Souvenir Program Book
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PHILCON 2020 A Virtual Philcon Special Features: • Non-Fiction • Fiction • Art Gallery © 2020 The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS) Philcon , The Philadelphia Area Conference on Science Fiction and Fantasy, is a registered service mark of PSFS. Interior content is copy- righted to the cited owners, available under Creative Commons license or employed per “fair use” principles. Visit www.philcon.org and www.psfs.org for more information. Table of Contents ® PHILCON 2020 Welcome The Program Book Greeting, Chair of Philcon 2020 ………………… 4 Greeting, President of PSFS 2020 ………………… 5 November 20-22, 2020 Virtual Convention How to Get the Most from a Virtual Philcon Cherry Hill, New Jersey The Newbie’s Guide to Virtual Philcon ©2020 The Philadelphia Science Fiction by Joann Lawler ………………………………… 6 Society (PSFS) unless otherwise noted. Philcon is a registered service mark of PSFS, a 501(c)3 nonprofit About The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS) organization. All art (except logo, venue map & ads) copyright by the artists and used by permission. All articles and fiction are copyright by the Monthly Meetings & Book Discussions ………… 12 submitting authors, with all rights reserved. Philip K. Dick Award & Young Writers Contest … 13 Editing & Design: Terry Sisk Graybill Proof-Reading, Research, Advice & Support: Joann Lawler & Todd Dashoff About Philcon Printing: Affordable Offset Printing, Inc., Pennsauken NJ Committee & Staff Credits ……………………… 14 A Brief History of Philcon, 2006-2020 ………… 16 Updates & Additions In Memoriam This program book contains the latest information at Remembering Abby … …………………………… 18 presstime. Every convention is a work in progress until it Remembering Hugh Casey by Stephanie Lucas …… 19 is over, so please look for updates in the online Program Code of Conduct, Policies & Helpful Information Guide (www.philcon.org) Philcon Code of Conduct ………………………… 22 Exhibitors & Program Participants Overview of Program, Exhibits & Fixed Functions 24 Exhibiting Artists, Dealers & Fan Tables ………… 25 Program Participants’ Bios ………………………… 27 Special Feature - Non-Fiction, Fiction & Art from Philadelphia Region Talent & Philcon Regulars ……………………………… 41 Non-Fiction Articles on PSFS, Philcon, SF/F …… 42 From the Digger to the Stars by Michael Swanwick … 43 Revenge of the Zombies by Elektra Hammond … 45 Why Running Conventions Is the Most Frustrating, Thankful Thing I Do (and I Blame Hugh) by Suzanne Rosin ……………………………… 46 Cosplay in the Time of COVID by Miriam Seidel 48 My First Convention: Philcon by Lee Weinstein … 50 In Search of a Green Man by Lee Weinstein …… 51 Six for the Broad Street Review: Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction Writer; Science Fiction: The View from Inside; Avoiding the Downside of Good Memories; Growing Hoarse in Cherry Hill (Philcon 2008); Texting for Posterity; and The Necronomicon Quartet by Tom Purdom ……… 54 The Clubhouse: A PSFS Legend by Lew Wolkoff … 61 The Stuff of Legend: Ozzie Train, Harriet Kolchek and Jack McKnight by Lew Wolkoff ………… 61 My First PSFS Meeting by Lew Wolkoff ……… 62 The Greatest Editor SF Has Ever Had: Gardner Dozois by Sean Swanwick ………… 64 Philcon Memories by Darrell Schweitzer ……… 66 My Experiences with the PSFS Hugo Review Panel by Stephanie Lucas …………………………… 70 Belemnite jewelry ©2020 Jewelry copyright Janet Kofoed - continued p. 2 - -2- Philcon 2020 - November 20-22, 2020 - A Virtual Philcon Table of Contents continued Fiction - Flash Fic, Short Stories, Excerpts ……… 73 Artwork Credits The Hole in Edgar’s Hillside by Gregory Frost … 74 PSFS, Medallion …………………… Front Cover, 1 A Clean Start by James Harper ………………… 79 Janet Kofoed ……………………………… 1, 63, 101 Beyond Our Hidden Stars by Sally Wiener Grotta … 81 Jason Van Hollander ……………………… 4, 69, 91 Six Shorts: Chilly Hallway, Halloween in the Jennifer Wilson …………………………………… 5 Vegetable Garden,The Enormous Zucchini, Darrell Schweitzer ………………………… 12, 53, 67 The Girl with Superman Eyes, The Sound Karl Kofoed ……………………………… 23, 78, 95 Was Faint but Definitely There by Abby Cohen … 93 Bob Walters ………………………………… 24, 92 Trick or Treat with Jesus by Marilyn “Mattie” Brahan 96 Heidi Hooper ……………………………… 33, 38 Five Flash Fictions in the Key of G Terry Sisk Graybill ……………………………… 60 by Michael Swanwick ………………………… 99 Transients by Darrell Schweitzer …………… 102 Advertising Credits Game Changers (excerpt) by Andrew Levin … 108 Philcon 2021 …………………………………… 3 Buffalo Dogs by Lawrence M. Schoen ……… 109 Discon III ………………………………………… 17 Art Gallery - Philadelphia Area Artists & Locus Magazine ………………………………… 26 Art Show Regular Participants ……………… 121 Farpoint Convention 2021 ……………………… 30 Bob Walters ………………………………… 122 Balticon 55 ……………………………………… 35 Janet Kofoed ………………………………… 125 Shore Leave 42 …………………………………… 39 Jennifer Wilson ……………………………… 128 Tor ……………………………………………… 40 Diane Weinstein …………………………… 130 Westercon 74 (2022) ……………………………… 72 Karl Kofoed ………………………………… 132 SMOFcon 2020 ……………………………… 119 Tess Kissinger ………………………………… 135 Chicon 8 ……………………………………… 120 Fran Wilde …………………………………… 138 Rebecca Marcus ……………………………… 144 Terry Sisk Graybill …………………………… 