Norwescon 28 Panel Descriptions

Norwescon 28

Day-by-day listing of descriptions and panelists for each of the panels at Norwescon 28.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

9 OUT OF 10 CULTURES PREFER POLYGAMY

Heather Candelaria (M), Susan Stern Grossman, Eris The Unorganized

It is an innocuous remark made by an anthropology professor, makes one pause. What is the most natural state of human relationships? What kind of societies, imagined or real, give rise to polygamous relations.

ALIEN LINGUISTICS

Wolf Lahti (M), Andrew Dolbeck, Robin Ashley Smith

Why would someone from light years away sound, or talk like the folks just down the street? Many human cultural assumptions are reinforced by the language used to express them. If a culture is truly alien, what would its language be like?

CHANGING YOUR MIND

Michelle Garrison (M), Thor Osborn, John P. Alexander

Drugs like Prozac are already available to change aspects of brain biology. The next step is genetic manipulation. But how far should we go with mind manipulation? Is it ok to cure a low IQ? Prevent criminal tendencies? Give your child musical talent?

CLAY-O-RAMA

Betty Bigelow (M)

My critter can whip your monster's butt! Come and have fun with Betty Bigelow.

COMPUTER HUMOR

Chris Nilsson (M), Christopher J. Garcia

Come and share scary computer/user tales, 101 things to do when the computer is down, BOFH, and any other computer humor you can think of.

CORSETS, BUSTIERS, AND MERRY WIDOWS

Lori Edwards (M), Melissa Quinn, Julia Clayton, Lauryn MacGregor, Margo Loes, JoAnne Kirley

An overview of the evolution of the corset and a demo on corset/bustier construction techniques, supplies and pattern resources.

FANSPEAK 101

David Nasset, Sr. (M), Cheyenne Wright, Savannah Goodwin

"What did he just say?" We speak a different language than some of the rest of the population, but what does it all mean? Learn the basics of FanSpeak in just one hour, then go forth and wear your beanie proudly!

FANTASY CLOTHES

Abranda Icle Sisson-Mudd (M), Heather Hudson, Raven Mimura

It's hard enough to depict a fantasy world that doesn't just look like "Merry Olde England." How fantasy artists come up with clothes that are more than Renaissance Festival costumes.

FILK AND THE MAINSTREAM

Jeff Bohnhoff (M), Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, Karen Rall

What are the differences between filking and mainstream music? Isn't filking just a sub-genre of music? A discussion of what takes filk out of the mainstream.

FORWARD INTO BATTLE!

Mike Shepherd-Moscoe (M), Irene Radford, Margaret H. Bonham

Against that? You're kidding. Fantasy means guys in chain mail and gals in fur bikinis; right. So of course we charge into battle against . . . hold it -- who in his right mind charges a castle shoulder to shoulder when the dang wizard on the wall is blasting away with balls of energy that take you out fifty at a time? How do you do that and make it seem real?

FRIENDS OF BILL W.

FUN AND EASY FAIRY HEADPIECES

Amanda Harris-Forbes (M), Alisa Green, Cherie Harris, Terri "Sprite" Specht

. . . from craft foam. Our craft experts will lead you in making and decorating creative headwear from sheets of craft foam.

GAMING FOR FUN AND PROFIT

Chris Bruscas (M), Sharon Turner Mulvihill, Lisa Pondsmith, Mike Pondsmith

An insught into the business end of fun'n'games.

GIRL GENIUS RADIO THEATRE

Kaja Foglio (M), Phil Foglio, Cheyenne Wright, Savannah Goodwin

The Continuing Adventures of Agatha Heterodyne: Girl Genius! Phil and Kaja Foglio's Gaslamp Fantasy with Adventure, Romance and Mad Science is now a series of (rather silly) radio plays. Come and see what the crew of Studio Foglio's Airship Entertainment has come up with this year.

HOW BOOK COVERS ARE MADE

Michael Whelan (M), Jeff Sturgeon, Stephen Hickman

Experienced illustrators and successful publishers discuss how it's done. Mysteries revealed.

HOW TO PRESENT FOR SALE PURPOSES

Abranda Icle Sisson-Mudd (M)

Matting Techniques - demonstration of how to mat pieces of art specifically for convention art show display; choosing colors, decoration, and fancy matting techniques. Where to get supplies.

HOW TO START A MAGAZINE

Patrick Swenson (M), Gordon Van Gelder, Deborah Layne

... And why you shouldn't. So, you need a business plan and seed money, and (oh yeah) readers. Plus you need to create? Exploit? A new niche in the market, so you seem fresh and relevant? Are you sure you've got what it takes?

IS MYTHOLOGY JUST A LEGEND THESE DAYS?

Philemon Vanderbeck (M), Karen D. Fishler, Mark J. Ferrari

Is mythology any different from legends, folklore, fantasy etc? What purposes did or does it play in the world? Is true mythology still being generated, or have mythology's headwaters dried up for good in our empirically scientific world? Is there still any functional role for it, or is mythology just another frivolous anachronistic knickknack for fan geeks to buy and sell at cons.

JOAN OF ARC

Matthew Rossi (M), Patricia A. McKillip, Louise Marley

The maid and the myth. One of the most exciting and controversial female figure in history, Joan of Arc continues to amaze and inspire us 500 years after her death. This panel will highlight some of Joan's remarkable accomplishments and debate her portrayal in history.

JUST GIVE THE KID A BOOK

David-Glenn Anderson (M), Bobbie Benton Hull, Cymbric Earlysmyth

They're highly motivated, or disaffected; they're top readers, or they've never read a book; they want to reach higher, or just need the extra credit to pass. They're students, and you need to reach them somehow. Why not with a science fiction/fantasy book?

LEGALITY OF THE BODY

Gregory R. Paddock (M), Heather Candelaria, V.E. Mitchell, Cheryl Lynn York

Who has the right to it? My living will says that no extreme measures are to be taken to keep me alive - what right do The US Courts have to override this measure. Do I have the right to die if I have a disease that there is no cure for, and which leaves me in terrible unrelenting pain? Who has the right to tell you what to do with your own body?

LOW BUDGET FEATURE FILMMAKING

Edward Martin III (M), Ryan K. Johnson, Eric Morgret Director Maelstrom Productions LLC, Matthew Dockrey

Want to make you own epic, but just don't have 100 million floating around? Join this filmmaker's roundtable, explaining how to make movies on the cheap. Writing, casting, shooting, and production can all happen for approximately the price of a used car, if you know how to play your cards right, and apply the tricks and techniques these folks talk about.

M.R. JAMES'S "CASTING THE RUNES"

Philemon Vanderbeck (M)

The original short story that the classic horror film "The Curse (or Night) of the Demon" is based on.

MITIGATE THE ASTEROID THREAT

Carlton Rhoades (M)

Although there are no known asteroids expected to impact Earth in the near future, such an event, even of a small asteroid (100 meters) can have serious, long term effects. Should we wait until an asteroid is determined to be on a collision course?

MY STARSHIP CREW IS NAKED

Dave Tackett (M), Melissa Quinn, Julia Clayton, Donna Barr

The return of an old favorite. Choose your type of ship and crew and design practical (or impractical) uniforms for them to wear.

NANOTECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES

Stephen Gillett (M)

Why we will NOT be mining the asteroid belt. A PowerPoint presentation.

NORWESCON 28 SF/F PICTIONARY

Ed Stiner (M), Roberta Gregory, Raven Mimura, L. Kirsten McElligott, Russell D. Campbell, Marcus Rieck

Come play the popular game with a sci-fi twist. Guess the movie, book, TV show, etc. along with your favorite artists.

NWC28 MIDNIGHT HORROR READINGS

John Pelan (M), Matthew Rossi, Cheryl Scott, Bruce Taylor, Eric M. Witchey, Loren W. Cooper

The witching hour is back at Norwescon as readers spin dark tales of the macabre. Come and find out the true meaning of horror!

NWC28 OPEN FILK CIRCLE

Karen Rall (M)

Come and join friends old and new for an evening of music and storytelling.

ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EDITOR

Greg Cox (M), Sharon Turner Mulvihill, Jak Koke

It's been said by some that editors were hired to go to meetings. Here's an hour by hour account of what an editor actually does. It's 11:00 AM --- do you know where your manuscript is?

PARLEYING WITH ALIENS

Matt Pearson (M), Dave Bigelow, Gregory Gadow

In the absence of a Star Trek translator or Martian Rosetta Stone, how will we understand extraterrestrial intelligences when we meet them? What's the best approach to initial contact?

POLY - A BASIC PRIMER

Karawynn Long (M), Alyxx "Panther" Feltser, Jak Koke

Science fiction has been exploring new relationship models since Heinlein and arguably further. Many fans have been discovering "poly" relationships, where love is not an exclusive, limited resource. Come learn about these relationship models. Bring your thoughts and questions for this popular topic.

RESEARCHING YOUR STORY

Greg Cox (M), James Rollins/James Clemens, Renee Stern

When do you quit? The family tree covers three sheets; the glossary needs extensive cross references; the map has 16 color codes. Have you overdone it, or is this all necessary to provide verisimilitude? And haven't we all read stories where the writer gets so involved with building the world that the story got lost? Learn when to drop the books and pick up the pen.

REVISITING MARS

Tanya Harrison (M), Robert P. Suryan, Ron Hobbs

Spirit and Opportunity have been making their way across the Martian surface for over a year now, much longer than expected. What new clues have they given us to Mars' past?

RUNES 102: DIVINATION

Philemon Vanderbeck (M)

How to use the ancient Runes for divining the future.

SCREENPLAY READINGS

Julie Hoverson (M)

Actors wanted! Audience members will be selected to read roles in an unpublished screenplay written by Julie Hoverson. Reader's theatre-style, no stunt work required.

SEX AND SEXISM IN F/SF ART

Larry Lewis (M), Jul Lacquement, Christine D. Winters

Navigating the tricky seas of taste, popular morality, and fun.

SF CHEESY CHICK CULT CLASSICS WITH CASCADIA CON

Peter DuFault (M)

Come join Cascadia Con and enjoy some of the cheesiest Science Fiction Cult Classics ever produced!

STANDING WATER ON MARS?

Stephen Gillett (M), Tanya Harrison

Where's The Proof? Come hear the latest evidence for standing water on Mars in the past.

SURVIVING THE RUMOR MILL

Bobbie DuFault (M), Marcus Rieck, Dane Ballard

It's common in small communities for there to be a persistent rumor mill. This is especially true in areas that aren't considered "normal". How do you avoid becoming a victim of this phenomenon? If you do fall prey to it, what is the best way to deal with the situation?

TEACHING MARS

Christopher Erickson (M), Cheryl Lynn York, Spring Schoenhuth

How to keep current. How can a teacher or parent keep the curriculum-connection current? How does a busy teacher or parent navigate all the available resources to find the ones most suited to his or her children? What are the best websites and other resources for you and your students.

THE ART OF STUDIO FOGLIO

Kaja Foglio (M), Phil Foglio

Attendees are invited to view a slideshow showcasing the recent work of author/artists Phil and Kaja Foglio; including work from their comic book series Girl Genius as well as various card and board games. Questions are encouraged, as this is an informal showing and the panelists will often veer wildly off-topic without guidance.

THE ART OF THE SPACE ELEVATOR

Nyein Aung (M), Michael J. Laine

The Liftport Group presents an artist's conception of the future of orbital transportation. What will the Space Elevator look like? How will it dock with the Space Station? A video presentation and discussion.

THE CURSE OF HARRY POTTER?

Louise Marley (M), Bobbie Benton Hull, Duane Wilkins

So, maybe Harry Potter isn't the best fiction. Are there actually people that don't think Harry Potter is the best children's literature there is? Do you feel you could edit them to half the length and not hurt the story? Come in disguise if you wish. A chance to talk about what's wrong with Harry Potter.

THE ELEGANT GOTH

Richard Stephens (M), Veronica Lavenz, Anita Taylor, Lori Edwards, Margo Loes, Diana Vick

Does being a Goth/vampire, mean you have to dress in moldy tatters and the color black? Join us for a discussion/examples of what the well-dressed Goth's wardrobe can entail. This will be a discussion AND gothic-fasion show.

THE FUTURE OF TABLETOP GAMES

Chris Bruscas (M), Cheyenne Wright, Lisa Pondsmith

With the game play of computer games becoming more and more like the tabletop versions what does the future hold for our favorite pen and paper games. Do games like Neverwinter Nights, with its online capabilities and GM controls, foretell the end of tabletops?

THE NORWESCON 28 OPENING CEREMONIES

Richard Stephens (M), Shawn Marier, Ali Grieve

It's time to begin four days of examining the Language of Fantasy and Science Fiction, the theme of this weekend, and all the other wonderful things that make this a great convention. Come and help us launch Norwescon 28 as we welcome Guests of Honor Michael Bishop, Stephen Hickman, Suzette Haden Elgin, Alan Dean Foster, and Tom Doherty to our convention.

THE NORWESCON 28 THURSDAY NIGHT DANCE

Todd Clark (M)

Come and dance the night away.

THE UNIVERSE AS SEEN BY WMAP

Eric Schulman (M), Elton Elliott

Thanks to the WMAP satellite we now know the parameters of the universe to amazing precision. What does it tell us about the universe and its ultimate fate?

TOLKIEN VS JACKSON

Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff (M), Vladimir Verano, Robert J. Grieve

Some say that the good Professor was just learning his trade as he wrote the greatest fantasy of the 20th century. Other say Jackson has taken great and made it better. No, he took great and wrecked it! Come and state your point of view. This is a weaponless panel ... we really mean that. We'll even take the walking stick from the old guy in the gray cloak.

TRIPPING THROUGH HISTORY

Elton Elliott (M), Bridget Coila, Craig L. Figley

Join us for an interesting discussion of the origins and uses of drugs throughout history.

WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE DREAM?

Thor Osborn (M), Gregory R. Paddock, Stephen Gillett, Judy R. Johnson

If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we keep a man on the moon? We're a bit late for our rendezvous with the space station Kubrik helped us dream of in 2001: A Space Odyssey (let alone the Moon-base or a manned Jupiter mission). Will we ever get into space to stay? Is the discovery of water on the moon and Mars a ray of hope or just another promise that will go unfulfilled?

WHY SHOULD WE PURSUE AI?

Matthew Dockrey (M), Christopher J. Garcia, G. David Nordley

Computer scientists work hard to try to develop Artificial Intelligence. Why? What is the point -- can't AI just say "no" if we ask it a question?

WRITING ESSENTIALS 101

Ken Rand (M), Patrick Swenson, L.J. Bothell

Markets and marketing for the writer who is ready to submit work: where/what are the markets? What do they really need from you? How to find writer's markets, understand what the editors ask for, and maximize your chance for jumping out of the slush pile or avoiding it altogether. As well as what are successful marketing and promotion strategies writers can incorporate into a busy life? Panelists can discuss forming relationships, mentoring, cross-genre writing, sharing resources, etc.

WRITING ESSENTIALS 104

L.J. Bothell (M), Marti McKenna

About author scams. The idea of this business is money comes to the author, not the other way around. When to run, not walk away, when people ask you for money to get you published.

WRITING ESSENTIALS 105

Kevin Radthorne (M), Loren W. Cooper, Ted Butler

Self-editing secrets. For the writer who is getting ready to submit work: final formatting, self-editing checks, how to trim and tighten prose so it demands to be published.

Friday, March 25, 2005

2-D INTO 3-D COSTUMING

Melissa Quinn (M), Julie Zetterberg, Janet Borkowski

Some of the best costumes ever began as flat art. Wouldn't you like to create and wear them? Ideas, resources and technical info for creating costumes from drawings and photographs with discussion of anime and animation art.

A NWC28 HORROR SPECIAL

John Pelan (M), Michael Montoure

A. The Cthulhuian Singularity [A hard-SF spin on the Cthulhu Mythos tales of H.P. Lovecraft. From the anthology The Cthulhuian Singularity (available in the dealers room!)]

AND

A. Counting from Ten and Other Stories [Stories for dark rooms and locked doors]

A READING

Karen D. Fishler (M)

From her selected works.

A READING

L. Timmel Duchamp (M)

From her selected works.

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE COSTUMES

Amanda Harris-Forbes (M), Alisa Green, Margo Loes, Richard Stephens

. . . or costuming unfortunate events. If you enjoy cheery and bright costumes, this panel is not for you. Let's explore how Edward Gorey, Tim Burton, The Addam's Family, and Lemony Snicket can inspire us to create costumes with a dark but quirky side.

A VOICE FOR THE GODDESS OF MERCY

Pat MacEwen (M)

What -really- happened to Osama Bin Laden? A short tale of Buddhist revenge. "A Voice For the Goddess of Mercy", which appeared in the e-zine AEON in February 2005

AIRBRUSH DEMO

John R. Gray III (M)

Demonstration of the techniques learned by this skilled artist. Come learn just how much fun airbrushing can be!

ALIEN SEX AND MATING RITUALS

Pat MacEwen (M), Christopher Konker, Matthew Harpold

A fun way to build aliens and their cultures is to start with their sex lives. Discuss ideas like what kind of culture results when sex is fatal, when you need four genders, and when males and females never met.

ALT LIFESTYLES BEYOND SEX

Prince Ka (M), Roberta Gregory

"Alternative Lifestyles, isn't that just another phrase for kinky sex?" Science Fiction fans think differently than the mainstream in many ways. Let's examine some of our "alternative" religious, political, economic, and intellectual lifestyles.

ANGLICON PRESENTS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH THE BRITS

Theresa Garton (M)

British approach to Sci Fi hosted by our local Anglophiles showing some movies, TV programs and/or a taped interview from an Anglicon.

ARMOR 101

Anita Taylor (M), Christopher Konker

Join us for an introduction to armor and protective clothing of the Middle Ages, including terminology, armor-making, adapting modern materials to look authentic, fitting and usage, and a demonstration of the effectiveness of armor and protective clothing.

ARTIST'S JAM

Roberta Gregory (M), Blane Bellerud, Donna Barr, Russell D. Campbell, Raven Mimura,

Come suggest interesting ideas to our panel of very talented artists and see them appear before your very eyes. Great Fun!

BASIC HAND SEWING

Anita Taylor (M), Terri "Sprite" Specht

Workshop, learn the basic hand sewing stitches, discuss supplies and resources.

BDSM A BASIC PRIMER

Alyxx "Panther" Feltser (M), Marcus Rieck, Leopoldo Marino

From the leather clad whip wielding dominatrix walking through the convention halls, to the leashed and collared, those who are into both SM/B&D and science fiction are many and visible. Come listen to the panel talk about beginning steps and concepts.

BEAUTY AND THE ART OF THE FEMALE FORM

Christine D. Winters (M)

Join this Northwest artist for an hour of the joys and wonder of SF Art at its best.

BLACK BRILLION

Matt Hughes (The Writer) (M)

Science-Fantasy novel, far future setting, similar to Jack Vance's Dying Earth tales.

BLUE MOON RISING

Raven Mimura (M)

An hour of the wonders of this local SF/F artist.

BREAKING INTO E-PUBLISHING

L.J. Bothell (M), Bridget McKenna, Sara Stamey

Electronic and Print-on-Demand topics. Is one better than the other? Can both work hand in hand? What are great contacts for either? Can publishers make any money?

BRINGING YOUR CHARACTERS TO LIFE

Greg Cox (M), Lizzy Shannon, Susan Stern Grossman

Are your characters bored with their own words? Can your readers tell? Are the people who populate your book all cut from the same cloth, speaking with the same voice? Come join a discussion of how to breathe life and excitement into your characters . . . and to make your readers care about what happens to them on the next page!

BROAD UNIVERSE RAPID-FIRE READING

Amy Axt Hanson (M), A.M. Dellamonica, Nancy Jane Moore, Lyda Morehouse, Kelly Green,

A potluck reading buffet where you can get a taste of the best and latest work by the amazing Alyx Dellamonica, Kelly Green, Amy Hanson, Nancy Jane Moore, and Lyda Morehouse. Chocolate usually makes an appearance: laughter always serves up in hefty doses.

BUILDING THE BUZZ

Claire Eddy (M), Duane Wilkins, Vladimir Verano

What makes one novel merely successful and another a blockbuster best seller? Is it the buzz the latter generates? What make one book have buzz and another not? Can you cite examples? What kinds of buzz are there --- and what is most effective at promoting a book? What can a publisher do to generate or enhance the buzz for a particular book?

CHAINMAILLE 101

Russ Jensen (M)

Build a simple 4 and 1 pattern, expanding to a larger weave.

CHAINMAILLE 102

Russ Jensen (M)

Angles, drop-add link techniques, a step up from 101.

COLOR SCIENCE AND PRINTER TECHNOLOGY

Dave Butler (M), Jacqualynn D. Duram Nilsson

The science behind your DeskJet.

CONFABULATION: THE ART OF COLLABORATION

Eve Gordon (M), Bridget McKenna, Marti McKenna

The methods and madness of working together, cultivating ideas, and finishing a product -- all without killing each other.

CONLANGING 101

Tim Smith (M), Matt Pearson, Gregory Gadow

A discussion of conlanging -- the invention of conlangs (constructed languages) -- as a fannish hobby comparable to filking, costuming, gaming, etc.

COSTUMERS STITCH AND BITCH

Lori Edwards (M), Terri "Sprite" Specht, Joanne Kirley, Prince Ka, Alisa Green,

Have a costume you're trying to finish or just want strange company for a few hours? Come join us! Topic for discussion will be the use of historical silhouettes in fantasy and science fiction costuming.

CREATING EMOTION-DRIVEN SF/F

Eric M. Witchey (M)

A Workshop. Speculative fiction is often called the fiction of ideas, but wonderful ideas will never see print unless they create an emotional impact. Learn to begin with emotion and then wrap the story around character to affect the reader.

CYNICISM VS FUTURISM IN SF

Terry Burlison (M), Jerry Oltion, Joseph Paul Haines

When did the future get so far away? Remember the 1959s and 1960s, when we thought that by the year 2000 we'd have giant orbiting space stations, routine space travel, and human colonies all over the solar system? Stories written today don't talk of such wonders happening within a few decades --- instead, they're a century or more in the imagined future. What happened? Did we get more cynical and lose our near-term dreams, or more practical and assume the future would be harder to get to that earlier dreamers imagined?

DEATH CHART

Kathy Watts (M)

An astrological ghost story.

DECODER

Mike Shepherd-Moscoe (M)

A boy in 1950's Alabama orders a secret decoder ring. It works far too well.

DENIZENS OF THE UNDERWORLD

Lorelei Shannon (M), Kathy Watts, Douglas Herring

Cerberus guards the entrance to hell, and whoever else dwells within. Depending on whom you talk to, it is either the Elysium Fields or souls in eternal conflict. Hades, Pluto, Lucifer; fallen angels, monsters, damned souls. Oddly there is room for just about everyone when they die. Join us to explore the wonders of the Underworld.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF CONLANGING

Matt Pearson (M)

Regardless of whether you want to make your conlang as human as possible or as non-human as possible, it's useful to know some linguistics. In conlanging, as in poetry, it's helpful to know as much as possible about language so that you can manipulate the conventions to achieve the effects you want.

DIFFERENT STUDENTS, DIFFERENT STYLES

David-Glenn Anderson (M), Caroline Cox, Jim Grimsley

Student labels can get in the way of education. But all students are learners - with individual and unique styles. Discuss the different learning styles and hear tips about different tecniques that work.

DOGS IN THE MOONLIGHT

Jay Lake (M)

My 2004 collection from Prime Books.

DREAM PARK - JUST A DREAM?

Loren W. Cooper (M), Chris Bruscas, Dennis Bergum

As computer and console games become more sophisticated and involved is the science fiction idea of a virtual reality theme park focused on role-playing games really a possibility?

E-PUBLISHING

Karawynn Long (M), Bridget McKenna, Derryl Murphy

Is there really a future in Internet publishing? What about self-publishing/vanity publishing -- is it really the kiss of death?

ETERNITY SHIFT

Mary Rosenblum (M)

Ani Huang, on a mission of personal vengeance, finds far more than a simple assassin in the garden core of orbital platform, New York Up.

FAIRY BREWHAHA AT THE LUCKY NICKEL SALOON

Ken Rand (M)

The dadgum fairies invade an Old West saloon intent on getting drunk on legendary magical brew -- and then robbing the dadgum circus.

FAIRY WINGS WORKSHOP

Amanda Harris-Forbes (M), Alisa Green, Cherie Harris

Not lucky enough to have grown them? This popular workshop is back and you are invited!

FANNISH FETISH FASHION SHOW

Veronica Lavenz (M), Heather Candelaria, Prince KA

A parade of lusciousness! Come to see the exhibition of alternative and fannish costuming. What kinds of things are there to see? Vinyl, comic book characters, burlesque, drag...the possibilities are limited only by the imagination (and state law, of course). This is an event that should not be missed!

FANTASY FORENSICS

Arinn Dembo (M), David Nasset, Sr., Matt Hughes (The Writer)

Real and imagined fantasy stuff. Do vampires get rigor mortis? Does Cthulu have fingerprints? Analyzing a crossbow wound, etc.

FANTASY NOVEL

Patricia A. McKillip (M)

A chapter from the contemporary sequel to my fantasy novel Winter Rose.

FILK 101

David Nasset, Sr. (M), Jeff Bohnhoff, Karen Rall

What is this filk thing all about? Here's your chance to learn all about it and have a lot of fun in the process. Don't miss this great opportunity.

FIXING GAMES THAT SUCK

Chris Bruscas (M), Lisa Pondsmith, Mike Pondsmith

Even the worst games can have an upside. How to get something good out of that terrible game.

FLINTKNAPPING

John P. Alexander (M)

Come and see how to make spearpoints and arrowheads out of glass and stone.

FRIENDS OF BILL W.

FUTURE HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY

Karen D. Fishler (M), Bruce Taylor, Eris The Unorganized

Do technological advances change what "human" really means -- the way people develop over their lifetimes as individuals and members of their societies, what they can accomplish, what they value, what they are capable of realizing?

GAS AND THE BUTTON

Ray Vukcevich (M)

Ray Vukcevich will be demonstrating the principle of "less is more" with two short stories -- "Gas", a love story, from F&SF and "The Button" from Hobart #4 in which a small mistake changes a life forever."

GENDER, SEX, AND LANGUAGE

Matt Pearson (M), Tim Smith, Heather Candelaria, Eva Carlstrom

Gender = sex, right? Wrong! Gender distinctions in language are often based on quite different features or associations. At the same time, in many languages there is a high overlap between linguistic and biological gender. How do gender, sex, and language relate?

GLOBAL WARMING

Pat MacEwen (M)

Given the carnage wrought by last December's tsunamis, how are we going to deal with a serious rise in sea level?

Even three feet is enough to render 75% of Bangladesh uninhabitable for significant parts of the year. And the possible effects on our fresh water supplies are positively horrendous. Within this century, the Ganges could run dry, strangled

by the loss of all the Himalayan glaciers that feed her. Since the Ganges alone supports about 10% of the human race, the results would be catastrophic.

GRAND OPENINGS

Margaret H. Bonham (M), James H. Cobb, William C. Dietz

Once upon a time (in a galaxy far, far away) ... So, how important is a good opening? What does it need to pull the reader into the story? How can it cast light upon mood, setting, character, tone, and still work as a hook for the reader? Discuss favorite openings, and tell why they work so well. What actually is the "right" beginning for the story? How does a writer figure out if the story on paper's starting too early, too late, or at the right time?

GREAT MOMENTS FROM SF FILMS

Phillip Brugalette (M), Craig L. Figley, Greg Cox

Since "movies are moments," let's recall a few dozen of the really great ones.

GUARDIAN OF THE FREEDOM

Susan R. Matthews (M)

Merlin's Descendants #5: The prologue of the new historical fantasy due out the first week of April.

HOW DO YOU NAME YOUR CHARACTERS?

Sara Stamey (M), Patricia A. McKillip, Derryl Murphy

This is a sweeping generalization, but naming conventions in SF tend to be conservative, at least for human characters. How many stories do we read set in distant futures or other worlds in which people have names that sound like my neighbors' (two names to a customer, family name last)? This is not realistic because it assumes the continued cultural dominance of a US or Western-centered world indefinitely. The way an author handles names says something about the assumptions underlying a story (including the root assumption that sentient creatures are individuals), while the very sound of a character's name may add to the sense of the milieu, as fantasy writers well know. How could names also include such alien possibilities as clan, hive, guild, chemicals, colors ... and other distinguishers?

HOW TO BE A SPACE ACTIVIST

Chris Vancil (M), Christopher Erickson, David Stuart, David Franklin Shoemaker, Carlton Rhoades,

In these days of activism, and giving back to your community, join us and learn what you can do to transform your love of space into something that furthers the cause of really getting people into space.

I PAINT, I WRITE, I DANCE

John R. Gray III (M), Matthew Harpold, Dennis Bergum, L. Kirsten McElligott

Am I doing too much? A discussion of the merits and perils of specialization. When should artists narrow their focus to improve their work and chances of success? Or is it wiser to become Mr/Ms "Dial-a-Technique."

IF I WERE STARTING OUT TODAY

Douglas Herring (M), Heather Hudson, Brian Snoddy

I would . . . It's hard to remember back to the days before gaming or CGI. Experienced illustrators discuss what they might do differently if they were starting out today.

INK, BLOOD, SKIN

Lorelei Shannon (M)

A tattoo artist suspects her favorite client is a serial killer.

INNOVATIVE COMPUTER GAMES

Jeff Vogel (M), Chris Bruscas

What computer games are worth exploring? What new ideas are there in computer games?

INTERNET MYOPIA

Bob Kruger (M), Jeff Vogel

Are file sharing programs changing the morality of piracy? Is it better to live in a world with enforced Digital Rights Management than a world without copyright protections?

INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST GOH STEPHEN HICKMAN

Michael Whelan (M), Stephen Hickman, Craig L. Figley, Kenneth Huey, Christine D. Winters

INTERVIEW WITH SCIENCE GOH SUZETTE HADEN ELGIN

Syne Mitchell (M), Suzette Haden Elgin, Amy Thomson, Chris Nilsson, Mike Brennan

INTRODUCTORY FAN ART: BELIEVABLE PHOTO MANIPULATION

Matthew Harpold (M), Jacqualynn D. Duram Nilsson

Artist participants demonstrate some of the possibilities in photographic manipulation using readily available software packages such as Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro.

IS SF "RESPECTABLE?"

Duane Wilkins (M), Matthew Rossi, Eileen Gunn

How do others see us? Discuss the joys and sorrows of telling others you're a SF writer/artist/fan. What are your interlocutors' first reactions? Are we getting any more respect lately? Why do film-makers and novelists insist their stories of technological and social change in the future are "not really science fiction?" Is SF the Rodney Dangerfield genre? Will mundanes ever stop the Trekkie trash talk?

IS THERE LIFE AFTER "BUFFY"

Phillip Brugalette (M)

. . . and "The X-Files?" Science fiction/fantasy on television. Is television doing justice to science fiction and fantasy? Are shows like "Star Trek: Enterprise," "Stargate: SG1," "Stargate Atlantis," "Battlestar Gallactica," "EarthSea Saga," "Mutant X," and "Andromeda" able to carry the torch? Or is Cartoon Network our only refuge? Come share your thoughts about what's on now and what you'd like to see on TV.

KEEPIN' THE FAITH

Abranda Icle Sisson-Mudd (M), Heather Hudson, Raven Mimura, John R. Gray III

Okay, I've got my businessman chops down and I'm ready to deal with the suits in the corporate offices, make a living as a professional illustrator/artist. Oops ... I've lost touch with the spirit and wonder that got me into this thing in the first place! How do I get it back? How can an artist keep his love for the genre alive and still navigate the legal and business waters of his profession?

LEARNING CURVE

David M. Silver (M)

Depends on which chapter. There's one on the unknown first wife and Heinlein's brief marriage to her and reasons therefore. Another on just before Pearl Harbor, when Heinlein predicted that bombing to the day in a letter to John Campbell.

LET'S MAKE A MOVIE WORKSHOP, PART 1: PLAN IT!

Edward Martin III (M), Ryan K. Johnson, Brian Oberquell, Leopoldo Marino, Eric Morgret Director Maelstrom Productions LLC

Let's Make a Movie! In part one, we go over the plan, figure out the gear, work up a story, write the script, plan the shoot, and pretty much anything else we can think of. This is your chance to be a part of the annual fun and learning how to make a movie on a budget so tiny calling it "shoestring" would be an insult to shoestrings.

LIFE MASK DEMONSTRATION

Jul Lacquement (M)

This is a demo only. Using a volunteer, I make a mask of their face using plaster wrap, vaseline goes on underneath. The mask dries and becomes a rigid base for later making form-fitting papier mache masks for costuming, or plaster/resin face models for decorating.

LONDINIUM

Janine Ellen Young (M)

A Dragonslayer comes to Victorian London in search of his past only to find the deadliest dragon of all waiting for him under the gas lamps and fog.

LOST WAX CASTINGS

Butch Honeck (M)

A slide show about this art form.

MAKING MAGIC REAL!

Eve Gordon (M), Melissa Lee Shaw, Susan Stern Grossman

Magic needs its own rules, or it becomes a game where the author can do anything at any time. Discuss how to build and maintain a consistent and believable system of magic.

MAKING THE UNBEARABLE WEARABLE

Janet Borkowski (M), Julia Clayton, Alisa Green, Julie Hoverson

Join us to witness the magic of recombination/reuse as we take ugly prom dresses and other recyclable garments and transform them into great fantasy outfits or 17th century ensembles. The amazing alchemy will amaze your friends and have them drooling with envy.

MALE BONDING IN LOTR

Philemon Vanderbeck (M), Prince Ka, Robert J. Grieve

As seen through 21st-century eyes. It has been noted that Sam and Frodo's relationship is reminiscent of that between a WWI officer and his batman. But for contemporary readers, the interactions of Sam and Frodo and of other dyads in the novels, such as Gimli and Legoloas, might be seen as homoerotic. This discussion is intended to explore LotR from that point of view. What elements, specifically, can be read as homoerotic? How do those elements conflict with the characters' futures as laid out by Tolkien in the appendices? And why did Frodo never marry?

MAP OF BONES BY JAMES ROLLINS AND SHADOWFALL BY JAMES CLEMENS

James Rollins/James Clemens (M)

MAP OF BONES: the latest thriller from NYT-bestselling author JAMES ROLLINS exposes an ancient conspiracy to create a terrifying New World Order out of the ashes of modern civilization. SHADOWFALL: the first book in new series by JAMES CLEMENS chronicles a broken knight's journey to clear his name of an impossible crime: the murder of an immortal god.

MARTIAN VALKYRIE

G. David Nordley (M)

Conclusion of a race to Mars, circa 2050.

MEDIA'S PORTRAYAL OF FANDOM

Melissa Quinn (M), Lori Edwards, Christopher Konker

From Bill Shatner's infamous "Get a Life" skit on Saturday Night Live to "Trekkies" to Galaxy Quest: how Fandom is portrayed in the media -- is it accurate, total rubbish, or does it hit a bit too close to home?

MINDSCAN

Robert J. Sawyer (M)

An excerpt from Sawyer's 16th novel, being launched at Norwescon: a courtroom drama about uploaded human consciousness.

MOTHER MOUNTAIN

Roberta Gregory (M)

The story of a girl with wings.

MUST-SEE TV AND MOVIES

Mike Shepherd-Moscoe (M), Ted Pedersen, Melissa Quinn

Are you cineliterate? Can you call yourself a fan if you can't recognize "Klaatu berada nicto?" Do you know who Tom Corbett is? Why you should stay away from pod people? We'll talk about the classics, and even the good stuff, from Metropolis to Rocketship XM to Princess Monomoke.

MYTHOLOGY OF FELINES

Suzanne Jachim (M), Dave Butler, Lori Edwards, Margo Loes

Cats are either the gods on earth or the companions of the devil. Which is it, or is it both at the same time. The cat is one of the most powerful images in our culture. Come and see how many different ways there are to view your favorite housepet.

NEXT BEST STEP INTO SPACE

Terry Burlison (M), Charles F. Radley, Ron Hobbs, Cheryl Lynn York

X-NEOs vs. the Moon vs. Mars. Come share your views on which one is really the next best step.

NIGHT FLIGHT

Melissa Lee Shaw (M)

After a disaster scatters her family, Sanni, a teenaged farmgirl, must enlist the aid of two giant bats to help her prevent a war in time to save her brothers from execution.

NO TIME TO READ

Larry Lewis (M), Heather Hudson, Kenneth Huey

Is that good for artists? Is the graphic novel the future of SF/F? Per capita book sales are down, attention spans are getting shorter, there's too much competition for people's leisure time, we live in a visual world, etc. Should we all be learning how to tell stories in pictures with as few words as possible?

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

*Philemon Vanderbeck (M), Margaret H. Bonham, Dave Butler, Loren W. Cooper *A general discussion regarding Norse, Scandinavian and Viking mythology.

NORWESCON 28 STARDANCE

Todd Clark (M)

Friday nights wouldn't be the same without the Stardance! Don't miss the ever-popular Opening Number and then stay for a parade of music from DJ JamminPanda (Andrew Mayor) who will tempt your toes with everything from 80's wave, techno, anime pop, trance, and more. At midnight, local DJ celebrity Black Maru (Jeff Stout) will mix it up with DJ Batmonkey (Grace McKelvy) as they take you on a ride to the darker side with a trip into the land of swirly goth, dance­industrial, darkwave, and whatever else they can think to throw at you.

NORWESCON HONORS

Alan Dean Foster (M), Suzette Haden Elgin, Stephen Hickman, Tom Doherty, Michael Bishop,

Join Norwescon as we make special presentations to our GoHs. Get a closer look at these incredible people and join us in a very special presentation.

NWC28 DEBORAH WOOD MEMORIAL BLOOD DRIVE

Prudence Bohnas (M)

Thousands of lives are saved every day through donated blood. When my mom needed blood, it was there for her. While my mom did not survive her condition, thousands of others survive because of the blood you donate. So please donate a pint in the name of my mom, Deborah Wood The Ribbon Dragon Lady. You never know when you (or someone you love) might need that blood.

NWC28 FILK CONCERTS

Karen Rall (M)

NWC28 LITERARY DEBATE

Suzanne Jachim (M), David-Glenn Anderson, Robin Ashley Smith, Lorelei Shannon, Minister Faust, Karen Traviss, Craig L. Figley

Setting the Standards of Literary Education

NWC28 MIDNIGHT HORROR READINGS

Ray Vukcevich (M), Leon J. West, Jay Lake, Yoon Ha Lee, Julie Hoverson

Chills, shudders, and sudden shock! It's the witching hour again, oh no!

NWC28 OPEN FILK CIRCLE

Karen Rall (M)

Come and join friends old and new for an evening of music and storytelling.

NWC28 PRE-MASQUERADE MEETING I

Audrey Schmidt (M)

The first of two meetings. A must for those planning on participating in masquerade. Attendance at this, or next, meeting is manditory in order to participate in the Masquerade.

NWC28 SOCIAL DEBATE

Casey Dorman (M), John P. Alexander, Elton Elliott, Michael A. Martin, Eris The Unorganized, Beverly Marshall Saling, Vladimir Verano

Racial Profiling and Global Terrorism

NWC28 SPACE DEBATE

Judy R. Johnson (M), Carlton Rhoades, G. David Nordley, Brian Tillotson, David Stuart, Bryce Walden, Christopher Erickson

The Used Car Theory

NWC28 WRITER'S KOFFEE KLATCH

Mike Shepherd-Moscoe (M), Ali Grieve, Judy Suryan

This is an open invitation to all writers and people interested in writing to join us for coffee and conversation on this first morning of Norwescon 28.

OF DRAGONS AND OTHER DREAMS

Todd Lockwood (M)

Come and view the magnificent art of this marvelous, award winning, Pacific Northwest artist.

OUTLINE OF AN ECOSPHERE

Blane Bellerud (M), Bridget Coila, Judy R. Johnson

What, in broad strokes, does an ecosystem look like? Do you just dream up whatever critters you want, drop them in a fantasy landscape and call it good? Or is there something more -- some pattern?

PANSY MAKEHAY'S ELVISH PICK-UP LINES

Betty Bigelow (M)

Learn those sweet nothings that Legolas cannot resist. Find out how to make Elrond an offer he can't refuse.

PARASITE SEX

Donna Barr (M), Eris The Unorganized, Cheryl Lynn York

Why is there a male gender? This question has been asked for years. There is a hint at ancient viral attack. Now Parasite Rex asks if it was an attempt by one species to use the systems of another to replicate its own DNA. Just HOW grateful should guys be that we let them live?

PARODY WRITING

Jeff Bohnhoff (M), Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

There's more to writing parody than just coming up with new words to an old song. Participants share the subtle and hysterical art of creating parodies that tickle the subconscious funny-bone.

PIRATE'S WORLDVIEW

Pat MacEwen (M), John Moore, Joanne Kirley

What motivated pirates? How did they view themselves, rival pirates, merchant ships, and the authorities?

PITFALLS OF LANGUAGE CREATION

Gregory Gadow, Yoon Ha Lee, Patricia A. McKillip

How not to invent a language for your novel. You've designed a fantasy world, or a new planet, and you want your characters to speak their own language. Hey, how hard can that be? Before you dive in, beware these horrible mistakes.

PK DICK NOMINEE READING

Eileen Gunn (M)

PK DICK NOMINEE: APOCALYPSE ARRAY

Lyda Morehouse (M)

At long last, Satan has unleashed Armageddon on an unsuspecting world. Unfortunately for the ego of the Prince of Darkness, all the glory belongs to his wife . . . nominated for the PK Dick Award.

PK DICK NOMINEE: CROSSING THE LINE

Karen Traviss (M)

The sequel to City of Pearl. One of this year's Philip K. Dick Award finalists.

PK DICK NOMINEE: THE COYOTE KINGS OF THE SPACE-AGE BACHELOR PAD

Minister Faust (M)

Urban contemporary fantasy . . . The Catcher in the Rye meets Repo-Man or Harry Potter on Heroin.

PLAGUES AND PESTILENCE

Thomas P. Hopp (M), Suzanne Jachim, Robert J. Grieve, Michelle Garrison

Explore the famous Black Death as well lesser-known plagues, both ancient and modern.

POETRY WORKSHOP I

Blythe Ayne (M)

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, do I have to rhyme this?

PRACTICAL LOW-BUDGET SPECIAL EFFECTS

Ryan K. Johnson (M), Brian Oberquell, Leopoldo Marino, Christopher J. Garcia

Although each of us would love to have a hundred million dollars for the top-of-the-line special effects, the sad truth is that those Power Ball numbers remain as elusive as ever. In lieu of an unspeakable budget, here is a collection of techniques and tricks, including live demonstrations, of some special effects that you can do on a more "dinner-and-a- movie" budget!

PROPHESY OF SWORDS

Margaret H. Bonham (M)

Heroic fantasy about the return of a champion whose trusted friend betrayed and murdered him.

PSYCHOLOGY OF HORROR

Michael Montoure (M), Eric Morgret Director Maelstrom Productions LLC, Arinn Dembo

Why do human beings read and write horror anyway? This panel explores that question and the psychology of fright.

PUBLISHING BLOOPERS

Gordon Van Gelder (M), Bridget McKenna, Claire Eddy

You think you know how to goof things up on your day job. Come hear some of the really weird thing publishers have done to books!

REINVENTING GENRE FANTASY

James Rollins/James Clemens (M), Nancy Jane Moore, David Moles

With so much genre fantasy being published, what can be done to refresh our jaded palates?

SCGOH SUZETTE HADEN ELGIN READING

Suzette Haden Elgin (M)

SCIENCE OR SCIENCE FICTION?

Caroline Cox (M), Harold Gross, aka: Gordon Gross, Jim Grimsley

Have you every actually seen science in Sci-Fi? Or is it all Jimmy Neutron and no oxygen-suits in space? How much of Sci-Fi is just wishful thinking? Could hard science survive Sci-Fi? Or is it just another way for Patrick Stewart to do funny voices?

SCI-FI AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY

Christopher Erickson (M), Gregory R. Paddock

What effect has Science Fiction had on modern technology? Star Trek communicators brought us the modern cellular flip-phone -- what other current marvels have the imaginations of SF authors to blame for them?

