Guests

Literary Guest of Honor

Patrick Rothfuss

The inestimable Patrick Rothfuss lives in central Wisconsin.  He is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of The Name of the Wind, and its sequel, The Wise Man’s Fear, as well as the highly unusual (and very dark) picture book The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle: The Thing Beneath the Bed.

His exploits are long and varied.  Among them is an undergraduate career spanning 9 years and 3 majors, culminating in a Bachelor’s Degree in English from The University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.  He has also written a satirical self-help column for that school's paper.  After earning a Master’s degree from Washington State University, he returned to UWSP to teach, until his writing career took off, and he was forced to write full time to satisfy his legions of teeming fans.

Mr. Rothfuss likes cookies.  He also likes books.  They're especially good braised in a light soy sauce.

Special Guest of Honor

John Kovalic

USA Today called John Kovalic a “hot pick.” His creations include the multi-award-winning comic Dork Tower, as well as Dr. Blink: Superhero Shrink, Snapdragons, and many other features. His work has appeared everywhere from the New York Times and Rolling Stone to Dragon Magazine.

John is co-founder and co-owner of Out of the Box Games, and as such had a hand in creating the runaway bestselling party game Apples to Apples. He is a frequent contributor to the madness that is Steve Jackson Games. John has illustrated more than 3,000 cards for Munchkin alone, which must be some kind of record somewhere...

John has illustrated more than 100 games and supplements, and is also responsible for toys such as My Little Cthulhu and Mythos Buddies. John was inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design Hall of Fame in July 2003, the first cartoonist to receive such an honor.

John calls Madison home. It never calls back.

Artist Guest of Honor

Mark Poole

Mark Poole is a world wide award winning artist from South Carolina who has illustrated over 1000 cards for various companies including Wizards of the Coasts' "Magic The Gathering", White Wolfs "Vampire", FASA's "Battletech", Blizzards's "World of Warcraft" and "Doomtown".

He works mainly in acrylic and oil paints. He also uses Adobe Photoshop with Corel's "Painter" to provide illustrations with depending on the client and end result.

Other companies he has worked for are Hasbro, Sony Online Entertainment, Upper Deck, White Wolf, Alderac Entertainment, Ducks Unlimited, and Cirque du Soliel.

Lately, he finds himself painting for galleries, private collectors and for the pure enjoyment of painting and learning.

Gaming Guests of Honor

Humans vs. Zombies' Brad Sappington and Chris Weed

Humans vs. Zombies was invented at Goucher College in 2005. The game spread virally across the internet as students first gained access to Facebook, and told their friends from home about the game. Today, HvZ is played at over 650 colleges and universities across the world, as well as high schools, military bases, summer camps, and public libraries.

Fan Guests of Honor

James Fulbright

James Fulbright’s first introduction to fannish activities was gaming.  He met a new friend in 1978, who owned something called D&D.   James joined his first gaming group that year, and began a long, slow decent into a larger world.

Through gaming, James met up with some folks who convinced him to attend StellarCon 8.  He had such great time interacting with the fans at the convention that he began attending meetings of StellarCon’s parent organization, the Science Fiction Fantasy Federation.  He was an active member of that group for 25 years.  

Interacting with fans also introduced James to another fannish pursuit, running conventions.  Most of his con-running experience has been with StellarCon, where he’s been the Con Manager (same thing as a Con Chair), Marketing Director, Operations Manager,… basically, he was involved in the running the con on one level or another from 1983-2007, when he finally said “enough,” and retired. 

In addition to his involvement with StellarCon, James has worked VIP Registration at DragonCon, has served as the Assistant Programming Director for RavenCon, was part of the founding board of ConCarolinas, served on the BidCom for DeepSouthCon 46, and served as an advisor for the founding board of Trinoc-coN. 

As one might expect, attending conventions also led to costuming, more specifically, pirate costuming. James has been the captain of the Greensboro chapter of the Buccaneers of the Atlantic Coast since 1999.  As part of that group, he gives historical lectures on the Golden Age of Piracy, participates in events for children and performs stage combat routines with his crew.

Tera Fulbright

Tera Fulbright has been a fan of the SF genre since first reading C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia in the 4th grade.  Her experiences and interests range from costuming (Star Wars and Pirates, predominately) and stage combat to running conventions to writing.  Her first short story, “History in the Making” was published in the anthology Rum & Runestones by Dragon Moon Press in April 2010 and her next story for the follow up anthology has also been accepted.

