Contents And the question was... 3 Volunteers 4 This, and That (Convention Policies) 4 Registration (This Year, and Next) 5 Opening and Closing Ceremonies 5 Extended Hotel Checkout 5 Author Guest of Honor, Charles de Lint 6 Artist Guest of Honor, Charles Vess 10 The Art of Charles Vess 12 Programming 14 Music Schedule 21 Consuite & Bar Schedule 21 Room Parties 22 Dealers' Room 24 Gaming 25 What is MNStF? 27 Art & Photo Credits 28 Convention Committee & Dedicated Minions 29 And the question was... With Minicon reaching 42, what else could we use for a theme? When I first considered volunteering to be chairman, I found myself on a circular path. Was Minicon the question being asked about being fanish, or was it the answer? After wrestling with the problem, I just decided the fnord with it, fans just want to have fun. I think we are going to have a lot of fun this year. Charles de Lint is a writer that I've enjoyed reading and look forward to getting to know the man behind the typewriter, word processor, quill pen, whatever; Charles Vess is an artist, and his work always makes me want to ask questions about who are these people, how did they get to this particular moment and where are they going from here. Minicon is honored and pleased to have these two excellent Guests of Honor this year. Being the Chairman, I thought would be an experience like nothing that I've done in fandom. I was right. Along the way, I got to work with a great and talented pool of volunteers to take care of the business of putting on a Minicon. My warmest gratitude to each and every one of them. And the question is... Will this be a Minicon for 400 of my best friends and acquaintances to enjoy and remember? Let's find out. -Mark Richards Volunteers Minicon has always been a fan-run, VOLUNTEER convention. No one is paid for their work, not even with room or memberships as is the policy of some conventions. EVERYONE pays their own way and many volunteer their time to help the convention run smoothly. We'd like to see more volunteers before, during, and after the convention, to spread the work load more evenly. Being a volunteer can be fun; working side-by-side with someone you may never have met otherwise, everyone pitching in to make sure the trains run on time. It's a good feeling to know that you helped make Minicon successful and ensure its place among the best of the regional conventions. That said, we will be offering some incentives for those helping out. We have a limited number of Dealer Dollars (known affectionately this year as "Charlies"), each good for $5 in the dealers' room, where you can buy books, jewelry, music, clothing and many other items. This, and That... Weapons Policy We adhere to all pertinent Minnesota laws regarding real and replica weapons. Prop weapons or costume pieces must be secured and pose no danger to others. We reserve the right to prohibit any such items from our function rooms. Badges Everyone attending Minicon must register and must wear a badge. Please wear your badge at all times for admission into convention functions. Smoking Laws have made the entire hotel non-smoking. Persons wishing to smoke must do so outside in designated areas as directed. Smoking in hotel rooms is permitted only by prior arrangement with the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel at the time of room reservation. Please direct questions about smoking policy to the hotel front desk. Blood Drive The Robert A. Heinlein Society is hosting a Blood Drive during the convention. There will be a mobile unit from the Red Cross in the East Lot of the hotel to accept donations. Look for the blood drive in the reception area near the front desk of the hotel. Thank you for your precious gift. Registration Lost badges If you lose your badge, you can get a replacement for $5 at the registration table. If the table isn't open, find a staff member (check the ribbons on the badges) and ask them to call Carol Kennedy. Registering for Minicon 43 If you pre-register for Minicon 43 during this Minicon, using the handy form you received when you signed in, your cost is only $30! Fill out the form, put it and a check into an envelope (you got one of those when you signed in, too), and put that into the registration box. The famous "Ducky Box" is in the consuite; there will also be a box at the registration table while it is open. Registration Hours Friday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Saturday 9:30 am to 8:00 pm Saturday 9:30 am to 11:00 am Opening and Closing Ceremonies For Minicon 42, Opening and Closing Ceremonies will grapple with the question of Life, The Universe and Everything without having anyone nailed to a piece of wood. Opening Ceremonies will introduce the Guests of Honor, and may include a bit of Shockwave Radio Theater. Baron Dave Romm will preside over announcements, last minute program changes and anything else that springs up. Closing Ceremonies will feature the Assassination of the MN-STF President, and we will conclude by ending. Or not. Shockwave Radio Theater has a longstanding connection with Minicon. The show began in 1979, made its first appearance at Minicon in 1981. Shockwave is now podcasting; go to www.romm.org. Like MN-STF, KFAI-FM is a non-profit, volunteer run organization. You can hear us at 90.3 FM in Mpls, 106.7 FM in St. Paul, and audio streaming over the net at the redesigned www.kfai.org. Help Shockwave Radio remain on the Fresh Air Radio! Call the station during our Spring Pledge Drive, April 14-27, 2007. Call during Shockwave Radio, 3:30-4:00 pm Central on Saturday the 14th and/or the 21st and tell them how much you appreciate the program. A pledge would be great, but a simple call would help! 612-3756-9030 or anytime through the KFAI web site. Extended Hotel Checkout Minicon guests may call the front desk to extend their checkout time on Sunday until 2:00 pm. Charles de Lint - Writer Guest of Honor Charles de Lint is credited as having pioneered the contemporary fantasy genre. His ground-breaking 1984 urban fantasy novel, Moonheart, remains in print to this day, and enjoys the privilege of being Tor's best-selling trade paperback for their Orb line. With 60 books published to date (not including foreign editions and reprints), he has gained a reputation as a master in his field. Charles de Lint has been aptly described as a romantic, a believer in human potential. It's hard not to feel encouraged to be a better person after reading a book by Ottawa's Charles de Lint. - The Halifax Chronicle Herald De Lint's greatest skill is his human focus - the mythic elements never overshadow his intimate study of character. To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways. - Quill & Quire De Lint says he hopes his stories will encourage people to "pay attention to how many special things there are in the real world." He regards his greatest artistic achievement as "the moment when a reader tells me that something I've written has inspired them to go out and create something of their own. Or that the story has helped them through a difficult time or prompted them to help others." De Lint's dedicated readership gave him the singular honor of having eight books chosen for the reader-selected Modern Library Top 100 Books of the Twentieth Century poll, conducted online by Random House. His latest novel, Widdershins, placed first on Amazon.com's Editors' Picks - Top 10 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2006. He's been a finalist 17 times over for the World