Space Oddity by Catherynne M. Valente: 📚 61/2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: So much of this made me laugh, and it all wrapped up in an extremely satisfying way. https://michaelhans.com/eclecticism/2025/12/20/space-oddity-by-catherynne-m-valente

#CatherynneMValente #SpaceOpera #Books #Photos

Uncanny Magazine Issue 65 edited by Michael Damian Thomas: 📚 35/2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️: Favorites by Catherynne M. VAlente, Emma Törzs, and Daniel H. Wilson. https://michaelhans.com/eclecticism/2025/07/12/uncanny-magazine-issue-65-edited-by-michael-damian-thomas

#CatherynneMValente #DanielHWilson #EmmaTörzs #MichaelDamianThomas #UncannyMagazine #Books #Photos

The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two

https://library.hrmtc.com/2025/04/25/the-girl-who-soared-over-fairyland-and-cut-the-moon-in-two/

#AdventureStories #AmitieRomansNouvellesEtcPourLaJeunesse #AnaJuan #book #CatherynneMValente #ChildrenS #ChildrenSLiterature #fairies #FairiesJuvenileFiction #Fairyland #FairylandImaginaryPlaceValenteJuvenileFiction #fantasy #FantasyFiction #FantasyFictionJuvenileFiction #FeEsRomansNouvellesEtcPourLaJeunesse #fiction #FillesRomansNouvellesEtcPourLaJeunesse #friendship #FriendshipJuvenileFiction #girls #GirlsJuvenileFiction #goodAndEvil #GoodAndEvilJuvenileFiction #HumorousFiction #HumorousStories #ImaginaryPlaces #ImaginaryPlacesJuvenileFiction #juvenileWorks #kids #LieuxImaginairesRomansNouvellesEtcPourLaJeunesse #LuneRomansNouvellesEtcPourLaJeunesse #magic #MagicJuvenileFiction #moon #MoonJuvenileFiction #ReCitsHumoristiques #review #RomanPourJeunesAdultes #ScienceFiction #SeptemberFictitiousCharacterValenteJuvenileFiction #TPolyphilus #TeenYoungAdultDarkFantasy #TeenYoungAdultEpicFantasy #TeenYoungAdultFictionOnGirlsWomenSIssues #VoyagesAndTravels #VoyagesAndTravelsJuvenileFiction #VoyagesRomansNouvellesEtcPourLaJeunesse #Yeti #YetiJuvenileFiction #YeTiRomansNouvellesEtcPourLaJeunesse #YoungAdultFiction

Norwescon 47 In Two Weeks!

To ensure a quick and smooth check-in at Registration, please see these tips:

• Have your government-issued picture ID ready; all persons aged 18 and older must complete their checkins in person at Registration and verify their identity.
• All persons aged 17 and younger must have a Minor Permission Slip, completed and signed by a responsible adult who is also attending Norwescon 47.
• Youth aged 15 or younger may not check themselves in; they must be checked in by their responsible adult, who will provide their Minor Permission Slip.
• Youth aged 16 or 17 may check themselves in if 1) they have their own government-issued picture ID; 2) they provide their Minor Permission Slip, completed and signed by their responsible adult; and 3) Registration staff verify that the responsible adult is registered for Norwescon 47.

Please remember that Thursday and Saturday mornings are our busiest check-in times, so the quicker we can get each person checked in, the sooner you can get to your favorite Con activities. We will have self-service kiosks available on-site for folks who still need to purchase their membership, but if you’ve already purchased your membership online, you can go straight to the next available Registration cashier to check in.

Online sales will remain open throughout the entire Con, so you’re encouraged to purchase your membership in advance, and by the time you’re reading this, single-day memberships will have already gone on sale (see our Memberships page for more information).

We’re really looking forward to welcoming you (or welcoming you back) to Norwescon, and if you have any questions about your membership or Registration check-in procedures, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Thanks, and see you soon!

