Confluence 2025

The 34th annual Confluence conference was held July 25, 26 & 27 2025
Location: Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel
1160 Thorn Run Road Extension. Coraopolis, PA 15108

︱2025 PROGRAM SCHEDULE ︱2025 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS︱

Guest of Honor Cat Rambo

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Featured Music Guest: Clearly Guilty

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Featured Artist: Theresa Mather

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Writing Workshops with Charles Oberndorf

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Programming You Don’t Want to Miss!

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Friday: Opening Ceremonies

Friday July 27 at 7p.m with our con chair Kevin M. Hayes, W. Randy Hoffman, AJ Smith, Cat Rambo and more!
The Parsec Short Story contest* winners were announced by M. Christine Benner Dixon, our coordinator for the contest.

T.J. Burnside-Clapp lead the singing of “Three Days Away from the Ratrace” with audience participation. Sheet music was provided.

_{*The Parsec Short Story Contest winning story is printed in the Confluence program book. For a copy of the program book, contact Karen: publicity@confluence-sff.org. A $5 S/H fee applies.}

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Saturday Featured Entertainers: Select Start performed a short form improv based a little on Cat Rambo’s book “You Sexy Thing” and incorporate other popular sci-fi elements/tropes.

Saturday July 28th in Ballroom 1.

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Confluence Book Discussion Groups

For several years, Confluence has looked back on the SF and fantasy of 50 years ago. We plan to do that again this year, with a panel discussing the works of 1975. But in addition, we plan something new: book discussion groups, where any readers can show up to discuss the work in question.  In keeping with the idea of major works of 1975, we plan a discussion group for The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner and one for Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany. If you’ve read one of them and want to talk about it, please check the schedule and join your fellow readers. 

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Writing “Exercises” were Facilitated by: M. Christine Benner Dixon and Schereéya

Saturday 9-10am
Sight Unseen: Writing the Unapparent
Join us for some writing exercises that will push you beyond visual description to create a fully immersive world for your readers. Experiment with techniques like metaphor, non-visual senses, and complex cultural milieus.

Sunday 9-10am
Curveball: Exercises in Surprises
Keep your writing fresh and exciting with these exercises in surprise. Stretch yourself to roll with the unexpected as a writer and to seed surprises in your writing for your reader.

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2025 Staff

These are the people that volunteered their time to bring Confluence to you!

Hotel Map:

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Confluence 2025 Masking Policy
😷 Masking is optional and vaccines are not required. 🙂

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Program Participants:

Cat Rambo’s 300+ fiction publications include stories in Asimov’s, Clarkesworld Magazine, and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. In 2020 they won the Nebula Award for fantasy novelette Carpe Glitter. They are a former two-term President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Their most recent works are space opera Devil’s Gun (Tor Macmillan, 2023) and anthology The Reinvented Detective (Arc Manor, 2023), co-edited with Jennifer Brozek. For more about Cat’s popular online school, visit The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers. They are represented by Seth Fishman of the Gernert Agency.

Alan Bailey is the co-creator, co-host, and editor of the If This Goes On (Don’t Panic) podcast. In the past he also created, edited, and co-hosted the Alan & Jeremy VS Science Fiction podcast. He has been an educator for most of his life, starting in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and moving on to write curriculum for tech companies, insurance companies, post-secondary schools, and grocery chains. He has also been the bassist for numerous Pittsburgh bands. Most recently, he has joined the board of Parsec Inc.

Brimstone Rhine is both an imaginary rockstar (the alter-ego of fantasy writer and audiobook narrator C. S. E. Cooney) and the name of a band currently consisting of Cooney, her brother James, and her husband (SF/F author and game designer Carlos Hernandez). Brimstone Rhine has crowdfunded two EPs and produced one full album. Cooney’s SF musical Ballads from a Distant Star was performed at NYC’s Arts on Site in 2023 and Cooney and Hernandez were Guests of Honor at the NYC-area con HELIOsphere in 2024.

Maddie Cardoza (they/she) is a queer singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Providence, RI. Their music falls somewhere between dreampop and indie folk, and their songs are love letters to existence, nature, and the bonds of community. Along with their solo endeavors, they sing and play keys/sax/clarinet as a member of the band Field of Embers (Providence, RI), and they also play horns with Hooly J Chan and the Wicked Queer Puppet Theater (Westport, MA).

Ken Chiacchia is the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center’s science writer, responsible for media outreach as well as writing stories about the research enabled by PSC and about the unique technological resources that make it all possible. He also serves as science writer for a number of individual PSC projects, including the Brain Image Library, Bridges-2, HuBMAP, and SenNet. Ken is a defrocked biochemist who, surprisingly late in a PhD program, realized that he didn’t have the patience to do research. He did, however, absolutely love talking, reading and writing about just about everything from cosmology to chemistry to physics, social science, humanities and yes, even biology. He spent some years writing about biomedical science for various universities and hospitals, with side-trips to freelance reporting for publications such as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh City Paper, as well as a stint as a radio commentator for The Allegheny Front. In 2013, he came to PSC to enjoy the amazing diversity of research enabled by PSC’s resources and its staff. A minor speculative fiction author, Ken has published short stories in a number of professional and semiprofessional markets (search for “Kenneth B. Chiacchia”). The third hat he wears is as a volunteer search and rescue dog handler with Mountaineer Area Rescue Group of Morgantown, WV, a role in which he—irony alert—is now back to doing research, on quantifying lost-person search operations (his papers are among those listed at https://www.psc.edu/staff-publications). He’s also a volunteer firefighter with the Harmony Fire District, Butler County, Pa. Finally, he is the unskilled labor for a small homestead farm in western Pa. run by his wife, who assures him she is indeed the boss of him. Ken was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, with all that entails. Not a surprise to those who know the school and its peripatetic graduates, he is also the bearer of a bachelor of arts (!) degree in biological sciences from the University of Chicago. Through bloody-minded persistence he somehow also managed to emerge from Guido Guidotti’s lab in what was then the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Harvard University with his skin intact and a PhD in hand. He has not yet gotten to write about dinosaurs.

In their first appearance in the Northeast, the queers of Clearly Guilty are here to champion the underrepresented fandom. Across 12 years and 5 albums, they’ve written and performed original songs about things like the Mars Rovers, Star Wars, Star Trek, gaming, their deep “interest” in aliens, and other pop culture topics. Their spawn point is Kansas City, where you may have seen them at Planet Comicon, but they’ve also performed at places such as FuMPFest, Dragon Con, and various renaissance festivals across the midwest. https://clearlyguilty.bandcamp.com and https://clearlyguilty.bandzoogle.com/

Greg Clumpner is a proud product of Wisconsin currently residing in Pittsburgh, PA. He has both a Mechanical Engineering degree and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and works as a business consultant to early-stage companies. Greg has been published in multiple journals and is Editor of the Triangulation anthologies Seven-Day Weekend and Hospitium. When not working, writing, or playing with shelter dogs, you’ll find Greg willing to engage in any form of sport.