Along with her husband, James, she has helped run conventions such as StellarCon and RavenCon for over 15 years.  Serving twice as the Convention Manager for Stellarcon, she also held the role of Programming and Guest Director for several years.   At Ravencon, she held the position of Programming Director for two years before returning it to the original founder, Tony Ruggiero.  She worked for one year at Dragoncon before deciding that it was much more fun to attend!  In addition, she served on the bid committee for the Charlotte Worldcon and was a member of the original board for ConCarolinas.

She was an active member of SF3 as both a UNCG student and as an honorary member, holding positions such as Social Coordinator, Public Relations Coordinator and President.

Tera is a founding member and the current quartermaster of the Lightning’s Hand, the most active ship in the Buccaneers of the Atlantic Coast, a pirate re-enactment group.  She has been responsible for coordinating events such as Pirates Day at the Natural History Museum in Raleigh and Pirates Weekend for the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

In her non-fandom life, Tera works as the Employee Relations Coordinator for Unifi Manufacturing, Inc.  And in what, admittedly limited, spare time she has, she enjoys miniature painting, playing D&D, reading and spending time with her husband and daughter at their home in Greensboro, NC.

Special Writing Guest

Michael A. Stackpole

Special Writing Guest

Michael Z. Williamson

Michael Z. Williamson was born in the UK, raised there, in Canada and in the US, and enlisted in the military before his citizenship was finalized.  He served 25 years Air Force and Army, Active and National Guard, deploying for Operation Desert Fox and OIF.  He is the author of 11 novels, dozens of short works, hundreds of technical and satirical articles, and is Editor At Large for Survivalblog.  He has also consulted on firearms and the military for Outdoor Channel and Discovery Channel productions, and tests and reviews firearms, gear and accessories for major manufacturers.  This enables him to keep working on his own private arms race with Bermuda, since surpassing the entire nation of Barbados in firepower.  When not writing, he likes to forge blades, repair and restore firearms and attend fine SF conventions.  He's best known for the Freehold universe novels, and stories of the Ripple Creek Executive Protection Division.  His wife Gail is an Army combat photographer and value added paper pusher, who occasionally collaborates on stories with him.  They have two kids and several cats who can probably kick your butt.  He appreciates fine Scotch.

Special Fan Guests

Albin Johnson

In 1997 Albin Johnson was coping with the loss of a leg from a car accident when he heard the news that the Star Wars trilogy was set to be re-released worldwide. Finding inspiration in the movies they loved since childhood, he and a friend set out to acquire the armor of their favorite character in the films, the Imperial Stormtrooper, just in time to appear at the movie premieres. Public response was so strong that Albin launched a website showcasing his armor and before long Stormtroopers from around the world started calling. The sight of so many dedicated troopers prompted him to recall his father's tales of WWII and the camaraderie he shared with his fellow pilots. So Albin created a fictional Imperial unit named the 501^st Legion, whose back-story detailed service to Darth Vader himself, and re-launched the website as a gallery for displaying pictures of his fellow costumers in the role of heroic soldiers.

Over night the 501^st, which Albin nick-named "Vader's Fist", became a Star Wars sensation among fans and in thirteen years grew to over 5,000 members in 43 countries. Today the 501^st has been featured in books, movies, and toys and the unit is now a recognized part of the Star Wars universe. The Legion works closely with Lucasfilm and its partners on projects large and small. The Legion's local units, called Garrisons, volunteer in their communities and engage regularly in charity work. In 2007 George Lucas invited 200 of the 501^st Legion to march as his personal honor guard in the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade. Today the group continues to spread the magic of Star Wars at product releases, conventions, children's hospitals, and charity events.

Albin has also started a version of the 501^st for children and young adults, called the Galactic Academy. The Academy website showcases pictures of young fans who want to get in on the fun. And in 2006, following the death of his daughter Katie from brain cancer, Albin's family was honored by another Star Wars club, the R2 Builders, when they answered Katie's wish to have a pink version of R2-D2 named after her. R2-KT was born, and soon after she was inducted as an actual character in the Star Wars universe when she appeared in the series Clone Wars. Today "KT" travels the country appearing at events, raising awareness of pediatric illnesses, and spreading joy to Star Wars fans everywhere.

To learn more, be sure to visit the 501^st Legion website at www.501st.com, the Galactic Academy at www.galactic-academy.com, and R2-KT's website at www.r2kt.com.

R2-KT

R2-KT was created in 2005 by Jerry Greene, master droid builder, with the help of the R2 Builders Group. She was built in honor of one very brave little girl named Katie Johnson who had brain cancer. It was Katie's wish to have a pink robot like R2-D2 from Star Wars, so Jerry and the R2 Builders Group worked very hard and created a one-of-a-kind droid named R2-KT (which sounds like R2-Katie).

