer, LARPer, costumer, project is a web journal called Polu Texni which published in numerous magazines, including and volunteering junkie. This year she is also a can be found at http://www.polutexni.com. Her Analog Science Fiction. When he’s not writing, co-DivHead for Staff Services here at Arisia, as dollmaking site is www.dollmaking.org. Steve is a management consultant, speaker, and well as the Vice president of the Arisia Corpo- ration. As a SFWA member, Ken Altabef’s short fiction psychology professor. He is the president of 7 has appeared three times in The Magazine of Steps Ahead (www.7stepsahead.com) and the James Bredt was one of two technical founders Fantasy and Science Fiction as well as Interzone, founder of the MIT Assassins’ Guild and SIL of Z Corporation, which makes 3D Printers, and Abyss & Apex, BuzzyMag, Ominous Realities West. He uses LARPs as a tool for training busi- holds over 20 issued patents in 3DP technology. and others. His first short story collection For- ness leaders in negotiation and leadership skills. He has taught numerous courses at MIT, from tune’s Fantasy was published in 2014. His novels Bonnie Barlow has a Master’s degree in Coun- freshman chemistry to capstone lab classes in include The Calling, Secrets, Shadows8, The Tun- seling and in Experimental Psychology. She is materials science. Presently he works for Vir- dra Shall Burn! and The Shadow of Everything currently doing research psychology in per- idis3D developing engineering ceramic mate- Existing as part of Alaana’s Way, his 5-part epic sonality and teaching psychology. Bonnie has rials for 3D Printing. He published a cartoon fantasy series published by Cat’s Cradle Press. worked in biotech and tutored ESOL students. introduction to classical thermodynamics, and The first book in the series, The Calling, will be She is a certified high school biology teacher. he is presently working on a sequel covering available for free Kindle download throughout She met James Turner at Arisia 1 and has been introductory quantum mechanics. Arisia weekend. You can preview this work and married to him for 22 years. M. L. Brennan is the author of the critically others at www.KenAltabef.com E. J. Barnes is a cartoonist and comic-book art- acclaimed American Vampire books, featuring Mark L Amidon first read Isaac Asimov’s “Night- ist, having seen publication in Fortean Times, Generation V, Iron Night, and Tainted Blood. The fall” in 1971 and has been heavily involved in Funny Times, and The Journal of Irreproduc- fourth book will be published by Roc in August science fiction ever since. He has been attending ible Results. Her comics have been published 2015. Brennan holds an MFA in writing and Arisia since 1991, and with his wife since 1992. in anthologies Colonial Comics: New England, is employed as an adjunct professor at several He lives in the future, right now. Both of his 1620–1750, The Greatest of All Time Comics New England colleges. Brennan cut her baby daughters read genre fiction. His cats remain Anthology, Hellbound, SubCultures, and Nix bibliophile teeth on her older brother’s collec- aloof. Comics Quarterly. She exhibits at independent tion of Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert, but it was a chance encounter with Emma Bull’s War Erik Amundsen—Always Chaotic Evil. comic-book conventions, and her comic books (self-published under Drowned Town Press) are For The Oaks as a teenager that led to genre true Andrew Anselmo has been creating and folding sold across the country. She teaches cartooning love. Today she’ll read everything from Mary origami for over 20 years, and has been a street at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Roach’s non-fiction to Brandon Sanderson’s performer for over 10 years at Waterfire (Prov- epic fantasies, but will still drop everything for idence, RI) as well as at Faneuil Hall, Boston Howard G Beatman has been interested in vampires and werewolves in the big city. comic books since 1959, science fiction since 31 Katherine Brick is a fan with a fan husband James L. Cambias is a science fiction writer and shops Charitable Trust, which offers a highly and three fan kids. They all like to costume, do game designer based in western Massachusetts. regarded summer in-person workshop in NH crafts, and read books. In her professional life His fiction has appeared in F&SF, Shimmer, Na- and winter online classes for writers of SF/F/H. she is a metaphorical cat herder. In Fastrack that ture, and various original anthologies. He has (www.jeannecavelos.com) counts for something, right? written more than a dozen game books for Steve Aurora Celeste is a costume dabbler with more Terri Bruce has been making up adventure sto- Jackson Games and HERO Games. In 2004 he than 10 years of experience. Her costuming in- ries for as long as she can remember and won became a partner in Zygote Games, a small terests are all over, but her passion is reproduc- her first writing award when she was twelve. game company which produces science and ing costumes; mostly sci-fi and fantasy movies, Like Anne Shirley, she prefers to make people nature based card and board games. His first tv shows, anime, and manga. She gives panels cry rather than laugh, but is happy if she can novel A Darkling Sea was published in 2014, and and enters masquerades all over the country, has do either. She produces fantasy and adventure his new book Corsair will be out in May 2015 won Best in Show at Costume Cons 24 and 30 as stories from a haunted house in New England from Tor Books. well as Chicon and LoneStarCon and is current- where she lives with her husband and three cats. Grant Carrington—“Song for Jamie” avail- ly serving as Vice President of the International Visit her on the web at www.terribruce.net. able as 99-cent MP3 download at cdbaby.com/ Costumers’ Guild Board of Directors. Outside Nat Budin plays guitar, cello, and sings with cd/songforjamie—my share (75 cents) goes di- of costuming, Aurora can often be seen running the band Stranger Ways. He has also written rectly to the James Bishop Scholarship Fund, conventions. She has served as staff on many and run over a dozen LARPs, has served as con established by Michael Bishop, Jamie’s father. conventions, including DragonCon in Atlanta chair of Intercon I in 2009 and the first three Website: grantcarrington.freeyellow.com; As- and a con head at Naka-Kon Anime Convention Festival of the LARPs conventions at Brandeis sociate Editor, Amazing, Fantastic, 1971–74; in Kansas City. Visit her costuming blog at www. University, and writes open source software in Contributing Editor, Eternity, 1978–79. 20–30 dramaticthreads.com. the Ruby on Rails community. Basically, Nat SF stories published, 1970–2011. Nebula finalist, Don Chase—Author, illustrator, picture taker does all the things. 1976. One novel, Time’s Fool, Doubleday, 1981. and hopefully one day movie maker. Republished by Variations on a Theme asTime’s Hanna “Gale” Burnett has been costuming Fool and Other Stories (available on Amazon). Bob Chipman is creator, producer and host of at conventions since 2003. A few years ago she Collection “Annapolis to Andromeda” pub- Escape to The Movies and The Big Picture on noticed that in all the discussions going on lished by Variations on Theme in 2014; 2 CDs— escapistmagazine.com; and The Game Over- throughout the cosplay community one major Songs Without Wisdom, 2001; Ancient Laughter, Thinker on screwattack.com topic seemed to be missing: safety. It was then 2011 (available at CD Baby). 5 plays produced John Chu is the author of “The Water That Falls that she created the Cosplay Safety Project: a se- in Baltimore. Computer Programmer—NASA, on You from Nowhere” (Hugo winner, short ries of articles and panels about how to maintain 1962–68; Savannah River Ecology Lab, 1977–80. story, 2013), originally published at Tor.com and safe habits while creating and wearing costumes Member, Clarion Workshop, 1968, 1969, Tulane anthologized in Wilde Stories 2014 (Berman, and attending conventions. The project covers Workshop, 1971 ed.). His other short fiction has appeared in everything from what to keep in mind when D. L. Carter was decanted from her incubation Bloody Fabulous (Sedia, ed.), The Time Traveler’s designing a costume (size, scale, comfort, tem- Almanac (VanderMeer and VanderMeer, ed.), perature, etc.) to how to avoid becoming the vic- pod in the outback of Australia many decades ago. This terrifying event was closely followed Boston Review, Asimov’s, Apex, and Tor.com tim of harassment, and many topics in between. among other places. His most recent publication When she is not working on costumes, Hanna by shrieks of “there, there it goes. Hit it with a brick!” These valiant attempts to correct the ex- is the short story “Double Time” in the antholo- sings karaoke, acts with local theater groups, gy Kaleidoscope (Krasnostein and Rios, ed.). He and works as a sightseeing tour guide in Boston. istence of D.L. were, unfortunately, unsuccessful and she now resides in New Jersey, US., in a box has narrated stories for EscapePod, PseudoPod, Michael A. Burstein, winner of the 1997 with her toys, two human beings and three cats. PodCastle, and Lightspeed and he translates Campbell Award for Best New Writer, has stories from Chinese into English. He attended earned ten Hugo nominations and four Nebula Jeffrey A. Carver was a Nebula Award finalist Viable Paradise X (2006) and the 2010 Clarion nominations for his short fiction, collected in I for his novel Eternity’s End. He also wrote Bat- Writers Workshop and is currently a member of Remember the Future, which has been made into tlestar Galactica, a novelization of the acclaimed the BRAWL writers’ group. a film. Burstein lives with his wife Nomi and television miniseries. His novels combine thought-provoking characters with engaging Dr. Amy Chused is a physician at Weill Cor- their twin daughters in the town of Brookline, nell Medical Center in the Division of Hospital Massachusetts, where he is an elected Town storytelling, and range from the adventures of the Star Rigger universe (Star Rigger’s Way, Medicine, who also spends some time in the Meeting Member and Library Trustee. When Division of Palliative Medicine. She also works not writing, he edits middle and high school Dragons in the Stars, and others) to the char- acter-driven hard SF of The Chaos Chronicles in data mining to evaluate efficiency and quality Science textbooks. He has two degrees in Phys- measures for the her division. In her free time, ics and attended the Clarion Workshop. More (beginning with Neptune Crossing). All his books and stories are available in ebook format. she raises her toddler twins, reads SF & F and information on Burstein and his work can be fanfic, plays boardgames and computer games, found on his webpage, http://www.mabfan.com. A native of Huron, Ohio, Carver lives with his family in the Boston area. He has taught writing debates medical ethics, and waves vaguely at the Liz Cademy is a Professional Polymath, specializ- in a variety of settings, from educational televi- Arisia Dealers Room. ing in nothing at all. In a previous life, Liz sat in sion to conferences for young writers to MIT, as Vikki Ciaffone is a senior editor for Spencer a small, padded cubicle under a nameplate that well as his occasional Ultimate Science Fiction Hill Press and the Editor-in-Chief of Spence read “Financial Analyst”. Now, she is designated Workshop with Craig Shaw Gardner. He has City. She has been reading and writing since driver to two teens, runs a web and graphic created a free web site for aspiring authors of all she was tall enough to see over the coffee table. design business, writes ebooks, designs and sells ages at www.writesf.com. Learn more about the Now that she can see over the kitchen counters, t-shirts (as Cartesian Bear Industries), sews, author and his work at www.starrigger.net. she still loves both, and now edits as well. She is knits (and designs patterns for both), makes Monica Castillo is a freelance film critic and personally responsible for the destruction of So- chain mail, and works at science fiction cons. dom and Gomorrah (she apologizes, but all the Sometimes she sleeps. She lives in the New En- cultural consultant based in Brooklyn. She spends a good portion of her time reviewing salacious gossip was untrue, and the populace gland woods with her kids, a silly lizard and a cat was obsessed with Pictionary and Charades, who hasn’t chosen itself yet. films for Movie Mezzanine, Paste Magazine, WBUR, & Bitch Magazine. Monica has trav- two games Vikki abhors). She then turned her Kevin Cafferty is a documentary filmmaker eled to a few film festivals, met a couple of liv- attention to Troy and, once again, engineered its from Massachusetts. His most recent film, “It’s ing legends, and has some great stories about downfall in her quest to burn out the Pictionary a Bash!”, was given four stars by The Providence hitch-hiking to red carpet premieres. You can Plague. She claims no responsibility for Pompeii Journal, aired on New England PBS affiliates, usually find her outside any of the area’s movie or the Fall of Rome, though she might possibly and is currently available on DVD from Mid- theaters excitedly talking about the film she have had something to do with the sun setting way Pictures. He has been nominated for four just saw or on Twitter & Letterboxd as @mcas- on the British Empire. In her spare time, Vikki Emmy awards, can be followed on Twitter at @ timovies. has been known to shoot craps with the Fates kcafferty, and writes terrible fan fiction about and the Valkyries for shiny trinkets. immersive theater in his spare time. Jeanne Cavelos began her professional career as an astrophysicist at NASA. Her love of SF Stephanie Clarkson (smc@stephanieclark- D. Cameron Calkins has been active in the led her to earn her MFA in creative writing and son.com), sometimes called thespian, has been SF/F community since the early 1980’s. He has move into publishing. She was a senior editor attending Arisia since 1992. Though she has been creating art in the genre and displaying it at Bantam Doubleday Dell, where she ran the lived in Toronto; Rockville, MD; Arlington, VA; at conventions since Noreascon 3. He has won SF/F/H programs and won the World Fanta- Raleigh, NC; and Atlanta, GA; she always feels numerous awards, and been published from sy Award. Jeanne left publishing to write. Her compelled to get to Arisia. Fortunately, she now time to time. His art appeared most recently seven books include the best-selling Passing of lives in the Boston area. A web developer, pup- on the cover of Roberta Rogow’s 1800’s murder the Techno-Mages trilogy, The Science of Star peteer & creator, journalist/copywriter, writer mysteries. Cameron speaks on a variety of topics Wars, and The Science of the X-Files. Her work for JaneX0, and most recently a bartender, she is and is frequently in the company of Dagnir, his has twice been nominated for the Stoker Award. free to hire or flirt with. http://stephanieclark- dragon. Jeanne is director of the Odyssey Writing Work- son.com 32 Zachary Clemente is writes and chat comics self-identified queer person, he has a particular and would eventually go on to manage the Hugo and is essentially a non-producing installation interest in GLBTQ issues as they relate to fan Awards banquet at the 1977 Suncon World Sci- artist. Writes for The Comics Beat sometimes activities, particularly issues of gender identity ence Fiction Convention. Most recently he was and helps run the annual indie comics show and gender expression in social structures, writ- a member of the Orlando in 2015 bid for World- MICE. ing, and fandom itself. Serving seven years in the con. In 1983 Steve GAFIATED for the greener Joy Crelin is the editor and publisher of Betwixt, Army under DADT has given Mijan a unique pastures of the paintball industry, becoming a a quarterly magazine of eclectic speculative insight into certain aspects of social justice and top 100 Player of All Time, founding that sport’s fiction. She also edits erotic science fiction and civil liberties. Despite being a student of world first national competition league and authoring fantasy for Circlet Press. Joy lives in northeast- religions and active in a UU congregation, he is three books and hundreds of articles about the ern Massachusetts with her husband, cats, and a scientist, skeptic, atheist, and social secularist sport along the way. In 2006 he returned to neglected robot. who feels that this is an essential perspective fandom with two relatively popular blogs—The too often ignored in the political arena. In Crotchety Old Fan and the Classic Science Fic- Deirdre Crimmins is a Boston-based film critic. real life (what’s real?), Mijan is an EMT with a tion Channel, wherein he gleefully took up the She is currently a staff writer at AllThingsHor- background in biology, a nursing student, and a role of curmudgeon, chasing youngster’s from ror.com, and a contributing writer for BtchFl- published author of queer fiction. genre’s lawn cks.com, OpenLettersMonthly.com, the Brattle Theater Film Blog, and Rue Morgue Magazine. Gillian Daniels lives in Somerville, MA and Christopher Davis has been reading science She has presented academic work at the Interna- is a local theater critic with The New England fiction for longer than he can remember, and tional Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts Theatre Geek blog and a reviewer of short fic- going to conventions for longer than he wants to and spoken on panels at WorldCons. Though tion at Fantastic Stories. After attending the think about. He’s worked as a sysadmin for both she focuses on contemporary horror film criti- 2011 Clarion Writing Workshop, she has had the Electronic Frontier Foundation and part of cism, she is a life-long fan of science fiction and poetry and prose published in Apex Magazine, the Human Genome Project, and feels fortunate fantasy. Strange Horizons, Flash Fiction Online, Electric to have arrived at just the right time for such Velocipede, PodCastle, Andromeda Spaceways opportunities. He’s given up on looking for tech- Morgan Crooks is a life-long fan of science Inflight Magazine, Flying Higher: An Anthology nological predictions from SF; too many lunar fiction and fantasy literature and now teaches of Superhero Poetry, memorably, Kazka Press’s bases, not enough globe-spanning computer ancient history. Morgan’s stories have appeared Bronies: For the Love of Ponies, and other ven- networks. (He’s still glad food pills never came on the Daily Science Fiction website, and in ues. along, though.) anthologies released by Dark Hall Press, Burnt Offerings, and Mystery and Horror LLC. Essays Dash—I am the founder and editor-in-chief of An avid gamer (role-playing and miniatures) and and reviews are also available on his blog (an- Expanded Horizons, an online magazine whose reader (Sci-Fi and fantasy, mainly) since early cientlogic.blogspot.com). mission is to increase diversity in speculative adolescence, T Christopher Davis is now an fiction and to create a venue for the authentic amateur game designer and writer, as the love Susan Hanniford Crowley, science fiction, expression of under-represented voices in the for the written word has grabbed hold and taken fantasy, and paranormal romance author, is an genre. I am also an attorney, linguist, and private control of his soul. Now he only hopes to find a active member of SFWA, Broad Universe, RWA, tutor of many subjects. buyer for what he loves to write so that he may and an associate editor with Space and Time do much more of it. Magazine. Susan’s fantasy work appeared in Steve Davidson is the publisher and editor of Sword and Sorceress anthologies. In addition to Amazing Stories, the world’s first science fiction Keith R. A. DeCandido has written a ton of writing novels, she’s been published in various magazine. A fan since the 60s, he cut his teeth things, most recently the Sleepy Hollow nov- magazines and on blogs. Susan is the founder on tv fare like Fireball XL5, Johnny Quest and el Children of the Revolution, the Star Trek of the Nights of Passion blog, the author of the on books like The Runaway Robot, A Wrinkle in coffee-table book The Klingon Art of War, the Vampires in Manhattan series and the Arnhem Time, Starman Jones and The Dispossessed. He novelization of Big Hero 6, the “Precinct” series Knights of New York series. Her 8th attended the very first NY Star Trek Convention of fantasy/mystery novels and short stories, the book out is Vampire King of New York available on Amazon Kindle & Print, B&N Nook & Print and Kobo. When Love Survives,A Vampire for Christ- mas and Mrs. Bright’s Tea Roomare out in ebook. Her novel about vam- pires and stormwrights The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais is in Am- A Strong Foundation A Brilliant Future azon Kindle and Print. Her website is http://www.susanhannifordcrowley. com, her Twitter name is SHCrow- ley, and her Facebook name is Susan Hanniford Crowley. Mary Catelynn Cunningham got involved with science fictions Recipe For A Marvelous Worldcon: conventions in 2004 when her now husband, Mark Richards, dragged her to one kicking and screaming. Having been an avid fan for years she felt right at home. Catelynn is also a member of the alt lifestyle commu- nity in NYC where is she is on the Board of a local group. She also helps staff cons when able, sometimes at senior management level. 1. A Great City David D’Antonio—DDA, as he is known, answered an email about something called a ConCom and has been volunteering for Arisia ever since. A lifelong fan of science fiction, he knows how Arisia got its name but has still not finished Stranger in a Strange Land. When not volunteer- ing at cons, he does UI design, fights homonym abuse and creates stylish appetizer trays. Leo D’Entremont, also known as August 16-20, 2017 Mijan in various fandom circles, has been active as a fan writer, costum- Marriott Wardman Park er, and convention geek since 2003. Washington D.C. Primary fandoms include Star Trek, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. As a www.DC17.org 33 short story collection Without a License, the online Who fandom, and a fan of Star Trek, orig- Jill Eastlake is a Master Costumer and ICG Stargate SG-1 novel Kali’s Wrath, and short sto- inal and Next Gen, attending her 25th Arisia. Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Although ries in the anthologies Bad-Ass Faeries: It’s Ele- Sean Dixon-Gumm is a former-current-qua- she costumes infrequently, she has a penchant mental, Out of Tune, Stargate SG-1/Atlantis: Far si professional historian with a penchant for for working in winning costuming groups. Jill Horizons, V-Wars (Volumes 1 & 3), With Great homebrew, Irish music, punk rock, and living is the current President of the Northern Lights Power, and The X-Files: The Truth is Out There. history. If it goes boom in the night, or if it was Costumers’ Guild, a chapter of the International He’s also a professional editor of many decades’ commonplace over 100 years ago, chances are Costumers’ Guild. She’s well known as a great standing, a second-degree black belt in karate, he either knows about it, wants to know about recruiter, so if you have any spare time, watch a veteran podcaster, and probably some other it, or has tried to make it work. Oh, and he likes out! You won’t after Jill and her friends have stuff, too. Find out less at www.DeCandido.net. sewing things. He also gets cranky easily, and inspired you. Lori Del Genis (Weegoddess) is among other should be appeased with brandy. Nine time Hugo Winner Bob Eggleton has things a 2D artist, dress designer, and a licensed Debra Doyle was born in Florida and educated worked on the films: Sphere (1997), Jimmy Neu- speech-language pathologist. Though Lori has in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Pennsylva- tron Boy Genius (2001), The Ant Bully (2006), recently disappeared into creating shiny por- nia—the last at the University of Pennsylvania, and the independent film, The iDol (2007), and traits on commission, she has 20+ years’ sewing where she earned her doctorate in English, designed visual effects for Star Trek in 1996. He experience and for the past 8 years has been concentrating on Old English poetry. While is the author or co-author of eight books, the the Alpha behind Conscious Elegance, a green in Philadelphia, she met and married James D. most current of which is If Dinosaurs Lived In business which creates custom-made eco wed- Macdonald, who was then serving in the US My Town with his wife Marianne Plumridge, ding gowns out of reclaimed vintage silk and Navy, and subsequently traveled with him to for Sky Pony Children’s Books. He was AGOH sustainable fabrics (and she’s still crowing about Virginia, California, and the Republic of Pan- at the 2000 World SF Con in Chicago and, was that award back in 2008). Lori has lectured pub- ama. Doyle and Macdonald left the Navy and a 1997 AGOH at Arisia, among MANY conven- licly on zero-waste business practices and her Panama in 1988 in order to move to Colebrook, tions all over the world. He has done covers to work has been exhibited in the American Textile New Hampshire, and write full-time. With Jim hundreds of books and, does private and per- History Museum. In her copious spare time, Macdonald, she has written the Mageworlds sonal commissions. His work has hung in The she’s a coach for people keen to simplify Life, space opera series and the alternate-historical Allentown Art Museum, and The Providence Health and Finances and continues to geek out fantasies Land of Mist and Snow and Lincoln’s Art Club (Lovecraft show). He is also involved in about such burning issues as the benefits of chia Sword; their most recent publication is the short illustrating HP Lovecraft, and has done covers vs. flax seeds. She’s finally back in Boston (yay!) story “The Devil in the Details” at Tor.com. She to Famous Monsters of Filmland, and Godzilla with her spouse Jonathan and never wants to is a regular instructor at the Viable Paradise comics for IDW. He has an asteroid named for live outside of 495 again. Find her at www.con- Science Fiction Writer’s Workshop each year him—13562bobeggleton by Spacewatch at Kitt sciouselegance.com or on deviantArt (http:// on Martha’s Vineyard; she also does freelance Peak. weegoddess.deviantart.com/gallery/). editorial and critique work. Gaia Eirich is a Master costumer and has been Chris Denmead runs a horror-themed radio Michelle Driscoll lives in Western MA with attending and costuming at conventions for 14 show on WCUW 91.3 FM called the Dr.Chris her three partners, their son, a dog and four cats. years. For the last 17 years she has been sewing Radio of Horror program. He has broadcast She has hosted relationship discussion groups of and creating costumes in a wide variety of forms over 325 episodes as of Arisia 2013, covering many sorts in the poly and kink world and has including fantasy, historical, and anime cos- horror and sci-fi films and interviews of various been involved in the leadership of Transcending tumes for conventions and commissions, belly stars of genre fiction. Some of his past guests Boundaries, Inc. dance costumes for a studio, wedding dresses, include Malcolm McDowell, Doug Jones, Dee accessories, and also basic quilt making. She has Wallace Stone, Steve Niles, Doug Bradley, and Shirley Dulcey is a geek of all trades who has also worked as a costume manager in a theater Adam Green. He just published his first book, done many technology-related jobs. She is a and is currently working on belly dance costume a children’s Halloween picture book Give Me long time fan, gamer, virtual world resident, and alterations for a studio. She loves and greatly en- Something Good to Eat. member of the SCA. Shirley has a long history joys taking part in convention masquerades and with Arisia; she collected her “attended 25 Ari- recently had the honor of judging the Balticon Daniel P Dern (www.dern.com) is a freelance sias” ribbon this year. In 2011 she chose to tran- technology writer, and a very amateur magi- masquerade. She is also an active member of the sition to life as a woman, adopting her current Greater Columbia Fantasy Costumer’s Guild cian. His science fiction stories have appeared name; the change was done “in place” without in magazines and anthologies including Analog, (GCFCG), the local chapter of the International leaving her existing home or social circles. She Costumer’s Guild (ICG). F&SF, World of If, and New Dimensions. Having identifies as trans, poly, and kinky, and is still finished his first science fiction novel, Dragons figuring out her sexual orientation. Genevieve Iseult Eldredge balances the ro- Don’t Eat Jesters, which includes a minimum mantic with the perilous in real life and in her of “one dragon, two princesses, four dogs, a lot Mary Dumas followed her Navy husband around writing. In real life, she dropped out of med of riddles, some explosions, and a lot of really the world for 22 years, and then settled in New school, married the girl of her dreams, and weird stuff,” he’s written over 60 short/flash England in 2003. She’s currently a Webcomic dedicated herself to writing LGBT epic fantasy stories—Dern Grim Children’s Short Bedtime co-creator (justyaoi.com), stained glass artist featuring strong female characters. She has an Stories (Few of Which End Well), intended to (popcultureplace.com), Dirty Old Lady’s League MFA in Writing Popular Fiction, a black belt in be Morally Instructive to the Listener and Ca- founder (dolleague.com) and designs draq queen karate, and a second-degree brown belt in jiu thartically Therapeutic for the Reader (www. costumes. Prior to moving to N.E. she was a jitsu. In her writing, GIE tortures her charac- DernGrim.com) If you have at least 45 seconds legal secretary, catering manager (L.A. Music ters with all manner of romantic peril—from to spare, ask to hear one if you see him and he’s Center), chieftain for the Monterey Scottish desire to unrequited love, to showdowns and not otherwise busy! More recently, he’s been Festival, and Mom. Once in N.E. she founded epic battles—including the dreaded incarnation working on longer Jewish-themed YA urban Cauldron Con 2005; co-founded Anime Kaiju of both: fightsex. As Kierstin Cherry, author- fantasies and other children’s stories, including Experience 2008, chaired New England Fan ess and senior editor for Loose Id, she puts the “The Tashlich Fish” and “A Child’s Yom Kippur Experience 2009, co-founded Nauticon, staffed romance back into necromancy with erotic les- In Whales.” Anime Boston, Arisia, Pop Culture Expo, Rhode bian vampire stories such as “Graced,” from the Island Comic Con, North East Comic Con and Mario “DigiCom” Di Giacomo has been study- Lambda-nominated Women of the Bite from Worldcon, and copilots N.E.R.D.S. (New En- Circlet Press ebooks and her full-length Thorns ing the weird and the fantastic (or, to use the gland Resin Doll Society). Her hobbies include term he coined, “Memetic Archaeology”) for & Hearts series including Blood Bound & Beau- collecting Japanese manga, Gay romance and tiful and the sequel Absent in Absinthe. nearly four decades, and enjoys speaking about Asian ball-jointed dolls, and her interests are his studies at conventions across Southern New in media-SF fandom. And she works for Gary Anna Erishkigal is an attorney who writes fan- England. Sohmers. tasy fiction under a pen-name so her colleagues don’t question whether her legal pleadings are Alexa Dickman is a blogger who runs the Ladies Thom Dunn is a Boston-based writer, musician, Making Comics tumblr (http://www.ladiesmak- fantasy fiction as well. Much of law, it turns out, and new media artist. He enjoys Oxford com- is fantasy fiction. Lawyers just prefer to call it ingcomics.com). She is also a member of the mas, metaphysics, and romantic clichés (espe- Boston Comics Roundtable and an avid comics ‘zealously representing your client.’ Seeing the cially when they involve whiskey), and he firmly dark underbelly of life makes for some interest- historian who runs the Women in Comics Wiki believes that Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” (http://womenincomics.wikia.com). She’s also ing fictional characters. The kind you either want is the single greatest atrocity ever committed to incarcerate, or run home and write about. In a former law student and IP nerd. Her other against mankind. His work has been published interests include fanfiction, buying books she fiction, you can fudge facts without worrying by Tor, Quirk Books, Asimov’s, Grayhaven Com- too much about the truth. In legal pleadings, if has no time to read, making her own tea blends, ics, and more, and his plays have been produced and Bond villains. your client lies to you, you look stupid in front across the country. Thom is a graduate of Clar- of the judge. At least in fiction, if a character Samantha Dings is an Events Division Liaison ion Writer’s Workshop at UCSD and Emerson becomes troublesome, you can always kill them Mentor for Arisia 2015, past President of Arisia College. You can follow his thrilling adventures off. Anna is creator of the ‘Divorce Bootcamp’ Corporation, fan of Doctor Who who enjoys at thomdunn.net. legal self-help lecture series and book under

