Path: ...!Xl.tags.giganews.com!local-3.nntp.ord.giganews.com!nntp.brightview.co.uk!news.brightview.co.uk.POSTED!not-for-mail NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 16:47:11 +0000 From: David Langford Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.fandom,uk.people.sf-fans Subject: Ansible 448 -- November 2024 Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 16:47:13 +0000 Organization: Ansible Information Message-ID: X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.93/32.576 English (American) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 457 X-Usenet-Provider: http://www.giganews.com X-Trace: sv3-Uecv6lUJWbUYtiFHHMu7+gMS93PP37wdihZLaduDJtyTNdsTrnkektpZs3hetU6a8qbVSEkvj/X4lAP!3QkbYrmI+EAk2fY51bbuvsl7yFliiLj4H0/WewHHpOXK4vaITqunuvChH7SacOgeCUyVggICwiZm!+V68BSogxDAELn4= X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly X-Postfilter: 1.3.40 Bytes: 26013 ANSIBLE(R) 448 NOVEMBER 2024 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 or the secret plans hidden by Erihsibrad under the Wollip. [NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a448.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a448.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 FURTIVE FEASTERS ### OGHENECHOVWE DONALD EKPEKI was removed from the SFWA Board of Directors -- a recent 'Director-at-Large' appointment on 1 July -- after public complaints regarding his professional ethics. (SFWA, 28 October; _File 770_, 26 October; see also Erin Cairns, ethicsreport.tiiny.site) ALAN MOORE can see both sides of the issue: 'I believe that fandom is a wonderful and vital organ of contemporary culture, without which that culture ultimately stagnates, atrophies and dies. At the same time, I'm sure that fandom is sometimes a grotesque blight that poisons the society surrounding it with its mean-spirited obsessions and ridiculous, unearned sense of entitlement.' (_Guardian_, 26 October) ELON MUSK, along with Tesla and Warner Bros Discovery, is being sued by the makers of _Blade Runner 2049_ (Alcon Entertainment) for allegedly using AI-generated imagery based on that film at the launch event for Tesla's robotaxi -- after Alcon 'specifically denied a request from Warner Bros to use material from the film'. (BBC, 22 October) [SF2C] KATHERINE RUNDELL revealed the secret of making children's books 'shine' by pruning unnecessary detail. 'The greatest children's books pull off this balancing act, per Rundell: To this day, she can recount, exactingly and with absolute confidence, the hair color of the Pevensies of Narnia, "but they are never described in the book."' (_Washington Post_ interview, 10 September). Bibliophiles are now eagerly seeking the rare edition of _The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe_ without the mentions in Chapter 17 of Susan's long black hair and golden-haired Lucy. [AL] ROBERT RUNTE had a soul-searing insight: 'You know you're taking too long to finish your novel when you started at the same time as _Last Dangerous Visions_ and it comes out first.' (Facebook, 5 October) BRAM STOKER is in the news for 'Gibbet Hill', a rediscovered short story from a Christmas supplement to the Dublin _Daily Express_ on 17 December 1890. (BBC, 19 October) A 'first' book edition was announced for November, but Wildside Press released their version in October. ### CONDYLOTOMY ### Until 4 Jan [] THE LOST WORLDS OF RAY HARRYHAUSEN, Lauriston Gallery, Waterside, Sale, Manchester. See tinyurl.com/2jbbwxcw. 1-3 Nov [] ARMADACON, Future Inns, Plymouth. GBP45 reg; GBP35 concessions; single day GBP25. More at www.armadacon.org. 1-2 Nov [] FRIGHTFEST (film), London, Odeon Luxe, Leicester Square. Two-day ticket GBP79; more at www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents/. 1-3 Nov [] GLASGOW 2024, BACK TO OUR FUTURES, free online for Glasgow Worldcon attending or virtual members: tinyurl.com/2earcc4d. 8-10 Nov [] NOVACON 53, Palace Hotel, Buxton. GBP53 reg; couples GBP106; under-17s GBP12; under-13s free. Day rates at novacon.uk. _The hotel no longer accepts cash in the bar or restaurants -- card payments only._ 9 Nov [] CYMERA WRITERS' CONFERENCE, Edinburgh/online. GBP75; concessions/virtual at www.cymerafestival.co.uk/writers-conference. 9-10 Nov [] SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL, Stoneleigh, Epsom. See bumpandthumper.wixsite.com/steampunkconvivials. 9-10 Nov [] WOMEN IN HORROR WEEKEND, Waterstones, Nottingham. GBP18; day rates GBP10 Sat, GBP8 Sun. See tinyurl.com/mr3spmz2. 16 Nov [] WINTER HAUNTS 3 (Gothic etc), online. See https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/winter-haunts-2024-tickets-998430531597. 16 Nov [] WRITING AND MENTAL HEALTH (BFS event), online with panels, interviews and readings. See tinyurl.com/bfs-mental-health. 23-24 Nov [] CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN centenary conference, online: www.tolkiensociety.org/events/christopher-tolkien-centenary-conference/ 25-26 Nov [] DARKFEST 6 (film), Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Rd, London, E1 4UJ. GBP55. See infinitymagazine.co.uk/product/darkfest-6/. 