Souvenir Book Is Copyright ©2011 by Arisia, Inc., a Non-Profit, Tax-Exempt, 501(C)(3) Corporation

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Arisia 2011

Jan 14-17, 2011 Westin Waterfront Hotel, Boston, MA 2 Arisia 2011 Arisia 2011

Westin Waterfront Hotel Boston, Massachusetts “Mad Science”

Writer Guest of Honor Kelley Armstrong Artist Guest of Honor Josh Simpson Webcomic Guest of Honor Shaenon Garrity Fan Guest of Honor René Walling Special Guest Seanan McGuire Content From the Convention Chair...... 4 From the Corporate President...... 5 Arisia 2011 Committee...... 6 Arisia Code of Conduct...... 8 Arisia from A to Z...... 10 The Carl Brandon Awards...... 14 Arisia Abbreviated History...... 16 Writer Guest of Honor Kelley Armstrong...... 20 Checkmate, a short story by Kelley Armstrong...... 21 Fan Guest of Honor René Walling...... 24 Special Guest Seanan McGuire...... 25 Webcomic Guest of Honor Shaenon Garrity...... 26 Artist Guest of Honor Josh Simpson...... 30 Arisia 2011 Participants...... 34

The Arisia 2011 Souvenir Book is copyright ©2011 by Arisia, Inc., a non-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation. Arisia is a service mark of Arisia, Inc. All bylined articles are copyright ©2011 by their authors. Checkmate is copyright Kelley Armstrong and used by permission of the author. Images, including sketches by Seanan Garrity and photographs, are supplied and used by permission of their creators.

Colophon: This publication was typeset with Baskerville, Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk and Mason.

January 14-17 3 Welcome to Arisia! While we are devouring a novel, engrossed in a possibility and hard work. The weekend never piece of art, or enveloped by various works of fails to surprise and delight, every year, as we media, we believe in the truth that the creator grow and change in the community. offers us — life on other planets, magical beings, This convention is also, in many ways, a fam- amazing adventures. So, too, do we weave truths ily. We on staff have worked hard, side by side, in our convention, and spin fantastical dreams. for the past year (and some of us for the past 22 Anyone with knowledge of Josh Simpson’s art years). I’m very proud to have served as conchair can appreciate the blend of theory and fact, the of Arisia for 2011, and I hope all of us — wheth- idea of his planets and the reality of the glass. er staff, volunteers, attendees, program partici- Reading Kelley Armstrong’s novels or Shaenon pants, corporate members, event planners, or Garrity’s work, one recognizes the greater per- guests of honor — have a fabulous time. ceptions of humanity even while observing a demon character or talking dog. And if you ask Enjoy! René Walling to tell you about his experiences in fandom... well, be prepared to be astonished, is all I can say. Science fiction and fantasy, perhaps more than any other genre of work, is about the wonder (and sometimes the horror) of possibilities. Crystal Huff Arisia, as a convention, is the natural child of Arisia Conchair, 2011

4 Arisia 2011 A Message From the President Greetings and welcome everyone to Arisia 2011! online comment form (2011.arisia.org/feedback), stopping It seems like I’ve been here before. “But wait,” you say, by the Info Desk and filling out a comment form, or coming “this is a new hotel!” Well, you see, this is the second time to one of the feedback sessions listed in the Pocket Program I’ve been greeting people to Arisia two years in a row, and Especially in a bigger hotel with a bigger con, Arisia the second time I’ve greeted people to a new Arisia Hotel as needs volunteers. It takes lots of people to run Arisia. All Arisia Corporate President kinds of jobs are available, from sitting down (watching a Many things have obviously changed since last year. We’re door) to weight lifting (helping move stuff in and out), from at a new bigger hotel — the Westin Boston Waterfront. It before the convention until at least Tuesday after the con- looks like Arisia will be bigger this year — possibly the vention, from early morning to late at night. Please stop by biggest Arisia ever. Other things remain the same. Arisia the Volunteer Lounge in the Alcott room on the mezzanine is still “New England’s Largest and Most Diverse Science level of the main part of the hotel and see what jobs are Fiction Convention.” We will continue to welcome every- available that interest you. Anyone working eight hours will one: young and old, new fans and long-timers, art lovers get a free T-shirt (only available to staff and volunteers). and book readers, movie buffs and anime fans, costumers Anyone who works twelve hours will get a free membership and filkers, boardgamers and larpers, and so on. to next year’s convention. And anyone who helps during While we will miss our old friends including all the people move-in and move-out will get those hours doubled. Please at the Cambridge Hyatt and the Hyatt itself, we are very ex- see the volunteer room for details. cited to be at the Westin. The Westin will give us space to Whether or not you choose to volunteer, please sit back grow. Unlike at the Hyatt last year, we will be sharing the and enjoy yourself. There is a lot to enjoy at Arisia. Check Westin this year with others. So, please be extra considerate out Arisia’s many attractions, among them: the art show, and try not to scare the mundanes or the hotel staff — we the consuite, the dances, the dealers room, the filking, the plan and hope to be at this hotel for years to come. In fact, we films/anime/video, the gaming, the masquerade, the pro- have signed a contract to be at the Westin for 2012 and 2013 gramming, and/or (last but not least) the parties. as well. So, if you see something we can do better next year or That’s enough from me, please enjoy the con! something you liked this year, please let us know by using our —Rick Kovalcik BOSKONE 48 FEBRUARY 18–20, 2011 • B OSTON WESTIN WATERF RONT

GUEST OF HONOR Join us at Boskone, a CHARLES regional science fiction STROSS convention featuring: exciting exhibits, OFFI C IAL A RTIST inspiring events, and GREGORY an acclaimed program MANCHESS that encourages

S PEC IAL GUEST members to interact CHARLAINE with an impressive HARRIS array of well-known participants in the field. FEATURED FILKER

ERICA STUDENT RATES NEELY AVAILABLE January 14-17 5 WWW.NESFA.ORG/B OSKONE image © Gregory Manchess Arisia 2011 Committee ConChair: Crystal Huff • Staff: James Hinsey, Joni Dashoff, Suford Lewis • Assistant ConChairs: Cris Shuldiner, Lisa “Jasra” Holsberg • MC: Susan de Guardiola • Administration: Julia Suggs • Stage Manager: Joel Lord • Guest of Honor Liaison: Jack Dietz • Judges • Staff: Dirk Tiede, Liz Orenstein, Rachel Silber, Val Grimm • Presentation Judges: Byron Connell, Jamila Sisco • Special Projects: Steve Huff, Alan McAvinney, Noel Rosenberg • Judges’ Clerk: Joni Dashoff • Staff Website: Benjamin Levy, Lisa “Jasra” Holsberg • Adult Masquerade Green Room: Stacey Mandell • Treasurer: Kim Riek • Den Moms: Rachel Wright • Budget: Kim Riek, Nicholas “Phi” Shectman • Repair Table: Tina Connell • Staff: Jason Riek, Dave Cantor, Kathleen Morrison, Tim • Den Moms: Sandra Linebarier Szczesuil, Lisa Goldstein • House Manager: Seth Breidbart • Registration: Kris “Nchanter” Snyder, Danielle Reese • Kamikaze Kids: Persis Thorndike • Staff: Wendee Abramo, Melissa Beetham, Peter Brenton, • Head Ninja: Ann Catelli Jesse Cox, Jennifer Fitzimons-Gauger, Cate • Ninjas: Michele Weinstein Hirschbiel, Kara Hurvitz, Derek Lichter, Joshua • Official Photography: Sandy Middlebrooks Rachlin, Crissy Rose Richards, Mink Rosequist, • Fan Photography: Sheila Perry Randy Smith, Julie Sprague, LA Sweet, Hill • Registration: James Hinsey Thompson, Will Walker, Devon Winkler, Kate Wood • Participation: • CONGO Development: Dave Shevett • Shoalin Stretch: Jude Shabry • Badge Design: Tina Gleason • Yoga: Jude Shabry

Events Division: James Pinkerton Exhibits Division: Nicholas “Phi” Shectman • Assistant Division Head: Samantha Dings • Assistant Division Head: Allan Kent • Staff: Lisa “Jasra” Holsberg, Natalie Seals • Art Show: David D’Antonio • ArisiaTV: Carl “z!” Zwanzig • Mail-In: Megan Lewis • Banquet Coordinator: Pat Vandenberg • Security: Dave Inkpen • Blood Drive: John Hodges • Setup/Teardown: The Marvelous MERV, Ellen Blackburn, • Naughty Nurses Coordinator: Adria Alumbaugh Lenny Foner, Jeanise Bertrand • Dances • Student Art Contest: Allan Kent, Nicholas “Phi” Shectman • 8-bit Demoscene Dance: Val Grimm • Staff: The Incredible East Coast Floating Art Show Crew • ORDNANCE & Mr Pet: DJ Pet • Dealers Liaison: Amy Chused • Period Dance: Jesse Wertheimer • Assistant Dealer Liaison: Ed Trachtenberg • Time Traveler’s Ball: Paul Aldred • Fan Tables: Geri Sullivan • Visual Kei Party: Katie Dumas, Mary Dumas, Renée • Projected Media: Johnson, Pam Larson • Anime: Mary Dumas • Weird Science Dance (80’s dance): DJ Johnny Zed • Films: Scott Dorsey • Gaming: Puck Dowd • Video: Lance Oszko • LARPs: Michael McAfee • Assistant: Jonette Butler • Live Performances: • Artist/Author Alley: Lisa Hertel • 2010: Our Hideous Future: Unreliable Narrator Theater Group Hotel Division: Benjamin Levy • Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sing Along: Teseracte Players of • Staff: Ann Thomas, Lisa “Jasra” Holsberg Boston • At-Con Hotel Liaisons: Craig McDonough, Dennis McCunney, • Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog: Teseracte Players of Boston Joel Herda • Dr Who radio play: Post-Meridian Radio Players • Innkeeper: Noel Rosenberg • Faebotica, A Musical Event: Mary Goodman • Staff: Cath Austein, Karen Fenlason, & Kim Singer • Geeky Belly Dance: Katrina Meyer • Party Czarina: Karen Fenlason • Goli: Vessela Stoyanova, Valerie Thompson • Resume Wrangler: Benjamin Levy • Hallucinating Shakespeare: Michael Anderson • Resume F&B: Persis Thorndike • Higgins Armory demos: Higgins Armory • Parking: Benjamin Levy • Kunstbruder: Steven Hirsch • Psyche Corp: Genevieve Yang, Renée Staffeld Marketing Division: Michael Leuchtenburg • Repo, the Genetic Opera: Teseracte Players of Boston • Ad Sales: Kelsi Watkins • Rocky Horror Picture Show: Teseracte Players of Boston • Flyer Design: Jack Dietz, Erica Schultz • Sassafrass and Stranger Ways: Julia Suggs, Susan Weiner • Flyer Production and Distribution: Jack Dietz, Rick Kovalcik, • The Subs: Rebecca Angel Crystal Huff, others • Masquerade: Sharon Sbarsky • Online Presence (Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal, etc): • Assistant Masquerade Director: Jill Eastlake D Matyas, Lisa “Jasra” Holsberg, Crystal Huff, Benjamin Levy

6 Arisia 2011 • Staff: Kit Golan, Christina Schoenfeld, Arthur Ercolini • Sign Shop: Robert Luoma • Volunteers: Gary Strong • Lounge Lizard: Pasquale Nuzzo

Programming : Mike Sprague • Assistant Division Head: Emily Coombs • Program Nexus: Mike Sprague, Emily Coombs • Brainstorm Moderator: Mike Sprague • Editors: Ann Muir Thomas, Terry Holt • Zambia: Peter Olszowka • Tracks: • Anime: Mary Dumas • Comics: Jaime Garmendia • Costuming: Elizabeth O’Malley • Fan Interest: Micah Schneider • Fast Track: A.J. Strong • Assistant Area Head: Bill Pomeroy • Music: Kate Farb-Johnson • Gaming: Alex Feinman • Literature: Shira Lipkin • Media: Dan Kimmel • Press Liaison: Pete “Happy” Thomas • Science: Bill “Crash” Yerazunis, Lisa Wood • Staff: Liz Burke • Social Issues: Aimee Bouchard • Promotional Parties: Rick Kovalcik, Crystal Huff, Benjamin • Victorian/Steampunk: Deborah Castellano Levy, others • Writing: Mike Sprague • Freebies: Stephanie Clarkson • Mass Mailer: Skip Morris, Jet Cultir Publications Division: Karen Purcell, Jonathan Venezian • Convention Website: Beau Lyle, Benjamin Levy, Lia Olsborg, • Assistant Division Head: Cris Shuldiner Lisa “Jasra” Holsberg, • Overall Publications Design: Lia Olsborg • Braille Program: Tanya Washburn Member Services Division: Paul Aldred • Editors: Janet Stickle, Skip Morris • Access: Tanya “selkiechick” Washburn • Proofereader: Lisa Hertel • Staff: Carol London • Large Print Pubs: Rick Kovalcik • Childcare (AKA “TurtleTrack”): Rev. Ocean Thundermoon • Newsletter: Lew Wolkoff, Madeleine Claire Hahn • Coat Check: Anna Bradley • Staff: Carsten Turner • Staff: Katherine Cunningham, Joshua Sheena, Colin Sandel, • Staff Newsletter: Lisa “Jasra” Holsberg Rachel Olsen, Greykell Dutton • PDA/Webphone Schedules: Benjamin Levy • Information Desk: Kristin Page • Pocket Program: Paul Selkirk • Staff: Diane Rosenburg, Jack Page • Restaurant Guide: Lisa Goldstein, Lia Olsborg • Bulk Purchasing/Quartermaster: Dan Snyder • Artist: Rob Allison • Con Suite: Conor Walsh, Dylan Spencer • Souvenir Book Team: Erik Nelson, René Walling, Susan Soares • Green Room: Josh Jasper, Rose Fox, David Shaw • T-shirts: Jonathan Venezian • Staff Den: David Shaw, Josh Jasper • Sales Shirt Design: Shaenon Garrity, Josh Simpson • Deputy Food Area Heads: Erin Sweeney, Peter Gravelle, Esh • Volunteer Shirt Design: Jenny Anckorn • Staff Den/Green Room Staff: Sheila Oranch, Rikibeth Stein, Deborah Castellano, Casey Grimm, B. Diane Martin, Tech Division: Matthew Barr Randee Dawn, Deb, Danielle Sucher, Rikibeth Stein, Sara • Assistant Div Head for Events: Peter Olszowka Tulchinsky, Joe Woodhouse, Matt Hutchins • Assistant Div Head for Program A/V: Abby Noyce • Teen Lounge: Amos Meeks • Lighting Designer: *hobbit* • Assistant Lighting Designer: James Dattolo Operations Division: Rick Kovalcik • Sound Designer: Dan Noe • Duck Hunt: Steve Huff, Talis Thorndike Love • Video Director: Syd Weinstein • Logistics: Mike Trachtenberg • ArisiaTV Feed: Carl “z!” Zwanzig • Staff: Steve Huff, Andrew Campbell • Program AV Sound: Joseph Averett • Massage Den: Steve Balzac • Staff: David H. Silber, Sarah “Pie” Stauff • Ops Desk: Bryan Maynard • Tech Consultant: Paul Kraus • Ribbons: Sharon Sbarsky • General Tech Staff: Lia Olsborg, Daniel Johnson-Carter, Kat • Security: Jet Cultir Dutton, Greykell Dutton • Assistant: Ally Chilson

January 14-17 7 Arisia Code of Conduct To help ensure our members’ happiness and a successful number. Space is limited, so purchase Childcare member- convention, we have established a Code of Conduct and ships in advance. Behavior Policies for all members. We have little desire to Fast Track is a children’s program open to fans aged 6-12 police our membership, but we do have some requests and years old. Fast Track is billed as a con within a con, offering expectations that will help ensure a pleasurable weekend a wide variety of program items for children. Some items for all. may require the supervision of a child by parents. It is each parents’ responsibility to review the Fast Track schedule General Demeanor — Common Sense Required and decide which items they will allow their child to partici- Reminder: The hotel is not dedicated completely to our use pate in, either with or without adult supervision. for the weekend. Members of the general public stay here Fast Track does not provide snacks and meals; parents or visit the hotel to dine and socialize. Please be considerate must arrange to feed their children. of non-convention individuals at all times. Childcare and Fast Track have limited hours; please Arisia expects its members to respect each other and check the schedule. behave in a generally civilized fashion. Members should Children under 12 years old may attend with either their respect common sense rules for public behavior, personal own paid convention membership, or with a free Kids-in- interaction, common courtesy, and respect for private prop- Tow membership (with and under the supervision of an erty. If you wouldn’t do it in a public setting, please don’t authorized adult at all times). Arisia requires that there be do it here. at least one supervising adult with a membership accompa- Please report to the convention committee any incidents nying every three Kids-in-Tow members. in which a member of the convention is abusive, insulting, Parents of children ages 9-12 who believe their children intimidating, bothersome, or acting in an unsafe or illegal are mature enough (and who have their own paid member- manner. Arisia reserves the right to revoke, without refund, ship) may choose to allow their children to freely roam the the membership of anyone for just cause. Persons violat- convention on their own. Any child who excessively mis- ing the law may be turned over to the police or the hotel behaves or engages in inappropriate, disruptive or danger- security force. ous behavior is subject to having free-roaming privileges or Sleeping in public or convention areas of the hotel is their entire membership revoked. forbidden by the hotel management. This hotel is private All children aged 8 and under must be with an adult, in property. childcare, or in Fast Track con areas. All other unattended The hotel strictly forbids throwing, dropping, or flying children will be sold to mad scientists for experimentation anything from the balconies or escalators. Rollerskating is purposes. also not permitted inside the hotel. Please remember that many of the costumes the attend- Program participants and event coordinators are respon- ees will be wearing and the displays in the exhibit areas sible for the comfort and safety of convention members in may be made of delicate and easily damaged materials that their areas. Disruptive behavior by children or adults is not should not be handled without permission. acceptable, and any actions disturbing to attendees may re- Some program items dealing with adult topics may be sult in a request to leave. closed to individuals under 18 years of age. Although chil- Convention Badges must be worn and visible to access dren under 18 years of age may register as “adults,” mem- any convention area (including Dealers Row and Open bership in the convention in no way supersedes local, state, Parties). Exceptions may be made for special cases, e.g. or federal laws. masquerade participants while on-stage (but masquerade participants do need to have memberships in any case). Costume and Masquerade Guidelines All costumes are welcome at Arisia, whether created by the Children as Fans and Companions wearer or not. However, purchased and rented costumes Arisia makes every effort to protect fans of all ages and pro- are not eligible for awards. Awards are made to the creator vide a healthy environment with many opportunities for fun of the costume, not the wearer. and learning. Children are a valued part of our community, Costume weapons are permitted, but must be peace- and we welcome their appropriate participation. bonded by Arisia Security when you arrive, unless worn Childcare is available for ages 2-6 years with a Childcare solely for the masquerade as part on an on-stage costume. membership. Parents must provide a cell phone or pager The use of any real weaponry as part of a costume, as well

8 Arisia 2011 as the use of any special effects, must first be approved by Arisia’s corkage waiver does not apply to serving of al- the Masquerade Director. Remember, it’s okay to surprise cohol. According to the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages the audience, but not the staff. Control Commission and the Boston Licensing Board, all During the masquerade, flash photography, laser point- alcoholic beverages must be purchased through the hotel. ers, beepers or cellular telephones not set to silent are for- The hotel may confiscate any privately purchased alcohol, bidden. prevent you from bringing it onto the property, or take oth- Participants in the masquerade must read and agree to er actions (such as placing a large corkage charge on your the terms contained in the separate costumer release. bill). Laws governing illegal substances, obscenity, weapons, public behavior, and the treatment of minors must be strictly observed. Remember, there may be members of the Boston Police Department on patrol at the convention. The following weapons are illegal in Massachusetts: blackjacks, billy clubs, any sort of double-edged knife (sym- metrical cross-section, even if one side is dull), shuriken (throwing stars) and nunchucks. This list is not exhaustive.

Photography, Videography, and Press Policy There will be photographers present; if you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please state so clearly and unambiguously. Photographers, ask permission before you photograph or audio/videotape any person or group. Anyone wishing to take pictures or make audio or video recordings of any part of the convention must read and agree to the terms of the separate photographers/videographers release. Anyone wishing to sell photographs or audio or video recordings of any part of the convention (including the masquerade) Parties in Guest Rooms must read and agree to the terms of the separate photogra- If you’d like to host a party (Open or Closed), you must phers/videographers contract. register with us in advance and use a room in the “Active” If you are acting on behalf of a publication, video pro- room block. Parties registered in advance with Arisia will duction organization, or news medium of any kind (free- be moved to a “Party Host room”, can request a free ice lance or employed; commercial publication, media, or fan- delivery from the hotel, and ensures you are covered by zine), you must register for a press pass and press packet Arisia’s corkage agreement (allowing you to serve food and with the Press Liaisons. non-alcoholic drinks). Individuals or organizations violating these guidelines Parties may be “Open Parties” (all convention members by selling, reproducing, broadcasting, or publishing mate- welcome, and with doors open or ajar) or “Closed Parties” rials obtained at an Arisia convention without permission (private, doors closed, no advertising). Serving of alcohol is may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If you have not allowed in Open Party areas. any questions as to what is appropriate, contact the Press Party hosts are responsible for adhering to convention Liaisons for further information. policies, hotel rules, and local, state, and federal laws. Dealers are limited to the Dealer’s Room in the Galleria Smoking, Alcohol, Weapons, and Illegal Acts space, and the Dealer’s Row on the 16th floor. Any vending The Westin hotel bans smoking in all areas of the hotel, from a hotel room not authorized by the dealer coordinator including all guest rooms. will be shut down, and the memberships of those involved Arisia prohibits the consumption of alcohol in all con- will be revoked. vention areas except for alcohol purchased from the hotel All raffles and drawings, whether for profit or charitable and consumed in the area in which it was purchased. The reasons, must comply with the City of Boston guidelines. legal drinking age in Massachusetts is 21. You may be asked We will happily refund the membership fee of anyone to provide a valid ID if ordering alcoholic beverages. who finds these policies unacceptable.

January 14-17 9 Arisia from A to Z New to Arisia? Information you need…

Anime Artist/Author Alley Dances Anime is a style of animation from Ja- A.K.A. The Pros’ Nest We haz them. This year’s convention pan, which has a very active and de- This is a place in the middle of the features several different dances of voted fan following in North America. Galleria for artists, authors, and small different time periods, including the There are all kinds of anime, from businesses (e.g., book and game pub- Time Traveler’s Ball. romance to science fiction. We will lishers) to promote themselves. feature anime in our theater, program Dead Dog Party panels about anime, and a party/dance Babysitting The traditional End-of-Convention on Friday night. Anime costumes are See Turtle Track. bash takes place in the Con Suite more than welcome in our Masquer- Monday evening after teardown has ade on Saturday night. Look for anime Badges been completed. items on Dealers’ Row as well. Although there is a famous phrase Arisia “We don’t need no stinkin’ badges”, Dealers’ Row & Dealers’ Room actually we do. Please be sure to wear Want a book, some jewelry, a bit of Arisia is an annual gathering of indi- your badge in the Westin so we can sculpture, or clothing? How about viduals with a common interest in Sci- know you are one of us, on the shut- something unusual? The Dealers are ence Fiction and Fantasy. Our many tles so the drivers can know you are basically a big Science Fiction flea interests include literature, gaming, one of us, and in local restaurants to market where you can find all sorts of costuming, anime and TV shows, advertise that we are bringing business books, garb, jewelry and a wide range music, collecting, art, performing, to the community. Badge checking will of items of interest to our attendees. and looking into the future, as well as occur throughout the convention. Dealers’ Row is a block of hotel alternate histories. The name Arisia rooms on the 16th floor of the hotel; comes from E.E. “Doc” Smith’s clas- Blood Drive each room is open at the individual sic Lensman novels; in those stories, dealer’s discretion. Dealers’ Room is Arisia was the name of the “good Look for our famous “Naughty Nurses” a segment of the Galleria in the low- guys.” The symbol of the Arisians was who will help sign you up for a blood est floor of the hotel, and the Dealers’ the mystical lens, which is why we call donation at the convention. The blood Room hours are available in the our logo the “Arisia Lens.” drive is run in cooperation with the Pocket Program. Arisia is also a nonprofit corporation Heinlein Society. Robert A. Heinlein and entirely volunteer run. If you wish was a big supporter of blood drives, and Drum Circle to help out, we’d love more people! he was instrumental in encouraging the Some other conventions or convention- first one at a convention — the 1976 Drumming is primal and power- like events in the Boston area include World Science Fiction Convention, ful and invariably attracts those who Boskone (whose name is also from Doc where he was Writer Guest of Honor. dance. We host a drum circle and en- Smith; February), The Science Fiction This year we will be working with two courage you join with others in laying Film Marathon (February), Vericon hospitals, allowing us to accept dona- down some intoxicating rhythms for (March), AnimeBoston (April), and tions both on Saturday and Sunday. the dancers amongst us. BYODrum. Readercon (July). Child Care Duck Hunt Art Show See Turtle Track or Fast Track. Rubber ducks like a good convention, The Art Show features art by our guests and so they LOVE Arisia! However, of honor and many other artists. Ad- Con Suite they tend to get into mischief, and mission to the Art Show is free to all The Con Suite is an informal area where so we’re asking attendees to help us attendees. Prints are available for pur- you can get a snack and rest your feet. out. If you find a rubber duck hiding chase at the Print Shop, and much of Sit down and make new friends, or chat somewhere in the hotel, bring it to the the original work in the Art Show is also with longtime buddies. It will be held on Volunteer Lounge; you may be able to for sale. Throughout the weekend, there the 16th floor in the Presidential Suite exchange it for a prize! will be a series of tours of the Art Show, this year. Never fear, the Westin’s eleva- including an accessible tour. Check the tors will get you there in a jiffy! program schedule for details.

