Ansible 387 -- October 2019

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Oct 1, 2019, 12:17:01 PM10/1/19
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ANSIBLE(R) 387
OCTOBER 2019 

From DAVID LANGFORD, 94 London Road, Reading, Berks, RG1 5AU, UK. Website news.ansible.uk. ISSN 0265-9816 (print); 1740-942X (e). Available for SAE, Tundist texts or a zest for crumpled things. 

[NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a387.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a387.pdf for a printable PDF. Mailing list subscribe/unsubscribe information appears below -- please don't send such requests to my own e-mail address. DRL]


### THE CRUNLOP EXPERIMENT ###

LYNDA BARRY, US cartoonist, graphic novelist (whose titles include the 2002 _One! Hundred! Demons!_) and academic, is one of the 2019 recipients of the MacArthur Foundation 'genius' grants. [BT]

ELINOR BUSBY, the first woman to win a Hugo, celebrated her 95th birthday in late September amid family, friends and fans. [JDB]

JOHN W. CAMPBELL JR may or may not be rotating in his grave at the news that -- soon after the renaming of 'his' not-a-Hugo award for best new writer as the Astounding Award -- the Gunn Center for the Study of SF has decided that its John W. Campbell Memorial Award will also be given another name, to be announced. (Facebook, 5 September)

SUSANNA CLARKE, long silent at book length owing to poor health since _Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell_ (2004), has delivered her second novel -- scheduled for September 2020. (_Guardian_, 30 September) [GF]

DAVID GERROLD cancelled his guest appearance at the October Sci-Fi Weekender event -- see below -- because with scant weeks to go, 'They never got back to me on travel arrangements.' (Facebook, 23 September)

GARY LARSON has a visual teaser at www.thefarside.com, indicating that his fabled cartoon sequence _The Far Side_ -- which he 'retired' on 1 January 1995 -- is to return in a new online incarnation.

J.K. ROWLING's Harry Potter books were removed from the library of a Catholic school in Nashville, TN, after exorcists claimed that they contain 'actual curses and spells, which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits'. (_Guardian_, 2 September) [PB]

JAMES TIPTREE JR (Alice Sheldon) is another name seemingly destined to be removed from a well-established award, this time because of the variously interpreted 1987 suicide pact in which she killed her ailing husband and herself. (Tiptree.org blog, 2, 4 and 11 September)

GAHAN WILSON, now 89, survived surgery in late September; but his additional care needs have created a new financial crisis. There is a fundraiser page at www.gofundme.com/f/gahan-wilson-team-effort.


### CONGELITURBATE ###

3-6 Oct [] GRIMMFEST (horror/cult films), Odeon Manchester Great Northern cinema. GBP90 (GBP76 concessions) plus fees from grimmfest.com.

3 Oct - 1 Nov [] LONDON MONTH OF THE DEAD, various venues and events, a few of genre interest: see londonmonthofthedead.com.

11-13 Oct [] LAKES INTERNATIONAL COMIC ART FESTIVAL, Kendal, Cumbria. GBP35 reg; students and under-16s GBP25. Day passes: Saturday GBP22 (GBP17); Sunday GBP19 (GBP14). More at www.comicartfestival.com.

13 Oct [] OCTOCON, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. (One day only. Venue is 12km from city centre.) Euro35 reg; Euro25 concessions; accompanied under-13s free. More at octocon.com.

18-20 Oct [] FANTASYCON, Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Clydebank, Glasgow.GBP75 reg; GBP65 concessions; under-18s GBP30; all plus booking fees. See www.fantasycon.org. The 2020 venue is Sheffield.

18 Oct - 20 Feb 2020 [] MOVING TO MARS (exhibition), Design Museum, London. GBP12. See designmuseum.org/exhibitions/moving-to-mars.

24-27 Oct [] CELLULOID SCREAMS (horror film festival), Showroom Cinema, Sheffield. GBP90; GBP80 concessions. See celluloidscreams.co.uk.

