Programming


Our Guidebook is available to download: https://guidebook.com/g/nUK0GxJgGK/

Note: Board game and video gaming rooms have open gaming whenever they are open; it is not listed separately on this schedule.


 
Friday
 
Atrium
 
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Hula Hoop Jam
Come out and let your inner child play. There will be hula hoops to use or you can bring your own. Other toys welcome too. All levels and ages of hoopers welcome, Patches has a pretty good track record of getting people to hoop who swore they couldn't. Music will be selections from the videogaming room's Crypt of the Necrodancer collection.
Sonya Gross
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Waltzing for Dummies
A waltz lesson for total beginners (experienced welcome too). Learn country waltz, the easiest waltz ever! If you can walk, you can learn this waltz and will be dancing by the end of the lesson. Dance to a wide variety of traditional and modern music. Smooth-soled shoes suggested.
Susan de Guardiola
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Concert: Tom Smith
Fandom's Fastest Filker entertains you with song and story.
8:00 PM - 11:45 PM     Time Travelers' Social
Highlights of this event include costumes, live music featuring channel Volatile, dancing with Susan de Guardiola, food, and games. You can choose to come in quietly or have your costume/persona announced at the Stonehenge arch before entering. Start time is wibbly-wobbly.
Carl Cipra,  Susan de Guardiola,  channel Volatile,  Other Bands
 
Greenspring 1
 
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Survey of New GLBTQ Books
An overview of notable books and stories published in 2015 which feature GLBTQ characters, settings, issues, or societies.
Don Sakers,  Carl Cipra (M),  Nickie Jamison,  Pam Smith
**ROOM CHANGE**
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     The Business of Writing: An Introduction
Open to all authors wishing to start, or jump-start, their writing careers. Whether you're an independent, hybrid, or traditionally published author, come get the lowdown on such topics as: Do I really need to incorporate? If so, what "flavor" of company should I set up, and how do I go about taking the plunge? What is an ISBN, how do I get one, and how many will I really need? What is an Imprint and how do I establish one for my books? Print and e-book layout, cover design, editing, and other production details: DIY versus contracting professional service providers. The care and feeding of the author's brand, in person as well as online.
Kim Headlee
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Reading: Tamora Pierce
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Winning Board Games Frequently, Reliably, and Impressively
In this session, Team Double Shuffle will discuss universal strategies for achieving more frequent and memorable victories in your games.
Team Double Shuffle
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM     Women in Camelot
Our panelists discuss the role of women in the various Arthurian sources, both historical and modern.
Heather Dale,  Cathy Hird (M),  Lisa Padol,  Kim Headlee,  Heather Rose Jones
10:30 PM - 2:00 AM     Bardic Circle
Join us for an open sharing circle of music, poetry, story and song. At other conventions, this might be called a "filk sing", but here at Chessiecon, we like to be a little different. Depending on the mood of the circle, it might be a "strict bardic" -- or it might be substantially more chaotic.
 
Greenspring 2
 
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Alien Language Q&A, Led by The Klingon Guy
Aliens. How can authors better walk the tightrope between making them sound understandable while at the same time keeping their language, well, alien. Lawrence M. Schoen, author, former professor of psycholingustics, and founder of the Klingon Language Institute, will help you make some sense of it all.
Lawrence M. Schoen
**ROOM CHANGE**
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Getting Young Readers Interested
The lasting importance of the Harry Potter books may be that they turned so many young people on to reading. What made them so enticing? In this age of multi-media, instant gratification, and video games, how do we keep the younger generation engaged with books?
Tamora Pierce,  Don Sakers (M),  Intisar Khanani,  Mary Fan,  Ursula Vernon
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Disability and the Starship
Science fiction rarely includes disabled characters; why not? What does disability look like in space? How does space change the social and political perception of disability? Let's talk about works including disabled characters -- like Star Trek: TNG and Battlestar Galactica-- and what the embodiment of disability at the final frontier might look like. As authors, fans, and readers, how can we increase the representation of disability in space, and do it well?
Tom Smith,  Cathy Hird,  Karen MacLeod,  D. Glenn Arthur,  Jan Whiteley (M)
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     The Art of Bad Science: Preparing for Your Turkey Award submission
A carefully crafted Turkey Award submission might include a whole lot of bad science. For example, the winner of last year's Worst Place featured a "proton hydrator". Where is the line between creatively bad science and garbage? How does a good author of bad fiction obliterate that line creatively?
Eileen Martz,  Jeff Gritman,  Steve Kozeniewski,  Carl Cipra (M),  Don Sakers
9:15 PM - 10:15 PM     Getting published in 2015 (and beyond)
Is self-publishing the wave of the future? Or are the publishing houses still where all the talent is? A look at how and where an author might go to get a story published, and how the approaches differ depending on the publishing route.
D.C. McLaughlin,  Don Sakers (M),  Mary Fan,  Steve Kozeniewski
10:30 PM - 11:30 PM     Can BDSM in Speculative Fiction be Feminist?
Transgression is an important part of speculative fiction, and one of the ways to examine that is to investigate human drives. Within the universe of sexuality, one of the most transgressive manifestations is that of BDSM. Can speculative fiction explore BDSM -- or use BDSM to explore speculative fiction -- from a healthier standpoint than what we see in the mainstream? As feminists, is BDSM part of the spectrum of sexuality that we can defend? Let's talk about moving beyond Gor, Anne Rice, and Fifty Shades of Grey in our understanding and depiction of this complex facet of sexuality.
Elektra Hammond (M),  Nickie Jamison,  Pam Smith,  Andi O'Connor
 