Fantasy Award, and won in October 2000 for his short story collection Moonlight and Vines. These stories (and most of his recent novels) are set in de Lint's acclaimed fictional city Newford. Welcome to the music clubs, the waterfront, the alleyways where ancient myths and magic spill into the modern world. Come meet Jilly, painting wonders in the rough city streets, and Geordie, playing fiddle while he dreams of a ghost, and the Angel of Grasso Street, gathering the fey and the wild and poor and the lost. - Tor Books Newford is sometimes more real to me than any other place I've been. The city itself possesses character, spirit, and an identity. - Rambles Part of the beauty of Newford is the sense that it has always been there, that de Lint is a reporter who occasionally files stories from a reality stranger and more beautiful than ours. De Lint also manages to keep each new Newford story fresh and captivating because he is so generous and loving in his depiction of the characters. Yes, there is group of core characters whose stories recur most often, but a city like Newford has so many intriguing people in it, so many diverse stories to tell, so much pain and triumph to chronicle. - Challenging Destiny De Lint has garnered several other awards and honours for his fiction, including the 1984 William L. Crawford Award for Best New Fantasy Author (International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts) for his novel Moonheart; and the 1988 Canadian SF/Fantasy Award, the Aurora, for his novel Jack the Giant-Killer. While most of de Lint's fiction has been aimed toward adults, he's also written prize-winning books for young people. His novel The Blue Girl (2004) won both the Ontario Library Association's White Pine Award and Michigan's Great Lakes Great Books Award (for grades 9-12). The Blue Girl was also named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, and is currently a finalist for Arizona's Grand Canyon Reader Award (teen category), to be announced in 2008. Waifs and Strays, a young adult collection published by Viking, was named one of the Top 10 YA Fantasy Books of 2002 by Booklist (American Library Association) and was also a finalist for the World Fantasy Award. His novella Seven Wild Sisters, illustrated by acclaimed artist Charles Vess, received a 2003 YALSA Award in the Best Book for Young Adults category from the American Library Association, and was also a finalist for the World Fantasy Award. His omnibus The Jack of Kinrowan was chosen for the 2003 YALSA Popular Paperbacks list for young adults. De Lint has also written children's literature, with A Circle of Cats, published as a full-colour picture book published by Viking in 2003, also lavishly illustrated by Charles Vess. His non-fiction has included entries to encyclopedias, critical essays, book reviews, music reviews and opinion columns. A respected critic in his field, de Lint is currently the primary book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. He's also been a judge for several prominent awards, including the Nebula Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Theodore Sturgeon Award and the Bram Stoker Award. De Lint has taught creative writing workshops in Canada and the United States, and served as writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa. He's also been a professional musician for over 25 years, writing original songs and performing traditional and contemporary music with his wife, MaryAnn. His main instruments are flute, fiddle, whistles, vocals and guitar, while MaryAnn's are mandolin, guitar, vocals and bodhran (Irish drum). For more information about Charles de Lint, visit his personal Web site at www.charlesdelint.com AWARDS & HONOURS 2007 Great Lakes Great Books Award (grades 9-12) for The Blue Girl (Viking, 2004) 2007 Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee (TBA in 2008) for The Blue Girl (Viking, 2004) 2006 White Pine Award, Ontario Library Assn. (grades 9-12) for The Blue Girl (Viking, 2004) 2006 Amazon.com Editors' Picks: Top 10 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2006. Number one choice for novel was Widdershins (Tor, 2006) 2005 YALSA Award, Best Books for Young Adults, for novel The Blue Girl (Viking, 2004) Young Adult Library Services Assn/American Library Assn. 2004 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for children's picture book A Circle of Cats (Viking 2003) 2003 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for collection Waifs and Strays (Viking 2002) 2003 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for novella Seven Wild Sisters (Subterranean Press, 2002) 2003 YALSA Award, Best Books for Young Adults, for novella Seven Wild Sisters (Subterranean Press, 2002), Young Adult Library Services Assn/American Library Assn. 2003 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, YALSA, for omnibus, The Jack of Kinrowan (Tor 1995) Year 2000 Booklist Top 10 YA Fantasy Books, for collection Waifs and Strays (Viking 2002), American Library Assn. 2002 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for novel, The Onion Girl (Tor 2001) 2001 Finalist, Nebula Award, for novel Forests of the Heart (Tor 2000) 2001 Finalist, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature for novel Forests of the Heart (Tor 2000) 2000 Winner, World Fantasy Award, for collection Moonlight and Vines (Tor 1999) 1999 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for novel Someplace to be Flying (Tor 1998) 1998 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for novel Trader (Tor 1997). 1998 YALSA Award, Best Books for Young Adults, for novel Trader (Tor 1997), Young Adult Library Services Assn/American Library Assn. 1997 Prix Ozone, Best Foreign Fantasy Short Story, for "Timeskip" (translated as "Comme un disque ray?" in Territoires de l'inquietude 9, Denoel 1996) 1996 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for collection The Ivory and the Horn (Tor 1995) 1994 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for collection Dreams Underfoot (Tor 1993) 1994 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for short story "The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep" (Snow White, Blood Red, AvoNova 1993) 1993 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for omnibus Spiritwalk (Tor 1992) 1993 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for novella "Paperjack" (Cheap Street 1992) 1993 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for short story "Bridges" (Magazine of F&SF, Oct/Nov 1992) 1992 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for novel The Little Country (Morrow 1991) 1992 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for novella "Our Lady of the Harbour" (Axolotl Press 1991) 1992 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for short story "The Conjure Man" (After the King, Tor 1991) 1992 Finalist, World Fantasy Award, for short story "Pity the Monsters" (The Ultimate Frankenstein, Dell 1991) 1992 Best Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library, for novel The Little Country (Morrow 1991). The 1992 HOMer Award, Best Fantasy Novel, presented by the CompuServe Science Fiction & Fantasy Forum, for The Little Country (Morrow 1991). 1991 Finalist, Bram Stoker Award, Horror Writers' Assn., for novelette, "Death Leaves an Echo" (Caf? Purgatorium, Tor 1991) 1991 Reality 1 Commendations, Best Fantasy Author Award (known as the RICkie), presented by TV Ontario's PRISONERS OF GRAVITY. 