Writer Guest of Honor
Peter S. Beagle
Born in Manhattan on April 20, 1939, Peter Soyer Beagle, son of Simon and Rebecca Soyer Beagle, was raised in the Bronx, New York. From an early age he was a voracious reader, and his parents encouraged him in his pursuits of the literary arts. As early as sixth grade, he proclaimed that he was going to be a writer, and during his years at the Bronx High School of Science (Class of '55) he was a frequent contributor to the school literary magazine. It was in this period that his work caught the attention of the fiction editor at Seventeen magazine. In his senior year of high school, he entered a poem and a story into the 1955 Scholastic Writing Awards Contest, without realizing that one of the top prizes was a college scholarship. His poem took first place, and he spent the next four years at the University of Pittsburgh.
In his sophomore year at U Pitt, one of his short stories, "Telephone Call," won first place in a Seventeen magazine short story contest. He quickly acquired an agent, cranked out several more pieces (including "A Fine and Private Place" when he was only 19), and graduated with a degree in creative writing, a minor in Spanish, and a passion for writing.
He then spent a year overseas, returning home when his agent enrolled him in a writing workshop at Stanford University. After his time at Stanford, he kicked around the East Coast for a while before deciding that his heart belonged in California. He and a friend undertook a cross-country motorscooter trip, which later became the basis of I See By My Outfit. He supported himself as a freelance writer for years, even after the well-received publication of The Last Unicorn.
In the 1970s, Beagle wrote more screenplays while also pursuing his avocation as a folk singer, delighting audiences with songs in English, Yiddish, French and German. A live cassette recording of him playing and singing his music at BayFilk 3 was released in 1986. Beagle says, "Singing (and dishwashing) are the only other things I've done for money." Between 1973 and 1985 he performed every weekend at the club L'Oustalou in Santa Cruz, California. In the summer of 1985 he moved to Seattle, Washington for several years. He eventually decided he'd had enough rain and moved back to California, where he now resides in Davis with his wife, writer and artist Padma Hejmadi. As he says, "I'm in the phone book." We checked; he is.
Beagle is a regular on the university circuit where he gives readings, lectures, and concerts, and has conducted writing workshops at such institutions as The University of Washington and Clarion West. His works have been translated into more than 15 languages, and he continues to write wonderful, magical books, thank heavens.
Peter's website can be found at www.peterbeagle.com.
Fan Guests of Honor
Steve Savitzky - Hacker/Songwriter
As you might expect for someone whose mother is a librarian and whose father went to graduate school with Isaac Asimov, and both of whose parents loved folk music, Steve Savitzky was well-prepared to be a filker. As someone whose parents had a teletype in their bedroom connected to one of the very first timesharing systems, it's not surprising that about half of his recorded songs are about computers; some, like Pegasus winner "The World Inside the Crystal," are even serious. As someone who learned to fingerpick melodies on a guitar because without something to follow he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket... (The rest is left as an exercise for the reader).
Steve went to grad school in computer science back in the days before the ARPANET and spent many of his evenings hanging out in the campus coffeehouse. On one of those evenings he attracted the attention of a high school senior named Colleen. Their paths crossed from time to time; eventually she invited him to an SCA tourney. A couple of years after that, tired of waiting for him to get a clue, she asked him to marry her. He had sense enough to accept. That was thirty-odd years ago – some of them very odd.
They started going to conventions in 1978 and quickly gravitated toward the filking. Since then Steve has been to all of the Bay Area filk cons and BayCons as well as most of the Westercons and Worldcons within easy driving distance of their home, Grand Central Starport in San Jose. Steve gave his first concert at Westercon 40 (it helped that Colleen was co-chair). Lately he has been performing with Callie Hills and Naomi Rivkis under the name "Tempered Glass."
Steve and Colleen were inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2008.
In his professional life as a computer scientist (a glorified term for "aging hacker"), he is currently interested in such minor arcana as web publishing, lightweight content-management systems, web-based communities, macro-based HTML formatting engines, peer-to-peer filesharing, and RESTful web service APIs. He is a strong proponent of open-source software, a heavy Linux user, and a card-carrying member of the EFF.
Steve's meager list of publications include a book on Real-Time Microprocessor Systems published in 1985 and now mercifully out of print, and the CD Coffee, Computers, and Song!, released in August, 2007; his lyrics and assorted scribblings are on the Web at steve.savitzky.net. CC&S was produced mainly at the urging of his older daughter Chaos, who collected over 200 signatures on a petition. His next CD will come out One Of These Days, on the general theme of "songs people have said they'll kill me if I don't record."
Colleen Savitzky - Secret Mommy of Fandom
Steve has often said that Colleen is one of the Secret Mommies of Fandom, but it really isn't much of a secret. Between her habit of "adopting" strays, her vast collection of recipes for every conceivable allergy, and her perennial question of "have you eaten today?," an unknown but large number of fans in the Bay Area and elsewhere already call her "Mom." The rest probably haven't met her yet.
She also has an uncanny knack for spotting people with guitars and introducing them to the local filk community; Kathy Mar and the Bohnhoffs are among her finds. (Steve would have added himself, but she wasn't a filker at the time; it was the SCA that she introduced him to, with the enticing promise that it was a good place to meet single women. Did we mention that she's also a bit devious?) In the SCA her "mommy first aid" kit was justly famous, and her pavilion was home to a shifting population of medics, constabulary, musicians, foodies, and similar ne'er-do-wells.
Her home in San Jose is host to a similar population of gamers, computer geeks, foodies, and filkers and is called Grand Central Starport for good reason. Most of the walls are lined with books, and the rest with artwork accumulated over the course of a third of a century of con-going. The Cookbook Corner, Tea Corner, and spice collection are remarkable. There's even a song about the place – "Bigger On the Inside."
Colleen has run filking at BayCon and Silicon, Con Suite at Consonance, and Filk Lounges at several Worldcons. She has run or assisted with Hotel Liaison at several cons, using a combination of "chocolate diplomacy" and tea to get the hotel on her side, and can often be found outside the coffee shop dispensing comment forms to happy or disgruntled fans.
She is often called the Flower Cat, and for about two decades ran a small business called Flowers By Colleen that mostly paid for her corsage and bouquet habit. Recently, between arthritis and other problems, she has become a RollyCat, as adept at demanding good treatment for fans with disabilities as she is at demanding good food for fans with allergies and water for filkers. She hasn't let her disability slow her down. You can often catch her zipping around on her scooter named Rosebud.
Her hall costumes are also well-known and have included a pink elephant and variations of Miss Piggy starring in "Playboy Piggy," "Jurassic Pork," and "Piglet O'Hara". Her daughters, ChaosWolf and Neko-Chan, are very well-known – they've been going to conventions all their lives (the Wolfling was born during Westercon 38), and working as gofers (more recently, staff) ever since they were able to pass as being old enough.
Along with her husband Steve, Colleen was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2008; she's also a member of the SCA's Order of the Pelican. Both of these honors are for service to their respective communities.
When not at a filk concert she can usually be found in the hotel lobby, grinning like the Cheshire Cat that she is, at the center of a happy conversation. Walk up and introduce yourself.
Artist Guest of Honor
Lee Moyer
We live in astonishing times.
The curious among you might already have searched me out on Facebook, or run roughshod through the slightly outdated www.leemoyer.com, or learned that I was born in Wyoming and spent a decade as a docent at the Smithsonian Institution, or played Sanctum online, or discovered I was an Art Director for Electronic Arts, or joined the fan site for Starstruck - the remarkable comic by Elaine Lee I'm painting the brilliant drawings of Mw Kaluta and Charles Vess. So really, what can I tell you here that you might not find elsewhere?
I am passionate about stories. And if they have pictures, all the better! I fell in love with John R Neill's wonderful illustrations of Polychrome, the rainbow girl from the Oz books, that summer when I was 8 and read 200 books. 22 years later (and 16 years ago), I married a woman who looks not unlike her. Coincidence?
I managed to see Anime before it was translated and before we even knew what it was called. I can tell you how Buffy's ending betrayed 7 years of brilliant story-building and its viewers, and talk about why the Watchman movie was better than the comic, and why the comic is so remarkable in the first place. I feel that the only lines between genres are artificial and all-too-often counterproductive. Subtle susurrations of influence and causality surround us. Fiction and non-fiction swirl and eddy. Life's too short for specialization that adds detail but removes connection. After all, as Ray Bradbury so astutely wrote in The Exiles, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens were authors of Weird Fiction too.
Without being quite the Anglophile my wife is, I do adore the Brtitish - series from The Prisoner to Ultraviolet - storytellers from Vivian Stanshall to Robin Williamson - Comedians from Peter Cook to Eddie Izzard - Actors from Peter O'Toole to Stephen Fry - Musicians from Richard Thompson to The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - authors from PG Wodehouse to Kim Newman.
There's a mastery of language, a grasp of complexity and of context that continue to inspire me. Not all the greats are British of course, Poe, Lovecraft, Chandler, Hammett, Seuss, Gilliam and Sondheim are all Americans. The Decemberists, Ridgway, Prieboy and Zevon too. Favored Aussies include Nick Cave, Baz Luhrman, Tim Minchin, George Miller, and the cast of LA Confidential. Then there's Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Max Raabe, Ladislas Starewicz, and a massive number of Europeans. I could go on all day.... But do you know what's funny about this list?
I haven't begun to mention illustrators. I won't waste the necessary pages on them here, but you'll find me more than happy to talk shop in person.
I've spent my life mixing and matching, creating "mash-ups" long before that term was coined - and some of my earliest, most...peculiar work has been roused from the dead for this very program book. Sadly, I hadn't time to recreate '2001 Dalmations' or 'The Fantastic Four Basic Food Groups" or 'Doc Cabbage, Man of Slaw', but many of the other pieces from my days as a starving artist are represented herein. I hope they will amuse you as much as finding them has amused me.
Many years ago the very stentorian (and sadly deceased) Joe Mayhew told me "You know Lee... your work isn't unpalatable shit any more". But if not for the circuit of convention art shows that Joe and his colleagues ran and the wonderfully experimental environment of conventions like this one, my passion for illustration would never have been realized. I hope I'll have occasion to share some of that passion (and my extreme extroversion) with many of you in the art show and around the convention. Cheers!
Toastmaster
Notes for a Biography (of sorts) of Tadao Tomomatsu
by John DeChancie
Tadao Tomomatsu was raised in a lamasery somewhere in Nepal.
When he came of age, he expressed the desire to see the outside world. The High Lama kicked his ass out, with the admonition that Tadao never reveal his actual age, lest he instantly collapse into a heap of rags and dust. To this day, nobody knows how old Tadao is. If you ask him, he shows you his SAG card, which is no help.
The first place he went was not Paris, Rome, or even Hollywood... it was Glasgow, Scotland, where he acquired an incomprehensible Scots burr, which he uses to confound and discomfit people whenever he can. Somewhere along life's road, Tadao got it into his mind that he was an actor.
