That there is a Michele Wilson cover! I love her stuff, and I’m so glad that she gets so much my way. Mo Starkey was kind enough to take the image and set it up as a cover for me! She’s an absolute star, no? That pun was, almost, completely intended. So, Mo Starkey is Art Director for this one! OK, this issue has 2 Steve Stiles images! Gotta love that1 When’s he getting his Hugo? That’s one right there! A man who has saved kitties from Fires, has donated ferrets to orphanages, who has tamed the Nubian Lion on the Plains of North America! The man deserves a Rocket to use as the paperweight for his pile of commendations for Meritous Service! Now, there’s a lot to talk about. Turns out I’ll be working the Napa Valley Film Festival in November. Love me some film festival! I’m going to be running the Wine Tent in Calistoga! Can’t go wrong with that! There’s my look at ConQuesT, a couple of LoCs, and there’s art! That’s this issue. Not a big one, but one I’m looking forward to putting out because I’ve been falling off schedule more and more often. I gotta get back into the rhythm. We’re doing the Hugo Award for Best Novel issue for Westercon, and there’s gonna be at least two more issues between now and then! Not to mention my issue of Claims Department about the music of The Smiths. I love the Smiths, and it took The Smiths Project by Janice Whaley to make me realise exactly how much. it’s been tied into much of my life. It’s gonna be one of those Giant Garciazines that no one actually reads, but I will be printing and mailing a few out, prob- ably give some away at Westercon. It’s looking like 80 or so pages. What else is there? Oh yeah, I’m currently loving the few booksI’ve been able to start reading. There’s a great Psych novel (more on that later) and a couple of Non-Fiction Things (including The Science Fiction Reboot, which I’ll be writing more about, probably in the next issue) and a couple of J. Daniel Sawyer books. They’re really enjoyable! Also, all my Bay Area Sports Teams in the Playoffs are no longer in The Playoffs. Warriors did great, if they can keep the team together, they’ll do well the next few years. The Sharks... well, they went 7 with the Kings and then they dropped off. Sad, but they’re always at least something of a contender! ALso, I’ve been watching One Life to Live. It’s my Soap Opera, has been for ages. I’d watch Aussie Rules Football on ESPN 2 at noon, then at 1 turn over to ABC for One Life. It’s back after ABC cancelled it in 2011. They brought it back on Hulu and I’m so excited. They show two new episodes a week, and it works. They can swear now, and it seems like the writers just discovered the word ‘shit’ as they use it all the time. Actually, there are several instances where the swearing actually helps, which can be rare. A Series of BBQ Reviews Masquerading as a ConQuesT Report

Kansas City. a bit of a star-turn on a big fun stage. Castle, then the BBQ began! Jesi Pershing led the I love it. It’s a city built around BBQ. So, we got in on Wednesday and Eric way, and various others joined up. There was Keri That’s not true, obviously, but it’s also a MAJOR Orth got us at the airport and we had our first O’Brien, who I only knew as a name on an eMail industry, it seems, and so on my trip to KC for meal at a place in KC called Shoney’s. They do string, and Jeff Orth, who was actually putting us ConQuesT, it’s what I’ll write about most. burgers and sammiches, which is what Linda had, up for the night. James Murray showed up, and I Because That’s what I do! and I had the tiny miracles: Fried Cheese Curd. LOVE Jim. He’s the worst punster in the world* Of course, a city with a Con that is having Now, I usually enjoy my cheese curd melting (* - Glenn Glazer gives him a run for his money) you as a Guest of Honor for the weekend is over Fries and under Gravy, but these were and there was also Jo, who I know on Facebook instantly going to get some extra love from ya! AWESOME! They still have a bit of squeak to as Mutha Hydra. She’s from the UK and is an I’ve been lucky, I’ve been Fan GoH 4 times (in ‘em, and dippin’ ‘em in BBQ sauce was nice. They absolute RIOT! We had those hilariously dark Chicago, Minneapolis, Toronto, and now Kansas were a bit heavy, but it’s Cheese, so what you conversations that allow me to go all blue, as City), and the best part isn’t just that they’ll fly gonna do? well as surreal, and it was a blast. Of course, I you out and put you up, but it’s that you’re given After that, Linda and I watched a little stayed up too late, had a little bit to drink, but got to enjoy the Pork that Jeff had been preparing for the Con Suite. Oh. My. Ghod. Now. I’ve had BBQ all over the world, in just about every potential form, and this was some of the best I’ve ever eaten. It was powerfully smoked, had enough bite of the wood to give it the distinctive Kansas City bark. It’s why KC is just ‘bout the only place you find the menu option of Burnt Ends. They are impressive. The sauce was Arthur Bryant’s bottled, as I understand it, and it only needed a hint of it to give it a bit more over-tones. We had a great evening before the night was done. Also, Jo mixes a helluva a Gin & Tonic. So, the night ends, the next day brings us our pre- con traditions: museums and meals. Whenever I’ve been a GoH, or if we’ve decided to make a trip to a con that’s out of town, we always have a day to go to the museums and tourist attractions of the city we’re visiting. In this case, there were two museums I had to get to: The National