Prop Up That Costume with a Prop
Costume
Room 335-336, Wed. 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Props can often make or break a costume. Learn what works and how to make those little special items, hopefully without breaking the bank.
Selena A. Naumoff (M), A. L. Kaplan, Pierre E. Pettinger, Jr.
Readings
Room 428, Wed. noon–12:30 p.m.
A. L. Kaplan
Balticon is one of my favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions. It is held on Memorial Day weekend an comprises of four days of fantasic programing. I’m loaded up on programing this year. Here is where you can find me.
When Muses Collide (Sat 10:00 AM) Balancing your WIPs when you have more than one kind of creativity. How do you decide what you want to do? A. L. Kaplan moderator, Heidi Hooper, Sarah Pinsker, Eric Hardenbrook, Ariel Burgess
Am I a Real Writer Now? (Sat 1:00 PM) At what point does a writer become a real writer? How does a person go from having a novel or a few stories to being a real Writer? What can people with a few things written do to make this a career? Early career writers talk about what they have done. Joshua Bilmes moderator, Jack Campbell, A. L. Kaplan, Elektra Hammond, Bjorn E. Hasseler
Limits on YA (Sat 5:30 PM) There is often a problem with defining YA and it often boils down to whatever the publisher declares is YA. But are there limits to YA? Is there anything that cannot be included in YA or whose presence makes the book not YA? Dr. Jim Thorne, Michael A. Ventrella, A. L. Kaplan, Michael M Jones
I’ll also be working as a judge’s clerk for the Masquerade Saturday night.
Autographs (Sun 11:30 PM) A.L. Kaplan, Leah Cypress
Is SF/Fantasy Mere Escapism? (Sun 1:00 PM) Many critics dismiss SF/Fantasy as unrealistic and escapist. Is this true? Is there SF that rises above escapism? Or is entertaining the reader/viewer enough? Carl Cipra moderator, Ken Schrader, A. L. Kaplan, Walt Boyes
Readings (Sun 4:00 PM) A. L. Kaplan, D. H. Aire
Out of Control Characters (Sun 5:30 PM) Some authors tightly control their characters, requiring them to follow an outline. But other authors say there are things their characters won’t do. What do authors do when their characters go off script? Do you try to regain control (and how?) or go where the characters take you? Jennifer R. Povey moderator, Alan Smale, “Amy” A. L. Kaplan, Scott Edelman
When I’m not busy on a panel or volunteering, You can find me wandering the halls with Fifi or helping out at the Maryland Writers’ Association table.
May 26-29, 2023
Renaissance Harborplace Hotel
202 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Hope to see you there.
Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.
Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.
Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.
Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.
One step toward understanding.
One stride toward survival.
One leap toward flying free from the past.
A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret
Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.
But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.
It might be a little be after Halloween, but take a look a this post on Candid Canine.
I love the way Christina Verstraete illustrated my story, Little Squirt, with miniatures. Very clever. Make sure you visit and check out her other creations.
Halloween in #Miniature: Happy Halloween! Trick or Treat!
Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.
Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret
Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.
But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.
Maryland’s Regional (Virtual)
Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention
May 22-25, 2020
You’ll need to register for each event to get the link, but it is free
Pick up your copy of Star Touched and Wolf Dawn
Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.
GB was born in a small town in Vermont and grew up in the country attending a rural school. She started telling stories to her toys from a young age, writing her first short story in second grade. Her first novel in 10th grade. They’ve often been of the fantasy genre, because who doesn’t want to let their imagination travel as far as it can? But they’ve also been about real life: betrayal, suspicion, joy, war, triumph, self-doubt, all that good stuff. …And unicorns and dragons!
Growing up, her hobbies were showing her horses, lots of reading, and creating art. As she aged and life circumstances changed (she moved to the city where having horses wasn’t possible) she added folkloric belly dance, costuming, and entertaining in her home to her list of activities.
Currently she lives just a short drive from Lake Ontario where there is lots of snow, in a rambling old colonial house with her family and pets.
Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
GB: Are we talking imaginary or real? This is a difficult question. Always be a unicorn. Or a dragon. I (like a lot of writers and artists) have introvert tendencies, so to be left alone to do my work but with a few close friends, and having powers is a bonus. As for a real animal, I would like to be a warmblood dressage horse. They get the best care, work for about an hour a day except on show days.
Wolf: The questions was any, so we’ll stick with unicorn for and answer. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
GB: I tend to be relatively tame when it comes to food. No eyeballs or tentacles. I enjoy the international food I’ve had. Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, etc. Probably the strangest thing was haggis (not true haggis because it’s not legal in the States). It reminded me of gamey meatloaf.
Wolf: That’s one I’ve never tried. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
GB: I give them hope.
Wolf: What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
GB: Oh man, what haven’t I done? Across the series there have been entire families eradicated, some characters have had severe trauma…
Wolf: That sounds about right for an author. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
GB: I’m a pet person in general. I currently have a dog, a cat, a hamster, and an aquarium.
Wolf: Nice. While walking in the woods you come across…
GB: I have bad luck, so probably a very lost grizzly.
Wolf: Hope it’s not hungry. (I actually have come across a grizzly. Very scary.) If you could have a super power, what would it be?
GB: So many wonderful powers to choose from! I think I would love to have the powers of Dr. Strange. It would be very handy indeed.
Wolf: Yeah. I like what he did with Loki in the last Thor movie. Which of your characters is your favorite?
GB: It varies from moment to moment. Whichever character is making me happy for whatever reason. They all have their moments, but Cassius, Mina, and Gallylya are probably most often at the top of the list.
