The Devniad Book 65e un zine de Bob Devney 25 Johnson Street, North Attleboro, MA 02760 U.S.A. e-mail: [email protected] For APA:NESFA #363 August 2000 copyright 2000 by Robert E. Devney

Orbita Dicta I just heard about a new one. The all- Heard in the Halls of you-can-afford sushi diet. Readercon 12 at the (curiously named) [Hope has hot news from Fanzineconalanda] Burlington Marriot Burlington Corflu will be in the Boston or (guess where?) Burlington, Providence area in March or May 2001. Bob Massachusetts, U.S.A. Webber hasn't decided which yet. July 21-21, 3000 [At her reading, vastly underrated fantasist You know the drill. Here’s where I delve into Elizabeth Willey gives a glimpse of things to what was said over a long weekend at a recent come] and most distinguished science fiction I'll read from something not published readers/writers convention. yet, The Scholar's Pursuit. It's a fantasy set in For those Devniad readers drawn here more the early 19th century, but emphatically not by friendship than science fiction, better luck a Regency … Perhaps a Regency without next month. Unless you’ve got a shred of beaus. scientific interest in your heads, in which case dive in and observe the interactions of that [In the panel on genre ghettoization in the U.S. strange and wonderful species H. fantasticus. vs. the U.K., co-guest of honor Michael Or is that fanaticus? Moorcock, like many pros, blames the profs] Many thanks to faithful spies like my sister Writers of imaginative literature get Darcy Devney, Dan Kimmel, Paula Lieberman, increasingly ghettoized as a result of politics and perhaps others I’m too discreet or forgetful to — because academics, to hang onto their mention. Note: if they, I, or our Presidential jobs, need John Updike to the top guy rather candidates aren’t all hung up on the accuracy than Thomas M. Disch's being the top guy. thing, why should you be? [Writer Robert Sawyer just flew in from the North Coast with some sad and surprising [Friday afternoon in my office as I escape to the tidings] con, designer Steve Rebello explains my weekend None of Canada's SF writers are speculative fiction conference plans to a published by the major publishers in colleague] Canada … we’re published either by small Hey, I saw Galaxy Quest … He's going to presses, or in the U.S. go where they wear these big pointy ears. [Is Tor editor Jim Minz spouting the partei [A few minutes later, at a bank kiosk in line?] Norwood, Massachusetts, fan Mark Bartlett, also Luckily at Tor we work for the good Rcon-bound, confuses me with some dazzling Germans. They don't micromanage what we star of the SF firmament] do, for the most part. Aren't you Bob Devney? [An audience member wants out] [At dinner in the hotel restaurant, Toronto fan I'm asking you to define what science Hope Leibowitz dishes diets] fiction would be if it wasn't ghettoized — The Devniad, Book 65 Page 2 of 18

[But writer Barry Malzberg drags us all back in] — It wouldn't be science fiction. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 3 of 18

[Moorcock contributes a sign of the times — the [Writer/fan Brett Cox teases your ever-flirting- Times of London, that is] with-danger reporter] Some time ago the Sunday Times called I want that calendar you thought up: The me to ask which science fiction author to Babes of Science Fiction. interview, and I said, how about Terry Pratchett. And she asked, "Who's that?" [In the middle of grandmaster Samuel R. Well, I told her, if you look in the back Delany's 18-minute reading of a paper on of your book section, at the top of the list “definitions” vs. “descriptions” to introduce you'll see Terry Pratchett has the top three (and I fear contradict) the panel on The Pleasures slots … of Pedagogy — when Delany utters the phrase He's getting a little better known now. "Gothic or post-Gothic," fellow grandmaster Hal Clement wrinkles his brow several times; [Minz minces words] eloquently … There's no quote here, just thought Ghettoization is really a term I take issue you might enjoy the moment] with … It's really all about trying to find the people who are looking for these books. [Later, when the discussion finally begins, Clement marks out verbal boundaries] [Moorcock blames the media] The trouble with definitions is, there are What happened was, essentially, George far more physical objects in the universe Lucas … It's knocked out the likes of John than there are short noise packets … [And Sladek. later, when someone attempts yet another cryptic definition] I need more noise. [Malzberg sees giant statues toppled in the sands] [Delany has a horrifying historical note from The most disturbing thing I've Analog in the supposedly enlightened 60s] encountered recently was that Robert John Campbell rejected Nova. He said Sheckley has a novel that he cannot get his audience could not relate to a black published … If Robert Sheckley cannot sell a central character. novel at age 72, after having been a working science fiction writer at the top of the field [Co-guest of honor Suzy McKee Charnas has since 1952 … been there, been done to like that] When you write science fiction that asks [Minz tries to make a case for “in with the new”] questions that people don't want to deal The field is still receptive to newer with, you get defined out of the form … writers of quality, like Mary Doria Russell You get told, that's not SF, it's a polemic, it's — radical feminism, and so on.

[Which Malzberg won’t buy] [Editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden demonstrates — The publishing logic is, Robert definitions can deflate] Sheckley is a proven failure. Mary Doria A lot of supposedly “hard science Russell is the Robert Sheckley of tomorrow. fiction” is just talking tough about She's three books away from being a proven engineering. failure too. [When I ask from the audience if it's ever decent [In the bookshop, dealer Michael Walsh hefts for a work of fiction to contain equations, Nielsen over a trade paperback of the hot new Brit space Hayden is equal to the task] opera Revelation Space — plus news of its The equations in Cryptonomicon work author] because they’re charming equations. Alistair Reynolds will be coming to Worldcon next year, in Philadelphia. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 4 of 18

[As a schoolboy, writer Allen Steele found incalculable value in Delany’s 1966 trilogy The [Devoted dealer Chris Logan Edwards chats up Fall of the Towers] two outstanding comix] You had characters speaking to each Have you ever read the comic Cerebus? It other by means of sine waves, just when I started back in the late 70s, and will end in had to study the damn things in school. I about 4 years. The guy doing it said from passed that course because of your book. the start that it would be a 300-issue series, and everybody laughed … [Nielsen Hayden recalls Damon Knight's famous His name is Dave Sim. He’s always self- definition/description of SF, which goes published. Because he says no company will something like “Science fiction is what I point at ever pay you enough to sue them. when I say science fiction”] … You should also take a look at The Thousands of people are worrying how League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. By Alan we're going to define science fiction after Moore, who did Watchmen and Swamp Damon dies. Thing. It’s set at the end of the 19th century, and it has all these fictional characters from [After the panel, fan James Daly talks to Steele re books in it, but usually you have to figure Hugo Gernsback's word for it, "scientifiction”] out who they are by yourself. There’s The field would be called "sty-fi"— Captain Nemo and Allan Quatermain and The Invisible Man, and more. [Steele, delightedly] — No, “stiffy”! We'd all be stiffy fiction [Mark Olson recounts the stuff of NESFAnnish writers! Of course, some of us have written legend in re Tony Lewis and wife Suford] a little porno already … There’s a good story there. Shortly after Tony and Sue got married, Sue took her car [In the lobby, Nielsen Hayden points out a new and ran it into a bridge abutment — MacLeod on the horizon] Ken MacLeod has a fifth novel, [Churlish wisecrack from this reporter] Cosmonaut Keep, not part of any other series. — Who can blame her? — It's coming out from Orbit in Britain in November. I'm trying to buy it right now for [Olson rightly ignores this cheap, anything-for- Tor; we'd probably come out in May next a-laugh slur on his old friend and valued year. colleague] — And her face got really banged up … [At the Meet the Pros party, magnificent yet So Tony went to the hospital, and modest fantasist Patrick O'Leary has more great ascertained that she was really OK. news] Then he called her parents and asked for Gene Wolfe told me this morning he's a refund. agreed to write the introduction. Gene Wolfe has agreed to write the introduction! Of my [Born-again testimony from fan Joe Petronio] book of poems and stories and essays, Guy Gavriel Kay was the man who got coming out from Fairwood Press in October. me back into science fiction and fantasy. I’d And you, sir, are the first to know! read it all through the 70s, but by the 80s I It's called Other Voices, Other Doors … read four or five things in a row — all cynical, bitter modernist stuff — that left me [— Oh, like a twist on your terrific first novel cold. Doorway Number Three with a nod to Then after a while, in the early 90s I Truman Capote's Other Voices, Other picked up Tigana. A great story, a great Rooms?] fantasy, beautifully written. And for adults, … Damn! You're the third person here to not kids. get that. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 5 of 18