Writer Guest of Honor

Our last guest of honor feature is for Catherynne M. Valente. She is the NYT bestselling author of over forty books of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, including Deathless, Space Opera_, The Past Is Red, and the Fairyland novels. She is the winner of the Hugo, Locus, Nebula, Sturgeon, and Lambda awards, among others, and has been shortlisted for the World Fantasy and Ursula K LeGuin awards. She lives on a small island off the coast of Maine with her child and several troublingly large cats.

Check out ALL Norwescon 47 guests of honor on panels, at Q&A’s, at the autograph session, and many other places.

The Programming Schedule is Live On the Website!

Check out all the programming that starts at 2pm on Thursday and ends on Sunday at 4pm. We have a full schedule of all types of tracks, from writing to costuming to space. Come all four days to see as much of it as you can!

Guidebook is Ready!

We are excited to announce that the schedule app for Norwescon 47, powered by Guidebook, is now available. With this resource, you have access to the most up-to-date information as well as networking tools.

To get started, tap “Download the app” to access the guide on your iOS and Android device. Prefer the web version? Content will also be available online.

The Guidebook app is the most complete and comprehensive resource for information about the Norwescon 47 schedule and our guests of honor, panelists, art show participants, dealers, club tables, scheduled games, and more. Download it before the convention starts to plan your weekend, and save bandwidth on-site!

Norwescon Community Partner Page Ahead

Norwescon is proud to be working with Page Ahead to help eliminate book deserts in the greater Seattle area and other areas in the state of Washington. Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk children, and it has given more than four million new books to more than one million children through early childhood programs across Washington.

Norwescon is raising money for our nonprofit partner through sales of items in the art show and donating all proceeds to Page Ahead. We will be accepting donations of items that are fannish in nature such as art, jewelry, books, and games at the convention. To make a donation, just bring it to the art show in Grand 1 during open hours on Friday and Saturday.

You can also support this year’s community partner by visiting our community partners’ sales area in the art show and making a purchase. We have many interesting and exciting items for this year. Whether you have something that you would like to donate or are looking for a new treasure, please join us in supporting this year’s community partner Page Ahead.

Single Pattern Contest and Masquerade Membership Prize Reminder

Show off your mad costume skills at Norwescon this year! Enter our single pattern contest and have fun with our unisex sweatshirt and pants pattern. Or go for broke and enter our masquerade. All skill levels welcome! Masquerade entrants have a chance to win a membership to Norwescon 48! We look forward to seeing you shine!

Pre-masquerade meeting times are Friday 7pm-8pm in Cascade 7&8, and Saturday 10am-12pm in Grand 3.

Click here for rules and entry forms.

More Games Than You Can Imagine!

Seriously! You want to game? Not sure where to go to find your tribe? Look no further:

Game Libraries

The Dragonflight GameCon Game Library and Alexandria RPG Library will be located in Olympic 1 and 2 for the duration of the convention.

Open Gaming Tables

Pathfinder/Starfinder and D&D organized play will be located in Lakeside Gaming, which can be found at the end of Concourse 1 or 2 between Wings 4 and 5. Both the first and second floors of Lakeside Gaming require use of the second-floor skybridge.

Artemis Simulator

The Artemis Simulator sessions are being held in Maxi’s Salon.

Warhorn

Don’t forget to register for Warhorn and secure your spot for your favorite games. From thrilling RPGs to strategic board games, the choices are endless.

Calling All Game Masters!

We are still looking for game masters to lead board games and card games. Imagine the joy of guiding players through the whimsical world of Dr. Who Flux or the hilarious chaos of Munchkin. If you’re interested, simply complete the online form to get on the schedule.

Catan Championship Qualifier

Norwescon is hosting an official CATAN United States National Championship Qualifier Tournament. There will be three preliminary rounds followed by a final round. Only 16 seats are available, and you must be 18 to enter. Register today at Warhorn. A Norwescon membership will be needed to attend the event. You can purchase a weekend pass for Norwescon at norwescon.org. Day passes can also be purchased on-site.

Email us if you have any questions.