147 Jason Van Hollander ………………………… 149 Jim Tigar …………………………………… 151 Heidi Hooper ……………………………… 152 Lee Weinstein ……………………………… 154 Michael Swanwick …………………………… 156 Darrell Schweitzer …………………………… 157 Sara Felix …………………………………… 158 Anne E.G. Nydam …………………………… 160 Janny Wurts ………………………………… 162 Don Maitz …………………………………… 165 Lisa Hertel …………………………………… 167 Richard Hescox ……………………………… 169 Alan Beck …………………………………… 172 Sarah Clemens ……………………………… 175 Philcon 2021 November 19-21, 2021 The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Cherry Hill, NJ Max Gladstone Principal Speaker Romas Kukalis Artist Guest of Honor • Free parking & public transit access • Panels, art show, masquerade, concerts, gaming, anime, writers’ workshop, meet the pros, filking, vendors and more! Note: We are planning an in-person convention but watch our website for the most current information. © 2020 Artwork copyright Romas Kukalis www.philcon.org www.Facebook.com/Philcon.PSFS -4- Philcon 2020 - November 20-22, 2020 - A Virtual Philcon Special Messages for You From the Philcon Chair elcome to Philcon 2020! The Philadel- whom have never come to a Philcon but are willing to phia Science Fiction Society is proud to keep our events running smoothly. present its first virtual convention in the Marc Grossman and friends have arranged a fantastic W filk program which will be on practically every hour. 84 years since the first intercity fan gathering decided to call themselves a convention. We are happy to have had There are individual concerts or “open filk”, where any- the virtual choice this year, given all of the restrictions on one can take a turn. Audiences are important, too! Be large gatherings. Next year, we hope to see you all back sure to hang around for the songwriting contest perfor- in Cherry Hill in November to meet Principal Speaker mances and judging on Sunday afternoon. Max Gladstone, Guest Artist Romas Kukalis, and the The Art Show and Dealers Room can be found on rest of our program participants! Discord. Each artist and vendor has a “channel” on the If this is your first Philcon, we hope you love it! If this Philcon server. They will make their own arrangements is your first virtual con, take a look at the article below for display and payment, which may be a link to their on how to enjoy one. If you’re a veteran, you’ll find own webpage or posts in the channel. Be sure to visit much of the usual structure in Zoom and Discord. The and see what they have to offer! KonOpas program organization is easy to negotiate. We decided not to require membership fees this year, As usual, our program covers science fiction, fantasy but there are still expenses to be covered, so we would and horror in as many aspects as we can fit in: literature, appreciate it if you’d make a donation to Philcon and the media, anime/animation and games. Unfortunately, Society through GoFundMe Charity at https://charity. we couldn’t handle a Masquerade this year. If you’re a gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/virtual-philcon-2020 or costumer, enjoy the discussions, and come next year to through the link at Philcon.org. compete! Have a fantastic weekend with us, and come back next Our programming staff, led by Lynati, has come up year! with a great list of topics, and our tech team, led by Syd Weinstein, has experience from virtual cons around the world. The gamers are like, “Online? What’s new about Joann Lawler, Chair,Lawler Philcon 2020 that?” Especial thanks to Syd’s far-flung team, some of The Letters of Samuel Long- man and Clark Ashton Smith Book Cover © 2020 Art copyright Jaxon Van Hollander 84 Years of Philcon -5- From the PSFS President e are the Philadelphia Science Fiction Never underestimate the commitment and the resil- Society (PSFS) and we are honored to ience of the Philadelphia area fandom. The virus may Whave you as a guest for our annual science slow us down, but it won’t stop us. fiction and fantasy convention. Hence, our first virtual Philcon – safe, convenient, Sometimes, inauspicious beginnings create move- cost-saving… From the comfort of your home, streamed ments. Those movements create traditions. Those tradi- to a device near you, and yet, with the same quality. tions become our legacy. But enough about the Ameri- Our virtual Philcon’s programming will rock. You can can Revolution, I am here to talk about PSFS. trust us. We’ve only been doing this for the last eighty- Yes, I know, the word society sounds so uppity. We are four years. not. Remember also, the word society is also a synonym If you like our virtual con, you should check us out in for community. Indeed, we are a community of fans person after the pandemic ends and we can resume phys- united for a common interest. Nothing uppity about ical meetings. You will enjoy our programming since it is that. designed for fans as discerning as you. PSFS was revolutionary for its time – a group of Finally, on behalf of PSFS, I want to once again wel- like-minded friends, getting together to talk about their come you to Philcon 2020. Enjoy the con and tell your favorite authors, magazines, editors, and stories. They friends. Fandom is best when is shared with those closest even published a newsletter.