Saturday Schedule

Join us for an early morning session of Round Robin Laser Tag.

If you plan to enter the masquerade, you must come to one of the four pre-masquerade meetings (Thursday at 9 p.m., Friday at noon, or Saturday at 8 a.m. for regular entrants, or Saturday at 5 p.m. for children) to get all the information you need to compete and turn over your music. If you have not already registered online, a computer will be available for you to do so. If you are just curious and have questions, we have the answers.

Dungeons & Dragons Adventurers League and Pathfinder Society will be running games throughout the weekend. Check the games schedule for details.

Come for Saturday morning cartoons and color in your jammies. Ease into Saturday with PBS Kids! We’ll have cartoons on and character coloring sheets available.

All weekend there are dealers and game developers running demos of games in Maxi’s Salon. Come up and see the latest and greatest games and talk to game developers.

Come sign up for a game run by our GMs or check out a game from our lending library. We have RPGs, computer games, LARPs, card games, board games, and so much more! Need ADA access for a game? Speak to our staff when you sign up and we will be sure to meet your needs.

Join an interactive discussion on developing characters in a way that moves the plot forward and makes your story shine. We’ll discuss some easy tips and tricks to help you focus on creating characters with motivations that matter and with authentic needs and desires. Bring your pen and paper. Characters suggested but not required. We can create a few of our own, too. Presented by Willamette Writers. Ages 16+. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. See the Writing Classes and Lectures page for details.

Start off your super day! Gain strength and confidence from power poses, which sometimes correlate to traditional yoga or martial arts, straight from the panels or scenes. Breathe deeply. Relax and loosen those muscles like the hero you are. Go boldly into your Norwescon Friday energized for the day’s activities! Wear comfortable clothes. This is a low-impact physical activity.

The democratic process has no impact on science fact, no matter what you may believe.

The 73rd Westercon will be held in this hotel on July 2-6, 2020. Come and help us with suggestions on what you would like to see on paneling, events, and other activities during the convention. We are also looking for volunteers, of course.

Where can or do you begin? It’s hard to get an editing position when you don’t have work under your belt. Listen to editors share the details of how they got started and learn some of the pitfalls to avoid.

Who doesn’t love a book with a powerful ending? What must writers do to maximize the impact of their finale? Is a big twist or revelation at the end necessary for a book to feel rewarding? What does “rewarding” mean, and how are endings uniquely responsible for the sensation of “reward?” Is redemption crucial in the final act? Join us and let’s talk about our favorite climaxes!

Tabletop has a toxicity problem, and it should be discussed openly and honestly. Join our game industry pros for an open discussion on racism, sexism, ableism, transphobia, and homophobia. If you think the tabletop community has none of these issues, you should really come listen with an open mind. Learn how to support marginalized players in your home games, in game stores, and at conventions.

Audience participation mayhem ensues as our troupe of fearless authors guide you through writing the world’s fastest three-act young adult melodrama. Learn a little something about archetypes, plot devices, and hoisting oneself with ones’ own petard along the way.

The Weird West has been a sub-cross-genre since the 1970s. Encompassing fantasy, horror, western, steampunk, and mystery genres, it often pulls tropes from across the spectrum to end up in some dusty, sepia-toned, ghost-town places. What is it that draws us to this tumbleweed wasteland? And what follows us back?

Futurism is the study of the likely evolution of trends that will play out in the next years, decades or even centuries. It’s become a fast-growing profession. Part data scientist, part analyst, part historian, the futurist looks to quantify trends in science, technology, geopolitics, and culture to determine what comes next. Join our panel of futurists to discover techniques for future analysis and understand the tools that they use.

Our guests of honor and attending professionals are available to sign autographs. Please note: so that as many fans as possible can participate, we will be enforcing a three-items-at-a-time (or single-sketch) autograph limit.

A Scavenger Hunt with clues that lead to locations where stickers can be obtained. Come to the Info Desk to pick up the list of questions. Happy hunting!

Join the fun and participate in an augmented reality scavenger hunt where you can use a “tricorder” style app on a compatible phone to hunt for virtual items around the convention. Augmented reality means what you see in your phone camera view is not quite what you see in plain reality. Instead in some locations there may be different objects or signs… you’ll just have to hunt and see! See the Scavenger Hunt web page for more information.

