Martha H. Adams recalls reading Leinster's 'First Contact' when it first appeared in ASF Magazine; and later on, he enjoyed G.O. Smith's Haywire Queen stories. She retired at age 65 in 1996 and naturally gravitated to full-time participation in writing and in space settlements work. Her Web site is www.mhada.info, where she posts concerning space settlements issues.

Nathan Alvord is a third generation science fiction fan. He especially enjoys Mystery Science Theater 3000, classic Star Trek, and Doctor Who. His hobby is making short animated movies using LEGOs. Nathan, a natural performer, will help act out classic Trek scenes for the audience to complete.

Thomas A. Amoroso has practiced emergency medicine for about 15 years, most of it in the Boston area at several of the local academic centers. He's been reading/watching science fiction for a lot longer than that, although he came to fandom later in life than he cares to admit. He has lots of formal degrees, which aren't particularly interesting, and a fair amount of informal education picked up along with it.

Brian Anderson

Jodi Anderson is a member of the 501st New England Garrison, Alderaan Base Rebel Legion and New England Browncoats: as a costumer she does not discriminate across genres! This will be her fifth Arisia and she is excited about participating in various Sci-Fi popular media events.

Lisa A. Ashton is a long-time (some would say "chronic") costumer. Last year at Arisia she presented "Mary Gothins-Perfectly Evil", Balticon saw her present "Got Sushi?", an evil mermaid, and at Philcon '07 she staged "Harvest Tapestry". She also displayed work at her County Fair. Her primary interests ("obsessions") include beadwork, airbrushing, hunting, Castle Blood, and acquiring more fabric and beads.

Richard Auffrey

John Bacon has ben involved in LARPS since 1986, and tabletop for far longer. As one of the primary designers of the NERO rules system, John has ran close to 50 events, and played in more than he can count. On the tabletop side he has written with John Wick, Eric Boyd, and others. In the last few years John has branched out into Second Life where he can usually be found hanging out on one of his sims.

Debra Fran Baker

Stephen R. Balzac is the president of 7 Steps Ahead, a consulting firm specializing in increasing individual, team, and organizational performance. He was the founder of the MIT Assassins' Guild and the Society for Interactive Literature West and recently created a Pandemic Flu simulation for the US National Capitol Region. He has spoken at several conferences and appeared on panels on computer game design. He can be reached at www.7stepsahead.com.

E. J. Barnes is editorial cartoonist for the Greenfield (MA) Recorder. Her gag cartoons have appeared in the Funny Times, the Fortean Times, and the Journal of Irreproducible Results. Her animated film, "Leatherwing Bat," has appeared in numerous film festivals, including the Northampton Independent Film Festival and the Somewhat North of Boston Film Festival. Her current comic-book project is an adaptation of Blaster Al Ackerman's Tales of the Ling Master.

Howard Beatman—I have been interested in comic books since 1960, SF since 1966, and SF conventions since 1973. I have attended (at least part of) all Arisias since their inception. This is the third Arisia to which I have brought my college-age nephew—the next generation is well in hand.

Terry Becker

Jim Belfiore has been active in science and SF communities since 1984. As Innovation Practice Leader for Invention Machine Corporation, based in Boston, he consults on science and technology research for clients (NASA, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, Boston Scientific, and General Electric). Jim resides in Maine and Massachusetts with his wife, Johnna Klukas.

A multifauceted individual, Chad Bergeron looks forward to being on Panels again at Arisia this year. When cornered, the elusive Chad has been known to distract hunters with an array of conversational topics as diverse as LARPing, A Cappella music, the exotic perils to be found on otherwise mundane college campuses, and lesser known treasures of almost any aspect of geekery or fandom. Sometimes he can be found trying to escape from a flesh devouring mass of board games.

Mike Beyna

Sierra Black

John Black is the Entetainment Editor for BostonNOW newspaper.

Michael Bonet

John Bowker has published short science fiction and fantasy in multiple markets including On Spec, Andromeda Spaceways, Sybil's Garage, and the "Sex in the System" anthology. A graduate of the 2003 Odyssey Writers Workshop, he is an MFA candidate at Emerson College and an Associate fiction editor at the online journal Ideomancer.

Bridget Joyce Boyle has held many positions from asst. div. head up to gopher at many cons. She instructed Computer Literacy and Graphics Programs. She avidly supports sexual orientation equality for all people. As a transplanted Philadelphian, she makes her home in Merrimack, NH. With her husband Alex Latzko, she fights the graying of fandom the old fashion way by reproduction resulting in Aileen(4) and Saoirse and Caoimhe, (born 02/02/07). She is always sleep deprived. She is a member of LLL and NOMOTC.

Anna R. Bradley is an avid LARPer, SCAdian and all around geek. She has been involved with the running of Intercon, the all-LARP New England convention for many years, and has been both playing LAPRs and writing them fro even longer. She is also involved in table-top RP as well as all sorts of Medieval Recreation.

Sherry Briggs

Charlene Brusso has worked as a physicist, astronomer, scientific programmer, janitor, baker, writing teacher, and museum curator's assistant. Her articles, reviews and interviews have appeared at Space.com, Publisher's Weekly, the SF Site, and others. Her fiction has been recommended for the Nebula. Her story "Petrella" will appear online in Fantasy Magazine (www.fantasy-magazine.com). Currently she juggles writing with wrangling a very active 6 yr old son.

Nat Budin

Michael A. Burstein won the 1997 Campbell Award. His short fiction, mostly in Analog, has been nominated for ten Hugos and three Nebulas. He and wife Nomi live in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he is a Library Trustee and Town Meeting Member. He has two physics degrees, and attended Clarion. See http://www.mabfan.com.

Nomi S. Burstein is a technical writer, freelance editor, and answerer of questions. She and her husband, Michael A. Burstein, live in Brookline, MA. Nomi has her own home in cyberspace at www.asknomi.com, from which she runs her sideline business, AskNomi. Her quest for answers nets her knowledge of both the mundane and the obscure. Nomi also has a home on LiveJournal, under the handle gnomi.

Brian Campbell is a computer programmer who writes educational multimedia for medical and disaster response education. He's an avid juggler, gamer, medievalist, and fan of science fiction and fantasy. He lives in Wilder, VT.

Lis Carey—I found fandom in 1971, when I was more or less dragged to Boskone. From there, I naturally became drawn in to NESFA, and have been an active member, working on Boskone and, in recent years, NESFA Press, editing two books, HOMECOMING: The Complete Short Science Fiction of Judith Merril, and ARMOR OF LIGHT, by Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett, as well as doing work on other NESFA Press books. Along the way, I've run Information, Programming, Hucksters' Room, and Press Relations for Boskone.

Sean Carmichael

Grant Carrington was associate editor at Amazing/Fantastic from 1971–1976. "His Hour Upon the Stage" was a finalist for the novella Nebula in 1976. His only published novel is "Time's Fool" (1981). His CD, "Songs Without Wisdom," is available at cdbaby/com/cd/carrington.

Vonnie Carts-Powell is the author of the popular science book, "The Science of Heroes" (to be published by Berkeley Press, Summer 2008), and well over 1000 articles about science and technology. She is also an SF/F fan and a Morris dancer. She prefers pirates to ninjas: the pirates tend to smell worse, but at least they have rum.

Hugh Casey has served as Vice President and President of The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society, Vice Chair for Philcon 2002, and Chairman of Philcon 2003. Since then, he has been gibbering in a corner, eating flys and spiders that come by. He is also the founder of Parents Basement Productions. They have currently released two films: "Teddy's Big Escape" and "Young Geeks In Love". Both can be viewed online at YouTube.com. You can visit Hugh's blog, http://hughcasey.livejournal.com.