R2-KT's mission is to entertain children, raise awareness of pediatric cancer, and raise money for such charities as Make-A-Wish and Children's Cancer Fund. Her allies include the 501st Legion Star Wars costuming club, Zig the Pig (mascot for the Children's Chance) and the Palmetto Richland Children's Hospital.

Guests

T. Glenn Bane (gaming) - Author, artist and game designer, T. Glenn Bane is a winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award for book cover and book design for his horror cover and design of Ivy Cole and the Moon. He is the producer of the stock art series, Little Buck's Fantastic Visions.

Founder of Scaldcrow Games, he created, wrote, and illustrated The Dark Fantasy of Sundrah RPG, Core Rulebook, and Heroes Assemble Core Rulebook, as well as: Laughing Boy, Arcane Mysticism, The Town of Hokum, Dragonfall, and The Continent of Goron Talteth, Town of Alliancia, and Alliancian Companion.

Bane currently resides in North Carolina.

Theresa Bane (writer) - Vampirologist, Theresa Bane has been featured on Discovery Channels’ “Twisted History: Vampires” as well as E!’s “10 Sexiest Vampires” for her knowledge and expertise on the undead. She is the author of “The Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology,” “Actual Factual: Dracula,” “Haunted Historic Greensboro,” and “Folklore and Ghost Stories of the Piedmont, North Carolina.” When not writing, Bane travels educating audiences about the differences between traditional mythology and horror fiction. Originally from the NY/NJ area, she currently resides in North Carolina. Please feel free to visit her website at www.theresabane.net

Diana Bastine (writer) - Diana Bastine is an author and editor from Wilmington, NC. Her first YA fantasy novel, The Source, was published by Helm Publishing in 2010. She has completed the sequel and a rough draft of the third -- and at this time -- final volume in the series. Diana recently started her first foray into steampunk with a novel (very loosely) based on the life of 'Mother' Jones, the famed 19th-century labor organizer.

Davey Beauchamp (writer/podcaster/editor) - Davey is the creator of the Writers for Relief anthonlogy series, the Agency 32 series and the Amazing Pulp Adventures Podcast along with Podcastings Rich Sigfrit. When he isn't writing he is getting his Masters of Library and Information Science Degree from UNCG and works at the Lexington Public Library in Davidson County as their Teen Specialist and Technology Guru. visit the podcast at - Pulpadventures.net

Chris Berman (writer/academic) - Chris Berman writes books at the speed of light, or so it seems...His most recent novel, Star Pirates, was created in less than three months. Chris grew up indulging in the reading of science fiction books and gained an opportunity to create one of his own, after a bicycle accident. His first novel, The Hive, was released in 2009, followed by Red Moon in 2010. A new novel, Das Bell, is under review by a major publisher. Berman’s background in astronomy and spaceflight strengthened his work while he took major leaps in creativity between each book he has written. Chris’s writing defies a set style in creating novels of hard science fiction, techno-thrillers, and alternate history, with each work of fiction, a unique literary adventure. His most recent accomplishments were receiving a Masters Degree in Military History from Norwich University, in Vermont in June of this year and his thesis on women combat pilots of the Soviet Red Air Force in WWII.

Danny Birt (writer/editor) - Danny has been a contributing author to many SFF publications, and is also an editor for small-press publisher Cyberwizard Productions. His most recent book ""Between a Roc and a Hard Place"" won The National Parenting Center’s 2010 Seal of Approval, Creative Child Magazine's 2010 Seal of Excellence, and was named one of Dr. Toy's Best Picks of 2010.

His filk albums “Warped Children’s Songs” and “Od-Ditties” have been featured on radio and online programs such as The Dr. Demento Show and The Funny Music Project.

Danny is now a college faculty member in eastern North Carolina.

Chad Bowser (writer/gaming) - Chad Bowser writes horror fiction and role-playing games for fun and profit. He is the co-author of Cthulhu Invictus, winner of the 2010 Golden Geek award for Best RPG Supplement.

Jaysen Buterin, Mad Ones Films (media) - Mad Ones Films is a straight jacket-tested, doctor-approved independent filmmaking company located deep in the heart of the Devil's Triad, well, technically the Piedmont Triad, and more specifically Greensboro, North Carolina… but c’mon, which one sounds cooler?

