Thursday Schedule

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.

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

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

Instead of standing in line, come test out a variety of Nerf blasters in our firing range, no badge required! Staff approved outside blasters welcome.

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

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.

Diversity is a topic that is often discussed. To facilitate better and deeper discussions, come learn some of the basics. Let’s define things like intersectionality, derailing, tone arguments, and more. Let’s ask the questions that might feel difficult to ask in more advanced panels. Suggested pre-panel Googling: Derailing for Dummies, Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.

It’s easy to laugh, it’s easy to hate, but it takes guts to be gentle and kind. This panel will take audience-submitted suggestions for so-bad-they’re-good (and so-bad-they’re-terrible) movies and TV shows. Our panelists must find something nice to say about them. Prepare to have your heart warmed!

As both military and civilian spacecraft deploy for longer durations and more distant destinations, what are the elements that comprise star fleet culture? We will compare and contrast United States air force and navy cultural analogs and review works from sci-fi masters to make your story authentic and compelling.

Why film and theatrical productions aren’t always historically accurate, and why that’s okay.

The writing world can feel small and vast all at once. As a community, we can help one another grow as authors, connect to others in the industry, and lift each other up during trying times. As a team, we are much stronger. Take part in this panelist/audience discussion to come up with new ways we can support our fellow authors, agents, and editors.

Deep wells of research, reams of notes, and mountains of game statistics—these are all good gamemastering tools, but there’s one skill that can’t be prepared: improvisation. The best GMs can create memorable experiences for players out of nearly any challenge, and being a good GM is about being a consummate BSer. Join the best BSers in the business for tips, tricks, and philosophies, plus answers to your questions about how to handle the most challenging scenarios players might throw your way.

How do you even begin? There’s so much noise—so many genres. The internet is full of amateurs, trolls, and terrible choices. This will be the easiest panel to attend. Ask questions, mentions bands you like, and we’ll connect you with the nerd music for you! It’ll be an hour of good tunes and weird choices.

Bring your favorite original piece of Vogon poetry to share with the audience. Prize awarded for the best (worst) piece of poetry. Vogon poetry is, of course, the third worst in the universe. “The very worst poetry of all perished along with its creator, Paula Nancy Millstone Jennings of Greenbridge, Essex, England, in the destruction of the planet Earth.” — Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Karen will cover the basics (and beyond) for submitting your short fiction to magazines, anthologies, and podcasts. Topics include matching your fiction to markets, deciding where to submit, reading guidelines, formatting submissions, writing cover letters, tracking submissions, querying about a submission’s status, creating a submission plan for each story, handling rejections, and (very important!) handling acceptances. Includes lecture, handouts, and lots of Q&A. Ages 18+. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. See the Writing Classes and Lectures page for details.

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

When did Western Europeans first use black powder? What was its early composition and how was it made? We will examine changes to European warfare enabled by ever-improving guns and artillery. Models and full-sized replicas will be available for hands-on study. Handouts will be available.

TV and movies can sometimes be a good reference for historical costuming, but more often than not it’s just bad, either from laziness, the stupidity of the producers, or budgetary constraints. We’ll take you through a number of period films, show you good examples and really bad ones, and tell you what to look out for.

Magical stories often have magical beasties. But magical beasts need to fit in your narrative in organic and fantastic ways. Who writes the best beasts? Why do we like them so much?

You ask, we build. You set the scenario, and your panelists make the story work. How do ecosystems inform stories? Can this monster exist here, really?

Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz were the remnants of a much larger Apollo Applications Program that would have included bases on the moon and a flight around Venus. Come learn what might have been.

Netflix shows like Stranger Things feature story arcs on multiple age levels and even across genres so that a coming-of-age story is also a science fiction tale that is also a horror movie. How much is too much and how much is just enough when it comes to blending age ranges and genres?

You’ve been assigned as moderator for a panel. Now what? We’ll focus on the winning strategies for managing your unruly, wild, and reticent panelists to deliver a great 50 minutes of content. Norwescon will be making a video recording of this panel.

Shhh! Sometimes babies and their families just need a place to be for a while. Olympic 1 is your space for some much-needed baby quiet time or social play, depending on the needs of the babies who join us. Older siblings are welcome.

In this 2 hour workshop, come and learn how to use buckram and fabric to create your own one-of a-kind wee hat. Participants need to be proficient with hand sewing. Space is limited – sign up in Cascade 1. $5 Materials fee paid to instructor.

Want to learn more about our book club? Meet other people who really like to read? This is the meet-up for you!

Writers write, that’s what we do, but sometimes writing in the genres we love becomes more of a chore than a joy. What to do? Step outside the genre box and look at stories in a new light. In this 90-minute workshop, we’ll discuss what it means to write in different genres, what’s involved in writing cross-genre, and examples of how different genres can focus on the same theme or setting. We’ll use simple item story prompts to jump-start timed writings and maybe even share our work. Bring your favorite writing implements and your imagination. It’s time to think outside the box! Presented by Clarion West. Ages 14+. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. See the Writing Classes and Lectures page for details.

