In an effort to be transparent, we are opening up Post-Convention COVID self-reporting.  

As the population that attends our events at any age has a higher percentage of immunocompromised persons as well as those with underlying health conditions, we would like to open up voluntary reporting for those that attended our event that find they are COVID positive. 


A few caveats to this: 

• If you do, this would be as a courtesy to your fellow ConCoction attendees that you may have attended panels, played board games, or shared performance space with. 

 

• No, you are not required report to us, and we are not requiring anyone to report to us if you find you are positive during or post convention. 
  Again this is courtesy to others in the community that you have shared space with.

 

• If you choose to report, we don't have to disclose your name, unless you give us permission to.
  We will not ask for any personal details nor information other than what you give us consent to disclose.

 

• We do not keep or store this personal information in any way, other than posting here as addendum to this Blog post and possible newsletter inclusion after the convention for sake of transparency. 

 

• If you want to report and do not want to disclose your name, we will make sure to keep an updated list at the end of this post of the total count of self-reporting persons post-convention. 

We have already received quetions as of this time.
Even though the ConCoction fannish community tends to skew on the low end the positive rate due to higher vaccination rates, following hygiene practices, and many of our members still observe masking protocols even when vaccinated - ConCrud and now COVID positivity still happens. 


Thank you to those who have already inquired, and we as Volunteers will do our best to be as transparent as possible with the knowledge and information we receive. 

Link: 2023 Post-ConCoction COVID-19 Self Reporting Form


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​
Updates from Self-reporting Form:  


(1) Reported date:  3/20/2023 

• What days did you attend the event?
  • Friday, Saturday, Sunday
• Were you found to be COVID-19 positive during the convention, tested positive post convention, or other?
  • ​postive after the convention 
• Do you want to disclose your name?
  • ​yes
• If you do want to disclose your name, what name do you want to report with? ​
  • Sean Evans AKA Commodore MacLaren 
• Do you want to report if you are experiencing any symptoms?
  • ​I am experiencing mild symptoms 
• Do you want us to share any other information? Such as if you were on any panels or similar.
  • ​I was on no panels but did attend the Harp Twins concert on Saturday. 

 (2) Reported date:  3/21/2023 

•  What days did you attend the event? 
  • ​Friday, Saturday, Sunday
• Were you found to be COVID-19 positive during the convention, tested positive post convention, or other?
  • ​postive after the convention
• Do you want to disclose your name?
  • yes
• If you do want to disclose your name, what name do you want to report with? ​
  • ​Smurf
• Do you want to report if you are experiencing any symptoms?
  • ​Low grade fever, sore throat, aches, headache
• Do you want us to share any other information? Such as if you were on any panels or similar.
  • ​Mostly in OPS (Volunteer Operations Dept) & Fleet (Barfleet) party.

(3) Reported date: 3/21/2023 

• What days did you attend the event?
  • ​Friday, Saturday, Sunday
• Were you found to be COVID-19 positive during the convention, tested positive post convention, or other?
  • ​postive after the convention
• Do you want to disclose your name?
  • ​No
• Do you want to report if you are experiencing any symptoms?
  • Very mild fatigue, slight cough
• Do you want us to share any other information? Such as if you were on any panels or similar.
  • ​We all (3 in the family) took rapid tests on Friday before we came, all negative. Two of us tested positive on Monday by rapid and PCR. We were all vaccinated and boosted to the fullest extent of boostability.

(4) Reported date: 3/22/2023 

• What days did you attend the event?
  • ​Friday, Saturday, Sunday
• Were you found to be COVID-19 positive during the convention, tested positive post convention, or other?
  • ​postive after the convention
• Do you want to disclose your name?
  • ​No
• Do you want to report if you are experiencing any symptoms?
  • ​Fever, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, congestion

(5) Reported date: 3/23/2023 

• What days did you attend the event?
  • ​Friday, Saturday
• Were you found to be COVID-19 positive during the convention, tested positive post convention, or other?
  • ​positive during the convention
• Do you want to disclose your name?
  • ​yes
• If you do want to disclose your name, what name do you want to report with? ​
  • ​Marta Engle
• Do you want to report if you are experiencing any symptoms?
  • ​yes
• Do you want us to share any other information?  Such as if you were on any panels or similar. 
  • ​Barfleet Party friday, consuite sat morning

(6) Reported date: 3/23/2023 

• What days did you attend the event?
  • ​Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
• Were you found to be COVID-19 positive during the convention, tested positive post convention, or other?
  • ​positive after the convention
• Do you want to disclose your name?
  • ​yes
• If you do want to disclose your name, what name do you want to report with? ​
  • ​Brandi Jurecki
• Do you want to report if you are experiencing any symptoms?
  • ​Congestion, headache, body aches

(7) Reported date: 3/24/2023 

• What days did you attend the event?
  • ​Friday, Saturday, Sunday
• Were you found to be COVID-19 positive during the convention, tested positive post convention, or other?
  • ​positive after the convention
• Do you want to disclose your name?
  • ​no

​
Updated as of 3/24/2023 @ 5:57pm EDT
​

Attention costumers!

