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Corflu 36 FIAWOL Rockville, Maryland May 2-5, 2019 The Corflu

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My Corflu Guest of Honor Speech

by Steve Stiles

I mean, you can’t go wrong by Yeah, me too. I think what dodging issues with the Andy doused the old science fiction Like many of us, Steve always Kaufman solution; he’s one of flame was the realization that brought a guest of honor speech to my personnel heroes: I told him faster than light space travel was Corflu just in case. Because he so just last week (although he flat out impossible and that we’ll couldn’t deliver it in person, he got so flustered he messed up never ever find out if there’s wanted to share it here. on my Burger King order). other intelligent life in the universe other than dolphins, There’s also the possibility that even if we pedal as hard and as Every time I’m at a Corflu Mighty Mouse, like Ben Grimm, fast as we can. Myself, I’d hardly there’s one major concern that the Thing, is Jewish, which I manage a light year. What a bothers me and that’s the awful think would be neat. He’s pretty bitch! (And if there is intelligent possibility of being chosen much the opposite of Mickey, life, are they Democratic randomly as GoH; there’s no who is about the most Socialists?) advance warning, no harbinger Protestant rodent I can think of of things to come and that —like, there’s that pitiable (I would really love to read a means the overriding relationship with Minnie, which space opera where one starship opportunity of blowing it big only seems to consist of going crewmember says to another time in front of an audience: I’m on long drives in the “Isn’t it amazing that that 20th a second and third draft kind of countryside, or taking her on century Albert Einstein guy turned fan and there’s always the picnics. I can’t picture him out to be a total flaming asshole?”) possibility of delivering bla, bla, giving her fellatio what with that bla, random boring nonsense. weird little laugh of his; “Ah So it seems to me that today’s You know what I’m saying? I shucks, Minnie!” science fiction sadly has only mean here’s a good example of one way to go and that’s down. that right now! Of course, Mickey and Mighty Now I love a good dystopia as both have the same surname but much as the next fan, but there’s For a while I thought that if it that might not mean anything: so much of it that’s been done became my turn in this Mighty’s folks might’ve arrived already. I exclude alien invasion particular barrel I’d cop out by at Ellis Island from the Old dystopias because of the FTL singing the Mighty Mouse theme Country and their processor was issue. Liu Cixin covered that in song: too lazy to spell out Mouseberg The Three-Body Problem: By the or Mousekowitz. That happened time they get here, many Mister Trouble never hangs around all the time back then. generations later, the aliens just When he hears this Mighty sound: might not give a shit. And if “Here I come to save the day” But I digress. they did give a shit, assuming That means that Mighty Mouse they had anuses, the plumbing To change the subject, how Is on his way. might not be still working after many of you still read science four hundred years; we’ve had fiction? ( Yes sir, when there is a wrong to right our place for merely over thirty years and it’s gotten to the point Mighty Mouse will join the fight. (Two or three hands hesitatingly go where we send our plumber On the sea or on the land, up.) annual birthday and Christmas He gets the situation well in hand. cards. We’re putting his kid There’ve been mass-migration Now why is that, I wonder? through college! dystopias, unstoppable plagues, dystopias, famine dystopias, Mister Trouble never hangs around Aside from alien invasions in flooding dystopias, mass When he hears this Mighty sound: science fiction, we’ve had extinction dystopias, and global “Here I come to save the day” dictatorship dystopias, after the warming dystopias. bomb dystopias, brainwashed Et cetera. with drugs dystopias, sexual The only difference between repression dystopias, sexual old-time classic science fiction — Steve Stiles enslavement dystopias, dystopias, like those by Aldous corporate despotism dystopias, Huxley, Sinclair Lewis, Walter Christian dystopias, Islamic Miller and the like, and modern dystopias, Israel-wiped-off-the- day science fiction dystopias is face- of-the-earth dystopias, and that the former usually take faith-based dystopias. place a few hundred years in the future while with the latter it’s s more like a mere thirty or forty years.

Corflu 36 FIAWOL is dedicated to the memory of legendary cartoonist and our very dear friend

STEVE STILES 1943 — 2020

THE CORFLU 36 FIAWOL PROCEEDINGS Random Jottings 20 The Corflu 36 FIAWOL Proceedings

TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDITS

My Corflu Guest of Honor Speech (Steve Stiles) ...... 3 Cover: Leonard Stockmann (LS) Editorial (Michael Dobson) ...... 9 Cartoons: Grant Canfield, Steve Jeffery, A Cast of Thousands (Committee and Membership) ...... 11 and Steve Stiles Corflu 36 FIAWOL Committee...... 13 Photographers: 2019 Senior Class Yearbook ...... 15 • Bill Burns (BB) The Pre-Convention ...... 23 • Grant Canfield (GC) Welcome to Bawlmer, Hun ...... 26 • Andy Hooper (AH) Night of the Living Collators ...... 30 • Rob Jackson (RJ) Arrivals and Excursions...... 33 • Steve Jeffery (SJ) Museums off the Mall...... 34 • Curt Phillips (CP) Opening Day ...... 37 • Carrie Root (CR) Official Corflu Begins ...... 38 • Nigel Rowe (NR) Opening Ceremonies ...... 40 • Ian Sorensen (IS) • Leonard Stockmann (LS) Bheer Tasting ...... 45 • Geri Sullivan (GS) What Fans Do at Corflu ...... 47 • Michael Ward (MW) The Program ...... 55 Corflu Panels Sunt Omnis Divisa in Partes Tres ...... 56 A Bheer Can Tower to the Moon (Panel) ...... 57 Random Jottings 20: The Corflu 36 FIAWOL Facilitating Fan History Research (Susan Graham) ..... 59 Proceedings, is edited by Michael Dobson The Void Boys Speak and (unfortunately) Sing (Panel).. 62 ([email protected]) and Doing Void (Greg Benford) ...... 64 published by The Canal Press Rotsler Award Winners (Panel) ...... 68 (thecanalpress.com). Members of Corflu The Auction ...... 72 36 FIAWOL, both attending and Corflu After Dark ...... 75 supporting, will receive paper copies as Just a Minac (Game Show) ...... 76 part of their membership. Both grayscale Time Chunnel, a play by Andy Hooper ...... 78 and color versions of the printed edition Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fanac) ...... 89 are available for purchase on Amazon, Whining Wining in the Consuite ...... 92 along with previous issues of Random Plus de vin? (Spike) ...... 92 Jottings. A color PDF is available at The Banquet ...... 95 efanzines.com/RandomJottings. Thanx Corflu FIAWOL Banquet Programme ...... 96 and a tip o’the Hatlo Hat to British agent Award Winners ...... 98 Rob Jackson and Corflu webmaster Bill Ad Astra via Fandom (GoH Speech by Jim Benford ... 103 Burns. Copyright © 2020 The Canal Press Sunday Corflu Comments by Various ...... 106 on behalf of the creators; editor-written The Aftermath ...... 109 material is CC BY-SA 4.0. A Perfect Day in the Bloody Lane (Andy Hooper) ...... 110 EDITORIAL / MICHAEL DOBSON

About This Issue Previously in RJ • Inca 16, Rob Jackson Rob kindly granted me Each issue of Random Jottings has The 20th issue of Random Jottings permission to use his “Notes had its own theme. Here’s what’s is the third print volume for a Corflu Conrunner” in happened so far: dedicated to Corflu 36 Random Jottings 19, and “The FIAWOL, the 36th annual • #1 The Genzine Issue (1970) Rockville Diaries,” his con assembly of the increasingly report, in this issue. I’ve small number of fanzine fans, • #2 The Name-Dropping Issue edited out some secondary held in Rockville, Maryland (a (2003) material and added in new suburb of Washington, DC), material from several people. from May 2-5, 2019. (Some • #3 The Not-So-Good events happened before and Samaritan Issue (2008) • File 770, Martin Morse after the official convention.) • #4 The Alternate History Issue Wooster + Mike Glyer Random Jottings 17: the Corflu 36 (2009) I used several paragraphs of Fanthology, with over 160 pages Martin’s Corflu con report #5 The Odell F. Dobson of classic fanwriting, appeared at • with his permission. the convention itself. Memorial Issue (2010) Issues 13, 14, 15, 16, and 18 of • #6 The Cognitive Biases Issue • Beam 15, Nic Farey, Ulrika Random Jottings were only (2011) O’Brien + Steve Jeffery published as PDFs (although With Steve and Nic’s consent, • #7 The Sidewise Issue (2012) physical copies of Random Jottings I’ve used a few paragraphs of 13 were distributed at the • #8 The Watergate Issue (2013) Steve’s Corflu report, plus Toronto Corflu as the bid First CreateSpace/KDP issue; some additional material package). published in print and ebook form. written for me by Steve. Issues 14, 15, and 16 were • #9 My Brilliant Fannish Career • Captain Flashback 7, Andy progress reports, and Random (2014) Hooper Jottings 18 served as the post- Corfu report and assessment. All • #10 The Improbable History Andy Hooper has allowed me those issues, as well as some Issue (2015) Published separately to use his report on the post- other Corflu 36-related material, in book form. Corflu Antietam/Harry Warner trip. It’s been edited are being published as Random #11 Not the Fanzine You’re • for length. Jottings 19: The Corfu FIAWOL Looking For (2016) Papers, released at pretty much the same time as this issue. • #12 The Wheaton Murders Thanks also to Andy for (2017) permission to publish his play Because it’s of such specialized “Time Chunnel,” which interest, there will be few print premiered at Corflu 36. copies, but as is the case with all Credits and my CreateSpace/KDP fanzines, Acknowledgements Several people shared original it’s available on Amazon if you material. just have to have a copy. Thanks to all of you who provided memories and Facilitating Fan History This issue is The Corflu 36 • photographs, and to those who Research, Susan Graham FIAWOL Proceedings, chronicling have allowed me to reprint An article by the UMBC the convention itself. Next issue, convention materials from special collections librarian as usual, will be Something elsewhere. Completely Different. who oversees the Coslet-

9 Sapienza Science Fiction While I’ve done my best to Corflu 36 Videos Fanzine collection. identify people correctly and provide proper credit, the • Doing Void, Greg Benford chances I’ve made some errors Thanks to Rob Jackson, you can watch much of Corflu 36 online. To accompany our Void panel, approaches certainty. I’ve also probably missed some Here’s a list with links. I’ve Greg Benford shared some provided shortened versions for reminiscences. wonderful comments and photos that have slipped into the those typing from the print edition. • Plus de Vin?, Spike morass I laughingly call a desk. While I can’t change already- To accompany the wine Opening Ceremony (Friday evening) mailed print copies, I can fix the tasting, Spike is stuck in Lodi https://youtu.be/GgfW7UcLx0A online version, so let me know. again. https://tinyurl.com/C36Friday If you came to Corflu FIAWOL, Ad Astra via Fandom, Jim Saturday daytime panels • thanks. I hope you had a great Benford time, and that this volume brings https://youtu.be/RUstxv0rmRk Jim wrote up a less technical back some pleasant memories. https://tinyurl.com/C36Saturday version of his well-received If you didn’t, here’s a taste of Saturday afternoon auction Guest of Honor speech. what you missed. Either way, enjoy this album of memories. https://youtu.be/zLYKzOXk2_k John D. Berry, Grant Canfield, https://tinyurl.com/C36Auction Elaine Stiles, and others sent in — Michael Dobson various con-related notes, mostly Saturday evening entertainment combined into the chronological https://youtu.be/lMr806_kzMg report. A lot of this was https://tinyurl.com/C36SaturdayEve scattered through various emails, Sunday Banquet and Awards Ceremony so I apologize if your own brilliant bon mots are not https://youtu.be/l0yHFIh6sFg included. https://tinyurl.com/C36Sunday There are more than 200 photographs here, and in looking through the pages I know you’ll all agree that we’ve only gotten better looking with age. Thank our skilled photographers, listed on the first page and (by initials) on the photos.

Cartoons are by Steve Stiles and Steve Jeffery. Technical drawings are courtesy Jim Benford. Mimeograph ads and other visual trivia are all in the public domain because they were first published in the US prior to 1963, and either were published without notice or with notice and the copyright was not renewed. There’s a credit line on the Antietam map, which came from Wikimedia Commons.

Steve Jeffery 10

A CAST OF THOUSANDS

THE COMMITTEE AND THE MEMBERSHIP

Steve Jeffery

12 The Corflu 36 FIAWOL Committee

Chair, Michael Dobson (NR)

Programming, Ted White (LS)

Webmaster, Bill Burns (SS) Auction, Andy Hooper (NR) Online Corflu, Rob Jackson (NR)

WITH • Patti Ross, Treasurer • Alison Scott, Clothing • Dan Steffan, Art Print • Pat Virzi, Logo • Steve Stiles, Logo/Tour Leader • Geri Sullivan, Bheer Tasting • Doc Morgan, 3-D Trophy • Colleen Brown Stockmann, • Spike, Wine Tasting Designer Tour Leader

Featuring the Masterful Hospitality of Curt Phillips International Man of Mystery

all CP except eggs (BB) and portrait (RJ)

CORFLU 36 FIAWOL YEARBOOK

Mowgli Assor Greg Benford Jim Benford

John D. Berry Sandra Bond Jeanne Bowman

15 Mary and Bill Burns Grant Canfield

Rich Coad Chris Couch Bob Crain

Richard Dengrove Deborah Dobson Michael Dobson

16 Victor Gonzales Frederic Gooding III Susan Graham

Andy Hooper Craig Hughes Rob Jackson

Steve Jeffery Dan Joy Jay Kinney

Lynn Koehler Frank Lunney Keith Lynch

Rich and Nikki Lynch Mary-Ellen Moore and Murray Moore

Flo and Bruce Newrock Mark Olson Curt Phillips

18 Carrie Root Alan Rosenthal Nigel Rowe

Karen Schaffer Jeff Schalles Joe Siclari and Edie Stern

Ian Sorensen Spike Dan Steffan

19 Lynn Steffan Elaine Stiles Steve Stiles

Colleen Brown Stockmann Leonard Stockmann Geri Sullivan

Pat Virzi Michael Ward Ted White Martin Morse Wooster

20 Attending but Not Shown

Matthew Moore Priscilla Olson Dan O’Neill Marla O’Neill

Supporting and Non-Attending Members

Alta Sligh Ayers Jerry Kaufman Stephen Beale Dixie Kinney Tom Becker Robert Lichtman Claire Brialey Bob Madle Pat Charnock Matthew Moore Catherine Crockett Doc Morgan Gordon Eklund Ulrika O’Brien Nic Farey Lloyd Penney Illi Ferriera Mark Plummer Ken Forman John Purcell Motya Gershunkskiy Patti Ross John Hertz Susanne Tompkins Colin Hinz R-Laurraine Tutihasi

21 22

THE PRE- hCONVENTION

SUNDAY 28 APRIL TO THURSDAY 2 MAY

23 THE PRE-CONVENTION SUNDAY 28 APRIL — WEDNESDAY 1 MAY

and Mark Olson seriously of Passport Control. My flight was interested, and be scanned for the last of 5 that arrived all Fanac.org. Having looked through together, and Steve’s tomorrow is a them in more detail, I realise how quarter of an hour later still. much they will benefit in the long run from being re-stapled anyway. So by the time I had sorted my hire car out, I was into the notorious Back to the con and the fun.... I-495 northbound rush hour, or almost exactly 24 hours after flying should I say crawl hour, and didn’t in, I return to Dulles to pick up get to the hotel till 6.15 – without Steve Jeffery, and call at Michael D’s even a call at Michael’s on the way. on our way back to the hotel. Then Wednesday is round Baltimore with But a nice surprise was – who Steve and Elaine followed by an should be at Reception trying to early-bird welcome and collating sort out a problem with his phone party at Michael's (gussets may be accessing the hotel's wifi but – involved), and Thursday round Grant Canfield! I didn't know he lesser-known DC-area museums was coming! I now have another with Colleen Stockmann. passenger for the trip to Steve's, I may return early from that to help Elaine's and Baltimore on Curt set up the con suite and Spike Wednesday. Rob Jackson (SS) buy the wine for the wine tasting.

SUNDAY 28 APRIL 2019 MONDAY 29 APRIL 2019 Rob Jackson Rob Jackson

I am on my travels again, staying at Email from Murray last night which the Premier Inn at Terminal 4 I have seen this morning in the tonight before getting the departure lounge – plan now for Underground to T3 tomorrow then Tuesday is I pick up Steve at the flying into Dulles at 3 pm EDT airport, go on to Michael's, then tomorrow afternoon. As well as early evening meet Murray and the usual large case with Incas and Mary-Ellen for dinner. Hope that old Corflu Cobalt T-shirts to get rid doesn't strain Steve's jet-lag too of, I also have a small but much! deceptively heavy case with fanzines kindly donated by Skel, for the Reporting in from the hotel now. attention of Andy Hooper either at We've already had that confusion the Corflu auction or eBay. Some once or twice. of these are seriously antique. Steve Jeffery (SS) They are also likely to get Joe Siclari That plan may have to change, as I had a 50 minute delay getting out

24 The hotel staff are really helpful - but more of that some other time, Customs line at Washington Dulles as it's 1 am in my head and I got up at 6 am UK time this morning so I'm knackered. Early bed for me; but Grant was thinking of an early bed too as he got up at 4.30 California time to get here!

TUESDAY 30 APRIL 2019 Steve Jeffery

Hell is [queueing with] other people.