25-26 Oct [] BICENTENNIAL VAMPYRE BALL, Century Club, Soho, London W1. 9pm-3am. TicketsGBP25 (five or more GBP20 each) until midnight on 1 October. See acuriousinvitation.com/halloween2019.html.

25-27 Oct [] DESTINATION STAR TREK, NEC, Birmingham. Day GBP29; 2 days GBP39; 3 days GBP49; silly 'VIP' rates at destinationstartrek.com.

25-27 Oct [] FESTIVAL OF FANTASTIC FILMS, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester. GBP85 reg. For hotel rates see fantastic-films.com/festival/.

26 Oct [] BRISTOLCON, Hilton DoubleTree Hotel, Bristol. GBP30 reg (GBP35 at the door); GBP20 under-18s, concessions and disabled (GBP25 at the door); under-14s free. Full details at www.bristolcon.org.

SOLD OUT. 30 Oct - 3 Nov [] SCI-FI WEEKENDER PART 2, Vauxhall Holiday Park, Great Yarmouth. See www.scifiweekender.com.

31 Oct - 3 Nov [] EDINBURGH HORROR FESTIVAL, The Banshee Labyrinth, Niddry St, and other city venues including Lauriston Castle. Poe-themed in part. Many events are free. See www.edhorrorfest.co.uk.

1-3 Nov [] ARMADACON 31, Future Inn, Plymouth. GBP35 reg; concessions GBP30; under-16s free. PayPal registration at www.armadacon.org.

2-3 Nov [] BRISTOL ANIME & GAMING CON, Bristol Future Inns. GBP18 reg; day rates GBP11 Sat, GBP9 Sun. See bristolanimecon.com.

2 Nov [] FRIGHTFEST (film) Hallowe'en special, Leicester Square, London. Tickets soon from www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsevents.html.

3 Nov [] GAMESFEST (gaming), Iron Room, Station Road, Tring, HP23 5QT. 10am-5pm. Website gone; tickets GBP6 according to Facebook. 

8-10 Nov [] NOVACON 49, Nottingham Sherwood Hotel (was the Park Inn). Contact 379 Myrtle Road, Sheffield, S2 3HQ. _Now GBP53 reg_; under-17s still GBP12; under-13s free. See www.novacon.org.uk.

9-10 Nov [] COMIC CON, Leeds Town Hall. Part of Thought Bubble, the Leeds Comic Art Festival, 4-10 November. GBP28 weekend pass or GBP17/day. See thoughtbubblefestival.com.

1 Dec [] STARS OF TIME (media), Tropicana, Weston-super-Mare. 10am-5pm. GBP7.50; under-12s, OAP and disabled GBP4; under-4s free. Family of 2+2 kids GBP18; 2+3 kids GBP19. See www.starsoftime.co.uk.

4-5 Apr 2020 [] SCI-FI SCARBOROUGH (multimedia), The Spa, Scarborough. Ticket sales awaited at scifiscarborough.co.uk.

12-20 May 2020 [] SCI-FI LONDON (film festival), Prince Charles Cinema and Stratford Picturehouse, London. See sci-fi-london.com.

16 May 2020 [] LAWLESS (UK comics), Hilton Doubletree, Bristol. Details awaited at www.facebook.com/groups/1417073338554565/.

29 Jul - 2 Aug 2020 [] CONZEALAND (Worldcon 78), Wellington, New Zealand. _Now NZD $425 reg._ Other membership rates are unchanged: $250 YA, $225 unwaged, $105 child (born 2005+), infants (born 2015 +) free, $75 supporting. See conzealand.nz. _This Worldcon will present 1945 Retro Hugos for works published in 1944._

27-31 Aug 2020 [] FRIGHTFEST (film), Leicester Square, London. Tickets awaited in July 2020 at www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsevents.html. 

28-30 Aug 2020 [] TITANCON, Belfast. Membership rates and further details are awaited at titancon.com.

5-6 Sep 2020 [] FILM & COMIC CON COLLECTORMANIA, Birmingham NEC. GBP10/day; GBP15 early entry. See filmandcomicconbirmingham.com.

