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Sime-Gen Perspectives Newsletter

February 2000

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Contents:

Feature Article — Buffy Parody Contest

News

-- Worldcon in Chicago

-- New Art Department head

-- Founding 400

-- Classes

-- Free book

-- Early Lichtenberg article

-- Help wanted

-- Classic trekzine

-- Job

-- Online booksellers

-- Y2K chat

Recent and upcoming publications

Editorial

Future plans

Copyright

Unsubscribe instructions

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***** Feature Article *****

BUFFY PARODY CONTEST

Contestants are invited to show us the silly side of their "favourite characters, and the undeserved plight of all those whose efforts to save the world are unsung and unrewarded. Make it ridiculous, make it stupid, make it absurd, make fun of Buffy, tease her gang, make us squirm, stake us through the heart, but make your POINT. You may even use cliché if you must."

This contest opened 15 January 2000 and will be open until 12:00 midnight 31 March 2000 EST. Contest open to all ages, but those younger than 13 MUST obtain permission from a parent or legal guardian to enter. Permission consists of verifiable parental consent filed with S~G Inc., as required by the FCC. Independent contractors developing for simegen.com are not eligible to enter.

There is no entry fee, and only one entry is allowed per person.

For further details and to enter the contest, please go to <http://www.simegen.com/contest/parodycontest.html>.

***** News *****

*** Worldcon in Chicago coming up: It's held over the Labor Day weekend. The dates are 31 August 31 through 4 September. Their web site is www.chicon.org. The current membership rate is $150 until 30 April 2000. It will be higher at the door. A number of Sime-Gen fans will be there. Larry Ulrey (ulrey@juno.com) is hoping to host a room party and would appreciate help. Contact him especially if you can help bring supplies for the party. It's tentatively scheduled for about 9pm on Friday, 1 September.

*** New Art Department head: Patric Michael has volunteered to be the new head of the Art Department for Sime-Gen Inc. In his real life, he does video production work for movies. In the past, he has also done work as a landscaper. He's basically a visually oriented person and enjoys many activities that use his talents in that direction. You can see a photo of him at <http://www.patric.com/bio/bio2.html>.

He is working on improving the look and feel of the simegen.com web site. I've seen some of his efforts, and they are very impressive.

Before he went off to work on a Hallmark commercial, I was able to get answers to a few questions. The interview is printed here verbatim.

> 1. How did you get into video production?

I attended a technical college that taught it, and the impetus to take the courses came from a long held desire to express certain aspects of myself in a recognizable manner. Video was a way to embellish and record the computer animations I was already doing.

> 2. Do you have formal training in your field? How and where did you train?

Ah. An ambiguity. My "field" is actually movie production, which is a whole different animal. I had no formal training for it. What I know, I learned on the fly, which is an excellent way to weed out those who do that work strictly for the paycheque, and those like me who truly love the craft. I have been known to take movies at 1/5th my accustomed rate just so I can do the work. :) Not so surprisingly, there are very few who do my particular job (Leadman) because of the intensity, stress, and confusion, yet I would not trade it for anything. I have even gone so far as to structure my life in such a manner that allows me to do the work, even when the pay is nominal. Most others couldn't (or wouldn't) tolerate the sacrifices.... This lends understanding to my often-quoted personal phrase: "I HAVE no life!" Grin.

> 3. What are some of your recent projects?

Most recently was a movie of the week (we call them MOWs) for CBS called "Switched at Birth". My first was "Frozen Assets" which played in theatres, and dozens in between. Folks might recognize "Thousand Acres" and "Hoodlums" which was filmed in Chicago, although my part in those movies was small. :)

(nice segue to your next question, eh? I learned that in the video school. smile)

> 4. You've mentioned that you don't like Chicago. (By the way, some

> of the rest of us don't, either; but we attend worldcons on a regular

> basis.) What part of the country or world do you like? What kind of

> places do you like? City? Country? What kind of climate?

Ooh.. Good question. No, I don't like Chicago because it is too "closed in on itself". The values in the city are rather self oriented or survival based, and that's no way to live.