Ann Catelli is a doll maker and a costumer.

Mary Catelli is a short-story writer whose work has appeared in Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, Tomorrow, Absolute Magnitude, Fantastic, and Sword and Sorceress anthologies. She holds down a day job as a computer programmer and is working on several novels.

Jeanne Cavelos was a senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell, where she ran the SF/F/H programs and won the World Fantasy Award. Jeanne left publishing to write. Her seven books include the best-selling Passing of the Techno-Mages trilogy, The Science of Star Wars, and The Science of the X-Files. Her work has twice been nominated for the Stoker Award. Jeanne is director of Odyssey, a summer workshop for writers of SF/F/H held in Manchester, NH. (www.jeannecavelos.com)

Thomas Cerul

Michael Charnitsky

Dr. Amy Chused is an avid reader of SF & F, both professionally published and web-based fanfiction. She is currently doing research in clinical informatics at Columbia University, while seeing patients part time. In a previous life, she was a unix sysadmin, before abandoning that trade for medical school.

Stephanie Clarkson has been told that she's a good writer by Rob Sawyer, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Fritz Leiber, but has never done a damn thing with it. She works at Pandemonium Books in Central Square, an oddly beloved discount department store, and as a freelance web developer. She's working on a cookbook, and is currently in tryouts for The Next Food Network Star (though the status of that will change before you read this). She likes cheese. Mmm. Cheese.

Jerome C. Conner has been attending Cons since 1983 and working in them almost as long. He's a media fan, awarding Costumer, Comic book collector, and former and current head of a number of Fannish groups. Fan run Cons hold a special place in his heart, he met his fiancee has well as his ex-wife at Conventions. He likes to think that he's knowledgable, but he knows that he is opinionated, just ask him.

John H. Costello wrote SF as "J. L. Hanna" published articles and translations of Russian SF in Locus. Brought out Erle Cox's Australian Lost Race novel, "Out of the Silence" and Verrill's "Bridge of Light." Will be bringing out a collection of Murray Leinster's early non-SF some time in this winter… His MA paper was on "The Obsidian Hydation Dating of 18 East African Sites." With this background it is only natural that he now works retail. His website is http://www.FossickerBooks.com.

Ray Cote is co-owner of Myth Quest Edutainment, which provides fun and educational activities, parties, and classes for children ages 8–14. Puzzle solving, physical challenges, sword fighting and creativity are incorporated in medieval, pirate, spy and mythological games and adventures. He has been instructing children in historical and modern fencing for 3 years.

Susan Hanniford Crowley, a member of SFWA, a published poet and non-fiction author, is best known for her fantasy short stories that have appeared in anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley: "Ladyknight" in Spells of Wonder, "Piper" in Sword & Sorceress IX, "Cecropia" in Sword & Sorceress XV, and "Heartleaf" in MZBFM F11 '91. She is currently working on a series of novels.

John D'Agosta

Charlene Taylor D'Alessio has been illustrating in the Fantasy & Science Fiction genre for over 25 years. She is known for her exquisite painted Ties, humorous fantasy paintings of Cats, Dragons, Owls, & Hamsters and miniature astronomical work. Her latest published piece is "Merlin's Dilemma" published as a puzzle. She is also working on children's book illustrations. Charlene also does Portrait commissions. Her artwork is at most Science Fiction Con. Artshows.

Ibrahim Dahlstrom-Hakki

A film veteran for over 30 years, Garen Daly has been an exhibitor, TV reviewer, radio host, NPR analyst and a few other things along the way. He also produces the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival (www.BostonSci-Fi.com). Garen lives in New Hampshire where he still gets a kick out of seeing meteorites flash through the crisp nights.

Solomon Davidoff liked Boston fandom so much he married the '01 Arisia Conchair. He teaches Communications, Social Sciences, Humanities, (insert discipline here), & English courses for various Boston area colleges and universities, volunteers as Librarian for Congregation Beth Israel in Malden, and was recently published in "Interplanetary Journal of Comic Art: A Festschrift in Honor of John Lent". When not teaching, editing, or writing he unpacks his home library and dreams of pleasure reading/

T. Christopher Davis

Christine Denise Day

Keith R. A. DeCandido—Author of more than 30 novels, most of them in the milieus of TV (Buffy, Trek, Supernatural, Dr. Who, CSI), videogames (Command & Conquer, Warcraft, Starcraft, Resident Evil), and comic books (Spider-Man, X-Men, Hulk, Silver Surfer). He's also an editor, a musician, and a blogger. Find out less at DeCandido.net or kradical.livejournal.com.

Daniel P. Dern (www.dern.com) is a freelance technology writer, and a very amateur magician. Having finished his first science fiction novel, "Dragons Don't Eat Jesters"), which includes a minimum of "one dragon, two princesses, four dogs, a lot of riddles, some explosions, and a lot of really weird stuff," he's working on another, currently dragon-free, sf novel. His science fiction stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies includng Analog, F&SF, World of IF, and New Dimensions.

Ming Diaz is a storyteller who somehow became sidetracked by the real world into the realm of Electronics Technician for lo, these last 38 years. He enjoys presenting strange worlds to children and terrible shaggy dog stories to adults. As a bonus he does facepainting, incidental balloon critters, costume creations, and LED incorporation in any structure short of the breakfast cereal bowl. 301–737–1576

Angela Dickau

Samantha Dings—Long time Arisia attendee, has actually been working the convention for the past few years as well. Temporary insanity has lead to her being the Events Division Head for Arisia 2008.

dkap—See previous year's biography.

Michael Dlott graduated from Suffolk Law School with a double major in rules lawyering and muchkeneering. He runs mainly Whitewolf and D&D tabletop games. He is most well known for his gigantic D&D convention games, but he has gone up a level this year and is presenting an Old School Vampire Larp.

Debra Doyle was born in Florida and educated in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania—the last at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her doctorate in Old English literature. In Philadelphia, she met and married her collaborator, James D. Macdonald. They now live in Colebrook, New Hampshire, where they write science fiction and fantasy for children, teenagers, and adults. Their most recent novel, LAND OF MIST AND SNOW, came out from Eos in December 2006.

Tim Drew

Donna M. Dube is a master costumer, award winning bead artist and award winning quilter. She is also a past director of the Arisia Masquerade and Art show. In real life Donna works as a costume maker and lives in Massachusetts with her partner and their three very spoiled cats!

Jan Dumas has a BS in Industrial Technology—Occupational Health & Safety Mgt. A resident of Boston, she may be one of the few members of Arisia willing to admit townie roots. If you want to know the weird history of Massachusetts, come to her with all your good questions. Better known, by her LJ name Fibrowitch she once had a zine, tries to write fiction, wants to learn to knit, and can fit you for a respirator. She has severe food allergies, so lets not send her to the hospital, we like her.

Mary Dumas

Larry Dunne

Jill Eastlake—This year as Assistant Convention Chair and designated Chairman for Arisia '09, Jill's focus is on the convention as a whole. She has chaired or co-chaired two Boskones and one Costume-Con as well as working at many levels on both regional and World convention committees. Her latest contribution was to the Nippon 2007 committee. Jill was Masquerade Director for Arisia '07 and Art Show Director for Arisia '05.

Thomas Easton is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and has been the Analog book columnist since 1979. He holds a PhD in theoretical biology from the University of Chicago and teaches at Thomas College in Waterville, ME. His latest nonfiction books are Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Science, Technology, and Society (McGraw-Hill, 8th ed., 2008), and Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Environmental Issues (McGraw-Hill, 13th ed., 2008).