34 her real name, which Shalt-Not-Be-Named lest finishing up “Mr. Maybe and Dr. Don’t”, a YA cons including Balticon, Katsucon, Zenkaikon, the judge question whether that colorful legal fantasy novel. and Nekocon as well as many others. She has pleading is the manuscript for her latest fantasy Mr. Ferguson is a math teacher at a school for served as Arisia senior staff on many occasions novel. She is also founder of Seraphim Press. students with above average intelligence and and continues to help us out to this day. Her Deb Eskie is a resident of Massachusetts and has emotional differences. He is also a youth sword love of working at conventions has blossomed an M.Ed in creative arts education. With a back- instructor, so please ask him if you want your into a professional event planning career and ground in women’s studies, her focus as a writer children to learn the knightly art of the sword. she is the Director of Operations for the Sakura is to expose the woman’s experience through AND he is a storyteller with 25 years’ experi- Matsuri Japanese Street Festival in Washington, unsettling tales that highlight the dilemma of ence, although some would say the first ten years DC each spring – the largest one-day celebration sexual repression and oppression. By combining don’t count because he wasn’t over 18 yet. of Japanese Culture in the United States. the genres of feminist and horror fiction she Allison Fin is a scarred veteran of many a decade William Frank, aka “scifantasy,” is a geek and aims to not only disturb readers, but deliver a of con running, An avid film and media collector lawyer, in roughly that order. Professionally, message that is informative and thought pro- specializing in Asian and British science fiction he specializes in intellectual property law, has voking. In 2005 Deb’s play, Tell Me About Love, and horror. When not in meatspace, preparing interned for the Electronic Frontier Foundation was featured in the Provincetown Playwright for the oncoming necro-apocalypse, she is often and the Creative Commons, and was a computer Festival. She has been featured in various online found in Second Life, role-playing and DJing. programmer before he turned to evil—err, law. magazines such as Deadman’s Tome, Bad Moon Fannishly, he has interests in pretty much ev- Rising, and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. Deb has a Kristina Finan has been sewing and costuming erything, but the filk-room would be a good first number of short stories published by Pill Hill since 1982, a Doctor Who fan since 1979, and a place to look for him. Will was also on the reality Press, Post Mortem Press, Cruentus Libri Press, Science Fiction fan since she saw the first man television show Beauty and the Geek in 2007. and other publishers. walk on the moon, live. Now she attempts to (Guess which one he was.) This is Will’s fourth write about it. Don’t get her wrong, she still Arisia, his second as a panelist. Paul Estin (a.k.a. “Happy Fun Paul”) is a longtime sews, keeps a full-time job as a Custom Framer, SF fan with a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology and and a part-time job keeping a husband. Terry Franklin is a writer of science fiction an affinity for silly music. Becoming a filker and fact. Living in Western Mass, he also gets was inevitable—he sings and plays guitar and Carl Fink is the Chair of LI-CON, a brand new himself caught up in Libertarian politics from other instruments; sometimes solo and some- convention on Long Island. Taking Heinlein’s time to time. comment about specialization to heart, he has times in the bands “Dr. Snark” and “Don’t Fret Damarie—Aurora Freyasdottir—Giles: Are the Small Stuff”. Among Paul’s other interests in his life worked on a loading dock, managed a store, been a schoolteacher, worked as a tech- you a witch? Ms. Calendar: Mm. I don’t have that (in alphabetical order) are 80’s music, Andrew kinda power. ‘Technopagan’ is the term.—Buffy Sullivan, astronomy, bicycling, books, cats, cog- nical trainer, managed corporate Information Technology, and is an occasional freelance the Vampire Slayer “I, Robot—You, Jane”... only, nitive science, comics, complexity, dynamism, some of us technopagans ARE witches. folk music, freedom, maps, market solutions, writer, appearing in Smart Computing and modern fairy tales, movies, mu*ing, natural Linux Journal. A member of the James Randi David J. Friedman is a practicing attorney that history, Neil Gaiman, non-fiction, nonstandard Foundation and the Skeptics Society, Carl is helps people understand and solve legal chal- categories, reading, rock music, RPGs, science, particularly likely to challenge pseudoscience lenges facing their businesses. A co-author of surreality, Unitarian Universalism, and xenobi- and superstition. He lives and works on Long legal reference guides, his books discuss intel- ology. Ingredients of Happy Fun Paul include an Island, New York. lectual property, cyberspace, privacy, speech, unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, Colette H. Fozard has been helping to keep and related issues. As an artist, David has over a presumably from outer space. DO NOT TAUNT SF and anime conventions running for over decade of professional experience as a perform- HAPPY FUN PAUL!!! twenty years. She has served as Convention ing and visual artist. David is proud to argue, play with toys, and throw things for a living and Like Goodgulf the Wizard, this individual has Chair or other senior staff of several East Coast many names: the one on her passport and her scholarly writings on early textiles (Lisa J. Evans); the one on her popular Saturday night “Books So Bad They’re Good” diary for Daily Kos (Ellid); and the one on the eroti- ca she’s been writing and selling for the last couple of years (Sarah Ellis). A Strong Foundation A Brilliant Future Among her accomplishments are founding the Smith College Science Fiction & Fantasy Society, which is still going strong and slaughtering marshmallow peeps 34 years later, writing the first work in English on medieval European patchwork, and acquiring degrees from Smith Col- Recipe For A Marvelous Worldcon: lege and Hartford Seminary. She also owns a photo of Adolf Hitler’s bath- tub. And no, it’s not for the reasons you might think. Lynn Feingold has more than 25 years of performance experience as a solo a cappella singer. Specializing in performance of traditional English, Irish and Scottish songs and ballads, particularly as a witty Tavern Wench. 2. An Excellent Facility She has performed many times for coffeehouses, historical societies, organizations, libraries, museums, house concerts and private parties. Dr. Alexander Feinman hacks hackers for a living: he designs soft- ware that helps other programmers develop, build, and test MATLAB. His hobbies include all but one of the following: audio production, carpentry, glass-blowing, leath- er-working, painting miniatures, August 16-20, 2017 music, role-playing, sociology, and Marriott Wardman Park writing science fiction. His novels “Duplicate”, “We Were Gods”, and Washington D.C. “End Game” are available for sale online and at Arisia; he is currently www.DC17.org 35 has dedicated his life to helping people mind Originally hailing from Newton, MA, Ms. She- at Yale Rep, Rites and Reason, the Kennedy Cen- their own businesses. nanigans is passionate beyond belief about Doc- ter, StageWest, and on Public Radio and Televi- Ed Fuqua is a Young Adult Librarian as well as tor Who, Sherlock, the works of Neil Gaiman, sion. Lonely Stardust,—a collection of plays and being a writer, poet and swordsman. He has fanfiction, cosplay, filking, steampunk, various essays came out in 2014. Her play, Thunderbird spent many years running comic book stores nerdy TV and film series, and collecting books. at the Next World, appears in Geek Theater,—a and has qualified for the National Poetry Slam Her favorite Doctor is Peter Capaldi. At Arisia collection of sf plays from Underwords Press. Championships four times. His short story “Fa- you will most likely be able to find her cosplaying Andrea bikes at night year round, meeting bears, miliar Places” appears in the anthology Bites of or paneling or maybe even filking. (Filker Paul multi-legged creatures of light and breath, and Passion and his latest book is The Viscountess Estin taught her history during her freshman the occasional shooting star. Investigates being published by Circlet Press year of high school and introduced her to the A member of the CERN team that developed the under his pen name Cameron Quintain. He is a wonders of conventions and filk.) You can find original specifications for the World Wide Web, performer and director at King Richard’s Faire her online at stuff-and-shenanigans.tumblr.com Phillip Hallam-Baker predicts the future in Carver, MA. or on Fanfiction.net under the pen name “The the old way, by inventing it. With numerous Impossible Slashtronaut.” Shana Fuqua has a BA in music. She is an twelve- patents and contributions to IETF, W3C and year veteran of King Richard’s Faire where she Timothy Goyette was raised in and is a resident OASIS standards, Hallam-Baker is a recognized spent one year as assistant apprentice music of New Hampshire. He is the editor at Quantum authority on Internet security, cryptography director and four years as an administrative Muse, a webzine and online writing group that and Internet Crime. Active in the replica prop assistant to the apprentice program. She has has been around since 1999. In this capacity he building community for the past five years, the been involved in the BDSM scene for roughly has worked with many aspiring authors to help full scale dalek he built (which visited Arisia in twenty years. She is an experienced gamer, both them develop their talents. He has authored a 2012) uses the same materials and techniques as video games and tabletop RPGs. Her many skills number of short stories and one novel, Lock- the original prop. He is currently working on a include knitting, crocheting, spinning, candle- down which came out in 2013. In 2014 a collec- TARDIS and Han in carbonite, both full scale. making, and balancing a stick on her head. This tion of short stories was published, titled: The Elektra Hammond emulates her multi-sid- year she joins the Arisia staff. Light, the Dark, and the Quick. ed idol Buckaroo Banzai by going in several Ken Gale’s writing career started with sales to Anabel Graetz began performing as a teenager directions at once. She’s been involved in the DC Comics and Warren Publishing in the 70’s. in Omaha, NE. She is half of the Victorian duo, copyediting and proofreading end of publish- He’s editor and co-publisher of Dangerous Times The Proper Ladies; the creator and director of ing since the 1990s for presses small and large and New Frontiers for Evolution Comics, wrote The Festival of Light & Song; and founded and and nowadays concocts anthologies, writes for Defiant Comics, and is a producer and host directed the all-woman ensemble Laduvane the occasional short story, and is an editor and for two radio shows on WBAI-FM in NYC; one in the 70’s. She has appeared off-off Broadway movie reviewer at buzzymag.com. Her latest on the environment and one on comic books. He in The Drunkard and on several Boston stag- story “In the Form of a Question” appears in does miscellaneous arts and public affairs shows es; studied vocal folk styles extensively; was a the parody anthology TV Gods. Elektra lives at many different time slots. He is a member of Fulbright Scholar in 1987–88; developed and in Delaware with her husband, Mike, and the the Board of the Celtic League American Branch taught the perennially popular course “Song cat herd of BlueBlaze/Benegesserit catteries. and a former math textbook writer. He wrote for Non-Singers” at the Cambridge Center for When not freelancing or appearing at science an environmental horror comic book story for Adult Education. Anabel currently teaches at fiction conventions she travels world-wide judg- Psychosis! #2 and is a long-time environmental the Lau Lapides Studio in Wellesley, MA. She ing cat shows. Find Elektra on Facebook (Elektra activist. Since last Arisia, the guy with a face for can be seen in “Spirit of Salem,” now showing in Hammond), Twitter (elektraUM), LiveJournal radio has become a regular for Environment TV. Salem, MA, in “Stand Back” on YouTube and has (elektra_h), and building her website at http:// www.comicbookradioshow.com a small role in the upcoming HBO mini-series www.untilmidnight.com. based on “Olive Kitteridge,” the novel by Eliza- Forest Handford is a fire artist from Newport, Craig Shaw Gardner is the author of a bunch of beth Strout, a must read! books and short stories, many of which are now Rhode Island. Forest works as a programmer at being released as e-books. His latest novel, Tem- Justine Graykin is a freelance philosopher sus- Carbonite. While not at work, he’s bringing his porary Monsters, features an unemployment tained by her deep and abiding faith in Science family to corn mazes, conventions, and Burning agency that secretly controls the world. and Humanity (well, Science, anyway) and the Man events. His website is EastCoastGames. belief that humor is the best anti-gravity device. com where he publishes video and writing about Jaime Garmendia is a member of the Boston Author of Archimedes Nesselrode (Double Drag- various topics. He is the Director of Organiza- Comics Roundtable where he writes, produces, on, 2013), written for adults who are weary of tional Development for Firefly Arts Collective, publicizes, and markets independent comics of adult books, her new SF novel Awake Chimera Inc. He recently founded VoteSquared.org, the all genres. His first published game, the Wuxing is due out in June. She is often accompanied at site for rating politicians. Empire expansion for Your Move Games’ Battle- conventions by a Winged Snake. Justine lives, ground, is scheduled for release in late 2014. He Jeff Hecht is a freelance science and technology writes and putters around her home in rural writer, a correspondent for the weekly New Sci- was the Arisia Programming Division Head for New Hampshire, occasionally disappearing into 2013–14, and Exhibits Division Head in 2015. entist and a contributing editor to Laser Focus the White Mountains with a backpack. Find her World. His short fiction has appeared in Analog, Greer Gilman’s first metaphysical noir mystery, at justinegraykin.com. Asimov’s, Interzone, Odyssey, Nature, Twilight Cry Murder! In a Small Voice, won the 2013 Dr. Abby Hafer was born at Cape Canaveral, Zone, Daily Science Fiction and several anthol- Shirley Jackson Award. Ben Jonson investigates where her father was part of the U.S. space pro- ogies including Year’s Best Horror Stories, Great again in Exit, Pursued by a Bear. Her Cloud gram. She grew up living lots of places in the American Ghost Stories, and Extreme Planets. & Ashes: Three Winter’s Tales won the 2010 U.S. She graduated in biology at Swarthmore His non-fiction has appeared in many other Tiptree Award. Like her earlier novel Moonwise, College and got a D.Phil. in zoology from Oxford magazines, including Optics & Photonics News, it’s set in a Northern mythscape, in a world University. She briefly worked for the National Omni, Earth, Analog, Cosmos, and Technology where women turn the sky. Her Cloudish tales Marine Fisheries Service on a Japanese fishing Review. His books include Understanding Fiber have also won a World Fantasy Award, a Craw- ship in the Bering Sea. While on board, she Optics (Pearson/Prentice Hall), Understanding ford Award, and have been shortlisted for the won a push-ups contest with the ship’s officers. Lasers (IEEE Press/Wiley), Beam: the Race to Nebula and Mythopoeic Fantasy awards. Be- Since Oxford, she has done research on sleep, Make the Laser and City of Light: The Story of sides her two books, she has published other circadian rhythms, and respiratory physiology. Fiber Optics (both Oxford University Press). He short work, poetry, and criticism. Her essay on She works at Curry College where she teaches holds a B.S. in electronic engineering from the “The Languages of the Fantastic” appears in The Human Anatomy & Physiology. She enjoys out- California Institute of Technology. Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature. door sports and has traveled widely, including Karl G Heinemann—Both science and SF have She likes to say she does everything James Joyce recent trips to Transylvania, Alaska, China, and ever did, only backward and in high heels. been core passions of Karl’s since early child- the Grand Canyon. In her spare time, she gives hood, and his bio-family nurtured strong habits Max Gladstone has been thrown from a horse public lectures that debunk Intelligent Design of analyzing and predicting “the world around in Mongolia and nominated (twice!) for the John and Creationism. She has been interviewed on him” and “thinking for himself.” These traits led W Campbell Best New Writer Award. Tor Books NPR and other radio outlets, and has written a Karl to formal education in physics, astronomy, published Full Fathom Five, the third novel in book on that subject which will be published in and epistemology. Other interests include mod- Max’s Craft Sequence (preceded by Three Parts 2015. She is married, has two children, and lives eling and simulation of economic and social sys- Dead and Two Serpents Rise) in July 2014. Last in Bedford, MA. tems, history, SF-based gaming, polyamory, and First Snow, the next Craft Sequence novel, will Andrea Hairston is author of Redwood and mythology viewed as entertainment, a cultural hit shelves in July 2015. Max’s game Choice of Wildfire, winner of the 2011 Tiptree and Carl attribute, and psychological drive. During this the Deathless was nominated for a 2013 XYZZY Brandon Awards and Mindscape, shortlisted period of economic uncertainty and transition, Award, and his short fiction has appeared on for the Phillip K Dick and Tiptree Awards, and Karl questions the viability/sustainability of Tor.com and in Uncanny Magazine. winner of the Carl Brandon Parallax Award. A “The Great American Dream,” and celebrates Hayley “Shenanigans” Goldstein is a performer, playwright, and artistic director of the SF community as a place to articulate and freshman at Drew University in Madison, NJ. Chrysalis Theatre, her plays have been produced 36 examine possible paths and visions for adjust- Tor Books and are now available from Baen as tiverse—that is passing as MalexMale Romance. ment and improvement. e-books. His novel A Song In Stone deals with She divides her free time between writing and Lisa Hertel is an artist from a long line of artists Rosslyn Chapel and the Templars. His latest slowly working her way through her yarn stash, (to be continued). She usually works in clay and novel Elements of Mind from Spencer Hill Press even as she adds more to it periodically. watercolors, but has been known to work with was published in July 2014, and his 1632 novel Alexander Jablokov’s most recent published pencils, glass, paper, metal and more. In her 1636:The Cardinal Virtues will be published novel is Brain Thief, a fast-paced AI-hunting ad- spare time, she helps run literary science fiction next summer. He has a background in history, venture, now out in paperback. His most recent conventions, including being the chair of Arisia with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowdoin story, “The Instructive Tale of the Archeologist 2014. Visit her at Western Avenue Studios in College in Brunswick, Maine, and he speaks two and His Wife” will appear in Asimov’s. He is the Lowell, studio #108, where she offers art classes other languages (German and Spanish). A mem- author of five other novels, including Carve the for children and adults. Or just come try her ber of the Masonic Fraternity, Walter H. Hunt Sky, Nimbus, and Deepdrive, and a number of human-powered kickwheel. has served as Master of two different Lodges short stories. He recently completed a YA alter- in Massachusetts. He is a devoted baseball fan Andy Hicks is a radio and television producer nate history adventure novel, Door of Worlds. He and board gamer; his first published game was lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. for WGBH, who has written and produced hun- published in 2011 by Rio Grande Games. He dreds of spots. He even got Mark “Mycroft” Ga- has been married for more than half of his life, Victoria Janssen can frequently be found blog- tiss to record a thing for TV pledge once, which and he and his wife have one daughter who is ging about romance at Heroes & Heartbreakers was pretty neat, because Andy is—first and fore- a product of their affection and unusual joint and mysteries at The Criminal Element. Her most—a massive Doctor Who/Sherlock nerd. sense of humor. novel-length erotica includes The Duke and He’s also a musician, freelance sound designer, the Pirate Queen; The Duchess, Her Maid, The director, writer, and actor. He also co-wrote Elaine Isaak is the author of The Singer’s Crown Groom and Their Lover; and The Moonlight 2010: Our Hideous Future—The Musical!, the (Eos, 2005), and its sequels, as well as the “Tales Mistress, set during her favorite historical time first stage musical ever to pass both the Bechtel of Bladesend” epic novella series. As E. C. Am- period, World War One; its electronic-only se- and Turing tests. While it stubbornly failed to brose, she also writes “The Dark Apostle” series quel is titled “Under Her Uniform.” Her erotic win either a Tony or a Hugo, it had some catchy of dark historical fantasy novels about medieval short stories, many of them historical or specu- tunes, so that’s nice. He recently discovered medicine. The Dark Apostle started with Eli- lative, are available in numerous anthologies that he was born the same day Bauhaus’s “Bela sha Barber (DAW, 2013), described in a starred and as e-books. She also reviews for Publishers Lugosi’s Dead” was released, which explains all Library Journal review as, “painfully elegant”. Weekly. Find out more at http://victoriajanssen. the black t-shirts. Elaine lives in New Hampshire with her fam- com. ily where she works part-time as an adventure James Hinsey is a lifelong lover of Science Fiction, guide. In addition to writing and teaching, Alex Jarvis is a Meat Popsicle. Fantasy, books, movies, tv-shows, anime, 80’s Elaine enjoys taiko drumming, kayaking, rock N. K. Jemisin is a Brooklyn author whose short music, women, root beer, chocolate, Hawaii, climbing, and all manner of fiber arts. www. fiction and novels have been multiply nominated Japan, and family. He is half-Japanese, a read- thedarkapostle.com for the Hugo, the World Fantasy Award, and the er, Potterhead, Trekker, Browncoat, Costumer, Felicitas Ivey is the pen name of a very frazzled Nebula, shortlisted for the Crawford and the book-collector, model-maker, videographer, Tiptree, and have won the Locus Award. Her lat- publicator, con-goer, RISFC member, Sci-Fi helpdesk drone at a Boston area University. She’s an eternal student even with a BA in Anthro- est novel, The Shadowed Sun, was published in Journal co-host, Psi Upsilon brother, RPI alum, June 2012 from Orbit Books, and she is at work former naval officer, brother, son, uncle, hus- pology, Classical Studies and History, since free classes are part of the benefits. Felicitas writes on her next trilogy—the first book of which, band, and father of two girls. He is currently The Fifth Season, is due out in August 2015. Her Arisia ’15 Masquerade Director. SamuraiX47. Urban Fantasy and Horror of a Lovecraftian nature—monsters beyond space and time that website is nkjemisin.com. Merav Hoffman is a New York-based singer/ think humans are the tastiest things in the mul- songwriter and performer. She is a founding member of the band Lady Mondegreen along with Seanan Mc- Guire and Batya Wittenberg. She also edits books, musicals and poetry, as well as writing her own. In 2013 she was nominated for the Rhysling poetry award in the short form cate- gory. She works in publishing and IT, A Strong Foundation A Brilliant Future and occasionally produces albums and DVDs for her various musical projects. In whatever time she has left over, she crochets an insane amount and runs local music events. Melissa Honig maintains a calendar of sci-fi and fantasy events in New Recipe For A Marvelous Worldcon: England on her blog, http://nesci- fievents.org/. She is active with the New England Browncoats and the Boston SciFi/Fantasy Meetup. She enjoys steampunk, costuming, weird crafts, and watching old TV shows from her childhood via Netflix. 3. A Fun, Experienced Sharone Horowit-Hendler is a linguistic anthropology graduate stu- dent, currently working on her PhD. She is studying how we create and Committee. present our gender identities through our language. In her free time, she is a LARPer, playing in boffer LARPs, Good thing we have all three! Camarilla, and playing, GMing, and writing theater style LARPs. She is an avid reader, board gamer, and table top gamer, who also sings, writes mu- sic ( though rarely), and makes ador- able jewelry and pins out of sculpy. She is also a member of the Teseracte Players of Boston and looks forward August 16-20, 2017 to performing for you this Arisia. Walter H. Hunt has been writing Marriott Wardman Park for most of his life and was Arisia Washington D.C. Author GOH in 2009. His first four Dark Wing novels were published by www.DC17.org 37 Jules is an evolutionary biologist, speculative fic- Faith Karklin was introduced to Arisia in 2008 ing, and food sculpture. Someday there will be tion reader and writer, and purveyor of bizarre and has found herself returning every year since. goats. fanfictions. Her favorite books include The Dis- Apparently she can’t resist a weekend spent Jeremy H. Kessler lives in Greater Boston where possessed, His Dark Materials, and Animorphs. dancing and discussing books. She’s a member he is an instigator. He is also a singer, morris Rachel Kadel-Garcia is a bookbinder and li- of a local meet-up group called New England dancer, musician, cheesemaker, drinker, and brarian living in Medford, MA. She holds an MS Asexuals. She irregularly updates a blog called co-developer of the only known kosher boar’s in Library Science from. Simmons and an MA “I’m Ace, Ask Me How!” to share some of her head anywhere. As a singer, he has been deeply in Conservation Studies from the University of thoughts and respond to questions posed by that involved in local sings of various traditional Sussex. friends, family, and acquaintances. sorts, including chantey sings and pub sings. As Eri Kagami—Presenting panels since Anime Jeff Kaufman is a musician, gamer, and sing- a morris dancer, he dances with the Newtowne Central 2001 at the humble age of 16, Eri enjoys er living in Somerville, MA. He writes a blog Morris Men, is the musician for Pipe Dream public speaking and teaching. As a veteran to (www.jefftk.com) and plays contra dance music Morris, and is the squire of the only Greater the anime con scene, Eri has seen the changes with the Free Raisins (FreeRaisins.com). Boston morris team to dance the AntiMorris. in fandom and convention culture. Growing up Jeff Keller is a Boston-area song session leader He has danced the AntiMorris for Terry Pratch- with the convention scene, Eri feels the need the and occasional filker. He’s run the Arisia chan- ett himself, and is quite proud that said author educate the kids on old school anime and create tey sing from its inception and various one-off described it—in Wintersmith‘s author’s note—as open discussion forums on nostalgia anime for sessions. He’s also a vintage dancer, the founder “a bit creepy”. the 90s kids that keep coming back. Eri serves of the local vintage dance band (the Ad Hoc A freelance writer and web producer for such en- as the “Cosplay Sensei” in the New England Waltz and Quadrille Band), and a sometime tertainment publications as Today.com, Variety, Cosplay Community Board of Directors. She has member of the Arisia technical crew and Music The Los Angeles Times, and Emmy Magazine, also staffed and volunteered for Anime Expo, Area Head. Randee Dawn Kestenbaum is also a fiction Mikomi Con, Boston Cosplayers Ball, and An- Leigh Perry is Toni L.P. Kelner in disguise, writer, with a self-published volume of specula- ime Vegas. She has also judged cosplay contests or maybe vice versa. As Leigh, she writes the tive fiction, Home for the Holidays. The collec- for smaller, local events. Family Skeleton mysteries. The Skeleton Takes tion—which runs the gamut from speculative A recent transplant to the Boston area, Juliet a Bow, the second, came out in September 2014. fiction to memoir—includes a first-person zom- Kahn was doomed to nerdhood from the mo- As Toni, she’s the author of the “Where Are bie story originally podcast by “Well-Told Tales.” ment she found her father’s Bronze Age Marvel They Now?” mysteries and the Laura Fleming She is also a co-author (with Susan Green) of stash. She is particularly interested in shoujo series (all of which are available as ebooks and The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion, manga, self-publishing, and the history of com- audiobooks); an Agatha Award winner for short which published in September 2009. She has a ics. She writes for Comics Alliance. fiction; and the co-editor of New York Times first novel of urban fantasy recently completed, bestselling fantasy/mystery anthologies with and renews her offer to write in exchange for Walter Allen Kahn has an been in Science sugar-cured bacon. Fiction and Fantasy Fandom since 1989 when Charlaine Harris. Dead But Not Forgotten is he volunteered for Norescon 3, the 1989 Boston their most recent. Leigh/Toni lives just north of Daniel M Kimmel is a Hugo-nominated film WorldCon, which also was his first Fan Run Boston, on the Orange Line, with her husband critic and author of Jar Jar Binks Must Die. His Convention he attended. He then joined NESFA and fellow author Stephen P. Kelner, Jr., their reviews and essays can be found at NorthShore- and worked on Boskone for about 4 or 5 years two daughters, and two guinea pigs. Movies.net, the Sci-Fi Movie Page, and Space until he found a home at Arisia. He has held a Rachel Kenley is a novelist, workshop lead- and Time Magazine. His most recent book is his wide variety of roles for Arisia since 1992 when er, radio host, and co-founder of the Writers first novel Shh! It’s a Secret: a novel about Aliens, he first attended, including, Assistant Division Business School. She is the best-selling author Hollywood and the Bartender’s Guide which Head of Member Services, Assistant Division of erotic romance novels and anthologies. Her launched at Arisia 2013. In September 2014 he Head of Events, Operations Desk Department current works include a paranormal middle became editor of The Jewish Advocate, the na- Head, Operations Desk Staff, Programming grade and a series set in a diner on the Jersey tion’s oldest English language Jewish newspaper. Staff, Artshow Staff, Writer Guest of Honor Shore. When she is not writing she is home- Born in 1967, Catt Kingsgrave-Ernstein has Liaison, Hotel Liaison Staff and Innkeeper, schooling her sons, trying unsuccessfully to not yet managed to shuffle off the mortal coil, Security Staff among other positions. He was keep up with laundry, and laughing as much though not for want of trying, apparently. She Arisia’s Corporate Vice President and Fan Guest as possible. She loves reading, chocolate, her writes (fiction, music, poetry, recipes, and the of Honor in 1995. He also has volunteered for morning cup of coffee and retail therapy. Her occasional political rant), draws, paints, sings, a number of WorldCons over the years. He has radio show, The O Spot, is new every Wednesday dances, cooks, builds and repairs houses, and either worked on and/or worked on Readercon, at 10 pm EST on www.dkrn.fm and encores occasionally makes an outright fool of herself Balticon and Gaylaxicons, For the last Boston several times during the week. A Jersey Girl no when confronted with her intellectual heroes. Area Area Gaylaxicon Walter was the Co Oper- matter where she is living, she can be found on She also has Opinions. No, wait! Don’t run! ations Division Head with his wife. Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pag- Ken Kingsgrave-Ernstein is absolutely not Catherine Kane is a professional psychic, pub- es/Rachel-Kenley/43491347339, on Amazon at the superhero Common Sense Man. He does not lished author, Reiki master/teacher, bard, artist, www.amazon.com/author/rachelkenley and at spend his days saving various portions of Cor- enthusiastic student of the Universe, maker of her website www.rachelkenley.com. Learn more porate America from itself. He also does not re- very bad puns, songwriter and overachiever, about the business of selling your books at www. cover data structures in need. He does, however, amongst other things... She loves empowering writersbusinessschool.com enjoy reading Science Fiction and the occasional people to have their best lives possible. Visit Paul Kenworthy began historic costuming and foray into Fantasy. He also enjoys speculating Catherine and her husband, Starwolf, at Fore- making armour and swords back in 1974 while on how to survive the Zombie Apocalypse with sight on Facebook, www.ForesightYourPsychic. he was getting his bachelor’s degree in history skills he learned surviving the Cold War. He com, and www.ForesightYourCtPsychic.word- and working part-time as a shipsmith at Mystic also spends spare time (ha, what’s that?) with press.com. Seaport. He is an avid re-enactor and belongs to his camera and playing with rope, often at the Witch, Shaman, Professional Psychic, Metaphys- a number of groups that recreate various peri- same time. ical Engineer, Rune Valder Master, and Reiki ods. He is the commanding officer of the New Amber P. Knight is the hostess of the Black, Sexy, Master, Sean Kane (Starwolf) posseses a vast, England Brigade, an umbrella organization for Geeky and Mental podcast. For the past three ecclectic store of knowledge, both Esoteric and Union re-enactors in New England, Captain of years audiences have been delving into the mind Exoteric. the Salem Trayned Band, a group that recreates of a Black, former Burlesque performer, sci-fi fan the first militia company in the Massachusetts with bipolar disorder. As a speaker with NAMI, Melissa Kaplan is a longtime attendee of cons, Bay Colony, and a member of the Company gamer, watcher and reader of sci-fi/fantasy, and (National Alliance on Mental Illness) she talks of the Wolfe Argent, a group that recreates a candidly about living with bipolar disorder. She general geek. Past endeavors include two blog- Burgundian ordinance company of the 1470s. athons, one nanowrimo, and participating in has been a featured storyteller with MassMouth He is one of the co-founders of the Higgins Ar- and has done Stand-up comedy in the Naked panels at Pi-con and Arisia. She spends far too mory Sword Guild, a group based in Worcester much of her disposable income on costume Comedy Showcase. To date she has produced that studies and interprets Renaissance fencing and performed four one-woman theater produc- pieces, wirework jewelry, and books. She free- manuals. He has recently expanded his costum- ly admits that her qualifications as a panelist tions, presented workshops on improving body ing and prop making into cosplaying anime and image using the performing arts, and performed are restricted to love of sci-fi/fantasy and her video game characters. ability to ramble semi-intelligently about geeky in a number of theatrical productions. topics on command. Melissa is co-chair for the Angela Kessler’s longstanding interests include Rachel Kory has been with Scovil Galen Ghosh 2014 Transcending Boundaries Conference and morris dance, Kalevala, cheesemaking, singing Literary Agency, Inc. since 2011. She is a grad- committed to making the fandom community and other enjoyment of trad music, sewing (esp. uate of Mount Holyoke College, where she safe and comfortable for anyone who wants to historical and wedding gowns), crochet, and studied Classics. As a literary agent and digital participate. learning about how the world works. Passing strategist, Rachel is interested in all things new whims include canning, gardening, soapmak- media; she works to integrate authors into an

