I have received my itinerary for NorWesCon. Since I maintain several blogs I'm posting this information on each but it's substantially the same. The search engines will have to forgive me.

NorWesCon is held in the Seattle area. Of course, that is the same weekend SakuraCon will be held in downtown Seattle and you have to ask: Which do Tolkien fans want to see more? Cute girls in anime costumes or Michael Martinez pontificating on the nature of Orcs and Elves? Hm. Tough choice ....

Saturday, April 11

The Blogger Effect 11:00 AM Cascade 5
Has blogging ruined the fine art of editing? What do we gain with publishing spontaneous writing? And what do we lose? There is a growing network of SF/F professional and aspiring writers connected via LiveJournal and other blogging communities. Is it breaking down the barriers between pro, amateur, and fan-ficcer? Does it function as an informal online writers' workshop, as a support group, or a black hole of cat-vacuuming?
Josh Palmatier, Mark Henry, Michael Martinez, Gordon Van Gelder

Comparative Study: Elves 1:00 PM Cascade 8
Delicate, beautiful, graceful...deadly. Light Elves versus Dark, Night versus Blood, what is it about these diametrically opposing forces that draw us to them? Is it simply easy storytelling or is it representative of the dichotomy within each of us? Or both? Come ready to discuss elves in context of opposing sides in literature and gaming.
Dave Butler, Michael Martinez, Ciandi Stephens

On the Fringe 3:00 PM Cascade 10
Have the creators of Lost created a new winner?
Chris Nilsson, Ryan K. Johnson, Michael Martinez

Using Fantasy and Science Fiction to Engage the Next Generation 4:00 PM Cascade 7
With the competition presented by computers, TV, and the myriad of animated gaming devices, K-12 educators are intensely interested in finding new ways to engage their students’ interest. Members of SF&F fandom, are invited to take part in brainstorming ways to improve educational approaches for the future using Science Fiction and Fantasy themes as a jumping-off point.
Spring Shoenhuth, Craig Figley, Eva-Lise Carlstrom, Miki Garrison, Michael Martinez

Comparative Study: Orcs 5:00 PM Cascade 5
They are easily recognizable by their green, grey or brown skin, tusks and fangs...not to mention the fact that they are almost definitely trying to kill you. Orcs have haunted our nightmares (and therefore, our stories) for decades, but what do these creatures have in common with each other? Comparing Tolkein, Salvatore and other literary works with games such as Warhammer and Warcraft, this panel analyzes the origins and history of Fantasy's favorite barbarian horde.
Dave Butler, Michael Martinez, Chris Pramas, Dylan S.

Tolkien Has a Lot to Answer For 7:00 PM Cascade 4
With Lord of the Rings, Tolkien established the fantasy genre and many of the current fantasy traditions. Has this now hindered the growth of the fantasy genre?
Michael Martinez, Jeff Grubb, Eric Mona

Sunday, April 12

The Fannish Community On Line 10:00 AM Cascade 8
From parsing every detail of every sci fi and fantasy script out of Hollywood to debates on production stills for movies that don't come out for another year, on-line fandom has become a force to be reckoned with and even courted. With threats of boycott of Twentieth Century Fox over Watchman as an example, how will fandom use its online power to advance the cause of science fiction and fantasy?
Ryan K. Johnson, Michael Martinez, Amanda Cherry, Leo Roberts