Guests of Honor
We are excited to announce the return of our Guests of Honor slate from virtual DemiCons 31 and 32: Author Guest of Honor Lettie Prell, Artist Guest of Honor David Pancake, Artist Guest of Honor Alison Johnstun, and Fan Guests of Honor Dana Hinterleitner and Bruce Hinterleitner.
Toastmaster will be Tadao Tomomatsu.
Lettie Prell
Lettie Prell often writes about the edge where humans and their technology are increasingly merging, although she has also explored justice-related themes, which stem from her long-standing career as a researcher in that field. Her short fiction has appeared in WIRED, Tor.com, Clarkesworld, Analog, Apex and Martian Magazine, and reprinted in a number of anthologies, including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy and The New Voices of Science Fiction. Her novella, Uploading Angela, was a finalist for the AnLab Readers’ Award. Her work has also been translated into several languages.
When Lettie is not writing, she can be found in the kitchen or garden, or at her piano, where she is attempting to learn jazz. She is a good amateur photographer and a subpar chess player. A life-long Midwesterner, she currently lives in Des Moines.
Check out Lettie’s work here:
Live Update by Lettie Prell : Clarkesworld Magazine – Science Fiction & Fantasy
The Future of Work: ‘Collaborative Configurations of Minds,’ by Lettie Prell | WIRED
David Pancake
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.
Alison Johnstun
Alison is an independent artist who has always loved animals, creatures, and monsters, and draws dragons every day. Her website hosts links to her online store as well as her patreon, and also houses a journal of her daily dragon sketches.
She has previously exhibited work in the DemiCon. Check out her new book of illustrations, available on her website at https://www.alisonjohnstun.com.
Fans Dana & Bruce Hinterleitner
Bruce and Dana Hinterleitner have been bringing, for over three decades, their brand of humor and costuming skills and characters to the halls and stage at conventions and gatherings across the country. You’re never quite sure what they will show up with, but it is generally noteworthy, like a 10 foot flamingo.
So if you are still reading this consider yourself forewarned.
Toastmaster Tadao Tomomatsu
Tadao Tomomatsu (aka TNT or Uncle Albert) is a local celebrity within the Los Angeles science fiction community. He is also an actor, comedian, and a general all-around good guy. Really, what other guest of a convention is willing to come in a day early and stay a day late to work as hard at setting up and tearing down a convention as the convention staff.
He was born in Texas on a date which only his parents know for sure, but his age is suspected to be within the range of 25-85. However, he grew up in the Midwest in an area which could boast few Asian heritage inhabitants. As self-defense against being signaled out in a negative way, Tadao developed a quick sense of humor and a wide range of voices. He is truly a man of many voices. Ask him for an impersonation and he may not even know which voice will speak. This ability soon led to his participation in theater productions and the discovery of a love for the field of entertainment.
The son of a preeminent food scientist, he was encouraged to continue his academic career which resulted in his attaining a Bachelor´s in the Communication Studies from the University of Iowa. During these early years, he was employed as a Chicago DJ as well as in several other eclectic jobs. In college, he became an active participant in Mid-Western Fandom.
In recognition of his involvement in Mid-Western fandom and because he´s so much fun, he has been a Fan Guest of Honor at DemiCon, ConQuest and ICon as well as serving as Toastmaster at both Icon and Demicon. Following his history in the Midwest, he moved to the West Coast in 1992 in order to take on a production assistant position for the then-new series Friends.
The following years saw his active involvement in many aspects of the entertainment business (see his resume). It also saw his slow increasing involvement in local science fiction fandom in the forms of both the Time Meddlers of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS).
In 1999 he became involved with the world´s first internet 24/7 broadcasting station, CyberRadio. He not only wrote and produced, but also was a Cyberjock/host.
One of his most recognized characterizations is a Lead Actor in USA Network´s Banzai Movie Friday and Banzai TV United Kingdom as Mr. Shake-Hand´s Man.