38 increasingly electronic world. As a lover of genre (and disagreed with) Mark Ordesky (Exec Pro- ture, and a massive fan of Power Rangers, Sailor fiction and media, she is fascinated by the blur- ducer for The Lord of the Rings), learned a lot Moon, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Disney’s ring of lines between fan and professional. She is about how the TV sausage gets made, and even Gargoyles and more. Cassandra is currently a muay thai practitioner, homebrewer, costumer, learned a few things about myself along the way. hard at work on her first novel, a queer supernat- and a member of the 501st Legion and Rebel David Larochelle is a researcher at the Berk- ural romance entitled Fall, as well as numerous Legion Star Wars costuming organizations. man Center for Internet & Society who works at fanfics. Ellen Kranzer has been attending science fic- the intersection of computer science and social Michael Lee—I’ve been involved with CON- tion conventions for over 30 years and making science. He’s worked extensively in information vergence in Minneapolis for over a decade in a music even longer. Filk lets her mix the two security and is the co-author of Splint, an Open variety of roles, including head of programming hobbies. Ellen is a founding member of M.A.S.S. Source tool for detecting security vulnerabilities and on the board of directors. My top three F.I.L.C. and the club’s current treasurer. She has in C programs. However, more recently he’s interests tend to be comics, conrunning, and been involved in planning numerous conven- focused on understanding and building the In- Doctor Who. tions both in and out of fandom. ternet rather than attacking and defending it. He Scott Lefton makes and sells artwork in media Bob Kuhn is a professional voiceover artist. grew up in the D.C. area but moved up to Cam- including metal, wood, glass, and Photoshop, Speculative fiction and science credits include bridge in 2004 where he currently resides. His is occasionally serious about photography, and audiobook titles by Mike Resnick, Carl Sagan, YA involvement with fandom began when he joined works as a freelance mechanical design con- author William Sleator, Jeff Carver, and Thomas the William & Mary Science Fiction and Fantasy sultant and patent agent. He lives in a big old Burnett Swann. (Plus audiobooks of history Club (SKIFFY). He served as Vice President and Victorian house in Melrose, MA with his wife and historical fiction, true crime and mystery.) was named Senator for Life upon gradation. Rachel, whichever of their 3 kids happen to be in Bob has also provided fantasy MMORP NPC A dedicated fan of Duran Duran, as seen in the residence, and a cat. game voices for Dungeons and Dragons Online, documentary There’s Something You Should Legio III Cyrenaica is a Roman Legion re-en- the ill-starred 38 Studios, and a soon-to-be- Know, avid cosplayer, and Neil Gaiman Fangirl, acting/living history organization based in released dark fantasy out of Singapore. As an Pam Larson has dedicated what little free New England that seeks to accurately portray expatriate Australian, Bob has done readings at time she has from her television directing job to Legionary and Auxiliary soldiers stationed in North American Cons for antipodean authors becoming the best fan she can be. Helping out Egypt during the Roman Empire’s Flavian pe- unable to attend. He is the co-inventor of both her fellow fans by staffing and volunteering at riod (69–80 AD) using the latest academic and serious (Master of Disaster) and fun (Chrono- many cons, she makes sure a good time is had archaeological research and reconstructions. Collisions, Artifactual) games and gameshows, by all. Her Personal Motto is, “All Nite Parties, Members study soldiers’ training, combat tac- many of which he has hosted at various world Cocktail Bars and Smiles... It’s more than a lyric, tics, and arms and armor. Legio III’s historical and regional cons. Visit bkvoice.com for more it’s a way of life.” duties were to secure the grain, precious metals, information. He is also a higher education I.T. Cassandra Lease is a lifelong resident of Boston mines, and trade ports vital to Rome while try- management consultant. and a second-generation fan who was intro- ing to keep a sporadic peace in the volatile city of Bettina M. Kurkoski, is the creator/writer/ duced to Star Trek while she was still learning to Alexandria and protecting the Empire’s south- artist of My Cat Loki—volumes 1 & 2 now talk and Isaac Asimov while she was in elemen- ern border in Koptos, near Luxor. In addition, available from TOKYOPOP—is Bettina’s first tary school. As a neo-pagan trans lesbian fem- one member portrays a Greek-Egyptian physi- professionally published series. She has also inist, she’s an outspoken advocate for religious cian under Legion contract, with contemporary contributed the Star Trek 40th Anniversary tolerance, LGBT rights, and social equality. As medical tools. The group presents at military Convention exclusive cover for Star Trek: TOS Amazon Pink, she is an enthusiastic amateur timeline/living history events, the Worcester Manga Vol. 1, cover and story art for Star Trek: cosplayer and very active in the Power Rangers Art Museum, schools, and colleges; recently TOS Manga Vol. 2, story art for Star Trek: The cosplay scene. She is also a veteran GM, an avid at archaeology fairs and lectures sponsored by Next Generation Vol. 1, story and art for the reader of comic books and urban fantasy litera- Princess Ai/My Cat Loki crossover story in Princess Ai: Encounters, and cover and story art for Warriors: Rise of Scourge and Seekers manga series based on the best-selling novel series; all available from TOKYOPOP and Harper Collins. She has 20+ years of experience teaching comic art to all A Strong Foundation A Brilliant Future ages through various events. She is currently working on the webcomic, RomeoXJulien (justyaoi.com) with co-creator, Mary Dumas, and has developed and launched websites for Nauticon, Worldcon, Ohayocon, Just Yaoi & Dreamworld Studio. You Congratulations to our Committee Member can see more of her artwork at www. dreamworldstudio.net. Alisa Kwitney is the multi-published author of adult and YA novels, graph- ic novels and non-fiction. She also writes SF/fantasy as Alisa Sheckley. A former editor at Vertigo/DC Comics, Colette H. Fozard Alisa has an MFA in Fiction Writ- ing from Columbia and has taught graphic novel writing at Fordham University. Her latest novel is The New Avengers: Breakout, based on On Her GoH-ship at Arisia 2015. the Brian Bendis comic series. You can visit her website at www.alisak- witney.com. Adria Kyne—While I’ve certainly done some interesting things in my Be sure to join her and time, my life has been somewhat unremarkable until last year. That is us for dessert at Arisia! when I was chosen to be a contes- tant in a brand-new reality TV show based in a fantasy setting (ABC’s “The Quest”). In preparing for the August 16-20, 2017 show and in participating, I drew Marriott Wardman Park upon my experiences in tabletop gaming, LARPing, reading fantasy, Washington D.C. and interacting with fandoms, with perhaps-surprising results. I met www.DC17.org 39 the Archaeological Institute of America; and and short stories and other writings is available Century), Medieval costuming, Medieval com- formerly at the Higgins Armory Museum. on his website, http://www.barrylongyear.com/. bat, and Victorian costuming. Seriously, if you Benjamin Levy has been a science fiction fan James Douglas Macdonald was born in White want to know about alliterative poetry, he’ll talk for most of his life. He went to his first science Plains, New York, the second of three children your ear off. He also has been gaming off and fiction convention when he was 10 years old. He of W. Douglas Macdonald, a chemical engineer, on since his parents gave him something called has been involved with Arisia since its inception. and Margaret E. Macdonald, a professional art- “Dungeons and Dragons” in a bright red-pink- In the past he has worked for Arisia as a gopher, ist. After leaving the University of Rochester, purple box when he was ten. Dealers Liaison, Fixed Functions (Exhibits) Di- where he majored in Medieval Studies, he served Shelley Marsh—Rocket scientist by day; cook, vision Head, and Assistant Con Chair. Current- in the U. S. Navy. Macdonald left the Navy in knitter, spinner, seamstress, actress, model, ly, he is the Arisia Corporate Treasurer and an 1988 in order to pursue writing full-time. Since singer, and weaver by night. Yes, she sleeps; she Assistant Con Chair for A15. then he has lived with his wife and co-author, just has a messy house. Megan Lewis is a librarian at a research library Debra Doyle, in a big 19th-Century house in David Marshall has been making and teach- and archives located in a museum, dealing with Colebrook, New Hampshire, where they write ing comics for more than 20 years. Published researchers from all over the world and all levels science fiction and fantasy for children, teenag- credits include Fantagraphics Books, SpiderB- of education. She has a great fondness for bi- ers, and adults. From 1991 through 1993, as Yog aby Graphix, FantaCo Enterprises, The Boston ographical dictionaries. Megan’s attended Ari- Sysop, he ran the Science Fiction and Fantasy Comics Roundtable and Riverbird Studios. sia for over a decade and has previously worked RoundTable on the GEnie computer network; Check out his free web comics on Inky Stories Art Show. This is her first year doing a panel after the death of GEnie, he was the managing (www.inkystories.com). David’s latest works (but is still working Art Show—come buy some sysop for SFF-Net. These days, when not writing “Enter...General Zaq!” and “The World’s Slowest art!). She possesses interests in a diverse number novels or running as an EMT with the local Foot Chase” debuted this year at Massachu- including modern architecture preservation, ambulance squad, he blogs at Absolute Write. setts Independent Comics Expo and New York crocheting and genealogists. com and Making Light. ComiCon. Art of the Comic Book (www.artoft- Brian Liberge is a father of one, living in Boston, Business Director for the past 20 plus years of hecomicbook.com) is his college-level studio MA. As a freelancer he’s worked with Kobold The Teseracte Players of Boston, New England’s workshop for making comics with traditional Press, Raging Swan Press, Gygax Magazine and Premier Traveling Shadowcast, performing The ink-on-paper media. He frequently participates the Gamer Assembly. He loves home-brewed Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dr. Horrible’s Sing- in 24-Hour Comics Day, Free Comic Book Day, ideas, is honest to a fault, and loves converting Along Blog and others. Webpage: teseracte.com. Arisia, Massachusetts Independent Comics content between systems. Additionally he has Teseracte is always available for charity and fund Expo and Boston ComicCon. David also started backgrounds in Theatre Arts and Technology raising events, and Glenn MacWilliams is the new Doctor Who group “TARDIS Regen- which often comes up in the way he works and the General Manager of Magic Dragon Comics erated”. his writing. Currently he’s the owner and Cre- in Arlington MA, the place for new comics. B. Diane Martin began reading science fiction ative Director of Beer Star Games, the makes Tegan Mannino—Librarian, techie, blogger, at age nine, and later that same year she asked of Pulp! the RPG and BEARD! the Card Game. bookworm, and all around geek. for her first telescope. She has a law degree, is Gordon Linzner is founder and editor emeritus Peter Maranci is founder and editor of the a founder of several companies, and has ad- of Space and Time Magazine; author of several Interregnum RPG APA (RIP). Winner of several vised start-ups in software, gaming, holography, novels and scores of short stories; freelance amateur video prizes at Arisia. Publisher of and other technology areas. Diane is extremely editor; licensed New York City tour guide; and “Pete’s RuneQuest & Roleplaying!” (www.run- honored to be a World Fantasy finalist (Spe- front man for Saboteur Tiger blues band. equest.org/rq.htm), one of the oldest RPG sites cial Award—Non-Professional) for her work online. Longtime Arisia panelist. Sold a story with Readercon. Diane (a/k/a She Who Must Adam Lipkin is a reviewer for Publishers Weekly, Be Obeyed) lives with her husband, David G. covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, and to a semi-pro mag long ago, but it folded before publishing it (or paying for it, unfortunately). Shaw, and their son Miles (He Who Will Not Be young adult books. He has written reviews for Ignored) in a Somerville, MA, Victorian home a number of publications, including The Green Once boasted that he could do a panel on ear wax and make it interesting. Luckily Arisia filled with books, games, music, anime, and Man Review and Rambles. He wrote the horror cookware. column, “Fear Factor,” for Bookslut, and was also hasn’t tested that. :D the animation columnist for SMRT-TV.com. He Joy Marchand holds a B.A. in Classical Studies Gail Z. Martin is the author of the new epic has published hundreds of horror movie reviews from the University of the Pacific. She lives in fantasy War of Shadows (Orbit Books), the at his own blog, http://yendi.livejournal.com, Salem, Massachusetts, where she enjoys giving Deadly Curiosities new urban fantasy series set and has also published essays in Salem Press’s tourists directions, obsessively playing Ingress, in Charleston, SC (new book November 2015 Critical Survey of Graphic Novels. By day, he throwing splendid dinner parties, and reading Solaris Books), and Iron and Blood: The Jake works as an Associate Director of Academic a ton of books on cooking, mindfulness, and Desmet Adventures a new Steampunk series Technology at a top-35 university. Adam lives leadership. Joy’s poems and short stories have (July 2015, Solaris Books) co-authored with Lar- in the suburbs of Boston with his wife, daughter, been featured in Interzone, Talebones, Apex, ry N. Martin. She is also author of Ice Forged and two moderately psychotic felines. Writers of the Future XX, Polyphony 5, and and Reign of Ash in The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, The Chronicles of The Necromancer series Shira Lipkin has managed to convince Strange Interfictions, among others. Joy currently volun- teers as an associate editor for Shimmer, a small (The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven Horizons, Stone Telling, Clockwork Phoenix 4, & Dark Lady’s Chosen) from Solaris Books and Interfictions 2, Apex Magazine, and other oth- magazine packed with quality short speculative fiction and stunning artwork. The Fallen Kings Cycle (The Sworn and The erwise-sensible magazines and anthologies to Dread) from Orbit Books. Gail writes two series publish her work; two of her stories have been Megan S. Markland is a Pagan Witch who of ebook short stories: The Jonmarc Vahanian recognized as Million Writers Award Notable follows a Celtic Reconstructionist path. She is Adventures and the Deadly Curiosities Adven- Stories, and she has won the Rhysling Award for also: a feminist; writer; reader; music lover; big tures. Find her at www.AscendantKingdoms. best short poem. She co-edits speculative poetry sister; aunt; polyamorist; queer; and, of course, com, on Twitter @GailZMartin, on Facebook. magazine Liminality with Mat Joiner. Her cats a big nerd. She graduated from Mount Holyoke com/WinterKingdoms, at DisquietingVisions. are bigger than her dog. College in 2004, where she majored in English com blog and GhostInTheMachinePodcast. Barry B. Longyear is the first writer to win the and Medieval Studies; she is also a recovering com, on Goodreads https://www.goodreads. Nebula Award, the Hugo Award, and the John law student with a taste for libraries, and she com/GailZMartin and free excerpts on Wattpad W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, all hopes to wield Mjolnir when she is worthy. Me- http://wattpad.com/GailZMartin. gan has a variety of tastes in all aspects of life in the same year. In addition to his acclaimed Donna Martinez is a freelance artist originally Enemy Mine series, his works include the Circus and likes to document her adventures whenever possible. She wishes she could play the cello, from New Mexico and has been a resident of World series, the Infinity Hold series, and novels Boston for 15 years. Donna is also a member ranging from Sea of Glass to The God Box, as but she can make a mean baklava. If Star Trek: TNG frightens you, she will strive to change of the Boston Comics Roundtable contributing well as his much praised Science-fiction Writer’s stories to Inbound, Hellbound, The Greatest Workshop-I and the latest, The Write Stuff. His your mind. Megan has been known to geek out about anything from the The Canterbury Tales Comics Anthology of All time and issues #1 recent works include the award-winning collec- and #3 of In A Single Bound respectively. She is tion Jaggers & Shad: ABC is for Artificial Beings to German Expressionist films to MST3K to Russian composers to Roman history. She is still presently happily married to fellow Round Table Crimes, Dark Corners, his hardest hitting col- writer/cartoonist Joey Peters. lection of stories; and the Joe Torio Mystery Se- looking for the TARDIS... ries: The Hangman’s Son, Just Enough Rope, and Daniel Marsh is a member of the Society of Milo Martinez is a semi-professional costumer Rope Paper Scissors published as three books: Creative Anarchism (as Grim the Skald); even living in Cambridge. His interests include leath- Rope, Paper, and Scissors. He is currently work- his wife calls him “Grim,” so there’s that. He er working, costuming technology, craftwork ing on his magnum opus, a political/spy/coming considers himself knowledgeable in the fol- (armor, casting, etc), and villainy. An avid maker of age science fiction thriller titled: The War lowing things, in order of how much he knows: since childhood, he uses mixed medias and Whisperer. A complete list of his awards, books Norse Poetry, Norse Culture, Alliterative Poetry unconventional approaches to solve costuming in general (particularly Old English and 14th challenges.