Paul "Dr. Snark" Estin—"Happy Fun Paul" is a long-time SF fan with a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology and an affinity for extremely silly music. Becoming a filker was inevitable; he sings and plays guitar for his "band", Dr. Snark. Ingredients of Happy Fun Paul include an unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space. Do not taunt Happy Fun Paul.

Alicia Faires

The Wombat, aka jan howard finder, has been reading SF for more than 60 years & active in SF circles for about 30. He chaired 6 events & working on the 7th: ALBACON 08. He has been a GoH at a number of cons including CONFRANCISCO, the 1993 Worldcon. He participates in, judged & MC's masquerades, a superb auctioneer & gives the best backrubs. He has been published & has published. He has divers interests, a budding film career & visited Middle-earth. He is a neat guy. Buy him a Pepsi!

Stephen C. Fisher and his viola were kidnapped by fairies in an orchestra pit in Philadelphia in 2004 and placed in servitude to the Gilbert & Sullivan troupes of Cambridge (it beats having to grow up). Between shows Steve visits the dusty archives of several continents in search of music by Joseph Haydn and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, particularly in places where the beer is good. He enjoys meeting interesting bugs and publishing the occasional science fiction story.

Dina Ellen Flockhart

Terry Franklin—Some say he is an all around trouble maker. But no, he didn't single handedly instigate the strike at UMass last month. And the takeover of the administration building by 1000 people… well… that was purely an accident.

Ed Fuqua is a Young Adult Librarian as well being a writer, a poet and a swordsman. He spent many years running comic book stores and has qualified for the National Poetry Slam championsips four times. In September and October he can be found at King Richard's Faire in Carver MA.

Ken Gale's writing career started with sales to DC Comics and Warren Publishing in the '70s. He's editor and co-publisher of Dangerous Times and New Frontiers for Evolution Comics, a producer and host for two radio shows on WBAI-FM in NYC: one on the environment and one on comic books. He was a member of the Board of the Celtic League American Branch and a former math textbook writer. His environmental comic book story in Psychosis #2 just came out. www.comicbookradioshow.com

Dr. Charles E. Gannon—A Distinguished Professor of English (St. Bonaventure University) & a Fulbright Senior Specialist (American Lit & Culture), he has had novellas in Analog and Jerry Pournelle's "War World" series. His book "Rumors of War and Infernal Machines won the 2006 ALA Outstanding Text Award. With degrees from Brown, Syracuse, & Fordham, he has been a University Fellow at Liverpool, Palacky, and Dundee, and his work been widely published. He also worked 8 years as a scriptwriter/producer in NYC.

Marty Gear is a long time fan who has been enjoying Arisia almost from its inception. He is a costumer (a founder of the International Costumers' Guild), a tech (dragged WorldCons kicking & screaming into the 20th Century), and has been known to M/C masquerades from time to time. When not attending & working on cons he negotiates contracts with the Government.

An attendee of many Science Fiction Conventions, Judy Gentry has an eclectic background. She has been a pre-school teacher, semi-professional actor, published author and breeder of fancy pet rats. She has found her niche, though, as founder of Warmer Winters, an organization of volunteers who make warm garments for people in need. Judy is an avid, but average, knitter who counts on the talents and skills of her volunteers. Judy lives in Leominster, MA with her life mate of 20 years, their cat and dog.

Mario di Giacomo has been a lifelong fan of science fiction, fantasy, anime, and comics. This past September, he celebrated 20 years of making a pest of himself online.

Laura Anne Gilman

Greer Gilman's new book will be published by Small Beer Press in 2008. Set in the mythscape of Moonwise, her first novel, it is a triptych of winter's tales. Her novella "A Crowd of Bone" won a World Fantasy Award in 2004. "Jack Daw's Pack" was a Nebula finalist for 2001. "Down the Wall" appeared in the WFA-winning anthology Salon Fantastique. In 2008, Ms. Gilman will be a Guest of Honor at the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts. She was a Campbell finalist for 1992.

Alicia Ellen Goranson is one of those writers whose titles make you go, "Huh," and then whose work you can't put down. It's fresh yet familiar. Her novel "Supervillainz" is an action-packed thrill ride which somehow became a finalist for the 2006 Lambda Literary Award, and won the 2004 Project QueerLit award from judges such as Michelle Tea and Patrick Califia. She also has vampire smut in the "2008 Best Lesbian Erotica". She has comics and stuff for you at alicia-goranson.com.

An avid Star Wars costumer and a member of the 501st Legion since 2001, Bob Gouveia is the Commanding Officer (CO) of the New England Garrison and his costumes include Boba Fett, Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper.

Pauline (P.M.) Griffin—Author of science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories including the Star Commandos series and several novels in various Andre Norton universes. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with five cats and three hundred fish.

Lauren Grover is a long-time gamer, both LARP and tabletop, polyamorous pervert, SCAdian, rabid reader, sex educator, and one of the world's foremost henna researchers, all cleverly disguised as a typical suburban soccer mom.

Susan de Guardiola is best-known for her role as a masquerade emcee at various Lunacons, Arisias, Philcons, and worldcons. She has absolutely nothing to do with any sheep, or any baaaad puns relating to sheep. Along with making costumes, collecting bad vampire novels, and knitting chainmail, Susan can be found in musty library stacks researching historic social dance, which she teaches at workshops and dance events across the United States. In her spare time, she herds pathologists.

Thomas V Gunn

Robert Hafner is involved in numerous projects—he has been both a panelist and a staff member for Pi-Con (shameless plug), is involved in developing the first open source table-top RPG (ask for details), and is a proponent of civil liberties, especially in how they relate to technology (ask me about the EFF). He is currently a web developer and consultant in Western Massachusetts while he focuses on his new company.

Lora Lynn Haines

Steven Hammond believes that open and free sharing of information is the real revolution of this century. He creates software volunteers actively in his community. He tutors people on the Internet at the local library and he serves on his local school board. Steve is a Solar System Ambassador, a volunteer educator for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In this role, he bring the excitement, wonder and possibilities of space and space exploration to kids and adults across the state.

Charles Hannum

Nina Harper is the nom de plume of a local writer shifting from hard SF to urban fantasy. Her first novel as Nina, SUCCUBUS IN THE CITY, will be published by Del Rey in April 2008

Sara M. Harvey is the author of A Year and a Day. Her e-book debut was with Circle Dark Publishing's anthology Twilight and Thorns. Sara is also a costumer and works as an assistant costume designer, an instructor in costume and fashion design, as well as a contributor to costume history textbooks. She lives in Nashville, TN with her fiance, Matt, and their very dramatic dog, Guinevere.

Jeff Hecht is a free-lance science and technology writer based in Newton, Massachusetts who writes regularly for New Scientist magazine and Laser Focus World on topics from space and lasers to paleontology. His short fiction has appeared in Nature, Analog, Asimov's, Interzone, and elsewhere. His most recent book is Beam: The Race to Make the Laser, from Oxford University Press. His web site is http://www.jeffhecht.com.

Eugene Heller

Rachel Hels

Mark Hertel

Brent Heyning

Evonne Heyning lives to connect people and projects around the world through Amoration, a nonprofit global bridgebuilder leading arts in aid endeavors. Evonne works with her husband Brent as Creative Director of Toyshoppe Productions creating dynamic new media for stage and screen. As a teacher, curator, writer and producer she hones a vision for participatory media; Evonne leads a team of interactive developers for award-winning installations, virtual world development and machinima.