To say I hate queuing is something of a mild understatement.

I can be filled with the urge to kill special 80th birthday party I am more than thirty seconds from a at a supermarket checkout when the standing in Thame High Street, convenient toilet.) person in front of me, having put a about five minutes away from her pint of milk and a newspaper on house, at 3pm, wondering what to There was just one person in front the counter, then dithers before do for the next hour and a bit. So of me at check in and I was making up their mind about which of course I go and find a bookshop. through in 5 minutes with another combination of the many dozens two hours to kill before departure. of lottery tickets, scratch cards and I do rather bring it on myself. Fannish wisdom saws never travel lucky dips they also want that week without at least one book. I had and then have to turn out all their Of course I arrived at Heathrow three and a half a dozen fanzines. I bags to find their purse and count mere hours before my flight was still only managed ten pages out the money in small change. even announced, let alone departed. between compulsively checking the I had anticipated endless queues at departures board every few Or when I’m waiting to board the security and check in, questions minutes. bus and a couple who appear never about why I had suddenly decided to have seen or used a bus before to go to the States after a gap of 20 As it turned out all my queueing have to have an interminable years, even bag or body searches to credits had been amassed and sent discussion with the driver about prove I wasn’t trying to smuggle through to the other end. which combination of single, anything dangerous into the US, like return, multipass or zone tickets will Marmite. Like hotels, all airports are work out cheapest for their next (Flying back out of Copenhagen in constructed from endless identical three trip trips into town and back. the 80s on business, a suspicious corridors and passageways that are So for me, air travel is a very special security officer opened a box probably connected in hyperspace form of hell. containing samples of white if only you could find the right powders I was taking back home door to go between one and the It doesn’t help that I am inveterate for laboratory testing. It took a fair other. How else to explain why the early starter. Tell me that I need to bit of explaining and a sheaf of security person interrogating you on arrive somewhere at 9 am and I will customs paperwork to persuade arrival looks identical to the one at plan the journey so that I arrive an him not to dip his finger in and departure. hour before, and then add another taste what was in fact a sample of hour for starting out in case there flash dried lead acetate. Not a wise Arriving at Dulles International are any delays on the journey. When idea unless you fancy a week of Arrivals, an endless queue of my sister tells everyone to be at her stomach cramps and not being people stretched into the far house at exactly 4.30 for my dad’s

25 Tapas at La Tasca (l-r) Grant Canfield, Mary- Ellen Moore, Murray Moore, Steve Jeffery (RJ)

horizon, zigzagging around ten immigration visa. One up for the at 5:15 p.m. Now I expect they are cordoned lanes, to be slowly electronic ESTA system at least. travelling slowly in rush hour traffic. released one every five minutes from one or other of just two I had emailed Rob that my flight security booths that were open in would arrive at 3.25PM. In the end Rob Jackson the middle distance. I did a mental it was almost 5.30 by the time I hit I was just about to report that count of how fast we were moving arrivals, having been told to look myself! While waiting I tried to and how many lanes were still left for someone with a trim white amuse myself looking at the varying to traverse and came up with an beard holding a placard stating degrees of shell-shock on the estimate of two hours. I wasn’t far ‘Corflu 36 welcomes Steve Jeffery’, hugely delayed passengers’ faces as off. I managed to listen to two although the first two people I saw they emerged from the utter tedium podcast short stories from fitting this description (although that is Dulles(t) Passport Control. Clarkesworld and Starship Sofa and without placards) seemed Steve calculated it was about 2 the latest BBC ‘Introducing in remarkably uninterested. hours by the fact that he listened to Oxford’ line up of new bands on a short story that lasted about 20 We eventually found each other my mp3 player (all the while being minutes during just over one of the (Rob was older than I was kicked by a fractious child behind 8 lines of zig-zag queuing expecting, but then again, we all me who I increasingly wanted to passengers. At one point they only are), retrieved Rob’s car, and kill) before finally finding myself at had 2 booths open, but then some bundled out the airport just in time the front of the queue where I was more officials grudgingly turned up. to hit the evening queue on the photographed (twice), fingerprinted The arrivals hall was about 5 or 6 interstate out of Washington. (several times), scanned, quizzed deep with waiting friends, and finally welcomed to the USA. Murray Moore colleagues, chauffeurs and relations around the area where passengers Luckily this time I wasn’t taken Today shortly after 2 p.m. Rob emerge from the customs hall. aside and detained in a side room drove to Dulles to collect Steve for several hours while officials Jeffery. Steve's flight landed at 3:15 We still had the I-495 crawl-hour queried the status of my p.m. Steve rendezvoused with Rob traffic, but easier because (a) we

26 were chatting and (b) I realised in a D’Oh moment that as I had Steve with me I counted as a High Welcome to Bawlmer, hun! Occupancy Vehicle so could use the faster lane. Our first official Corflu FIAWOL activity was a full-day tour of Bawlmer, Murland (Baltimore, Maryland to outsiders), where Then Steve, Murray, Mary-Ellen, everyone is greeted with “Hun.” (Honey, not Attilla). Hosts Steve Grant and I gathered downstairs to and Elaine Stiles covered locations ranging from their house to decide what kind of food we Harborplace to the Visionary Art Museum. “Desperate fun” was wanted to hunt for. Time to start had by Rob Jackson, Grant Canfield, Steve Jeffery, Andy Hooper, the traditional con game of finding and Carrie Root, while Sandra Bond awaited her pizza. (It was what sort of food is acceptable to evidently a long time coming.) everybody.... We eventually decided by the time-honoured method of going to the square where all the restaurants were, umming and Rob Jackson workmen doing something with a ahh’ing with lots of “I don’t mind – sign or some drains or something. whatever you want!”, till eventually Not much lonesomeness if you had We asked if there was anywhere I said: “That tapas place [La Tasca] been in Rockville (or Randallstown/ that higher numbers of Lucerne looks OK….” It was. What they Baltimore, or Bethesda). Grant, Road could be found. One of said was a meal for three was in fact Steve J and I got to Steve and them was a bloody hero and plenty for five of us. Elaine Stiles’s house soon after 10 produced a street atlas of Baltimore am, but not till we had solved the including the other bit of Lucerne We had the strange experience of Strange Case of the Disappearing Road, involving turning left three being partly indoors and partly out Road. They are at 8631 Lucerne times then third right. Turns out of doors, with Steve and Murray at Road, OK? Yes, but my satnav that years ago a recalcitrant an outdoor table which was right turned us into Lucerne Road and at landowning old woman had refused alongside the four-person indoor 8400-odd there were trees and a to sell her house to the people who table which would have been next notice saying “Road Ends.” wanted to build the road. to the totally opened window. It was a warm and muggy night, but We retraced our steps and at the We were shown round Steve and with no threat of rain till suddenly a corner of the road were a couple of Elaine’s house with artwork medium-sized cloudburst emerged from nowhere. Though Murray and Steve only had the very edge of their table drenched, they were able to move to the inner end of the indoor table.

WEDNESDAY 1 MAY 2019

Sandra Bond

The flight was lousy and I’m not impressed with JFK but what care I? Rockville looms large tomorrow. Sad I can’t be there for the pre party tonight, but hope you are all having desperate fun as I sit waiting for my lonesome pizza here in Brooklyn. Waiting for the Baltimore Light Rail. (l-r) Andy Hooper, Carrie Root, Elaine Stiles, Grant Canfield, Steve Stiles, Rob Jackson. (SS)

27 Left Top: Steve Stiles, Grant Canfield (RJ) Left Middle: Grant Canfield, Rob Jackson, Elaine Stiles (SS) Left Bottom: Grant Canfield, Andy Hooper, a small bit of Steve Jeffery’s head, Elaine Stiles (SS)

Visionary Art Museum (not a Corflu member) (SS)

Carrie Root, Grant Canfield, Andy Hooper

28 everywhere except where there are other art, but a powerful message untold thousands of CDs, cassettes about the importance of decent or books, then Andy and Carrie parenting and of being kind to each arrived. We didn't leave till around other. (Hugely oversimplified here, 11.20, so the plan was to drive to of course.) Major feature: the Mount Washington where there is a brilliant Pratchett quote: “Evil B cluster of fine restaurants in a mini begins when you begin to treat bohemian quarter next to the light people as things.” rail station. You can buy hippie dresses, have your dog groomed, or Halfway to the museum I had a your Tarot cards read. panic on realising I hadn’t got my Corflu bag, which had a battery A We ate an early lunch in the Mount pack to allow me to take as many Washington Tavern then it was onto photos as I liked without running the light rail to the Convention my iPhone down. The really Center near Baltimore Harbour. irreplaceable thing is the Corflu Baltimore has an early but still very bag! I remembered I had hung it L fine example of the gentrified, on my chair on going into the pub/ tourist attraction type of inner restaurant, and it was probably still harbour, full of rich people’s there. Rang them: “Oh we found it. plaything yachts and lined by It's with the hostess at front of museums, restaurants and Ripley's house.” Phew. All that was lost Believe It Or Not. It was a bit of a was the chance to take as many T hike to the American Museum of photos as I would have liked. Visionary Art but totally worth it. Not only fascinating primitivist and I M O R E

Mary-Ellen Moore, Murray Moore, Elaine Stiles, Alan Rosenthal (all SS)

29 NIGHT OF THE LIVING COLLATORS!

Wednesday evening was a party at Michael Dobson’s house in Bethesda, Maryland, about 20 minutes from the Cambria. Chicken tikka masala was used to bribe attendees into assembling the member packets.

Rob Jackson

It was after 4 pm by the time we left Baltmore; our steps needed retracing to – in order – the city centre; the tram; the pub for my bag; the car; Elaine and Steve’s house; the hotel (an hour’s drive) and finally to Michael Dobson’s place out on the rural outskirts of Bethesda by 7.30. There are still as many twists and turns as ever to get there, but the satnav coped OK. (I had previously been there in 2014 for breakfast with Michael as an advance thank-you for me giving him a lift to Richmond for that year’s Corflu.)

Present, roughly in order of appearance in my memory, were: Michael Dobson’s house in Bethesda (RJ) Greg & Jim Benford; Curt Phillipa; Jay Kinney; Jeanne Bowman & Alan Rosenthal; Murray & Mary-Ellen; Colleen & Leonard Stockmann; Steve J, Grant and myself; Spike (who came back to the hotel with us for a late check-in, making it a four-person carful); Andy & Carrie; Martin Morse Wooster; Frederic Gooding III (who had to ask who Ratfandom were), and others possibly not registering in my head.

A fine event, with much chat partly on the raised decking of Michael’s upper-level patio on a balmy evening only slightly spoilt by regular planes descending into Dulles, and also indoors. Later on we all stuffed envelopes. Despite the massive wodge of publications and a surprise package of a

30 Jim and Greg Benford , with Martin Morse Wooster in the background

Jay Kinney (GC)

Curt Phillips, Andy Hooper (RJ) Curt Phillips, Frederic Gooding III, Alan Rosenthal, Mary-Ellen Moore

Leonard Stockmann, Martin Morse Wooster, Colleen Brown Stockmann, Greg Benford, Jim Benford, Curt Phillips

31 beautiful little illustration by Dan Michael’s split level house is Steffan which Michael had framed envious, from the spacesuit in its for all attendees, many hands did glass case in the den to the decking indeed make light work. out back looking down on the garden and wooded hill behind the Soon to be much welcomed, as well house. as those already known IntheBar such as Ted White, Rich Coad, I was presented with my official Nigel Rowe, John D. Berry and Corflu FIAWOL t-shirt and others, were Dan & Lynn Steffan, convention pack, which contained, and Craig Hughes. along with Dan’s picture (now sitting atop of my router) and the convention program book, Random Steve Jeffery Jottings 17: A Corflu Fanthology and an elegant spiral bound copy of Thy At the collating party, between Michael’s Spacesuit frequent trips to a table overflowing Life’s a Miracle, a collection of with a very palatable tikka masala selected writing by the late and hugely missed Randy Byers, graced and some equally palatable wines, late, how many things we had in plus enough fruit, crisps, snacks and with a beautiful cover by Ulrika O’Brien and Jae Leslie and carl common, from still liking and cheeses to feed a small army (or reading sf (I still haven’t worked out several dozen fans), Michael co- juarez. In fact I think I paid for this last one as a Corflu fundraiser. I whether that makes me a fringefan opted a small assembly line to or real fan) and the writings of John unpick some 90 picture frames, had downloaded the pdf before coming out, but the real thing is so Crowley (one of my favourite insert signed and numbered pieces authors, and I’m hugely jealous that of artwork from Dan Steffan and much nicer and simply invites you to drop in and start reading, even if Randy knew him), to Chip Delany reassemble and bag them for the or the films of Pedro Almodovar. convention packages. It all went I didn’t get a chance to do so myself before I got home. In a better world, he would still be surprisingly smoothly, showing that here and we could have sat in the sometimes you can organise fans, as I had almost forgotten what a good con suite into the early hours long as you keep them well fed and writer Randy was. I wished we’d talking about the stuff we love. watered. met to discover, now it’s far too

Alan Rosenthal, Mary-Ellen Moore, Murray Moore, Jeanne Bowman (CP) 32 ARRIVALS AND EXCURSIONS THURSDAY 2 MAY 2019

Murray Moore Curt Phillips (via

Our sat nav did not recognize the Facebook) hotel address, 1 Helen Heneghan The GPS address for the Corflu Way, because it has been in hotel is 196 East Montgomery Ave., existence only a year. Rockville, MD. I just found this out We navigated to Rockville Town myself. Heading to hotel soon to Centre and found the hotel after set up the consuite. going into the Cambria Hotels building, which is not the hotel but Rob Jackson Cambria Hotels headquarters. I assume you are out buying further Rob Jackson supplies? Or perhaps just now, sheltering from the massive I think the road was renamed thunderstorm. Which has only set Clara Barton (did not attend Corflu) recently – I am sure I saw a sign or in since 3.15 – weirdly, there was an map somewhere nearby with the utter cloudburst and flood first, and old name. The hotel itself has a only now are we getting the warm. As there were just the three very new feel, and straight over the thunder. of us, Leonard drove into road they are starting to demolish Washington DC as this was more We were really lucky this morning, an old street-level car park and convenient. then. I was the only one on the build a new apartment block. With planned tour of the Washington luck the construction noise (which He dropped Colleen and me off at Gallery area with Colleen Brown isn't really all that bad) will stop the Clara Barton House, which was and Leonard Stockmann, and the over the weekend. fascinating and relevant to my weather was gloriously sunny and Veterans Outreach work, as she not

Convention site: Cambria Hotel Rockville Town Center, Maryland

33 Museums off the Mall !

On Thursday, Colleen Brown Stockmann and Leonard Stockmann provided a tour of the Gallery Place/ Chinatown area of DC to a packed audience consisting of Rob Jackson.

only pioneered humanitarian (and the first non-delayed flight nursing) work with Civil War into National, where they soldiers during the war but after found no lines, got through it set up a hugely important and Arrivals in mere moments, and pioneering missing soldiers caught the very first taxi service, to try and find missing outside the door. I think it (often presumed dead) soldiers. spoke well of our fannish 600,000 dead in that war; 62,000 community that no one killed letters of enquiry received, and them upon hearing about this 22,000 located one way or the miraculously trouble-free other. Later she went to Europe, arrival. and her international humanitarian work included Since I couldn’t get a nonstop setting up the US arm of the flight into conveniently located International Red Cross. National, I booked my flight into BWI (Baltimore- Then to the American Portrait Washington International), Gallery just up the street, where figuring that it would be easier Colleen worked for 40 years till to get from there to suburban her very recent retirement. Saw Colleen Brown Stockmann, Maryland than from Dulles, Leonard Stockmann (RJ) the portraits of both Michelle way out in the Virginia and Barack Obama, then went to suburbs on the opposite side of DC (especially since I was a pizzeria cafe called Ella’s for alcohol. Bummed that I'm missing scheduled to arrive at 3:30, just in lunch and by chance sat next to an Corflu dinner tonight. See time to enjoy the start of the old colleague of Colleen's who was everyone soon (hopefully). showing a brand-new colleague evening rush hour). All this good round! Plenty to talk about – even Rich Coad planning was tossed out the old fanzines came into it, as we window when my flight got compared the states of preservation My flight to DCA was supposed to diverted to Harrisburg, of their paper with that of the arrive at 4:30. Instead it’s now 6:15 Pennsylvania, where it refueled and Clara Barton documents. Leonard and I am stuck on the plane at awaited the go-ahead for another got the car and we drove back. Just Dulles. They are supposed to refuel shot at BWI. I finally got off the vaguely clouding over as we got and fly us to DCA sometime. plane at 6:30. back to Rockville.... John D. Berry Then I made my mistake. I had Nigel Rowe been planning to take an inter- The storm gods were against us. county Maryland bus that would have gotten me from BWI directly My flight was canceled so I have to Anyone coming in by air for Corflu wait another five hours. Who knew to the end of the DC Metro’s Red on Thursday got diverted, Line, just one stop from Rockville, the DC area has weather in April redirected, delayed, and that cancels flights. where Corflu was being held. But discombobulated by the intense the bus only ran once an hour, and thunderstorms that moved into the I probably won't be at the hotel by the time I got in I figured it DC area that afternoon. Well, until midnight, although I now land might be quicker just to catch the almost everyone: Dan and Lynn at 10. Will be desperate for fun and suburban MARC train into Union apparently lucked out, arriving on

34 then leave and get a taxi or Lyft or Storm gods messing with Uber to Rockville. John D. Berry (USAF) Pat Charnock

Am I the only one who always makes sure I've got a paper map when I make a journey? Everyone seems to be dependent on devices.

