Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter
JULY 2008
Contents:
* WESTERCON REPORT
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* NEW FINDS ON THE SIME~GEN DOMAIN
* NEW REVIEWS
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* NEW ESSAY ON ASTROLOGY FOR WRITERS
* JOAN WINSTON
* DENVENTION - Denver Worldcon
* KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED
* INTERVIEW BY JACQUELINE FOR ROMANCE WEBSITE
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* STARRED CROSS JEWELRY
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SIMECENTER NEWS
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**
******WESTERCON REPORT
I flew to Las Vegas with my husband for Westercon the day before programming started. We had bought tickets in January, so our fare was reasonable. We were on Southwest, and they are not charging extra for checked bags -- but have reduced the weight limit to 50 lb and enforce that. Because I was carrying books for "show and tell" on the panels -- plus flyers to give away -- my bag weighed in at 49.5 lbs. When we picked up the luggage in Las Vegas, I found the handle on my rolling suitcase had ripped off. I've got to travel much lighter if I do that again.
We got settled in the hotel, picked up badges and learned the way around this huge, spread out hotel. Good thing, too, because Thursday morning we went wandering through the convention area and started meeting people. I met The Wombat (Jan Howard Finder) and we had a good 2 hour talk, then wandered around talking to other people. I found the Green Room just opening up and sat down for a while. I got to talking with some people, and it turned out two of them were a reporter-photographer pair looking for a story. I gave them several. They took my name, but I forgot to find out who they were.
Back near Registration, I ran into Jan Howard Finder (The Wombat) again, and he introduced me to the fellow who was running the hotel's "business office" where you can get stuff copied for an exhorbitant fee. Turns out he's an aspiring SF writer. I gave him a flyer or three and a pep talk.
Programming started at 2:30 and I had my first panel. I was surprised we had 6 people listening to this panel. I did an autographing, and Kaires turned up while I was introducing someone to the Sime~Gen universe. Kaires was wearing her S~G T-shirt and silver starred cross -- so she became my "show and tell."
The Convention's party maven had not answered Kaires' emails asking for party-space at the con. (room parties were not allowed; you had to use the designated rooms) By the time Kaires got an answer from the party maven, it was "sorry, all booked" even though she'd requested space months in advance. Kaires had come all set to throw a whopper of a Sime~Gen party Friday night, but we just couldn't make it happen.
Friday I did another bunch of panels -- a few more people in the audience at each successive one as people arrived. I didn't have so much energy as I usually do, and wondered why. The topics were interesting and the audience awake -- the panelists clever and full of things to say. I wasn't. (got some laughs and a compliment or two anyway).
After a short discussion in the dealer's room with another panelist (Tony N. Todaro I think it was) someone came up to me in the hallway and gave me the most surprising compliment of my life -- that I exhibited great body language during that exchange in the dealer's room! I didn't know anyone was listening or watching. That made my day.
I woke up Saturday morning with a stuffy head and by 11AM I knew I had a cold, not just allergies. I'd have given everyone at the S~G party a cold -- so it's a good thing we didn't have the party!
My husband ran all over and finally found someone in the Con Suite who gave him some ephedrin for me. Saved my life. Later, the hotel gift shop produced NyQuil and DayQuil which I lived on until I got home to my more usual remedies. That's the first time in decades that I've gotten sick at a convention. Usually, it's after I get home!
Despite laryngitis and stuffiness, I did my remaining 3 panels on Sunday and garnered a number of compliments, gave out some newsletters, and had another unique experience.
I often carry around several books of mine and offer them for sale at the end of a panel especially if that title isn't in the Dealer's Room. And I often get some takers. This time I wasn't doing that at all, but did have a couple of books to wave around that I commented on during the panels.
At my second to last panel, someone came up to me and asked if I had any books of mine for sale because someone told her that I usually carry some around to sell. So I sold one of the books that threatened to make my suitcase over-weight.
I'd given out flyers too, so I went home a lot lighter than I'd come because I refused to buy anything in the Dealer's Room (that was hard). Good thing I went home light, though, without the suitcase handle.
I made a DIARY ENTRY: Don't Fly With A Headcold.
But I wouldn't have missed this convention for anything. Due largely to the oil crisis and that the venue was more expensive than usual, there were barely more than 300 people at this convention -- more like a pre-Star Trek con. Next year, when Westercon is in the Phoenix suburb Tempe, we might have as many as a thousand attend. I've already been invited to be on programming there, and since it's a 20 minute drive up the road from me, I definitely plan to be there.
But frankly, with the cost of air fare soaring, I'm not planning as many trips as usual next year.
Jacqueline Lichtenberg http://www.simegen.com/jl/
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******REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE******
Jacqueline Lichtenberg's book review column, ReReadable Books, has been updated with the books to be reviewed through November 2008. Every book reviewed in this column is at least 5-star, well worth its price and highly recommended.
******REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE******
Jacqueline Lichtenberg's book review column, ReReadable Books, has been updated with the books to be reviewed through November 2008. Every book reviewed in this column is at least 5-star, well worth its price and highly recommended.
Rereadable Books Columns for March, April and May 2008 are now posted. Books to be reviewed through November 2008 are now listed.
******
**** NEW FINDS ON THE SIME~GEN DOMAIN
An OLD "Companion in Zeor" piece that was never online before. This is from 1980, CZ 6 "A Communication from the Householding Board of Governors".
Please visit the WRITERS SPOTLIGHTS where you will find brand new interviews.
http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/mystery/vrosendahl.html
http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/mainstream/Feldman.html
http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/mystery/davidpost.html
http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/mystery/Lavene.html
More interviews are planned, and the site area is being updated with a better look to it.
******
******NEW REVIEWS******
Beneath a Buried House by Bob Ivey
Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott
Where Memories Lie by Deborah Crombie
The Last Vampire by Patricia Rosemoor and Marc Paoletti
Fisherman's Bend by Linda Greenlaw
For more new reviews please go to http://www.simegen.com/whatsnew/.
******
******COAL FOR CHRISTMAS**********
COAL FOR CHRISTMAS by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah reached the semi-finals in the Fade-In Writers Network competition.
It would be great to win one of these contests, but even making the semi-finals is a minor credential in our quest to sell our scripts to Hollywood.
Coal for Christmas has not won any contests yet, but it is currently under consideration at one major studio and two independent production companies. What that means is that after reading our logline and synopsis, they have asked for and are reading our script. BTW, multiple submissions are not only the norm, but are virtually REQUIRED in Hollywood. We have had to learn a whole new set of rules, very different from the rules for book publishing.
******
******NEW ESSAY ON ASTROLOGY FOR WRITERS
New Essay on Astrology for Writers Posted
06/29/2008 - There is a new essay for Writers in our School of Philosophy, in the Esoteric section.
How Astrology Works
An answer to a question posed on LinkedIn
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******JOAN WINSTON******
As you know, everything on simegen.com has an underlying Star Trek Connection, so I'm assuming you all want this news about Joan Winston, my co-author on Star Trek Lives! and author of several non-fiction books about Star Trek.
---------------------------
FROM DEVRA LANGSAM: Joanie Winston is currently in a rehab hospital.
I know that she would love to hear from you. Cheerful or Trekkish cards would be most welcome!
Since everything connected to Sime~Gen is connected to Star Trek, one way or another, Karen MacLeod, editor of Companion in Zeor, has launched a project for Companion In Zeor's 30th anniversary to acknowledge the contribution of Joan Winston to the origin of the Star Trek phenomenon.
Read my essay on Joan at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimonslibrary/cz/cz24/JoanWinston.html and send in your own story of how the Star Trek Conventions and 'zine fandom affected you.
If you ever attended a Star Trek convention, heard Joanie speak, read any of her books, (or Star Trek Lives! with her chapter on the conventions), or read Kraith or any of Joanie's stories about Riker -- please e-mail your recollection to be posted on this web page to the links found on the page. Please note in your subject line JOAN WINSTON, to stand out from the spam this address receives.
E-mailing your recollection with "Joan Winston" in the subject line constitutes permission to post your comments online. Use a pen name if you choose, and include a "title" if you like. Additional recollections and tributes have been posted at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimonslibrary/cz/cz24/JoanWinston.html.
Additional pages have been updated with new photos and tributes.
******
******Denvention - Denver Worldcon******
Jean and I are making plans for Denvention (Aug 6-10, 2008). Kaires is looking to stay in the Party Hotel to run the Simegen Party, possibly with other participants such as Broad Universe. She'll need all the help you can give her.
I'm planning to have badge-ribbons made with the image Patric made for the tattoos we've been giving away at cons. Jean, Torun Almer and I expect to room together in Hotel #1 on the Denvention hotel site.
The convention says the hotel will take reservations at the discounted convention rate starting Jan 21, so now's a good time to start hunting for others who will brave the altitude. Denver is lovely once you re-learn how to breathe!
Denvention has posted my bio with a mention of the Sime~Gen party at: http://www.denvention3.org/programming/bios2.php#lichtenberg.
Live Long and Prosper,
Jacqueline Lichtenberg
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******KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED******
Keybooks, the book store for writers needing inspiration and ideas, and Key Gifts, the store full of gifts for hard working writers have been redesigned and restocked with new items.
- for books and DVD's
- for items of use to writers
*******
****INTERVIEW BY JACQUELINE FOR ROMANCE WEBSITE -- Submitted 6/23/08
An interview I did for a Science Fiction Romance website has been posted. If I were doing it today, I'd have included Indiana Jones #4.
