World Fantasy Con

[KWalker777]

In the current issue of MATRIX-the British Science Fiction Association's
newletter there is some valid criticism of the British Fantasy Society and
it's handling of this year's World Fantasy Con in London.There is critical
comment on sky high room prices and the huge attendance fee( three times
that of the SF Eastercon this year). My response to the Matrix editor was
as follows:-
I was pleased to note your honest comment on the above which
is, of course, a rip off. Unfortunately the BFS seem to have lost touch
with the common people. The current Society seems churlishly to want to
forget the legacy and work of those who created it. It has rather stupidly
with the pig-headed arrogance of present day youth chosen to re-write a
clumsy garbled history of itself which is largely inaccurate. It has
chosen to reject the needs and voice of its own members.
I re-joined the BFS last year, having lost my membership when I
gave up the fanzine library ( which has now probably like most of the
BFS's valuable assets been sold off). I was surprised to find a Society
which was curiously in a time warp. It didn't seem to have progressed over
the last ten years and seemed to be in a petrified state. In stark
contrast to the BSFA, my membership of which I've maintained for thirty
plus years, which has steadily improved its services to members over time.
The really odd thing to me has been that the BSFA has never lost
that fannish touch, in contrast to the BFS which has pro-hopeful
pretentious but produces only good amateur results and has never been, or
wanted to be,fannish.
The highly over priced World Fantasy Con illustrates the contempt
and total disregard that the BFS has for its own members. What should be
an opportunity to reward their loyalty and to recruit new
members-spreading the world of fantasy amongst others , is being used as
an opportunist platform to woo publishers and the like. I shall not be
attending even if I could afford to. The last one I attended dragged, well
that's hardly the right word for they fell over themselves to get a spot
in the limelight, everyone and anyone who had ever had anything remotely
fantasy orientated published onto a series of poorly moderated panels.
That clearly wasn't where the action was and was simply a diversion whilst
off stage deals were being struck, etc.. between authors and publishers,
artists and publishers, and so on.. Fans like small children and animals
were not wanted.
Keith A.Walker
Founder of the BFS.