Woodrow "asim" Hill—Tall, Dark, and Overworked, with interests in Technology, the SCA, and Raqs Sharqi ("bellydance") among many diverse activities. Woodrow esp. loves what each reflects about society (main-and sub-cultural), and the politics within. As an African-American Feminist geek, his love/hate relationship with the comics industry is fierce. Residing at the (in)famous Dar al-Asim in Charlotte, NC, he writes for the online bellydance magazine GILDED SERPENT, as well as his dance/politics blog, APOSTATE.

John Hodges has now put on five blood drives for Arisia and the Heinlein Society. He also organizes five drives a year in Arlington, MA. In addition to the 250+ blood donations he's made himself and the 10,000+ donations at drives he's organized, he donated a kidney to a friend. He has degrees in exploration geophysics and satellite remote sensing and has spent the last 15 years studying the changing nature and extent of Earth's biomes.

Melissa Honig is the list administrator for the New England Browncoats. She enjoys costuming, weird crafts, and watching old TV shows from her childhood via Netflix.

Heidi Hooper studied for her bachelor's in Sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University and master's at Massachusetts College of Art. Since cancer took most of her arm, she has changed to working in clay and dryer lint. Her work can be seen in galleries and at www.HeidiHooper.com. She is a founder of NERO LARP and now runs the Alliance with her husband Mike Ventrella.

Michael A. Horne

Wil Howitt

Walter H. Hunt is the author of four critically-acclaimed science fiction novels from Tor Books set in the "Dark Wing" universe. His next novel, A Song In Stone, will appear in the fall of this year; it deals with the music encoded in the stones of Rosslyn Chapel and the confluence of polyphony and Gothic architecture, among other things. He is a baseball fan and Freemason, and lives in eastern Massachusetts with his wife and daughter.

Ofer Inbar

Elaine Isaak dropped out of art school to found Curious Characters, designing original stuffed animals and small-scale sculptures, and to follow her bliss: writing. Author of The Singer's Crown (Eos, 2005), and sequel The Eunuch's Heir (Eos, 2006), she also writes the Lady Blade fantasy fiction column at www.AlienSkinmag.com. She resides in Seacoast New Hampshire, in a town so small, it doesn't have its own post office. Visit www.ElaineIsaak.com to find out why you do not want to be her hero.

September L. Isdell

Evan Jamieson

Victoria Janssen's novel-length erotic romance THE DUCHESS, HER MAID, THE GROOM AND THEIR LOVER will be published by Harlequin Spice in December 2008. She's also sold short stories as Elspeth Potter. She is currently at work on her second novel for Spice.

Jeff Warner was: President Emeritus of the Science Fiction Forum, a co-founder of I-con and Albacon, a guerilla panelist at Noreascon 4, caught in the hot tub at the last Lastcon, inventor of the Pool Panel at 2Pi-con, a published writer, and has done every job from gofer to Con-Comm at SF conventions since 1976. Despite all of this he denies repeated allegations of SMOFdom.

"One of online's finest" critics (Variety), MaryAnn Johanson is a New York City-based freelance writer on film, TV, DVD, and pop culture. Her FlickFilosopher.com is one of the most popular movie sites online; at GeekPhilosophy.com, she explores the rise of geek attitudes in pop culture. She is a contributing blogger at Film.com, the author of The Totally Geeky Guide to The Princess Bride, and an award-winning screenwriter.

James T. Henderson Jr. has been a Sci-Fi & Fantasy fan since the age of 6 when his grandmother gave him a copy of the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe for Christmas. He is a devout fan of Sci-Fi/Fantasy and is in the process of training the next generation of fans while raising his 5 1/2 year old daughter. Amongst his varied interests are writing sci-fi, fantasy stories, poetry, building &painting Models & miniatures, Drawing, (He is a certified Cad Operator & Draftsman) LARPs. and studying Military History & Technology.

J. Clinton Alvord Jr

Mike "The OnyxHawke" Kabongo—I read slush, therefore I'm strange. I'd blame the slush, but i've met my family. I'm educated in psychology and history, which is why I've spent most of my life selling things. I'm an avid reader of both fiction in the form of SF/F, and non fiction in history, mythology, psychology, biology, medicine and space.

Aline Boucher Kaplan

Alexx S. Kay is a second-generation SF fan. For the last decade, he has been working as a professional videogame designer. His most recent project was the critically-acclaimed "BioShock", for XBox 360 and PC. His other interests include comics and storytelling.

Jeff Keller

Bonnie J. Kenderdine's parents loved science fiction, so she was born a fan. In 1981, she joined the fondly-remembered Boston Star Trek Association, where she met her husband (the love of her life). Her degree in theater came in handy when she got involved with the parody plays the BSTA was known for. Now a member of the Dead Wood Society, Bonnie has traveled to 11 major American cities, Toronto, London, Paris and, most recently, to Japan, becoming practiced in the art of vacation planning along the way.

Joseph Kesselman has been reading SF and fantasy at least since third grade. Combining this with his musical interests, he has served as Clerk and President of the local filk organization MASSFILC (www.massfilc.org), after a stint leading and performing with the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus (www.walkaboutclearwater.org) convinced him that he could sing in public without being declared a national disaster. Joe plays concertina, percussion, keyboards (mostly QWERTY), games, computers, and around.

Daniel M. Kimmel—Film critic and author, past president Boston Society of Film Critics. New books: essay in "Batman Unauthorized" (BenBella Books), March 2008, and "I'll Have What She's Having" (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher) September 2008. Moderator of long runnning "Movie Year in Review" panel at Arisia.

Catt Kingsgrave—Writer, actor, costumer, musician, dancer, singer, painter, entrepreneur, and professional dilettante. Catt does everything which is artistic, and makes no money. She has been juggling various artistic employments since 1992, including directing a theatre company, operating an illustration studio and retail gallery, costuming commissions, leading and managing a folk band, and publishing fiction. She has not yet had the good sense to give it all up and apply for a job at Walmart.

Ken Kingsgrave-Ernstein—Experienced in technical theater, theater management, Ren Faire management, stage combat, acting, singing and photography Ken makes his money as a corporate super hero. No seriously, he's got a super suit and everything… his wife just won't tell him where she hid it.

Arnis Kletnieks

Rebecca L. Kletnieks is your average, garden-variety redheaded fannish veterinarian dancer gamer essayist student of fairy tales and folklore.

John Kraemer researches the statistical, algebraic, and computational properties of human language as a PhD candidate at MIT. He spends his time trying to do enough work to be successful, get enough exercise to be healthy, and spend enough time with friends to be happy. In the past he has been employed as a high school math teacher, a programmer, and a pizza dude. He sometimes suspects that more people have been to Arisia than he has.

Ellen Kranzer has a science fiction reader for has long as she can remember and a fan ever since she discovered fandom at age 14. Professionally, Ellen works as an IT manager trying to build modern computer applications out of stone knives and bear skins. She is the current treasurer of M.A.S.S. F.I.L.C., a filk club that meets regularly in the "greater Massachusetts" area. When not filking or reading SF, she can be found at SCA events or volunteering with community service organizations.

Dr. Geoffrey A. Landis is a SF writer and a scientist working at NASA. He is on the Mars Exploration rovers science team, and was part of the Sojourner rover team. In 2005–6 he was Ronald McNair Professor of Astronautics at MIT. He has won two Hugos and a Nebula, and wrote the novel MARS CROSSING and short story collection IMPACT PARAMETER & OTHER QUANTUM REALITIES. He lives in Berea, OH with his wife, writer Mary A. Turzillo, & two cats. For more info: http://www.sff.net/people/geoffrey.landis

David Larochelle grew up in the D.C. area but moved up to Cambridge in 2004 where he currently resides. His involvement with fandom began when he joined the William & Mary Science Fiction and Fantasy Club (SKIFFY). He served as Vice President and was named Senator for Life upon gradation. He works in information security and is the coauthor of Splint an Open Source tool for detecting security vulnerabilities in C programs. When he is not working, he spends his time with his girlfriend.