Negro Leagues Museum and the American Jazz Museum. Luckily, they’re in the same building, a part of the 18th & Vine Jazz District, right across from the GEM Theatre, which still has the original sign and whatnot. It’s a nice part of town, though at points they put up fake facades to mimic old- timey building fronts and these were starting to show their age. Now, we got there early, but we had not had breakfast, and it was after 10am, so I convinced Linda to walk over to one of the places I’d been told was the Best BBQ in Kansas City: Arthur Bryant’s. It was a nice walk through a semi- industrial-esque part of town, but it was only 3 or 4 blocks aways. We got there and the place was deserted, so much so that we wondered if it was open until I tried the door and walked in. Now, this is not an upscale joint. The window where you order reminded me of nothing so much as a Fourth of July Fireworks stand (buy one, get five free!) and we walked up and ordered. The Lovely & Talented Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Linda had a Pulled Pork Sammich, Fitzgerald, though they also had a which I had a slab of ribs. more general section that talked a lot My Ghod, the ribs… more about concepts; rhythm, horns, First off, they did not bother melody, etc. That section was largely with a plate. They just set the slab of done via audio, and that stuff tends ribs, mound of pickles and bread right to break down, and in several parts on the lunch tray. Thankfully, they put it was broken stuff. That happens. Still, Linda’s on a plate. I took it back to a hardly any love for some of the figures table in a little niche in the far wall, just that I consider to be among the most big enough for two at the table. I dug important in Jazz. There were none of in, as Linda sampled her fries (which the Avant Garde, which was sad. Folks she declared ‘Not Great’). The Ribs like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, were perfect, even without sauce. The Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, as bark was there, they were just fatty well as Earl Fatha Hines, Eubie Blake, enough, they had immense flavor and Django Rheinhart (OK, he’s not texture. It was ideal. They had three American, but he influenced American sauces. The Sweet and Spicy was OK, Jazz greatly of the 1940s and 50s), Dave but certainly not spicy. The Hot and Spicy was Team, and the Mexican and Cuban and Japanese Brubeck, Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, and on not spicy, and the regular was so full of flavour Leagues, they were careful to point out that only and on and on. It’s hard, I know, to give everyone that I nearly passed out. So very damn hell ass Black players were banned from baseball. This is the attention they deserve, but they could have good! I couldn’t quite finish the rack, so I gave certainly not true, ALL non-white players (with done a somewhat better job. One of the things a rib to Linda, and she is the cutest when she’s the possible exception of Mexicans and a few they had was a touchscreen interactive with a eating Ribs! I was very happy and very full. Cubans) were not in the Bigs until after Jackie bunch of Historical films. One of them was Bill We went to the museums, starting with Robinson. They said that Blacks formed their ‘Bojangles’ Robinson doing a call and response the Negro Leagues Museum, which was very own leagues and were the only ones who did dance film which was GREAT! I watched it twice. nice in a late 1990s sort of way. It was very much so. On the West Coast, there were Japanese After that, we had some time. Jeff had a ‘Colourful Text Panels against the walls with Leagues, largely Semi-Pro, that played up and been telling us to go to the National World a few cases’ sorta museum, which was the way down the coast. A few of these lasted until the War I museum. To be honest, I wasn’t that folks were doing things back then. It makes a lot 1960s! Still, the material they had was great, interested. I’m not a big War History guy, and of sense you’re thinking that you’re going to have and the looming presence of Bock O’Neil, an World War I was both the first Modern, and to move them, because it’s not a whole lot of incredibly important figure to the History of the last Traditional, war. The interesting thing work to move that kind of set-up. They chose a American Baseball, figured prominently. about it was that had an amazing space, a HUGE very bright color pallet and a lot of video. They The Jazz Museum was a bit of a monumental tower. We drove over there, paid were careful to put historic context in with disappointment, but also had some incredible admission, and walked through. the baseball stuff, which was nice. And while stuff. it was set-up as a series of pods dedicated Pretty Darn Glad I did! they did mention the House of David Baseball to an individual figure: Charlie Parker, Duke They have you walk over a glass bridge a few vehicles, and ConSuite, did a Crossword puzzle that included medals, and letters, and two word (Monotheism and Cockknocker) that posters and on and on. we had brought up at the BBQ. It was fun! They These set the scene had a really delicious queso dip in the ConSuite. beautifully and were This might have had the most food, and almost celebrated. All too certainly the BEST, of any ConSuite I have ever often, museums that been to of a con this size. It was awesome! use lots of text and Off to bed, kinda early sadly, and then it atmospherics forget was morning and we ended up having breakfast