FOGcon8 ProgBook FINALforsite · 2019. 11. 19. · Her musical play Sundown: Whispers of Ragnarok...

FOGcon8

PerformanceinSF&F

ContentsCommentsfromtheChair 4ConventionCommittee 5HonoredGuestAdaPalmer 4HonoredGuestAndreaHairston 8HonoredGhostThomasM.Disch 11TheReturnoftheMedusae 13SylvanPavane 15Hotel 16Registration 16ChildCare 16Consuite 16Dealers’Room 16GameRoom 17Safety 17Programming,Friday,March9,2018 19Programming,Saturday,March10,2018 25Programming,Sunday,March11,2018 35ProgramParticipants 38AccessInformation 51Anti-HarassmentPolicy 55PhotographyPolicy 55

Editor:LynnAldenKendallCover:ArtbyMetaphortunateFOGcon8isaprojectofFriendsofGenreLiteraryAssociation,aregistered501(c)(3)corporation“TheReturnoftheMedusae”copyright©1963FantasticStoriesofImagination;copyright©1966byThomasM.Disch.Copyright©2018FriendsofGenreLiteraryAssociation.AllRightsReverttotheAuthorsandArtists.

4

CommentsfromtheChair

StevenSchwartz WelcometoFOGcon8,oneandall,andenjoy(andbepartof!)thePerformance!Whetherit’sappearinginthehallwaysinfinerynotusuallyshownofftotheworld,orspeakingonapanel,orfilking,ordoingkaraoke,therearesomanywaystoperformataFOGcon,andthereareevenmorewaystotalkaboutthewayperformancefindsitswayintoourbelovedgenrefiction.AttheveryfirstFOGcon,IcreatedaneveningpanelcalledConTention—andI'vehosteditateveryFOGconsince.Wearguegreat(andmerelyamusing)SF/Fnalarguments,thoughoftenwithasmuchintenttoperformandamuseeachotherastoactuallywin.Peopleswitchsides,getmoreandmoreoutlandish,andgenerallyhaveagoodtime.That'sthekindofperformancethatIloveatFOGcon.We’vegotHonoredGuestswhoperform,aswellaswrite,andthat’sthekindofperformancethatIlovetoseeatFOGcon.We’vegotpeoplesharingtheirideasandtheirthoughtsandtheirhopes—andthatisverymuchthekindofperformancethatIlovetoseeatFOGcon.I’vebeenhonoredtobepartoftheFOGconconcomforall8yearsofitsexistence;andIwanttothankevery-onewho’smadeitanexciting8years,andencourageyouall,eitherasvolunteers,suggestorsofprograms,or,perhaps,aspartoftheconcom,tohelpusbuildFOGcontowardsthefuture,towardsthekindofconthatwewanttohave—andonethathasthespaceforthevariousdifferentideasofwhatwewantacontobe.Thankyouagain,andmayyouenjoytheperformancesyousee,hear,andarepartof,thisFOGcon8!

FOGcon8saysthankyoutosomanypeople Fromourconcommittee,toourvolunteers,toalltheprogramparticipantsandvendors,andthememberswhocametotheconandgaveussuggestions—youareallthepeoplewhomakeusaconcommunity.Afewspecificthanks,though,goto:B.C.Holmes,GaryFarber,GregoryFeeley,JoWalton,L.TimmelDuChamp,Metaphortunate,RichardKadrey,VyKaftan,ourHonoredGuests(forthisyear,andreturning),andDebbieNotkin.

5

ConventionCommittee

StevenSchwartz,Chair

KerryEllis,Treasurer

JohnKusters,HotelLiaison

CrystalHuff,HonoredGuestLiaison

MicheleWellck,Registration

Elsa,MicahJoel,andEvaFolsom,Programming

LynnKendall,Publications

MicheleCox,Volunteers

KeyanBowes,WritersWorkshop

JenniferBrooks,DealersRoom

LisbetWeir,PerformanceCo-ordination

WendyShaffer,Access,Logistics,andDatabase

AlycHelms,WordPressWebsite

“That’sthesecrettoperformance:conviction.Therightnoteplayedtentativelystillmissesitsmark,butplayboldlyandnoonewillquestionyou.Ifonebelievesthereistruthinart–andIdo–thenit’stroublinghowsimilartheskillofperformingistolying.Maybelyingisitselfakindofart.IthinkaboutthatmorethanIshould.”

―RachelHartman,Seraphina

"Weareourowndragonsandourownheroes.Wemustrescueourselvesfromourselves."

—PeterS.Beagle

6

HonoredGuestAdaPalmer

TheAwesomenessofAdaPalmer

By JoWaltonI'mfortunateenoughtobeabletocallAdaPalmermyfriend.She'sastonishinglymulti-talented.SheisaprofessorofRenaissanceHistoryattheUniversityofChicago,workingonthehistoryofideasoveralongtime,thevitalfieldofwhereideascamefromandhowtheymutatedandshapedtheworldwelivein.Relatedly,she'saninspiredteacher.Unrelatedly,shecomposesandsingscloseharmonyacapellamusic,muchofitaboutNorseMythology.HermusicalplaySundown:WhispersofRagnarokwasperformedatBalticonin2013andatLonestarcon3,andit'savailableonCDandDVD.SheblogsabouthistoryandwritingandfannishinterestsatExurbe.com,andsometimesonTor.com—herseriesatExurbeaboutMachiavelliisincredible.ThefirstnovelofherSFseriesTerraIgnota,TooLiketheLightning,cameoutin2016.ItwontheComptonCrookAwardforBestFirstNovel,wasnominatedforaHugoandlistedasaTiptreeHonor,andAdaherselfwontheJohnW.CampbellAwardforBestNewWriterlastyearinHelsinki.Thesecondandthirdvolumes,SevenSurrendersandTheWilltoBat-tlecameoutin2017.Therewilleventuallybefourbooks.Adaiswritingthefourthoneatthemoment.ItwillbecalledPerhapstheStars.Iamacompletepushoverforherwork.Heracademicarticleshavereducedmetotears.IlikehermusicmorethanIlikeanymusicexceptBach.(AndBachcheats,hehasinstru-ments!)Herbloggingissomeofmyfavouriteworkontheinternet.Asforherfiction,itcouldonlybemoremythingifitcameinblueandprintedonchocolate.Imayinfactlikethesebookstoomuchtobeabletotalkaboutthemproperly,it'shardtogettherightdis-tancefromthem.Iwanttojumpupanddownandwavemyarmsaroundsayinghowgreattheyare,ratherthantryingtoexplainwhatmakesthemgreat.Readthem,readthem,andthenwecantalkaboutthem.Well,let'strytodescribethemabit.TheTerraIgnotabooksaresetintheyear2454—whatshecalls"MiddleFuture".They'renotnearfuturedayaftertomorroweverythingthesameexcepttheoneSFnalthing,andthey'renotfarfutureotherplanets.Therehasbeenalittleoverfourhundredyearsmorehumanhistory,onEarth.TheyareaboutasfarfromusaswearefromtheRenaissance.It'saveryinterestingdistance.AswithusandtheRenaissance,alotofthingshavechanged,butsomethingsarestillthesame.There'sstillakingofSpain,thoughhehasaverydifferentjob,andaEuropeanUnion,thoughinaworldwherenationstateshaveceasedtobegeographical,ithasnaturallymutated.Butnationalityisachoice,thatrecentinventionthenuclearfamilyprovedtobeaflashinthepanandmostpeopleliveinbigcollectivefamiliescalledbash'es.Therewasawarofreligion,andnowreligionis,weirdly,bothbannedandcompulsory—practicingreligionorevendiscussingitopenlyisbanned,buteveryonehasaregularobligatorymeetingwitha"sensayer"todiscussreligion

7

andphilosophy,tohelpeveryoneformtheirownpersonalreligion,whichwillnotbedis-cussedwithanyoneexceptthesensayer.ThebooksarelargelynarratedbyMycroftCanner,aservicer—thatis,aconvictwhoisatoningforhiscrimesbybeingapublicslave,asproposedbyThomasMoreinUtopia.My-croft'svoiceisanincredibleachievement.Itfeelscompletelyreal,andyetit'sverycarefullyconstructed.Thebooksbeginwithasetofpermissionsandwarnings,whichinthemselvesdoagreatpileofworldbuildingforus.Youshouldalsotakethewarningsseriously.ThenMycrofttellsushehasbeencommandedtowritethisaccountofthedaysthatchangedeverything.Thisisanaccountofthechangingofaworld.ThenMycrofttellsushewillbenarratinginthestyleoftheeighteenthcentury.Inaworldwhere"they"isthethirdpersonsingularnormalpronounand(asforus)"you"thenormalsecondpersonsingular,Mycroftasksustoforgivehimhe"theesandthousandhe'sandshe's".There'salotofplaywithgenderhere,inthisworldwhereaddressinggenderissueshasgoneacertaindistanceandthenbeendeclaredtobesolved,whentherewasstillalongwaytogo.Mycroftisourguidethroughallofthis,awell-meaning,butnotaltogethertrustworthyguide,introducingustotheotherimportantcharacters,leadingusthroughthecomplexitiesoftheworldandtheplot.Thisisaworldthat'spolitically,socially,metaphysicallyandphilosophicallycomplex,andtheythrustyou,thereader,intoallthiscomplexityinastronglyimmersiveway.Themati-cally,they'relargelyaboutthequestionofwhetheryou'dsacrificeagoodworldforabetterone—forthehopeofabetterone.Orwhetheryou'dsacrificethehopeofabetterworldforthegoodworldyouhave.WhenIdescribethemlikethis,theysoundverycoolandabstractanddetached,butthey'renotlikethatatall.IfIgoontotalkabouttheunusualnarrativestyle—andithasaveryunusualnarrativestyleindeed—you'llgettheimpressionevenmorethanit'scold.It'snot.It'swarmandcompassionateandwonderful.Wemakeadis-tinctionbetweendifferentkindsofintelligence.Lotsofbooksaresmart,andlotsofbooksareclever,andalotofbooksaresoclevertheygetintheirownlight.TerraIgnotaneverdoesthat.Thesebooks,whilebeingclever,arealsowarmandwiseandcaring.“Iwanteditsomuch.SomuchsometimesitfeltlikeIcouldn'tbreathe.SometimesIwouldcry,notbecauseIwassad,butbecauseithurt,physicalpainfromtheintensityofwantingsomethingsomuch.I'magoodstudentofphilosophy,IknowmyStoics,Cynics,theirad-vice,that,whenadesireissointenseithurtsyou,thehealthypathistodetach,unwantit,letitgo.Thehealthythingfortheself.Buttherearealotofreasonsonecanwanttobean

author:acclaim,wealth,self-respect,findingacommunity,thefiniteimmortalityofnameinprint,somanymore.ButIwantedittoaddmyvoicetotheGreatConversation,toreplytoDiderot,Voltaire,OsamuTezuka,andAlfredBester,sopeoplewouldreadmybooksandthinknewthings,andmakenewthingsfromthosethoughts,mylittlecontributiontothe

pathwhichflowsfromGilgameshandHomertothestars.Andthatisn'tjustforme.It'sforyou.Whichmeansitwastherightchoicetohangontothedesire,evenwhenithurtso

much.”―AdaPalmer,TooLiketheLightning

8

HonoredGuestAndreaHairston

ThePowertoMake

ByL.TimmelDuchamp Anartistisonepossessedbyanintensedrivetocreatewhileatthesametimepossessingthedisciplinetomanageandcontrolthatdrive.Notsurprisingly,inmanytimesandplacestheartisthasenjoyednearlydivinestatus.Gods,afterall,areoftencreditedwiththeorigi-nalcreationoftheworld.IfirstencounteredAndreaHairston’sworkwhenIreadherstory“GriotsoftheGalaxy”(originallypublishedintheanthologySoLongBeenDreaming).Inthattale,hergriotsper-formthesortofimpossible,importantworkthatallartistsstrivetoaccomplish,andIrec-ognizedatoncethatitsauthorknewallaboutthatwork.Litupbyitsfierybeauty,Iscouredtheinternetformoresuchwork.WhenIfoundnothing,Iwroteheranemail,ask-ingwhethershehadwrittenmorefiction.Whensherepliedthatshe’dwrittenanovel,asyetunpublished,Ithrilledwithexcitement,asapublisher,yes,butalsoasareaderlongingforthenextgreatfix.MayIconsideritforpublicationbyAqueduct?Iwrotebacktoher.Themanuscriptarrived,andIlovedit.ItswordscarriedmeintoaworldasdistinctandtexturedasanyplaceI’veeverknown.WhenIhadtobeawayfromit,thefeelingsithadconjuredinmeoverwhelmedmewheneverthethoughtofitsomuchascrossedmymind.ThatmanuscriptwasMindscape,whichAqueductreleasedlittlemorethanayearlater.Anothernovel,RedwoodandWildfire,followed,andafterthat,LonelyStardust,asubstantialcollectionofessays,plays,andherWisConGuestofHonorspeech.Morerecently,AqueductpublishedhernovelWillDoMagicforSmallChange.Overthecourseofeditingherthreenovelsandcollection,Iexperiencedthepleasures—intensebutarduous—ofworkingwithanartist.Andrea,yousee,hadbeenapracticingartistlongbeforeshebeganwritingfiction,asaplaywrightandperformer,anditshowedinherapproachtoherwork.Herfinelyhonedconcentrationandsharpintellect,hergraspofnarrativestructure,andherdetermi-nationtomakealltheelementsofcraftmakeherworkitsbestselfareallthatanyeditorcoulddreamofinanauthor.WhenIfirstmetAndreafacetoface,IrealizedthatIalreadyknewwhoshewas,thoughIhadn’tknownthatwhenI’dwrittentosolicithernovelsubmission.I’dbeenintheaudienceacoupleoftimesforpanelsshe’dbeenonatWisCon,andhadbothtimesbeenblownawaybyherbrilliance,aswellasgratifiedbyherarticulatingresponsestoherfellowpaneliststhatexpressedwhatI,sittingintheaudience,hadbeenthinking—andmore,ofcourse,sinceherpanelcontributionsofteninscribeconnectionsnewtomymind,occasionallyevenintroducemetothinkerswhoseworkIhadn’tmyselfengagedwith.ThatbrillianceshinesthroughtheessaysinLonelyStardust,severalofwhichI’veseenAndrea“perform”(herword,unquestionablyapt,forherdeliveryofworkwrittenasamonologuefor“Andrea,theProfessor,”assheoncenotedataconferenceattheUniversityofOregon).

