FenCon
Encyclopedia
FenCon is a literary science fiction
and fantasy
convention
with filk held each year on or around the fourth full weekend of September in or around Dallas, Texas
. FenCon is a production of the Dallas Future Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that seeks to promote the advancement of science, literature, and music for all mankind.
convention, FenCon is noted for its quantity and variety of filk programming, performances, and performers. The Texas Filk Page describes FenCon as "the premier filk event in Texas." The Dallas Observer
has called FenCon "the region's hottest fan-run literary sci-fi and fantasy convention".
Other notable features of FenCon include science programming, writing panels, fan discussions, gaming, a diverse selection of guests, an art show and auction, a dealers room, a short story contest, a writers workshop, children's programming, and the FenCon Saturday Night Cabaret.
FenCon was named one of the "Best Literary and Book Events in D/FW" by KTVT
in August 2011. The CBS
affiliate cited FenCon as "the place to be this September". Tor.com notes that FenCon has "quickly established an enviable reputation among regular convention goers".
In addition to the educational and social aspects of FenCon, an external charity of interest to the membership is chosen each year to be the beneficiary of an annual charity auction and limited-edition cover art print sale. FenCon absorbs all the costs associated with creating these art prints so the entire donation goes directly to the designated charity.
In 2007, FenCon IV hosted the 2007 Lone Star Shindig, a Texas-wide gathering of Firefly
fans. The LSS is a convention within a convention, hosted each year by a different local group each year. In 2009, FenCon VI hosted the Region Three Summit for Starfleet International, an annual gathering of Star Trek
fans from Texas and Louisiana. In 2011, FenCon served as DeepSouthCon
49, an annual gathering of science fiction fans from across the southeastern United States
.
, just north of the Dallas city limits. As the membership increased and the programming expanded each year, more and more of the hotel's function space was used. By the end of FenCon III it was clear to the organizers that for the event to continue to grow the convention would have to relocate. Beginning with FenCon IV, the convention is held at the Crowne Plaza
North Dallas. The Crowne Plaza North Dallas is located at 14315 Midway Road, between Spring Valley Road and Beltline Road in the northern Dallas suburb of Addison, Texas
.
, Filk Guest Michael Longcor
, Fen Guest Jim Murray, Toastmaster Elizabeth Moon
, plus Special Guests Joe R. Lansdale
and Ardath Mayhar
. Other notable guests included horror writer Charlee Jacob
. The con chair was Michael Nelson. The theme of the convention, now the event's motto, was "Of the Fen, By the Fen, and For the Fen."
, Music Guest Leslie Fish
, Artist Guest Larry Dixon, Fen Guest Randy Farran, Toastmaster David Gerrold
, and Special Guest Mike Resnick
. The con chair was Michael Nelson. The theme of the convention was "What If?" to tie-in to the alternate history works of several of the featured guests.
FenCon had long planned to add a charity auction in its second year with the intent of giving the money to a literacy charity in north Texas. However, because FenCon II took place just after Hurricane Katrina
and during Hurricane Rita
it was decided to direct any charity efforts to disaster relief. Artist GoH Larry Dixon suggested that a limited-edition print of that year's program book cover art be sold to raise additional funds. FenCon produced prints of the cover art for both FenCon (art by Cat Conrad) and FenCon II (art by Larry Dixon) in a signed and numbered edition of 50 prints each. These prints combined with donation jars and the charity auction to raise $3500 which was donated to the Salvation Army
for hurricane disaster relief.
, Music Guest Heather Alexander, Artist Guest Darrell K. Sweet
, Toastmaster Jim Butcher
, Special Guest Lawrence Watt-Evans
, and Fen Guest Judith Ward. Ward died on July 3, 2006, due to complications from diabetes but remained Fen GoH. The con chair was Tim Miller. The theme of the convention "Sci-Fi Camp" with a camping theme given to convention signage and publications plus convention volunteers wearing "Camp Staff" shirts.
FenCon once again held an auction and sold a limited-edition art print to raise funds for a charity. This year the designated charity was the American Diabetes Association
, selected to honor the memory of Judith Ward. Artist GoH Darrell K. Sweet supplied the program book cover art for that year's print, again each signed and numbered to 50 prints. $1400 was raised and donated to the American Diabetes Association.
, Music Guest Tom Smith
, Artist Guest David Mattingly
, Fen Guest Kathleen Sloan
, Toastmaster Steve Perry
, Special Guest Toni Weisskopf
, and Lone Star Shindig Guest Jarrod Davis of Zoic Studios
. The con chair was Tim Miller. The theme of the convention was "Fentastic Four," a play on words in recognition of this being FenCon's fourth year in existence.
