sign in sign up
<<
Home , Chattacon, Endeavour Award

The SHUTTLE December 2006

The Next NASFA Meeting is 16 December 2006 at the Regular Time and Location

{ { Previously-named Grand Masters include Robert A. Oyez, Oyez Heinlein (1974), Jack Williamson (1975), Clifford D. Simak (1976), L. Sprague de Camp (1978), Fritz Leiber (1981), The next NASFA meeting will be Saturday 16 Decem- AndrŽ Norton (1983), Arthur C. Clarke (1985), ber 2006 at the regular time and location. The program will (1986), Alfred Bester (1987), (1988), Lester del be a random gift exchange. Bring one or more (inexpensive) Rey (1990), Frederik Pohl (1992), Damon Knight (1994), A. E. gifts if you want to participate. van Vogt (1995), Jack Vance (1996), Poul Anderson (1997), The December After-The-Meeting Meeting (aka Christ- Hal Clement (1998), Brian Aldiss (1999), Philip JosŽ Farmer mas Party) will be at Sue ThornÕs house Ñ 147 Garden Brook (2000), Ursula K. Le Guin (2003), Robert Silverberg (2004), Drive in Madison. Call her at 256-325-8616 if you need Anne McCaffrey (2005), and Harlan Ellison (2006). directions. BAB 5 UNIVERSE EXPANDING There will be a New YearÕs Eve party at Nancy Cucci and Warner Home Video has announced plans for a direct- Ray PietruszkaÕs house. to-DVD Babylon 5 movie. The movie, titled Babylon 5: The Lost Tales, will consist of two stories to be written and directed by series creator J. Michael Stracynski. Bruce Boxleitner (President John Sheridan), Tracy Scoggins (Captain Elizabeth Miscellaneous News Lochley), and Peter Woodward (Galen) are said to be set to appear. SFWA GOES GUNNING Production has apparently already begun, with release The and Writers of America has projected to come in 2007. announced that James Gunn has been selected as the next JACKSON FORCED OUT? SFWA Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master inductee. In a posting on , director Peter Jackson Selections are made by the SFWA Board of Directors and past has announced he will not be directing The Hobbit or a possible presidents. The award will be presented during the 2007 Nebu- Lord of the Rings prequel. The project is said to be moving la Awards Weekend, to be held in New York, 11Ð13 May 2007. (continued on page 2)

Inside this issueÉ TV Land 100 Greatest Catchphrases ...... 4 NASFA Calendar...... 2 Book Review by Nic Brown ...... 4 Minutes of the November Meeting ...... 3 No Need for a Ring Ñ Chapter 10...... 5 NASFA Receivables ...... 3 Letters of Comment ...... 6 Deadline for the January 2007 issue of The NASFA Shuttle is Friday, 5 January 2007. 1 forward at New Line Cinema without Jackson or partner Fran 03 BD: Jim Kennedy. Walsh Ñ though without a new director attached as yet. The 03 BD: Karen Hopkins. reasons seem to include a dispute between JacksonÕs Wingnut 05Ð06 Shadowcon XI Ñ Memphis TN. Films and New Line Cinema on payments (including DVD 05Ð07 GAFilk Ñ Atlanta GA. revenues) from The Fellowship of the Ring. Rumors have it that 06 BD: Rich Garber. as much as $100 million may be in dispute. 07 BD: Doug Lampert. ENDEAVOUR AWARD GIVEN 15 BD: Martin Luther King (Observed). The Endeavour Award recognizes a distinguished science 16 BD: Bruce Butler. fiction or fantasy book written by a Pacific Northwest author 20* NASFA Meeting Ñ 6P Business, 7P Program, at or authors and published in the previous year and is presented BookMark. Program: TBD. ATMM: TBD. annually at OryCon (Portland OR). The adjudicated award 20 BD: Larry Montgomery. includes a grant of $1000. The award is 26Ð28 Chattacon 32 Ñ Chattanooga TN. intended to encourage the growth of 26Ð28 Atlanta Game Fest 10 Ñ Atlanta GA. literature in the field and to recog- nize works of excellence. It is FEBRUARY named for H. M. Bark En- 01 National Freedom Day. deavour, the ship of North- 02 Groundhog Day. west explorer Captain James 08 BD: Lin Cochran. Cook. 09 BD: Jack Lundy. The 2006 Award (for 10 BD: Marcia Illingworth. books published in 2005) 11 BD: Jeanna Woosley. went to Anywhere But Here, 12 BD: Abraham Lincoln. by Jerry Oltion. In addition to 14 ValentineÕs Day. the cash award, Oltion received 16Ð18 Furry Weekend Atlanta 2007 Ñ Atlanta GA. an etched glass plaque produced 17 BD: Nancy A. Cucci. by Kent WA artist Ashley J. 17* NASFA Meeting Ñ 6P Business, 7P Program, at Harper. Other books selected as fi- BookMark. Program: TBD. ATMM: TBD. nalists included Counting Heads, by 19 PresidentÕs Day (Observed) David Marusek, Destroyer, by C. J. Cherryh, Fledgling: A 22 BD: George Washington. Novel, by Octavia E. Butler, and Quantico, by . Judges for the 2006 award were James D. Macdonald, Elisa- MARCH beth Moon, and Lawrence Watt-Evans. 