Greenspring 3-5
 
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Reading: Seanan McGuire
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM     Signing: Seanan McGuire (through 4:45)
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     You're Almost Finished with NaNoWriMo …Now What?
November is National Novel Writing Month. You're probably nearly finished with your project, so what are you going to do next? Was it a writing exercise to get you started on something else? Something you're going to tear up before you go back to writing short stories? The beginning of a publishable novel? If it's a stepping stone to other things, what's the next step?
Michelle D. Sonnier,  Kelly A. Harmon,  Mary Fan,  Harrison Demchick,  Lee Budar-Danoff (M)
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Different Strategies for Attracting Female Readers
One way of empowering and attracting female readers is to create female characters that stand out, flourishing in a CWM-dominated world that mirrors our own. Another way is to create a world with true equality as an ideal to strive for. What else can you do to get women interested in your work?
TJ Perkins,  Mary Fan (M),  Margaret Carter,  Seanan McGuire,  C.S. (Celia) Friedman
**NEW PANELIST**
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM     Questions From a Hat
Guests and fans discuss answers to questions such as, "What was your first SF/F book?"; "Who would you consider the first SF author?"; "What SF character would you most hate to sit next to on a long flight?"; and others randomly chosen from fan suggestions.
C.S. (Celia) Friedman,  Andi O'Connor (M),  Ursula Vernon,  D.H. Aire,  Steve Kozeniewski,  Seanan McGuire
 
Ridgely 1
 
4:15 PM - 6:15 PM     Learn a Game: Splendor
2-4 players. Splendor has been one of the most popular games in the board gaming community for the last year, and was nominated for the 2014 Spiel des Jahres. This easy to learn yet deeply strategic game casts players as Renaissance merchants attempting to gain prestige through the jewel trade. Hailed as one of a new wave of “gateway games,” Splendor is a perfect game for people curious to explore the flourishing world of strategy board games.
Jim Trigg
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM     Learn a Game: Kingsburg
2-5 players. In Kingsburg, players are Lords sent from the King to administer frontier territories. The resources to build structures and train troops are collected by influencing the advisers in the King's Council. Using an innovative dice-based worker placement mechanic, players can pursue multiple strategies to build their territory and prepare their armies to defend against invasion by any number of evil hordes. At the end of five years, the player who best developed his assigned territory and most pleased the King through the Council is the winner.
Stephen Brinich
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM     Learn a Game: Race for the Galaxy
2-4 players. In Race for the Galaxy, players build galactic civilizations by game cards that represent worlds or technical and social developments. Each turn has a maximum of five phases, but players choose which of them will and won't happen each turn. Explore the galaxy, develop your civilization, settle alien worlds, and manage resources through production, consumption and trade to build the greatest space empire.
Jim Trigg
 
Ridgely 2
 
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Song Circle: Sunlight and / or Shadow
Join Heather Dale as she hosts a theme filk about "Sunlight And/Or Shadow". Got any songs about solar technology? Babylon5 villains? Icarus? Good vs. Evil? Extra bonus points if you manage to include both sun and shadow in the same piece.
Heather Dale
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM     Concert: Lee Budar-Danoff
Voice/guitar duo. An eclectic mix of filk and folk-style music, some covers and some original.
Jon Budar-Danoff
4:45 PM - 5:15 PM     Song Circle: Shabbos Singing Circle
Batya Wittenberg and Merav Hoffman lead us in a kabbalat Shabbos singing circle. (no candle lighting will be offered).
Batya Wittenberg,  Merav Hoffman
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Concert: Heather Dale / Ben Deschamps Teaser Concert
A short, low-key concert by our music Guests of Honor. Come listen and get hooked, then join us for their longer concert on Saturday! (celtic, folk)
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Reading: Danielle Ackley - McPhail
Danielle Ackley-McPhail
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM     Reading: Broad Universe
Broad Universe members read short excerpts of their work to give the audience a quick taste of many different authors.
Roberta Rogow,  Elektra Hammond (M),  Margaret Carter,  Kelly A. Harmon,  Danielle Ackley-McPhail,  Leona Wisoker
9:15 PM - 9:45 PM     Reading: Andi O'Connor
Andi O'Connor will read from her latest book "Awakening". It's the 2nd book The Dragonath Chronicles. The scene takes place about mid-way through the book and features the antagonist, Mionee and her guard, Détaldin. Although she is seen as evil and despicable by most, there are powerful reasons why she became the person she did. In this scene, tensions are high between Mionee and Détaldin. He nags her until she finally snaps and reveals why she made the decisions she did and why she can never accept his friendship. There will be some time for Q/A after.
9:45 PM - 10:15 PM     Reading: Kim Headlee
Kim Headlee will be reading from "King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court," the sequel to Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" and written as if by the old master himself. One of Kim's aims in writing this novel was to explore how two siblings at utter odds with each other came to a point in their relationship where one was willing to sacrifice everything to heal the mortally wounded other. The excerpt Kim has chosen shows a new dynamic in the Arthur-Morgan relationship.
10:30 PM - 11:00 PM     Reading: Don Sakers
11:00 PM - 11:30 PM     Reading: Mary Fan
 
Timonium
 
6:45 PM - 9:00 PM     Videogame: Flashback Friday
The Chessiecon Video Game Room welcomes the evening crowds with a blast to the past, giving games from the mid-90s and older a time to shine. If we don’t have it on cartridge, we might have it on emulator or virtual console, just ask!
9:15 PM - 11:30 PM     Videogame: Dance Dance Revolution
(Playstation 2, rhythm/dance, E for Everyone) - Step on the arrows on the dance pad in time to catchy technopop music. Fun and a good source of exercise! Towels and water will be available. Participants get a free glowstick!
**NEW**
12:00 AM - 1:00 AM     Super Smash Brothers 4 Tournament
Hosted by Daisy Todd. Winner gets a custom-painted GameCube controller.
 
