Nancy Barnett

Len Berger

Tabitha Bradley
Arizona author Tabitha Bradley has been writing science fiction, fantasy and erotica for over ten years. In the last two years, her award-winning Dirandan Chronicles series has been winning fans in the new medium of digital publishing. Her unique approach to characters and storyline has been reflected by excellent reviews and the digital industries' top awards. Her science fiction anthology, "Diranda: Tales from the Fifth Quadrant" won the 2005 Dream Realm Award, and her science fiction novel, "Peacekeeper" finaled in the Science Fiction category of the 2006 EPPIEs. "My main reason for writing is the story. I want to tell a story I would be interested in reading, with characters I love who have stories that need to be told. I'm thrilled my readers love my worlds as much as I do and I'm glad there is a real interest in the kinds of stories I love to tell. That's why I got into the publishing business in the first place, because I had stories I wanted to share." Tabitha lives in Northwestern Arizona with her husband and two children.

Debe Branning
Debe Branning resides in Mesa, AZ and has been the director of the paranormal team---The MVD Ghostchasers---since 1995. She investigates haunted historical locations in Arizona. She is a guest speaker at Ottawa University on the subject of ghost photography and ghost hunting. She organizes spirit photography workshops in various haunted establishments around the state. She has been on local radio talk shows, statewide TV news reports on haunted sites, and featured on an international Telemundo broadcast about a haunted hotel in Douglas, Arizona. Debe has been ghost hunting with some of the top paranormal investigators in the US. She has been the subject of several newspaper and magazine stories on various ghost sightings. She is also the writer of a new book titled “Sleeping With Ghosts--A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Arizona’s Haunted Hotels and Inns”---published by Golden West Publishing 2004. www.mvdghostchasers.com

Elizabeth Burnham
Elizabeth Burnham, a fixture in filk fandom, has performed as a member of "The Duras Sisters" on the albums "Masquarading as Human" and "Rubenesque." She is now a member of "The Harmony Heifers," who just released their long anticipated album "Harmony Heifers." She is an expert on filk history and has forgotten more songs than most performers know. She founded the Phoenix Filk Circle in 1989 and has been an adamant supporter of filk at Arizona conventions. She shares her home with two retired greyhounds, Desi and Tanna.

Frances Burns
Frances Burns has been active in costuming for over 15 years. It is rumored that she popped into this world naked, clutching a portable sewing machine and proceeded to design her own diapers. Frances has been altering and fitting patterns for family and friends since grade school, perfecting the art of clothing making for the less than perfect body for over 30 years. Frances was mentored by her neighborhood seamstress who was trained in French Quebec, this impressed her with an eye for detail construction, fit, and quality. She approaches the design and production of costumes as actual clothing – not props to be used once or twice. This has made her popular as a dressmaker for individuals who wear costume attire as everyday clothing, including Ren-Fair participants and gypsy fortune-tellers

Rachel Butts
Rachel Butts is a very talented fiber artist and Part Time Tarot Reader. Rachel is busy working on her next project on the arts. She is very active with Starfleet international chapter the USS Angelfire. Rachel lives in Phoenix along with her husband and two children. Rachel will be more than happy to provide reading for anyone at the convention free of charge.

Charles Cady
Charles Cady has worked with computers since believe it or not 1959. He joined the industrial computer world in 1969 and has been a Technician, Programmer, Tester, Test Lead and Test Manager of large complex man-critical hardware software integrated systems, (those that are sold into Boomable markets, Avionics and military combat). He has also been an avid fan of Manned Space programs and their political limitations. He has had the very good fortune to have two contracts working on the Army’s Land Warrior program. This program is an attempt to bring Robert Heinlien’s Mobile Infantry suites, communication and control design, on to today’s individual combat soldier. Charles and his wife have been attending Science Fiction conventions since the early 70s, Wife and two(2) Sons are also very much fen.

Tasha Cady

Elaine Carlile

Megan Claire
Battlecat Nutmeg is the pen-name of local artist Megan Claire who hails from the west valley.  Megan has been involved with various local fandoms from the SCA to the Across + anime club, she has also been involved with several different cons in her 23 years of existence.  Megan is also at the help of her 1st fledgling comic strip, "Battlecats", which can be viewed at her deviant art page.  http://battlecat-nutmeg.deviantart.com/

