Livetweet Your Virtual Con! #FarpointCon2021 1

Welcome to Farpoint Convention 2021! We first started hearing about a very contagious novel corona- virus right before Farpoint 2020 took place. People were starting to stay home more and taking extra precautions when out in public. Little did we know that Farpoint Convention 2020 would be the last convention experience for most of us, with the CDC declaring the United States was in a pandemic shortly after. Here we are, one year later. Our everyday lives have been upended by the pandemic but we are able to use technology to attend our annual convention. It is amazing to consider how far internet-based communication has taken us this year. We are working, attending school, visiting family and friends and attending conventions all from the safety of our homes. It is with sadness that we have to gather virtually rather than in person, but the important part is that we are still gathering as a fandom community. The support of our family and friends is what has buoyed us throughout this strange year and will continue to do so for awhile longer as we wait for the vaccine to be distributed. Staging Farpoint 2021 online makes this a one-of-a-kind year in our history. Our team has worked very hard to tailor our programs to take advantage of our Gather.Town internet platform. Please take the time to visit all the areas and enjoy the whimsy of our interactive convention floor with seating areas for small group conversations, panel and presentation rooms and tables to visit our vendors and supporting organizations. We hope you enjoy Farpoint Convention 2021 and will plan to join us February 25-27, 2022 for the next in-person Farpoint Convention!

Stay happy, healthy and safe! Sharon VanBlarcom & Sandra Zier-Teitler Farpoint Convention co-chairs

TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome to Farpoint 2 Gather Town Information 3 Farpoint Discord Information 4 In Memoriam 5 Guest Biographies 6-15 Dealers and Fan Tables 10 Groups & Organizations 16 Programming Descriptions & Times 17-20 Authors Panels 17 Live Events & Performances 18 New Media Panels 18 Movie, TV & Fandom Interest Panels 19 Science Panels 20 Costuming/Cosplay Panels 20

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GATHER TOWN INSTRUCTIONS

To access Farpoint on GatherTown, use this link: Below the calendar icon there’s a Chat Bubble icon which you’ll click on if you want to chat. You’ll be given the option to select Nearby where it’ll send to everybody within a certain radius, Every- https://gather.town/app/YRPETqgYG6KzZ5nF/FarpointCon one which will message everybody that’s currently logged into Enter the one-time password: StarTrek Gather Town or you can private message by clicking on an individ- ual user's name. What you need: • A desktop/laptop with a mic and camera. The last icon is the Participants that will show everybody who is • A web browser (Chrome or Firefox recommended). currently active or has been active very recently (roughly a 15 mi- nute window of going inactive). Right clicking on the name will give • We strongly recommend using headphones to help prevent feedback. you a menu where you can private message someone, locate someone, or follow someone. • That’s it! There’s nothing to install, no software to download.

GatherTown will ask to access your microphone and your camera. How it works: If you wish to interact with others on the virtual con floor, you will • Gather is a video chat platform that has avatars move around need to allow access to both. a map. As you get close to other avatars, your videos will pop up and you will be able to chat. Type your name in the block below “What Is Your Name?” and • Move around the space using the arrow keys. press the “Join the Gathering” button. • By moving your avatar around you can have spontaneous con- versations with those around you. These can be either one-on- one or small groups depending on how many people are You’re now in the lobby of our virtual Farpoint! Use your arrow around your avatar. keys to move around. In the lobby you will see:

• When your avatar moves closer to an interactable object, it will glow yellow and there will be a notification that shows up say- • A Tech Support area: move your character onto one ing ‘Press x to interact with -object-’. This can range from infor- of the chairs in this area and a tech guru will help you mational flyers, playable arcade games, integrated Zoom with any problems you may have meetings, and more! • A Schedule area: move your character onto one of the chairs and access the convention schedule Lower Toolbar Icon explanations: • An Info area: move your character onto one of the Change your avatar character and clothing by clicking on the chairs and chat with staff at our information desk character; you can shuffle through several 8-bit variations to find • There are tables and chairs in the lobby; move your your best you! character onto one of the chairs, and you can talk with other folks at the table Click on your name to open the settings menu, where you can: • Cinnamon Tree Restaurant/Polo Bar & Lounge: two more areas where you can hang out and chat with oth- • Edit Your Name er con goers. • Change User/Video Preferences • Turn On Quiet Mode (if you don’t feel like chatting) Explore Virtual Farpoint! • Reset Position (click this, and you’ll be whisked back to Just like the Hunt Valley, we’ve set up an upper level and a lower the lobby!) level filled with convention fun! Wander the corridors of our virtu- • Sign In (if you want to create a GatherTown account) al convention space to find:

Mini map to preview the space you’re in. Upper Level: • Pool – two hot tubs areas where you can hang out and Screen sharing ability. chat • Art Show – with links to artists’ websites Emotes that appear above your avatar. • Gaming – walk up to a table and join a game! • Applause • Green Room – for panelists to hang out (requires a • Heart React - used to show caring or approval password to enter) • Party Popper Celebrate/Party • Staff Room – for staff members to hang out (requires a password to enter) • Thumbs Up - a way of showing general approval • Access points to the Lower Level • Question Mark

• Raise Hand - Techs will be looking for this and will come over to help you as soon as they have time. This NOTE: The rooms in the "Glass Hallway" (Tack, Derby, Chase, Belmont) is the only one that shows up on the Participants List. are located on the Lower Level of the Virtual Hunt Valley It is also the only one that stays up until you bring it down. Lower Level: • Panel Rooms – check the sign in front of the room to Side Toolbar Icon Explanations: see the schedule of panels going on in that room. The sign will glow yellow and there will be a notification that Another way to access Settings is to click on the gear icon locat- shows up saying ‘Press x to interact with -object-’; press ed on the left side of the page. Here you’ll be able to access the x on your keyboard to “attend” the panel! same menu as you did by clicking on your name in the lower toolbar. • Dealers Area – with links to dealers’ websites • Ballrooms – check out our virtual Ten-Forward hap- pening in the Valley & Hunt Ballrooms – with a music The next symbol you’ll see is a Calendar icon. You’ll click on this playlist courtesy of Vic’s Place and the Pack Ratz! to see what events are upcoming and which room they’re in.

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DISCORD INSTRUCTIONS

The Farpoint Discord server can be found at ton to turn off your speakers temporarily, a video button to turn on and off your camera and a screen share to share things such as photos of your dogs, or costumes or whatever you’d like to https://discord.gg/NVxrsSgd8M share. You’ll also see a little phone icon with an ‘x’ as the way to leave an audio channel. This should bring you to either the web or if you already have it installed, the desktop application and straight to the Farpoint serv- You can be in only one audio channel at the same time but you er. can hop between text channels at the same time. In the category General Discussions we have a channel called When you join the server you will see 2 channels. The rest are Announcements where you can go and see announcements in- hidden until you accept our Code of Conduct. cluding schedule postings.

• The first channel is called Help! This is if you are hav- Other channels in the General Discussions category are Gen- ing problems accepting the Code of Conduct or any eral, Lobby, Polo Lounge and Bar, and Frankie and Vinny’s. All other technical issues. these places are for general discussions of any topics which you • The second is 01-START HERE! This is where you would normally have in convention hallways. should start. In that channel you should see a mes- sage that has our Code of Conduct. To accept the Other categories you may have turned on are Code of Conduct click the thumbs up directly below that message. • After Panel Discussions which is sorted by room, • Once you click this you should have more channels show up including Channel 02-Interests which should please keep the discussions to the rooms that corre- be your next place to go. spond with the panel subject. • Dealers and Fan Tables are places to chat with whichever dealers and fan table host might be In this channel you’ll see the categories After Panel Discussion, around at the time Fan Tables, Dealers, and Gaming, each one with its own icon. Clicking on that icon below the message will turn on that category • Gaming where games such as horizons, jackbox so you can see it in the sidebar. Clicking it again will turn it off. games, and possibly table top rpg’s will be hosted.

This is so that you can see only the content you are interested in. Each category has a caret symbol next to it, clicking on that col- You can come back at any time to change these choices. lapses the list of channels within or brings them back. When the category is collapsed, you will see channels that have unread mes- sages only under that category. Once you have selected which categories you’re interested in please move on to the 03-Introductions channel. In here please post who you are and how people would know you in meatspace. By clicking on the caret next to the server name and going to Notification Settings you can change which notifications you get from this server. Now you’re on the server! While Discord has a large variety of other features these are the In front of the channels on the sidebar you’ll notice two different ones we feel should be highlighted. symbols. A # or a speaker symbol. The # marks a text channel, the speaker symbol an audio & video channel, which you can join to have discussions with up to 25 users in a single channel. If you have further questions please feel free to message our Tech Crew. If you have any problems you can create a ticket in the Open Tickets Channel by typing -ticket open *insert reason To join an audio channel, click the channel. At the bottom of the here* channel list a box will appear with a mute button, a deafen but-

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In Memoriam

Bob Ahrens "Auto parts professional, former Boogie Knight, part time actor, full time karaoke star, legend in nobody's mind." That self-description barely begins to describe Bob Ahrens, a long-time member of local fandom who passed away in December 2020. Bob was a con fixture, attending his first con in 1976 and the first Shore Leave in 1978. As a high school senior, he met Lance Woods, John Scheeler, and David Keefer (later his best man and ushers), forming a friendship based on fandom, music, and a love of performing. Somewhere along the way, a melting pot of "Weird" Al Yankovic, Monty Python, and a "Medieval Disc Jockey" Masquerade entry sparked inspiration and led to the founding of The Boogie Knights, a medieval-themed filk group. Bob was proud to perform as Syd de Vicious. Over the years Bob appeared in the Shore Leave and Cheap Treks, even taking a turn at writing and directing. He worked Security, joined the tech crew Conventional Magic, and was a valued behind-the-scenes volunteer in countless Masquerades. No matter what, he helped make sure that the show would go on. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

In Memoriam

Ponch Fenwick Fandom suffered a great loss when Ponch Fenwick passed away in March 2020. A longtime fan of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy, Ponch was always ready to lend a hand when needed and a crea- tive influence throughout his life. A member of both STARFLEET and STAT, and a Lifetime Member of Farpoint, Ponch could be found at Farpoint, Shore Leave, Horrorfind, Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con, and many other area conventions as well as serving as Technical Liaison Commit- tee Head for Shore Leave. After extensive self-training in Lightwave 3D, Ponch created a first-place winning image for Farpoint's art show in 2001. The piece, entitled "It’s A Good Day," depicts three Klingon K’t’inga Class Warships in space. Ponch continued to expand his artwork and created works across many fandoms. His artwork was featured in the Harford County Cultural Arts Board’s venue for the month of July 2017. The “Art Without Boundaries” display included two of his pieces. He also turned his hand to book covers for some of Fapoint's author guests such as Phil Giunta and Steven H. Wilson. His commitment to charity will be remembered. In particular, the Julien Fleming Memorial Fund, the Red Cross, and Special Olympics benefited by his assistance and generosity.

