Guests
Confirmed Guests (in order of confirmation) for AnachroCon 2012
(Updated February 21, 2012)
John Ringo
John Ringo had visited 23 countries and attended 14 schools by the time he graduated high school. This left him with a wonderful appreciation of the oneness of humanity and a permanent aversion to foreign food. He chose to study marine biology and really liked it. Unfortunately the pay was for beans. So he turned to quality control database management, where the pay was much better.
But then Fate took a hand: John has become a professional author and over course of time has published numerous novels including the Legacy of the Aldenata (combat SF), Paladin of Shadows (technothriller), Council Wars (SF/fantasy cross), Looking Glass (hard combat SF), Special Circumstances (Christian urban demon hunter), Life Free of Die (hard SF), and a variety of other stand-alone novels and collaborations with authors such as David Weber and Tom Kratman.
With his bachelor years spent in the airborne, cave diving, rock-climbing, rappelling, hunting, spear-fishing, and sailing, the author is now happy to let other people risk their necks. He sits on his side porch, thinks big thoughts, consumes amazing quantities of caffeine and nicotine then hallucinates his way through a novel.
All of his books are available in deadtree as hardcovers or paperbacks in any local or internet bookstore and in electronic form (at a reasonable price, no DRM and cross platform) through webscriptions.net.
Veronique Chevalier
Maurice Chevalier said, “Thank Heaven for little girls!” & Veronique Chevalier says, “Thank Hell for moi!” She’s the eccentric performer known as The “Weird VAL” of Dark Cabaret. She’s a “Mad Sonictist”; Steampunk-lish Chanteuse, & Spooky Polkanista, who has been described as “a twisted incarnation of Edith Piaf from an alternate reality.”
Gird your eye sockets & cushion your funny bones, MAD V shall be publishing her first book of PUN-ishments, with a turn for the VERSE. Entitled “My Cog Is Bigger Than Your Cog: SteamKu & Other Verstrocities,” it features 34 poetical devices, as well as maniacal full-color illustrations by Monsieur Walter Sickert, an accomplished visual and musical artiste, and founder of Boston’s Steamcrunk Dada-esque circus band, “Walter Sickert & The Army Of Broken Toys.”
Mark P. Donnelly
Award winning author, historian, screenwriter, and producer – as well as internationally renowned swashbuckler and professor of historical swordsmanship.
Currently 18 books in print – all non-fiction — all historical
Roughly 200 hours of broadcast television for Discovery, History Channel, PBS, BBC, National Geographic, etc.
After nearly 14 years in England he recently returned to the colonies and currently resides in Harrisburg, PA
Adam Smith
Former graphic artist, goldsmith, watchmaker, IT corporate-slave and renfest booth owner, currently splits his wage-earning time between vending his handcrafted leatherwares at various conventions and festivals, and building costume and prop pieces for the film industry.
As his Steampunk alter-ego “Phineas Phlensing, Esq.”, he is a gentleman of questionable and shady background, a dinosaur big-game hunter, and a tinkerer and inventor of various weaponry and gadgets, harnessing electrical aether, gunpowder and raw metal in equal measures. Do not be fooled by his easy and likeable demeanor: he WILL trick you into purchasing his tavern beverages for him.
Kathryn Hinds
Kathryn Hinds is the author of more than forty young-adult books dealing with various ancient, medieval, and early modern cultures. She is also an award-winning poet, an editor, and a member of the English faculty at North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, GA.
Kathryn has completed an epic fantasy novel for adults and is currently at work on a YA steampunk novel. You can find her online at http://www.kathrynhinds.com and http://www.goodreads.com/kathryn_hinds
O.M. Grey
Olivia M. Grey dreams of the dark streets of London and the decadent deeds that occur after sunset. She dons a tight corset, a fluffy bustle, and a teeny-tiny top hat for fantasy conventions where she enjoys meeting fans and participating on panels. Olivia prefers to live in the cobwebbed corners of her dark mind writing paranormal romance with a Steampunk twist.