Mad Ones Films specialises in character-focused, dialogue-driven genre-juggling films. Everything from Faustian rock & roll thrillers to supernatural noir, surreal and dark comedies to Zombie Service Announcements, even Shakespearean spaghetti westerns. As the inmates running the cinematic asylum have proven time and time again, the “Mad Ones” have a fondness for the cynical, a proclivity for the profound and the profane, and a love for the salacious and the shadows that lurk in the minds and souls of sinners and saints alike.

Led by its diabolically devilish Creative Director (and Rob Zombie/Chris Robinson/Jesus-lookalike), Jaysen P. Buterin, Mad Ones Films is bringing their latest project of bombastically biblical badass proportions to the big screen. Based off their award-ignored 2007 short film, this cinematic second coming is part Tarantino, part Twilight Zone, and all Mad Ones! A sin-filled short-film thrill-ride of a trilogy, “The Gospel According to Booze, Bullets & Hot Pink Jesus” is the cinematic second coming of the saviour of bad behaviour! Don’t miss Act III of the HPJ Trilogy, “Have Faith, Will Travel” when it world premieres in early 2012. Hallelujah!

Marilynn Byerly (writer) - Marilynn is published in multiple genres and nonfiction with five novels in print as well as an anthology, short stories, and articles on writing and publishing. She writes romance, science fiction romance, science fiction adventure, mystery, suspense, and fantasy.

She has been named an outstanding achiever in romance by a major romance magazine, and an author to watch by another. Her novels have won a Sapphire Award, the National Reader's Choice Award, the Affaire de Coeur Award, and a Write Touch Award among others.

Marilynn's two passions are writing and teaching. With a BA and MA in English with an emphasis on fictional structure and literary analysis, she has taught writing, given seminars, judged numerous international, national, and regional writing contests, reviewed books, and written articles on writing which have appeared in trade publications, national magazines, and writing websites.

Michael D'Ambrosio (writer) - Michael hails from the Philadelphia area, graduating from Widener with a B.S. in Technical & Industrial Administration and Delaware County Community College with an A.A.S. in Electronic Technology. He has several science fiction/fantasy/horror novels published. After the release of his Fractured Time Trilogy, he began adapting screenplays from his books with help from several industry professionals. He attributes much of his creativity to experiences in the Middle East and Europe as well as his technical background in aircraft weaponry and nuclear generation.

Michael enjoys public appearances at conventions around the country while promoting his books. His goal is to see one of his scripts made into a successful motion picture project. Details of his work and appearances are listed on his website at www.fracturedtime.com.

Glenda Finkelstein (writer/media) - Glenda C. Finkelstein is a student of history, astronomy, geology, and art. She is a woman of faith and family, living in Florida with her husband, daughter, and two precocious felines.. Her words are full of energy and passion deliberately seeking to not only provide an escape from reality, but to challenge and encourage her readers. During the past decade her life has taken many turns, and has granted her opportunities in television, radio, acting for voice/film, writing screenplays, and tackling the role of associate producer for film and radio. All of these have provided challenges, and sweet rewards.

Tony Finkelstein (media) - Tony has a background in music being one of Tampa Bay's top ten drummers during the late sixties opening for such acts as Hendrix, Joplin, etc. He went on summer tour with The Rascals, He's also had experience in filmaking, theater, and make-up. He was in a couple of grade Z movies with the late John Carradine as a teen. Tony has been a convention booking agent for such people as Noel Neill (the original Lois Lane), Kenny Miller, ( I Was A Teenage |Werewolf) and others. he's the Executive Producer for Final Destiny Productions and has been involved with every aspect of making, "Perfect Copy." He's done casting, props, make-up, location scout, continuity, and acts, portraying Judge Jacob Wilcox.

Barbara Friend Ish (writer/editor/publisher) - Barbara Friend Ish is Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, and Wild-Eyed Visionary for Mercury Retrograde Press: a small press dedicated to unconventional authors and works that might undeservedly slip through the cracks at bigger houses. Books edited by Barbara have been covered by Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Locus Magazine, and print and electronic outlets worldwide. She has been featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Library Journal and has appeared at SF/F conventions across the southeast, mid-Atlantic, and mountain states.

Barbara’s debut novel, The Shadow of the Sun, appeared in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Locus and has been nominated for the 2012 Compton Crook Award. Information on this and other Mercury Retrograde Press books is available at www.MercuryRetrogradePress.com.

Teresa Frohock (writer) - Raised in a small town, Teresa Frohock learned to escape to other worlds through the fiction collection of her local library. Although Teresa has been reading fantasy and science fiction since she was twelve, her fascination with the grotesque extends back into childhood. Whenever she went to a carnival, she was the first one at the tent that housed the freak-show. She wanted to see the two-headed (chicken, snake, fetus, fill-in-the-blank) and was always disappointed when it wasn’t alive—it seemed like such a rip-off.