10 Arisia 2011 Events thor/Artists Alley. It is accessible via All children with full memberships the escalator in the lobby or the eleva- are welcome to use Fast Track pro- Events feature large items in large tors just behind. gramming (designed for ages 6 to 12) spaces; from the Masquerade to a or Child Care (designed for ages 2 to GoH concert, from the Weird Science 6). Children using Fast Track will be 80’s Dance to the Renaissance Period Gaming given ribbons to add to their badges Dance. Events this year are spread out Tabletop, fantasy, role-playing, and that are either green for “Comet” (kids in various larger function rooms in the other games will be found in our are free to roam around the hotel like hotel, mostly ballrooms. So come sing, Gaming Room. We have both “sched- all adults) or red for “Satellite” (kids dance, watch cartoons, see knights uled” games, which you may sign up are required by their parents to either take on Legionnaires — and don’t for, and open gaming where people be in Fast Track or with under adult forget REPO! The Genetic Opera at bring their own. In addition, several supervision). Please remember that midnight Saturday! LARPs will be occurring in the hotel. Gaming runs 24 hours a day through everyone attending Arisia, including Fast Track the entire convention. Kids-in-Tow, must have a badge. Fast Track is a convention within a Lost and Found convention, and is geared to fans ages Hall Costuming See Operations. 6–12. It features panels and activities Hall Costuming is a way to get in such as storytelling, crafts, costuming, character and feel at home. You can and kids’ science panels. be who you’d like to be (or who you Masquerade Fast Track is also part of convention really are and can’t be in the mundane The Masquerade is a costume contest programming, and is open to fans of all world) among your friends here at the and display of creativity by your fellow ages. However, parents must accompa- convention. Come by the Masquerade convention members. Entrants may ny their younger children and should Registration Table in the Lobby and dress in anything interesting and fun review the schedule to determine when show us your stuff. We may take your so long as they can motor themselves their child may not have the manual picture, sign you up to be in this year’s across the stage and back. You’ll find a dexterity, knowledge, or attention span Masquerade, and you even might find variety of BEMs (Bug Eyed Monsters!), for any particular panel or activity. yourselves the winner of a coveted Transformers, faeries, royals, dragons, Hall Costume Award. cosplayers (anime-inspired costumes), Filk movie and TV characters, and just plain silly people in costume. This is a Filk is fannish folk singing, and can Information Desk judged event and is a highlight of Ari- vary from moving ballads to humor- Centrally located in the Westin Lobby, sia. If you’re not competing, come see ous parodies. There will be sing- the Information Desk is where you the fabulous display of creativity by alongs, concerts, round-robins, and can drop by to get another copy of the your fellow fen. All entries are judged less formal events. Most filk happens Program Guide, pick up a copy of the in three separate categories (Novice, at night; use your ears to find the cur- Daily Newsletter, get intel on the Res- Journeyman, and Craftsman/Master) rent location down on the Lobby lev- taurants in the area, or ask anything to give everyone a fair chance. el. Everyone is welcome, even if you that has to do with the convention. If can’t sing and are tone-deaf. we don’t have the answer, we may be able to point you in the right direction. Memberships 5-2-1 Rule, The Please stop by the Info Desk if you Arisia is a large extended family. We have any feedback, issues, complaints, sell memberships, not tickets. The For a happier convention, we recom- or compliments about the convention. several categories of memberships mend that everyone have at least five If the Info Desk is closed, please drop include Full Weekend, Single Day hours of sleep, two full meals, and by Operations on the Mezzanine in Members, Child Care (entitling the one bath or shower during every 24 the Faneuil room for urgent matters. child to make use of convention-pro- hours. Do unto others as you would vided child care services), Kid-in-Tow have them do unto you, and please and Adult-in-Tow members. Every- note that 5 meals, 2 showers, 1 hour Kids’ Stuff one attending Arisia, including Deal- of sleep is not the same thing. Kids-in-Tow is a free, no-charge membership for young fans designed ers Row and Open Parties, must have Galleria to make it easier for families to attend. a membership and a badge. Kids-in-Tow members are required to Galleria is your one-stop shop for the stick-like-glue with a parent all times. Dealers’ Room, the Art Show and Au-

January 14-17 11 Operations Registration team would love to have fresh subjects to experiment on... er, volunteers to train. a.k.a. Con Ops This is where you picked up your We love volunteers! Go to the Volunteer This is the convention communication badge when you first arrived at the Lounge to find out how to join us! nerve center where our staff goes to con, at the top of the escalators on the coordinate activities, find people and Mezzanine level. It’s also where you go Turtle Track things, and receive or deliver messag- if you’ve lost your badge (when Regis- By prior sign-up we are providing sues. Located on the Mezzanine in the tration is open — otherwise, please go pervised child care for those too young Faneuil room, this is also the Lost and to Con Ops) or need a replacement to enjoy the convention on their own (2 Found for the convention. (lost badge replacements aren’t free, to 6 years old). All children using this so try to keep track of your badge!). service must have full memberships to Parties the convention. There will be no other Restaurants In the evening, some attendees will fee. For older children, see the “Fast host parties in hotel rooms and suites. Hungry? The Westin hotel operates Track” and “Kids’ Stuff ” entries. Most of Arisia’s parties are “open,” Sauciety Restaurant, Starbucks (behind meaning all convention members are the escalator to the Mezzanine level), Volunteers invited. If the door is open, go on in! and their Birch Bar (in the lobby). This is a volunteer-run convention — Parties are the best place to socialize Also inside the hotel are MJ and you’re welcome to join us! If you with fellow fans. Sponsors throw par- O’Connor’s and City Bar. Check out have looked through your Pocket Pro- ties on their own dollar, either for fun the Dining Guide for info on where gram and found that you have a few or for fannish political purposes. to get a quick snack or a meal with hours to spare, please come by the Vol- Throwing a party? Remember friends. unteer Lounge in the Alcott room on to list your open party on the Party the Mezzanine, and sign up. Contrib- Board (it will also be published in Security ute eight hours and you’ll earn a fabu- the Newsletter). Organizers of Open Arisia Security can help you in case of lous t-shirt; twelve hours gets you a free Parties should stop by the Con Suite emergencies involving inappropriate membership to next year’s convention. to claim a “party seed” of snacks and behavior of other convention mem- Helping out at your favorite activi- drinks to help get the action going. bers or in case you are in trouble and ties can have its perks: You may also need assistance. You will see our Rov- find that you get a better view of the Programming ers in the hallways making sure that Masquerade by working as an Usher, Programming includes panels, lec- things are going well, and calling in or get to see more of the Art Show by tures, discussions, workshops, and help if it is needed. joining the Art Show staff. Perhaps more — there’s a whole Program you like overnight gaming and want Guide devoted to it. We will be a va- Tech to make sure it runs? Volunteering to work there will help it remain open. riety of programming, starting mid- Related to Events and Program, Tech afternoon on Friday, running 24 hours builds and controls the lights, sound, Zed throughout the convention, finishing video rigs, and Arisia TV for the con- The Fan GoH, pronounces the last let- up Monday afternoon. vention. Entirely volunteers, the tech ter of the alphabet in this manner.

12 Arisia 2011 The Arisia Convention Committee cordially invites you to the presentation of The Carl Brandon Awards for the years two thousand and eight and two thousand and nine Please join us in the Commonwealth C Ballroom Sunday, the sixteenth of January two thousand and eleven at half past three in the afternoon

Turn the Page for Details

January 14-17 13 About the Carl Brandon Awards (in their own words)

About the Carl Brandon Society Tiptree, Jr, a pseudonym for the femi- The Awards nist SF writer Alice Sheldon. Just as We came up with the idea for the Carl The Carl Brandon Parallax Award women can now write under their Brandon Society in 1999 at the femi- is given to works of speculative fiction own names, so can people of color nist science fiction convention Wis- created by a person of color. Nomi- now write (and publish) our own sto- Con in Madison, Wisconsin. African nees must provide a brief statement ries. We’ve got much further to go yet. American SF legend Samuel R. Dela- self-identifying as a person of color; This is why we’re working to make ny had recently published an article creators unwilling to do so will not be fandom a more rewarding place for titled “Racism and Science Fiction” considered for this award. This Award people of color, to build a readership in the New York Review of Science Fiction includes a $1000 cash prize. for the speculative writing of people (August 1998, vol. 10, issue 12). Partly The Carl Brandon Kindred of color, and to help the world under- in response to the article, people of Award is given to any work of specu- stand that we can’t create a just future color attending WisCon requested lative fiction dealing with issues of if people of color aren’t included in that the convention schedule more race and ethnicity; nominees may be its imagining. programming items that addressed of any racial or ethnic group. This race. This resulted in two focus groups Award includes a $1000 cash prize. where people of color and white peo- Our Mission ple could meet and formulate strate- The mission of the Carl Brandon So- Past Winners: ciety is to increase racial and ethnic gies for increasing the awareness and 2007 diversity in the production of and au- representation of people of color in The winners of the 2007 Carl Bran- dience for speculative fiction. the genres and in the community. The don Society awards are Nnedi Oko- focus groups were followed by an all- rafor, who received the Carl Brandon community session to follow up on the Our Vision Parallax Award for her novel The focus group discussions. We envision a world in which specu- Shadow Speaker, and Minister Faust, The main result of these activities lative fiction, about complex and di- who received the Carl Brandon Kin- was the decision to create the Carl verse cultures from writers of all back- dred Award for his novel From the Note- Brandon Society as an organization to grounds, is used to understand the books of Doctor Brain. help build further awaRenéss of race present and model possible futures; and ethnicity in speculative literature and where people of color are full citi- 2006 and related fields. zens in the community of imagination Andrea Hairston is the winner of the and progress. 2006 Carl Brandon Parallax Award About Our Name for her novel, Mindscape. No Kindred Carl Joshua Brandon was a fictional We Value Award was given for 2006. black fan writer invented by white • Fantasizing for its own sake, and as writers Terry Carr and Peter Gra- an agent of social innovation 2005 ham in the fifties. A hoax that lasted • Literature as a groundspring for so- The winners of the 2005* Carl Bran- for over two years, Carl Brandon was cial change don Society awards are Walter Mos- nearly elected to office in a fan writ- • Creative innovation in the field of ley, who received the Carl Brandon ers association, and was for a time speculative fiction Parallax award for his novel 47 and one of the most popular fan writers in • Inclusive definitions of both genre Susan Vaught, who received the Carl the genre. But the existence of a lone, and audiences Brandon Kindred award for her novel fictional black writer underscores the • A culture of listening to people of all Stormwitch. fact that a fictional voice had to be in- abilities, genders, and backgrounds, * The Awards are now named for the year they were vented for people of color, because we in all fields of endeavor published. The Awards for 47 and Stormwitch were had none in fandom. • National and international commu- originally called the 2006 Awards. We named ourselves after Carl nity-building around areas of Brandon in much the same way that interest the Tiptree Award named itself after the fictional male writer James

14 Arisia 2011 LUNACON 2011 March 18 - 20, 2011 At the Hilton Rye Town in Rye Brook, NY

Writer Guest of Honor Lawrence M. Schoen Artist Guest of Honor Rachael Mayo Special Guest Eric “in the Elevator” Zuckerman

Membership Rates: Lunacon will Feature: Adults Sept 1, 2010 - Feb 20, 2011 $50 Anime! February 21, 2011 - At the door $60 Art Show!

Child (ages 6 - 12) Con Suite! Until February 20, 2011 $15 Dealers’ Room! February 21, 2011 - At the door $25 Filk! See our website for discount rates. Masquerade! Mail check or money order to: Lunacon 2011 Panel Discussions! PO Box 432, Throggs Neck Station Gaming - Always new games! Bronx, NY 10465 Membership rates good through dates listed. Memberships mailed in must be postmarked by www.lunacon.org February 20, 2011. [email protected]

JanuaryLunacon 14-17 is hosted by the New York Science Fiction Society, a 501(c)3 non-proﬁ t corporation.15 Arisia Abbreviated History Arisia was founded as a non-profit in 1989 to hold conventions and to promote science fiction and fantasy in all forms. Arisia ’11 will be our 22nd convention.

Date Venue Guests of Honor ConChair Theme/Notes Reg. & Special Guests & Officers Arisia ’90 Lafayette WGoH: Richard Bowker Chair: Matthew Saroff 1990 was Arisia’s second 842 Feb 23-25, Swissôtel AGoH: A.C. Farley Pres: Mary Robison year of existence; officers 1990 Boston, FGoH: Spike McPhee VP: Kim Van Auken from the first year were: MA Treas: Tom Fish Pres: Cris Shuldiner, VP: Clerk: Adria Crum Mary Robison, Treas: Tom Fish, Clerk: Brian Cooper Arisia ’91 Vista Inter- WGoH: Jack L. Chalker Chair: Matthew Saroff The “Vista International” 1050 Feb 1-3, national AGoH: Bob Walters Pres: Mary Robison is now the “Waltham Wes- 1991 Waltham, FGoH: Richard Hill & Laurel VP: Robert Bazemore tin” hotel MA Cunningham Treas: Marshall Ellis Media GoH: Larry Ross Clerk: A. Joseph Ross Arisia ’92 Boston WGoH: Craig Shaw Gardner Chair: Kimberly S. Van Ginjer and Shoshanna were 1094 Jan 3-5, Park Plaza AGoH: Robin Wood Auken each listed as “Guest Edi- 1992 Hotel & Filk Guest: T.J. Burnside Pres: Patrick McCormack tor” in different sections of Towers Clapp VP: Jeffrey Jordan the Program Book. No one Boston, Guest Editor: Ginjer Treas: Marshall Ellis (including the chairman) MA Buchanan, Clerk: A. Joseph Ross remembers what really hap- Shoshanna pened. Green Media Guest: Lynne Stephens Tech GoH: Alex Latzko Arisia ’93 Boston WGoH: Ellen Kushner Chair: Robert “Insanity*3” 1670 Jan 15-17, Park Plaza AGoH: Charles Lang & Bazemore 1993 Wendy Snow-Lang Pres: A. Joseph Ross FGoH: Monty Wells VP: Heather Coon Tech GoH: Carl Zwanzig Treas: Allan Kent Clerk: Mark Dulcey Arisia ’94 Boston WGoH: Spider & Jeanne Chair: James S. Belfiore, Jr. The “Park Plaza Castle” 1513 Jan 21-23, Park Plaza Robinson Pres: A. Joseph Ross (formally the armory for 1994 AGoH: Michael Whelan VP: Nicholas “phi” the First Corps of Cadets FGoH: Dave Kyle Shectman National Guard Unit) was Treas: Allan Kent used for the masquerade and Clerk: Edward Dooley several other events, due to an outside wedding being scheduled in the hotel main ballroom. Arisia ’95 Boston WGoH: C. J. Cherryh Chair: Sheila Oranch DIVERSITY — we are 1810 Jan 13-15, Park Plaza AGoH: Jael Pres: Joelll Herda not one-dimensional beings! 1995 FGoH: Walter Kahn VP: Jim Stevenson Filk Guest: Michael Longcor Treas: Eric Bunce Tech Guest: Deryl Burr Clerk: Edward Dooley Arisia ’96 Boston WGoH: Emma Bull & Will Chair: Nicholas “phi” Minneapolis Music 1826 Jan 12-14, Park Plaza Shetterly Shectman The Fan Guest of Honor 1996 AGoH: Lissanne Lake Pres: Cris Shuldiner got married in the hotel ball- FGoH: Rob Bazemore a.k.a. VP: Walter Kahn room as his “GoH Event.” “Insanity*3” Treas: Randall Cohen Arisia ’96 was the last year Musical Guest: Boiled In Clerk: Robert Fairburn IV under the old family-owned Lead Park Plaza management. The hotel sale closed the Monday after the convention.

16 Arisia 2011 Date Venue Guests of Honor ConChair Theme/Notes Reg. & Special Guests & Officers Arisia ’97 Boston WGoH: R. A. Salvatore Dictator: Pat McCormack Exploring Tyranny In Our 1874 Jan 10-12, Park Plaza AGoH: Bob Eggleton Pres: Cris Shuldiner Literature and In Our Lives 1997 FGoH: The Gang of Five VP: Brendan Quinn a.k.a. “The Iron Boot of (Arisia’s Founders: Brian Treas: Marshall Ellis Tyranny” Cooper, Tom Fish, Mary Clerk: Glen Goodwin Robison, Matthew Saroff, Cris Shuldiner) Arisia ’98 Westin WGoH: James P. Hogan Exec Director: Glen R. Freedom: Stories of The 1538 Jan 16-18, Hotel AGoH: Cortney Skinner Goodwin Revolution! 1998 Waltham, FGoH: Marty Gear Pres: Jeffrey L. “Hunter” The “Westin Waltham” MA Jordan is the former “Vista Inter- VP: Brendan Quinn national”. Arisia ’98 had Treas: Skip Morris a strict membership cap of Clerk: Paul Selkirk 1500 due to hotel function space limitations. The cap was raised to 1550 and no one was turned away. Arisia ’99 Westin WGoH: Roger MacBride Chair: Cris Shuldiner The 10th Arisia/Party Like 1672 Jan 8-10, Copley Allen Pres: Elka Tovah Menkes It’s 1999. There was actu- 1999 Place AGoH: Gary A. Lippincott VP: Glen R. Goodwin ally no external theme for Boston, FGoH: Patrick & Teresa Treas: Skip Morris this convention, as the Chair MA Nielsen Hayden Clerk: Rachel Silverman does not believe in them. Science Guest: H. Paul Shuch What is listed here is the in- a.k.a. “Dr. ternal theme designed for the SETI” staff to have fun with. Arisia ’00 Boston WGoH: Jane Yolen Chair: Paul Selkirk No official theme, but the “in 1965 Jan 14-16, Park Plaza AGoH: Tom Kidd Pres: Noel Rosenberg joke” was that Arisia ’00 2000 FGoH: Sharon Sbarsky VP: Cris Shuldiner was officially “Not Y2K Musical Guest: Echo’s Treas: Skip Morris Compliant,” so the dates Children Clerk: Tom “Merv” were printed as 1900. Murphy Arisia ’01 Boston WGoH: Lois McMaster Chair: Elka Tovah Menkes Looking Back on the Future 2082 Jan 12-14, Park Plaza Bujold Pres: Brendan Quinn 2001 AGoH: Wojtek Siudmak VP: Nicholas “phi” FGoH: jan howard finder Shectman a.k.a. “Wombat” Treas: Skip Morris Clerk: Tom “Merv” Murphy Arisia ’02 Boston WGoH: Katherine Kurtz Chair: Noel Rosenberg So Long, and Thanks for 2309 Jan 18-20, Park Plaza AGoH: Tristan Alexander Pres: Brendan Quinn All the Fish: A Tribute to 2002 FGoH: Eugene Heller VP: Colette Fozard the Works of Douglas Ad- Treas: Nicholas “phi” ams Shectman Clerk: Paul Selkirk Arisia ’03 Boston WGoH: Harry Turtledove Chair: Skip Morris Exploring Alternate Reali- 2264 Jan 17-19, Park Plaza AGoH: Victoria (Poyser) Lisi Pres: Joel Herda ties Through Literature 2003 & Julius Lisi VP: Noel Rosenberg FGoH: Anthony R. Lewis, Treas: Nicholas “phi” FN Shectman Gaming Guests: Looney Labs Clerk: Paul Selkirk (Andrew Looney, Kristin Looney, Alison Frane) Costuming Guests: Pierre & Sandy Pettinger Filk Guest: Gwen Knighton

January 14-17 17 Date Venue Guests of Honor ConChair Theme/Notes Reg. & Special Guests & Officers Arisia ’04 Boston WGoH: Tim Powers Evil Overlord: Carsten The Future of Freedom 2283 Jan 16-18, Park Plaza Sculptor GoH: Arthur Turner Official Con Book: Pow- 2004 Ganson Pres: Joel Herda ers of Two, from NESFA FGoH: Kim Van Auken VP: Noel Rosenberg Press Freedom Guests: Eric S. & Treas: Nicholas “phi” Catherine Raymond Shectman Filk Guest: Tom Smith Clerk: Alex Latzko Arisia ’05 Boston WGoH: Barbara Hambly Chair: Buzz Harris Through Alien Eyes 2086 Jan 21-23, Park Plaza AGoH: John Picacio Pres: Carsten Turner 2005 FGoH: Victor J. Raymond VP: Rick Kovalcik Media Guest: Harry Knowles Treas: Alex Latzko Fannish Movie Guests: Clerk: Claudia HiddenFrontier.org Mastroianni Filk Guests: Mary Ellen Wessels & Ed Stauff Arisia ’06 Boston WGoH: Allen Steele Chair: Nicholas “phi” Focus 2437 Jan 13-15, Park Plaza AGoH: Frank Wu Shectman (reg’d) 2006 FGoH: Barb Schofield Pres: Rick Kovalcik 2330 Musical Guest: Heather Dale Vice Pres: Lisa Hertel (attended) Treas: Benjamin Levy Clerk: Rachel Silber Arisia ’07 Hyatt WGoH: Esther Friesner Chair: Joel Herda Humor in Science Fiction 2137 Jan 12-14, Regency AGoH: Hilary Scott Pres: Rick Kovalcik and Fantasy (reg’d) 2007 Cambridge Filk GoH: Luke Ski Vice Pres: Lisa Holsberg A new home for Arisia 2045 Treas: Benjamin Levy (attended) Clerk: Rachel Silber Arisia ’08 Hyatt WGoH: Laura Anne Gilman Chair: September Isdell Pirates vs. Ninjas 2369 Jan 18-21, Regency AGoH: Marrus Pres: Nicholas “phi” First four-day Arisia (reg’d) 2008 Cambridge Fan Performer GoH: Eric “in Shectman 2280 the Elevator” Zuckerman Vice Pres: Crystal Huff (attended) Treas: Benjamin Levy Clerk: Rick Kovalcik Arisia ’09 Hyatt WGoH: Walter H. Hunt Chair: Jill Eastlake The Fabric of Science Fic- 2523 Jan 16-19, Regency AGoH: Dave Seeley Pres: September Isdell tion (reg’d) 2009 Cambridge Fan GoH: Ricky and Karen Vice Pres: Crystal Huff 2410 Dick Treas: Benjamin Levy (attended) Clerk: Nicholas “phi” Shectman Arisia ’10 Hyatt Artist GoH: Sarah Clemens Chair: Rick Kovalcik SF Old and New 2416 Jan 15-18, Regency Fan GoHs: Kevin Roche and Pres: Samantha Dings (reg’d) 2010 Cambridge Andy Trembley Vice Pres: Glenn 2307 Musical GoH: S.J. Tucker — MacWilliams (attended) Skinny White Chick Treas: Benjamin Levy Writer/Editor GoH: Gardner Clerk: Nicholas “phi” Dozois Shectman Arisia ’11 Westin Writer GoH: Kelley Chair: Crystal Huff Mad Science TBA Jan 14-17, Waterfront Armstrong Pres: Rick Kovalcik 2011 Hotel Webcomic GoH: Shaenon Vice Pres: Noel Rosenberg Cambridge Garrity Treas: Benjamin Levy Artist GoH: Josh Simpson Clerk: Nicholas “phi” Fan GoH: René Walling Shectman Special Guest: Seanan McGuire

18 Arisia 2011 January 14-17 19 Writer Guest of Honor: Kelley Armstrong

Kelley Armstrong was born in Ontar- corporate cubicle job, where she Bitten came out in 2001, and was io, where she still lives with her family. learned how to ALT-TAB between the first novel in the Otherworld se- She’s been telling stories since child- programming and a word processing ries. Book 11, Waking the Witch, was hood, but her parents, while very sup- program at record speeds. released in the summer of 2010. portive, were also very practical, and As Armstrong got more serious Armstrong also has two crime novels considered writing a hobby, not a ca- about her publication goals, she was featuring an ex-cop-turned hitwoman reer choice. So she grew up planning advised to get more serious about her (Exit Strategy and Made to be Broken) and to pursue a doctorate in psychology. writing, too. No one was ever going to the Darkest Powers young adult trilogy, When the time came to go to buy the werewolf book she kept ham- set in her Otherworld universe. graduate school, though, Armstrong mering away at, not when she couldn’t You can find details and excerpts for realized she was heading into a ca- even stick to one genre, but insisted on all of her books, plus plenty of free fic- reer that wouldn’t leave much time to mixing fantasy, horror, romance and tion and useless writing advice, on her pursue a dream of “someday getting mystery. So she tried to “go straight,” website, www.KelleyArmstrong.com. a book published, maybe even writing trying her hand at the various genres. part-time.” So she switched gears and After years of getting nowhere, she headed back to college for computer decided to pass around the werewolf programming. That gave her a 9-to-5 book. And it sold.

Bilbliography Otherworld Series Short Stories Waking the Witch (2010) Penguin Dutton “Lucifer’s Daughter” Blood Lite 2 (2010) ed. Kevin J. Frostbitten (2009) Bantam Spectra Anderson Living with the Dead (2008) Bantam Spectra “Last Stand” The Living Dead 2 (2010) ed. John Joseph Personal Demon (2008) Bantam Spectra Adams No Humans Involved (2007) Bantam Spectra “Hunting Kat” Kisses from Hell (2010) HarperCollins Broken (2006) Bantam Spectra “Learning Curve” Evolve (2010) ed. Nancy Kilpatrick Haunted (2005) Bantam Spectra “Life Sentence” The New Dead (2010) ed. Christopher Industrial Magic (2004) Bantam Spectra Golden Dime Store Magic (2004) Bantam Spectra “The Collector” Hellbound Hearts (2009) ed. Paul Kane & Stolen (2003) Penguin Viking Marie O’Regan Bitten (2001) Penguin Viking “A Haunted House of Her Own” Twilight Zone (2009) ed. Carol Serling Nadia Stafford Series “Dead to Me” Tesseracts Thirteen (2009) ed. Nancy Made to be Broken (2009) Bantam Kilpatrick & David Morrell Exit Strategy (2007) Bantam “Kat” The Eternal Kiss (2009) ed. Trisha Telep “Zen and the Art of Vampirism” A Fantasy Medley (2009) Darkest Powers Trilogy ed. Yanni Kuznia The Reckoning (2010) HarperCollins Teen “Paranormal Romance Blues” Mammoth Book of Paranormal The Awakening (2009) HarperCollins Teen Romance (2009) ed. Trisha Telep The Summoning (2008) HarperCollins Teen “The Ungrateful Dead” Blood Lite (2008) ed. Kevin J. Anderson Anthologies and Short Novels “Stalked” My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon (2008) ed. P.N. Counterfeit Magic (2010) Subterranean Press Elrod Tales of the Otherworld (2010) Bantam Spectra “Twilight” Many Bloody Returns (2007) ed. Charlaine Harris Angelic (2009) Subterranean Press & Toni L. P. Kelner Men of the Otherworld (2009) Bantam Spectra “Chaotic” Dates from Hell (2006) HarperCollins “Death Dealer” Dying for It (2006) ed. Mitzi Szereto “Plan B” Like A Charm (2004) ed. Karin Slaughter

20 Arisia 2011 Clay surveyed the street, his nose turned straight into the Writer Guest of Honor: Kelley Armstrong bitter wind, golden fur rippling, blue eyes slitted. He glanced at me, huddled behind the windbreak, and gave a soft chuff of a laugh. Cold never bothered him, even in human form. I always swore he was really one of those medieval werewolves, believed to wear their fur under their skin. I snorted and huffed, hot breath streaming through my nostrils. Then I set out. Clay fell in behind, letting my better nose take the lead. After two blocks, I caught the distinct smell of a werewolf. I broke into a lope, Clay at my heels, our nails clicking across the pavement. There’s nothing like a city run to get our hearts pumping — the tantalizing smells, the unex- plored nooks and crannies, the constant threat of exposure. Tonight, though, we were here to work. We’d come to Winnipeg to check out a growing number of missing prostitutes. Hookers are the favored victims for man-eating mutts, who can take a slow stream for decades without raising alarms. They are equally popular victims for human monsters, though, and we rarely turned up any sign of a werewolf. This time, we had. I followed his scent on the wind until we arrived in one of the more rundown sections. The street stretched in an endless, straight ribbon. The old joke is that the prairies are Checkmate so flat you could watch your dog run away for three days. A short story by Kelley Armstrong That means you can also safely surveil your mutt quarry Portage and Main fifty below. The BTO lyric kept running from three blocks away. through my head as I stood on that very corner, known as As the lone figure strolled along the sidewalk, women the coldest intersection in Canada. Tonight, it was living up slipped from the shadows. Dressed in ratty fur coats and to its reputation. short skirts over long bare legs, they tottered forward on Even in a fur coat, I was shivering. I’m not a big advo- stiletto heels, like deer leaving the safety of the trees after cate of fur garments, but this one wasn’t likely to get me in the wolf has passed. trouble with PETA. In fact, if they knew about it, I’m sure In this case, though, the wolf was what drew them out. they’d find a way to work it into a campaign.Wolves are people Your average werewolf makes an attractive john. Delayed too… at least some of them… part of the time. aging keeps him young. A heightened metabolism keeps Of course, this particular subspecies — numbering only him active and physically fit. A sensitive nose keeps him a few hundred worldwide — was responsible for more clean and well-groomed. Even if the guy had Quasimodo’s deaths than the hundreds of thousands of real wolves, face, he was probably the best thing these girls had seen in so one could argue they should be exterminated. But that a month. wouldn’t make good ad-copy. As they clustered around him, he stopped to talk. Their I was on the trail of one of my murderous brethren right voices reached us as murmured words and laughter. now…or I would be, once my nose defrosted enough to Clay bumped my flank, then jerked his muzzle to the find his trail. south. In wolf form, communication isn’t easy, but we’d I stood in the shadows between two office towers. The been together a long time — lovers, partners, mates — streets were deserted. It was Saturday night, and the smart so I knew he was suggesting I return to our clothing and Winnipeggers were hunkered down in their warm homes, Change back. If we had to rescue a girl, it would be easier enjoying the reliable spectacle of the Leafs attempting to if one of us was in human form. Not that Clay particularly play our national sport. cared about some anonymous victim, but I would. In this, Clay stood a few feet away at the mouth of the alley. Though too, we understood one another. the empty streets meant we ran little risk of being seen, it wouldn’t matter. We Changed into wolves, not Hollywood- style wolfmen. If seen, we’d be mistaken for dogs. Continued on page 22