As part of the effort to spread the word about the upcoming convention, FenCon volunteers twice manned phone banks in 2007 for Dallas public television station KERA-TV
in support of their returning science fiction programming to their regular schedule. FenCon team members also threw room parties or manned fan tables at ConDFW
, Aggiecon
, the National Space Society
's 2007 International Space Development Conference, ApolloCon
, Dallas Comic Con
, Conestoga
, ArmadilloCon
, and several other regional events.
FenCon held an auction and sold a limited-edition art print to raise funds for a designated charity. For 2007, this charity was the North Texas Food Bank
and a grand total of $2000 was raised and donated at FenCon IV. The NTFB passionately pursues a hunger-free community. Last year, the NTFB distributed 32 million pounds of food to 764 feeding and education programs in 13 North Texas counties. Artist GoH David Mattingly provided the art for this year's signed and numbered limited-edition print.
, Music Guest Three Weird Sisters
, Fen Guest Gerald Burton, Artist Guest Real Musgrave the creator of Pocket Dragons
, ORAC Special Guest Doris Egan
, plus Special Guest and writers workshop instructor Jay Lake
. The con chair was Russ Miller. Toastmaster Howard Waldrop
was unable to attend due to health concerns.
FenCon held an auction and sold a limited-edition art print to raise money for that year's designated charity. A total of $2130 was raised and donated to Radio & Reading Resources of North Texas, a radio reading service
, for their programs to bring the printed word to the visually disabled. Artist GoH Real Musgrave provided the art for this year's signed and numbered limited-edition print.
A similarly named media convention, FedConUSA, was also held in Dallas in 2008. FedConUSA, which shutdown mid-event, was not connected in any way to FenCon.
, Music Guest of Honor Carla Ulbrich
, Fen Guest of Honor Warren Buff, Artist Guest of Honor Kurt Miller, Toastmaster Paul Cornell
, plus Special Guests Keith R.A. DeCandido and Howard Waldrop
. Also attending were former FenCon honored guests Randy Farran, Gerald Burton, Tom Smith, and Real Musgrave as part of FenCon VI's roughly 100 program participants. The con chair was Russ Miller. This convention's theme was "Sci-Fi DIY".
With the charity auction and sales of the Kurt Miller limited-edition art print, more than $2700 was raised for Genesis Women's Shelter, an organization providing safety and shelter to battered women and their children in the greater Dallas area. FenCon VI served as the host site for the annual Summit of Starfleet International's Region Three, a gathering of Star Trek
fans from across Louisiana and Texas. Control of FenCon was ceremonially handed over from FenCon V & VI chair Russ Miller to incoming FenCon VII chair Julie Barrett with presentation of the "Dead Con Chair Sketch
" during closing ceremonies.
& Jeanne Robinson
, Music Guests of Honor Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff, Fen Guests of Honor Kevin Roche & Andrew Trembley, Artist Guest of Honor John Picacio
, Toastmaster Joe R. Lansdale
, Science Guest of Honor Doctor John N. Randall plus Special Guests author Robert J. Sawyer
and editor Jessica Wade. The con chair was Julie Barrett. In keeping with the theme, staff and convention t-shirts depict a 'mad' periodic table
of fictional fannish elements such as "Filkoneum" and "Literanium".
Guest of honor Jeanne Robinson died on May 30, 2010, but per FenCon tradition she remained an honored guest. Her husband, author Spider Robinson, was unable to attend in person as planned but appeared "virtually" through internet video conferencing
. With the charity auction and sales of the John Picacio limited-edition art print, more than $1730 was raised for Carter BloodCare
, an organization providing life-saving blood to 54 counties in North Central and East Texas. In addition, members donated
40 units of blood during a blood drive at FenCon on Saturday, September 18.
, Music Guest of Honor Joe Bethancourt
, Fen Guest of Honor Steven H Silver
, Artist Guest of Honor Vincent DiFate, Science Guest of Honor Les Johnson, Toastmaster Bradley Denton
, Special Guest Stephan Martinière
, plus Special Guest Lou Anders
who also ran the writers workshop. This convention hosted DeepSouthCon
49, the first DeepSouthCon to be held in the state of Texas. This convention's theme was "Southern Steam" and the con chair was Julie Barrett. In keeping with the theme, the staff t-shirts depicted a steam locomotive engine and the convention shirts featured Leonardo DaVinci-inspired artwork by Mel. White.