02 BD: Ronnie Lajoie. The entry deadline for the 2007 Endeavour Award (for 09 BD: Tracey Kennedy. books published in 2006) is 15 February 2007. 09Ð11 Stellarcon 31 Ñ High Point NC. 10 BD: Kerry Gilley. 11 Daylight Savings Time begins. 13 BD: Anita Eisenberg. NASFA Calendar 14Ð18 International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts 28 Ñ Ft. Lauderdale FL. DECEMBER 15Ð18 NovaCon Ñ Huntsville AL. Note new dates. 01Ð03 SMOFCon 24 Ñ Kansas City MO. 15 BD: Carlo DeShouten. 01Ð03 East Meets South Ñ Oxford AL. 16Ð18 FantaSciCon 2007 Ñ Chattanooga TN. 07 Pearl Harbor Day. 16Ð18 CoastCon 30 Ñ Biloxi MS. 09 BD: Maria West. 17 St. PatrickÕs Day. 12 BD: Toni Weisskopf. 17* NASFA Meeting Ñ 6P Business, 7P Program, at 15 Bill of Rights Day. BookMark. Program: TBD. ATMM: TBD. 16 First Day of Hannukah. 17Ð18 MomoCon 2007 Ñ Atlanta GA. 16* NASFA Meeting Ñ 6P Business, 7P Program, at 20 First Day of Spring (21st UTC). BookMark. Program: Random Gift Exchange. 22 BD: Jayson Woosley. ATMM: Sue ThornÕs house. 23Ð25 MidSouthCon 25 Ñ Memphis TN. 17 BD: Robin Ray. 22Ð25 AggieCon 38 Ñ College Station TX. 19 BD: Yvonne Penney. 30Ð02 Costume-Con 25 Ñ St. Louis MO. 20 BD: Aaron Kennedy. OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO 21 First Day of Winter (22nd UTC). 25 Christmas Day. The North Alabama Science Fiction Association meets on 26 First Day of Kwanzaa. the third Saturday of each month. (Unless there is a large 26 Boxing Day. nearby convention being held that weekend Ñ in which case 26 BD: Michael R. Stone. we often move the meeting to the second or fourth weekend.) 30Ð01 Galactic Conquest 3 Ñ Buford GA. The regular meeting location is the upstairs meeting room at 31 New YearÕs Eve. Party at Ray Pietruszka and Nancy BookMark on South Memorial Parkway. The Executive CucciÕs house. Committee meeting (if scheduled) is at 5P. The business meeting is at 6P. The program is at 7P. Anyone is welcome to JANUARY 2007 attend any of the meetings. There is usually an after-the- 01 New YearÕs Day. meeting meeting with directions available at the program. 2 President ...... Mary Lampert November Minutes Vice President ...... Mike Kennedy by Steve Sloan, Secretary, and Your Source for Candy Secretary ...... Steve Sloan Showers Treasurer...... Samuel A. Smith Program Director ...... Amanda Freeman, Jeff Freeman The November meeting of the North Alabama Science Publicity Director ...... Doug Lampert, Jeff Freeman Fiction Association was called to order on Saturday, Novem- ANNOUNCEMENTS ber 18, 2006 in the BookMark upstairs meeting room at Jack talked about the Bailey Cove Book Club, which 6:21:32P by President Mary Ortwerth and the crickets. meets on the first Thursday of every month, at the little library OLD BUSINESS branch on Bailey Cove. At DecemberÕs meeting they will be None. discussing Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey. NEW BUSINESS CONVENTION BUSINESS Sam got two emails from Starship Lexington. They have According to Amanda, we need more creative people a new Trek fan film series that needs assistance to fill the participating in next yearÕs Con Stellation Masquerade. You following positions as soon as possible: producer, associate have a whole year to think of something. If you donÕt have a producer, director, and director of filmography. These are non- costume for your idea, just ask, and one will be provided for paid, nonunion positions, due to Paramount legal constraints, you. Some ideas came out of the last Dead Dog Party. WeÕll but they do offer prerelease, special edition DVDs. They give need a barbershop chair at next yearÕs Masquerade, to make an email address and phone number where they can be con- one of those ideas happen. tacted. They also have additional open positions, including According to Sam Smith, the last Con Stellation lost executive CGI producer, animation special effects team, video/ about a thousand dollars. audio editors, web designers, and