Ms. Grey blogs and podcasts relationship articles covering such topics as alternative lifestyles, deepening intimacy, and ending a relationship with love and respect. Additionally, she writes poetry and short stories, both of which have been published in various anthologies and magazines. She has completed two novels and his working on a third for an early 2012 release.
Her premiere Steampunk Paranormal Romance novel, Avalon Revisited , is an Amazon.com Gothic Romance bestseller. Look for the release of the anthology Caught in the Cogs, containing short stories, poetry, and a sampling of relationship essays, in December 2011.
Ms. Grey is represented by the fabulous Louise Fury of the L. Perkins Agency.
Thomas Willeford
Thomas Willeford is the owner of Brute Force Studios. Thomas has been creating unique and beautiful leather corsets and arm guards, along with all manner of striking Steampunk gadgetry, for more than 20 years. Thomas and his products have been widely featured on television (MTV, BBC, ABC’s “Castle”), online (Wired, BoingBoing, Popular M
echanics), and in print (Marquis Magazine, Bizarre Magazine, Pirate Magazine). Thomas also contributed to the design of Alchemy Gothic’s line of steampunk jewelry and accessories. His designs have been featured in numerous museum exhibitions worldwide, including Penn State’s “STEAMpunk!,” Dr. Grymms’s “Steampunk Bizarre,” the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation’s “Steampunk: Form and Function,” and the Ashmolean Museum of the History of Science at Oxford’s “Steampunk.”
The Sci-Fi Janitors
Originally conceived by Michael Goodwin as a video piece for an Atlanta Puppet Slam, Bob and Carl: The Sci-Fi Janitors went on to take Dragon*Con 2010 by storm. Their geeky humorous shorts were a fan favorite on Dragon*Con TV. There was such a positive response that the Sci-Fi Janitor Team (Beau Brown, Matt Nitchie, and Patrick Freeman) decided to keep making more to release on the Internet. Now Bob and Carl provide convention entertainment to make those long waits for panels and events to start more bearable with their unique brand of geeky humor.
Randall Carlson
Randall Carlson is a master builder and architectural designer, teacher, geometrician, geomythologist, geological explorer and renegade scholar. He has 4 decades of study, research and exploration Into the interface between ancient mysteries and modern science, has been an active Freemason for 30 years and is Past Master of one of the oldest and largest Masonic lodges in Georgia. He has been recognized by The National Science Teachers Association for his commitment to Science education for young people.
The acclaimed 1997 TBS/CNN documentary “Fire from the Sky” was based upon his research into Earth change and catastrophic events. He has organized several dozen field expeditions documenting evidence for catastrophic earth change. He has received academic recognition for outstanding work as a student of geology. His work incorporates Ancient Mythology, Astronomy, Earth Science, Paleontology, Symbolism, Sacred Geometry and Architecture, Geomancy, and other arcane and scientific traditions. For over 25 years he has presented classes, lectures, and multimedia programs synthesizing this information for students of the Mysteries.
Mark Helwig
Award-winning artist and illustrator Mark Helwig has a style all his own—quirky, creative, occasionally odd, and often humorous. His focus on craftsmanship, storytelling, and images that cause the viewer to “double take” are traits that set him apart in today’s industry. He is a frequent artist guest and panelist at shows and conventions across the southeast, and his work is highly sought by discerning private collectors.
Steampunk Boba Fett
To know him is to love him. Steampunk Boba Fett (AKA John Strangeway) has been personifying the galaxy’s most feared Steampunk Bounty Hunter since 1878 (Earth time). Known best for his capture of Han Solo with the assistance of Darth Vader, he now tours our little outpost planet giving advice and inspiration to those who wish to follow in his footsteps.