This delusion has served him in good stead. Tadao does not act so much as let loose, with judicious precision, one of his wild multiple personalities to serve the purpose of the play, TV show, or motion picture in which he appears. By this flummery, he continues to hoodwink the entertainment industry into believing he is a performer. He is no such thing. He is a clinical case history for hire.
And they have hired him--to play various roles ranging from a bewildered Japanese tourist (there is a lingering suspicion that Tadao is in fact of Asian extraction) in the feature Inspector Gadget, to a fisherman in the remake of Godzilla, to a police detective on the hit TV drama Heroes.
His most renowned role, however, has been "Mr. Shake Hands Man," a Japanese roving TV journalist with a Crazy-Glue handshake—he will never let go the hapless celebrity's hand—on TV's Banzai! As Mr. SHM, he has grappled mitts with countless celebrities, to their chagrin and embarrassment. Again, this blandly smiling homunculus with the death-grip is yet another facet of Tadao's inner multitudes.
There have been many detours on Tadao's life-highway. One of them is Fandom.
In one capacity or another, Tadao has contributed his efforts to many a fan convention, doing whatever he can, from loading and unloading the truck, to Toastmaster, Fan GoH, or general all-around factotum for the convention.
In fact, he is not above trundling people around in his car, conveying them to and from airports, to and from one fan function or another, to and from home, hotel, and hacienda. He has indulged in these boons of service, these good deeds, to such an extent that his family has suggested he install a taxi meter in the front seat.
Tadao is a good-deed-doer par excellence. He is so good-hearted that some people tend to take advantage. We shall not speak further of these people. Tadao has recently said enough is enough. He has ordered the taxi meter.
All in all, summing up, in lieu of saying something cogent and significant, I would have to say that Tadao Tomomatsu is a whole lotta guy. Or guys. He is a multiple threat. At least that's what Home Security has determined. Actor, comedian, fan, friend, taxi driver, Emergency Medical Technician, mover, shaker, Quaker, Zen priest (no kidding), raconteur, bon-vivant, and all-around great personality, Tadao Tomomatsu is many things to many people.
Although Tadao has had quite enough of us, we can't get enough of him.
Tadao Tomomatsu's website can be found at www.tadaotomomatsu.com.
Special Guests of Honor
Mercedes Lackey
Mercedes Lackey entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago. She had a normal childhood, meeting science fiction at age 10 or 11 when she picked up her father's copy of James H. Schmitz'Agent of Vega. She moved on to Andre Norton and remembers with chagrined amusement the difficulties of obtaining enough interesting books from the public library to sate her passion for reading.
She graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
She notes that: "I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't not write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a high-tech science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch,' credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes."
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job.' My stories come out of my characters and how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not."
In addition to her literary awards, Mercedes has received 5 Pegasus Awards for her songwriting.
She, and husband Larry Dixon, are actively involved in raptor rehabilitation and she often refers to her parrots as "feathered children." It is clear that this interest has influenced and informed her writing, particularly in the Mage Wars and Owl Mage series of books, co-authored with Dixon. She is an active supporter of The Alex Foundation, last year's BayCon charity.
For more information on Mercedes Lackey, please visit www.mercedeslackey.com.
Larry Dixon
Larry Dixon is a respected, funny, friendly and completely approachable guy with a diverse and adventurous history. He is a "Player Character," as he puts it, whose life seems like fiction--but he is completely for real.
Son of a Delta Force career commando and an Oklahoman farm girl, Larry grew up in many American and European settings, usually haunting the local art museums and hobby stores. At age 9 he saved up his baby-sitting money and bought his first typewriter, intent upon writing and illustrating his own novels. Northern Italy is where his passions for painting, sculpting and storytelling took root, as well as his interests in state-level diplomacy, early computers and rocketry.
In Junior High, Larry became one of the "Boy Wonder" strategists at the Ft. Bragg Battle Simulations Center, spending his weekends facing off against Army officers on armor-and-battalion sand tables. During this time, he learned Chainmail and Dungeons & Dragons from some of the original mimeographed and handwritten manuscripts of the games. He has been a roleplaying games (RPG) buff since the 1970's, and has illustrated or helped design many RPGs. Educated at the North Carolina School of the Arts during High School, and then at the Savannah College of Art and Design, his story work became as popular as his artwork. He has been an uncredited co-plotter or co-writer for many popular properties, bringing jovial and energetic approaches to collaborative work. Many cover-credited novels have followed, too, including the ever-popular Mage Wars series, the Mage Winds, Mage Storms, SERRAted Edge, and Owl Mage books with the mighty Mercedes (Misty) Lackey. Born to Run has been hailed as a "romp with a conscience," and The Black Gryphon has been critically referred to as "A modern classic," and is in its nineteenth printing.
As a birds-of-prey rehabilitation specialist, he and his wife Misty have gotten over four hundred hawks, owls, falcons and corbies back into the wild from their home-based facilities in Oklahoma. Additionally, Larry is an accomplished race car driver, storm-spotter, volunteer firefighter, world traveler, aviculturist, show host, occasional movie consultant/special effects man, model maker and internet veteran. His biggest movie contribution thus far---though still very minor, he says---is as the Great Eagles advisor for Peter Jackson's Lord Of the Ringsfilms.
Larry loves stand-up comedy, genre movies, subcultures, aikido, storms, design, SF TV, odd cars (he owns many, and a few even run), his hawks, cockatoos and owls, history, comic books, architecture, costume, road trips, woodworking, studio scale and hobby scale model making, International Rally and American LeMans Series racing, dirty jokes, club/trance/ electronica, synth, experimental, and ambient music, and just plain making people feel good about themselves.
Additionally, Larry sponsors substance abuse rehabilitation patients and he seems to be the "go-to guy" for emotional, relationship, and life-direction advice. He is a survivor of many serious illnesses and refuses to be stopped by his health circumstances. Over the years, his rescue work has led to all sorts of injuries (when a paramedic calls a man "hard to kill," you know a guy's been around). He's licensed as a bodyguard and trained in executive protection & extraction and combat driving. As of this writing, he is also just a few months short of his private investigator license.
Larry's work has been published in a dozen languages with millions of copies in print, and he's been a Guest at over 200 conventions worldwide over the last 25 years. BUT-- he's available for work, don't be bashful about asking. He isn't ALWAYS off on some adventure. Be bold! Reach him at gryphonking@gmail.com anytime.
His ongoing, everchanging, decades-long romance with Mercedes Lackey is legendary. Larry feels equally comfortable around generals, rock stars, fans, firefighters, victims, cops, media and movie makers because, hey, he's an Okie. Definitely chat with him or ask questions at panels about approaches to your work--nothing makes him happier than helping someone with their avocations, and bringing more beauty into the world.
For more information on Larry Dixon, please visit www.gryphonking.aelfhame.net.
More Guests
D.M. Atkins
D.M. Atkins is an anthropologist and author of both nonfiction and fiction. She is co-author of Faewolf - an erotic fantasy published this spring from Circlet Press. She has edited several anthologies on LGBT topics, including Looking Queer, Lesbian Sex Scandals, and Bisexual Women in the 21st Century and is the former editor of both Locus and Shadows Of... magazines. In recent years, she has been a popular fan fiction author, under a pseudonym, and has won many awards for her "slash" fiction. D.M. lives in the Bay Area with her two husbands, girlfriend, their son, her mother, three cats, and a dog.
Loyd Auerbach
Loyd Auerbach, M.S., Director of the Office of Paranormal Investigations, is one of the world's leading experts on Ghosts and Psychic Experience and has been investigating and researching cases of apparitions, haunting, poltergeists and more for over 30 years. He is the author of 7 books, including A PARANORMAL CASEBOOK (Atriad Press, 2005), HAUNTINGS & POLTERGEISTS (Ronin Publishing, 2004) and GHOST HUNTING: How to Investigate the Paranormal (Ronin, 2004). He has a graduate degree in Parapsychology, is on the Boards of three major parapsychological organizations, and teaches at HCH Institute (Parapsychological Studies Certificate Program, local and distance learning) and JFK University in the Bay Area. His media appearances on TV, radio and in print number in the thousands, including national programs such as THE VIEW, LARRY KING LIVE, SIGHTINGS, and specials on A&E, History, Travel and Discovery Channels, and more. He is a professional mentalist and psychic entertainer, performing as Professor Paranormal.
Avalon Rising
This Celtic rock band is lead by Kristoph Klover (lead vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, mandola). Its other members are Margaret Davis (lead vocals, flute, Celtic harp, recorder), Mark Ungar (bass, mandocello, vocals), Cat Taylor (electric violin), and Scott Irwin (drums).
Albert Baker
Albert C. Baker III is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a degree in computer science, and a smattering of additional education in the hard sciences. He plays board games, card games, and computer games, and has a sizable collection of games that stretch back to the 1970's. He has regularly volunteered his time to help run local science fiction conventions ever since his first convention back in 1999, and specializes in lighting, audio, and sound. As part of this volunteer work, he has been repeatedly called on to find a vendor for liquid nitrogen for program items, and in 2004 founded the "BayCon Cryogenic Culinary Academy" which engages in research, education, and demonstration of liquid nitrogen in food preparation, specifically the manufacture of ice cream.
Keith Baker
Keith Baker began his career as a MMORPG designer, but after seeing two promising projects (VR1 Crossroads and Lost Continents) canceled after years of work, he left the video game industry for the lucrative world of freelance RPG design. Surprisingly enough, this paid off when Wizards of the Coast picked his Eberron Campaign Setting in their 2002 Fantasy Setting Search. Since then Keith has written eight RPG sourcebooks for Eberron, five novels, and the Eye of the Wolf comic book. Feeling that computer games, roleplaying games, novels, and comics weren't enough, Baker created Gloom, a card game in which players use transparent cards to tell humorous and morbid tales. As a freelance RPG writer, he has worked with companies including Atlas Games, Goodman Games, Green Ronin Games, and Paizo Press, producing material for Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Feng Shui, Ars Magica, Mutants and Masterminds, and Over the Edge. His most recent novel is The Son of Khyber, the second book of the Thorn of Breland series.
Tony Barajas
Tony has been studying classical and competitive fencing since 1992. He received his certification as Provost at Arms from the San Jose State Fencing Masters Program in 2008. He studied historical fencing at DEMAS for 4 years learning the use of rapier, rapier and dagger, Cut and Thrust Sword, and Long Sword. He is a founding member of the guild of Saint Michael's Salle d' Ames, a non-profit corporation dedicated to the study and education in Western European Martial Arts. Historical treatises such as the I33 manuscript (written in 1275), Flos Duellatorum (1409) and Gran Similacro dell'arte e dell'uso della Scherma (1610) serve as the foundation for the curriculum. In addition, Tony is an avid practitioner of Asian martial arts, with a black belt in Akido and brown belt in Tae Kwan Do. He is also a student of Shotokan, Jujitsu and Escrima.