Rob Jackson

I used to want to have a paper back-up, but I usually look through a route on Google Street View so the route is in my head anyway, which is where the back-up always was in the first place.

I've now driven back to the hotel in Rockville from I-270 three times, so Station in DC, where I could hop seen in years and didn’t normally when Leonard Stockmann was on the Red Line and ride it out to interact with. We had such a good driving us back this afternoon I was Rockville. What I wasn’t counting time talking that I gave him my card able to give him directions as to on was that the suburban trains and encouraged him to send me which lane to get into and so on. don’t run that often once rush hour email so we could keep in touch. (I He & Colleen normally live further is over. At the airport train station, I haven’t heard from him, though, at south and are not that familiar with was helping a nice blind guy who least not yet.) Rockville. had also just arrived use the ticket- vending machine; neither of us had Rich Coad Pat Charnock any sense of urgency, but by the time we got over the tracks to the Latest word is we should move to a Knowing you, that doesn't surprise DC-bound side (which involved gate here at IAD. Hopefully I can me at all! some slow elevators), we discovered that we had just missed the train we had seen, and that the next one wouldn’t be coming for more than three-quarters of a hour.

Luckily, we were both in good humor, resigned to yet another delay (he had been through five airports already that day), and we sat on the platform chatting amiably while we waited. He was a programmer, and a parent with two kids and a husband. Also a good sense of humor. He was curious about Corflu, and impressed that such a large crowd was expected. He was just coming home from a family funeral in Tennessee, with Washington Metro System family many of whom he hadn’t (Joseph Barillari CC BY-SA 3.0)

35 36

OPENING DAY

FRIDAY 3 MAY 2019

37 OFFICIAL CORFLU BEGINS FRIDAY 3 MAY 2019

Rob Jackson stocked that there was far more Rob Jackson food and drink than even 50 or so The various wanderers with fans could get through in a long And it has got going brilliantly! rebooked/ diverted flights weekend. Huge thanks have to go Wonderful atmosphere, and great eventually arrived safely, though I for Curt for organising everything, food. Breakfasted on Liz Phillips’s hadn't yet seen Nigel by the time I and to whoever brought scones home-made scones, clotted cream went to bed (about 12.30 am). (complete with cream and jam) (also home-made) and jam just now. Rich’s plane eventually got taxied to which proved to be a huge hit. I don't usually have a cream tea for a gate at Dulles and they let people There was some debate as to breakfast.... One of the scones was disembark, so he must have shot whether it should be cream first ginger flavour. out of there like a bat out of hell then jam or jam then cream, and got a Lyft cab here. And JDB depending on whether you come Graham Charnock all present, correct and on good from Cornwall or Devon (or form. possibly the other way around), and I keep the ITB page open in the Murray and Mary Ellen Moore and Spike, Ian Sorensen and I went to hope there may be proof of I tried to resolve this by trying both something happening at Corflu, but the wine store round the corner for options, although I can’t recall if we their tasting and came back with a I guess they must all be having too came to any firm conclusion on the good a time to worry about me. dozen assorted bottles. There are matter. still about half a dozen left but we are off out again at around noon to I wish I had more time to talk with John Purcell a different wine store, with Karen Joe Siclari and Edie Stern about Schaffer also on the scouting party. their fanac.org project, who set up I worry about you all the time, But this evening it is Geri’s beer shop on a couple of comfy sofas Graham. tasting, so most of the wine will be outside the main con-suite with a kept for the wine tasting tomorrow scanner and a growing pile of rare Steve Jeffery (Saturday). or historic fanzines that had been In between, Spike, Pat Virzi, Ian donated for scanning into their So Grant Canfield and I convened and I went to Gordon Biersch for archives. Last time I looked at their in the lobby before negotiating the dinner. This was good fun, site they were still working though complexities of the Metro (as it especially when the waiter knocked these a month after the con. turned out it was a straight run) into over a nearly full glass of iced John D. Berry central DC. Despite the water. Most of it went onto the (surprisingly small) White House at seat between Pat V and myself, but I was more jet lagged than you one end, and the imposing edifice we both got slightly damp, and after might expect when I arrived at BWI of the Lincoln memorial at the a while I wondered why parts of my Thurgood Marshall Airport. Eileen other, the park itself (actually parks, bum were cold – I was sitting on and I had just gotten home the the National Mall including two ice cubes! As Ian said, night before from a week of Constitution Gardens and West definitely not a hot bot. genuine vacation in Hawaii, so the Potomac Park) was almost familiar overall time difference was six if you’ve ever tried to cross London Steve Jeffery hours. using only the green bits.

The con suite, IMHO, was an ideal Despite a notice on the Vietnam place to hang out, and so well Memorial information booth

38 warning us not to feed the wildlife, the thing that I noticed most was the almost complete absence of squirrels, whereas in London they’d be half a dozen swarming round your feet begging at the drop of a peanut. (Brits tend to be suckers for anything cute and furry, and blissfully ignore the Do Not Feed notices, or are less fastidious about dropping food crumbs. Or any sort of litter for that matter. Rockville itself was cleaner than almost anywhere in the UK, and especially Oxford, whose streets and pavements often resemble a spilled litter bin of bottles, nightclub flyers and food packaging (and indeed food).)

I did eventually see one lone squirrel on the walk back, but it’s odd how you miss things you expect to see.

Elaine Stiles

I had agreed to be the con registrar, but that turned out not to be so easy because neither the phone nor car GPS and passersby in the Lynn Steffan, Sandra Bond, Geri Sullivan (MW) general vicinity of the hotel (including a man who worked for the parent company) could locate it. Later I took the laptop up to the unfortunate non-con hotel guests By the time we stumbled upon it, con suite, plugged the webcam in were innocently sitting at the bar Michael was handling registration and found that a You Tube link and initially waited things out as the along with his other responsibilities. worked. Nothing official was due room got more crowded round till 6 pm EDT, or 11 pm UK them, but once Michael started Rob Jackson summer time – the Opening addressing the multitude, discretion Ceremony in the hotel restaurant on had to be the better part of valour People moseying off to have fun in the ground floor. That was the only and they left. central DC, or going for a long walk event held there; the main con hall to buy lots more wine then was on the lower ground floor. The eventual GoH was Jim stopping on the way back for lunch Benford. Both Murray Moore and at a Japanese hibachi place, and News from the consuite: Nigel Dan Steffan had to be passed over things like that don’t lend arrived OK late the previous night as they had been GoH’s before and themselves to being filmed. Also, and was quickly into fun mode, and the names hadn’t been checked. you (Graham) pretty much told us Dan and Lynn were greeted with not to bother with trying to hugs from pretty much everyone in The Golden Samovar Russian broadcast anything after 6 pm UK the room. restaurant where John D B, Karen, time unless it is an official Mike Ward, Steve Jeffery and I ate programme item. The Opening Ceremony was in the was pleasant and we had a genuine hotel’s foyer bar. A couple of Russian wait person seeing to us.

39 OPENING CEREMONIES

Steve Jeffery

I’m slightly shamed that – along with many others – I chose to opt out of the Corflu GOH draw this time, the opt out donations providing a very tidy pot for the eventual ‘winner’ (after several false starts where the names of previous GOH’s were successfully drawn out of the hat, only to be discarded as ineligible. At some point I suspect this tradition will have to be revised when it becomes evident that the only people in the draw are those who know they can’t be chosen). Finally, though, Jim Benford emerged as the lucky recipient, to be greeted with cheers, sighs of relief from those whose names were still in the hat, and the proceeds of the opt-out fund which he generously went on to donate back again during the auction. An economics graduate could have a field day untangling Corflu’s weird closed-loop economy.

Martin Morse Wooster

The first day of Corflu had the opening ceremony, where a sacred box is unearthed that included a crusty bottle of correction fluid or Michael Dobson with the official Corflu Guest of Honor Pillow, which was “corflu.” The convention chooses a (eventually) given to Jim Benford (NR) guest of honor by pulling a name from the box, but you can opt out My stodgy dumpling things were my conscience wouldn’t let me leave of the honor with a $20 donation. late arriving due to a confusion that much. Maybe that’s why I The winner was Jim Benford, who about how many main courses we flaked out earlyish that evening – got all the donation money, which ordered; we had chosen one extra too much carbohydrate. Nothing to he reportedly spent at the fanzine main as a shared starter. do with the Georgian wine at the auction on Saturday. His other restaurant or the lovely beers at prize was a pillow, designed by The portions were all huge, so by Geri’s tasting at all. Oooh no. Alison Scott, which says “Dave the time mine arrived I had had Kyle Says You Can’t Sit Here” and rather a lot of everyone else’s – but has the badge of the Science

40 Miscellaneous Corfluvians (MW)

41 After resting for a few minutes, I said, "I think I better go to my room and lie down for a while."

As I walked away -- or according to witnesses, as I staggered or wobbled away -- I heard someone say, "Did Grant Canfield just faint?"

Then Curt Phillips was walking with me, holding my elbow. He got in the elevator with me, and asked if he could accompany me to my room. I thought that was an Corflu Opening Ceremony continues…and continues (CP) excellent idea. In my room, Curt told me he was an RN, and quizzed me about my symptoms.

I was pretty sure I knew what had happened to me. It wasn't hard to figure out. Steve Jeffery and I had ridden the Metro into DC that morning, and had walked around the White House, the Executive Office Building and the Ellipse, then into the Mall, where we visited the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the Reflecting Pool, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam War Memorial, then back to the Metro Center station to ride back to Rockville.

That was more walking in one day than I usually do in a month, and Fiction League of the 1930s. name. I had known Chris Couch for my back was killing me so I had years through fanzines and taken a couple of hydrocodone pain electronic media, but this was my pills. (I later remembered that it was Grant Canfield first time meeting him in person. actually three of them, way beyond my accustomed one pill every three Since you asked for personal We were leaning against the wall, or four days or so.) I also told him reminiscences from attendees, here chatting, when things suddenly that I had taken my meds that is the story of My Corflu Fainting went all white for me. The next morning with just a glass of water, Spell. thing I knew, I was half kneeling, half sitting on the floor, sort of instead of with breakfast as I usually do, and that I had had It happened Friday about a half leaning against Chris, who was also nothing to eat all day, and my only hour before the official Opening kneeling. intake had been a couple bottles of Ceremony. I had just left Dan and I looked up and saw a bunch of water as we were walking around Lynn Steffan's room, where a few faces looking at me with concern the Mall. (As an aside, I must note of us had been getting sercon. A and worry. I said, "Did I just that I never saw Steve take so much bunch of fans were sitting around faint?" as a sip of water the whole time we in the lounge area outside the con Nigel Rowe said, "Oh, yes.” were in DC. I started thinking of suite, and one of them called my him as "The Camel.”)

42 Making it worse, I also admitted that I had gotten high with a few friends as soon as we returned to the hotel. So, I was obviously dehydrated, my electrolytes were depleted due to no food, I was overdosed on strong pain medication, and I had gotten buzzed. And I'm a 73 year old cardiac patient who should have known better, but I had broken all the rules anyway. What a maroon.

Curt was great. He checked my pulse and blood pressure, fetched me a bowl of fruit and some energy bars from the con suite, and generally exhibited a degree of consideration and caring that went a long way toward easing any anxiety I felt about the whole situation. He suggested I rest up after eating and rehydrating, which I did, skipping the Opening Ceremony.

I was much better later in the evening, other than being embarrassed about fainting in public. But I was grateful that if it Grant Canfield (RJ) had to happen, it happened among a group of smart, concerned friends. And I was particularly grateful that Curt was there. His empathy and care, as well as his professionalism as a nurse, was a godsend. Let it be known far and wide that that dude is a great guy of the highest order, and a true mensch.

So that's the story of how I happened to faint at Corflu. My profoundest thanks to Curt Phillips, and to everyone else present for their concern and attention. Other than that incident, I had a great time!

Martin Morse Wooster

Members got quite a lot of stuff. Dobson edited a 163-page Curt Phillips (RJ) fanthology of members’ writings,

43 which is also available on John D. Berry except for a hand coyly placed over Efanzines. Some mossbacks his manhood. The headline of the grumbled that Dobson used This Corflu, for me, feels like even piece about the fan was ‘IT’S CreateSpace as his publisher, but I more of a family reunion than ORGYTASTIC.” thought the book was well done. usual, if only because there were so Also included in the members’ many old friends there. I found “Do you mean this guy discovered packet was Thy Life’s A Miracle: myself pondering just how many of orgy fandom?” I asked. Selected Writings of Randy Byers, a 135- those people I have known for fifty “No, it was more like orgy con- page anthology edited by Luke years or more. Ted, of course, and dom,” said my source, who added McGuff. Steve. Greg and Jim Benford. that the fan liked showing up at the Colleen. Jay Kinney, Christ Couch, orgies he organized in a gorilla suit, But that wasn’t all! We also got a Craig Hughes, Mike Ward. And lots because women liked sitting on his framed print by Dan Steffan, in a of others I’ve known for almost as lap and stroking his fur. limited edition of 90, which showed long. a nude Japanese woman with But the story too good to check creatures on her back that Martin Morse Wooster was whether two Arab sheiks resembled those of British artist offered to buy Baltimore fan Lee Arthur Thomson. It was a very I spent much of the time in the con Smoire at Discon II in 1974 for two handsome piece of art, and I will suite listening to stories about 20th camels. This claim would be absurd put it on my shelf next to the Star century fan legends. I heard about and ridiculous about any other fan Wars thingie I got at Nationals the Scottish fan who, after losing a than Lee Smoire, who stories Park. feud with everyone else in his club, cluster around like gaudy barnacles. dropped out only to appear in the I cite it to add to Lee Smoire’s pages of a tabloid completely nude legend.

Ted White (CP) Bill and Mary Burns(CP)

Bheer Tasting

Around 6p on Friday evening, the consuite opened. Big news for the evening was the Bheer Tasting, sponsored by our very own TAFF winner, Geri Sullivan!

Carrie Root (GS) Geri Sullivan (CP)

Geri Sullivan (GS) Rich Coad (GS) 45 From left: Mystery Body, Steve Jeffery, Keith Lynch, Victor Gonzales, John D. Berry. Right: Mystery Foot (GS)

Before + After (GS)

46 WHAT FANS DO AT CORFLU #1 Have Dinner with Friends

Steve Jeffery, Rob Jackson, Grant Canfield, Andy Hooper, Carrie Root, Elaine Stiles (SS) Spike, Pat Virzi, Ian Sorensen (RJ)

Joe Siclari, Edie Stern, Nigel Rowe (SS) Jay Kinney, Ted White, Frank Lunney (GC)

John D. Berry, Steve Jeffery, Rob Jackson, Michael Ward, Karen Schaffer (RJ)

47 #2 Relax in the Hotel Lobby

Frederic Gooding III, Richard Dengrove (CP) Greg Benford (GC)

Grant Canfield, Mark Olson (CP)

48 #3 Scan Old Fanzines

Scanning station for fanac.org. Joe Siclari, Mark Olson (CP) Edie Stern, Chris Couch (not scanning), Joe Siclari (CP)

Pat Virzi, Nikki Lynch, Edie Stern (CP)

49 #4 Hang Out in the Consuite

Jeanne Bowman, Pat Virzi, Karen Schaffer Alan Rosenthal, Rich Coad

Mark Olson, Rich Lynch, Nikki Lynch, Joe Siclari, Edie Stern Bill Burns, Mowgli Assor

Foreground: Geri Sullivan, Mary Burns, Steve Jeffery, Mark Olson. Jay Kinney, Frank Lunney Middle ground: Tops of heads of Jay Kinney and Frank Lunney Background: Joe Siclari, Bill Burns, Murray Moore (all photos this page RJ)

50 Jay Kinney, Lynn Steffan (SS)

Lynn Steffan, Steve Stiles (GC)

Rich Coad (GS)

Mark Olson, Steve Jeffery (RJ) Michael Dobson, Sandra Bond (RJ)

51 Clockwise from left: Mark Olson, Karen Schaffer, John D. Berry, Ted White, Sandra Bond (RJ)

Clockwise from left: Bruce Newrock, Flo Newrock, Edie Stern, Murray Moore, Michael Ward, Ian Sorensen, Mary-Ellen Moore (CP)

Pat Virzi, Flo Newrock, Mary-Ellen Moore, Murray Moore (CP)

Mary Burns, Bill Burns (CP) Ian Sorensen, Rob Jackson (CP)

Carrie Root, Edie Stern (CP)

Clockwise from bottom left: Mark Olson, Karen Schaffer, Rob Jackson, John D. Berry, Bill Burns, Michael Ward, Ted White, Sandra Bond (CP)

Foreground: Ted White, Sandra Bond. Background: Ian Sorensen, Karen Schaffer (CP)

53 #5 Read or Just Zone Out

Mark Olson (CP) Chris Couch and John D. Berry (CP) Sandra Bond (CP)

#6 Have Tea Parties

THE PROGRAM

SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 DAYTIME

55 Corﬂu Panels Sunt Omnis Divisa in Partes Tres

Joe Siclari, chairman of the TRIGGER WARNING: May Fanac Fan History Project, include a rendition of the Void dedicated to preserving Boys Song. information about science fiction fandom, including a database of fanzine scans. 1:50 PM — 2:00 PM Break

Michael Dobson (moderator), former 2:00 PM — 2:50 PM Smithsonian staffer who PANEL: Rotsler Award Winners 12:00 Noon worked in preservation-related Our Programming Day Begins areas; interested in using new Four leading fan artists (some of printing technology to make Opening remarks by Michael whom who have received one) facsimiles of classic fanzines. Dobson, primarily regarding the discuss the various winners of the absence of a microphone. Rotsler Award.

