Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2008

Contents:

* JOAN WINSTON TRIBUTE
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* NEW REVIEWS
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED
* BORDERLAND UPDATE
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* STARRED CROSS JEWELRY
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

******JOAN WINSTON TRIBUTE******

THE PASSING OF JOAN WINSTON

Joan Winston, one of Jacqueline's co-authors, on Star Trek Lives! and author of several non-fiction books about Star Trek, as well as being a member of "The Committee," a group of people instrumental in beginning what has become the Star Trek and convention phenonenon, passed away on September 11, 2008.

We have had tribute pages up for Joan since April, and have been adding to them since her passing. The main page is found here.

Among the many memorial tributes read at Joan's funeral service by Anne Pinzow, included those of Howard Weinstein and George Takei, was Jacqueline's, excerpted: "Joan Winston was one of the most giving people I have ever met. She literally would give you clothing out of her closet. For several years she worked as an assistant in the homes of shut-ins and the terminally ill. She cared lavishly and tenderly for these strangers. She made the dearest friends among fans - not just Star Trek fans, but Figure Skating fans, too. She gave money she couldn't afford to a Figure Skating fan photographer who had a wasting disease and couldn't work. She found joy and brought it into everyone's life she could reach. She shared her enthusiasms and ignited new enthusiasms in others.

She wasn't religious, but every Passover she would carry a box of matzah to her office. She never forgot Passover. She has an assured place in the World To Come."

Please visit Joan's site to e-mail your own tribute, find links to published and online memorials, the complete Eulogy offered, and photographs.

Jacqueline also says: "I can't tell you how I miss her! I can't tell you how thankful I am to those who sent cards, photos, and visited her during the last year or so. Joanie was a giver. It was her turn to be given to."

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******REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE******

Jacqueline Lichtenberg's book and film reviews for June and July 2008 are now posted for free reading. This review column is first published on paper in The Monthly Aspectarian then posted to their website (lightworks.com) and finally archived some weeks later on simegen.com.

To be informed of when a new column is posted to simegen.com, you may subscribe to the monthly Newsletter-l that announces most new activity on simegen.com or you may subscribe to the newsletter ReReadable-l.

Both free subscriptions can be found at http://www.simegen.com/archives/.

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******NEW REVIEWS******

Rough Weather by Robert B. Parker

Anathem by Neal Stephenson

Hong Kong Laws by Jim Michael Hansen

Salvation in Death by J. D. Robb

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******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.

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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

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****** BORDERLANDS UPDATE ***********

As promised in the last announcement, we've speeded up our production process until we can catch up, so Part 26 of the _Borderlands_ scenario, "Mr. Ambassador," is now posted to the web site at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html#part.26 . We hope you enjoy it. Parts 27, 28, and 29 are at various stages in the pipeline, and we're playing the episodes that will form Part 30 now.

Enjoy! Tell us what you think! More Parts coming soon!

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******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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******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.

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******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.

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******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.

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***** Sites to Remember *****

Author spotlights

Chats

Romance articles

Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg

Reviews

Shopping

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.com or 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.