SEEING FILMS THE WAY CRITICS DO: PART I

Phillip Brugalette (M)

Understand film like a critic by learning how editing controls pace, tension, suspense and dramatic effect; how camera shots (the camera's distance from the subject) and angles (the camera's height from the subject) control your reaction to the scene, its mood, foreshadowing, and a character's place; how lighting, sound, and musical score control emotions; how the difference between three act and episodic plot structure affects the ebb and flow of story, and of course, a discussion of what makes for good acting.

SHOW ME -- DON'T TELL ME

Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff (M), Sharon Turner Mulvihill, Jak Koke

What does it mean? Writers hear this admonition so often we feel we ought to stamp it upon our foreheads. But what does it mean and how does it make a difference in your prose and character development?

SIZE MATTERS

H. Ed Cox (M), Butch Honeck, L. Kirsten McElligott

From miniatures to murals. Often the biggest piece in an art show commands the most attention and sells for the highest price. How can you get around collectors perceiving value per square inch and get them to appreciate small works?

SLIDE SHOW: BIOTERROR WEAPONS

Thomas P. Hopp (M)

What is weaponized anthrax? Can viruses be engineered to increase their lethality? A slide presentation by Thomas P. Hopp, author of The Jihad Virus, will show you more than you may want to know. We will look at the molecular structure of the anthrax toxin, the killing mechanisms of smallpox virus, how to weaponize microbes, and some of the body's defenses against these killers. This talk deals with very real threats we face, and the ways and means of mounting a counterattack. Not for the faint-hearted.

SPACE ELEVATOR BOOK

Michael J. Laine (M)

This is the first public reading from this upcoming book, and we'd like very much to get feedback on it, before it goes to press. Topics discussed will be: construction, physics, social issues, and financing.

SPACE ELEVATORS AND THE LIFTPORT GROUP

Michael J. Laine (M), David Franklin Shoemaker

A presentation of the latest and greatest from the Liftport Group on the space elevator that they will be demonstrating on Saturday.

SPELLING YOUR LANGUAGE

Matt Pearson (M), Tim Smith, Gregory Gadow

OK, so you've invented a language. Now how do you transliterate it so that readers can make some reasonable attempt at pronouncing it (for filking, role-playing, reading aloud, etc.)?

SPGOH ALAN DEAN FOSTER READING

STARDANCE OPENING NUMBER

Laurel Parshall (M)

Another year -- another spectacular Opening Number.

STEM CELL RESEARCH

Thomas P. Hopp (M), Michelle Garrison, Mike Brennan

What are stem cells? Why are they controversial? What promise do they hold for future medicine and cures for diseases? What threats? As government officials rush to either condemn or glorify stem cells, the realities of their existence and potential for good, get lost in the rhetoric. Who should we believe: George Bush or The Governator? When will stem cell technology be available to help those suffering from disease? And, what the heck are stem cells, anyway?

STRANGER THAN SCIENCE FICTION

Bobbie DuFault (M), George Guthridge, Leon J. West

Interesting books those elementary level students may find so fascinating and mind boggling that it possibly can't be true . . . but are.

SUMMER'S HUMANS OR THE DAY MICHAEL VISITED HAPPY LAKE

Derryl Murphy (M)

A SFnal riff on "July's People" by Nadine Gordimer or A tribute to Thornton W. Burgess (the audience will decide).

SUSAN 'SPLAINS RUNES

Susan R. Matthews (M)

A panel about runes in magic and stunt rune readings. In this panel we will examine a mnemonic for memorizing rune names, but the focus will be on the first rune row. The first aett will be discussed in some depth and sample readings done with audience participation from the first aett only. There will be a recommended reading list.

SWASHBUCKLING ADVENTURES . . .

John Moore (M), Terri "Sprite" Specht, Margo Loes, Julie Zetterberg

. . . in Costuming. High Fashion on the High Seas! If you can't be a pirate, you can always look like one. Be comfortable, have fun, and look great (and attract some looks as well). We'll help you get started or help kick your look up a notch.

TAI-CHI

KinShan (M)

A refreshing way to start the day.

TEACHING WITH SF ART

Dennis Bergum (M), Cymbric Earlysmyth, Jacqualynn D. Duram Nilsson, Larry Lewis

A descriptive paragraph is read from a book and the students draw how they think the Alien looks based on the description. This teaches the children to hear and comprehend what they have heard as well as to express the concepts in their own drawing. Our audience will be the students for this panel.

TEXTURING IN COSTUME

Joanne Kirley (M), Terri "Sprite" Specht, Julia Clayton

A demonstration of our favorite methods for spicing up the surface of your garment and making it come to life -­including beadwork, trim layering, fabric texturing and other techniques.

THE AGE OF THE FIGHTING SAIL

Mike Brennan (M), Mike Shepherd-Moscoe, William C. Dietz, Cheryl Scott

It isn't over: it's moved to SF! Shiver me titanium timber if this wet navy/space navy transposition hasn't gotten even more popular than ever! Who are its leading practitioners --- have we got another Patrick O'Brian yet? Can this metaphor survive real space travel? And talking about "sailing through space," take a quick look at how nautical fiction is related to space opera and hard SF; look at characters and commanders, story lines, missions, venues, dangers, and bureaucracy!

THE ALIEN WITHIN

Pat MacEwen (M), Burt Webb, Bridget Coila

Will genetic engineering create new species of humanity? What will happen to humans when we venture off planet and are separated from other humans for generations? Will new variants of humans be the real aliens of the future? Come discuss where evolution and genetic engineering is taking the human species.

THE ALIEN WITHIN

Pat MacEwen (M), Burt Webb, Bridget Coila

Will genetic engineering create new species of humanity? What will happen to humans when we venture off planet and are separated from other humans for generations? Will new variants of humans be the real aliens of the future? Come discuss where evolution and genetic engineering is taking the human species.

THE ART OF RENAISSANCE SWORDPLAY

Cecil Longino (M)

Presented by the Academia della Spada, this hands-on demonstration will focus on techniques from surviving fencing manuals of the era. Of particular interest is how swordplay is portrayed in literature and film, as well as how this European martial art is.

THE ART OF THE DRAW

L. Kirsten McElligott (M)

A drawing technique demonstration of pencil, oil pastel, and charcoal.

THE ART OF WONDER

Michael Whelan (M)

A slide show presentation by this multi-award winning grandmaster of SF/F art.

THE END OF COPYRIGHT

Gordon Van Gelder (M), Tom Doherty, Claire Eddy

Can the arts survive the digital age? Can we continue to protect intellectual property? Should we? If we don't, how will human creativity change? How will creative humans eat!

THE FIND

Donna Barr (M)

Be careful what you dig up on the beach.

THE HALLOWEEN BUSINESS

Michael Montoure (M), Suzanne Jachim, John Pelan

Horror in the popular culture. Like SF/F, Horror has been partially absorbed into the popular culture (but unlike SF/F, Horror has its own holiday!). Let's talk about Horror's penetration outside the genre. Is it essentially a consequence of Stephen King's vast popularity? Is pop horror at all like hard-core horror, but watered down, or is it a different beast entirely?

THE NEXT WARHAMSTER?

Sharon Turner Mulvihill, Jeff Vogel, Lisa Pondsmith, Mike Pondsmith

Is there a miniatures company that can challenge Warhammer's dominance of the Minis Game territory? The collectable miniatures games have been steadily growing over the last few years. Can they topple the mighty giant?

THE HIGH COST OF GAMING

Mike Pondsmith (M), Lisa Pondsmith, Jeff Vogel

Is there an upper limit to the costs of games? What can companies do to make high costs palatable?

THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE IN 60 MINUTES OR LESS

Eric Schulman (M)

Based on his 1999 book, A Briefer History of Time: From the Big Bang to the Big Mac(R), Dr. Eric Schulman takes you on a one-hour tour of the fifty-three most significant events in the past 13.7 billion years.

THE LANGUAGE OF F/SF

Robert L. Slater (M), L. Timmel Duchamp, Donna McMahon

The evolution of language in society -- extrapolated into the future. What terms will be anachronistic in 20 years? What new terms can we expect? Why? Is punctuation and multiple, sequential consonants really required for alien names?

THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE

Matt Pearson (M), Caroline Cox, Kathy Watts, Stephen Gillett

Scientists, and scientists-turned -- SF writers, often throw lots of big confusing words around. Is it possible to understand science without knowing all the right words? Come learn why scientists do this, if it is really necessary, and how to decipher the gobbledygook to get the real details.

THE LAY OF GUNGNI

Philemon Vanderbeck (M)

A clever re-imagining of how Odin endured being hanged for nine days, from the Cosmic World-Tree of Yggdrasil, to discover the secret of the Runes.

THE LITTLE MISSIONS THAT COULD

Chris Vancil (M), Bryce Walden, Carlton Rhoades, Cheryl Scott

These days you only seem to be able to get funding if your mission involves Bush's Moon and Mars plan. This diverting of funds has put some other missions on the back burner -- Pluto Express, Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO), as well as cosmological missions ... is exploring our neighbors worth sacrificing missions studying the outer planets and the universe on a larger scale?

THE MAN WITH GREAT DESPAIR BEHIND HIS EYES

Ken Scholes (M)

A short story that exposes the REAL purpose of the Lewis and Clark expedition and finally solves the mystery of D.B. Cooper's disappearance.

THE PHILIP K. DICK MEMORIAL AWARD CEREMONY

William Sadorus (M), Gordon Van Gelder

Join us for the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award, presented to the best original paperback novel published in the U.S.A. for 2004.

THE RISE OF THE LANGUAGES OF FANTASY

Beverly Marshall Saling (M), Karen D. Fishler, Eris The Unorganized

Klingon is beginning to gain a major following in the sci-fi circuit. Strangely enough, it also seems to be gaining some pop culture interest as well. Elvish seems to be in the midst of a similar phenomenon. What future does fantasy language have in pop culture?

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Justin Mitchell (M)

Back by popular demand -- The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Norwescon 28. The Vicarious Theatre Company will be on hand to do this live production in full Rocky tradition. Seating will begin about 20 minutes before the witching hour. Be There!

THE SCIENCE FICTION MUSEUM

Ed Stiner (M), Christopher J. Garcia, Bobbie DuFault

Ultimately, any science fiction museum is for you, the Sci-Fi fan. What do YOU want in your museum? What is Classic Sci-Fi and what is dreck, and where do you draw the line of what should be included in a "museum" of Science Fiction?

THE SCIENCE FICTION MUSEUM TRIVIA GAME SHOW

Ed Stiner (M)

Come show your SF knowledge and win prizes. Fun for all.

THE SELF-HEALING SKY

Howard V. Hendrix (M)

A short story by Howard V. Hendrix.

THE YOUNG AND OLD UNIVERSE

Elton Elliott (M), Eric Schulman, Robert P. Suryan

A discussion of the physical differences between the young and old universe, and how stars and planetary systems have changed.

THESE CHARACTERS AREN'T MINE

Janna Silverstein (M), Renee Stern, Loren L. Coleman

A lot of aspiring authors spend a lot of time writing fan fiction -- stories about characters from favorite movies or TV series. Does this writing help or hinder their efforts to become professional authors? Does it give them the tools they need to become better writers?

THINGS THAT NEVER WERE

Matthew Rossi (M)

A collection of fantastic (in that they are fantasy, not that my head swelled three sizes this day) essays about occultism, conspiracy mongering, alien astronauts, and other interesting lies.

TO COIN A TERM: NEOLOGISMS

Karen D. Fishler (M), Cheryl Scott, James H. Cobb

Sometimes existing words just won't do. You may want a word for a new piece of technology, an alien concept, or just some cool future slang. What neologisms do the job well? Why do some enter the language and stick, while others die in obscurity? Come, and Grok in fullness.

TO THE PRECIPICE OF AWE

Mark J. Ferrari (M)

A visual sampling of the works of this breathtaking artist and author.

TOO MANY IDEAS?

Robert J. Sawyer (M), Michael Bishop, Yoon Ha Lee

How much stuff can you stuff in one book? Can there be too many "goshwowwhatakeenthing" ideas, under any circumstances? How can the trade-offs between difficult material and transparency be balanced? Can readers be given more than they can handle? How can the reluctant reader be coaxed along?

TPU STUDENT ORIENTATION

Kaja Foglio (M), Phil Foglio, Cheyenne Wright, Payne Fifield

Transylvania Polygnostic University Student Orientation: Adventure! Romance! Mad Science! Airship Entertainment's Gaslamp-Fantasy series Girl Genius is required reading for all first-year students at TPU. Join Professors Phil and Kaja Foglio and their jolly Airship crew for entertainment, Magic by Prof. Hieronymus Payne, door prizes, and news about the latest developments in the world of Girl Genius.

TV SF COSTUME REVIEW

Dave Tackett (M), Melissa Quinn, Janet Borkowski

Media and Costume fans are invited to share their favorites, obscure gems, and utter duds. Is creativity dead; should Shatner have joined the hair club? Help them decide.

UNUSUAL SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

Russell D. Campbell (M), Todd Lockwood, Brian Snoddy

. . . for SF/F art. Where do you get your ideas? After the story, where do you go for inspiration for the details? Lucid dreaming, the nightly news, old National Geographics ... ?

WARRING STATES AND/OR THE WILD HIGH PLACES

Irene Radford (M)

Teaser for the next Koscuisko novel due from Meisha Merlin in November, 2005 (and/or a bit from Susan's current project, her Victorian science fiction quadrology set in the mountains northeast of Pakistan in about 1850)

WEB DESIGN FOR FEN

Russell D. Campbell (M), Eden Celeste, Brooks Peck

The how to of web design for the average fan.

WEIRD MOVIES OF WHICH YOU'VE NEVER HEARD

Leopoldo Marino (M), Edward Martin III, Michael Montoure

With the vast, spreading horror that is major video rental chains, the little guys are pretty much vanishing and it's a shame because it's those little guys that often have the really interesting movies, the ones you never see until someone sets you down and says "Watch this -- it's cool!" Take notes and the rest of your year will be verrry interrresting.

WHAT DO YOU PASSIONATELY READ?

Greg Cox (M), James H. Cobb, Claire Eddy

...Besides fantasy and SF? Of course you want to finish that new trilogy (which has suddenly expanded to five books), but even the most devoted fans have other interests. Bibliophiles get together to discuss the non-SF/F books that they love, from historical fiction to murder mysteries to biographies, with other stops in between.

WHAT IS A HOOK?

Bobbie Benton Hull (M), Kathy Oltion, Susan Stern Grossman

And how do I write a good one? A Writers' Workshop. Participants are invited to bring the opening page from their work-in-progress for on-the-spot feedback.

WHEN FIRE WARMED US

Christopher Konker (M), Dennis Bergum, Amy Thomson

Was life better when we all had to huddle around and share a fire? Which aspects (if any) were better, which were worse?

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS

Eve Gordon (M), Michael Bishop, V.E. Mitchell

. . . and other questions for writers. "Where do you get your ideas?" is the number one question asked of writers. In this panel, writers at various stages in their career answer this question and others about how they tap the creative process from idea to finished product.

