• Ansible 448 -- November 2024

    From David Langford@21:1/5 to All on Fri Nov 1 16:47:13 2024
    XPost: uk.people.sf-fans

    ANSIBLE(R) 448
    NOVEMBER 2024

    From DAVID LANGFORD, 94 London Road, Reading, Berks, RG1 5AU, UK. Website news.ansible.uk. ISSN 0265-9816 (print); 1740-942X (e). Available for SAE
    or the secret plans hidden by Erihsibrad under the Wollip.

    [NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a448.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a448.pdf for a printable PDF. Mailing list subscribe/unsubscribe information appears below -- please don't send such requests to my own e-mail address. DRL]


    ### THE FURTIVE FEASTERS ###

    OGHENECHOVWE DONALD EKPEKI was removed from the SFWA Board of Directors --
    a recent 'Director-at-Large' appointment on 1 July -- after public
    complaints regarding his professional ethics. (SFWA, 28 October; _File
    770_, 26 October; see also Erin Cairns, ethicsreport.tiiny.site)

    ALAN MOORE can see both sides of the issue: 'I believe that fandom is a wonderful and vital organ of contemporary culture, without which that
    culture ultimately stagnates, atrophies and dies. At the same time, I'm
    sure that fandom is sometimes a grotesque blight that poisons the society surrounding it with its mean-spirited obsessions and ridiculous, unearned
    sense of entitlement.' (_Guardian_, 26 October)

    ELON MUSK, along with Tesla and Warner Bros Discovery, is being sued by the makers of _Blade Runner 2049_ (Alcon Entertainment) for allegedly using AI-generated imagery based on that film at the launch event for Tesla's robotaxi -- after Alcon 'specifically denied a request from Warner Bros to
    use material from the film'. (BBC, 22 October) [SF2C]

    KATHERINE RUNDELL revealed the secret of making children's books 'shine' by pruning unnecessary detail. 'The greatest children's books pull off this balancing act, per Rundell: To this day, she can recount, exactingly and
    with absolute confidence, the hair color of the Pevensies of Narnia, "but
    they are never described in the book."' (_Washington Post_ interview, 10 September). Bibliophiles are now eagerly seeking the rare edition of _The
    Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe_ without the mentions in Chapter 17 of
    Susan's long black hair and golden-haired Lucy. [AL]

    ROBERT RUNTE had a soul-searing insight: 'You know you're taking too long
    to finish your novel when you started at the same time as _Last Dangerous Visions_ and it comes out first.' (Facebook, 5 October)

    BRAM STOKER is in the news for 'Gibbet Hill', a rediscovered short story
    from a Christmas supplement to the Dublin _Daily Express_ on 17 December
    1890. (BBC, 19 October) A 'first' book edition was announced for November,
    but Wildside Press released their version in October.


    ### CONDYLOTOMY ###

    Until 4 Jan [] THE LOST WORLDS OF RAY HARRYHAUSEN, Lauriston Gallery, Waterside, Sale, Manchester. See tinyurl.com/2jbbwxcw.

    1-3 Nov [] ARMADACON, Future Inns, Plymouth. GBP45 reg; GBP35 concessions; single day GBP25. More at www.armadacon.org.

    1-2 Nov [] FRIGHTFEST (film), London, Odeon Luxe, Leicester Square. Two-day ticket GBP79; more at www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents/.

    1-3 Nov [] GLASGOW 2024, BACK TO OUR FUTURES, free online for Glasgow
    Worldcon attending or virtual members: tinyurl.com/2earcc4d.

    8-10 Nov [] NOVACON 53, Palace Hotel, Buxton. GBP53 reg; couples GBP106; under-17s GBP12; under-13s free. Day rates at novacon.uk. _The hotel no
    longer accepts cash in the bar or restaurants -- card payments only._

    9 Nov [] CYMERA WRITERS' CONFERENCE, Edinburgh/online. GBP75; concessions/virtual at www.cymerafestival.co.uk/writers-conference.

    9-10 Nov [] SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL, Stoneleigh, Epsom. See bumpandthumper.wixsite.com/steampunkconvivials.

