Images of Balticon 2008

There’s nothing like a sf/fantasy convention to get me going. And nothing like a series of storm-induced power outages to stop me from blogging about it. Or at least slow me down.But I’m nothing if not persistent. So here, at last, are my photographic impressions of Balticon 2008, May 23-26.


Balticon’s opening ceremonies go beyond program information. The mix includes comedy and live music. This year’s line-up included the Kalisti Tribal Dancers, shown here performing a sword dance.


Danielle Ackley-McPhail models the Bad-Ass Faerie leather jacket she raffled at the launch party for the anthology Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad.


John Jude Palencar was the con’s artist guest of honor. Several of his disturbingly beautiful canvases were on display in the art show and in the pages of the program book. Funny, he looks like such a regular guy. Must be the artist's version of "He was such a quiet guy..."


Master costumer Marty Gear served as monster—er, master of ceremonies for the Balticon Masquerade on Saturday, May 24, which included the annual Bobby Gear Reading Is Fundamental Charity Auction. He and Castle Blood colleague Ricky Dick will also host the 2009 Costume-Con.


The winning entry in the Masquerade took Princess Aurora through every costume change in Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty while still on-stage. Her pink and blue gowns, worn over the green dress shown here, was sewn as a reversible wrap her Prince Charming flipped back and forth as they danced. The winning team comprised Gaia Eirich, Megan Taylor, Sharyn Eirich, Fiona Schram & Brian Harrington.


In her guest of honor interview, writer Connie Willis confessed her love of writing Christmas stories. The one she’s working on now concerns a robot who wants to be a Rockette at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.


Writer Stephanie Burke won the Bad-Ass Faery costume competition at Sunday evening’s Bad-Ass Faeries 2 launch party, hands—er, fly swatter down.


Pamela Kinney (who writes erotic paranormals as Sapphire Phelan) vamps out at the Bad-Ass Faeries 2 launch party.


Writer Catherine Asaro (in the red top) performs with the Baltimore rock band Point Valid. The band is recording a CD for Catherine’s next book, Diamond Star, which features a rock star in the future.


Writer Richard C. White holds up the latest Doctor Who: Short Trips anthology. The anthology, which focuses on the Doctors from the early series, features Richard’s story “The Price of Conviction”.


The Toronto-based filk trio Urban Tapestry thought nobody would attend their combination kaffeklatsch/workshop Monday afternoon. Then they moved it to the bar. Suddenly all the tables were jammed. The group consists of (left to right) Jodi Krangle, Debbie Ridpath Ohi and Alison Durno.

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