WORLD BUILDING WORKSHOP #1

Silven Read (M), G. David Nordley, Jim Funaro, Stephen Gillett, Wolf Read,

What basic materials and planetary systems support life? How much atmosphere; what kind of surface; how much water; and what is the right mix between challenge and stability in the environment? What kind of atmospheres, gravities and so on really can support life given the limitations of biology, chemistry and physics as we know it? What are the options for the central star, giant planet orbits, time scales, planetary masses and other physical circumstances that can provide an intelligence-generating environment?

WRESTLING WITH A WRITER'S DEMONS

Robin Ashley Smith (M), Andrew Dolbeck, Cymbric Earlysmyth

Discussion of the personal challenges unique to the writer's craft. Getting ideas down on paper, arguing with your own internal editor, that stage where you just hate everything you've written, knowing when to hit "save" and when to hit "delete," or whatever other challenges folks want to explore.

WRITERS WE DON'T UNDERSTAND

Sharon Turner Mulvihill (M), Vladimir Verano, Howard V. Hendrix

Charlie Stross loads his stories with so much IT jargon it makes the head spin. A PhD in Physics is necessary to get full enjoyment out of a Greg Egan novel. China Miéville is best read with an open dictionary handy. Are these writers doing this on purpose? Are they that much smarter than the rest of us, or are we getting a year of painstaking research downloaded into us in a compressed format? Is there a good stylistic reason to confuse your readers?

Saturday, March 26, 2005

3000 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

Erin Tidwell (M), Michelle Garrison, Peter Dennis Pautz

Marriage has been around for 3000 years. How has it changed in that time? We are looking for historical discussions of marriage, not current events.

A FRAGMENTATION OF FANS

Bobbie DuFault (M), Chris Nilsson, Melissa Quinn

Anime. Gaming. Filking. FanPubs vs Fanacs. Goth vs Trekkers. Have we splintered fandom into too many pieces? Or is this a natural progression that should not be impeded?

A READING

Amy Axt Hanson (M)

From her selected works.

A SELECTION OF POEMS

David Lunde (M)

A reading of poetry from the books Blues for Port City and Nightfishing in Great Sky River together with other as yet uncollected poems by two time Rhysling Award winner David Lunde.

ADVANCED BDSM

Heather Candelaria (M), Alyxx "Panther" Feltser, Leopoldo Marino

Once you've discovered you like the lash, how can you use it safely and effectively? Safe words alone aren't enough in court. Learn the legalities and other pertinent facts about this lifestyle. Come join the panel and talk about advanced issues in pain and power play.

ADVANCED POLY

Alyxx "Panther" Feltser (M), Edward Martin III, Eva Carlstrom

Now that you know what 'poly' and all it's subsets most resembles, come talk about some of the more advanced issues in living outside the normal duo. What do you tell the kids? How do you date as a three-or-more-sum? Whose family do you visit?

ALIEN SEXUALITY

Blane Bellerud (M), Pat MacEwen, Larry Lewis, Misty Marshall

Is there a biological basis for designing a three or four gendered species? Can aliens interbreed with each other, or with us? For that matter, would they even want to? Let's explore the biological and social aspects of Alien Sexuality.

ANCEA PRESENTS A NIGHT OF ANIME

Christopher M. B. Louck ANCEA President (M)

Get your Sakura Con preview here at Norwescon 28.

ANGELS AND ALIENS

Darragh Metzger (M), Matt Hughes (The Writer)

Magic and marvels? Is there an inherent disconnect between believing in a Divine presence and being able to really enjoy science fiction and fantasy? Or, can they complement each other, leading to a greater appreciation of both?

ANIMALS IN HORROR

Michael Montoure (M), Peter Dennis Pautz, John Pelan

It's fine to say that animals, as symbols of nature and of the unconscious, represent a force beyond our control -- and our knowledge -- and therefore can seem frightening. That statement won't do a great deal towards helping you to write the scariest animal story since Cujo. How can you use animals in your stories to evoke fear?

ARMOR IN THE MOVIES WE LOVED AND HATED

John Moore (M), Christopher Konker, Dave Tackett

Our picky panelists rate their favorite movies for armor and explain why they liked it and how the movie designers got it right. Then join in the fun as the knives come out and they dish about costume armor that is just plain wrong!

BEYOND THE SERPENT'S HEART

Eric M. Witchey (M)

Contemporary Fantasy of the Mayan End-Times

BIO WEAPONS

Arinn Dembo (M), Blane Bellerud, Robert J. Grieve, Thomas P. Hopp

Anthrax, Ebola, and Aids deadly weapons in the hands of human beings. Aids is just as much of a weapon as Ebola or Anthrax. Then what do you say about the Small Pox virus? Is that a bio weapon? The United Nations has the disease mostly wiped out. What about Polio: the UN says that this will be an eradicated disease by the end of 2006. We went to war over "Bio Weapons," but the United States maintains enough Polio and Small Pox to create world wide havoc, so does the former Soviet Republics. Are we as bad as those we call the Axis of Evil?

BLOGGING, FUN, AND PROFIT

Jeff Vogel (M), Brooks Peck, Jeff Bohnhoff

Blogging is becoming more and more popular. Come and get some ideas for how to get started.

BRINGING THE BACKGROUND FORWARD

Janine Ellen Young (M), Sara Stamey, James H. Cobb, Karen Traviss

Settings for your characters. When Tolkien created the Prancing Pony, it was fascinating and intriguing setting. Yet similar taverns in so many other fantasy books are boring and cliché. In the best books, the "senate" steps on another planet are almost another character. But in your novel, the steps are a poor copy of The West Wing. How can you transform the usual backgrounds into exciting playgrounds?

BUILDING HARLEQUIN'S MOON

Brenda Cooper (M)

A collaborative work with Larry Niven that explores the fate of the first humans to leave the solar system.

BUSH'S PLAN TO GO TO MARS

Thor Osborn (M), Gregory R. Paddock, Chris Vancil, Cheryl Lynn York

Scientifically sound or politics? In January 2004, President Bush unveiled his plan to put a man on Mars. NASA fainted. Is it feasible or is politics getting in the way of science? Again. And would our time better be spent practicing on the Moon?

CAN SF BE OUTDATED?

Alan Dean Foster (M), David-Glenn Anderson, Bob Kruger, Robert L. Slater

Is there a future for science fiction? Is it possible that SF as a literary genre has actually run its course? This seems like a strange question when SF has penetrated every corner of pop culture, from movies to video games, and most bookstores carry shelves devoted to a thriving output of new novels. But look more closely and what appears may be endless variations on clinched SF themes that arguably ran their course decades ago. Meanwhile, mundane reality seems to have caught up with SF in the daily newspaper, and a "sense of wonder" is available in any science magazine. Or is SF, as we know it, undergoing its own evolution in style and subject matter? Now that we're "in" the future, what is there to write about?

CARTOON GUILTY PLEASURES

Ted Pedersen (M), Greg Cox, Christopher J. Garcia

Let's see some hands: Even though you talk knowledgeably about the latest episode of hip shows like South Park or Justice League, do you furtively watch Scooby Doo? The Wild Thornberrys? Recess? Any show featuring Archie and his friends? What's appealing for adults in these shows aimed at kids? Is it a return to simpler times, positive actions, or something more?

CHANGELING

Nancy Jane Moore (M)

Modern fantasy -- not about fairies. "Changeling" is one of the volumes in Aqueduct Press's Conversation Pieces series.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FOR EVERYONE

Deborah Layne (M), George Guthridge, Leon J. West

It isn't just writers who develop characters. Artists, costumers and gamers also need these skills. People who use characters in different media discuss how they go about it.

CLOCKWISE SHADOWS

Yoon Ha Lee (M)

Post-apocalyptic college parody wherein a conspiracy of college students, gamers, and black squirrels attempt to restore the world's spaceflight capability.

COMPUTER/SOCIAL INTERACT

Casey Dorman (M), Eden Celeste, Chris Nilsson

How can computers support social interactions? Should we (as a society) be trying to increase this trend, or should we push to more face-to-face interactions?

COMPUTER-MUSIC CONNECTION

Matthew Dockrey (M), Jeff Bohnhoff, Jeffrey Hitchin

Computers and music (or programming and music) seem to be strongly related. This panel will explore that.

CONTINENTAL DOMINATION

Nancy Jane Moore (M), Karen D. Fishler, Robert P. Suryan, Beverly Marshall Saling

How Europa came to dominate the world. What cultural, social, and physical characteristics allowed Europe and Asia to colonize the rest of the world? Many of our explanations fail to grasp the complexity of a scenario hundreds of years in the making.

CONVERSATIONAL KLINGON

Betty Bigelow (M)

What's more to say about that?

COPPER ANGELS

Joseph Paul Haines (M)

A seven year old girl is interviewed by a detective after she turns her mother in for a crime.

COPYRIGHT ABUSE ON THE INTERNET

Wolf Lahti (M), Audrey Price, Dave Butler, H. Ed Cox

Signature tags, wallpaper, cell phone art -- Everyone's heard about musicians receiving no money for downloaded songs, but what about visual artists? How can we deal with the overwhelming task of policing theft via the internet? Let's commiserate about all the rip-offs and pledge to fight together.

COSTUMING FOR THE REAL WORLD

Amy Axt Hanson (M), Eve Gordon, Susan R. Matthews

We're told that serious writers shouldn't wear costumes to cons, but all clothing is costume. We always have to figure out what image we want to present to the world. We'll bring our favorite outfits and discuss what they do for us. Loving advice will be offered to anyone who wants help brainstorming new looks, as we figure out what they like about themselves and what clothing makes them feel good.

CREATING OUR FUTURE

Donna Barr (M), Lyda Morehouse, Jak Koke

When I look to the future, I see legalized Gay and Poly marriages, frank awareness of sex and sexuality, and a re­emergence of personal freedom. I also see a government that wants to prevent us from attaining these things. How can we build the future that we desire, not the one forced upon us?

CREATING QUICK CARDS

Jeffrey Hitchin (M)

Love rubber stamping, but don't have the time? You can make cards very quickly with a single image or two and without a lot of complicated or expensive tools. Stamps, ink, and cardstock will be provided, but if you have a stamp image that you like but haven't found a use for it, feel free to bring it!

DEVELOPING SF/F WORLDS

Blane Bellerud (M), Yoon Ha Lee, William C. Dietz

Creatures and their habitats, etc. We take into account some of the basic principles of ecology in making up alien or fantasy worlds. Predators, prey, food chains, etc. Also discuss some of the odder ecologies and critters of good old earth. So does that guy have a point who keeps pointing out that you have too many "top predators" in your stories or games ... or is he just being obnoxious again? What do asteroid worms eat between those occasional space ships?

FAIRY TALES AND FURRY TAILS

Wolf Lahti (M)

Do you really want to hear 'Hansel and Grendel' again, or something new?

Family Secrets

V.E. Mitchell (M)

A murder mystery at a family reunion of the family from Hell.

FANCIFUL FAIRIES

Janet Borkowski (M), Melissa Quinn, Alisa Green

Fairies come in all shapes and sizes. They represent just about anything you can think of. We will discuss sources of inspiration, design and technical matters.

FANTASY ARM BRACERS

Anita Taylor (M), Dave Tackett

Many of your favorite fantasy characters wear this spiffy wrist protection. We will demonstrate quick inexpensive methods for making a set of bracers. Workshop limited to 6 people.

FILK WORKSHOP - VOICE

John Moore (M), Michelle Dockrey, Jeffrey Hitchin

Ever been told you sing like a love starved Yak? Have you ever been evicted from a filk circle because your voice peeled the paint? Learn how to stroke you vocal chords and harmonize with all the other fen. A workshop even for those whose singing could make a Klingon shudder.

FISHEATER STORIES

Leon J. West (M)

Come hear tales of Cui-ui -- island-god, city-fish, patron-monster, and oldest of the Dark Towns that exist in the wastelands between our own shining cities.

FOUND OBJECT COSTUMING SESSION

Alisa Green (M), Julia Clayton, Amanda Harris-Forbes, Cherie Harris

Found objects not normally associated with costuming will be the subject of this guerilla costume panel. Many examples and demos of technique will be presented. Come be surprised!

FRIENDS OF BILL W.

GAMING EVOLUTION

Bob Kruger (M), Chris Bruscas, Jeff Vogel

How has the face of the gaming hobby changed over the last twenty years? How is it likely to change in the next twenty?

GENTLE RAIN FROM HEAVEN

A.M. Dellamonica (M)

A short story from the Proxy War series.

HISTORY MISUSE IN MOVIES

Phillip Brugalette (M), Irene Radford, Donna Barr

What is the worst misuse of history in the movies? Bring your favorite examples to discuss.

HOW DO YOU PAINT A BANTH?

Kenneth Huey (M), Phil Foglio, Mark J. Ferrari, Jeff Sturgeon

SF artists face unusual challenges not present in other fields of art. For example in Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series, the planet Barsoom has three extra colors in its spectrum not visible on Earth! How does one paint THAT? How can visual imagery be used to represent such esoteric ideas as time travel, multiple dimensions, parallel universes or string theory?

HOW DOES LANGUAGE INFLUENCE THOUGHT?

Eve Gordon (M), Harold Gross, aka: Gordon Gross, Eva Carlstrom

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (no, not the Klingon) states that language completely determines thought, i.e., if your language doesn't have a word for the concept, then you can't even conceive of the concept. Many linguists consider this nonsense, but all agree there is some truth to it. How does the language we use shape the thoughts we have? Why is it impossible to completely understand the concepts of another language without learning it? What gets lost in translation?

HOW DOES THE BEGINNER . . .

Jay Lake (M), Tom Doherty, Claire Eddy

. . . get into the publishing business? Especially if s/he is nowhere near New York?

HOW STORIES END

Kevin Radthorne (M), Eric M. Witchey, Minister Faust, George Guthridge

Happily ever after? Well, perhaps, but not always. What makes a satisfying ending? And, in fact, does a story really need to have an ending anyway? And does it need to have a "happy" ending to leave the reader feeling good?

Discuss favorite endings and why they work so well.

I, CARLOS

Casey Dorman (M)

A computer chip is implanted in the brain of a man who becomes Carlos the Jackal, assassin.

ICTHYS

Arinn Dembo (M)

We are what we eat - and some of us are very good Christians.

IF I RAN THE ZOO

Bobbie DuFault (M)

This is the latest updated version of the "make your own adventure" convention running game. Originally produced for SMoFCon 3, it was last updated in 2003. We ran it at this year's C-cubed in Portland and everyone had a blast seeing just how successful their teams were at hosting a traveling convention. Imagine that you are the Chairman of a Worldcon Committee; the game takes you and your team through the planning stages to holding Wondercon.

ILLUSTRATOR'S HORROR STORIES

Stephen Hickman (M), Michael Whelan, Todd Lockwood

Okay, fess up: what's the WORST painting you ever did? Unflinching revelations of disasters, dumb mistakes and embarrassing miscalculations. Bring examples!

INDEPENDENT PRESS PUB/ED

Deborah Layne (M), Jak Koke, Karawynn Long

Where is it today? Who are the players? Where are the markets? Who's in the know?