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Guest Biographies

John Billingsley Best known to fans for his role as Dr. Phlox on Star Trek: Enterprise, John Billingsley got hooked on acting early – starring as Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at age nine. After graduating from Bennington College in Vermont with a degree in theatre, he moved to Seattle and began a theatrical career. While in Seattle, he was a founder of Book-It, a theatre company, and Freehold, an acting studio; both are still thriving. Relocating to Los Angeles in 1995, John quickly became a familiar face on-screen, racking up scores of credits on shows like The Pretender, X-Files, Gilmore Girls, Touched by an Angel, , Six Feet Under, Angel, Nip/Tuck, CSI:NY, NCIS, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Grey's Anatomy, Leverage, , Revenge, Southland, Hawaii Five-0, Castle, Lucifer, and The Rookie. In addition to Enterprise, John was a series regular on The Others, The Nine, and Intelligence and had recurring characters on NYPD Blue, Cold Case, , , Nikita, Suits, TURN: Washington's Spies, Mas- ters of Sex, and Stitchers. Audiences have enjoyed several "meta" roles John has taken, includ- ing playing himself in an episode of Roswell that used the Enterprise set and guest starring in an episode of Stargate SG-1 as a scientist who is also a , "worshipping at the altar of Roddenberry". His memorable turn on The Orville episode "Home" as a grieving father seeking vengeance saw him ruthlessly targeting the character played by (The Doctor, Star Trek: Voyager) John's feature films span genres, from A-list titles like Out of Time opposite ), High Crimes with Ashley Judd, and disaster flick 2012 to indies such as Trade of Innocents, A Green Story, Sironia, and Losing Control. John is married to actress Bonita Friedericy, leading to his self-description on social media as "Mr. Bonnie". He is proud to serve as President of the Hollywood Food Coalition (hofoco.org), which has been serving those in need since 1987. The Coalition provides a warm, nutritious meal along with access to basic daily needs, such as clothing, backpacks, sleeping bags, and hygiene items, as well as assistance with housing placement and referrals. You can follow John on Twitter @JBillingsley60.

Dr. Paul Abell in June 2010. Paul is currently a team Danielle Ackley-McPhail Paul Abell is the Sci- member of the Hayabusa2 mission Award-winning author and entist for Small Body Ex- and is aiding the cooperation between editor Danielle Ackley- ploration in the Astro- Hayabusa2 and NASA’s OSIRIS-REx McPhail has worked both materials Research and spacecraft teams as they investigate sides of the publishing in- Exploration Science Divi- and sample their respective near-Earth dustry for longer than she sion at the NASA Johnson asteroids. cares to admit. In 2014 she Space Center in Houston, Texas. His Since 2006 Paul has been a mem- joined forces with husband Mike main areas of interest are physical ber of an internal NASA team that has McPhail and friend Greg Schauer to characterization of near-Earth objects been examining the possibility of form her own publishing house, eSpec (NEOs) via ground-based and space- sending astronauts to NEOs for hu- Books (www.especbooks.com). craft observations, examination of NE- man missions. He is also an investiga- Her published works include six Os for future robotic and human ex- tion team member on both NASA’s novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's ploration, mitigation of potentially haz- Double Asteroid Redirection Test Memories, Today’s Promise, The ardous asteroids and comets, and (DART) and Near-Earth Object Survey- Halfling’s Court, The Redcaps’ Queen, identification of potential resources or Mission (NEOSM) planetary defense and Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, within the NEO population for future missions, and a team member on written with Day Al-Mohamed. She is in situ utilization. ESA’s own planetary defense mission also the author of the solo collections He was a science team member on named Hera. Asteroid 8139 (1980 A Legacy of Stars, Consigned to the Sea, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agen- UM1) is named Paulabell in recogni- Flash in the Can, and Transcendence, cy (JAXA) Hayabusa near-Earth asteroid tion of Paul's contributions to NEO re- the non-fiction writers’ guide, The Liter- sample-return mission and participat- search and exploration studies. ary Handyman, and is the senior editor ed in the successful recovery of the of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, spacecraft‘s sample return capsule, Gaslight & Grimm, Dragon’s Lure, and In which returned to Woomera, Australia an Iron Cage. Her short stories are in-

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Guest Biographies

Bonita Friedericy Portraying a general requires channeling discipline and drive. Long before Bonita Friedericy played NSA General Diane Beckman on Chuck, she applied those traits to her real life, working thirteen years as a teach- er to finance her acting career before her stage debut in the early 1990s. Bonnie won an Ovation Award for her role in the Los Angeles produc- tion of Our Country's Good. Her early television appearances include Mad About You, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, , and The Drew Carey Show. Further television work includes Family Law, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Strong Medicine, Spin City, Becker, Dharma & Greg, Malcolm in the Middle, Scrubs, Alias, Angel, Veronica Mars, Bones, Criminal Minds, CSI :Crime Scene Investi- gation, Monk, , Parks and Recreation, Castle, Justified, Hart of Dixie, and The Good Doctor. Her recurring roles are featured on The West Wing, My Name is Earl, The Starter Wife, Twentysixmiles, How to Get Away with Murder, American Crime Story, The Friendless Five, Impastor, Preacher, and Dwight in Shining Armor. Bonnie has acted alongside her husband John Billingsley several times. She played his on-screen wife in three episodes of The Nine and the film Madtown. She did not play his wife in her appearances on John's series Star Trek: Enterprise and Intelligence. Film appearances include Malaika, The Pornographer, The Debtors, Par 6, House of Sand and Fog, Christmas with the Kranks, Akeelah and the Bee, Stay, Next, South of Pico, Alien Raiders, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Paranormal Activity 3, The Lords of Salem, Shotgun Wedding, and Salt Water, on which she also worked as producer. She provided the voice of resistance leader Caroline Becker in the 2014 video game Wolfenstein: The New Order. Bonnie dedicates herself to the Hollywood Food Coalition (hofoco.org) as Co-Director of the Community Exchange Program. The Coalition is proud to have served 1,500,000 meals and counting, every night of the year since 1987. cluded in numerous other anthologies Rigel Ailur Trek Strange New Worlds anthology, his and collections. Rigel Ailur writes fantasy essays have appeared in Star Trek She is a member of Broad Universe, and , includ- magazine, and he is a contributor to a writer’s organization focusing on ing “Brigadoon” in the Star Star Trek Adventures. An avid reader, promoting the works of women au- Trek anthology Strange New Derek enjoys exploring the possibili- thors in the speculative genres. In ad- Worlds 10. Novels run the ties of humanity’s future while study- dition to her literary acclaim, she crafts gamut from Mimion, a ing our past. and sells original costume horns under planet where the feudalism is based Derek lives in where the moniker The Hornie Lady, and on telepathic ability, to the magical he has escaped the captivity of the homemade flavor-infused candied gin- history-spanning chronicles of the Pa- corporate world and is now loose on ger under the brand of Ginger KICK! at tel family. Rigel loves cinema, theater, the plains of imagination with his literary conventions, on commission, music, reading all genres, and, yes, weapons of choice – a pen and a cam- and wholesale. even television. Rigel worked in vari- era. Find him at derekattico.com or Danielle lives in New Jersey with ous capacities (stage manager; usher; follow him on Facebook (derek.attico), husband and fellow writer, Mike props, lights, and sound techie) in a Instagram (dattico), or Twitter McPhail and three extremely spoiled couple of local theaters and lived in (@DAttico). cats. Find her at Germany for a year. To see a complete www.sidhenadaire.com bibliography with all the covers, as well T. Eric Bakutis Twitter - @DMcPhail as updates on upcoming works, please Award-winning author and Facebook: visit BluetrixBooks.wordpress.com game designer T. Eric Ba- /danielle.ackleymcphail kutis has won at least two /TheHornieLady Derek Tyler Attico of his awards at Farpoint, /TheGingerKICK) Derek Tyler Attico is an placing twice in its attend- author, photographer and ing author short story con- former cable-TV produc- test. He also recently won a GLAAD tion editor. He is a two- award (along with his team) for his time winner of the Star work in the videogame industry and

