Thursday Schedule

Pools of Deception. A novel excerpt. Rated R.

Imagine Western Europe and the Middle East without the two major religions. This interactive panel will plot an alternate history of what could have been.

Listen to various authors read sections of their YA books.

Everyone loves friendship bracelets. Make some to keep or give away. Guided projects for different skill levels.

In the last 15 years, the self-publishing industry has grown from a Wild West free-for-all into a thriving ecosystem, supporting full- or part-time careers for thousands of authors—even up to six and seven figures a year. But there are still a lot of myths and misinformation out there about how it works and what’s possible. In this class, two successful self-published fiction authors will provide an overview of how self-publishing works today, where the money is being made, and what you need to know to get started. Bring your questions!

Science fiction often gets credit for inspiring real-life scientists, but genre fiction is often ahead of its time on social issues too. Whether it’s Willow’s same- sex kiss on Buffy, Elf Quest’s ethical non-monogamy, or the dismantling of transphobia in Dirty Pair, the history of nerds is pretty freaking gay.

Dracula has been reworked by innumerable authors, surpassed only by Sherlock Holmes, who is also often worked into a fantastic setting. Lincoln, Dickens, Queen Victoria herself—all too often they’ve been cut and pasted into a world they wouldn’t recognize, yet it’s their milieu. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using such iconic figures? What other Victorian figures of fact and fantasy have been pastiched, and which are ripe for it?

Doctor Who: Where are the best non-Earth locations?

Geographic determination provides a powerful element for worldbuilding, informing the audience of the wide-ranging world beyond. Explore the fundamental qualities and techniques that secure this soundly for the audience.

Artemis is a spaceship bridge simulator where players assume the jobs of captains, helm, science, communication, engineering, and weapons and work together to defeat alien enemies.

Want to set up your own game? Head to our new location in Wing 7 which has space for your RPG, board, or card games. Check one out from Dragonflight’s Lending Library or bring your own.

Come check out games from our lending libraries. We have RPGs, card games, board games, and more! An official state license or state ID is needed to check out games. This space has tables to play the games you borrow.

Lakeside Gaming will be open all day Thursday starting at 2 p.m. Feel free to bring your own game or check one out from Dragonflight’s Lending Library in Olympic 2. As a reminder, Lakeside Gaming is only accessible via the 2nd-floor skybridge down either the 1st or 2nd concord.

Lakeside Gaming will be open all day Thursday starting at 2 p.m. Feel free to bring your own game or check one out from Dragonflight’s Lending Library in Olympic 2. As a reminder, Lakeside Gaming is only accessible via the 2nd-floor skybridge down either the 1st or 2nd Concord.

Glassblade. A contemporary high fantasy taking place in modern-day Tacoma. Rated PG.

Drinking in Babylon. Excerpt from Book 6 in the Tales of the Rougarou series. Rated G.

When does AI get to be a person, like Data? Should that become before or after the “animals” we share the planet with?

OK, not really. But lighter-than- air ships are a lot more like submarines than they are like airplanes. Join our panelists as they discuss the ups and downs of LTA, past, future, and punk.

What’s up with the moon? How does it change shape? And what does it have to do with Oreos? Come find out.

When it comes to genres targeted at younger audiences, there are very stark differences. Learn from panelists about the differences, trends, and challenges of each genre.

Music can often seem like a passive hobby for the listener. You have Spotify open in the background, studying to your lo-fi beats. But music can be as dynamic a fandom as any other. We’ll talk about what makes music fandom a fandom, from Lisztomania to the Fab Four to Swifties and the Beyhive, and how this type of fandom and its activities resemble other fandoms.

We are finally, laboriously, expensively, able to climb out of Terra’s gravity well. So why travel all the way to Mars and jump down a different gravity well? Once there, it’s a complete reverse of economies-of-scale—nothing welcoming or profitable and little that can be easily got at if it’s not near the surface. Nor can any condition be easily amended—gravity, radiation, atmosphere, etc. Might as well have stayed in space and created a manageable habitat with shirtsleeve conditions.