Toni Lay is a Costume and Media fan. She is a member of the New Jersey-New York Costumers' Guild (aka The Sick Pups), and the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), which gives her plenty of opportunities to costume. Toni's Media enjoyments are Star Trek, Stargate SG–1, Reapers, Pushing Daisies, British comedies, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Python, Benny Hill, and The IT Crowd. She has been a secretary for the City of New York for over 20 years.

Vanessa Layne has been on safari into Mundania for the last six years, where she's a mild-mannered programmer by day, a fearless masked graduate student in mental health counseling by night. Prior she resided in the Archipelago of Weird, on the Island of the Laurel Kingdomes, and enjoyed an illustrious career as the director of a prominent Renaissance dance band. She looks forward to attaining her license and returning to the Archipelago to establish a Fan-friendly private counseling practice.

Scott Lefton—I've been making art in metal since 1972, and in wood & glass for over 20 years. About 8 years ago I started working in digital photography and Photoshop too. When not doing art, I'm a freelance mechanical engineer and new product designer.

Susan Levitin

Suford Lewis has been a reader of SF since the 4th grade and joined LASFS in 1960. She has been active in Costuming, is now a Master Costumer, and ran the Noreascon 3 Masquerade; she is the Bujold editor for NESFA Press (6 of a series of 8 are out); she is into con-running having chaired 1 1/2 Boskones and been on several worldcon committees including all four Noreascons. She is a founder of Regency fandom and ran many Regency events and dances.

Tim Lieder is a writer and a small press publisher. He began Dybbuk Press in the summer of 2005 with the horror anthology collection Teddy Bear Cannibal Massacre. Since then he's published BADASS HORROR, The Big Bow Mystery and God Laughs When You Die by Michael Boatman. On the writing front, he's been published in Whispers of Wickedness. His first novel, Dragon Claw Apocalypse, will be published in 2008 by Simian Publishing.

Gordon Linzner is a writer, editor, story-teller, and former publisher and editor emeritus of Space and Time Magazine. He's done cameos in a couple of direct-to-video horror flicks, fronts a band called Saboteur Tiger, and spends a great deal of time as a New York City tour guide.

Shira Lipkin is the writer of cult proto-comic Shayara and experimental web-based short-short story system Wind Tunnel Dreams, among other things. She's a geek of many stripes (mainly comics & SF), a freelance writer & editor, and a prolific and well-read blogger. Interests include raising kids in fandom, cyberfunded creativity, cyberpunk, golden-age SF, neuroscience, quantum theory, & long walks on the beach. She lives in Boston with her husband, daughter, & the requisite Writer's Cats.

Adam Lipkin has written reviews for a number of publications, including The Green Man Review and Rambles. He wrote the horror column, "Fear Factor," for Bookslut for two years, and is the animation columnist for SMRT-TV.com. He has published hundreds of horror movie reviews at his own blog, yendi.livejournal.com. Adam lives in the suburbs of Boston with his wife, daughter, and three moderately psychotic felines.

Carol London—A member of the Dead Wood Society, Carol has been part of Star Trek and Science Fiction fandom since the mid 1970's. She was involved in re-vamping the Boston Star Trek Association (holding all offices at one time or another) She attended her first convention in 1976 and ran a convention (THE BASH) for the BSTA for many years.

Barry Longyear—Author of "Enemy Mine" and gobs of other books (all in print. Check out www.BarryLongyear.net), only author to win Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Award in same year, guru to hundreds of new writers through his Science-Fiction Writer's Workshop-I and online writing seminar, The Write Stuff. In his trail-blazing cutting-edge SF mystery, "Murder In Parliament Street," he became the only author to put an incontinent mountain gorilla in charge of a homicide investigation.

Jeff Mach—Creator of the Wicked Winter Renaissance Faire and the Wicked Events Group, Jeff is also a noted playwright, musician, and sadomasochist. He is cuter than Supergrover. Jeff is also an amateur pornographer, the force behind the new Geek Porn Project.

Bruce Mackenzie is a software and aerospace engineer. He has held positions in the National Space Society, AIAA, Mars Foundation, & Mars Society. He is currently working on the Mars Homestead settlement design for the Mars Foundation, and an entrepreneurial venture. Past work included use of rotating space tethers to establish industry on the Moon.

Mark A. Mandel—I'm a lifelong fan and a fanfather; also a lifelong folkie, and a filker since the early 90s (thanks to Lois Mangan!), with a rap sheet as long as… uh, I was Arisia filkczar or vice czar a lot till I moved to Philly.

Peter Maranci—Founder and editor of the Interregnum RPG APA, RIP. Winner of a few amateur video prizes at Arisia throughout the years. Publisher of "Pete's RuneQuest & Roleplaying!" (www.runequest.org/rq.htm), one of the more durable fan-run game sites online. Wondering if anyone actually proofs these bios before printing them. Hello! Is anyone out there? :D

EJ Marmonti

Marrus

Brennan Martin

Michael McAfee lives in Massachusetts, and is a major force in the Boston audio theater scene, having produced The Fantastic Fate of Frederick Farnsworth the Fifth, and is involved with the Post Meridian Radio Players and Second Shift podcast. He has also worked professionally in the computer gaming industry, and is an accomplished poet.

Ann McCallum

Garrett McCarthy

Kiralee B. McCauley

Elizabeth "Archangel Beth" McCoy is still doing freelance writing and editing for Steve Jackson Games (not all of which is for In Nomine), still living in the Frozen Wastelands of New Hampshire with cats, co-author and spouse Walter Milliken, and daughter, and still trying to filk "Holding Out For A Hero Starship." She is also looking for an agent for a grand unpublished trilogy and hopes she will have found one before this bio goes to print.

Gary McGath

Page Turning FUN, A MUST Read! Clayton McNally writes in a story-telling manner that is fast-paced and exciting. His stories grab your interest from beginning to end, it will engage the imagination of Science Fiction enthusiasts The second book `Surviving Behind Enemy Lines' (2008), a compelling story of battles and human survival when the odds are overwhelming. The third book in the series—`Liberty and Peace—To Die For' (2008). www.clmcnally.com

Rachel E. Mello

The Marvelous MERV got tagged with his nickname in '85 and it has stuck ever since. A common man of good will, Merv entered Fandom through Star Trek in '92, and soon discovered there was more to life than 'Trek. Employed as a Chemist, Merv highly recommends reading most anything by Ball, Friesner, Isaak, Lackey, Moon, Rowling, Sherman, Shwartz, Snicket, and Weiss. Merv has been an enthusiastic Arisia volunteer since '94, and recommends you try it for a few hours per con, too.

Walter Milliken has been playing tabletop RPGs since the original D&D white box set. He is now a playtester and sometimes freelance writer for Steve Jackson Games. His major credits are GURPS Illuminati University and GURPS: In Nomine, both co-authored with his wife, Elizabeth McCoy.

Mitchell Morris

sandi mrowka has been a fan since high school, starting with comics. Since her first convention was Noreascon in 2004 (followed by Dragon*Con 2005, and two Arisias) she brings a newcomer's perspective on cons and traveling. Sandi's infectious enthusiasm and willingness to work make her a valuable member of the Dead Wood Society.

William Mui is long time Doctor Who Fan. He runs events for Wizkidsgames at Pandemonium Books & Games and The Compleat Strategist. He also is a club member of M.I.T. Anime Club.He also writer for Tyro Entertainment and Hobby Magazine(www.tyromag.com).

