2

promotion. Suddenly he was halfway through rations. She bordered the top of the living his twenty-fifth year of publishing and hadn’t room walls with construction-paper 45-rpm put out an issue in over twelve months. That records. Each had a label of a rock-’n-roll hit, would be me. plus a few special dedications like “O Daddy, Several friends noticed the long silence. O Daddy” by Sierra and the Graces. I enjoyed They asked with utmost delicacy if they had them so much we left them up for weeks. missed an issue or their subscription had ex­ A couple days later, on Tuesday, Diana pired. I felt like the press agent of a critically engineered a surprise party at work and ill celebrity each time I gravely assured them brought Sierra, who everybody loved getting another issue was in the works. Indeed, the to see in person. I enjoyed that a lot, and there next issue always seemed “just about finished” was more to come. because I worked on it a couple of hours every For Thursday night’s LASFS meeting, Di­ week. But do the math: it takes a hundred ana conspired with my friends Rick Foss and hours of work to produce an issue of File 770. Ed Green to deliver the surprises: a huge File 770:142 is edited by Mike Glyer That means I’ll finish the next issue.. .right chocolate cake and an order of pizzas. Every­ at 705 Valley View Ave., Monrovia about now. one pounced on the food like starving wolves CA 91016. File 770 is available for I’d hate to start over from scratch, so I beg the moment they finished singing “Happy news, artwork, arranged trades, or your pardon for all the antique “news” this Birthday.” by subscription: $8 for 5 issues, $15 time. Tom Galloway encouraged me to call it When I blew out the lone candle Ed com­ for 10 issues, air mail rate is $2.50. “revisionist history” and let it go at that. mented, “I see you didn’t get your wish” - Telephone: (626) 305-1004 The three things I devoted so much time to Jerry Poumelle was still finishing a mournful E-Mail: [email protected] since last issue all get their due here. Sierra’s variation of Happy Birthday sung to the tune Art Credits progress is reported in loving detail on pages of “Volga Boatman.” Truthfully, I enjoyed Alan White: 3, 5, 15, 21, 24, 8-9. Westercon comes alive from the pages of Jerry’s enthusiasm. A good thing, because five 26, 31, 40, Bacover John Hertz’ notebook. And my promotion? minutes later Larry Niven arrived and proved Bill Rotsler: 2, 13, 18, I’ve worked for IRS Appeals since 1987, that great minds think alike. Hearing the rea­ Kurt Erichsen: 11, 14, 30 and last October successfully applied to join son for the party, Larry decided he should Joe Mayhew: 20 its Technical Guidance unit. Right out of the serenade me with the “Volga Boatman” birth­ Julia Morgan Scott: 28 box I was assigned to advise the creators of day song as well. I enjoyed it again. Keith Stokes (photos): 4, 10, the “Offshore Voluntary Compliance Initia­ Diana told me she had a hard time convinc­ 17, 24, 33, 34 tive.” The program is aimed at bringing back ing Ed to tell her what kind of pizza the club Sheryl Birkhead: 35 into the system people who stashed unreported members would like. He kept answering, well, Grant Canfield: Cover, 37 income in a tax haven country and use it to what kind of pizza does Mike like? I explained that Ed hadn’t really been evading her ques­ Rick Foss: (photos) 2 pay charges incurred on a Visa or Mastercard issued by a foreign bank. tion, just being polite, because he knows that Diana Glyer: (photos) 8,9,40,41 Now I do much more work-related writing LASFS members’ favorite kind of pizza is - Jim Bearcloud: 16 than before. While I enjoy that very much, it’s free! an added challenge to have my vocation and Copyright Makes Might: My apologies to my recreation powered by the same creative Colleen Crosby. She should have been cred­ Mike Glyer’s Editorial Notes battery. ited in File 770:141 for her photograph of Fifty Candle Blowout: File 770 passed its Chaz Boston Baden (first photo at the top of "I used to get frustrated that [File 770] ap­ 25th anniversary in January, then came my 50th page 11, on the left.) peared so irregularly, but now that it is one of birthday in February: there have been a lot of And thanks to Chaz Boston Baden, the the few fanzines that has survived earlier eras birthday candles blazing in Monrovia. In our hard-working proprietor of the site where I I have to assume that it is all part of a Master family we spread the celebration out for a full found the photo, Hazel’s Picture Gallery Plan. ”— John Foyster seven days, and Diana treated me to the great­ (www.boston-baden.com). Chaz has over est Birthday Week in history. 9000 digital photos in Hazel’s Picture Gallery. Revisionist History: Once upon a time, there For the family party on Sunday, February He’s doing everything he can to identify the was an editor who published a newzine for 16 (my actual birthday) everyone dressed in faces in his pictures, and make it possible to twenty-four straight years. Then he had a Fifties theme costumes. Sierra wore a poodle search for people by name in the index. baby, programmed a Westercon, and got a skirt her aunt had made. Diana had great deco­

Left: My ex­ pression the moment Ed sprang the sur­ prise; Middle: Party conspira­ tors Ed Green and Rick Foss; Right: Birthday soloist Larry Ni­ ven. Photos courtesy of Rick

i June 2003 3

Scare Wares The Fears For Ears CD featuring the vocal talents of Lloyd Penney appeared in time for Hallowe’en 2002. The spoken-word anthol­ ogy contains five horror stories, written by some of Canada’s best-known horror writers. The five stories on disk are: “Manifestations” by David Nickle, “Underground,” by Tanya Huff, “The Witches’ Tree” by Shirley Meier, “The Vampires Next Door” by Peter Sellers, and “The Rug” by Edo van Belkom. The recordings are broadcast-quality audio, remi­ niscent of popular old radio dramas, and cre­ ated with the most modem technology, music and sound effects. The makers boast that their work involved, “Three hundred hours of recording and editing, more than 20 actors, scores of sound effects and lots of fabulous, News of Fandom creepy music make for one chilling disk, guaranteed to send that shiver up your spine.” Fandom’s World Class Lifter also painted cover art for paperback novels. To order your own copy of Fears For Fandom’s future Olympian, Benn Overkamp, Her years of popularity, however, have not Ears, check out the website www. keeps climbing the ladder of athletic success. prepared her to handle the discovery that her fearsforears.com. The CD is US$17.95, plus In March 2001, his performance the Jr. Na­ legions of fans include Iraq’s former dictator, $1.95 administrative fee, payable by PayPal. tional Championships in Los Angeles se­ Saddam Hussein. cured his place on the United States’ Jr. Televised reports about Saddam’s palaces GUFF and residences revealed two of Rowena’s World team. He followed that success by GUFF is the Going Under Fan Fund or the paintings hanging on the wall in a secluded placing fourth at the National USA Weight­ Get Up-and-over Fan Fund, depending on Baghdad townhouse where Saddam brought lifting Championships in April 2002. which direction it's running. So GUFF will his girlfriends. Now age 20, Benn is competing for the be “going under” its next time around, send­ Rowena told a reporter for the New York first time as an adult lifter by Olympic stan­ ing the winner to either Australia or New Daily News, “I would give anything to get dards. At the 2003 National USA Weightlift­ Zealand (or both) in 2004. Interestingly, them back. I am so upset that they are there.” ing Championships, held in Chattanooga this GUFF is a fund that imposes no requirement She sold the two paintings years ago - one May, he competed against 20 men (including on the winner to attend a particular conven­ went for $20,000 to a Japanese collector - three former Olympians) and astounded eve­ tion in either of those countries. Vying for and hadn’t heard about them since. ryone by taking a silver medal (second the right to attend no particular convention in The reporter supposed Rowena was upset place), lifting 324.8 lbs. in the snatch and the Antipodes are Doug Bell and Pat to discover her works in the hands of an infa­ 396.5 lbs. in the clean and jerk. McMurray. mous figure. Or did she take it badly that her Benn had been struggling this past year Voting is open to anyone who was active paintings remained untouched while looters with a back injury and feared he would lose in fandom prior to Easter 2001, and who were emptying the city of four thousand his spot as a resident at the Olympic training contributes at least £5 or A$10 to the fund. years of great art? center. After this performance, his spot for You can vote (and donate) either on paper or next year is secured. Although he did not online. score the qualifying totals for the Men's To vote on paper, download the PDF World team, he may be sent in place of an from the GUFF website, print and read it, fill injured team member. Videos of Benn lifting it in, and post it with your cheque or money are online at: http://benn.vectorx.org/ order to one of the administrators (addresses Benn also has a personal website at: below). The PDF ballot is at:http://www. http://home.earthlink.net/~joverkamp/ ericlindsay.com/guff/ballot03.pdf Time to start thinking about the 2004 To vote online, go to http://www. Olympics, August 13-29, 2004! Some of ericlindsay.com/guff/ballot03. htm Benn’s supporters have talked about arrang­ The voting deadline is midnight on Mon­ ing group rates for travel to Athens 2004 day, 10 November 2003 (GMT). Olympics. If you are interested in receiving further news of Benn’s progress and maybe Frequently Asked joining a group going to Athens for the 2004 Olympics, please e-mail his mother, Jenny FFANZ Questions Overkamp, at [email protected]. When last heard from, Paul Ewins wanted [[Source: Chronicles of the Dawn Patrol]] candidates for the Fan Fun of Australia and New Zealand (FFANZ). To make being a fan Wall of Fame fund candidate more comprehensible to the masses, Paul published some useful informa­ Fantasy artist Rowena frequently won awards Benn Overkamp warms up at the tion in a question-and-answer format. For at sf convention art shows in the 1980s. She Kirkwood, MO school gym. 4 File 770:142 example, what could be more helpful than to “This really is a priceless gift - an embar­ know: rassment of riches,” says Blane Hogue, the “Can I nominate a stuffed toy? library’s Director of Development. “Our next “Well, yes, but I would suggest that the challenge is to find the necessary funding to stuffed toy should run in conjunction with clean, preserve, catalogue and house the Gib­ someone capable of taking on the administra­ son Collection.” Librarians estimate it will tor functions. Otherwise the stuffed toy will take roughly $20 per item to complete those be placed in a padded bag and mailed to New tasks; the library hopes to raise about Zealand.” $500,000 - from public and private sources - to maintain the collection. Sirois Lands in Bucks Ultimately, the Gibson Collection will be Al Sirois encourages everyone to go online made available to students, scholars and and buy his fiction at Fictionwise, http:// members of the public through the Special www.fictionwise.com/. While he waits for Collections Reading Room at the U of C’s readers to make him a rich man, Al will be MacKimmie Library. Depending on funding, moving his family to Doylestown, PA where it could be ready for use in about a year. they’ll definitely be in the bucks - Bucks None of the materials will circulate, how­ County, anyway. ever, since the library believes they are far His new short stories at Fictionwise in­ too fragile. clude a tale of revenge, “Stress Management for Time Travelers.” Then there is a Brad- Chuck It Out! Todd Dashoff, MilPhil chair, re­ buryesque story about a young girl’s quest Ironically, in the province next door, the for recognition in her male-dominated life, charges his batteries at 2002 Mid- University of Winnipeg library was about to “Fausta Carbajal Goes to Mars.” Another is a westcon. Photo by Keith Stokes. break up another of Canada’s largest collec­ comedy called “This Chicken Outfit.” tions of science fiction books. The trove of Al’s novels are available in paperback or Imagination Fully Dilated, Volume 4, edited 30,000 books and periodicals was willed to as downloads of various types. There is a list by Patrick Swenson. According to David, the university in the late 1990’s by local col­ of links on his website, http://www.alsirois. “This is a book of ‘literated pictures’ or, to lector Robert Stimpson. The American book com/writing/pubs.htm. The paperbacks are put it another way, an illustrated anthology dealer L.W. Curry purchased it in October readily available from Barnes and Noble, or of stories inspired by the paintings of Alan for $140,000. Powells in some cases. One of the novels, M. Clark. It will be out in both paper and e- The university had been storing the col­ Boss Tweed's Dinosaurs, is an historical book editions, most likely in 2003.” lection in a basement storage room at the Young Adult novel. He’d like it to get more He may also have a story in the second Greyhound bus terminal because it didn’t word-of-mouth. Phobos anthology, as a result of his winning have space in its climate-controlled book Fictionwise also distributes his nonfiction the Phobos Fiction Writing Contest. “Ukaliq room. A librarian explained that it would about the emerging science of quantum con­ and the Great Hunt” was one of 12 winners have cost $400,000 to catalog and house the sciousness. for 2002. David won $500 and the story will collection, which it could not afford, and Al turned 53 in March. In his off-hours he be considered for publication. The first Pho­ storage in the non-climate-controlled facility is webmaster for Far Sector, http://www. bos anthology received a very favorable re­ left the collection in deteriorating condition. farsector.com/, a web-based e-zine of science view in Locus. More information about the fiction, dark fantasy and horror. It’s a free contest can be found at: Music of the Spheres site. http://www.phobosweb.com/contest/ Keep up-to-date by reading his “David’s “Overture to ‘X World’” by Steven Rothstein SF Writing” web page, which runs back­ opened a concert given May 4 at UCLA's Fiction With Feline Tendencies ground information, reviews, and excerpts Shoenberg Hall. This was the premiere of his It may not have as many lives as a cat, but for some of his stories. Go to http://www. “overture to an unwritten science fiction op­ David Levine’s James White Award-winning bentopress.com, click on the David’s SF era,” dedicated to his father, long-time story, “Nucleon,” has already enjoyed two Writing link, then click on the story title. LASFSian Allan Rothstein. reincarnations since appearing in Interzone. The concert was part of the doctoral re­ The story was collected in The Year's Best quirement for the conductor, who hired a Fantasy #2, edited by David G. Hartwell and Check It Out! professional orchestra and invested over Kathryn Cramer. And it will be back again University of Calgary Library officials an­ $20,000 into the event. The same orchestra next year in Mike Resnick’s New Faces of nounced in August 2002 that they received a performed the premiere of Steve Rothstein’s Science Fiction. gift of 30,000-40,000 science fiction books setting of the 27th Psalm at UCLA last June. Not that there’s any dearth of new fiction and magazines from the family of William by David hitting the shelves. Beyond The Robert (Bob) Gibson, a local collector who died in 2001 at the age of 92. His son, An­ Welcome To Earth! Last Star, the final SFF.Net anthology, con­ Proud grandfather Dave Kyle sent word to tained his story “Written on the Wind.” L. drew, a U of C alumnus, arranged for the donation. the Internet that his daughter, Kerry Kyle Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Pearce, gave birth to her first child early on Volume XVIII, included his story “Rewind.” Librarians know from the collector’s in­ dexes that the boxes they’re unpacking in­ the morning of August 1, 2002 in West­ And Apprentice Fantastic, edited by Martin chester County, NY. The baby, Kyle Inman H. Greenberg and Russell Davis, is coming clude material spanning from Jules Verne to cyberpunk, in the 21 st. Some of the items Pearce, weighed 8 lbs 8 oz. “All is happi­ out with his story “Zauberschrift.” ness,” Dave concluded, with uncharacteristic In the future, look for David to return to are worth hundreds of dollars, and some of the magazine sets are worth thousands. brevity. hard SF in “Legacy,” which will appear in Baby Elizabeth Constance Cramer June 2003 5

Hartwell arrived October 21, 2002 weighing to honor one of Ireland’s best-loved science ways deft, the writing smooth and clear, so 6 lbs 8 oz at birth. David Hartwell e-mailed fiction writers, was presented November 3 to that even if you don’t “buy” the premise, to announce that mother, Katherine Cramer, Julian West for his short story “Vita Brevis, you’re still swept along to the inevitable -- and baby are fine. Ars Longa.” West receives a cash prize and a but satisfying - end.” trophy and his winning story will be pub­ Paper Training lished in Interzone. Seiun Award Nominees Ohio fans Mary and Doug Piero Carey were West’s story was chosen from a field of Here are the Seiun Award nominees in the surprised to open their local paper this sum­ over 100 entries from all over the world. The translated works catagories, courtesy of Hiro­ mer and discover an article revealing that a final judging was conducted by a panel hide Hirai of the Japan in 2007 Worldcon deceased member of the N3F was the source drawn from the science fiction field in the bid. Works are eligible in the year of transla­ of a paranormal legend. USA and Europe: Michael Carroll, David tion into Japanese. The winners will be an­ On August 12, 2002 the Akron (Ohio) Pringle, Orson Scott Card, Christopher Fow­ nounced at T-con2003, the 42nd Japanese Beacon Journal ran a story headlined “Clock ler and Graham Joyce. National Science Fiction Convention in July. runs out on long-told story of time traveler, Originally from Southampton in the UK, Translated Novels: Illegal Alien, Robert European man ends up in Akron while get­ West now lives in Dublin, Ireland with his J. Sawyer; Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson; ting to bottom of strange mystery.” Spaniard wife and three children, where he works as a Gloriana, Michael Moorcock; Davy, Edgar Chris Aubeck was seeking the original ac­ computer programmer. He says “Vita Brevis Pangbom; Freeware, Rudy Rucker; The Tell­ count of a story well-known to believers in Ars Longa” was inspired by a visit to the ing, Ursula K. Le Guin; Passage, Connie the paranormal -- that Rudolph Fentz had Irish Museum of Modem Art in the Royal Willis; A Deepness in the Sky, Vernor Vinge; vanished in 1876 and reappeared in June, Hospital Kilmainham and in particular by a The Reefs of the Earth, R.A. Lafferty; 1950 in Times Square. Fentz was killed by series of works by Janine Antoni. “I saw a Thraxas, Martin Scott. traffic, but his dress, appearance, and evi­ series of busts in chocolate and soap and the Translated Short Stories: “A Spy in dence from his pockets dated him to 1876. artist had cast her nipples in gold. This led Europa,” Alastair Reynolds; “A Map of the Aubeck traced the publishing history of me ask ‘how far can you go with this?’” Mines of Bamath,” Sean Williams; “Pilot,” the story to France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Commenting on the winning story, judg­ Stephen Baxter; “Funny Fingers,” R.A. Laf­ California, and finally to Akron, where the ing panel member Orson Scott Card said, ferty; “Luminous,” Greg Egan; “Different late Ralph M. Holland had been living in “While the premise is outlandish, all the sur­ Kinds of Darkness,” David Langford; 1953 when he published a paranormal pam­ rounding characters, attitudes, and - above “Seventy-Two Letters,” Ted Chiang; “What phlet titled “A Voice from the Gallery.” all - reviews, are dead on. This omnidirec­ Continues...and What Fails,” David Brin; The paper says Holland served as presi­ tional satire leaves no victims standing in the “Partial Eclipse,” Graham Joyce. dent of National Fantasy Fan Federation, international arts scene. Yet the satire is al­ pubbed a zine called The Science-Fiction 2002 Prix Aurora Results Review, published a book “featuring a Best Long-Form Work in English: In the fantasy character called ‘Ghu,’” and as Company of Others, Julie E. Czemeda Rolf Telano, was the author of the book, A (DAW, June/2001) Spacewoman Speaks. He also studied Best Long-Form Work in French: Les claims of the paranormal. He seems to Transfigures du Centaure, Jean-Louis Tru­ have kept his fannish life separated from del (Mediaspaul, 2001) these studies. Best Short-Form Work in English: “Left The August 19 Beacon Journal ran a Foot on a Blind Man”, Julie E. Czemeda follow-up, “Time-travel tale gets new end­ (Silicon Dreams, DAW) ing.” Rev. George Murphy of Tallmadge, Best Short-Form Work in French: OH read the earlier story. An sf fan of 40 “Souvenirs de lumiere,” Daniel Semine years, he correctly identified the time­ (Solaris 138) travel story as “I’m Scared,” by Jack Fin­ Best Work in English (Other): ney, a 1951 short story anthologized in “Underwater Nightmare”, Isaac Szpindel Heinlein’s Tomorrow, The Stars. (Rescue Heroes Cycle II -- Episode 17a, There must be many fans who knew air-date Aug/2001) [TV screenplay] George Holland well. The paper asks any­ Best Work in French (Other): Solaris, one with more insight into Holland or in Joel Champetier, red. (Les Compagnons a possession of the ‘Voice’ publication to e- temps perdu) mail Aubeck at [email protected] Artistic Achievement: James Beveridge (On Spec Spring/01, On Spec Summer/01) Medical Updates Fan Achievement (Fanzine): Voyageur, Well-known film critic (author of Keep Karen Bennett & Sharon Lowachee, eds. Watching The Skies'.) and long-time (USS Hudson Bay /IDIC) (www.idic.ca) LASFS member Bill Warren had success­ [clubzine] ful heart-valve replacement surgery on July Fan Achievement (Organizational): 31, 2002. Doctors replaced his aortic and Peter Johnson (USS Hudson Bay / mitral valves, and also did a bypass using a IDIC) vein from his leg. Fan Achievement (Other): Alex von Thom, fan writing/ecriture James White Award fanique The 2002 James White Award, established 6 File 770:142

Why 4E’s Collection Third, there was an issue of original vs. copy. Particularly in the Didn’t Go To the LA Public Library area of “original” art and movie props. Forry owned a lot of repro­ ductions. Someone who knew what he was doing would have to go by Craig Miller through it and figure out which were the real Frank R. Paul pulp Forry donated his collection to the City of Los Angeles under certain cover paintings and which were repros. (By this I don’t mean prints; conditions. The City formed a committee to analyze the costs in­ he’d have someone paint a replica). The same with movie props and volved and to figure out what to do with it and where to put it. The masks (although I think most of those were made by fans and given to city was definitely interested. Forry as gifts). The committee included people from the L.A. Public Library, from Fourth, there were the on-going costs. Leasing or buying a build­ a couple of the city’s museums, museum consultants, a couple close ing. Re-fitting it to display the collection. Storage space (typically the friends of Forry’s, and me. We spent over a year working on this. major part of any museum’s physical plant). Conservation/restoration There were quite a few meetings, several inspections of possible workspace. Offices. A theater for lectures and showing films (good buildings, and a lot of research. for building a membership and for ticket sale income). Salaries. Etc. Forry had made a number of demands regarding how the collec­ The bottom line seemed to be that we couldn’t figure out how to tion should be displayed. If you know Forry, you can guess at a lot of maintain the bottom line. All the fund raising we could reasonably them. Lots of images of Forry (including a huge one on the outside of estimate and all of the memberships and ticket sales that were reason­ the building). Forry’s pre-recorded voice conducting tours of the col­ able to project just wouldn’t take care of the costs. The interest in the lection. Etc. He also wanted half the museum to include his collection museum, it was felt, would be relatively limited. of pulps, each one displayed cover out. (Sounds sort of cool except Remember, this was the early ‘80s. Science fiction films didn’t when you think about the sheer quantity of them. It would take a huge make up 8 or 9 of the top 10 grossing films of all time. There weren’t amount of space and, while many pulp covers are gorgeous, even if a dozen or more SF shows on television every season. As hot as Star they all were, it would soon become overwhelming.) Wars was, it didn’t seem like 5 out of 10 visitors to Los Angeles (or Perhaps surprisingly, those demands didn’t end the project. even I out of 10) would be making a bee-line for a science fiction The biggest problem boiled down to money. First, the collection is museum. completely uncataloged. The LAPL folks went through it and esti­ After about two years of work, the City thanked the committee for mated that it would take three catalog librarians working full-time our efforts and turned down Forry’s offer of his collection. Forry over two years just to make a listing of what was there (this includes would have liked for there to have been a museum but he wasn't too the books, pulps, posters, art, props, etc.). unhappy. About six months earlier, a group in Germany had offered Second, lots of the collection was in poor condition. Forry had to purchase a big chunk of the collection for cash. Once the City de­ never done anything to preserve his stuff, other than to keep it in­ clined the offer, he was free to sell them some of the pieces they doors. The sheer quantity required everything to be stored in sort of a wanted. And did. hodgepodge fashion, lots of it in boxes. And not proper storage boxes There was still the vast majority of the collection left, but I under­ in many cases. Lots of supermarket boxes and things hurriedly thrown stand many of the choicer items (some books, mostly original movie together. material, I believe) were sold at that time.