40 Marlin May—I’m no scientist, but I’ve consumed Dennis McCunney is a longtime SF fan, and working on state-level criminal justice and drug a steady diet of science books/media as long as has been helping to run cons like Arisia since policy, studying academic political psychology, I can recall. The first book I remember reading the 1970’s. For the twelve years he was been a building the Romney campaign’s website (where was Man in Space about Mercury 7. My favorite member of Arisia’s Hotel Liaison Staff, and for he had the longest hair), and providing web kids’ t.v. show? Mr. Wizard. Lately I’ve been six of those years he edited and designed the performance expertise to top companies. When exploring the promise/problems of transhu- Arisia Souvenir Book. He’s been involved on one he’s at his (poly, kinky, queer) home in Somer- manism/post-humanism. I’ve been reading/ level or another with Arisia, Capclave, Lunacon, ville, he rules over the kitchen with an iron fist. watching genre fiction a long, long time. My first Philcon, WorldCon, and World Fantasy, and Daniel Miller is a local attorney, gamer, com- convention was in Feb. 1979; a tiny gathering in the process has come to know a lot of the ics aficionado, and SF/F fan (not necessarily in in Southern California called “Science Fiction folks working professionally in SF. When he that order) who keeps coming back to Arisia Weekend.” I wandered into a room where they isn’t working on cons he has variously been a because he enjoys it. He has been “living this were screening episodes of Commando Cody. graphic designer, iron worker, museum exhibit lifestyle” since high school, and lives it in eastern I was transfixed, hooked, captured... doomed. builder, alternative energy analyst, jr. financial Massachusetts. He recently completed his first Since then I’ve attended many a Westercon, analyst, system/network/telecom administrator, manuscript, even if it is utterly unpublishable at Worldcon, NASFic, Galacticon, Gaylaxicon, and web journalist and moderator. He currently the moment, though he recognizes that fiction Balticon, Equicon, Filmcon, Albacon, Fantasma- spends too much time on Google+. is perhaps not his strong suit. He continues to con, Boskone and Arisia. John G. McDaid’s fiction has appeared in Asi- like alternate histories, humorous SF/F, and Michael McAfee is an actor, writer, director and mov’s and F&SF. He attended Clarion in 1993 rollicking good adventures with good world- managing director for the Post Meridian Radio and sold his first story, the Sturgeon Award-win- building. He once tickled a man in Reno just to Players. His poetry has appeared in Space and ning “Jigoku no mokushiroku”, in 1995. A web- watch him laugh, turned the tap dance into his Time Magazine and Flying Higher. He has been master by day, he lives in Portsmouth, RI where crusade, and is always looking to proselytize the on panels dealing with a variety of topics at Ari- he juggles writing, work, and citizen journalism. uninitiated into the worlds of assorted geekery. sia and other conventions since the mid-1990s, For downloads and blog visit http://harddead- (Or, at least get them to come to a team trivia including running flirting workshops. He has lines.com. event. Either way.) been active in all aspects of fandom since 1990, Craig R McDonough—Associated with run- Mark Millman is a member of the Salem Zou- particularly in the SCA, LARPing and filking. ning/helping F/SF conventions in the Boston aves/Salem Trayned Band military re-enact- Feel free to talk with him about future projects. area for [mumble] years, I’ve learned the only ment unit, which portrays citizen militias of the Elizabeth McCoy has been an editor and writ- way to ensure you can actually see the program 1630s and the early 1860s, and of the Common- er for Steve Jackson Games, and has recent- items you are interested in is to get scheduled wealth Vintage Dancers, New England’s premier ly branched out into original fiction—mostly onto them. Especially since I seem constitution- vintage-dance company, which performs the self-published. Her most recent work is “Black- ally unable to attend a con without volunteering. social dances of the Federal, Civil War, Gilded est Before the Dawn,” a story about First Contact Professionally a Computing Dinosaur (read: Age, Ragtime, and Roaring Twenties eras. Both between alien races, in the What Happens Next primarily a mainframe developer) for almost groups’ members make their own historically anthology published by Furplanet Productions. as long as I’ve been working on cons, and lay accurate clothing and study and perform period She has also written a fantasy duology with a worship leader in the Episcopal Church (like movement disciplines. He is also the former romance plot, Herb-Witch and Herb-Wife, and the Roman Catholic church, but without the demonstration co-ordinator and head of his- the science fiction Queen of Roses, reviewed in incense, and only about 10% of the guilt). torical-combat instruction at the Higgins Ar- Analog (Sep. 2014). She is working with a layout James Meickle is a self-taught programmer into mory Museum, and the Steward and a founding person for her science fiction. She still lives in all kinds of nerdery, but with a particular love member of the Higgins Armory Sword Guild. the Frozen Wastelands of NH, with a spouse, a for crushingly difficult indie roguelikes. His pro- In addition, he is an experienced fight chore- kid, and various cats. fessional life has been almost as weird as him: ographer, both for the theater and for historical

