Meet the Guests of CoastCon 47!
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Media Guest of Honor
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Author Guest of Honor
Credit: Sharona Jaobs
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Artist Guest of Honor
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Fan Guest of Honor
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Special Media Guest
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Special Author Guest
Credit: Sharona Jacobs
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Credit: Honey and Heather Photos
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MEDIA GUEST OF HONOR – Susanna Malak
Susanna Malak has worked on The Mandalorian 1,2, and 3, Ashoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and The Skeleton Crew as six different creatures; Jawa, Gas Mask, Keteerian, Thobodin, Binbot, and Mellito. She has been on The Prank Panel on ABC with Johnny Knoxville. She has been in the acting industy for awhile and loves it. In her own words, “People ask why? It’s because I love my fans!”
AUTHOR GUEST OF HONOR – Elizabeth Bear
Elizabeth Bear was born on the same day as Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, but in a different year.
She is the Hugo, Sturgeon, Locus, and Astounding Award winning author of dozens of novels; over a hundred short stories; and a number of essays, nonfiction, and opinion pieces for markets as diverse as Popular Mechanics and The Washington Post.
She lives in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts with her spouse, writer Scott Lynch.
Her photo is courtesy Sharona Jacobs.
Website – http://www.elizabethbear.com
ARTIST GUEST OF HONOR – Robby Musso
Robby Musso is an illustrator and toy designer who has worked in the comics and toys industries for over 15 years for major companies including IDW Publishing and Hasbro Toys. He has provided an extensive catalog of works for internationally known brands ranging from Transformers, G.I.Joe, Star Wars, and Marvel, to Power Rangers, Hot Wheels, and Speed Racer among many others. Robby is also the creator of the all new, exciting premier Import Car Racing Mecha Series, DIVINE CIRCUITS!
FAN GUEST OF HONOR – Jessica Styons
Conrunner and lifelong fan, Jessica Styons, attended her first convention at seven years old – a VulCon in 1977. Her parents, Michael “Scotty” and Jessica Scott were founders of CoastCon and she was there for the inaugural event. She continued to volunteer and attend every year through college – and was an established regular on the dance floor.
Growing up reading, role-playing gaming, and attending con runner meetings led to her working with her friends to run an annual SF convention out of their high school, ScotCon, and later an SF convention at LSU, TowerCon. In addition to volunteering at various conventions (the most fun was working in the NolaCon II Green Room!), Jessica, along with some amazing friends, founded CONtraflow, three of which she chaired. For her work in southern fandom, she was presented with a Rebel Award in 2019. And whether it is nature or nurture, her daughter is now dipping her toe into con running with Conclave Anime later this year.
She has taken her organizational and con running skills with her to the workplace running libraries and is now leading one of the largest public library systems in Louisiana. This will all culminate in her earning her PhD in Organizational Leadership in 2025.
She feels honored and humbled to be 2025 FGOH for CoastCon and can’t wait to get on her dancing shoes!
SPECIAL MEDIA GUEST – Barry Lowin
Barry Lowin is a distinguished actor and performance artist, widely recognized for his significant contributions to The Mandalorian. Collaborating with Pedro Pascal, Brendan Wayne, and Lateef Crowder, Barry played a vital role in bringing the character of Din Djarin to life, skillfully combining physicality and subtlety to shape the legendary bounty hunter. Additionally, he appeared as a Shoretrooper in The Mandalorian, portrayed Garfalaquox in The Book of Boba Fett, and showcased his versatility as the performance artist for the Klatooinian Pirate Pilot, Quarren Navigator, and Home One Comms Officer in Ahsoka.
A native of Louisiana, Barry refined his craft at Louisiana State University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater and Journalism. Beyond his on-screen achievements, he has delivered standout live performances, including his role as The Trickster in Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza. Whether on stage or screen, Barry’s dedication, artistry, and versatility continue to leave a lasting impression on audiences worldwide.