Forry Has Left the Building had made it too hard to manage all the stairs in deal with the costs of his care. So he moved the Ackermansion, the 18-room Los Feliz into a three-bedroom rental house with a few — Not the Planet Hills residence stuffed with his collection of sf treasured possessions, such as the replica of Fans cheered and gave Forrest J Ackerman a and movie memorabilia. Forry also needed to the female robot from his favorite film, standing ovation as he came forward during “Metropolis,” a Cylon, his trophies, awards, the 2002 Loscon masquerade halftime to ac­ and his piano (with child-sized teeth marks cept an award for lifetime service to the sci­ where he bit it in frustration over having to ence fiction field. This past Thanksgiving practice.) The Ackermansion was sold and the weekend was the first time many of them had rest of his collection was dispersed in a series seen the 86-year-old icon since he suffered an of sales that received wide media coverage. array of life-threatening medical problems. Bjo Trimble describes Forry’s new place as Forry was assisted to the podium, took the a little I9l I Craftsman-style bungalow only award plaque in one hand and waved greetings three blocks from House of Pies, one of his with the other. very favorite restaurants. She wrote online that Forry’s medical crisis began in April when he has had the bedroom walls painted bright the chair he was sitting in collapsed and he red, with metallic gold trim on all the doors struck his head. A blood clot formed in his and windows. Charlie Jackson II visited and brain as a result of the blow. He was admitted saw lodged beneath the living room’s big bay to Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Los Angeles window was a shiny, new coffin. Charlie says where surgeons operated and removed the he declined to ask for a look inside. clot. However, he had a very difficult recu­ While answering reporters’ questions about peration, including a bout of pneumonia As the sale of his collection, Forry took the op­ Man Of The Times: This LA Times Forry told the Loscon audience, “I almost died portunity to hang another black eye on legal photo shows how Forry mesmerized twice this year!” adversary Ray Ferry. The Los Angeles Times local reporters into writing endless Despite the difficulties of a long stay in said Ackerman blamed the sale of his collec­ Kaiser and weeks of physical therapy at an­ articles mourning the sale of his col­ tion on mounting attorneys fees. Though Ack­ other facility, Forry grew well enough to move lection. Robert Gauthier's snapshot erman won his suit, Ferry has paid none of the home. However, the effects of illness and age appeared in the paper on January 6. $500,000 judgment awarded two years ago for June 2003 7 breach of contract and trademark infringe­ ment. Instead, Ferry transferred his assets to Mr. Shake Hands Man associates and filed bankruptcy. However, U. Chairs Successful Loscon S. Bankruptcy Court has already ruled many Fandom’s working actor, Tadao Tomomatsu, of these transfers are fraudulent. Still pend­ formerly seen on the USA Network during ing is the transfer of the Famous Monsters “Banzai Friday Movie,” graduated into a new trademark to Ferry’s attorneys. Ackerman role this Thanksgiving Weekend: Loscon told the Times he has incurred “several hun­ 2002 Chairman. dred thousand dollars” of litigation expenses. Tadao appeared recurringly on “Banzai” as the seemingly innocuous Japanese tourist Livin ’ High Off the Hoggly “Mr. Shake Hands Man”, who would go to Dick Lupoff appeared at the West Coast Pa­ movie premiers and get famous people to perback Show and Sale on March 30 at the shake his hand for as long as possible. The Above: Tadao Tomomatsu in char­ Mission Hills Inn in LA’s San Fernando Val­ game was to guess how long celebrities acter. Below: Shaking hands with ley. He predicted beforehand that the Show would put up with him. Anjelica Huston. would be only one of many highlights on the Tadao wore a tuxedo rather than a sports trip: “While the official show takes place all coat to preside over Loscon masquerade half­ day Sunday, paperback collectors and enthu­ time events. If it was a temptation to go into siasts start to assemble several days in ad­ “shake hands” mode with the various award vance and participate in a series of book­ presenters, such as your editor, Tadao heroi­ scouting expeditions, open houses, and visits cally restrained himself. to Doctor Hoggly-Woggly’s Tyler Texas Or else he was conserving his energy for Home Style Bar-B-Cue.” later when he joined Christian McGuire and Shawn Crosby onstage in a Chippendales- Short Waves inspired boogie-fest to help kill time until the Will Shetterly has launched a weblog at judges returned. http://shetterly.blogspot.com/ and issued an invitation to the world, “Stop by anytime!” http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw? by Anthony Burgess, about the government’s Laura Brodian Freas recently told read­ t=book&bi=l 746&id= 17329 revolting medical solution to violent social ers of Chronicles of the Dawn Patrol, “Just predators. It Can't Happen Here is Sinclair for the record, anyone making/buying vin­ Prometheus Unbound Lewis’s warning that we are not immune to tage WWII planes can have a real honest-to- losing our liberty at our own hands. “The goodness WWII bomber nose artist make the Harry Potter’s winning the Best Novel Hugo in 2001 sent a shockwave through fandom Prisoner” television series dramatizes how design for their planes’ nose art He just Number Six thwarts an international conspir­ won’t get up on a ladder and paint it him­ that set off a controversial discussion of the purpose of the Hugos. One of the most in­ acy’s attempts to make him say why he did­ self... Ask for Kelly Freas.” Kelly did P- n’t wait and retire at 55 like any other good 38’s, too. sightful turns of phrase among the thousands of words of criticism was “the Hugos do not civil servant. “Requiem” by Robert Heinlein Orson Scott Card celebrated Ender Wig­ is the bittersweet celebration of how sfs gins’ 25th birthday July 5-6, 2002 at Ender- reflect a single ideology.” The word ideol­ ogy, as used by that writer, indicated literary most heroic entrepreneur, Delos Harriman con in Orem UT with a few hundred friends. (“The Man Who Sold The Moon”), defies Card wrote “The Polish Boy” for Endercon, value systems elevate some works above oth­ ers. The Potter discussion shows there are government regulation and finally reaches which he read aloud as the opening act to several consituencies of Hugo voters with the moon himself. Janis Ian’s concert. [[Source: David-Glenn different ideas of what values the award hon­ Then there’s a fifth nominee. The Lord of AndersonjJ ors. On the other hand, if the writer had the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Nate and Louie Bucklin (nee Spooner) meant political ideologies everyone already Would anyone have expected libertarians married on May 30, 2002. [[Source: Ein- knows that Hugos have been given to books to hold a special place in their hearts for a blatt, July 2OO2J7 reflecting political viewpoints as far apart as series of novels glorifying the restoration of Robbie Bourget announced in April 2002 Heinlein’s Starship Troopers and LeGuin’s monarchy? That is the political goal of these that she was made a Probation Services Offi­ The Dispossessed. hundreds of pages, to make Aragom the king cer Case Manager According to amanuensis What if a science fiction fan group with a and revive an ancient system of feudal rela­ Christian McGuire, “Besides more money political ideology created a literary award? tionships. (Could we be any prouder to see and the new challenge (keep Robbie from Wouldn’t people expect the nominees to con­ Pippin and Merry come home to the Shire in being bored), it puts her above annoying peo­ sistently reflect the group’s distinctive liter­ the livery of Gondor?) ple who failed to make the grade for the same ary and political principles? Not if they’re Of course, the inconsistency turns out to job she’s just been hired for. She asked that I familiar with the Libertarian Futurist Soci­ make LFS more appealing to fans, not less. It spread this far & wide and for very good rea­ ety’s Hall of Fame. An issue of the Society’s shows they appreciate an individual’s right to sons I chose to send it to YOU and about a newsletter listed five Hall of Fame Nomi­ ignore ideological and genre lines that inter­ thousand other people.” nees. One of the five seems quite incompati­ fere with giving awards to whatever he or she Linda Bushyager’s sf novel Pacifica, ble with the views of libertarian sf fans. It’s really likes. This Promethus is also unbound! cowritten with John Betancourt, is now avail­ like the “which-one-doesn’t-match-the- able for download as an E-book for PC, others” section of an IQ test. Palm, Franklin E-book, etc. from Fiction- The four that fit are: A Clockwork Orange wise.com. See: 8 File 770:142

Glamourous Sierra:, October 2002, a photo taken by a pro­ fessional at the mall.

habit. And that’s only having tasted those plastic-wrapped Kraft singles. Wait ‘til you get to the good stuff, baby... I’ve noticed how the pursuit of cheese has inspired Sierra’s most ingen­ ious communication breakthroughs. We’ve been working to teach Sierra a sign language vocabulary since the be­ ginning, inspired by the DVD a child development researcher has issued showing infants can pick up a sign vo­ cabulary surprisingly early. Babies are obviously less frustrated when they have a way to tell their parents what they need (and not have to cry until the par­ ent guesses right). Sign is a tool that helps them learn to get along with peo­ ple around them. Soon after Sierra’s first birthday she began to make consistent sense of sign language. She-first began to use signs for “milk,” “book,” “more,” “finished,” FRE^WENTLY ASKED ^WSOGMS “please” and “help.” One day when Diana came home from work, Sierra rushed to greet her saying “Cheese!” and frantically making the “Help!” sign — Siena’s first SIERRA GRACE full sentence. This past Memorial Day Weekend Diana’s friend Alene visited from Oklahoma. She knows sign, and Si­ erra quickly recognized that she did. Over Is she walking? Is she talking? Is she sleep­ My beautiful daughter Sierra was last is­ the weekend, Sierra repeatedly got Alene’s ing through the night? The list of Frequently sue’s cover girl, leading a flight of dragons attention by rubbing her hands together. Asked Questions about Sierra Grace needs over the lush green hills of Alan White’s However, Alene didn’t understand what she updating: the answers to these have been imaginary coastline. She grows more inter­ wanted. To wash her hands? Sierra said “yes” for quite awhile. esting and lovely every day. When I wrote (aloud) the word “Kitchen.” Oh, did she about her a year ago, my girl was three months old, still trying to turn herself over. In January, eleven months old, she was grab­ bing for handholds like a rock-climber, pull­ ing herself up on the coffee table, my pant­ legs, the bars of her crib, the sliding glass door to the patio, filing cabinet handles. Si­ erra used to fall like a tree - very alarming — until Diana taught her to land on her tush, padded by nature and Pampers. Sierra’s mas­ tery of the graceful fall meant we finally could stop hovering about her like stage nin­ jas. By February, from a standing start she could hurtle three or four steps into Diana’s waiting arms. Now in May, she’s trundling around the house at full-speed. Sierra enjoys her independence. When it comes to food, her passion is for anything she can pick off her high chair tray and feed to herself, like peas (her favorite), bits of bread or tortillas, chunks of banana, pieces of chicken and shreds of cheese. In fact, Sierra Diana holds Sierra (in her poodle thinks cheese is so wonderful she won’t skirt), both dressed up for Mike's Got cheese? Yes? Then Sierra touch any other food if it’s in sight. We’re wants to talk to you! Fifties-theme birthday party. trying to limit her to a one-slice-per-day June 2003 9

want to wash her hands in the kitchen? Key: (1) Sierra nibbles an Well, “D’oh!” to all of us. The next time artificial daisy, Jan. 2003; Sierra saw a piece of cheese she made the (2) Building blocks, May handrubbing gesture - which is pretty 2003; (3) In mommy's close to the actual cheese sign, something flowerbed, March 2003; we should have realized! (4) Winter prowl, Feb. We also hadn’t known Siena could 2003; (5) Sierra in the say “kitchen.” I guess she knows a batch pumpkin patch, Oct. 2002 of words and will say one whenever she (6) Daddy and Sierra, thinks it might lead to some cheese. June 2002; (7) L'il hard When no cheese is involved, her pattern hat, May 2003; (8) Adam, is to say a new word now and then but not repeat it for weeks, as if she was satis­ Diana, Mike and Sierra fied with the prototype and feels no need pose with the judge who to put it immediately into production. finalized the adoption Words she now uses routinely include March 27; (9) Bailiff, “outside,” “mama,” “daddy,” “again,” baby, Daddy and teddy. “all done” to get out of her high chair. Since Sierra learned to walk, her speech development has gone in an interesting new direction. She sometimes paces up and down the living room delivering an effusive proclamation with energetic hand gestures - not one syllable of which I un­ derstand. Sierra enjoys hearing stories and watch­ ing kids videos. I love it when she delves into a pile of books, hands me the one she wants read, then climbs into my lap to lis­ ten and turn the pages. I’ve also enjoyed how being Siena’s parents has energized our family relation­ ships and connected us to other people in unexpectedly intimate ways. She’s much more than a new common interest (although it helps that we now know lots of “Raffi” lyrics.) People see us with Sierra and seem to say to themselves, “Now Di­ ana and Mike can understand what we’re talking about.” I’ve discovered that few things in life are as fascinating as to be around her, make eye contact and smile, amuse her, teach her, see her make discov­ eries of her own, and to enjoy her sweet disposition.

Thanks and kisses to Diana, who took just about all of these photos of Sierra. 10 File 770:142

Lasting Impressions: News from the World of Fanzines

More Maps of America dom, and comments about a book by Forry fifteen zines. Gene Wolfe once joked, with a dash of bit­ Ackerman and a book about A. E. van Vogt. The result was 15 zines of All Rotsler ters, that the difference between a book pub­ For information about joining the FAPA material, zines containing illos, diary entries, lisher and a faned is that if a fanzine sells out contact secretary-treasurer Robert Lichtman quotes from himself and others - and other the faneditor will print more. Jerry Kaufman at PO Box 30, Glen Ellen, CA 95442 United original material. Bill Warren then attempted is the latest fan to prove Gene right, bringing States or [email protected]. to reconstruct Bill Rotsler’s old Masque out another edition of Peter Roberts' TAFF mailing list, with help from Robert Lichtman. trip report, New Routes in America. Murder Must Advertise The result of this was that 30 people, most of Jerry explains, “It’s Peter's story of his trip “Another Bloody Fanzine...” began Bill whom were on Rotsler’s old mailing list were as Trans Atlantic Fan Fund delegate to the Bowers’ e-mail and the warning was needed. found whose current addresses could be as­ 1977 Worldcon, the Suncon in Miami, Flor­ It wasn’t simply Bill’s usual polite throat­ certained. Once a month each one of these ida. He has many witty and sharply observant clearing before launching a giant PDF file people were sent a copy of the zine which things to say about the American fans and into my mailbox, because this time it wasn’t Warren got ready that month. The last of American cultural icons he visits before and going to be an Outworlds or a Xenolith. In­ these zines were handed out at Westercon to after the con, and his memories of Suncon stead, he would be broadcasting his mystery those recipients who were there (with the itself are delightful.” apazine titled Neither Rain, Noir Murder #1. others having been previously mailed). The publication is 36 pages of text and The inaugural issue is eight pages, much At which point all of the remaining zines artwork, plus cover, publishing details and of it consumed by a 9,000-word article, were turned over to me to distribute - aside table of contents, all for $10 postpaid to: “How To Do Research for the Police Proce­ from those which were sold at the con. I had Jerry Kaufman, 3522 NE 123rd Street, Seat­ dural,” from Jim Doherty, a working Chicago one condition: one complete set must be tle, WA 98125. cop and published writer. Sounds quite ser- given to Greg Pickersgill’s Permacollection Jerry and Suzie are also at work on the con, for Bill adds this reassurance: “I imag­ as I felt that there should be one complete set successor to their fanzine Mainstream, called ine that, over time this will end up being as on that side of the pond - and the Permacol­ Littlebrook. It's available in print and at much a ‘mystery fanzine’ as Xenolith a ‘sf lection is one of fandom’s premium fanzine efanzine.com. Jerry invites curious minds to fanzine,’ but if you’d like to try this one, the collections. This was agreed to and I took inquire about being on the mailing list by price is reasonable: let me know!” Ask for over the zines. writing to the above address, or via email to the details by e-mailing Bill Bowers at fa- And now they are available to anybody on [email protected] [email protected] a first come, first served basis. The price is $5.00 for each zine and the entire proceeds will be turned over to the William Rotsler Another Golden Horizon Rotsler Masques Now Available Award administered by SCIFI. This Award is for FAP A Announcement by Marty Cantor a cash award and it is given to a fanartist By Murray Moore When Bill Rotsler died, he had not published each year at Loscon - Brad W. Foster was The milestone 250th issue of Harry Warner his fanzine Masque for some time. But he last year’s winner. Do not send postage - Jr.’s Horizons appeared in the August 2002 was obviously thinking about doing so at SCIFI will pick up that tab. Fantasy Amateur Press Association (FAPA) some future date as he laid out - and even I am sending this to several fannish e-lists mailing. printed - many of the pages for future issues. and will operate the sale this way. I am going Harry confounded his critics by using a When Bill Warren got hold of this mate­ to list availability by sets of zines and those new typewriter ribbon. For in the same mail­ rial, he decided that the publishing of addi­ who want a set should indicate the set num­ ing Bob Silverberg wrote, "It seems nicely tional Masques was a public good - but some ber: the lower the set number, the more zines ironic that the FAPA member who through­ work had to be done to make them ready to there are in it. So, set number one will be the out the fifty-three years of my membership “market.” He sorted the pages so that the most complete available set; and, as the num­ has consistently led the Egoboo Poll in the diary material was in date order and he ber of the set gets higher, there will be a category of Most Difficult to Read Magazine printed the sheets which Rotsler had pre­ smaller selection of zines in the set. This is would now tell us that 'My eyes water too pared but not yet printed. He also took Rot­ because an unequal number of zines were badly to continue reading after about ten sler material and created the covers for these produced. pages of an easy-to-read fanzine, fewer Warning: There are no complete pages if it's on colored paper.’" sets of all 15 zines - the last complete Harry himself explains Horizons 250 set went to the Permacollection. There has no mailing comments because the is no set of 14 zines - the most com­ previous mailing arrived late. Also plete sets have 13 zines. "Extremely hot weather has sent the Remember, first come, first served, temperature in my house to 90 degrees so the earlier you post me if you want or higher on most days this summer, one of the more complete sets, the making me reluctant to risk heat stroke better your chance of receiving it. Af­ by the exertion required to type." ter I receive a posting for which I have The bulk of Horizons 250 is mini a set I will reserve it for you and send essays by Harry about Germany's An­ you a posting letting you know this. If dromeda SF Magazin 148 and the Howard DeVore and Ray Beam at Midwestcon somebody posts me the message, “The clubzines of the NFFF and First Fan­ 2002. Photo by Keith Stokes. Most Complete Available Set” I will set aside the most complete set for him June 2003 11 and let him know the price. At which point from the above list) - $60 each set; SET 5: 8 In a boiling pot" you should send me a cheque for the proper zines in this set (zines in the set are - #1, #2, -- "September Twelfth 2001" amount - made out to Martin L. Cantor, not #4, #7, #9, #11, #12, & #14 from the above to SCIFl, as I am handling the finances to list) - $40 for this set; SET 6: 4 zines in this Changes ofAddress make it easier to keep these separate books. set (zines in the set are - #1, #2, #4, & #12 Woody Bemardi, 622 St Andrews Rd., After I receive your cheque 1 will send you from the above list) - $20 for this set; SETS Henderson, NV 89015-7513 your zines. 7 & 8: 2 zines in these sets (zines in each set Dr. Bob Blackwood, E-mail: bob. Here is the list of the zines (with the titles are only #1 & #2 from the above list) - $10 [email protected] being taken from the words or cartoons on each set; I also have 6 individual copies of Diane Blackwood, E-mail: diane. the covers). For the record, #8 (Tall Stories) the first zine, “The Fanzine That Returned [email protected] and #15 (The Only Fanzine in the World from the Dead” which can be purchased Wm. Breiding, P. O. Box 1901, Tucson, AZ Edited by William Rotsler) are not available, separately if one merely wants a smaller sam­ 85702 having been completely distributed. When I ple of the work of Bill Rotsler. - $5 for this Linda and Ron Bushyager, 4025 Mitra Ct., list the zine sets please note that the zine zine. Las Vegas, NV 89103 numbers shown in the list of zines in each set Please contact me soon - as you can see Fred Cleaver, 2146 - C 35th Ave., is the number in front of the zine name in the supply of these wonderful zines is lim­ PMB#801, Greeley, CO 80634 this first list. ited. My recommendation for those wanting Connor Freff Cochran, E-mail: con- (1) The Fanzine That Returned from the the most complete available set is to ask for [email protected]; Snail mail: P. O. Dead; (2) Formerly KTEIC; (3) The Fanzine just that - “The most complete available set.” Box 668, Lafayette, CA 94549 Looking for a Grand Purpose (So Please I will then put that aside for you and let you Elspeth Kovar, E-mail: [email protected]. Help); (4) Every Fan’s Dreamzine; (5) The know the price, sending it after I receive your net Fanzine You’ve Waited For; (6) The Fanzine money. Marty Cantor, 11825 Gilmore St. Richard Labonte, 7-A Drummond St. West, of the People; (7) Published on Nothing #105, North Hollywood, CA 91606, USA, E- Perth, ONT K7H 2J3 Canada Even Approximating a Schedule; (8) Tall mail: [email protected] Ed Meskys, E-mail: [email protected] Stories - (none available as all were distrib­ Marie Rengstorff, E-mail: reng- uted); (9) “So What Do You Think of Hell Without Rhyme or Reason [email protected] Now?” (cartoon caption); (10) The Once- Joe Kennedy, fan writer, artist and editor of Will Shetterly and Emma Bull, P. O. Box Gaudy Fanzine; (11) “One of Those Who the 1940s has a new book being published by 1597, Bisbee, AZ 85603 (Keep track of Will Not Commit Themselves” (cartoon cap­ the Johns Hopkins UP, a collection of poetry them at: http://www.player.org/pub/flash/ tion); (12) The Fanzine You/ve Been Wait­ entitled "The Lords of Misrule" under the emmawill.html) ing For; (13) The Fanzine That is, in So name X. J. Kennedy. Keith Stokes, 13159 W. 108th Terrace, Many Ways, the Best Way to Know William Michael Walsh wrote online, “Met him a Lenexa, KS 66210; Telephone (913) Rotsler; (14) The Fanzine Without a Title year or so ago at the New England Booksell­ 663-2979 Page; (15) The Only Fanzine in the World ers Trade Show. Nice guy. He's something of Sally A. Syrjala, E-mail: [email protected] Edited by William Rotsler - (none available a big name in poetry circles.” To say the as all were distributed) least. SETS 1, & 2: 13 zines in each set From one of the poems in the collection: (missing only zines #8 & #15 from the above Alive, we open eyelids list) - $65 each set; SETS 3 & 4: 12 zines in On our pitiful share of time, each set (missing only zines #8, #10, & #15 We bubbles rising and bursting

row CWCHSCIN WDNS 2©02 AWAI®

Kurt Erichsen won the 2002 Rotsler Memorial Fanzine Artist Award, presented at Loscon 29. Sponsored by the Southern California Insti­ tute for Fan Interests (SCIFl), the Rotsler Award honors the lifetime work of outstanding fanartists and the memory of esteemed fanartist William Rotsler. Kurt, an Ohio fanartist, has been chosen in recognition of his cur­ rent fanac as well as his many years of contributing art to fanzines (a history reaching back even farther than his wonderful pen-and-ink cover for a 1982 Worldcon Progress Report.) He has been generous with his cartoons, and his work is insightful, humorous, and versatile. Kurt is a worthy successor to Rotsler's legacy. The annual award consists of $300 cash and an award plaque. Mike Glyer, Richard Lynch, and Geri Sullivan served as this year’s award judges. Past winners are Steve Stiles (1998), Grant Canfield (1999), ATom (2000) and Brad Foster (2001). Larry iJiven researches ar+iciai gravity for his new novel, "Dryer World ” 12 File 770:142 Donn Brazier

The Name Above The Title

Donn P. Brazier huge volume of comment to feed Donn’s hun­ order to stay on his mailing list you had to gry scissors. Leah Zeldes Smith credits him as contribute and he cut everyone’s bits merrily, (October 4, 1917- May 27, 2002) one of the earliest faneds to move from the slapping unusual bedfellows next to each other by Don Ayres mimeograph to the photocopier as a reproduc­ willy-nilly. tion medium. What would this faned have The obituary reprinted by The Insider Donn Brazier, of Milwaukee and St. Louis done with a modem scanner and word proces­ (clubzine of the St. Louis SF Society) gives fandom, has died of a stroke. His son, Terry, sor? his birthday as October 4, 1917. In a letter reports that he never regained consciousness Donn brought in writers who were avoided from Donn (on First Fandom stationery) he during a 5-day stay at Missouri Baptist Hospi­ by other faneds, including Frederick said that he began his fanac in 1935 and tal and that the entire family was present when (Seduction of the Innocent) Wertham and joined First Fandom in 1970. he passed away peacefully about 9 p.m. on Richard Shaver. Books like We Almost Lost Although each issue maintained that he Memorial Day. After a private funeral service, Detroit and Murder in the Synagogue received wrote an editorial, 1 was hard pressed to locate he was buried at Jefferson Barracks National visibility and lengthy discussion. Excerpts one consistently. Instead, each issue (on a Cemetery. He is survived by Betty, his wife of from Brazier’s World War II diaries (he super­ pretty consistent monthly basis!) was a fre­ 60 years; five children; a brother; sister; and vised a crew of AAF mechanics in the PTO) netic mix of everyone talking about every­ seven grandchildren. appeared. There were always questionnaires to thing. Somehow Donn sorted out the com­ His professional career included a curator­ fuel the editor’s penchant for statistics and ments and organized (??) them so that there ship at the Milwaukee Public Museum until lists. It is fitting that the three books that he was a cohesiveness. 1959, when he accepted the post of education was savoring at his bedside were The Book of Title was more of a phenomenon than a supervisor at the Museum of Science and Lists and story collections by favorite writers “mere” fanzine and the extent of participation Natural History in Clayton, Missouri, a St. Ray Bradbury and Fredric Brown. reflected that. Somewhere along the line he Louis suburb. He became the acting director in Donn was a deserving Fan GOH at Auto­ mentioned that Title was available for partici­ 1961 and served as director from 1962 until clave I, held 28-31 May 1976. It was also pation within three issues, but that was pretty his retirement in 1982. In Milwaukee, he one of the few times that he was induced to much a myth. It seems that almost everyone hosted the early television program “Let’s attend a con, and most fen who met him did so participated every ish. Otherwise you did not Explore” (1950 - 1958) and later started by stopping at the museum as they passed get the nextish. Even your intrepid File 770 “Operation: Explore” on the St. Louis public through St. Louis. He also edited nine issues editor had a fanzine review column (“Boone television station. of the more traditional Farrago, from 1975 to Farkings”) running in Title. Brazier often said that he went through 1978. I believe that there were earlier zines I have thought about it before and cannot three stages of fanac and fen today might best from his first two stages of fanac, but I don’t figure out what created this interaction. There­ remember his third stage: Title #1 bore a date have any information about them. fore, I cannot come up with a recipe to recre­ of April 1972. At a time when most fanzines Terry Brazier asked me to “inform others ate the energy and gee-whiz-gosh-wow-ness of appeared irregularly, Title appeared monthly whom dad would have liked to tip his cap to,” it. The list of Titlers is impressive in some of for 73 consecutive issues until its abrupt ces­ and I hope that I have lived up to the honor of the names that are there, but also in some of sation with the April 1977 issue. that mission: you know who you are, since the names that are there but never heard of Readers who were attracted to Donn’s style most of you graced the pages of his fanzines. again. and wide-ranging curiosity tended to really be My own personal, admittedly skewed view hooked. After a few pages of editorial natter- Donn Brazier (RIP), Title (RIP) of the fanartists who appeared in Title is a ings and a few ‘articles’ a page or two in mixed one. Few are names that I recall going length, Title's differences rose to the fore in and Titlers: A Love Affair on to fandom at large and yet names like the lettered - but instead of the customary by Sheryl Birkhead Jackie Franke (Causgrove) are there and tal­ parade of letters by one author after another, ents not cajoled into artwork in many other Donn splattered the letters confetti-like Donn Brazier died May 27, 2002. He was a zines. throughout the zine according to topics or by gentleman, a gentle man, and a fan who let me Donn didn’t seem to care overly about the editorial departments, a few sentences here, into his world of fanzines. He Titled. look of Title. The rest of us didn’t seem to another there. It was the equivalent of a con by If you’ve never seen an issue of Title, it is a notice as long as the text was legible. He did Postal Service, an atmosphere that generated a bit difficult to explain the phenomenon. In come up with interesting mixes of ditto and June 2003 13 mimeo, where even the bleed- Natterings and its mutated sibling throughs were intriguing. Nutterings, along with Reverb Howl Donn loved doing Title and it (“...is not a fanzine. It is a solution showed. He loved talking about his unsatisfactory!”) family, science (he was the Director With the demise of Title, Donn’s of the St. Louis Museum of Science fanac slowed considerably. I suspect and Natural History) and science fic­ that family obligations were coming tion. I got a chance to meet him to the forefront. We always managed twice - once as he traveled through the postcard/letter at Christmas - D.C. we met at the airport - along until this past year - and he never with Mike Shoemaker - and again at indicated that things were other than his home while I was passing through. just right. He was easy to talk to and never short “ WWz> There is a large fannish family. of conversation topics. I suspect he Only the death of William Rotsler would have loved to have written pU3USH€S has shaken me as much as did hear­ some speeches for the fictional guest eeTH&i. ing of Donn’s death. Three years ago of honor at this year’s Worldcon, Fer­ I asked him if he would create the dinand Feghoot. His sense of humor STAPLE definitive Title history and gave him just seemed to run that way, sideways. two choices - either he could write This may be an obscure reference TDffTt&t? one on his own or I would provide to many, but Donn’s friendship with him with a list of questions. I think and the visibility of Ed Cagle in Title he believed that my list would be the was sort of an example of the regu­ lesser (and easier) of two evils. How­ larly awesomeness of Donn’s person­ ever, my list turned out to be six ality on paper. I apologize to those pages long and I felt I had covered who never knew Cagle (in actuality, I every possible aspect of Title. Donn never met him) but his letters were tried to procrastinate by saying there intimidating and he never shied away / was no need to provide the informa­ from being direct. The two men V tion since no one was interested. I seemed to be opposites, but their already had that one cut off at the chemistry worked. weighed look. Each issue was dedicated to knees since I had two faneds ready to take a Title issue #1 (April 7, 1972) was 10 readers and it was a thrill to see your name look and one or the other of them would pub­ mimeographed pages with a print run of 98. there with a reason why. lish the material. I never thought Donn The second annish (#24) listed 78 contribu­ I found Donn’s list of 12 of the original would go to such lengths to avoid getting me tors to the ish - a whopping 78% response 13 and assume (since I only got invited in at that information . rate, because Donn tried to keep the Titler issue #4) there was some reasoning behind He was one of a kind - and that kind was list at a slightly fluid 100. this number that 1 never quite fathomed) - a superb human being. Even though we had By January 1974 Donn succumbed to Bruce D. Arthurs, Claire Beck, Ned Brooks, not written much lately, I always knew 1 capitalism and made one sample copy avail­ Ann Chamberlain, Ed Connor, Buck Coul­ could - and now I can’t. That indefinable able for 25 cents. Part of the zine’s attraction son, Jackie Franke, Mike Glyer, Norman something that he put into his creations made was the egoboo that Donn doled out to the Hochberg, Ben Indick, Roy Tackett and every ish a party and called out the best in readership. Readers provided all the artwork Harry Warner Jr. the reading family. I’m so very glad I knew (ahem, some of it less than museum quality) Donn also created Farrago and several you Donn. Don de Barbecue and Dr. Splrfsk, and he felt - strongly - that content out­ other titles (which were actually sub-Tit/es!), I’ll miss you.

