Friday, 3pm

Opening Ceremonies – Cameron

Friday, 4pm

Putting the “Social” in Social Media – Reynolds

Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat: how to promote yourself and engage with fans, make new friends, and build a network. For fans, what do you like to hear and see from people you follow? Let’s help each other connect!

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Samantha Bryant, Ian J. Malone, Way Stark, Christopher Moore

Debunking Fake News or Pseudo-Science – Cameron

Assessing claims and debunking the harmful junk floating around while maintaining your sanity and relationships

Panelists: Darin Kennedy, Bill Ferris, James Maxey, Jessa Pearce

2016: The Year of Other Realities – Smith

Pokemon Go!, Occulus, Cardboard–2016 has been the year for augmented and virtual reality to take center stage. What possibilites and pitfalls lay ahead? Will we have a holedeck utopia or a cyberpunk hell hole?

Panelists: Chris Shrewsbury, Jim McDonald, Justin Achilli, Gretchen McHenry

Friday, 5pm

Conventions and Disabilities – Smith

A workshop and discussion hosted by Chris Shrewsbury

Panelists: Chris Shrewsbury, Mei Hua-Burns

Intro to Writing the “Other” – Cameron

It can be a tricky to write someone whose experience is wildly different than your own. This is an overview of how to tread sensitive topics with respect and seek advice about avoiding harmful stereotypes, and–more importantly–what to do when you fail

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Samantha Bryant, Suzanne Adair, Ada Milenkovic Brown,

Colorful Kaiju – Reynolds

Big bads rule, especially when they’re Godzilla. What makes a monster memorable and how do you write one?

Panelists: Natania Barron, Richard Dansky, Jesse Galena, Patrick Raptor Hessman

Friday, 6pm

QUILTBAG – Reynolds

Representation matters! Let’s talk about ongoing and new issues facing LGBT+ people and characters creating, enjoying, and appearing in media.

Panelists: Michael Williams, Natania Barron, Gerty McHenry, Allie Mussatti

Get Back into Comics – Cameron

Continuity is daunting. Do you want to be reading more comics but don’t know where to start? Get some advice on specific issues to start with and podcasts and web sites to help you branch out

Panelists: Jesse Galena, Evan Ransom, Madison Metricula, Jenna Say What, Justin LaPoint

Nerd Culture is Mainstream Culture – Smith

The biggest hit movies feature super heroes and the most popular shows in TV feature dragons and robots. It’s a great time to be a geek, but how did this happen?

Panelists: Chris Shrewsbury, Ian J. Malone, Dave Ellis, Richard Butner, James Maxey

Reading: Betty Cross – Crescent

Friday, 7pm

Paranormal Pets: Critters, Cryptids, and Creepies – Smith

Is a magical familar ever just too much? Do Pokemon count? How does having a stalwart companion change our emotional investment in a story?

Panelists: Mur Lafferty, Michael Williams, Natania Barron, Bill Ferris,

Nerd Music: Unplugged – Cameron

Join filkers Gray Rinehart and Madison Metricula for an hour of nerdy campfire songs!

Suspend Disbelief: Magic Systems in High(ish) Fantasy – Reynolds

Creating magic systems for swords! Sandals! Spells!

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Darin Kennedy, Fraser Sherman, Erin Rhew, Natania Barron

Reading: Suzanne Adair – Crescent

Friday, 8pm

What is a “Real Game”? – Smith

What makes a video or digital based game a game? People who spend four or five hours a day playing Candy Crush have more in common with die-hard Halo players than they think!

Panelists: Richard Dansky, Dave Ellis, J. L. Hilton, Justin Achilli, John Lapoint

CosPlay and Body Image – Cameron

Panelists: James Rippe, Jenny Menzi, Allie Blackmon, Chris Burnside, Matthew Penick

Trivia for Chocolate – Reynolds

Host: Rich Sigfrit

Friday, 9pm

It’s Not Your Fault – Reynolds

Please join Jenna Say What? And other fellow cosplayers share our experiences with bullying and abuse, how they have overcome it, and share their inspirational stories of doing such.

Panelists: Jennifer Peltier, Brandon Hurley, Monica Jones, Kenta Casagrande, Jenny Menzi

Psych! Pyschics and Sentient Phenomena – Cameron

Writing-focused discussion of all our favorite love interests and paranormal peoples

Panelists: Darin Kennedy, Richard Dansky, Michael Williams, Natania Barron

Hell Week – Smith

Examine the Jan. 27 – Feb. 1 anniversaries of the three mission-related tragedies of America’s space program. We’ll discuss the events themselves, their causes, and their effects within NASA and beyond.

