Storming The Castle

DayTimeRoomTitleDescriptionPanelists
Saturday3:00 AMHenry FordGranBlue Fantasy (5 hrs)  
Saturday8:00 AMAtriumFrosty Fun Run!Urban Fantasy Author and inflatable dragon enthusiast Diana Rowland hosts her annual Fun Run around the hotel! Do what you can to make it a mile and win a medal!
Saturday8:00 AMConSuite Geek Parent Meet Up (Early Risers) Join up with like-minded parents in the ConSuite for treats, juice boxes, and mutual support on the subject of raising kids in fandom! This one is for the early risers, up with babies and toddlers and other wakeful kids!  
Saturday8:00 AMHenry FordRadiant (4hrs)  
Saturday9:00 AMGreenfieldQelong (4hrs)Two barely conceivable beings have fought a war for a generation over Sajavedra, a barely legendary land far to the southeast. They wish to claim its rich harvests of souls and fields, its intricate networks of ley lines and temples, for their own. They have devastated it utterly. The land is ripe for plunder, if you are brave or lucky enough to do so.  
Saturday9:00 AMModel T Kaffeeklatsch with Music GOH Steve Macdonald Join Music Guest of Honor Steve Macdonald for a small-scale conversation and Q&A over cups of coffee or tea. Limit 10 attendees, sign up in Ops. Steve Macdonald
Saturday9:00 AMTeenFusionOpen Room  
Saturday10:00 AMAllen Park Octopus and Ape We Want YOUR Opinion! Julie Lesnik, a ConFusion science track regular, is bringing her love of human evolution, bug eating, and all things biologically fascinating to YouTube in February 2019. Get a sneak peek at some of the content and provide feedback that will be used to make this channel great. Walk away with an Octopus and Ape badge ribbon and adorably awesome logo swag. Dr. Julie Lesnik (M)
Saturday10:00 AMConSuite Geek Parent Meet Up Join up with like-minded parents in the ConSuite for treats, juice boxes, and mutual support on the subject of raising kids in fandom!  
Saturday10:00 AMDearborn Beyond the Boilerplate So the cast of your comic strip has finally done it all. Met, got married, had kids, sent the kids to college, moved them out of the basement, and now return to the empty nest... So what next? What do you do when your virtual people have told their stories? The creators of three long-running comics--two of which have run for thirty or more years--will discuss the problem and the solutions they found. Discussion will follow. Sean Martin (M), BluRaven C. Houvener, Kurt Erichsen
Saturday10:00 AMErieSo This Is Your First ConFusion (Sat) First time at ConFusion, or science fiction conventions in general? Join us to hear about the history of the convention and even a little tour of the con. We'll answer any questions you have (about the con; quantum physics questions are handled elsewhere).  
Saturday10:00 AMGreenfieldKill Doctor LuckyIn this notorious game, an inversion of Clue, you hate Doctor Lucky. Maybe he left you out of his will. Maybe he killed your pet rock. Whatever the reason, you want him dead. Unfortunately, so do the other players. Since you don't want to go to jail, you need to make your attempt in secret; if anybody can see you, whistle nonchalantly, and let the Doctor live ... until next time. 
Saturday10:00 AMGreenfieldTomb of Horrors (4hrs)A Dungeons and Dragons Classic updated for 5th Edition! Somewhere under a lost and lonely hill of grim and foreboding aspect lies a labyrinthine crypt. It is filled with terrible traps and not a few strange and ferocious monsters to slay the unwary. It is filled with rich treasures both precious and magical, but in addition to the aforementioned guardians, there is said to be a demi-lich who still wards his final haunt. 