about the power of with Joel Philips, one of my favorite people in the the artifact, but not world! He was awesome and brought his son, the National World the great artist Alec, with him. Sadly, the service War One museum! at the Hotel Restaurant was slow slow slow. It Very very well-done. took them about 30 minutes to get our order, When KC hosts the early an hour for us to get our food. That said, 2016 WorldCon, the French Toast was pretty damn tasty. I mean, James Bacon NEEDS it was exactly what I like about French Toast, and to see this place! it was coupled with crunchy bacon. Some find After that, it it crumbly, but that’s exactly how I like it. After with poppies underneath it. They’re fake, I’m was off to the Hotel. We checked in, hung around that, we got ready for the day. pretty sure, but the connection to In Flanders a bit, and then off to Gates for a BBQ dinner That started with hanging with our good Fields is obvious, and it was a nice touch. The with the staff. Only the Toastmaster, Patricia buddy John Picacio. museum itself had a TON of space, which allowed Wrede, and I went of the GoHs, but a bunch of He was the Artist Guest of Honor at them to do three things I like. First LOTS of the staff was there. It was a lot of fun. BayCon, and we’d met a few times at WorldCons. text. Everything is explained and there’s lots of And MY GHOD the BBQ! scene-setting done in text panels. Second, they The spicy versions weren’t great, again do a lot of atmospheric stuff, like a recreation hardly spicy at all, but the regular were spectacular. of trenches and a battle field with a multimedia TONS of Flav-R. The meat was well-smoked, had presentation. Finally, there’s a lot of interaction. a nice bark on it, and as I had the beef and ham, They separate it into a European Side, and an it was a HUGE portion on a sammich. It was American side. It’s actually kinda Good Guys and delicious. Linda had the same sammich, but with Bad Guys, but not entirely. The interactive tables sliced pork instead of Ham. it was equally huge with all up and operational, though a bit difficult and delicious. The conversation was awesome, to operate. Still, lots of good stuff. and it was a nice start for the Con portion of AND TONS OF ARTIFACTS! the con. There were cannons, and mortars, and Yes, the Con is bigger than just the con. swords, and shells, and uniforms, a tank, and Linda and I then hung out in the He was starting to hang and it’s good stuff. I had his art in the Art Show a lot of fun with this and we gave him a hand. one! He’s such a great artist, After that, easily my favorite of Opening Ceremonies, all the Pro Artists out also up on my there. We talked and YouTube page (I’m he was showing some JohnnyEponymous on great art, most notably the YouTubes) and it was a Loteria Card that his cool. We all said a little new project, Loneboy, is bit, got an introduction, doing. It’s awesome stuff and then they had and I can’t wait until the announcements from entire Loteria set is out folks. At one point, there. someone announced We were having that they were having some time crunch, most a Dark Shadows notably I had three marathon room party, panels on Friday and and at the end of not nearly enough time their announcement, between them to get I proclaimed “I love lunch, especially if the Johnny Depp!” and the service at the Hotel woman who made the Restaurant was going to announcement stormed be so slow. So, we put in the stage! It was the an order for more Arthur Bryants! No question, After that, I wandered around, talked peak of my funny for the Weekend! great choice. The first panel I had was about to folks for the documentary, had a good look We were brought the Arthur Bryant’s, the State of the Art, about cover and comics around, and then headed to my next panel, this time I had the sliced pork and Linda the art, where John put together a slide show and which was the first of my editions of Theme’d Pulled pork. We ate up in the ConSuite, where George RR Martin, Pat Rothfuss (the Author for Your Pleasure, the Pseudo-Official Podcast of they were having a homemade BBQ challenge GoH), John Hornor Jacobs, me and Mitchell Journey Planet. I got to do silly little interviews where they had 4 sauces competing. I used the (head of the ASFA) talked about our thoughts with Catherine Spector (author and lovely first one as the sauce on my Pork and OH MY on them. There were some great pieces, largely woman, exceptionally funny), McKay (a fan and GHOD it was awsum! I mean it was sweet, and covers of books, and we gave our thoughts. I computer guy!) and Brett, who was awesome! there was a great touch of peppery flavor, vinegar, loved it! There were a couple of artists I had They’re going up on our website, and on the and smoke to it. I loved it, easily my favorite of no idea about who I am very grateful that John Drink Tank Review of Books, and ALSO we shot the 4 that were out there. I used it on my pork exposed me to! it for 5 Cons (5consdocumentary.weebly.com) and it made it even better because it played so well with the smoked meat. There was also BBQ Beef and Pork in the ConSuite, the stuff made by Jeff, and it was great, especially with the sauce. Others didn’t seem to like it as much as I did, and I would still take it 100 times out of 101! It was great. There were a bunch of my favorite people in fandom who showed up, most notably Elizabeth and Dave McCarty, with the adorable 3 Year Old Mia, Tim Miller and his son, Joel, Diane Lacey, Leann Vurlhurst and many, many