For a comment on IJ #4 see http://www.blakesnyder.com/2008/06/16/why-1-and-3-beat-2-and-4/#comment-79499 (scroll to the bottom to find my comment).
Live Long and Prosper,
Jacqueline Lichtenberg
http://www.simegen.com/jl/
***********
******Advertisment******
My name is L. H. Young and I am a new author to Simegen. I specialize in paranormal romance with three out of 5 in the Hearts series published with Romance at Heart Publications. New and in print is "The Christmas Kitten," a charming children's book that will touch the hearts of all ages. I write in 4 other genres; Fantasy, Science Fiction, Inspiration and Poetry. Welcome to my imagination. http://www.romancenroses.com/lhyoung and http://www.simegen.com/lhyoung/
******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us ******
******JOIN THE REVIEWERS
As Coordinator of our Reviews Department, I ask for your help. With the current upsurge in e-book publishing that is sweeping the Internet, we daily receive an increasing number of books to review. Yet, in counterpoint, we have a shortage of reviewers, and many of our reviews staff are several books behind.
We are eagerly and actively seeking new people to review for us. As with all of Sime~Gen, our reviewers are volunteers. When they write a review, it is posted with their byline, and they get to keep the review copy of the books they have read and reviewed.
For more information on our Reviewers Agreement, visit: http://www.simegen.com/agreements/revagr.html.
Please help us by passing this information along to anyone you know who might want to join our happy band. If interested, they can e-mail me at rvcoord@simegen.com or send a note expressing their interest to Jean.
Midge Baker
Reviews Coordinator
******
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Anyone shopping Amazon who wants to contribute to simegen.com without it costing them a cent, please start by using any of the Amazon Search boxes on our pages. Our top page has three really handy ones near the bottom.
******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****
******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them! We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else.
http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income. If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois and she'll get it ready for you to order.
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*******STARRED CROSS JEWELRY
Think about magnificent, hand-crafted Starred-Cross Jewelry for your holiday giving:
The image comes in four designs:
- silver & enamel brooch *
- silver & gold brooch
- silver & gold outline pendant
- small silver pin
(The first three are 1-1/2" square; the pin is about half that size.)
* Enamel can be almost any color - think Householding colors! How do you describe the color you want? Try http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_colornames.asp.
Follow the link to the artist's own page for ordering.
******
******HELP WANTED
The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.
Individuals to take over, or assist with the SIMECENTER Site -- It isn't at all hard, but a bit time-consuming...and very rewarding ("meeting" these marvelous authors and artists, if only via EMail and their websites). Please write me, Kaires Tevesu, if you are interested.
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******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE********
We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing.
So we are now actively in search of another publisher.
THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.
******
******AVAILABLE RELEASES***********
~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING -- is #1 in the reprint program.
~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places. Read the comments here: http://www.simegen.com/writers/luren/dreamspy/dreamspyreviews.html.
~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire series.
Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY.
******
****** SIMECENTER NEWS ******
For the fourth month in a row, SimeCenter features a brand new author (new to us anyway). The heartwarming story for this month is:
A GIFT FROM TOBY, by Dr. Bob Rich
- true beauty
Bob responded to a plea for stories sent to the EPIC Writers list. The recipient he selected is:
...the first name everyone thinks of for helping communities worldwide to recover from natural disasters. Their new focus is on the devastated areas of Myanmar and China. So be generous in donating.
The accompanying artwork is the inspiring:
3AM, by Michael Cox
- a light on the horizon
Michael is a dear, sweet man, and an excitingly versatile artist, who has shared his magical talent with us since August 2001--when SimeCenter was less than a year old--and maybe even before that. (Nobody seems to have kept records before I got involved, early in 2001.)
See these exceptional works at http://www.simegen.com/simecenter/.
When you donate to Red Cross, be sure to tell them you were referred by SimeCenter.
Send your comments, questions, etc.--about the site, the stories and art...whatever--to the address below. [Mention 'SimeCenter' in the subject so I'll know it isn't spam.]
In Service to Unity,
Kaires Tevesu
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***** Sites to Remember *****
Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Sound files of Jacqueline Lichtenberg pronouncing Sime~Gen vocabulary words can be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/nivetsoundfiles/index.html.
To sign up for classes, go to http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html.
To volunteer, go to http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html for the latest openings.
******
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To contact editor for any reason, please e-mail Lisa Saunders at simegen@simegen.com.
*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright © by Sime~Gen Inc. and all rights are reserved. To get your Sime~Gen(tm) material sanctioned for web posting or to get permission to repost from official materials, e-mail ambrovzeor@aol.comor contact simegen@simegen.com. Sime~Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe copyright © by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime~Gen Inc. 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.