She eventually moved away from Reidsville and lived in Virginia and South Carolina before returning to North Carolina, where she currently resides with her husband and daughter. Teresa has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying.

Miserere: An Autumn Tale is her debut novel.

Dave Harlequin (editor) - Dave Harlequin has emerged as an established young face in both the horror/paranormal genre, and the entertainment/publishing business. With more than 10 years of experience in entertainment, and lifetime of fandom and self-proclaimed "geekery", there isn’t much this young man hasn’t done.

From working with several independent bands and performance groups, to touring as an underground club/party DJ, and working as a freelance journalist, he has been featured in countless television, radio, and print publications worldwide. Harlequin currently acts as Vice President of horror-themed Graveyard Girls Entertainment, as well as Editor in Chief of both their flagship print publication: "Stiff Magazine" and independent webzine: "Box-13 Magazine."

John G. Hartness (writer) - John G. Hartness is the author of the urban fantasy series The Black Knight Chronicles as well as the Return to Eden contemporary fantasy series. A SC native, John now lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife Suzy. An award-winning poet as well as novelist, John is a past President of the Charlotte Writers' Club and a 2009 Pushcart Prize nominee.

Laura Haywood-Cory (editor) - Laura Haywood-Cory has been some flavor of editor or proofreader off and on since her first job after college, which was proofreading yellow page listings for a phone book company. She's been involved in science fiction fandom since the mid-1980s. She has managed two sf conventions, co-founded a local sf club, and now participates in the Southern Fandom Press Alliance.

In 2008, her career path finally melded with her hobbies when she joined the team at Baen Books where she's an Associate Editor and is as happy a cat in a pile of catnip.

J. L. Hilton (writer) - J. L. Hilton is a storyteller and jewelsmith whose sci-fi romantic thriller STELLARNET REBEL is coming from Carina Press in 2012. Her original jewelry designs are featured in the books STEAMPUNK STYLE JEWELRY and 1000 STEAMPUNK CREATIONS. Actively involved in the local Browncoat community, in 2006 she led the effort to include Raleigh in the worldwide Can’t Stop the Serenity charity screenings of Joss Whedon’s movie. In 2009, she won the Andrew Britton short story competition for her fantasy novelette WREN & WOOD: OAK MOON.

Stuart Jaffe (writer/podcaster) - Stuart Jaffe is the author of The Malja Chronicles (The Way of the Black Beast and The Way of the Sword and Gun) a post-apocalyptic fantasy series, as well as the short story collection, 10 Bits of My Brain. Numerous other short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies. He is the co-host of The Eclectic Review -- a podcast about science, art, and well, everything. For those who keep count, the latest animal listing is as follows: five cats, one albino corn snake, one Brazilian black tarantula, three aquatic turtles, one tortoise, assorted fish, two lop-eared rabbits, eight chickens, and a horse. Thankfully, the chickens and the horse do not live inside the house.

Dan Johnson (writer) - Dan Johnson has written for a number of publications about comics, horror, science fiction and pop culture in general, including Alter Ego, Back Issue, Comic Book Marketplace, Con-Tour, Filmfax, Hogan's Alley, Monster Memories, Monster News and Scary Monsters Magazine, as well as the online publications Monster Kid and Monster News Online.

Dan’s first graphic novel, Herc and Thor, was published by Antarctic Press in 2006. In early 2007, he joined the Campfire Comics writing staff and has written several adaptations of classic novels for the company, including Robinson Crusoe, Oliver Twist and The Jungle Book. His first original project for the company, Sinbad: The Legacy, was released in early 2012. Besides working for Campfire Comics, Dan is a regular contributor to the Dennis the Menace comic strip and his first project from Viper Comics is being prepared for publication at this time.

Paula Jordan (writer/scientist) - Got my first science fiction book when I was seven. Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck go to the moon. Thanks Dad. Soon the lady at the library showed me bigger books, with rocket ships on the spines. Thank you, Miss Duckworth. Then I got to fly some rocket ships myself. Well, science and weather satellites. Along with LOTS of other folks at NASA. Talk about a thrill!

Now, about the writing. A lot of other stuff got pounded into the keyboard on my way to science fiction, but I am finally back to my roots. Two stories sold to Analog, The Gift of Unbinding, May 2001, and Two Look at Two, April 2011. Thank you, Dr. Schmidt. And now there’s a blog, and a novel in the works. Wish me luck!