RUMBLINGS. _Nine Worlds Geekfest_ is unlikely to return, say those in charge of its reorganization, since no one seems willing to take on the daunting legal and financial obligations. (Twitter, 6 September)
     _Picocon 2020_ at Imperial College, London, with a 'Pride' theme, will happen 'at least 1 week after Valentine's Weekend' : 22 or 29 February? All will be revealed one day at www.union.ic.ac.uk/scc/icsf/picocon/.


### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###

AS OTHERS SAW US. Anthony Burgess on Brian Aldiss's _Enemies of the System_: 'it contrives to be rich, allusive, full of real people, and unfailingly interesting. It is not, then, real SF.' (_Homage to Qwert Yuiop_, 1986)

AWARDS. _Harvey Awards Hall of Fame_ (comics): Alison Bechdel, Mike Mignola, and posthumously to 1950s _Mad_ team members: Jack Davis, Will Elder, Ben Oda, John Severin, Marie Severin. [F770]
     _Primetime Emmy_ (tv): _Game of Thrones_ won as drama series for the fourth time.

PUBLISHERS & SINNERS. The new Gollancz/Rivers of London award for sf/fantasy by BAME (black, Asian, minority ethnic) authors opens for submissions on 1 October, closing 31 January. First prize GBP4,000; other prizes too. (_The Bookseller_, 27 September) See www.gollancz.co.uk.
     Two of the five titles shortlisted for the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions prize (no, I'd never heard of this London publisher either) seem to be sf. [MV]

AS OTHERS SEE US. _The New Yorker_ offers us a whole new nadir: 'But is fandom becoming as toxic as politics?' (16 September) [JDB]