programmers. So, if you can Amanda realized this was probably a bad time to borrow afford to move out of state to take on a full-time job (at least!) money to buy a barber chair. Steve hinted at why we would for absolutely no pay, youÕre their guy. want one. In October, Sam got an email from Craig Howarth, a The meeting adjourned at 6:43:47P. freelance artist who wants to know if we need childrenÕs book Doug made a programming announcement. Because Mike illustrations or other art pieces. He left an email address, an Kennedy wasnÕt at the meeting, we wonÕt be watching the Call international phone number, and a web address. of Cthulhu video. So, weÕll just adjourn early, and go on to Anita has been corresponding with Bill Savage, who was Mike KennedyÕs house for the After-the-Meeting Meeting. a NASFA member in the mid-80Õs. HeÕs planning to move back to the Huntsville area soon, and would like to attend our meetings. Anita will see him on Monday. OFFICER NOMINATIONS NASFA Receivables For Program Director, Doug nominated Bruce Butler, by Randy B. Cleary who declined. Doug then nominated Jack Lundy, who also additional reporting by Mike Kennedy declined. Sam moved to open nominations. (Yes, Doug jumped the NASFA received the following items. Select issues are gun.) The motion was seconded, and unanimously approved. discussed. Anita nominated Marie Ortwerth for president, which ConNotations, Editor: Stephanie Bannon; P. O. Box caused some confusion, until we all realized that she meant 62613, Phoenix AZ 85082; ; $20/six is- Mary Lampert. Sam seconded the nomination. sues Ñ This is the bi-monthly science fiction, fantasy and Anita nominated Mike Kennedy for Vice President. Sam convention newszine of the Central Arizona Speculative Fic- seconded. tion Society printed on tabloid size newsprint with regular Doug nominated Sam Smith for Treasurer, and was sec- columns of media news, reviews for TV, movies, books, and onded. conventions. The April/May 2006 issue featured a conversa- Doug nominated Steve Sloan for Secretary, and was tion with Dennis McKierman, an article in memory of Octavia seconded. Butler Rufo, and more. The June/July 2006 issue featured a Mary nominated Doug Lampert for Program Director. conversation with L. E. Modesitt, Jr., an essay on 40 years of While distracted by scrambling to take all this stuff down Star Trek, a Nebula Awards Photo montage, and more. The in the minutes, Steve threw a bag of candy across the table, October/November 2006 issue included an interview with showering people on the other side. Jacqueline Lichtenberg and Jean Lorrah, photos from San Doug nominated Jeff Freeman for Programming. Diego Comic-Con, and a preview of a talk by James Sallis. Anita nominated Amanda Freeman for Program Director, De Profundis, Editor: Milt Stevens, 11513 Burbank and was seconded. She didnÕt know what the job entails, so we Boulevard, North Hollywood CA 91601; 818-760-9324; described some of the previous programs weÕve had. ; $10/year (PDF versions at ) Ñ This fanzine is the offi- seconded. cial newsletter of the Los Angeles Society. Anita nominated Jeff Freeman for Publicity. Issues 395, 399Ð402, 405, and 406 contain the club calendar, ÒAny other nominations?Ó club minutes, and the usual. Marie seconded AmandaÕs nomination as Program Direc- Fanzine Fanatique, Editor: Keith A. Walker, 6 Vine tor. Street, Lancaster, LA1 4UF, England Ñ This zine consisted of Sam moved to close nominations, and was seconded. a review of the Concussion convention. WeÕll continue nominations next month. To recap, the current File 770, Editor: Mike Glyer; 705 Valley View Avenue, slate of nominees is: Monrovia CA 91016; 626-305-1004; ; 3 $8/five issues Ñ This fanzine is focused on news about and of meddling kids!Ó to the Scooby Doo gang (at number 37). Two interest to fandom. Issue 145, October 2005, has 49 pages of anthropomorphic commercials also made the cut, number 59Õs informative tidbits, con reports, and many illustrations and ÒSilly rabbit, Trix are for kidsÓ and number 31Õs ÒIt keeps pictures. There are also many LoCs. going and going and goingÉÓ (Energizer Batteries). FOSFAX; Editors: Timothy Lane and Elizabeth Garrott; Also in the vaguely-related category are ÒWould you P. O. Box 37281, Louisville KY 40233-7281; $4/issue Ñ believe?