    9-10 Nov [] WOMEN IN HORROR WEEKEND, Waterstones, Nottingham. GBP18; day
    rates GBP10 Sat, GBP8 Sun. See tinyurl.com/mr3spmz2.

    16 Nov [] WINTER HAUNTS 3 (Gothic etc), online. See https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/winter-haunts-2024-tickets-998430531597.

    16 Nov [] WRITING AND MENTAL HEALTH (BFS event), online with panels,
    interviews and readings. See tinyurl.com/bfs-mental-health.

    23-24 Nov [] CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN centenary conference, online: www.tolkiensociety.org/events/christopher-tolkien-centenary-conference/

    25-26 Nov [] DARKFEST 6 (film), Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Rd,

    London, E1 4UJ. GBP55. See infinitymagazine.co.uk/product/darkfest-6/.

    30 Nov [] DRAGONMEET (gaming), Novotel Hammersmith, London. 9am-11pm.
    Tickets GBP15.50 (under-18s GBP8) at www.dragonmeet.co.uk.

    7-8 Dec [] WOMEN IN THE BLACK FANTASTIC (SFF conference), online. GBP30;
    GBP15 unwaged. See www.sf-foundation.org/fresh-about.

    29 Dec - 1 Jan [] STEAMPUNK NEW YEAR, Belmont Hotel, Leicester. See www.ministryofsteampunk.com/steampunknewyear2025.

    21-23 Feb 2025 [] UK GHOST STORY FESTIVAL, Museum of Making, Derby.
    In-person ticket sales awaited. Also online 14-16 February, GBP50 plus fee.
    See www.ukghoststoryfestival.co.uk.

    18-21 Apr 2025 [] RECONNECT (Eastercon), Hilton Lanyon Place Hotel and ICC, Belfast. _Now GBP90 reg, rising to GBP100 on 1 January and GBP120 at the
    door_; GBP40 discounted (under-18s, concessions, Eastercon first-timers and fans living in Ireland, _with the last two rising to GBP70 on 14
    November_); GBP25 supporting. Hotel bookings have opened. See easterconbelfast.org.

    26-27 Apr 2025 [] SCI-FI SCARBOROUGH (multimedia), The Spa, Scarborough.
    GBP30 reg; students GBP20; 'kids' GBP10. See scifiscarborough.co.uk.

    8 Nov 2025 [] PICTCON1, Salutation Hotel, 30-34 South St, Perth, Scotland. _Date changed from 18 October 2025._ GBP30 reg; GBP20 concessions. See www.facebook.com/events/1186045639366253/.

    RUMBLINGS. _Worldcon 2025 (Seattle):_ hotel bookings are open; members have been emailed. See www.seattlein2025.org.
    _Worldcon 2030_ now has a bid from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
    (Bluesky, 30 October)


    ### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###

    SF PREDICTIONS DEPT. 'A large statue in green marble loomed [...] He
    recognized it as belonging to the Progress of Man series which lined the tenth-floor main corridor. This one represented John W. Campbell.' (Poul Anderson & Gordon Dickson, _Earthman's Burden_, 1957)

