Panel DayPanel TimeTrackPanelRoomPanel DescriptionPanelist
Sunday      
 12:00 AMFilmSHOWING: Sword of the StrangerKensingtonThe film follows Kotaro, a young boy who is hunted by a group of swordsmen from Ming Dynasty China for mysterious reasons. Among the group is a fearsome Western fighter named Luo-Lang, whose only desire is to find a worthy opponent. Kotaro and his dog meet "Nanashi", a nameless ronin who is haunted by memories of his past which have led him to avoid drawing his sword ever again. When the Ming clash with a Sengoku-era feudal lord, a proud general, and monks torn between faith and survival, the reason behind the Ming group's pursuit tests the bond between Kotaro and Nanashi. (2 HOURS) 
 2:00 AMFilmSHOWING: Aldnoah.ZeroKensingtonIn 1972, the Apollo 17 mission found a hypergate to Mars on the surface of the moon. Upon landing, astronauts discovered an enchanted utility later referred to as "Aldnoah," giving the astronauts a status of superiority. Soon, many humans have relocated to Mars, and have adapted to the name "Martians." After Princess Asseylum, a royal Martian princess, descends onto Earth in an attempt to create a treaty between both planets, a war breaks out between Earth and Mars, and Martian soldiers begin to descend from the sky, riding steel giants, intent on exterminating humanity. (3 HOURS) 
 5:00 AMFilmSHOWING: Durarara!!KensingtonRyūgamine Mikado is a boy who longs for the exciting life of the big city. At the invitation of his childhood friend Masaomi, he transfers to a school in Ikebukuro. Masaomi has warned him about people he doesn't want to cross in the city: a champion fighter, an informant, and a mysterious gang called "Dollars." Nervous from Masaomi's stories, Mikado witnesses an urban legend on his first day in the city, the Headless Rider astride a black motorcycle. From then on, the existence of supernatural cases and a gang called the Yellow Scarves will rise to the surface, and Ikebukuro will pushed to the breaking point. (3 HOURS) 
 10:00 AMMediaWhat's Wrong With Gendering Kids' MediaPetoskeyWhile sometimes well-intentioned, making and marketing toys and media just for girls is not diversifying or creating good representation. Boys need to see girls and women as active agents with genuine agency. Similarly, how does excluding girls from marketing in existing franchises hurt both boys and girls? How does this strict gendering impact and exclude queer and trans kids?Cassy Sinke, Mari Brighe (M), Jen Talley, Julie Winningham, Suzanna Grossman
 10:00 AMScienceSingularity for the Rest of UsIsle RoyaleIs post-humanism really as straight, white, and Western as it often seems? How can science fiction talk about post-body identities without diminishing or dismissing embodied identity and experience? This panel will discuss the stories out there that complicate the uploaded experience.Wesley Chu, Jason Sanford, Tom Doyle (M), Andrea Phillips, Cameron McClure
 10:00 AMKidFusion SuiteSunday Morning Cartoons & ColoringKidFusion SuiteCome watch some cartoons and color with your friends.Lisa Garrison-Ragsdale, Jason Palmer
 10:00 AMFandomFanwriting in the 21st CenturyInterlochenBefore there were SF conventions, there were fanzines. Fanzines are still around (one of our panelists won a Hugo for hers) but now there are blogs and podcasts and fanfic too. Our panelists talk about what fanwriting is and why it's as important as ever in the 21st century.Pablo Vazquez, Jenny Thurman, Jim C. Hines, Helen Montgomery, Mark Oshiro
 10:00 AMLiteratureNever Forget: Characters Who Live ForeverCharlevoixRaistlin Majere. Katniss Everdeen. Hermione Granger. Tywin Lannister. Boba Fett. Memorable characters run the gamut, from protagonist to insignificant. The panel will offer up some of their own personal favorite characters from fiction and discuss what makes them unforgettable.Michael Marcus, Elise Kova, Andrew Zimmerman, Paul Kemner (M), Sal Palland
 10:00 AMArtLife DrawingSt. ClairJoin Mike Kucharski in drawing a live (clothed) model. Sharpen your skills in figure drawing, including costumes and props. Note: attendees will need to bring their own drawing materials.Anastasia Lewgowsky, Michael Kucharski (M)
 10:00 AMTeenFusionXBox GamingTeenFusionCome hang out and chill while playing various XBox Games.Richard Herrell
 10:00 AMMediaPop Up Media! The LibrariansVogon Poetry LoungeScience fiction and fantasy have taken over the airwaves! Come join fellow fans in (respectful!) round-table discussions of the awesome genre shows on television and the big screen today.  