Come learn how the pros do it. Learn about the techniques and equipment needed to be a professional photographer.

Writers have been wrong before, and they’ll be wrong again. A bad blog post, a great tweet—it’s part of the job to take risks. Even if you’re writing well, you’ll make mistakes. Join us as we discuss potential appropriation issues and how to handle these writing and professional snafus, both within yourself and your audience, and how to grow from the experience.

An expert panel of game industry professionals answers questions about the industry we all know and love. Learn how to become a part of it and to create meaningful games and experiences.

The least gory and explicit type of horror, the haunted house story, is also frequently held to be the most intensely terrifying. What makes a good haunted house story? And why are they so scary, anyway?

Extroverts, introverts, ambiverts. INTJ versus ESFP? Open versus Neurotic? Never have we had so many different ways of describing human personality. Are we coming up with a theory of mind, or is this just astrology for the 21st century? Inquiring minds want to know!

Are there elements of SF worldbuilding that are unique to science fiction? Are there elements that need to be in any science fiction story? Technology, medicine, economics, government, religion, history, types of characters, clothes, languages, and food. What elements might be unique to SF? How much detail is enough?

Come to an interview and Q&A session with our science guest of honor, Dan Koboldt.

We will have materials on hand to build a fairy garden, fairy door, and fairy accessories from recyclable materials to take home with you. Projects are geared to be accessible for young children to complete with adult assistance, but all are welcome to come and create a fairy fantasy with us!

Come hang out with your fellow LGBTQIA fans in a casual mixer environment. Meet n’ greet and find new folks to wander the con with.

Learn how to create realistic props with cardboard and other inexpensive materials or techniques.

The business of writing isn’t always fun. In fact, many of us creatives hate this side of the biz. What are some tricks to stay focused on recordkeeping of payments and expenses, paneling or teaching workshops, and writing, all while finding time for life?

Fic writers face the same challenges as other writers: Where do you get your ideas? How do you keep yourself focused? How does writing fit into your daily schedule? Other concerns are more specific: Do I post this story as a WIP or wait until it’s finished? Where should I post it? How do I react to readers’ comments? Our panel of seasoned fic writers will talk about their solutions for writing productively.

Learn how to run an underground or resistance movement. We provide an overview of the structure and nature of guerilla warfare, as well as its conduct, successes, and limitations based on historical cases. We’ll analyze individual and unit actions to determine the efficacy of this specialized type of warfare in real-life, genre, and literary fiction scenarios.

Science fiction and fantasy are rarely politically neutral: They can serve as a mirror of contemporary controversy. What are examples of the SF/F during repressive times? Is SF/F different during times of peace and prosperity? How may current authors best engage in political expression, and what are the pitfalls in balancing art and advocacy?

The forthcoming BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) from SpaceX is designed to carry up to 100 colonists each trip, from Earth to a Mars base built by people and robots, starting as soon as 2024. Is this vision even remotely realistic? In short: yes. Join us to learn more.

Norwescon is proud to present a selection of films from MoPOP’s 2019 Science Fiction and 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.

Diana may be a goddess of love, but she also knows how to fight! How does her fighting style reflect her personality? We’ll find out as we break down her final training battle with Antiope and teach you some of her awesome moves. This is a hands-on workshop with movement. Wear clothes you can swing a (foam) sword in.

Enjoy a buffet of great food and great company as you rub elbows with our guests of honor. Photo ops and preferred seating for the opening ceremonies abound. Ticket sales are limited, so get them while they are hot!

Learn glass fusing with acclaimed space glass artist Joy Day. Participants will create a small fused glass piece, which will be fired overnight and available for pickup on Sunday. A materials fee of $10 will be collected by the instructor. Limited to 18 participants. Pre-registration is required. See the Hands-On Workshops page for details.

Volcanoes, tsunamis, and asteroids, oh my! When the hammer falls, what becomes of life? Extinctions, yes, but what about tomorrow? We will discuss how disasters have shaped the course of evolution and how potential increases in the intensity of climate-related disasters may influence life in the future. Building on Katrina and the Japanese and Indonesian tsunamis, what will happen here to life and culture when Rainier erupts?

Why is the terminology of marginalized identities so important? How does this play into representation in fandom and SF/F media? Asexual, transgender, pansexual, biromantic, gay, lesbian, queer, cisgender, and many more. Why is it important to have terms like full spectrum or QUILTBAG that are more inclusive than the previous LGBT? Come learn about new terms and experiences! (Norwescon has a “no outing” policy toward sexual identities. Each person gets to decide when they’re ready. So, just don’t do it.)

