And Minneapolis in 2073 Progress Report 7 Rune #90 Volume 15, No. 4 Mahew and Kelly Strait, editors Published by the Minnesota Science Fiction Society
You are geing this because:
You ced/otherwise contributed to this issue/Editorial whim You are a pre-supporting member of Minneapolis in 2073 You are a club we’ve heard of You are a voting MNSTF member You pied this copy up at a con or similar You ought to get the next issue if you:
• Are a member of Minneapolis in 2073 and the next is also a Minneapolis in 2073 Progress Report like this one. • Send us a leer of comment, fanzine in trade, or any amount of money (suggested amount: $2.07; es to “Minnesota Science Fiction Society”), or in some other way actively tell us that you want it. • Are a voting member of Minnstf.
You can request receiving the next issue on paper if you got this one by email, or vice versa.
For : For general Mnstf correspondence: Minn-stf c/o Mahew and Kelly Strait PO Box 8297 1228 E 54th St #1E Lake Street Station Chicago IL 60615 Minneapolis MN 55408 [email protected] [email protected] mnstf.org/Rune mnstf.org Please contact Minicon, the Minnstf fallcon, and Minneapolis in 2073 as directed by ea convention.
Uncredited material © 2014 Minnesota Science Fiction Society. Credited material © 2014 by the contributor(s), all rights reserved, or as marked, except as follows: Content by Ma Strait is bequeathed to the public domain. Blimp art and bla holes cartoon by Rael Kroni are released under Creative Commons Aribution, creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0. Except for the board minutes, nothing here constitutes official statements by the club.
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 1 July 2014 Minn-stf Events • Easter weekend 2015, April 2–5 (4 days): Minicon 50. GoH: authors Brandon Minnstf throws bimonthly house parties, Sanderson, Jane Yolen, and Larry Niven, usually on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays. ey’re musician Adam Stemple, publisher Tom called “meetings”, but the only meeting- Doherty, and artist Miael Whelan. FFI: ish part is the 5-minute “business meeting”, see reg form later in this issue. mostly for the purpose of announcing the • 2073 (dates TBA): e 131st Worldcon. next meetings. e parties officially start at Contingent on being selected by the 2pm, but are very quiet until 4pm. Usually World Science Fiction Society. they run past midnight. To find the next one, look at the front page of our website or the Einbla, mnstf.org/einbla. You can Contents subscribe to the Einbla by email or on Leers of comment ...... 3 paper. e next meetings: Aussiecon 4 report, part II ...... 8 • ere would ordinarily be a meeting on Minicon conreports ...... 11 July 5, but it’s cancelled in favor of Board minutes ...... 20 Convergence. Minneapolis in 2073 Progress Report . . . . 27 • July 19: the Mnstf picnic, whi is at Comparative Con Financials ...... 30 Minnehaha Falls picnic area #2 (same as last year), starting at noon. • Aug 2: Liz Fish’s, 1417 Breda Ave, St Art Credits Paul. Cover: Brad Foster • Aug 16: Sco and Irene Raun’s, 3928 11th Page 2: Larry Tis Ave S, Mpls. Page 7: Bonnie Somdahl And we throw conventions. To wit: Page 10: orin Tatge • October 10–12: METHOD Con 2. Our Page 14: Rael Kroni* relaxacon. eme: MNStf (Re)Visits “War Page 19: Bonnie Somdahl for the Oaks” Featured artist Tim Cooper, Page 26: Pat Scaramuzza† featured authors Emma Bull & Will Shet- Page 29: Rael Kroni terly. FFI: see reg form later in this issue. Ba cover blimp: Rael Kroni
*bladeandcrown.com †genocideman.com Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 2 July 2014 Letters of Comment
someone else took up the tor and tried to develop a game from whatever fragments of information might be le, it wouldn’t be the same game. It truly would be a case where every copy of the game was destroyed and every memory of it gone. A game that is simply out of print isn’t dead at all. Just look at AD&D 1st edition. It was out of print for what seemed like forever, but I just bought a new copy of the PHB hot off the presses last year. e worldbuilding article is something I completely agree with. Not ev- erything has to have a serious/constructive purpose. Worldbuilding for fun, or as an intellectual exercise, is just as legitimate as worldbuilding for any other purpose. Most of the minutes were at the edge of readability for type size, but at least they’ve finally been immortalized on paper. anks for printing my “comic”, though I have a feeling that anyone I haven’t explained it to wouldn’t understand it. I From Kevin Austin can finally now say I’m a “published artist”. anks for the issue of Rune 87. You ac- (Although maybe not with a straight face.) complished something I failed to and you e Ctein article about the 100 Year should be whole heartedly congratulated. Starship Study was also interesting. I hadn’t (CONGRATULATIONS!) heard anything about it before, and it’s a I enjoyed the remembrances of Jim subject I find fascinating. Young. Even though he hadn’t been around e Minicon budget article was some- mu in the last few years, decades really, thing I am not currently interested in, his passing leaves a hole in Minneapolis though I have a feeling that if I ever decide fandom. to be on the exec for another Minicon it’s I also found the update on the Min- something I’ll be looking at. neapolis in 2073 bid interesting. I hope to I always, well almost always, enjoy support at the Peep level some day when I’m convention trip reports and Jeanne Mealy’s a bit more flush, but that may be a ways off. article about her trip for Aussiecon 4 was no On Rael’s articles I have to say I’m exception. prey mu agreement. I can conceive of Your red shirt analysis was interesting, a scenario where a game developer dies though I’m not sure it’s worth the time you in the middle of creating a game and his took to compile it. Hopefully you were able vengeful relatives swoop in and destroy all to enjoy wating the shows while you were of the materials relating to the game. In tallying. that case I’d call the game dead. Even if Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 3 July 2014 Congrats on the new babies! I also liked seeing the LoCs up front. Brad Foster men- tioned how nice it was to see a print zine. I’m a member of two print apas that would love to have new members. Contact me for information about the St. Paul-based one. We have contributors in several countries who like to at the classic fannish way and welcome new folks. Sadly, we have lost friends since Jim Young. Ed Rom, Eria Johnson, Blue Petal, and Myrna Parmentier won’t be seen at conventions anymore. I think it would be a good idea to mention local fans we’ve lost. Happy 35 (now 36) years in fandom to Yvonne and Lloyd Penney. I aended my first con in 1976: Minicon. While fandom was still geing integrated ba then and women got a lile more aention than I was comfortable with, I did appreciate being able to talk with people about my interests and went on to aend more cons and Mn-Stf Rune 89 meetings and get into print fandom. Wish I had time to do more. I was amused by Brad Foster’s suggestion that it would be easier to print the list of non-members of the 2073 bid closer to that date than printing the list of members. True, true. anks for Jerry Stearns’ article on the Mark Time Awards. I hadn’t known all of the history. It was also helpful to get infor- mation on various SF audio productions. I enjoyed doing the “Rules of Rummage” article. One of my special finds this year was a cookbook entirely in Fren. My sister works as an interpreter and was happy to get it. anks, Ma, for listing the cons that Mn-Stf has run. It brought ba some fond memories. Ba to RUNE 88: anks for listing the From Jeanne Mealy: upcoming Mn-Stf events. Minicon 49 was anks for RUNE 88 (May 2013). e P.O., or great and Minicon 50 promises to be quite maybe the eels, ate part of the front cover of an extravaganza! John’s issue. anks for the illos by various RUNE 89 (November 2013): I had to do folks. I like to see lots of art. comments from the PDF as I didn’t get this Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 4 July 2014 issue! I would really appreciate geing at client (big bus) teller area. I believe that least one copy of it, if someone doesn’t need everyone has interesting stories. Let’s hear to keep theirs. I will be at CONvergence ’em. See ’em. Uh, you know what I mean. and Detcon in July if a hand-off would be Good to see the Mnstf board minutes, possible. Or send me an e-mail and let me Minicon financials, and gaming info. I’m know if you could mail the issue. I would sure they will have enthusiastic readers. I rather not replicate the infamous example of tend to find more entertainment in things Bob Tuer and the many bris that began like the METHOD Con reports. Photos, too, arriving in the mail. Here’s an entry from yay! Ma, I agree that it was worth finding Fancyclopedia 2: out why you arrived late. My favorite part “e Tuer Hotel was based on a sug- of your report was the list of conversational gestion of Bob’s, in 1952 when the Chicon topics in the car. Any time two or more II and its prices signaled the start of the fans get together, we talk about all sorts of Big Convention movement, that fans simply interesting things! I also like your point that build a hotel of their very own for holding Minicon feels more like a glossy bookmark conventions in, moving it from one site to than a glossy flyer. anks to DDB for another as required. A campaign arose to the figurine photos. ey appeared to be send Bris to Tuer for the construction infiltrating the con in various ways. of this edifice; Ri Elsberry, denouncing Here’s a topic that may encourage some this as a vile proish plot to get free bris, amusing answers: what science fiction or recommended that BT be sent straw with fantasy book would you deem worthy only whi to make bris for himself. A group to put under a wobbly air leg, and why? of Anglofans designed, and drasman Bob And where are the articles about cats? Many Shaw drew up plans for, a Tuer Hotel; fans have cats, aer all. And let’s hear what Walt Willis and Chu Harris located a fine people think about movies and TV shows. site for it.” Maybe someone would be willing to do a anks for the Teddy Harvia cover art review column. (including a moose) and the other fannish illos scaered here and there. e more, the Jeanne Mealy merrier! 