Lawrence C. Connolly’s books include the collection THIS WAY TO EGRESS, whose titular tale of psychological horror was adapted for the Mick Garris film NIGHTMARE CINEMA; and the Bram-Stoker-nominated VOICE, which features Connolly’s best stories from THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, TWILIGHT ZONE, YEAR’S BEST HORROR, and other top genre magazines and anthologies. A third collection, VISIONS, was praised by Publishers Weekly for featuring an eclectic mix of “entertaining and satisfying” SF. His novels include the eco-thrillers VEINS, VIPERS, and VORTEX. This fall, Caezik Science Fiction will release his new novel MINUTE-MEN: EXECUTE & RUN, a globetrotting adventure that combines elements of military SF, gaming, and medical suspense in a thrilling reinvention of the superhero genre. He is collaborating with brother Christopher Connolly and Academy Award-winning producer Jonathan Sanger to develop a feature film based on EXECUTE & RUN. He is also the writer of Mystery Theatre, a podcast produced by Prime Stage Theatre, which premiered his adaptation of Frankenstein in 2022. His newest commission, a play based on the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe, opens in November 2025.

C.S.E. Cooney of Brimstone Rhine (she/her) is a two-time World Fantasy Award-winning author, an audiobook narrator, and the singer/songwriter Brimstone Rhine. In April 2025, Solaris Books released Book 2 of her Saint Death novels: Saint Death’s Herald. In 2015, Cooney crowdfunded for her first two EPs: Alecto! Alecto! and The Headless Bride, and then, in 2018, produced an album for her backers, Corbeau Blanc, Corbeau Noir. Her plays have been performed in several countries. Most recently, in March of 2023, she produced her collaborative sci-fi folk musical Ballads from a Distant Star at New York City’s Arts on Site. Cooney and her husband Carlos Hernandez (collectively: the Hernandooneys) are also game designers; their TTRPG Negocios Infernales crowdfunded on Kickstarter in under 12 hours, and came out from Outland Entertainment in 2024. Find her on Substack on LinkTree, at @csecooney on IG, on Facebook at facebook.com/cscooney, on her Amazon Author Page, or at Goodreads.

Toby Danger is a rag-rag group of elder Millennials writing funny rock and roll songs and making them family friendly because their wives told them to. Like “Weird” Al with distortion, The Aquabats with slightly less outfit coordination, or Tenacious D without the sex appeal, Toby Danger is mixing up slick riffs, huge drums, and an exciting (if a little out of breath) stage show. (from Cleveland OH)

Eric Leif Davin, Ph.D., is the author of two major books on the history of fantasy and science fiction: “Pioneers of Wonder” and “Partners in Wonder.” The latter is considered to be a foundational history of women in early science fiction. He has also published many short stories in myriad venues, including several “Year’s Best” anthologies from Baen Books. He was the First Place Winner of the first Parsec Short Story contest and the Second Place Winner in the subsequent Parsec Short Story contest. He is currently a final judge in the Parsec Short Story contest. He has also served as a past president of Parsec.

Susan Dexter Some know me as a writer of Fantasy, creator of Valadan, the Warhorse of Esdragon. (And it was a real trip this year to be contacted by a researcher writing about the early days of Del Rey Books, because yes, I do still have all the original correspondence!) Some know me as the artist who uses her hand-cut stencils and metallic craft paints to make the t-shirts shown in the Confluence Art Show. Some know me as a fiber artist, weaving and competing in handspinning competitions. (Hoping to beat my personal best for a week of spinning this year!) Find me on Wikipedia!

Twill Distilled DC/NoVA-based Twill Distilled (who was anointed with her stage name by the legendary KRS-One) does graphic design as her day job, but since 2014 has written and performed nerdcore hip-hop as her passion. She has performed solo at BitGen, MAGFest, MAGStock, and MAGWest and has performed at Confluence and many other conventions as former member of Wreck The System. Her eclectic sound and inspirations (described by her MAGStock biographer as “singularly Twill”) are highlighted on her recent albums “POWER” and “I N V A D E R”. She has collaborated with many other fannish musicians, has guested on numerous podcasts, and wrote and drew an SF webcomic titled “INVADER: The Adventures of StarHopper and Husky” for a while.

M. C. Benner Dixon lives, writes, and grows things in Pittsburgh, PA. She is quick to make a pun and slow to cut her grass. Her books include The Height of Land, an Orison Fiction Prize winner, and Millions of Suns, a collection of craft essays.

Barbara Doran is a fantasy author with Airship 27. Her work draws on her Chinese background and mythology, as well as her deep love of the old pulp heroes like the Shadow and the Green Hornet.

Frederic S. Durbin has been writing professionally since 1999, when he hold his first novel, DRAGONFLY, to Arkham House. Since then he has written novels, short stories, essays, and poetry for children and adults. His fantasy novel A GREEN AND ANCIENT LIGHT was named a Reading List Honor Book by the American Library Association and received the Realm Award in Fantasy. His latest book, the historical fantasy THE COUNTRY UNDER HEAVEN, was released in May by Melville House. He teaches creative writing to high-schoolers at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School.

Gregory Feeley‘s first novel, The Oxygen Barons, was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award. His short fiction has twice been Nebula finalists and have appeared in numerous Year’s Best anthologies.

Donald Firesmith is a multi-award-winning author of speculative fiction, including science fiction, fantasy, paranormal horror, and modern urban paranormal novels and collections of short stories. Because of his strong background in software/system engineering and science, his science fiction is well-researched, and he relies on numerous science, technology, and military technical advisors to ensure that the non-speculative aspects of his stories are realistic and believable. Prior to retiring to become a full-time novelist and short story author, Donald Firesmith earned an international reputation as an authority on system and software engineering, authoring engineering books and nearly 300 technical articles and conference papers based on his 40+ years spent developing large, complex software-intensive systems. In 2015, the Association for Computing Machinery named Donald Firesmith an ACM Distinguished Member.

