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April 2013 for display on eFanzines at: www.efanzines.com

Feedback encouraged Please e-mail your letter of comment to: [email protected]

Forever the optimist

"Man is never honestly the fatalist, nor even the stoic. He fights his fate, often desperately. He is forever entering bold exceptions to the rulings of the bench of gods. This fighting, no doubt, makes for human progress, for it favours the strong and the brave. It also makes for beauty, for lesser men try to escape from a hopeless and intolerable world by creating a more lovely one of their own." -- H.L. Mencken (1880–1956) Contents

This issue’s cover ...... 3 Letter from North America ...... 4 Information on Australian Fan Funds as at Conflux 9 (25-28 April 2013) ...... 5 The first convention ...... 6 Conventions on the horizon ...... 7 Hugo Award Nomination Period Is Open ...... 12 Book Review: Leopard Dreaming by A. A. Bell ...... 16 Amazon’s anticompetitive perfidy exposed...... 17 Stefan zone ...... 18 Fitzrovia ...... 22 Art, etc. credits… Cover: Graphic by Ditmar Page 2 Photos of Bill Wright and Dick Jenssen Page 17 Photo of Pages & Pages Booksellers Page 3 Graphic of the Bridge of U.S.S Voyager Photo of Court proceedings Page 5 Photograph of 2013 GUFF winner Page 17 Photo of Pages & Pages Booksellers Page 6 Photo of fans at first ever SF convention Photo of Court proceedings Pages 7 to 15 Convention logos, photos and illustrations Page 20 Illustration of Episcopal prostitution Page 16 Book cover: Leopard Dreaming Page 22 Photo of Fizrovia Restaurant in St Kilda Illustration by Ian Gunn Illustration of hog on a spit roast

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This issue’s cover V’ger to be…

Cover and notes by Dick Jenssen

I suspect that I must be in a very small minority when it comes to Star Trek the original series. Firstly, science fiction fans are a small minority of readers, secondly, TV SF fans are a minority of TV viewers, and, thirdly, ST_TOS fans are a small minority of even the latter group. And – finally – I am in an even more minuscule subset in that I believe that Star Trek, the Motion Picture is one of the best films of the Star Trek franchise. Top of the list is First Contact (The Next Generation), then The Voyage Home, and then The Motion Picture. And, frankly, they’re the only ones I would – and have – watched more than once. Yes…that puts me even more in a vanishing small class since I think Wrath of Khan is pretty average… As all IRS readers will know, The Motion Picture deals with a super-intelligent mechanical entity which – or should that be who? – is searching for its creator, and whose quest has led it to Earth. If the Creator does not contact the entity – V’ger – it threatens to destroy our planet. Of course Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty and Sulu must save the day. No spoilers here, because all you reading this know the plot, V’ger turns out to be a NASA Voyager spacecraft. Somehow it got caught in a wormhole, was flushed to a far region of the galaxy (perhaps even to another one) where it was severely damaged, but rescued by aliens who comprise a mechanoid civilisation. It was repaired, and its mission brief was intensified – now it no longer is a piece of equipment, but a sentient being, exploring the universe, and determined to gain as much knowledge as possible. Part of that drive is to meld with its creator. In a way, the plot is a basic ST_TOS one, but what makes the film, for me, so enjoyable (and I must have seen it at least five times) is the fusion of sight and sound – especially the combination of Jerry Goldsmith’s music and the long, slow visuals as the Enterprise enters V’ger’s realm and moves towards its centre where V’ger awaits its creator. Here is where I part company with the majority of viewers who renamed the movie Star Trek, the Motionless Picture. For me, music and image are rather beautiful. As images go, I see a lot of Virgil Finlay in the scenes where Decker and Ilia merge with each other – Ilia already being part of (or wholly?) V’ger. A light show with “bubbles” of light so frequently depicted by Finlay. But, be that as it may – the cover illustration depicts the immanent destruction of Voyager an instant before it is rescued by the mechanoids. About to succumb to the harsh and inimical molten moon into whose gravity it has been sucked, Voyager is burnt, blackened, and on the verge of losing all its, admittedly fairly primitive, computer facilities. But, mindlessness will soon be replaced by sentience and an irresistible urge to meet The Creator.

U.S.S. Voyager’s bridge (Nothing at all to do with NASA’s space probe Voyager, but nice to look at just the same. Ed.}

Technical Notes The cover graphic’s image was created in E-on’s Vue Complete. The landscape was ‘painted’ using a Mandelbrot image created by djFractals. Filters in PhotoShop CS6 supplied the smoke and steam, and enabled final tweaking. Ditmar