Chesapeake 1-2
 
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Introduction to and History of the Mythic Track
The Mythic track is devoted to both real world religion and fiction which includes religion as part of its plot. It was originally started for exploring the Christian mystic, Kaballistic, and Neo-Pagan backgrounds of the works of Katherine Kurtz and Marion Zimmer Bradley, and has grown every year over the past 25 years. Come discuss how it came to be, what it's all about now, what you can get out of it, and how you can help make it happen in future years.
Charles Butler
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Pagan Prayer Beads Part I: Discussion
Prayer Beads are something that predates Christianity, and are becoming more popular among practitioners of many faiths. In this class we examine the history of prayer beads and how they are used today- including ideas on how to incorporate prayer beads into daily life.
Peggy Thompson
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Setting the Wards
It's time to bless the mythic track room in the hopes that it will be a peaceful, playful, learning environment. Open participation.
Charles Butler
**NEW**
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Wigs 101
The FanDames Initiative discusses many of the basics of wig care, maintenance, buying and styling!
Mikki Marvel,  cassandra kay
9:15 PM - 10:15 PM     Little-Known Goddesses
Let's talk about great goddesses from cultures we don't hear about much in the Western world, and minor ones everywhere who are often overlooked.
TJ Perkins,  Michelle D. Sonnier,  Leona Wisoker,  Cathy Hird (M),  Pam Smith
10:30 PM - 11:30 PM     Tea with the Ancestors
A time to reflect on and discuss those who have passed from your life this year. This is not a memorial service, but a celebration. Come and drink tea or your preferred drink and tell stories of your loved ones and welcome them.
Charles Butler
11:45 PM - 12:45 AM     Healing Service (no incense)
Time to laugh, time to cry, time to heal with others. Come share your gifts. All faiths welcome. No incense.
 
Chesapeake 6
 
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Workshop: Masks for All
Learn to make several designs quickly for a variety of purposes (including adding color to your Time Travelers' Social costume!), then decorate them to add glam and emphasis. This is an introduction to masks for those who know that sizes vary and so do the costumes.
Sue Bowen
6:45 PM - 9:00 PM     Building a World: The Genre Fiction Workshop
You must be registered for this workshop in advance to attend. Information regarding pre-registration will be available at chessiecon.org/programming.html each year.
Harrison Demchick
 
Saturday
 
Atrium
 
10:00 AM - 12:15 PM     Workshop Fair: Demos and Hands-on Craft Workshops
Come to the atrium where people will demo and teach various skills such as spinning, weaving, knitting, beading, chain mail, making mini-top hats, and origami. Feel free to just watch, or try your hand at any of the crafts available. Children welcome!
Loren Damewood,  Sarah Fiedler,  Susan de Guardiola,  Sue Bowen,  Karen O'Donoghue,  Yakira Heistand,  Kirsten Houseknecht,  cassandra kay,  Mikki Marvel
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Signing: Andi O'Connor
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Signing: Lawrence M. Schoen
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Former Clam Get-Together
Join us for an hour of music in the atrium, as some former members of Clam Chowder (and possibly friends) return for an hour of fun.
Kathleen Sobansky,  John Huff,  Bob Esty,  Sue Esty
**NEW PRESENTER**
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM     Renaissance Dance
Come and learn some wonderful dances from the Renaissance and Medieval periods. Partners and fancy garb not required! All dances will be taught. In addition, there will be an open band led by Maugorn - the more musicians the merrier. Dances covered will depend on audience interest but will include some English Country (Gathering Peasecods, New Bo Peep, Rufty Tufty, along with others) and possibly other types of dances such as dances from the Inns of the Court (Black Alman), Bransles, and 15th century Italian dances. Again, don't worry if this list is meaningless; all dances will be taught.
Susan de Guardiola
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Belly Dance Knowledge Exchange
We welcome anyone with any knowledge of a variation of belly dance to share what they know, including folkloric, cabaret, ITS, ATS, or fusion! We encourage participants to bring props, handouts, papers, etc.
Melanie Mansfield
6:45 PM - 8:00 PM     Group Book / Art / CD Signing
Authors, artists, and musicians gather in one room for signing/book-selling/chatting with fans.
Michelle D. Sonnier,  Ursula Vernon,  Steve Kozeniewski,  TJ Perkins,  Cathy Hird,  Heather Rose Jones,  Intisar Khanani,  Kim Headlee,  Cristin Kist,  Jeff Gritman,  Tamora Pierce,  Steve Haug,  Margaret Carter,  Danielle Ackley-McPhail,  D.C. McLaughlin,  Mary Fan,  C.S. (Celia) Friedman,  Tom Smith,  Roberta Rogow,  Lawrence M. Schoen,  Harrison Demchick,  Karen MacLeod,  Seanan McGuire,  Charles Butler,  Vonnie Winslow Crist,  Kelly A. Harmon
8:00 PM - 10:30 PM     Learn a Game: Best on-the-Fly Games
Team Double Shuffle talks about the best games to play when you don't have much time and/or want to play something with people who aren't heavy gamers. They discuss what they like and why, and which games might be a bad idea. After the discussion, stay and learn the games!
Team Double Shuffle
8:00 PM - 10:30 PM     Learn a Game: Wings of Glory
An air combat miniatures game which uses an easy-to-learn, mechanically simple & elegant card selection system. This learn and play is directed at newcomers to the game; but veteran players of Wings of Glory are welcome to serve as flight leaders, coaching the rookies. It is late 1918. The Allied offensive is pushing back the German armies, and a pair of Gotha G-V bombers are attempting to destroy an ammunition dump serving the Allied squadrons. Destruction of the ammo supplies will serve as a serious block to the Allied air effort supporting the ground armies. Stop the Raid! Play the role of an Allied fighter pilot intercepting the raid. -Or- The raid must get through! Play the role of a German fighter pilot escorting the bombers. A prize of an Ares Games 1/144 scale model of LaGuardia's Caproni Ca. 3 (Italian) bomber, and the accessories packaged with it, will be awarded to the most successful rookie player.
Aleksandr Poryshkin
10:30 PM - 11:30 PM     Show Tunes Singalong
Filthy Pierre leads the masses in singing Show Tunes.
Erwin Strauss
11:45 PM - 12:00 AM     Turkey Awards Presentation
"It's like winning a Hugo!!" Ursula Vernon reads the three top (bottom?) Turkey Award entries and presents the Dubious Prizes.
Ursula Vernon
12:00 AM - 12:15 AM     Hallelujah Chorus
A standing feature of ChessieCon, singing the Hallelujah Chorus at midnight on Saturday in the lobby. All are welcome. Voiced for the signing impaired.
Charles Butler
 