After winning the DeepSouthCon bid at Hypericon
in Nashville, Tennessee
, in 2009, FenCon promoted the 2011 convention at Texas-based events in Houston, Austin, College Station, Irving, and Dallas as well as travelling to ConCarolinas
in Charlotte, North Carolina
, to Soonercon
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
, to ConQuesT
in Kansas City, Missouri
, and to LibertyCon in Chattanooga, Tennessee
.
Vincent DiFate could not attend in person but appeared virtually through phone relays and remote video presentations. The annual charity auction and Vincent Di Fate limited-edition art print combined to raise around $2000 for the Habitat for Humanity of South Collin County
. As part of DeepSouthCon, the Rebel Award was presented to Brad W. Foster
, the Phoenix Award to Selina Rosen, the Rubble Award to LoneStarCon 3 chair Bill Parker, and the Hearts Tournament was won by Ruth Cruise.
, Science Guest of Honor Dr. David Hanson, Fan Guest of Honor Teresa Patterson, and Toastmaster Peter A. David. Special guest Karl Schroeder
will lead the writers' workshop. This convention's theme will be "The Future's So Bright..." and the convention chair will be Tim Morgan.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
with filk held each year on or around the fourth full weekend of September in or around Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. FenCon is a production of the Dallas Future Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that seeks to promote the advancement of science, literature, and music for all mankind.
Programming
While not a filk musicFilk music
Filk is a musical culture, genre, and community tied to science fiction/fantasy fandom and a type of fan labor. The genre has been active since the early 1950s, and played primarily since the mid-1970s. The term predates 1955.-Definitions:As the Interfilk What Is Filk page demonstrates, there is...
convention, FenCon is noted for its quantity and variety of filk programming, performances, and performers. The Texas Filk Page describes FenCon as "the premier filk event in Texas." The Dallas Observer
Dallas Observer
The Dallas Observer is a free alternative weekly newspaper distributed around the Dallas, Texas . At its inception, it was conceived as a weekly local arts and cinema review publication, with the credo "Advocate for Excellence in the Arts" on the cover. For a time during the early years, the paper...
has called FenCon "the region's hottest fan-run literary sci-fi and fantasy convention".
Other notable features of FenCon include science programming, writing panels, fan discussions, gaming, a diverse selection of guests, an art show and auction, a dealers room, a short story contest, a writers workshop, children's programming, and the FenCon Saturday Night Cabaret.
FenCon was named one of the "Best Literary and Book Events in D/FW" by KTVT
KTVT
KTVT, virtual channel 11, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, and serving the Dallas-Fort Worth designated market area. The station is co-owned with independent station KTXA , and the two stations share facilities in Dallas and Fort Worth...
in August 2011. The CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate cited FenCon as "the place to be this September". Tor.com notes that FenCon has "quickly established an enviable reputation among regular convention goers".
In addition to the educational and social aspects of FenCon, an external charity of interest to the membership is chosen each year to be the beneficiary of an annual charity auction and limited-edition cover art print sale. FenCon absorbs all the costs associated with creating these art prints so the entire donation goes directly to the designated charity.
In 2007, FenCon IV hosted the 2007 Lone Star Shindig, a Texas-wide gathering of Firefly
Firefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
fans. The LSS is a convention within a convention, hosted each year by a different local group each year. In 2009, FenCon VI hosted the Region Three Summit for Starfleet International, an annual gathering of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
fans from Texas and Louisiana. In 2011, FenCon served as DeepSouthCon
DeepSouthCon
The DeepSouthCon is an annual science fiction convention, which is hosted in different cities in the Southern United States. Site selection is by vote of the membership of a given DSC, for the convention to be held 2 years in the future. DSC is often, but not always, held in conjunction with an...
49, an annual gathering of science fiction fans from across the southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
.
Location
FenCon I through FenCon III were held at the Holiday Inn Select North Dallas, in Farmers Branch, TexasFarmers Branch, Texas
Farmers Branch is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is both an inner-ring suburb of Dallas and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. The population was 27,508 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S...
, just north of the Dallas city limits. As the membership increased and the programming expanded each year, more and more of the hotel's function space was used. By the end of FenCon III it was clear to the organizers that for the event to continue to grow the convention would have to relocate. Beginning with FenCon IV, the convention is held at the Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza is a chain of full service, upscale hotels catering to business travelers and to the meetings and conventions market. It forms part of the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands, which include InterContinental and Holiday Inn and operates in 52 countries, usually located in...