The most famous photographic “evidence” for the existence of Nessie is a proven hoax. Most evidence for the Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest is similarly known to be faked. And yet we continue to love our cryptids, celebrating them in pop culture images and festivals such as the Rougarou Fest held in Houma, Louisiana and the Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. What are some of our favorite cryptids? And why do they continue to have such a hold on our imaginations even though they’re (probably) not real?

Let’s build a monster! Every game needs terrible creatures and dastardly villains for the heroes to battle, befriend, or outsmart. In this panel, you’ll create creatures in collaboration with game industry professionals. Come let your creativity shine! (Beginners, professionals, and players of all editions and systems are welcome!)

Start your convention with a celebration of science fiction and fantasy short films from around the world.

Come join Erik Grove for a reading. Rated PG.

The Jukebox at the End of the Universe. Brian U. Garrison speculates about Earth, space, fantasy realms, and flowers on Venus. Rated PG.

Ever wonder how cosplayers transform into their characters? Yeah, me, too! Let’s learn from a couple of experts how to create a variety of looks, from glamour to age to special effects.

Are dog fights in space possible? Are they necessary? What would they look like? What about cruisers, carriers, and capital ships—what would they look like and how would they engage in space?

Listen to dragon stories and make a craft.

This is an examination of what is good and bad in the representation of trans, gender-fluid, and nonbinary characters in science fiction and fantasy media and books. It will also look at how participating authors approach these issues in their books and what they recommend to people outside the trans community who want to represent these characters.

Some periods in history seem to invite science fiction and fantasy treatment, like the English Regency and the English Middle Ages. What parts of history haven’t been mined in the genres or have only been addressed a couple of times? What eras would you like to see addressed and why?

Authors who are generally known for writing prose (like our writer guest of honor) but who have also published poetry, either within their prose writing or separately, discuss the influence the two writing styles have on each other and how refining the skills in one can make you a better writer of the other.

You don’t know all the science involved in the world that you have created? How can that be overcome? Using books, the internet, experts, etc. Does it matter, because all starship drives are gobbledygook anyhow? How does credible science in a story bolster the believability of the parts that are obviously fabricated?

First time at Norwescon? Returning after a long absence? Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here! The convention’s Chair and/or Vice Chair will orient you to Norwescon, fill you in on where to find the fun stuff, and answer your questions about the convention.

Who was Sally Rand? Balloons have been a staple in burlesque since the early 1900s. We will cover the two major forms: Peek-a-boo and Aerial. We’ll also go into a brief history of balloons and Sally Rand, the confetti balloon, caring for your balloon stock, plus making the clean-up part of the show. Three-foot latex dance balloons will be provided. Please come in movement-friendly attire: no sharp jewelry, boots or heels. Space is limited to 15 adults (18+) and those adults who just want to watch.

This is a two-hour workshop on, not surprisingly, building bows. There will be tools and materials for the first 12 people who sign up to work on building their own bows. There will be room for others to watch and learn how it is done. Limited to 18+ and 12 attendees. Sign-up is available at the info table.

Remembrance in Cerulean. A civil engineer must confront the devastating mistakes of his father’s past in order to save the lives of the mysterious aquatic species living in the Salish Sea near a U.S. naval base. Rated G

Delve into the fascinating world of concept art for films. Discover how visionary artists breathe life into scripts through captivating visuals, setting the stage for cinematic masterpieces.

What will happen when the first space or planetary colony declares its independence from Earth? The ultimate boycott.

Learn about rockets and how they work and make your own simple rockets.

Mindfulness is more than just staring into space at nothing. What type is best for you?

Forgery. Forgery is a solo journaling game with paint-by-numbers. It’s about a disgruntled art forger who is commissioned to recreate a cursed painting. Join Banana as she reads the first few chapters.

Join our authors as they go over the elements of story beginnings, identify crucial components for the first act, and demonstrate practical ways to apply them to your own work.

Some fandoms are devoted to keeping the canon universe as the main setting for transformative works, while others will take a few characters and concepts and run wild with them. What dynamics affect the choices fans make to keep or disregard canon?