January 14-17 21 Continued from page 21 sharp wrench and I broke the lock. The girl twisted to see Clay snarling through the windshield. She screamed. The By the time I finished, I was worried the mutt would man did some shrieking of his own before shoving the girl have already culled his prey from the herd, so I ran back. off and reaching for the ignition. There’d been no need to rush, though. He was still chatting From the passenger seat, I waggled the car keys. He up the hookers. As I crouched in the shadows, Clay moved stared, wondering how I got there, then yanked open the beside me, fur tickling my cheek, body shielding me from driver’s door. The girl scrambled over him, kicking and the wind’s icy blast. clawing her way out first. Clay leapt off the hood and into In this form, it was easier to understand human speech. the man’s path. And retaining a wolf ’s sharper hearing meant I could pick He could have taken the man down there, but killing him up snatches of the distant conversation. The mutt just wasn’t the goal. We weren’t vigilantes. As I watched the girl seemed to be chatting the girls up, as if he knew them. A crawling away, battered and crying, and thought of the oth- regular, I guessed, but when they teased and cajoled and ers he’d killed, and I could have happily treated him to the offered him “deep discounts,” he only laughed. same fate. But the Law was clear — only kill humans if they Then, abruptly, he said good-bye and he walked on are a direct threat. In this, Clay was the one who acted as a alone. The reason for his speedy departure? An approach- check on my worst instincts. ing car. Clay tore after the man. Just because we couldn’t kill him The mutt swung onto a side-road. The car slowed for a didn’t mean we’d let him go. We’d take him down, grab his lone girl farther down, and she got in. As it rolled away, I ID, turn his name over the police and hope they did some- waited for the mutt to return. Then I caught the thump of thing about it. running footsteps…heading the other way. As I raced down the alley, a figure dropped from the fire We followed for three blocks, certain we’d lost our chance escape and landed in my path with a pained grunt, one to catch him in the act. If we didn’t, Clay would be happy to knee buckling. It was the mutt. As my fists flew up, he lifted kill him anyway. To him, a mutt was a mutt, and if he wasn’t his hands and backed off. causing trouble now, he would eventually. But that’s why our “We’re on the same side,” he said, through teeth gritted Alpha put me in charge. I understood that there were de- in pain. “Some hero I am, getting spooked like that. Did cent mutts, those who just didn’t choose to join the Pack. you get that bastard?” Without proof, we’d have to stay longer and dig some “We’re working on it.” up. We’d already been here four days just trying to find the “Good. Just tell me what I can do.” He took a step and mutt, and were ready to get home to our kids. faltered. “On second thought…” We followed the mutt to an empty lot guarded by build- “Wait here, in case he circles back.” ings, a private spot littered with used condoms. And there, parked in the shadows, was the car we’d just seen pick up By the time I caught up with Clay, our prey had gone to the girl. ground, which was fine, because the den he’d chosen was “He waits for a john to bring a girl here, then nabs her his own apartment, where he felt he’d safely escaped the after the guy takes off,” I whispered. “That way, no one can crazy dog chasing him. Taking his ID might have scared link him to the missing girl. Smart.” him into skipping town. This way, we could return and case Clay snorted. “Smart” wasn’t a word he’d use for mutts. his place for proof to give the cops. It still didn’t guarantee We watched as the girl climbed onto the driver’s lap. I justice, but it would do. was about to suggest we get into position, surrounding the While I followed his scent to the apartment door, Clay mutt, when a whump and a strangled cry made me jump. I took off to Change back, returning as I stepped from the looked over to see the prostitute flailing in the car, the john’s building. hands around her throat, choking her as she battered the “Where’s the mutt?” he asked. window. “Seems he was hunting the hunter,” I said. “We spooked “Shit! Where’s — ?” him and he twisted his ankle.” I spun to where the mutt had been. His hiding spot was “So he’s still there? With the girl?” empty. “Yes. Why?” Clay sailed past me. As I followed, I caught a movement One look at his expression and I broke into a run. on the lowest rooftop. It was the mutt, seeing us and stum- bling back from the edge. We found the mutt still in the lot, rifling through the car’s Clay ran full-tilt toward the car, leapt and landed on the glove box. As we approached, he backed out. roof with a crack. I was already at the passenger door. One

22 Arisia 2011 “Stolen, like I figured. He used a different car every time, so the girls wouldn’t make him.” “Where is she?” I asked, striding over. (773@56> He cocked his head to listen. “Back with her friends, it sounds like, trying to decide whether to call the cops and leaning toward ‘no.’ ” He was right. I could hear the girl, and hear her friends urging her not to report it. Why bother if she was safe? And this story about being rescued by a blond chick and a huge dog? What the hell was she on, anyway? I glanced at Clay, expecting a shrug of “okay, I was wrong,” but he kept studying the mutt, making him shrink back. :JPLUJL-PJ[PVU -HU[HZ` “So I guess we should thank you,” Clay said, his drawl >YP[LYZ»>VYRZOVW stealing the sarcastic snap from his words. “Hey, I’m happy to help the Pack. Maybe you guys can do the same for me sometime.” He caught Clay’s look and hurried on. “Not that you’d need to. I’m just doing my part, finding a worthy outlet for that…” Study with “Killer instinct?” I said. “Exactly.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “So I Award-winning guess you guys will be leaving town now…?” Authors “Soon. And you?” A noncommittal shrug. “No reason to,” Clay said. “Now that you’ve taken out the 5PUH2PYPRP/VMMTHU competition and earned yourself brownie points with the 1VOU:JHSaP Pack, instead of the shallow grave you were heading for.” “Wha— ?” ,SPaHIL[O)LHY “You didn’t throw out your jacket after you disposed of your last victim. I can smell her blood on it.” +H]PK(U[OVU`+\YOHT The mutt’s mouth opened, as if to argue. Then he 1VOU2LZZLS wheeled and ran. 2PQ1VOUZVU We stood outside the mutt’s motel, watching his silhouette as he frantically packed, convinced he’d lost us. Killing him in his room would be messy, but once he came out we’d find a spot and finish this. 1\UL(\N\Z[ “There was no blood on his jacket,” I said. “Your nose is frozen, darling. Or maybe you’re just losing your touch.” I jostled him hard. He grabbed me around the waist and KL[HPSZH[ headed for the nearest snow bank. When I struggled, he O[[W!JSHYPVU\JZKLK\ said, “What are the magic words?” I kept struggling until he had me suspended over the (WWSPJH[PVUKLHKSPUL snow, the cold making my eyes water. “You were right, okay?” I said. “You were right. I was 4HYJO wrong.” He set me down. “Wasn’t that easy?” “Sure, because it happens rarely enough that I don’t mind admitting it.” He laughed, scooped me up and pitched me into the snow bank. :,,@6<05

January 14-17 :(5+0,.6 23 Fan Guest of Honor: René Walling René Walling is a fan of SF, anima- came the Canadian agent for the New tion, and comics. Zealand in 2020 Worldcon bid. This has, in general, gotten him in René also enjoys introducing fellow trouble. Case in point: at Noreascon 4, fans or potential fans to the sf he likes. while discussing Canadian Worldcons, That impulse to share, as well as to René asked a rhetorical question (or support Canadian sf authors, is what so he thought): “When do you think motivated him to try his hand at pub- the next Canadian Worldcon will lishing. In 2009, he founded a pub- be?” The next thing he knew, he was lishing house, Nanopress, whose third chairing a Worldcon bid for Montréal book, Burning Days — a collection of in 2009. The bid won and he ended short stories by Glenn Grant — is be- up co-chairing Anticipation with fel- ing launched at Arisia this weekend. low fan Robbie Bourget. So, after But he doesn’t just like books. Like three years of bidding and two years many fans, he enjoys watching mov- of organizing, he had his answer. The ies and TV shows, but he is particu- consensus among his friends is that larly fond of animation in all its forms. most people would have chosen an His love of animation has led him to easier way to get an answer to their study Film Animation at Concordia question. University. This in turn led to his in- Photo: Glenn Grant But you don’t get in that much trou- volvement with fps magazine, where ble all at once, René has been involved he started doing layouts, edited a ing Saturday Morning Cartoons) for in Canadian conventions for two de- few issues of the print magazine and Tor.com. He is also the Bureau Head cades, including Con•Cept, Torcon 3, eventually was a regular blogger, writ- for Francophone SF in Canada for Due North (the 2005 Westercon), ing about animation for eight years. The Portal (sffportal.net), an online Otakuthon, several Worldcons and Lately he’s been blogging about review of short-form genre fiction even this Arisia! Most recently, he be- comics and animation (and suggest- from around the world.

Fan GoH: a Renoir I roped him into the committee for Con•cept, which he chaired a few years later. Since then, we’ve worked on con- I first met René at Ad Astra, a convention in Toronto, in ventions, including the occasional Arisia, a Worldcon bid 1990. I was participating in the lightning costume competi- and several Worldcons. We’ve also run lots of parties. This tion, where we were given a bunch of random crafts materi- makes him one of a low number of people with whom I als and an hour or so to create entries for the masquerade. I have conspired to smuggle Montréal smoked meat into the had a gangling, blonde partner in this, so we were making a USA. Spaceman Spiff costume, complete with sparkly sun-glass- Trained as an animator, he was a long-time collaborator es and singlet and a rictus grin. I was trying to figure out and editor of fps, a magazine of animation. In 1996, he how to represent Hobbes and the best idea that I had was to was the Canadian Unity Fan Fund (CUFF) delegate to the draw a cartoon tiger on a bright orange air mattress. Canvention, in Calgary (CUFF is like TAFF or DUFF but I am no great artist but I had seen someone wearing colder and more polite, eh). More recently, René started a a Calvin and Hobbes t-shirt out in the con, so I went in small SF&F publishing company, Nanopress. Among other search. I asked around and spent way too much of my things, he is a successful artist and an accomplished father available time chasing from one place that he’d just been to (or maybe the other way around). He also ’blogs for Tor. the next, without success. Dejected, I returned to my lonely com. artist’s garret and sketched an outline and some stripes. One more thing about René: he wears a Tilley hat. Not René eventually heard that a big, hairy costumer was look- necessarily far out of the ordinary in fandom but you can ing for him but he had changed to another shirt. Not every- use this photo to help you pick him out of the crowd of one would go back and put on the shirt again but René did people who have gathered around him. and there he was, seeking out his weirdo stalker. By the time — Eugene Heller he found me, the costume had already won its category.

24 Arisia 2011 My neighbour, René Walling feel heard and welcome. I have seen him treat teenagers with the same respect he treats well-known authors with We met in Boston, though he lives next door highly lucrative careers. In fact, I have seen him prefer the And that’s fandom for you, people who meet company of young fans who are “n00bs” to the company Because we like to talk of what we read of said well-known authors or BNFs. He has an eye toward And find our friends in cons, not in the street. the long-term implications of his decisions and actions, and that engenders a tremendous amount of respect from me. But next door has advantages, you know, I trust him to be a good person and a good friend, and René makes a good neighbour, as you’d guess I’m really glad to know him. I would be really sad if he He lends me chairs, I lend him teapots, books wasn’t able to come to Arisia this year, so I’m really glad Pass to and fro in both directions, yes. that I’m able to help make it happen. — Crystal Huff And though he’s often busy, being dad, and publisher, and artist, Worldcon chair I first consciously met René Walling at 2004’s Montréal- He makes the time to help, and when I need based Boréal Convention: Julie Martel introduced us, and A friend near by to talk to, he is there. had to spell out that I could speak to René in French. The — Jo Walton next few years became a blur of René-precipitated adventures in the strangest places, from impressing Calgarian Life is funny. And cool. And weird. If it wasn’t for the young ladies with our French-Canadian charme (is it the Brownian motion of fandom, I wouldn’t have met half the beard or the accents?), smuggling alcohol past American funny, cool or weird people I know now. And thanks to that customs for Anticipation’s Los Angeles party, or presenting random walk, I met René. the innate perversions of French SF cinema to Melbour- You know how sometimes you meet someone, and you nian innocents. just hit it off ? Well, that’s what happened when I met René. Considering his mild demeanour despite everything he’s Mind you, I was hip deep in being coerced into a world gone through during the time we’ve known each other (ask con bid. So the fact that he rocked on up with a laptop, him about his worst flight(s) back home), René overshot beard, hat and smile* and offered to design a logo and cre- SMOFhood a while ago and ended up in zenhood. My ate publicity material might have something to do with it. pet theory is that he lives to organize parties at conventions. You know, comradeship in the trenches. How else to explain why, after successfully co-chairing Even though our friendship is only a few months old as I a Worldcon, he would anti-gafiate with a vengeance and write this, I do consider him a friend. Someone I can go to (among so many other things) found Nanopress? for con running advice, for help. Probably even to cry on a — Christian Sauvé shoulder. Who knows what the future will bring, but it’s just that bit brighter knowing René is there as well. I’m not sure if it was the first time I actually met René, Life is funny. And cool. And weird. Just like fandom. but I do know that it was his first convention, Ad Astra, And, you know, René. 1990, and that the guest of honour was Terry Pratchett. I - Norman Cates * And clothes. For those of you wondering. Seriously, what were you thinking? also know that at somewhere between gawdawful late on Saturday night and gawdawful early on Sunday morning, Why I chose René to be my FanGoH is less interesting than the convention hotel’s fire alarm went off and in no time at how fantastically happy I am now that he is my FanGoH. all, the hotel’s garden atrium was filled with assorted grog- I chose him to be my FanGoH because I saw how much gy, grumpy fen in their nightclothes. Perhaps one of the hard work he was putting into Anticipation, how deliber- most memorable figures was Mr. Pratchett himself, who as ately he tried to make everyone (including me, a relative I recall was dressed in a fuzzy bathrobe, a jaunty explorer’s newbie on the con scene) feel welcome and comfortable, hat, and had his laptop tucked under one arm and what and how he encouraged participation at meetings from ev- looked suspiciously like a banana daiquiri in the opposite eryone. He was also, quite frankly, the only person I knew hand. Of that night, he later wrote something along the who lived far away (for some definition of “far”) and was a lines of, “You can tell a lot about a person from what they “big name fan”. bring with them during a late night fire alarm.” I’d always I have been ecstatic to have him on board since getting thought he’d been speaking of himself, but later found out to know him better, however. The better I get to know him, that the reference was actually to René, who he’d spotted in the happier I am to have him as my FanGoH. I have seen his pajamas, holding a favorite teddy bear. him work hard to make younger fans and less popular fans — John Zed

January 14-17 25 26 Arisia 2011 Webcomic Guest of Honor: Shaenon Garrity Shaenon K. Garrity is best known as a writer and artist of webcomics, including Narbonic, Skin Horse, Li’l Mell, Smithson, and Trunktown. She has also written and drawn various print comics, including work published in The Marvel Holiday Special, Broad Appeal, Secrets and Lies, and I Saw You: Comics Inspired by Real-Life Missed Connections. She won the 2004 Websnark Short- bread Award for Best Webcomic, the 2005 Lulu of the Year from Friends of Lulu, and the 2007 Stumptown Trophy Award for Outstanding Small Press, and Narbonic was cited as one of the best comics of 2006 by The Comics Journal. In addition to making her own comics, Garrity writes extensively on the comics medium for The Comics Journal, Otaku USA, About.com, and Comixology.com, among other places. She contributed to the Eisner Award- nominated Manga: The Complete Guide and The Hundred Greatest Looney Tunes. Most recently, she published her first prose fiction for the anthologyMachine of Death: Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die. Her story is “Prison Knife Fight.” Because none of this actually makes any money, she works as a manga editor for Viz Media, overseeing such series as Naruto, One Piece, Case Closed, Knights of the Zodiac, and Kingyo Used Books. She lives in Berkeley with her husband, Cartoon Art Museum curator Andrew Farago, and their cat Tesla.

January 14-17 27 We’re All Mad Here (Especially That Guy Over There With the Extra Head): An Appreciation of Shaenon Garrity There are people who change the or two of Nature’s peskier laws). The talking dogs. Also sentient swarms world through politics, scientific dis- strip spanned years, getting better all of bees. Have I mentioned yet that covery, great literature, or revolution- the time, and even got something very Shaenon is very strange sometimes? ary philosophical thought. Then there few webcomics receive: a worthy con- Shaenon is friendly, funny, talented, are the people who change the world clusion. bizarre, and all-around wonderful in with mutagenic compounds, giant la- the way that only a woman who grew sers, weird machines that make beep- up on classic literature and comic ing noises right before they explode, books before getting shipped or fascinatingly off to Vassar for a complicated twisted comic education can possibly be. strips about all Her passion for mad science of the above is outweighed only by her (plus gerbils and passion for things that make talking animals in little absolutely no sense, like talk- goggles). Guess which cat- ing cobras that want to hug egory Shaenon falls into? you, or giant robotic feet with Gosh, you’re a good guesser. personal identity issues. Shaenon Garrity is the sort of per- And she’s just an awe- son it’s easy to appreciate, in part be- some person! Supportive, cause of the whole “if I don’t appreci- helpful, entertaining, and ate her, I might wake up tomorrow with totally willing to help you a whole different phenotype” thing, figure out how to intro- but really because she’s just so much duce nanobot-enhanced fun. I first met her at an Alternate parasites into the water Press Expo in San Francisco, pressing supply. paper dolls and sample strips for her If, uh. You wanted to do new comic, a mad science romp titled that, or anything. Narbonic, on anyone who slowed down So you’re very lucky, long enough to get caught in her grav- Arisia; you’re getting itational pull. She was enthusiastic to the opportunity to the point of becoming impossible to meet Shaenon “The resist, which was a really good thing, Destroyer” Garrity. because who in their right mind would I recommend sacri- want to? fices and offerings to as- Many of Shaenon’s fans discov- suage her wrath. Or, you ered her work through Narbonic, which know. Smiling and waving. managed to transition, with beauti- Whatever works for you. And ful grace, from nothing but straight read her comics! They’re worth mad science wackiness to something it in a way that very few things involv- sweet and rich and powerful, a ro- It seemed like Shaenon couldn’t ing talking dogs and robot armies are, mance that spanned life, death, and a possibly top Narbonic…and then she and that’s saying something. bunch of other things that romances teamed up with Jeff Wells to create Shaenon Garrity, you have been don’t usually get to span unless they’re Skin Horse, the story of a shadow gov- appreciated. And really, you still are. very, very lucky (and one of the par- ernment populated with transgenic — Seanan McGuire ties involved believes in breaking one social workers, mad scientists, and

28 Arisia 2011 January 14-17 29 Artist Guest of Honor: Josh Simpson Josh Simpson: Glass Artist oceans, skies, continents, civilizations, I was enchanted by a talk that Josh satellites and space ships also speaks to gave at the Glass Art Society confer- Josh Simpson is a self-taught glass art- me as a visual artist and lifelong fan of ence in 2009. It was about methods of ist. His work is inspired by nature and science fiction. testing glass formulas for compatibil- by his curiosity and sense of wonder. In 1976, inspired by marbles he ity. Not only was the talk interesting As a collector and glass artist, I have discovered in the soil outside his kitch- and useful, but I was delighted to dis- long admired his work. I appreciate en, Josh began hiding his glass plan- cover that Josh has a nerdy side! the beauty of the work itself, Josh’s ets in unexpected places. Since then, Josh is widely known, and not just technical knowledge of glass and glass over 1700 planets have been hidden by glass collectors. His work is beauti- making, his imagination and his sense around the world. Some of them are ful, thought provoking and accessible. of humor. found the same day; others may re- I encourage you to visit the art show Josh’s work is a seductive, alchemic main hidden for centuries. Perhaps to experience it first hand. Josh also mixture of art, science and technol- some will never be found. These plan- happens to be an entertaining, engag- ogy. There is much to discover in it. ets are signed only with the infinity ing speaker, so I recommend taking One of my favorite things about it is symbol. With these “Infinity Project” advantage of the opportunity to hear the element of surprise, of obfuscat- planets, Josh hopes to perplex future him speak. ed details that might go unobserved. archaeologists. -Michelle McGuire The imagery that suggests galaxies,

30 Arisia 2011 January 14-17 31 32 Arisia 2011 Photo: Scott Lefton

January 14-17 33 Special Guest: Seanan McGuire Seanan McGuire was born in Marti- nez, California, and raised in a wide variety of locations, most of which boasted some sort of dangerous native wildlife. Despite her almost mag- netic attraction to anything venomous, she somehow managed to survive long enough to acquire a typewriter, a reasonable grasp of the English language, and the desire to combine the two. The fact that she wasn’t killed for using her typewriter at three o’clock in the morning is probably more impressive than her lack of death by spider- bite. Her upbringing left her with a love of rattlesnakes and a deep fear of weather, which explains a lot. Often described as a vortex of the surreal, many of Seanan’s personal anecdotes end with things like “and then we got the anti-venom” or “but it’s okay, because it turned out the water wasn’t all that deep.” She has yet to be defeated in a game of “Who here was bitten by the strangest thing?,” and can be amused for hours by just about anything. “Just about anything”

includes swamps, long walks, long Photo: Beckett Gladney walks in swamps, things that live in and she was a 2010 Universe Author Alice, and Thomas, a vast collec- swamps, horror movies, strange nois- for The Edge of Propinquity. tion of plush things and horror mov- es, musical theater, reality television, In her spare time, Seanan writes ies, and sufficient books to officially comic books, finding pennies on the and records original music. She has qualify her as a fire hazard. She has street, and venomous reptiles. Seanan three CDs currently available. She is strongly-held and oft-expressed beliefs may be the only person on the planet also a cartoonist, and draws an irregu- about the origins of the Black Death, who admits to using Kenneth Muir’s larly posted autobiographical web the X-Men, and the need for chain- Horror Films of the 1980s as a check- comic, “With Friends Like These…”, saws in daily life. list. as well as generating a truly ridiculous Years of writing blurbs for conven- Seanan is the author of the October number of art cards. Surprisingly tion program books have firmly fixed Daye series of urban fantasies, the first enough, she finds time to take multi- Seanan in the habit of writing all her seven of which have been purchased hour walks, blog regularly, watch a bios in the third person, so as to sound by DAW Books; the InCryptid series of sickening amount of television, main- marginally less dorky. Stress is on the urban fantasies, the first two of which tain her website, and go to pretty “marginally.” It probably doesn’t help have been purchased by DAW Books; much any movie that has the words that she has so many hobbies. and the Newsflesh trilogy, published by “blood,” “night,” “terror,” or “attack” Seanan was the winner of the 2010 Orbit under the pseudonym “Mira in the title. Most people believe that John W. Campbell Award for Best Grant.” She’s working on several other she doesn’t sleep. New Writer, and her novel Feed was books, just to make sure she never runs Seanan lives in a creaky old farm- named as one of Publishers Weekly’s out of things to edit. Her short fiction house in Northern California, which Best Books of 2010. has appeared in multiple anthologies, she shares with her three cats, Lilly,

34 Arisia 2011 Special Guest: Seanan McGuire Program Participants Award-winning author Danielle Ackley- find in the limited libraries available in Eu- She firmly believes that anyone can write a McPhail has worked both sides of the rope for English language SF. Despite all of song and explore their geeky side at the same publishing industry for over fifteen years. that, it took him way too many years to find time. Her works include the urban fantasies, Yes- the rest of organized fandom. He firmly be- Lisa Ashton is a Master-level costumer from terday’s Dreams, Tomorrow’s Memories, and The lieves in the power of human thinking to get Maryland. She has won Best in Show in the Halfling’s Court: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale. She has us through crises — he just wishes we’d use Arisia Masquerade in the past with “Home edited the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, some of it to avoid crises instead. He can- Improvement”, “The Standing Stone” (with and No Longer Dreams, and has contributed to not wait for the autodoc, so he can stop be- Diane Seiler), and “Mary Gothins-Perfectly numerous other anthologies and collections, ing a doctor-because what he really wants to Evil”. Last year’s entry was “Victorian La- including Dark Furies, Breach the Hull, So It do is direct. All other aspects of science are dy’s Hunting Costume”. She lives for cos- Begins, Space Pirates, Barbarians at the Jumpgate, just as fascinating, and he’s fully prepared to tuming, beads and hunting, and in mundane and New Blood. expound on the scientific method, the uses life is an Emergency PA. Current interests She is a member of The Garden State and limits of statistics, and why most people include collecting Victorian photo cards and Horror Writers and Broad Universe, a writ- aren’t able to adequately judge scientific is- researching clothing of the period. She was er’s organization focusing on promoting the sues, even though it just isn’t that hard. also last fall’s Fan GoH at Albacon, and is works of women authors in the speculative Taken broadly, Erik Amundsen has had Programming Director for CC29 in NJ and genres. an interesting life; he’s been a baker, an itin- CC30 in Phoenix. Danielle lives somewhere in New Jersey erant schoolteacher, worked for two govern- with husband and fellow writer, Mike Steve Balzac is the author of The 36-Hour ments and gotten in bar fights overseas. He Course in Organizational Development, published McPhail, mother-in-law Teresa, and three now lives at the foot of a cemetery in cen- extremely spoiled cats. She can be found on by McGraw-Hill. He has also been pub- tral Connecticut where he writes nasty little lished in numerous magazines, including a LiveJournal (damcphail), Facebook (Danielle stories and poems that shuffle around in the Ackley-McPhail), and Twitter (DMcPhail). science article on the psychology of culture night when he’s not looking. Or at least he in Analog Science Fiction. When he’s not writ- To learn more about her work, visit www. hopes it’s them; something’s got to be mak- sidhenadaire.com. ing, Steve is a management consultant and ing those noises and it’s not the furnace. A speaker. He is the president of 7 Steps Ahead Martha Adams at age 79 realizes some few of them have made it to Weird Tales, Fan- (www.7stepsahead.com), and the founder of successes are not survivable, and retirement tasy Magazine, Goblin Fruit, Three Crows Press the MIT Assassins’ Guild and SIL West. He is one of these. She is developing a large Web and Cabinet des Fees. uses LARPs as a tool for training business page, named Adra, at www.mhada.info. The Brian Anderson has been building cos- leaders in negotiation and leadership skills. Web work is mostly text. Its topic is settle- tumes since he was a little kid. The only ments in space. From time to time she brings E. J. Barnes is a cartoonist and comic- things that have really changed are his access book artist, having seen publication in Fortean up the Venice Beach camera in her comput- to power tools and credit cards. er to look at its image while wondering what Times, Funny Times, The Journal of Irreproduc- she is doing here in Boston with the Winter Michael Anderson is a First Amendment ible Results, and Gauntlet. Her comic books are coming on… lawyer. After he takes off his tie, he talks to sold across the country. She teaches Basic audiences in ways they don’t allow in fed- Cartooning at the Cambridge Center for Dawn Albright is involved in many differ- eral court. He started in the San Francisco Adult Education. ent areas of fandom. She’s written short sto- spoken word scene in 1990. He performed Matthew Barr lives in NY, and want to ries, edited anthologies, (New Altars and Vision in slacker coffeehouses and actual grownup Quest). She is also a dollmaker and costumer. thank his staff for making this year really venues. In 1999, he moved to Boston, where work. They deserve the real thanks for this Her most recent project is a web journal he brought his manic, political style to sto- called Polu Texni which can be found at www. year’s new hotel and all the tech. And thanks, rytelling. He wrote and performed Free-Style Terri, for all the time this takes. polutexni.com. Shakespeare (2003) and Soccer Nightmares, Soccer Mark Amidon first read Isaac Asimov’s Dreams (2007) at Jimmy Tingle’s Off-Broad- Howard Beatman has been interested “Nightfall” in 1971, and has been heavily way Theater. in comic books since 1959, science fiction involved in science fiction ever since. He has Next to his wife and son, he loves the es- since 1966, and has been going to conven- been attending Arisia since 1991, and with says of George Orwell, the Queen’s Gambit tions since 1974. He has attended all the his wife since 1992. He works as a software attack in chess, and the first two Clash al- Arisias and took his nephew to Arisia for engineer now designing and programming bums. four straight years — the next generation of robots, which is well ahead of the schedule He thinks: there’s no such thing as free nerds is well in hand! that Dr. Asimov foresaw. Both of his daugh- speech if you don’t use it. Jessica Belisle: Sci-Fi/Sword & Sorcery ters read genre fiction. His cats remain Rebecca Angel is a singer/songwriter Geek, garb maven, cosplayer, Haute Cou- aloof. with themes of fantasy, anime, and what- ture intermediate, Shutterbug, Poet, pub- Thomas A. Amoroso, MD, MPH is a ever strikes her fancy. Living in Albany, NY, lished online writer, beginner gamer, and practicing emergency physician, a health she has performed around the northeast proud studier of things that make it difficult policy analyst, and has been a fan of fan- with raw emotion, and storytelling music. for her to sleep at night. Pagan à la Carte; a tasy and science fiction since his junior high Rebecca also teaches songwriting, and en- Student of Life and Mortuary Science. Was librarian pointed him to Harry Harrison courages topics that explore the fantastic: delighted to win a Hall Costume Award her after he found Andre Norton on his own. ex-boyfriends as wizards, falling in love with first year at Arisia. After that, he devoured everything he could an anime character, or a Viking scientist...

