Lettie Prell is a science fiction writer whose subject matter often explore the edge where humans and their technology are increasingly merging, occasionally resulting in comparisons to Black Mirror. Her stories have appeared on Tor.com, and in Clarksworld, Analog, and Apex Magazine, and reprinted in a number of anthologies, including The New Voices of Science Fiction (2019), The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Science Fiction: 2018 Edition, edited by Rich Horton, and The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume 2. She’s lived in Des Moines most of her adult life, where we’ve known for a long time she’s on of the best!

David Pancake is a sculptor of fantasy art. David’s creations represent a vast and unique repertoire of his personal interests. Not limiting himself to one genre, he pursues a variety of subject matter which includes a series of risqué angels, dragons, comic book heroes, nudes, abstracts, and horror figurines.

David is fascinated with the sensual beauty of the human form, which is quite evident in his risqué angel sculptures. He states: “I love detail and texture and angels and dragons allows me to create whimsical creatures that display a wide variety of complex textures that feel sensual to the touch.” David’s work captures a flight of fancy, freezes the imagination’s most soaring dream, and brings it to terra firma for our pleasure and admiration.

David Pancake’s fantasy art creations are sought by international collectors and his beautiful sculptures are gracing homes all over the USA as well as Europe. David has been sculpting for 20 years, bringing to life dragons, angels and heroes.

Dana and Bruce Hinterleitner are shocked and thrilled on being chosen as DemiCon’s Fan Guests of Honor. Generally, Bruce is responsible for us being banned and not recognized. “Hey hon, if you’re talking about the Cheez Whiz incident that was hardly my fault. Anyway, I’m much better now.”

Regardless, they have been attending, teaching, partying, and costuming at a large variety of conventions for a very long time. I mean we’re talking decades.

Both have received multiple costuming awards together and individually for their costuming art including awards for Best in Show for Workmanship and Presentation.

Finally, they were responsible for the ten foot tall Flamingo at DemiCon in 2018. “Hey did I mention I’m much better now?”

In my college days I came across a “Science Fiction Convention” called ICON. As I was inspired by the strange times, for Ronald Reagan had just become president, I attended ICON’s 4th convention. It was there that I called upon that Midwestern ideal of acceptance I was raised with, for you see these folks were strange. They did strange things with lime green Jell-O and clothing optional swimming events. As time past, I was accepted into their numbers and though I developed a liking to lime green Jell-O, I always felt it was best and safest to leave my clothes on. Words to live by, I imagine.

Towards the end of that decade, I met a girl named Mary. I took her to Science Fiction Conventions and discovered that she too held the same views on lime green Jell-O and clothing that I did. It was a match made in the cosmos. About the same time we arrived in Des Moines to see the dawn of a new Science Fiction Convention: DemiCon. We had traveled with the Trans Iowa Canal Company and appeared with them in the first five DemiCons.  Gone were the days of lime green Jell-O and clothing optional swimming events, Science Fiction had become a family event. So Mary and I jumped on that bandwagon and procreated. Two prodigy resulted, a daughter named Alex and a son, James. Raised in tolerance, they too have accepted Science Fiction as a way of life.  So 29 DemiCons later, I hope that one day, they will find their “lime green Jell-O,” but have the good sense to leave their clothes on when they do.

In 2013 Mary and I along with Joe Struss and Mandi Arthur Struss formed the BrassGears Adventurers Society, of which I am its president. We have shared many events with the fine folks at DesMoines Science Fiction Society and it has brought us nothing but joy. We only have one rule in the Society and that is to have fun. Not long after that I discovered that I bear a resemblance to the 26^th president of these United States, Theodore Roosevelt. If you see Teddy at the BAS room party or in the hallways, say hello, but don’t take too long. The men with the straight jacket and padded van are not far behind.