R.I.P. _Robert Axelrod_ (1949-2019), US actor whose many genre credits include _The Blob_ (1988), _Mighty Morphin Power Rangers_ (1993-1996 tv; 1995 film) and _Transformers_ (2000 tv), died on 7 September ged 70. [PDF]
     _Hal Colebatch_ (1945-2019), Australian author of contributions (one novel-length) to Larry Niven's 'Man-Kzin Wars' anthologies, and of the H.G. Wells sequel _Time Machine Troopers_ (2011), died on 10 September aged 73. [AB]
     _Charles 'Charlie' Collins_ (1935-2019), US publisher's rep whose 1969-1981 small press Centaur (with Donald M. Grant) revived many out-of-print genre works from the early twentieth century, died on 26 August aged 83. [AIP]
     _Rod Coneybeare_ (1930-2019), Canadian tv presenter and actor with voice roles in _The Friendly Giant_ (1958-1985) -- where he was also a puppeteer -- _The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3_ (1990) and_ X-Men: The Animated Series_ (1992-1994), died on 5 September aged 89. [PDF]
     _Jack Donner_ (1928-2019), US actor in _Mission: Impossible_ (1966-1973), _Johnny Mysto: Boy Wizard_ (1997), _Retro Puppet Master_ (1999), _Demon Under Glass_ (2002) and others, died on 21 September aged 90.
     _Aron Eisenberg_ (1969-2019), US actor best known as Nog in _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ (1993-1999), died on 21 September aged 50.
     _Rob Garrison_ (1960-2019), US actor in _Starship Invasions_ (1977), died on 27 September aged 59.
     _Mordicai Gerstein_ (1935-2019), US author/illustrator of children's books including such fantasies as _Fox Eyes_ (2005) and _The Old Country_ (2005), died in late September aged 83. [PDF]
     _David Hagberg_ (1942-2019), US author whose sf includes _The Capsule_ (1976), six Flash Gordon novels (1981-1981, anonymously) and the 2003 _Terminator 3_ novelization, died on 8 September aged 76. [AIP]
     _Sid Haig_ (1939-2019), US actor in _Jason of Star Command_ (1978-1979), _Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II_ (1989), _Creature_ (2011), _Zombex_ (2013) and others, died on 21 September aged 80. [BE]
     _David Hurst_ (1926-2019), German-born actor in _The Perfect Woman_ (1949), _Vampire over London_ (1952), _The Boys from Brazil_ (1978) and others, died on 15 September aged 93.
     _Frank Key_ (Paul Byrne, 1959-2019), UK author, illustrator and latterly broadcaster long cherished by a select audience for his surreal, semi-nonsense tales from 'Hooting Yard' -- collected in _Twitching and Shattered_ (1989), _Befuddled by Cormorants_ (2006), _Unspeakable Desolation Pouring Down from the Stars_ (2007) and further (as he would say) curdled and frowsty volumes -- died on 13 September aged 60. (Resonance FM)
     _Jack Lasenby_ (1931-2019), New Zealand author of children's/YA fiction whose _Because We Were the Travellers_ (1997) and its sequel are post-apocalyptic sf, died on 27 September aged 88.
     _Carol Lynley_ (1942-2019), US actress in _The Shuttered Room_ (1967), _The Night Stalker_ (1972) and _Beware! The Blob_ (1972), died on 3 September aged 77. [ATC]
     _Katherine MacLean_ (1925-2019), long-time US author of much short sf since 1949 -- some collected in _The Diploids_ (1962) and _The Trouble with You Earth People_ (1980) -- plus novels including _Cosmic Checkmate_ (1962, aka _Second Game_) with Charles V. De Vet, died on 1 September aged 94. [CM] She received the SFWA Author Emeritus award in 2003 and the Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award in 2011.
     _J. Michael Mendel_ (1964-2019), Emmy-winning US producer whose credits include _The Simpsons_ (1994-2015) and _Rick and Morty_ (2013-2017), died on 23 September aged 54. (CNN, 24 September)
     _Jan Merlin_ (1925-2019), US character actor in _Tom Corbett, Space Cadet_ (1951-1954), _Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea_ (1964-1967), _The Twilight People_ (1972) and _Time Trackers_ (1989), died on 20 September aged 94. [DFG]
     _Kazuko Nakamura_, pioneering Japanese animator whose anime credits include _Panda and the Magic Serpent_ (1958), _Magic Boy_ (1959) and many more to 1999, died on 3 August aged 86. [HM]
     _Andrzej Polkowski_, Polish translator of C.S. Lewis and of the Harry Potter saga, died on September aged 80. [PDF]
     _Lee Salem_ (1946-2019), US editor and later president at Universal Press Syndicate who worked with Gary Larson on _The Far Side_ and Bill Watterson on _Calvin and Hobbes_, died on 2 September aged 73. [PDF]
     _Bill Schelly_ (1951-2019), US comics fan and historian who published the fanzine _Sense of Wonder_ and such books as _The Golden Age of Comic Fandom_ (1995), died on 12 September aged 67. [PDF]
     _Anne Rivers Siddons_ (1936-2019), US author whose novels include the supernatural bestseller _The House Next Door_ (1978), died on 11 September aged 83. [PDF]
     Late report: _Steven Hilliard Stern_ (1937-2018), Canadian director of _The Ghost of Flight 401_ (1978), _The Devil and Max Devlin_ (1981), _Mazes and Monsters_ (1982), _Murder in Space_ (1985) and others, died on 27 June 2018 aged 80. [TM]
     _Curt Stubbs_ (1948-2019), long-time Arizona fan and con worker involved with the successful Phoenix in 1978 Worldcon bid, died on 14 September. [F770]
     _Brian Turk_ (1970-2019), actor in _The Lost World: Jurassic Park_ (1997), _A.I._ (2001) and _Carnivale_ (2003-2005) died on 13 September aged 49. [MMW]
     _Jack Weaver_ (1926-2019), US fan and convention-goer who was the webmaster and software developer at Fanac.org for 20 years from 1997, died on 2 September aged 92. [MLO]
     _John Wesley_ (1947-2019), US actor in _The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes_ (1995), _13th Child_ (2002) and _Cursed Angel_ (2016), died on 8 September aged 72. [PDF]

THE WEAKEST LINK. _Q:_ 'Played by Cesar Romero on television and by Heath Ledger on film, which villain shares his name with a playing card?' _Contestant:_ 'The Jack of Clubs?' (Radio 4, _Brain of Britain_) [PE]

THE CLARKE AWARD in association with the Rumble Museum has announced an sf competition for young people (under 16), who are not asked actually to write sf but to provide outlines from which presumably non-young professionals will then create the stories. The deadline is 31 October 2019. Further information at tinyurl.com/y2d6pmxy.