SPECIAL AUTHOR GUEST – Scott Lynch
Scott Lynch was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1978, the first of three brothers. Early in life he worked as a dishwasher, a waiter, a graphic designer, an office manager, a cook, and a game supplement self-publisher before accidentally selling his first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, in 2004. From 2005 to 2016 Scott also served as a paid-on-call firefighter in Wisconsin. Scott currently lives in Massachusetts with his wife, award-winning SF/F novelist Elizabeth Bear, plus four cats (Duncan, Gurney, Molly, and Fafhrd) and a pair of Icelandic horses (a gelding named Ormr and a mare named Spola).
His photo is courtesy Sharona Jacobs.
Website – http://www.scottlynch.us
COSPLAY GUEST – 13.Katz
After attending a local con, 13.Katz dived into the cosplay scene in 2014. What started as modifying a few bought cosplays evolved into an enriching hobby of crafting bizarre cosplays, oftentimes from scratch. Her jack-of-all-trades experience spans from basic sewing and foam work to more unusual projects like creating a yarn wig helmet and shaping giant claws out of a PVC pipe. Her drive behind her cosplays has always been learning how to make things work and then sharing that knowledge through social media and panels. In addition to cosplay, 13.Katz can be found with her dice hoard at tabletop role-playing games, such as Monster of the Week and Dungeons & Dragons, as a player and game master with almost 5 years of experience. In the meantime, be sure to check out her socials on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch.
Her photo is courtesy Honey and Heather Photos.
REGIONAL AUTHOR GUEST – Rob Cerio
Rob Cerio was born at an early age, and has since grown much more hair. As a comedy writer, he denies all rumors of making inappropriate jokes at funerals. He has published four novels, six short stories, and helped author a YouTube web series. He has also won two awards for his writing contributions to his local 48hr Film Festival. He now lives in Metairie, Louisiana with his lovely wife, two adorable step kids, and a small annoying dog named after a large Japanese monster.
REGIONAL AUTHOR GUEST – K. D. Wood
K.D. Wood lives in north Mississippi with her family, a very spoiled White Waug, one old Goblin, and a princess. She creates love stories and smoking southern erotic romance, but not your mama’s happy ever after. A consumer of chocolate, but not spiders, and is completely composed of liquid awesome. When not in her office pounding the keys she can be found under a blanket, cup of coffee close by with her nose in a book. Her available titles are Unwilling, Unloved, Unboundless (paranormal romance series), and Boys of Fall (contemporary romance) Her catalog of work is available in eBook, print, and audiobook format. Follow her on Twitter at @KDWoodauthor, Instagram at @K.D.Woodauthor, like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/writerK.D.Wood, get awkward with her on TicTok @kdwoodauthor, or email her at K.D.Woodauthor@gmail.com
REGIONAL AUTHOR GUEST – Julie Wetzel
Originally from Ohio, Julie always dreamed of a job in science. Either shooting for the stars or delving into the mysteries of volcanoes. But, life never leads where you expect. In 2011, she started writing stories to entertain her sister, deployed with the US Navy. Julie currently lives in Mississippi with her husband and son. She’s a bit of a factotum that’s currently acting as a full-time author and part-time R/C mechanic.
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JulieWetzelAuthor/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JulieKWetzel
Website – http://www.juliewetzel.com/
REGIONAL AUTHOR GUEST – J.B. Garner
Z-tier author/S-class editor, but generally awesome, J. B. Garner has written over a dozen novels across multiple genres and edited hundreds. Born near Baltimore, MD in 1976, she’s seen and done many things in my life, but her true passion has always been the written word. She writes fantasy, sci-fi, and pro-wrestling epics, among other things, and is always out to entertain and amaze!
REGIONAL AUTHOR GUEST – Ernest Russel
Ernest Russell has written for Pro Se Productions, Beyond the Threshold Studios, and the literary journal Violet Windows. His stories and poetry can be found in All That Weird Jazz, The Further Adventures of Ned Land, and When The Shadow Sees The Sun – all published by Pro Se Productions. Monster Mayhem: An Anthology of Monstrous Proportions from Beyond the Threshold Studios.
He was a content and copy editor for “Tales of The Interstellar Bartenders Guild”- winner of the 2019 Pulp Factory Award for Best New Pulp Anthology, and for “Nightveil: Crisis at the Crossroads of Infinity” winner of the 2020 Pulp Factory Award for Best New Pulp Novel.