Sarah Clemens
Sarah Clemens didn't realize until later in life that growing up with a ballet company and at a television studio was in any way unusual. Her mother was the company pianist for the Memphis Civic Ballet and her father was a cameraman and press photographer for WHBQ in Memphis, Tennessee. While in grade school she occasionally helped host the kiddie show on Saturday with Happy Hal, showing early leanings toward art by sketching with Hal between cartoons. Backstage at the ballet, she helped make costumes, listened to her mother play lovely music and took lots of classes until she realized that she had lousy turnout and decided to concentrate on art. Her early love of science fiction and fantasy art came even before she could read, from looking at the covers of Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine, with its incredible artwork by Ed Emshwiller. The artwork Sarah Clemens most enjoys doing is fantasy and science fiction, and she has been going to conventions since the late seventies. She is gratified at the response of con-goers to her award-winning paintings of Magnus & Loki, which have been the most fun of all. She is a photo-real artist exhibiting her mainstream work in galleries in Boca Raton, Scottsdale and Beverly Hills. She is also a medical illustrator and has worked for prominent attorneys for 17 years and her work has helped to win multimillion dollar cases. Growing up in a darkroom contributes to her love of photography and she still does photowork occasionally. She has published short stories with Asimov's magazine and Ellen Datlow anthologies. In her checkered past, she also wrote movie reviews for USA Today's phone-in line and bogus horoscopes for a 900 number that will remain nameless. She is a passionate skeptic and has written and produced planetarium shows disproving the claim that UFOs exist. www.clemensart.com/fantasy.htm and www.magnusandloki.com

Pat Connors
Patrick Connors is a long-time Arizona fan, tilter-at-windmills, filker and artist. He spent over ten years performing at the Arizona Renaissance Festival and has appeared in several community and college theater productions. Currently he wrestles with large databases for money, and blows up CGI spacecraft for fun. Occasionally he updates his websites at www.patrickconnors.com

Mike D’Ambrosio
Michael is known for his Fractured Time Trilogy (Fractured Time, Twisted Fate and Dark Horizon). Michael has also completed screenplays for Fractured Time, Twisted Fate and Dark Horizon. He is currently working on a new series, Space Frontiers, beginning with The Eye of Icarus, Dangerous Liaisons and The Devil’s Playground. Michael describes the new series as adventurous, risqué and definitely science fiction. He’s also written a Christmas comedy (screenplay) entitled The Christmas Solution, which is under review by a major motion picture company. For more details, see www.fracturedtime.com

Emily Devenport
Emily Devenport had six novels published by ROC: Shade, Larissa, Scorpianne, EggHeads, The Kronos Condition, and GodHeads. Her short stories were published by ASIMOV’S SF MAGAZINE, the FULL SPECTRUM anthology, and ABORIGINAL SF, whose readers voted her a Boomerang Award for most popular story. As Maggy Thomas she wrote Broken Time, published by ROC in the U.S. and URANIA in Italy. Broken Time was nominated for the Philip K. Dick award. As Lee Hogan she wrote Belarus and Enemies, published by ROC in the U.S. and OPUS in Israel. She is currently writing again as Emily Devenport, working on a Fantasy proposal, and co-writing two Young Adult Fantasy proposals with her husband, artist/writer Ernest Hogan.

Craig L Dyer
Craig came to Arizona from New York in the mid ‘70s. Through a twist of fate, he became involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism where he is known as Lord Craig of the White Cliffs,. From the SCA it was a short trip to fannish activities. On Saturday evenings at conventions he can usually be found accompanied by several large, white, wooden ammunition chests, in which he keeps a generous supply of homemade vodka-based cordials. He combines the spirit of a vintner with the showmanship of a low-key P.T. Barnum, as he joyfully discusses the ingredients and watches the pleasure on the faces of his (new and long-held) fannish friends. Currently he is teaching the art of cordial making through bi-monthly classes held at his home. Fannishly, he has chaired CopperCon 19 (1999), HexaCon 10 (2000), HexaCon 12 (2002) as well as ConKopelli, the 2004 Westercon. Additionally he is the webmaster and keeper of the database and co-editor of ConNotations for CASFS, a member of AniZona, and a founding member of WesternSFA. In the real world he is a highly proficient computer tech for the Maricopa County Community College district, an ardent player/collector of collector card games, owned by numerous cats, dogs, ferrets, turtles, rabbits and birds, and hailed as a generally pleasant fellow.

