Complete Guest List for InConJunction 43

John Scalzi
Author Guest of Honor
John Scalzi (right), is a Hugo winning, New York Times bestselling author of a whole lot of books. He also does stuff with film and TV

John Scalzi (right) is a Hugo-winning, New York Times-bestselling author of a whole lot of books, which include "Old Man's War," "Redshirts" and "Starter Villain," which is currently a finalist for the Hugo. When he's not writing books he's writing other things - including on his blog, Whatever, which has been around for 25 years now, making it one of the oldest still extant on the web. He also does stuff with film and TV, including the Emmy-winning "Love Death Robots," for which he's written several episodes. He owns a guitar with six necks, and a church where he keeps his guitar with six necks. He lives in Ohio but hopes you won't hold that against him.

For additional information, please refer to John Scalzi's Web Page.

Lorraine Schleter
Artist Guest of Honor
Hi! I'm Lor! (aka Fig)

Hi! I'm Lor! (aka Fig) I work as a freelance artist and comic artist. On the illustration side, I primarily produce art for tabletop games and card games. I have contributed illustrations for Wizards of the Coast, Arcane Wonders, Fantasy Flight Games, Rio Grande Games, Slugfest Games and many more. For the past few years, I have been writing and illustrating a webcomic series called "A Tale of Two Rulers." Set in the universe of "Legend of Zelda," my webcomic is a humor/romance between Zelda and Ganondorf. It has become one of the most emotionally rewarding projects I have ever worked on, and the feedback from my readers has helped me become a better writer and illustrator. I am very grateful for my readers' support, as nothing is better than knowing that my work makes people happy!

For additional information, please refer to Lorraine Schleter's Web Page.

Klingon Pop Warrior
Music Guest of Honor
Commander jenbom sutai-toQqul (Jen Usellis) travels the quadrant to bring the best Klingon pop and rock to your ears.

Commander jenbom sutai-toQqul (Jen Usellis) travels the quadrant to bring the best Klingon pop and rock to your ears.

For additional information, please refer to Klingon Pop Warrior's Web Page.

Rob Pyatt, Ph.D.
Science Guest of Honor

Weird Science!

TammyJo Eckhart, PhD
Special Guest
Pushing the boundaries in fiction and non-fiction.

Since 1995, TammyJo Eckhart%u2019s across-genre fiction has been challenging and entertaining readers around the world. Her non-fiction works educate and open minds and hearts. She holds a PhD in Ancient History with doctoral minors in History of Gender & Sexuality and Folklore. Her blog, The Chocolate Cult, has been the go-to guide for chocolate lovers since 2009. Eckhart loves visiting conventions as well as organizations to read, sell books, or share her experiences and insights on various topics in the form of lectures and workshops. She loves a live audience but has also embraced the online format. Her Patreon subscribers get exclusive access to serialized novels that they help influence through feedback and polls. She will be bringing a range of books and anthologies for you gift-buying delights including limited editions zines, the last paperback copies of older books, True You 101 (YA magic school), Day Unto Night (epic vampiric fiction), and the premiere of her new science fiction and dystopian romance series, Almost Partners. She is excited to be back at Inconjunction 43, after missing it in 2023

For additional information, please refer to TammyJo Eckhart, PhD's Web Page.

Vinny Rattlocke
Special Performances
Let me help you be who you truly wish to be!

Outlandish Characters! Crazy antics! Only wild enough to have their SECOND PROFESSIONAL THUMBWRESTLING TOURNAMENT!!! You will not forget this!!!

For additional information, please refer to Vinny Rattlocke's Web Page.

The Threepios
Special Performances
We are The Threepios: human cyborg musicians. We came together on the 40th anniversary of "Return of the Jedi" to celebrate a lifetime love of Star Wars. We write and perform original tribute songs as well as parodies of classic pop, rock and new wave tunes. We are one with the Force, and the Force is with us... For droids about to rock, we salute you!

Featuring creative forces of award-winning, Indianapolis-based bands The Shake Ups and Five Year Mission, The Threepios are the newest in a series of pop culture-influenced fandom bands. The Threepios play original songs as well as parodies of classic 80's rock, pop and new wave tunes - all about Star Wars! The band debuted in 2023 with a pair of singles, followed by the release of their debut album, "The Age of Protocol," on Star Wars Day 2024. They also released an accompanying mini-album of parody tunes, "The Age of Etiquette." For droids about to rock, we salute you!

For additional information, please refer to The Threepios's Web Page.

Lou Harry
Trivia Guest of Honor
Lou Harry has written dozens of published books, thousands of articles (Really!), and a half dozen or so produced plays. He runs the weekly Game Night Social at the Garage Food Hall in Indy.

Lou Harry, co-author of "The Biggest Trivia Book Ever...and That's a Fact!" is a playwright, journalist and game concierge. He runs the weekly Game Night Social at the Garage Food Hall in Indy, hosts trivia events around the city, and writes the annual Best Games of Gen Con piece for Indianapolis Monthly. He has also written dozens of books, including the novelization of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians," and has written for a wide range of publications including Variety, The Sondheim Review and even Cartoon Network magazine. He co-created the long-form improv show "Going...Going...Gone' (which you can catch this October at Fonseca Theatre) and in September will be directing the Tony-winning play "Side Man" in a unique collaboration with the Chatterbox jazz club. His own produced plays include "Midwestern Hemisphere" and "Popular Monsters," both of which had readings at InConJunction. By day, he edits Quill, the magazine of the Society of Professional Journalists. Connect at www.louharry.com.

For additional information, please refer to Lou Harry's Web Page.

Also Appearing

Riwo *
Founder of Gal's Guide Library

Riwo is a multi-award-winning author and podcaster. She founded Gal's Guide, the first women's-history lending library in the United States. She strives to be a benefit to her community through empathy and creativity. Riwo teaches the Mother Castle method, appears weekly on the Gal's Guide podcast, and publishes yearly in the "Gal's Guide" anthology. Riwo is a member of the Buddhist Magyu "Mother" Lineage that traces back to a woman in the 11th century.

For additional information, please refer to Riwo *'s Web Page.

John F. Allen
John F. Allen Author

John F. Allen is an American author born in Indianapolis, where he currently resides. He is a founding and active member of the Speculative Fiction Guild, a faculty member of the Indiana Writers Center, and serves on the Board of Directors for Sisters in Crime - Speed City Chapter as Media Chair. John's debut novel, "The God Killers," was published in 2013, followed by a spinoff novella series titled "Codename: Knight Ranger." John's short stories have been featured in such acclaimed collections as "Thunder on the Battlefield: Sword Volume One" by Seventh Star Press, "Trajectories" by Hydra Publications and "Black Pulp II" by Pro Se Productions. Some of which are featured in his collection "The Best is Yet to Come," which is currently published by Hydra Publications, along with "The God Killers," "Codename: Knight Ranger" and "Codename: Knight Ranger TGPC." He also penned the novelization of respected screenwriter Demetrius Witherspoon's short film "Submerge: Echo 51."

For additional information, please refer to John F. Allen's Web Page.

Heather Bell
Nerdy aspiring songstress and opinion-haver

Heather Bell is a nerd generalist, gamer, singer/musician, IT professional and fan of many kinds of genre fiction.

Mary Bischoff
Author included in "Amber Waves of Graves" and "Nourish" anthologies.

A native Hoosier, Mary Bischoff spent her childhood romping through cemeteries and reading 1930s comics in courthouse basements while her parents did genealogical research. Among the varied jobs in her past, she has been a licensed claims representative, a reservations agent for a major airline, owned her own medical legal transcription/proofreading business and worked in an Indianapolis hospital during the COVID epidemic. A familiar face at local fan conventions such as Starbase Indy and InConJunction, she has been a member of fan clubs like Circle of Janus and Starfleet Command for more years than she likes to admit. Now happily retired, she loves spending more time with her family, reading, writing, traveling, knitting and playing Pokemon Go, not necessarily in that order. Her first published short story "A Not-So-Quiet Resting Place" appears in the Sisters In Crime Speed City anthology "Amber Waves of Graves," released in November 2023. Her poem "We Live, We Grow" is part of the Gal's Guide anthology "Nourish," published in April 2024.

For additional information, please refer to Mary Bischoff's Web Page.

Stephen Bridge
Retired children's librarian. Never-retired cryonics pioneer and reader of SF and fantasy.

Retired public library and children's librarian. Frequent editor. Longtime member of cryonics community, including former President of Alcor Life Extension Foundation and current Trustee. Former Fan GOH at InConJunction. Married, father of 5, grandfather of 2.

MR. Travis Clemmons, Lord Of Chaos
Author - Story Teller - Lord Of Chaos

Travis Clemmons is an author of science fiction and erotic fiction as well as a photographer and creator of short erotic movies. In 2002, Travis won an argument against the Cheshire Cat on stage at Marcon. Several months later, he succeeded in making the Master's TARDIS appear on stage at DragonCon. "Tick Of the Clock," a murder mystery novel Travis co-wrote with Michael Z Williamson, has sold nicely and been well-reviewed on Amazon.