Info Table Update

Would you like to know more? Find out at the Info Table! Pick up your Souvenir Program Book, Pocket Programs, single-day schedules, pronoun stickers, and more. Read the ‘Zine, share your suggestions and comments at the Feedback Box – or just stop by to say hello! We’re open 9-7 Thursday through Saturday, 9-3 Sunday. Find us in the lobby hallway next to the official Norwescon t-shirt vendor.

Introducing Nebula Notes

The Norwescon ‘Zine (the official daily news sheet for Norwescon 47) will be full of information for you each day of the convention – and some of that comes from you!

This year, the ‘Zine will be called Nebula Notes, in honor of our Through the Cosmic Telescope theme. Also keeping with that theme is one of our columns, “Close Encounters.” Send in a paragraph about interesting, unique, or funny interactions you have at Norwescon 47.

Photos are always welcome – costumes, an event, a droid trying to blend in with the rubbish bins. You get the gist. Are you an artist with a great, geeky sense of humor? Submit your single-panel comic.

And, of course, we will be including a favorite: the “Overheard” column. The things you’re only going to hear at a sci-fi and fantasy convention. Tidbits of delight that have you chuckling with fannish glee because it’s normal to hear at a convention, but not in the mundane world.

Send us your content and ideas. The ‘Zine will be available each morning of Norwescon 47 at 10am. You’ll find it at the Information Desk in the convention lobby, online in Guidebook, and on the website.

Hotel Parking Information

If you are in the Norwescon room block, the first car registered to your hotel room is free. Any additional cars registered to the same hotel room are charged $22.18 per day and will receive in/out privileges provided the guest exits and enters using their room key. This rate begins at 7am on Wednesday, April 16th, and runs through 6pm Sunday, April 20th.

For your information, the next day starts at 2:45am, so if you come for the day on Saturday but do not leave until 3am on Sunday, you will be charged $44.36 for two days of parking. No in/out feature exists for people not staying at the hotel.

Do You Enjoy Audiobooks?

Are you an author thinking about branching into audiobooks? These two panels are for you. Come join our professional audiobook narrators as they read from selections sent in by Norwescon authors. Want your selection to be read? Be sure to send it to the Author Listeners Lounge before the convention.

First Page Idol

Saturday 11am-12pm Evergreen 1&2

Does your hook grab your target readers? Are you sure? Try out your opening in front of a live audience with the help of professional voice actors. Our audiobook narrators will read a stack of first pages out loud. Audience members who read in your genre will raise their hands when they lose interest. As the author, you’ll stay anonymous while getting feedback from readers. To submit work, email your first page with genre designation at the top to [email protected].

Author Listeners’ Lounge

Sunday 11am-1pm Cascade 10

Have you ever wondered how your stories would sound if they were read by a professional audiobook narrator? Here’s your chance to find out! A trained voice actor will help your stories and their emotions come to life right before your ears and will engage your audience like no other medium. Whether you’re a seasoned author with numerous audiobooks to your name or completely new to the world of audiobooks, come by and listen as your books come to life. Submit a story to be read.

Norwescon Little Free Library Reminder

Don’t forget to bring your book donations to the Norwescon Little Free Library table! Just one or a whole box, community donations are the heart and soul of the swap. We’ll be under the stairs in the lobby accepting donations around the clock, AND you’ll get a ribbon! Don’t forget to take a book (or two) while you’re there.

Volunteer for Norwescon 47

Norwescon 47 is fast approaching (just under a month away!), and while we’ve got a great ConCom team, we still need volunteers before, during, and after the con! Interested? We’ve been keeping the Open Volunteer Positions page up-to-date – come take a look to see if anything catches your eye.

If you’re not sure where you’d like to help out, or you have additional questions, please reach out and we’ll do our best to respond rapidly. You are also welcome to attend our final pre-con ConCom meeting on Saturday April 5th at 11am, in-person or remotely. Talk to some people and see if you find a good fit! Click here for meeting details.