J. D. Sutton as Thomas Jefferson & William Bartram
J. D. Sutton is American’s premier interpreter of the life of Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Sutton has appeared in a variety of television projects, including Tom Hanks’ HBO series From the Earth to the Moon, and was featured in the title rôle of the independent film Farmer McAllister’s Thinkin’ Machine, which was honored as the “Best Comic Short Film” at the 2001 Atlantic City Film Festival. Twilight at Monticello: An Evening with Thomas Jefferson has been presented off-Broadway, as well as at numerous venues throughout the country, including Philadelphia’s historic Carpenters’ Hall.
Bill Pacer as Ben Franklin
In Atlanta, Bill Pacer is synonymous with Ben Franklin; he has a show available for schools, businesses and a full-length production for theater. Known as the consummate character actor, he creates portrayals with his own single significant signature. He has a verve and passion that reflects his love for acting. For six years, he portrayed Scrooge for the Rosewater Theatre. For the past four years, he has amused audiences as the Barefoot Undertaker for the Aurora Theatre’s Lawrenceville Ghost Tours. Last year, he served as Artistic Director for the Georgia Independence Day Festival, where he also portrayed Franklin. He is known as “Barefoot Bill” due to his aversion to shoes.
Tripp Corbin
Tripp has loved history as long as he can remember. To scratch his history itch, he dons historic clothing and participated in various reenactments and living history programs around the United States. Tripp has been reenacting for over 14 years now. He started in the Civil War era and has since branched into the Revolutionary War period with occasional forays into the French and Indian War, War of 1812, the Texas War for independence and World War
Charles Kelly
Charles Kelly founded the West Georgia Underwater Archaeological Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to searching for, documenting, and protecting submerged archaeological sites in the State of Georgia, in 2002 and is the lead avocational underwater archaeologist and site steward for the West Point Underwater Archaeological Site. Charles served on the Georgia Underwater Archaeology Council in 2002, helping to write policies for the State of Georgia governing the protection of submerged artifacts and archaeological sites.
Houston McPherson
Houston McPherson is a local Atlanta actor with sixteen years of experience. He studied history at Kennesaw State University and is a member of the 33rd Light Infantry Company, a Revolutionary War reenactment unit based in Atlanta. He plays Leonardo Da Vinci at the Georgia Renaissance Festival and is also available for private performances. He has performed with improv troupes here in Atlanta and will be teaching improvisational comedy classes for children this summer at the Academy Theater.
Nick Valentino
Biography coming soon.
Emilie P. Bush
Chenda and the Airship Brofman is Emilie’s first novel, but she has been a professional writer for years. Until this book, she had been in the business of reporting the news, most recently as the host of Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Georgia Gazette.
Allan Gilbreath
Allan denies that he was raised by wolves, but still enjoys quiet moonlit evenings. He is an accomplished skeptic, cook, gardener, computer geek, martial artist, and avid student of arcane knowledge. Allan is also a nationally recognized and award-winning author, publisher, speaker, and instructor. He has appeared on television, stage, radio, web/podcast, and tours the country in live appearances. He enjoys serving on convention panels and can cover a wide range of topics from the serious to the outrageous. In his adult vampire novels, Galen and Dark Chances, he links sensual fantasy with danger and predation to excellent effect. His exceptional use of plot tension between the various characters sets a wonderful stage for the little details that bring it all to life. Allan’s Jack Lago supernatural mysteries are known for their attention to detail and suspense. His short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and his collection, Allan Gilbreath: A Short Story Collection.
Kimberly Richardson
Kimberly Richardson is the author of Tales from a Goth Librarian, which was a finalist in the Fiction & Literature: Short Story Fiction category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards and a finalist in the Fiction: Short Story Fiction category of the 2010 International Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News. She is also the editor of the popular Steampunk anthology Dreams of Steam. She lives in Memphis.
Dan Hollifield
Dan L. Hollifield has been an online presence since 1995. In 1997 he created Aphelion Webzine, the Internet’s oldest surviving free creative writing website. Dan has one steampunk short story featured in the anthology “Flash of Aphelion” available through Lulu.com, and a second steampunk short story that will appear in “The Immersion Book of Steampunk” anthology, published by Immersion Press in the UK in mid-April of 2011.