    AWARDS. _British Fantasy._ HOLDSTOCK (fantasy novel) _Talonsister_ by Jen Williams. DERLETH (horror novel) _Don't Fear the Reaper_ by Stephen Graham Jones. NOVELLA _The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar_ by Indra Das. SHORT 'The
    Brazen Head of Westinghouse' by Tim Major. COLLECTION _Jackal, Jackal by_
    Tobi Ogundiran. ANTHOLOGY _Out There Screaming_ ed. Jordan Peele.
    INDEPENDENT PRESS Flame Tree. NONFICTION _Writing the Future_, ed. Dan
    Coxon & Richard V. Hirst. MAGAZINE _Shoreline of Infinity_. ARTIST Asya Yordonova. AUDIO _The Tiny Bookcase_ by Nico Rogers & Ben Holroyd-Dell.
    BOUNDS (newcomer) Teika Marija Smits. KARL EDWARD WAGNER Ramsey Campbell. LEGEND OF FANTASYCON (non-BFS) Debbie Bennett.
    _Rhysling_ (poetry): LONG 'Little Brown Changeling' by Lauren Scharhag (_Aphelion_). SHORT 'No One Now Remembers' by Geoffrey Landis (_F&SF_ ).
    _Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize:_ _A City on Mars_ by Kelly
    and Zach Weinersmith.
    _Ursula K. Le Guin Prize:_ _It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over_ by
    Anne de Marcken.
    _World Fantasy:_ NOVEL _The Reformatory_ by Tananarive Due. NOVELLA
    'Half the House Is Haunted' by Josh Malerman (_Spin a Black Yarn_). SHORT
    'Silk and Cotton and Linen and Blood' by Nghi Vo (_New Suns 2_). ANTHOLOGY
    _The Book of Witches_ ed. Jonathan Strahan. COLLECTION _No One Will Come
    Back for Us_ by Premee Mohamed. ARTIST Audrey Benjaminsen. SPECIAL/PRO Liza Groen Trombi, for _Locus_. SPECIAL/NON-PRO Lynne M. Thomas and Michael
    Damian Thomas, for _Uncanny_.

    AS OTHERS SEE US. '_Playground_ [by Richard Powers] belongs in the
    commercial sci-fi tradition, where outsiders can see themselves reflected
    in the characters and enjoy the warm glow of wish fulfilment. [...] These
    are the syrupy consolations of genre fiction, a category usually overlooked
    by prestigious literary prizes but cleverly laundered here by judicious engagement with weighty themes.' (_Sunday Times_, 22 September) [VS]