1989 Readercon Small Press Award, Best Short Work, for the short story "The Drowned Man's Reel" (Triskell Press 1988). 1988 Canadian SF/Fantasy Award: the Aurora (formerly known as the Casper), Best Work in English, for the novel Jack, the Giant-killer (Ace 1987). 1984, William L. Crawford Award, Best New Fantasy Author, International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, for novel Moonheart (Ace 1984). 1982 Small Press and Artists Organization Award for Fiction. JUDGE/JURYSHIPS Nebula Short Story Awards Jury (1999/2000) The Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Short Fiction Award Committee (1987-1996) The Horror Writers of America Awards Oversight Committee (1993) The Nebula Awards Jury (1988) The Horror Writers of America Awards Oversight Committee (Chairman; 1987) The World Fantasy Awards Committee (1986) The William L. Crawford Award Committee (1985) GUEST OF HONOUR APPEARANCES Mythic Journeys (Atlanta, GA, June 2006) The Witching Hour (Salem, MA, Oct. 2004) MileHiCon 36, (Lakewood, CO, Oct. 2004) Mythic Journeys (Atlanta, GA, June 2004) Bubonicon 35 (Albuquerque, NM, Aug. 2003) Leprecon 29 (Phoenix, AZ, May 2003) International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts 24 (Ft. Lauderdale, FL, March 2003) Windycon 29 (Chicago, IL, Nov. 2002) Keycon '01 (Winnipeg, MB, May 2002) World Fantasy Convention (Toastmaster: Montreal, QC, November 2001) AggieCon 32 (College Station, TX; March 2001) ConCat (Knoxville, TN; November 2000) WisCon (Madison, WI; May 2000) CONduit (Salt Lake City, UT; May 2000) Ad Astra (Toronto, ON; February 2000) World Fantasy Convention (Providence, RI; November 1999) InCon (Spokane, WA; October 1999) ICON (Iowa City, IA; October 1998) CanCon (Ottawa; May 1996) World Horror Convention (Eugene, OR; May 1996) Chattacon (Chattanooga, TN; Jan. 1996) SoonerCon (Oklahoma City, OK; 1994) AggieCon 25 (College Station, TX; 1994) V-Con 20 (Vancouver BC, 1993) Keycon '90 (Winnipeg, MB; music GoH - with MaryAnn) Congenial '90 (Racine, WI) Silicon '89 (San Jose, CA) ConText '89 (Edmonton, AB) Keycon 5/Canvention 8 (Winnipeg, MB; 1988) The 17th Annual Conference of the Mythopoeic Society (Long Beach, CA; 1986 Charles Vess - Artist Guest of Honor Charles Dana Vess was born a Gemini in 1951 in Lynchburg, Virginia, and has been drawing ever since he could hold a crayon. When he was a bit older and had left the Crayola medium behind him, he graduated with a B.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. He then worked in commercial animation for Candy Apple Productions in Richmond, VA, until moving to New York City in 1976. It was there that he became a freelance illustrator, working for many publications including Heavy Metal, Klutz Press, Epic Comics, and National Lampoon. His award-winning work has graced many a cover and the inside pages of various comic book publishers including Marvel (Spider-man, Raven Banner), DC (Books of Magic, Swamp Thing, Sandman) and Dark Horse (Book of Night). His recent work is found more in book illustration and he continues to win accolades and praise in his development of fine illustration with his detailed, ethereal, light-and-shadow infused color and black ink work. Exhibitions The work of Charles Vess has been featured in several gallery and museum exhibitions across the nation, and in Spain, Portugal and Italy, including the first major exhibition of Science Fiction and Fantasy Art at the New Britain Museum of American Art in 1980. Other exhibits include: "Dreamweavers" (William King Regional Arts Center, traveling, 1994-95), "Introducing Stardust" (The Museum of Cartoon Art, San Francisco, 2000), "Ancient Spirit, Modern Voice: the Mythic Journeys Art Exhibition," (DeFoor Art Centre, Atlanta, 2004), and "Harvesting the Myth" at the New Light Gallery (Abingdon, VA, 2004). Two exhibitions in New York City featured his work in 2005: "Modern Fairy Tales" with Michael Kaluta at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, and "Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art" at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators. This year from June 1-September 9, "Stardust Rising: The Art of Charles Vess" will be on display at The William King Regional Arts Center in Abingdon, VA. Awards Charles won the Ink Pot Award For Excellence in Comic Art in 1990. He shared the prestigious World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story with Neil Gaiman in 1991 for their collaboration on Sandman #19 (DC Comics). In the summer of 1997, Charles won the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Penciler/Inker for his work on his self-published The Book of Ballads and Sagas as well as DC's Sandman #75. In 1999 Stardust, a novel written by Neil Gaiman with over 175 lavish illustrations, won him a second World Fantasy (Best Artist) as well as the Mythopoeic Award for Best Adult Literature for both Vess and Gaiman. In 2002 Charles won a second Eisner for Best Painter for his work on Rose, a 130-page epic fantasy saga written by Cartoon Books' Jeff Smith. Chesley Awards in 2005 (Best Interior Art Medicine Road) and 2006 (Best Unpublished Art, Companions to the Moon) have followed. Recent Publications/Projects In 2002 the publication of Seven Wild Sisters (Subterranean Press) and The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest (Viking), both utilizing cover art and interior black and white illustrations, kept Charles very busy. Both titles made the 2003 American Library Association's list for Best Books for Young Adults. He also collaborated with writer Charles de Lint on his first children's picture book, A Circle of Cats (Viking). The cover art won the Gold Award for Best Book Art in the 10th annual "Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. A new edition of Peter Pan (Tor/Starscape) featuring a cover as well as over 30 b/w interior illustrations by Vess was released that fall. For the first 6 months of 2004 he co-curated with cultural advocate Karen Shaffer (Pisces, wife) the exhibition Ancient Spirit, Modern Voice that accompanied the first Mythic Journeys conference in Atlanta. The exhibition (and full-color catalog) featured an international roster of over 22 artists, including Alan Lee, Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, Terri Windling, Mayumi Oda, Helena Nelson-Reed and Roxanne Swentzell. See . Another book collaboration with de Lint, Medicine Road (Subterranean Press), and the Datlow/Windling edited YA anthology The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm (Viking) were published that summer. In the fall of 04, Tor Books released The Book of Ballads, a hardcover edition collection of short adaptations of Scottish and English ballads drawn by Charles and scripted by notable SF and Fantasy authors including Neil Gaiman, Ellen Kushner, Jane Yolen and Emma Bull. The 20th anniversary edition of Charles de Lint's seminal urban fantasy novel, Moonheart (Subterranean Press) for which Vess produced a dozen color paintings and many b/w vignettes was also released in 2004. Published in 2006 were four books: a limited, slip cased, signed and numbered edition of George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords (Subterranean) with 75 interior illos; Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu (Bloomsbury) with b/w interiors by Charles; Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall, an original graphic novel collection from DC/Vertigo Comics; and The Absolute Sandman, also from DC. Projects for 2007 include