Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter

OCTOBER 2008

Contents:
* SIME~GEN LOSCON PARTY
* SIMECENTER NEWS
* JAQUELINE D'ACRE INTERVIEW
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* COMPANION IN ZEOR NEWS
* NEW REVIEWS
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED
* BORDERLAND UPDATE
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

****** SIME~GEN LOSCON PARTY

Simes, Gens, Ancients, etc. - Gather ye all at a party
FOR SIME~GEN, BROADUNIVERSE, AND EPIC
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH [8 PM - Midnight]
LOS ANGELES AIRPORT MARRIOTT
5855 W. Century Blvd, Los Angeles

We'll have LOTS of good food and drink (even some Ancient Egyptian Kool-Aid, if it survives the journey) but you're welcome to bring your own. We'll do our darnedest to have space for the three organizations to show off their wares.

We have door prizes, too, and maybe some badge ribbons. Help is appreciated, too. Please contact me if you want to help...or are contributing something couth to eat or drink, so I can mention it on the party flyer.

THL Kaires Tevesu

******

****** SIMECENTER NEWS ******

For the fifth month in a row, SimeCenter features a new author (new to us anyway). We have a scary Halloween story to offer:

     SKIPPY, by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
     - through a glass darkly

Danielle (winner of a 2007 Dream Realm Award) responded to a pitch I made on the BroadUniverse list.

The accompanying artwork is:

     Geometry, by G.B. Chew
     - orders of magnitude

This is enjoyably unique, typical of the whimsical imagination that endears Ben to his fans (of which I am one).

This month's recipient first came to our attention in the wake of Hurricane Katrina:

      Modest Needs

The group exists to help people who have 'fallen through the cracks' and can't get help from the usual sources for some reason. One of their mission statements says: "To prevent otherwise financially self-sufficient individuals and families from entering the cycle of poverty, when this might be avoided with a small amount of well-timed financial assistance."

This is EXACTLY the reason SimeCenter was created, and there's someone we know of who could benefit from Modest Needs' assistance right now, so please be especially generous in donating this month...and 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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******JAQUELINE D'ACRE INTERVIEW

http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/mystery/jdacre/

Mystery Author Jacqueline D' Acre interviewed by Alice Klein can be found at the above address. In the interview she speaks of inspirations, hometowns, and content of her newest novel as well as one in the works. Please visit to read about her newest book, "Foreclosure."

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******REREADABLE BOOKS******

August, September and October 2008 Book Review Columns have been posted at http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2008/.

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/.

******

******Companion In Zeor News

New fiction from Doreen DaBinett -- "The Farris Factor." Parts 5 and 6, will be edited and posted to A COMPANION IN ZEOR as soon as possible.

Watch the newsletter for a release date. There has also been recent updates to the Joan Winston Tribute pages at http://www.simegen.com/Joan.html.

******

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

Devilıs Brood by Sharon Kay Penman

Ringing in Murder by Kate Kingsbury

Kyleahıs Tree by Janet Muirhead Hill

******

******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.

******

******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

*******

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

The latest part of Borderlands is all about "Going to Nivet," and that, in fact, is its title: you can read all 19 episodes at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html#part.27.

Ambassador Tsibola is heading for Capital, the unimaginatively named capital of Nivet Territory; at the same time, Jed and Maree Mullinsare on their way to see their son Bart graduate from Donor school.All of them have come a long way since last year (in story time, that is; almost five years ago in player time!) from an essentially Sime-free life to one that's thoroughly intertwined with events across the border. But that's why we call it Borderlands.

Due to a glitch, we had to reorder the episodes near the end of Part 26. The episode titled "Triangusul investigates some black sheep on the Tsibola family tree" has been moved down to the end of the part, and arguably should have been moved further down into Part 27. Still, there are plenty of other continuity errors in older parts.

Flora Rayner is now a regular member of the International Cooperative Fiction Generators Cooperative, Non-Local 1. Stories in which she participated will first appear in Part 30.

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******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

******

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

******

******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.

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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.

To unsubscribe from this list, send an e-mail to listserv@simegen.com with no subject and the text "unsubscribe NEWSLETTER-L".

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 İ 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 İ 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.