9

Morerecently,inaphoneconversationfollowingtheUS’s2016generalelection,Andrearemindedmethatwhennegentropiceventsoverwhelmtheworld,artistsmustcontinuetomakeandre-makethatworld,nomatterthattheyoftenfeeltheirworkhaspaledintoin-significanceatsuchtimes.AsshewroteinaNovember11,2016,blogpost,

Iscrolledaroundobsessivelyfortheanswers,hopingtofindthereasonsforthistragedy,theanswerstoanightmare.Finally,IrealizedwhatIwasreallylookingforineveryarticleandpostwasthemiraclethatwouldmakeitallbetter.IrealizedIwasn’tgoingtofindthemiracleanswers.I’dhavetomaketheanswers,conjuremiracleswithallofmycommunities….Manyartistswonderedifwhattheydoissignificant—particularlyinthefaceofthehorror,whywritemagicorsciencefic-tion?Whowantstoreadourstories?

Atitsbest,Andrearemindsus,sciencefictionchallengesustoexamineourworldafresh,provokingustorethinkallthatwetakeforgranted.Becausesciencefictionwritersdothisthroughthemediumoffiction,readersmaynotalwaysrealizetheextenttowhichtheas-tutenessofthefictiontheyloveowesadebttotheirauthors’intellectualsophistication,whichmorewritersthanyoumightthinkdeliberatelyconcealfromtheirreaders.Thebest,mostpassionatewriting,acommon,sometimesdeeplycherished,assumptiongoes,isthatwhichisleastmediatedbytheintellect.Ihavealotofproblemswiththatas-sumption,whichIwon’telaborateonhere.Iwould,though,liketoquotewhatAndreasaidinaninterviewfortheAqueductGazette,whichbearsonthisissue:

Writingaplay,novel,orscreenplay,IdiscoverwhatI’mthinking,whatImakeofmyexperiencesandinquiries,whateverythingmeans.Poetrycomestoo,toex-plainandshapereality.Poetryandstoriesarespontaneousimprovisations,per-formancesinthetheatreofmymind.Ihavetodecide,consciously,towriteanes-say.Orpeoplepersuademetowriteanarticle;theytemptmewithajuicyproposi-tionorquestion.Playsandstoriesjusttumbleout.Characterstalkatme,nagmeuntilIwritethemdown.Theydemandmyfullattention.Whathappensormighthappentomycharactersconsumesmycreativeproblem-solvingapparatus.I’mahyper-bunny,yetwhenworkingtoexpressacharacter’srealityorwhenputtingonaplay,mygeekselfisfullyengaged.EverythingIexperiencebecomespartofwhateverstory/dramaIamworkingon.Andthesestoriesilluminatemylife.

Art,forAndrea,isa“spontaneousimprovisation”—onethatengagesbothmindandbody:her“geekself,”asshecallsit.Bodyisparticularlyimportantinherwork.Butherrecogni-tionofthebodyasthesinenonquaofhumannessdefiesbody’srelegationtotheinferiorterminmind/bodydualism.Itshouldcomeasnosurprise,then,thatAndrea’sunderstand-ingoftheinextricabilityofmindandbodyisinformedbytheoreticalunderpinningsthatagainandagainrevealthemselvesinheressaysaswellasinherresponsesasapanelist.Hersenseofthatinextricabilityisprofoundly,physicallyembodiedinherworkasanartist,whichhasdeeprootsintheatre.Shespeaksdirectlytothisintheinterview:

Artistsareconjurers.Wemustfeeltheaudience,journeytothem,respectthemevenaswetrickandchallengethem.Artisareligiousengagementwiththemys-

10

teriesoftheuniverse.Spectatorsandperformerssharebreathandsweat.Inaper-formance,heartbeatsandlaughtersyncup.Audienceandperformerstasteeachother’stears.Theaudiencebecomestheperformers.Inanovel,thesamethinghappens,thereader’sbodysyncsupwiththecharacters,butthistakesplaceinthetheatreofthemind.Theliveaudienceandthehomeaudienceareonamiraculouscontinuum.We’reall,reader,liveperformer,liveaudience,makingthestorywhetherwewitness,perform,orreadit.ThisispartofthemiracleandmysteryofourUniverse.Thus,totapAshé,thepowertomakethingsbe,Ialwayspourliba-tiontoEshu,masterofuncertainty.Thiskeepsmehumbleandopentosurpriseoftheartist-audienceexchange

Artists,asAndreanotes,needanaudiencetocompletetheirwork,tocreate,whenevery-thingmeshes,avirtualmiracle.Iinvite—no,urge—youtobetheparticipantaudienceforAndrea’swork,whetheraperformanceofherfiction,amonologuedeliveredbyAndreatheProfessor,aperformanceofherplays,ortheprintedpageofherprose.Andifyouhavetheprivilegeofengagingherinconversation,mayyoutoofeelthefizzofhervibrant,astonish-ingcreativity.

“Competitionissavage.Whatstoryhasn’tbeentoldabilliontimes?Wedon’thave

unlimitedthrillsandspillstooffer.Probablyboilitdowntosixorsevenplots.Theancientshadvirginterritorytomarkwithgenius—theydidn’tfaceanaudiencegluttedonspectacleandaddictedtohype.Fartanditwasagreatinsightbackthen.”

―AndreaHairston,Mindscape

11

HonoredGhostThomasM.Disch

TheBestSFWriterYouProbablyHaven’tRead

ByRichardKadreyIfirstheardofThomasDischthroughhisstory“Descending.”It’saboutamantrappedonanendlessescalatorheadingdownward.He’sinadepartmentstoreandhasbeenswal-lowedupbytheshinymodernconsumerconstructwherehe’djustbeenshopping.ThisidearelatestoDisch’smostconsistentthemeofhisearlyperiod:thecollapseofAmericanculture. It’simportanttorememberthatDischwasneverjustanaward-winningsciencefictionwriter.Hewasarestlessmanwhotravelledwidely,heldalongstringofoddjobs,andworkedbothinandoutofthegenrehiswholecareer.BesidesSF,hepublishedhorror,sat-ire,theaterworks,poetry,essays,andcriticism,acomputergame,andanovelizationoftheTVshow,ThePrisoner.IfirstgottoknowDischthroughhisstories.TheyrangedfromexperimentalSFtosurrealworkslike“FunwithYourNewHead,”andgenuinelyoddpiecessuchas“PyramidsforMinnesota.”Hisfirstcollection,OneHundredandTwoH-Bombs,wasfollowedbyFunwithYourNewHead,WhiteFangGoesDingo,andGettingIntoDeath.Hisfirstnovel,TheGenocides,isadystopianstoryabouttheendoftheworld.AlienshaveseededastrangecropallovertheEarth,onethatdisplacesallnormalcropsandleavestheworldcrippledandstarving.Civilizationhasalreadycollapsedwhenthebookopens.Thestorycentersaroundasmallfarmingcommunityfightingtostayalive.Ultimately,thecommunityfails,asmuchbyconflictswithinthegroupasbythealieninvasion.ThisisDischchartingthedisintegrationofthecountryandfindingnohappyendinsight.Disch’sfirsttrulychallengingnovel,CampConcentration,isoneofhisdarkest.Thenovelissetduringafuturewarinwhichthegovernmentisconductingexperimentsonpoliticalprisonerstocreategeniusesforthewareffort.Theexperimentswork,butbecausethekeytocreatinggeniusesistoinjectthemwithavariantofsyphilis,itdoomsthesubjectstodeathwithinafewmonths.Thebookistoldintheformofadiary,andwhat’strulyimpres-siveaboutitisthatDischconvincesyouthatyou’reinthemindofsomeonewithavastlyexpandingintellect.CampConcentrationcameoutin1968,duringtheheightoftheVietnamWar,andyoufeelthefearandangerofthatperiodinalotofhisworkfromthisperiod.Thefactthatthegov-ernmentinthebookiswillingtoinfectcitizenswithadiseaseguaranteedtokillthemisagoodexampleofthisattitude.AndthefactDischchoseasexuallytransmitteddiseasetouseasaweaponisespeciallyunsettling.First,youcan’thelpbutthinkoftheTuskegeeex-periments.Second,thebookwaswritteninthelateSixties,whenthepossibilitiesanddefi-

12

nitionsofsexualitywereexpanding,warwasliterallyinvadingpeople’sbodiesinacruelandintimateway.334—aseriesofdark,linkednovellassetinanNewYorkapartmentbuilding—followedCampConcentrationandistheendofDisch’sNewWaveperiod,atleastasfarashisnovelsareconcerned.OnWingsofSongisDisch’snextbignovel.Again,weseethecountryatacrisispoint.ThebookissetinafutureAmericatornapartbyadyingeconomyandaculturalsplitthat,iron-ically,bearsastrongresemblancetopresent-dayAmerica.TheMidwesternU.S.hasbe-comeasortofcolonyruledbyasternChristianideology,whilethecoastsremainrelativelyfreeandopen.ThebookdovetailswithDisch’sloveforthetheaterandperformance.AcentralconceitofOnWingsofSongisthatpeoplecan(withthehelpoftechnology)literallysingtheirwayoutoftheirbodiesandtraveltheworldinphantomform.Thesephantomsareknownas“fair-ies”andareconsideredincrediblydangerousbypeopleintheMidwest.It’simpossibletoignoreDisch’sterminologyhere.HewasoneofthefirstopenlygaymajorwritersinSFandwhenOnWingsofSongcameoutin1979,“fairy”wasstillacommonpejorativeforgaymen.ThebookwasgenerallywellreceivedandwaslistedinthebookTheGayCanon,aref-erenceguidetogreatliteratureaboutgaymen,somethingwhichpleasedDisch.Whileworkingonfiction,Dischwasalsowritingenormousamountsofreviews,criticism,andtenbooksofpoetry.TheDreamsOurStuffIsMadeOfisprobablyhismostcontroversialworksinceitattacksmanyofsciencefiction’sunderpinningsandsomemajorauthorsinthefield.Personally,IthinkthegreattragedyofDisch’sliterarycareerisTheBraveLittleToaster.There’snothingwrongwiththebook.It’sacharmingstoryaboutagroupofhouseholdap-pliancesonaquesttofindtheirowner.WhatpersonallyinfuriatesmeaboutTheBraveLit-tleToasteristhatfor99%oftheworld,it’sallDischisknownfor(possiblybecauseitwasalsoadaptedintoamovie).ForawriterasgiftedasDisch,tohavehiscareerreducedtoasinglebookaboutafuckingtoasterisridiculous.It’slikeDickensbeingrememberedfornothingbutalimerickhewroteonedayatlunch.ThomasDischdiedonJuly4th,2008,ofaself-inflictedgunshotwound.He’dbeendepressedforyearsfollowingthedeathofhispartner,CharlesNaylor.Thetwoarenowinterredto-gether.Duringhislifetime,DischwonboththeHugoandJohnW.Campbellawards,andwasnominatedformanyotherSFawards.TheCastleofIndolence,acollectionofhisessaysonpoetry,wasnominatedforaNationalBookCriticsCircleAward.WhileDischwasre-spectedduringhislifetime,he’srarelydiscussednowandlargelyforgottenbyanyoneun-der40,whichisalousyfateforsuchabrilliantwriter.HedeservesbetterfromtheSFfieldthantobeaNewWavefootnote.

13

Editor’sNoteThankstoGregoryFeeley,theliteraryexecutorofThomasM.Disch’sestate,wehavesomeoriginalworkbyourHonoredGhosttoshareinthisprogrambook.(ThanksalsotoGaryFarber,whosuggestedtheidea.)ThestorywaspublishedinAugust1963.ThepoemthatfollowswaswritteninthefinaldaysofDisch’slife.

Wehopeyouenjoythemboth.

TheReturnoftheMedusae*

ByThomasM.Disch

Therewerebetterthingstodoimmediatelyafterwardandfewerpeo-ple.Thestoneswereheavyandoftendecorativewheretheywere,likethelit-tleboywhohadclimbedonthebackofthelibrarylion.Norisittruethatnoneweremoved.Bedsandpublicwashroomswereemptied,eventhesmallercafes.Thenecessitiesinshort.Ontheotherhand,thetheatresandsubwaystations,YankeeStadiumandthethennewPhilharmonicHallweren’ttouched:immensetableauxvivantswereoccasionalbouquetsbrighteningthegeneralgray,leftbysomerelativeorfriendwhohadbeenasleepatthetime.Inthebeginningthestoneswerecommemorative.