Then I picked up something by Dan Simmons. And then a third book that was good — and I was a science fiction reader again.

[Newish Analog writer Shane Tourtelotte sports a boffo button] FOLLOW THE READER

[Saturday morn, brother fan Michael Devney has a fanfashion inspiration] I think we should start a new fannish tradition of everyone going down to breakfast in their hotel robes. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 6 of 18

[While Darcy Devney rakes last night’s embers] Now the worldcon committee is also I was really dull at the party last night, spending quite a bit of money on producing did you notice — it in Chicago next month.

[Husband Bob Kuhn drones dully] — No, I was too busy being really [Kelly brings up the status quo ante] boring myself. As a matter of fact, when I started in science fiction there were, not a common [In the bookshop, film maven Dan Kimmel’s culture but armed camps … agog] You had readers saying things like, “If I had wonderful news this week. My they publish fiction like that I’m canceling lawyer called and said that my book on the my subscription to F&SF — I’m just going to Fox network, which I worked on for 2 years, read Analog twice every month.” won’t be published this year! Why is that good? It means I can take [Writer/fan/librarian Fred Lerner utters perhaps the thing back and sell it to some decent the bravest words ever said at an SF con] publisher. I hate to confess this, but of the four writers on this panel, I’ve only read the [When it’s suggested that if he doesn’t hurry up work of one of them, and only a small and publish, the recently beleaguered Fox amount at that — network might implode] Oh good! A new chapter for the [Kelly lets him off the hook] paperback. — That’s not a problem. That’s an embarrassment of riches. [At breakfast, NESFAn Lisa Hertel beams at her (and Mark’s) new baby] [Kelly says kids today find Heinlein hard going] Brendan is a product of IVF … I wanted The science is all wobbly, and the to take a picture of the petri dish. Then, futures are all wrong. The roads did not roll later, when he asks where babies come in 1982. from, I could show him! [Editor Scott Edelman displays uncommon [Before a panel, faned Ed Meskys is about to knowledge] climb back in the box] Joe Haldeman wrote The Forever War in The next issue of Niekas is finally at the response to Heinlein’s Starship Troopers. But typesetter. After 2 years … It will focus on how many people actually recognized that? sports and fantasy. That is, fantasy stories involving sports. [— And is promptly debunked by writer Jeffrey A. Carver] [Chris Edwards brandishes a big metal tray of Actually, I asked Joe Haldeman that pastries in the bookshop] about a year ago. And he said, “I read You asked what I did when I’m not a Starship Troopers, like I read The Red Badge of book dealer? I’m a baker. This is my other Courage and lots of other books. But The life. Forever War was in no way a deliberate response to Heinlein more than to all the [At the panel on the Loss of a Common Culture, others.” writer James Patrick Kelly sings with happiness] The artistic director of the Memphis [Edelman says death generates biz buzz] Opera Company wrote me a fan letter and Mostly, the ones who get the most out said, I really like your story “Faith.” Can I of — the ones whom the corporate culture write an opera around it? And I said, Sure! has raided from our culture are dead. Phil … The Devniad, Book 65 Page 7 of 18

Dick is having a wonderful career these days.

[Kelly points out prospects aren’t radiant] Science fiction has a half-life, and it’s decaying. And the Golden Age stuff has decayed past the point of interesting that 15- year-old today. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 8 of 18

[Writer/prof John Kessel reports from the But none have had that incredible narrative trenches] drive. You’re with Steerpike, you’re with the I’ve been teaching SF for 18 years. villain almost all the way — it’s like Coming in, the students’ knowledge is Richard III. sketchy and haphazard. They might know [Zone agrees, but] Connie Willis, Kim Stanley Robinson, Bruce Yes, the most attractive character is Sterling, a few others … Steerpike … then he burns a library! What I often assign Heinlein’s “Space Jockey.” could be worse than that? They have to read it like they read Shakespeare … I spend a great deal of time [Schweitzer isn’t talking Berle here] explaining science fiction’s historical context. This is a book for people who want And I realize that I am old. Milton rather than eye candy.

[Discussing the Marriage of True Minds, writer [Who shot J.R.R.? Probably Moorcock] Brenda Clough has read from the book of love] Essentially, Tolkien won’t last. He’s very I knew we were made for each other, popular now, but it’s like Marie Corelli, the because our book collections dovetailed very popular 19th century writer … Peake perfectly. I had no Larry Niven, he had them wanted to break windows through to all. I had some Heinleins, he had the others reality. … That's the method I recommend for picking who you're going to marry. [Fantasist Yves Menard agrees Peake mastered a difficult mix] [Editor James Minz, upon hearing of editor You get people now who are trying to Nancy C. Hanger's library (10,000 books on 900 write something horrible, then crack a joke. linear feet of bookshelves), addresses Hanger’s It’s pathetic. Peake — that’s what these hubby] people are trying to be, and failing … The If you two ever break up, let me know. battle between Flay and Swelter is particularly horrific, but completely [Writer Daniel Dern anatomizes his daughter] hilarious. She has her mother's nose — always in a book. [Moorcock knew him when] I knew many writers personally while I [Beginning the panel on The Career of Mervyn was growing up, and Peake was the first Peake, Darrell Schweitzer sums up] one who struck me as a genius … Why are we all here? Why do we His war poetry is some of the best there appreciate him? Except that you’d have to is, out of the Second World War. be a stub of wood not to. [Zone talks legacies] [Artist The Joey Zone describes Peake’s peak One person influenced by Mervyn Peake creation, Gormenghast, as portrayed in the is Jeff VanderMeer — trilogy Titus Groan, Gormenghast, and Titus Alone] [Schweitzer pays Peake no small compliment] Picture a Piranesi or Escher strip of a — And Gene Wolfe. castle, almost infinitely large and strange … Now populate that with a gallery of [Moorcock states the unobvious] Dickensian grotesques … all influenced by — It might not be obvious, but I’m very Goya. influenced by Peake.