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Guest Biographies has been working as a professional thors, artists, costumers, techies, su- Russ has contributed to several videogame designer for over ten perfans, entertainers and more from other anthologies including Tales of the years. His latest grimsnark scifi thriller, the Farpoint, Shore Leave and Balticon Crimson Keep, Pangaea, They Keep Kill- Supremacy's Bounty, is best described conventions. ing Glenn, Altered States of the Union, as "The Mandalorian meets Xena: Warri- Diane warps into the science fiction Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Brave New or Princess", and Don Sakers at Analog realm with the upcoming When the Girls vols. 3&4, Camelot 13, Footprints in Science Fiction and Fact had some nice Skies Fell, featuring an alien invasion the Stars, and TV Gods 2. things to say about his prior two and two strangers fighting for survival He is now finalizing the first in an books, Supremacy's Shadow (best de- in a world of chaos and devastation. ongoing SFF mystery series featuring scribed as violently explosive non- There are more than a few nail-biting his hard-boiled private eye Angela sense) and Loose Circuit (a cyberpunk scenes, but in the midst of it all, there Hardwicke and has several other pro- police procedural involving waifu par- is the human connections and the tri- jects in the works. lors and the Russian mob). umph of the spirit under impossible Russ lives in New Jersey with his You can read free excerpts from circumstances. wife, their twin ninjas, and their crazy Eric's books at tebakutis.com. If you Diane teaches students having visu- dog, Simon. For more on Russ’s works, prefer your explosions in audio, Su- al impairments in Montgomery County visit www.russcolchamiro.com, and premacy's Shadow is also available and lives in Columbia, MD. follow him on Facebook, Twitter through ACX, narrated by the ridicu- (@AuthorDudeRuss) and Instagram lously talented Mark D Delgado. And, TA Chafin (@AuthorDudeRuss). of course, if you don't like either of TA Chafin is a computer those things, Eric also has a bunch of professional who has Daniel Patrick Corcoran free fantasy/scifi/cyberpunk short sto- been, at various times, a Renfield, as he is better ries on his blog, 1500wordsto- video store manager, known, is a familiar face in ries.wordpress.com. painter, auto-plant worker, the Baltimore convention When not writing, Eric is probably book store manager, jani- scene, most notably having in Skyrim VR. tor, library clerk, and a legal case ad- performed with the Usual ministrator. He is a published photog- Suspects and Cheap Treks Diane Lee Baron rapher, a filker, an award-winning cos- comedy troupes, as well as sometimes Diane Lee Baron is the au- tumer and filmmaker, and has written lending his voice to Prometheus Radio thor of Gal Wonder for Starlog, Analog, and the Star Trek Theatre. He has recently turned his (FireBringer Press, 2017). comic book and is the lead author of energies to the printed page and This contemporary novel The Unauthorized Nitpicker's Guide to joined Firebringer Press under the pen tells the story of a kinder- the SW Saga. He has spent a total of 20 name Daniel Patrick Corcoran. His garten teacher who be- minutes in zero-gravity, helped design vampire-comedy tale “Apartment comes obsessed with her memories of the adult training program at Space Hunting” can be found in Somewhere in the 1966 television show and Camp, is a SCUBA diver with an ad- the Middle of Eternity. Renfield followed how all her friends indulge her in her vanced rating, and a world traveler up with a brilliant SF piece, “The Hard quest to meet Adam West. Her non- who has visited 4 of the 7 continents Place,” in Elsewhere in the Middle of fiction project, The Fandom Fifty: 50+ and plans to visit them all. He has an Eternity. Fascinating People of the Maryland Sci- appearance in the final Pink 5 chapter ence Fiction Conventions, debuted at and, since Stacy (Pink 5) is now canon Michael Critzer Shore Leave 2019 and includes inter- in the Star Wars Legends Universe, Michael is the author of views of committee members, au- doesn't that make him canon as well? Heroic Inspirations, an ex- Recently retired from the gambling ploration of superhero sto- community – on the house end, not as ries and the life lessons we a player – he continues to lecture at can draw from them. conventions around the country about Michael’s short fiction ap- Star Wars, Doctor Who, and a myriad of pears in a number of literary maga- other genres. zines and genre anthologies. As a cul- tural studies scholar, he has presented Russ Colchamiro at academic conferences on the cultur- Russ Colchamiro is the au- al and psychological roles superheroes thor of the rollicking space play in our society. To that end, he is adventure, Crossline, the the Professor Geek behind the so zany sci-fi backpacking se- named YouTube channel and one of ries Finders Keepers, Genius the hosts of podcasts Superman Lives de Milo, and Astropalooza, and Holy Roman Fanboys: The Geek his newest project, Murder in Montague Shall Inherit the Earth. When all of that Falls, a noir novella collection, and was play is done, he teaches writing, rheto- editor of the sci-fi mystery anthology, ric and American literature at James Love, Murder & Mayhem, all with Crazy Madison University. Subscribe to him 8 Press. on YouTube at Professor Geek. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelCritzer and on facebook at facebook.com/ AuthorMichaelCritzer.

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Guest Biographies

Dame Dahlia Keith R.A. DeCandido Press), Murder at Midnight (Snowy Pam Smith (Dame Dahlia) Keith R.A. DeCandido has Wings Publishing), and Mine! is a cosplayer from central written fiction in more (ComicMix). In addition, she is the co- Pennsylvania. She is origi- than thirty licensed uni- editor of Crazy 8 Press's upcoming an- nally from Dallas, Texas, verses from Alien to , thology, Bad Ass Moms (due out July and studied vocal perfor- including TV shows (Star 2020). mance at the University of Trek, Supernatural), movies When she's not writing, she can North Texas focusing on opera and (Cars, Serenity), games (World of usually be found splitting bags at the musical theater. She is a veteran of the Warcraft, Dungeons & Dragons), and kickboxing gym, tangled up in aerial United States Air Force and studied comic books (Spider-Man, Thor). He's silks, or singing too loudly at choir re- political science at Fort Hays State Uni- also written bunches of work of his hearsal. Find her online at Mary- versity where she focused on civil own creation, taking place in the fic- Fan.com and on Facebook, Twitter and rights and liberties. As an advocate for tional cities of Cliff's End and Super Instagram (@astralcolt). the LGBTQ community, she speaks on City and in the somewhat real cities of civil rights and volunteers at the Cen- New York and Key West. Emily Finke tral PA LGBT Center as well as per- Recent and upcoming work in- By training a forensic an- forming with the Central Pennsylvania cludes the Alien novel Isolation; serial- thropologist, but by pas- Womyn’s Chorus. She also volunteers ized stories set in the world of the sion a science communica- with the charity group Central PA game Summoner's War; Mermaid Pre- tor. Emily Finke is happiest Avengers, a volunteer team of cosplay- cinct, the fifth novel in his fantasy/ when she is in a creek, ers who partner with nonprofits, li- police procedural series; four new no- teaching 10-year-olds how braries, and other charity groups to vellas in the Super City Cops series; A to catch crayfish and look for tardi- bring smiles to kids and adults alike. Furnace Sealed, the first book in his grades. Or at a convention, dressed up new urban fantasy series that takes as Batgirl while talking about animal Kathleen O’Shea David place in his home borough of the reproduction, entomophagy or super- Kathleen O'Shea David Bronx, New York; and short stories in hero science. When she is not talking started working with pup- Across the Universe, Footprints in the about science professionally, she is… pets when she was 2 and Stars, Brave New Girls: Adventures of well, still talking about science or social over 40 years later she is Gals & Gizmos, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, justice. Find her online on Twitter still "wiggling dolls" for fun Unearthed, and Release the Virgins! He @Seelix. Find her offline at the pub and profit. Along the way writes regularly about pop culture for talking to strangers about how pen- she picked up a quite few more skills Tor.com and also on Patreon. guins don’t live at the North Pole. and careers. She has done just about Keith is also a third-degree black everything from cancer research to belt in karate (he not only trains regu- Kelli Fitzpatrick rock and roll. Some of her favorite larly, but also teaches to both kids and Kelli Fitzpatrick is an au- jobs have been in puppetry, theater, adults), a professional musician thor, educator, and com- and publishing. With her husband Pe- (currently percussionist for Farpoint munity activist based in ter David, she adapted the first four musical guests, Boogie Knights), and a mid-Michigan. Her Star issues of the Japanese Manga Negima. professional editor of more than 25 Trek story “The Sunwalk- She is a published writer with a Doctor years' standing to clients both person- ers” won the Strange New Who story in the Big Finish anthology al and corporate. Find out less at his Worlds 2016 contest from Simon and Short Trips: Qualities of Leadership mediocre web site at DeCandido.net. Schuster. Her essays on Star Trek are among others. She worked on Star online at StarTrek.com and Women at Wars: The New Jedi Order with Shelly Mary Fan Warp, and she is currently writing for Shapiro. She has had a number of Mary Fan is a YA and SFF short stories in published in various author hailing from Jersey anthologies. Her costumes have won City. Her books include awards at various science fiction con- Stronger Than a Bronze ventions both for performance and Dragon (YA steampunk fan- workmanship. She has also created tasy, Page Street Publish- costumes for film and stage. She is a ing), the Starswept series (YA sci-fi, former employee of the Center for Snowy Wings Publishing), the Fated Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. Her puppets Stars series (YA fantasy, Snowy Wings are in collections all over the world. Publishing), the Flynn Nightsider series She created the series Headcases with (YA dark fantasy, Crazy 8 Press), and her husband. the Jane Colt trilogy (space adventure, Red Adept Publishing). She is also the co-editor of the Peter David is the husband Brave New Girls sci-fi anthologies about of renowned puppeteer tech-savvy teen heroines (proceeds Kathleen O'Shea David and from sales are donated to the Society father to his very talented of Women Engineers scholarship daughters. He has been fund). Her short works have been fea- known to dabble in fiction tured in numerous anthologies, includ- writing in his spare time. ing Thrilling Adventure Yarns (Crazy 8 Press), Love, Murder & Mayhem (Crazy 8 Livetweet Your Virtual Con! #FarpointCon2021 9

