ASFACTS 2016 FEBRUARY “S PACE ODDITY ” V ALENTINE ISSUE ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ are free of charge. These panels are sure to provide a wide ENMU WILLIAMSON LECTURESHIP range of topics and free-wheeling discussion and debate between panelists and audience. SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY , A PRIL 8 On Saturday, April 9, a Writers Workshop for aspir- ing young writers is planned 10:00 am-Noon at the Por- The 40th annual Jack Williamson Lectureship will be tales Public Library with Connie Willis and Steven held Friday, April 8, at Eastern New Mexico University in Gould. Interested participants can contact the Portales Portales, NM. Special guests are Albuquerque’s Victor Library, 218 S Avenue B, in Portales, at (575) 356-3940. Milán and Mistress of Ceremonies Connie Willis (of For more information, contact Caldwell by phone or Colorado). Friday events include Milan’s reading, a email her at [email protected]. luncheon and various panel discussions. A campus tradition since 1977, the Lectureship annu- ND ally draws well-known authors to visit the ENMU campus EXPANSE GETS 2 SEASON and discuss the interactions of science and the humanities. Williamson, long-time SF author and professor of Syfy has given a second season to The Expanse and is English passed away in 2006. Williamson’s novella, “The increasing the episode order from 10 to 13 for the futuris- Ultimate Earth,” won a 2001 Hugo Award, and his last tic mystery’s sophomore turn, Variety.com posted at the novel, The Stonehenge Gate , was released in 2005. end of December. Milán is the author of more than 60 novels, including The Alcon Television Group series gained traction last year’s The Dinosaur Lords and this year’s sequel, The from an online debut last November that brought in 4.5 million viewers before its official premiere on December Dinosaur Knights (to be released in July). He also wrote technothriller Red Sands , the award-winning The Cyber- 14 on Syfy. The first three episodes that have aired on netic Samurai , Star Trek novel From the Depths, Wild Syfy have brought in an average 1.6 million P2+ linear Cards 1993 solo novel Turn of the Cards , and Battletech viewers (L3). novels; and co-authored Runespear with Melinda “The Expanse is firing on all cylinders creatively, Snodgrass. He is a charter member of the NM-based Wild building a passionate fan base among viewers and critics Cards “mafia,” and also has written novels under pseudo- alike, and delivering on Syfy’s promise of smart, provoca- nyms in the Rogue Angel, Guardians, Stormrider and tive science fiction entertainment. We can’t wait to see Donovan Steele universes. The Washington Post calls where the story takes us in season two,” said Dave Howe, Milán a “contender for major stardom” in science fiction. president of Syfy and Chiller. The Lectureship formally opens Thursday, April 7, Set 200 years in the future, The Expanse stars Tho- with a tribute to Jack, in which friends and colleagues mas Jane and Steven Strait as a hardened detective and a read from their own or favorite excerpts of Jack William- son’s 5:30 pm in room 112 of the Jack Williamson Lib- UPCOMING ASFS M EETINGS eral Arts Building on the ENMU campus. • Tonight: Film journalist Jeff Berg talks on New On Friday, Milán reads and answers questions 10:00- Mexico Filmmaking , especially SF/horror flicks... 11:30 am in Room 112 of the JWLA Building. The lunch- • March 11: Time for the traditional ASFS Auction eon, hosted by Willis with a keynote address from Milán, with Bob Vardeman at the helm. Look for 2-6 items takes place 11:45 am in the Campus Union Ballroom. The to donate to the club’s cause, and cash to spend. Luncheon cost is $10.00 (payable at the door). Books will • Wed, March 30: Bubonicon 49 guest nominations be available for purchase and autographing by writers in meeting. Must be present to vote on 2017 guests... attendance. Reservations (and any dietary restrictions) are • April 15: Meeting 1 Week Late - Devin O’Leary needed by Monday, April 4. Call Patrice Caldwell at of the Weekly Alibi looks at film trailers for this (575) 562-2315 or email [email protected]. summer’s genre releases! Also, the Spring issue of Panel discussions happen 3:00-6:15 pm in the Wil- ASFacts will be out (deadline Sun, April 10). liamson Special Collections area of Golden Library, and • May 13: Program not confirmed at this time. Craig Chrissinger, normal editor. Darth Vader, guest editor each December. Please Send All Correspondence to — PO Box 37257, Albuquerque, NM 87176-7257. Contact: (505) 266-8905 or via [email