was the popularity of the Guest of Honor BEST NOVEL: Harlan Ellison with the attendees.When GATEWAY by Frederick Pohl PROFESSIONAL ARTIST: RICK STERNBACH the announcement came over that he had (Gollancz/StMartins) BEST NOVELLA: PROFESSIONAL EDITOR: GEORGE SCITHERS won the Hugo for the Best Short Story STARDANCE by Jeanne and with JEFTY IS five , the roof just about Spider Robinson AMATEUR MAGAZINE: LOCUS caved in.It has been a tremendous (Analog March '77) BEST NOVELETTE: FANWRITER: RICHARD GEIS experience for me meeting everybody and EYES OF AMBER by Joan being at this great convention,with well Vinge (Analog June'77) FAN ARTIST: PHIL FOGLIO BEST SHORT over 4000 people attending. JEFFTY IS FIVE by Harlan GRAND MASTER OF STORY: POUL ANDERSON (By phone from Paul J.Stevens on the Ellison (F§SF July ’77) FANTASY: evening of Sunday 3rd of September DRAMATIC THE JOHN W.CAMPBELL Phoenix .Arizona time.) PRESENTATION: STAR WARS (20th Century Fox) AWARD ORSON SCOTT CARD (Best New Writer) BOOK LENGTH BEN BOVA RESIGNS AS EDITOR OF ANALOG FANTASY : THE SILMARILLION THE BIG HEART AWARD: BILL ROTSLER When John W.Campbell died in 1972,Ben by J.R.R.Tolkien FIRST FANDOM AWARD: E.HOFFMANN PRICE Bova took over.It was an unenviable (Allen § Unwin/H.Miflin) task to try and take on the mantle of the great J.W.C,but Bova carried out SYNCON 78: A REPORT his task very well adding more Hugos to ANALOG'S shelf.The new editor of The first science fiction convention ANALOG is Stanley Schmidt,34.He has held in Sydney for about a year and a been contributing to ANALOG since 1968 half,started rolling on Friday evening and has had a number of books published the 26th of August.Attendees were from including SINS OF THE FATHERS,NEWTON Sydney naturally,Adelaide,Melbourne, AND THE QUASI APPLE , and LIFEBOAT Hobart, and I believe Perth.A copy of EARTH. He plans to give up writing for Kenneth Cooke's PLAY LITTLE VICTIMS magazines but will continue with his was auctioned for DUFF. novels.He has been teaching both physics On Saturday morning the hospitality and science fiction at the university of room was brightened by a bevy of Tiffin, Ohio.Ben Bova was impressed by attractive young STAR TREKKIES,who his sf course which he ran similarly to were dressed in regulation uniforms a writers workshop,and strongly recom- and selling ST badges,photos, and mened him for the job at ANALOG.See other paraphanalia. J.K.Klein's "Biolog" in the December '77 issue of ANALOG for further details The afternoon session got underway about Stanley Schmidt. with a discussion of humour in science fiction.Humour has always been popular the filmland actors. BELL BOOK AND Ben Bova has moved over to the new with Sydney fans,where the PAT TERRY CANDLE and HELLS A POPPIN were magazine formerly to be cal led'Nova',' AWARD originated,which is given for a interspersed with a trivia quiz but now being published by 'Penthouse' humorous SF book in honour of the late presented by Peter Toluzzi and Blair in October as OMNI.Diana King who was very popular fan Pat Terry. A heated Ramage. It is rather incredible some to be editor resigned for personal discussion developed at one stage in of the trivial facts about stories reasons.The name was changed because a which water pistols were drawn,but and characters that people remember. TV program of the same name objected, decorum was restored and almost every­ and rather than fight it and delay the body agreed that Harry Harrison takes On Sunday morning the Kurt Vonnegut film publication, the name was changed.OMNI some beating as a humorous SF author. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WANDA JUNE was screened. will have a first print run of one Although Frederic Brown,Robert Sheckley By no means sf of course but it does have million, and will include fiction by and others,especially Grendel Briarton some fantasy elements,and the excellent Asimov,Sturgeon,Goulart, and Hall,plus for his FEGHOOT stories had a lot of performances by Rod Steiger.Susannah York, articles and interviews on science.A supporters. and others made it well worth while. feature of the first issue will be an Pulp collector Ken Ozanne then gave a The business session included interview with Freeman Dyson.Regular talk on John W.Campbell's magazine discussion on Fan Funds; including features will include,astronomy,bio­ UNKNOWN WORLDS.A few people paid a short the possibility of bringing a logical sciences,environment,UFOs,and visit to GALAXY Bookshop , and inspected Japanese fan to Australia and visa the arts.Illustrations will be of the their wide range of fantasy and sf. versa; the elegibility of nominees "fine" art variety.Details as to when A lunchtime barbecue was held in an ideal for fan