Nicole Givens Kurtz (writer) - Author, publisher, educator, and reader, Nicole Givens Kurtz has been writing since she could stay up late to watch television. This humble scribbler of tales writes short fiction and novels, and publishes all those in between. Quirky, dark, and all things speculative, discover her and her publishing company online at mochamemoirspress.com.

Cheralyn Lambeth (writer/media) - Cheralyn Lambeth is a professional prop, costume, and puppet builder/performer whose work includes multiple feature films (The Muppet Christmas Carol, Leatherheads, Evan Almighty) TV shows (Dinosaurs!, Homeland) and various interactive properties (Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton.) She also writes nonfiction "ghost story" books with Schiffer Publishing.

Kelly Lockhart (Kelly Lockhart) - Kelly Lockhart is a familiar face to conventions, having been involved with them for over twenty years. Among his many fan activities, he founded and still maintains the popular Southern Fandom Resource Guide convention calendar website, has served on the board of several conventions over the years running everything from Art Shows to Masquerades to Computer Gaming rooms, co-founded a WorldCon bid, is on the committee for the 2010 Raleigh NASFiC, is part of a multiple award-winning Chattanooga-based costuming group, and for the past two decades years has overseen the popular Robot Battles competitions across the country.

Steve S. Long (gaming) - Steven S. Long’s been involved in the gaming industry for nearly twenty years, during which time he’s written, co-written, edited, or developed nearly 150 books. He's worked for numerous RPG companies, and is best known for his work as HERO System Line Developer (2001-2011), during which he oversaw the publication of the 5th and 6th Edition rulebooks for the HERO System and related supplements.

Misty Massey (writer) - Misty Massey is the author of Mad Kestrel (Tor Books), a rollicking fantasy adventure of magic on the high seas. Misty is one of the featured writers on the Magical Words.net writer’s blog. When she’s not writing, she studies Middle Eastern dance and is a member of the Carolina Renaissance Faire’s troupe, the Jewels of the Caravan. Misty’s short fiction has appeared in Rum and Runestones (Dragon Moon Press) and Dragon’s Lure (Dark Quest Books). A sequel to Mad Kestrel, Kestrel’s Dance, is in the works.

Jennifer McCollom (media) - Jennifer has been a regular guest with Stellarcon especially since she graduated UNCG with a BA in Theatre and a minor in Physics and was a member of SF3 while at school. She is a professional make-up artist and IATSE local 798 member. She started out helping friends in KAG by making better Klingon headpieces, and then went on to get more effects training at Westmore make-up academy in LA and is taking Dick Smith's make-up course. Her first film was Taking Liberty in Winston Salem, and has also worked on June Bug, John Adams, Taledega Nights, and most recently Homeland for Showtime and The Hunger Games comming out in March.

Karen McCullough (writer) - Karen McCullough is the author of eleven published novels in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres. She's won numerous awards, including an Eppie Award for fantasy. Her short fiction has appeared in several anthologies and small press publications. Her most recent novel releases are MAGIC, MURDER AND MICROCIRCUITS, a paranormal mystery/suspense novel now available in most electronic formats, and A GIFT FOR MURDER, published in hardcover by Five Star/Gale Group Mysteries. Her one and only vampire story, A VAMPIRE’S CHRISTMAS CAROL, will release shortly. She invites visitors to check out her home on the web at http://www.kmccullough.com

Andi Newton (writer/gaming) - Andi Newton is a freelance writer and editor. She has published horror and fantasy fiction in magazines such as The Willows and Tales of the Talisman. Andi has also written for role-playing games, including Call of Cthulhu and Victoriana. She co-wrote Cthulhu Invictus, which won the 2010 RPG Golden Geek Award for Best RPG Supplement of the year. Andi and her co-author, Chad Bowser, followed that up by releasing the Cthulhu Invictus Companion in 2011.

Christine Parker (media) - Christine Parker wrote and produced a short film Second Death that led to her producing, writing, and directing the prequel. It became her first feature, Forever Dead. Her next feature was a zombie western, Fistful of Brains. Both Forever Dead and Fistful of Brains are under distribution with Brain Damage Films. A Few Brains More, her third feature, is the sequel to Fistful of Brains. Set in 1973 , it is one crazy hippie, zombie, acid tripping tale.

Her company The Adrenalin Group endeavors to help their fellow film makers realize their dreams of making a movie. Adrenalin recently completed two other short films. Loneliness directed by Parker and written by Alan Watkins, and Perception written and directed by Michael Ray Williams on which she was the cinematographer.