more. We were talking about various cons, and we got to watch the fireworks from across the freeway at Royal Stadium. Dave, that scamp, was making lewd comments all the way through. That was awesome! Dave also came up with a brilliant concept for Fencon in a couple of years for the 11th annual edition. Tim’s often the chair, and the concept was dark: Fencon 9-11: Fucking Al-Qaeda. I think it works. We got a little extra sleep and Saturday was around and we shot more, and then did what I think was the best of the Theme’d for Your Pleasure Podcasts. It was Lawrence Schoen (Hugo and Nebula-nominated author), John Picacio (Hugo winning artist), and Brad Denton (Hugo-nominated author). It was a great trio and the interviews were all pretty spectacular. John, in particular, was awesome. He talked some art philosophy, which is stuff I like. After that, it was time for breakfast, which was Denny’s, across the street. Even accounting for the walk, it was twice as fast as the meal in the Hotel. We got back and I went to a panel about WorldCons called WorldCon 101, which was a basic WorldCon panel, but done in a room full of folks who regularly attend WorldCons. It was weird. I did a panel about Film Adaptations, which was amazing because everyone on the panel had a different direction for their enjoyment. I liked the films like Dune (Lynch’s, not the SciFi Channel’s) and The Shining and The Hunger Games. I was alone on those. I wasn’t as big a Princess Bride fan as others on the panel… save for the guy who HATED it and thought it wasn’t well-cast. Andre the Giant was the best thing about that movie! It was a fun debate. At every Con I’m a guest at, I have Unreasonable series of Requests, and my Unreasonable Request for my Liason, Meghan Petersen, was for Pudding Cups and Slap bracelets. I can not think of better results! After that, it was a night out. Dave tender, so tasty, and these, when you added a dab It was so much better than anything I’d McCarty, Liz, Mia, Tim, his son (Ewan? Ian? I can of sauce, practically exploded with full flavor! ever had in that genre before! never remember, but he’s a lot of fun!) and Eric Again ,we only got two, but they were the best Back to the con, they had a live Art Olson along with Linda and I. We headed into ribs I’ve ever had. I might have to see if I can find Auction, and Linda had her eyes on some things. town for Jack Stacks, the place I’d been told was a Lamb rib provider. MUST DO THIS!!!!! I have a theory about Fannish auctions. They are most important to get to! It was a sit-down place, As amazing as the ribs were, the sides more a form of entertainment than an ACTUAL but since it was Memorial Day Saturday, there were better. The Beans, heavy with BBQ Sauce auction. I, then, will assume a sort of persona. was a wait later, so we went in early. Driving over, flavor, were great. BIG TASTE! And then, there In this case, it was mostly my own darn self. Jim we had the typical SMoFish conversation that was the Cheesy Corn. it was Corn in Cheese Murray, who was the auctioneer, has a thing about you’d expect in a year where there are 3 groups Sauce, and it was fantastic! No, it was Fantastical! primes. Here are a couple of actual exchanges - bidding at the next WorldCon. It’s an awesome It was so good, I forgot that I normally don’t like Other bidder - 17. place, all dark wood, and we sat down, and Mia cheese sauces! There were cheesy potatoes, Jim - That’s Prime! was pretty amazing. She wasn’t loud or anything, and they were even better! Au Gratin, only WAY Chris - 21, ALSO prime! possibly due to the fact that Liz brought her better than anything other than Gregoire! Jim - That’s not Prime! iPad, and Mia loves it! Every time she’d finish a And then, we had dessert! I ordered Chris - Now who’s being naive… level, she’d throw her hands up and say “I did it!”, Carrot Cake. It was easily the best carrot cake Or, the one that really made folks laugh which was just adorable! I’ve ever had. Liz ordered the Chocolate Brownie for some reason, possibly because of how fast it Oh yeah, the food. Cake. happened. OH! That was a revelation! Jim - Do I hear 10 dollars? MY! No, a REVOLUTION! Chris - 12. G! Other Bidder - 17 H! Chris - Sixteen! O! Other bidder - 19! D! Crowd laughs loudly It was amazing! The regular ribs were Jim - Wait, what just happened? great, they didn’t really need any sauce, the ribs Linda got a few pieces of art, most themselves were great, the pork ribs being solid, importantly a piece by Mitchell (for less than very tasty. The Babybacks were even better, 100 bucks) and a lovely Picacio. I got a GREAT delicious and smokey. pottery piece that was Fredo’s Bread Bowl, Then there was the Crown Rib. It was but I’m using it to hold my keys and wallet! It’s perfectly marbled, incredibly tasty, needed no completely different than the John Singer piece I sauce, was hyper-tender and deserving of far bought at SFCOntario, but it’s absolutely lovely! better adjectives than I am able to provide! You After that, we hung out in the ConSuite, only got two of ‘em, and Linda and I were sharing, then I found that I wanted to see a few folks but that one was spectacular. who I figured were in the Gaming room. Clay Then there were the Lamb Ribs. These and Hershey, two Minnesota fans, were indeed in are deserving of a sonnet, no a Villanelle! So there, and they were playing a game called Lost Cities. I watched, kibbutzed, made fun little comments, and after they were done, we played some Zar. That is my favorite game in the