Amy J Murphy

Neil Nadelman is a professional translator and subtitler of anime and video games. He's recently worked on season two of Kyo Kara Maoh, Zegapain, and is currently working on Code Geass, which will play on Cartoon Network next year. He's worked in the industry since 1991 and can tell you stuff that'd curl your hair. He's also an expert in the field of Totally Lame Anime.

Mark L. Van Name, whom John Ringo has said is "going to be the guy to beat in the race to the top of SFdom," is the CEO of a technology assessment company in North Carolina. He's published over 1,000 computer-related articles and multiple SF stories in many venues, including the Year's Best SF. ONE JUMP AHEAD, the first Jon & Lobo novel, appeared in June 2007, and the next book, SLANTED JACK, will appear in July 2008. TRANSHUMAN, an original anthology he co-edited, will appear in February 2008.

Lawrence Nelson, LORDLNYC on livejournal, and other sites, is a long time member of the leather/queer/poly communities as well as a long time queer/kinky/poly rights activist. He attended his 1st con (Lunacon) in `84 where he went on to help run gaming from 91–03. In `06 he attended his first Arisia where he put in over 30 hours helping out in the con suite. In `07 he put his long time activism to good use and started doing panels at both Arisia & Lunacon. He lives in Queens with his cat Bustopher.

Resa Nelson is the author of The Dragonslayer's Sword, a new fantasy novel to be published in early 2008. Nelson has sold stories to magazines and anthologies, including the upcoming anthology Hardboiled Horror. Her novel is based on two stories (both recommended for the Nebula Award) that were published in Science Fiction Age magazine. Nelson is the TV/movie columnist for Realms of Fantasy magazine and a regular contributor to SCI FI magazine. Visit her website at http://resanelson.com.

Shava Nerad's a not atypical fannish polymath. A (paid!) blogger, virtual world entrepreneur, parent, gamer, former tor.eff.org exec dir, and ghod knows what else (ask her!). She may pop up anywhere on the program. Her first Boston con was in 1975, and she's hoping to be back here well into mid-century.

Alex Newman has been an on-again, off-again participant in Arisia for the past 10 years. He is an active member of the S.C.A., and runs the occasional LARP at Intercon (and elsewhere). Any resemblance to 'Scratch' the producer and M.C. for The Boston Babydolls (www.BostonBabydolls.net) is pure coincidence.

Mimi Noyes has been making art, gaming, reading fantasy and sci-fi, and watching movies/TV of the same since a tender and juicy age. She is a published author of film and television reviews and currently makes her living as a movie specialist at Scarecrow Video, working for the Seattle International Film Festival, and as an artist for her own company, Sun & Moon Murals. She continues to make her own art and still watches a lot of movies and some cool TV, which she occasionally writes reviews of.

Ken Olum is a research associate professor in the Institute of Cosmology at Tufts University, where he studies cosmic strings, the potential for exotic phenomena such as time travel, and anthropic reasoning in cosmology. He lives in Sharon, MA, with his partners and children. He and his family wonder whether one electric car is enough.

Terri Osborne took us from the back streets of New York City all the way to the Gamma Quadrant in her many forays into the published Star Trek universe. Next, she takes us to ancient England with the story "Good Queen, Bad Queen, I Queen, You Queen" in the Doctor Who: Short Trips anthology The Quality of Leadership, due out this spring. Now, she's looking at the Ireland of yesterday, Mars of tomorrow and everywhere (and everywhen) in between. Keep up with her at www.terriosborne.com.

Diane Owen

Suzanne Palmer is a writer and artist who lives in western Massachusetts. She has published a number of short stories and poems, and earned an Honorable Mention in Gardner Dozois' "The Year's Best Science Fiction" for 2006. She has also exhibited very large and inconvenient sculpture at both Arisia and the Boston Worldcon. She is currently at work on a science fiction novel, in which, if it goes according to plan, many things will explode.

Carol Paolucci

Jennifer Pelland is a short fiction writer whose work has appeared in publications such as Helix, Apex Digest, Strange Horizons, and Electric Velocipede, and her short story collection Unwelcome Bodies will be released by Apex Books in early 2007. She's a member of Broad Universe, SFWA, and the BRAWL writing group, and is active in local radio theater. Learn more at www.jenniferpelland.com

Misty Pendragon is a true fangirl at heart, Buffy the Vampire Slayer will never die. This is a special Arisia for her this year, since she is probably now married by the time you read this, or is about to be.

Israel Peskowitz—If you can read this, Izzy once again didn't get around to writing his bio.

Nancy Peters is co-owner of Myth Quest Edutainment, which provides fun and educational activities, parties, and classes for children ages 8–14. Puzzle solving, physical challenges, sword fighting and creativity are incorporated in medieval, pirate, spy and mythological games and adventures. She is a mother of two, has a history of coaching, tutoring, and running children's activities. She enjoys puzzle-solving, sword-fighting and LARPing.

Benjamin A. Pew

Liz Cademy Pfeffer—Professional Polymath: fields include disaster preparedness, domestic architecture, family management, financial analysis, gifted education, knitting design, martial arts, t-shirt design (as Cartesian Bear),… the list goes on. Specialization is for insects!

James Pinkerton

KT Pinto was born in Brooklyn, NY, where children are raised with strong opinions and city attitudes. She spent most of her young life with her nose in a book and started writing when she was 12, trying sci fi, teen and adult romance, erotica and fantasy, until she found her niche in horror. The mythos of Celeste and The Books of Insanity occurred when KT created her as a one-shot for a LARP she had a hand in running. The rest, as they say, is history. For more about KT, go to www.ktpinto.com

An aspiring writer and avid gamer, Bill Pomeroy has been involved with 15 Lilies, a not for profit charity organization that works to give a more popular view of the gothic and punk communities. Bill currently works as an IT Contractor for a private company and is a member of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association)

Karen Purcell DVM aka Dr. Karen—This is my first year as masquerade director. As a member of the Northern Lights Costumers Guild entry, I received my mastery in costuming at the LA Worldcon 2 years ago, but have been involved in various forms of costuming since the age of 14. My costuming involvement has ranged from high school and college theatre troupes to SCA and dance. As a fan, I've participated in Pern fandom, East Coast Art Shows, and belly dancing.

Maureen Reddington-Wilde

Robert Rosenthal

A. Joseph Ross has been in fandom since the 1960s. In 1964, he founded the University of Massachusetts Science Fiction Society, then later became a member of MITSFS and NESFA, serving as Vice President of NESFA from 1970–72. He edited Volume I of the NESFA Hymnal in the late 1970s. He was Clerk of Arisia, Incorporated from 1990–92 and President from 1992–94. He is a practicing attorney and figures that if he practices long enough, he may get good at it.

Don Sakers was launched the same month as Sputnik One. As a writer and editor, he has explored the thoughts of sapient trees, brought Carmen Miranda's ghost to Space Station Three, and beaten the "Cold Equations" scenario. Visit his website at www.scatteredworlds.com.

Carol Salemi

Kathy Sands—I've been an SF reader since 5th grade, a direct move from children's fantasy. When Sue Wheeler gave up the bookstore, Tales from the White Hart, in '77, I took it over & ran it for 18 years, married my favorite customer & we raised 2 kids in fandom who have yet to run screaming into Mundania. Media Fanfiction & Filk in general found me early on in my fannish life, & I've pubbed 4 zines & 2 CDs to date, with more of both in various stages of production.