Cut, paste, and create wearable take-home items with words we find in magazines, newspapers, and random papers around us.

Come join our continuing series of “how to think tactically,” a two-hour problem designed to teach you how to improve your tactical warfighting skills. Taught by experienced warriors. Especially useful in learning how to write battle scenes effectively.

Attention trainers! Join us for an hour of trading, battles, and making friends. All teams welcome.

Be the crew, report to the bridge! Artemis is a spaceship bridge simulator where players assume the jobs of captain, helm, science, communication, engineering, and weapon control. Together you operate your ship and defend the sector from evil aliens. Artemis simulates spaceship bridges by networking several computers together and is a social game where several players work together on each bridge. Multiple bridges can participate in cooperative multi-ship missions. Each simulation runs 20-40 minutes. Players can drop in any time. Any group with a crew of four or more people can pre-book a bridge during any open slot.

The Witch’s Kind. Louisa will be reading from a new novel set on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula in the 1940s. Rated G.

The Riddle of the Hanged God. A retelling of an Odin myth. Rated PG.

Inspired by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, please create one of three useful items to assist you in your trek across a galaxy of your choice: a Babel fish, an electronic thumb, or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Props will be judged on the following criteria: originality, construction, and backstory. Open to all convention attendees, with prizes for top finishers! All contestants get reserved seating during the masquerade. More information is available at this page.

It’s been said that young adult fiction is the most important genre in literature because of how much it can impact its group of readers, whose ages range from 12 to 20. We’ll hear from YA authors about expectations placed upon them by their readers, as well as the expectations these writers place on themselves.

Star Trek is back on TV—new tech, new Klingons, new uniforms. We boldly go where no one has gone before… and talk about the new clothes on our favorite sci-fi TV show.

From Frankenstein to David Cronenberg, body horror is one of horror’s most persistent genres, as well as one of its most controversial. What makes something body horror? Is there a trick to getting it right? Are there lines of grossness do we not want to see crossed? Should we cross them anyway?

We’ve all been there. An artist we like is doing something cool, and we want to support them, but we don’t have the money, the time, or the spoons. How can we still show our support? Come find answers direct from our pros (who are fans too!). They’ll share tips on ways to show fannish gratitude, even when you’re strapped for resources.

Ever wanted to know more about Worldcon? Confused about how to vote for a favorite location? Want to know more about the Hugo Awards and how to participate? Come to this panel to learn all about Worldcon, the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), and the Hugos. Also, learn more about the effort to bring Worldcon to Seattle in 2025.

Which comes first: character or worldbuilding? In this workshop, Mark Teppo, well-practiced at ignoring warning signs and plunging ahead into the weeds, will deconstruct this riddle and reveal how character and worldbuilding are part of the magic triangle of narrative structure (the third part being “plot”). Tools for shoehorning characters into worlds! Magic tricks for making worldbuilding stick to your characters. Sleight of hand for switching the two while distracting your audience with chicken jokes. Ages 18+. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. See the Writing Classes and Lectures page for details.

The traditional propellants that fueled the first 50 years of spaceflight—kerosene/oxygen, hydrogen/oxygen, hypergolics, and solids—are being challenged by methane/oxygen, nuclear thermal, and electrical propulsion systems for the more demanding missions of the future. What’s driving this trend?

How does teaching science fiction writing differ from other types of fiction writing? How does teaching science fiction differ from more traditional literary styles? Each panelist will discuss their experience teaching genre fiction.

Our guests of honor and attending professionals are available to sign autographs. Please note: so that as many fans as possible can participate, we will be enforcing a three-items-at-a-time (or single-sketch) autograph limit.

Olympic 1 will be free for play, reading, crafts, and lounge time.

Raschor, The End of Days. A man decides he doesn’t want to take a job as an asteroid miner and gets lost in the underground maze of tunnels, where he runs into a monkey who claims it’s the harbinger of the end of days. Rated PG.

The Great Faerie Strike. An excerpt from Spencer’s new novel, out this month! Rated G.

Entrants in the Single Pattern Contest must register and present their entries to the panel of judges. Entries are all based on the same pattern, which this year is Simplicity Pattern 8804: Women’s and Men’s Robe and Pants. Entries will be shown to the public in the next hour.