Saturday10:00 AMKidFusionWake Up YogaLearn some yoga poses to get your day startedKidFusion Staff
Saturday10:00 AMModel T Kaffeeklatsch with Pro GOH Ada Palmer Join Guest of Honor Ada Palmer for a small-scale conversation and Q&A over cups of coffee or tea. Limit 10 attendees, sign up in Ops. Ada Palmer
Saturday10:00 AMOntarioThe Trouble With Susan (and Donna, and...) Many beloved genre stories don't treat their female characters well. Our genre is full of stories that punish female heroes with debasement and tragedy and unhappy endings, either implying or stating outright that the heroines with whom we identify were too ambitious for their own good. How do we reconcile our love for these stories and characters with the poison pills that come with them? Can we keep loving stories that don't love us back? Marissa Lingen (M), Navah Wolfe, Karen Osborne, K. Lynne O'Connor, Cat Rambo
Saturday10:00 AMRotunda Reading: Jordan Kurella, Tim Boerger, Lucy A. Snyder Jordan Kurella, Tim Boerger, Lucy A. Snyder
Saturday10:00 AMSouthfield Flash Fiction Improv Fast paced and quick witted, authors create stories in real time, "round robin" style, using prompts from the audience. Jackie Morgan (M), Mur Lafferty, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Suzanne Church
Saturday11:00 AMAllen Park Out Beyond Pluto: New Horizons Visits the Kuiper Belt If all goes well, a few weeks before ConFusion, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft should have encountered the object known as 2014 MU69 or "Ultima Thule." Discuss the science of Kuiper Belt Objects and (we hope) the results of the flyby. Bill Higgins, Dr. Jennifer Piatek
Saturday11:00 AMDearborn The Craft of Episodic Storytelling From comics to serialized novels, episodic fiction has a long history in genre. Thanks to the convenience of the internet, it's experienced a resurgence, with episodic short fiction, web series, and episodic video games. What impact does serialization have on how writers approach plot, pacing, exposition, and characterization? What qualities make a story a good fit for serialization? What can you do in a serialized story more easily than in a non-serialized one? What becomes harder when serialization is in the mix? Jackie Morgan (M), Mur Lafferty, Jennifer Mace, Christian Klaver, Nathan Rockwood
Saturday11:00 AMErieReading: Ada Palmer  Ada Palmer
Saturday11:00 AMGreenfieldGhost Planets (4hrs)If you love the Fate system, or are interested in trying a new to you system, this session is for you. The characters are pre-made so the action can start right away! Play part of an archaeological exploration team in a universe where humanity is the only sentient race alive, that you know of. Remains of other races civilizations have been found, but no members of the races! There will be 5 adult player slots open 
Saturday11:00 AMKidFusionCrafting: Stress BallsMake your own stress ball using water beads and a balloon!KidFusion Staff
Saturday11:00 AMModel T Camp Pencil Point Camp Pencil Point is a YouTube channel that teaches people, kids in particular, to draw with nonsense and tom foolery. It's also an event featured at ConFusion this year set up like a class room and the audience is invited to draw along. We provide the drawing materials, paper and pencil. There are drawing tutorials and drawing games. Plus there are prizes and art giveaways. Join us at ConFusion! Emily Zelasko (M), Joe Foo
Saturday11:00 AMOntarioWakanda and The Political Power Of Alternate Presents While The Princess Bride and Black Panther both feature fictional countries, Black Panther uses its alternate history to challenge common narratives about colonialism, centering political commentary in its worldbuilding and plot. How can Science Fiction best use alternate history and alternate present to center and celebrate people whose real histories bear the scars of colonialism, genocide, and/or slavery? How can alternate histories that don't center on these themes avoid making light of, or reinforcing the inevitability of, these atrocities? David Anthony Durham (M), LaShawn M. Wanak
Saturday11:00 AMRotunda Reading: A. Merc Rustad, Marissa Lingen, Annalee Flower Horne  A. Merc Rustad, Marissa Lingen, Annalee Flower Horne
Saturday11:00 AMSouthfield Applying the Social Model of Disability to Genre Worldbuilding The social model of disability holds that whatever someone's physical traits, what renders a person disabled are physical and social structures not built to accommodate them. In The Princess Bride, Count Rugen's six fingers don't impede his swordsmanship--the fact that swords aren't built for his hand does. In the real world, what limits a wheelchair driver's freedom isn't their wheelchair, but spaces that aren't built for wheelchair access. We'll discuss how to incorporate the social model of disability into fantasy and science fiction world-building to build fictional worlds where people with wide ranges of physical traits and abilities have agency and self-determination, and talk about our favorite fictional worlds that are doing this right. Josef Matulich (M), Jordan Kurella, Sandee Rodriguez, Petra Kuppers
Saturday11:00 AMTeenFusion"If there's ever a question about anything, you can always count on me to get it wrong.""The Duchess set about studying Annette and shortly found her adversary's tragic flaw. Chocolate." Know a lot about Science Fiction? How about vines? Confident in your knowledge? Want to earn chocolate for knowing things? Then come visit us as we test how much you know and our ability to throw. 
