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Friday, September 26
 

13:00 PDT

Opening Ceremonies
Welcome to Hale Station! You're halfway home.
Friday September 26, 2014 13:00 - 14:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Special Event

14:00 PDT

Giant parachute play
Playzone staff and their giant parachute will be in the pool pavilion. Young members are invited to come play!
Guests
PS

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 15:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Playzone, active

14:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Story time
Guests
PS

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 15:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

14:00 PDT

Beyond Who Scarves and Jayne Hats
Because you can TOO make a Klingon outfit out of yarn! Discussion of some of the standard and not so expected things you can do with colored string.
Guests
SH

Shael Hawman

Shael Hawman lives in the heart of Silicon Valley. Her three cats graciously share the house with her and her mother. In addition to banging sticks together to produce knitted goodies, she writes under the name Sheryl Hayes.  When she is not knitting or writing, she works full time... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Conifer
  Panel, art, costuming

14:00 PDT

Pepakura
Introduction to pepakura - what it is, how to do it, and what materials to use
Guests
CB
KB

Krys Blackwood

Krys has been a fan for her whole life, and has been costuming for about five years now. She loves faithfully recreating her favorite film and tv costumes, but enjoys designing her own even more. During the day Krys designs software to be fun and easy to use. During her spare time... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, art, cosplay, costuming

14:00 PDT

The Classics of SF.
There is so much to read already with the new stuff, so how do you advise a new reader about SF's great heritage?
Moderators
BL

Guests
DJ

Deborah J. Ross

Deborah J. Ross is an award-nominated writer and editor of fantasy and science fiction. She served as SFWA Secretary and is currently on the Board of Directors of Book View Cafe. Her novels include Lambda Literary Award Finalist Collaborators (as Deborah Wheeler), The Seven-Petaled... Read More →
DT

Dave Trowbridge

Dave Trowbridge wrote high-tech marketing copy for almost thirty years. This has made him an expert in what he calls “pulling stuff out of the cave of the flying monkeys,” so science fiction comes naturally. He abandoned corporate life in 2007—actually, it abandoned him—but... Read More →

Guests of Honor
JS

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, literature, writing

14:00 PDT

We Love Wonder Woman!
Wonder Woman debuted in 1941, the creation of a man who wanted boys and girls to see a female superhero. Since then Wonder Woman has remained a feminist icon even when her writers and artists haven't gotten the message themselves. In this panel we talk about the history of Wonder Woman and why she is so important not only to the culture of comics but to our broader culture as well.
Moderators
avatar for SallyRose

SallyRose

Tesser Inc.
Sally Rose is a wandering soul who yearns to see distant shores. She has traveled her entire life: from being born in Florida, growing up in New Jersey, to her teenage years in Germany, Belgium and Morocco and ending up in sunny California. She’s a happy Goth Geek Girl who loves... Read More →

Guests
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Harbor A
  Panel, comics, film, media, television

14:00 PDT

Writing fiction and breathing characters and new worlds to life -
Authors discuss fiction, building believable characters and how to world build without losing your mind.
Moderators
SM

Steven Mix

Falkor Publishing
Steven Mix has worked with the autism community for a non profit organization and he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the military, he became obsessed with zombies and horror and now works to bring his darkness into the world in a fun... Read More →

Guests
KA

Kyle Aisteach

Kyle Aisteach is a short storyist who lives in Fresno, where he also teaches writing. www.aisteach.com or @kyleaistaech
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →
HS

Helen Stringer

Helen Stringer, grew up in Liverpool, England, and currently lives in Redwood City in northern California. While in Liverpool, she was active in the music scene where she edited local music paper MerseySound while researching the life of the Countess of Sefton through her late 19th... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, writing

14:00 PDT

XCOR: Countdown to first flight
XCOR Aerospace, a Mojave Ca based company, is weeks away from the first flight of their manned, suborbital spacecraft, the LYNX. Art Bozlee, who will fly the vehiclke next year on a test mission to space will present a slide and video show detailing the development of the vehicle and how it will open space to anyone who wants to fly there.
Guests
AB

Arthur Bozlee

A frequest guest at West Coast conventions, Arthur Bozlee spent several decades working for major aerospace companies before striking out and dedicating his time to private efforts to open the space frontier. He will fly the XCOR LYNX suborbital spacecraft as flight engineer next... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052
  Panel, science, space

14:00 PDT

You Got Your Science in My Fantasy
Standard assumptions treat science and magic as narratively incompatible, but urban fantasy challenges this by placing magic in the modern world, and steampunk is pushing the boundary back to the Victorian period. What challenges arise when science and magic work together?
Moderators
MB

Marie Brennan

Writer
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for inspiration. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of... Read More →

Guests
avatar for Todd McCaffrey

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story when he was twelve. He has published over two dozen novels, including eight novels written in The Dragonriders of Pern® universe and nearly twenty shorter works. He collaborates with... Read More →

Guests of Honor
KG
MS
TH

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Panel, literature, writing

14:00 PDT

A Clean Well Lighted Place to Write #1
A quiet room in which to work on your current writing project. 
Guests
MM

Margaret McGaffey Fisk

Margaret McGaffey Fisk is a storyteller whose tales often cross genres and worlds to bring the events and characters to life. A Foreign Service brat and anthropology aficionado, she pulls on her own experiences and those she’s studied for grounding her fictional cultures. Her published... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Wine Room
  Workshop, writing

15:00 PDT

Zombie Tag
Come join the staff and kids of PlayZone as they take over the Pool Pavillion for a game of Zombie Tag! All ages welcome! (Convolution cannot guarantee the safety of your braaaaaaaaiiiiinnnzzz.)
Guests
PS

Friday September 26, 2014 15:00 - 16:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Playzone, active

15:00 PDT

Autograph Session: G. David Nordley
Guests
GD

Friday September 26, 2014 15:00 - 16:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

16:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Cardboard Constructions
Guests
PS

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 17:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

16:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Helen Stringer
Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 17:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

16:00 PDT

Pokemon LARP
Members ages 7-12 are invited to come participate in a live action role-playing game designed especially for them. Limit: 8 players. (Under 7 possible if a care-giver is willing to shadow player to assist with gameplay.)
Guests
AS
PS

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  LARP, LARP, gaming

16:00 PDT

20 books to launch in to space
What core of literary culture would be most necessary when leaving Earth and heading for the stars. Where is the balance between preserving a culture and providing a clean slate for the new colony?
Moderators
BL

Guests
JL

Jennifer L. Carson

Jennifer L. Carson wrote her first story before she read her first novel. Her passion for writing led to a career in editing that started in high school. After getting a degree in creative writing from UC Davis and certified as a copyeditor by UC Berkeley, Jennifer embarked on a career... Read More →
M

M.Christian

Calling M.Christian versatile is a tremendous understatement. Extensively published in science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, non-fiction, and erotica. In addition to writing, he is a prolific anthologist, editing over 25 anthologies including the My Love For All That Is Bizarre... Read More →
MR
SU

Setsu Uzume

Setsu Uzume is a glorious automaton forged from New York grit, shattered blades, and more glitter than the smith will admit to. Blogger, novelist, martial artist.KatanaPen.Wordpress.com@KatanaPen

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, cluture, colonization, literature

16:00 PDT

Alternative energy sources
Really Smart People talk about alternative energy sources, the technologies being developed to harness them and the pros and cons associated with them.
Moderators
HD

Guests
avatar for J. L. Doty

J. L. Doty

Full-time writer, me, Inc.
Scientist, full-time writer of SF&F, laser geek, former running-dog-lackey-pig for the Bourgeois capitalist establishment, now working for myself. My new boss is a real jerk--so demanding. Science is a passion, but writing is an addiction.
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →
GD
KT

Kay Tracy

An avid viking age history buff, Kay spends a lot of time working with linen, wool and leather. Cats, chickens, and too many hobbies take all Kay's time. As a Solar System Ambassador (JPL Outreach program) Kay also gets to have some science and geek time.

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Conifer
  Panel, science

16:00 PDT

Art For Life- Get 'Em While They're Young
A discussion about getting today's youth interested in art and creative fields. What can be done in schools or by local communities?
Moderators
KA

Kyle Aisteach

Kyle Aisteach is a short storyist who lives in Fresno, where he also teaches writing. www.aisteach.com or @kyleaistaech

Guests
CF

Colin Fisk

My love of gaming and speculative fiction began in a Bay Area book store, Future Fantasy, in 1978 when I picked up copies of the white box set of Dungeons and Dragons as well as The Forever War on the same day. My fascination with, and degree in, anthropology helped in the design... Read More →
SG

Sarah Goodman

I am an anthropologist by training, a gentlewoman by profession, and a retired bureaucrat on Official Documents. I have spent my life studying humankind and other sapient and semi-sapient races of the multiverse. Included among the activities involved in this study are: general... Read More →

Guests of Honor
JS

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, art, education

16:00 PDT

How did Witches, Vampires and Walking Dead become the in thing?
Our panelists explore our obsession with the darker side of fantasy.
Guests
DA
avatar for Ric Bretschneider

Ric Bretschneider

Producer, Columnist, Fanboy Planet Podcast
Ric Bretschneider is a technologist, trouble maker, and problem solver whose interests outstretch his available time by a significant magnitude.Professionally he splits his time between attempting to raise the quality of business communications, particularly presenting, and a love... Read More →
MG
CO
FW

Fred Wiehe

Fred Wiehe is a member of the Horror Writers Association. He’s the author of six novels, a collection of short stories, and numerous short stories that have appeared in anthologies, magazines, and e-zines. His adult novel Aleric: Monster Hunter became an Amazon Bestseller on Friday... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, literature, writing, horror, media

16:00 PDT

Questions and Answers and Things That Go Bump In the Night
Want to ask questions at panels, but you're too shy? Maybe you just don't know who to ask? Have no fear, we have the solution! Drop a question in the hat and our illustrious panelists with take turns drawing at random and answering. Sure, you don't know *who* will answer your question, but is that really all that important in the grand scheme of things?
Guests
TK

Tyler King

Many years ago, Tyler entered into a Gentleman's Challenge with his friend Matt. The two would participate in a reading race of all 4 books of Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series. From there, they were encouraged to record their suffering, and Your Book Is Why Daddy Drinks was bo... Read More →
SM

Steven Mix

Falkor Publishing
Steven Mix has worked with the autism community for a non profit organization and he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the military, he became obsessed with zombies and horror and now works to bring his darkness into the world in a fun... Read More →
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →

Guests of Honor
TH

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052
  Panel

16:00 PDT

Reading #1
Short readings by some of our authors
Guests
AS

Amy Sterling Casil

Amy Sterling Casil is a 2002 Nebula Award nominee and recipient of other awards and recognition for her short science fiction and fantasy, which has appeared in publications ranging from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction to Zoetrope. She is the author of 26 nonfiction books... Read More →
avatar for Lillian Csernica

Lillian Csernica

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire
At age five, Lillian Csernica discovered the Little Golden Books fairy tales. From there she moved on to the works of Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Tanith Lee, and Terry Pratchett. Her very first short story sale, "Fallen Idol," appeared in After Hours and was later reprinted in The... Read More →
MM

Margaret McGaffey Fisk

Margaret McGaffey Fisk is a storyteller whose tales often cross genres and worlds to bring the events and characters to life. A Foreign Service brat and anthropology aficionado, she pulls on her own experiences and those she’s studied for grounding her fictional cultures. Her published... Read More →
MM

Matt Maxwell

Highway 62 Press
Matt Maxwell is a writer from California: born in the south, relocated up to the north. He's old enough to remember seeing men walk on the moon on a black and white television set. He is the author of the ongoing comic series STRANGEWAYS, following expressman and drifter Seth Collins... Read More →
CV

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Wine Room
  Reading

16:00 PDT

The Unpanel
A facilitated listening workshop that turns the panel inside out. Everyone gets a chance to speak without interruption on a topic chosen by the facilitators after learning how to really listen.
Guests
DJ

Deborah J. Ross

Deborah J. Ross is an award-nominated writer and editor of fantasy and science fiction. She served as SFWA Secretary and is currently on the Board of Directors of Book View Cafe. Her novels include Lambda Literary Award Finalist Collaborators (as Deborah Wheeler), The Seven-Petaled... Read More →
DT

Dave Trowbridge

Dave Trowbridge wrote high-tech marketing copy for almost thirty years. This has made him an expert in what he calls “pulling stuff out of the cave of the flying monkeys,” so science fiction comes naturally. He abandoned corporate life in 2007—actually, it abandoned him—but... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097
  Workshop

17:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Chris Garcia
Friday September 26, 2014 17:00 - 18:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

18:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Yarn Crafting
Friday September 26, 2014 18:00 - 19:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

19:00 PDT

Meet The Guests
Join us for an opportunity to mingle with our illustrious panel of fabulous guests.
Friday September 26, 2014 19:00 - 20:00 PDT
Harbor A/B
  Special Event

20:00 PDT

Moderated Fan Gathering: True Ghost Stories
An informal gathering of fans who want do discuss spooky happenings of the paranormal variety. Our moderator, Steven Mix will tell you what it's like to live in a haunted house.
Guests
SM

Steven Mix

Falkor Publishing
Steven Mix has worked with the autism community for a non profit organization and he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the military, he became obsessed with zombies and horror and now works to bring his darkness into the world in a fun... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052

20:00 PDT

GAMING: Who Would Win
Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Scalini's
  Game

20:00 PDT

Bronies: Fandom in the Age of 4chan
When My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic debuted in 2010, no one expected the rise of a massive—and predominantly male—fandom around it. But now, “There is a pony of it, no exceptions,” is a Rule of the Internet. Meet the first major fandom whose entire life-cycle, from conception to its current awkward adolescence, is on the Internet for all to see.
Guests
avatar for SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn was just a garden variety geek and IT drone when small pastel horses came into her life, surprising everyone…her most of all. A child of the '80s, if you had told her she'd ever even like anything bearing the My Little Pony name, she would have laughed in your face. Then... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, bronies, MLP, social media