Don't forget to sign up for the cosplay contest and snag your pre-judging time Saturday before 3PM at the Cosplay HQ table by the fan tables.

No need to be in costume for signs-ups!

Barbara Doran is a New Pulp writer of SF and Fantasy with Airship 27. Barbara came by her love of reading early. Reading inevitably led to writing; beginning with fanfiction, she soon graduated to original works, some of which can still be found online if searched for by a dedicated investigator.

Her works include the GOLDEN DRAGON series, WU DANG: FIST OF THE WANDERER, and several short stories.



A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, Dan R. Arman decided he wanted to tell stories. Stories about other worlds populated by interesting characters, because he thought these people and worlds would help him reflect on the world he was living in, its beauty, horrors and absurdity. For several years, Arman worked as a newspaper reporter, an editor and now teaches literature and writing at an online high school. He holds a master’s degree in English literature and rhetoric from Kent State University.

Arman is the author of the NIGHT MAIDEN series, RIDING A BLACK HORSE, and BIFROST, among others.


​
Both Doran and Arman will be at the Cleveland ConCoction 2023 Authors Alley!

Cleveland ConCoction Authors Alley

2023 Authors |  Dan R. Arman  |  Barbara Doran  ​

When she’s not rescuing orphan kittens or doing voice acting for villainous purple mermaids, Cassandra Morgan can be found creating worlds of magic, suspense and friendship. A lover of doughnuts and a self-proclaimed Coffee Connoisseur, Cassandra hails from a family of writers, authors and journalists. 

Cassandra is the author of the YA Fantasy series THE KINGDOMS OF CHARTILE and THE SILVER FOX MYSTERIES.
 


David F. Balog was born, raised, and still lives in the Greater Cleveland area with his wife and cat. Ever inquisitive, he dove deeply into science, paranormal studies, mathematics, and mythology at an early age, and never let go of the idea that they were all tightly connected. 

Balog’s current series is YA dark high fantasy, the first of which is titled NECROMANCER'S LAMENT.


​
​Morgan and Balog will both be attended and presenting content at Cleveland ConCoction 2023!

J.D. Blackrose is fearful that so-called normal people will discover exactly how often she thinks about wicked fairies, nasty wizards, homicidal elevators, and the odd murder, even when she is supposed to be having coffee with a friend or paying something called "bills." As a survival tactic, she has mastered the art of looking interested. She credits her parents for teaching her to ask questions, and in lieu of facts, how to make up answers.

J.D. Blackrose wrote THE SUMMONER'S MARK urban fantasy trilogy for Bell Bridge Books and THE SOUL WARS, THE DEVIL'S BEEN BUSY, and ZOMBIE COSMETOLOGIST novellas through Falstaff Books.


​
James Fadeley is a software engineer by day, a gamer in the afternoon, and writer by night. While this sounds hectic, he has recently become a father and thus no longer sleeps. When not feeding the milk vampire (his daughter), he can be found researching topics for his next story.

James is the author of the SAN CICARO series, THE BANNER SAGA, and a short story included in SECRETS IN SCARLET: AN ARCKHAM HORROR ANTHOLOGY, among others.
​Both authors will be in attendance at the Cleveland ConCoction 2023 Authors Alley!

Cleveland ConCoction Authors Alley

2023 Authors |  J. D. Blackrose  |  James Fadeley  ​

Only want to shop at the convention? Sunday ONLY you can purchase a Shopping Membership for $5 and gain access to the Exhibit Hall, Artists Alley, and Authors Alley and shop til you drop. Available SUNDAY ONLY!

Evan Graham is an Ohio native who consistently refuses to seek help for his lifelong sci-fi addiction. Since there are not enough stories currently in existence to satisfy him, he had no choice but to start writing his own.

TANTALUS DEPTHS is Graham’s debut novel, and introduces his CALLING VOID series, an anthology of stories celebrating the wonder and terror of the Unknown.