For additional information, please refer to MR. Travis Clemmons, Lord Of Chaos's Web Page.

Chris Clouser

Chris Clouser is an author with 17 novels and novellas to his credit. He writes primarily in the fantasy and science fiction genres with a touch of mystery on the side.

For additional information, please refer to Chris Clouser's Web Page.

Casual Moth Cosplay

Casual Moth Cosplay or, as she is known offline, Lizzy (she/her) is a cosplayer and character performer from the Midwest. Passionate about cosplay and activism, she uses her art and her platform to promote empowerment, especially to young women and members of the LGBT community. Lizzy has a personal focus on sustainability, preferring to upcycle her costumes from used fabric and clothing or other thrifted textiles whenever possible. She has been cosplaying since 2013, and typically attends conventions around the Indianapolis and Chicago areas. Her costumes span genres from film, television, anime, gaming and more.

For additional information, please refer to Casual Moth Cosplay's Web Page.

Jeff Couch
Writer and Writing Cheerleader

Jeff Couch is a local writer and writing enthusiast. Not only does he enjoy exercising his own creative energy, but he thrills to inspire it in others. When not reading, writing or watching speculative fiction, he runs a writer's group in Noblesville.

Mx. Elizabeth Davis
Co-Owner of Dead Fish Books

Elizabeth was born and has lived her entire life in Dayton, Ohio, though she has also traveled to the other side of the world. She attended UD and Sinclair College, and holds degrees in English and paralegal. She is currently creating a specialty in database repair. She is the younger, more liberal voice. You can find here at Deadfishbooks.com.

For additional information, please refer to Mx. Elizabeth Davis's Web Page.

Sara Deurell
Sara Marian is an author, archaeologist and partner in Per Bastet Publications.

Sara Marian was raised in the woods by wild English teachers, and has been writing for as long as she can remember. She is also a partner in Per Bastet Publications, a small press based in southern Indiana. Her fiction blends genres including fantasy and urban fantasy, cyberpunk and steampunk, mystery, historical fiction, literary fiction and comedy, and she is the author of over 200 nonfiction articles on the Clio history website. Her day job is archaeology.

For additional information, please refer to Sara Deurell's Web Page.

Mark Dooley
Mark C. Dooley De Boss Emeritus of the Whoosier Network Indiana's Doctor Who and Sci-Fi Connection

Mark has served as the overseer of the Doctor Who Room at InConJunction for more than twenty-five years, and is the creator of the online comic strip and, now, comic book, THE ACTUAL, SEMI-TRUE ADVENTURES OF MARK AND DEE, chronicling his autobiography from childhood to adulthood, a life devoted to science-fiction, fantasy, and comic books and the woman who would become his wife of over forty years, Deena Dooley. Mark is debuting three collections of his Facebook comic strip MARK AND DEE: GENESIS OF A FANBOY and the regular Mark and Dee on-going comic book featuring contemporary tales of the couple and their good friends at the local comic shop. Mark will be set up in the Doctor Who Room to greet fans and autograph copies of his work. Here Mark and Deena are seen with Doctor Who's Rory Williams, Arthur Darvill.

For additional information, please refer to Mark Dooley's Web Page.

Laura Edwards

Longtime InCon attendee/ConCom member. Lifelong bookworm. Always interested in learning new things.

Count Elizabeth
Chicago-based cosplayer

Count Elizabeth (they/them) is a professional cosplayer based in Chicago. They have been cosplaying for 1o years, and have a focus in cosplay sustainability. Over the years they have been lucky enough to work on promotional material for upcoming games and movies, judge cosplay competitions, and give panels at many conventions in the Midwest.

For additional information, please refer to Count Elizabeth's Web Page.

Clif Flynt
Computer nerd, musician, author

Clif is a techie-nerd and filker turned author with stories in several anthologies and a novel (Promised Rewards) released in 2023.

For additional information, please refer to Clif Flynt's Web Page.

