AMAZING NEWS OF FANDOM

NEWS HEADER FOR FILE 770

Borderlands Books To Stay Open
Borderlands Books reached its goal of 300 sponsors by Saturday afternoon. The San Francisco bookseller has announced it will stay open until at least March 31, 2016. The critical mass of sponsors needed to underwrite the store’s survival plan came … Continue reading →

The Day After The Book Bomb Dropped
I plunked down $2.99 for Tom Kratman’s novella “Big Boys Don’t Cry” during yesterday’s ”book bomb” pushing novellas on the Sad Puppies slate, because I just can’t stand on the sidewalk when the parade goes by. Sometimes this leads to … Continue reading →

That Ship Has Sailed
By John Hertz: Another thing last weekend was a memorial for Stu Shiffman. Shiffman was one of the best fanartists we’ve had. That’s saying a lot. He won the Rotsler Award in 2010 and a Hugo in 1990. He drew … Continue reading →

Fund Nate Bucklin’s New Album
Nate Bucklin is a widely known musician, and not only in fandom. His composition “I Was Born About Ten Million Songs Ago,” performed by Steven Brust, received airplay on Dr. Demento’s show for years and was part of a Dr. … Continue reading →

Some Shatner/Nimoy Fun
By James H. Burns: William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy competed in this episode of $20,000 Pyramid, available on YouTube. What’s also interesting, is that if the late September, 1977 broadcast date is correct, this would have been taped when Shatner … Continue reading →

Welcome Len Wein Home from the Hospital
Len Wein, who had multiple bypass heart surgery on February 10, was released from the hospital on Friday. Christine Valada, his wife, tweeted the good news — About an hour and a half shy of two full weeks in the hospital, … Continue reading →

Heinlein Fans Asked To Dig Deep
Robert A. Heinlein was one of four additions to the Hall of Famous Missourians in 2013, but he is the only one whose bust has yet to be installed in the capitol. Missouri’s rule is that the bust must be … Continue reading →

Sawyer and Sternbach GoHs for 2016 Lunacon
Author Robert J. Sawyer and artist Rick Sternbach will be Lunacon’s guests of honor when the convention resumes in 2016 chair Mark Richards announced today. Sawyer is the author of 21 novels (and counting) and a celebrated and influential writer both … Continue reading →

2014 Nebula Awards Nominees
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 2014 Nebula Awards (presented 2015), the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, and the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. Novel The Goblin … Continue reading →

Borderlands Books Goes Under, Then Resurfaces
San Francisco’s Borderlands Books, a favorite of sf, fantasy and horror readers, is now reconsidering its plans to close. The store had announced at the beginning of the month it could not continue in business, an economic casualty of a new … Continue reading →

Irish SF Fan Mick O’Connor Passes Away
Michael O’Connor, known as Mick, passed away in a Dublin hospital on February 16. O’Connor was a member of the Dublin in 2019 Worldcon bid committee. Comics scholar Padraig O’Mealoid and O’Connor started attending Irish Science Fiction Association meetings together in … Continue reading →

Problem With Gaiman’s “Trigger Warning” Title?
Kameron Hurley thinks Neil Gaiman did not make a good choice in calling his latest story collection Trigger Warning. Commenting at SciFiNow, she first explains the use of the term in its original context, then levels this criticism at Gaiman: The problem … Continue reading →

2014 Paul Harland Prize Winners
The winners of the Paul Harland Prize for Dutch short sf were announced during the Gala of the Fantastic Book in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands on February 7. 2014 Paul Harland Prize Winners “Mevrouw Rosenbaum vecht tegen de duivel” (Mrs. Rosenbaum fights … Continue reading →

Successful Resolution To A Harassment Complaint
Don Sakers’ “What Happened at the Con” describes how a harassment and discrimination complaint was successfully resolved at Farpoint in Baltimore this past weekend. As discussed here before, quite a few sf conventions have adopted an anti-harassment policy within the past two years. More conrunners … Continue reading →

Watch Bill The Galactic Hero Online
Alex Cox, who raised over $100,00 through Kickstarter to make Bill The Galactic Hero, has posted his movie online. Cox, the creator of Repo Man and Sid & Nancy, directed the feature comedy. It is based on Harry Harrison’s classic … Continue reading →

Today In History 2/18
February 18, 1930: This image has been distributed by the DC17 Worldcon bid to remind us on today’s date Clyde Tombaugh documented the discovery of the planet Pluto. (The Wikipedia says there were many “prediscoveries” but people didn’t recognize them as … Continue reading →