Iconoclasmwasaphenomenonoflateryears.Beggars,thedeformed,theleasttastefulpairsofloversandmostofwhatremainedinthehospitalsweredemolished,nottospeakoftonsoflessinspiringmatter.Weofamoreenlightenedagemaybeshockedbytheirprodigality,butwemustrememberthatthestoneswereeverywherethen.Obstructions!Norwasiconoclasmanunmixedevil.Foreveryfigureofexquisitepathosoreroticlovelinessgroundintocement,therewereascoreofmediocreandineptformsthateventhecleverestofmodernsculptorscouldnothavefashioned.

Imaginewhatitwasliketolivethen.Familiarbodies—friendsandlov-ers,parentsthatwouldneverageandchildrenthathadnevergrown—plantedhaphazardlyaboutthehouseorinthestreets,frozenperhapsintherictusoflaughteror,worse,insomemomentutterlywithoutexpressiveness;thestreetsjammedwithrandomstatuesandlitteredwithfragments,therub-*FirstappearedinFantastic,August1963

14

bishinthebrokenelevators,arelentlessprocessional,appallinginitsmagni-tude.Ratherthanscoldtheiconoclasts,weshouldbegratefultothevisionar-ieswhocouldseetheaestheticpossibilitiesdormantinthesemillionstones.IntheageofMidastheeyethatissensitivetogoldisrareindeed.

OurartiststodayprotestthattheAgeofGoldispast.Someareturningtonewmedia.Othersaddtheirnuancestooldmasterpieces.Afewfollowinthefootstepsofthemasters,buteventheycomplainthattheirrawmaterialisgrossandinsipid:anotherSpectator,anAutomobileDriver,anoccasionalAmorandPsyche.Where,theyask,aretheEpileptics,andWrestlers,theBacchantesofyesterday?

ArewerightinwishingforthereturnoftheMedusae?Itisahardques-tiontoanswer.Wasthatlastinstantofconsciousnessdevoidofsensationassomeinsist?WasittheBeatificVision?Or,astheoldmythhasit,anagonyofhorror?Onlytheeyeswouldrevealthat,andeyesglazedwithmarblerevealnothing.

Inanycase,thisismerespeculationandwishfulthinking.Wedonotknowifthemedusaewillreturn,orwhen.

15

SylvanPavane All woodlands are haunted for that is where we usually kill our victims. Animals are just the same as us. They leave the carcasses of half-eaten prey beside popular waterholes as your mother may leave choice leftovers in the fridge. I have the skull of a feral cat I found in the cleft of an oak-- picked clean. Woodland ghosts become feral themselves and prance about like water bugs, grimacing wildly. When you see one, grimace back, and if you're feeling some keen despair, as one often does, take off your clothes and dance with them. But beware! it is their aim to dance with you until you're dead from just the rapture of the dance as Hilarion dies in Giselle. Visit any forest on Midsummer's Eve and hide your clothes inside some rotted log as an invitation to the fairies' murderers. Close your eyes and they will come to you, pretending to be mosquitoes. Follow them to where they've left their earlier victims and lie upon that heap. Is there any zephyr sweet as these? Eat the mushrooms round about. Prick a vein and sip the blood. Soon you will have passed beyond the realm of breath, a companion of the curious insects and the hollow trees.

--Tom Disch, June 17, 2008

16

HotelDebbieNotkin

WelcometotheWalnutCreekMarriott!Yourvaletparkingisfreeifyoutellthevaletyou’rewithFOGcon.Yourin-room

wirelessisalsofree;ifthehotelmakesamistakeandchargesyouforit,youcanchallengethechargeandtheywilltakeitoff.

Theconventionfunctionspaceisallone(whole)floorbelowthelobby,accessiblebybothelevatorsandstairs.Registrationisoutsidethefunctionspaceonthatlevel.You’llfindprogrammingbothdirectlybeyondtheregistrationspaceanddownthehall.TheSemi-FormalLunchisintheContraCostaBallroom,onthefloorthatishalfwaybetweenthefunctionspaceandthelobby.

Thehospitalitysuite,Room463,isonthefourthfloor.Signswillshowthewayfromtheelevatorlobby.Pleasedon’tdisturbtheotherguestsonthewaytotheconsuite!

Thehotelrestaurant,Atrio,onthegroundfloor,isopenforbreakfast,lunchanddinner.RightbyAtrio,you’llfindthelounge,whichisopenuntil12:30a.m.orso,laterifthere’senoughinterest.Atrio'spricesrunfromabout$10-15forsaladsandsandwichesto$15-25forfulldinners.Agluten-freemenuisavailable.Thereisfresh-brewedStarbuckscoffee,aswellasalcohol,inthelounge.

Hotelguestshaveaccesstotheheatedoutdoorpoolandthefitnesscenter.Ifyouhavequestionsorconcernsaboutthehotelduringtheconvention,pleasefind

thepersononSafetyshift,theconchairorvicechaironduty,oryourtrustyhotelliaisons,andwe’lldoourbesttohelp.

RegistrationMicheleWellck

LocatedintheLobbyontheConferenceLevel.

ChildCareRoom363

Thechildcaresuite,Room363,isonthethirdfloor.Signswillshowthewayfromtheele-vatorlobby.

ConsuiteRoom463

Thehospitalitysuite,Room463,isonthefourthfloor.Signswillshowthewayfromtheel-evatorlobby.Pleasedon’tdisturbtheotherguestsonthewaytotheconsuite!We'llhavesnacksanddrinkstoaccommodateafairrangeofdiets;we'llbedoingourbesttohavein-gredientlistsavailableandavoidcross-contamination.

Dealers’RoomSalonD/E

17

TheDealers’roomwillhavebooks,comics,jewelry,art,and...amassagetherapist!Pleasenotethehours,nothingismorefrustratingthanleavingaplannedpurchaseforlater,afterapanel,orwhenthisreading’sdone—andfindingtheDealers’Roomlocked.

GameRoomSalonF

MicahJoel

Comeandenjoyafriendlyboardorcardgamewithyourfellowconventionattendees.Spe-cialprogrammingisavailable.

SafetyFOGcon’sSafeRespondersareheretohelpattendeeshaveanenjoyableandsuccessful convention.Ifyou’vegotproblems,wecanhelp.Thesituationdoesn’thavetobeacrimeoranemergency,althoughwecanhelpwiththoseaswell.Ifyoufindyourselfinornearasit-uationwhichcallsforassistancebyaSafeResponder,lookforsomeonewearingabrightyellowbadge,orcallthephonenumberlistedonthesafetycardinyourregistrationpacket.Incaseofanimmediatelydangeroussituation,ofcourse,call9-1-1. HowcanyoutellwhoisaSafeResponder? SafeResponderswillbewearingbrightyellowbadges.IfyouareunabletolocateaSafeRe-sponder,youcanalsotalktoanymemberoftheConCom.We'llbewearingbadgesthatidentifyusasConCom. WhatshouldIreporttoSafety? Safetyisn'tjustforriots,floods,andzombieattacks.WecanhelpwithANYmundaneis-sues.Hereisabrieflistofplausibleexamples:

• Youlostyourcellphone.• Youleftyourbackpackinaprogramareathatislockedafterhours.• Somepeopleareworkingoutarelationshipissueintheconsuiteinawaythatis

makingotherpeopleuncomfortable.• Peoplewaitingforfunctionspacetoopenareblockingaccesstoastaircaseorother

doorway.• Thehotelisgettingnoisecomplaintsaboutaparty,oryouhavenoisecomplaints

aboutone.• Somethingunusualishappening—spacealienslanding,volcanoeruptinginthecon

suite,ablockedtoiletinthesilicon-basedlife-forms’bathroom—thatmightaffectthesafetyorsatisfactionofconventionattendees.

• Anattendeeishavinganallergicreactiontosomethingintheconventionenviron-mentandneedsimmediatemedicalattention.(Inthatcase,youshouldalsocall9-911onahotelphone.)

• Someoneispayingattentiontoyouthatyoufindunwelcomeorexcessive.Thisin-cludesstaring,following,touching,standingtooclose,blockingyourexit,andtalkingsuggestivelyoroffensively.Ifitmakesyouuncomfortable,pleasefeelfreetoreportit.

18

TheSafeResponderswillbeonthescenetobefirstresponderinsituations likethese,tosmooththingsonthespotandtobringintherightpeople— betheyconventionstaff,hotelemployees,oroutsideresponse(police,EMTs, etc.)asneeded.IfyoufindyourselfinornearasituationwhichcallsforassistancecallthenumberlistedontheSafetycardinyourregistrationpacketorfindapersonwearingayel-lowSafetyResponderbadge.Incaseofanimmediatelydangeroussituation,ofcourse,call9-1-1.

Ifyouhavebeenharassed,youhaveseveralchoicesofpeopleyoucanconsult.Ifyoudonotfeelcomfortablebringingaconcerntoaparticularstaffmember,foranyreason,youwillbeabletoworkwithanothermemberoftheconventionstafftoaddressyourconcerns.Ifyou’reuncomfortabletalkingwithaparticularSafeResponderondutybecauseyou’restrangers(orfriends),orforanyotherpersonalreason,youcanspeaktoanotherSafeRe-sponderoranymemberoftheConCom.ConCommembersareidentifiedbythewordCon-Comontheirbadges.SafeResponderswillbewearingbrightyellowbadges.

19

Programming,Friday,March9,2018

1:30–2:45pm

75MinuteWritingWorkout

SalonC•Friday,1:30–2:45pm

Whatitsaysonthetin.

#75MinuteWritingWorkout

VylarKaftan

3:00–4:15pm

Art!AmateurSketchfest

Event•GameRoom•Friday,3:00–4:15pm

Bringyourcreativesidetothegameroomandrelaxwithsomepaperandartsupplies.Stickfigures,portraits,stilllife,orabstract—allskilllevelswelcome.Displayyourmaster-pieceforeveryoneelsetoappreciate!

#AmateurArt

M:MicahJoel,LauraBlackwell

Self-PublishingQ&A:BeyondtheBasics


Inpastyearstherehavebeenseveralpanelsonthebasicsofself-publishing.Everywritingjourneyisdifferent,however,andthesameholdstrueforself-publishing.Whatarethepar-ticularobstaclesyou’refacing?Whatisthatlingeringquestionaboutdistributionormar-ketingthatnevergetsaddressed?Bringyourjourneytoapanelofauthorswhohavetakentheplungeandasktheiradvice.Chancesarethey’vealreadytriedsomethingsimilarandhaveresultstoshare.Evenifyouthinkyouhaveitallfiguredout,rememberthatself-publishingisanever-changingplatform.Findoutwhat’sworking(ornot!)forauthorsto-day.

#SelfPublishingQABeyondtheBasics

M:L.S.Johnson,,JonChaisson,DanielPotter,EarlT.Roske

20

ThePlayWithinthePlay:AnAnalysisofGoingMetainSpeculativeFiction

SalonA/B•Friday,3:00–4:15pm

Amongmanyotherqualities,Shakespearewasamasterofusingplayswithinhisplaystoamplifyhisthemesandplotarcs.Thistechniqueofself-referencehasbeenusedfordra-maticandcomediceffectinmanyworks.OrsonScottCardhadEnderWigginplayingthroughastorygamethatultimatelytiedintoandreflectedhis"reallife"story;P.C.Hodgellhastraditionalstoriesinhernovelsthatshadowthemainaction;StephenKingpulledtheultimatecoupandwrotehimselfintohisDarkTowerseriesasacharacter,incorporatinghisstruggleswithsubstanceabuseintothedecayoftheuniverse;MichaelEnde'snovelTheNeverendingStoryfamouslyloopsinonitself.Isthisaneffectivetoolforwriterstouse?Whatmakesitworkandwhendoesitfallflat?Let'sanalyzethephenomena!

#MetaInSFF

M:RebeccaGomezFarrell,EvaFolsom,HeatherRoseJones,KatharineKerr,ThomasS.Roche

Reading:Moore,Croker,Davy,Pearlman

Reading•SantaRosa•Friday,3:00–4:15pm

ReadingsbyNancyJaneMoore,GarrettCroker,LauraDavy,andLauraPearlman.

#ReadingMooreCrokerDavyPearlman

GarrettCroker,LauraDavy,NancyJaneMoore,LauraPearlman

4:30–5:45pm

ShortStoriesThatStandoutfromtheSlushPile


Whatmakesashortstorystandout?Whatgivesastorythatspecialpushtogetitoutoftheslushpileandontoaneditor'sdesk,andmaybeeventopublication?Editorsoftensaythatmanystoriestheyseeintheirslushpilesarecompetent,butnotamazing.Whydotheyendupselectingwhattheydo?Isitacompellingplot,emotionalresonance,distinctcharacters,orsomecombinationofelements?Whatisthedeathknellforastorieschances?Inthispanel,authorsandeditorswilldiscusswhatelementsmakeastorytrulysparkle.

#ShortStoriesthatStandOutFromtheSlushPile

M:VylarKaftan,JedHartman,MaryAnneMohanraj,EffieSeiberg,LynneM.Thomas

21

Playing(andWriting)anAlien


Howdoperformersgetintocharacter,whenacharacterisoutsideoftheirpersonalexperi-enceonadrastic(planetary/dimensional/species)level?Canwritersandactorsfaithfullydepictatruealien?Whatperformanceshavebeendonewell,andwhichfailed,andwhy?Howhasabroader,moreaccuratedepictionofthediversityofhumanityonthefrontsofphysicalcapability/disability,neurology,gender,andphenotypemadeithardertodepictanalienwhofitsthedefinitionof"unlikeanyofus?"Forinstance,humans"talk"viasignlanguage,computer,andvocalcords,soitwouldn'tbethatstrangeifanalienhadnomouthandcommunicatedinanon-verbalmanner,orhadnohandsormouthandtalkedviaacomputerthattranslatedsomeotherkindofmovementintoourlanguage—butfiftyyearsago,you'dbehardpressedtofindanon-verbalcharacterdepictedinastory,andsoitwould'vebeeneasytootheracharacterbymakingthemnon-verbal—orinthesamevein,intersexed,agendered,queer,nonmonogamous,etc.