Mary Erickson
Rev. Mary Branum Erickson, DD has practiced in the field of regression therapy for 22 years. Her book, Reincarnation Redefined, Pre-Existence from a Regression Therapist Viewpoint is currently in publication. You can find out more about regression therapy, reincarnation & other questions of pre-existence or contact her at www.reincarnationredefined.com

Nancy Freeman

Caitlin Gilson

Joe Gold

Margie Grady

Bennie Grezlik
Bennie Grezlik is a regular contributor to Yarddog Press anthologies (More Stories That Won't Make Your Parents Hurl, The Four Bubbas of the Apocalypse, The International House of Bubbas, Flush Fiction), and the upcoming SAM's DOT Publishing anthology Wondrous Webworlds #6. His novel, The Ark Of Arianna, will be released at the end of October from Stone Garden Publishing. He has written the Skip Thruster, Space Detective radio plays for KPFT, Radio Pacifica in Houston, and has written original Skip Thruster plays for ApolloCon Houston since 2004. Most recently, he was a guest at LepreCon and moderated an original panel called "Is The Singularity Coming?" The answer is Maybe. Stay tuned.

Solana Yuko Halada
Born and raised in Japan, Ms. Halada learned Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) as she grew up. She has been trained in various kinds of spiritual art, fine art and martial art in her life. She moved to the U.S. in 1984. She realized that Shodo was a way in which she could combine everything that she had learned and experienced from the artistic and spiritual endeavors, to the human potential development and teaching experience she had undertaken in her life. She wanted to be able to empower and guide people to realize their spiritual potential and grow through this ancient art. Ms. Halada developed a unique way of teaching Japanese Calligraphy as a tool for spiritual transformation in life. She has been a residency artist with the Arizona Commission on the Arts since 1999 and has been conducting many workshops and teaching at various schools throughout Arizona as well as empowering her students with private lessons

Diane Harris
Diane began her adventures in clothing and costuming like a lot of little girls around the age of 6 by piecing together outfits for her Barbie doll. According to her mother, Diane’s Barbie doll was the best-dressed on the block. From there, Diane costumed herself in school plays and, of course, each and every Halloween (according to some people, she was way too old when she quit costuming on Halloween – but thankfully she has picked up the Halloween costuming again). As an adult in her mid-20’s, Diane began acting on local theater stages. While her acting skills were impressive, her costuming had everyone begging her to do theirs as well. So she began her exploration into the world of costuming again, and now has costumed on literally every stage in the Valley, as well as in New York (a summer theater workshop production that started at ASU West and ended up on 2 stages in the City). Diane has an extraordinary gift for colors and making things “pop”, as well as the ability to translate this into body shape to accent one’s best asset on one’s body. As President of Southwest Costumer’s Guild (SWCG), she hopes to bring new members to this genre. Her personal “fetish” era is the Victorian era – she has over 18 awards for her work and presentations. Diane hosts “A Day in the Life of a Victorian Woman” for clubs, groups and churches where women in those organizations model different stages of clothes throughout a day in that era. It is great fun and a wonderful educational event. In real life, Diane is involved in market research and consulting. She hopes to one day make costuming her business.

Ernest Hogan
Ernest Hogan’s three novels, Smoking Mirror Blues, Cortez on Jupiter and High Aztech, have earned him a reputation as an international cult author, though the rumors of cannibalism and human sacrifice have been greatly exaggerated… His short fiction has appeared in ANALOG, AMAZING STORIES, SCIENCE FICTION AGE, SEMIOTEXT(E) SF, ANGEL BODY AND OTHER MAGIC FOR THE SOUL, WITPUNK and many other publications. A film version of his infamous story, “The Frankenstein Penis,” is available as the special feature, “Phallocrat” on the DVD, “Hellchild”, and unauthorized translations keep showing up all over the planet. This century has had him working on a mainstream novel, Walter Quixote: Or, Love in the Time of Terrorism.

Jennifer Horning

Mark Horning
Mark Horning is best known for his "Folk Style" music and songs about space. He works as a physicist at the Air Force Research Lab in Mesa AZ when he is not at ASU working on his Ph.D. He is most often accompanied at conventions by his wife, Jennifer, and their two children. www.eskimo.com/~mhorning

Garrett Jones

John Ketchum
John was a childhood actor and continued to perform during summer breaks from school throughout his teenage years.  As an adult he became a police officer, detective and undercover agent.  He enlisted in the Army as a private and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.  He is a highly decorated combat wounded veteran of the Viet Nam war.  John graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a degree in Law Enforcement and Corrections and from Webster College with a degree in Psychology.  He founded one of the largest private investigation agencies in Washington State .  He conducted or supervised over 3000 criminal and industrial investigations.  He later opened his own polygraph company and conducted over 6000 polygraph examinations, the majority of which were court ordered.  It is from these 9000 cases that he draws the material for his books.