world! It’s a card game and it’s awesome! I love it too much, and I seldom get to play it. Alec Philips joined us and we had a great time. This is a game where I can trashtalk with the best of them. I’m usually good at Trash-talking, but having Minnesotans around me makes my brash sort of humanity more flaming. We played, and while I didn’t win, I didn’t lose either, which for a guy with little experience is a good sign! WHile we were playing, a couple came in and mentioned that I had said that I love BBQ and if there was any left over, they should bring it my way. I had said so in my GoH speech, so I was pleased to see that they brought me left-over Arthur Bryants! It was chicken and burnt ends, neither of which I’d had. The chicken was good, but those burnt ends were AWEMAZING! Maybe not quite Lamb Ribs, but they were still WOOHOO!!!!! We played until 2am. It was late, and we were leaving on Sunday at 5, so after staying out so late, I, of course, had a 10 am panel, which was another Hard Copy Podcast. John Hornor Jacobs and Teresa Nielsen Hayden were the guests and it was a good time. Teresa’s so great! We chatted, I got a few words out of Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Linda shot stuff, and it was great! After that, there was the charity auction, which was nice, and and we packed and got ready. We didn’t get into as much fun as the Art Auction, Deb Giesler was there and she’s a shark! I would never want to go up against her, so I only bid a few times. Jeff took us to the airport, and we had Mexican food there. Not BBQ, but there was Mexican so I ended trip foodwise, with cooked cheese, much as it begun. Queso fonduta, which was really tasty. We flew home, and on the plane, I read a novel. I’ve been watching Psych, and I’ve been in the mood to read a mystery, and Psych is the kind of mystery I enjoy. Pop Culture-soaked and hilarious at times. This one was about a murder that Shawn, the main character who happens to be a fake psychic, managed to get a woman off for, only to have a MASSIVE web of murder, deception and funkiness happens. I loved the book, the work of William Rabkin is typically delightful, and it was a fast read. It was called A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read. Gotta love it. So, I headed back home, dropped by BayCon for Monday, thus maintaining my Cal Ripken-like streak at my hometown con, but still, it will always be the year I got to hang out in Kansas City and eat OH MY GHODLY GOOD BBQ! Art from Steve Stiles! Diane O. Reads Books, Then She Reviews Them!

Title: Affinity Bridge: A Newbury & Title: A Fantasy Medley 2 [2012] Author: Liesel Schwarz Hobbes Investigation [2009] Editor: Yanni Kuznia Title A Conspiracy of Alchemists The Osiris Ritual: A Newbury & Publisher: Subterranean Press – Chronicles of Light and Shadow Hobbes Investigation [2010] Publisher Del Rey Author: George Mann Before I was handed his anthology, I was Like Steampunk and want a good read? Like the madcap Publisher: Tor not overly familiar with Subterranean Press or Yanni silliness of Keystone Kops? Take a Chance - Eleanor “Elle” Chance, Kuznia. I wish I was. If this is their usual, I have been that is – and let the mayhem begin! Wherever Tor found this author, they need missing out. Liesel Schwarz brings us a fantastic bit of fun with A to find more. George Mann delivers a tour de force Kuznia’s quartet of original stories is a Conspiracy of Alchemists, the first book in the series Chronicles of with his series, Newbury and Hobbs Investigations. wonderful array by gifted authors. Tanya Huff, Light and Shadows. Part urban fantasy, part historical adventure, In Affinity Bridge, we get the first glimpse of an with a dash of silliness and paranormal, Conspiracy delivers a Amanda Downum, Jasper Kent and Seanan McGuire. walloping good load of fun and the promise of more to come. author whose writing sucks you in like a riptide and They deliver superb nuggets, stories that are The scene: London, Paris, Venice and beyond. The tosses you onto the shore of this Steampunk world top shelf offerings. The book is short, 160 pages. protagonists: Elle, airship pilot, and Marsh, a warlock who hires with no life preserver, no water, no rations. Forget They bring fantasy to life with their own insight her to transport an unusual cargo. The adventures leap off getting lost in the depth of imagery he conjures with and love of a tale. I could write more but I won’t. I the page like a barrel full of monkeys. Atrocious Alchemists. a steam-powered world. Forget getting lost in the want to chase down a copy of Fantasy Medley 1. Calculating Warlocks. Absent-minded scientists. Altruists and glimpses into the life of the various levels of society traitors. Nightwalkers. Supernatural creatures of all stripes. And Do yourself a favor. Read this book. Savor it. in this version of England. Forget getting lost in the that’s just for starters. It is well worth it. delightful gadgetry. Schwarz mixes humor and high adventure, immortality You are lost in the sheer reality, improbable, and immorality, zeppelins and gyrocopters, feminism and impossible, surreal, yet maybe… maybe not. fanatics together as Elle faces an unexpected and unwanted destiny, with danger at every step. Allies and enemies bite off With The Osiris Ritual, Mann delves deeper into more than they can chew with this morsel of womanhood. Sit the psyche of characters and countries. The humanity back and enjoy as she plots a course to save the world from a of his characters wins