20:00 PDT

Delphic Oracle
In which Todd directs our intrepid panelists in the answering of the deep questions of life. One. Word. At. A. Time.
Moderators
avatar for Todd McCaffrey

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story when he was twelve. He has published over two dozen novels, including eight novels written in The Dragonriders of Pern® universe and nearly twenty shorter works. He collaborates with... Read More →

Guests
avatar for Jon Del Arroz

Jon Del Arroz

Rislandia Books
Science Fiction, Steampunk, Baseball, Comics
avatar for M. Todd Gallowglas

M. Todd Gallowglas

Writer
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for roughly twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch... Read More →
CG

Chris Garcia

Computer History Museum
Fanzine guy who loves writing, gambling, making movies and Steampunk. I also like pudding.
SP

Sarah Pugliaresi

Sarah Pugliaresi spends her days working as a Quality Engineer for a San Jose based wellness startup. By night, she is a fearless costume designer with ten years professional experience working for local theatres and independent films. When not sewing or working, she loves to read... Read More →
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel

20:00 PDT

Dr. Who- 50 years and still going strong!
When you hear some one say "The Doctor" you know you have found a soulmate! What is it about this series has it going so long even with changing actors and personalities of the main character applies after all these years?
Guests
avatar for Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson: By day, EHS professional; by night, fan. I can be found at events throughout the Bay Area in various guises (but mostly The Doctor) taking photos and carousing. When not doing this, I am writing for Science Fiction/San Francisco, browsing the internet for geeky... Read More →
avatar for Ryan Galiotto

Ryan Galiotto

Owner, Wicked Grounds
Owner and barista of one of San Francisco's favorite cafes, Wicked Grounds, Ryan is also a performance artist, MC, gamer and all around general geek. Ryan has performed around the world from Osaka Japan to Dublin Ireland. At age 18, was the youngest president of Chicago's Many Companions... Read More →
avatar for Jean Martin

Jean Martin

Jean Martin is a frequent moderator and panelist at pop culture, science fiction/fantasy and Steampunk conventions. She is also involved in costuming, dancing, singing and acting, and has won awards for costuming and as part of masquerade teams. Jean won a FAAn Achievement Award for... Read More →
DM

Derek McCaw

A local actor and writer, Derek McCaw runs Fanboy Planet and hosts its popular podcast. He has voiced Eric the Weasel for Eric's Ultimate Solitaire, worked with ComedySportz San Jose for 27 years, served as a regular commentator on BBC-Radio Humberside's "The Late License", written... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, television

20:00 PDT

Getting Your Goodies Through Airport Security Without Having or Causing a Meltdown
You want to take your Tiki dalek where? What do you do when you need to take special needs items on the airplane and don't want to freak out the TSA?
Guests
SM

Stacy Meyn

In past metamorphoses, Stacy Meyn (aka Spacemonster) was a library clerk, A/V tech, music store manager, and DJ/producer. She webmavened during the dot.com boom (and bust), and has operated her freelance writing business, Space Ltd. , since 1994. After a lengthy stint in aviation... Read More →
TN
avatar for Kevin Roche

Kevin Roche

Kevin Roche 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. At Gallifrey One, Kevin is somewhat infamous as creator of the Tiki Dalek, and as one founder... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, costuming, travel

20:00 PDT

Kink: The Good, The Bad and 50 Shades of Grey
Discussion will include portrayals of kink and BDSM in film, literature and tv, how it can be done well and how it can go horribly, horribly wrong- sometimes with hysterical results. 18 and over ONLY. PROJECT GENESIS
Guests
avatar for Elanor Hughes

Elanor Hughes

Elanor works for an audio manufacturer by day. By night she makes costumes, writes novels, and takes care of her grandmother. Her current novels in progress are about ancient Thrace and the time before the Vikings.
M

M.Christian

Calling M.Christian versatile is a tremendous understatement. Extensively published in science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, non-fiction, and erotica. In addition to writing, he is a prolific anthologist, editing over 25 anthologies including the My Love For All That Is Bizarre... Read More →
MM

Matthew Marovich

Matthew Marovich is a lifelong Bay Area resident and native, currently living in south San Jose with his wife, son, and two dogs. A published author, he enjoys writing long and short fiction, reading all manner of genre fiction, gaming in its many forms, catching films and geeking... Read More →
avatar for Lance Moore

Lance Moore

Westercon 66
Lance thinks his inner kid is pretty pleased that he's done marketing for a Westercon, after starting with a wooden shuttlecraft and a hardcopy fanzine back in the day. He's currently very active in the transgender community, providing support and outreach to newcomers, and putting... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, 18+, Genesis

20:00 PDT

Role Playing Across the Spectrum:
Gamers, costumers, historical reenactors, kinksters, actors, sometimes even writers developing dialog -- all occasionally become someone else for a while. How is assuming a character and role the same in all areas? How does it differ in different realms of role-play? What can we learn from each other to make our own portrayals better.
Guests
SG

Sarah Goodman

I am an anthropologist by training, a gentlewoman by profession, and a retired bureaucrat on Official Documents. I have spent my life studying humankind and other sapient and semi-sapient races of the multiverse. Included among the activities involved in this study are: general... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer McGaffey

Jennifer McGaffey

I’m a Foreign Service brat, raised in five countries before high school (and I’ve lived in a couple more since then). I’ve been an avid reader since I can remember - primarily SF/F and other genre fiction, but just about any words-in-a-row will do. My interests include being... Read More →
DS

Douglas Shepard

Douglas is the Editor in Chief of Orcz.com and GameShampoo.com and helps manage several projects. Approaching mastery of Found Costuming and a skilled Dust Tape crafts-person. A life-long video gamer and writer, recently married as well.

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, acting, costuming, gaming, lifestyle

20:00 PDT

Reading #2
Short readings by some of our authors
Guests
DJ

Deborah J. Ross

Deborah J. Ross is an award-nominated writer and editor of fantasy and science fiction. She served as SFWA Secretary and is currently on the Board of Directors of Book View Cafe. Her novels include Lambda Literary Award Finalist Collaborators (as Deborah Wheeler), The Seven-Petaled... Read More →
HS

Helen Stringer

Helen Stringer, grew up in Liverpool, England, and currently lives in Redwood City in northern California. While in Liverpool, she was active in the music scene where she edited local music paper MerseySound while researching the life of the Countess of Sefton through her late 19th... Read More →
SU

Setsu Uzume

Setsu Uzume is a glorious automaton forged from New York grit, shattered blades, and more glitter than the smith will admit to. Blogger, novelist, martial artist.KatanaPen.Wordpress.com@KatanaPen
avatar for Juliette Wade

Juliette Wade

Writer, DAW
Juliette Wade's debut novel Mazes of Power will come out in 2020 from DAW books. Her short fiction has appeared in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Clarkesworld and several times in Analog magazine. Her nonfiction has appeared in Analog and in Lightspeed's special issue, Women Destroy... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Sector 7 - Room 7052
  Reading

20:00 PDT

Charity Bingo
Taunya Gren hosts Bingo to raise money for the Chabot Space and Science Center
Guests
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Harbor A/B
  Special Event, charity

20:00 PDT

Burlesque for Every Body.
Come enjoy a playshop that will have you out of your seat and grooving as you learn some of the foundations of burlesque performance. This workshop will strive to provide moves and encouragement for all genders and sexual orientations. Please bring either a scarf or bandana to assist you in the art of playful seduction. You will not be required to remove clothing articles but you may just find yourself inspired to before the playshop is through!
Guests
AM
avatar for Renee Ritchie

Renee Ritchie

Renee has been gaming since 2002, cutting her teeth on Vampire: the Masquerade LARPing with the Camarilla Fan Club in college. She is now a regular writer and editor for Machine Age Productions and Onyx Path Publishing, contributing to books for Amaranthine, Flatpack, Vampire: the... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
SandPebble E
  Workshop, active, dance, the first step

20:00 PDT

Jedi Combat Skills
So you want to be a Jedi? Prepping just in case the Empire gets up to more shenanigans? Come learn to defend yourself and a galaxy far, far away.
Guests
CV

Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Workshop, active, combat

20:00 PDT

Filk - Friday
Sing until the wee hours with friends, filkers and fellow fen.
Friday September 26, 2014 20:00 - 23:59 PDT
SandPebble D

21:00 PDT

Bedtime Stories
Bring your teddy bear and wear your pajamas! Guest (and Dad) David Coronado reads bedtime stories for our younger members. Snack provided.
Guests
avatar for David Coronado

David Coronado

Narrator, Theatre Arcanos
David Coronado has been playing in and running LARPs for over 20 years. He likes to costume for events and has extensive experience in costuming without spending a lot of money. David has been playing RPGs since his first D&D game at the Boy Scout Jamboree in 1981. He’s the brains... Read More →
PS

Friday September 26, 2014 21:00 - 22:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097
  Playzone

22:00 PDT

Karaoke
Korkaraoke returns to Convolution. Enjoy a taste of stardom and share your best rendition of your favorite tune!
Friday September 26, 2014 22:00 - 23:59 PDT
Harbor A/B

22:00 PDT

GAMING: The Big Frakking Texas Hold 'Em Game
Friday September 26, 2014 22:00 - 23:59 PDT
Scalini's
  Game

22:00 PDT

Heroes League
Guests
avatar for Ryan Galiotto

Ryan Galiotto

Owner, Wicked Grounds
Owner and barista of one of San Francisco's favorite cafes, Wicked Grounds, Ryan is also a performance artist, MC, gamer and all around general geek. Ryan has performed around the world from Osaka Japan to Dublin Ireland. At age 18, was the youngest president of Chicago's Many Companions... Read More →

Friday September 26, 2014 22:00 - 23:59 PDT
Oak
  LARP, LARP, gaming

23:59 PDT

Your Book Is Why Daddy Drinks
Matt, Tyler and the rest of the gang return to Convolution to read and comment on a stunning work of literature. This year's selection, "In The Breath Of A Moment: A Collection Of Short Tales." MATURE CONTENT ADVISORY
Guests
TK

Tyler King

Many years ago, Tyler entered into a Gentleman's Challenge with his friend Matt. The two would participate in a reading race of all 4 books of Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series. From there, they were encouraged to record their suffering, and Your Book Is Why Daddy Drinks was bo... Read More →
MM

Matthew Marovich

Matthew Marovich is a lifelong Bay Area resident and native, currently living in south San Jose with his wife, son, and two dogs. A published author, he enjoys writing long and short fiction, reading all manner of genre fiction, gaming in its many forms, catching films and geeking... Read More →
DM
KP
EP

Friday September 26, 2014 23:59 - Saturday September 27, 2014 02:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Podcast
 
Saturday, September 27
 

08:00 PDT

Morning Movement - Saturday
Morning exercise
Guests
avatar for Paul Scherman

Paul Scherman

Accademia di Scherma Classica
Paul has a degree in Kinesiology (Nutrition and Wellness) from Cal State Hayward, a Personal Fitness Trainer certification from the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, a Corrective Exercise Specialist certification from National Academy of Sports Medicine, a UFC Gym... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 08:00 - 09:00 PDT
Harbor A

09:00 PDT

ConSanity BoD Meeting
Guests
MB
SQ

Stephen "Dirk" Libbey

Gaming Manager, Sound United
Stephen was dragged to his first convention by a girl. For some reason he married her anyway. Since then he has worked on several conventions including helping his wife run the newsletter for the 2011 World Science Fiction Convention (Renovation). He is an avid gamer, occasional podcaster... Read More →

Volunteers
avatar for Kimmi Allbee

Kimmi Allbee

President, BoD, Convolution: The Next Step
Kimmi has been a fan since the first time she picked up a copy of Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonsinger", and has never looked back. She attended local Bay Area conventions for a number of years, but didn't get into volunteering to run them until 1994. Now the President of the Board for... Read More →
EB
MB

Meredith Branstad

I am the Chairperson for ConVolution 2014
DV
OT
Saturday September 27, 2014 09:00 - 10:00 PDT
Pine

09:00 PDT

Writers Workshop - Morning
By prior arrangement, Convolution members enjoy an intensive critique session with some of our pros. Check our website to submit your work in 2015.
Saturday September 27, 2014 09:00 - 12:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052
  Limited, writing |   Workshop, writing

10:00 PDT

Masquerade Contestants Meeting
Mandatory meeting for all contestants in the Masquerade
Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097

10:00 PDT

Book View Cafe
Members of the cooperative publisher talk about their work, their art and what exactly a cooperative publisher is, anyway.
Guests
MK
AS

Amy Sterling Casil

Amy Sterling Casil is a 2002 Nebula Award nominee and recipient of other awards and recognition for her short science fiction and fantasy, which has appeared in publications ranging from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction to Zoetrope. She is the author of 26 nonfiction books... Read More →
MR
DJ

Deborah J. Ross

Deborah J. Ross is an award-nominated writer and editor of fantasy and science fiction. She served as SFWA Secretary and is currently on the Board of Directors of Book View Cafe. Her novels include Lambda Literary Award Finalist Collaborators (as Deborah Wheeler), The Seven-Petaled... Read More →
DT

Dave Trowbridge

Dave Trowbridge wrote high-tech marketing copy for almost thirty years. This has made him an expert in what he calls “pulling stuff out of the cave of the flying monkeys,” so science fiction comes naturally. He abandoned corporate life in 2007—actually, it abandoned him—but... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, publishing, writing

10:00 PDT

Eye in the Martian Sky
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's 8-years-and-going-strong at the Red Planet. Find out what's up, up at the red planet.
Guests
BL
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →
GD

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, science, space, women in STEM

10:00 PDT

How to Build A Better Story
Classic plot structure. Magical realism. First person vs. third person point of view. How do writers choose the best techniques for telling their stories? What makes editors sit up and take notice? Come listen to professionals compare their ideas about the best way to put together a strong, successful story.
Guests
avatar for Lillian Csernica