Ó (Maxwell Smart in Get Smart) in 39th place and Published on behalf of the Falls of the Ohio Science Fiction and number 24 ÒDe plane! De plane!Ó (Tattoo, Fantasy Island). Fantasy Association, this issue, 212, December 2005, con- What, you thought they used science to grant ? Naaah, tained 76 pages of political commentary, book reviews, con had to be magic ;-) reports, illos, and more. More solidly, thereÕs Fox MulderÕs ÒThe truth is out thereÓ Nice Distinctions, Editor: Arthur D. Hlavaty, 206 Valen- from The X-Files at number 84 and David BannerÕs ÒDonÕt tine Street, Yonkers, NY 10704-1814; 914-965-4861; ; ; (Yeah, it should have been Bruce Banner, but weÕre talking ; $1/issue Ñ Issue 13 of this about the TV show, not the comic book.) personal zine had six pages of of discussion of various topics: Then thereÕs number 53, occupied by a large number of health, politics, books, and philosophy. Issue 14 had six pages related ÒHoly fill in the blank, Batman!Ó from Robin. Number of discussion of various topics: health, oppositional defiant 49 is an all-time favorite, ÒYou rang?Ó as voiced by Lurch on disorder, book reviews, and the International Conference on The Addams Family. Finally, another classic came in at num- the Fantastic. Issue 15 was again six pages, with more on ber 48 on the list, with Lost in Space RobotÕs oft-heard politics, books reviews, an essay on the nature of fandom, ÒDanger, Will Robinson.Ó several obituaries, and more. So, counting all the marginal cases above that puts the OASFiS Event Horizon, Editor: Jaun Sanmiguel, 1421 count for genre-related quotes and catchprhases at about 15 out Pon Pon Count, Orlando FL 32825; 407-823-8715; of 100. ; $12/year Ñ This is the newslet- ter for the Orlando Area Science Fiction Society. Issue 220, December 2005, Issues 225Ð227, MayÐJuly 2006, and Issues 230Ð231, OctoberÐNovember 2006 contain four to twelve Connect the Dots pages of club news. Issue 224 had a Megacon report. Issue 225 a book review by Nic Brown discusses Anime video making. Issue 230 had a long review of this yearÕs . Southern Fandom Confederation Bulletin, Editor: Randy The Quantum Connection, by Travis S. Taylor, , B. Cleary, 138 Bibb Drive, Madison AL 35758-1064; 256- paperback, 1 January 2007, ISBN 1416521003, 432pp, $7.99 772-3826; ; ; $15/year Ñ The June 2006 newsletter of the Southern Fandom Confederation contains convention reports on Cham- Doc TaylorÕs second solo novel, The Quantum Connec- banacon, Chattacon, Concave, and MidSouthCon, plus fanzine tion, follows on in the same world created by Taylor in Warp listings, southern fandom news, and letters of comment. Speed. This time however, the novel doesnÕt center around Dr. Clemons and his associates. Instead, Taylor introduces the reader to Steven Montana, a character whose life was pro- foundly changed by the events in the first book although we WhatÕd He Say Again? never new he existed in the first story. Taylor shows Steven as a very human character. HeÕs a Cable TV network TV Land has selected their list of the computer geek who finds that his whole family and all his 100 Greatest TV Quotes and Catchphrases. How did genre friends have died as a result of a rain of meteors that killed shows do in the list, you ask? Not bad, actually, though only millions around the world one related item cracked the top 10 (not counting real-science (readers of Warp Speed quote Ñ ÒOne small step for [a] manÉÓ Ñ which came in at know the real story there). number 2, right after ÒHereÕs Johnny!Ó). The first third of the book OK, so itÕs a little stretch to call The Flintstones genre- follows StevenÕs ups and related, but only a little. Anyway, Fred FlintstoneÕs signature downs as he deals with this, ÒYabba dabba do!Ó was number 9 on TV LandÕs list. with life, and finally with a Perhaps not surprisingly, Star Trek (in a couple of incar- great opportunity to work nations) made the list. KirkÕs original series voiceover ÒSpace, for a government think tank the final frontierÉÓ placed 14th while SpockÕs ÒLive long and reverse engineering foreign prosperÓ was not too far behind at number 22. Bringing up the and sometimes possibly rear, at number 93, was Picard (in his Borg persona) intoning alien technologies. ÒResistance is futileÓ from the Next Gen series. ThereÕs also The relationship be- former Trek actor William Shatner in another spot on the list, tween Steven and his dog, but one canÕt really count Boston Legal Ñ or the character Lazarus, is one of the most Denny Crane repeatedly saying his own name Ñ as sf-related, interesting and touching even if it did come in at 76th. parts of this novel. There For anthropomorphic fans, we have Ren (from Ren & are two kinds of dog own- Stimpy) with the number 82 item ÒYou eeeediot!