Wolf: What is your favorite body of water and why? (river, ocean, waterfall, puddle, bottle…)
GB: I love waterfalls. They’re beautiful, powerful, and always changing. Lakes come in second because they’re safer than the ocean and the view is nice.
Wolf: What story are you working on now?
GB: I’m polishing Arise, Book of Avenzyre III (due out later this year), and a writing the first draft of a book for tweens about a teenage girl living in rural New England surviving mean girls at school as well as horse shows (doesn’t have a title yet), and a coloring book to accompany the Avenzyre series.
Wolf: More familiar with mean girls at schools than I’d like to be. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
GB: I read, research, I have various sewing projects (I make the costumes I wear at RavenCon and Ren Faire), sometimes I crochet, I make very involved sketches of my characters and sometimes paint.
You can connect with GB through these links.
https://www.facebook.com/GBMacRae/
https://twitter.com/gb_macrae
https://www.pinterest.com/gbmacrae/pins/
https://mewe.com/profile/59f63ab71be2d92868415133
Don’t forget to pick up your copy of STAR TOUCHED
We all know the wonders of reading, but reading to live audience is really fun. Here are some pictures from the Young Adventurers reading last week with Austin Camacho.
I had a great time reading WOLF DAWN. The Q & A was a blast as well, despite being a bit nervous. 
What do you think of my Kara costume? 
I think I came pretty close to the description in the book although I did a few minor adaptations for general public display.
I also left Kara’s hunting knives at home.
The mourning doves were singing July 19. Their soft hoots greeted me as I woke. Each long mournful call filled my ears. It was the first time I had heard them this summer and it seemed odd. But there were things to be done, so I shrugged it off and went about my tasks. A few hours later I heard that Marty Gear had passed away the day before. I have to ask, how did those doves know? It seemed as though they were announcing to the world that a remarkable man had left us. Other than one small hoot Saturday morning, they’ve been silent since. Believe me, I’ve been listening.
So who was Marty Gear? Born Alexander Martin Gear, Marty was a fixture at the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Since 1981, Marty also served as Master of Ceremonies for the Balticon masquerade. There isn’t enough space here to tell his whole story, but a quick Google search got me over 9,000,000 hits. Give it a try. Look up any variation of Marty Gear, Martin Gear, or Alexander Martin Gear.
In his 74 years, Marty touched thousands of lives. He encouraged writers and costumers of all ages, helped found the International Costumer’s Guild, put books in the hands of children, inspired countless people, and was a treasure trove of bad vampire jokes. He helped run and worked at many different conventions in the world of fandom and costuming, his last, just two week before passing.
I remember the first time I met Marty. It was at my first Balticon. He was registering people for the masquerade contest. Not an on-stage kind of person, I’m still not sure how he talked me into entering. There were many entrees that year, so for several hours I waited for my turn, listening to Marty, in his Vlad persona, tell more vampire jokes than I knew existed. I left that year with a ribbon and ideas for more costumes.
Vampires—Bats— I couldn’t resist. Marty’s passion for vampires and bad jokes was contagious. For my third masquerade, I designed a bat costume with a nine foot wingspan and a giant bell. It was titled “There’s a Bell in My Batfry.” Winning a ribbon was great, but the best thing was listening to Marty chuckle after my presentation. It took a minute before he was able to announce the next contestant. Goal achieved. Even after many years, Marty remembered that costume. I will always remember him.
1939 – 2013
You will be remembered.
Damn that witch. Like it’s my fault her field had the best pumpkins in town. How was I supposed to know it was hers? Not that it mattered. Hey, in my hood, if you want something you take it, and be dammed everyone else. It’s called survival, and I was at the top of the food chain. Of course I took the biggest pumpkin. Nothing but the best for JP Pish. That’s Mr. Pish to you. At least I was at the top before she caught me taking her prize pumpkin. I would have knocked out the old hag. Really I would have, but something tripped me up.
Now I’m in this ridiculous four legged form. Big tough guy like me, you’d think a nice big Rottweiler or even a Doberman. But no, she had to turn me into a wimpy little fluff covered yap machine. If that wasn’t bad enough, I’m stuck in a goofy pumpkin costume. I’m so humiliated. She said I owed her for losing the pumpkin prize at the fair. I have to get first prize for cutest dog at the Halloween masquerade or she’ll never turn me back into a human. I swear, one more person rubs my head and says how ‘cute’ I look I’ll bite their hand off.
Oh God, here comes another. Wait a minute, she’s hot. Man, this one can pet me all she wants. Come closer, honey. Mr. Pish has some kisses for you.
There’s nothing like a Science fiction convention to bring out the wackiness in all of us and I mean that in a good way. This year’s Balticon which was held over Memorial Day weekend was no exception. Where else can costumers, writers, fans, and science geeks all hang out and have fun? I spent most of my time going to writing workshops and costuming workshops, but managed to slip in some anime and games. This year’s masquerade had only 24 entrants, but where they lacked quantity, they made up for in quality and presentation. The Best in Show winner titled, Basic Black, had me laughing hysterically. Ever see Jafar in a little black dress and heels? There were plenty of great costumes just walking around the halls as well. For Doctor Who fans, I saw a TARDIS and at least three Doctors. One of those Doctors was also in the masquerade along with a couple of Weeping Angels. The short film contest, which included a world premiere and several Maryland premieres, was quite enjoyable, but I wonder if some film makers truly understand the concept of telling a complete story. The Chase, directed by Philippe Gamer, won for anime and The Oblique Sector created by Albion Park Productions of Massachusetts won for live action.
Oh, did I mention I won the Hall Costume Contest for my Blue Dragon?
Balticon 47 will be held Memorial Day weekend of 2013. Come join the fun. You can find more information at the BSFS website. I hope to see some of you there next year.