Blueberry Girl, a sweet picture book for mothers and daughters written by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins), and a series in Realms of Fantasy magazine featuring short stories based on Charles Vess paintings. "Coyote Road" is a collection of YA stories from Viking that include authors Ellen Klages, Kelly Link, Holly Black and several more for which Charles will be providing artwork. Three books on Charles' art will be out this year: "Modern Masters, Vol. 11, Charles Vess" (TwoMorrows) in February; "The Stardust Visual Companion" (Titan) in July; and "Drawing Down the Moon, The Art of Charles Vess (Dark Horse Books) in September. The Gaiman/Vess collaboration "Stardust - Being a Romance Within the Realms of Faerie" (Vertigo/DC Comics) has been made into a film in the UK by Paramount Pictures. The impressive cast includes Michelle Pfieffer, Robert DeNiro, Clare Danes, Rupert Everett, Charlie Cox, Peter O'Toole and Sienna Miller and is directed by Matthew Vaughn. Of course there is a beautiful new hardcover edition of Stardust to celebrate this occasion, with green and blue leather binding and imprinted metallic stars, which features a new cover drawing (Vertigo/DC). Dark Horse will publish an art book on Charles' work to coincide with the movie's release. Charles' work with Green Man Press continues and four new fine art prints for the Stardust portfolio will be out in time for the San Diego Comic Con in July. The movies' release date is August 10. A Midsummer drawing of Titania and Puck interplaying with the masks of Comedy and Tragedy and a few creatures from the faerieworld is being transformed into a 16' bronze fountain for the State Theater of Virginia in Abingdon. Charles will be working on this with renown sculptor David Spence. Estimated completion will be in November of 2007. Charles and his wife Karen live in the Appalachian foothills in a small farmhouse, in a small town, with 4 small cats and a dog with a very small (but loving) brain. Charles' favorite whiskies are the Scottish Highland single malts (such as Glenmorangie or Macallan) if you want to get him talking. Otherwise visit his website: www.greenmanpress.com Minicon 42 Programming The Artist and Musician as Protagonist Fantasy is rich with protagonists who are magically, biologically, or intellectually superior, especially as artists or musicians. A discussion of the uses and advantages of characters who are gifted in the arts. Fri 8:30-9:30p, Atrium 7: Charles de Lint, Pamela Dean, Mary Kay Kare (m), Adam Stemple, Jane Yolen Ask a Disabled Fan Fans with visible or invisible disabilities face the same social hurdles within fandom that they do in other social settings. We ask our panelists to openly discuss their peeves when dealing with people made uncomfortable by people with disabilities, and the special trials of having an invisible disability. They'll also offer tips and tricks for dealing with others' disabilities. Sat 2:30-3:30p, Atrium 3: Peer Dudda, Michael Merriam, Teresa Nielsen Hayden (m) Ask a Scientist Here's your chance to ask why gravitational lensing occurs, why ice floats in water, how it's possible for human and fly DNA to be so similar or whatever else. Sun 11:30a-12:30p, Atrium 3: Ctein, Kelly Strait, Matt Strait (m) Books that Actually Changed You Some books teach skills, and a lot of books (or any form of story - movies, manga, even RPGs) provoke thought, but some go even further. What books have changed your basic principles, or brought you to life-shattering realizations? What works have made you a better person? Sat 10:00-11:00p, Atrium 6: Don Bailey, Barb Jensen, Lydia Nickerson, Laurel Winter (m) Celebrating Mike Ford Wise, hilarious and brilliant, John M. Ford (1957-2006) was long a staple at Minicon and in fandom at large. Come celebrate his life. Sat 7:00-8:00p, Edina: Pamela Dean, Elise Matthesen, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Other guests to be announced Charles de Lint concert Sat 8:30-9:30p, Plaza 1 The City as Character There are many fantasy and SF books in which the city is a vibrant character: New Crobuzon, The Sprawl, Chicago, Liavek, even Minneapolis in War For the Oaks. What books use their cities in the most interesting ways? How does the city contribute to the story? What stories can you tell with an urban landscape that you cannot with another setting? Which cities from fiction would you like or hate to live in? Sat 4:00-5:00p, Atrium 6: Charles de Lint, David D. Levine, Lyda Morehouse, Teresa Nielsen Hayden (m) Conversation & Music with Charles & MaryAnn MaryAnn and Charles like to do an afternoon unplugged music and conversation "panel." It's very casual, just sitting around with readers talking about whatever they want to talk about and playing some songs. Sun 11:30a-12:30p, Edina: Charles de Lint, MaryAnn Harris Conversation on the Net There are many ways to approximate conversation on the Net: Slashdot-like systems; Livejournal; web fora; IRC and chat programs; MMORPGs, MUDs and MUCKs; and many others. Which gets closest to real face-to-face conversation? What's left to improve? Fri 8:30-9:30p, Atrium 6: Kevin Austin, Seth Breidbart, Michael Lee, Teresa Nielsen Hayden (m), Jim Rittenhouse, Thorin Tatge Creating Believable Religions When you invent a fictional belief system, it can be difficult to keep it neither cloying, counterfeit, nor unconvincing. We'll discuss how possible it is to avoid just slapping new labels on real religions, while keeping them plausible. What makes a fictional religion seem real, or at least passable? What worlds' lack of religion makes them less believable? Sat 1:00-2:00p, Krushenko's: Barb Jensen, Greg Johnson, Naomi Kritzer, Lois McMaster Bujold, Lyda Morehouse (m) Dark Matter: What We Know Dark matter is a very mysterious subject. Let's explore what we actually know about the stuff. Sat 2:30-3:30p, Atrium 7: Ctein (m), Howard Davidson, Michael Kauper, Jim Rittenhouse, Matt Strait Digital Photo Restoration for (not quite) Dummies Ctein shows us how. Sat 1:00-2:00p, Plaza 1: Ctein Dr. Who Geekout Whether you prefer Eccleston or Tennant, there's a lot to love about the new old series. Fri 4:00-5:00p, Atrium 6: Michael Lee Dr. Who in Love The new seasons of Doctor Who have gone into previously unexplored territory: romance. How has love changed the character of the Doctor, and of the show? What doors have been opened, and which have been closed? Sun 1:00-2:00p, Atrium 7: Michael Lee (m), David D. Levine, Kathy Sullivan Does SF have a Sell By Date? 2001 is six years ago, but we are not much closer to a space station of that grace and magnitude, and we're only just now talking about plans for a permanent installation on the moon. 1984 is 23 years ago, and now most of the technology used in that book already exists. 