Letter from the Chair Welcome to the Life, the Universe, & Everything Sym- statement I’ve ever made, but I stand by it. Over the posium on Science Fiction and Fantasy, or as we affec- next three days I advise you to do two things: learn tionately call it, LTUE. If you’re here for the first, tenth, everything you can and have an amazing time doing it. or the thirty-fourth time (or any number of years in- I’ve frequently been told by our attendees how much between), I sincerely hope you’ll find this weekend to be LTUE means to them. Between gushing about amaz- not just enjoyable but sensational. ing experiences with our panelists, as well as with other I’d like to start out by thanking each and every one of attendees, they often reference some sort of energy that you for being here. Whether you’re here as an attendee, LTUE seems to give them. This energy inspires them to a presenter, or a volunteer, your presence is incredibly get up and create something. This year the committee important to the LTUE experience. While the sympo- has poured countless hours of energy into this year’s pro- sium as an idea will always exist, without people who gramming, and I hope you each get every ounce of energy are willing to be here LTUE would cease to exist. I out that you can. I hope that by the end of this year’s would like to particularly express my gratitude to the symposium you find yourself ready to take on anything. committee who has volunteered hundreds upon hun- Most of all, I hope that you find something that inspires dreds of hours over the last year to make this year the you to continue creating until we see you again next year. best it can be. With that I would like to thank you all again, and I’ve always said that the best thing about LTUE is welcome you once again to this year’s Symposium. being able to spend three days of each year learning how to do really cool things from the really cool people who Mandi Eatough do them really well. That may not be the most eloquent LTUE 2016 Committee Chair Symposium Committee Student Chair Mandi Eatough Art Show DawnRay Ammon Committee Chair Russ McKell A/V Coordinators Nicole Theurer, Logan Kearsley Secretary Nicole Theurer Volunteer Coordinator Diana Parkin Academics Marny K. Parkin Pitch Coordinator Robin Ambrose, DawnRay Ammon Books Amy White UVU Liaison Ethan Sproat Create Your Own World Kenni Littlefield Venue Liaison Ryan Noorda, Dave Doering Theater and Media Arts Lon Franson Vendor Liaison Sarah Andreason Gaming Alicia McIntire, Lon Franson Registration Coordinator Amy Beatty Graphic Arts Erin Kearsley Legal Counsel Steve Setzer Professional Development/After Dark Michelle Lehua SibScript Administrators Jenna Eatough, Robin Ambrose Parker SibScript Design and Marketing DawnRay Ammon Writing Nathan Hinckley Staff Vivian Cook, Brooke Eatchel, Keani Gifford, Jen Schedule Coordinator Crystalynn Meyer Greyson, Emma Gubler, Christine Haggerty, Connor Advertising Sarah Andreason Haggerty, Angela Hartley, Kiernen Hartley, Talei Webmaster Crystalynn Meyer Lawson, Alphy Madsen, Clorinda Madsen, Adam Special Guest Liaison Ryan Noorda McLain, Eric Meyer, Adrienne Monson, Dylan Guest Coordinator Sara Potter Parker, Laura Watkins Anyone can join our staff. Students are especially needed, from both UVU and BYU. If you are interested in helping make the next symposium bigger and better, come to our first staff meeting for LTUE 35 February 27,on 2016. Watch our Facebook page for more details. Or come to our presentation Saturday at 10 am. 1 Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center N 2 Wonder about the different badge colors? Contents Purple Committee Member Letter from the Chair 1 Hot Pink Volunteer Etiquette with the Pros 4 Dark Blue Guest of Honor Guest of Honors: Shannon Hale and Kevin J. Anderson 5 Light Blue Special Guests and Panelists Toastmaster/Special Guests 6 Gold Vendors Art Show 8 Participant Bios 9 Green Chair Emeritus Local Restaurants 14 White Attendee Listing of Events and Participants 15 Gray Single-day Attendee Grid Schedule 18 What’s a Kaffeeklatsch? 