Rachel Frend
Professional Fangirl

Hi there! I'm Rachel Frend, your friendly neighborhood professional nerd. From the moment I could walk, I've been immersed in a world of geeky wonders, fueled by a passion for all things fantastical and imaginative. Growing up, I was that kid with a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers action figure in one hand and a Disney movie playing on repeat in the background. As the years went by, my love for geek culture only deepened, expanding to include the vast galaxies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the epic adventures of Star Wars, and the timey-wimey escapades of Doctor Who. But my geeky pursuits aren't just confined to my living room couch. No, I've taken my passion to the airwaves, co-hosting the Five(ish) Fangirls Podcast since 2014. There, I dive deep into the latest news, theories, and discussions surrounding our favorite fandoms, sharing my insights with fellow enthusiasts from around the globe. But wait, there's more! In 2020, I embarked on a new podcasting adventure with Gold Standard: The Oscars Podcast, where I dissect the glitz, glamour, and drama of Hollywood's biggest night, all while championing the films that make our hearts sing. When I'm not podcasting, you can find me indulging in my other obsessions: corgis, tattoos, and cheering on the Inter Milan football club. Because being a professional nerd isn't just about what you love, it's about embracing every facet of your nerdy identity with pride. So whether you're a fellow geek looking for your next fandom fix or just curious about the wild and wonderful world of professional nerddom, I invite you to join me on this epic journey through the multiverse. Trust me, the adventure is just beginning!

For additional information, please refer to Rachel Frend's Web Page.

Alicia Harding

Darkside OG Duchess

Brooklyn Harding

Darkside Princess

T. Lee Harris
Creative Director of Per Bastet Publications. Author of the Sitehuti and Nefer-Djenou-Bastet stories and the award-winning Josh Katzen stories.

T. Lee Harris is a scribbler of the lowest order. Not only does she pen lies about people who don't exist, she draws pictures of them too. Harris, in the guise of a publisher with Per Bastet Publications, has aided and abetted others by putting their scribblings into book form; going so far as to devise covers for many of those tomes. She claims she went to school to learn these things, but that shouldn't be held against anyone. Harris is, in turn, aided and abetted by Per Bastet Publications, who have allowed her to run roughshod over history in her stories about an ancient Egyptian scribe and a magic temple cat, and spread her prevarications about a former football player and a 200-year-old vampire turned international law enforcement agents. Hydra Publications cannot escape blame; they have promulgated her lies about a retired spy who gets mixed up in other people's business. The Southern Indiana Writers' Group are possibly the worst offenders of all, having repeatedly permitted her to commit acts of literary vandalism with the Indian Creek anthology series. There are suspicions that Harris is committing another novel or two, but this has yet to be confirmed.

For additional information, please refer to T. Lee Harris's Web Page.

Taylar Johnson

Word-Weaver, self-publishing coach and local cryptid.

J.D. Kennedy

J.D. Kennedy has been a game designer, author and freelance writer for 20 years, and has worked on Star Trek Adventures, Gloomhaven the Roleplaying Game, Stargate: SG-1 the Roleplaying Game, Tiny Supers, My Little Pony the Roleplaying Game and more. They have won two Judge's Choice Ennies, a Bamf!sie and numerous other awards throughout their career. They enjoy bringing the joy of making new games and worlds to audiences, and teach courses on tabletop game design and theory.

Leigh Kimmel
Leigh Kimmel, author of the Grissom Timeline rocketpunk novels

Leigh Kimmel literally can't recall the first story she ever wrote, only that she wrote it some time in first grade. It would be one of several tales of imaginary worlds and magical beings she wrote at the time. In second grade she wrote a multi-page story in a spiral-bound notebook, telling the story of a world of merfolk under the sea. Unfortunately, most of these early writings have been lost over the years. Throughout her childhood and youth she kept writing, developing a succession of fantasy and science fiction worlds. During this period she learned how to see a writing project through to completion and made her first efforts at rewriting. Going to college gave her access to computers, which simplified the process of preparing a manuscript for submission to magazines. She also joined her first writing workshop and began to make professional connections. After completing degrees in Russian language and literature and library science, Leigh worked in public and academic libraries. During this period she experienced her first literary success, getting her stories published in various small-press publications. Wanting to broaden her career horizons in academia, she went back to graduate school to earn additional advanced degrees. During this period she attended her first science fiction convention. She also had her first academic writing published and discovered a ready market in articles for ready-reference publications for libraries. The 21st century brought changes: a husband, a house, a cat, and a business selling books and collectibles at conventions. She continued to write and submit fiction while doing non-fiction gigs. Her next big break came with the rise of e-books and the consequent indie revolution. She first experimented with serialization at the now-defunct Jukepop Serials before releasing her works through various online distribution platforms. At that point she created her own imprint, Starship Cat Press, to give her books an identity.

For additional information, please refer to Leigh Kimmel's Web Page.