Joelle Presby lives in Ohio with her husband and two daughters. She demonstrates a continued suspicion of Earth’s motives by maintaining both earthquake and flood insurance. She prefers to keep as many books as possible in easily portable ebook form, because, one day, we might need to evacuate the planet.
​
Presby’s novels include the near-term science fiction debut solo novel, THE DABARE SNAKE LAUNCHER, and a continuation of the MULTIVERSE series which David Weber began with Linda Evans, The Road To Hell.
Graham and Presby will both be at Cleveland ConCoction 2023!

Cleveland ConCoction Authors Alley

2023 Authors |  Evan Graham  |  Joelle Presby  ​

From a family of avid readers, Jason Lady was encouraged to read fantasy and science fiction and write his own stories and comic strips from an early age. Jason wrote his first novel-length story in high school - a parody of Robin Hood that starred all his friends - which got passed around on the bus and read on the way to cross-country races.
 
Jason's books have been accepted to the Ohioana Book Festival, the Kentucky Book Festival, and the Heartland Book Festival. Jason is currently at work on the fourth book in the MAGIC PEN ADVENTURE series.
 
Marie Vibbert has sold over 80 short stories to magazines like Nature, Amazing Stories, and Fantasy and Science Fiction. ​Her debut novel, GALACTIC HELLCATS, made the long list for the British Science Fiction award in 2021. She made the long list for the Hugo for short story in 2022.


Vibbert’s latest novel, THE GODS AWOKE, is about an amnesiac goddess discovering where she came from.
 
Be sure to check out both authors at Cleveland ConCoction 2023!

Cleveland ConCoction Authors Alley

2023 Authors |  Jason Lady  |  Marie Vibbert  ​

Cleveland ConCoction 2023 is thrilled to host Puente's Tijuana Tacos this year as one of our Food truck options!

Mark and Laura Puente launched Puente’s Tijuana Tacos after visiting dozens of taco stands across
Southern California in 2019 and 2020.

The hallmark of Tijuana-style tacos is meat grilled over mesquite charcoal. Mark’s lifelong passion for
meat smoking and grilling drove him to Tijuana-style tacos.

Mark, an investigative reporter and former truck driver, visited carnicerias across Los Angeles to ask Mexican butchers about the best cuts of meat for Tijuana tacos. He also gathered insight from tacqueros at taco stands across Los Angeles. He brought those tips and cooking equipment from Los Angeles to the Cleveland area in 2021.

Mark and Laura enlisted family members and friends to help spread the word about their brand of tacos across Northeast Ohio.

Puente’s Tijuana Tacos have a unique taste like no other tacos in the area.

puentestijuanatacos.com/

​Cleveland ConCoction - By the Fans, For the Fans
Your Fandom Escape by the Lake

Greetings from your Evil Gaming Lair Overlord! I look forward to seeing all of you in less than 2 weeks.  Egads, is it really that soon?? Ok, I'll make this quick then. Just a few items to go over for this year.

Item the first, it saddens me to admit that I wasn't able to con, cajole, beg, bribe, threaten, or weedle enough people to volunteer in my Gaming Lair to have 24/7 gaming this year. At least not officially. If there are open tables, you're welcome to use them to play games. If you find yourself in the gaming area after staff is gone for the night, please treat it with respect. Leave it how you found it; clean, orderly, and most importantly- disinfected.

Item the second, the good news is that there will still be play to win games. That's right, I'm still bribing you to hang out with me and play some games by giving a bunch of them away! OK, so truth be told, the fine folks at Double Exposure gave me the games to give away, but still. Check out the Play to Win page of the website for a list of titles.

Numero three- for you brainiacs (or masters of the Google-Fu) we welcome back "Name the Game,"  where one of my minions tries to stump you with clues about games that you may or may not have ever heard of, and whoever amongst you names the most correctly wins a FREE membership to ConCoction 2024!

And lastly, but certainly not leastly (is leastly a word?) we have two, count them two ways to let people know you want to play a game. The first way is a bit low tech, but its worked for hundreds of years. It's called "Write on the Wall." Wait. No. Don't do that. The very patient people at the Bertram will not be happy if we do that. Instead, I'll bring a ginormous piece of white board and we can write (legibly) on that. Just let people know what you're playing, when, and where & people will read that and show up. And for all you techno peeps, we have a Discord server with thread/channel thingies that you can post in! 
Heh.  Nailed it. Questions?  Hit me up.

​Cleveland ConCoction - By the Fans, For the Fans
Your Fandom Escape by the Lake