22 Book Signing 29 Acknowledgments back cover Be Aware Artists’ Alley The Artists’ Alley is a section of tables in the halls at Please review our Child Policy and Harassment Policy, LTUE designed for artists to show off and sell their art. located on our website at http://ltue.net/policies/ Come talk to artists and see them as they do their work! Artists participating in the alley will be working on their art while at the tables. Different artists will be present at Dealers Room Hours different times, so be sure to check out the Artists’ Alley Canyon Room throughout LTUE! Thursday: 10 am to 6 pm Friday: 9 am to 10 pm Saturday: 9 am to 6 pm Filking Join your fellow bards each evening for memorable music. Filking (also known as The Bardic Circle) has been Art Show Hours a tradition since before the Hobbit walked Middle Earth. Elm Room Folk songs and poems have been set to music, changing lyrics at times to creatively fit science fiction and fantasy Thursday: 10 am to 6 pm themes—thus, “filking.” Bring your guitar, lute, or simply Friday and Saturday: 9 am to 6 pm your voice and make musical magic with us. Participants more info on page 8 may perform their own tunes or bring copies of music for fellow filkers to join in a jolly sing-along. Gaming Room Juniper Room LTUE After Dark Thursday: 10 am to 6 pm After Dark is a series of new workshops from the mas- Friday: 9 am to 6 pm ters tackling horror and romance in science fiction and Saturday: 9 am to 6 pm fantasy. Eighteen years old and older only, please. 3 Etiquette with the Pros One question any symposium-goer inevitably asks is, and artists don’t know everything. “How do I talk to authors and artists?” Getting to know When you want to meet the authors or artists, wait them takes a few common sense rules of etiquette that for a good moment when they aren’t busy. If they are will make the experience enjoyable for both of you. talking with someone else, wait patiently for them to First, remember that the authors and artists are only finish, then introduce yourself. Try to say something human. Just because they write fantastic books or draw nice before you fire away with criticism. Remember, fabulous pictures doesn’t mean they are ready to be on they may be as shy of meeting you as you are of meeting stage at any moment. An author or artist may have just them. had a lousy night or be suffering from something the Most importantly, don’t monopolize! Share with oth- symposium committee fed them at lunch. Don’t take it ers these marvelous people you’ve just met. Rather than personally if they don’t want to talk to you right then. saying everything at once, try talking to them on several Also, don’t try to dazzle them with your latest story occasions. (Even your mother would rather hear from idea or pet project. Most authors are paid to edit mate- you for three minutes once a week than for three hours rial; don’t expect them to do it for free. once a year.) And don’t make the mistake that one convention Just remember to be courteous. Respect their privacy attendee made when he tried to discuss the wage differ- and respect their time. They have come to the sym- ences between British and American actors with a main posium to meet people, though, so don’t be afraid to guest. We promise you, brilliant as they may be, authors approach them. That is why they came! In Loving Memory of Author Zachary Hill Honor a Fallen Friend at the Zachary Hill Memorial We believe that he too Fund to benefit his wife, Mackenzie is grieving for having to http://gogetfunding.com/honor-a-fallen-friend leave behind his friends, -zachary-hill-memorial-fund/ his family and his new bride. He would not have Zachary Hill passed away suddenly and unexpectedly wanted to leave her now. the morning of January 15th, 2016 from a pulmonary But he was called back embolism. He was 37 years old. He leaves behind his to his celestial home far sweet young bride of almost a year, Mackenzie Hadlow too early. Our Father in Hill. Zach was a gentle soul with big heart. He was an Heaven has a plan for artist, a historian, a teacher, a two-tour combat veteran, Zach, as he does for all of us. Things happen for a reason and a prolific writer. He was a true warrior poet that and it’s our struggle to make sense of it in this mortal always sought peace. He loved to play games and spend- world . through our limited and narrow optics that are ing time with his family and friends. full of confusion, distraction, and pain. We take com- Zach was also a traveler. He adventured in other fort that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we can be countries. He served his two-year mission for his church together forever. in Mexico and he taught English in Japan, and spent Please consider donating to the Zachary Hill memo- time in Italy. He served his country in the darkest places rial fund to be given to his dear wife MacKenzie Hill or in Iraq. Now he’s gone to the Undiscovered Country.