On Friday, September 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m., MARK RICH reads from his new book, C.M. Kornbluth: The Life and Works of a Science Fiction Visionary. This biographical study sets out a great many previously unknown facts about the life of the quite elusive Cyril Kornbluth (1923-1958), who wrote under the name C.M. Kornbluth. The study also attempts to identify what “science fiction” was prior to its perceived death in the middle 1950s and to establish the place of Kornbluth’s works within the field of popular fiction. Robert Silverberg has called Rich’s biography “magisterial”. The book sets out factual information concerning the composition of several novels that are central to the history of American science fiction, including Gravy Planet and The Space Merchants. Rich’s published books range from explorations into toy history to collections of his own science fiction stories. He lives in Cashton, Wisconsin. Visit him at www.sff.net/people/mark.rich/.
On Thursday, October 14, 6:30-7:30 p.m., P.C. HODGELL reads her fiction. Ms. Hodgell is the author of the novels God Stalk and Dark of the Moon, recently republished by Baen in the omnibus volume The God Stalker Chronicles; Seeker’s Mask and To Ride a Rathorn, reissued together by Baen as Seeker’s Bane; the new novel Bound in Blood; and the story collection Blood and Ivory: A Tapestry. Her novels and most of her stories deal with Jame, a young woman with a hidden past and unusual powers, in and out of the wonderful city of Tai-Tashtigon. Her work freely mingles humor with the macabre. She taught literature for many years at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and now writes full time. She is also an artist, working mainly in fabric and stained glass. Visit her at www.pchodgell.com/site/.
On Friday, November 19, 6:30-7:30 p.m., JASON D. WITTMAN reads his fiction. Mr. Wittman is the author of stories in the ezines Baen’s Universe, Aberrant Dreams, SCIFI.COM, and the-phone-book.com, and the print publications The Best of Baen’s Universe, The Dabbler #1 (Sam’s Dot Publishing), Greatest Uncommon DenominatorMagazine, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, and Tales of the Unanticipated (TOTU) #27, with another story forthcoming in TOTU #31 in 2011. He also created the card game Spooks and the board game Tile Chess (Steve Jackson Games).
On Friday, December 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m., LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD reads her fiction. Ms. Bujold is the author of over 20 books of fiction. She is best known for the science fiction series about Miles Vorkosigan, who overcomes multiple physical disabilities through personality and force of will including Shards of Honor (1986–about Miles’ parents), The Vor Game (1990), Mirror Dance (1994), Memory (1996), Komarr (1998), A Civil Campaign (2000), and Diplomatic Immunity (2002). She has also written the stand-alone fantasy novel The Spirit Ring (1992), and two fantasy series: The Curse of Chalion (2001) and its sequels Paladin of Souls (2003) and The Hallowed Hunt (2005); and the “Sharing Knife” series: Beguilement (2006), Legacy (2007), Passages (2008), and Horizon (2009). She returns to Miles Vorkosigan’s adventures in CryoBurn (forthcoming late 2010) . Her work is the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, the Minnesota Fantasy Award for lifetime achievment, and of multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards. Visit her website: www.dendarii.com/.
On Friday, January 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m., JOHN CALVIN REZMERSKI reads his poetry. Mr. Rezmerski’s new book, Breaking the Rules: Starting with Ghazais (Red Dragonfly Press), was released last October. He has performed his work for hundreds of audiences — for science fiction conventions, schools, libraries, theaters, major readings series, professional organizations, festivals, coffee houses, bars, and on television and radio, including American Public Radio’s Whad’ya Know? Over a span of 35 years, he taught creative writing, journalism, linguistics, science fiction, and storytelling at Gustavus Adolphus College. Bridging the gap between academic and community arts, he has collaborated with painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, dancers, theatrical troupes, and scientists. A winner of the Rhysling Award for speculative poetry, he has also published a chapbook of 22 poems that first appeared in Tales of the Unanticipated. For five years, he has served as poet laureate of the League of Minnesota Poets.
