Presenter Biographies

Here are the presenter biographies we have at the moment.

Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Literary Guest of Honor
Award-winning author, editor, and publisher Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for longer than she cares to admit. In 2014 she joined forces with husband Mike McPhail and friend Greg Schauer to form her own publishing house, eSpec Books (www.especbooks.com).

The Blibbering Humdingers, Music Guests of Honor, who are:

  • Scott and Kirsten Vaughan began performing together in 1992 in the SCA around Raleigh, NC – where they are known as Efenwealt Wystle and Maîtresse Aénor d’Anjou. They started wizard rocking around 2007
  • Scott and Kirsten’s sons, Aiden Vaughan and Liam Vaughan, play drums, keyboards, and other stuff
  • Chuck Parker has been a regular on the con circuit for more than a decade, and he’s played ballrooms, bars, breweries, biergartens and backyards all over the country, both as a solo performer and as the bassist for wizard rock icons The Blibbering Humdingers. He plays slice of life, confessional geek tunes that are often kind of funny, and his lyrics have been called “sensitive”, “literate”, and “hard to sing…”

The Blibbering Humdingers draw inspiration from 80s rock/new-wave, 50s do-wop, old-timey singsongy stuff, Harry Potter, Dr Who, SCA, medieval fantasy, sci-fi and all kinds of delightfully, geeky fandomness. (https://blibberinghumdingers.com/)

TJ and Mitchell Burnside Clapp

Filkers TJ Burnside and Mitchell Clapp were married in 1989 and thus transformed into the colony creature surnamed Burnside Clapp. They have continued to write and perform their songs since then, along the way receiving Pegasus Awards and many Guest of Honor stints, and have produced three now-grown musical children.

Les Carter
After  graduating with a B.S. in Physics from the College of William and Mary, Leslie Roy Carter  was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. While serving as a naval officer, he earned an M.S.E.E. from the Naval Postgraduate School. As a surface line officer, he served aboard cruiser and destroyers, culminating in command of the frigate U.S.S. Reid. Retiring as Captain with 30 years in, he worked as a defense contractor before retiring to begin a third career, writing. He and his wife, Margaret, have collaborated on a four-book fantasy novel series, beginning with Wild Sorceress, and several stories in the Darkover anthologies.

Margaret L. Carter
Margaret L. Carter specializes in vampires. She writes horror, paranormal romance, and fantasy, plus nonfiction on vampirism in literature. Recent releases include Against the Dark Devourer (Lovecraftian dark paranormal romance) and Chocolate Chip Charm (light paranormal romance Christmas novella). She has had stories in the Darkover and Sword and Sorceress anthologies and coauthored fantasy novels with her husband, Leslie Roy Carter. Explore love among the monsters at Carter’s Crypt: http://www.margaretlcarter.com

Ef Deal
Ef Deal’s short fiction has been published in numerous online zines and anthologies as well as in F&SF. Her short story “Czesko” was given honorable mention in Gardner Dozois’ Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy. Ef has been freelance line-editing and copy-editing for over thirty years. She is currently assistant fiction editor at Abyss & Apex magazine, and video editor for Strong Women ~ Strange Worlds. Her first novel Esprit de Corpse is available from eSpec Books, the first in a steampunk paranormal romance series involving the Twins of Bellefées. When she’s not writing, Ef marches old-school alumni drum and bugle corps on soprano bugle; she also composes, arranges and directs music. She lives in Haddonfield, NJ, with her husband and two chows. She is an associate member of SFWA and an affiliate member of HWA. Her website is www.efdeal.net. Follow her blog Talespinner at efdeal.blogspot.com.

Scott Edelman
Scott Edelman has published more than 110 short stories in magazines and anthologies such as Analog, Apex, The Twilight Zone, and many others. His most recent collection is Things That Never Happened from Cemetery Dance. He’s also the host of the Eating the Fantastic podcast, which since February 2016 has allowed listeners to eavesdrop on his meals with creators of the fantastic.

Ian Hanley

Tom Holtz
Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. is Principal Lecturer in Vertebrate Paleontology at the Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park. His research focuses on the origin, evolution, adaptations, and behavior of carnivorous dinosaurs, and especially of tyrannosauroids (Tyrannosaurus rex and its kin). He is also a Research Associate with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History.

Maugorn the Stray (AKA Steve Haug) 

Maugorn is a full time musician from the DC area. He enjoys many styles, periods and genres as his wanderings take him through a kaleidoscope of different adventures.  If you can’t catch him live, you can tune in on the “Odd” Thursdays of the month to listen to him on Zoom.  The session opens around 7:30 with music commencing at 8pm.  http://tinyurl.com/maugieshow

Jessica Morán
Jessica Morán is a published fantasy author, witch, and poet. Being a lover of all things geeky, she combined her passion for food, fantasy, & magic and has not looked back. She hosts a TikTok channel (@darksidefork) where she creates fandom and witchy inspired goodies on a budget. As a history buff she also has experience combining historical, archaeological, and pop culture studies into her craft in unique ways. As a passionate fan, proud Latina, author, poet, and historian she offers her unique perspectives on how to make fandom inclusive, safe, and appealing to all with humor and just the right amount of sass.

Patches
Patches has been teaching renaissance dance since the 2000s. She has a passion for teaching and is thrilled when she can share dance with others.

Roberta Rogow

Roberta writes mysteries, set in strange and unusual times and places.  She also writes and sings Filk. When she is not at a SF or Mystery con, Roberta is a retired Children’s Librarian, living in New Jersey.

Michelle Sonnier

Kathy Sands

Rose the Harper

Erwin Strauss

Erwin S. (Filthy Pierre) Strauss is a leading exponent of the group-singalong style of filk singing. He’s been doing such sessions in Boston and elsewhere for decades. He’s the publisher of the famous Microfilk collection of 550 filksongs (now downloadable free as a PDF at fanac.org).

John Weller
Long a fan of sci-fi, fantasy and metaphysics, John Weller is also an accomplished occultist, diviner and the current head of Chessiecon’s Mythic Track. With over 20 years of experience in the theoretical & practical application of various spiritual disciplines, he has a background in philosophy, theology & technical writing, and is currently working on his updated approach to Western Occultism and Ceremonial Magic.