Of a Feather with Dave Kyle
By John Hertz: In case you, like me, couldn’t be with Dave Kyle in person for his 96th birthday (gosh) last weekend, here’s the verse thing I could think of to send him. Happy birthday to you! Hooray for First … Continue reading →

Laura Mixon Posts “Requires Hate Follow Up”
If you read Laura Mixon’s original report about the damage done by Requires Hate/ Winterfox/ Benjanun Sriduangkaew, chances are you will be interested in her latest take, “Requires Hate Follow-up, Three Months Later: Are We Past the Winter of our Discontent?”, … Continue reading →

Amazon Greenlights Full Season of “The Man In The High Castle”
Amazon Prime, which I already gave $99 to so I can watch Bosch, will be delivering five more newly greenlighted series between now and 2016, including The Man in the High Castle based on the novel by Philip K. Dick. … Continue reading →

Today In History 2/18
1977: First unmanned test flight of space shuttle Enterprise mounted on another aircraft Although the space shuttle Enterprise never left the atmosphere, it was used for all kinds of tests over the years. It was hauled over the road to … Continue reading →

A Note For Hugo Nominators
Lou Antonelli reported the other day that when he sent in his Nebula Award nominating ballot he immediately got back a note from the award administrator that a story he’d listed is ineligible: In reviewing your ballot, I noted that … Continue reading →

Stfnal Stanzas From John DeChancie
In addition to his talents as a novelist and raconteur, John DeChancie is quite a poet. Here are excerpts from his verse at Mondo.com. ”A Heinlein Sestina” extols the Golden Age author in a formal poem of 66 lines with … Continue reading →

Hellboy, The Brimstone of Bottled Ales
Add another name to the roll call of genre brews! Hellboy Right Hand of Doom Red Ale from Rogue.com will debut February 20 in Portland at the Things From Another World Comics store. In the words of Entertainment Weekly: This … Continue reading →

Nolan Named World Horror Society 2015 Grand Master
William F. Nolan has been voted the World Horror Society’s 2015 Grand Master for his significant achievements as a professional in the horror field. He will be presented with the award at the World Horror Convention in Atlanta over the … Continue reading →

Heroes and Villains
By John King Tarpinian: Among the things I obsessively collect are fountain pens, some in my collection are over 75 years old. It all started when I was trying to improve my handwriting…and it worked. Collecting fountain pens, I said … Continue reading →

Lesley Gore (1946-2015)
Pop singer Lesley Gore, who enjoyed a string of hits in the 1960s, died February 16 of cancer. Her single “It’s My Party” went to Number 1 in the United States in 1963. Three other Gore singles landed in the … Continue reading →

Why You’re Not A Fan
Patrick Richardson’s post “Not a real fan” at the Otherwhere Gazette is getting a lot of eyeballs today because fans love the thrill of terror they feel whenever there’s a fresh reason to believe anyone thinks they don’t really belong in … Continue reading →

Good News From Norman Spinrad
More authors have been sharing cancer diagnoses and treatment with their readers in recent years and it is always good to read an example of hope rewarded – as Norman Spinrad supplied in a public Facebook post today: Just came … Continue reading →

Live From New York It’s…!
By James H. Burns: As the Saturday Night Live celebration continues (odd, since the actual anniversary isn’t until the Autumn!)… At the height of the series’ late 1970s popularity, John Belushi, with some regularity, would walk into Bill Morse’s Village … Continue reading →

Gaiman’s New “Trigger Warning”
Neil Gaiman gave an interview to NPR about his new short story collection Trigger Warning. Given a choice of excerpts to quote in this post, I naturally chose this one — On the story ‘The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury’ … Continue reading →

Lou Antonelli New Managing Editor at C-Spot
Prolific sf writer Lou Antonelli has been hired as the new managing editor for C-Spot magazine. The mission of C-Spot is to promote and showcase undiscovered Texas writers, artists, and musicians. Antonelli is already making an impression – here’s the … Continue reading →

Bonus Photo of Dave Kyle
We continue our celebration of Dave Kyle’s 96th birthday with this truly handsome photo of the fan legend taken by John L. Coker III at Chicon 7 in 2012. (Thank you John!) Continue reading →

Len Wein Out of ICU
Christine Valada says Len Wein is out of intensive care but prospective visitors should check with her first. Good news: @LenWein is out of ICU. Not sure if he’s up for visitors, so contact me before going to the hospital. #LenWeinheallikeWolverine … Continue reading →