Saturday12:00 PMAllen Park Feline Nutrition 101 Cats have been steadily growing in popularity for decades. Everyone from the likes of Hemingway to Freddie Mercury were all avid cat lovers. And as their popularity grows, so does our desire to learn how to care for our tiny tabby tigers. Join Cassandra Morgan, author and feline nutrition and behavior consultant as she walks you through her lecture on Feline Nutrition 101. Learn how to read a pet food label, what it means to be an Obligate Carnivore, settle the great Kibble vs Canned debate. It's going to be a purr-fectly meow-velous time! Cassandra Morgan (M)
Saturday12:00 PMAtrium Iron Artist (3hrs) Drawing/sculpture isn't usually a performance art, but Iron Artists show how they work while creating prepare a piece of art (or craft) on a topic related to Through the Looking Glass. Artists are working at their Artist Alley Tables or in the Lounge. Iron Art entries will been display in the lounge soon after 3 PM Saturday. Members of ConFusion vote on their favorites -- ballots will be available at Ops and in the Lounge from 3-5. Entries will be shown and winners announced at the Masquerade. Sean Martin, BluRaven C. Houvener, Emily Zelasko, John Benson, Melanie Brooks, Sara Burnett, Michael Kucharski, Crystal Mielcarek, Rachel Quinlan
Saturday12:00 PMDearborn How To Storm A Castle: Pre-Industrial Defenses Around The World How, precisely, do you storm a castle? Join our panel to discuss pre-industrial building defenses, their strengths and vulnerabilities, and how to get past them if you need to defeat the evil prince within. Chris Bell (M), Josef Matulich, Scott H. Andrews, Ada Palmer
Saturday12:00 PMErieShowing Your Work: Showcasing Research in Genre Fiction Authors are often cautioned to avoid info-dumps in our work: lengthy explanations of science and history have fallen out of fashion in favor of subtly weaving in relevant research without drawing attention to it. But William Goldman broke this rule throughout The Princess Bride; most memorably in Wesley's fight scene with Montoya, where the two spend the entire fight discussing real swordsmen who influenced the theory and practice of renaissance fencing. Panelists will discuss when it's a good idea to shine a light on your research, and recommend examples of research-dumps that manage to entertain and delight readers. A. Carina Spears (M), Lucy A. Snyder, Lawrence M. Schoen, Michael Cieslak, Nino Cipri
Saturday12:00 PMFairlane Concert by Random Fractions This Chicago-area trio combines guitar, bass, keyboard, and smooth harmonies into a musical journey through life's quirky adventures and marvelous journeys with a sound that is part folk, part rock, and part something we can't quite define...but we know it's fun!  
Saturday12:00 PMGreenfieldVillainousDisney Villainous is a light strategy game for up to 6 players featuring favorite Disney villains. 
Saturday12:00 PMHenry FordThe Princess Bride (1.5hrs)  
Saturday12:00 PMKidFusionAFTERNOON BREAKKidFusion is closed for one hour in the afternoon. 
Saturday12:00 PMOntarioWriters Talk About Anything BUT Writing Our panelists answer your burning questions on anything--except writing. Ask about cooking, motorcycle repair, science, the meaning of life, color theory, their favorite and least favorite airports--anything but writing! (accuracy of answers is not guaranteed). Mark Oshiro, John Scalzi, Delilah Dawson
Saturday12:00 PMRotunda Reading: Angus Watson, Dan Stout, Dyrk Ashton Angus Watson, Dan Stout, Dyrk Ashton
Saturday12:00 PMSouthfield Political History As Setting in Science Fiction and Fantasy The history of Gildor is essential context for S. Morganstern's classic. Even in his abridged version, Goldman includes this background in footnotes so that readers will be able to fully appreciate the story. Whether we're writing a sweeping secondary-world epic, an alternate history, or futuristic science fiction, giving our worlds history helps them feel lived-in and real. Let's talk about our favorite worlds with deep histories, and how authors can weave historical information into the story in an engaging way that doesn't bog down the narrative with infodumps. Dave Klecha (M), Anaea Lay, Carl Engle-Laird, K.A. Doore, K. Lynne O'Connor, Lewis Shiner
Saturday12:00 PMTeenFusionLunch Break"Dummy, dummy, go out now and fill your tummy."  