    R.I.P. _John Amos_ (1939-2024), US actor in _Dance of the Dwarfs_ (1983), _Hologram Man_ (1995), _Dr. Dolittle 3_ (2006) and _Voodoo Moon_ (2006),
    died on 21 August aged 84. [LP]
    _Roger Browne_ (1930-2024), US actor in _Vulcan Son of Jupiter_
    (1962), _Venus Meets the Son of Hercules_ (1962), _Argoman the Fantastic Superman_ (1967) and others, died on 11 October aged 94. [SJ]
    _Pierre Christin_ (1938-2024), French comics writer best known in
    English for the _Valerian_ space opera saga created with Jean-Claude
    Mezieres in 1966 and adapted as a 2017 Luc Besson film, died on 3 October
    aged 86. [JA]
    _Scott Connors_, editor of critical anthologies on Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith -- also, with others, Smith's collected fantasies, letters and definitive bibliography -- reportedly died in October. [LP]
    _Robert Coover_ (1932-2024), noted US author of much literary fantasy, metafiction and fabulation including _The Universal Baseball Association
    Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop._ (1968) and stories in his first collection _Pricksongs & Descants_ (1969), died on 5 October aged 92. [PDF]
    _William Crain_ (1949-2024), US director of _Blacula_ (1972) and _Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde_ (1976), died on 22 June aged 75. [SJ]
    _Ron Ely_ (1938-2024), US actor who starred in _Tarzan_ (1966-1968 tv)
    and _Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze_ (1975), died on 29 September aged 86. [SF2C]
    _Bob Foster_ (1943-2024), US comics writer and animation artist who
    wrote the _Toy Story_ and _Hercules_ graphic novels, died on 30 September
    aged 80. Animation work for tv included _Godzilla_ (1978-1979),
    _Spider-Man_ (1981-1983) and _Incredible Hulk_ (1982-1983). [SG]
    _Teri Garr_ (1944-2024), US actress in _Young Frankenstein_ (1974),
    _Close Encounters of the Third Kind_ (1977), _Oh, God!_ (1977), _Mom and
    Dad Save the World_ (1992), _Batman Beyond_ (1999-2000) and others, died on
    29 October aged 79. [CB]
    _Art Henderson_ (1942-2024), US fan and book dealer at many East Coast conventions, died on 12 October aged 82. [PDF]
    _Greg Hildebrandt_ (1939-2024), noted US fantasy artist whose many paintings with his brother Tim (1939-2006) include work based on Tolkien, _Shannara_, _Star Wars_ and _Magic: The Gathering_, died on 31 October aged
    85. [SHS]
    _Ken Howard_, songwriter (with Alan Blaikley as Howard Blaikley) of
    many chart-topping hits, documentary director, film composer and novelist
    whose _Follow Me: A Quest in Two Worlds_ (2017) is SF, died on 24 September 2024 aged 84. [SH]
    _John Lasell_ (1928-2024), US actor in _Dark Shadows_ (1967) and _Deathmaster_ (1972), died on 4 October aged 95. [LP]
    _Ed McLachlan_ (1940-2024), noted UK cartoonist active from the early 1960s in _Punch_, _Private Eye_ and many other magazines and newspapers -- often with surreal or fantastic images like the famous giant hedgehog
    running across a motorway crushing cars -- died on 29 September aged 84. I loved his work.
    _Elisa Montes_ (1934-2024), Spanish actress in _Faustina_ (1967),
    _Island of the Doomed_ (1967), _The Girl from Rio_ (aka _Future Women_,
    1969) and others, died on 9 October aged 89. [SJ]
    _Mario Morra_ (1935-2024), Italian film editor for _Queens of Evil_ (1970), _Black Belly of the Tarantula_ (1971), _The Humanoid_ (1979) and
    many more, died on 11 October. [SJ]
    _Paul Morrissey_ (1938-2024), US director of _Flesh for Frankenstein_ (1973, which he also co-wrote) and _Blood for Dracula_ (1974), died on 28 October aged 86. [SHS]
    _Karl Mostert_, South African comics artist who worked on various
    Batman titles (DC) and drew the strips _The Man Who F#&%ed Up Time_
    (Aftershock Comics) and _Concrete Jungle_ (Scout Comics), died on October
    aged 43. [SH]
    _Lynda Obst_ (1950-2024), US producer with credits for _Helix_
    (2014-2015) and _Interstellar_ (2014), died on 22 October aged 74.
    _Nobuyo Oyama_ (1933-2024), Japanese actress best known for voicing
    the robot title character of the anime _Doraemon_ (1979-2005), died on 16 October aged 90. [AIP]
    _Ken Page_ (1954-2024), US actor in the Broadway _Cats_ (1982), _All
    Dogs Go to Heaven_ (1989), _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ (1993 plus spinoffs) and others, died on 30 September aged 70. [SJ]
    _Christopher Penfold_ (1941-2024), UK scriptwriter/story consultant
    whose credits include _Space: 1999_ (1975-1976), _Alien Attack_ (1976) and
    _The Tripods_ (1985), died on 29 July aged 83. [SH]
    _Dick Pope_ (1947-2024), UK cinematographer whose credits include _Inseminoid_ (1981), _Whoops Apocalypse_ (1982) and _1984_ (1984), died on
    22 October aged 77. [SJ]
    _Nicholas Pryor_ (1935-2024), US supporting actor in _Omen II: Damien_ (1978), _Hunger Games: Mockingjay 1_ (2014), _Doctor Sleep_ (2019) and
    others, died on 7 October aged 89. [SJ]
    _Alvin Rakoff_ (1927-2024), Canadian film/tv director -- genre films include _King Solomon's Treasure_ (1979) and _A Haunting Harmony_ (1993) --
    and author of the sf novel _The Seven Einsteins_ (2013), died on 12
    October. [JC/SHS]
    _Robert J. Randisi_ (1951-2024), US author best known for thrillers
    and Westerns who collaborated with Warren Murphy on some genre novels in
    the Destroyer series, died on 4 October aged 73. [JC]
    _Fred Smith_ (1927-2024), long-time Scots fan who was a 1952 founder member of Glasgow's New Lands SF Club (the first such club in Scotland), published the fanzine _Haemoglobin_ 1953-1959, and after a long gap
    returned to fannish activity in the 1990s, died on 2 October aged 97. [MP]
    _Nancy St. John_, visual effects producer for _Babe_ (1995 plus
    sequel), _I, Robot_ (2004), _Total Recall_ (2012), _Ender's Game_ (2013)
    and many more, died on 23 October aged 70. [SJ]
    _Sam Strangis_ (1929-2024), US producer/production manager whose
    credits include _Batman: The Movie_ (1966), _The Immortal_ (1969-1971),
    _The Six Million Dollar Man_ (1974) and _War of the Worlds_ (1988-1989),
    died on 23 July aged 95. [AIP]
    _Jeri Taylor_ (1938-2024), US screenwriter, producer and showrunner
    with credits for most of _Star Trek: TNG_ (1990-1994) and _Voyager_
    (1995-1998) plus episodes of _DS9_ (1993-1994), died on 24 October aged 86;
    she also wrote three _ST_ novels. [MR]
    _Kevin J. Taylor_ (1962-2024) prolific US erotic comics creator whose genre titles include _The Girl_, _Model by Day_ (adapted for film), _Fang_
    and _CoEd Diaries_, died on 24 September aged 61. [SM]
    _Larry S. Todd_ (1948-2024), US writer and illustrator for _Galaxy_,
    _If_ and _Worlds of Tomorrow_ in the 1960s -- later known for comics
    including his own _Dr. Atomic_ and work in _Heavy Metal_ -- died on 28 September aged 76. [SH]
    _Bruce Townley_ (1954-2024), US fan, fan artist and fanzine publisher active from 1970, member of WSFA and the Southern Fandom Confederation and
    a later contributor to email lists, died on 17 October aged 70. [CS]
    _Valery Verkhovsky_ (1969-2024), Ukrainian writer who translated
    _Ender's Game_ and Connie Willis's _Doomsday Book_, died on 23 October.
    [AM]
    _Robert Watts_ (1938-2024), UK producer of _The Empire Strikes Back_ (1980), _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ (1981 plus sequels), _Who Framed Roger Rabbit_ (1988) and others, died on 30 September aged 86. [CM]
    _Bob (Brayton) Yerkes_ (1932-2024), US stuntman in _Buck Rogers in the 25th Century_ (1979-1981), _Poltergeist_ (1982), _Return of the Jedi_
    (1983), _Back to the Future_ (1985), _Who Framed Roger Rabbit_ (1988) and
    many more, died on 2 October aged 92. [SJ]