Shat Raps
Late Late Show guest host Wayne Brady raps about James T, then is joined by James T, who brings the freshest rap and choreography ever displayed by an 83-year-old starship captain. Continue Reading →

2015 Mythcon Adds Scholar Guest of Honor
Mythcon 46 named Jo Walton its Author Guest of Honor last fall, and now has added John D. Rateliff as Scholar Guest of Honor. Mythcon, the annual conference of the Mythopoeic Society, takes place July 31-August 3 in Colorado Springs. The 2015 … Continue reading →

AbeBooks’ 100 Most Searched-For Books of the Past Year
Collectible book dealer AbeBooks has issued its list of the Top 100 Most Searched-For Books of 2014. You won’t be surprised to see multiple Stephen King titles among the ranks, and some of the other names in demand are equally … Continue reading →

Dave Kyle, Today’s Birthday Boy
The legendary Dave Kyle is 96 today, February 14. Going by his Facebook photo, he spent it wrapped up in a cozy blanket in front of the fireplace, a warm drink within reach. Coincidentally, this is also the day Rich … Continue reading →

2015 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire Shortlist
The nominations for the 2015 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire have been announced. (For English translations of the titles read the coverage at Europa SF.) The awards will be presented in November at the Utopiales Festival in Nantes, France. Roman francophone … Continue reading →

Moshe Feder Wins Skylark
Congratulations to Tor editor Moshe Feder who was presented the 2015 Skylark Award tonight at Boskone. The Skylark is given annually by the New England Science Fiction Association to a person who, in the opinion of the membership, “has contributed … Continue reading →

Len Wein Improving After Surgery
Continued best wishes to Len Wein who is in the early stages of recovery from his multiple bypass heart surgery on February 10. Craig Miller told me, when we spoke for a moment this morning at Gallifrey One, that Len … Continue reading →

Gary Owens (1934-2015)
Iconic announcer and voice actor Gary Owens died February 12 at home due to complications from type 1 diabetes, which he’d had since childhood. Owens was best known as the hand-on-the-ear announcer on 1960s comedy show Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. He did over … Continue reading →

2014 BSFA Awards Nominees
The British Science Fiction Association has announced the finalists for the 2014 BSFA Awards. BSFA also furnished links to the nominees which are available free online. Best Artwork Richard Anderson for the cover of Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley, published by … Continue reading →

Scalzi Book Bundle Raises Money For Nonprofit Group
Subterranean Press is offering a Scalzi Super Bundle ebook of a dozen works, which includes a previously unpublished story related to Redshirts, and “Lock In, Lost Chapters,” both available nowhere else. The complete contents of the collection are — To … Continue reading →

A Note From Gallifrey One
I’m sitting in Program A at “The 26 Seasons of Gallifrey One” about to remedy my heroic ignorance of the Doctor Who universe by watching an interview of Torchwood’s Eve Myles, who has just emerged from the onstage Tardis. Many … Continue reading →

Trailer Visualizing Star Wars v. JJ Abrams’ Star Trek
Very creative. Just wish they could have worked in Wil Wheaton so I’d have even more reason to mention it… Continue reading →

Free Read: The History of Filk Music
Gary McGath’s fanhistory Tomorrow’s Songs Today: The History of Filk Music, funded by an IndieGoGo campaign, is now available as a free download. I’ve really enjoyed the portion I’ve read so far. What’s this thing called “filk music” that’s sung … Continue reading →

Mary Anne Mohanraj vs. Cancer
All best wishes to Chicago-area SF writer/editor/fan Mary Anne Mohanraj who announced today on Facebook that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer. At age 43, she can expect to beat this – she says 95 percent of people with comparable … Continue reading →

Addams and Adama, Thursday’s Birthday Kids
Born February 12, 1915: Lorne Greene (the first Adama) Born February 12, 1980: Christina Ricci (Wednesday Addams of The Addams Family) Continue reading →

Apex Delivering Upside Down This Fall
Apex Publications will bring out Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling, an athology edited by Jaym Gates and Monica Valentinelli, in Fall/Winter 2015. The anthology will highlight the long-standing tradition of writers who identify tropes in science fiction, fantasy, and horror and … Continue reading →

2015 Audie Award Finalists
The Audio Publishers Association (APA) has announced the 2015 Audie Awards finalists. The Audies are given in 30 categories for spoken word entertainment. Here follow the genre category finalists, and other categories containing names of interest to genre fans. AUDIO DRAMA Anne Manx and the Blood … Continue reading →