Trystan L. Bass
When she was five years old, Trystan loved to dress up in black tights and a trench coat to play Mrs. Peel from "The Avengers." She's been wearing funny clothes ever since. After learning to sew at her mother's knee, Trystan's main hobby became creating her own gothic and historical outfits. In the past few decades, she has worked at Renaissance faires, judged science-fiction/fantasy masquerades, served in various offices for the Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild, organized gothic fashion shows, played in the Society for Creative Anachronism, and won Best in Show with the Eugenie group at CostumeCon 26. Stuff she makes can be seen at www.trystancraft.com.
Jean Battiato
Referred to as the Grandmother or the Gothmother of S.F. Bay Area, Neshamah has been in the underground music world since 1994. Her eclectic mix of industrial, electronica, deathrock, hard rock and cyber/steam punk has taken her all over the world, and has given her the title of one of the craziest djs you will ever hear. With six dj world's records under her belt, she has currently landed hosting duties on a specialty show on Channel 92.3 (KSJO/Clear Channel) called "Black Friday".
Clare Bell
Clare Bell was born in 1952 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. Growing up in Palo Alto, California, she became fascinated by prehistoric mammals and went on to attend UC Santa Cruz, majoring in biology and chemistry. She has worked as a USGS hydrological/geological field technician aboard the research ship Polaris and as a electrical engineer for IBM. Her first novel, Ratha's Creature, won the 1983 International Reading Association's Children's Book Award. She left IBM in 1990 to write full-time and have time to design and race electric vehicles. Firebird Books re-issued the first four Ratha titles in 2007, and Imaginator Press published a new book, Ratha's Courage, in 2008. Bell and her husband live in the hills west of Patterson, CA, where they have built their own solar, wind and hydroelectric systems. Her four cats are both companions and research assistants. For more about the author and the series, please see: www.rathascourage.com and www.imaginatorpress.com.
Doug "Penguinboy" Berry
Doug is known mainly for his contributions to medical science. He's given his spleen, teeth, a couple of lymph nodes, and most recently his gall bladder to the cause. He is rapidly running out of optional parts. When not confined to a hospital bed Doug writes for role-playing games. Published works include GURPS Traveller: Ground Forces, At Close Quarters, and he has contributed to several other books. He is known as an expert on all sorts of military questions. Doug has been trying, without much success, to start writing fiction. To keep food on the table, Doug drives a truck delivering construction materials throughout the Bay Area and the Central Valley. He lists his religion as Orthodox Baseball, Giants Synod. But what Doug is perhaps best known for is his perverse fascination with penguins.
Father John Blaker
John Blaker has been a fan of science fiction and fantasy for as long as he can remember. He attended his first convention in 1975: the Westercon held in Oakland (OakLACon). The first Worldcon he attended was Iguanacon (1978). He became involved in running conventions in 1982 when he volunteered at the first BayCon. He has volunteered at a number of BayCons as well as other local cons including Silicon 1990 (Masquerade Head) and ConJose (Head of Extravaganzas). He has competed on-stage at:
• ConFrancisco - "Waiting for a Miracle" (with Bruce and Dana MacDermott) – "Most Imaginative" (in the Master Division)
• Chicon 2000 - "Ancient Plagues" (with Pierre and Sandy Pettinger) – Best in Show.
• Torcon – "Trumps of Amber" (with Pierre & Sandy and a cast of dozens. Designed and made own costume) – Best in Show
• Noreascon – "Future Icons" (with Pierre & Sandy. Designed & made own costume based on artwork) – Best in Class, Master
He is an RPG gamer. He has a great interest in film, especially visual effects.
Jeff and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
Science fiction and fantasy writer Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff and her husband Jeff are no strangers to science fiction conventions. Maya is the author of the novels MR. TWILIGHT (collaborating with Michael Reaves with whom she is currently working on a new Star Wars novel) and THE MERI (her first novel in re-release by Sense of Wonder Press). Her short fiction has appeared in magazines ranging from Analog to Realms of Fantasy toInterzone; her non-fiction has adorned the pages of Writer's Digest, and The Writer. She and Jeff are also the perpetrators of three filk albums -- RETRO ROCKET SCIENCE, ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK, and the newly-released GRATED HITS (which includes the epic "Midi-chlorian Rhapsody.") They also have two "serious" music CDs -- MANHATTAN SLEEPS and MOBIUS STREET.
The Bohnhoffs reside in San Jose, CA with their talented and alliterative brood: Alex, Avery, and Amanda.
David Bratman
David Bratman has been a critic and reviewer and critic specializing in fantasy for many years. His bio-bibliographic study of the Inklings is in Diana Pavlac Glyer's book The Company They Keep (2007), and his other articles on Tolkien and the Inklings have appeared in various publications, including the Mythopoeic Society's bulletin Mythprint which he edited for many years. He compiled Ursula K. Le Guin: A Primary Bibliography (1995) and edited The Masques of Amen House by Charles Williams (2000). He writes a literature survey, "The Year's Work in Tolkien Studies," for the annual Tolkien Studies. In fandom, David has been a member of various apas and has worked on a few convention committees, most notably as three-time Hugo administrator. David lives in northern California with a soprano (his wife, Berni Phillips) and two cats. In his other life, he is a traveling consulting librarian and classical music concert reviewer.
Debbie Bretschneider
I love costuming so much, I even did a Pecha Kucha presentation in February on "My Journey in Costuming". I had to get a "fix"! I mostly costume at Baycon, but I enjoy historical costuming as well. My highest achievement in costuming was winning Best in Show at Baycon 22 in 2004 for "On Loan from the Haunted Mansion". I have been a member of the Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild since 1999. Look for me to be doing my part this year by Hall Costuming whenever possible!
Ric Bretschneider
Ric Bretschneider obsessively collects geek activities. Your computer likely has at least one application he's worked on. Lately he's been into pro and fan applications ecommunities and podcasting. When he has a moment, Ric reads books and comics, and plays analog board and card games.
Kent Brewster
Kent Brewster is a Hugo- and Nebula-nominated writer and editor. When not herding chickens, he builds fun new toys for Netflix.
Paula Butler
Paula Butler is a technical writer living with Ctein, two parrots, and two parakeets in Daly City, California. Paula and Ctein enjoy solar and nighttime astronomy from their cliff above the Pacific Ocean. Paula has degrees in Physics and Geology and has worked in electronics and oil exploration. She did serious world building for Contact Conference simulations of first contacts between humans and aliens. Recently, her science fiction reading tends toward alternate history.
Paul Carlson
Paul Carlson is a truck driver by day, a science fiction author by night, and a gardener on weekends. He's also the proud father of a Marine Corps serviceman. He lives in California's East Bay area with his wife of 27 years.
Andrew Clark
Andrew has yet to be thrown out of fandom for some years now. At the tender age of 16 he was stuck all night in a BayCon elevator with Klingons and a Cylon, armed only with a traumatized Tribble to hide under. This may have caused his soft spot for red shirts. His interests have always included information technology, social control and the quaint concept of Constitutional rights and law. Due to recent changes in the job market, his master's in Social Ecology no longer qualifies him to serve lattes. Instead, he does training and quality assurance for a large services firm. Author favorites include Robert A. Heinlein, Lois McMaster Bujold, C.J. Cherryh, Spider Robinson and when he thinks no one is looking, just about everything from Baen Books past and present including "Oh John Ringo No!" Whoops.
Linda Clements
After the launch of Sputnik the U.S. urged all young people toward science. Before discovering this meant young MEN Linda had a Ph.D. in engineering from Stanford. Since then she has been a rocket scientist, astronaut reject, NASA contractor, developer of Kevlar, military weapons lead, and engineering professor—all while remaining a cat-loving, liberal, anti-nuclear feminist for peace and alternative energy. Today she is CEO of Nevada Composites, a leading-edge company that facilitates making and repairing space-age composites, and a professional writer striving to make technology understandable. In 1992 she and husband John Crowley moved to Dayton—Nevada's oldest settlement—fleeing the Bay Area for a more human-friendly environment. If she had time, Linda would spend it camping, championing historic preservation, writing science fiction, researching genealogy, making jewelry, and sewing. Meanwhile, Linda gazes out her office window at the Pony Express Trail, Sutro Tunnel, wild horses, and snow-covered Sierra.
Mary Cordero
Mary Cordero is an incorrigible fan girl, costumer and pro belly dancer who dances with fans and fen. She's down to 2 jobs (out of 8) as educational institutions cut back on the classes they offer and restaurants close/forego entertainment. She's won many awards for both her dancing and costuming skills over the years, and has several BS/MS degrees (a hobby) in assorted topics from the arts to economics, psychology to education. She is a proud alumn of world-famous belly dancer Suhaila Salimpour's Repertoire Ensemble. She's married to Michael Sarkisian and together they care for her disabled brother Heleo (the gent in the top hat with a white dragon). Next on their bucket list is transforming their urban garden oasis in Oakland into a small urban farm, complete with chickens and a goat. The Rat Ranching will continue. . . the rats see to that!
Jon Cory
Jon's debut novel "A Plague of Scoundrels" received the 2009 IPPY silver medal award for popular fiction. His time-traveling, rollicking tale of romance and adventure in seventeenth century England has received high praise from reviewers for its humor and offbeat characters. Jon comes from a family of readers and writers. He grew up in the Midwest, lived in the South and West before settling in California. A worldwide traveler, Jon has participated as a team member of archaeological expeditions in seven countries. When he is not digging up ancient civilizations he spends his time writing humorous fiction and enjoying the wine country.
MariEllen Cottman
MariEllen Cottman is a Bioinformatics Engineer who majored in Chemistry and Biology. She has always enjoyed both science fiction and anime conventions. Her costuming expertise resides primarily in armor making as her first costume made was full body armor. She enjoys working with unique materials to translate a 2D image into a 3D costume.
John Crowley
John Crowley is an engineer and scientist whose passion runs to the creation and modification of materials to perform new functions. He is the co-founder of a number of companies engaged in advanced materials engineering. He has been married to Dr. Linda Clements for 37 years and they have two sons, Tim and Colin. He is an interested observer of history and its interaction with our modern myths and legends. With his wife he enjoys travel, bluegrass and Celtic music, and he marks their journeys by the people he has met and the food they have partaken of.
Tim Crowley
Gamer, modder, and all-around tech geek, Tim Crowley hails from Carson City, Nevada (which is on the OPPOSITE side of the state from Las Vegas, thank you). Having acquired a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Nevada, Reno, Tim assures you that he is now even MORE qualified to say he knows "everything". (Where "everything" is defined as the narrow scope of knowledge relating to computers, video and computer games, Magic the Gathering, science fiction television, and breaking Justin Lloyd's laptop without touching it!)
Howard Davidson
Howard Davidson was captured by Heinlein's Rocketship Galileo the first day of second grade. He wanted to build what he read about, so he became a Ph.D. experimental physicist and several kinds of engineer. Howard now has more than thirty issued patents. Jon Singer talked him into going to NASFIC in 1987. He's been going to about five cons a year, and have been on panels, ever since. He comes to cons for the people. He finds it great fun to invent slightly bent science and engineering for science fiction plots. Some writers figured this out. He now has credits in the front of several novels, including two of Vernor Vinge's Hugo winners. Howard is internationally recognized in several of his technical specialties.