On Friday, February 4, 6:30-7:30 p.m., MICHAEL MERRIAM will read his fiction. Mr. Merriam is a speculative fiction writer living in Hopkins. He has also sold a novel and novella to Carina Press, a novella to Sam’s Dot Publishing, and over 70 pieces of short fiction and poetry to various anthologies and magazines. He is a member of the Science Fiction Poetry Association and is the Convention Coordinator Liaison for the Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers. He lives with his wife and an ordained cat. You can visit his website at www.michaelmerriam.net
On Friday, March 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m., CATHERINE LUNDOFF reads her fiction. Ms. Lundoff is the two-time Goldie Award-winning author of Night’s Kiss (Lethe Press, 2009), and Crave: Tales of Love and Lust (Lethe Press, 2007), as well as over 70 published stories in various genres. She is also the editor of Haunted Houses and Seraphic Shades: Lesbian Ghost Stories (Lethe Press, 2008), and is the co-editor, with JoSelle Vanderhooft, of Hellebore and Rue: Tales of Queer Women and Magic (Drollerie Press, 2010). In her other lives, she’s a professional computer geek and teaches writing classes at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. She is owned by two cats and is the proud spouse of her fabulous partner. Website: www.visi.com/~clundoff
On Friday, April 8, TERRY FAUST reads his fiction. Mr. Faust is a Twin Cities writer/photographer. He is currently finishing the third novella in a YA urban fantasy series about a small group of kids who call themselves the River Rangers. Recent published work includes stories in Tales of the Unanticipated #30 and 31, the latter of which also appears in Northern Lights, an anthology of the Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers. With Roy C. Booth’s aid it has also been turned into a one-act play. His novel, Z is for Xenophobe, will be published this spring by Sam’s Dot Publishing. Its sequel, Y is for Wiseguy, is in the works. Terry also teaches photography, and has a very understanding wife, Kathy, and two great kids, Max and Spencer.
On Friday, May 13, Speculations will sponsor a panel on “Minnesota Comics Creators,” moderated by MELISSA S. KAERCHER, with panelists BRITT AAMODT, ZANDER CANNON, and PETER GROSS.
Melissa S. Kaercher is a multimedia artist who also happens to color and letter comic books. Her comics work includes Dr. Blink: Superhero Shrink (with John Kovalic and Christopher Jones) and Femme Noir (with Christopher Mills and Joe Staton).
Britt Aamodt is the author of Superheroes, Strip Artists & Talking Animals: Minnesota’s Contemporary Cartoonists. She is a print and radio journalist, screenwriter, storyteller, and the director of the radio play troupe Deadbeats on the Air.
Zander Cannon has been writing and drawing comics since 1993, for both small and large publishers, notably The Replacement God, Smax, Top Ten, and Star Trek. He has worked with non-relation Kevin Cannon on educational comics about genetics, dinosaurs, evolution, the Moon, and rhetoric since 2004. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and son.
Peter Gross is the co-creator and artist of Vertigo’s Eisner nominated, NY Times bestseller series The Unwritten, and co-creator and artist of American Jesus/Chosen with Mark Millar. He also illustrated two of Vertigo’s longest-running series, Lucifer and Books of Magic (and wrote 24 issues). Peter was born in St. Cloud and raised in Bloomington, attended St. John’s University in Collegeville and lived in Duluth for ten years. He currently lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Jeanne McGee, and their daughter Alice.
On Friday, June 3, NAOMI KRITZER reads her fiction. Ms. Kritzer’s short stories have appeared in Realms of Fantasy, Strange Horizons, and Tales of the Unanticipated. Her novels (Fires of the Faithful, Turning the Storm, Freedom’s Gate, Freedom’s Apprentice, and Freedom’s Sisters) are available from Bantam. Since her last novel came out, she has written an urban fantasy novel about a Minneapolis woman who inherits the Arc of the Covenant; a science fictional shipwreck novel; and a children’s fantasy novel about illegal immigration. She has two e-book short fiction collections out: Gift of the Winter King and Other Stories and Comrade Grandmother and Other Stories.
On Thursday, July 28, the Speculations Readings Series presents a discussion: “Dark Descents, Ascending Wonders: The Worlds of Speculative Fiction” featuring DAVID G. HARTWELL, LYDA MOREHOUSE, and JOHN CALVIN REZMERSKI. See the Diversicon 19 Guests page for more about these three authors. The event will take place 6:30-7:30pm at DreamHaven Books, 2301 E. 38th St., Minneapolis.
The Speculations Readings Series moves into its 17th year at DreamHaven Books, 2301 E 38th St, Minneapolis, mostly on Fridays. Readings are accompanied by a reception/autographing with free soda pop and cookies.