Magon Kinzie
Magon Kinzie is American Board of Hypnotherapy certified. She received her training in hypnotherapy at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Tempe Arizona. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, and is a Reiki Master. Magon’s private practice of alternative health therapies is conducted in the warm, cozy setting of the Juniper House (www.juniperhouse.net) in historic downtown Glendale and includes Reiki, hypnotherapy, monthly guided group meditations, and past-life regression. She teaches “Inner Quest: Self-hypnosis” classes at Glendale and Mesa Community Colleges, as well as conducts a variety of workshops in partnership with Philinda Sumberg under the name “Welcome Wellness!

Nicole Givens Kurtz
Nicole Givens Kurtz is the author of six novels, three novellas, and numerous stories under both her name and various pen names. Her science fiction novels have been named as A Carl Brandon Society Parallax Award’s Recommended title-(Zephyr Unfolding) Fresh Voices in Science Fiction finalist (Zephyr Unfolding), Dream Realm Award Finalist in Science Fiction (Browne Candidate), and EPPIE Finalist in Science Fiction (Browne Candidate). Look for her recent short story, "The Trader" in Tails of the Talisman!

Jerome Lamberth
Jerome Lamberth has done a lot with his relatively short life to date and comes to CopperCon 25 with an eclectic skill set. He's been a camera man and technical director for a local Southern California TV studio, a comicbook store clerk, a self-taught web designer and a 3d graphic artist. His current occupation is with Wells Fargo Bank and has spent most of his career with them as a mortgage loan processor/customer service representive. As a 3d graphic artist, Jerome has a fairly extensive art gallery online. When not at work, spending time with his family, or running games he can be found with a copy of Poser 4 or Daz Studio pulled up in front of him rendering his latest image. Jerome is also an avid gamer and has been running or playing in roleplaying games 18+ years. From Marvel Super Heroes to Dungeons and Dragons, Jerome has either read it, played it, or ran a game session with it. Jerome will be running the successful live action roleplaying game called Shadow of the Phoenix on Friday and Saturday night of this convention. http://prophetx.deviantart.com and www.giovanni-wod.net/shadowphoenix

Rebekah Lamberth

Paula Lary
Along with belly dance costuming and dancing, Paula does stained glass, photography, and general costuming. She is a member of the Southwest Costumer’s Guild chapter of the International Costumer’s Guild. She has started to write stories about her cat family, plays several musical instruments, and trys to work out a way to make all this pay to supplement her mundane income.

CANCELED Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Jacqueline Lichtenberg is creator of the Sime~Gen Universe, primary author of Star Trek Lives!, founder of the Star Trek Welcommittee, creator of the term Intimate Adventure, winner of the Galaxy Award for Spirituality in Science Fiction and one of the first Romantic Times Awards for Best Science Fiction Novel. With new novels and non-fiction being published, her work is now in e-book form, audio-dramatization and on XM Satellite Radio. She has been sf/f reviewer for The Monthly Aspectarian for 13 years. With Professor Jean Lorrah, she teaches sf/f writing online via Tarot and Astrology. Bio and Bibliography atwww.simegen.com/jl/

Jack Mangan
Jack Mangan is an author, podcaster, musician, father, software engineer, etc., born in New Jersey, but now residing in Arizona. His “Jack Mangan’s Deadpan Podcast” features interviews, comedy skits, his original music, and a great deal of listener-provided content. Jack’s “Spherical Tomi” was among the first wave of podcast novels, and was the number one title at Podibooks.com in January 2006. His podcasting journey began with the “Duel of the Fates” series, originally heard on the Dragon Page Wingin’ It! Show. Jack is a frequent guest on the Dragon Page series of shows, and has also made appearances on the Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas podcast. And oh yeah, he still considers himself an author, with “Spherical Tomi” available in print chapbook and e-book formats from Creative Guy Publishing. Jack’s short story, “Sixteen Pieces at a Time” placed third in the SFReader.com 2005 short fiction contest. His writing has also appeared in the Amityville House of Pancakes Omnibus, vol. 1 anthology, Interzone, The Internet Review of Science Fiction, Neometropolis, Sonic Fiction 2, and many other small presses and zines. No room left in this bio to discuss his music. More info about Jack Mangan and his work at: www.jackmangan.com

Don Markstein

Sue Martin
Sue Martin has been a member of local fandom for ten years and this is the 12th CopperCon she has attended. For over 15 years, she freelanced science fiction and fantasy book reviews to the Los Angeles Times Book review section (She worked at the newspaper for 18 years, her last five years as the Film Dept. desk assistant. While in that department she freelanced many articles on science fiction and fantasy on TV and in film. She even got an exclusive in-person interview with George Lucas on the 10th anniversary of "Star Wars!"). She has been an avid and voracious reader all of her life and holds opinions on many things. She is working right this very second on finishing up her first romance novel, "The March of Four Corners," a tale concerning your basic human/alien love triangle, which she hopes will prove worthy of publication---and then, of course, worthy of a book review or two. Martin currently reviews books for ConNotations.