1595 E. Hoyt Avenue Welcome to young Alex, who is now an St. Paul, MN 55106 active young man. [email protected] Several good LoCs here. Hello ba to Lloyd Penney! Fun to hear that he and From Brad Foster: Yvonne are now steampunk merandise Got in the new issue 89 of this past dealers. Sounds like a fanzine article to me. week. Ever since you’ve started this ba up, Here’s another suggestion for articles: it’s been su a time-trip to see that title I’d like to hear from people who have waiting in the po box again! unusual jobs, past or current. For instance, I see you have no fillos le from me Larry Tis mentioned that he works at a on hand, so while looking to see what I big newspaper in Tacoma. What does he do could send to keep my fannish subscription there, and does he enjoy doing it? I have current, found a tall piece that I thought worked as a typeseer, done medical and might make an interesting graphic — and legal transcription (ask about the autopsies, I realized I’ve only had one cover piece on dare ya), and was a receptionist in a private- Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 5 July 2014 all these years, wwwaaayyyyy ba in Riard Price’s on “Running Gaming at 1982. a Con” was on something that I’ve not had [at’s Rune 70, shown below. -ed] a lot of personal contact with. On the other hand, it’s always fascinating to read this kind of nuts-and-bolts piece on how things are actually done at conventions, and all the work that is really involved to make sure that those of us who just show up for the weekend have a good time. For instance, I was surprised to read that short-term games are favored over longer- running ones. e story/joke/legend I’ve always heard is how gamers will show up the first day of a convention, e in and get their badges, then disappear into the game room and never been seen again until they leave late on Sunday. My assumption was that it was because they always got involved in some sort of all-encompassing long-term game that ate up the entire weekend. Now, I find that isn’t true. You learn something new every day. So, that would be something like 31 years Oh, and speaking as someone who oen since the previous cover, and you won’t sets up in the dealers room of conventions, I have to worry about me bothering you think his rule #6 about how the person run- again until around 2044. (When will have ning the room should measure it in person to come up with something to fit your 4-D is something that should apply to every part holographic format then.) of a convention. Gaming, dealers, art show, Speaking of far future, best of lu to the panel rooms, etc. Have too oen shown commiee on the 2073 Worldcon bid. up and found that my table is crammed To Rael Kroni, thanks for mention- into a lile corner or odd angle because no ing you liked the toons by Teddy and myself one actually bothered to see how x-number last time. And, YES, you should do some of tables would fit into the actual space more of your own for the zine. When I saw available. So, a good rule for all. her comment, I immediately flipped through Also feel I should mention that I loved the rest of the issue to see if she had done the final advice at the end of item #9: so since she wrote the loc. No? Okay – then “Treat even the yokels with respect, and be you must do something for the next issue for polite when turning down their requests. sure, Rael. ere comes a point, however, when it’s And speaking of cartoonists, it’s nice to acceptable to just ignore them.”I believe that see the return of Larry Tis here. You get is good advice for all of life. Larry ba in print, you’ve got toons from Teddy – I hope you continue this quest to Brad W Foster bring ba some of the old timers, while PO Box 165246 continuing to get in new artists as well. Irving, TX 75016 Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 6 July 2014 From Lloyd Penney: convention decides to incorporate a gaming As I said in my loc, it’s great to see Teddy convention into an existing SF convention. Harvia’s work again, and I am sure he will Two different kinds of conventions some- show up on the Hugo ballot again. e ballot times means two different groups of poten- looks very different these days, with lile tial aendees with different expectations of representation from fanzines, so one never what they will want to find once they get knows. to the convention, be it gaming or SF or In my loc, I mentioned a Worldcon whatever. bid for 2017 for Montreal… there are now Minicon is a convention I’ve wanted to four bids for that year. Besides Montreal, go to for a very long time, but I know I never will based on inability to afford su travel. Helsinki, Finland (who lost 2015, and who reset their year), the Washington, DC area, Perhaps one day, but I’m not holding my breath. and a Japanese bid are all going for that year. ere’s going to be a lot of oice for voters Lloyd Penney that year. e article about running gaming at 1706-24 Eva Rd. Etobicoke, ON a con is a valuable one, especially if a CANADA M9C 2B2
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 7 July 2014 Shaky Times in New Zealand! by Jeanne Mealy
is is part II of my Aussiecon 4 trip report, continued from 87. e worldcon was held in Melbourne from September 2–6, 2010, and I did some traveling before and aer the con.
September 7: Our flight from Melbourne had some special features that we tried went OK and we eventually got through to set, then found out they were broken. Customs and arantine in Christur. Not quite: the fancy alarm clo turned on We took a shule to our downtown hotel, the headboard light and the TV about 3:00 seeing some damaged buildings along the a.m. Urgh. At some point I heard the glass way. e 7.1 earthquake on the south island bathroom door raling and thought it was a few days before had also damaged down- someone going by in the hall with a big cart. town buildings. e area was fenced off and Nooo, it was a small aersho, I found out guarded, at least at night, to prevent people later. I did not get a good night’s sleep. looting or otherwise geing into buildings September 8: We were up early to cat that had not been eed out. Our shule the cab to the train station for the first part driver talked with the soldiers who said it of our tour of the southern Alps. Dropped was OK for us to walk to the Hotel So about off the luggage, took a few photos, then a blo away. steadied ourselves as a 5.1 aersho hit. My Our first room was ridiculously tiny first big earthquake. e tour was anged and the air in the hallways reeked of some to travel by tour buses, just to be safe. We awful scent. I can’t imagine anyone liking were happy to get to go at all. e weather that smell. We swited to a larger room was a bit cloudy and foggy at first. e bus that hadn’t been polluted and another guest driver aed about some of the scenery suggested turning off the heat (air circula- and answered questions. Farther on we tion). at helped. We had to go to the bar swited buses and drivers. More sunshine! downstairs for fresh water because the city John was amused to see palm trees and water pipes might have been damaged by snowcapped mountains at the same time. the earthquake. Our only shopping was at We saw many stunning sights of mountains, a small convenience store and we had to lakes, and rivers. In Hokitika, we stopped be ba before 7:00 when the curfew began. at e National Kiwi Centre. It’s a small Bad water, curfew⁇ is was all new to me. aquarium/reptile place where we saw many John spent awhile on a lobby computer, but odd sights like a large tank of incredibly we weren’t able to rea Dan McCarthy or creepy giant eels, a living dinosaur called Lyn McConie about visiting with them. the tuatara, and kiwis in a nocturnal exhibit. at was frustrating. We knew that Dan Neat! Didn’t have a lot of time to explore the was going to try to find a place to stay in small town, whi was too oen the case on eenstown in a few days where the quake this tour. We ose to see a lot of scenery hadn’t hit. Lyn had said to come when we rather than stay longer in a few places, but could. it was a lile disappointing. We got supper from the hotel restaurant Our first stay was at the Bella Vista in and wated TV in our room. e room Franz Josef. We barely had time to drop
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 8 July 2014 off our luggage before jumping into a van downtown to do some shopping. I got a that took us to see the glacier. e driver picture of John by a Stanley Street sign. We didn’t give us a lot of information. We eventually got in tou with Dan. He was at followed some paths, looked at waterfalls a hotel near ours. We did a lile shopping, and a fast-moving stream, then found the then walked ba up the big hill to meet him view to the glacier. We didn’t have the at our hotel. We were so pleased that he was time to walk close to it. Even so, it was able to make it despite the inconvenience impressive. John and I wore light jaets. from the earthquake. We walked downtown Didn’t need the gloves. We did a lile in sear of supper, vetoing several noisy more walking and picture taking, then went places, and found one we could agree on. ba to the parking lot to meet the driver. It was a lile difficult to communicate. We He hadn’t been specific about when to be took a taxi ba to our hotels. Dan brought there, so we were relieved to see him as his zine and the October cover for Stipple- it was geing dark and we didn’t want to Apa and money for postage and copying. I be stranded. A curious kea, a small green gave him the August issue and some candy. parrot, was walking around near the van. Another hotel room, another late night I’d heard about their inquisitiveness and paing before an early morning. I talked wouldn’t have been surprised it it tried to with one of our housesiers: we were con- join us in the van. cerned to hear that Callie was being finiy, We dropped stuff off at the hotel and September 10: Off to the airport for a walked to a nearby store for a few things. qui flight to Christur. I forgot to pa It was a clear, cool night. e stars were my Swiss Army knife, a multi-tool, and beautiful and we could see the Milky Way. the liquids bag. No problems with Security, We had supper at a good Indian place. Still to my relief. Toothpaste was handed out couldn’t rea Dan by phone. Next overseas aer the snas on board. First time I’d trip, we are geing a cell phone that works seen that. Safety videos can be very boring. there instead of trying to use phone cards. is one featured the All Blas rugby team September 9: Slept well, yay. We snarfed and fans in wild outfits and make-up. Two down some cereal, paed, and headed off players lied an old lady up so she could put on another bus. It was a beautiful sunny her luggage in the bin. She was later seen day and we saw many gorgeous vistas of streaking (naked) down the aisle. I laughed mountains, farmlands, etc. We had a few a lot. stops by the ocean for photo ops and a Speaking of Security… I was stopped salmon farm with a warning sign about how twice during this trip for random explosives misievous keas can be. Didn’t see any. es. Both women were fun to at with under Creek Falls was as impressive as and very nice, so I wasn’t too bothered you’d expect. Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka by being stopped. John was never stopped, were quite large: 40 km and 60 km long, whi was unusual as he carries teie tools respectively! We passed a sign for the 45th and gadgets. He laughed and suggested that parallel, halfway between the equator and I was stopped so the security folks could fill the South Pole, and whizzed by the original their quota of non-typical terrorist types. bungee bridge. I’m surprised at the number We had a two-hour layover at of people who have asked if we went bungee Christur where we had lun in a small jumping! food court and aed with our friend who In eenstown we got seled and went was housesiing. I was glad to hear Callie Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 9 July 2014 was eating beer! I finished reading Fried very scary, winding roads. Lyn McConie Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe by had recommended puing a sign in the win- Fannie Flagg. I started it on this trip. It’s a dow: “American Driver” so people would very good book that really made me feel understand any odd maneuvers. One carful like I was there. It was easier to pull out and of people went by waving and smiling. at read in the cramped airline seats than the was fun. ANZAPA envelope I’d brought. We made it to Lyn’s farm around 5:00 We took a small prop plane to Palmer- or 6:00 p.m. I knew her from ANZAPA ston North on the north island. I was years ago. She came once to Wiscon, too. grateful for the noise-canceling headphones She’s a professional author in various genres once again. e propeller was right outside and collaborated with Andre Norton. I don’t my window. I began reading e Toynbee know where she finds the time to run a Convector, a collection of stories by Ray small farm by herself, too. She lives in an Bradbury and kept geing distracted by old farmhouse with a newer building next the scenery: ocean, land, clouds. When we door. We stayed in the extension and came arrived, it was cloudy and a bit rainy in into the main house to use the bathroom. PN. We got our luggage and the rental car. More next time on our stay with Lyn John did well for his first time at driving and our short stay in Napier before heading on the le. e worst part was a gorge with home.
