1988 _ 1989 _ 1990 _ 1991 _ 1992-3
Stratus SF SIG News #27--January 1991
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NEWS
The Bash, the local ST con, has been cancelled for this winter.
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INFORMATION
From Sarah Smith
WHEN DO THE ALIENS ARRIVE IN BOSTON?
HOW LONG UNTIL MY HOUSE GOES UNDERWATER?
DO THE RED SOX EVER WIN THE PENNANT?
On Sunday, January 13, at 5 PM, on WGBH Radio (89.7 FM), SF authors D.
Alexander Smith, Alexander Jablokov, and Sarah Smith will appear on
Margot Stage's radio show, "Millenniums," to answer these and other
questions about the FUTURE BOSTON project.
This unique mosaic novel is a collaboration among a group of SF
authors that includes two Nebula winners, a Philip K. Dick finalist,
and a World Fantasy Award winner, who have written a history of Boston
for the next 100 years. Three of them discuss how they created the
project and talk about some of the characters and events in the
history. Actors and SF personalities including Ellen Kushner will
read selections from FUTURE BOSTON.
SF-lovers: If you like this kind of programming, please listen to the
show and send comments and letters of support to Margot Stage in care
of WGBH. Thank you!
Sarah Smith
swrs(at)cambridge.apple.com
Boskone 28
The New England Regional Science Fiction Convention
Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place and
Springfield Marriott Hotels, Springfield, MA
February 15--17, 1991
Mike Resnick Ed Emsh Brian Thomsen
Guest of Honor Official Artist Special Guest
Boskone has sold out the art show, the bazaar, has planned tracks of
interesting program, and has a few surprises in store. Boskone 28 will
start off Friday night with a Meet-the-VIPs party in the Springfield
Marriott, and will end up Sunday night with story-telling by the camp fire
in the Sheraton Monarch Place. There will be lots of activities and panels
along the way. Did you ever want to see how a writer pitches a novel to a
publisher, and how a book contract is developed? Learn about how aspects of
African tribal culture can be used in science fiction? Hear about neglected
authors like Diana Wynne Jones, E.E. Smith, and James Blish? Find out
about the current explosion of fairy tales being retold as adult fantasy?
Join a guided tour of the art show? Experience the fannish inquisition?
These are just a few of the panels we've planned for the next Boskone.
Confirmed Boskone program participants include Roger MacBride Allen, Lisa
Barnett, Tom Canty, Jeffrey Carver, Hal Clement, Bruce Coville, Tom Doherty,
John Douglas, Tom Easton, Lori Edison, Bob Eggleton, Moshe Feder, Esther M.
Friesner, Greer Gilman, Steven Gould, David Hartwell, Jeff Hecht, Peter
Heck, Franklin Hummel, Jane Jewell, Anne Jordan, Michael Kandel, Tom Kidd,
Ellen Kushner, Laura J. Mixon, Patrick Neilsen Haden, Teresa Neilsen
Hayden, J.F. Rivkin, Darrell Schweitzer, Melissa Scott, Delia Sherman,
Susan Shwartz, David A. Smith, Sarah Smith, Allen Steele, Judith Tarr,
Michael Whelan, Sheila Williams, and Jane Yolen.
Memberships are just $28 until January 19, 1991, and will be $40 at the door
(registration will be in the Sheraton). Checks (made out to Boskone 28),
MasterCard, and VISA are all welcome. Please mail your membership
information (including your complete address) to
Boskone 28
NESFA
Box G,
MIT Branch PO
Cambridge, MA 02139
Hotel rooms are still available in both the Sheraton and the Marriott.
You'll receive a hotel form within a few days of sending in your membership
request. Boskone has activities for fans of all ages, including babysitting
and DragonsLair (activities for school-aged children). Boskone will be
experimenting with some new ideas for the con suite this year.
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REVIEWS
No readers out there?
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Stratus SF SIG News #28--February 1991
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NEWS
Ed Ferman is retiring after 25 years as the editor of The
Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. He is being replaced by
Kristine Kathryn Rusch, an editor, writer, founder of Pulphouse,
and winner of the Campbell Award for best new writer just last year.
Rusch's appointment is effective March 1, making her the first
woman editor of a major SF magazine.
David McCauly, an artist much apprieciated by many SF fans for his
books like "Cathedral" and "Unbuilding" won the 1991 Caldecott Award.
His latest, Black & White, won the Caldecott Award, which honors the
best-illustrated children's book. This is an award given by the
American Library Association at its annual convention.
Artists Leo and Diane Dillon also won an ALA award for their
illustration of "Aida." The Dillons are very well known in the SF
community for their fine illustrations of many Harlan Ellison books,
especially "The Deathbird Stories."
*******************************************************************************
INFORMATION
Boskone Prereg is closed, with some 870 members.
There will be one-day, at-the-door memberships available this year.