Lillian Csernica

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire
At age five, Lillian Csernica discovered the Little Golden Books fairy tales. From there she moved on to the works of Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Tanith Lee, and Terry Pratchett. Her very first short story sale, "Fallen Idol," appeared in After Hours and was later reprinted in The... Read More →
JH

Jay Hartlove

Horror Writers Association
Self-reinventor. Professional writer for 30 years. Master competition costumer for 20 years. Published novelist in last four years. The Isis Rising religious thriller series (The Chosen: 2011, Daughter Cell: 2013, Isis Rising: 2016), Mermaid Steel (fantasy romance: 2014), Snow White... Read More →
M

M.Christian

Calling M.Christian versatile is a tremendous understatement. Extensively published in science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, non-fiction, and erotica. In addition to writing, he is a prolific anthologist, editing over 25 anthologies including the My Love For All That Is Bizarre... Read More →
HS

Helen Stringer

Helen Stringer, grew up in Liverpool, England, and currently lives in Redwood City in northern California. While in Liverpool, she was active in the music scene where she edited local music paper MerseySound while researching the life of the Countess of Sefton through her late 19th... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Harbor A
  Panel, writing

10:00 PDT

How To: A publishing panel for authors or artists
Topics include a Compare and contrast of independent and traditional routes for both artists and authors, and the crossover skills between the two.
Guests
MM

Margaret McGaffey Fisk

Margaret McGaffey Fisk is a storyteller whose tales often cross genres and worlds to bring the events and characters to life. A Foreign Service brat and anthropology aficionado, she pulls on her own experiences and those she’s studied for grounding her fictional cultures. Her published... Read More →
MM

Matt Maxwell

Highway 62 Press
Matt Maxwell is a writer from California: born in the south, relocated up to the north. He's old enough to remember seeing men walk on the moon on a black and white television set. He is the author of the ongoing comic series STRANGEWAYS, following expressman and drifter Seth Collins... Read More →
MR

Guests of Honor
JS

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, art, publishing, writing

10:00 PDT

Inventors, Travellers, Scientists, Spies: Real-life Steampunk Women
Despite the popular image of Victorian Women being repressed and proper, many women in the U.K. and in America lived lives more adventurous than any fictional Steampunk heroine. This presentation introduces some of these women including Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer; Amelia Edwards, travel writer and archaeologist in Egypt; Mary Anning, palaeontologist, and spies on both sides of the Civil War.
Guests
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, steampunk, women in STEM

10:00 PDT

So you're published... now what?
What do modern day authors need to know and do to promote their work, keep in touch with readers, and gain new ones?
Moderators
avatar for Emerian Rich

Emerian Rich

HorrorAddicts.net
Emerian Rich is the author of the vampire book series, Night's Knights. She also writes the musical romance series, Sweet Dreams, under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. Her most recent full length novel, Artistic License, mixes both horror and romance. She’s been published in a handful... Read More →

Guests
avatar for J. L. Doty

J. L. Doty

Full-time writer, me, Inc.
Scientist, full-time writer of SF&F, laser geek, former running-dog-lackey-pig for the Bourgeois capitalist establishment, now working for myself. My new boss is a real jerk--so demanding. Science is a passion, but writing is an addiction.
avatar for Todd McCaffrey

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story when he was twelve. He has published over two dozen novels, including eight novels written in The Dragonriders of Pern® universe and nearly twenty shorter works. He collaborates with... Read More →
SM

Steven Mix

Falkor Publishing
Steven Mix has worked with the autism community for a non profit organization and he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the military, he became obsessed with zombies and horror and now works to bring his darkness into the world in a fun... Read More →

Guests of Honor
MS

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, publishing, self-promotion, writing

10:00 PDT

Table reading
Come watch- or participate in- a table reading of a screenplay by Toastmistress Taunya Gren. Participation slots require prior sign up.
Guests
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble E
  Panel, television, writing

10:00 PDT

Will Your Fight Scene actually work?
Authors read fight scenes and then a troop of sword fighters reenact the scene to see what it actually looks like and if it could work.
Guests
avatar for Tony Barajas

Tony Barajas

Fight Coordinator, Michael's Salle d'Armes
Tony is a one of the founding members of St. Michael’s Salle d’Armes. He was the former treasurer of the guild and is currently the Fight Coordinator of StM. His interest in fencing started as a child watching Errol Flynn movies and the 1973 version of the Three Musketeers. Since... Read More →
avatar for M. Todd Gallowglas

M. Todd Gallowglas

Writer
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for roughly twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch... Read More →
ST

Sydney Thomson﹐ M.D.

Sydney is a successful physician in the Bay Area. She is an avid science fiction fan, a dedicated student of historical swordplay, and a founding member of St. Michael's Salle d'Armes, along with her husband, Tony Barajas. Her motto: reality is for people who lack imagination. She... Read More →
AM

AE Marling

Fantasy writer, dancer, law-abiding citizen, human being (in that order). A.E. Marling wrote his first fantasy novella after his freshman year in high school. In college, he found nothing gave him a greater urge to write than science lectures, and he sat through a lot of ‘em... Read More →
JT

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Panel, combat, literature, writing

10:00 PDT

Nerdvana
They're at it again! Come hear one of our favorite podcasts as they do their thing at Convolution!
Guests
JA

JC Arkham

Creator/Host, The NerdVana Podcast
JC Arkham is the creator and host of the NerdVana Podcast, a show by geeks, for geeks where we chat about movies, tv, comics, gaming, literature, fandom and all the like. JC is also a professional graphic designer with over 25 years experience and collects/builds film and tv prop... Read More →
CG

Chris Garcia

Computer History Museum
Fanzine guy who loves writing, gambling, making movies and Steampunk. I also like pudding.
SM

Stacy Meyn

In past metamorphoses, Stacy Meyn (aka Spacemonster) was a library clerk, A/V tech, music store manager, and DJ/producer. She webmavened during the dot.com boom (and bust), and has operated her freelance writing business, Space Ltd. , since 1994. After a lengthy stint in aviation... Read More →
BV

Beth Vallacqua

Franklin McKinley School District

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Sumac
  Podcast

10:00 PDT

Reading #3
Short readings by some of our authors
Guests
MB

Marie Brennan

Writer
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for inspiration. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of... Read More →
avatar for Leslie E. Light

Leslie E. Light

Editor/Writer, Black Nerd Problems
Leslie E.H. Light is a writer, editor, mother, and pound cake enthusiast. She stands up for Black Speculative Fiction at BlackNerdProblems.com, where she’s a writer and editor. Her short fiction has been published in Finding Home: Community in Apocalyptic Worlds and she’s self-published... Read More →
CW

Cliff Winnig

Cliff Winnig's short fiction appears in the anthologies That Ain't Right: Historical Accounts of the Miskatonic Valley, When the Hero Comes Home: 2, Gears and Levers 3, Footprints, and elsewhere. The twitterzines Outshine and Thaumatrope have published his very short fiction. A graduate... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Reading

10:00 PDT

GOH Spotlight - Kevin Grazier
Guests
avatar for Ric Bretschneider

Ric Bretschneider

Producer, Columnist, Fanboy Planet Podcast
Ric Bretschneider is a technologist, trouble maker, and problem solver whose interests outstretch his available time by a significant magnitude.Professionally he splits his time between attempting to raise the quality of business communications, particularly presenting, and a love... Read More →
KG

Saturday September 27, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Special Event

11:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Sing along with Pixel
Guests
PS

Saturday September 27, 2014 11:00 - 12:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone, music

11:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Arthur Bozlee
Guests
AB

Arthur Bozlee

A frequest guest at West Coast conventions, Arthur Bozlee spent several decades working for major aerospace companies before striking out and dedicating his time to private efforts to open the space frontier. He will fly the XCOR LYNX suborbital spacecraft as flight engineer next... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 11:00 - 12:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

11:00 PDT

GAMING: Iron Claw RPG
Saturday September 27, 2014 11:00 - 13:00 PDT
Scalini's
  Game

12:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Faux Tie Dye
Guests
PS

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 13:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone, art

12:00 PDT

Moderated Fan Gathering: The Big Bang Theory
An informal gathering of fans of "The Big Bang Theory."
Guests
JA

JC Arkham

Creator/Host, The NerdVana Podcast
JC Arkham is the creator and host of the NerdVana Podcast, a show by geeks, for geeks where we chat about movies, tv, comics, gaming, literature, fandom and all the like. JC is also a professional graphic designer with over 25 years experience and collects/builds film and tv prop... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Sector 7 - Room 7052

12:00 PDT

Costumes and Culture
Clothing reflects the way people live. What does what a character (in a book, a painting, a movie, a game, or on stage) wears tell you about the world he or she lives in? What do you need to consider about the surrounding culture when designing a character's wardrobe? Is there any culture in the universe where wearing a chain-mail bikini makes sense?
Moderators
SG

Sarah Goodman

I am an anthropologist by training, a gentlewoman by profession, and a retired bureaucrat on Official Documents. I have spent my life studying humankind and other sapient and semi-sapient races of the multiverse. Included among the activities involved in this study are: general... Read More →

Guests
GC

Gregg Castro

Director, Salinan T'rowt'raahl
Gregg Castro [t'rowt'raahl Salinan/rumsien Ohlone], has been involved in the preservation of his California Indigenous cultural heritage for over two decades. He represents his late Mother’s family’s interests in the protection of cultural heritage in their rumsien Ohlone homeland... Read More →
TP

Tory Parker

Tory is a long time costumer, science fiction and fantasy fan, computer and tech geek, viking re-enactor, and space fan(atic). She has numerous other hobbies as well. She lives with Kay Tracy, six cats and two chickens.
KP
RP

Rhawnie Pino

Rhawnie Pino is a talented costumer, avid amateur historian and vivacious social butterfly.

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, costuming, culture

12:00 PDT

Costuming on a budget/ 'Costume Fu'
We walk the Earth in awesome costumes. Our costume-fu is strong, but our wallets are not strong. Come learn the ways of the broke and wonderfully dressed.
Guests
avatar for David Coronado

David Coronado

Narrator, Theatre Arcanos
David Coronado has been playing in and running LARPs for over 20 years. He likes to costume for events and has extensive experience in costuming without spending a lot of money. David has been playing RPGs since his first D&D game at the Boy Scout Jamboree in 1981. He’s the brains... Read More →
avatar for Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson: By day, EHS professional; by night, fan. I can be found at events throughout the Bay Area in various guises (but mostly The Doctor) taking photos and carousing. When not doing this, I am writing for Science Fiction/San Francisco, browsing the internet for geeky... Read More →
SP

Sarah Pugliaresi

Sarah Pugliaresi spends her days working as a Quality Engineer for a San Jose based wellness startup. By night, she is a fearless costume designer with ten years professional experience working for local theatres and independent films. When not sewing or working, she loves to read... Read More →
DS

Douglas Shepard

Douglas is the Editor in Chief of Orcz.com and GameShampoo.com and helps manage several projects. Approaching mastery of Found Costuming and a skilled Dust Tape crafts-person. A life-long video gamer and writer, recently married as well.

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Panel, costuming

12:00 PDT

Fierce, Fab & Fluffy: Women and Body Image in Comics, Cosplay and Pop Culture
The crew of Chunky Girl Comics discuss the empowerment of women, positive body image issues, their own personal struggles with bullying and being "the fat kids", being sexy and overweight and of course their mission with Chunky Girl Comics.
Guests
GB
MG
LM

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, cosplay, culture, lifestyle, social issues

12:00 PDT

Gender diversity in fandom and media.
The Wachowski Brothers are now the Wachowskis. 2014 saw the first transgendered Emmy nominee. As definitions of gender become more fluid, how is the media (and fandom) keeping pace?
Guests
avatar for Jean Batt

Jean Batt

DJ, Artist, Voice Over, Model, Cybermantic Collective and Smashwolf Productions and Studios
Jean Batt has been a DJ though out the bay area and around the world for 21 years and a third generation member of fandom. She is also a gender and intersex activist. She has worked in film as a costumer, actor and worked on a few soundtracks.
avatar for Lance Moore

Lance Moore

Westercon 66
Lance thinks his inner kid is pretty pleased that he's done marketing for a Westercon, after starting with a wooden shuttlecraft and a hardcopy fanzine back in the day. He's currently very active in the transgender community, providing support and outreach to newcomers, and putting... Read More →
JM

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Panel, social issues, diversity, media

12:00 PDT

Getting It Right: Strategies for non-scientists writing hard science fiction.
At the pace science is evolving, how do you stay current on recent discoveries? How do you differentiate between real science and all the pseudoscience in the media and online? How do you find a story in a scientific idea?
Moderators
HS

Helen Stringer

Helen Stringer, grew up in Liverpool, England, and currently lives in Redwood City in northern California. While in Liverpool, she was active in the music scene where she edited local music paper MerseySound while researching the life of the Countess of Sefton through her late 19th... Read More →

Guests
KA

Kyle Aisteach

Kyle Aisteach is a short storyist who lives in Fresno, where he also teaches writing. www.aisteach.com or @kyleaistaech
GD
avatar for Heidi L. Stauffer

Heidi L. Stauffer

Teacher, Lydian Academy
Heidi Stauffer is a science and math teacher at Lydian Academy, a small private middle andhigh school in Menlo Park, CA. She co-manages the science lab for the school and is the leadfor the science professional learning community. She holds a PhD in Earth Science, specializingin climate... Read More →

Guests of Honor
KG

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble E
  Panel, science, writing

12:00 PDT

Hasta la Vesta
Hour-long Power Point presentation (pretty pictures! funny stories!) on the Dawn mission to the asteroid Vesta
Guests
BL

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, science, space, women in STEM

12:00 PDT

Merging Genres
What happens when your Horror goes Fantasy? Sci Fi goes Romance? How do publishers react? How to readers respond?
Moderators
avatar for Emerian Rich