1950's SF has space ships with vacuum tubes. Does that make them more out of date than a Stephen King novel full of 1970s branding? How does having a specific time-frame affect a work? Fri 5:30-6:30p, Atrium 6: David Dyer-Bennet, Marissa Lingen, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Ethan Sommer (m), Matt Strait Drawing Down the Moon The 30 years plus career of Charles Vess as a freelance artist, beginning with a few works from high school, the college years, the art-for-hire times after moving to New York City, the emerging comic artist, to definitive book illustrator. Includes a few highlights of the art process from sketch to finished painting. Sat 4:00-5:00p, Plaza 1: Charles Vess Energy Sources in the Future The supply of fossil fuels is limited. Within several lifetimes, humanity must convert completely to renewable energy sources. How will we do this? And what counts as renewable? Looking into the far future, we must face the fact that even the sun will not shine forever. How will we survive in the dark universe of the far future? Sat 4:00-5:00p, Atrium 7: Ctein, Howard Davidson, Mark Richards, Matt Strait (m) The Ethics of AI Should AIs be allowed to have feelings? How does the death penalty apply to something that can be copied infinitely? At what level of intelligence do we grant rights? What does fiction teach us about the issue? What is the moral status of an AI? Sat 1:00-2:00p, Atrium 7: David Dyer-Bennet, David D. Levine, Ethan Sommer (m), Seth Breidbart Fictional Non-Fiction There's an entire genre of reference guides set in the worlds they refer to: the Terran Trade Authority books, the Dune Encyclopedia, Wayne Barlowe's Expedition, The Dictionary of Imaginary Places and many more. Some are written from "within" the world, as if the author were a character in that universe. Others are written from "without", taking a "real world" approach to a fictional work. How does world-building without plot work? Which are especially good? Come show and discuss your favorites. Sat 8:30-9:30p, Atrium 3: Rachel Kronick, Kathy Sullivan Filming Dick At a preview of A Scanner Darkly, a fan was heard to exclaim as the credits rolled, "Finally! Somebody got Philip K Dick right!" Is this film truer to Philip K Dick's vision? Is it true that each progressive movie based on his work gets closer to his original vision? How does it compare to other adaptations of his stories? Why are his stories so often translated to film? Sat 4:00-5:00p, Krushenko's: Eric M. Heideman, Greg Ketter, Rachel Kronick (m), Lyda Morehouse, Edward E. Rom Four Decades of Minicon Minicon has been around for more than 40 years. Let's recount some of its glorious, hilarious history! Sat 4:00-5:00p, Atrium 3: Don Bailey, Dean Gahlon, Dave Romm, Jim Young (m) "Frell! Frack! Feiwu!" A History of SF&F Swearwords Come share with our panel of experts your favorite invented dirty words. Bashi-bazouks - some of them even mean something! Are there any you prefer over their English equivalents? Are you using them anyway? Do authors invent them just to get around the censors? Even if there isn't some deeper reason, we'll still likely learn a lot of fun new vocabulary. Sat 8:30-9:30p, Atrium 3: Marissa Lingen, Lyda Morehouse (m), Kelly Strait, Alison Sommer, Kathy Sullivan Fun with the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis This famous linguistics theory states that language influences thought. How true is this? Does vocabulary limit imagination? Can you think a thought that isn't in your language? Sun 2:30-3:30p, Atrium 7: Howard Davidson, Peer Dudda, Mary Kay Kare (m), Kelly Strait, Alison Sommer The Future of Intellectual Property Open source, Creative Commons, DMCA . . . what kind of rights will readers and writers have in the future? Is there anything you can do now to protect your creation - assuming you want to? Fri 10:00-11:00p, Atrium 6: Jonathan Adams (m), Laura Majerus, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Bruce Schneier Gender Roles in Anime Cultural reasons for the portrayal of men and women in anime. Gender roles in Japan vs. gender roles in America. Sat 10:00-11:00a, Atrium 3: Alexandra Howes, Anna Waltz (m) Hard SF as a Moving Target The definition of "hard" SF keeps changing. Sometimes, "hard" seems to mean only things that are possible today; sometimes it's more about extrapolating. How have our definitions of "hard" changed recently? What's the definition of "hard" today? How hard are nanotech, FTL, AI, uplifting, etc.? Sun 1:00-2:00p, Atrium 6: Howard Davidson, Greg Johnson (m), Marissa Lingen, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Kelly Strait The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Video (BBC TV, 1981) Episodes 1-3. Teleplay by Douglas Adams, based on his novels, based on his BBC Radio series. Cast: Simon Jones (Arthur Dent), David Dixon (Ford Prefect), Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod Beeblebrox), Sandra Dickinson (Trillian), David Learner (Marvin)-and Peter Jones as The Book. (Douglas Adams is the uncredited skinny-dipper.) The Earth is destroyed in episode 1, after which things just get wackier. The fake computer graphics hold up surprisingly well. Fri 5:00-6:30p, Krushenko's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Video (BBC TV, 1981) Episodes 4-6. Teleplay by Douglas Adams, based on his novels, based on his BBC Radio series. Cast: Simon Jones (Arthur Dent), David Dixon (Ford Prefect), Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod Beeblebrox), Sandra Dickinson (Trillian), David Learner (Marvin), Richard Vernon (Slartibartfast)-and Peter Jones as The Book. (That's Peter Davison of Doctor Who in an uncredited appearance as the Dish of the Day.) Sat 5:00-6:30p, Krushenko's If it's Tuesday this must be Doomsday Threats of a looming flu pandemic, glacial meltdowns and terrorist acts seemingly fill the nightly newscasts. Should we get caught up in the fear and sensationalist hype? What are the real dangers and how can we deal with them? Sat 2:30-3:30p, Edina: Patrick Nielsen Hayden (m), Bruce Schneier Jane Yolen's Bedtime Stories With cookies and milk. Sat 10:00-11:00p, Edina: Jane Yolen Knights of the Dinner Table Readings Dramatic readings of Jolly Blackburn's hilarious RPG comic strip! It's hard to have much more fun than that. Sat 10:00-11:00p, Atrium 7: Richard Tatge Knitting Circle Knitters knitting. Knitters talk while knitting. See the knitters knit. Knit, knitters, knit. Anyone who wants to sit for a spell with their project (other needlework is allowed, we're not snobs) is welcome. So are other people, but really, knitting is not a spectator sport. Sat 5:30-6:30p, Atrium 7: Hosted by Geri Sullivan; all are welcome to attend Lady Poetesses from Hell Womyn reading poetry rock! Sun 1:00-2:00p, Edina: Ruth Berman, Terry Garey, Rebecca Marjesdatter, John C. Rezmerski, Laurel Winter, Jane Yolen Marvel's "Civil War" Since last summer, a storyline has been running through Marvel Comics involving a government Superhuman Registration act that splits the super hero community down the middle. Some, led by Iron Man, consider the act reasonable. Others, led by Captain America, view it as a violation of civil liberties, and form a resistance movement. In contrast to Marvel and DC's many overblown Universal Crisis storylines, "Civil War" is narrated at human scale and involves believable politics, as friend turns against friend over ideals. Which side would you be on? Sat 10:00-11:00a, Krushenko's: Eric M. Heideman (m) Medicine for writers An always popular dissection of the medical science used in fantasy and science fiction. Be prepared to hear the panelists criticize the medical errors we've discovered in recent works. Questions from writers with work in progress are encouraged (and will not be laughed at). Sat 8:30-9:30p, Atrium 7: Stella Evans, Lisa Freitag (m), Beth Friedman Minions and How to Acquire Them Being an evil overlord is a lot of work, and you can't scrimp the human (inhuman?) resources. The ways you use to recruit your minions will affect how loyal they'll be, and you can't have disloyalty in your ranks, can you? Remember, minions do not like being blown up, so the issue of certain death must be addressed by