Monster Mash
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 10 July 2014 Minicon reports Rachel Kronick Executive summary: Minicon 49 was movies or major anime series. Is this neces- lots of fun. sarily a part of the plural form of geekery? In the same vein as this year’s Con of We discussed this a bit: perhaps it’s the North, I was rushing to get to the con because geekery has become a major form of on time Friday. If this keeps holding true, I’ll commerce? If, as they say, “the geeks have need to start asking for no events before 6pm won”, then we’ve won by becoming more the first day of the con. mainstream and more accepted, whi also e panel I was rushing to get to: seems to mean “more exploited by the forces of capitalism”. So it’d make sense that people Fandom or Fandoms? geing into geekery more recently might think of it in terms of commercial properties. Is SF Fandom one monolithic thing or Another possibility is that the big com- a collection of sub-fandoms? Is there a mercial properties are the ones that are more generational difference? “My fandoms visible. Seems eminently likely that there are…” are people being fannishly engaged with very small-scale or non-commercial realms Not particularly gaming-related, but that I’ve just never heard of. A parallel definitely concerned with overall fandom(s) with gaming: many people seem to think and how we tend to segregate and construe that D&D is the only RPG in existence. ourselves. And naturally they would, if they weren’t It’s very interesting that this seems to actually involved in gaming; D&D is by far be primarily a generational thing. Younger the biggest, most visible RPG around. You fans are mu more likely to describe their have to be relatively well acquainted with passions in terms of “fandoms”, as in, “My gaming before you necessarily know that fandoms are Middleman, Utena and BSG”. other games exist, and it takes some true Older fans are mu more likely to talk insider knowledge to be familiar with some about “fandom”, as one big thing, with of the highly obscure games. separate sub-fandoms or interests. Another difficult issue surrounding this Elise Mahesen made the point that it’s divide is the tendency to see media fans not just about differences of scale, though. as necessarily “shallower” or “less serious” People who think in terms of “fandoms” of- than [insert other type of fan here]. It’s es- ten have very different ways of approaing pecially strong, I feel, when the comparison their passions than those who talk about is being made with fans of prose fiction; it monolithic “fandom”. We didn’t have time seems that a lot of geeky subcultures still to go into detail about this, and to be honest, seem to assume that “published author of it’s a kind of geekery I don’t have a lot of prose fiction” is and should be the necessary experience with. However, I’m prey sure highest state of being that all fans aim that (for example) fanfic and vidding are for. Add in the tendency for older fans to major parts of it. look down on younger fans as insufficiently I find it particularly interesting that a dedicated, inadequately serious or laing in lot of “fandoms” seem to be major commer- the right type and number of bale scars and cial properties, su as TV shows, specific Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 11 July 2014 you have a recipe for misunderstanding and Whi one to go for? Both seemed right hostility. ese fights have been going on up my alley, hopefully covering various as- since the beginning of geekery, and I don’t pects of being a small-time publisher, whi think they’re going to disappear any time I am. Discussing art and artists for games soon. at doesn’t mean I have to like them, sounded very interesting, but “Small Press though. Publishing” made mention of Kistarter, Regardless of how we construe our fan- whi I’ve been trying to wrap my brain dom(s), it’d be nice if we could take pleasure around lately. So I tried that one first. in other people’s geekiness — compersion, in Unfortunately, that panel turned out to other words. It seems that a lot of us feel assume everyone wants to publish prose threatened by the existence of other ways fiction — novels, and to a lesser extent, short of being passionate about things, and so we stories. Not at all what I wanted. feel the need to tear down other people’s Why is this assumption — that all fans passions in order to elevate our own. should aspire to becoming published au- Well, it’s not a zero-sum game, and it’s thors of prose fiction — so prevalent? Why a big enough world for all of us to be is “publishing” taken to automatically mean wonderfully geeky. Approa your passions publishing novels and short stories? Why is as “fandom”? Approa them as “fandoms”? that the default? Not necessarily everyone Well, so long as you’re not trying to tear wants or should want to publish things; and down other people’s passions, then your those who want to publish things certainly fandom(s) are good. don’t all want to publish prose fiction. Nor should they! It’s su a wrong assumption *** in so many ways, yet so mu of fannish discourse seems to revolve around it. Ble. So anyway, I got out of that panel as Aer “Fandom or Fandoms”, I had a soon as I realized how skewed its emphasis oice between two panels that both looked was, then headed for “State of Art in Gam- prey good: ing”. I’m glad I did; it turned out to be Navigating the World of Small Press quite a good panel. It covered many aspects Publishing of art in games, from how art direction How does an author break into the works to how art helps instill mood in a world of small press publishing? What game. e art direction segments were a benefits do small publishers offer? highlight, with discussion of how (bigger) What should new authors be wary of? publishers sometimes ask artists to create very particular things, or sometimes request something vague (“there has to be a sword” e State of Art in Gaming or whatever). ey related one example of a What is art’s impact on content, style, magic card where Daniel Dos Santos (I think jobs/work opportunities now and into it was) did an illustration for a Magic: the the future of the gaming industry? Gathering card, and the illustration didn’t What is up now in the gaming art work — but Wizards liked the illustration world, and what is just around the so mu that they created a new card based corner? From a player’s perspective, around it. how does art influence a game? I asked a question about one of the most Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 12 July 2014 difficult topics for small publishers: how do And how it allows publishers to get a sense we get art that a) we can afford yet b) doesn’t of the demand for a product, and how it acts ask artists to sell their work too eaply? as a combination of insurance and market Lindsay Nohl, one of the panelists, gave survey. I wish they had discussed the actual some really good answers to this. She process of creating a Kistarter more — as I mentioned how a game might be a true said, this has been mu on my mind of late collaboration between artists and publisher, — but that probably wasn’t exactly on tra. as a recent card game (Rolemodels: e At one point, the panel was discussing Bale for Vyk’ Tornaahl) she worked on art in computer games, and Lindsay talked was. e artists were intimately involved a bit about the computer role playing game in creating the game; I think there was no Darklands and its gorgeous illustrations and separation between artists and meanics glorious isometric combat maps. (Interest- designers at all, if I understand right. ing that there’s been so mu in my life She also said that some artists may truly about Darklands recently — I may have to get into a publisher’s project for the long fire it up again sometime in the near future.) haul. Yet there’s a weird space between I mentioned how the cover art had gone on desire to do the work and desire to get paid. sale a year ago, and we geeked out about If they’re in it for the long haul, too, that Darklands a bit. It’s relatively rare to meet seems to assume a relatively large publisher, someone who’s even heard of Darklands, and a project that will eventually become a mu less an enthusiastic proponent of it, so huge success — increasingly unlikely in an that was a nice addition to a panel that was ever-more-fractured and ever-more-nie already great. market, I think. And, I think, it’s not ethical Apparently, ba in the “Small Press to lean on artists’ passion for their work in Publishing” panel, there was some discus- an aempt to get eap art. sion of art & artists that went… um… badly. is was obviously something I strug- I don’t know enough solid details to go into gled with in publishing Blade & Crown. it more; I’ll just say that I’m doubly glad I I could’ve tried to entice up-and-coming went to “State of Art in Gaming”. artists with promises of “exposure”, but that’s both BS and immoral. I could’ve *** waited even longer to publish it while I got Again inspired by the Build a World up the funds for beer art, I could’ve used events run by Ben Rosenbaum at Wiscon, the same sto art so many other publishers and encouraged by previous iterations of have paid for… Or I could’ve done what I this activity, I did a session of this at did, whi was publishing with a mix of Minicon 49. We were inspired by the con’s hopefully-obscure-yet-effective public do- official theme (Pirates & Airships*) and main art and my own illustrations. eventually created a world populated by She also mentioned how Kistarter can carnivorous bananas who are conspiring help small publishers pay a decent amount against their parrot overlords with their for art. And the panel discussed Kistarter allies, the telepathic platypi. ere were in general: how it’s anged the game pub- airships, monorails laid down by hamster lishing industry, making possible smaller, in giant hamster balls and a Bananasiah. riskier projects that weren’t possible before. And, it seems, every time the group wants to