Visit Christine’s YouTube channel to see Adrenalin’s latest trailers. http://www.youtube.com/cpparker2

You can also find the Adrenalin Group on Facebook.

Greg Porter (gaming) - President and creative monomaniac behind the Blacksburg Tactical Research Center, a small game company operating out of a solar powered geodesic dome on a remote mountaintop in the wilds of southwest Virginia (antisocial little cuss, ain't he?). He is the designer of the EABA and TimeLords role-playing systems, along with freelance work for GURPS, Hero System, Blue Planet, Sovereign Stone and Traveller. However, he will be haunted to his grave by being only remembered as the creator of the tasteless and award-winning Macho Women with Guns rpg. He will be playtesting of a number of card and board game titles in development at StellarCon, on topics from pillage-happy Vikings to zombie incursions to bizarre cults of personality. Something for the whole family.

Stella Price (writer/artist) - Stella Price has been a model, tour manager, barrista and a retail slave, but found her calling in the dual job of both writer and graphic designer. Co author of over 24 novels and 15 short stories, Stella writes with her sister and best friend, Audra, who lives in Scotland.They are the authors of the only series ever created about Weresnakes, proving that Snakes can be SSSexy. As a graphic designer, she is a award winning cover artist that has worked with several publishers including Mundania Press, Snuff Books, Loose id, Sourcebooks and Phaze books. You can visit her and her sister at www.stellaandaudra.com

Stephen Mark Rainey (writer/editor) - Stephen Mark Rainey is author of the novels BALAK, THE LEBO COVEN, DARK SHADOWS: DREAMS OF THE DARK (with Elizabeth Massie), THE NIGHTMARE FRONTIER, and BLUE DEVIL ISLAND; over 90 published works of short fiction; five short-fiction collections; and several audio dramas for Big Finish Productions based on the Dark Shadows TV series, featuring several original cast members. For ten years, he edited the award-winning DEATHREALM magazine, and he has edited anthologies for Chaosium, Arkham House, and Delirium Books. He currently lives in Greensboro. Visit Mark's website at www.stephenmarkrainey.com.

Gray Rinehart (writer/editor) - Gray Rinehart is the "Slushmaster General" for Baen Books and a writer/editor for the Industrial Extension Service at NC State University. His fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction & Fact, Redstone Science Fiction, and Tales of the Talisman, and is forthcoming in Asimov's Science Fiction.

Gray retired from the United States Air Force after a rather odd career. He fought rocket propellant fires, refurbished space launch facilities, "flew" Milstar satellites, drove trucks, processed nuclear command and control orders, and commanded the Air Force's largest satellite tracking station ... among other things.

Gray's alter ego is the Gray Man, one of several famed ghosts of South Carolina's Grand Strand. His web site is http://www.graymanwrites.com.

James Roberts (special effects) - James Roberts (known on the Internet as jwrjr) is a freelance designer and programmer of electronics specializing in lighting effects and recently, sound for models, props, and the occasional costume. He has been building models for many years, and installing lights in them for the last 25 of those years. Since single-chip computers became inexpensive, using them allows him to create much more elaborate displays. If somebody shows a lighting effect in a movie or television show, he can build it for use in a model. He mostly works for professional and near-pro modelers (including a couple of Special-Effects shops), but he will build for almost anybody. The reason for this is simple: He welcomes challenges and ideas that he had not thought of before.

Speaker to Lab Animals (writer/scientist) - Dr. Tedd ("Speaker to Lab Animals") Roberts is a research scientist in the field of neuroscience: the study of the brain and its function. His research for the past 30 years has concentrated on how the brain encodes information about the outside world, how that information is represented by the electrical and chemical activity of brain cells, and the means by which that information results in movement and behavior. Accomplishing these goals has taken him into the various scientific fields of physiology, pharmacology, psychology, electronics, physics, prosthetics, engineering and computer science.

Janine K. Spendlove (writer) - Janine K. Spendlove graduated from Brigham Young University in 1999 with a BA in History Teaching. An avid pilot, she also enjoys reading, running, and playing Beatles tunes on her guitar. She currently resides with her husband Ron, and their two dogs Merrick and Lady in Maryland. Her first novel, War of the Seasons, Book One: The Human, was published in June 2011, and she’s had two short stories previously published in anthologies. She is currently at work on her second novel. Find out more at www.ailionora.com

Amy H. Sturgis (writer/podcaster/academic) - Amy H. Sturgis has a Ph.D. in intellectual history and is an award-winning scholar of science fiction/fantasy studies and Native American studies. The author of four books and editor of another five, Sturgis also contributes the regular "Looking Back on Genre History" segment to the Hugo Award-winning podcast StarShipSofa. Her most recent publications include essays in the collections The Philosophy of Joss Whedon (2011), Fringe Science: Parallel Universes, White Tulips and Mad Scientists (2011), and Star Trek in History (2012), as well as her new edited edition of the nineteenth-century gothic novel, The Demon of Brockenheim; or The Magic Ring (2012).

