Arisia 2021 Program Participant Bios
Generated: Fri Jan 15 02:11:21 2021
Daniel Reuben Daniel R. Abraham, Esquire Consort, plays games (for fun), cooks (for meditation), makes candy (for presents), makes masks (on occasion), and otherwise enjoys his existence as a father of a geek child, husband to the finest gamemaster he knows, and plays a little poker on the side. He's run the Tabletop Gaming room with Vivian Abraham in the mid-90s, again in the mid 2010's, and has moved on to help the con extract knowledge from peoples' heads and put it in online for the education of all.
Vivian Abraham (any pronouns are fine) is a game designer, professional editor, attorney, and community organizer. They will be the convention chair for Arisia 2022.
Marc Abrahams is the founder of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The prizes, awarded each year since 1991, honor achievements that make people laugh, then think. He is also editor and co-founder of the science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research, and the author of several books. His web site and blog are at www.improbable.com
Three words that one might use to describe Adri are “generic”, “geek” and “girl”. Sometimes all at once.
- Remote Options for Gaming
- Teasecraft Kinky Maker Meetup: Show & Tell (18+)
- Coding for Kids
- The Arisia Munch (18+)
- Living that Virtual Life
E. C. Ambrose wrote the Dark Apostle series of historical fantasy novels about medieval surgery. As Elaine Isaak, she wrote The Singer's Legacy series, and as E. Chris Ambrose, she writes the Bone Guard international thrillers. In her research, she learned to hunt with a falcon, clear a building of intruders, pull traction, and steer a pirate ship. The author is a graduate of and instructor for the Odyssey Writing workshop. She leads adventure camp and makes wearable art clothing.
Mark L Amidon first read Isaac Asimov's Nightfall in 1971 and has been heavily involved in science fiction ever since. He has been attending Arisia since 1991, and with his wife since 1992. He lives in the future, right now, and for a living tells computers what to do and how to do it. His cats remain aloof.
Society for Creative Anachronism
Bekah Maren Anderson is a fantasy writer in training, disability activist, and seminarian. By day she works to make the church more accessible; by night she writes to make speculative fiction more crip. She has published pieces about disability, queerness, and religion with the Wild Goose Festival and the New Sacred blog. Her fantasy writing, as yet unpublished, tends to be character driven and sad. She blogs irregularly at bekahmaren.blogspot.com. Follow her on Twitter @BekahMaren.
- Love Potion # (COVID-1) 9
- Living with a Disability in 2021
- Accessible Magic
- Navigating Intimacy During a Pandemic
Robert R. Bob R R Angell (he/him) is a queer writer whose short fiction has been published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, Interzone, Gargoyle, and The Baltimore Review among others, and anthologies such as: Best Date Ever: True Stories That Celebrate Gay Relationships; and Compelling Science Fiction: The First Collection. His LGBTQ YA VR AI science fiction romantic thriller, Best Game Ever: A Virtuella Novel, published in May 2019. Free stories and interviews can be found at rrangell.com
Inanna Arthen (Vyrdolak) is a freelance book designer, voice actor and author of The Vampires of New England Series: Mortal Touch (2007), The Longer the Fall (2010), All the Shadows of the Rainbow (2013) and Human Services (2021). Inanna runs By Light Unseen Media and is a member of New England Horror Writers, Broad Universe, IPNE and IBPA. Their short story "The Fishman and His Wife" appears in Twice Upon an Apocalypse (Crystal Lake, 2017). Find out more at inannaarthen.com.
Lisa A Ashton is a SF/Fantasy/Historical costumer living in Harpers Ferry, WV. Arisia 2017 she was part of the BIS "3-fold Goddess", 2019 saw her win BIC for the "1825 Fur Trapper of the American West" at CC37 and BIS at Balticon for "Mystic Legacy". She is the founder of Miss Lizzy's Traveling Historical Fashion Show, a non-profit interest group of the ICG, to preserve and study antique photos and tintypes as well as authentic Victorian garments and artifacts of domestic life.
Julia Austein—Artist, teacher and Co-director of the Arisia Artshow. Also a long-time Arisia attendee.
Michael Bailey C. Bailey is a professional writer from Worcester, Massachusetts who kind of hates writing bios. After 15 years in journalism, Michael left to focus on his creative writing career. He is the author of two ongoing series, "Action Figures" and "The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot," and the urban fantasy trilogy "Well-Behaved Women." In his spare time Michael is a regular performer and stage combat director with the Connecticut Renaissance Faire.
Born in poverty, raised in mythology Marzell Barker is always curious about what people think. Having a M.A. in counseling psychology with 8 years in the field of mental health, most of it in crisis. They have many interest that stem from mythology, intersectionality, culture, food, music, clothing,kink, and animals (keeping some of these interest separate for basic decency of course).
E. J. Barnes is a cartoonist and comics writer, illustrator, and editor, having been published in newspapers, magazines, and anthologies. She exhibits at independent comic-book conventions, and her comic books, self-published under Drowned Town Press (drownedtownpress.com) are sold across the country.
- Creating Comics: From Idea to Finished Product
- Experimental Comics Formats: Then and Now
- The Year (or Years) Without a Comic-Con
- Introduction to Birding
Reuben Baron writes articles on pop culture for Comic Book Resources, with a particular interest in film and animation. They've recently launched a webcomic about growing up in anime fandom, Con Job: Revenge of the SamurAlchemist (https://tapas.io/series/Con-Job), and have written multiple screenplays. This is Reuben's seventh year on panels at Arisia; they are also a regular panelist at Anime Boston.
Logan Jacob Maxwell Tyler Brodie Biscornet—I have been involved with conventions since 2013 which feels like a lifetime ago. I helped run several brony conventions(Including BronyCon) and started a western animation convention called DrawnCon that ran for three years and inspired others to pick up the torch. My interests include professional wrestling, horror movies, and the paranormal. I am involved this year to give back and present interesting panels to help pass a few hours of this endless quarantine. Let's party in 22!
Charlie Boatner has written for DC and Vertigo, Marvel, Archie, and other publishers. His favorite projects were a Batman/Metal Men teamup, a T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents reboot, and the graphic novel The Hiding Place with artist Steve Parkhouse. He answered children's letters to DC's kids' books as "Johnny DC." He draws the webstrip www.BureauofBeasties.com.
James Bredt was one of two technical founders of Z Corporation making 3D printers from 1995 through 2012. He is one of the developers of the first full-color commercial 3D printer. He holds over 20 issued patents in 3DP technology. His present company, Viridis3D sells industrial 3D printers to the foundry industry. He also occasionally teaches materials science at MIT, and is writing a graphic novel. For the past 25 years, he has appeared as a human spotlight at the Ig Nobel Awards Ceremony.
Robin Brenner (she/her) is Teen Librarian at the Public Library of Brookline. She writes articles, nonfiction guides, and fandom coverage for professional journals. She has served on awards committees from the Michael L. Printz Award to the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. She is editor-in-chief of No Flying No Tights. She loves speculative stories in every format from comics to podcasts to television shows.
Kate Brick: edits books, makes costumes, herds chickens. Plays well with others. Mostly.
Laurence Raphael Brothers is a writer and a technologist with a background in AI R&D. As a SF writer, he has published over twenty-five short stories in such magazines as Nature, the New Haven Review, PodCastle, and Galaxy's Edge. Follow him on twitter at @lbrothers. His urban fantasy novella "The Demons of Wall Street" was recently released, and its sequel "The Demons of the Square Mile" will be published early in 2021.
Terri Bruce is the author of the paranormal/contemporary fantasy “Afterlife” series and numerous short stories in various anthologies and magazines. Like Anne Shirley, she prefers to make people cry rather than laugh, but is happy if she can do either. She produces hard-to-classify fantasy and science fiction stories that explore the supernatural side of everyday things from beautiful Downeast ME, where she lives with her husband and several cats. Visit her on the web at www.terribruce.net.
Rachel A. Brune (she/her) is the founder and editor at Crone Girls Press, a horror micropress dedicated to publishing the dark side of speculative fiction. She is a speculative fiction author and writing coach, and publishes a semi-regular blog on her website, Infamous Scribbler.
Nat Budin is a singer/songwriter/larper/programmer. He has written and run over a dozen larps, has served as con chair of Intercons I and P as well as the first three Festival of the LARPs conventions at Brandeis University, and writes open source software in the Ruby on Rails community.
The Viceroy Bunnificent VonZafting or Bunni (she / they) is Arisa'21 Incident Response Team (IRT) Co-Division Head who mostly identifies as "a great big geek" and "Philosophy nerd". They are currently a first year law student (Legal Technology & Innovation) with a background in academic Philosophy (Comparative Feminisms, Pragmatism) and Political Science (Post-Colonial Political Theory). She mostly does stuff, but also does things; and sometimes tweets @BigPersnick
- How to Be an Anti-Racist in SF/F/H
- The Octavia Butler future is now
- Intersectionality in Social Justice
- TV Year in Review
Michael A. Burstein, winner of the 1997 Astounding Award for Best New Writer, has earned ten Hugo nominations and four Nebula nominations for his short fiction, collected in I Remember the Future. He lives with his wife Nomi and their twin daughters in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, where he is an elected Town Meeting Member and Library Trustee. He develops science curriculum when not writing. He has two degrees in Physics and attended the Clarion Workshop. See http://www.mabfan.com.
Nomi S. Burstein is a technical writer, freelance editor, and fiction writer. Her debut novel, Flying Without a Net, was published in November 2016 under the name EM Ben Shaul. When she is not involved in professional word-nerditry, Nomi knits, sews, and performs amateur word-nerditry. She lives in Brookline, MA, with her husband, Michael A. Burstein, and their twin daughters.
- What Are the Kids Reading Now?