Greenspring 1
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Comedy in Science Fiction
Jeff Gritman and Cristin Kist discuss their first experiences in the genre, from the mainstream (Groundhog Day), funny situations (C-3PO walking in on Han and Leia making out), kid's situations (Doctor Two showing up on Sesame Street), and what doesn't work in science fiction comedy (Jar Jar).
Cristin Kist,  Jeff Gritman
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Warships of the Steampunk Era: the Good, the Bad, and the Really Strange Looking
This was a time of great change in warship technology. At the beginning of the 19th century, warships looked like the sailing ship USS Constellation, which you can see in Baltimore harbor. By the end of the steam punk era, they looked like our standard picture of the battleship, familiar from photos of WWI and WWII.
Brent Warner
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Diversity vs. Tokenism in SF / F
Diversity lies in opening ourselves to diverse stories and diverse cultures, not in requiring each story to be populated by diverse characters. On the other hand, a story intended to depict a diverse society that only shows certain elements does a disservice to the ideal of diversity. How do various authors demonstrate diversity, and where do their attempts to do so fail?
Heather Rose Jones,  Carl Cipra (M),  Cathy Hird,  Intisar Khanani,  Mary Fan
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Discussion Group: The Works of Terry Pratchett
Panelists lead the audience in an open discussion.
Kathleen Sobansky,  Ed Sobansky,  Leona Wisoker
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     The Price of Magic
You can't get something out of nothing. What kind of price does magic demand, and why, in your universe?
Tamora Pierce,  TJ Perkins,  Intisar Khanani (M),  Andi O'Connor,  C.S. (Celia) Friedman
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards honor outstanding works of science fiction, fantasy and horror which include significant positive explorations of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender characters, themes, or issues. Join us as The Gaylactic Network presents the 2014/2015 awards.
Rob Gates,  Carl Cipra
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Victorian Engineering: The London Sewer System
One of the most elaborate examples of Victorian engineering is the London Sewer System. If you doubt that this qualifies as "Steampunk", do an internet image search on "Victorian sewage pumping station"; you will find ornate structures that put the fantasies of Verne and Wells to shame. In this talk, Fred Blonder will survey the work of Dr. John Snow, who identified contaminated water as the cause of the cholera epidemic, Joseph Bazalgette, who convinced British Parliament that a sewer system was needed, and Thomas Crapper, who got very wealthy marketing indoor bathroom fixtures, which were quite radical at the time.
Fred Blonder
**ROOM CHANGE**
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Game Show: Fannish Feud
Carl Cipra presides as two teams of fans compete to name the most popular responses to SF/F-oriented survey questions.
Carl Cipra,  Aleksandr Poryshkin, 
8:00 PM - 8:30 PM     Reading: Cristin Kist / Jeff Gritman
Excerpt from Prison Dad vs The Squirrelicane. A hurricane has descended upon the Greater Lehigh Valley. Les, Jed, Franny, and Sarah seek shelter in Jed's trailer from angry red-eyed squirrels that are falling from the sky and wreaking havoc in the trailer park. It's up to our crew to defend the good people of Shady Pines from the menacing claws of these rats with fancy tails. Will they be able to restore order to the trailer park? Or will they be overcome by the Squirrelicane?
8:30 PM - 9:00 PM     Reading: Steve Kozeniewski
Excerpt from Braineater Jones. Named one of the best books of 2013 by World Horror Grandmaster Brian Keene, Braineater Jones is the story of an zombie private eye trying to solve his own murder. Taking place during Prohibition and full of zombies who need alcohol to curb their brainlust, Braineater Jones is part noir mystery, part comedy, and part horror.
**NEW PANELIST**
9:15 PM - 10:15 PM     You Say "Mary Sue" Like it's a Bad Thing...
Whether the author is narrating their tale or the author is a main character in the story, what are the pitfalls, risks, and sheer fun possible from creating a Weird Waldo experience for your audience. What is a Mary Sue/Larry Stu, why are many authors sick of the phrase; how to avoid them, or why are authors no longer concerned with trying to avoid them?
C.S. (Celia) Friedman,  Carl Cipra (M),  Heather Rose Jones,  Harrison Demchick,  Julie Holderman
10:30 PM - 2:00 AM     Bardic Circle
Second verse, same as the first.
 
Greenspring 2
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Reading: Lawrence M. Schoen
An exceprt from his forthcoming novel, Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard.
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Reading: C.S. Friedman
C.S. (Celia) Friedman
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     A survey of Up and Coming Women SF / F Writers
Cristin Kist,  Leona Wisoker,  Nickie Jamison (M)
**NEW**
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Reading: Michelle D. Sonnier
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Authors Collaborating: Are Two Heads Really Better than One?
There's a special magic in combining your skills with that of a partner to create a world different from what either of you could create on your own. But how does that work? What special headaches come from working together? What joys? How do you each add your own voice without stepping on the other?
Margaret Carter,  Leslie Roy Carter,  Cristin Kist,  Jeff Gritman,  Harrison Demchick (M)
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Beyond Sauron: Complex Villains and Questionable Heroes.
In reality, neither good nor evil are found in a pure, unadulterated form. Panelists discuss how this type of simplification can affect our worldview, and present examples of more complex approaches to fictional realities.
Tamora Pierce,  Intisar Khanani,  Don Sakers (M),  Steve Kozeniewski,  Andi O'Connor
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Don't be that Guy: How to Respond Professionally to Criticism
Professionally published stories attract (hopefully constructive) criticism from both editors and fans. This panel will discuss professional and helpful ways to engage with that criticism, and how to avoid being a jerk when you feel like your work has been attacked. We will also have some amusing examples of authors who have failed in this endeavor.
Danielle Ackley-McPhail,  Kim Headlee,  Mary Fan (M),  Harrison Demchick,  Karen MacLeod
**NEW**
10:30 PM - 11:30 PM     MA: Erotica, Kink, and Other Things Your Kids Aren't Allowed to Read
A panel on the challenges of being an erotica writer, and the issue of genre blending: specifically, erotica and s/ff. Overall, both s/ff & erotica have become more accepted, but are certain topics still largely taboo? Some examples might be gender bending, BDSM, or sex-based sexual roles.
Nickie Jamison (M),  Kelly A. Harmon,  Cristin Kist
 