Panelists: Chris Shrewsbury, Gray Rinehart, Suzanne Adair

Friday, 10pm

Blurred Realities – Smith

If one of the things that makes horror scary is the warping of our reality, where does urban fantasy fit in? Even without being “scary”, urban fantasy challenges what we perceive as normal in our mundane world. What lurks in the shadows?

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Daniel José Older, John Hartness, Harli Hanson

Remakes: Good or Bad? – Cameron

A roundup of the best and worst of the ever-popular remake in TV and film. What worked? What should die in a fire?

Panelists: Michael Williams, Charlie Rocket, Chris Shrewsbury, Kate Koballa, Dave Ellis

Clayton Wick and Al Ross Memorial Dumpster Fire Clip Show – Reynolds

Hosts: Clayton Wick, Al Ross

Drop-in Music and Filk Circle – Crescent (lasts until)

Friday, 11pm

Urban Legends and Creepypasta – Smith

Cautionary tales of things that happened to your mother’s friend’s cousin are passed around campfires and web forums alike. Let’s talk about our favorite snippets of modern folklore and what it says about us

Panelists: Ouija Board, Gail Z. Martin, Daniel José Older, Jim McDonald, Darin Kennedy, Rich Sigfrit

Robot and AI Rights – Cameron

Self driving cars, drones, and sexbots: the lines between science and science fiction are blurring when it comes to AI and machine automation. And have you seen the Boston Dynamics robot dogs? The future is now, y’all.

Panelists: Bill Ferris, Christos Archer, James Maxey,

Eye of Argon – Reynolds

Sacrifices: Chris Ross, Clayton Wick, Al Ross

Saturday, 10am

Repeating Itself: Historical Fiction – Smith

Using the past to tell our stories! A discussion of the advantages and pitfalls of writing historical or fiction or alternate histories that diverge from the familiar

Panelists: Fraser Sherman, Erin Rhew, Ada Milenkovic Brown, Clay Griffith, Susan Griffith

Making Modern Magic – Cameron

Creating magic systems for swords! Sandals! Spells!

Panelists: Gail Z Martin, Darin Kennedy, Jim McDonald, Daniel José Older, Jesse Galena

Saturday Morning Cartoon Nostalgia – Reynolds

Wear your jammies, bring your coffee, and talk about your favorite cartoons of the 80s, 90s, and beyond! BYOCereal!

Panelists: Christopher Moore, Bill Ferris, John Lapoint, Jessa Pearce, Janet S. Planets

Saturday, 11am

Medium Difficulty – Smith

Our veteran cosplayers and costumers discuss the different mediums used in creating their costumes. What mediums they use, when to use them, and which they avoid.

Hosts: Matthew Penick, Charlie Rocket, Theresa Perlmutter

Famous First Words – Cameron

What makes a story opening compelling? Panelists will discuss the openings of select science fiction and fantasy stories or novels, in an attempt to help writers find out what works — and maybe what doesn’t. Audience members may bring in stories or novels they have recently read that they found particularly inviting; if time permits, the panelists and audience may discuss those works as well.

Panelists: Gray Rinehart, Ian J. Malone, James Maxey, Betty Cross, Natania Barron

PEW PEW! Space Battles – Reynolds

Do you love a book or movie with a good dog fight? What makes makes a space battle awesome and what makes it boring? EVE Online players welcome

Panelists: Jim McDonald, Deek Rhew, Christopher Moore

Reading: Gail Z. Martin – Crescent

Saturday, 12pm

Fan Group Club Fair – Smith

Members of our performance, gaming, and fan groups are hosting a drop-in meet and greet so YOU can get involved in the Triangle’s geeky scene!

Famous Last Words – Cameron

How do you feel when you finish a book or story? What makes a good ending and how do you write something memorable? Is it better to tie up loose ends or to leave more questions unaswered?

Panelists: Gray Rinehart, Ian J. Malone, James Maxey, Natania Barron, Suzanne Adair

Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading – Reynolds

Authors of the Broad Universe organization fire off snippets of their work to tease and delight!

Featuring: Ada Milenkovic Brown, Gail Z. Martin, Samantha Bryant, Allegra Guilino, Susan Griffith, Tera Fulbright

Reading: Darin Kennedy – Crescent

Saturday, 1pm

Princes and Paupers – Smith

Epic fantasy brings to mind images or kings and courtiers, and maybe a brown jumble of “small folk” in the background. Let’s explore the ins and outs of class and economic priviliege in fantasy worlds!