Guest Biographies the Star Trek Adventures role-playing Friedman has worked at one time Phil is currently working on the sec- game from Modiphius. Essays on Bat- or another in network and cable televi- ond draft of a science fiction novel tlestar Galactica, Runner, and - sion, radio, business magazines, and while plotting his triumphant escape fly appear in print from Sequart and the comic book industry, in the pro- from the pressures of corporate Amer- ATB Publishing. She is a strong advo- cess producing scripts for nearly 180 ica where he has been imprisoned for cate of the arts, public education, and comic stories. Among his comic book over twenty-five years. Visit Phil’s web- gender rights and representation. Kelli credits is the Darkstars series from DC site at: www.philgiunta.com. can be found at KelliFitzpatrick.com Comics, which he created with artist Find him on Facebook: and @KelliFitzWrites. , and the Outlaws limited @writerphilgiunta and Twitter: series, which he created with artist @philgiunta71 Michael Jan Friedman Luke McDonnell. He also co-wrote the Michael Jan Friedman is story for the acclaimed second-season Robert Greenberger the author of more than 70 Star Trek: Voyager episode “Resistance,” Robert Greenberger is a books of fiction and non- which guest-starred Joel Grey. He can writer and editor. A lifelong fiction, about half of them be found on Twitter @FriedmanMJ and fan of comic books, comic set somewhere in the wilds on Facebook. As always, he advises strips, science fiction and of the Star Trek universe. In readers that no matter how many Star Trek, he drifted to- 1992 Friedman wrote Reunion, the first Friedmans they know, he is probably wards writing and editing, Star Trek: The Next Generation hardcov- not related to any of them. encouraged by his father and inspired er, which introduced the crew of the by Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent. Stargazer, Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s Phil Giunta While at SUNY-Binghamton, Green- first command. Over the years, the Phil Giunta enjoys crafting berger wrote and edited for the col- popularity of Reunion has spawned a powerful fiction that lege newspaper, Pipe Dream. Upon number of Stargazer stories in both changes lives and inspires graduation, he worked for Starlog prose and comic book formats, includ- readers. His novels include Press and while there, created Comics ing a six-novel original series. Fried- the paranormal mysteries Scene, the first nationally distributed man has also written for the Aliens, Testing the Prisoner, By Your magazine to focus on comic books, Predator, Wolf Man, Lois and Clark, DC Side, and Like Mother, Like Daughters. comic strips and animation. Super Hero, Marvel Super Hero, and His short stories appear in such an- In 1984, he joined DC Comics as an Wishbone licensed book universes. thologies as A Plague of Shadows, Beach Assistant Editor, and went on to be an Eleven of his book titles, including the Nights, Beach Pulp, the ReDeus mythol- Editor before moving to Administra- autobiography Hollywood Hulk Hogan ogy series, and the Middle of Eternity tion as Manager-Editorial Operations. and Ghost Hunting (written with speculative fiction series, which he cre- He joined Gist Communications as a ’s Ghost Hunters), have ap- ated and edited for Firebringer Press. Producer before moving to Marvel peared on the prestigious New York As a member of the Greater Lehigh Comics as its Director-Publishing Op- Times primary bestseller list, and his Valley Writers Group, Phil also penned erations. novel adaptation of the movie Batman stories and essays for Write Here, Write Greenberger rejoined DC in May & Robin was for a #1 bestselling book Now, The Write Connections, and Rewrit- 2002 as a Senior Editor-Collected Edi- in Poland (really). ing the Past, three of the group’s annu- tions. He helped grow that depart- al anthologies. ment, introducing new formats and improving the editions’ editorial con- tent. In 2006, he joined Weekly World Dealers and Fan Tables News as its Managing Editor until the paper’s untimely demise. He then free- Alchemy Arms Perry County Hobbies lanced for an extensive client base in- alchemyarms.com perrycountyhobbies.com cluding Platinum Studios, scifi.com, DC Annie's Blessed Bead Raven's Own and Marvel. He helped revitalize Fa- etsy.com/shop/AnniesBlessedBead ravensown.storenvy.com mous Monsters of Filmland and Better Backstories Retro Daddio served as News Editor at Com- betterbackstories.com retrodaddio.square.site icMix.com. eSpec Books Rocky Kelley He is a member of the Science Fic- especbooks.square.site facebook.com/rockykelley tion Writers of America and the Inter- Francescas Fancy Sarah Clemens Art national Association of Media Tie-In francescasfancy.com clemensart.com/prints.htm Writers. His novelization of Hellboy II: The Golden Army won the IAMTW’s Heartland Foods Snazzy Yarn heartlandfoods.com snazzyyarn.com Scribe Award in 2009. In 2012, he received his Master of Luna-C Starquest Science in Education from University comedyoflunac.com starquestconvention.com of Bridgeport and relocated to Mary- Martha's Mugs Theresa Mather land where he has taught High School etsy.com/shop/SashasSensations theresamatherfantasyshop.com English in Baltimore County. He com- NebulaDraconian W.L. Swarts Enterprises pleted his Master of Arts degree in Nebuladraconian.square.site wlswarts.com/shop Creative Writing & Literature for Edu- Old Dominion Daleks Whimsical Whispers cators at Fairleigh Dickinson University facebook.com/OldDominionDaleks/ whimsiwhiskers.com in 2016.

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Guest Biographies

With others, he cofounded Crazy 8 lishing the book where this illustration Maryland. She is co-author of six Press, a digital press hub where he comes from. books, including Investigating Astrono- continues to write. His dozens of You can find out more at Glennhau- my (4th Edition) and Being a Successful- books, short stories, and essays cover man.com, going to ComicMix.com ly Busy Professor. And if you have ever the gamut from young adult nonfiction where he’s the Chief Operating Officer wondered how those beautiful Hubble to original fiction. He’s also one of the (and incredibly proud of their antholo- images got into science fiction series dozen authors using the penname Ro- gy Mine! A Celebration of Liberty and like Babylon 5 and Star Trek, Inge is the wan Casey to write the Veil Knights ur- Freedom Benefiting Planned Parenthood) trouble-maker who instigated this.... ban fantasy series. His most recent or by looking at his Wikipedia page. Find her at ingeheyer.com, on Face- works include Chartwell Books’ 100 No, really, someone wrote up an entry book, and @IngeHeyer. Greatest Moments series, The Dreadstar for him. He can’t believe it either. Handbook, and editing Thrilling Adven- Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. ture Yarns. Dr. Inge Heyer Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. is Prin- Bob teaches High School English at Inge Heyer, Ph.D., has cipal Lecturer in Vertebrate St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Lau- spent decades developing Paleontology at the De- rel, MD. He and his wife Deborah re- a unique expertise in as- partment of Geology, Uni- side in Howard County, Maryland. Find tronomy communications versity of Maryland, Col- him at www.bobgreenberger.com or across a variety of settings, lege Park. His research fo- @bobgreenberger. including college class- cuses on the origin, evolution, adapta- rooms, K-12 schools, informal educa- tions, and behavior of carnivorous di- J.L. Gribble tional settings, professional scientific nosaurs, and especially of tyranno- By day, J. L. Gribble is a journalism, and science fiction venues. sauroids (Tyrannosaurus rex and its professional medical edi- Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, kin). He received his Bachelors in Earth tor. By night, she does she completed her secondary educa- & Planetary Geology at Johns Hopkins freelance fiction editing in tion there before accepting a scholar- in 1987 and his Ph.D. from the Depart- all genres, along with read- ship to attend Tenri University (Japan), ment of Geology & Geophysics at Yale ing, playing video games, where she studied Japanese. After lat- in 1992. He is also a Research Associ- and occasionally even writing. Her cur- er earning an undergraduate degree in ate of the Department of Paleobiology rent work focuses on the urban fanta- Astronomy and Physics from Smith of the Smithsonian Institution National sy/alternate history Steel Empires se- College, she earned a Master’s degree Museum of Natural History and serves ries, in which her debut novel, Steel in Astronomy from the University of on the Scientific Council of Maryland Victory, was her thesis novel for Seton Hawai`i at Manoa, and a Ph.D. in Sci- Academy of Science (which operates Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction ence Education from the University of the Maryland Science Center graduate program in Greensburg, Wyoming. (Baltimore, MD)). Pennsylvania. Previously, she was one In addition to her professional work In addition to his dinosaur re- of the co-editors for Far Worlds a spec- as senior data analyst at the Space search, Holtz has been active in scien- ulative fiction anthology. Telescope Science Institute, Dr. Heyer tific outreach. He has been a consult- She lives in Ellicott City, Maryland, also served as Deputy Press Officer for ant on museum exhibits around the with her husband and three vocal Sia- the American Astronomical Society world, and on numerous documen- mese cats. Find her online and as the public information officer at taries. He is the author of the award- (www.jlgribble.com), on Facebook the Joint Astronomy Centre, where she winning Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, (www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter), led the education and public outreach Up-To-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur and on Twitter and Instagram efforts. She has earned Shodan in Lovers of All Ages (Random House). He (@hannaedits). When not blogging for both Judo and Karate and contributes was co-editor of the 2014 2nd Edition SpeculativeChic.com, she is currently as guest science blogger to Star- of The Complete Dinosaur (Indiana working on more tales set in the world Trek.com. Univ. Press) and is in the midst of co- of Limani. Dr. Heyer currently teaches astron- editing the 3rd Edition. omy and physics at Loyola University He received the 2018-2019 Prov- Glenn Hauman ost’s Excellence in Teaching Award for Glenn Hauman writes, ed- Professional Track Faculty. His page is its, colors comics, designs https://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/ websites, designs books, performs marriages, Heather Hutsell reaches things on high Heather E. Hutsell is an shelves, changes light- authoress of two novellas, bulbs, bats right, sings baritenor, thirteen novels, four short snores loud, draws to inside straights, story collections, and a drinks too much DMD, and stays up handful of historical docu- waaay too late at night. mentary scripts. Her works Having come to the grisly realiza- cover the spectrum of fantasy and in- tion that the New York Observer called clude absurdist fiction, dystopian ta- him a “young Turk of publishing” two les, Steampunk mysteries, vampire decades ago, he now patiently awaits and werewolf romantic horror, and the sweet embrace of death – but not dark comedy. Her most recent release, until all his enemies are vanquished. The Doll Collection: Volume Two, may or He looks forward to eventually pub- may not require looking under one’s