Boskone costs $40 for the entire weekend, or $22 for Saturday only.
Here's our program participant list:
Roger MacBride Allen Steven Gould Priscilla Olson
Claire Anderson Geary Gravel Ross Pavlac
Ellen Asher David Harris Bruce Pelz
John Barnes David G. Hartwell Andrew I. Porter
Lisa Barnett Daniel Hatch Mike Resnick
John Betancourt Jeff Hecht Frank Richards
Ginjer Buchanan Peter Heck J. F. Rivkin
Thomas Canty Mark Hertel Chuck Rothman
Elisabeth Carey Franklin Hummel Charles C. Ryan
Joseph-David Carrabis Aron Insinga David Schulz
Jeffrey A. Carver Saul Jaffe Darrell Schweitzer
David A. Cherry Jane Jewell Melissa Scott
Bryan Cholfin Anne Jordan Delia Sherman
Patricia Cirone S. T. Joshi Josepha Sherman
Chris Claremont Michael Kandel Susan Shwartz
Hal Clement Aline Boucher Kaplan Joe Siclari
Bruce Coville Rick Katze Courtney Skinner
Don D'Ammassa Mark Keller David A. Smith
David Deitrick Tom Kidd Sarah Smith
Lori Deitrick Daniel Kimmel Allen Steele
Gay Ellen Dennett Ellen Kushner Edie Stern
Jane Dennis Eleanor Lang Suzanna J. Sturgis
Scott Dennis Evelyn C. Leeper Michael Stutzman
Tom Doherty Mark Leeper Walter Stutzman
John R. Douglas Fred Lerner Michael Swanwick
Robert Duncan-Enzman Tony Lewis Brian Thomsen
Thomas A. Easton Shariann Lewitt David Union
Scott Edelman Jim Mann Gordon Van Gelder
Laurie Gottlieb Edison Laurie Mann Joan D. Vinge
Bob Eggleton Bill Mayhew Michael Whelan
Moshe Feder Joe Mayhew Elizabeth Willey
Gregory Feeley Maren Mayhew Sheila Williams
Michael F. Flynn Marc Michaud Claire Wolf
Jeri Freedman Laura J. Mixon Eleanor Wood
Jim Frenkel L. E. Modesitt Heather Wood
Pam Fremon James Morrow Ben Yalow
Esther M. Friesner Will Murray Jane Yolen
Pam Giana Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Greer Gilman Teresa Nielsen Hayden
Elisa Gilson Mark Olson
Mike Godwin
Boskone starts Friday, February 15, and runs through Sunday. Registration
opens at 4pm in the King Edward Room of the Sheraton Monarch Place in
Springfield. Stop by my office if you'd like a map.
****
Contraption is again publishing a calendar to benefit the Charlie Card Fund.
To raise money for United Cerebral Palsy, they have published the 1991
Fantasy Art Calendar. The calendar features the art of Sheryl Birkhead,
Heather Bruton, P. L. Carruthers-Montgomery, Colleen Doran, Tom Dow, Brad
W. Foster, Linda Leach Hardy, Teddy Harvia, April Lee, Peggy Ranson, Laurel
Slate, Diana Stein, Gale Tang, Sylvus Tarn, Ruth Thompson, and Robin Wood.
It features convention dates, holidays, and astronomical information.
The calendar is available for $6.00, including postage. Please make checks
payable to The Charlie Card Fund, and mail your requests to P.O. Box 2285,
Ann Arbor, MI 48106. All revenue, less the cost of printing and mailing the
calendars, will be donated to United Cerebral Palsy. I have a copy of
the calendar in my office, and a few available for sale at Boskone.
The Charlie Card Fund is named for the son of Orson Scott Card, who has
cerebral palsy. Please note that this is not a fund raiser for the Card
family, but for the organization that has helped them cope with Charlie's
illness.
****
Arisia happened last weekend. Early word was that it went fine and attracted
about 1,000 people. While Arisia is collecting money for nest year's
con, they haven't yet announced a date, a site, or guests.
*******************************************************************************
Stratus SF SIG News #29--March 1991
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INFORMATION
Lunacon happened. The New York City regional SF con was held in
the spacious Sheraton in Stamford, CT over the weekend. Lunacon
suffered from severe Murphy's Law all weekend long (everything that
could have gone wrong went wrong).
There are conventions in Baltimore and Stony Brook in April.
If you want to try a small, laid-back, local con, Readercon
will run in Worcester this July. If you are interested in
finding out more, write to Readercon, P.O. Box 6138, Boston, MA 02209.
Gaylaxicon is ``a Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention for gay people
and their friends.'' It will be held July 19-21 at the
Tewkesbury/Andover Holiday Inn, Tewkesbury, MA. Samuel R. Delany is
the GoH, Hannah M. G. Shapero is the Art GoH. Memberships are $20
until May~1, and $25 at the door. Write to Gaylaxicon '90, PO Box
1052, Lowell, MA 01853.