We congratulate Leslie Turek

“one of the three founders of the modern Worldcon” — Ben Yalow

Sasquan The 73rd World Science Fiction Convention Spokane, Washington, USA ¥ August 19-23, 2015 ¥ sasquan.org

41 martial-arts demonstrations, and a long-time lished in Fantasy Magazine, Paradox, Brutarian Elizabeth O’Malley is part of FanCons.com/ modern fencer and practitioner of Asian martial Quarterly, Science Fiction Age, Aboriginal SF, AnimeCons.com, the leading web site dedicated arts. and many anthologies. Nelson is a graduate of to news and information about conventions, Troy Minkowsky is a published comicbook the Clarion Workshop. She has also sold over contributing to both their website and weekly writer, stand up comedian, and director. His 200 magazine articles. She was the TV/movie podcast, AnimeCons TV. She is also the past current project is a web-series “Super Life” for columnist for Realms of Fantasy for 13 years. Vice President of the Northern Lights chapter of which he is a writer, director, and producer for Visit her website at http://www.resanelson.com the International Costumers Guild. Rhino Crate productions. and follow her on Twitter @ResaNelson.. Adrienne J. Odasso’s poetry has appeared in a Dan Morris was born June 3rd, 1982. He grew up Kate Nepveu was born in South Korea and raised number of strange and wonderful publications, in Charlotte, NC on a steady diet of comic books, in New England. She now lives in upstate New including Sybil’s Garage, Mythic Delirium, Jab- loud music, and Legend of Zelda games. He York where she is practicing law, raising a fam- berwocky, Cabinet des Fées, Midnight Echo, earned a degree from Savannah College of Art ily, and (in her copious free time) writing at her Not One of Us, Dreams & Nightmares, Goblin and Design. It was there that he met his future Dreamwidth account (kate_nepveu), a booklog Fruit, Strange Horizons, Stone Telling, Farrago’s wife Christa Newman who continues to encour- (steelypips.org/weblog), and at Tor.com, where Wainscot, Through the Gate, Liminality, ink- age him to just be him. Today, he continues to she is presently re-reading Jonathan Strange & scrawl, and Battersea Review. Her début collec- enjoy comics, loud music, and Legend of Zelda Mr Norrell. tion, Lost Books (Flipped Eye Publishing, 2010), games. To date he’s made several self-published The legendary Alex Newman was raised on a was nominated for the 2010 London New Poetry mini comics and continues to make comics in parallel Earth where his plane crashed in the Hi- Award and for the 2011 Forward Prize, and was his spare time. malayas—er, the parallel Himalayas. Not ours. also a finalist for the 2011 People’s Book Prize. Her second collection with Flipped Eye, The Sarah “Tashari” Morrison is an aspiring There he was taught the secret of clouding men’s minds by monks. Parallel monks. Stop laughing. Dishonesty of Dreams, was released in August fantasy and children’s book illustrator, currently of 2014. Her two chapbooks, Devil’s Road Down building up her portfolio. In her “spare time” she He fought crime for many years until a group of his arch enemies (can you have a “group” of and Wanderlust, are available from Maverick sews gowns with hoop skirts. Find her work at Duck Press. She holds degrees from Wellesley Tashari.Org. arch enemies?) banded together in a sinister plot to bounce him into a parallel universe. That is, College and the University of York (UK). She Lee Moyer is an American painter, illustrator, parallel to that one, which they thought of as the currently lives in Boston with her partner and a graphic designer, Web designer, and comic book real universe but which you think of as a parallel tank full of inquisitive freshwater fish. You can painter and designer. Lee Moyer began his ini- universe. Unless you’re also from there, in which find her online at ajodasso.livejournal.com (and tial painting training using the mediums of case you think of this one as the parallel... Oh, on Twitter under the same name). watercolor and oils. In 1989, he expanded into screw it. Alex Newman is the founder of The Jennifer Old-d’Entremont is an hobbyist the digital art realm, which has become his Boston Babydolls (www.BostonBabydolls.com), costumer with a taste for recreating both sci-fi/ premiere medium as a painter and illustrator. a former comic book writer and capo comico of fantasy characters as well as historical and eth- While building his freelance career and expand- i Sebastiani (the Greatest commedia dell’arte nic dress. A medical technologist by day, it’s the ing his skill set, he worked for ten years as a Do- troupe on Earth), gamer and LARP author (he fannish endeavors that make life more fun. She’s cent & Naturalist Illustrator at the Smithsonian was one of the play-testers for Advanced Dun- never read the instruction manual that came Museum of Natural History. Moyer considers geons and Dragons). He has been involved in with the sewing machine and can’t make herself his primary influences to be Art Nouveau, Art Arisia in various aspects for many years. follow the instructions of a pattern or recipe to Deco, Arts & Crafts, propaganda art, and the Benjamin Newman has been filking since his save her life. There’s also a very unhealthy obses- Pre-Raphaelites. His website is: www.leemoyer. sion with puff paint, but we don’t talk about that. com college friends dragged him to his first conven- tion his freshman year at Swarthmore. Since Jennifer lives in Kansas City with her spousal John P. Murphy is a short fiction writer and then, he has written over 200 songs on a wide unit and furry, four-legged children. engineer living in southern New Hampshire. He range of topics, including SF and fantasy, sci- Daniel José Older is the author of the upcom- has a PhD in robotics and currently works in the ence, computers, and religion, both singly and ing Young Adult novel Shadowshaper (Arthur field of network security. His short fiction has in various whimsical juxtapositions. Ben has A. Levine Books, 2015) and the Bone Street appeared in markets including Nature, Crossed also organized filk programming for Philcon, Rumba urban fantasy series, which begins in Genres, and the Drabblecast, and his SF/mystery Concertino, and Pi-con. January 2015 with Half-Resurrection Blues from novella Claudius Rex was published in 2014. Christa Newman received a Bachelors in Fine Penguin’s Roc imprint. Publishers Weekly hailed Madelyn Myers is a freelance video game critic. Arts for Animation from Savannah College of him as a “rising star of the genre” after the pub- She currently writes a biweekly column as well Art and Design in 2009. Along with her love lication of his debut ghost noir collection, Salsa as game reviews for Paste Magazine. She pre- of animation, she has been a member for the Nocturna. He co-edited the anthology Long viously worked as a games columnist, features costuming community since 2002 as Sweet- Hidden: Speculative Fiction from the Margins writer, and web producer for the Boston Phoenix, Pea. Completing over 100 costumes for herself of History and guest edited the music issue of and her writing about video games has also ap- and others in her 9 years of participating in the Crossed Genres. You can find his thoughts on peared at re/Action, Gameranx.com, the Border hobby, she has also judged craftsmanship for writing, read dispatches from his decade-long House, and Kill Screen. She also plays keytar local conventions in the past few years. After career as an NYC paramedic and hear his music and sings in a nerdcore pop rock band called the graduation she has become a professional cat- atghoststar.net/ and @djolder on twitter. Robot Knights. alog photographer and also branched out into David Olsen is an all-around geek who will hap- Lawrence (Larry) Nelson, known as LORD- costume photography using her film degree to pily talk your ear off about stories and games. As LNYC online, is a long time member of the create images with narrative depth. such, he fell in love with RPGs upon receiving leather/queer/poly communities as well as a Joshua A.C. Newman is the publisher of the the Dungeons & Dragons red box for Christmas longtime queer/kinky/poly rights activist. He literary SF roleplaying games, Shock:Social Sci- at the age of nine. Since then, he’s campaigned in attended his first science fiction convention ence Fiction and Shock:Human Contact, as well dozens of worlds and systems, including GMing (Lunacon) in 1984 where he went on to help run as Mobile Frame Zero, the tabletop wargame of a few LARPs over the past 15 years. He’s done gaming from 1991–2003. In 2006 he attended tiny giant LEGO robots. He is an avid proponent game testing for various independent compa- his first Arisia where he put in over 30 hours of independent media, and produces his own nies, including Firehose Games and Choice Of helping out in the con suite. In 2007 he put his Patreon-funded speculative fiction on his blog, Games and even voice acting work for Reactive longtime activism to good use and started doing ‘xenoglyph’, visible at glyphpress.com. Studios. You can catch him as a background panels at Arisia, Lunacon, and The Eulenspiegel actor in various feature films or as the fourth Society (TES) [a major leather group in NYC]. Abby Noyce is a cognitive neuroscientist, a knit- season winner of “Beauty and the Geek.” ter, and a theatre geek. He lives in Queens, NYC where he runs the Ken Olum is a research professor in the Tufts Queens BDSM group and, when he can, their David Nurenberg, Ph.D. just does too much Institute of Cosmology, where he studies cosmic munch (which he started). stuff. He’s a freelance writer for White Wolf, a strings, the possibility of time travel in general Resa Nelson’s newest novel is All Of Us Were self-published novelist, a high school English relativity, and philosophical issues in cosmol- Sophie, a science fiction murder mystery. She is teacher and an occasional adjunct professor. ogy. He lives in Sharon, MA with his partners, the author of the Dragonslayer series, a 4-book That explains all the twitching. He’s been a GM Valerie White and Judy Anderson, and his chil- series based on two short stories published in for 24 years, which explains the severe twitch- dren, Jocelyn and Perry. ing. He has traveled to over 30 countries and Science Fiction Age, the first of which ranked 2nd What if you could re-live the experience of reading in that magazine’s first Readers Top Ten Poll. runs two international exchange programs, which explains how he can twitch in several a book or watching a show for the first time? The Dragonslayer’s Sword (Book 1) was Nomi- Mark Oshiro provides just such a thing on nated for the Nebula Award and was an EPPIE languages. Do not stare directly at David, as contents are under pressure and may detonate, a daily basis on Mark Reads and Mark Watch- Award Finalist for Best Fantasy Novel. Nelson es, where he chronicles his unspoiled journey also has a standalone novel about a modern-day causing minor to moderate injuries. But David comes in peace, really—at least, that’s what he’ll through various series. Since 2009, Mark has society based on ancient Egypt called Our Lady been subjecting himself to the emotional jour- of the Absolute. Her short fiction has been pub- insist in court. 42 ney that one takes when they enter a fictional and keep track of her bellydance performances 42 and SciFi Mafia. In addition to her editorial world for the first time. He mixes textual analy- at www.facebook.com/ziadances. duties, Ms. Phillips is also Broadcasting Director sis, confessional blogging, and humor to analyze A longtime GM, participating and running games of the Good To Be A Geek Network with a num- fiction. Since its inception, Mark has covered since 1978, including long-running games, Per- ber of podcasts to her credit, including Good To series such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, cival has worked with many table-top and Be A Gamer, a video game news show which she The Lord of the Rings, and genre favorites like LARP systems over the years. On the cutting also co-hosts. She has also been a guest on many Buffy/Angel, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Bat- edge of computer research, he has been involved other podcasts, including The Earth Station One tlestar Galactica, and Veronica Mars. All of this with the development of computers from the old podcast and RevolutionSF RevCast. Ms. Phillips earned Mark a Hugo nomination in the Fan Mainframe days through the micro-embedded has also appeared on panels at other science Writer category in 2013 and 2014, and he has no systems of today. He is also a longtime presenter fiction and gaming conventions, lending her plans on stopping. Somehow, he’s also writing and kinkster; practicing for almost 40 years expertise in a myriad of topics from B movies the first book in a YA trilogy set in a pre-dysto- and teaching for almost a quarter century, both to video games to web entertainment. Recently, pian world, and he’s still determined to fulfill a nationally and internationally. He is involved in Ms. Phillips was honored to judge the Video lifelong goal in the process: to pet every dog ever. the local BDSM group NELA (http://www.nela- Games category for the 2014 Geekie Awards. Suzanne Palmer is an SF/F author who is a online.org) as Program and Education Director. Steve E Popkes, his wife, son, dog and cat breed regular contributor to Asimov’s and Interzone, Want to learn more? Ask him. turtles on two acres in Massachusetts. and an artist of occasional, impractically large A Disney obsessed, Harry Potter loving, sassy femi- Dr. James Prego is a naturopathic doctor from sculpture. She is a moderator on Absolute Write nist, Melissa Perreira-Andrews hails from Long Island, NY. Dr. Prego is a recipient of the and an alumna & former staff member of the the North Shore where is she a cog in the corpo- NYANP’s Physician of the Year award. He is an Viable Paradise writer’s workshop. rate machine. She is a member of the Teseracte adjunct professor of Biology at Molly College Jim Paradis is a Certified Picture Framer and Players of Boston (her found family), playing and Touro College School of Health Sciences. owner of Baldwin Hill Art & Framing in Natick, multiple roles in a variety of productions. In Dr. Prego is a longtime fan of science fiction and MA. His wife, Tamu, is an artist who has exhib- addition to shadow casting, Melissa volunteers enjoys discussing xenobiology, health in space, ited at many conventions including Arisia and for a leadership conference for high school girls life extension, fusions of biology and technology, Boskone; Jim did most of the framing for those where she teaches a week long course on fem- how natural ways of healing fit in a sci-fi/high- shows. After working the art show for Noreas- inism and the portrayal of women in various tech world, and many other topics both science con 4, he decided that he would like to make forms of media. related and non-science related. He is the New picture framing a career. He has since framed a Israel Peskowitz (Izzy) is a professional pho- York Delegate to the American Association of wide variety of art and objects including sports tographer, proficient plumber, and amateur fan. Naturopathic Physicians, and spent 6 years as jerseys, archaelogical artifacts, surgical instru- a board member of the New York Association ments, and Vise-Grips just to name a few. His Joey Peters is a writer, cartoonist and beauty of Naturopathic Physicians. Dr. Prego has given gallery is also the current representative of the contest champion from Boston. His work has talks, written articles, and been a guest on radio fine art works of Richard M. Powers. appeared in “In a Single Bound”, the Boston and television shows, discussing naturopathic Phoenix, Leftovers of the Living Dead, Inbound: Jennifer Pelland is a Boston-area science fic- medicine, children’s health, detoxification, and Comics from Boston and all across the internet. other health-related topics. He also has interests tion writer, bellydancer, and occasional radio Visit his website at tacolicious.net theater performer. She’s a two-time Nebula in acting/shadowcasting, EMT volunteering, finalist for her short fiction, and her collection Jessa Phillips is Editor-in-Chief of Goodtobe- gaming, and more. Unwelcome Bodies and novel Machine are avail- ageek.com, a website which indulges in all man- Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New En- able from Apex Publications. To learn more ner of geek. Articles penned by Ms. Phillips have glander who lives in a sprawling colonial along about her writing: www.jenniferpelland.com, been featured on Rocket Llama, Game Tyrant, with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog Geek Girls Network, Action Flick Chick, Hour that thinks she’s a kangaroo, a parrot, a junk-