North Dallas. The Crowne Plaza North Dallas is located at 14315 Midway Road, between Spring Valley Road and Beltline Road in the northern Dallas suburb of Addison, Texas
Addison, Texas
Addison is a city in Dallas County, Texas . The population was 14,166 at the 2000 census, and 15,737 according to a 2009 estimate. Addison is a northern suburb of Dallas...
.
2004 - FenCon
FenCon was held September 24-26, 2004, at the Holiday Inn Select North Dallas in Farmers Branch, Texas. Featured guests included Guest of Honor Larry NivenLarry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
, Filk Guest Michael Longcor
Michael Longcor
Michael Longcor is a folk and filk singer. His songs span a range of topics including military history, Indiana history, and humor. He has won six Pegasus Awards and has been nominated for six others. His music has appeared on Dr...
, Fen Guest Jim Murray, Toastmaster Elizabeth Moon
Elizabeth Moon
Elizabeth Moon is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Her novel The Speed of Dark won the 2003 Nebula Award.-Biography:...
, plus Special Guests Joe R. Lansdale
Joe R. Lansdale
Joe R. Lansdale is an American author and martial-arts expert. He has written novels and stories in many genres, including Western, horror, science fiction, mystery, and suspense...
and Ardath Mayhar
Ardath Mayhar
Ardath Frances Hurst Mayhar began her writing career as a poet when she was nineteen. She began writing science fiction in 1979 after returning with her family to Texas from Oregon. She was nominated for the Mark Twain Award, and won the Balrog Award for a horror narrative poem in Masques I...
. Other notable guests included horror writer Charlee Jacob
Charlee Jacob
Charlee Jacob is an American author specializing in horror fiction, dark fantasy, and poetry. Her writing career began in 1981 with the publication of several poems under the name Charlee Carter Broach...
. The con chair was Michael Nelson. The theme of the convention, now the event's motto, was "Of the Fen, By the Fen, and For the Fen."
2005 - FenCon II
FenCon II was held September 23-25, 2005, at the Holiday Inn Select North Dallas in Farmers Branch, Texas. Featured guests included Guest of Honor S. M. StirlingS. M. Stirling
Stephen Michael Stirling is a French-born Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and the more recent time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and Emberverse series.-Personal:Stirling was born on...
, Music Guest Leslie Fish
Leslie Fish
Leslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, Artist Guest Larry Dixon, Fen Guest Randy Farran, Toastmaster David Gerrold
David Gerrold
Jerrold David Friedman , better known by his pen name David Gerrold, is an American science fiction author who started his career in 1966 while a college student by submitting an unsolicited story outline for the television series Star Trek. He was invited to submit several premises, and the one...
, and Special Guest Mike Resnick
Mike Resnick
Michael Diamond Resnick , better known by his published name Mike Resnick, is an American science fiction author. He was executive editor of Jim Baen's Universe.-Biography:...
. The con chair was Michael Nelson. The theme of the convention was "What If?" to tie-in to the alternate history works of several of the featured guests.
FenCon had long planned to add a charity auction in its second year with the intent of giving the money to a literacy charity in north Texas. However, because FenCon II took place just after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and during Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
it was decided to direct any charity efforts to disaster relief. Artist GoH Larry Dixon suggested that a limited-edition print of that year's program book cover art be sold to raise additional funds. FenCon produced prints of the cover art for both FenCon (art by Cat Conrad) and FenCon II (art by Larry Dixon) in a signed and numbered edition of 50 prints each. These prints combined with donation jars and the charity auction to raise $3500 which was donated to the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
for hurricane disaster relief.
2006 - FenCon III
FenCon III was held September 22-24, 2006, at the Holiday Inn Select North Dallas in Farmers Branch, Texas. Featured guests included Guest of Honor Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
, Music Guest Heather Alexander, Artist Guest Darrell K. Sweet
Darrell K. Sweet
Darrell K. Sweet is a professional illustrator best known for providing cover art for science fiction and fantasy novels, in which capacity he was nominated for Hugo award in 1983. He also produces art for trading cards and calendars. He is famous for providing the covers of the fantasy epic saga...
, Toastmaster Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher is a New York Times Best Selling author most known for his contemporary fantasy book series The Dresden Files. He also wrote the Codex Alera series. Butcher grew up as the only son of his parents, and has two older sisters. He currently lives in Independence with his wife, Shannon K...
, Special Guest Lawrence Watt-Evans
Lawrence Watt-Evans
Lawrence Watt-Evans is one of the pseudonyms of American science fiction and fantasy author Lawrence Watt Evans...