Chicon finally sent out the Hugo nomination ballots. They extended the
nomination period until 4/1/91.
The prereg rates for MagiCon go up at the end of the month. Effective
March 31, 1991, the price for an Attending Membership for MagiCon rises
to $85 from the present $75. A Child's Membership (for children born
after September 3, 1980) rises to $45 from the present $35.00.
Supporting Memberships rise to $25.00 from the present $20.00, and
Kids-in-Tow Memberships (for children born after March 3, 1986) are
free. These rates remain in effect through September 30, 1991.
MagiCon's address is: MagiCon, PO Box 621992, Orlando, FL 32862-1992
*******************************************************************************
REVIEWS
Judson's Eden, by Keith Laumer
Reviewed by C. D. Tavares
If you've been looking forward to some captivating new reading
from the witty creator of the Imperium Worlds and Retief of the
Terran Diplomatic Corps, "Judson's Eden" is not what you've been
waiting for. Conversely, if your idea creating a great novel is
to take "The Number of The Beast," "Galactic Diplomat," and "The
Skylark of Space," put them into a Waring blender, and publish
the result, you'll drool over this pseudo-scientific, fast-paced
journey that begins with a mystery in an alley on Earth and goes
absolutely nowhere from there (save for a few dozen A.U.).
Marl Judson, industrialist, ex-space captain, and founder of one
of the few remaining large commercial ventures in an almost
totally nationalized US, escapes from a "psychiatric hospital"
and goes to his office to die. He knows he will die, and exactly
when, because "it's already happened." Instead, however, he
experiences an odd discontinuity of memory (short-term only, it
seems) which is neither germane to the plot nor -- ever --
explained. He evades the feds and, accompanied by his faithful
ship's cook, escapes the Solar System to take up residence on a
planet he once discovered, but never reported.
The planet is earthlike only in appearance. Time functions
strangely and inconsistently. At times, cause and effect are
skewed. In one instance, explosion debris is found clogging the
engine of a vehicle that previously was parked over the site of a
faraway explosion that is just happening now. (Follow that?)
When the main characters leave a locale, time sometimes (but not
always) compresses "off-camera" so that when they return, years
have passed. The flowers are hallucinogenic -- either that or
they really enable you to fly (it's never made clear which). In
fact, it's dangerous to breathe without filters on this planet --
until the author simply neglects to supply his characters with
the equipment.
The downside of all this verisimilitudinous detail is that none
of these effects occur consistently (usually once or twice each
at most), none are crucial to the plot, and if you expect to be
provided with explanations for any of them, you're in for a
disappointment.
Major characters appear in the storyline with little announcement
or reason, play their part in the plot, and then disappear from
the narrative with no reason or warning. Indeed, near the end of
the book -- a veritable space-war orgy of muddled spaceships and
skittering, colliding alien life forms -- it degenerates to the
point that two brand-new characters arrive from off-planet, emit
two lines of social chatter, and are never mentioned again.
Frankly, for a place that nobody knows how to get to, there are a
hell of a lot of characters showing up on this planet (including
The Daughter He Never Knew He Had).
The Admiral of the Earth ship that has apparently come to annex
Judson's Eden is alternately a martinet; a wimp; a shrewd
tactician; a buffoon; a clever spy; and a self-admitted actor
from Central Casting. By novel's end he has devolved permanently
into buffoon mode, in a transparent attempt by the author to
allow Judson to play Retief to his Ambassador Magnan. Although
the words are there, the effect is grating -- Judson and Cookie
themselves are cardboard heroes. Most of their victories are
really the work of a giant, mind-reading alien jellyfish whose
loyalty is beyond question (as well as belief).
The book is a classic study in discontinuity, irrelevancies,
inconsistent characterizations, and general amorphousness. The
entire effect is as if this novel had been written by 40
different people, each having been told to write ten pages after
being allowed to read the previous three.
If "Judson's Eden" is supposed to be a general-market space
fiction novel, Keith Laumer has lost it. If it's supposed to be
a satire of space opera, it lacks focus: disconnected ramblings
are hardly meaningful satiric commentary. If you're looking for
the former, pick up "Legacy of Heorot" or anything new by Jerry
Pournelle. If you're looking for the latter, check out Harry
Harrison's "Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers," and see what
space opera satire really should be.
*******************************************************************************
Stratus SF SIG News #30--April 1991
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NEWS
(Nebulas Awarded Saturday night, from Chuq von Rospach via USENET)
Novel: Ursula K. Le Guin: Tehanu: the Last Book of Earthsea
Novella: Joe Haldeman: The Hemingway Hoax
Novelette: Ted Chiang: Tower of Babylon
Short Story: Terry Bisson: Bears Discover Fire
Grand Master: Lester Del Rey.