#PlayingandWritinganAlien

M:ShannonPrickett,AndreaHairston,AndreaHairston,AndreaHairston,DominicaPhetteplace,ThomasS.Roche,GuyW.Thomas

Reading:Clough,Roberts,Bowes,Joel


#ReadingCloughRobertsBowesJoel

KeyanBowes,BrendaW.Clough,MicahJoel,AndrewRoberts

8:00–9:15pm

SpeculativeFiction,ScienceandtheSacred


Asscientistslearnmoreandmoreaboutourastonishinguniverse,fromthemacrotothemicro,doessciencebegintoaweandinspire,asreligioncan?Doesreligionfallaway,orevolve?Howdoesscienceaffectourmood,ourhope,andouroutlookonlife?Whatmightreligionlooklikein"thefuture"(veryscientificallyadvancedsocieties,suchasinAdaPalmer'sTerraIgnotaseries)?

#SpeculativeFictionScienceandtheSacred

M:TerryWeyna,MarieBrennan,MicheleCox,RebeccaGomezFarrell,AndreaHairston

22

RomancefortheEndoftheWorld


Haveyoufoundyourselfdepressedlately,andwantingtoreadabookwhereyouwereguaranteedthattheprotagonistandtheirallieswouldsurvivethebookingoodcheerandallthevillainswouldgettheircomeuppance?Youmightbesurprisedtolearnthatthere'sagenreforthat—themisguidedlyscorned(contemporary)romancenovel.Butwhatarero-mancenovelsreallylike?Whyshouldyoustartreadingthemifyou'renotalready?Whatdoestoxicmasculinityhavetodowiththeperceptionofromancenovelsandtheirenthusi-asts?All,fromextantromanceenthusiaststothenewlycurious,areencouragedtocomediscusswhatromancenovelsofferfortoday'sdiscerningfeminists.

#RomancefortheEndoftheWorld

M:LynneM.Thomas,HeatherRoseJones,ThomasS.Roche,MelissaSnark,DanielStarr

TheSpectrumofHorror


MaryShelley'sFrankensteincombinedhorrorwithsciencefiction.Stevenson'sStrangeCaseofDr.JeckyllandMr.Hydeblendedsocialcommentarywiththehorrorsofaddiction.MembersoftheSanFranciscoBayAreachapteroftheHorrorWritersAssociationwillreadfromtheirownworkstoillustrateallthegenresincludedunderthemantleofhorror.

#TheSpectrumofHorror

E.M.Markoff,LorenRhoads

9:30–10:45pm

ImposterSyndrome:YouDODeserveToBeHere


"Idon'tbelonghere,andsoonerorlatereveryoneelseisgoingtoseemeforwhatIreallyam:afraud."Impostersyndromeisn'tjustthebutterflyfeelingofstagefrightornervous-ness.Itisadeep-rootedfearofsomehownotbeing'worthyenough'—becauseofabuse,background,schooling,culturaldifferences,etc.—thatcanstopyoufromhavingconfidenceinyourselfandpotentiallykeepyoufromachievingyourgoals.It'saviciouscyclethatcankeepyoufrommovingforwardbecauseifyoutalkabouthowyoufeellikeanimposter,peoplewillfindoutthatyouAREanimposter.Apaneldiscussingwhatimpostersyndromeisandpeople'spersonalexperiencesoffeelinglikethey'don'tbelong'canhelpbringtolightthatit'sOKAYtofeelthiswayandthatyoudo,indeed,belong.We'llalsotalkabout

23

ourfavoriteexamplesofcharacterswhohaveimpostersyndrome,andhowthisaffectstheirstoryarc,suchasKelinTamoraPierce'sProtectoroftheSmallquartet,BridgerinAdaPalmer'sTerraIgnotaseries,MaiainKatherineAddison'snovelGoblinEmperor;aswellascharacterswefoundinspiringandreassuringintheirhard-earnedself-confidence,suchasLaureninOctaviaButler'sParablenovels,orLiraelofGarthNix'sAbhorsenseries.

#ImposterSyndrome

M:EffieSeiberg,AnitaDubinko,CrystalM.Huff,TinaLeCountMyers,MadeleineE.Robins

WritingSexualAssault


Overthelastyear,sexualassaultvictimshavebeenmoreforthcomingabouttheirstoriesthanperhapseverbefore.Arethesestoriesreflectedinfiction?Hasfictionmadeitlessta-bootospeakagainstitandaboutit?AdaPalmer'snovelTooLiketheLightningopenswithatriggerwarning,deliveredbyapossiblyunreliablenarrator.AndreaHairston'snovelRedwood&Wildfiredealsextensivelywiththenarrativeofarapeanditsaftermath.MostofLilithSaintcrow'sprotagonistsarerapesurvivors.NaloHopkinson'snovelMidnightRobberhasaprotagonistwhobecomespregnantbyherrapist.Eventough-as-nailsStark,theprotagonistofRichardKadrey'sSandmanSlimseries,hasbeen,inrecentbooks,seek-inghelptodealwiththerapesheendured.Whatwasdonewellinthesestories,andoth-ers?Whatwasn't?Whatdosurvivorsthinkofthem?

#WritingSexualAssault

M:EvaFolsom,Elsa,IanK.Hagemann,MaryAnneMohanraj,AdaPalmer

BroadUniverseRapidFireReading


BroadUniverseisaninternational,non-profitorganizationdedicatedtopromoting,en-couraging,honoring,andcelebratingwomenwritersandeditorsinsciencefiction,fantasy,horrorandotherspeculativegenres.MembersofBroadUniversewillreadfromaselectionoftheirworks.

#BroadUniverse

RebeccaGomezFarrell,ValerieEstelleFrankel,SarahGrey,LorenRhoads

ConTention

Sacramento•Friday,9:30–10:45pm

24

It'sback—thepanelinwhichthosewhoappearargueabouttheGreatIssuesofTheSF/Fnalworld—doentshaveknees?WouldaCultureMindhavemadeabetterheadmas-terthanDumbledore?Anyargumentsyouhave,bringthemandwe'lladdthemtothelist,andarguethroughoutthepanel.

#ConTention

StevenSchwartz

25

Programming,Saturday,March10,2018

9:00–10:15am

Faust,andHisMany,ManyStudents

SalonC•Saturday,9:00–10:15am

InworkslikeMaryShelley'sFrankenstein,ThomasM.Disch'sCampConcentration,andMi-chaelSwanwick'sJackFaust,weseemodernreflectionsoftheoldFaustmyth—atalethathasalotofresonanceforSFandF,whereknowledgeisgenerallyconsidereda*virtue*,oranoblegoal,ratherthansomethingtobepursuedonlywithgreatcare.Whatotherexam-plesoftheFaustmythdowehaveintheSFnalworld,andhowdoesourtreatmentofitovertimechange,andwhatdoesthattellusaboutwhoweare,andwhowewanttobe?

#FaustandHisManyManyStudents

M:StevenSchwartz,ChristopherCornell,HeatherRoseJones,KatharineKerr

10:30–11:45am

WildernessinSFF

SalonC•Saturday,10:30–11:45am

Wildernessisaninterstitialspace,existingbetweencities,roadsandsettlements.Peoplehaveheldmanydifferentviewsofwildernessformaplacetobetamed,toaplacetobepre-served.Yettheideaof“untouched”wildlandsremandsproblematic.RecentscholarssuchasWilliamCrononhavequestionedifwildernessevenexists.HowhaveworkssuchasLordoftheRings,ZahrahtheWindseekerbyNnediOkorafor&MirrorEmpirebyKameronHur-leyengagedwiththeseideas?Howwillourchangingideasaboutwildernesseffectnewandfuturework?

#WildernessinSFF

M:MicheleCox,AnnaBlumstein,EugeneChou,RebeccaGomezFarrell,TerryWeyna

ActingNormal:Neurodiversity,Disability,andPerformance

SalonA/B•Saturday,10:30–11:45am

Formany,theideaof‘normal’weighsheavily.Somepeoplesufferingthroughdepressionputonahappyexteriorbecauseofthedisapprovaltheyreceivewhentheyshowhowthey'rereallyfeeling.Manyautisticfolksadoptacomplicatedsystemofinteractionthey

26

mustadheretovigilantlytomakeallisticpeoplemorecomfortablearoundthem.Deaffolksareoftendiscouragedfromlearningsignlanguageinordertoblendin.Thosewithanxietydisordersholdthemselvestogether,oftenatgreatpersonalcost,tokeepappearancesuplestotherslaughatthem.Blindpeoplefrequentlywearsunglassessothattheireyemo-tionsorvisibledamagetotheireyesdoesn'tdisturbthesighted.The"different"havesomuchpressureonthemtomakethe"standard"or"normal"comfortableandinmanycas-es,ignorantofthedistressoftheirfellowhumanbeings.Howthismanifestsvariesgreatlydependingonthecircumstances.Thismind-broadeningpanelwillhelpattendeesunder-standdifferentpointsofview,bothintherealworldandinrecommendedreading.

#ActingNormal

M:IanK.Hagemann,E.A.Foley,MicahJoel,KatharineKerr,GuyW.Thomas

Gadgetanddevice"pettingzoo"

Event•GameRoom•Saturday,10:30–11:45am

Bringyourniftygadgetsanddevices,yourgewgawsandgizmos,yourstuffiesandrobots,anythingthatyouwanttoletpeopleplaywith.Cometryoutthelatestsmartphone,aBlue-toothkeyboardthatlookslikeanoldtypewriter,someverysatisfying-feelingfaux-stonetoybuildingblocks,aportalgun,assortedfidgetspinners,andmore.

#Gadgetanddevicepettingzoo

M:JedHartman

It'sTimeForAVillain-off!

Sacramento•Saturday,10:30–11:45am

Villainscomeinalldescriptionsandstyles,fromagiantglowingeyeballontopofatowertotheFacelessBureaucracy,menindarksuits,hugedragons,andplanet-smashingOuterForces.So,whatbettertodothantohavethemfaceoffagainsteachother?Thepanelistswilleachbringinsomevillains,takeafewaudiencesuggestions,andthenwe'llhaveagoodold-fashioneddebate(perhapswithvoting)untilwenarrowdowntheVillainBrackettotheOfficialBigBadofFOGcon!

#ItsTimeForAVillainoff

M:StevenSchwartz,BrendaW.Clough,GarrettCroker,ChadwickH.Saxelid,MelissaSnark

Reading:Brennan,Brady,Hayes,Phetteplace

Reading•SantaRosa•Saturday,10:30–11:45am

27

ReadingsbyMarieBrennan,SteveBrady,SherylR.Hayes,andDominicaPhetteplace.

#ReadingBrennanBradyHayesPhetteplace

SteveBrady,MarieBrennan,SherylR.Hayes,DominicaPhetteplace

1:30–2:45pm

Createacharacterworkshop

Workshop•GameRoom•Saturday,1:30–2:45pm

Whetherit'syourfirsttimepickingupaRPGcharactersheet,orwhetheryou'reanoldprolookingtojoinaparty,thisisyouropportunitytocreateanewcharacterinafriendlyandsupportiveenvironmentintheGameRoom.Learnthemechanicsofcharacters,attributes,skills,andevenpersonalquirksbasedontheGenericUniversalRolePlayingSystem.

#RPGCharacterWorkshop

M:AnitaDubinko

StrangeCalifornia:TheJourney

Reading•SantaRosa•Saturday,1:30–2:45pm

StrangeCalifornia,releasedAug2017,isfilledwithfreshandimaginativestoriesthatgobeyondtheexpectedcollectionofananthology—thesestoriesexplore,reflect,andrevealthestate,itshistory,itssecrethistory,itslegends,anditsmanymythologies.Californiain-spiresandinvitestheimaginative,bothweirdandwonderful.Thisanthologycelebratesthatinspirationalquality—thestateanditspeopleasmuse—through26distinctstories.Thispanelwillexplorethegenesisofthosetalesandreflectonaculturalconsciousnessin-clinedtothespeculative—aphysicalandgeographicalregionfueledbythecommerceofstory.FromthepointofconceptionthroughtheKickstarterprocess,thispanelwillexploretheuniquecreationofStrangeCaliforniaandtheStateithighlights.

#StrangeCaliforniaTheJourney

LauraBlackwell,MarionDeeds,KarenRochnik,JulietteWade

TheNewGenderFrontier

SalonA/B•Saturday,1:30–2:45pm

AdaPalmer'sTerraIgnotaseriesisextremelyprogressiveaboutgender...or,isit?Thenov-eljumpsbackandforthfromgenderfreedomtogenderoppressioninanongoingexplicitcommentaryonitscharacters'gender(s).Wasitasuccessfulgambit,andhowdowedefine

28

success(orfailure)inthisregard?Howdoesitcomparetootherrecentpronounandgen-derexperimentationingenrefiction?Howmuchdoesthisaccuratelyreflectourlivesandidentitiestoday?Didwelearnsomethingfromthechallengesexplicitlypresentedtoourconceptsofgender?