Some of his favorite things (besides coffee) are science fiction, horror, steampunk, and fantasy books and movies. His writing splits among those genres. As often as possible, you can find him playing board games, tabletop, or an RPG.
You can find him at ernest.russell.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon
REGIONAL AUTHOR GUEST – Derek Dykes
Derek is a Mobile, AL native, and terminal Geek. He’s been writing for his friends and family for 25 years, killing characters and bad ideas as needed, and always bringing the need for thought to his writing. Read, think, reflect – and look out; that is the only guide we can offer when reading his work. His overactive imagination is a gift to us all. Pick up his books, and peek into his worlds; you’ll be glad you did.
Derek formally finished his degree at the age of forty. Over the years, he privately continued his studies in art, literature, archaeology, Celtic history, and a cornucopia of other subjects that interested him.
Derek moved home to Mobile, Alabama in early 2008 after living away for almost a decade. His journey home was a catalyst for the foundation of his first novel, MADNESS. In addition to writing, Derek enjoys photography, parenting and using any medium available to bring the creations of his mind to life. More of Derek’s work can be found by visiting www.derekdykes.com
REGIONAL AUTHOR GUEST – Dale Kesterson
Dale Kesterson was born in Manhattan, NY and grew up on Long Island. Since then, she has lived in six widely diverse locations, from New Orleans to deliberately moving to a town too small to have a red-yellow-green traffic light.
Odd creative opportunities presented themselves throughout the years, however, with two highlights. Dale did a two-year stint with an opera company where she performed pantomime characters while singing with the chorus and she worked on a radio show as an anchor and character voice artist.
She co-authored the first two Time Guards novels, and now pens the Lauren Kaye Mystery series published by Jumpmaster Press. RESORT TO MURDER (2021) was the introductory novel, followed by STAGED FOR DEATH (2022), and MURDEROUS INTENTIONS (2024). The fourth title, DEADLY REFLECTIONS will follow in late 2025. Not one to stick with a single genre, she has several science-fiction and paranormal short stories in anthologies and magazines.
Dale is a seasoned traveler who is also a professional photographer. In 2018 she auditioned for a part for a community theater and has been active as an actress, singer, and assistant director with two local community theaters in her area, even playing the lead in a mystery!
She lives in southwest Kansas with her husband (of over 30 years) and their hairless cats. When she’s not writing, performing, or appearing at conventions as an author or panelist or songstress, she does handcrafts. This lady hates being bored!
RETURNING AUTHOR GUEST OF HONOR – Gini Koch
Gini Koch started writing in the American Southwest as something to do in between staring at pictures of good-looking leading men, but now sweats out the words, both literally and figuratively, in Hotlanta and dreams of dry heat.
She’s best known for her award-winning Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series from DAW Books, which started with Touched by an Alien and has sixteen books out currently, with seventeen through twenty on the way.
Gini’s made the most of multiple personality disorder by writing under a variety of other pen names as well, including G.J. Koch (the Alexander Outland series), Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, A.E. Stanton (the New West Series and the Legend of Belladonna series), and J.C. Koch, and all her various personas have stories featured in excellent anthologies, available now and upcoming. No matter what length – from science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, space opera, urban fantasy, horror, mystery, thriller, dystopian, westerns, romantic suspense, weird west, and more – if it’s genre, she writes it.
Prior to becoming a full-time author, Gini spent over 25 years in marketing and advertising, first in small- to mid-sized direct marketing firms in Los Angeles, and then within the Fortune 50, and she was a social media maven before it was cool.
She’s an avid follower of pop culture, comics, and anything and everything animated. She guests, exhibits, and panels frequently at cons across the U.S., large and small, because if there’s one thing that she likes (and you can be sure that there is) it’s getting to run her yap and interact with fans.
She’s still has the most wonderful and patient husband in the world, a remarkably supportive family who don’t mind that she spends most of her time in other worlds, and she remains inspired mainly by good-looking leading men. She’s also inspired by the need to keep her Canine Death Squad and Killer Kitties in kibble and treats because they’re both her cheering squad and one of her main distractions (and all the furred beasts say sorry not sorry about that).