MarsCon 2025 - Virginia Beach: Full Schedule

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1:00pm EST

GPS: Global Positioning System and How It Really Works

Friday January 17, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

The physics and engineering behind the Global Positioning System and what it can and can't do (and who do you blame when it does go bad).

Speakers

Jim Beall

Author, Scientist

Jim Beall (BS-Math, MBA, PE) has been a nuclear engineer for over 50 years, beginning as a nuclear engineering officer in the US Navy. Civilian experience includes design, construction, inspection, enforcement, and assessment with a nuclear utility, an architect engineering firm... Read More →

Brad Goodman

Scientist

Brad has been a guest at local science fiction conventions for more than thirty years. Now retired, he worked for NASA Langley Research Center, at their Visitor Center, and in support of traveling exhibits. Later he worked for the Science Museum of Virginia. These assignments came... Read More →

Michael Morton

Author, USSF

Michael Morton is a retired USAF space operations officer and wishes the Space Force happened earlier. Still, he gets to work for them as a civilian, so life isn't all bad. He writes award-winning military sci-fi and fantasy and lives in Colorado Springs with his family. When he's... Read More →

Charles Blue

Featured Science Guest

Charles Blue (aka Blue the Science Dude) has more than 35 years of science communications experience. Charles has worked as the director of media services at the American Institute of Physics. He also served as the Writer/Editor for the National Science Foundation’s Directorate... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Salon L

Science, Physical & Space Sciences

2:00pm EST

Generative Writing Session A

Friday January 17, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST

Salon L

Join our Author Co-Guest of Honor as she facilitates a workshop for authors and aspiring authors to spend time writing. Use the expertise of others to help you polish your draft, edit and revise, or to begin an outline. Whatever you need, they will help you with.

Possible theme of this workshop: galactic empires and epic interstellar legends.

Speakers

Sam Robb

Author

Sam Robb is a Pittsburgh native, a former US Navy officer, and a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University. Over the course of his life, he has acquired a wife, three daughters, several quadrupeds, and a penchant for walking down back alleys and taking pictures of graffiti. When he's... Read More →

Emily Jane Buehler

Author

Emily Jane Buehler writes cozy fantasy romances where everyday people (and fairies) have adventures and fall in love. Her stories are lighthearted with action and adventure, love and magic, and protagonists who learn to believe in themselves and find their courage. And yes, they are... Read More →

David Hensley

Author

David is an East Coast Hepaw born and raised in southwest Colorado. The town of Dolores, to be specific. He's been a lot of places and done a lot of things since then, including cowboying in the Utah desert and twenty years as an aviation structural mechanic for the United States... Read More →

Cassandra Clarke

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Cassandra Rose Clarke’s novels have been finalists for the Philip K. Dick Award, the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults. Her poetry has placed second in the Rhysling Awards, been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and appeared in... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST
Salon L

Workshops

3:00pm EST

Adding Food & Eating in Stories

Friday January 17, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST

Salon L

Not only is the consumption of food necessary for our survival, feasts and eating make up a huge part of our various cultures and traditions. How do we write food and eating into our stories in realistic ways? There may be actual food made and consumed at this panel....

Speakers

Scott Huggins

Author

Having been born in California and raised in Kansas, Scott Huggins grew up as confused as one might expect. He began writing seriously in college in between student exchanges spent in post-Soviet Russia and Germany, and was one of the last Writers of the Future in 1999. The future... Read More →

Emily Jane Buehler

Author

Alexander Gideon

Author

Alexander G. R. Gideon's writing style can best be described by the phrase "and many people died". He's a multi-genre author of Historical Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Sci-fi, and Horror. As the world's only Pan Librarian Wizard, he's an expert on most things, from High Magick and spirit... Read More →

H.P Holo / Edie Skye

Author

H.P. Holo grew up in a family where it was dangerous to say, "I'm bored." She's also an incorrigible smart aleck. So when her parents told her to fix her boredom by reading a dictionary, she did. And then, just to be extra sassy, she began writing novels that required them to keep... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Salon L

Literature, Writing Techniques

4:00pm EST

Gemstone Divination

Friday January 17, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EST

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Lithomancy, divining the future by using stones (including gemstones and crystals), has a long history, especially in the Jewish traditions. Join our Musical Guest of Honor as she helps you learn this ancient art.

Speakers

Rhiannon's Lark

Musician Guest of Honor

Have you ever wanted to hear a Disney princess singing about the things you love…board games, ninjas, and krakens? Rhiannon’s Lark is happy to make your wish come true. Alyssa Yeager is an accolade-winning musician including the Pegasus award for “Best Performer” and Guest... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EST
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Workshops

5:00pm EST

How Far Will Your Dollar Go in Building Cosplay?

