John Scalzi is an American author and online writer, and president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He is best known for his Hugo Award-nominated science fiction novel Old Man's War, released by Tor Books in January 2005, and for his blog Whatever, at which he has written daily on a number of topics since 1998. He has also written a number of non-fiction books. As of February 10, 2011, his weight was equal to that of 204 cans of Coke Zero (76.5 liters), a quantity accordingly defined as a new unit of measure, a 'Scalzi'.

Chas Somdahl is well known to Minicon and conventions across the Midwest as part of Riverfolk. He is also known as typically one of the last musicians playing in the late night music circles. A musician of eclectic taste, he is equally at home in music circles and jam sessions ranging from filk to folk to blues to rock to bluegrass and more. He is often told he makes jams welcoming. He credits his own welcome into a Minn-StF jam a decade ago as a major contributor to his return to music after a 14-year lapse. Minicon 46 is pleased to welcome him as Music Guest of Honor.