For The Greater Good
The Bloggess (“Like Mother Teresa, Only Better”) published a photo of Wil Wheaton collating paper, which she requested from the actor for some legitimate reason, however, if we Photoshop onto those blank pages in his hands something like a Steve Stiles cover … Continue reading →

2015 Baen Memorial Award Finalists
Baen Books has announced the ten finalists for the 2015 Jim Baen Memorial Award, a short story contest held each year for of all levels of experience. Robert Dawson John Eckelkamp Stuart Hardwick Jamie Lackey Marina Nelson Lostetter Stanley Love … Continue reading →

From Monty to Monkeys, Another Treat from Terry Gilliam
By Brandon Engel: Terry Gilliam, beyond the initial fame he gained as a member of the iconic comedy troupe Monty Python, has made a name for himself as a successful screenwriter and director, best known for films like The Fisher … Continue reading →

Sasquan Gets Big Membership Influx in January
Sasquan, the 2015 Worldcon, had a tremendous membership spike in January, an increase in total members of more than 30%. Why? A rate hike was going into effect February 1. Worldcon bids for 2017 are begging supporters to join. We’re now in … Continue reading →

How To Nominate for the Hugos
With everyone trying to influence Hugo voting, I think it’s time to tell you how I am going to vote. I’m going to keep asking myself two simple questions until I run out of answers or run out of space on … Continue reading →

Smithsonian Channel’s Air Warriors
Can an AH-64 Apache take down a fire-breathing dragon? The answer is: sometimes… (Promo for the Smithsonian Channel’s Air Warriors.) Continue reading →

Snapshots 148 Dunbar’s Number
Here are 19 developments of interest to fans. (1) “Half the DNA on the NYC Subway Matches No Known Organism” reports Gizmodo.com. The PathoMap project, which involved sampling turnstiles, benches, and keypads at 466 stations, found 15,152 life-forms in total, half … Continue reading →

Myke Cole Explains His Changed Military Status
Fans of military sf author Myke Cole will want to read his eloquent explanation about why he requested a transfer from his current reserve status to “Indi­vidual Ready Reserve or IRR, an unpaid, non-drilling force that main­tains a mod­icum of … Continue reading →

SFWA Contracts Committee Back at Work
Science Fiction Writers of America’s Contracts Committee, reinstated last fall, is already reporting progress. The organization has addressed contract terms in use by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. As a result of discussions with F&SF publisher Gordon Van … Continue reading →

Melanie Tem (1949-2015)
Fantasy and horror author Melanie Tem died February 9. She won the British Fantasy Association’s Icarus Award in 1992 as best newcomer, and her first novel, Prodigal, was honored with a Bram Stoker Award. Together with her husband, Steve Rasnic Tem, … Continue reading →

Len Wein Hospitalized
Wolverine and Swamp Thing creator Len Wein, recently hospitalized with chest pains, will undergo triple bypass heart surgery on February 10. Writer Gillian Horvath has been passing the word, calling on people to offer “your prayers, your white light, your … Continue reading →

Washington Post Tries To Veto Oz Reference In Name of Indian Casino
This spring the Oneida Indian Nation will open The Yellow Brick Road Casino in Chittenango, New York, the town where L. Frank Baum was born in 1856. “Paying homage to the community’s identity as the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, … Continue reading →

Congratulations Vanessa and Chris!
Chris Garcia and Vanessa Applegate married on February 7 in a ceremony at the Computer History Museum (where Chris works) in Mountain View, California. Derek McCaw officiated over the ceremony, which featured the couple jumping the broom. A video shot … Continue reading →

Richard Bonehill (1948-2015)
Actor Richard Bonehill, who played many characters in the Star Wars universe, died February 4 at the age of 67. In The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), Bonehill played snowtroopers, TIE Fighter pilots, a Tauntaun … Continue reading →

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Added David Haddock’s The Banksoniain #21

Added NFFF’s The National Fantasy Fan #74-2, edited by George Phillies

Added Opuntia #299 edited by Dale Speirs

Added Ryan Speer’s Half Life #3

Added issue 2.0.11 of Graham Charnock’s Vibrator

Added Taral Wayne’s Broken Toys #35 & 36

Added Tom Sadler’s The Reluctant Famulus #102 & 103

Added R. Graeme Cameron’s Auroran Lights #15

canadian fanzines

Added Broken Toys (#35) Jan/Feb 2015 & (#36) Feb 2015

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