Life, the Universe, & Everything 38
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Life, the Universe, & Everything 38 Guests of Honor Bobby Cody Howard Lyon Brad R. Torgersen The Marion K. “Doc” Smith Symposium on Science Fiction and Fantasy February 13–15, 2020 Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center Utah Valley Convention Center ltue.net Vev © Howard Lyon; used by permission Letter from the Chair Hi everybody and welcome to another great year at As we come away, however, it can be hard to maintain LTUE! We are so excited to have you with us! We’ve had that excitement and creative high throughout the year. It a great time putting this year’s symposium together for is important to maintain the relationships we make by you and we can’t wait to experience it with you. What continually coming together to inspire and motivate each brings me back to LTUE every year is the amazing com- other to keep creating. As Chair I would like to thank my munity it is built upon. Seriously, you guys are awesome amazing committee, who kept me mostly sane and were and I really appreciate each and every one of you and truly the ones who made everything happen. Good luck the impact you have on the creative community. I know to everyone this year as you explore the galaxy in an effort I’m not the only one who feels this way; since joining the to finally determine once and for all what is the meaning committee I’ve received comments every year from both of Life, the Universe, and Everything! guests and attendees about the wonderful connections they make here at LTUE. JJ Safley This is a place of creativity and inspiration where we Chair 2020 come to learn from each other and share our experience. Symposium Committee Chair: JJ Safley Game Room Coordinator: Andrew Owens Assistant Chair: Spencer Merrell Guest Services Coordinator: Jack Setzer Secretary: Erin Kearsley Hospitality: Dave Doering Schedule Coordinator: Mike Bishop Information Analyst: Erin Kearsley Academics Track Head: Marny K. Parkin Legal Counsel: Steve Setzer Art Track Head: Renae Kingsley, Assistant: Logan Kearsley Marketing Coordinator: Kate Jenkins Books Track Head: Ben Pistorius Pitches Coordinator: Micheal Johnson Gaming Track Head: Andrew Owens Publications Coordinator: Marny K. Parkin Professional Development Track Head: Micheal Johnson Recordings Coordinators: Logan Kearsley, Jeff Jensen Readings Track Head: Kira Harris Registration Coordinators: Spencer Merrell, Mike Bishop Theater & Media Arts Track Head: Alex Hall, Assistant: Joe Monson Social Media Team: Kate Jenkins, Kira Harris, JJ Safley, Jeff Jensen Worldbuilding Track Head: Alpheus Madsen Special Events Coordinator: Joe Monson Writing Track Head: Stephan Fassmann Trustees: Dave Doering, Marny Parkin Accessibility: Kira Harris Vendor Coordinators: Maggie Garbe, Bobbie Berendson W., Logan Anthology Managing Editor: Joe Monson Kearsley App Developer: John Harris Volunteer Coordinator: Diana Parkin, Assistant: Deidre Logan Art Show & Artist Alley Coordinators: Logan Kearsley, Maggie Garbe Website Team: Jeff Jensen, Logan Kearsley, Michael Clark, John Harris Attendee Coordinator: Kira Harris YouTube Team: Jeff Jensen, Nephi Jenks Blog Coordinator: Spencer Merrell Additional Committee: Aaron Porter, Alicia McIntire, David Halliday, Creative Director: Jeff Jensen Rebecca Tayler, Troy McIntire, Wade Edwards Film Festival Coordinator: Alex Hall Special Thanks to Calvin Bishop for creating the scheduling database Anyone can join our staff! Students are especially needed, from both UVU and BYU. If you are interested in helping make the next symposium bigger and better, come to our first staff meeting for LTUE 39 Saturday,on February 22, on UVU campus at 10 am. Watch our Facebook page for location and more details. 1 Center Street South Doors South First Floor Center Convention Utah Valley Doors Café Birch Center Visitors South Aspen Stairs Stairs (Gaming) (Vendors) Maple Cedar Level Mezzanine Freedom Boulevard (200West) Boulevard Freedom Oak Amphitheater Sycamore Doors West Elm Elevators (Quiet Room) Juniper Willow Landing Landing Boardroom Elevators Elevators Restaurant Elevators Room Marriott Hotel Marriott Exhibit Hall B Canyon Zion Bryce Arches Reception Hotel Hotel Bar NE Doors Exhibit Hall C Registration Café NW Doors Timpanogos North Doors (Art Show) Elevators N 100 North Wonder about the different badge colors? Contents Orange Committee member Pink Volunteer Letter from the Chair 1 Dark Blue Guests of Honor, Toastmaster, and Symposium Committee 1 Special Guests Guests of Honor 4 Light Blue Panelists and presenters Toastmaster and Special Guests 5 Green Vendors Etiquette with the Pros 5 Participant Bios 7 White Attendee Art Show and Artists Alley 15 Listing of Events with Participants 17 Chairs Emeritus are indicated by a gavel icon in the upper right corner. What’s a Creator Chat? 18 Readings 18 Game Room Sessions 25 Film Festival Screenings 26 Book Signing Event 33 Grid Schedule 21 Acknowledgments 38 Please Note “filking.” Bring your guitar, lute, or simply your voice and make musical magic with us. Participants may perform Please review our Child