12:50 PM — 1:00 PM Break PARTICIPANTS

12:05 PM — 12:50 PM Steve Stiles, moderator, PANEL: A Bheer Can Tower to Hugo-winning fan artist, the Moon and Other Fannish 1:00 PM — 1:50 PM underground cartoonist, and Memorials PANEL: The Void Boys Speak well-known bon vivant. and (Unfortunately) Sing A discussion of different ways to Grant Canfield, legendary fan collect and preserve fannish The history of the legendary focal artist who gave up the lucrative material, including libraries, point fanzine Void, as presented by field of cartooning in favor of anthologies, online storage, and three Void Boys and special guest architecture. facsimile editions. No bheer cans Luis Ortiz, who is working on a were harmed in the making of this Void anthology. Jay Kinney, co-creator of the panel. underground comic Young Lust, PARTICIPANTS expert on Western esoteric traditions. PARTICIPANTS Greg Benford, co-founder of Susan Graham, special Void Dan Steffan, Rotsler Award collections librarian for the winner, underground and Sapienza/Coslet fanzine Jim Benford, co-founder of fanzine artist, creator of the collection at the University of Void Corflu 36 limited edition art Maryland Baltimore County. piece. Ted White, became editor and Luis Ortiz, publisher of publisher of Void later on. Nonstop Press 2:50 PM — 3:00 PM Break (nonstoppress.com), editor of Luis Ortiz, publisher of The Science Fiction Fanzine Nonstop Press Reader: Focal Points 1930-1960. (nonstoppress.com), editor of 3:00 PM — 6:00 PM Auction the upcoming Void anthology.

56 A BHEER CAN TOWER TO THE MOON SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 12:00 PM

Susan Graham, Luis Ortiz, Michael Dobson, Joe Siclari (LS)

Hampered by a lack of microphone and a A panel on archives featured workable PowerPoint link, the panel got Non-Stop Press publisher off to a slow start, but each of the Luis Ortiz, who has just participants had a great story to tell about published an anthology of an aspect of preserving fan history. A fanzine writings from good discussion followed. 1930-1960, Michael Dobson, University of Maryland John D. Berry (Baltimore County) archivist Susan Graham, and Joe Siclari, During the panel on preservation head of fanac.org. of fanhistory, a poll of the audience asked what decade you had first Susan Graham said that her gotten involved in fandom. The library bought the fanzine vast majority named the 1960s or collection of Walter Coslet in the 1970s. None named a decade 1973 and subsequently later than the 1980s. acquired the fanzines of Peggy Rae Sapienza, who was a graduate of the school. Martin Morse Wooster These fanzines included many from Sapienza’s first husband, Saturday’s program included Bob Pavlat, a famed collector. three panels and I went to two.

57 They’ve also gotten some Frank Kelly Freas art and some papers, including manuscripts by Isaac Asimov, Roger Zelazny, and Lawrence Watt-Evans. They’re still organizing their zines, but their website https:// lib.guides.umbc.edu/fanzines has a finding aid and essays on feminist fanzines of the 1970s, fanzines’ role in society, and the Atlanta Science-Fiction Organization fanzine Cosmag. Fanac.org scanned 2,000 pages of fanzines at Corflu. Siclari said that he had gotten research requests from unexpected places. They helped out the recent documentary on Ursula K. Le Guin, for example. And when the family of fan H.F. Koenig asked for copies of Koenig’s fanzines, they donated a copy of the family genealogy to Fanac.org. There are also reports of what happened to Harry Warner, Jr.’s fanzine collection. It is apparently in one piece and is being stored at Heritage Auctions in Dallas. No one knows what Heritage plans to do with Warner’s collection.

58 FACILITATING FAN HISTORY RESEARCH THE COSLET-SAPIENZA FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION FANZINE COLLECTION AT UMBC

BY SUSAN GRAHAM

I was very honored to be at Corflu history. Our rare books collection is Watt-Evans. Our collections 36. I’d like to thank Michael an eclectic mix of items with artists’ include original sci-fi and fantasy art Dobson for reaching out and books, the history of science, and and cover art by Frank Kelly Freas, inviting me to join the panel on lots of occult, spiritualism, and and posters. fanzine preservation. I guess I’m paranormal psychology. We also what you would call a Neo-Fan! I have 18th and 19th century graphic The Coslet-Sapienza don’t have a long history with sci -i satire, Utopian thought and radical Collection or fantasy, but I have grown to love literature, and the Alternative Press sci-fi fans and fanzines. I’m still Center collection. We also have learning, and there’s so much to thousands of comic books as well Last, but certainly not least, we hold learn! So thank you for being a part as original comic artwork! the Coslet-Sapienza Fantasy & of my learning journey. Science Fiction Fanzine Collection. And of course, we have science The Coslet-Sapienza fanzine The Special Collections at fiction collections. These collections collection is comprised of tens of UMBC are built mainly by donation of gifts thousands of fan-produced in kind, but are also supported by magazines. It is named after Walter Coslet, who collected fanzines over We have a really wonderful an endowment created by Rita the thirty-five years from photography collection, with over 2 Seplowitz Saltz. They are comprised 1937-1972, and whose collection million photographs from the of the Azriel Rosenfeld Science UMBC purchased in the 1970’s; and beginning of photography to the Fiction Research collection, which after Peggy Rae Sapienza, a science present day and around 8 million contains thousands of books, fiction fan, fanzine publisher, and photos from the Baltimore Sun. criticism and reference works, organizer of sci-fi cons, who Our Maryland history collection is bibliographies, journals and other donated her collection and that of rich in Baltimore history, and periodicals, pulp magazines, and her late husband, Bob Pavlat. includes the Baltimore Sun archives graphic novels. We also have and Maryland folklife collections. numerous manuscripts by authors including Isaac Asimov, Roger The Coslet-Sapienza collection We collect the archives of UMBC, includes titles from the 1930’s to the which document the university’s Zelazny, Brian Daley, and Lawrence

59 2000’s, with long runs of the little dated now, but it has served us our collection, as well as other Fantasy Amateur Press Association well. collections, other online resources, (FAPA) mailings, and examples of and scholarly and reference early writing from Writers who A real turning point for us came resources about fanzines and would later become prominent in during the summer of 2018, when fandom. It now includes the the field. For example, we have the we were involved in the CoLab students’ final project. fanzine where Ray Bradbury first Interdisciplinary CoLab. Modeled Here’s a screenshot with the page story appeared, we have his own after an interdisciplinary research that includes other fanzine self-published fanzine, Futuria program at Duke, and supported by resources online. Fantasia, and we have the pulp the office of the Provost, the magazine in which his first story Interdisciplinary CoLab pilot My colleague Lindsey Loeper and I was professionally published. So, brought together groups of taught the students archival literacy you can really track a writer’s students from different disciplines and how to work with these progress through the ages. There to study various topics. Each group primary sources. I chose some are so many different things to had a set of goals to achieve, and from the collection to introduce research using the fanzines, and it’s received training in narrative-based them to the format. We later a great way to study science fiction humanities research practices. showed them how to use the fan culture. Omeka online exhibit software. Our group focused on sci fi They ended up creating an Supporting Research and fanzines and fan culture and was awesome and informative exhibit headed by Media & Scholarship that includes info about our Communication Studies (MCS) collection, about fanzines and sci-fi professor Don Snyder, and included fandom in general, and about how What we do is facilitate research Ashley Mitchell (Biochemistry), and scholarship by preserving fanzines were produced. I highly Rebecca Wireman (MCS & Gender recommend that you watch the fanzines and providing access to & Women’s Studies), and Marzuq them. We act as an east coast digital story videos that students Hakim (Computer Science). The produced. repository of of sci-fi and fantasy students worked together for four fanzines. We rehouse them in acid weeks, each bringing a different A curator from the Drawing Center free folders and they are stored in perspective. Marzuq was the only in NYC, Giampaolo Bianconi, our temperature and humidity one originally interested in sci fi, reached out to me and asked for controlled space. We assist scholars and Rebecca was the only one who help with his exhibit As If: with their projects, such as looking had heard of zines, although Alternative Histories from Then to Now, up information in the fanzines and feminist zines. before. that displayed speculative fiction providing scans to authors such as In preparation for the CoLab, I put that is “working towards utopian, Chris O’Brien who wrote The together a research guide all about reactionary, or simply ambiguous Forrest J. Ackerman oeuvre and sci-fi fanzines. It gathers ends, the artists, writers, and helping with research for specific information on fanzines in general, amateur science fiction enthusiasts articles in fanzines for David Schultz who is writing a bibliography of the writer Clark Ashton Smith.

We also teach a lot of classes including history, art, media and communication studies, and try to use fanzines for some of our activities. Additionally we have put up displays and exhibits with duplicates at the local public library in Catonsville to raise awareness of the fanzine collection. About 10 years ago we created an online exhibit explaining to people what fanzines and pulps are. It looks a Interdisciplinary CoLab

60 in this exhibition use the kind of subreddit, where fans could playground of history as a share their love of an object.” foundation on which to construct Lindsey and I continue to use Connect with us: alternatives to the stark realities of fanzines in our instruction sessions. the present—whether amplifying its We had another MCS class come in • Susan Graham, Special inherent contradictions or and we split them into groups, with Collections Librarian, imagining a better world.” They each group examining an issue from [email protected] ended up borrowing several items, Imagination, Futurian War Digest, or including lots of fanzines for the Triton. Then they watched the • Beth Saunders, Curator and Head of Special show, including titles such as Xero, CoLab students’ corresponding Collections, G sharp, and Futurian War Digest. digital essays about those fanzines [email protected] and discussed what they learned. Last fall, Don, the students, and I • Special Collections presented at the Mid Atlantic Looking Toward the Future • https://library.umbc.edu/ Popular and American Culture speccoll/ Conference, spreading the word Don is continuing researching with • Coslet Sapienza Collection about the CoLab students project the fanzines. He’s looking at FAPA • https://library.umbc.edu/ and our collection. This spring, mailings from the mid-20th century speccoll/ Don brought his MCS 499 class to find discussions of McCarthy publications.php#c11 into the archives for several sessions and the Red Scare. Due to the and had his students each chose • CoLab exhibit https:// momentum in interest in the umbcspecialcollections.om one title of a fanzine and analyzed fanzines and more staff in our eka.net/exhibits/show/ it as a document, examining the cataloging department, I’m also in cosletsapienzafancoll structure, its unique features, and talks with our catalogers to catalog • Sci Fi Fanzines Research contents. They also wrote a our fanzine collection. We’d do reflective essay presenting a Guide https:// serials catalog records for the items lib.guides.umbc.edu/ research question that would be a and a finding aid for the FAPA and fanzines possible focus in a longer semester other APA mailings and for the project; and gave a presentation convention materials. We also have • INSTAGRAM @umbcspecialcollections about their fanzine. some original artwork from The Acolyte, including drawings and I asked Don for some feedback different logo attempts, which from his students and he said: “The would be great for people to know excited conversations often took about. place around discussions about We accept donations and are always images. The students were also very happy to talk fanzines! interested in the language of the zines, and how they seemed to create a pre-texting form of shorthand. There was also some feedback connecting the zines to a

61 THE VOID BOYS SPEAK AND (UNFORTUNATELY) SING SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 1:00 PM

Luis Ortiz, Jim Benford, Greg Benford, Ted White (LS)

The Void boys showed a cover gallery The Benfords put out 13 issues of of classic covers, including their Void between 1955-58. But Jim famous multi-page covers, and talked Benford decided to give up fanac about the story behind each issue. for college. Another catalyst for Luis Ortiz, who is doing a Void change was when Kent Moomaw, a anthology as noted previously, heard columnist for the zine, killed the inside story, but did not (contrary himself on his 18th birthday rather to rumor) run screaming from the than be drafted. In 1958 America room. was at peace, so there was about a 20 percent chance he would be Martin Morse Wooster drafted. Void then moved its headquarters to The second panel was on Void, New York City, and continued with which included the zine’s editors, editors including Greg Benford, Greg Benford, Jim Benford, and Ted White, Pete Graham, and Terry Ted White, and Luis Ortiz, who is Carr. It lasted another 14 issues working on an anthology of pieces through 1962 with a final issue from the zine. Void began in 1955, published in 1967. with teenage fans Greg and Jim Benford as editors. When the Both Greg Benford and Ted White Benford brothers moved from said that writing for Void inspired The Benfords started publishing Germany to Dallas, Tom Reamy their professional careers. Greg fanzines early. became an editor.

62 The Void Boys Song

We are the VOID boys We publish the finest authors-- We make a lot of noise! Someday they’ll fill our coffers We sing songs of fandom, Though feisty critics we’ll frequently avoid! Hitting out at random, Yet we remain, despite our fame For we are all co-editors of VOID! Throughout all fannish fandom— Hitting out at random, Though our subtle prose delights, For we are all co-editors of VOID! We often stage sharp fights, With lancing wit for twits By Greg and Jim Benford, To give all fandom fits! with adds by Terry Carr and Ted White --and keep the dull sercons annoyed! With all co-editors of VOID!

Benford said that his fan writing better writer than me, and it was a prepared him to win a contest daily challenge to write to his level.” sponsored by Fantasy and Science Void even had a song, with the Fiction that launched his career as a music being whatever you’d like. Greg Benford added a few novelist. reminiscences later. “All of our fanac was fun because Robert Lichtman of the challenges we met,” White Just heard the Void Boys song! said. “I thought Terry (Carr) was a Nostalgic!

Luis Ortiz, Jim Benford, Greg Benford, Ted White (LS)

63 Doing Void Greg Benford

knew I was a kid of early I wrote all my editorials in teens who wanted to do what first draft with hand he could not remotely attain corrections, right to the end. then. But maybe in a few more years… Here’s my editorial in #19: http://fanac.org/fanzines/ Most learning comes from VOID/VOID19-02.html imitating, I found, for me. So I started imitating the Void As I said in my Boonfark Boys style that, without article, I came to regret this noticing it much, I had method. I may have worn it actually begun developing in out. By the end of Void, in the Voids from #8 or so to 1963 I went with Jim to UC #13. I tried things out, even San Diego and have only rewrote!—first time I ever been back once. Six years or From the beginning, I saw did. (All earlier Void editorials so ago, as GOH at Fencon, I Void at age 13 as a way to I did on stencil, and much of visited our little home there, learn how to write. the articles, too.) bringing back many memories. (Dad was The first issues had very By the time Void went to commanding the Texas short, very bad stories by me, NYC, Void 19, I was using National Guard, before his some under pseudonyms, to Dallas fandom as a source of next combat assignment, but hide the fact that Jim & I funny satire, though I was even then colonels didn’t wrote nearly all the zine. I already at the University of make the big bucks. When I Oklahoma.

Greg and Jim Benford before fandom Greg and Jim Benford after fandom

64 got as job as a read in F&SF an researchassistant at Texas in announcement of a little 1959, I made more per month contest, to write a story of than Dad!) 1000 words around a poem by Doris Pitkin Buck about Ted made Void a marvel of unicorns and Univacs, the fmz production—art, early big computers. graphics, multi-page covers, etc. I got Willis and Shaw and Sitting in the grad class in others to contribute. Then statistical physics, I had Terry Carr came and the Void already read the text chapters boys mannerisms peaked. ahead, on using Grand Voids #s 20 to 28 were Canonical Ensemble striking to me. methods. I had worked the By 1962 I had honed my problems, too. Jim and I style, learned to write in always used this method: different voices in other work ahead, ask questions as fanzines…then focused on the teacher presents material. physics from 1963 to 1967, You look bright, because you getting my PhD. can keep up—indeed, since you’re a week ahead, can ask I met people at University of questions that lead naturally Oklahoma that seemed super- to what the prof wants to fannish, too. Across the hall show next. Also, sit in front, of the dorm room Jim and engage the prof by eye, nod. shared was Jerry Muskrat, husky Cherokee Indian. He But I was bored…and showed us a trick in his totally suddenly the idea for a story dark dorm room. He could with unicorns and Univacs at on command fart and light it, play, came to mind. I started so suddenly the room got writing it by hand, pretending bright for an instant. Then to be taking notes. I used a again, and again. In three fake sophisticate voice set in different musical notes. San Francisco, entirely phony Yellows, greens and blues, not but enough for veneer. Got a mere methane burn red. 500 words done before the Never seen that since. If he’d lecture was over. Asked the been a fan, I would have prof (who later won a Nobel) written him up. But he could a pointed question, got the read only marginally, answer I expected. especially not ‘that rocket stuff ’—and flunked out in a Went back to our semester.. appointment, Jim & I made dinner, and I finished the Fandom flowed on and I still story. Next day, typed it up. read the sf mags. In 1964 I Sent it in to F&SF.