protected]. ASFACTS published February, April, July & October for the Albuq SF Society. SITH FACTS out each December. NEXT DEADLINE : Sun, April 10. Club Officers: Craig Chrissinger & Jessica Coyle, co-Zec Secs (505) 266-8905. Geneva Schult, Moderator. Julie Hef- fernan, Alternator. Cupid, Holiday Host. Bubonicon Co-Chairs: Caci Cooper & Craig Chrissinger (505) 559-0931. rogue ship captain whose unlikely alliance may end up adaptation is broadcast. exposing the greatest conspiracy in human history. In her “Yes, there’s a lot written,” he wrote. “Hundreds of review of the series, Variety critic Maureen Ryan credited pages. Dozens of chapters. But there’s also a lot still left the show for being “openly political, and tak[ing] on is- to write. I am months away still…and that’s if the writing sues of class, representation and exploitation.” goes well.” Based on Albuquerque authors Daniel Abraham and Martin and his publishers had wanted The Winds of Ty Franck’s series of books written under the pen name Winter to be published before the sixth series of the hit James S.A. Corey, The Expanse has Mark Fergus and HBO television series airs, but this will now not be possi- Hawk Ostby ( Children of Men, Iron Man ) serving as writ- ble, he told fans, adding, “There are no excuses. No one ers, executive producers and showrunners. Executive pro- else is to blame... It’s on me. I tried, and I am still trying.” ducer Naren Shankar ( CSI, Farscape ) also is showrun- The fantasy author has been criticized by fans in the ning. past over the speed of his writing; in 2009, it reached such The Expanse is reportedly Syfy’s most expensive levels that Neil Gaiman was moved to pledge his support, series to date. Ahead of its debut, Howe told Variety this telling a demanding reader that “George RR Martin is not was necessary. “[Once they see it,] people will realize that your bitch.” not many networks are investing as much as we are in this This time, though, his readers were quick to encour- quality content,” he said then. “This is not just big. This is age him, with more than 1,000 comments on his blog premium network scale.” ranging from “Love your work, George! Get it done when Season two of The Expanse is expected to air in 2017. it’s done. I’ll be there” to “Don’t sweat it, George” and “Take as long as you need to, sir.” “That couldn’t have been fun to write,” wrote one GOLDEN GLOBES INCLUDE SCI -FI reader in response to Martin’s blog. “But fact is in 50 The 73rd Golden Globe Awards honored the best in years readers will judge on the book’s quality and not if film and American television of 2015 and was broadcast they met some arbitrary deadline and beat the TV adapta- live on January 10, from The Beverly Hilton in Beverly tion. As much as I’d like to see it released soon, I ulti- Hills, CA. mately approve of the priority on quality.” Among the winners from the Hollywood Foreign Martin later responded to his fans, saying that “the Press Association were some science fiction and horror outpouring of support in response to my post on The projects such as The Martian as Best Comedy Film, Matt Winds of Winter has been astonishing. Thank you all, so Damon as Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Motion very much. There were 40 pages of screened comments Picture for The Martian , “The Writing's on the Wall” on the post by the time I logged on this morning. I haven’t sung by Adele from Spectre as Best Original Song, Inside even been able to read half of them as yet. I cannot tell Out as Best Animated Feature Film, and Lady Gaga as you how much I appreciate all the kind words and good Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Film for American wishes.” Horror Story: Hotel . The fifth novel, A Dance With Dragons , was pub- lished in 2011, shortly after the first season of the HBO series Game of Thrones began to air. MARTIN MISSES DEADLINE , Addressing fans concerned that the new TV series, which airs in April, might “spoil” the books, Martin ad- “A STONISHED ” B Y FAN REACTION mitted, “Given where we are, inevitably, there will be certain plot twists and reveals in season six of Game of by Alison Flood, The Guardian , 01-04-2016 Thrones that have not yet happened in the books.” After Santa Fe author George RR Martin author con- But he added, “Some of the ‘spoilers’ you may en- fessed January 2 that he would not finish the sixth Game counter in season six may not be spoilers at all…because of Thrones book, The Winds of Winter , before the sixth the show and the books have diverged, and will continue season of the TV series airs in spring, his blog was del- to do so”.