Sunday Schedule

What follows is a listing of all events planned for Sunday, April 20th. You can also download the Sunday programming grid (49KB .pdf).

Schedules for the rest of the weekend are listed here, or jump directly to Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

We will be updating this list as major changes occur, until the convention opens. For the most up-to-date information, please use the fully interactive Guidebook app.

This list is current as of Apr. 16, 2014.

Come on up to scheduled gaming at Maxi’s. We’ve got great games going all weekend, with our game masters and some pros! Don’t forget to sign up in advance! During this time block our whole room is all ages. 

Drop in to the Rotunda and check out what’s happening! It’s always changing, so every trip is a mystery!

Come on up and check out the dealer demonstrations running this year in the Salon. Play before you buy, and buy at your gaming table. 

Excerpts from Everfair, a Belgian Congo steampunk novel-in-progress forthcoming from Tor. Rated PG

Nisi Shawl (M)

Fandom has shaped many of our lives from an early age, and popular fiction has helped to grow a whole new generation of fans. Come talk with us about the best books and media of the past and present to get kids interested in science fiction and fantasy without freaking out their parents.

Marta Murvosh (M), Eva-Lise Carlstrom, David Shoemaker

So you’ve designed and written a tabletop RPG. Good job! Now what? Our panelists walk you through the finishing touches of producing an RPG, and the second task of making it available.

Wolfgang Baur (M), Eric Cagle, Ryan Macklin

Come to our panel and show off your hangover finest.

Vicki Glover (M), Buzzy, Deborah Strub

One might think that fanfiction is something that came into being sometime around the 1960s, born out of a passionate love of Star Trek and other shows of the time… but one would be wrong! The idea of fanfiction has been around for a long, loooooooong time; it just wasn’t given that name until fairly recently, historically speaking. Come and learn about the long and entertaining history of fanfiction throughout the years, and check out a few “relics”.

Mimi Noyes (M), Dame Ruth, Janna Silverstein, Berlynn Wohl

Did that character’s blue eyes just turn brown? How do writers keep track of all the little details about characters and worlds so that they aren’t forgetting things or contradicting themselves? We’ll discuss what sorts of information might be tracked, how to organize it, and how to store it.

Kurt Cagle (M), Erik Scott de Bie, Andrea Howe, Angel Leigh McCoy

The universe is a really, really big place. Life should be abundant. Intelligent life, while probably not common, should be out there- yet we have neither seen nor heard a trace of them. Are they hiding, or are we alone in the universe? Either way, it’s a staggering thought.

Steve Gillett (M), Elton Elliott, James C. Glass, David Nasset, Sr., Catherine Plesko

In case you missed it Saturday night or want to watch it again, please join us for a reshowing of Norwescon 37′s masquerade.

Alan Bond (M)

Get tips on creating practical make-up effects cheaply. Panelists will share their hints, tips, and tricks for creating bruises, lacerations, bites, and wounds. Examples include how to use things like Knox unflavored gelatin, and making foam latex in your kitchen.

Amber Clark (M), Richard Stephens

Hand-to-hand combat forms vary, but there are certain rules that apply to all close-combat. These rules will be presented, discussed, debated slowly, and carefully demonstrated with light, slow demos and a hand-out.

Michael Tinker Pearce (M), Steven Barnes, William Elder, Bill Gruner, Leith McCombs, Ogre Whiteside

Syfy promises a future filled with robots, but you don’t have to wait! Robots are becoming cheaper and more accessible every day. The Norwescon Robotics Fair is your chance to get involved by getting some hands on experience with some entry level robots that are kid friendly and won’t break the bank. Meet representatives from robotics teams, see robots that more seasoned engineers are making, or just come and play with the swarm of robots that we will be unleashing.

Richard Albritton (M)

Children 4 years old and under are encouraged to join us for an Easter egg hunt in Olympic 1!

Michaela Zielke (M)

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai. The Amber Jewel of the Desert fights in the pits to scrape a living. She, like so many in the city, pray for the downfall of the cruel, immortal Kings of Sharakhai, but she’s never been able to do anything about it. This all changes when she goes out on the night of Beht Zha’ir, the holy night when all are forbidden from walking the streets. Rated PG

Bradley P. Beaulieu (M)

Children 5-8 years old are encouraged to join us for an Easter egg hunt in Olympic 1!

Michaela Zielke (M)

A reading experience! There will be no eye-glazing here! It may be humorous urban fantasy, (forthcoming from TOR) or something new, and reading will only be the half of it. Come join the fun. Rated PG

Randy Henderson (M)

Much of military science fiction is naval in nature – face it, space battles are just cool. But so many space navies make little sense in practical terms. So many of them are based on outdated historical models, or simply “what sounds cool.” Come join our panelists as they discuss who does it well, and how you can create a realistic space armada.