Stephen C. Fisher has been absorbing and emitting SF and fantasy stories for seven decades, with a few publications in obscure markets—but he hasn’t quit trying. He has also rediscovered a lost symphony by Joseph Haydn, played viola in over150 performances of the works of Gilbert & Sullivan, and amassed a collection of several hundred baseball scoresheets dating back to 1983. He wishes to thank his cats for giving him permission to attend this con.

Clif Flynt has been active in convention fandom since the mid 1970s. He’s best known as a techie nerd and filker, but in recent years he’s sold stories to Unidentified Funny Objects, Atthis Arts and Parsec Ink anthologies. His first novel, Promised Rewards, was published by Dark Myth in 2022. Blog and Free Stuff on his website.

Douglas Gwilym Bram Stoker Award nominated author and editor Douglas Gwilym has been known to compose a weird-fiction rock opera or two. His short story “Poppy’s Poppy” was a finalist for a Stoker in 2023. “Year Six” is on Ellen Datlow’s recommended reading list for Best Horror 14. With Shirley Jackson nominee Ken MacGregor, he edits The Midnight Zone—first edition, Novus Monstrum, a collection of never-before-seen monsters, featuring greats and new talent in strange, dark fiction. He reads classics of the proto-Weird on YouTube, appears on a variety of podcasts and web shows, and has been guest staff at Alpha Young Writers workshop. His short fiction has been featured in Shoreline of Infinity, LampLight, Lucent Dreaming, Dark Horses, Shelter of Daylight, Tales from the Moonlit Path, Penumbric, Creepy podcast, and Tales to Terrify, and his novels are lurking around the next corner.

Elektra Hammond emulates her multi-sided idol Buckaroo Banzai by going in several directions at once. She’s been involved in publishing since the 1990s—now she writes, concocts anthologies, and edits science fiction for various and sundry. When not freelancing or appearing at science fiction conventions, she travels the world judging cat shows. Look for her new story “Looking Back, I Wouldn’t Change a Thing” – set in Jack Chalker’s Well World, appearing in Permutations: A Well World Anthology, edited by David Boop. Elektra is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop and a member of SFWA. She lives in Delaware with her husband, Mike, and more than the usual allotment of felines. You can find her on Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram.

Hailing from the city of brotherly love, the nerdcore hip-hop group known as Heroes 4 Hire are convention elite panelists and party conductors. The dynamic duo at the heart of the group consists of Ray Riley (the Shinigami) and Tray Digga (the Legendary Super Saiyan). They are often accompanied by their elite otaku unit, “The Heroes’ League,” a team that specializes in theatrical-esque presentations. H4H is best known for their animated performances and hardcore delivery. Their carefully crafted lyrics and nerdy references leave villains rethinking their day jobs.

Randy Hoffman, a member of the Filk Hall of Fame, has been coordinating Confluence’s music programming for three decades. When he isn’t at a concert or convention either appreciating or wrangling performers, he does business analysis for the Enterprise Reporting team serving the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs and fields trouble tickets from diplomatic posts around the world. (Well, he also lives with his parents near Williamsport, PA, and plays board games with them when they aren’t too busy watching Fox News.)

Rich Horton is a Software Engineer in St. Louis, MO, working for the proverbial Major Aerospace Corporation. He was a short fiction columnist for Locus for 20 years, and edited a series of Best of the Year anthologies for Prime Books; as well as several further anthologies including an upcoming collection of “the best philosophical science fiction of all time” for MIT Press (co-edited with Eric Schwitzgebel and Helen de Cruz.) He writes extensively about science fiction (new and old) and about older popular fiction and Victoriana for places like F&SF, Black Gate, Journey Planet, and his blog, Strange at Ecbatan .

Alan Irvine is a storyteller from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whose repertoire includes ghost stories, Celtic legends, folktales from around the world, King Athur tales, Pittsburgh history and even Shakespeare. He leads walking tours of Pittsburgh, and is the playwright and director for Brawling Bard Theater, which he founded. He also teaches Sociology and History at Pittsburgh area colleges, but only when he has to.

Larry Ivkovich’s speculative fiction has been published in over twenty-five online and print publications. He’s been a finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future contest and was the 2010 recipient of the CZP/Rannu Fund award for fiction. His four-part urban fantasy series, The Spirit Winds Quartet, is published by IFWG Publishing. Just released from IFWG in 2024 is steampunk inspired SF novella, Hope’s Song. Larry is a member of SFWA and lives in Coraopolis, PA with his beautiful and talented wife Martha and wonder cat Milo.

Provience’s Nathaniel Johnstone has been known to accompany himself (on his own songs of myth, magic, mystery, and science fiction) using piano, guitar, clarinet, and/or violin, though not necessarily all at the same time. His vibrant sound crosses boundaries and borders, resulting in a blend of European, Middle Eastern, and South American music with Jazz, Rock, Surf, Folk, Gothic, and Steampunk influences. He performs and tours all over—you never know where you might catch him if not here at Confluence!

Herb Kauderer is a retired factory worker/truck driver who grew up to be an associate professor of English at Hilbert College with a PhD, an MFA, and a lot of other degrees. He has written film, drama, non-fiction, and short fiction, but is most noted for his poetry. His writing has won the Critters Readers’ Award (2021), Asimov’s Readers’ Award (2017), the Ewaipanoma Sonnet Contest (2008), the WorldCon Poetry Slam (1998), the Sycamore Award (1992), and received many other accolades including honorable mention in The Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror (1996). He is assistant editor (slush reader) at Amazing Stories, co-edits SpecPo Reviews, and was the poetry editor of Triangulations: Habitats (2021). One of his favorite hobbies is getting scientists drunk so he can understand them.

Brandon Ketchum is a speculative fiction writer from Pittsburgh, PA who enjoys putting a weird spin or strange vibe into every story, dark or light. He is a member of SFWA and the Horror Writers Association, and his work has been published with Air and Nothingness Press, Perihelion, Mad Scientist Journal, and many other publications, including the short story collections Legio Damnati and its sequel Civili Bellum.

Brian Koscienski developed his love of writing from countless hours of reading comic books, losing himself in the different worlds and adventures within the colorful pages. He had minor successes early in his career by getting a few short stories published in independent ‘zines before teaming up with Chris Pisano and Jeff Young to form The Novel Guys. Together under the pen names Viktor Bloodstone, Apollo Harrison, and Jordan Corvis, they have logged many hours writing novels, stories, articles, comic books, reviews, and the occasional ridiculous haiku. To find out where they may be skulking next, visit them at http://www.novelguys.com. If you happen to see Brian at one of the various conventions he participates in, feel free to stop by the table and say, “Hi.” He’s harmless!