Margaret Davis
Margaret holds degrees in Music and French from Knox College and has been performing and teaching for twenty years, specializing in the Celtic music of her Scottish heritage and Early Music. In addition to performing with her husband Kristoph Klover, she leads the Celtic/Early Music trio Broceliande and performs with Celtic rock band Avalon Rising. Margaret has been Chairman of the Board of the Bay Area Folk Harp Society and worked with Stanford Hospital's Music for Healing Program and Oakland-based Healing Muses. She has lent her vocal and instrumental talents to dozens of recordings, and she co-runs Flowinglass Music.
Chris Doyle
Chris remains active with her professional associations (national and state), but has given up being Department Chairman at her hospital for being Corporate President. She has become a "physician champion" for the Daughters of Charity Health System implementation of an operating-room electronic medical record. Remember: GIGO. Chris can be found at Ren Faire and conventions, and continues to make costumes for a variety of events. And she spends way too much time playing on-line games. The "auto-highlighting" process continues, although she is still more red-headed than not.
Bobbie DuFault
Bobbie DuFault lives on a little five acre chunk of heaven, in the Pacific Northwest, with a house full of humans, and their many four legged friends. She is a technical and non-fiction writer by profession. Involved in the Reading for the Future program which promotes the use of Science Fiction and Fantasy in the Classroom www.readingforfuture.com she has also written a teacher's guide to internet resources. She knows she might be just a little bit crazy because she works on running conventions, and can frequently be found promoting some convention or another somewhere in the World. Currently she is working to bring the 65th Westercon to Seattle in 2012.
Jade Falcon
Jade Falcon is a photographer and writer in the Bay Area. Her hobbies include (but aren't limited to) historical & fantasy costuming, DIY projects, whip-cracking, fencing, riding her motorcycle, and not to mention all that weird science fiction/fantasy stuff.
Jeff Fennel
Jeff is an award winning artist and illustrator in a variety of mediums and disciplines. He was born in 1961 in the Philippines while his parents were stationed there. Jeff has vivid memories of his early childhood which include memories of a very lucid dream world. The space race and the Apollo program sparked his young imagination and inspired a lifelong love affair with space, astronomy and science-fiction so strong that when Jeff first learned to count, it was backwards from 10 (...9, 8, 7...) He is a member of the prestigious International Association of Astronomical Artists (I.A.A.A.) and is a frequent guest and speaker at science-fiction conventions throughout the West. To view his gallery work and for contact information please visit his website: www.JeffFennel.com. He lives with the love of his life, Ruth, and three children in the rural countryside of Northern California.
Chuck Finley
Chuck Finley is a man who can get things done. While living in Florida, Mr. Finley has been, at various times, an attorney, a cop, and a crime scene evidence technician. He has also lectured on office efficiency, teaching his patented system: "The Finley Method." He remains haunted by persistent rumors of shady dealings and ties to less than reputable elements in the Miami underworld. While no connection has ever been confirmed, the word in Miami is that "If the devil had a name, it'd be Chuck Finley." BayCon 2010 marks Chuck's first visit to California.
Cris A. Fitch
As with certain overly intellectual people, Cris suffers from delusions of grandeur. For example, he woke up the other morning convinced that we are missing a doublet of fundamental particles with weak hypercharge of 5/3rds. After graduating from MIT at age 19 with a focus on Artificial Intelligence, he came to realize that much of one's mental life is spent internally narrating in one's native tongue. Suffering with a fear of the transhumant condition, he is convinced that we are in the midst of a shift away from humans as top predator. Previously known for his work on machine translation systems at SYSTRAN, these days he works with high school students on underwater robots in San Diego.
Adrienne Foster
Adrienne coordinated writers workshops in a critique group format for nine conventions, including six Worldcons. She reviews books, movies, hotels, restaurants, and destinations at Epinions.com—specializing in those with a paranormal slant—and is an advisor in the Travel Category. She was on the founding staff of BayCon and established its first writers workshop in 1991. Her father is a master bookbinder and passed on some of his skills. In the mundane world, she works in technical publications. She currently organizes the Meetup.com group, Bay Area Ghost Hunters.
Andrew Fraknoi
Andrew Fraknoi is an astronomer and educator known for his skill in interpreting astronomical ideas in everyday language. Fraknoi is Chair of the Astronomy Department at Foothill College, where he teaches "astronomy and physics for poets" classes. In 2007, he was named California Professor of the Year. He appears regularly on KGO radio, KQED's Forum, and the syndicated Mark & Brian Show out of Los Angeles. Fraknoi was co-editor of The Planets and The Universe, two collections of science and science fiction published by Bantam in the 1980's and keeps a website that recommends SF stories with reasonable astronomy. He also wrote a children's book called Disney's Wonderful World of Space. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi to recognize his contributions to the public understanding of science, but he wants to reassure everyone that it is a boring asteroid and not a threat to Earth.
Valerie Frankel
Valerie Estelle Frankel was born at an early age. Her many essays and short stories have appeared in over seventy magazines and anthologies including Inside Joss' Dollhouse, Illuminating Torchwood, Rosebud Magazine, and The Oklahoma Review. Her unauthorized parody, Henry Potty and the Pet Rock, won the Indie Excellence Award and was a USA Book News National Best Book. Following numerous pop culture essays about girl power, her latest book, From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine's Journey through Myth & Legend, will be arriving this summer from McFarland and Co. It's the first book to examine the heroine's epic quest in world mythology and how it differs from the hero's. Learn more at www.calithwain.com.
Daryl G. Frazetti
Anthropologist and pop culture researcher with a specific focus on science fiction. Research areas include science fiction in higher education, the subculture of fandom, science fiction as mythos, using science fiction to explore fieldwork and human existence, and exploring various science fiction literature and pop media both cultural mirrors and cultural teachers. Personal tidbits including a passion for baseball, collecting Garfield items and tribbles, and spending time with my cats.
Jay Freeman
Jay Freeman has been a science fiction and fantasy fan since grammar school, and has had scientific and technical interests just as long. He has degrees in physics, marine biology, and physical anthropology. His doctoral thesis project flew on the last Apollo. He has mostly worked in computer science, in subdisciplines ranging from microcode to artificial intelligence. He has been an enthusiastic amateur astronomer since childhood, and has had articles on amateur astronomy published in Sky & Telescope. His hobbies have included playing guitar, building musical instruments, English regency ballroom dancing, piloting airplanes, growing roses, writing software, sleight-of-hand magic, and writing fiction. He lives in Palo Alto, California, with too many cats and not enough time, and has no idea what he wants to be if he grows up.
Chris Garcia
Christopher J Garcia is a writer, filmmaker and historian from Sunnyvale, CA. He's been a Curator at the Computer History Museum since 1999. A fan pretty much since birth, Chris has been involved in writing and editing fanzines since 2005. His zines include The Drink Tank (Hugo nominated 4 times, including this year!), Claims Department, Journey Planet (with James Bacon and Claire Brialey), and the Steampunk zine Exhibition Hall (with Ariane Wolfe and James Bacon). He's also an avid film fan, a wrestling reporter and is running 2011 edition of CorFlu in beautiful Sunnyvale, CA!
Tom Galloway
Tom Galloway is a former Googler. His adventures include winning on a game show, Neil Gaiman telling an audience "You should all get together and burn [Tom] as a witch", Harlan Ellison trying to get him dates via public radio, raising $10,000 for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund due to the result of a program item, being a Starfleet Admiral in a Trek comic book, organizing an MIT hack on the Harvard-Yale football game, creating the Google Gulp flavor Glutamate Grape, presenting the 2007 Fan Writer Hugo, and being a practice dummy for teaching Nobel Prize winners the Macarena.
ElizaBeth Gilligan
ElizaBeth "Lace" Gilligan lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Doug, and their adult son, Patrick (aka "the Wall"). Their daughter Brianna has found a handsome beau by the name of Charles and lives in the South Bay. Her house is home to four exuberant dogs and enough cats to establish her as the local shelter. ElizaBeth has been writing since earliest memory, but also learned the thrill of research. When she's not writing, she manages a research list for genre writers, JoysOfResearch@YahooGroups.com, is an herbalist, ardent historian, dabbles in the fiber arts (to include teaching knitting and developing her own patterns) and home-schooled her children. ElizaBeth's current projects are Sovereign Silk, the third book in the Silken Magic series, and Wolf Daughter (the working title for the first in a new series) which focuses upon a woman leading her people through the inner turmoil of a world with magical mutations and strict social caste structures.
Barry Gold
Barry is a computer programmer, webmaster for LASFS and ConChord, an amateur cook and pastry chef, a filksinger and guitar player, a rolegamer, and Lee Gold's husband. He has been involved in fandom for decades and knows a lot of songs. He cannot be described as related to Lynn Gold.
Lynn Gold
When she isn't filling in as a traffic reporter on KOIT-FM or KGO-TV, putting the "fun" back in "funeral," writing documentation (anyone need a tech writer?), or trying to convince her dog that "people food" isn't as tasty as "dog food," she's busy writing and performing music for laughs. She has been a Fan GoH at LosCon and will be Toastmaster at next year's Consonance. She's not related to Lee or Barry Gold.
Sarah Goodman
Sarah Goodman is an anthropologist by training, a gentlewoman by profession, and a retired bureaucrat on the census. In keeping with one of her favorite mottos, "Quand Même" she has spent a lifetime studying humankind and other semi-sapient and sapient races of the multiverse. Included amoung the activities involved in this study have general and specific participation in various fannish (especially costuming and SMOFfing, transtemporal re-creation activities (PEERS and Faires among others), entertaining, theatrical work ("I costume the nude show!"), massive amounts of reading, and serving as a personal assistant for her Bengal cats. She current blogs as Auntie Haggatha (at goodston.livejournal.com) providing household hints for The Control & Containment Of Chaos & Clutter in an attempt to do her best to slow the heat-death of the universe.
Adrienne Gormley
Adrienne Gormley divides her spare time between writing both science fiction and fantasy, various fiber arts, and a couple of online games she's grown fond of. Other than that she suffers through tax season each year helping people with software problems related to <ugh> filing taxes. At this point, her publishing credits run to a handful of short stories, all published in anthologies.
Taunya Gren
Taunya is an actor and producer who lives in Utah. She was first introduced to filk through Paul Kwinn when they worked at the same software company in 1995. Eventually the two of them started performing together. She and Paul are 50% of the musical group Puzzlebox. She is also involved in the web-series "Raising Kayn".
Ian Grey
Ian Grey grew up in Berkeley, and intends to stay in the great Bear State Republic of California until the Sun snuffs it. Over the years he has tried his hand at a variety of arts, as well as Motion Picture operation, desk-top publishing, web-page design, fencing, writing, and RPGs. He grew up in fandom, having dipped into pro-writing briefly as a co-writer with author Diana L. Paxson on her recent Thieves' World stories. These days he contends himself with raising teenagers, mastering his dog, being mastered by cats, studying history, poetry and education, and watching far to much film (foreign and domestic) for his own good.