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Letter from North America Loc from Lloyd Penney Lloyd Penney is a well-known Canadian letter-hack and fanzine editor. He has won the FAAn Award for Best Letterhack four times for his LoCs, which are widely enjoyed by science fiction fanzine editors and their readers. 1706-24 Eva Rd., Etobicoke, Ontario, CANADA M9C 2B2 February 21, 2013 Dear Bill: Thank you, good sir, for continuing to put out issues of Interstellar Ramjet Scoop. They aren't going into ANZAPA any more, are they? Oh, well, if it's not an apazine any more, it will do just fine as a regular zine. I've got here the February 2013 issue, and it's time for some commentary. Lawrence of Arabia is one of Yvonne's favourite movies, but we haven't seen it in a while. We've got a DVD of the movie at home, and that seems to mean you have it, so you don't need to see it again. That's the collector in us coming out, I think. I never met Michael Waite, but I did get some of his fanzines over the years. I never had any e-mail conversations with him, either; we don't travel much these days. My computer's in the shop right now, but I am sure I never received any issues of Trial and Air, and that's my loss. Thank you for reprinting those pages from previous issues. (That list of obituaries on page 25 is quite depressing.) My letter...lately, we've been seeing more reports of flooding in Australia, and the reports of worse heat aren't good. If temperatures exceed 50°C, will parts of Australia be simply uninhabitable? I'd think that there wouldn't be any more doubts about climate change, but there's no convincing some people. This year's TAFF race is interesting, and it's been a little nasty here and there. I think it comes down to older fans not being happy with the fact there are newer fans around who are creating their own traditions. Also, those older fans are too eager to take some swipes at the newer fans. We all have problems remembering our own neofannish days. I was a supporting member of last year's Chicon 7, and we are attending members of next year's Loncon 3, but we didn't get anything for this year's LoneStarcon 3. However, with new rules for who can nominate, we can nominate this year, too. With dwindling numbers, we need to be more inclusive in many ways. I will need to find another way to get this to you, probably through my Gmail back-up account, and the computer at my evening job. Hope it's not in the shop too long! Thanks for this issue, and I look forward to the next one. Yours, Lloyd Penney P.S. Keep me in mind for the FAAn Awards! That I will, Lloyd. For the benefit of readers who might not have heard of the FAAn Awards, they are the Fan Activity Achievement (FAAn) Awards continuing a tradition almost as old as fanzine fandom itself. Many big name fans have turned poll-taker over the years to help dispense egoboo to all the fine writers, artists, publishers and website posters who do so much to entertain us by editing, publishing and contributing to fanzines. In mid-February Bill Burns reminded me that the ballot for the 2013 Fan Activity Achievement (FAAn) Awards was online at http://corflu.org, that the deadline for voting was April 6th, 2013, and that voting was open to all fans, not just attendees at Corflu, the fanzine editors worldcon. I had only sporadic connections with the Internet then, and I don’t think I managed to get my votes in. I’m sorry if I didn’t get to vote for you, but at least my intentions were good. Anyhow, Corflu Gliter was held at Las Vegas, Nevada, on 20-22 April 2013. As at 24th April 2014 when this zine was closed off for publication, Andy Hooper hadn’t posted the 2013 FAAn Awards results announced at that convention. This year, there was a new category, Best Fanzine Cover. To help voters decide on contenders for this interesting new award, Bill Burns prepared a gallery of cover images of both electronic and paper fanzines published in 2012 and posted it on eFanzines at http://efanzines.com/covers2012.htm. There won’t be many science fiction fanzines published in North America, Europe or the Antipodes in 1912 that are not represented on eFanzines via that link. That’s wise advice you have for me on cooling it with regard to the friction that’s developed between older and younger fans. None of us are immune from its effects. On reflection, my own reactions seem to have oscillated between extremism and the acquiescent. Most of the extreme cases occurred when I didn’t understand the situation and made overly harsh judgements about individual fans that, in fealty to fiawol, I now bitterly regret. Ed.

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Information on Australian Fan Funds as at Conflux 9 (25-28 April 2013) As at 24th April 2013, the publication date of this issue, following is the most current information available on Fan Funds that I’ll be taking to the Fan Funds panel at Conflux 9 / Aussie Natcon 52 in Canberra on 25-29 April 2013.

DUFF 2013 Aus/NZ administrator: David Cake North American administrator: John Hertz DUFF is the Down Under Fan Fund which transports SF fans from North America to Australasia, and vice versa. The 2013 race will be a northbound race, to transport a fan from Australian or New Zealand to LoneStarCon 3, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention, to be held in San Antonio, Texas, in the USA, from August 29th to September 2, 2013. The winner may also wish to attend other conventions, and meet other fans, from North America, as they are able. The winner will also be required to take over the administration of the fund for the next northbound and southbound races. Nominations closed on 31st March 2013 and, on the eve of Conflux 9, the administrators, David Cake (Aus/NZ) and John Hertz (North America) are on the verge of releasing the ballot form. Until that happens, web links for downloading the DUFF 2013 Ballot Form aren’t known, but it should be easy enough to find them when they are available, using the search engine of your choice. There is no North to South race this year, so DUFF is not represented at Conflux 9.

GUFF 2013 Aus/NZ administrator: Kylie Ding European administrator elect: James Shields (Ireland) The 2013 Going Under Fan Fund (GUFF) winner Mihaela Marija Perković represents European fans at Conflux 9 / Natcon 52. Active in fandom since 2004, she has participated at Croatian conventions as lecturer, moderator and GoH host. She runs the SFERA Award Jury and writing workshops, is PR manager of SFera and SFeraKon, and coordinated Kontakt Special Track at Eurocon 2012. Enthusiastic, cheerful and chatty, she is an active blogger and lousy photographer. Her trip includes attendance at Swancon, Conflux and fan centres in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand. Her report will be fun to read. Mihaela blogs at www.rantalica.com and tweets @rantalica.

FFANZ 2013 Australian administrator: Ewina Harvey (NSW) NZ administrator: Jan Butterworth FFANZ (Fan Fund of Australia and New Zealand) administrators Edwina Harvey (Australia) and Jan Butterworth (New Zealand) were looking for New Zealand fans to enter a competition to represent the local science fiction community at Conflux 9 / Aussie Natcon 52 in Canberra on 25-28 April 2013. Candidates supply a platform explaining who they are and why they should chosen and a ballot form is circulated to Australasian fans. A small donation is made with each completed ballot form to pay for the trip. The winner will be the FFANZ laureate at Conflux 9, is expected to write a trip report after the event, and will become the New Zealand FFANZ administrator for the ensuing two years. In the event there were no candidates, so FFANZ is not represented at Conflux 9. For more details e-mail Edwina Harvey at: [email protected].

NAFF Current administrators: John and Sarah Parker (WA) Administrator elect: Emma Kate On 9th January 2013, Sarah Parker (with John Parker, the current NAFF administrator) announced: If you've ever considered running for NAFF, now might be the time! This year the Natcon is Conflux 9 at the Rydges Capital Hill in Canberra on the 25-28th of April. NAFF contributes the cost of your travelling arrangements, your hotel room, and your convention pass. In return you need to be your fannish self and meet people, make friends and have a good time. Other duties will include writing a trip report, becoming an Administrator, and fundraising to ensure the fund's continued survival. In the event, Emma Kate was the only human candidate, the choice being between her and Hold Over Funds. As expected, she won the race and is attending Conflux 9 as the NAFF laureate. For more information, click the link: http://www.saucysarahs.com/naff-fund/ News flash: Jim Mowatt (UK) is the 2013 TAFF winner. He will attend Worldcon, LoneStarCon 3, in August 2013.