Anthony Taylor (writer) - Anthony Taylor is the author of Arctic Adventure!, an official Thunderbirds™ novel based on the iconic British television series by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. He’s also written Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: The Complete Series – Volume 2, which includes reprints of the classic Gold Key comic book stories and The Future was FAB: The Art of Mike Trim, chronicling artist Mike Trim’s career designing models and special effects for Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, and illustrating the cover for Jeff Wayne’s musical War of the Worlds album.

Allegra Torres (model/artist/media) - Allegra, (best known as "The Chainmail Chick", for fairly obvious reasons) is a model/artist/actress and a geek-of-all-trades who got her start working with award-winning fantasy artist Alan Welch, who introduced her to the finer things in life...conventions, renaissance faires....and chainmail bikinis! (Because functional armor is for sissies.) Not wanting to limit herself to impractical medieval armor, The Chainmail Chick has gone on to accumulate a wardrobe of impractical fantasy armor and impractical science fiction armor.

She currently attends conventions and events all over the East Coast and Midwest as a model, booth girl, and guest, and has won numerous costume contests. The Chainmail Chick has done dance performances, photo shoots, fashion shows, voice over work, commercials, and even a few films with groups such as Beat Down Boogie. In addition, she is an avid photoshop artist and creates many of her own prints. Her current projects include producing a geek girl calendar "The League of Extraordinary Lady Nerds", featuring talented cosplayers she's met in her convention travels; a Star Wars fan film with Drache Media Films, and a lead role in the film "My Date with Nadia." The Chainmail Chick is usually preceded by the sound of jingling metal and accompanied by her faithful Pikachu bookbag (whom she has had since age 10 and is now sorely in need of a bath).

Toni Weisskopf (publisher/editor/writer) - Toni Weisskopf Reinhardt is the publisher of Baen Books. Under the name T.K.F. Weisskopf with Josepha Sherman she compiled and annotated the definitive volume of subversive children’s folklore, Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts, published by August House. A graduate of Oberlin College with a degree in anthropology, she is the mother of a delightful daughter.

Michael Ray Williams (media) - After graduating High School Michael got into film work for about four years with a few different groups in Raleigh. In addition he started bolstering his skill list with theatre workshops and various classes; from "Accent and Dialects", "Stage Combat", and "Comedia del Arte Physicality". Recently Michael has returned to the stage; working for several community theatre groups around Alamance County. Some of his theate credits include "Ernst Ludwig" in Cabaret, "John Proctor" in The Crucible, and "Frederic" in The Pirates of Penzance. Recently he played the role of "Jack" with the Adrenaline Groups production of "A Few Brains More: Summer of Blood" and with the same group he wrote and directed the short film "Perception". One notable project he was involved with recently was a Live theatrical production of Joss Whedon's "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog" with Burlington's League of Extraordinary Thespians. In the show he was cast as the good Doctor himself.

Allen Wold (writer) - Allen Wold was born in south-western Michigan, where he began writing teeny little stories when he discovered an old portable typewriter. He finished high school in Tucson, Arizona, and graduated fron Pomona College, in Claremont, California, where he later met his wife, Diane. They married in 1972, and moved to North Carolina, where he began his career as a full time writer. In 1986, he became a full time father, writing when he could make the time. In 2003, he became a full time writer again, when his daughter, Darcy, went off to college, also at Pomona.

He has published nine novels (has written several more, most of which will never see print, thank God), several short stories (mostly for the Elf Quest anthologies), five non-fiction books on computers (he's completely self-taught, and it probably shows), and a number of articles, columns, reviews, and so forth, also concerning computers (written in language even he can understand).

Currently, Allen has an epic heroic fantasy (3000 pages, 800,000 words) with an editor; a vampire (no twinklies) in submission, a bizarre haunted house story that is far too long, a haunted village story, also too long, and other projects in hand.

Allen has been running his version of a writer's workshop at various conventions for more than twenty five years, and has had some success, since several people have not only finished but sold stories started in the workshop.

Allen is a member of SFWA.