The guest list for the first We Are ALL SF convention, November 4-6, currently includes: Jennifer Brozek, Drew Hobson, David Gerrold, Keaton Weimer, Mike Resnick, Chaz Kemp, Beth Meacham, Jody Lynn Nye, Jeffrey Veregge, Nancy Kress, William F. Nolan, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, James Gunn, Raven Oak, Scott Hungerford, Angela Korra’ti, Dara Korra’ti, Sunni Brock, Sebby Aguilar, Jamie Mason, Greg Smith, Donna Barr, Carolyn Kay, Elizabeth Guizettui, Pam Binder, Dr. Vicka Rael Corey, Duane Wilkerson, Jason V. Brock, and Alaina Capoeman.

Karen Junker wants fans to know that work continues on We Are ALL SF Con 2016 although it did not hit the target with its first crowdsourced funding campaign.

Thanks for the mention on File 770 about the Indiegogo campaign for We Are ALL SF Con 2016.

Just an update…we raised 490 of the 9000 we had as our goal.  Indiegogo does fund even if you do not reach your goal, so we will go ahead and do other campaigns soon, as well.

Someone at a party the other day said “Oh, too bad about your con!” and when I asked what they were talking about they explained that they thought that if our campaign did not fund we were cancelling. But we are not.

We are looking for support from fans and the SFF community to help defray expenses. Some of the costs will be covered by Memberships, donations, and sponsors. But the con will not be cancelled. We’ve got our venue already, and I am paying for that as a donation. We have a budget which is graduated to add stuff to the event when we reach certain amounts in our coffers. But even if we don’t, we will be able to cover the costs by personal donations if we need to. We are just hoping that the news will spread and we will get even more support and people will come to the coast and have a great time making history at our con!

So, to dispel any rumors, we’re good. Some of our Guests of Honor and other presenters are paying their own way just so they can be there for our first. They volunteered for this, we did not ask them. It’s going to be one fantastic party, if nothing else — and kids/teens/families will be especially welcome.

The convention website is up and online registration is live.

The con plans to launch the Torus Awards, a juried award whose longlist will be nominated by convention members. The Torus Award categories will be:

• Art
• Costume
• Games
• Media (TV, Movies, Podcasts)
• Music
• Writing

The winners in each category will be selected by an “Academy of Judges” made up of a Guest of Honor in the field and six convention members chosen at random from those who have volunteered to serve as judges in that category.