As for country, for one who doesn't much like to travel, I seem to have seen a lot of it and I have no real favourites. The badlands in Wyoming are fascinating because of the stark lines and angles, Kentucky was intriguing because of the way the trees and basalt seemed interspersed with common prairie. Places like Nebraska and Iowa are delightful in their plainness, livened by such storms and vistas that the eye cannot encompass the whole of it.

Of the world itself, I don't really have any interest, though Ireland calls to me in a voice barely heard or understood. I will never make plans to travel there, but if I should ever find myself going, I know I will be charmed utterly.

Climate is easy. I like sunshine and heat. I don't much like cold weather if I have to be out in it, but I am delighted to watch snow fall. Born and raised in a part of California that saw snow fall maybe twice in my first 19 years, I am still filled with glee when I see those tumbly flakes land and stick. Once it stops, however, give me summer right away! I have planted myself firmly in Oregon, where I get four distinct seasons, unlike the two I grew up with. Winters are not so harsh, snow falls sometimes, and when summer finally gets here, it is pure bliss, despite its being short lived.

As for places, I can safely say I like any place that I happen to be, if I can go outside and find its not-so-secret heart. Sounds kind of strange, right? Maybe it is, but think of what makes a city exciting, what makes a forest peaceful, what makes a meadow playful, what makes a river enervating, or what makes a desert alive in the guise of death and you will begin to understand.

> 5. Do you have any pets? What kind? Names?

Pets... Good grief.. Currently I have three cats, all rescued from one torture or another. One was the kitten of an abandoned housecat who had become feral, one was raised in a house with an older gentleman who doted on her, but when he fell ill, a neighbour (who doesn't like animals) took the cat and kept it in the garage day and night, with no contact or affection. The last was abandoned by its mother under a friend’s house. He survived the night, barely, until he was found. In that order, their names are Bitsy-Marie, Caroline, and Wiz-Kid. (or quiz-Wiz, bug-boy, baby-bug, or Wizard, which was the name he was originally given.) Of the three, quiz is the most stable, although he has a fascination with running water, and happily plays in the sink. I also have an iguana named Sammi who was rescued from a kid who had no business with any pet, and no clue. In the past, I have had any number of sparrows, swallows, doves, pigeons, a raven, an opossum, racoons, squirrels, and who knows what else, all rescued, and all rehabilitated and released if they survived the first night. My father brought home a baby killdeer (something like a sandpiper) when I was 7 or 8, and I fell in love with the /concept/ of "fixing" broken critters. I tend toward birds mostly, but no injured thing is turned away. (Be aware however that I hold no truck with those folk who keep a wild animal as a pet, or those who try to keep alive a wild animal that is plainly not suited to surviving on its own.) Does that sound harsh? Probably is, but life is something to be cultivated and nurtured, not blindly preserved at all cost. That applies to humans too, as far as I am concerned.

> 6. Do you have a family? Children? If you have a spouse or

> children, what do they do?

Nope. No family, other than the one I was born into. Thus, no children either, but I have a fairly strong love for little kids. Young kids, like critters, have no predisposed ideals, no judgements, and no biases. These are learned traits, and parents are fools if they forget that. I have raised the siblings of my ex-girlfriend through most of their formative years, was housed as a live in babysitter for two boys for several years, and have the delight of standing as a constant male figure in the lives of my nieces. All told, the age range now stands at new-born to 25. So although I have no kids of my own, I KNOW what it is to be a father. Parents are made by blood, but fathers and mothers are made by intent, and love.

*** Founding 400: There are 279 Hardcover orders, and 36 for the paperback. We need 400 hardcover orders before we're able to publish. Anyone who orders the hardcover can have a name as "naztehr ambrov Zeor" listed in the book.

*** Classes: Sime-Gen Inc. and the WorldCrafter's Guild writing school are now on www.simegen.com. Interested people may register for classes at <http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html>. Classes are held on a private chat server.

*** Free book: If you missed Jacqueline's first novel, THE HOUSE OF ZEOR, you can now read it at <http://www.bb.com/looptestlive.cfm?BOOKID=1540&StartRow=19>.

*** Early Lichtenberg article: "The Refurbished Character" is now posted to Companion in Zeor #5 <http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimonslibrary/cz/cz05/refurbishedcharacter.html>.

