Orycon 20
Progress Report 2

= Cover = Contents = News = Places = Events = Things = Guests = Policies = Credits =

Dances

There will be dances both Friday & Saturday nights. We're still looking for the perfect DJ. If you think you're it, don't be shy. Contact Kristy Bates via E-mail or the OryCon post office box

Also, this is YOUR CON! What gets you in the groove to move? Tell us what music you want to dance to. We aim to please.

Filking & Music Programming

As happened last year, your Filk Coordinator's chief problem is that we have more talented and eager musicians than he knows what to do with. (With luck, we'll figure out where to put them all by con time.)

Our Friends of Filk guest is the talented and versatile Michael Longcor. Heather Alexander will be back as well, and plans are afoot for a special appearance by a Seattle-based group known as Crooked Mile. Orycon 20 should be a banner year for musical enthusiasts!

Gaming

Well, folks, it's that time of year again. Gaming is planning to have a good mix of stuff for you to do. We are tentatively planning a Warhammer 40K tournament for Saturday night. Also we have on tap a L5R tournament on Saturday as well as a demo-type tournament of Doomtown. And last but not least we will be having a Netrunner tournament. We are also looking for more role-playing DMs. If you think you've got the right stuff and have a game you want to run, then E-mail me at the above address.

PS: We need to be sure to keep the hallways and stairs clear this year.

I have been contacted by the Camarilla Fan Club., which hopes to have a substantial presence at OryCon. Any other interested Live Action Role Playing organization can E-mail me at the above address.

Hall Costumes

This year's hall costume ribbons will be awarded by Janet "Kill Me Before I Volunteer Again" Borkowski and Dave "Volunteer Me Before I Kill Again" Tackett.

In addition to these enviable awards, there will be a fabulous selection of semi-cool prizes (well . . . . three, actually). Be sure we catch you before 6:00 pm Saturday. Winners will be posted on the bulletin board by midnight Saturday.

Bribe . . . . er, impress the judges and WIN! WIN! WIN!

(Some settling of content may have occurred during mailing. Void where prohibited. All taxes and tariffs are the responsibility of the prizewinner. See your local dealer for details.)

Masquerade

Welcome to the Orycon Masquerade. I, Don Glover, the younger, am your masquerade director this year. I will be around the convention to answer any questions, help with any problems, and to do whatever we need to do to present your costume on stage. Please review the following information and fill out the appropriate paperwork. If you need to reach me prior to the convention my address is

650 NW 76^th St
Seattle WA 98117-4044

Entry categories will include Young Fan (ages 13 and under) as well as Novice, Journeyman, and Master. The following rules will apply:

1. No purchased, rented, or commercial costumes; credit must be given for all make-up and costume construction.
2. No pyrotechnics, fog machines, wind machines, Jacob's Ladders, or oscillation overthrusters, whatever those are.
3. No dangerous or potentially dangerous props (i.e. weapons) will be allowed without close inspection by the weapons master. No weapons will be pointed at the judges; any other weapon play must be approved by the director.
4. This Masquerade is rated PG-13. No nudity or partial nudity. Lack of costume is not a costume.
5. No flash photography of contestants onstage. Offstage, please get permission from the costumer before using flash. Remember, people around you may be sensitive to your flash.
6. Presentation time limits: 1 minute for a group of 1-4 people, 2 minutes for a group of 5-8, and 3 minutes for a group of 9 or more. Additional time may be given by the Masquerade Director on a case by case basis.
7. No live mikes! All dialog in a presentation should be on the soundtrack tape.
8. The Masquerade Director has the final say.
9. And finally, the obligatory no peanut butter rule. No messy substances—that is, nothing that will ruin another costume or make the floor sticky, gritty, slippery, slimy, bumpy, lumpy, scorched, toxic, or non-existent.

Opening Ceremonies

Okay, boys, girls, bems, and other: Here is your cattle call!

