We have so many exciting things happening this year. With the Variety Show, Children's Programming -- just 2 rooms, but hey, it's a start! -- and our guests of honor, it should be great!
Both Dave and I hope to see you there!!
David and Melanie Schaber
Dean is the editor of Pulphouse: a Fiction Magazine. (He and Kris were awarded the World Fantasy Award in 1989 for its predecessor, Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine, a sparkling twelve-volume anthology.) He has written several novels (Laying the Music to Rest was a Stoker Award finalist), and more than 60 short stories. He is a four-time Hugo nominee for his work as an editor. He has edited and/or published (through Pulphouse Publications) the Author's Choice Monthly series, The Collected Short Fiction of Robert Sheckley and the definite Ferdinand Feghoot collection, as well as numerous other books. Dean is a fan of the Oregon Ducks football team, and loves to play golf.
Kris has edited The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (for which she was awarded the Hugo Award for Best Editor in 1994) since 1991. Before that, she was the editor of Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine. She has written numerous novels including The White Mists of Power, Heart Readers, Facade, Traitors and Sins of the Blood. Her novella Gallery of His Dreams was a Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award nominee. Somehow, she's also found time to write dozens of shorter pieces, and was awarded the Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1990. Kris likes good movies (being a fan of the "real" Musketeers films--the ones with Michael York) and plays the music loud when Dean is off playing golf.
Together, Kris and Dean have written several books under the name of "Sandy Schofield" (on having too many names on a book cover.) These include a couple Star Trek: Deep Space Nine books, a bestselling Star Trek: Voyager book and an Aliens book.
Kris and Dean are the focus for an incredible group of writers in Oregon. Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Jerry Oltion, David Bischoff, J. Steve York and Ray Vukcevich are just a few of the 'Pulphouse crew' of writers in Eugene. Their Tuesday writer's workshops, drawing people from as far away as Portland, are paving the way for even more, as well as the newer writers, that have included both in the pages of Pulphouse and F&SF.
On top of this, Dean and Kris are nice people. I'm sure you'll enjoy their company at OryCon. -- John Lorentz, GOH Liaison for Kris and Dean.
Joel's first sale, an op-ed piece favoring nuclear power, was published in The New York Times. His stories have appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Perpetual Light, Amazing Science Fiction Stories and TSR's The Dragon. Joel's hobbies include backgammon, poker, bridge, and several other sorts of gaming, as well as cooking, His broiled butterfly leg of lamb has to be tasted to be believed. He now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with one wife, two computers, and three cats. -- From David Schaber adapted from a bio in the back of one of Joel's books.
She is fond of hiking, Japanese prints, the music of Bach and Camper Von Beethovan, Fowers and bones. Her goals include becoming a better artist and preventing the cat from eating her paint rags. -- From David and Melanie Schaber, Co-chairs
Dameon is one of the artists tapped by Wizards of the Coast to illustrate for their popular game, Magic Cards. Willich's cards include Reverse Damage, Glacial Wall, Erg Raiders, El Hajij, Mana Short and Lifeforce.
The OryCon 17 Art Show welcomes artwork with science fiction, fantasy, comic or fannish themes. Display fees remain at $7.00 for a 4' x 4' panel or 2 1/2' x 4' table space. Print Shop space is available for a $2.00 per artist for up to 20 pieces. OryCon collects a 15% commission on all sales.
Mail-in art work is welcome. The handling fee remains $15.00 with half being rebated if all your work is sold. In order to appropriately handle all of the artwork, there will be a maximum percentage of mail-in work accepted. Please make your space reservations as early as you can.
The OryCon Art Show has been sold out a month before the con for the last three years. October 1st is too late! Get those reservation forms back to us as soon as possible. Those artists and agents who are on our list should have already received a copy of this year's art show reservation mailing and do not need to request one. And, please do not send money without forms or forms without money. We cannot process one without the other.
Your help, comments and suggestions are very important to us and to the success of the Art Show. Many hands are needed during the convention for set-up/tear-down, artist check-in/check-out, data entry, security, sales and more.
To send us your input, receive an Art Show mailing, get more information, or volunteer to help with the art show, write to the OryCon P.O. Box or e-mail to the addresses listed. And, speaking of addresses, please, please, please, if you move (and want to stay on our mailing list) send OryCon your change of address.
The Fan Room is the center of fanzine activity at OryCon. That said, be aware that in practice the Fan Room has about as much to do with fanzines as science fiction fandom has to do with science fiction. If you know nothing about fanzines, don't worry -- you're welcome anyway! Come in and browse, ask questions, chat. You might make some new friends.
The Fan Room will also be the location for several silly and laid-back programming items during the convention. More details as they emerge.
The Fan Room is a place for:
PLEASE HELP! Volunteers are always welcome. If you'd like to be a Fan Room Host and spend a couple of hours helping make the Fan Room a great place for fun fans to hang out, or if you'd like to bring or send any fanzines for sale or display in the Fan Room, please contact me, David Levine, via the P.O. Box, or send Internet mail to: dlevine@spiritone.com
Children under six must be under the direct supervision of the parent or a designated adult at all times. All children must be registered with the convention and must wear a wristband which identifies the child and the responsible adult.