Kathe Gust
Kathe is an Engineering Librarian at Stanford University, where she is taking part in the Grand Challenge of moving to library services with minimal paper resources. Kathe resumed sewing in 2003 inspired by Ngila Dickson's Rohan costumes for Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Since then she has learned additional skills, such as custom leather tooling and beading, to add to the authenticity of her work. Kathe and her husband Phil have presented panels on Building Harry Potter Wands, Padawan's Lightsaber Academy, Women in Beards, Large Scale Masks and Building Armor for Costumers.
Philip Gust
Philip Gust has been interested in how things are made ever since he can remember and he's spent way too much free time trying to find out. Since discovering science fiction and monster movies in his early teens, he's been especially interested in special effects, animation, props, accessories, model making, and prosthetic makeup. In the past several years, he has added costuming list of vices. Phil has been working with computers for nearly forty years, and is an expert in advanced graphical user interfaces (GUIs), "groupware", knowledge management, virtual environments, and telepresence. He regularly speaks on these topics at conferences and seminars world-wide. He was also active in the space program as a member of science teams for NASA interplanetary space missions that have visited every planet in the solar system, including Mariner 10 (Venus, Mercury) and Voyager (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), and as a special consultant on Viking (the first Mars lander).
Marty Halpern
Marty Halpern (along with his co-editor Nick Gevers) recently posed the question Is Anybody Out There? – and much to his delight, he received a response: DAW Books will be publishing original theme anthology Is Anybody Out There? – stories about the Fermi paradox – on June 1. Marty (with Nick) is currently working on a "hard urban fantasy" anthology entitled Strange Magnificence. From 1999 through 2007, Marty Halpern was an acquisitions editor for Golden Gryphon Press. His edited works received the Hugo, World Fantasy (three), International Horror Guild, and William L. Crawford awards. He currently freelances for Ace Books, Night Shade Books, Tachyon Publications, and others. Marty also copyedits Realms of Fantasy magazine, beginning with the October 2009 issue, and will be copyediting the rebooted Dreams of Decadence magazine later this year. You can follow Marty on Twitter (martyhalpern) and visit his blog "More Red Ink" at martyhalpern.blogspot.com.
Mette Hedin
Mette Hedin is a passionate amateur costumer who has spent the last 15 years expanding her costuming horizons. In the last 4 years she has entered 12 masquerades with her husband Bryan Little, including costumes such as Spy vs Spy, Lego Star Wars, and the Ood from Doctor Who.
Leigh Ann Hildebrand
Leigh Ann Hildebrand talks a lot – about religion, feminism, sexuality, costuming, bacon, mixology, knitting, public transit, art schools, Santa, ghazals, bargains, college financial aid strategies, hijabs, outsider art, Jewish mystical texts, etiquette, medieval multiculturalism, pink gadgets, mystical experiences, silk, blogs, the South, p0wnies, henna, lint, elections, Harlan Ellison, vests, bathtubs, podcasts, Hugo nominees, Arabic letters, pagans, badge ribbons, arugula, grief, Egyptian art appearing in movies based on graphic novels, the evil that is cilantro, watching classic video games, d/s, mythical lions – and a lot of other equally obscure, controversial, silly, important and/or fannish topics. She also loves to listen to other people talk about all of those things, especially if cocktails and chocolate are involved. Given that, it probably wouldn't surprise you to know that she is pursuing a degree in Comparative Religious Studies, when she's not costuming or co- hosting fannish gatherings in hotel bars.
Laurel Anne Hill
Laurel Anne Hill grew up in San Francisco, with more dreams of adventure than good sense or money. Her close brushes with death, love of family, respect for honor and belief in a higher power continue to influence her writing and life. In high school, Laurel entered many writing contests. Her winnings financed all four years of her undergraduate college tuition.She now loves to inspire young writers to follow their dreams and gives creative writing workshops for adults as well. Contact Laurel to arrange a visit to one of your local schools. KOMENAR Publishing released Heroes Arise, Laurel's award-winning novel, in 2007. Heroes Arise is about breaking the cycle of vengeance, about reaching into personal darkness and finding the light of reason. Laurel's shorter works of fiction and nonfiction have appeared in a variety of publications. Visit her website at http://www.laurelannehill.com.
Morgan Hua
Morgan Hua, a veteran of many Silicon Valley start ups, attended Clarion West and Odyssey. He's currently working on a fantasy novel set in 16th century Japan.
Anders Hudson
Anders Hudson is a special effects artist and designer in the Bay Area and has the luxury of working at one of the most prolific design studios outside of LA. He is known to be a costumer, period reencator, technical adviser, weapon smith, and general man of action. His work can be seen on television and feature films. While little more is known about his personal life, we are fairly sure he lives in the most zombie proof house in Campbell, it is rumored to be covered in asbestos plates and has a freakishly large collection of kitchen knives. He lives with a Valkyrie burlesque performer and a rescue pitbull with a heart of gold.
RJ Johnson
RJ Johnson - The Mayor of There - wants a time machine to take him back to the 1960s of Derek Flint, Steed & Mrs. Peel, and the Thunderbirds. An art auctioneer, improvisational comic and compliance professional, RJ has been in love with fandom and art auctions since his first Windycon in 1985 and has been trying to share that love ever since. He has sold other people's art for princely sums across the country since 1989. His latest interests are the intersection of photography and burlesque performance.
Ryan K. Johnson
Ryan K. Johnson is an independent filmmaker living in Seattle who has produced two dozen shorts ranging from parodies to thrillers. His best-known movies are four Doctor Who pastiches with a female Doctor; Star Trek: The Pepsi Generation and two Mystery Science Theater 3000 productions, all of which are available from him on DVD at very little cost. He currently works as a video editor and cinematographer in Seattle. Visit his website to learn more: www.eskimo.com/~rkj.
Berry Kercheval
For nearly 30 years, Berry Kercheval has been herding computers in the Bay Area for LLNL, Xerox PARC, and numerous startups; and has published two technical books. Having recently discovered that when writing fiction you can MAKE IT ALL UP he has started selling short stories and is working on a novel.
Walter L. Kleine
I'm a member of SFWA, with sales to Analog and Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress series, among others. I've studied with Marta Randall and Marion Zimmer Bradley. As Kleine Editorial Services, I've ghostwritten, rewritten, or edited books on everything from real estate to sex, several novels, children's books, and poetry. I've been writing all my life. Family legend has it that I was writing (story telling) before I could put words on paper, making up fantastic tales about my adventures with my favorite stuffed rabbit. I "decided to be a writer" in mid-high school, and three years later wrote my first published short story. I moved into photojournalism in graduate school, but never stopped writing, either journalism or, especially, science fiction. During my photojournalism years, I wrote (told stories) with my camera and won numerous awards, up to Pulitzer finalist.
Kristoph Klover
A recent inductee into the Filk Hall of Fame, Stoph has been contributing to filk recordings for over 25 years. He performs as a duo with his wife, Margaret Davis., as a member of the Celtic/Early Music trio Broceliande, and as leader of Celtic rock band Avalon Rising. He's also an accomplished sound engineer, producer, and arranger, co-runs music production company Flowinglass Music and is providing sound engineering for the Music Program at this year's Baycon.
Dani Kollin
Dani Kollin is an author with Tor Books. His first novel, co-written with his brother, Eytan, and one of three bought by Tor, is called The Unincorporated Man. Released in March 2009, The Unincorporated Man was designated a Sci Fi Essential and went on to become nominated as a finalist for this year's Prometheus Award for Best Novel (the winner will be announced at this year's Worldcon). Dani and Eytan's second novel, The Unincorporated War released this May. When he's not writing books, Dani works as a copywriter in the print, broadcast, packaging and new media fields. In addition to being happily married and the proud father of three, Dani is an avid endurance cyclist and surfer.
A B Kovacs
A B Kovacs is a contributing blogger and Calendars Editor at Skepchick.org. Additionally, she is the "Director of Døøm" at Dark Øverlord Media, a publishing company she co-founded with novelist Scott Sigler. Prior to Dark Øverlord, A was a clinical researcher focused on "lifestyle" drugs to treat things-that-won't-kill-you such as hayfever and erectile dysfunction. A is a rabid movie geek, Doctor Who fan, and science nerd. She volunteers in several women-forward and science-oriented organizations in San Diego where she lives.
Wanda Kurtcu
My name is Wanda Kurtcu. I have many facets to my reality. I am a Mom, wife, teacher, Buddhist, Taiko player, writer, science fiction/fantasy enthusiast and World Citizen! I owe my 15 minutes of fame to having a script, 'A Matter of Honor', produced by Star Trek: The Next Generation. So, what does that have to do with anything, especially at BayCon? Well, I believe that all of those components in my life and those in your lives make for a well rounded experience of blending current reality with alternate realities. There are a wonderful number of books, television shows and movies that blend the difficult realities of daily life with a venture into the fantastic. This is what it is all about. To go beyond what we are, to strive against impossible odds and succeeding in both the current and alternate realities. I choose to try to live in my universes of choice as often as possible. However, I also try to bring the best aspects of all those worlds into my current reality. That's what BayCon is all about. We do our best to bring the best of our universes of choice together in one place. Please feel free to say hello when you see me wondering in the halls!
Paul Kwinn
Paul discovered filking in the early 90s when accompanying his artist wife, Beckett Gladney, to cons. He started attending filk cons in 1992 and has been amassing awards for his songwriting at an alarming rate. When he's not writing songs or hanging out with his wife and twin sons, Riley and Casey, he's a software engineer at Judobaby.
Angelena Kyzar-Crowhurst
Angelena joins BayCon for her 12th year supporting the con's great belly-jam tradition. After spending her youth as a pianist/singer performing/competing in traditional American musical genres, she took her first bellydance class (on a dare) and fell in love with a whole new magical world of expression with new musical challenges. Teaching/performing Middle Eastern music and dance since 1992, including a stint teaching Arabic percussion at UC Berkeley, Angelena currently composes/directs, and fronts the celebrated Arabic-Celtic-Rock band, Boudicca and drums for the annual SF Reclaiming Spiral Dance. Performance resume includes genre greats like The Georges Lammam Ensemble, Hamza el Din, and The Dead. Angelena holds a bachelor degree in Information Technology and works on her pet project, a paranormal audio forensics analytics database while working toward a masters degree in information systems. Angelena loves sci-fi/fantasy, costuming, WoW, and lives in Santa Rosa, CA with her husband and two fluffy cats.
Bridget Landry
Bridget Landry was educated as a chemist and planetary scientist, trained as an engineer, and has worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, the joint US-French oceanographic Earth orbiter Topex, the (wildly successful!) Mars Pathfinder project, and is currently a team member on the Cassini Mission to Saturn. She is also deeply interested in, and committed to, helping with the retention of girls in science and math, from middle school onwards. In her technical hat, she has been on science panels at WorldCons, local, and regional conventions. Ms. Landry has been a fan since the age of 13, when she worked for 4 hours at her first science fiction con before ever getting her badge. She is a costumer with a twisted sense of humor, most noted for the "Strauss Waltz Assault Team", "Computer Pirates", and the "Victorian Bathing Beauties". She has won both presentation and workmanship awards, and participated in costuming panels and workshops, from the local to the WorldCon level.