Jamie Lackey lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and their cats. She has had over 200 short stories published in places like Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Apex Magazine, and Escape Pod. She has a novella and two short story collections available from Air and Nothingness Press, and she’s created six successful crowdfunding campaigns to self-publish a novel, two novellas, a novelette, and three short story collections. In addition to writing, she spends her time reading, playing tabletop RPGs, baking, mushroom hunting, and hiking.

Dr. Geoffrey A. Landis is a science-fiction writer, a scientist, a poet, and a swordsman. He has won the Hugo, Nebula, and Heinlein awards for science fiction, the Rhysling award for poetry, and the AIAA Power Systems award for designing power systems for spacecraft. He works for NASA on developing advanced technologies for spaceflight, including recently conceptual designs for a mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. More information can be seen on his out-of-date website or just look him up on Wikipedia.

Mary Soon Lee is a Grand Master of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association, and winner of the AnLab Readers’ Award, Dwarf Stars Award, Elgin Award, Rhysling Award, and Utopia Award. An illustrated edition of her epic fantasy “The Sign of the Dragon” was published in January 2025. BlueSky

Dr. Susan Linville received a PhD in biology from the University of Dayton and has lectured as adjunct faculty. She has administrative experience as an assistant editor for a science journal, university outreach coordinator and museum assistant administrator. As a freelance writer, she has published short fiction (science fiction and fantasy), newspaper and magazine articles, non-fiction books, and was a script writer for Indiana University’s A Moment of Science Podcast Series. She is a graduate of the Climate Reality Project, Pittsburgh 2017.

Robert Lohman is a long-time S.F. reader (70+ Years ) and long time convention goer (50+years). Over the years, he has met and talked with some of the greats of science fiction. I hope that I can do their legacy honor giving back to fandom what I got from them. He has a strong background in anthropology, biology, history, wargaming, and is a hobbyist in computers. He is also a retired Chemist with 40 years in the environmental recycling and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. He has seen a lot of crap in his time.

Jim Mann is a long-time fan and con runner and sometimes editor for NESFA Press. He’s been a fan since 1975, when he first found WPSFA (the Wester Pennsylvania Science Fiction Association). He’s been married to Laurie since three days before the premier of Star Wars (which is how, he claims, he remembers their anniversary). They have one child, Leslie.

Laurie Mann has been a fan since 1974, and has been part of online fandom since 1988. She’s a con runner, was the local fan who helped coordinate three Nebula banquets in Pittsburgh, edited the collected non-fiction of William Tenn, and is now working on improving and adding to the online Fancyclopedia. She is married to Jim, and they have one child, Leslie.

Brandon McNulty grew up loving monsters, demons, and the thrill of a great scare. Now he writes supernatural thrillers, horror, and other dark fiction. He is a graduate of Taos Toolbox Writers Workshop and a winner of both Pitch Wars and RevPit. He runs the popular YouTube channel Writer Brandon McNulty.

Scot Noel is a winner of L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future contest (Vol VI) and the SciFidea Contest, with stories in Algis Budry’s Tomorrow Magazine, two Eden Studios’ zombie anthologies, Space & Time Magazine, and various small press venues. He has written novellas and interaction text for a variety of computer games, as well as being a project manager of game development in the late 90’s at DreamForge Intertainment. These days he works with his wife Jane at their digital marketing agency Chroma Studios, and in his spare time has fun as the editor and publisher of DreamForge Magazine, now in its 6th year of publication. In all worlds and times, DreamForge tales revolve around those individuals and groups who bring meaning and value to the world, whose actions are of consequence, and whose dreams are the vanguard of things to come.

Sirens & Liars is a powerhouse female vocal duo that covers songs from the video games you know and love. Known for their haunting sound and tight harmonies, Alyx (soprano) and Ashley (mezzo soprano) blend their voices seamlessly to create a mesmerizing and unforgettable performance experience. From Fallout to Cyberpunk, Hades to Skyrim, they do it all—and quite stylishly!

Charles Oberndorf is the author of three novels and six works of short fiction. His story “Another Life” appeared in Hartwell and Cramer’s “Year’s Best SF #15” and Horton and Wallace’s “War and Space: Recent Combat.” The novella, “A Cottage in Omena,” appeared in Kaster’s “The Year’s Best Science Fiction on Earth.” Along with numerous sf projects, Charlie is also working on a biographical novel about Abraham Lincoln Brigade vet, Abe Osheroff. Charlie taught seventh grade English for 40 years. He lives with his wife in Cleveland, Ohio. He’s a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop (East Lansing, 1987).

Mark Painter has worked as an electrical engineer and has practiced law in the field of disability rights. He served in elected office for 17 years, culminating in a stint in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. After retiring from politics, he returned to his first love, writing fantasy and science fiction, and sometimes nonfiction. His short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies. He also produces and hosts The History of the Twentieth Century podcast, which has been downloaded over 4,000,000 times. He is married, with four sons and two grandchildren. historyofthetwentiethcentury.com

Marianne Porter spent her professional career with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, trying to keep all of you alive, dealing with bioterorism and infectious disease response. After 35 years with an office, a brief case, and a clip board, she now operates Dragonstairs Press, the world’s smallest nanopress.

Nelson W Pyles is a writer, podcast creator and voice actor living in Pittsburgh PA. He has written two novels and several dozen short stories, essays and articles. He is the creator and original host of The Wicked Library. He is currently working on a rather long novel. He is a member of the HWA.

Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. She’s been a full-time self-published author since 2011, and her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast (BrightGreenFutures.wtf).

Schereéya (he/they) is a multi-disciplinary artist, advocate, and fulltime fae running the business development department of a tech company. Currently based in Pittsburgh, Schereeya’s practice focuses on freedom: Freedom of play, of joy, of magic and whimsy, of the ability to know oneself. “The act of Knowing myself helps me liberate myself from others’ expectations. Knowing is an ongoing process, and it takes practice and exploration. That’s what my work is- the practice of self-exploration.” Poetry collection, Prayers & Pixies Social: @schereeya

Darrell Schweitzer is the author of about 375 published stories and 4 novels, including THE MASK OF THE SORCERER and THE SHATTERED GODDESS. He is also an interviewer, poet, critic, essayist, etc. He is also an active anthologist. His most recent books are two anthologies, THE BEST OF WEIRD TALES, the 1920s (Centipede Press), COLD WAR CTHULHU (PS Publishing), and a collection of his own stories, THE CHILDREN OF CHORAZIN (Hippocampus Press). Hippocampus also promises an omnibus of his new and selected poetry soon.