lasagna, and Dave Grubbs (after some coax­ room, and gave the attendant the bag to hold Clipping Service ing) valiantly threw himself onto it.” for me. “That resulted in an ‘unattended bag’ In Instant Message 711 (and what issue In 2002, Milwaukee airport security saved situation, the Sheriff was called, a bomb- could have a luckier number than that?) the world from... Laura Brodian Freas and sniffing dog brought in, a report being made, Clerk Pam Fremon reported the menu of her husband, Kelly? She described the har­ etc., etc. etc. End of story. I was pretty NESFA’s November 24 Other Meeting: rowing experience for readers of Chronicle shaken up for the next hour.” “Deb [Geisler] and Mike [Benveniste] fed us of the Dawn Patrol'. to the gills with an enormous tray of lasagna “ I inadvertently caused an incident at the Philadelphia SF Club President Hugh Casey (containing 5 lbs. of meat and 2 lbs. of mush­ Milwaukee airport: Had a long layover wait­ almost made his show business debut in Sep­ rooms). It was a free-range lasagna that had ing for our connection. Kelly [was in a] tember. “I was supposed to be checking out been humanely slaughtered and carried no wheelchair as we anticipated a long distance an alternate location for meetings, but was trace of fur, feathers, nor scales. to the next departure gate. Attendant met us unable to make it due to being held up in “Deb acknowledged that this year she as we disembarked the plane, and wheeled traffic. In fact I ended up driving into the hadn’t also made an emergency back-up lasa­ him toward the gate, as I carried a very heavy middle of filing for Kevin Smith’s upcoming gna, figuring that this one would be enough. tote bag. Kelly had to use the restroom, so movie Jersey Girl - apparently disrupting a As she said, people had brought enough the attendant parked him at the entrance to shot and getting some crew members very sweets for 27 courses of desserts. At the end the men’s room, and waited for him to walk angry at me. I did not see either the director of the meal there was only one helping of back out. I suddenly had to use the women’s or the stars.” [[Source: Phrodo 10/02]] 14 File 770:142

friends over the years, in­ came to L.A. for library science at the Uni­ cluding Ted Johnstone, Drew versity of Southern California and earned his Sanders, Elayne [Bruce’s living as a librarian at UCLA. wife], Larry Niven and, for a Forry Ackerman was early on so active in while, people such as me and LASFS it could have been called Forry’s Craig Miller.” Club. Later it could have been Bjo’s Club. Drew shared a Santa John Trimble writes, “Bjo, Al Lewis, Ernie Monica apartment with Wheatley, and I, along with others, had been Bruce in the early 1970s, and the moving force in the LASFS for several once compared the two of them to Archie years. Bruce, Ted Johnstone, and some other Obituaries Goodwin and Nero Wolfe. Larry Niven fans saw themselves as our competition. We celebrated his friendship with Bruce by let them be the loyal opposition until we Bruce Pelz using him as the inspiration for characters were convinced they’d do a good job with August 11, 1936 — May 9, 2002 Gregory Pelton in “Flatlander” and Bruce the club, and then let them take it away from Hyde in Fallen Angels. Also, Larry’s “What us. Obviously, looking at where the club is by Mike Glyer Can You Say About Chocolate Covered today, it was a sound move.” Manhole Covers” fictionalized the 1968 So eventually it became Bruce’s club, Surely you met him: did any reader of File party where Bruce and his first wife, Dian despite the fact that in the early 1960s Bruce 770 not know Bruce Pelz? What did he look (now Crayne), celebrated the finality of their could not have been elected dogcatcher if like the first time you met him? The young, divorce. There really was a cake with a little LASFS had one. He even opposed creating faannish Bruce on his way to enter the 1963 bride and groom on top facing in opposite the Building Fund, which Paul Turner, then Worldcon Masquerade as Fritz Leiber’s directions. Treasurer, got approved in 1964. It had Fafhrd, his hair dyed blond, a matching Bruce first lived in Los Angeles with $7,000 by 1969. That was a lot of money at beard on his chin, carrying a huge broad­ fellow LASFSians Jack Hamess, John the time, but not nearly enough. Then Bruce sword, who paused to sell Lenny Bailes a became Treasurer. As the self-described subscription to Starspinkle? Or the 1970 Committee to Gouge Money Out of the vintage Bruce, who came to the LASFS’ LASFS, he was so effective the Fund bought anniversary banquet dressed in black from a clubhouse three years later, making head to toe like a bellicose prince of dark­ LASFS the first sf club ever to get one. ness, and plumped the Building Fund by In 1962-1964, Ron Ellik edited the auctioning donated desserts? Or the grey- newszine Starspinkle, which Bruce pub­ bearded, book-huckstering Bruce of the late lished and unofficially co-edited. In 1963 he 1990s, still spinning-up new LA bids for the stood for TAFF, finishing third to Marion NASFiC, Westercon and Worldcon? Zimmer Bradley and Wally Weber, the Before finding fandom, writes Milt winner. Among Bruce’s nominators were Stevens, “Bruce was an Eagle Scout. Really. Marion and the Trimbles. Ellik had been the I guess once he started collecting merit TAFF delegate in 1961. Starspinkle ceased badges, he had to have all of them.” When when he moved to Washington, D.C. Bruce Bruce transferred that passion to fandom, he promptly launched a newszine of his own, continued to excel. He built the largest Ratatosk, in November 1964, named for the fanzine collection in the world. In 1980, as squirrel in Norse mythology who runs up Worldcon Fan Guest of Honor, he published and down Yggdrasil, the tree of life, carry­ the Fantasy Showcase Tarot Deck, each card ing rumors between the dragon at the bottom done by a fan or pro artist of the time. He and the eagle at the top. Ron was known as organized many conventions and success­ Trimble, and Ernie Wheatley, renting a the Squirrel. (Bruce was known as the fully bid for LA to host the 2002 Westercon, house on the hillside above the L.A. Civic Elephant.) Bruce published Ratatosk for to be called Conagerie (“It’s a jungle out Center, until John married Bjo Wells in three years, and then, when Ron died in there”). 1960. Around that time, Jack and Bruce 1968, Ron’s TAFF report The Squirrel's He died suddenly in 2002, of a pulmo­ finally managed to join every existing apa, Tale, which Ron had finished in 1965. nary embolism, two months before the con becoming known as omniapans. Their In 1964 Bruce persuaded LASFSians to and two hours before the weekly LASFS achievement was too terrible to be allowed. start a weekly apa, APA-L. New York fans meeting, which broke up, stunned into Members of one apa conspired to produce did it first with APA-F, but APA-L is still silence. two versions of the official organ saying the going, and should reach its 2,000th distribu­ Writing about him now, I think of a apa was dead. Everyone but the omniapans tion in the summer of 2003. Almost every­ scene from the movie Gladiator: received the version announcing a successor one seems to have been in APA-L. I was apa, APA-X, and inviting them to join. That (and even helped Marty Cantor run it for a Maximus: You knew Marcus Aurelius? effectively dropped Jack and Bruce, and also little while). Robin Johnson and Kees van Proximo: I didn’t say I knew him. I said Ted Johnstone (who was then in many, but Toom contributed from overseas and be­ he touched me on the shoulder once. not all, apas). came Worldcon chairs. Bruce’s Lzine was Bruce had discovered fandom at the Nyet Vremya — Russian for “no time.” He I knew Bruce better than Proximo knew the University of Florida. Around 1957 he and naturally found a Russian typewriter to put Emperor, but I realize that our friendship some fellow members of the Florida his title onto mimeograph stencils in Cyrillic was based more on shared experiences than Speleological Society, finding they shared letters. on shared confidences. As Bill Warren says, an interest in science fiction, started a club Bruce’s ambitious fanzine collection - “[Bruce] only had a very, very few close called SCIFI, which met weekly. In 1959 he part of the reason he’d joined every apa - June 2003 15 grew dramatically when he acquired the Countess Gertrude of Groan; 1970, Gorice cut and left off his glasses.” holdings of the Fanzine Foundation from Al of Carce. He entered the 1974 Worldcon Bruce’s activity in filk and costuming fell Lewis in 1965. By the end there was over a masquerade as a one-legged character, dormant as he invested more of his talents ton, including some or all of the collections achieving the effect by keeping one leg into convention politics and LASFS fund- of Lewis, Martin Alger, Howard DeVore, belted double against itself. raising (in 1977 the club replaced its first Phyllis Economou, Larry Shaw, and R.D. Lee Gold writes, “Of these costumes, the clubhouse with a roomier property). Swisher. Bruce styled himself a “completist one I particularly remember was Countess With Chuck Crayne he co-chaired collector” who wanted every issue of every Gertrude. Bruce wore a green and gold Westercon XXII (1969) and L.A.Con I fanzine. To keep track of how he was doing caftan, a green cap, and a string of snails. He (1972 Worldcon). He chaired Westercon during the 1970s, he spent many lunch hours spent the presentation murmuring to a dove XXIX (1976). He convinced LASFSians to at UCLA keypunching the data about his which perched on his finger (and was actu­ start holding a local convention, Loscon, collection onto holorith cards, and proudly ally stuffed). No one recognized him includ­ and he chaired Loscon X (1983). At displayed the list, printed on an endless ing old friend Charlie Brown, who actually Noreascon I (1971 Worldcon) eighty fans stream of 11 x 16 computer paper. It all helped ‘Gertrude’ up the ramp. The panel of proved willing to pay him and Charlie finally went to UC Riverside, where Greg judges was sufficiently impressed by the Brown a buck to be registered as Secret Benford says the existing fanzine collection whole affair to award him MOST EVERY­ Masters of Fandom; Charlie kept #1 for has been treated well. THING, including Most Beautiful, Best himself and gave Bruce #2; for years Bruce’s penchant for binding some of his Presentation, and Best Group (after all, there Bruce’s car license plate was SMOF 2. He better fanzines in hardcover was the subject was Gertrude and the Dove). When the was a Fellow of NESFA. of a satirical article in the (apparently quite name of the winner was announced, the In 1970, he and Chuck Crayne held the tardy) final issue of Dick Lupoffs Xero. entire audience burst into applause.” first annual Anthony Boucher Memorial Dick described Pelz’ “stubby peasant fin­ The show never ended for Bruce, even in Mystery Convention. “It was Bruce’s idea,” gers” opening the envelope and the frustra­ his street clothes. Sandy Cohen recalled, explains Len Moffatt, “to make the conven­ tion of having his complete bound collection “One of my earliest memories is seeing him tion a memorial to Anthony Boucher, who maned by a loose issue. Since I happened to with dyed hair for a costume and hearing had died the year before,” a leading editor, read the article in Bruce’s bound volume of him almost gleefully discuss how his co­ and no slouch as a writer, of s-f and myster­ Xero, I was puzzled. Bruce said Lupoff had workers would react.” And Walt Willis ies. Bouchercon, still going, officially the credited him with too much efficiency -- the wrote that after the 1962 Worldcon “fancy World Mystery Convention, made Bruce its run of Xero had been sitting for years in a dress parade” contestants were “mutely Fan Guest of Honor in 1991. stack to be bound Real Soon Now when the challenging people to guess who they were... Bruce innovated financial practices in issue arrived. The most remarkable transformation was science fiction convention-running. L.A.Con Bruce also applied his publishing skills that of Bruce Pelz, who had performed the I reimbursed Bruce and another fan’s ex­ to filking - a term based on a typo by his notable feat of wearing fancy dress through­ penses of bidding, including their airfare to friend, Lee Jacobs. Bruce wrote music for out the convention until he looked quite Germany to present the bid at Heicon three songs from John Myers Myers’ Silver- normal in it, and then had changed his (1970). L.A.con II (1984) also reimbursed lock, “Little John’s Song,” “Widsith’s clothes, shaved off his beard, had his hair expenses. This policy drew fire but was Song” (with Ted Johnstone), and “Friar quietly adopted by other cons. Bruce co­ John’s Song.” Bruce and Ted trekked half­ founded the Southern California Institute for way across the country to Myers’ home, Fannish Interests, a nonprofit corporation, sang him the songs (with Gordy Dickson’s which produced L.A.con II and III, the 1999 setting of “Orpheus’ Song,” also known as NASFiC, and Westercons. Bruce persuaded “I Remember Gaudy Days”), and got per­ SCIFI to give a $500 bounty to TAFF or mission to publish Myers’ words. Bruce DUFF any time a delegate published a trip included these songs in the first of his four report. This was to some extent a success. In Filksong Manuals, which printed both 1992 he led SCIFI to publish a hardbound words and music (wherever legally possi­ edition of A Wealth of Fable, the history of ble), another first. At Westercon XX (1967) fandom in the 1950s by Harry Warner, Jr., he sang Master of the Universe in Virginia edited by Richard Lynch, which earned a and Stephen Schultheis’ “Captain Future Hugo as Best Non-Fiction Book. Meets Gilbert & Sullivan.” Though always busy in these activities, A star in all the fannish arts, Bruce had a Bruce also pursued his favorite recreations, great track record as a costumer, too. His especially card-playing. At one time he was Westercon award-winners included: 1963, so enamored of duplicate contract bridge Heavy Trooper, from Dragon Masters', that he wanted to hold a bridge tournament 1965, Gorice of Carce, from E.R. Eddison during an LA worldcon. Over the years, as (with Dian Pelz as the Lady Sriva); 1966, LASFS went in for Hell’s Bridge (with some the Fat Fury, from the comic-book adven­ justice referred to simply as Hell), poker, tures of Herbie (with Dian as Ticklepuss); bowling, miniature golf, Diplomacy, and 1967, Barquentine, from Titus Groan', 1978, Mah Jongg, Bruce took part in all. Mah Nick van Rijn, from Poul Anderson’s Pole- Jongg is straight Chinese style, so much so sotechnic League. Among his Worldcon What goes around: Bruce wore a that when Gary Louie arrived he could mix winners: 1963, Fafhrd (with Ted Johnstone carousel-animal guise to promote right in. At poker, games like Anaconda are as the Gray Mouser, and Dian as Ningau- an LA worldcon bid at the 1986 mild; there’s Ha-Ha Herman and Hot Pas­ ble); 1966, Chun the Unavoidable, from The BayCon. From a picture tribute by trami, and if you play Big Squeeze with the Dying Earth', 1968, Heavy Trooper; 1969, Alan White. wild-card rules for Baseball you get Girdle 16 File 770:142

Sale at Yankee Stadium. One may detect the known verse says that anyone’s death dimin­ influence of Jack Hamess, but he was not ishes us, and with Bruce we know we have alone. Joe Minne and I each succeeded at lost part of ourselves. inventing games which were not only banned Thanks to Lee Gold, Richard Lynch, Craig from play, but we had to pay a dollar to be Miller, Len Moffatt, Milt Stevens, and John allowed to explain the rules. Bruce published Trimble, who contributed substantially to this the collected rules of LASFS Poker in the article. 1970s. Later he kept a computerized journal of the Hell-Five Society, with life standings at Bruce Pelz Hell under nicknames so clever we forgot what they meant; he was Hathi (“elephant” in by Takumi Shibano Hindi, after Kipling). See my article “Lifetime When Mr. Hiroaki Inoue, the chairperson of Positive” in Steven Silver’s Argentus 2. our bidding committee for the 2007 Worldcon These games were a feature of the frequent in Japan, called me and told me that he had parties hosted by Bruce and Elayne. The just heard that Mr. Bruce Pelz passed away I couple belonged to Petards, which had a couldn't find the words to express how much I different “Hoist” each month, and to the was shocked. Prestigious International Gourmand Society. I am deeply grieved to hear the passing of They held a yearly Ellik-Jacobs wine & cheese Bruce and we share the same feeling among party, and a Virgileo ice cream party the committee members. His name was well- (originally named for his & Dian’s astrological known as the model of Mr. Elephant or Bruce Bruce in 1979. Photo, Jim Bearcloud signs). Inspired, or not, by Terri & Tom Hyde in Mr. Larry Niven's stories even to Pinckard’s salons, for many years Bruce and Japanese SF readers who have never met him. Elayne issued party invitations on the letter­ Bruce and Elayne enjoyed traveling, tour­ (Translators explain officiously about them in head of the “Drinking Readers’ Entropic ing all over the world, usually by plane and their postscripts.) Gaming Society (DREGS) of L.A. Fandom.” car. After retirement, Bruce tried out a couple I first met him in the summer of 1968 when Theirs was the society the rest of us aspired to. of ocean cruises, at first going on his own then my wife and I visited the USA for the first Since the 1960s wherever Bruce lived was the persuading Elayne to join in. He wrote up the time and stayed with the Trimbles. John and Tower, including the house in Granada Hills highlights of these trips in his annual Bjo took us along to the Thursday Meeting of where hundreds of fan gatherings were held FAP Azine, Tripe Report. An issue about their LASFS on our second day in the US, and saw over the years. Bruce loved pet names: his visit to Antarctica featured a color cover of Bruce on a stage as an auctioneer. In those blue Ford van was called the Ox, after Paul Elayne in polar weather gear. Their most days they were raising a fund to buy a house Bunyan’s big blue ox Babe, a name that car­ ambitious cruise came in 2001, an epic 65-day for LASFS. It seemed to me as if Bruce was ried over although his next van was red; the voyage up the coast of Africa and around the leading the whole group - Mr. Elephant was Ox figured in several famous road trips. Mediterranean to visit exotic places most of us big and looked dignified even 34 years ago. Bruce spent the last decade of his life have heard of only in Hope and Crosby And when we talked to him in person, later, I immersed in projects to preserve fanhistory. “Road” pictures. Bruce took advantage of the was rather surprised to find out that he was a He was on the Timebinders electronic list, and Internet cafes in port to e-mail a long list of very polite and graceful person. co-founded Fanhistoricon. He coordinated friends about good eating and good shopping, Bruce visited Japan in April 1985 in a tour group of six American SF people including Worldcon exhibits, recently a history of though contrary to what you might expect, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Niven to visit The Science Worldcon bidding, largely from his own Bruce admitted, “We’re not the most adven­ Expo held in Tsukuba. I think some of my collection. His elephant memory served well. turous of eaters.” Pondering whether there was friends made friends with him at that occasion. He could also trumpet if someone failed to anything worth eating locally at the stop in In the fall of 1999, when our fandom make a story march. He did not spare himself. Turkey, Bruce wrote, “I suppose there’s al­ started a plan to bid for the worldcon seri­ After his passing, Joyce Scrivner posted on­ ways Turkish Delight - the real stuff, not the ously, I was asked to become one of advisers line that he had sent her, as advice, “I find that Bonomo’s junk. ...We took a break in the for the bidding committee, and the first thing I the ways of dealing with a group that isn’t Grand Bazaar and had drinks - Diet Coke, of did was to write to Bruce asking for his ad­ doing things I think they should — including course - and a plate of Baklava. That the stuff vice. At the Westercon in 2000, he introduced me in their activities, for instance — are: (I) we get in the states dares to use the same name Mr. Ben Yalow to me saying that Mr. Yalow subdue them (a takeover); (2) subvert them is really a crime!” was the most informed person of the business. (establish a rivalry that outdoes the group); (3) He and Elayne became such good custom­ Their advice was really more than useful and sideline them (steer others around them in a ers of Princess Cruises that their picture was in Bruce kindly recommended us his wife, different and better direction); (4) subsume the Spring 2002 issue of Captain’s Circle. It Elayne, to be our American agent. It is not too myself to fit in (almost impossible, for me); or did not occur to them why the company might much to say that we couldn't start our bid (5) retreat (a last resort).” This was a stem have sent them an entire carton of copies. without him as smoothly as it did. autobiography. Early arrivers at a Westercon committee Elayne and Bruce gave Mr. Inoue a lot of After Bruce retired as librarian at the meeting made the discovery. UCLA Engineering school, he started selling Bruce had an edgy, fruitful imagination and valuable information after Chicon 2000, too. At the last day of the Millennium Philcon, books, at the LASFS and at cons. He said it a rare ability to accomplish what he envi­ Bruce also gave me good advice and sugges­ paid his way; in fact, as usual, he was doing a sioned. It’s been hard to come to terms with tions. His advice always helped our prepara­ service. He remembered what people bought, the fact that someone who lived so fully was tion very much. and was ready with something else that would taken away so suddenly. Those of us who Bruce was really a wonderful and great be to their taste. It made him easy to find, leaned on him, and who cared about him, feel person. I think that we can never thank him which was good for business, for bidding, and the parts of life we accessed best in his com­ enough. He will live forever in our hearts. for friendship. pany have been cut away. John Donne’s well- June 2003 17

Harry Warner, Jr. Harry won the Best Fanwriter Hugo in Harry Warner Jr. passed way on February 17, 1969 and 1972, and afterwards he wrote a 2003 at home - the 423 Summit address in­ very funny article for Granfalloon called delibly etched on fannish memories by his “How I Fought For My Hugo.” A Wealth of thousands of letters of comment. The cause Fable garnered him another Hugo in 1993 of Harry’s death at the age of 80 was not for Best Non-Fiction Book. reported, however, letters written last winter On March 25, Rich and Nicki Lynch at­ reported how illness kept him away from tended the “Orphans Court” hearing to allow fanac for weeks at a time, and Harry specu­ police access to Harry’s house to search for lated in a letter this January that his health his will. Rich later learned that Harry’s will might force him to move to assisted living. had named a lawyer and a bank as his per­ Harry Warner was a superb fanwriter and sonal representatives, and left his house and a prolific correspondent. I agreed with Tim all its contents to the Lutheran church that Marion when he wrote: “Since Harry is one Harry attended. Letters by Harry accompany­ of my very favorite fanwriters, the temptation ing the will indicated that the Eaton Collec­ is to put his writing into 10-point type and tion of the University of California-Riverside Fanhistorical trio: Rich Lynch, my own into 8-point....” Harry undertook to should get his fanzines, and $10,000 was to standing, George Flynn and Nicki comment on every zine he got, sometimes be set aside for their packing and shipping. writing that he felt guilty for falling behind Lynch, seated, at the 2002 Midwest- The official reading of the will was sched­ or missing an issue. He answered neos’ ef­ con. Photo by Keith Stokes. uled to take place on April 29. forts as readily as anyone’s, and many a Alhough the will provides for the fanzines clubzine devoid of any other appreciation for the journalistic precision of his descriptions to go to UC Riverside, Harry’s letter in the the editor’s work boasted a solitary loc from and his playful “idea-tripping” (Tom Digby’s February 2003 issue of DASFAx said, “I Harry. term for the fannish practice of applying thought I had found a home for my fanzines, He was earnestly interested by anything twisted Campbellian logic to extrapolate an the University of California, but it has just from baseball to opera. He was fandom’s idea in an amusingly unexpected direction.) acquired the Bruce Pelz fanzine collection leading historian, author of All Our Yester­ The desire for precision served Harry well and mine would duplicate to a major extent days and A Wealth of Fable. He was highly as a reporter on the Hagerstown Herald-Mail the Pelz holdings.” So the ultimate fate of his reclusive. Worldcons were spotlighted in his for 40 years, retiring in 1983. After Harry’s collection remains to be seen. chronicles, yet he didn’t go to them even death, former colleague Arnold Platou wrote Harry inspired many cartoons by that when they were close to home. (He made an an article marveling at the sudden discovery other omnipresent fanzine contributor, Bill exception for Noreascon I, the 1971 World- Harry had concealed from nearly everyone Rotsler. Most were intended to appear beside con, where he was fan guest of honor). His on the staff “that for most of his life his fasci­ a Warner loc in the lettercolumn. Bill also legend as the irascible Hermit of Hagerstown nation with science fiction and science fic­ drew one for File 770 whose joke depended was largely based on his own description of tion fans had led him to write volumes of on there being no Warner letter in the issue. these tendencies, laced with self-deprecating magazine articles and books on the subject, Fortunately, it’s already been published be­ humor. and that he was known to thousands of sci-fi cause, however timely, I would not enjoy The other hallmarks of Harry’s prose were aficionados throughout the world.” using it now.

