Schedule of Events	Panelists	Dances	Masquerade
Single Pattern Contest	Special Events	Writers Workshop	Fandance Film Festival

 

Hours of Operation

Where Things Are

 

Thursday Programming

 

 

 

Scheduled Gaming   Noon   Cascade 11 & 12

Board games! Card games! Table top and live action roleplaying games! No matter what your game is, we have a place for you. If the game you want to play isn’t on the schedule, talk to one of our staff and we’ll get a table and signup sheet set up for you in the Cascade rooms.

Pro Roy

 

Open Gaming    Noon   Rotunda 1 & 2

Board games! Card games! Table top and live action roleplaying games! No matter what your game is, we have a place for you. If you just want some table space to play with friends, the Rotunda is available for open gaming all weekend on a first-come first-serve basis.

Pro Roy

 

Thursday Movie Matinee: Journey to the Center of the Earth   2:00 p.m.        Olympic 1

 

Antique Power Sources       3:00 p.m.        Cascade 4

How did our ancestors generate their power?

Chris Konker, Carlton Rhoades

 

What Keeps People Playing?          3:00 p.m.        Cascade 6

So you’ve played the game all the way through…yet, there you are, playing it all over again! Join our panelists in discussing the appeals of different types of games, from character customization and advancement to the “positive feedback loop” system of bonus points for doing well in games such as Rock Band, to more social connections (clubs, gaming societies, guilds).

Julie Haehn, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jason Soles, Donna “Danicia” Prior

 

How to Knit Maille    3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.             Cascade 13

In this panel I’ll teach the basics of the European 4-1 weave and making the basic contractions for use in a coif. For a $20 fee, you get to practice these techniques towards making your own maille pouch to put dice in or use as a costume accessory. You don’t need to pay the $20 to take the panel; you just won’t get to take the stainless steel rings with you. I’ll have jewelry grade and armor grade rings to learn with as well.

Joseph Hill

 

Mad Poetry Game Show      4:00 p.m.        Cascade 4

Show off your wit and creativity in a silly hour of wacky writing challenges. Compete against other players for the Mad Poet title.

Wolf Lahti

 

Where to Sell Your Art Outside the Cover            4:00 p.m.        Cascade 5

A discussion exploring the nooks and crannies of where to present and sell your art other than the traditional markets.

Rob Carlos, John R. Gray III, Jeff Sturgeon

 

Set Laser Printers on Stunning      4:00 p.m.        Cascade 9

The universe, both real and fantasy, is a pretty awe inspiring place. How do you put words to that wonder?  How do you take readers where no one has been before? Here’s some folks who do a great job of it.

Mike Shepherd Moscoe, G. David Nordley, Roberta Gregory, Warren Hammond, Joshua Palmatier

 

Hidden Gems of Wizards of the Coast      4:00 p.m.        Cascade 10

A showcase of the lesser-known gems in Wizards' catalogue.

Richard Baker, Andy Collins

 

Treasure Map Quest                       4:00 p.m.        Olympic 1

All good adventurers need one simple thing to get started - a treasure map! Come make your own to get your adventure started!

Kim Poua

 

Have Vampire Novels Jumped the Shark?            4:00 p.m.        Cascade 7

Are there any cross-over vampire stories that haven’t been written?

Kat Richardson, Richelle Mead, Loree Parker

 

Ready for Prime Time          5:00 p.m.        Cascade 5

How to prepare your artwork for display and sale to the public.

Rob Carlos, John R. Gray III, Christine D. Winters

 

Build a Better Adventure     5:00 p.m.        Cascade 6

What makes a good adventure? One that players can’t wait to continue. One that they spend their off-time thinking about and planning for until they play again? Join our gaming panelists in a discussion of how to design better adventures.