[Michael Moorcock drags in Shakespeare again] [Moorcock sketches yet another side of the man’s There have been many books of character] imaginative power, like Eddison and so on. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 9 of 18

He was the first war artist into Belsen, Richard Cowper’s real name was John the first concentration camp to be opened Middleton Murray Jr., the son of a famous [liberated by the Allies] … If you think of English academic critic … He had the type the Holocaust and read Titus Alone in that of childhood where “babysitting” meant regards, you’re seeing the English discovery going to Inklings meetings. of evil. [In the panel titled Welcome to the Future, John [In his joint lecture on Baby Boomer Toys, Clute was expecting something taller] Richard Bowes talks aesthetics] We were inhabiting, as science fiction The beauty of Mr. Potato Head is that readers, the wrong story — where that big his nose could be on his ear, you know … macro change would occur … What Nowadays, the boxes are more attractive happened was something else. We went the than the toys. micro route. In ancient China, if a steam locomotive [While co-chautauquan Mark Rich finds it takes or a gun were invented, it didn’t matter, all kinds to make a collector] because a different story happened in the That's kind of fascinating — a nostalgia greater story of ancient Chinese history. for plastic hair. [Australian phenom Sean McMullen brings us [Following the Toys panel, Eric Van starts his back to the future with a, well, bang] lecture on Schizophrenia by finding his audience I predicted that what would really do it is of two minds] for space travel would be, sex toys … A Is it my imagination, or did most of the couple spends $40,000 for a Special Day in people stay here for this seminar? weightlessness. Hmm, people interested in toys are also interested in mental illness. [Canadian writer/editor Marcel Gagne concurs] You could have a point. VCRs were a [As Van sloshes around a glass carboy failure until people started to do porn tapes supposedly holding his own brain, destined for … Then everybody had to buy a VCR. For some microcephalic bidder at the upcoming their friend, of course. Tiptree Auction, Michael Devney warns the audience] [Fellow Canman Robert Sawyer was more Stand back! There's going to be an expecting someone smarter] accident with that brain. I miss artificial intelligence. I miss other minds — [In the bookshop, writer Barbara Chepaitis keeps her (rather attractive) eyes on the prize] [Somebody interjects] Have I read much Charnas? Don’t you — You never had a cat — remember my quote last year: I don’t read. Maybe because I wrote four books this year [And Sawyer looks at Gagne] … Including Feeding Christine, which is — If you’re going to tell me that sex actually a mainstream novel. I’m just drives the pet shop industry too, I’m waiting for Oprah to call. leaving!

[Writer Steve Sawicki, her (OK, handsome) [McMullen gets serious] partner, is bitter about directions in the con A fear that has been growing in me … is flyer] watching Earth get rarer and rarer. It’s There is no exit 15 on the Mass Pike! beginning to look like Earth is a very remarkable planet. We’d better start moving [Dealer/bon vivant Art Henderson sells me a industry into space and make some room Cowper collection, throwing in a mini-bio gratis] for parks. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 10 of 18

[After about the fourth long question (speech) stating the obvious about irrelevant subjects from a blonde audience member a few seats ahead of me, Sawyer raises a cheer in our hearts] I’m going to bring us back on topic now. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 11 of 18

[Starting off What the New Wave Was, Michael [In the panel on the Primacy of Story, writer Moorcock recalls that gung-ho young gang at Eleanor Arnason remembers a good one] Britain’s New Worlds magazine in the 60s] Look at the storytelling contest in Gene Brian Aldiss and company were Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun, where these modernists … They wanted to make science soldiers are convalescing and this woman fiction a respectable modernist literature. will marry whichever one tells the best story What we were looking for was a form … It’s this wonderfully intelligent, almost a that could reflect our experience … Ballard folktale — imbedded in this very grew up in a Japanese prison camp, I lived complicated larger story. through the Blitz. My childhood is all in ruins. [Writer Jeffrey Carver looks backwards] … It was Chris Priest who first used the I imagine story is as old as words. You term, and he applied it to a bunch of have the hunt for the sabertooth tiger, and fanzines … We all knew what the New Thag coming back to tell all about it — Wave was. It was a bunch of Frenchmen making movies! [Writer Melissa Scott embellishes it] — I imagine him telling how big that [Barry Malzberg I seem to recall here is talking sabertooth was that got away — about Darrell Schweitzer] In a moment of critical acuity — we’ve [Patrick O’Leary sums up] long since made up about this — he referred — The first story was a lie! to your honest correspondent as “the first New Wave hack.” [Not sure I can swallow this tidbit from Candas I never thought of myself as a New Jane Dorsey until she shows us how those survey Wave Writer. I was doing the best that I questions were worded, exactly] could … Was it James Blish who said that One woman did a study of bad nursing every writer who was ever called New practices … Her one unanimous result was Wave denied it? that bad nurses could not make narrative of their experiences. [Malzberg includes Samuel Delany] You were not a New Wave writer. But [O’Leary played Scheherazade young] you were happy to be amalgamated in it — I think I learned storytelling driving up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with my [Delany, firmly] Uncle Bob … who was a drinking man. — No, I wasn’t. [Audience laughs.] I would tell him stories to keep him from going to sleep and driving us off the [Malzberg backs off] road. His eyes would go down, and I’d say, — What can I say? I should wait until “And then the monster jumped out of the you’re safely planted to say things like that. woods!” and he’d come awake … I learned how to tell a story to save my [Darrell Schweitzer wonders if the New Wave life. ever really subsided] In the 1990s, the late David R. Bunch [In the audience, the great Gene Wolfe thinks a liked a story I wrote in Pulphouse and wrote writer owes internal consistency to a reader] me an enthusiastic letter saying, “Welcome Our Dead Guest of Honor, Mervyn to the New Wave!” Peake, has a valet [in the Gormenghast stories] … It is an historical term of some use. whose knees click all the time. You can hear After that, it is everything to everybody … him coming, like the crocodile in Peter Pan. To Lester del Rey, as you may know, it was When he goes to kill Swelter the cook, his the Devil. enemy, he ties cloth around his knees … The Devniad, Book 65 Page 12 of 18

But then later, when it’s convenient, Peake just says, his knees stopped clicking. You want to kill the bastard! The Devniad, Book 65 Page 13 of 18

[Arnason ends on a fruitful note] characteristic all over everybody who comes I used to get what I call the Banana from it. Rejection Slip. The editor would write back, “This banana is the worst orange I have ever [Some kind soul who (unlike me) came back from seen. It’s the wrong shape, it’s the wrong dinner in time provides my one measly quote color …” from Michael Moorcock’s co-guest of honor interview] [Fan Caleb Hanson argues with Michael Anarchism works very well in rural Devney, who after Joan Slonczewski genomes areas. But you can’t run the sewer system in lecture warns that chimp hybrids may someday Kiev that way — take Hanson’s job] I believe there will always be a need for [Interviewer John Douglas scoops up the Self- people no smarter than I am. Fulfilling Prophecy of the Weekend Award] — I’m sure that will appear in the next [In the panel on Pseudonyms, Craig Shaw Devniad! Gardner is a secret sharer] This is a secret I'm going to share only [SFRevu Tsar Ernest Lilley chivvies this with the people in this room. I write an reporter into Suzy McKee Charnas’s co-guest of anonymous humor column for a major small honor interview] press magazine. C’mon! We can trade quips ‘n’ quotes.