Emerian Rich

HorrorAddicts.net
Emerian Rich is the author of the vampire book series, Night's Knights. She also writes the musical romance series, Sweet Dreams, under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. Her most recent full length novel, Artistic License, mixes both horror and romance. She’s been published in a handful... Read More →

Guests
avatar for J. L. Doty

J. L. Doty

Full-time writer, me, Inc.
Scientist, full-time writer of SF&F, laser geek, former running-dog-lackey-pig for the Bourgeois capitalist establishment, now working for myself. My new boss is a real jerk--so demanding. Science is a passion, but writing is an addiction.
MM

Matt Maxwell

Highway 62 Press
Matt Maxwell is a writer from California: born in the south, relocated up to the north. He's old enough to remember seeing men walk on the moon on a black and white television set. He is the author of the ongoing comic series STRANGEWAYS, following expressman and drifter Seth Collins... Read More →
SM

Steven Mix

Falkor Publishing
Steven Mix has worked with the autism community for a non profit organization and he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the military, he became obsessed with zombies and horror and now works to bring his darkness into the world in a fun... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, literature, writing

12:00 PDT

Space Stations
Our intrepid scientists chat about how space stations work, their potential and maybe a little about what they'd expect to see in Hale Station.
Moderators
AS

Amy Sterling Casil

Amy Sterling Casil is a 2002 Nebula Award nominee and recipient of other awards and recognition for her short science fiction and fantasy, which has appeared in publications ranging from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction to Zoetrope. She is the author of 26 nonfiction books... Read More →

Guests
AB

Arthur Bozlee

A frequest guest at West Coast conventions, Arthur Bozlee spent several decades working for major aerospace companies before striking out and dedicating his time to private efforts to open the space frontier. He will fly the XCOR LYNX suborbital spacecraft as flight engineer next... Read More →
HD
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, science, space

12:00 PDT

Steaming Outside Victorian England
Not all Steampunk is British. Explore the American and Australian Wild Wests, the African veldt, the Meiji Restoration, etc. Panel will include discussion of themes and related novels and publications
Moderators
SM

Stacy Meyn

In past metamorphoses, Stacy Meyn (aka Spacemonster) was a library clerk, A/V tech, music store manager, and DJ/producer. She webmavened during the dot.com boom (and bust), and has operated her freelance writing business, Space Ltd. , since 1994. After a lengthy stint in aviation... Read More →

Guests
MB

Marie Brennan

Writer
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for inspiration. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of... Read More →
GC

Gail Carriger

New York Times Bestselling author Gail Carriger writes to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities... Read More →
BV

Beth Vallacqua

Franklin McKinley School District
CW

Cliff Winnig

Cliff Winnig's short fiction appears in the anthologies That Ain't Right: Historical Accounts of the Miskatonic Valley, When the Hero Comes Home: 2, Gears and Levers 3, Footprints, and elsewhere. The twitterzines Outshine and Thaumatrope have published his very short fiction. A graduate... Read More →

Guests of Honor
MS

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Harbor A
  Panel, literature, steampunk, writing

12:00 PDT

Storytelling the Old Fashioned Way.
The art of storytelling is in a constant state of evolution. What are the roots of storytelling as we know it today?
Guests
MM

Margaret McGaffey Fisk

Margaret McGaffey Fisk is a storyteller whose tales often cross genres and worlds to bring the events and characters to life. A Foreign Service brat and anthropology aficionado, she pulls on her own experiences and those she’s studied for grounding her fictional cultures. Her published... Read More →
avatar for M. Todd Gallowglas

M. Todd Gallowglas

Writer
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for roughly twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch... Read More →
CG

Chris Garcia

Computer History Museum
Fanzine guy who loves writing, gambling, making movies and Steampunk. I also like pudding.
MR

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, storytelling, culture

12:00 PDT

GOH Spotlight - Tanya Huff
Guests
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →
TH

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Special Event

12:00 PDT

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Join Featured Guest Carrie Sessarego as she dishes on her favorite trashy books and what she's up to currently.
Guests
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097
  Special Event

13:00 PDT

Autograph Session : Deborah Ross
Saturday September 27, 2014 13:00 - 14:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

13:00 PDT

Writers Workshop - Afternoon
By prior arrangement, Convolution members enjoy an intensive critique session with some of our pros. Check our website to submit your work in 2015.
Saturday September 27, 2014 13:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052
  Limited, writing |   Workshop, writing

14:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Catapults
Guests
PS

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 15:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

14:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Juliette Wade
Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 15:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

14:00 PDT

Escape Pod - Sturgeon
Guests of Honor
JS

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097
  Limited   Special Event

14:00 PDT

Wonderflex Workshop
Come try your hand at working with Wonderflex, a thermoplastic. Our intrepid experts will be on hand to give you an introduction to how it works and what you can make it into. FEE: $5. PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. LIMIT 12 PARTICIPANTS.
Guests
MH

Mette Hedin

See Mette's Costumes/She Builds Them in her Kitchen/But she never really got the hang of how many words go into the last line of a haiku poem as she is not a trained writer and sometimes display a severe lack of self-discipline with the written word.
BL

Bryan Little

I am a Sci-fi fan with ADHD which means I like a lot of things a LOT! My favorite Sci-fi book is... Ooh there's a squirrel outside my window!!! Oh, what was I saying about Tikis? They're awesome! And so is Voltron! Hey, that contains Tron in it, lol, man that Peter Davison is a cheeky... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sector 7 - Room 7052
  Limited, art, costuming, the first step |   Workshop, art, costuming, the first step

14:00 PDT

Basics of costuming/cosplay panel.
Intro overview of making costumes/how to get started.
Moderators
avatar for Mea Cottman

Guests
avatar for Jean Batt

Jean Batt

DJ, Artist, Voice Over, Model, Cybermantic Collective and Smashwolf Productions and Studios
Jean Batt has been a DJ though out the bay area and around the world for 21 years and a third generation member of fandom. She is also a gender and intersex activist. She has worked in film as a costumer, actor and worked on a few soundtracks.
KB

Krys Blackwood

Krys has been a fan for her whole life, and has been costuming for about five years now. She loves faithfully recreating her favorite film and tv costumes, but enjoys designing her own even more. During the day Krys designs software to be fun and easy to use. During her spare time... Read More →
avatar for Debbie Bretschneider

Debbie Bretschneider

City of Saratoga
Debbie Bretschneider loves to costume at conventions. Hall costuming is always a blast. Latest award was Best Workmanship at the Westercon 66 masquerade.
DS

Douglas Shepard

Douglas is the Editor in Chief of Orcz.com and GameShampoo.com and helps manage several projects. Approaching mastery of Found Costuming and a skilled Dust Tape crafts-person. A life-long video gamer and writer, recently married as well.

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble E
  Panel, cosplay, costuming, the first step

14:00 PDT

Dragon, Wizard, and Vampire Stories: Their Origin and Development
Where did these classic fantasy elements begin? How have they changed over time?
Moderators
MM

Matthew Marovich

Matthew Marovich is a lifelong Bay Area resident and native, currently living in south San Jose with his wife, son, and two dogs. A published author, he enjoys writing long and short fiction, reading all manner of genre fiction, gaming in its many forms, catching films and geeking... Read More →

Guests
GC

Gail Carriger

New York Times Bestselling author Gail Carriger writes to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities... Read More →
avatar for Todd McCaffrey

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story when he was twelve. He has published over two dozen novels, including eight novels written in The Dragonriders of Pern® universe and nearly twenty shorter works. He collaborates with... Read More →
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Panel, culture, literature, writing

14:00 PDT

From the ground up: launching a first year con
Chairs and executive staff of first year cons talk about the pitfalls and the wonders of running a brand new convention.
Guests
MB

Meredith Branstad

I am the Chairperson for ConVolution 2014
avatar for Kevin Roche

Kevin Roche

Kevin Roche 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. At Gallifrey One, Kevin is somewhat infamous as creator of the Tiki Dalek, and as one founder... Read More →
avatar for SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn was just a garden variety geek and IT drone when small pastel horses came into her life, surprising everyone…her most of all. A child of the '80s, if you had told her she'd ever even like anything bearing the My Little Pony name, she would have laughed in your face. Then... Read More →
AT

Andy Trembley

Geek, freak, reader, essayist, costumer, critic, media-junkie, biker, pervert, party-queen, troublemaker, FAN.

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, conventions

14:00 PDT

Game design
Game designers talk about their industry.
Moderators
MS

Guests
JC
CF

Colin Fisk

My love of gaming and speculative fiction began in a Bay Area book store, Future Fantasy, in 1978 when I picked up copies of the white box set of Dungeons and Dragons as well as The Forever War on the same day. My fascination with, and degree in, anthropology helped in the design... Read More →
MH

Magda Heilborn

Magda has been a professional artist for over ten years, and a game designer for three, although playing games has always been a regular part of her life.
PK
AM

Akemi Maniwa

This is a brief bio.

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, gaming, writing

14:00 PDT

Religion in Sci-fi and fantasy
What role does religion have in current day science fiction and fantasy? We're seeing a lot of it on television and in the theater.
Guests
JH

Jay Hartlove

Horror Writers Association
Self-reinventor. Professional writer for 30 years. Master competition costumer for 20 years. Published novelist in last four years. The Isis Rising religious thriller series (The Chosen: 2011, Daughter Cell: 2013, Isis Rising: 2016), Mermaid Steel (fantasy romance: 2014), Snow White... Read More →
SS

Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a technology program manager, writer, coach and speaker who goes by the moniker “Geek 2.0 – The Professional Geek”. Steven speaks, coaches, and writes on geeky careers, self-development, culture and creativity. He has created a line of books to help fans turn... Read More →
RS

Randy Smith

Randy Smith discovered the existence of fandom sometime in the dim, dark past of the 1970s when he was a skinny, bespectacled, nerdish, teenager. A few years later, fandom discovered him and there's been no turning back. He's written fanzine articles, pubbed APAzines, helped run conventions... Read More →
DT

Dave Trowbridge

Dave Trowbridge wrote high-tech marketing copy for almost thirty years. This has made him an expert in what he calls “pulling stuff out of the cave of the flying monkeys,” so science fiction comes naturally. He abandoned corporate life in 2007—actually, it abandoned him—but... Read More →
CW

Cliff Winnig

Cliff Winnig's short fiction appears in the anthologies That Ain't Right: Historical Accounts of the Miskatonic Valley, When the Hero Comes Home: 2, Gears and Levers 3, Footprints, and elsewhere. The twitterzines Outshine and Thaumatrope have published his very short fiction. A graduate... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, writing, social issues, culture, literature

14:00 PDT

SFX Make Up demo by Goblyn's Glen
Prosthetic makeup demonstration on live model.
Guests
KF

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, costuming, cosplay, make up

14:00 PDT

When is a light saber like a saber?
Discussion of the different techniques behind fighting with a metal weapon and a laser one.
Guests
avatar for Tony Barajas

Tony Barajas

Fight Coordinator, Michael's Salle d'Armes
Tony is a one of the founding members of St. Michael’s Salle d’Armes. He was the former treasurer of the guild and is currently the Fight Coordinator of StM. His interest in fencing started as a child watching Errol Flynn movies and the 1973 version of the Three Musketeers. Since... Read More →
ST

Sydney Thomson﹐ M.D.

Sydney is a successful physician in the Bay Area. She is an avid science fiction fan, a dedicated student of historical swordplay, and a founding member of St. Michael's Salle d'Armes, along with her husband, Tony Barajas. Her motto: reality is for people who lack imagination. She... Read More →
JT
CV

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Panel, combat

14:00 PDT

Where Do Ideas Come From?
Every writer fields that question—usually right after you've told someone you're a writer. I always thought it would be interesting for a group of writers to discuss where they get their ideas from.
Guests
MK
avatar for Leslie E. Light

Leslie E. Light

Editor/Writer, Black Nerd Problems
Leslie E.H. Light is a writer, editor, mother, and pound cake enthusiast. She stands up for Black Speculative Fiction at BlackNerdProblems.com, where she’s a writer and editor. Her short fiction has been published in Finding Home: Community in Apocalyptic Worlds and she’s self-published... Read More →
AM

AE Marling

Fantasy writer, dancer, law-abiding citizen, human being (in that order). A.E. Marling wrote his first fantasy novella after his freshman year in high school. In college, he found nothing gave him a greater urge to write than science lectures, and he sat through a lot of ‘em... Read More →
CO
avatar for Emerian Rich

Emerian Rich

HorrorAddicts.net
Emerian Rich is the author of the vampire book series, Night's Knights. She also writes the musical romance series, Sweet Dreams, under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. Her most recent full length novel, Artistic License, mixes both horror and romance. She’s been published in a handful... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, writing

14:00 PDT

Women and Warriorship
The controversy surrounding the "Strong Female Lead" is grounded in two ideas: our perception of gender, and our perception of warriorship. We'll discuss historical women warriors as well as figures from sci-fi/fantasy that meet our expectations, those who break them, and what the future has in store for this archetype.
Guests
TP

Tory Parker

Tory is a long time costumer, science fiction and fantasy fan, computer and tech geek, viking re-enactor, and space fan(atic). She has numerous other hobbies as well. She lives with Kay Tracy, six cats and two chickens.
KP
SU

Setsu Uzume

Setsu Uzume is a glorious automaton forged from New York grit, shattered blades, and more glitter than the smith will admit to. Blogger, novelist, martial artist.KatanaPen.Wordpress.com@KatanaPen

Guests of Honor
TH

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, literature, writing

14:00 PDT

FanBoy Planet
Who loves FanBoy Planet? Convolution! Come listen while the crew of FBP record their podcast from Convolution.
Guests
avatar for Ric Bretschneider

Ric Bretschneider

Producer, Columnist, Fanboy Planet Podcast
Ric Bretschneider is a technologist, trouble maker, and problem solver whose interests outstretch his available time by a significant magnitude.Professionally he splits his time between attempting to raise the quality of business communications, particularly presenting, and a love... Read More →
DM