#TheNewGenderFrontier

M:Elsa,MontseCordero,NabilHijazi,TheresaMecklenborg,MaryAnneMohanraj

CopingwithDeathandLoss

Sacramento•Saturday,1:30–2:45pm

Ifyou'reahumanbeingwithfriends,family,orpeopleyoulookupto,chancesareyoulostsomeonesignificanttoyouinthelastyear.Let'stalkaboutdeathinfiction,andwhatsto-rieshavehelpedusunderstandourowngriefandhowtocopewiththelossofapersonwecaredfor.Spoilerswillbeunavoidableinthispanel,thoughwewillgivepeopleachancetoleavetheroombeforewegetintothemaswediscusseachtitlethatmeantalottous.TitlesthatwillmaybediscusseddependingonwherethepaneltakesusareLoisMcMasterBu-jold'snovelGentlemanJoleandtheRedQueen,OctaviaButler'snovelDawn,AndreaHair-ston'snovelRedwoodandWildfire,MarkHelprin'sstory"Monday,"NaloHopkinson'sMid-nightRobber,andmore.

#CopingwithDeathandLoss

M:GuyW.Thomas,JuliaDvorin,EllenKlages,TinaLeCountMyers,AndrewRoberts

TheInformationalLimitsofBeingHuman

SalonC•Saturday,1:30–2:45pm

Everyday,humanityincreasesitsbandwith.Everyday,peoplehaveaccesstomoreandmoredatathantheyeverhave,moreandmoreartandentertainment,moreandmorenews.Istherealimittohowmuchpeoplecanusefullyprocess?Doesthisfloodofinfor-mationuniteus,ordivideus?

#InformationalLimits

M:AndrésSantiagoPérez-Bergquist,AndreaHairston,HeatherMcDougal,AlfredNash,LynneM.Thomas

29

3:00–4:15pm

RPGAdventure

Workshop•GameRoom•Saturday,3:00–4:15pm

PerhapswithafreshcharacterrolledupatFOGcon,here'syourchancetogoonapencil-and-paperRPGadventureintheGameRoom.Newcomerstotheworldofrole-playinggamesarewelcome.

#RPGAdventureQuest

MicahJoel

Howmuchdowetrustthemachine?


Chancesarethesedaysthatyou'rewokenupinthemorningbyyourpalmtop,sendim-portantmessagesthroughwifisignalsinvisibletoyoursenses,andinanemergency,willhaveyourvitalsignsandfluidpropertiesmonitoredandanalyzedbycomputerchips.Chancesalsoarethatallofushaveattimesmuttered"Idon'ttrustit,"andgonethelongwaycircumventingtechnologyinsomeprocesstobesureofitsends.Recently,peoples'trustedmapappsweredirectingthemontoroadsshutdownforwildfires,astheyhadthelightesttraffic.Howdowereconcileourneedfortechnologicalimprovementsandconven-ienceswiththerisksinvolved?Whataffectsourperceptionsofwhetheramachineistrustworthy?Whatifthemachineisparthuman,suchastheset-setsofAdaPalmer'sTerraIgnotaseries?

#Howmuchdowetrustthemachine

M:GarrettCalcaterra,BrendaW.Clough,ZachariahRonanNash,AdaPalmer,CarolineRatajski

DiversifyingOurTBRShelf


Backin2015,K.TempestBradfordmadeachallengetoreaderstoonlyreadwomenwrit-ersforayear.Somepeopletookupthechallenge,whileothersmodifiedittobeonlywrit-ersofcolorforayear,oronlynon-Americansforayear.Ourpanelistsareallpeoplewhotookupasuchachallenge,andwanttosharehowitchangedtheirreadinghabits,whattheylearnedfromit,andiftheyhavefuturechallengesplanned.

#DiversifyingOurTBRShelf

30

M:EmilyJiang,CrystalM.Huff,KJ,DebbieNotkin,SashaPixlee

ThingsBreakDownInDifferentWays


Theendofacivilization,language,orworldhasbeenasignificanteventinmanystoriesoverthecenturies,whetheritistheelvesgoingWest,acontinentbeingnigh-destroyedbyearthquakes,orhistoricalrecordsofanothertimebeingdestroyed.Whatdrawsustothesetales,evenwhenweknow(orstronglysuspect)theendwillbetragic?Whatdowegainfromputtingourselvesthroughthesestories?Howhasthisaffectedusinourpersonallives?

#ThingsBreakDownInDifferentWays

M:StevenSchwartz,LauraDavy,BradfordLyau,DanielMarcus,TinaLeCountMyers

Reading:Kerr,Marcus,Chaisson,Klages


ReadingsbyKatherineKerr,DanielMarcus,JonChaisson,andEllenKlages.

#ReadingKerrMarcusChaissonKlages

JonChaisson,KatharineKerr,EllenKlages,DanielMarcus

4:30–5:45pm

Family-friendlygaminghour

Kids•GameRoom•Saturday,4:30–5:45pm

JoinusintheGameRoomforsomefamily-friendlygames,fromclassicslikeUNOtocoop-erativegameslikeForbiddenIsland.

#FamilyFriendlyGaming

M:MicahJoel

Glorious,BonkersRomance


31

Airportghostsex.Cannibalisticwitches.Liquorthatmakesyouexplode.Secretdimen-sions—hell,secretlesbianislands,wheretheluckywomenbeingshippedofftoconventsendupiftheirairshipcaptainissympathetic.Romancesareoftenwrittenwithfewerboundariesandlessrules-lawyeringthanmostothernovels,whichallowsforafascinatingcornucopiaofpreposterousness.Comeandlistentothepanelistssharethemostamazingandcrackedthingsthey'veencounteredinaromancenovel,andtalkaboutwhyromancenovelscangetawaywithitwhenothergenresgenerallycan't.

#GloriousBonkersRomance

M:Elsa,EmilyJiang,DanielStarr

WhenFamiliarWatersAren'tSafetoGoInAnymore


Sometimes,whenreadingfavoritebooks,onerunsacrosssomethingthatjustknocksyousideways—thatyoumissedthefirsttime,ordidnotreacttoasstronglyinthepast.Whatcausesustoreactdifferentlyonareread,andhowdowecopewithbooksthatmayhavesuddenlybecomeunsafe?Aretherestorieswehavedeliberatelyreturnedtointhehopeofthisimpact,andifso,why?Thisisaverysensitivetopicthatwilltouchonpersonaltrauma,soattendeesarerequestedtobekindandcompassionatetoeachother.

#WhenFamiliarWatersArentSafetoGoInAnymore

M:DebbieNotkin,SherylR.Hayes,SashaPixlee,MadeleineE.Robins

HonoredGuestAdaPalmerSlot:Hands-OnRareBooksEdition

•SalonA/B•Saturday,4:30–5:45pm

AdaPalmerdiscussesthehistoryandproductionofbooksfromantiquitythroughthedis-seminationoftheprintingpress,bringingrealsamplesofantiquebooksandmanuscriptsfromthe14ththrough18thcenturies.Touchandfeelrealantiqueparchment,papyrus,il-luminatedmanuscripts,andtheearliestprintedbooks,andlearnabouthowtransfor-mationsinbookproductionchangedthepossibilitiesofscholarshipandscience.Whetheryouaredecidingwhatkindofbookstohaveinyourownfantasyworldorjustlovebooksandhistory,hands-onexperiencecan’tbebeat!BasedonPalmer’steachingworkattheUniversityofChicago.

#HGAPRareBooks

AdaPalmer

32

Reading:Leonard,Smeds,Green,Calcaterra


ReadingsbyAnneLeonard,DaveSmeds,LizDemiGreen,andGarrettCalcaterra.

#ReadingLeonardSmedsGreenCalcaterra

GarrettCalcaterra,LizDemiGreen,AnneLeonard,DaveSmeds

8:00–9:15pm

ReadingfromAbandonedPlaces


AbandonedPlacesisthefirstreleaseofShoholaPress,anewimprintlaunchinginearly2018.JoinusforareadingfromseveralBayAreawriters(andout-of-townparticipants)whohavecontributedstoriestothisexplorationofplaceslonely,rejectedanduninhabited.

#ReadingfromAbandonedPlaces

CuddlyHorrorsfromOuterSpace


HarlanEllisonwroteabouthowtheclassicmonstersofhorrorfilmandstoryhavebeende-fanged(sotospeak)—thewerewolf,thevampire,andsoforth.YoucannowbuyaplushCthulhufromanyoneofanumberofsources,readcartoonsaboutbabyextradimensionalhorrors,andsoforth.CanCthulhuandtherestbesavedfrombeingnot-scaryduetocud-dliness?Andifso,how?

#CuddlyHorrorsfromOuterSpace

M:AndrésSantiagoPérez-Bergquist,RichardSCrawford,GarrettCroker,LauraDavy,NabilHi-jazi

InfiniteGoldCheats,Cryptocurrency,andCredits


Speculativefictionoftenhastroubledealingwithcurrency.Charactersareeitherpooranddesperate,orrichandunconcerned,withlittleinbetween.Infantasy,characterscarryaheavypouchofgoldcoinsthatneverrunsout,whereasinsciencefictionnondescript"credits"leechcolorfromthestory.Somewritersseemtoavoidnamingmeaningfulprices,

33

perhapsbecausetheyareuncomfortabledevelopingamonetarysystemthatwillstanduptoscrutiny,whileotherscountouteverygalleonandknut.Whichauthorsactuallydealwithmoney,andthecostofthings,well?Whyhaven'tweseencryptocurrencyutilizedinmoreworks?Domoneysystemsreallymatter,orcanwegetbysayingthingareexpensiveorcheapandleaveitatthat?Whenispriceimportant,andtowhom?Isitdealtwithdiffer-entlychildren'slitvs.YAvs.adultfiction?Andwhataboutsystemswithoutcurrency,likeLeGuin'sTheDispossessedorVance'sTheMoonMoth?

#InfiniteGoldCheatsCryptocurrencyandCredits

M:NancyJaneMoore,MarieBrennan,AlexGurevich,CaitlinSeal,TerryWeyna

AndreaHairstonHG:ReadingandMusicalPerformance


MastertheatreartistAndreaHairstonreadssectionsfromhernovelsincludingWillDoMagicForSmallChange,andmusicaldynamoPanMoriganwillsingsongsshehaswrittenbasedonlyricsfromHairston’sbook.ThemelodiesareinfluencedbyPan’sresearchintothebanjoandblues,Irishmusic,andsomethingindefinable—wild,syncretic.PanMoriganisavocalist,instrumentalist,songwriter,poet,andthemusicdirectorforChrysalisTheater.HermusicaladventureshaveincludedtouringwithBobbyMcFerrinandhisall-improvisationalvocalgroupVoicestra,producingseveralalbums,CastlesofGoldandWildBlueandcreating,recording,andperformingsongsforAndreaHairston'snovels,RedwoodandWildfireandWillDoMagicForSmallChange.HerforthcomingalbumisStormHands.AftertheperformancePanandAndreawilldiscusscollaborationintheatre,creatingmusicforliterarytextsandpreparingyourvoiceforreadings

#HGAHShow

AndreaHairston

9:30–10:45pm

SingAllTheThings:SF&Fsongs,Shantiesandotherworksongs,musicofyourowndevising(andmaybemore)


OpenParticipation!MusicandstorieshavefedeachothersincebeforeHomer,andthat'scertainlytrueforSpeculativeFiction—includingmusicinspiredbyandderivativefromgenrefiction,fromtheearlydaysoffilkingtoS.J.Tuckermakingtie-inalbumsforCath-erynneM.Valente'sOrphan'sTales,andthetwoofthemgoingontourtogetherlaterontopromoteValente'snovelPalimpsestwithnothinglessthanatravelingburlesque.Let'stalkalittleabouthowSpecFicandmusichaveinfluencedeachother,andsingalot!

34

#SingItAll

M:MicheleCox,JuliaDvorin,AndrewRoberts

TheLiar'sPanel


Thepanelistslie.Theaudienceasksusquestions.TriedandtrueforoneofFOGCon'slate-nightcomedypanels.

#TheLiarsPanel

AnitaDubinko,EmmaHumphries,EllenKlages,AndrésSantiagoPérez-Bergquist,EffieSeiberg

GoodGrimdarkDoneWellbyMarginalizedPeople


Grimdark—aphrasecoinedbythegameWarhammer40k,andusedmostofteninconjunc-tionwithcis,het,whitemalewriters,especiallyG.R.R.Martin—isagenreoftenrightlycriti-cizedforhowitsuppliesthegrimandthedark.However,authorssuchasP.C.Hodgell,KameronHurley,RobinHobb,andN.K.Jemisonhavemadecontributionstothecategorywhicharedark,grim,andexceptionallycreativeinthevarietyofillsthatbefalloraredonetotheircharacters.Whyaren'ttheygettingrecognitioningrimdarkreadinglistsandthinkpieces?Doesthegenderand/orraceand/oretc.ofthewriteraffectourperceptionofwhatcategorytheirworkbelongsin?Howdoestheirmarginalizationseemtoaffecttheirwork?Doesitimproveit?How,orhownot?

#GrimdarkOnTheMargins

M:DebbieNotkin,LauraDavy,Elsa,EmilyJiang,E.M.Markoff

FOGconEroticReading


ReadingsbyeroticwritersofSFnalworksthatareonthe...eroticside.

#FOGconEroticReading

NabilHijazi,MaryAnneMohanraj,MistressLoreleiPowers,ThomasS.Roche,StevenSchwartz

35

Programming,Sunday,March11,2018

9:00–10:15am

WhitherProgramming?