Panelists will discuss the art of creating iconic characters, from costuming and props to colors and poses. Learn how artists create endearing and interesting characters.

Aquaman finally got the big screen love, what do you think? Does Atlantean fashion sink or swim? We review the looks from down under the water and rate our favorites.

What do you do when your protagonist is fighting the good fight but doesn’t look like or act how most people consider heroic? Let’s break down alternate origins for heroes, and how to make them shine.

There’s the good, the bad, and the ugly. But what about the amazing, the astonishing, and the beautiful? We’re going to talk about the very best of the best, the cream of the crop when it comes to films in the fantasy, science fiction, and yes, even horror genres. These are the must-sees, so come ready to reminisce over your favorites and discover some new treasures to check out!

Not every disability is apparent at a glance, nor is anyone’s personal health anyone else’s business. From mental illness to chronic disease, to a variety of syndromes and impairments too lengthy to list, we’ll discuss the difficulties of living with chronic health conditions, the associated stigmas, what progress has (or hasn’t) been made in reforming public perception, and strategies on getting other people to mind their own blasted business.

What will your job be in 2030? Chances are, it doesn’t even exist today. Within the next twelve years, thirty percent of all job categories will go extinct, but a plethora will be created in an increasingly AI-driven world. Maybe you’ll be a drone wrangler, a social media maven, a cyberwarfare soldier, or a cosmetic prosthetist. Explore what the world of work (and not work) will look like in the next ten to fifty years.

Come to an interview and Q&A session with our honored professional, and reviewer for this year’s new writers workshop, Neil Clarke.

Hands-on combat demo. Groups of 20+ participants, equipped with wooden swords, spears, and shields, will learn & practice basic Norse weapon combat skills in a safe, controlled environment. Experience what it is like to participate in the “Shield Wall.” Instructors will provide swords, shields, and spears and train participants. The audience will play an important part in the experience.

Come to Olympic 1 to join a variety of fun games and activities that will build a toolbox of skills for young creators of all kinds.

Basic embroidery stitches for crazy quilting and silk ribbon embroidery. Stitches covered: stem stitch, blanket stitch, French knot, feather stitch, herringbone stitch, lazy daisy, and bullion stitch if time allows. Kit included; $5 fee to instructor.

Laura reads from her upcoming urban fantasy novel. Rated PG.

To be determined. Rated PG.

Come and watch as the competitors introduce their entries. Your votes will decide the winner of the Fan Favorite award.

As we search for the fountain of youth, what would that mean? How would society survive? Brain in a jar or a 330-year-old who looks 30?

Have you always wanted to swim with the fishes like a real mermaid? This is the panel for you! With this quick run-through style discussion, we’ll cover everything from shell tops and crowns to fabric and silicone tails! Perfect for getting your fins wet in the world of mermaiding, and learning about new options and accessories for more seasoned sirens. No matter what your age, gender, size, or ability, you CAN be part of that world!

With the Good Omens miniseries debuting in 2019, it’s worth taking a second look at the original Neil Gaiman/Terry Pratchett collaboration.

Panelists will discuss the origin and history of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), what the organization does for professional fantasy and science fiction writers and the genre, how and why to join, and what the organization’s direction will be in coming years.

Your story can be plot-driven, character-driven, or even author-driven in a voice piece or a more poetic work. Learn to recognize what’s driving your story, play to your strengths, and how to keep a balance that keeps your story moving forward.

This class explores how to look at the world as a writer, and pick the best telling details to make a scene real. There will be in-workshop writing. Ages 10+. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. See the Writing Classes and Lectures page for details.

Come to an interview and Q&A session with our artist guest of honor, Tran Nguyen.

“New space” companies such as Bigelow, Blue Origin, and SpaceX came out of nowhere and are stealing business from veteran “old space” firms, including Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrup Grumman. At least, that’s the popular narrative. But are the new players really so much better at this game, or are they playing by different rules?

Come bring your imagination to build a story time adventure with author Kate Ristau and her Storytime Friends.

The Stars How Different, From Night to Night. Lira’s a synthetic spacer on a routine ferry voyage. An uncharted comet appears on her route, corrupting all the tech aboard to ship, including Lira herself! She must find a way to save she ship, not only from the comet, but also from a sinister cultist hell-bent on destroying them all. Rated PG.