Realizing that you do need some time to yourselves, Orycon provides professional child care at a reasonable rate during most convention hours. Unsupervised children will be taken to childcare and the parents billed for the time spent. If children are found un- or undersupervised more than once, the adult responsible for the child will have his or her membership withdrawn and be asked to leave the event.
We know that some, but not all, children from ages six to twelve are capable of limited independence. We offer children's programming for youngsters in this category. However, children in this age group will be taken to childcare if they are not showing the maturity to be left unsupervised. Again, if the child needs to be taken to childcare more than once, the adult responsible for the child will have his or her membership withdrawn and be asked to leave the event.
Orycon may be on a smaller scale this year (hey, we just did a Westercon!), but our favorite convention would not be complete without some sort of Saturday night entertainment. We've got a fun format where everyone can showcase their talents. If you were at CascadeCon (August, 94), you'll know exactly what we're talking about!
Do you have a costume or presentation that would like to see the spotlight again? Resurrect them and let a whole new audience appreciate your talents! Filkers, share that special song with us. Have you never entered a Masquerade before but have been thinking about what it would be like? We promise to assist you in anyway we can -- you'll be surprised at how much fun you'll have! Want to practice for another convention? (This is a hint to you experienced costumers out there.) We'll be happy to oblige.
And, of course, no show would be complete without commercials. If you have a table in the Dealer's Room, art in the Art Show, or something to publicize, think up a blatant plug and let everyone know about it. The format is pretty open, so use your imagination and show the Science Fiction world what you can make, do sing, say, dance or whatever. We have a no-stress, judge-free, open-minded setting waiting for you.
If you would like to talk about participating, give Ann Hoffert a call at (503) 649-2744. -- Ann Hoffert, Variety Show Director
Remember to pick up your copy of the Daily-zine at the information/literature table. -- Kip Krauss, Daily-zine editor
If you need to transfer your membership, please let us know in advance so that we can have the correct badge ready at the convention. A signed note from the original member is all we need. Requirements for transfer at the door will be stiffer.
Memberships in OryCon 15 are available at the following rates:
Please -- All mail-in registrations must be received by October 27, 1995. Otherwise, we may not have the time to process your membership.Through October 15, 1995: $25 After October 15 and at the door: $35
Children ages 6 - 12 are half price. Children 5 and under are free. Children MUST be accompanied by an adult with a membership. - David Lohkamp
Due to the hotel's increased commitments with the airlines and the nature of the rooms that the airlines contract for, we will have parties only in the hospitality suite wing. We will ask that people wanting to hold advertised open parties let the hotel know this when booking, so that party throwers can be given first preference in that wing. We will also ask that you register the parties with the Orycon so that we can try and see that people are put into the correct wing, and that there is a minimum of confusion. We have discussed using the term party adjacent for the overflow wing, so that people who want to be close to parties but not throw them can be accomodated.
Finally, the hotel has moved to asking that hosts of open parties pay a $35 cleaning fee and post a $100 refundable damage deposit on a credit card. This is a policy that they are now using with all their larger groups. In the case of fan parties, they feel that damage has never been a problem, but heavy cleaning has been.
We know that it's hard for all of us, hotel and fans, to adjust to changes and to get the details correct without some misunderstandings. Robert Verde and I will be working with the hotel to keep things straightened out as much as possible.
Let us know if you have specific questions and we will do our best to answer them as the year progresses.
Any weapons purchased in the Dealer's Room must be securely wrapped.
The committee realizes that most people who would like to carry and wear weapons are sensible and careful individuals. However because of the present liability laws the risk of weapons causing accident or distress, and to preserve relationships with convention hotels, we have had to adopt this policy. The safety of convention members has to be our overriding consideration.
With Westercon 48 in our backyard this summer we are sure that many great ideas will be carried over to the November convention. If you have any ideas of your own that you'd like to pass along please feel free to white them down and mail them to them to OryCon 17, P. O. Box 5703, Portland, OR 97208, Attention: Programming, or pick up the phone and leave a message at (503) 777-0537. -- Alan Smith and Dale Smith (Assistant)
The July 8 meeting will feature a lively discussion of the differences in treatment of elves/fairies in Fantasy and Science Fiction literature versus folk/fairy tales of old to modern incarnations.
On Saturday, July 29, (yes, this is the fifth Saturday, but it was the day that was available) join PorSFiSites at the PorSFiS picnic at the Rose Garden Shelter, Washington Park. Bring your grills so we don't have to eat raw hamburgers (steak tartare--yum yum!) We have the site from 8 am, but will probably set-up around noon, with hamburgers to be ready about 2 pm. You'll need to provide your own eating utensils, beverages, and a dish to share.
For More Information Call the Lightline: (503) 797-2679
or write
to PorSFiS at P. O. Box 4602, Portland, OR 97208
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