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Tony Daniel, Jesse Galena, James Maxey, Natania Barron

Representation Matters – Cameron

Panelists: Tracy Walker, Robyn McGlotten, Erley Tilus, Kenya Easley, Mark Braxton

Arrival in Dothraki: Created Languages – Reynolds

Language is central to the story in the hit movie Arrival, based on Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life”. Let’s talk about created languages!

Panelists: Richard Butner, Chris Ross, Raulie Raulerson, Betty Cross, Justin Lapoint

Reading: Gray Rinehart – Crescent

Saturday, 2pm

Dream Demons – Smith

Sleep disorders, lucid dreaming, and hallucinations upon waking and sleeping have been influencing human experience and story telling since recorded time, across cultural lines. Legends of the succubus, Shadow Men, and alien abductions still color our fiction; let’s explore this phenomenon’s impact and why it is so, so scary

Panelists: Madison Metricula (M), Richard Dansky, Michael Williams, Darin Kennedy

Guardian Corps Swordplay Demo – Cameron

Baen Traveling Roadshow – 2:30pm, Reynolds

Reading: Mur Lafferty – Crescent

Saturday, 3pm

Technology and Storytelling in Games – Smith

Advances in tech are pushing the boundaries of video games and their place in art and story telling. With VR on the horizon, what past developments have been used to the best effect and which are just glitzy gimmicks?

Panelists: Richard Dansky, Dave Ellis, Jesse Galena, Jim McDonald, Justin Achilli

Ask a GM – Cameron

Playing and running table top RPGs: everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask because you might fail the roll

Panelists: Michael Williams, Chris Holmquist, Raulie Raulerson, Justin Hoyland

Reading: Daniel José Older – Crescent

Saturday, 4pm

Live Action Slush – Smith

It’s back again! Audience members submit the beginning of a story and our panel of editors will let you know where they stopped reading and why

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Gray Rinehart, Mur Lafferty

They Blinded Me With Science! – Cameron

Our panel of actual scientists explain some of the ins, outs, and realities of science concepts in our favorite media

Panelists: Raulie Raulerson, Chris Holmquist, Madison Metricula, Jim McDonald, Darin Kennedy

Video Game Development with Game Engines – Reynolds

Most video games of today make use of game engines, which are software systems that come pre-built with various game mechanics, that makes games development easier and more fun. Come hear the panelists talk about their experience with game development and give a live demo of how to make a playable game using Unreal Engine 4.

Hosts: Debadeep Sen, Scott Spencer, Trey Pinson

Reading: Natania Barron – Crescent

Saturday, 5pm

Hold on to the Light – Smith

A discussion of depression, anxiety, and the creative process

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Tera Fulbright, Samantha Bryant, Natania Barron, Darin Kennedy

CONSOLE WARS LIVE! – Cameron

A comedic debate of obvious superiority.

Panelists: Madison Metricula, Dave Ellis, Clayton Wick

CosPlay Extravaganza! CosPlay Limbo and Fashion Show – Reynolds

Get your cosplay, period garb, or kigurumis on and join the 105th for a challenge of how low you can go! There will be candy, smiles, and consensual fun!

Hosts: Aaron Busse, Mr. Freeze Pony

Reading: Richard Butner – Crescent

Saturday, 6pm

Whitewashed Casting – Smith

Casting white actors in roles originally written for people of color is nothing new, but recent controversies around casting in Dr. Strange, Iron Fist, Ghost in the Shell and more have raised concerns. Where’s the balance? What are some examples of successful and representative casting?

Panelists: Charlie Rocket, Darin Kennedy, Tracy Walker, Erley Tilus

Cosplay Extravaganza Continues! Costume Contest Awards – Reynolds

Writing Modern People or Places – Cameron

Writing real people and places with a focus on relatively modern settings

Panelists: Gail Z Martin, Fraser Sherman, Richard Dansky, Michael Williams, Daniel José Older

Reading: Tera Fulbright – Crescent

Saturday, 7pm

TREKnology – Smith

A detailed look at how a surprisingly large segment of our current everyday lives is directly related to concepts and ideas first proposed in Star Trek. From personal communication and social media to advances in transportation, scientific exploration, medical advances, and more, today’s technological landscape has been heavily influenced by the original Star Trek as well as its television and movie spin-offs

Panelists: Chris Shrewsbury, Suzanne Adair, Jennifer Peltier-Karpusenko, Raulie Raulerson, Dave Ellis

Charity Auction – Cameron

Reading: James Maxey – Crescent

Saturday, 8pm

Punch Them in the Face! – Smith

What makes a good one-on-one fight scene in a book or movie? Do you want to see your hero completely dominate or do you want to see them struggle? Are there bonus points for punny one-liners?