July 9-12, 2015 Burlington, MA www.readercon.org

Guest of Honor Guest of Honor Memorial Guest of Honor Nicola Griffith Gary K. Wolfe Joanna Russ Plus over 150 writers, editors, critics, and other professionals in the field of imaginative literature.

We support the subversiive notion that thinking can be fun.

43 yard cat, and a wonderful husband who never mersion, and Teaching Students with Moderate the equally awesome Forest Handford, winner of forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read Learning Disabilities. Nalin writes fiction as the Mr. BeardFly contest and in the running for anything and everything she could get her hands N.A. Ratnayake. His speculative fiction has ap- the Best Dad Ever award. on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy peared in Crossed Genres Magazine as well Margaret Ronald is the author of Spiral Hunt, was always her favorite. She spends her days as the post-colonial SF anthology We See A Wild Hunt, and Soul Hunt, as well as a number drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with Different Frontier. His current project is a novel of short stories. Originally from rural Indiana, her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic exploring the effects of corporate control on the she now lives outside Boston. behavior. Follower her on Twitter @parthalan or future of space colonization. Ian Cooper Rose is the Chairperson of the 2012 visit her home on the web: http://jenniferallis- Victor Raymond PhD is a longtime SF&F reader provost.wordpress.com Transcending Boundaries Conference. He is a and fan, and currently serves as a board member bi, poly, kinky activist focusing on the education Psyche Corporation is a fairytale cyber/ste- of the Carl Brandon Society and the Tekumel within these communities and the public. Ian ampunk band fronted by a former Ladies of Ste- Foundation. In the past, he has served as Pres- currently lives as part of a kinky, poly quad in ampunk model and programmer who combines ident of the Interstitial Arts Foundation, Chair Springfield, MA where they are discovering on dance with a powerhouse vocal range, while clad of WisCon 28, Co-Chair of WisCon 33, and Ex- how to run a complex household in the process. in an improbably wasp-waisted Victorian corset. ecutive Committee member of Minicon 28 and The band is named after a dream manufacture 33. A professional sociologist, he is a member of A Joseph Ross has been in fandom since the group from a future where neural implants allow the Arts & Sciences faculty of Madison College 1960’s. In 1964, he founded the University of people to download dreams from the Internet. in Madison, Wisconsin. Massachusetts (Amherst) Science Fiction So- ciety, then later became a member of MITSFS Songs deal in dystopian themes as well as more Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert writes speculative lighthearted filk works, such as “Perl-Operated and NESFA, serving as Vice President of NESFA fiction from her little corner of Massachusetts. from 1970–72. He edited Volume I of the NESFA Boy”. The musical style spans genres of trip-hop, Her poetry has been published in The Way- electro-rock, and world music; a recent song has Hymnal in the late 1970’s. He was Clerk of Ari- farer: A Journal of Contemplative Literature, sia, Incorporated from 1990–92 and President mixed tribal singing with classical piano while Tales of the Zombie War, Strong Verse, Eternal embedding poliovirus DNA into its percussion. from 1992–94. He is a practicing attorney and Haunted Summer and Pagan Edge. Her first figures that if he practices long enough, he may Antonia Pugliese is a girl of many talents. She published short story “Essie” appeared in Luna get good at it. once went for 125 days of school wearing a dif- Station Quarterly, and her first book of poetry ferent costume each day and never repeating. was published November 2013. Her current Lauren M. Roy started out as an independent She has costumed several productions for the WIP is a contemporary fantasy novel. She’s bookseller, moved on to work for a publisher Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert & Sullivan Players the Program Coordinator for Open Spirit, a (where she sells books to independent book- and other theater groups, demonstrates 18th multi-faith wellness center. Suzanne is blessed stores), and is completing her bookselling hat smallsword with the Higgins Museum Sword with a tolerant husband, two mischievous black trick as an author. She is also a freelance writer Guild, and teaches vintage dance and performs cats, and two amazing kids. She has degrees in for tabletop role-playing games. Lauren lives with the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers. Communication and Sociology, and is a lifelong in southeastern Massachusetts with her hus- band, their cats, and the ghosts of houseplants Barbara M Pugliese is a historian of both scifi fan and science geek. Find her online: http:// suzannereynoldsalpert.blogspot.com/ she forgets to water. She is a graduate of Viable clothing and dance. She is Artistic Director Paradise, the science fiction and fantasy writers’ of the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers.She A triple threat (at least to himself), as a fan, some- workshop. Her first novel, Night Owls, was pub- has taught in the US, England, Denmark and time smof, and kinkster, Mark W. Richards lished by Ace in February 2014. Austria. got started early, reading SF and fantasy as soon Rubi—Film student at Bard College, currently Julia Pugliese is a college student with a love for as he could reach the bookshelf (which admit- tedly wasn’t very high). He started going to cons working on mockumentary about the cursed costuming, superheroes, and alternative street production of a superhero-themed musical. fashions. as soon as he was able (1978), after hearing of them, and way too soon found himself work- Writes film and culture articles for the-lfb.com/ Most commonly known in fandom and elsewhere ing on them as well. Some years later (early authors/rbaron. Previously ran anime program- as Dr. Karen, Karen Purcell DVM has been 90s), he discovered kinkdom, both by itself and ming at Boskone and regularly runs panels at active in veterinary medicine since her early where it crossed over with fandom. He’s been Anime Boston. teens. Sometime during her unending college on the committees for both conventions and Don Sakers was launched the same month as years, she went to her first convention and her kink events, as well as served on the boards of Sputnik One, so it was perhaps inevitable that he spare time became non-existent. Busy in past organizations in both milieus. He’s equally com- should become a science fiction writer. A Navy years with Masquerade, Costuming, and the Art fortable discussing literary science fiction and brat by birth, he spent his childhood in such Show. Despite only a few months in Raleigh, NC, fantasy, the classics of the field, fanzines, kink far-off lands as Japan, Scotland, Hawaii, and she has already met the local Honor Harrington activism, and sexual politics... preferably over a California. In California, rather like a latter-day fan club and attended their convention, as well couple of pints or some good single malt. Doing Mowgli, he was raised by dogs. As a writer and as helping out with Balticon. This year she is it in front of an audience, starting at Arisia 2014, editor, he has explored the thoughts of sapient helping out in programming. has been an interesting experience which he’s trees, brought ghosts to life, and beaten the Tori Queeno is the founder and President of the looking forward to repeating. “Cold Equations” scenario. In 2009, Don took up Boston Whovians, a Boston-based Doctor Who Clarence “Sparr” Risher is at Arisia in order the position of book reviewer for Analog Science fangroup boasting over 1,600 members that to feed his girlfriends’ mad scientist fetish. Fiction & Fact, where he writes the “Reference hosts meetups and photoshoots around the New Library” column in every issue. England area. Tori is a recently-college-gradu- Santiago Rivas is currently celebrating 30 years as a sci-fi enthusiast, ever since his exposure to Kiini Ibura Salaam is an award-winning writ- ated “real adult” aspiring to write and costume er, painter, and traveler from New Orleans, for a living. In the meantime, Tori sells books works like Tron, Empire Strikes Back, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. However, it was his Louisiana. Kiini’s work is rooted in eroticism, and works frantically to make the Boston Who- speculative events, and women’s perspectives. vians an entity of somewhat-organized chaos time at MIT that he became an avid film, the- atre, and gamer geek. He has been involved with Co-winner of the 2012 James Tiptree Jr. Award, with love and support from a Tenth Doctor/ her book Ancient, Ancient collects sensual tales Boyfriend and cats. the Theatre@First acting troupe for over seven years and the Heinlein Society Naughty Nurses of the fantastic, the dark, and the magical. Her Richard Ralston has been a fan of science for five years. In his copious spare time, when short fiction has been anthologized in such col- fiction and anime since the late 60’s. Rick has he’s not blogging, acting, writing short stories, lections as Dark Matter, Mojo: Conjure Stories, been staffing conventions the past 10 years on writing one-act plays involving lightsabers, and Dark Eros. Her nonfiction has been pub- the local and regional level. Rick is also the spending time with his Fabulous Redheaded lished in Ms. Magazine, Essence magazine, and organizer of the local anime group in Albany, wife, raising their advanced male prototype, Utne Reader. She’s the author of two ebooks NY. Rick brings a unique point of view to the and going out with hot Goths, he takes every (“On the Psychology of Writing” and “On the fandom community. opportunity to indulge in RPGs, Steve Jackson/ Struggle to Self-Promote”) that chronicle the Nalin A. Ratnayake is a former NASA propul- Rio Grande games, and anything related to Star ups and downs of the writing life. You can learn sion engineer turned science teacher and fiction Wars, Star Trek or Final Fantasy. more about her at www.kiiniibura.com. writer. He holds a B.S.E. and M.S. in Aerospace Nicole Robinson has been awarded the title of The Salem Light Infantry, an elite militia Engineering and has published 11 peer-reviewed Mega Awesome Super Mom by a group of local company from Salem, Massachusetts, adopted papers on supersonic airbreathing propulsion, burners. While mothering three fabulous young Zouave dress and drill, following the example of environmentally responsible aviation technol- people, she provides incredible massage therapy Elmer Ellsworth’s U.S. Zouave Cadets, in April, ogies, and advanced access-to-space systems. services, bakes and cooks divinely, preserves the 1861. Like the original unit, the reconstructed Nalin also holds an M.Ed. and currently teaches local harvest, dances, hula hoops, sings like an Salem Zouaves specialize in historically accu- Physics and Special Education Biology at an angel, sews, reads an abundant amount of sci-fi, rate Civil War-era precision manual-of-arms urban public high school in Boston. He is tri- fantasy, and cooking books, and has even won a drill and the use of the bayonet, and add military ple-licensed as an educator: in Physics, English fake beard contest. Nicole is happily married to swordplay to their repertoire. They wear histor- as a Second Language / Sheltered English Im- ically accurate reproduction uniforms, made 44 mostly by the individual unit members. Their to college students, and has published articles views for The Cascadia Subduction Zone. Her other incarnation is as the Salem Trayned Band. on the constitutive rhetoric of legal texts. You own reviews appear there and in the Seattle The Salem Trayned Band reconstructs the could describe him as an actor, lawyer, teacher, Times. She is the coauthor of Writing the Other, a militia of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in its archer, cyclist, amateur astronomer, project guide to developing characters of varying racial, earliest years, from its description in Massa- manager, Humanistic Jew, feminist, Democrat, religious, and sexual backgrounds. A founding chusetts Bay Company documents of 1629 to and Pawsox fan. Born in Detroit, he now lives member of the Carl Brandon Society and an its appearance at the first regimental-strength in Rhode Island with one spouse, two children, officer of its Steering Committee, Shawl also muster in North America, on what is now Salem and something with fangs. You can find him on serves on the Clarion West Writers Workshop Common, in 1637. The Trayned Band special- Twitter, on Facebook, and at http://ken-schney- Board of Directors. ize in English pike-and-shot tactics of the first er.livejournal.com. Nicholas “phi” Shectman has twice each half of the seventeenth century, using full-size, Meredith Schwartz’s short fiction appeared in chaired Arisia and Somerville Open Studios, sixteen-and-a-half-foot long reproduction Strange Horizons, Reflection’s Edge, and Sleeping whose 400 participating artists make it one of pikes, and in early seventeenth-century English Beauty, Indeed. She edited Alleys & Doorways, the largest single weekend Open Studios events swordplay. They wear period clothing. Their an anthology of homoerotic urban fantasy, avail- in the country. other incarnation is as the Salem Light Infantry able from Lethe Press. She has committed both Hildy Silverman is the publisher of Space and (Salem Zouaves). screen writing and conrunning, but she is much Time, a four-decade-old magazine featuring Carol Salemi costumes at the Master level and better now. fantasy, horror, and science fiction. She is also has been involved in all aspects of costuming The Science Babe can be found at scibabe.com the author of several works of short fiction, in- for over 30 years, trying her hand at everything delivering a bitch slap to all the bad science on cluding “The Vampire Escalator of the Passaic from teaching, creating, and competing to judg- the internet. Armed with a B.A. in theater, a Promenade” (2010, New Blood, Thomas, ed.), ing and masquerade directing. Each competi- B.S. in chemistry, an M.S. in forensic science, “The Darren” (2009, Witch Way to the Mall?, tion costume usually involves some new, fun, or and a Marilyn Monroe dress, Science Babe takes Friesner, ed), “Sappy Meals” (2010, Fangs for challenging technique that keeps it fresh. While no prisoners and holds nothing back in ripping the Mammaries, Friesner, ed), “Black Market best known for Media recreations and Native through bullshit on health, nutrition, alternative Magic” (2012, Apocalypse 13, Raetz, ed.), and American clothing, her most recent work can be medicine, and general “it’s on the internet so it “The Bionic Mermaid Returns (2014, With Great seen on “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding”. must be true” bad science. She’s been seen on Power, French, ed.). In 2013, she was a finalist for Carol has enjoyed working as a medical massage The Doctors and featured on several skeptic and the WSFA Small Press Award for her story, “The therapist for 24 years, works part time for Regal science podcasts. After moving from Boston to Six Million Dollar Mermaid” (Mermaids 13, Cinemas, Disney/Mosaic and Sondra Celli De- LA last year and missing the convention in 2013, French, ed). In the “real” world, she is a Digital signs with seasonal jobs in the Haunt Industry. she’s glad to be back at Arisia. Marketing Communications Specialist at Sie- She now has a growing interest in Steampunk Kristin Seibert is from North Carolina but has mens Hearing Instruments. accessories and fashion...so check out her jewel- called contradances all over the country. Hannah Elyse Simpson—Sci-fi nerd, Red Sox ry in the art show! Jude Shabry (aka peacefrog) found Arisia in 1994 fan, engineering grad, swing dancer, osteopath- Caelyn Sandel is an author and narrative and hasn’t been able to stay away since. She has ic medical student, marathoner, involved Jew designer born and raised in the DC area who attended as an artist, vendor, party host, techie, who writes sermons, and generally vibrant soul now lives in Malden in spite of the weather and panelist, yoga teacher, climbing guide, bride, who is also an openly bisexual and transgender drivers. She has been writing interactive liter- mama, and more. young woman. She lived here in Boston for eight ature for almost two decades, but only joined years attending BU and working for Brandeis, the industry professionally four and a half years David G. Shaw was a World Fantasy Award final- before starting her doctorate in NYC. ago. She is a strident intersectional feminist and ist (Special Award—Non-Professional) for 2009, for his two decades of work with Readercon. Jill R. Singer’s earliest memories are of draw- social justice warrior, and strongly advocates ing and coloring, and has not stopped making using video games to raise awareness of societal In his non-Readercon life he has managed to change careers from research biochemist, to things since. I sew clothes, bags, and quilts; and issues. She recently ran the Ruin Jam game jam crochet little animals and hats. I am always do- to celebrate the destruction of all good video founder of Belm Design (a graphic and web design company), to COO of Blopboard, a social ing something, whether it be dan zan ryu ju jitsu, games forever, and launched her video game israeli folkdancing, or music. I play flute, guitar, website, inurashii.xyz. media startup. Somehow he found the time to marry She Who Must Be Writer and screenwriter, Steve Sawicki’s short Obeyed (B. Diane Martin) fiction has been featured in Future Washington, and have a son, He Who Transversions, and Electric Velocipide, and a Will Not Be Ignored (Miles). novella in Absolute Magnitude. Reviewer of His scientific research has books, movies, and small press, and the Creator been published in various of the Damn Aliens, Steve currently has two academic journals, while screenplays under option and negotiating a real- his articles about interac- ity television series with production companies. tive gaming have appeared His reviews appear in SFRevu and Gumshoe and in The Whole Earth Review in the new Fantastic Stories of the Imagination. and the proceedings of the Micah Schneider joined the Programming Staff Computer Game Devel- for Arisia six years ago. This is his first year as the oper’s Conference. In his Programming Division Head. He was previously spare time he cooks and a co-chair for Transcending Boundaries 2014, a blogs (blog.belm.com) about regional GLBTQ conference. Micah completed cooking. He lives and works his Masters degree in history and public history in Somerville, MA. from UMass Amherst in 2011, and works as Nisi Shawl’s story collection a middle school math tutor. In his free time, Filter House won the 2009 Micah enjoys running, highpointing, all kinds James Tiptree, Jr. Award. of gaming, and being polyamorous as often as She co-edited Strange possible. He lives in Western Massachusetts Matings: Science Fiction, with his family of choice and a small coterie of Feminism, African Ameri- animal companions. If you enjoyed the panel can Voices, and Octavia E. programming this weekend, Micah thanks you Butler. Two more antholo- on behalf of the entire staff. If you didn’t, it was gies from her, “Stories for probably someone else’s fault. Chip: A Tribute to Samuel Ken Schneyer received a Nebula nomination for R. Delany” and “The Year’s his 2013 story, “Selected Program Notes from Illustrious Feminist SFF,” the Retrospective Exhibition of Theresa Rosen- are due in 2015. Her stories berg Latimer.” In 2014, Stillpoint Digital Press have appeared in The Year’s released his first collection, The Law & the Heart. Best Fantasy and Horror, His stories, which often employ weird narrative Asimov’s SF Magazine, and devices, appear in Analog, Strange Horizons, the groundbreaking Dark Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Clockwork Phoenix 3 Matter anthologies, among & 4, Daily Science Fiction, Ideomancer, Escape many other publications. Pod, Podcastle, and elsewhere. By day, he teach- She was WisCon 35’s Guest es legal studies and science fiction literature of Honor. Shawl edits re-