Andy Collins, Randall N. Bills, Jason Soles

 

Technological Cusp Points and Alternate Histories        5:00 p.m.        Cascade 7

Many alternate histories focus on political and/or war aspects, or some form of "what if this great man/woman's life were different?" But much of the great sweep of history has been due to technological events. What are they? Consider what would have happened if they had been delayed, discovered elsewhere, or usurped by other methods. Movable type… the assembly line… the rail road… the telephone… MS- DOS? All fair game…

John P. Alexander, Annie Morton, David Walton

 

Medieval Games and Pastimes       5:00 p.m.        Cascade 8

(You get to take home copies of rules and paper game boards from 10 different games.) Chess variants, Nine Men's Morris, Fox and Geese, etc. We won't have time to play entire games probably, but will work towards a good understanding of the strategies and styles of the games. Teachers, use these in your classes. Writers, use these to base your character's strategies or activities upon.

G.Robin Smith, Cymbric Early-Smith

 

Story-Crafting From Your Subconscious 5:00 p.m.        Cascade 9

Do your characters surprise you? Is your outline giving you fits? Do strange things keep happening in your narrative? Find out why that's a good thing, in this light-hearted program item.

Joshua Palmatier, Wolf Lahti, Alma Alexander, Rhiannon Held, Ted Butler

 

Science Made Sexy  5:00 p.m.        Cascade 10

CSI made police forensics glamorous and hip; if you were a TV executive,what branch of science would you like to make the next sexy frontier of "hard" science?

Misty Marshall, Amanda Cherry

 

Clay-o-rama   5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.             Cascade 13

Come learn to make little creatures from PlayDoh, and play a hilarious game with them; pitting them against each other. Much screaming and laughing for the whole family.

Betty Bigelow

 

Low Budget Special Effects            5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.             Evergreen 3

Although each of us would love to have a hundred million dollars for the top-of-the-line special effects, the sad truth is that those PowerBall numbers remain as elusive as ever. In lieu of an unspeakable budget, here is a collection of techniques and tricks, including live demonstrations, of some special effects that you can do on a more "dinner-and-a-movie" budget!

Brian Oberquell, Edward Martin III, Ryan K. Johnson, Jön Johnson, Eric Morgret

 

Story Hour     5:00 p.m.        Olympic 1

LouAnna Valentine

 

Reading:  Spencer Ellsworth          5:30 PM          Cascade 3

Worms Are Eating You - Rated PG

Spencer Ellsworth

 

Reading: Alma Alexander    6:00 p.m.        Cascade 3

Cybermage – Book 3 of the YA Worldweavers trilogy - Rated G

Alma Alexander

 

Thursday Afternoon Poetry Panel for People Who Don’t Do Poetry    6:00 p.m.        Cascade 4

Oh, come on! We’ll read a little poetry, talk about what we read, have some laughs, and you’re out of here in time for Opening Ceremonies. We won’t even tell your friends.

Mike Brennan, Andrew Dolbeck

 

Manga: Found In Translation          6:00 p.m.        Cascade 5

The peculiarities of manga and the challenges of translation.

Melissa Quinn, Jeffrey Hitchin

 

The Human Cloning Wars   6:00 p.m.        Cascade 6

The first steps toward human cloning have been reported. The battle lines are already drawn on how far to go. Opinions range from the Raelians who say everybody must get cloned, to religious conservatives who want cloning banned. But the real debate is about the perils and promises of reproductive and therapeutic cloning. What's the difference? How does it matter to us? What's likely to change? Will cloning lead to human organ farms for spare parts? What are some of the emerging ethical concerns about this biotechnology? How can they be addressed?

Bridget Coila, Misty Marshall, Miki Garrison, David Walton

 

I Just Sold My First Story/Novel! Whoopee!         6:00 p.m.        Cascade 8

Yes, it still happens. Come listen to a few folks who have just been touched by pixie dust and are still pinching themselves to make sure its real.

Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Jeff Soesbe, Mark Teppo, John P. Alexander

 

Twilight - Great Story, or Great Marketing?         6:00 p.m.        Cascade 9

The YA romance novel series has become a phenomenon for teen girls. Is this really the next Harry Potter success or a creation of the publishers?