Saturday1:00 PMAllen Park Mars in Fact and Fiction Mars looms large in science fiction, and in NASA's planetary exploration program. Listen to scientists and experts discuss the ways Mars has been explored in both scientific ways and by characters in science fiction. Bill Higgins, Martin L. Shoemaker, Dr. Jennifer Piatek
Saturday1:00 PMDearborn Hospitality, Sanctuary, and Refuge in Secondary Worlds Real-world cultures have wide-ranging rules and customs around how much hospitality we owe to strangers. What are our favorite examples of hospitality customs in science fiction and fantasy? How can we build realistic hospitality customs for secondary world cultures, and how can we use hospitality customs to add depth to our world-building or create challenges for our characters? Sarah E. Gibbons (M), Eric Anderson, Scott H. Andrews, E.D.E. Bell (Emily)
Saturday1:00 PMErieWhat Computer Programming Can Teach Us About Writing Writing code and writing fiction may not seem to have a lot in common at the sentence level, but writers and programmers have to manage a lot of the same challenges. Come learn how to apply tools from software development, such as agile development, technical debt management, and code review, to the fiction writing process. Annalee Flower Horne (M), Pablo Defendini, Jennifer Mace, John Chu, Cat Rambo
Saturday1:00 PMFairlane Workshop: ChordPro and You A beginning tutorial on the software that you can use to build your electronic songbook. Steve Macdonald, Daniel Gunderson
Saturday1:00 PMGreenfieldVillainousDisney Villainous is a light strategy game for up to 6 players featuring favorite Disney villains. 
Saturday1:00 PMKidFusionOrigami for Everyone!Learn origami with our special guestKidFusion Staff/Meri O
Saturday1:00 PMOntarioHistory of Detroit Fandom 60 years have gone by since Detroit's one and only WorldCon, Detention, and it's been over 45 years since the first ConFusion. Now a whole 5 years have passed since Detroit's wildly successful NasFic, DetCon1. Come relive some of the highlights of Detroit convention history with Fan Guest of Honor David Stein, and bring your own memories to share! Jeff Beeler (M), Bill Higgins, David M Stein, DI
Saturday1:00 PMRotunda Reading: Michael J. DeLuca, Clif, John Wiswell  John Wiswell, Michael J. DeLuca, Clif Flynt
Saturday1:00 PMSouthfieldJoe R. Lansdale and Lewis Shiner on Story Ideas Joe and Lew have been kicking story ideas back and forth for years; the main reason because the originator didn't want to write it. Here they will discuss story ideas they didn't want to write, why they didn't work for them, and what makes a successful idea. How do they turn a scrap of an idea into a full blown story? Cherie Priest (M), Joe R. Lansdale, Lewis Shiner
Saturday1:00 PMTeenFusion"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die"Come learn to fence like Inigo Montoya, without the perils of the cliffside or the sharpness of a blade. 
Saturday1:00 PMWarren AI for Better or Worse There's no doubt that Artificial Intelligence will play some part in our future, but is it good, bad, or both? Panelists will discuss the future of AI, some of its uses, and some of its dangers. Anthony W. Eichenlaub (M), John Winkelman, Derek Kunsken
Saturday1:30 PMHenry FordKakuriyo (4hrs)  
Saturday2:00 PMAllen Park Roleplaying 101 So you want to get into roleplaying games! Great! What does it take to get started, and do you want to contribute as a player or as a game master? How do you plan a basic session, what makes a good character, and what are the common pitfalls that face novice players and GMs? Nibedita Sen (M), Stephanie Lorée, Andrew M. 'Fish' Popowich, Brian Bay, Dan Wells
Saturday2:00 PMDearborn The Stories We Pass Down The central conceit of The Princess Bride was that Goldman wanted to share S. Morgenstern's classic--his childhood favorite--with his own kid. This is a relatable experience for many readers. But many of us find ourselves in Goldman's shoes: trying to manage our disappointment that our kid could barely choke down the first chapter of our childhood favorite. How do we decide whether a book we loved as a kid is a good fit for our own kids, and when they're old enough to appreciate it? How can we share our favorites with our kids in a way that respects their individual taste? Anthony W. Eichenlaub (M), Stacey Filak, Michael Cieslak, Ken Schrader, David Anthony Durham
Saturday2:00 PMFairlane Fan GOH Induction This annual ceremony welcomes the latest Fan Guest of Honor into the hallowed halls of those who came before! Jeff Beeler (M), David M Stein, DI
Saturday2:00 PMGreenfieldDownforcecard-driven bidding, racing & betting game. Players first bid to own the six cars in the race, then play cards from their hand to race around the track. Timing is key to victory. 
