Vericon
Encyclopedia
Vericon is an annual science fiction convention
at Harvard University
, organized by the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association
. Lasting over a three-day weekend, for the first nine years of its existence it took place on the last weekend of January; for 2010, however, it was moved to mid-March to accommodate changes in Harvard College
's academic calendar. It has been described as the largest college-based science fiction convention in the United States.
The convention features anime
, boardgames, cosplay
, Human Chess
, dance
s, LARPs
, and RPGs
. The convention is unusual for a college
science fiction convention in that in addition to gaming, a number of prominent people involved in the genres of science fiction
, fantasy
, game design
, and comics
are invited each year to host panels and readings. Guests have included:
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, organized by the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association
Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association
The Harvard–Radcliffe Science Fiction Association is a society based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1986, its purpose is to promote science fiction and aid in activity of those interested in the genre. Membership is open to current and former students at Harvard University...
. Lasting over a three-day weekend, for the first nine years of its existence it took place on the last weekend of January; for 2010, however, it was moved to mid-March to accommodate changes in Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
's academic calendar. It has been described as the largest college-based science fiction convention in the United States.
The convention features anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, boardgames, cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
, Human Chess
Human chess
Human chess is a variant of chess, often played at a Renaissance fair, where people each take on the role of a chess piece. Human chess is typically played on an outdoor field, with the squares of the board marked out on the grass. Many Human Combat Chess Matches are choreographed stage shows that...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
s, LARPs
Live action role-playing game
A live action role-playing game is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions. The players pursue goals within a fictional setting represented by the real world, while interacting with each other in character. The outcome of player actions may...
, and RPGs
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. The convention is unusual for a college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
science fiction convention in that in addition to gaming, a number of prominent people involved in the genres of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, game design
Game design
Game design, a subset of game development, is the process of designing the content and rules of a game in the pre-production stage and design of gameplay, environment, storyline, and characters during production stage. The term is also used to describe both the game design embodied in a game as...
, and comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
are invited each year to host panels and readings. Guests have included:
- 2011 (March 18-20): Brandon SandersonBrandon SandersonBrandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author. A Nebraska native, he currently resides in American Fork, Utah. He earned his Master's degree in Creative Writing in 2005 from Brigham Young University, where he was on the staff of Leading Edge, a semi-professional speculative fiction magazine...
, Austin GrossmanAustin GrossmanAustin Grossman [b. ] is a writer and game designer who has contributed to the New York Times and a number of video games.He is the author of the novel Soon I Will Be Invincible, which was published by Pantheon Books in 2007....
, Holly BlackHolly BlackHolly Black née Riggenbach is an American writer and editor, best known for writing The Spiderwick Chronicles, a series of children's fantasy books she created with illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi.-Early life and education:...
, Catherine AsaroCatherine AsaroCatherine Asaro is an American science fiction and fantasy author. She is best known for her books about the Ruby Dynasty, called the Saga of the Skolian Empire.- Biography :...
, Sarah SmithSarah Smith (writer)Sarah Smith is an American author living in Brookline, Massachusetts.-Life:She holds a B.A. and a Ph.D. in English literature, both from Harvard University. She was an Assistant Professor of English for several years before going to work in the computer industry...
, Ellen KushnerEllen KushnerEllen Kushner is an American writer of fantasy novels, who for many years was the host of the radio program Sound & Spirit, produced by WGBH in Boston and distributed by Public Radio International.- Background and personal life :...
, Delia ShermanDelia ShermanCordelia Caroline Sherman , known professionally as Delia Sherman, is a fantasy writer and editor. Her novel The Porcelain Dove won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award... - 2010 (March 19-21): Timothy ZahnTimothy ZahnTimothy Zahn is a writer of science fiction short stories and novels. His novella Cascade Point won the 1984 Hugo award. He is the author of nine Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound...
, Katherine HoweKatherine HoweKatherine Howe, a novelist who lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts, is the author of the New York Times Bestseller "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane" ....
, Resa Nelson, Paul TremblayPaul G. TremblayPaul G. Tremblay is an American author and editor of contemporary horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction. Tremblay received two Bram Stoker Award nominations in 2007 and he is a juror for the Shirley Jackson Awards.- Biography :...