Richelle Mead, Rosemary Clement-Moore

 

We Could Be Heroes…        6:00 p.m.        Cascade 10

If you suddenly found you had a superhero power, what would you like it to be? What would be the results if a group of people suddenly developed superhuman skills? What effects would there be on society if there really were superheroes? Would governments just let them act? Would near absolute power corrupt? Would the existence of superheroes ultimately bring forth supervillains? What toll (or benefit) would the world see from years or decades of superpowered daring-do?

Chris Konker, David Nassett, Sr., David Shoemaker, Shaharazahd Ehart

 

Reading: MH (“Maggie”) Bonham 6:30 p.m.        Cascade 3

Lachlei, Serpent Singer or The King's Champion – Fantasy - Rated PG

MH (“Maggie”) Bonham

 

Opening Ceremonies           7:00 p.m.        Evergreen 1 & 2

What are the "Things That Time Forgot"? Come find out, and meet our Guests of Honor.

William Sadorus, Richard Baker, Todd Lockwood, Geno Salvatore

 

Reading: Bridget Coila        8:00 p.m.        Cascade 3

Enshrined – Short story by Bridget Coila - Rated PG

Bridget Coila

 

Psychology of Costume      8:00 p.m.        Cascade 4

Why do we react the way we do to a costume? Can a designer exploit those psychological reactions? Come discuss how choices of cut, silhouette, color, fabric selection and accessories create a “look” for a character, and influence the audience to think or feel about that character in a particular way.

Carmen Beaudry, Julie Haehn, JoAnne Kirley, Victoria Shaffer

 

Podcasting Horror    8:00 p.m.        Cascade 5

What horror-based podcasts are on the internet? How to start your own podcast.

Julie Hoverson, Eric Morgret

 

Cybersexuality          8:00 p.m.        Cascade 6

How has technology contributed to people having sex without ever coming into contact? In a world where people form lasting relationships without ever having “face time” how is sex being redefined? How are the concepts of fidelity, cheating, monogamy and polyamory affected by these same technologies? Is cybering with someone other than your primary cheating?  18+

Eva-Lise Carlstrom, Donna “Danicia” Prior, Rachael Kenoyer

 

Novelization of a Game        8:00 p.m.        Cascade 7

Many video games today have accompanying fiction, often providing a more detailed storyline of either what was going on in the game, or what came before or after the game’s events. Many roleplaying games have series of novels expanding their worlds with characters and cities and events that become canon in that setting. Join our panelists as they discuss how a game’s setting is translated into a novel that, in turn, gives back to the game.

Janna Silverstein, Richard Baker, Jeff Grubb

 

Rhythm, Meter, and the Use of Language 8:00 p.m.        Cascade 8

Unresolved anapests? Short. Choppy. Sentence. Fragments? Changing viewpoints mid-paragraph? What are some of the ways to vary the "beat" of prose, and how (why?) are these methods used? How can they be used well? Badly? How can particular writing styles attract or repel readers?

Carol Berg, Andrew Dolbeck, Jenna Pitman, Spencer Ellsworth

 

Doorstops: Truly Enormous Books and Series   8:00 p.m.        Cascade 13

Huge books, a never-ending series - why are these herniators so popular? Why does it take so many words to tell a good story? Does anyone edit anymore?

Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Kevin Radthorne, Joshua Palmatier, David Walton

 

Megalithic Engineering Around the World            8:00 p.m.        Evergreen 3

Huge ruins left by unknown builders litter this planet. How did primitive man move and shape huge stones?

Chris Nilsson, Andy Quinn

 

The Nuclear Renaissance    8:00 p.m.        Evergreen 4

No, this isn’t about Reactor Operators carrying swords and wearing anti-contamination suits with puffy sleeves (though that would be entertaining), but about new reactors being built. How might it affect you? More importantly, what new stories SF stories can be based on it?

