The 44th annual Balticon science fiction convention was held from May 28 to 31 at Marriott’s Hunt Valley Inn in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Guest of Honor was Tanya Huff. Artist Guest of Honor was Howard Taylor. Science Guest of Honor was Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. At the opening ceremonies, Paolo Bacigalupi won the Compton Crook Award for his novel The Windup Girl.

The event included author and editor panel discussions, readings, podcasting, science briefings, an art auction, and the return of the steampunk dance “Dancing in the Gears” (“Airships and time machines should be parked outside the ballroom”).

Highlights for me included Dr. Holtz’s annual “Dinosaur Update” presentation, in which he announced that 55 new species of dinosaur were discovered in 2009 and 26 so far in 2010; the clockwork-in-shadow-box art of K.M. Kotulak, with titles such as “Heart of the Ornithopter” and “The Ethereal Darling”; discovering science podcasting, of which Astronomy Cast is an example; the “Cthulhu Mythos Cagefight” panel (with illustrations drawn live!); and more.

Proprietor, Steampunkfunk Bizarre — an Emporium

Ectothermic Geophasic Disintegration Ray Gun
Steampunk fare from Steampunkfunk Bizarre

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