Teams of 20+ participants, each equipped with wooden gladius (sword), and regulation scutum (shield) will learn & practice basic Roman legionary combat skills in a safe, supervised environment. Learn what it is like to be part of the “Roman Line.” Instructors will provide swords, shields, and training. The audience will play an important part in the experience — scenario: Legionaries ‘attacked’ by barbarians.

Young artists can sign up for space in Olympic 1 to display, make, and sell/swap their art and crafts. Space will be limited and a first-come-first-served basis. Contact Youth Track lead Danielle Gembala ddmgembala@gmail.com for questions and information.

How to plan and build your costumes so that they can be cleaned later. Also, the various ways to clean costumes, and taking care of them, and storing them to keep them in their best shape. It is your investment—don’t trust it to just any dry-cleaner. Join our team of experts as they discuss methods for cleaning, storing, and giving your costumes the care they deserve.

Some writing prompts are cliché, others inspiring, and some are actually microfiction in disguise. We’ll share some of the best and worst story starters the internet has to offer and discuss their usefulness, then give dramatic readings of the ones that are perfect just the way they are.

So you’ve heard some audio presentations and said to yourself, “Holy hot audiophiles, Batman, I can read better than that! But how do you get into the narration business? What equipment do you need? How do you go about getting assignments? What riches and wonders shall be yours if you dabble in the dark arts of… wait for it… okay, cue the reverb … podcasting. This panel explores EVERYTHING. Industry experts! Tasty samples! Boom! Drop the mic!

The political and social impact of implementing martial law to control civilian populations. When it works; when it does not. We’ll review the mechanics of establishing, operating, and ending martial law. How and when to incorporate martial law into your story.

Meet the facilitators of the new Norwescon Writers’ Workshop. Find out how the workshop works, and ask questions of our moderators.

Join our panelists in a discussion on LGBTQIA+ characters and representation in young adult fandom. We’ll grade them A+ (Steven Universe!) to F (Dumbledore, we’re looking at you!).

From today’s planning horizon to speculations on the distant future, military aviation experts will lay out the aviation battlespace, technologies, and aerospace/ecosystem/culture. Bring your questions and learn how to write convincingly about military aviation.

If you were alive in 1969, you were probably watching. If you weren’t, you might be wondering why everyone keeps talking about it. Come hear our panel explain why the Apollo program was such a big deal.

Betsy Tinney is a cello storyteller. Using her cello and an electronic looper, she weaves rich, complex and varied tapestries of sound; her original cello compositions paint pictures and tell tales, from thunderstorms and skeletal mice to dancing elephants and humpback whales.

Come and learn how to draw the human figure with the help of industry professionals using real live models.

All dressed up in your finest costume? Come memorialize your look for the holidays by having your photo taken with Santa and Krampus. All proceeds benefit Northwest Harvest. Look for our holiday heroes in the photo area in the main lobby.

Welcome to the Legion of Six. Fonda Lee reads a new superhero short story and also gives a sneak peek into the soon-to-be-released novel Jade War, sequel to the World Fantasy Award-winning Jade City. Rated PG.

Who needs more slime? We need more slime! Come join us in Olympic 1 to make slime, play with slime, and learn more about the science of SLIME!

Over his 60+ year career, Harlan Ellison specialized in tense, visionary tales and dark comedy. He was also just as notorious for his volcanic temper as he was for his sense of humor. Writers and fans discuss his influence on their work and share some stories about him.

Okay, you’re pretty sure you’ve got the basics down, but now let’s join with our panelists as they give examples from their own work and from media of people punching up, as well as plenty of counterexamples of punching down with explanations of why that’s not just problematic, but is actively bad.

Can’t find the pattern you want? No problem, learn how to adjust, fit, size up, and combine various pattern pieces to get the final pattern you need.

So you want to start a press, e-zine, or webcomic—now what? Join professionals as they share the steps they took and things you may want to consider before diving in headfirst.

Randport. A teen naval officer and teen twin girls must prevent a Pearl Harbor event and thwart the bosses of asteroid Randport and Dillon Corporation.

