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Gaming RPG Gaming Balticon 60 will have 3 tables now, 40+ game sessions, and round-the-clock tabletop role-playing games (RPG) where attendees can join one of our scheduled sessions. We also have a rpg library that has over 650 rpg books available. Games will take place between 4 p.m. Friday and Noon Monday. Throw for damage! Read More Board Gaming We will have a wide selection of board games to play and over two dozen scheduled games to join. You can also bring your own games and sit down at a table. Our staff will be familiar with most of the available games. In addition to our scheduled game demos, we can usually teach or demo almost any of our games if you’d like. Read More Video Gaming We're still working on the full details of our video gaming room this year. Unfortunately, there will be no video game tournaments this year. But that doesn't mean that we wont have any video games, we do. Read More

Guests of Honor Jim Butcher Author Guest of Honor Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. Read More Hayley Gelfuso 2026 Compton Crook Winner Hayley Gelfuso won the 2026 Compton Crook Award for her novel The Book of Lost Hours Read More Samantha Mills 2025 Compton Crook Winner Samantha Mills won the 2025 Compton Crook Award for her novel The Wings Upon Her Back Read More Frank Wu Artist Guest of Honor Frank is a two-time AnLab Award winner for outstanding science fiction writing, six-time Analog contributor, and a four-time Hugo Award winner. Read More The Faithful Sidekicks Music Guest of Honor The Faithful Sidekicks are the husband and wife Geek Rock duo of Eric and Jen Distad. Read More Andy Weir 2026 Robert A. Heinlein Award Andy Weir, novelist, is the 2026 winner of the Robert A. Heinlein Award. Read More Jennifer Blackstream Special Guest Jennifer Blackstream is a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and fantasy romance. Read More

Programming Miniature Painting Workshops By Kron! Come learn to paint miniatures of all kinds with our esteemed Master miniature painter, Lord Kron! Read More Friday Night Filk Circle TBA Read More

< Back The Lights Above Months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a series of unidentified aircraft sightings over Los Angeles lead a determined journalist to reluctantly pair up with a Japanese American photographer to prevent another attack. In 1942, a series of unidentified aircraft sightings over Los Angeles lead a determined journalist to reluctantly pair up with a Japanese American photographer in order to prevent another attack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpybAr3C4lw Previous Next

< Back Michelle Hymowitz Gaming Staff Michelle is the former president of the Games Club of Maryland. She has been involved in the boardgaming community for over 25 years, been a High School teacher even longer, attended Balticon even longer, and arranged the Gaming Track panels for over five years. Her husband is lying when he says she is forcing him to attend. Other Socials

< Back Christiane Knight Literary Author Christiane Knight [she/they] is an artist, musician, writer, and author of the contemporary fantasy series Stories of the Eleriannan. Her most recent book is A Third Kind of Madness. A former club and FM radio DJ, Xiane’s love of dark subculture and music infuses their work. They write hopeful, magical stories often set in the Fae infused version of their already quirky hometown, Baltimore MD. She is a lifelong enthusiast of faerie, folktales, forests and fauna, especially combined in copious amounts with all-black clothing and some Joy Division or Bauhaus playing in the headphones. Other Socials

< Back Gracie Gaming Gamer Hello! My name is Grace, and I’m a Pokémon Professor! I’m excited to join Balticon as both a guest and staff member, traveling all the way from Seattle, Washington. As a Pokémon Professor at Balticon 59, I’m your go-to expert for all things Pokémon and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. I’ve been doing this for quite a while, and I absolutely love being an ambassador for my favorite hobby. Teaching the next generation of trainers who aspire to be the very best always brings a big smile to my face! When I’m not collecting, trading, or studying Pokémon, I’m a quirky shark VTuber streaming video games and diving deep into all things tabletop! As a self-proclaimed Warhammer nerd (reading the books totally counts, right?), I’d love to hear from all of you about which loyalist legion is the best—and why it’s the Dark Angels. Other Socials

< Back Mitch Bustillos Gaming Designer Creator of tabletop role-playing games. What games , who knows. You might have to visit the game room to find out. Other Socials

< List of Vendors Jones, N. D. Dealer's Room N.D. Jones, Ed.D., is an award-winning African American author who has achieved USA Today bestselling status for her captivating Black Fantasy and Paranormal Romance novels. She resides in the heart of Maryland with her loving family. Driven by a passionate desire to introduce more positive, sexy, and multi-dimensional African-American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, N.D. embarked on a remarkable journey of her own. Determined to address this challenge, she took it upon herself to redefine the narrative. N.D. has an impressive portfolio of series that reflect her dedication to bringing diversity and depth to the romance genre. Her works include the enchanting fantasy romance series "Forever Yours" and the contemporary romance trilogy "The Styles of Love." Moreover, she has authored three thrilling paranormal romance series: "Winged Warriors," "Death and Destiny," and "Dragon Shifter Romance," along with two captivating fantasy series: "Feline Nation" and "Fairy Tale Fatale." One of N.D.'s distinctive strengths lies in her commitment to crafting in-depth mythologies within her novels, as well as seamlessly weaving paranormal elements into the fabric of her stories. When she creates a world of witches and shapeshifters, N.D. ensures that her readers not only witness their extraordinary existence but also gain a deep understanding of what it truly means to be a part of the world of these mystical beings. In her novels, the paranormal is not merely a background feature; it takes center stage and is crucial to the plot, enriching the reader's experience with every turn of the page. N.D. Jones invites you to join her on an extraordinary journey where Black love intertwines seamlessly with the paranormal, creating a world where love, mystery, and enchantment reign supreme. Kuumba Publisher, Fantasy Author fantasy novels, coloring books, and notebooks/journals. https://www.ndjonesparanormalpleasure.com/

< Back Angela Yuriko Smith Literary Author Angela Yuriko Smith is a two-time Bram Stoker Award–winning author, former president of the Horror Writers Association, and publisher of Space and Time. As a publishing consultant and coach, she helps writers build sustainable creative careers rooted in art, not arson. She writes Authortunities on Substack. Other Socials

< Back Frank Wu Artist Guest of Honor Born in Philadelphia, Frank Wu has a PhD in Bacterial Genetics and over 20 years of professional experience in biotech patent law. A contributor to the development of the COVID vaccine, Frank also has a passion for science fiction writing and art. A fixture in the science fiction fandom since 1998, Frank Wu has won four Hugo awards for art. Since 2015, Frank Wu has shifted his focus to writing, with the publication of “Season of the Ants,” in Analog, one of the most prestigious publications in science fiction. Frank Wu lives in Dedham, Massachusetts, with his wife, noted tech and political figure Brianna Wu.

< Back Joshua Bilmes Literary Editor Joshua Bilmes is the President of JABberwocky Literary Agency, which he founded in 1994. His clients include NY Times bestselling authors Brandon Sanderson, Charlaine Harris, Peter V. Brett, Jack Campbell, Elizabeth Moon and Simon R. Green, multiple Compton Crook Award winners, Hugo Award winner Suzanne Palmer, and many other top names in sf and fantasy. His first convention as a pro was Balticon in 1989, and at the 2017 Balticon he started reading The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell. Reviewers have gone on to call Nick "the future of epic fantasy." He discovered Patrick Fitzgerald at Balticon in 2022, and Patrick's debut novel will be publishing just in time for next year's convention. Joshua watches lots of movies and lots of tennis when he isn't reading manuscripts, and hopes to discover another new client this year. Other Socials