- Is It Cultural Appropriation?
- Parenting in Times of Turmoil
- Arisia+: Gently Down the Stream(ing Services)
Kevin Cafferty (he/him) is a documentary filmmaker and podcaster. His film "It's a Bash!" (which is about punk rock) was given four stars by The Providence Journal, aired on New England PBS affiliates, and is currently available to stream on YouTube. His podcast, "Gleaming the Tube", is about skateboarding and movies. He has been nominated for four Emmy awards, can be followed on Twitter at @kcafferty, and was named "Person of the Year" by Time Magazine in 2006.
- Schitt’s Creek: Simply the Best
- Comfort Food Media: Extreme Stay-at-Home Edition
- 1986: The Year Nobody Left the Comic Shop
James L. Cambias's first novel, A Darkling Sea, was published in 2014, followed by Corsair in 2015, Arkad's World in 2019, and The Initiate in 2020. His new novel The Godel Operation will appear in May 2021. His short stories have appeared in F&SF, Shimmer, Nature, and several anthologies. Mr. Cambias has also written for Steve Jackson Games, Hero Games, and other game companies, and is a partner in Zygote Games. He blogs at www.jamescambias.com.
Rob Cameron's essay "The Case for Black American Self-Defense" was recently published in Foreign Policy Magazine. He has essays in Tor.com and the New Modality, and short fiction in Mike Allen’s Clockwork Phoenix 5 among other places. He’s currently writing for the video game Severed Sky. Rob is also lead organizer for the Brooklyn Speculative Fiction Writers, a guest host and curator for the New York Review of Science Fiction Reading Series, and managing editor of Kaleidocast.nyc.
- Hold Your Enthusiasm: Problematic Things
- The Octavia Butler future is now
- What Are the Kids Reading Now?
- POC Meetup
- Education Theory and Remote Learning
Mel Carubia—(She/They) Actor, singer, composer, gamer in the Boston area. Musical works include award-winning T: An MBTA Musical, Beneath the Skin (about mental illness), and a show based on Monsterhearts characters. Performance credits include Ragtime, Fun Home and Evita with The Company Theatre, podcast jingles, Urban Improv and ImprovBoston. She enjoys rocking out on keytar with her band Minusworld and playing your boyfriend in RPGs. By day, she's Director of Education for The Company Theatre.
Jeffrey A Carver. Carver is the author of The Chaos Chronicles, including his recently published two-part novel, The Reefs of Time and Crucible of Time. He is also the author of the popular Star Rigger series, and the official Battlestar Galactica miniseries novelization. While his work lands somewhere between hard SF and space opera, his greatest love remains character, story, and a healthy sense of wonder. His Eternity’s End was a finalist for the Nebula Award.
Jeanne Cavelos is an award-winning editor, bestselling writer, and director of the Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust. Jeanne was a senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell, where she ran the SF/F and horror programs and won the World Fantasy Award. Jeanne has had seven books published by major publishers, two nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. She is director of Odyssey (www.odysseyworkshop.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping writers of F/SF/H improve their work.
Emma Caywood is a Children's and Youth Librarian in Wellesley, where she recommends books, entertains babies, hosts ukulele jam sessions, and turns picture books into plays. She has previously worked as a drama teacher, storyteller, actress, environmental science teacher, playwright, literary manager for screenwriters, grammar teacher, mask maker, and once did a one day stint as the receptionist at the Jazzercise Corporate Headquarters. Geeky Songwriter. Married to Andy Hicks.
- Learn From My Fail: Costume Horror Stories
- Is It Cultural Appropriation?
- The Animal Crossing Phenomenon
B.A. Chepaitis (Barbara) Chepaitis is author of 11 published novels, including the Jaguar Addams "fear" series - The Fear Principle, A Lunatic Fear, The Voice of Fear, and more. Her latest novel, The Amber, explores the strange history of Lithuania, its bee goddess, and a man who sold his soul to the devil.
Dr. Benjamin Chicka is a Lecturer in Philosophy and Religious Studies at Curry College. His academic work focuses on the relationship between religion and popular culture, American pragmatism, and religious pluralism. Benjamin has published scholarly work on astronomy, neuroscience, philosophy, and theology. He often speaks at PAX East and other gaming conventions about diversity issues, and has a book about video games, philosophy, theology, and ethics coming out in 2021 through Baylor University Press.
Arthur Chu rose to fame as a viral "villain" of Jeopardy! in 2014, He became a trusted commentator on Asian-American issues and progressive politics within the geek community. He has been published in Salon, the Daily Beast and Slate and is frequently seen on Twitter under @arthur_affect.
- Hold Your Enthusiasm: Problematic Things
- The Internet and the Human Psyche
- Neurodiversity in Science Fiction and Fantasy
- Is It Cultural Appropriation?
- Problematic Art Beyond Books and Movies
Boston Lightsaber Stage Combat Club
Sara Codair is the author two published novels and over fifty short stories and poems, which are packed with action, adventure, magic, and the bizarre. They partially owe their success to their faithful feline writing partner, Goose the Meowditor-In-Chief, who likes to “edit” their work by deleting entire pages. Find Sara online at https://saracodair.com/ or @shatteredsmooth.
- Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
- Harry Dresden Is Back!
- Gender Diversity in Speculative Fiction
- Accessible Magic
LJ Cohen is a novelist, poet, potter, Whovian, and relentless optimist. After almost twenty-five years as a physical therapist, LJ now uses her clinical skills to injure characters in her Science Fiction and Fantasy novels. A STAR IN THE VOID (Halcyone Space book 5), her 8th novel, was published in 2018. She splits her time between the Boston area and StarField Farm in Central Massachusetts. http://www.ljcohen.net
Nathan Comstock is a co-creator of the Fiction podcast "Solutions to Problems," in which he also plays the character of Loaf. He also performs in a number of other fiction podcasts. He was the Television editor of "The Analytical Couch Potato" from 2011 until it shut down in 2014. In his day job, he works for Ceaco Jigsaw puzzles and Gamewright games, where his duties include helping evaluate games for potential publication.
Hannah Prum (Kirkette Cosplay) (aka Kirkette Cosplay) is a cosplayer and part-time human being based out of Boston Massachusetts. She enjoys reading frankly ludicrous amounts of fanfiction and falling asleep every night in a pile of dogs. She thinks Batman Forever is the best Batman movie of all time and she WILL fight you about it.
Deirdre Crimmins is a Chicago-based film and literature critic. Primarily focused on horror film, she also has a place in her heart for science fiction and fantasy. You can find her writing at Rue Morgue Magazine, C-Ville Weekly, and That Shelf.
- Schitt’s Creek: Simply the Best
- Comfort Food Media: Extreme Stay-at-Home Edition
- The Keanussaince
- Muppets: Most Wanted!
Morgan Crooks grew up in the Finger Lakes Region of NY, a beautiful part of the country carved into being by ancient glaciers. He now lives outside of Boston, and is obsessed with wasps, cosmic horror, and ziggurats. His works have appeared in Electric Spec, Daily Science Fiction, and Theme of Absence. Find him online @raponikoff on Twitter and on ancientlogic.blogspot.com.
David D'Antonio—DDA, as he is known, answered an email about something called a ConCom and has been volunteering for Arisia ever since. A lifelong fan of science fiction, he knows how Arisia got its name but has still not finished Stranger in a Strange Land. When not volunteering at cons, he does UI design, fights homonym abuse and creates stylish appetizer trays.
M. Dalto is a bestselling New Adult author of adventurous romantic fantasy stories. Her debut novel, Two Thousand Years, was a 2016 Watty Award winner and she has since been invited into the Wattpad Stars program. She was recruited to participate in the Wattpad Paid Stories program in March 2019 and has since published two sequel novels and three companion novellas. When she’s not typing furiously at her computer, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, playing video games, and drinking coffee.
Gillian Daniels lives, writes, and creates art in Somerville, MA. After attending the 2011 Clarion Writing Workshop, she has published work in Apex Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Fireside Fiction, The Dark, Strange Horizons, Nightmare Magazine, and other venues, as well as content for indie gaming company Voidspiral Entertainment. She's also a local theater critic with The New England Theatre Geek blog. She blogs and sometimes posts drawings and cartoons at www.gilliandaniels.com.
- Hold Your Enthusiasm: Problematic Things
- Writing in the Age of COVID
- The Octavia Butler future is now
- Go Team Venture! (and close the door behind you)
- Sunday Afternoon Readings 1
Brooklyn-based author Randee Dawn recently edited the spec-fic Beatles-themed anthology "Across the Universe" and is an author whose stories have appeared in multiple anthologies, online publications and podcasts, including "Dim Shores." She has a slim volume of short stories, "Home for the Holidays" and is the co-author of "The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion." For her day job, she glams it up for Variety, the LA Times and Today.com. More: RandeeDawn.com / @RandeeDawn (Twitter)
- Comfort Food Media: Extreme Stay-at-Home Edition
- Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
- TV Year in Review
Julie C. Day’s dark fantasy novella, The Rampant, was a 2020 Lambda Literary Award finalist. Her debut collection Uncommon Miracles came out in 2018. Julie’s has published numerous stories in magazines such as The Dark, Black Static, Podcastle & the Cincinnati Review. She was Editor-in-Chief of the 2020 anthology the Weird Dream Society, whose mission is to raise money for RAICES. Julie lives in New England. You can find her @thisjulieday or on her blog stillwingingit.com.
Harrison Demchick is a developmental editor who has worked on more than seventy published novels and memoirs. He’s the author of 2012 literary horror novel The Listeners and short stories “The Yesterday House” (Aurealis, 2020), “Tailgating” (Tales to Terrify, 2020), and “Magicland” (Phantom Drift, 2019). His first film, Ape Canyon, won Best Feature at the 2020 Adrian International Film Festival. He's currently accepting new clients at the Writer’s Ally (https://thewritersally.com/).