January 14-17 35 Bendy Yoga Girl has been teaching and terests include western martial arts, historical people and corporations prepare for disaster training groups and individuals for almost re-enactment, and flinching whenever a “re- has been well received. Thomas loves roam- 30 years. She has extensive experience with imagined” movie/ TV show is announced. ing the tubes of the interwebs. body/mind disciplines including several His current project is running a Bronze Age/ John Bowker’s stories have appeared in forms of meditation and yoga, as well as cog- Fantasy GURPS Campaign for his daughter several anthologies and magazines. He is an nitive therapeutic techniques, all of which and her friends, which is rapidly spiraling out associate editor at the online magazine www. she has studied for decades. of control. ideomancer.com She created the first internal training pro- blee has signed up for enough different types gram for the search engine that rhymes with Bridget Joyce Boyle has held many posi- of panels that having one bio is kind of silly, tions from div. head up to gopher at many Taboo! and has worked professionally as an because it reads like this: blee is a [bi] [poly] instructional designer, sexpert, Goddess of cons. She instructed Computer Literacy and [kinky] guy [who has extensive experience Graphics Programs. She avidly supports ontology, teacher, trainer, business process with both theater-style and boffer LARPs] engineer, information architect, visual artist, sexual orientation equality for all people. As [and] [who is very excited to be pursuing a a transplanted Philadelphian, she makes her writer, dancer, singer and musician. master’s degree in library science]. Please Currently based in Boston, Bendy Yoga home in Merrimack, NH. With her husband cross off any parts of this bio which are not Alex Latzko, she fights the graying of fan- Girl co-founded MAsTMass, runs The relevant to your interests. Submissives’ Round Table, is the Speaker dom the old fashion way by reproduction Liaison for NELA’s programming team, vol- Wolverine Bloodthorn is a 15+ year Ari- resulting in Aileen(5) and Saoirse(3) and unteers with the NCSF, and is an activist for sia dweller living near Boston MA. Back in Caoimhe(3). She enjoys her first, second and personal freedom. the Park Plaza era he used to help out in the third lives immensely. Bendy presents on a wide variety of top- Security department. He fell in love with the Anna R Bradley is a gamer, a LARPer, a ics, including bottoming, communication/ne- Drum Circle, so much so, that last year and costumer and a volunteering junkie. gotiation, sexuality, yoga and meditation for this year he is co-running it with 2 friends on Friday night! A native of MA, Cheryl Braverman has kinksters, body language, and energy play. been attending cons for over 25 years in mul- Lex Berman is editor of the Science Fic- Michael Bonet is one of the hosts of the tiple states and countries. She’s also been in- tion Artists Database at www.yunchtime.net, Ninja vs Pirates Podcast, one of the designers volved with the Rocky Horror Picture Show for and spends his time researching SF fandom, of Ninja vs Pirates the card game, and Shenani- as many years, experiencing it not only from beatniks, Russian futurism, agit-prop, tea, gans the card game (as well as Hammers, Lasers, an audience member’s perspective, but also and historical rebellions. He started contrib- Mirrors) and currently a graduate student to as a participant. Most recently as a member uting to fanzines in the 1970’s, spent the 80’s become an English teacher. of the Rocky Horror Internet Show. practicing various forms of mysticism and Aimee Bouchard is a bi, poly, kinky, geeky, Legally disabled, she hopes she can im- alcoholism in the mountains and deserts of hippie, girly sort of gal. As a solo attorney part some knowledge and perspective to America, and the 90’s moved to Asia to seek practicing in Western MA she focuses on those dealing with managing their health the secrets of the Orient. After his mysteri- child welfare and domestic relations, and problems, while participating in fandom. She ous reappearance in Boston several years has published on same-sex estate planning. can be seen around Arisia volunteering as a ago, Lex has been compiling digital samples Her interests include protecting and creat- Heinlein Society “Naughty Nurse.” and indexes of Science Fiction and Fantasy ing rights for polyamorous relationships, the Adrianne Brennan stumbled into her love artists for sharing with other fen. legalities of Kink and BDSM, and GLBT of writing by accident at the age of ten with Steve Berman has been a finalist for the rights. Aimee lives in Springfield where she a creative writing assignment for her science Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Sci- is on the board of the Western Mass Power class. The end result was a science fiction ence Fiction and Fantasy (Vintage, a Ghost Exchange, is an avid geocacher, and lives in comedy featuring numerous puns regarding Story), the Golden Crown Literary Award a large poly, co-housing home. vegetables. (as editor of So Fey), and multiple times for Having spent eighteen years in the Boy Adrianne’s works were previously pub- the Lambda Literary Award (as editor of Scouts and five years in the Navy Thomas lished through Aphrodite’s Apples Press and Charmed Lives and Wilde Stories). He regularly Boutilier was fairly certain he would be un- are now published through Freya’s Bower speaks around the country on queer issues in prepared for anything life was going to hurl and Love You Divine, and contracted with young adult literature. He has a gay vampire at him, so he commenced a vigorous course Running Press and Torquere Press. In ad- story in the forthcoming anthology Teeth (ed. of self-education reading books, examining dition, she is a member of EPIC, Infinite by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling). and studying anything he could get his hands Worlds of Fantasy Authors, the Midnight Abby Blachly is LibraryThing’s first em- on, which lead to Thomas having a tendency Seductions Authors group, and is an alumnus ployee and head librarian and runs Li- to keep all books for future reference, large member of Kappa Gamma Psi, a co-ed na- braryThing for Libraries. She got her MS areas in his admittedly small apartment tional professional performing arts fraternity. in Library and Information Science and her are overflowing with double-stacked, -over The author resides in Boston, MA with MA in History from Simmons College. Abby stacked and teetering piles of books. When two cats and a car she has aptly named “the worked with Tim Spalding at Houghton not reading books, Thomas often spent time TARDIS.” She assures her readers that peo- Mifflin, before becoming an archivist and in the wilderness learning what works and ple tell her it looks bigger on the inside. then later a corporate indexer/cataloger. what doesn’t, ie. don’t take a tent into the Peter Breton has been attending Arisia off woods if you are unsure of its waterproof- and on since the mid-90s. He is a software A native of Phoenix, AZ who long ago decid- ing because it WILL rain. Thomas has de- ed he preferred actual seasons in Boston, W. engineer who lives in Arlington with his wife, veloped a system of kits to prepare himself daughter and son. “Ian” Blanton has been spending the last for that OH CRAP! moment. While mod- decade or so focusing on homeschooling his erately successful dodging his own personal Nat Budin co-founded Alleged Entertain- daughter while being gainfully employed as disasters, Thomas’s assistance helping other ment in 2003 and has written and run over a Macintosh consultant. His previous life in-

36 Arisia 2011 a dozen LARPs with the group since then, astic follower of the transformative arts pur- of the X-Files. Her work has twice been nomi- including two award-winning games. He also sued by fandom. nated for the Stoker Award. Jeanne is direc- served as con chair of Intercon I in 2009, and Hugh Casey is a writer, blogger, actor, film- tor of Odyssey, widely considered one of the the first three Festival of the LARPs conven- maker, photographer, convention promoter, best workshops for writers of SF/F/H, held tions at Brandeis University. geek, and fan. He currently lives in King of each summer in Manchester, NH. (www. Liz Cademy Pfeffer is the CMO (Chief Prussia, PA. jeannecavelos.com) Maternal Officer) of the Pfeffer family: her- He is the founder of Parents Basement Aurora Celeste is a costume dabbler with self, one “mad engineer” husband and two Productions, and has produced, directed, more than 10 years’ experience. Her cos- high-energy kids. In a previous life, Liz sat written, and performed in two short films: tuming interests are all over, but her pas- in a small padded cubicle under a nameplate Teddy’s Big Escape, and Young Geeks In Love. sion is reproducing costumes, mostly sci-fi that said “Financial Analyst”. Now, she bills Both are on YouTube.com. and fantasy movies and tv shows, anime and herself as a professional polymath, doing Hugh has been a long-time fan of science manga, and Joseph Michael Linsner’s Dawn. things as diverse as designing and selling t- fiction, fantasy, and horror, and has been part She gives panels and enters masquerades shirts (as Cartesian Bear Industries), serving of fandom for many years. He has served all over the country, has won Best in Show as an informal advocate to the gifted AS/ as the president and vice-president of the at Costume Con 24, and is currently serv- NLD community, building furniture, lead- Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS), ing as Recording Secretary of the Interna- ing grade school kids on nature hikes, sew- as well as on it’s board of directors. He was tional Costumers’ Guild Board of Directors. ing and knitting (and designing patterns for chairman of the Society’s annual conference, Outside of costuming Aurora can often be both) and working at science fiction cons. Philcon, in 2003, and vice-chairman in 2002. seen running conventions. She has served D. Cameron Calkins has been active in He attends, and is often a panelist at, many as staff on many conventions, including the SF/F community since the early 1980’s. cons and events, such as Arisia, Balticon, and DragonCon in Atlanta, and a con head at He has been creating art in the genre and Wicked Faire. In 2010 he was the “Guest of Naka-Kon Anime Convention in Kan- displaying it at conventions since Noreascon Awesome” at 5 Pi-Con, in Enfield, CT. sas City. Visit her journal at auroraceleste. 3. He has won numerous awards, and been You can read his blog at: www.hughcasey. livejournal.com. published from time to time. His art ap- com, or you can check out his photography Dr. Chused is a physician at Weill Cornell peared most recently on the cover of Roberta at hughborg.deviantart.com. Medical Center in the Division of Hospital Rogow’s Root of the Matter. Cameron speaks Deborah Castellano has been demand- Medicine. She also works in data mining to on a variety of topics and is frequently in the ing culture for the masses since her Salon- evaluate efficiency and quality measures for company of Dagnir, his dragon. Con tenure starting in 2006. When she isn’t the Hospitalist Division. In her free time, she Calliope is a former English teacher and instigating mini revolutions, she is a freelance reads SF & F and fanfic, plays boardgames casual student of science fiction who blames and smut writer, crafter specializing in hand and computer games, debates medical ethics, Robert Heinlein for first introducing her to dyed & hand spun yarn, and blogging about and slaves away on the Arisia Dealers Row. open relationships. She enjoys balancing kitchen witchcraft & radical practicality Vikki Ciaffone has been writing badly a June Cleaver-esque love of cooking from (www.deborahmcastellano.com). since the age of five, and reading fairly well scratch and household management with a A geek and a fan from way back, Laurent since long before that. She is a fan of urban kinky/poly lifestyle all while holding down a Castelluci is a writer, an actor, a storyteller, fantasy, pulp and many other genres, over- job, taking classes and being involved in the a photographer, and a sometimes comedian. educated in literature, history and more, and larger community in ways she adores. As a A long history of telling stories in as many spent more years than was possibly good for former freshman English teacher, she has a forms as possible has only highlighted the her in theater. She loves coming to Arisia keen understanding of power dynamics! fact that the stories we tell ourselves can be as to catch up with old friends and make new Together with Darkteddybear, she has re- restricting as they are empowering. Change ones. Say hi! cently taught at numerous conferences and our stories, change the world. Stephanie Clarkson, sometimes called meetings, including Floating World, Western Ann Catelli is the current president of the thespian, has been attending Arisia since Mass Power Exchange and Conversio International Costumers Guild and a past 1992, and though she has lived in Toronto, Virium, and looks forward to the chance to officer of the local chapter, Northern Lights Rockville MD, Arlington VA, Raleigh NC, share new ideas and perspectives and hear Costumers Guild. She competes at the mas- and Atlanta GA, she always feels compelled those of others about the overlap of sexuality ter level in F&SF and Historic Masquerades, to get to Arisia. She now lives in the Boston and science fiction/fantasy. and plays with cloth, string, and dolls. area. A web developer, puppeteer & creator, David Camacho is frequently seen at con- Mary Catelli is a writer whose work has ap- journalist/copywriter and most recently ventions holding forth on his main interests peared in Sword and Sorceress anthologies and a bartender, she is free to hire or flirt with. in folklore, cartography, and cyborg theory/ Weird Tales. She lives in Connecticut, where stephanieclarkson.com post-humanism. He holds a BS in Anthro- she daylights as a computer programmer. A freelance writer for such entertainment pology from Vanderbilt University and is publications as The Hollywood Reporter, The currently working on my master’s degree Jeanne Cavelos began her professional career as an astrophysicist at NASA. Her love Los Angeles Times and Moving Pictures Maga- in Geographic Information Technology at zine, Randee Dawn Cohen recently had Northeastern University. of SF led her to earn her MFA in creative writing and move into publishing. She was her first zombie story published in the Well- Michela Carlson is a craftor of all things a senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell, Told Tales podcast, where she also serves as a cyber punk, futuristic, Victorian, horror, Sci- where she ran the SF/F/H programs and submissions editor. She was also a co-author fi, Fantasy and yes, steampunk. won the World Fantasy Award. Jeanne left (with Susan Green) of The Law & Order: SVU Vonnie Carts-Powell is a science writer, publishing to write. Her seven books include Unofficial Companion, which published in Sep- book author, SF enthusiast, and an enthusi- the best-selling Passing of the Techno-Mages tril- tember 2009. She will write for food. ogy, The Science of Star Wars, and The Science

January 14-17 37 Ian Condry is a cultural anthropologist Bulychev. Hopefully the (authorized) collec- Currently she is also illustrating a children’s who studies Japanese popular culture. He tion of Murray Leinster’s non-SF short fic- book. Look for Charlene’s artwork at most is associate professor in Foreign Languages tion he edited will be out by the time of the SciFi Con artshows. and Literatures at MIT. He likes the anime convention. Garen Daly has been in the dark for more Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei and Samurai Champloo, Katherine Crighton is the coauthor years than acceptable. First as an award win- and is hooked on the manga Terumae Romae. of Salt and Silver (Tor, May ’09), under the ning film booker & exhibitor then as a movie He is the author of Hip-Hop Japan (2006). His name Anna Katherine. Her day job is as a industry analyst & commentator. He is a reg- forthcoming book is The Soul of Anime to be production editor at a nonfiction publisher; ular contributor to WGBH, NH Public Radio, published in spring 2012. she is currently a Massachusetts local, with NE Cable News and several web sites, but is His work focuses on “globalization from her wife, daughter, housemate, and a pair of perhaps best known as the producer of The below,” that is, cultural forms that become cats. Boston Science Fiction Film Festival, now in transnational despite a relative absence of its 36th year, and co-producer for Terror- support from major corporations and gov- Susan Hanniford Crowley writes science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal ro- thon, a yearly exploration of horror film & ernments. He founded and organizes the live events. MIT Cool Japan (mitcooljapan.com) re- mance, is a member of SFWA and RWA, search project, which explores the cultural and an associate editor with Space and Time Loren Damewood has been creating in- connections, dangerous distortions, and magazine. Susan’s fantasy work appeared tricate decorative knots in precious metal critical potential of popular culture through in Sword & Sorceress anthologies. Her science for over 28 years, and recently retired from seminars, international conferences, and cul- fiction story “She Came to Sing” appeared a career in the aerospace industry (“Not ex- tural events. From 2009-10 he was Associate in Beyond Centauri magazine (Jan. 2009). In actly rocket science... more like rocket tech.”) Director of MIT’s Comparative Media addition, Susan is a member of the Futur- to teach workshops on his methods full time. Studies Program. Web: iancondry.com istic, Fantasy, and Paranormal chapter of He taught himself the techniques he uses, by the RWA. She is the founder of the Nights trial and error, and delights in helping others Tina Connell has been a sf reader for over of Passion blog and is the author of the to bypass the painful and tedious stages and 50 years, although she didn’t discover con- Vampires in Manhattan series. Her latest re- go right to the shiny stuff. ventions until 20 years later. She is mostly ac- lease, the fourth in the series is Vampire in tive in costume fandom, assisting backstage Carl Danielson is the co-writer/director the Basement. Tease Publishing LLC has also of 2010: Our Hideous Future: The Musical! The in the contestants’ Green Room, occasionally released her mythology romance Poseidon’s as a judge, and infrequently as a contestant. web series he wrote, The Way of the Warrior- Catch. Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room, her steampunk Bunny will appear at unreliable-narrator.com She has won costume awards at regional romance, has just been released. Susan will conventions, Worldcons and Costume-Cons, in spring/summer. He is the artistic director be reading and signing her vampire/super- of the Unreliable Narrator Theater Group. and competes as a Master. Her SF tastes are natural romance novel The Stormy Love Life of eclectic, although she is especially fond of Laura Cordelais at Arisia. Her website is www. Darkteddybear is an ordained minister alternate history. She and her husband also susanhannifordcrowley.com Her twitter and lifelong geek, who found his first theo- collect SF art, although their many bookcas- name is SHCrowley. Her Facebook name is logical insights from Star Wars, and first es limit the available wall space to display it. Susan Hanniford Crowley. learned the mental aspects of BDSM from Jerome Conner is a fan boy. He plays in David Bowie in Labyrinth. He has spent many Patricia M. Cryan is, by turns, a retailer years examining interconnections of sexual- just about any genre and loves it all. His pri- who never sleeps, a walking library of chil- mary fandoms are Science Fiction and Com- ity, religion, polyamory and kink, particularly dren’s literature, a fan of hard science, hard- in regard to science fiction and fantasy, and ic Books, which he got into at a young age. er science fiction, and literary horror tales, Jerome is a self-labeled “Sci-fi Geek”. He’s has taught previously in both kink and va- and a freelance editor who makes strong folk nilla settings, particularly on what it means been going to cons, of all sorts, since 1983 cry at regular intervals. and has helped run a number of sci-fi cons to be a feminist male kinkster. If left alone She serves as General Partner for Mike’s with a guitar, he is liable to break out into in New England. He’s been involved in Star Comics — www.mikescomics.com — a mail Trek Fandom, giving his time and energy to renditions of songs from Jonathon Coulton order and Internet company established in or the Whedonverse. that group on many levels over the past 20+ 1976, which carries audio dramas, science years. fiction and fantasy books and collectibles, in- Dash is an attorney, editor, linguist and so- He’s an award-winning Master-level cos- dependent comics titles, graphic novels and cial justice activist. She is the founder and ed- tumer and current head of Northern Lights: trade paperback comics collections, roleplay- itor-in-chief of Expanded Horizons, a monthly New England’s Costuming Association. ing game supplies, fantasy greeting cards, online speculative fiction magazine whose He’s seen at many of the local Comic Book and much, much more. She has been active mission is to increase diversity in speculative Conventions, where he’s known as “The in bookselling since 1987 and is a member fiction and to create a venue for the authen- Hawkeye Guy”. He’s also been involved in of The New England Children’s Bookselling tic expression of under-represented voices in the Anime scene, not just talking to costum- Advisory Council. Her efforts to establish a the genre. In all her work, she tries to use her ers about it, but enjoying the local cons and worldwide wholesale company devoted ex- skills, talents, sensitivities and awarenesses to has even helped behind the scenes at some. clusively to speculative fiction in print, audio, bring people together to prevent and solve Emily Coombs is both a scientist and and sequential art can be found at www.spi- problems and to promote social justice. She slightly mad, some days more than others. cadistribution.com. wants to fight the “fear of the other” with every tool at her disposal, and to show peo- John Costello has an MA in archaeology Charlene Taylor D’Alessio has been ple that there is nothing so esoteric as cannot and has dug in Kenya, Sardinia, PA, MA, a F&SF illustrator for over 30 years. She is also be completely normal. and NH. The sale of four stories (not since known for her exquisite painted ties, humor- repeated) got him SFWA membership; from ous fantasy paintings of cats, hamsters, drag- Rob Davies write stories about lobster girls the late 80’s onward he translated articles on ons, owls, and miniature astronomical pieces. and laser beams. Mimetic fiction is for wimps. Russian SF for Locus, and two books by Kir Her latest published piece is Merlin’s Dilemma. Raised on a steady diet of weird paperbacks,

38 Arisia 2011 Infocom games, and comic books, he has al- may often be found in musty library stacks In addition to being a con whore, Patrick ways wanted to be a writer (well, actually, he researching dance from the 16th to the early is also the voice of the fighter pilots in the first wanted to be a dinosaur, but that didn’t 20th century, which she teaches at workshops award-winning game Escape Velocity and its work out so well). When not writing, he likes and dance events across the United States. sequel, EV: Override. to travel around the world searching for the Susan also makes costumes and blogs about You should follow him on Twitter at twit- ideal pint of beer and the perfect bookstore. both dance history (at Capering and Kickery, ter.com/pdelahanty. He lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with www.kickery.com) and the rest of her life (at Chris Denmead runs a horror themed ra- his high school sweetheart Sara and two cats, Rixosous, www.rixosous.com). In her spare dio show on 91.3 FM WCUW. The name of Lilith and Tiamat, and a lot of books. time, she plays high-speed online Scrabble. the show is Dr. Chris Radio of Horror, it cov- His stories have appeared in The Year’s Lori Del Genis (weegoddess on LJ) is back ers horror movies and sci fi films. Some of Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2010, Weird Tales, in the US with a business that eats her brain the guests they have had on are Malcolm Interzone, Shroud Magazine, and Murky Depths. and feeds her soul. She currently spends her McDowell, Doug Jones, Dee Wallace Stone, His horror-thriller novella, Hiram Grange and time creating eco-friendly/ethical wedding Steve Niles and last year’s Guest of Honor, the Digital Eucharist, was recently released. attire and saving the world through pretty Gardner Dozois. Christopher Davis has been reading sci- pretty dresses. Lori currently lives in State Daniel P. Dern (www.dern.com) is a free- ence fiction for longer than he can remem- College, PA with her spouse Jonathan but lance technology writer, and a very amateur ber, and going to conventions for longer than can be seen lurking around the Boston area magician. His science fiction stories have he wants to think about. He’s worked as a whenever possible. appeared in magazines and anthologies in- sysadmin for both the Electronic Frontier Patrick Delahanty is perhaps best known cluding Analog, F&SF, World of If, and New Foundation and part of the Human Genome as the founder and host of The Chibi Project Dimensions. Project, and feels fortunate to have arrived where he is responsible for experiments on Having finished his first science fiction at just the right time for such opportunities. anime toys. He is also the creator of Anime- novel, Dragons Don’t Eat Jesters, which includes He’s given up on looking for technological Cons.com, the largest source for anime con- a minimum of “one dragon, two princesses, predictions from SF; too many lunar bases, vention information on the Internet. four dogs, a lot of riddles, some explosions, not enough globe-spanning computer net- Patrick is big fan of conventions. He and a lot of really weird stuff,” he’s written works. (He’s still glad food pills never came has attended more than 75 of them and is over 50 short-short “Dern Grim Children’s along, though.) one of the founders of both Anime Boston Short Bedtime Stories intended to be Morally Susan de Guardiola (www.blank.org/su- and Providence Anime Conference. He has Instructive to the Listener and Cathartically san) is best-known for her role as a masquer- hosted his popular improv event, Anime Therapeutic for the Reader,” plus other chil- ade emcee at the 1997 and 2004 Worldcons Unscripted, 30+ times at 11 different con- dren’s stories. If you have at least 45 seconds as well as numerous east coast local and re- ventions in two countries and four time to spare, ask to hear one if you see him and gional conventions. She is a reviewer for Pub- zones. he’s not otherwise busy! lishers Weekly and a social dance historian who

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S – PANELS – READINGS Jo Walton OMIC Y – GAMING – C Author Guest of Honor: TBA SCIENCE FICTION – FANTAS Science Guest of honor Trisha: Wooldridge January 14-17 39 Guest of Awesome: Mario Di Giacomo is a voracious reader, New Hampshire, where they write science guest of honor Leonard Nimoy and hosting avid film-goer, and author of the Beware of fiction and fantasy for children, teenagers, the Mayor of Boston’s first Leonard Nimoy Geek blog: bewareofgeek.blogspot.com. and adults. Day. For a third year Mary is assisting with Dan Diamond has organized Realms events Michelle Driscoll is poly, kinky, pansexual, the Anime programming for Arisia. She has at Vericon, and helped to run the Realms and proud to have served as a 2009 Co-chair joined the staff of Anime Boston and World- activities Arisia 2008, 2009 and 2010. Dan and 2010 Content Director for the Tran- con for 2011. has been LARPing since 1990, SCA shortly scending Boundaries Conference. A former Jerel Dye is an artist, illustrator, designer thereafter, and tabletop gaming since he university instructor of Gender Studies and and writer/creator of numerous comics proj- was eight. Science fiction caught his interest English, Michelle runs a monthly polyamo- ects. His artwork has appeared in galleries when as a kid he discovered his dad’s books ry/BDSM discussion group for The Society throughout the country, in childrens books, and hasn’t looked back since. in Hartford, CT and is co-facilitator of the museum exhibitions, comics anthologies and Back to Events Division! After a year as Cor- Western MA Polyamory group. She lives in several online magazines. He received his porate President, Samantha Dings is “tak- Springfield MA with her wife and two boy- MFA from Mass College of Art. You can ing it easy” as an Assistant Division Head. friends, their four cats and a dog. read more about his various projects and see examples of his work at www.jereldye.com Michael Dlott “Lawyer Mike” has been At the first convention Katie Dumas re- running games for over 20 years and has members attending, her mother went into Jill Eastlake has been around SF conven- frequently run White Wolf LARPs at local labor — dressed in full Romulan garb - to tions for over 40 years. She volunteered at area cons such as Arisia and Anime Boston. have her little brother. She was four years her first Boskone and has worked on almost He resides in Sharon with his Fiance Melissa old. Since then, she has been to dozens of every convention she has attended since Hamilton and their two cats. conventions all over the country ranging in then. She is the first person to have chaired interest from Buffy to anime to Star Trek and a Boskone (11 with husband Donald, and Debra Doyle was born in Florida and everything in-between. She is an actress, then 15) and an Arisia (’09). She has done educated in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and singer, costumer, and DJ — but more impor- both back-of-the-house (Operations, Trea- Pennsylvania — the last at the University of tantly, she is a young fan and proud of it! sury, Volunteers) and visible work (Art Show, Pennsylvania, where she earned her doctor- Events, Masquerade, and even Program ate in English, concentrating on Old English A Western states native (Utah, California), Mary Dumas, moved to New England in once) for local conventions, Worldcons, and poetry. While in Philadelphia, she met and Costume-Cons. She is a Master Costumer. married James D. Macdonald, who was then 2004. She chaired the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fantasy convention, Cauldron And, hopefully, will be around for another serving in the US Navy, and subsequently 40 years as a part of this fannish family. traveled with him to Virginia, California, Con in 2005. She co-founded the Anime and the Republic of Panama. Kaiju Experience section of the United Bob Eggleton is a nine time Hugo Winner. Doyle and Macdonald left the Navy and Fan Con’s New England Fan Experience Worked on the films Sphere(1997), Jimmy Neu- Panama in 1988 in order to write full-time. in 2008. In 2009 she was the Chairman of tron Boy Genius(2001) and The Ant Bully(2006) Since then they have lived in Colebrook, New England Fan Experience, welcoming as well as the indpendent film The Idol(2007)