George Alec Effinger the dream of George receiving the rocket at Effinger Memories NolaCon II in his hometown but it was not 1947-2002 meant to be. Ironically, the next year (1989) by Norm Hollyn George Alec Effinger passed away April 27, his novelette “Schrodinger’s Kitten” swept I’d heard about George’s death - an obit in 2002. He was 55 years old and had lived both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. George’s the New York Times. At the time I tried to much of his life in the French Quarter of other accolades included a GoH-ship at the remember some of the details of my interac­ New Orleans, an experience that enlivened 1995 Dragon*Con/NASFiC in Atlanta. tions with him and was able to hazily recall a his finest writing. Effinger attended Clarion George was frequently beset by severe few (Mike, you’ll understand, now that you in 1970 and his stories began appearing in health problems. The hospitalizations left have a child, why it’s impossible to remem­ print the following year, among them the burdensome medical bills. In fact, his plight ber anything anymore). satirical “All The Last Wars At Once.” His was one reason the Science Fiction and He was one of the pros who I felt was a first novel, What Entropy Means To Me Fantasy Writers of America Emergency contemporary. Not actually: five years is a (1972), became a Nebula Award nominee. Medical Fund was started, aided by a $2,000 big separation when you’re not out of school George’s humor and accessibility at contribution from L.A.con II. and just barely out of your teens, but I felt conventions made him a fan favorite, and in About the last time I saw George was at that way. I first met him [in 1970] at a series the dawning days of the Internet he was Loscon 2000 on Sunday afternoon. He and of Locus collations at Charlie Brown’s omnipresent on the GEnie Roundtables and Barbara Hambly had missed on Loscon in house. Collations were, for me, an invigorat­ CompuServe forums. He occasionally wrote favor of a Beatles convention elsewhere in ing though sometimes intimidating experi­ for File 770 and other fanzines. town, then visited the Loscon green room on ence and when Piglet [George’s nickname] His science fiction masterpieces were the the way home to tell friends that they had showed up, starting to write and looking for Marid Audran novels set in a 21st century married. Barbara was in what I’d call a “sock connections (both personal and professional) Middle East. When Gravity Fails (1987) was hop” outfit. George was in a white jacket in New York, I found him very easy to talk followed by A Fire in the Sun (1989) and with padded shoulders doing his best to look to. We spent many a Sunday afternoon The Exile Kiss (1991). The 1988 Hugo like Elvis Presley. It was a glorious moment: passing mimeographed pages to each other, nomination of When Gravity Fails inspired I wish it would have lasted a long, long time. swigging Coke, and talking. 18 File 770:142

When Lou Stathis and I the Andrew Ollie Memo­ decided to take our mutual rial Trust, Northern Medi­ love of science fiction and cal Research Foundation, start Xrymph magazine Level 4, Vindin, Royal (under the nominal sponsor­ North Shore Hospital, St ship of the nearly catatonic Leonards, New South Stony Brook Science Fiction Wales 2065 Australia. Forum — they had a library [[Sources: Bruce Gilles­ but not much else, and no pie, Janice Gelb]] one there [save Jim Frenkel] seemed to have much of a Jon Gustafson taste in music) we began to Jon Gustafson, writer, look for people who we illustrator, editor, pub­ thought could write and ask lisher, and appraiser of them to create fiction for the science fiction and fantasy magazine. Though I could art and book collections, never convince Piglet to write died April 13, 2002 at something for us he was extremely encourag­ titles including Gryphon and The Wild Colo­ Lewiston, ID where he was hospitalized for ing, generous of his editorial time, and a big nial Boy. Foyster joined with John Bangsund treatment of a stroke and complications of booster. One of my sadnesses now, is that of and Lee Harding to launch world-renowned diabetes. He was 56. the six people who I remember from that Australian Science Fiction Review in 1966. Jon graduated from Washington State period as being supportive of this passionate Foyster was a must-read critic. His special University with a BA in Fine Arts. He taught but low-rent mimeographed fan fiction issue on Cordwainer Smith (ASFR ll) con­ art for a year, and worked as an illustrator at magazine only one-third of us are gone now. tinued to be reprinted for many years. At the WSU. Jon married geologist and science Lou, as you know, died several years ago. end of the Sixties Foyster resumed publish­ fiction writer Vicki Mitchell in 1982 and Piglet was the other. (Larry Carlton, Vincent ing zines of his own, such as the unforgetta­ they lived in Moscow, ID. DiFate, Spider Robinson and myself are -- bly-titled exploding madonna/Joumal of Jon helped create MosCon in 1978 and knock wood - still alive and kicking). Omphalistic Epistemology. Later he pro­ made it the first SF convention to routinely I still remember George showing up at duced two newzines, Norstrilian News and feature both an author and an artist Guest of SUNYCON, the tiny little con that I organ­ Chunder! (Has anyone ever matched John’s Honor, the first to have a scientist Guest of ized at my college in — what was it -- 1974? flair for naming fanzines?) Honor, and the first to pay writers and artists 1973? Perhaps because I was myself pain­ Foyster had a hand in every part of mod­ for their contributions to the program book. fully shy, I always had seen Piglet in the em Australian fandom. He was organizer of John wrote for my genzine, Scientifric- same way. I saw him as a compatriot in the Australia’s first convention in 1966. He tion, in the late 1970s. His innovative col­ fight to find what are now know as “coping helped start ANZAPA (Australian and New umn, “Ulterior Designs,” took a critical look skills.” After the day’s program had finished Zealand Amateur Publishing Association) in at the field of sf art, covering the whole and we retired to the “endless party” area, I 1970. He founded the Nova Mob, Mel­ spectrum of pro and fan work. He was an was astounded when George commandeered bourne's SF discussion group. Bruce Gilles­ engaging writer who did an excellent job of the “film room” (actually a lounge in my pie credits Foyster as the major force behind explaining his views - and in the process, dorm with a 16mm projector setup in it) and the Down Linder Fan Fund, created in 1972, helping his readers understand their own insisted on running “Bambi Meet Godzilla” and for instigating the worldcon bid commit­ preferences. endlessly — sometimes forward and some­ tee that led to Aussiecon I in 1975. He started JMG Appraisals in 1983, the times in reverse. I was too busy drunkenly Foyster continued to be an active club, first professional science fiction/fantasy art trying to make the pinball machine stop con and fanzine fan all the way to his final and book appraisal service in North America. yelling TILT to care. Besides, I understood year. His last zine, eFNAC, enjoyed a run of He aided collectors all over the US and that people were loving it. George had cer­ 30 issues in PDF. western Canada who needed their holdings tainly, by then, overcome his hesitancy to John’s partner, Yvonne Rousseau, cared properly appraised for insurance purposes. step forward. It had been a year or two since for him in many ways. To honor Foyster’s Jon was a founding member of the Asso­ his justly deserved acclaim at What Entropy 60lh birthday in April 2001, she obtained ciation of Science Fiction/Fantasy Artists Means To Me. tributes to John and other articles from (ASFA) and served on its Board of Directors. So, while my Worldcon memories may be fanwriters throughout the world for a He created a clip art CD to showcase many faulty, I still have a few others of Piglet. He “surprise festschrift.” She remained ever at ASFA artists and make their art accessible to helped me at Charlie’s Locus collations, he his side once he was diagnosed as suffering a the general public. helped us (with enthusiastic support) with stroke (September 2001), later correctly Jon also authored Chroma: The Art of Xrymph, and he helped at SUNYCON. His diagnosed as having contracted a brain tumor Alex Schomberg, and many nonfiction arti­ passing leaves the world in some obvious (in January 2002). cles. In 1997 he wrote a paper for the Na­ and some less obvious ways, diminished. Foyster’s article in eFNAC 16 about the tional Conference on Cultural Property onslaught of his brain seizure ("Terrorist Protection, hosted by the Smithsonian Insti­ John Foyster Chulpex Raped My Brain!"), with his view tution, on the use of volunteers for security at of what was going on in contrast with outside John Foyster, one of the great sercon fanzine science fiction conventions. publishers and a superb fanwriter, passed reports of what was happening, impressed A wake was held May 4, 2002 in Mos­ many fans. Janice Gelb called it “one of the away April 5, 2003 at the age of 61. He cow. Mike Finkbiner wrote online, “We joined the Melbourne SF Club in 1959 and most fascinating pieces I've ever read.” probably had 60 people come to the recep­ soon began publishing fanzines, his early The family requests the money that would tion, and most of them stayed to exchange have been spent on flowers to be donated to June 2003 19 Ward Kimball, Disney Animator Reminiscence by Michael Donahue

[[Animator Ward Kimball died in July at the Years later, Alex Poumelle arranged a trip nice man — I should have realized he would be age of 88. He worked nearly 40 years at Dis­ to the Getty museum over the 405 about a year here.” ney Studios, closely associated with such or so after it opened. I was standing in the very Alex looked puzzled again. “Where else characters as Mickey Mouse, Jiminy Cricket crowded funicular riding up to the museum would you find Ward Kimball but on a train?” and the Mad Hatter. Two of the animated from the parking lot. I looked down, and there Heh heh heh. You can imagine Alex being shorts that Kimball created for Disney — was an old man, sitting placidly on the seat in confounded. I wanted to say, “We worked on "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom" (1953) and front of me and wearing a conductor’s cap. I a film together.” But I couldn’t in any honesty "It's Tough to be a Bird" (1969) — won Acad­ racked my feeble brain and blurted out, “Ward say that — even to tweak Alex. emy Awards. LASFS member Mike Donahue Kimball!” He looked up, smiled, and replied, When Chuck Shimada and I were in Or­ met him twice and shared the memories with “yes?” I reintroduced myself and he intro­ lando at the Magic Kingdom in Dec 2001, we friends online. Reprinted by permission.]] duced me to his family, and we exchanged stopped at the Main Street train station on the pleasantries and he claimed to remember me. way out, about 5p.m. We found it too late to Believe it or not, I actually knew Ward Kim­ After a few minutes we reached the top and take another (second) ride around the park, but ball. When I was at USC in 1981, we made a bid each other a pleasant day. Alex looked at we were reading plaques and I was tell Chuck documentary “Last Call, Union Station.” Ward me and asked, “Who was that?” and I replied, about Ward. A passing Engineer stopped to shot 16mm b&w film of the grand opening of “Ward Kimball.” listen to me, and when he heard I knew Ward Union Station in 1940 that we used in the Alex looked puzzled and asked who that Kimball, (even a little bit) he spent 20 minutes piece. When the original film was to be re­ was. “He was one of the nine grand old men of or more telling Chuck and I about the trains at turned, I, a mere gopher, was elected to drive Disney animation. He worked on Snow White, all the Disneylands, and stories about Ward. to his house and return it. He invited me in, and everything you could imagine. He intro­ Even Chuck Shimada was impressed, it made treated me to a soda and showed me his pri­ duced Walt Disney to model trains and they the trip for him. Chuck loves trains too. vate studio. I had no idea who he was, but were best friends.” Ward was cool. Without a doubt, he’s on figured it out quickly! What a wonderful man “How do you know him?” the Coast Starliner — and looking out to sea, he was. “Oh, I’ve been to his house. He’s a very he might see the cruise ship that Bruce is on.

stories about Jon. There were people from should go to Winnipeg to watch Michael Michael Walsh, who managed the huck­ Portland, Olympia, Tri-Cities, Spokane, Whelan win again. Lotz, a friend of the artist, ster room for the 1977 Worldcon, adds this Orlando and probably other places as well. I called after the ceremony and told him the salute: “Even though Grace is not listed on talked with one lady who knew him from news. He talked about flying up on the spur the long list as co-chair of Suncon, those of Amway, 20 years ago. She didn't have any of the moment and when Lotz called him in us who worked on that convention ever so knowledge of his SF activities, and was the morning to see what he’d decided, Eggle- long ago, would probably agree she was a really surprised to see all of the memorabilia ton’s answering machine announced, “I’ve defacto co-chair. Her husband certainly laid out on the tables.” gone to Canada. I’ll be back Tuesday.” thought as much. And she was a wonderful [[Sources include: ASFA Occasionally Eggleton’s impulsive trip to collect his Hugo person.” Online Update #7, Bjo Trimble]] delighted fans. He was publicly presented with his award at the start of the Masquerade Joan Abbe Benford, 1938-2002 by Barry Longyear and George Barr. Reen­ Annette Lotz by Gregory Benford Annette Lotz passed away on March 24, acting what he’d done the night before, Ban- opened the envelope of nominees and read The wife of author Gregory Benford died 2002 in Victoria, B.C., of medical complica­ March 25, 2002 of cancer. She attended tions from cancer. She was 40 years old and the name on the card, “What a surprise! — Bob Eggleton!” many sf conventions and was a noted art had been fighting the disease for over five educator. Survived by her husband and years. She remained a serving member of the children Alyson and Mark, she was fre­ Canadian Air Force until she was hospital­ Grace Lundry quently portrayed by her husband in such ized in September 2001. Her parents were Grace C. Lundry (1937 - 2003) died on on novels as In the Ocean of Night, Artifact and with her at the end. February 18, 2003 after battling cancer for Eater. Cary Anne Conder paid tribute online: seven years. She organized the Worldcon Joan was the great-granddaughter of Wm. “[Most] of us who attended Worldcons flight to Australia in 1975. She is survived by Cleaveland Abbe, who founded the US regularly were unaware of the unflagging her husband of 40 years, Donald Lundry, Weather Bureau. She graduated Tufts Uni­ assistance Annette Lotz gave by way of three children, and three grandchildren. versity and Boston Museum School volunteering. More often than not she as­ Quoted in the Lunacon daily newzine, (Masters) and we met in 1964 when she sisted in compiling and publishing the daily Lunarians President Ira Donewitz said, “We taught art at the Bishop’s School in La Jolla. one-sheets which kept the fans and profes­ remember Grace as a lovely, smiling lady, We married in 1967 and she encouraged me sionals up-to-date on changes to scheduling who laughed easily and was wonderful to be to write in graduate school (my first story and other tidbits of information.” around. She leaves a legacy of a husband, was in F&SF April 1965). She was VP of Lotz also played a key role in a great who was constantly smiling, especially when Abbenford Assoc, from 1980 on, which Worldcon story. Bob Eggleton was at home and because he was in her company, children controls my writing, consulting and speaking in Rhode Island during the 1994 Worldcon who grew up to be wonderful parents them­ engagements. The thinly disguised couple of when he won the Best Pro Artist Hugo, selves, and many friends will think of her Gregory and Jan Markham m Timescape is having earlier asked his travel agent why he often. And fondly.” us, at Cambridge University, where I was a 20 File 770:142

boardinghouse at 628 South Bixel Street passed away on March 18, 2002 in Broken famed in LA fan history, whose residents at Arrow, OK. He received a Lifetime Achieve­ various times included E.E. Evans, Lou ment Award at the 1990 World Fantasy Goldstone, Arthur Louis Joquel, Alva Convention, and he also won the Hugo in Rogers, and Art Saha. A soldier posted to 1973 for his short story, "Eurema's Dam." He England in World War II, he met numerous wrote approximately 20 novels between 1968 fans there and even got to attend a conven­ and 1993, and published approximately 20 tion or two held under difficult wartime short story collections. conditions. Wilmorth launched Fantasy Advertiser in 1946 as a 16-page mimeo'd Nancy Rapp passed away on May 4, 2002. adzine. By 1948 it was 40 pages, offset, She is survived by her husband, Art, who is paying for material, and a year later when he living in a nursing home suffering from turned the publication over to Roy Squires Alzheimer's. [[Source: Howard DeVore, its circulation was 1,500. Under a variety of Joyce Scrivner]] publishers through the years including Squires, Ron Smith, Jon White and Leland Gregg T. Trend reported online that “Long­ Sapiro, Fantasy Advertiser morphed into SF time fan, veteran, patriot, professor emeri­ Advertiser, then Inside, and finally Riverside tus,” Dalvan M. Coger passed away October Fellow in 1976. She was the model for the Quarterly. 2, 2002 from a post-surgical infection. Coger heroine of Artifact, in part because of her anticipated the exploratory operation in his interest in classical art and archeology; our In Passing comments for Fantasy Rotator 812. Trend son Mark is now a Romanist archeologist Don Franson, a member of First Fandom added, “His references to friends not living and NYU and the Metropolitan in NYC. Our and SFWA, and a director of the N3F for to their 80th (his was coming up May 2003) daughter Alyson is a professional artist living several years, died June 5, 2002 of heart were both ominous and strangely light­ in the Virgin Islands. failure. Franson was one of the rare active hearted. I last saw Dal in person in March fanzine fans in the local LA area, and one of 2000, accompanied by my son Nik on our Eyana Bat David the original subscribers to File 770. drive east to Washington D.C.” by Bjo Trimble While driving on May 13, Franson was Rich Lynch’s online reminiscence about his friend began with Dal's activity in science Leslie Wintraub died quietly in her sleep July involved in an auto accident that seemed fiction fandom in the midwest about 1942: 25, 2002 after a very long and valiant fight minor but required a brief hospitalization for “He was only active for a couple of years with breast cancer. She was known in the trauma; the injuries may have contributed to before he went into the military SCA as Eyana bat David, a long-time mem­ his decline. for World War II, but in that time he became ber who has not been able to be active in His nephew, Bob Franson, adds, “I hope friends with Al and Abby Lou Ashley and recent years. She was an ever-cheerful, many fans have good memories of Don. He other people in the helpful and hospitable person who enjoyed was a good guy, and few over the years Galactic Roamers fan club in central Michi­ good company and good food. In SF fandom, worked harder for science fiction and fan­ gan, and as a result, spent many happy days Leslie was a consistant volunteer, and mas­ dom.” at the most famous fan abode of all time, the querade participant, in local conventions. legendary Sian Shack of Battle Creek, Michi­ When she first knew about the cancer, she Writer, editor, and critic Damon Knight died gan. Of that place, Dal later wrote that ‘fan asked Lora Boehm to cut off all her hair for April 14, 2002 at Sacred Heart Hospital in visitors from far and wide came by to enjoy Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.com) For Eugene, OR. He had been ill for some time the Ashley's hospitality.’ Because he became some time after that, she wore a Mimbari with a number of ailments. Knight won a stationed thousands of miles away, in Cali­ headband on her bald head, and kidded Hugo as Best Book Reviewer in 1956. In fornia, Dal wrote that T was immensely people like John Trimble that she'd joined Search of Wonder gathered his early sf unhappy that I couldn't [often] share in their ranks. criticism in one volume. He earned enduring this.’” A remission caused many of us to hope fame as the editor of twenty-one Orbit origi­ the cancer was gone. It was a false hope, and nal anthologies (1966-1980). Knight’s book Lloyd Biggie, Jr., Ph. D. died September 12, for the past year, Leslie has been fighting a The Futurians memorialized his experiences 2002 at the age of 79, ending a twenty-year losing battle. She leaves behind many griev­ with the New York fan group by that name battle with leukemia and cancer. He began ing friends. (which also included Wollheim, Pohl and others.) He was credited as a founder of the writing professionally in 1955. He went full- time after the publication of his well-known Gus Willmorth National Fantasy Fan Federation, the Mitford Science Fiction Writers’ Conference and the novel All The Colors of Darkness 1963. by Andrew Porter Science Fiction Writers of America. Biggie’s “The Tunesmith” was praised by Los Angeles fan Gus Willmorth, a member songwriter Jimmy Webb and writer Orson of First Fandom who was active for several After an extended illness, Ray Lafferty Scott Card for literally changing the course decades starting in the 1930's, died April 29, of their lives, and the story was recently 1999 of renal failure in Woodland Hills, CA. chosen for inclusion in Masterpiece: The He was 78. He had just undergone cataract Century's Best Science Fiction. surgery to restore his eyesight. He is survived Biggie was the founding Secretary Treas­ by his son, David. Willmorth published urer of Science Fiction Writers of America in fanzines, attended early worldcons, and was the 1960s. In the 1970's, he founded the a member of LASFS during its formative Science Fiction Oral History Association, years. He lived at “Tendril Towers,” the which built archives containing hundreds of cassette tapes of science fiction notables June 2003 21 making speeches and discussing aspects of from Hughes in 1987 onward, Forward was a about the disposition of his major SF collec­ their craft. consultant for the Air Force and NASA on tion. Dr. Robert Forward died of brain cancer advanced space propulsion concepts, with an Jim Mul6, founder of a series of New on September 21, 2002. The 70-year-old emphasis on propulsion methods (lightsail, Orleans Star Trek conventions known as "hard" science novelist will be especially antimatter, electrodynamic tether, etc.), that VulCon, died in May, 2002 according to missed by LASFSians and other Los Angeles use physical principles other than chemical local fan sources. He reportedly passed away fans who enjoyed his frequent appearances at or nuclear rockets. [[Source: includes con­ from cancer. He is survived by his wife Jan. the club and local conventions. Bob’s won­ tent from Forward's self-prepared obituary [[Source: Guy H. Lillian III, John Guidry]] derfully advanced scientific mind was distributed online.]] Jeff Stein, member of the Jedi Knights matched by his equally rare gift for explain­ Walter R. Cole: [[Provided by Andrew and Orange County SF Club died the first ing his ideas in a way fans could grasp. Porter]] New York fan Walter R. Cole, 69, week of December from cancer. According to Forward’s first book, Dragon's Egg, was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment by Carol Alves, “He had been ill for about two expanded upon Frank Drake's idea of tiny his landlord on December 7, 2002. Cole had years but the doctors couldn't find out what fast-living creatures living on the surface of a been active in New York fandom for more was wrong. Jim and I last saw Jeff at our Jedi neutron star. Forward called it, "A textbook than 50 years, first as the head of the Centau- Knights Anniversary Picnic in July. He was on neutron star physics disguised as a novel." rian League in 1948, later as an officer of the looking good but one could tell he was in However, fans who heard him in person NYC club The Lunarians for several decades. pain every now and then. We only learned he didn’t need the science disguised to enjoy his A sercon fan, he was the author of the ex­ had been diagnosed [as] terminal just after teaching as much as they loved his writing. tremely useful 1964 volume A Checklist of LosCon.” Bob once spoke to the LASFS about the Science Fiction Anthologies, reprinted by Bob Smith passed away February 24, feasibility of antimatter propulsion, laughing Amo Press in 1974. He was Fan GoH at the 2002 after a bout with cancer. [[Source: over the fact that once the physicists at 1994 Lunacon. No information is available Robert LichtmanJ/ Switzerland’s CERN laboratory The death of Hank Beck was proved antimatter existed, they announced on April 11, 2002. deemed anything more merely The exact date and cause were engineering and of no further inter­ not given, however, he had est to them. suffered a stroke last June. Hank Forward earned his Ph.D. in was a widower: his wife, Martha Physics from the University of Beck, passed away in March Maryland in 1965. For his doctoral 2002. [[Source: Chronicles of thesis he built and operated the first the Dawn Patrol]] bar antenna for the detection of Long-time LASFS member gravitational radiation. The antenna Dik Daniels, a photographer is now in the Smithsonian Museum. who greeted fans at every Lo- Forward worked for 31 years at scon with a little envelope of the Hughes Aircraft Company Cor­ snapshots he’d taken of them at porate Research Laboratories in the past convention, passed away Malibu, CA in positions of increas­ early in April 2003. He had a ing responsibility until he took early history of diabetes, and had been retirement in 1987 to spend more in declining health since suffer­ time on writing novels and his ing a heart attack in December. aerospace consulting company Ben Jason, chairman of the business - Forward Unlimited . 1966 Worldcon, Tricon, in From the time of his retirement Cleveland, died May 13.

man of the convention. It sure doesn't look outgoing presidents at the close of each Mini­ like Michael Rennie in the costume, but I as­ con, starting with himself in the mid­ sume it's Harry Moore who's next to him. This seventies...” Fred Patten’s closing line in a recent issue of is very cool because it's one of my all time jRabanos Radioactivos!: “I can’t help thinking favorite movies and it has a piece of Worldcon Cindy Warmuth reports in the February 2003 of Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in­ history on film.” SFSFS Shuttle that the club has decided to sell stead of ferrets.” Granted that it was the last off its library. The lease on their storage space sentence in a review of Richard Bach’s John Hertz in Vanamonde 487 took the op­ expires in five months and they can’t afford to Rancher Ferrets on the Range, but even so.... portunity presented by the 2002 Worldcon to renew it. revive a classic Apa-L in-joke, “Neither James Michael Citrak posted online that the DVD Langdell nor Connor Freff Conchran was at David Klaus asks, “Has anyone given any of The Day The Earth Stood Still includes ConJose. No doubt too busy with Tom Whit­ thought to the significance of the use of video “lots of nice extras including a 1951 segment more to take him off and put either of them footage of the Pathfinder rc in the opening of the MovieTone news reel. One of the news on.” credit sequence of Enterpn. It occurred to items is from the 9th World Science Fiction me when the series premiered in 2001, but I've Convention where an award is presented to I’m sure there’s a story in this. The February never seen it mentioned anywhere: Enterprise 20th Century Fox for the movie. The news clip 2003 Einblatt! passed on the following request is the first science-fiction television series to has someone in the Klaatu costume along with for help: “Denny Lien is researching history use footage actually recorded on the surface of a man who is identified as Mr. Moore, chair­ of the MinnSTF tradition of assassinating its another planet..." 22 File 770:142 ’TeiWWSW OF THS WO” HOW zco© W WOffl BY BULL WCLDCH