Mike Brennan, Bob Crichton

 

Casino Dealer Training        8:00 p.m.        Grand 2

If you don't want to gamble, then how about come and volunteer for the "house," we are always looking for new people to be casino dealers. Stop by for some quick training and an overview of the house rules.

Shawn Marier

 

Reading: Michael Ehart       8:30 p.m.        Cascade 3

The Tears of Ishtar – Fantasy – Rated PG

Michael Ehart

 

Friends of Bill W.      9:00 p.m.        Cascade 3

 

Five Basic Pieces for Your Costume Wardrobe and How To Use Them                                                                                                          9:00 p.m.        Cascade 4

Come see what you can do with just a few basic pieces. Take away some great ideas for a future Con that involves staying within a baggage limit.

Carmen Beaudry, Julie Haehn, Victoria Shaffer

 

Art of the Salon: Hosting the Dark and Decadent                        9:00 p.m.        Cascade 5

Some people claim there is no place for lively conversations and light refreshments in today's online universe of screen names and avatars? Fie, we say! Come and learn how to revive this ritual of human interaction in our increasingly cyber world.

Alexia Roy, Elana Okrent, Torrey Newcomb, Elisabeth van Every, Nicole Stavenau

 

The Value of Art        9:00 p.m.        Cascade 6

How do you know the art you collect will still be valuable in 20 years, or does it matter?

John P. Alexander, Russell D. Campbell, Jacqualynn D. Duram Nilsson

 

Where are All the Sci-Fi Games?    9:00 p.m.        Cascade 7

Dungeons. Dragons. Swords. Magic. What about the lasers? Interstellar space travel? Aliens? Netrunning? The Dark and Gritty Future? Are they all video games these days? Panelists discuss why fantasy is king in gaming right now, when sci-fi will make its comeback, and what sci-fi games ARE out there right now.

Randall N. Bills, Jeff Grubb

 

Constructing Technobabble           9:00 p.m.        Cascade 8

How do people come up with all these new words (and brand names, drug names, etc.) that permeate the linguistic landscape? Are there tricks to this kind of word coinage, certain language always used (or, overused), certain sound combinations that convey special meanings? How does globalization affect this process: incorporating word roots from more exotic cultures? Why do some coinages fail to catch on?

G. David Nordley, Kim Ritchie, M.K. Hobson

 

Writing-for-Hire         9:00 p.m.        Cascade 13

What do you give up when you write-for-hire? What areas of science fiction and fantasy writing will only let you work in a write-for-hire capacity and what should you do about it?

Janna Silverstein, Wolfgang Baur, Greg Cox

 

Let’s Make a Movie – Intro   9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.           Evergreen 1 & 2

It's our ten year anniversary! For a decade, we've been making movies every Norwescon, like some sort of terrifying clockwork monkey. Be a part of history without actually burying yourself in the desert for a thousand years! In this introduction, see all the movies ever made at Norwescon as a part of this ground-breaking workshop, including hilarious video introductions by the filmmakers. Here's the best place to watch all these movies at once, and behold the genesis of one of the weirdest and funniest workshops ever to be tolerated by Norwescon! Learn about some of the weird and heinous behind-the-scenes stories! Feel free to ask the filmmakers questions afterwards, if they're brave enough to stick around! Be inspired for part 1!

Edward Martin III, Brian Oberquell, Ryan K. Johnson, Eric Morgret

 

When Did the Future Get So Far Away?   9:00 p.m.        Evergreen 4

Remember the 1950s and 1960s, when we thought that by the year 2000 we'd have giant orbiting space stations, routine space travel, and human colonies all over the solar system? Stories written today don't talk of such wonders happening within a few decades - instead, they're a century or more in the imagined future. What happened? Did we get more cynical and lose our near-term dreams, or more practical and assume the future would be harder to get to than earlier dreamers imagined?