 10:00 AMGamingMunchkinBallroom CGo down in the dungeon. Kill everything you see. Take all the treasure. Backstab your friends and steal their stuff. First one to Level 10 wins! (2 HOURS)GM- Dawn Strenzel
 10:00 AMGamingPathfinderBallroom CTake on the role of a canny fighter hacking through enemies with an enchanted sword, a powerful sorceress blessed with magic by the hint of demon blood in her veins, a wise cleric of gods benevolent or malign, a witty rogue ready to defuse even the deadliest of traps, or any of countless other heroes. The only limit is your imagination!Justice Darin
 10:00 AMGamingNetherstorm - BasicBallroom CDuring Rivermet’s celebration ringing in the Vernal Equinox, a visiting prince was captured by bandits. Now, a call to arms as been issued by the governor. Use the note and other clues to track down the kidnappers and bring the prince back. The reward doesn’t grow if the bandits are captured alive. (4 HOURS)GM - Daniel Jones
 11:00 AMKidFusion SuiteEdible ScienceKidFusion SuiteCreate some edible cell models and learn some science in the process.Lisa Garrison-Ragsdale, Larc Bogdan
 11:00 AMLiteratureThe Vocabulary of CriticismIsle RoyaleProse Style, Voice, and Narrative Structure: does anyone care? These terms are often thrown around, but what do they really mean? And more importantly how should a reader translate them in to something useful for evaluating what they read?Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Scott H. Andrews, Amal El-Mohtar, Carl Engle-Laird (M), Lynne M. Thomas
 11:00 AMFilmSHOWING: World TriggerKensingtonOne day a gate to another world opened in Mikado City. This entities of the other world, called Neighbors, sent out an invasion force that overran the area surrounding the gate. Given the technological superiority of the Neighbors, the destruction of the city seemed only a matter of time. But then suddenly Border appeared in the town, an organization that researches the technology of the Neighbors to protect this side of the gate. In a short time they built a huge base and became established as the line of defense against the Neighbors. One day a student named Yūma transfers to the same middle-school class as Osamu, a teenager who belongs to Border. He has a weapon called Trigger that is only allowed to be possessed by people in Border, and claims to have come from beyond the gate. (3 HOURS) 
 11:00 AMFandomIf I Ran the Zoo... ConLeelanauThis classic conrunning "make your own adventure" game has been newly updated and re-released. Bid for, plan and run your Worldcon, all in two hours. (2 HOURS)Tammy Coxen, Jeff Beeler, Helen Montgomery, Michael Lee
 11:00 AMScience/LiteratureWriting About ScienceSaugatuckExamples and rationale of writing including and excluding science in your writing.Catherine Shaffer, Julie Lesnik, Jen Haeger
 11:00 AMFandomGrowing Up FannishKeweenaw Jessica Zerwas, Sydnie Krause
 11:00 AMLiteratureFormative Fiction: The Books That Hooked YouInterlochenEvery one remembers the book that turned them into a reader for life. The panel will discuss the books that were formative in their reading lives. What makes a piece of fiction formative?  How does formative fiction evolve with time? Is this work different for today's new readers than it was for the previous generation or, even, the one before that?Ferrett Steinmetz, Cassandra Rose Clarke, Mur Lafferty, Sarah Gibbons. Marko Kloos
 11:00 AMFandomFantasy Fantasy: Live DraftManitouFantasy sports has become an international phenomenon. It's time for the ultimate conclusion: Fantasy Fantasy. Come watch the panelists conduct a live draft of their Adventuring Party from a pool of the most famous characters in genre history. The winner will be selected by the audience and then showered with confetti.Tom Doyle, Douglas Hulick, Kristine Smith, Michael R. Underwood, Steve Drew (M), Cherie Priest
 11:00 AMMusicWorkshop: Fast Songs - Learning to Love the DeadlineMarquetteDeadlines: Sometimes, you can't get anything done without one. Learn about writing songs quickly, and meeting that deadline, then put it into practice by writing a song.Eric Distad, Jen Distad
 11:00 AMLiteratureEditorially SpeakingCharlevoixCome hear from working editors in the science fiction and fantasy field about what the role an editor plays in bringing a manuscript from submission to publication. What trends are editors seeing in the field and what do they want to see in the coming years?Yanni Kuznia, DongWon Song (M), Michael Damian Thomas, Navah Wolfe, Miriam Weinberg
 11:00 AMMediaPop Up Media! OutlanderVogon Poetry LoungeScience fiction and fantasy have taken over the airwaves! Come join fellow fans in (respectful!) round-table discussions of the awesome genre shows on television and the big screen today.  