Ó and any ers in the world, ones for number of bad guys proclaiming ÒÉif it werenÕt for you whom the dog becomes one 4 of the family, and those for whom the dog is just another possession. Lazarus becomes StevenÕs only family, and a stabilizing force for him as he deals with erratic mood swings that the doctors tell him are part of dealing with his tremendous loss. TaylorÕs story uses the relationship between Steven and Lazarus as an underlying influence that helps guide StevenÕs actions and it allows the reader to understand his actions when tragedy does strike. Of course at this point the novel sounds more like Old Yeller than a sci-fi action story, but the buildup of StevenÕs relationship with Lazarus is important to this story. Taylor blends this element neatly into the plot right along with the **ping** aliens, super-technology, action, and adventure that the bookÕs Well, I wanted to be seen, and let my supposed infamy be cover art suggests. The move into the ÒmeatÓ of the story is known far and wide. Someone is ranging me. I affect not to actually quite sudden as the book shifts gears radically with the notice. It came from somewhere out eastward, not very close. introduction of the before-mentioned aliens and more ad- Time to go fishing. I spread my wings and lazily take to the vanced technology. This also leads to StevenÕs introduction to air; heading west toward the sea. Tatiana, a young daughter of a Russian diplomat to the U.N. Ñ O Ñ O Ñ O Ñ who is in almost the same situation. Their relationship provides Ranger Walker considered the farseer and frowned grimly. the impetus for emotional growth that all the high-tech cannot. This monster was six and one quarter feet tall, and twenty feet As has become a trademark with TaylorÕs work, the long. Which would be worse Ñ a second dragon, or one rapidly technology becomes a driving force in the story. Unlike Warp growing dragon? Speed, which focused on the possibilities of faster-than-light Ñ O Ñ O Ñ O Ñ travel, the technical focus in The Quantum Connection is The sun is low and west of the mountains when I land; nanotechnology and the theory of the quantum connection moderately full and carrying a few extra large fish. I roar for my (hence the title of the book) between all things. Taylor brings keepers, who appear quickly. I let them take one of the fish for the reader into these concepts through StevenÕs own process of their own. I retire to the mine and sleep for two days. When I discovery and as the humanÕs understanding of the alien come back out, they come forth and ask if I need anything. I technology expands, so does the readerÕs understanding of the allow as how I might be interested in some meat of a different underlying concepts behind it. sort Ñ fixing them with my stare. They cringe back. I remark IÕm not big on giving away a lot of the story, you should that IÕm not currently interested in goblin-fruit. Do they know read the book for that! But I will say that some of the most of anything else around here that might be convenient? They interesting scenes in the book involve the interaction between go into a huddle and say their chief has a captive elf. They were Steven and Tatiana and the principle characters from Warp going to ransom her but they couldnÕt find anyone to present Speed as the desire to protect Earth from an alien threat brings the demand to. I express a vague interest, especially if she them together. The initial meeting is fraught with misunder- might also be a virgin. They snicker, knowingly. The chief had standing since Steven and Tatiana are using alien technology planned a going-away party for her if she had been ransomed. and another high speed battle ensues that lays waste to a good This would change things. portion of EarthÕs moon base before it is all resolved. Two days later, before dawn, the