65 Ted White and Greg Benford

Multi-page cover of Void 25

66 Months later, I won the contest: $20 from the 2 cents/word rate, plus a lifetime sub to F&SF. It still comes, 55 years later. I used the $20 to buy some stock later, a stock I still own. Dunno what happened to Doris Pitkin Buck.

“Stand-In” was my only fantasy story out of 230, so far. The New Wave debate sprung up in US fandom, urging me on to think what sf could be. I wrote a long tribute to Campbellian sf for Donaho’s Habbakuk and began integrating the science I was learning into stories. In reviewing early Voids I found the kernel of a time signaling idea in a 2-page story I wrote when 14—decades before writing Timescape. Hard sf became in some of my stories autobiographical, fetched from my career.

Fandom and Void and physics made my adult world, it seems.

Four-page cover of Void 28

67 ROTSLER AWARD WINNERS SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 2:00 PM

Grant Canfield, Dan Steffan, Jay Kinney, Steve Stiles (BB)

Steve Jeffery The panelists watched a PowerPoint presentation Steve had put together with As a (long lapsed) fan artist it was art from the various Rotsler Award nice to see the panel and slide show winners, and then they commented on hosted by Dan Steffan with Steve the art. I asked if they had any Stiles, Jay Kinney and Grant additional thoughts. Canfield on the work of various fan artists, many of whom were familiar Jay Kinney (or in Rotsler’s case, near ubiquitous) but others less so. Urk! Well that panel and much of Especially pleasing to see work by the Corflu is all kind of a blur and I Taral, and to nod agreement with don’t know if I have much to add Steve Stiles comment that Taral can beyond what I said on the panel draw “the only skunk I’d really like Steve Stiles (1998) itself. to fuck” (or possibly, along with Taral, want to be). Grant Canfield Although while I admire Taral’s erotic-cute renditions of his furry I really can't add anything to what avatar, Sondra Maar, I still can’t Jay said. quite fathom his seeming obsession with Fraggle Rock. So we’ll let the art speak for itself: Rotsler Award Winners:, followed by a few by Rotsler himself. http://www.scifiinc.org/ rotsler/ NOTE: There was no award given in 2011.) Grant Canfield (1999)

68 Alexis Gilliland (2006)

Arthur Thompson (ATom) (2000) Ray Nelson (2003)

Terry Jeeves (2007)

Brad Foster (2001)

Harry Bell (2004)

Kurt Erichsen (2002) Taral Wayne (2008) Mark Schirmeister (2005)

Ditmar (2016)

Dan Steffan (2009) Jim Barker (2013)

Stu Shiffman (2010) Sue Mason (2014)

Ross Chamberlain (2012)

Teddy Harvia (2015) Bill Rotlser

Top: Grant, Dan, Jay (LS). Middle: Grant, Dan, Jay, Steve (with Michael Dobson advancing slides) (LS). Bottom: Grant, Dan, Jay, Steve (SJ)

71 THE AUCTION SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 3:00 PM — 6:00 PM

Steve Jeffery other than the middle of a large would be allowed to slip through to open field. The smell, which is other bidders. I added a couple of After the first few conventions I’ve indescribable but never forgotten, fanzines and Corflu XXX t-shirt tended to avoid auctions on the can linger for days.) and later added a couple more t- grounds that our house if already shirts (including one for Corflu too cluttered with stuff (I have As the pile of fanzines, books and Cobalt which I missed buying at the boxes of fanzines I’ve not looked at posters in front of Mowgli got time) from fan fund table in the con in years, sometimes decades, and steadily higher, occasional items wonder why I’m still keeping them, apart from laziness and a feeling that I shouldn’t just throw them out.)

At Corflu 36, however, Andy’s magic fez presided over some spirited and entertaining bidding wars, with collector and archivist Mowgli Assor emerging as a surprise (and surprisingly generous) winner.

I bid for a Tiptree cookbook, to go with the shelf of other cookbooks that I collect but rarely follow apart from using as a very rough guide to ingredients and quantities. This is probably why I have never managed to replicate the same dish twice, although version seems to work well enough.

Unfortunately the Tiptree book didn’t contain David Levine and Kate Yule’s recipe in Bento for ‘nerve gas chicken’, which involves incinerating a quantity of pungent spices in a hot pan until the kitchen becomes uninhabitable unless you are wearing a gasmask, and even the hardiest and most recalcitrant cockroaches pack up and leave. (A similar result can be achieved by opening a packet of blachan, a Thai Auctioneer Andy Hooper (BB) fermented shrimp paste, anywhere

72 suite, on the basis that (a) they are light to transport back and (b) Vikki keeps threatening to throw several of my favourite t-shirts away on the spurious grounds that they have holes in them. (This same logic, surprisingly, does not extend to Vikki’s favourite cardigan, whose sleeves are best be described as a series of holes held together by threads of wool, and whose ongoing raggedness is constantly aggravated by catching on door handles.)

Sandra Bond Carrie Root (SJ) [Robert Lichtman] might like to know that a run of the first 23 Trap Doors fetched a cool $125.Graham Charnock Can someone remind me which idiot was crazy enough to pay $100 for an old Wrinkled Shrew.

Rob Jackson

I think it was Victor, but I am sure Nigel was in the bidding too. I reran the video of the auction and found it an hour and 20 minutes in (after much skipping) – yes, it was Victor.

Bill Burns

Here's some results from the auction Saturday:

Total: $1503 to be distributed to: TAFF: $150 DUFF: $60 Corflu 36: $559 The Corflu 50: $574 Fanac.org: $160

We sold 89 of the 120+ items put out. Thanks to Mowgli Assor who accounted for almost half of that!

Andy Hooper (NR)

73 74

CORFLU AFTER DARK

SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 EVENING

75 JUST A MINAC (GAME SHOW) SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 8:00 PM — 8:50 PM

Just a Minac is a fannish version of the Sandra Bond (GC) BBC Radio 4 game show, in which panelists talk for sixty sections on a given subject “without hesitation, repetition, or deviation.” It's harder than it sounds.

Rob Jackson The evening started with a burger and beer at World of Beer, with Geri, Sandra, Pat V and myself. Great choice of beers and good food, served fast enough that S&ra and I were back in good time for “Just a Minac.” That also featured Nigel, JDB and Rich. It was a good laff for the panellists and the audience, and S&ra compered it brilliantly as ever. Rich was sharpest and won a little trophy Michael had provided, but somehow I managed to umm and err myself into second place. Though unfamiliar with the BBC version, JDB picked up the rules jolly quickly. Just a Minac

Steve Jeffery Hosted without hesitation, repetition, or deviation I was surprised and immensely by Sandra Bond cheered by how well Sandra Bond’s ‘Just a Minac’ panel game went across both with the participants With your panelists and the audience. I thought its appeal, based on a long-running John D. Berry BBC radio show where participants have to speak on a randomly Rich Coad selected8:00p topic for - one 8:50p minute without hesitating, repeating themselves or deviating from the Rob Jackson topic, might take a bit of explaining but Rich Coad in particular seems Nigel Rowe to immediately channel the spirit of

76 Rob Jackson, Nigel Rowe, Sandra Bond, John D. Berry, Rich Coad (BB) the show’s champion player, Paul the most creative contestant to me, Merton, by challenging his but Rich Coad was the winner. opponents with only three seconds left on the clock, at which point all you have to do is repeat the title of the topic (this is allowed) to win the point. I admit I was in stitches though a lot of his as the challenges got more and more outrageous and desperate. (And if you’ve ever hear Merton’s arch rival Giles Brandreth, this is purely in the spirit of the game, in which – as someone once said of academic disputes – the rivalry is elevated in direct proportion to the triviality of the outcome.)

Martin Morse Wooster Saturday night had two program items. The first,. “Just a Minac,” organized by Sandra Bond, was the fannish version of the British game show “Just a Minute.” The idea is that the contestants—John D. Berry, Rich Coad, Rob Jackson, and Nigel Rowe—would give one- minute speeches, delivered “without hesitation, repetition, or deviation,” Rich Coad with his “Just on topics such as “The Nine Billion a Minac” trophy(GC) Names of God” or “My Favorite Beer.” This was not as easy as its sounds, and I thought it was agreeably silly. Nigel Rowe seemed

TIME CHUNNEL (A PLAY BY ANDY HOOPER) SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 8:00 PM — 8:50 PM

Greg Benford, Nigel Rowe, Dan Joy, Mary Burns, Victor Gonzales, Andy Hooper (BB)

Time Chunnel

A Play of No Fixed Duration

By Andy Hooper Written on the Occasion of Corflu 36, May 2019

Cast Howard Barkenhorst, a clueless fan Nolan Gondorff, a US Fish & Wildlife Agent Linda Zigler, an MI-6 contractor Emil Fossé, an irate French Truck Driver Carolyn Forbes-Hill, girlfriend from another world Howard Prime, a fan from another world.

78 CH

79 Howard Nolan that Christmas Cactus, to catch spills. My name’s Frank Barkenhorst. I Mr. Barkenhorst? My name’s Nolan carry a badge. My partner is Sgt. Gondorff. This is my associate, Nolan Claude Degler. We work the feud Linda Zigler. We’re researchers at and heresy squad out of the the University of California at So what are we…? Rampart station – the boss is Riverside. You’ve heard of the Captain Tucker. Eaton Collection? Linda

No, that’s a lie. This isn’t Howard Australian. In the black rack. CRUDNET. Presumably – oh, crumbs. My name‘s Jommy Barkenhorst, Of course. I’ve sent them copies of Nolan and I’m an able spacer aboard the all my fanzines – STFREF, VERSO, space cruiser Derwood Kirby. We’re HAMSAM, CALABASH, SNEETCH ON THE BEACH… You, um, you haven’t even opened patrolling the space lanes between this one, Howard. Titan and Toledo, keeping an eye Linda our for ice pirates and organleggers. Howard We know you’re an enthusiastic No, that’s also a lie. My name’s archiver. It’s clear that you really… I know. It’s terrible. Here, I have an Howard Barkenhorst. I’m a sock live with your collection. opener. (a beat) Hmm. puppet. I work for a medium sized social media troll farm, making up Howard Nolan posts for people too busy and PSYCHOBILLY POTAROO. I wealthy to write their own. I have Um, yes. Yes, there are a lot of fanzines in the house. Not all of believe it’s a marsupial, Like an about fifteen different on-line enormous, long-tailed shrew…. identities, enough to start my own them are my collection, of course; some are from other fans who left apa. Two of my clients are rival pop Howard singers in Korea, so I send my self them in my care. I imagine your pile insults across the International Date of unsorted boxes is even bigger. Yes, I see that. Line. But what I’m really about are fanzines – science fiction fanzines, Nolan Linda grainy, smudgy, fusty old slabs of We’re actually here because we’re Published by Roger Weddall, from paper, cranked out of mimeographs very interested in some fanzines Carlton, Victoria. Published this by ambitious teenage kids of any that were published quite recently. March! age or era. And I like modern Is there…do you actually have a fanzines too, data files I can blow pile of current fanzines? Howard up to any size, and slick laser- printed journals are all good too. Howard Huh… Fandom is a virtual way of life. Jesus Christ, did Gary Farber send Nolan If none of these introductions you? Current zines are in this black seem believable to you, then I’m mag rack. And this green one. And Howard, Roger Weddall died 29 already sunk; nothing about this a couple are there on the end of the years ago. story is as plausible as space-time table. pirates or giant electric penguins. Howard But if, like me, you have long had a Linda Yes, but that isn’t necessarily an sense that our world is somehow Are they sorted by…? impediment to publishing! Terry imbalanced, misaligned, as if Carr, Charles Burbee, Walt Willis – someone put the batteries in the Howard they get published almost as wrong way – you might find the frequently as when they were alive! arrival of two strangers at the door Australian and British A4 zines, full- a chance for some sort of sized American zines in the black explanation. rack, smaller zines in green. Issues of VANAMONDE are underneath

80 Linda Linda consults for a company that’s excited to welcome a European fan a front for MI-6 in Canada. to the New Zealand Worldcon, as But here’s another interesting case. the GUFF delegate, because he won You opened this one. Linda the GUFF race in 1995, and lost the JETERMANIA #6 by Martin 1992 DUFF race to Alan Stewart. Smith. There are photos in this one I’m an independent contractor. But – look Martin’s lost all his hair. And MI-6 believes these science fiction Howard here’s a picture of his wife, and fanzines mean something very their three kids in front of their important, and we had to contact That never happened. Roger beat home in the Bronx. you about them personally, without Greg Hills to win the 1992 DUFF involving anyone else. race, and went to Magicon in Howard Orlando. Nolan Martin Bloody Smith. Linda Howard, I got involved in this Nolan because I was a zine-head too – I This is good. You have a stronger grew up in Oregon with punks and grasp of reality than I thought. So He’s not from Croydon any more. rubber stamp freaks, and got into this is your Philip K Dick moment, And, just for the record, also… square dance fanzines when I was at Howard, when you find out your school. I also had a friend who died misgivings about reality are actually Howard in 1986, and last year, he starts true. Dead. Dead as a Puffin. Dead as sending me a bowling fanzine. flared trousers. Nolan Linda We call it “being read in.” You’re a Linda And that wasn’t any sort of hoax, science fiction fan – you’ve always But you haven’t mentioned it to either. We know that there have hoped that there were alternatives anyone, or asked who was been other fanzines – fanzines you to our reality. And we’re here to tell responsible? have questions about. you that there is at least one reality tangential to ours that can be Howard Nolan proven to exist. Because it’s apparently full of people that want Conventions you’ve never heard of Well, it’s a Hoax. It’s a trick, a gag! to destroy our world. Quick, tell me Horrible Old Roy sending you “past Guest of Honor” Tackett is about to pop out from offers. Work by artists dated after Howard behind that door! I mean, someone they supposedly died. That kind of else could easily be named Martin thing. By sending me fanzines? By Smith, fer Godssake! People winning the GUFF race in 1995? publish things as tributes, Howard memorials – John Henri Holmberg Linda It’s not my imagination? It’s not just went around calling himself Carl that I imagined that they died, or The fanzines may be a warning Brandon Junior when he first had a dream about it? from someone who feels differently. entered fandom. Someone else Or they may be a mistake, we don’t could call themselves “Roger Linda really know. But they’ve given us a Wedall” because just they loved chance to study the differences leather pants. Who are you two? Howard, you know that Roger between us. We think – our Does the Eaton Collection have X- Weddall is dead. It was a tragedy. management thinks – someone like files? No one knew he was even sick. He you will know and understand those died very soon after his DUFF trip changes when you see them. Nolan to America in 1992. Howard So, technically, we’re special Nolan students at Riverside – and I So, do I – send Roger a letter of actually have a badge, but it’s from But look at what Roger says in comment? In Carlton? You can’t the Fish and Wildlife service. But PSYCHOBILLY POTAROO: He’s send email to the alternate reality?

81 How does the mail get to the right Chunnel can work is if some Howard living Roger, and not the dead one percentage of traffic is detoured in our world? into to another world. Before what?

Linda Howard Linda Through the Chunnel. So. Yes. Um. Couldn’t you ask Bill Your life in the other world is not Nye to do this? very different. You’d spend a lot of Howard time reading fanzines, and telling us Nolan what they tell you. The Chunnel? The Channel under the English Tunnel? Good answer. I don’t know what Howard Bill Nye does on the other side. Nolan That’s the thing you have to And does the other me – move into understand: it’s not just another my life? In 1998, some scientists from world, it’s a nearly- world, with Hatfield investigated a Nolan another version of you, and me, phenomenon called and almost everyone we know. “chronoelongation,” reported by (Laughing) No, no, that would be pointlessly complicated, don’t you drivers who routinely used the Linda tunnel to cross between Kent and think? No, we’ll make him a sudden Calais. Sealed chronometers arrived And they may look the same, but and irresistible offer that will keep at the opposite end of the tunnel they’re not the same. There are him in a different hemisphere. showing significantly longer periods differences. They had a slightly Howard of time had elapsed than clocks different Stalin, and a different that had been synchronized to them Roosevelt. They had a different war, And am I going to work their before the trip. and made a different United version of Snapchat and Twitter all Nations at the end. Their Doris day? Will my phone still be in Linda Day never sang “Que Sera.” Their network? Elvis never went into the army. In And they got permission from the their world, Keith Moon is the poet Nolan Ministry of Defense to build a laureate of Britain. machine based on a design by Bob Perhaps not exactly. Tell me, Shaw. It was supposed to measure Howard Howard, how are your typing skills? and synchronize fluctuations in You’ve had experience composing time. When they switched it on, So how can that be the same? directly to stencil, right? part of the Tunnel wall fell away – revealing an identical machine, with Nolan Howard an identical team or researchers running it. The two worlds became All those differences added up to (Narrrating) Spin a schoolroom connected. the same team of scientists and the globe, and trace a glowing line over same Bob Shaw time machine. the pole to illustrate my flight path Nolan from Springfield to Heathrow. Linda From there, a coach ride to scenic At first they were terrified, of And there is an agreement to keep Swindon, and a rendezvous with my course, and cut traffic to a trickle. escort to the other world, His name But after a while, the scientists on the worlds as separate as possible – to prevent immigration between was Emil; he chain-smoked foul, one side formed a working group armpit-smelling Gauloises; and his with the scientists from the other, them. We don’t ask them for help, and they don’t ask for ours. differences with God could never and some limited exchange began be resolved. to occur. And it was determined Nolan that unless a certain amount of Emil traffic was routed into another And we’ve never tried to put reality, the waiting times in anyone into the other world before. Are you Howard? Come with me if Folkestone would become you like hot chips and warm- impossibly long. The only way the hearted Belgian women.