 11:00 AMLiteratureThe Youthful Form: What Is Young Adult?PetoskeyFrom the epic fantasy farmboy to the urban fantasy snarky detective, tropes are everywhere. As a result, they can, and often are, used to criticize a work. What are the common tropes in Young Adult fiction? Are they required for the form? If not, how do we work against these tropes and reinvent them?Aimee Carter, Susan Dennard, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Jon Skovron, Sunil Patel (M)
 12:00 PMGamingPaint and TakeBallroom CHave you always wanted to try your hand at painting a figure? Now's a good time. For $6.00 (Metal) or less (plastic) you can try this fun & enjoyable hobby . Take home and show off what you painted. Included in the cost is the Figure, paints, our help as needed and or wanted. There may be some free figures.GM Dean and Linda Martelle
 12:00 PMMediaPop Up Media! Sci-Fi AnimeVogon Poetry LoungeCome join fellow fans in (respectful!) round-table discussion of some of the best (and worst) Sci-Fi or Fantasy anime around. We'll talk about why some translated well, why some just didn't work and some upcoming Sci-Fi anime as well as visiting the classics.Cassy Sinke
 12:00 PMKidFusion SuiteAfternoon BreakKidFusion SuiteKidFusion is closed for one hour in the afternoon. 
 12:00 PMTeenFusionAfternoon BreakTeenFusionTeenFusion will be closed for an hour in the afternoon. 
 12:00 PMLiteratureThe Business of RejectionInterlochenWriting is a business built around rejection. Almost every writer in the industry has experienced it at some point, and many experience it constantly. Come learn how working writers deal with rejection, move past it, and embrace it for what it is.Amy Sundberg, Kameron Hurley, Greg van Eekhout, Gwenda Bond, Dave Robison (M)
 12:00 PMMusicTheme Circle: Comedy CircleMarquetteHere's where you bring the funny! Any subject, any type of music, just as long as it made you laugh.Peggi Warner-Lalonde
 12:00 PMLiteratureWhat Comes After Grimdark?SaugatuckIn 2015 many novels were released to great critical acclaim that seemed to eschew the bleaker tones of modern genre fiction. Noami Novik's UPROOTED and Becky Chambers A LONG WAY TO A SMALL ANGRY PLANET are two examples. What might be motivating a shift away from grim tales and will the trend continue?Delilah S. Dawson, Sam Sykes, Jon Skovron (M), Aimee Carter, Saladin Ahmed
 12:00 PMMediaWatching SF&F with Your KidsPetoskeyWith the abundance of genre media we have today, what do you watch with your kids? What choices do you make as parents regarding appropriate SF&F media for your kids? Do you share the classics of your childhood with them, and how do they react?Richard Herrell, Andrew Zimmerman, Jackie Morgan (M), Daniel Dugan, Melissa F. Olson
 12:00 PMLiteratureRepudiating the ReplicatorIsle RoyaleDriven, perhaps, by Star Trek's replicator and the utilitarian mush of NASA space travel, food in a science fictional setting has been criminally overlooked and underdeveloped. Why has this become the dominant narrative? How should food be used to world build a science fiction story? What stories have used food effectively?Lawrence Schoen, Elizabeth Shack (M), Alaya Dawn Johnson, Ann Leckie, Adam Rakunas
 12:00 PMGamingCastellianBallroom CTwo players work together to build a castle. Wall and tower pieces link to form courtyards. The player who finishes a courtyard claims it with a Keep. Your cards determine what pieces you get each turn but you decide where to put them. If you're clever, the pieces played by your opponent can end up scoring for you! (2 HOURS)GM- Dawn Strenzel
 1:00 PMMusicFarewell Open Music CircleMarquetteA place to share music, stories, poems, and more. 