[[Bill Welden moved to in the Bay mountains in the background I imagine Area years ago but LA fans hope it’s I can see the Starkhom, the Irensaga, just a temporary loan after all his and between them the Dwimorberg. good work at the LASFS. Bill is also Only change the Mediterranean scrub a leader in the Mythopoeic Society, for grassy savannah, and this is Rohan. and has an avid interest in J.R.R. Chris is very impressed with Alan's Tolkien's invented languages. He is work, and in fact there is something to one of the handful of fans authorized the quick pencil sketches, an organic by Christopher Tolkien to work with spontaneity perhaps, which doesn't the author's linguistic source materi­ come across in his paintings. Alan als. Bill started corresponding with seems at ease in the dynamic world of Peter Jackson from the first moment film imagery. Looking at the paintings he got wind of the new Lord of the now, I can see that his process is very Rings project, hoping the movie much three dimensional. There was a would be alive with all the richness of time when Chris was practicing illus­ Middle Earth's languages. David tration, but he was and still is very Salo got the principal linguistic posi­ Nock, Nock! Legolas (Orlando Bloom) makes his point. self-critical. Alan reassures him that tion in Jackson’s production, but Bill _ no sketch is a waste of time, even if it provided other contributions and was doesn't come out the way you would thanked in the credits. Bill visited New Zea­ This must be how Bilbo felt, seeing the like. At the last minute he casts around for land while Fellowship of the Ring was being treasure of Smaug for the first time: There something to give to Chris, and picks up a shot. His article about the experience origi­ are no words left to express his staggerment, drawing pencil. Perhaps Chris will take up nally appeared on the official web site. It is since Men changed the language that they illustration again. reprinted here with his permission.]] learned of elves in the days when all the The sets, built from these designs, are world was wonderful. detailed beyond necessity (in sharp contrast We stand in the hallway of the art department Three years ago a friend dropped a web­ to the huge, empty blue rooms where Star at Stone Street Studios in Wellington, New page print-out on my desk at work. Peter Wars is being filmed). I stand in the Cham­ Zealand. The walls are covered, floor to ceil­ Jackson might (or might not) be producing ber of Mazarbul and pick up a fragment of ing, with artwork depicting J.R.R. Tolkien's and directing a film version of The Lord of parchment from among the rubble. It is cov­ Middle-earth: conceptual drawings; paint­ the Rings. I wrote a letter, offering to help ered with careful, tiny runes, too small to ings; mechanical drawings; photographs (of with Tolkien's languages, and got a friendly, ever be seen by the camera. Richard Taylor, locations, sets, actors); computer generated encouraging response. We continued to ex­ effects director for Weta Workshop, and re­ images. For me they capture Tolkien's inte­ change letters, and then one day I was on the sponsible for many of the props in the film, gration of the big picture, the historical view phone with the producer, negotiating terms explains that this sort of detail is necessary to (Minas Tirith in the vast distance), with the of employment. project an underlying reality. It will inform smaller, personal, and in some sense truer Now (although my work is done by e- the performances of the actors. He goes on to perspective of the individuals caught up in mail, telephone, and fax machine and does describe the challenges of visually presenting the sweep of events (here is Pippin, riding on not require me to be in New Zealand) I have the multitude of Tolkien's cultures. Richard Treebeard's shoulder). made the pilgrimage, together with my son is an intense man, with a clear vision, so vast Chris, so that I can really and detailed that it runs on ahead of the get to know the people I stream of words he must use to communicate. am working with. I appreciate the scale of the sets, and they Alan Lee’s office is at inform my own vision of Tolkien. In my the end of the hall. He will imagination, the Chamber was grey, dusty, fly home to England to­ and small, perhaps thirty feet square. The set morrow before returning to I stand in is five times that on a side, and finish up his work, but we perhaps thirty feet tall. One bright sunbeam spend a bit of time to­ falls from a high shaft in the wall onto the gether. Over a photograph table in the center of the room, its scattered of a beautiful hill, with light illuminating the pride and workmanship Alpine mountains visible of the Dwarves: reds and yellows; pillars in the distance, he has laid covered with carvings and runes; chests and a piece of tracing paper, books lining the walls. There is also the de­ and drawn Edoras. You tritus of battle: rusting armor and bones. I will surely have seen pho­ will see the Chamber differently the next tographs of this full-size time I read the book. I'm Sam, Fly Me! Air crew peer out the door of an Air set under construction. The actors are as different from one an­ New Zealand Boeing 747 decorated with characters from Looking carefully at the other as the seven races of Middle-earth. Eli- the The Two Towers, at London's Heathrow airport. June 2003 23 jah Wood (who plays Frodo) is warm, be looped. This means that each sincere and enthusiastic. He unsheathes of the actors will sit in a sound Sting and shows it to me. It is a prod­ studio after filming is complete, uct of Weta Workshop: a perfectly and re-read their dialog repeat­ functional sword, or rather a knife, edly until it matches the filmed lip scaled up (though it has not been movements. This offers a second sharpened). At the base of the blade is chance to fix up aspects of pro­ a beautiful filigree design incorporat­ nunciation, but the process cannot ing Elvish lettering. In fact, the words change the filmed lip movements, are Sindarin. In the middle I read so it is still important to get it "dagnir in" meaning "...killer of right the first time. the...", but then Elijah must dash off Each character speaks a care­ to resume filming. He is delighted that fully selected dialect of English. his sword has a history. The strategy is well thought out, Everything that appears in this film subtle, and rigorously applied. I has been made specifically for the film, Kiss Me, Cate: A Fellowship of the Ring publicity photo of had some part in its development, including buttons and hooks on the Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) bidding Frodo (Elijah Wood) a and am delighted with the result. costumes, stirrups and saddles for the bittersweet goodbye. All of the actors read their lines horses, and plates and spoons wherever effortlessly, in dialect. they come into the story from the Shire to and pace him, and I am introduced together Later, we sit and watch the filming, in the Minas Tirith. Each speaks the sub-culture with my role on the film. "Elvish???" he bel­ top room of the tower of Cirith Ungol. The from which it is taken, according to Richard's lows, "A language for sissies!!! You should scene is trimmed to its essentials. The dialog vision. There is talk of taking these props on learn Dwarvish! Now there's a language for is not always Tolkien's, but I have to return a museum tour. I hope it is done: they must you!!!" And he quickens his pace, and is to the book to be sure, the spirit is so close. I be seen close up for their craftsmanship to be gone. get to hear one of my favorite lines: "You appreciated. Viggo Mortensen (who plays Aragorn) is can't go walking in the Black Land in naught We are walking from one set to another, quiet and thoughtful. He understands the way but your skin, Mr. Frodo." The essence of and John Rhys-Davies (who plays Gimli) in which the bits of Elvish language deepen Sam. Peter gives the dialog a subtext. Sam is thunders by. He is a large man, and clearly the reality of the story, and wants to have thinking, "I'm going to destroy that thing on an errand of some urgency. We catch up more. Andrew Jack and Roisin Carty, dialect that's causing you so much pain - by myself coaches and creative language consultants if that's what's needed." for the film, say that he reads Elvish so that it They spend all day on this bit, so critical sounds like real language. to the emotional arc of the story. In the end, It is exceptional to have two dialect Sean Astin as Sam delivers the line with coaches on one film, but the linguistic chal­ weariness, grief, determination, courage, and lenges of Tolkien's creation are exceptional love. I leave with tears in my eyes. as well. Andrew and Roisin are responsible When I saw Peter's earlier film, Heavenly not just for Elvish, but for the broader issues Creatures, 1 knew he was the perfect director of pronunciation and dialect. They are on for Tolkien. That film was a symphony of their way to doing a flawless job. You may emotion. The Lord of the Rings was the have heard Roisin in a recording from the same for me, the first time I read it. Tolkien official web site, reciting an Elvish spell infuses his work with joy, tempered with the verse written by David Salo. I listened to it sadness of the passing of time; with courage carefully, and although she was doing it off in the face of fear; with anger and determina­ the top of her head, every vowel was exactly tion. right. The verse itself was brilliant too, in I am introduced to Philippa Boyens, one Sindarin (with no newly invented words), yet of the screenwriters. She is working on the rhyming and scanning to match Tolkien's script for The Return of the King, naturally own model. under pressure of time, but we spend almost Sindarin and Quenya are, however, only a half an hour talking about the challenges of two of the languages used in the film, and adapting Tolkien to film. She has a scholar's probably the easiest to get right. Archaic knowledge of Tolkien, quoting without hesi­ English, Old English, and Norse words are tation from his letters or essays as it illus­ common, and Andrew and Roisin are clear trates her point. on which is which, and on the rules for each. Her eyes light up as she talks about scenes It takes tremendous vigilance on their part, they've finished or others that she still hopes nonetheless, when there are over fifty speak­ to include. Listening to her, I experience ing parts and dialog may be recorded on as once again Aragom's march to Erech with many as three sets simultaneously. As an the Army of the Dead in his wake: lights My Big Fat Elvish Wedding: In The example, there is a natural tendency for Eng­ went out in house and hamlet as they came, Two Towers, Elrond tried to convince his lish speakers to darken the second "a" in and doors were shut, and folk that were daughter Arwen (actress Liv Tyler) that "Gandalf and swallow the "1" (so that is afield cried in terror and ran like hunted deer. her romance with the mortal Aragorn (on sounds more like "Gandoff'). They are deter­ At times she has a wistful air, and I suspect poster in background) will only bring mined that it will not happen. that more than one of her favorite scenes are heartache. Almost all of the dialog for the film will just not going to fit into the allotted time. 24 File 770:142

We talk about changes to the story. She tained, I am intrigued rather than bothered by clears up a number of points (chaff from the these changes. They are the essence of myth: rumor mill of intense scrutiny surrounding a powerful story filtered through many minds this production). Arwen will not travel to until the irrelevancies are stripped away. Tol­ Rohan, nor to Gondor until it is time for her kien more than once declared his intention of wedding. In particular, Philippa seems de­ creating a new mythology. Perhaps he has lighted with the relationship between succeeded. Aragom and Eowyn as Tolkien wrote it, call­ I could go on: the trip through Moria ing it "just as poignant" as the high tragic alone will be worth the price of admission, love of Aragom and Arwen. and the computer generated effects will be There was also a report, earlier in the pushing the state of the art even three and a year, which referred to Saruman's "palantir half years from now when the final film is staff." This didn't seem quite right. A palantir released; but there is little point in describing is best kept secret and locked away; not the more. A description is a poor substitute for kind of thing you parade around. She reas­ first-hand experience; and what I've seen, sures me on this point as well. There is an though wondrous, is still rough and unfin­ ornament on the staff that looks a bit like a Jack Chalker at the 2002 Midwest- ished: in itself a poor substitute for sitting in palantir, but it's not. con. Photo by Keith Stokes. the theater experiencing the film for the first She goes on to talk about the need to time. avoid "scientification" of Tolkien's magic, Before this trip I was looking forward to and of the palantir in particular. It must be they are a consequence of the translation seeing the film. Now I am looking forward to used respectfully as well as sparingly; other­ from novel to film. Five hundred thousand the enthusiasm with which it will be re­ wise it becomes little more than the Middle­ words of prose cannot be squeezed into six ceived. earth equivalent of a mobile phone, and its hours without some trimming. In addition, To say that Bilbo's breath was taken away magic is lost. This is a subtle but crucial Philippa wants to have a degree of emotional is no description at all. But true nonetheless. point (which seems to go over the head of resolution to each of the three films; more many modem fantasy writers), and I am glad than would be provided by simply slicing the that she is here to champion it. novel into three approximately equal parts. Nevertheless, changes will be made. The As long as the strict internal consistency, specifics are still under consideration, but so characteristic of Tolkien's work, is main­ Fandom’s Tangled Web

Lupoffs Discover mately an hour a day which I will then de­ “Ponytailers” Adventure Comic vote to productive and/or amusing activities WWWedded Bliss like writing books, reading books, taking Strip To Become TV Series Dick and Pat Lupoffs son, Ken, married naps or working out at the gym. You see, The internet comic strip “Ponytailers” is Crystal Reiss on May 25. As a side-effect of you'll be helping me to live longer, more Wolftnill Entertainment’s latest acquisition, this grand occasion Dick didn’t go near his happily, and more constructively.” aiming to become its first foray into the computer for nearly a week: Did it work? If so, we should all have world of live-action television. “Ponytailers” “No writing got done, no email got read friends like this! has been running on the A Girl’s World web­ or written, no websites got surfed. I discov­ site since March of this year, receiving over ered that there are other things to do with my six million hits per month. A Girl’s World time: books to read, music to hear, games to Chat Group for Con (AGW) is the most popular internet site for play, friends to visit, meals to savor, dogs to and Costume Photographers girls that isn’t owned by a toy company, ac­ walk, the beauty of nature and the company Terry Whittier has started an on-line discus­ cording to Alexa, an information company of my wife to enjoy.... sion group and e-mail list for sharing infor­ that tracks millions of websites. “I was actually tempted to leave the com­ mation about convention masquerade pho­ “Ponytailers” is a series of contemporary puter turned off, give the thing away or tography. Also invited to join in are the cos­ adventure stories told from a girl’s point of maybe sell it for scrap. I could rev up my tumers themselves. view and presented in comic strip form. It trusty old Underwood Standard, lay in a ream To subscribe, send e-mail to Cos- tells the story of Caitlin, Kachina, and M.G., of typing paper and some carbon sheets, and tume_Photography-subscribe@yahoogroups. three 12-year-old girls from disparate back­ make like 1955. But you really can't go home com or go to the web address: grounds who live in the ranch country of again, alas. The computer is too good a tool http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ High Sierra Falls, just outside of Yellow­ for writing, the internet for research, and Costume_Photography stone National Park. Riding their horses email for communication. So I scrubbed that The Yahoo area also has files of how-to through the beautiful Sierra mountains, the plan.” information and folders for sample photos or stories of “Ponytailers” are about the exciting Instead, he asked everyone in his e-mail "who is this?" pictures. adventures these three girls share.as they address book to stop sending him all the Terry Whittier has been a fan photogra­ bond and their friendships grow.” jokes and political spam they usually copy to pher since 1972 and has taken photos of cos­ Creators of “Pocket Dragon Adventures,” him. Dick explains: tumes at Westercons, NASFiCs, Worldcons Wolfrnill Entertainment is also working on “I figure if I can get my e-correspondents and many other sf conventions. “Astounding Space Thrills,” based on an­ to honor this request I can save approxi­ other internet comic strip, and “Elfquest.” June 2003 25

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (New Line Cinema) 2003 Hugo Award Nominations Directed by Peter Jackson; Screenplay by Fran Walsh, Phillippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair & Peter Jackson; Best Novel based on the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien Minority Report (20th Century Fox & DreamWorks SKG) Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick (Eos) Directed by Steven Spielberg; Screenplay by Scott Frank Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer (Analog 1-4/02; Tor) and Jon Cohen; based on the story by Philip K. Dick Kiln People by David Brin (Tor) Spider-Man (Columbia Pictures) The Scar by China Mieville (Macmillan; Del Rey) Directed by Sam Raimi; Screenplay by David Koepp; The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson (Bantam) based on the comic book character created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee Best Novella Spirited Away (Studio Ghibli & Walt Disney Pictures) “A Year in the Linear City” by Paul Di Filippo (PS Publishing) Directed by Hayao Miyazaki; Screenplay by Hayao “Breathmoss” by Ian R. MacLeod (Asimov’s 5/02) Miyazaki (English version by Cindy Davis Hewitt and “Bronte’s Egg” by Richard Chwedyk (F&SF 8/02) Donald H. Hewitt) “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins) “In Spirit” by Pat Forde (Analog 9/02) Best Professional Editor “The Political Officer” by Charles Coleman Finlay (F&SF 4/02) Ellen Datlow Gardner Dozois Best Novelette David G. Hartwell “Halo” by Charles Stross (Asimov’s 6/02) Stanley Schmidt “Madonna of the Maquiladora” by Gregory Frost (Asimov’s 5/02) Gordon Van Gelder “Presence” by Maureen F. McHugh (F&SF 3/02) “Slow Life” by Michael Swanwick (Analog 12/02) Best Professional Artist “The Wild Girls” by Ursula K. Le Guin (Asimov’s 3/02) Jim Bums David A. Cherry Best Short Story Bob Eggleton “Creation”, Jeffrey Ford (F&SF May 2002) Frank Kelly Freas “Falling Onto Mars”, Geoffrey A. Landis (Analog Jul/Aug 2002) Donato Giancola “‘Hello,’ Said the Stick”, Michael Swanwick (Analog Mar 2002) “Lambing Season”, Molly Gloss (Asimov’s Jul 2002) Best Semiprozine “The Little Cat Laughed to See Such Sport”, Michael Swanwick Ansible edited by Dave Langford (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2002) Interzone edited by David Pringle Locus edited by Charles N. Brown, Jennifer A. Hall, and Kirsten Gong- Best Related Book Wong The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction, Justine Larbalestier The New York Review of Science Fiction edited by Kathryn Cramer, (Wesleyan University Press) David G. Hartwell & Kevin Maroney Better to Have Loved: The Life of Judith Merril, Judith Merril and Speculations edited by Kent Brewster Emily Pohl-Weary (Between the Lines) Dragonhenge, Bob Eggleton and John Grant (Paper Tiger) Best Fanzine Ray Bradbury: An Illustrated Life, Jerry Weist (Morrow) Challenger edited by Guy H. Lillian III Spectrum 9: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, Cathy Fenner Emerald City edited by Cheryl Morgan and Amie Fenner, eds. (Underwood Books) File 770 edited by Mike Glyer Mimosa edited by Rich and Nicki Lynch Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form Plokta edited by Alison Scott, Steve Davies & Mike Scott Star Trek: Enterprise, “A Night in Sickbay” (Paramount Television) Directed by David Straiton; Teleplay by Rick Berman & Brannon Best Fan Writer Braga Bob Devney Star Trek: Enterprise, “Carbon Creek” (Paramount Television) Di­ John L. Flynn rected by James Contner; Story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga Mike Glyer and Dan O’Shannon; Teleplay by Chris Black Dave Langford Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “Conversations With Dead People” (20th Steven H Silver Century Fox Television/Mutant Enemy Inc.) Directed by Nick Marek; Teleplay by Jane Espenson & Drew Goddard Firefly, “Serenity” (20th Century Fox Television/Mutant Enemy Inc.) Best Fan Artist Directed by Joss Whedon; Teleplay by Joss Whedon Brad W. Foster Angel, “Waiting in the Wings” (20th Century Fox Television/Mutant Teddy Harvia Enemy Inc.) Directed by Joss Whedon; Teleplay by Joss Whedon Sue Mason Steve Stiles Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form Frank Wu Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Warner Bros.) Directed by Chris Columbus; Screenplay by Steve John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer Kloves; based on the novel by J. K. Rowling Charles Coleman Finlay (second year of eligibility) 26 File 770:142

David D. Levine (first year of eligibility) the eligibility of his story.” Wilson chal­ 2001 issue of the faculty newsletter. And, Karin Lowachee (first year of eligibility) lenged, “If we allow this tyranny to go un­ bottom line, on Flynn’s own website his bib­ Wen Spencer (second year of eligibility) checked, then who among us is next?” Now liography lists 2000 as the publication date. Ken Wharton (second year of eligibility) his plea has brought enough facts to light to So one can only wonder what Flynn was make Flynn’s partisans wish they’d never thinking as he tried to convince Michael Nel­ Torcon 3 Sets A Record complained in the first place. son to leave the story on the final ballot. The total number of Hugo nomination ballots Michael Nelson wrote online that Flynn Shouldn’t he have been the first one to point received by Torcon 3, 738 valid ballots, is told him the collection of his stories was out the prior publication, when he originally the highest ever. Hugo historian George printed in 2000 but he didn’t have the money learned about the nomination? Flynn wrote online that the old record was to pay for it until 2002. Now, if that meant Flynn’s efforts to persuade Nelson, ac­ 660 ballots in 1983. the printer wouldn’t let the book out of his cording to Wilson’s press release, were sec­ Despite the record-breaking participation, office until 2002, it wasn’t available and for onded by the editor of BrickHouse Books, it required no more than 22 nominations to purposes of the Hugo it had not been Inc., Clarinda Harriss, a colleague on the get a short story on this year’s final ballot. As “published” until 2002. But if Flynn’s Vi­ Towson faculty. The BrickHouse Books usual, movies received the lion’s share of sions in Light and Shadow collection wasn’t website indicates it’s a small press whose voters’ attention. available, how had it managed to receive 7 books typically have a run of 500-1000 cop­ George Flynn reports that for the second nominations for the 2001 Best Related Book ies. Perhaps Flynn believed so few had seen consecutive year a new record was set for the Hugo, as reported by Millennium Philcon? his story prior to its online publication in number of votes for a single nominee: 428 (See http://www.milphil.org/pubs/ 2002 that he was entitled to some kind of votes for the highest-ranking Dramatic Pres­ newsletterl4b.pdf) When Cheryl Morgan exception. If so, he could have pursued one entation, Long. The unnamed nominee will posed the question to Richmond Wilson he within the rules: the Worldcon business become known after the Hugos are given at replied, “I asked John about that, and he said meeting has voted a limited-distribution eli­ Torcon, when the statistics will be released that his 7 votes were from family and close gibility extension to several works over the and Flynn wryly adds, “Far be it from me to friends who had seen the galley proofs. years. guess which nominee this might be.” It ap­ Hardly ethical, I admit, but that still does not Flynn seems to have contained any poten­ peared on 81% of the 529 ballots cast in the dismiss what his publisher said about the tial damage to his reputation by calling on category. Last year, The Fellowship of the release date.” Wilson to “ratchet down the rhetoric” and Ring polled 343 nominations, enough to Well, possibly not. This wouldn’t be the sending conciliatory e-mails to be posted on edge the previous record-holder, Star Wars, first time people nominated a work based on SMOFS, one of them stating: which received 338 nominations 1978. galleys, or perhaps without having seen it at “I fully accept the final ruling of the Tor­ all. And Hugo administrators do not treat the con committee; Michael Nelson and the oth­ distribution of galleys or even a limited num­ ers associated with this year’s Worldcon A Grudge Too Far ber of review copies as “publication” for have been very kind and helpful and gracious Richmond Wilson’s online prozine Nexxus their purposes. On the other hand, publisher and understanding; I feel that they have all proudly republished John Flynn’s short story BrickHouse Books lists the September 2000 acted very respectfully and very responsibly, “A Gift of Verse” in the Fall 2002 issue. The publication date on its website. The same and I bear them no ill feeling whatsoever. I story received enough nominating votes to date appears on Amazon.com, based on in­ am also grateful to have been nominated in make the 2003 Hugo Award final ballot. Wil­ formation the publisher entered on Amazon’s the fan writer category as well.” son trumpeted the news on the Nexxus web­ request form when it submitted the book for site. What valuable publicity for an aspiring sale. Towson University, where John Flynn webzine! So valuable, in fact, the announce­ teaches English, used the same date in a pub­ ment has remained on the site weeks after lication notice about the book in the January Flynn’s story was removed from the Hugo ballot. It seems the story was originally published in 2000 and is ineligible. Not that 2003 Hugo Nominee Voting Statistics Wilson claimed to be un­ aware this was the copyright date, he argued instead that Category- Forms Nominations Nominees Range the collection of Flynn’s sto­ Novel 621 1,888 219 97-69 Novella 374 906 65 85-41 ries -- Visions in Light and Novellette 377 1,006 148 60-28 Shadow - where “A Gift of Short Story 400 1,058 262 31-22 Verse” was originally pub­ Related Book 262 548 83 51-28 lished did not become avail­ Dramatic Presentation, Long 529 1,574 59 428-130 able to the public until 2002. Dramatic Presentation, Short 284 710 176 72-22 Wilson made his argument in Professional Editor 399 1,057 89 131-104 an angrily-worded press re­ Professional Artist 344 918 141 107-49 lease e-mailed to sf newzines Semiprozine 314 717 47 136-51 that complained Hugo ad­ Fanzine 289 631 93 58-44 ministrator Michael Nelson Fan Writer 315 751 144 51-38 Fan Artist 243 520 76 83-27 disregarded the facts and Campbell Award 259 688 93 60-36 never gave Flynn “the oppor­ tunity to defend himself or respond to questions about June 2003 27

