Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter
JANUARY 2006
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Contents:
*ANNUAL NEW YEARS MEETING AND CHAT RECORDS POSTED
*SIMECENTER NEWS
*REREADABLE BOOKS ARCHIVED
*NEW REVIEWS
*JACQUELINE LICHTENBERG E-BOOKS
*NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
*BORDERLANDS UPDATE
*HELP WANTED
*CONVENTION APPEARANCES
*AVAILABLE RELEASES and PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
*SITES TO REMEMBER
*SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
COPYRIGHT NOTICE**
*****ANNUAL NEW YEARS MEETING AND CHAT RECORDS POSTED
Each Year, on New Year's day if possible, Sime~Gen fans and domain staffers gather in an online chatroom to discuss events of the previous year, and vote on who should receive our various achievement awards...like the Digen Farris Meritorious Service Award and the Risa Tigue Gen (and Sime) Re-Use Award. The annual preferred stock awards are also announced at these meetings.
Logs of these chats are posted for the benefit of those who couldn't attend. This year's records are found at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/chats/#chat2006 .
You can see the various awards we give, and who received them each year, by visiting our "Awards" pages .
Quick, one-liner summaries of the awards are on this year's "Chat" page .
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******SIMECENTER'S NEW RECIPIENTS
Last month, we added a new recipient: 'Modest Needs' .
Lois Wickstrom, who suggested this group as a recipient, also offers free Reiki attunements as a service to...well...pretty much anyone who asks via http://www.simegen.com/writers/lois/reiki.htm ...which tells people to donate to SimeCenter if they insist on 'paying' for the service.
This week, Lois told us that one of the recipients of her free reiki attunements just donated $500 to 'Modest Needs' as her way of thanking the universe for these attunements!
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Another new recipient was suggested by Jayge Carr (author who contributed stories for the November, December and January editions of SimeCenter). When we get the data, probably in the next few days, we'll add this new one:
- Houston Katrina/Rita Fund at http://www.houstonkatrinarelieffund.org
The group was "recruited" by city, county and state officials, in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, to respond to the needs of over 150,000 survivors and evacuees who have sought refuge in the greater Houston area. Their record is impressive. Donations can be made through PayPal.
Whenever a change is posted, it will be announced to the SimeCenter list, and the general Sime~Gen list. If you want to keep current with SimeCenter events, join one or both of these lists: http://www.simegen.com/mailman/listinfo .
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THE CURRENT ISSUE OF SIMECENTER
When you visit SimeCenter today , you will enjoy two colorful abstracts by GB Chew, "Harlequin Spear" and "Regimental Green," and the lovely "Across Time" by Michael Cox...attached to an original poem and MUSIC, besides the visual treat.
In the story realm, we have the second installment of Jean Lorrah's "Savage Empire" novel; Jayge Carr's "Computer Portrait" and; an engaging piece called "The Quarrel" by Celia Leaman (who was last seen on SimeCenter as an artist!).
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BTW, SimeCenter has begun to show up in search engines. The other night, I was looking for bibliographic data on one of our authors, Jayge Carr, and I found that the bio page I created for her in SimeCenter was listed in Google before any of the others! This is a good thing!
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******REREADABLE BOOKS ARCHIVED
Two new columns posted at the archive site .
The November 2005 and December 2005 columns are now available on the archive website at simegen.com.
Note particularly the December 2005 column which highlights a general area I will be delving deeper into during early 2006. "Into the Spirit Realm: An analysis of our group mind."
This is a huge topic, sprawling into a wide variety of subject areas. By some odd coincidence -- ahem -- well, the universe has showered me with a huge stack of novels that reveal some of the darker nooks and crannies of the general subject of America's attitude toward Spirituality and the transit of Neptune over America's Natal Moon. We may see that next year, but we may not be able to recognize it for several more years to come. Keep notes!
Check out the 2006 index page .
You will find the books to be discussed during the first few months of the year are already posted.
Note the best way to absorb the meat of this column is to read the books to be reviewed before reading the review itself -- and see what you make of them yourself. There is a good chance you may have already read some of the books listed here.
At the very least, go to amazon.com through the links provided on the page and scan the description of the book by the professional reviewers and the reviews other readers have dropped on the page. Think about all this data in terms of the generalized energy suffusing our culture at the moment. Despite individual differences, there is a pattern underlying the movements of large numbers of people. Search for the pattern.