trickery or force. Are you better off outsourcing? How will you ever have enough capital left over to make that doomsday device? Sat 11:30a-12:30p, Krushenko's: Magenta Griffith, Naomi Kritzer, David D. Levine (m), CJ Mills, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, DavE Romm Movie Westerns The first movie Western debuted in 1903, the year after the first SF film. We'll look at oater cinema's history, stars, directors, themes, and enduring appeal. Minnesota is where the West begins. Are we ready for our own Western convention? Sun 1:00-2:00p, Krushenko's: Eric M. Heideman (m), David Christenson Of Ice Ages and Sea Levels In our time, sea levels are being affected by global warming; but as recently as 18,000 years ago, the Ice Ages were also changing things. The Bering Land Bridge is one example of land where we now have sea. And then there's the Great Lakes - no, not Superior and the rest, but Missoula, Agassiz, Maumee, Mansiyskoe and Bonneville. Sat 11:30a-12:30p, Atrium 3: Phil Kaveny, Ken Konkol, Jim Rittenhouse (m), David Wilford Part Seen, Part Imagined An informal visual survey of three predominant threads of the fantastic in the arts: The English Fairy Painters, the American Pulp Tradition, and the Visionary Artist. It covers obscure and well-known fantasists from the early 19th century to the present. Sun 11:30a-12:30p, Plaza 1: Charles Vess Pop-Up Books There are some amazingly intricate, cool, well-designed pop-up books, toy books and movable books out there. Pop-up books have an amazing history, and the design is often quite intricate. Come and share your favorites! Sat 10:00-11:00a, Atrium 7: Laura Krentz, Lydia Nickerson (m), Jane Yolen Publishing 101 This is our ever-popular panel on how to get famous and make lots of money writing. No? Well, how about a group of writers discussing the basics of publishing--from writing a synopsis and proposal, to preparing a work for submission, to coping with rejection. Fri 5:30-6:30p, Atrium 7: Lois McMaster Bujold, Michael Merriam, Kathy Sullivan, Laurel Winter (m) Raising Kids in Fandom Raising children is always a challenge, but bringing them up in fandom brings its own unique issues. Just being around fandom doesn't necessarily make kids fans, and as they grow they have their own agendas. Taking your kids to cons, watching Time Bandits with them, trying to inculcate the right fannish mores in them... How much can or should you push? What if they grow up and hate fandom? Fri 10:00-11:00p, Atrium 7: Lisa Freitag, Carol Kennedy, Ken Konkol, Jim Rittenhouse, Alison Sommer (m) RPGs - What's New and What's Good? There has been a flood of new RPGs in recent years. There have been a lot of huge innovations in recent years, too. Come discuss what's out there, and what's out there. Fri 10:00-11:00p, Atrium 3: Rachel Kronick, John Till SF, Gatekeeping and The Literary Canon Certain types of popular fiction, especially genre fiction such as F&SF, is still considered beneath the regard of academics. As the boundaries start to give a little, it's not entirely clear how or why the distinctions are made. Why is Ursula K. LeGuin taught in colleges and universities, while Steven Brust is not? Who are the gatekeepers and how is the gatekeeping done? Sun 2:30-3:30p, Atrium 6: Jan Bogstad, Pamela Dean, CJ Mills, Teresa Nielsen Hayden (m) Stardust the Movie: Sneak Previews Here you can see Paramount Pictures' official movie trailer of Matthew Vaughn's interpretation of Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' Stardust, and also movie stills with actors and actresses such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Peter O'Toole and Robert De Niro. Charles will also share stories of how the book was developed and his adventures on the London movie set. Worldwide release of the film is August 10, 2007. Sat 11:30a-12:30p, Plaza 1: Charles Vess Star Wars at 30 The Star Wars series came into the world in 1977 with a bang and is still a Force to be reckoned with. Let's discuss its progress over the past three decades - unexpected plot turns, grand revelations and lasting impact. Sat 8:30-9:30p, Atrium 6: Michael Lee (m), Alison Sommer, Jeremy Stomberg A Tale of Two Charleses An interview between our two guests of honor. Sat 1:00-2:00p, Edina: Charles de Lint, Greg Ketter, Charles Vess Transgender Issues in SF What does the word "transgender" mean? What books deal with this complicated issue? What are some of the more interesting takes on the topic in SF? Sat 11:30a-12:30p, Atrium 6: Ctein, Beth Friedman, Carol Kennedy (m), Rachel Kronick, Lyda Morehouse Transmythic Fantasy Myths evolve in cultural contexts. Mixing myths from different cultures can create resonance, depth and delight. But it can also create dissonance. Even when authors mix cultural myths, they usually use Western European sources (though this is starting to change). Which cultures provide the most inspiration for you? Are there any new cultures out there waiting to be mined? How does myth-mixing work? Sat 2:30-3:30p, Atrium 6: Marissa Lingen, Naomi Kritzer (m), Lois McMaster Bujold, Hilary Moon Murphy Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network Group Reading with Crunchy Snacks Come for the crunching. Stay for the readings and hear short (usually funny) excerpts from stories that have recently sold elsewhere. This event will be followed directly by our Annual Publication Party! Sat 7:00-8:00p, Krushenko's Annex: Hilary Moon Murphy, host What Do Dwarves Eat? When worldbuilding, it's easy to forget practicalities and create an ecology that could never work or an economy that doesn't make sense. Are there any books where these inaccuracies have ruined your reading experience? How can you create an entire world without forgetting the little details? Sun 11:30a-12:30p, Atrium 6: Ruth Berman, Rachel Kronick (m), Kathy Sullivan, Adam Stemple What's 6 x 9? The Universe According to Douglas Adams A special Minicon 42 commemoration of Adams (1952-2001), legendary British author of radio, SF novels, television, metaphysical mystery novels, lexicography, ecological nonfiction, video games, internet projects, and-posthumously-cinema. Sun 2:30-3:30p, Krushenko's: Eric M. Heideman (m), Scott Lohman, Hilary Moon Murphy, Paul F. Richards Where there's a Will: Estate Planning for Geeks Got real property - books, comics, DVDs or whatever else? Got intellectual property - things you've written, painted or otherwise created? Then you need a will. Come learn how to create one. Sun 11:30a-12:30p, Atrium 7: Jonathan Adams, Magenta Griffith, Laura Majerus (m) Why Heinlein? 