82 Howard Howard Howard (Still Narrating) Who can say no to Tim Horton’s Timbits: But you still don’t like the other that? Cherchez les frites. Emil Fossé side. was profane, truculent, and equally Emil unhappy on either side of the Emil Channel. He had no faith in God, What, you think I am a child? And humanity, technology, nature or an imbecile at that? Take your dirty Meh. Their cell phones are like dogs, who were too simple to betray donut holes and go. house bricks. They still put the you, buy always died anyway. Over word “balsamic” in front of Howard the course of our long journey to everything. Calais and back again, he shared his There were no short-cuts, he Howard bitter indictments of many people, assured me. places and things including Boris That’s quaint. Johnson. Emil Emil Emil There are no short-cuts. I assure you. There is only waiting in this But they’re cunning. They were able A drunken circus bear in a suit but terrible, stinking cab while we creep to figure out that they hate us long lacking the judgment or sense of along on our way to the Chunnel. before we started hating them. So balance. You follow the lane with the longest they have a huge head start. Almost wait, the worst inspections, and the every bad thing you can think of Howard most endless backups. You wait has something to do with them. Emmanuel Macron: until you are sure you must go mad; Climate change. Donald Trump. and perhaps you do go mad, but Brexit. The bankruptcy of Toys R Emil still you wait. Once you have given Us. Pretty much all of it has up all hope, and want only to die – happened because of those bastards A banker with the soul of another your crossing may finally begin. on the other side. banker. Raised agnostic, demanded And if you have waited long to be baptized Catholic at age 12, enough, and suffered enough – you Howard now agnostic once more. A hysteric. may find that you have entered the other world. I wonder if the other Howard is Howard having this conversation with the Howard other Emil while we wait. Your Hillary Clinton: name is actually Richard Shaver, I see why people aren’t exactly isn’t it? Emil pouring through the crossing. Emil The Queen of the Damned. She Emil must bathe in the blood of super- The Other Howard is naked on a delegates at the full moon, or wither They would if Management let beach somewhere. We’re not like into dust. them. If it’s bad enough here, how them. We don’t send people to the could it be even worse there? Yodel House. Howard Howard Howard Queen Elizabeth II And is it? Even worse over there? I really don’t think I’ve been Emil adequately briefed. Emil Lyndon LaRouche was right; she is Emil at the center of the most pernicious The sun comes up. The sky is blue. narcotics and sex traffic cartel in the Man is wallowing in sin in all The Yodel House is where they Western world. possible worlds, so why measure keep the people from our side, who is the more damned? while their duplicates from the other side cause mischief over here.

83 Howard Howard How is it different? It’s older. They haven’t built as many new things, or They do that? What does Well, do we? pre-emptively knocked down as management say about it? many old ones. When I went to the Emil airport, I had to report to a ticket Emil It’s a secret. counter, where they printed a Management doesn’t answer boarding pass for me on something questions. Howard resembling a punch card. There were mechanical calculators in use, Howard This is not helping my confidence. and the amazing clatter of typewriters came out of the airline That’s not – never mind, how many Emil offices. The airport was completely people from over there are over devoid of charging stations. here? I don’t want you to be confident. I want you to be bitter, and sarcastic Absolutely no one wheeled around awkwardly on Segways. Emil: and paranoid. Don’t be too cheerful or convinced that life is going your We think it must be nearly 300 now. way, you’ll stick out like – like So follow that glowing line back someone from another world. over the pole, and touch back down Howard on the blinking dot of Springfield. Howard Nervously taxied back to the house That’s a lot more than I was told. – no Lyft, no Uber, no eCars – and And they all replace someone? But why should they call it the nervously enter with me, wondering Fugghead School? What does any what will be the same, what will be Emil of this have to do with fandom? in the refrigerator. Modern computer, monitor, and printer all There is an academy, where you Emil missing of course, replaced with – learn about your other, where they my God, is that a Sinclair? But that’s prepare you to live here, in secret. It’s the difference between our a sideshow. The main event is a They call it the Fugghead School. worlds. In our reality, science fiction gorgeous IBM Selectric with a conquered the world. In the other midnight blue vinyl dust cover, next Howard reality, Fandom conquered the to an immaculately maintained world. There’s a difference, you’ll The Fugghead School? Is this a Roneo duplicator and a top-flight see. piece of faan fiction? Are you a electrostenciller. fabulous Burbee-like character? Howard Also, over here I have a wife. Emil (Narrating again) And we went on arguing and questioning each other Well, perhaps she isn’t technically Save your existential crisis to amuse for hours, until the effects of jet lag my wife, since neither of us is me at a later time. When your caught up with me. I was asleep wearing a ring, and there is no double is ready to cross over, they when we crossed the Chunnel, picture of her in a wedding dress capture you and put you in the woke up enough to show an equally anywhere in the house. When she Yodel House – it’s actually a prison groggy official some papers, then came down the stairs and kissed – and try to get you to confess. promptly fell back asleep at the me, I did my very best not to look beginning of the return trip. The surprised. I wasn’t able to even call Howard next thing I knew, Emil was shaking her by her name until she went to What do they want people to me awake in Folkestone, saying that the bathroom and I could rifle confess to? if I hurried, I could make my flight through her purse for her driver’s back to America. I hustled to jump license. You’re really a spy now. I Emil aboard another coach to Heathrow, said. Carolyn Forbes-Hill. We work and it was ten minutes before I together and live together, that’s That we have a secret plan to realized I was on the other side. going to be interesting. We have the conquer them, to destroy them or most ridiculous job: Newspapers bring about the end of their World’s call us up to check and see if the existence. facts their reporters have reported

84 are true. And there’s dozens of Carolyn those articles all over again. papers doing this all the time. We Assuming there is anything left to Howard! Not in front of the look things up in encyclopedias, we write about at all – there have been Galleys! look in file cabinets full of clippings so many more fanzines published and magazine pages, we even look here than I know of at home in the Howard in the O-E-D. And again: They pay other world. 26 issues of us to do this! (Narrating again) I didn’t mention: SIKANDER. Over 100 issues of She writes children’s books, too. FANAC, because the Breendoggle Carolyn There’s a dingo and a wallaroo and never killed it off, because there was no Breendoggle. After lunch, I’m going to type out a box jellyfish named Simon, and the letter column. If you want to they have magical adventures together. Over here, Walter Breen was a take the issue to the Slan Moot on Catholic Priest who never had Saturday, we have to duplicate it Carolyn anything to do with science fiction tomorrow. fans. 28 issues of ENERGUMEN! And you promised to let John Malcom Edwards did SIXTEEN Howard Hertz know if you could issues of TAPPEN! That’s THREE How many copies am I making? toastmaster at Westerclave. TIMES as many as he did on the otherside, in the real world. Carolyn Howard But it’s like there is a price to pay You promised to do 75 this time, (Narrating on) So that kind of settles the issue for me: I have to get out for all this faanish splendor. This is after you ran out before everyone a story Carolyn told at a party, after got their copy. You’re strong. I of here before the 4th of July, or I’ll be forced to make jokes to and the other me apparently told it to know it won’t give you Twonk’s her: Disease to make 25 extra copies. about a fandom I only know from a dream I once had. The proliferation Carolyn Howard of fans that are not dead yet over here is pretty amazing. People like Oh, well, you know about the story It’s not my arm that worries me, it’s Anna Vargo. Mike Wood. Martin of how someone died at the first the stencil. Smith, of course. Seth Goldberg. World Convention in 1939? Susan Wood. Jim Young. Kent Howard told me all about it. Carolyn Moomaw. Ron Ellik. Vaughn Apparently. there were some Freakin’ Bodé…of course, they tell Sing the A. B. Dick song! technocrats in charge of the me he weighs 360 pounds now, but convention, and there were some he’s alive. Howard anarchists who didn’t care for it. One of the anarchists published a I – I don’t – Carolyn yellow sheet warning about the John says he’s going to teach us tyrannical intentions of the Carolyn “Bonaparte’s Expedition.” My technocrats. This kid – he was only a kid, maybe sixteen years old – Oh, Howard! You made it up on bosom heaves with anticipation. signs his name to this warning. the way back from the El Paso Worldcon. “To Solve your Howard So the characters in charge, duplicating problems quick….all Also, we do Regency dance. None Moskowitz and the like, accosted you need? of those velvet pants have room for this kid, his name was David I my Bonaparte, I assure you. So think, and they slapped him in the Howard that’s different from anything I’d face and sent him out of the hall. “Is an A. B. Dick!” But if I recall ever do at “home.” Also, we’re And he goes crying to the automat correctly, you were ogling my Rex doing a fanzine called AXION across the street where all the other Rotary on that trip. together, and apparently I never anarchists were eating their published anything called VERSO Nesselrode pie before going in to or CALABASH. Which is the meeting, and they thrust out frustrating, but maybe I can write

85 their bony chests and marched off write a biography of Filthy Pierre Linda to see this Moskowitz character. Straus, because the Yonkers Worldcon had made him fan guest No, Howard, we don’t have assets A woman named Frances Alberti of honor. The Smithsonian was like that over here. But this is swung her purse at a kid named going to display his filth-o-phone. extraction, right? If you don’t take it Donald Allen Wollheim, and put you find your own ride. him in the hospital with a skull So I was caught flat-footed when Nolan fracture. While he was in there, Gondorff and Zigler came to tell recovering, he caught pneumonia me the game was over. We’ve got pictures of everything. and died. Of course, that’s a far cry We still have access to scanners and from actually dying at the Nolan digital cameras, remember? convention – it was like six weeks The game’s over Mr. Barkenhorst. later that he finally died. But you get Howard The other Howard has broken the point. containment, and will be back here Yeah, but you don’t have – my Apparently a lot of people refused within a matter of hours. Roneo! to ever speak to Sam Moskowitz Howard again, he was hounded from Linda fandom, and ended up promoting How did that happen? It’s already too late, Howard, I think quick-setting concrete in trade your fingertips are blackened for magazines. But I’m not really Linda life. positive it was concrete; you’ll have He shared two months with the girl to ask Howard. Howard that we paid to seduce him, then Howard started having panic attacks and You don’t understand! I’ve been staring for hours at the Tasman trying to get a mimeograph to work That’s right, Will Sykora’s fiancée sea. He broke up with her using for me for forty years. They hit Donald Wollheim in the brain refrigerator magnets, and got on an NEVER worked right – too light or with her purse at the first Worldcon airplane to Hawaii before she could too dark, sheets stuck together, and he eventually died. Nolan call us. sheets stuck to the drum, can’t feed, Gondorff comes to see me – he won’t ink, just won’t work! But over pretends he’s a publisher who wants Howard here – over here, it’s like every to hire me --, and he pretends to mimeo is the Enchanted understand why I’m excited, but I But I’m really not ready. I’ve made no progress at all on finding the Duplicator! Stencils don’t tear! Ink know someone in Management will doesn’t clump! Illos don’t bleed understand. Fugghead School. Or the prisoners in the Yodel House. I haven’t even through! managed to prove that they caused I start thinking that management is Nolan somehow connected to fandom or Brexit, or rigged the 2016 else I wouldn’t be here. I start Eurovision song contest. Howard, you won’t be able to stay thinking about famous gafiates on here. Even if you could explain my side of the Chunnel, and Nolan yourself to the other Howard, correlate some names on this side. Howard, those are strategic there’s only one bank account in Carmody, Bosnyak. Whiteoak. concerns. We’re interface. We grab your name. You have the same Bergeron. Lafayette Hubbard. No the bags, and get out before Social security number. You can’t one is immortal, not even here. But housekeeping arrives to clean up. stay in this world, Howard. that’s what a legacy is for. Howard Howard I should have been connecting I know, But I’m not ready to go, these sinister dots, but I kept Is housekeeping on their way here? Look, don’t worry about me. I have getting distracted. I had unknown a passport. I know how to get to articles by Walt Willis and Dean the airport. And book a coach ticket Grennell to read, and letters to to Calais. Don’t worry, I’ll go – I answer. And I was supposed to

86 want to. I kind of miss my sock again. Even if we are identical, we to have them take a few envelopes puppets. are never, ever the same. back with them, to be mailed from I didn’t pack much – just the home to save postage. Berry was clothes I brought with me, and Howard Prime never fooled, but jan howard finder some duplicates of titles that I made three more trips, just so he How did I get such a stfnal pal as wouldn’t be able to get at home. could be my mailing agent. And I wanted to tell you? Carolyn….something. But how do Carolyn: Howard you tell someone that you’re actually Ooh, Howie! You came back, you her boyfriend’s doppelganger, and came back! I was sorry when he died. you’re returning to your alien Howard Prime Howard Prime homeworld now? I promised I would. Oh God, it’s He’s not dead over here. He’s 80 Carolyn boring in Tasmania. How long does years old and deaf as a concrete I don’t know, maybe you should just it take to count all the mammals gnome, but still writing letters. Of save it for Howard when he gets that lay eggs? After that, it’s pretty course, the version that mailed here. At least that way maybe you much nothing but snooker. fanzines to you for me died in 2013. won’t have to explain the whole What is it about your world that Howard thing twice. seems to kill fans at such an early age, Howard? Surely you’ve asked I’m happy to meet you. Howard yourself that question since you’ve been on this side. Howard Prime So you knew who I was this whole time? That’s kind of…weird. Well, I know I’m happy to meet Howard you. I’m actually quite a fan of Maybe, But I don’t have an answer. Carolyn VERSO and CALABASH. I guess So you were comfortable, you you could say I wish I’d written Howard Prime know, plowing me, when you them. thought I was fooled into believing Your world is science fictional, Howard you were my boyfriend, but the fact Howard, but it isn’t fannish. It’s full of wonders, but they add up to that I was in on it makes it weird I guess you could say you did. How something mundane. Everyone can now? did you discover my version of our publish at any time, but no one stuff? Howard bothers to do anything but 144 characters of crud. Howard Prime Yeah, I guess I have a lot to think And don’t tell me I can’t judge fairly through there. Oh, you want it to be somebody from here. I couldn’t let you come deep, like Billy Wolfenbarger. But and live in my life without Carolyn Woody Bernardi was probably the investigating yours. Do you remember when several fans Your world’s not ready for me. first fan from your world that I met claimed they had seen you at Listen. It’s easy; I love Howard so in person. He was lost, or course Minicon, but you spent that Easter much that even a slightly slow and I don’t know if he ever figured weekend at home? This became version of him turns me on. out exactly where he was, but his quite a fad, until we almost ended Sometimes I’d wake up and it would clothes – his gadgets – those shoes! up with two Tuckers at the same be two or three minutes before I He was just so obviously a person Midwescon. would remember it was you. from another world. After that, I reached out to the drivers on the Howard So now I’ll get to see the two of Chunnel route – anybody interested in science fiction, in fans – they you together at last. I was right; it’s I’m envious. I only knew one should pay a visit to far away no challenge to tell you apart. Even Tucker. if you started out the same. Our Springfield. After that, I met all the worlds act on us in a million ways, Travelling Jiants: John D. Berry, Art writing and erasing us again and Widner, Christina Lake. It was easy

87 Howard Prime Howard Prime Emil Are you sure about that? The Yeah, that’s not my department. Cheetos are a yellow bourgeois Chunnel was open for 12 years This may come as a shock after illusion, and beneath my contempt. before your Bob died in 2006. We what you’ve heard, but all those We will stop at the proletarian truck lost ours in 2009, but I know he things are all entirely yours. We had stop in Elgin, and you will buy a made at least one trip to your nothing to do with your Trump, or bag of pork rinds, like a man. And a Bloomington. And you know they your Putin or Teresa May – we just cassette tape of music by Leonard insisted on pulling it out, just to see want more books and fanzines Cohen, you desperate simpleton. if they were truly identical. about robots and spaceships. It’s your world that seems to have lost Howard Howard its sense of wonder about those Ah, Emil…I think this may be the things. But we can put it back, This is all like a cautionary tale. beginning of a beautiful friendship. right? Howard Prime Howard (The entire cast hums “Le Marseillaise” Oh, relax. You’ve gained a new One mimeo stencil at a time. All as they are introduced and take their perspective on two separate right, I’m going. Time to wire the bows) realities. And you totally slept with Sheriff in Laporte, Indiana. my girlfriend and got away with it. It’s not entirely bad to be you, is it? Howard and Howard Prime Howard (In unison) “The son-of-a-bitch stole Rob Jackson my watch!” It wasn’t all bad being you, either. Andy's play was shorter, more focussed and a bit less abstruse Howard Howard Prime than some of his previous ones, (Back to narration again) So that was a and there was some good audience So have you decided where we jovial parting. Now, I just had to go feedback. Then the con suite – the should build the Fugghead School? through the 56 hour ordeal of wine tasting had been earlier, but returning to the Chunnel, and there was plenty of wine still not Howard somehow go through the right lanes tasted, and the vibe was still great. Yes. No. Maybe. I had considered that would get me back to my own I’d love to have taken more photos, Puerto Rico. But now I think we world. It would be simply as people were smiling and enjoying might have better luck setting up in unthinkable if I ended trapped up themselves nearly all night – but the Las Vegas. A private school for very in this paradise where the leaf lighting in there was crap as nearly special children – I think it would blower was never invented and all of it was from table lamps round fit right in. people publish on perfectly-working the sides so people’s faces were mimeographs. guaranteed to be in shadow. Oh Howard Prime well. Emil And all just waiting for the right moment to publish. But none of it That kind of luxury is not for can happen unless you go back and working class heroes like us, build it. Howard. We thrive on the struggle, the fury, and the sheer boredom of Howard existence. What does God have to offer us besides that? I guess you’re right. But you gotta tell me: What does all this have to Howard do with election hacking and Brexit and Hugo bloc voting and sad, I’d just like to stop and get skinny puppies? something for the road – some Dr. Pepper, maybe some Cheetos.