Mike Brennan (M), Paul Byers, Russell Ervin, Brent Kellmer

Where do you get your fandom fixes? Every social media has it’s own culture. What’s different about the various social medias, and how do they interact within themselves and with each other in spreading fandom.

Jen K (M), David D. Levine, Donna Prior, Sara Twitty, Jonny Nero Action Hero

An overview of the iconic men’s and women’s hat fashions that keep coming back into style, such as the Smurf Hat, formerly known as the Liberty Cap from the French Revolution, which had its roots in Anglo-Saxon and Greek fashions. Or the simple Pill Box, worn in 14th century Greenland and made famous again by the Pan Am Stewardesses of the 1960′s. What do you hope will be the next historic hat to come back in style?

Anita Taylor (M), Carmen Beaudry, Katrina Marier, Torrey Stenmark, Janet Borkowski

What is there to do, how much does it cost, and when does it happen?

Jennifer Brozek (M), Fish

What makes writing vivid? What does vivid writing do for the reader? How can you edit existing writing to make it more vivid? How to use all five senses.

Carol Berg (M), S. A. Bolich, Diana Pharaoh Francis, Nancy Kress

Games for the younger generation. What are good starter board, card, electronic, and tabletop roleplaying games for the young people in your life, and what can they help us teach them?

Jeremy Holcomb (M), Wednesday (Nessie) Phoenix, Berry Sizemore, Dylan S.

And by “cooler” we mean “geekier”. This is show and tell: Bring your cool things for the delight of the crowd and the panel. Items should not explode, burn, discharge excessive energy outside the auditory and visual spectrums, nor alter the space-time continuum in any significant way.

Chris Nilsson (M), Matthew ‘Fish’ Dockrey, Brian D. Oberquell

Crafts, just messing around — when does something become art, and who decides?

Jeliza Patterson-McGuire (M), SunnyJim Morgan, Betsy Mott

Children 9-12 years old are encouraged to join us for an Easter Egg Hunt in Olympic 1!

Michaela Zielke (M)

A Thousand Perfect Things. An epic tale of magic in a reimagined England and India, when a Victorian woman takes on the scientific establishment, palace intrigues, ghosts and a great mutiny by marshaling the powers of magic. Rated G

Kay Kenyon (M)

Join our auctioneers for a fun filled last chance to purchase that original piece of art you saw in the art show that you just know you can’t live without. Or help us raise funds for our charities by bidding on items that have been donated by our artists, dealers, and fans to support Northwest Harvest and Clarion West Writers Workshop.

Pat Booze (M)

Life Between Scans. Snapshots of living in 8-week increments (non-fiction). Warning: involves frank discussions of terminal illness. Rated PG

Janet Freeman-Daily (M)

NASA spends hundreds of millions of dollars to make sure spaceflight is as safe as possible for its flight crews. While no one wants accidents, is the current risk-averse safety culture hindering efforts to make spaceflight routine and economical?

Greg Hallock (M), Arthur Bozlee, Mike Brennan, David Shoemaker

Body shaming is rife in cosplay circles, with constant cries for bigger fans to play “body appropriate” characters- because there are so many of those to choose from? What do you do if you don’t have the body type of your favorite character? We’ll show you why it’s okay to be a plus size Wonder Woman, Power Girl, or Superman.

Mickey Schulz (M), Jonna Hayden, Melissa Quinn, Jonnalyhn Wolfcat

Many writers have heard the advice to “write what you know.” But have you really met any dragons, or robots, or zombies, or vampires? How do you write about something that you haven’t experienced personally? Tips for how to (and how not to) use research and common sense to improve your writing.

Cat Rambo (M), Ann Gimpel, Kat Richardson

With the steady decline of Livejournal – which hosted many fandom groups whose sole purpose was to provide a place to announce your latest work or recommend a fic – it seems that it’s gotten harder and harder to find fanfic, or inversely, find a following. Or is it? What are the advantages and disadvantages of posting in places like AO3, tumblr, or FF.net? Is the only way to find readers for your stories to post on sites and hope that you get seen and recced? Where can you find communities dedicated to creating a space where people can share their works and follow other writers and artists? Do you have to dig and hunt and sniff out new writers by going to a million different rec sites? Or is there a better way to get your fandom fix?