40 Arisia 2011 and designed visual effects for Star Trek in Andrew Farago is the curator of the Car- immersive 3D — it’s gorgeous too. Having 1996. Author or co-author of seven books, toon Art Museum, and husband to mad cre- uncovered a previously unspecified principle the most current one is Dragon’s Domain: The ator Shaenon K. Garrity. He is also the co- of perceptual psych, Oddfellow Studios weds Ultimate Dragon Painting Book from Impact author of the The Looney Tunes Treasury and science to art in virtual space to benefit of the Books. an expert on all things comics. real world, with posited applications to ther- Genevieve Iseult Eldredge is the kind of Kate Farb-Johnson is an all-around geek, apies for PTSD/anxiety disorders, drug ad- girl you don’t want to meet in a dark alley. especially interested in filk, gaming, math- dictions, insomnia,… But to someone with- Five foot nothing and red-haired with a tem- ematics, literary SF and other geeks. Lately, out that need, the alpha/theta-like trance per to match, she holds a black belt in Goju- she has taken to volunteering at SF cons, feels like getting stoned over the Internet. He Ryu Karate and can craft words faster than including running the Music track at Arisia still does magic in the real world — too. a ninja throws shuriken. A panelist at Arisia, this year. Will Frank, aka “scifantasy,” is a fan jack- Philcon, and Pi-Con, she writes high fantasy Dr. Feinman hacks hackers for a living; of-all-trades and a programmer-turned-law and fantasy erotica (under a pseudonym so he provides usability support for designing student (NYU Law Class of 2011). Profes- her mom doesn’t disown her). She is cur- software development and testing environ- sionally, he specializes in intellectual prop- rently pursuing her MFA in Writing Popular ments. His hobbies include all but one of erty law; fannishly, he has interests in pretty Fiction at Seton Hill University. the following: audio production, carpentry, much everything, but will probably be found Her publications as “Kierstin Cherry, glass-blowing, leather-working, miniatures in the filk room most of the time. Will has Semi-shy Erotica Writer” include the erotic gaming and painting, music, role-playing, also appeared on reality television, specifi- vampire stories: “Taken” featured in Blood sociology, and writing a little SF on the side. cally Beauty and the Geek in Fall 2007. Guess Surrender by Blue Moon Books, “Enslaved,” His novel Duplicate is available for sale online which he was. appearing in the Circlet Press ebook Like and at Arisia. This is Will’s third Arisia as a congoer, Crimson Droplets and “Graced” featured in the and his first as a panelist. Stuart Ferguson is a math teacher at a Women of the Bite by Circlet Press ebooks and Bill Frankenfield: Special effects makeup in print by Alyson Books. school for students with above average intel- ligence and emotional differences. artist, studied Art and theatre, graduating in Wendy Ellertson, www.ellertson.com, is Stuart is a youth sword instructor, so ’82 an avid costumer and prosthetics artist an internationally known mixed media and please ask him if you want your children to raven is the owner of Raven Desigh/Ram leather artisan who creates story filled three learn the knightly art of the sword. FX studios in New Jersey ravendesigngroup. dimensional mixed media mythic figures, Stuart is also a storyteller with 20 years’ com masks and magical books. Her blog: www. experience, although some would say the Terry Franklin is a writer of science fic- wendyellertson.blogspot.com chronicles the first ten years don’t count because he wasn’t tion and fact. He also gets himself caught transformation of materials. over 18 yet. up in Libertarian politics. Over the coming Into playful embodiments of myth as well Adam Ferraro has been an anime fan since year, he will be coordinating the “Freedom as her reflections as she wanders the road of Bus Caravan,” an effort to bring marijuana an artist. She is on the Executive Board of he was 16 years old and is one of the founders of Anime Boston legalization protesters to the circus of New the International Arts Foundation where she Hampshire’s primary season, and to get ac- networks with others who thrive in the world Tony Finan is a scarred veteran of many a tivists to each campaign stop by every presi- of the “in between” and enthusiastically sup- decade of con running, including spending dential candidate. port border crossing art. over a decade running the film program at William Freedman, author of Land That Paul Estin (a.k.a. “Happy Fun Paul”) is a Philcon. He is also active with the Philadel- phia Film Festival and Cinefest. He is an avid I Love and the forthcoming Mighty Mighty, is long-time SF fan with a Ph.D. in cognitive a writer of science fiction, dark fantasy and psychology and an affinity for silly music. film and media fan specializing in Asian and British science fiction and horror. horror who injects humor, to greater or lesser Becoming a filker was inevitable — he sings degree, into his work. His novelette “Forever and plays guitar and other instruments, Kristina Finan has been sewing and cos- and Ever, Amen” appeared in the 2006 Spirit sometimes solo and sometimes in the bands tuming since 1982. Been a Dr. Who fan since House chapbook and his short story “Inten- Dr. Snark and Don’t Fret the Small Stuff. 1979. Been a Science Fiction fan since she tions” is scheduled to be published this year Among Paul’s other alphabetical interests saw the first man walk on the moon, live. in Ash-Tree Press’s Holy Horrors anthology. are 80’s music, Andrew Sullivan, astronomy, Now she attempts to write it, as she keeps a He is a founding member of the Long Is- bicycling, books, cats, cognitive science, full-time job as Custom Framer, and a part- land-based LISciFi critique group and a pe- comics, complexity, dynamism, folk music, time job keeping a husband. rennial Literature-track panelist at the I-Con freedom, maps, market solutions, modern Tuna Oddfellow was born in Second Life convention in Stony Brook, N.Y. He holds fairy tales, movies, mu*ing, natural history, in mid-2005 as the online alter ego of local degrees in journalism and international busi- Neil Gaiman, non-fiction, nonstandard cat- and well-known magician, Fish “the Mag- ness and his non-fiction work has appeared in egories, reading, rock music, RPGs, science, ish” Fishman. When a magician enters vir- Investor’s Business Daily, Euromoney Books, surreality, Unitarian Universalism, and xe- tual space his first thought is,“how do you Global Finance magazine, Treasury & Risk nobiology. get that WOW feeling from folks in a place Management magazine, and many other Ingredients of Happy Fun Paul include where they learn to fly on day one?” So com- business and financial news outlets both in an unknown glowing substance which fell ing from a thimbleful of knowledge of Pho- print and online. to Earth, presumably from outer space. DO toshop, Fish and Tuna conspired to create a NOT TAUNT HAPPY FUN PAUL!!! Adam Fromm is a writer, musician, pub- new art form, and the Odd Ball was born. lished crossword constructor, game devel- Fabrisse is a fanfiction writer who lives in Today, Fish’s company, Oddfellow oper, and multiple-year recipient of the Washington DC. It’s one way to put her BA Studios, Inc. has patents in the works, they’ve prestigious Guy Most Likely To Apologize in English to good use. She has been attend- created a way to alter brain waves through Unnecessarily for Stuff Trophy. He has re- ing Arisia for over a decade.

January 14-17 41 cently relocated from upstate New York to Laura Anne Gilman started her profes- increase the general satisfaction level of the the Boston area, where he can be found in sional life as a book editor for a major NYC multiverse. A fan since the late mimeocene, close proximity to his guitar, an overworked house, fitting her writing into the remaining she is also active in various trans-temporal MacBook and that novel that he really is go- available hours. In 2004 she switched that re-creation activities including her current ing to finish one of these days, honest. around, becoming a full-time writer and free- claim to fame as costumer of the (semi-) Ed Fuqua is a Young Adult Librarian as lance editor. Laura Anne is the author of the nude theatrical extravaganza, Saucy French well as being a writer, a poet and a swords- popular Cosa Nostradamus books for Luna (the Postcards, at the Dickens Fair. When not man. He has spent many years running Retrievers and Paranormal Scene Investigations ur- otherwise caught up in saving the galaxy, comic book stores and has qualified for the ban fantasy series), and the award-nominat- or investigating other centuries, she pursues National Poetry Slam Championships four ed The Vineart War trilogy from Pocket. She is her interests in law, culture, religion, dance, times. His short story “Familiar Places” ap- a member of the on-line writers’ consortium clothing, good food, friends, cats, and people pears in the anthology Bites of Passion. He is a BookView Cafe, and continues to write and in general from Tranquility Base, her Beaux- performer and a director at King Richard’s sell short fiction in a variety of genres. She Arts-and-Crafts bungalow by the Lake in Faire in Carver MA. also writes paranormal romances as Anna Oakland, California. Leonard. Shana Fuqua has a BA in music. She is a Alicia E. Goranson is an award-winning nine year veteran of King Richard’s Faire Greer Gilman’s new book, Cloud & Ashes: Boston author of books, plays and audio where she spent one year as assistant appren- Three Winter’s Tales, is set in the Northern drama. Her first novel,Supervillainz , is a 2007 tice music director and work this past year as mythscape of her much-praised novel, Moon- Lambda Literary Award finalist and winner admin. assistant to the apprentice program. wise. Her Cloudish tales have won a Tiptree, of the 2004 Project QueerLit Award. She She is an experienced gamer, both video a World Fantasy Award and a Crawford is currently writing, directing and produc- games and tabletop RPGs. Her many skills Award, and have been nominated for the ing the Post-Meridian Radio Player’s audio include knitting, crocheting, spinning, candle- Nebula, and Mythopoeic Fantasy awards. drama, The Mask of Inanna, a thriller which making and balancing a stick on her head. Her love of British lore and landscape, of its includes both unheard episodes of a 1950’s rituals and ballads, is a constant in her work; horror radio show and a modern tale of mys- Ken Gale’s writing career started with sales her love of language at its roots. Her books tery, passion and enormous speed bumps. to DC Comics and Warren Publishing in the are written for the ear, as much as for the un- You can listen to it at themaskofianna.com. 70’s. He’s editor and co-publisher of Dan- derstanding. She has performed at events including the gerous Times and New Frontiers for Evolution Besides her two books, she has published Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, Cornell Comics, a producer and host for two radio other short work, poetry, and criticism. Her University and LitQuake in San Francisco. shows on WBAI-FM in NYC; one on the chapter on “The Languages of the Fantastic” Charlie Jane Anders, editor of io9.com and environment and one on comic books. He will appear in The Cambridge Companion to She’s Such a Geek, says, “Alicia Goranson’s su- does miscellaneous arts and public affairs Fantasy Literature. perpowers include searing vision, a power- shows at many different time slots. He was a ful voice, and the ability to leap over genre member of the Board of the Celtic League Ethan Gilsdorf is the author of Fantasy Freaks & Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Real- boundaries.” You can learn more about her American Branch and a former math text- at her website: alicia-goranson.com. book writer. His environmental horror comic ity Among Role Players, Online Gamers, & Other book story in Psychosis #2 came out in 2008. Dwellers of Imaginary Realms. Named a “Must- Justine Graykin is a free-lance philoso- www.comicbookradioshow.com Read” book by the Massachusetts Book pher who writes antidystopian SF (among Awards, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks is an other things) and is sustained by her deep Jaime Garmendia is a member of the award-winning travel memoir that investi- and abiding faith in Science. She lives with 1 Boston Comics Roundtable, where he writes, gates fantasy & gaming subcultures — from husband, two kids, three dogs, too many cats produces, publicizes, and markets indepen- D&D players to World of Warcraft addicts, and a flock of chickens on 50 acres in New dent comics of all genres. He is also the from Harry Potter fans to live-action role-play- Hampshire. Boasting six degrees of separa- Comics Track manager this year. ers. What lures people to fantasy realms, and tion from Harvard, Cornell and Dartmouth, Marty Gear is a past Arisia fan guest of what meaning do they find there? National she is a member of Broad Universe, and has honor. He has been making, wearing and Public Radio described the book as “Lord of had several pieces of short fiction published competing costumes, running costume com- the Rings meets Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.” and anthologized. Of course, there is a petitions, judging costumes, & MCing con- Wired.com proclaimed, “For anyone who website, justinegraykin.com. Science fiction vention masquerades for more years than he has ever spent time within imaginary realms, doesn’t have to be cold to be hard. likes to count. Along the way he has also run the book will speak volumes.” He publishes Esh Grey aka Cookie is a house keeper, a few Costume-Cons. In between costume regularly in the New York Times, The Boston nanny, personal assistant, gourmet chef, al- “stuff ” he reads Science Fiction helps run Globe, Washington Post, & other magazines chemist, caffeine/tattoo/piercing addict, SF cons, and does tech. He pays for all this and newspapers worldwide. His blog Geek chaos maker, book reader, erotica lover, con stuff by negotiating contracts with the Pride is seen on PsychologyToday.com and dancer, mohawked, sacred mother wife and Federal Government. He really loves Arisia appears regularly at cons. More info: www. girl friend who still somehow manages to find because he doesn’t have to help run it. fantasyfreaksbook.com. time to have and be fun!! Joel Christian Gill is the Chair of The Sarah Goodman is an anthropologist by I’m also the root of all that’s evil but you Foundations Department at the NH Institute training and a gentlewoman by profession. can call me Cookie! of Art. Originally from Roanoke Virginia, Everything else is a hobby… Sarah, or one Val Grimm is part of the team running (but he does not hold that against New Eng- of her myriad personae, are likely to pop Nanopress (nanopress.ca), a small Canadian land) he received his MFA in Painting from up anywhere on the space-time continuum, science fiction publisher based in Montréal, BU. He writes and draws StrangeFruit. He is studying humankind and other semi-sapient which has published two books, Blood Out of not currently in a bad mood. Feel free to and sapient races with the professed pur- a Stone, a collection of short stories by Élisa- “like” this Bio. pose of learning that which is necessary to beth Vonarburg released in August 2009,

42 Arisia 2011 and The Aurora Awards — Thirty Years of Ca- Communities, of all kind, are important to and simulation of economic and social sys- nadian Science Fiction, with a third title slated Steven Hammond. From communities of tems, history, SF-based gaming, and mythol- to come out in early 2011. Other projects patients at patientslikeme.com where Steve ogy viewed as both entertainment and as a include The Portal (sffportal.net), an inter- is the Director of Engineering to the Town cultural attribute and psychological drive. national online review of short-form science of Holden where Steve serves on the School “Coming of age” during the 60’s-and fiction, fantasy, and horror, and activities in Board and volunteers as a space educator 70’s, Karl also developed a strong affinity for the demoscene such as founding @party, a in local schools. Steve supports community, the humanistic and playful social agendas of small computer art event — join us in June open source software development, and those times. This exposure and his general 2011 (atparty-demoscene.net)! patronizes Kobold Quarterly’s community skepticism led Karl to a 26-year involvement Involved in fandom since 2003 as a stag- game development. Steve has years of game with the culture and practices of polyamory. etech, Val took on other roles, among them mastering experience and was recently a top During this time, he’s led many presentations Anglophone Press Liaison for the 67th 10 finalist in Kobold Quarterly’s “King of and mini-workshops in this field, including Worldcon. Other activities include orga- the Monster” contest. a monthly Poly Support Group at Boston’s nizing bone marrow registry drives at sev- Onezumi Hartstein is one of the most Fenway Community Health Center. Karl eral science fiction conventions and teaching active contributors to and supporter of the also has been living in a successful open mar- English as a foreign language as a volunteer convention and comics scene: riage for the past 13 years. for Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts. • She founded an entire New Media conven- An avid reader of science fiction and Fantasy, Dr. Hafer was born at Cape Canaveral, tion. Intervention (www.InterventionCon. since the age of 7, and a rabid gamer since where her father was part of the U.S. space com) is Your Online life-In Person. Her the age of 10, James T Henderson Jr has program. She grew up living lots of places new take on fandom conventions has been been a gamer and fan for most of his life. in the U.S., experiencing the South, Mid- recognized by Wired Magazine and many As an adult Jimmy pusued a career in Me- west, Washington D.C, and New England all others. chanical and Structural Engineering. As he is before age 10. She graduated in biology at • She writes and draws Stupid and Insane De- now dedicated to the upbringing of the next Swarthmore College, then went to UCLA. fenders Against Chaos: A Lovecraftian Horror generation of Fans. He remains a wargamer, She finished her graduate work at Oxford Comedy (www.onezumi.com) costumer, modeler, roleplayer, LARPer, and University, where she earned a D.Phil. in zool- • Her dev team made the Webcomics Cen- reader he attempts to divide his time to enjoy ogy. Between UCLA and Oxford she worked tral App Service (www.onezumi.com/web- both parenthood, insanity and fandom. And for the National Marine Fisheries Service comics-central-app-service). They give free succeeds. on a Japanese fishing ship in the Bering Sea. custom iPhone apps to other webcomics. Evonne Heyning is the dynamic poly- While on board, she won a pushups contest • She posts random art, tutorials, and awe- math leading Amoration studio, a nonprofit with the ship’s officers. After Oxford, she did someness in her personal blog Onezumi- dedicated to social action through intelligent research on sleep and circadian rhythms, verse: Art + Theme Parks = Life (www. events, interactive media & international aid. then took a job at Curry College where she Onezumiverse.com). With dozens of creative volunteers we inte- teaches Human Anatomy & Physiology. She It’s pronounced “Oh-neh-zoo-me”. She grate social action, art, science, technology has also done research on respiratory physi- lives in New Jersey. She loves heavy metal and the spirit of change. ology at Harvard School of Public Health. and Disney World. Follow her on Twitter @ She enjoys outdoor sports and has traveled Onezumi or say hello on Facebook! Andy Hicks is a Boston-based musician, widely, including recent trips to Transylva- director, actor, and radio producer. He co- Jeff Hecht is a free-lance science and tech- wrote and composed the music for 2010: Our nia, Alaska and China. She is married, has nology writer, a correspondent for the weekly two children, and lives in Bedford, MA. Hideous Future, a cyberpunk satire/roman- New Scientist and a contributing editor to Laser tic comedy which premiered at the Boston Andrea Hairston was a math/physics ma- Focus World. His short fiction has appeared in Playwright’s Theater last summer and is jor in college until she did special effects for a Analog, Asimov’s, Interzone, Odyssey, Nature, Twi- scheduled to be performed this weekend on show and then she ran off to the theatre and light Zone, and several anthologies including Sunday night. He will also be appearing this became an artist. She is the Artistic Director Year’s Best Horror Stories and Great American Ghost weekend as The Doctor in the Post-Meridian of Chrysalis Theatre and has created original Stories. His nonfiction has appeared in many Radio Players’ live action Doctor Who audio productions with music, dance, and masks for other magazines, including Optics & Photonics drama. And, last year, he was hired by a pub- over 30 years. She is the L. Wolff Kahn 1931 News, Omni, Earth, Analog, Cosmos, Bulletin of lic radio station as an Associate Producer. Professor of Theatre & Afro American Stud- the Atomic Scientists, and Technology Review. His Considering he wrote a musical, worked for ies at Smith College. Her plays have been books include Beam: the Race to Make the Laser NPR, and was cast in his dream role within produced at Yale Rep, Rites and Reason, the and City of Light: The Story of Fiber Optics (both the space of a year, it’s pretty safe to say that Kennedy Center, StageWest, and on Public Oxford Univerity Press), and Understand- his “Bucket List” is quickly running out of Radio and Television. She has translated ing Fiber Optics (Pearson/Prentice Hall); and stuff. plays by Michael Ende and Kaca Celan from Understanding Lasers (IEEE Press/Wiley). He German to English. “Griots of the Galaxy,” holds a B.S. in electronic engineering from The Higgins Armory Sword Guild is a a short story, appears in So Long Been Dream- the California Institute of Technology. volunteer organization dedicated to the his- ing: Postcolonial Visions of the Future, edited by torically accurate interpretation of medieval Both science and SF have been core pas- and Renaissance martial arts from surviving Nalo Hopkinson and Uppinder Mehan. Her sions of Karl G. Heinemann’s since first novel, Mindscape, won the Carl Brandon texts. Convention members will have the op- early childhood. And his bio-family nurtured portunity to witness combat techniques for- Parallax Award and was shortlisted for the strong habits of analyzing and predicting Phillip K Dick and Tiptree Awards. Redwood gotten for hundreds of years. We invite you “the world around him” and “thinking for to join us to learn these martial arts. Safety And Wildfire will be published by Aqueduct himself ”. These traits led Karl to formal Press in 2011. and body-mechanics courses are required of education in physics, astronomy, and epis- all new participants. www.higginssword.org. temology. Other interests include modeling

January 14-17 43 Worcester’s Higgins Armory Museum James Hinsey is a life-long lover of Science Merav Hoffman is a New York based is the only museum in the Western Hemi- Fiction, Fantasy, books, movies, tv-shows, an- songwriter and performer. She is a founding sphere wholly devoted to the study and ime, 80s music, women, root beer, chocolate, member of the band Lady Mondegreen and display of medieval and Renaissance arms Hawaii, Japan and family. He is half-Japa- is also an administrator for the Live Filk proj- and armor. Our founder, John Woodman nese, a reader, Trekker, Browncoat, Costum- ect. Merav will be chairing the 21st NEFilk Higgins, housed his collection in a unique er, book-collector, model-maker, videogra- convention: Contata VI on July 1-3, 2011. building now on the National Register of pher, publicator, con-goer, RISFC member, When she’s not wearing her filker hat she Historic Places. Museum visitors will see Psi Upsilon brother, RPI alum, former naval edits manuscripts, crochets, and hosts NYC objects ranging from ancient Greek helmets officer, brother, son, uncle, husband, and fa- area house concerts. to ornate Renaissance armors while our pro- ther of two girls. He is SamuraiX47. Lisa Holsberg is assistant conchair for the grams help interpret the artifacts in a broad Steven Hirsch has been playing swords for second time. Nope, not gonna be a conchair. cultural context. www.higgins.org/ 5 years now. First with the Higgins, he now Not ever gonna happen. Woodrow Hill is one the few male Raqs teaches at his own school Kunstbruder — the Nancy Holzner is the author of the Dead- Sharqi artists — better known as “belly” Brotherhood of the Art of Defense. Since he town urban fantasy series, set in Boston and dancers — in the world, having started over started playing with swords he has stopped featuring a shapeshifter who kills other peo- 20 years ago. His day job as a programmer having other hobbies - just variations on ple’s personal demons for a living. A recover- with a focus on security issues gives him a playing with swords like making Medieval ing academic, Nancy has worked as a medie- oddly optimistic view of the future, one fu- clothes and armour or researching Medieval valist, English teacher, corporate trainer, and eled by his very first memory — watching Combat. He is also studying to be a nurse — freelance editor. She lives in Ithaca, NY, with Star Trek on an black and white TV set. which may be useful given his hobby. her husband Steve, where they both write This reality-beaten optimism also leaks John Hodges has organized all of Arisia’s from home without getting on each other’s into his strong political activism, having blood drives for the Heinlein Society. He’s a nerves. Her latest novel is Hellforged. been invested in civil rights, feminist, and re- donor himself, having given away 41 gallons lated issues as well as working for politicians Butch Honeck has been making his living of his own blood and a kidney. He’s a public by selling his sculpture for 36 years. Self- as varied as Strom Thurmond and Barack representative to the board of directors of Obama (the latter of which he liked signifi- taught, he casts the bronze using the lost wax the United Network for Organ Sharing. He method, with ceramic shell molds in his own cantly more!) has been employed as a math & science tutor He also looks back into the past as a mem- foundry. Butch also does custom orders, so for gifted students, a climate scientist, a real if you want your idea in bronze, talk to him. ber of the Society of Creative Anachronism, estate appraiser, and a doodlebug (petroleum specializing on researching medieval era He has steampunk items for sale along with exploration geophysicist (we blow things up)). his regular array of items. “belly dance” and 15th Century Ottoman He’s been a fan since reading Farmer in the Sky culture, and into the future via interests in when he was eight. Melissa Honig maintains a calendar of broader layperson science activities, focusing sci-fi and fantasy events in New England on issues around evolution. on her blog, nescifievents.org/. She is also

44 Arisia 2011 the list administrator for the New England has served as a technical consultant to NASA sample chapters and find out why you do not Browncoats. She enjoys steampunk, costum- on the subject of Martian soil clays. want to be her hero. ing, weird crafts, and watching old TV shows Walter H. Hunt has been writing for most Felicitas Ivey is the pen name of a very from her childhood via Netflix. of his life. His first fourDark Wing novels were frazzled helpdesk drone at a Boston area Heidi Hooper, Believe it or Not, is also published by Tor Books. His novel A Song In University. She’s an eternal student even with known as “The Dryer Lint Lady” for her Stone appeared in 2008, dealing with the mys- a BA in Anthropology and History, since free whimsical art, which can be seen in galler- tery of Rosslyn Chapel and the Templars. classes are part of the benefits. ies around the country as well as in Ripley’s Current projects include an 18th century al- Felicitas writes Urban Fantasy and Horror Museums and in their latest book. Heidi ternate history novel, a book on mesmerism of a Lovecraftian nature, monsters beyond received her bachelor’s in sculpture from in the Victorian age, and a sequel to A Song space and time that think that humans are Virginia Commonwealth University and her In Stone that will answer some questions and the tastiest things in the multiverse. master’s in metalsmithing at Massachusetts ask some others. Felicitas lives in Boston with her beloved College of Art. Once cancer took most of He has a background in history, with husband, known to all as The Husband, and her right arm, she had to find new ways to a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowdoin her cat Smaugu, whom the husband swears express herself and found clay and dryer lint College in Brunswick, Maine, and he speaks is a demon. The husband also is worried (not together). Her web page is www.Heidi- two other languages (German and Spanish). about Felicitas’ anime habit, her extensive Hooper.com. With her husband Michael A. A member of the Masonic Fraternity, Walter collection of manga and Gundam Wing dou- Ventrella, she helped found modern live ac- H. Hunt has served as Master of two differ- jinshi, which has turned her library into a tion fantasy roleplaying games in America ent Lodges in Massachusetts. He is a devoted Very Scary Place for him. and currently runs the Alliance LARP (www. baseball fan and board gamer; his first pub- Alexander Jablokov’s most recent novel is AllianceLARP.com). She loves the pitter pat- lished game is scheduled for a 2010 release Brain Thief, a fast-paced AI-hunting adven- ter of little feet (she has four cats). by Rio Grande Games. He has been married ture, out from Tor January 2010. His most A Californian transplanted to Boston, Mike for more than half of his life, and he and his recent story, “Blind Cat Dance”, will be in Horne has been attending Arisia’s since wife have one daughter who is a product of the March issue of Asimov’s. the very beginning. In that time he’s been a their affection and their unusual joint sense He is the author of five other novels, in- scenester in the Anime community as a Tri- of humor. cluding Carve The Sky, Nimbus, and Deepdrive, umvir of the Boston Japanimation Society in Jennifer Hunter, 39, is a professional orga- and a number of short stories. He lives in it’s early days. He’s written reviews for An- nizer and artist in Medford, Massachusetts. Cambridge, Mass. imeJump.com and is currently the Manager Once a writer and editor, with four books on Victoria Janssen is currently writing her of The Compleat Strategist, Boston’s oldest NeoPaganism to her credit, she decided to fourth novel for Harlequin Spice, a trade pa- games store. His interest include cinema, make a career out of what she did for fun on perback line of erotic novels. The Moonlight travel and humor. her writing breaks. She specializes in working Mistress, a historical set during World War I, Wil Howitt is a doctor of computer science with unconventional people, helping them is most recent; it was nominated for an RT and electrical engineering, specializing in learn that creative does not have to mean Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. It physical acoustics and psychoacoustics. He disorganized. Jen is also a collage artist, us- has werewolves and a Zouave on a motor- has worked at MIT and BU, developing hu- ing mostly pictures from castoff magazines, cycle. Her first novel was an alternate-world man auditory system models and speech rec- and has exhibited in several shows. She lives fantasy titled The Duchess, Her Maid, The ognition systems. He also enjoys drumming, with her housemates, boyfriend, ten-year-old Groom and Their Lover that subverted a num- dancing, and playing didjeridu and other daughter, and a matching ginger cat and dog. ber of romance novel tropes. The Duke and the rhythmic instruments. He teaches Taoist Her website is at www.jenniferhunter.com. Pirate Queen, set in the same world, is due out martial arts, rides a black BMW motorcycle, Sandra Hutchinson has been reading and December 2010. It has pirates and the Island fences with a German longsword, and looks writing science fiction since she discovered of the Lotus Eaters (or maybe that episode around a lot. the Oz books at age 6. A proofreading super- of Star Trek where Spock puffs flowers with Crystal Huff spends her time saving the visor at a textbook publishing company, she is Jill Ireland). world and chasing down conventioneers. Of- also an ordained deacon in the Independent She blogs on writing, reading, and genre ficially, she is the chair of this year’s Arisia. Catholic Christian Church, with a master’s here: victoriajanssen.blogspot.com/ and Alignment: Chaotic Good. degree in theology. She has published short twitters here: twitter.com/victoriajanssen. stories in a number of different publications Renée Johnson has a background in cul- Warren Huff is currently professor of geol- including 365 Scary Stories. ogy at the University of Cincinnati, where tural anthropology which serves her well in he has been a faculty member since 1963. Elaine Isaak dropped out of art school to the SF/F world. Some of her favorite fan- Much of his research deals with the study of found Curious Characters, designing origi- nish things include: Doctor Who, King Arthur, bentonites and K-bentonites, which are the nal stuffed animals and small-scale sculp- mythic fiction, urban fantasy, China Miéville, remains of explosively erupted volcanic ash tures, and to follow her bliss: writing. She is C.S. Friedman, vampires that don’t sparkle, layers. These layers are now altered largely the author of The Singer’s Crown (Eos, 2005), Miyazaki, DC Vertigo, Gothic Lolita, Tolk- to clay minerals although some original vol- and sequels The Eunuch’s Heir (Eos, 2006), ien, Shakespeare, Fringe, Bones and probably canic crystals remain. He studies both types and The Bastard Queen (Swimming Kangaroo, many more... of minerals to learn about the nature of the 2010). Her new dark historical fantasy series James Jones is a polyamorous Tibetian source volcanoes, many of which are several will be starting in 2011 with DAW books Buddhist who has an (almost) unhealthy love hundreds of millions years old, as well as the under a pseudonym (shhh!). A mother of of beating people with plumbing supplies natural processes by which the volcanic ash two, Elaine also enjoys rock climbing, taiko (sometimes called “larping”) and Iceland. He layers have been buried in the earth and al- (Japanese drumming) weaving and exotic currently works for a large company nick- tered to their present form. In recent years he cooking — when she can scrape the time together. Visit www.ElaineIsaak.com to read