    THE WEAKEST LINK. _Q._ 'Which famous potter has a statue erected in his
    honour in Stoke-on-Trent?' _A._ 'Beatrix.' (ITV, _The Chase_) [PE]

    AWARDS II. The UK Kitschies will be presented for the last time in June
    2025, for 2023/2024 work in the usual categories. Novel finalists are
    _Infinity Gate_ by M.R. Carey, _In Ascension_ by Martin MacInnes, _Julia_
    by Sandra Newman, _Jungle House_ by Julianne Pachico and _The Premonition_
    by Banana Yoshimoto as translated by Asa Yoneda. Announcement and the other shortlists at blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/editorial/Kitschies.

    RANDOM FANDOM. _Sandra Bond_ observes: 'I have been hearing about certain sub-optimal aspects of the Fantasycon 2024 hotel, but let's just say I have never been asked before now if I wanted ice in my pint of craft beer.' (Discord, 13 October)
    _Bill Higgins_, Former Beam Jockey, on the end of an era: 'I retired
    from Fermilab in June, so my long-time address (higgins@fnal.gov) will no longer reach me.'
    _Northumberland Heath SF Society:_ fan meetings on the second Thursday
    of each month have moved to The Royal Oak, 270 Bexley Road, Erith, Kent,
    DA8 3HB. [SF2C]

    MAGAZINE SCENE. The TTA Press online shop, selling back issues of
    _Interzone_, _Black Static_ and _Crimewave_, closed down in October.