Steve Sawicki—Writer, screenwriter, reviewer. Creator of the DamnAliens. Short fiction has appeared in Future Washington, Tansversions, Shadowsword, Absolute Magnitude and ReadMe. Non fiction has appeared in SFRevu, Cinefantastique, SF Chronicle, SF Site, SciFiction. Currently negotiating with Fox to do a reality television show. One screenplay under option.

Robert J. Sawyer—called "the dean of Canadian science fiction" by The Ottawa Citizen—is the author of 18 science-fiction novels including the Hugo Award-winning Hominids, the Nebula Award-winning The Terminal Experiment, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award-winning Mindscan, the Aurora Award-winning Flashforward, and the Seiun Award-winning Frameshift. Visit his website at sfwriter.com.

Ross Schacher

Douglas Schaub

Lucy Cohen Schmeidler

Micah Schneider holds the distinction of being one of three certified people that simultaneously held incredible cosmic power while living in someone's basement. A pagan for 20 years, Micah has been the Co-coordinator of Western MA Pagan Pride for five years, Hotel Liaison for Pi-Con for two years, and has two small businesses with his partner and their business partner. In his free time, Micah enjoys gaming, performing Rocky Horror with the Come Again Players, and being polyamorous as often as possible.

Melissa Scott won the 1986 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer; in 2001 she and her late partner Lisa A. Barnett won a Lambda Literary Award for Point of Dreams. Scott also won Lammies in 1996 (Shadow Man) and 1995 (Trouble and Her Friends). Her latest short story, "Mr. Seeley," is in Haworth Press's So Fey.

Jude Shabry (aka peacefrog), certified Kripalu yoga teacher, is a recovering computer geek and wannabe artist taking the real estate world by storm. Over the past fourteen Arisias, she has been a gopher, a vendor, a party host, a demo model, a game master, an artist, a techie, a yoga teacher, a panelist, and this year adds climbing guide to the list. She does occasionally wonder what it might be like to simply attend the con, but is fairly certain that idea is just a myth.

Michael Sharrow is the non-de-plume of…suprisingly, Michael Sharrow. He has been active in fandom for many years, written numerous short stories, articles, and random scribbles on napkins at expensive hotels he's never stayed in. He claims to have an extensive knowledge of sf, fantasy, gaming, puppeteering, comic books, and how to run a funny sf panel, but only the latter has ever been proven conclusively.

Nicholas Shectman

Joshua Sheena

Hillary Sherwood is a filker, harper, knitter, needlepointer, and budding crocheter. She has been reading Science Fiction and Fantasy for as long as she can remember, and watching it for almost as long. She is currently plotting ways to escape from New Jersey.

Cynthia A. Shettle—My current obsessions are Heroes and Kingdom of Loathing. My favorite shows of all time include Angel, Highlander and Misfits of Science. I also roleplay with the Western Avenue Irregulars and do a lot of reading, especially comic books.

Maryhelen Shuman-Groh

Rachel L. Silber

Hildy Silverman is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Space and Time, a forty-year-old magazine of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. She is also a freelance writer and editor who specializes in the development of corporate online training and marketing materials. She has had numerous nonfiction articles and short fiction pieces published in a variety of outlets. For more information, please visit www.spaceandtimemagazine.com.

David Sklar writes in the spaces between the impossible magic of legend, the inscrutable magic of dreams, and the breathtaking everyday magic of the world in which we live. His works range from poetry in Paterson Literary Review to parting shots in Knights of the Dinner Table. His novel Shadow of the Antlered Bird is upcoming from Drollerie Press (www.drolleriepress.com). He is currently working on The Skin We Wear, a cynical romance about shapeshifters and anti-fur activists.

Emily Skrodzki

Sarah Smith—I used to have a bio. Now I have a computer and a modem.—I'm working on a maybe-it's-YA about ghosts and racism, MEMORY HOUSE, set in modern Boston. Then I get to sink the Titanic and explore New York in 1912. Longer-term, planning an excursion to 19C Brazil, with dodos. Know anyone who knows Brazilian history and isn't easily offended? Meanwhile, the play version of CHASING SHAKESPEARES is chasing theaters. [www.sarahsmith.com; Sarah00Smith on LJ]

Jacob Sommer

Dr. Richard C. Staats has been in the past a soldier, a scholar, and a statesman. He was cited as one of the top 100 most quoted Information Scientists by the European Society of Engineers. Colonel Staats was awarded the Bronze Star for actions as a commander in combat, and he was recently awarded the Superior Honor award by the Department of State. Dr. Staats is also the original "Dr. Games" and is a long-time participant in Arisia. His panels are a must see. Check out his WWW site at www.drgames.org

Joan C. Stanley

Lisa J. Steele

Allen Steele is a science fiction author and past Arisia Guest of Honor. He has published thirteen novels and four collections of short fiction, including the acclaimed Coyote series. His next novel, GALAXY BLUES, will be published in April; a new collection, THE LAST SCIENCE FICTION WRITER, will also be out later this year. He lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, where he is currently at work on a new Coyote novel.

Erwin S. Strauss

Ian Randal Strock is the editor and publisher of SFScope.com, the news of the speculative fiction fields. He's also a freelance writer (bunches of short-short stores in Analog) and editor. His first book, The Presidential Book of Lists, is scheduled to be published by Villard this Autumn. When he has the time, his blog is at ianrandalstrock.livejournal.com.

John Sundman's new illustrated novella, The Pains, is set in a 1984 that is part Orwell's, part Reagan's, and part from a universe John visited once a long time ago after accidentially smoking some opiated hashish (it's a long story). Like his other two books, Acts of the Apostles and Cheap Complex Devices, The Pains is available for free download from wetmachine.com. But we'll all feel better about it if you buy a printed copy.

Sonya Taaffe has a confirmed addiction to myth, folklore, and dead languages. Poems and short stories of hers have been reprinted in The Alchemy of Stars: Rhysling Award Winners Showcase, The Best of Not One of Us, Fantasy: The Best of the Year 2006, Best New Romantic Fantasy, and The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror; her collections Postcards from the Province of Hyphens and Singing Innocence and Experience are available from Prime Books. She keeps a blog at http://sovay.livejournal.com/.

Cecilia Tan is the maven of erotic science fiction. She is the author of Black Feathers (HarperCollins), The Velderet (Circlet Press), and the forthcoming White Flames (Running Press, April 2008). She is the founder and editor of Circlet Press, Cambridge's own independent press dedicated to erotic science fiction and fantasy, for whom she has edited over forty anthologies, the latest one being Best Fantastic Erotica. She is also a nut about Harry Potter and the New York Yankees.

Julia Tenney

This will be the eigth consecutive Arisia attendance for Pete 'Happy' Thomas and his son Quinn, age 7. Though a libertarian, Pete consults to the U.S. Government on systems engineering. While polyamorous in orientation, he and his wife Pam Ochs celebrated their 10th year of monogamous marriage this year. Happy has degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science. He is a hard SF reader and blogs as "happypete" on LiveJournal.

Persis L. Thorndike has been running Children's programming at science fiction conventions, home schooling, and gifted and talented conferences. Mother of a home-schooled 12-year-old, Persis draws from a broad range of interests to plan captivating and entertaining children's activities to keep kids in the 6–12 age range happy and occupied at conferences and conventions. In her spare time(TM), she enjoys cooking, costuming, playing with photoshop, and reading…

Bill Todd—www.geocities.com/ranma1224/IWANTMY_ANIME.html www.geocities.com/ranma1224.blog.html Yahoo Group: GCIACST (Greater Convention Info And Con Survival Tips)

Bonnie Barlow Turner is a Coverts Cooperator, Tree Steward and social awareness parish coordinator for a church. She has been married to James, whom she met at Arisia1, for 15 years, They have one son. She has worked as a high school biology teacher and in biomedical research.

