The South Florida Science Fiction Convention

Sponsored by the South Florida Science Fiction Society (SFSFS)

November 13-15, 1998

Guest of Honor

Please visit one or both of the following sites that are devoted to the works of Neil Gaiman:

Neil Gaiman wil be the guest at an Event Horizon: Flashpoint chat session on October 22, 1998. Please check their webpage for details.

Artist Guest of Honor

Besides winning two World Fantasy Awards, Charles Vess has also won an Inkpot Award, a Guild Award and an Eisner Award. While his work has appeared in Heavy Metal, Whispers and Epic, he is best known for his work on comic books, particularly Swamp Thing© and Books of Magic©. In 1988 he illustrated versions of Little Red Riding Hood, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 1993, his cover for Dark Horse Presents #75 was recognized by the Comic Creators Guild as the Best Cover of 1993. Recently, he has founded Green Man Press to publish his own works, as well as collaborative pieces with Charles DeLint, Jane Yolen, and of course, Neil Gaiman.

Other Confirmed Guests

Lynn Abbey (Tropicon's VIII Guest of Honor) is a legend in the field of fantasy. With titles like The Black Flame and Unicorn & Dragon, Lynn Abbey helped to set a new standard for high fantasy. As the co-creator of Thieves World (with Robert Asprin) she helped reshape the face of fantasy for years to come.

Adam-Troy Castro (Resident Author) is a cross-genre phenomenon. Nominated for a Hugo, a Nebula, and a Stoker, his work has appeared in Science Fiction Age, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and the Year's Best Erotica 1995. Adam's latest novel is the first in a new Spider-Man trilogy for {gasp!} Marvel Comics.

Hal Clement (Tropicon IX Guest of Honor) is a science fiction institution and the author of the classic novels Needle and The Nitrogen Fix. His Mission of Gravity is considered by many to be one of the classics of science fiction.

Charles Fontenay (a Florida west coast author) is the author of The Drowned World and several other classic novels. His on-going Kipton series for young readers is firmly rooted in the Heinlein tradition.

Joseph Green (Travelling Fete Guest of Honor) is a former NASA employee who has always had a taste for writing. His The Loafers of Refuge is a cautionary tale of space exploration.

Caitlin R. Kiernan (New Guest) is one of the new breed of post-modern writers. Her short stories have appeared in Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. Her novel Silk was released this year. She is also well known for her work on the DC Comics series, The Dreaming©.

Holly Lisle (New Guest) is the author of Fire in the Mist which one her the coveted Compton Crook Award. Miss Lisle has collaborated with Mercedes Lackey, Marion Zimmer Bradley and S. M. Stirling. Other works include Minerva Wakes and Sympathy for the Devil.

Mike Resnick (Tropicon XIV Toastmaster) is best known for his Kirrinyaga stories. The winner of too many awards to mention, Mike Resnick has become one of the most influential and popular authors of the day. His tryptych¹ of Paradise, Purgatory and Inferno are fabulous portrayals of the tragic abuse of native populations by colonial governments.

¹ "tryptych" -- an art term that describes a set of three panels of artwork that are meant to hang next to each other to form a larger piece of art.

Chairman Pete's Message

Welcome to Tropicon XVII -- Celebrating Ten Years of The Sandman! As anyone who has attended a past Tropicon can attest, Tropicon is a literary gathering where you can meet and spend time with authors, artists and fellow aficionados in a relaxed, intimate setting. This year we've made a few changes: we've shifted the convention weekend to November 13-15; we're still at the same hotel but the Doubletree Guest Suites Cypress Creek has become the Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek; and we've also decided to take a look at that unique union of text and art, the comic book.

If you're an old Tropicon pro, we hope you'll plan on returning. We promise to continue to offer the very best in programming, dealers, art and media that you've come to expect.

If you've never attended a Tropicon we welcome you and hope to make your first experience a memorable one.

Programming

If you have any suggestions or requests for programming, or if there is some program that you think that we should avoid, please drop us a line (see Registration) or send e-mail to tropicon§scifi.squawk.com.

Program Book Advertising Rates

In addition to features and articles about our guests, artwork, the list of charity auctions, and local spots you can get a bite to eat at, there will be space for publishers' and dealers' ads, and assorted other advertising. The book will be the standard 8½" x 11". Ad prices are as follows:

All ads must be in black and white only, camera ready, and to size. Payment must be made out to "SFSFS" and accompany ad copy. Deadline for ads is October 20, 1998. Please see Registration for the address for ad submission.

Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek

(Formerly the Doubletree Guest Suites Cypress Creek)

Tropicon XVII will be held at the luxurious Sheraton Suites on Cypress Creek Road in Fort Lauderdale (within sight of I-95). For those that attended Tropicon XVI in 1997, this is the same hotel just a different name and management. The room rates are $84.00 single/double, $94.00 triple/quad, which is very reasonable in South Florida in the early part of tourist season. Anyone who has not reserved room nights yet should do so soon because by then the hotel promises to be crowded.