    ORWELLIAN HORROR! 'Multipack bags of crisps are only five grams heavier
    than the reduced chocolate rations handed to surveilled citizens in George Orwell's nightmare, _Nineteen Eighty-Four_. Is 25g all our appetite is
    worth?' (Natalie White, _Crunch: An Ode to Crisps_, 2024) [PE]

    COURT CIRCULAR. A Russian court ruled that Google owes Russia's media $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 ($20 decillion) for
    blocking their content -- more money than exists on Earth. Google, no
    longer active in Russia, seems untroubled. (_The Register_, 29 October)

    THE DEAD PAST. _50 Years Ago_ at Novacon 4: 'Peter Weston gave a good
    rambling account of his recent TAFF trip, which was supposed to be
    illustrated with the aid of an extraordinary epidiascope that looked more
    like a mimeograph. The first picture put into the machine was burnt to a cinder, and the bulb then fused, so the talk was perforce without
    pictures.' (_Checkpoint_ 56, November 1974)
    _30 Years Ago:_ 'You thought Kim Stanley Robinson's _Green Mars_ was
    hard sf? Not so, implies the write-up in _Fire and Water_ (HarperCollins newsletter), explaining how to reach this particular Mars: "Cross the
    astral belt ...".' (_Ansible_ 88, November 1994)
    _20 Years Ago_, Ceefax TV Choice offered its best argument for
    _Battlestar Galactica_ on Sky One: 'Take it on trust and watch anyway -- Galactica is genuinely exceptional and the less you like science fiction,
    the more you'll love this new US drama.' (_Ansible_ 208, November 2004)

    SFWA. Following resignations and a 'special election' for new leadership,
    Kate Ristau is now the president of SFWA. (SFWA, 29 October)

    FANFUNDERY. _TransAtlantic Fan Fund._ Sarah Gulde is home from her long
    TAFF trip and has taken over as NA administrator: Mike Lowrey can retire at last. The next westbound TAFF race will be to the 2025 Seattle Worldcon: nominations open 11 November 2024, closing 20 December; voting from early January to just after Eastercon; candidates are now sought. See
    taff.org.uk. [SB/ML]
    _TAFF Ebooks:_ our 100th title is _Harrison Country_ (2007) by Steve Stiles, reporting without indecent haste on his 1968 TAFF trip. [GS] With
    much help from Irwin Hirsh, the library now includes GUFF reports by John Foyster (first ever GUFF trip, 1979), Ian Gunn & Karen Pender-Gunn (1995),
    Eric Lindsay & Jean Weber (2001), Pat McMurray (2004), James Shields
    (2010), Gillian Polack (2014), Donna Maree Hanson (2017), Marcin 'Alqua'
    Klak (2018) and Simon Litten (2019). Latest additions at taff.org.uk/ebooks.php?all&chron.

    THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Neat Tricks._ 'Paula Ray, in a chair a few feet away
    was sleeping, her head on her breast.' (Edmond Hamilton, 'The Stars, My Brothers', 1962) [BA]
    _Again and Again._ '[J.R.R. Tolkien] was taken away from the blaze of
    his African life when he was very young ... and he never saw his father,
    who died a year later, again.' (William Ready, _The Tolkien Relation_,
    1981) [LG]
    _Eyeballs in the Sky._ 'The blood-laced eyes of Ruthlen Beauson bagged gibbously behind their horn-rimmed lenses.' (Richard Matheson, 'The Doll
    That Does Everything', 1954) [BA]


    ### GEEKS' CORNER ###

    SUBSCRIPTIONS. To receive _Ansible_ monthly via email, send a message to: ansible-news+subscribe [at] googlegroups.com
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    More details, and an ALTERNATIVE LIST subscription form for those averse to Google, on this page (which is also where to unsubscribe from the
    alternative list, hosted at ansible.uk):
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    London -- https://news.ansible.uk/london.html
    Overseas -- https://news.ansible.uk/conlisti.html [no longer updated]


    ### ENDNOTES ###

    PAYPAL TIP JAR THINGY. Donate to support _Ansible_, cover website costs and keep the editor happy! Or just buy his books.
    https://ansible.uk/paypal.html
    https://ae.ansible.uk/
    https://ansible.uk/books/index.html

    GROUP THEORY.
    21 November 2024, evening: London Zoom meeting, third Thursday of each month. 'Please share this with people who you know typically come to the Bishop's Finger, but aren't on Facebook.' https://bohemiancoast.medium.com/first-thursday-london-sf-fan-virtual-drinks-5232021e961f

    EDITORIAL. _Ansible_ HQ has been in the throes of building maintenance work
    for most of October and my nerves are all jangled. Nevertheless there has
    been much progress with a collection of Ian Watson's nonfiction writing for fanzines and con publications, which he has titled _Watto's Wisdom_. All proceeds from the paperback edition will go to TAFF.
    As noted on the website: apologies to subscribers who received more
    than one copy of the October _Ansible_ via the Google Groups list. After an unusual lack of email response, a complaint from a regular correspondent
    that nothing had arrived, and the non-appearance of my own admin copy, I thought something had gone wrong and unwisely tried again.