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Guest Biographies bed and the use of a nightlight prior to uscriptsburn.blogspot.com, at ama- D’Manda Martini sleep after reading. zon.com/author/kozeniewski, on Face- D’Manda Martini is a DC Her blog and more information book (facebook.com/KozAuthor), and area Drag performer, co- about her work can be found at heath- Twitter (@outfortune). splayer, and theater artist. erehutsell.com. Tweet her She is the hostess of Elea- @EmprssIrukandji. Stephen Lesnik nor's New Deal Cabaret, a Stephen Lesnik (CISSP- musical theater themed Jazmine Cosplays ISSEP-ISSMP, CCSP, CEH, cabaret performing at venues across Jazmine Cosplays is a Mar- CySA+) has been in the cy- Maryland. D’Manda is a huge comic yland cosplayer who spe- bersecurity and education fan, especially the X-Men (their affiliat- cializes in strong female fields for nearly forty ed teams) and Wonder Woman. Her characters like Jean Grey, years. He has a history of cosplay is mostly geared toward lesser Samus Aran, and Selena working with both government and -known characters in the X-Universe, Kyle. They are the commercial organizations providing and has a soft spot for gay Icon, The Transgender Ambassador for LGBT network development, systems engi- Dazzler. HQ, a New York-based cosplay organi- neering, and security engineering to A DC-Area nominated actor and zation dedicated to being the hub of big and small customers. He has pro- costume designer in community thea- ‘all things gay at comic conventions.’ vided both corporate and collegiate ters, D'Manda has also performed at They are also a member of The Fin- education, teaching both specific capa- conventions including a standing room est – A G.I. Joe Costume Club and was bilities and broad concepts in compu- only event KatsuCabaret at Katsucon featured in their annual 'Girls of the ting and cybersecurity, and has 2020, and at the Opening Ceremonies Finest' calendar, which raised money worked with independent professional for FarpointCon 2020. D'Manda com- for K9s for Warriors. They also work organizations in the development of pleted her reign as Captain Green Lan- with Foundation 4 Heroes, a volunteer professionally recognized certification tern 2018 with LGBT HQ, an organiza- cosplay group that promotes the su- exams. He is currently serving as the tion that promotes LGBTQ+ artists and perhero in every child through doing treasurer of a new (ISC)2 Chapter in content at conventions on the East the right thing, choosing healthy hab- Annapolis Junction, Maryland. Outside Coast, and continues to work with its, and never being a bully. of his professional career, Stephen is them promoting inclusion and diversi- Jay is the co-creator of Better Back- an avid Science Fiction fan who has ty in fandom spaces. stories (betterbackstories.com), a card- assisted with running many, many me- based random life history generator dia, literary, and costume-oriented Dr. Timothy C. Miller for creative writing, educators, RPG conventions over the years, and has Dr. Timothy C. Miller is a Gamemasters, and even song writers been a semi-pro photographer. member of the Principal that works with any role playing sys- Professional Staff at the tem. Follow them on Instagram David Mack Johns Hopkins University @jazrae22. David Mack is the award- Applied Physics Lab in Lau- winning and New York rel, MD, where he works Jay Justice Times bestselling author of on various NASA space and astrophys- Jay Justice is a Jamaican- thirty-six novels and nu- ics projects. While hunting astrophysi- American cosplayer, writer, merous short works of sci- cal neutrinos earlier in his career, he and advocate. Her work ence-fiction, fantasy, and traveled to the South Pole five times has been featured by SyFy, adventure, including the Star Trek Des- and to Greenland once. He also re- BBC America, and Marvel tiny and Cold Equations trilogies. ceived a NIAC (NASA Innovative Ad- Comics, and she has been Mack’s writing credits span televi- vanced Concepts) grant to look at the inspiration for new characters in sion (for episodes of Star Trek: Deep DC Comics and Boom Studios. Since Space Nine), film, and comic books. His 2009 she has crafted over 90 cos- latest novels are the Star Trek: The Next tumes and created panels at conven- Generation novel Collateral Damage tions across the country on the topics and The Midnight Front and The Iron of comics, gaming, diversity in media Codex, the first two books of his Dark and costuming. As an outspoken POC, Arts trilogy published by Tor books. LGBTQIA+ and disability advocate, Jay His upcoming works include the is dedicated to creating lasting change Dark Arts series finale The Shadow Com- within her community & inspiring oth- mission (June 2020), a 1960s-era con- ers to do the same. Jay can be found spiracy thriller and urban fantasy, as on Twitter (@ThatJayJustice). well as some yet-to-be-announced Star Trek novels. He currently serves as a Stephen Kozeniewski consultant on two Star Trek animated Stephen Kozeniewski is the television series. Find him at da- author of several horror vidmack.pro and Facebook and science fiction novels, (TheDavidMack) or @DavidAlanMack. including the Splatterpunk Award-nominated The He- matophages. He is also a two-time World Horror Gross-Out Con- test champion. Check him out at man-

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Guest Biographies measuring the depth of the sheets He is the author of The Klingon Dic- early 2000’s when she joined a science on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, a tionary, The Klingon Way: A Warrior's fiction fan club that published an an- possible first step toward the search Guide, and Klingon For the Galactic Trav- nual fanzine. Although the fanzine sold for life on such moons, by detecting eler. He did the translation for the less than 30 copies per year (mostly to the interactions of ultra-high energy Klingon opera ’u’ that premiered in The friends and family of the authors), the neutrinos from an orbiting spacecraft. Netherlands in 2010, as well as the joy of writing stories in the Star Trek, expanded version of the opera’s story Highlander, and Stargate universes kept Christopher D. Ochs in paq’batlh: The Klingon Epic. her going (some of those stories can Christopher D. Ochs' foray He has degrees in linguistics from still be found on fanfiction.net, author into writing began with his the Santa Cruz and Berkeley campuses name SMR723). epic fantasy Pindlebryth of of the University of California and has Susanna’s first professional publica- Lenland: The Five Artifacts, conducted linguistic research as a tion came in 2013 when her short sto- recommended by US Re- postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian ry, “To Protect and To Serve”, was in- view of Books. Several of his Institution in Washington, D.C. He is an cluded in the anthology, Unclaimed short stories have been published in associate producer of the documen- Baggage: Voices of The Main Line Writ- the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers tary Conlanging: The Art of Crafting ers. She subsequently published two Group and Bethlehem Writers Group Tongues (2017) (conlangingfilm.com). stories (“Form and Substance” and anthologies and websites. Using his “Perchance to Dream”) in the antholo- skills learned with the Lehigh Valley Jennifer R. Povey gy Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity Storytelling Guild, he crafted a collec- Jennifer R. Povey lives in and contributed “Tree of Love” to Else- tion of mirthful macabre short stories, Northern Virginia with her where in the Middle of Eternity. If I Can't Sleep, You Can't Sleep. His lat- husband. She writes a vari- est work is a gritty YA urban fantasy/ ety of speculative fiction, Aaron Rosenberg horror, My Friend Jackson. whilst following current Aaron Rosenberg is the His current literary projects include: affairs and occasionally author of the best-selling short fiction in BWG's and GLVWG's indulging in horse riding and role- DuckBob SF comedy series, upcoming anthologies, and Firebringer playing games. She has sold fiction to the Relicant Chronicles epic Press' next entry in their Eternity se- a number of markets including Analog, fantasy series, the Dread ries; a sci-fi/horror novel Sentinel of Daily Science Fiction, and Third Flati- Remora space-opera se- Eternity; a prequel novella and a sec- ron, and written RPG supplements for ries, and—with David Niall Wilson—the ond novel in the Pindlebryth of Lenland several companies. Her most recent O.C.L.T. occult thriller series. Aaron’s tie saga. novel is the epic fantasy Firewing. She -in work contains novels for Star Trek, Chris has too many interests out- is an active member of SFWA. Warhammer, World of WarCraft, Star- side of writing for his own damn good. gate: Atlantis, Shadowrun, Eureka, Mu- With previous careers in physics, Susanna Reilly tants & Masterminds, and more. mathematics, electrical engineering Susanna Reilly has been He has written children’s books and software, and his incessant dab- enthusiastic about writing (including the original series STEM blings as a CGI animator, classical or- since she was named first Squad and Pete and Penny’s Pizza Puz- ganist, voice talent on radio, DVD and runner up in a story- zles, the award-winning Bandslam: The anime conventions, it's a wonder he writing contest at the age Junior Novel, and the #1 best-selling 42: can remember to pay the dog and of 11. For many years, writ- The Jackie Robinson Story), educational feed his bills. ing took a back seat to school, work, books on a variety of topics, and over Wait, what? and motherhood but the fire stayed seventy roleplaying games (such as Find him at christopherdochs.com, alive. It was stoked in the late 1990s, the original games Asylum, Spookshow, facebook.com/ChristopherDOch, and and Chosen, work for White Wolf, Wiz- @ChristophrDOchs on Twitter. ards of the Coast, Fantasy Flight, Pin- nacle, and many others, and both the Marc Okrand Origins Award-winning Gamemastering Marc Okrand devised the Secrets and the Gold ENnie-winning dialogue and coached the Lure of the Lich Lord). He is the co- actors speaking the creator of the ReDeus series, and a Klingon language heard in founding member of Crazy 8 Press. Star Trek III: The Search For Aaron lives in New York with his Spock, Star Trek V: The Final family. You can follow him online at Frontier, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered gryphonrose.com, on Facebook at fa- Country, and Star Trek Into Darkness. He cebook.com/gryphonrose, and on also created the Atlantean language Twitter @gryphonrose. heard in the animated feature Atlantis: The Lost Empire. The Klingon language Don Sakers he developed has continued to be Don Sakers was launched used in the later Star Trek TV series. In the same month as Sput- addition, he devised dialogue in Vul- nik One, so it was perhaps can, Romulan, Kelpien, and other lan- inevitable that he should guages for several Star Trek films and become a science fiction TV series. writer. A Navy brat by birth, he spent his childhood in such Livetweet Your Virtual Con! #FarpointCon2021 13

Guest Biographies far-off lands as Japan, Scotland, Ha- fantasy, horror and science fiction. She writes novels. See these at waii, and California. In California, ra- is also a past president of the Garden www.jaysmithaudio.com. ther like a latter-day Mowgli, he was State Speculative Fiction Writers and a raised by dogs. frequent panelist on the science fiction DJ Starsage As a writer and editor, he has ex- convention circuit. Hildy currently re- DJ Starsage is the creator plored the thoughts of sapient trees sides in New Jersey. and producer of a personal (The Leaves of October), brought ghosts journal show, Surely, You to life (Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Toppie Smellie Jest!, where he shares his Haunting Space Station Three, Baen Toppie Smellie is the crea- day-to-day meanderings 1989), and beaten the "Cold Equa- tor and producer of The about home ownership, tions" scenario ("The Cold Solution," Smellcast, a personal jour- the daily grind and family life. DJ is al- Analog 7/91, voted best short story of nal style podcast that in- so the founder and chairman of Uni- the year.) corporates the fictional Voz, a guild of like-minded podcasting Since 2009 Don has been book re- world of Pickle Hollow, a programming bonded together in sup- viewer for Analog Science Fiction & Fact, small hamlet in the Finger Lakes re- port of issues facing the LGBTQ and where he writes the "Reference Li- gion of central New York. For nine ally community. “Unified, Unique, Voic- brary" column in every issue. years now and some 480 episodes, The es!” Don lives at Meerkat Meade in sub- Smellcast has offered listeners an op- He can also be heard on his earlier urban Baltimore with his spouse, cos- portunity to climb into Toppie's sand- project The Faraway Nearby, a podcast tumer Thomas Atkinson. Having re- box to play and listen as he creates set in a fictional, mystical kingdom cently retired from 42 years with the worlds and characters to tell multi-part where conversations (often with his local public library, he is hard at work stories (in the form of unscripted, im- bestie) take place on topics ranging becoming a starving writer. Find him provised audio plays) about the odd from movies, music, and television to at donsakers.com and rule-of-5.com or and eccentric residents of his beloved current events. Frequent guests in- tweet him @meerkatdon. Pickle Hollow. cluded popular podcasting personali- In this sandbox of fun, you can hear ties involved in producing, acting, and Hildy Silverman Toppie's personal musings, his inter- writing. Hildy Silverman recent views with other podcast creators, In real life DJ is a fortysomething publications include strange audio-scapes, "live" trave- gay man who lives and works in west- “Sidekicked” (2019, Release logues and audio plays. Reality and ern New York State along with his hus- the Virgins, Ventrella, ed.), fantasy interweave in unexpected band Billy and three cats. Find out “Divided We Fell” (2020, ways and often include traditional ele- more about these podcasts and more The Dystopian States of ments and aesthetics pulled from gen- at univozpods.net. America, Bechtel, ed.) and “Raising the res including gothic mysteries, horror, Dead” (2020, Bad Ass Moms, Fan, ed). science and fantasy fiction -- but al- Geoffrey Thorne Her nonfiction articles have appeared ways with a bent towards fun and of- Thorne began writing pro- in numerous legal and medical profes- ten preposterously silly humor and fessionally in 2003, win- sional journals and blogs. occasional light adult sexual situations. ning top spots in Simon & In 2005, Hildy became the publish- Intended for adults, The Smellcast is Schuster’s prestigious er and editor-in-chief of Space and Free! Fun! Entertaining! Mysterious! Strange New Worlds anthol- Time The Smellcast! It doesn't really stink all ogy as well as the Writers of (www.spaceandtimemagazine.com), that much! For more information and the Future and Ellery Queen’s Mystery now a five-decade-old magazine of links to archived episodes, visit Magazine among many other antholo- thesmellcast.com. gies and magazines. His media tie-in In real-life Toppie is a 50-something novel, Star Trek: Titan novel Sword of gay man who lives and works in Ithaca, Damocles, was a LOCUS Best Seller. New York and enjoys collecting door Thorne broke into TV writing on wedges. Email him at smell- season 9 of the hit series Law & Order: [email protected]. Criminal Intent and moved on to be- come a writer-producer on multiple Jay Smith seasons of TNT’s hit series Leverage Jay Smith is a former fight- and The Librarians. While on hiatus er pilot in the Freedonian Thorne indulged his love for comics Revolutionary Guard who and action cartoons writing several made his postwar fortune episodes of Ben 10, Marvel’s Ultimate in gladiatorial ferret camps Spider-Man, and Marvel’s Avengers cul- across central Europe. He minating with him being named head has received awards recognizing his writer and showrunner of the two- charity work in promoting proper foot time Image Award-nominated series hygiene, traveled the world speaking Avengers: Black Panther's Quest as well out against the evils of Slobobian arts as creating the Mosaic character and and crafts, and spends much of his series for . time annoying his children with Mad Thorne is the executive producer of Libs. He also produces audio drama Pendant Audio’s Dreamnasium, a and podcasts. Legend states he also scripted sci-fi anthology series based