*Some assembly required — or other, similar parentheticals Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 13 July 2014 have floating islands, so those worked their 1. Maps are a fixture of fantasy, and way in again. Yes, it got prey silly, prey therefore a sign of lowly, shameful nerd- quily. dom. Avoid them, lest you be mistaken for Someone asked me aerwards if these a geek. Your only hope for becoming a things ever stay serious. I still wonder* a lot Published Author of Prose Fiction is to put about this! It’d certainly be interesting to try, away maps and other ildish things. though I’m not sure if a group of strangers 2. Maps are fun. ey can be fun, they’re can form a functional, serious social contract evocative, they help people orient them- that quily and still have time le over for selves, and they help things stay consistent. worldbuilding. If they’re well done. In any case, it was a lot of fun — a good In case it’s not last activity for Friday night. I hope Let’s clear, I thoroughly Build a World becomes a regular thing at disapprove of mes- Minicon. sage #1. Too many people seem to think *** that the sole purpose of fandom is to cast One of my favorite panels of the con, this off all geeky things was Saturday aernoon: and become a Published Author of Prose Fiction, and to wallow in geek self-loathing Terra Incognita: e Role of Maps in as part of that, and to dis maps as a result. SF&F Literature Luily, this panel was of the second variety. Marissa Lingen remarked about A discussion of maps used in specula- this early in the panel. As she said, she’d tive fiction, either as endpieces or as been on a similar panel recently where the part of the story. What are good (and panelists had mostly agreed that maps are bad) examples of maps of imaginary bad (useless, a distraction, unprofessional or worlds? Can the inclusion of maps something of that nature — I didn’t cat create problems? What can maps tell us exactly how she described it). She found it of the modes of transportation, natural remarkable that everyone on this panel was seing, and politics of the realm? Are so pro-map. (Not that she’s anti-map; she maps for modern fantasy novels too just found the contrast interesting.) It was modern (i.e. accurate)? very refreshing. e panelists discussed the uses and I’d wanted to be on it, lover of maps that misuses of maps in a quite evenhanded I am, but it didn’t work out. Also, I tried way. One major purpose they identified for to record it, but discovered too late that the maps was just evoking a feeling. is is app I was using had no way to output a certainly true! When I look at a map, I sound file. Yu! Unfortunately, that means can quily be drawn into the experience I wasn’t taking notes as well as I’d like, so that it represents: Ooh, why does Yrkalia my memory of the panel is a bit fuzzy. control this lile section of the mainland, Panels about maps and mapping, in my even though it’s clearly based around the experience, tend to carry one of two primary Semelt Valley? What must it be like to travel messages:
*bladeandcrown.com/blog/2013/10/25/shared-narrative-control-gonzo Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 14 July 2014 the Jade Road from Semelt to Cherus? How orient themselves at all. I laughed out loud at did the border forts of Cherus evolve? A this. While reading the book, I’ve frequently well-constructed map will tell you a huge found myself saying “Why is this map here? amount of information about the seing Is this a Daoist map?” and draw you in. Of course, a poorly- A large part of the panel’s time was constructed map can conceal or obfuscate devoted to the ways in whi maps can help things that it shouldn’t, but that’s more a authors keep a story oriented, and make maer of quality of execution than anything sure the worldbuilding makes sense. is is innate to maps themselves. of course huge. If you give the aracters Another major use is for the person a carefree journey down the river from viewing the map (reader, player, or au- Semelt to Cherus, but later on you state thor) to orient themself. If you’re describing that the river is controlled by the evil Lord where Semelt is in relation to the cities of the Brocos, a map could help prevent that kind Jade Road, it can be really confusing to keep of inconsistency. three or four different locations straight in Maps can bafire, too. As the panel your head. If the specific orientation doesn’t noted, you might state that it takes three maer, that’s fine; but if the orientation is an days to get from Semelt to Cherus by important part of what’s happening, using horseba, only to have your audience e prose only is a disservice to all concerned. your map and notice that the two places I remember reading Downbelow Station by are only five miles apart. Your map has C. J. Cherryh and being thankful many then caused you some trouble — though it’s times for the station diagrams at the be- perhaps arguable that your worldbuilding is ginning of the book; I would’ve been quite where the fault actually lies, and the map confused without them. And the same goes has just revealed an underlying problem. for the maps in the Middle Earth books, and And using a map to aieve consis- the map in e Name of the Rose for that tency and believability requires some basic maer. And while I was reading Against a geographic knowledge, regardless of who’s Dark Baground, I ended up drawing the using it. Ruth Berman described a story rial system for myself, because I needed a she’d seen in whi two aracters valiantly map to keep it all straight. (Iain Banks was a go over a waterfall… while going upstream, great author, but his descriptions of location away from the coast. D’oh! oen confuse me.) e panel went into a lot of other Of course, it’s possible for a map to be an fun topics, and I found myself alternately unnecessary distraction, geek self-loathing laughing at the humor and marveling at the aside. If the movement of the story doesn’t insight. I wish my recording had worked; I actually require a map, there’s no particular could relay even more cool stuff. But in case, need for one. If the aracters themselves it was a great panel. are disoriented, it can be counter-immersive to present a detailed map. Eleanor Arnason *** noted here that, in Woman of the Iron I didn’t do a whole lot of gaming at Mini- People, she deliberately used a map that is con 49. A hoped-for game of Star Traders completely useless — it gives no location didn’t pan out. But I played a bit of Zar; names, and doesn’t really help the reader played a couple rounds of Moneydu (our
*boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30618/eat-poop-you-cat Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 15 July 2014 local variant of EPYC*) as well as taking part Overall, Minicon 49 was prey dang in the final Mega-Moneydu reveal; ran good. ere were some seduling hiccups, the previously mentioned Build a World!; but other than that, it went really well. Lots and had some nice ats about gaming and of great conversations, some excellent pro- RPGs. And I think I might’ve played some gramming, good food, a great atmosphere other games that are just not registering in and good gaming. As always, well worth the my mind right now. effort.
SKJAM! is past weekend, I went to Minicon 49 to learn that Blue Petal (a long time at the RadiShTree Hotel in Bloomington. fannish personality who once played in a It’s a book-oriented science fiction conven- convention RPG I ran) had passed away. tion with an older-skewing crowd, running Aer that, I went to the “Navigating the around 500 people. So it’s not overcrowded World of Small Press Publishing” panel, with and a good place to talk to your once-a-year several authors and publishers discussed friends. the joys and pitfalls of working with small is year’s theme was “Pirates and Air- presses. One of the panelists didn’t make it ships” largely because the artist guest of as he was so busy selling his book that he honor was Don Maitz, who people who are lost tra of time. (Also because last minute not SF fans may know best from the Captain mixups meant that panelists weren’t named Morgan rum boles. (Fun information: Mr. in the programs.) Maitz’s first dra of the Captain Morgan Late night was party time (I especially painting had the pirate in period-correct enjoyed the Helsinki Worldcon bid party) clothing, but he decided that the anaro- and Moneydu. For those of you who have nistic outfit looked more “piratey.” ) Also on not heard of the laer, Moneydu is a game the guest of honor list were Janny Wurtz where you write a word or phrase on a piece (the Mistwraith series, and Mr. Maitz’s wife) of paper and pass it to the next person. at and Catherynne M. Valente (the Fairyland person draws a picture of the words. ey series.) then conceal the original phrase and pass it Minicon 49 was listed as three and a to the next person, who writes words based half days, with some activities starting on on the pictures. Repeat until the paper has ursday, but I arrived Friday. I aended gone all the way around the table. the “Fandom or Fandoms?” panel, whi On Saturday morning, I went to the discussed generational differences in how Catherynne Valente reading, where she gave speculative fiction fandom is approaed. I us a snippet from her upcoming Fairyland stayed for the “Healthy Online Gaming: Just book. Should be interesting. One More Turn” panel, whi talked about at aernoon, I moderated the “Anime online gaming addiction, how to prevent it, for Speculative Fiction Fans” panel. ere how to deal with it and how to spot if you was a young woman in the front row have it. who wanted to study moderation as she Opening Ceremony (“ceremonies!”) will be doing that for a Hetalia panel at were fun as always, with a rousing Convergence; that inspired me to do a good beginning, Janny Wurtz maring in job, and I am told it showed. playing the bagpipes. I was saddened Later that aernoon, I also participated
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 16 July 2014 on the “Page 117″ panel. e idea was to pi My main panel for the day was “Mae- a random page from a book, in this case the nads, Oracles and Madwomen”, whi hundred and seventeenth, and read it aloud. turned out to be mostly about Baba Yaga e panelists and audience then discussed and how she is a liminal figure. (One of whether they’d continue reading based on the panelists mentioned how nice it was that page. As it turns out, some good books to be around a group of people who used have boring 117s. One particular volume the word “liminal” in conversation.) Aer had a page that was so over the top mao that, it was time for the “Mega Moneydu action that it set me to giggles, even more Reveal” event. A roll of paper had been set when it was revealed that the protagonist up by the consuite, and the game had been was a woman. All my entries were from played all weekend. What started as the books I was donating to the freebie table; phrase “silent and very fast” wound up being they were all gone by the end of the day, something about birthday cake. ere were and I hope the new owners enjoy them. some hilarious segues. I wrapped up my panels for the day Closing ceremonies were also fun. Cath- with “e Year in SF” by whi was meant erynne Valente mentioned that she’d been primarily SF books. ere’s a few I am nominated for a Hugo award; we’ll see how looking forward to seeing. e parties I she does. e ceremony culminated in the spent the most time at were the Ethel Romm usual assassination of the MnStf president, Meet & Greet, and the Livejournal Party. and then it was time to go home. Sunday morning, I went to the film e book I was reading for most of the room’s presentation of “Wolf Children,” an weekend was “e Why of ings”, about anime movie about a widow who has to causality. It sparked several interesting con- raise her kids/cubs alone in a world that versations. I’ll have a review of it up in a few hates and fears wolves. It’s a bit melanoly. days. I also got to see pieces of three Syfy Aer that was done, I stopped by the end of Original Movies, whi all appeared to be the Janny Wurtz interview. parodies of giant monster flis.