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About fan funds

TAFF DUFF GUFF NAFF FFANZ Their origin, what they’re for, how they work and why you should support them. It started in the 1950s when a group of American fans, spearheaded by fanzine editor Shelby Vick, thought of the idea of bringing Irish fan Walt Willis to TASFIC (aka Chicon 2), the 10th Worldcon in Chicago in 1952, and began fundraising. Walt was very appreciative and went out of his way to help the convention and represent his country to the best of his ability. On his return, he filled several fanzines with reports from the convention. Remember, this was well before the Internet so fanzines were the only way people got to hear about far away conventions. From this small beginning, the Trans Atlantic Fan Fund (TAFF) that sends a European representative to North America, and vice versa, in alternate years, was born. The Down Under Fan Fund ( DUFF) alternately sending fans between the US and Australia was the next major fan fund, and this was followed by GUFF, which stands for either Going Under Fan Fund or Get Up-and-over Fan Fund, sending fans between Europe and Australia. The Fan Fund of Australia and New Zealand (FFANZ) sends delegates to each other’s National SF Convention. As well as international fan fund there are also intranational fan funds. Examples are the Canadian Unity Fan Fund (CUFF) and the National Australia Fan Fund (NAFF) that take fans from one region to a major convention in another region within the same country. Other funds are "one offs" that raise money to bring a specific fan to a particular convention. For example, the Tucker Bag Fund brought Bob Tucker from the U.S.A. to Aussiecon in 1975, and the Bring Bruce Bayside Fund enabled Australian fanzine editor Bruce Gillespie to attend the Corflu and Potlatch conventions in California in 2005. Fan Fund laureates represent the best their country has to offer at the host country’s top convention. They enrich fandom globally and their delegates are good company. That’s why you should support them with your donation when the time comes to vote for the candidate of your choice

Current links to Internet sites with information and news about Fan Funds General information about Fan Funds, including links to current information about each, is available at: Irwin Hirsh's site at: http://ozfanfunds.com/ The Live Journal site at: http://aust-sf-fan-fun.livejournal.com There are a couple of Facebook groups, GUFF and DUFF as well. There is also a global Fan Funds site: http://fanac.org/fan_funds/fan-funds.html originally located at the LACon III website and now run by the Fan History Project of the World Science Fiction Society, Go there if you want a global perspective (and details) on Fan Funds, but the information on Australasian Fan funds may not always be current.

Fan Funds session at Conflux 9 A 55-minutes program space has been reserved for a Fan Funds panel at Conflux 9, at 12:30 pm on Saturday 27th April 2013 in Executive Boardroom 2. Panellists will be the Australian administrators of DUFF, GUFF, FFANZ and NAFF or their nominees, and the GUFF and NAFF laureates. [DUFF and FFANZ are not represented at Conflux 9]. Known panellists in the week before Conflux 9 are: David Cake DUFF Aus/NZ administrator Bill Wright, representing GUFF Aus/NZ administrator Kylie Ding; Edwina Harvey FFANZ Australian administrator; and Mihaela Marija Perković, the GUFF laureate; and Emma Kate, the NAFF laureate. Bill Wright The first science fiction convention Americans say it was in New York, but the British lay claim to the first ever science fiction convention, held in Leeds in Lancashire. Pictured are three fans who attended the first conventions and who became legends in the genre – Walter Gillings, Arthur C Clarke and Ted Carnell.

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Conventions on the horizon

The 38th Annual Western Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention Perception -- Discovery -- Emergence will take place on the Easter long weekend – March 29th to April 1st, 2013 at a venue to be decided

Guests of Honour: Gail Simone, Charles Stross, Lucy Sussex and John Birmingham Fan Guests of Honour: John and Sarah Parker Visit the website at: https://2013.swancon.com.au/

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Conflux 9 2013 Natcon Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th April 2013 at Rydges Capital Hill, Barton, Australian Capital Territory http://confluxnatcon2013.wordpress.com

Guests: International Guest of Honour: Nalo Hopkinson International Editor Guest of Honour: Marc Gascoigne Fan Guest of Honour: Rose Mitchell Australian Guest of Honour: Karen Miller Special Guest: Kaaron Warren

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Conventions on the horizon (cont)

The fanzine editors summit

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Conventions on the horizon (cont)

Continuum is an annual Melbourne speculative fiction and pop culture convention celebrating creativity across genre and media. From hard-edge science fiction to high-flown fantasy, comic books to film noir, high culture to sub-culture… we sink our teeth into it all! The Continuum conventions are supported by the Continuum Foundation and we are grateful for their support. Continuum 9 will take place on the Queen’s Birthday Weekend, June 7 — 10, 2013. Our guests of honour this year are Waris Hussein and N.K. Jemisin. Supporting them will be a wide range of other speakers and panellists in a fabulous line up of panels, presentations and special events. To contact the convention committee, please email [email protected]. We’ll make sure your query gets to the right person! Continuum 9 Committee Chair Stephanie Lai Treasurer and Chronos convener Emilly McLeay Programming Liz Barr Venue Liaison and Events Julia Svaganovic Website, Publications, Social Media and Events Danielle Madeley Memberships Fran La Fontaine Guest Liaison Michael Wauchope Volunteer Liaison Hespa

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Conventions on the horizon (cont)

34th New Zealand Natcon Friday 12 to Sunday 14 July, 2013 at Quality Hotel, Cuba Street in the heart of Wellington

Guest of Honour: Jennifer Fallon Jennifer Fallon is the author of 15 full-length novels, and a number of published short stories. In addition to her own fantasy series - theDemon Child trilogy, the Hythrun Chronicles, the Second Sons trilogy, theTide Lords quadrilogy, and the Rift Runners series - she has written both a tie-in novel and short fiction for the TV series Stargate SG1, an official Zorro story for Disney, a novella for the Legends of Australian Fantasyanthology, and has her own superhero - the Violet Valet. Fan Guest of Honour: Anna Klein Anna Klein, has been instrumental in the development of both the Auckland and the wider national live action role playing community. She has been a driving force behind the New Zealand Live Action Roleplaying Society, a funding and advisory organisation for the hobby. Additionally, she has run a popular three year larp campaign "St Wolfgang's Vampire Hunters," along with writing and running one-off games. Anna has also led the organisation of Chimera, the original larp convention in New Zealand.