SalonC•Sunday,9:00–10:15am

Asconversationsonlinehavegottenfasterandfaster,theadvantagesofaconventional"panel"seemtohavediminished.ThesortsofconversationsyoucouldonlyeverhaveatanSFconventionarenowregularlyhappeningonvarioussocialmedia.Peoplespendlesstimegatheringaroundatabletopforgames,andspendmoretimeonline.Whatistheroleofprogramminginthisnewconventionworldgoingforward?Indeed,whatistheroleofcon-ventions,inaworldwherepeopleholdconventionsviaGoogleHangouts?Joinusforaroundtablediscussionofwhatwe'redoinghere,nowandinthefuture.

#WhitherProgramming

M:CrystalM.Huff

10:30–11:45am

HowtoGetIntoStories

Sacramento•Sunday,10:30–11:45am

Formanyofus,"fallingintothestory"or"puttingyourselfinthestory"aregoalswestriveforwhenreading.Buthowdoweactuallydothat?Somepeopledoitjustintheirengage-mentwiththetext.SomepeoplereadChoose-Your-Own-Adventurebooks.Somepeopleplayroleplayinggamesbasedontheirfavoritebooks.Somepeoplewritefanfic.We'llgettogethertotalkaboutwhywedowhatwedo,andwhatitgivesus.

#HowtoGetIntoStories

M:NancyJaneMoore,EugeneChou,SherylR.Hayes,L.S.Johnson,CaitlinSeal

HowDoWeGroupPeople?

SalonA/B•Sunday,10:30–11:45am

Therearemanycommonmeansofexpressingidentitythroughgroupassociation,whetherit'saligningwithbeingfromaparticulargeographicalareaassmallasavillageorlargeasacontinent,orbyaMarxistclasssuchaslowerormiddle.AdaPalmer'sTerraIgnotaseriesproposesaworldinwhichinhabitantsareallowedtochoosetheirownnationsbasedon

36

theirpersonalinterests,philosophy,vocation,etc.,asthelimitingfactorofgeographyhasbeennullified,astoaslightlylesssocially-mobileextent,NealStephenson'sSnowCrashandDiamondAgeexplorecorporate-familystructuresandcorporate-nationstructures,re-spectively.JohnBrunnerenvisionedaworldinTheShockwaveRiderinwhichvotersaredividedbyprofessions.Whatarethepracticalconcernsofgroupingpeopleforgovernmen-talpurposes?Whataretheusefulconsiderationsandconstraints?Whatstructuresseemlikelyforourfuture?

#HowDoWeGroupPeople

KarenBrenchley,MarionDeeds,IanK.Hagemann,BradfordLyau,StevenSchwartz

Whatdoesyourhouse(andyourgovernment'shouse)sayaboutyou?

SalonC•Sunday,10:30–11:45am

Thepowerofarchitecturetocharacterizeaculture,family,government,etc.cannotbeun-derestimated.FromAdaPalmer'sTerraIgnotaseries,toNa'amenGobertTilahun'sWrath&Athenaeumseries,toGarthNix'sSeventhTowerseries,architectureisusedatanearly-weaponizedleveltoprovideinformationaboutfictionalpasts,futures,andworlds.Whataresomedetailsyou'veloved?Whataresomestructuresthatsurprisedyou?Whichistheoneyou'dwanttoliveinmost,ifyoucould?

#Architecture&Culture

M:Metaphortunate,AnnaBlumstein,HeatherMcDougal,AdaPalmer

Reading:Seiberg,Nash,Kaftan,Potter

Reading•SantaRosa•Sunday,10:30–11:45am

ReadingsbyEffieSeiberg,ZachNash,VylarKaftan,andDanielPotter.

#ReadingSeibergNashKaftanPotter

VylarKaftan,ZachariahRonanNash,DanielPotter,EffieSeiberg

1:30–2:45pm

TheyDidn'tSticktheLanding:DisappointingFinales

SalonA/B•Sunday,1:30–2:45pm

37

WeloveseriessomuchthatweinvestyearsofourliveswaitingfortheGrandFinalewhereAllWillBeRevealed—onlytobedisappointedbytheendingassomethingarestillleftun-resolved,othersareresolvedpoorly,andourpersonalhopesforplotlinesaredashed.Phil-lipPullman'sHisDarkMaterialstrilogy,J.K.Rowling'sHarryPotterseries,KateThomp-son'sSwitcherstrilogy,K.A.Applegate'sAnimorphsseries,N.K.Jemisin'snumerousseries,RobinHobb'sevenmorenumerousseries,OctaviaButler'ssadly-incompleteParableseries,andmanymorehaveleftpeoplegrapplingwithemotionsandquestionsafterwards.Whathavefrustratingorunderwhelmingendingtaughtus,asreadersandwriters?Whenitcomestoendings,howmuchclosureshouldtheyprovide?Whendidtheynotprovideenough?Whatareourexpectationsofverisimilitudeforthestoryleadinguptotheendvs.theenditself?

#DisappointingFinales

M:SherylR.Hayes,EmilyJiang,DominicaPhetteplace,DaveSmeds,BlackfeatherTanfur

ThomasM.DischMemorialPanel

SalonC•Sunday,1:30–2:45pm

Whenwescheduleforaghostit'stimingthatmattersthemost.

#ThomasMDischMemorialPanel

EliBishop,LynnAldenKendall

3:00–4:15pm

FOGcon8wrap-up:Let'sLookatTheReviews!

SalonA/B•Sunday,3:00–4:15pm

Everyyear,weencouragepeopletocomeandgiveustheirfeedback—andthisyearisnodifferent.Cometelluswhatwentwell,whatdidn't,whatyouwantmoreof,andwhatyouwantlessof!MembersoftheConcomwillbepresenttohearthefeedback.

#FOGcon8wrapupLetsLookatTheReviews

M:StevenSchwartz,Elsa,EvaFolsom,MicahJoel,WendyA.Shaffer

38

ProgramParticipants

LauraBlackwell

LauraBlackwellisShimmer’scopyeditor.Herfictionhasappearedinvariousperiodicalsandanthologies,includingWorldFantasyAwardwinnerSheWalksinShadows.

AnnaBlumstein

AnnaBlumsteinhasdegreesinurbanplanningandsustainableagricultureandlovestotalkaboutnatureandthebuiltenvironment.Shehelpedworkbehindthescenestocreatethenew"NotaHugo"YAaward.AnnahasrecentlystartedwritinganonlineurbanplanningadvicecolumncalledBuildingCommunity

KeyanBowes

KeyanBowesisaperipateticwriterofsciencefictionandfantasybasedinSanFrancisco.She'slivedintencitiesinsevencountries,visitedmanymore,andhopestoaddstillotherstothelist).Theysometimesformthesettingsforherstories.Herworkcanbefoundonlineinvariouswebzines(includingaPolishone),apodcast,andanaward-winningshortfilm;andonpaperinadozenprintanthologies.She’sagraduateofthe2007ClarionWorkshopforsciencefictionandfantasywriters.Keyan’swebsiteisatwww.keyanbowes.org

KarenBrenchley

KarenBrenchleyhashadsciencefiction,steampunk,andfantasystoriesappearinvariousanthologiesbothaloneandwithherhusband,ChazBrenchley.ShefoundedtheSFinSFreadingserieswithTerryBisson,andeditedherhusband'sLambdaAward-winningcollec-tion"BitterWaters".Seemoreatherwebsite,http://www.karenbrenchley.com.

MarieBrennan

MarieBrennanistheauthorofthirteennovels,includingtheMemoirsofLadyTrentseries,theOnyxCourtseriesofhistoricalfantasies,andtheurbanfantasyWildersseries.ShehaspublishedmorethanfiftyshortstoriesinvenuessuchasOnSpec,BeneathCeaselessSkies,andtheacclaimedClockworkPhoenixanthologies.Moreinformationcanbefoundonherwebsite:www.swantower.com.

GarrettCalcaterra

GarrettCalcaterraisauthoroftheepicfantasyseriesTheDreamwielderChronicles,andaprofessionalcopywriterandscienceeditor.Inaddition,hehastaughtcreativewritingfor

39

overadozenyearsatvariousinstitutions,includingtheOrangeCountySchoolofArtsandChapmanUniversity.

JonChaisson

Self-publishedSF/Fwriter,buddingbookcoverartist,andcollectoroffartoomuchmusic.

EugeneChou

EugeneisafledglingSFFauthormakinghiswritingdebutwiththeserializedaudiodramapodcastNewWorldSonata.Hisdrawsinspirationfromclassicsci-finovels(Simmons’Hy-perion,Huxley’sBraveNewWorld),auteurfilm(Kubrick,Tarantino,WongKar-Wai),ani-mation(Miyazaki,MamoruHosoda,SatoshiKon,MakotoShinkai),andAsianmythology.Whenhe'snotnightowlingasapodcaster,heworksinventurecapitalashisdayjob.Heenjoyscooking,jogging,andplayingNintendogamestounwind.

BrendaW.Clough

BrendaW.Cloughspentmuchofherchildhoodoverseas,courtesyoftheU.S.government.Herfirstfantasynovel,TheCrystalCrown,waspublishedbyDAWin1984.ShehasalsowrittenTheDragonofMishbil(1985),TheRealmBeneath(1986),andTheNameoftheSun(1988).Herchildren’snovel,AnImpossumbleSummer(1992),issetinherownhouseinVirginia,whereshelivesinacottageattheedgeofaforest.HernovelHowLikeaGod,forthcomingfromBVC,waspublishedbyTorBooksin1997,andasequel,DoorsofDeathandLife,waspublishedinMay2000.HerlatestnovelsfromBookViewCafeincludeRevisetheWorld(2009)andSpeaktoOurDesires.

ChristopherCornell

ChristopherCornellisawriterofsciencefictionandhorror,withshortfictionappearinginPenumbramagazineandtheCityoftheFutureanthology,amongothers.Heisalsoaco-founderofShoholaPress,anewimprintlaunchinginearly2018,andaproducerandco-hostforUnreliableNarrators,apodcastaboutreading,writingandlovinggenrefiction.

MicheleCox

MicheleCoxfoundfandom(andfilking!)inherteensandneverleft.SincethenshehasearnedanMAinTheology,beguncommittingpoetry,andtaughtherselftechnicalwriting.Sheisapolytheisticpanentheisticmystic;herfavoritespecficrangesfromPangbornthroughBujoldtoJemisin,andmorerecentlyPalmerandHairston.ShepassesfornormalamongBayAreaSFfans.

40

RichardSCrawford

Codemonkeybyday,wordmonkeybynight.

GarrettCroker

GarrettCrokerisanSFFwriterintheSanFranciscoBayArea.FindhisfictiononPseudo-pod,thehorrorpodcast!Outsideofwriting,he'sbeenanEnglishteacher,adigitalmarket-er,andacopywriter.

LauraDavy

LauraDavylivesinCaliforniawithherhusbandandhercat.ShewroteherfirststorywhenshewasinElementarySchooland,despitethefactthattheplotdidn’tmakesense,shekeptonwriting.ShehasbeenpublishedinApex,EscapePod,Sword&Sorceress31andothers.Youcanlearnmoreaboutheratwww.lauradavy.com.

MarionDeeds

I'mawriterandalongtimefanofspeculativefiction.Myreviewscanbefoundatwww.fantasyliterature.com

AnitaDubinko

BeengoingtoFog-ConsinceIwas7or8.NowthatI'mincollegeit'sstillthehighlightofmyyear.

JuliaDvorin

Writer,solipsisticstoryteller,mom,artist,geek,SFFfan,Jew,cancersurvivor,ex-Fairebrat,teacher,entrepreneur,ex-webdesigner,sociologist,feminist,foodie,freak.Overeducated,underslept.Flyingmyfreakflaghighandgladtobealive.

RebeccaGomezFarrell

RebeccaGomezFarrell'sdebutfantasynovel,WingsUnseen,cameoutfromMeerkatPressin2017.Herspeculativefictionshortstorieshaveappearedinseveralmagazinesandan-thologiesincludingBeneathCeaselessSkies,DarkLuminousWings,andtheFutureFire.Herfood,drink,andtravelwritingcanprimarilybefoundatherblog,theGourmez.com,andyes,shehasopinionsaboutcandiedbacon.Findallhercreativeworkatherauthorwebsite:RebeccaGomezFarrell.com.

41

ValerieEstelleFrankel

ValerieEstelleFrankelistheauthorof20booksonDoctorWho,GameofThrones,Sher-lock,Buffy,popcultureandtheheroine'sjourney.vefrankel.com

LizDemiGreen

LizDemiGreenisawriter,performer,andcommunitycollegeprofessoratLosMedanosCollege.ShehasbeenpublishedfrequentlyinTheBodyisNotanApology,aswellasinSin-isterWisdom,SparkleandBlink,Foglifter,truth-out.org,andothers.SheperformsoftenatBayAreareadingseriesandisapoetryslamchampion.Sheisseekingapublisherorrepre-sentationforherfirstnovel,aworkofYALGBTQ+SciFicalledELEVENELEVEN.

AlexGurevich

BornInSt.Petersburg,Russia.MovedtotheUSAin1989attheageof19.ReceivedPh.D.inMathematicsfromtheUniversityofChicago.WorkedinfinancialmarketsinNewYork.Re-centlyretiredfromWallStreetandliveinSausalito,California,focusingonwritingSF/F.