Greenspring 3-5
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Rethinking the Zombie Apocalypse
We often joke about "surviving the zombie apocalypse." Is this just a cover for our anxiety about more likely forms of societal collapse? Some sustainability experts have criticised the zombie apocalypse meme for promoting the idea of survival through exclusion -- keeping out the terrifying "other" -- when we should be building resilient networks through community. What skills might we need for survival in the face of climate change and other real threats, and how do they differ from zombie apocalypse skills?
Elektra Hammond (M),  Harrison Demchick,  Steve Kozeniewski,  Mike McPhail,  Myth Woodling
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Seanan and Ursula Have a Chat (Maybe About Frogs)
Two of our Guests of Honor have a conversation and let you listen in. We have no idea what they'll talk about, but it will be fun!
Seanan McGuire,  Ursula Vernon
**NEW PANELIST**
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Turkey Awards Panel
Writers were asked to write the best terrible paragraph they could write, as the beginning of the best terrible science fiction novel you (n)ever read. Finalist entries will be presented, and judged with humor and harshness. The panelists will decide who gets this year's dubious prizes!
Steve Kozeniewski,  Harrison Demchick,  Don Sakers (M),  Lee Budar-Danoff
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     In Conversation with Seanan McGuire
Seanan McGuire will take audience questions and answer them in depth. Come listen and participate!
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Concert: Tom Smith
Tom Smith has written songs in many musical moods and styles, from dramatic to silly to romantic, and from operatic to hip-hop to Klezmer. His concert style encourages audience participation: come laugh, cry, dance, and sing along!
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Artist GoH slideshow
Ursula Vernon, author/editor of the award-winning comic Digger, as well as the children's series Dragonbreath, and many other random and adorable oddities, will treat us to a selection of her art and the stories behind it.
Ursula Vernon
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Concert: Lady Mondegreen
Our Guest of Honor and two longtime 'collaborators' as a harmonic girl group with a dose of ose.
Seanan McGuire,  Merav Hoffman,  Batya Wittenberg
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM     Concert: Heather Dale / Ben Deschamps
Heather dale performs primarily her own original songs, which draw their inspiration from the folklore, mythology and history of various Celtic and non-Celtic cultures, along with some elements of modern fantasy literature. Her musical style is a mix of traditional and modern, influenced by Celtic folk, folk-rock, new-age, and world music. (celtic, folk)
10:30 PM - 11:30 PM     Beyond Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Buffy
Panelists discuss the offerings of SciFi TV, including favorites and lesser-known series. What makes an SF/F show good? Are there shows we wish were better, but are worth watching because of some redeeming features? Do we watch shows we know are crappy just to support the genre in the hopes of getting TV producers to do more and better shows?
Jeff Gritman,  Cathy Hird,  Steve Kozeniewski,  Don Sakers (M)
 
Ridgely 1
 
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM     Learn a Game: Nations
2-5 players. Nations is an intense historical civilization-building board game. Players control the fate of nations from their humble start in prehistoric times until the beginning of World War I. The nations constantly compete against each other and must balance immediate needs, long-term growth, threats, and opportunities.
Trevor Schadt
10:00 AM -     Learn a Game: Solar Echoes
As seven alien races struggle to co-exist in an uneasy alliance, the Inter-Stellar Union sends specialized forces of agents on missions to preserve the crucial balance. Without this Union Guard, the races will not be prepared to face a looming alien threat they can only hope to defeat together. Do you have what it takes to serve in the Union Guard? The universe cannot be saved by one person alone, but through unity, you and your team may succeed in bringing stability to a universe that needs it desperately. Without unity, all may be lost. Solar Echoes adventures will run as long as players are interested in playing.
Andy Mitchell
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Learn a Game: Concardia
You've collected some cards in the scavenger hunt, now learn how to play the game. Don't have your deck yet? It's not too late! The inventor of Concardia will give a rules explanation and strategy tips, and sign up any newcomers.
Jake Parr,  Michael Whitehouse
1:45 PM - 5:15 PM     Learn a Game: Firefly: the Board Game
2-4. Command your own Firefly-class mid-bulk transport and see the 'Verse for yourself! Players captain their own Firefly-class transport ship, traveling the 'Verse with a handpicked crew of fighters, mechanics and other travelers. As a captain desperate for work, players are compelled to take on any job — so long as it pays. Double-dealing employers, heavy-handed Alliance patrols, and marauding Reavers are all in a day's work for a ship's captain at the edge of the 'Verse.
Steve Osmanski
**NEW**
1:45 PM - 4:00 PM     Learn a Game: Dazzle
A tile matching game sort of like a space-age dominoes. Jo Hogan calls it Picasso's Dog. Come and enjoy, 30 tiles, 4, 5, or 6 players. Play 4, 5, or 6 rounds of color and trail matching for points.
Charles Butler, 
 