88 SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FANAC) SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 9:00 PM — VERY LATE

Steve Jeffery Back in the consuite, Geri Sullivan’s beer tasting evening included a number of brews that might best be described as intriguing and challenging rather than actually palatable (certainly as session beers) and favoured rather more variants of chocolate flavoured stout than were good for my (by this stage) delicate constitution.

By the middle of the third bottle I was distinctly struggling, both with the taste (imagine trying to drinking a pint of Black Forest gateau) and to stay awake. By 3am I was ready concede defeat and make for bed, but Geri, Pat Virzi (CP) Ian Sorensen (CP) more imbued to the effects, was having none of it, and forced me awake with cold flannels so that I was one of the lucky few to see Geri’s and Pat Virzi’s depiction of the benefits of mimeo fibretone as performed through the medium of interpretive dance. Presumably, as we were in the spillover con suite, this was one of the convention’s sercon items.

It’s probably best to draw a discreet veil over the effects of all this the next morning, necessitating an emergency dash back to my room.

Jeff Schalles and Chris Couch (SS)

Steve Stiles and Dan Steffan in Stereo-Vision™ (NR)

Andy Hooper (NR) Bill Burns, Frank Lunney(NR)

Rob Jackson, Rich Lynch (CP) Chris Couch, Craig Hughes (SS)

Richard Dengrove, Greg Benford, Curt Phillips (CP)

Greg Benford, Physics Today editor Gloria Lubkin (CP) Rob Jackson, Steve Jeffery, Bill Burns (CP)

Michael Dobson (SS) Alan Rosenthal, Rich Coad (CP)

91 WHINING WINING IN THE CONSUITE SATURDAY 4 MAY 2019 — LATE

counties, does things a little differently.

After doing some reading -- Lodi was once known as the "Tokay capital of the World" -- there were more trips to Lodi to try the wine with friends from near and far. Portuguese farmers were early settlers in the Lodi area, and they planted vines from their homeland, like Graciano and Touriga Nacionale. Their grand kids grew up, learned how to farm the grapes to make the best quality wine. Now they are growing the best zinfandel grapes, and they are making wine too. It's not just Robert Mondavi (a Lodi native) putting Lodi on the map. Bokisch wines for Saturday’s wine tasting (IS) In 2011, when the annual roving Plus de vin? of the San Joachim River delta. In fannish wine-tasting circus called the good old days we would stop by Spike for pie in Lodi, Wisconsin. It seemed important to check out the I don't know when I first pie in Lodi, California when the discovered that Lodi, California -- opportunity presented itself.* yes the Lodi John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival got I liked what I saw -- a big piece of stuck in -- was the home of good flatness between Highway 99 and wine. I had a clue that first time I I-5 with a lazy river, the pulled off the highway to get some Mokelumne, snaking along one side, lunch in Lodi, and encountered the and most of the area bisected by a Michael David Winery tasting room grid of roads, a proper grid, like inside a cafe and farm store. farm roads where I come from. Meanwhile, fields of corn, wheat My old friend Peter was visiting the and vines were sunning themselves, Bay Area, and of course we were and the train tracks ran north-south on a road trip. I wanted to show straight through the town. If Lodi him a remnant of the old Lincoln was in Iowa or Wisconsin, it would Highway, the windmills at Altamont be the county seat, a bustling farm Pass, and the farm roads and levees town. But California, with its 58 Spike with wine information (IS)

* Mr. Google says if you drive nonstop, it’s only 30 hours from Lodi to Lodi. Something to think about.

92 Vintacon announced it's next destination would be Lodi, Tom • Albariño (Terra Alta Vineyard, 2018) and I volunteeered to help. We • Gamacha — Tempranillo Rosado (2018) spent a weekend in Lodi exploring dining and wine tasting options, • Garnacha Blancha (2018) making notes that Tom eventually • Garnacha (2016) turned into a zine. • Graciano (2016) It was on that recon trip that we • Monastrell (2016) encountered Bokisch wines. We were checking out the meager restuarants and second hand shops of the old downtown, and stopped at a wine bar/music venue called the Cellar Door. That is where we first sampled Bokisch wine, an albarino or a garnacha blanca that had been recommended at the Wine & Visitor Center. They were building a reputation for producing Iberian (Portuguese and Spanish) varietal wines, but at that time Bokisch did not have their own tasting room.

When they finally opened a tasting room, in 2016, it was outside town at their Terra Alta Vineyard -- a beautiful spot that looks more like Iowa than Napa. I love it.

Lots of great wine is made in Lodi Foreground (l-r) Richard Dengrove, Michael Ward, Rich Coad. Background (l-r) these days. Tom and I especially Bob Crain, Jeff Schalles, Steve Stiles (IS) apprecate the big bodied (but in a balanced way) zinfandels from Jeremy, McCay, Klinker Brick and Fields Family Winery. Although we come for the zins, it's the unusual varietals like those offered by Bokisch that keep me bringing friends to Lodi for exploring the world of wine.

Bokisch Vineyards was named Lodi Winery of the Year for 2019. At Corflu FIAWOL, we tasted two white, one pink, and three red wines from Bokisch one evening in the consuite at Corflu FIAWOL. This is the list:

Karen Schaffer, Spike (IS)

93 94

THE BANQUET

SUNDAY 5 MAY 2019 12:00 PM

95 THE CORFLU FIAWOL BANQUET PROGRAMME

12 noon — Doors open 12:15p — Banquet Service begins Menu

Appetizer: Crottled Greeps en croute

Main course: Egg + Spam Egg + Bacon + Spam Spam + Spam + Spam + Egg + Spam Lobster Thermidor aux Crevettes with Mornay Sauce Garnished With Truffle Pate Brandy and a Fried Egg on Top + Spam

Dessert: Crottled Greeps a la Mode + Spam

Program

Welcoming remarks: Michael Dobson

Presentation of Corflu Special Awards: Michael Dobson

Presentation of FAAn Awards: Greg Benford and Curt Phillips

Presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award: Andy Hooper

Selection of the Past President of the Fan Writers of America: Ted White

Guest of Honor Speech: Jim Benford

While the conclusion of the banquet is the official end of Corflu, the dead dogs party long into the night.

Michael Dobson, Curt Phillips (LS). Cartoon by Steve Jeffery

96 The Banquet (top SJ, bottom CP)

97 AWARD WINNERS

Corflu 50 Recipient 2019 FAAn Awards Selected by the Corflu 50 fund to attend that year’s Corflu. Steve Jeffery

The FAAn Awards “Enchanted Duplicator” Trophy

Steve Jeffery (LS)

Corflu 36 FIAWOL MVP Awards for services to the convention above and beyond the call of fannishness Curt Phillips Andy Hooper

Award presenters Greg Benford and Curt Phillips (LS) Andy Hooper (LS)

98 Best Apazine Certificates Best Fanzine Lofgeornost Fred Lerner for FAPA Banana Wings Best Article (Fannish) Claire Brialey and Mark Best Special Worldcon Plummer Publication Kaleidoscope Lake’s Folly John-Henri Holmberg 2nd Place Trap Door Christina Lake Trap Door 34 Robert Lichtman

3rd Place (tie) Best Article (Sercon) Beam / Nic Farey and Ulrika Best Fan O’Brien and Ansible / Dave Weisinger’s Worldcon Langford Writer Andy Hooper, Trap Door 34

Certificates Mark Plummer Best Series/Column 2nd Place Andy Hooper Roadrunner 3rd Place Paul Skelton Mark Plummer, Banana Best Genzine Wings Banana Wings Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer

Best Perzine (tie) Vibrator / Flag Graham Charnock / Andy Hooper

Best Newszine Ansible Dave Langford

Curt and Greg applaud themselves for a job well done (LS)

99 Excited Steve Stiles wins award; takes selfie (with Greg and Curt) (LS)

Harry Warner Jr. Letterhack Award Certificates Best Illustrator Paul Skelton (Fannish) Steve Stiles Best Cover (Illo) Brian Parker Best Photographer Artistic Beam 13 Ditmar Achievement Best Cover (Digital/ Best Graphic Design Photography) Pete Young Best Fan Artist Geri Sullivan The Corflu 35 Bheer Tasting The White Notebooks Alan White Guide

2nd Place Ditmar 3rd Place (tie) Brad Foster and Brian Parker

Special Award for Artistic Achievement Steve Stiles

Curt, Geri Sullivan (LS)

100 Certificates Certificates Online Achievement Best Online Archive or Services to the Hobby Resource Andy Hooper Trophy for Fanac.org Smoooth Operator Online Best News/ (Bob Tucker Memorial Achievement Information Resource Award) news.ansible.uk Spike Fanac.org Best Group or List Award for Unrecognized InTheBar Fan Achievement 2nd Place InTheBar Taral Wayne 3rd Place (tie) file770.com and news.ansible.uk General Special Award for Online Fanac Achievement Bill Burns for #1 Fan Face efanzines.com Mark Plummer 2nd Place Dave Langford 3rd Place Claire Brialey

Joe Siclari, Greg (LS) Curt, Bill Burns (LS)

Spike, Curt (LS)

101 Lifetime Past President, Achievement Award Fan Writers of America Paul Skelton Victor Gonzales

Presented by Andy Hooper Presented by Ted White

Victor Gonzales accepts his new Andy Hooper presents the Lifetime Ted White oversees selection of roles and responsibilities (LS) Achievement Award (LS) the Past President of fwa (LS)

Noted fanzine sherpa Rob Jackson accepts yet another award for a British fan not in attendance (Greg, Curt, Rob) (LS)

102 AD ASTRA VIA FANDOM — OUR FIRST STARSHIPS

CORFLU 36 FIAWOL GUEST OF HONOR SPEECH BY JIM BENFORD

After the 13th issue of Void, I decided to put all my efforts into my education as a scientist. So, although I kept reading Void and have participated in fandom socially ever since, occasionally writing for fanzines. I did nothing to produce fanzines until five years ago when I joined FAPA. Hence I contributed my fanzine Motley to that steadily declining organization.

After graduate school, Greg and I undertook our separate careers. I worked in R&D and Greg went on to become a professor (he wrote some novels too). In recent years, we've begun to work together again. We’re now working on all sorts of fascinating things: a new form of aero/spacecraft, figuring out what sort of beacons advanced civilizations could make, doing flight experiments using beam-driven sails, planning to use beams from Earth hitting spacecraft in orbit to propel them.

After Void

What was my life was like after my Void Boy days? Briefly, I met a wonderful woman named Hilary Foister in 1964, married her, had two children and am still happily married 53 years later. My Jim Benford (LS) major hobby is gardening and I still read science fiction.

After I got my PhD in 1969, I worked for 26 years for Physics International (PI). What attracted me to the company was that they had invented a new technology that could produce incredibly intense beams of both electrons and protons. That enabled an entirely new research area, and my instinct was to explore new things rather than work on details of established topics.

This turned out to be a great decision. Over the years I was able to do fascinating experiments that revealed many properties of the beams and contributed to their applications, such as particle beams for the nuclear fusion research, particle beams for producing intense effects in materials, and most prominently in the generation of intense pulses of microwaves. PI beam injected into torus for fusion experiments, 1975

103

The early Void was essential to my development as well as being a lot of fun. I learned many skills in producing ishes on schedule. Later, I used those skills to produce proposals and reports at PI. Compared to fanzines, that was easy. In fact, it had a real impact on my career. Being able to integrate a collection of documents into a coherent whole was one cause of my rapid advancement in research.

To make a long story short, in 1983 I established a high- power microwave division of PI and invented quite a few new devices. After this I realized I had all the skills I needed to go out of my own and pursue my own interests and therefore I retired from PI at 55, the first of my several retirements.

My new company, Microwave Sciences, has been a great success, enabling me to do a large variety of activities which you can see my website, jamesbenford.com. There are also quite a lot of photos and technical papers available there for those of you who want to pursue such aspects.

Researching Starships

The major thing I did in Microwave Sciences was to demonstrate Bob Forward’s concept for starships: beam- driven sails. With NASA funding, using equipment at JPL, my team was able to for the first time to fly sails driven by a microwave beam in a vacuum chamber. At JPL in 2000 we achieved accelerations of 13 gees. To date, no one's been able to do better than that.

It was that achievement and subsequent theoretical papers I wrote about beam-driven sails that made the billionaire Yuri Milner hire me in 2016 at the start of his Starshot project. My role there is to be a technical advisor at a fixed stipend. The program is moving Forward, pun intended, and has achieved milestones. Beam-driven sails remains the only practical way of sending probes to the nearby stars.

The Starshot program is ambitious on an astronomical scale: a sail of about 5-m diameter and weighing only a few grams would be accelerated that 30,000 gees by lasers of 10’s of billions of watts power to a speed of 20% of the speed of light. The technical challenges constitute a long list: how to build billion watt lasers, how to keep the sail riding on the Carbon sail lifting off of rectangular waveguide under 10 kW microwave power (four frames, first at top). Sail before beam onset, at onset, begins liftoff, gone. Frame interval is 30 msec.

104 beam stably, how to have a sail of materials that absorb so little that it does not overheat, how to maintain operation of the sail over interstellar distances where it will be impacted by dust grains (probable answer: turn the sail sideways), how to take data in a fast flyby of alien planets. And finally: how to return that data to Earth with very little power on the sailcraft.

In my talk, I included a lot of technical information. If you want to hear that part of my talk Firefly: a beam-driven starship design go listen to it at this site, where it starts at 1hour, 56 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=l0yHFIh6sFg

Although it's early days in this Starshot program, we are increasingly optimistic that we can solve these problems and keep the price of building the system below $10 billion, which is the upper bound that Yuri has set on the capital cost.

So, if the R&D program is successful, in 20 years we will have the prototype Beamer and be launching sails across the solar system. In 30 years we will launch to the stars themselves. In fifty years the first probes begin to sail into alien star systems.

Conclusion

Thinking back over 60 years, real future? If my self at that time had known that 60 years later he’d be working on when I stopped being a Void the first starships, I think he would be very pleased. I expect it would've seemed editor and decided to concentrate quite fantastic, and I think that earlier self would be quite pleased with what I have on physics, I have this feeling: I become. wonder what my earlier self would have thought of this now- And today I'm very pleased to be doing something truly science fictional.

— Jim Benford

105 SUNDAY CORFLU COMMENTS BY VARIOUS

Rob Jackson of Bob Tucker. Someone you And as the Skeltons are in Toronto particularly enjoy hanging out with or soon will be, with Susan This morning, Curt, Pat V and I at cons, known for good Manchester, Murray will take Skel’s had a brief worry about the honesty conversation and a cheerful stuff. box which the night before had had disposition, or known for excellent plenty of $$$ in and was now gossip (“If you can’t find empty, but thankfully Michael D something nice to say about Graham Charnock had removed it late the previous someone, come sit by me.”) My favourite comment by Greg night for safe keeping. Benford on asking who was running the next Corflu and being As the Banquet this time was Pat Charnock told it was John Purcell, was “Oh, I starting at 12 midday rather than 11, And, in fact, a lot of the awards thought he had more sense.” which made it definitely an early went to members of ItB. So well lunch rather than a brunch, I had a done, all of you! bit more time to write up stuff Steve Jeffery about yesterday before the Despite being reassured by various And a few of them were Brits. Rob memories faded. people that the only obligation of J is going to be lugging a lot of the Corflu 50 delegate was to show stuff home with him. Although it was later than usual, it up and have a good time, Curt had was still the same sort of brunch other ideas. Every time we passed banquet fare as at most US Corflus. Rob Jackson in a doorway or corridor he would The food was competent but not up the ante. From “Have you outstanding. The Banquet and Half of them were for Fishlifters, written your Corflu 50 speech yet?” Awards Ceremony are safely online, so S&ra will be taking their stuff. it became a presentation slideshow and the multiplicity of new awards She works within a mile of (“Our Mission Statement is to drink mingling with the traditional major Fishlifterland. interesting beers and wines until I ones were both efficiently start talking incomprehensibly and announced (by Greg Benford with assistance from Michael D and Curt Phillips) and well received by the audience.

Elaine Stiles

Most of the banquet food was cold.

Bill Burns

Almost all of the extra awards were greeted with enthusiasm by the attendees. And Spike was very close to tears on receiving the “Smooooth Operator” award, Curt Phillips (right) pesters Steve Jeffery (left) about his Corflu 50 presentation (RJ) whose description is “In memory

106 Just watched Just A Minac on Rob's YouTube channel. I laughed aloud quite often. Kudos to all involved!

Rob Jackson Thanks, Claire. I suppose I'd better get into practice at not umming and ahh’ing, as S&ra says she wants me to reprise my Derek Nimmo act sometime. However I suspect that will remain my Achilles heel.