By day, Daniel P. Dern (www.dern.com) is still an independent technology & business writer. His science fiction stories have appeared in Analog, F&SF, and elsewhere. He's currently writing more YA Jewish urban fantasy stories, including "...And They Built A Crooked Sukkah" and "For Two Zuzim Plain," along with his Dern Grim Bedtime Tales, and more/other sf. He's also an occasional amateur magician, and still reads comic books.
Ira Domnitz—I am a patent, copyright, and trademark attorney in Houston, Texas. I speak nationally at conventions on the topics of Doctor Who, Convention Conduct Law, Cosplay, and Gaming Law. I also speak for the University of Texas Continued Legal Education department on topics such as Copyright, Cosplay, Convention Law, and Gaming/Video gaming law. I conduct a biweekly national webinar with Prof. Justin Paul from UCLA on the topics of Creative Law, with a focus on music, comics, and other multimedia.
Shirley Dulcey—I've been to all the Arisias. Don't want to break that streak, even if it's a virtual convention! I describe myself as a geek of all trades; my knowledge tends more toward broad than deep. I'm a trans woman who transitioned late in life, after many Arisians already knew me.
- Virtual Meeting Etiquette
- Age and Fandom: What it looks like after 50
- Dare to Be Nerdy: "Weird Al" at 45
Thom Dunn is a writer, musician, and utterly terrible dancer, whose work can be found everywhere from Asimov's to the New York Times to BoingBoing.net. He's also a playwright, solo Irish folk performer, and the singer/guitarist for an indie rock band called the Roland High Life. Thom enjoys mythophysics, robots and whiskey, and Oxford commas, and firmly believes that Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” is the single greatest atrocity ever committed against mankind. thomdunn.net / @thomdunn
Dennis Duquette—I am an SF reader & viewer, & play tabletop & video games. My pronouns are he/him. I'm 1/3 of the parents of 4 geeklings, all of whom also attend Arisia each year. I also introduced my girlfriend to Arisia 3 years ago, when she wore 1st Arisia & Div Head ribbons. In Mundania I write & automate data analysis processes. At Arisia I'm mostly in the tabletop play area, at a panel, or parenting. I'm an introvert/ambivert, prefer sci fi > fantasy > horror, & am a storyteller with munchkin leanings.
Gaia Eirich—I am a Master costumer and I have been costuming at conventions for 20 years. I have been sewing and creating costumes in a wide variety of forms including fantasy, historical, and anime costumes for conventions and commissions, belly dance costumes for a studio, wedding dresses, accessories, and also basic quilt-making. I am also the secretary of the Greater Columbia Fantasy Costumer's Guild (GCFCG), the local chapter of the International Costumer's Guild (ICG).
Genevieve Iseult Eldredge writes slow-burn enemies-to-lovers lesbian stories about girls who can’t decide whether to kiss or kill each other. An own voices author, she normalizes lesbian and LGBTQIA+ characters in science-fantasy stories where girls with magical powers fight and fall in love. Her enemies-to-lovers CIRCUIT FAE series is taking Amazon and Goodreads by storm!
Kevin Eldridge hosts The Flopcast, a ridiculous weekly podcast about comics, conventions, Saturday morning cartoons, 70s and 80s pop culture, and rubber chickens. He has performed at clubs, coffeehouses, and conventions throughout America, both as a podcaster and with his comedy band The Sponge Awareness Foundation, as heard on the Doctor Demento Show. Kevin has also hosted skeptic events promoting science and critical thinking, and is a published author of science fiction short stories.
Lyndsay Ely is the author of GUNSLINGER GIRL, a YA genre-bent dystopian Western that published in 2018. She spent her teenage years wanting to be a comic book artist but, as it turned out, she couldn’t draw very well, so she began writing instead. She is a geek, a foodie, and has never met an antique shop or flea market she didn’t like. Boston is the place she currently calls home, though she wouldn’t mind giving Paris a try someday.
Ruthanna Emrys is the author of the Innsmouth Legacy series, including Winter Tide and Deep Roots. Ruthanna co-writes Tor.com's Reading the Weird series, and writes radically hopeful short stories about religion and aliens and psycholinguistics. She lives in a mysterious manor house on the outskirts of Washington, DC with her wife and their large, strange family. She makes home-made vanilla, gives unsolicited advice, and occasionally attempts to save the world.
Illustrator, Writer, & Creativity Coach. Griffin Ess has made it his life's drive to create and facilitate art and entertainment that uplifts, informs, and includes. Check his goings on out at GriffinEss.com
etana etana is an assistive technology specialist, social justice worker and poet. They like glitter, universal design, sewing (poorly) and cruising around like a blind cyborg in C.A.R., the trusty power chair. First fandom was Buffy (the film), first poetic love was Shel Silverstein, and Ms. Frizzle is still their favorite teacher/inspiration (for everything).
- Holding Space for Trans Arisians
- How to Be an Anti-Racist in SF/F/H
- Neurodiversity in Science Fiction and Fantasy
- Arisia January Corporate Meeting
- Problematic Art Beyond Books and Movies
Alder Fehler—Alder is a cosplayer, reenactor, theatrical costumer, costume historian, historical costumer, and holds an MA in historic textile conservation. Their special interests are Spanish traditional costume, 19th century costume, and early female physicians, especially those who served in the military. They have won awards for their costumes at Arisia, Anime Boston, and New York Comic Con. Find them on Instagram @albinoshadowfire or at daughtersofaesclepius.blogspot.com
Lisa Batya Feld writes SFF and is currently at work on multiple novels. She is a rabbinical school student at Hebrew College in Boston, and uses her rabbinic training to influence her world-building and vice versa.
- Pandemic Fiction: Before and After
- The Future of Food
- Harry Dresden Is Back!
- Reading When the World is On Fire
Sara Felix is a two time Hugo finalist and a Chesley finalist. She has created two Hugo bases and two of the YA/Lodestar awards. She is also the president of ASFA, The Association of Science Fiction and fantasy artists. During the pandemic she started creating tiaras for Tiara Tuesday and by the end of 2020 created over 30 of them and does a weekly tiara giveaway on the Concellation FB group.
Mr. Ferguson is a math teacher at a school for students with above average intelligence and emotional differences. He is also a youth sword instructor, so please ask him if you want your children to learn the knightly art of the sword. AND he is a storyteller with over 25 years' experience, although some would say the first ten years don't count because he wasn't over 18 yet.
Greg R. Fishbone is the author of books for young readers including the Galaxy Games series of sporty sci-fi novels written with space opera flair, featuring a team of Earth kids competing against aliens across the Milky Way. His current project is a historical fantasy set in the Late Bronze Age Mycenaean culture based on traditional stories from across the Mediterranean Basin. More info at gfishbone.com
Jennifer Fitzsimmons-Gauger—I am a casual birdwatcher and Collector of Hobbies. My primary hobbies these days are knitting and spinning. In the past I was an avid beader. I have also dabbled in: crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, painting (acrylic), print-making, stained glass, lampwork glass, quilting, origami...
Professor William H. Foster III is an internationally known comic book scholar who specializes in the Changing Image of People of Color in Comics. He has written extensively on the topic, including two books, Looking for a Face like Mine, and Dreaming of a Face Like Ours.
David J Friedman J. Friedman is a practicing attorney that helps people understand and solve legal challenges facing their work. This includes contracts, intellectual property, privacy, speech, and related issues. Separately, David has over a decade of semi-professional experience as a visual and performing artist, arts teacher, and non-fiction writer. David is proud to argue, play with toys, doodle, and throw things for a living and has dedicated his life to helping people mind their own businesses.
- Creating Art on Commission
- The Future of Food
- Handling Your Online Image as an Artist
- Cartooning & Comic Creating
Max Impakt / Ask Kaylee Frye Impakt is a Chicago-based, experienced sex educator, panelist, & performer. Their work has appeared at conventions around the United States like New York Comic Con, C2E2, & Emerald City Comic Con; and adult stores like Good Vibration, The Pleasure Chest, Early to Bed, & Mister Sister. Max's forray into cosplaying started because of a strong resemblance to a certain sex-positive mechanic traveling aboard a Firefly class spaceship. They can be found at AskKayleeFrye.com and TwixtMyNethers.com
- Learn From My Fail: Costume Horror Stories
- Love Potion # (COVID-1) 9
- Art and Storytelling
- Navigating Intimacy During a Pandemic
Though she isn't local to New England anymore, Lena G. keeps coming back for Arisia as much as she can. She works in the field of Forensics and is an all around science nerd, bookworm, and gamer. She loves anything involving pirates, Harry Potter, Assassin's Creed, and Once Upon a Time, and cats.
Ken Gale's first published story, Swords in the World Series, was recently reprinted by Dark Horse & he's also had sales to DC Comics. He had an eco-horror story in Psychosis #2. He's editor and co-publisher of Dangerous Times and New Frontiers for Evolution Comics, a producer and host for two radio shows on WBAI-FM in NYC: one on ecology and one on comic books. He is on the Board of the Celtic League American Branch and a former math textbook writer. www.comicbookradioshow.com & ecoradio.org.
Dr Dr. Pamela L. Gay is an astronomer, writer, & podcaster focused on using new media to engage people in science and technology. She is a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and the director of the CosmoQuest online research facility. Through CosmoQuest.org, she engages people in learning and doing science. Join me as we map our Solar System in unprecedented detail through our citizen science projects, & learn astronomy through media productions like Astronomy Cast.