Friday January 17, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EST

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This is not a cosplay/prop making on a budget pitch, but more so where you should spend your money and get the biggest returns for them.

Speakers

Pamela K. Kinney

Author

Pamela K. Kinney gave up long ago, ignoring the demanding voices in her head and has been writing ever since. Her horror short story, “Bottled Spirits,” was runner-up for the 2013 WSFA Small Press Award and considered one of the seven best genre short fiction for that year. She... Read More →

Aaron Brite

Environmental Compliance Officer, Jen-Weld, Inc.

GenX feral nerd from the womb raised on TOS and the original Wild Wild West reruns while "recreating" some of those gadgets (thankfully to little success). Grew up to become an Air Force avionics tech and then Supply Sergeant where he caught the hazmat bug. Now a corporate environmentalist... Read More →

Daniel Kim

Cosplayer

Max Thompson

Cos Player

Hello there and welcome to my channel! My name is Bash, The Prop Slayer! My channel is dedicated to bringing game and movie replica weapons and armor to life. My main sources of inspiration are Final Fantasy, Star Wars, and The Lord of The Rings. I was introduced to cosplay and prop... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EST
Salon L

Fandom, Being a Fan

7:00pm EST

The Garbage Belt: What Should We Do About It?

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Salon L

There is A LOT of trash in space, so much so that there are professionals whose sole duty is to track that garbage and make sure it doesn't damage functioning satellites in orbit. But, it's not like there are Coke cans and banana peels up there. What is in the Garbage Belt and how should we deal with it?

Speakers

Michael Morton

Author, USSF

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
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Science, Physical & Space Sciences

8:00pm EST

World Building for Fun and Profit

Friday January 17, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST

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The fun comes from drawing maps and defining cultures. The profit part comes when you build a world that your characters inhabit to such a degree, that you sell a ton of books or stories. Come find out those tips and tricks that can make your world an exciting place to be.

Speakers

Mark Wandrey

International bestselling author of military sci-fi, space opera, and zombie apocalypse, Mark Wandrey is also the only 4 time DragonCon Dragon Award finalist!Living the full time RV lifestyle as a modern day nomad, Mark Wandrey has been writing science fiction since he was in grade... Read More →

Claire Merrick

Author

Tired of writing about bad news as a producer at a news station, Claire Merrick began using her free time to write urban fantasy stories. She attended FantaSci in Durham, hoping to learn from authors about the business side of publishing. One of the guests, Kevin Ikenberry, asked... Read More →

J.F. Posthumus

Author

Wife and a mother of five, J.F. Posthumus is an IT Tech with over a decade of experience. When she isn’t arguing with computers and their inherent gremlins, or being mom to the four younger monsters (the eldest was a police officer, lost to us all in June of 2023), she’s crafting... Read More →

Scott Huggins

Author

Friday January 17, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Salon L

Workshops

9:00pm EST

Fandom and Mental Health

Friday January 17, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST

Salon L

Fans everywhere talk of how their participation in fandom has helped maintain their mental health. Some say that fandom has literally saved their lives. Join in the discussion of how fandom has and continues to be a balm for many in an uncertain world and concrete ways that others can help their fellow fans in the midst of the chaos.

Speakers

Phillip Pournelle

Author, Gamer

Commander Pournelle retired from the Navy after 26 years of service as a surface warfare officer, operations analyst, and joint operations planner. He served on cruisers, destroyers, amphibious ships, and an experimental high-speed vessel. He served on the Navy staff conducting modeling... Read More →

Brad Goodman

Scientist

Ben Yalow

Fandom

I've attended about 900 cons, and worked on about a third of them, with jobs ranging from gofer to Chair of both regionals and the Worldcon. I've also edited 4 books for NESFA Press.

Lindsay Reinoehl Bartleson

Featured Costuming Guest

Lindsay Bartleson of Geek Diva Cosplay has been cosplaying for just under a decade. In that time she has received multiple awards at conventions in both workmanship and stage presentation and quickly reached the Master level. She has presented many cosplay panels and has also acted... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Salon L

Fandom, Being a Fan

10:00pm EST

Jam Session, Open Mic, Filking

Friday January 17, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST

Salon L

Join several musicians, both those who make their living with their music and those who play because they love it, as they jam together. If you play, bring your instrument and join in. If you don't, come, listen and join in when you feel comfortable.

Speakers

The Blibbering Humdingers

Featured Musical Guest

We are Scott, Kirsten, Aiden, Liam, and Chuck! We create acoustic nerdrock for –Gamers, geeks, and galactic guardians, browncoats, centaurs, and mandalorians;Hobbits, elves, and wizard gangsters; avengers, defenders, and black-belt hamsters;Elder gods, small gods, fans of Tripod... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST
Salon L

Events & Demos, Concerts