November 2008 1 2 File 770: 154 Editorial Notes by Mike Glyer My deepest thanks go out to everybody who spend any more hours in front of the machine supported File 770 for the Best Fanzine reading these novels. Hugo. It’s very much an honor to win, and a On the other hand, there were times I pleasure to know fans like what needed to wait for a doctor’s appointment, they’re reading here. or watch my daughter play at the park, when And it was great to experience that mo- it would be very easy to pass the time read- ment together with Diana. I’d have loved for ing a book. her book to win, too -- The Company They So with the Hugo deadline bearing down, Keep was up for Best Related Book -- but we and not wanting to embarrass myself in front were happy so many people at Denvention 3 of Kathryn Daugherty and Chris Garcia on came up to tell her they enjoyed and had our panel at Westercon, I bought copies of voted for it. all five nominated novels and read them. Free Electronic Hugo Nominees Are And had a great time discussing them at Expensive! I’ve been laughing quietly at Westercon. myself about this since Westercon. The joke Jerry Pournelle wrote last year that “Eric is on me, and I’m ready to confess. Flint of Baen Books has looked at this Even if it’s supposed to be good market- closely, and [and he finds no] harm comes ing, fans are tempted to feel like they’ve put from electronic publication of a book avail- one over on the universe when somebody able in print… if there is an effect it is proba- gives them free electronic copies of four bly positive: that is, someone begins to read Hugo-nominated novels. I do, anyway. I a work of fiction (authorized or pirated, it thought: How great is this, I’m saving fifty makes no difference) and may well be influ- or sixty bucks, and the most convenient place “Sheer Terror” is Alan White’s cap- enced to go buy a copy. We know that hap- to have the text is on my computer. pens because people tell us so.” Now I’m tion for this photo taken me at the I felt so confident about getting everything one of the statistics, and I still can’t really Las Vegas Westercon. read before the voting deadline that I told explain it. Kathryn Daugherty she could put me on a How could this have happened to me, an panel at Westercon to discuss all the Hugo needed all my time in front of the com- experienced, canny fan? After I worked the nominees. puter to do my work, or complete the new universe for four free novels? I’m melting, Then as weeks slipped by, I found that I File 770 . And I didn’t really want to melting….. Scotty and Gordo Get Only joined those of Gene Roddenberry, Timothy signed in the will. Leary and Eugene Shoemaker, already suc- Stewart argued that the will intended for Halfway to Heaven cessfully launched into space. her, not Horadam, to get the royalty income The Explorers Flight mission carrying the from any works published before Norton ashes of Star Trek actor James Doohan, as- Court Divides Norton Estate died. Horadam asked judges to provide an tronaut Gordon Cooper and 206 others who interpretation of “posthumous publication.” paid to have their remains shot into space, Two heirs of Andre Norton’s estate went to court over the rights to 130 of her books with In the end, Tennessee’s Court of Appeals failed to reach orbit after launch on Aug. 2. ruled that Stewart would control copyrights After the main engine shut down and royalty income worth perhaps $70,000- $80,000 annually. to books published during Norton’s life and when the first and second stages should have get royalties for the reprints, but Horadam separated, a fuel leak in the engine chamber Norton had left Dr. Victor Horadam “the royalties from all posthumous publication of would retain royalties on works published for caused the two stages to bump together. As a the first time after her death. result, all was lost. any of my works.” Sue Stewart, Norton’s caretaker at the end of her life, was named as The Court of Appeals did affirm a lower Fans had waited several years for the court decision removing Sue Stewart as ex- fulfillment of Doohan’s wish to have the beneficiary of the “residuary clause” – all other property or money not explicitly as- ecutrix of the Norton estate in favor of an his ashes orbited. His ashes would have independent third party. arranged trades, or by Keith Stokes: (photos) 9, 30, 33 subscription: $8 for 5 issues, $15 John King Tarpinian: (photo) 