Greer Gilman’s mythic fantasies are Cloud & Ashes: Three Winter's Tales and Moonwise. Her metaphysical mysteries set in 1600 London are Cry Murder! In a Small Voice and Exit, Pursued by a Bear. She has written on the languages of the fantastic, on archetypes of girls in fantasy, and on Sylvia Townsend Warner. Among them, her works have won the Tiptree, World Fantasy, Shirley Jackson, and Crawford awards. She likes to say she does everything James Joyce ever did, only backward and in high heels.
- Traditional Ballad Bingo
- Through the Door: The Appeal of Portal Stories
- Sunday Evening Readings 2
- Reading When the World is On Fire
- All the World's a Stage!
Julia Gilstein is a fantasy writer, editor, medievalist, tea addict, and cosplayer. She is the lead organizer for New England Aces, as well as a member of the Boston Speculative Fiction Writing Group (B-Spec), Boston Sci-Fi/Fantasy Meetup, Boston Shakespeare Lovers, and Dress Up Boston. When her nose isn’t buried in a book, Julia can often be found procrastinating on Etsy, perusing the NaNoWriMo forums, and petting all the good doggos. Keep up with Julia on Twitter @JGilstein.
Andrea Hairston is author of Will Do Magic For Small Change, a New York Times Editor’s pick and finalist for the Mythopoeic, Lambda, and Tiptree Awards. Other novels: Redwood and Wildfire, Tiptree and Carl Brandon Award winner, and Mindscape, Carl Brandon Award winner. She has published essays, plays, and short fiction and received grants from the NEA, Rockefeller and Ford Foundation. Andrea is a Professor of Theatre at Smith College. Tor.com published Master of Poisons in Sept 2020.
- The Internet and the Human Psyche
- The Monomyth Myth: Non-Western Narratives
- The Octavia Butler future is now
- Comfort Food Media: Extreme Stay-at-Home Edition
- BIPOC SciFi and Fantasy Authors You Need to Read
- Mining History's Neglected Corners
Mar Hammitt-McDonald is a physician, college writing instructor, and writer who never leaves home without something to read. Mar enjoys hiking, conversing with cats, community theater, bicycling, and experiencing chaos theory in everyday life.
Forest Handford is an author from Fitchburg, MA. While not at work, she's bringing her family on wacky adventures. Her website is EastCoastGames.com where she publishes video and writings about various topics. Forest also founded EmpEmp.org, the site for empowering employees. She recently finished an LGBT sci-fi romance novel called Flipping. Forest is currently working with her publisher to finalize a memoir.
- Holding Space for Trans Arisians
- How to Be an Anti-Racist in SF/F/H
- Intersectionality in Social Justice
- Gender Diversity in Speculative Fiction
- Sunday Afternoon Readings 2
Scott Harris-King is a professional writer who also writes, draws, and self-publishes the comic book "The Crimebusters." He is also the host of The Classic Comics Forum Podcast, and can be found on YouTube under the name The Classic Comic Collector. A long time comic book fan and collector, Harris-King is also known to occasionally cosplay as Wonder Woman.
Jeff Hecht writes about science and technology for magazines including New Scientist, Laser Focus World, IEEE Spectrum, Nature, and Sky & Telescope on topics from planetary science and lasers to dinosaurs. His latest book, Lasers, Death Rays, and the Long Strange Quest for the Ultimate Weapon, is from Prometheus Books. His short fiction has appeared in Nature Futures, Little Blue Marble, Analog, Asimov's, Daily Science Fiction, Twilight Zone, Interzone, Odyssey and several anthologies.
Lisa Hertel is an artist who works in clay and watercolors, but also uses alcohol inks, encaustics (painting with wax), and more. In her spare time, she helps run science fiction conventions, including being the chair of Arisia 2014. Before becoming an artist, Lisa was a pharmacist for over 25 years. Visit her at her studio, The Cogitation Zone, in Haverhill, where she offers art classes for children and adults, or find her online.
Andy Hicks is a public media producer for WGBH who secretly wants to be a weirdo guerilla projection artist. He's also been a park ranger, a voice actor, a theater director, and used to deliver pizzas just like Hiro in Snow Crash. Speaking of, he once co-wrote a dystopian rom-com musical called 2010: Our Hideous Future! that - in hindsight - seems quaint and charming. He's the proud father of several failed podcasts and one chaos Muppet, and does silly fannish stuff on Youtube as Sycorax Rock.
Lee C. Hillman (Gwendolyn Grace)—Since dying at the age of 13 months, "Gwenly" has amassed a number of vocations, including author, editor, actor, singer, songwriter, conference planner, administrator, role-player, fanfic writer, SCA Laurel, and big geek. A native of western New York and proud Bostonian for 10 years, s/he was most recently spotted as project coordinator in Pittsburgh, where her/his genderfluid, atheist, bisexual liberal vote makes more of a difference. He or She pronouns apply equally well.
Naomi Hinchen is a writer and filker who lives in Cambridge. In her day job she works as a video game developer. She co-writes and acts in the podcast Crime and Space, about a pair of space thieves getting in trouble. In 2020, she had her first short story published in the superhero romance anthology "Under the Cape" from Riverdale Avenue Books. She occasionally blogs at https://asinclinationleadsme.wordpress.com/, usually about various bits of pop culture.
- Rousing Chorus Songs
- Speed Songwriting
- Cereal and Cartoons: Saturday Mornings Revisited
- Coding for Kids
- Chantey Sing
- Asexuality and Aromantic Umbrella Meetup
- Songwriting Round-Table
- All the World's a Stage!
Steven Hirsch has a doctorate in Physical Therapy and B.S. in Exercise & Health Sciences. He has been training with swords since 2006 and unarmed martial arts since 1998, first with the Higgins and now teaching at his own school, Athena School of Arms. Steven is also a professional strength coach focusing on performance for combat sports and martial artists; his business is Fight with All Your Strength.
Melissa Honig is the lead organizer for the Watch City Steampunk Festival in Waltham, MA, and also for the 2021 (fingers crossed) Browncoat Ball in Salem, MA. She enjoys steampunk, costuming, weird crafts, and playing with the stuff she finds while trying to clean up the craft room so she doesn't have to finish cleaning up.
Heidi Hooper has been called "the Andy Warhol of Dryer Lint" for her unusual and creative artwork, which can be seen in galleries around the country and in Ripley's Believe it or Not Museums and books. She was a guest on ABC TV's "To Tell The Truth" where celebrities like Mel Brooks had to guess which was the real dryer lint artist. She's a Master Costumer who has judged at the Worldcon level and has been the Artist Guest of Honor at Albacon and Heliosphere. Her web page is www.HeidiHooper.com
Diana Hsu has been involved with conventions of one sort or another since 2005, and has been speaking about issues around race, feminism, and social justice in fan spaces since 2011. Maybe you saw her on TV that one time.
Walter H. Hunt is a Massachusetts SF and historical fiction writer. He was author GOH in 2009. His novels in the "Dark Wing" Universe are available in the Baen e-book library; a Templar novel (A Song In Stone), two about mesmerism (Elements of Mind and Harmony In Light, both from Wordfire Press), and three novels with Eric Flint. His latest is City By the Bay. He is librarian for the Masonic Grand Lodge in Boston.
Richard Hurley DVM—As a veterinarian and scientist, I have been involved in biomedical research for over 30 years. I currently work at a large research hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School and have authored numerous articles published in research journals in the areas of parasitology, infectious disease and anesthesiology. My wife and I have also developed a flock of over 400 sheep that have been bred and raised to be free of most diseases commonly found in sheep and goats.
Victoria Janssen reads, writes, and reviews. For a full publication list and blogging about her current reading, visit victoriajanssen.com. Her last novel, The Duke and the Pirate Queen, is fantasy erotica from Harlequin (2010). Other interests include fanfiction, fan studies, comics, classic Dr. Who, World War One, choral singing, and fighting the patriarchy. She’s on Twitter @victoriajanssen.
Leslie Johnston has been costuming since 1979 and had won awards for both F/SF and Historical costumes at many cons over the years, including Arisia, Balticon, Baycon, Costume-Con, Philcon, Westercon, and Worldcon. She loves problem-solving, working with unusual materials, and learning something new with every costume she makes.
Lenore Jean Jones—Lenore is a mostly retired tax accountant who lives near NYC with three cats. She has fond memories of living in the Boston area during part of her childhood. Lenore has worked Registration, Finance, or Access at many years of Worldcons, ran Registration at WisCon for seven years, and works Registration at Arisia at the restful minion level. She hears much better when she can see your face, is grateful for competent microphone use, and ecstatic when events are live captioned.
Deborah Kaminski is Professor Emerita of Mechanical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is the author of over 80 peer-reviewed articles in technical journals, an invited article in the New York Times, a featured article in Science, with associated podcast, and an engineering textbook published by John Wiley & Sons. She has published two well-reviewed science fiction novels. She lives with her family in Slingerands, NY.
A. L. Kaplan’s love of books and creative imagination started as a child. Her work has been included in several anthologies. Most recent publications include her debut novel, Star Touched, and Wolf Dawn, a short story. She is the Maryland Writers’ Association’s President and holds an MFA in sculpture. When not writing or indulging in her fascination with wolves, this proud mother of two lives in Maryland with her husband and dog.
Abigail Keenan is a big ol’ nerd and a connoisseur of all things geeky and or kinky. They are the owner of Untamed Undies, a feminist and geeky company that provides undies, pasties and toys for folks across the gender spectrum. They write a blog about sex ed which can be found at www.untamedundies.com.
Rachel Kenley is the author of seven novels as well as several shorts and novellas. She started reading romances at fourteen and credits them with her lifelong fascination with relationships and how they influence our lives. She desperately needs her morning coffee, never misses the chance to watch The Wizard of Oz, and believes in the joy and importance of retail therapy. She is currently the President of writers organization Broad Universe and can be found online at www.rachelkenley.net.