Saturday2:00 PMGreenfieldRemnants in Wetlands (4hrs)Roughly 15 years after the events of Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, a team of adventurers from the exploration guild is hired by a Pikachu client to help protect her on an expedition to find a hidden temple deep in a wetland dungeon area, but is there more to this quest then their client is telling them? Pre-generated characters and dice will be provided by the GM and no previous experience with the Genesys RPG system is required. 
Saturday2:00 PMKidFusionPrincess Buttercup's Royal TeaJoin us for a royal tea party with our special guests!KidFusion Staff
Saturday2:00 PMMichiganConcert by Ada Palmer and Friends A special 90-minute set by our Author GoH and her friends, featuring both music of the Renaissance and Ada's Viking-themed works. Ada Palmer, Lauren Schiller, Michael J Mellas
Saturday2:00 PMRotunda Reading: Michael R. Underwood, Ferrett Steinmetz, Patrick S. Tomlinson Michael R. Underwood, Ferrett Steinmetz, Patrick S. Tomlinson
Saturday2:00 PMSouthfield Fairytale Retellings in the Modern Market Fairytales are a common inspiration for stories and novels, especially in YA. What is it about fairy tales that make us tell and retell them? How do these stories speak to us and why? Merrie Haskell (M), Jessi Cole Jackson, Amy Sundberg, Jeffrey Chapman
Saturday2:00 PMTeenFusion"You're an enemy of art and I pity your ignorance," Domingo said."Come color with us and love the art that you can create 
Saturday2:00 PMWarren American Horror Story An ambitious experiment in anthology television has carried on to its improbably nine millionth season. What's working, what isn't, and what the actual heck is going on? Sarah Hans (M), Sandee Rodriguez, Navah Wolfe
Saturday3:00 PMAtrium Paint and Take (6hrs)  
Saturday3:00 PMDearborn Reading: John Scalzi  John Scalzi
Saturday3:00 PMErieAutograph Session (3pm)Meet your favorite authors and get your books signed! Limit 3 items per person, please.Ada Palmer, Angus Watson, Anthony W. Eichenlaub, Cat Rambo, Diana Rowland, Dyrk Ashton, Jason Sanford, Joe R. Lansdale, Josef Matulich, Keith Hughes, Lucy A. Snyder, Mackenzie Flohr, Mark Oshiro, Michael R. Underwood, Mur Lafferty, Stacey Filak, Tracy Townsend
Saturday3:00 PMGreenfieldLords of WaterdeepA D&D themed worker placement game. Very easy to play, and perhaps one of the purest worker placement games on the market.  
Saturday3:00 PMGreenfieldThe Reunion (4hrs)You were once the students of Anchor Charter Acadamies. It has been a decade or more since you last set foot in now crumbling edifice and now the institution is having a school reunion. Why go back to the school that was abusive and traumatizing? Yes, why go back indeed?  
Saturday3:00 PMKidFusionFarmboy, Fetch My... (Scavenger Hunt)Princess Buttercup has left some things around ConFusion. Let's see if we can find them all!KidFusion Staff
Saturday3:00 PMRotunda Reading: Cherie Priest, Cassandra Morgan, LaShawn M. Wanak Cherie Priest, Cassandra Morgan, LaShawn M. Wanak
Saturday3:00 PMSouthfield She-Ra, Old and New She-Ra has returned to significant acclaim, and accompanied by other Princesses of Power. Has the reboot captured something new in its portrayals of Adora, Catra, and the rest of the cast? What did the original do well, and in what ways might it have been ripe for the reboot treatment? Marie S. Bilodeau (M), Yanni Kuznia, Vanessa Ricci-Thode
Saturday3:00 PMTeenFusionInconcievable Cookies!Come join us for an hour and decorate cookies to be inconceivable! 