January 14-17 45 named “Wolfram & Hart” doing difficult to says she was a psych major, but her true se- Bettina M. Kurkoski is the creator/ explain things with computers. nior project was a bawdy songbook for the writer/artist of My Cat Loki, published by Rachel Kadel-Garcia is a bookbinder and Marching Band. Tokyopop. In 2003 she entered Tokyopop’s book and paper conservator in private prac- After serving a 5-year sentence in gradu- Rising Stars of Manga vol. 2 competition, plac- tice in Medford, MA. She holds an MA in ate school, she started teaching psychol- ing as a runner-up, her work Axis Lumen pub- Conservation Studies from the University of ogy around the world for the University of lished in the winners’ compilation. My Cat Sussex and a postgraduate diploma in Con- Maryland. While in Turkey, she started up Loki is Bettina’s first professionally published servation of Books and Library Materials a conversation with a handsome stranger in series. She has also contributed the conven- from West Dean College. an airport — and ended up marrying him. tion exclusive cover for Star Trek: TOS Manga Kaynak now lives in New Hampshire, where vol. 1, cover and story art for Star Trek: TOS Raven Kaldera is a transgendered intersex she enjoys reading, writing, and fighting Manga vol. 2, story art for Star Trek: The Next activist and Pagan shaman who has written crime with her amazing superpowers. Generation vol. 1, story and art for the Princess 26 books and innumerable articles and sto- Her YA paranormal series — the Ai/My Cat Loki crossover story in Princess Ai: ries. His “hub” website is www.ravenkaldera. Ganzfield books — include Minder, Adversary, Encounters and cover and story art for War- org. ’Tis an ill wind that blows no minds. and Legacy. They tell the story of Maddie, a riors: Rise of Scourge. Bettina is currently work- After almost a decade exploring creative sex- 16-year-old telepath training at a secret facil- ing on the Tokyopop/Harper Collins Seekers uality, lifestyle and professional Dominatrix ity. It’s not exactly a nurturing place. Every manga series based on the best selling Seekers Princess Kali launched the KinkAcademy. social interaction carries the threat of mind- novel series. You can see more of her artwork com website to share her passion for mak- control; a stray thought can burn a building at www.dreamworldstudio.net. ing all things kinky more understood and to the ground, and people’s nightmares don’t Author, performer and radio personality more accessible. Intent on making “pervert” always stay in their own heads. Ellen Kushner (www.ellenkushner.com.) a compliment, she spends her days reaching But it’s still better than New Jersey. hosts WGBH’s Sound & Spirit for PRI. Novels out to individuals and couples all over the www.Ganzfield.com include The Privilege of the Sword, Swordspoint, world with her playful philosophy of “pleas- Daniel M. Kimmel is a film critic and au- & Thomas the Rhymer. Spoken word perfor- antly perverted” sex education. thor. His reviews and essays can be found at mances include Esther: the Feast of Masks, and Steve Kanaras is the publisher of Free NorthShoreMovies.net, the Jewish Advocate, The Golden Dreydl: a Klezmer ‘Nutcracker’ (with Lunch Comics, and serves as a writer and Clarkesworld, and Space and Time magazine. Shirim Klezmer Orchestra, on Rykodisc editor as well. His works include Only in He teaches film at Suffolk University. He is CD), also published as a children’s chapter Whispers, Pork n’ Beans, Beyond the Kuiper Belt, the author of five books. His latest, Jar Jar book by Charlesbridge. Forthcoming: Wel- and the upcoming Hostile Universe. Binks Must Die... and other observations about sci- come to Bordertown (co-edited w/Holly Black). Catherine Kane is a professional psychic, ence fiction movies, will debut at Arisia. She is a founding member of the Interstitial published author, Reiki master/teacher, Born in 1967, Catt Kingsgrave-Ernstein Arts Foundation, has taught at the Clarion bard, artist, enthusiastic student of the Uni- has not yet managed to shuffle off the coil Workshop, and lives in New York City with verse, maker of very bad puns, songwriter mortal, though not for want of trying, ap- Delia Sherman and no cats whatsoever. and overachiever (amongst other things…). parently. She writes, (fiction, music, poetry, David Larochelle grew up in the D.C. area She loves empowering people to have their recipes, and the occasional political rant,) but moved up to Cambridge in 2004 where best lives possible. Visit Catherine and her she draws, paints, sings, dances, cooks, builds he currently resides. His involvement with husband, Starwolf as Foresight on Facebook, and repairs houses, and occasionally makes fandom began when he joined the William at www.ForesightYourPsychic.com, and at an outright fool of herself when confronted & Mary Science Fiction and Fantasy Club www.ForesightYourCtPsychic.wordpress. with her intellectual heroes. (SKIFFY). He served as Vice President and com. She also has Opinions. No, wait! Don’t was named Senator for Life upon gradua- Melissa Kaplan is a long time attendee of run! tion. He’s worked extensively in information cons, gamer, watcher and reader of sci-fi/ Ken Kingsgrave-Ernstein is absolutely security and is the coauthor of Splint, an fantasy and general geek. Past endeavors in- not the superhero Common Sense Man. He Open Source tool for detecting security vul- clude two blogathons, one nanowrimo, and does not spend his days saving various por- nerabilities in C programs. However, more participating in panels at 5Pi-con. She spends tions of Corporate America from itself. He recently he’s focused on understanding and far too much of her disposable income on also does not recover data structures in need. building the Internet rather than attacking steampunk costume pieces, wirework jewelry He does however enjoy reading Science Fic- and defending it. He currently works for the and books. This year marks her 11th time at- tion and the occasional foray into Fantasy. Berkman Center for Internet & Society. tending Arisia and her first time participat- He also enjoys speculating on how to survive A dedicated fan of Duran Duran as seen in ing in programming. She freely admits that the zombie apocalypse with skills he learned the documentary There’s Something You Should her qualifications as a panelist are restricted surviving the cold war. Know, avid cosplayer best known for her to love of sci-fi/fantasy and her ability to Richard Kovalcik is Arisia Corporate “Izumi Curtis” from Fullmetal Alchemist, Bos- ramble semi-intelligently about geeky topics President and last year’s Con Chair. ton Legal Assassins Repo Shadowcast’s Blind on command. Mag and Neil Gaiman Fangirl. Pam “Izu- Ellen Kranzer has been attending science David Kaplowitz ‘dkap’ An invertebrate mi” Larson has dedicated what little free- fiction conventions for over 30 years and time she has from her television directing job punster, computer, gaming, science, and sci- making music even longer. Filk lets her mix ence fiction fan for quite a number of years to becoming the best fan she can be, helping the two hobbies. Ellen is a founding member out her fellow fans by staffing and volunteer- who is delighted to be able to hold forth on of M.A.S.S. F.I.L.C. and the club’s current topics he knows and loves. ing at many cons, making sure a good time treasurer. She has been involved in planning is had by all. Kate Kaynak was born in New Jersey but numerous conventions both in and out of was able to escape. Her degree from Yale fandom.

46 Arisia 2011 Her personal motto is “All Nite Parties, toshop, is occasionally serious about photog- Succubus In the City and Succubus Takes Manhat- Cocktail Bars and Smiles”… It’s more than raphy, and works as a freelance mechanical tan. She lives in the Boston area. a lyric, it’s a way of life.” design consultant and patent agent. He lives Paula Lieberman went to her first con- To say Lauren is eclectic is putting it al- in a big old Victorian house in Melrose, MA vention, which was a Worldcon, and college most embarrassingly mildly. Her current life, with his wife Rachel, whichever of their 3 the same weekend. Since then she’s been to in no particular order: henna, raising kids, kids happen to be in residence, and a cat. a bunch more conventions, many of which temari, spinning thread, polyamory, knitting, Bill Levay was born in Rome, Italy and em- she’s worked on, including Arisia, and has SCA, being wife to her bestest friend, sing- igrated to the US with his parents when sev- had more career changes than she can re- ing, treating her depression, baking, draw- en years old. Grew up in Honolulu, attended member — military officer, systems engineer, ing, conspiracy theories (mostly laughing at), Tulane University, majoring in Mechanical analyst, tech writer, test engineer, market re- computer games, painting, laughing, BDSM, Engineering, and spent six years active duty searcher, consultant… She’s more likely to belly dance, reading mostly fantasy and sci- in the US Navy. After leaving the Navy he be around at 1 AM filking, than at a 9 AM ence fiction, really good sex, Indian, Persian, worked for 21 years as an Electrical Engineer panel, and usually helps out at art show sales. and general Arabic material culture and his- for various DoD contractors. On-line, she’s one of the community at Mak- tory, and whatever shiny thing wanders by Then, he finally grew up… since 1995 ing Light (www.nielsenhayden.com/making- next. She teaches a lot of these things at vari- he has worked in the games industry as light) prone to spontaneously posting in verse ous events devoted to them. Visit her online Producer and Executive Producer at The (ballad form mostly). at www.hennadancer.com Avalon Hill Game Company (pre-Hasbro Tim Lieder is a professional writer and edi- Toni Lay is a member of the New Jersey- acquisition) and at Hasbro Interactive which tor. Through his publishing company, Dyb- New York Costumers Guild (aka The Sick was bought by Infogames and years later buk Press, he has published and edited eight Pups), and a Deputy Chatelaine for the renamed to Atari. His proudest accomplish- books including Teddy Bear Cannibal Massacre Crown Province of Ostgardr in the Society ment was being the Executive Producer for and God Laughs When You Die by Michael for Creative Anachronism (SCA), which Civilization III. Boatman. His latest project, She Nailed a Stake gives her plenty of opportunity to costume. At age eleven he was bitten (severly, mind Through His Head: Tales of Biblical Terror was Toni was Program Director for Costume you) by the Science Fiction bug when he ac- released in October 2010. cidentally cast his eyes on A Princess of Mars Con 5, a Historical Masquerade Director Tom Limoncelli is a 40 year old bi/poly for Costume Cons 16 and 22, and a His- at the school library, and immediately fell in love with Dejah Thoris, John Carter and activist and organizer from NJ. An IT pro- torical Judge for Costume Con 28. She has fessional and author, his 2003 book Time also been an Arisia Den Mom, Presentation Barsoom. He lives in Rockport, MA, and is mar- Management for System Administrators (O’Reilly) Judge and Greenroom Director. Her other became an instant classic. He is an interna- fannish interests include Torchwood, Merlin, ried to the incomparable Trish Wilson. They have two children, Jim and Mike. tionally recognized author and speaker, pre- Star Trek, Doctor Who, Britcoms, alternate his- senting keynotes and classes both within the tory novels, Harry Potter, Pern and the Didius Benjamin Levy has been a science fiction IT community as well as at LGBTI, poly, and Falco and Gordianus the Finder mysteries. fan for most of his life. He went to his first bi leadership conferences. He blogs at Every- When she is not watching DVDs, reading or science fiction convention when he was 10 thingSysadmin.com. making costumes, Toni is a secretary for the years old. He has been involved with Arisia New York City Department of Design and since its inception. In the past he has worked Gordon Linzner is founder and editor Construction. for Arisia as a gopher, Dealers Room Liai- emeritus of Space and Time Magazine; author son, Fixed Functions Division Head, and As- of several novels and scores of short stories; A modern day swordsman and Japanese freelance editor; licensed New York City tour culture enthusiast. David Lee has been sistant Con Chair. Currently, he is the Arisia Corporate Treasurer and Hotel Liaison Di- guide; front man for Saboteur Tiger blues & training for six years in various sword arts oldies band. from around the world and currently teaches vision Head. children and adults how to have fun sword Suford Lewis is an long time fan and a lon- Adam Lipkin is currently a reviewer for fighting. He also teaches a Japanese culture ger time reader. She has been a member of Publishers Weekly, covering science fiction, fan- class sharing his knowledge and love of all LASFS & MITSFS, & a founding member tasy, horror, and young adult books. He has the unique aspects in Japan to his students. of NESFA and of Regency fandom. She is written reviews for a number of publications, David also has a background in art, with a Master Costumer, an inveterate con com including The Green Man Review and Rambles. a focus on graphic design. Just like knights member having been part of the committees He wrote the horror column, “Fear Factor,” and samurai of old, not only is he a capable of all the Boston Worldcons, many Boskones, for Bookslut for two years, and was also the swordsman, but also an artisan of various two Costumecons, a few others, and even an animation columnist for SMRT-TV.com. He talents. Arisia or so, and in 2008 was given the Big has published hundreds of horror movie re- Heart Award. She also finds time to play a views at his own blog, yendi.livejournal.com. Jacob Lefton is an artist blacksmith cur- His day job involves educational technol- rently living in Amherst, Massachusetts. He little Dominion, see some anime, and, with luck, even filk a bit. Mostly retired from soft- ogy, heutagogy, and library research. Adam studied creative writing, art, and education lives in the suburbs of Boston with his wife, at Hampshire College. Following brief ad- ware system building, she still occasionally helps some people out with computers. She daughter, and three moderately psychotic ventures with the circus, he spent six months felines. in Europe as a journeyman blacksmith. is the Bujold editor for NESFA Press, now Since then he has been working hard to sup- on book 8. She is married to Tony Lewis, is Writer/activist Shira Lipkin sidles up to port himself. Visit www.jacoblefton.com to owned currently by two cats, and is the proud the most interesting bars, and chats with see more of his work. mother of Alice. runaway gods, duty-shirking sphinxes, the Shariann Lewitt is the author of 17 sci- Ghost of Purim Past, and apostate cyborgs. Scott Lefton makes and sells artwork in Her poetry and fiction have appeared in In- media including metal, wood, glass and Pho- ence fiction and fantasy books. One of her more recent pseudonyms is Nina Harper for terfictions 2, Electric Velocipede, ChiZine, Lone Star

January 14-17 47 Stories, and other wonderful places. Track her Magic Dragon Comics in Arlington MA, Moon Press and The Bitten Word from New movements at shiralipkin.com. She would THE place for new comics. Con Press. like a monkey. Mark A. Mandel is: In real life Samara Martin is a tribal fu- Award winning author of Enemy Mine, Bar- • a fan since the fifties and a filker since the sion bellydancer, living statue and consum- ry B. Longyear has authored over twenty nineties (thank you, Lois Mangan!) mate theatre geek (primarily acting, directing book-length works and numerous short • professionally and avocationally a language and costuming), and is currently pursuing a stories. Recently he has completed his first scientist Master’s Degree in Theatre Education. Her vampire work, The Night, and is now in the • sometimes morphs into Dr. Whom, Con- “geek cred” includes ten years of tabletop process of converting all of his works into sulting Linguist, Grammarian, Orthoëpist, gaming (mainly Dungeons and Dragons), Kindle eBook format, several of which are and Philological Busybody five years of LARPing including two and now live. Check www.barrylongyear.com. • currently lives in Philadelphia, which is why counting on staff, minor obsessions with Doc- Joel Lord has been involved in technical he hasn’t been so active around here in re- tor Who and Neil Gaiman, and a blossoming theater for 17 years, and has been applying cent years interest in steampunk. that experience to cons for 10. He has stage Peter Maranci is the founder and editor Donna Martinez is freelance artist origi- managed the Masquerade at Lunacon for of the Interregnum RPG APA (RIP). Winner nally from New Mexico and has been a the past 9 years, Arisia for the past 2 years, of a few amateur video prizes at Arisia over resident of Boston for 11 years. She’s con- the Historical Recreation Masquerade at the years. Publisher of “Pete’s RuneQuest & tinually working on something, be it clever CostumeCon 27, and the Hugo Awards Cer- Roleplaying!” (www.runequest.org/rq.htm), ideas for fan art or short stories for various emony at Noreascon 4 in 2004. He was also one of the oldest RPG sites online. Long- web comics. Donna is also a member of the the Technical Director for Arisia 2005-2008 time Arisia panelist. Sold a story to a semi- Boston Comics Roundtable and contributed and is TD for CostumeCon 29, next May in pro mag long ago, but it folded before pub- the story “Wish Me Luck” to issue 3 of their New Jersey. lishing it (or paying for it, unfortunately). anthology comic Inbound. At present she’s James Douglas Macdonald was born Joy Marchand holds a B.A. in Classical working on (among other things) “Garry: in White Plains, New York, the second of Studies from the University of the Pacific. The Legend Continues” with her husband three children of W. Douglas Macdonald, She lives in Salem, Massachusetts, where of 3 months, Joey Peters. Her various illus- a chemical engineer, and Margaret E. Mac- she takes photos of odd signage, churchyards trations and scribblings can be found at don- donald, a professional artist. After leaving and the occasional roadside shrine. Joy’s po- namartinez.net. the University of Rochester, where he ma- ems and short stories have been featured in Marlin May was born a poor black child. jored in Medieval Studies, he served in the Bare Bone, Writers of the Future Volume XX, the OK, not exactly poor, more middle class. U. S. Navy. Macdonald left the Navy in 1988 Elastic Book of Numbers, Modern Magic, Time for The child part is true; it was far easier on his in order to pursue writing full-time. Since Bedlam, Polyphony 5, Interfictions, Talebones, Apex mom that way. He’s far closer to a luscious then he has lived with his wife and co-author, Digest, and Interzone, among others. Joy is an chocolate brown than ebony. Debra Doyle, in a big 19th-Century house editor for Shimmer, a small magazine packed He’s currently an employed(!) web apps in Colebrook, New Hampshire, where they with quality short fiction and stunning - art developer. write science fiction and fantasy for children, work. She is currently at work on a novel set He’s no scientist, but he’s consumed a teenagers, and adults. From 1991 through on Cape Ann, MA. steady diet of science books/media as long 1993, as Yog Sysop, he ran the Science Fic- David Marshall was published by Fan- as he can recall. The first book he remember tion and Fantasy RoundTable on the GEnie tagraphics Books, SpiderBaby Graphix reading was Man in Space about Mercury 7. computer network; after the death of GEnie, and more recently by The Boston Comics His favorite kids t.v. show? Mr. Wizard. Lately he was the managing sysop for SFF-Net. Roundtable. This lecture is a selected por- He’s been exploring the promise/problems These days, when not writing novels or run- tion of “Art of the Comic Book”, a college- of transhumanism/post-humanism. ning as an EMT with the local ambulance level studio and history comics class. Details He’s been reading/watching genre fic- squad, he blogs at Absolute Write.com and on www.illdave.com/comicbooks/ tion a long, long, time. His first conven- Making Light. tion was in Feb. 1979; a tiny gathering in Gail Z. Martin is the author of The Sum- Bruce Mackenzie is currently working on Southern California called Science Fiction moner, The Blood King, Dark Haven and Dark Weekend. He wandered into a room where the Mars Homestead settlement design for Lady’s Chosen (The Chronicles of The Necroman- the Mars Foundation, and an entrepreneur- they were screening episodes of Commando cer series). A new series set in her world of Cody. He was transfixed, hooked, captured. ial venture. Past work included use of rotat- the Winter Kingdoms, The Fallen Kings Cycle, ing space tethers to establish industry on the Doomed. Since then he’s attended many a debuts from Orbit Books in 2011 with Book Westercon, Worldcon, NASFiC, Galacticon, Moon. One: The Sworn. For book updates, tour in- Bruce is a software and aerospace engi- Gaylaxicon, Balticon, Equicon, Filmcon, formation and contact details, visit www. Albacon, Fantasmacon, Boskone and Arisia. neer. He has held positions in the National ChroniclesOfTheNecromancer.com Space Society, AIAA, Mars Foundation, & Gail is the host of the Ghost in the Michael McAfee is an actor and writer for Mars Society. Machine Fantasy Podcast, and you can find the Post Meridian Radio Players and with i Glenn MacWilliams has been Business her on MySpace, Facebook, GoodReads, Sebastiani, the greatest commedia dell’arte Director for the past 15 plus years of “The BookTour, BookMarketing.ning, Shelfari troupe in the entire world. He has run flirt- Teseracte Players of Boston” New England’s and Twitter. She is also the author of a series ing workshops in a variety of venues, and is Premier Traveling Shadowcast, performing on book marketing. The Thrifty Author’s Guide a commissionable poet. He has been active The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dr Horrible’s to Launching Your Book comes out in early 2010. in all aspects of fandom since 1990, particu- Sing-Along Blog and others. Webpage teser- Gail’s short fiction has been featured in two larly in LARPing and filking. acte.com. Always available for charity and anthologies: Rum and Runestones from Dragon John G. McDaid attended Clarion in 1993, fund raising events. General Manager of and sold his first short story, the Sturgeon

48 Arisia 2011 Award-winning “Jigoku no mokushiroku” of the Military Writers Society of America ny’s couch is extremely lonely. In an exclu- to Asimov’s in 1995. A webmaster by day, he (MWSA), a reviewer for MilSciFi.com, and sive interview with said couch, “Arisia bio’s lives in Portsmouth, RI, where he tries to fit the creator of the Alliance Archives (All’Arc) “found a very disgruntled sofa “…she’s al- in work on two novels (a time travel series series and its related Martial Role-Playing ways gone! She used to spend all day with me and an alternate history singleton) around Game (MRPG), a manual-based, percentile but now it’s an hour to work and back, and work, hyperlocal citizen journalism, and system, that realistically portrays the conse- the same to see friends on the weekend, her politics. For downloads and blog visit www. quences of warfare. driver’s seat gets more attention than I do! torvex.com/jmcdaid. www.mcp-concepts.com, www.milscifi. Then she takes time out of work and heads Gary McGath is a writer of filk songs and com, www.alliancearchives.net, www. to Arisia, while I languish here alone. That’s occasional organizer of filk events. defendingthefuture.com it the waterbed and I are going on str…” Hi, My name is Penny and I would like Michelle McGuire has been working with Little Mel is a poly, pansexual, pagan, spiritually gender queer, kinky, geeky girl liv- to apologize for my couch…it’s normally a glass since 2001. She has a passion for the very nice sofa but lately it gone a bit flat. I material and the process and shares her love ing in Western MA and originally from the Boston area. She obviously likes labels. Mel think I need to buy some new foam for it…. for the art through glassblowing demonstra- Anyways this is me quirky but fun!!! tions, teaching and collaboration. Michelle is is a former performer in Rocky Horror and an instructor in the MIT Glass Lab. She has REPO! shadow casts. She is also the first per- Dale Meyer-Curley has been an Arisia at- studied numerous glass working techniques son in New England to perform as Amber tendee, volunteer, panelist, and participant at The Studio at the Corning Museum of Sweet. Mel has a book of poetry and short since 2004, when her now-husband Erik Glass and the Haystack Mountain School stories out called, Modern Day Ophelia that brought her to her first con. Her fannish in- of Crafts as well as the MIT Glass Lab. Re- can be found on www.lulu.com. When she terests touch all forms of media, including cently, she has been exploring glass mosaic, isn’t reading comics, gaming (all varieties) or Discworld, Doctor Who, and comics. She incor- torchwork and coldworking as a complement dancing at goth clubs Mel works as a market- porates her geekiness into her crafting hob- to her glassblowing. Michelle holds degrees ing admin in Lee, MA. Yes, she works in the bies of knitting and making unique shirts. in both Computer Science and Literature Berkshires. It’s not as bad as you think! This She is now trying to make the con a fam- from MIT. When not blowing glass, she can is Little Mel’s third Arisia and she is very ily affair by having the “geeky playdates,” a often be found hula hooping with the Boston excited to be part of the great event once place for her one-year-old daughter to enjoy Hoop Troop. again! For more info on Little Mel check out Arisia. her blog: modernophelia.blogspot.com Mike McPhail is the award winning au- I am Erik J. Meyer-Curley all the time. I thor and anthologist of the military science Self acknowledged geek and couch potato am Erik everywhere I go. Whether or not I fiction series Defending The Future (Breach The Penny Messier never seems to find enough am the Erik you are looking for is to be deter- Hull, So It Begins and By Other Means), pub- time in the day for the latter. Between work, mined. I have been attending cons in Boston lished by Dark Quest Books. He is a member hanging with friends, drumming, kite flying, environs since about 1980. My interests are movie going and other various activities Pen- varied and my affiliations numerous. Readercon 22 July 14-17, 2011 Burlington, MA