27 for 10 issues, air mail rate is Alexis Gilliland: 18, 24, 32, 36, $2.50. E-Mail: [email protected] 37, 39 Diana Glyer: (photos) 11, 12, 13, 154 Art Credits 16, 17, 31 Brianna Spacekat Wu & Frank Dina Krause: (photo) 11 Wu —Cover Kurt Erichsen: 21 File 770:154 is edited by Mike Taral: 3, 6, 7, Bacover Alex Wilson & Constantine Glyer at 705 Valley View Ave., Alan White: 2 Markopolous: 28 Monrovia CA 91016. File 770 is Brad Foster: 19, 26, 29, 38 Steven Silver: (photo) 14 available for news, artwork, Bill Rotsler: 14, 40, 42 Cheryl Morgan: (photo) 15 November 2008 3 News of Fandom Fans Present at Tennessee Keep Watching for Church Shooting Keep Watching the Skies Fans and their family members were A new edition of LA fan Bill Warren’s among the congregants at a West Knox- Keep Watching the Skies , the definitive ville, Tennessee church on July 27 when a book about science fiction movies made in man opened fire. They escaped unharmed, the 1950s, is on the way. Bill has turned in but the gunman killed two people and the 750,000-word manuscript, along with wounded half a dozen others. seven pounds of photos, and illustrations Curt Phillips knew five people from by Frank Dietz. Howard Waldrop wrote Knoxville fandom who were seated to- the introduction. Bill explains how he gether in a pew directly in front of one of became acquainted with Waldrop: the critically injured gunshot victims. “I’ve never met Howard, and only Debbie Hughes reported additional de- talked to him on the phone twice (once the tails online: “Our close friends Jamie day before his surgery), but years back he Parkey, Amy Broyles and their children wrote me a fan letter regarding Keep were there, Chloie Airoldi the mom of Watching the Skies . This was about the Jamie was there and Amira Parkey - time I heard of his Howard Waldrop’s Daughter of Jamie and the late Maia Plasil Condensed Cream of 1950s Science Fic- was there as well. None of them were hurt. tion Movies presentation at a convention Jamie was also one of the men who wres- in, I think, Denver. He acted out key tled the gunman to the ground after he scenes from a lot of the movies. For 3-D shoved his mom and his middle daughter movies, he hid under the table and threw under the pew. Amy was in the crying wadded-up paper at the audience. That room with her youngest daughter and was guy I decided I just had to know. So we shielded by glass from most of the gun- started exchanging letters, beginning when fire.” he was in Texas, continuing on through his Chloie Airoldi, is a long time Knoxville fly-fishing sojourn in Washington (state), fan and an organizer of the Knoxville Area then when he returned to Texas. Science Fiction Association. “He wrote a story about the kids from 1950s SF movies — the boy befriended by GUFF under glass with all the pages blown up and Klaatu, the kid menaced by Martians in In- Sue Ann Barber and Trevor Clark won the displayed behind it. Just thought you’d like to vaders From Mars , Tobor the Great’s pal 2009 GUFF race (Get Up Fan Fund, this time know that it was a really nice thing you did Gadge, etc. — and dedicated it to William around). They will attend the UK Eastercon and it was genuinely appreciated. Last person Schallert, Joe Dante and me.” in April. They edged Alisa Krasnostein and to sign it was Buzz [Aldrin]…” Norah Ding (aged “almost two”, with her Yvonne’s reaction was, “I’m so touched TAFF mother). Voting ended November 24, with by this… really…I was not expecting this.” Voting has opened for the 2009 Trans- the pair receiving 88 of the 118 ballots cast. Atlantic Fan Fund and continues until April Wombat in Financial Times 18. Steve Green and Tom Womack are stand- Clarke Condolence That globetrotting Wombat, jan howard ing for TAFF, the winner to attend Anticipa- finder, was mentioned in Financial Times tion, next year’s Worldcon in Montreal. Book Delivered columnist Michael Skapinker’s July 22 piece Steve Green has a long history as a fanzine After the sudden death of Sir Arthur C. praising Tourism Australia’s new advertising publisher and con organizer. He’s been a Clarke last spring, Yvonne Penney created a campaign. regular columnist for The Drink Tank . He book of condolences to be sent to the Clarke Comparing it with New Zealand’s at- recently revived the newzine Critical Wave ; family and circulated it at conventions for tempts to capitalize on Lord of the Rings , which he co-edits with Martin Tudor.