IanK.Hagemann

IanK.Hagemannisamixed-racefanandwriterinSeattle.HehelpedstartPotlatchandtheCarlBrandonSociety,andiscurrentlydoingandleadingpersonalworkwithTheMankindProjectandInwardJourney.HehaspublishedseveralarticlesinTheWisConchronicles,mostrecentlyoneonemotionsandoppression.Heiscurrentlyafirst-yeardaystudentintheMastersinSocialWorkprogramattheUniversityofWashington.

AndreaHairston

AndreaHairstonisanovelist,essayist,playwright,andtheArtisticDirectorofChrysalisTheatre.HerplayshavebeenproducedatYaleRep,RitesandReason,theKennedyCenter,StageWest,andonPublicRadioandTelevision.ShehastranslatedplaysbyMichaelEndeandKacaCelanfromGermantoEnglish.Ms.Hairstonhasreceivedmanyplaywritinganddirectingawards,includingaNationalEndowmentfortheArtsGranttoPlaywrights,aRockefeller/NEAGrantforNewWorks,anNEAgranttoworkasdramaturge/directorwithplaywrightPearlCleage,aFordFoundationGranttocollaboratewithSenegaleseMasterDrummerMassambaDiop,andaShubertFellowshipforPlaywriting.Since1997,herplaysproducedbyChrysalisTheatre,SoulRepairs,LonelyStardust,HummingbirdFlyingBack-ward,andDispatcheshavebeensciencefictionplays.ArchangelsofFunk,asci-fitheatrejam,garneredheraMassachusettsCulturalCouncilFellowshipfor2003.Ms.Hairston’snovelsinclude:RedwoodandWildfire,winnerofthe2011TiptreeAwardandtheCarlBrandonKindredAwardandMindscape,shortlistedforthePhillipKDickandTiptreeAwards,andwinneroftheCarlBrandonParallaxAward.BothnovelswerepublishedbyAqueductPress.InhersparetimesheistheLouiseWolffKahn1931ProfessorofTheatreandAfro-AmericanStudiesatSmithCollege.ShehasreceivedtheInternationalAssociation

42

oftheFantasticintheArtsDistinguishedScholarshipAwardforoutstandingcontributionstothecriticismofthefantastic.LonelyStardust,acollectionofessaysandplays,waspub-lishedbyAqueductPressin2014.Herlatestplay,ThunderbirdattheNextWorldTheatre,waspublishedinGeekTheater—ananthologyofsciencefictionandfantasyplaysin2014byUnderwordsPress.Shebikesatnightyearround,meetingbears,multi-leggedcreaturesoflightandbreath,andtheoccasionalshootingstar.

JedHartman

JedHartmanisatechnicalwriterandformer_StrangeHorizons_fictioneditorwhoseex-tracurricularinterestsincludelogodaedaly,interdigitation,sesquipedalia,andlapsuslin-guae.Hisfictionandnonfictionhaveappearedin_All-StarZeppelinAdventureStories_,_CleanSheets_,_Fishnet_,_Flytrap_,_StrangeHorizons_,and_Wet_.Formoreabouthim(ortoreadhisblog),seehiswebsite:http://www.kith.org/logos.

SherylR.Hayes

SherylR.Hayescanbefounduntanglingplotthreadsortheyarnherthreecatshavebeenplayingwith.Inadditiontowriting,sheisacosplayerfocusingonknitandcrochetcos-tumesandworksfulltimeataBayAreawatercompany.Youcanfollowherblogathttp://www.sherylrhayes.com,onTwitterathttps://www.twitter.com/sherylrhayes,oronFacebookathttps://www.facebook.com/sherylrhayes

CrystalM.Huff

CrystalHuffspendshertimesavingtheworld,chasingdownconventioneers,andeditingSFfromChina.ShewasconventionchairofArisia2011,Relaxacon2011,Readercon23,Readercon24,Readercon25,andco-chairofJOFconIandWorldcon75inHelsinki,Fin-land.Crystal'sdayjobinvolvesfightingthekyriarchy,aswell.Alignment:ChaoticGood.

EmmaHumphries

MiddleagedwomanworkingontheOpenWeb.Enjoyscoffee,JavaScript,powerpop,andhockey.

EmilyJiang

EmilyJiangistheauthorofSummoningthePhoenix:Poems&ProseaboutChineseMusicalInstruments,whichwaslistedamongTheBestChildren’sBooksoftheYearatKirkusRe-viewsandTheHuffingtonPostandwonTheBestBookAwardfromtheChineseAmericanLibrarianAssociation.EmilyholdsanMFAinCreativeWritingfromSaintMary’sCollegeofCaliforniaandaBAinEnglishfromRiceUniversity.SheisalsoagraduateoftheClarionWriters’Workshop.

43

MicahJoel

Fanofvintagecomputingandallthings8-bit,MicahisthecoordinatorofFOGcongameroomprogramming.Hisdebutnovel_BrokenTablet_cameoutin2016.HegraduatedfromViableParadiseduringJohnScalzi'slastyearteachingtheworkshop.Ananthologyofhisshortworksaboutfamousscientistsandtheirideascanbedownloadedfrommi-cahjoel.info/geeksforfree.His8-bitnovel_LevelUP_iscominginspring2018.Ifyou'reex-citedabouttheReadyPlayerOnemovie,let'stalk!

L.S.Johnson

L.S.JohnsonlivesinNorthernCaliforniaandfeedshercatsbyindexingbooks.HerfictionhasappearedinStrangeHorizons,Interzone,Year'sBestWeirdFiction,andothervenues.Herself-publishedcollection,VacuiMagia:Stories,wonthe2016NorthStreetBookPrizeandwasafinalistfortheWorldFantasyAward.Leviathan,thesequeltohernovellaHark-worthHall,willbeoutinlatespring2018.

HeatherRoseJones

HeatherRoseJonesiswritingahistoricfantasyserieswithswordswomenandmagicsetinthealternate-Regency-eracountryofAlpennia.Sheblogsaboutresearchintolesbian-likemotifsinhistoryandliteratureattheLesbianHistoricMotifProjectandwritesbothhistor-icalandfantasyfictionbasedonthatresearch.ShehasaPhDinlinguistics,studyingmeta-phortheoryandthesemanticsofMedievalWelshprepositions,andworksasanindustrialfailureinvestigator.

VylarKaftan

VylarKaftanhaspublishedaboutfourdozenstoriesinplaceslikeClarkesworld,Light-speed,andAsimov's.MostrecentlyshepublishedanalternatehistorynovellainAsimov's,"TheWeightoftheSunrise,"inwhichtheIncanEmpiresurvivesintothe19thcentury.ShewasnominatedforaNebulain2011forhershortstory"I'mAlive,ILoveYou,I'llSeeYouinReno".Sheblogsatwww.vylarkaftan.net.

LynnAldenKendall

LynnAldenKendallgrewupinthebackwoods,readingeverythingshecouldgetherhandson,fromReader’sDigestCondensedBooksto“WhenItChanged”byJoannaRuss.HerworkhasappearedinAmericanWritingand80!MemoriesandReflectionsonUrsulaK.LeGuin.Undervariouspennames,shehaspublishedanovel,acollectionofshortstories,andfournonfictionbooks.Atherhouse,thecat-to-lapratioisgreaterthan1andthebook-to-humanratiohoversaround5000:1.

44

KatharineKerr

KatharineKerrlivesintheSanFranciscoBayAreawithherhusband,hiscaregiver,andseveralcats.She'stheauthoroftheDeverryseriesofepicfantasyandtheNolaO'Gradyse-riesoflight-heartedurbanfantasynovels.

KJ

KJisanunderemployedlibrarian,lifelongreader,avidgamerandactivefan.Shejournalsandpublishesfanfictionunderthehandle"owlmoose",andisacontributingeditortotheHugo-winninggroupblogLadyBusiness.ThefirstFogConwasalsothefirstconKJeverat-tended,andsheishappytohavebecomearegular.Herotherhobbiesincludesinging,trav-el,andeatingatinterestingrestaurants.ShelivestheclicheinSanFranciscowithherhus-bandandcat.

EllenKlages

ELLENKLAGESistheauthoroftwoacclaimedYAnovels:TheGreenGlassSea,whichwontheScottO’DellAward,theNewMexicoBookAward,andtheLopezAward;andWhiteSands,RedMenace,whichwontheCaliforniaandNewMexicoBookAwards.Hershortsto-rieshavebeenhavebeentranslatedintoCzech,French,German,Hungarian,Japanese,andSwedishandhavebeennominatedfortheNebulaAward,theHugo,WorldFantasy,andCampbellawards.Herstory,“BasementMagic,”wonaNebulain2005.ShelivesinSanFrancisco,inasmallhousefullofstrangeandwondrousthings.Hermostrecentstory,"Ca-ligoLane,"canbereadonlineat:http://subterraneanpress.com/magazine/winter_2014.

BradfordLyau

BradfordLyauhasbeenaprogramparticipantforover25years.Afterteachingatuniversi-tiesinCaliforniaandEurope,henowworksforstart-upcompaniesandisalsoapoliticalconsultant.HepublishesacademicarticlesonAmerican,British,andEuropeanSF.Hisbook-lengthstudy,analyzingFrenchpopularsciencefiction,hasbeenpublishedbyMcFar-landandCompany:TheAnticipationNovelistsof1950sFrenchScienceFiction:Stepchil-drenofVoltaire.

DanielMarcus

DanielMarcusistheauthoroftwonovelsandmanyshortstories.Salon.comdescribedhisshortstorycollection,"BindingEnergy,"as"acrossbetweenRaymondCarverandWilliamGibson."Recentpublicationsinclude"BrightMoment"(F&SF,Sep/Oct2011),"AftertheFuneral"(F&SF,Sep/Oct2013),and"AlbionUpontheRock(F&SF,Mar/Apr2014).

45

E.M.Markoff

E.M.MarkoffisaLatinxwriterwhowasraisedonasteadydietofMexicanfolklore,anime,RogerCorman’sEdgarAllanPoefilms,andunrestrictedaccesstocomicsandbooks.Grow-ingup,shespentmanydaysexploringherhometowncemetery,whereherloveofallthingsdarkbegan.Uponcomingofage,shedecidedtopursueacareerasamicrobiologist,whereshespentafewyearschannelingherinnermadscientist.Herdebutnovel,THEDEAD-BRINGER,isthefirstbookinTHEELLDERETSERIESandwonaFinalistmedalintheFan-tasycategoryinthe2017NextGenerationIndieBookAwards.SheisamemberoftheHor-rorWritersAssociation.Currently,withtheaidofherfelinecompanion,sheisworkingonthesequeltoTHEDEADBRINGER.YoucanconnectwithheronFacebook,Instagram,andTwitter@tomesandcoffee

HeatherMcDougal

HeatherMcDougalisawriterandeducatorlivinginNorthernCalifornia.SheisaWriteroftheFuturewinnerandaViableParadisealumna.Herfictionhasappearedinanthologiesandmagazinessincethen,andsheisknownforcreatingtheCabinetofWondersblog.SheisArtDirectorforStrangeHorizons,andconsidersconnectingartistsandwriterstobeoneofherfavoriteactivities.SongsforaMachineAge,herclockpunkadventurenovel,cameoutin2012fromHadleyRilleBooks.

TheresaMecklenborg

Theresaneverknowswhattoputinthesebioslots.

MaryAnneMohanraj

MaryAnneMohanrajwroteBodiesinMotion(afinalistfortheAsianAmericanBookAwards,translatedintosixlanguages)andnineothertitles.MohanrajfoundedtheHugo-nominatedmagazine,StrangeHorizons,andwasGuestofHonoratWisCon2010.ShehastaughtatClarionandisClinicalAssistantProfessoroffictionandliteratureattheUniv.ofIllinois.SheservesasExecutiveDirectoroftheSpeculativeLiteratureFoundation(www.speclit.org).Mohanraj’snewestbookisTheStarsChange.

NancyJaneMoore

NancyJaneMoore'ssciencefictionnovelTheWeavecameoutin2015fromAqueductPress.Sheisalsoamemberofthepublishingco-opBookViewCafe,writessciencefictionandfantasy,andisafourthdegreeblackbeltinAikido.HerotherbooksincludeChangeling,ConscientiousInconsistencies,andWalkingContradictionandOtherFutures.

46

TinaLeCountMyers

TinaLeCountMyersisawriter,artist,independenthistorian,andsurfer.BorninMexicotoexpat-bohemianparents,shegrewuponSouthernCaliforniatenniscourtswithaprophecyhangingoverherhead;herparentshopedshe’donedaybeanauthor.TinaisamemberoftheWesternAssociationofWomenHistorians,TheCastroWriters'Cooperative,andaguestinstructorfortheYoungWriters'Workshopat826Valencia.TheSongofAll(NightShadeBooks)isherdebutnovel.

AlfredNash

Rocketscientist,trackcyclingraceannouncer&mustachecompetitor.