[Gardner on the proliferating pen names of [The plugged-in Lilley ends a cell phone call with writer Dean Wesley Smith and company] fleet crispness] They've really embraced this Kirk out. pseudonym business. You know, you call their office and it sounds like a law firm. [Interviewer Eleanor Arnason hardballs one of her first questions to Charnas] [Well met in the hall, Brett Cox has always been Why did you want to write in this a prodigy] extremely popular and terribly Michael Moorcock publicly undistinguished genre? acknowledged this earlier: It happens that the very first rejection slip I got was from [Charnas wins our sad, ordinary little hearts] Michael Moorcock. He wrote on it, — Because I love it, undistinguished “Promising.” though it is. Not knowing that I was 13 years old at the time. [She hears other voices, other ‘shrooms] It’s taken 18 years to do something I live in a very dry place … but we have about that promise, but I’m working on it a lawn. We were overwatering it, and these now. little fingered mushroom things appeared. I asked my husband what these things were, [In the bookshop, dealer Barbara Kuenzig and he said, “Those are your evil thoughts.” delivers a cheerful marketing report] So I knew there was a story there … A We’ve sold 8 sets of Peake! I could sell woman whose head turned into a 10 more sets of Gormenghast if I had them. mushroom.

[Bob Kuhn smears the popular Miles Vorkosigan [On researching The Vampire Tapestry] and his creator Lois McMaster Bujold] I went to a veterinarian and said, “How I don’t buy Miles for a moment. And could this man be a parasitic predator?” she’s one of the worst I’ve ever seen for And he said that all he needs to change is taking an entire planet and smearing one the angle of the muscle insertion in his The Devniad, Book 65 Page 14 of 18

bones. That’s what makes the leopard much Did you get that on film? … This is a stronger than us. story that’s going to rock science fiction!

[Of all the answers to “where do you get your [Klages stays with the gay theme] ideas,” here’s one you haven’t heard before] So we’ll be auctioning off this Vermont I had read about the sex shows they run Civil Union license — south of the border in Mexico. These were lady-and-pony shows. [In the audience, I’m feeling pretty cheerful I wondered if there was a way that it myself] could be taken away from the porn world — Popularly known as the Ben and Jerry and turned into a positive thing in this Permit! Amazon community … There are elements that make it, not entertainment for guys, but [A fan bids $80, then a minute later tops her something semi-sacred for women … own bid and says $90; Klages plays along] Little girls and horses — I can make this All right, $90, OK. Sold! to the woman big powerful thing do what I want by the who is unclear about how auctions work. force of my will and skill. These are the girls who don’t get very much of it [power] in life. [Klages reaches the bottom of the donated items barrel or in this case carboy, and finds a dubious [On the terrible trilogy (poisonous pentad?)] donative from a Readercon committeeman] When I first came into writing science Now we have Eric Van’s brain — fiction, I thought the whole series thing was a scam. Then I did Walk to the End of the [I sedulously suggest a selling point] World — and then I realized there was — Hardly been used — another story on the other side of those mountains … Then it turned into four books [Klages quips back] … — No, of course not, it’s a man’s brain. I think it’s a different thing when one … Now, this brain floating in this jar book raises questions that the author wants might be a little wet — to answer, and that leads to the next book. [I proudly perpetrate probably the worst pun of [Charnas has long been a catcher in the wry] the con, to universal hissing and booing] We can say two things about career — So use Cortex! planning and resilience in this field: You can’t plan anything and you’d better be [As the 15th Annual Kirk Poland Memorial Bad resilient. Prose Competition embarks on its evil eventfulness, brainless creator Eric Van recalls a [As San Francisco writer and auctioneer critical conversation with Craig Shaw Gardner] extraordinary Ellen Klages starts the Tiptree I think back 15 years to when he said to Awards Auction wearing big lizard feet, Ernest me, “Is it OK if I write some answers to this Lilley snaps a picture; but she snaps at him] that aren’t serious?” You have stolen the soul of my feet! [Van introduces the awesomely good bad writer [Klages picks a fresh victim/straight man] who’s won this sucker just about every year There has been a request for John except for when Rosemary Kirstein got lucky] Kessel. John, Chip Delany thinks you’re I won’t say he’s confident tonight, but he cute. If you want to come up on stage with told me he left the trophy at home: him, your life could be different. Readercon’s own Eternal Champion, Geary Gravel! [Klages on the subsequent Delany/Kessel Kiss] The Devniad, Book 65 Page 15 of 18

[The faster Gardner blinks, the more fun he’s twist. It’s the most perfect series you’ve having; so he can barely make out the first words ever seen! of an exemplarily execrable excerpt supposedly set in “Harvard University, Boston, [Ernest Lilley has seen good stuff recently too] Massachusetts”] There’s a great little film called Free Bambi pranced into the doctoral genetics Enterprise … it starts when some Star Trek lab … fans stumble into William Shatner reading a porn magazine at a newsstand. [Historical note: Shariann Lewitt, who after tonight’s triumph (and in memory of James H. [Tablemate Nancy C. Hanger was a teenage Schmitz) should henceforth be referred to simply exercise girl at an English stable when who as The Lewitt, WON!!!!] should jounce into view but that very Captain Quirk; we’ll reserve the story of how he [At the Boskone party, NESFAn Claire propositioned her, but she will impart to Anderson has seen more movies than Ghod, and Devniad readers her opinion of his picks a prime new one] horsemanship] I’ve got to mention a movie Dave and I Lousy seat. Big butt. saw at the MFA — Peut-être. That means [In the lobby, the great Gene Wolfe remembers “Maybe.” A great French sci-fi film. A Washington, D. C. fan Joe Mayhew, who died young man time-travels 75 years into the recently; sadly, I recall only the pedestrian part] future and meets his children, including his He was a good man. And a great friend. 75-year-old son played by Jean-Paul Belmondo. The Paris of 75 years on is [In the panel on Arrested Development, the covered with sand up to the upper floors of passions of some other panelists and audience the buildings … members put good writer (and I’ll bet equally good teacher) John Kessel in the uncomfortable [Erotic publisher Cecilia Tan worries about the position of defending current American recent bust of some S&M acquaintances who “mainstream” lit] frightened the horses — or at least the police — It’s not just about people sitting in a cafe at a private party in Attleboro, Massachusetts] in New York drinking latte … I often think If they’re convicted, Ben and Stephanie when I hear these tirades that people could go to jail for 8 years. And for what? haven’t been reading what’s really out there … Someone like Tobias Wolff, for instance, [Punky-looking, stubble-headed, leather-clad guy writes about soldiers, and about priests — slouched against the wall in the party corridor about ordinary people. turns out to be Sean McMullen; we talk geography] [But Wolfe keeps his sights on his enemy, to wit] Melbourne is the second largest Greek A closed circle of professors in the city, the biggest outside of Athens. humanities who are reading and reviewing … You may hear my accent as Aussie. each other’s books and have seized control But my parents spent a lot of time in India, of the major review outlets. and to Aussies, my accent sounds Scottish. Because a Scots accents sounds a bit like the [Usually good-humored word wizard Wolfe isn’t Hindustani, in English. laughing either about a threat from within] I think we have a whole lot of people [Breakfast Sunday: at the next table over, young entering the field now who don’t know how New Hampshire comics fan Marc Robertson a flashlight works. Don’t know how to enthuses over a new Japanese classic] sharpen a knife. Don’t know why a sailboat There’s a group called CLAMP that did doesn’t always sail straight before the wind a manga series called Rg Veda. After the — and it’s hurting the field. Hindu myths, but they gave it their own The Devniad, Book 65 Page 16 of 18