On Friday, August 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m., lifetime Minnesota resident ROY C. BOOTH reads his fiction. Mr. Booth is a fiction author, poet, journalist, essayist, and game designer. He is also a prolific scriptwriter with optioned screenplays, and is a renowned internationally award-winning playwright with 55 published stage plays that have had 700+ productions in 27 countries and in seven different languages. He is currently focusing more on speculative fiction and has collaborated with the like of William F. Wu, Brian Keene, R. Thomas Riley, and others on a host of projects. Roy will be reading from two of his latest dark fiction ventures, both being negotiated into ongoing book series, and from a few other projects as well. Roy owns/operates Roy’s Comics and Games of Bemidji, Minnesota along with his writer wife, Cynthia, and their three sons.
On Friday, September 23, TERRY A. GAREY reads from her fiction and/or poetry. Ms. Garey is a writer and editor who has published in many journals and anthologies inclluding Tales of the Unanticipated. She edited two poetry anthologies, Time Gum (with Eleanor Arnason) and Time Frames, and is the author of The Joy of Home Winemaking. Terry is a member of the Lady Poetesses from Hell performance group. She lives in Minneapolis with a librarian and three cats. In vegetology her vegetable is pumpkin and her condiments garlic and soy sauce.
On Friday, October 7, TERRY FAUST reads his fiction from 6:30-7:30. Mr. Faust is a Twin Cities fiction writer and freelance photographer. He is currently finishing Y is for Wiseguy, the sequel to Z is for Xenophobia, (Sam’s Dot Publishing, July 2011), while working on the third novella in his young adult urban fantasy series about a small group of kids who call themselve the River Rangers. In his spare time he breaks his knuckles perfecting his invention SPET, the self propelled electric trailer for bicycles, and promoting his writing game, Write Now! Recently published work includes short stories in Tales of the Unanticipated #s 29 and 30 and work in the Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers anthology, Northern Lights. Terry lives in Minneapolis—year round—and dreams of the day his book sales will buy him a ticket to Edinburgh. He has a very supportive wife, Kathy, and two great kids, Max and Spencer, who have inherited Terry’s love of dreadful puns.
On Friday, November 18, JASON D. WITTMAN reads his fiction from 6:30-7:30. Mr. Wittman lives and works in Minnesota. His fiction has appeared in SCI-FI.COM, the pdf anthology The Best of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, the hardcover anthology The Best of Baen’s Universe, and Tales of the Unanticipated (TOTU) #27, with another story forthcoming in TOTU #31. He has created a card game, Spooks, that can be found in certain stores, and a game, Tile Chess, that can be purchased from Steve Jackson Games. He can also recite "The Raven"—all 18 stanzas—from memory.
On Friday, December 2, LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD reads her fiction from 6:30-7:30. Ms. Bujold has published over 30 volumes of fiction (including omnibuses of earlier work). Her fiction has won the Minnesota Book Award, the Mythopoeic Award, the Minnesota Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievment, two Nebulas, and Four Hugos. She is best known for the science fiction Vorkosigan family saga, set about 1,000 years in the future, and mainly centering on the life and adventures of Miles Vorkosigan, a man who masters severe physical disabilities through charisma, inventiveness, and sheer force of will. The Vorkosigan novels include Shards of Honor (1986), The Warrior’s Apprentice (1986), The Vor Game (1990), Barryar (1991), Mirror Dance (1994), Cegaganda (1995), Memory (1996), Komaar (1998), A Civil Campaign (1999), Diplomatic Immunity (2002), and Cryoburn (2010). She has also written several fantasies, including The Curse of Chalion and its two sequels, and the four-book "Sharing Knife" series, beginning with Beulement (2006) and running through Horizon (2009). She is currently finishing a Vorkosigan saga novel centtering around Miles’ cousin, Ivan. Visit her at The Bujold Nexus www.dendarii.com.
On Friday, January 20, JOHN CALVIN REZMERSKI reads his poetry. Mr. Rezmerki’s latest book, Breaking the Rules: Starting with Ghazals (Red Dragonfly Press) came out in October 2010. A winner of the Rhysling Award for speculative poetry, he has publised a chapbook of poetry, 22 from TOTU, featuring 22 poems that first appeared in Tales of the Unanticipated. He has performed his work for science fiction conventions, schools, libraries, theaters, festivals, coffee houses, bookstores, bars, and on American Public Radio’s Whad’Ya Know? Over 35 years, he taught creative writing, journalism, linguistics, science fiction, and storytelling at Gustavus Adolphus College, St Peter, Minnesota. He has collaborated with painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, dancers, theatrical troupes, and scientists. For over five years he has served as Poet Laureate of the League of Minnesota Poets.
On Wednesday, February 15, S.N. ARLY reads her fiction from 6:30-7:30. Ms. Arly enjoys writing dark stories suitable for young adults and regular adults. Her most recent publications include a dark fantasy tale in Tales of the Unanticipated (TOTU) #29 and a retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood" in the all wolf story anthology Wolf Songs vol. 1. She lives in St Paul with her spouse, two young children, and two shelties who routinely herd ideas in her direction.
On Wednesday, March 14, CATHERINE LUNDOFF reads her fiction from 6:30-7:30. Ms. Lundoff is an award-winning author and editor from Minneapolis. Her recent books include the short fiction collection A Day at the Inn, A Night at the Palace and Other Stories (Lethe Press, 2011) and the forthcoming novel Silver Moon: A Wolves of Wolf’s Point Novel (Lethe Press, 2012). She is the editor of Haunted Hearths and Sapphic Shades: Lesbian Ghost Stories (Lethe Press, 2008) and the co-editor, with JoSelle Vanderhooft, of the anthology Hellebore and Rue: Tales of Queer Women and Magic (Lethe Press, 2011). In her other lives, she’s a professional computer geek and teaches writing classes at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. Website: www.catherinelundoff.com.
On Tuesday, April 10, WILL ALEXANDER reads his fiction from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at SOUTHEAST PUBLIC LIBRARY, 1222 4th St SE, Minneapolis. Will Alexander studied theater and folklore at Oberlin College and English at the University of Vermont. He currently lives, writes, and teaches in Minneapolis. Kirkus described his first novel, Goblin Secrets (2012), as “evocative in its oddities” in a starred review. It’s fun to say “evocative in its oddities” aloud. His short stories have been published in many magazines and anthologies, including Weird Tales, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, Interfictions 2, and Fantasy: The Best of the Year 2008. Visit him at willalex.net or goblinsecrets.com
On Wednesday, May 2, ROB CALLAHAN reads his fiction from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at DREAMHAVEN BOOKS, 2301 38th St E, Minneapolis. Rob Callahan is a professional purveyor of made-up stories about the way we really are. His works of fiction include the novel Hellbound Snowballs and the short story collection, A Wish Upon a Fallen Sky. He has written and performed two award-winning spoken shows, Idiosychronicity and The Last Ditch (co-written with Allegra Lingo), and he regularly joins the Minneapolis entertainment troupe The Rockstar Storytellers on stage. His nonfiction has been featured in Secrets of the City, salon.com, l’etoil Magazine, and cracked.com
On Wednesday, June 6, NAOMI KRITZER reads her fiction from 6:30-7:45 p.m. at DREAMHAVEN BOOKS. Naomi Kritzer’s short stories have appeared in a number of magazines, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Realms of Fantasy, and Strange Horizons. Her novels (Fires of the Faithful, Turning the Storm, Freedom’s Gate, Freedom’s Apprentice, and Freedom’s Sisters) are available from Bantam, and she has two e-book short story collections out: Gift of the Winter King and Other Stories, and Comrade Grandmother and Other Stories. She’s currently working on a near-future young adult novel set on a seastead. Naomi lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two daughters.
On Wednesday, July 11, TATE HALLAWAY and/or LYDA MOREHOUSE reads and signs fiction from 6:30-7:45 p.m. at DreamHaven Books. Tate Hallaway leads a double-life. By day, she’s a mild-mannered, award winning science fiction author, Lyda Morehouse. At night, she dons a skin-tight cat suit and prowls the night as Tate Hallaway, best selling romance author. Tate’s books include the adult paranormal Garnet Lacey series, the YA Vampire Princess of St. Paul series, and a new adult series that begins with Precinct 13 (forthcoming in August 2012). You can read about Lyda (and check out her fan art) at lyda222.livejournal.com/. Tate blogs at www.tatehallaway.blogspot.com and both contribute to the Wyrdsmith’s group blog wyrdsmiths.blogspot.com. Tate lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Lyda’s whereabouts are currently unknown… though she may be on AO3 writing as “junko.”