Contact us Visit the website at: http://www.aucontraire.org.nz/2013/index.php Get venue info at: http://www.aucontraire.org.nz/2013/venue.php Join Au Contraire at: http://www.aucontraire.org.nz/2013/membership.php

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Conventions on the horizon (cont)

First it was LoneStar Con 2 – 45th Worldcon in 1997 in San Antonio, Texas

Now it’s

LoneStar Con 3 71st Worldcon in 2013 in San Antonio, Texas

Hugo Award design for LoneStar Con 2 First Texas Worldcon

August 29 through September 2, 2013

Guests: • James GUNN • Willie SIROS • Norman SPINRAD • Darrell K. SWEET*

Toastmaster: Paul CORNELL

Special Guests: Leslie FISH & Joe R. LANSDAL

Join LoneStar Con 3 at: http://www.lonestarcon3.org/memberships/index.php

Young Adult Child (0-16 Attending (17-21 years) Kid-In-Tow Supporting Membership rates years) /Military New Purchase US $180 US $110 US $75 FREE US $60 Upgrade from Supporting US $120 US $50 US $15 FREE N/A

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Conventions on the horizon (cont) Hugo Award Nomination Period Is Open

LoneStarCon 3, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention San Antonio, Texas, August 29 - September 2, 2013 Postal queries to: P.O. Box 27277, Austin, TX 78755 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Wednesday, January 2, 2013 SAN ANTONIO, Texas: LoneStarCon 3, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention ("Worldcon"), is delighted to announce that the 2013 Hugo Award nomination period is now open.

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Nomination ballots for the prestigious Hugo Awards and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer will be accepted until Sunday, March 10, 2013, 11:59 p.m. EDT (Sunday, March 10, 2013, 8:59 p.m. PDT; Monday, March 11, 2013, 6:59 a.m. UTC/GMT). Members of LoneStarCon 3 and Loncon 3 (the 2014 Worldcon) who join by January 31, 2013, and all members of Chicon 7, the 2012 Worldcon, are invited to submit nomination ballots.

The Hugo Awards are the premier award of the science fiction genre, honoring science fiction literature and media as well as fans of the genre. The Hugo Awards were first presented at the 1953 World Science Fiction Convention in Philadelphia (Philcon II), and they have continued to honor science fiction and fantasy notables for nearly 60 years.

More information about the Hugo Awards, including details on how to submit a nomination ballot, is available through the LoneStarCon 3 Hugo Nominating Website or by paper ballot by mail. . Ballots may be submitted by postal mail or online. Online voters will need a unique LoneStarCon 3 Personal Identification Number (PIN) to enter their ballot; these were issued by email in early January 2013 and were also distributed during January along with Progress Report 3, for LoneStarCon 3 members receiving printed progress reports.

For additional information, please contact: [email protected].

ABOUT THE WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION

Founded in 1939, the World Science Fiction Convention is one of the largest international gatherings of authors, artists, editors, publishers, and fans of science fiction and fantasy. The annual Hugo Awards, the leading award for excellence in the fields of science fiction and fantasy, are voted on by Worldcon membership and presented during the convention.

LoneStarCon 3 is sponsored by ALAMO, Inc., (Alamo Literary Arts Maintenance Organization), a 501(c)(3) organization. For information about memberships or hotel accommodation, please visit our website at: Hugo Award given at LACon 1972 http://www.lonestarcon3.org/. Send general queries to [email protected].

"World Science Fiction Society," "WSFS," "World Science Fiction Convention," "Worldcon," "NASFiC," "Hugo Award," and the distinctive design of the Hugo Award Rocket are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.

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It will be expensive to go, but Australian science fiction fans, artists, authors, faneds and other aficionados of popular culture are cordially invited to attend… Swecon 2013 ‘Fantastica’ Swedish National Science Fiction Convention 18 – 20 October 2013 For more details, and news updates closer to the event, please visit: http://www.fantastika2013.com/ and click on the ‘English’ tab.

Swecon 2013, also known as Fantastika 2013, is the national annual Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention in Sweden. It will take place in Sickla, close to the center of Stockholm, capital city of Sweden, on October 18-20, 2013. The programming will be in Swedish and English, and almost always there will be some programme in English.

Author Guests of Honour are Jo Walton and Lavie Tidhar.

Jo Walton is a Welsh-born novelist w ho migrated to Canada ten years ago. She won both the Hugo and Nebula awards in 2012 for her ‘mirror image’ Harry Potter-style novel Among others, about a young girl brought up in a magical family who is sent to a mundane, non-magical school. Hugo awards are popular awards voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Society and presented annually at the World Science Fiction Convention which, in 2012 took place in Chicago, U.S.A. Nebula Awards are given annually by Science Fiction Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, a non-profit association of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. Winning those two prestigious awards puts her in the running for the to be presented at the World Fantasy Convention, to be held in Toronto, Canada, on 1-4 November 2012. Lavie Tidhar is an Israeli born (1976) write r who is more a citizen of the world, having lived for long periods of time in the United Kingdom and South Africa, as well as in Vanuatu and Laos. His novel Osama was nominated for the 2012 World Fantasy Award, A postscript to the novel called The Last Osama, available as an e-book via Epub and Mobi, was supposedly written by Tidmar and his alter-ego Mike Longshott after bin Laden’s assassination and two months before Osama’s publication release date. The Last Osama explores the world after the capture of Osama bin Laden in the Abbottabad Compound on May 2nd, 2011. In a world profoundly altered by bin Laden’s death, a bounty hunter is hired by the remnants of an army to travel down the Euphrates. His mission is to track down and eliminate the last of the Osamas. But how do you kill an idea? Fan Guest of Honour (at left) is Johan Anglemark, well-known both in Sweden and abroad. Swedish Author Guest of Honour (at righ) is Karin Tidbeck. British author John Meaney (photo not available) will also attend Swecon 2013 due to kind sponsoring from the SF Book Shop in Sweden and the UK publisher Orion Books.