Derek McCaw

A local actor and writer, Derek McCaw runs Fanboy Planet and hosts its popular podcast. He has voiced Eric the Weasel for Eric's Ultimate Solitaire, worked with ComedySportz San Jose for 27 years, served as a regular commentator on BBC-Radio Humberside's "The Late License", written... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Podcast

14:00 PDT

Blast a Trooper
Come shoot stormtroopers for a worthy cause! Your donation to charity gives you the opportunity to pick up a Nerf gun and blast a trooper!
Guests
5
TS

Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Harbor A
  Special Event, charity, active

14:00 PDT

A Clean Well Lighted Place to Write #2
A quiet room in which to work on your current writing project.
Saturday September 27, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Wine Room
  Workshop, writing

15:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: CCG Meet up
Collectible card game fans are invited to bring their collections, chat and maybe play a game or two.
Guests
PS

Saturday September 27, 2014 15:00 - 16:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone, gaming

15:00 PDT

Autograph Session: AE Marling
Guests
AM

AE Marling

Fantasy writer, dancer, law-abiding citizen, human being (in that order). A.E. Marling wrote his first fantasy novella after his freshman year in high school. In college, he found nothing gave him a greater urge to write than science lectures, and he sat through a lot of ‘em... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 15:00 - 16:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

16:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Play putty
Making a play putty substance
Guests
PS

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 17:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

16:00 PDT

Autograph Session : Deborah Ross
Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 17:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

16:00 PDT

GAMING: Firefly Clue
Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Scalini's
  Game

16:00 PDT

Acting - (Don't Just Put On A Nice Costume. Be The Character)
You know that guy, in the amazing costume, standing there looking uncomfortable and behaving nothing like the character he's portraying? Don't be that guy! Come learn how to be Spiderman instead of someone standing around looking awkward in UnderRoos.
Moderators
CB

Guests
avatar for Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson: By day, EHS professional; by night, fan. I can be found at events throughout the Bay Area in various guises (but mostly The Doctor) taking photos and carousing. When not doing this, I am writing for Science Fiction/San Francisco, browsing the internet for geeky... Read More →
BL
SP

Sarah Pugliaresi

Sarah Pugliaresi spends her days working as a Quality Engineer for a San Jose based wellness startup. By night, she is a fearless costume designer with ten years professional experience working for local theatres and independent films. When not sewing or working, she loves to read... Read More →
TS

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Panel, acting, cosplay, costuming

16:00 PDT

Comics to Film
A look at the good, bad and the ugly side of bringing comic book heroes to life on the big screen.
Guests
JA

JC Arkham

Creator/Host, The NerdVana Podcast
JC Arkham is the creator and host of the NerdVana Podcast, a show by geeks, for geeks where we chat about movies, tv, comics, gaming, literature, fandom and all the like. JC is also a professional graphic designer with over 25 years experience and collects/builds film and tv prop... Read More →
avatar for Ryan Galiotto

Ryan Galiotto

Owner, Wicked Grounds
Owner and barista of one of San Francisco's favorite cafes, Wicked Grounds, Ryan is also a performance artist, MC, gamer and all around general geek. Ryan has performed around the world from Osaka Japan to Dublin Ireland. At age 18, was the youngest president of Chicago's Many Companions... Read More →
MM

Matt Maxwell

Highway 62 Press
Matt Maxwell is a writer from California: born in the south, relocated up to the north. He's old enough to remember seeing men walk on the moon on a black and white television set. He is the author of the ongoing comic series STRANGEWAYS, following expressman and drifter Seth Collins... Read More →
DM

Derek McCaw

A local actor and writer, Derek McCaw runs Fanboy Planet and hosts its popular podcast. He has voiced Eric the Weasel for Eric's Ultimate Solitaire, worked with ComedySportz San Jose for 27 years, served as a regular commentator on BBC-Radio Humberside's "The Late License", written... Read More →
MS
BV

Beth Vallacqua

Franklin McKinley School District

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, comics, film, media

16:00 PDT

Excuse Me, Princess! The Greatest Love Stories of Sci Fi
Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Comics have given us some of the greatest love stories in fiction. What's your favorite?
Moderators
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →

Guests
DA
avatar for Ric Bretschneider

Ric Bretschneider

Producer, Columnist, Fanboy Planet Podcast
Ric Bretschneider is a technologist, trouble maker, and problem solver whose interests outstretch his available time by a significant magnitude.Professionally he splits his time between attempting to raise the quality of business communications, particularly presenting, and a love... Read More →
SU

Setsu Uzume

Setsu Uzume is a glorious automaton forged from New York grit, shattered blades, and more glitter than the smith will admit to. Blogger, novelist, martial artist.KatanaPen.Wordpress.com@KatanaPen
FW

Fred Wiehe

Fred Wiehe is a member of the Horror Writers Association. He’s the author of six novels, a collection of short stories, and numerous short stories that have appeared in anthologies, magazines, and e-zines. His adult novel Aleric: Monster Hunter became an Amazon Bestseller on Friday... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
SandPebble E
  Panel, film, literature, media, television

16:00 PDT

Handling Rejection in Writing
Sometimes your skin just isn't that thick. How to cope with a chorus of "No" on the path to a "Yes!"
Guests
avatar for Jon Del Arroz

Jon Del Arroz

Rislandia Books
Science Fiction, Steampunk, Baseball, Comics
GC

Gail Carriger

New York Times Bestselling author Gail Carriger writes to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities... Read More →
MM

Matthew Marovich

Matthew Marovich is a lifelong Bay Area resident and native, currently living in south San Jose with his wife, son, and two dogs. A published author, he enjoys writing long and short fiction, reading all manner of genre fiction, gaming in its many forms, catching films and geeking... Read More →
DJ

Deborah J. Ross

Deborah J. Ross is an award-nominated writer and editor of fantasy and science fiction. She served as SFWA Secretary and is currently on the Board of Directors of Book View Cafe. Her novels include Lambda Literary Award Finalist Collaborators (as Deborah Wheeler), The Seven-Petaled... Read More →
avatar for Juliette Wade

Juliette Wade

Writer, DAW
Juliette Wade's debut novel Mazes of Power will come out in 2020 from DAW books. Her short fiction has appeared in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Clarkesworld and several times in Analog magazine. Her nonfiction has appeared in Analog and in Lightspeed's special issue, Women Destroy... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052
  Panel, publishing, writing

16:00 PDT

How to pack for Far-away conventions
What do you really need to take to a con? Our experts talk about what to pack and how to pack it.
Guests
avatar for Debbie Bretschneider

Debbie Bretschneider

City of Saratoga
Debbie Bretschneider loves to costume at conventions. Hall costuming is always a blast. Latest award was Best Workmanship at the Westercon 66 masquerade.
SG

Sarah Goodman

I am an anthropologist by training, a gentlewoman by profession, and a retired bureaucrat on Official Documents. I have spent my life studying humankind and other sapient and semi-sapient races of the multiverse. Included among the activities involved in this study are: general... Read More →
SH

Shael Hawman

Shael Hawman lives in the heart of Silicon Valley. Her three cats graciously share the house with her and her mother. In addition to banging sticks together to produce knitted goodies, she writes under the name Sheryl Hayes.  When she is not knitting or writing, she works full time... Read More →
TN
RS

Randy Smith

Randy Smith discovered the existence of fandom sometime in the dim, dark past of the 1970s when he was a skinny, bespectacled, nerdish, teenager. A few years later, fandom discovered him and there's been no turning back. He's written fanzine articles, pubbed APAzines, helped run conventions... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, conventions, costuming, travel

16:00 PDT

Running Multiple Writing Careers -
Trials, tribulations, and solutions, when trying to keep two writing careers going that are completely different audiences.
Guests
KA

Kyle Aisteach

Kyle Aisteach is a short storyist who lives in Fresno, where he also teaches writing. www.aisteach.com or @kyleaistaech
avatar for Lillian Csernica

Lillian Csernica

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire
At age five, Lillian Csernica discovered the Little Golden Books fairy tales. From there she moved on to the works of Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Tanith Lee, and Terry Pratchett. Her very first short story sale, "Fallen Idol," appeared in After Hours and was later reprinted in The... Read More →
JH

Jay Hartlove

Horror Writers Association
Self-reinventor. Professional writer for 30 years. Master competition costumer for 20 years. Published novelist in last four years. The Isis Rising religious thriller series (The Chosen: 2011, Daughter Cell: 2013, Isis Rising: 2016), Mermaid Steel (fantasy romance: 2014), Snow White... Read More →
avatar for Jean Martin

Jean Martin

Jean Martin is a frequent moderator and panelist at pop culture, science fiction/fantasy and Steampunk conventions. She is also involved in costuming, dancing, singing and acting, and has won awards for costuming and as part of masquerade teams. Jean won a FAAn Achievement Award for... Read More →
avatar for Emerian Rich

Emerian Rich

HorrorAddicts.net
Emerian Rich is the author of the vampire book series, Night's Knights. She also writes the musical romance series, Sweet Dreams, under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. Her most recent full length novel, Artistic License, mixes both horror and romance. She’s been published in a handful... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, publishing, writing

16:00 PDT

What's happening in space?
Amy Sterling Casil will have just attended Launch Pad and will share the newest developments she hears from NASA scientists. Add more folks, but that's the starting point.
Guests
AB

Arthur Bozlee

A frequest guest at West Coast conventions, Arthur Bozlee spent several decades working for major aerospace companies before striking out and dedicating his time to private efforts to open the space frontier. He will fly the XCOR LYNX suborbital spacecraft as flight engineer next... Read More →
AS

Amy Sterling Casil

Amy Sterling Casil is a 2002 Nebula Award nominee and recipient of other awards and recognition for her short science fiction and fantasy, which has appeared in publications ranging from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction to Zoetrope. She is the author of 26 nonfiction books... Read More →
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →
KT

Kay Tracy

An avid viking age history buff, Kay spends a lot of time working with linen, wool and leather. Cats, chickens, and too many hobbies take all Kay's time. As a Solar System Ambassador (JPL Outreach program) Kay also gets to have some science and geek time.

Guests of Honor
KG

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, science, space

16:00 PDT

Why You Need Feminism
The portrayal of women in media and the daily treatment of women as objects is on the decline. It's not just for "victims" or angry "feminazis." It's fighting against a culture that objectifies any human being or treats one gender as unable to control themselves. 
Moderators
avatar for Renee Ritchie

Renee Ritchie

Renee has been gaming since 2002, cutting her teeth on Vampire: the Masquerade LARPing with the Camarilla Fan Club in college. She is now a regular writer and editor for Machine Age Productions and Onyx Path Publishing, contributing to books for Amaranthine, Flatpack, Vampire: the... Read More →

Guests
GC

Gregg Castro

Director, Salinan T'rowt'raahl
Gregg Castro [t'rowt'raahl Salinan/rumsien Ohlone], has been involved in the preservation of his California Indigenous cultural heritage for over two decades. He represents his late Mother’s family’s interests in the protection of cultural heritage in their rumsien Ohlone homeland... Read More →
avatar for Leslie E. Light

Leslie E. Light

Editor/Writer, Black Nerd Problems
Leslie E.H. Light is a writer, editor, mother, and pound cake enthusiast. She stands up for Black Speculative Fiction at BlackNerdProblems.com, where she’s a writer and editor. Her short fiction has been published in Finding Home: Community in Apocalyptic Worlds and she’s self-published... Read More →
LS

Lon Sarver

Lon Sarver is an editor with Fantastic Fiction Publishing, working mainly with their fantasy and science fiction stories. He has also been a localization editor for Aeria Games, having worked on their MMOs Scarlet Blade and Aura Kingdom, a relationship counselor, and professional... Read More →
HS

Helen Stringer

Helen Stringer, grew up in Liverpool, England, and currently lives in Redwood City in northern California. While in Liverpool, she was active in the music scene where she edited local music paper MerseySound while researching the life of the Countess of Sefton through her late 19th... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, social issues

16:00 PDT

Silicon Valley Science Fiction Short Film Festival
Guests
CG

Chris Garcia

Computer History Museum
Fanzine guy who loves writing, gambling, making movies and Steampunk. I also like pudding.

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Harbor
  Special Event, film

16:00 PDT

Todd M. Talks to M. Todd
M. Todd Gallowglas interviews Featured Guest Todd McCaffrey
Guests
avatar for M. Todd Gallowglas

M. Todd Gallowglas

Writer
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for roughly twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch... Read More →
avatar for Todd McCaffrey

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story when he was twelve. He has published over two dozen novels, including eight novels written in The Dragonriders of Pern® universe and nearly twenty shorter works. He collaborates with... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Special Event

16:00 PDT

Is It Filk Yet
Come join Maya and Jeff Bohnhoff in writing a parody song
Guests
MK
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →
PK

Saturday September 27, 2014 16:00 - 18:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097
  Workshop, music, writing

17:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Cardboard Constructions
Guests
PS

Saturday September 27, 2014 17:00 - 18:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

17:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Jim Doty
Saturday September 27, 2014 17:00 - 18:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

18:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Emerian Rich
Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 19:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

18:00 PDT

Escape Pod - Huff
Guests of Honor
TH

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097
  Limited   Special Event

18:00 PDT

Bad Science in laser Weapons
Laser Weapons and how SF writers almost always get it wrong.
Guests
avatar for J. L. Doty

J. L. Doty

Full-time writer, me, Inc.
Scientist, full-time writer of SF&F, laser geek, former running-dog-lackey-pig for the Bourgeois capitalist establishment, now working for myself. My new boss is a real jerk--so demanding. Science is a passion, but writing is an addiction.