INTELLIGENT DESIGN

Mike Brennan (M), Dave Butler, Thor Osborn

Creationism in a Lab Coat? Across the country there is a push to teach "Intelligent Design" as an alternative to the theory of Evolution in explaining the diversity of Life on Earth. What is ID? Why is the question important?

INTERVIEW WITH PUBLISHER/EDITOR TOM DOHERTY

Robert J. Sawyer (M), Tom Doherty, Gordon Van Gelder, Ted Pedersen, Joseph Paul Haines

INTERVIEW WITH WRITER GOH MICHAEL BISHOP

Greg Cox (M), Michael Bishop, Jim Grimsley, Eileen Gunn, John Pelan

INTRODUCTORY LAÁDAN WORKSHOP

Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin (M)

A very basic introduction to the constructed language Láadan, for beginners. The sounds you need for speaking the language. How to put together simple statements, questions, and requests. Nothing complicated.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BONES

Thomas P. Hopp (M), John P. Alexander, Spring Schoenhuth

Fossil sources of myths about dragons and giants. Mastadons as cyclops, protoceratopses as gryphons; the realities of fossils in mythotoiesos will be discussed. Tales of giants and dragons are distributed world wide among indigenous cultures. And the fossil bones of dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts are found in far-flung corners as well. Evidence is growing that many mythical creatures owe their folkloric exhistence to bones and other fossils encountered by tribal people and storytellers of ancient times.

JAPANESE SWORD DEMO

Tim Armstrong (M), Bryan Hawkins

Ever envision yourself as a samurai warrior with katana in hand as a whirling dervish of life and death? Shobukai Kenjutsu Dojo presents a demonstration by modern practitioners of the ancient art of Japanese swordsmanship including Kata, Cutting, and Fighting.

KLINGON CALLIGRAPHY

Betty Bigelow (M)

Learn to write the various Klingon fonts by hand.

KRIS LONGKNIFE -- RELIEVED OF COMMAND

Brian Tillotson (M)

It's the best day of Kris' life . . . and then the MPs march on her first command and taker her away in cuffs. Why? What did she do? Will she survive a night in the brig or be shot "escaping?" Or I could read the scenes where Heather Alexander and Elizabeth Moon die gallantly.

LANGUAGE MASS EXTINCTION

Tim Smith (M), David Moles, Donna Barr

Linguistic diversity, like biodiversity, is in big trouble. Are mass communications turning us into a monolingual species? If so, is this a Bad Thing, and if it is, what, if anything, can we do about it?

LANGUAGES IN GAMING

Yoon Ha Lee (M), Chris Bruscas, Mike Pondsmith

How to best use fantasy and other made up languages to add flavor to your games without slowing the game down and reflecting your campaign's theme through the judicious choice of names.

LAYMAN/ENTREPRENEUR'S TAKE

Michelle Garrison (M), Yeechi Chen, David Nasset, Sr.

Is the formal peer-review process stifling to break-through researchers? [i.e. cold fusion research is practically taboo simply because the "accepted" procedures for peer review were not followed a decade ago.] Is the snobbery of the science establishment stifling too much creative thought? Is "Status Quo" the True Religion of scientists?

LET'S MAKE A MOVIE WORKSHOP, PART 2: SHOOT IT!

Edward Martin III (M), Ryan K. Johnson, Brian Oberquell, Leopoldo Marino, Eric Morgret Director Maelstrom Productions LLC

We planned it, now we're gonna' shoot it. It's dangerous shooting films like these, mate, because fen have sharp teeth and defensive barbs and they can bite like that! But come along and help and see how we collect the bits all together.

LET'S MAKE A MOVIE WORKSHOP, PART 3: EDIT IT!

Edward Martin III (M), Ryan K. Johnson, Brian Oberquell, Leopoldo Marino, Eric Morgret Director Maelstrom Productions LLC, Christopher J. Garcia

If you bought a computer within the past two years, chances are excellent that you have more digital video editing power at your fingertips than has ever been subject to the hands of Ordinary People. Learn about using this power for Good. Or Evil. We don't care, because we only use it for Fun.

LIGHTS! CAMERA! CANVAS!

H. Ed Cox (M)

Drawing the human figure in the action pose. This lecture-demo addresses stiff or tired figures and attempts to evoke an emotion from a sense of action in the drawing stage (even in a sitting or lying character). Emphasis will be placed on drawing the figure in contrapposto, exaggerating the look of movement, balance, and perspective to convey action.

LIVING MANIPULATORY MEMBER TO GUSTATORY ORIFICE

Blane Bellerud (M), Gregory R. Paddock, Misty Marshall

It's a given that a technologically advanced species will necessarily possess something like hands -- some bit of anatomy with which to manipulate the physical world -- but will it look like a hand? Is Will Smith really going to jump into the UFO and fly off after a one-minute shakedown?

LOWER THE LAUNCH COSTS

Terry Burlison (M), David Stuart, Charles F. Radley

Is lowering launch costs the way forward? Join us and share your views on this controversial topic.

LYRICS AND SONGWRITING WORKSHOP

Jeffrey Hitchin (M), Michelle Dockrey, Jeff Bohnhoff

Come join our musicians in creating lyrics and song writing. No prior experience is needed and you'll find it's far simpler than you might imagine.

MARK FERRARI'S COLOR PENCIL CLASS

Mark J. Ferrari (M)

Tired of getting smeary insipid colors and streaky washed out textures from your colored pencils? Longtime commercial fantasy artist, Mark Ferrari, demonstrates the techniques he employs in his award winning colored pencil drawings, which are often mistaken for paintings.

MARS AT THE BEACH

Bryce Walden (M)

A windy beach reveals dynamics of sand that may apply to Mars, including why dry-looking places may be wet, and wet-looking places, dry. PowerPoint presentation includes moving video.

MATTING/FRAMING WORKSHOP

Audrey Price (M), Bob Holcomb

How to use mats and moulding to enhance a work of art, but still focus on the art!

MIND THE PLOT HOLES DEAR

Sara Stamey (M), Jim Grimsley, Eileen Gunn, Minister Faust

Dear? Give examples of various discrepancies/problems with details from any piece of SF/F and try to categorize them (examples: temporal, silly, boneheaded, etc.). How could the story be saved?

NAME-BADGE NECKLACES

Amy Axt Hanson (M)

Tired of wearing lanyards that don't match your ensemble or having badge pins rip the fabric? Come make a necklace to attach your badge to. We've got all the beads and equipment you'll need! Families are encouraged to show up together and make necklaces -- it's fun for everyone.

NOMAD

Amy Thomson (M)

A science fictional romance about a clash of cultures.

NWC28 AUTOGRAPH SESSION A

Autumn J. Bullman (M), Ciandi Stephens, Alan Dean Foster

Here is your chance to get that favorite book autographed by the author.

NWC28 AUTOGRAPH SESSION B

*Autumn J. Bullman (M), Ciandi Stephens, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough *Here is your chance to get that favorite book autographed by the author.

NWC28 LASER TAG

Scott Perrin (M), Elizabeth Fellows

The only place at the con where you are allowed to draw a weapon and encouraged to fire!

NWC28 MIDNIGHT HORROR READINGS

*Michael Montoure (M), Roberta Gregory, Thomas P. Hopp, Kenneth Huey, Kathy Watts, Joseph Paul Haines *One last chance to scare the wee out of each other.

NWC28 OPEN FILK CIRCLE

Karen Rall (M)

Come and join friends old and new for an evening of music and storytelling.

NWC28 POST-MASQUERADE GATHERING

Richard Stephens (M)

A chance to reflect on the just-finished gala costuming event brought to you by the Beyond Reality Costuming Guild.

NWC28 SATURDAY NIGHT HOEDOWN

Todd Clark (M)

Once again, mc300baud (Todd Clark) will run amok after the Masquerade, churning out a diverse array of music, from old con standards to new smash hits. Expect the unexpected, from disco to triphop, from new wave to industrial, and pretty much everything in between.

NWC28 WRITERS WORKSHOP SOCIAL

Renee Stern (M), John A. Pitts, Judy Suryan, Ali Grieve

A gathering of those that participated in the Writers Workshop this year.

NWC28PRE-MASQUERADE MEETING II

Audrey Schmidt (M)

The second of two meetings. A must for those planning on participating in masquerade. Attendance at this or the previous night's meeting is manditory for ALL Masquerade participants.

OH FRAK!

Dennis Bergum (M), Cymbric Earlysmyth, Beverly Marshall Saling, Minister Faust

Webster never defined that! What can we learn from the unique nomenclature of a SF/F culture and how or where do we see SF/F words and phrases creeping into "real life?" What can a Humanities student learn from these trends and how soon will your local high school Language Arts teacher allow phrases like, "his Orcish behavior ..." to pass without comment?

ORDER IN THE (ALIEN?) COURT!

Robert J. Sawyer (M), Harold Gross, aka: Gordon Gross, David M. Silver

What happens when you're accused of a crime on another planet? How have writers handled this in the past --- from Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel to the Klingon court in The Undiscovered Country? Is it possible to write about methods of dispensing justice without depending on Terran history? Is the idea of justice itself an Earth concept? While we're on the topic of justice and crime, will The Demolished Man's psychic cops actually prevent crime? What are the implications of the increasing dependence on technology in police and forensics work? How will we catch Gully Foyle?

PARENTING AT A CONVENTION

David Nasset, Sr. (M), Edd Vick, Jacqualynn D. Duram Nilsson

What do you do with your teenager at a convention? Let them have fun but be safe and sane at the same time. What do parents need to be aware of at the convention, such as the rules for children and teens at the event.

PITFALLS OF LANGUAGE CREATION

Gregory Gadow (M), Yoon Ha Lee, Patricia A. McKillip

How not to invent a language for your novel. You've designed a fantasy world, or a new planet, and you want your characters to speak their own language. Hey, how hard can that be? Before you dive in, beware these horrible mistakes.

PLOT, SETTING, AND CHARACTERS

Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff (M), Mike Shepherd-Moscoe, Susan Stern Grossman

Who's on First? Do you create wonderfully realistic characters, but then find your plots wandering around lost, searching for a resolution? Are the worlds you create lush and vibrant, but your characters speak like they're all clones? Come for a hands-on discussion of how to find the proper balance that will bring everything together in your stories.

POETRY WORKSHOP II

Blythe Ayne (M)

Finishing off what we started in the first workshop on writing SF/F poetry.

PULLING THEM IN: ENTRY LEVEL SF

Bryce Walden (M), David M. Silver, Bobbie Benton Hull

Featuring SF for younger readers: Tom Swift, Star Wars, Heinlein & Asimov "Juveniles", etc., and, what drew you (the panelist) into science fiction, and why.

QUANTUM DOTS

Yeechi Chen (M)

. . . And programmable matter; what good is it? A discussion of smart matter; and possible applications.

REALLY ALIEN LANGUAGES

Tim Smith (M), Gregory Gadow

Klingon looks pretty strange to English speakers, but it's still (just barely) within the bounds of possible human languages (after all, we know humans can learn it). What about really alien languages? What features could make a language too alien for any human to ever become fluent in it?

RUNES 101: THE FUTHARK ALPHABET

Philemon Vanderbeck (M)

How to use the ancient Runes as a secret alphabet to write messages.

RHYMING AND DYING

Andrew Dolbeck (M), David Lunde, Robin Ashley Smith

Is assonance, lyricism, and metered poetry dead? Is a bunch of words really poetry just because the authors say it is? Rules: do they exist any more?

SAMURAI ARMOR

Brian Snoddy (M)

Learn about the progression of Japanese armor from 300 AD, to the 1700's. Actual antique pieces will be on display. If you love history, armor or weapons . . . you will love this.

SATURN: THE LORD OF THE RINGS

Caroline Cox (M), Charles F. Radley, Ron Hobbs, Chris Vancil

The Cassini-Huygens mission has opened our eyes to the wonders of Saturn and its moons yet again, including a fascinating first view of its most mysterious moon, Titan. Join us to discuss the new discoveries at Saturn and Titan.

SCIENTISTS AND ARTISTS

Blane Bellerud (M), Yeechi Chen, Jul Lacquement, Audrey Price, Jeff Sturgeon,

Similarities and differences. Scientists and artists are often thought of as opposites, but long hours with uncertain pay aren't the only similarities. Leonardo da Vinci is the most famous example of someone who was both; how common is it for a love of science and art to come together in one person?

SCI-FI GETS WHAT IT DESERVES

Mike Shepherd-Moscoe (M), Michael A. Martin, Beverly Marshall Saling

After the recent success of LOTR and the wave of movies based on comic books, will the increasingly blasé turn more to sci-fi and fantasy as a viable genre? What will the future hold for film adaptations of sci-fi stories? Perhaps we will see more on the best seller list as well.

SEEING FILMS THE WAY CRITICS DO: PART II

Phillip Brugalette (M)

Understand film like a critic by learning how editing controls pace, tension, suspense and dramatic effect; how camera shots (the camera's distance from the subject) and angles (the camera's height from the subject) control your reaction to the scene, its mood, foreshadowing, and a character's place; how lighting, sound, and musical score control emotions; how the difference between three act and episodic plot structure affects the ebb and flow of story, and of course, a discussion of what makes for good acting.

SEXLIFE LIVE

Dane Ballard (M)

Come be a part of our live studio audience as we tape a segment for SexLife LIVE, a sex-positive television talk show. Share your thoughts on Sex, Sexuality, Relationships and Fandom.

SF/F ART IN THE FINE ART WORLD

Marcus Rieck (M), Jul Lacquement, Abranda Icle Sisson-Mudd, L. Kirsten McElligott

Can we get respect? Within the field of Illustration, SF/F art has been barely above Romance Art on the ladder of respect, and "illustration" traditionally has been considered beneath the "fine art" world. Is there any hope for an SF/F artist in the world of galleries and museums?

SFM ONE YEAR LATER

Leslie Howle (M), Greg Bear, Brooks Peck, Jacob McMurray

Imagination! Humor! Excitement! Education and entertainment: and all in one short panel! Join SFM's Advisory Board Chair Greg Bear, Curator Jacob McMurray, Senior Program Manager Leslie Howle, and Web Editor/Developer Brooks Peck to hear what's been happening at SFM.

SHARED-WORLD FICTION

V.E. Mitchell (M), Sharon Turner Mulvihill, Loren L. Coleman, Michael A. Martin

I created this world --- how dare you blow it up! The problems of shared world fiction.

SINGER IN THE SNOW

Louise Marley (M)

A novel in my Singers of Nevya series, about the psi-gifted Singers who are the only source of light and warmth on the ice world of Nevya.

SPACE ELEVATOR DEMONSTRATION

Michael J. Laine (M), David Franklin Shoemaker

A demonstration of the capabilities of the robot of the Liftport Group space elevator.