Angela Kessler doesn't know what to tell you. It's 2020. Something, something, Somerville, cats, something, crafts.
David Kessler—Co-Producer and Stage Manger of the Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony. Writer, Logistician, and professional Generalist, studying odd ideas and skills, from calligraphy to juggling, sailing to fire eating, tai chi to Lewis Carroll, and whisky to singing. (www.ouphrontis.com)
Jeremy H. Kessler H Kessler lives in Greater Boston where he is an instigator, singer, morris dancer, musician, cheesemaker, drinker, and co-developer of the only known kosher boar's head. He co-runs local traditional sings like pub and chantey sings. He is the squire of the only Greater Boston morris team to dance the AntiMorris. He danced the AntiMorris for Terry Pratchett himself, and is quite proud that said author described it--in Wintersmith's author's note--as "a bit creepy".
Dr. Roy Kilgard is an astrophysicist who researches black holes in nearby galaxies with an emphasis on intermediate-mass black holes: an enigmatic class of objects whose origins are unclear, but which may help explain the supermassive black holes observed at the centers of galaxies. His lectures cover a wide variety of astronomical topics, including black holes and galaxies, X-ray astronomy, historical astronomy, and astrostatistics. He is also an incurable nit-picker of sci-fi minutiae.
Hannibal King's career in Popular Fantasy, Speculative Fiction and Sequential Art spans three decades. His fantasy pieces have graced Dungeons and Dragons products, Magic: The Gathering cards and numerous SF book covers since the early nineties. His current projects include rule book illustrations for the relaunched Everway ORG and his creator-owned comic series, Nine Tales of the Jetty Cat.
- Creating Art on Commission
- Creating Comics: From Idea to Finished Product
- Art and Storytelling
- How to Participate in the SFF Art Show World
- Hannibal King Tour of the Art Show
- Parenting in Times of Turmoil
Chesley Award-winning artist Johnna Y Klukas makes science, science fiction and fantasy-themed works with wood and mixed media in her studio in southern Maine. She was the Artist Guest of Honor at Arisia 2016.
Ellen Kranzer has been attending science fiction conventions for over 30 years and making music even longer. Filk lets her mix the two hobbies. Ellen is a founding member of MASSFILC and the club's current treasurer. She has been involved in planning numerous conventions both in and out of fandom.
David Larochelle builds systems to solve hard problems and answer complex questions using a pragmatic approach of pulling techniques and tools from different areas and applying them in new ways. His involvement with fandom began when he joined the William & Mary Science Fiction and Fantasy Club (SKIFFY). He served as Vice President and was named Senator for Life upon graduation.
J.R.H. Lawless is a lawyer and repeat offender as a debut 2020 Science Fiction Humor author (ALWAYS GREENER and THE RUDE EYE OF REBELLION).
Since 2015, Jason LeBlanc has been an organizer for the Boston Horror Society. Located on both Meetup and Facebook, the Boston Horror Society has helped to bring together fellow horror devotees in New England with meetups for movie screenings, book festivals, concerts, and other social events. Besides the BHS, Jason assembled the virtual author readings for Salem Horror Fest 2020 and his stories with artist Scott Wauchope have appeared in comic book anthologies from Hellcat Press.
LB Lee is a multivarious entity who was raised by imaginary wolves in a subconscious barn. They make mental health comics and write stories about reality melting. You should talk to them.
- Creating Comics: From Idea to Finished Product
- Living with a Disability in 2021
- Surviving the Apocalypse Emotionally
- Intersectionality in Social Justice
- Handling Your Online Image as an Artist
- Gender Diversity in Speculative Fiction
Genevieve (Eve Leonard) Leonard is a New York based contemporary artist and educator. She had the privilege to be Associate Director of Digital Art Programs (Visual Effects / Motion Graphics, Film, Animation) and Department Chair of Digital Filmmaking at the Art Institutes. She has since moved to the New York area - active member of ASIFA East and Women in Animation - creating independent short films. Genevieve continues to be a mentor by teaching 3D animation and digital production at Pratt Institute.
- Schitt’s Creek: Simply the Best
- Art and Storytelling
- Go Team Venture! (and close the door behind you)
Ryan Leonard is a professional visual effects artist working in the field of film and television post production. He is currently a supervisor at PowerHouse VFX in NYC.
Megan Lewis is probably in the Art Show space. She's been the Art Show co-director the last 6 years and has worked Art Show since 2001. In the outside world she works as a librarian and has too many hobbies. Her creative outlet is mostly crochet.
- Gaming at Arisia 2021: Start Here
- Friday Tabletop Jamboree
- Takenoko Tournament
- Saturday Tabletop Jamboree
- 7 Wonders Tournament
Gordon Linzner is founder of Space and Time Magazine, author of three published novels and dozens of short stories in F&SF, Twilight Zone, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and numerous other magazines and anthologies, including recently Across the Universe, Strange Lands, The Vampire Gourmet, and Strange Aeon 2020. He is a member of HWA and a lifetime member of SFWA.
- Virtual Meeting Etiquette
- Surviving the Apocalypse Emotionally
- TV Year in Review
- Sunday Afternoon Readings 2
I run a program which offers support to schools around issues of mental health, and have a private practice. I published two books: Freaks (middle school kids discover their super powers), and Yeshu (quiky retelling of the Gospels). All of this under my legal name, Bhadrika Love. It is increasingly impossible to have any minute of my day not immersed in Julie Love's work. But when I try to be Bhadrika, I knit & craft, love cats, bake, and play games.
- Virtual Meeting Etiquette
- Surviving the Apocalypse Emotionally
- Just the Facts: COVID-19
- Accessible Magic
- Education Theory and Remote Learning
phillip andrew bennett low—Chinese-American playwright, storyteller, and libertarian activist. Solo shows have won acclaim from Minneapolis to Atlanta, New York to LA -- even as far as Melbourne, Australia. Co-founder of the Rockstar Storytellers, founder and producer of the touring theatre troupe Maximum Verbosity, and founder and host of the country's only recurring open-mic dedicated to speculative fiction, "The Not-So-Silent Planet." Published two humor collections, "Indecision Now!" and "Get Thee Behind Me, Santa."
Catherine Lundoff is a queer geek and an award-winning writer, editor and publisher from Minneapolis. Her books include Blood Moon (forthcoming), Silver Moon, Out of This World: Queer Speculative Fiction Stories and Unfinished Business: Tales of the Dark Fantastic and as editor, the fantastical pirate fiction anthology, Scourge of the Seas of Time (and Space). She is also the publisher at Queen of Swords Press. Websites: www.catherinelundoff.net and www.queenofswordspress.com.
From countless hours spent working in video stores to long nights at the theater surviving movie marathons, Tim Timothy Luz has spent his life surrounded by movies. A former film critic and occasional short filmmaker, he possesses a mind full of useless film trivia and a tendency to talk movies with anyone in earshot, qualities that led him to create CinemaSpection, a film discussion podcast he co-hosts with his lovely and very patient wife Corinne.
In his day job, Aaron Marks works in the energy sector, most recently in data analytics. In his free time, though, Aaron is an avid gamer, publishing advice, reviews, and opinions about tabletop roleplaying games under the nom de plume "Level One Wonk" for Cannibal Halfling Gaming. Aaron has been roleplaying for nearly 20 years, and dabbles in video games, board games, and LARP as well. Aaron's other hobbies include writing, bicycling, and auto and bicycle repair.
Dan "Grim" Marsh is a member of the Society of Creative Anarchism as Grim the Skald; at this point pretty much just his family and co-workers call him “Dan.” He considers himself knowledgeable in the following things, in order of how much he knows: Norse Poetry, Norse Culture, Alliterative Poetry in general (particularly Old English and 14th Century), Medieval (particularly English) poetry in general, Medieval costuming, and Medieval/Renaissance combat. Yes, he likes to fight, but he likes poetry a lot.
- Sing-along: Musicals and Show Tunes
- Good Story Songs
- Traditional Ballad Bingo
- Cereal and Cartoons: Saturday Mornings Revisited
- Open Singing
- Dare to Be Nerdy: "Weird Al" at 45
- 1986: The Year Nobody Left the Comic Shop
A PhD in Cinema and Media Studies, Marianna Martin PhD's lifelong fascination with the structures of genre storytelling led to a dissertation framing Genre theory in contexts like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After an interlude working in Development in the US film and television industry, she left to pursue her own projects. She now splits her time amongst appearing on con panels, completing her debut SF novel, her horror comedy screenplay, and watching/thinking/writing about Genre if she's awake.
- Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
- The Keanussaince
- TV Year in Review
- Arisia+: Gently Down the Stream(ing Services)
Rebecca Maxfield is a fantasy fan, theatre director, and coder living in Providence, RI. She's interested in how media/narrative form serves or affects the stories we tell (and especially in liveness in theatre), in the ways real-life history was more diverse than you think, and in stories about women crossdressing to do epic stuff (and possibly become involved with other women).
Dan Mazur co-founded the Boston Comics Roundtable and MICE: the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo. His graphic novel, Lunatic, was published by Fanfare Books in 2021. He co-wrote Comics: A Global History, 1968 to the Present (Thames and Hudson). His article “Ibrahim Njoya, a Comics Artist in Colonial Era Cameroon,” in The Comics Journal, won the 2019 Article Prize by the Comics Studies Society. He is editor of the series "Boston Powers," all-ages superhero comics set in and around Boston.
- Creating Comics: From Idea to Finished Product
- Experimental Comics Formats: Then and Now
- The Year (or Years) Without a Comic-Con
John G. McDaid is a short story writer and folk/filk musician. His fiction has appeared in Asimov's and F&SF. A Clarion '93 grad, he won the Sturgeon Award for his 1995 story "Jigoku no mokushiroku." His latest interactive fiction, "We Knew The Glass Man," appeared in the June, 2019 Cream City Review. In 2017, he won both the topical and "Iron Filker" songwriting contests at OVFF. His debut studio album, Trail Of Mars is available at http://johnmcdaid.bandcamp.com.