Policy, Accessibility Policy, and their own tunes or bring copies of music for fellow filkers Harassment Policy, as well as the hotel’s alcohol policy, to join in a jolly sing-along. located on our website at http://ltue.net/policies/ Quiet Room Vendor Room Hours Aspen Room LTUE is pleased to announce the addition of a Quiet Room this year to allow respite from the noise and bustle Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm of the conference. This will be located on the mezzanine Friday: 10 am to 7 pm floor of the conference space in Sycamore. When using Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm the Quiet Room, please do not talk to or attempt to inter- act with any others who are there; those who do not fol- Art Show Hours low these guidelines will be asked to leave. Timpanogos Room The Quiet Room will be stocked with a variety of sensory- friendly tools and educational information, such Thursday: 11 am to 7 pm Friday: 9 am to 7 pm as fidget toys, head phones, sunglasses, ear plugs, etc., pro- Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm vided by Carolyn Nicita. Filking Gaming Room Birch Room Join your fellow bards each evening for memorable music. Filking (also known as Bardic Circle) has been a tradition (see full schedule on page 25) since before hobbits walked Middle Earth. Folk songs and Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm poems have been set to music, changing lyrics at times Friday: 10 am to 7 pm to creatively fit science fiction and fantasy themes—thus, Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm 3 Guests of Honor Bobby Cody wife, Shari Lunt. They now have three children and reside Bobby Cody leads the in Utah. creative team of Ever- Howard began his career studying illustration at more Park on matters Brigham Young University working with artists such as directly concerning nar- Robert Barrett, Don Seegmiller, Richard Hull, and Ralph rative and production. Barksdale. Over the past twenty years, he has worked in As the showrunner, he the video game industry as an art director, concept art- ensures that actors are ist, and freelance illustrator. For much of his career, he prepared, writers are has painted dragons and trolls or scenes from science fic- meeting deadlines, and tion. His work can be found in products from Dungeons department directors and Dragons books, World of Warcraft cards, Magic: have the creative input The Gathering, andStar Wars. He also writes for the fan- to create all the magic tasy art blog Muddy Colors and has recently been doing that goes into Evermore. work for Brandon Sanderson’s books including Mistborn, Supported by a talented team of artists, he is in charge Warbreaker, The Stormlight Archive, and the covers for of every single aspect of the show, from ideation to pre- Dreamer and Snapshot. production to production and performance. Bobby has “I choose to paint that which is beautiful and interest- worked in the entertainment industry since 1987 in a ing. I find in nature, truth, and in humanity an endless myriad of roles and titles for thea tre and film. Combin- stream of stories and narratives that capture my imagina- ing that knowledge with his work in the gaming industry, tion and attention. My goal is to take those moments and Bobby leads his team to pioneer an entertainment experi- convey them through my work.” ence unlike any in the world. howardlyon.com Evermore Park is an experience park where guests of all ages can escape to a new realm—the fantasy village of Ever- Brad R. Torgersen more. The park is themed like a European village with its Brad R. Torgersen is a own buildings, citizens, and epic story. Guests interact with healthcare tech super- characters, go on quests, and become a part of the world of visor by day, U.S. Army Evermore. Reserve chief warrant evermore.com officer on weekends, and always a science fiction Howard Lyon and fantasy author. Howard Lyon is an artist Brad’s novel A Star- that was born and raised Wheeled Sky won the in Mesa, Arizona. He is Best Science Fiction the youngest of five chil- Novel Dragon Award dren. Howard had very at the 2019 DragonCon supportive parents, who Convention in Atlanta, even when he was very Georgia. The trophy for Best Science Fiction Novel was young, made sure he had given by best-seller, multiaward winner, SF Grand Master the materials and educa- Larry Niven. Brad was also nominated for the 2012 Camp- tion to hone his talents. bell, Hugo, and Nebula awards, won the Association of While attending high Mormon Letters (AML) award for best short fiction, and school, Howard met his won a Writers of the Future award. He has published two 4 novels with Baen Books, and numerous stories, novelettes, Toastmaster and novellas through several anthologies and magazines, such as Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show and Michaelbrent Collings Mike Resnick’s Galaxy’s Edge, with special appearances One of the most versatile writers around, Michaelbrent in Analog Science Fiction and Fact—three of which each Collings is an internationally best-selling novelist, pro- received the Analog “AnLab” Readers’ Choice award.