Alice Massoglia
Alice has been active in club and convention fandom since the mid'70s, having worked on numerous conventions around the southwest since 1977. Alice (then Alice Williams) was Fan GoH at CopperCon 5. She added bookselling to her schedule about 5 years later, helping her husband Marty at dealers' tables and with their bookstore and mailorder book business. Her four children all grew up as part of Los Angeles and Phoenix fandom, and her youngest, Ben, is still very much an active member of those groups. She has also helped promote the interest among fans and others in Regency Dance, both as a hostess for her local (Los Angeles area) events and by teaching the dances at conventions here in Arizona. Besides reading, her other interests include handicraft work (crocheting and knitting for her grandchildren being the current projects), cooking and listening to radio dramas. http://home.pacbell.net/ambooks

Marty Massoglia
http://home.pacbell.net/ambooks

Tisha McGovern
Tisha McGovern is an Arizona native and grew up in the Cave Creek area. Upon reaching her thirties, Tisha embraced her inner geek, much to her husband’s surprise, including nurturing a love of comics by Joss Whedon and Neil Gaiman. She is also an active member of the Arizona Browncoats. Tisha shares her love of fantasy and science fiction with her two children, including a deep love for Middle Earth. Her favorite authors include Frank Herbert, George R.R. Martin, Stephen King, Robert Jordan and J.R.R Tolkien. Her favorite television obsessions are Battlestar Galactica, Lost, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Firefly. Tisha has yearned for an outlet for her creativity and is very excited to be a part of CopperCon.

Loretta McKibben
Loretta McKibben is an Information Specialist Coordinator for the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) telescopic camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. She does HiRISE education and public outreach, computer programming and analysis, and is the webmaster for HiRISE. She enjoys teaching kids about space exploration and astronomy and has organized large public outreach events for HiRISE and the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, served as a volunteer NASA-JPL Solar System Ambassador since the program began in 1997 and is a volunteer telescope operator at Flandrau Science Center. Loretta has wanted to visit Mars since she was five, so participating in an instrument team which will obtain images of the Red Planet's surface to less than a meter in resolution is a fantastic adventure and almost like going there! She studied astrophysics at the graduate level and is also working on several science fiction and fantasy novels.

Edouard Mesert
Edouard Mesert is the president of EBM Associates. EBM Associates is a total wellness company educating people about Wellness Health. Without NIKKEN, he would walk with a cane. WithoutNIKKEN, he would take many, many pills for stomach trouble. (REFLUX) EBM Associates also raises monies for liberal charities. In mid 1980, he was the Campaign Manager for State Senator, Phil Arthurhultz, who became the Senate Majority Floor Leader in the MI State Senate. He has worked with Gay Pride in Philadelphia, NY, and Washington, DC., and helped organize the Gay March on Washington, DC in 1993. His other accomplishments include co-chairing the AZ Human Rights Fund Annual Dinner in 2003 and creating a weekend retreat for men in Philadelphia Area Naturist Group for which he received an award for his contribution to that organization. In 2004 he was Campaign Manager for Stu Starky for US Senate. He is currently Campaign Manager for Mark Anthony DeSimone. He credits his AFP membership as a key component to his selection for these positions. He has served on the diversity committee of the local AFP chapter. He continues to be active with the AZ Human Rights Fund, the AZ Democratic Party, Southwest Costumers Guild, and enjoys theatre, travel, gardening, and spending time with his NIKKEN family of Wellness Consultants and friends.

Wayne Myers

Bill Nicholls
Bill Nicholls, or BillN as he is known online, has a BS in physics, 40+ years in the computer industry, does IT consulting, and writes about technology. Starting in March 1985, he joined BIX, an early on-line community, became a moderator and learned to write clearly. A year later, Phil Lemmons (Byte Editor) invited him to write a sidebar on the new Intel 386 chip. Since then he has written for Byte.com and other magazines. Bill continues to consult with a new startup, write articles and science fiction stories with a bent to alternate history timelines. He invests in the stock market, and is still rebuilding his house while leading the PacificNorthwest team for ClimatePrediction.net. In the last 18 months, he has studied Global Warming and is concerned about the consequences.