100 years after his birth and almost 19 years after his death, sales of books by Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) are still strong. No other SF writer achieved the sort of sustained popularity he did, with so many books that have done so well. What is it about Heinlein's writing that has been attracting SF fans since 1939, in contrast to almost everybody else? Sun 11:30 am-12:30p, Krushenko's: Eric M. Heideman (m), Ed Rom Wikireality The trials, tribulations and triumphs of consensual electronic truth. Sun 2:30-3:30p, Atrium 3: Dean Gahlon, Michael Lee, Dave Romm (m), Matt Strait, David Wilford The Works of Charles de Lint Share your thoughts and/or learn about the fiction of Minicon 42's Author GOH. Co-sponsored by The Rivendell Group, a Twin Cities fantasy-book discussion group meeting regularly since 1973 or 1974, and Second Foundation, a speculative fiction-book discussion group meeting since 1983. Sat 2:30-3:30p, Krushenko's: David Lenander (co-m), Eric M. Heideman (co-m) Writing for the Young Adult There has been a lot of interest recently in fantasy books for the not-quite-adult reader. What books are your favorites? Are there still topics that can't be broached? Are there any special challenges to writing for the teenager? Sat 11:30a-12:30p, Atrium 7: Pamela Dean, Laura Krentz, Adam Stemple (m), Jane Yolen Yaoi: Do you really know what this means? What is yaoi? What are the sub-genres of this type of manga? A discussion of its roots in Japan and its development in the United States. Sat 1:00-2:00p, Atrium 3: Alexandra Howes (m), Anna Waltz The Year in SF What's new? What's great? Fri 8:30-9:30p, Atrium 3: Greg Johnson (m), Russell Letson Music Schedule Friday Graham Leathers 8 pm - 9 pm Riverfolk 9 pm - 10 pm Saturday David Perry & Friends 8 pm - 9 pm Charles & MaryAnn 9 pm - 10 pm Music Circles to follow performances. Consuite / Bar Schedule Consuite Schedule Consuite Opens Friday, 12 pm Friday, 12 pm Hot Dogs Friday, 9 pm Meatballs Saturday, 8 am Continental Breakfast Sunday, 8 am Continental Breakfast Times at Random Surprises Abound (pizza and the ever-popular Tequila Wings are to be watched for. However, despite the rumors, whale meat will not be served at any time) Consuite Closes Well, that's a bit harder to say. It doesn't close, really, unless no semi-conscious, semi-warm bodies can be found to keep chips in the bowls. Should that happen, chances are you'll be asleep. Serving times are a bit on the approximate side due to uncertainties in cooking time and general sloth and ineptitude on the part of the staff. The Singularity Bar & Grill Bar Serving Hours Friday, 5 pm until we drop Saturday, 5 pm until we drop Sunday, Probably, at some point We'll be serving, at various times, Guinness Extra Stout, Newcastle Brown Ale, Sam Adam's Boston Lager, Woodchuck and Woodpecker Hard Cider, and, of course, blog. If history is any guide, we'll open earlier than our posted hours, and close neverish. Room Parties! MISFITS Room 105 Fri & Sat 8:00 pm - 12:00 am I fell into a burning ring of fun: Come and enjoy all things round, circular, spherical and toroidal! Sit on an inner tube and have some Spaghettios! Try your hand at the ring toss! Watch some movies with annulus or spheroid themes! Trans Galactic Inter Dimensional Gourmand Society Room 106 Fri ???-???, Sat 8:00 pm -12:00 am The TGIDGS is an exclusive club made up of two members. We do not recruit, however we do welcome visitors. Stop by for a conversation and maybe some Hot Sex (tm). Saturday night, we will be hosting the IKV RakeHell, as local Klingon fandom celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the real beginnings of Star Trek, the appearance of the Klingons for the first time on Terran TV. Stroll in, head-butt a few friends and chew the Gaa'k. ICON Room 107 ICON 32: Rise of the Phoenix - November 2-4, 2007 ICON is a fan-run science fiction convention in Coralville, IA. MarsCon Room 108 Sat 9:00 pm - ??? MarsCon 2008: Press Start to Continue... Come and celebrate MarsCon's upcoming tenth year anniversary with games and snacks! Krushenko's Annex Room 110 Fri & Sat 8:00 pm - 2:00 am, Sun 7:30 pm - 1:30 am Krushenko's and its sometime partner Krushenko's Annex are spaces that encourage conversation about science fiction and fantasy at SF conventions. Krushenko's Annex serves up conversational parties hosted by SF-related groups in the evenings. Krushenko's is accustomed to serving alien guests! Friday, April 6 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Arcana Gathering. Learn about this "Convention of the Dark Fantastic", the 37th edition of which will be held October 14-16 in the Best Western-Bandana Square, St Paul, with GOH George Clayton Johnson. 9:00 pm - 2:00 am Tales of the Unanticipated Not-a-Publication Party Come and celebrate with the staff of and contributors to this Twin Cities semi-prozine, published by MN-Stf from 1986-2002 and by TOTU Ink since 2003. The 28th issue is due out in July. Saturday, April 7 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Publication Party Meetup with the Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network. Come celebrate with our authors some of the sales of the previous year and meet a whole bunch of cool people. We have treats! 9:00 pm - 2:00 pm Diversicon Party Come and hang out with participants in this Twin Cities multicultural, multimedia SF convention to be held August 3-5 in the Holiday Inn Express International Airport-Mall of America in Bloomington with Guests Andrea Hairston, Christopher Jones, and Melissa S. Kaercher. Sunday, April 8 7:30 pm - 1:30 am A Party for Readers and Viewers Hosted by Second Foundation, an SF book discussion group, whose members are also film buffs. Music Party with Charles de Lint & Friends Room 115 Sun 8:00 pm - ??? Tor Books hosts a music party with Charles de Lint and friends. Playing by invitation; attendance open to all! LJ Party Room 205 Sat 8:00 pm - ??? Are you a "user"--an LJ user, that is? If so, come to the LJ Party and put some faces with those mysterious names! Saturday night, 8 p.m. till whenever, is the time; Room 205 is the place; cakmpls is the host. Ladies' Sewing Circle Room 206 Sun 2:00 pm The Ladies Sewing Circle holds monthly meetings in the Twin Cities area. People who sew, knit, crochet, quilt, bead, or do other hand craft work are welcome to attend and work on their projects while socializing and enjoying some snacks. The meeting will adjourn in time to attend Closing Ceremonies. ConFusion Room 207 Fri 9:00 pm - ??? ConFusion is an annual convention of fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, filk, anime, comics, and gaming, in no particular order, that takes place in Detroit, MI Jan 18-20 2008. Guests of honor so far are John Scalzi, Kevin M. Dunn, and The Pirates! More TBA. Peeps Party Room 207 Sat 8:00 pm - ??? Been to a Minicon party at another convention? Wondering where all the Peeps went? Never fear - the Peeps Party is here! You can still find blog in the bar, but for Cthulhu marshmallow confections, you have to come see us. Come by Saturday night to get your fix and watch the giant Peep be reborn! Carleton SFA Alumni Room 208 Fri & Sat 8:00 pm - ??? [Chinese]! The SFA Teahouse/Jiuba is a Chinese-themed beverage establishment straight out of the Firefly 'Verse! Come on in for a drink of tea or something stronger! Enjoy the music, and maybe learn a few colorful Chinese phrases! This party is hosted by the Carleton College Science Fiction and Fantasy Alliance (SFA) local alumni chapter. DreamHaven Room 210 Sat 9:30 pm - 1:00 am DreamHaven Books 30th Anniversary Party. Come celebrate 30 years of one of your favorite bookstores. A rare fete! Happy Birthday to Us! Dealers' Room Dealers Room Hours Setup Friday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Open Friday 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Dealers Acme Comics and Collectibles Games, comics, books, toys and fantasy t-shirts, padded swords, and beaded jewelry Alsadu, Inc. Fair trade federation products: silks, paper, clothes, jewelry, etc Coat of Many Colors Imported handicrafts and ethnic clothing David Christenson Books, used books, movies, etc DreamHaven Books Books Earth Wisdom (Minda Hart) Silk and velvet jackets, magic dresses, and t-shirts Evenstar Bookstore Books Funk 'n Fantasy Fantasy and spiritual items, jewelry, magnets, pendulums, sarongs, and etc HedgeHog and Otter (Philip