The website includes awards information, point. We wanted to get these pass-along (/O rw&vxfa/O artists work from convention publications, donations paid as soon as possible, so that and photographs and other reminiscences our successors, especially Torcon 3, would from each event. Additional material is wel­ have more time to effectively plan to use the come: contact webmaster@interaction. money for the good of Worldcon.” worldcon.org.uk. Originally considered “on the ropes” fi­ nancially due to low pre-registration, Con­ Three Dots and Three Lines Jose enjoyed a reversal of fortunes due to Joyce Scrivner has agreed to become curator unexpectedly high numbers of memberships of the Worldcon History exhibit, formerly purchased at the door. With all major bills maintained by the late Bruce Pelz. except traditional membership reimburse­ Big Beef in Chicago ments paid, ConJose was able to estimate a Elayne Pelz reports the final membership Dina Krause passed the word that the Chi­ numbers for the 2002 Westercon in Los An­ projected surplus of around $60,000. North cago in 2009 bid will launch at Torcon III. geles are: 954 warm bodies, 1064 total mem­ American Worldcons traditionally reimburse Vienna beef hot dogs will be the centerpiece bers. the memberships of qualified program par­ of their bidding theme. For example, presup­ ticipants, staff, committee, and volunteers Woody Bernardi is heading up a group ports will be $20, with two upgrades — Top who worked sufficient hours. ConJose has of Las Vegas fans to try to put on a regional Dog at $50, and Com Dog at $75. con in Vegas next year, reports Linda budgeted $125,000 for these traditional Deb Kosiba is at work on the bid web site Bushyer. The last regional was Silvercon, membership reimbursements, and plans to and graphics, and Dina explains that because begin making reimbursement payments several years ago. The new con will be the hot dog theme has only so many possi­ sometime in early 2003. Should the final Vegascon. Fans who are interested in help­ bilities the bid may also develop an sf theme surplus after paying reimbursements exceed ing out with the con can find out more by and logo to use in publicity. $60,000, ConJose will make additional dona­ joining a Yahoogroup. Their link is: The Chicago bidders say they are consid­ tions to its successors. VegasSF-subscribe@yahoogroups ering four hotel choices for the proposed Pass Along Funds was devised during The local Vegas SF group, Snaffu also Worldcon, so it appears that the Hyatt, home discussions at SMOFcon 5 in 1988 in Phoe­ has a website at http://www.snaffu.org to the last three Chicago Worldcons, will not nix regarding ways of damping out the nega­ Linda ends, “Ron and I are enjoying liv­ be the automatic choice. The bid will not tive impact of the year-to-year variability in ing in Las Vegas so far.” have made a decision by Torcon and will Worldcon revenues. Noreascon 3, the 1989 listen to fans’ comments on the possibilities. Worldcon, agreed to “jump-start” the pro­ ConJose Pays Pass-Along Funds gram. Since then, every Worldcon except Glasgow Officially Wins In an extraordinary show of post-convention 1991 has participated, receiving donations efficiency, the ConJose committee distrib­ from its predecessors and making donations 2005 Worldcon Bid uted $30,000 of its surplus to representatives from its surpluses when applicable. Polling over 90% of the votes, the Glasgow of the next three Worldcons on December 7 ConJose received Pass Along Funds do­ bid was officially selected by the members of at SMOFcon 20 in San Diego. Co-Chairs nations from its predecessors totaling ConJose as the site of the 2005 Worldcon. Tom Whitmore and Kevin Standlee pre­ $21,826. Aussiecon Three donated $5,826 To be called Interaction, the convention’s sented $10,000 donations to Peter Jarvis, (US dollars net of conversion from Austra­ five Guests of Honor are writers Christopher Chair of Torcon 3, Deb Geisler, Chair of lian dollars). Chicon 2000 donated $6,000. Priest, Robert Sheckley and Jane Yolen, fan Noreascon 4, and Vince Docherty, Chair of The Millennium Philcon donated $10,000. and proprietor of the Memory Hole fanzine Interaction. [[Source: ConJose press release]] collection Greg Pickersgill, and Scandina­ Pass Along Funds is a voluntary surplus­ vian fan Lars-Olov Strandberg. sharing arrangement among Worldcon com­ N4 To Give Retro Hugos Interaction will be held at the Scottish mittees. Those committees that participate Noreascon Four, the 2004 Worldcon, has Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glas­ are entitled to a share of their three predeces­ announced that it will give Retro Hugo gow over the weekend of August 4-8, 2005. sors’ surpluses, while they promise to divide Awards for works from 1953. The Retrospec­ Membership for the weekend costs £75 or at least half of any surplus they realize be­ tive Hugo Awards may be awarded by a $115 until Easter 2003. As of November 29 tween their three successors, provided that Worldcon held 50, 75, or 100 years after a Interaction had 806 attending members, 517 those committees make a similar commit­ Worldcon at which no Hugo Awards were supporting members, and 811 unconverted ment. presented. Retro Hugos will be awarded at bid Presupports and Friends. Addresses: UK: ConJose also presented a $ 1,000 donation Noreascon Four because none were awarded 379 Myrtle Road, Sheffield, South York­ to the WSFS Mark Protection Committee, at the 1954 Worldcon, SFCon, in San Fran­ shire, S2 3HQ; USA: PO Box 58009, Louis­ the organization responsible for registering cisco, CA. ville, Kentucky 40268-0009. and protecting “Worldcon,” “Hugo Award” Noreascon Four will provide extensive E-mail: [email protected] and other WSFS-owned service marks. information about the literature, art, dramatic Website: www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk WSFS MPC Treasurer Scott Dennis accepted presentations, and fannish activities of 1953 The convention has also announced that it the donation. during the nomination and voting processes. is hosting a UK Worldcon history website at: “We were very happy to be able to make If you would like to help or make sugges­ http://www.worldcon.org.uk/ these donations now,” said ConJose Co- tions, please write to retrohugos@noreascon. It contains information on each of the six Chairman Kevin Standlee. He praised con­ org with your comments. Information regard­ UK Worldcons, starting with 1957 - Loncon vention Controller and Vice Chair Cindy ing published works, fanzines, individuals, I (London); 1965 - London II (London); Scott, saying, “Cindy has worked hard to get films, and so on will be posted to the conven­ 1979 - Seacon '79 (Brighton); 1987 - Con­ most of our bills paid and to keep the budget tion’s web site at http://www.noreascon.org spiracy '87 (Brighton); 1995 - Intersection updated so that we had a reasonably good starting in February 2003. (Glasgow); 2005 - Interaction (Glasgow). idea of where we stood financially at this 28 File 770:142 John Hertz s Westercon Notebook Westercon 55, July 4-7, 2002 International Airport Radisson Hotel, Los Angeles, California

The first Westercon without Bruce Pelz. Leagues Under the Sea (1870). Two by Writer Guest of Honor, Harry Turtledove; women, two not in English, two from the Artist, Ross Chamberlain; Editor, Beth same year, two from before 1900, two writ­ Meacham; Fan, Robert Lichtman; too ten for children, two done in films — I wish many again but good. Attendance 954. we’d done that on purpose. If we’re going to proliferate guests of The first ring of my circus was Thurs­ honor, thought Pelz while con chair, or by day, “Book Covers as Eye Candy” with our zoological theme “Ringmaster,” let Claire Eddy and Meacham. Meacham said one be an editor. In this he was wise. Edit­ covers have to reach people twenty feet ing is the unnoticed art. Also the Fan GoH away. Eddy said they have to reach whole­ and the Artist too (can’t we call them Illus­ sale buyers who see promotion pieces, and trators? or Graphic Artists?) had long been who under the press of numbers may be active in fanzines. Even I might argue this looking to reject. Meacham said a good is not indispensable, but it glistens. Our writer may be a bad judge of cover art. I wide activity is valuable far above rubies, asked about interaction with graphic art­ but fanzines are the blood, and the blood is ists, for which with writers Campbell at the life. Astounding had been famous. Eddy and Two months before the con he suddenly Meacham both called that unpractical. died. He had the most fanzines in the world; maybe he won. He’d done so much for or to so many that we were dazed by Still exclaiming at the effects of your his loss. His wife Elayne, who had been own causes. Head of Administration, stepped up unoffi­ Elizabeth I cially; she did not want to be, or be called, the chair, but she saw to whatever was left. Clearly the first order of business was that Tappan King in the audience quoted “The the show must go on. To her credit, and They ask for things to be proved, when perfect cover is a window into another Bruce’s, and the con committee’s, it did. they have resolved not to believe them. world,” which sounds great but might have He said last year in Portland that a reason­ Montesquieu barred Paul Lehr or Richard Powers. able Westercon attendance in a populous I missed another look at my roommate Art place like Southern California would be Widner’s slide show of the 1941 Widneride 2,000. So we were half size. The people who proposed that a classic was an artwork which to Denvention in order to help my other arrived were active fans, and though this is a survived its own day, which was found to roommate Fred Patten with Destination. have merit even after times had changed. We There was a time, Patten said, when he’d could then think whether a particular work nearly memorized it. We marveled at the The life of solitude among a familiar was a classic, and if so by virtue of what. scope of its adventure; limited to our solar crowd Westercon LV’s were all books, although as system it felt vaster than some interstellar Dickens the Eisensteins’ display at the 2000 World- tales. From the audience: Presteign the rob­ con showed, we might have included graph­ ber baron and Gully Foyle himself were ics. Would you like the list now? Bester, The regional con -- and in November the local Stars My Destination (1956); Cameron, The convention Loscon was larger - they came Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet Opening my heart I listened to what you from all over. Their knowing the ropes made said. them more immune to tangles, and they came Han Yu Aliens with whom one learned to not to gawk. I had been promoting a sense of classi­ consort without quarrelling cism as the left hand to our love of the fu­ Dorothy Dunnett stock characters with surprising depth, Robin ture — you who are left-handed can take that Wednesbury was an original. Indeed there as you like. This year Head of Programming was a string of surprises. Compare Bester’s Mike Glyer agreed and set discussions of (1954); Clarke, The City and the Stars inspiration The Count of Monte Cristo and eight works, named in a Progress Report so (1956); Heinlein, Farmer in the Sky (1950); both look better. Sue Dawe led the first Art folks could read up. What are classics in s-f? Hesse, The Glass Bead Game, sometimes Show docent tour. She observed how Marga­ Can there be any? Is s-f of fifty or a hundred called Magister Ludi (1943); Schmitz, The ret Organ-Kean got luminous water colors, years ago obsolete, if for instance the future Witches of Karres (1966); Shelley, Franken­ letting transparent paint carry light reflected has already turned out some other way? I stein (1831); Verne, Twenty Thousand from the paper beneath. Janny Wurts was June 2003 29 now doing more reflected, less local color. ladio. Some art, she said, was sentimental, ran it. I went to the Baen Books party. Hank Bjo & John Trimble, among the tourists, re­ not compelling. Pointing to a Morris Scott Reinhardt said he liked musicals, but there called Equicons in this very hotel, although Dollens, she said “Fimbriation is post­ weren’t any. I should not have joined him in this weekend we sometimes failed to out- Plantagenet, and I don’t consider any post- singing from Fiorello. think new management of a rose put under Saturday morning on my way to The another name. Witches of Karres I met Joyce & Amie Katz, That night LASFS held its meeting — I was not at any great pains to curb the Lichtman, and June & Len Moffatt. The next every Thursday come heat or high water - at exuberances of my natural levity. day when Phoenix won, unopposed, I joined the con in memory of Pelz. Patten’s earliest Ronald Knox them as a Westercon Fan GoH, or GoH- designate, or something. Bruce Pelz paid his way, said Amie. He was a Worldcon FGoH, I Men may be convinced, but they cannot Plantagenet heraldry serious.” said, at forty-five (Noreascon II, 1980). Ar­ be pleased against their will. In Operations there was, for some reason, nie said fan means interactive. For Karres I Johnson a huge board for Interplanetary, the s-f game Widner invented. Bob Null said “Just as I unpacked it, Widner walked in.” On the Anyone who publicizes his sins — even memory was of Pecos Pelz in an amateur Trimbles’ docent tour Bjo, praising fabric in the context of repentence — is film from Westercon XIII in Boise. Larry handling in an asymmetric mask by Karey considered insolent. Niven recalled Pelz arriving at the 1975 Leichel, noted “Hiding the shape of the eyes Talmud NASFiC from Australia with Niven’s Hugo is a good disguise; a half-mask draws atten- for “The Hole Man”; Harlan Ellison as GoH had told a dinner he was getting out of s-f; in joined Engelberg, Laura Frankos, and Kevin an elevator when two new chums asked Ni­ But this was to show an umbrella to a Murphy. It drew the highest attendance of ven “That looks cool, what is it?” he said “A cat. the classics panels. Likable. Judy Lazar in the Hugo” and they replied “Oh, we know what Saikaku audience said the girls were weird and com­ that is, is it one of Harlan’s?” Niven despite petent. Engelberg called that rare for 1949 this knock-down was able to answer “Yes, (when the first version was in Astounding). he’s getting out of s-f and he’s giving them tion to the mask half.” Continuing a topic Jordin Kare in the audience said its universe away,” which made life interesting. Ben Ya- from the previous night’s Phoenix for ’04 was lived-in. I asked Frankos “What do your low recalled going to dinner with Pelz know­ Westercon party, she said “I’m quite suscep­ daughters think? They’re all in it.” She said ing one would be unhappy because Pelz tible to seeing how a piece developed, “Yes, they are!” Murphy praised simplicity. drank Coke and Yalow drank Pepsi. Ken through sketches.” She remarked on Selina From the audience: the Captain redeems eve­ Porter protested all the talk of Pelz as a sweet Phanara’s strong use of color, and Mark ryone he touches. On my docent tour I had guy. It was curious how “He was the most Roland’s saturated colors opposite each other reached Kelly Freas’ “Thinking Beyond the accepting person” — as if this were our high- on the Color Wheel. Edge,” a nude silhouetted man seated on a Patten, Michael Engelberg (another secret disk in space, its edge milled, on its reverse astronomer), and I led discussion of Farmer Earth’s continents, when Kate Morgenstern It had a high claim to forbearance in the Sky. I asked Engelberg if he wanted to in a bathrobe arrived with a procession of mention his particular interest in Heinlein. acolytes, carrying soap and a rubber ducky Jane Austen He said “No.” We spoke of identification. Mark Linneman in the audience said if one can’t see some of oneself in a lead character, Bind your servants to you with est praise - meant “He accepted me.” We the story is harder to read. Patten wondered if courtesy. paid the price for scorning rhetoric as a lib­ the death of Peggy, the sickly daughter, was Pietro Aretino eral art when at a great occasion — they are a manipulative story device. Engelberg said, not all joyous - though we talked on we on the contrary he didn’t dwell on it. Patten could hardly speak. But Pelz was a giant, the on a pedestal. Morgenstern asked if I was emotions were real, and I stayed to the end. near God, and when I answered “Bathed” - On Friday morning I heard a little of That little mind could not temper itself you never know when you might need Star­ “Creating Mythical Monsters,” Connor Freff to enter another’s soul. ship Troopers — she blessed me. This variety Cochran, Dawe, Robin Hobb, Harry Turtle­ Kipling of religious experience would recur at the dove, Janine Young. Turtledove said mon­ Worldcon (see Chronicle 231). sters that look like us are scariest. Dawe and At “Current Fanzine Review,” Lenny Young warned not to show too much: see asked how she got by the exhaustive psych Bailes, Marty Cantor who had done the Pro­ how scantly we’re told of the Balrog in the tests. I said maybe the tests were bad, or too gram Book, and Lichtman, in the audience I book Lord of the Rings. Then the last half of far substituted for human judgment, or could­ found Ken Forman folding origami. Amie “S-F and Public Perception,” Moshe Feder, n’t predict what pioneering would really Katz asked “Do you see electronics as a me­ Barbara Hambly, Cheryl Morgan, Niven. need. John DeChancie in the audience said dium or a delivery system?” Bailes said “You Feder said movies are good at impressions, Farmer was as well constructed as the best of yourself were a pioneer with the graphics in bad at detail. Niven said starting new gadgets Steinbeck. Engelberg said the people were Jackpot. But the Web is only now discover­ is what the rich are for, which the Soviets our own neighbors. Patten said, even when ing what it can do.” Katz said “Yes, people never understood. Karen Anderson’s docent they aren’t likable. That night at Regency feud faster.” Niven giving a docent tour said tour; Chamberlain’s “Folly,” a temple whose Dancing, Laurraine Tutihasi warned me the “I’m glad she tried it. I’m glad any artist tries elegant columns were impossible, a many­ Fanzine Lounge might close early. It was in a anything.” Cochran’s tour was spectacular. pronged poiuyt, she called worthy of Pal­ cabana by the swimming pool. Milt Stevens People kept asking him questions. In the 30 File 770:142

Dealers’ Room, Marty Massoglia said we’d bidding for ’05; San Diego opened a bid for Mark Olson on The City and the Stars. Here have done better to send dealers a classics ’06. Hospitality chief Christian McGuire — was scope. Gilden said, it’s so interesting list rather than rely on the Progress Report; dare I say animalistically? — made the Hospi­ while people are only floating along. Kare in fans came before and after discussion seeking tality Suite at the top of the hotel a pleasing the audience said, the ultimate sense-of- resort, brilliant at night. Filking chief Lee wonder book. Olson said, a novel of discov­ Gold found a way to re-key the filk room, ery. From the audience: revelation. Olson Leadership is the power to persuade saving hours of moving equipment. In addi­ said, Clarke suggests the numinous in a way others to do what they ought to do tion to concerts and open singing she had no one else does. Where is the superman­ without having to be persuaded. themes, a Pelz memorial naturally with his nature of the people in Diaspar? I compared Harry Truman songs, Songs of America, Songs of Revolu- Niven’s Protector, but Diaspar was made by and for people who wouldn’t be supermen. We fell to discussing literary quality. and sometimes couldn’t find. Tor had won What we have in common with the Next in the room was Frankenstein, for Best Publisher in the Locus Awards. Over gods — benevolence and truth. which I stayed to moderate Murphy and drinks Tom Doherty promised a copy of the Longinus Young. Murphy said Godwin, Polidori, and new Forge edition of U.S. Grant’s memoirs, Shelley held their own mini-con in the Alps. just the Civil War part so as to be one vol­ Young said Frankenstein was a classic be­ ume. “I like to get out of New York,” Do­ tion, Songs of Larry Niven, Pizza & Ose (as cause you could look at it from many views. herty said; “if I stayed I’d be fixed in stone.” in “morose”). Imagine Niven and Leslie Fish Is it a book about how aristocrats treat a Kathy Sanders directed the Masquerade, singing “Wanted Fan” from Fallen Angels. Rick Foss was Master of Ceremonies, I Gold said “All you have to do is grow up in judged with Scott Norton and Bjo Trimble, fandom, see what was done, and see whether Not only uncharitable, but false. Casey Bemay backstage as Workmanship it applies.” Judge. Sanders as in the 1999 NASFiC sta­ Before the con when Glyer put me on The Christopher Hibbert tioned me at the back of the hall; I wish we’d Glass Bead Game I thought to help find pan­ establish that one judge goes there. M. Edge­ elists. Against “The Popularity of Alternative comb, whose ’94 Westercon Best in Show History” and “The Bar’s My Destination” lower class? Why didn’t Frankenstein make a “Morrigan” I will never forget, won Best in there were conflicts. Greg Benford, who I woman monster who was sterile? I suggested Show this year as “Klingon Mother of Crea­ hoped might’ve read it in German, was dis­ the book was a satire and the story an irre­ tion.” Morgenstern was Best Master as tracted with other affairs. Ellison? Len Wein sponsibility contest. Paula Salo in the audi­ “Madam Dee Vee Dia,” her costume made encouraged me. I phoned. “Don’t even start ence recalled the subtitle Modern Prome­ of - I needn’t explain. Theresa MacWillie’s with me,” Ellison said. “I’ve been asked to theus. Murphy said the frame-narrative “Wood Spirit” was Most Beautiful Journey­ do every kind of panel, and I’ve done every helped to orient, especially for the many man. Calvin Cotton’s “Drow” from Forgot- kind of panel, and I don’t want to do any mundane readers. Widner in the audience more just now.” What about The Glass Bead called the book a master myth of the 19th Game, I asked. He stopped. “You’re right,” and 20th Centuries. In remakes, in television Held up to laughter or glory, whichever he said. “No one has ever asked me to sit on commercials, it keeps recurring. It suffers men had to give. a panel about The Glass Bead Game." Until from being, as Nabokov said of Don Quixote Lord Dunsany the end of the century it was the only Nobel and is certainly true of his own Lolita, one of Prize s-f novel, and it might be Hesse’s those books everyone talks about but no one greatest. Alas, Ellison still couldn’t do it. I has read. I went off-site to dinner with Jane ten Realms took Best Journeyman and Best phoned Wein to report. “You know,” I said, & Scott Dennis. When we came back we Workmanship in Show, a white wig stark “I got the distinct notion he felt he wasn’t could find no Dead Dog party. against his own deep black, the posture and worthy.” Ulrika O’Brien and I had to do bearing of a deadly magic creature, which many more try than do. There were no Novice entries. That was Sweet-mouthed, but not as one who can also the half missing from the con atten­ speak nought but sweetness. dance. A few weeks earlier, looking for fliers E. R. Eddison suitable for people who didn’t already know all about it, I couldn’t find any, nor who was in charge of them. With fire and sword I de­ without him. Widner and Geri Howard came scended on Cantor, commandeering his com­ by. E.B. Frohvet thinks Game isn’t s-f, but puter and an Alan White drawing. I ran although I was half joking when I said the around town putting up fliers. With phone book Lord of the Rings was, treating manu­ books and directories I mailed three hundred facture of a device and its consequences, packets to bookshops and colleges and librar­ about Game I mean it. Poetic even in transla­ ies. Did it help? Too late? Who can be sure? tion, superb at character study, it handles But we can’t omit such things. what-if wonderfully in its future world, and Saturday night after the Masquerade in for lagniappe brings a fine unreliable narra­ the Fanzine Lounge, generous food and good tor and hints hard questions. From the audi­ company. Stevens had set out dozens of his­ ence: is there such a thing as decadent art? I torical or hysterical fanzines, many with said, maybe but watch out for that narrator. The 8 of Penatcles was Kurt Erich- Bruce Pelz. The Phoenix for ’04 party gave a Widner hit me for an article (see YHOS 59). sen's contribution to Bruce Pelz' Fan cordial reception. San Jose and Calgary were Of course I went to hear Mel Gilden and Tarot Deck. June 2003 31 CON-VERSION 19 by Dale Speirs

The 2002 edition of Calgary’s Playboy and others, as far back as a regional SF convention Con-Version century ago, and carefully razor out went the weekend of August 9 to 11. any SF stories. He then bound them It was held in conjunction with by title of magazine into a home­ Canvention 22 (the national Canadian made anthology, and did a hand- convention, which features the Aurora illustrated cover and table of contents. Awards) and Con Spec 2002 (the For anyone to repeat this feat today Alberta literary SF convention). Con would require endless hours of Spec had the rotten luck to have been research and a bottomless purse. I originally scheduled in Edmonton for think this was probably the single a September weekend last year which greatest accomplishment of Gibson. turned out to be the one immediately Now anyone wishing to study the following the WTC/Pentagon attacks. history of SF in general magazines The chaos in the airline and hotel has a quick reference at hand, instead industry that followed in the months of lengthy paging through indexes after made it impossible to re­ and microfilm. schedule until now. There were three The University Library staff gave a sets of Guests of Honor, which made presentation about the Gibson it complicated sometimes for donation on the Friday night of the Toastmaster Robert Sawyer to convention to a packed room. introduce them at the dais. Clear Obviously they could only show a diction, close attention to the few highlights (they are still prepared text, and slow, precise unpacking) and were there not only to speaking was an absolute necessity. publicize the collection but to pick up Con-Version/Canvention/Con information from audience members Spec was held at the Metropolitan Centre in turbo-prop was about to land at Toronto, it who had known Gibson. Dave Hall, owner of downtown Calgary, a former theatre which suddenly veered hard and went around for a Off The Wall bookstore, sold much material had been converted into a complex of second attempt. The second landing to Gibson and from the audience was able to auditoriums and boardrooms for corporate succeeded, and as he deplaned, Steele asked enlighten the librarians on Gibson’s meetings. Some events were also held at the the pilot (you can talk to them on the small methodology of collecting. Westin Hotel directly across the street, and it planes) what happened. The pilot said that as The University is seeking funds to help appears that next year the entire convention the plane was making its first try, a flock of house and curate the collection. Donations will be held at Westin where it had originally Canada geese also came in for a landing on can be made in care of Blane Hogue, 750 been many years ago. the same runway. The pilot then muttered to MacKimmie Library Tower, University of Opening Ceremonies: As is standard, himself, “Only in Canada, eh?” Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4. Cheques many guests and convention members went The Bob Gibson Collection: The most should be payable to “University of Calgary” out Friday morning on a tour to the Royal sensational news in Canadian fandom was and must be marked in the memo area “For Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in the announcement a week before the the Gibson Collection”. Drumheller, a two-hour drive east of Calgary convention began that the collection of old- SF In Education: Four teachers discussed across the prairies and into the badlands. time fan Bob Gibson had been donated to the whether or not SF should be taught in grade This is the world’s largest fossil museum. University of Calgary. I happened to be schools. Donna McMahon opposed the idea The Drumhellerites have also built numerous talking to Robert Sawyer at a bid party because SF originally began as a literature replicas of various dinosaurs around the Saturday night and he mentioned that the outside mainstream life, a place to verbalize downtown core, including a giant 5-story T. news had made the CBC national network. dissent and speculate on things the Bible­ rex that one can climb up inside and look out Gibson died January 8, 2001, at the age of thumpers would rather be left unspeculated. a viewpoint from the gaping jaws of the 92. He was long a familiar sight in Calgary When SF is taught in schools, it becomes monster. In his opening speech, Con Spec bookstores and at convention dealer bourses, part of the system. In academic circles, the Guest of Honor Michael Bishop mentioned buying up books in box lots. Dealers were litcrit crowd add layers of symbolism and that on the lower lip of that T. rex was a always pleased to see him come in. His obscurity never originally intended, and small puddle that people had been tossing collection had tens of thousands of books fossilize it in the eyes of students. coins in. He got a good laugh when he said it and pulps, and immediately made the Paula Johanson said teaching SF doesn’t was the first time that he had seen people University library a world-class SF resource. have to be stultified. Her students are often tossing coins into dinosaur drool. Gibson had numerous rare books and pulps so excited about a story they wait for her Another Con Spec Guest of Honor, Allen from the 1800s and Edwardian eras, and had after classes to discuss it. Steele, mentioned that to get to Calgary from carefully indexed everything on cards. Barb Galler-Smith felt that any SF his home town in Massachusetts, he first had One of the things that Gibson did that reading was better than no reading at all. She to fly a turbo-prop to Toronto, then change was unique was to go through old non-SF felt it surprises blase children. She buys for a regular passenger jet to Calgary. As the magazines such as Maclean's, Life, Argosy, those supermarket tabloids which feature 32 File 770:142 aliens meeting with the American President to Mars. Although the technology is not 75,000 years ago, humans hit a bottleneck of and then asks her students what is wrong considered a barrier, the political and social some kind which reduced the worldwide with the story; this gets them thinking about will to do it does not presently exist. He population down to about 10,000, based on a truth in journalism. mentioned that the JPL staff are very worried study of genetic diversity. Christie de Souza said she was more about the success of the next rovers. The Robert Sawyer has been adding concerned about parental reaction to SF failures of past Mars explorers can be Neanderthals into his stories, so he discussed required reading. Her experience has been survived, but one more disaster may kill what he had learned about them. He that as long as the kids were reading, the Mars exploration for decades. suggested that tool making must have been parents were happy. Anime Fan Fiction: Fanzine fans often instinctive in humans during the Stone Age. Fandom Panel: This was basically a wonder what they can do to encourage There was a big leap about 40,000 years ago monologue by Linda Ross-Mansfield on outsiders to join in. I decided to test this in with grave goods and cave art. Sawyer takes convention running, mostly Worldcon reverse by attending this panel. I have no that as the origin of consciousness. stories. She made one point I hadn’t involvement in anime beyond buying the Archaeologist Rebecca Bradley believes considered before. Like many people, I Ranma l/2 books as they come out, so it that Neanderthals may have contributed a prefer smaller conventions rather than the big would be like a non-zinester attending a very small percentage of genes to the makeup ones with twenty tracks of programming and fanzine panel. The anime panel was an eye- of modem humans. She spent most of her dozens of special interest groups. She opener to me. The panelists talked of writing time demolishing the myth of the Great mentioned that small conventions generally ‘fie’, not stories, and posting it on Websites, Goddess that neo-pagans promulgate. This is have a shorter life span than bigger ones, due not publishing it in zines. Fanzines in the the idea that from hundreds of thousands of to a smaller margin of error in finances. As traditional sense were not mentioned even in years ago to about 5,000 years ago, the an example, the literary conventions tend to passing. dominant religious belief among humans was be erratic, about every few years rather than a One agreement among the panelists was a benign Earth Mother-style goddess, who steady annual convention, because they don’t that Website fic produced faster feedback to was then displaced by the Judeo-Christian have a large base of support. the author. Some authors who expected culture. The Great Goddess was supposed to Space Travel In Fact And Fiction: Dr. feedback were actually trolling for positive have encouraged a matriarchal and peaceful Geoffrey Landis, who works on the Mars feedback only. way of life, and the Judeo-Christians rover team and has two SF books on the side, Fic writers develop reputations the same supplanted it with war and poverty. There is discussed his practical experience of as pro writers, and many readers follow the no proof of such a thing in the archaeological spacecraft construction. Another panelist, fic authors they are comfortable with. Eden record but plenty of proof that the idea Blair Petterson, had mentioned that real Lackner mentioned one of her favorite fic originated in the 1800s from romantic spacecraft are never as reliable and smooth to authors suddenly switching to slash fiction wishful thinking. operate as fictional ones. Landis told the (homoerotic fiction involving television Other Conventions: There were a story of NASA’s low-oxygen sensors, which characters of the same gender, such as Kirk/ number of groups bidding for various keep giving false alarms because the sensors Spock, Picard/Data, or (remember them?) conventions who held bid parties at Con- rust so easily. As a result, the NASA staff Starsky and Hutch). Lackner didn’t realize Version, such as Seattle in 2005 for ignore them. When one goes off, the this until she was well into the story, which NASFiC, Los Angeles in 2006 for the response is not a mad rush to emergency was a bit of a shock. Worldcon, and Calgary in 2005 for stations but rather someone shouting down Cat Armour: Jeff de Boer is an artist who Westercon. the hallway “Shut that damn thing off!”. became famous for building suits of Armour Torcon 3 also bid successfully on Sunday Landis also mentioned that in the real for mice, cats, and other critters. He takes afternoon for next year’s Canvention, to be world, contrary to Libertarian assertions, amusement in the thought that centuries from held as part of the Toronto Worldcon. The rockets to orbit will remain the domain of now, archaeologists may dig up a helmet for significance of this is that Canvention hosts government agencies. It is too complex, a Persian cat and be totally confused about the Aurora Awards, the Canadian equivalent expensive, and long-term for orbital space our society’s functioning. A Japanese film of the Hugos. The Canvention business travel to become economic. However, he felt studio came over and filmed one of his cat meeting also refused to ratify some that rockets going straight up to 100 km and suits. He was shown fitting the Armour on a constitutional amendments passed at last back to Earth would be possible for private rather uncooperative feline. He also did year’s Canvention. It did, however, ratify an industry as high-priced thrill rides. The killer another shoot of a mouse wearing his amendment disallowing clubzines from the cost in space travel is not altitude but orbital Armour. He rented a mouse from a pet shop Best Fanzine Aurora. This problem has been insertion. for 27-cents a day, thinking it would be a building in recent years as clubs bloc vote for Invading The Red Planet: This was a quick job. The mouse got sick, and in order their publications, making it impossible for a slide show by Dr. Landis on his day job in to avoid a cruelty-to-animals charge, he took true fanzine to win, and giving the Aurora to Mars exploration. A full auditorium as is it to a veterinarian. The vet billed him for a Star Trek clubzine once again this year. usual for Con-Version science panels. He $84. The good news was that since he was The original intent of the Aurora Fanzine discussed the photographic evidence for doing the job for an ad agency, he was able award was to encourage individuals, not water erosion on Mars, and mentioned that to charge it off as expenses. allow bloc voting for club activities. any free liquid water would be hypersaline. Neolithic Man: I mentioned that science Clubzines can still be nominated for Fan He is currently working on the new Mars panels have always been popular in Calgary Activity- Organizational, which is more in rovers, which are intended to be long range conventions. The proof was that this panel, keeping with the spirit of the awards. The travelers with a lot of autonomy. The next held bright and early Sunday morning, filled new amendment takes effect for the 2003 generation after that will be airborne, a large room of con-goers, some of whom I Auroras at Toronto. whether a solar-powered flying wing, a know were still partying in the small hours The 2003 Con-Version will be August 15 balloon, or a re-startable rocket that can hop when I left for bed. Dave Duncan started off to 17. Guests of Honor are Terry Brooks, about the planet from one site to another. with a general summary of current thought Esther Friesner, Charles de Lint, and Robert There are no serious plans for human travel about human evolution. It appears that about J. Sawyer. June 2003 33 STOKES ABROAD Keith Stokes Visits the British Eastercon and Nebula Weekend