RANDOM FANDOM. Online fannish resources keep growing, with Fanac.org constantly posting scans of more old fanzines (including newszines shamelessly pillaged for The Dead Past below), Fancyclopedia 3 at fancyclopedia.org adding convention publications to the relevant convention entries, and Rob Hansen regularly extending his historical pages at fiawol.org.uk/FanStuff/THEN Archive/archive.htm. My own copious spare time tends to be absorbed by the _SF Encyclopedia_ at sf-encyclopedia.com, which even in a sluggish September (I have been tiresomely unwell) added 15,000 words of new entries and updates.

MARKETRY. SFWA's new qualifying rate of 8 cents/word for short fiction took effect last month. The August market report at sfwa.org listed 33 qualifying markets; the post-change September report has 22.

THE DEAD PAST. _20 Years Ago:_ 'Iain M. Banks, man of versatile initials, told the _Telegraph_: "If I do cowboy novels I'll be Iain Z. Banks. And Iain X. Banks for pornography."' ... '_That Hideous Acronym._ On 6 August, the UK government betrayed its spin-doctors' unfamiliarity with C.S. Lewis by launching the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, or N.I.C.E.... Who is its Head? Where are Merlin and Mr Fisher-King now that we need them?' (both from _Ansible_ 147, October 1999)
     _30 Years Ago_, Isaac Asimov presented L. Sprague de Camp with a First Fandom Award and explained the rigorous selection criteria: 'great age, a withered appearance and miserable habits. We keep Fred Pohl around as an example.' (_File 770_ 82, October 1989)
     _70 Years Ago_, fannish rapture at a plug for the new _The Magazine of Fantasy_ in the Press section of _Time_ (10 October 1949) was somewhat modified by the phrasing: '_Time_ stated that the pulp stf field is populated with "... lithe heroes, bosomy heroines, bug-eyed monsters and space-suited villains from Mars..." Ouch!' (_Fantasy Times_ 91, October 1949)

FANFUNDERY. _TAFF 2020:_ 'We, the current administrators of The Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund, issue a call for nominations for the 2020 TAFF race, to go from North America to Europe. The winner will attend Concentric: Eastercon 2020, in Birmingham, UK (www.concentric2020.uk), from April 10 to April 13, 2020. Yes, it is an eastbound race for the second consecutive year. Looking at the next five Worldcons and Worldcon bids, that makes the most sense, we think. The nomination deadline is 31 October, 2019.' [JA/GS] For the full announcement in PDF format, see taff.org.uk.
     _Free Ebooks_ at the TAFF Site: the latest release is the 2015 Gannet fanthology _Tyne Capsule_ edited by Rob Jackson, with many illustrious contributors. See taff.org.uk/ebooks.php?x=TyneCapsule. An ebook of all Bob Shaw's Serious Scientific Talks is also planned, but one speech has yet to be traced. Can anyone help with a copy or recording of the talk Bob gave at both Confabulation and Intersection in 1995?
     _GUFF:_ nominations for the 2020 race should open later in October.

THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Eyeballs in the Sky._ 'He caught the boy's eye, threw it down to the bed.' (Kevin Egan, 'The Visit', _Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine_, September 2019) [MMW]
     _Clean Air Dept._ 'Despite his empty belly, he would have been completely content with his pipe. He had always loved the land, any land that had not been spoiled by the stinks of civilization.' (Chad Oliver, _Unearthly Neighbors_, 1960) [PL]
     _Dept of Travelling Companions._ 'Heather kissed Sarah's head, patted her back, and straightened her shirt and skirt, as if they were about to embark on a long journey together.' (Lisa Grunwald, _New Year's Eve_, 1997) [PB]
     _Secrets of US Teamaking._ 'She turned on the hot pot and tore open an Earl Grey packet and poured milk over the tea bag as she waited for the water to boil.' (Helen Phillips, _The Need_, 2019) [PB]
     _Nobel Prize Winner Dept._ 'Wilhelm let out a long, hard breath and raised the brows of his round and somewhat circular eyes.' (Saul Bellow, _Seize the Day_, 1956) [AR]
     _Mysteries of Femininity._ '"She has breasts that smile."' (Philip K. Dick, _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_, 1968) [KL] 'Akiko removed her brassiere to reveal her champagne glass-sized tits.' (Min Jin Lee, _Pachinko_, 2017) [KL] 'Then Min Feng stood up and peeled her shirt off. She was only wearing a skin-colored brasserie.' (Joyce Chng, _Phoenix with a Purpose_, 2009) [RBW]
     _Machismo Dept._ 'I became abruptly aware that I was swinging a hard-on like a filled fire hose.' (Richard Morgan, _Altered Carbon_, 2002) [BA]
     _Neat Tricks._ 'A muscle flexed in his jaw, and he snapped it up from the table and shoved it under his arm.' (Lily Graham, _The Paris Secret_, 2018) [PB]


### GEEKS' CORNER ###

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CONVENTION AND EVENT LINKS
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### ENDNOTES ###

APPARITIONS.
     11 October 2019: Dr Amaury Triaud talks to the Brum Group. 7:30pm for 8pm at the Briar Rose Hotel, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham city centre. GBP6 or GBP3 for members. Contact bhamsfgroup at yahoo co uk. Future events/speakers: 1 November 2019, still TBA; 6 December 2019, Christmas social at the Selly Tavern, GBP10; 10 January 2020, AGM and auction, free.
     19 October 2019: Bryan and Mary Talbot presentation on their new graphic novel. 6.30pm at The Space,Town Hall, St George's St, Hebden Bridge HX7 7BY. GBP5 entry, followed by free 8pm book signing.
     24 October 2019: BSFA Open Meeting, Central Station, 37 Wharfdale Road, King's Cross, N1 9SD. 6pm for 7pm. Guest(s) TBA. Free. Date or venue changes may be announced after _Ansible_ has gone to press: always check bsfa.co.uk for the latest information.
     26 October 2019: Bryan and Mary Talbot signing as above, 1-2pm at Gosh!, 1 Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 0DR.

PAYPAL TIP JAR THINGY. Support _Ansible_, cover website costs and keep the editor happy! Or just buy his books.

SOME LINKS from the _Ansible_ home page.
     Dan Simmons, Climate Scientist, Speaks Out
     SF2 Concatenation Autumn 2019 Newscast
     TAFF race announcement: official PDF

EDITORIAL. I know, I know, there's usually more extra material down here in Endnotes (appearing in digital versions of _Ansible_ though not the print edition), but this has been a difficult issue to finish at all. Sorry! Here instead is a bonus cartoon by _Ansible_ stalwart Brad W. Foster ...


_Ansible_(R) 387 (C) David Langford, 2019. Thanks to Brian Ameringen, Johan Anglemark, Paul Barnett, John D. Berry, Alasdair Brown, Adam-Troy Castro, Fanac.org, Paul Di Filippo, Bob Eggleton, Gregory Feeley, _File 770_, Donald F. Glut, Kessily Lewel, Pamela Love, Helen McCarthy, Christopher Mason, Todd Mason, Mark L. Olson, Andrew I. Porter, _Private Eye_, Adam Roberts, Geri Sullivan, Bruce Townley, Mark L. Valentine, Roger Burton West, Martin Morse Wooster, and as always our Hero Distributors: Durdles Books (Birmingham SF Group), SCIS/Prophecy and Alan Stewart (Australia).

1 October 2019

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