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, science, media, film, television

18:00 PDT

But Can You Do It On A Space Station?
Mystery, horror, romance, fantasy, even a Western. Can stories based in other genres be told in the larger context of a science fiction setting?
Guests
CF

Colin Fisk

My love of gaming and speculative fiction began in a Bay Area book store, Future Fantasy, in 1978 when I picked up copies of the white box set of Dungeons and Dragons as well as The Forever War on the same day. My fascination with, and degree in, anthropology helped in the design... Read More →
TN
CW

Cliff Winnig

Cliff Winnig's short fiction appears in the anthologies That Ain't Right: Historical Accounts of the Miskatonic Valley, When the Hero Comes Home: 2, Gears and Levers 3, Footprints, and elsewhere. The twitterzines Outshine and Thaumatrope have published his very short fiction. A graduate... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, literature, writing, space

18:00 PDT

Don't Crush that Writer (Hand Me the Duct Tape)
The etiquette and responsibilities of critique group and workshop participants. Panelists discuss the rules of the road for participating constructively when you're critiquing or being critiqued.
Guests
KA

Kyle Aisteach

Kyle Aisteach is a short storyist who lives in Fresno, where he also teaches writing. www.aisteach.com or @kyleaistaech
MK
HS

Helen Stringer

Helen Stringer, grew up in Liverpool, England, and currently lives in Redwood City in northern California. While in Liverpool, she was active in the music scene where she edited local music paper MerseySound while researching the life of the Countess of Sefton through her late 19th... Read More →
FW

Fred Wiehe

Fred Wiehe is a member of the Horror Writers Association. He’s the author of six novels, a collection of short stories, and numerous short stories that have appeared in anthologies, magazines, and e-zines. His adult novel Aleric: Monster Hunter became an Amazon Bestseller on Friday... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, editing, writing

18:00 PDT

Geeks Bullying Each Other
Geeks are bullying each other to show off who is the Geekiest. How is this destructive to our community and how can we work to prevent this.
Guests
TK

Tyler King

Many years ago, Tyler entered into a Gentleman's Challenge with his friend Matt. The two would participate in a reading race of all 4 books of Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series. From there, they were encouraged to record their suffering, and Your Book Is Why Daddy Drinks was bo... Read More →
avatar for Lance Moore

Lance Moore

Westercon 66
Lance thinks his inner kid is pretty pleased that he's done marketing for a Westercon, after starting with a wooden shuttlecraft and a hardcopy fanzine back in the day. He's currently very active in the transgender community, providing support and outreach to newcomers, and putting... Read More →
avatar for Renee Ritchie

Renee Ritchie

Renee has been gaming since 2002, cutting her teeth on Vampire: the Masquerade LARPing with the Camarilla Fan Club in college. She is now a regular writer and editor for Machine Age Productions and Onyx Path Publishing, contributing to books for Amaranthine, Flatpack, Vampire: the... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, social issues, conventions

18:00 PDT

How to run a con
Guests
SM

Stacy Meyn

In past metamorphoses, Stacy Meyn (aka Spacemonster) was a library clerk, A/V tech, music store manager, and DJ/producer. She webmavened during the dot.com boom (and bust), and has operated her freelance writing business, Space Ltd. , since 1994. After a lengthy stint in aviation... Read More →
RS

Randy Smith

Randy Smith discovered the existence of fandom sometime in the dim, dark past of the 1970s when he was a skinny, bespectacled, nerdish, teenager. A few years later, fandom discovered him and there's been no turning back. He's written fanzine articles, pubbed APAzines, helped run conventions... Read More →
avatar for SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn was just a garden variety geek and IT drone when small pastel horses came into her life, surprising everyone…her most of all. A child of the '80s, if you had told her she'd ever even like anything bearing the My Little Pony name, she would have laughed in your face. Then... Read More →
AT

Andy Trembley

Geek, freak, reader, essayist, costumer, critic, media-junkie, biker, pervert, party-queen, troublemaker, FAN.

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, conventions

18:00 PDT

Stepping into the professional world.
A panel on professional behavior, communication and style. Topics include how and when to reply to emails, with colleagues, and so on to maintain a balanced professional relationship. Geared for a fan based situations to help clarify the sometimes blurry line between fandom and business.
Guests
avatar for Elanor Hughes

Elanor Hughes

Elanor works for an audio manufacturer by day. By night she makes costumes, writes novels, and takes care of her grandmother. Her current novels in progress are about ancient Thrace and the time before the Vikings.
avatar for Arlin Robins

Arlin Robins

Owner, Arlin Robins Designs
I have a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, in whose museum I found enough wonderful art to fuel a lifetime of inspiration for any artist.  I've created art in two dimensions (both individual paintings and remarqued prints) and three dimensions.  I love to experiment... Read More →
SS

Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a technology program manager, writer, coach and speaker who goes by the moniker “Geek 2.0 – The Professional Geek”. Steven speaks, coaches, and writes on geeky careers, self-development, culture and creativity. He has created a line of books to help fans turn... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Panel, business

18:00 PDT

Women of their time
Moderators
KT

Kay Tracy

An avid viking age history buff, Kay spends a lot of time working with linen, wool and leather. Cats, chickens, and too many hobbies take all Kay's time. As a Solar System Ambassador (JPL Outreach program) Kay also gets to have some science and geek time.

Guests
AS

Amy Sterling Casil

Amy Sterling Casil is a 2002 Nebula Award nominee and recipient of other awards and recognition for her short science fiction and fantasy, which has appeared in publications ranging from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction to Zoetrope. She is the author of 26 nonfiction books... Read More →
avatar for Wanda Kurtcu

Wanda Kurtcu

Writers Workshop, Pleasant
Hello and welcome aboard! Here’s a little bit about me! My 15 minutes of fame is from ‘A Matter of Honor’, a Star Trek: Next Generation episode I wrote back in 1984. I have been involved with Baycon as the Writers Workshop maven and on panels focused diversity in science fiction... Read More →
TP

Tory Parker

Tory is a long time costumer, science fiction and fantasy fan, computer and tech geek, viking re-enactor, and space fan(atic). She has numerous other hobbies as well. She lives with Kay Tracy, six cats and two chickens.
avatar for Heidi L. Stauffer

Heidi L. Stauffer

Teacher, Lydian Academy
Heidi Stauffer is a science and math teacher at Lydian Academy, a small private middle andhigh school in Menlo Park, CA. She co-manages the science lab for the school and is the leadfor the science professional learning community. She holds a PhD in Earth Science, specializingin climate... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, education, women in STEM

18:00 PDT

Escape Pod - Stackpole
Guests
MS

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:00 - 20:00 PDT
Wine Room
  Special Event   Limited

18:30 PDT

Charity Auction
Guests
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 18:30 - 19:45 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Special Event, charity

19:00 PDT

Autograph Session : Jay Hartlove
Saturday September 27, 2014 19:00 - 20:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

20:00 PDT

Alateen
Saturday September 27, 2014 20:00 - 21:00 PDT
Sumac
  Support Meeting, support

20:00 PDT

Friends of Bill W
Saturday September 27, 2014 20:00 - 21:00 PDT
Pine
  Support Meeting, support

20:00 PDT

Friends of Lois
Saturday September 27, 2014 20:00 - 21:00 PDT
Oak
  Support Meeting, support

20:00 PDT

GAMING: Digital Pinball Tournament
Saturday September 27, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Scalini's

20:00 PDT

Masquerade and halftime show
Guests
avatar for M. Todd Gallowglas

M. Todd Gallowglas

Writer
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for roughly twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch... Read More →

Saturday September 27, 2014 20:00 - 22:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Special Event, costuming, cosplay

20:00 PDT

Filk - Saturday
Sing until the wee hours with friends, filkers and fellow fen.
Saturday September 27, 2014 20:00 - 23:59 PDT
SandPebble D

21:00 PDT

Burning Bridges
... now there's 5 ships worth of crew on the 4000 square foot station Anubis.  It's a quiet day out in the Black.  What could go wrong?

Join your fellow LARPers for this game in the Firefly universe. 
Saturday September 27, 2014 21:00 - 23:59 PDT
Harbor A/B
  LARP, gaming, LARP

22:00 PDT

Karaoke - Saturday
Korkaraoke returns to Convolution. Enjoy a taste of stardom and share your best rendition of your favorite tune!
Saturday September 27, 2014 22:00 - 23:59 PDT
SandPebble A

22:00 PDT

GAMING: The Big Frakking Texas Hold 'Em Game
Saturday September 27, 2014 22:00 - 23:59 PDT
Scalini's
  Game

22:00 PDT

Turning the Heat up Beyond Time and Space.
Erotica reading presentation. 18 and over ONLY. PROJECT GENESIS
Moderators
M

M.Christian

Calling M.Christian versatile is a tremendous understatement. Extensively published in science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, non-fiction, and erotica. In addition to writing, he is a prolific anthologist, editing over 25 anthologies including the My Love For All That Is Bizarre... Read More →

Guests
DA
AM
LS

Lon Sarver

Lon Sarver is an editor with Fantastic Fiction Publishing, working mainly with their fantasy and science fiction stories. He has also been a localization editor for Aeria Games, having worked on their MMOs Scarlet Blade and Aura Kingdom, a relationship counselor, and professional... Read More →
JM

Saturday September 27, 2014 22:00 - 23:59 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, 18+, Genesis, literature
 
Sunday, September 28
 

08:00 PDT

Morning Movement - Sunday
Morning exercise
Guests
avatar for Paul Scherman

Paul Scherman

Accademia di Scherma Classica
Paul has a degree in Kinesiology (Nutrition and Wellness) from Cal State Hayward, a Personal Fitness Trainer certification from the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, a Corrective Exercise Specialist certification from National Academy of Sports Medicine, a UFC Gym... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 08:00 - 09:00 PDT
Harbor A

09:00 PDT

Christian Services
Religious observance
Guests
RS

Randy Smith

Randy Smith discovered the existence of fandom sometime in the dim, dark past of the 1970s when he was a skinny, bespectacled, nerdish, teenager. A few years later, fandom discovered him and there's been no turning back. He's written fanzine articles, pubbed APAzines, helped run conventions... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 09:00 - 10:00 PDT
Pine

10:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Comic masks
Guests
PS

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 11:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

10:00 PDT

Autograph Session : Steven Mix
Guests
SM

Steven Mix

Falkor Publishing
Steven Mix has worked with the autism community for a non profit organization and he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the military, he became obsessed with zombies and horror and now works to bring his darkness into the world in a fun... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 11:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

10:00 PDT

Moderated Fan Gathering: Battlestar Galactica
Guests
SM

Stacy Meyn

In past metamorphoses, Stacy Meyn (aka Spacemonster) was a library clerk, A/V tech, music store manager, and DJ/producer. She webmavened during the dot.com boom (and bust), and has operated her freelance writing business, Space Ltd. , since 1994. After a lengthy stint in aviation... Read More →
TN

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052

10:00 PDT

Moderated Fan Gathering: Star Wars
Guests
TS

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Sector 7 - Room 7052

10:00 PDT

Escape Pod - Grazier
Guests of Honor
KG

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Programming Suite - Room 2097
  Limited   Special Event

10:00 PDT

Bend it like Bechdel
Finding an alternative to the Bechdel test. The Mako Mori test isn't quite right either. We know when we've found a movie or story that we feel is at least some better representation of women. But it doesn't always pass the test. So, what does it need? What do we want? Or, what are we willing to accept? This has probably been done to death...
Guests
avatar for Elanor Hughes

Elanor Hughes

Elanor works for an audio manufacturer by day. By night she makes costumes, writes novels, and takes care of her grandmother. Her current novels in progress are about ancient Thrace and the time before the Vikings.
avatar for Lance Moore

Lance Moore

Westercon 66
Lance thinks his inner kid is pretty pleased that he's done marketing for a Westercon, after starting with a wooden shuttlecraft and a hardcopy fanzine back in the day. He's currently very active in the transgender community, providing support and outreach to newcomers, and putting... Read More →
MR
avatar for Juliette Wade

Juliette Wade

Writer, DAW
Juliette Wade's debut novel Mazes of Power will come out in 2020 from DAW books. Her short fiction has appeared in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Clarkesworld and several times in Analog magazine. Her nonfiction has appeared in Analog and in Lightspeed's special issue, Women Destroy... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, social issues, diversity, media

10:00 PDT

Chicks Dig Comics
Discussions of Women and Comic. Where are the women and what are they reading and creating.
Moderators
avatar for SallyRose

SallyRose

Tesser Inc.
Sally Rose is a wandering soul who yearns to see distant shores. She has traveled her entire life: from being born in Florida, growing up in New Jersey, to her teenage years in Germany, Belgium and Morocco and ending up in sunny California. She’s a happy Goth Geek Girl who loves... Read More →

Guests
MG
AM
BV

Beth Vallacqua

Franklin McKinley School District

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble E
  Panel, comics

10:00 PDT

Clothing Distressing
- A panel focusing on easy (and very inexpensive) techniques for aging new clothes in a quick and realistic fashion from my experience. So I guess this would be distressing clothing within a range of cost options.
Moderators
SP

Sarah Pugliaresi

Sarah Pugliaresi spends her days working as a Quality Engineer for a San Jose based wellness startup. By night, she is a fearless costume designer with ten years professional experience working for local theatres and independent films. When not sewing or working, she loves to read... Read More →

Guests
CB
KB

Krys Blackwood

Krys has been a fan for her whole life, and has been costuming for about five years now. She loves faithfully recreating her favorite film and tv costumes, but enjoys designing her own even more. During the day Krys designs software to be fun and easy to use. During her spare time... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, costuming

10:00 PDT

Geek Parents Raising Geeklets
We're all getting older. Some with kids, others with grandkids. When you're as passionate about the things we all geek out about and have kids, chances are, they may follow in your footsteps. Panelists include parents and kids from three families, all talking about getting their multi-generation geek on.
Moderators
JA

JC Arkham

Creator/Host, The NerdVana Podcast
JC Arkham is the creator and host of the NerdVana Podcast, a show by geeks, for geeks where we chat about movies, tv, comics, gaming, literature, fandom and all the like. JC is also a professional graphic designer with over 25 years experience and collects/builds film and tv prop... Read More →