On Thursday, August 2, TANANARIVE DUE and STEVEN BARNES read and sign their fiction from 6:30-7:45 p.m. at DreamHaven Books. Tananarive Due teaches creative writing in the MFA Program at Antioch University, Los Angeles. Her books include the stand-alone supernatural novels The Between, The Good House, and Joplin’s Ghost; The African Immortals series My Soul to Keep, The Living Blood, and Blood Colony; and a novel about Madam C.J. Walker, The Black Rose. In collaboration with Blair Underwood and Steven Barnes she has written the mystery novel Casanegra and its sequel, In the Night of the Heat. The Civil Rights Movement account Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir, was written in collaboration with her mother, Patricia Stephens Due. Steven Barnes is a creative consultant, human performance technician, and martial arts authority. His novels include Dream Park and _Saturn’s Race (Both with Larry Niven); The Legacy of Heorot and Beowulf’s Children (both with Niven and Jerry Pournelle); Streetlethal, Kundalini Equation, Gorgon Child, Firedance, Blood Brothers, Far Beyond the Stars, Charisma, the alternate history Lion’s Blood and its sequel, Zulu Heart; and the mystery novel Casanegra and its sequel, In the Night of the Heat, both written with Blair Underwood and Tananarive Due. Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due are married, and are serving as Co-Guests of Honor at the Twin Cities Convention, DIVERSICON 20, August 3-5.
On Wednesday, September 12 from 6:30-7:45 p.m., five members of the performance art group LADY POETESSES FROM HELL will read their poetry. They have recently joined seven other writers in the anthology Lady Poetesses from Hell (Bag Person Press Collective, 2012).
RUTH BERMAN has published a lot of poems in science fiction, general, and literary magazines and anthologies; stories (usually science fiction or fantasy); and articles (usually on SF or fantasy). She has published a fantasy novel, Bradamant’s Quest (FTL Publications), and is one of the five co-authors of the group novel Autumn World (FTL). Nonfiction books she’s edited are Dear Poppa, a WW II family chronicle (Minnesota Historical Society Press); The Kerlan Awards in Children’s Literature, 1975-2001, an anthology of speeches and essays by the award winners (Pogo Press); and Sissajig and Other Surprises, a collection of fantasy by Ruth Plumly Thompson (IWOC). When she started writing poetry, she felt divided, thinking that if you were writing poetry you weren’t writing science fiction, but eventually realize you might be anyway.
TERRY A. GAREY has been unladylike for decades now, although she tries to be polite about it. She’s really a very nice person, but she hangs around with Dangerous Women and it’s had an interesting effect on her. She’s edited two poetry anthologies, Time Gum and Time Frames; been a magazine poetry editor (for Tales of the Unanticipated); written a book called The Joy of Home Winemaking; and won the Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA)’s Rhysling Award (Round 1) for “Spotting UFOs While Canning Tomatoes.” She never knows what will happen next, but she hopes it will somehow involve lots of money coming her way without much effort on her part and without buying lottery tickets. She lives in Minneapolis with a librarian, two cats, and an unladylike garden.
REBECCA MARJESDATTER studied creative writing at the College of St. Catherine, library science at Rosary College/Dominican University, and obtained half of an MFA from Hamline University before coming to her senses. Her resume consists of relatively normal jobs at bookstores, libraries, and law firms, but she makes up for it with a rich inner life. Publications include The Magazine of Speculative Poetry, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Tales of the Unanticipated, and the anthologies Women of Other Worlds (University of Western Australia Press) and The Moment of Change (Aquaduct Press). She is the current poetry editor for Tales of the Unanticipated, winner of the 2000 Rhysling Short Poem Award (“Grimoire,” Round 1), and quite possibly the first and only poet to be a guest of honor at an anime convention. She lives in Minneapolis.
ELISE MATTHESEN lives in Minnesota, surrounded by beads, metal, words, music, and people she loves. She has a jewelry business, a hearing impairment, fibromyalgia, arthritis, attitude, ingenuity, numerous publication credits, and many pairs of pliers.