[Kessel parses the peril] story, and becomes a truly transcendent — You’re saying it’s the invasion of the reading experience. I cry every time. It’s the English majors. only book I’ve ever read aloud to my wife.

[In the question period, I courageously stand up [Reviewer Don D'Ammassa has read too many for my fellow liberal arts wonks versus this mob Spaceman ‘n’ Indian stories] of bitter science and engineering graduates] Every spaceship crew in the 21st century About English majors, I’d just like to was required to have one American Indian say: I am Spartacus! in the crew. This is because, in case they encounter an alien culture and no one [Dan Kimmel recalls a hallucinatory remark by speaks the language, they have someone James Morrow re one mutating modern who knows sign language. cityscape] Walking through Times Square today is [Writer Stephen Popkes comes profoundly like walking through Bill Gibson’s head. prepared, with categories and examples] There are five kinds of obscure: The [Chris Edwards reports a well-known outrage] Obscure of Time Passes and Things Go Out That Michael Swanwick had never won a of Date … The Obscure of Niche Appeal. Hugo until last year was a shame. That Like Harpoons by Arthur Rosenfeld, where Gene Wolfe has still never won a Hugo is a incest is good … Genre Obscure. Like crime. Robert F. Jones’ Blood Sport. [Apparently a [In the panel on the Gothic Novel, writer Faye slipstreamer about a hunting trip up a river that Ringel brings up old — very old — bestseller runs from upstate New York to China] … Odd lists] Obscure, like Jules Feiffer’s only novel, The largest category of books imported Ackroyd … And Deserving Obscure … into this country in the first 30 years of the [Speaking of which last, Bryan Cholfin’s small new Republic was Gothics. press efforts have heroically tried to keep a passed-over master in print] [Ringel will always have Paris] Once you get 50 feet outside this hotel, In Paris, Greer [Gilman] and I went to the probability of people’s knowing the see Victor Hugo's house … Wonderful, name of R. A. Lafferty goes way, way down. awful, ugly Gothic paintings. Like the worst … Although his audience is not just in art you've ever seen at a science fiction art SF. Probably 25 or more percent of the show. people who have bought my Lafferty books are doing it just because they’re Catholic … [And she says so long, Sigmund] Because of the Catholic stuff that’s all Freud has been totally discredited … through his work, like Past Master, his novel There are certainly more people out there where the hero is Saint Thomas More. that believe in vampires than in Freud — and by “out there,” I don't mean just this [Douglas contributes another category] audience. I think one of the more interesting forms of obscurity is, the bestseller lists of 50 years [Writer Greer Gilman after the Gothic panel] ago. If psychoanalysis really worked, Woody Allen would be Maimonides by now. [Cholfin has a friend who’s crazy for this stuff] I wish Jack Womack were here this [In the panel on the Funny Obscure Book I Like, weekend. He has an entire apartment full of editor John Douglas brings up one of my old books by the insane. favorites too, British author Nevil Shute] … Like the one by the doctor who His Round the Bend is my favorite book believed you could tell everything about a of all … It starts with the most mundane woman by the shape of her breasts. His The Devniad, Book 65 Page 17 of 18

book is filled with all these little pictures, [Hopkinson holds hard to her heritage] with captions. As a Canadian of Caribbean descent, I obviously have a strong African ancestry — [In the hall, Scott Edelman sums up the demise but also English ancestry and French of SF Age] ancestry, and Asian, and Taino, and others. They basically said, “Scott, the company For me, the word “black” is very rich. has grown to the point where we no longer want to publish a magazine that makes a [Emerson college prof Uppinder Mehan knows profit of only $100,000 per year …” that lingo masala can make a truly tasty dish] Now I’m editing Satellite ORBIT. It's the Raja Rao, years ago in his novel TV Guide for people with satellite TV Kanthapura, used English as part of his hookups. Indian language. As he might earlier have used Persian or Sanksrit as part of his [Nalo Hopkinson leads off the Off Color panel language. about the debut of major new anthology Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction [Delany is often — perhaps too often — linked from the African Diaspora (joined on the with another popular African-American author] groaning stage by what looks like at least half of There are strong relationships between the book’s 30-odd contributors)] Octavia Butler and me. For instance, she The stories span the years 1887 to 2000. was one of my students. But this is not why MIT asks us to speak together … I wonder if [She answers everybody’s first question] she thinks, gee, my honorarium would be People who mispronounce it often call it twice as high if it weren’t for this guy. “Nail-oh” … but someone once said, “No, it’s like ‘marsh-nallo.’” [But Delany stays gay about his multiple roles] I am far more frequently cited as, you [For poet/writer/musician Kalamu Ya Salaam, know, the faggot uncle of cyberpunk. boundaries are made to be broken] The piece I have in Dark Matter — [Hopkinson has a fanhistorical note] “Buddy Bolden” — it was never conceived of Carl Brandon was the first black science as science fiction. It was just some shit I was fiction fan. He was created by Terry Carr. dreaming. He did not exist.

[Writer/music man DJ Spooky on his club name] [When from the audience I question the whole There’s a tradition of that in black music. idea of a writer’s collective when good writing I mean, Howlin’ Wolf was not his real name. seems such a solitary act, Kalamu Ya Salaam is ready with a thoughtful answer] [Hopkinson once had her doubts about the The question you ask comes out of a armamentarium of modern literature] culture that says the rugged individualist is Audrey Lord said, “Massa’s tools will the highest good … But look at jazz never dismantle Massa’s house …” But I musicians, for example. realized, they’re now our tools too. So I relaxed. [In the panel on Kicking the Hobbit, Moorcock relishes the role] [Delany levels the field] I’m a well-known disliker of Tolkien … A cultural landscape is a landscape of there’s a certain kind of Englishness that power boundaries. They keep things in and makes Englishmen the best villains of pulp they keep things out … A science fiction fiction … You have class in England, you connection is a very good thing, but we also have race here. do the same. The Devniad, Book 65 Page 18 of 18

[Yves Menard muses on the corrosive effect of I never cloned Tolkien … I was much clouds of Tolkien clones] more influenced by the fantasy of Jack Something is cheapened by the Vance. repetition of it, until the memory is gone and only the imitation remains. [Moorcock surveys a slice of the field] Fritz Leiber is a very, very fine writer. [Greer Gilman’s heart’s still in the Shire] Snobbery has kept him in his place, as it You can say all that about Tolkien — My kept Tolkien in his place. god, where are all the women? And want to And C. L. Moore. just set up the Hobbit Socialist League. They had a prose to support their … But for me there are the facts that it’s themes. a beautiful landscape made of words … and John Crowley? Absolutely. A major then, the sense of place. fantasist.