funds;the widening of DUFF to and if it will be available in Australia setting beside the swimming pool,which include bringing English fans to are unknown at this time. was followed by an auction conducted by Australia and an annual trip to and convention chairman Keith Curtis,in his ASIMOV'S MAGAZINE was reported to have from every year, not just alternative a higher circulation than ANALOG now, effective and entertaining fashion. years;the funding of such a scheme. but the publishers of ANALOG claim At the second business session their annual circulation is still much In contrast to the hysteria of the AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONVENTION higher.lt is interesting to note that UNICON IV, the AUSTRALIAN SF ACHIEVE­ CONSTITUTION was discussed, and we editor George Scithers won the HUGO MENT AWARDS were discussed, quickly were advised that a completely new one for best editor at IGUANACON. and rationally, and it was decided to is being drafted, based on the WORLD Another magazine editorial change is form a steering sub-committee to the CONVENTION CONSTITUTION, suitably cut John J.Pierce from GALAXY.He and other SYNCON '79 Awards committe to meet at and tailored to meet our requirements. people connected with the magazine,are EASTERCON '79 and make recommendations This also will be discussed at a apparently not happy with the publisher. on the form of the Trophies and the special meeting at EASTERCON '79 and categories(see editorial). at SYNCON '79, a new constitution will probably be put for ratification. Our thanks to "Locus" for the above Jack Herman presented the film show, adding some quite interesting Concern was voiced at the proposed information. changes to the WORLD SF CONVENTION -j and pertinent facts and comments about (continued over) CONSTITUTION, and how it will effect the cost puts too much strain on their all coming within the above category, us in future bids for the WORLD budgets, the cost will be covered some I would be reluctant to support any. CONVENTION. other way. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing properly. Consequen­ I have been told that we need Finally, a vote of thanks to Keith tly if we make it six categories to send a-suitable ambassador to the Curtis and other workers on SYNCON '79 the other two could come from: BEST WORLD SF CONVENTIONS, particularly if was given. Keith auctioned off INTERNATIONAL SF(which in almost every we intend to try to continue holding everything he could get his hands on case would be the best- novel) BEST them in Australia from time to time. for DUFF, both at the convention and AUTHOR (possibly for all the achieve­ So I agree, if a suitable ambassador a party that was held later. An ment rather than one year) BEST NON has to be someone who has been enjoyable week-end was over. FICTION (encyclopedia listing, before, and nobody else can be found MERV.BINNS. bibliographic or critical work) BEST who wants to g>, then and only then DRAMATIC PRESENTATION (perhaps only when might I give him my support. Any other worthwhile),SPECIAL AWARD(to be given by attitude is I feel, not quite in the the committee when they consider it tradition of fan funds. If people do merited ,to somebody or something that has or do not agree with me, they will been overlooked or does not come into the make up their own minds and the usual categories).Which of these would you results will be evident in future fan fund vot ing. MB" The aomrds committee for SYNCON favour if any at all? '79 and in fact quite a few other fans, The William Atheling Award for FAN FUND DETAILS are coitemed about the AUSTRALIAN SF critical writing on SF should be •The nominees for the GUFF ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS (DITMARS). dropped from the official Australian Fund to send an Australian Fan to the National Convention responsibility. The trophies themselves have been World Convention in Brighton .England Not enough critical writing is done in virtually changed yearly and should next year are: John Alderson,John Australia to make it practical, nor is Foyster and Eric Lindsay.We all cannot now be standardised. A basic design enough read by local readers in my is very cl ose to being decided upon, attend overseas conventions,but by just opinion, to really make such an award but the SYNCON committee would like as putting in a dollar or two and voting limited to Australian fans, have any for your choice or not even voting at many people as possible to have their Meaning. say on the subject. My personal idea all if you prefer,you can have the is something like this:- I know some people will violently satisfaction of knowing that Australian disagree with me on this last point.