October 3rd (a Saturday), at 3pm, we will have what passes for a rehearsal for the "Not Quite Ready for Sidereal Time Players!" Don't worry if you can't make it—but let me know ahead of time and I might save you a good part (as opposed to playing a chair if there's a large turnout, audience-wise!) If you don't feel like showing your face, that's not a problem (evil laugh).

For more information, please E-mail me at the above address or write to me care of OryCon 20. The rehearsal will probably be at Lloyd Center Mall (it's mostly central here in Portland). Please include a daytime phone (preferably yours), just in case.

For all you non-actor types, (from here on out referred to as "The Audience") you too are wanted—7pm (ish) Friday the 13th (of November)—be there, or we shall hunt you down and taunt you!

Programming

Welcome to ORYCON 20! As this is a major milestone for our convention, you will find that we have a much larger than normal Guest of Honor list, and general guest list.

As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations we at Programming are trying to put together a very tightly packed and diverse programming schedule this year.

This year we will also continue the small panel groups in the Riverview Ballroom. These are small discussion/workshop groups limited to 12 people, and they require prior sign-up. Sign-up sheets will be in the green room (Eisenhower Suite).

If anyone wants to commit to past favorite programming events, suggest new ones, etc., please feel free to contact the programming staff at the above E-mail address.

Susan C. Petrey Auction

GREAT GOODS AND GOOD GIFTS!

That's what you'll find at the this year's Susan C. Petrey Clarion Scholarship Auction. Not only will you have the opportunity to purchase all kinds of wonderful things while helping to send and a struggling new writer to Clarion Writers' Workshop, but we'll also be giving away FREE PRIZES to the bidders. Yes, it's true, if your bid pushes us over one of our goals, you'll win a prize—even if you don't win the bid.

We generally have a great selection of books, proofs, t-shirts, art work, jewelry, and other good goods. There's always a few items that fall only into the category of the Truly Bizarre and we're currently working on putting together an instant room party basket. Whatever your tastes, we're sure to have something for you. Come preview the auction items at the table in the Dealers' Room.

Of course, we always need new and exciting things to auction. (We're still waiting for someone to top the armadillo basket!) If you have something that another fan might want, we would be most grateful for the donation. We are non-profit and tax deductible. If possible, we would like to get donations beforehand so we can properly catalog and promote them. They may be sent c/o Wrigley-Cross Books, 1809 NE 39th Ave., Portland, OR 97212. We will continue to accept donations at the Susan Petrey table in the Dealers' Room. If you have questions, call Debbie or Paul at (503) 281-9449.

Writers' Workshop

This is not so much an update as a renewed call for submissions (why is it that manuscripts arrive in bunches at the last possible moment before the announced Sept. 14 deadline?).

The specifics are as stated last time around: three divisions, pro manuscript format, one (1) manuscript per participant, one (1) copy of same sent to us along with the appropriate fee ($10 for Short Story and Novel, $5 for Young Writers), checks payable to Orycon 20. Divisions are:

SHORT STORY: Up to30 manuscript pages (about 7500 words).

NOVEL: Up to 60 manuscript pages (2-3 chapters & synopsis)

YOUNG WRITERS: Up to 12 manuscript pages (about 3000 words).
Open to writers who will be 10-15 years old during OryCon 20.

Submissions should come to:

John C. Bunnell
Orycon 20 Writers' Workshop
6663 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. #326
Portland, OR 97225-1403

Please also supply the following information on a separate sheet of paper.

Name
Address
City/State/ZIP
Phone #
E-mail Address (if available)
Badge # (if known)

Short Story Division:
Have you attended a convention writers' workshop before?
If Yes, about how many such workshops have you attended?
Have you had a story or stories professionally published?
If Yes, about how many stories have you sold?

Novel Division:
Have you completed a draft of the novel you are submitting?
Have you completed any other novel-length manuscripts?
Have you submitted a novel to a professional publisher?

Young Writers Division:
How old will you be during OryCon 20 (this November)?
Have you participated in creative writing activities at school?
Do you write for a school paper or other school publication?
Has your work been published in a non-school publication?

= Cover = Contents = News = Places = Events = Things = Guests = Policies = Credits =