*** Help wanted: Sime-Gen Inc. and simegen.com need volunteers with a variety of different knowledge and skills to help with the work on simegen.com. For the most part, we're looking for people with just a few hours each week, to take some of the burden off our full-time staff. Some jobs require little or no technical knowledge. Please take a look at <http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html> for the latest update-and please check back often. We update frequently! If we don't have a job you're interested in today, there could be one day after tomorrow.

*** Classic trekzine: FULL MOON RISING, Jean Lorrah's sexy collection about the young Sarek and Amanda, how they met and married, and how Spock was conceived is

back in print. She gives it a rating of PG13 or TV14. If you're interested in obtaining a copy, e-mail her for details at jean@simegen.com.

*** Job: Jenn Vesperman reports that a friend of hers is looking for a senior editor soon. Editing experience is preferred. Interested people should contact Jenn at jenn@SIMEGEN.COM.

*** Online booksellers: Karen Litman sent a list of online booksellers. I include the ones that I was able to check out -- <http://www.bookfinder.com>, <http://www.abebooks.com>, <http://www.bibliofind.com>, <http://www.alibris.com>, <http://www.alottabooks.com>, and <http://www.betweenthecovers.com>.

*** The logs of the first New Year's chat of the 21st century are posted at <http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/chat2000/index.html>.

***** Recent and Upcoming Publications *****

THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE: VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE edited by Leonard G. Heldreth and Mary Pharr, Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1999. Contains Jean Lorrah's "Dracula Meets the New Woman" Margaret L. Carter's "Vampire-Human Symbiosis in FEVRE DREAM AND THE EMPIRE OF FEAR." The volume contains nineteen articles about vampires in literature. The book can be ordered on-line by going to <http://www.simegen.com/jean/bloodis.html>.

DARK CHANGELING by Margaret L. Carter was published in June 1999 by the Hard Shell Word Factory. It is a cross-genre vampire novel. You can find a blurb, reviewers' comments (all surprisingly good <G>), bio, and sample excerpt at <http://www.hardshell.com/darkchange.html>.

Cheryl Wolverton is one of our prolific writers. A short list of her publications includes FOR LOVE OF ZACH -- September 1999 (Still available), FOR LOVE OF HAWK -- December 1999 (Available), WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED -- February 2000, FOR LOVE OF MITCH -- June 2000, HEALING HEARTS -- November 2000 (Part of the Hill Creek Texas Series aka For Love of).

Jenn Vesperman writes that an article co-written with Bek Oberin has been accepted for FUCK PITY, an anthology of stories and articles about sex and the disabled/chronically ill. Publication is still pending. She is also working as a documentation writer for Netizen (<http://www.netizen.com.au/>).

STRANGE NEW WORLDS III, a Star Trek anthology scheduled for publication in May 2000 will contain a short story by Susan Moore titled "Family Matters." The book is a trade paperback, 384 pages, $13.95, ISBN is 0-671-03652-1. It's a Star Trek: The Original Series story. Spock's mother asks him to help his cousin, who's been injured in an accident. In the process, he learns as much about himself as he does his mother's sister and niece.

***** Editorial *****

Hi, I'm Laurraine Tutihasi. I have volunteered to edit this newsletter monthly. I've been sitting on the sidelines of Sime-Gen fandom for a number of years. I've read most of Jean and Jacqueline's writings and number them among my favourite authors. Other fannish activities I've pursued in the past twenty or so years includes writing a number of apazines for a number of different apas. I've also been publishing a personalzine, which lately has only come out about once a year. I also attend a few conventions each year and belong to a local science fiction club. Another fannish interest of mine is Regency dancing. My many interests outside fandom include opera, figure skating, ballet, photography, astronomy, history, and birdwatching.

***** Future Plans *****

My intention is to publish this newsletter every month. Please send any material you feel should be widely disseminated to me at ltutihasi@aol.com.

*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright (c) 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 EMAIL AMBROVZEOR@AOL.COM, contact simegen@simegen.com. Sime-Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe ) copyright (c) by Jacqueline Lichtenberg,1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime-Gen Inc. 1999, 2000

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