And, of course, if you want to help out but not take on a role, we will gladly welcome at-event volunteers. This is especially true if you find yourself at the hotel on Wednesday or Monday and are open to helping with load-in or load-out.

Holiday Cards???

It is never too early to think about your annual holiday cards. Back by popular demand are our favorite Santa and Krampus. This year all donations for the event will go to Norwescon 47’s local charity of choice, Page Ahead, because every child deserves to have a book of their own. Event runs on Saturday from 1pm-3pm in the lobby.

Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

Past, present, and future Norwescon volunteers are invited to join our annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on Sunday, July 27, 11am until 2pm, at Steel Lake Park picnic shelter #1 in Federal Way.

We will be providing basic grill foods (i.e., burgers, dogs, vegetarian options) and non-alcoholic beverages. Side dishes and desserts are always appreciated, but not required, if you want to bring something along.

Friends, family, and other potential volunteers are very welcome!

Sunday, July 27, 2025
11am-2pm
Steel Lake Park, Shelter #1
Federal Way, WA 98003
2410 S. 312th St

https://www.norwescon.org/2025/04/02/news-from-norwescon-april-2025/

#Catan #CatherynneMValente #Guidebook #LittleFreeLibrary #norwescon #Norwescon47 #NWC47 #PageAhead #VolunteerAppreciationPicnic

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente: 📚 16/2025: I love Valente's near stream-of-consciousness style and descriptions that draw very well deserved comparisons to Douglas Adams. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ https://michaelhans.com/eclecticism/2025/03/15/space-opera-by-catherynne-m-valente

#CatherynneMValente #SpaceOpera #Books #Photos

I live in the US, so I have been quite distracted by the presidential race. It’s generally consequential, here and across the world. (My apologies to everyone elsewhere who still needs to pay attention to our politics because they’re one of our major exports.) It’s personally consequential, because I and so many people I care about are marginalized on multiple axes. Having intentionally relocated to a house surrounded by progressives and a forest of Democratic signage, I feel less visceral fear for election day and the period afterward, but the fear is still there.

I’m not going to talk politics in detail, other than to say I am obviously voting for Harris, and have a total lack of respect for people voting for or otherwise supporting Trump.1 Instead, let’s talk coping strategies.

This being me, one of my coping strategies is the selection of reading material. While I have recently published books and new-to-me books in my TBR pile, in the next couple weeks I think I’ll default to comfort reads. Some possibilities I’m considering are:

• Discworld: I first read Terry Pratchett when I was ten years old, and read a lot in the ’90s and ’00s. The Guards sub-series holds up, but I just recently did a series read/re-read, so I think I’ll stick to standalone titles. Possibly Going Postal (yes, yes, first in a sub-series, but it still stands alone) or Small Gods, but probably The Truth.
• Murderbot: We all love Murderbot and I am no exception.
• Use of Weapons: This may be a weird choice for comfort reads, but what can I say? My brain is weird. Like Going Postal, it’s part of a series, but who reads Culture books as a series? (Except me, a number of years ago, when I was also depressed about domestic fascism, and my response was to knock back Space Hippies blowing shit up.)
• Ninefox Gambit and The Raven Stratagem: What I said about knocking back Space Hippies blowing shit up? Also goes for Space Nazis punching other Space Nazis with math (or punching Space Druids with math; they count, too): no matter how a particular fictional engagement goes, there are fewer Space Nazis. (One of the reasons I was less fond of the third book is the general focus on trying not to punch Space Nazis; that was very much not aligned with my 2018 mood and emotional needs when reading.)
• The White Rat: T. Kingfisher’s fantasies have worked as comfort reads in the past (because apparently I find decapitations and gruesome magical beasties as comforting as shit blowing up in space). Paladin’s Strength and Paladin’s Faith Hope are at the top of the list for re-reading in the next week or two. [ETA 11/2: The titles all run together and for some reason the third book is not called Paladin’s Cube, but that’s the one I was aiming to particularly recommend.]
• Space Opera: I read this book shortly after it came out, at a time when I was feeling like crap in general, and it was exactly the book I needed at exactly the right time. That’s a really awesome feeling that I’d love to evoke, though I’m not sure lightning would strike twice. I do have the sequel, Space Oddity, sitting on the bookshelf, so if I end up choosing not to do comfort re-reads that will be at the top of the list.