John Bellairs, children's author and fantasy writer, died recently at the
age of 53 of heart disease.
*******************************************************************************
INFORMATION
Sorry, not much has been happening lately!
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REVIEWS
Anybody reading?
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Stratus SF SIG News #31--May 1991
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NEWS
Hugo Nominees FINALLY Announced
1991 Hugo Nominations
This is a preliminary listing of the 1991 Hugo nominees. It is current as
of May 22, 1991. The official 1991 Hugo Ballot will appear in Progress
Report 6 of Chicon V, the 1991 World Science Fiction Convention, due to be
mailed in early June.
For each of the categories listed, numbers are given for the total votes
cast in that category, the range of votes garnered by the final nominees,
and the five percent number that was used as a cut-off. Nominees are
listed in alphabetical order and without their specific number of
nominations in order to not bias the final voting. More detailed figures
will be released following the Hugo Awards Ceremony at Chicon V.
352 members of Chicon V cast valid ballots. Among the 352 voters, there
were a total of 7011 votes for 1536 nominees.
If there are any errors here (spelling, incorrect citation, etc.) please
notify us AT ONCE!!!
If there are any questions regarding the 1991 Hugos, please write to:
Chicon V Hugos, PO Box 547, Villa Park, IL 60181-0547 or contact Ross
Pavlac on CompuServe (76636,1343).
Format:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Category Title A
----------------------------------------------------------------
Nominees (alphabetically) A=Total Votes in Category
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Dramatic Presentation 603
----------------------------------------------------------------
Back to the Future III (Universal Studios)
Edward Scissorhands (20th Century Fox)
Ghost (Paramount)
Total Recall (Tristar/Columbia)
Witches (Warner Brothers)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Fan Artist 417
----------------------------------------------------------------
Teddy Harvia
Merle Insinga
Peggy Ranson
Stu Shiffman
Diana Stein
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Fan Writer 368
----------------------------------------------------------------
Avedon Carol
Mike Glyer
Arthur Hlavaty
David Langford
Evelyn C. Leeper
Teresa Nielsen Hayden
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Fanzine 492
----------------------------------------------------------------
File 770 Mike Glyer
Fosfax Janice Moore and Timothy Lane
Lan's Lantern George Laskowski
Mainstream Jerry Kaufman and Suzanne Tompkins
Mimosa Dick and Nicki Lynch
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Novel 1002
----------------------------------------------------------------
Earth David Brin Bantam Spectra
The Fall of Hyperion Dan Simmons Doubleday Foundation
Queen of Angels Greg Bear Warner books
The Quiet Pools Michael Kube-McDowell Ace Books
The Vor Game Lois McMaster Bujold Baen Books
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Novella 612
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bones Pat Murphy IASFM May 1990
Bully! Mike Resnick Axolotl Press
Fool to Believe Pat Cadigan IASFM February 1990
The Hemingway Hoax Joe Haldeman IASFM April 1990
A Short, Sharp Shock Kim Stanley Robinson IASFM November 1990
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Novelette 587
----------------------------------------------------------------
A Braver Thing The Dafydd ab Hugh IASFM, August 1990
Coon Rolled Down and Ruptured His Larinks, A Squeezed Novel by Mr. Skunk
The Manamouki Mike Resnick IASFM July 1990
Over the Long Haul Martha Soukup Amazing, March, 1990
Tower of Babylon Ted Chiang Omni November 1990
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Short Story 667
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bears Discover Fire Terry Bisson IASFM, July-August,1990
Cibola Connie Willis IASFM, December 1990
Godspeed Charles Sheffield Analog July 1990
The Utility Man Robert Reed IASFM, November 1990
VRM-547 W.R. Thompson Analog, February, 1990
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Non-Fiction Book 250
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bury My Heart at W.H. Smith's Brian W. Aldiss Hodder & Staughton
Hollywood Gothic David J. Skal Norton
How to Write Orson Scott Card Writer's Digest Books
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Science Fiction in Norman Spinrad S. Ill. University Pre.
the Real World
SFWA Handbook Kristine Kathryn Rusch & Dean Smith,
Writers Notebook Press
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Professional Artist 735
----------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas Canty
David Cherry
Bob Eggleton
Don Maitz
Michael Whelan
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Professional Editor 536
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ellen Datlow
Gardner Dozois
Edward L. Ferman
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Stanley Schmidt
----------------------------------------------------------------
Best Semiprozine 401
----------------------------------------------------------------
Interzone Dan Pringle
Locus Charles Brown
The New York Review of Science Fiction
David G. Hartwell, Kathryn Kramer, Gordon van Gelder
Quantum (formerly Thrust) D. Douglas Fratz
Science Fiction Chronicle Andrew I. Porter
----------------------------------------------------------------
John W. Campbell Award 273
----------------------------------------------------------------
Nancy A. Collins (2nd year of eligibility)
John Cramer (2nd year of eligibility)
Scott Cupp (2nd year of eligibility)
Julia Ecklar (2nd year of eligibility)
Michael Kandel (2nd year of eligibility)
*******************************************************************************
INFORMATION
Chicon, this year's Worldcon, still has memberships for sale. I think
the current price is $100 each. The address is: PO Box 218121,
Upper Arlington, OH 43221.