Saturday4:00 PMAllen Park Stargate SG-1 Retrospective It has been over 20 years since Stargate SG-1 showed up on our screens, and over 10 years since it left. Along the way, it spun off two other series, and a limited run prequel series last year. What made it great, and why did it resonate with so many people? What impact has it made on genre television and movies? Eric Anderson (M), Keith Hughes, Julayne Hughes, Julie Winningham
Saturday4:00 PMErieAutograph Session (4pm)Meet your favorite authors and get your books signed! Limit 3 items per person, please.A. Carina Spears, Cassandra Morgan, Cherie Priest, Delilah Dawson, Derek Kunsken, E. D. E Bell, Ferrett Steinmetz, James L. Sutter, John Scalzi, Lawrence M. Schoen, Michael Cieslak, Phil Tucker, Sarah Hans, T L Greylock
Saturday4:00 PMFairlane Jamming What makes a good jam session? What can you expect to happen, and how can you be ready for it? Steve Macdonald, Daniel Gunderson, Cathy McManamon
Saturday4:00 PMGreenfieldDice Forge Dice Forge is a development game featuring innovative mechanics based on dice with removable faces. In this dice crafting game, players build their own dice to gain resources to purchase upgrades. 
Saturday4:00 PMKidFusionGame On!Our friend Meri is joining us to play some kid-friendly games. Meri O.
Saturday4:00 PMRotunda Reading: Tracy Townsend, Josef Matulich, Mackenzie Flohr Tracy Townsend, Josef Matulich, Mackenzie Flohr
Saturday7:00 PMSouthfield Writing Humor in Science Fiction and Fantasy The Princess Bride is a classic of fantasy humor. What makes humor in speculative fiction work? What "funny books" really aren't? Let's look at American vs. British humor, which topics have aged well (or not so well!), short form vs. novels, and all the other things that make speculative humor more than pies in the face for elves. Steve Buchheit (M), Tim Boerger, Marissa Lingen, Clif Flynt, Joe R. Lansdale
Saturday4:00 PMTeenFusionOpen Room  
Saturday4:00 PMWarren Let's Talk Season 2: Computer Science! A lighthearted talk on a hard science topics with smart and funny people. Let's Talk: Computer Science will chuckle through the collapse of society as we know it. Come hear how silicon makes better decisions than carbon, protons as data, why you don't need to be Slytherin to study Python, and what we are going to do with the leisure time we will have in 2025. Daniel Dugan (M), John Winkelman, Anthony W. Eichenlaub
Saturday5:00 PMAllen Park Reboot Fever! The concept of a reboot is nothing particularly new, but the trend in them is not limited to the underperforming properties, like Fantastic Four, or the barely remembered, but beloved classics are getting the treatment as well. Is this a plague that must be eradicated, a harbinger of the death of culture, a necessary refreshing of shared myths, or something else entirely? What's being done well, and what less well? Stacey Filak, Seleste deLaney / Julie Particka, Marie S. Bilodeau
Saturday5:00 PMDearborn New Trends in Post-Collapse Fiction The prospect of a world where the march of social and technological progress has drastically reversed course seems a lot closer than it used to be. What has changed in the way we imagine post-collapse futures? How do post-collapse futures of the past and present exist in conversation with the social and political worlds in which they were written? Marissa Lingen (M), Andrea Johnson, Michael J. DeLuca, Petra Kuppers, Anaea Lay
Saturday5:00 PMGreenfieldRaiders of the North Sea (2hrs)As Viking warriors, players seek to impress the Chieftain by raiding unsuspecting settlements. Players will need to assemble a crew, collect provisions and journey north to plunder gold, iron and livestock. There is glory to be found in battle, even at the hands of the Valkyrie. So gather your warriors, it's raiding season! 
Saturday5:00 PMKidFusionEVENING BREAKKidFusion is closed for two hours in the evening. 
Saturday5:00 PMMichiganConcert by Tom Smith The world's fastest filker joins us again, for an hour of favorites old and new. Tom Smith
Saturday5:00 PMRotunda Reading: Martin L. Shoemaker, Paul Kemner, Jennifer Mace Paul Kemner, Jennifer Mace, Martin L. Shoemaker
Saturday5:00 PMSouthfield Mostly Dead: The Problem of Death and Not-Quite-Death in SFF The frequency of resurrections or "they died, but they didn't" moments in SFF is (if one wishes to be kind) statistically unlikely. In this panel, we'll discuss various stories where death, death and resurrection, or false deaths play a key role in the narrative. How does the bloody ruthlessness of a series like Martin's Song of Ice and Fire change which characters "get" to die, and who stays dead? What are our favorite "return to life" moments? Which ones don't really work and why? And what must a writer do to make these moments serve the story and their audience? John Wiswell (M), Angus Watson, Jason Sanford, Tracy Townsend, Dan Wells
Saturday5:00 PMTeenFusionTeen Iron ArtistAn art competition for teens, judged by teens 
Saturday5:00 PMWarren Let's Talk Season 2: Physics! A lighthearted talk on a hard science topics with smart and funny people. Let's Talk: Physics will dive deep into the building blocks of the Universe, the end of space, the future of materials, and will try not to giggle while discussing Super G-Strings. Daniel Dugan (M), David John Baker, Bill Higgins, Karen Burnham
Saturday6:00 PMAllen Park Metafiction and S. Morgenstern Let's think about William Goldman's abridgment of S. Morgenstern's classic novel in the context of the film, Morgenstern's other surviving work, The Silent Gondoliers, and other classic metafictional/postmodern fantasy texts like Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn, Michael Ende's The Neverending Story, Pratchett's Discworld, Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber. How do these works compel our imaginations so effectively while also constantly undermining themselves with tongue firmly in cheek? Where did this kind of self-conscious mythmaking originate, and what's its modern legacy? How has fantasy changed because of it? Jackie Morgan (M), Sarah E. Gibbons, John Chu, K. Lynne O'Connor
Saturday6:00 PMDearborn If you liked that, try this! Our well-read panel will give you personalized book recommendations based on things you've read and loved. Merrie Haskell (M), John Winkelman, Andrea Johnson, Karen Osborne, Sarah Hans
Saturday6:00 PMErieFandom Year in Review A lot has changed in the past year. The Doctor is back, three-time winner at the Hugos, and so much more. New books, new movies, new everything in 2018, so let's get together and talk about it! Brian Bay (M), Mackenzie Flohr, Jeannie Szarama, Derek Kunsken
Saturday6:00 PMFairlane Masquerade Muster Mandatory for all competitive entries in the Masquerade. Assemble to muster for the parade, be viewed by the judges, and have optional workmanship judging done. Competitors may enter as Novice, Journeyman, Master or Junior levels. Please be on time. Exhibition entries may attend the Muster or just join the parade, ending at the Masquerade. Pre-Registration for the Masquerade is STRONGLY encouraged. Sign up at OPS.  
Saturday6:00 PMGreenfieldSea Cove of Last Light (4hrs)You were once the students of Anchor Charter Acadamies. It has been a decade or more since you last set foot in now crumbling edifice and now the institution is having a school reunion. Why go back to the school that was abusive and traumatizing? Yes, why go back indeed?  
Saturday6:00 PMRotunda Reading: Michael Cieslak, Ken Schrader, Jon Skovron Michael Cieslak, Ken Schrader, Jon Skovron
Saturday6:30 PMHenry FordThe Princess Bride (1.5hrs)  
Saturday7:00 PMAllen Park To the Pain: On Making Characters Struggle Sometimes you can't kill your protagonists outright ... but you can definitely put them through a lot. How do writers use different kinds of "pain" to craft better stories around their characters? At what point does a writer push their characters too much? And is it possible to create tension and conflict with minimal struggle? Tracy Townsend (M), Angus Watson, Brandon Crilly, Daan Wells
Saturday7:00 PMErieSleeping In Light: A Look Back At Babylon 5 Babylon 5 has been off the air for twenty years. Come join us to reminisce about the best parts, reconsider the parts that haven't aged so well, and cook up theories of what B5 could look like for a modern audience. Annalee Flower Horne (M), Michael R. Underwood, Scott H. Andrews, Natalie Luhrs
Saturday7:00 PMGreenfieldTerraforming Mars (3hrs)Initiate projects to raise temperature, oxygen level, and ocean coverage until the environment of Mars is habitable. Compete to accomplish the most terraforming, and for best locations on Mars. 