Ozgur Sahin I would like to draw aention to the for when things get way off topic or when moderator (Miael Kingsley) who ran the some panelists are not being heard vs. other Terra Incognita panel and the Page 117 panelists monopolizing the stage. It is also panel. He is a model of a moderator, and vital for keeping the topic fresh, giving it made both panels mu more enjoyable. audience members a ance to interject (but Also Sherry L. M. Merriam did a great job as not take over or steer too mu), and taking a moderator/panelist for the Healthy Online care of any logistical issues. Seduling Gaming panel. Some of the other panels was confusing and the understanding of had some laluster moderation and there who was on what panels was somewhat were some seduling hiccups I’d like to see decentralized and fractured (Terra Incognita ironed out. was one example of this). As a panelist, those were my main is- However, programming staff were sues. I’d personally like to see a microphone friendly and helpful, and stepped up to fix for ea panelist, but I don’t know how any problems. Resolution of issues, where possible that is. Moderation is important possible, was painless and fast.
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 17 July 2014 e theme of “Pirates and Airships” and opening ceremonies taking place the did not appear to have mu buy-in inter- next evening. Many of these things are an nally, and beyond the badges and monitor outsider’s perspective. I realize a strong core screensavers, there was very lile in pro- of people aend year aer year, so hopefully gramming or atmosphere that reflected the my feedba will help with the newbies. theme. I don’t know the level of impact All in all, I had a good time. e consuite that themes usually have, since this was was a good environment and always had my first Minicon, and I understand that something to eat or drink, and this was panel (and other) programming is dictated invaluable on Saturday when I had 5 nearly by volunteer participation, but to a casual ba-to-ba panels from 11:30 to 6:30. e observer I think having that buy-in would panel topics were good and there was good make a big difference just in a “goal stated participation. e ability to roam around and aieved” kind of way. and stop in at parties or the music room I would like to see more programming led to mu fun — kudos to the people who during the early con days (ursday night, hosted, decorated, and catered the room Friday) or have a clear window of time when parties! Registration was super easy and rea- programming will happen. I have a day job sonably priced right through Mar. People (like most of you) and many commitments were welcoming, talkative, and accommo- to cover with vacation time, so it is very dating, and there was generally something useful to know ahead of time what time I interesting or fun to do. I do think an entire need to take off work. As someone who had day could have been lopped off of the front never been to Minicon, I was confused by end of the con to ratet up the density of the start time of 7pm ursday when there the festivities, but y’all have been doing this was prey mu nothing going on that day, mu longer than I have. :)
Laramie Sasseville I enjoyed seeing and talking with old cost of my hanging fees. I did get to show off friends and playing a few games. Especially samplers of my older work and some lovely a new one, “Iota” whi is like the next level elastic book garters, and convey to orin of “irkle,” adding another aracteristic a print he’d ordered around X-mas that I to the mix (shape, color, and now numbers wasn’t able to locate at the time. too!). I did not get a ance to play the BiZar I participated in two panel discussions. variant of Zar, although I carried my de “Local References in Urban Fantasy” and with me every day. “Romance is not Porn: Relationships in We had a short, but satisfying filk F/SF.” Both were very enjoyable and led to circle on Saturday evening: half a dozen interesting discussions. I said a few things participants, all reasonably good singers. worth saying and enjoyed the larger discus- Only myself as an instrumentalist, alas, sions, and meeting fellow panelists. I also but orin did admirably improvising a aended a panel on small press publishing percussion section from a bat of Legos. I and said a thing or two to contribute from never got the ance to stay for any of the the audience, based in my experience work- later night music. Sigh. ing with two small digital-first publishers, A couple of my greeting cards sold in one of whi has gone on to become the the art show, recouping me about half the digital-first imprint of a larger publisher.
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 18 July 2014 e local references panel reminded me of and green room were both well staffed and how nice it would be to have my middle offered good company. I found hard cider in grade story, “e Winter Knife” out there the bar, I played games, sang songs, talked — as a locally-set fantasy that actually deals with friends, noshed, laughed at opening with Minnesota’s winter. and closing ceremonies and even lent a hand I brought poems with me to the conven- here and there. And, by the time we headed tion, but totally missed the open mike for home, the world had warmed up to the point poetry. I also had to miss the Money Du that it was enjoyable to be outside without reveal, due to a seduling conflict. a jaet! e sun shone, the grass is clearly Despite the few frustrations, I’d call this turning green and the buds on some of these year’s Minicon a good time. e consuite trees will be popping any day now.
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 19 July 2014 Minn-stf Board Minutes Sept 21, 2013 Taken by Kevin G. Austin, Recording and put it out on the MnStf wiki. Secretary. Location: Home of Sco & Irene 2012 Minutes: No progress yet. Kevin Raun 3928 11th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN. will bug Emily if there isn’t anything by the Meeting began at 3:13pm. end of the month. In aendance: Hershey Lima, Dean Treasurer’s Report: Dean emailed e Gahlon, Kevin G. Austin, Beth Friedman, register report. Dean will look for the sum- Sco Raun, Irene Raun, Paris Raun (dog), mary report. Ziggy Raun (dog), Ma Strait, Laura Krentz. Harassment Policy: We discussed the Minutes from the previous meeting were By-Law anges. Change made to the approved. amendment to By-Law VI. “Ea conven- Minicon 48–50: Ma gave us a Minicon tion to be held, as defined above,” e 48 financial report. Not yet final. Ma amendments will be displayed with the sign gave financial projections for Minicon 49. in book for the next two months of meetings. ere was some discussion about Minicon e Minicon 49 convention policy will be 50 finances. created by Ma and presented to the board Minn-STF web account move: before Progress Report 2. e board will DreamHost has anowledged DD-B as an be creating the non-convention harassment official representative of MnStf and he is policy. moving forward with the move. He has Meeting exclusion policy: We discussed created discussion and announce lists for a policy for hosts not allowing people into information pertaining to the move. Sco meetings being run in the hosts home. will monitor progress. Next meeting: October 19th, 2013 at Annual Chelist: Beth has completed it 12pm at METHOD Con. October 19, 2013 Taken by Kevin G. Austin, Recording amendments are official Kevin will post Secretary. Location: METHOD Con. Meet- an announcement to Naer and the Mnstf ing started at 12:13 pm. LiveJournal. In aendance: Hershey Lima, Dean Minicon 48: Beth will poke Carol to Gahlon, Kevin G. Austin, Beth Friedman, deposit the last M48 e. Sco Raun, Irene Raun, Ma Strait Minicon 49 & 50: Finances were dis- Minutes from the previous meeting were cussed including a possible ange to the at- approved with amendments. the-door rate. ASCAP: Sco needs to set up an ASCAP RUNE: e Rune budget, as proposed by web account and get the information for it to Ma, was approved. Becca Leathers. Dreamhost Account for MnStf: No By-Law Amendments: Ma needs to progress. get the text of the amendments so he can 2012 Minutes: Nothing yet. publish them in Rune. Sco emailed an Treasurer’s Report: Nothing yet. Dean ODT document with the final wording to will look again. the board-at list and Ma. When the Exclusion Policy: Beth will come up with
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 20 July 2014 the initial wording and Sco will take it Minicon to Ma. from there. Next Meeting: November 23th, 2013 at Sales Tax Exemption Cards: Beth will 1pm at Beth Friedman’s house. get state sales tax exemption cards for December 21, 2013 Taken by Kevin G. Austin, Recording will look for report and send it to Kevin once Secretary. Home of Sco and Irene Raun. he’s found it. Meeting started at 3:26 pm. Meeting Exclusion Policy: Will be an- In aendance: Sco Raun, Irene Raun, nounced at business meeting. Paris Raun (canine), Ziggy Raun (canine), Harassment Policy: Nothing yet. Dean Gahlon, Beth Friedman, Lydy Nier- Razoo Foundation: We received a Give son, Kevin Austin. to the Max Day donation of $9.61 via the Minutes from the previous meeting were Razoo Foundation. Sco will set up an approved. account with Razoo for MnStf and will get a ASCAP: No progress. Sco still needs to e to Carol for the amount. get an online account set up. Lydy’s Leer: We decide we will ban Minicon 48: Previous e deposited Louie Bulin from meetings for three according to Carol Kennedy via Beth, but months based on her recent behaviour at a there is now a new e to be deposited. MnStf meeting. Hosts must agree with the Beth wants it to be known that this is not ban or they won’t be osen to host. e her fault. President will be the one to get the hosts MnStf Web Account: e wiki is not agreement. Lydy will talk to the President working. Kevin would like a password so (Patricia Zetelumen) about this. Beth will that he can upload the board meeting min- send a registered leer to Louie notifying utes to the web site. ere are questions her that she is banned. about whether or not the email arives Next meeting was going to be January have been transferred. 18th until Beth realized she’d be in China 2012 Minutes: Nothing from Emily. then. Moved to January 25th 1pm at Beth’s. Treasurer’s Report: Nothing new. Dean January 25, 2014 Taken by Kevin G. Austin, Recording online account set up. Secretary. Home of Beth Friedman. Meeting Minicon 48: Beth will ask Carol if the started at 1:26 pm. final, final, final Minicon 48 e has been In aendance: Dean Gahlon, Kevin deposited. Austin, Beth Friedman, Sco Raun, Morwen MnStf Web Account: e wiki is now T. Cat. working. Kevin would like a password so Minutes from the previous meeting were that he can upload the board meeting approved. minutes to the web site. Sco will talk to ASCAP: We got a new licensing agree- DD-B about geing him a password. e ment whi the board signed and returned Naer arives have been transferred, but to ASCAP. Board approves the $120 annual the board-at arives were not. Kevin will licensing fee. Sco still needs to get an see if he can access the board-at arives