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Guest Biographies on his novella collection of the same Dr. Lloyd Whitman ferences nationally and internationally. name. Dr. Lloyd Whitman is cur- Finally, under the moniker Arvan In 2019 Thorne was tapped by meg- rently serving as the Assis- Eleron, he is the host of a successful astar showrunner Courtney Kemp to tant to the Director for Sci- Twitch channel focused on story and be her Xo-Executive Producer on the ence Policy and Planning at narrative, with several sponsored upcoming Power Book II: Ghost, the first the National Science Foun- TTRPG campaigns. He lives with his spinoff of the Starz Network global dation (NSF), on detail family in Riverdale, NY. His virtual phenomenon, Power. from his position as Chief Scientist at home is gregoryawilson.com. the National Institute of Standards and Howard Weinstein Technology (NIST). At NSF, Lloyd works Steven H. Wilson After decades writing Star to identify new opportunities for coop- Steven H. Wilson created Trek stories, Howard Wein- eration and collaboration between the Mark Time and Parsec stein turns to historical NSF and other organizations, coordi- Award-winning podcast fiction with Galloway’s nates the development and implemen- series The Arbiter Chroni- Gamble, a Western Fictio- tation of NSF-wide science policies, cles, as well as authoring neers Peacemaker Award- and advises the Director on strategic Taken Liberty and several winning novel set in the Old West planning, assessment, and policy anal- other novels and novellas set in the (available in hardcover and paperback ysis. Arbiters universe. His other works in- from Amazon.com). He joined NSF in 2019 after serving clude the novel Peace Lord of the Red Praise from True West magazine: for over five years at the White House Planet, short stories for Crazy 8 Press's “Anyone who loves Charles Portis's Office of Science and Technology Poli- ReDeus series, and contributions to style of writing in True Grit, or readers cy (OSTP) in both the Obama and Sequart Press's Star Wars essay collec- ready [for] a great yarn…look no far- Trump administrations, most recently tions. He has written for DC Comics ther than Galloway's Gamble.” Fellow as the Principal Assistant Director for and Starlog and is publisher for Fire- Star Trek author Dayton Ward calls it “a Physical Sciences and Engineering and bringer Press. His latest story appears rich, layered story where the charac- co-leader of the Science portfolio. At in Hobnail and Other Frontier Stories. ters leap off the page… Extensive re- OSTP, Lloyd oversaw a broad range of Find him at www.stevenhwilson.com. search infuses his tale with authentici- S&T areas and national R&D programs ty." and strategies. Sherri Cook Woosley Inspired by high-spirited classics Prior to joining OSTP, he was the Sherri Cook Woosley like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid founding Deputy Director of NIST’s earned a M.A. in English and The Sting, Galloway’s Gamble is a Center for Nanoscale Science and Language and Literature coming-of-age romp about bickering Technology, a national nanotechnolo- from University of Mary- brothers Jamey and Jake Galloway, gy user facility. Lloyd has a B.S. in land, where she taught Ac- who grow up to be poker players in Physics from Brown University and ademic Writing and Intro- frontier Texas. The sequel will feature M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics from duction to World Mythology. She’s a a strong Maryland connection. Follow- Cornell University. He has over 160 member of SFWA. Her debut novel, ing a shady horse race shrouded in publications and multiple patents re- Walking Through Fire, was longlisted for ‘Frisco fog, Jamey, Jake and colorful lated to his long research career at the both the Booknest Debut Novel award friends embark on a perilous transcon- Naval Research Laboratory studying and Baltimore’s Best 2019 and 2020 in tinental trek, trying to reach Baltimore nanostructures and their integration the novel category. Her newest short in time for match-race revenge against into advanced sensor systems. story is available in Thrilling Adventure ruthless horseman Cortland Van Brunt Yarns 2 by Crazy 8 Press. and his unbeatable stallion at the Gregory A. Wilson splendid new Pimlico Race Course in Gregory A. Wilson is Pro- Dr. Willie Yee 1873. fessor of English at St. Dr. Willie Yee is an ama- Howie’s 45 years of writing credits John's University in New teur astronomer, past include Star Trek: Mere Anarchy: The York City, where he teach- president and member of Blood-Dimmed Tide and six other Star es creative writing, specu- the Board of Directors of Trek novels; “The Pirates of ” ani- lative fiction, and various the Mid-Hudson Astro- mated Star Trek episode; story- other courses in literature. In addition nomical Association. He development assistance on the classic to academic work, he is the author of presently is a Solar System Ambassa- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; and Pup- the epic fantasy The Third Sign, the dor, a program supported by NASA py Kisses Are Good for the Soul, a graphic novels Icarus and Jellinek, the and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in charming account of life with legend- dark fantasy Grayshade, and the D&D Pasadena, CA. ary Welsh Corgi Mail Order Annie. adventure/sourcebook Tales and Dr Yee also presents a Star Trek- Feel free to “friend” Howard Wein- Tomes from the Forbidden Library. He themed interactive magic act as the stein on Facebook. Find more on his also has short stories in a number of S'kai. He was part of the crew books, writing news and occasional anthologies, and has several projects of Star Trek New Yoyages / Phase II. He blogs at forthcoming in 2021. has studied at the McBride Magic and www.howardweinsteinbooks.com. He co-hosts the critically acclaimed Mystery School in Las Vegas. He has Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, presented the Starship Magic show at Readers, and Fans (speculatesf.com) numerous SF and astronomical gather- podcast, is a member of the Gen Con ings, both in person and online. Writers' Symposium and other author groups, and is regularly invited to con- Livetweet Your Virtual Con! #FarpointCon2021 15

Groups and Organizations Charnock’s Comedy Cabaret The Heinlein Society Shore Leave/STAT Charnock’s Comedy Cabaret is a heinleinsociety.org Hunt Valley, MD - July 10-12, 2020 group of local comics with a sci-fi bent The Heinlein Society exists to shore-leave.com bringing laughs to audiences across preserve the legacy renowned writer The Star Trek Association of the galaxy. Join David McOwen, Dani Robert Anson Heinlein left us in Towson, Inc. (STAT) was founded in Riedel, Stacey Axler, Chris Barrlick, and novels, essays, speeches, and short 1978 by a small group of people who Kasha Patel as they nerd out on the stories that remain as fresh as ever. shared an interest in Star Trek. A year Farpoint virtual stage. We need your help to do it. We intend later, we held the first Shore Leave in Heinlein’s words to “PAY IT Convention, which attracted even FORWARD,” since we can never pay more Star Trek enthusiasts to the Crazy 8 Press back the benefits we got from him, by group. crazy8press.com spreading the wisdom of Robert As the club grew, our interests Crazy 8 Press is a consortium of Anson Heinlein to others. expanded to include the promotion of writers who have decided to by-pass Our Pay It Forward programs include not only Star Trek, but also of science the traditional publishing process to blood drives at conventions, Heinlein fact and other areas of science fiction. bring our work directly to you, the For Heroes (books for active military Activities have included costumed reader. personnel, their families, and veterans visits to local hospital pediatric units, Why Crazy 8 when you started with in veterans’ hospitals), scholarships, visits to libraries and schools to only 6? Choose your favorite answer! education (materials for educators promote literacy, participation in the interested in using Science Fiction to Towson 4th of July Parade and • We started with eight authors, but two spontaneously combusted. teach their students, and The Heinlein pre-parade entertainment. (And now we’ve regenerated.) Journal (the leading source of new Our current major activity, of • Glenn’s big enough for three. scholarship on Robert A. Heinlein). course, is holding our annual Shore • Aaron’s multiple personalities Leave Convention in July. wanted to be counted, or else Matinee Minutiae they’d start playing with knives. matineeminutiae.com STARFLEET • If we went with Secret Six, DC A film and television trivia podcast sfi.org would want royalties. hosted by DJ Starsage and Toppie For over 35 years, Starfleet has • We wanted to name ourselves Smellie. provided Star Trek fans a way to meet after a card game, and Bridge Publications was taken. each other, make friends, have fun, Sabre Guild – Dathomir Temple give back to their communities, and Firebringer Press facebook.com/saberguilddathomirtemple show that the dream of Gene Rodden- saberguild.org firebringerpress.com berry can live long and prosper. Saber Guild is a not-for-profit, On the local level, members can Firebringer Press has been publish- LucasFilm-recognized Star Wars cos- ing since 2005, and released its latest gather with other fans for a variety of tuming group that specializes in chore- enjoyable activities. title, the non-fiction The Fandom Fifty in ographed lightsaber shows. July 2019. Focusing on Science Fiction, On the international level, Starfleet Fantasy and Paranormal stories, We perform at charity and commu- offers our members a wealth of Firebringer reaches out to new nity events, as well as comic book and resources that you won’t find in any authors in the Mid-Atlantic region and sci-fi conventions, all to raise money other Star Trek fan clubs. In addition to has published the works of founder for charity and share our love of Star a great set of membership materials Steven H. Wilson, Phil Giunta, Lance Wars with fans around the world. With and our regularly-published newslet- Woods, Michael Critzer, Stuart S. Roth, over 700 members in 35 temples and ter, Starfleet offers members the Susanna Reilly, Daniel Patrick Corco- 8 countries, we are not only chance to get involved with Starfleet ran, Diane Baron, and Amanda Head- Lucasfilm’s preferred lightsaber per- Academy, the Starfleet Marine Corps, lee. Please join us in the authors' room formance group, but we are the the Department of Technical Services, this weekend as our authors share largest recognized lightsaber club in and much, much more. readings of their work and we talk the world. about future publication endeavors. Saber Guild - Dathomir Temple proudly serves the state of Maryland and the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