Cheryl Dyson (M), Berry Sizemore, Chasing River, thatworldinverted

Everybody wants to make a demo. What can you do with what you’ve got? If that won’t do – and it probably won’t – what do you really need to create a good demo? How little can you get away with? Or, if you have even a small budget, what can you do to turn a spare bedroom into decent recording space? Hardware and software solutions are discussed.

Vixy & Tony (M), Lex Lingo, Dara Korra’ti

More and more stories these days are being co-written, but how do writers actually make it work? What does it feel like to negotiate, to co-create on the fly, or to be part of a team writing in another author’s setting? The audience will break into groups and do a collaborative writing exercise. Then we’ll discuss how it went and brainstorm how to maximize the benefits of collaboration and avoid its pitfalls.

Phoebe Kitanidis (M), Craig English, Esther Jones, Kevin Scott, GregRobin Smith

Steampunk is no longer a fad, but its own subgenre. What makes it so appealing? Is steampunk different from other forms of fantasy? Join our panelists as they look at recent works, discuss where steampunk is going, and who might take it there.

Nisi Shawl (M), Phil Foglio, Karen Kincy, Marta Murvosh, Dean Wells

Come find out the results of the 2nd Annual Digital Scavenger Hunt. Check out some of cool photos that were gathered during the convention.

Trent Lum (M)

Have you ever wanted to create kick-ass horror photos? Our panelists will show you how to get that gruesome make-up just right for both color and black and white photography. Live make up demo included.

Amber Clark (M), Richard Stephens

Now in its fifteenth year, the Festival is a celebration of low- and no-budget cinema, brought to wondrous lurching life by amateur filmmakers from all around the Pacific Northwest. More than just the movies, this one hundred twenty minute extravaganza of entertainment also includes the filmmakers, who will regale you with terrifying tales of their productions. Be there or be a regular right quadrilateral! The Fandance Film Festival is the final terrifying phase of the Let’s Make a Movie Workshop, in which participants walk through every step of making a movie, from conception to the premiere of the finished product.

Edward Martin III (M), Ryan K. Johnson, Brian D. Oberquell

What forced the mail-clad European warrior class to slowly adopt full plate armour, and then to abandon it at its peak of excellence? Good armour is proof against good hand weapons. But what of high energy projectiles that can ruin a skilled man’s/woman’s day?

Bill Gruner (M), Matt Case, William Elder, Michael Tinker Pearce

Something new. Rated PG

Diana Pharaoh Francis (M)

From a work in progress. Rated PG

Susan DeFreitas (M)

Are you weird, geeky, or a total nerd – and proud of it? Do you express your fannishness in daily life, or do you tone it down for your day job? Come participate in a discussion and share how you show your fannish colors.

Cheryl Dyson (M), Maida ‘Mac’ Combs, Andrea Howe, Chris Nilsson, C0splay of Death*Star

How do you choose a complementary B plot for your story – and where can you add in a C, D, and E plot? How do you know when subplots will make your story richer, and when they’ll just add clutter and confusion?

Keffy R. M. Kehrli (M), Erik Scott de Bie, Erin Evans, Angel Leigh McCoy, Kevin Radthorne

Enjoy board games? Love the idea of painting miniatures? Want to know how to find inclusive groups for gaming? How do you create your own gaming meet-ups? Our panelists will give you tips on creating game groups, finding public game meet-ups, and enjoying gaming conventions as a newbie. Want to be a better organizer? We’ll work with you to build positivity in your current groups, how to find new players, and how to encourage their participation.

Donna Prior (M), Berry Sizemore, Ogre Whiteside

From Thor and The Avengers to Star Trek Into Darkness and the highly anticipated second installment of The Hobbit, long dramatic outerwear, such as cloaks, trench coats, wraps, and various types of jackets, are making a come-back in the movies. Join our lively panel as they discuss the various trends and the tricks of the trade for creating ‘the look’ or repurposing items to achieve that super flash style.

Janet Borkowski (M), Vicki Glover

What are some examples of graphic novels or cartoons that have covered mental health issues, and how have creators used the medium to do this? Is the stereotype of the “crazy artist” true or exaggerated? How does the depiction of artists as crazy creative types hinder respect for their art?

Catherine Kyle (M), Ashley Cook

Alternate timelines, quantum universes, or just plain-old time machines – all of these concepts create a way for an author to play with history. This will be an interactive panel where the audience will choose a significant event in Medieval history and come up with alternatives – and their consequences. A lively dialogue always ensues.

Russell Ervin (M), Adrienne Carlson, Cymbric Early-Smith, Bill Gruner, Buzzy, Richard Stephens

The creative process can often be a tricky one, and it is easy to fall into ruts or hit a blank wall. Our panelists will discuss how to develop ideas, create compelling subject matter, and what to do when you find yourself stuck, not knowing what to do for your next piece of art.