30 Nov [] DRAGONMEET (gaming), Novotel Hammersmith, London. 9am-11pm. Tickets GBP15.50 (under-18s GBP8) at www.dragonmeet.co.uk. 7-8 Dec [] WOMEN IN THE BLACK FANTASTIC (SFF conference), online. GBP30; GBP15 unwaged. See www.sf-foundation.org/fresh-about. 29 Dec - 1 Jan [] STEAMPUNK NEW YEAR, Belmont Hotel, Leicester. See www.ministryofsteampunk.com/steampunknewyear2025. 21-23 Feb 2025 [] UK GHOST STORY FESTIVAL, Museum of Making, Derby. In-person ticket sales awaited. Also online 14-16 February, GBP50 plus fee. See www.ukghoststoryfestival.co.uk. 18-21 Apr 2025 [] RECONNECT (Eastercon), Hilton Lanyon Place Hotel and ICC, Belfast. _Now GBP90 reg, rising to GBP100 on 1 January and GBP120 at the door_; GBP40 discounted (under-18s, concessions, Eastercon first-timers and fans living in Ireland, _with the last two rising to GBP70 on 14 November_); GBP25 supporting. Hotel bookings have opened. See easterconbelfast.org. 26-27 Apr 2025 [] SCI-FI SCARBOROUGH (multimedia), The Spa, Scarborough. GBP30 reg; students GBP20; 'kids' GBP10. See scifiscarborough.co.uk. 8 Nov 2025 [] PICTCON1, Salutation Hotel, 30-34 South St, Perth, Scotland. _Date changed from 18 October 2025._ GBP30 reg; GBP20 concessions. See www.facebook.com/events/1186045639366253/. RUMBLINGS. _Worldcon 2025 (Seattle):_ hotel bookings are open; members have been emailed. See www.seattlein2025.org. _Worldcon 2030_ now has a bid from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Bluesky, 30 October) ### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ### SF PREDICTIONS DEPT. 'A large statue in green marble loomed [...] He recognized it as belonging to the Progress of Man series which lined the tenth-floor main corridor. This one represented John W. Campbell.' (Poul Anderson & Gordon Dickson, _Earthman's Burden_, 1957) AWARDS. _British Fantasy._ HOLDSTOCK (fantasy novel) _Talonsister_ by Jen Williams. DERLETH (horror novel) _Don't Fear the Reaper_ by Stephen Graham Jones. NOVELLA _The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar_ by Indra Das. SHORT 'The Brazen Head of Westinghouse' by Tim Major. COLLECTION _Jackal, Jackal by_ Tobi Ogundiran. ANTHOLOGY _Out There Screaming_ ed. Jordan Peele. INDEPENDENT PRESS Flame Tree. NONFICTION _Writing the Future_, ed. Dan Coxon & Richard V. Hirst. MAGAZINE _Shoreline of Infinity_. ARTIST Asya Yordonova. AUDIO _The Tiny Bookcase_ by Nico Rogers & Ben Holroyd-Dell. BOUNDS (newcomer) Teika Marija Smits. KARL EDWARD WAGNER Ramsey Campbell. LEGEND OF FANTASYCON (non-BFS) Debbie Bennett. _Rhysling_ (poetry): LONG 'Little Brown Changeling' by Lauren Scharhag (_Aphelion_). SHORT 'No One Now Remembers' by Geoffrey Landis (_F&SF_ ). _Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize:_ _A City on Mars_ by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith. _Ursula K. Le Guin Prize:_ _It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over_ by Anne de Marcken. _World Fantasy:_ NOVEL _The Reformatory_ by Tananarive Due. NOVELLA 'Half the House Is Haunted' by Josh Malerman (_Spin a Black Yarn_). SHORT 'Silk and Cotton and Linen and Blood' by Nghi Vo (_New Suns 2_). ANTHOLOGY _The Book of Witches_ ed. Jonathan Strahan. COLLECTION _No One Will Come Back for Us_ by Premee Mohamed. ARTIST Audrey Benjaminsen. SPECIAL/PRO Liza Groen Trombi, for _Locus_. SPECIAL/NON-PRO Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, for _Uncanny_. AS OTHERS SEE US. '_Playground_ [by Richard Powers] belongs in the commercial sci-fi tradition, where outsiders can see themselves reflected in the characters and enjoy the warm glow of wish fulfilment. [...] These are the syrupy consolations of genre fiction, a category usually overlooked by prestigious literary prizes but cleverly laundered here by judicious engagement with weighty themes.' (_Sunday Times_, 22 September) [VS] R.I.P. _John Amos_ (1939-2024), US actor in _Dance of the Dwarfs_ (1983), _Hologram Man_ (1995), _Dr. Dolittle 3_ (2006) and _Voodoo Moon_ (2006), died on 21 August aged 84. [LP] _Roger Browne_ (1930-2024), US actor in _Vulcan Son of Jupiter_ (1962), _Venus Meets the Son of Hercules_ (1962), _Argoman the Fantastic Superman_ (1967) and others, died on 11 October aged 94. [SJ] _Pierre Christin_ (1938-2024), French comics writer best known in English for the _Valerian_ space opera saga created with Jean-Claude Mezieres in 1966 and adapted as a 2017 Luc Besson film, died on 3 October aged 86. [JA] _Scott Connors_, editor of critical anthologies on Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith -- also, with others, Smith's collected fantasies, letters and definitive bibliography -- reportedly died in October. [LP] _Robert Coover_ (1932-2024), noted US author of much literary fantasy, metafiction and fabulation including _The Universal Baseball Association Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop._ (1968) and stories in his first collection ========== REMAINDER OF ARTICLE TRUNCATED ==========