[Moorcock knows where that came from] [Menard concurs] Up beyond Keswick there’s a lot of Yes, Crowley — one of those people drumlins that are really classic soft Shire who cannot be denatured. You can’t make country. Little, Big into some kind of role-playing game. [Disdainfully, he brushes off some crumbs of dirt clinging to the grand taproot of high fantasy] [A kid in the audience has lots to learn at this The Morte D’Arthur, which, if you like, con] was written by a rapist in prison. Don’t you read a book just to get a good story? — [Moorcock again reminds me why I wish I’d gotten back from dinner Saturday in time to hear [And Moorcock’s just the guy to teach him] his guest of honor interview, dammit] — No. Donald Wollheim pirating it started the whole thing. And then he did the same thing [Writer Paul Levinson has been thinking about] with Princess of Mars too. He essentially Societal breakthroughs … Alexander started the entire field of fantasy as we Graham Bell stumbled across the idea of the know it by stealing two books. phonograph, and the first thing he thought was, “This would be a great machine to [Not that he’s a tall dark stranger on Thieves’ answer the telephone.” So he came up with World himself] the first answering machine — just too far Elric is pinched straight from Gothic, ahead of his time. consciously. Elric is Melmoth the Wanderer with a sword. [Out in the hall, Sean McMullen says it’s not just Down Under SF that’s now on top of the [Faye Ringel reminds us of the success of Sylvia world] Townsend Warner’s subversive 1926 classic] I think the New Zealanders are going to The first selection of the Book of the be coming on, too. I judged this Month Club in America was Lolly Willowes. competition, and this girl from New Zealand Fantasy was respectable then. — her pseudonym was Sphinx — won both places. [Menard first read Tolkien in French] Her name is Miriam Hurst. Really The translations were really crappy. bright. She’s going to one of the Clarions Unfortunately, Bilbo Baggins becomes right now. Bilbon Sacquet … The Devniad, Book 65 Page 19 of 18

[NESFAn Paula Lieberman reports a spat of creative differences between partners Lisa A. Barnett and Melissa Scott] You don’t understand my character — — Them’s fighting words — — And you haven’t cleaned out the catbox.

[At the Readercon Debriefing, Ellen Brody muses about her Recommend Reading List handout] I think people were a little shy about putting their names on it. They were afraid other people might recommend cooler books.

[Brody on why no Readercon banquet this year — or, it sounds like, ever again] Selling banquet tickets is like pulling teeth. You have to have a room for it … You need 70 tickets to break even. In general, we can get maybe 30.

[Richard Duffy says the music in the hotel’s disco inferno hadth no charm to soothe the filthy pro] You might be amused to know that one of the pros here — and I’m not going to say who — offered the hotel a thousand dollars to shut the music off in the club. And they refused.

[As the con and my memory dims, Duffy (I think) runs the numbers for us] Approximately 440 members and about 110 pros … We approached 600 warm bodies … Making this the third biggest Readercon. … Readercon 13 will be on Friday the thirteenth.

[And as this reporter exits the magic doors for the last time to emerge blinking in the sunlight, he observes a pretty dark-haired woman sitting on the dappled grass; she says nothing, because she is, of all semi-sacred things, reading …] The Devniad, Book 65 Page 20 of 18

Gene calls out behind me, ‘We loved Little, Ego Scanners Big!’” (Shall Not) Live in Vain Patrick, thanks for your wonderful note. And so soon after Rcon, you organized From poetical Patrick O’Leary comes a nonprocrastinator you. What's it like? sublime little note that starts with last issue and moves ruggedly on to Readercon: Reading between the lines, Ontario fan “A perfect ish of Devniad: / dynamo Lloyd Penney thought my Block Christopher Walken, Wit, Me / Island vacation sounded pretty boring — And only a taste of Chef-Boy-Ardee. until the lightning struck: “A new Scott McCloud comic book — “Yvonne and I also enjoy lightning hooray! Wonderful review of X-Men — ‘a storms as entertainment. When we've got a great grasp of comic book physics’ is real donner, blitzen and downpour storm, perfect. And, yeah, The Patriot had some we sit out on our balcony and watch. Best great violence. But if I have to see another storm I've ever been in took place on the movie where Mel or Kevin or Whoever main highway WNW of Ottawa one suffers nobly while perfectly lit, I shall summer ... no rain, just lightning bolts every Dorothy Parker. three seconds. Some of the bolts appeared “Read Martin Amis's Experience — to be red- or green-tinged. Great fun, and perhaps the most beautiful and funny and slightly deafening, too. We compared the moving memoir I've ever read. Laurentian Mountains in the distance to “About Readercon: Good weekend. Mount Olympus, and we were looking for Pleasant little meetings and grace notes Hercules to descend. throughout … Panels were actually fun and “… I have rejoined the Ad Astra interesting. committee this year, and will begin my 19th “Wonderful dinner with Paul Williams straight year of working on that committee. … we talked Dylan and Cockburn. He's a And this year, the rest of them listened, and good soul, a wandering acid rock and roll didn't schedule it on the same weekend as saint. Boskone. Other than that, not much. We “… Made Eleanor Arnason laugh — were up for some Aurora Awards earlier she's Icelandic and they do that about once this month, but got skunked. Better luck every other year. next year, I suppose.” “Read my sex-heavy story ‘Before & Lloyd, this mean you might fly south for After’ which seemed to spook and move Boskone next Feb? We could spraypaint people … [But] felt kinda fringe — no real some snowy pines to look like palms. new book to plug, out of the headlines. Poor Pat! Maybe Gene Wolfe can cheer him up!! It’s hard to get literary thriller writer “ … But mostly Gene and wistful Thomas Harris (Red Dragon, The Silence of the memories of the late Joe Mayhew and funny Lambs, Hannibal) out of your mind. Witness stories where we laughed hard and his voice this chunk from an extended [warning: and kept getting higher and higher. spoiler-packed] brain-dump by writer Andy “And Rosemary and Gene teasing me at Duncan, who knows how to hand you a fine our first breakfast. Last year Rosemary frisson hisself. mistook me for John Crowley. Her eyes are “I pick up Hannibal, already fortified by very bad, but laser surgery has helped a lot some appalled reviews, by Jodie Foster's since then. So for the first hour together this refusal to have anything to do with the film year, Rosemary kept calling me ‘John.’ version, by the recollection that Harris “After a few times I said, ‘Rosemary, are pounded this one out in a publisher-rented you giving me shit?’ And they laughed hotel suite hours before the Very Last heartily. As I walk away from breakfast, Deadline, and by several horror authors of my acquaintance who surmised that in The Devniad, Book 65 Page 21 of 18