Sadly Sunday’s weather was expected to be dreary with rain till about 6 pm, which means the local arts festival this weekend – on- Jim Benford’s GoH Speech (LS) street stalls mainly featuring paintings, photo prints, jewellery fall over, but not necessarily in that and other craftwork – would be a order”) to a performance piece in Sandra Bond washout for today. That would the medium of interpretive dance. have been a nice thing to do after Jim Benford’s speech was more the Banquet. learned than Gregg Trend’s, but By Sunday morning I fully expected about as long, and the absence of a The festival was still there, and it to be composing and conducting a microphone plus my lack of physics had some attendees while there was grand opera, complete with sets and knowledge (I flunked my a brief gap in the rain, but I went working stage machinery. I have ‘ignoramus’ test) made me glad to out just as the rain restarted. I did actually done the latter before, finally escape upstairs for the group buy a rather lovely photographic though with rather more than a photo. The lounge where this was print of the Milky Way day’s preparation (where do you buy meant to occur contained two hotel superimposed on an American rural stage flats in Rockville – a town that guests one of whom was holding a dusk scene from a guy who runs a seems to consist almost entirely of pair of carved wooden tongs, website called Dark Sky Art, restaurants?) As for singing, all I shaped like... yeah. A fish. featuring some lovely astronomy can say is that it would probably photos, but that was the one bright serve to clear a room as quickly as a “I know someone who’d really like spot in a very bedraggled set of fire alarm and with about as much those,” said Carrie Root pointedly, stalls whose owners were doing musical range. but they shrank away from her their best to pack up without blandishments; so Mark and Claire In the end, after having hastily getting their unsold wares too wet. will have to content themselves scribbled a couple of pages of with the usual shelf full of awards, ◆◆◆ notes in the half hour before the instead. banquet, I just got up and mumbled my way through a briefly truncated Claire Brialey handful of ‘thank you’s to everyone before sitting down, which seemed We will try to console ourselves to go down as well as anything, with those. Well, mostly Mark can although I’m sure Curt was console himself and I'll bask in the wondering when the Busby reflected glory. Berkeley chorus line and performing seals were going to And thanks very much for bringing come on before being enveloped in them back, S&ra; it gives us yet a sea of dry ice and fireworks. another excuse to meet up with you for dinner/drinks etc.

107 108

AFTERMATH

MONDAY 6 MAY 2019

109 A PERFECT DAY IN THE BLOODY LANE PAYING OUR RESPECTS IN HAGERSTOWN AND THE FIELD OF THE ANTIETAM

by Andy Hooper The Traveling Jiants report. I spent the first 36 hours preparing for and conducting the Originally published in Captain I enjoy writing about the day after fanzine auction this year, and had Flashback 7, June 2019; reprinted with Corflu, because it is so much easier conversations with several dozen permission. It has been edited for length. to keep track of what happens than people, all of them recalled in a dim during the actual con. Corflu is glitter of fragments. For the last several years, Carrie and somewhat like a bar fight for me; I have enjoyed a special excursion while it’s happening, I am far too After this glorious 72-hour scrum, I on the Monday following the end busy to make notes or otherwise was glad that the cast of characters of Corflu, the annual convention prepare to write an accurate con had been brought down to a for fanzine fans. This year, we had a unique opportunity, as the convention’s site at Rockville Maryland was less than 50 miles away from several of the most important battle sites of the War of Independence, the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. The Civil War sites included two of the biggest monuments, at Gettysburg and Antietam Creek, which is just outside Sharpsburg, Maryland.

The Antietam National Battlefield is also very close to the town of Hagerstown, Maryland, famous in science fiction fandom as the home of the late Harry Warner Jr. (1922-2003), who was a fanzine publisher, a fan historian and one of fandom’s most faithful and prolific correspondents. Harry was a lifetime resident of Hagerstown, a longtime employee of the Hagerstown Sun newspaper, and was known for his steadfast refusal to travel to meet the rest of science fiction fandom face to face, always preferring to know us through the mail. The chance to pay a visit to Harry’s former home at 423 Summit Avenue made it easy to choose Antietam over Gettysburg this time, and the select group of convention members interested in a post-convention excursion readily Harry Warner Jr.’s home at 423 Summit Avenue, Hagerstown. Left to right: Nigel Rowe, agreed. Andy Hooper, Mark Olson, Geri Sullivan, Grant Canfield, Sandra Bond (CR)

110 sensible seven: Carrie and I had around the back yard. I believe Geri Hagerstown Family Diner to fortify Grant Canfield in our car, while had been there before, and ourselves before departing for the Sandra Bond had Nigel Rowe as her commented on how much larger Antietam Battlefield. The passenger. Geri Sullivan, who the spaces were without Harry’s conversation wove between Harry planned to drive to some distant stuff crammed into them. We could Warner and his times, and the location – Minneapolis? Buffalo? not see the famous attic where events of 1862, which led the Ohio? – immediately after our tour Harry did all of his fan activity, but Union and Confederate armies to — was in her own car. And Mark I was struck by the proliferation of collide in an obscure location in and Priscilla Olson faithfully porches, upon which fans visiting Western Maryland. The food was followed us, despite the Harry in the 1940s had slept. I mostly quite adequate, although understandable inclination to make could ask Curt Phillips to ask Bob what moved three of us to order their drive home while daylight Madle where he and Art Widner crab quesadillas is still mysterious to persisted. and Milton Rothman and Julius me. The soup was the best part. Unger slept during their early I was frankly quite stunned by how stopover on the way to the Denver I talked a bit about General George close we came to actually meeting in World SF Convention in the McClellan and his effort to make the hotel lobby at 9:30 am, and twilight Indian summer of 1941; raw Union troops into an actual were indeed on the road to but I doubt he would recall if it was army, and his frustration in trying to Hagerstown within five or ten the wraparound first floor porch at actually use that army on the minutes of 10:00 am. I think some the front and side of the house, or battlefield in 1862. A new of those present – Geri and Nigel the smaller balconies outside the Confederate commander, the for certain, and likely Sandra and bedrooms on the back of the house dashing Robert E. Lee, was Carrie too, were feeling some where they grabbed what sleep they determined to bring the war onto effects of the previous evening’s could before setting off west in the Northern territory, and possibly beverages. But the incredible sunny morning. wrestle the pro-slavery state of weather made it difficult to feel too Maryland into joining the low, after the very soggy conditions The Best Crab Quesadilla Confederacy. In September, he which had prevailed for most of the in Hagerstown marched his army into the quiet weekend. I had fears that the rain farm fields across the Potomac might persist, making all unpaved After no doubt prompting many of River from Virginia. But appallingly, surfaces a bog; but the sun and light the neighbors to wonder what we a dropped copy of his orders for breezes made the day perfect for were up to, we repaired to the the campaign was discovered the exertion of walking, and dried the ground out as we made our way to Hagerstown.

The big early-20th Century house at 423 Summit Avenue is currently for sale, and signs posted on the front door suggest that it may have been occupied by some unauthorized residents in the years since Harry’s death. Harry left his property to his church, and I believe someone rented the home in the years soon after he died. It looked like it might want some work, particularly electrical, before anyone would want to live in it now.

We tried to be discreet, but the fact that the place was empty was emboldening, and we trooped over the front and back porches and Another view of 423 Summit Avenue

111 Map of the Battle of Antietam (Credit: Hal Jespersen, www.posix.com/CW, CC BY-SA 3.0; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

112 wrapped around a pair of cigars by defense by the Confederates to return to the region, and some a Union sentry, and conveyed to resulted in the largest loss of majority of the burials had been McClellan. At last, the General who American lives in a single day. It is discovered and transferred to the was never certain of anything knew the scale of death that haunts us at nearby national cemetery, the US exactly where his enemy was, and the Antietam. 22,717 Americans Government recognized the unique exactly what he was trying to do. died, were severely wounded or nature of the ground and acted to Within hours, troops were moving simply disappeared in a single day: preserve it as a battlefield park. west to meet them. McClellan September 17th, 1862. hoped to catch up with Lee before This combination of reverence for he finished destroying the Federal After the film, we found ourselves history and the toxic aftermath of armory at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, listening to another account the battle prevented anyone from and could concentrate his army in delivered by a young woman who building much of anything on the Maryland. grew up within sight of the field, and with the exception of a battlefield, and is the third few dozen pieces of heroic I was worried that my amateur generation of her family to sculpture, things look a lot like they schematic of the campaign was less volunteer at the park. She provided did in 1862. This is not an accident; than coherent, but it turned out that a perspective on how the great while most of the trees present in 1862 have long since lived their natural lifespans and died, the park service has replanted several stretches of woods and acted to keep them more or less as they appeared in the 19th Century. The Haunted Corn

We decided to tour the field in the order in which the phases of the fight took place: The dawn battle in the cornfield, the morning assault on the Confederate center line, and the afternoon fight at what became known as “Burnside’s Bridge,” on the far right of the Confederate position, just outside Sharpsburg.

The battle began with a pre-dawn assault on Stonewall Jackson’s troops, through a head-high field of corn. It is eerie to imagine so many men shooting at one another in the relatively narrow field, but it is clear what a perfect killing ground it was, just as flat as a concrete floor. Once Andy Hooper on the Antietam battlefield (CR) the Wisconsin and Indiana troops of the “Iron Brigade” made their advance, Jackson sent the Texans of this was just the first of three times proliferation of shallow graves John Bell Hood’s Division to stop we would hear the story of the literally changed the landscape and them. After the battle, Jackson campaign. When we first arrived at threatened the lives of the people asked Hood where his troops were, the visitor center, we watched a 30- who lived there. For decades after and the latter replied “They are minute movie narrated by James the battle, bacteria from rotting lying on the field where you sent Earl Jones, which both set up the bodies poisoned the water table; them. My Division has been almost campaign and explained how birds and animals avoided the battle wiped out.” aggressive Union tactics and expert site. By the time normal life began

113 We rolled around the cornfield and giving a battlefield tour to a Whiskey Bridge the “West Woods” which border it, remarkably varied group of young and then toward the slightly and old listeners. He was reminding So things looked bleak as we set off elevated ground to the south, where anyone listening that a great many for the site of the last act of the most of the rest of the Confederate of the troops who were killed trying battle, the afternoon struggle at the army was lined up on the morning to reach that road were Irish- far right of the Confederate of the 17th. Running along the East Americans, first or second position. We didn’t intend to follow edge of the hilltop, a deeply-rutted generation immigrants who had the professor’s group, but when we farm lane looks straight down at the joined to do their part to preserve arrived at the parking lot above the long, gentle slope that the Union the Union. The great slaughter of bridge, there he was again, talking XIIth Corps marched up, just a the Irish troops turned Irish voters about the “two 51sts,” the 51st little after 9 am. From the slope against the war. And when Pennsylvania and 51st New York below, the road is completely President Lincoln followed the volunteer regiments, who are given invisible; it formed a natural trench Union’s pyrrhic victory at Antietam credit for the dash across the bridge from which the rebels were able to with the Emancipation that would finally force the troops fire as a horde of new Union Proclamation, they became defending it to withdraw. troops tried to walk straight at convinced he planned to give their them. The toll taken by the jobs to freed slaves, and they turned The volunteer lecturer took great Confederates in the sunken lane on him as well, voting for his relish in this part of the story: The was ferocious; but when Union opponent in the 1864 election – 51st New York was a salty outfit, troops got to ground above and who just happened to be George sometimes less than completely behind them, their perfect position McClellan, the man who had led obedient or disciplined. Not long suddenly became a death trap. After their brothers into death along the before the campaign, their whiskey the fight, observers said the ground Antietam. ration had been suspended for was soaked red with their blood; some kind of mischief. Their and ever since this has been known This bit of irony aside, the Colonel was man named Edward as the “Bloody Lane.” professor tried to make the point Ferrero. Born in Granada, Spain of that tactical events and decisions on Italian parents, he was a pre-war We simply sauntered up in the the battlefield, had great cultural celebrity, one of the world’s effort to look over the lip of the and social ramifications in Ireland foremost choreographers and lane on the slope that the Union as well as America, since so many experts on ballroom dance. When a recruits had to climb, but suddenly disillusioned veterans returned to wiseacre sergeant asked if the encountered another example of Ireland to fight for independence Colonel would restore the men’s volunteer interpretation in the park, there. whiskey ration if they took the A former college instructor was bridge, he replied “Yes, by God, if I

The Bloody Lane (with non-fannish tour group) (AH)

114 have to go to New York City and The Confederate invasion of Olsons had left us after the Bloody fetch it myself.” The men cheered Maryland had been stopped, but Lane – walked quietly across the and set off to take their place in the Lee was able to get his surviving newly-restored bridge, quite line. When some of the troops in troops back to Virginia without any enjoying the fact that absolutely no the 51st NY noticed that sections effort at pursuit by McClellan, who one was shooting at us. As the sun of the rebel line had stopped firing felt that his army had been just as shone through its spring-green – because they had run out of close to annihilation as Lee’s. leaves, w admired the so-called cartridges, although no one in the Within a matter of weeks, “Burnside Sycamore,” a huge tree regiment knew that -- they shouted McClellan would be relieved of growing very close to the Union and surged across the bridge and command again. side of the bridge. A very young into the protection of the brush at tree in 1862, it survived the battle, the bottom of the hill. The search for a commander with and has watched over visitors – the the right temperament to win the mournful and the merely curious -- Unfortunately, by the time they war would go on for another year, for more than 150 years. Standing managed to get up to the top of the until Ulysses Grant arrived from the in its shade we agreed we were hill, and prepared to fall on the west. The one substantial result of grateful that it had been allowed to Confederate supply wagons and the Maryland campaign was that thrive in a place where so many had died and lost everything, even their names. But the process of finding them goes on today. Just a few years ago, a visitor found bones disturbed by a woodchuck, and the lost soldier’s buttons marked him as belonging to a New York regiment. There were plans to bury him again in the Antietam cemetery, but the State of New York asked if they could bring him home, and he has a new place of honor at the Greenwood National Cemetery.

We parted with a kind of subdued satisfaction – Nigel and Sandra set off for a rendezvous with Ted White in Falls Church, while we headed for a hotel that would put us close to the airport in the morning. Another view of the Bloody Lane (AH) And I wish I could say that was the ambulances in Sharpsburg, Lincoln used it as a rationale for the end of story, but nothing is ever Confederate General A.P. Hill Emancipation Proclamation – not that neat. Edward Ferrero, the literally wandered onto the because the Battle of the Antietam colonel of the heroic 51st New battlefield with his entire division. was a great victory, but because it York, would continue to gain Marching north from Harper’s was so terrible that he could not promotions and greater Ferry, he had taken a wrong turn imagine asking the survivors to responsibility. But during the siege and accidentally reached the point accept that their sacrifice had not of Petersburg, Virginia in 1864, he where Burnside’s troops were about been enough to end slavery. was accused of dishonorable and to attack. Now low on ammunition cowardly conduct, remaining in a as well, the Union troops withdrew The volunteer lecturer had even bomb-proof shelter during the to the edge of the hill as dusk more details to share, but we notorious Battle of the Crater, began to come on. eventually walked away, and the while over half of his command surviving elements of our was being killed. He was said to expedition – Geri Sullivan and the have spent the battle trading pulls at

115 MONDAY 6 MAY 2019

Rob Jackson

I am writing from the Hilton in Crabtree, Raleigh, after a problem- free if rather boring drive down to Raleigh, and a very pleasant evening with my son Hugo and daughter-in- law Madison. They took me to the Metro Diner, which is #9 in the top 20 diners in the US. The Salisbury beef was ridiculously good. Then they drove a long way out of town to a specialist popsicle place, where I chose a mango and chilli popsicle. Imagine an ice lolly composed 50% of small chunks of mango, the rest Antietam Creek Bridge (AH) being frozen chilli-flavoured mango juice. I-i-interesting. a bottle of rum with another selected a name with real history, officer. and rechristened it as “The Apollo The bottle of wine left over from Theater.” Although the location is the wine tasting that Spike let me Although put on trial by Gen. completely different, the name take home hasn’t made it that far. Winfield Scott Hancock, and remains attached to Edward Ferrero It is just as well I wrapped the top accused of similarly timid conduct and his whiskey ration, Burnside’s end with paper and 3 plastic bags, during battles in Tennessee, Ferrero bridge, the map, the cigars, amateur as the screw top had started to leak seems to have survived with his night and emancipation. Ferrero quite a bit. rank intact, and would eventually died at age 68 in December of repair his reputation. He became 1899. His book, The History of I have had to open it. What a pity. active in Democratic politics, and Dancing, is still in print today. although he never held office What I don't drink tonight or himself, he was a frequent visitor to tomorrow can be an extra tip for Tammany Hall. In fact, he often the housekeeping staff when I leave rented its ballroom for his dances, on Wednesday morning. as he had not resumed his former haunts after returning from the war.

Wanting to set up in a new building, he chose to lease a recently- completed structure uptown, which would soon become world-famous under the name “Apollo Hall.” When he let the lease go in the 1870s, the building was renamed as New York’s first “Apollo Theater.” Fifty years later, when theater owner Sydney Cohen completely reversed the whites-only policy at what had formerly been known as “Hurtig & Seamon’s New Burlesque Theater” on West 125th Street, he Carrie Root, Steve Jeffery, Andy Hooper (SS)

116 The End of FIAWOL

Corflu Will Return in Heatwave

March 12-15 College Station 2020 Texas

117 118