, Greer GilmanGreer GilmanGreer Ilene Gilman is an American author of fantasy stories.Her stories are noted for their dense prose style, which is strongly focused on native English roots, sometimes reminiscent of Gerard Manley Hopkins...
, John CrowleyJohn CrowleyJohn Crowley is an American author of fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction. He studied at Indiana University and has a second career as a documentary film writer...
, Randall MunroeRandall MunroeRandall Patrick Munroe is an American webcomic author and former NASA roboticist as well as a programmer, best known as the creator of the webcomic xkcd...
, Dorothy GambrellDorothy GambrellDorothy Gambrell is a cartoonist who writes and draws the online comic strip Cat and Girl in addition to the blog very small array. Her work has appeared in the literary journal Backwards City Review, and the Anton Chekhov anthology The Other Chekhov....
, Michael Terracciano. - 2009 (January 23-25): Kim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer known for his award-winning Mars trilogy. His work delves into ecological and sociological themes regularly, and many of his novels appear to be the direct result of his own scientific fascinations, such as the fifteen years of research...
, Elizabeth BearElizabeth BearSarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky is an American author. Writing under the name Elizabeth Bear, she works primarily in the genre of speculative fiction, and was a winner of the 2005 John W...
, Paul Di FilippoPaul Di FilippoPaul Di Filippo is an American science fiction writer. He has been published in Postscripts...
, Allen SteeleAllen SteeleAllen Mulherin Steele, Jr. is an American science fiction author.Steele began publishing short stories in 1988. His early novels formed a future history beginning with Orbital Decay and continuing through Labyrinth of Night...
, Robert V.S. RedickChathrand NovelsThe Chathrand Voyage is a fantasy book series written by Robert V.S. Redick. It is published by Gollancz Publishing in Great Britain and Canada, and Del Rey Publishing in the United States.- Premise :...
, Catherynne Valente, Don D'Ammassa, Marie BrennanMarie BrennanMarie Brennan is the pseudonym of Bryn Neuenschwander, an American fantasy author. Her works include Doppelganger, its sequel Warrior and Witch, and numerous short stories. Her third novel, Midnight Never Come, was published on 1 May 2008 in the United Kingdom, and 1 June 2008 in the USA. It...
, Brad GuigarBrad GuigarBrad Guigar is an American cartoonist who is best known for his daily webcomic Greystone Inn and its sequel Evil Inc. ...and his laugh-Biography:Brad Guigar was the eldest of five children and grew up in Bad Axe, Michigan...
, Kristofer StraubKristofer StraubKristofer Straub is the creator of webcomics Checkerboard Nightmare, Starslip, Time Friends, Origin Story, and more recently chainsawsuit and F Chords. He is also the co-founder of webcomics collectives Blank Label Comics and Halfpixel... - 2008 (January 25-27): Orson Scott CardOrson Scott CardOrson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
, Lois LowryLois LowryLois Lowry is an American author of children's literature. She began her career as a photographer and a freelance journalist during the early 1970s...
, M.T. Anderson, Elizabeth HaydonElizabeth HaydonElizabeth Haydon is a fantasy author. She has written two fantasy series set within the same universe, The fantasy/romance/whodunit fusion called The Symphony of Ages and the young adult series The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme....
, James Patrick KellyJames Patrick KellyJames Patrick Kelly is an American science fiction author who began publishing in the 1970s and remains to this day an important figure in the science fiction field....
, Kelly LinkKelly LinkKelly Link is an American editor and author of short stories. While some of her fiction falls more clearly within genre categories, many of her stories might be described as slipstream or magic realism: a combination of science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, and realism...
, Donna Jo NapoliDonna Jo NapoliDonna Jo Napoli is an author of children's and young adult books, as well as a prominent linguist who has worked in syntax, phonetics, phonology, morphology, historical and comparative linguistics, Romance studies, structure of Japanese, structure of American Sign Language, poetics, writing for...
, Sharyn NovemberSharyn NovemberSharyn November is an American editor of books for children and teenagers. She is Senior Editor for Viking Children's Books and Editorial Director of Firebird Books, which is a mainly paperback imprint publishing fantasy and science fiction for teenagers and adults...
, Cassandra ClareCassandra ClareCassandra Clare is an American author who has written the bestselling young adult saga The Mortal Instruments.- Personal life :Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran. As a child Clare traveled frequently, spending time in Switzerland, England, and France...