Panelists: Steven S. Long, Michael Williams, Christopher Moore, Jim McDonald, Nathan Cooley

Performance: Sith Clan – Reynolds

Reading: Rich Dansky – Crescent

Saturday, 9pm

“They’re Good Dogs, Brent” Animal Slideshow – Smith

Need a break from the hustle and bustle of the the convention? Drop by our two hour slideshow of cute animal pictures–better than an anime room!

Performance: League of Extraordinary Bellydancers – Saturday, 9:15-10:15 PM in Reynolds

Saturday, 10pm

Performance: Nerd-Vana Burlesque– Saturday, 10:30 – 11:45 PM in Reynolds

Open Filk – Crescent

Sunday, 10am

Self-Publishing Without Looking Self-Published – Smith

Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Suzanne Adair, Ian J. Malone, Jim McDonald

TV You Should Be Watching – Cameron

We are living in a nerd-TV golden age. Hear our panelists discuss their favorite entries in the 2016-2017 lineup and share yours!

Panelists: Chris Shrewsbury, Dave Ellis, Darin Kennedy, Christopher Moore, John Lapoint

Geek Arts and Crafts – Reynolds

Panelists: Madison Metricula, J. L. Hilton

Sunday, 11am

Writing for Anthologies – Smith

Anthologies have long been a mainstay in publishing, especially for genre authors. How do you get in on the action?

Panelists: Tera Fulbright, Gail Z. Martin, Samantha Bryant, Ada Milenkovic Brown

Gaming 201 – Cameron

So maybe you’ve run your first few sessions and want to know how to take it to the next level for your players, or you’re a player who wants to increase their skill points in having fun–this is for you!

Panelists: Michael Williams, Way Stark, Sara Stormborn Robinson, Jesse Galena, Steven S. Long

Reading: Fraser Sherman – Crescent

Sunday, 12pm

Time Management – Smith

Calling all writers, artists, makers, dancers, film makers, and more! Our panel discusses time management for developing your work, meeting deadlines, and dealing with others who may have different priorities.

Panelists: Fraser Sherman, Samantha Bryant, Tera Fulbright, Ian J. Malone, James Maxey

The Racism of “Ancient Aliens” – Cameron

If ancient aliens exist, does this mean primordial humans of color were not responsible for designing or inventing anything?

Panelists: John Lapoint, Evan Ransom, Janet S. Planets

Reading: Michael Williams – Crescent

Sunday, 1pm

IP Law and Fandom – Smith

It can be a tricky time to be a fan, especially if you’re inspired to create or enjoy works based on your favorite stories like fan films or fan fic. Where’s the line between “fair use” and copyright infringement, even when money isn’t changing hands?

Panelists: Clayton Wick, Kate Koballa, Jim McDonald, Steven S. Long, Tony Daniel

Podcasts You Need to Hear – Cameron

Podcasts are hot, hot, hot! Join our panel to hear their favorite reccommendations and then share your own! All the responses will be compiled and published on the illogiCon web site for easy access and sharing!

Panelists: Calvin Powers, Jennifer Peltier-Karpusenko, Christopher Moore, Ian J. Malone, Richard Butner, Jenni Menzi

What Should We Be Reading? – Reynolds

Panelists share relatively new or overlooked works they think we should be reading and why. After that, we’ll open up the floor to hear what the audience thinks! Notecards, pens, or smartphones encouraged to take notes!

Panelists: Michael Williams, Samantha Bryant, Natania Barron, Daniel José Older, Mur Lafferty

Sunday, 2pm

Massive Effects – Smith

Storytelling in video games like Mass Effect and Walking Dead

Hosts: Donna Eason and Color of Fandom

Money Management for Creative Types and Free Spirits – Reynolds

Authors and creative share budget tips, advice, and stories about making it work

Panelists: Ian J. Malone, Deek Rhew, Mur Lafferty, Natania Barron, Erin Rhew

Open Filk – Crescent

Sunday, 3pm

Closing Ceremonies – Cameron