Nebula Weekend Kansas City Star featured the Nebula and I drove Anne Lesley Groell, Jaime Le­ Awards. The Preview (weekend entertain­ vine, Catherine Lundoff and her partner, April 25-28, 2002 ment) section's cover showed a sea of little Jana. The exhibit is huge, taking over several Report by Keith Stokes green men and was captioned, "Take us to additional galleries and the center court. I your readers." There was a full interior page recommend it. I enjoyed the Nebula Awards Weekend a dedicated to the Nebs. Anne & Jaime decided to find their own great deal. Much more than I expected. My Robin Bailey had arranged for a large way back to the hotel, but Jana and Catherine only real disappointment is not having crew from the Kansas City Science Fiction had a little free time, so on the way back I enough time to spend with the interesting and Fantasy Society and the set-up for regis­ drove by some interesting places and we people. tration went fast. There were 8 tables filled went to Arthur Bryant's for lunch. They Overall, almost every part of the weekend with free books and magazines. An all time seemed impressed by the huge quantifies of was in the far right of the bell curve. record. Folks selected over $300 in free-bees, well smoked meat and French fries cooked in I left work at noon on Thursday in a bor­ several times the cost of the banquet. It was lard. rowed new raised roof conversion van and fun watching folks with dazed smiles leave Saturday afternoon was the Nebula Busi­ began by driving to the airport and meeting with boxes so filled they were hard to carry. ness meeting. Mostly good news and it ended Betty Ballantine and Tom Doherty. That was Many shipped their books home. on an upbeat note. The most positive busi­ a treat. I really felt like I was driving the Friday evening's mass autographing in the ness meeting of the last 5 I attended. "adults." Many of the out of town attendees Crown Center atrium was my biggest respon­ Both Friday and Saturday had roundtable were met at the airport and chauffeured to the sibility for the weekend. Over 30 authors discussions on a variety of subjects, includ­ hotel by KC area fans. participated. It wasn't flawless, but I think it ing "Publishing in Russia" with literary After delivering them to the hotel, I went as well as something like that can. agent, Alex Korzhenevsky, "Self-Promotion" checked in and hauled in my stuff including Waldenbooks had a continuous line of peo­ with Steve Miller, "The Role of the Inde- my desktop computer (the laptop is very ple waiting to purchase books for the first 90 pendent/Small Press in SF/F Publishing" close to dead) and many books to be signed. minutes. Most authors received attention, with five independent or small press repre­ Then 1 checked in with Waldenbooks and and they all seemed to enjoy being with each sentatives, and "The State of Short Fiction" started taking photos of the weekend. I put other. Selina Rosen was near the front and with most of several short fiction editors par­ almost 100 online this weekend at http:// kept calling out to people passing by to "Buy ticipating. These panels were a new feature at www.kcsciencefiction.org/02nebs01.htm My Books! a Nebula Weekend. Another first was a 16 At supper time I checked the lobby look­ After putting a few pages of photos on­ page program book which was funded ing for company and ended up crossing the line, I went to the hospitality suite for the rest through local advertising. aerial walkway to Union Station for a fun of the evening. A huge penthouse on the 18th Saturday night was the reception and ban­ meal at Pierpont's with Peter Heck, Jane floor, it was surrounded by windows with quet. I got to sit with Robin and Diana Bailey Jewel, Scott Edelman and Gardner Dozois. great views. I enjoyed the conversations, SFWA Officers Howard Hendrix, ElizaBeth They were a hoot! Scott told us about his trip chocolate and back rubs. After taking the last Gilligan and Lois Tilton, Eleanor Wood to China, last fall and showed us a picture of stint at the bar, I helped closed down around (SFWA Literary Agent), Esther Friesner and him on a park bench with a giant panda. 3 a.m. Then Robin & Diana Bailey, Jim Hol- her husband WJ. All the big wigs and me:-) Back at the hotel, folks met for the trip to laman and I sat in the dark and watched a And it was a good location for photography. the Blue Room for Jazz. The Blue Room is a thunderstorm cross the city. The women were beautiful (I like seeing small non-smoking bar attached to the Saturday morning was the trip to see the folks dress up). Esther did a great job as the American Jazz Museum at 18th & Vine. We special Egypt exhibit (with 144 items from Brave Little Toastmistress. Robin gave her a ended up with 30 people. They seemed to the British Museum) at the Nelson-Atkins brief partial strip tease and lap dance when enjoy the club and the music. I had nice chats Museum. Several car loads caravaned over he went up to accept for the dramatic Nebula with Jeffrey Carver, Rebecca Moesta, and winner. Kevin Anderson. After bringing the second The SFWA logo ice sculpture load of folks back to the hotel, I went to added a nice touch of class. So did Town Topic for a late night burger, then this year's awards. They are a little returned to sit and chat with friends in the different each year and turned out lobby bar area. particularly well this time. Friday morning I was up early to move Prior to the awards, Gardner the van. The raised roof van wouldn't fit in Dozois gave a touching tribute to the parking garage and 1 didn't like the SFWA founder Damon Knight hotel's alternative lot which was far away, (who passed away two weeks be­ so I was parking on street and had to deal fore), and Tom Doherty presented a with parking restrictions and times. It was special President's Award to Betty a bit of a hassle, but at least it saved $30 Ballantine. Keith Stokes and Howard Devore at the 2002 parking. The Nebula Awards were each I was delighted to learn that the Friday Midwestcon. presented by tag-team pairs of editors. 34 File 770:142

Only one winner was present, Catherine small groups of books about every 45 sec­ Asaro, but she was so happy with her win onds. I picked up three UK editions of James and looked like a princess! Gunn’s work, which made my suitcase al­ Then on to Hospitality until the wee most impossible to close. hours. Programming ended fairly early to allow Sunday morning I put the Awards' photos folks to change for the banquet. Most people online then packed the van. I drove Betty Helier. Others in attendance included BSFA were dressed very nicely for a fine meal Ballantine, her son and Tom Doherty to the Treasurer Paul Hood and authors Cherith which included chicken liver and foie gras airport, then returned to the hotel to pick up Baldry and Molly Brown. parfait, champagne sorbet, braised rump of Joe Haldeman, Gay Haldeman and Rusty Eastercon is the British National SF Con­ lamb with navarin vegetables, parmesan Hevelin for sightseeing. vention. Helicon 2 was held March 29 - mash, chocolate desserts, coffee and truffles. We visited the Steamboat Arabia museum April 1 at the Hotel de France, a repeat of the The banquet was noisy enough that it was in the City Market, then had lunch at Wins­ of the 1993 location. Many organizers and hard to follow the conversations on the far lows Smokehouse and shopped in the orien­ participants arrived the weekend before, but I side of my table, but I got to know a UK fan tal market. Then on to Harrah's casino where didn’t fly down until Thursday afternoon attending only his second convention, John Joe, Gay and I all lost money at Blackjack. I before the convention. O’Donnell and his delightful wife, June. wagered the least so I lost the least. Registration was scheduled to be open The program included a toast to the Just before we left, we put SI0 each into a that afternoon and I hurried to get to hotel Queen Mum, who had passed away earlier in pool to play one time in a SI machine. They before registration was scheduled to close at the weekend. had done this several times at other casinos 6 p.m. But signs indicated that registration Following the banquet, it was time to re­ and Rusty put the pressure on me, saying would open at 6 p.m. instead of close then. turn to the convention bar. There were ru­ they had always made some money with the The lobby had perhaps 20 or 30 fans, so it mors that there would be a party in the wee pool. We ended up with $42, so we cleared seemed like a reasonable wait. It turned out hours of the night, but with my flight off Jer­ 50 cents each and my reputation wasn't hurt. that only people who’s last names began with sey scheduled for 7 a.m. (6 a.m. after they Back at the hotel, we talked in the lobby letters from the first part of the alphabet changed to “summer time” that night!) I bar for a while, then had supper at the adja­ would get to register on Thursday night. needed to quit around midnight. cent Kabuki restaurant with Laurel Winter. After waiting for an hour or so and learn­ My three flights on Easter all were Really a fun meal. ing that there would be no chance for a per­ smooth. The best part was crossing over The whole day was great. Joe and Gay are son named “Stokes” to register that night, I southern Greenland. It was spectacular, but I always fun and although I had been around headed out to see a bit of St. Helier and have don’t think I would care to see it any closer Rusty several times before, this was our first dinner. than I did from the airplane. time to talk at length and get to know each Returning to the hotel, I headed to the bar other. where one of the first persons I saw was Jan They all kept thanking me for taking the van ‘t Ent. We caught up on each other’s time to show them around!! :-) lives and I met some of his friends from I got home about 10:30p.m. Tired but Europe. happy. I had a very good weekend. In my Friday during the day, I took a ferry to biased opinion, this was the most enjoyable France and had a wonderful time in Saint- Nebula Awards Weekend of the 5 I have at­ Malo. Returning to the Hotel de France in tended. the early evening, I learned that registration was closed for the night. Con Operations Eastercon gave me my badge, but none of the other material could be picked up until Saturday. March 29-April 1, 2002 The convention was going strong and I Report by Keith Stokes split my time between the convention (cash) bar and fan programming. I attended the Priscilla and Mark Olson at 2002 The 2002 Eastercon returned to St. Helier in Brian Stableford interview and the TAFF Midwestcon. Photo by Keith Stokes. the Channel Islands. I have wanted to visit auction. The highlight of the auction was the this area since receiving a post card sent by caricatures being drawn during the auction Jan van ‘t Ent from the 1993 Eastercon on by Sue Mason. Maxed-Out Maxims Jersey. There were no parties and I called it a Instant Message #714 reported Mark Ol­ My trip began with five days in London night around 11 p.m. son’s modest suggestion that NESFA adopt packed with four shows, several tours, visits Saturday morning was spent sightseeing as its official motto “We Might Need That” to the Tower of London, Greenwich, British on Jersey, with the afternoon back at the con­ or “Don’t Throw That Away.” Mark’s senti­ Museum, bookstores, churches and every­ vention. The dealers room was pretty attrac­ ment was soon refined by the Rules Commit­ thing else that could possibly be squeezed in. tive, but my suitcases were already going to tee into formal Latin - Forsan illo ege- The British Science Fiction Association be overfull and I resisted temptation. The art bimus - and after further silliness voted in by monthly meeting at the Rising Sun Pub was show was quite small, few artists had ar­ the membership in February. one of the highlights. Only about 10 people ranged to bring their work over from the rest The question that springs to my mind is: attended, since many folks were already gone of the UK. wouldn’t it have been in the spirit of the to Jersey, but it still was great fun, with good My favorite panels were Harry Turtle­ motto to keep Mark’s English version, too? food, drinks and conversation. Seattle author dove’s Guest of Honor Interview, and Evalu­ After all, they might need that — to translate Bridget McKenna attended and it was well ating Sources with Laura Frankos and a cou­ the Latin one! that I met her there as 1 never saw her in St. ple of UK authors. I particularly enjoyed the book auction, in which they were selling June 2003 35

[[Introduction: Those who have lived really attempts at making imitation promags. through a great swath of history can take it Almost parallel with the movement of fan for granted that "everyone" knows the The Fanzine pubbing to a younger body of less reverent things they've seen. When a fan asked a fans, came a shift from leaned articles and Ditto committee about the old days of ... professional fiction to more informal mate­ 1980... Tarai realized this was a gholden Tool Kit rial. The editors had no real hope of selling chance to capture some fanhistorical knowl­ their zine to enough subscribers to make edge in an article so it could be passed on to money, so there was no real need to publish many more than the fan who posed the origi­ by Tarai saleable material. The real fanzine was self- nal question. Special acknowledgement to indulgent from the get-go. Of course, no one Garth Spencer who published this article Wayne really thought this out — book reviews, arti­ first. Tarai and I believe it also will be en­ cles on the genre, and bad fiction by the edi­ joyed by readers seeing it for the first time in tors and their friends continued to be pub­ File 770.]] lished along with the new "fannish" stuff. Convention toCon _J0S&“ World War II pretty much brought the old Tom Turritin — Here's a question, sercon fandom to an end, and older fans re­ maybe you or your Ditto crowd turning from the war generally had better might be able to help me. I'm won­ things to do than pub their ish. Younger fans dering what some of the mostly opted for the fannish school, being "benchmark" events in zines have more savvy from the start, and knowing fun been, from 1980 to today. Like... did when they saw it. The fannish model of the photocopying suddenly become zine was a mature art-form by the late 1940s. cheaper and easier to do at some No coincidence that most of the BNF's point? What was the impact of com­ and legendary zines valued by fannish collec­ puters, home printers and word tors date from that time or later. processing? Postal rates? Social Things didn't change much over the next trends? I'm looking for this kind of two decades. Occasionally someone had info to help with my timeline project. money and offset his zine, and there were still zines that some middle-age man typeset It might we well to start by saying that the Mimeo zines, of course, have many limi­ in his basement, and every other possibility. word fanzine itself is an invention of SF fan­ tations. No attractive bookfaces - only what­ But the vast majority of zines were mimeo­ dom. Before Russ Chauvenet coined it in ever a typewriter gave you. This was almost graphed — less often dittoed, although 1946, the word was fanmag, hinting at the always 12 point Courier. I've seen some in­ apazines perhaps more often. original nature of the beast. Russ, by the teresting variations, but they were exceptions The first real change came in the 1960s. way, is still very much among the living. to the rule. Forry Ackerman was known for An expensive and limited form of elec­ The first zines were attempts to publish a his individualistic typewriter font. Another trostenciling existed as far back as the 1930s, professional magazine in all but name. limitation was illustration. Some faneditors I believe. Easily available, good quality elec­ Hence, it was the preserve of hobbyists with got around it by pasting in photos, or by hav­ trostenciling seemed to have arrived much the income to pursue an expensive pastime, ing no illos. But most traced art onto the wax later though. I can't be sure when, but if or printers with their own press in the base­ mimeo stencil using a battery of special im­ fanzines are a reflection of the technology, ment, or could use the boss's shop in his plements. than I'd have to say the transition was in the spare time. In those days the publisher/editor There were simple styluses for free-hand mid or late 1960s, when more zines had more would pay as much as he could for articles by drawing, other loop-shaped ones for ruling complex art. Lines were no longer spidery "name" writers, and even commission art­ straight lines, and some with spoked wheels tracings, but could indulge in brush-like work. Sometimes they paid as well as the for ruling dotted lines. (I have a nice collec­ swoops and variations of thickness. Solid actual prozines. More usually the payment tion of them.) Another graphic aide was the areas were suddenly possible. While there was nominal, or just in copies. In a real way, shading plate. Using a stippled plastic sheet were notable titles through most of the 1950s this was the proto-zine era. under the stencil, a spoon-shaped stylus that boasted thoughtful lay-out and attractive By the mid or late 1930s, a lot of younger rubbed the pattern into the wax. Most im­ illustration, they were still limited to the pos­ pulp magazine readers who also, perhaps, portant was the lettering guide. Using a tiny, sibilities of stylus, shading plate, and letter­ knew of the amateur zines (generally pub­ pointed stylus head, you could scratch a large ing guide. With the electrostencil, simple lished by older men), and wanted to do it too. variety of different typefaces onto the stencil outline work by Bjo Trimble and Bill Rotsler Of course, they didn't have the money for for article headers, or put a title on the cover were joined by more visually enriched art by letterpress. My guess is they turned to a tech­ art. Tim Kirk, Alicia Austin, Derek Carter, Joe nology they learned at school. No less than The natural effect of this technology was Pearson, Randy Bathurst, James Shull and Harry Warner Jr. disagrees with me on this to favor simple, outline art. Large black areas many others. More faneds than ever before point, but I've seen, I have examples of high could only be done by substituting grey dot­ began to experiment with layout and graph­ school magazines published by students. ted areas with a shading plate. Not everyone ics. Clearly they used the school mimeograph to had such an array of mimeo stencil tools, About the same time this was happening, do it, and some of them must have borrowed though, or frankly lacked the talent to use the old manual typewriter finally evolved the technology to publish SF zines too. A them, so simple outline art was far more into higher life-forms. At first it was just the few turned to ditto if nothing else was avail­ common. electric. Dating as far back as to the 1950s, able from school. Fewer still had to settle for The first real fanzines in my opinion, are this cut a stencil that looked no different hektography, but it was never at any time a creatures of the 1930s. Their prototypes ex­ from the manual. It was so much easier than common means of pubbing your ish. isted a decade earlier, but as I said, they were the old spring-loaded rat-trap, that the job of 36 File 770:142 pubbling one's ish was greatly simplified. It lucky, you could find a copy shop that did tion. Likely as not, the trend was reinforced would be interesting to speculate that the good work at an affordable price. Some quite by postal rates that had been escalating al­ average length of fanzines increased at this attractive zines were appearing that were most exponentially for several years. time, but it would be no more than a guess. entirely photocopied. When I was doing my first zines, I could IBM Selectric's made the first visible differ­ The golf-ball reigned supreme for just a mail a ten or fifteen page zine for just six ence in the 1970s. With interchangeable few years, and in the late 1980s began to be cents. By end of that decade it took maybe "golf balls" you could use numerous type challenged by the electronic typewriter. This half a buck. In the early 1980s, when I was faces and fonts on the same page, without was an interim technology — an otherwise coming to the end of my career as a faned, it removing it from the machine, the inevitabil­ ordinary electric typewriter with a small cost a buck, and a full size genzine cost up to ity of registration errors, or risk of damaging memory. It enabled the user to type a line, or $2. I'm pretty sure postal costs rose well the stencil. Zines like Energumen, Simula­ several lines, then correct them for typos above the rate of general inflation. When Ted crum, and Outworlds typify the Selectric's before the machine committed them to paper White started doing his snappy little fanmags use. (or stencil). Before these really caught on, it was probably the most sensible adaptive About the same time, cheap paper plates though, the inevitable logic of the digital response to expenses that were getting higher and subsidized university print shops brought revolution made them obsolete. A few people and higher, and increasingly beyond the the price of offset down to where more peo­ began experimenting with word processors. means of more and more fans. ple could afford it. In the late 1960s, entirely Most were using computers like Commo­ Short, frequent zines were not entirely an offset zines were appearing, and offset covers dore 64's, Co-Co's, Atari's and XTs to create innovation, of course. They had existed in were a commonplace. By the early 1970s, a print out that was xeroxed to actually pub­ several guises since nearly the beginning. there were many offset zines — Trumpet, lish the zine. One variation that I experi­ And they exist still. That particular manifes­ Outworlds, Wild Fennel, Prehensile, River­ mented with myself was to use my I28's tation was a fad that didn't outlive the decade side Review, and many more. Most re­ printer to cut a wax stencil. As the 1990s though. Small zines today aren't necessarily entered the realm of subscription sales, pro­ dawned, more and more people acquired frequent, not do they exhort feedback or in­ fessional or semi-pro content, and academic more and more computing power and could teraction to the same degree. They're apt to purposes, but not all. Offset covers on even edit entire zines in virtual reality before be up-dates of the editor's life, or his reading fannish zines were standard, offset folios printing out a word. list, rather than topic humor and gossip. common. But still, most zines continued to Logically, this should have resulted in Longer genzines are still the mainstay of mimeo the inside pages. very elaborately designed zines. But oddly, it fanzine fandom. However, in the last 20 Although photocopiers weren't hard to didn't. The necessary interest in and skills at years they really haven't changed much in find, up to the middle 1970s the technology graphic design weren't there. Not that there appearance, style, or content. If the possibili­ was still rather crude. Many copiers used weren't and aren't some very attractive look­ ties of the computer revolution are nigh end­ rolls of one-sided paper that was coated and ing word-processed/xerox or electrostenciled less, I'd have to say that fanzine fandom has oddly pinkish or grey. It wasn't cheap either. zines. But they tend not to exploit the full used it mainly as a convenience, and let pos­ Ten cents in those days bought an 8 ounce possibilities of the technology, and frankly sibilities go largely unrealized. bottle of Coke, or a regular bag of chips. I the art of the fanzine has never again reached Tomorrow promises to bring us the on­ didn't really see large numbers of xeroxed the levels it enjoyed in past peaks. (One from line fanzine. What I think of this, I'm not zines until the late 1970s. By that time, the the late 1950s to early 1960s, another from sure. Those e-zines I've seen are appealing cost was relative to the index of inflation maybe 1970 to 1980.) At least not in terms of enough to look at, but I don't like scrolling more reasonable, and the need for special being all that they could be. around and clicking on a series of windows stocks of paper had vanished. Even so, find­ Perhaps one reason for this was a philo­ to get to what I want to read. As well, not ing a xerox machine that could copy any area sophical one, rather than technological. everyone has the latest hi-rez technology to of black larger than the end of a pencil was Through the late 1970s, British zines enjoyed read them, something not enough web-site still hard. Anything larger faded in the mid­ a particular vogue. All the best fanwriters creators seem to be aware of when picking dle. Early xeroxes almost always picked up seemed to be British, and many of the best ten point fonts for their text. paste-up lines, however carefully columns or zines from the U.K. Many of those most But more than that, there seems a philo­ illos were stuck to the page. Because of this, highly regarded looked like crumpled news­ sophical sea-change I’m slow to accept. A most early xeroxed zines looked like hell. papers folded over twice and stapled badly. It fanzine is a set-piece. Once it’s stapled to­ Fans who cared how their products looked became a sort of maxim that spending time gether, that's what it is, for all time. Further didn't tend to use this technology for several and effort on appearance was counter­ issues may continue this or that graphic de­ more years. The ones who did, generally productive, and that the written content was vice, but nevertheless it's entirely different demonstrated no scruples about the blotches all that mattered. from every issue before, and all issues after. and errant lines accompanying columns of The Britzines probably fueled a counter­ E-zines don't seem like unique objet d'art. type. And since no self-respecting artist movement in early 1980s zines, spearheaded The frames and windows stay the same from wanted their work ruined, xerox zines actu­ by Ted White and his friends. Although Ted "issue" to "issue" and the content flows ally reverted to simple outline fillos again. Or had been one of the most able graphic artists through it like water from a tap. It can be used clip-art, ding-bats, and other devices of the late 1950s, in the 1980s he introduced argued that there are no issues, only a con­ acceptable only to a deranged mind. Never the "snappy little fan mag." It was neat and tinually changing stream of content. Marshall mind what it looked like, you could shoot attractive, but the written content clearly McLuhan would be proud, no doubt. I can't xeroxed print down to a two column layout, dominated Ted's thoughts. Lavish graphics help feeling, though, that it's just not and that saved the editor money. and an emphasis on art cost more to xerox, "publishing" -- it's media, like TV. It was most likely in the mid 1980s that and the more pages the more it cost to mail. And one wonders what the future of the copiers had improved to the point that there The prestige that large elaborate zines of the written word will be when it's television. was no reason not to use them. Many offices past still enjoyed at that time, was actually and work-places had one that could be used counter-productive in the new view, because after-hours, free if you were lucky. If not so it slowed down communication and interac­ June 2003 37 The Fanivore