I have friends with cheap ($40-$50) Chicon memberships for sale. If you
want to attend the Worldcon, send me mail and I'll try to connect
you with one of them.
*******************************************************************************
REVIEWS
From: Sean Powers
I just finished a class on horror fiction in which I read a Clive
Barker book called "In The Flesh". The book is a collection if four
short stories that turned out to be very entertaining. The stories are
a little gruesome if you're not used to reading modern horror, and some
people think that he uses sex unnecessarily to enhance his stories.
But he will definitely put a scare into you. I enjoyed "In The Flesh".
*******************************************************************************
OTHER
From: Chris Arthur (via USENET)
From: stevec(at)bu-pub.bu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.humor.funny
Subject: The Ninja Master
Keywords: original, computer, chuckle
Message-ID:
Date: Wed, 15 May 91 06:30:03 EDT
Lines: 87
Approved: funny(at)looking.on.ca
This story was originally posted to alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo, a group that
consists of stories of a dystopia of high tech and street violence based on
William Gibson's novel "Neuromancer"....
---------------------------------------------------- --------------------
"I see a fat man with a white beard lying in the alley, tiny reindeer
chewing at his corpse. I see a dead reindeer, rats tearing at it's flesh.
I see a dead rat, maggots crawling over it. I see a maggot that is looking
a bit under the weather. I see the stringy sinews of the gleaming puss
from the running sore of Christmas...." The carol continued to play on the
televid monitor on the wall above the bar.
For hours the visuals had consisted only of a log burning in a
fireplace, but the fire had gotten out of control and spread into the
studio, engulfing the video equipment. A man with a long black ponytail and
soft black clothing sat at the bar. His name was Soo Ni Buffalo. He was of
Japanese and Native American origin, a heritage that bequeathed to him
extraordinary quickness, agility, and balance. At a large public university
in upstate New York, he had become expert in the ancient art of hand combat,
Kung Pow. Such was his mastery that he was chosen to wear the outfit of his
school's mascot, the Kung Pow Chicken. Soo Ni Buffalo had taken the path of
Kung Pow, a weaponless art. His brother Soo Ni Stony Brook chose to study
the new technologies of combat. He had once created the ultimate adhesive,
but he couldn't get it out of the bottle. Then he created a monofilament
strand of diamond so strong and yet so thin that it could cut through any
substance when a very slight pressure was applied. Unfortunately, the
weight of the monofilament strand was enough to create a very slight
downward pressure, so the strand cut through the table, the floor, the
foundation, and the bedrock. As far as anyone knew, the strand was still
oscillating about the gravitational center of the earth. Soo Ni Buffalo
eschewed his brother's gadgetry in favor of instinctive human ability.
On the monitor, he watched fire destroy the video studio until the
visual signal turned to static. Then he pressed a button on a hand-held
transmitter, which emitted a small burst of radio waves. The burst was
picked up by one of the many transceivers of the
I'veFallenAndICan'tGetUpNet, sent up to their comsat, bounced off their
lunar repeater installation, boosted down to the Very Very Very Large
Antenna Array, and relayed to the monitor that Soo Ni Buffalo was watching,
where it caused the channel to change.
The monitor now showed a man in a gray suit and ceramic hair,
speaking to the camera.
"Around the world in 30 seconds, this is CNN Headline News. Tonight's
top stories: Police crack down. Leaders urge restraint. Comment sparks
controversy. Costs overrun estimates. Committee issues call for action.
Candidate claims mandate."
"In business news: Supply interacts with demand; Wall street panics."
"In sports: Oh, how the mighty have fallen."
"And finally, we happened to notice this story: Even in this day and
age, some people still do something the old-fashioned way."
"To recap tonight's top story: Events transpire."
While Soo Ni Buffalo watched the monitor, two hyped-up street-hardened
razorboys came up behind him. Their arms and legs were padded by heavy
slabs of black rubber armored underneath by steel belts. The slabs were
embedded with metal studs and had angry angular patterns like long lightning
bolts gouged deeply into their surface. Chains had been strapped to the
surface of the slabs.
Soo Ni Buffalo's 360-degree peripheral vision warned of the two figures
behind him, and he turned to them slowly. He recognized the uniform of The
Radials, a tough gang that lives on the street.
One razorboy screamed, "Change the channel back."
Soo Ni murmured evenly, "The previous channel had no picture. It was
only snow."