Ridgely 2
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Concert: Maugorn the Stray
Maugorn The Stray has a repertoire that spans many ages, genres, & lifetimes. With the help of years of experience and a little magick, he'll find songs that you love and play them for you on his arsenal of instruments, sometimes on several at once!
Steve Haug
11:15 AM - 11:45 AM     Concert: Roberta Rogow
Filk Hall of Famer Roberta Rogow sings classic filk-style songs.
**NEW**
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM     Concert: Stallone / Huff
Vocal folk music both sublime and ridiculous.
John Huff,  Don Stallone
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM     Reading: D.H. Aire
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM     Reading: Sime~Gen
Readings from FEAR AND COURAGE: Fourteen Writers Explore Sime~Gen. Fan Fiction based on the Sime~Gen Universe. Sime~Gen is a series of novels written by Jacqueline Lichtenberg and Jean Lorrah. It is set in a future where humans have mutated into two subspecies. Simes, who go through a brief but dramatic change at puberty and Gens, whose change, while just as dramatic, is invisible to the naked eye. This physical transformation happens just prior to puberty. There is no way of knowing, before that, if a person will be Sime or Gen.
D.H. Aire,  Karen MacLeod,  William Long
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Concert: Homespun Ceilidh Band
Our sound is unique. Unlike most celtic bands we are big. We have three fiddlers, a flutist, and two bodhran players (the bodhran is a hand held frame drum), a hammered dulcimer, guitar, irish bouzouki, cittern, and for the base we have a viola de gamba (a renaissance instrument that looks like a cello with frets and six strings). All of this combines in a unique way to produce a really big sound. We like to call it "Big Band Celtic Music". John Ward, Trix Whitehall, Jennifer Lubell, Felicia Eberling, Jeffrey Huo, Mike Stoddard, D. Glenn Arthur
D. Glenn Arthur, 
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM     Reading: Kelly A. Harmon
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM     Reading: Vonnie Winslow Crist
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Old Jews Telling Stories (and Maybe Singing a Little)
Mark Mandel and Harold Feld are filkers, storytellers and getting old enough to earn the honorable title of altercocker (even if they aren't quite there yet). Come for an hour of storytelling and singing from sources you never heard at Temple Sunday School, ranging from medieval fantastic fiction to modern F&SF.
Mark Mandel,  Harold Feld
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM     Reading: Julie Holderman
Ms. Holderman will read letters between Wyldon and Jon from the Tortall Companion.
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM     Reading: Leona Wisoker
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Open Music Jam
Bring your voice, your ears, and ideally at least one musical instrument, for an instrumental and vocal jam session par excellence. All are invited to play in, but remember to be part of the solution, not the precipitate.
T. J. Burnside Clapp (M),  Bob Esty,  Kathleen Sobansky,  John Huff
12:00 AM - 3:00 AM     Caroling with Filthy Pierre
Annual Christmas carol sing, immediately following Hallelujah.
Erwin Strauss
 
Timonium
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Videogame: Kid's Swim
Family friendly hours; all games are rated E for Everyone/E10+ and inappropriate language is forbidden.
11:15 AM - 1:30 PM     Videogame: Dance Dance Revolution Round 2
(Playstation 2, rhythm/dance, E for Everyone) - We're not done yet; DDR is back for more! Towels and water will still be available and participants still get a free glowstick!
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Videogame: Artemis - Spaceship Bridge Simulator
(PC, simulation/sci-fi, Not Rated) - Terran Stellar Navy Academy is looking for recruits again, and this time we’ve worked out the kinks in the simulation! Six players each take the role of a member of a starship, each with a unique set of play rules relevant to their job. It’s exciting to play and to watch, and costumes are encouraged, so bring your best uniform! NOTE: Please come ten to fifteen minutes early to set up any personal laptops and sign into the server.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Videogame: Cooking Mama
(Nintendo Wii, Simulation, E for Everyone) - Serve up a snack while you wait for your turn on the Artemis bridge. Use the Wiimote to prepare, cook and serve meals under Mama’s instruction. Each recipe is a series of fun minigames taking advantage of the Wii’s motion controls.
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Videogame: Crypt of the Necrodancer
(PC, Rhythm/Roguelike, Not Rated) - Give beatdowns to the beat in this Roguelike rhythm game! Use the keyboard or dance pad to explore randomly-generated corridors, collect treasure, and fight your way through a medley of music-driven monsters, but remember to keep the rhythm going! Comes with an exciting original soundtrack, plus playlists of custom music from the Crazy Headcrab Lady herself - or bring your own MP3s to add to the fun! Participants get a free glowstick! (WARNING: Lyrics of custom music may contain mature, obscene, or offensive content. Please be respectful of others' music tastes.)
10:30 PM - 12:00 AM     Videogame: Spooky, Scary Saturday
(M for Mature) It may not be Halloween, but it doesn’t have to be to appreciate a good scary game. This Saturday night, we turn out the lights (literally!) and dig up our collection of horror games! (And maybe a few that are just a little ‘spoopy’.) Scary costumes welcome! WARNING: Nearly all the games in this slot are rated M for Mature and contain disturbing content. We will have milder games available and won't keep anybody out, but bear in mind that other games being played are liable to scare you!
 
Chesapeake 1-2
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Clergy Clatch
Are you "Clergy?" Do people walk up to you and suddenly start telling you their deepest needs as if you had "priest, priestess, counselor" on your forehead? You know who you are, whether you have training or not. This is an annual get-together to share with peers in confidence how one gets through the day, and particularly through cons, where people often explore their alternate selves.
Tommy Lee Whitlock,  Charles Butler (M),  Karen MacLeod,  Cathy Hird
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Fantasy / Legendary Water Creatures
We all love Chessie, our mythological sea dragon. Equally, we've heard of merfolk, selkies, sirens, lorelei, and a host of others. What are some of the lesser-known mythological water creatures on the planet? On other planets? On fantasy worlds?
TJ Perkins,  Michelle D. Sonnier,  Vonnie Winslow Crist (M),  Steve Kozeniewski,  Myth Woodling
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Exploring the Magick and Lore of the Celtic / Norse Gods / Goddess
This workshop will help aspiring authors build and breathe life into unique characters the reader cares about.
TJ Perkins
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Loss of a Familiar
In this fast-paced world, it is difficult when we lose a loved one. Most of the time people understand the hardships of loss and give you time to grieve. However, when it comes to losing a pet or a familiar, some people do not understand why it can be just as hard as the loss of a human loved one. In this class we will discuss our views on pets/familiars and perform a small ritual in honor of those we have lost. For the ritual, please bring something small belonging to the familiar you would like to honor, such as a collar or a photo.
Rev Patricia Taylor
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     HU Song / Chanting Workshop
A HU song is a non-denominational love song to the Divine (however one conceives Her, Him, or It). The word HU is sung for peace, protection, creativity, and gratitude for the gift of life and spiritual unfoldment. It is a non-directed prayer because we are interested in uplifting our own consciousness, not changing conditions or other people.
Jan Whiteley
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM     Reading: Charles Butler
Charles Butler will read portions of his new book, "Queen of Syria".
5:30 PM - 7:45 PM     Falling Stars - Remembering our Departed
Traditional remembrance service for fandom and family who have passed in the last year.
Debera Rothschild
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM     Tea and Tarot / Open Divination
Open reading swap for diviners.
Myth Woodling
9:15 PM - 10:15 PM     Introduction to Shamanism
A discussion of the Shamanic path, the abilities of the Shaman and how to access them. Drawing from the teachings of the Northeastern US tribal traditions.
Holly Sullivan McClure
12:00 AM - 1:00 AM     Healing Service (with incense)
Time to heal. Time to have others listen. A quiet time of reflection. All faiths welcome. laugh with those who laugh, weep with those who weep. Stay as long as you are able. A light incense may be present.
 