goons show up again. TaylorÕs blend of imaginative characters, technology, and They are bickering and arguing; and two of them are toting a an optimistic view of humanityÕs potential make for a very carrying pole from which a slight bundle hangs. good read. There is plenty of action and suspense to keep you PED: And what have we here? turning the pages, but in the end the thing that makes The Mozzish: The elf, Your Wyrmholeyness! The Chief was Quantum Connection stand out is not the science (and oddly reluctant to part with her; but finally decided this was the best enough, I do feel smarter for having read the book); itÕs not the investment. action and adventure; itÕs the story of Steven and his dog PED: Unwrap the goodies, then. Go take shelter and return Lazarus. Many times it is the simplest things that have the most when I call. profound effects on a person and in this case one could say that Goons: Yes, Your Wyrmholeyness! it was a manÕs love for his dog that saved the world. I Ñ O Ñ O Ñ O Ñ recommend you check out The Quantum Connection for The elf is more dead than alive. I carefully pick her up with yourself and see what I mean. my mouth and carry her inside. Reaching a wider place, I put her down and pour some water onto her face. She splutters, weakly. SheÕs very short, four feet tall at most. PED: My name is Palant’ri EŠ Daedeloth Ñ ÒPEDÓ for The Elf and I; short. What is your name? Elf: Éblasphemy. or, a Princess of Wars PED: Your name is Blasphemy? No Need for a Ring Ñ Chapter 10 Elf: No, yours is. by PieEyedDragon PED: So you say. What would you know about it? Elf: What does anything matter. IÕm going to be eaten. IÕm hungry. IÕve eaten all my old skin and it calls for the PED: Not just yet; and maybe not at allÉ if you would presence of more regular sustenance. Also, I am quite literally rather live. full of energy just now, after sucking in the mobile flammables Elf: I have nothing to live for; no people Ñ and no more from the coal mine. dancing. I tried to run. (She looks down at her legs. Her left foot 5 is small and dirty. Her right leg ends at ankle, heel, and an and speak a simple spell. The fried apple pies are not the best unhealed wound.) IÕve ever made; but they are quite good. I eat seven, and the PED: Please answer my question. hungry little princess eats the other five. Elf: EŠ. That was the word of Creation. Melian told me. The princess feels very alive and tingly, from the toes of She was there. Her husband, Thingol, was an Elf. He had been both feet up to the hairs on her head. Seeing the comb by the west of the Sea; and seen the light of the Two Trees before they dragon glow; she picks it up to use; and then stops. Studying the were destroyed. His eyesÉ (She looked now at my eyes. object; she sees the ornate monogram: an elvish L, and famil- Something about them bothered her. Some quality that wasÉ iar. She had seen it before. She had seen this comb before! It familiar?) belonged toÉ PED: Never mind. YouÕve made a beginning. Now, tell Princess Mee: Lœthien Tinœviel! Where did you get this? your name. PED: I found these things not far away, on the bottom of Elf: Mee. the sea. It looked like an old river bed. PED: Yes, you. Who else? [Some of the above beings and situations have been Elf: That is my name Ñ Mee. suggested by the works of J. R. R. Tolkien (But you already PED: You, and your name, have diminished. What was knew that, didnÕt you?)] your name and family? Mee: My brother was Denethor. He led us across the mountains into Beleriand. In Menegroth they welcomed us as distant kin. They gave us Ossiriand, the land of seven rivers. Letters of Comment My brother was lord thereof until the goblin soldiers of Morgoth killed him and the rest of my near kin. We had no lords EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC thereafter, and kept to the woods. Our father was Lenw‘. I was MeenaÉ Menathoris: nominal princess of the Green-elves. Chris Garcia 16 November 2006 PED: So, you are one of the Green-elves of Ossiriand. Princess Mee: For a very long time now; I have been the Green-elf of Ossiriand. Another issue hits the Intarwebs and IÕm on it like fen on Ñ O Ñ O Ñ O Ñ the minor imperfections in popular media! I come to a decision. The note on the cancellation of the TAFF Race preceded