Allan D. Burrows on the same event, Martin Morse Wooster states, “A panel on I finally finished F770:141. whether fannish and sercon fanzine [[I feel the same way about fans could get along was spoiled by there being no sercon fen in the F770.142!]] Having known Tarai since sometime room (except for me).” Huh. You around OSFiC’s demise, (and liked him think maybe there might be a reason for slightly less), I was glad to hear that his for that, Sir? talent has finally gained him commercial My knowledge of the 2002 success. Yet he’s never been recognized by Worldcon and its committee is fandom, which is too bad, really. He’s con­ small, but it seems to me gutless to tributed so much good art to so many attack someone behind his back - fanzines. Perhaps in 2003 he’ll finally get especially anonymously. A gentle­ his rocket; and in his home town, so that man sends his seconds to call... he’ll surely be there to accept it. I wonder if Marie Rengstorff Bravo also to Lloyd Penney on getting considered the option of sitting on the nod from Fears For Ears. It’s not such her porch with a shotgun and blast­ a surprise, though, when you consider that ing at any dogs setting paw on her he also volunteers with Voiceprint, a non­ property? (If the lady does not know profit company that reads newscasts for the where to buy shells loaded with Canadian National Institute for the Blind. rock salt instead of lead or steel (Friendly, bubbly and has a great voice!) I shot, any well equipped master gun­ don’t suppose it hurt, though, that he smith could specially load it for knows most, if not all, of the writers whose her.) This might well wind her up in court, but almost certainly not in works he’ll be reading. 1 was most interested to read Francis jail. Conversely, she could have Hamit’s analysis of the 9-11 incident. It’s filed suit against the local police good to hear an expert opinion now and charging they were failing to fulfill then. Three of his comments stood out in their duty to protect the public. Or both. my mind. I was surprised to learn that the radical suggest, the world will be pretty much the Alan White’s piece on page 24 reminds me of the late Baltimore restaurant, Hauss- left is all about pacifism... but then, it’s your same place that it was before. It’s America ner’s (mentioned by Darrell Schweitzer in his radical left, not mine that he was discussing, that will be different; more anxious and more Worldcon report in, as I recall, Fosfax.) The so I’ll have to take his word for it. defensive. bar still had on the door “Gentlemen Only” Mr. Hamit is not alone in his assessment Other than these, I must admire the gen­ and the bar was decorated with dozens of of the libertarian right, however. I heard on tleman’s knowledge and insight. My Tilley is nude paintings. On the last occasion on the radio not long ago from someone whose off to him! interests move him to work against globaliza­ which I went there before it closed, the lady who was my companion saw the sign, the tion and he said much the same thing; that E. B. Frohvet hackles went up, and nothing would do but these same people who so firmly preach the that we have a drink in the bar. Somewhat to inevitability of international trade laws su­ Under ordinary circumstances, the spectacu­ her disappointment, no one objected to that, perceding national civil rule came crying lar full color cover by Alan White would be and the bartender was a woman! home to Big Daddy Government when the worthy of special praise. However, it pales in twin towers got knocked down. (Not, you comparison to the Real Thing, the wondrous Joseph T. Major understand, that I have anything against trade Sierra Grace (which 1 guess the artist would per se, but even Adam Smith didn’t have freely admit.) It seems an odd coincidence unalloyed faith in the free market if you read that many of the recent additions to fandom File 3:30 A.M.: Just think of all the time you his works.) (Oh, and those were not his exact have been female - the same is true of Steven no longer waste on sleeping, when after be­ words but I feel that they capture his intent.) Silver’s new family member, July Wall and ing awakened for the morning feeding you Multinational corporations, powerful as they Brin McLaughlin have discovered new can do a little fanac. are, do not keep standing armies! nieces in the past year, too. Children don’t seem to have slowed down And that’s just as well; imagine Bill Personally, I might have found some in­ Knarley and Letha Welch. In fact, I saw them Gates literally conquering the world! terest in the Corflu programming that Ted at LoneStarCon with a child younger than I regret, however, that I must quibble White brushes off with an indifferent sen­ with Mr. Hamit’s assertion that, because of tence or two. Of course, it is for Ted to report Siena was when the issue came out. So you 9-11, “...the world will be a different, less on the aspects of the con which interested can do it. (Wish I had got a picture of the careless place from now on.” In fact, 1 would him... One observes that in a separate report little one with Jack Williamson, spanning the 38 File 770:142 age range of the con.) Bouchercon 32: This seems to be evolv­ Collector. At one point in time these were As I mentioned, I have relatives named ing towards a professional convention - not two separate publications, one called “The Rockets Blast” and the other called “The “Arwen”, “Strider”, and other odd names: in the sense of professionally run, but in the Comic Collector.” I don’t know how long sense of one where professionals meet to sell “Brook Star”, “Sydney Brooklyn,” “Lexxi.” they were published separately but by the late Not to mention a ten-year-old boy and a five- books, take professional seminars (“Different ‘60s or early ‘70s they’d merged into one year-old girl who are both “Madison Major.” Quirks for Your Detective, or: What Do You called The Rockets Blast & Comic Collector, And then there was the cousin who, quite Do When There Are Already Five Series more frequently referred to as simply The legitimately, calls his computer consulting with Lesbian Albino African-American Psy­ RBCC. G.B. Love was the initial editor of firm “Edgar Cayce Consultants.” chic Nun Detectives?”), and so on. RBCC who later turned it over to James Van Kramer Trial Delayed: If he’s guilty he The Fanivore: You’re a Twisted Man, Hise. should be punished. If he isn’t, he shouldn’t Mr. Potter: The complaints about Harry be. However, there are a lot of people out Potter and the Goblet of Fire winning the Lloyd Penney there for whom (especially in this sort of Best Novel have the same force as those re­ Hi, Dad! Our greetings and congratulations case) indictment is equivalent to conviction. garding the No Award Ad. As you know, of to you, Diana, and Sierra. Did you ever Never mind the ones who seem to think that the thirty-one signers of that ad, only five imagine all this for yourself ten years ago? I All Fandom is co-conspirators in the matter. had nominated a fanzine at all. Had they all think that’s one reason why we enjoy SF as Con-Version 18: A note in this morning’s nominated one, it would have been on the much as we do...the future is full of surprises Wall Street Journal explained the current ballot. Objections to Harry Potter and the we can but try to predict. slump in private satellite launches. In spite of Goblet of Fire winning the Best Novel Hugo A marvelous cover for thish... Alan White’s work is a wonderful introduction to the dreams of quarreling space dreamers, it by those who didn’t vote, didn’t nominate your little girl. My experience in lacking in was not Wicked NASA that killed the busi­ lack a certain utility. (Personally, I felt a little this area, but IMHO, the idea of an open ness. It was fiber-optic cable. Fiber-optic uneasy about voting for it but in comparison adoption will be greatly beneficial for every­ provided the bandwidth and volume that sat­ to the competition.) one. Your family has become larger by at ellites were supposed to offer, for less. So [[Your arithmetic is right when you say least Sierra and her birth mother, and the private satellite launching languished. that the 31 signers of the No Award ad could more parents there are to raise a child, the Con-Version 18: The Truth Is Out have just as easily collaborated to get their better. Then, of course, with local fandom, she’ll suddenly have more aunts and uncles There: It was more obscurantism than luck nominees on the Hugo ballot. But if the plu­ than she’ll know what to do with. that made “Lee Harvey Oswald’s lucky ralism observed in FAAn Award voting is As distressing as the cause of the Ed shot.” Kennedy Assassination researchers any guide there may not have been a consen­ Kramer trial may be, the menacing flames assumed that Kennedy and Connally were sus among them as to the best fanzines of the constantly licking in various Usenet areas is sitting straight and looking forward and of year. Maybe they wouldn't have been able to equally distressing. No one can possibly de­ course the bullet tracks were impossible. agree what zine should be bloc voted onto fend the actions of a pedophile... I do not However, putting them in the poses they the ballot?]] prejudge Mr. Kramer here, but obviously, were in when they were hit shows a quite I have run across a comment attributed to others have already acted as judge and jury, and are more than willing to act as execu­ different result. This seems to be rather the Ms. Rowling that she didn’t care about get­ tioner. Some have objected online to these opposite of pattern recognition. We might get ting the Hugo. Can anyone source this? thinly-veiled threats, but the flames rise again into “memetics,” or how certain false ideas Buffy the Trufan Saviour: Yes, 1 expect and again after a while. are apparently unkillable. they will complain if Harry Potter and the Yes, friendly, bubbly me, Mr. Congenial­ Con-Version 18: Conventions Past, Pre­ Sorcerer’s [sic] Stone wins the BDP Hugo. ity. (I’m sure my boss, and more than a few sent, And Future: We have seen the future There was a program item on Buffy every friends, will cock an eyebrow at that descrip­ and it is Creation. Given the relative stand­ day at the Worldcon. tion...) The Fears for Ears CD isn’t out yet, but all the authors of the stories have re­ ings of media and literary SF, such a passive Overseas Adoptions: A cousin of mine ceived their contributor’s copies, which has adopted two Chinese girls; a cousin of reaction (“an SF convention was something caused Roberta van Belkom to say to me at a you paid admission to and sat back to watch Lisa’s has adopted one. Since Lisa’s cousin gathering, “So, you’re the cop in ‘The Rug’!” bit-part actors do a question-and-answer ses­ lives in Hopkinsville and mine lives in Ore­ It took me some minutes to figure out what sion”) seems to be certainly the more com­ gon, I see a lot more of little Amie Joy than I she was talking about, but yes, I played the monplace. do of Zoe Fu Li and Ivy Fu Huihong. Amie role of the policeman in Edo’s short story Con-Version 18: Guest of Honor seems well acculturated, though she does “The Rug.” When the CD is released for gen­ eral sale, I’ll put the word out. And good Speeches: The most science fictional mo­ wear a lot of Mulan gear... news about the Illegal Alien screenplay... ment was when half the audience reached for Excuse Me!: I got this suspicious letter their pockets or purses for their cell phones. according to Michael Lennick, Dr. Penney from something calling itself “Internal Reve­ The most fannish moment was when said was written back into the final version, and nue Service” and did they really raise a fuss! audience turned them off. In a mundane it’s being shopped around, looking for some­ audience, at least one, and more likely three one to buy it and start shooting. Michael to five, of those people would immediately Craig Miller knows I’d like to perform the role of Dr. have taken the phone and made a call, talking Penney, so I’m hoping that the movie is shot AS LOUDLY AS POSSIBLE to show how Regarding Henry Welch’s LoC and his ques­ locally so, as I’ve said before, 1 can take important he (she) was. tion about the Rockets Blast and the Comics Tuckerization to the next level. June 2003 39

I’ve discovered the extremely detailed dom? If anything, I’d say the fandom owes a cover every aspect of the genre, from books Locus Index to SF Awards, and just how huge debt to him. I wish you had come to the and films to toys and Web sites, so books are many awards we hand out to ourselves. One Philadelphia Worldcon, Harry... George only one of the many things we look at, but award that isn’t on that list are the FAAn Scithers ran a panel on trains and subways, they do get singled out for extra attention. Awards. I’ve yet to see a complete list of and we had a great time talking about our We always cover at least two books in the winners. I know that Andrew Hooper and respective transit systems. There were four of Off the Shelf section of every issue, which Victor Gonzales can probably compile a list us in the front row (Yvonne, myself, Peter amounts to 104 book reviews a year. That’s of modern-day winners, but those who won Dougherty, Steve Carey) wearing conductors twice the amount of coverage (or more) than them in the 60s and 70s...who are they, and caps with various transit insignia. Lots of us we give to most other categories, such as can we put that list together, too? Mike are subway fans; a few in Toronto are in­ games, anime, music, classics, cool stuff or Glicksohn still has his FAAn Award trophy volved with preservation societies that run Web sites. In fact the only other section that on his mantlepiece, right beside his Hugo. steam locomotives for the public’s enjoy­ runs more reviews is On Screen, but that Don Bassie’s Made In Canada webpage ment. includes film, TV, video and DVD releases, may be new to US fandom, but it’s been Joy V. Smith should continue to check which is kind of a 4-in-l topic and tends to around for some years now. I produce a con­ out Graeme Cameron’s Canfancyclopedia on be a bit overfull because if that. vention listing page for the site (Lloyd’s his website. It grows continuously. I have Plus John Clute, who we think is the fore­ Cancon List), and I’m working on a new list, some holidays coming up, and one thing I’d most SF critic and scholar out there, covers a which should appear RSN. like to do is go through my fanzine collec­ book (and sometimes two) in his monthly So many deaths...as Dick Geis said so tion, which, of course, has a lot of Canadian column. Figure that adds 16 more reviews a long ago, no one wants to write an obitzine, stuff in it, and write up additions to it, and e- year and we’re up to 120. Then, of course, but if you’re going to report on the happen­ mail them to him. A little fanhistorical pres­ we also cover books within our Classics sec­ ings of fandom, you’ve got to report on those ervation. tion and our Cool Stuff section (where we who have passed on, and there’s a lot. primarily look at non-fiction SF), so you can We’ve seen Lord of the Rings: Fellowship Henry Welch probably add another 30 reviews a year to of the Ring, too. Who hasn’t? I think Peter that tally, bringing us up to 150 book reviews Jackson did a marvelous job of translating Congratulations on the adoption. I hadn’t a year, or almost one every other day! And the book to the screen, and made the neces­ realized that you were looking, but that is the that does not include our coverage of books sary cuts and changes to make the story work sieve that my mind is sometimes. The magic in our interviews section (looking through on screen. Besides, in this still-homophobic formula for infants that my wife and I dis­ our interviews I see we recently spoke with age, what would modem audiences think of a cerned from out tea leaves is that when they Ray Bradbury, Gene Wolfe, Charles de Lint green-clad Tom Bombadil cavorting through reach about 10 pounds in weight they will and Richard Matheson...not bad!) or our the sward? In the first read, the hobbits’ stay sleep for about a six hour stretch. These News of the Week section. And all of our with Bombadil and his wife was entertaining, hours are, of course, at their schedule and we columnists-even the TV and science guys- but in a movie, it’s just as well he was cut. at best managed about 9pm-3am. are published SF novelists to boot! Yvonne and her two sisters were in Ha- I enjoyed seeing the MilPhil fan art mate­ So, far from not completely ignoring wai’i five years ago, and Yvonne spoke with rial again. I wish there had been more notice books, we actually pay them quite a bit of some native Hawai’ians, who spoke of their so that a more thorough collection of mate­ attention, for the same reason that you proba­ disgust with American mainlanders who rial could have been arranged. Given modem bly do too...we like them! And we like rec­ come to their islands, take away their handi­ repro this could even have become somewhat ommending good books to our readers. In crafts and scatter garbage everywhere. There of a travelling exhibit with a special section fact, I’m not sure that any other general SF is a small but active Hawai’an separatist for the nominees each year. My biggest gripe publication (i.e. one that covers all media, movement as a result. What we call Civiliza­ with the art show was the poor and harsh not just one type) out there, print or Internet, tion is encroaching everywhere, and hardly lighting. I ended up pulling my hat down to pays quite as much attention to books as we anywhere is there a patch of land unspoiled. shade out distracting light in the exhibit hall. do. While we can smile at Bob Tucker’s The second comment Tom makes is that tongue-in-cheek appeal to repeal the law of SFWeekly “contains news, articles and re­ gravity, I’d like to know how many people Craig E. Engler views focusing on what its parent regards as have actually contacted their congressman in science fiction.” I assume by “parent” he Congratulations on the adoption! Sierra is a these anti-foreigner, ultra-patriotic, mildly means the Sci Fi Channel (note the lack of beautiful child, and I wish the whole family idiotic days post-9/11. I would imagine the hyphen...that was officially dropped a while phrase “alien law” would get a number of all the best. ago). Interestingly, our “parent” really does Was perusing File 770:141 and, of Americans upset, no matter the reference. not pay too much attention to how we define course, took a keen interest in Tom Veal’s Dale Speirs’ detailed Con-Version report science fiction, as it is primarily concerned column recommending candidates for the mentions that one neofan needed to be told with how it itself defines science fiction, upcoming Best SF Web Site Hugo. I was what a Worldcon was, and what literary cons which is, in fact, a bit more broadly than we pleased to see him give a nod to Science Fic­ and volunteerism were all about. Unfortu­ at SCIFI.COM and Science Fiction Weekly tion Weekly, but both amused and bemused nately, there’s lots of those neofen about, but do. Truth be told, we are in most ways left up by two of the comments he made in doing so, it’s not their fault. We all had to learn, in to our own devices as to how we define SF, which I’ll tackle one at a time. spite of the fact few wanted to teach us. since we cover a much broader spectrum of The first is that in Science Fiction There’s fewer of each these days. However, the genre than the Channel does. The ulti­ Weekly, “Books are not completely ignored.” this neofan may have been lured into unfa­ mate arbiters of what Science Fiction Weekly This is a comment we’ve run into a lot at miliar territory with the convention hosting regards as science fiction are the same arbi­ SFWeekly, which I find perplexing because Dirk Benedict (Starbuck from Battlestar Ga- ters it had back in 1995 when it was inde­ we actually give quite a bit of weight to lactica) as the media GoH. pendently founded: the editor and, occasion­ books in our publication. Of course, we try to Harry Warner has debts to fanzine fan­ ally, myself if another opinion is needed. 40 File 770:142

In any case, I’m appreciative Melbourne gets rather more rain SFWeekly and Sci Fiction got nods than most of Australia, and is thus from Tom as being worthy sites. I’ll the greenest city in the Land of be as interested as the next fan (well, Aus. maybe a bit more so) to see how the Also I’m rather gob-smacked Best SF Web Site Hugo shakes out at being described as Ultra-Left. and would love to see the medium up Most of my friends in the UK and for consideration as a regular part of Australia (not to mention Ber­ the Hugos, since it is such an active keley where I work) regard me as place for fandom. But first comes the a dangerous right-wing radical. I battle over whether or not to split guess the political spectrum in Best Dramatic Presentation into two Chicago must be a little different. categories, and if that goes through the ensuing battle of whether to trim a Gene Stewart category or not, and then... P.S. You gave the URL of Science Should the Hugo be used to re­ Fiction Weekly as www.scifi.com/ ward, or tribute, writers whose sfw/, which will indeed work, but it work brings in new readers for is also still reachable at www. Imaginative escapism? Or ought it scifiweekly.com, which I find easier go to the best among the nomi­ to remember. nees as gauged by more literary standards? Jack Calvert Potter won by popularity, sure, because it was actually read. It's Thanks for sending File 770:141. I doubtful any other nominated enjoyed it a lot, starting with the color book was read by as many of the cover. (The last general circulation voters. fanzine that I saw was a couple or three dec­ Warp Nine and be quick, Mr. Sulu. They likely voted for Crouching Tiger, ades age, so the high quality color artwork We must get away from Cthulhu. Hidden Dragon to show how worldly they was a surprise.) (And congratulations on We’ve made our escape, felt themselves to be. Sad truth is, Hugo vot­ your new daughter.) And now we can jape, ers are people, or as close as fen can get. I liked the art section: a nice display of the But first I must visit the crew loo. Sorry to hear of Ron Salomon's collection variety of fan art. being damaged by flood. I suggest he direct And I found the item on the OED’s gather­ Cheryl Morgan the recalcitrant insurance claims adjuster to ing of science fiction terms interesting. My eBay, where such works as he cites go rou­ wife has been sending them citations for I’m extremely flattered that Tom Veal thinks tinely for amazingly high prices. mundane words for a year or so. She found my web site is a Hugo contender. However, My brother was in Manhattan on 9/11 many early and long gap citations in my col­ in the interests of journalistic accuracy I delivering and installing cabinets. He didn't lection of Unknown, (including a back issue should make a couple of comments about his see the impacts but witnessed, and filtered which the OED had been looking for) and piece. out of, the aftermath chaos, and was ill from also some from 1950s Astoundings. People Firstly, Emerald City is so named because the dust for awhile after. who have collections of old fanzines have an I was living in Melbourne when I started it. As a member of the decrepit zine Fantasy opportunity here - I think the Rotator, I'm struck by the en­ OED would accept citations tropy that has struck much of from fanzines, although they fandom after 9/11, and by the don’t from the WWW. rebound many fen are making 1 also appreciate the extensive now that some time and space con reports - I’m hoping to get have passed. to more cons in the near future, So Jedi Knight is now an ac­ and the reports give me an idea knowledged religion in the UK, of what the various cons are like. hm? Can't wait to see Prince Charles all decked out in Dune Marty Helgesen robes and so on. What did Himself have to say at Philcon? Scithers is another Congratulations and best wishes member of Fantasy Rotator. In for your daughter. fact, he dragooned me, thus de­ What I tell you three rhymes stroying my promising career as is /t/r/u/e a genre. You reported a real writer by imprinting me John Hertz’s response to a state­ with the dreaded label "fanzine ment that Darrell Schweitzer was hack." the only person to rhyme Best world con coverage ever, “Cthulhu” in a limerick. Permit by the way. me to add: Sierra in Wonderland: AKA, Mommy's garden Tarai Wayne's covers are cute, June 2003 41 seductive, nearly risque, and alto­ that fits.” Thanks for continu­ gether FOX ready. When will we see ing to produce such a high- his work animated alongside Fu­ quality publication. turama and Simpsons? Letterhacks ’ Marie Rengstorff Addresses

And congratulations on Sierra. My Mark Blackman, E-mail: husband and I did something similar. [email protected] We had two girls in long term foster Allan D. Burrows, E-mail: care. One was the child of a child of [email protected] 13. When the 13 year old mother was Jack Calvert, E-mail: young, it was sort of like having three [email protected] girls. When that mother grew up, she Craig E. Engler, E-mail: moved into the role of mother and we [email protected] remained relatives, sort of like grand- E. B. Frohvet, 4716 Dorsey parents/aunt and uncle. Roy and I just Hall Dr. #506, Ellicott City, naturally liked people and were not MD 21042 one bit bothered by the slight varia­ Marty Helgesen, E-mail: tion on standard family structure. Af­ [email protected] ter all, at the time, family structure Joseph T. Major, 1409 Christy was changing to single parent, Sierra's "Door Into Summer. ______Ave., Louisville, Kentucky mother-only families. We thought that extra family was better than that. You will stamps. (Thanks for pointing out — re the 40204-2040 find your own way and have fun with it also. ring replica — that the letters are in Elvish, Craig Miller, E-mail: [email protected] but the language is Mordor.) Interesting look Cheryl Morgan, E-mail: cheryl@cheryl- at the fuss about the publication or lack We Also Heard From morgan.com thereof of the Tolkien language texts... Lloyd Penney, 1706-24 Eva Rd., Etobicoke, Thank you for the pages of illustrations ON M9C 2B2 Canada Bill Welden: Thank you very much for your from the Millennium Philcon Fan Art Dis­ Marie Rengstorff, E-mail: reng- comments on the Wired article. I have passed play. And all the news and illos that filled stormOO I @hawaii.rr.com them on to the others. We don’t really get this issue. I am awestruck by the fact that Joy V. Smith, E-mail: [email protected] much positive feedback on our work. Oh you did this all while staying up nights with Jan Stinson, P.O. Box 430314, Big Pine Key, well, I knew the job was dangerous when I the new baby. FL 33043-0314 took it. Martin Morse Wooster: I’m sorry I did­ Henry L. Welch, E-mail: [email protected] Allan Burrows: Sierra? *SIERRA?* You n’t see you at Worldcon, but I did meet your Martin Morse Wooster, E-mail: called your kid Sierra??? (Gee, that scans to charming daughter Sierra. She displayed her [email protected] the chorus from “They Call The Wind fine rolling skills in the lobby of the Maria”!) Fairmont Hotel. I serenaded her with Roll­ Thank you for your coverage of the ing, rolling, rolling, Keep “Fellowship Of The Ring” movie. I’d hoped that baby rolling!” Sierra for a real expert’s opinion and here you de­ then displayed her skills at liver two! (three including your own) I liked Baby Fu with another baby the movie myself; owing to the difference who happened to be in the between how books and movies tell stories, I hotel at the time. didn’t expect it to be too faithful to the tril­ Janine Stinson: What a ogy. I’m glad that you also thought it stayed wondrously charming Alan pretty close. I wonder if your good wife’s White cover! You should feeling that she was being smacked upside frame a copy of it and hang her head with momentousness came from all it in Sierra’s room. She is the thunderous, Williams-esque music. My adorable — I hope she’s compliments on the quote at the end of your sleeping through the night 8th paragraph; you managed a quote within a now. Have you tried the quote within a quote and didn’t lose or mix- ticking clock trick? up a single quotation mark. I admit that I had You may have already to examine the beginning of the sentence heard that Donald Franson closely to count them all. Well done! died June 5 of heart failure. Joy V. Smith: Among all the news, there I’ll be running tributes to was the sad collection of obituaries, with an and some articles about excellent tribute to Jack Haldeman. (I’ve him and the N3F in the seen him and his wife at Oasis conventions; club’s September 2002 she’ll be there this year without him.) zine. I enjoyed the piece on seeing The Lord of This one was a great the Rings movie and the interview with the ish, crammed to the gills Sierra, You Have The Conn: Warp factor three! reporter, with photos, including the postage with “all the fannish news ■I