The razorboys growled, "We like snow!"
Then they went for it. They made their play. They made their move.
They stepped over the line. They tossed the dice. They cast the die. They
cast two dice, and then tossed them. There was no turning back now.
Soo Ni slid off the bar stool, assessing the weapons they'd drawn:
Triple rotary, floating heads, 800 rpm, sideburn attachment.
Cartridge-loaded double-bladed disposable safety, lubricating strip.
One fighter leaped at Soo Ni. He ducked, and the attacker jumped over
him. He sailed over the bar and into a rack of bottles, where the broken
glass caused severe tire damage.
The remaining fighter charged. Soo Ni could have ducked again, but then
no lesson would have been taught. He blocked the weapon away, reached into
the attacker's mouth, pulled out his heart, stuffed it with cheese, put it
back, and watched him die of arteriosclerosis before he could make another
move.
Soo Ni Buffalo remounted his bar stool. The room was silent except for
the audiovisual monitor.
"Tonight's top stories: Dictator appeased. Fears quelled. Arson
suspected. Dozens injured. Gaps widen. Deficits loom...."
--
Edited by Brad Templeton. MAIL your jokes (jokes ONLY) to
funny(at)looking.ON.CA Do not use "looking.uucp" or just "looking." Attribute
the joke's source if at all possible. A Daemon will auto-reply.
*******************************************************************************
Stratus SF SIG News #32--July 1991
*******************************************************************************
NEWS
All's quiet.
*******************************************************************************
INFORMATION
Three upcoming, local cons to remind you about.
Readercon starts TODAY at the Worcester Marriott. Registration opens at 4pm.
Gaylaxicon starts next Friday at the Holiday Inn in Tewksbury. Fun, mellow
con.
NEcon starts next Friday in Rhode Island.
*******************************************************************************
Stratus SF SIG News #33--September 1991
*******************************************************************************
NEWS
Chicon is over! (Yea!)
This year's Worldcon wasn't so hot. Only about 3500 fen went, the lowest
attendence for an American Worldcon since the '70s. Part of the attendence
drop was due to the economy, but part of it was due to the chronic bad press
Chicon generated. Many of us observed pre-con that Chicon board members
seemed to be on massive power-trips. The con only reinforced this notion.
The Chicon board was far more interested in playing turf games than in
running a good Worldcon. It was sad. The program was uninspired. The
quality of the art show was pretty good, but there were long lines for
artist check-in and for art show sales. Elevator management, a necessity in
a hotel as large as the Hyatt, was a joke.
Despite my bitching, I'm glad I went. I was involved in some productive
meetings for next year's Worldcon (Magicon, where I'm running press
relations) and the 1993 Worldcon (ConFrancisco, where Jim and I are working
on program). I went to lots of good parties, helped run a few, and spent
time with my out-of-town friends. Chicago is a neat city, and I'd hoped to
see more of it this time. I didn't, but I did get to the East Armenian
restaurant on Saturday, and it was WONDERFUL. The the Hyatt Sunday buffet,
with its fresh ravioli was about the best I'd ever had. Jim and Leslie
enjoyed their trip out to Comiskey Park on Sunday afternoon.
Hugo Winners:
Best Novel: The Vor Game (Lois McMaster Bujold)
Best Novella: The Hemingway Hoax (Joe Haldeman)
Best Novellette: The Manamouki (Mike Resnick)
Best Short Story: Bears Discover Fire (Terry Bisson)
Best Non-Fiction Book: How to Write Science Fiction (Orson Scott Card)
Best Dramatic Presentation: Edward Scissorhands
Best Professional Editor: Gardner Dozois (Isaac Asimov's SF Magazine)
Best Professional Artist: Micheal Whelan
Best SemiProzine: Locus
Best Fanzine: Lan's Lantern (George Laskowski)
Best Fan Writer: David Langford
Best Fan Artist: Teddy Harvia
Campbell Award: Julia Eklar (Not a Hugo, but voted on the same ballot)
*******************************************************************************
INFORMATION
Winnepeg will be hosting the 1994 Worldcon. I'll include membership info
next time.
Next year's Worldcon will be held in Orlando. The rates for Magicon are
going up on September 30, 1991. The price for an attending membership for
MagiCon rises to $95 from the present $85. A child's membership rate rises
to $45 from the present $25. Kids-in-tow memberships (for children born
after September 3, 1986) are free. These rates remain in effect until March
31, 1992. Supporting (non-attending) memberships remain at $25 until July
15, 1992.
As of August 20, 1991, MagiCon had a total of 3152 members. MagiCon had
2766 attending memberships, 256 supporting memberships, and 115 children's
memberships. MagiCon has issued 8 guest memberships, and 7 kids-in-tow
memberships.