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Authors Panels Firebringer Press Presents Crazy 8 Press Storybuilding in Books & Games: Salon A — Sat 2/20/21 — 11:00 am Salon B — Sat 2/20/21 — 4:00 pm Dungeon Mastering for the Writer, The team from Firebringer Press will An hour-long panel with members of Writing for the Dungeon Master discuss current and future publica- Crazy 8 Press to discuss current and Salon A — Sun 2/21/21 — 1:00 pm tions. Steven H. Wilson, Phil Giunta, future publications. Michael Jan Speculative fiction author, TwitchTV Christopher D. Ochs, Michael Critzer, Friedman, Peter David, Kathleen David, host, and online/offline DM Gregory A. Diane Lee Baron, Daniel Patrick Corco- Russ Colchamiro, Mary Fan, Robert Wilson, with eight current TTRPG cam- ran, Susanna Reilly Greenberger, Glenn Hauman, Aaron paigns (four GMed by him) streamed Rosenberg, Hildy Silverman, Geoff on his channel including sponsored Writing in the New Normal Thorne ones from Alligator Alley Entertain- Salon B — Sat 2/20/21 — 12:00 pm ment, draws on thirty years of experi- How have writers adapted to new Everything You Know About Fairy ence in game mastering to discuss schedules and working from home? Tales Is WRONG! how writing techniques can help game Our panelists will discuss if and how Salon A — Sun 2/21/21 — 11:00 am masters, how game mastering tech- their home environments have been Archetypes in classic fairy tales -- the niques can help writers, and what the disrupted and how their routines may damsel in distress, the knight in shin- potential pitfalls are when integrating have changed. Michael Jan Friedman, ing armor, the evil stepmother, and these worlds. Gregory A. Wilson Heather E. Hutsell, Sherri Cook Woosley several others -- continue to influence everything from Disney features to the How Fandom Can Make You A Got Enough Science? social mores used to define what is Better Writer Salon A — Sat 2/20/21 — 1:00 pm good and noble. Where did these cari- Salon B — Sun 2/21/21 — 2:00 pm Some topics require more scientific catures come from? And how histori- Whether it's books, movies, TV, or know-how than others. How much do cally accurate are these archetypes games, we've all experienced the guilt writers need to know for particular which we hold so dear? Christopher D. of indulging in fandom instead of topics -- and how do they know how Ochs working on our next novel or story. much they need to know? David Mack, But all that reading/viewing/ Christopher D. Ochs, Phil Giunta This Wasn't the Dystopia I Ordered: playing was actually helping you be- Post-Pandemic Storytelling come a better writer? This panel will Narrative in Different Mediums Salon B — Sun 2/21/21 — 12:00 pm discuss how fandom, rather than be- Salon B — Sat 2/20/21 — 2:00 pm As SF writers, we're used to CREATING ing a guilt-inducing "waste of time", Coherent and compelling narrative is dystopias--but now we're LIVING one! can actually help writers improve. important in short stories, novels, tele- How has this changed our concept of Mary Fan, J.L. Gribble, Danielle Ackley- vision and film, and games (board, the dystopia, and how is it affecting McPhail tabletop role-playing, and video our writing of those sorts of stories, forms). Working professionals in many and in general? Glenn Hauman, Sherri of those different mediums discuss Cook Woosley, Phil Giunta the best narrative principles common to them all, as well as how to navigate the differences between and among them. Aaron Rosenberg, Derek Tyler Attico, Stephen Kozeniewski

Writing Characters with Different Body Plans Salon A — Sat 2/20/21 — 3:00 pm Four legs? Tentacles? Weird faces? Panelists will discuss how to bring to life characters that significantly vary from the humanoid body form, from dragons to bug-like aliens, to talking raccoons. How do you remember the changes in body language? How do you make it not turn into goofiness? Jennifer Povey, Heather E. Hutsell, Danielle Ackley-McPhail

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Live Events & Performances Matinee Minutiae Star Wars Bloopers: Masquerade Belmont — Sat 2/20/21 — 11:00 am The Modern Trilogies Hotel TV Monitors — Sun 2/21/21 — 1:00 pm A podcast about film and TV trivia. Join Salon D — Sat 2/20/21 — 3:00 pm Join us for our first Virtual Masquer- the podcast hosts as they discuss the Starting with a Stormtrooper hitting ade! The show will be aired on moni- trivia behind the 1971 Comedy, Drama his head on a door in SW:IV, spotting tors throughout our virtual hotel and Harold and Maude starring Ruth Gor- bloopers in the Star Wars movies has livestreamed at FarpointTV on don and Bud Cort with their special been a fun pastime for fans of all ages. YouTube. guest Paul Chandler ("The Shy Life This presentation will attempt to show Podcast"). DJ Starsage, Toppie Smellie, many of the most popular ones in the Post-Convention Meeting Paul Chandler modern Star Wars Trilogies that you Salon F — Sun 2/21/21 — 3:00 pm may have never seen before that are What did you think of our virtual Starship Magic still in the movies today. T A Chafin convention? Chat with members of the Salon E — Sat 2/20/21 — 12:00 pm Farpoint Committee about it! A sci-fi themed magic show. Science A Conversation with John Billingsley fiction effects such as transporters are and Bonita Friedericy presented as magic tricks with humor Chase — Sat 2/20/21 — 4:00 pm New Media Panels and multiple references to Star Trek An hour with our guests. John Billings- and other SF genres. The show is high- ley, Bonita Friedericy So You Want to Start a Podcast? ly interactive, involving all the mem- Tack — Sat 2/20/21 — 4:00 pm bers of the audience. Note: The show is Charnok's Comedy Cabaret Learn how you can start a podcast. adult-oriented and family friendly for Salon F — Sat 2/20/21 — 5:00 pm We'll discuss programs to use, equip- older children but is not recommend- If you, like Data, want to know what is ment to invest in, and how to get your ed for children under 8. Dr. Willie Yee funny, stop in for nerdish performanc- podcast into people's ears. Nathan es from great local stand-up comics! Schell, Royce Essig, Ryan Permison Lightsabers, Action! Meet Saber David McOwen, Dani Riedel, Stacey Axler, Guild Dathomir Temple Chris Barrlick, Kasha Patel Storytelling with New Technology Salon D — Sat 2/20/21 — 1:00 pm Tack — Sun 2/21/21 — 11:00 am A presentation to introduce Farpoint The Bob & Howie Show A discussion of how to use podcasting to Maryland's Saber Guild chapter, Belmont — Sun 2/21/21 — 12:00 pm and other new media to tell your Dathomir Temple. Who they are, what Books, movies, TV, baseball. The stories. Gregory A. Wilson, Jay Smith, they do, how to join. Randy Ward, Linda important things in life.... Robert Green- Nathan Schell Ward, Nicole Webb, Charles Wright, Liz berger, Howard Weinstein McQuay, Anne Mac Adams The State of VR - 2021 Tack — Sun 2/21/21 — 1:00 pm Marc Okrand An update on the state of virtual reali- Salon F — Sat 2/20/21 — 2:00 pm ty headsets, social VR, and how virtual A conversation with our favorite reality tech has advanced since last Klingon linguist. Marc Okrand year T. Eric Bakutis

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Movies, Television & Fandom Interest Panels STARFLEET Meeting will the future hold for our heroes? Doctor Who Salon B — Sat 2/20/21 — 10:00 am What other Star Wars spinoffs are on Chase — Sun 2/21/21 — 12:00 pm A meeting for members of STARFLEET the horizon? And how much Grogu We'll discuss the latest season and and anyone interested in learning (Baby Yoda) is too much? T A Chafin, J.L. ponder the next. Kathleen David, more about this organization. Gribble, Rigel Ailur Jennifer Povey Robert Smith, Wayne Auguston, Jeff Victor, Bob Vosseller Cons: Online vs Real Life Defense Against the Dark Arts: Salon C — Sat 2/20/21 — 1:00 pm Fandom Trolls and How to Are We Just Going Mad? What's different, what's better, what's Vanquish Them Online Civility and Social Media worse and what needs work? Don Salon D — Sun 2/21/21 — 1:00 pm Salon D — Sat 2/20/21 — 11:00 am Sakers, Keith R.A. DeCandido, D'Manda A panel to help con-goers avoid, Why do people interact like ignorant Martini confront, and dispatch misogynist savages online? Why isn't it enough to trolls and their ilk. In this panel, we will be right? Why do folks feel they must TV & Movie Reboots dismiss certain myths regarding destroy any dissenting opinion? Tack — Sat 2/20/21 — 1:00 pm fandom's accepted DNA, who should Panelists discuss if our personalities Which reboots have you enjoyed, and be allowed to participate and what the online are who we REALLY are or if we which didn't need to be made? Howard acceptable role of women in fandom use online anonymity to develop a Weinstein, Kathleen David should be. We will also cover classy new persona. Panelists will discuss ways to combat the ignorant and grow the psychology of online anonymity Still Discovering Discovery better fan communities. Peter David, and social interactivity. Jay Smith, Chase — Sat 2/20/21 — 2:00 pm Don Sakers, Jay Smith Stephen Kozeniewski, Gregory A. Wilson We'll discuss the current season of Star Trek: Discovery and where we think the How Does Star Trek Thrive? Outlander: show is headed. Keith R.A. DeCandido, Salon F — Sun 2/21/21 — 1:00 pm A Spoiler-Free Retrospective Mary Fan, Kelli Fitzpatrick How does a franchise that is over fifty Tack — Sat 2/20/21 — 11:00 am years old survive and thrive in multiple Come join us for why Outlander has The No Pandemic, No Politics Hour mediums? The panel will discuss their become the world-wide juggernaut Salon D — Sun 2/21/21 — 11:00 am varied involvement with Star Trek and sensation it is. Late to the party? No Where our panelists will discuss just why they feel it is so successful. David worries, we'll give you all the basics about anything but those two topics! Mack, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Derek Tyler and background you need! If you're Don Sakers, T A Chafin, Danielle Ackley- Attico already a fan, then join in our rousing McPhail conversation and share your thoughts Star Trek: Lower Decks with us! Annie Brugmans, Maggie Discovered During Lockdown Chase — Sun 2/21/21 — 2:00 pm Restivo, Mattie Roger Salon F — Sun 2/21/21 — 11:00 am What did you think of the first season What little-known gems or guilty pleas- of this animated sitcom? We'll discuss. The Way of The Mandalorian ures did you watch during the Kathleen David, T A Chafin, Rigel Ailur Chase — Sat 2/20/21 — 12:00 pm pandemic? We'll discuss our favorites. Disney+'s wildly successful hit has Heather E. Hutsell, J.L. Gribble wrapped up its second season. What