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World fantasy convention 2013

Guests of honour RICHARD MATHESON & RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON

Artist Guest of Honour Special Guests ALAN LEE BRIAN ALDISS TESSA FARMER

Master of Ceremonies CHINA MIÉVILLE

The Royal Pavilion at Brighton, UK ATTENDING PUBLISHERS Ace Books/Penguin (USA) Grant Books (USA) The RAS Press (UK) Allen & Unwin (Australia) HarperCollins Publishers (UK) Screaming Dreams (UK) Angry Robot Books (UK) Headline Publishing (UK) Shadow Publishing (UK) Baen Books (USA) Hodder and Stoughton (UK) Solaris Books/Rebellion Publishing (UK) Borderlands Press (USA) Immersion Press (UK) Subterranean Press (USA) Centipede Press (USA) Jo Fletcher Books/ (UK) Tartarus Press (UK) ChiZine Publications (Canada) Little, Brown Book Group (UK) Ticonderoga Publications (Australia) Dream Press (France) Meulenhoff Boekerij (Netherlands) Titan Books (UK/USA) Eibonvale Press (UK) Newcon Press (UK) Tor Books (UK) Editions Bragelonne (France) Noose and Gibbet Publishing (UK) Tor Books (USA) Editions Gallimard (France) Orbit Books (UK) Transworld Publishers (UK) Fablecroft Publishing (Australia) Pan Macmillan (UK) TTA Press (UK) Festa (Germany) Prime Books (USA) Twelfth Planet Press (Australia) Gollancz/Orion (UK) PS Publishing (UK) This is your opportunity to participate in one of the most exciting and exhilarating conventions ever held in Europe for professionals and fans alike. If you are serious about your writing career or just enjoy reading in the genre, then you really can't afford to miss it .

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Conventions on the horizon (cont)

The 72nd World Science Fiction Convention Thursday 14 to Monday 18 August 2014 International Conference Centre, ExCeL, London Docklands

Join Loncon 3 at: http://www.loncon3.org/ Membership rates:

Adult £95.00 US$160.00 Young Adult £65.00 US$110.00

Child £30.00 US$50.00 Infant £2.00 US$3.00

Family £230.00 US$390.00 Supporting £25.00 US$40.00

Guests of Honour: Iain M Banks came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, The Wasp Factory, in 1984. His first science fiction novel, Consider Phlebas, was published in 1987. He has continued to write both mainstream fiction (as Iain Banks) and science fiction, has won awards (including Hugo Awards) for individual books. He was associate editor of the first edition of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (general editor Peter Nicholls), co-edited the second edition with Nicholls, and is co-editing the third editionwith David Langford. Chris Foss, whose ground-breaking science fiction art revolutionised paperback covers from the early 1970s, raising the bar for realism and invention. His battle-weary spacecraft, alien landscapes and crumbling brutalist architecture irrevocably changed the aesthetic of science fiction art and cinema. Malcolm Edwards is a science fiction editor and critic who joined fandom in 1970, when he was initially confused with a pseudonym invented by Peter Weston. He has worked for Victor Gollancz, Grafton and HarperCollins and is currently deputy CEO and publisher at the . He launched the SF Masterworks series in 1999 and was the instigator of the SF Gateway for eBooks. Jeanne Gomoll discovered fandom in the want ads of a Madison University (Wisconsin) newspaper in 1974 and soon began contributing art, articles and fiction as well as co-editing the fanzine Janus. She has been nominated for Hugo Awards as a fan editor and fan artist. After joining the women’s APA, she began planning the first Wiscon, the world’s leading feminist science fiction convention. Robin Hobb is the author of the Rain Wilds Chronicles, The Farseer Trilogy, The Liveship Traders Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, and The Soldier Son Trilogy. Her books under the pseudonym Megan Lindholm include Wizard of the Pigeons, The Windsingers, and Cloven Hooves. Bryan Talbot has won many comic awards, including an Eisner award, the Prix SNCF and several Eagles. He has produced underground and alternative comics, notably Brainstorm!, science fiction and superhero stories such as , Nemesis the Warlock, Teknophage, The Nazz and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight. After a career spanning thirty years he is now published in over twenty countries.

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Book Review: Leopard Dreaming by A. A. Bell

A.A.Bell is the first writer to have twice won the Norma K Hemming Award for excellence in the exploration of themes of race, gender, sexuality, class and disability in speculative fiction. This is a jury award given annually by the Australian Science Fiction Foundation. Better known as an author of top selling business books, crime novels and children’s adventure stories, Ms Bell spent ten years revising and refining her first speculative fiction thriller Diamond Eyes at the behest of book publishers. Their comments on rejection slips were interpreted as advice to be followed in re-writes on a tortuous path to publication. The results were Diamond Eyes and its sequel Hindsight, both well crafted novels that, as mentioned above, won the 2011 and 2012 Hemming Awards, respectively. Leopard Dreaming completes the trilogy … or does it? There there is a Shakespearean quality at the end of the novel, reminiscent of “The evil that men do lives after them…,” that hints at a sequel. The Mira story Blind to the normal human spectrum of visible light, the viewpoint character Mira Chambers spends her life in asylums before her ability to see the past is recognised as a talent rather than a delusion. She finds a sense of self worth by helping victims of crime, but her activities attract unwelcome surveillance by over-protective top echelons in the Military and an organised cell of criminal psychopaths headed by a renegade Colonel who will use any means to gain power. The first two novels, Diamond Eyes and Hindsight, deal with how Mira learns to survive in a hostile world and keep her distance from forces who seek to utilise her talent for both unworthy and worthy ends. As in most good mysteries, both books have loosely connected story lines involving interesting characters and cliff hanger endings. Each tells a story, but there are issues that form parts of a larger puzzle. The third book, Leopard Dreaming, is an absorbing page turner that surprises the reader with unexpected “Aha!” revelations. When the hospital matron who helped Mira gain her independence is abducted by the evil ex-Colonel who, in the earlier books, sought to use her for his own perverted ends, she teams up with ex-Army Lieutenant Adam Lockman who acts as her bodyguard, guide and surrogate attack dog in the sighted world. Of equal danger to her is a fellow asylum inmate and captive of the Colonel’s, a genius-level schizophrenic named Freddie Leopard who cycles through multiple personalities that include a dangerous psychopath. Isolated and in fear of betrayed, Mira struggles to maintain her independence from manipulation by the either the military arm of government or the renegade Colonel’s criminal conspiracy. Leopard Dreaming is a good read, taut with dramatic tension in the right places. This reviewer found the surprise ending profoundly satisfying.