Deb Nickelson
Deb appreciates all types of science fiction, especially media and has a particular affinity towards Star Trek. In college, she and some friends formed their own informal ship. In the early 90's, Deb was a member of The Phoenix, a Minneapolis based fan group. At that time, she participated in MiniCon and BloominCon; both in the Twin Cities. During MiniCons, she ran the Men in Tights panel, Galactic Gourmet panel and wrote and performed filks. In 1997, Deb moved to New Jersey and joined the Prydonians of Prynceton, a NY, NJ and PA fan group. Absolutely loved her first WorldCon in Philly, 2001 and voted for Boston in 2004 since she could drive up. In Phoenix, she is now a member of United Federation of Phoenix and enjoys the company and the activities. Deb once found fandom in the UK, as well. While on a business trip, she attended a day Star Trek con near Heathrow and on a vacation trip, she found a Star Trek exhibit in Hyde Park.

Adam Niswander
Adam Niswander is the author of the Shaman Cycle novels (The Charm, The Serpent Slayers, The Hound Hunters, The War of the Whisperers, and The Nemesis of Night). He is also the author of The Repository, The Sand Dwellers, Golden Dreams: Book One in The Histories of Light and Dark, and of Blurring the Edges of Dream: The Short Fiction of Adam Niswander. He is a former CASFS President and has served on the board. He resides in Phoenix with two feline companions, Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser. http://adam-niswander.com

Kevin O’Connor
Kevin O'Connor is best known as TD0013 of the 501st Dune Sea Garrison. The Garrison, in its Sniper Detachment days, won Best of Show at CopperCon XXI's Masquerade. These days the Garrison keeps its plate full with Charity work, such as the MS Walk, MDA Telethon, Toys for Tots, and visits to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital. Kevin keeps busy writing and performing “A Different Point of View” for the podcast show “Wingin’ It” at dragonpage.com, as well as acting work here and there. http://www.az501st.com

Angela O’Connor

Janeen O’Kerry
Growing up in the military, I lived in many places -- California, Germany, Washington D.C., Texas, and Ohio. And like many writers, I've held a number of different jobs -- everything from computer programmer to horseback riding instructor. My writing career began in 1984 when I sold the first of over 100 non-fiction articles written for the national and regional horse magazines. A few years later, a friend and I decided to try our hand at novels. We wrote three and sold the third one, APRIL'S CHRISTMAS, to Avalon Books in 1994. My own first novel was LADY OF FIRE, a time-travel romance published by Leisure Books in 1996. I've always had a great interest in Ireland, history, horses and fantasy, and truly enjoy combining all these things in my novels. I've now finished nine novels, all of them published as Romances by Leisure Books and all of them heavy on the fantasy/magic/pagan elements. I now live in beautiful Arizona with my family, my cat, and my five-gaited American Saddlebred pleasure horse. One of my favorite things to do is conduct a writers' workshop and talk about all aspects of creating fiction, so I do hope you will join me at my writers' workshop here at CopperCon26.

B.Jean Palmer

Ray Poulsen
Ray Poulsen is a Biologist and is currently the President of the ASU/Phoenix Chapter of the Mars Society. He enjoys Scuba diving and believes that, while located hundreds of miles from the ocean, Phoenix is an ideal place to study Marine Biology (due to the proximity to the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean.) If confronted today by extraterrestrials, his first words would be "what took you so long? These people are WEIRD!"

Ken St. Andre
Nobody knows anything about Ken--we just invite him back year after year out of habit… 2005 was a big year for Ken with two new editions of Tunnels and Trolls coming out--edition 5.5 and the Mythical 7th edition. He had a story published in the Golden Heroes Anthology by Cafe Press, and half a dozen book reviews in Library Journal. And he really hates bios. www.geocities.com/kenstandre

Amy Schulz
Amy Schulz has been attending CopperCon since 1995 and starting selling her fantasy etched glass in the art show in 1999. Since then she has branched out to etching on rock and metal as well as on glass. This one-time hobby has become a full-time business bringing her all over Arizona to do numerous art & craft shows and to do commissioned orders. She has been able to do small items such as wedding flutes and steel flasks as well as large items such as car windows and 10 foot tall home windows. Amy loves the fact that she can be a stay-at-home mom while enjoying creating her artwork and running her business. To view work done by Amy visit her website at www.happymagpie.com/etching

Annette Sexton-Ruiz
Annette Maria Sexton-Ruiz began exhibiting artwork since the mid 80's and has shown in Chicago, Arizona, Los Angeles and Mexico. She earned her Bachelor of Art Degree from Arizona State University, distinction in Art History with Pre-Columbian, Southwestern and Mexican emphasis. She has also worked in the Museum environment for 15 years at the Phoenix Art Museum, Pueblo Grande Museum as well as the Museo Chicano. She uses her life experiences and travels as influences in her work and has more recently worked on public art commissions, in various schools, the Phoenix Children's Hospital and private restuarants. Website address is www.geocities.com/annettesr44