Guests
BR
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →
LT
BV

Beth Vallacqua

Franklin McKinley School District

Volunteers
SR

Susie Rodriguez

Susie Rodriguez is an amateur everything, in that she does not get paid for any of it. The homeschooling mother of a 17 year old and a 5 year old, she is a life long fan, aspiring novelist, writer of snarky filk and all around smart alec. She holds a BA in English from UC Berkeley... Read More →
Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, conventions, social issues

10:00 PDT

Mind/computer interfaces
Guests
avatar for Wanda Kurtcu

Wanda Kurtcu

Writers Workshop, Pleasant
Hello and welcome aboard! Here’s a little bit about me! My 15 minutes of fame is from ‘A Matter of Honor’, a Star Trek: Next Generation episode I wrote back in 1984. I have been involved with Baycon as the Writers Workshop maven and on panels focused diversity in science fiction... Read More →
avatar for Todd McCaffrey

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story when he was twelve. He has published over two dozen novels, including eight novels written in The Dragonriders of Pern® universe and nearly twenty shorter works. He collaborates with... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, science

10:00 PDT

The Graphic Arts & Design Industry
Experienced graphic designers and artists share their experience with up and coming artists and designers about the graphic design/art industry. Where it's been, where it is now and where it's going.
Guests
BG
MS

Guests of Honor
JS

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, art

10:00 PDT

Women in Sci Fi
Moderators
HS

Helen Stringer

Helen Stringer, grew up in Liverpool, England, and currently lives in Redwood City in northern California. While in Liverpool, she was active in the music scene where she edited local music paper MerseySound while researching the life of the Countess of Sefton through her late 19th... Read More →

Guests
AS

Amy Sterling Casil

Amy Sterling Casil is a 2002 Nebula Award nominee and recipient of other awards and recognition for her short science fiction and fantasy, which has appeared in publications ranging from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction to Zoetrope. She is the author of 26 nonfiction books... Read More →
avatar for Carrie Sessarego

Carrie Sessarego

reviewer, Geek Girl In Love and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Carrie Sessarego is the geek reviewer for "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" (smartbitchestrashybooks.com), where she reviews science fiction and fantasy romance. She's also the creator and writer of "Geek Girl in Love" (geekgirlinlove.com), where she reviews science fiction, fantasy... Read More →
JM

Guests of Honor
TH

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Panel

10:00 PDT

Worldbuilding for gamers and writers
Guests
avatar for David Coronado

David Coronado

Narrator, Theatre Arcanos
David Coronado has been playing in and running LARPs for over 20 years. He likes to costume for events and has extensive experience in costuming without spending a lot of money. David has been playing RPGs since his first D&D game at the Boy Scout Jamboree in 1981. He’s the brains... Read More →
avatar for Lillian Csernica

Lillian Csernica

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire
At age five, Lillian Csernica discovered the Little Golden Books fairy tales. From there she moved on to the works of Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Tanith Lee, and Terry Pratchett. Her very first short story sale, "Fallen Idol," appeared in After Hours and was later reprinted in The... Read More →
avatar for Ryan Galiotto

Ryan Galiotto

Owner, Wicked Grounds
Owner and barista of one of San Francisco's favorite cafes, Wicked Grounds, Ryan is also a performance artist, MC, gamer and all around general geek. Ryan has performed around the world from Osaka Japan to Dublin Ireland. At age 18, was the youngest president of Chicago's Many Companions... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer McGaffey

Jennifer McGaffey

I’m a Foreign Service brat, raised in five countries before high school (and I’ve lived in a couple more since then). I’ve been an avid reader since I can remember - primarily SF/F and other genre fiction, but just about any words-in-a-row will do. My interests include being... Read More →
SS

Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a technology program manager, writer, coach and speaker who goes by the moniker “Geek 2.0 – The Professional Geek”. Steven speaks, coaches, and writes on geeky careers, self-development, culture and creativity. He has created a line of books to help fans turn... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Harbor A
  Panel, gaming, writing

10:00 PDT

Reading #4
Short readings by some of our authors
Guests
MK
avatar for M. Todd Gallowglas

M. Todd Gallowglas

Writer
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for roughly twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch... Read More →
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →
MR

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Oak
  Reading

10:00 PDT

GOH Spotlight - Michael Stackpole
Guests
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →
MS

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Special Event

10:00 PDT

Backyard and household science to do with kids
Adults are invited to come learn several science projects to do at home with kids. Due to the fast pace, this panel is not appropriate for children. For a hands on experience for the kids, see "Kids Do Science" in our Playzone.
Guests
TP

Tory Parker

Tory is a long time costumer, science fiction and fantasy fan, computer and tech geek, viking re-enactor, and space fan(atic). She has numerous other hobbies as well. She lives with Kay Tracy, six cats and two chickens.
KT

Kay Tracy

An avid viking age history buff, Kay spends a lot of time working with linen, wool and leather. Cats, chickens, and too many hobbies take all Kay's time. As a Solar System Ambassador (JPL Outreach program) Kay also gets to have some science and geek time.

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Workshop, education, science

10:00 PDT

Hair Workshop
How to make your hair interesting for costuming.
Guests
avatar for Debbie Bretschneider

Debbie Bretschneider

City of Saratoga
Debbie Bretschneider loves to costume at conventions. Hall costuming is always a blast. Latest award was Best Workmanship at the Westercon 66 masquerade.

Sunday September 28, 2014 10:00 - 12:00 PDT
Wine Room
  Workshop, costuming

11:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Fred Wiehe
Sunday September 28, 2014 11:00 - 12:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

12:00 PDT

GAMING: Carabande
Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Scalini's

12:00 PDT

Hollyweird Science
Come join Guest of Honor Kevin Grazier for an insider's look at his new book, "Hollyweird Science."
Guests of Honor
KG

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble E

12:00 PDT

Harassment- And we're going to keep talking about this
Continuing the discussion about harassment in fandom, the changes being made and those still needed.
Moderators
SQ

Stephen "Dirk" Libbey

Gaming Manager, Sound United
Stephen was dragged to his first convention by a girl. For some reason he married her anyway. Since then he has worked on several conventions including helping his wife run the newsletter for the 2011 World Science Fiction Convention (Renovation). He is an avid gamer, occasional podcaster... Read More →

Guests
AS

Amy Sterling Casil

Amy Sterling Casil is a 2002 Nebula Award nominee and recipient of other awards and recognition for her short science fiction and fantasy, which has appeared in publications ranging from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction to Zoetrope. She is the author of 26 nonfiction books... Read More →
GC

Gregg Castro

Director, Salinan T'rowt'raahl
Gregg Castro [t'rowt'raahl Salinan/rumsien Ohlone], has been involved in the preservation of his California Indigenous cultural heritage for over two decades. He represents his late Mother’s family’s interests in the protection of cultural heritage in their rumsien Ohlone homeland... Read More →
avatar for Kevin Roche

Kevin Roche

Kevin Roche 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. At Gallifrey One, Kevin is somewhat infamous as creator of the Tiki Dalek, and as one founder... Read More →
avatar for SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn

SonyaLynn was just a garden variety geek and IT drone when small pastel horses came into her life, surprising everyone…her most of all. A child of the '80s, if you had told her she'd ever even like anything bearing the My Little Pony name, she would have laughed in your face. Then... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Sumac
  Panel, conventions, diversity, social issues

12:00 PDT

Military Fantasy, different themes than Military SF?
Most often we think of the Military themes in SF, not Fantasy. Does fantasy dictate a different approach to handling those themes?
Moderators
MB

Guests
TH
MS

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Panel, literature, writing

12:00 PDT

Mold Making demo
Learn how to make simple 1 and 2 piece molds of purchased or sculpted objects and how to cast plastic copies.
Guests
MH

Mette Hedin

See Mette's Costumes/She Builds Them in her Kitchen/But she never really got the hang of how many words go into the last line of a haiku poem as she is not a trained writer and sometimes display a severe lack of self-discipline with the written word.
BL

Bryan Little

I am a Sci-fi fan with ADHD which means I like a lot of things a LOT! My favorite Sci-fi book is... Ooh there's a squirrel outside my window!!! Oh, what was I saying about Tikis? They're awesome! And so is Voltron! Hey, that contains Tron in it, lol, man that Peter Davison is a cheeky... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052
  Panel, art, cosplay, costuming, science

12:00 PDT

Multi-cultural Fans of Sci Fi. How can we encourage people to find Sci-Fi and Fantasy?
People of Color often are not as visiable at Sci Fi Cons as you would hope. How do we as a community encourage more people to find Sci-Fi and share their love of the Genre?
Moderators
avatar for Wanda Kurtcu

Wanda Kurtcu

Writers Workshop, Pleasant
Hello and welcome aboard! Here’s a little bit about me! My 15 minutes of fame is from ‘A Matter of Honor’, a Star Trek: Next Generation episode I wrote back in 1984. I have been involved with Baycon as the Writers Workshop maven and on panels focused diversity in science fiction... Read More →

Guests
avatar for Jon Del Arroz

Jon Del Arroz

Rislandia Books
Science Fiction, Steampunk, Baseball, Comics
MG
BL
avatar for Heidi L. Stauffer

Heidi L. Stauffer

Teacher, Lydian Academy
Heidi Stauffer is a science and math teacher at Lydian Academy, a small private middle andhigh school in Menlo Park, CA. She co-manages the science lab for the school and is the leadfor the science professional learning community. She holds a PhD in Earth Science, specializingin climate... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, conventions, diversity, literature, social issues

12:00 PDT

Prop Making
Moderators
avatar for Mea Cottman

Guests
KB

Krys Blackwood

Krys has been a fan for her whole life, and has been costuming for about five years now. She loves faithfully recreating her favorite film and tv costumes, but enjoys designing her own even more. During the day Krys designs software to be fun and easy to use. During her spare time... Read More →
SM

Stacy Meyn

In past metamorphoses, Stacy Meyn (aka Spacemonster) was a library clerk, A/V tech, music store manager, and DJ/producer. She webmavened during the dot.com boom (and bust), and has operated her freelance writing business, Space Ltd. , since 1994. After a lengthy stint in aviation... Read More →
TN
TS

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, art, cosplay, costuming

12:00 PDT

Shameless self-promotion for writers
Amazon, good reads, how to make the advertising work for you. Experienced pros give you their best tips on how to get noticed.
Moderators
avatar for M. Todd Gallowglas

M. Todd Gallowglas

Writer
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for roughly twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch... Read More →

Guests
KA

Kyle Aisteach

Kyle Aisteach is a short storyist who lives in Fresno, where he also teaches writing. www.aisteach.com or @kyleaistaech
avatar for Lillian Csernica

Lillian Csernica

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire
At age five, Lillian Csernica discovered the Little Golden Books fairy tales. From there she moved on to the works of Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Tanith Lee, and Terry Pratchett. Her very first short story sale, "Fallen Idol," appeared in After Hours and was later reprinted in The... Read More →
CO

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Panel, publishing, self-promotion, writing

12:00 PDT

Social Worldbuilding
Let's talk about designing societies and their behaviors and institutions, and the kinds of real interactions those will lead to between characters. While we're doing it, let's try to look beyond traditional European-based models and get really diverse and interesting.
Moderators
avatar for Juliette Wade

Juliette Wade

Writer, DAW
Juliette Wade's debut novel Mazes of Power will come out in 2020 from DAW books. Her short fiction has appeared in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Clarkesworld and several times in Analog magazine. Her nonfiction has appeared in Analog and in Lightspeed's special issue, Women Destroy... Read More →

Guests
MB

Marie Brennan

Writer
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for inspiration. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of... Read More →
SM

Steven Mix

Falkor Publishing
Steven Mix has worked with the autism community for a non profit organization and he was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the military, he became obsessed with zombies and horror and now works to bring his darkness into the world in a fun... Read More →
MR

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Oak
  Panel, culture, writing

12:00 PDT

Wounds And How To Make Them
Join us as we discuss some commonly held misconceptions about historical martial practice. We'll cover the weight and design of weapons and armor, wounds that weapons produce, and the role of the knight in society. Discussions will be based on historical records and analysis of evolution of fighting technique and weapons in the 13th through 18th centuries. This is the lecture portion of a two-part presentation.
Guests
avatar for Tony Barajas

Tony Barajas

Fight Coordinator, Michael's Salle d'Armes
Tony is a one of the founding members of St. Michael’s Salle d’Armes. He was the former treasurer of the guild and is currently the Fight Coordinator of StM. His interest in fencing started as a child watching Errol Flynn movies and the 1973 version of the Three Musketeers. Since... Read More →
ST

Sydney Thomson﹐ M.D.

Sydney is a successful physician in the Bay Area. She is an avid science fiction fan, a dedicated student of historical swordplay, and a founding member of St. Michael's Salle d'Armes, along with her husband, Tony Barajas. Her motto: reality is for people who lack imagination. She... Read More →
avatar for Paul Scherman

Paul Scherman

Accademia di Scherma Classica
Paul has a degree in Kinesiology (Nutrition and Wellness) from Cal State Hayward, a Personal Fitness Trainer certification from the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, a Corrective Exercise Specialist certification from National Academy of Sports Medicine, a UFC Gym... Read More →
JT

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Panel, combat

12:00 PDT

PLAYZONE Kids Do Science
Kay and Tracy show the kids of Convolution how to do cool stuff with science!
Guests
TP

Tory Parker

Tory is a long time costumer, science fiction and fantasy fan, computer and tech geek, viking re-enactor, and space fan(atic). She has numerous other hobbies as well. She lives with Kay Tracy, six cats and two chickens.
KT

Kay Tracy

An avid viking age history buff, Kay spends a lot of time working with linen, wool and leather. Cats, chickens, and too many hobbies take all Kay's time. As a Solar System Ambassador (JPL Outreach program) Kay also gets to have some science and geek time.