Leopard Dreaming was first published in 2012 by HarperCollins Australia Pty Ltd ABN 36 009 913 5172003 Copyright © 2012 by A. A. Bell. Cover design by Darren Holt, HarperCollins Design Studio. Rating  Bill Wright

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Amazon’s anticompetitive perfidy exposed

This is from ‘booktrade’ department of the website ShelfAwarness at: http://www.shelf-awareness.com/booktrade.html. Click on Past Issues and look at the topic for Monday 22nd April 2013, viz: Cool Idea of the Day: Amazon Amnesty In a campaign aimed to help people “understand what Amazon is doing and make an informed choice to have choice," Pages & Pages Booksellers, in Mosman, Australia, just north of Sydney, is offering what it calls a "Kindle amnesty." On the third Saturday of every month, customers who purchase a BeBook e-reading device from the store and trade in a Kindle at the same time, will receive a $50 gift voucher. In the announcement, general manager Jon Page, who is also president of the Australian Booksellers Association, noted that in Australia, Amazon has more than 65% of the e-book market and more than 75% of e-reading devices. "Kindle has become the default term for an e- reader but most readers don't understand that it is an Amazon product and there are other, better, reading devices on the market." They also don't understand that "the Kindle locks them into buying from Amazon only. Amazon limits readers' choices and walls them into their garden. But you don't have to be."

By contrast, Pages & Pages sells e-books and e-readers that work on "any tablet or smart phone as well as all other non-Kindle e-readers photo: Mosman Daily like the Sony eReader or Kobo device…. Come in for a demonstration. Pages & Pages are also happy to set up any device for e-reading. Unlike Amazon, Pages & Pages can give face-to- face customer service and advice. There is also a bin in store for old Kindles." Unlike Amazon, Pages & Pages, he said, also "support local schools, pay taxes in Australia, employ local people, give Mosman Village character, respect readers privacy, none of which Amazon does." Page said, too, that e-books are "not a threat to physical bookshops. This new format presents bookshops and readers with many wonderful opportunities to sell and read more books. What does threaten bookshops is a company who engages in uncompetitive behaviour, pays no tax in Australia and misleads readers with restrictive devices and fake book reviews." About Mosman Mosman, on the North Shore of Sydney Harbour, within cooee of The Bridge, and accessible via ferry boat from Circular Quay, is one of the most desirable (and expensive) residential locations on Earth. Its multi-storied apartment blocks are tiered on a slope so as to include deep, wide verandas with spectacular harbour views. The editor thinks that any business doing well enough to operate out of Mosman can afford to run the risk of being sued for defamation by Amazon, albeit Truth has not necessarily been defence under Australian defamation laws in the past. Australian defamation law – Has Pages & Pages a defence against being sued by Amazon? Is Truth a defence? Under the old system of individual state laws, almost anyone or any organisation or company could bring an action for defamation. However, under the Uniform Defamation Law, corporations with 10 or more employees cannot sue. However, individuals or groups of individuals employed by or associated with that corporation - such as company directors, CEOs or managers - can still sue if they are identified by the publication. Not-for-profit organisations can still sue for defamation, no matter how many employees or members they have. Truth (which is also called justification) is probably the best defence. Formerly in some states (such as NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT) truth was only a defence if you could prove that a ‘public interest’ was served by publishing the defamatory words. This requirement has been dropped from the Uniform Defamation Law and now there is a defence if the defendant can prove that the so-called defamatory imputations are substantially true. Bill Wright

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Stefan zone STEFAN TV NEWS – BEHIND THE SCENES won't have a clue as to what is really going on - leave Here at Stefan TV News, we pride ourselves on being that up to us to tell you. the leader in news. We're there when the news breaks, and are gone before all the facts are known or a Here's what Joe Whonfu, Stefan TV’s Executive retraction is required. If we're not quite there in Producer, had to say about manufacturing a global person, our bootlegged and rebranded copies of crisis. He spoke to us exclusively on condition of YouTube footage will say we were. anonymity (Whatever that means - we're not even sure how to spell it). But what happens when news doesn't break ? It is at times like these we are faced with the unenviable "Manufacturing an international crisis is a big deal. choice between trying to interview a fifth-rate Some people think they can just jump straight into an celebrity wannabe or yet another cross-promotion with international crisis but it has only been done a few a 'star' from one of our other shows. Channel 10 the times in history and there have been many more other day became so desperate for news on a slow failures than winners. At Stefan News, we prefer to news day that they crashed their own news helicopter build it up over a week because that way it's a lot safer in WA. and we get more news coverage. Stefan News is so much above those other stations and "The other thing to remember is there must be an their low tactics. When Stefan News is faced with a 'incident' that starts off the whole process. If there is slow news day, it's a self-manufactured global crisis or no incident, then there is no need for Public Concern. nothing. If there is no Public Concern, then there can't be a Public Panic, a Local Crisis, an Australia-Wide Crisis In this new series, we go behind the scenes to see how and certainly not an International Crisis. These 6 steps a global crisis is manufactured, from its early days of have kept Stefan News on top of the News channels being an incident, through to an international crisis. for the past 20 years." You will be there every step of the way, although you Next bulletin - The Incident STEFAN TV NEWS – 1. THE INCIDENT S: "We interrupt this Stefan News bulletin with reports S: "What about police? We saw some behind you of something taking place in an inner suburb of earlier." Melbourne. We cross live now to our reporter, TM "Police refused to comment when I spoke to them, Francesco NotaFrancesco, on scene. Francesco, what but then I realised I was talking to a life sized picture can you tell us?" in the foyer of the police station." F: "Unfortunately, not much at this stage, Stefan. We S: "So possibly a police cover-up there. Have you think something may have happened in the street heard anyone refer to it as an incident?" behind me. We can’t give you too many details at this stage until we have more time to make them up." F: "Yes, I have. I heard you mention it just then." S: "Thanks, Francesco. We’ll cross back to you later S: "There we have it. Francesco NotaFrancesco, in the bulletin. Next up is ... Francesco with an reporting live from an incident in inner Melbourne. In update." the studio now we have an Incident Specialist, Cal Amity. Cal, now that our station has self-confirmed F: "Sorry, I thought there was movement but it was this incident, do you think it could spread?" only a cat." C: "Oh, most definitely, Stefan. An unknown incident S: "Francesco there, live from the scene. In our now- like this can spread across Melbourne in a matter of extended 2 hour Stefan News service, we’ll be minutes." discussing increasing concerns over the lack of development, but first, we cross back to Francesco for S: "Do you think it’s too early for the Public to show the latest. Francesco, has there been a development in concern?" the past minute?" C: "If I was after more ratings, I would drag the F: "Well Yes and No, Stefan. Residents here have incident out until tomorrow night. While I’m not a said nothing has happened here since the 1970’s Concern expert, as soon as I finish this interview, I’ll although some said they could become ‘concerned’ for be expressing my concern on Twit-ee and Spacebook $5 each. One even mentioned a vague feeling of and I urge all your viewers to do the same." unease."