Guests of Honor Gardner Dozois Geo Rymer Mark Twain

January 14-17www.readercon.org 49 Micah joined the Programming Staff for He has been “living this lifestyle” since high background — and has been a science fic- Arisia two years ago. A long time activist, he school, and lives it in Brookline. He would tion fan since childhood, thanks to her father has worked with many different types of or- say that the more his background stays the introducing her to Analog at an early age. She ganizations in the past. He was the Co-LC same, the more his life changes, but he still makes her living as a productivity consultant, of Western MA Pagan Pride for five years, insists that he can indoctrinate his young doing data analysis, training, and custom Hotel Liaison for Pi-Con for two years, and is daughter into the worlds of SF/F, comics, software development. a current board member of the Western MA D&D, and Magic when the time comes. Tom Murphy got tagged with his nickname Power Exchange. He is a graduate student of Misty Pendragon is the founder of The in ’85 and it has stuck ever since. A common History and Public History at UMass Am- Legal Assassins, a Repo Shadowcast group, man of good will, Merv entered Fandom herst. In his free time, Micah enjoys video wanting to bring all different types of people through Star Trek in ’92, discovered there and board gaming, geocaching and being together to celebrate the love of the filmRepo was SO much more to life than Trek, and polyamorous as often as possible. He lives in the Genetic Opera. She is a published writer and hasn’t looked back since. A sometimes-em- Springfield with his family of choice, a small editor. She has been doing panels at cons for ployed career Chemist, Merv highly recom- menagerie of pets and far more books than too many years now, and you would find her mends reading most anything by Ball, Carey, any one person really needs. on pretty much every Joss Whedon panel! Friesner, Isaak, Lackey, Moon, Pierce, Rowl- Frank Raymond Michaels writes horror, Currently she works in the real life as an ing, Sherman, Shwartz, Snicket, or Weiss. thriller, and dark fantasy, often with a dash Advanced Representative for the area’s larg- Merv has been an enthusiastic volunteer for of dark humor. He was born in Brooklyn, est cable company. Current favorite quote Arisia since ’94, and has enjoyed it enough and lives on Long Island’s south shore with is “We have done the impossible, and that to mention it here in the hopes of luring you his wife, daughter, one dog and four cats. His makes us mighty” by Joss Whedon. into volunteering, too. first published short story, “Mrs. Edgecliff ”, John Monahan is a science writer and Thomas Nackid is a graphic designer and appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine editor. He is a former science teacher, who illustrator who lives in Bethel, Connecticut in August of 1992 and received an honor- taught in Baltimore City public schools for with his fanish wife Terri and his raised-in- able mention in The Year’s Finest Fantasy and over 12 years. His current book They Called fandom children Alex (14) and Emma (11). Horror Sixth Annual Collection by Ellen Datlow Me Mad: Genius, Madness and the Scientists Who Over the years he has created illustrations and Terri Windling. His second published Pushed the Outer Limits of Knowledge deals with and layout design for various publishers in- short story, “Fluf ”, appeared in Haunts the lives of the real life scientists, like Niko- cluding Terrific Science Press, Scholastic magazine in their Spring/Summer 1992 edi- la Tesla, Isaac Newton and Werhner von Books, Sumner Communications. Firewheel tion and was made into a short film that was Braun, who inspired our image of the mad Editions, Cynterpubs Information Resourc- shown at Sundance the following year. He scientist. Further information about John es and he recently created cover art for the has also done illustrations and artwork that Monahan and his books may be found at his Mundania Press’s re-release of the best-sell- have appeared in Fandom Directory and some blog, mad4science.wordpress.com or on his ing Bad Ass Fairies anthology series. He also other small press periodicals. He has spent Facebook page. recently completed a cover for Dragon Lure. the intervening time getting married, raising the first book in a new anthology series from a family and managing an IT career. Now he Kristen Morris loves reading and writing science fiction, making her own games, Dark Quest Books. He is a regular contribu- is writing and illustrating again, and hopes tor of artwork to Space and Time magazine as you enjoy what he has to offer. and making costumes. She also loves the latest episode of Futurama. She was living in well. When not working with publishers he Mijan has been active as a fan writer, cos- solitude until this ruddy young lad stepped designs various marketing and informational tumer, and convention geek since 2003. into her mouth and lodged there. She stud- materials for businesses and organizations. Primary fandoms include Star Trek, Harry ied Psychology as an undergrad at Harvard. You can always find him at www.tomnacki- Potter, and Star Wars. As a self-identified She once dressed up as Captain Picard for dart.com or look for him on Facebook. queer person, Mijan has a particular interest the premiere of the new Star Trek movie even Adam Nakama does many things, includ- in GLBTQ issues as they relate to fan activi- though he wasn’t in it because he is WAY bet- ing educational research, teach dance, design ties, particularly issues of gender identity and ter than Captain Kirk. She was disappointed games, and write things. He has edited some gender expression in social structures, writ- no one noticed. Fail for you BOSTON. stuff, and been published in a few places. He ing, and fandom itself. Serving seven years currently works under the auspices of the in the Army under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has Mitchell Morris is a brilliant computer science PhD student at Columbia University Eval [pronounced EEEEEEEEEvil] Arts given Mijan a unique insight into certain Collective. According to Mr. Darcy, he is an aspects of social justice and civil liberties. (no relation to the football team). He has a game design firm called Ninja vs. Pirates and accomplished woman, and in 2008 he at- Despite being a student of world religions tended Odyssey Writer’s Workshop. and active in a UU congregation, Mijan is a podcast of the same name where we inter- a scientist, skeptic, and social secularist who view game designers. Until recently he was Susan Napier is currently a professor of feels that this is an essential perspective so living in solitude in this mutating swamp un- Asian language and culture at Tufts Univer- often ignored in political discussions of civil til a ruddy young lad stepped into his mouth sity in Medford, Massachusetts. Fascinated liberties. and was lodged there. His favorite Science by Asian art from a young age, she earned In real life (what’s real?), Mijan keeps busy Fiction movie of all time is Newsies. undergraduate and graduate degrees in Jap- saving the universe from itself by playing Having barely escaped with her sanity anese literature and culture from Harvard with toxic, infectious, and radioactive mate- questionably intact after more than 8 years University and later studied as a research rials. Sadly, this has not yet led to any super- as owner of NERO Mass/Ravenholt, the student at Ochanomizu Women’s University hero mutations, but hey, there’s still time. founding chapter of NERO International in Tokyo. Since then, aside from studying LARP, Rachel Morris is finally able to en- Japanese literature, she has become the most Daniel Miller is a local attorney, gamer, prominent anime and manga scholar in the comics aficionado, and SF/F fan who keeps joy PCing again. She’s been LARPing for 15 years — a natural extension of her theater United States, having published two books coming back to Arisia because he enjoys it. on the subjects: Anime from Akira to Howl’s

50 Arisia 2011 Moving Castle: Experiencing Japanese Animation many years until a group of his arch enemies inordinate amount of time being silly and in 2001 and From Impressionism to Anime: Japan (can you have a “group” of arch enemies?) adding sound effects to every day life. Ap- as Fantasy and Fan Cult in the Mind of the West banded together in a sinister plot to bounce proach at your own risk. in 2007. him into a parallel universe. That is, paral- David Nurenberg, Ph.D. just does too Larry Nelson, also known as LORDLNYC lel to that one. Which they thought of as much stuff. He’s a freelance writer for White online, is a long time member of the leather/ the real universe but which you think of as Wolf, a self-published novelist, a high school queer/poly communities as well as a long a parallel universe. Unless you’re also from English teacher and an occasional adjunct time queer/kinky/poly rights activist. He at- there, in which case you think of this one as professor. That explains all the twitching. tended his first con (Lunacon) in ’84 where the parallel… He’s been a GM for 20 years, which ex- he went on to help run gaming from ’91-’03. Oh, screw it. plains the severe twitching. He has traveled In ’06 he attended his first Arisia where he Alex Newman is the founder of The to over 30 countries and runs two interna- put in over 30 hours helping out in the con Boston Babydolls (www.BostonBabydolls.net), tional exchange programs, which explains suite. In ’07 he put his long time activism to a former comic book writer, LARP author, how he can twitch in several languages. Do good use and stated doing panels at Arisia, and is the organizer of KLOCKWERQ, not stare directly at David, as contents are Lunacon as well as for TES (a major Leather Boston’s Steampunk Dance Party. He has under pressure and may detonate, causing group in NYC). He lives in Queens, NYC. been involved in Arisia in various aspects for minor to moderate injuries. But David comes many years. Resa Nelson is the author of The Dragon- in peace, really — at least, that’s what he’ll slayer’s Sword, a novel based on two short sto- Benjamin Newman, a computer science insist in court. ries published in Science Fiction Age, the first graduate student at Brandeis University, has Elizabeth O’Malley is a long time anime of which ranked second in that magazine’s been filking since his college friends dragged fan and avid cosplayer, and she attends far first Readers Top Ten Poll. The Dragonslayer’s more conventions every year than she should. Sword was a 2009 EPPIE Award Finalist for She is the creator of AnimeCheep.com, a Best Fantasy Novel and was recommended resource for anime fans to watch anime free for the Nebula Award. Her next novel, Our and cheap, legally, as well as a writer for An- Lady of the Absolute, is slated for publication in imeCons.com, the leading web site dedicated July 2010. She recently finished writing The to news and information about anime con- Iron Maiden, Book 2 in her Dragonslayer series. ventions, contributing to both their website Her short fiction has been published inFanta - and monthly podcast. She is also the Vice sy Magazine, Paradox, Brutarian Quarterly, Science President of the Northern Lights chapter of Fiction Age, Aboriginal SF, Tomorrow SF, Oceans the International Costumers Guild. of the Mind, and many anthologies. Nelson is Rita Oakes writes dark fantasy and histori- a graduate of the Clarion Workshop (1985). cal fiction. She enjoys travel and has been She has also sold over 200 magazine articles. known to traipse around cemeteries, battle- She has been the TV/movie columnist for fields, and derelict prisons, provided there is Realms of Fantasy since 1998, and is a regu- a good beer at the end of the journey. Her lar contributor to SCI FI magazine. Visit her work has appeared in the late, lamented Par- website at www.resanelson.com. him to his first convention his freshman year adox and Aeon Speculative Fiction, as well as in Kate Nepveu was born in South Korea at Swarthmore. Since then, he has acquired Tales of Moreauvia, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and and raised in New England. She now lives two guitars and written over 200 songs on a the anthologies, The Many Faces of Van Helsing in upstate New York where she is practicing wide range of topics, including SF and fanta- and Time Well Bent. Visit her on Facebook or law, raising a family, and (in her copious free sy, science, computers, and religion, both sin- at www.ritaoakes.com . time) writing at her Dreamwidth account gly and in various whimsical juxtapositions. Robyn Ochs is the editor of the 42-country (kate_nepveu), a booklog (steelypips.org/ Ben has also organized filk programming for anthology, Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around weblog), and at Tor.com, where she is in the Philcon, Concertino, and Pi-con. the World and of the Bi Women newsletter (bi- home stretch of re-reading The Lord of the womenboston.org). Her writings have been Rings one chapter a time. Robert Newton is a writer and filmmaker who operates The Cape Ann Community published in numerous bisexual, women’s Shava Nerad is a polymath autodidact Cinema in Gloucester, MA. He is a former studies, multicultural, and LGBT antholo- who likes obscure vocabulary, online life, and video store mogul and novelty recording gies. She has taught courses on LGBT his- weird science and social issues. She’s been artist whose album, Monkey Bismuth, won a tory& politics in the US, the politics of sexual working online since 1982, and has spent couple of major awards (or something). orientation, and the experiences of those most of her career at the intersection of tech who transgress the binary categories of gay/ and society. She’s CEO of an indy game Convinced as a child that she was left on this straight, masculine/feminine, black/white company, Oddfellow Studios (oddfellowstu- planet by aliens and picked off the street by and/or male/female. Robyn has spoken at dios.com) that has discovered something very a kind lady who became her mother, Mimi hundreds of colleges, conferences and youth much like Snow Crash (for good not evil!) for Noyes has always been a bit different. Natu- groups in the US and beyond, and she can be real life. rally drawn to the bizarre, the fantastic, and found online at www.robynochs.com. the unordinary, she has grown up (physically, The legendary Alex Newman was raised if not mentally) to be an artist, a muralist, Jennifer Old is an amateur costumer with on a parallel Earth where his plane crashed a film buff, and a movie reviewer amongst taste for recreating sci-fi/fantasy characters in the Himalayas — er, the parallel Himala- other odd and less desirable career choices. and historical dress (particularly Victorian). yas. Not ours. There he was taught the secret Both running her own mural company and A medical technologist by day, it’s the fan- of clouding mens’ minds by monks. Parallel working for such illustrious film sources as nish endeavors that make life more fun. She’s monks. Stop laughing. He fought crime for SIFF and Scarecrow Video, Mimi spends an never read the instruction manual that came

January 14-17 51 with the sewing machine and can’t make The elder of two sisters, Stella Price has Rick Ralston has been a fan of science fic- herself follow a the instructions of a pattern been a model, ice cream designer, bartender, tion and anime since the late 60’s. Rick has or recipe to save her life. There’s also a very web wizard, retail slave and snowboard in- been staffing conventions the past 10 years unhealthy obsession with puff paint, but we structor. on the local and regional level. Rick is also don’t talk about that. Fiona lives in Kansas Now in her 30’s, shes the older half the organizer of the locale anime group in City with her wife and furry children. of Stella and Audra Price, authors of all Albany, NY. Rick also brings a unique point Ken Olum is a research associate profes- things dark and romantic, and has over 18 of view to the fandom community. sor in the Tufts Institute of Cosmology. He books to her and her sister’s credit. Aside Victor Raymond is a longtime SF&F read- lives in Sharon, MA with his partners Valerie from writing, Stella maintains a career as a er and fan, and currently serves as a board White and Judy Anderson and his children graphic designer and art director for Tease member of the Carl Brandon Society and Jocelyn and Perry. Publishing. She is also the managing director as Recording Secretary of SF3. In the past, for the Authors After Dark convention each Jennifer Pelland is a Boston-area science he has served as President of the Interstitial year and believes happy endings don’t always Arts Foundation, Chair of WisCon 28, and fiction writer, bellydancer, and occasional have to be sweetness and light. radio theater performer. She’s published sev- Executive Committee member of Minicon eral dozen short stories, and her debut novel Drawing much of its aesthetic from steam- 28 and 33. A professional sociologist, he is Machine will be coming out later this year punk fashions and the neo-vintage move- a member of the Arts & Sciences faculty of from Apex Publications. For more info, visit ment, Psyche Corporation seeks to com- Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin. www.jenniferpelland.com, which contains a bine art, fashion, dance, and science within Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert is a Technical full bibliography, as well as links to her vari- the framework of a technomythological Assistance Associate for a nonprofit by day, ous blogs. world of life-extension and virtual reality and is blessed with a tolerant husband and servers full of wonderful nightmares. Psyche As the owner of The Lady and The Leopard, two amazing kids. In between, she tries to Corp. specializes in an unique genre often de- find writing time. Her poetry has been pub- Solveig Pflueger designs and sells costumes scribed as dark victorian fairytale science fic- for historical re-enactment and theatrical lished in Strong Verse, New Witch, Pagan Edge tion. The band itself is named after a dream and The Norfolk Quill. Her short story-length productions. Although she originally started manufacture group from the future where making medieval and renaissance clothing poem “Interview with the Faerie (Part I)” will widespread neural implants have allowed appear in Abandoned Towers in 2011. She is a for sale at renaissance faires, her theatrical people to jack their nerve endings directly pursuits have pushed her into the more re- former co-assistant editor and a feature writ- into the internet and download dreams. As a er for The Tor Stone, and has contributed to cent eras. She has a particular weakness for performance group, Psyche Corporation has 18th century men’s clothing (She can’t resist The Pagan Writers Community. She is currently at various times incorporated robot exhibi- Membership Goddess for Broad Universe. a great fop or pirate coat) and is intrigued tions, steel origami cranes, contortion, cor- by the evolution of ladies’ fashions from the Although she has spent most of her life sets, flashlights, and old radios. The music writing (in her head, if not on paper), she’s early Victorian through the late Edwardian spans genres; a recent song has mixed tribal periods. earned degrees in Communication and singing with classical piano while embedding Sociology in lieu of anything “literary.” She Marlie Philiossaint has been a voracious the DNA of deadly polio virus into its per- is a lifelong speculative fiction and scifi fan reader since before she can actively remem- cussion. and science geek. Find her online: suzan- ber. She relies on a constant stream of fan- Barbara Pugliese is a dance historian and nereynoldsalpert.blogspot.com/ tasy, science fiction, and comic books of all a clothing historian. She is an intrepid guide Roho was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, kind to keep herself sane. With that said, she for time travelers in the 19th and early 20th has exactly zero connections to the profes- and immigrated to the United States with his centuries. She is active in steampunk in the parents in his early adulthood. Roho studied sional side of fandom, but she babbles with Boston area. the best of them. She came to her first Arisia Commercial Art after high school and began when she was far too small, and the hotel far Most commonly known in fandom and else- drawing inexpertly at age seventeen. Despite too large. where as Dr. Karen, she has been active in his parents’ hopes for him to become a well veterinary medicine since her early teens. adjusted person, Roho studied sequential Mike Piantedosi is a machine learning Sometime during her unending college art on his own for several years. Shortly af- researcher, sound engineer, music geek, pho- years, she went to her first convention and ter moving to Cambridge in 2008, he joined tographer, and obsolete hardware enthusiast. her spare time became non-existent. Busy in Boston Comics Roundtable. He is an organizer for @party (www.atparty- past years with Masquerade, Costuming and Roho has contributed to the last two is- demoscene.net) and was the sound designer the Art Show, she now lends her organiza- sues of Inbound as well as publishing Outbound: for Arisia 2005-2007. tional talents to the Publications Division. The Science Fiction Comics Anthology and the an- Don’t tell me you don’t know who KT Pinto Daniel Rabuzzi grew up immersed in nual Hellbound anthology co edited with Joel is! How is that possible? We need to get you fairytale and folklore, and has wandered be- Gill. up to speed about this brightly attired novel- yond the fields we know ever since. Chizine Margaret Ronald is the author of Spiral ist. Find out more about her at www.ktpinto. Publications launched his novel The Choir Hunt, Wild Hunt, and Soul Hunt, as well as a com Boats at Worldcon 2009 in Montréal. His number of short stories. Originally from ru- Bill Pomeroy is an avid sci-fi fan and role- short fiction and poetry appear in, among ral Indiana, she now lives outside Boston. player. He’s been running games and events others, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, Shim- Ian Rose was one of the organizers of the for 15 years. He is the owner and operator of mer, Sybil’s Garage, Goblin Fruit, Scheherezade’s Transcending Boundaries Conference 2009. Plan B IT Solutions. He is also working on Bequest, and Abyss & Apex. He blogs at Lob- He is a bi, poly, kinky activist focusing on the his first collection of short stories. ster & Canary. His website is www.daniel- education with in these communities and the Steve E Popkes, his wife, son and cat breed rabuzzi.com public. Ian currently lives as part of a kinky, turtles and on two acres in Massachusetts. poly quad in Springfield, MA where they are

52 Arisia 2011 discovering on how to run a complex house- His pin up work has appeared a number of cade he has worked on a variety of research hold and documenting the process. publications and he has had two sketchbooks and educational projects sponsored by the Noel Rosenberg has been running conven- published by Free Lunch Comics. Some of National Institute of Mental Health, Nation- tions for more years than not. He has worked his original published work will be available al Space Biomedical Research Institute, and on several major regionals, including Philcon for purchase. Available for commissions dur- NASA’s Space and Life Sciences Directorate. and Balticon, as well as Gaylaxicon, several ing Arisia! www.normankatz.com His research has focused on the biological gaming conventions, and a couple of World- Don Sakers was launched the same month basis of psychiatric disorders, brain imaging cons. Arisia is his home convention. Proving as Sputnik One, so it was perhaps inevitable techniques, and the effects of microgravity he has no friends, he has worked on every that he should become a science fiction writ- on the nervous system and his research has Arisia since ’90, filled almost every division er. A Navy brat by birth, he spent his child- appeared in scientific journals including The head position at least once, has held several hood in such far-off lands as Japan, Scot- Journal of Vestibular Research, Psychological Medi- officer positions in Arisia Corporate, and in land, Hawaii, and California. In California, cine, Biological Psychiatry, Neuropsychobiology and a past life was the Conchair. He also chaired rather like a latter-day Mowgli, he was raised Schizophrenia Research. Currently, he is work- the Corporate Hotel Search Committee, and by dogs. ing at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital has negotiated hotel contracts for a few con- As a writer and editor, he has explored of Harvard Medical School on using diffu- ventions. the thoughts of sapient trees, brought ghosts sion tensor MRI to study the white matter to life, and beaten the “Cold Equations” sce- changes in the brain during the early stages Joe Ross has been in fandom since the 60’s. of schizophrenia. In 1964, he founded the University of Mas- nario. In 2009, Don took up the position of sachusetts Science Fiction Society, then later book reviewer for Analog Science Fiction & Fact, Meredith Schwartz’s short fiction ap- became a member of MITSFS and NESFA, where he writes the “Reference Library” col- peared in Strange Horizons, Reflection’s Edge, serving as Vice President of NESFA from umn in every issue. and the anthology Sleeping Beauty, Indeed. She 1970-72. He edited Volume I of the NESFA Steve Sawicki: Writer and screenwriter. edited Alleys & Doorways, an anthology of Hymnal in the late 1970s. He was Clerk of Short fiction inFuture Washington, Transversions, homoerotic urban fantasy, forthcoming from Arisia, Incorporated from 1990-92 and Electric Velocipide. Novella in Absolute Magnitude. Lethe Press. She is screenwriter for Accidental President from 1992-94. He is a practicing Reviewer of books, movies, small press. Cre- Heroes, has been known to commit fanfiction, attorney and figures that if he practices long ator of the Damn Aliens. Currently have two and ran Buffycon once upon a time. enough, he may get good at it. screenplays under option and negotiating a Gregory Seidman is a fan, a tabletop Among many things, Joan Ruland Don- reality television series with production com- gamer, a geek, and a family man. nelly is a mother, spouse, insurance profes- panies. Reviews appear in SFRevu, Gumshoe. Jude Shabry (aka peacefrog) attended her sional (someone has to do it), hula dancer, Jow Scangarella is a born and bred NJ first Arisia in 1994 and hasn’t been able to former morris dancer, pub singer, flautist, native, who finds the recent attention to his stay away since. She’s attended as an artist, martial artist, and rennie. She is a High home state both hilarious and a little bit vendor, techie, panelist, yoga teacher, climb- Priestess in the Blue Star tradition of Wicca, shameful. He is a practicing Pagan, Magi- ing guide, and more. This year she is thrilled and has also been involved with the Boston cian, an RPG Geek, Religion Nerd, and only to add bride to the list as she and Dreaming Pagan Community for the last 8 years, par- makes public appearances at 3/4 actual size. tie the knot in the ballroom on Sunday. ticipating in and occasionally leading public Dori Schendell started to write about the Nisi Shawl’s story collection Filter House events and innumerable closed events. She world of Nexus Elements thirteen years won the 2009 James Tiptree, Jr. Award. It has also written rites of passage for children ago as a creative writing assignment in high was praised by Ursula K. Le Guin as “su- and adults. school. After the assignment was done she perbly written” and by Samuel R. Delany as She beads, crochets, makes candles, soaps, kept writing about this world. She was in the “amazing.” Shawl was a double-nominee for sachets, bath salts, oils, bath bombs, brews middle of planning three books she would the 2009 World Fantasy Awards. Her stories mead and makes yogurt and cheese. write when she realized she was a whole lot have appeared in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Joan is endlessly fascinated with why peo- more interested in writing about the world Horror, Asimov’s SF Magazine, and the ground- ple do what they do — in many areas of life. instead of the characters. Coming home breaking Dark Matter anthologies, among Matt C Ryan’s work spans from the comics from a weekend LARP it hit her; she should other publications. In May of 2011 she’ll industry to package design and advertising. write a LARP of her own, using the Nexus be one of two Guests of Honor at the 35th He is the creator and artist on the comic, Elements world. So it began, and after many WisCon. Bigger, published by Free Lunch Comics. His long years of work she is ready to share her Shawl’s reviews and essays appear in the stories, characters, and art appear in many world and game with LARPers like herself. Seattle Times and Ms. Magazine. She is the products from Free Lunch and other comic Ian Keville Schleifer is the author of a editor of the forthcoming fifth volume of companies. His larger body of work includes science and technology blog called The Grok the WisCon Chronicles and coauthor of Writing cartoons for magazine ads, package and Project (grokproject.net). He works at the the Other, a guide to developing characters of character designs for various companies. He Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Labo- varying racial, religious, and sexual back- also co-founded Free Lunch Studios where ratory at Brandeis University. He is a bach- grounds. A founding member of the Carl he works on his freelance assignments, teach- elor of the sciences with a major in computer Brandon Society and an officer of that- or es and hosts special events like Comic Book science and a minor in mathematics. Ian has ganizations’ Steering Committee, Shawl Shuffle, 24 Hour Comic Day, and the weekly a passion for figuring out how things work also serves on the Board of Directors of the Monday Night Jam sessions. Matt will be and he loves to share it. Clarion West Writers Workshop. drawing commissions throughout Arisia! Nicholas “phi” Shectman is Clerk of www.freelunchcomics.com Jason Schneiderman has a BS in Psychol- ogy from Stony Brook University and PhD in Arisia, Inc. Norman Katz is an artist from The Mine Neuroscience from the Mount Sinai School Delia Sherman was born in Tokyo, Japan, Studio that specializes in the female form. of Medicine in New York. Over the last de- and brought up in New York City. She has

January 14-17 53 spent a lot of time in schools of one kind or school on Cape Cod, where he resides with her wonderful husband; she has been living another: Vassar College for undergrad, then his wife and son, and three cats. here for the past 7 years. Brown University where she earned a Ph.D. Hildy Silverman is the publisher of Space Jamila Sisco is an award-winning costumer in Renaissance Studies. Delia also publishes and Time, a four-decade-old magazine fea- with a specialization in Anime costumes. She short fiction for adults, most recently in turing fantasy, horror, and science fiction. has worked on costumes for over 5 years and Realms of Fantasy and Poe. Delia has judged She is also the author of several works of is a member of the Northern Lights chapter the Crawford Award for Best First Fantasy short fiction, including “Damned Inspira- of the International Costumers’ Guild. Novel, The James Tiptree, Jr. Award for Fan- tion” (2009, Bad-Ass Fairies, Ackley-McPhail, David Sklar writes in the places between tastic Fiction, and the World Fantasy Award. ed.), “The Vampire Escalator of the Pas- She has served on the Motherboard of the the impossible magic of legend, the inscru- saic Promenade” (2010, New Blood, Thomas, table magic of dreams, and the breathtaking James Tiptree Jr. Award, and is a founding ed.),“The Darren” (2009, Witch Way to the member and past officer of the Interstitial everyday magic of the world in which we Mall?, Friesner, ed.), and “Sappy Meals” live. His works include fiction in such publi- Arts Foundation. As an editor of books and (2010, Fangs for the Mammaries, Friesner, ed.). anthologies, Delia’s continuing quest is to get cations as Space and Time and Cabinet des Fées, She is the Vice President of the Garden State and poetry in Wormwood Review and Paterson more of the kind of fantasy she likes out to Horror Writers and member of the literary readers. She has worked as a contributing ed- Literary Review, among others. His first novel, programming committee for Philcon. In the Shadow of the Antlered Bird, is available as an itor for Tor Books and has co-edited the fan- “real” world, she is a freelance consultant tasy anthology The Horns of Elflandwith Ellen e-book from Drollerie Press. He is currently who develops corporate training and mar- coediting the two-headed anthology Traffick- Kushner and Donald G. Keller, as well as The keting communications materials. Essential Bordertown with Terri Windling. She ing in Magic/Magicking in Traffic. David lives in had co-edited two anthologies of Interstitial Labels, labels everywhere! Some of those New Jersey works as a freelance writer and fiction: Interficitons 1, with Theodora Goss, that fit Mistress Simone: sadist, pervert, editor. For more information, see davidwrit- and Interfictions 2, with Christopher Barzak. fetishist, polyamorous, professional domi- ing.com She continues to teach SF and Fantasy writ- natrix, comic geek, Doctor Who aficionado, Brad Smith is a professional Linux nerd by ing, including at Odyssey: the Fantasy Writ- Battlestar watcher and old sci-fi lover, lifestyle day, and does musical theater, voice acting, ing Workshop, the Clarion Science Fiction & educator, fetish performer, geek and kinkster. LARP, drumming, and just about any other Fantasy Writers’ Workshop, and workshops Current title holder of International Ms. kind of performance he can get involved at colleges and science fiction conventions all Olympus 2009. with by night. He currently does vocals and over America. Mistress Simone has been a lifestyle and percussion in the folk group Stranger Ways, professional Domina for seventeen years. and has recently performed on stage as Pilate Hillary Sherwood is a filker, harper, knit- Her community service has included the ex- ter and needlepointer. She has been reading in Jesus Christ Superstar and Jake in Evil Dead: ecutive directorship of the LRA, Inc., GLLA The Musical, both with the MIT musical the- Science Fiction and Fantasy for as long as she 2006 and Illinois Leather Sir and boy 2007 can remember, and watching it for nearly as ater guild. He is the technical producer of judge, LA&M volunteer and giving educa- and principle voice cast in the online audio long. She currently lives in the Philadelphia tional discussions nationwide. suburbs. theater podcast, Second Shift (www.second- Some of the events she has presented at shiftpodcast.com). Occasionally, he sleeps. Cynthia A. Shettle’s current obsessions include Kinky Kollege, NELA, Shibaricon, are Heroes and Kingdom of Loathing. Old Galleria Domain 2 and DomCon. College Sarah Smith’s first YA, The Other Side of favorite shows include Angel, Highlander and lectures include Northwestern University, Dark (ghosts, interracial romance, and a se- Misfits of Science. She roleplays with the West- Loyola and University of Chicago. Seeking cret from slavery times) has been named a Ju- ern Avenue Irregulars. to expand her knowledge base, she tries to nior Library Guild selection. She’s also writ- learn something new from each event, per- ten Chasing Shakespeares, The Vanished Child and Tomoko Shimizu is a professor of English The Knowledge Of Water (both New York Times literature and cultural studies and media and son and encounter she has. www.chicago- mistress.com Notable Books), A Citizen Of The Country, and globalization at the University of Tsukuba horror, SF, and hypertext short stories. “The located in Ibaraki, Japan. Currently she is Jill R. Singer’s earliest memories are of Boys Go Fishing” appears in NY Times best- a visiting scholar at Harvard University’s drawing and coloring, and has not stopped selling Death’s Excellent Vacation (ed. Charlaine Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, re- making things since. She sews clothes, bags, Harris and Toni Kelner). She is still work- searching the Japan Media Network and the and quilts; and crochet little animals and ing on that Titanic book. Visit her at www. Anime Culture. hats. She is always doing something, whether sarahsmith.com, FB and Twitter, and www. Rick Silva has been involved in small press it be dan zan ryu ju jitsu, israeli folkdancing, bookviewcafe.com, where a lot of her stories publishing since his college days. He pub- or music. She sings, plays flute, guitar, and a are free for the reading. lished and edited Kinships magazine. Along little piano. In terms of science fiction and fantasy, Elayna Jade Smolowitz is a second-gen- with his wife Gynn, Rick is a partner in eration geek, a writer, a singer, and an ac- Dandelion Studios (www.dandelionstudios. she love all things Joss Whedon (she has seen all his series, and has read all of his comic tress. She’s an anime geek, a band geek, and com), a small press comic book company. a literature geek, and has a certain passion Rick co-writes the Dandelion Studios comics books), and is a voracious reader. Recent favorites include McMaster Bujold’s Miles for musicals. Many of her short stories are Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire, Stone, Kaeli stored in her journal on Gaia Online (gai- & Rebecca, and Perils of Picorna. He publishes Vorkosigan series and Scott Westerfelds’s Uglies/Pretties/Specials series. When she’s not aonline.com), which is where she gets much his own zine, Caravan, and he is one of the of her inspiration anyway. featured contributors for the fiction webzine doing all that stuff, she’s a software engineer; The Edge of Propinquity (www.edgeofpropin- designing and implementing user interfaces While Everett Soares, the creator of Sky quity.net). Rick Silva grew up in Boston, at AG Mednet in Boston. Lastly, she is a Pirates of Valendor, had been working on this Massachusetts, attended Cornell University, graduate of MIT; and tried to leave Boston concept for over 2 years, it truly did not come and currently teaches chemistry at a high but was drawn back and then promptly met to life until he met Brian Brinlee, penciler for