 1:00 PMMediaPop Up Media! Jupiter AscendingVogon Poetry LoungeScience fiction and fantasy have taken over the airwaves! Come join fellow fans in (respectful!) round-table discussions of the awesome genre shows on television and the big screen today.  
 1:00 PMFandomBurn the Man!CharlevoixSince there isn't a convention every weekend, sometimes SF fans need other things to do. Attendees of Burning Man or the local burn, Lakes of Fire, will share stories and tell you what to expect and how to prepare.Michael McAtee, Catherine Shaffer, Jessica Zerwas, Kevin Nickerson
 1:00 PMFandomPenguicon ConCom MeetingSt. ClairJoin the organizers of tech/sf con Penguicon as they ramp up for their April event with their Con Committee meeting, open to all!Penguicon ConCom
 1:00 PMTeenFusionMunchkin ManiaTeenFusionCome play Munchkin and hang out. Many versions of Munchkin will be available.Kevin King
 1:00 PMFandomA Blogger's ConundrumIsle RoyaleTen years ago, blog became a predominant form of online communication, with energetic comment sections and regular, if sometimes half cocked, updates. Today, many blogs have shuttered and conversations have shifted to social media, while blog writing has become increasingly professionalized. Discuss how the science fiction and fantasy book blog remains relevant and what it might look like in the future.Andrea Johnson, Jackie Morgan, Dave Robison, Alex Kourvo, Justin Landon
 1:00 PMFandomFragmented FandomsKeweenawBefore 1990, computer geeks tended to be the fans online, and fandom tended to be a little more fragmented (fanzine fans/con fans/gamers/readers). Now that almost every fan has an online presence, are we more fragmented or less?Joel Zakem, Steve Drew, Michael Damian Thomas, Michael Lee, Pablo Vazquez
 1:00 PMLiteratureDressing Your Fictional WorldInterlochenThey say ‘clothes make the man,’ but they also make his physical and social world. Help our panel of writers and costumers build and dress a fictional world, and learn how you can use costume details to enhance the depth and verisimilitude of your work.Annalee Flower Horne
 1:00 PMMediaAre Steven Universe And Korra the Future?PetoskeySteven Universe is blazing a number of trails in animated SF&F, from its diverse characters and voice cast, to redefining issues of masculinity, and its emphasis on love, kindness and acceptance. Legends of Korra has made similar waves with its clear nod to a same-sex relationship in the finale and the outright confirmation of it by the creators. Are Korra and Steven Universe opening a new chapter in what we can do with family-friendly SF&F media?Jason Sanford (M), Merrie Haskell, Carl Engle-Laird, Kimchi Zerbe, Navah Wolfe
 1:00 PMKidFusion SuiteLego ManiaKidFusion SuiteBuild a robot or a space ship! Legos will be out and ready for you to create! You are only limited by your imagination. Jason Palmer
 2:00 PMFandomMoar Cons Please!InterlochenLooking to add more congoing to your life? Our panelists discuss their favorite cons within a day's drive of Michigan.Jeff Beeler, Matt Feazell, Daniel Dugan, Helen Montgomery (M), Michael Lee, Sal Palland
 3:00 PMFandomClosing CeremoniesBallroom A&BTime to bid another ConFusion good-bye. Join us to wrap up an amazing weekend.Anna Carey, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Jessica Zerwas, Ann Leckie, Kelley Armstrong
 4:00 PMFandomFeedback SessionBallroom A&BHow did we do? Let it all hang out - Praise, Criticism, any and all comments welcome. Nay - encouraged.Anna Carey, David Klecha, Cylithria Dubois, Brian Decker, Ryan Carey, John Davis, Allison Anderson