Stephen Libbey
Stephen has worked in the consumer electronics industry for 8 years. The only thing he likes more than the technology itself is the cool stuff the technology allows him to do, like play really awesome video games, in HD, with surround sound, and then tweet about the outcome (which is primarily getting owned). One day he combined his love of technology with his degree in political science and discovered he had very strong opinions on topics like digital rights, and net neutrality. He is the former president of the Sacramento chapter of the Entertainment Consumer Association. He is also a former BayCon staff member, having worked on the newsletter from 2002-2009.
Bryan Little
Some say "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well." Bryan says "If it's Not worth doing well do it with duct tape. If it is worth doing well do it with a LOT of duct tape!" Bryan Prefers to costume with cardboard and plastic bits, putting it together with hot glue gun and Duct tape!
Allison Lonsdale
Allison Lonsdale (www.allisonlonsdale.com) wants to be a memetic virus when she grows up. She makes a living as a technical editor and makes the living worthwhile by singing her original songs about sex, science, and the supernatural in coffee-houses. Her fiction has appeared in the anthologies Best Transgender Erotica, Blood Surrender, and From Porn to Poetry, and will also be in the upcoming Best Erotic Fantasy & Science Fiction. In her spare time she invents new genders and rehabilitates domesticated memes for release into the wild.
C. Sanford Lowe
C. Sanford "Candy" Lowe is a science fiction writer and co-author of a series of novelettes about the making of a black hole with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona and an airline pilot in New Mexico, Lowe has worked in IT at Stanford University for a number of years. When not writing, she collaborates in experimental electronica with her husband, and has shared their performance art on the stage all over the world. She also tutors students studying English as a second language.
Richard A. Lupoff
Richard A. Lupoff discovered science fiction in the comics before he learned to read. Once he overcame that obstacle he went from reader and collector to busy fan (best fanzine winner for Xero), book editor (Canaveral Press, Surinam Turtle Press), anthologist (What If? Volume 1, 2), university professor (College of Marin, University of California), and radio broadcaster (KPFA). Oh, he's also written some books. About sixty of them. And a hundred or so short stories and novelettes. Current projects include three-deck collection (Terrors, Visions, Dreams) and several planned novels (Beneath the Karst, Transtemporal!). He also has extensive publishing credits in fields ranging from mystery and horror fiction to criticism and cultural history. His short story 12:01 PM has been the basis of several films, both authorized and plagiarized. He holds the unusual distinction of having stories selected for best-of-the-year anthologies in three different fields: science fiction, horror, and mystery.
Patricia MacEwen
Pat MacEwen is a physical anthropologist (translation: bone freak) with a sordid past in crime scene investigation and marine ecology. She publishes short science fiction, fantasy, and mystery in magazines like F&SF, and various anthologies. Alien sex is a guilty pleasure and she also gets heated up over global warming. Currently doing research on the phenomenon of genocide and marketing a pair of fantasy novels.
Laura Majerus
Laura Majerus has been an intellectual property lawyer for over 20 years. She has worked in law firms and currently works as a patent attorney for a large silicon valley company. She was a programmer before she was a lawyer and a fan before she was a programmer.
Nick Mamatas
Nick Mamatas is the Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild-nominated author of three and a half novels, including the forthcoming Sensation (PM Press 2011) and The Damned Highway (w/ Brian Keene, Dark Horse Books, 2011), and over sixty short stories that have appeared on Tor.com,Lovecraft Unbound, Weird Tales and many other magazines and anthologies. As editor of Clarkesworld he was nominated for the Hugo and World Fantasy awards and with Ellen Datlow he edited Haunted Legends (Tor, 2010). Currently, Nick edits novels for Haikasoru, an imprint of Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation, for VIZ Media and reviews books and films for SciFi Wire.
Edward Martin III
Edward Martin III is an award-winning filmmaker from Portland, OR. He adapted and directed an animated adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft's "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath", produced "The Cosmic Horror Fun-Pak", wrote and directed a 10-minute comprehensive period adaptation of "Lord of the Rings", and is in deep post-production of "Flesh of my Flesh," a ground-breaking independent zombie action movie. He's also in development or preproduction for several other feature films, and a handful of shorts. Visit http://www.guerrilla-productions.org/ for more information. Edward (and his buddy Ryan) will be hosting "Let's Make a Movie!" this year at Baycon, where participants make a movie in a matter of hours. Keep up!
Jean P. Martin
Jean Martin is the editor-in-chief, writer and photographer for the ezine, SF/SF: Science Fiction/San Francisco, which covers all areas of fandom in the Bay Area. She is involved in costuming, dance, singing, and acting, and has won awards for costuming and as part of masquerade teams. She has also been part of panels at science fiction conventions speaking about topics such as costuming and Steampunk. Jean won a FAAn Achievement Award for Best New Fan from Corflu 2009. She is one of the Bay Area English Regency Society and Period Events and Entertainments Re-creation Society organizers. She also participates in local Browncoats, Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica fan clubs.
Shannon McCabe
Shannon McCabe is the owner of Haunted & Paranormal Investigations International (H.P.I.) along with her business partner, Paul Dale Roberts, General Manager and Ghost Writer. Together they run one of the largest paranormal groups in the country with over 650+ members. They have done many paranormal TV programs including Penn & Teller's "Bullshit", "Conversations with a Serial Killer", "Michael Jackson: In Search of his Spirit", History Channel's "Monsterquest", and an "Angels & Demon's" documentary. They will be coming out with a book in 2011 about their unusual paranormal escapades.
Derek McCaw
The kids in junior high laughed when he said he'd be friends with Luke Skywalker, but as a freelance writer Derek ended up working for Mark Hamill on Comic Book The Movie. Among other unlikely childhood dreams that earned every wedgie he got was to become a BBC Commentator, which he has done for radio host David Reeves in Humberside. He has run the pop culture website Fanboy Planet for almost a decade, and for most of his adult life been an actor, English/Drama and Improv teacher. In comics, Derek wrote the short-lived series Tony Loco, the graphic novel revival of The Greatest American Hero with original star William Katt and has collaborated with artist Rafael Navarro on a story for Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave. For the past three years, he has hosted the Fanboy Planet podcast, which schedules a live show at BayCon.
Margaret McGaffey-Fisk
Margaret McGaffey-Fisk developed a love for different cultures when wandering around archeological sites as a Foreign Service brat in the Middle East and Greece. A combined anthropology and creative writing degree continued that focus, but a healthy dose of science fiction and fantasy warped it in ways most of her teachers would never have imagined. Her speculative fiction has appeared in Cloaked in Shadow by Fantasist Enterprises and Triangulation 2004 by PARSEC. Her nonfiction can be found in Vision: A Resource for Writers and The Author's Grimoire by Dragon Moon Press. As an active member of both Forward Motion, www.fmwriters.com, and Online Writers Workshop, www.sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com, she has been honing her ability to craft tales while helping other writers pass the hurdles between writing the first word and publication. Visit her website at www.margaretfisk.mmfcf.com for more information.
John F. McGowan
John F. McGowan, Ph.D. is a software developer, research scientist, and consultant. He works primarily in the area of complex algorithms that embody advanced mathematical and logical concepts, including speech recognition and video compression technologies. He writes occasional articles for the Math Blog and has published two articles on space access on The Space Review. He has worked at NASA Ames Research Center as a contractor and is active in the Mars Society. He has published papers on the exploration of Mars, anticipating the discovery of methane in the Martian atmosphere, and on the origin and evolution of life. He has many years of experience developing software in Visual Basic, C++, and many other programming languages and environments. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. in Physics from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
Christian B. McGuire
Christian B. McGuire is a lifelong reader of SF and Fantasy, but he'll read anything someone suggests he'd enjoy. He has been active in fandom since the early '80s, joined the LASFS and Time Meddlers in 1986 and his fanac has been spiraling out of control ever since. Christian aspires to the title Senior Cult Leader (Ret.). He failed to achieve this goal in late August of 2006, but hopes July 2010 will be enough. Despite therapy he's still keeping up that most expensive of hobbies; collecting chairs. Christian can cavort and spin on a variety of subjects too numerous to list here, but a modest selection includes fandom, clubs, convention running, Core Fandom, fanzines, reading, anime, TV (Firefly, BSG, Dr. Who & Torchwood, etc.) & movies old and new.
Monique Morales
Monique Morales is the co-organizer of Bay Area Ghost Hunters. Monique's personal experiences with the paranormal brought her to Bay Area Ghost Hunters. Some personal encounters include: seeing apparitions, shadowy figures, "balls of light" and hearing spirits in conversation. She actively investigates paranormal phenomena at sacred sites, ghost tours and local cemeteries. Her interests include: photographing and researching inter-dimensional light being phenomena. A Sensitive, having Empathic and Healing abilities, Monique has captured hundreds of phenomenal photographs, held healing sessions, and hosted events encompassing phenomena and the paranormal. In her free time, Monique is a working musician, managing and singing with a local band. A published poet, she enjoys creative writing, including music lyrics and fictional stories.
Kevin Andrew Murphy
Kevin Andrew Murphy is a long-time native of San Jose with dual citizenship in the own strange worlds of his imagination with embassies in others. He's one of the Wild Cards authors and has fiction upcoming in Fort Freak and recently in Busted Flush. He's also done a triptych of stories for Esther Friesner's new suburban fantasy anthologies, Witch Way to the Mall, Strip Mauled and the upcoming Fangs for the Mammaries, featuring his accidental magician Bryce Pierponte. He also has fiction just out in Paizo's Pathfinder Journal Kingmaker #4. When he's not writing, Kevin games, brews mead, and in general enjoys himself.
G. David Nordley
G. David Nordley is the science fiction pen name of Gerald David Nordley. A retired AF astronautical engineer with degrees in physics and systems management, he is the author of over 50 published works of short fiction, a dozen or so non-fiction articles, technical papers, a story collection, After the Vikings with Scorpiusdigital (an electronic version is available from Fictionwise.com, and two novels that have published in parts in Analog. His main interest is the future of human exploration and settlement of space, and he tries to keep his scientific background real. He has four Analog ÒAnlabÓ readersÕ awards, and a Hugo and a Nebula nomination. Among other activities, Gerald serves as treasurer of CONTACT: Cultures of the imagination, a non-profit organization that puts on an annual interdisciplinary conference concerning the development of intelligent life from raw planets to space travelers that we may someday meet, or become ourselves. Gerald lives in Sunnyvale, California with his wife, a retired Macintosh computer programmer. His last publication was the short novel, To Climb a Flat Mountain, published as a serial in the November and December issues of Analog in 2009.