54 Arisia 2011 the project. In December 2006, the two were in development on a feature film of the first Winners Showcase, The Best of Not One of Us, introduced and started working on concept book Luck in the Shadows. Fantasy: The Best of the Year 2006, Best New Ro- sketches. Before they knew it, Everett’s words Charlie also just published his first book, mantic Fantasy 2, and You Have Time for This: came to life on Brian’s 11 x 17 art boards. So You Want To Be a Filmmaker… Forget Film Contemporary American Short-Short Stories; a se- Four months and 8 pages later, they stum- School. lection of her work can be found in Postcards bled upon the chance of a lifetime, Small Michael Sprague is the Division Head of from the Province of Hyphens and Singing Innocence Press Idol. What occurred from there was Programming for Arisia 2011. This is his sec- and Experience (Prime Books). She holds mas- beyond any of their expectations! ond year as head of Programming. He has ter’s degrees in Classics from Brandeis and Sky Pirates of Valendor finished the competi- been involved as staff for Arisia for several Yale and once named a Kuiper belt object. nd tion in 2 Place. Shortly after, Free Lunch years and as an attendee for even longer. Cecilia Tan is “science fiction’s premiere Comics extended an offer to publish the se- Clearly he needs to find another hobby. pornographer,” according to Walter Jon Wil- ries, in a five-issue miniseries followed by a liams, and “one of the most important writ- trade paperback. Dr. Staats joins us with an extremely varied background. He has been in the game design ers, editors, and innovators in contemporary Besides his work on Sky Pirates, Everett is American erotic literature” according to Su- stretching his writing skills through a variety community since the mid-70’s. Colonel Staats is highly decorated combat veteran that most sie Bright. She is the author of many books of pending projects, working with a group of that combine the erotic with the fantastic, in- talented artists. Everett is an active member recently commanded 18,000 personnel in Iraq. Dr. Staats is also a department head at cluding the novels The Siren and the Sword, The of the Comicbook Artists Guild and lives in Tower and The Tears, The Incubus and the Angel, Rhode Island with his wife and dog. a think tank in DC. There is more information on Rich at www.drgames.org Mind Games, and The Velderet, the collections SJS Comic Promotions is owned and op- of short stories Edge Plays, White Flames, Black erated by Promotions Consultant, Susan Richard Stallman founded of the Free Feathers, and Telepaths Don’t Need Safewords, Soares. Opening its doors officially in 2009, Software Movement in 1983 — a movement and the web serial The Prince’s Boy. She is the Soares has been working in the comic book for software users’ freedom, and launched founder and editor of Circlet Press, erotic industry since 2007 as a part of Jolly Rogue development of the GNU operating system science fiction and fantasy, and has edited Studios. The purpose of SJS Comic Promo- (gnu.org), often mislabeled as “Linux” and anthologies for Alyson Books, Thunder’s tions is to provide support and guidance to attributed to someone else. Mouth Press, Carroll & Graf, Ravenous Ro- comic book creators in the areas of mar- President of the Free Software Foundation mance, Masquerade Books, and others. Her keting and promotions of their properties. (fsf.org). short stories have appeared everywhere from Currently SJS Comic Promotions represents Witch, Shaman, Professional Psychic, Meta- Asimov’s to Ms. Magazine. Follow her on Twit- Dandelion Studios, Fallenmage Productions, physical Engineer, and Reiki Master. Star- ter, Facebook, or blog.ceciliatan.com Big Bone Studios, Mustard Seed Comics, wolf possesses a vast, ecclectic store of Artist, writer, healer, student of history, es- Dark Brain Comics, Jolly Rogue Studios and knowledge, both Esoteric and Exoteric. pecially the European Dark Ages, healing, Three J Productions LLC. Soares is also a Ian Randal Strock is the editor and pub- psychic phenomena, magick and divina- novice comic book writer with three short lisher of SFScope.com and the publisher of tion, ancient and neo-pagan religions, as stories to be published within the next year. Fantastic Books. Random House published well has skills for sustainable self-sufficiency. Tim Spalding is the creator of Li- his first book, The Presidential Book of Lists, in Tchipakkan teaches everything from Divi- braryThing, an online service to help people 2008, and his short fiction has appeared in nation to Dressing small game. catalog their books easily. Nature and Analog (from which he won two Timothy J. Tero has been attending Arisia Tim is a web developer and web pub- AnLabs). for about 10 years now. He’s a painter and lisher based in Portland, Maine. Tim also Danielle Sucher (daniellesucher.com) is photographer and has traveled extensively. runs www.isidore-of-seville.com and www. part artist, part pyromaniac, and spends He has been to Europe about a dozen times ancientlibrary.com. Since becoming a “real” much of her time creating art glass jewelry at and Japan 3 times… He’s an assistant or- business in May 2006, LibraryThing now her torch. Her work is available at emblems. ganizer for an international/arthouse film employs a number of talented people. etsy.com. She also practices law, spins fire, meetup group in the Boston area. He would At Arisia in order to feed his girlfriend’s mad keeps bees, takes photos, cooks, writes, and say his special interest would be the culture scientist fetish, Sparr will also be teaching generally manages to keep busy somehow. of Japan (old and new) — Japanese Sci-fi/ paper folding, rope tying, and Lego building, Julia Suggs sings alto for the a cappella horror films. and some anime (especially old all while leaving time for fun, of course. If filk group Sassafrass. She is admin for Arisia anime). Also has a keen interest in European you turn this page into a square and bring it ’11. Sci-fi films. to him, he will teach you how to fold it into Michael “Mookie” Terracciano is the a stegosaurus! Sean Sullivan is a software entrepreneur, science journalist, and art photographer with author and artist of the ongoing fantasy we- Charlie Spickler is a Brooklyn based in- nine patents in communications technology bcomic Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire. Since dependent filmmaker. Charlie has written and particle physics. He was home-schooled, its humble beginnings eight years ago it has and directed three feature films, a number of and triple-majored at Amherst College in received acclaim for its unique heroes, mem- short films, and two TV pilots. Charlie co- computer science, astronomy, and cultural orable villains, addictive storylines, painful wrote and directed Accidental Heroes, the high- evolution. puns and (gasp!) reliable update schedule. ly acclaimed TV pilot and recently finished Want to know what’s so interesting about another Syfy TV pilot titled The Chronicles Poems and short stories of Sonya Taaffe’s this grumpy seer? See for yourself at www. of Bob which us currently being shopped to have won the Rhysling Award, been short- dominic-deegan.com! listed for the SLF Fountain Award and the a number of networks. Charlie is a partner This will be the eleventh consecutive Arisia in C Squared Pictures. C Squared currently Dwarf Stars Award, and been reprinted in such anthologies as The Year’s Best Fantasy and for Pete ‘Happy’ Thomas and his son owns the rights to the first three books in Quinn, age 10. Happy supports polyamory, Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner series and is Horror, The Alchemy of Stars: Rhysling Award

January 14-17 55 gay marriage, group marriage, line mar- biweekly columnist, sometime producer, and dozen works of fiction and poetry, includ- riage, and term marriage; he is traditionally onscreen personality for Anime News Network, ing Palimpsest, the Orphan’s Tales series, and married to Pam Ochs. Though a libertarian, the world’s #1 anime website, and a regular the crowdfunded phenomenon The Girl Who Pete works as a systems architect for a fed- reviewer and features writer for Otaku USA Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Own Mak- eral contractor. While he’s a militant agnos- Magazine. ing. She is the winner of the Tiptree Award, tic, he’s perfectly happy dancing in a drum Thomas Traina is an attorney practicing the Andre Norton Award, the Mythopoeic circle with neo-pagans or in deep contempla- law in Massachusetts. He has experience in Award, the Lambda Awrad, the Rhysling tion with Unitarian Universalists. An Eagle the areas of labor law, business law, and prac- Award, and the Million Writers Award. She Scout, he refuses to support today’s BSA on tices in an area he likes to call “fandom law”: was a finalist for the World Fantasy Award moral grounds. Though Happy’s undergrad- legal issues of special interest to fandom, in 2007 and 2009, and the Locus and Hugo uate degree is in Aerospace Engineering; his conventions & event hosts. Academically, he Awards in 2010. She lives on an island off M.S. is in Computer Science. He has been also focuses on civil liberties, constitutional the coast of Maine with her partner, two unable to kick his hard SF habit, acquired law, speculative bioethics, and comparative dogs, and an enormous cat. at an early age. Though there are some that law & government in science fiction. Eric M. Van was a 2010 nominee for the only know him as “Happy,” he has suffered Tom got into science fiction through Star World Fantasy Award for his work as Pro- from depression. Feel free to friend him on Wars, then Star Trek TNG, and snowballed gram Chair or Chair Emeritus for all 21 LiveJournal, Flickr, Facebook, Digg, Twitter, from there. He is also an avid roleplayer and Readercons (and has been at work on a nov- MySpace, Blogger, Live.com. He rarely posts theatre-style LARP writer. When he can af- el, Imaginary, nearly the entire time). His ob- anything of substance on any of them. ford it, he also enjoys wargames. servations on Philip K. Dick have appeared As the mother of a 15 year old accom- S. Tulchinsky: poly, kinky, multilingual, in the New York Review of Science Fiction. At the plished Novice costumer and filker, Persis and perpetually dancing college girl with dis- turn of the millennium he spent four years L Thorndike is busy sharing her sewing tinctive hair and a penchant for toe socks and back at Harvard studying psychology, and machines, singing, playing music, cooking handstands. has renewed a lifelong interest in theoreti- good food for her extended family, and ho- cal physics (his original major there). He also meschooling her child; oh, she is also holding Bonnie Barlow Turner has a Masters in writes film and rock criticism, online and for down two jobs ATM. She is not only raising Counseling and is a certified high school Bi- local ’zines. In the real world, he is a former a costumer, but has a background of sewing, ology teacher. She is currently investigating statistical consultant for the Boston Red Sox, organizing, music, and graphics; she collects research in Psychology. Bonnie has worked and lives in Watertown, Mass. in biotech and tutored ESOL students. She children’s literature; and reads avidly. She has Outside of his career as a software developer experience in fannish and music publishing, volunteers informing the public about environmental and other social justice issues. She and entrepreneur, James B. Van Bok- run non-profit charity auctions for Interfilk, (a kelen’s list of hobbies is at risk of over- filk fan fund), and has been on the ConCom met James Turner at Arisia ’90 and has been married to him for 18 years. flowing this space: farming fruit, hay, grain, of the local Boston area gen and filk cons, vegetables and meat animals, restoring old and is currently Tech Mom to Arisia and Bal- Born in a log cabin he built with his own farm equipment and tools, historic research, ticon. Free time? Overcommitted? Who, her? hands, Carsten Turner expects to have it documentation and preservation, forestry, Don’t tell her not to burn the candle at both finished any day now; certainly by the time genealogy, foreign languages, metalworking, ends, just tell her where to get more wax! (a he’s finished reinventing himself (again). In woodworking, model railroading, massage, Nancy Button in her collection.) 2004, he chaired Arisia, and went on to serve science fiction, travel, beer, cider, photog- Webcomics pioneer Dirk I. Tiede is the as president. He has been, and remains, an raphy, electronics, solar energy, astronomy, creator of the graphic novel series, Para- EMT, a teacher, an artist, a hacker, and a stu- local government, open space preservation digm Shift. In addition to print collections, dent. Currently pursuing a master’s degree in and nursing as many MPG as possible out of he continues to serialize his comics online art education, he fills his copious spare time his hybrid cars. with varied pursuits like eating and sleeping. and is a founding contributor to premiere Mark L. Van Name is a writer and tech- comics portal Modern Tales. His work is also James Turner, contributing editor for nologist. As a science fiction author, he’s showcased in the books Toon Art: The Art of oreilly.com, is a freelance journalist who has published four novels — One Jump Ahead, Digital Comics and Webcomics, and appears in written for publications as diverse as the Chris- Slanted Jack, Overthrowing Heaven, and Children the documentary Adventures In Digital Comics. tian Science Monitor, IEEE Spectrum and Wired No More — and the omnibus collection, Jump Dirk can be found at comic and anime shows Magazine. In addition to his shorter writing, Gate Twist. He’s edited or co-edited three around the country promoting his books. He he has also written two books on Java Web anthologies — Intersections: The Sycamore Hill relocated from Chicago to Boston’s North Development (MySQL & JSP Web Applications Anthology, Transhuman, and The Wild Side — Shore in 2008 where he continues to work and Struts: Kick Start). Recently, he has also and written many short stories. Those stories as a professional cartoonist and freelance il- started writing semi-regular DIY columns have appeared in a wide variety of books and lustrator. for IEEE Spectrum (anyone for a homemade magazines, including Isaac Asimov’s Science Mike Toole watches anime every single day. projection TV?). In addition, he has spent Fiction Magazine, many original anthologies, He’s got nearly fifteen years of involvement more than 30 years as a software engineer, and The Year’s Best Science Fiction. As a tech- in the scene under his belt, partaking in both and currently works as a Senior Software En- nologist, he’s the CEO of a technology as- journalistic endeavors (Animerica, Anime In- gineer for a company in the Boston area. He sessment company, Principled Technologies, sider, Sci-Fi Magazine to name a few) and do- lives in a 200 year old Colonial farmhouse in Inc., that’s based in the Research Triangle ing work in the industry itself for the nascent Derry, NH along with his wife and son. He area. He’s worked with computer technol- Geneon Animation. Recently he’s dusted off is an open water diver and instrument-rated ogy for his entire professional career and his old Animejump.com website, home to private pilot. has published over a thousand articles in the more than 500 long-form anime and manga Born in the Pacific Northwest in 1979,Cath - computer trade press, as well as a broad as- reviews. In addition to that, he’s currently a erynne M. Valente is the author of over a sortment of essays and reviews.

56 Arisia 2011 Mercy Van Vlack has been a comics pro to date far too many people. She’s not exactly and the e-zine Teemings. He’s working on Sons since 1980, including writing Richie Rich; art- sure how she does all that either. of God, the follow-up to his book Medusa, and ist on Green Ghost & Lotus (set in Boston) and Alan Wexelblat is a polyamorous father of has appeared on the History Channel’s Clash Miranda for Leg Show and Puritan Magazines, two, writer, and copyfight blogger at www. of the Gods, which so far is only available in inker for DC, Malibu, and others; illustrator corante.com/copyfight. He writes an infre- 2D. for numerous fanzines, APAs, anthropomor- quent polyamory advice column that can be Connie Wilkins’s first love was writing phics and SF cons; and artist of many Celtic found on www.polyboston.org. In his spare fantasy and science fiction, but her alter-ego Calendars and the Celtic Coloring Book. She time he enjoys tormenting gamers and hap- Sacchi Green became seduced by the erot- also draws for private collections and makes less grad students. ic side of the force, where she’s published Celtic jewelry. Michelle Wexelblat: Mother, Wife, Friend, scores of stories and edited or co-edited Michael A. Ventrella’s second fantasy Social Worker, Poly spokes-person, Writer, seven anthologies. One of them, Lesbian Cow- novel The Axes of Evil (the sequel to Arch Counselor, Mystic, Lady of Perspective, and boys: Erotic Adventures, was a Lambda Literary Enemies) was released last year from Double Comforting One. She has her MSW degree Award winner. Lately she’s returned to her Dragon. His web page is www.michaelaven- specfic roots as editor ofTime Well Bent: Queer trella.com. Alternative Histories from Lethe Press. Her own His blog interviews genre authors, editors story from that anthology also appears in and agents and is quite useful for aspiring Best Erotic Fantasy & Science Fiction from Cir- writers. clet Press, and will be in Best Lesbian Fiction Michael is one of the founders of mod- 2010 from Bedazzled Inc. ern live action roleplaying gaming in the US Jennifer Williams is an author, editor, and currently runs the Alliance LARP (www. and crazy cat lady. Her most recent work is AllianceLARP.com) with chapters all over the anthology Like a Sacred Desire: Tales of Sex the US and Canada. His Rule Books and Magick published by Circlet Press and featur- Players Guides can be found at book stores ing stories by Raven Kaldera, D.L. King, and with good taste. David Sklar. She has also recently been pub- Mike is also the founder of Animato maga- lished in the Lambda Literary Award nomi- zine, the first major magazine dedicated to nated collection Women of the Bite edited by animated films, which had a glorious run in Cecilia Tan, and Vicious Verses and Reanimated the 80’s and 90’s before being destroyed by Rhymes, a collection of zombie poetry edited the internet. by A.P. Fuchs. She is an active member of He is married to artist Heidi Hooper. In the New England Horror Writers Associa- his spare time, he is a lawyer. from Boston University School of Social tion and a staff writer for Blogcritics.org. Mark “Justin du Coeur” Waks is an Work, her BA in psychology from Queens Trish Wilson publishes with the pen name emergent property, arising from decades College, CUNY, and though has many sto- Elizabeth Black. Her erotic fiction has been of programming, SCA, fandom, LARP ries and poems written is as yet unpublished published by Romance Divine, Circlet, Ex- and Freemasonry. He is gradually learning (if you wish to help change that, just ask). cessica, Xcite (U. K.), Torquere, Romance enough Buddhism to prove that he does not A Vermont-licensed lawyer, Valerie White Divine, Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, and actually exist. is a sexual freedom activist and practicing Scarlet Magazine (U. K.). She writes para- Jeff Warner stands accused of: being a polyamorist. She’s executive director of the normal erotic romance, erotica, and horror. President Emeritus of the Science Fiction Sexual Freedom Legal Defense and Educa- On a fun note, she has also worked as a Forum, of conduct remotely responsible for tion Fund, on the advisory council of the gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up the death of Lastcon, of inventing “Panel in Woodhull Freedom Foundation, on the co- artist (including prosthetics) for movies, tele- the Pool” for Pi-con, of running the Nexus ordinating council of Family Tree, and on vision, stage, and concerts. She worked as a at Arisia too many times, of not being Jeff the board of Unitarian Universalists for gaffer for Die Hard With A Vengeance and 12 Mach, of accepting ‘field promotions’ at var- Polyamory Awareness. She speaks nationally Monkeys. She did make-up, including pros- ious Worldcons, of having been a “Special on sex and the law. thetics, for Homicide: Life On The Street. She Assistant” to the Shirt & Pants of Lunacon, Nightwing Whitehead was born in 1958, is especially proud of the gunshot wound to of being a published writer, and of commit- the Barbie doll was “born” in 1959; so for the head she had created with makeup for ting the SMOF Hat Trick of helping start 3 a year she had nothing to do. Since then that particular episode. She also worked as SF conventions. she’s been making up for lost time by dress- a prosthetic makeup artist specializing in He pleads Insanity. ing anyone and anything that comes within cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of blood A longtime fan of SF&F, Mr. Watson was her reach. She’s worked for several theaters, for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at infected with the anime and manga bug in dressed stars, and has her own business de- the Baltimore/Washington International the early 90’s, and remains a virulent carrier signing and creating costumes for life... suits, Airport plane crash simulation test. of all three. evening gowns, and casual wear. Attorney, occasional writer and all around Abigail Weiner has many pseudonyms, Dropping out of his 11-dimension Home fan, James Wolf was known as Dungeon most of which start with M. Universe and trapped in ours by a lab acci- Master Jim on the Toucher and Rich Show on dent, Stephen R. Wilk has coped by learn- WBCN, when there was a WBCN. He is pres- Susan Weiner is a biology Ph.D. student, ently shopping novels and plotting trouble. a LARP writer with Alleged Entertainment, ing to work with optics in only three dimen- a fiddle player and songwriter with the band sions as a Laser Scientist at Lincoln Labs. He The Wombat, aka jan howard find- Stranger Ways, and somehow also manages also edits for Optics and Photonics News, and er, has been reading SF for more than 60 writes for The Light Touch, The Spectrograph, years & active in SF circles for more than

January 14-17 57 35. He chaired 7 events. His next event is Frank Wu is an award-winning artist, writer translating Japanese works into English, and The 3rd Conference On Middle-Earth; and animator. He’s married to fellow artist/ writing her novel. www.3rdcome.org. He has been a GoH at a costumer/gamer Brianna Spacekat Wu. Samantha Yoo has been in the world of number of cons including ConFrancisco, the Frank’s art has materialized in many maga- anime/manga since she was seven, and has 1993 Worldcon. He participates in, judged zines and books. Frank won the Illustrators been cosplaying since she was eight. She’s & MC’s masquerades, a superb auctioneer of the Future Grand Prize and four Hugo won several awards for costume craftsman- & gives the best backrubs. He has been pub- Awards. He also has four scientific papers ship. (Let it be said that it isn’t ‘practice that lished & has published. He has diverse inter- to his credit, along with humor published in makes perfect’, it’s ‘a hell of a lot of practice ests, a budding film career, visited Middle- The Journal of Irreproducible Results and The An- makes marginally better over time’.) She has earth & saving the world with SUTs. He is nals of Improbable Research. His current project studied Japanese for three years, and adores a neat guy & enjoys driving his Vette: Red is Guidolon the Giant Space Chicken, which is a Kamen Rider and Super Sentai. Shift. Buy him a Pepsi! movie about a giant space chicken making a movie about a giant space chicken. When James Zavaglia has worked with the me- Bey Woodward has been involved in fan- dia since the age of 15. He currently works dom for more than 8 years. She is part of the not creating stuff, Frank can be found hanging out with monks, hunting for mastodon at a local university as a media specialist. He Boston area Poly and Kink communities, has has also helped on political campaigns since been a member of the Naughty Nurses since bones in New Mexico and dinosaur bones and fish fossils in Wyoming, holding Laura age 9, and worked on everything from ward their inception in 2005, and is married to councilor to president. gaming book author, Jonathan L. Woodward. Palmer’s diary, riding in banana-shaped mo- peds, touching art when the museum guards Guillermo “Zubie” Zeballos, a Guy of Jonathan L. Woodward is the author or aren’t looking, searching for a river of molten many names. At 5 years old, thought SF was co-author of over a dozen roleplaying game lava to drop keys into, or walking the earth, pretty cool ’cause Capt. Kirk always got the books, including the Hellboy RPG, Trinity, and meeting people, getting into adventures, you girl. Great fan of Mampato & his time trav- GURPS Banestorm. This convention marks his know, like Caine in Kung Fu. eling adventures (look that one up). He also th 18 year as an Arisia panelist. He lives near loved the hardware from Stingray to Whitestar. Boston with his wife, Bey Woodward. Stabbing people in fencing or dangling from a rope, WunderTom may be in training to He’s keen on paper folding. He’s not keen on Trisha J. Wooldridge is a freelance writer, be a pirate. He’s run games in more systems a badly handled X-acto, but it comes with editor and educator from Auburn, MA with than it’s worth mentioning and figured out the territory. experience ranging from Dungeons & Drag- that good company is the key and not all the John F. Zmrotchek: time traveller (strict- ons Online to animal rescue public relations. rules need to be followed. ly forward), dweller in the Fandom Below She writes about food, wine, horses, haunted (twice con chair, proving he has no friends), locations, teaching, and she interviews bands Tom Wysmuller forecasted weather at Am- sterdam’s Royal Dutch Weather Bureau after teller and told of tall tales, player with words, like Voltaire, Within Temptation and Night- hacker of code (or perhaps just plain hack), wish. She is on the Motherboard of Broad studying meteorology at NYU and Stanford. Selected for a NASA internship, he worked witness to Great Things, Fantastic Places and Universe, an international organization pro- Interesting People, suspended upside down moting women writers in speculative fiction, throughout NASA before, during, and after the moon landings. He worked at Pratt and twixt heaven and hell (giving him a unique and an active member of the New England perspective on both) and man who’s had his Horror Writers and the Editorial Freelanc- Whitney and held insurance industry executive positions. His Polynomial Regression chance to make those people dance… and ers Association. Additionally, she is an online maybe they were happy for a while. tutor, course editor and course developer for algorithm is embedded in every high-end CODiE Award winning Smarthinking and Texas Instruments calculator sold today. He When not partying, scientifically, with Zig- StraighterLine. You can find her novella, lectures worldwide on the SCIENCE needed gurat Labs, Ariela Zonderman works in “Mirror of Hearts,” at Fantasy Gazetteer to understand Global Warming. software quality assurance. She likes to sing (www.fantasygazetteer.com), and short story, Aimee Yermish, PsyD is an educational to herself, and read webcomics. “Party Crashers,” co-authored with long therapist, providing assessment, remedia- Eric Zuckerman is not a real talk show time friend Christy Tohara, in the EPPIE tion, enrichment, and overall strategizing, for host, but he plays one on TV. His fannish Award winning Bad-Ass Faeries: Just Plain Bad. children who are gifted, learning disabled, or semi-improv comedy project, Eric in the El- www.anovelfriend.com twice-exceptional. In her former lives, she evator has screened at regional West Coast Phoebe Wray’s futurist novel Jemma7729 was a molecular biologist, a schoolteacher, a conventions, several Worldcons, and Arisia, enjoys 5 stars on Amazon. Her stories are in black belt, and a Master Assassin, and she is where he was 2008 Fan Performer GoH. Farthing, Andromeda Spaceways, the anthologies working on a future life as a clinical psychol- Among his many other nerdly pursuits, he’s All About Eve and Backless, Strapless & Slit to the ogist. She also loves to sing, read, ride her a geocacher, a gamer, an armchair “fanthro- Throat, online at Fables.org and Chizine. She bike, and do a great many crafts, and is busy pologist”, and a compulsive ribbon collec- serves on the Motherboard of Broad Uni- raising a husband and two lovely children. tor/trader. verse and lives in Massachusetts. Jennifer Yoo is as much a Japanese History Brianna Spacekat Wu is a 2009 finalist in buff as she is an anime fan. An anime fan the Illustrators of the Future contest, and a of more than 7 years, she is also an award- frequent contributor to science fiction fan- winning cosplayer and has studied Japanese zines. She’s known for her high-energy art history, culture and Japanese for more than 6 style featuring tall, skinny women. years. Currently a student at Wellesley Col- Wu is six foot two, and a dedicated mara- lege, Jennifer divides her free time between thoner. She runs over 55 miles every week, teaching Japanese Studies classes to teenag- and almost 3000 miles a year. She is married ers, presenting panels at local conventions, to four-time Hugo-award-winner Frank Wu. working on cosplay projects with her group,

58 Arisia 2011 ARISIA 2012 January 13- January 16, !!2012

Where Science and Adventure come together!

Guests of Honor: ! Phil and Kaja Foglio Rising Star Artist: ! Gareth Hinds