Michael Meissner—Professionally, I am a computer programmer and I work on enhancing the Gnu compiler collection. I do digital photography and video as a hobby. I've been the official photographer/videographer for some of the small renaissance faires in the area. My big hobby project is creating various steampunk shells around my modern cameras. I also tinker with programming micro-controllers (particularly Teensys).
Danny Miller is a local attorney and all-around SF/F fan since high school who has always seen Arisia as his home convention. He used to have several pieces printed in the local Jewish paper, some even relating to SF/F, and some even paying; he's also a budding law librarian. He once turned the tap dance into his crusade, and enjoys (gently) converting the uninitiated into the worlds of assorted geekery. (Or, at least inviting them to a pub trivia event.)
James Mobius is the creator of the comic book Punk rock alien space girl adventures. He holds degrees in music and electronics so he fixes houses for a living. He has attended Every Arisia, builds musical instruments, paints, draws, did lighting for the Teseracte players of Boston for 20 odd years, has lived in Japan, is a former Chocolatier, tattooist, and built his own Tardis which is actually bigger on the inside. his favourite colour is purple and his religion is Kate Bush.
Richard Moore—Presently, I am an instructor teaching data science, cloud computing and other technology and technology management curses. Previously I have held a number of different technology jobs. More importantly, I have volunteered at every Arisia, and a few other conventions too.
Sarah "Tashari" Morrison is a fantasy illustrator who loves oil paints and linoleum printmaking. In her "spare time" she sews ball gowns with hoop skirts. Find her work at SarahMorrisonIllustration.com
By day an engineer and technology analyst at MIT, Chris Murphy has probably too many areas of interest, including science fiction, making (with a bent to electronics), mixology, dogs, photography, cosplay, cooking, among others. He's lost track of the number of Arisias he's attended.
Benjamin Newman has been filking since his college friends dragged him to his first convention his freshman year at Swarthmore. Since then, he has written over 200 songs on a wide range of topics, including SF and fantasy, science, computers, and religion, both singly and in various whimsical juxtapositions. Ben has also organized filk programming for Philcon, ConCertino, and Pi-con.
- Open Singing
- Speed Songwriting
- Good Story Songs
- Neurodiversity in Science Fiction and Fantasy
- Songwriting Round-Table
Anne E.G. Nydam is an essentially self-taught artist making mostly relief block prints, a primarily self-published author writing mostly juvenile mostly fantasy, a former middle school teacher still making classroom guest visits whenever possible, a current stay-at-home mother, and a negligent housekeeper. She has been creating fantasy worlds since childhood and continues to bring wide-ranging curiosity and imagination to the work of art, writing, and teaching. See more at nydamprints.com.
- Saturday Afternoon Readings
- Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
- Mining History's Neglected Corners
- Pets and Writers
AJ Odasso has been widely published in fandom and non-fandom contexts since 2005. Their début poetry collection, Lost Books, was a finalist for the 2010/2011 People's Book Prize. Their second collection, The Dishonesty of Dreams, followed in 2014. Their third collection, The Sting of It, was shortlisted for the 2017 Sexton Prize and was published in 2019 by Tolsun Books—and won Best LGBT Book at the 2019 New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards. They serve as Senior Poetry Editor at Strange Horizons.
- Holding Space for Trans Arisians
- Living with a Disability in 2021
- Gender Non-Binary Mixer & Safe Space
- Sunday Afternoon Readings 2
- Wattpad, AO3, and Alternative Reading Sources
Kat Tanaka Okopnik—KTO is working on The Dictionary of Social Justice, an Etiquette for Social Justice, a gourmet marshmallow business, a novel, a dozen short stories, raising two kids, every sort of editing, and occasionally blogging at ShadesBetween.com. On Patreon & social media as @KTOkopnik
- How to Be an Anti-Racist in SF/F/H
- From Social Justice to Kindness
- The Future of Food
- Working with Sensitivity Readers
- Is It Cultural Appropriation?
- POC Meetup
- Parenting in Times of Turmoil
- The Animal Crossing Phenomenon
Kevin Osborn—Maker, Inventor and lover of the creative!
Lisa Padol is a second generation SF fan, a filker, a gamer, and a player and writer of LARPS. She sings adequately and consistently fails to identify harp tunes when her spouse, Joshua Kronengold, is noodling around on the harp.
- Remote Options for Gaming
- The Play Is the Thing: Low Mechanics RPGs
- Reading When the World is On Fire
Suzanne Palmer is an SF/F author who is a regular contributor to Asimov's and Clarkesworld. Her story "A Secret Life of Bots" won the 2018 Hugo for Best Novelette, and her novella "Waterlines" won the 2020 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award. Her second novel in the Finder Chronicles series, "Driving the Deep", was published by DAW in 2020 and the sequel is forthcoming in May of 2021.
- Writing in the Age of COVID
- Suzanne Palmer Reading
- Cut the Boring Parts
- Age and Fandom: What it looks like after 50
Christopher Paniccia R. Paniccia was born and raised in Southern New England. He has been involved in the comics industry for over twenty years. As an artist, he strives to create unique works of Sci-Fi/Fantasy Art. He served as an active duty medic in the United States Air Force during Desert Storm. He has been teaching both Elementary as well as College students for over twenty years. As an indie author, Christopher R. Paniccia writes and publishes his own books, hoping to inspire others to do so.
Carson Pavao is an actor, writer, and artist living in New England. In their free time, they enjoy listening to audio dramas and writing fanfiction. Other interests include mental health, cats, and online puzzle games. They do all their best thinking with a cup of coffee and a pencil in hand.
Jennifer Pelland is a science fiction author turned bellydancer. For more, visit www.jenniferpelland.com or www.tassellations.com
Leigh Perry writes the Family Skeleton mysteries featuring adjunct English professor Georgia Thackery and her best friend, an ambulatory skeleton named Sid. The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking is the latest. As Toni L.P. Kelner, she’s the co-editor of paranormal anthologies with Charlaine Harris; the author of eleven mystery novels; and an Agatha Award winner and multiple award nominee for short fiction. She, her husband, and daughter live north of Boston.
Israel Peskowitz (Izzy) is a professional photographer, proficient plumber, a skilled community activist, and amateur fan.
- Space Cats - Jasper's Pit Stop
- Space Cats - Magma Galaxy Vista
- Space Cats - Space Station
- Space Cats - Sector B Ahead!
Beth Plutchak is an explorer for new worlds, totally dissatisfied with this one. As a young woman she moved to Alaska to live off the land. After the birth of her third child she moved back to Wisconsin in search of some of life’s luxuries like electricity and indoor plumbing. It is in Wisconsin where she works and writes. Her books are available from Aqueduct Press and musings can be found at beth.substack.com
Dr Gillian Polack is a Jewish-Australian SFF writer and researcher, with 9 novels. She was awarded the 2020 A Bertram Chandler Award (lifetime achievement). The Year of the Fruit Cake won the 2020 Ditmar for best novel. She wrote the first Australian Jewish fantasy novel (The Wizardry of Jewish Women). Gillian is a Medievalist/ethnohistorian (author of History and Fiction) and researches how novels transmit culture and on world building. She has a collection of select and very attractive fans.
Dr. Jim Prego is an adjunct professor of Biology at Long Island University, Molloy College, and Nassau Community College. He is a recipient of NYANP’s Physician of the Year award. He enjoys science fiction, biological topics, and many other topics both science and non-science related. He spent 10 years as the NY Delegate to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and 6 years as a board member of the NYANP. He is involved in acting/shadowcasting, EMS, alt-lifestyles, gaming, and more.
Tori Queeno, 28, is the founder and President of the Boston Whovians, a Boston-based Doctor Who fangroup. Tori is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Nonfiction at the Solstice Program at Pine Manor College and was awarded the 2018 Kurt Brown Fellowship for Diverse Voices. They can be regularly seen performing with The Post Meridian Radio Players. Tori spends the rest of their time trying to be a "real adult" and/or a professional nerd, with their cat, Persephone, and hedgehog, Sylvia Plath.
- Sing-along: Musicals and Show Tunes
- Cosplay Procrastination: Motivation Without Cons
- The Animal Crossing Phenomenon
Richard Ralston has been a fan of science fiction and anime since the late 60's. Rick has been staffing conventions the past 18 years on the local and regional level. Rick is also the organizer of the local anime group in Albany, NY. Rick brings a unique point of view to the fandom community.
A low-income policy specialist & professor, Roxanne Reddington-Wilde’s motto is "Save the world by day, teach about it at night." She’s worked for 24 years at Action for Boston Community Development and taught at Cambridge College longer. At this point, she calls herself the Sesame Street professor, brought to you by the letters A for Anthropology, Art History; G for Geography, Geology... and more. With a Celtic Studies PhD on Scottish Highland society, she’s writing a historic fantasy set in 16th C. Scotland.
Nobilis Reed—Nobilis (pronouns he/him) is the creator, editor and producer of the Nobilis Erotica podcast, now celebrating its fourteenth anniversary of offering science fiction and fantasy erotic stories in an audio format. He is also the narrator and producer of This Kaiju Life, a podcast about the misadventures of an ordinary IT guy working at an extraordinary company. Nobilis's consentacle novel, Monster Whisperer, was published in 2014, with a sequel forthcoming from Circlet Press.
Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert writes horror, scifi, dark fantasy, and the occasional poem. Her short fiction had been published in the anthologies The Final Summons and Killing It Softly (Vol. 1). Her poetry has appeared in the HWA Poetry Showcase Vol. VI, the anthologies Beneath Strange Skies and Wicked Witches, The Wayfarer, and Eternal Haunted Summer. Suzanne is a freelance editor and writer, a technical services librarian, cat owner, and has degrees in Communication and Sociology.