    R.I.P. II -- LATE AND LAST-MINUTE REPORTS. _Peter Goodfellow_ (1950-2022),
    UK artist who painted many genre book covers beginning with _Tales from the White Hart_ (1972 UK) and continuing to the late 1990s -- including _The Encyclopedia of Fantasy_ (1997) -- died on 11 December 2022 aged 72. [LD]
    Alas, nobody told _Ansible_ until last month....
    _Steven Mohan, Jr._ (1967-2024), US military sf author active from
    1998, who wrote fiction for the _BattleTech_ wargame franchise and other
    game universes, died on 2 October aged 57. [SHS]

    ANOTHER EXHIBITION. Until 30 December [] BATMAN UNMASKED, Covent Garden, London. Tickets GBP29 with small discounts for groups, children,
    concessions. See batmanexhibition.com/london/.

    SOME LINKS from the _Ansible_ home page.
    Reconnect (Eastercon 2025) rates announcement https://easterconbelfast.org/new-news-page/

    THOG'S GOLDEN OLDIES from _Ansible_ 208, November 2004. _Dept of Sound Effects._ 'He made a face at me, soundlessly humming under his breath as if
    he was bored.' (Laurell K. Hamilton, _The Killing Dance_, 1997) 'As Reith approached he heard a sudden wordless cry of outrage from within.
    "Unclean!"' (Jack Vance, _The Pnume_, 1970)
    _Alien Planetology Dept._ 'A tall fountain of spray reached skyward,
    high enough that its top was touched red by the light of the sun rising in
    the west.' (S.M. Stirling and David Drake, _The Sword_, 1995)
    Dept of Subtle Gender Distinctions.' 'Wade harpooned the lamb chop
    with his fork and amputated a sizable portion with his knife. He waited
    until he had consigned it to the mysteries of gastric chemistry before speaking. Shirley was daintily toying with peas.' (Charles Eric Maine, _Thirst!_, 1977)


    _Ansible_(R) 448 (C) David Langford, 2024. Thanks to Brian Ameringen, Johan Anglemark, Chris Barkley, Sandra Bond, John Clute, Lawrence Dean, _File
    770_, Paul Di Filippo, Lisa Goldstein, Steve Green, Steve Jones, Steve
    Holland, Andrew Love, Mike Lowrey, Sean McLachlan, Andrey Meshavkin, Chris Moore, Lawrence Person, Mark Plummer, Andrew I. Porter, _Private Eye_,
    Marcus Rowland, _SF2 Concatenation_, Steven H Silver, Vernon Speed, Candi Strecker, Geri Sullivan. Also Durdles Books (BSFG), SCIS/Prophecy and Alan Stewart (Australia).

    1 November 2024
    --
    David Langford | http://ansible.uk/ | http://news.ansible.uk/

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Steve Coltrin@21:1/5 to David Langford on Wed Nov 6 13:16:21 2024
    XPost: uk.people.sf-fans

    begin fnord
    David Langford <ansible@cix.co.uk> writes:

    ROBERT RUNTE had a soul-searing insight: 'You know you're taking too long
    to finish your novel when you started at the same time as _Last Dangerous Visions_ and it comes out first.' (Facebook, 5 October)

    Once I was in the audience of a panel and the moderator asked me if I
    was a writer. When I replied "If I was going to be, it would probably
    have happened by now", the entire room applauded for like a minute. I
    took it in the spirit intended but still, fuck, it stung a bit.

    --
    Steve Coltrin spcoltri@omcl.org
    "A group known as the League of Human Dignity helped arrange for Deuel
    to be driven to a local livestock scale, where he could be weighed."
    - Associated Press

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