45 sing, and a little piano. In terms of science fic- Convention Chair he plans on beginning his the culture of Japan (old and new)—Japanese tion and fantasy, I love all things joss whedon training to be a ninja. Sci-fi/horror films and some anime (especially (I have seen all his series, and I have read all of Allen M. Steele was a journalist before turn- old Anime). Also, he has a keen interest in Euro- his comic books), and am a voracious reader. Re- ing to his first love, science fiction. Since then pean Sci-fi films. cent favorites include Mcmaster Bujold’s Miles he has published nineteen novels and nearly a W. A. (Bill) Thomasson is 77 years old and Vorkosigan series and Scott Westerfelds’s Ug- hundred short stories. His work has received a biochemist by training. After a fairly var- lies/Pretties/Specials series. When I’m not doing numerous awards, including three Hugos, and ied earlier career, including a stint in science/ all that stuff, I’m a software engineer; designing has been translated worldwide. A lifelong space medical PR, he is currently helping biomedical and implementing user interfaces at AG Mednet enthusiast, he has testified before Congress in researchers write their journal articles and grant in Boston. Lastly, I am a graduate of MIT; and hearings regarding space exploration and flown applications. He’s been legally blind – meaning tried to leave Boston but was drawn back and the NASA space shuttle simulator. He lives in with glasses he can just make out the second line then promptly met my wonderful husband; I Massachusetts with his wife Linda and their on the eye chart—since 2000. Self-identifying have been living here for the past 7 years. dogs, and is former Arisia Guest of Honor. as disabled (an inconvenience, not a handicap) Jamila Sisco is an award-winning costumer with Ian Randal Strock is the publisher and owner he has become treasurer of Chicago’s annual a specialization in Anime costumes. She has of Fantastic Books (www.FantasticBooks.biz), Disability Pride Parade. He’s also been part of worked on costumes for over 7 years, usually which publishes new and reprint SF in both Accessibility Services at the past 3 Worldcons working on making the big and elaborate come print and electronic editions. Random House and is now starting his tenure as Accessibility to life. Currently, she is the President of the published his first book, The Presidential Book of Services manager for Sasquan, the 2015 World- Northern Lights chapter of the International Lists, in 2008, and his short fiction has appeared con. He especially loves being on panels that Costumers’ Guild. in Nature and Analog (from which he won two give him a chance to speculate about the future. Rebecca Slitt is a writer and editor for Choice AnLabs). Previous publishing positions have in- Tikva is attending her bazillionth Arisia, but only of Games, LLC, a company that produces text- cluded stints at Analog, Asimov’s, Science Fiction her second as a panelist. She’s a public health based interactive fiction. Before that, she was a Chronicle, Baen Books, The Daily Free Press, and professional, disability activist, baseball addict, professor of medieval history. She’s played D&D more. Outside of SF, he’s been a tour guide at Ni- and member of a poly family/household. She for more than 20 years, LARPed for more than agara Falls, worked on Wall Street and at several hosts Geek Love, a weekly radio show on Boston 15, read mountains of SF and fantasy books, and start-up companies, and started four businesses Free Radio, which is kind of like Arisia except written Call of Cthulhu games that may or may himself. His name is unique on the internet. all year ‘round. Her latest project is Ramp It not suggest that there’s a Deep One living near Dr. Kristen Stubbs is a queer/pansexual ro- Up!, a site and movement dedicated to fighting her college dorm. boticist, maker, and entrepreneur who’s more street harassment of people with disabilities. Sarah Smith’s first YA, The Other Side of Dark interested in people than in technology. Kristen You may recognize her via her trusty guide dog, (ghosts, interracial romance, and a secret from earned her Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie the Poodle of Destiny, who is kind of large print. slavery times) won the Agatha (for best mystery) Mellon University in 2008. She blogs about Please do not pet either her or the dog without a and the Massachusetts Book Award. She has technological empowerment for sexuality and whole lot of permission. also written Chasing Shakespeares, The Van- pleasure, including her own experiences and Dan Toland is a writer and podcaster with ished Child and The Knowledge of Water (both creations, at toymakerproject.com. Kristen also Earth-2.net, specializing in comics (Grumpy New York Times Notable Books), A Citizen of organizes teasecraft-boston, a local meetup Old Fans, Earth-2-In-One), genre television the Country, and horror, SF, and hypertext short group for sex/kink-positive makers (teasecraft. (Bigger on the Inside, The Edge of Forever), and stories. “The Boys Go Fishing” appears in NY com). classic SF literature (Books Without Pictures). Times best-selling Death’s Excellent Vacation Sonya Taaffe’s short fiction and poetry can be His strength is as the strength of ten, because his (ed. Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner). Two of found in the collections Ghost Signs (Aqueduct heart is pure; knows he is the World’s Greatest her books are being made into plays. She Finally Press), A Mayse-Bikhl (Papaveria Press), Post- Whovian because he has a mug that says so; and Finished the Titanic book, and all the Reisden/ cards from the Province of Hyphens and Singing understands that mid-1960s Tales of Suspense Perdita books are now going to be published as Innocence and Experience (Prime Books), and in was the pinnacle of Western civilization, and ebooks as well (about time). anthologies including Aliens: Recent Encounters, will fight any man who disagrees. He has had Kris “Nchanter” Snyder stumbled sideways Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid his previously unshakable Tom Bakerism tested into fandom in her early 20’s for lack of any- Speculative Fiction, The Moment of Change: An by Matt Smith, once watched the first season thing else to keep her out of trouble. With a Anthology of Feminist Speculative Poetry, People of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. without bursting into background in theater, the visual arts, and a of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction flame, and probably owns more comics than you love for SF/F books and media fostered by her & Fantasy, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, do. (He’s not bragging; his family would really father from a young age, it soon became obvious The Alchemy of Stars: Rhysling Award Winners like the living room back.) He lives in Boston that this was where she, and her colorful curls, Showcase, and The Best of Not One of Us. She is with a woman of limitless patience, a dog of belonged. Nchanter now helps make fandom currently senior poetry editor at Strange Hori- nigh-infinite derpitude, and also there is a cat. go by working on convention-related activities zons; she holds master’s degrees in Classics from Michael Toole caught an episode of Battle of (including the DC in 2017 Worldcon Bid) and is Brandeis and Yale and once named a Kuiper belt the Planets at the age of four, and has spent an looking forward to being the Convention Chair object. She lives in Somerville with her husband altogether unreasonable amount of time since for Arisia 2016! and their two cats. then in pursuit of Japanese animation. He’s been Everett Soares is the creator and writer of the Cecilia Tan is “science fiction’s premiere pornog- an entertainment critic since 1994 and has writ- steampunk comic book series, Sky Pirates of rapher,” according to Walter Jon Williams, and ten for over a dozen publications. Currently, he’s Valendor. Publishing his first mini-series within “one of the most important writers, editors, and a columnist and occasional onscreen personali- the world of Valendor through Free Lunch Com- innovators in contemporary American erotic ty for Anime News Network, and a regular con- ics, Everett has traveled the country promoting literature” according to Susie Bright. Her novel tributor to the geek humor blog Toplessrobot. his series for the last four years. Beginning in Slow Surrender won several major awards in com. You can hear his commentary on the brand 2011, Everett has taken on publishing duties of romance in 2014. She is the author of many new DVD release of Horus: Prince Of The Sun, Sky Pirates of Valendor under the Jolly Rogue books that combine the erotic with the fantastic, as well as the Lupin the 3rd films Napoleon’s Studios label. Everett is also a staff writer for including the novels of the Magic Universi- Dictionary (forthcoming), Bye Bye, Lady Liberty, DarkBrain.com. ty series, Mind Games, and The Velderet, the and The Hemingway Papers, and the Sanrio Films production of Ringing Bell. Danielle Souza is a Boston native who started collections of short stories Edge Plays, White her costuming education at Fisher College and Flames, Black Feathers, and Telepaths Don’t Thomas Traina is an attorney who specializes continued on to Academy of Art University in Need Safewords, and the web serial The Prince’s in consulting with law firms on issues of elec- San Francisco, CA. Danielle currently works as Boy. She is the founder and editor of Circlet tronic data and evidence, computer forensics, a costumer in the film industry and has worked Press, erotic science fiction and fantasy, and has and related technological issues in litigation. on films such as The Devils Carnival, Harbinger edited anthologies for numerous publishers. Her Academically, he also focuses on civil liberties, Down, and The Devils Carnival: Alleluia! short stories have appeared everywhere from constitutional law, speculative bioethics, and Asimov’s and Strange Horizons to Ms. Magazine. comparative law and government in science Michael Sprague is the Convention Chair for Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or http://blog. fiction. Tom got into science fiction through Arisia 2015. He’s been reading SF/F since he was ceciliatan.com. Star Wars, then Star Trek TNG, and snowballed the size of a Jawa and has been involved with from there. He is also an avid roleplayer and Arisia since before he could purchase alcohol Timothy J Tero has been attending Arisia cons for about 11 years now. He’s a painter and pho- theatre-style LARP writer. When he can afford legally. In addition to running conventions you it, he also enjoys wargames. can frequently find him performing in produc- tographer, and has traveled extensively; he have tions for the Post-Meridian Radio Players. He been to Europe about a dozen times and Japan 3 Born in a log cabin he built with his own hands, likes long walks on the beach, Norse mythology, times. He’s an assistant organizer for an interna- Carsten Turner expects to have it finished and gaming. Though he drinks white Russians tional arthouse film meetup group in the Boston any day now; certainly by the time he’s finished he is not, in fact, The Dude. After his term as area. He would say his special interest would be reinventing himself (again). In 2004, he chaired

46 Arisia, and then went on to serve as president. JoSelle Vanderhooft is a poet, author, and running at least one game, and as many as three He has been, and remains, an EMT, teacher, editor of several anthologies of fantasy sto- concurrently. He is a PhD candidate in Law and artist, hacker, and student. ries—most of them having to do with lesbians. Public Policy at Northeastern University, with James “Coder Brony” Turner, contributing These include the well-received Steam-Powered a focus in renewable energy policy. He works editor for oreilly.com, is a freelance journalist series (lesbian steampunk) as well as Bitten as a policy research assistant for the Center for who has written for publications as diverse as by Moonlight, Sleeping Beauty, Indeed, (with High-rate Nanomanufacturing. the Christian Science Monitor, IEEE Spectrum Catherine Lundoff) Hellebore & Rue, and (with A native of MA, Cheryl Wallace has been at- and WIRED Magazine. In addition to his shorter Steve Berman) Heiresses of Russ I, a collection of tending cons for 30+ years in multiple states writing, he has also written three books on Soft- the best lesbian spec fic published in 2010. Her and countries. She’s also been involved with The ware Development Developing Enterprise iOS second novel, Ebenezer, a lesbian re-telling of Rocky Horror Picture Show for as many years, Applications, (MySQL & JSP Web Applications A Christmas Carol, was released from Zumaya experiencing it not only from an audience mem- and Struts: Kick Start). In addition, he has spent Publications in 2013. She lives in South Florida ber’s perspective, but also as a participant; most more than 30 years as a software engineer, and with her partner and a lovely orange tabby. She recently as a member of the RHIS (Rocky Horror currently works as the Mobile Architect for is a full-time freelance editor. Internet Show). She has interests in cult movies, a company in the Boston area. He lives in a Carolyn VanEseltine has been fascinated by trivia, gaming, crafts and improv comedy. She 200-year-old Colonial farmhouse in Derry, NH interactive narrative since playing Colossal Cave can be seen around Arisia volunteering as a along with his wife and son. As Coder Brony, Adventure at age six, which explains why she’s Heinlein Society “Naughty Nurse.” he is the President and Chairman of the Board now a professional game developer who writes Jeff Warner is: a professor of autodidactism, of the Brony Thank You Fund, the only 501(c) text adventures on the side. In her spare time, a not-recently-published writer, an associate (3) public Brony charity. He also organizes and she reads voraciously and pursues a long list of of first fandom, a 7th level ninja-smof with a published the annual Brony Herd Census. He kaleidoscopically changing hobbies. Her games lawful/good alignment, available for cheap is an open water diver and instrument-rated and blog are at www.sibylmoon.com, and you dates, a co-founder of 3 SF conventions and a private pilot. can follow her on Twitter @mossdogmusic. utility infielder for many others, a freelance Heather Urbanski holds a Master of Arts in Pablo M.A Vazquez III considers himself many blurb-meister, and a philosophical entertainer. Writing and a Ph.D. in English, specializing things, including performer, poet, wild fanboy, “Geek, Nerd, and Dork? I’m a Triple Threat!” in Composition and Rhetoric. Her first book, sometimes scholar/always student, agitator, Peggi Warner-Lalonde has been involved in Plagues, Apocalypses, and Bug-Eyed Monsters: bard-magus, and whatever else he comes up the fan music community for almost 20 years. How Speculative Fiction Shows Us Our Night- with. A true lover of Freedom and Passion, he She helps to run the music track at several con- mares (McFarland 2007), a bibliographic survey champions love and unity, liberty and danger, ventions, and is on the convention committee of of the genre, combines her passion for SF as a creativity and aesthetics. He’s a cinephile, DC FilKONtario. She’s also been known to sing a bit, fan with her academic career. Her second book, Comics enthusiast, voracious reader, and avid and has provided backup harmonies on several the edited collection Writing and the Digital gamer (tabletop/video). Born alongside the Pan- Filk CDs. Generation: Essays on New Media Rhetoric (Mc- ama Canal, he strangely does not like extreme Farland 2010), focuses on the intersections of heat and views his perfect weather to be some- Tanya Washburn (Selkiechick) has been lurking rhetoric, popular culture, fandom, and digital thing akin to Fimbulwinter, but he definitely is around the edges of fandom and the SCA for just media. Her third book, The Science Fiction Re- a child of the Caribbean, with all of its mystic over 20 years, dabbling in costuming and cook- boot, a narrative analysis of reimagined works glory, tropical paradises and delicious culinary ing and fanfiction, among many other things. such as Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica, was trappings. Pablo spends his time traversing vari- Her day job is create accessible electronic texts released in early 2013. She is currently an Assis- ous underground and subcultural communities, for college students with disabilities. She is also tant Professor of English Studies at Fitchburg ranging from magical lodges and mystic circles, currently an active advocate for better access State University. Her next projects are two edit- unsanctioned parties and kink events to Under- services at conventions. ed collections, this time on social memory and ground Rap and radical bookstores to, of course, Ket Waters is a violinist with a taste for Celtic popular culture. Science-Fiction and Fantasy fandom. and electronic music, but you may know her as Eric M Van was a 2010 nominee for the World Thomas P. Vitale is currently EVP Chiller Stra- a costumer, jeweller, or simply “that blue-haired Fantasy Award for his work as Program Chair or tegic Operations and EVP Syfy Original Movies girl”. She also has a talent for drawing on people’s Chair Emeritus for the first 21 Readercons—the and Co-Productions. Prior to his current role, he faces. In the past she has been a dealer of shiny only convention ever so honored. The outline was EVP of Programming and Original Movies things, volunteer, truck-unloader, writer, art- for his novel Imaginary has passed the 75,000 for Syfy. Vitale has been with Syfy word mark, and a handful of critical pieces for since its first year. A fan of science New York Review of Science Fiction (where his fiction, fantasy and horror, Vitale observations on Philip K. Dick appeared back in has developed and commissioned the 90’s) are just as unfinished. At the turn of the over 350 original genre movies, millennium, he spent four years back at Harvard and has been involved in original studying psychology; he’s now writing Mind as scripted series from Farscape to Matter: a Testable Theory of Phenomenal Con- Stargate to Sanctuary to the cur- sciousness and Actual Free Will and planning rent Z Nation. He has reached out its popularization, The Divine Universe. He’s to fans through online chats on also a popularizer of theoretical physics (his syfy.com, has spoken at numerous original Harvard major), and writes about film science fiction conventions and online. He is the chair of the Society of Baseball for ten years wrote a monthly “TV Research’s Science and Baseball Committee and on TV” column aimed specifically a former statistical consultant for the Boston at the fan base in the Syfy Mag- Red Sox. He lives in Watertown, Mass, and has a azine. Vitale loves television so website at ericmvan.com. much that rather than lullabies, he Mercy E Van Vlack has been a comics pro since used to rock his children to sleep 1980, including working as a writer for Richie by singing television theme songs. Rich; an artist on Green Ghost & Lotus (set in Mark “Justin du Coeur” Waks Boston), creator of Miranda for Leg Show and is a rapidly moving particle. If one Puritan magazines; inker for DC, Malibu, and pins down his position enough others; illustrator for numerous fanzines, APAs, (and doesn’t worry about his ve- anthropomorphics, and SF cons; and artist of locity), one finds him focusing many Celtic Calendars and the Celtic Coloring on programming, SCA, fandom, Book. She also draws for private collections, LARP, and Freemasonry. He is bakes Gluten-Free cookies and cakes that taste currently working on building good, and makes Celtic jewelry. Birdwatcher, Querki, a new system for Keeping beekeeper and singer of bawdy songs. Track of Your Stuff, and is likely to Andrew Van Zandt is an engineer, roboticist, burble at you about it if you give and general geek. He’s also on the Board of Di- him even the slightest opening— rectors at the Artisan’s Asylum, a hacker/maker- be warned. space in Somerville, MA. Drew is happiest when William C. Walker III is an in- he’s teaching you to make something or making veterate gamer in multiple media, things himself. lover of sci-fi and fantasy, and veteran gm/dm/storyteller with over twenty years of experience 47