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Science Panels Perseverance Arrives at Mars Center for Cyber Safety & Education, hole and -star mergers, gam- Salon E — Sat 2/20/21 — 11:00 am provides a number of cybersecurity ma bursts, and the sources of the Dr. Heyer will show a quick recap of awareness programs. This one is highest energy cosmic rays. Dr Timothy Mars research and conclusions to focused on helping parents teach and C. Miller date. She will then discuss key capabil- guide their children toward safe use of ities Perseverance brings to bear on the Internet. Topics covered include What's New in The World Of Mars research, how it builds upon cyberbullying, online identity and Dinosaurs? what we learned previously, and what image protection, social networking Derby — Sun 2/21/21 — 1:00 pm we hope to learn next. Dr. Inge Heyer safety, and computer safety. Stephen The Age of Dinosaurs may be over, but Lesnik our knowledge of it continues to grow. Turning Science Fiction into Science University of Maryland paleontologist Fact: An Overview of the National The Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx Dr. Tom Holtz describes the latest Science Foundation and AMA with Sample Return Missions discoveries changing our understand- a Scientist-turned-Science Policy Salon E — Sat 2/20/21 — 3:00 pm ing of these magnificent creatures. Dr. Maker Dr Abell discusses the issues with, and Thomas R. Holtz Derby — Sat 2/20/21 — 12:00 pm techniques used to return, samples Come learn how the National Science from the target objects. Dr. Paul Abell Black Holes - Not So Black? Foundation advances the frontiers of Salon E — Sun 2/21/21 — 2:00 pm knowledge and how science policy Multi-messenger Astronomy in Recent years have seen major break- works from the White House on Antarctica throughs in the ability to study black down—from a scientist who has done Salon E — Sun 2/21/21 — 12:00 pm holes. These have included the first research in multiple fields and worked From the bottom of the world to the image of a black hole from the Event at the White House developing nation- furthest reaches of the universe! In Horizon Telescope and the detection al science and technology strategies. this talk we will first learn about the of black hole collisions with the Laser The overview will be followed by an IceCube high energy neutrino Interferometer Gravitational-wave Ob- “ask-me-anything” Q&A session. Dr. astrophysics experiment at the South servatory. Both of these are massive Lloyd Whitman Pole, along with what it’s like traveling scientific projects in their own right, to live and work in Antarctica. Then and the science coming from them is Safe and Secure Online: we’ll see how the astrophysics discov- groundbreaking. Dr. Yee will review A Cybersecurity Presentation for eries being done there fit into the the basic science of black holes and Parents entire developing field of multi- the myths surrounding them and Salon E — Sat 2/20/21 — 1:00 pm messenger astronomy to link such present the recent findings of these The (ISC)2 organization (isc2.org) diverse and exotic topics as neutrinos, projects. Dr. Willie Yee through their outreach organization, cosmic rays, gravitational waves, black

Costuming/Cosplay Panels Cosplay: A Form of Self-Expression & Taking Cosplay From 2D to 3D Discovery Salon C — Sun 2/21/21 — 12:00 pm Salon E — Sat 2/20/21 — 11:00 am Cosplayers will discuss what it takes to Our panel will discuss the various ways make a design wearable. What about one can express themselves through the costume would need to be cosplay and discoveries they have changed based on the cosplayer's made along the way. Nathan Schell, body type, level of comfort, or even Howard Weinstein, D’Manda Martini just the physics of how gravity works! D’Manda Martini, Dame Dahlia, Jay The Process of Cosplay Justice Salon C — Sat 2/20/21 — 3:00 pm Cosplayers talk about the steps they Masquerade take from conception/design to full Hotel TV Monitors — Sun 2/21/21 — 1:00 pm execution of a full cosplay - from budg- Join us for our first Virtual Masquer- et, shopping, construction, to even ade! The show will be aired on moni- how they get into it! The panel will in- tors throughout our virtual hotel and clude character/cosplay selection, and livestreamed at FarpointTV on how each person organizes each of YouTube. their projects as they progress. Panel- ists are encouraged to wear examples Cosplay Self-Destructs of their cosplay and/or provide presen- Salon C — Sun 2/21/21 — 2:00 pm tations showing their process. Jazmine Everyone has had at least one Cosplays, Don Sakers, Dame Dahlia costume fail. A popped seam; a dying battery; a glued piece that won't stay glued. Our panelists will discuss their own and offer tips on how to avoid and/or survive them! Dame Dahlia, D’Manda Martini, Jazmine Cosplays

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Thank you to our Farpoint Family and Friends who make this event possible every year. Julien Fleming Memorial Fund, Inc. Committee PO Box 710152 Betsy Childs Brian Sarcinelli Oak Hill, VA 20171-0152 Karen Donnelly John Scheeler Tom Donnelly Jennifer Stultz Make the World a Better Place, Jackie Green Cyndi Van Blarcom Eta Hack Sharon Van Blarcom One child at a Time Jessica Headlee Tim Van Blarcom Laura Inglis Christian Wilson Jaime Lancaster Renee Wilson George Laurence Steven H. Wilson The Julien Fleming Memorial Fund was established in Ann Lesnik Cindy Woods Heather Mikkelsen Sarah Yaworsky order to help families whose critically or terminally ill children Kat Nichols Sandy Zier-Teitler need treatment beyond the families’ ability to pay. Even for Zan Rosin those with medical insurance, non-covered expenses can Lifetime Members easily soar to thousands of dollars. Fouade K. Aide † Renfield Lewis G. Aide † Clarissa Rhule We strive to keep Julien’s memory alive by giving grants De Baisch James Rhule to these families in Julien’s memory. Recipients are selected Diane Baron Harvey Roberts Andrew Bergstrom Mary Rottler by our Board of Directors, which includes Julien’s mother. Laura Bergstrom Anthony Rowley Cheryl Bobbit Heather Sachs Please help us continue these grants. No donation is too T. Alan Chafin Sinya Schaeffer small. To a child in need, every penny is a symbol of love Betsy Childs Eli Senter Maureen Connolly Micah Senter and caring. Darlene Croon Molly Senter Richard DeAcetis † Paige Strehlen Senter Karen Donnelly Chris Shockey If you know someone who might qualify for a grant, Thomas Donnelly Cindy Shockey please contact us at http://www.jfmf.org/ Scott Farquhar Layla Shockey Ponch Fenwick † Kimberly Stern Marty Gear † For more information see us at http://www.jfmf.org Kathleen Gonzales Mike Sullivan Like us on Facebook -- julienflemingmemorialfund Brad Graper June Swords Robbie Greenberger † Lynn Syck The Julien Fleming Memorial Fund is a 501(c)(3) public charity David Havelka Cyndi VanBlarcom and a proud member of the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce. Valerie Hill Sharon VanBlarcom Marcella Jones † Tim VanBlarcom Nancy Kippax † Beverly J. Volker † Ann Lesnik Russell Volker, Sr. Art Way Alliance is committed to Stephen Lesnik Howard Weinstein providing students with opportunities Marion McBrine Christian Wilson Marion McChesney † Ethan Wilson and experiences in media arts and re- Heather Mikkelsen Renee Wilson lated careers. Katy Mikkelsen Steven Wilson Jennifer Morris Cindy Woods Marc Okrand Greg Woods AWA provides these opportunities to Paula Palmer Lance Woods those who would otherwise not have Elizabeth Ramsey Sandra Zier-Teitler direct access to instructors, materials, † Deceased and other like-minded individuals. AWA teaches students how to create and market their original comic books, manga, and cartoons in an envi- We work to keep the content of our programming at Farpoint ronment free of judgment and derision. AWA works Convention friendly to all ages - young fans, teens and adults. through classes, events, conventions, and partnerships However, in the course of active discussion, topics may stray into areas parents or guardians may not wish their children to partici- with wonderful and dedicated artists and volunteers. pate in. It is ultimately the parent/’s responsibility to AWA emphasizes the educational value of comics and monitor the program events their children attend and to remove cartoons by incorporating STEM (Science, Technology, the child from any discussions they do not wish their children to Engineering, and Math) or Common Core elements into participate in. our curriculum. In the past year, AWA has hosted multi- ple workshops and classes in the DMV area. Our STEAM Panel Information is accurate as of publication. Please check the program in particular has been incredibly popular. We've Schedule Insert, Room Notices, and Online Guide for any chang- also participated in events ranging from a Back to School es. Jamboree to Awesome Con and have created amazing partnerships with schools, non-profit, and profit busi- nesses. "Convention on Infinite Screens" Cover Art by Laura Inglis Departmental FARPs by Greg Woods FARP created by Todd Brugmans and used with permission Program Book Design by Brian Sarcinelli & Sarah Yaworsky (“Nie moj cyrk, nie moje malpy!”) Art Way Alliance is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Livetweet Your Virtual Con! #FarpointCon2021 21

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