JOHN CALVIN REZMERSKI was born in Pennsylvania, and again in Ohio, then again in Kansas, and three times more in Minnesota. By some accounts he has three lives left yet, but he is not taking ,any bets because he doesn’t believe in cats. He is a member of Lady Poetesses from Hell by virtue of the fact that he channels Grace Lord Stoke (via email), from whom he has learned a great deal. He has published twenty books, chapbooks, and anthologies, including The Frederick Manfred Reader, a screenplay, and three plays. He has performed his work for schools, libraries, bookstores, science fiction conventions, clubs, professional organizations, senior centers, museums, festivals, fairs, coffee houses, bars, and on television and radio, including National Public Radio’s Whad’Ya Know?, and collaborated with painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, dancers, theatrical troupes, and scientists. Over 35 years, he taught creative writing, journalism, linguistics, science fiction, and storytelling at Gustavus Adolphus College. His poetry books include 22 from TOTU and Breaking the Rules: Starting with Ghazals.
On Wednesday, November 14 from 6:30-7:30 p.m., JASON D. WITTMAN will read from his fiction. Mr. Wittman lives and works in Minnesota. In addition to having two games published by Steve Jackson Games, he has had fiction published in SCIFI.COM Baen’s Universe, and Tales of the Unanticipated. And he now has a stand-alone novella, “Saint Nicole,” available at Sam’s Dot Publishing.
On Wednesday, December 5, LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD reads from her fiction from 6:30-7:30-7:30 p.m.. Ms. Bujold has published over 30 volumes of fiction (including omnibuses of earlier work). Her fiction has won the Minnesota Book Award, the Mythopoeic Award, the Minnesota Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievment, two Nebulas, and four Hugos. She is best known for the science fiction Vorkosigan family saga, set about 1,000 years in the future, and mainly centering on the life and adventures of Miles Vorkosigan, a man who masters severe physical disabilities through inventiveness, charisma, and sheer force of will. The Vorkosigan novels include Shards of Honor (1986), The Vor Game (1990), Barryar (1991), Mirror Dance (1994), Cetaganda (1995), Memory (1996), Komaar (1998), A Civil Campaign (1999), Diplomatic Immunity (2002), and Cryoburn (2010). She has also written several fantasies, including The Curse of Chalion and its two sequels, and the four-book “Sharing Knife” series, beginning with Beguilement (2006) and running through Horizon (2009). Her new novel, Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, centers around Miles’ hapless cousin, Ivan Vorpatril. Visit her at The Bujold Nexus, www.dendarii.com
On Wednesday, January 23, JOHN CALVIN REZMERSKI reads his poetry from 6:30-7:30. Mr. Rezmerski was born in Pennsylvania, and again in Ohio, then again in Kansas, and three times more in Minnesota. By some accounts he has three lives left yet, but he is not taking any bets because he doesn’t believe in cats. He is a member of Lady Poetesses from Hell by virtue of the fact that he channels Grace Lord Stoke (via email), from whom he has learned a great deal. He has published twenty books, chapbooks, and anthologies, including The Frederick Manfred Reader, a screenplay, and three plays. He has performed his work for schools, libraries, bookstores, science fiction conventions, clubs, professional organizations, senior centers, museums, festivals, fairs, coffee houses, bars, and on television and radio, including National Public Radio’s Whad’Ya Know?, and collaborated with painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, dancers, theatrical troupes, and scientists. Over 35 years, he taught creative writing, journalism, linguistics, science fiction, and storytelling at Gustavus Adolphus College. His poetry books include 22 from TOTU and Breaking the Rules: Starting with Ghazals.
On Wednesday, February 20, MICHAEL MERRIAM reads his fiction. Mr. Merriam is an author of speculative fiction living in Hopkins, MN. He has published a novel, a short story collection, three novellas, and over 80 pieces of short fiction and poetry. His novella, Should We Drown in Feathered Sleep, was long-listed for the Nebula Award in 2010, and his novel, Last Car to Annwn Station, was named a Top Book in 2011 by Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women's Fiction. Michael is the co-organizer of the Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers, a member of the Artists with Disabilities Alliance, the Outer Alliance, the Steampunk Artists and Writers Guild, and Story Arts Minnesota. Visit his homepage at www.michaelmerriam.net
On Wednesday, March 20, TERRY FAUST reads fiction from 6:30-7:30p.m. Terry Faust writes urban fantasy, mainstream young adult novels, and humorous science fiction spoofs. Recent published work includes the short stories: “Immaculate Extraterrestrials” and "Guess Who is Coming to Gotterdammerrung" in Tales of the Unanticipated #29 and #30. “Guess Who is Coming to Gotterdammerung” and "Unpleasantness at 20,000 Feet" also appear in the first two Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers anthologies: Northern Lights and Sky-Tinted Waters. Z is for Xenophobe (print: http://www.amazon.com/Z-Xenophobe-Terry-Faust/dp/0983267391) was published by Sam’s Dot Publishing in 2011. It is available in Kindle format through Amazon's KDP program (ebook: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008TSD0AW). The sequel to Z is for Xenophobe, Y is for Wiseguy, is complete and seeking a publisher. Terry Faust’s young adult novel To Build a Blackbird is being considered for representation. Past work includes a screenplay, a play, a radio play, and two 16mm films.