ZachariahRonanNash

CollegeStudent&ScienceFictionWriter

DebbieNotkin

Ihavebeenatvarioustimesasciencefictioneditor,bookreviewer,bookstoreowner,con-ventionorganizer,fanzinepublisher,awardadministratorandmore.IblogatBodyImpoli-ticwithLaurieTobyEdison.SinceNovember2016,wehavefocusedonissuesofresistanceandresponsetotheauthoritarianAmericangovernment.IalsoworkwithStrikeDebtBayAreaandFriendsofthePublicBankofOakland.Iworkasacontractsmanagerforamedi-um-sizedpublishingcompanyinitsSanFranciscooffice

AdaPalmer

AdaPalmer’sfirstsciencefictionnovelsTooLiketheLightningandSevenSurrenders(vol-umesoneandtwoofTerraIgnota,fromTorBooks)explorehowhumanity’sculturalandhistoricallegaciesmightevolveinafutureofborderlessnationsandgloballycommixingpopulations.SheteachesintheUniversityofChicagoHistoryDepartment,studyingtheRe-naissance,Enlightenment,classicalreception,thehistoryofbooks,publicationandreading,andthehistoryofphilosophy,heresy,scienceandatheism,andistheauthorofReadingLu-cretiusintheRenaissance(HarvardUniversityPress).SheoftenresearchesinItaly,usuallyinFlorenceorattheVatican.Shecomposesfantasy,SFandmythology-themedmusic,in-cludingtheVikingmythologymusicalstageplaySundown:WhispersofRagnarok(availa-bleonCDandDVD),andoftenperformsatconventionswithhervocalgroupSassafrass.Shealsoresearchesanime/manga,especiallyOsamuTezuka,earlypost-WWIImangaandgenderinmanga,andhasworkedasaconsultantformanyanimeandmangapublishers.SheblogsforTor.com,andwritesthephilosophy&travelblogExUrbe.com.

47

LauraPearlman

LauraPearlmanisanordinaryhumanwholiveswithtwoordinaryfelines.HershortfictionhasbeenpublishedinShimmer,FlashFictionOnline,andDailyScienceFiction,amongoth-erplaces.HerLOLcatcaptionshavebeenpublishedonMcSweeney’s.SheslushesatEscapePod.ShehasatragicallyneglectedblogcalledUnlikelyExplanationsandcanbefoundontwitterat@laurasbadideas.

SashaPixlee

SashaPixlee'scatisadorableandhisnameisHenry.

DanielPotter

AuthoroftheFreelanceFamiliarsSeries.VascularBiologist.Strangelysane.

MistressLoreleiPowers

LoreleiPowersistheauthoroftheeroticacollectionOnDisplay,aswellastheBDSMhow-toclassicsTheMistressManual,TheCharmSchoolforSissyMaids,andGettingHerInter-ested.Sheisalifestylebi/poly/Domme/sadist,butshelookslikeaSunday-schoolteacher.Whennotwriting,shespendsalotoftimedrinkingteaandtryingtogetthecatoffherkeyboard.Alsowhenwriting.Herwebsiteishttp://mistressmanual.com.

ShannonPrickett

Systemadministrator.That'sall.

AndrésSantiagoPérez-Bergquist

AndrésSantiagoPérez-Bergquistisarecoveringroboticist,father,amateurauthor,gamedesigner,lapsedmathematician,andUnicodesupporttestcase.Hecurrentlyworksoncre-atingtheStarTrekfuture,whichyouwillfindbothcreepyandawesome,andthereisa4%chancehissoftwareisinyourpocket.Writingrealstoriesishard,soinsteadhepostsmi-crofictiononhiswebsite.

CarolineRatajski

Writerandsoftwareengineer.

LorenRhoads

LorenRhoadsistheauthorofTheDangerousType,KillByNumbers,andNoMoreHeroes.Sheisalsotheauthorofthenonfictionguide199CemeteriesToSeeBeforeYouDie.

48

AndrewRoberts

ACalifornianative,Andrewistheunlikelydescendentofpirates,pilgrimsandPortuguesefishermen.Hisgenreofchoiceistraditionalfantasy,buthealsoenjoyswritingmagicalreal-ismandsciencefiction.HehassoldhisstoriesandpoetrytoTheSparkAnthologyandBourbonPennMagazine,andisaThirdPlaceWinnerofTheWritersOfTheFutureContest.Andrew'scurrentbookprojectisastoryofspiritpossessionandmurdersetinseventeenthcenturyJapan.

MadeleineE.Robins

MadeleineRobinsistheauthorof11novels,includingthreeSarahTolerancealternateRe-gency-noirmysteries:PointofHonour,PettyTreason,andTheSleepingPartner;andSoldforEndlessRue,aretellingofRapunzelinamedievalsetting.ShelivesinSanFrancisco.

ThomasS.Roche

ThomasS.Rocheisanauthorofsciencefiction,fantasy,horror,crimefiction,nonfiction,anderotica.HisfirstnovelThePanamaLaughwasafinalistfortheBramStokerAwardfromtheHorrorWritersofAmerica.Aprolificfilmandbookreviewer,hecanbefoundathttp://thomasroche.com,http://facebook.com/skidroche,http://twitter.com/thomasroche,http://goodreads.com/thomasrocheandhttp://letterboxd.com/thomasroche.

ChadwickH.Saxelid

Ahorrorfanfrombirth,ChadwickH.Saxelidlovessurroundinghimselfwithbooks,movies,filmsoundtracks,horrorthemedcollectibles,andcats.

StevenSchwartz

StevenSchwartzisawriterofspecfic,smut,andpoetrybothformalandinformal,aletter-pressprinter,andafirmbelieverinexperimentingwithprogramming.

CaitlinSeal

CaitlinSealisaYAFantasywriterandcompulsivereaderlivingintheBayArea.Whennotgobblingupwords,sheGMstabletopgames,practicesaikido,andhuntsforportalsinoldwardrobes.Herfirstnovel,TWICEDEAD,willbepublishedbyCharlesbridgeTeeninFall2018.

49

EffieSeiberg

EffieSeibergisasciencefictionandfantasywriterfromSanFrancisco.Herstoriescanbefoundinthe"WomenDestroyScienceFiction!"editionofLightspeed,Analog,Galaxy'sEdge,PodCastle,FiresideFiction,andmore.

WendyA.Shaffer

WendyShafferbeganherliterarycareerasthesubjectofherbabysitter’sPh.D.thesisinchildpsychology.(Shehasneverdaredreadthedissertation.)Thesedayssheworksasatechnicalwriter.Wendy’spoetryhasappearedinStrangeHorizonsandshortfictionhasappearedinParadoxandRealmsofFantasy.Hercurrentambitionsaretorunahalfmara-thonandwatcheveryepisodeofDoctorWhoinexistence.(Notconcurrently,alas.)

DaveSmeds

AuthorofTheSorceryWithinandothernovels.ShortfictioninvenuessuchasAsimov'sSF,F&SF,RealmsofFantasy,Sword&Sorceress.

MelissaSnark

AuthorMelissaSnarklivesintheSanFranciscobayareawithherhusband,threechildren,andaglaringoflitigiousfelines.Shereadsandwritesfantasyandromance,andispub-lishedwithTheWildRosePress&NordicLightsPress.Sheisacoffeeoholic,chocoholic,andaseriousgeekgirl.HerLoki’sWolvesseriesstemsfromherfascinationwithwolvesandmythology.

GuyW.Thomas

I'vebeenactiveinSFfandomsincethelate70's.ChairedafewPotlatchsandacoupleFOG-cons.IhaveaBAinDramaticArtsfromUCBerkeley,ImaybetheonlyBeckett/Heinleinfaninexistence.I'manIndependentLiving,leftyadvocate.IwishIcouldreadfasterandwritemore.IstillwanttodrivethefirstpowerwheelchairontheMoon(orMars,I'mnotpicky.)

LynneM.Thomas

Five-timeHugoAwardwinnerLynneM.ThomasistheCo-Editor-in-ChiefandPublisherofUncannyMagazinewithherhusbandMichaelDamianThomas.ShemoderatedtheHugo-AwardwinningSFSqueecastandcontributestotheVerity!Podcast.Inherdayjob,sheistheHeadoftheRareBooksandManuscriptLibraryattheUniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-Champaign.

50

JulietteWade

JulietteWadehasappearedinFantasyandScienceFiction,ClarkesworldandAnalog.Sheusesherexpertiseinlinguistics,anthropologyandJapaneselanguageandculturetoen-hanceherwritingandworldbuilding.ShelivestheBayAreaofNorthernCaliforniawithherhusbandandtwochildren,whosupportandinspireher.SherunstheDiveintoWorldbuild-ingvideoseriesandworkshopathttps://www.patreon.com/JulietteWade.

TerryWeyna

IreviewbooksforFantasyLiterature(http://www.fantasyliterature.com)andLikeFire(http://www.openlettersmonthly.com/likefire/).I'manattorney,butwouldratherspendmytimereading.

51

AccessInformationWeatFOGcontakeaccessibilityseriously.Wetaketheapproachofuniversaldesign:makingschedules,communications,andthephysicalenvironmentusablebyasmanypeopleaspossible.Detailed,up-to-dateinformationwillbepostedatouraccessibilitywebpage:http://fogcon.org/about-fogcon/policies/accessibility-policy/.

[email protected],ifyouhavequestions,specialneeds,orrequests.

Unfortunately,wecan’tmaketheentireconbarrier-free.Wearelimitedbyfinances,volunteerstaffing,andthecussednessofreality:sometimestheaccommodationessentialtooneperson(ahelperanimal,forexample)isabarriertoanother(thoseallergictoanimals).Letusknow,please,ifyouencounterdifficultiesorifyoucanoffersuggestionsorhelp.

Ataminimum,weexpecttooffertheseaccommodations:

• Ahighlyaccessible,nonsmokinghotelwithanumberofhandicappedaccessrooms

• Reservedseatsinmeetingroomstohelpthosewhoneedtoseeorhear

• Dealers’roomaisleswideenoughfortwowheelchairstopass

• Anefforttoreduceperfumesforthosewithscentsensitivities

• Listsofingredientswhereverpossibleforthosewithfoodallergies

• Awidearrayofediblestomaximizeyourchancestofindfoodthatisbothsafeandluscious

• Signsatdifferentheightsbecausenoteveryone’seyelevelisthesame

• Anelectronicversionoftheconschedule

• Accessiblewebsitedesign

MinimizingStressandMaximizingComfortTheweatherbothinsideandoutvariesalot.Bringlayerstoaddinchillyprogramrooms,subtractinhotones,andensureyou’recomfortableinthewiderangeofweatherbothinsideandoutsidethehotel.

MobilityIfyouwishtorentawheelchairormotorizedscooter,wehavefoundaservicethatwilldeliverrentalstothehotel’sbelldeskandpickitupaftertheconatnoadditionalcharge.Emailaccess@fogcon.orgfordetails.Reserveatleast48hoursinadvance;aweekisbetter.

ReadingFOGconprovidesinformationinvariousformats.OurmostimportantpublicationsarethepocketprogramandthisProgramBook.Inadditiontoregularprint,theFOGconwebsitehostsPDFandHTMLversionsofbothpublications,andweofferAndroidandiOSapps.AprintedpocketprogramandtheProgramBookisincludedinthemembershippacket.

ListeningFortheconvenienceofspeech-readersandanyonewithhearingdifficulties,wesetasidebluestripe

52

seatsfrontandcenterineveryprogramroom.Programparticipantsmaybeabletousemicrophonesinthelargerprogramrooms.Contactusataccess@fogcon.orgtoseeifwecanarrangeanyotheraccommodationsyoumayrequest.

EatingIfyoufeelsaferormorecomfortablebringingyourownfood,you’llbepleasedtohearthateveryroomattheWalnutCreekMarriottHotelfeaturesaminifridge.

ThemenufortheUnAwardBanquethasbeenchosentoallowabroadspectrumofdeliciousfoods.Youshouldbeabletofindgluten-free,dairy-free,vegetarian,andveganoptions.Sorry,notkosher.Wewilltrytopostingredientlistsandavoidcross-contamination,butwecannotguaranteeit.

TheConsuiteisopenFridayfromnoonto2AM;Saturdayfrom8AMto2AM;andSundayfrom8AMto6PM.Everyattemptwillbemadetosupplyingredientlistsandavoidcross-contamination.

BreathingOur“zoned”fragrancepolicybalancestwoneeds.Forsomemembers,fragrancestriggerasthma,migraine,orillness.Othermembersneedtousefragrancetomanagepainandmood.Pleaseleavescentedproductsathomeifyoucandosowithoutdetrimenttoyourownhealth.TheDealers’Roomwaresmayincludeincenseanddustybooks.Thehotelusesscentedcleaningproducts.Thoseofuswhoreactstronglytofragrances,dust,andparticulatesshouldbringanN95mask.

PetsareallowedintheWalnutCreekMarriottHotel.

PotentialBarriersthatRemainGivenourfiscallimitations,ourcommitmenttoourcurrentconferencevenue,andtherealitythatsometimesonemember’saccommodationisanothermember’sbarrier,wecan’tmakeFOGconperfectlyaccessibletoeveryone.Wedon’twanttomakepromiseswecan’tkeep.Wewantyoutoknowaboutthesepotentialbarrierssoyoucanmakeinformeddecisions.“Sorry,wecan’t”isnotthesamemessageas“wedon’tcare”or“wedon’tbelieveyou”or“we’recomfortableignoringyourneeds.”TheConcomhasandwillcontinuetowrestlewiththeseissues.Contactaccess@fogcon.orgforbackgroundontheseremainingbarriers:

• Mostoftheprogrammingroomsareilluminatedwithfluorescentlighting.

• Membersbringalotofreadingmaterialsonlyavailableinregularprint.The“freebie”tablesgroanwithinfoonevents,zines,books,conbids,artshows,politicaltheater,andmuchmore.Partyannouncementsandsuchdecoratethewalls.

• FOGconisnotscent-free.

• Thetoiletfacilitiesarelabeled“Men”and“Women,”althoughhumansdo

FOGcon8 ProgBook FINALforsite · 2019. 11. 19. · Her musical play Sundown: Whispers of Ragnarok...

Documents

Transcript of FOGcon8 ProgBook FINALforsite · 2019. 11. 19. · Her musical play Sundown: Whispers of Ragnarok...