Weapons research & development has produced many high-impact civilian economic advancements. We’ll review historical examples of war spending facilitating the development of civilian technologies. On a cost-benefit basis, were they worth it? How efficient were they?

From the fossil record to modern organisms, some life on earth is weirder than the aliens we imagine. Xenomorph= ichneumonids, human centipede= deep-sea angler fish, what else don’t you know that actually exists outside of your nightmares? Let us enlighten you.

Prose and composition are crucial elements to master if you want to be a professional writer. We can’t cover everything in one session, of course, but we’ll play grammar games with sentences, examine five types of paragraphs, have some formatting fun, and study the bones of good dialogue. Bring paper and pencil, and strap on your helmets, kids. We’re going in hot! Great for beginners, but a good refresher for pros. Ages 18+. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. See the Writing Classes and Lectures page for details.

The Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibition Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission has landed at Seattle’s Museum of Flight for the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. The exhibit features the Apollo 11 command module Columbia in its first and possibly final journey since the 1970s. Museum of Flight space curator Geoff Nunn will share details about the exhibit, the anniversary, and the Pacific Northwest’s connections to the Space Race.

It used to be that librarians didn’t get much respect in organizations, especially corporate ones. However, as information management and data analytics have increasingly become an integral part of many corporations worldwide , the role of librarians has shifted dramatically. This panel looks at how librarians are increasingly at the forefront of managing the new data-oriented corporate world and explores what libraries, taxonomists, ontologists, and data scientists do within these organizations.

Learn how professional armies coordinated the use of long pikes, used by Alexander the Great, with personal firearms (muskets). Participants will experience what it is like to wield a pike and maneuver with (dummy) muskets.

*MEGATHRUSTER* is two geeks from Oregon, armed with acoustic guitars to bring their special blend of funny nerd rock to the masses. Described as “Tenacious D meets Jonathan Colton,” the duo has taken their funny and energetic stage show to pop-culture conventions such as Emerald City and Rose City Comic Cons as well as events such as FumpFest in Chicago and Gencon in Indianapolis. Their hit, “It’s Rough to Be a Hufflepuff,” on their debut album, 20 Sided Vice earned them a Logan Award nomination for best comedy song.

For this hands-on, interactive panel we’ll dive into topics like how different monofins and tails perform in the water, what makes the best water-safe costuming, and how best to keep your wig on when you’re fathoms below! From draining and cleaning tails to hot glue and nose plugs, there’s no better place to learn about proper care n’ maintenance of a merperson and all their treasures!

“Conversion Therapy.” This is the third in a series of short stories featuring Brit Williams, a young teen with supernatural powers. In this installment, she rescues a queer protege from a camp meant to “cure” her of her lesbianism. The camp has been taken over by malevolent spirits capitalizing on the nastiness of the original founders. Rated PG.

“The Husband Suit.” A woman’s loyalty and openness are challenged when her best friend brings home his new husband: a faceless, unnamable monster he met in the Florida Everglades. Rated G.

iPads, laptops, cell phones, and computers are all popping up at the game table, and apps are being developed to assist with character management and rules tracking. But do these elements hinder immersion into the game and distract more than they help? Our panelists will discuss the pros and cons of using technology during role-playing games and recommend their favorite programs.

Need an editor? What can you expect? How do you find one that fits within your budget, has a good reputation, and is knowledgeable of your genre?

What is it? How do you do it? And more importantly, how do you do it well and keep your artists from pulling out their hair?

A follow-on from last year’s Basics of ROE panel. How warfighters and commanders make decisions on the legality of the use of force. We’ll review cases ranging from piracy to nuclear targeting: what is “legal” and what is not?

Do only MFA recipients get published? What advantages are there to attending workshops like Clarion, Odyssey, or the Norwescon Writers’ Workshop? Is it possible to write and publish completely on your own? This panel will explore the options available to new writers and what worked best for panelists.

Most of us probably have a word or two of advice we could have imparted to ourselves back in the day. Come listen to the letters composed by our panelists to their teenaged-selves, and contribute your own time-machine pearls of wisdom.

Norwescon is proud to present a selection of films from MoPOP’s 2019 Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival! Enjoy the artistic and imaginative achievements showcased in two programs of both animated and live-action science fiction and fantasy films made by new and upcoming filmmakers.