, and Fen Guest Judith Ward. Ward died on July 3, 2006, due to complications from diabetes but remained Fen GoH. The con chair was Tim Miller. The theme of the convention "Sci-Fi Camp" with a camping theme given to convention signage and publications plus convention volunteers wearing "Camp Staff" shirts.
FenCon once again held an auction and sold a limited-edition art print to raise funds for a charity. This year the designated charity was the American Diabetes Association
American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is a United States-based association working to fight the consequences of diabetes, and to help those affected by diabetes...
, selected to honor the memory of Judith Ward. Artist GoH Darrell K. Sweet supplied the program book cover art for that year's print, again each signed and numbered to 50 prints. $1400 was raised and donated to the American Diabetes Association.
2007 - FenCon IV
FenCon IV was held September 21-23, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza North Dallas in Addison, Texas. Featured guests included Guest of Honor Connie WillisConnie Willis
Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis is an American science fiction writer. She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for Blackout/All Clear...
, Music Guest Tom Smith
Tom Smith (filker)
Tom Smith is a singer-songwriter from , who got his start in the filk music community. He is a fourteen-time winner of the Pegasus Award for excellence in filking, including awards for his "A Boy and His Frog", "307 Ale", and "The Return of the King ", and was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in...
, Artist Guest David Mattingly
David Mattingly
David Burroughs Mattingly is an American illustrator and painter best known for his numerous book covers of science fiction and fantasy literature.-Art collections:...
, Fen Guest Kathleen Sloan
Kathleen Sloan
Kathleen Sloan is an American violinist based in Los Angeles, CA and a member of the Sonus Quartet.-Early Life:Sloan grew up in a ranching family in Breckenridge, TX...
, Toastmaster Steve Perry
Steve Perry (author)
Steve Perry is an American television writer and science fiction author.-Biography:Perry is a native of the Deep South. His residences have included Louisiana, California, Washington and Oregon...
, Special Guest Toni Weisskopf
Toni Weisskopf
Toni Weisskopf is a science fiction editor and the publisher of Baen Books.Weisskopf is an alumna of Oberlin College, from which she graduated in 1987. She was immediately employed by Baen Books, where she served as executive editor up until the death of founder Jim Baen in 2006, at which point...
, and Lone Star Shindig Guest Jarrod Davis of Zoic Studios
Zoic Studios
Zoic Studios is a visual effects company based in Culver City, California. They specialize in visual effects for feature films, episodic television, commercials, video games, advertising design, and interactive online media...
. The con chair was Tim Miller. The theme of the convention was "Fentastic Four," a play on words in recognition of this being FenCon's fourth year in existence.
As part of the effort to spread the word about the upcoming convention, FenCon volunteers twice manned phone banks in 2007 for Dallas public television station KERA-TV
KERA-TV
KERA-TV, virtual channel 13 , is the PBS member station in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Licensed to Dallas, it broadcasts from a transmitter located in Cedar Hill. However, it also serves as the default PBS station for the Abilene, San Angelo and Tyler/Longview/Lufkin/Nacogdoches markets, as...
in support of their returning science fiction programming to their regular schedule. FenCon team members also threw room parties or manned fan tables at ConDFW
ConDFW
ConDFW is a literary science fiction and fantasy convention held annually in the Dallas, Texas area. As such, attendees can mingle with the author and artist guests, attend panel discussions and readings led by the guests, get books signed, look at and buy SF and fantasy art from artists around the...
, Aggiecon
AggieCon
AggieCon is the oldest and largest student-run science fiction convention in the United States. Held annually since 1969 by Cepheid Variable at Texas A&M University's Memorial Student Center, it has grown to become one of the larger conventions in Texas...
, the National Space Society
National Space Society
The National Space Society is an international nonprofit 501, educational, and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy...
's 2007 International Space Development Conference, ApolloCon
ApolloCon
ApolloCon is a science fiction convention held annually in Houston, Texas by the Houston Science Fiction Association , a non-profit 5013 corporation....
, Dallas Comic Con
Dallas Comic Con
The Dallas Comic Con is two-day event usually held twice a year in the Dallas, Texas area. Similar in size to the Sci-Fi Expo events under the same OfficialPix management, the Dallas Comic Con focuses on comic book artists, writers, and publishers...
, Conestoga
Conestoga (convention)
Conestoga is a literary science fiction and fantasy convention held every year in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Celebrating science fiction and fantasy literature and art are the staples of Conestoga, but many who are interested in horror, science fiction, anime, and comics attend. Popular activities at the...