- Pandemic Fiction: Before and After
- Surviving the Apocalypse Emotionally
- The Octavia Butler future is now
Santiago Rivas is celebrating over 40 years as a sci-fi enthusiast. It was his time at MIT that he became an avid film, theater, poly, and gamer geek. He has been involved with Theatre@First for fifteen years and the Heinlein Society Naughty Nurses for over ten years, writing, directing, and starring in skits for the annual Blood Drive. In his copious spare time, he's blogging, acting, updating tropes pages, spending time with redheads, and raising an advanced prototype.
A Joseph Ross has been in fandom since the 1960's. In 1964, he founded the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) Science Fiction Society, then later became a member of MITSFS and NESFA, serving as Vice President of NESFA from 1970-72. He edited Volume I of the NESFA Hymnal in the late 1970's. He was Clerk of Arisia, Incorporated from 1990-92 and President from 1992-94. He is a practicing attorney and an expert in landlord-tenant law.
Karen S.—Part-time amateur voice actor, podcaster, and writer of ridiculous fannish fictions. Full-time geek and fanboy dork with a particular fondness for cartoons, blooper reels, turtles of the ninja variety, and the Technical Director of the Post Meridian Radio Players. She can be seen reprising her role as Captain Jane T. Kirk in the Post Meridian Radio Players' production of Gender Swapped Star Trek.
Mark Sabalauskas is the author of Return to the Stars, an optimistic SciFi tabletop RPG that mashes up sci-fi exploration with convention culture, a 2020 Indie Groundbreaker nominee for Best Setting. He also publishes The Stellar Beacon 'zine and tweets sci-fi microfiction daily.
- Tabletop GM Meetup
- Return to the Stars: New Worlds, New Civs
- The Planet That Never Sleeps
- Rouge One: A Cosplay Story
- The Play Is the Thing: Low Mechanics RPGs
Liz Salazar is a playwright, director, GM, chainmailler, a podcaster between podcasts, and overall opinion-haver. At Arisia, she is usually seen among the Post-Meridian Radio Players or otherwise getting in someone's way.
Victoria Sandbrook is a spec fic writer, Viable Paradise graduate, and freelance book reviewer. Her short fiction has appeared in Shimmer, Sword & Sonnet, and PodCastle. Her novella, Le Jardin Anime (1893), ran in GigaNotoSaurus in 2020. An avid hiker, sometimes knitter, long-form talker, and initiate baker, she spends her days wrangling two ferocious, jubilant tiny humans. Victoria and her family live in Brockton, MA. She shares writerly nonsense at victoriasandbrook.com and on Twitter at @vsandbrook.
Micah Schneider is a long-time veteran of Arisia, both on programming and staff. Micah completed his Masters in history and public history from UMass Amherst, but somehow became a math teacher. In his free time, Micah enjoys running, highpointing, hiking, all kinds of gaming (especially cards games like Magic and Pokemon), and being polyamorous as often as possible. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his family of choice, their three children, and a small coterie of animal companions.
- An Introduction to Magic: The Gathering
- The Neverwinter Adventuring Academy Session 1
- Polyamory Meetup
- Harry Dresden Is Back!
- Pokemon TCG
- The Neverwinter Adventuring Academy Session 2
- The Arisia Munch (18+)
Ken Schneyerneth ("Ken") Schneyer has been a finalist for both the Nebula Award and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award. In 2020, Fairwood press released his second short-fiction collection, Anthems Outside Time and Other Strange Voices, and his story "Laws of Impermanence" appeared in Uncanny Magazine. His fiction appears in Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, Analog, Clockwork Phoenix 3 & 4, Podcastle, Pseudopod, etc. He lives and teaches college in Rhode Island. www.kenschneyer.com
Sam Schreiber is a writer and editor living in Brooklyn, New York. His work has appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Vastarien, and other markets. He is one of the editors and co-hosts of the speculative fiction audio magazine the Kaleidocast (currently in its second season!). He also teaches Science Fiction and Fantasy at New York University's Tandon School of Engineering.
Meredith Schwartz is editor in chief of Library Journal, but unless she explicitly says otherwise, she is only speaking for herself, not the magazine. Her short fiction appeared in Strange Horizons, Reflection's Edge, and Sleeping Beauty, Indeed. She edited Alleys & Doorways, an anthology of homoerotic urban fantasy. She has committed fanfiction, screenwriting, and conrunning, but is much better now.
David G David G. Shaw is, in no particular order: Aspie, Atheist, Blogger, Cook, Curmudgeon, Foodie, Geek, Musician, Parent, Partner, Reader, Scientist, Skeptic.
Nicholas "phi" Shectman is President of Arisia, Inc.
Hildy Silverman is an author of fiction and nonfiction. Her most recent short story publications include "Sidekicked" (2019, Release the Virgins!, Ventrella, ed.), "Divided We Fell" (2020, The Dystopian States of America, Bechtel, ed.), and "Raising the Dead" (Bad Ass Moms, Fan, ed.). She is also a member of the Crazy 8 author collective (https://www.crazy8press.com/), provides editorial services to other writers, and the former publisher of Space and Time Magazine.
Vandana Singh writes mostly science fiction, and is a professor of physics at a small state university in the Boston area. Her short stories have been shortlisted for awards, won the Carl Brandon Parallax award and a Tiptree Honor, and have been reprinted in numerous Best of Year anthologies. Her second short story collection, Ambiguity Machines and Other Stories (Small Beer Press 2018) was a finalist for the Philip K. Dick Award.
- How to Be an Anti-Racist in SF/F/H
- The Monomyth Myth: Non-Western Narratives
- BIPOC SciFi and Fantasy Authors You Need to Read
Jamila Sisco is an award-winning costumer with a specialization in anime, video game, and original costumes. She has worked on costumes for over 15 years, usually working on making the big and elaborate come to life. She is the former President of the Northern Lights chapter of the International Costumers' Guild. She is one of the presentation judges in the Arisia Masquerade for this year.
Charity Southworth—I am an art student turned astrophysicist! I currently work at the Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Science and hold a Master's Degree science communication. I am part of NASA's Solar System Volunteer program and I run my own business where I make science themed jewelry, accessories and clothing! I love communicating science in a humorous, entertaining fashion - why should science seem dry and boring!?
- The Year in Science, 2020
- The Challenger Disaster at 35
- Just the Facts: Supervolcanoes
- Solar System Tourism
- Muppets: Most Wanted!
Michael Sprague has been a fan since at least his first viewing of Star Wars. He's worked in a variety of roles at Arisia including Programming Division Head, Staff Services Division Head, and even Con Chair. He has a profound love of TV/movies (both good and bad) and the written word (same). He' performs live radio theater with The Post-Meridian Radio Players, and is has been a cast member of the Crime and Space podcast. Other hobbies include gaming, LARPing, and procrastinating about writing.
Lisa J Steele is an attorney, writer, and game designer. As a lawyer, she has been involved in litigation, teaching, and legislation about issues of science and the criminal law. As a game-designer, she is a co-author of the ENnie award winning Bubblegumshoe, and has written for Steve Jackson Games, White Wolf, and Evil Hat. She has been attending Arisia since its inception.
Raven Stern—Raven is always up for adventures, whether that's around a game board or in a rural palace in Europe. Whatever the adventure, she'll be dressed for the occasion! You can find her dancing with the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers throughout the Boston area, and see her photos on her blog at plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com.
- Arisia 2021: Navigating the Convention
- Remote Options for Gaming
- Pictionary with Robots
- Arisia 2021: Navigating the Convention
- Among Us - Sunday Edition
- Among Us - Monday Edition
Ian Randal Strock (www.IanRandalStrock.com) is the editor and publisher of Fantastic Books (www.FantasticBooks.biz) and an author of science fiction and non-fiction. He has published three books on the presidency of the US (with Random House and Carrel Books) and had stories in Analog, Nature, and several anthologies. He was previously an editor with Artemis, Asimov’s, Analog, The Daily Free Press, and Science Fiction Chronicle. He is also the Northeast Regional Vice Chairman of American Mensa.
Kathryn Sullivan writes young adult science fiction and fantasy, including fantasy novel THE CRYSTAL THRONE and short story collection AGENTS, ADEPTS & APPRENTICES. She has essays in the Hugo winning CHICKS DIG TIME LORDS and in CHILDREN OF TIME: COMPANIONS OF DOCTOR WHO and OUTSIDE IN. She is owned by a large cockatoo, who graciously allows her to write about other animals, as well as birdlike aliens.
Massachusetts Historical Swordsmanship
Sonya Taaffe reads dead languages and tells living stories. Her short fiction and Rhysling Award-winning poetry have been collected most recently in the Lambda-nominated Forget the Sleepless Shores and previously in Singing Innocence and Experience, Postcards from the Province of Hyphens, A Mayse-Bikhl, and Ghost Signs. She lives with one of her husbands and both of her cats in Somerville, Massachusetts, where she writes about film for Patreon and remains proud of naming a Kuiper belt object.
- Movie Novelizations
- The Monomyth Myth: Non-Western Narratives
- Traditional Ballad Bingo
- Selections from the Ig Nobel Awards
- Chantey Sing
- Sunday Afternoon Readings 1
- Leadership in Fantasy and Science Fiction
Cecilia Tan is the multi-award winning author of The Prince's Boy, Telepaths Don't Need Safewords, and the Magic University series and the founder of Circlet Press. Her award shelf includes the RT Reviewers Choice Award, the Maggie Award for Excellence, and induction into the Saints & Sinners LGBT Writers Hall of Fame. Her upcoming urban fantasy series from Tor Books will be known as The Vanished Chronicles and should appear Real Soon.