, William SleatorWilliam SleatorWilliam Warner Sleator III , known as William Sleator, was an American science fiction author who wrote primarily young adult novels but also wrote for younger readers. His books typically deal with adolescents coming across a peculiar phenomenon related to an element of theoretical science, then...
, Pete Abrams, Jeph JacquesJeph JacquesJeph Jacques writes and illustrates the webcomic Questionable Content. He was born in Rockville, Maryland, and graduated from Hampshire College with a degree in music...
, Randall MunroeRandall MunroeRandall Patrick Munroe is an American webcomic author and former NASA roboticist as well as a programmer, best known as the creator of the webcomic xkcd... - 2007 (January 26-28): Guy Gavriel KayGuy Gavriel KayGuy Gavriel Kay is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction. Many of his novels are set in fictional realms that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid...
, R. A. Salvatore, Jeffrey CarverJeffrey CarverJeffrey A. Carver is an American science fiction author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Brown University. He currently lives in Arlington, Massachusetts...
, Sharyn NovemberSharyn NovemberSharyn November is an American editor of books for children and teenagers. She is Senior Editor for Viking Children's Books and Editorial Director of Firebird Books, which is a mainly paperback imprint publishing fantasy and science fiction for teenagers and adults...
, Shaenon Garrity, Jeffrey Rowland - 2006 (January 27-29): George R. R. MartinGeorge R. R. MartinGeorge Raymond Richard Martin , sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American author and screenwriter of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is best known for A Song of Ice and Fire, his bestselling series of epic fantasy novels that HBO adapted for their dramatic pay-cable series Game of...
, Greer GilmanGreer GilmanGreer Ilene Gilman is an American author of fantasy stories.Her stories are noted for their dense prose style, which is strongly focused on native English roots, sometimes reminiscent of Gerard Manley Hopkins...
, Elaine Isaak, Marie BrennanMarie BrennanMarie Brennan is the pseudonym of Bryn Neuenschwander, an American fantasy author. Her works include Doppelganger, its sequel Warrior and Witch, and numerous short stories. Her third novel, Midnight Never Come, was published on 1 May 2008 in the United Kingdom, and 1 June 2008 in the USA. It...
, Sarah SmithSarah Smith (writer)Sarah Smith is an American author living in Brookline, Massachusetts.-Life:She holds a B.A. and a Ph.D. in English literature, both from Harvard University. She was an Assistant Professor of English for several years before going to work in the computer industry...
, Tim Buckley, Randy Milholland, Jeph JacquesJeph JacquesJeph Jacques writes and illustrates the webcomic Questionable Content. He was born in Rockville, Maryland, and graduated from Hampshire College with a degree in music...
, Michael Terracciano - 2005 (January 28-30): Jacqueline CareyJacqueline CareyJacqueline Carey is an author and novelist, primarily of fantasy fiction.-Life:She attended Lake Forest College, receiving B.A.'s in psychology and English literature. During college, she spent 6 months working in a bookstore in London as part of a work exchange program. While there, she decided...
, Patrick Nielsen HaydenPatrick Nielsen HaydenPatrick James Nielsen Hayden , is an American science fiction editor, fan, fanzine publisher, essayist, reviewer, anthologist, teacher and blogger. He is a World Fantasy Award and Hugo Award winner , and is an editor and the Manager of Science Fiction at Tor Books...
, Teresa Nielsen HaydenTeresa Nielsen HaydenTeresa Nielsen Hayden is an American science fiction editor, fanzine writer, essayist, and teacher. She is a consulting editor for Tor Books. She has also worked for Federated Media Publishing, where in 2007 she revived the comment section for the blog Boing Boing...
, James MorrowJames MorrowJames Morrow is a fiction author. A self-described "scientific humanist", his work satirises organized religion and elements of humanism and atheism....
, James Alan GardnerJames Alan GardnerJames Alan Gardner is a Canadian science fiction author.Raised in Simcoe and Bradford, Ontario, he earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Applied Mathematics from the University of Waterloo....
, Debra DoyleDebra DoyleDr. Debra Doyle is an American author writing in multiple related genres, including science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. Many of her stories are co-written with her husband, James D. Macdonald...
