Space Flights of Fancy:
Let Your Imagination Take Wing!
In a nutshell, that's our theme. We're going to be looking at where society (and Science Fiction and Fantasy fandom) has been and where things may be headed. There's a lot of interesting stuff out there and we're going to try to reach out and bring some hints of the future to a Red Lion Hotel near you.

How To Make A Convention: Just Add...
It takes four things to make a BayCon: great guests, willing volunteers, good programming and lots of members (to make it all worthwhile). BayCon has always been blessed with great guests and our Writer Guest of Honor Jack Chalker continues our fine tradition. Craig and Sharon Nicolai, our Fan Guests of Honor, have worked at conventions too numerous to mention, and are long-overdue for this honor. Artist Guest of Honor is going to be Bob Eggleton (Hugo award winning artist).

Let's Get Ready To Rumble!
Now that the "I'll never work another convention" post-BayCon staff stress is passing, many of last year's staff members have been calling me to talk about what they'd like to see done at the coming convention. This is a very good sign. It means that they're ready to start putting together another great BayCon. (More about the convention staff in the next Progress Report.)

And we're starting BayCon '97 with over 300 memberships pre-registered. We must have done things right at BayCon '96 to have inspired so many of you to pre-register for the next years' convention!

Our Future's So Bright...
From where I'm sitting, it looks like we've got a good, solid, running start towards a great BayCon. I look forward to seeing you there and telling you more about the convention in future Progress Reports.

Michael Siladi
BayCon '97 Chairman

Chalker's awards include the Dedalus Award (1983), The Gold Medal of the West Coast Review of Books (1984), Skylark Award (1985), Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award (1979), others of varying importance. he is also a two time John W. campbell Award nominee and a Hugo nominee four times.
To see Jack's WEB Site

Craig & Sharon Nicolai
Craig and Sharon's involvment in fandom covers a period of over 10 years. They both served on the board of Artistic Solution and were involved with the Board of TimeCon. Craig served as Chairman of BayCon in both '90 and '94. Sharon has served Artistic Solutions in the position of Treasurer.

Craig and Sharon's involvment in fandom also include serving on the staff of BayCon, TimeCon, SiliCon, AnimeAmerica, CostumeCon12 and ConFranisco. Craig is also the founder of FLARE, which has been prviding security for several Bay Area conventions as well as Phil & Ed's Excellcent Convention in L.A. They continue to have a strong influence on Bay Area fandom.

Bob Eggleton
Bob Eggleton, 35, is one of the hottest and most prolific artists on the scene today. Bob is a multiple award winner not only for his finely detailed space art, but he is equally at home doing science fiction, fantasy and horror art. He was awarded the prestigious HUGO award in 1994, and has been nominated six times. He has recently been nominated a seventh time for 1995. He is a frequent guest of honor at science fiction conventions all over North America and the world He has done countless book covers, for authors such as Gregory Benford, Greg Bear, Hal Clement, Arthur C. Clarke, and Isaac Asimov. His magazine credits include ASTRONOMY and SKY & TELESCOPE.

"Bob's work is popular with publishers because of his dramatic and colorful compositions, and because he has the uncommon ability to meet a deadline. His technique is easily identifiable as his own, striving for an interesting angle and dazzling colors. He combines these elements to create a scene which is glowingly dreamlike, yet starkly realistic. He paints furiously with trance-like concentration, and seems to be able to paint anything imaginable, even by his own fertile mind.

"Space art to me is pure feeling," he says, "something anyone can understand. For much of science fiction art, you must read the story to appreciate the art.

To see Bob Eggleton's WEB Site

To see the Offical Guest List as of December 1996