Sam’s Dot Publishing
On Wednesday, April 17, DANA M. BAIRD reads fiction from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dana M. Baird is a speculative fiction author of three young adult fantasy novels: The Spell Keeper, Veil of Whispers, and Broken Legacy, all published by Sam’s Dot Publishing, a traditional small press. Dana is a member of Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers and the International Association of Astronomical Artists. Dana has a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art from the University of Minnesota, and has also been a member of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival entertainment cast for more than 20 years. Dana is a life-long resident of Minnesota, currently residing in St. Paul with long-time partner Eric M. Clark, and two crazy cats.
Dana M. Baird
On Wednesday, May 8, LYDA MOREHOUSE reads fiction from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Lyda leads a double-life. By day, she’s a mild-mannered, award winning science fiction author. At night, she dons a skin-tight cat suit and prowls the night as TATE HALLAWAY, best selling romance author. Tate’s books include the adult paranormal Garnet Lacey series, the YA Vampire Princess of St. Paul series, and the recent release, Precinct 13 (August 2012). Meanwhile, Lyda is an award-winning author of several published science fiction novels including, Archangel Protocol, Fallen Host, Messiah Node, and Apocalypse Array (Roc.) Her first novel, Archangel Protocol, was the 2001 Shamus award winner for the best original paperback novel featuring a private investigator, the winner of the Barnes & Noble Maiden Voyage Award for best debut science fiction/fantasy novel, and a nominee for the Romantic Times Critics Choice for best science fiction. Apocalypse Array was short-listed for the Philip K. Dick Award for distinguished mass-market paperback novels of science fiction. When not arguing with herself, Lyda enjoys the life of a stay-at-home parent to a precocious son, Mason. Recently, she’s become obsessed with Anime and is drawing fan art and such, which you can read about in long, lovingly described detail on her livejournal: lyda222.livejournal.com Tate blogs at www.tatehallaway.blogspot.com and as a contributor to the Wyrdsmith’s group blog wyrdsmiths.blogspot.com . Lyda lives in Saint Paul.
On Wednesday, June 12, DAMIAN SHERIDAN reads fiction from 6:30-7:30 p.m. In 2004, Damian Sheridan’s first play, Judas Cradle, was featured at the Minnesota Fringe Theater Festival and selected by the editor of the Fringe Theater blog as one of the Top Five Shows to See at the Fringe for that year. In 2010, he wrote the book and music for an original musical called The Collectors, about a collection agency calling on delinquent souls for the Devil’s lawyer. He has studied at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis as well as the University of Minnesota. Presently, Damian is working on the manuscript for a play commissioned for the 2014 Minnesota Fringe Festival. He was recently featured in the first Northern Lights anthology through Sam’s Dot, Leather, Denim and Silver through Pill Hill Press, and the Parasitic Sands anthology he co-edited for the Parasortium.
Speculations is a co-production of DreamHaven Books and SF MINNESOTA, a multicultural speculative fiction organization that also hosts a midsummer SF convention, DIVERSICON, the 21st edition of which will be held August 2-4, 2013, in the Best Western—Bandana Square, with Guest of Honor JACK MCDEVITT and Special Guests CATHERINE LUNDOFF and ROY C. BOOTH.
For further information try returning to this page at a later date, visit www.dreamhavenbooks.com or talk to Eric Heideman at 612-721-5959.
For further information about Diversicon, write to…
Diversicon 21
PO Box 8036
Lake Street Station
Minneapolis MN 55408-0036
…or visit our Facebook page…
…or email
Diversicon…
Scott Lohman, D21 Chair…
Eric M. Heideman, Programming…
Rebecca Marjesdatter…
diversicon
scottl2605
eheideman
page_of_pentacles
@
@
@
@
gmail.com
aol.com
dhzone.com
juno.com
612-721-5959
© 2012 SF Minnesota