writing Hannibal, Harris might have had in although I love the fact that even they are mind an over-the-top parody of the very scared of Lecter.) subgenre he has exploited so successfully. “So what's my verdict? I enjoyed the “In short, I didn't expect much, in fact novel, for all its flaws, but distinctly felt expected to be grossed out early on, and Harris was both yanking my chain and kicked out of the book. cashing the check. It's the least of the three “Given my mind-set going in, I found [Lecter] novels, and more importantly, I the book surprisingly readable, engrossing, cannot imagine him ever writing another and, yes, serious in intent: The whole sordid Lecter novel — perhaps not another novel business of Starling's fall from grace within ever, at least in serial-killer mode. The end the FBI bureaucracy is plausible and gets the of Hannibal is the work of an author (and, reader rooting for her, and Lecter's incognito perhaps, a genre) at the point of adventures as a renowned Renaissance exhaustion.” scholar in Florence are a lot of fun, although, Andy, right now I’m pretty tired myself granted, somewhat implausible — I love the ... fact that the Gypsies hired to get the goods on Lecter immediately sense that he's Cambridge, Mass fan Charles Sumner Ultimate Bad News, to the point of a Gypsy knows just how to wash the taste out of our mama bathing her baby in holy water just mouths, with some good clean rocket fuel: 'cause Lecter looks at the child in a crowd. “I've just finished Back to the Moon by “Once Lecter falls into the clutches of his Homer Hickam (author of Rocket Boys, only living victim, the monstrous Mason which was made into the movie October Verger, with Starling his only likely rescuer, Sky). My quick review is that it's a good, the stage seems set for a really gung-ho rah- enjoyable MacGuyver-esque yarn. The story rah, if kinky, ending. centers around an ex-NASA engineer (which “Instead, Harris rather muffs the climax, Hickam actually is) hijacking the Space leaving both Starling and Lecter largely Shuttle for a private mission to the moon. irrelevant to the bloody goings-on — and “The science behind the book comes then follows the climax by an extended from Hickam's days at NASA, when some denouement (40 pages or so) which contains engineer friends of his worked out a way to not only a gross-out scene so over-the-top reconfigure the shuttle to be able to make that I genuinely did laugh out loud the trip out … The desire behind the story throughout (it's Monty Pythonesque, really), comes from the depression that he says but also a conclusion to the Lecter-Starling many NASA engineers feel today at the fact story that I think is a case of Harris lunging, that the agency never goes anywhere however cynically, for the shock effect and anymore. throwing characterization, plausibility, etc., “Not a great book, but a fun adventure right out the window. (I picture the copy story about space exploration and lost love. editors waiting impatiently in the next room Some of the characters are a bit weak and of the hotel suite, and Harris, at the the plot is a little too formulaic at times, but keyboard, thinking, ‘They want an ending so I had a good time reading it nonetheless. badly, OK, I'll give 'em an ending!’) Having recently finished [Andrew Chaikin’s] “I suspect it's this denouement to which A Man on the Moon (a great account of the Foster objected, and not to the FBI/Verger/ Apollo missions — highly recommended), I Florence derring-do that occupies the bulk really enjoyed the way Hickam tied of the novel — not even to the already elements of his story into the real history of infamous man-eating hogs (Verger's pet the earlier lunar missions. I give this one a research project) that seemed to make so thumbs-up as a fun summertime book for many reviewers run screaming. (The space buffs.” fearsome hogs don't actually do much, The Devniad, Book 65 Page 22 of 18

And at an unimaginably further distance and another Long March toward that elusive from Dr. Lecter, Fantasy and Science Fiction Fan Writer Hugo, she suggests we: editor Gordon Van Gelder shares one of my “Check out earliest influences: http://members.xoom.com/ “The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek is Galen_Tripp/list.HTML for children's SF. one of my beloved books, although for “X-Men a top contender for the Hugo? I sentimental reasons it has to take a back seat think Dan Kimmel's been working too hard. to The Enormous Egg.” My problem in naming my choices, though, Gordon, glad to find another Shy Steg is that the two films I've liked the best are fan. Presume that, like me, you were Space Cowboys and Chicken Run, and are imprinted early … The Enormous Egg rings those actually SF? I guess they'd get in on only a faint bell. Oliver Butterworth, first the ‘related’ clause. printing 1956, says Bookfinder. Seems like I “Titan A.E. had great visuals, but a weak should have read it as a kid, but guess not. story line. The Cell has gotten a lot of good Who knows how my life might have press so far (ask me in a week), and I'm changed as a result? looking forward to Shadow of the Vampire. My ‘guilty pleasure’ would be The Ninth Speaking of fine editors, Ernest Lilley of Gate. Not much from TV or radio (yes, SFRevu also reveals his great taste (and age): kiddies, radio — it's like television with a “Dev, once again, our common geologic broken picture tube) this year. (I think Ruby stratum is revealed. The Shy Stegosaurus of 5 and Midnight at the Casa Luna were both Cricket Creek remains a fond memory to this 1999.) On the other hand, there are some day. I never fail to think of the poor beastie previously unreleased songs on the new clogging his water hole in a fit of tail Tom Lehrer collection — wonder if those thrashing whenever I see stego bones in a count? museum. “I have started a web page of differences “Mushroom Planet ... were those the Mr. between the British and American editions Bass stories? How old do you have to be to of Harry Potter 1, though I haven't gotten read A Wrinkle in Time? Can you ever be the very far. See http://www.geocities.com/ wrong age for Have Space Suit Will Travel?” evelynleeper/potter.htm. Ern: yes, nine, no. Later: “Forget The Cell (at least for me — Mark liked it). On the other hand, the Big G And former co-worker Denise Falbo is getting a nomination from me. (That's displays more great taste in influences: Godzilla 2000 for you folks who, having “The immortal Freddy the Pig, recently attended Boskone, still don't know who he reissued, comes to mind for your friend's is.)” kid when a bit older (maybe 6-8 years old). Evelyn, I kinda loved The Cell myself. “Or for more subversive kid's reading … Try anything at all by Daniel Pinkwater.” Local fan/friend Eric Knight says the Denise, to my shame, haven’t read any spelling in my review of The X-Men contains Pinkwater. But Freddy, the smart yet all too a slight mutation: fallible talking pig featured by Walter R. “Re: the ‘big round room,’ the computer Brooks in sublime little books from 1928- is called Cerebro … Otherwise, they stayed 1958: yes, yes, yes! In the SF line, I’d suggest fairly true to the mythos. Pretty good for a Freddy and the Flying Saucer Plans and of movie based on a comic book.” course Freddy and the Baseball Team from Mars. From another loyal local fan/friend, Gary L. Dryfoos, comes numerous notes re Before my friendly rival Evelyn C. last ish: Leeper heads to Chicago for the worldcon “English? I'd thought the batter-fried Mars bar was Scottish. (The Scots weren't The Devniad, Book 65 Page 23 of 18