, James MacdonaldJames MacDonald-Politics:*James David Macdonald , City of Calgary alderman and author of Grand Cayman's tax haven law*James Ramsay MacDonald, British Prime Minister*James MacDonald , Secretary of the London Trades Council... - 2004 (January 30-February 1): Mike Carey, Brian ClevingerBrian ClevingerBrian Clevinger is an American writer best known as the author of the webcomic 8-Bit Theater and the Eisner-nominated print comic Atomic Robo...
, Peter DavidPeter DavidPeter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games... - 2003 (January 24-26): Catherine AsaroCatherine AsaroCatherine Asaro is an American science fiction and fantasy author. She is best known for her books about the Ruby Dynasty, called the Saga of the Skolian Empire.- Biography :...
, Julie Czerneda, Ellen KushnerEllen KushnerEllen Kushner is an American writer of fantasy novels, who for many years was the host of the radio program Sound & Spirit, produced by WGBH in Boston and distributed by Public Radio International.- Background and personal life :...
, Charles VessCharles VessCharles Vess is an American fantasy artist and comic-book illustrator who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His illustrations are strongly influenced by the work of artists and illustrators such as Arthur Rackham and Alphonse Mucha... - 2002 (January 25-27): Henry JenkinsHenry JenkinsHenry Jenkins III is an American media scholar and currently a Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism, and Cinematic Arts, a joint professorship at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the USC School of Cinematic Arts...
, Scott McCloudScott McCloudScott McCloud is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium...
, Terry MooreTerry Moore (comics)Terry Moore is a comic book author, graphic novelist and illustrator.He created the popular series Strangers in Paradise, and was involved in the founding of Homage Comics.-Biography:...
, Susan ShwartzSusan ShwartzSusan Shwartz is an American author.She received her B.A. in English from Mount Holyoke College in 1972 and a Ph.D. in English from Harvard University.-Novels:* The Woman of Flowers * Byzantium's Crown... - 2001 (January 26-28): Pete Abrams, James ErnestJames ErnestJames Ernest is an American game designer and juggler. He is best known as the owner and lead designer of Cheapass Games. Prior to founding Cheapass, he worked as a juggler at various venues, including Camlann Medieval Village, and as a freelancer with Wizards of the Coast. He also worked for...
, Paul LevinsonPaul LevinsonPaul Levinson is an American author and professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University in New York City. Levinson's novels, short fiction, and non-fiction works have been translated into twelve languages....
, Margaret WeisMargaret WeisMargaret Edith Weis is a fantasy novelist who, along with Tracy Hickman, is one of the original creators of the Dragonlance game world and has written numerous novels and short stories set in fantastic worlds.-Early life:Margaret Weis was born in 1948 in Independence, Missouri, and later attended...
, Don PerrinDon PerrinDon Perrin is a Canadian writer and former military officer. Born in Iserlohn, Germany, Perrin grew up in Kingston, ON, Canada, McMasterville, QC, Canada, Bromley, Kent, England, and Ottawa, ON, Canada. Perrin served in the Canadian Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, in the Canadian...
, Michael A. BursteinMichael A. BursteinMichael A. Burstein is an American writer of science fiction. He was born in New York City, and grew up in the neighborhood of Forest Hills in the borough of Queens. He attended Hunter College High School in Manhattan...
, Jeffrey CarverJeffrey CarverJeffrey A. Carver is an American science fiction author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Brown University. He currently lives in Arlington, Massachusetts...
, Esther FriesnerEsther FriesnerEsther Mona Friesner-Stutzman, née Friesner is an American science fiction and fantasy author best known for her humorous pieces.- Life :...
, Peter HeckPeter HeckPeter Jewell Heck is an American science fiction and mystery author. His books include the "Mark Twain Mysteries"—historical whodunits featuring the famous author as a detective—and four books in the "Phule's Company" series, in collaboration with Robert Asprin, best described as...
, James MorrowJames MorrowJames Morrow is a fiction author. A self-described "scientific humanist", his work satirises organized religion and elements of humanism and atheism....
, Donna Jo NapoliDonna Jo NapoliDonna Jo Napoli is an author of children's and young adult books, as well as a prominent linguist who has worked in syntax, phonetics, phonology, morphology, historical and comparative linguistics, Romance studies, structure of Japanese, structure of American Sign Language, poetics, writing for...