out against the horror of what magical apocalypse and have some say in how she lives her life. they face. This is no gilded mystery filled with neat This book is mind-boggling. With a quick turn of phrase, gadgets and neat endings. Does Mann deliver nicely the author imbues a minor character with so much depth that wrought plots with credible endings? Absolutely. He you want to scream for more volumes just on the tidbits. Mrs. also leaves you reeling with the awareness of what Hinges’ Guide to Housekeeping. La Fee Verte’s Guide to Owning is to come. a Paranormal Pubs, aka Memoirs of an Absinthe Fairy. Oracles Mann is so deft at his craft that he make you believe. Gone Wrong. Visions of movies, TV spin offs and lead-ins to He is so good that he make you crave more from Oprah’s Book of the Month fill my mind. If there is a God/dess of Steampunk out there, someone will make the author very, very this series, even when you know there will be rich and her fans very, very happy. disappointment and betrayal, danger and drama, and Schwarz deserves a new word to describe her style. no truly safe haven at the end of the tunnel. Paranormorality - paranormal morality tale – doesn’t quite do it Like his characters, we go on because to stop justice but it’s a start. is unthinkable. One does what one can, and stays as I can’t wait for the next in the series. My dimples hurt from true to oneself as one can. Author grinning. More, please! Letter Graded Mail sent to [email protected] by Our Gentlest Readers

Let us start with John Purcell!!!!! Taral is for writing all those fershlugginer ar- And now... Lloyd Penney! I think those are the latest issues of your ticles. And we were all here to witness it. Will Dear Chris: zine. What I think I shall do is write a Lloyd fanzine history ever be the same? Wait, don’t an- Three issues of The Drink Tank are here, Penney-style loc, which I haven’t done in many swer that question... 340, 341 and 342. As you are enjoying Memorial a moon, and make a handful of quick comments I do what I can... Day, today for us is Victoria Day, and our first on each of these issues. #341 - I am not one for Hugo handicap- really warm day. And, I’m going to see the mixed- Well, briefly they were, but you man- ping and such, and since Valerie and I will actu- review new Trek movie this afternoon, so I’d bet- aged to get your LoC to me about 5 ally be there this year for the Award ceremony ter get with it on this issues. minutes after I’d sent the next issue - she’s soon to begin production on our fancy Victoria Day... I LOVED her in all those off to Bill! dress duds for Hugo night - for once I have more 1950s movies! #340 - Taral Wayne can now crawl un- than a passing interest in them. And in actuality, I 340…We never get the egoboo we’d like to get der a rock and whimper himself to sleep. Hard really don’t care who wins for once: everybody in our heart of hearts, but what we do get is to believe that he wrote 100 articles for Drink seems to be worthy contenders, so I’m going to pretty good. School was not a good place for me Tank! Obviously, he has WAY too much time be there to enjoy the show. either when I was growing up, but I was prescient on his hands. Be that as it may, this was a very I’m still choosing between outfits! enough to realize that life could easily open up interesting article, one that begs the question: The really nifty thing is that I won’t have as soon as I was out of high school, and the fam- why? Well, I guess it’s the challenge. Once he to worry about copyright ‘bots crashing my en- ily moved to the west coast, and that’s exactly pushed past the 50 article mark, I suppose Taral joyment of the proceedings. what happened. Taral, you were lucky enough to looked at himself in the mirror and said, “well, THAT will be a major plus, no? find someone in town who spoke your language, why not? Why not make it an even hundred?” So Thanks for pubbing, even if you’re not but I grew up in Orillia, north of Toronto, a small he achieved fannish history. Outside of writing cranking them out as rapidly as you used to. See town of about 23,000. No one else there spoke apazines, I can’t imagine anyone doing anything you in San Antonio! The fanzine lounge is gonna the language I wanted to speak…getting out of like this: writing 100 articles for somebody else’s be the place to be! Orillia and off to the west coast did the trick. fanzine. There is no question in my mind that All the best, Getting noticed is important, especial- he couldn’t have done it without an equally in- John Purcell ly when you’re a young fan. It’s some- sane person publishing fanzines at a pace to rival Very much looking forward to the thing that’s always been true, and so cockroach reproduction --- you. Fanzie Lounge at San Antonio! I love a often over-looked. Having someone In other words, you are just as much to good Fanzine Lounge! who can speak their language. I was blame for this milestone achievement, Chris, as Thanks, John! lucky, I had that in spades! If I had my way, a number of us would done when I fail to recognize the majority of the We’re not there yet, and discussion will bring us have at least one silver rocket, but there’s only people on the ballot, and that time is just about to that day. The last four or five conventions I’ve so many to go around. We’ll have to make do here, probably at London. If Montreal doesn’t attended were all run by women, so all of this with the egoboo. win the 2017 Worldcon, I think that time will be will balance out over