James Turner is the Site Editor for O'Reilly Media's ONLamp.com, and the senior contributing editor for Linux Today. He also writes for outlets such as the Christian Science Monitor and WIRED, and is the writing half of the team that does the Watering Hole webcomic. He also works as a senior software engineer in the Boston area, and spent many years in Boston SF Fandom

Mary Turzillo's latest are Dragon Soup, with Marge Simon, and Your Cat & Other Space Aliens. "Pride," her bad kitty story, appeared in Fast Forward 1. "Mars Is no Place for Children" won her a Nebula, and her novel, An Old-Fashioned Martian Girl, was serialized in Analog. She is working on a novel, Heart's Journey, Mars Quest. She has a son, Jack Brizzi, and lives in Ohio with her fascinating husband, Geoff Landis, q.v. Mary's web page: www.maryturzillo.com

Eric M. Van has been Program Chair or Chair Emeritus for all 18 Readercons; his observations on Philip K. Dick have appeared in the New York Review of Science Fiction. He recently spent four years back at Harvard studying psychology, and has renewed a lifelong interest in theoretical physics (his original major there). He also writes rock and film criticism, online and for local zines. In the real world, he is a statistical consultant for the Boston Red Sox, and lives in Watertown, Mass.

James B. VanBokkelen—High-tech entrepreneur, tinkerer and field hippie, I can frob with the best of 'em…

Patricia Ann Vandenberg

Jonathan Venezian

Michael A. Ventrella's first fantasy novel "Arch Enemies" was published in 2007. He is one of the founders of NERO and now runs the Alliance LARP (AllianceLARP.com). He also founded Animato magazine and has written extensively about animation and film. In his spare time he is a lawyer. His web page is www.MichaelAVentrella.com

Alicia "Kestrell" Verlager received her M.S. in 2006 from the Comparative Media Studies program at MIT. She works as a disability and technology consultant and book reviewer, and discusses these and other subjects—including SF, movies, comics, and horror—at her blog Reading in the Dark http://kestrell.livejournal.com.

Mercy E. Van Vlack has been a comics pro since 1980, including writing Richie Rich; artist on Green Ghost & Lotus (set in Boston) and Miranda; inker for DC, Malibu, and others; illustrator for numerous fanzines, APAs anthropomorphics and SF cons; and artist of many Celtic Calendars and the Celtic Coloring Book. She also draws for private collections and makes Celtic jewelry.

Cynthia Wakefield

Mark "Justin" Waks' biography is being typed by his cat Jezebelle, while he isn't looking. She would like to warn everyone about his fiendish plans to take over the world through social software, but (sadly) no one ever listens until it is too late…

Kristin Waller

John C. Watson—A longtime fan of SF/F, Mr. Watson was infected with the anime and manga bug in the early 1990s, and remains a virulent carrier of all three.

Susan Weiner

Christopher Weuve is a wargame designer and naval analyst. After six years at the Center for Naval Analyses as a wargame designer and naval exercise analyst, he joined the research faculty of the US Naval War College in 2005, where he has focused on using wargaming as a research tool. He moderates several SF and wargaming mailing lists (inc. SFConsim-L, NavWarGames and Exordium-L), and spends his spare time pondering the differences between fictional and Real-World(tm) naval forces and combat.

Alan Wexelblat (drwex) is a polyamorous father of two, writer, and copyfight blogger at http://www.corante.com/copyfight. He writes an infrequent polyamory advice column that can be found on www.polyboston.org. In his spare time he enjoys tormenting gamers and hapless grad students.

Michelle Wexelblat MSW—Mother, Wife, Friend, Social Worker, Poly spokes-person, Writer, Counselor, Mystic, Lady of Perspective, and Comforting One. She has her MSW degree from Boston University School of Social Work, her BA in psychology from Queens College, CUNY, and though has many stories and poems written is as yet unpublished (if you wish to help change that, just ask).

Michael Whitehouse's job is starting things, and on the side he does stuff for money. This is how he ended up owning a game store, chairing a convention, and directing a Rocky Horror cast. Michael considers himself a metageek, not so much a geek about any medium as he is a geek about geeks, studying how they interact and build community, and helping those activities where possible. After a late night gaming binge he woke up find a black ribbon pinned to his chest and suddenly he was Arisia Program DivHead.

Frequently mistaken for Davy Jones and Cthulhu's younger brother, Stephen R. Wilk buries himself away from prying eyes by writing "The Light Touch" for Optics and Photonics News and a column for MIT's The Spectrograph, along with the occasional article or book. His "Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon" is coming out in paperback this year (at last!).

Jennifer Williams is a published author of short stories and poetry in various small print magazines. She has also done work for film and television most recently as a production assistant on the film House of Usher starring Beth Grant and released on dvd in November of 2007. She is proud to be the 2008 Guest of Awesome at 3Pi-Con and thinks you should all go. She shares her home with several cats, two tarantulas and various shiny sharp objects that make her happy.

Trish Wilson is the sex columnist for the British e-zine nuts4chic and the new men's magazine Vir Magazine. Her erotic and paranormal erotic fiction and sex articles have appeared in Tit-Elation, Sex Kitten, Bare Back Magazine, EdenFantasys, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), For The Girls, and Xodtica. Her articles have appeared in For The Girls and Sex-Kitten.

Karl T. Winkler

Lisa Wood—I am a mother of three, small business owner, stained glass craftsman and a bi/poly/paga/geek. I currently lived in Western Mass with my partner of three years.We are hard core geocachers in our free time. My current job is as project and office manager for a small webdesign company.

Jonathan Woodward is the author or co-author of over a dozen roleplaying game books, including the Hellboy RPG, Trinity, and GURPS Banestorm. He also likes to talk about polyamory. (Probably because he's shockingly narcissistic.) He lives near Boston with his wife, Bey Woodward.

Bey Woodward—After five years of Fandom Bey continues to share her experiences and perspectives on Polyamory, BDSM, Home Beautification, Media Fandom and all things Joss. Bey volunteers annually as a Naughty Nurse for the Heinlein Society Blood Drive and is married to gaming book author, Jonathon L. Woodward.

Tom Wysmuller forecasted weather at Amsterdam's Royal Dutch Weather Bureau after studying meteorology at NYU and Stanford. Selected for a NASA internship, he worked throughout NASA before, during, and after the moon landings. He worked at Pratt and Whitney and held insurance industry executive positions. His Polynomial Regression algorithm is embedded in every high-end Texas Instruments calculator sold today. He lectures worldwide on the SCIENCE needed to understand Global Warming.

Bill "Crash" Yerazunis has been a science fiction aficionado for more than four decades, and a research scientist for three. He specializes in generalism; he's worked on everything from jet engines to virtual reality to immunology to AI systems to water pollution detectors to antispam filters. His Kevin Bacon number is 3, and his Erdos number is also 3, he has 30+ patents, and no fashion sense whatsoever. He's been Slashdotted three times and they still can't spell his name rite.

Aimee Yermish (aimee@davincilearning.org) is an educational therapist, providing assessment, remediation, enrichment, and overall strategizing, for children who are gifted, learning disabled, or twice-exceptional. In her former lives, she was a molecular biologist, a schoolteacher, a black belt, and a Master Assassin, and she is working on a future life as a clinical psychologist. She also loves to sing, read, ride her bike, and do a great many crafts, and is busy raising a husband and two lovely children.

James Zavaglia—I have worked with the media since the age of 15. I currently work at a local university as a media specialist. I have also helped on political campaigns since age 9, and worked on everything from ward councilor to president.

Eric "in the Elevator" Zuckerman