MagiCon will be sponsoring a ``Get Out the Vote!'' campaign in an effort to
increase awareness about the Hugo Awards and why fans should nominate and
vote for the awards. The Hugo nominating ballots will be distributed in
late 1991. Progress Report 5 and future press releases will go into
greater detail on awards and the voting process.
*******************************************************************************
Stratus SF Lovers' Newsletter #34--October 1991
*******************************************************************************
NEWS
Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, died on 10/24 at the age of 70.
Theodore Geisel, AKA Dr. Seuss, died on 9/24 at the age of 87. He gave three
generations of kids their own look at the absurd.
Not one of the large number of writers and fans was hurt in the recent Oakland
fire. A number people spent the night in hotels. Charles Brown, editor of
Locus, lived just a block away from the fire.
Conadian Rates.
Conadian, the 1994 Worldcon (Winnipeg), has announced its rates:
Attending: $60US/$70C
Supporting: $25US/$30C
Children: $25US/$30C
(must be 12 or under as of Sep1, 1994, and must be under supervision by
parent or guardian)
Conversion from supporting is $40US/$50C if you didn't presupport.
Pre-supporters can convert for $30US/$35C if you pre-supported before
Chicon, and $35US/$40C if you pre-supported at Chicon
Conadian: P.O. Box 2430, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3C 4A7
Box 7111, Fargo, ND 58901, USA
(Information supplied by Chuq von Rospach)
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INFORMATION
I've finally gotten around to creating a global mailing list. It's called
sfl. It will connect you to anyone who's ever shown an interest in this
newsletter at Stratus.
I've also renamed the newsletter. If you follow USENET, you know
rec.arts.sf-lovers is going to be reorganized out of existence in the
not-too-distant future. (There is now a "rec.arts.sf" hierarchy, so it will
be "correctly organized.") I've always liked the name "sf-lovers," so I've
adopted it here.
Any Humorists Out There?
I'm looking for short, funny pieces, preferably with an SF theme, for the
next Proper Boskonian. I particularly enjoy original satire. If you have
anything you could share with me, please do. PB is an amateur fanzine
published by the New England Science Fiction Association. We don't pay, but
you do get your name published and you will get a few free copies of the
zine.
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Stratus SF Lovers' Newsletter #35--December 1991
NEWS
A fantasy movie, the Addams Family, was the biggest money-maker ever to
be released on a non-holiday weekend.
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INFORMATION
Boskone 29 Information
What: The 29th Science Fiction Convention Organized by the
New England Science Fiction Association.
When: February 14-16. 1992 (President's Day Weekend)
Where: Springfield, MA (Springfield Marriott and Springfield Sheraton)
Our Guests
Jane Yolen is a master storyteller, author of The Books of Great Alta and
many other fantasy and children's books (Owl Moon received a Caldecott Medal
and The Devil's Arithmetic was a Newberry finalist). She is the creator of
Commander Toad, past-president of SFWA, Nebula finalist, Skylark winner, and
all-around Real Nice Person.
Dave Langford is a British fan, Hugo-winning fan writer, fanzine publisher,
professional SF writer, and science writer. He is also the author of The
Leaky Establishment, a distinguished evaluation of British nuclear research
practices. This will be his second visit to the Boston area: he was TAFF
delegate to Noreascon Two in 1980.
Jody Lee is one of the finest young artists to appear in recent years. Her
evocative paintings have appeared on the covers of numerous books, including
those by Jo Clayton and Mercedes Lackey. Boskone 29 will be her first
convention as an honored guest.
Kathy Mar is our featured filk performer. Hailing from California, she is a
songwriter and a singer, whose work has appeared on numerous filk tapes.
Events
This year's theme is the art and practice of storytelling. We will explore
storytelling in its many forms: oral, written, and visual; fantasy, SF, and
fannish; serious and whimsical. On Sunday night, we'll have another round
of last year's popular "Storytelling Around the Campfire." There will also
be several program items on the art of storytelling and how it relates to SF
and Fantasy.
The program will include discussions on SF and fantasy, art, science,
history, writing, fanzines, tossing zucchinis, conventions, and more. Much
of the program is in the form of panel discussions, where a small number of
people discuss a topic. We'll also have program items where a single person
talks on a subject, where two people debate the pros and cons of a topic, or
where the audience interacts.
Some of the program items planned are:
o World Building 104: Destroying Worlds
o Science Headlines: New Topics in the News
o Scratchboard and other artistic technique demos
o The Failure of SF to Predict the Fall of Communism
o A meeting of the Society for the Aesthetic Rearrangement of History
o The Dark Side of Whimsey (or, Whimsey at the Dawn of Time)
o 1991: The Year in Review: Nominating for the Hugos
o Can SF Literature Exist in a Super-Hero Universe
o Shadow of the Torturer: the Writer as God.
Other programming events include discussion groups, kaffeeklattsches
afternoon teas, lunch with an author or artist, autographing, DragonsLair
(children's programming) and writers' workshops.