, ArmadilloCon
ArmadilloCon
ArmadilloCon is a science fiction convention held annually in Austin, Texas, USA, since 1979. As the second longest running science fiction convention in Texas, it is sponsored by the Fandom Association of Central Texas and is known for its emphasis on literary science fiction...
, and several other regional events.
FenCon held an auction and sold a limited-edition art print to raise funds for a designated charity. For 2007, this charity was the North Texas Food Bank
North Texas Food Bank
The North Texas Food Bank is a social benefit organization located in Dallas Texas. The organization distributes donated, purchased and prepared foods through a network of nearly 1,000 feeding programs in 13 North Texas counties...
and a grand total of $2000 was raised and donated at FenCon IV. The NTFB passionately pursues a hunger-free community. Last year, the NTFB distributed 32 million pounds of food to 764 feeding and education programs in 13 North Texas counties. Artist GoH David Mattingly provided the art for this year's signed and numbered limited-edition print.
2008 - FenCon V
FenCon V was held on October 3-5, 2008, at the Crowne Plaza North Dallas in Addison, Texas. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the first science fiction convention in Texas: Southwestercon 6 held in July, 1958, in Dallas. Anniversary events, Texas-themed programming, and special guests were scheduled to help commemorate this date. Featured guests included Guest of Honor Gregory BenfordGregory Benford
Gregory Benford is an American science fiction author and astrophysicist who is on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine...
, Music Guest Three Weird Sisters
Three Weird Sisters (band)
Three Weird Sisters is a band from Atlanta, Georgia. The group performs filk music with harp, double bass, guitar, and bodhran accompaniment. Their albums include Hair of the Frog and Rite the First Time....
, Fen Guest Gerald Burton, Artist Guest Real Musgrave the creator of Pocket Dragons
Pocket Dragons
Pocket Dragons are collectible depictions of friendly dragons in various situations. They are produced primarily in figurine form, but also are released as ornaments, in flat artwork and various other forms. They were created by, and are still designed by, Real Musgrave, and are manufactured by...
, ORAC Special Guest Doris Egan
Doris Egan
Doris Egan is an American screenwriter, producer, and writer. She has worked on Smallville, Dark Angel, and House as well as many other television programs.-Gate of Ivory trilogy:...
, plus Special Guest and writers workshop instructor Jay Lake
Jay Lake
Joseph E. Lake, Jr. is a science fiction and fantasy writer. In 2003 he was a quarterly first place winner in the Writers of the Future contest. In 2004 he won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction. He lives in Portland, Oregon and currently works as a product manager...
. The con chair was Russ Miller. Toastmaster Howard Waldrop
Howard Waldrop
Howard Waldrop is a science fiction author who works primarily in short fiction.Waldrop's stories combine elements such as alternate history, American popular culture, the American South, old movies , classical mythology, and rock 'n' roll music. His style is sometimes obscure or elliptical...
was unable to attend due to health concerns.
FenCon held an auction and sold a limited-edition art print to raise money for that year's designated charity. A total of $2130 was raised and donated to Radio & Reading Resources of North Texas, a radio reading service
Radio reading service
A radio reading service or reading service for the blind is a service of many universities, community groups and public radio stations, where a narrator reads books, newspapers and magazines aloud for the benefit of the blind and vision-impaired. It is most often carried on a subcarrier, with...
, for their programs to bring the printed word to the visually disabled. Artist GoH Real Musgrave provided the art for this year's signed and numbered limited-edition print.
A similarly named media convention, FedConUSA, was also held in Dallas in 2008. FedConUSA, which shutdown mid-event, was not connected in any way to FenCon.
2009 - FenCon VI
FenCon VI was held on September 18-20, 2009, at the Crowne Plaza North Dallas in Addison, Texas. Featured guests included Guest of Honor Lois McMaster BujoldLois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold is an American author of science fiction and fantasy works. Bujold is one of the most acclaimed writers in her field, having won the prestigious Hugo Award for best novel four times, matching Robert A. Heinlein's record. Her novella The Mountains of Mourning won both the Hugo...
, Music Guest of Honor Carla Ulbrich
Carla Ulbrich
Carla Ulbrich is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, author, and self-described "professional smart aleck" from Clemson, South Carolina.-Career:...