ist, and maker-of-another-convention’s-badges “The Changing Face of Anime Conventions”, as when there was a WBCN. He is presently shop- (though she did not add a scratch and sniff). Ask well a variety of other geeky topics. ping novels and plotting trouble. her about her recordings, about makeup artistry, Penelope Wilhelm is a professional musician Jonathan Woodward is the author or co-au- or about playing fiddle for your event. At Arisia, and music teacher, a lay Emergent Church leader thor of over a dozen role-playing game books, she teaches chainmail classes, makes costumes at The Crossing, nascent game master, cisgender including the Hellboy RPG, Trinity, and GURPS on a budget, and drinks too much coffee. transsexual, camp counselor, an accidental po- Banestorm. He has been an Arisia panelist for A longtime fan of SF/F, John C. Watson was litical activist, and an intentional life-long sci-fi over 20 years. He lives near Boston with his wife, infected with the anime and manga bug in the fan. She began drumming when she was three, daughter, girlfriend, and other family. early 1990s, and remains a virulent carrier of began teaching drums when she was sixteen, Trisha J. Wooldridge is the current presi- all three. and went on to major in composition at Berklee dent of Broad Universe and a senior editor for Michele Weinstein—I have been a convention College of Music. Penny was instrumental in Spencer Hill Press. She’s also a member of New attendee since the 1970’s. I have been quite in- organizing her church’s efforts to help pass England Horror Writers, the HWA, and SCBWI. volved with masquerades ( as a contestant, a transgender civil rights legislation in Massa- Under her full name, she writes grown-up hor- ninja and a judge-not at the same time! ). This chusetts. She has worked with transgender and ror short stories that occasionally win awards. year, I am here to help develop early morning gender variant youth as a counselor and activity She has co-produced the Spencer Hill Press activities for my fellow early risers, give some leader at Camp Aranu’tiq. She has also lead and anthologies Unconventional and Doorways to insight on how to manage a collection and help been a member of several panels speaking to Extra Time. In her child-friendly persona of T.J. teach others how to have a good panel. My geeky groups of parents, trans kids, and the public Wooldridge, she’s published three novels: The family is also here. My husband is in the tech about issues faced by trans individuals. Kelpie, The Earl’s Childe, and Silent Starsong. crew and my daughter is working on the news- Scott Wilhelm is a licensed biology, physics, As if she weren’t busy enough, Trish is also the letter. and general science teacher with more than 10 writing partner for the webcomic Aurelio at Syd Weinstein was a mentor at the American years of experience, mostly with high-school- www.thevampireaurelio.com. Find out more at Film Institute Digital Content Lab and is video aged learners with learning disabilities and se- www.anovelfriend.com. designer for Arisia and many Worldcons. He has vere behavioral problems. He combines deeply Tom Wysmuller forecasted weather at Am- more than 15 years’ experience teaching televi- analytical lessons with fun activities to meet sterdam’s Royal Dutch Weather Bureau after sion production techniques to both children and high expectations with no tears for a very wide studying meteorology at NYU and Stanford. adults. He has directed countless productions range of ages and abilities. Selected for a NASA internship, he worked and produced several documentaries. He has Having retreated to the basements of the Paris throughout NASA before, during, and after the been part of Techno-Fandom since 2001. He has Opera House wearing a demi-mask, Stephen moon landings. He worked at Pratt and Whitney been involved in Costuming since 2004 and is a R Wilk has been trying unsuccessfully to find a and held insurance industry executive positions. presentation judge and ICG member. young protégé willing to learn the rudiments of The Polynomial Regression mathematics, algo- Morven Westfield is a fiction writer, technical Optics. He did persuade Oxford University Press rithms, or code he personally produced after writer, and occasional podcaster who lives west to publish his scribbled manuscript of “How leaving NASA is used by almost every climate of Boston. She is the author of a two-book series the Ray Gun Got Its Zap!”, and has had fiction scientist on the planet for modeling and analysis. in which a coven of witches investigate super- published in Analog and Tales of the Undead, He lectures worldwide on the SCIENCE needed natural evil in the form of vampires. Morven as well as several online publications. From his to understand Global Warming, and his “Tou- also regularly contributes non-fiction articles dark and miserable lair, he continues to be a can Equations” for predicting Sea-Level rise/fall on folklore and the supernatural to The Witches Contributing Editor for the OSA. are still within range. In 2012, Tom (as a Me- Almanac. Like many writers, she keeps a messy Connie Wilkins began with Marion Zimmer teorologist, was asked to be among those who) office and drinks way too much coffee. www. Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine, several of Bruce joined the “NASA 49,” a group of Astronauts, morvenwestfield.com Coville’s anthologies for kids, Strange Horizons, Scientists, Engineers, and NASA Field Center and various similar publications. Then she was Directors publicly requesting improvement in Alan Wexelblat is a poly parent, an amateur NASA’s handling of climate pronouncements. photographer, a long-time tabletop RPG and seduced into writing and editing erotica as her alter-ego Sacchi Green. That resulted in publish- His http://www.colderside.com/Colderside/ online MMO gamer, and a writer on intellectual Temp_%26_CO2.html has gone viral. property issues. ing scores of erotic stories, some of them also crossing into science fiction and fantasy, and Aimee Yermish, PsyD (aimee@davincilearning. If Michelle Wexelblat began her life with the editing ten anthologies including teo Lambda org) is a clinical psychologist and educational date she started going to conventions, she’d be Literary Award winner.s Now she’s getting back therapist, providing assessment, consultation, old enough to vote and drink. Given that she to her roots by editing Time Well Bent: Queer therapy, coaching, remediation, enrichment, started attending them when she was old enough Alternative Histories, co-editing Heiresses of and overall strategizing for people of all ages to drive.... Besides attending cons, Michelle is a Russ 2012: the Year’s Best Lesbian Speculative who manifest giftedness and/or disabilities mother, wife, friend, extrovert, clinical social Fiction, both for Lethe Press, writing erotic sf/f (ADHD, Asperger’s, learning disabilities, psy- worker, poi spinner, and has the ability to see any for Circlet Press, and combining specific with chological disorders, etc). In her former lives, problem from all sides, all at once. Her brain is a erotica in an upcoming fairy tale anthology, The she was a molecular biologist, a schoolteacher, very busy place, and she’s happy for distractions, Princess’s Bride. a black belt, and a Master Assassin. She also so talk to her. Jennifer Williams is an author, editor, and loves to sing, read, ride her bike, run, do a great A Vermont-licensed lawyer, Valerie White is crazy cat lady. Her most recent work is the an- many crafts, and make long lists of things. She a sexual freedom activist and practicing poly- thology Like a Sacred Desire: Tales of Sex Magick is busy raising a husband, two lovely children, amorist. She’s executive director of the Sexual published by Circlet Press and featuring stories and three cats. Freedom Legal Defense and Education Fund, by Raven Kaldera, D.L. King, and David Sklar. A child of the space race, Guillermo Zeballos on the advisory council of the Woodhull Free- She has also been published in the Lambda Lit- has always been fascinated by fantastic vehicles dom Foundation, on the coordinating council erary Award nominated collection Women of the and stories of space, real and fictional. He is of Family Tree, and on the board of Unitarian Bite edited by Cecilia Tan, and Vicious Verses active in designing and building spaceships out Universalists for Polyamory Awareness. She and Reanimated Rhymes, a collection of zombie of paper and researching their designs. He is speaks nationally on sex and the law. poetry edited by A.P. Fuchs. She is an active also a great fan of spaceship and futuristic art Nightwing Whitehead was born in 1958. The member of the New England Horror Writers and illustration, as well as those of the more Barbie doll was “born” in 1959; so for a year she Association and a staff writer for Blogcritics.org. familiar hero ships of film and television. His had nothing to do. Since then, she’s been making W. B. J. Williams, author of The Garden at the professional background is in teaching, com- up for lost time by dressing anyone and anything Roof of the World, holds advanced degrees in puter-human interaction, collaborative systems, that comes within her reach. She’s worked for anthropology and archeology and is an avid and interface design. several theaters, dressed some stars, done some historian, mystic, poet, and author who manages Eric Zuckerman is not a real talk show host, teaching, and has her own business designing an information security program at a prominent but he played one on TV. His fannish semi-im- and creating costumes for life. New England start- up. He is noted for his bad prov comedy project, “Eric in the Elevator” has Doug Wilder has been attending conventions puns, and willingness to argue from any per- screened at regional West Coast conventions, for over a decade, hosting panels for nearly as spective. He is endured by his beloved wife and several WorldCons, Arisia (where he was 2008 long, and watching anime for more years than two daughters, and lives in Sharon Massachu- Fan Performer GoH), and LunaCon (where he he should probably admit openly. As the resi- setts. When he is not at home or at his computer, was 2011 Special Guest). Among his many other dent mecha fan of AnimeCons.com’s podcast, he can often be found haunting the various used nerdly pursuits, he’s a geocacher, a gamer, an AnimeCons TV, he can often be found talking bookstores of Boston. armchair “fanthropologist”, and a compulsive about giant robot shows to anyone who will Attorney, occasional writer, and all around fan, ribbon collector/trader. listen. On the rare occasions that he does shut James A. Wolf was known as Dungeon Master up about his mechanical friends, Doug has run Jim on The Toucher and Rich Show on WBCN, other panels such as “The Aging Otaku” and

49 The Arisians and How They Got That Way Date Venue Guests of Honor & Special Guests Theme/Notes Reg. Arisia ’90 Lafayette Swissôtel WGoH: Richard Bowker 842 Feb 23–25, 1990 Boston, MA AGoH: A.C. Farley FGoH: Spike McPhee Chair: Matthew Saroff Arisia ’91 Vista International WGoH: Jack L. Chalker The “Vista International” is now the “Waltham 1050 Feb 1–3, 1991 Waltham, MA AGoH: Bob Walters Westin” hotel. FGoH: Richard Hill & Laurel Cunningham Media GoH: Larry Ross Chair: Matthew Saroff Arisia ’92 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Craig Shaw Gardner Ginjer and Shoshanna were each listed as “Guest 1094 Jan 3–5, 1992 Hotel & Towers AGoH: Robin Wood Editor” in different sections of the Program Book. Boston, MA Filk Guest: T.J. Burnside Clapp No one (including the chairman) remembers what Guest Editor: Ginjer Buchanan, Shoshanna Green really happened. Media Guest: Lynne Stephens Tech GoH: Alex Latzko Chair: Kimberly S. Van Auken Arisia ’93 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Ellen Kushner 1670 Jan 15–17, 1993 AGoH: Charles Lang & Wendy Snow-Lang FGoH: Monty Wells Tech GoH: Carl Zwanzig Chair: Robert “Insanity*3” Bazemore Arisia ’94 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Spider & Jeanne Robinson The “Park Plaza Castle” (formally the armory for 1513 Jan 21–23, 1994 AGoH: Michael Whelan the First Corps of Cadets National Guard Unit) FGoH: Dave Kyle was used for the masquerade and several other Chair: James S. Belfiore, Jr. events, due to an outside wedding being scheduled in the hotel main ballroom. Arisia ’95 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: C. J. Cherryh DIVERSITY—we are not one-dimensional 1810 Jan 13–15, 1995 AGoH: Jael beings! FGoH: Walter Kahn Filk Guest: Michael Longcor Tech Guest: Deryl Burr Chair: Sheila Oranch Arisa ’96 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Emma Bull & Will Shetterly Minneapolis Music 1826 Jan 12–14, 1996 AGoH: Lissanne Lake The Fan Guest of Honor got married in the hotel FGoH: Rob Bazemore a.k.a. “Insanity*3” ballroom as his “GoH Event.” Musical Guest: Boiled In Lead Arisia ’96 was the last year under the old family- Chair: Nicholas "phi" Shectman owned Park Plaza management. The hotel sale closed the Monday after the convention. Arisia ’97 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: R. A. Salvatore Exploring Tyranny In Our Literature and 1874 Jan 10–12, 1997 AGoH: Bob Eggleton In Our Lives, a.k.a. “The Iron Boot of Tyranny” FGoH: The Gang of Five (Arisia’s Founders: Brian Cooper, Tom Fish, Mary Robison, Matthew Saroff, Cris Shuldiner) Dictator: Pat McCormack Arisia ’98 Westin Hotel WGoH: James P. Hogan Freedom: Stories of The Revolution! 1538 Jan 16–18, 1998 Waltham, MA AGoH: Cortney Skinner The “Westin Waltham” is the former “Vista FGoH: Marty Gear International”. Exec Director: Glen R. Goodwin Arisia ’98 had a strict membership cap of 1500 due to hotel function space limitations. The cap was raised to 1550 and no one was turned away. Arisia ’99 Westin Copley Place WGoH: Roger MacBride Allen The 10th Arisia/Party Like It’s 1999 1672 Jan 8–10, 1999 Boston, MA AGoH: Gary A. Lippincott FGoH: Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden Science Guest: H. Paul Shuch a.k.a. “Dr. SETI” Chair: Cris Shuldiner Arisia ’00 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Jane Yolen No official theme, but the “in joke” was that Arisia 1965 Jan 14–16, 1900 AGoH: Tom Kidd ’00 was officially “Not Y2K Compliant,” so the FGoH: Sharon Sbarsky dates were printed as 1900. Musical Guest: Echo’s Children Chair: Paul Selkirk Arisia ’01 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Lois McMaster Bujold Looking Back on the Future 2082 Jan 12–14, 2001 AGoH: Wojtek Siudmak FGoH: jan howard finder a.k.a. “Wombat” Chair: Elka Tovah Menkes Arisia ’02 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Katherine Kurtz So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: 2309 Jan 18–20, 2002 AGoH: Tristan Alexander A Tribute to the Works of Douglas Adams FGoH: Eugene Heller Chair: Noel Rosenberg

50 Date Venue Guests of Honor & Special Guests Theme/Notes Reg. Arisia ’03 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Harry Turtledove Exploring Alternate Realities Through Literature 2264 Jan 17–19, 2003 AGoH: Victoria (Poyser) Lisi & Julius Lisi FGoH: Anthony R. Lewis, FN Gaming Guests: Looney Labs (Andrew Looney, Kristin Looney, Alison Frane) Costuming Guests: Pierre & Sandy Pettinger Filk Guest: Gwen Knighton Chair: Skip Morris Arisia ’04 Boston Park Plaza Sculptor GoH: Arthur Ganson The Future of Freedom 2283 Jan 16–18, 2004 WGoH: Tim Powers Official Con Book: Powers of Two, from NESFA FGoH: Kim Van Auken Press Freedom Guests: Eric S. & Catherine Raymond Filk Guest: Tom Smith Evil Overlord: Carsten Turner Arisia ’05 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Barbara Hambly Through Alien Eyes 2086 Jan 21–23, 2005 AGoH: John Picacio FGoH: Victor J. Raymond Media Guest: Harry Knowles Fannish Movie Guests: HiddenFrontier.org Filk Guests: Mary Ellen Wessels & Ed Stauff Chair: Buzz Harris Arisia ’06 Boston Park Plaza WGoH: Allen Steele Focus 2437 Jan 13–15, 2006 AGoH: Frank Wu FGoH: Barb Schofield Musical Guest: Heather Dale Chair: Nicholas “phi” Shectman Arisia ’07 Hyatt Regency WGoH: Esther Friesner Humor in Science Fiction and Fantasy 2137 Jan 12–14, 2007 Cambridge, MA AGoH: Hilary Scott A new home for Arisia Filk GoH: Luke Ski Chair: Joel Herda Arisia ’08 Hyatt Regency WGoH: Laura Anne Gilman Pirates vs. Ninjas 2369 Jan 18–21, 2008 Cambridge AGoH: Marrus First four-day Arisia (reg'd) Fan Performer GoH: Eric “in the Elevator” Zuckerman 2280 Chair: September Isdell (attended) Arisia ’09 Hyatt Regency WGoH: Walter H. Hunt Fabric of Science Fiction 2523 Jan 16–19, 2009 Cambridge AGoH: Dave Seeley (reg'd) Fan GoH: Ricky and Karen Dick 2410 Chair: Jill Eastlake (attended) Arisia ’10 Hyatt Regency AGoH: Sarah Clemens SF—Old and New 2416 Jan 15–18, 2010 Cambridge FGoH: Kevin Roche and Andy Trembley (reg'd) Musical GoH: SJ Tucker—Skinny White Chick 2307 Writer / Editor GoH: Gardner Dozois (attended) Chair: Rick Kovalcik Arisia ’11 Westin Boston WGoH: Kelley Armstrong Mad Science 3050 Jan 14–17, 2011 Waterfront AGoH: Josh Simpson (reg'd) FGoH: René Walling 2912 Webcomic GoH: Shaenon Garrity (attended) Special Guest: Seanan McGuire Chair: Crystal Huff Arisia ’12 Westin Boston GoHs: Phil and Kaja Foglio, Gareth Hinds Where Science and Adventure Come Together! 3,442 Jan 13–16, 2012 Waterfront Chair: Cris Shuldiner (reg'd) 3,284 (attended) Arisia ’13 Westin Boston WGoH: Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes 3,869 Jan 18–21, 2013 Waterfront AGoH: Roger Dean (reg'd) Musical GoH: Emerald Rose 3,629 Chair: Rachel Silber (attended) Arisia ’14 Westin Boston WGoH: Tanya Huff Cross-culturalism 3,785 Jan 17–20, 2014 Waterfront AGoH: Lubov A’14 did not sell memberships (including day (reg'd) FGoH: James Nicoll memberships) on Saturday or Sunday, resulting in 3,560 Chair: Lisa Hertel fewer unique visitors (counted here) even though (attended) each day had more attendees. Arisia ’15 Westin Boston WGoH: N. K. Jemisin Jan 16–19, 2015 Waterfront AGoH: Lee Moyer FGoH: Colette H. Fozard Chair: Mike Sprague Arisia ’16 Westin Boston WGoH: John Scalzi Jan 15–18, 2016 Waterfront AGoH: Johnna Y. Klukas FGoH: Pablo Miguel Alberto Vazquez III Chair: Kris "Nchanter" Snyder

51 Arisia 2016 friday, jan 15 – MONDAY, jan 18 Westin boston Waterfront HoteL | Boston, MA

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