Bluejack, Jim Glass, Carlton Rhoades

 

Lazer Tag       9:00 p.m.        Cascade 9 & 10

The only place in the convention you are allowed to draw your lazer weapons. We have equipment for use; it is compatible with the Tiger Lazer Tag system, not the Team Ops system. For those players who are under 18, you must have a parent or guardian present at the arena. Lazer Tag is a live action, NON-CONTACT sport.

Scott Perrin, Elizabeth Fellows

 

Thursday Night Chaos Circle         9:00 p.m.        Evergreen 3

Chaos Circle for filkers of all persuasions.

Steven Dixon, Vixy & Tony

 

Casino            9:00 p.m.        Grand 2

Join us for an evening of your favorite Casino games, as well as the start of our Texas Hold-em Tournament.

Shawn Marier

 

Thursday Dance - Time Line of Tunes      9:00 p.m.        Grand 3

Featuring music from the past up to the present. Come dance the night away with some of the best dance music from back in the day up to today's hottest hits. Enjoy a fun filled night of socializing and music played by DJ Irah.

DJ Irah

 

Wily Writers Presents: “Stories in the Dark”        10:00 p.m.      Cascade 3

Let us tell you a story. Experience the magic of the Wily Writers horror and dark fantasy. Not just a reading, this is an adventure! (Stories contain extreme violence, sex and adult situations. Samples at www.wilywriters.com!)

Wily Writers

 

How They Thought: Getting Into the Head Space of Those Long Gone          10:00 p.m.      Cascade 4

Text examples; Marjorie Kemp, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli, Dante… using their texts as keys.

G.Robin Smith

 

When PnP met MMORPG    10:00 p.m.      Cascade 6

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games have revolutionized computer gaming, and become the dominant mode for computer role-playing games. But certainly they learned a thing or two from pen-and-paper (PnP) RPGs. Yet, many PnP games today are “borrowing” a concept or two as well. Are these two genres moving closer? What can they learn from each other? What will role-playing games evolve into in the future?

Dylan S., Donna “Danicia” Prior

 

Poly, Open, Swinging          10:00 p.m.      Cascade 7 & 8

These are all three the same thing, right? Wrong. Come for a discussion in the differences between the three and how they’re practiced. 18 +

Mickey Schulz, Matt Bamberger, Tugger, aka Robert Grey, David Nassett, Sr., Rachael Kenoyer

 

Digital vs. Practical Gore     11:00 p.m.      Cascade 6

Fake blood, better in the computer or in buckets? Does using digital gore hurt the experience of the visceral kill?

Andrew Migliore, Eric Morgret, The Reverend En Fuego, Edward Martin III

 

Science Fiction Spelling Bee          11:00 p.m.      Cascade 5

Sure you know your science fiction words, but can you spell them? Straight from Putnam County, this game mixes difficult words, crazy definitions and off-the-wall sample sentences. Randomly chosen volunteers will have a chance at fun and prizes. Drop on in and see if you can win the Science Fiction Spelling Bee!

Jeff Soesbe

 

Star Trek: Phoenix Premier 11:00 p.m.      Evergreen 4

Be the first to see Star Trek: Phoenix! Star Trek Phoenix began as an ambitious fan film and is now the largest production in the Seattle area and is the only series ever to be shot entirely in our region. This is the premier showing of their pilot episode.

Amanda Cherry, Jön Johnson, Leo Roberts, Ben Andrews

 

Midnight Movie: 1955 Tarantula     Midnight         Evergreen 1 & 2

Come see “Leo G. Carrol over a barrel when Tarantula takes to the hill”. Witness the consequences as scientists meddle with the natural world. In this 1955 sci-fi classic, John Agar, Mara Corday, and Nestor Paiva try to stay alive as Tarantula wreaks havoc and exacts its revenge on people and cattle alike!! Also, keep an eye (or ear) out for Clint Eastwood's FOURTH movie appearance.

Barry Block