, Fen Guest of Honor Warren Buff, Artist Guest of Honor Kurt Miller, Toastmaster Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
, plus Special Guests Keith R.A. DeCandido and Howard Waldrop
Howard Waldrop
Howard Waldrop is a science fiction author who works primarily in short fiction.Waldrop's stories combine elements such as alternate history, American popular culture, the American South, old movies , classical mythology, and rock 'n' roll music. His style is sometimes obscure or elliptical...
. Also attending were former FenCon honored guests Randy Farran, Gerald Burton, Tom Smith, and Real Musgrave as part of FenCon VI's roughly 100 program participants. The con chair was Russ Miller. This convention's theme was "Sci-Fi DIY".
With the charity auction and sales of the Kurt Miller limited-edition art print, more than $2700 was raised for Genesis Women's Shelter, an organization providing safety and shelter to battered women and their children in the greater Dallas area. FenCon VI served as the host site for the annual Summit of Starfleet International's Region Three, a gathering of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
fans from across Louisiana and Texas. Control of FenCon was ceremonially handed over from FenCon V & VI chair Russ Miller to incoming FenCon VII chair Julie Barrett with presentation of the "Dead Con Chair Sketch
Dead Parrot
The "Dead Parrot Sketch", alternatively and originally known as the "Pet Shop Sketch" or "Parrot Sketch", is a popular sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus, and one of the most famous in the history of British television comedy...
" during closing ceremonies.
2010 - FenCon VII
FenCon VII was held on September 17-19, 2010, at the Crowne Plaza North Dallas in Addison, Texas. This convention's theme was "Mad Science". Featured guests included Guests of Honor Spider RobinsonSpider Robinson
Spider Robinson is an American-born Canadian Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction author.- Biography :Born in the Bronx, New York City, Robinson attended Catholic high school, spending his junior year in a seminary, followed by two years in a Catholic college, and five years at the State...
& Jeanne Robinson
Jeanne Robinson
Jeanne Robinson was an American-born Canadian dancer, choreographer, teacher and co-author of three award-winning science fiction novels, The Stardance Saga...
, Music Guests of Honor Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff, Fen Guests of Honor Kevin Roche & Andrew Trembley, Artist Guest of Honor John Picacio
John Picacio
John Picacio is an award-winning American artist specializing in science fiction, fantasy and horror illustration.-Biography:...
, Toastmaster Joe R. Lansdale
Joe R. Lansdale
Joe R. Lansdale is an American author and martial-arts expert. He has written novels and stories in many genres, including Western, horror, science fiction, mystery, and suspense...
, Science Guest of Honor Doctor John N. Randall plus Special Guests author Robert J. Sawyer
Robert J. Sawyer
Robert James Sawyer is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 20 novels published, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and many anthologies. Sawyer has won over forty awards for his fiction, including the Nebula Award ,...
and editor Jessica Wade. The con chair was Julie Barrett. In keeping with the theme, staff and convention t-shirts depict a 'mad' periodic table
Periodic table
The periodic table of the chemical elements is a tabular display of the 118 known chemical elements organized by selected properties of their atomic structures. Elements are presented by increasing atomic number, the number of protons in an atom's atomic nucleus...
of fictional fannish elements such as "Filkoneum" and "Literanium".
Guest of honor Jeanne Robinson died on May 30, 2010, but per FenCon tradition she remained an honored guest. Her husband, author Spider Robinson, was unable to attend in person as planned but appeared "virtually" through internet video conferencing
Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing is the conduct of a videoconference by a set of telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously...
. With the charity auction and sales of the John Picacio limited-edition art print, more than $1730 was raised for Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is a not-for-profit, 501 organization that operates in 56 Texas counties. The Bedford campus is equipped to store, process, and test all blood components locally before distribution...
, an organization providing life-saving blood to 54 counties in North Central and East Texas. In addition, members donated
Blood donation
A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for transfusions or made into medications by a process called fractionation....
40 units of blood during a blood drive at FenCon on Saturday, September 18.
2011 - FenCon VIII
FenCon VIII was held from September 23-25, 2011, at the Crowne Plaza North Dallas in Addison, Texas. Guests included Guest of Honor Gail CarrigerGail Carriger
Gail Carriger is the pen name of Tofa Borregaard, an archaeologist and author of steampunk fiction. She was born in Bolinas, an unincorporated community in Marin County, California, and attended high school at Marin Academy...
, Music Guest of Honor Joe Bethancourt
Joe Bethancourt
W.J. Bethancourt III is a traditional American musician , based in Phoenix, Arizona.-Biography:Bethancourt was born in El Paso, Texas. He began learning banjo at age 9, after he heard his maternal grandfather, C. H. Burnett, playing fiddle. His first banjo was given him by his grandfather, and...