STAR WARS

Mike Brennan (M), Suzanne Jachim, V.E. Mitchell, Terry Burlison

Bankruptcy waiting to happen. The ABM treaty says that Anti Ballistic Weapons are not to be possessed by any of the signing nations, which includes the United States. Star Wars, or a net designed to shoot down incoming rockets, would violate that treaty. These weapons are considered a "First strike" weapons to the rest of the world. Bush wants to revive this plan against the "Threat of nuclear attack." FROM WHOM!!! We have proven that Iraq does not have them: only China, India, and Pakistan are known to really possess long range nuclear weapons. Is he trying to bankrupt our future with this plan?

STONES IN WINTER

Harold Gross, aka: Gordon Gross (M)

Stones in Winter follows a young Norsewoman who, having watched her lover's death in battle, vows never to leave him. How she tries to accomplish this goal is the focus of this short story.

SUCCESSFUL SW BUSINESSES

Jeff Vogel (M), John A. Pitts

How do you start and run a successful software business?

SWORD AND SORCERY

Matthew Rossi (M), Matt Hughes (The Writer), Patricia A. McKillip

Heroic fantasy's punk kid brother. Warrior heroes and mighty magicians strutting their stuff across a world of the author's imagination. That can describe both Heroic Fantasy and Sword-and-Sorcery. But why does one sound more up-market than the other? Does it depend on the style of writing --- or just the thickness of the book?

TAI-CHI

KinShan (M)

A very busy day at the con and what better way to start it.

TALEBONES: LIVE!

Patrick Swenson (M)

Join these Talebones writers: Julie McGalliard, Bruce Taylor, Ken Rand, Jay Lake, Ray Vukcevich, Craig English, Ken Scholes, and Jerry Oltion.

TEACHING WITH SF/F

Bobbie DuFault (M), Jim Grimsley, George Guthridge, Caroline Cox, Leon J. West,

A workshop. A look at how SF/F can be incorporated into the classroom. Emphasis will be on using the genre to teach various subjects as well as course curriculums, resources, and organizations.

TECHNOLOGICAL CUSP POINTS

Stoney Compton (M), Brian Tillotson, Elton Elliott

. . . and alternate histories. Many alternate histories focus on political and/or war aspects, or some form of "what if this great man/woman's life were different?" But much of the great sweep of history has been due to technological events. What are they? Consider what would have happened if they had been delayed, discovered elsewhere, or usurped by other methods. Movable type ... the assembly line ... the telephone ... MS- DOS? All fair game...

TENGWAR 101: THE ALPHABET

Philemon Vanderbeck (M)

How to use Tolkien's Tengwar (Elvish) as a secret alphabet to write messages.

TENGWAR 102: THE LANGUAGE

Jamie Morgan (M)

Come and learn to speak some of the basics of this Elvish language.

THE ANYTHING BOX

Abranda Icle Sisson-Mudd (M)

Collection of SciFi/Fantasy short stories by Zena Henderson.

THE ART OF AGOH STEPHEN HICKMAN

Stephen Hickman (M)

Join our Artist GoH Stephen Hickman as he takes you on a tour of his amazing work.

THE BOOK OF JOBY

Mark J. Ferrari (M)

Take the general story of Job from the Judeo-Christian Old Testament, the Arthurian myth-cycle, shake them together vigorously in a paper bag and pour them out into contemporary California, and you've got The Book of Joby.

THE EARLY ASTRONOMERS

Eric Schulman (M), Robert P. Suryan

From the architects of Stonehenge to Isaac Newton, this panel discussion includes a survey of the equipment the early astronomers used, the discoveries they made, and the obstacles they had to overcome.

THE EMOTIONAL PALETTE OF HORROR

John Pelan (M), Lorelei Shannon

What are some sources of fear in horror? Why aren't some things scary anymore? After all, the classic horror film ideas are no longer frightening to today's audiences. Is it still entertaining to be scared?

THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION

David-Glenn Anderson (M), Caroline Cox, George Guthridge, Spring Schoenhuth

Will tomorrows education be something out of the post-modern American TV show the Jetsons? Video Blackboards, computerized textbooks, robot teachers monitoring the students as they sit in cubicles each studying at their own specially designed curriculum, is this the ideal school of tomorrow? This panel will explore the potential benefits and draw backs to potential modern teaching environments.

THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE

Bridget Coila (M), Misty Marshall, Ron Hobbs

When you go to the doctor in the future, will your doctor take a snippet of DNA instead of asking your symptoms? Can you get your immortality treatment in the office, or will it require a separate visit to the hospital? How about medical

emergencies? Will there be a specialist at your space hotel to help you deal with that vertigo or the bone loss you'll experience if you stay up there too long?

THE FUTURE OF SHORT FICTION

Deborah Layne (M), Terry Burlison, L. Timmel Duchamp

And the magazines who print them. Okay, it wouldn't be a Worldcon without this item, would it? The big pro magazines have been losing circulation steadily for many years. The original anthology market is a shadow of its former self. Yet new magazines keep popping up, and some publish a few impressive issues. Is short fiction becoming a hobby? And what does it mean when publishing short fiction is often considered a vital step on the way to publishing novels?

THE JOY OF THE CULT FILM

Leopoldo Marino (M), Edward Martin III, Veronica Lavenz, Diana Vick

What is it about these movies that grabs us in places we didn't know we had and makes us watch them again and again and again. It can't be just the catchy music, the fishnet stockings, the vast quantities of gore, or the fact that theses are the coolest rec rooms on Earth? Or can it?

THE KING IN YELLOW

Kenneth Huey (M)

Fin de siecle horror classic by R.W. Chambers, very creepy. I've carefully edited the text to be readable in less than a half hour.

THE MARCH 5TH EVENT

James H. Cobb (M)

A reading from the new hard "science" technothriller in the Robert Ludlum "Covert One" series.

THE MERI

Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff (M)

My first fantasy novel is being re-released by Sense of Wonder Press. I'd like to celebrate with a reading.

THE METAPHOR GAME

Andrew Dolbeck (M), Michelle Dockrey, Wolf Lahti

A series of challenges in which participants must describe a secretly assigned concept in terms of another concept. An exercise in metaphor and simile. Come and see if you can figure out what everyone is talking about.

THE MOST DISTURBING FILMS EVER

Phillip Brugalette (M), Eric Morgret Director Maelstrom Productions LLC, Arinn Dembo

What are you afraid of? What images push you over the edge? In this panel we will discuss the most disturbing films we've ever seen, and what exactly it is that makes them so alarming.

THE NORWESCON 28 GREAT SCIENCE DEBATE

*Thomas P. Hopp (M), Mike Brennan, Heather Candelaria, Burt Webb, Karen Traviss, Bridget Coila, Tanya Harrison *The Next Pandemic

THE NORWESCON 28 MASQUERADE

Audrey Schmidt (M)

Norwescon 28 is pleased to present its 2005 Masquerade. Don't miss the stunning costumes, dazzling lights, and much, much more!

THE NORWESCON 28 MOVIE PREVIEWS

Russ Rudesill (M)

See the latest previews, straight from Hollywood!

THE SANDS OF SABAKUSHI

Kevin Radthorne (M)

The Sands of Sabakushi, where truth lies between the darkness and the light. The stirring sequel to the Asian-themed fantasy The Road to Kotaishi!

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF SF/F

A.M. Dellamonica (M), David Moles, Janine Ellen Young, Ray Vukcevich

Admit it --- some SF notions just don't make sense ... and a lot of them become standard background elements in the genre. Discuss a bunch of them (well, at least 7 -- and invent some new ones of your own, if you want!), why they're so terrible, and how they get established. Is it just that People Don't Think, or are there other reasons for these lousy ideas?

THE SF POETRY ASSOCIATION

Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin (M), Robin Ashley Smith, Andrew Dolbeck, Michael Bishop

An introduction to an organization of SF/F Poets, including Norwescon 28's Science GoH Dr Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin.

THE SHADOWCATCHER

Christopher J. Garcia (M)

1917, Kiely Van Der Rotte designs a machine to see the dead and a plan to reap rewards from it. Perhaps the first piece of ValvePunk.

THE STEALTH HEINLEIN HEROES

David M. Silver (M), Greg Bear, Robert L. Slater

Maggie Andrews, Maurice Abrams, Roderick Walker, Juan Rico, Marjorie Baldwin, and Colin Campbell. An examination of how Heinlein sought to overcome prejudice and discrimination on account of gender, religion, race or national origin or color, in selection of protagonists and major characters in SF.

THE TOR BOOKS TRAVELING SHOW

Tom Doherty (M)

THE TROJAN HORSE IN ROME

Dave Butler (M), Suzanne Jachim, Eve Gordon

What did the Greeks steal from the Romans? Zeus became Jupiter but Apollo stayed the same, even though his sister (Artemis) became Diane of the Hunt. The Romans stole from the Greeks, but which is which? The names are familiar, do you know which god is which in what area.

THE ULTIMATE ILLUSTRATOR'S DILEMMA

Heather Hudson (M), Todd Lockwood, Richard Hescox

Is it possible to please the author, the art director AND yourself? And we haven't even mentioned the publisher, the editors, the sales force and the booksellers! Who gets top priority?

THE UNIVERSE AS MOTHER OF LIFE

Eric Schulman (M), Elton Elliott, Bridget Coila

Molecular gas clouds are found to contain more and more chemicals vital to the evolution of life, and laboratory experiments suggest even inorganic reactions can produce life-related systems such as cells. Hear the latest news.

THEN WHAT'S A METAPHOR?

Matt Pearson (M), Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Eva Carlstrom, Minister Faust

Many people are used to thinking of metaphor as just an optional extra on top of language. However, metaphor actually forms the foundation of all language. We rely on it particularly heavily when talking about space, time, emotions, relationships, and other common abstract concepts.

THEY SHOULD MAKE A MOVIE OF THAT ...

Bob Kruger (M), Alan Dean Foster, Derryl Murphy

What SF/F/H short stories, novelettes, novels, trilogies, or series would make great cinema?

TRIP TO TOMORROW

Richard Hescox (M)

An exciting film by the NWC22 Artist Guest of Honor.

TURNING A GAME INTO A BOOK

William C. Dietz (M)

A workshop on the process of novelizing an interactive game.

WATERCOLOR DEMONSTRATION

Douglas Herring (M)

Come and watch the wonders of watercolor as Douglas Herring demonstrates this art form.

WE'RE ALONE!

David-Glenn Anderson (M), Leon J. West, Craig L. Figley

What if we really are the only multi-celled creatures in the universe (that's you, me, the dog down the street and the sea­urchin)? What if hoping for alien races is just more praying for angels. Creationism comes in a lot of flavors.

WGOH MICHAEL BISHOP READING

Michael Bishop (M)

WHERE ARE THE EXTRATERRESTRIALS?

Eric Schulman (M), Gregory R. Paddock, Stephen Gillett, Burt Webb, Charles F. Radley,

The Galaxy is about 10 billion years old, and it should only take about 100 million years for a technological species to explore the Galaxy. So if life is common in the Galaxy, where is everyone? And if life is not common in the Galaxy, why not? We might not be able to settle the issue here, but we'll have fun trying.

WHICH FIRST: CHARACTER OR SETTING?

Kathy Oltion (M), James H. Cobb, Lizzy Shannon

Where do you start when you create fiction?

WHO INVENTED HISTORY?

Stoney Compton (M), Matthew Rossi, Donna McMahon

Where did the concept of history come from? Did someone sit down and say, "let's write history"?

WORLD BUILDING WORKSHOP #2

G. David Nordley (M), Silven Read, Jim Funaro, Wolf Read

Brains? They don't need no stinkin' brains! Here we explore the beginnings of life and how to develop an ecology.

What kinds of animals (or plants) develop intelligence? Believe it or not, there's rarely a good reason for intelligent self­awareness based on this one planet's data. There have been many, many successful species that never needed anything resembling human intelligence. Why have brains? Whether evolution or deity-granted, what's the point?

WORLD BUILDING WORKSHOP #3

Wolf Read (M), Silven Read, Jim Funaro, G. David Nordley, Pat MacEwen,

First comes brains, then culture and civilization. What kinds of societies do intelligent beings develop? Culture, science, religion ... does intelligence necessarily head down the path humans have selected? Can an intelligent species evolve and NOT pollute? NOT change their environment? NOT expand beyond their own planet? How can you create a believable society that's any different than what we already have?

WRITING A BOOK A YEAR

William C. Dietz (M)

A workshop on how to write a novel on an annual basis while working a full-time job.

WRITING ESSENTIALS 106

James Rollins/James Clemens (M), Marti McKenna, Kathy Oltion

Feedback. For beginning/intermediate writers in a craft that can suffer from lack of feedback: all about writing groups, writing buddies, and writer's workshops.

YOU CAN'T TAKE THE SKY FROM ME...?

Lyda Morehouse (M), Yoon Ha Lee, Cheyenne Wright, Diana Vick

...but can they take (your?) Serenity. Talk about the series and the movie.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

ALIEN PLAGUES

Blane Bellerud (M), Pat MacEwen, Misty Marshall

Will we give or get novel diseases when we meet aliens? Alien life may pose a biological threat through disease, toxicity, and allergic reactions, or their biochemistry could be similar enough to our own to cause other interesting problems.

ANOTHER KIND OF IGNORANCE

Robert L. Slater (M)

A story of colonists on a far-off frontier planet, beautiful, safe, no life forms larger than a squirrel. But the original survey team may have missed a thing or two.

ANYWHERE BUT HERE

Jerry Oltion (M)

An interstellar exploration novel, the sequel to The Getaway Special{.underline}.

BACKUPS: ETERNAL LIFE OR DEATH?

Robert J. Sawyer (M), David Nasset, Sr., Eve Gordon

Let's say we could record a person's mind and play it back into a new body, so that the new person couldn't be told from the old. Would that lead to immortality? Or would it lead to an endless series of deaths followed by the creation of a new person who just thinks he's the old one? Essentially, what does it mean to be oneself?

BIG WITCH ON CAMPUS

John P. Alexander (M)

2000 years of memoirs of an immortal witch currently teaching Classics in Canada

COSTUMING BLOCK

Lori Edwards (M), Julie Zetterberg, Janet Borkowski

Renewing your inspiration. What do you do when you are in the middle of a costume and your brain suddenly goes numb or you are desperately trying to come up with a great idea for an event or a contest and you keep hitting your head on the creative wall? Need to know when to continue or just step away? Join us to explore different methods/ideas for renewing your creativity and inspiration.

CREATING ALTERNATIVE HISTORY

Stoney Compton (M), L. Timmel Duchamp, Michael A. Martin

How, why, and when do you change history to tell your story? Verisimilitude isn't possible, but what makes the story believable?

DAEMON

Bridget McKenna (M)

A civil servant in Hell discovers a man who seems to be there by mistake. [unpublished novel]

DAYS OF SMOKE

John A. Pitts (M)

Psychologicl horror by John A. Pitts

DEFINING SOCIETIES AND CULTURES WITH LANGUAGE

David M. Silver (M), Robert L. Slater, David Moles

From general semantics through modern linguistics with Heinlein. An examination of how Heinlein created his "other worlds," such as Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, and Time Enough for Love.