Chuck Shiring and Brenda Shaffer-Shiring are a match made in fandom. They met as members of Starfleet International’s (now-defunct) Pittsburgh-based U.S.S. Potemkin, and got to know one another as members of its fanfiction-writing workshop. They started filking at Shore Leave, about 20 years ago, and haven’t stopped since. In addition to Shore Leave and Confluence, they’ve performed at Philcon and the Festival of the Living Rooms, and have had a couple of songs on Filkcast. They’re both avid readers and enjoy following sf media. They live in Lower Burrell, PA, have one son (also called Chuck), and both work for a certain local bird-themed supermarket chain.

Rigel Ailur is the author of twenty-four novels and more than eighty short stories. She writes in almost every genre, but mostly science fiction and fantasy. Her novels include the VAGABONDS’ ADVENTURES action thrillers, the SORCERY & STEEL series (with Laura Ware), the science fiction series TALES OF MIMION, and the galaxies-spanning EXPLORATION. Her short stories appear in the long-running BRAVE NEW GIRLS anthology series and several other anthologies including the IAMTW’s TURNING THE TIED. She writes for adults, teens and middle grade. In nonfiction, she contributes television reviews to the OUTSIDE IN series and to the SCIFI BULLETIN online. Most importantly, Rigel dotes on her astronomically adorable feline kids. Visit Rigel at BluetrixBooks.com for more information and a complete bibliography.

Michael Swanwick was part of a remarkable group of writers including William Gibson, Connie Willis, Bruce Sterling, Nancy Kress and many others who entered the field in the early 1980s. He has won the Nebula Award, World Fantasy Award, Hugo Award and many other honors. His fiction has been translated and published around the world. He has published ten novels, an equal number of short story collections, and countless flash fictions. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Marianne Porter. They are both longtime supporters of Confluence.

R. K. Thorne is the author of over ten novels and novellas, ranging from heroic epic fantasy to romantasy to boisterous space opera. The key ingredients in her stories include hope, optimism, humor, and fireworks—both the action kind and the kissing kind. A long-time gamer and dungeon master, she’s fueled by her addiction to notebooks and plants. Too much coffee, computer games, and really good books all keep her awake.

Mary Turzillo‘s Nebula-winner,”Mars Is no Place for Children,” and her ANALOG novel AN OLD-FASHIONED MARTIAN GIRL, aka MARS GIRLS, were once recommended reading on the International Space Station. She has been a finalist on the British SFA, Pushcart, Stoker, Dwarf Stars, and Rhysling ballots. Her poetry collection LOVERS AND KILLERS won the 2013 Elgin Award for Best Collection. Her collaboration with Marge Simon, VICTIMS, also won an Elgin. Her latest two books are CAST FROM DARKNESS, also with Simon, and COSMIC CATS AND FANTASTIC FURBALLS. Her current novel project features a young sword-slasher and her sarcastic time-traveling cat. Mary loves orange kittens, total eclipses, and her amazing husband Geoff Landis.

Marie Vibbert is a Hugo- and Nebula nominated author. Her short fiction has appeared over 90 times in top magazines like Nature, Analog, and Clarkesworld, and been translated into Czech, Chinese and Vietnamese. Her debut novel, Galactic Hellcats, was long listed by the British Science Fiction Award and her work has been called “everything science fiction should be” by the Oxford Culture Review. She also writes poetry, comics, and computer games. By day she is a computer programmer in Cleveland, Ohio.

Chip Walter is a science journalist, author, and National Geographic Explorer whose work bridges cutting-edge science and bold speculative fiction. A former CNN bureau chief and PBS documentary filmmaker, he has written six books exploring everything from mind uploading and artificial intelligence (Doppelgänger – An Orphan, A Prodigy, and a Murder) to the evolution of human consciousness (Last Ape Standing, Thumbs, Toes, and Tears). His nonfiction bestseller Immortality, Inc. investigates the Silicon Valley billionaires racing to hack aging and conquer death. Chip’s storytelling blends real-world science with imaginative possibilities, making his work a natural fit for science fiction fans. Learn more at.

Tre Watson is a musician, composer, and audio engineer coming out of Baltimore whose compositions span styles from hip-hop to future funk, rock, metal, and pop. He has contributed tracks to games such as id Software’s Doom Eternal and Riot Games’ League of Legends and has also created cover tunes and videos that pay homage to music from anime, video games, and other Japanese and Western pop-culture phenomena, leaving a lasting impact on audiences worldwide.

WASD is a Baltimore-based metal project taking inspiration from the soundtracks for classic PC games that include Diablo, Quake, Command & Conquer, and Unreal Tournament, among many others. They’re coming to Confluence…and maybe a LAN party near you!

Hazel Zorn has been published in many short fiction outlets since 2016. She works as an oil painter. Her novella debut, “Reef Mind” is forthcoming from Tenebrous Press in 2025.

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PROGRAM SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

3 pm: Registration opens [Lobby] 3pm-7pm
4 pm
	Ballroom 1: Filk Mad Libs Randy Hoffman
	Commonwealth West: Does It Have to Be a Tentpole? SF and Fantasy Movies that Aren’t Simply $100+ Million Effects and Action Pics. Rigel Ailur, Brandon McNulty (M), Barbara Doran, Susan Linville. It seems that most SF and fantasy films these days are big budget films, and the studious are disapointed if they don’t make huge amounts of money on their opening weekend. THre are exceptions but they are becoming rarer. The panel examines this effect, as well as great films of the past that don’t fit this mold.
5 pm
	Ballroom 1: Discussion: Retrospective on 30+ Years of Confluence Music Moderated by Randy Hoffman Thanks largely to the late Ann Cecil, music has been part of Confluence almost since it began in 1988, but in the early years there was only one concert at the con annually and little to no open filking. Since Randy Hoffman took over the music program in 1995 and moved the con to a full-weekend schedule in 2001, however, Confluence has accumulated more than its fair share of memorable music moments–most good, some not so good, and some hilarious. We’ll discuss the highs, the lows, and the in-between times that have stuck with us.
	Commonwealth West: AI: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Donald Firesmith, Lawrence C. Connolly (M), Clif Flynt, Robert Lohman. We hear a lot about the downsides of AI, and those are worth talking about. But let’s look at all sides. For example, can AI be a co-creator or aid in writing fiction?
	Commonwealth East: Hopepunk in Dark Times Cat Rambo, Susan Kay Quinn, Alan Bailey, R. K. Thorne. Even in dark times, optimistic SF is still with us. The panel looks at important works and at how and why it flourishes in less hopeful times.
6 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert Chuck Shiring, Brenda Shaffer Shiring
	Commonwealth West: The Suck Fairy Strikes: Works You Loved Years Ago that Don’t Stand Up to Rereading or Rewatching. Jim Mann (M), Charles Oberndorf, Barbara Doran Jo Walton coined the term “suck fairy” to describe the way works that she had read many years earlier and seemed so good then really didn’t seem very good at all when she re-read them years later. The panel discusses some of their favorite (or perhaps we should say “not so favorite”) examples.
	Commonwealth East: Triangulation Greg Clumpner Come and learn about the short story anthology produced yearly by Parsec Inc.
7 pm
	Ballroom 1: Opening Ceremonies Cat Rambo, T.J. Burnside-Clapp
8 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert Twill Distilled
	Commonwealth East: Poetry Reading
9 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert Toby Danger
	Commonwealth West: The Readers Guide to Horror: The Classics and the Future Classics Alan Irvine (M), Barbara Doran, Hazel Zorn & Brandon McNulty What books should all horror fans read? And what about readers who haven’t read much horror: what would be good books for them to read, to get to know the genre?
	225: Beer Tasting This year’s theme is Ciders, Meads, and Sour and Fruited Beer. Space is limited, and sign-up is required.
10 pm
	Ballroom 1: Open Filk Song Circle