, Fen Guest of Honor Steven H Silver
Steven H Silver
Steven H Silver is an American science fiction fan and bibliographer, publisher, and editor. He has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer ten times and Best Fanzine three times without winning....
, Artist Guest of Honor Vincent DiFate, Science Guest of Honor Les Johnson, Toastmaster Bradley Denton
Bradley Denton
Bradley Clayton Denton is an American science fiction author. He has also written other types of fiction, such as the black comedy of his novel Blackburn, about a sympathetic serial killer....
, Special Guest Stephan Martinière
Stephan Martinière
Stephan Martinière is an award-winning French science fiction and fantasy artist, using his considerable skill and experience to morph from cartoonist, to concept illustrator, to art director.-Biography:...
, plus Special Guest Lou Anders
Lou Anders
Lou Anders is an American editor, author and journalist, primarily of science fiction/fantasy novels, articles and short stories.-Biography and journalism:...
who also ran the writers workshop. This convention hosted DeepSouthCon
DeepSouthCon
The DeepSouthCon is an annual science fiction convention, which is hosted in different cities in the Southern United States. Site selection is by vote of the membership of a given DSC, for the convention to be held 2 years in the future. DSC is often, but not always, held in conjunction with an...
49, the first DeepSouthCon to be held in the state of Texas. This convention's theme was "Southern Steam" and the con chair was Julie Barrett. In keeping with the theme, the staff t-shirts depicted a steam locomotive engine and the convention shirts featured Leonardo DaVinci-inspired artwork by Mel. White.
After winning the DeepSouthCon bid at Hypericon
Hypericon
Hypericon is a speculative fiction convention held yearly in June in Nashville, Tennessee. Hypericon is presented by Frontiers-Nashville, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of the fannish community and all their myriad interests...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, in 2009, FenCon promoted the 2011 convention at Texas-based events in Houston, Austin, College Station, Irving, and Dallas as well as travelling to ConCarolinas
ConCarolinas
ConCarolinas is a three day long science fiction convention held once each year in Charlotte, North Carolina, hosted by ConCarolinas, Inc., a non-profit corporation....
in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, to Soonercon
Soonercon
SoonerCon is a fan-run multi-genre convention held annually in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. SoonerCon was founded in 1986 but went dormant after the 1997 event. In 2005, a group of fans, headed by con chair Jerry Wall, re-established SoonerCon as the multi-genre convention in Oklahoma City...
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
, to ConQuesT
ConQuesT
ConQuesT is an annual science fiction convention held in the Kansas City, Missouri area; it is sponsored by the long-running Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society and is the oldest such convention in Missouri, having first been established under a different name back in the summer of 1972...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, and to LibertyCon in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
.
Vincent DiFate could not attend in person but appeared virtually through phone relays and remote video presentations. The annual charity auction and Vincent Di Fate limited-edition art print combined to raise around $2000 for the Habitat for Humanity of South Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
. As part of DeepSouthCon, the Rebel Award was presented to Brad W. Foster
Brad W. Foster
Brad W. Foster is an American illustrator, cartoonist, writer and publisher. He is a fixture at the Hugo Awards, where he holds the record for most awards for "Best Fan Artist." As of 2011, since 1984 he has been nominated 23 times, and won 8...
, the Phoenix Award to Selina Rosen, the Rubble Award to LoneStarCon 3 chair Bill Parker, and the Hearts Tournament was won by Ruth Cruise.
2012 - FenCon IX
FenCon IX will be held September 21-23, 2012, at the Crowne Plaza North Dallas in Addison, Texas. Honored guests will include Guest of Honor C.J. Cherryh, Music Guest of Honor John Anealio, Artist Guest of Honor Donato GiancolaDonato Giancola
Donato Giancola is an American artist specializing in science fiction and fantasy illustration.-Biography:Donato Giancola was born in 1967 and raised in Colchester, Vermont, near Burlington, Vermont...
, Science Guest of Honor Dr. David Hanson, Fan Guest of Honor Teresa Patterson, and Toastmaster Peter A. David. Special guest Karl Schroeder
Karl Schroeder
Karl Schroeder is an award-winning Canadian science fiction author. His novels present far-future speculations on topics such as nanotechnology, terraforming, augmented reality and interstellar travel, and have a deeply philosophical streak...
will lead the writers' workshop. This convention's theme will be "The Future's So Bright..." and the convention chair will be Tim Morgan.