PED: Princess, you were not part of my plans. Neverthe- the announcement of our running in the Shuttle. ItÕs a strange less, I shall do something for you that you may appreciate. (I world, but it also makes sense when you consider it was a race cough out the contents of my stomachs: A box, a comb, a few that I was involved in. IÕm planning on running in 2007 for the gold and silver chains and armlets, an ear and a foot. I re- 2008 Trip. ItÕll be interesting. swallow the ear and the box; and hold the foot up against MeeÕs NovaCon was postponed. I might be able to make the trip legs. It is in much better shape now. Good enough for a this year with the relocated time. IÕm always planning on reattachment. She sees it and gasps. She shrieks as I rub her making these trips, but I seldom get a chance, mostly due to stump against my scales; making it raw and bloody. I press the time or money, but with no TAFF trip to save for or to take time foot to the stump and mutter healing charms I had learned. The off for, I can make more side trips. edges reseal as the graft takes. ItÕs only marginal, though, IÕd love to see Last Girlfriend. I make shorts (one called according to the disparate heat signatures. Her circulation must The Last Woman on Earth is at and the SF film The Chick from classes; but from classmates. I had several very good Magnet is at ). I usually watch a lot of shorts select- transformation spells, and a few others. I was socially quite ing films for Cinequest, but took this year off to concentrate on popular. I begin blowing rhythmic puffs of warm air against TAFF and writing incredibly many issues of The Drink Tank. MeeÕs upper thighs; adjusting the frequency and pressure as Enjoy Call of Cthulhu. IÕve never managed to see it, even needed. Then my forked tongue flicks out. OnceÉ twiceÉ though itÕs shown at five or six cons IÕve been at. The timing thrice.) never worked out for me to get to see it. I love silent films, and Ñ O Ñ O Ñ O Ñ I hear [É] Call is very very good. I must get around to seeing A long, thin scream drifts up out of the mine entrance, and it. reaches to the day shelter of the goblins. Another strong issue from NASFA, but I expect nothing Mozzish: *grinning* (To no one in particular) One for less. you, SnurleyÉ and one less elf! (Things arenÕt always what they seem!) [Well, weÕd rather you come to Con Stellation than NovaCon, Ñ O Ñ O Ñ O Ñ Chris, since the former is sponsored by NASFA Ñ but differ- Princess Mee: Cruel beast! You spare my life, hurt me, ent strokesÉ (Con Stellation is an all-volunteer general- heal me, and thenÉ and thenÉ (blushing scarlet). interest sf convention. NovaCon is owned by DGA Games, a PED: Birth is pain (I raise my left foreclaws) and death is local Huntsville company, and concentrates on gaming and pain (I interlock my right foreclaws with the left). They media.) The tipped-in insert about the TAFF cancellation was balance. With pain you were maimedÉ with pain you were somewhat unusual for the Shuttle, but I felt the news was healed. You are balanced. Wiggle your toes and try to walk. Do important enough to fandom to justify the adjustment to our you hurt now? usual production flow. If IÕd gotten the news 12Ð16 hours Princess Mee: No. I am weak from hunger andÉ other earlier IÕd have been able to incorporate it in the body of the things. issue. If youÕre interested, thereÕs a download link for Last I scrape together a pile of earth and coal grit, add water, Girlfriend on . ItÕs a tiny bit gory 6 (zombies, duh) which I often forget when showing it to people happened?Ó The fact itÕs the end of the story never stopped me Ñ I think of it as a comedy and people expecting that are from asking that. Middle-Earth was such a fleshed-out, four- sometimes taken aback. (But then, a number of dark comedies dimensional world, I enjoyed its history pre-Hobbit, and wanted are among my favorite movies.) There was a mixup over the more LotR. location of the copy of Call of Cthulhu so we unfortunately Hello, SherylÉ I didnÕt see your loc until I came back didnÕt see it last month, even at my house when people came from Rochester. The Trimbles were great in Anaheim, and just over after the meeting. It may still make an appearance as a as good, if not better, in Rochester. We enjoyed their company, program item at a club meeting. -ED] and I got to tell my story about sitting in the TrimblesÕ living room with Takumi and Sachiko Shibano way back in 1984 as EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC-EMOC the whole Trimble family was working away, getting manne- quins and other things ready for the masquerade programming Lloyd Penney 3 December 2006 track at L.A.con IV. Which Canadian shows have been added to your Channel 20? 