His most recent project was a short film by Canon to introduce their new camera, the “XXIT”, playing opposite Nicolette Sheridan. Apparently, there is some behind the scenes footage of Tadao doing knife flipping bits…
Professional Guests
We have many local, regional, and national professionals that attend DemiCon. They contribute to many areas of the convention, such as the art show, the music venue, and programming.
If you would like to be considered as a professional guest, or if you know a professional that we should invite to DemiCon 35, please fill out this form to let us know.
DemiCon Hall of Fame
At DemiCon 15 we wanted a way to extend special acknowledgement those who have helped make DemiCon what is today. The DemiCon Hall of Fame was created to recognize those particularly influential individuals.
Rusty “James” Hevelin
At DemiCon 15, Rusty Hevelin was our first inductee to DemiCon Hall of Fame. Rusty had started as our Fan Guest of Honor at DC 1, but somewhere before our first convention came around, he was named Toastmaster. From that day forth, he was our Toastmaster. When Rusty became a member of the DemiCon Hall of Fame, he was given the title of Toastmaster Emeritus, but he did not rest on his laurels and has been at every DemiCon until DC22 when health problems kept him away. Rusty passed away in 2011.
To learn more about Rusty, follow this link to the Hevelin Collection at the University of Iowa.
Joe and Gay Haldeman
Gay and Joe had an intricate part in growing the love of science fiction in those who created DemiCon when they were members of Science Fiction League of Iowa Students (which Joe created) and running ICON. Gay and Joe have been dubbed by those that were under their tutelage as the “Grandparents” of DemiCon.
Joe Haldeman is a multiple Hugo and Nebula award winning author. For his spectacular career in writing science fiction and fantasy, he was given the honor of SFWA Grand Master. Joe has been our Author GOH for DC 2 and DC 20 where the Haldemans were inducted into the DemiCon Hall of Fame.
Gay Haldeman was our Fan Guest of Honor at DC 2 and was a regular guest, besides Rusty Hevelins’ travel buddy through the many years. Mary Gay Potter Haldeman (a name familiar to those who read The Forever War) has a Master’s Degree in Spanish Literature and another in Linguistics. Joe and Gay are retired in Florida after many years of teaching at MIT . But, Joe is not the only one with an award or two. Gay shared a Skylark Award with Joe in 1996, and in 2011 was given the Big Heart Award at the World SF Convention in Reno, Nevada. Both Gay and Joe have thespian talents and have graced our stage as TICC performers, as well.
Glen Cook
Glen was made a member at DemiCon 25. Glen Cook Author guest of honor for DemiCon 5, known for his stellar The Black Company military fantasy series and so much more, told DemiCon this: I was born and am still under foot. Hit the ground in NYC in 1944, lived there, Indiana, and California growing up. Served in the Navy, attended U of Missouri, worked for General Motors and retired therefrom. Began writing with intent to commit publication late 1960s and have since produced 51 published books (#51, Working God’s Mischief, will come out between now and the convention), some short fiction, some articles and some essays. I have three sons, an Army officer, an architect, and a symphony musician, plus numerous grandchildren, all but one of whom seem determined to be female. And I have an amazing wife who has been with me for almost 45 years. These days I am, extremely slowly, working on expanding the Black Company chronicles by two novels and a story collection. I have become a victim of Ambition Deficit Disorder, which is what has put the slow in slowly.
Glen has been at almost every DemiCon selling books to all who love the joy of reading. Signing his and making DemiCon even more special. Thanks Glen.
Carol Eis and Karen Eis
Carol and Karen Eis are the unsung heroes of the Art Show. Lovingly known to all as the Eis Sisters, these two showed up on a DemiCon of many years past to volunteer and stayed. Coming in to help behind the scenes for both show and auction, they make sure all runs smoothly. The Eis Sisters have even helped train some of our art show department heads on the little tricks of the trade. DemiCon is fortunate to have Carol and Karen as volunteers throughout the years.