Every room in the hotel is a two-room suite so be prepared to relax in your own living room when you are not running around the con. Each suite has a wet bar with a refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave. There is a television with a VCR in the living room as well as one in the bedroom, and telephones in both rooms with computer connections. Each sofa in the living room converts to a full-size double bed so you can have an additional, separate sleeping room if needed. Bedrooms have either two double beds or a king size bed. Of course, non-smoking and smoking rooms can be requested.

The Sheraton is a lavish 8-story property with a large tropical garden in its central atrium. For additional information about this fine hotel or to make your reservations on-line please visit their web page.

For reservations, please call (800) 325-3535 (locally (954) 772-5400 or Fax (954) 772-5490) or contact them by mail using the Hotel Reservation form. In order to get the special room rates when making reservations by phone, be sure to mention that you will be attending Tropicon XVII sponsored by the South Florida Science Fiction Society.

Directions:

Driving:

Take Interstate-95 to the Cypress Creek exit. Go west a quarter mile. The hotel is a large pink building on the right (north) side of the road just past the railroad tracks.

Parking:

There is plenty of free parking at the hotel.

Flying:

Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is the nearest airport. It is about a 15 mile drive. A taxi is about $26 before tip. There is a shuttle available for about $18 and local car rentals are relatively inexpensive.

Address:

Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek
555 NW 62 Street (Cypress Creek Road)
Fort Lauderdale FL 33309-6194

In the Sheraton Suites, Ferguson's is a great place for a relaxed lunch or dinner. You can even eat in the tropical atrium.

If you need to get away from the convention for a while, there is a wide choice of food nearby. Bennigan's is next door and you can stroll to the likes of Chili's and other places. Within walking distance are fast food places like Burger King, Miami Subs, etc., and just accross the railroad tracks to the East of the hotel there are a number of nice restaurants including Sweet Tomatoes and a Longhorn Steakhouse. Within about a mile is a wide variety of restaurants including a British pub, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, and Chinese restaurants, a NY-style deli, as well as some upper class restaurants. A detailed list will be available at registration along with some sample menus.

What?! You haven't sent in your registration yet?! C'mon, what are you waiting for? In addition to having a really spiffy looking pre-printed badge, there will be other goodies awaiting the first 130 sentient beings who send in their completed registration forms with a check or money order!

The rates for a single 3 day membership are:

$25.00 until October 31st

$28.00 thereafter

As always, children 8 years old and under are free with an adult membership.

In case you decide to wait until you actually show up to Tropicon to register, the registration hours are as follows:

Friday: Noon to 8 PM

Saturday: 9 AM to 7 PM

Sunday: 9 AM to 3 PM

One day memberships are as follows:

Friday only = $13.00

Saturday only = $18.00

Sunday only = $13.00 9

$35.00 for a Tropicon membership and a one year membership to SFSFS Offer vaild until October 31st (Halloween)

To register, submit copy for program books ads, or for more information, including Dealer's Room or Art Show Show information, please contact Pete or Shirlene Rawlik:

TROPICON XVII
c/o The Rawliks
××× ×th Street
West Palm Beach, FL ×××××-××××
(×××) ×××-××××

or send an e-mail message to tropicon§scifi.squawk.com.

You may also use the TROPICON XVII Registration form.

Please make checks payable to SFSFS.

The Tropicon Member Sales table, located in the Dealer's Room, is the place to get your official Tropicon XVII T-Shirt. We will also have, at bargain prices, some of the Tropicon T-Shirts from prior years, featuring art by Gail Bennett, Vincent DiFate, Mary Hanson-Roberts and others.

Thanks to the buying power of the SFSFS Book Division, we will also have available a wide selection of new books by our Tropicon Guests. SFSFS members will receive the usual 30% discount, and we are offering a 10% discount to all others attending Tropicon. Stop by to pick up books for signings - and don't forget that a signed book will make a great gift for the Holidays!

No convention can be run without the warm, living bodies of Staff and Gophers. The South Florida Science Fiction Society appreciates the great help we had at previous Tropicons. This year, we invariably will need help in all areas: Registration, Operations, Con Suite, Art Show, Set-up and Tear-down, Gaming, and Video. If you are interested in earning a lot of personal satisfaction and the gratitude of all of us that are involved with Tropicon, please drop us a line (see Registration) or send e-mail `to tropicon§scifi.squawk.com.

And don't forget that all those who participate in the labor of love that is involved in the running of a successful convention are invited to the "Dead Dog" party after the closing ceremonies on Sunday. There you can lick your wounds, commiserate with your fellows, and re-live the fun and silliness of the past few days 'till the wee hours of the morning.

No, nein, nej, non, nee, ei, okhee, nei, nie, nao, nyet, ne, lo, neyn, and NO WAY JOSE!!!!!! Get the idea? The only sharp things you'll need at Tropicon are your wits. There is only one exception to this policy. Some weapons may be allowed as part of a costume but they MUST be peace-bonded. There is no exception to this requirement.

Please continue to watch this space for information regarding TROPICON XVII. We will be posting the latest and greatest news here as our plans develop.

Constructive suggestions for programming, panel discussions, and the like will be gratefully received.

This automatic registration service comes courtesy of NetMind's URL-minder.

TROPICON XVII is sponsored by the South Florida Science Fiction Society, a nonprofit literary society recognized by the IRS under Section 501(c)(3).

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