Robert Sparks
Robert Sparks has been a tattoo artist and piercer for 8 years. He is currently working at The Astrology Store in Glendale, AZ. He specializes in cover ups and comic book/manga tattoos. He won several first place awards at tattoo conventions and from tattoo magazines

Kyla Stoddard

Paige Sullivan
Paige Sullivan is a Wiccan High Priestess and a professional divinator. She has been reading since she was 16. She began with Tarot, and branched out to Palmistry and Tea Leaves. She currently reads at A Peace of the Universe as a psychic artist. You can see her bio for the store on www.apeaceoftheuniverse.com She will be helping us to understand the ancient art of tea leaf reading as well as teaching us how to do it ourselves. She can be contacted at leilagenie@yahoo.com for professional readings or events

David Lee Summers
David Lee Summers is author of the novel Vampires of the Scarlet Order and the “Old Star” science fiction trilogy. He’s also the author of numerous science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories and poems that have appeared in such places as Realms of Fantasy and The Santa Clara Review. David also edits the science fiction and fantasy magazine, Tales of the Talisman, serves as a book editor for LBF Books, and a consulting editor for El Paso Community College’s literary magazine, Chrysalis. In addition to his work with the written word, he is also an astronomer who has discovered variable stars and worked in the field of robotic telescopes.

Gary Swaty
Gary Swaty has been attending Science Fiction Conventions since the early 1970s. The first convention he worked was IquanaCon II, the 1978 Phoenix WorldCon. He worked Info Desk, Security and did supply purchase runs during the Con. After that Gary confined himself to helping with Set-Up and Tear-Down at CopperCon and LepreCon until the 1990s. Sometime in the mid Nineties he was asked to be Filk Liaison to Phoenix Area Conventions for the Phoenix Filk Circle. He has been responsible for obtaining Filk GoHs and scheduling Filk Events at CopperCon and LepreCon since then. Also he has the obtained bread and rolls for the conventions, assisted with Logistics and helped with other programing including that of the ConAdian WorldCon. He has run Registration for HexaCon, World Horror and World Fantasy. He has run ConSuite for one HexaCon and worked it for others. He worked Ops at DarkCon 1 and was a General Henchman at both Anizonas. Currently he is Chairman of HexaCon 16 this coming October and Chairman of CopperCon 28 in September 2008 not to mention being on the WesterCon 2009 Bid Committee.

John Vornholt
John Vornholt has published over 60 novels for adults and children, including his popular Troll King series, numerous Star Trek, Buffy, Dinotopia and other media-related novels, plus the YA fantasy novel, Cupidity, under the name Caroline Goode. He lives in Tucson, where has gotten back into acting and writing for the theater.

Chris Welborn
Chris has worked in microelectronics and historical aircraft restoration. He belongs to his local amateur rocket association. He shares his love of rockets by teaching beginning classes in rockets for kids at the Pima Air and Space Museum as well as cons, schools, and summer camps

Michelle M. Welch
Michelle M. Welch is an Arizona native who grew up trying to choose between her two loves: music and writing. After a brief stint in music school, she somehow ended up as a reference librarian, and after a flurry of query letters and rejections, she somehow ended up writing a fantasy trilogy. She is currently working on various other writing projects and trying to learn too many new instruments. www.sff.net/people/mmwelch

Michael Wentz
Michael L. Wentz is a writer and a life-long fan of SFFH. Michael’s debut novel Resurrection of Liberty is a young-adult golden age style space opera that the critics have compared to the works of Heinlein, Card, and Pohl. The novel has been nominated for numerous awards including the 2006 Prometheus Award for Best Novel. He has also completed two feature-length scripts: Fatal Exam and Sleeper. Michael also acts as managing editor of Southwest Signature, the journal of the Arizona Book Publishers Association. His blog, Phantom Reflections http://michaellwentz.typepad.com/blog/, is updated daily and covers everything from books, to film, to television, to writing, and even a little bit of cycling. Michael’s background is diverse. He’s a conservatory-trained classical musician and spent many years recording, performing, teaching, and touring the country. In the business world, Michael worked as an executive with two Fortune 10 companies. Now a full time writer, Michael spreads his time between screenwriting, books, short stories, and blogging. When he’s not at the keyboard, you’ll find him running, biking, or cooking. You can visit Michael’s website at www.MichaelLWentz.com

John T. Wheeler
Professional Facepainter for the last 4 years. Been at many CopperCons and formerly did the video rooms for the cons from 1994-2004. Local Fan and Former President of the United Federation of Phoenix. And A Major League Doctor Who Fan. http://members.aol.com/facepainteraz/facepainter.htm