Betsy Mott (M), Bryan Syme, Sara Twitty, Jeff Sturgeon

Both nerdcore and filk have highly participatory traditions of informal performance gatherings, but never the twain have met. Should we get these guys together or what? We have nerdcore artists and filkers on the same panel talking about how to run cyphers and housefilks, and where to find out about them, so you can play away from the con as well.

Jonny Nero Action Hero (M), Shubzilla, Lex Lingo, Dara Korra’ti

What do you do with those games that have missing pieces? Put them all together to make a new game, of course!

Patrick McKinnion (M)

A chapter of Eagle Squad. Intro to a murder mystery/science fiction novel about murders on the campus of a private university in the Minnesota north woods. Rated PG

James C. Glass (M)

Mother Mountain. A work in progress. Rated PG

Roberta Gregory (M)

Penning a thrilling action sequence requires specific writing skills. Learn how to change up the tone of your prose, sequence events properly, and triple your pace without sacrificing clarity.

Craig English (M), Erik Scott de Bie, Erin Evans, Michael Tinker Pearce, Dean Wells

Tips on maintaining a fashionable, functional fannish household with ever-expanding collections of books, art, costumes, media, and other assorted stuff. How to showcase your geek aesthetic and not look like an audition for Hoarders. Also, how to include your interests into your landscaping. Our panelists will share what they have done to give their exo-structural habitat a little more character and made it more conducive to the fannish lifestyle.

Jonnalyhn Wolfcat (M), SunnyJim Morgan, Buzzy, Julie Zetterberg

Everybody wants to make a demo. Okay, you have some equipment. Now what do you do with it? How do you set it up, and how do you use it to capture or create the best sounds you can? If you didn’t make the first hour, that’s okay – come anyway.

Vixy & Tony (M), Lex Lingo, Dara Korra’ti

We’re seeing more and more writers use non-western settings in fantasy these days – N.K. Jemisin, Bradley Beaulieu, and Saladin Ahmed, just to name a few. How well are these working for us? Does the scenery just seem tacked on, or is it integral to the story? Does this trend work equally well for doorstopper fantasy as it does for sword & sorcery, or do American readers not have the patience to deal with it for that long? Come join us as we talk about how it might fit your fantasy novel.

G. Willow Wilson (M), Brent Kellmer, Kay Kenyon, Gregory A. Wilson

Most writers are afraid of writing near future scenarios because there is a good chance that they will be overtaken by real world events. This is especially true of political scenarios. Who has done this successfully, and what can we learn from them? What are the arguments for creating realistic near-future scenarios even if they are destined to become outmoded – i.e., is there something we get from these above and beyond mere prediction?

Kurt Cagle (M), Anne Charnock, Susan DeFreitas, Elton Elliott

This is the panel where you watch previews that have (and have not) been on iTunes for months now. See what’s coming to the big, little, and streaming screen in the next few years, and some things you might have missed from the recent past.

Fish (M)

Archer’s Sin. Rated PG

Amy Raby (M)

From skull surgery among Neolithic people to leeches in the Middle Ages to the development of germ theory in the 19th century, the theory and practice of medicine has changed a great deal. Our panelists will discuss some of the odder medical practices of the past, and why they seemed to be a good idea at the time.

Gregory Gadow (M), Dame Ruth, Annie Morton

Endings can be the hardest of things to do well in a story. There are so many questions to be answered – whose end is it? Is it really the end- did you stop too soon, or too late? Happily-ever-after, or cliffhanger? Are there loose ends – and did you at least try to tie them all off, or did you tie them off too well? Should there be a twist or a surprise, or should there be total closure? How do you stop and where do you stop?

Keffy R. M. Kehrli (M), James C. Glass, Jude-Marie Green, Frog Jones, Kay Kenyon

To most people, steampunk summons visions of goggles, gears, and sepia-toned pseudo-Victorian England. But we know it’s more than that, right? Right?

Matthew ‘Fish’ Dockrey (M), Berry Sizemore

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye – that’s it for another year, folks. This is your last chance to say adios to our wonderful Guests of Honor. It’s been fun. Let’s do it again sometime.

Richard Stephens (M), Robert Gould, Jason Kirk, Michael Moorcock, Seanan McGuire, Catherine Plesko, Anima! X

Please join the Norwescon 37 Executive Team to review all the things that went right (Roses) and those that didn’t go as well as we would have liked (Onions).

Peggy Stewart (M), Joshua Keegan