The Boeing Company is now a century old but is increasingly looking beyond the atmosphere. Space X is a relative newcomer reshaping the space field. What does the next century of human obsession with flight look like?

Vixy & Tony’s lighthearted folk/rock musical style combines with science fiction and fantasy lyrics to tell engaging and beautiful stories. Their energetic performances can be enjoyed by both sci-fi fans and mainstream music fans alike, earning them the Best Performer Pegasus Award in 2008. Michelle “Vixy” Dockrey and Tony Fabris have joined forces with cellist Betsy Tinney and violinist Sunnie Larsen to form a “four-person duo” with a lush, amazing sound. Their music can be found at VixyAndTony.com.

Each contestant will be issued a kit from which a kinetic sculpture may be assembled. In the following hour, there will be a race. Anyone can participate, but young people must bring an adult to share the fun with. Home-built sculptures are welcome! Email the moderator before the event for rules at sitdownbike@yahoo.com.

This 2-hour hands-on workshop will cover the basics of bead embroidery: supplies needed, options for fabric, stabilizers, needles, and thread. In addition, we can discuss where you can use bead embroidery and how to apply it, from costumes to broaches, bags, and quilts. You’ll get hands-on experience with at least 3 different bead embroidery stitches. Worksheet and supplies will be provided.

An Illusion of Thieves. Throughout the independencies of the Costa Drago, sorcerers are condemned by the magic that marks them as descendants of a monster. Romy was once a dangerous man’s courtesan, hiding her dangerous and hated gift. But when she is cast as the scapegoat in a plot to overthrow Cantagna’s Shadow Lord, she convinces her young brother, a professional dualist and most unusual metalsmith, to join in a scheme to foil it. The four plunge into a dangerous intrigue of forgery, aristocratic double-dealing, and an ancient artifact that challenges the world’s oldest myths. Rated G.

Join us to create a character you would want to hang out with and write about too! We’ll create our own characters and figure out some tips and tricks on how we can use these characters in our own writing — presented by Willamette Writers. Ages 13-17. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. See the Writing Classes and Lectures page for details.

Nest of the Monarch. Undercover in Nazi Berlin, Kim Tavistock discovers the secret creation of a company of enforcers with perverted Talents used to compel citizen obedience. As winter and fascism descend on Europe, Kim is swept up in a race to stop a Nazi operation to enslave the continent. Rated G.

If you have a little one that wishes to enter the children’s masquerade, please come to this panel where you will get your little one signed up. We will lead you all down to the masquerade when the time is right. Children go on first to accommodate their early bedtimes.

We’ve all heard the warnings, “Be careful what you put online; it’s forever!” Is this really a concern? We’re encouraged to have a heavy online presence, but sometimes it can feel like walking on eggshells. Hear pros share how they balance their fanbase and personal sharing, where it’s gone right and gone wrong.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Nowhere is that more applicable than transformative fandom. Instead of getting angry about other people’s creative decisions, make your own decisions, your own stories, and your own art! Our panel of experts will offer tips and tricks for learning to love building things up rather than tearing them down.

Learn to speak basic words and phrases in Old Norse. How much Old Norse is embedded in modern English? Join Masha LePire, an accomplished Old Norse conversational speaker.

Audio fiction podcasts are an increasingly popular medium that is capturing more and more people’s attention every day. A lot of the stories being told are based in science fiction and fantasy. What is audio fiction? Why does it lend itself so well to speculative fiction? What are some of the highlights of the medium? How can I make my own audio fiction podcast? All this and more will be covered in this talk.

Feeling brave? Want to see how your first page holds up in a cold read? Send the first page of your manuscript to idol@norwescon.org to have it anonymously read aloud and critiqued by a panel of pros.

Rob Hoyt, chief executive officer of Tethers Unlimited in Bothell, Washington, will talk to us about the Prefabricator, a 3D printer and recycling system built by his company and delivered to the International Space Station in late 2018, and the future of in-space manufacturing and assembly.

Come to an interview and Q&A session with our special guest of honor, Nancy Pearl.

Each participant has built a kinetic sculpture in an earlier panel. A round-robin drag race will be held, and the top eliminator will receive a trophy. Spectators are welcome, and so are home built kinetic sculptures! Home builders, please email the moderator before the event for rules.