Ilene Tatroe—(she/her) is -- in no particular order -- a parent to a teenager, a writer of conference and webinar summaries, and Co-Division Head for Programming at Arisia '21. In her spare time (ha!), she is also Vice Chair of her town's Special Education Parent Advisory Council, and is working toward becoming a special education advocate. A GISHer, she loves doing wacky but good things, like creating wedding dresses out of plastic shopping bags and rewriting Beowulf in 10 tweets.
Kayleigh Tatroe—Is a high school student in Westford and a competitive dancer for Spotlight Dance Academy. She loves to dance, draw, read, and write. She spends a lot of time gaming on Minecraft, and wants to go to college for forensic science. Follow me at @kmorgan.draws on Instagram.
Gail Terman decided that being the Gaming Division Head and programming the front end of this convention were great things to do at the same time, for unknown reasons. She hopes you enjoy the convention!
- Gaming at Arisia 2021: Start Here
- Jackbox Games - Saturday Edition
- Jackbox Games - Sunday Edition
- The Animal Crossing Phenomenon
Maggie Thompson—I’m 78 years old, an award-winning comics nerd, and have been around comics, creators, and fans for more than 70 of those years. And have attended conventions since 1955. (I co-edited COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE for three decades.)
- Experimental Comics Formats: Then and Now
- The Year (or Years) Without a Comic-Con
- Great Hera!: 80 Years of the Amazing Amazon
Tikva (aka Tikva (raycho)) is attending her bazillionth Arisia, and her fifth? sixth? what even are numbers anyway? as a panelist. She is kind of like a very sweary golden retriever. She's a public health geek, disability activist, baseball addict, and member of a poly family/household. She is fond of pie. You may recognize her via her trusty guide dog, who is small in size but large in swagger. Please do not pet either her or the dog without a whole lot of permission.
Dan Toland is a writer and podcaster responsible for getting his fingerprints all over Arisia's Media track this year. He lives in Boston with a woman of nearly limitless patience (Reader, she married him), a dog who tries REALLY HARD you guys, and also there is a cat. Hear him give voice to strongly-held opinions about inexpensively made British sci-fi, Reagan-era cartoons, and Bronze Age team-up comics at Earth-2.net, and endure his Twitter nonsense @UrbanSpaceman61.
- Comfort Food Media: Extreme Stay-at-Home Edition
- Cereal and Cartoons: Saturday Mornings Revisited
- 1986: The Year Nobody Left the Comic Shop
Kevin Turausky—I'm primarily a science fiction nerd but am gradually branching into fantasy. Star Trek is my favorite franchise, but am quite fond of Stargate, Star Wars, Babylon 5, or pretty much any show or film with cool spaceships. My professional background is much more down to earth: I used to be a park ranger and worked at sites across the US, teaching nature and history to visitors, and now I work in utilities.
Mercy Van Vlack has been a comics pro since 1980, including writing Richie Rich; artist on Green Ghost & Lotus (set in Boston) and Miranda; inker for DC, Malibu, and others; illustrator for numerous fanzines, APAs, anthropomorphics and SF cons; and artist of many Celtic Calendars and the Celtic Coloring Book. She also draws for private collections and makes Celtic jewelry. She sings political satire with the Raging Grannies and is a long-time fan of Dr. Dimento & Tom Lehrer.
- Creating Comics: From Idea to Finished Product
- Dare to Be Nerdy: "Weird Al" at 45
- Great Hera!: 80 Years of the Amazing Amazon
- Gender Non-Binary Mixer & Safe Space
- Working with Sensitivity Readers
- Problematic Art Beyond Books and Movies
Although Michael A. Ventrella has written a number of humorous adventure novels (including BIG STICK and BLOODSUCKERS: A VAMPIRE RUNS FOR PRESIDENT) and has edited many fine anthologies (including RELEASE THE VIRGINS and THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS), he appears to be best known as "That guy who predicted the Hodor plot." He also founded and edited ANIMATO magazine for many years. His web page is www.MichaelAVentrella.com
Mark "Justin" Waks "Justin du Coeur" Waks is a rapidly moving particle. If one pins down his position enough (and doesn't worry about his velocity), one finds him focusing on programming, SCA, fandom, LARP, and Board Games.
Emmett Wald spent the first fifteen years of their life reading nonstop, which explains a lot, really. Their home fandom is Harry Potter, but they’re excited about the increase in diverse representation in fantasy these days. Emmett’s other main geekdom is mathematics, and they’re currently studying to become a math teacher. Ask them about critical math ed if you have an hour to spare!;-P
- Papercraft Workshop
- Intersectionality in Social Justice
- Education Theory and Remote Learning
- Virtual Sewing Circle: How Do I Do the Thing?
Fae Weichsel is a filmmaker, role-player, union ENBY, proud bisexual and secret robot. They work in film and television in the camera department as a proud Local 600 camera person. Some projects he has worked on are; Pose, Tales of the city, Person of Interest, Jessica Jones, Amazing Spiderman 2,, Madam Secretary, Someone Great, & Irreplaceable You. He is also a writer and director of short films, music videos and commericals. They/them Pronouns
- Art and Storytelling
- The Play Is the Thing: Low Mechanics RPGs
- Navigating Intimacy During a Pandemic
Alan Wexelblat (he/him) is a poly parent of two trans young adults, an amateur photographer, a long-time tabletop RPG and online+mobile gamer, a writer on intellectual property issues, and a rescue-dog owner. He has been at every Arisia since #2 and worked most of them. Ask him about helping with the convention!
- Tabletop GM Meetup
- Remote Options for Gaming
- Polyamory Meetup
- Age and Fandom: What it looks like after 50
- Parenting in Times of Turmoil
H. M. White—A writer, editor, and storyteller. Recently finished an MFA in Writing for Children at Simmons College. Writes for and works with The Wayfinder Experience (a trans- and queer-friendly LARP camp in New York's Hudson River Valley), edited the indie horror RPG Sleepaway, has written for Posthuman Studios, and is querying a middle grade space adventure as well as several illustrated books.
Nightwing Whitehead was born in 1958. The Barbie doll was "born" in 1959; so for a year she had nothing to do. Since then, she's been making up for lost time by dressing anyone and anything that comes within her reach. She's worked for several theaters, dressed some stars, done some teaching, and has her own business designing and creating costumes for life.
Scott Wilhelm is a licensed biology, physics, math, and general science teacher with more than 10 years of experience, mostly with high-school-aged learners with learning disabilities and severe behavioral problems. He combines deeply analytical lessons with fun activities to meet high expectations with no tears for a very wide range of ages and abilities.
Abandoned by wolves at an early age and thus raised by his human parents, Stephen R Wilk went on to become an Optical Engineer and Laser Physicist and sometime writer. His story "The Game of Hare and Hounds" was published "20,000 Leagues Remembered", and his nonfiction "Lost Wonderland" was published by the University of Massachusetts Press. His collection of essays on weird optics, Sandbows and Blacklights", will be published in February by Oxford University Press.
- The Challenger Disaster at 35
- Movie Novelizations
- The Year in BAD Science, 2020
- Science Experiments
- Sunday Evening Readings 2
Connie Wilkins (also writing as Sacchi Green) has published scores of short stories and edited 18 anthologies,, two of them Lambda Literary Award winners. She loves to combine erotica and classical fantasy, as in her anthology Witches, Princesses and Women at Arms. Her own collection, Wild Rides, also has its share of specfic. As Connie Wilkins, she edited Time Well Bent: Queer Alternative Histories and Heiresses of Russ 2012: the Year's Best Lesbian Speculative Fiction.
W. B. J. W. B.J. Williams, the author of THE GARDEN AT THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, and "The InfoCoup" holds advanced degrees in anthropology and archeology. He is an avid historian, mystic, poet, and author who manages an information security program at a prominent New England firm. He is noted for his bad puns, and willingness to argue from any perspective. He is endured by his beloved wife and two daughters, and lives in Sharon Massachusetts.
- Friday Night Readings
- The Monomyth Myth: Non-Western Narratives
- Leadership in Fantasy and Science Fiction
Bey belongs to the geek, kink, and polyamorous communities. She is married to gaming book author, Jonathan L. Bey Woodward, and runs a one-woman business, Tasks@Bey Events. Check her out on Facebook or at www.tasksatbey.com. She gets your geek wedding!
Jonathan Woodward is the author or co-author of over a dozen role-playing game books, including the Hellboy RPG, Trinity, and GURPS Banestorm. He has been an Arisia panelist for over 20 years. He lives near Boston with his wonderfully complicated family.
- Remote Options for Gaming
- Parenting in Times of Turmoil
- Reading When the World is On Fire
- Great Hera!: 80 Years of the Amazing Amazon
Trisha J. Wooldridge writes novels, short fiction, non-fiction articles, and poetry that occasionally win awards—child-friendly ones as T.J. Wooldridge. She’s edited seven anthologies, including Wicked Women from New England Horror Writers, and nearly one hundred novels. Find her work in the Shirley Jackson Award-winning The Twisted Book of Shadows, HWA Poetry Showcase 5 and 6, and Don’t Turn Out the Lights, A Tribute to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. www.anovelfriend.com
Douglas Wynne is an author of horror thrillers, including The Devil of Echo Lake, The Wind In My Heart, and the SPECTRA Files trilogy. His short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and his writing workshops have been featured at genre conventions and schools throughout New England. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and son and a houseful of animals. You can find him online at www.douglaswynne.com
Dr. Willie Yee is an amateur astronomer and magician. He is a Solar System Ambassador--a volunteer supporter of NASA supported by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is past President of the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association and presently serves on its board. He has received numerous awards for observing projects and for astronomical outreach and education.