I’ve recently updated my Bookshop shop to include recommendations, generally grouped by publication date. This is a kind of haphazard list of books I’ve enjoyed over the years. It’s limited to books available in hardcopy and in the Bookshop catalog. (That means, among other limitations, that there are a lot of 20th century books in particular that aren’t listed. There are shocking availability gaps in, for instance, the backlists of C. J. Cherryh and Lois McMaster Bujold, but I’ve still included some titles.) Generally, I only list the first book in a series (except when I don’t). But still! If you’re looking for a good read that will support independent bookstores, check it out.

If you’re in the US, there’s still time to order before the election. Join me in huddling up under a blanket with a good book.

https://aphowell.com/2024/10/27/a-serious-case-of-nerves/

#catherynneMValente #comfortReads #iainMBanks #marthaWells #politics #recommended #tKingfisher #terryPratchett #usPolitics #yoonHaLee

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

https://library.hrmtc.com/2024/09/13/the-girl-who-circumnavigated-fairyland-in-a-ship-of-her-own-making/

Writer Guest of Honor

Catherynne M. Valente is the NYT bestselling author of over forty books of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, including Deathless, Space Opera, The Past Is Red, and the Fairyland novels. She is the winner of the Hugo, Locus, Nebula, Sturgeon, and Lambda awards, among others, and has been shortlisted for the World Fantasy and Ursula K LeGuin awards. She lives on a small island off the coast of Maine with her child and several troublingly large cats.

Artist Guest of Honor

Wayne Barlowe is a science fiction and fantasy author and artist who has created images for books, film, video games and galleries and written and illustrated a number of art books including Expedition, Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials, Barlowe’s Guide to Fantasy, Barlowe’s Inferno, Brushfire, The Alien Life of Wayne Barlowe and An Alphabet of Dinosaurs. Expedition aired as the Discovery Channel special, Alien Planet. A board game based on Expedition will be released in 2025. His video game concept work includes Dante’s Inferno, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War. His film designs can be seen in Blade 2, Galaxy Quest, Hellboy 1 and 2, Harry Potter 3 and 4, Avatar and Pacific Rim. He has written two novels, God’s Demon and its sequel The Heart of Hell and is at work on the third and final novel, Lucifer’s Soul. His artbook, Psychopomp, accumulating 30 years of his hell paintings and drawings, was published in 2021. Psychopomp II is in the works as is The Wildlife of Hell.

Convention Planning Starts Soon — Send Us Your Ideas!

Do you have an idea for a panel? Let us know now as planning begins for Norwescon 47 this summer. We want to make sure our program is as engaging to our members as possible, and will gladly consider your suggestions as we work with our pros and panelists to craft our programming each year.

Please send us your ideas via our Panel Suggestion page.

Norwescon is also looking for panelists! If you are interested, let us know in detail who you are, your area of expertise and why you would be a great fit for us. Programming can’t do what it does without our fabulous panelists.

Please fill out our panelist application form to be considered for this coming year. Even if you have been a pro before, please fill out the form anyway!

Norwescon Volunteer Onboarding has Begun

We have begun onboarding people for Norwescon con com. Keep an eye on our Open Volunteer Positions page.

Have you visited our Volunteer page? Interested in joining our community? You are invited to our con com meetings! Here is the schedule for this year:

• September 14, 2024
• October 5, 2024
• November 2, 2024
• December 14, 2024
• January 4, 2025
• February 1, 2025
• March 1, 2025
• April 5, 2025
• May 17, 2025

There is a virtual component. The link is generally posted a few days prior to the meeting. All are welcome!

https://www.norwescon.org/2024/09/03/news-from-norwescon-september-2024/

#CatherynneMValente #concom #NWC47 #volunteering #WayneBarlowe