Ballroom 1 Music Schedule: FRIDAY
4 to 4:50 p.m.  Filk Mad Libs led by Randy Hoffmanz
5 to 5:50 p.m.  TBD
6 to 6:50 p.m.  Concert by Chuck Shiring and Brenda Shaffer Shiring
7 to 7:50 p.m.  Opening ceremonies; T.J. Burnside-Clapp to lead “Three Days Away”
8 to 8:50 p.m.  Concert by Twill Distilled
9 to 9:50 p.m.  Concert by Toby Danger
10 p.m. to ??? a.m.  Open filk song circle

SATURDAY

9 am
	Equinox: Writing Exercises. Sight Unseen: Writing the Unapparent M. Christine Benner Dixon, Schereéya Join us for some writing exercises that will push you beyond visual description to create a fully immersive world for your readers. Experiment with techniques like metaphor, non-visual senses, and complex cultural milieus. (NO signup required)
	Board Room: Writing Workshop. Brainstorming and Designing a Story Charles Oberndorf
	Near Registration: Walk and Talk with Geoff and Mary Geoffrey Landis, Mary Turzillo
10 am
	Commonwealth West: The Novella: History and Rebirth Greg Feeley, Rich Horton, Stephen Fisher Novellas are one of the ideal forms for fiction in general and SF in particular: short enough to read in an evening, but long enough to allow for worldbuilding and character development. Novellas have been undergoing a resurgence lately. The panel looks at novellas, why they work so well, and good examples past and present.
	Commonwealth East: Other Paths for Indy Writers: Alternatives to Amazon Frederic Durbin, Donald Firesmith, Douglas Gwilym, R. K. Thorne Panelists discuss ways writers can get their work published.
	Solstice: Reading Clif Flynt
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Ken Chiacchia, Cat Rambo
	Ballroom 2: Art Workshop Stenciling Susan Dexter $10 fee. Limited to ten people. Signup required near registration table
11 am
	Ballroom 1: Workshop: Turning a Concept into a Realized Song Heroes 4 Hire Sure you have an idea for a tune, but how do you craft a raw idea into a finished song? Heroes 4 Hire will share their experience and methods for this process.
	Commonwealth West: SF, Fantasy, and Politics M. Christine Benner Dixon, Alan Bailey, Chip Walter, Herb Kauderer
	Commonwealth East: To the Solar System and the Stars: Future Space Drives Robert Lohman, Geoffrey Landis The panelists discuss ongoing research and development on near future and far future space drives.
	Solstice: Reading Open
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Douglas Gwilym, Hazel Zorn
	Near Registration: Autographing Rigel Ailur, Elektra Hammond
11:30 am
	Solstice: Reading Greg Clumpner
Noon
	Ballroom 1: Concert Maddie Cardoza
	Commonwealth West: The New Space Opera Cat Rambo, Marie Vibbert (M), Rich Horton, Larry Ivkovich Space opera has evolved in this century, become more complex, detailed, and diverse than the space opera of E.E. Smith and Edmund Hamilton. From the political focus of Iain Banks, to the gritty realism of Alastair Reynolds, to works of such writers as Becky Chambers and Ken MacLeod (as well as some of the folks at this con and on this panel), it’s a huge field. And don’t forget the naval adventures in space of David Webber, David Drake, et. al. The panel discusses their favorite space opera and what makes it so popular and so different.
	Commonwealth East: Horror Tropes, Old and New Lawrence C. Connolly, Jamie Lackey (M), Brian Koscienski, Darrell Schweitzer What are some of the classic tropes in horror? How have they evolved and changed over the years? And are there new tropes?
	Solstice: Reading Ken Chiacchia
	Equinox: Infernal Salon C.S.E. Cooney An Infernal Salon is a fun, low-stakes writing workshop. Participants are given spooky card prompts, and then we set a timer for 25 minutes. Everyone writes something (or draws! Or composes!). Then everyone who’s comfortable with it shares their infernally-inspired works!
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Michael Swanwick, Brandon Ketchum
	Near Registration: Autographing Barbara Doran, Donald Firesmith
12:30 pm
	Solstice: Reading Susan Dexter
1 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert Sirens & Liars
	Commonwealth West: It Was 50 Years Ago Today: The Science Fiction of 1975 Charles Oberndorf (M), Geoffrey Landis, Mary Turzillo, Rich Horton, Greg Feeley 1975 was another big year in SF. The Hugo and the Nebula Awards went to Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War, but we also had such major works as Samuel Delany’s Dhalgren, Joanna Russ’ The Female Man, and John Brunner’s The Shockwave Rider. In short fiction, we had works by Ursula K. Le Guin, Roger Zelazny, Fritz Leiber, Tom Reamy, and others. The panel looks at the works, as well as any important trends in the SF of 1975.