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 21 July 2014 and get them transferred over. Dean will ships, $52.81 in party tips and other dona- talk to DD-B about sending a reminded tions, and $67.50 in ribbon sales for a gross email to former Naer subscribers who income of $207.45 and 0.01 Euros. We spent didn’t sign up for the list on the new server. $58.09 on printing and mailing and $60.17 2012 Minutes: Nothing from Emily. on parties, for total expenses of $118.26. Our Treasurer’s Report: Nothing new. Dean net income for 2013 was therefore $89.19 and will look for the summary report and send 0.01 Euro. e Minneapolis in 2073 treasury it to Kevin once he’s found it. (really, truly currently contains $95.68, a Euro cent, 8.02 this time) Israeli Shekels, tuppence, 25 Iraqi Dinars, Harassment Policy for Minicon: e a Taiwanese dollar, a gram of silver and a board approves the policy proposed by the Fren Franc, plus other less fungible items.” airs of Minicon. Kevin will let them know MnStf Picnic: Board officially approves that their policy has been approved. the expenditure that Bill Christ requested. Harassment Policy for Mnstf: No Sales Tax Exempt Status: Beth has the progress. Sco will get the ball rolling but application for nonprofit exempt tax status has not promised to write a dra proposal. and is preparing to submit the request. She Sco promises to do his part by the next might need a Minnesota State sales tax ID MnStf meeting if someone promises to number. She does need a signed copy of the remind him at the next MnStf meeting. by-laws, a copy of a broure describing our Razoo Foundation: Sco set up an ac- organization, and income and accounting count with Razoo for MnStf and got a e statements for the organization. e board to Carol for the amount donated to us. We signed a copy of the by-laws and Kevin sent can’t find out who donated money to us the URL for the most recent version of the because they don’t keep that information for clubs tri-fold broure to Beth. Beth will more than 30 days. get the income and accounting statements Temporary Ban on Louie: We have con- from Carol. If she does need a sales tax ID firmation that Louie received the registered number for the paperwork Beth will get one leer. for MnStf if we don’t already have one. Minneapolis in 2073: e board received Next meeting February 22nd, 2014, 1pm the following financial report: “In 2013, we at Beth’s. took in $87.14 and a Euro cent in member- February 22, 2014 Taken by Kevin G. Austin, Recording Minicon 48: Beth called and le a mes- Secretary. Home of Beth Friedman. Meeting sage for Carol about the final, final, final, started at 1:37pm. Minicon 48 e, but hasn’t heard ba yet In aendance: Dean Gahlon, Kevin as to whether or not it’s been deposited. Austin, Beth Friedman, Hershey Lima, Mor- MnStf Web Account: Kevin will ask wen T. Cat. DD-B if he has any ideas about recovering Minutes from the previous meeting were the board-at arives. Kevin now has a approved. password to the MnStf account and has up- ASCAP: Sco got the paperwork mailed loaded the October and December minutes and is waiting on a response from ASCAP so to the web site. that he can get the online account working. 2012 Minutes: No progress. We’re giving
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 22 July 2014 up on asking for them. lected all five things needed for the form. Treasurer’s Report: A new report was She will mail it on Monday. Beth has generated and is now up on the web. notified Ma Strait. Harassment Policy for Mnstf: Sco re- Next meeting Mar 15th, 2014, aer the ports that he has enlisted help on this. election at Dreampark. Sales Tax Exempt Status: Beth has col- March 28, 2014 Minn-stf board meeting at Beth Fried- up to date with the upcoming meetings man’s house, 28 Mar 2014, seduled to and su. Will he have to do the fallcon start at 7:30pm. webpage? No, Ma S is doing that. DD-B Aendance: Beth Friedman, Ma Strait says yes. Lydy promised dancing boys. connecting by phone, Dean Gahlon, Sco Arivist: Ma S will continue. Raun, Lydy Nierson. No new officer positions are needed, as far as we can think of. Officers President: Some suggestions floated. Beth Harassment policy/code of conduct/or will communicate with the suggested peo- whatever we will call it. ple. An aempt was made to do this during We will mull over it more. It is easier to the meeting, but the candidate didn’t answer discuss by e-mail, since it involves a lot of the phone. text. We have a goal of geing it together VP: Lydy agrees to continue. for the next meeting. Many thanks to Lydy Treasurer: Dean will confirm with Carol for puing together a working dra. Kennedy whether she will continue. No Should it be longer or shorter? actually, Beth is doing it right now and has Lydy will fix an inaccuracy in the sum- le a message for Carol. [Aer the meeting, mary statement — the host of a meeting at Carol replied that she would continue as whi there is a problem should be a first treasurer.] contact. Correspondence Secretary: Hershey Should the exclusion policy be part of Lima will take over from Clay. the HP/CoC/WWWCI? Opinion is no, they Membership Secretary: Laura Krentz should be separate policies, since one is will continue. about hosts’ control of their own space and Recording Secretary: Ma Strait will al- the other is about people’s behavior. And the low himself to be labeled as su, since he’s two policies have opposite effects as far as taking minutes and that’s what it means. whether a person can sign into a meeting. Beth will ba him up. Banning someone from Minn-stf is totally Einbla: Sco will continue. different from a host banning someone from Rune: Ma S will continue, but will their house. And Minn-stf’s policy on hosts’ probably not do it for more than another exclusion is to make it not a Minn-stf issue year. by leing hosts exclude people but still Webmaster: Eric Forste believes that leing the excluded people sign in. DD-B might be willing. Lydy is calling On the exclusion policy, Dean says that DD-B. DD-B says: What does it mean to if someone hasn’t shown up to a meeting in be webmaster? We reply that minimally it decades does not need to be told that they means that he has to keep the front page are excluded. How long someone has to be Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 23 July 2014 not present before this kis in, we don’t says ok and shrugs. Ma will let Karen know know, but decades is enough. We don’t need this. [Ma has done this.] to think of a number, but can do this on a case by case basis. Fallcon ere is a weekend and a plan, but maybe Minicon 48 not a contract. We officially approved Patri- Yes, the final final final Minicon 48 e cia to run the fallcon, but there is not yet was deposited. e Minicon 48 books are officially a name, a date or a hotel. Never- closed. For sure, definitely, certainly, with- theless, the fallcon commiee is free to move out a doubt, most likely. all wheels, su as puing up a webpage or sending out flyers, with Patricia’s approval Minicon 49 of course. It is now only about $1800 over budget, since we have 324 room nights booked already, as ASCAP compared to last year’s 274. Ma suspects We are converting to an annual payment. that this is due to us claiming that the con Previously Minicon paid a per-event fee. starts on ursday now. If so, he’s brilliant Sco is working on it. What will be covered? and didn’t know it, since booking more Action item for Sco: find that informa- rooms wasn’t the idea. (e idea was (a) tion. Why did we start this process, Ma to recognize that the con has started on asks? Because ASCAP anged their rules. ursday for some time now and (b) to ramp ASCAP no longer wants to deal with events, up to Minicon 50 being 4 days.) Anyway, but rather with years. So from now on the making 300 room-nights saves us $1500. e board will pay ASCAP, not Minicon. Sco reason that we are still $1800 over budget will find out when the first payment will be. is because, as we have known since shortly aer Minicon 48, the hotel costs about this Kevin’s quest to recover the board-at mu more than we thought it did. arives No information. Ma asks how mu we Minicon 50 care. Beth would like to get this done. Sco Minicon 50 has neither taken nor spent any will ask him. It may not be possible, but money. However, Ma has been updating Dean and Sco may be able to come up with its budget with beer estimates based on something. Dean may reconstruct it out of M49 experiences. It is now expected to hit his personal mail folders. its profit target of $−1800 just about exactly, given the new expectation of geing over Status of sales tax exemption 300 room-nights. Beth mailed the application. It will be up to Beth has a Minicon item: e green 90 days. We expect it to be approved. We room would like $300 instead of $200. Ma should get 3 or so cards with the approval. Next meeting: April 25 at 7pm [where?] April 25, 2014 Meeting seduled for 7pm. Beth Fried- Ma Strait by phone (audio) and Skype man’s house. Minutes taken by Ma Strait. (video). Aending: Beth Friedman, Dean Gahlon, Lydy Nierson, Sco Raun, and