Kaveny) Books Off-World Designs T-shirts, including our Minicon 42 design Sam's Dot Publishing (Tyree Campbell) Original books, magazines and chapbooks L.S.V.S.L. (Lev Bronshteyn) Russian Sci-Fi, space memorabilia, jewelry, and comic books Unicorn Games Board games, card games, puzzles Wayne's World (Wayne McCloud) Mags, toys, collectibles Worlds Within Reach Studios (Kerigwen) Ornaments, sculpture, jewelry, original design gift and home decor Gaming Gaming is in Atrium 1 and frequently also in the consuite and pool area. Use the sheet outside Atrium 1 sign up for games or to invite people to play one of yours. Here are just some of the games you are likely to find: Alhambra Help build the legendary city of Alhambra, but make sure that you have the right types of currency! Blokus Use as many of your polyominos as you can in this elegant game for 2 to 4 players. Decent Like RPGs, but can't stand all that pesky role playing? This dungeon combat game is for you! EPYC/Moneyduck We won't tell you what the name stands for unless you show up to play. This non-competitive combination of Pictionary and Telephone creates hilarious confusion. Cosmic Encounter You have the power to game. You can colonize five planets outside your home system while sending your enemies to the warp. Flux One rule to rule them all: Draw one, play one. Oh, and cookies. Ingenious Score points by lining up colored hexagons. Easy, right? The player with the highest lowest score wins. Magic: The Gathering If you play already, bring your deck for casual games. If you don't, find Matthew Strait and he will teach you. Scorched Earth The Mother of All Games. Well, that's what it says. Ok, so it's a tank game for DOS, but that hardly does it justice. With dozens of weapons, defense systems, wind, hostile environments, an economy and much more, it never gets old. 0 to 10 players. Talisman Fight through three rings of increasing danger to obtain the Crown of Command in this fantasy board game. Zar In this cut-throat game, you try to get rid of all your cards by matching color or symbol. If you have an exact match, you can play out of turn! Lucky people get to say "zarch", "zarble" and "mout". (well, maybe not "mout"...) What is MNSTF? For the lawyer in you, MNStF is the 501c(3) corporation that brings you Minicon. Moving on? Each year, the MNStF board of directors approves the chairperson for the upcoming convention, looks after the continuing needs of the convention and looks for new ways to enhance SF in the community. The corporation consists of the following parts: The Board of Directors, who are responsible for guiding the organization. The MNStF officers, who do much of the work for the corporation: plan meetings, pool parties, picnics, and file taxes. The annual Minicon Concom, who do all the hard work it takes to hold the convention each year. The Membership, which includes anyone who has signed the Membership Book at a MNSTF meeting. MNStF usually holds two social meetings a month, generally at member's homes. These meetings may involve talk, food, dinner expeditions, games and music. Meeting locations are published in the Einblatt!, and available online at www.mnstf.org or www.mnstf.org/minicon. Art & Photo Credits Page(s) Artists / Photographers 3 Charles Vess; Perce Rock, First Sighting, colored inks, 2004. Endpaper design for limited 20th anniversary edition of Moonheart (Subterranean Press). 4 Laramie Sasseville; Born to Serve 4 Dealer Dollar artwork by Charles Vess; layout Keith Malgren 5 Charles Vess; Apple Tree Man and 'Sang man, Pen and ink, 2002. Interior art for Seven Wild Sisters (Subterranean Press). 10 Photo of C. Vess at upper right by Paul Vernon 11 Photo of C. Vess by Andre Teague 12 All art by Charles Vess; clockwise from upper left: The Sultan's Bath, colored inks, w/Michael Kaluta, 2006. Interior page from Fables:1001 Nights of Snowfall (DC Comics). Corina, Pen and ink, 2003. Interior art for Medicine Road, (Subterranean Press). Stardust, colored inks, 2007. Cover art for re-issue of Stardust, Being A Romance Within the Realms of Faerie (DC Comics/Vertigo). (C) and (TM) Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' Stardust. Detail taken from Into The Green, colored inks, 2004. (See complete piece on page 15) Cover for The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, (Viking). 12 All art by Charles Vess; clockwise from upper left: To The Water and the Wild, colored inks, 2005. Artist's collection. Detail taken from Into The Green, colored inks, 2004. (See complete piece on page 15) Cover for The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, (Viking). The Merry Dancer's Emporium, colored inks, 2003. Interior art for Moonheart, (Subterranean Press). The Arrow Made a Soft Hiss as it Left His String, colored inks, 2005. Interior art for A Storm of Swords, (Subterranean Press). 15 Charles Vess; Into The Green, colored inks, 2004. Cover for The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, (Viking). 16 Charles Vess; Wendy Tells A Story in the Home Underground, pen & ink Interior art for Peter Pan (Starscape), 2003. 17 Charles Vess; Mrs. Mabb, pen & ink, 2006. Interior art for The Ladies of Grace Adieu & Other Stories, (Bloomsbury). 19 Charles Vess; Cover art for Moonheart: 20th Anniversary Illustrated Edition by Charles de Lint (Subterranean Press, 2004). 21 James Kuehl 23 Charles Vess; Deep Secret, colored inks. Cover art for same, (Tor), 2001. 24 Jason Malgren, pencil drawing (intentionally faded from original, as watermark behind text) 29 Charles Vess; Red Dog Rests, Pen and ink, 2003. Interior art for Medicine Road, (Subterranean Press). 30 Charles Vess; Twa Corbies, title page, Pen and ink, 1995. Interior art for The Book of Ballads & Sagas #3 (Green Man Press) and The Book of Ballads, (Tor), 2004. Program Cover art by Charles Vess. Front Cover: Tapping the Dream Tree, colored inks, Cover art for Tapping the Dream Tree by Charles de Lint (Tor, 2002). Rear Cover: The Faery Reel, pen & ink, 2004, Cover art for The Faery Reel, Tales from the Twilight Realm, (Viking). Several of the photos found herein are not credited, despite the near-certainty that they were taken by some one at some time. The fault for this lapse is entirely mine, and for it I do apologize. Also; details taken from "Into the Green" on pages 12 & 13, as well as cropping on various works for the production of the Dealer Dollars, were done by me without specific permission of the artist and/or photographer (though the works themselves were used with permission); all art pieces used in this way are seen in their entirety elsewhere in this document. -K. Malgren Chairman Mark Richards Art Show David Wilford Badge Layout Bill Christ Bozo Bus Tribune Sharon Kahn Dealers' Room Lisa Freitag Gaming Room Matthew Strait Green Room Karen Cooper Guest Liaisons Greg Ketter Lisa Freitag Hospitality Bar Joel Phillips Tarbenders Brian, Diane, Keith Serving Hardware Dan Kromke Consuite Beth Phillips Subheads Diane Lacey, Pat Scaramuzza Kid's Programming Marian Turner Music Jeff Schalles Programming Rachel Kronick Lisa Freitag Lydia Nickerson Eric Heideman Publications Progress Report Keith Malgren Program Book Keith Malgren Dealer Dollars Keith Malgren Pocket Program Rachel Kronick Matthew Strait Opening/Closing Ceremonies David E. Romm Registration Pre-con Peer Dudda At-con Carol Kennedy Room Parties Coordinator Kelly Strait T-Shirt Design Keith Malgren Volunteers Kevin G. Austin Web Geeks Matthew Strait Ethan Sommer Other Geekiness Laurel Krahn