Chesapeake 6
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     KaffeeKlatch: D.H. Aire
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Workshop: Weave a Unique Pouch to Hold Your Precious (Small) Possessions in Just a Few Hours
Pre-warped loom (yarn, cardboard and pins) provided, Super-cool weaving needle provided, handout provided, class limit 8, materials cost $4.00 per person. Depending on the size of your "loom" and the time you can devote to this, it may take more than three hours to weave your pouch. Weavers will start weaving in the pattern of their choice, and observe the finishing of a sample pouch so they'll know what to do when they're done. Follow-on instruction available in the lobby after the session.
Sarah Fiedler
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Workshop: Water Power
Experience the thrill of harnessing water for your very own water mechanism. We will be making water-powered items and testing them in a real lab situation. Bring your best and most curvy ideas to put to the test.
Sue Bowen
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     KaffeeKlatch: Kim Headlee
**NEW**
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM     Workshop: Jump-Starting the Muse
Muses can be flighty creatures, as likely to run off and sniff roses as fill your head with inspiration. Come and learn a few tricks and tips to keep your Muse right where she belongs, whispering story ideas in your ear.
Michelle D. Sonnier
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM     Pagan Prayer Beads Part II: Make Your Own
Create our own prayer beads with guidance from an expert. $6 materials fee.
Peggy Thompson
 
Sunday
 
Atrium
 
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM     Boffer swords
Have fun, hang out, hit people with padded sticks. Whether you are a master of the padded sword or have never even considered the possibilities of percussion therapy, stop by to just watch, or to engage us in boffer combat. Time will include open practice, melee free-for-all, one-on-one and team battles.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Belly Dance Jam
We start with a quick solo performance, then begin the jam! All levels welcome, including those who just want to watch and/or learn from others.
Melanie Mansfield
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Concert: Maugorn the stray
Maugorn The Stray performs again for your listening/dancing pleasure.
Steve Haug
 
Greenspring 1
 
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM     Christian Mass
Christian Mass offered by the Order of St. Michael.
Tommy Lee Whitlock
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Best / Worst Games to Play with Your S.O.
So you want a play a game that won't start a fight. Team Double Shuffle has some suggestions for 2-player games you can play and still live in a happy home, and some warnings for which games may lead to sleeping in separate rooms.
Team Double Shuffle
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     How Much Do I Worry About My Own Canon?
Writing a series? Sure, you don't want to get major things wrong, or contradict yourself. But are you creating a work of art for which you have to bend the rules sometimes -- or even do so deliberately, for effect, as M. John Harrison does in his Viriconium stories? Or is our increased awareness, through the internet, of fan readers, their concerns and reactions (and their attempts to write coherent fanfic) boxing us in? As major franchises mess with their Canon, what about us writers?
Harrison Demchick,  Lawrence M. Schoen,  Danielle Ackley-McPhail,  Don Sakers (M),  Steve Kozeniewski
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Feedback Session
Come let us know what you loved, what you hated, what we can do better next year, and how you'd like to help!
 
Greenspring 2
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Ethical Non- Monogamy in Fiction
Jo Walton's Lifelode and a few other novels have portrayed family structures that are different than the standard monogamous two-life-partners-forever model. Who's done it well? Who's done it badly? What books should we read for an interesting take on non-monogamous family and relationship structures? How can we learn, as writers and readers, to widen our horizons?
D.H. Aire,  Cathy Hird (M),  Leona Wisoker,  Nickie Jamison
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Military Science Fiction vs. Real Military Life
Military science fiction usually focuses on a hero fighting against the enemy: sometimes the enemy is the opponent (Lensman series), sometimes the enemy is the hero's environmental limitations (Forever War), sometimes the hero's own political-military hierarchy (Shards of Honor). How realistic is the hero figure in the true nature of battle, given the current and projected technology? How does all of this change when the hero in the story is female?
TJ Perkins,  Leslie Roy Carter,  Pam Smith,  Steve Kozeniewski (M)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     The Business of Art
You know how to make your art, but what next? How do you go about making money from it? How do you sell your work without taking time away from the business of creating it?
Ursula Vernon,  Vonnie Winslow Crist (M),  Julie Holderman,  Mike McPhail,  Brad Kelly
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Cross-Genre Fantasy
Fantasy with romantic elements, mystery, suspense, or mixtures of these. How do you balance the different pieces? How do you know what market you are writing for? Who is publishing these books? Panelists discuss the options for writers who can't seem to stick to just one genre.
Michelle D. Sonnier,  Elektra Hammond,  Carl Cipra (M),  D.H. Aire,  Andi O'Connor
 
Greenspring 3-5
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     E-Publishing and Small Presses
What are the pros and cons in writing for an e-publisher or small press? Can you make any money? Do you get more freedom to try new things than with the bigger houses? Do you get less respect from other writers and readers? Is e-publishing growing? Can you write for both the "big" guys and the smaller presses? How do you know what is best for you?
Harrison Demchick,  Kim Headlee,  Jeff Gritman,  Cristin Kist,  Andi O'Connor (M)
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Pushing the Boundaries in YA fiction
S. E. Hinton changed the nature of literature for young adults with "The Outsiders". Before that, serious issues were rarely dealt with in books aimed at a younger audience. But there still seems to be a resistance to certain topics that are considered unsuitable. Some examples might be the novels "Deerskin" and "Eva". What is considered acceptable, and how has that changed over the years?
Tamora Pierce,  Vonnie Winslow Crist (M),  Mary Fan,  Andi O'Connor
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     A Princess With a Sword Is Still a Princess
Many writers are fascinated with the fairy tale. These tales have been used in a variety of works, including television shows, short stories, and novels. What speaks to us in the fairy tale princess? Do girls really want to be princesses? Can we redeem the concept of princess by making her more active? What else do fairy tales tell girls? What do fairy tales tell boys? What do they tell adults? And why do we care? Come discuss the issues of gender in fairy tales both traditional and modern, the limitations and problems of fairy tales, and why they are so popular today?
Michelle D. Sonnier,  Kim Headlee,  Intisar Khanani,  Mary Fan (M),  Seanan McGuire
1:45 PM - 3:00 PM     Tammy Talks to Her Fans
Tamora Pierce answers questions and chats with the audience. Open to the public.
Tamora Pierce
 
