Past Super Secret Guests at GAFilk

S.M. Stirling 2007
	We were oh so very bouncy bouncy happy weeeeeeee over the opportunity to have sf and alternate history author Steve Stirling join us at GAFilk in 2007. Steve has been including filk music in his national best-selling books for many years. There's even been some discussion of putting actual tunes in the backs of the books. Now THAT should make some filkers' ears and imaginations perk right up. Stirling's adventurous, conflict-driven novels often describe military situations and militaristic cultures and explore societies with cultural values significantly different from modern western views. One of his recurring topics is the influence of the culture on an individual's outlook and values, and the different constructions of morality. The Dies the Fire saga picks up 22 years following the "Change" of the world as we know it in the soon to be released The Sunrise Lands. Steve's most recent release is the sf novel The Sky People in the Lords of Creation Series. He's a prolific storyteller with over 21 short stories and novellas, as well as 62 novels spread out over numerous series. Bringing Steve to GAFilk was loads of fun, and the concom feels like we made out like bandits getting two great Super Secret Guests, because Steve brought along his delightful wife Jan, who not only helped us decorate the main filk room, but is ALSO a very fine sf author in her own right, and has a lovely voice. What a deal! We're really hoping that they come back.
Karen Anderson 2006
	Learning history was never so much fun with last year's Super Secret GA-uest Karen Anderson telling us the Story of Filk! Karen Anderson is Responsible for the first deliberate use of the term "filk" back in the 1950s. In addition to the creation of numerous classic filk songs, she has been an integral part of fandom since the 1950s as a writer, costumer, dramatist, and club fan in the Los Angeles area. She has been a Pro GoH (along with her husband, the respected sf author Poul Anderson) at ConClave 10 (1985) and ConClave 32 (1997). She has worked on con committees for the 1953 Disclave, 1954 Worldcon in San Francisco and a couple of Westercons including 1956. Among her other accomplishments, Karen helped create the Society for Creative Anachronism, along with Diana Paxson and Don Studebaker. She also founded a branch of the Baker Street Irregulars when in high school and holds an Investiture in the parent body. Karen Anderson is a Life Member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Tanya Huff 2005	Tanya Huff is talented, inspiring, delightfully witty, charming, and an influential part of the filk community. "I'm not just a writer who is fond of filk," says Tanya, "I'm actually humping its leg." She is one also one of the most prolific, respected and creative sf and fantasy authors around, with a plethora of short stories and and novel series (Wizard Crystal, Victoria Nelson, Kigh, Keeper Chronicles, Confederation). Tanya discovered filk... and we're oh so glad she did. She's been a regular in filk circles at conventions all over the world, has one doozy of a nice guitar, and has been dedicating free time ("Free time? Ha!") to guitar lessons and practice. Tanya's writing is inspiring more and more filk. She's a darn fine dancer, too. We sure enjoyed getting to know her better, and she's returned to GAFilk every year.

Howie Harrison 2004
	Howie is the exceptionally talented singer/songwriter from Minneapolis who is known around the world as "the guy who wrote The Birdie Song!" (Actually, it is called The Reincarnation Song, but everyone affectionately calls it The Birdie Song.) Howie has been entertaining audiences at Renaissance Fairs, sf conventions, and playing with The Heathens for (mumble mumble) years. He has some fine songs on his CD (which will surely be available for sale at the con.) He's a consumate performer who consistently delights audiences with his stories and songs, and we're looking forward to introducing him to the Southern Filking Hemisphere. Our thanks to Beckett Gladney for the picture of Howie (one of very few that doesn't show him with a guitar in his hands.)
Marty Burke 2003
	Marty Burke is a performer of legendary renown. An accomplished Irish musician, Marty fell in with the Midwest Dorsai and the Mongol Hordes. From there it was just a short step to filk, and a wonderful combination of Irish tunes and Dorsai/Horde lyrics ensued. Among other standards, this is the man who is responsible for the rousing songs Drink to the Health of the Dorsai, and Rise Up and Strike for Dorsai. Marty is a writer, web page designer (a member of www.hwg.org), data base designer, and a student of Catholic Christian Rosicrucian mysticism. He is also a professional grade astrologer and a past president of the Michigan Astrological Research Society. He is fluent in both French and German and is learning Spanish, Portuguese, and Irish. After his marriage to Diana Gallagher, the Burkes traveled from Michigan to Kansas to Minnesota, and currently reside in Florida. Marty suffered Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration (PCD), and is confined to a wheelchair. He experiences some difficulty speaking but absolutely no difficulty hearing or understanding... and he certainly enjoys listening! PCD Here is an interesting web site Marty put up on his particular form of Ataxia.
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Diana G. Gallagher 2003
	While diligently pounding out a few million unsold words, Diana Gallagher gained notoriety among sf fans and space development advocates with her songs about humanity’s future in space such as Only One Way to Go. She was nominated for a Pegasus Award for Best Performer in 1986 and won the 1986 Best Humorous Song Pegasus for her wickedly delightful A Reconsideration of Anatomical Docking Maneuvers in a Zero-G Environment. Woof received nomination in 1992 for Best Song, and Dancing on the Moon was nominated for Best Space Song in 1993. She won again in 1994 in the category of Best Children's Song for Monsters In The Night. While writing The Alien Dark (TSR 1990), her first published novel, Diana also tried her hand at whimsical fantasy art. Her hand-colored prints depicting the dog-like activities of "Woof, the House Dragon" began as a means of paying convention expenses. The light-hearted fun soon developed into a full-time artistic endeavor and won her a Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 1988. Diana has written thirty Intermediate Reader and Young Adult novels in several series for Pocket Books. These include The Secret World of Alex Mack, Are You Afraid of the Dark, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, The Journey of Allen Strange, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Star Trek, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Lois McMaster Bujold 2002
	Lois McMaster Bujold did really know what to expect when she arrived at GAFilk. She found a convention that didn't pressure her into doing anything she didn't want to do. She found a room full of avid fans who not only read all her work, but also wrote songs about her work, and performed them with joy and verve. We were so pleased to have her as our Super Secret Guest.

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