The Drink Tank Issue 131 That’s right, that’s a piece Besides fanzines, she published from Bill Rotsler on the cover! Jerry science fiction, Westerns, historical Kaufman and Suzle were kind romances (as Georgia York), the enough to send me left-overs from folk-music magazines Caravan and a batch of Rotslers that they got Gardyloo, and blue-eagle tags for the from Bill Mallardi. It came to work “New Lost City Ramblers” Appreciators one afternoon and when I opened (carefully labeled “NLCRA” and “We the envelope, I nearly cried. It do our part” after the blue eagle of was awesome to have 38 different NRA, the 1933 U.S. Nat’l Recovery Rotslers to play with. Now, you’d Administration). She was assistant think I’d do an entire issue using editor of Larry Shaw’s prozines Infinity them all at once, but shockingly, and Science Fiction Adventures. Her I’m holding back. I want them superbly-titled novel The Valdez Horses to last (unless anyone else has a (1967), winning the Spur Award from bunch just taking up space, which the Western Writers of America, was you could send to me and I’ll give made a 1973 John Sturges movie with ’em a good home before passing Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland. As them on in the Circle Game) in Rebecca West’s Black Lamb and Ah, but the articles this time Grey Falcon (1941), three-quarters mean that you won’t be reading through her book we learn what the much of me. First is the debut of title means, and never forget. Fellow Best Fan Writer nominee and all-around good guy John Hertz The best photograph of her, by with a look at Lee Hoffman that Dean Grennell, is in Harry Warner’s was in his zine Vanamonde. Then history A Wealth of Fable, p. 65 (2nd Lee Hoffman 1932-2007 ed. 1992), which is full of her, as it there’s Frank Wu with more on by John Hertz should be. A good photo from the ’80s Guidolon! And James Bacon, one of reprinted from Vanamonde 731 by Andrew Porter is in Peter Weston’s the five best nominators a guy could Photos from FANAC.org ask for will be giving us the Kilgore Prolapse, no. 3 (Nov 06). In that Lapse Trout article that I’ll be thinking “I knew her best in the ’60s,” said she set Weston straight. She set Dick about for the rest of the summer. Carol Carr, “funny, smart, and a Eney straight in “The Truth About So you see, you don’t always sterling heart.” So before and since. Steam”, reprinted in the Chicon IV have to deal with my writing in Quandry (thus spelled) made her GoH book, half hers under the title In the pages of The Drink Tank. famous. Science Fiction Five-Yearly and Out of “Quandry”, half Pro GoH Sometimes you get lucky and I get continued to her death. Lee Hoffman Bertram Chandler’s under Up to the some REAL writers to give me the was Fan Guest of Honor at Chicon IV Sky in Ships, printed back-to-back like Good Stuff! Enjoy! (’82 World S-F Convention, Chicago). the “doubles” of Ace Books, with two covers by Illustrator GoH Kelly Freas (NESFA Press = New England S-F Ass’n: P.O. Box 809, Framingham, MA 01701, U.S.A.;
When she appeared most fan activity outside local clubs was in fanzines. Not only were cons far and few, fanziners realized it’s cheaper to send one’s fanzine round than one’s body; everything or nothing is feeble- minded. People who hadn’t met her in person made assumptions. They were finally shattered by evidence that, as Willis telephoned to Bob Shaw, “Lee Hoffman is a girl!” Bob Tucker was so shattered — for his version and hers, see In and Out — he put a character with her name in The Long Loud Silence (1952; his lovably notorious practice came to be known as tuckerizing), eaten by cannibals. After this she was Hoffwoman.
She was a race-car inspector, an amateur archeologist, a photographer. She never won a triple crown, but My All-Time Favoutite photo of Lee Hoffman. she could have; after we established That’s Dave Kyle in the Chair (He was chairing NYCon II at the time) and Bea Retrospective Hugo Awards Mahaffey on the right arm. (Constitution of the World S- Editions” of the original “Star F Society, Section 3.13), she was Wars” trilogy, but he also nominated in ’01 (i.e. for 1950, fifty received much approbation for years after the ’51 Worldcon gave no Hugos) as Best Fanwriter and tinkering with the Han vs. Greedo Best Fanartist, in ’04 as Fanwriter scene. and Q as Fanzine. Ellison said she “Guidolon” was a good movie was the Parthenon. They poled a when we wrapped production pirogue through the Okefenokee last June. At the Conestoga Swamp hunting water moccasins with crossbows. In the s-f con costume Short Film Festival where it competition we call the Masquerade, premiered, it won an award for she wore a gown of Q covers stenciled Best Animation. It also won an on silk. STICKIER IS BETTER award never before given out OR: Much Ado About at Conestoga: Best in Show. S-F Five-Yearly came out every fifth the New Director’s Cut of November for fifty-five years. I was in “Guido” won Best Animation at a SFFY 12 (Nov 06), with a series of four “GUIDOLON THE GIANT SPACE couple other festivals, too. s-f haiku, the last on the back cover, CHICKEN” People watched it and they gosh. I did not know it would be my By Frank Wu laughed. last gift to her. May her memory be for a blessing. And yet... When is the novel done? The They didn’t laugh enough. painting? The film? Some of the animation was When is it complete and clunky. The fight scene dragged, polished enough to be released to a mortal sin of filmmaking. The the publisher, the public? It’s been said that art projects are never finished, just abandoned. Woody Allen doesn’t re-watch his old films because he always finds things he’d wished he changed. Remaking films is, of course, a minefield. George Lucas sold a lot of copies of his “Special dialog was rocky in parts, and the ending was non-existent. So this year I did the Director’s Cut, which debuted on YouTube last week, on May 30, 2007. Usually a “Director’s Cut” means that the studio or the producers interfered with the director; in this case, the director (me) interfered with the director (me). We’ve learned a lot about animation since last June. One thing: Did you ever notice that blinking brings animated characters to life? “Dora the Explorer” just stands there, not moving, but she blinks so she seems alive. Other characters can have lots of moving parts, but if they don’t blink, they seem dead. I suspect this is because Of about 145 shots in the of the studio) during the fight we want to do and feel what the film, about 73% are changed or scene. Trisuron the Giant characters do and feel. People totally new. Space Triceratops and Octuron are more like sheep than we’d Some of the changes are minor, the Giant Space Octopus jump generally like to admit, but if we like “ducking”. (Ducking around and dance. And 3.5 see a character not blinking, it is reducing the volume of seconds of Trisuron dancing makes us not blink, and that’s background music so you can really makes her come alive. hard. heard voices more clearly.) New And we finally have an So we made changes. Lots weapons pop out of the head ending. and lots of changes. of Number One (the evil head But why do through this effort? Why drag a few key people - artist Suzanne Rachel The hardest was cutting the these things. Forbes, animator Jonah Gray Receptionist scene just before (A light blinks on her desk.) and sound/music guy Dave Guidolon confronts the evil Receptionist: The studio head Fleminger - through the depths of Number One. will see you now. Do you want my madness? We hear this dialog: last rites. The operative word is Guidolon: Should I? “stickiness.” Guidolon: Hi! I’m here to see- Receptionist: I’m supposed to In his book “The Tipping -- ask. Point”, Malcolm Gladwell talks Receptionist: ---Number One. about an epidemic of an early Guidolon: How did you know? I don’t know about you, but I form the AIDS virus that hit Receptionist: I’m paid to know children in Eastern Europe in the mid-1950’s. Most of those kids survived. But then the virus returned, in modified form, in full-force, in the 1980’s. Epidemics are a lot like marketing (I bet you’ve heard the term “viral marketing”). The idea was that a few changes to “Guidolon” would be enough to make it “stickier,” more memorable, more easy to watch. Funnier, better. It seems to have worked. The earlier version has received 15 ratings on YouTube, averaging 3.5 (out of 5). The new version has (after only three days) already received 10 ratings, averaging 5 out of 5. Top score! The changes were painful. The Director’s Cut wasn’t a waste of time - it’s stickier. So now what? The point of doing the Director’s Cut now was to enter a Nickelodeon contest. They are looking for short animated films, and we have a short animated film. In one elegant movement - via this contest - we leap over the heads of those who stand guard at the gates of Nickelodeon, blocking our access to Those Who Decide Stuff. This is our shot at glory. The deadline was June 1, and we got our film there in time. Now we wait. In August we find out if they liked our film, and if so they’ll broadcast it on Nickelodeon. think this dialog’s funny, and not And Natasha Levitan did a The grand prize is ten just because I wrote it. smashing job with the voice, with thousand dollars, but what I But in all the various her wonderful Russian accent. really want is a chance to do a showings of Guidolon, not a Writer Lori Ann White has told pitch meeting with Those Who single person has ever laughed me that I need to be merciless Decide Stuff. To convince them during this scene. None. Not editing my own stuff. The scene that “Guidolon the Giant Space one chortle or gurgle. Evar. stops the movie cold. It had to Chicken and Friends Half-Power I really liked the design and go. Sorry, Natasha. Half-Hour” will be the next big animation of the Receptionist, But the new version is better, thing, and they should give us a who’s a Giant Space Caterpillar tighter, funnier. The ratings and big dumptruck full of money to who secretly runs the studio. comments at YouTube tell me so. full of money closer and closer.
Meanwhile... What am I doing? Catching up on sleep. And watching movies. Lots and lots of movies. Since finishing the new version, I’ve seen: “Before the Dinosaurs: Walking with Monsters” (a documentary about various prehistoric creatures like Anomalocaris and Dimetrodon)... “The Shock” (a completely disappointing silent Lon Chaney Sr. movie wherein all the conflicts are resolved by an earthquake that just appears out of nowhere)... “Corvette Summer” (the very cynical 1978 film Mark Hamill made between “Star Wars” and “The Empire make it so. assembled fanbase to them. Strikes Back”)... and “F for And there’s a way you can So if you can help us run up Fake” (Orson Welles’ last finished help us. the hit counter at YouTube, we film)... At the Licensing Show in New can use that to show them where I promised myself to take a York, whenever we talked to folks our fanbase is. break from animating. about our project, they asked http://www.youtube.com/ Maybe do some of the artwork us, “Where is your fanbase?” watch?v=MteAVvr_wrU I’ve promised people. Executives today are so worried Everytime you watch Guidolon And yet... There are a million about their jobs, I guess, that on YouTube or tell a friend about cool ideas for new “Guidolon” they want us to bring a pre- it, you bring that big dumptruck animations. Orson Welles opens “F for Fake” (a full-length film) by The Vonnegut White Scottish bar named The Dunrobin, one of the telling us that everything we see Connection. last genuine Glasgow pubs. Having for the next hour will be true, but by failed to persuade any female to come Mr. James Bacon twice running, a change was made to a after that time limit, all bets are For some reason I knew of classier establishment, the Horseshoe, off. Kilgore Trout before I had read any in Drury Lane. Here too were problems, I’d love to do a “Guidolon” of Vonnegut’s work. This is mostly not least being the sheer popularity of episode that similarly plays because it was impossible to be as well the place with the rest of humanity. with truth vs. fiction, reality vs. read as one would have liked when one At last, after six months of travel, the fakery. came to interact with the beast known perfect home was found in the Andros, as Irish science fiction stuff, and I was a large and empty pub in the West End. But I should take a break. a James White fan first, as well. It’s FOKT had a name, and now -- a home! Stop me before I animate one of those weird things, the Kilgore (Of course, as soon as we had publicity again. Trout thing was mentioned, and material printed, the pub changed New Director’s Cut of initially I thought it was all a fan thing. hands; it is now Wintergill’s, and we’re Guidolon the Giant Space Of course, later I came to understand stuck with 100 postcards promoting the Chicken: that it was derived from great works. Andros.)” The Friends of Kilgore Trout Of course history is in the eye http://www.youtube.com/ were a bunch of people, fans even, and watch?v=MteAVvr_wrU of the beholder, so I also have a piece I have little knowledge about these that Ian Sorenson the great fan Let me say that I like things, so first I will refer to the fan fountain of information wrote for an the new version a lot, though historian Rob Hanson and the pages of article on Glaswegian fandom. I think that the old one had Then: ‘Glasgow’s fan group, The a certain charm. I love the ‘The Friends Of Kilgore Trout Friends of Kilgore Trout, was started (FOKT) was a new fan group that dancing! in 1974 by 6 students meeting in a formed in Glasgow in the wake of pub. From then in grew into a weekly TYNECON (1974 Eastercon), where meeting for up to 60 fans. There has most of its founder members had first never been any organisation nor any met each other, and which included rules: all you have to do is turn up in people from that city’s earlier ASTRA- the pub twice to become a Friend of derived fan club.’ Kilgore Trout. A list of all those who As to the group’s name: “John have achieved this exalted status is Duffy thought of it first. Ian Black displayed elsewhere.’ echoed his enthusiasm, along with Alan ‘Although it began with only 6 Milne. Chris Boyce and Jim Campbell members in 1974, by the mid -eighties applauded warmly...The Friends Of FoKT had grown too large to meet in Kilgore Trout were baptised in a beery their regular pub Wintersgills, and so a move was made to The Bank. At this use of artwork. Ian Sorensen (that’s point some of the older members split me folks!) produced a pretty awful themselves off to have a quiet drink fanzine called MINCE which lasted for elsewhere. Each time there was another 10 issues but did another well thought move it led to more splits, until the of zine devoted to discussing convention core of FoKT was reduced to about 20 organisation called CONRUNNER, which people. There are still other smaller is up to issue 19. In 1993 his current groups who meet regularly.’ personal zine BOB won the Nova Award ‘In the late seventies and early for best fanzine of the year.’ eighties FoKT became dominated by ‘In 1982, three of the female the need to run the annual conventions. Friends of Kilgore Trout, Frances Initially called FAIRCON because they Jane Nelson, Joan Paterson and took place during the local Trades Fair Jacqueline Robinson put out a joint Holiday, they changed their name to fanzine called A NIGHT AT THE OPERA ALBACON (a name used for the 1980 which was followed by A DAY AT Eastercon) because of an internal split THE RACES, but nothing since. Other in the committee of FAIRCON 82 which fanzines came from Oscar Dalgleish led, at one time, to there being 2 rival (DRAGONBREATH), Douglas McCallum conventions planned for the same (THE DAY THE ELEPHANT MAN DIED) weekend in 1984.’ and most recently Jackie McRobert ‘After 1988 the team who had (THE STARTLED BUNNY) and Alison run the Albacons ran out of steam and Freebairn (THE KELPIE’S POOL). There a gap of 3 years appeared before a fanzine put out in the late seventies, were also a number of issues of club new group of younger fans resurrected Bob (fake) Shaw has also published a zines from the university SF societies. the name and produced Albacon 91 number of personal zines under the title Michelle “Cuddles” Drayton has done TNG. This was a huge success but ROCKON. The group of older fans who her own zine, PABULUM, but also they too found it too much of a strain called themselves “The Cretins” put out produces a monthly newsheet for FoKT doing an annual convention and so a number of issues of INDIAN SCOUT called SMALL FRY.’ the fanzine of the Red Army Choir. we had to wait until 1994 for the most And finaly The Trout Film by Ian, recent one. In the gaps, a number of This group included Sandy Brown, ‘In 1980 filming began for small conventions have been tried with Jim Carlin and Jimmy Robertson, FAIRCON STRIKES BACK. It was done varying degrees of success.’ whose own zine TWENTY THREE was on 8mm film and parodied the Star influential nationally for its writing Fanzines From Glasgow by Ian Wars movies. Shown at conventions up style. Lilian Edwards and Christina Sorenson, continuing his insight; and down the country it soon spawned ‘The output of fanzines from the Lake joined forces in 1981 to produce a second movie - RAIDERS OF THE group has been small but significant. THIS NEVER HAPPENS which continued LOST CON (a sort of Mission Impossible In addition to the 3 issues of the FoKT through the eighties and is notable for spoof) which was in turn followed the quality of its contributors and its by CONRUNNER. This was an epic, White was almost 1 hour long movie that closely approached and parodied BLADERUNNER but used the agreed to become premise that some gophers had escaped GoH if we won and the BSFA wanted them tracked the bid against down and retired! It received a special the highly fancied commendation at a film festival in 1984. Metrocon (fronted Other short films made in the eighties by Langford, include BAR TREK 2 - THE WRATH OF Malcolm Edwards CANS and THE BEERDRINKER parts and other BNFs 1&2. All of these films were made by London).’ Chris O’Kane with help form Bruce Saville and the other FoKT members ‘At the time roped in as actors or props. Another I remember film, DARK JUSTICE, was made being very by John Allardyce and friends, but disappointed, and disappeared after its premiere, and is annoyed at Bob, currently lost to posterity. All the other when we ended movies have been transferred to video.’ up with James Ian Sorenson’s recollection of how White instead of James White ended up as GoH for some American Albacon II. guest, but, as I said, I was very new to Graham Andrews illustrates where ‘I was very new to fandom fandom and didn’t appreciate just what James returned the honour. in those days and Bob Shaw (the a great guest James made. Not only did Glasgow fan known as Fake Bob or we have his friendly presence but we Ambulance Ship (Ballantine/Del Rey String Bob Shaw) ruled the roost in got Peggy for free, and she was simply 28513-1, October 1979). Glasgow fandom. In preparing the bid wonderful, especially with the hordes Sector General 4. Original fix- for Albacon II we discussed a wide of Glasgow people we got as walk-ins, up novel: Introduction: ‘The range of possible guests, beginning making them feel part of the family Secret History of Sector General’ as we always did with Harlan Ellison whenever she met them. In the end we ( previously published inFOKT but including a range of what were did get an extra American guest (Marion No. 3, 1978); ‘Contagion’; at the time “exotic” guests, mostly Zimmer Bradley) who came courtesy of ‘Quarantine’; ‘Recovery’. FOKT American. Bob Shaw kept insisting he Don Wollheim who was her publisher.’ stands for (a) the Friends of was in touch with all sorts of people, Kilgore Trout, i.e. the Glasgow but by the time we got to the convention So we can see that there was Science Fiction Group and (b) (ChannelCon) we didn’t have anyone another link between FOKT and James the dour alien Gogleskans, who lined up. So at that Eastercon James White, Irish fan, now living in Belgium, speak through what can only be described as bagpipe drones. the multicoloured hair covering the The great Gary Louie, now cranial area, used for contact telepathy- deceased wrote a chronology and guide thy. Its voice seems to come from a to the aliens of James Whites universe, number of small, vertical breathing this was later published in NESFA orifices which encircles its waist. The press White Papers, and is available being sits on a flat, muscular pad, and online on the James White information it has legs as well. These members pages, here is a small excerpt that’s are stubby and concertina-like, and relevant. when the four of them are in use they increase the height of the being by ‘James White’s Sector General several inches. The being also has stories used a unique four letter two additional eyes at the back of its classification system that helped head~obviously this species has had to describe the species quickly and be very watchful in prehistoric times. effectively, as one would require when the hospital is a multi species James Dedicated one of his environment. ‘ books to FOKT Classification: FOKT Planet: Goglesk Today there is a resurgence, Species: Gogleskan first Glasgow fanDC explained his Individuals: Healer ‘(hone and understanding of FOKT connection: child’) James White used it to describe alien creatures who, when threatened, group The Gogleskan FOKT resembles together to form a group entity with an a large, dumpy cactus-like plant whose intelligence which declines the more spikes and hair are richly colored in they group together. a pattern which seems less random DC explains and talks about the more you look at it. A faint smell what’s happening now and what is next. comes from the entity, a combination extremely flexible and grouped together of musk and peppermint. The mass to form a digital cluster, give evidence The Resurgence of Trout of unruly hair and spikes covering its of specialization. The other spikes are erect, ovoid body are less irregular in longer and stiffer, and some of them ‘Fans in Glasgow regularly their size and placing than is at first seem to be partially atrophied, as if apparent. The body hair has mobility, reminisced about the days of Trout, they were evolved for natural defence, and would mumble from time to time though not the high degree of flexibility but the reason for their presence has and rapid mobility of the Kelgian fur, about the possibility of restarting it. long since gone. There are also a No one did anything, though, until and the spikes, some of which are number of long, pale tendrils lying amid Hotel where the first Faircons were one with a mix of SF and science held), and suggested we meet there programming as well as fun items. on the second Thursday of the month When we realised that 2007 was the (we felt a monthly meet was more 50th anniversary of the launching of realistic from our points of view at Sputnik 1, that was an irresistible hook least). We arranged a preliminary for a con like that. Satellite 1 is being meeting in December 2005, and put run by a mix of old conrunning hands out the word among friends; there and relative newbies, the guest of was a reasonable turnout and a high honour is Ken MacLeod, and there will level of enthusiasm. We went ahead be an appearance by Sydney Jordan, with the first meeting of the new creator of the long-running Jeff Hawke Trout proper in January, and have cartoon strip, and a display of his been meeting monthly ever since. artwork. At least part of the programme The name “Resurgence of Trout” was stream is going to look at how things bestowed by one of the people at the have changed in science and science preliminary meeting who walked in fiction in the years since Sputnik was and said, “So, is this the resurgence launched. The con is being held on of Trout, then?” To which we replied, Saturday 6th of October, two days after “Yes, that’s exactly what we are!” But the actual anniversary of the launch most of us just call it “Trout”... The date.’ group attracts a good mixture of old James White of course was a faces from the days in Wintersgill’s Friend of Kilgore Trout and treasured energised by the 2005 Worldcon, and new faces, many of who weren’t the FOKT momento presented to him Interaction, held in Glasgow. When even born then. The fortuitous choice marking this, that is still today in the a group of us gathered in the Bon of the second Thursday enabled us to possession of his family. It has been Accord to wish Lucy Zinkiewicz well on hold a meet in concert with Word Dogs, repeatedly mentioned, and James her journey back home to Australia, a local reading group, on the eve of did dedicate a book to FOKT, in 1983 talk inevitably turned to the subject. Concussion, when we basically filled he had a collection of Sector General “Wouldn’t it be good if...?” At that the pub with fans. We have been rather stories published as the collection, point, still fired by the Worldcon and popular with the pub management Sector General. This was the sixth knowing that Concussion, the next since then.’ sector general book, and the stories Eastercon, was also going to be held therein can be found in TOR’s Alien in Glasgow, there seemed no reason Satellite 1 also by DC who is running Emergencies omnibus. why “Wouldn’t it be good if...?” should it with others; The dedication in Sector General not become “Why don’t we...?” I ‘With the rebooting of Trout, reads: Dedicated to the friends of mentioned that I knew a pub which there was much quiet talk of getting Kilgore trout, Who treat the impossible might be suitable, the Ingram Bar a Glasgow con off the ground again, with the contempt it deserves. (no connection with the old Ingram And so the weird and wonderful Vonnegut White Scottish connection is explained. Sorry not much aboou Mr V there.
Rob Hansen’s history in progress of British Fandom can be found here: http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/SF- Archives/Then
Satalite 1 has a web page here http://satellite1.org.uk www.sectorgeneral.com for more about James White by Graham Andrews and Gary Louie.
The Resurgence of Trout have a live journal community: glasgow_fen http://community.livejournal.com/ Always willing to support TAFF, so full-length North American TAFF glasgow_fen/ here’s a notice about one of the best report completed since Len and June things I purchased in Texas. Moffatt published THE MOFFAT Ian Sorensen’s ‘Glasgow A-Z’ HOUSE ABROAD in 1974. Yes, friends, references from Interaction’s PR1 Buy It! that’s right, HARRISON COUNTRY is at: by the first completed North American http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.u Randy Byers! TAFF report in over thirty years!!!!! Earlier this year at Corflu Quire It’s a thing of beauty, too, with k/downloads/PR1_WEB.pdf in Austin, Texas, one of the cover and interior artwork by Steve, publications premiered was Steve including his legendary two-page Krazy Many thanks to Vince Doherty, Stiles’ TAFF report, HARRISON COUN- Kat pastiche, “TEFF Tearaw Tales,” Rob Hansen, DC, Ian Sorenson TRY, chronicling his TAFF trip of 1968, plus Goon Show art by the resplendent and Graham Andrews. where amongst other things and Dave Hicks. The report opens a window Thoughts for Gary Louie and mysteriously enough he apparently on British fandom of almost forty years ended up on the Goon Show as played James White and Kurt Vonnegut. ago, only to splash cold sea water in by Neddie Seagoon. This is the first their faces, much to their surprise. So climb aboard the charred remains of Letter Graded Mail actors, authors and artists, but by the the Cutty Sark and sail to Harrison Sent to [email protected] FanGoH? Time for a reality check… Country. You’ll laugh, you’ll croggle, by my Loyal Readers! Gotta get me one of those one day. and, above all, you’ll learn to Having almost no ego would make it avoid the VERGUZZ at all costs. And now...Lloyd Penney!!! the perfect role for me! HARRISON COUNTRY is avail- Dear Chris: Thanks for the Hugo consider- able in North American for $7.00 Man, you’re doing it again! Un- ation, Chris… I have been truly scared (postage included) payable to Suzanne cle! I just can’t keep up. I am three is- by finishing as high as 6th on the list Tompkins, PO Box 25075, Seattle WA sues of The Drink Tank behind, again! on Hugo ballot almosts. However, I am 98165, USA. E-mail: SuzleT at aol dot Her come some quick comments on willing to go for the ultimate fright, and com. It is available in Britain and issues 128 to 130, plus something on be on the ballot… Europe for 3 pounds (plus 55p P&P) the Baycon one-shot… Getting on the ballot is kinda scary payable to Bridget Bradshaw, 103 Guess what? There’s nothing better moment. I stared at the screen for Rustat Road, Cambridge, CB1 3QG, than a Lloyd Penney-style LoC! almost an hour before I decided UK. Email taffbug at googlemail dot 128…Daddy, why are all those silly that it was a good thing. I’m excited com. All proceeds go to TAFF, the men wearing garbage cans on their that my name will appear in Locus TransAtlantic Fan Fund. heads? A fez? Isn’t that the little can- no matter what, which will tickle And in the meantime, please dies? You guys were just having too my Uncle’s funnybone since he has vote for Steve for the Best Fan Artist much of a good time as proscribed by to read it for work. Hugo. Harrison Country is reason law. I would like to see a list of all enough -- as if you needed another Guys gotta wear fez every once and major fanzine collections (Warner, Pelz, reason! again. I’m hoping that we can get Moskowitz, etc.), and a list of where Randy Byers that band back together for another those collections are. My recollections Note: The Drink Tank takes no offi- con sometime! are a little vague, but it seems that cial stance on voting for anyone for It’s hard to believe that Baycon all of these collections are ending up the Best Fan Artist Hugo...at least 2003 was Janice Gelb’s only FanGoH- in two or three universities. What a not since Dan Steffan didn’t get ship. (Hugs to Janice!) Moving to Aus- tour…the writer goes to all those uni- nominated! Man, he needs hisself tralia kinda made that a fact, unless versities to look up the collections, and one of them Rockets! she is able to make the same impact interviews the people who are in charge on fandom down under. Being a of them, to get personal impressions, FanGoH is great fun, and a true boost etc. to the ego. We’ve guests at most of the Getting that list together might be conventions we can drive to, plus one a little hard, but I’m guessing we long-distance con, V-Con 25 in Van- could do it. Other than Lichtman’s couver some years ago. You do have to and Pickersgill’s, are there any keep your ego in check…most of the other major collections out there people there will be impressed by the that are still growing? 129…The lounge in Winnipeg was the hot and short chick and the girl great. There had been proper furniture with the awesome body and blue hair. in it, but it had been replaced with You’ve got us all intrigued. Well, at patio-style furniture, with the opinion least the guys. And is one your pick up that the good furniture could be better lines “Hey, nice ribbons!”? used elsewhere. Still, the room became Great date. Nice girl. She’s an Aus- a clubhouse. I don’t think we were ever sie though. Gotta love that! Details there by ourselves; people would come are locked until 2042 to enjoy some peace, the bar was going 130…I dunno…Photoshop comes to the middle three days of the Worldcon, mind. I’d love to see thought balloons and it was a friendly and genial place. above the head of the pretty girl in If a con at the Tucker Hotel was going your lap there. Ah, room party. I miss to have a fanzine lounge, that would them. I haven’t seen to a decent room have been it. party since LAcon IV! The ISDC Yvonne I’m prepping the next Lounge and I went to in Dallas was over the for Westercon with all sorts of Memorial Day weekend. (Bought a changes...well, not that many. Just League of Evil Geniuses polo shirt from more snacks! Scott Merritt at the ISDC…now I HAVE If I ever become a computer his- to come to one of these parties!) tory figure, it will be stumbling upon Girl thoughts. I don’t know if I the quickest way to destroy a personal could write them. I love room par- computer with a most colorful and ties and I’m co-hosting one at destructive explosion. When we took Westercon. our previous computer into a shop, the Bob Hole has definitely learned guy who worked on it, told me we’d set that the only reason you take a hotel a record (for his shop) for most adware room is to store your luggage in it dur- and spyware on a hard drive still work- ing the daytime, and your sorry, weary That is how you pronounce “Comment ing. Does that count? carcass at night. If you think anything t’appelle tu”, which is French for “What See, figuring that out would be else is going to happen in that room, is your name?” Man, a few Quebec great! well, my friend, you’re dreaming in Klingons sure hated me for a while, Shout out to David Moyce! Some Technicolor. asking themselves, why didn’t I think years ago, with a group in Montreal, I I’ve heard of another use that some of that? was told I had to find a good Klingon fans get...but it’s never happened to Great guy, that David. Really top name, one that would make a fine an- me! swer to “What is your name?” I almost notch Klingon too! I must say, I love Ribbons for all…once Worldcon instantly had the answer…K’Mon T’Pel- that concept for a name. Nothing returns to North America and Denver tu, a Klingon with some Vulcan in him. like a pun in multiple languages! in 2008, I can just imagine the rib- Okay, Chris, more details on bons. There will have to be a ribbon prize for the most ribbons on a single badge. Oooo…Rotunda! Roll that R! RRRRRotunda! Gotta love the new Ribbon-based fannish economy. I picked up a flyer for the Star Wars Celebration IV at LAcon. I’m old enough to have seen the move in the theatres in its initial run. What a rush. I saw it at the Totem Theatre in downtown Victoria, British Columbia, in late August of 1977, and within a few months, I had discovered fandom (such as it was in Victoria), and found how much I could have, and how many friends I suddenly had. (Check the news tonight about a Star Wars wedding, somewhere in the US. Local newscasts had some fun with this.) Gone are all the theatres I saw the original Star Wars at as a kid. Ac- tually, they were all drive-ins. The Winchester Drive-in, the Lawrence, they were where my Dad took me. I only remember the last few times we went to see it. Dad and I went ev- ery weekend for almost a year! Meeting up with John was a very there was a filk. Not sure if it actually And now, because I said I would, good time. We chowed down at the took place. There was also a children’s some comments on Poorly Conceived Buffalo Wild Wings Bar and Grill not program, and I pulled a shirt in there, Awkward Silence! Where did all the far from the hotel. John’s right, this too. Yvonne purchased a Kelly Freas Klingon and heavily corseted squirrels ISDC was planned by the local space print, which might just have been the come from? Amen on the benefits…this advocates, but operated and main- art show’s only sale. very day, I worked four hours at the tained by local fans. As a result, there Good money has been put forward annual Book Expo Canada, our own was an art show and a Saturday night of late for pieces of Kelly’s lately. version of the ABA. I did a special pre- filk. At least, the programme book said One went for 3600 at the BayCon registration table for employees of one art auction! of the national bookstore chains, which Fanzine Lounges get no respect! That’s enough of that! I’m so Why, I’ve got half a mind to bid a proud that I got John Hertz, James WorldCon just so I can get the Fan- Bacon, Frank Wu, Randy Byers zine Lounge a good location! and Lloyd Penney all in one issue! Jean, if you were the slave Leia, That’s just nuts! you didn’t have much of a costume to Art is from Bob Hole on page make. However, as long as all the Leias 18 and 15, Bill Rotsler on the cover present could wear it well, it would be and on page 16, Frank Wu and co. a good time for all us Lukes and Hans. for the Guidolon art and that piece She was Leia in the ‘Help Me Obi- over there <-, as well as Paul Langs- Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope’ dorff and Heather Hoffman for the Leia, but all Leia’s are created Trout stuff. Gotta love those things! equally. Next issue will be weird. I’m Okay, all you fan artists out doing two issues on why Hollywood there…I want to see an illustration of won’t let me play...for good reason! meant I got to say hello to many, many Chris Garcia in a cheerleader’s cos- You’ll understand when you read it, shapely young girls, smiling at me so tume. Okay, I don’t WANT to see Chris trust me. I could give them badges to wear. A in a cheerleader’s costume, but hey, And then I’ll be in full Wester- wonderful, wonderful benefit. it’ll be good for a laugh, and Chris will con mode and then it’s This Were Gotta love the squirrels! I miss have a costume idea for the next Bay- WorldCons a little after that. Sum- booth bunnies. I gotta find me more con masquerade. mer is a fast and furious pubbing of them! I’ll never wear such a costume time for the old Chris man! I remember trying to find the (since I could never make it myself) and I love it! fanzine lounge at Chicon V in 1991…I but I would love to see what folks was told it was on the first floor. out there would do with the con- Which first floor? I found out after the cept... Worldcon that there was a way to get I’m coming up on the end of the third to it from the second floor, but not page, so time to wind it up! You’ve from the rest of the first floor. Well, at probably got another issue on eFan- least it was in the main hotel. I remem- zines by now; I’m not online at the mo- ber the fanzine lounge in Philadelphia ment. See you the next time I’m three in 2001…it was in the basement of a or four issues behind, which should be hotel a couple of blocks away. It was in about a week. supposed to be in the convention cen- Good grief! Three pages! Gotta love tre, but the furniture never arrived, Lloyd Penney! Thanks much and and then the Fire Marshal showed we’ll have the next three out in time up…you can guess the rest. for you to have to catch up.