time. We all participate as They’re also highly practical! I’ve used next year in London, and it’s been a good run. best as we can. mine for a variety of purposes! It should have separated ‘em out, but That’s probably true, time is the great 341…Taral should have a silver rocket, alas, it was neutered by this year’s Ad- equalizer, it seems. As we move along, and so should Steve Stiles. And it doesn’t hap- ministrator. There does need to be a we see more and more change, quite pen this year, those chances get slimmer as the Best Blog category, or somthing of the possibly not fast enough for many, if days go by. Perhaps David Thayer/Teddy Harvia’s like. not most, folks, but it’s also the way return to fanzines might get on the ballot again; 342…A fine Starkey cover… We con- things change. Even when you have the competition gets tougher. tinue to lose our friends, with the departure of periods of great expansion in laws and Can never be sure what’s gonna hap- the Wombat and Roger Ebert. Jan was definitely such, it still takes time, sometimes a pen! I’d really like to see D. West on hyperactive, but his happiness came about from great deal of time, to change attitudes the ballot next year, though he may being as involved with what was happening as and beliefs. well decline the nom! possible. This is perhaps a poor letter to receive I thought that Best Fancast and Best Fan- Really gonna miss Wombat at World- for three issues of The Drink Tank, but this has zine were supposed to separate the blogs and Con... been a busy weekend for me. Saturday was podcasts from the fanzines, but as I expected, The Nebulas are handed out, and I saw cleaning up the apartment as much as we could, that didn’t happen. I know my own time will be something from Jean Martin about who won… Sunday was spent helping with the cleaning of The Kim Stanley Robinson novel picked up the one of our favourite pubs, and today is a day of Lucite block, that’s the only one I remember. rest, and trying to get over the various aches and I was there, man! It was a good week- pains of our labours. Tonight is a fannish pub- end, and I got to meet KSR and folks. night at the same pub we cleaned, Tuesday is a Alliette de Bodard was there and she doctor’s appointment in nearby Mississauga, and also won! I got a 1956 Stanford Year- Wednesday is a job interview with an advertising book signed by a ton of the authors! It agency. I think I’m ready…or maybe I’ll just clone was awesome! myself, and he’ll report back to see how I did. The fandom I see from my own vantage Hope all went well, Big Guy! is that fans do their thing, and as those things Good luck with the Hugo, we have no happen, we are successful most of the time, we vote this year because we bought for London fail here and there, and we try our best to en- instead of San Antonio, and we continue to save joy ourselves, and make that enjoyment happen for London. for others, too. I don’t like to bring gender into Yours, Lloyd Penney. it, but successful conventions, clubs, etc. are run We’ll miss ya at San Antonio! by both genders, and I hope the day will come It’s always good to have ya’ll around, when we won’t have to differentiate by gender. but London’s gonna be off the hook!

Art by Teddy Harvia (aka Yiva Dreadth) And now... Taral Wayne! years ago. The owner wanted $150 for them; an least once, at one of those cons … you know the utterly scandalous price at the time. But with one … the con with guests, panels, a hotel, stuff Loc on Drink Tank 342, 17 May 2013 first issues of Spiderman going for thousands like that. I seem to recall it was in upper New Don’t look at me as a writer Drink Tank of dollars, and it not being nearly as old as the York State … or maybe Pennsylvania. But, that’s has lost … look at me a loccer that Drink has fanzine, $150 was probably a bargain. That’s just not the point, is it? I met him at least once and gained. Potentially, anyway. how comics fandom was … and probably still is . maybe two or three times. Somehow, though, I I will do just that! I loved his reviews, and the few fannish spent so little time with Finder that I knew him To begin with, I have given up thinking pieces I’ve read have been spectacular mainly by reputation. News of his death served about Hugos. The whole subject seems pointless, too! mainly to remind me that I had once known him. in as much as nothing that anyone can say – or I quibble about hanging out with Forry, I clearly felt he was one of our own. apparently do – has any effect on them. The voter too. In my mind, Forry stopped being a fan when I’ll miss him. Nice guy who always had throws his dart and whichever balloon pops, Vox he started lurking around movie studios and he a story. Populi has spoken. There is rhyme and reason to became the editor of Famous Monsters of Film It was nearly the same with Andrew who the voters aim for, to be sure. I can name Land. He may have been a fan at heart, but apart Offutt. I think I knew him … but I can’t recall a half dozen influences on the outcome of the from talking to fans through his magazine, or when we ever met. Maybe I had just known about Fan Hugos. But like the weather, its easier to from the front of a room at conventions, what Andy for so long – reading his letters in fanzines explain in retrospect than to predict in advance. fanac did Forry ever do after the 1950s? What – that it seemed like I knew him. I thought I I neither case – the weather or Hugos – can fannishness could then possibly rub off on anyone might have read a few