Guests
Writer Guest of Honor - Peter S. Beagle
Noted author and screenwriter Peter Beagle is a recipient of the prestigious Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and Mythopoeic Awards, and a World Fantasy and Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America 2018 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master, among other literary achievements.
He has given generations of readers the magic of unicorns, haunted cemeteries, lascivious trees and disgruntled gods. A prolific author, his best-known work is The Last Unicorn, a fantasy novel, which Locus Magazine subscribers voted the number five “All-Time Best Fantasy Novel” in 1987. Fellow Hugo and Nebula-award-winning author Neil Gaiman has described Beagle’s A Fine and Private Place as his “I-wish-I’d-written-that first novel.”
Website - Beagleverse.com
Artist Guest of Honor - Echo Chernik
Echo has over 20 years of experience as a professional commercial artist in the advertising field, and five years as an instructor of graphics and digital illustration at Pratt Institute, Westchester Community College, Marymount Manhattan and Skidmore CCI. She specializes in art nouveau-influenced poster design, advertisements, package design and book covers.
She is a traditionally trained artist - graduate of Pratt Institute, summa cum laude (presidents award for academic excellence). a traditional background in art focuses on skills such as drawing and painting as well as perspective and color theory. this allows the artist to translate their concept into whatever media best suits the job - resulting in a very versatile artist, who is not limited by any one medium.
What does the -x stand for in echo-x?
the x represents a variable, which in programming terms, means that it can be substituted for nearly anything. For example: x=illustrator, x=3d texture artist, x=instructor, and so forth. it is representative of a wide and varied range of skills and talents.
She is currently working out of the studio in Sammamish. when not illustrating, she also enjoys kick boxing, target shooting, volunteering in the community, baking and outings with her daughters.
Website - My Shopify
Fan Guest of Honor - Elayne Pelz
Elayne Pelz was born Elayne Yampolsky in Los Angeles, California. In 1974, she married Bruce Pelz, who had long been active in Los Angeles fandom and Elayne also entered into a life of fandom, becoming active in the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS) and con-running. She was elected treasurer for the Institute for Specialized Literature in 1975.
Elayne joined the board of directors of LASFS in 1980, and two years later she also joined the board of directors for Southern California Institute for Fan Interests (SCIFI).
In 19833, Elayne was a guest of honor at LepreCon 9. She, along with Bruce, was a GoH at Loscon 13th in 1986 and Kubla Khansequences in 1988. Elayne was also a solo fan GoH at Westercon 48 in Portland, Oregon in 1995. She received a second Evans Freehafer Trophy in 2006, becoming one of only four people to receive the award multiple times (along with Bruce Pelz, Bob Null, and Mike Donahue).
When Bruce died in 2002 while chairing Congarie, the 55th Westercon, Elayne took over the position from him. She has continued to be active in a variety of conrunning roles, often found behind the registration table. She has worked a number of Worldcons, Loscon, Gallifrey One, Anime cons, SFWA Nebula Conference, and many more, making her presence known.