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******NEW REVIEWS
BETWEEN DREAMS AND DARKNESS by Claire Michaels
THE DINE ALL DAY DIET by Lois Corcoran
MRS. CLAWS (OR THE NIGHTSWEATS BEFORE CHRISTMAS) by Kate Snow
THE DARK LORD by Kelli A. Wilkins
THE HIGHLORD'S WOMEN by Christine W. Murphy
FATE AND ANGUS MCGRATH by Jean Jardine Miller
CAST OF SHADOWS by Kevin Guilfoile
THESE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN by Tina Carter
GOLDEN-ROD by Jeannine D. Van Eperen
BEYOND TRAUMA: CONVERSATIONS ON TRAUMATIC INCIDENT REDUCTION edited by Victor R. Volkman
DAYDREAMING by Slawek Wojtowicz
TERROR FROM BEYOND MIDDLE ENGLAND by Sarah Crabtree
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******JACQUELINE LICHTENBERG E-BOOKS
Molt Brother and City of a Million Legends, two of her more esoteric sf/f works, are each available in a (much cheaper) e-book edition.
Both are now available on amazon.com in pdf and Microsoft Reader, and on fictionwise.com and wildsidepress.com plus a number of other e-tailers and gaming sites in the full panoply of e-book reader formats. And they're still available in trade paperback.
The two books tell a long story about current incarnations of people responsible for having destroyed the First Lifewave, the first galaxy-spanning civilization. In the second book, you will find an alien "take" on a Qabalistic concept, plus an initiatory journey that you may find illuminating.
Sample chapters may be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/kren/ .
Watch this Newsletter for announcements of new e-books and new original trade paperbacks from Jacqueline.
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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 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 isnt offered, just write Lois and she'll get it ready for you to order.
Also check out the magnificent, hand-crafted Starred-Cross Jewelry .
This page shows the four items:
- silver & enamel brooch (enamel can be ANY color)
- 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.)
Follow the link to the artist's own page for ordering.
Any questions or comments go to Kaires Tevesu . (Please mention 'starred-cross jewelry' in the subject line, because that address gets a _lot_ of spam.)
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******BORDERLANDS UPDATE
The much-awaited Part 16 of the Borderlands interactive fiction, "How The Other Half Lives", is here . The other half, in this case, is non-working channels and non-donating Gens, as represented by our new characters Zeth "ambrov" GeoZlin, a disjunct Third who makes his living finding metals in ruins, and Virginia, a retired surgical nurse and Sosu Cristal's new running partner. The further adventures of Nick Reckage, ex-Giant-Killer-Gen-Rogue-Donor, are also extensively featured in this part.
We also have appearances from our old friends Marvin, Bibi, and Eugen at Hannard's Ford; Rimona the grandmotherly obstetrical channel and the Geggs at Sat'htine; students Fridda Fennik, Feffer, and Janeen; and the Hannard's Ford Ladies' Sewing Circle and Terrorist Society.
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*******SIMEGEN.COM ACCESSIBILITY
ANYONE who has had trouble accessing any of our pages, please file a report with webmaster@simegen.com -- We have a new fan who is legally blind, who reports she can not access several of our sites. If you find difficulties, please report them, so we might make Simegen.com accessible to everyone. Send as much detail about the URL and type of computer system you are using. The more we know, the easier it is to solve a problem.
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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.
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******CONVENION APPEARANCES
Both of SIME~GEN's co-creators, Jean Lorrah and Jacqueline Lichtenberg plan to attend the following Conventions in 2005 and 2006, unless otherwise noted below.
WESTERCON~ San Diego CA, July 1-4 2006
WORLDCON~ Los Angeles CA, August 23-27 2006 http://worldcon.org/ for a list of all Worldcons including Japan.
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******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
Now available
~ 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.
~ 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
TO KISS OR TO KILL finally has a definite publication date. June, 2006. Misha Merlin's next project with their new distributor, after spending this summer on a major promotion of their special Robert Heinlein collection, will be a Fall relaunch of THE UNITY TRILOGY with world-wide promotion and distribution, and a drive to get it into chain stores.
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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.
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 © 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.