DIGITAL ART INTEGRATION

Matthew Harpold (M), Eden Celeste, Kenneth Huey

Integrating digital tools and media into your work. Between the poles of all-painted and all-digital techniques lay a host of ways for the artist to use digital media to facilitate aspects of the creative process. Our panel of artists share their tips and techniques.

ELIZABETH ANN SCARBOROUGH

Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (M)

A very special reading and interview with this wonderful Pacific Northwest author.

FABULOUS HEADPIECE WORKSHOP

Lauryn MacGregor (M), Joanne Kirley, Julia Clayton

Create a wearable headpiece from buckram and milinary wire base up to finished product.

FANTASY ON THE WWW

Eden Celeste (M), Cheryl Lynn York

Where will the web take us next?

FORCE MAJEURE

Julie Hoverson (M)

A private eye gets hired to stop a guy from getting killed, but is in over her head when demons start showing up.

FUTURE HUMAN LANGUAGES

Tim Smith (M), Robert L. Slater, Cheryl Scott

The last millennium took English from an island-bound Germanic dialect to a world-spanning behemoth with a ridiculously large adopted vocabulary. Languages have evolved, died out, melded in creoles, and split into sometimes mutually incomprehensible dialects. What new languages might be spawning now?

GET STARTED DRAWING NOW (DAMMIT)!

Blane Bellerud (M)

Do you have art supplies sitting around the house gathering dust? Piles of empty sketchbooks? Transfixed in horror by the empty page? This panel will work on some of the basic principles of drawing, especially people. For rank beginners, wannabees and anyone else who really wants to get started drawing but . . .

GETTING BEYOND THE TECHNIQUE

Wolf Lahti (M), Betsy Mott, Raven Mimura

Going the extra step beyond the realism to put emotion and meaning into a painting. This is a discussion about creating art that is more than just a commercial endeavor; guiding the viewer with brush strokes, color control, and composition to feel for the characters.

GIZMOS, PROPS, AND WEAPONS

Dave Tackett (M)

Show and tell. All the cool stuff you carry with your costume -- audience participation! Bring something to share.

GODS AND MONSTERS

Beverly Marshall Saling (M), Donna Barr, Eris The Unorganized

My religion; your superstition. I'm going to heaven, you should go to prison, or preferably be beheaded. Who gets to draw the line? Especially after the 2004 election.

HOW DOES LANGUAGE INFLUENCE THOUGHT?

Ken Rand (M), David Lunde, Eva Carlstrom

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (no, not the Klingon) states that language completely determines thought, i.e., if your language doesn't have a word for the concept, then you can't even conceive of the concept. Many linguists consider this nonsense, but all agree there is some truth to it. How does the language we use shape the thoughts we have? Why is it impossible to completely understand the concepts of another language without learning it? What gets lost in translation?

HOW TO DRAW CATS

Roberta Gregory (M), Yeechi Chen, Jacqualynn D. Duram Nilsson

They're slinky, and graceful, and sometimes seem to be made of rubber! Come and bring your sketchbook as Roberta walks you through capturing these amazing animals on paper.

HUMAN-ANIMAL INTERVENTION

Margeret H. Bonham (M), Kathy Watts, Mary Rosenblum

Humans have intervened in animal species for thousands of years. Has this been for good or ill? And is the answer different from the animals' perspective?

I CREATE FANTASY ART

Christine D. Winters (M), Abranda Icle Sisson-Mudd, Butch Honeck

But I don't want to be an Illustrator. There are ways to make a living doing fantasy art that don't include books, magazines, games, comics, or movies. Discuss promoting yourself to stores, galleries, designers for fashion, linens, dinnerware, and other products for the home, etc.

INTERVIEW WITH SPECIAL GOH ALAN DEAN FOSTER

Thomas P. Hopp (M), Alan Dean Foster, John P. Alexander, Arinn Dembo, Casey Dorman

ISLAND BIOGEOGRAPHY

Bridget Coila (M)

A woman on a small Caribbean island must discover how to cope with an influx of creatures that don't belong there.

KAFKA'S UNCLE, EDWARD

Bruce Taylor (M)

Kafka's Uncle and the novel, Edward: Dancing On The Edge Of Infinity, two new books featuring tales of Magic Realism.

KIDDIE LIT FANTASTIC ANKLE BITERS

Beverly Marshall Saling (M), Cymbric Earlysmyth, Spring Schoenhuth

Educators differ on how soon to introduce fantasy to children. Can it be too soon? Come learn about some of the best examples of kiddie lit fantastic.

LAÁDAN LANGUAGE SEMINAR

Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin (M)

A discussion of the constructed language Láadan, in a linguistics framework. The sound system. How words are constructed; how new words can be added. Basic grammatical patterns. Reasons for decisions made during construction. Lessons learned.

LITERARY DOA

Syne Mitchell (M), Marti McKenna, Bridget McKenna

Books that died despite everything. Well-known author, well-developed plot, thorough marketing plan, yet the book fails to thrive. Why? Did it show too much ambition or too little? Was it old-fashioned, or ahead of its time? Were the stars wrong, or the season, or were we simply coming down with the flu? Let us count all the sad ways good books go bad. Our panel will discuss the phenomenon from multiple viewpoints.

NEHEMIAH SCUDDER RETURNS?

Stoney Compton (M), Burt Webb, Bobbie Benton Hull

In his 1939 novel "If This Goes On", Robert A. Heinlein described a future America under a religious totalitarianism. Could this really happen? Is it happening now?

NORWESCON 28 PRESENTS: ANIME TODAY

Angela Suryan (M)

Come and see a full length feature Anime Film. Be prepared to discuss how it went afterwards.

NORWESCON 28: THE POEM

Andrew Dolbeck (M), Robin Ashley Smith, Blythe Ayne

A reading of poems written during and about Norwescon. Come hear works from this year and from past cons. Participants in the poetry workshops encouraged to come and share their creations. And, of course, the latest Norwescon fashion report.

NOT WITH A BANG AND OTHER SHORT STORIES.

Dave Bigelow (M)

Airport security of the future (Published in 1994 "Conadian" World Science Fiction Convention program book).

NWC28 AND SCA MEDIEVAL FAIRE

Bryan Hawkins (M), Anita Taylor

Knights! Camelot! Action!

NWC28 MASQUERADE DEBRIEFING

Audrey Schmidt (M)

A chance for all those who worked on and/or participated in this year's Masquerade to tell how they think things went and to listen to their peer's experience.

NWC28 ONIONS AND ROSES

Cheryl Ferguson (M), Shawn Marier, Ali Grieve

What did you like? What didn't you like? Come tell us. Please. If you have ideas how to fix something, thought something could have been done better in a way that you know about, or have suggestions on how to improve this convention, we want to hear it.

NWC28 OPEN FILK CIRCLE

Karen Rall (M)

Come and join friends old and new for an evening of music and storytelling.

ONLINE JOURNALING

Janna Silverstein (M), Marti McKenna, Michael Montoure

Why do we live our private lives in public places? Are we merely emotional exhibitionists or are we continuing (in a different form) the venerable art of journaling? Sure, it's also a great way to network but what can journaling do for you? Or, to you? As more and more people do it everyday, is it turning into a problem?

OUTSIDERS

Donna Barr (M), Dane Ballard, Heather Candelaria

Just how "alternative" do you have to be? Alternative in America starts with women -- and includes blacks, first nations, and people with the wrong hairdo. Especially in today's political climate, is everybody who isn't a male in a suit "Alternative?"

PATTERN BASHING

Janet Borkowski (M), Joanne Kirley, Lauryn MacGregor

More fun than Frankenstein's monster and using the same techniques! How to mix and match pieces of different garment patterns for the ultimate in cool costuming.

PERFECTING THE HUMAN HABITAT

Burt Webb (M), Judy R. Johnson, Misty Marshall, Cheryl Lynn York

How will cities evolve? Will urban sprawl continual or will we build higher and narrower? How can we integrate parks and other elements of the natural landscape? Or will we live in technotopian megalopolises?

REB THE FIRST AND ONLY

Edd Vick (M)

A story harking back to my Texas roots. It's got good ol'boys, Cracker Jacks, and a secret subway to the Vatican.

REPLACING THE SPACE SHUTTLE

Charles F. Radley (M), David Stuart, David Franklin Shoemaker

The Columbia accident has grounded the shuttle fleet for over two years. Is it worth putting more money into keeping up the old shuttles, or is it time for NASA to put serious effort into replacing them? What are the options out there right now to replace them with?

RICHARD'S PANEL

Judy Suryan (M)

This is a fan memorial: an event where fans can gather to honor and remember those in fandom, and all the SF/F field, who have died during the previous year. We invite all of you to join us in celebrating the lives of those fen who have joined long-time fan, Richard Wright, for his panel.

SPIRITUAL AND/OR RELIGIOUS THEMES

Heather Candelaria (M), David M. Silver, Mark J. Ferrari

Is this content in Sci-Fi or Fantasy Lit allowed? What are the merits or pitfalls of going there in our kind of stories? Why would or wouldn't a SF-Fantasy writer want to do so?

STEAM PUNK/DIESEL PUNK

Melissa Quinn (M), Julie Hoverson, Amanda Harris-Forbes, Alisa Green

Costuming inspired by such movies as Sky Captain, Wild Wild West, Van Helsing, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and others.

STORY-CRAFTING FROM YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS

Lizzy Shannon (M), V.E. Mitchell, Kathy Oltion

Do your characters surprise you? Is your outline giving you fits? Do strange things keep happening in your narrative?

Find out why that's a good thing, in this light-hearted program item.

STRAWBERRY SPRING

Savannah Goodwin (M)

The false spring known as "Strawberry Spring" brings a lovely, creeping fog--and something homicidal with it--to a small university campus.

TAI-CHI

KinShan (M)

No better way to begin the last day of Norwescon 28.

THE FUTURE OF BOOKS

Duane Wilkins (M), Vladimir Verano, Cheryl Scott

Is the paper novel on its last legs? Will e-book readers ever become the norm? Is there a future for interactive fiction?

THE FUTURE OF ENGLISH

Matt Pearson (M), Tim Smith, Burt Webb

English has changed substantially since Chaucer, and quite radically since "Beowulf". How much, and in what ways, is it likely to change in the future?

THE MIS-INFORMATION HIGHWAY

Michelle Garrison (M), Eva Carlstrom, Robert L. Slater

Is the internet an important research tool, a device for disseminating mis-information, or some of both? How does the teacher communicate to the student how to tell what is real and what is not?

THE NORWESCON 28 CLOSING CEREMONIES

Richard Stephens (M), Shawn Marier, Ali Grieve

Closing ceremonies is a relaxed, fun way to say goodbye to our wonderful Guests of Honor and recap our happy memories of the weekend. This is a great chance to maybe snag an autograph, shake hands with greatness and glean some final wisdom.

THE NORWESCON 28 FANDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Edward Martin III (M), Ryan K. Johnson, Brian Oberquell, Leopoldo Marino, Eric Morgret Director Maelstrom Productions LLC, Christopher J. Garcia

Come one - come all, to not only the final show-it-off stage of the Let's Make a Movie Workshop, but also the best fen film festival this side of the Waking World. Come marvel at this year's collection of strange, bizarre, and fantabulous shorts! And no limo required!

THE NORWESCON 28 MOVIE PREVIEWS

Russ Rudesill (M)

See the latest previews, straight from Hollywood!

THE NWC28 ART AND MZB CHARITY AUCTION

Prudence Bohnas (M)

The Norwescon 28 Art Auction and Marion Zimmer Bradley Northwest Harvest Charity Auction.

THE PRESIDENT'S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE

Brian Tillotson (M), Michael J. Laine, Gregory R. Paddock, Carlton Rhoades

A discussion of the President's initiative to refocus NASA toward human and robotic colonization of the Moon, followed by manned exploration of Mars. This new initiative gives NASA a reason for existence, for the first time in about 25 years. Is it well placed? Would private enterprise do better? Should we risk human life or is the scientific justification dubious? There is plenty of meat for discussion here.

THE SECRET FLEETS

Ted Butler (M)

On their way to their home asteroid in a captured transport with prisoners of war, they discover they are paralleling enemy fleets headed there too.

THE UBER ART CURATOR

Larry Lewis (M), Jeff Sturgeon, H. Ed Cox, John R. Gray III

How to curate the ultimate F/SF art exhibition. You've been called upon to put together the F/SF art show of the century, the definitive exhibition. Unfortunately, the museum has only space for 20 paintings, though an unlimited budget for acquiring works. Where would you start? Which artists and works would be considered absolutely essential?

THE WORLD OF THE MODERN VAMPIRE

Lorelie Shannon (M), John Pelan, Diana Vick

Anne Rice, Laurell F. Hamilton, and Nancy Collins are not the only authors writing in this genre. Lestat needs to move over and make room for Anita Blake and Sonja Blue and the others waiting in the wings to take his place.

V. BEARD RAFFLE

Victoria Shaffer (M)

VERBAL SELF-DEFENSE WORKSHOP

Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin (M)

Establishing a language environment where incidents of verbal violence almost never happen, and those that can't be avoided are dealt with efficiently, effectively, and with no loss of face on either side. Result: human relationships thrive; tension and stress decrease. An overview of verbal violence plus a set of practical techniques for dealing with it.

WHAT CAN WE DO WITH A GENE

Bridget Coila (M), Misty Marshall

Now that the Human Genome is sequenced, along with the mouse and many other creatures, what is the next step? Obviously, just having the sequence didn't suddenly cure all genetic diseases. This panel will talk about what scientists are doing with all that information and what's on the horizon.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT CON?

Prince Ka (M), Chris Nilsson, Savannah Goodwin

What makes a great con? What makes one suck? What are the top reasons for attending a con--and why on earth do you masochists put them on?

WHEN A SONG IS YOUR STORY

Michelle Dockrey (M), Yoon Ha Lee, Karen Rall

Fiction that uses music. What happens when music becomes a character in a novel? Music as metaphor and main character.

WIZARD COSTUMES

Richard Stephens (M), Amanda Harris-Forbes, Julie Zetterberg

Wizards are a mainstay in fantasy. This costuming is versatile, easy to wear; and the possibilities for style, color and detail are endless!

WORLD BUILDING WORKSHOP #4

Silven Read (M), Wolf Read, Jim Funaro, G. David Nordley, Pat MacEwen

Norwesconia unveiled. Detailed exploration of one or more of the many possibilities developed in the previous World Building Workshops.

WRITING ESSENTIALS 102

Joseph Paul Haines (M), L. Timmel Duchamp, Ken Rand

Common problems with submissions that can dismiss you as an amateur. Panelists will share common writing and submission issues that can lead to immediate rejection. Includes submission flaws, ignoring market guidelines, poor spelling/grammar, pastiches, bad/desperate attitudes. Also, how do you keep records, do follow-up, close unresponsive submissions, etc.

WRITING ESSENTIALS 103

Syne Mitchell (M), Patrick Swenson, Kathy Oltion

The pains (and promises) of rejection slips. How can they actually be constructive (and why are so many of them anything but)?