Jon Osborne
Author of the Milesian Accords, Core Author in the Four Horsemen Universe

Jon R. Osborne turned a journalism education and a passion for role-playing games into writing science fiction and fantasy. His second book in The Milesian Accords modern fantasy series, "A Tempered Warrior," was a 2018 Dragon Awards finalist for Best Fantasy Novel. Jon is a core author in the military science fiction Four Horseman universe, where he was first published in 2017. He now has eight novels and numerous stories published in multiple languages. Jon resides in Indianapolis, where he plays role-playing games, writes science fiction and fantasy, and extols the virtues of beer. You can find out more at jonrosborne.com and at https://www.facebook.com/jonrosborne.

For additional information, please refer to Jon Osborne's Web Page.

John Railing

Longtime fan and con attendee, and worked. I helped create Confabulation in Bloomington/Nashville, Ind., and was con chair the first few years. My first World Con was 1976. I think I was at the first few InConJunctions and sporadically after that. I am a self-published author with two SF books on Amazon (Search for "Chandlers Universe" including the quotation marks) as John Malkin. My writing name and name in the SCA. I should have a fantasy short story published by the end of May, plus a 3-4 book LitRPG series in first draft. I was living in Chicago for a while and did programming at Capricorn for a few years and also attended Windycon. I want to get back into attending conventions again. It's been too long.

NE Riggs

N E Riggs writes fantasy and science fiction, loves math and practices martial arts. Series: Thousand Eye Universe, Shadows of an Empire, Only the Inevitable and A More Efficient Fantasy.

For additional information, please refer to NE Riggs's Web Page.

M. Selby
Retro Video Game Enthusiast and Artist

M. Selby is the creator of Weirdo Error - a YouTube channel dedicated to looking at weird retro video games. His love of retro video games is also shared on his Instagram, where he posts video game-related artwork along with photos of his adorable cat. YouTube Channel - www.youtube.com/@weirdoerror

For additional information, please refer to M. Selby's Web Page.

Will  Sobel

Will Sobel is a queer speculative fiction writer, game designer, and community advocate in the tabletop industry from the Crossroads of America. Astro Knights is his love letter to Saturday morning superheroes, a cooperative board game published by Indie Boards & Cards. You can find his work in Betrayal at House on the Hill 3E, The Expanse Roleplaying Game and more. He's a sucker for media that reinvents itself, and writes weekly articles about Disney Lorcana.

Rue Sparks
An agender and asexual artist, author and advocate whose aesthetic is alliteration and absurdity.

Sparks' brand of poetry and prose can be hard to define. Genre-defiant? Certainly. Quirky, eccentric, imaginative. Rainbow dystopian. "Dysfunctional but functioning." Or simply: weird. There are common themes that tie their work together: found family, grief, queerness, mental health. Add a dash of lyrical, flowing prose and you're most of the way there. Just don't forget the tissue warning. Sparks has authored the quiet mystery and magical realism novel "The Fable of Wren," contemporary sci-fi novella "Daylight Chasers," the speculative short story collection "The Stars Will Guide Us Back" and the 'Queer AF' genre-bending web serial The Dragon Warden.

For additional information, please refer to Rue Sparks's Web Page.

Mike Suess
Mike Suess really enjoys conventions

Mike is a science-fiction fan who loves all types of movies, books, comics and music from different genres. He works at Hero House comic shop in Fountain Square in Indianapolis. He has been an InConJunction attendee (as well as many other conventions) for 42 of its 43 years of existence. He has contributed to InCon as a committee member, a volunteer and, as of the last 20 years, a panelist.

Larry Ulrey
Fan and dealer

Larry Ulrey has been a science fiction fan since the '50's and has been selling at science fiction conventions since 1993.

For additional information, please refer to Larry Ulrey's Web Page.

Aria Wong

Darkside Princess

Lola Wong

Darkside Princess

Shawn Wong
Darkside is an entertainment group designed to engage and encourage shenanigans.

Darkside is an entertainment group designed to engage and encourage shenanigans to enhance your con experience through game shows, movie riffing, storytelling, knowledge spreading and unbelievable, out-of-this-world experiences! We are here S&Gs!

Tina Wong

Queen of Darkside

W.  Jade Young
Author, Editor, Publisher, Game Designer and Mentor

W. Jade Young has an MFA in creative writing from SNHU. She is a freelance editor and the owner of Bad Habit Publishing, LLC. She is the author and designer of The Rainbow Quill Writing Tool and Tarot Deck for Storytellers. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and literary magazines.

For additional information, please refer to W.  Jade Young's Web Page.