Children’s books, fairy tales, and fables often have lessons for readers to learn. What about YA? What lesson is the genre teaching, if at all? Learn from panelists about YA and moral ambiguity. This is part of a series of panels that introduce and define YA.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Venom, Carnage, and all the Marvel symbiotes … What does fiction get right—and so very wrong? Listen, our symbiotes will explain it all.

Want to get to know other congoers, but the idea of striking up a conversation with someone you don’t know makes you think about running the other way? One, welcome! You’re in a lot of good company when it comes to meeting new people. Two, we have a solution to feeling alone in a crowd! This is similar to speed dating. You sit down with someone, each of you talk for up to two minutes about easy topics: Have you been to NWC before, what events sound interesting this year, what are your fandoms. If the two of you want to talk further, exchange info! Otherwise, hey, you still met someone! And every few minutes, you both switch to someone new and start again. Find some of your future friends here!

“And All the Fields Below,” and “Brightly, Undiminished.” “And All the Fields Below” is a fantasy short story about a very good dog. It appeared in the June 2023 issue of Lightspeed. “Brightly, Undiminished” is a fantasy short story about coming to terms with grief and loss. It appeared in the March 2021 issue of Lightspeed. Rated PG.

Come in and grab a seat for Opening Ceremonies.

Join us for the grand kickoff of Norwescon 47! Our opening ceremonies feature interviews with our esteemed guests of honor and set the stage for an exciting weekend.

The Good Vampyre. A chapter of his fifth book. Rated G.

A Place for Broken Men. An upcoming horror novella about a man looking to escape tragic events in his life by working in the off-season at a small luxury hotel that he soon learns had a very dark history. As the hotel turns out to not be as empty as he was told, he must reckon with grief and find a way to survive a horrible experiment from the 1940s that never stopped. Rated R.

Count Orlock is a very different figure from the refined, suave figure of Count Dracula. Nosferatu refers to the more traditional Slavic look of eastern European folklore. We examine the ancient roots and traditions of the vampiric myth and rate the looks for various species of vampires.

Whether it’s light-years or miles, there’s still the age-old question of feeding an army–do you bring everything you need to grow your own chow or forage unfamiliar flora and fauna?

Commissioning art has become much more accessible in recent years. Yet actually talking with a professional artist can be difficult for the unfamiliar. What should or shouldn’t you ask for? What words do you need to know? Most importantly, how do you get your vision across in a language the artist can work with? This panel will gather several of Norwescon’s artists to help you learn to speak artist.

Anime has a long history of stories that bend the very concept of gender. From the Rose of Versailles framing the French Revolution through the eyes of a gender questioning noble, Sailor Uranus and her fight to defend the Moon Princess, and the revolution of Utena – the gender chronology and ambiguity of anime is worth a second look.

From the Wachowski’s Matrix to Ava DuVernay’s upcoming adaptation of Butler’s Xenogenesis trilogy, come celebrate women who worked behind the camera and in the writer’s room to create the stuff weird dreams are made of.

Some of the most memorable campaigns weave an impressive amount of storytelling, character developments, and arc that make the game more than rolling dice. But crucial to that is pacing: when should the GM speed it up, slow it down, make it tense, or relaxing? Our panelists discuss the GMs role in storytelling in RPGs, and how to control the pacing not just in a session, but also across the campaign.

Ever wonder how famous SFF movie scenes might go if a word here and there were changed? Because that’s what we’re going to do! This is an audience participation event. We’ll get word suggestions from the audience, plug them into our various scripts, and get willing actors to act them out for the amusement of all!

The villain is an often underwritten character, which can make an otherwise great novel underwhelming. How do you tailor your villain to push your hero to the breaking point, and more importantly, what’s the process for finding this unforgettable Big Bad? In this session, we’ll examine some great villains and how their characteristics help bring out the worst and the best in your main character. In the second part of the session, you’ll be using your WIP to create a scene that features your upgraded villain.

Even more great science fiction and fantasy short films.