As an artist, you are your biggest critic. You can also be your biggest fan. Sometimes these two facts get in the way of actually sharing your art. Is that 206th chapter actually necessary? Does your song benefit from playing that track through a broken speaker? How much of this is imposter syndrome? Our pros will share advice on how to know when you’re just getting in your own way and tell their own stories of finding the perfect balance.

How did people escape the endless cycle of feast or famine? We will review techniques to prepare and preserve meats and vegetables and see if any of these techniques are still appropriate today. Samples may be available for the brave.

There are so many movies that could have been good—nay, even great—if it wasn’t for that one (or too many!) mistakes. You, the audience, will challenge our team of experts on how to fix a terrible movie! Think of some movies that you so wanted to enjoy, but just couldn’t, and put our fix-it team to the test!

Back by popular demand! Time to make an antagonist that everyone wants to play with. Join our panelists as they create a villain with audience participation.

Come and get a seat!

Enjoy an official kickoff to your Norwescon 42 at the opening ceremonies! Enjoy interviews with our guests of honor, get a preview of events and essential information, and enjoy general shenanigans and merrymaking.

Two masters face off in a Pictionary-style competition to create, on the spot, cover art based on the audience’s suggestions.

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.

Getting that first draft down is sometimes the hardest part of writing a novel. Some get caught in the ever-falling state of the research rabbit hole, while others get too caught up in creating scenes and lose the writing flow. Learn how to fast-track your draft, then add in descriptions and smooth out rough scenes in the second draft.

With Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic racing to institute passenger space flights, particularly in the wake of last fall’s Soyuz launch failure, the question of safety comes up. Can a commercial spacecraft be as safe as a commercial jetliner? How much risk is unavoidable?

Why is the creative process sometimes difficult? How can we better manage the creative impulse effectively, in ourselves and others? In this dramatic workshop, Vincent, a play written by Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy, paints the portrait of Van Gogh’s development as a painter and as a man. A Ph.D. organizational psychologist examines practical, scientifically supported strategies for supporting passion and creativity within individuals, relationships, and organizations. Meet other people, tell your stories, and learn how you can best harness the creative fire in yourself and those you encounter.

Come get shrieked in at the first Norwescon 42 Open Filk! This is where you can come sing or play whatever you want, alone or with friends, to the most supportive crowd you will ever run into ever anywhere. Seriously, you have no idea. Bring your instrument, bring your voice, and put some of that participation into the participatory culture!

Stampede through the night with DJ Equus, featuring his herd of dance hits, con classics, obscure gems, and pop wonders. He’s aimin’ on keepin’ the dance floor shakin’ until the night crawlers go to roost.

This workshop will teach you the basics of inflating, bending, twisting, and transforming balloons into things-made-out-of-balloons! While no experience is necessary, participants must be able to work independently and have manual dexterity. Older teens and adults only, please. Space is limited to 12 participants. A materials fee of $5 will be collected by the instructor.

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.

At a con or a campout, some kinds of costumes can seem cumbersome (How do you cook in big kimono sleeves?). For a fan who has to do real work, we share practical ways to do so while in your favorite garb.

Horror movies have a reputation for treating sexy teenagers as little more than chainsaw fodder, but the reality is that a lot of horror is centered on the teen perspective, dealing with the fears and traumas of young adulthood, sometimes directly and sometimes through metaphor. What works best in teen-centered horror? What would we like to see more or less of? “The best years of your lives?” Hardly!

In the U.S., it’s easy to find great action and superhero movies, but when it comes to fantasy and science fiction? Not so much. Thank goodness for the rest of the world! Come ready to learn about some great movies that you may have never heard about, simply because they got little or no U.S. theatrical release because they were (gasp!)… Foreign!

The publishing industry is tough. Even if you’ve been working as an editor or author for years, when is enough… enough? Are we really an expert, or will there always be someone that knows more and someone that knows less? Join pros as they discuss how they work through imposter syndrome.

Leannan Sidhe is a fey musician with wandering feet and a shimmering soprano voice who writes music that tends to the bittersweet. She performs mostly in the Pacific Northwest but will happily travel further abroad if the opportunity is provided.

An acoustic singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington, Aaron J. Shay blends an old-world folk sound with a modern lyrical style and an affinity for science, technology, and fiction. His performances are highly interactive experiences, featuring many sing-alongs and stomp-alongs, all punctuated by his funny and heartfelt musings on relationships, creativity, magic, and the future of humanity.

Lady Heather is a classically trained singer who studied voice in Glasgow, Scotland. As she explains, “I sing Italian at people.” Now Lady Heather is a teacher of voice lessons. Along with opera, she likes to sing just about any genre of music and may just take requests during the show. She also likes to muse on the comical side of her experiences.