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S: "The latest news is that the incident is now we’ll interview a Concerned Melbournian to discuss spreading unstopped across Melbourne. Tomorrow, the best facial expressions to express your concern." STEFAN TV NEWS – 2. PUBLIC CONCERN S: As we go to air tonight, reports are coming in that S: Oh yes. I'm a black-faced-belt in Expressionism. our incident from yesterday has turned into an Take us through some of the easier ones. outbreak of public concern. G: Well, the frown is a very common one as is an In the studio with us is world renown Concern expert, opened mouth 'Oh'. An arched eyebrow is a more Gladys Hmmmmm. Gladys, let me first asks you difficult one to manage but well worth the effort. about your unusual name. S: Here's what one of our viewers had to say about the G: Well, Stefan, the name Gladys has been around for outpouring of Public Concern. quite a number of years. V1: Why aren't they teaching Public Concern in S: Well, no, I was referring to... schools ? It's a national disgrace. G: It was very popular in the 1840's. S: Do you agree that this Public Concern issue could be a National Disgrace ? S: I'm sure it was. Tonight you'll be helping our viewers express their concern. G: Well, I think it's too early for the issue to be a National Disgrace. That's more restricted to Juliar's G: The first thing to remember is that it's not so much new-found glasses and the Labor party in general. I to do with what you say as to how you say it. The do think your incident could turn into a Public Panic. 'what' you say can be easily summarised into: Now I'm not a Panic Merchant, but as soon as I leave * Hmmm this interview, I'll be panicking and I encourage all * Oh, I see viewers to do the same. * Tsk, tsk S: Thanks for that, Gladys. Gladys Hmmmmm there, world renown Concern expert. Next week we'll be * You don't say interviewing a Panic Merchant and ask what the * Oh dear exchange rate is on Panic. How you say it is your use of facial expressions and In the meantime, news just in that the PM has declared body language. tomorrow a Day of National Concern. You can show your concern by ordering your Day of National S: So the real message is in your expression ? Concern wrist bands for only $10 from Channel G: Yes. I must Say, having seen your looks of Stefan. Please allow 6-12 months for delivery. concern earlier, that you've had training on this ? STANDING STRAIGHT AND TALL The other week at work, I went and got my posture about I have to work on my core, my this, my that. I checked to see what effect sitting at a desk all day and couldn't follow it all, but understood I'd have to build tapping away at a laptop at night was having on my myself up from scratch. It sounded something similar body. The results came back a 'Fail' = I ended up to the 6 Million Dollar Man series. (No Hawkers, with a score of 5%. Apparently the way I hold my please - I don't have that much money). head is good, it's just the rest of me that's falling to This wasn't the only bad news that day. Earlier I'd pieces. gone to have my first massage in about 20 years since Slumped shoulders, bent back, bent legs. As I told my boss used to give us all neck and shoulder her, this is standard posture for a taxpayer living under massages back in Colonial times. After just surviving a Labor government. that torture, I was advised to concentrate on my pecks, my Abs, my glutes and half a dozen other things I Apparently my 12kg backpack was considered too didn't get a chance to write down. heavy to walk with for 6 kms a day. I took out the kitchen sink and a bit of small change and, lo and The first one was spot on. I'd been neglecting my behold, the weight of it dropped to 8 kgs. If I took the pecks. It has been years since I've done pecks while food out, it would drop further to about 4 kg, but let us performing the 'Chicken Dance', and I've resolved to not be too hasty here. practice at home each week on improving them before the neighbours get sick of the song and storm the Not only that, I was expected to ... um, well, 'exercise'. house. Then she started speaking in some foreign language

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The only person I know called Abs is from a TV show I even was stupid enough to go on a jog these past two that I sometimes watch. I suppose I could watch more weekends. More on that in a future bulletin. often if it helps to improve my back. Breaking news: Glutes had me stumped for a bit before I remembered In news just to hand, health authorities are warning all those ads referring to food that is "glutes free". I'll smart phone uses are being warned of a new killer app. buy a bit of that food and my back will improve in no Apparently a few people downloaded the 'Influenza' time. app and it went viral within hours. ALMOST ANOTHER STEFAN EXCLUSIVE This was meant to be another Stefan Exclusive, but I happened to watch a show on TV tonight that had a very similar exclusive. Well, the race has been run and a new Pope has been elected. Stefan TV had exclusive behind the scenes access to the election process and we'll take you there now to see never-seen-before footage of the process taken to elect a new Pope… That was our celebrity reporter, Gushing Flimflam interviewing the Sisters of The Poor live from the Red

Carpet. We now move on to the main event - the Papal elections. The votes are being brought into the studio by Chubby Security staff as we cross to our host for tonight, Stefan.

Round 1. Game 1 - North America versus Europe. Europe were final victors in this hard fought match with a convincing 28 Conversions, 11 Baptisms and 12 births to 12-15-11.

1 Vote - Cardinal Vansly

2 Votes - Cardinal Dolan

3 Votes - Cardinal Ouellet

(crowd murmurs) Let's got to a 2 hour commercial break. (Crowd groan) Round 1 Game 2 - Australia versus Africa. Africa eventual victors here, but Australia were right in the Welcome back to the final vote in the 2013 Papal game to the end. Cardinal Pell was tripped as he lined championships. South America versus Europe. We're up for a final conversion, but no penalty was given. waiting on the outcome of the 3 final votes and the Final score - Africa 7-11-10, Australia 7-10-9 excitement is more than some can bear (or is that the alcohol). Let's got to the final vote and ... where did I 1 Vote - Cardinal Mongu put the envelope ? I thought I had it over here ?? Oh, 2 Votes - Cardinal Turkson here it is. 3 Votes - Cardinal Pell (crowd ooh's) 3 Votes - lucky 3 - everyone waiting - I can carry on ... like this for another week if you like ... Lucky 3 ... (Crowd drunkenly shout: 'Get on with it !") We've reached the final round and the final match. South America versus Europe and we've got two OK, OK Cardinals tied on 38 votes. South America were 3 Votes ... go to Cardinal BERGOGLIO !!!!! outright victors in this walkover of last year's champions. South America 32-17-18 to 15-11-5. (Crowd go wild.) 1 vote - Cardinal Baggnali (crowd murmurs drunkenly Cardinal Bergoglio is the new Pope of the Catholic by this time) faith by a margin of 3 votes. We’ll cross now to talk to him, but oh, what’s this, some redhead has pushed 2 Votes - Cardinal Scola (Crowd gets more excited) in front. We've come down to the final vote of the final match. If neither of the forerunners receive these three votes, -- we have to go back to drawing a name out of a hat. Pushing her nose in for best advantage: "G’day, I'm Juliar. I'm not a Catholic but thought I'd invite you out to Australia later this year just before the Federal election. I need all the help I can get!"