Open Lazer Tag / Nerf. We are having our Lazer Tag Grand @ with a twist: BYON, bring your own Nerf. Yes, during the evening, participants will vote for 20-minute games of Nerf or Lazer Tag. Eye protection must be worn during Nerf and Blaster. So come on down and have a blast.

Eutagion. Novel excerpt. Rated PG.

Joe Trucker. A selection from an original screenplay. Rated G.

Bones of Starlight. A fantasy space opera trilogy; a turn-of-the-age generational saga in an alternate universe with interdimensional fantasy beings. Hidden forces contact those in power and they begin a journey that starts the turn of the change, bringing together different people from all corners. Rated R.

A Beast Called Man. A short extract from my next novel, A Beast Called Man, following the story of Chiro and Sen, his bonded snow leopard, as they try to survive encroachment by their sinister neighbours, the Hive Above. Rated PG.

Many people would like to podcast, but do not know where to start. This panel is specifically about the technically aspects of podcasting, including equipment, hiring voice actors, purchasing stories from authors and more.

Discussions on community, security, and most-needed skills (gardening in a post-apocalypse!). How much do you try to recreate the old world? This can be superficial and funny but will also delve into deeper ethical topics like dealing with crime and community members who don’t contribute. We’ll cite some examples of hopepunk and genre examples: books, movies, etc.

The campaign is a set, you are eager to run, and it’s time to introduce the players to your table. It’s Session 0 Time! Our panelists go over the important agenda items to address during your Session 0 to help launch your campaign or adventure successfully.

Cosplayers and photographers chat and share their tips on getting great photos in costume! Whether you’re using a camera or a cell phone, we’ll talk about how to prepare beforehand, the best places to get photos around the con, and some photography basics like lighting, composition, posing, and more. Plus, we’ll talk about photography etiquette, staying safe, and do’s and don’ts for people on both sides of the camera.

The internet was once a great place for connecting with people who shared your extremely niche fan interests but is that still true today? Most social media platforms reward popular topics with views and punish creators for posting with a smaller audience in mind. Is the future just AI generated Star Wars memes or is there still hope for your Gene Wolfe video essay series? Come join this discussion on how the app attention ecosystem is changing fandom.

Ever wondered how to do the Time Warp? The unspoken etiquette behind Rasputin? Just how do you do the Macarena? Come join our class where we teach the basics of the dances you’ll see at most fandom conventions, ending up with a dance party!

Pick, pass, or play! Filk’s origins were in folk circles at conventions which mutated because of a typo and the sort of people who must enshrine a joke. The rules were simple: In a filk, everything was filk, whether it was a filk song, a popular song, or interpretive dance. Everyone was allowed to perform (or not) and shown respect. Other than that, simple civility ruled the day. Come with us while we tell you (and possibly show you) how filk was done (Bardic circle? Poker-Chip Chaos?) and its traditions and in-jokes (What are the Dorsai Irregulars? What’s up with green jello?).

Still working on something to wear in the halls or the masquerade or just a project? This is your place. Bring your items to work on and enjoy good company and the opportunity to get help, if need.

Relive the best “Let’s Make A Movie” shorts we’ve produced at Norwescon over the past 26 years (maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of a much-younger you). We aren’t going to show them all, but there are various favorites, plus some more recent efforts will be in the mix. Don’t forget to come to our organizing panel on Friday for this year’s workshop!

Come learn about the trials and tribulations of loving more than one gender.

The definitive SF&F trivia pub quiz experience! Multiple rounds of classic SF&F trivia from the worlds of media, fantasy, SF and more. There will be a sound round, a picture round and more. Exciting and not-so-exciting prizes will be on offer! Teams of 4 preferred. Use of electronic devices, external brains or telepathy is strictly forbidden. No host bar is available.

Are you Team Enterprise or Team Skywalker? Do you dream of the final frontier, or a galaxy far, far away? Lightsaber or phaser? The Force or the Prime Directive? Let your attire display your affiliation as we dance the night away with DJ Wüdi! Send in your song requests now!