	Commonwealth East: Getting Around Writer’s Block M. Christine Benner Dixon, Clif Flynt, Scot Noel & Lawrence C. Connolly
	Solstice: Reading Mary Soon Lee
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Herb Kauderer, Barbara Doran
	Near Registration: Autographing Larry Ivkovich, Brandon Ketchum
1:30 pm
	Solstice: Reading Jamie Lackey
2 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert Brimstone Rhine
	Commonwealth West: Fantasy Before The Sword of Shannara Darrell Schweitzer, Elektra Hammond, Michael Swanwick, Susan Dexter (M), Eric Leif Davin Del Rey’s publication of The Sword of Shannara changed the fantasy landscape. But there was a rich and diverse fantasy landscape before that. The panel looks at some of the great and sometimes nearly forgotten fantasies before the mid-1970s.
	Commonwealth East: Workshopping Your Writing: Giving and Accepting Critiques Cat Rambo, Larry Ivkovich (M), Brandon Ketchum, Brian Koscienski, Susan Kaye Quinn Critiquing the work of fellow writers, whether in workshops, as an editor, or as a reviewer can be tricky. From the point of view of the critiquer, what do you do and not do. From the point of view of someone receiving the critique, what is effective and what not?
	Solstice: Reading Marie Vibbert
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Charles Oberndorf, Mary Turzillo
	Near Registration: Autographing Lawrence C. Connolly
2:30 pm
	Solstice: Reading Barbara Doran
3 pm
	Ballroom 1: GoH Talk Cat Rambo
4 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert Nathaniel Johnstone
	Commonwealth West: Forgotten, Cancelled, or Due for Revival: Often Underappreciated Writers Greg Feeley, Eric Leif Davin, Mary Turzillo (M), Stephen Fisher Howard Waldrop. Fritz Leiber. Even James Triptree. R. A. Lafferty. The panel looks at some important writers who no longer get perhaps as much attention as they should.
	Commonwealth East: History and Historical Research in SF and Fantasy Marie Vibbert, Frederic Durbin, Chip Walter Real history is an important part of a number of works of SF and fantasy. Sprague De Camp’s Lest Darkness Fall and Declare by Tim Powers are just two examples. The panel looks at the importance of history in SF and fantasy novels and the research that must be done to get the history right.
	Solstice: Reading Charles Oberndorf
	Equinox: SF Book Club: The Shockwave Rider Laurie Mann Join us to discuss John Brunner’s novel The Shockwave Rider.
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Brian Koscienski
	Near Registration: Autographing Cat Rambo
4:30 pm
	Solstice: Reading Open
5 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert WASD
	Commonwealth West: LitRPG, Cozy Fantasy, GrimDark, Romantasy, and More: The Many Subareas of Current SF, Fantasy, and Horror Elektra Hammond (M), Cat Rambo, Douglas Gwilym, Hazel Zorn SF, fantasy, and horror has developed more subgenres and there are readers who only read their favorite one. Moreover, some of these subgenres are becoming more and more important, and a few even have their own areas in bookstores. The panel discusses these subgenres, including good starting points for readers who haven’t yet read works in that area.
	Commonwealth East: Writing SF and Fantasy Poetry Mary Soon Lee, Herb Kauderer, Mary Turzillo, C.S.E. Cooney
	Solstice: Reading Darrell Schweitzer
	Equinox: SF Book Club: Dhalgren Charles Oberndorf
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Geoffrey Landis, Brandon McNulty
5:30 pm
	Solstice: Reading Brandon Ketchum
6 pm
	Commonwealth West: Writing Romantic Science Fiction/Fantasy Stories R. K. Thorne
	Equinox: Reading Brandon McNulty
7 pm
	Ballroom 1: Saturday Evening Entertainment Select Start
	Commonwealth West: Magic in Horror: How the Supernatural Creates Fear Brandon McNulty (M), Frederic Durbin, Douglas Gwilym
8 pm
	Ballroom 1: Featured Music Guest Concert Clearly Guilty
	225: Triangulation Launch Party Greg Clumpner
9 pm
	Commonwealth West: Three-Minute Expert Geoffrey Landis, Ken Chiacchia, Alan Irvine, Mark Painter, Frederic Durbin, Barbara Doran. Everybody is an expert on SOMETHING… and that means YOU. What do you know that’s weird and wonderful and you want everybody else to know? And… can you explain it to an audience in three minutes or less? You get 3 minutes — and only 3 minutes, with a timed cutoff — to explain a subject of your choice. Comic book art of the 1930s? How a falchion was used in medieval combat? How AI language models do (or don’t) work? You’re the expert! You have three minutes…
10 pm
	Ballroom 1: Open Filk
	Commonwealth West: Ghost Stories Alan Irvine
11 pm
Midnight