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 24 July 2014 Harassment policies the definition. Minnstf policy: Discussion ensued. Ma We’re going to work on this more by fiddled with his AV setup for a long time. At e-mail. Beth will make a new dra of the 7:27 he became happyish with it. short version to circulate. Lydy will write a Expression that we need to be sure to say long version once the short version exists. that we are not seing up a legal system — e long version can have “squishy brains” no depositions, no trials. in it. Lydy says that the short version must Dean prefers a colloquial style for the specify what a person desiring immediate policy. Sco agrees and says that this helps action and long-term action is supposed to with the previous point: standard conver- do. sational English emphasises that we aren’t We don’t want to answer the question seing up a legal system. Beth says that, of whether a board member is an officer however, we can be colloquial without being (tenically not, as it turns out). We’ll just overly wordy. say both. Should we keep “brains are squishy”, whi is part of the language in the current Minicon 49 policy: Was agreed upon by dra? Spirited debate on this point. Dean e-mail prior to Minicon 49. Ma demands can take it or leave it. that procedure demands that we ratify e- Agreement that we should have a short mail decisions at a meeting, even if they are version and a long version. Dean says that for things that happened in the past. e the current short version is too short. ayes have it. Something happens with fur in front of the camera. Ma tries to figure out what’s Past conventions going on. Carding fleece from a sheep, Beth METHOD Con 1: Ma has asked Patricia says. to send in the profit of $203.35. We suspect Dean points out that we shouldn’t ban that this hasn’t happened yet. We’ll push people from board meetings but also tell this onto the list of things to ask Carol about. people they can contest their ban at board M49 very preliminary financial report: meetings. Lydy says that the ban should Ma reports that because we got more specify whi things they are banned from, members than expected, the outlook is now and we might include banning someone beer and the best guess is that we’ll come in from board meetings if they are sufficiently $1000 short of the target of $4100, returning bad, or to only allow them to a specific board about $3100 to Minn-stf. e reason for the meeting to discuss their case. shortfall remains the same, whi is that we Ma says that we should say “con- planned for a hotel bill of about $1500, but com meetings” and not “Minicon concom then learned that we should expect more like meetings”. Or, to use the language from $3300. Since the first report that we were the bylaws, “general convention commiee probably not going to make our target, some meetings”. things have turned out to cost more and Lydy would like to keep language about others less, with a net positive effect on the “la of consent” that Beth has deleted in her projection. However, we have not yet seen version. First sentence of third paragraph. the actual costs for the big tiet items: the Beth and Lydy discuss. Lydy: We need to hotel bill, and the consuite. So the estimate define harassment, and this was the core of of returning $3100 is still very rough. Going into the con, we had considerably over 300 Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 25 July 2014 room-nights booked, that being the highest on flowers or something else suitable. e bar set by the hotel. We are hoping to use reason for “plus shipping” is that we want this as leverage for reducing our costs, but it to send the same quality thing regardless may well not work. of how far away the family/friends of the deceased is. e oice of “something else Future conventions suitable” is le to the discretion of the person METHOD Con 2: We agree to $−200 as a in arge. Donation to a arity of the profit target, and we should say to her “if family’s oice is noted as a possibility. you make money instead of losing it, that Later amended by e-mail to $60 plus is nice. But the goal is to put on a good shipping due to actual cost of flower ar- convention, not to make money.” Ma will rangements. Ma will remind us to ratify do this. Patricia may ask for seed money this at our next meeting. if the hotel wants payment prior to the con. We should receive a proposal from Tax-free status Patricia and post it to mnstf.org/records We were turned down for geing MN sales when approved. tax exemption because we are not an exclu- M50 report: We don’t know how many sively educational organization. Is there any memberships were taken yet at M49 since hope of appeal? No. We are just the wrong they weren’t counted at the Dessicated kind of organization. We will arive the Dodo as is sometimes traditional. Ma’s document saying so so that we can possibly financial projection remains that it will just avoid going through this again. It will go about meet its profit target of $−1700. along with our other official papers from the M51 discussion: ere are no candidates state in the arives. at the moment. We should announce some- how — here and on naer and etc other Minn-stf finances places. And at business meetings. Sco will Ma would like to see recent statements take care of Einbla, naer and LJs. We will showing our balances in savings and e- note that the current co-airs are planning ing. No one on the board has seen any lately. to take a year off and this is not just a pro is goes on the list for Carol. forma notice. ASCAP Memorials policy We will authorize Carol to write a e for To clarify previous minutes, our policy is this. e rules are easier now. As long as we that the person in arge of memorials are under 1500 people, that’s all we have to is authorized to spend $50 plus shipping tell them.
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 26 July 2014 Minneapolis in 2073 Worldcon Bid Progress Report #7 As you may know, the Minnesota Sci- Minneapolis in 2073 today, using the form ence Fiction Society is bidding to hold the on page 28! And please consider upgrading 2073 World Science Fiction Convention in your membership if you have already pre- Minneapolis. e year was osen as the supported. 100th anniversary of Minn-stf’s original You’ll be in good company. We now 1973 bid. have 615 pre-supporting members, of whom Since Progress Report #6 in May 2013, 2 are Peeps, 21 are Bloggers, 358 are standard we have continued to publicise and promote presupports, and 234 are Dodos. ey hail the bid. We had a party at Windycon, and from at least 20 states*, Washington DC, we gave out ribbons and took memberships 5 Canadian provinces†, Germany, Norway at Diversicon, Convergence, LoneStarCon 3, and the UK. Since many members only give Capricon, Oddcon and Minicon. We also us an e-mail address, this list is probably mailed out flyers to about 40 other conven- incomplete. Are you a pre-supporter from tions. elsewhere? Let us know! For the next year, we intend to ramp up our partying again (the bid air’s ildren Option on Future T-shirt are now old enough to not be quite so needy What the he does “option on future t- and occasionally even helpful!). We’re going shirt” mean? Let’s find out. We would like to start with NASFiC, a.k.a. Detcon 1, whi to create a Minneapolis in 2073 t-shirt with is July 17–20 in Detroit (see detcon1.org). some original art. It can include zero or more Our party will be Saturday night in the of the following elements: Governor’s Suite. We have no detailed plans yet, but we like to open our parties early and A Minneapolis landmark (fannish or not) close them late! Blog (the drink, or… a pun on weblogs?) *** Zeppelins Peeps Lest anyone think that fandom is the Dodos only community that tries to sedule events far in the future, I’d like to point A space zeppelin cruising over Bloom- out that Zuri has been bidding since at ington of the 2070s? Peeps ruling the en- least 2008 to hold the physics conference slaved population? Citizens walking their known as “Neutrino” in 2030. at’s also genetically enhanced dodos down Nicollet motivated by a 100th anniversary, in this Mall? Something not at all like those? case of Pauli’s proposal of the neutrino to It’s up to you. Send your art in to solve the problem of beta decay. Well, ok, [email protected] or to our PO box. that’s only 22 years in advance, but still. Bloggers and Peeps have an option on a future t-shirt, as the reg form says. ey can Join Us! vote on the t-shirt design, in the inevitable Would you like to see a Worldcon in Min- case that we receive piles of excellent can- neapolis? Or, in the near term, would you didate artwork, and they will get a discount like to see more bid parties? Pre-support off the normal price. *AZ, CA, FL, IA, IL, IN, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, TX, VA, WA, WI †AB, MB, NB, ON, QC Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 27 July 2014 Minneapolis in 2073 all-in-one registration/upgrade form Choose your membership level. To upgrade your membership, simply pay the difference of rates (but keep your ribbon). You can help us by partially upgrading if a full upgrade is too expensive. Just send any amount along with the form, and we will upgrade you when your summed payments have reaed the necessary level.
Dodo: −1 ribbon (we give you a ribbon) Standard pre-supporting: $2.073 (fudge it), 50 mg gold, or 3 g silver — you also get a ribbon Blogger: $20.73, 0.5 g gold, or 30 g silver — as above + option on future t-shirts Peep: $207.3, 5 g gold, or 0.3 kg silver — as above + converts to aending membership when Minneapolis is selected
Name
Most useful address(es) (physical/electronic/other); We will send progress reports here. Return to a mpls2073 representative, or Minneapolis in 2073, PO Box 8297, Minneapolis MN 55408, USA, Earth. Make es to the Minnesota Science Fiction Society. Dodos: if you’d like a ribbon by mail, please provide a SASE. New Members Welcome to our new members since PR6! Blogger Pat Lilja Standard pre-supporters Aimee Kuzenski David Herrington Kevin Lowell Alice Ableman Denise Leigh Mark Crist Barry W Haldiman Duk Miael T. Sherman Bria Gnd Elijah Itah Patri J. Ralph Carol Kennedy Griffin parkes Hailman Ryan Guggenheim Chris Gerrib Jason Spitzer Vii Ortega Curtis S Gibson Jessica Douglas David Bowne Jonathan Stoltze Dodos Brian Lundgren Daniel Kromke Geana Kristina Candace Paden David Robins Gina M. Charlton Damian Dexter Fabi Gina Suszko Dan Berger Evan Milz Jatel Bntz (Joel Baung) Dan Hunt Felicia Herman Joe Wren
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 28 July 2014 John Hacewiler Kenneth Koski Stephanie King John Paul Krosel Lesley Carhart Susan Philbrook Julie Hurenel Megen Leigh Tami Mur Julio Krosel Niole Stevens Kari Askeland Paul Brooks Financial Report Bid Revenue 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Memberships $312.00* $443.46† $340.01‡ $490.74§ $87.14∥ $58.16 Donations $0.00 $39.95 $149.45 $165.46 $52.81 $13.75 Ribbon Sales $0.00 $36.50 $47.00 $52.50 $67.50 $36.50 Expenditures Parties $0.00 $400.09 $320.96 $355.15 $35.84 $0.00 Printing/mailing $1.36 $55.99 $77.93 $401.06 $62.53 $17.15 Ribbons $110.00 $130.00 $120.00 $0.00 $0.00 $120.00 Misc $0.00 $21.38 $46.28 $30.00 $0.00 $3.00 *Also a Fren Franc, a small ro, coupons with cash value 0.3 cents, 2 half dollar ocolate coins, an uncashable e for exactly $2.073, and tuppence. †Also a very short story on a business card, a peanut M+M, a Taiwanese dollar, a penny cut in rough thirds, and a gram of silver. 7 ‡And $ 13 (we are still still holding $6/13 in escrow for the next 6 people who need $1/13 to complete $2.073), and 25 Iraqi Dinars. §Plus 8.02 Israeli Shekels, 2 Pfennig, a buon, and a ro from the southernmost point of Canada. ∥Plus 0.01€ (making slightly over $2.073 when combined with $2.06) and a Luna City medal- lion.
Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 29 July 2014 Comparative Con Finances by Ma Strait My previous article about the costs For Diversicon, Wiscon, and Conver- of conventions (in #88) pointed out gence, it is $30, $50, and $60, respec- the perplexing fact that larger conventions tively. I ose this metric because it ought to be eaper, since they spread their answers the question “what are they fixed costs out over more people, yet there spending my money on?” Another doesn’t seem to be any su trend. To method would be to give the amount explain this, I guessed that perhaps con spent per member. Fortunately, for runners just set their rates near what other those who would prefer that, they’re cons are arging and then find ways to prey close, since ea con gets the spend whatever money they end up with. vast majority of its income from Or with the same symptoms but different memberships, and the typical mem- motives, perhaps larger cons feel obligated bership rate is close to the average to have more features to fit into their role as amount paid. larger cons, and the costs of these cancel out 2. To avoid making it look like the cons the savings from being bigger. are spending more than they really When I wrote that, it was all speculation. are, I exclude money spent to buy t- Hard data is nice. So I have gathered some shirts whi are then sold, recouping by asking con runners for information about the costs. For Wiscon, I used the same their budgets. Naturally, not every con will logic for the dessert function. open their books at the drop of a hat, but 3. As Minicon aficionados know, our I have goen information from the very storage loer is treated as a MnStf kind folk at Diversicon, Wiscon and Con- expense, and does in fact hold a vergence. (Convergence, in fact, has lots of small amount of non-Minicon stuff. its financial information publicly available However, for this comparison, I’ve online*, whi is prey awesome.) ese put it under “storage/moving”. (If the run the gamut of sizes, from Diversicon other cons have strange tenicalities, — about 100 members — to Convergence’s I hope I have goen them right…) 7000. Minicon (500) and Wiscon (1000) are in the middle. e two larger cons are 4 days, e cost per member for the hotel does while the smaller are 3. tend to go down as the size of the con goes I have condensed and standardized the up, as expected. e cost per member for information from ea in order to render GoH generally drops as the con gets larger, them comparable. e results are the pie but note that Convergence’s $4.80 represents arts on page 32. is process naturally about ten times the total expense of Minicon glosses over many details, and I apologize or Wiscon’s GoH budget. For comparison, in advance for the lost nuances. e major Convergence had 9 GoH in the year used points of standardization are: for this pie art, Wiscon had 2, Minicon had 2, and Diversicon had 1. (Convergence’s 1. Costs are given in terms of dollars per GoH costs for 2014 will probably be lower typical membership. For Minicon, the since the year shown here was heavy on typical membership is a $40 pre-reg. international GoH. However, with 10 GoH,
*convergenceevents.org/financial-reports-and-forms/budgets-and-reports Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 30 July 2014 they will still be spending mu more not sure how to treat the savings wedge than the other cons.) e fraction of all in this exercise, so I’ll take away half. e expenses represented by things other than resulting rate is about $35. is is about hotel, logistics/storage/moving, food/drink the same as I got for Wiscon. e la of and GoH is quite small for Diversicon and a continued trend towards eapness (in mu larger for Wiscon and Convergence this exercise) probably means that once a than for Minicon. con goes over a few thousand people, the Minicon uses some of its income to “fixed” costs start going up substantially and run Minn-stf for the year, and likewise, you probably cannot run a 4-day con with Convergence donates a large portion of modern Minicon-level features for less than its income to fund GPS and other groups. around $30 per member no maer its size. Another large expense of Convergence’s is Overall, the data seems to support my savings, with the goal of having enough guess that all cons cost about the same per money on hand to survive a con that makes member because larger ones oose to spend no money at all. Since Convergence keeps money on more things. I still don’t know geing bigger, they have to keep adding to whi way the causality goes. Are cons their savings. It’s worth noting that Minnstf spending whatever they get for $50/mem- also has a policy of keeping enough money ber, or are they making a list of what that it can survive a Minicon that makes no they want to do, budgeting, and arriving at money, but we have already have this mu $50/member? I’m sure its some of ea, but in the bank, and Minicon isn’t growing fast I would guess it skews towards the former enough to require puing more away at this at many cons (clearly the sample presented time. here is biased towards cons that keep good While an exercise fraught with ambigu- budgets!). ity, it is illuminating to try to construct what I urge my fellow con runners to be the membership rate at ea con would be if introspective about these issues before they they did about what Minicon does: set next year’s rates. Does it actually make Diversicon would have to double its sense to budget $500 for that zombie party GoH pie wedge and its food/drink wedge, (perhaps $1/member and aended by under plus add the wedges for nice badges, some 10% of your membership)? Or could you be size wedge for “misc” and keep $4/member more frugal, drop your rates by $5, and still for use by a parent organization. is would keep everything that most of your members put its membership rates at about $50, a come for? But of course, I don’t mean to substantial increase. imply that the goal should be to drive down Wiscon would have to drop some of its pre-reg rates at any cost. For one thing, nice publications, its affordability, events, while Wiscon could make itself $6 eaper ildcare and access wedges and some of by cuing its affordability programs, that “misc”, but add supporting a parent organi- clearly doesn’t make any sense, since it zation. Its membership rates would end up would go against one of the convention’s at about $30. Keeping in mind that Wiscon core goals. In fact, I would love to see is 4 days, this is right about on my idealized more cons raise their rates a lile to cover cost curve from #88. programs that allow less well-off people Convergence would drop most of its to aend. In Minicon-land, we are making GoH wedge, plus the wedges for events, baby steps towards this. I hope to report volunteer perks, and some of “misc”. I’m some success by this time next year. Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 31 July 2014 Rune #90 and MPLS2073 PR 7 32 July 2014 METHOD Con 2 October 10-12, 2014 MNStf's Excuse To Have October Diversions Minn-stf's Excuse To Hear Oaks Dispute...?? Theme: MNStf (Re)Visits “War for the Oaks” Featured Artist: Tim Cooper Featured Authors: Emma Bull & Will Shetterly Where is it? © Tim Cooper The Ramada at the Mall of America, 2300 E American Blvd, Bloomington, MN. Rates are $109/night for a standard room if booked by Sept 20. Call 952-854-3411 or 800- 272-6232 and mention METHOD Con, or see mnstf.org/methodcon2 to book online. What should I expect at METHOD Con 2? METHOD Con 2 is based on previous Minn-stf fallcons. You can expect pretty much what has happened at previous fallcons. This year's inspiration is drawn from Tim Cooper's new book, "The Reader: War for the Oaks" with its lovely photos of fans reading "War for the Oaks" at settings from the book! Nifty, huh? Laura Krentz, our inestimable program head, has let me glimpse some of the War for the Oaks themed plans that are swirling about in her fantastic imagination: a small tour, a group dramatic reading from the screenplay, and a showing of the movie trailer. You should also expect the usual food, gaming, music, conversation, relaxing, and having fun. For more information, see mnstf.org/methodcon2. How much is it? Pre-registration is $40 per person through 9/20/2014. Afterwards, pre-reg or at the door, it's $45. Day memberships are $25 and can only be purchased at-the-door. They cover the day you purchase them until 7 AM the following day. Weekend memberships for Teens (11–16) are $20. Kids 10 and under, and under parental control, are FREE. How do I join? Send this along with a check made to “METHOD Con” to Patricia Zetelumen in person or at 3229 Elliot Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407. Mailed memberships should be postmarked by the Sept 20 deadline and must be received by 9/30/14.
Name:
E-mail address:
Street address:
Phone number: MINICON 50 April 2-5, 2015 (four days) Author GoH: Jane Yolen, Larry Niven, Brandon Sanderson Musician Guest of Honor: Adam Stemple Artist Guest of Honor: Michael Whelan Publisher Guest of Honor: Tom Doherty Min•i•con (mĭ n′ē-k ŏ n ′ ) n. A general-purpose SF con of about 500 fans with a focus on pretty good diverse programming and above average food+drink. Also features readings, signings, costuming, films, gaming, art, dealers, kids' programming, a teen lounge and teen programming, a science room, music, room parties, the Medallion Hunt, and other special events. [MINI(ATURE)/MINN(EAPOLIS) + CON(VENTION).] We're at the DoubleTree, 7800 Normandale, Bloomington MN. Reservations: See mnstf.org/minicon50/ or call 800-222-8733. As of this writing, the block is not yet open. Check future publications or the web for details. Become a member of Minicon 50! Postmarked by March 5, 2015: □ Adult $40 □ Student (13-20) $20 □ Supporting $15 (convert to □ Kid (6-12) $10 □ Child (0-5) free attending for +$40) □ Can you help us with a $10 additional donation? Make checks to: Minicon 50, Lake Street Station, PO Box 8297, Minneapolis, MN 55408-0297 or register at mnstf.org/minicon50 At the door: $70 adult membership; $25 student, $15 kid, $0 child. □ Do not list me as a member on the web or in print publications Please contact me, because I want to: □Volunteer □Be on panels/share ideas □Throw a party □Hear about kids activities ______First Name Middle Last ______Badge Name (if left blank, we will use your full name) ______Address Line 1 ______Address Line 2 ______City State/Province Postal Code ______Country (if not USA) Phone Number(s) ______Email Address(es) ______Birthdate*: Year month day Sex* When was your 1st Minicon?* * Optional: For demographics; can also help plan kids programming. ☞ Please take our registration survey: mnstf.org/minicon50/regsurvey.php Rune c/o Mahew Strait 1228 E 54th St #1E Chicago IL 60615