Kay Pannell
Kay Pannell has been a panelist at Baycon for several years, and she has also participated in the art show with her fantasy masks. Professionally she is a Registered Environmental Professional and Registered Environmental Assessor, with a Master's Degree in Geobiology. Her expertise is in the environmental remedation field, with specialties in radioactive waste and unexploded ordnance disposal. Most recently she has been a Chief Operations Officer for an environmental firm in San Jose. Currently she is involved as a Project Director for a live theater production in the Bay Area concerning returning combat veterans. Ask her all about it at the con.
Tory Parker
I have a wide variety of interests and experience. I am a costumer, teacher, computer geek, history buff, magician, musician, re-enactor, and somewhat of a jack of all trades. I have fixed instrument systems on Air Force fighter jets and served as a Squadron Commander, Observer, Radio Operator, and Instructor in the Civil Air Patrol. I enjoy sharing my life with Kay, my partner of 15 years, three cats, and a very vocal sun conure nicknamed Mr. Evil.
Marc Patton
A native of Chicago, Marc visited California once on family business and promptly moved here. Now that he's retired from law enforcement, he runs a security consulting firm and devotes his free time to his hobbies of tactical shooting and wildlife conservation. Marc lives in Shadowed Hills with his lovely wife, Laura, and a litter of coyotes. His father-in-law jokes that the Pattons are part of a coyote breeding program.
Diana L. Paxson
Diana L. Paxson has been been writing fantasy and appearing on the program since the first Baycon. She has published 28 novels and many short stories, and is best known for the Westria novels (including THE GOLDEN HILLS OF WESTRIA), her historical fantasies, and for taking over the Avalon series from Marion Zimmer Bradley (most recently, SWORD OF AVALON, which includes the forging of Excalibur). She also edited SWORD AND SORCERESS XXI, was a judge for the Pagan Fiction Contest, and still edits the Asatru journal, IDUNNA. She lives at Greyhaven, a large, multi-generational house full of books, computers and guests, in Berkeley. Her favorite animal is the raven and her favorite colors are black, red and blue. She is currently working on a book about Oracles.
Carlos Pedraza
Carlos Pedraza is a writer/co-executive producer for the Hugo-nominated Star Trek: Phase II, and for the forthcoming series, Buck Rogers. Carlos wrote Blood and Fire with David Gerrold and was a writer-producer for Star Trek: Hidden Frontier. His work was featured in Variety and The NY Times, and on NBC, MSNBC, ABC, and the BBC.
Emerian Rich
Emz has been described as a "Happy Goth" who adores horror and has the voice of Minnie Mouse. She is a vampire enthusiast and music lover, just don't start talking about politics or she might fall asleep. As an artist, writer, and podcaster there isn't a minute of time she's afforded to waste, which is why you'll always catch her with a book, pen, or sketch pad in her grip. She is the hostess of the podcast HorrorAddicts.net and reviews mangas for the speculative fiction blog dashpunk.com. Her novel, Night's Knights: A Vampire Tale, was released in October 2009. She also writes a musical romance series under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. Find out more about her at: emzbox.com
Jason S. Ridler
Jason S. Ridler's fiction has appeared in such magazines as Nossa Morte, Big Pulp, Crossed Genres, Flashquake, New Myths, Necrotic Tissue, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, and more. "Billy and the Mountain" appeared in Tesseracts Thirteen, edited by Nancy Kilpatrick and David Morrell. His popular non-fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Dark Scribe, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction. A former punk rock musician and cemetery groundskeeper, Doc Ridler is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop and holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. Visit him at his writing blog, Ridlerville, http://jsridler.livejournal.com, facebook, and on twitter at http://twitter.com/JayRidler
Jimmie Robinson
Jimmie Robinson is a professional comic book creator, writer and artist with a range of titles in various genres including and beyond the typical superhero platforms. He's a bay area native who has gone from self-publishing to working with the top tier publishers in the industry for the last 15 years. His work outside of comics include storyboards and art production for feature films, toy design and children's literature. Often outspoken in the comic industry, Robinson can be a lightning rod of controversy. His current title, Bomb Queen, is a stylistically excessive poke at superhero traditions and pop culture. However, despite the over-the-top antics in Bomb Queen, Robinson is a good-natured guy who likes Hello Kitty and romantic-comedies with a side dish of Barry Manilow.
Kevin Roche
Kevin has been making costumes since he was 8 (and has the photographic evidence to prove it!). He was honored with the International Costumers Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Kevin and his husband Andy Trembley set out in 2002 to bring Costume-Con back to California, and ~900 hundred costumers showed up at Costume-Con 26 in April 2008 to join the fun. (Kevin and Andy were also the Fan Guests of Honor at Baycon 2005.) In his secret identity as a research scientist at IBM's Almaden Research Center, he's hard at work wrangling giant robot vacuum chambers and electrons in the growing field of spintronics. Kevin also co-edits (with Jason Shachat) and writes for Yipe!, The Costume Fanzine of Record, available at www.yipezine.com.
Sandy Saidak
I am a high-school English teacher, a mother of two daughters and writer. As a writer, I've sold enough short stories to qualify for SFWA membership, but my goal of selling a novel still eludes me. At this BayCon I invite anyone with advice or experience on this subject to find me and share. This is my twenty-first BayCon. I look forward to at least twenty-one more.
Tom Saidak
Born in 1958. The Space Age was a year old, working sailing ships were still being used off of New England and Alaska (SS. C.A.Thayer), DC-3's were still a major airline carrier and Boeing 707's were in use. I've always been fascinated by technology, as my wife and two daughters can attest. Hobbies include fencing, computer games and my real passion - energy policy. I have an MS in counseling and a K-8 teaching credential. I am a jack of all trades - have worked as an EMT-1, housing counselor, manager for homeowner associations, operations for a construction company and as a teacher. I have published (with 3 others) a comic book story.
Deirdre Saoirse Moen
Deirdre earned her M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, specializing in science fiction and fantasy, from Seton Hill University and is now working on her M.F.A. from the same institution. By day, she works at Apple on the Safari browser team. By night, she writes and collects fountain pens, not necessarily in that order. Her work can be found in the anthologies Turn the Other Chick (published by Baen) and This Is My Funniest 2 (from BenBella).
Michael Sarkisian
Michael grew up reading the classics, Edgar Rice Burroughs, H. G. Wells and others. When Original Trek came to the small screen, it was a wonderful change from the cheesey scifi that preceded it. It also addressed social issues of the time. Michael stayed a fan of scifi throughout his 20 years in the military and it was during this time that he got into costuming. It was also during this time that he met the love of his life (through fandom). Michael has always been a strict constitutionalist and is always up for an inteligent heated debate, for without discourse all we have is propaganda and indoctrination. Michael's military career included 15 years flying P-3 Orion aircraft and 5 years as a SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) Instructor. He still teachs survival skills and emergency disaster preparation. Michael spends his time with the love of his life and their ratties.
Jason Schachat
Jason is a filmmaker, writer, and editor of Yipe!: The Costume Fanzine of Record. Your argument is invalid.
Stu Shepherd
Known for his Aviation Art work (mainly the 150+ illustrations he has created as box art for Revell and Monogram plastic model kits), Stu is a Fine Artist, Illustrator and Graphic Designer. He works in paint and digital media (using Photoshop and 3D Studio Max as well as numerous other programs.) He recently completed a game project as lead artist and is working on a few preliminary elements for other projects. Stu loves creating Sci-fi and Fantasy art, with a focus on the wonder of fantastic environments. A new series is in the works - check the first images out in the art show! He has also created backgrounds and been the lighting designer for several area dance performances for the Campbell-based Ariel Dance Productions. Stu has been displaying art at BayCons since 1986. Check out his online portfolio at http://www.stushepherdart.com or his art fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Art-of-Stu-Shepherd/320040733134.
Espana Sheriff
Espana Sheriff and her bio are never seen together, leading some to speculate that there is a secret identity involved. While we're sad that her bio did not make it to BayCon, we're thrilled to have the lady herself.
Scott Sigler
New York Times best-selling novelist Scott Sigler is the author of ANCESTOR, INFECTED and CONTAGIOUS, hardcover thrillers from Crown Publishing. Before he was published, Scott built a large online following by giving away his self-recorded audiobooks as free, serialized podcasts. His innovative use of technology puts him at the forefront of modern-day publishing and has garnered brand-name exposure among fiction fans and technology buffs. His loyal fans, who named themselves "Junkies," have downloaded over eight million individual episodes of his stories and interact daily with Scott and each other in the social media space. In 2009, Scott co-founded Dark Øverlord Media to publish his novel THE ROOKIE. Each copy of this limited edition hardcover is individually numbered and signed, and personalized on request. On April 1, 2010, DØM launched THE STARTER, available for pre-order now on his website. He's been covered in Time Magazine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, The Huffington Post, Business Week and Fangoria. He still records his own audiobooks and gives away every story – for free – to his Junkies at www.ScottSigler.com.
Michael Siladi
Michael Siladi has been an active fan since 1973, when he attended his first convention, Equicon, in Los Angeles. He started working on conventions in 1975, and has been working on conventions ever since. He has been involved in all areas of convention operations, and is currently Controller of BayCon 2010. He was Chairman of Westercon 60: Gnomeward Bound, held at the San Mateo Marriott Hotel in July 2007. In 2008, Michael was privileged to be the Fan Guest of Honor at Loscon 35, held over Thanksgiving weekend.
Michael enjoys teaching others how to run conventions, and leads the occasional "Conventional Wisdom", the San Francisco Bay Area Convention College. He served three times as Chairman of Construction, a predecessor to Conventional Wisdom. He was the Chairman of SMOFcon 17, the international science fiction and fantasy convention organizer's convention, held in New Orleans in December of 1999.
Michael has been involved in the computer industry since high school, and has been an avid computer hobbyist since the dawn of the PC era. He is currently employed as a senior information technology professional for the University of California at Santa Cruz. He lives in Mountain View with his girlfriend Alison Stern and an odd assortment of cats.
Don Simpson
Don Simpson has done science-fiction and fantasy art for about fifty years, and his drawings and sculptures have gone into collections across the United States, as well as appearing on books, magazines, and media packaging. He built an alien space-probe for the National Air and Space Museum ("Certainly the best part of the exhibit, and the one requiring the greatest imagination to develop" -- Spaceflight magazine), a space-suited kangaroo for an Australian fan, and many other strange items. Don loves technology, and spent decades doing R&D tech work, including helping build the first digital-output computer mice, an early virtual reality system, and a Star Trek - The Next Generation computer game. Currently, he does computer graphics, high-tech sculpture, and jewelry in many styles, techniques, and materials.
Randy Smith
Rev. Randy Smith has been in fandom for around thirty years, depending on how you count years. During that time he has gofered at conventions, written fanzine articles, published APAzines, collected comics and old prozines, played roleplaying games, posted to online fannish discussion forums, run a book discussion group, and been on more convention panels than he cares to think about. On rare occasions he has even sung filk songs and worn costumes. At worldcons you can often find him hanging out back stage managing the human traffic at Hugo ceremonies. He is married to the beautiful Tupou Fakava-Smith and is step-father to the wondrous Elizabeth. The "Rev." in front of his name is the real deal as he is an ordained United Methodist pastor serving a congregation in the East Bay.