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THE AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL VERSION OF KING ARTHUR AND THE BLACK KNIGHT (With sincere apologies to the Monty Python gang) The real version can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno. The Australian Political version can be seen below. -- King Arthur (Tony Abbott) is on his way to win the BLACK KNIGHT: Take your best shot ! Have at you 2013 Federal Election when he happens upon the ! [kick] Black Knight (the Labor Party, somehow still held ARTHUR: Eh. You are indeed brave, JuLiar, but the together by JuLiar Gillard). fight is mine. BLACK KNIGHT: None shall pass. BLACK KNIGHT: Oh, had enough, eh? ARTHUR: What? ARTHUR: Look, you stupid b*st*rd. You've lost two BLACK KNIGHT: None shall pass. ministers. ARTHUR: I have no quarrel with you, JuLiar, but I BLACK KNIGHT: I've got more. must cross this bridge to win the next election. ARTHUR: Look! (points to the two bodies) BLACK KNIGHT: Then you shall die. BLACK KNIGHT: Just a flesh wound. [kick] ARTHUR: I command you, as Leader of the Liberal ARTHUR: Look, stop that. Party, to stand aside! BLACK KNIGHT: Chicken! [kick] Chickennn! BLACK KNIGHT: I move for no man. I'm a strong, feisty woman and you're a policy weak man. ARTHUR: Look, I'll have another Minister ! ARTHUR: So be it! [kick] As Arthur moves forward, Simon Crean falls off the Right! Labor Party onto his own sword. Before Arthur can move, Martin Ferguson falls off ARTHUR: Now stand aside, worthy adversary. Labor onto his own sword BLACK KNIGHT: 'Tis but a scratch. BLACK KNIGHT: Right. I'll do you for that! ARTHUR: A scratch? One of your Ministers has just ARTHUR: You'll what? committed political suicide BLACK KNIGHT: Come ‘ere ! BLACK KNIGHT: No, he hasn't. ARTHUR: What are you going to do, bleed on me? ARTHUR: Well, what's that, then? (pointing to the BLACK KNIGHT: I'm invincible! body of Simon) ARTHUR: You're a looney. BLACK KNIGHT: He's just repositioning himself to the back bench. I've had worse. BLACK KNIGHT: The Labor Party always triumphs! I still have the numbers. Have at you! Come on, then. ARTHUR: You liar! Joel Fitzgibbon, Kim Carr, Richard Marles, Ed Husic BLACK KNIGHT: Come on, you misogynist ! and Janelle Saffin all fall on their swords. Chris Bowen falls off Labor and onto his own sword BLACK KNIGHT: Oh? All right, we'll call it a draw. ARTHUR: Victory is mine! ARTHUR: Come, Bishop. Let's continue around this [kneeling] We thank Thee Lord, that in Thy mer-- mess. BLACK KNIGHT: Hah! [kick] Come on, then. BLACK KNIGHT: Oh. Oh, I see. Running away, eh? You yellow b*st*rds! Come back here and take what's ARTHUR: What? coming to you. I'll bite your legs off! Stefan

Stefan Zone Exit

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Fitzrovia

Melbourne, Australia, is officially recognized as being one of the most liveable cities in the world. The beach-side suburb of St Kilda is its playground. Eatery of distinction

Until two years ago, this wonderful restaurant at the relatively unfrequented end of Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, opposite Albert Park Lake Reserve, used to be called The Waldorf after the magnificent 19th century apartment building of which it forms a part. The old Waldorf bistro exuded an ambience of decayed grandeur, the furniture being a mixture of the modern and sundry period styles, including a decadent Regency divan with crocodile legs that had pride of place behind a coffee table facing the bay window at the front overlooking the park. The same thing held for the table ware, where food would be served in Royal Doulton crockery alongside standard café-style equivalents. I noticed last year that the place had changed hands and gone up-market, having undergone extensive renovations including opening the kitchen to the full view of diners, thus giving them the opportunity to admire the chefs’ (Paul Jewson and Liz Milroy) prowess in the culinary art. The name had been changed to Fitzrovia, in fealty to Fitzroy Street; that, together with Kings Cross in Sydney, was in the Post WWII decades of the 20th century a magnet for American servicemen on R & R leave from the Korean and Vietnam Wars. On a whim, I had lunch there the other day and was pleasantly surprised at the reasonable prices, given the quality of the food, the excellence of the wines (for the price), and the unchanged ambience of the dining room with its elegant architecture and high ceilings. I asked for a photograph to include in this paean of praise for Fitzrovia, and was presented with the above view of Albert Park reserve from the upstairs entrance to the dining area looking downstairs into the bar and coffee-making alcove adjacent to the front door. The new management knows how to draw in the crowds, as witness its advertised Special Days. For example,

SUNDAY SPIT ROAST WITH MILDURA BREWERY Sunday 19th May from 4.30pm $15

Yeeeehhaaaa!! Fitzrovia and The Mildura Brewery are gettin’ together for a good old fashioned hog roast, and you’re all invited! Come on down for a lively afternoon in the sun, the whole range of Mildura craft beers and a good suckling pig spit, with live country music and give-aways from Mildura Brewery to top it off! An afternoon the whole family can enjoy.

The chefs are owner-managers. They have this to say about their establishment… “Fitzrovia is an all day dining restaurant overlooking Albert Park. Our ethos is to create luxe comfort food inspired by provincial Italian and British cuisine – big flavours with rough edges.” Importantly, they serve a hearty English breakfast from early morning to three o’clock in the afternoon. On your next visit to Melbourne (and we hope you come soon), please consider including a visit to Fizrovia in your itinerary.

IRS April 2013 was prepared in Melbourne, Australia, for display on eFanzines at: http://efanzines.com/IRS/IRS-2013-04.pdf