of his books. Well … a you do much about it. So you won’t hear me who hung around with Forrest J. Ackerman? If couple. But … ach! As I look down the list on complaining any longer … any fannishness did rub off, it would be film- Wikipedia of books he’d written, I don’t see a At least not until next year. fannishness. single familiar title! So much science fiction and I started doing the entire Handicapping I’d argue that Forry was just as Fannish fantasy; too little time and money. thing because I wanted to figure out in the later years as he was earlier. I Also reported in File 770 in recent weeks those influences. I’m just about .500 spent hours with him, talking about were the deaths of Dan Adkins, Larry Farsace, lifetime. fandom. He did some fan writing and Ray Harryhuasen. A lot of fans have passed away recently, all along, his stuff for Mimosa was Those guys will be missed, though but you don’t always feel much when you hear particularly nice stuff. Maybe it was Harryhausen is the only one I can say the news. Fandom is an awfully big place, after a bouncing ball, periods of fan stuff for sure that I’d met. all. Take Roger Ebert, for example. He was a fan? followed by periods of non-fan stuff. Really … fandom is so big. It’s a bloody I didn’t know that. But it seems that he wrote To me, then, Roger Ebert was only a shame, but how can anyone hope to know for the fanzine Xero and hung around Forrest television personality, and one I had seen little everyone in it, no matter how many cons a fan J. Ackerman. Xero was published quite a long of, for that matter. I felt no sense of loss. attends? I doubt I know one in a hundred of the time ago, though. Even after decades of fanzine Growing up a film fan means that he people in fandom, and so far I’ve been relatively collection, I own no copies and have never read was an influence. He wrote reviews as lucky that few have passed on. I was not so lucky one. They were all bought up by affluent comics if he was the ultimate film fan. with Phyllis Gotlieb, though, who died some fans in the 1960s and ‘70s, I guess. I remember It’s a different case with Jan Howard years ago. Nor with Bill Bowers, who also died a a set that was put up for sale more than 35 Finder. He was a fan, a-yup. I know I met Jan at number of years ago. Nor with Mike Glicksohn, who I knew well even if I did not include Mike in you are 90 now, the odds of living to 91 are no fiction – the bulk of books older readers have my closest circle of friends. Then the appallingly worse than they were of your becoming 90, and read are books that were written well before unexpected death of Dave Locke’s, just when we the odds of living to 92 are no worse than they the feminist age. Only time can even up the had discovered so much in common, and had are of becoming 91, and so on… Eventually the numbers. become regular correspondents. Just about two odds catch up, of course. But if you are 91 you It’s an interesting point, but what I years ago, an artist friend of mine died suddenly, just about as likely to make it to a 105 as to a forgot to check was what do WOMEN years before his time. Then there was the shock mere 96. So it seems that Art has a mighty good say were their faves? of Stu Shiffman’s stroke. Finally, a few nights chance of becoming fandom’s first ago I heard that a fellow artist I know may have known centenarian. It’s a dirty job cancer. An old joke goes, “I haven’t been feeling … but somebody has to do it! too well myself lately” … but no wonder, with Art &I are gonna be the so many in fandom taking their leave. ones to turn the lights out One of the things I love about Fandom, on Fandom! and specifically about WorldCons, is What are we to make of that I can get to meet and know folks Teresa Derwin’s statistic that only from various generations. Maybe it’s 4% of the respondents to a poll the Historian in me, but I love talking gave a book written by a woman as to the old timers! one of their SF favorites? Although 1.72 people per 10,000 in the United it is a telling statistic, surely there is States, or about .17% of the population, lives no such thing as a “wrong” answer long enough to become a centenarian. In to “what is your favorite book?” fandom, the leading candidate for this distinction Do you tell the person who gives is Art Widner, who flaunts his ninety-some-odd the “wrong” answer, “Sorry, but years of age the way other fans flaunt their Hugo ‘Man in the High Castle’ is not your pins or FAAn award nominations. Right away, favourite book, “The Dispossessed” statistics give us a fair estimate of the number is.” There are no remedies for the of fans there must be in the U.S. If .17% is right, imbalance that I can think of, either. there must be under 5,000. Otherwise Art It’s not possible to expel the right would be more than one person … and from number of people from fandom to observations that I’ve made on several occasions, even up the percentages. At least I this is not the case. Of late, an interesting fact hope not. But what does that leave? has emerged about those who survive to an Forced re-education, Mao-style? I advanced age. Up until about the age of 90, each think one important reason for the year we live increases the odds against our living skewed percentage may be that – another year, until the odds become quite low even after two or three decades indeed. But for reasons that are still unknown, in which there have been large beyond the age of about 90, the risk flattens. If numbers of women writing science