Norm Sperling
Norm Sperling edits the science humor magazine, The Journal of Irreproducible Results, and always seeks new authors. He teaches freshman astronomy for UC Berkeley. He opposes astrology and other pseudo-science through the Bay Area Skeptics. He speaks baseball, publishing, historical science, and product design. In a couple years, he's going to travel America in an RV, and wants your suggestions for the best places and events for a science fiction or science fan to see. Also, your "life-list" recommendations: what should a science fiction or science fan experience or do in their life?
Milt Stevens
Milt Stevens – I've been a fan for almost fifty years. After writing that sentence, I really need to sit down and rest for awhile. Oh, I am sitting down. Anyway, I date my membership in fandom from the time I joined the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS) in June 1960. I'd been reading science fiction for years before that, so the slide into real fanac was easy. I clubbed, I pubbed, and I even convened. I eventually became president of the LASFS and also did a couple of tours on the board of directors. I joined all sorts of amateur press associations (APAs) and am still a member of the Fantasy Amateur Press Association (FAPA) to this very day. I write letters of comment to anyone who sends me a fanzine, because I like seeing my name in print. I've been on all sorts of con committees over the years and chaired a Loscon, a Westercon, and a Worldcon.
Jean Marie Stine
Jean Marie Stine is a writer, editor, anthologist and fan. She is the author of the novel Season of the Witch, which the editors of Science Fiction Review called "One of the 30 Most Important SF Novels of the 1960s." JM has been editor-in-chief of Galaxy magazine and Starblaze Editions and a consultant to Dorchester/Leisure and Carroll and Graf, as well as a senior acquisitions and development editor for Houghton-Mifflin, Jeremy Tarcher, and St. Martins. Her other novels include A Day in the Life (The Prisoner #3) and Thrill City. Of two recent collections, one (Herstory & Other Science Fictions) rounds up JM's sf/f/h shorts and novelettes, and the other (Trans-sexual: Transgressive Erotica) presents her fiction on transgender themes. Currently, JM is editor and publisher of Futures-Past Editions which is celebrating its tenth year as a digital publisher of sf/f/h by issuing its first ever print titles.
Jeff Sturgeon
Jeff Sturgeon is a well known name to the science fiction field, with numerous book and magazine covers to his credit. He is a member of the IAAA, The International Astronomical Artists Association and it shows in the abundance of space art in his portfolio, done on both the traditional canvas and board and on metal. Jeff has won numerous awards over the years, including Best of Show (Baycon 1994), Best of Show, Best SF, and Judges Choice (NASFIC 2005), Best of Show (Norwescon 2004, 2006, and 2009), six-time Best of Show and Grand Prize winner (Orycon), Judges Choice and two Childrens Choice awards (LAcon4, the 64th Worldcon) and a Judges Choice and Peoples Best of Show (Denvention, the 66th Worldcon). He lives in the Cascade foothills with sons Corwin and Duncan and a very nice book collection.
Lindsay Tallman
Lindsay's costuming takes her all over the map and all over the history books. She plays with the Guild of St. Luke at the Northern California Renaissance Faire, visits the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, and attends anime and science fiction conventions up and down the state. She has a passion for all manner of costuming, but there's a special soft spot in her heart for Disney (after all, she's convinced that she's a Disney princess trapped in a human body!).
Sydney Thomson
Sydney is a successful physician in the Bay Area. She is an avid Science Fiction Fan, a dedicated student of historical sword play, and a member of St. Michael's Salle d'Armes, along with her husband Tony Barajas. Her rapier wit is just as deadly as her duels with rapier and dagger. She been on panels from bioterrorism, cloning, DNA mapping, medical ethics, science fiction to science reality, and historical sword play from theatrical to practical. She helped mobilize "Camp Kenobi" for _Star Wars: Episode 1_ at the Century Theaters -- probably one of the few times a physician responded to an auto accident dressed as a Jedi. She is an instructor at arms in the Fencing Master's Program. Her motto: reality is for people who lack imagination. She is looking forward to spirited debate and challenging reality at BayCon 2009.
Tony N Todaro
Tony N Todaro is an author, professional writer, a veteran brand strategist and creative director who writes and consults to a wide range of organizations. He is also currently a professional consultant at Los Angeles Valley College as a member of the Entertainment Industry Training Consortium. He is Co-founder and President of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, a member of the Los Angeles Science Fiction & Fantasy Society, Associate Member of the Jedi Knights, and a consultant on many writer programs. He is a perennial speaker on the craft and business of writing. He has authored two novels in the Lightriders Saga series including "True Light" and "Nexus of Swords", and the forthcoming "What Comes Around" his new time-travel murder mystery in the Xander Hunt series. Tony writes as T.N.Todaro and lives in Redondo Beach, California, with his wife Lillian, whom he describes as his "personal inspiration."
Kay Tracy
Kay Tracy is retired from her day job, and now spends her time in rather more esoteric pursuits. Past work with animals, hazardous materials, and agricultural field work have given Kay an unusual perspective on the world around her, both seen and unseen! When not doing odd job paperwork, or Viking age re-enactment, she can be found sharing the science of NASA and JPL through the Solar System ambassador program.
Andy Trembly
Geek, freak, reader, essayist, costumer, critic, media-junkie, biker, pervert, party-queen, troublemaker, FAN.
Karen Tully
When not wrangling chickens, Karen can be found working on her photography, judging car shows, or working on the costuming and art direction for a friend's indie movies.
Mike Van Pelt
Mike was warped for life by a picture book about a lunar colony he encountered in the first grade.
Caradwen von Braskat
A product of the "Summer of Love" and a second-generation "Berkeley-ite," Caradwen, or Sabre, as she is usually called, grew up in Fandom and has lived in the Bay Area all her life. She started attending science fiction-themed cons when she was about 6, and started volunteering for them when she was 12 (at the first BayCon). She has held a number of positions at BayCon, from gopher to Chairbeing. She is a voracious reader and a part-time Klingon and has particularly fond memories of Star Trek from her childhood. Besides Fandom, she loves music, and has recorded with Cynthia McQuillin and Seanan McGuire, among others. She grew up working the Renaissance Faire and Dickens Faire, and attending SCA events with her mother where she received her Award of Arms at age 12. As a result of the living history work she grew up doing, she also loves costuming. She and her husband live in a 100-year-old building that used to be a windmill, along with more books than she knows what to do with, but all of which she has read.
Linda "Kitty" VonBraskat-Crowe
I have been involved with SF fandom since the mid-70s, and have volunteered at every BayCon produced by ASI (including "ChairPurple" in 2006). I also volunteer regularly at other local cons (Consonance, Silicon, PantheaCon, FurCon), and usually volunteer at Westercons, Worldcons and CostumeCons when held locally; I can mostly be found at Info Desk, where I delight in telling people where to go and how to get there . . . As secretary for MZB's Friends of Darkover fan club in the 70s, I helped produce the fan club newsletter and the Darkover Songbook – which contained one of my first SF Filks ("Judith's Song"). I have also been involved with the SCA since AS VI, and at the most recent West Kingdom 12th Night my 'name' (Linda-Muireall Von Katzenbrasse) was added to the West Kingdom Roll of Honour for penning the Principality anthem "Fair Mistland".
Juliette Wade
Juliette Wade has turned her degrees in Anthropology and Linguistics into finely honed weapons in the battle against stubborn prose. She has appeared twice in Analog Science Fiction and Fact with stories about alien languages and culture, where she specializes in alien points of view. She also writes fantasy, set in Japan or in intricate worlds of her own making. She has a marvelous Aussie husband and two wonderful children who inspire her every day.
Deb Wible
Deb Wible has been a technical writer in Silicon Valley for PCs, Atari video games, semiconductors, radar warning systems, and telecom equipment. She is President of Books Aloud, a free audio lending library for blind and disabled of all ages. Her life took a sharp turn toward the EXCITING when she realized others were interested in all the haunted spots she'd learned about in San Jose. So she created a van driving tour called "Haunted San Joze" and donates the proceeds from this tour to her favorite San Jose non-profits, which are Books Aloud (www.booksaloud.org), History San Jose (www.historysanjose.org), and the Preservation Action Council of San Jose (www.preservation.org). Deb is fascinated by ancient archaeology, architecture, and alphabets. She marvels at the UFO phenomenon. Her favorite "legend" is about the Philadelphia Experiment. Deb loves that the strangest things are TRUE!
Ann Wilkes
Ann's stories have appeared in e-zines and anthologies. Her first book, Awesome Lavratt (2009 Unlimited Publishing), is a punny ride through the galaxy filled with passion, adventure, and mind control. Ann's favorite authors are: David Brin, Orson Scott Card, Larry Niven, Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde. When flipping channels, she always has to stop for Mission to Mars, Jumpin' Jack Flash or The Princess Bride. Her favorite TV shows are Dr. Who, Firefly, Primeval, Lost, and Castle. A bendable pink panther (her favorite cartoon character) sits atop her television with its hands over its mouth as a reminder to keep her comments to herself. She's as much an editor as she is a writer, though she tries to keep her editing imperative in check. When she's not at her day job or building alien worlds, she keeps busy reading, walking, and dancing. She lives in the North Bay with her husband, Patrick.
Alan Winston
Alan Winston started life as a science-fiction/movie geek - chairing LosCon VI, in charge of films for the 1984 Worldcon, Newsletter editor for the 1993 WorldCon, etc - and was exposed to Regency dancing at Iguanacon in 1978. Since moving to the Bay Area in 1985, he has morphed into a historical and community dance geek. Co-founder of the Bay Area English Regency Society (www.baers.org), Chairman of the Bay Area Country Dance Society (www.bacds.org), past member of the Country Dance & Song Society national Board, founder and moderator of the English Country Dance mailing list, he has led dancing in ten US states and two Canadian cities. Alan leads Regency, Early American, Spanish California, modern English country and English ceilidh, contra, Civil War, and Victorian dance, and is well-known for good choice of dances and clear, witty dance leadership. Check out the Regency dancing - no experience necessary, no partner required.
Lorrie Wood
Lorrie Wood is a Linux systems administrator and sometime webmistress who has plied her trade for mad scientists, amoral admen, the Borg of Mordor, and itinerant gods. Sometimes, she gets confused about which convention this is, and may need to be reminded that this is the May convention where String Theory refers to visualization and manipulation of multi-dimensional space, not the February one where String Theory refers to visualization and manipulation of the fates of men. She has been known to stand still--rarely--generally in the company of good songs, good stories, good food, or fascinating fiber arts. Thus, BayCon is a good place to find her.
Jennifer "Radar" Wylie
Jennifer "Radar" Wylie loves dressing up in funny clothes and acting silly in public. An accomplished costumer, she has performed in many costume competitions and she has enjoyed every stressful second of it. If she's not hard at work on creating something fun to wear, you can find her working in the operating room as a surgical technologist, happily helping orthopedic surgeons put people back together with power tools and hammers.
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