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Playzone
  Playzone, education, science

12:00 PDT

Reading #5 (Never On A Sunday)
Short readings by some of our authors. Subjects include horror, romance and erotica. 18 and over ONLY. PROJECT GENESIS
Guests
JH

Jay Hartlove

Horror Writers Association
Self-reinventor. Professional writer for 30 years. Master competition costumer for 20 years. Published novelist in last four years. The Isis Rising religious thriller series (The Chosen: 2011, Daughter Cell: 2013, Isis Rising: 2016), Mermaid Steel (fantasy romance: 2014), Snow White... Read More →
M

M.Christian

Calling M.Christian versatile is a tremendous understatement. Extensively published in science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, non-fiction, and erotica. In addition to writing, he is a prolific anthologist, editing over 25 anthologies including the My Love For All That Is Bizarre... Read More →
AM

AE Marling

Fantasy writer, dancer, law-abiding citizen, human being (in that order). A.E. Marling wrote his first fantasy novella after his freshman year in high school. In college, he found nothing gave him a greater urge to write than science lectures, and he sat through a lot of ‘em... Read More →
FW

Fred Wiehe

Fred Wiehe is a member of the Horror Writers Association. He’s the author of six novels, a collection of short stories, and numerous short stories that have appeared in anthologies, magazines, and e-zines. His adult novel Aleric: Monster Hunter became an Amazon Bestseller on Friday... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Sector 7 - Room 7052
  Reading, 18+, Genesis

12:00 PDT

Filk Concert
Puzzlebox and the Bohnhoff family share their music with Convolution
Guests
MK
BG
TG

Taunya Gren

A little bit about myself...I've been acting professionally for 38 years, directing and producing film for 15 years and singing with the band "Puzzlebox" for 17 years (Puzzlebox will be performing in the UK in 2014!) I am a professional science fiction/fantasy artist and was a 3d... Read More →
PK

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Special Event, music

12:00 PDT

GOH Spotlight - Jeff Sturgeon
Guests
avatar for Arlin Robins

Arlin Robins

Owner, Arlin Robins Designs
I have a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, in whose museum I found enough wonderful art to fuel a lifetime of inspiration for any artist.  I've created art in two dimensions (both individual paintings and remarqued prints) and three dimensions.  I love to experiment... Read More →

Guests of Honor
JS

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
SandPebble B
  Special Event

12:00 PDT

Attitude of Gratitude
Life gets rough. We all have bad days. What helps lift us up? What brings a smile to that face? A few kind words perhaps? Together we will craft some Appreciation Art! Three prompt ideas will be provided to the group for inspiration.We will add some more love and appreciation to our world. Always smile when you hear "As You Wish"? What about three little words... "Pew. Pew. Pew." Come get creative and focus on getting some smiles out there! Cardstock templates, magazines, stickers, glitter, glue, markers, scissors and more are provided. There is an availabe option to have their card designs included in an Affirmation deck to be made available to the public in the future. LIMIT 30 participants.
Guests
AM

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Harbor A
  Workshop, art, the first step

12:00 PDT

Fingerloop Braiding
Guests
avatar for Jennifer McGaffey

Jennifer McGaffey

I’m a Foreign Service brat, raised in five countries before high school (and I’ve lived in a couple more since then). I’ve been an avid reader since I can remember - primarily SF/F and other genre fiction, but just about any words-in-a-row will do. My interests include being... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 12:00 - 14:00 PDT
Wine Room
  Workshop, art, the first step

13:00 PDT

Autograph Session: CS Lowe
Guests
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 13:00 - 14:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

14:00 PDT

PLAYZONE: Bey Blades
Guests
PS

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 15:00 PDT
Evergreen
  Playzone

14:00 PDT

Buddhist Gathering
Guests
avatar for Wanda Kurtcu

Wanda Kurtcu

Writers Workshop, Pleasant
Hello and welcome aboard! Here’s a little bit about me! My 15 minutes of fame is from ‘A Matter of Honor’, a Star Trek: Next Generation episode I wrote back in 1984. I have been involved with Baycon as the Writers Workshop maven and on panels focused diversity in science fiction... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sumac

14:00 PDT

Moderated Fan Gathering: Cultural Diversity
Guests
GC

Gregg Castro

Director, Salinan T'rowt'raahl
Gregg Castro [t'rowt'raahl Salinan/rumsien Ohlone], has been involved in the preservation of his California Indigenous cultural heritage for over two decades. He represents his late Mother’s family’s interests in the protection of cultural heritage in their rumsien Ohlone homeland... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Oak

14:00 PDT

The Lie of "Show Don't Tell."
Show, don’t tell. Sounds like great advice…but what does it mean? Often writers are told what not to do. Don’t tell the readers how to feel. Don’t tell the readers what to think. But even when they are told what to do, such as be more descriptive and concrete in imagery, the rewrite often falls flat. That’s because the advice to show, don’t tell has an inherent contradiction built into it. Showing can be sterile but readers want a rich experience. This how-to presentation will reveal how the core contradiction of show, don’t tell interferes with creating emotionally engaging scenes. It will provide specific techniques for how to write successful, rich scenes to captivate your readers. With a little practice, you may never hear those three little words again.
Guests
JL

Jennifer L. Carson

Jennifer L. Carson wrote her first story before she read her first novel. Her passion for writing led to a career in editing that started in high school. After getting a degree in creative writing from UC Davis and certified as a copyeditor by UC Berkeley, Jennifer embarked on a career... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble B

14:00 PDT

'New Adult' - is this a real thing?
"New adult" is staking a claim as a hot new genre, but is it needed? Do we need a category between YA and adult? Is this a natural result of the Harry Potter generation or is this a dumbing down of adult readers? As more and more of the hottest authors are writing YA and dystopian YA in particular is a big hit with adults, are we seeing a blurring of the line between YA and adult lit in general? http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/04/15/new-adult-genre-is-the-hottest-category-in-book-publishing/2022707/
Moderators
M

M.Christian

Calling M.Christian versatile is a tremendous understatement. Extensively published in science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, non-fiction, and erotica. In addition to writing, he is a prolific anthologist, editing over 25 anthologies including the My Love For All That Is Bizarre... Read More →

Guests
avatar for Jean Batt

Jean Batt

DJ, Artist, Voice Over, Model, Cybermantic Collective and Smashwolf Productions and Studios
Jean Batt has been a DJ though out the bay area and around the world for 21 years and a third generation member of fandom. She is also a gender and intersex activist. She has worked in film as a costumer, actor and worked on a few soundtracks.
avatar for Todd McCaffrey

Todd McCaffrey

New York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story when he was twelve. He has published over two dozen novels, including eight novels written in The Dragonriders of Pern® universe and nearly twenty shorter works. He collaborates with... Read More →
CO

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Panel, literature

14:00 PDT

Armor Making
Guests
avatar for Mea Cottman

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble C
  Panel, art, cosplay, costuming

14:00 PDT

Dice on the Page
A number of authors have reworked material that began as a role-playing game into short stories, novels, and other forms. What craft issues does a writer have to grapple with when making this transition? How does a story that began as a game differ from one that was a solo project from the start? What ethical considerations does a writer owe to the people who participated in the original game?
Moderators
MB

Marie Brennan

Writer
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for inspiration. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of... Read More →

Guests
SH

Shael Hawman

Shael Hawman lives in the heart of Silicon Valley. Her three cats graciously share the house with her and her mother. In addition to banging sticks together to produce knitted goodies, she writes under the name Sheryl Hayes.  When she is not knitting or writing, she works full time... Read More →
LS

Lon Sarver

Lon Sarver is an editor with Fantastic Fiction Publishing, working mainly with their fantasy and science fiction stories. He has also been a localization editor for Aeria Games, having worked on their MMOs Scarlet Blade and Aura Kingdom, a relationship counselor, and professional... Read More →
MS

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble D
  Panel, gaming, writing

14:00 PDT

Geek Traveling and Re-enacting
Traveling to film, TV and book locations. How to do this, where to go, tips and examples. Such as Lord of the Rings Tour of New Zealand and UK historical, literary and scifi sites.
Guests
avatar for Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson

Christopher Erickson: By day, EHS professional; by night, fan. I can be found at events throughout the Bay Area in various guises (but mostly The Doctor) taking photos and carousing. When not doing this, I am writing for Science Fiction/San Francisco, browsing the internet for geeky... Read More →
avatar for Jean Martin

Jean Martin

Jean Martin is a frequent moderator and panelist at pop culture, science fiction/fantasy and Steampunk conventions. She is also involved in costuming, dancing, singing and acting, and has won awards for costuming and as part of masquerade teams. Jean won a FAAn Achievement Award for... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble A
  Panel, conventions, travel

14:00 PDT

If this is a room of my own, why is it covered in LEGO?
A panel about finding time to write, or keeping in touch with your muse as a writer. One of the big problems facing women writers, especially mothers, is the lack of Virginia Woolf's "room of their own." How do you find/build/that room?
Guests
MK
MM

Margaret McGaffey Fisk

Margaret McGaffey Fisk is a storyteller whose tales often cross genres and worlds to bring the events and characters to life. A Foreign Service brat and anthropology aficionado, she pulls on her own experiences and those she’s studied for grounding her fictional cultures. Her published... Read More →
MG
avatar for Leslie E. Light

Leslie E. Light

Editor/Writer, Black Nerd Problems
Leslie E.H. Light is a writer, editor, mother, and pound cake enthusiast. She stands up for Black Speculative Fiction at BlackNerdProblems.com, where she’s a writer and editor. Her short fiction has been published in Finding Home: Community in Apocalyptic Worlds and she’s self-published... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Harbor A
  Panel, social issues, writing

14:00 PDT

Swordplay Through The Ages
Experience the violence and finesse that make up historical sword fighting! We begin with armored knights performing longsword tournament combat, then progress through the years demonstrating assorted sword fighting techniques of the past 500 years. We will show longsword, cut-and-thrust sword, rapier and dagger, and modern dueling sword and saber. This is the demonstration portion of a two-part presentation.
Guests
avatar for Tony Barajas

Tony Barajas

Fight Coordinator, Michael's Salle d'Armes
Tony is a one of the founding members of St. Michael’s Salle d’Armes. He was the former treasurer of the guild and is currently the Fight Coordinator of StM. His interest in fencing started as a child watching Errol Flynn movies and the 1973 version of the Three Musketeers. Since... Read More →
ST

Sydney Thomson﹐ M.D.

Sydney is a successful physician in the Bay Area. She is an avid science fiction fan, a dedicated student of historical swordplay, and a founding member of St. Michael's Salle d'Armes, along with her husband, Tony Barajas. Her motto: reality is for people who lack imagination. She... Read More →
avatar for Paul Scherman

Paul Scherman

Accademia di Scherma Classica
Paul has a degree in Kinesiology (Nutrition and Wellness) from Cal State Hayward, a Personal Fitness Trainer certification from the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, a Corrective Exercise Specialist certification from National Academy of Sports Medicine, a UFC Gym... Read More →
JT

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Pool Pavilion
  Panel, combat

14:00 PDT

The Word Art of A E Marling
AE Marling displays the results of a project in which he collected hundreds of reasons people love fantasy and made word arts out of them.
Guests
AM

AE Marling

Fantasy writer, dancer, law-abiding citizen, human being (in that order). A.E. Marling wrote his first fantasy novella after his freshman year in high school. In college, he found nothing gave him a greater urge to write than science lectures, and he sat through a lot of ‘em... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sector 7 - Room 7052
  Panel, art

14:00 PDT

Time Travel
Guests
HD
KG
GD
MR

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
SandPebble E
  Panel, media, science, space

14:00 PDT

Women and Space
Moderators
KT

Kay Tracy

An avid viking age history buff, Kay spends a lot of time working with linen, wool and leather. Cats, chickens, and too many hobbies take all Kay's time. As a Solar System Ambassador (JPL Outreach program) Kay also gets to have some science and geek time.

Guests
CL

Candace Lowe

C. Sanford Lowe (pen name of Candace S. Lowe) is a science fiction writer who co-authored the novel, "The Black Hole Project", with G. David Nordley. Formerly a newspaper reporter in Boston, a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and an airline pilot in New Mexico, an IT staffer at Stanford... Read More →
TP

Tory Parker

Tory is a long time costumer, science fiction and fantasy fan, computer and tech geek, viking re-enactor, and space fan(atic). She has numerous other hobbies as well. She lives with Kay Tracy, six cats and two chickens.
AT

Andy Trembley

Geek, freak, reader, essayist, costumer, critic, media-junkie, biker, pervert, party-queen, troublemaker, FAN.

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Pine
  Panel, science, space, women in STEM

14:00 PDT

A Clean Well Lighted Place to Write #3
A quiet room in which to work on your current writing project.
Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Wine Room
  Workshop, writing

14:00 PDT

How To Give Someone The Finger
Learn how to make a cast and realistic copy of a finger out of silicone. Basic mold making and casting techniques to produce realistic body parts.
Guests
MH

Mette Hedin

See Mette's Costumes/She Builds Them in her Kitchen/But she never really got the hang of how many words go into the last line of a haiku poem as she is not a trained writer and sometimes display a severe lack of self-discipline with the written word.
BL

Bryan Little

I am a Sci-fi fan with ADHD which means I like a lot of things a LOT! My favorite Sci-fi book is... Ooh there's a squirrel outside my window!!! Oh, what was I saying about Tikis? They're awesome! And so is Voltron! Hey, that contains Tron in it, lol, man that Peter Davison is a cheeky... Read More →

Sunday September 28, 2014 14:00 - 16:00 PDT
Sector 8 - Room 8052
  Workshop, art, cosplay, costuming, science, the first step

15:00 PDT

Autograph Session: Setsu Uzume
Sunday September 28, 2014 15:00 - 16:00 PDT
Regency Foyer
  Signing

16:00 PDT

Closing Ceremonies
Come say goodbye as we wrap up Convolution 2014 and the gavel is passed to the 2015 team!
Sunday September 28, 2014 16:00 - 17:00 PDT
Harbor B
  Special Event

17:00 PDT

Feedback Session
Tell us what worked for you and where you think there's room for growth.
Sunday September 28, 2014 17:00 - 18:00 PDT
Harbor B
 
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