Saturday7:00 PMGreenfieldThe Stygian Garden of Abelia Prem (4hrs) Long ago a woman of wealth and nobility decided to build the greatest garden the world had ever heard of. Legend told of her being obsessed with a fabled rose that could bring back the dead to life and she poured all of her efforts to cultivate such a flower. Now her estate lays abandoned and rumors are that it is haunted, or worse! But, if the legends are true, such a rose would be invaluable, and perhaps it could be yours.  
Saturday7:00 PMKidFusionPajama/Pizza PartyTHIS IS A PAID EVENT. Come ready to party in your pajamas! We will have Pizza, pop, popcorn along with movies, games and crafts. Register for this event at Registration by 12:00 PM Saturday. (5 HOURS)KidFusion Staff
Saturday7:00 PMMichiganMasquerade Come see - or show off - the best costumes of the night! Judges will scrutinize. Crowds will cheer. Audiences will swoon. Honors will be awarded 
Saturday7:00 PMRotunda Reading: Petra Kuppers, Anaea Lay, John Chu Petra Kuppers, Anaea Lay, John Chu
Saturday7:00 PMWarren Communication During the Apocalypse Losing the internet has become a shorthand for the apocalypse in science fiction. When the internet goes down, what other options might we have? From Ham Radio to the postal service to Incan knots carried by trained birds, does losing the internet have to mean instant disaster? Karen Burnham (M), Andrea Johnson, Ken Schrader, Bill Higgins
Saturday8:00 PMAllen Park Murder, Meanness, and Other Solutions from Deep in the Edit Mines: How to Help Fix Each Other's Work Without Taking Over. How can we best use creative teamwork in solo projects? When your writing friends are stuck, where's the line between helpful and pushy? Is murder really the answer to every problem--and is it sometimes helpful to have a friend come through the door of your manuscript with a gun in hand when you don't know what to do next?Marissa Lingen (M), Jennifer Mace, K.A. Doore
Saturday8:00 PMDearborn Let's Talk Season 2: Biology! A lighthearted talk on a hard science topics with smart and funny people. Let's Talk: Biology is about eating bugs vs eating people, how overblown CRISPR is, how soon can you pet a Triceratops, and what superbug is next on the horizon and how we will beat it. Daniel Dugan (M), Sandee Rodriguez, Derek Kunsken, Dr. Julie Lesnik
Saturday8:00 PMErieInconceivable! Establishing Narrative Credibility in SFF The best science fiction and fantasy is often based around bizarre, alien worlds or premises, but these always need to be relatable to the reader. How do writers make the incredible credible? What effective tricks do we see our favorite authors pulling off, and which ones don't work on us as readers? Tracy Townsend (M), Angus Watson, Brandon Crilly, Marie S. Bilodeau, Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Saturday8:00 PMHenry FordThat Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (4hrs)  
Saturday8:00 PMMichiganConcert by Steve Macdonald Steve's been away for a while, living in Germany, so this is a rare chance to enjoy his songwriting, singing, and guitar work. You don't want to miss it! Steve Macdonald
Saturday8:00 PMOntarioAda Palmer Spoilers Reading Spoilers ahoy! Unlike Guest of Honor Ada Palmer's earlier reading, this one will be rife with spoilers, so proceed at your own caution!Ada Palmer
Saturday8:00 PMRotunda Reading: Karen Osborne, Keith Hughes, E.D.E. Bell (Emily) Karen Osborne, Keith Hughes, E.D.E. Bell (Emily)
Saturday8:00 PMSouthfield What Makes A Magic System Feel Satisfying? Some magic systems work with intense rules, and others run on vague hints and mystery. What makes either version work for a given work of fiction? Nathan Rockwood (M), Andrew M. 'Fish' Popowich, James L. Sutter, Ferrett Steinmetz, Christian Klaver
Saturday8:00 PMTeenFusion"Fortunately for all concerned save the sharks, it was around this time that the moon came out."The Teenfusion room will have pizza and be open to teens aged 14-19 at this time. 
Saturday9:00 PMAllen Park Phineas & Ferb Singalong There's 104 days of summer vacation... and we're going to singalong with a whole ton of songs from Phineas & Ferb in just an hour (or so). 
Saturday9:00 PMModel T Friends of Bill W (Sat)   
Saturday10:00 PMFairlane Theme Circle: The Shallow End A welcoming place for those who would like to sing something, but lack experience and confidence. Any type of material or performance is welcome. No recordings. Mark Bernstein (M)
Saturday11:00 PMFairlane Open Music Circle