Ballroom 1 Music Schedule SATURDAY:
10 to 10:50 a.m.  [Workshop TBD?]
11 to 11:50 a.m.  “Turning a Concept into a Realized Song” workshop by Heroes 4 Hire 
12 to 12:50 p.m.  Concert by Maddie Cardoza
1 to 1:50 p.m.  Concert by Sirens & Liars
2 to 2:50 p.m.  Concert by Brimstone Rhine
3 to 3:50 p.m.  GoH presentation by Cat Rambo
4 to 4:50 p.m.  Concert by Nathaniel Johnstone 
5 to 5:50 p.m.  Concert by WASD
6 to 6:45 p.m.  (Closed for dinner and Play setup)
6:45 p.m. Doors open for Play seating
7 to 8 p.m.  Play: “You Sexy Thing” by Select Start
8 to 9:30 p.m.  Featured Music Guest Concert by Clearly Guilty
9:30 p.m. to ??? Open filk

SUNDAY

9 am
	Equinox: Writing Exercises. Curveball: Exercises in Surprises M. Christine Benner Dixon, Schereéya Keep your writing fresh and exciting with these exercises in surprise. Stretch yourself to roll with the unexpected as a writer and to seed surprises in your writing for your reader. (NO signup required)
	Board Room: Writing Workshop. The Art of Revising and the Skill of Editing. (signup required) Charles Oberndorf
10 am
	Commonwealth West: The Chemistry and Physics of Exoplanets Robert Lohman Known and speculative about stars and their planetary systems.
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Greg Clumpner, Scot Noel
	Near Registration: Autographing Susan Dexter, Jamie Lackey
10:30 am
	Solstice: Reading Mary Turzillo
11 am
	Ballroom 1: Discussion: Handling References in Your Lyrics Moderated by Randy Hoffman When we write fannish music that includes vocals about a story (whether in print or on screen) or a character, setting, or incident from that story, we want to include enough references to satisfy fellow fans of that story but (usually) not so many references or such obscure references that they make the piece inaccessible to non-fans without a five-minute pre- or post-song explanation. However, lots of listeners appreciate clever “Easter egg” references as well…and sometimes ambiguity is desirable. Join our panel in discussing when and how to include references to your source material in your song lyrics for maximum effect.
	Commonwealth West: A Titan Sample Return Mission Geoffrey Landis
	Commonwealth East: Crafting Effective Endings Susan Linville (M), Herb Kauderer, Scot Noel
	Solstice: Reading Donald Firesmith
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Rigel Ailur, Jamie Lackey
	Near Registration: Autographing Brian Koscienski, Mary Turzillo
11:30 am
	Solstice: Reading Larry Ivkovich
Noon
	Ballroom 1: Concert Tre Watson
	Commonwealth West: Quantum Computing: Now and in the Future Ken Chiacchia
	Commonwealth East: The Expanding Short-Story World: Keeping up with the Best in SF/F Short Fiction Michael Swanwick, Rich Horton, Hazel Zorn, Nelson W. Pyles and Jamie Lackey. The number of places where short stories are published continues to expand.. From a reader’s perspective, there are no longer just a handful of key magazines to read, making it harder to keep up with the field. The panel looks at the best recent short fiction and where to find it.
	Solstice: Reading Cat Rambo
	225: Kaffeeklatsch (signup required) Marie Vibbert, R. K. Thorne
12:30 pm
	Solstice: Reading Hazel Zorn
1 pm
	Ballroom 1: 30th Anniversary Concert Randy Hoffman Randy gave himself a set to celebrate 30 years of arranging the music guests for Confluence and 25 years of organizing full weekends of concerts here.
	Commonwealth West: Don’t Miss This: Recent SF, Fantasy, and Horror You Should Read Alan Bailey, Barbara Doran (M), Jamie Lackey, Brandon Ketchum, Mary Soon Lee The panelists talk about some of their favorite recent works.
	Commonwealth East: More than Superheroes: The Best Recent SF/F Movies Laurie Mann, Alan Irvine There’s been a lot of good SF and fantasy on the big screen over the last decade, and much of it really doesn’t involve superheroes. The panel discusses some of their favorites.
	Solstice: Reading Scot Noel
1:30 pm
	Solstice: Reading M. Christine Benner Dixon
2 pm
	Ballroom 1: Concert Heroes 4 Hire
	Commonwealth West: Andor, Doctor Who, Murderbot and More: A Look at Current SF and Fantasy on TV Jim Mann (M), Mark Painter, Susan Dexter, Mary Turzillo The panel discusses some good — and maybe some not so good — SF and fantasy shows on TV.
	Solstice: Reading Elektra Hammond
	Near Registration: Con Breakdown Kevin Hayes
3 pm
	Ballroom 1: Dead Dog Open Filk

Ballroom 1 Music Schedule: SUNDAY
10 to 10:50 a.m. [Workshop TBD?]
11 to 11:50 a.m. [Workshop TBD?]
12 to 12:50 p.m. Concert by Tre Watson
1 to 1:50 p.m. Concert by performer TBD (probably me)
2 to 2:50 p.m. Concert by Heroes 4 Hire
3 to 5 p.m. Dead Dog open filk
5 to 7 or 8 p.m. [Offsite Dead Dog Dinner]
7 or 8 p.m. to ??? p.m. Undead Dog open filk in the Con Suite

2025 DEALERS:

Larry Smith Bookseller: New books. email: SallyKobee@hotmail  

Mike Walsh Bookseller

Undiscovered Treasures: Semi-precious, sterling, and enameled jewelry, Alchemy of England pieces, fossil and rock specimens.
Undiscovered Treasures: 9619 Pierrpont St. Burke, VA 22015
(703) 978-1959 (landline with answering machine)
email Chris Cowan

Earth Wisdom I have owned Earth Wisdom for 42 years. I have sold at World Con, modest cons and Dragoncon.

After Happy Hour is a Pittsburgh-based literary journal publishing poetry, prose, and art from any and all genres. Two AHH editors founded Scribble House to help western PA writers connect with the resources and community they need to hone their craft and grow their career. Last-Picked Books is a weird little press that makes weird little books, and is run by After Happy Hour’s fiction editor.

Air and Nothingness Press: science fiction and fantasy anthologies and short story collections, french poetry in translation. email

Donald Firesmith, author and master wandmaker: Autographed books and hand-crafted magic wands. Multi-award-winning author of speculative fiction, including science fiction, fantasy, paranormal horror, and modern urban paranormal novels and collections of short stories. Because of his strong background in software/system engineering and science, his science fiction is well-researched, and he relies on numerous science, technology, and military technical advisors to ensure that the non-speculative aspects of his stories are realistic and believable.Lore. Facebook ┃ email

Carrying alt. historical and erotic LGBTQ+ fantasy books by Rillan macDhai. Rillan macDhai can be contacted at rillan.macdhai@aol.com Urban/rural modern fantasy books and artwork by Teanna Byerts, possibly more books by s.pub sf & fantasy authors.
Red Horseman Books
Mossy Bee Dice: Custom dice, fibre crafts, and other oddities.

Darrell Schweitzer: new and used books. A lot of my own titles (since I am an author/editor). New magazines, such as Interzone, Weirdbook etc. On eBay as darrellschweitzer_pa. Facebook

Larry Ivkovich is a published SF writer whose short fiction has appeared in over 25 science fiction and fantasy markets. He’ll be selling both his traditionally published and independently published books.

Susan Kaye Quinn is an environmental engineer turned author. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to futuristic spec fic. Her short fiction can be found at Grist, DreamForge, Reckoning, Solarpunk Magazine, and more. Her novels and short story collections can be found on her website: SusanKayeQuinn.com. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast, where we lift up stories to build a better world: BrightGreenFutures.wtf

Fortress Publishing: We’re a trio of writers who write science fiction, fantasy, and horror. http://www.novelguys.com

Jeff Pepper is a writer and publisher living in Verona Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. His company, Imagin8 Press, has published over 100 fiction and nonfiction books for people learning to read Chinese. He is also a lifelong science fiction fan, and started writing sci-fi seriously in 2024. His first full-length sci-fi novel, “Ascent to the Sun,” was published in 2025. When not sitting in front of a glowing screen, you can probably find him playing competitive pickleball.

Tigereye Press, Chris Logan Edwards. Tigereyes Press has been a bookseller for more than forty years, specializing in small press, slipstream, new weird, and post-new wave fiction and non-fiction.

Marc Vun Kannon, Author Guy, Specializing in self-published and small-press titles, we have the best books you’ve never heard of.

Fantaminals (Judy Peterson) I design and make free standing hardwood jigsaw puzzles and dragons. Recently I’ve added some fretwork.

Jessica Sawchuk: Is a watercolor artist that paints whimsical and dreamlike fantasy illustrations. Her work is inspired by the natural world. She create high quality prints and also sell original pieces.