1706-24 Eva Road We are losing our friends very fastÉ Bob Tucker, Jack Etobicoke ON Williamson, and I shudder to think of who might be next. Stay Canada M9C 2B2 healthy, all of you! I will endeavour to do the sameÉ I will be seeing a retinal specialist tomorrow to confirm or deny suspi- A quiet Sunday is a joy to behold, for it allows me to get cions on the part of my optometrist and ophthalmologist of a a little caught up with writing. The fact itÕs a December Sunday partially detached retina in my right eye. I hope treatment will usually means that I can indulge myself in activities like this consist of a few well-placed laser zaps, and nothing much one. HereÕs some quick words on the November Shuttle. more. Well, so much for this yearÕs TAFF raceÉ Chris and Mary We wish you all a marvelous Christmas, Kwanzaa, Sol- Kay will have to wait another year, what with the cancellation stice, Hanukkah, and New Year. Choose what you like, or of the British convention one of them was to go to. Chris has better yet, celebrate them all, and enjoy aspirin and Pepto- had so much energy in this race, itÕs been amazing, but I am Bismol in the new year. Party on, dudes, and see you all in sure he will keep campaigning until fandom as a whole simply 2007. stuffs him in a box, and ships him to [the] British to rid of him for a whileÉ :) [As you can see above, Chris has already proclaimed his And, thereÕs YvonneÕs birthday listedÉ we do have plans willingness to stand for TAFF the next cycle, so perhaps weÕll to go out and party a bit, and have a quiet dinner with a present see how your Òstuff him in a boxÓ prediction works outÉ IÕll or two. confess I was a little surprised to see that the IHG Awards were I believe that with the World Horror Convention coming given this year at World Fantasy Con. Was there some dis- to Toronto in 2007, I think the International Horror Guild will agreement between the International Horror Guild and the be awarding its IHG Awards for 2006 then. WHC has done 2006 World Horror Con, or is there no previous connection some good work so far in getting its word out about its plans. between the organizations, or whatÕs the story? I see on the Hello to PieEyed againÉ I would very much enjoy an 2006 WHC web site that presentation of a Grand Master Award authorized further history of Middle Earth post-LotR. My was scheduled as part of their Opening Ceremony in San favorite question at the end of a good story is, ÒAnd then what Francisco, but apparently thatÕs not an IHG award. -ED]

7 P. O. Box 4857 Huntsville AL 35815-4857

***************************************************************************************************************** The NASFA Shuttle is the newsletter of the North Alabama Science Fiction Association, Inc. This is the December 2006 edition (Volume 26, Number 12). NASFA Officers for 2006: President Mary Lampert; Vice President Mike Kennedy; Secretary Steve Sloan; Treasurer Sam Smith; Program Director Doug Lampert; Publicity Director Mia West. Shuttle Editor Mike Kennedy. Comments, inquiries, and contributions of writing by email to: [email protected] Ñ EDITORIAL ADDRESS (EMAIL) Comments, inquiries, and contributions of writing by snailmail to: Mike Kennedy, 7907 Charlotte Drive SW, Huntsville AL 35802-2841 Ñ EDITORIAL ADDRESS (SNAILMAIL) Dues ($), subscriptions ($), and Official Mail to: NASFA, Inc., P. O. Box 4857, Huntsville AL 35815-4857 Ñ OFFICIAL ADDRESS Contents Copyright, © 2006. All rights revert to contributors. All opinions are those of the individual authors and do not reflect club policies other than by coincidence. LoCs subject to edited printing. NASFA Dues = $15/year (Family rates available) Subscription only = $10/year Single copy = $1.50 each. *****************************************************************************************************************

8