Ridgely 1
 
10:00 AM -     Learn a Game: Solar Echoes
Same as Saturday's version.
Andy Mitchell
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM     Learn a Game: Caverna the Cave Farmers
2-7 players. Caverna is a worker-placement game with a focus on farming, much like its predecessor, Agricola. In the game, you are the bearded leader of a small dwarf family that lives in a little cave in the mountains. You begin the game with a farmer and his spouse, and each member of the farming family represents an action that the player can take each turn. Together, you cultivate the forest in front of your cave and dig deeper into the mountain. You furnish the caves as dwellings for your offspring as well as working spaces for small enterprises.
Trevor Schadt
11:15 AM - 1:30 PM     Learn a Game: Revolution!
2-4 players. Blackmail the printer. Threaten the innkeeper. Bribe the priest. Welcome to Revolution! Secretly bid against your opponents to gain victory points, control territories (worth victory points at the end of the game) and collect more Gold, Blackmail, and Force tokens for the next round of bidding! Will you try to control the tavern or the fortress? The harbor or the plantation? Knowing where to push for points – and where to back away and let your opponents fight – is the key to victory. Whoever has the most victory points at the end of the game wins. It's a game of bluff, counter-bluff, and surprise!
Stephen Brinich
11:15 AM - 2:30 PM     Concardia Tournament
Bring your deck and all the spiffy new cards you found and/or earned throughout the con. Have fun! Win prizes!
Jake Parr,  Michael Whitehouse
 
Ridgely 2
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Workshop: Make Your Own Hula Hoop
Workshop participants will learn how to make hula hoops and wrap them decoratively. Materials fee of $25 includes a blank hoop and tape. Anyone is welcome to watch and learn for free, but hands-on participants are limited to 10.
Sonya Gross
12:30 PM - 1:45 PM     Concert: T.J. and Mitchell Burnside Clapp
In Old Meets New, join former member of Technical Difficulties T. J. Burnside Clapp, and fellow Pegasus winner (and spouse), Mitchell Burnside Clapp in an hour of song to remember.
T. J. Burnside Clapp,  Mitchell Burnside Clapp
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM     Concert: Jonah Knight
Paranormal modern folk
 
Timonium
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     Videogame: Kid's Swim 2.0
Another family friendly hour to start your morning. All games are rated E for Everyone/E10+ and inappropriate language is forbidden.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM     Videogame: 2015 Creeper Awards Announcement
You’ve spent the weekend building away in Minecraft, and we’ve seen the results. Now our judges have decided which of your creations are the best builds! Fun prizes to our first, second and third best Minecraft creations of the weekend, so hurry on by to see the results!
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     1-Cup: Video Gaming Talk Over Tea
Enjoy a hot drink and some cookies as we sit together and talk about video games in a light-hearted round-table discussion. This year's topic: Emotional Response to Video Games; nearly every gamer plays video games for fun or a sense of accomplishment, but there is a much broader range of emotions that one can feel from the right game, be it fear, empathy, or grief. How do you feel playing your favorite video game, and what does the game do to make you react that way?
1:45 PM - 3:30 PM     Videogame: PC Games Only, Featuring Jackbox Party Games
The convention is starting to wind down, which means it's time for us to start packing up our consoles. Only our computers will be open from now until closing, but you're welcome to stay, and we'd love you to join us for the Jackbox Party Pack series of games from the creators of You Don’t Know Jack! (PC/mobile, Party/Trivia, T for Teen) Use your laptop, tablet, phone, or one of our provided computers to play Quiplash, Fibbage, Drawful, Word Spud, Lie Swatter, or the most recent version of You Don’t Know Jack and shake down the hotel walls with laughter!
 
Chesapeake 1-2
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     How to Move
Sore back? Breathing hard? This workshop will you create a movement plan (not an exercise plan) that will help you eliminate aches and pains, improve your health, and reduce your risk of illness.
Jonah Knight
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     Tarot and Fairy Tales
This class is designed to examine the tarot through fairy tales. First we look at the importance of fairy tales in society, and how they help shape our society and ourselves. Next we examine how fairy tales relate to the tarot, using Eastern European (Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, etc.) and some modern (Wizard of Oz) fairy tales.
Peggy Thompson
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     Mythic feedback
Tell us why mythic track is important to you, and sign up to help us make it even better!
Charles Butler
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Closing the Wards
We created a safe space at the beginning of the convention. Help us return the room to how we found it both spiritually and physically. Good fences make good neighbors. Open participation.
Charles Butler
 
Chesapeake 6
 
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM     KaffeeKlatch: Lawrence M. Schoen
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM     KaffeeKlatch: Seanan McGuire
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM     KaffeeKlatch: Steve Kozeniewski
**NEW**
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM     Posing for Cosplay Photography
The FanDames Initiative explores all aspects of planning a photo shoot from start to finish. While we mostly discuss the rules of posing and how to break them, we also delve into finding and contacting a photographer, safety, copyright and more
cassandra kay,  Mikki Marvel
Consuite
 
6:00PM - 8:00PM     Mario After Party 2
(Nintendo 64, party, E for Everyone) - Join us in the Con Suite as Chessiecon wraps up with what we hope to make a tradition of Mario Party, this time with Mario Party 2! Move around the board, play minigames and collect coins and stars in a competition to be the Superstar! Played round robin style if we have more than four players.
6:00PM - Midnight     Dead Dogfish Party
It's too early to say goodbye! Come up and eat our leftovers, chat with friends old and new, sing songs, play games, and hang onto the convention just a little longer.