Special events include a Saturday night banquet, an original play by Esther
Friesner, the Meet-the VIPs party, a wide variety of musical events, silent
movies, scavenger hunt, Regency Dance, Friday night's When Worlds Collide
2.1, and Sunday night's trip to the Student Prince, Thumper, Too.
Exhibits
Boskone's legendary art show features over 100 panels and items from large
oil paintings to small ink sketches; from personalized name badges to book
covers; from finely painted eggs to hand-woven rugs.
The hucksters' room will also feature a variety of SF merchandise.
Other Activities
There will be a big con suite (BosCave) with British amenities in honor of
our Special Guest. In addition to DragonsLair, Boskone offers babysitting
for its younger members.
Membership Information
Memberships for the entire con cost $29 if bought before January 15, 1992.
Memberships are $40 at-the-door. Daily memberships will be available
at-the-door only. They cost $20 on Friday, $25 on Saturday, and $15 on
Sunday.
The cost of Babysitting and DragonsLair is included in the con membership,
so all children who use these services must be convention members. Children
under 12 who are with their parents at all times are considered
"kids-in-tow" and need not purchase memberships.
We do not refund memberships, however, you can transfer it to someone else
if you can't attend.
To purchase a membership, send $29 (checks, money orders, MasterCard,
or VISA all accepted) for each membership to:
Boskone 29 Preregistration
Box G
MIT Branch PO
Cambridge, MA 02139
Flyers available from Laurie and Jim Mann in M22PUB
MAGICON PRESS RELEASE
Membership Statistics
As of December 1, 1991, MagiCon has 3895 members. Here are the specifics:
3435 attending
300 supporting
139 children
13 kids-in-tow
8 guest
Effective April 1, 1992, the price for an attending membership for MagiCon
rises to $110 from the present $95. A child's membership rate rises to $55
from the present $45. Kids-in-tow memberships (for children born after
September 3, 1986) are free. These rates remain in effect until July 15,
1992. Supporting (non-attending) memberships remain at $25 until July 15,
1992.
Hotel Room Statistics
None of the hotels has sold out yet. The Peabody has filled 523 of its 680
room block, the Clarion has filled 222 of its 600 room block, the Quality
has filled 242 of its 350 room block, and the Best Western has filled 60 of
its 300 room block. The Quality is already out of rooms for the nights
immediately around the convention. The reservations are coming in at about
twenty per week per hotel, so reserve soon to get the hotel of your choice.
For hotel reservations, call the Orange County Housing Bureau at
800-258-7666.
Progress Report 5
Progress Report 5 and the Hugo nomination ballots will be bulk-mailed in
January. They will go to all attending and supporting members of MagiCon.
Hugo Nomination Ballots
A copy of the Hugo nomination ballot has been sent out with the hard copy
press release, to many fanzines and clubs. Help us get out the vote for the
Hugos next year.
Please take the time to discuss the Hugo nomination and voting process in
your fanzines and at your conventions. Remind potential voters that both
MagiCon and Chicon members are eligible to nominate for the Hugos.
Committee Change
Becky Thomson has resigned as Co-Chairman of MagiCon and has accepted the
position of Vice Chairman. She is managing the Publications Division of
MagiCon, and also continues as Co-Chairman of MagiCon's governing
organization, FANAC.
Dealers' Room
The Dealers' Room is full and there is a waiting list. If you want to be
added to the waiting list, write to Dealers' Room, c/o the MagiCon PO box.
Art Show
The Art Show mailing will go out in mid-December. If you need additional
Art Show information, write to MagiCon Art Show, PO Box 46, MIT Branch PO,
Cambridge, MA 02139.
Volunteers Needed!
MagiCon runs on volunteer labor. We need your help. If you want to help
out at the next Worldcon, write to Volunteers c/o the MagiCon box, and let
us know what you'd like to do.
Babysitting
Babysitting is available to all children with memberships and is included in
the cost of the membership. Babysitting is tentatively slated for the
Clarion.
Ways of Reaching MagiCon
The address is: MagiCon, PO Box 621992, Orlando, FL 32862.
The MagiCon phone number is: 407-859-8421. There's an answering machine
attached to it, so you can leave MagiCon a message.
MagiCon can be reached via GEnie, USENET, or CompuServe. The MagiCon topic
on GEnie is category 26, topic 14 and you can send E-mail to D.RATTI.
MagiCon is sometimes discussed in rec.arts.sf.fandom on USENET, and the
E-mail address is magicon(at)jjmhome.uucp. The CompuServe E-mail address is
70732.761(at)compuserve.com.
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REVIEWS
From Laurie:
Star Trek VI was pretty good, The Addams Family was lots of fun, and while
Hook had some great moments, it suffered badly from a lackluster script
and uncertain direction.
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