Drop by for Minecraft themed take-home crafts and activities for our young members and their families.

Coral Moore will read from “Most AIs Are Jerks”. Dating is tough, even when you’re an Artificial Intelligence. Rated G. Keyan Bowes will read from one of her short stories. Rated PG.

Jenifer and Paul, late of Earth and now in a world of magic and activist gods, battle the minions of an Evil Empire in a story one reviewer called, “Wonder Woman meets Captain Underpants”. Rated PG.

Hear a discussion on the intersection between geek culture and sexual harassment, assault, and rape. Topics include common occurrences in games, conventions, and our favorite industries, how fans might be complicit in this behavior, and how we can stand up against the problem.

“Working in games is fun! I should start a game company! Freelancing is great!” All of these CAN be true, but let’s real-world for a moment. Taxes are a thing. Your enthusiasm can/will be turned against you. Many game companies (big and small) pull some real sketchy stuff because you’ll endure it for your dream job. Following your dream doesn’t need to mean being abused. It might also mean keeping your day job.

Even when writers are making up worlds from whole cloth, it can be easy to gloss over and/or erase the issues that bring riches to the cultures that we’re creating. There can be ugliness underneath those trade goods and treasures. Narratives in fantasy can carry over remnants of the oppressive structures that began and exist in our contemporary world. What kind of work do we need to do to recognize colonial creep in our fiction, and how do we fight it?

Many of our favorite horror tropes have become problematic or stale over the years. How would we like to see these tropes updated for the future?

Is a writer’s block just laziness? Or is something bigger blocking writers who can’t write? We’ll talk about different kinds of blocks (e.g., emotional blocks, external demands, imposter syndrome, perfectionism) and how panelists have dealt with them. Come share ideas about how to shatter blocks!

Has the long preoccupation with “dystopia” finally ended? Is this why we have one Star Trek series now and another on deck, because we now need the optimism embedded in the Roddenberry universe? Do you think world events change the tastes of genre fans? Should writers be polishing up their utopias if dystopias are falling out of favor?

The licensing basics you should know before you get into licensing your intellectual property or obtaining another companies license for your product lines. What is protectable and what aren’t typical deal sheet terms, how to approach licensing, red flags, and more.

At the end of 2018, a scientist in China announced that he had created the first gene-edited babies. It isn’t a new concept—it’s been a subject within science fiction for decades. Panelists will address questions like what are the pros and cons of editing human embryos? What could go very wrong or very right?

The Relentless Moon. The Relentless Moon takes place while the first Mars expedition is underway, as a parallel novel to The Fated Sky. It focuses on Nicole Wargin and Myrtle Lindholm in the lunar colony. You can expect everything from church services to bridge parties, which all become more complicated in low gravity. And then a saboteur strikes….

Come on in and find a seat.

Come in and pick out your very own glitter tattoo. They last for a few days and wash off. We may also have face painting if enough people are available to help

Let’s delve into the basics of bookbinding: folding, cutting, creating signatures, and putting your text block into a cover. This is a hands-on workshop in which you’ll make a small sample-sized blank book while learning about other non-adhesive based bookbinding techniques. Limited to 20 participants. Pre-registration is required. See the Hands-On Workshops page for details.Sign up in Cascade 1.

Vigilant: Through Shadows and Dreams, Book One. On a world as devastated as Scarn, what does it cost to become a hero? Join Eochaid Lenahr as he seeks a place in the Veshian Vigilants and learn the answer. Rated PG.

Join us at the pinnacle event for Saturday evening, the Norwescon 42 Masquerade. Come and watch our fabulous contestants perform for your entertainment. Will your favorites match the judges’? Whether they do or not, we know the show will blow you away. Come and join us as the doors open at 6 p.m., show to start at 6:30. The masquerade will be followed by hall costumes, and awards for the single pattern and props competitions. An announcement of next year’s convention guests of honor and a presentation of the winners of the masquerade will conclude the program.

The Speed of Clouds Mindy Vogel lives two lives. In the SkyLog universe, she’s space-traveling Kat Wanderer, carrying on an affair with a cyborg. Back on Earth, where she navigates a wheelchair and lives with her mom, can Mindy find love among the humans of Skylog’s fandom? Rated PG.