just given the top spot on the Overweight on APA:NESFA #362, July 2000 and Bad Cholesterol lists by European Union health surveys, they earned it!)” To the cover artist(s) And about The Patriot’s villain’s being Love the Harry Potter cover and based on British Colonel Banastre Tarleton: comments, and the Howdy Doody identity “Not the Col. Tarleton, known as The crisis on back. On the front, particularly Green Dragoon? He makes an appearance, liked how easy it is to distract Homer sort of, in at least one other movie. For 10 Simpson: “Most importantly, he — are those points, name it.” donuts?” After all, who among us has not Eric, as editors always say when neglected some important pronouncement completely clueless, we’ll leave that as an or duty in favor of baked goods? exercise for the reader. To George Flynn Fan Dan Reid can spot a news hole Interesting tidbit on the middle-1990s when he sees one: rape trial of Block Island’s mayor and his “I have many thoughts to think about barroom buddies. Kind of puts my idyllic ‘extreme,’ now that I know its root. [Last island vacation in perspective. ish, children, we learned that “treme” is Thanks, George, for reminding me to see derived from the Greek for “hole.”] It the world through toad-colored glasses. appears that ‘extreme sex’ and ‘extreme caving’ etc. are now oxymorons. To Tony Lewis “I don't think I got to mention it to you Intriguing thought — that Europe at Readercon, but I'm involved with a new continued to progress fairly smoothly in con that's taking place this fall in Durham, technology, agriculture, etc. after the NC, called Trinoc*con (after Larry Niven's Romans, and that the only reason writers Known Space alien Trinocs, and referencing mention the “Dark Ages” is because writers the Research TRIangle of North Carolina). alone didn’t get to join in the fun around Check out our web site at www.trinoc- then. Sounds like suspiciously easy con.org. Much more information about the revisionism, though. But would have to literary programming (my demesne) is spend 20 hours rooting around in my supposed to be posted within the next few Timelines of History refs to disprove it, so I’ll days … I hope you'll be impressed enough wait for a really quiet weekend. to come down, or at least give us a blurb in No, never been to Fisher’s Island off the next zine!” Long Island. What’s it like? Dan, travel off the reservation is tough for me, but consider yourself blurbed, boy. To Pam Fremon Sincerely glad you found more to like in And copy czarina Elizabeth Stone sends The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle than I. us a flash from the powder room: Wanted to love it, really I did. And you’re “X-Men was a feature story in Makeup right about one thing I should have Artist Magazine. (Talk about niche mentioned in my review: Rene Russo as publications! See www.makeupmag.com.) Natasha. I haven’t been impressed by her Yes, it's true: Mystique's costume really was before except in Tin Cup, but she was mostly paint. Yikes.” completely charming here. And funny. Even Elizabeth: yikes, yes. But for some of us, affecting: there’s a little scene where she also yahoo! wistfully imagines marriage with Boris that actually moistened my tear ducts, dahling.

To Paul Giguere Backchat The Devniad, Book 65 Page 24 of 18

You realize that your plan for having NESFA publish a Gerald Kersh collection is To Nomi Burstein a political masterstroke fanworldwise. So in your new office, you listen to Why? Because, as he continually stated music on headphones while busily at Readercon last year, Harlan Ellison documenting away. So give with the details: worships Kersh and believes his neglect is a Bizet? Ben Folds Five? Shaggy? Shack? disgrace. (As you remember, Kersh was Katrina and the Waves? The Blue Nile? Dead Guest of Honor and Harlan was Live Koto? The Tallis Scholars? Archie Roach? (Ammunition) Guest of Honor.) So our next Orbit? Orbison? move would be to disarmingly ask Harlan, who frankly loathes NESFA, to write the To Art Henderson forward. Again, a lovely, lovely job on the I say he’d do it. exhaustive review of Science Fiction Book Club releases. Everybody who reads it To Anna Hillier should order complete sets from you … Guess I’ve missed the Royal Lipizzaner Your unexpected use of my Topsy-Turvy horse show for this summer, but do I gather blurb in the midst of your discussion of the from your squib that they perform in North DVD brought a rare blush to my raddled Hero, Vermont, every summer? So maybe cheeks. Thanks for remembering, my friend. next year, I could make my sister Liz’s life I always hope for sunshine, but went and get her up there. Have you gone, Anna? into Battlefield Earth fully prepared for a What’d you think? moonlit stream of bat piss. OK by me too. Savaging something awfully deserving To Tom Endrey brings a warm glow to one’s artificial little Loved your line about The Patriot: “I heart. don’t think it’s going to be a box office hit in England …” As for Mel Gibson’s not liking To Michael A. Burstein the British, you may have something there. About The Tipping Point: of course You mentioned the Brit-bashing in his The you’re a Maven. Teachers are Mavens ex Patriot and Braveheart; I’d add The Bounty officio. and, most definitely, Gallipoli … Yes, I quite liked The 1900 House TV Thanks for the usual jam-packed report show too. They could take the gruel, they on Atlanta’s DragonCon. Item that most could take the outhouse, they could even piqued my interest: the talk from people take that miserable excuse for a stove — but making the Lord of the Rings movie. I’m homemade egg-based shampoo totally really starting to get impatient for this one; broke their nerve … And if that’s what any fascinating details? housework has been like until lately, no wonder guys long ago decided to invent the To Leslie Turek concept of work. Anything to get out of the Another charming account of your house. European trip last year, with its final days in Vienna. As usual I called up the net version To Mark Olson (http://people.ne.mediaone.net/lesliet/ Those Eric Flint rewrites of James H. trip16.html) to see your rich color photos. Schmitz stories sound terrifying. The whole Spent a long time gazing at the last concept seems so obviously wrong from the picture, little yellow florist shop with its start: rewrite a dead author’s stories, cobbled courtyard and stone bench, garden supposedly for more appeal to us moderns. wall and achingly graceful arched entry. So Not that this is a new bad idea. Even many centuries, so much toil and trouble to Charles Lamb (1775-1834), a pretty good establish Western civilization. Suddenly it essayist in his day, perpetrated something seems worth it. called … I can hardly write this … “Tales The Devniad, Book 65 Page 25 of 18

from Shakespeare.” OK, for kids, but even so … Of course, we’ve refined this evil in our own day with the movie novelization. My favorite famously bad example: when in 1975 the director John Huston released a pretty good film of Rudyard Kipling’s fine story “The Man Who Would Be King,” instead of printing the original Kipling classic with perhaps a few other Kipling India tales, the studio released a novelization instead …

To Joseph Ross Great quotations as usual, Joe. You should be entering into your glory season for political quotes, with the election nearing. My favorite slam so far: There’s plenty of diversity on the Republican ticket. Sure it’s composed of two rich white conservative oil company guys. But hey, different oil companies …

That’s it for this ish! See you next time …