Lee L. Whipple, Sr.
In the year of 1956 I was stationed on the USS Knudson at the Pacific Proving Grounds. This was my first year in the US Navy. Operation Redwing was the largest series of atomic weapons testing, This series of thermonuclear and atomic weapons tests consisted of 17 detonations at Bikini and Eniwetok atolls, including the first airdrop by the U.S. of a thermonuclear weapon. I have had an interest in weapons and energy from this time on. 1955 1962 Decontamination Atomic, Biological and Chemical defense, then on to Medical training in the field of combat medicine, I served the NAVY as a Corpsman on several ships and stations. My last ship was the USS Enterprise CVN 65 I was the Medical Training Petty Officer, I was also the ship’s Medical Decontamination Team Leader. After I left the Navy I Went to Work in the Gulf of Mexico with J.Ray McDermott Pipeline. With all the time I had when I was not working I was reading about power sources, like Wind, Sun, Water and Biomass. This has been my hobby for the past 30 years. My work in Project Controls has taken me though several industries: Nuclear and Fossils Power, Chemical, Refineries, Transportation and Defense. Today I am partly retired. I work as much as I can and attend as many Conventions as I can afford. I have been a fan of SF&F from the beginning of time

Lee Whiteside
Lee Whiteside has been keeping track of science fiction and fantasy TV for the last 15 years or so, both in print and online with the www.SFTV.org website. He's also been involved with Arizona fandom for almost as long, having chaired two CopperCons, a LepreCon and the 2006 Nebula Awards weekend. In real life, he's a network engineer.

Randall Whitlock
Masquerade Director Randall Whitlock has been an active SF/medieval/renaissance costumer since the early 80's, with a certain reputation for visual pun costumes, such as "Dances with Werewolves" and "The Dookus of Hazzard." Randall writes the "Costume Closet" column in Connotations, publishes the Southwest Costumers Guild newsletter, and drafts the "Randwulf's" line of sewing patterns. Mundanely, Randall is a Geologist, digging up dirt on soil and groundwater contamination for real estate investors in Arizona. www.moirandalls.com or www.southwestcostumersguild.org

Dave Williams
Dr. David A. Williams is currently serving as a Faculty Research Associate in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University. He served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at ASU in 2001-2002, in which he cotaught Physical Geology and a graduate seminar in Planetary Volcanology. David is currently performing research in volcanology and planetary geology, with a focus on planetary mapping, geochemical, and remote sensing studies. He was involved with NASA's Magellan Mission to Venus and Galileo Mission to Jupiter, and he is currently serving as an Associate Investigator on the European Space Agency's Mars Express mission. David is also involved in education/public outreach activities including giving talks to school and civic groups and developing educational materials. David received his Bachelor of Science in Astronomy & Astrophysics (with minors in Mathematics and Geology) from Indiana University in 1989, and his Master of Science in Geology from Arizona State University in 1992. He received his Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Alabama in August 1998. David is a past president of the United Federation of Phoenix, the second longest continuously-running Star Trek and general science fiction fan club in the United States. A life-long Star Trek and Star Wars fan, he has participated in several national Star Trek conventions and various charity events. http://europa.la.asu.edu/associates/members/williams/

Ray Worley

Veronica Ann Zabala-Aliberto
Veronica Ann Zabala-Aliberto is currently a senior undergraduate student within the School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University. She is the Educational Outreach Coordinator for the Arizona State University NASA Space Photography Laboratory and caters to educators, students and members of the general public providing educational outreach pertaining to human and robotic space exploration. She currently is analyzing data from the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission and that of the European Space Agency's (ESA)mission, Mars Express focusing her research on data retrieved from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) in hopes of determining any Mars change detection of aeolian features on the surface of Mars. Zabala-Aliberto has presented at invited talks and gives lectures to schools and space related events. She enjoys hiking, camping, wants to learn SCUBA and aviation and loves Dirk Pitt. Zabala-Aliberto is very active in the space exploration sector and currently is affiliated with numerous organizations such as: The Mars Society of Phoenix (Chapter Founder, President and now, Educational Outreach Coordinator), The National Space Society of Phoenix (Chapter Founder and President), The Planetary Society (Global Volunteer, Arizona Regional Coordinator), Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassador (2004-present), and the Astronaut Hopefuls of Arizona (Chapter Founder and President). Zabala-Aliberto is a veteran to the Mars Desert Research Station serving on Crew 36 (Crew Geologist) and serving as Commander of the Family Living Analysis on Mars (F.L.A.M.E.) mission in June 2005 as well as commanding Crew 46 in March 2006. She is expected to command another F.L.A.M.E. crew for two-weeks in March 2007