Author: JP Dean

Presented by Mark Huston

Informative talk with powerpoint from an engineer/author (SFWA Member) that talks about real steam. What it is, what it can (and cannot) do, how to make it, how to manage it, how to fuel it, and things that an author can use to make systems go “boom!”

Mark Huston is an author and engineer who lives and works in the Chicago area. He writes mostly in Eric Flint’s 1632 universe. His first novel, Up-Time Pride and Down-Time Prejudice was a 2020 Dragon Award finalist. Mark has appeared in F&SF and other publications. He writes Alternate History, SF, and Fantasy as the mood takes him. Religion nerd, history nerd. Historical sermon giver, former actor and director. Racer and car guy. Works with steam, turbo-machinery, and generally plays well with others. Generally.

See the Current Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

Presented by D.M. Ritzlin

Fantasy author D.M. Ritzlin will read “Black Castle of Torture” from his collection Necromancy in Nilztiria. Ritzlin’s tales of swords and sorcery are filled with adventure, wonder, and gallows humor.

D.M. Ritzlin is a Chicago-based author/publisher. He writes fantasy tales which mix action, horror, wonder, and gallows humor in varying degrees. His first collection of stories, Necromancy in Nilztiria, was released in October 2020. Ritzlin also owns and operates DMR Books, the leading publisher specializing in sword-and-sorcery fiction.

See the Current Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

Presented by Green Envy

Learn and play rollicking Victorian parlor games, including The Minister’s Cat, Elephant’s Foot Umbrella Stand, and Hunt The Slipper.

Green Envy has been running games and workshops at conventions across the Midwest for over 10 years. When she’s not at cons, Envy can be found sewing Victorian gowns, and lurking in crypts.

See the Current Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

Presented by Kelsey Josephson

Alternate history is popular in steampunk storytelling, but what happens when reality is stranger than fiction? Come learn about the 1893 World’s Fair that almost wasn’t and the curious events surrounding the exposition.

With fierce competition between cities to host the Fair and the War of the Currents, the Columbian Exposition had a challenging start. We’ll discuss the myriad of problems faced by the scale of the construction of the White City, inventions and products debuted, the multitude of notable international visitors, and shocking crimes committed in Chicago during the Fair. Finally, we’ll examine examples of the 1893 World’s Fair in media.

Kelsey Josephson is a sci-fi fantasy author and member of SFWA and ALLi from the Midwest. She has a deep love for Universal Monster movies, all things related to Nikola Tesla, and iced coffee.

Her work includes Strange Happenings, a gaslamp fantasy series set in an alternate timeline, and Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast,

See the Current Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

Presented by Brendan Detzner.

Brendan Detzner reads from his series of swashbuckling circus punk adventure fantasy stories.

Brendan Detzner writes horror, fantasy, weird humor, and a lot of other stuff. His work has appeared in Pseudopod, Podcastle, Chizine, One Buck Horror, Exigencies, Book of Dead Things, and other venues. He’ll be hanging out in Artists’ Alley & Printers’ Row (Slate) all convention and will be happy to say hello!

See the Current Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

Presented by Dana Fraedrich

I didn’t learn about neurodivergence until I was in my 30s. I’ve always been creative, always had more ideas than I’ll ever be able to actually do. The world we live is built for neurotypical brains, and creative energy is finite. How do you play along and/or love your passion without getting burnt out?

I developed some pretty great coping mechanisms and hacks (read: without them, the entire empire falls apart). I’ve also tried a lot of things that didn’t work and learned from my mistakes. Come join me as I share what’s worked and what hasn’t, as well as tips from others just like you and me.

Dana Fraedrich is a dog lover, self-professed geek, and author of the steampunk fantasy series Broken Gears. Dana’s books are full of secrets and colorful characters that examine the many shades of grey that paint the world. When she isn’t busy writing or attending book shows and author conferences, she can be found playing video games and consuming obscene quantities of tea and biscuits. Even from a young age, she enjoyed writing down the stories that she imagined in her mind. Born and raised in Virginia, she earned her BFA from Roanoke College and is now carving out her own happily ever after in Nashville, TN with her husband. Dana is always writing; more books are on the way!

See the Current 2024 Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

In April 2024, the haunting sounds of Valentine Wolfe will accompany a screening of the classic silent film Nosferatu (1922) as well as other performances from the dark duo.

A symphony of darkness, Valentine Wolfe performs gothic music inspired by seances, 19th century gothic literature, macabre history, and death positivity. Combining the haunting soprano of Sarah Black and the bleak maelstrom of Braxton Ballew’s solo double bass, they are dedicated only to one muse: the creation of the sound of mystery and imagination.

In addition to their gothic metal offerings, their insatiable musical curiosity has afforded them multiple opportunities to bring their signature sound to theatrical and film productions. Most recently, they have been creating live scores to silent horror classics, notably Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. To celebrate the centenary of both films, Valentine Wolfe performed live scores at Dragon*Con in 2021 (Caligari) and 2022 (Nosferatu). In 2022, they scored a series of short films called Triggered, a collection of films telling the stories of female trauma survivors.

Click on their banner to learn more about Valentine Wolfe . . .

See the Current Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

Presented by Dana Fraedrich

World-building! Whether it’s in a homebrew D&D world, book writing, or otherwise, the process can be daunting. But did you know there are some major touch points from our own world that can help make the process so much easier? Do you know how to avoid the major pitfalls of world-building, such as appropriation, or just ending up with a very blah, samey-same world?

From food to governments and culture, geography to technology, this presentation combines a brief history of humanity with steampunk fantasy author, Dana Fraedrich’s own cheat sheet style to help you get jumpstarted on this world-sized challenge.

Dana Fraedrich is a dog lover, self-professed geek, and author of the steampunk fantasy series Broken Gears. Dana’s books are full of secrets and colorful characters that examine the many shades of grey that paint the world. When she isn’t busy writing or attending book shows and author conferences, she can be found playing video games and consuming obscene quantities of tea and biscuits. Even from a young age, she enjoyed writing down the stories that she imagined in her mind. Born and raised in Virginia, she earned her BFA from Roanoke College and is now carving out her own happily ever after in Nashville, TN with her husband. Dana is always writing; more books are on the way!

See the Current 2024 Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets