File 770 #147

2 File 770: 147

File 770:147 is edited by Grant Canfield: 14, 44 Mike Glyer at 705 Valley Tarai: 9, 41 View Ave., Monrovia CA Chaz Boston Baden: 91016. (photo): 6,19,22,23,24 File 770 is available Bill Rotsler: 2,7,8, 15,17, for news, artwork, 23,29,32,33,34,35,37,38 arranged trades, or by Len Wein: 32, 34, 35 subscription: $8 for 5 Keith Stokes (photos): 10 issues, $15 for 10 issues, Alan White: 3, 18, 24 air mail rate is $2.50. Tim Kirk: 2 Telephone: (626) Ray Capella: 5, 25 305-1004 Marc Schirmeister: 12, 13 E-Mail: Alex Holden: (photo) 26 [email protected] Douglas Spencer: (photo): 26, 27, 28 Art Credits Munchkin: (photo): 30 Brad Foster: Cover, 4, 16, 31 Sheryl Birkhead: 36 Editorial Notes by Mike Glyer

Wild Kingdom: Even though the screen child get a shot. door is broken, we often open the sliding The next day I spent part of a quiet shift glass door to the patio to let in fresh air. in the Fanzine Lounge reading an issue of We’re willing to deal with the occasional Chaz’s A Bear Went Over the Mountain. In flying bug. This spring is the first time his Noreascon Four report he wrote about we’ve had a problem with wild animals the photo taken of past Worldcon chairs, and inviting themselves inside. why I wasn’t in it: “Mike Glyer went to bed A sparrow came in and got stuck behind early, which is why you don’t see him in the a drape. We ushered it out. A black cat that picture....” It’s nice to be missed, but hon­ strolls through our garden once a day poked estly, I was actually getting off the plane in his head inside, then thought better of it. California at about the time they were taking Diana woke up from a nap on the couch and the picture. I’d gone home on Monday so startled a squirrel that had been regarding Diana would have one less night caring for her from the middle of the living room floor. Sierra alone. The prize winner, however, was the In the same issue, he brought up the bunny. It sniffed and hopped its way question “What is a trip report?” He was through the door until it caught Diana’s eye. fine-tuning the definition used by SCIFI, the An unknown neighbor has a large, brown LA nonprofit fannish corporation, which domestic bunny rabbit that frequently es­ aged these days. Sierra got a set of five pays a $500 bounty to TAFF/DUFF/etc. capes captivity and devotes its freedom to very-long-haired dolls. They came inside a when a trip report is published. Chaz didn’t wandering the perimeter of our house. Any molded, see-through plastic shell, each think that LiveJournal or blog entries quali­ number of times strangers have knocked at bound to the cardboard liner by an alumi­ fied, saying that it had to be paper and land our door and kindly told us our bunny was num wire around her neck and ankles. Her in SCIFI’s post office box. loose. Which we doubtless would have long hair was stitched to the backing. For any other purpose. I would think a wanted to know if he was ours. The bunny is Untying each successive doll, I started to trip report is defined by subject matter, not revolutionizing neighborhood social life. It’s have Mittyesque visions that I was some medium of distribution. Why doesn’t an LA cliche that people here never know FBI agent trying to free the five before Han­ SCIFI? SCIFI set the policy in 1984 to en­ their neighbors, yet a man who had never nibal Lecter came back and something awful courage more fan fund winners to write and ventured across the street to meet us before happened. publish reports, and at the time distribution didn’t hesitate to rush over and volunteer to It makes Sierra’s tea parties a welcome through computer networks wasn’t a factor. help catch our bunny. relaxation. The demand for paper publication came in The bunny’s adventure in our living Loscon 2005: Last November at Elst’s response to the example of Ken room came right after Easter, and as Diana annual Loscon wine and cheese party, he Fletcher/Linda Lounsbury’s DUFF trip slide chased him out the back she said to the informed everyone he is now the delighted show which they presented at cons in the neighbors watching this over our fence, grandpa of Rachel Sienna. “It’ll be about early 1980s. We wanted to encourage the “Yes. he left three baskets of eggs and two years ‘til she can say it,” he thought wider and longer-lasting availability of trip chocolate.” aloud. Elst showed off her baby pictures. reports in a paper format. Sierra Grace: Sierra turned four in Feb­ This talk of babies also reminded him of a Now? I’m no longer in SCIFI, so I can ruary, and our birthday girl received a toy story from his pediatric practice, about a only wonder if the group can be equally store worth of presents from her relatives. parent who was tattooed and pierced from satisfied with a printout of a web page. It astonishes me how kids’ toys are pack­ head to toe, but couldn’t bear to see her May 2006 3

Chaz Gradually Restoring Internet Photo Galleries Chaz Boston-Baden’s empire of fannish digital photo galleries is making a come­ back, eight months after the host’s disk­ controller failure blacked out such widely- used archives as Hazel's Picture Gallery and SCIFI’s Fan Gallery. Photographer Chaz Boston-Baden might have been under the influence of margarita Jello in 2004 when he complained, “Fans are dying faster than I can shoot them.” Of course, really meant that he hated to miss a single chance to immortalize fellow fans in his online image collection. Even this kind of immortality is risky without backups. That system was still in the planning stage when disaster struck last summer, turning all of the site’s 29,140 News of Fandom photos into little red X’s. Chaz had the ruined disk drive run through a professional-grade recovery proc­ (both in 2000); Brian Aldiss (2005, for but avocados, and mangos can be imported ess, partly paid by fan donations to his web­ “services to literature”); and Leroy Kettle, and we normally get avocados from New site’s maintenance fund. So far, Chaz has (2006, senior policy adviser on disability Zealand. Backpacker tourism will be hit restored 9,303 photos to his galleries and he rights, Department for Work and Pensions). very hard. Many backpackers do fruit pick­ expects to get about 50% of his photos back. Other honorees with an sf/fantasy con­ ing and farm work in the affected area to Chaz explained in his LiveJournal, “I nection can be Google-searched on the Ansi- extend their cash. No crop, no jobs, no tour­ have a big stack of about a dozen data ble website. And who knows, next year will ism. The actual tourism areas are mostly DVDs with gigabytes upon gigabytes of we be talking about - Sir Dave? OK. Less damage to the Great Barrier Reef many thousand unlabeled, unnamed, untitled than anyone expected. and undated JPEG files. Matching them Aussie s Ride Out Storm “The cyclone effects hit far inland also, back up to where they came from is a daunt­ On March 18 Cyclone Larry hit Australian right through the Atherton Tablelands and ing task.... Unfortunately a large number of coast, crossing the east coast of Queensland. almost as far as the Gulf. The affected area files appear to be corrupted; the good news It did great damage but in contrast to Hurri­ is about half the size of Tasmania, so the is, it’s something that usually can be re­ cane Katrina, had little impact on fans. For cleanup is taking a lot of time. I expect the moved in a few minutes with a binary file example, the storm came ashore 400 km insurance payouts alone will be around editor..... Those minutes add up, though!” north of Eric Lindsay’s and Jean Weber’s A$500 million, with total costs exceeding a [[Originally appeared at Trnfen.net.]] home in Airlie Beach. billion.” Eric writes, “Apart from a few gusts of Knight of the Paper Spaceship gale force winds, and a power outage in one Man Bites Dog Leroy Kettle's fame in Britain originally area, we were unaffected (well, apart from Fannish times have changed. Years ago. came from naming “Ratfandom,” from the checking the storm track obsessively). Even fans opening a bookstore was barely news. biting humor of his fanzine. True Rat, and the boats in Pioneer Bay were unaffected. Now in the era of Amazon.com and mega­ from his repeated victories in Checkpoint’s Only one dragged anchor, and VMR mall booksellers, whenever anybody opens a annual poll, where he won Best Fan writer in [Volunteer Marine Rescue] saved it before it mom-and-pop bookstore their optimisim is consecutive years (1975, 1976, 1977). Now went aground.” worth a headline. Especially when mom- the Queen of England has topped that heap Few fans reside near the affected area of and-pop are longtime Southern California of glory by making him an Officer of the rural North Queensland. Eric explained, fans Dwain and JoAnn Kaiser, whose Magic British Empire, civil division, in her 2006 “Fandom in Australia is a feature of cities, Door IV bookstore opened last June in the New Year’s Honours. not country areas. Author Leanne Frahm is Arts Colony district of downtown Pomona, Kettle is the only knight I have ever 150 km south of us at Mackay, which was California. traded fanzines with. I’m a bit young to have not affected. Sharee Carton has a Dimbulah Their bookstore has been well-received. traded for Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s Novae address. Although inland of Cairns, and not November’s Campus Times, a University of Terrae, the zine he co-edited with William normally affected, Dimbulah did lose power LaVerne student publication, featured the Temple back in the 1930s. But there’s hope for some time and had wind damage. Sharee store in a highly complimentary article. for more, because sf folks are being is believed to have been working offshore at (LaVerne is a small town bordering on knighted at an ever-increasing pace. the time. I would imagine the boat she was Pomona.) Fans and writers connected with (or at on would not have stayed in the affected The article begins: “As you peer through least given the Hugo by) the sf community area, if it started there. No further details.” the doorway, a long corridor of books ap­ who have received royal honors over the “The banana crop was hit hard, with pears before you and the crisp smell of the years include: Arthur C. Clarke, Terry perhaps 80% of the Australian crop de­ light brown wooden shelves along the walls Pratchett (both in 1998, for “services to stroyed (we can’t import bananas due to invites you to stroll down the dark brown literature”); J.K. Rowling, Doris Lessing disease problems with imports). A lot of floor, choose a book and settle into a rock­ sugar cane, avocados and mangos destroyed, ing chair. Nestled in the Arts Colony of 4 File 770: 147

Harry Warner, Jr. Memorial (Best Letterhack): Robert Lichtman Best Fan Artist: Steve Stiles Best Fan Writer: Claire Brialey Best Fanzine: Chunga!

Awards administrator Murray Moore mistakenly announced Banana Wings as the winner at the Corflu banquet, then the next day discovered his own counting error, contacted the nominees involved, and issued a public correc­ tion. The convention acclaimed Mike WONUFAENTAL SCULPTURE PROPOSAL «? Glicksohn to be the Fan Writers of America’s newest Past President. (As TITLE' "HEAD OF THE FOOTHILLS” Ted White has explained, “The FWA 5Crle- didn't i just say it wrs "tonutental' ? has no current president, and never has ARTIST: © bca3 w. Roster - SooT had one. All of FWA's presidents are past presidents at the time of their selection.”) Pat Virzi will host next downtown Pomona sits the little bookstore warmly describes his time in fandom. year's Corflu in Austin, Texas, sometime Magic Door IV. Even though it is about two Ebert must have taken the inspiration for before Easter. meters wide, it attracts an array of book his title from those run-on story titles so lovers with over 10.000 books neatly often found in New Wave anthologies. It’s Prairie Home stacked on the shelves.” called. ‘Thought Experiments: How Propel­ Fanzine Collection The most expensive book in the inven­ ler-heads, BNFs, Sercon Geeks, Newbies, Two years ago, Mike Horvat set fandom tory is an autographed version of Ray Recovering GAFIATors, and Kids in Base­ abuzz when he advertised his massive fan­ Bradbury’s first novel, retailing for $3,000. ments Invented the World Wide Web, all zine collection for sale online, asking $5,000 Primarily, the store offers used books in Except the Delivery System.” The last para­ for the lot. No one met the minimum bid good condition for half-cover-price. It’s graph gives the flavor of his essay: before Horvat was persuaded to withdraw located at 155 W. 2nd Street, Pomona. “But for the years of their existence, what them from sale by Rob Latham, a University a brave new world fanzines created! There of Iowa English professor who is also an was a rough democracy at work; no one Freas Art Erased editor of the journal Science Fiction Studies, knew how old you were unless you told a move that allowed the university to ac­ At Landmark Restaurant them, and Iocs made it clear that you either quire the collection. The West Hollywood Palm Restaurant is had it or you didn’t. First, of course, was the The quarter million items in the Horvat famous for walls filled with celebrity carica­ hurdle of getting your stuff accepted. When fanzine collection now live in a University tures. Plans to move the restaurant a short Lupoff or Coulson or Deckinger printed of Iowa library. The collection even boasts distance and save the art were reported in something by me, that was recognition of a its own webpage. Anyone interested can use the April 13 Los Angeles Times: kind that my world otherwise completely the internet to follow the librarians’ progress "’We are going to spend a lot of money,’ lacked. To look through these old pages of in unpacking and cataloging - admittedly said co-owner Wally Ganzi, who estimates Xero even today, and find Harlan Ellison limited so far: that the restaurant, which is relocating to right about ‘Psycho’ when the world was "Only a small part of [the collection] has have more space, has 2,300 caricatures. ‘It wrong, and Blish taking on Amis, is to real­ been organized - or, indeed, at this point in will be like a giant jigsaw puzzle. A tremen­ ize that in the mimeographed pages of a time, even removed from packing boxes. dous amount will go into preserving the fanzine created in the Lupoff living room Horvat had, however, moved the folders original artwork.”' there existed a rare and wonderful discourse, listed below into vertical file cases. On the There’s just one problem, if you’re a fan and it was a privilege to be part of it.” collection’s arrival in Iowa, we moved those - Kelly Freas’ portion was already de­ Ebert also mentions the road trip he took folders to standard size boxes and tran­ stroyed. Palm ownership painted over the to MidWestCon with Bob Tucker. Ken Kel­ scribed the folder labels to compile this list walls of the back dining room, covering a ler says, “Bob has his own version of that with about 4,000 entries, the majority repre­ Freas mini-mural showing Mad Magazine’s trip with Ebert to MidWestCon. Perhaps he senting ‘genzines’ but including some apazi- Alfred E. Newman surrounded by a flock of might be finally willing to commit it to nes, prozines, and other print materials. dinosaurs in stunning color. Also lost was a print, to finally Tell All now that Ebert has Place of publication and and descriptions of huge crowd scene by Sergio Aragones, and gone public.” folder contents will be described as time wonderful cartoons by other artists. One can only hope. permits.” Last and First Thumbs The web page lists fanzine titles found in FAAn Award Winners 73 boxes, a prodigious list, but one that it Film critic Roger Ebert’s days in fandom are The 2006 Fanzine Activity Achievement cautions “is not more than 12-15% of the still remembered by readers of his 1950s (FAAn) Awards were presented at Corflu 23 entire collection.” fanzine Stymie. More surprising is that Ebert in Toronto. The webpage may be found through: remembers them, too. Asimov’s recently http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/ published Ebert’s fannish memoir that Best New Fan: Chris Garcia May 2006 5

The Joy of SF (and Fantasy!) “I was released from Methodist Hospital Joy V. Smith hopes you’ll be interested in on January 18. I will be home for at least The Glicksohn Files her short story, “Taking Tawny Home,” two weeks and recuperating for at least four online at Story Station: Story Station - Chil­ more after that. Prognosis for a complete dren's Stories & Young Adult Stories. recovery is good according to my surgeon.” Also, when the Preditors and Editors Poll When I followed up Alex’s message, he Glicksohn Has Surgery was finalized in January 2006, her short said he was comfortable and his daily medi­ story, “Seedlings” (from Magistria: Realm cation managed the pain. Mike Glicksohn said he would have head­ lined his medical update "Energumen dead, of the Sorcerer) tied for #8 in the Glicksohn not.” SF/Fantasy short story category. Her inter­ Births Glicksohn writes: “I’ve been stunned view with Lyn McConchie (July 2005 issue New mother Mia Tokatlian explained to the last couple of days to receive some of Expressions) similarly tied for #8 in the the Stilyagi list, “Chris and I decided that we messages suggesting my coming retirement non-fiction article category. would stop recruiting new SF fans, and start making them from scratch. We are proud to might signal the resurrection of Energu­ men. Flattering though such suggestions announce the birth of: Connor Michael Medical Updates are, it is not going to happen. My publish­ Pullen.” Alex Slate writes that he was hospitalized in ing days are gone. The baby was born December 24, 2005 San Antonio on January 17 for a neck opera­ “I am not. though. Yet. On February tion. 10:48 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. and was 21" long. 21 st 1 had my right ureter removed because “For the past four years I have suffered a cancerous tumour had been found there. She added. “Now we are presented with from at least one herniated disc in my neck At the same time my right kidney was all sorts of parenting issues, such as whether and a pinched nerve causing numbness taken out. I came home on the 28th with a ‘Where's my Cow?’ is appropriate reading down my left arm. Physical therapy would sizeable portion of my body covered in for a one-month old, and which Star Wars help for a while but then the symptoms shades of yellow and purple and some movie to start him out with (1 or 4).” would come back. This past summer things twenty staples holding parts of my abdo­ started to get a bit worse. An MRI indicated men together (thus causing Joe Haldeman a second disc was herniating as well so it Darth Boettcher? to observe that I was turning into a hecto was time to give in and have the operation. Grandpa Glenn Boettcher told readers of zine.) Being diabetic and with high blood pressure, The Chronicles of the Dawn Patrol: “I won’t know if I’m cancer-free for a I had to get a cardio clearance before either "We have been graced with a new fan. while but my doctor feels there’s a good my regular doctor or my neck surgeon My son Glen and his girlfriend Kim intro­ chance the surgery was curative. Time will would agree to the operation. This came duced a 5 lb. 7oz. boy to the world on Feb­ tell. I thought some old pharts out there through all right. ruary 1. My son, keeping his and my initials might want to know this.” “I was in surgery for about one-and-a- of GAB going for another generation, has half hours. They removed two discs in the named him Gage Anakin Boettcher. With a Glicksohn to be Honored cervical section of the neck and replaced middle name like that he has to be a fan or them with banked bone. A titanium splint the dark load, whoops, meant lord of the at 2007 ConFusion was placed from the discs above and below Sith. He came out fighting, he peed on three the replaced discs to stabilize the new bone. nurses.” In the meantime, Michigan Fandom has I wonder if I'll beep in airports now? made Glicksohn promise to keep up his unbroken string of visits to ConFusion. The chair of the 2007 edition, Roxanne Meida King, announced in March: “After consultation with several other individuals involved with AASFA and ConFusion, I would like to announce that at MoonBase ConFusion, we will award Mike Glicksohn with a Special Award For Perfect Attendance. “It came to our attention that he is pos­ sibly the only person from outside the im­ mediate Detroit Metro area to have at­ tended every single ConFusion. starting with the first relaxacon , and continuing to date. I called him last night to tell him of this; he expressed his appreciation, but noted, ‘I was planning on attending next year anyway.’ We intend to hold a special presentation at the con, featuring stories and tales from Mike’s long association with our event. If you know any good sto­ ries, please let me know. Join me in con­ gratulating Mike on his astounding achievement.” 6 File 770: 147 Fandom’s Tangled Web

Scanners Live in Toronto men runs would be invited to contribute to Thanks to Tarai (and Bill Burns, of course) Taff in his name. the first eight issues of Mike Glicksohn and “It will take some while to scan the Susan Wood’s classic fanzine Energumen whole run, however. Don't dash to your are available in PDF form at eFanzines.com. checkbook and make out $5 right away. Bill Bums has posted Tarai's original high When the entire 16 issues are ready to burn fidelity scans and a duplicate set of reduced to disk, and my plans finalized. I'll trumpet files that are not such bandwidth hogs. the news and wait for the applause and three Seeing this announcement evoked fond or four checks likely to flood in....” memories of all the letters of comment I’d Tarai seems to have started with full­ written to Energumen, proving something or color scans of the lush goldenrod or cream other about false memories. I egoscanned in Gestetner pages, only to have ended up with vain - the first seven issues were published an issue that was 45 MB long. He decided to before I ever got into fandom and I was only rescan the issue in black-and-white: a WAHF in #8. “I'm used to the work, so it only took part Tarai sent an e-mail to friends explaining of an afternoon, compared to almost a whole why he started the project: day to do it in greyscale and clean up the “A little while ago an idea formed in my details in Photoshop, then reassemble the head and sat around taking up valuable issue in Adobe. So it’s probably for the best, space. It seemed the only way to get rid of it though the 45 MB issue is beautiful in­ was to act on the idea that old zines need to deed. It may make an interesting extra fea­ be scanned and made available even more ture on the eventual disk.” than today's. After consulting a few people. Like all great fan archivists. Tarai has I've begun digitally archiving the entire run other Big Projects in mind to work on once of Mike Glicksohn's Energumen. Tarai. Photo: Chaz Boston Baden he finishes his first marathon: “Why Energumen? Why not. It was one entire 16 issues in under six months. If I'm “Looking further ahead, what next? Vic­ of the best zines of its day, won a Hugo, its zealous, it can be done much sooner, but I'm toria Vayne has already assented to a com­ co-editor Susan Wood also won a Hugo, it's assuming I'll goof-off quite a bit and let plete Simulacrum. Doubtless I've pick a half Canadian, and I've got all the issues. Last myself be distracted by petty annoyances dozen issues of my own many zines for year I acquired a new, high speed, good such as the need to make a living.... archiving. And then? Not Boowat. (Obscure joke). Not necessarily Canadian either.... quality scanner that makes the work easy. “I intend to make actual archival copies Just to prove it, I scanned Energumen I. available as well, on CD-Rom. I'm thinking I've obtained permission from Dave Lang­ “There were 16 issues in all. Later issues that the cost of disk, jewel case, some sort of ford to scan and archive Twll Ddu at a future were more than twice the length, but it "cover" insert and postage should run to five date. Now all I have to do is locate copies of seems to me that even if I scan a few pages bucks or less. Mike also liked the suggestion issues 1 to 4, and number 6.” every couple of days, I can complete the that anyone who bought one of the Energu­ Is “Amazon Shorts” a Model for the Future? by Francis Hamit whom are far more famous than me. So it’s payment. This is a far better deal in the long a buyers market for the readers. Lots to run. And to the readers, hey guys, you can (c) Francis Hamit 2006 choose from and more coming all the time. print this stuff out to read at your leisure. In electronic publishing of text, the big You don't have to bend over a hot computer Boy, I sure hope so. issues have been Branding and Price Point. to do it. I recommend buying some three- In the interests of full disclosure, let me Well, brands don't come much bigger in the hole paper for your printer and some three begin by saying that I own stock in Ama­ book world than Amazon, which has over ring binders. zon.com, have a side business with them as 50 million customers around the world. And The Shenandoah Spy is about the early a dealer in rare and unusual books on Ama­ 49 cents is a price point below that of a can career of Belle Boyd, a 17-year-old girl zon Marketplace and that now they are my of soda from a vending machine or most from Martinsburg, Virginia who became one publisher. candy bars. Cheap food for the mind!!!! of the most famous spies in history. This Last month [December] they put up my Yes!!!!! Seriously, how can you resist? first volume follows her early career through novella “Sunday in the Park with George” More to the point, Amazon allows for the Battle of Front Royal and Stonewall which seems to be selling fairly well and direct response and connection between Jackson's Valley Campaign from July 1861 now they are going to present my first Civil authors and their readers, and for ratings and to July 1862, when the Union Army finally War novel, The Shenandoah Spy as a reviews. And while each sale produces a arrested her and put her in the Old Capitol monthly serial for the rest of the year. small payment, the potential for large total Prison. The story doesn’t stop there, of At 49 cents each portion. Of which the payments far exceeds the rates offered by course. More books are in progress. author gets 40 percent. Of course there is a any print magazine. So. check out Amazon Shorts and tell us lot of other good reading there, at the same So my advice to my fellow authors is not here if you think this works as a method for price from over five dozen authors, some of to get hung up on the lack of an upfront distributing authors’ work. May 2006 7 Fear of Reason Why Gregory Benford and Martin Hoffert Minded the Way Michael Crichton Used their Work Reprinted by permission of authors from NY Review of Books and San Diego Union

[[Greg Benford told File 770:146 fert, the lead author on the paper, asked me readers that he is currently con­ what we should do. I agreed to write an op/ centrating on writing nonfiction, ed piece if Marty would do the real work— and he has followed up by asking if reading Crichton’s novel (I’m not a fan, no). I would like to publish an example Armed with chapter and verse, I wrote which appeared recently in NY Re­ what follows with a climate scientist, Marty view of SF, considering that the Hoffert. The San Diego Union carried it, syndicated it out to over a hundred papers, two publications have different and we all got droves of email. A collision readerships. I was delighted to say between the hard sf world and the techno­ yes!]] dazzle of the bigtime. It turns out there are some things even sf writers won’t do. 1 nt rod action ++ Gregory Benford No Fear: Scientists Gregory Ben­ by Gregory Benford ford and Martin Hoffert. Hard sf stands in a continuum with the tech­ nothriller, a commercial genre with its own ence of virulent singularities, unseen actors Fear of reason charms. I and Greg Bear and others have since Mycenae, is not swept under the rug. by Gregory Benford written technothrillers, and often critics The last penultimate line is: and Martin Hoffert presume that we’re drawn by the money. Their lives were now touched by freshen­ Not so for me, nor, I suspect, for the others. ing unknowns, provisional and personal and January 21, 2005 Rather, the pulse of a technothriller is evolving. Michael Crichton has taken us to fantas­ tempting-the escape from more than short­ And Greg Bear’s Dead Lines, with its tic places like Jurassic Park and into realistic hand characterization, from the lure of the buried tribute to Bill Rotsler, ends with the ones, as in his TV series ER. But now he expository lump, from the full questioning radical new technology still around. Cell ventures into rugged scientific terrain, and range of sf, where everything is in principle phones that speak through quantum correla­ loses his footing. up for grabs. In Technothriller Land, one tions, reaching even the dead—how would Crichton’s new novel, State of Fear, can take for granted the present, with its that change our world? We get only a takes on global warming and climate easy references and soft ironies. Only one glimpse of how unsettling a Rotsler-like change. He lards it with arguments against new technology comes forward into the character finds it. No soothing closure, so at the reality of climate change and includes limelight, not a whole complicated, murky basis it is not a technothriller. many references to the scientific literature, future. Maybe we hard sf writers can’t quite kill including one of ours. In a recent speech to Technothrillers pay a price, though. They our children. the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco ritually invoke the fascination of the New— But Michael Crichton can, because he he even cited our paper from the peer- resurrected dinosaurs! Plague from space!— isn’t really their father anyway. He borrows reviewed journal Science. Such attention can only to destroy that New, often by fiat and adapts but he doesn’t quite imagine. be heartwarming to scientists, but not this (dinosaurs kept on an island! plague mutates So when he cited a paper in Science I’d time — because Crichton gets the science away!). Our world returns to its comfy con­ help write, had his characters discuss it. and wrong. fines. Close the book, go to sleep. even referred to it in a Commonwealth Club Despite State of Fear’s long bibliogra­ This is oddly like conventional murder speech—well, that was enough. Marty Hof­ mysteries, finishing with the phy, Crichton seems to crime solved, justice restored— have actually read only a profoundly conservative sigh secondary sources, and at book's end. does not understand them. Sf doesn't do that. Hard sf, He writes that our paper especially. “concluded that there is no So writing technothrillers known technology that can be almost a relief for sf will enable us to halt the writers. They stretch muscles rise of carbon dioxide in we don’t use much, and make the 21st century.” But we writing easier. But our true didn’t say that. Instead, we instincts reappear at the ending. outlined plenty of tech­ Typically, hard sf types don't nologies that must be fur­ close the door to change. In my ther developed to stop a Artifact, for example, the pres- probable several-degree 8 File 770: 147 rise in global tempera­ gency. In large part this is tures. We called for a because of deniers like Manhattan Project-style r t • • Crichton, resulting in a U.S. effort to explore technolo­ policy that is "aprs moi le gies we already have. deluge." Perhaps because he Still we don’t sandbag wanted a dramatic, con­ against the floods of tomor­ trarian theme, Crichton row. Fairly comfortable did not let facts get in the now. we live in a science way. For example, he fictional narrative whose argues in State of Fear ending we’re shaping with that our oceans are not our inaction. warming. This is impor­ tant because, as Arthur ♦ Benford is a professor of Clarke reminded us, it physics at UC Irvine and makes little sense to call the author of Deep Time our planet "Earth” when and the science-fiction 70 percent of its surface is Nebula award-winning ocean. Not only are the Timescape. Hoffert is pro­ oceans warming at the fessor of physics at New surface, there is well- York University and lead documented and pronounced subsurface Rifle Association. Desperate for scientific author of studies on stabilizing climate warming and heat storage — as predicted 20 cover, some opponents have seized on change from the fossil fuel greenhouse that years ago and consistent with atmosphere Crichton’s fiction. Incredibly, in a Jan. 4 have appeared in Nature and Science. and ocean climate models. speech, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Idaho, in­ He’s wrong, too. when he claims that a voked State of Fear as an argument against simple fact — that cities are warmer than the bipartisan McCain-Lieberman energy Blazin ’ David Levine countryside, leading to a “heat island effect” bill — which for all its failings acknowl­ David Levine waited for good news. And — has been ignored in climate temperature edges the reality of global warming. “Dr. waited. But the news he longed to hear data taken near cities. He misleads his read­ Crichton,” said Inhofe, “a medical doctor never came. After David waited ten months ers when he has his characters say that tem­ and scientist, very cleverly weaves a com­ for confirmation that he’d sold his first peratures measured by Earth satellites are pelling presentation of the scientific facts of novel, Remembrance Day. the editor who’d inconsistent with global warming derived climate change — with ample footnotes and wanted to buy it told him he'd been unable from thermometers on land. To “document” documentation throughout — into a gripping to convince the publisher. The book was his claims, Crichton shows many plots plot.” But Crichton freely admitted that turned down. Now it’s under consideration downloaded from the NASA/GISS Web site Saturday afternoon movie cliffhangers in­ somewhere else. David admits, “I didn't get — but he misrepresents the data. spired his plot. a lot of writing done while I was waiting for Further, he invokes the pseudo-sciences The New York Times Book Review sum­ word on the novel - it’s hard to type while of eugenics and Lysenkoism (in the former mary of State of Fear — “Reverse eco- you're chewing on your fingernails.” Soviet Union) as examples of mainstream terrorists create natural disasters to convince He was also a bit disappointed that his scientists being led astray. But these were the public that global warming is real” — story "I Hold My Father's Paws" finished politically driven ideologies. They have underscores that Crichton is redirecting fear second for the Aeon Award. At least that more in common with the voodoo science of of global warming to anger at the messen­ cloud had a silver lining - all five finalists the climate contrarians than the dominant gers. will be published in the Irish magazine Al­ view of atmospheric scientists and geophysi­ This is a tragedy. Our Science paper ar­ bedo One. cists. In keeping with many relevant profes­ gues that responding in a technically innova­ Now it seems as if the spring thaw has sional societies, like the American Geo­ tive way to the climate/energy challenge can loosed a flood of happy tidings. David’s physical Union, we are convinced that the generate countless jobs and economic story "Tk'tk’tk," which appeared in Asimov's fossil fuel greenhouse is already here, and growth in the United States. in March of 2005, made the Locus magazine has the potential to vastly transform terres­ Much is at stake if we embrace State of Recommended Reading List for 2005. Soon trial climate for millennia to come. Fear’s take on global warming. Antarctic afterward. L.A.con IV announced the same To believe Crichton and company, you ice cores show that our civilization has en­ story had been nominated for a Hugo. have to believe that there’s a vast conspiracy joyed a long, comfortable climate for the Then, David learned The Magazine of — involving the editors of Science, Nature. last 10,000 years. To disturb this with a Fantasy and Science Fiction bought his Scientific American and some dozen other sudden rise in temperature could soon en­ story "Titanium Mike Saves the Day." It’s peer-reviewed journals — to exclude and danger us. Worse, there are some clues that composed of a linked series of vignettes that reject climate skeptics papers. The skeptics we could tilt the global equilibrium and not traces Titanium Mike, the mythical hero of mainly publish books and on Web sites, be able to get back to the balmy era we’ve the spaceways, back through time to his avoiding journals. enjoyed throughout human history. That origins. The reality of climate change triggered would be a catastrophe dwarfing the recent Keep an eye out for David at the Hugo by continued fossil fuel burning — and in­ tsunami’s destruction. ceremonies - he says he’ll have his top hat creasingly coal — threatens entrenched The climate/energy issue failed to surface ready in case he hears the ultimate good energy interests. Some of these lobby in the last election not because it’s unimpor­ news. against it with the ferocity of the National tant but because we fail to sense the ur­ May 2006 9

2006 NUCO AND CAMPBELL AWARD NOMINEE?

The 2006 Hugo Award and John W. Camp­ Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were- bell Memorial Award nominees have been Rabbit, Screenplay by Steve Box & released by L.A.con IV Hugo Administrator Nick Park and Bob Baker and Mark John Lorentz. Burton. Directed by Nick Park & Steve Box. (Dreamworks Anima­ The winners will be announced at this tion/Aardman Animation). year’s World Science Fiction Convention. L.A.con FV in Anaheim, California from Best Dramatic Presentation, Wednesday, 22 August, through Sunday, 27 August. Short Form (261 ballots cast) Battlestar Galactica “Pegasus” Written by Best Novel Anne Cofell Saunders. Directed by (430 ballots cast) Michael Rymer. (NBC Univer- Learning the World, Ken MacLeod (Orbit; sal/British Sky Broadcasting) Tor) Doctor Who “Dalek” Written by Robert A Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin Shearman. Directed by Joe Ahearne. (Voyager; Bantam Spectra) (BBC Wales/BBCl) Old Man’s War, John Scalzi (Tor) Doctor Who “The Empty Child” & “The Accelerando. Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit) Doctor Dances” Written by Steven Spin. Robert Charles Wilson (Tor) Moffat. Directed by James Hawes. (BBC Wales/BBCl) Best Novella Doctor Who “Father’s Day” Written by Paul (243 ballots cast) Cornell. Directed by Joe Ahearne. Best Related Book (BBC Wales/BBCl) “Burn,” James Patrick Kelly (Tachyon) (197 ballots cast) "Magic for Beginners,” Kelly Link (Magic Jack-Jack Attack, Written & Directed by Transfortnations: The Story of the Science Brad Bird. (Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar for Beginners, Small Beer Press; F&SF Fiction Magazines from 1950 to 1970, Mike September 2005) Animation) Ashley (Liverpool) Lucas Back in Anger, Written by Phil "The Little Goddess,” Ian McDonald The SEX Column and Other Misprints, (Asimov’s June 2005) Raines and Ian Sorensen. Directed by David Langford (Cosmos) Phil Raines. (Reductio Ad Absurdum "Identity Theft,” Robert J. Sawyer (Down Science Fiction Quotations edited, Gary These Dark Spaceways, SFBC) Productions) Westfahl (Yale) Prix Victor Hugo Awards Ceremony "Inside Job,” Connie Willis (Asimov’s Janu­ Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from ary 2005) (Opening Speech and Framing Se­ 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop, quences). Written and performed by Kate Wilhelm (Small Beer Press) Paul McAuley and Kim Newman. Di­ Best Novelette Soundings: Reviews 1992-1996. Gary K. rected by Mike & Debby Moir. (207 ballots cast) Wolfe (Beccon) (Interaction Events) “The Calorie Man,” Paolo Bacigalupi (There are seven nominees due to a tie for (F&SF October/November 2005) Best Dramatic Presentation, fifth place) “Two Hearts,” Peter S. Beagle (F&SF Octo­ ber/November 2005) Long Form “TelePresence,” Michael A. Burstein (364 ballots cast) Best Professional Editor (Analog July/August 2005) Batman Begins. Story by David S. Goyer. (293 ballots cast) “I. Robot,” Cory Doctorow (The Infinite Screenplay by Christopher Nolan and Ellen Datlow (SCI FICTION and antholo­ Matrix February 15, 2005) David S. Goyer. Based on the character gies) “The King of Where-I-Go,” Howard created by Bob Kane. Directed by David G. Hartwell (Tor Books; Year’s Best Waldrop (SCI FICTION December 7, 2005) Christopher Nolan. (Warner Bros.) SF) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Stanley Schmidt (Analog) Witch and the Wardrobe, Screenplay Gordon Van Gelder (F&SF) Best Short Story by Ann Peacock and Andrew Adamson Sheila Williams (Asimov’s) (278 ballots cast) and Christopher Markus & Stephen “Seventy-Five Years,” Michael A. Burstein McFeely. Based on the novel by C.S. (Analog January/February 2005) Best Professional Artist Lewis. Directed by Andrew Adamson. (230 ballots cast) “The Clockwork Atom Bomb,” Dominic (Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media) Green (Interzone May/June 2005) Jim Burns Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Screen­ Bob Eggleton “Singing My Sister Down," Margo Lanagan play by Steven Kloves. Based on the (Black Juice, Allen & Unwin; Eos) Donato Giancola novel by J.K. Rowling. Directed by Stephan Martiniere “Tk’tk’tk." David D. Levine (Asimov’s Mike Newell. (Warner Bros.) March 2005) John Picacio Serenity, Written & Directed by Joss Whe­ Michael Whelan "Down Memory Lane,” Mike Resnick don. (Universal Pictures/Mutant En­ (Asimov’s April/May 2005) (There are six nominees due to a tie for fifth emy, Inc.) place) 10 File 770: 147

Convention, Interaction (434 electronically; Notre Dame’....” Best Semiprozine 99 by mail and fax). Conspiracy theorists please take note: the (219 ballots cast) Campaign Winners and Losers: Some script was written by Paul McAuley and Ansible edited by Dave Langford campaigns were more successful than others Kim Newman, both of whom have, coinci­ Emerald City edited by Cheryl Morgan at placing favorite people and works on the dentally, written for Telos Publishing’s Doc­ Interzone edited by Andy Cox final ballot. For example, Ron and Vai On- tor Who novella range. [Thanks to Shaun Locus edited by Charles N. Brown, Kirsten tell had sent a flurry of e-mail encouraging Lyons’ Gallifrey website for that tidbit!] Gong-Wong, & Liza Groen Trombi everyone to nominate Ellen Asher of the Experimental Hugo Category Fails to The New York Review of Science Fiction Science Fiction Book Club as Best Editor, to Attract Interest: Maybe your favorite edited by Kathryn Cramer by David G. no avail. nominee isn’t on the ballot? Then pity the Hartwell & Kevin J. Maroney On the other hand, credit for the clutch of L.A.con IV committee that had to wash out Best Dramatic (Short Form) nominations for an entire category. They attempted to launch Doctor Who episodes is being claimed an­ a Best Interactive Video Game category. It Best Fanzine other campaigner, and not from the obvious failed to attract enough participation or vi­ (176 ballots cast) source. When someone on Smofs posted able nominees to succeed and will not ap­ Banana Wings edited by Claire Brialey & comments attributing Doctor Who’s success pear on the final ballot. Mark Plummer to Glasgow Worldcon members, who were When the category was first announced, Challenger edited by Guy H. Lillian III eligible to nominate for the 2006 Hugos, the committee justified the idea based on the Chunga edited by Andy Hooper, Randy L.A.con IV chair Christian McGuire an­ widespread enjoyment of sf video games, Byers & carl juarez swered that more of the credit probably and the sophistication of game-playing tech­ File 770 edited by Mike Glyer belonged to the efforts of Los Angeles-area nology. “Just as they have increased in Plokta edited by Alison Scott, Steve Davies Doctor Who fans: popularity, games have also changed and & Mike Scott ‘There are at least 20 new fans of Dr. become richer over the years.... [The new Who that have seen bootlegs of the new category] recognizes the amazing quality Best Fan Writer show in L.A. who do nominate for the and quantity of genre-related video games: (202 ballots cast) Hugos. Many of these folks didn’t like the a majority of the most popular and creative Claire Brialey previous regenerations of the Doctor at all, interactive video games use science fiction John Hertz but now are really happy with the quality of and fantasy themes, images, characters, and Dave Langford every element of new Dr. Who.... I’ve been story lines.” Cheryl Morgan able to see each episode within 24 hours of In fact, online discussion seemed to iden­ Steven H Silver it’s first airing on the BBC through the kind­ tify few potential nominees, and some dif­ ness of other fans. These fans have been ference of opinion whether new iterations of Best Fan Artist heavily promoting the show to anyone games under franchise titles represented (154 ballots cast) who’ll sit down long enough to watch an work primarily from 2005. Brad Foster episode. Those newly converted have been Campbell Transition: Finally, the com­ Teddy Harvia really enjoying the show.... Los Angeles is mittee press release explains this technical­ Sue Mason also home to the largest local Dr. Who club ity about the Campbell Award nominees: Steve Stiles in North America, and the largest Annual “This is the second year of the transition to Frank Wu Dr. Who convention, where fannish cross­ the new Campbell eligibility rules, where over (at least among con runners) is very now all professional publications count to­ high....” wards eligibility rather than just those with a John W. Campbell Award for It’s Alive! We now know that the solu­ print run of over 10.000 copies. During this Best New Writer of 2004 or 2005 tion to getting good live theater nominated time, nominees who were eligible either [Not a Hugo. Sponsored by Dell Magazines] for the Hugos is - to perform it during the under either the old or the new rules could (186 ballots cast) Hugo ceremony? At least that worked for be placed on the ballot even if they had K.J. Bishop (2nd year of eligibility) “Prix Victor Hugo Awards Ceremony,” small press publications prior to 2004. Next Sarah Monette (2nd year of eligibility) which was performed at last year’s World year, only writers eligible under the new Chris Roberson (2nd year of eligibility) Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow. rules will be allowed on the ballot. (The Brandon Sanderson (1st year of eligibility) Indeed, it’s one of the very few Best Dra­ initial press release listing the 2005 Camp­ John Scalzi (1st year of eligibility) matic Presentation nominees ever from a bell nominees mistakenly said that K.J. Steph Swainston (2nd year of eligibility) medium other than TV and movies. Bishop and Chris Roberson were in their (There are six nominees due to a tie for fifth Evelyn Leeper sampled it in her 2005 second year of eligibility, when in fact it place) Worldcon report, saying “It was a whole riff was their first year.)” on how Victor Hugo had founded ‘Fiction- Worldcon, World Science Fiction Conven­ Scientifique’, which is why the awards are tion, Hugos, and Hugo Awards are service named for him. And according to them, marks of the World Science Fiction Society, ‘[Hugo] persuaded Marcel Proust to alter the an unincorporated literary association title of “A la Recherche du Temps Perdue” to “Mind-Quest of the Tempunauts”, and to Ballot Statistics: John Lorentz an­ issue his mammoth work in ten separate nounced there were 533 valid nominating volumes, inventing the decalogy form which ballots received from members of the 2006 dominates the field to this day....’ Hugo World Science Fiction Convention, L.A.con also wrote a story about a gypsy girl, her pet IV, and the 2005 World Science Fiction goat, and a flying alien— ‘The Jetpack of May 2006 11

CETTINC READY FOR THE 2006 WORLDCOM L.A.CON IV HEADLINE NEWS

and also bring to Midwestcon and to LA to share with you.” These can be sent to the daughters at: bigheartedhoward @ comcast.net Also, Howard’s daughters and several other family members have accepted L.A.con FV’s invitation to attend the World- con as guests of the convention. Look for the DeVore Family ribbons. Frankie Thomas, Jr. (1921-2006): L.A.con IV suffered another loss when Spe­ cial Guest Frankie Thomas, Jr. passed away May 11 at the age of 85. Word came by way of Jan Merlin, who played Space Cadet Roger Manning on Tom Corbett Space Ca­ det: “I regret to inform you that Frankie The late Howard DeVore, photo Thomas, Jr., died this evening at the Special Guest Frankie Thomas, Jr. by Keith Stokes at '03 Midwestcon. Sherman Oaks Hospital of respiratory fail­ ure while recovering from a stroke. We’ve passed away May 11, 2006. Passing of Fan Guest of Honor: In the lost Tom Corbett.” Obituary section John Hertz has more to say Worldcon To Offer “Taster Member­ Anaheim Convention Center, and SF- about the passing of Howard DeVore, ships”: The con committee has invented themed animated shorts to run in various L.A.con IV Fan Guest of Honor. Con chair $20 “Taster Memberships” to lure potential venues. Craig Miller would even like to Christian B. McGuire wrote immediately new fans who are curious about the World- involve the school’s culinary department. afterward: “This is a loss most especially con experience but are reluctant to shell out Craig described a meeting at the school, felt by his 3 daughters, grandchildren, and even for a one-day membership (which, explaining “Among other things, the odd numerous friends in fandom. Vice Chairman after all, costs $50-$75, depending upon the shape and the sheer size of the room - Craig Miller has spoken to the family and day of the convention.) 10,000 sq. ft. - make it kind of hard to visu­ offered condolences on behalf of the con­ Tasters admit a person for three hours. alize. Even the instructors didn’t really get a vention for Howard’s death. He stressed (Think of it as a three-hour tour. Wake up, clear picture until I said ‘see this classroom that our efforts will be redoubled to bring filkers!) The way it works is that a person we’re in, the space we’re talking about is Howard’s presence to L.A.con IV to the fans pays for a One-Day Membership, receiving roughly 20 times larger.’” who would have been introduced to him for the convention's program schedule and Students in the Background and Layout the first time, as well as to those who knew event guide. If they decide the Worldcon classes of the Animation Department gener­ him well.” really isn’t for them, they go back to Regis­ ally create their work on digital software There will be a memorial event for How­ tration within three hours and are refunded like Photoshop or others. Many of the pieces ard at L.A.con IV, and an display about him all but $20 (the cost of the Taster). they do are science fictional in theme, in­ in the Exhibit Hall. A person who likes what they find and cluding futuristic cities, spacescapes, plan­ Other steps have already been taken to wants to hang around the rest of the day can ets, etc. Craig has them thinking about art preserve Howard’s memory for the benefit go right ahead, having already paid for a that can be placed to give great views out of new fans. Bill Burns posted Howard’s One-Day. the Space Port Lounge windows. Others can last publication, his zine for SAPS, at eFan- Internet Stars Added To Program: The be hung around the Exhibit Hall as decor (as zines.com. Robert Lichtman created the Craig of Craigslist, Craig Newmark, has is already planned for some Dinotopia mu­ PDF file and wrote an introductory essay for agreed to be on the 2006 Worldcon pro­ rals). it. gram. There may even be Space Ship Nose Art Most importantly, Howard’s daughters Also, Kevin Drum, whose blog Political (coming from the CG modelers) - ah, if Cheryl Davidge, Karol Sissom and Suzanne Animal appears on the Washington Monthly only our own bomber nose artist, the late Reynolds wrote to tell his friends: magazine site, mentioned in an entry that Kelly Freas, was going to be around to see “All of our lives our Dad has told us that L.Acon IV would be held not too far away those! he did not want to have a funeral, that he from where he lives. He quickly attracted Attention, Nation of Ribbon Clerks: wanted us to hold a wake for him at the dozens of comments encouraging him to go. The committee issued a press release about Midwestcon. So it shall be - June 2006---- And he promptly accepted an invitation to the serious and silly ribbons that have be­ and he wanted all of his friends to ‘drink a be part of the convention’s program. come a tradition of Worldcons. Any group shot of Jim Beam for me.’ We hope you all Decorate the Set! The worldcon has wanting its own ribbons to blend in nicely will. We would so appreciate it if anyone enlisted classes of students from the Art with the committee-printed ribbons should who can, would send us any personal re­ Institute of California - Orange County to use a horizontal design. It’s the same orien­ membrances, funny tales, stories, online brainstorm the layout for the Space Port tation used at L.A.con III. postings etc that you have about our Dad. Lounge, science fictional art pieces to use as They would be a treasure we can all keep, decoration in the Lounge and around the 12 File 770: 147 May 2006 13

the Rotsler winner in the Loscon Art Show. I’ve made the displays at Loscon XXX (’03) and since. Glyer thinks we should publish a retrospective, maybe we can.

Year Winner/Judges 1998 Steve Stiles Mike Glyer Richard Lynch Geri Sullivan 1999 Grant Canfield 2000 ATom* 2001 Brad Foster 2002 Kurt Erichsen 2003 Ray Nelson (Hertz replaced Lynch) 2004 Harry Bell (Kincaid Speller replaced Sullivan) 2005 Marc Schirmeister * posthumous; after this year S.C.I.F.I. de­ cided not to give posthumous Awards.

2005 winner Marc Schirmeister has been at it for decades. The men with stakes under a dark sky are his “Five of Wands" for Bruce Pelz’s Fantasy Showcase Tarot Deck — another wonder: Pelz got leading fan and pro artists to make one card each, and No- By John Hertz: We gave the 2005 Rotsler profit corporation, pronounced skijfy), reascon II (’80 Worldcon) where he was Fan Award to Marc Schirmeister. This award, formed for L.A.con II (’84 Worldcon), has Guest of Honor published the result, breath- for long-term wonder-working by a fan­ produced Worldcons. Westercons, a NAS- takingly various. The creatures peering into artist, is made annually at Loscon, the Los FiC (N. Am. S-F Con, held when the World- a porthole appeared in Vanamonde Angeles local science-fiction convention con is overseas), and an edition of the Harry (reprinted in my ’02 fanthology West of the over the weekend of U.S. Thanksgiving Warner fanhistory A Wealth of Fable. Lo­ Moon). The wolvish saxophonists appeared Day, fourth Thursday in November. I’m one scon is not produced by S.C.I.F.I. but by the in Fang, Claw & Steel. The crashed saucer of three judges; the others are Maureen Kin­ LASFS (L.A. S-F Society), oldest s-f club was a cover for Quasiquote. “What beach?” caid Speller (among other things the ’98 on Earth. was a cover for Twink. The ship and travel­ Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund delegate, traveling Here are the Rotsler winners to date. ing planet appeared in the Noreascon IV from Britain to North America) and Glyer. Look for their work wherever fine fanzines Program Book (’04 Worldcon). The creature The award is named for long-term wonder­ are found — wherever particular people with a camera was a cover for Chunga. worker Bill Rotsler. On these pages, a few congregate. When judges and Loscon are What an imagination. wonders worked by Schirmeister. both in good form there’s a display honoring Rotsler was himself a wonder. He knew everybody and did everything. He went house-hunting with Marilyn Monroe. He sculpted with welded steel rods. He was a published pro s-f writer, a friend of our cos­ tume community (where he formulated “Rotsler’s Rules”, never formally adopted but good to heed), a raconteur; he was best known among us as a fanartist, at which he won five Hugo Awards including the 1946 Retro-Hugo. He drew fluently and well, whimsical, witty, serious now and then; he left at his death in 1997 so much yet un­ printed that it still appears today, with awe and love, widely in fanzines including my own Vanamonde. In 1998, S.C.I.F.I. re­ solved to honor him and applaud others with the Rotsler Award, represented by a plaque and carrying a US$300 honorarium. In other adventures S.C.I.F.I. (Southern California Institute for Fannish Interests, Inc., a non- 14 File 770: 147 TAFF Deadline Tweaked, Celebrated as more light-hearted items, and a sprinkling of fun throughout. Guest speakers will be announced later. We have booked both indoor and outdoor space at the venue for our exclusive use for the day; there is also a public bar to which we will have normal access. TAFF was created in 1953 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular fans, familiar to those on both sides of the ocean, across the Atlantic. It exists solely through the support of science fiction fandom. The current race will send a European delegate to the 2006 World Science Fiction Convention, L.A.con IV; the candidates are Bug (Bridget Bradshaw), (l/2r) Arthur Crut­ tenden and Sparks (Mike Rennie). Some of the funds raised from the 27 May event will go directly to TAFF, as well as all the fees from votes cast in this race. PSCAF& op THE. GiAbJT SLU6& "Dangercon has been run by too a WA^lHfiToU disaster* many different committees to credit, at irregular intervals for longer than we TAFF administrators Suzie and James Bacon have set care to remember, often in Croydon mostly by Robert the deadline for voting in the 2006 Trans-Atlantic Fan Newman. There have been three previous conven­ Fund race a few hours earlier, now 9 p.m. BST (British tions, run by the Plokta Cabal who are sure you have­ Summer Time) on Saturday, May 27. For North Ameri­ n't forgotten that their fanzine Plokta has won a Hugo cans that means 1 p.m. PDT (Pacific Daylight Time, as Award as well as some Novas. The League of Fan they say in Suzie's hometown. Funds (LFF) is the unofficial umbrella organisation for The change was agreed to by all the candidates: fan funds operating in the UK (including TAFF); its Bug (Bridget Bradshaw), (l/2r) Arthur Cruttenden and current members are Alison Scott, Claire Brialey and Sparks (Mike Rennie). Flick. The LFF, the Plokta Cabal and the organisers of The European administrator, James Bacon, is previous Dangercons disclaim all responsibility for separately announcing a mini-con to be held the day James Bacon, who is the current European administra­ of the TAFF deadline. tor of TAFF which therefore can't help it. A mini-con will be held in London on the date of "The Horseshoe Inn is a short walk from London the TAFF deadline day, to raise the profile of the race, Bridge station (which is served by the Northern and maximize voting, and to celebrate and announce the Jubilee Underground lines as well as national and local winner in fitting surroundings. rail services). It has a good selection of beers, includ­ The news release for the party reads: ing draught Leffe (£ 2 per glass) and Bombardier (£ "Flick and James present... < plokta.con > pi: The 2.50 per pint). The pub also serves a good selection of Dangercon. food, cooked on site and averaging about £ 6 for a "Date: Saturday 27 May 2006. Time: 12 noon to main course, with five vegetarian options on the regu­ 12 midnight. lar menu. Food will be available from noon until 10 "Place: The Horseshoe Inn, 26 Melior Street, Lon­ p.m. don SEI 3QP. "Fans may already be familiar with the pub: the "Price: £ 3 entry fee (£ 2.50 for students). League of the Non-Aligned (LOTNA) and the English "This will be a one-day mini-con in aid of the Music Session meet there regularly; it was once the League of Fan Funds, combining the best of the ideas, venue for monthly meetings of ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha, atmosphere and spirit of previous plokta.con and Dan­ although it has been nicely refurbished since then." gercon events. More information about organizations mentioned "The event is timed to coincide with the close of may be found at: voting in the 2006 race for the Trans-Atlantic Fan TAFF: www.taff.org.uk Fund (TAFF), giving attendees in the UK a last oppor­ League of Fan Funds: www.astralpole.org tunity to vote as well as hearing the winner an­ Plokta: www.plokta.com nounced on the night. There will be a selection of sci­ [[This article was originally posted on Trufen.net]] ence fictional discussions on various subjects, as well May 2006 15

The TAFF Candidate's Tale Why me, Why TAFF, why not? Being a pre-trip report by arthur (l/2r) crutenden

Editor's Introduction: This self-promotional article surprising what people will agree to after a couple of comes from TAFF candidate arthur crutenden, already glasses of fruit punch ). Get written agreement and well-known in Britain and eager to be better-known in their addresses, including email - you'll need 'em! North America — preferably by May 27, everyone's Talk to the Administrator - the last winner from your last day to cast a TAFF ballot. side, who will have lots of good advice. Tell us about yourself, l/2r: Platform. 100 or so words on why you are the best candidate. Difficult this year even after Fran Dowd had l/2r's Self-Introduction to withdraw, as both Bug and Sparks are well known "'Eagle' comic v.l no.l came out on 14 April, 1951, and do a lot for fandom. Eventually drafted a reasona­ (my 11th birthday ) and introduced me to 5F properly. bly satisfactory screed and sent it off to James for ap­ Read every issue as it came out and started looking proval. Then posted the bond - £10 - and swore on a for more. Found Astounding, Galaxy, F&5F & New holy book ( The Enchanted Duplicator ) that barring Worlds and began collecting back issues as well. Knew accident, etc, I undertook, if I won, to travel to LA- about the first London Worldcon but didn't go, V. stu­ ConlV and to endeavour to produce a Trip Report at pid, I now realise, by now I'd be one of the GRAND old some time in the future. men of fandom, instead of just old. Did go to Loncon2 Next came the formal announcement of my candi­ and have not missed a European Worldcon since. Have dature. Decided to do this at the party I was planning also got to every Eastercon since '66 and all the to have at the Glasgow Worldcon. Fine - until I go Novacons. Do a lot less letterhacking and LoC's now down in mid-July with eye trouble, which lasts until but still write occasional articles, some even get mid-September, so no reading possible for a month, subbed to fnzs. Have been known to write filks and no alcohol for three weeks -antibiotics - and no driv­ commit puns. May also be remembered for my main ing for two months - double-vision. This meant, activity these days - giving parties at cons, usually amongst other things, that e-mails didn't get read, involving punch. Was presented with the Doc Weir that instead of working at the Great British Beer Festi­ Award, I claim it was because I provide bigger & bet­ val for six days I only worked for one AND couldn't ter hangovers than anyone else!" drink, and was unable to drive to Glasgow as had been planned. Incidentally - if I seemed to ignore you Why Me? Why TAFF? Why Not? at the Worldcon it was because I literally could not SEE you, so please accept these rather belated apolo­ Eastercon 2005 and I'm watching Tobes being harried, gies. nagged, pursued and persuaded into producing -with So I went up by train, not easy with restricted vi­ assistance - The Tobes TAFF Ting, and then I buy a sion, six and a half gallons of beer, cider and perry copy. This - at least - is how I remember it, making due allowance for the occasional alcoholically induced lacunae. Now that got me thinking. Over the years I've oc­ casionally voted, donated a percentage of the money received from auctioning some of my books, and both provided items for TAFF auctions and even bought food and other stuff at same. I've been talking about going to a US Worldcon for many years now and this time even joined L.A.con IV. So why not run? The worst that can happen is that I'd lose. Or is that the worst? I might win and have to write a trip-report. Picture of harried Tobes imprints itself upon my retina - euch! However, nothing ventured, nothing gained. So I set about finding out how to run. It's really quite easy. Start by telling fans that you are thinking about running and if the laughter isn't too loud and derisory, and, MOST IMPORTANT, it isn't a year when a US or Canadian fan is due to come over to Europe, or vice versa, then start looking for nomi­ nators, three from your side of the pond and two from over there, (I trapped most of mine at parties. It's 16 File 770: 147 plus other alcohol for the TAFF candidature party - the My ears rang. Thought we were back at the '45 and the doctor had said that I could start drinking again on the clans were coming! Friday evening. I think that the party went well - any­ Fortunately everything is now back to normal - or way the booze and food certainly did, but I didn't have as normal as I usually get. So Wendy and I are plan­ as good a con as I'd hoped. Walking into the dealers' ning our trip to L.A.con IV, via various places of inter­ hall and realising that not only could I not see the est to us in the USA, with a week in L A, and hope­ books I wanted but that I couldn't see the dealers ei­ fully a week either side of the con for visits to the Buf­ ther, and as for the Art Show - forget it!! falo Trace bourbon distillery in Kentucky, Yellowstone One amusing incident: decided to go to the Hugo National Park, a train journey up the west coast, some­ Awards so went to Electrical Eggs to get a badge for thing of New York, and in Wendy's case, a day riding the area reserved for those with restricted mobility, Western style. vision or hearing and explained my problem. "Right," Things have quietened down a bit since then and said the lass behind the table, "please fill out this now your candidate is preparing for the Eastercon form!" Which I duly did. Going down on my knees and where all the candidates hope to run a party and tast­ taking off my glasses, as I had found by painful experi­ ing session in aid of TAFF Funds, where we intend to ence that this made it possible for me to read by clos­ extract as much money as we can off the assembled ing one eye and peering at the page from a range of 2 multitudes by various means, all in the best possible - 3 inches. Whilst this was going on Cuddles appeared taste, of course. and not unnaturally enquired as to what was all this? I Please bear in mind that when, at the Worldcon think someone may have had a quiet talking to after­ party, I formally announced my candidature, I stated wards. During the Awards there was nothing wrong that I was running on a straight bribery and corruption with my hearing - at least not until Charlie Stross got ticket, so watch out for a party near you and.... BE­ his Hugo and Feorag exploded immediately behind me. WARE of the fruit. Eyepatch Fandom There's a new genera­ wishes he could leave the tion who never heard of sea and become a farmer, the Spanish Main or but he can't pass by the Rafael Sabatini. The chance to take over a dam­ only pirate they know aged ship wallowing in the by name appears on a Florida Straits. Amanda bottle of rum. Now Stephenson is a widow swooping in to rescue traveling from Yorkshire to from them from igno­ Charleston in the 1820's to rance are Gail Selinger set up her soap-making and W. Thomas Smith business — until her ship is Jr., authors of the Com­ boarded by Captain Sinis­ plete Idiot's Guide to ter's crew. Amanda's plans Pirates. for her future do not in­ Long-time LASFS clude large, hairy, uncouth Selinger & Smith's Com­ member Selinger is a pirates, but the captain is Darlene Marshall plete Idiot's Guide to Pi­ college lecturer and prepared to try his most writes about Florida's rates. teacher of pirate lore. piratical tricks if it will con­ romantic pirates. ------She's also active in the vince the luscious widow to Port Royal Privateer Re-Enactment Workshops and has become his Lady. Ahh, romance! written several pirate-themed romance novels. Smith Ackerman/Marshall's novels are acclaimed by ro­ teaches journalism at the University of South Carolina. mance fans and even by her two children who, accord­ The 416-page book, issued in April by Alpha, gives ing to Eve's website, "are both embarrassed and readers a comprehensive and entertaining history that proud that their mom writes romance." covers all the old favorites like Blackbeard, Captain Her novels can be ordered through the website: Anne Bonny, Captain Kidd, and Jean LaFitte, and the http://www.darlenemarshall.com/ present-day high-tech scavengers of the South China There is also a pointer to her blog. In April she seas. wrote how she helped a local public radio station's Spring 2006 also yielded the latest story from the membership campaign by offering a signed set of Dar­ pen of fandom's favorite pirate romance novelist, Dar­ lene Marshall novels for a "dollar-a-day" pledge, $365. lene Marshall — who bears a strikingly resemblance to The donor bought the set as a present for her mom's Eve Ackerman. 90th birthday. "Darlene Marshall" remarked, "I just In Captain Sinister's Lady, the title character hope the lady is up to that much piratical excitement." May 2006 17

Science Fiction R. Jones, 5/29/09; Bob Peterson, Pro/Fan 5/30/21; Hal Clement (Harry Stubbs), Birthday List 5/30/22; C. Courtesy Andrew Porter Ross Chamberlain, 5/30/37; Nancy Lebo- May Pro/Fan Birthdays vitz, 5/30/53; George E. Mayne Hull, 5/1/05; Joel R . Stewart, Rosenberg, 5/1/54; E.E. " Doc" 5/31/1895; Brian Smith, 5/2/1890; Bob Null, Burley, 5/31/42; Tom 5/2/38; John Collier, 5/3/01; Daryl Collins, 5/31/46; Ian Mallett, 5/3/69; Ernie Wheatley, Slater, 5/31/52. 5/4; Pat Frank, 5/5/07; Lee Kil- Unless stated oth­ lough, 5/5/42; Dave Locke, 5/5/44; erwise, all birthdays Ingrid Neilson, 5/5/58; Dave Pol­ are in the 20th cen­ lard, 5/6/24; Walt Liebscher, tury. 5/7/18; Gene Wolfe, 5/7/31; Mike McQuown, 5/7/40; Frank Olynyk, June Pro/Fan 5/7/42; Romain Gary, 5/8/14; Roy Birthdays Tackett, 5/8/25; Jane Roberts, Adrienne Fein, 5/8/29; Neyir Cenk Gokge, 5/8/71; 6/1/47; Mike Meara, Richard McKenna, 5/9/13; Kris 6/1/48; Allen Spencer Neville, 5/9/25; Richard Cowper, Willey, 6/1/54; Lester 5/9/26; Olaf Stapledon, 5/10/1886; del Rey, 6/2/15; Alex Bratmon, 5/10/36; Michael Robert A. Madle, Walsh, 5/11/59; Alice N. Lewis, 6/2/20; Leigh Ed­ 5/11/79; Philip Wylie, 5/12/02; monds, 6/2/48; War­ Robert " Buck" Coulson, 5/12/28; ren Lapine, 6/2/64; Roger Zelazny, 5/13/37; A.J. Aus­ Marion Zimmer Brad­ tin, 5/13/51; George Scithers, 5/1 ley, 6/3/30; John 4/29; Ron Bennett, 5/14/33; Lois Norman, 6/3/31; Newman, 5/14/34; George Lucas, Steve Schultheis, 5/14/44; L. Frank Baum, 6/4/30; Wendy Pini, 5/15/1856; Maria Ozanne, 5/15; 6/4/51; Noreen Shaw, 6/6/30; Ron erty, 6/18/67; Robert Moore Wil­ Fred Saberhagen, 5/18/30; R. Salomon, 6/6/48; Kit Reed, 6/7/42; liams, 6/19/07; Julius Schwartz, Laurraine Tutihasi, 5/18/48; Claude Jon White, 6/7/46; John W. Camp­ 6/19/15; Bruce Dane, 6/20/50; Degler, 5/19/20; Gardner F. Fox, bell, Jr., 6/8/10; Robert F. Young, William Tuning, 6/21/35; Sally Syr- 5/20/11; Mike Glicksohn, 5/20/46; 6/8/15; Kate Wilhelm, 6/8/29; jala, 6/21/48; Mike Morman, Adam- Troy Castro, 5/20/60; Manly Roger Sims, 6/8/30; Elizabeth 6/21/50; H. Rider Haggard, Wade Wellman, 5/21/03; Arthur Lynn, 6/8/46; Leo R. Summers, 6/22/1856; Octavia E. Butler, Conan Doyle, 5/22/1859; Wallace Keith Laumer, 6/9/25; Lin Carter, 6/22/47; John-Henri Holmberg, West, Ed Earl Repp, 5/22/00; Fred 6/9/30; Ronald Rifkin, Donald Lillian Stewart Carl, 6/22/49; Fred Hollander, 5/22/46; Marc Glasser, Duck, 6/9/34; Joe Haldeman, Hoyle, 6/24/15; Charles N. Brown, 5/22/52; Bill Wagner, 5/22/55; 6/9/43; Drew Sanders, 6/9/49; Jim 6/24/37; Earl Evers, 6/24/42; Mark R. Sharpe, 5/22/57; James Glass, 6/9/51; Keith Berdak, Susan Ellison, 6/24; John Maddox Blish, 5/23/21; Phil Castora, 5/23/ 6/9/55; Ed Naha, 6/10/50; Sylvia Roberts, 6/25/47; Hal Shapiro, 34; Isadore Haiblum, 5/23/35; Stevens, 6/11/52; Galen Tripp, 6/26/30; Charles Lee Jackson II, Bobbi Armbruster, 5/24/49; 6/11/59; Henry Slesar, 6/12/27; 6/26/50; James P. Hogan, 6/27/41; Deedee Lavender, 5/25/15; Charles Alan Hershey, 6/13/17; Doreen Tim Gatewood, 6/27/59; Joe Hornig, 5/25/16; Phyllis Gotlieb, Webbert, 6/13/34; Rebecca Hen­ Schaumburger, 6/28/30; Peggy 5/25/26; Robert W. Chambers, derson, 6/13/44; Stephen Tall Rae Pavlat, 6/28/44; Jon M. 5/26/1865; Mordecai Roshwald, (Compton Crook), 6/14/08; J.F. Gustafson, 6/28/45; Richard 5/26/21; Howard De Vore, Bone, 6/15/16; Chandra Sargent, Harter, 6/29/35; David Mattingly, 5/26/25; Mike Horvat, 5/26/63; 6/15/53; Murray Leinster (Will F. 6/29/56; Michael Whelan, 6/29/50; John Barth, 5/27/30; Harlan Elli­ Jenkins), 6/16/1896; Ted Dikty, Sam Moskowitz, 6/30/20; Anie son, 5/27/34; Jackie Causgrove, 6/16/20; Ted Johnstone, 6/16/39; Linard, 6/30/29. 5/27/40; Sheila D' Ammassa, David Stever, 6/16; Wally Wood, Unless stated otherwise, all 5/28/48; Kees Van Toorn, Betsy 6/17/27; Sandy Cohen, 6/17/48; birthdays are in the 20th century. Mitchell, 5/28/54; Richard Knaak, Phyllis Weinberg, 6/17/53; Dick 5/28/61; T.H. White, 5/29/06; Neil Spelman, 6/18/31; Melissa Dough­ 18 File 770:147

Bastards of Kirk

Lloyd Penney’s acting talent is in demand. who has disappeared following a row of The perennial FAAn Awards contender for paternity lawsuits. As the news magazine Best Letterhack has already performed for a investigates, they uncover a conspiracy by CD of SF radio dramas titled Sectarian the Federation that could have universal Wave. Now he’s about to appear in a film - consequences and create all-out war among at least his voice will. the planets. And Kirk is at the centre of it Maninder Chana at Red Fort Films, who all. worked with Lloyd on the Sectarian Wave Lloyd was invited to an audition and project invited him to join their newest pro­ asked to put on his best Scottish accent. And ject, a fan film called Bastards of Kirk, look­ he got the part. "Taping should start in just a ing into how a certain starship captain might couple of weeks, and while I will not be have left offspring throughout the galaxy. seen in the film, I will be heard. (Possibly In the 23rd century, 60 minutes searches my profile, with perhaps a moustache and a out the whereabouts of one James T. Kirk, red shirt.)”

L.A.con IV to Celebrate Star Trek’s 4Oth Anniversary

[[The committee’s press release:]] to the motion picture screen Forty years ago, on September 8th, instead. 1966, Star Trek debuted on television • A slide show by John & Bjo screens across America, forever Trimble on the history of Star changing the landscape of television Trek Fandom. and science fiction. But days earlier, • Panels with fans of Star the show’s creator, Gene Rodden­ Trek, talking about the first fan­ berry, flew to Cleveland, Ohio and the run conventions, keeping Star 24th World Science Fiction Conven­ Trek alive between its cancella­ tion to preview his new series for the tion in 1968 and the debut of science fiction fans gathered there. Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He came, along with Sam Peeples, • A show by Star Trek de­ a writer for the series, and screened signer Mike Okuda, showing two episodes: the original pilot, "The behind-the-scenes graphics from Cage,” and "What Little Girls Are various versions of Star Trek. Made Of.” They spoke, extolling the • A presentation by Star Trek: wonders of their series. They also TNG, Voyager, and Enterprise brought three women’s costumes and Special Effects Supervisor models to display them. Ronald B. Moore. With that association, how could • Behind The Camera From L.A.con IV, the 64th World Science Fiction Star Trek series Walter Koenig and BarBara Behind A Camera. A slide show of crew- Convention not commemorate and celebrate Luna as well as Star Trek: The Next Genera­ taken photos of behind-the-scenes moments the 40th anniversary of Star Trek? tion’s Marina Sirtis, Star Trek: Voyager’s on Star Trek Enterprise. This year the convention will have hun­ Richard Herd. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s • A lesson in speaking Klingon from the dreds of speakers and program items over its Andy Robinson, and Suzie Plakson, who director of the Klingon Language Institute. five day run at the Anaheim Convention appeared on Next Generation, Voyager, and • The creators behind Star Trek: New Center, with topics covering the literature Enterprise. More stars expected but not yet Voyages and Hidden Frontier, the two inter­ and business of science fiction books, mov­ confirmed. net series continuing the adventures of the ies & television, science, space and more. • Writers from the original series includ­ Starship Enterprise. Top authors, artists, filmmakers, scientists ing DC Fontana. David Gerrold. and Robert • A screening of Free Enterprise, fol­ from around the world will all take part in Sabaroff, talking about crafting a legend. lowed by a talk by Mark A. Altman and the convention’s program. And a portion of • A display of costumes actually used on Robert Meyer Burnett, the film’s writers, that program, as well as the convention’s the series. producer, and director. extensive exhibits, will be dedicated to Star • Writers and producers from Star Trek: • A screening of GalaxyQuest, followed Trek, the people who created it. and the fans The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space by a talk by Robert Gordon, the film’s who love it. Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Enterprise. writer. The program is still in the works and the • Graphics, miniatures, and props. • The convention’s traditional first-night convention is still contacting people in­ • A slide presentation on Star Trek: welcome reception, this year themed to the volved with Star Trek in all of its incarna­ Phase 2, the first planned revival of Star Babel Conference Ambassadorial Recep­ tions, but already scheduled are: Trek, from 1977, which was dropped at the tion, with David Gerrold as Master of Cere­ • Appearances by stars from the original very last minute in order to bring Star Trek monies. May 2006 19

Howard DeVore 1925-2005 By John Hertz Howard DeVore went to every Midwestcon, the summer relaxacon with first-rate fans and nothing else. There was only one way that string could be broken, as it was last December. He was guest of honor there in 1990. He co-chaired Tricon, the 24lh Worldcon, in 1966. He was Fan Guest of Honor at Lunacon thirty years before me (New York, 1971). In 1973 he stood for TAFF. Nomi­ survivor of almost twenty-five years and the group on track and operating, handling all nated by Buck Coulson, losing to the Mof­ survivor of one of the very early (and diffi­ its day-today operations. fatts who with two big hearts outdid him in cult) hip replacement procedures that never In 1996, at age 81, during the KaCSFFS the only possible way. completely restored her full mobility. But 25th Anniversary year. Rita made a reap­ In 1978 with Don Franson he published nothing ever got Rita down. pearance, coming to several club meetings. A History of the Hugo, Nebula and Interna­ To the end. Rita’s mind was sharp as a She also attended our big 25th Anniversary tional Fantasy Awards; NESFA Press car­ tack. I last spoke to her in the early spring of celebration dinner and program. As part of ries the third revision of 1998. ‘05. She was the very same Rita I knew well the programming that followed the banquet, He was the universal collector and back in the 1970s-just older. She didn’t get I made sure to show a number of slides in dealer; for World War II he padlocked his out of the house much due to her advanced which she was prominent. She and Vern collection in a spare room and took the key age, living a quiet life alone in her family’s were always fixtures at our early meetings with him while he went to fly belly-gunner longtime Brookside area home. She told me and conventions, and both were big support­ on a B-17 in the Mighty Eighth Air Force. she liked it that way-but she always loved ers of KaCSFFS and ultimately KC’s bid for When he was home, years went by with his to hear from old friends and family. She and the ‘76 Worldcon. (The Burroughs Dum- doors unlocked. her late ex-husband Vern, the founder of and Dum at that Worldcon was particularly One of his business cards said “Expert.” patriarch of Edgar Rice Burroughs fandom good.) She and fellow First Fandom member one said “Burke. Hare & DeVore,” at least and the Burroughs Bibliophiles, were mar­ Jim Tibbetts were two of our special guests two said “First Fandom,” most being less ried in the early 1960s but divorced in 1979. for the KaCSFFS 25th celebration. I was an printable he printed himself. (Vern Coriell died in January 1987, after a honor to have them both with us. He never was given the Big Heart long illness.) Rita never had any children. Rita was always a sweetie and a great Award, probably because everyone already As a pre-teen in the 1920s, she began person to be around. Years could go by and knew; in 2005 he was placed in the First reading Weird Tales, eventually winding up as soon as you spoke to her it was like no Fandom Hall of Fame. By then he had been with a complete collection of that very fa­ time at all had elapsed. Time meant nothing. named Fan Guest of Honor for a Worldcon, mous pulp. At some time later in her life, She loved fans even though, as a bunch, L.A.con IV (2006); you can see him and she had all those issues specially hardbound they could be a bit odd at times. She always Roger Sims trading tales in Progress Report in multiple volumes. Those volumes sat on could tell great stories about fans and pros, 3; he had said, “You just have to outlive all multiple bookshelves in her den along with sometimes not at all flattering, but always the important people, and then they make her premiere Arkham House books collec­ true. Yet her affection for them shown you Fan Guest of Honor,” which I wish had tion. On the enclosed front porch was her through in the telling. been more false and more true. beautiful collection of original Maxfield KaCSFFS certainly wouldn’t be here He is survived by three daughters and Parrish framed art prints. They were always today if First Fandom members (like Rita) four grandchildren. He asked his friends. the first things that greeted you whenever hadn’t created fandom so many decades ago. “Drink a shot of Jim Beam for me.” Good­ you came over for a visit during the 1960s Their numbers continue to dwindle, but First bye. Big-Hearted Howard, good-bye. and 1970s. Fandom’s lasting impact on all of us re­ ++ John Hertz I had the pleasure back then of carefully mains. I’m so happy that Rita was one of us. perusing those magnificent old pulps and I wish more of you could’ve met and known Rita (Marguerite) Coriell Arkhams. Rita loved to share her treasured her. So long, Rita. And thanks. 1914-2005 collection with friends. I was even able to ++Ken Keller Appreciation by Ken Keller read, cover-to-cover, a duplicate copy of the very first issue of Weird Tales, something I At a Kansas City area fan New Year’s Eve Carl Dunah Remembered still cherish to this day. I did this over years party (2005), longtime Burroughs fan John and a number of visits to the incredible by Marie Rengstorff Vaughan gave me the sad news that Rita “House of Greystoke,” as her and Vern’s Carl Dunah, long-time SF fan and original (Marguerite) Coriell, a member of First home was known back then. (And what a volunteer at Seti, died on June 15, 2004. Fandom, the N3F, and the Hyborian League, collector’s wonderland their home was-rare Carl Dunah’s hero was Carl Sagan. Unlike and one of the original founding members genre books, pulps, and original pulp maga­ most of us who are tongue-tied around our (1971) of the Kansas City Science Fiction & zine artwork everywhere!) Rita was the hero, Dunah would stride up to Sagan and Fantasy Society (KaCSFFS) died peacefully Secretary of the 1600-person Burroughs tell him all the latest at Seti, giving exten­ on June 13, 2005, at her Kansas City home. Bibliophiles during that era. And if the truth sive details about the recent near-misses, She was 90. (John just recently heard about be told, she was the main force (behind the radio waves which seemed, at first re­ her passing.) She was a colorectal cancer scenes) that kept this prominent national fan cording, to be possible intelligent communi- 20 File 770: 147 cations from space. Dunah would throw in novelette “Bloodchild” swept both awards. Feintuch did not set his sights on becom­ why these recordings turned out the be fail­ She was the first science fiction writer ever ing an sf writer until mid-life. It was his ures. Then, if Sagan did not lead Dunah to a to receive one of the MacArthur Founda­ third career, after the Harvard-trained law­ table of goodies quick, Dunah would explain tion’s “genius grants,” a $295,000 prize yer practiced in Michigan for a decade, then the latest discoveries in archeology, genetic given in 1995. retired from the law to become an antiques engineering, neuro-science, space medicine Butler moved to Lake Forest Park in dealer. and physics. 1999. having lived all her life til then in the He was already 50 when Midshipman’s Carl Dunah was the rare athletic space city where she was born, Pasadena, CA - Hope appeared. The novel made an immedi­ junkie. His profession was, in his own which remembers her still. The Pasadena ate impact and led to his receiving the John words, “landscape architect” or environ­ Public Library’s annual “One City - One W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best mental cosmetology.” After the age of 75, Book” program selected Kindred for 2006. New Writer at L.A.con III. Feintuch re­ he gave away most of his Japanese garden­ It’s a time-travel novel about a modern sponded with self-deprecating humor, re­ ing expertise and muscle power than he black woman who is transported back to the calls Michael Burstein: “He held it in his charged for. Starting around that same age, violent days of slavery before the Civil War. hands, looked at it as if he still couldn’t he was honored yearly in South Lake Tahoe The 1979 book is often used in schools, and believe he was receiving this award, and and San Francisco newspapers for downhill has more than a quarter million copies in said, ‘I’m glad it’s not for the Best Young skiing more days than anyone else in the print. Writer.’" Tahoe Valley. Heavenly Valley Ski Resort For a shy person who confessed that His father discouraged any youthful in­ invited him to ski before and after the offi­ growing up she had a terror of any school terest in science fiction. Feintuch told read­ cial season so he could maintain his record assignment that had to be delivered in front ers in an SF Book Club edition of his work: as the most extensive “cryogenic crystalliza­ of the class, a Google search proves Butler “One evening along about 1959 my father, tion researcher” in the field. (Yes, that was was a very obliging interview subject. She in a fit of pique, hurled one of my Galaxy all meant as puns. If you knew Carl, you was sought after for her views on the sf magazines across the room and demanded, would not need to ask.) genre, on race and on gender issues. ‘Why are you always reading this crap about When he finally retired from gardening She also participated in some LASFS rockets going to the moon, and people on (or Earth environmental cosmos-tology), events, such as the 1990 Science Fiction other planets? It’s never going to happen! around age 84, he became a tour guide with Showcase. The club has interacted with Why don’t you read something realistic!’" a local hot air balloon company. You could many excellent writers over the years, and Whether all the career changes repre­ find him on clear summer days doing “high only Butler could have been this humble sented a delayed escape from paternal ex­ altitude reconnaissance” over Lake Tahoe, about a MacArthur Foundation award: pectations, or just the irresistible blossoming its celestial swimming pools, and moon­ “People may call these ‘genius grants,’ “ of Feintuch’s many gifts, fans’ celebration watching hot-tubs (which he only pointed Butler said in a 2004 interview with the of his arrival as a writer continued after he out to interested adult tours.) Seattle Post-lntelligencer, “but nobody won the Campbell. He also authored two Carl died of cancer at his daughter’s made me take an IQ test before I got mine. I fantasy novels, and The Still was selected as home in California, after a last visit to Maui, knew I’m no genius.” (In 2005, Jonathan “the best fantasy of the year” by Science and following hospital treatments that failed Lethem became the second sf writer to re­ Fiction Chronicle. to achieve progress. He is survived by his ceive one of the grants.) Fans can look ahead to the eighth Seafort daughter De Ette Dunah (soon to become Octavia Butler was a Clarion discovery, novel, which has yet to be published. Mrs. Tikotzski) in Saugus, CA and his son selling two short stories while attending the [[Originally appeared on Trufen.net]] Chandler Dunah in Newbury Park, CA, workshop. However, she didn’t sell anything Those of us who shared bulb-splitting and else for another five years. In Passing science news with a great guy will miss him The advice to young writers in her icono­ dearly. His ashes will be spread across his clastic essay “Furor Scribendi” for Writers favorite California forests, the Pacific Ocean of the Future IX (1993) minors the honesty Brian Burley (1942-2006), well-known near Maui, and probably beyond. and relentlessness that kept her craft alive SMoF and Co-Founder of the Beaker People ++ Marie Rengstorff when times were difficult, and her warning Libation Front, died in his sleep on April 24 still rings true: or 25. [[Source: Mark Blackman]] Octavia Butler, 1947-2006 “First forget inspiration. Habit is more Octavia Butler died February 24, at the age dependable. Habit will sustain you whether Costumer Cheryl Johnson passed away of 58, after falling and striking her head on a you’re inspired or not...Forget talent. If you August 28, 2005 from cancer. walkway outside her home in Lake Forest have it, fine. Use it. If you don’t have it, it Park, WA. She had been found there by a doesn’t matter. As habit is more dependable The remains of Al Turner are going to be neighbor's child, according to Steve Barnes’ than inspiration, continued learning is more launched into space on the same rocket car­ blog. Taken to a hospital, she was operated dependable than talent.. Finally, don’t worry rying those of Gordon Cooper, astronaut of on by doctors but could not be saved. about imagination. You have all the imagi­ Mercury 7 and The Right Stuff fame. Turner Butler was one of the best-known Afri­ nation you need...Persist.” was a Missouri-area fan and artist who can-American science fiction writers within [[Original posted to trufen.net]] passed away May 1, 2005. the sf community, an exceptional circle including Delany, Hopkinson, Due and Bar­ David Feintuch, 1944-2006 nes, and she earned high recognition from SF author David Feintuch died March 16 at the world at large. the age of 61, following a long history of Her 1984 short story “Speech Sounds” cardiac troubles. He passed away less than a won the Hugo, her 2000 novel Parable of dozen years after Midshipman’s Hope began the Talents won the Nebula, while her 1985 the eight-novel Seafort Saga. May 2006 21 John Hertz’s CascadiaCon Report 2005 North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC) Seattle, Washington, September 1-5, 2005

The eighth NASFiC (North America S- Ceremonies with taiko drumming by F Con) was named “CascadiaCon” for the Kaze Daiko youth ensemble of the Pacific Northwest. Writer Guests of Seattle. A member of the ensemble Honor, Fred Saberhagen and Harry wrote, Harrison (though illness kept both Kaze Daiko plays, away); Illustrator, Liz Danforth; Editor, The drums echo our spirit Toni Weisskopf; Scientist, Marc Abra­ If thunder can float. hams; Fan, Kevin Standlee; Filksingers, Bobbie DuFault, exercising her Uffington Horse; Anime, Hiroaki Inoue. prerogative as CascadiaCon chair, Interaction, the ‘05 Worldcon at Glas­ gave each of her GoH antennae with gow, being overseas, we had a NAS­ glittery knobs. At the St. Louis bid­ FiC, as we invented in the 1970s. With ding party I ate pineapple, drank He- Nippon 2007 set for Yokohama, Cas­ feweizen, and watched Hope Lei­ cadiaCon voted on the ‘07 NASFiC bowitz and Ctein play Fluxx, with site; St. Louis won. strange rules that changed. Our Radisson Hotel had (under the As I often do, I had arranged do­ name of Hyatt) been home to the ‘61 cent tours of the Art Show, docent Worldcon. About 300 people attended (borrowed from the museum world) then; we were six times bigger, and being a tour leader good at pointing needed too the Hilton and its Confer­ out things worth looking at. I try for a ence Center. There was a shuttle bus. mixture, pros and fans, men and Con programming scheduled panels on women. Docents take one another’s four s-f classics: Karel Capek's play Hiroaki Inoue, anime GoH at Cascadiacon, tours. For CascadiaCon. pencil wizard R.U.R. (1921), which coined “robot”; with Michael Siladi. Mark Ferrari, me, woodworker Johnna Robert A. Heinlein’s Starman Jones Klukas, pro writer Larry Niven, ‘98 (1953); C.L. Moore’s novelette “No Woman exhibit in the Noreascon IV Art Show (‘04 TAFF (Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund) delegate Born” (1944); and H.G. Wells’ Invisible Worldcon, Boston), Frank Wu winner of the Ulrika O’Brien, watercolorist Margaret Or- Man (1897); fliers saying so went to book­ ‘04 Fanartist Hugo, and author-broker- gan-Kean. From a nearby florist I got a he­ shops, libraries, colleges. Perhaps The In­ collector Jane Frank, then by me again at lium balloon that would rise above the aisles visible Man is best known, R.U.R. most CascadiaCon. Kelly was a master of many of artwork to show where the tour was, influential, “No Woman Born” most ad­ media. It’s a good question whether we love Teresa Nielsen Hayden’s bright idea for mired for its writing, Starman Jones best him more for his work or his heart, he was Torcon III (‘03 Worldcon). The balloon was loved. Later L.A.con IV, the ‘06 Worldcon, big at both. In all fairness, I said, I was con­ a five-pointed star. The shop was Sea-Tac set discussions of s-f classics, and included ducting the Memorial backwards. Kelly’s Flowers & Espresso. “No Woman Born”; one mark of a classic is own word was illustrator. But I had chosen Friday. Organ-Kean’s tour noted Amy that it keeps on inspiring. these images because they were good pic­ Bradley’s bead work in fractal patterns. Klu­ Thursday. The Nippon 2007 committee tures. I did sometimes say what they had kas, who was along, noted how without brought Japanese artwork for the Art Show. illustrated, and some in the crowd knew aristocracy we forwent costly material and While they got busy with hooks and clips, I without any help from me. He sometimes high labor but were helped by technology. mounted the Selina Phanara sun calendar was given excruciating problems to solve; Then the Fannish Inquisition, where we project. She has been making fanciful suns, among his points of fame, people sent him kindly put committees of seated cons (i.e. in colored paper mostly; some will be a their bid won but their con is yet to be held), calendar, with votes wanted for which sun and bidders (i.e. their election is yet to be looks like which month. In ‘04 I had brought Young in resilience and a certain held), on the hot seat. Moderator Vincent originals to ConKopelli (Westercon LVII, hardihood of mind. Docherty was still alive after co-chairing Phoenix), and in ‘05 charts of the whole set Dorothy Dunnett Interaction. Kent Bloom, chair of the Den­ to Due North (Westercon LVIII, Calgary) ver for ‘08 Worldcon bid, faced Dave and CascadiaCon. things no one else could see how to illus­ McCarty of Chicago. Each of these bids is At six I gave the Kelly Freas Memorial trate; but he did solve them: and not because attractive. If McCarty’s bid wins we shall Slide Show. He drew insignia for Skylab, of his labors, but regardless of them, worked have Chicon VII. He said “I can’t imagine and Mad magazine’s Alfred E. Newman, wonders. why you wouldn’t want to be there every and some of our best illustrations ever. In Inoue, a veteran producer of Japanese year.” Then Bloom and I went off to R. U.R. June his widow Laura and I made a one- animation, is also a winner of the Shibano in the other hotel. hour retrospective, given by me at Due Award in Japan for outstanding fan activity. Jerry Pournelle joined us; I moderated. North, then at Interaction by Joe Siclari who Now he chairs the first-ever Japanese R.U.R. is “Rossum’s Universal Robots”; had helped much with the fine historical Worldcon. CascadiaCon began Opening Capek (“tchah-peck”) had subtitled his play 22 File 770: 147

From Near and Far: (Left) Steve Forty of Vancouver; (Middle) Mike Kennedy, editor of the Huntsville, AL clubzine NASFA Shuttle; (Left) Wally Weber, 1961 Seattle Worldcon chair. Photos by Chaz Boston Baden. a fantastic melodrama. Alexander Wooll- Hot dogs at the Chicago party. A San ing a space elevator, brought two dozen cott, who discovered the Marx Brothers, had Jose for ‘07 write-in bid emerged to chal­ drawings. Klukas remarked how work made called a New York production “murderous lenge St. Louis. It promised to support Nip­ functionally can be admired by others as social satire ... hair-raising.” Bloom said pon 2007. To move things along I joined as good to look at. And so to Starman Jones, in R.U.R. lay under perhaps a third of s-f. Pre-Supporter 4. I then immediately re­ the other hotel. Pournelle said the problem of any republic is cruited Diana Paxson, since four is an inaus­ Here I moderated Mary Morman of the that the least citizen must feel and be a part picious number in Japan. The Montreal for Denver for ‘08 bid, Niven, Pournelle, Geo of the republic. In R.U.R. robots did the ‘09 Worldcon bid served spruce beer. Kan­ Rule, and Weisskopf. Niven said s-f was work, Huxley’s Brave New World chemi­ sas City for ‘09 had a Cookie Goddess. At about patterns. Of characters in Jones, cally stupefied workers before birth, two the Radeon party (Pasco, Washington), their Pournelle called Sam — not Max Jones — warnings of false paradise. Later, in the dreaded Toxic Waste had reached the sludge the formal protagonist, the one who made Heinlein Society suite, Pournelle said Ray state, in which I seemed to detect kiwi fruit. things happen. Weisskopf said Sam was Bradbury was the man to be on television Daylight Saturday. James Glass moder­ redeemed by finding Max to teach. Dr. with; people would try to direct all the talk ated The Invisible Man, with Robert James, to him, but he wouldn’t let them get away me, Pournelle, and Alan Rosenthal host of That lightness of spirit without with it. the Fanzine Lounge. Rosenthal said a classic which life would be unbearable. was independent of its time and place. I Poulenc No state can be more destitute said, look at the characterization of Griffin, Kemp, and marvelous Marvel. James said than that of him who, when the Invisible Man was allegory, we treat one Hendrix who did everything himself, and delights of sense forsake him, has another as invisible. For that, Pournelle Sam the fudger, were the heroes we’d ex­ no pleasures of the mind. liked better Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. pect in this technologically corrupt society. Johnson Rosenthal said Kemp foreshadowed A Mod­ Pournelle noted how everyone fudged, start­ ern Utopia. Pournelle said Griffin didn’t act ing at the truck-stop. From the audience Bill In the Fanzine Lounge, I found Coquit­ like a scientist. Rosenthal said Kemp mak­ Patterson of the Heinlein Society asked what lam fan Steve Forty’s mimeograph equip­ ing the discovery would have been worse; made Jones a favorite. Niven said it went ment, a medium once indispensable; all he wasn’t out for himself; he would have outside the Solar System. Weisskopf said worked, and some was going to the S-F tried to help. I said, thus was Galadriel the writing exercised restraint. Pournelle Museum. Suzie, back from Britain as ‘05 tested in The Lord of the Rings. James called Between Planets a better book, but TAFF delegate, found Flo Newrock of New wished Wells had given the epilogue to a worse undercut by our now knowing it false- Jersey; they hadn’t met in person for years. witness. Glass said it had the viewpoint of to-fact. Wu told how, during the Kelly memorial at the highest drama. Niven on his docent tour said “Once I Interaction, a man in the audience recog­ Klukas on her docent tour noted that thought I’d seen enough dragons to last me nized a pistol in a Western cover Kelly had three-dimensional art has viewing angles. In the rest of my life. But every now and then I done; the pistol, which was in the story, had 2-D, you can refine your point in mono­ see a good one, so I stopped saying that.” been an anachronism, which Kelly was left chrome. Monochrome can be a study of Paul Cordsmeyer, who was donating his to fret over. In the lobby, I found a casino, edges. The Illustrators of the Future contest collection to the S-F Museum, kindly dis­ Bank of Serenity scrip. Standlee in a dinner brought winners and finalists, done as inte­ played some in the Art Show, book and jacket, and Klingons at cha’maH’waH with rior illustrations for magazines and thus all magazine cover art. Program Books, letters, all the card-suits weapons. monochrome. The LiftPort Group, promot­ T-shirts hand-painted with galaxies — May 2006 23

Niven happened to own one by that artist. At Ceremonies as space pirates. At Cascadi- Ferrari’s display Niven said "Trying to Fit aCon, under the guise of raising money for In” stuck in his mind. With this weary teen­ relief from Hurricane Katrina, Standlee was age elf in jeans and baseball cap, skateboard, court-martialed. Around midnight at the and yard-wide butterfly wings, Rock- L.Acon IV party my roommate Tom Veal wellesque and exercising restraint, Ferrari arrived with news. “We acquitted Kevin, burst upon us a few years ago, winning Best and convicted Seth.” Two hours later I of Show at Westercon LVII (Spokane, ‘99). found Seth Breidbart in the lobby. “Of Two Klukas pieces, which she calls a course it’s true,” he said. “Were any charges diptych, impressed my docent tour, brought against you?” I asked. “Of course “Origination” and “Destination”. She associ­ not.” ates them by parallel composition, and par­ Ten a.m. Sunday, to moderate “No allel materials: cherry, walnut, maple and Woman Born” with James, Pournelle, Milt maple burl. In each the central disk is pati- Stevens one of our finest fanwriters. James nated copper, the stars wire. We pondered ranked C.L. Moore among our finest pro what made “Origination” look ancient, writers. Pournelle had known her in person. “Destination” a future, and thought the inte­ Stevens brought the December *44 Astound­ gration of shapes in "Origination” more ing where the story appeared. In the story, tense, while elements in “Destination” Pournelle said. Deirdre had no one to talk opened from one another to stand independ­ with, the private nightmare of every writer. ent. Ed Cox had begun to work in steel, eschiek’s “Dark Shadows Fairy Tale”, Laura We discussed her line “Luckily I never was displaying skull shapes like flat masks. My winged, Mark a mirror. Most Humorous, beautiful”, belied by the James Stephens favorite Danforths, among paintings and Journeyman, was Kalyn Nilsson’s “Princess poem quoted in the text. Such an exploration pots, were two monochromes, “Windsong’s Luthien”, afflicted by slugs, eeuw. Mike as “Born” of beauty and attraction probably Master”, and “Bert the Troll” with a gnarled DuQuette won Workmanship Judge’s could not have been written in any other face and a jug o’ punch. Choice (Journeyman) for “S.T.O.A.T.” in medium, or by a man, at the time or perhaps In the Masquerade, this year’s judges alien armor. Elizabeth Fellows’ "Dance of today. were Marie Cooley, me, and Inoue (with the Sugar-Plaid Fairy” (also revised from O’Brien’s docent tour looked at hydro­ Takayuki Karahashi interpreting); Work­ Westercon LVI) won Honorable Mention planes like orcas, with bird wings, by Lizzie manship Judge backstage (optional for each (Novice) and Best Workmanship in Class. Newell of Anchorage. Sarah Clemens dis­ entry), Joy Day. Best in Show, and Best Half-time entertainment while we judges played a giclee print of “Stigmata”, a Workmanship, was Sue-Lyn & Kristopher deliberated was a magic show. The Cabaret woman in white floating cruciform amid of Dr. Caligari. As we returned, it had come church ruins, hibiscus for blood; Ctein at to a really breathtaking joke (and chosen- ConKopelli had called my attention to the Truths would you teach, or save a card revelation) based on a big color repro­ original. There was a large Kelly Freas dis­ sinking land? duction of Da Vinci’s Last Supper. play, including “Transition”, one of his few All fear, none aid you, and few At Interaction the convention center had, nods toward the abstract — yet its spine is understand. for its shape, been re-named, and adopted as the realism of the mask and stars, how light Pope the starship WSFS Armadillo, “WSFS” sup­ shines through the eyes so we know it’s a posedly “White Star Federated Spacelines” mask, how the metal gleams. In the verticals Taylor’s “Wizard & Roo” (Master class), being the convenient initials of the World S- red and blue, the horizontal flash, we see an from The Witch and the ‘Roo of Wicky Woo F Society, beneath whose happy wingspread event. by Jan Loudin (1996); the kangaroo — with Worldcons and NASFiCs stand. Standlee Local fans Marci Malinowcyz and Twi­ butterfly wings — could fly, neatly ex­ was Captain, Docherty was Admiral. The light, and Tom Whitmore who is so local changing a boy for a doll, against a gorgeous self-proclaimed Cabal that produces Plokta everywhere some of us still know him as backdrop; an earlier version had been at having won the Hugo for Best Fanzine, and Itinerance, played Book Fairy. You got two Westercon LVI (Seattle, ‘03). Most Dra­ having each been armed with a rocket by copies of a book on condition you’d give matic, Journeyman, was Laura & Mark Ri- means of Hugo trophies, all invaded Closing away one to somebody you didn’t know. In

Trios at NASFiC: (Left) Panelists Hiroaki Inoue, Peggy Rae Sapienza and Vince Docherty; (Right) Heinlein ban­ queters Dr. Jerry Pournelle, C. J. Cherry and Jane Fancher. Photos by Chaz Boston Baden. 24 File 770: 147

the restroom a man in a business suit asked one-shot: these fanzines for the occasion, about my propeller beanie. I said there was a which used to need a mimeograph hauled in, science fiction convention in the hotel. He can now be done by lapsize computer. said “Really! Can you recommend a good Filking, where women pick banjos in T- book?” so I did my duty. Publicity is what shirts decorated with the Periodic Table. you make it. One sang “Why don’t you do right, like some millionaires do? Put your stuff on the Large, abnormally united by market, and make a million too.” Geneticist allusion and shibboleth, and not Anne Prather, in a black cloak glistening particularly encouraging. with spider stars, sang “Step it out lightly, Sir Ronald Storrs my fine daughter.” I helped her back to her room with her harp. As the elevator door opened and we got off, there in the elevator English Regency ballroom dancing has lobby, at 4:30 a.m., was Phoenix fan Jean become a tradition at cons, taught by me if Goddin, quietly reading. I love s-f cons. I’m there; my article in Mimosa 26 is, I hear, on the Web at . Cross-cultural contact is homework for s-f, BSFS Renames Young Writers and this whimsical era, when the First Gen­ tleman of Europe was Crown Prince, then Contest After Jack Chalker Regent, appeals to the fannish mind. Be­ The Science Fiction young writers' contest sides, it’s an excuse to read Jane Austen, Marty Massoglia huckstering at sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction with Georgette Heyer and Patrick O’Brian NASFiC. Photo by Chaz. Society for Maryland high-school-aged for aperitif. The prevalence of women students has been renamed “The Jack L. among romance-writers is a fact of which white dinner jacket, I did, as Mr. Heinlein Chalker Young Writers Contest sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society” we heterosexual men should be deeply had. Joe Major, I sat with your publisher. effective April 8. 2006. ashamed. Naturally the dance was in the Theodore Sturgeon’s “And Now the News” Dale Arnold, chairman of the board of other hotel. Dressed like the trademark of won the Best Translated Short Story Seiun the club’s corporation, explained how Johnnie Walker whisky I had a walking (as Nyusu no Jikan Desu, tr. Nozomi “BSFS believes that given Jack's early entry stick. For us the formalism of these dances Omori). The Heinlein Society gave its into SF fandom, history of teaching, body of may be, like selenium, a nutrient valuable in Award to Niven and Pournelle. Greg Bear minute quantity. written work and close association with BSFS this renaming of the young writers From 1805 white tie to 2005 black tie for A noble mind disdains not to the Awards Banquet. With Inoue being our contest creates an ideal memorial as part of repent. his legacy." GoH, the English-translation part of the Homer Japanese Seiun Awards was announced, not as usual at the Worldcon, but here. Also we had the Heinlein Award. Amy Baxter, the quoted Niven, “If we can put a man on the Heinleins’ adopted granddaughter, wore a Moon, why can’t we put a man on the gown of Mrs. Heinlein’s. On the last week­ Moon?” At the Baen Books party, end in the year when a man may wear a Weisskopf presided over chocolate and a

WSFS Armadillo fore)....” Captain Standlee has revealed it’s Merchandise never too late to join the crew of the Inspired by the vision that Glasgow’s WSFS Armadillo, provided you’re not one SECC looked less like a convention of the true believers who think the 2005 center than it did a starship about to Worldcon actually left the ground. Says leave for space, Interaction wove a the Captain, “You can buy your own fantasy that, in the words of Cheryl shirts, mugs, tote bags, etc. from the Morgan, “...the Worldcon in Glasgow planned voyage of the Armadillo.” was to have seen the launch of the They’re available online at the CafePress White Star Federated Spacelines cruise website: liner, the Armadillo, commanded by http://www.cafepress.com/wsfsarmadillo Captain Standlee. However, on the day And Kevin assures us that in the true of the launch a vast pirate fleet as no­ spirit of nonprofit worldcons, “the mer­ ticed approaching Earth and the Arma­ chandise in the shop is being sold at dillo itself was hijacked by the infa­ CafePress' cost. There's no margin built mous Plokta Cabal (armed with small into the prices. We've made them avail­ silver rockets that they had smuggled able as a service to members.” on board the Armadillo the night be­ May 2006 25

CONCtmiON - EMTEMON 2006 57TH ERITKU NATIONAL SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION APRIL 14-17, 2006 - CROWNE PLATA HOTEL, CLASCOW, SCOTLAND

GOHs: M. John Harrison, companies make options available and un­ the train crew to wake us, and we were the Brian Froud, Elizabeth Hand, available as they see fit. Sometimes it is last people off the train on Friday morning. Justina Robson, Ian Sorensen. cheaper to get an advance ticket online than The service allows quite a bit of time for Special Guests: DanAbnett, to use my discount. Easter is a high-volume people to disembark, and we had well over­ Marc Gascoigne, Mat Irvine, travel time. The amount of tickets available run that. Dee Parker, Johanna Sinisalo online were few, and I had missed the offers. It was an interesting feeling to be going Simone needed a normal ticket and I could back to the scene of the Worldcon, so fresh not afford that type of fare. One of my line in my mind. It was nice actually, really nice. All convention reports are a personal affair. managers advised me that Simone might be I had a number of undertakings, and first I Here, as in any review, the objectivity should entitled to a privilege discount card and she went to the Cyberdrome workshop. Cyber­ be questioned and borne in mind: please was: we were able to buy discounted tickets. drome has been running for the last 10 remember that this report only reflects what The developments drove forward our deci­ Eastercons. It’s essentially an amateur robot­ I did and saw. sion to go to Eastercon and my despair was ics and remote controlled workshop. Con vanquished. members build something on site to fight or Despite agreeing to help or assist with a vari­ Thursday before the con, we travelled to compete in the Cyberdrome event. This ety of undertakings at Eastercon, the depress­ Glasgow on the Sleeper train. We boarded year’s theme was Pirates. I arrived to find ing reality just six weeks before the conven­ the train at London Euston, carting a multi­ that our newest volunteer, Alex Holden, had tion is I had not made travel arrangements or tude of luggage, little of which was normal. set up the most amazing workshop we have hotel reservations. I realised that both might (I also sent luggage in my friend Bazooka’s ever had. He had brought every tool, bit and be expensive enough to keep me from one of car, and there were Fan Fund items in l/2r’s part one could imagine, and it resembled a the weekends in the year that is now so im­ car, and there was stuff stored in Jamie very well-equipped machine shop. portant to me. It was my own fault. Scott’s. I am responsible for a lot of junk.) I took the opportunity to sort through the Fortunately, Simone, my girlfriend, knew The sleeper, apart from being very roman­ equipment that we had left in storage from how important this was for me. She found tic was great, our berth a tiny space with a the previous year’s Worldcon and Eastercon. very nice accommodations in Glasgow at bunk bed. We had a relaxing drink in the first I had cunningly husbanded anything and half-price, through an offer available to em­ class lounge and then both slept well. There everything I thought would be useful for this ployees in her company. were engineering works on. and after an hour year’s Eastercon (all credit to Jamie Scott Next was travel. On railways I get a 75% of moving with much back tracking, we were who then had to transport and store all this discount off full fares, being a railway em­ two miles from Euston station, it was nice to shit, as one might say.) I spent a good while ployee. But train fares in Britain are a com­ watch though as this huge train meandered sorting through, and pruning down this plex beast, between offers online and a mul­ through suburban stations, to the surprise of equipment, in the knowledge that transport­ titude of fares to avail of. They are also late night drinkers. ing it onward from Glasgow would be a whimsical on the basis that individual train We slept so well that it was a mission for tough number. I also manage to reduce and 26 File 770: 147

(L) Fran Dowd, Flick and Chris Tregenzaand. Photo by Douglas Spencer. (R) Chaos room. Photo by Alex Holden. condense quite a bit of stuff, while getting any previous involvement. I arrived, hung Pat McMurray and a host of BSFA heads out a good bit of stuff that would be immedi­ the artwork, admired some of the other work over the weekend. To help drum up some ately useful. on display, and it was really as easy as that. more interest I had spoken to well known We shared our function room with Chaos The art show team had the displays up, with girlie fan Fick who is also on the League of costuming, who help people create some­ lights strategically placed. John Harold, Rob­ Fan Funds, and we came up with some lewd thing for the masquerade. This might have bie Bourget and Dave Tomkins were ex­ ideas about where people should stuff their been perceived as a negative by some, but as tremely helpful given that this was my first vote. I thought it best if they stuffed it into someone who has run this element of the con time. Flicks Box. At the end of the day, she bought before, I felt that the sharing of resources and I went downstairs to the dealers room and a plastic box, covered in Betty Page-esque cooperation that always goes on would be as I set up a Sproutlore Table (the now offi­ pictures and clad in a sheer stocking. Al­ eased by proximity. Shortly we were allowed cial Robert Rankin Fanclub), which was though some fans tutted and blamed me, to expand and utilise the mezzanine area adjacent to a ZZ9 (Hitchhikers Guide to the others were intrigued enough to vote. outside our room. We had a huge materials Galaxy Fanclub) Year of The Teledu (a fun I did a stint on the dealers table when the area, and it also became an ad-hoc parent and convention) and Confounding Stories, a room opened, met many friends and ac­ child Lego zone. Glasgow convention with a fun outlook fo­ quaintances, and generally caught up with The function space in The Crown Plaza cusing on pulp SF as a theme driver. I know people. Simone appeared after a bath, a Glasgow hotel is brilliant. There are three all those involved very well, so a co­ snooze and some study. main programme rooms all on the ground operative had been set up months before­ I went in late to see the opening cere­ floor. They could be enlarged, when re­ hand, with me relying more on co-operation mony, which took place at 3 p.m. and was quired, with fairly decent dividing walls - than vice versa. well attended. The committee did a good job. taking twenty minutes when done by hotel The dealer’s room was full of Books, I noticed that there were a lot of faces I did­ staff, less than five when done by convention which was nice, and there was a good selec­ n’t know and a lot of younger people about. members. Next to the programme rooms was tion to choose from, and many at great This is the fabled Glaswegian on the door the dealers room, a fan table area and a con­ prices. I spent a little time browsing quickly, members, something that is a bit unique to servatory. All rooms opened onto the lounge scanning for authors I am after. Fortunately Glasgow conventions. area with a real ale bar, a normal bar and a Mark Plummer also knows my tastes and I then went to the Cyberdrome room and food bar. (For those of you who attended found some New Worlds with James White found it was rather quiet. I started to wel­ Interaction, this was its the fan lounge, fan Stories therein, which he passed to me. At come people in, chat to people, let them programme and fan rooms area). 20p each, very cheap reads. know the stuff on view was not display, and Upstairs there was the workshop room, a I spoke at length to Claire Brialey. Claire in a short while, the ad-hoc area was swarm­ room for more intimate programming and is acting as my assistant while I am adminis­ ing and we had about a dozen projects of one Filk, a games room, the newsletter office, the trating the Trans Atlantic Fan Fund, although sort or another on the go. The important video programme, our open mezzanine area I wonder who is the master and whom is the factor with anything like Cyberdrome is to which was now a kids area, operations and apprentice. Claire also administers the ‘catch be on hand to encourage people to ‘have a the art show. The only failing is it could do all’ League of Fan Funds, so she is more of a go’. I also find that by just starting a con­ with another few small and medium rooms. sounding board and mentor than assistant. struction and allowing the curious to not only After sorting out my shjunk, I collected a The League, in conjunction with TAFF, had watch on, but also to ask them opinions, it is suitcase of artwork and made my way to the a number of commitments: an auction, a fun a short step to helping and then them taking art show. I have rarely been involved with fundraiser called SMOF, a TAFF party and, over altogether! This is sometimes how the convention art shows, but Anne Stokes had obviously, the collection and canvassing of quieter kids work, they don’t know what to asked me to transport and hang some art­ votes for the current TAFF contest. do. don’t know anyone, so a cool start is to work. I delegated the transportation aspect, Claire and Mark Plummer were manning somehow convince the eejit who looks in but undertook to hang it and liaise with the the Cold Tonnage books table. Next to it was charge that his efforts are no longer his! art show guys mostly cause of the lack of the BSFA table, ably manned by Julie Rigby, I worked here for the rest of the after- May 2006 27

(L) Claire Briarley. John Dowd; (M) Judith Proctor, Mark Plummer. (R) Clara, Liam. Photos by Douglas Spencer. noon. Bazooka and his wife Gillian Bryson mone and Giulia De Cesare as runners. Mike assisted with a variety of things and like Smelly mammals over flatulent fans Scott and Steve Davies served as auction­ some sort of constant Alex Holden was on Small Micro-Orchestra For Fish eers, with Sue Mason assisting. It went well. hand at all times to assist with the technical Sadistic, Masochistic, and Out For We auctioned a great selection of interesting stuff that sometimes boggles me. Fun stuff from 85% cocoa chocolate to some I had decided that I would have some Secret Master Of Fan Faction desirable signed Sandman prints. Bridget down time every night for dinner, with my Spank More Otters Fan Fund Bradshaw offered to type up ten pages of Girlfriend. She had meanwhile made friends Smart Money Offers Fantastic Fun writing for anyone who would like it. I im­ with Jamie the Cairn terrier, who belonged to Serious Mode Off mediately bid. and she launched a bidding Sign of The Dragon bookshop people, and Seventeen miles Only Fan fund war, having realised her grievous error. The had sold some memberships to the club. So Smelly Mammals Over Fannish Feet raw writing can be harsh, but from copy­ we went with Mark and Claire to a pub Seeking More Ordinary Finnish Fans books, your editor will attest, a task too far. I across the river, and enjoyed a short time allowed her to win, once we had raised the away from the con. I usually don't manage Ballots were given out, and campaign price sufficiently. that, so it was really nice to be away. mangers began their campaign. The winner We raised over £400 and had good fun. The taxi driver told us the eatery, a mix of would be sent to Plokta.con pi The Danger- Then it was to the Bar and much drinking. Italian and steak house, was only seventy con. with a travel card and free entry. Ques­ The Irish crowd turned up at this stage, and yards across the river as he pointed at a walk tions included: What would you do if you ran we all had a good laugh in the bar. There was bridge, so off we went in the taxi. The place off with the funds? What things would you much talk of Battlestar Galactica, the cur­ was rammed with people. It being 6:45 and encourage our American friends to do while rent state of comics and believe it or not, my being scheduled for a panel at 8 p.m., I in the UK? Can you fannishly cast children’s science fiction authors. balked when told we would have to wait fifty programmes of your choice? Of course it Saturday started well, I met Pat minutes for a seat. We left for a much nicer was fun when I asked the panel if the British McMurray in our hotel over breakfast, which pub next door and ate our food. Then began Science Fiction Association should change was situated in Glasgow city. We chatted: he the quest for the bridge our taxi driver had its name to the Perfidious Albion SF Asso­ has a five-year-plan for the British Science pointed out. We had to go inland, as building ciation. All delegates said they thought it was Fiction Association, and in a moment of works were blocking the quay. Then it was a great idea except Julie, who is a vice-chair madness awhile ago I’d joined. Afterwards, up. take a left, another left at a fork, and go of BSFA and reserved comment until she we both got the train to the con hotel. another half-mile. I jogged the last couple of spoke to the chair. Next Question, should Again I was mostly in the Cyberdrome hundred metres, as time was pressing, I officers of the BSFA be censored? There was room initially helping to build up some mo­ cursed the taxi man and his seventy bloody no winning only laughing. Panelists were mentum and get people enthused. Then I was yards, tasked with running out into the general sorting out stuff for the party and spent a I just made it for the the first League of populace and shouting Mi-hinge (muh-hin- short while covering the dealers table. Fan Funds Programme item, for which I had geee) the Irish for fun , to which our whole I caught up with many people from Inter­ been a last-minute recruit. I co-hosted with room resonated in return. It got odd when action, it was so nice to do so, I still miss Flick. Four volunteers agreed to be grilled Flick went out across the lounge area shout­ Interaction, although I think that not having with ominous questions and run for SMOFF, ing “Stockings!” We actually raised £130 for to spend hours and hours on a convention is a fan fund within the convention. The four TAFF. good thing, nevertheless I miss the camara­ participants, reflecting four areas of fandom, Then it was straight into the preparations derie that it offered So outside, Vince Do­ were Fran Dowd, Julie Rigby, Simon for the Fan Fund auction, my first auction herty, Colin Harris and Steve Green were McGrory and Jim De Liscard. Campaign duties at a regular convention. Although I unloading various items that they had stored mangers volunteered, tasks were allocated, normally do this at Sproutlore events, this from Interaction. Out came the wonderful and mini campaigns launched. Some of the was another first. Claire and Flick helped to carpet, that welcomed everyone into the names for SMOFF itself included: lay out stuff. Flick kept accounts with Si­ concourse at the con - and it’s filthy. What 28 File 770:147

Smofs Panel: Jim De Liscard, Simon McGrory, Fran Dowd, and Julie Rigby keep an eye on manic emcee James Bacon. Photo by Douglas Spencer. to do with it they thought, and called me who was on the panel, and we chatted for nise those who never get the glory that many over. Would I like it perhaps? Give it a good nearly an hour as I supervised Cyberdrome others do, yet do as much work. Steve’s wife home? I started to jump up and down, but activity, which was really good. I am going Alice is on many committees, and is highly how, but how, so first I asked Simone if I to write an article about the whole subject visible, and Steve is equally on senior levels could have it, and she grudgingly approved, elsewhere, as it defiantly needs discussing usually running registration and member­ stating only in my own room, then I asked and to be honest, I would be horrified to ships, you just wouldn’t know it. If he were Bazooka if he could transport, but alas, it think any lady would be upset so, at a con­ to disappear he would suddenly and shock­ was a no. so eventually Steve Green agreed vention, it’s like my living room. Can fans ingly be very badly missed and a number of to deliver it to somewhere I would be at! I imagine a woman being sexually assaulted, fans would be needed to match his workload, was chuffed, and hopefully will get it as was reported at the panel, and then other a criteria in my opinion for the award. cleaned, keep it nice, for the next one. fans excusing it, because the person was a Then it was quickly back to the Taff I got into the ‘Fandom a Safe Space’ BNF. Shocking. Party. The Interaction chairs said their bit, panel, and was disappointed not to be able to Later at the con I thought it was an inter­ and hundreds of fans tucked into the free contribute. The panel could have gone on for esting juxtaposition as women paraded wine and soft drinks, and many went onto hours and there were some very interesting through the con lounge area, strutting their taste either l/2rs potent punch and imitable comments and discussions. It was very well stuff in Corsetry, a theme that was featured whiskeys, Bug’s selection of hand made attended, a common trait I believe, of all the over the weekend. chocolates, Sparks’ booze and sweets or the programming, and I was rather surprised to Nothing wrong with that, but its more uniquely Irish sweets I had. The Scalextrix hear some of the disturbing stories that I had food for thought. and Game proved popular, and at about thought unthinkable at a science fiction con­ I had hoped to see the George Hay sci­ 12.30, three hours later we finally moved vention. I have a reputation myself of being a ence lecture, but assisting in building vessels those still enjoying themselves into the bit of a cavorter, and worried if at some stage of doom interrupted. Rather I thought Alex lounge. We raised about £200. I too would be guilty of going too far. Or Holden should get a break - he is an amaz­ I had spent a lot of time chatting with a worse giving a bad example where others ing chap, getting him to take a break is a variety of fans, and at one stage abandoned with poorer social skills might upset a girl mission. I also decided that I would forgo the tasting table, to sit and chat with Liz because they assume what they see is the watching Doctor Who to enjoy dinner with Batty and her friends the fabled third row norm. I did think that some of the discussion my girlfriend once again. She had spent the about con running, the wonderful wish­ about children was rather ill-informed; but day studying. fulfilment it offers and generally informing the ensuring of comfort for ladies, that was After a nice meal it was back to the Con them all of the positive side of con running. I another thing that needs addressing. A lot of for the TAFF party. Interaction wanted to listened intently to some of the negative thinking needed. thank everyone by throwing a party, and l/2r perceptions that these younger guys had, and The main thing to come out of it was to had suggested a tasting TAFF party, to raise discussed solutions or explained the realities ask, and to listen, I decided to test this theory awareness and funds. The other candidates which were not quite severe. We also dis­ and asked subsequently any girl who I (bug and Sparks) agreed, and I undertook an cussed whether books that tie into other SF kissed, hugged, put my arm around and gen­ Irish tasting and a pay as you play Scalextrix related media such as star wars and Star Trek erally came into contact with, only two girls (slot cars l/32nd scale) run by the Irish crowd worth recommending and that also proved refused, although one subsequently allowed and Simone was running a board game of interesting. It was good to chat. it, and it was interesting. sexual trivia. Meanwhile, Munchkin of Confounding I also quickly found that I was suddenly I helped in the deception to get Steve Stories had arranged a Glasgow University aware of how many women hug or kiss me Lawson from the party set up to the main science fiction society reunion. There must unrequested, and that was also interesting. I hall where the awards ceremony was taking have been over 50 people gathered in one kept a tally. place, but mistimed it. Alice retrieved him corner of the lounge, many of whom were I had wanted more on the subject, but and I saw Steve receive the Doc Weir not greying. time interjected. I was lucky to meet Kari, Award. This is an award to thank and recog­ I stayed up drinking and chatting, and May 2006 29 after helping a drunken French man to his for all, with most competitors putting their hotel across the car park, (civic duties and vessel into the fray. The outstanding Ram­ all) with the help of the Irish crowd. This paging Roger with remote control water was a rnission indeed. He was drunk, so we cannon stood out, as well as Feorags entry. started to chant “La Marsillaise.” This an­ After that we had a salvage operation, and noyed him, so he tripped us all up, and he John Down did okay, despite having worked fell, too. It took us about 20 minutes to carry, an ingenious device to sweep up the coinage hold, stagger and fall across the few hundred from the bottom of the pool. Then with metres to his room. Somehow we managed stronger wind, and the onset of rain, it was it, and the hotel staff were only too happy to easy to usher all those outside back inside, allow us to escort him to his room, his poor just after the finale of the team captains fal­ partner very grateful. We got him on the bed, ling off the plank into the pool. and he was laid out, and suddenly a burst of I had delegated a variety of post­ life, he leapt up, fell back down, but in doing Cyberdrome tasks that required attending to so, the weakness of his bed came to the fore, the guys who were helping me as I was very as two single beds split and like a man fal­ keen to have the room taken down and eve­ ling into an abyss he disappeared in between rything sorted ASAP. I suddenly found my­ the beds, and with a resounding thunk, self alone outside, in the rain, with two full bumped his bonce. It was hilarious, I pools to empty. I expect that’s about 2,000 checked he was still breathing, tears in my litres of water. I decided to get the job done, eyes as I couldn’t stop laughing. All four of and as soon as rain stopped and the smokers us, were in stictches. Eventually, we got him returned outside. I enlisted some further help back ion the bed, all life had gone, he was to finally upturn the pools to vanquish the totally dead weight, but alive. We returned to last of the water. It then got very sunny as I the lounge, chanting our song as we went. deflated and folded them with help, which is You can rely on the Irish to help the French! typical, but as usual I was grateful for the After a couple more drinks I departed for my fannish helping hand. Gophers then helped own hotel. We had raised the profile of The Eastercon forum was not as well move these away. TAFF and had received over 40 votes. It was attended and those who were there were con Afterwards, we immediately started sort­ overall a great success, but of course, the con runners and active fans, who obviously care. ing out more trash from equipment that committee had supported it and Interaction’s There was much constructive talk, and as one should be husbanded, and with the Chair, help made it was what it was. person put it, it was like an anti-gripe ses­ Farah Mendlesohn’s permission we started to I got to the hotel early on Sunday, to help sion. There is work to be done, and there was give away stuff that was not required, but with the Cyberdrome set up, and Bazooka even an agreement by all present to ensure that parents might indeed find useful. Trans­ started filling pools first with air and then all Eastercon properties were updated or portation and storage being an equalizer for water. I helped to finalise the chaotic pirati­ made known to the current committee’s, me, there was reason to consider what was cal spaghetti monster plans and SMS and based on a request from Vince Docherty. actually totally useful. Eira organised the theatrical part that seem­ For me the main message was that it was Alex had a massive job in putting away ingly many enjoy as part of Cyberdrome. important to not treat con members like cus­ all his tools and equipment, he defiantly had Meanwhile Alex beavered with many a last tomers and rather to try and get them to buy brought a new angle to the whole Cy- minute request for assistance or to start from into the overall convention, although that bedrome aspect of robotics, something I scratch at this late day, as Bazooka filled was what I took from it. could never do, and I was really impressed. I H2O and O2 outside. With all seemingly Then I rushed back to the Cyberdrome personally think that perhaps professionalism going well I decided to attend both the bid prep, and helped to get everything ready, and amateur electronics could be the direc­ session and the Eastercon forum. which even involved some bailing with tion Cyberdrome goes in, which might upset The bid session was interesting. I have to buckets, as it some became clear that the the many parents who utilise it as a safe give it to Convoy, the 1-year bid for 2007, at draught drawn by one contestants boat was place to leave kids, but I don’t know, I have least they know their work is cut out and are too deep for the main pool. decided that I want to run conventions again prepared to give it their best shot. The main More people braved the dubious weather and will be stepping back from Cyberdrome issue people have with this bid is the Hotel than I had expected, and two teams were set and encouraging Alex to take over with Ba­ that the committee want to use, (Adelphi up. If anything more people came out than I zooka and Gillian who had all manned the Liverpool) but I think many a mind was put had expected. I had expected that it would be area really well. I wasn’t really happy with a at ease at the news that NO ONE except less of a spectator event than normal, but was number of aspects, Alex got lumbered with members will be allowed into any part of the proved wrong as a throng of people vied to manning the room too much, I felt there was hotel, if they fill a set amount of hotel rooms. get a view. too much Chaos to the Chaos aspect and lost Also the confidence of both their hotel liai­ The theatrical stuff was fun and chaotic, some bloody forms, which would have son and security chief was reassuring. They and the contestant seemed to enjoy them­ helped. Cyberdrome needs someone all the received a resounding vote, and only about 4 selves, with a great variety of vessels floated. time, all weekend, and I had much to do, and abstentions. The room was jammed with It was snappier than previous years with although I delegated and everyone really fans. Orbital the 2008 bid also received a everything done in an hour. First there was a enjoyed it, it can be improved. It has come huge amount of support and was voted on as straightforward race by two contestants, and miles since my first involvement six years that year’s convention. They had an amaz­ this had some interesting results as spears ago, but now, I think Alex can drive it on­ ingly professional bid prepared and were skewed rigging and wind affected high-sided ward, and I should give him the space to do efficient with their responses. vessels and so on. After that there was a free so. 30 File 770: 147

After some tidying and moving stuff and popularity, who measures what art is, and two gophers helping lots (they were great), what is the measure, the importance of peers shifting rubbish to the bins, I went to the art and so on. Then what effects the character show and took down what was left of Anne drawn, the author writing, the subject and Stokes artwork. I was pleased to see she sold finally the artist themselves have on the more than half what was on display. I still monetary value of a piece. I also had a list of find the whole artwork aspect a bit new, galleries showing comic art and info on a really, I suppose I am just too indoctrinated variety pieces of artwork. Those present into the appreciation of comic artwork, and were comic readers and really got into it. just don’t appreciate other people efforts Then it was to my final con event of the enough. Although I thought Anne Stokes, weekend, the V for Vendetta panel. It was a Brian Froud, Eira's, Flick’s, SMS’s and Sa­ good but I was a bit surprised that the panel, bine Furlongs artwork were all bloody good. apart from Mike Abbot didn’t seem that I packed it all away, in bubble wrap, and informed. For me there was too much refer­ did as I was told by Robbie, which is always ence to the movie. I would prefer to discuss the best bet. Bazooka had agreed to take this either the comic, the movie or the differ­ hard samsonite case back south, which was a ences, rather than try discussing both media gift, for me. and people getting confused, but again all Afterward since the Cyberdrome room those present got into the subject and there was now mostly sorted I decided it was din­ were more there than I had expected. I think nertime. Simone and I went in search of an the comments from the floor were what excellent Sushi restaurant we found during made it a good programme item. I had to Interaction, called OKO. Unfortunately as depart a few minutes before the end. the taxi drew up to the restaurant, I found out Dr. Zarkov. Photo by Munchkin. I tried to catch up with people and say why they hadn’t replied to my e-mails - they farewell, and then Simone was outside with a were closed. A real shame, as it was an ex­ Irish fans with me. The room was jammed taxi. cellent restaurant. We walked about until I full but the selection of booze was incredible. The trip home was not without eventual­ recognised a statue with a road works cone After luminous bands were handed out the ity, and I had left something behind, but on his head and then with this as a compass, lights were off for ages, and it was all a lot of Mark Plummer helped me out big time and found Ichiban, another well-known and well good fun. From the party it was to bed. all was sorted. We did miss our train, cause I liked Japanese restaurant. We had a good Monday was quick. I had most of my went to the wrong station, but then I think we meal. stuff packed, so after another Fruit breakfast fared better, and travelled first class home. Afterwards when I got back to the hotel. I with Pat and Julie Rigby. I packed up the On the train on the way home. I read the had a drink and then, I changed into surgical Sproutlore table, and a variety of other stuff. various con publications and was really im­ scrubs, to help in part of Heidi Adelheid’s I then went to the gripe session. It was a pressed with the professionalism of them and masquerade entry, to promote Year of the rather tame affair; size of badge, name on the the glossy pages, which really show the art­ Teledu. I changed and we then hung around, badge, signage and a few other very minor work therein to its best effect. The newsletter and hung around a bit more. We had our own points arose. One lady had an issue that was was good too, and I read these on the rain as space, so we started to use the intestines to unfortunate, and that was in my mind the well. skip with and just like kids, we managed to most serious problem, and the Con Chair Overall, I had a very good convention. I get about seven people all skipping at the immediately apologised, something had to think I want to take on a little less at the cons same time. slip through the cracks. I decided to actually over the next two years and focus more on I did most of the face makeup, which I am make mention of the fact that in the greater convention plans that I have myself. This getting a bit better at I think. It sorta takes scheme of things, if these were the only com­ will also allow me to spend more time enjoy­ time and practice. We made a fetching lot. plaints the con had gone actually really quite ing the convention. The idea was simple: three docs pull parts well. I was pleased to see so much support for out of a body and there is much squirting of I also pointed out that we need to be care­ the fan ftinds, and two small conventions ketchup. Then a big brain walks past, and ful with the vitriol, as younger con runner’s coming up. I was disappointed that there one says, where’s the brain, and the crowd wonder why people bother when they see the were only two fanzines doing the rounds. say its behind you, and then more doctors bloodletting. I have said to the Cyberdrome guys that shamble on stage and it becomes apparent The main point I took was that there were after six years of involvement at a variety of we are all zombies. In the middle of the vivi­ less and less volunteers volunteering which levels, its time for me to depart and just section, a Teledu is found. Anyhow, it was a was affecting the workload of the con com­ make a robot instead. couple of seconds laugh after quite a bit of mittee. At the same time those I encountered I think the committee did a hell of a lot of preparation all to promote a future conven­ were brilliant, and the con went well. It’s a work, I also think that those that did volun­ tion, and then I quickly cleaned up and put false sense of all is grand, that’s the problem teer at con did a very good job. I also think on my Teledu Shirt for the photo call. I think. that overall it was a very good convention. We cleaned up. wandered through the bar Afterwards it was onto a panel about There was no shortage of engaging panels, called by at the Denver Convention party, “Rise of the Comic Artist as Artist.” I had and it was a major comment of the weekend which was good, and went in search of the researched this quite bit. The panel went that many panels were full, and there was Badger. well, and was much better attended than I still space in the Big Tent for fun, filk, com­ It was to the TELEDU room party. I had had hoped or expected. ics, Robots, costuming, fan funds, fanzines, made a contribution and as a member was What makes an artist an artist, was first movie. TV, Doctor Who, concerns and doz­ welcomed to the party, but I brought some discussed, then, if monetary value equated to ens of corsets. ++ James May 2006 31

Arisia Lost and Found warmth of a smoldering volcano.” This year’s Smofcon will examine con- But the same sun shines on Las Vegas, at running topics from hotel relations to select­ Department the same intensity. It’s not like the Vegas ing guests, developing strong programming Arisia, held annually in Boston over Martin bidders can hope for the tropical breezes they to building membership. Smofcon draws on Luther King Day weekend, was forced to delivered when they ran the Hawaii Wester­ the knowledge of its membership to create a replace its hotel for 2007. Rick Z. Kovalcik. con. weekend of cross disciplinary education and Arisia Corporate President, made an online The Las Vegas in 2008 Westercon Bid is entertainment. announcement, adding that the reasons for chaired by James Stanley Daugherty, under The con will be sponsored by Mid Ameri­ the Boston Park Plaza Hotel making that the aegis of Conventional Wisdom, a Nevada can Science Fiction and Fantasy Conven­ decision were “not entirely clear to us.” non-profit corporation. Their website URL tions, Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational corpora­ Since the con was not notified of the deci­ is: http://hematite.com/burningfan/ tion formed in 2001 to bid for and run a KC sion until mid-February, all of the preferred Daugherty proposes to run the con at the worldcon. It has since expanded its charter to alternatives were already booked for January Las Vegas JW Marriott Resort, and he ad­ include other events which encourage the 2007 (and in many cases, completely booked mits, “Yes, we know it can be hot in Las furtherance of literacy. for the entire year of 2007). Vegas in July, but you can attend the full The full weekend price for Smofcon 24 is The committee has secured an alternative convention, eat, and sleep (optional) without $55.00 through June 30, 2006. Registrations site, on April 20 signing a contract with the ever leaving the air-conditioning.” may be sent in care of MASFFC, P.O. Box Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, MA. The 2007 The rest of the committee is: Bid Treas­ 414175, Kansas City, MO 64141. Please convention will still be held on the custom­ urer: Elayne Pelz, Secretary: Kathryn include your name, address, e-mail, and ary MLK weekend date. Daugherty, Directors Caradwen ‘Sabre’ phone. All members are considered potential Brasket, Tony Cratz, Ed Green. Christian panelists in order to facilitate the exchange Westercon 2008 McGuire, Liz Mortensen and Michael Siladi. of ideas. Reduced price room rates are $99 Phoenix and Las Vegas have officially filed Site selection takes place at the 2006 per night for a single/double and $109 for a and will duel each other for the rights to host Westercon in San Diego. If you can’t stand triple/quad. Reservations can be made by the 2008 Westercon. the heat, get out of the voting booth! calling (800) 433-1426 and using the magic Phoenix is being bid by Leprecon Inc., an word "Smofcon." More information may be Arizona non-profit corporation that runs the Smofcon Sets a Date obtained by contacting Margene Bahm via e- annual LepreCon and also has hosted the mail at [email protected] 2004 World Horror Convention, 2004 World in Kansas City Fantasy Convention and the 2006 Nebulas. Smofcon 24 will rally conrunners in Kansas City, MO from December 1-3, 2006 at the Capclave 2006 Guests of Honor The bid chair is Mike Willmoth. Their web­ The guests of honor for Capclave 2006 have site URL is: http://www.leprecon.org/w61/ Hotel Phillips. Smofcon is a science fiction convention aimed at the people who organize been announced by chair Elspeth Kovar. The After Evelyn C. Leeper scanned the Phoe­ Writer GoH is Kim Stanley Robinson and nix website she teased, “It looks like the science fiction conventions. Focusing on the running of large regional, national and inter­ Fan GoH is Tom Whitmore. Kovar wrote hotel this time is a single building, though online, "We’re delighted and honored to their site does say, ‘you will be surrounded national conventions, the con is open to any­ one interested in con running. An emphasis have them as our guests, with the added by the warmth of its tasteful Southwestern pleasure of bringing both back to a place elegance.’ As opposed to the last one. I will be placed on communication and plan­ ning this year. where they once lived.” guess, when we were surrounded by the Capclave runs October 20-22, at the Hil- 32 File 770: 147 ton/Washington Silver Spring. See additional day. “The Sources of the Nile” by Avram James information at,Capclave.org "Our chairman, Pam Fremon, really Davidson worked hard to support more publicity ef­ “A Study in Emerald" by Neil Gaiman Worldcon Bid Makes the Papers forts for this year’s convention,” Deb Geisler “The Voluntary State" by Christopher Rowe How many worldcon bids get noticed by the explained on Smofs. “Between her enthusi­ media before they win? Any? So the Chicago asm, the pre-con publicity and outreach ef­ “Old Negro Space Program” in 2008 bidders were delighted to be featured forts of JoAnn Cox, and Elisabeth Carey's hard work with press relations, the coverage Ruled Ineligible for Nebula by a local newspaper - even from the student “In 1957, if you were black, and you were an newspaper of Columbia College Chicago. by the Globe (and by NECN television) has been amazing.” astronaut... you were out of work,” recalls a Bid chair Dave McCarty explained, “The character in the parody film The Old Negro author had started off wanting to research an Space Program - and in 2006, out of the article on Philip K. Dick and ended up find­ From Skiffy to Kanji Nebulas, too. ing the bid a more interesting story.” The The nominees for Seiun Awards in the trans­ The SFWA Awards Rules Committee and feature appeared in the January 23, 2006 lated science fiction categories have been the SFWA Board of Directors have an­ issue of the Columbia Chronicle. announced by Toshiko Shichiri, Chair of the nounced that the short film is ineligible for Fans quoted as sources in the article in­ 45th Japan Science Fiction Convention, the 2005 Nebula Award and will not appear cluded McCarty, Chaz Boston Baden and known as “Michinoku SF Festival ZUN- on the final ballot. The January 31 press Ben Yalow. Ben showed his political savvy CON,” and Hirohide (Jack R.) Hirai, release states this decision was made by ducking a chance to predict the 2008 win­ Staff/Overseas Relations for Zuncon. The “reluctantly.” ner. “’I’m not prepared to handicap the race winners will be announced at the 45th Japan The Old Negro Space Program, a 10- just yet,’ Yalow said. ‘Certainly Chicago has Science Fiction Convention in July. Then, minute film, humorously chronicles fictional done a very credible job of making them­ the awards will be re-presented at L.A.Con African-American astronauts who overcame selves a very viable presence considering IV. NASA’s color barrier, telling their story in [the city] has held the Worldcon six times, the earnest style of Ken Bums’ PBS docu­ which is more than any city.’” TRANSLATED NOVELS mentaries like Baseball. Primarily distributed Stephen Silver, who writes the news for Altered Carbon, by Richard Morgan online, the film has garnered all the tokens of SFsite, would never make the mistakes he Diaspora, by Greg Egan internet success, including its own entry in spotted in the piece, including a real fake­ Neanderthal Parallax Trilogy (Hominids, the Wikipedia and an online shop to sell its fan’s boner - misspelling both Frederik Humans, and Hybrids) by Robert J. Sawyer souvenir t-shirts and mugs. Its detractors Pohl's first and last names. Revelation Space, by Alastair Reynolds accuse the film of making racism appear Space Chantey, by R.A. Lafferty equally fictitious, perhaps unintentionally, She Speaks for Boskone The Swords of Lankhmar, by Fritz Leiber and of perpetuating black stereotypes. Has another convention ever infiltrated the Tuf Voyaging, by George R.R. Martin Although listed on the preliminary Nebula local newspaper so thoroughly? Or were the Venus Plus X, by Theodore Sturgeon Award ballot, the film was found not to qual­ five Boskone-inspired stories in the February ify either because it “did not meet the re­ 14 issue of the Boston Globe just a typical TRANSLATED SHORT STORIES quirement of professional release, or the 12 day’s work for Helmuth? "Bernardo’s House” by James Patrick Kelly month period for nomination (after profes­ Helmuth’s galaxy-conquering techniques "The Empire of Ice Cream” by Jeffrey Ford sional release) expired prior to the film re­ failed, but working on a smaller scale his “Glacial” by Alastair Reynolds ceiving enough nominations to be placed on NESFA translator, Lis Carey, helped to take “The Human Front” by Ken MacLeod the ballot.” over the Globe’s Living/Arts section for a “Singleton” by Greg Egan The Internet Movie Database lists the film as a 2004 title. The press release concludes, “SFWA regrets the difficulty this will cause the Neb­ ula Awards Report Editor, Brook West, the film’s producer. Andy Bobrow and to voters who may already have cast their ballots. This action in no way reflects on the quality of The Old Negro Space Program.” The SFWA Awards Rules Committee at the time of the announcement consisted of Jeffrey A. Carver (chair), Jim Kelly and Connie Willis. (Jack Williamson’s resigna­ tion from the Rules committee and replace­ ment by Kelly was announced January 11, 2006 but no association between his depar­ ture from the Rules committee and its latest ruling on The Old Negro Space Program is indicated by the SFWA website.) [[Originally posted at trufen.net]] May 2006 33 The Fanivore

Joyce Katz used bookstores in the area. Greg Benford’s lecture on the direction Western society is taking makes sense. A Thanks for File 770. I was touched and quick glance at television programming saddened by the article on Katrina’s impact backs up his commentary on the need for on New Orleans fandom. While the loss of escaping from reality. Lots of programming art, books and magazine collections may on the supernatural plus really stupid sit­ seem trivial, compared to the lost of lives, it coms and even stupider reality shows. In is still an emotional wrench for any fan to fact, I would go so far as to suggest that the see pictures of that particular destruction. I plethora of reality TV shows enables view­ am sure that every fan feels an ache in the ers to live vicariously through these shows. heart, just thinking of it. The pictures of Then again, look again at the scheduling and Jack Stocker’s collection are a miserable there is currently a definite fascination with testament of the devastation. forensic science and crime shows in the I am reminded that a similar disaster media. Maybe this is because we want to struck Bob Schoenfeld, a St. Louis fan in the stop crime and bring evil-doers/perpetrators 1960s-70s. He was a close friend to Vaughn of violence to justice, and can’t do so in Bode, and at one point, when Vaughn’s life reality, therefore we turn to our entertain­ was in upheaval. Vaughn sent a great stack ment venues to solve crime. Or something of his art to Bob for safekeeping. It was like that. I’m no sociologist, but our enter­ carefully stored in the Schoenfeld home. tainments have always been a reflection of Then came a Missouri River/Mississippi our societal problems. flood, and ruined the entire lot. A terrible Before I sign off this time around, I need loss. to make a mental note to contact Brad Foster for some of his noodling. Welcome to the John Purcell family.” This is what makes fans and fan­ 50-Club, Brad! My wife gives me constant dom special; this is a tight-knit community grief about my hearing loss - years of play­ that cares about its members. All I can say is ing in rock bands will do this to you - but that I am glad to be a part of it. my memory seems to be okay for now. My As a fellow faneditor. I agree with your goal is to use my age and the eventual de­ statement that we have a propensity for ex­ That being said, I am shocked to hear of the news about Mike Glicksohn’s cancer. clining mental faculties to really go for that plaining things, maybe even apologizing for addle-brained college professor stereotype. things that are beyond our control, such as From the announcement it sounds like it’s been caught early on, so there’s a good Can’t wait to confound my students with the lateness of an issue. Heck, I’ve always this! thought that being late with your ish was the chance the surgery will get all of it and he fannish thing to do. and so is the resultant will be alright. My thoughts and prayers are apologizing for that lateness. Having never with Mike. Just FYI here, but I had a bit of a Ken Keller been one to adhere to a strict timetable on cancer scare last spring (suspected mela­ my zines, I consider pubbing three issues a noma) but tests revealed the cut-out bits to year to be serious productivity, especially if be benign. Imagine my surprise at receiving File 770 each issue runs well over 20 pages. Hell, I really enjoyed reading Tim Davis’s : 146 so soon after the Big Monster Issue of Mike, you’re not late; you’re on schedule! article mainly because it is now a required #145, especially since my sub had ex­ The response of fans to the Katrina disas­ tradition in my family to watch the Sci-Fi’s pired back with #142 (since renewed). You ter is a sobering reminder that we can all be channel’s annual New Years Twilight Zone are a kind faned, Mike. on the receiving end of natural and man­ marathon. This is the fourth year in a row I believe the combined page count of made forces. My family helped to get a cou­ we’ve done this. Hang the football games - those two issues brings File 770 back up to ple refugee families set up with furniture, channel surf at the commercials to catch the your old annual norm. Is this an emerging clothing and food here in the Bryan/College scores - but this is classic stuff, man! I usu­ trend, a return to your former glory days Station area, then we got hit with the out­ ally end up taping certain episodes to use in when you had A Regular Schedule? Are you skirts of Hurricane Rita, sustaining a bit of my classes as supplementary material for at last emerging from the Parental Black wind-damage. Nothing like Katrina discussion purposes. Such great stuff! Hole that swallows up most fans - at least wrought, thank the Lord. A solid news story David Bratman’s bit on Oxford was like­ for a while - once they start families? (I’ve in your zine. Thank you for keeping us in­ wise enjoyable. I am not surprised one bit at seen this happen far too many times over the formed of what's going on in our micro­ the odd photocopying regulations there; in decades.) Even so, I bow to your time man­ cosm. fact, being Oxford, I am sure that things agement skills at being able to hold down a Reading of how fans put together Care must be done in a certain way. Some year full time job, be a husband and father, and packages and helped out the victims rein­ I’d like to visit England; maybe I’ll do a remain a skilled and active smof and faned forces Jill Eastlake’s comment about fans in year’s teaching over there or attend a profes­ of the first degree. The graying of fandom a totally unrelated story, “We are definitely sional conference in London or where-ever. trend doesn’t seem to be slowing you down Then like David I can rummage through the at all. 34 File 770: 147

still difficult for me to digest on a purely emotional level. None of us can ever hope to fully understand just how awful this tragedy has been. The loss of longtime fam­ ily homes, pets, and treasured sf collections is just staggering and mind-numbing. (The photos of Dr. Jack Stocker’s ruined sf col­ lection of 50+ years were truly horrifying. My heart goes out to him.) I have to wonder if New Orleans and its local fandom(s) can ever recover. We’ve never seen anything quite like this in fandom before. But I fear it won’t be the last major disaster we’ll see hit fandom. You and the rest of LA fandom live un­ der the constant threat of The Big One as do other fannish enclaves up and down the Pacific rim. Kansas City fandom lives with the annual threat of multiple tornadoes, which devastated parts of northwestern KC When I pulled #146 from its envelope, it such obsessive fannish thoughts and just several years ago, and just struck our was actually the second Rocketeer related focus on whether #146 should be placed in area again a few days ago as I write this. All item I received in the mail that day, the first my Rocketeer collection or with my long of Missouri fandom would have A Very Bad being an eBay item I’d won. I col­ run of File 770. (Ah, such conundrums add Day, indeed, if the major New Madrid fault lect Rocketeer stuff as part of a larger col- spice to a humble collectors life.) down in Missouri’s “boot heel” ever let lection of various types of Designing Hugo Bases: Reading about loose bigtime, as it did in the early 19th pulp sf/adventure/superhero material set in L.A. Con’s Hugo base design contest re­ century. (Its shock waves rang church bells the ‘30s. It’s grown into a large collection, minded me that exactly 30 years ago I was all the way in the northeast.) New York one of many I maintain amid various spe­ deeply involved in that very process for the fandom would be equally in jeopardy if cialized collections that fills my space. Be­ 34th Worldcon. No Hugo base design con­ NYC was hit by a Katrina-force hurricane. ing a fan herself, my wife Terry is very un­ tests way back then. No sir. That was a perk The tidal surge alone, according to the ex­ derstanding about all this stuff, as long I’d reserved for myself as MidAmeriCon’s perts, would be much worse than in New as I make an effort to keep it organized. con chair. As a graphic designer, I had these Orleans. There are other examples I could Being able to do so without it just piling up Revolutionary New Ideas about completely site.... and up was a big reason we wound up mov­ revamping the Hugo Award top to bottom, Hurricane Rita: A couple of weeks ing to a much newer and larger home in ‘04 and even a radical new way to stage the later, when Rita hit the Texas-Louisiana - that and not wanting to continue to main­ awards ceremony. Thus began my Hugo coast, that storm drove my brother-in- tain a house built during the Model T odyssey - only a part of which dealt law Don (Matz), his wife, their seven daugh­ and early biplane era. with producing the Worldcon’s first modem ters and two grandchildren from their homes Tarai’s Cover: His rendition of a furry Hugo base in cold-cast porcelain (one of in Lake Charles, Louisiana, just a bit north Cliff Secord, in a scene inspired by the many new innovations first introduced at of Gulf. His older children and grandchil­ Rocketeer movie and the graphic novel, is MAC and still part of Worldcons today). dren where dropped off inland with various nicely done. He captures the menacing look No, I haven’t forgotten my old prom­ friends and in-laws as they slowly made of the Mauser pistol, one of my all time ise to you about writing up my MidAmeri- their exodus north on the jammed Inter­ favorite weapons. I have a non-firing re­ Con Hugo memoirs for File 770. That states. With the younger children, they even­ pro among my Rocketeer items. (It wasn’t a "adventure” actually began, surprisingly, ten tually wound up in Hot Springs, Arkansas very good or reliable weapon in actual use, years before MAC and finally ended in where, coincidently, Terry and I had been but many ‘30s and ‘40s fictional heroes and ‘77, just before SunCon. I have many inter­ just a month before on other family busi­ villains carried it. obviously for its looks.) I esting Hugo-related tales to tell. Three dec­ ness. By shear coincidence, in a tourist have to wonder: How would that big Pepe ades later feels like the right time to finally city with many hotels and motels, LePeu tail affect the flight characteristics put them on the fannish record. I still have they settled in at the very same Country Inn of our furry Rocketeer? Wouldn’t it tend to very sharp recollections of all & Suites where we had stayed. counter the steering ability of his Art Deco the various details, even after so many years. About two weeks later, Don and his son- helmet’s streamlined rudder-fin? Let alone I only need to consult my (detailed) con in-law Seth snuck around be in the way of the very hot rocket exhaust chair notebooks on a few items. Being a the National Guard and went back exiting from furry Cliff s rocket pack? slow, plodding writer, though, I have no into Lakes Charles to assess their property Wouldn’t that effectively turn him into a idea right now how long it will damage. The city was very badly damaged lighted candle wick-and eventual explosion take to complete it. But I can give you the on its south side. Seth’s small home was on hazard-while rocketing skyward, so close to title: “Reflections on a Silver Icon.” the north side and was virtually untouched- that hydrogen gas filled dirigible? At least Hurricane Katrina: Your coverage of one of those lucky quirks of fate. Don’s before he could rescue furry Betty from the Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans home didn’t fair as well. Portions of the roof clutches of the evil Nazi fur balls that have fandom in #145 and #146, and the links you were gone, and there was water damage abducted her and placed her on board. provided to other sites, was heart-wrenching inside. Some of the siding was gone. There And then, perhaps I should stop having to the extreme. After so many months, it’s was peeling paint and wallpaper everywhere May 2006 35 due to no power and the high summer heat of slowly increasing horror in his voice short, flip answers to her uninspired ques­ that returned following the storm. Large as he spoke. Denton performed a clever send tions. I later asked a programming staff portions of the water damaged wall-to-wall up of actor F. Murray Abraham’s mono­ member who the hell this twit was and carpet had become mildewy for the same logue (to the camera) from the where they’d dug her up? I was told she was reason. The frig and stand-alone freezer film ’’Amadeus.” Brad’s final realization: As a local medieval studies college academic. were ruined by long-spoiled food. Downed a writer, he was Salieri when meas­ (Hmm.) Which only proves. I suppose, that trees and other storm debris covered every­ ured against the genius of Martin’s Mo­ a Harvard higher education can be a bad thing in the area. As I write this in February, zart. Martin was looking on during all this thing if it falls into the wrong hands. there’s been no homeowner’s insurance obviously amused and maybe even a settlement forthcoming. Don and his fam­ tad embarrassed. As Brad finished, Martin - Joseph Nicholas ily live the best they can in their damaged also with mock seriousness in his voice — house, a large, heavy tarp covering the roof. added a comment that put a period at the end Building supplies are still scarce. of Brad’s final sentence: ”It’s good that you Thanks for the latest issue of File 770 - Conestoga 9: H. L. Drake should stick know your place, Denton.” Much laughter always an unexpected pleasure, no matter with straight con reportage and leave the and hearty applause followed as Brad hung how much it may slip down your schedule. humor to others. To my mind, he only man­ his head, an expression of mock humility on Greg Benford says, in the letter column, aged to insult GoH George R.R. Martin with his face, while nodding in agreement. Well that “in Europe they are terrified of the com­ his “humorous” (read: wise-ass) observa­ played! I have to say this was one of the best petition of the Chinese and Indian markets.” tions of R.R.’s “expected poor dress and an toastmaster gigs I’ve seen in 33+ years of Well, some politicians are certainly terrified, inability to breathe on his own and feed and con going. Brad is a seldom used resource and bleat endlessly about the pressures of properly clothe himself.” All that was that other concoms should take notice of- globalisation which will end the post-war needed to complete this pathetic picture was more opening ceremonies could use such social democratic consensus and force eve­ Martin fitted with a drool cup and a personal clever, well planned, and executed ryone to work for below minimum wage attendant in tow to keep him in line. A fine "histrionics” as these! with no free medical care, free schooling or way to treat the man whom Time Magazine Drake is absolutely right about one thing: state pension at the end of it. (Although (no less) hailed as “The American Tolkein” Eldevik ’s supposed interview with George none of them have ever attempted to explain in a very laudatory article (November 21, R. R. Martin was b-a-d. Bordering on inane. how they expect people to meet first world 2005). I couldn’t believe how in love she was with living costs on third world wages - pre­ Drake also managed to insult Cones­ herself, her Harvard education, and other sumably because they dimly realise, as they toga's very competent registration staff with credentials. She professed Insight and spout their globalise-or-die tosh, that if they his “humorous" comments. In their defense, Knowledge of his Ice and Fire series, but it were to openly acknowledge this contradic­ they quickly got everyone, including became clear she was really only interested tion their audiences would break into open me, through this necessary process and into in her opinions of those works, not Martin’s laughter.) But anyone who has any under­ the swirl of con activity with speed and - particularly if they were in conflict with standing of history will know perfectly well professionalism. (Geez, maybe her notions about the series. (Frankly, I’d that the past is littered with examples of that registration “cowgirl” should’ve roped rather watch freshly run mimeo stencils polities and societies which, having risen to and branded him instead of handing him his dry than sit through one of her “interviews” enjoy their moments at the top, fell once con badge-*joke.*) again.) The only reason I stayed was to see again into oblivion - either from conquest Drake, at first complimentary on Brad if R.R. would finally get fed up and just by another nation-state, over-exploitation of Denton’s performance as toastmaster, let her have it. He didn’t. Instead, he was their natural resource base, or what Paul then short-changed that performance by polite, refusing to take her seriously - as Kennedy (in The Rise and Fall of The Great saying his script was too long and full of can be gleaned from George’s (quoted) Powers, in 1988) called “imperial over- histrionics. Sorry, but Brad had six others up on that dais with him, including the con chair (as Keith Stokes photo plainly WGlC, WHAVt shows) whom he had to deal with, and deal with them he did! With great skill and hu­ mor I might add. all of which the audi­ ence appreciated — except Drake, appar­ ently. Denton’s deft parody of pop cul­ ture’s "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” shtick, as applied to the guests individually and then as a group, was very clever and brought many laughs. I sat near Brad’s wife, Bar­ bara, as she operated their laptop computer for his accompanying power-point presenta­ tion. She also carefully followed the script while making occasional small changes to the video projector’s im­ age. (Later, when Texas writer Howard Waldrop and I were catching up, we both agreed this partnership made for a seamless presentation.) Brad saved his best stuff, though, for the GoH. Using a mock tone 36 File 770:147 stretch” - too much to do, but insufficient West (and) the very idea behind Western helping recover from a disaster than there is resources with which to do it, leading to civilisation, that we could master the uni­ in fighting in Iraq. The Bush regime was economic collapse and contraction. Why verse and create a better society,” and that embarrassed by receiving assistance from should modem Europe be any different from we’re now seeing “the beginning of the next other countries as they tried to help in return ancient Persia, Rome, imperial Spain? It is major stage in the development of all hu­ for the help the US government has given not crazy, as Benford says, “to think that, a manity” strikes me as very old-fashioned: them in abundance in decades past. hundred years from now, Europe will be a what used to be called the Whig view of The Glicksohn saga continues. He is complete backwater, a place that is essen­ history, in which human culture was seen as well, writing to many people, and I see that I tially seen as a living museum.” brutish and nasty in its beginnings but has was not the only one to send this small mis­ But if Europe became a backwater, it advanced to ever-higher planes of sophisti­ sive from Mike to Trufen.net. I must soon would simply be revisiting its past. The rise cation and learning, and will continue to do work on a list of zines Mike might like to of Europe, and its remaking of the world, is so into the indefinite future. But history, get in order to ease him back into loccing a relatively recent phenomenon: until it like biological evolution, is a contingent, zines. I expect that the locol in most zines reached the take-off point around 1500 AD, dynamic process; it has no overall direction are going to look pretty Canadian real soon and in effected “exported” its struggles to a or sense of purpose, and hence no “stages of now. global stage, it was pretty much an append­ development” through which humanity can One bit of news Yvonne and I have been age of Asia, where the real struggles for advance. We have - 1 will agree - im­ slowly disseminating, not sure if I’ve al­ dominance were located - and into which proved understanding of the world, com­ ready sent it to you...After 25 years of con- Europe stepped very late in the day, when pared to previous generations (and they running and working, Yvonne and I have previous powers such as India and China compared to theirs, and so on back), but decided to call it a day. We have worked a had entered into long-term decline. Take an what impact has this had on our forms of number of Worldcons dating as far back as even longer view, and there is only one na­ social organisation, political structures, eco­ 1983, and we have worked and run local tion-state which, one way or another, has nomic relations, religious beliefs (for those conventions in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, endured in one shape or form for the whole who have such beliefs)? Absolutely none. Buffalo and Rochester. We'll still attend of the past two millennia - sometimes Do you - does anyone reading this, if you conventions, and we certainly don’t mind weak, publish it - feel more “developed” pulling a shift or two at registration, but no simply because I composed more committees for us. In three weeks, it in front on one computer we'll be working Ad Astra 25 (where you screen and you’re reading it were FanGoH 23 years ago), and that’ll be it on another? Of course not! there. Gaylaxicon is in Toronto this year, But as Benford would and we are assisting chairman Lance Sibley. say “Whoosh - didn’t mean Then comes the wind-up of our Canadian to lecture!” Especially as it agency with LAcon IV, and once that’s would appear, from the done, we’re done. 1 know we’ll miss it, but aroma wafting up the stairs Yvonne wants to devote more time to space into my office, that dinner activism, and I want to concentrate more on may be about to be writing for zines. Also. Yvonne will be at served.... LAX this coming May to attend the 2006 International Space Development Confer­ Lloyd Penney ence. She’s going down with members of sometimes divided, but always a presence: the Canadian Space Society. That’s on the China. As the Chinese might say: so the same weekend as Corflu in Toronto. wheel revolves (although I personally don't Thank you kindly for issue 146 of File 770, Glad to see that John Hertz had a good believe in cyclical theories of history). one of the best sources of Tarai covers in time at Westercon. We missed Kelly at Tor- Seen from this perspective, as Benford fanzine fandom today. Time to try to get con, but at least during his lifetime, Kelly himself will have to acknowledge, it is caught up, and get you a halfway-decent loc. was a GoH twice in Toronto, both times at highly unlikely that the present period of US Errata? How unslannish! Google proves Ad Astra. I had heard the criticism that Cal­ dominance will last, either. Whether it takes that a single mistake is forever, or as long as gary fandom are mostly gamers and anime another fifty years or another five hundred the website is available, anyway. I don’t fans, so something a Westercon would be years, the USA will slip from the top spot, to think I have ever used Amazon to buy a unknown to most, or something not to their be eclipsed by another power - probably book. Yvonne has a couple of times, but no liking. Con-Version is not a convention I’ve sooner rather than later, in fact. And this is matter now well Amazon packs the volume, been to, but I’d like to. Ah, if only I’d without taking account of environmental Canada Post decides to use the package as a known about the Hawaiian shirt contest. I factors such as anthropogenic climate soccer ball. have close to 40 of them now, and most are change, which will affect everything. As I am heartened to see how fans are handmade by Yvonne. If Steve Stirling had Benford also attempts to locate the de­ helping fans through the horrors of Hurri­ been given a cowboy hat, it would have to cline of Western civilisation as whole in the cane Katrina. I am disappointed, but not be black. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Steve success of the Star Wars movies - but I surprised, at how government agencies are in anything but black. don’t think this really stands up. If these failing those who still need help. Some are films have anything to do with an argument being denied available trailers and supplies Joseph T. Major about cultural decline, it’s because they’re a meant for recovering from a hurricane, and product of it, not the cause of it. Even so, his others are being outright abandoned by whole argument about the success of the FEMA and other groups. Guess for the gov­ Editorial Notes: But the question I have fantasy genre as “a bad signature for the ernment, there’s less testosterone factor in about NASFiC 2007 is: will you be there? May 2006 37

[[Unfortunately, probably not. But I had a good time at Archon Chris Garcia and expect them to do a fine NAS- FiC.]] New Orleans: Does anyone I love the cover of the ish. After having know where Peggy Ranson is now? read Earl Kemp’s latest el. I’ve been I've been commissioned to find her. spending some time looking into and Not Lost in Translation: If the reading old-timey SF and the cover just Japanese says “Go stick your head fits in with that motif. in a pig," that should be the least of On the Dissatisfied Customer note, I Steve Silver’s worries. To see what think this is going to happen a lot. I mean check the Engrish.com site Google, and any other search engine, for many will be able to get folks articles from examples of “lost in translation”. various fanzines and that will be what Let’s do fanac together! turns new comers on to fanzinery. I can John Hertz’s Westercon Note­ just see someone looking for informa­ book: “The Kelly Freas Memorial tion on sex in fandom, coming across Slide Show" which sounds like the David Kyle's piece in Mimosa and they sort of thing that should have been just keep reading more and more until at the Freas panel at Torcon. they venture out. Hell, with the width of I don’t know about Waldrop and subjects I undertake in The Drink Tank, the dodo. As Willy Ley pointed out there’s likely to be someone who hits it in his Galaxy column, lo these as their first fanzine on a random search many years ago, the Dutch some­ (and woe be on them for it!) If the times called dodos walghvogels, Google scanning project can hook up “disgusting birds.” You see, the longer you convey with no words. with UC Riverside and do the scans of all cooked them, the worse the meat tasted. So Thanks for the story on Katrina fans and the fanzines there, that would be a wonder­ not only Ugly Chickens, but Ucky ones. their losses. The pictures really bring the ful resource, and one that would lead to Short Waves: Lisa and I stayed the night loss of book and magzine collections home. more folks discovering fanzines. in Hagerstown on the way back from No- I’ll have to check out Guy Lillian’s website. Strangely, the “And God said to watch rEasCon in 2004. We drove by Harry War­ (I miss the print zine, but I know his zines more movies” is exactly like many of the ner’s house; the door was open, and work­ really used a lot of postage!) Anyone know rants The Little One, aka Evelyn, has made men were going in and out. The place what kind of tree was planted in Joe over the last couple of years. My favorite: looked a bit dilapidated. We didn’t stop and Mayhew’s memory at the Beltsville Li­ Chris, I’m now in charge and say that we’re get out; perhaps we should have. brary? Parkinsonia? going to have Macaroni and Cheese for My Short. Happy Life As An Oxford Thanks for all the other news items too, dinner and watch Simpsons and Rachel Ray Scholar: “It’s like the secret underground including the Hugo base design contest and after. If you don’t like it, you can go home! fortress in some spy film, except that it’s full Mike Resnick’s medical update. I’m glad to It was quite a powerplay (we ended up eat­ of books.” Now you have given me a reason hear his vision has improved. I hope he’s ing Mac & Cheez, but she also had to eat her not to go there. I’d go broke. Scene at Cus­ feeling better. veggies) toms: “Are you saying, Mr. Major, that this Thanks to John Hertz for his Westercon As a bibliophile, seeing all those books entire UPS cargo plane is full of your report; it sounds like he was really busy destroyed breaks my heart. As a human cargo?” there; the Kelly Freas slide show must have being, seeing all the destruction everywhere The Fanivore: Repealing the Buffy been outstanding. I’ve never been on an SF breaks it even worse. In many ways, being a Hugo (BDP Short Form)? I tend to be leery con docent tour; it sounds like a great idea. I part of fandom is like being a member of a about reworking Hugo categories. There is a enjoyed the other con reports too; Keith congregation: there’s always someone look­ long line of people out there with proposals. Stokes certainly enjoyed Archon 29. And I ing out for you in times of trouble. “Let’s abolish these obsolete categories like admired David Bratman for persevering in On the Frank Wu note, Frank is actually ‘Best Fanzine’ and set up five new catego­ his Oxford researches. What a challenge! the Wu who wrote Guidolon: The Giant ries for the Web!!!” Which opens the door And a great opportunity. Space Chicken. It was in Daikaiju, an an­ to all the others.... Thanks for the information about the thology out of Australia. I actually played What universe is your fanzine based on? Heinlein Centennial Convention, which I’ve Guidolon in the first staged reading at Lo- Maybe you’re writing Bimbos of the Death mentioned in the AOL SF Authors/Heinlein sCon, and Frank, Diana Sherman and Jim Sun fan fiction. folder. The Fanivore letters always have lots Terman were there as the other characters. more news, along with opinions, too. Hopefully, we’ll get an audio recording Joy V. Smith Thanks for the explanation re: my cover done shortly and have that to pass around. query. And is this issue’s cover a really neo It’s a really fun little story. Nazi reference? And what are the spacemen Sadly, I read the note of Big Hearted That was quick! Enjoyable round-up of doing on page 21? OK, what is she doing Howard’s death a few minutes before I read errata and editorial notes. Btw, have I rec­ and where is she going on the back cover?! F770. It’s a sad time. He was going to be the ommended The Boy and his Frog picture My inquiring mind always wants to know. Fan GoH in L.A. and I was going to finally books for Sierra yet? They may be out of Thanks for another fun and informative read get a chance to meet him. In the mid-1990s, print, but I think you’d enjoy them too. with photos and illos that really enhance it. I called him on the phone and talked to him Lot’s of fun, and it’s amazing what you can for a few minutes as research fbr a film I 38 File 770: 147 was planning on making. Sadly, joyed the production very much. that was the, only time our paths David’s description of the crossed. Sad. arcane ways of the library re­ Glad to hear that Mike Res­ minded me of the novel Angels nick’s vision is improving. Sad to and Demons by Dan Brown, in hear about Mike Glicksohn’s which the protagonists spend cancer. Hopefully, both manage quite a bit of time doing research to improve greatly in the new in the Vatican archives. year. I’m sorry to hear that Greg As a fan of filk and of NPR, I Benford won’t be writing any wish I had heard that broadcast. fiction for a while, but I guess this I’ve had the honour of hearing will give me the opportunity to Lynn Gold many times over the catch up on my reading of his years, even get to hear her radio books. voice here in the Bay Area on I hadn’t thought of the trend he one of the stations over the week­ remarks on, that of rewarding ends. more fantasy than science fiction To me, GooglePrint is magic with Hugo awards. As far as last and the only way we’re going to year’s novel Hugos, the science be able to allow all people to fiction nominees just weren’t that access a majority of information great. His observation that this in the future. Libraries can only trend is probably a sign of the hold so much, but you can hold times is one I tend to agree with. an almost infinite amount of I read an interesting piece of material as data and make it available to the coming up with an illustration for a short information someplace, possibly Business largest number of people possible. My mu­ story. The con committee actually supplied Week. If both the US and China continue seum is one of the groups that’s been work­ us with a super-short tale of only a few growing economically at the same pace as ing with Google, who are just down the pages for everyone to work off of, and we today, it will take China forty years to catch street from us, and I think the project is let participants know this wasn’t going to be up. So it will be a while before the US is dynamite. I understand why a lot of writers a panel to teach your how to draw, but to supplanted as the economic superpower of are worried, though. think as an illustrator, how to approach an the world. I missed Due North, sadly. I’ve never assignment, how to best represent the story, managed to make it to any Canadian con. I etc. etc. I was very impressed by the wide Frank Wu was planning on making CorFlu, but now I variety of ideas and approaches we got from can not. I think the country is rejecting me everyone. A lot of energy in those two somehow. I believe Conestoga showed my hours, and one of the more satisfying bits of I was really pleased to see a new File 770\ short film The Chick Magnet. Another con I programming I’ve worked on in awhile. And coming so quickly on the heels of the wish I had the funds to make it to, especially Very nice. previous one. Excellent work. I taunted with a line-up of guests and attendees like it Oh, and sorry Drake didn't understand Chris Garcia with my printout at BASFA obviously had. Denton’s presentation in the Opening Cere­ and he was excited to see it, but I told him I had no idea that David Bratman was a monies, but as he pointed out, everyone else he couldn’t have it. He’d have to print out Librarian. I’m the son of a librarian and did. Truly hilarious, and incredibly well- his own. He did say, though, that he really have been around that world all my life, researched in ferreting out information about loved Tarai’s cover (which I do, too). pretty much. Another of The Computer His­ each and every one of the guests there. A My favorite thing in the issue were the tory Museum’s employees used to work at great convention on every level. If we didn't con reports (I am a total con pig -1 go to as Oxford and told me that the museums there have a scheduling conflict with an art festi­ many as I can, and those that I don’t attend, are even stricter and weirder for access val in 2006, we’d be going back again. I want to know everything about) and espe­ rules. Our archives are much easy to work cially Tim Davis’ Christmas story. Some­ with. There are two types of librarians: Laurraine Tutihasi times the most valued presents aren’t the Those that want folks to read the books and expensive ones, but the ones which show love them, and those that want them saved that people really care about us, really lis­ forever and if that means that they only get I enjoyed greatly reading David Bratman’s tened to us. It was touching. read once, so be it! report of his visit to Oxford. I’ve never been The purported UFO abduction in Tim’s Really good stuff there, but I was in Cambridge for a couple story also made me wonder when someone’s of days back in 1979. Of course, I wasn’t going to write a story (someone who can Brad Foster doing any library research. I don’t recall really write, not me) about John Lennon’s having any problems getting an evening UFO encounters. He says he saw one stand­ meal in Cambridge, but I wasn’t there very ing naked on top of his E. 52nd st apartment Was great to get #146 the other day. Sorry long. My friends and I lucked out in the play building with May Pang (whom he was your reporter missed out on the panel I did we saw in Cambridge. It was Oscar Wilde’s living with while he and Yoko were having at Conquest with David Lee Anderson. Lady Windemere’s Fan and featured one of problems). It was circular, changing colors, Something new in art programming. It was a the actors of the Dotrice family. I don’t re­ floating silently in the air only a hundred two-hour block where we ran a group of call which one, possibly Michele, but I’m feet away. So close you could almost touch about eight people through the process of not absolutely positive. Anyway, we en­ it, and as it drifted away, Lennon shouted May 2006 39 out, “Take me with you!” At the time he the days, didn’t go in the evenings or to any memory serves, he was the only person ever was recording “Walls and Bridges” and the parties, only saw a fraction of the program, to win both the Rebel and Rubble Awards), album back cover notes: “On 23 August and, anyway, only knew a handful of the but he accomplished a great deal in fandom. 1974,1 saw a UFO. J.L.” fans there. So I’m hardly qualified to writer Many of us will miss him. There will proba­ And also, ya gotta wonder about his story any sort of meaningful report. bly be some kind of event at next year’s about how he came to name the Space Opera (panel at Millenicon). David Libertycon to celebrate Irv’s memory. Band the Beatles: “I had a vision that a man Drake’s comparison of “Space Opera” with It is good to see that your family is doing came unto us on a flaming pie, and he said, “Horse Opera” is fair enough, but surely well. It looks like I will not go down that ‘You are Beatles with an A.’ And so we both terms derive from “Soap Opera,” the path. Maybe it’s better for the gene pool that were.” Man on a flaming pie? A spaceman radio serials of the Thirties sponsored by I do not. But somebody has to if civilization in a flying saucer? The mind boggles. soap manufacturers. The word “opera” may is to survive. Maybe John didn’t get shot down outside be pejorative, as he says, in this context, but his front door. Maybe, like another still conveys the sense that we’re not talking Sheryl Birkhead musician, Elvis, he was secretly spirited great literature here - probably not intended away... by the authors anyway. (But often good Two minor corrections, though. fun!) As for science fiction, you could say March 3, 2006 Thanks for the shout-out about my future that Space Opera is what you point to, or. to Dear Filer (and come April 15th, aren’t ambitions for the Licensing Inti Show in be a little mor accurate, cops-and-pirates we all?): New York in June, but one of the projects perhaps, or if you like, westerns transposed Nice masthead illo. I love these 3-D ef­ I’ll be pushing. “The Tragical Historic of into space. Maybe that’s too narrow a defi­ fects, mainly because even if I have the Guidolon" was created by yours truly, not nition nowadays. I’m thinking of things like same software I can’t figure out how they’re William F. Wu. Bill isn’t working on Guido­ Doc Smith’s Lensmen or Jack Williamson’s done! lon, but he’s helping with another of my Legion of Space stories, both from an era I still have not visited eFanzines.com, brainchildren, the Dragon v. Dreadnought rich in this type of sf and both I would con­ and until I have a color printer than can do project, wherein dragons fight World War I sider superior examples even though some justice to art, I won’t, unless the zines don’t battleships, tanks and biplanes. He’s going of the dialogue, particularly Doc’s, was have “visual windbreaks” - and then they to write up some little stories for me for this pretty excruciating! Many of the Avce Dou­ are simply difficult to read. So. I'll stick project. ble novels were also good examples, as the with the traditional format. Also, in a photo, KD. Wentworth is panelists agreed. A friend just had a detached retina tacked incorrectly labeled as “K.D. Lang,” which I Loved Darrell Schweitzer's letter in #145 back down by laser work. No hereditary or thought was pretty funny, actually. relating his editing of Weird Trails: The disability component [to the problem], so no A good issue - thanks! Keep 'em Magazine of Supernatural Cowboy Stories idea why. cornin’! and his references to M. M. Moamrath, I suppose this is the author that outgrabed March 20, 2006 Fred Smith everybody else! Having checked out the Dale Speirs award story is the proverbial Wildside Press website I faunch for a copy classic! of his anthology or, rather, facsimile, if I can Wow - Canfield illos. Freff. Ah, names Thanks, again, for File 770:145 and 146. save up enough pennies. I trust it doesn’t from the past! Having thought that I had plenty of time to come with a curse attached. I’m betting Steve Stiles gets the nomina­ acknowledge #145 because of that long gap Haven’t much comment to make about tion nod again this year. I tried to get that after #144 I guess I dragged my heels in #146 except that Greg Benford is right about little lapel pin [Hugo rocket] when I was getting down a loc and, therefore, along fantasy having apparently usurped science nominated, but the fan I was told to contact comes #146 before I even have time to draw fiction in Fandom's affections. I was never replied to my requests, so I never got breath. Anyhow, I notice that it’s considera­ shocked...shocked, I tell you... to hear that that nifty little lapel rocket. bly smaller than before - not that that’s a a fantasy novel hgad won the 2005 Hugo in I’m still trying to get a copy of Carr’s bad thing; a smaller more frequent ish keeps spite of John Hertz’s claiming to me that it Fandom Harvest. Thought I had the right everybody on their toes and the news is was quite legitimatre for a fantasy to be fan (I did) but no response to my e-mail much more up-to-date! considered for a science fiction award. request for an address and cost (plus how to Having said all that (Rubbish! Did I [[John is quite right that the Hugo is an pay, what currency). But now I’ll go in hear?) #145 seems to have more meat in it award for both science fiction and fantasy. search of The Improbable Irish and then go and not just because it’s bigger, what with One would not have guessed so from the back to the Carr publication. all those con reports (all of them good). I long history of the Best Novel winners prior particularloy enjoyed your own Noreascon to the Harry Potter win in 2001.]] March 19, 2006 one and James Bacon’s TAFF reminis­ Agh - I never stopped to think about losing cences. As a confirmed nit picker, however, Mike Rogers all my books... uh - I’ve skimmed it all I must add my voice to the, no doubt, count­ down to a lock box, two folders and my pet less others who noticed that Keith Stokes carriers - in an emergency anything else (twice) thought “antidote” meant You have probably heard by now that long­ saved is gravy. But - I do have zines I con­ “anecdote”! Slip of the typing digit maybe ? time Southern fan Irvin Koch passed away sider classics stored on the first floor in [[He deserved more help than he got on November 19 while taking a nap. He was ziplock bags. Hmm, given time I’d also grab from his editor!]] one of my best friends, perhaps because he some zip disks. But...but..has no one sent you any re­ was one of the few people even geekier than Congrats to Janice Gelb on the ports from Interaction? I would write one me. He was one of those people who at­ “transfer.” myself but I only managed to attend two of tracted positive or negative attention (if RIP Howard. 40 File 770: 147

Dreamer is on my NetFlix list. angry, and without explanation claimed that “charges” against Lee is based solely on Fingers crossed, but so far ‘06 has not the membership was fraudulent, and that he what Lee has told him I said - and cannot be been a great fannish year. One can hope! wouldn’t honor it. backed up by anything I actually posted. To his credit, instead of forcing the issue Here’s what really happened: Keith Lynch by showing up, Ted chose to drop out of Three and a half years ago - in the spring WSFA, even though it's been a major part of 2002 - Keith Lynch innocently men­ of his life for over half a century. WSFA tioned to Lee that he’d found an entry on her I am Keith Lynch. I was WSFA’s secretary members were shocked to learn that Alexis in Dick (no relation) Lynch’s outline for a during most of the time relevant to Alexis has repaid this magnanimous gesture, not history of 1960s fandom, which is online on Gilliland’s letter that was published in the merely by circulating a defamatory flyer two sites. That entry was about seven lines latest File 770. within WSFA, but by broadcasting these long. Here’s what it said, in totality: His letter is wildly inaccurate. falsehoods to the whole of fandom. What “Elizabeth Swanson (known in later The Gillilands objected to the large num­ more does Alexis want of Ted? Seppuku? years as Lee Uba) ber of freeloaders who were attending “ - granddaughter of SF author Fredric WSFA meetings at their house regularly but Ted White Brown not paying dues. When it became clear that “ - was in Air Force in early 1970s Ted White was remiss in his dues, Elspeth “ - since Air Force’s covert operation Kovar told me she was going to pay his dues File 770 #146 contains an amazing letter known as ‘Air America’ did *not* herself. I concurred with her decision, but from Alexis Gilliland. I am astonished that officially exist since she was between jobs, and Ted had Alexis has decided to go public with this “ » therefore, she was *not* involved in gotten me my current job, I insisted on pay­ affair, since it reflects so very poorly on him any U.S. military activities ing. Bob Macintosh, who has been club (and far worse on his wife, Lee), but I am “ » she was *not* a radar operator treasurer for 18 years, accepted my money not surprised that to bolster his case, Alexis “ » she was *not* stationed in Cambodia” by subtracting $10 from the check to com­ has resorted to out and out falsehoods. Lee’s response to this verbal communica­ pensate me for WSFA Journal printing costs. Virtually everything he said about me in tion from Keith Lynch was to post to the I refused Ted’s reimbursement. this letter is false and provably so. The big­ WSFA list her extreme anger with him: “It When a new person wishes to join, they gest lie is that I have already brought this matters not one whit WHERE Keith found must be sponsored by a member and by at topic up on my "usual internet forums.” personal information about me or anyone least one of the three trustees. But Ted was, Since Alexis belongs to none of those else. He had no business doing so. It is an of course, not a new member. In fact, he had “forums” - Trufen, Timebinders, Fmzfen, et invasion of privacy. And against current been in the club longer than anyone else al - he can make this claim unfettered by Virginia statutes.” who was still in the club, as Alexis is well any knowledge of its accuracy. But you, And verbally Lee started telling people aware. Ted was president of the club over Mike, are on at least a couple of them and that Keith was secretly in love with her and fifty years ago. know very well that I've not brought it up was stalking her. At one WSFA meeting she So nobody had to vouch for him. Barry anywhere you’d have seen it. Nor have I called Keith a liar and charged that what he Newton, one of the three trustees, didn’t mentioned it in any of the other fannish lists had done was “about three steps from rape.” sign anything, and wasn’t even aware of the you’re not on. So it is Alexis who has It should be noted that Dick Lynch had routine membership renewal. The same with brought this topic up for the first time in a gotten this information about Lee from Lee the other two trustees. I have no idea why public fannish forum. - but. due to her upset over its Alexis believes Barry signed anything. The actual “feud” originated in the “publication,” he removed it from his web­ Walter Miles had nothing to do with WSFA list, and I was not a major partici­ site. (It remains however on Roxanne Gra­ anything. pant. Someone has copied out the relevant ham’s nearly dormant site where it was first Note that in his letter, Alexis says Walter posts and printed them up anonymously. posted.) paid the dues, Barry signed off, and Bob Both Keith Lynch and I received copies The end result of this strange little tiff accepted the money. In the flyer he enclosed mailed from somewhere in Maryland. I am was that Lee quit the WSFA list for three with it, Alexis said that I paid the dues and going to mail you my copy so you can see it years, and that she developed a permanent that Barry accepted the money. The rest of for yourself. dislike/distrust for Keith Lynch. the material in that flier was even less accu­ My “sin” - in Lee Gilliland’s eyes - is Fast-forward to September of this year. rate, and some of it borders on libel. Thank that I know about a lie she told Alexis about Lee rejoins the list, acrimoniously, takes a you for not publishing it. something she did at a party at my house joke from Mike Walsh dead seriously, and When Sam Lubell, the president, said close to ten years ago. This makes her nerv­ then insists that Mike’s joke is the result of that while hosts can of course ban anyone ous about me, and edgy about what I might “lies” by Keith Lynch. “KEITH KNOCK IT they want from their house, that if they ban do. Since the best defense is to mount an OFF. I do not appreciate being lied about any WSFA members they aren’t hosting a offense, Lee has started telling lies about me and this is the THIRD person I’ve heard this WSFA meeting (presumably since picking - and apparently her primary audience is from.” and choosing would allow them to stack any Alexis. She can get away with this solely Keith’s protestations of innocence were vote in their favor), Alexis said that he because Alexis never checks out her claims. ignored by Lee, who called them “lies” - would never ban any paid-up members from For instance, he has never read any of the even in the face of Mike’s statement that the business portion of the meeting. When posts to the WSFA list (in which he has he’d heard nothing from Keith and was just on a later occasion Alexis said that Ted was never participated) which set this whole making up a bit of hyperbole (which it obvi­ banned, and the contradiction was brought business off. Instead he relies on Lee’s de­ ously was). to his attention, he insisted that Ted was not scription of these posts - and Lee appears to At this point I incautiously made this a paid-up member. When the treasurer in­ have a serious problem understanding them. statement: “The post you were apparently formed him otherwise, he became extremely Thus, Alexis’s characterization of my responding to was from Mike Walsh, not May 2006 41

Keith Lynch, and I haven’t heard any ‘lies’ telling lies which he knows are lies. In on the subject. Or much else, for that mat­ specific, I refer to the remainder of his ter.” letter, in which he tells a completely fabri­ PREENINC That was the whole of my “attack" on cated story about my “application” for Lee, to which she responded on-list with membership in WSFA - an event which “Ted, I fail to see how this concerns you, as took place recently and entirely in my ab­ you do not belong to WSFA and are on this sence. list as a courtesy. If you like Keith Lynch What really happened is that after Lee that much, invite him to your second Fri­ publicly banned me from WSFA meetings days. Leave me alone.” She also told me, in at the Gillilands’ house, friends of mine in a private one-line email (to which I did not WSFA felt that she could get away with respond) not to “mess” with her or I’d be this only if I was not paid up in my dues. sorry. So they paid my dues. As for whether or not I “belong” to Who were these nefarious people? El­ WSFA, I've been a member since 1954. am speth Kovar and Keith Lynch. Elspeth had a past president and past trustee of the club, the idea and was going to pay the money and have been attending meetings, off and out of her own pocket. Keith heard about on (with a break while I lived in NYC 1959- this from her and insisted on paying the ten 1970) for over 50 years. I have made it a bucks. When he told me, I told him I’d point, since my return to the area, to arrive repay him but that I regarded the whole after the business meetings are over, and to thing as silly because I had no intention of socialize with people like - gasp! - Alexis going to that house for the time being. Gilliland. Keith insisted that it be his treat because The next event in this sorry train of I’d gotten him his current job (he works in events was a post to the WSFA list by Wal­ the next cubicle) and he felt he owed me ter Miles, a normally non-confrontational for that. guy who rarely gets into things like this. Alexis attributes my dues payment to Walter called Lee’s actions - her attacks on Walter Miles, but he must know that Wal­ Keith Lynch - “evil” in his post, but spent ter, also banned, had simply paid up his most of his post talking about Keith and own dues but was not at that meeting (last I how undeserving he was of Lee’s oppro­ heard, he won’t be at any meetings at the brium. And my compounding sin was to tell Gillilands’). Alexis seems to think a “fan him, in a subsequent post to the list, that he feud” was based on whether I’d “applied had simply said what others were thinking. for membership” before or after Lee had That did it! I received another one-line banned me. He doesn’t for an instant ques­ post from Lee informing me that I was tion why Lee banned me, or indeed her banned from her house. I believe Walter right to do this. (In a separate document Tarai: Brad Foster and Teddy received a similar message. I responded to which he sent you but has refrained from Harvia think the artist who Lee’s private post (also privately) by telling sending to me - Alexis is also, it turns out, does cute nude aliens has the her she needed professional help. I believe a coward - he claims I was banned because inside track at fan art? Why, if this.... months if not years ago I snubbed Lee at a Out of this Alexis has conflated his claim meeting. This is a completely made-up. that was so I should have been that I made "charges,” “on the WSFA list after-the-fact falsehood and he knows bet­ stacking Hugos in the closet and on his usual internet forums, that my ter than to confront me with it directly.) instead of just old shoes, but wife, Lee, is seriously crazy, a madwoman But further. Alexis quotes a wholly as I recall Brad and Teddy can who banned him from our house because he, fictitious exchange between Barry Newton enter the Hugo party freely Ted, had joined WSFA.” Alexis calls this a and me on the WSFA list, in which “when while I get stopped at the door “demonstrable falsehood,” and it certainly Barry asked Ted why he had not men­ by the bouncer. I suppose is. It’s entirely of his fabrication and not one tioned the fact that he had been banned "advantage" depends on your word of it is true. from the Gillilands on his application, Ted point of view. I always For entirely too long I have made ex­ replied that then he might not have been thought it was the guys with cuses for Alexis, whom I first discovered in accepted as a member. Tsk. Tsk. I under­ the one-liners and puns who F&SF’s slush pile in 1964, and whom I met stand Barry was not pleased.” had it all. (at a WSFA meeting) less than a year later - I suspect he’d be even less pleased with and whom until now I had considered my that fabrication. Since Alexis never reads friend. I excused him because, I thought, it the WSFA list, I assume this was Lee’s is natural for a man to defend his wife, to distorted interpretation, but it is wholly false Barry Newton does read (and participate in) take her side in any dispute. I excused his in every respect. the WSFA list, and he would never have calling Keith Lynch out at a WSFA meeting To begin with, I never applied for mem­ asked me such a pointless question. He as “a liar!” when he was entirely out of line bership, never filled out any application, and knew Lee had banned me. The whole list to do so, because (I assumed) he’d bought hardly feel one would be necessary to pay did. I published her post (banishing me) to his wife’s side of the story. up my current dues anyway, since my actual the list, immediately upon receiving it. Nor, But I can’t excuse the fabrications he is membership in WSFA long precedes that of of course, did I respond to a question which now trying to pass off as fact. The man is any current WSFAn. Equally to the point, Barry never asked. 42 File 770: 147

What takes me aback is that all of this thing that might make a fan or two willing to Did I ever tell you about the morning I can be fairly easily documented by anyone do it for him first. While dredging through chased Clint Eastwood around Lake Tahoe? with access to the WSFA list. That includes piles of kipple in search of something I knew He was driving the boat of the film direc­ both Gillilands. So effectively Alexis is John Hertz had given me, I was horrified to tor’s father. I thought it was the father, Vic. telling easily disproven lies - lies which can find never-published Iocs by Marie Reng- I was trying to get “Vic” to stop so that we turn on him and discredit him. It’s patheti­ storff and Brad Foster from 2004. Aiyeee!!! could combine and have enough people in cally amusing to watch Alexis blow the Every faned knows you can hardly expect to one boat to water-ski. When Vic called me whistle on his wife’s mental condition, all get juicy Iocs if you don’t reward the behav­ later that day, I told him off, teasingly, for the while insisting that he’s responding to ior by s/e/n/d/i/n/g c/h/o/c/o/l/a/t/e publish­ not waiting for me. (He can’t hear and I my widely-spread lies on the subject. I ing them!] ] can’t see. That was not our first blunder of should imagine that none of your readers sensory deprivation.) Then he told me the knew of this situation before reading his Marie Rengstorff driver was Clint Eastwood. I said to Vic, letter. “No way. The driver had pure white hair What I find truly strange is the way I like yours.” Then Vic explained that Clint’s have been pushed center-stage by Alexis in hair color comes out of a spray can. I can In my letter of August ‘04 I said, after read­ this letter of his. To read his letter you’d understand that. I used to spray metallic ing 770. “I did NOT know anyone who died. never know that it was Keith Lynch who was gold on my hair for parties in the ‘50s, espe­ That was rare. One reaches an age when....” at the center of this controversy - and my cially in the winter when the “highlights” I was only partially correct. I did not role was minor and peripheral and mostly were all grown out. Then I could come recognize anyone listed in 770. During that consisted of saying. “You know, Keith does home and wash it out. Colored hair spray period, however, I was trying and failing to an awful lot for this club. Do you really sets and colors the hair at once. Very con­ reach four old friends. One of them had a want to treat him this way?” venient and does not fry the hair. I have not rare last name. Because of that unusual It was Keith whom Alexis loudly and seen it in decades. Or should I say, I have name, I was able to track down a couple of inappropriately called a liar. It was Keith not recognized it in decades. cousins and then a daughter, and learn that who quit the club in protest over Lee I am thinking about how much you are my friend, Carl Dunah, had died. Gilliland’s abuse and lies about him. It was learning about me as I reminisce about miss­ If you recognize Carl’s name, you know Keith who published the WSFA Journal and ing and dead friends. I never saw the power he was a classic SF kook and charmer. I had been slowly and carefully uploading of that mechanism before. Every time I no­ have enclosed a bit of memorabilia. I hope it back issues to the WSFA website, which he ticed that process in a film, it was badly reflects the quality of the man. I assume you also maintained along with the WSFA list. done. (As was the case I alluded to, two do not care if he never wrote for any fan­ In addition, Keith was the club’s current sentences above.) zine. I know he worked on fundraising for secretary. Keith was giving that club an Damn. I can never stop being the author. Seti and ended up in the newspapers for an incredible amount of his time and energy. Does it never shut off? Anyway, does this assortment of reasons. He never drew a line In return, Keith was called a lovesick process actually work in writing? I guess I’ll between science and science fiction, because fool and a stalker, a liar and a troublemaker have to try. he was always interested in how science fed - even when he was wholly uninvolved in *** science fiction. He read the science first. the situation at issue. And when it essen­ We were good-ole-friends and were [[From a holiday card:]] tially boiled down to Keith vs. Lee - he goes After swearing I could not join another linked in three ways: Seti was down in the or she goes - the club dithered, could not writers’ group, I fell victim to my own Mountain View area of California, the city find a voice in which to condemn Lee for weakness. All my life, my hopelessly bad founded by my ancestors. He and I lived in her behavior (Lee intimidates many mem­ spelling has dogged me. But Microsoft can South Lake Tahoe for decades. In the end, I bers, I’m told), and basically kissed Keith spell. That is easily overcome. Bad writing moved to Kihei within a short walk of where off. is another story. The people in the group do he vacationed. He and I had a joking and This has not gone wholly unprotested. not understand POV, the story-telling proc­ thinking relationship. That kind of connec­ Some members have stopped attending the ess (beginning, middle and end - especially tion, according to the Rendilla, an African meetings hosted by the Gillilands. I myself middle), active voice (which they think tribe I lived with for a short period, is the decided when Lee banned me that WSFA’s means past-tense), noun-verb-object, and. of strongest of associations and never broken attractions, never many, had just been seri­ course, the principle of “If it does not ad­ because, each time you learn something new ously diminished for me. About half my vance the story, get rid of it.” They put all or hear a good joke, you think of the other reason for going had been to sit and chat their energy into getting rid of “a word” person. with Alexis. every few sentences. They think that will Of the other three people I am trying to Frankly, I feel like a fool for ever having help move the story along. “Show, don’t re-locate and am concerned about, one is the considered Alexis my friend. I do so no tell” is way beyond them. The youngest in mother of a well-known movie pro- longer. I know him for who he is, now. He the group is 50. Therefore, I must conclude ducer/director. The son has at least one SF has revealed himself in this letter to be a this is not a problem of only the young. 1 film in his credits, although he is better malicious liar, and one whom I shall never had assumed it was, until this group. Oh known for action/adventure films. Looks trust again. I think he deserves his current well, there are four more SF writers I am not like I’ll have to go through the movie indus­ wife. competing against. try to find the son to find the mother. Some­ times famous-hood is a pain in the ass. We Special Time Traveling were, in real life, nice, normal next-door Brad Foster 2004 LoC Supplement neighbors with dogs who begged at the [[One of the things that makes a fanzine other’s kitchen door. We read each other's editor want to slit his wrists — besides pub­ books, and water-skiied behind each other’s [August 23, 2004] It seems the votes are in lishing Iocs about WSFA — is also some­ boats. and no one is really upset with your having May 2006 43 to go to a less frequent schedule on File 770, Guy H. Lillian HI: [On the aftermath of Keith Lynch, E-mail: [email protected] as long as you continue to indeed put out an Katrina] Heartbreaking pictures, heartbreak­ Joseph T Major, 1409 Christy Ave., issue now and then. We love ya Mike, lover ing. I’ve been in [Dr. Jack] Stocker’s home Louisville, KY 40204-2040; E-mail: your zine, and however you find the time to and seen his collection - before it was re­ [email protected] work on it, it’s cool with us. (Those who say duced to mush. A prideful and beautiful Joseph Nicholas, 15 Jansons Road, otherwise are either liars, or their opinions collection it was, too. Tottenham, London N15 4JU, U.K.; do not count!) And getting Santa Clause to E-mail: [email protected] co-edit! Oh, wait, that’s not a photo of the Don Walsh: Apart from the carnage Lloyd Penney, 1706-24 Eva Rd., Etobicoke, new editorial staff there, is it? You are going wrought to [Jack Stocker’s] sf collection, ONT M9C 2B2, Canada; to look into a part-time gig at your local bad enough, there was also the loss of his John Purcell, 3744 Marielene Circle, mall this Christmas, right? You can do it! chemistry library, fruit of a lifetime of College Station, TX 77845; E-mail: [[Htn. Perhaps this loc wasn’t lost acci­ scholarship, both at home and I imagine at [email protected] dentally.]] his office at UNO the same, being at the Marie Rengstorff, P.O. Box 959, PMB 942, That was an amazing story about [David lakefront. Sigh. Kihei, HI 96753-0959 Bratman] getting nailed by airport security Mike Rogers, 3732 Occonechee Trail, for reading a book in “improper reading Martin Morse Wooster: I agree with Fran­ Chattanooga. TN 37415-4333 position,” I guess. And for some reason, this cis Hamit that if Google Print takes Fred Smith. 10 Braidholm Crescent, little thought keeps ticking the back of my copyriughted material (such as entire books) Giffnock, Glasgow, G46 6HQ U.K brain that the person who first reported the and puts it on the web, that this is a bad Joy V. Smith, E-mail: [email protected] “suspicious” activity is probably the same thing. But as long as Google Print sticks Tarai, Email: [email protected] person who would be all for making sure with its announced goal of acting as an in­ Laurraine Tutihasi, E-mail: that all the kiddos at school are seen doing dex to books, that’s fine with me. I found laurraine @ mac.com the “correct” praying each morning. And if out, thanks to Google Print, that one of my Don Walsh, E-mail: [email protected] you really think it through, it’s kind of odd articles was read into the Congressional Ted White, E-mail: [email protected] that we don’t see entire planeloads of people Record in 1985. I would never have found Martin Morse Wooster, E-mail: praying, chanting and sacrificing to their that out if it hadn’t been for Google Print. mm wooster@ yahoo.com various deities before boarding any plane. I All in all, in its current iteration, I think Frank Wu, E-mail: [email protected] mean, really - how the heck do those things Google Print does more good than harm. stay in the air? Changes of Address ...We (Cindy and I) wanted to make an Francis Hamit: An update; Google Print is John C. Andrews, 3320 SE Holgate Blvd., addition to the obit you ran on Lori Wolf. now Google Book Search and has finally #0278, Portland, OR 97202 She was a world class punster, along with started giving me very detailed reports on William Breiding, P.O. Box 1448, being a great source for up-and-coming the 14 titles of ours that are actually “live.” Morgantown, WV 26507 writers. She chaired or co-chaired several That’s not enough to really tell how well the Phil Castora. 3533 Keystone Ave. #2, Armadillocons, as well as working on program works, nor has there been much in Los Angeles, CA 90034-5588 Worldcons, a Bouchercon Anthony Awards the way of ad revenues. Probably because Norman Cates, 26 Halifax St., Kingston, ceremony, and organized the Hugo Awards there also doesn’t seem to be much in the Wellington, New Zealand ceremony at LoneStarCon II in 1997. She way of ads to click through or view. Their Steve Davies, 3 Sandgate Ave., Tilehurst, was musical, a great baker (made our wed­ earnings are off and the stock price fell out Reading, Berks., RG30 6XD U.K. ding cake in 1991), a voracious reader, and of bed yesterday because they didn’t make Arnie & Joyce Katz, 909 Eugene Cernan St., an all-around wonderful person. their numbers. So far, this program seems to Las Vegas, NV 89145 Lori was one of our dearest friends, and be, as they say in Texas “All hat and no Ed & Sandy Meskys, 322 Whittier Hwy., we considered she and A.T. as family. (We cattle.” I can’t seem to find a correlation Moultonboro NH 03254-3627. Telephone still do, A.T.!) We appreciate your running with actual sales either but that may be be­ and email: remain the same. the information, so that people can connect cause of the way Lightning Source reports Michael Nelson, 10206 Bushman Dr., Unit the name with a face. Lori had beautiful the data. I suspect lag time issues. It will 401, Oakton, VA 22124-2814 long brown hair, and when she found out take awhile to sort all this out. Tony Parker & Judy Bemis. 8930 W State she was going to need treatments for cancer, Road 84 #122, Davie, FL 33324 donated her hair to Locks of Love. Generous The Letterhacks Nigel Rowe, E-mail: [email protected] to a fault. We could go on, but just wanted to let other fans know a little bit more about Thrilling COA Stories: Nigel Rowe was her. Gregory Benford, E-mail: drowning in spam so he regretfully an­ XBenford @ aol.com nounced. “After 8 years it's time to relin­ We Also Heard From Sheryl Birkhead, 25509 Jonnie Court. quish [email protected]. I can't handle Gaithersburg, MD 20882 the spam anymore, now topping over 150 Brad Foster, P.O. Box 165246. Irving, TX messages a day.” Gregory Benford: Good issue! David Brat­ 75016 Ed Meskys has lived in the same house man on Oxford is spot on. Oxford is said to Chris Garcia, E-mail: [email protected] for over 38 years and yet is changing his be the town of dreaming spires, and if so, Francis Hamit. E-mail: address for the fourth time. This time they Cambridge from my experience is a town of [email protected] even changed the town. It seems I heard a perspiring dreams. Oxford seems stylish, Joyce Katz, E-mail: joyceworleyl @cox.net similar story about the late Stan Woolston - Cambridge earnest—though prettier, to me. Ken Keller, E-mail: [email protected] you’d hardly guess Stan never moved, as I spent 1976 there as a fellow and got a lot Guy H. Lillian III, E-mail: many times as officialdom assigned him a of a novel out of the experience. [email protected] new address. ... M the C/MZTtObl MUSSUM -.