Virginia & Robert HeinleinDr. Yoji KondoDr. Jerry Pournelle
The Heinlein Society celebrated Robert A. Heinlein’s 116th birthday today by announcing the winners of its 2023 Scholarship competition. The $4,000 scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities.
VIRGINIA HEINLEIN SCHOLARSHIP
Dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences.
Nine Reed-Mera – Nine is this year’s Virginia “Ginny” Heinlein Scholarship recipient. She has a double major of Biological Sciences and Written Arts, entering her Senior year at Bard College. Nine began college at age 16 and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. She has received numerous scholastic awards, including a Nation Silver Medal. She was awarded a Mellon Foundation grant to study extremophiles.
ROBERT A. HEINLEIN SCHOLARSHIP
Awarded to a candidate of any gender majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences.
Rhiannon Red Bird – Rhiannon is the winner of this year’s Robert A. Heinlein Scholarship. In the fall she will begin her senior year at California Polytechnic State University – Humbolt. She is majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a Chemistry Minor. After completing her undergraduate degree, Rhiannon hopes to spend time in a research lab and eventually pursue a postgraduate degree in Veterinary or Human Medicine.
DR. YOJI KONDO SCHOLARSHIP
Awarded to a candidate of any gender majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study.
Kenji Sakaie – Kenji is the Dr. Yoji Kondo Scholarship winner. He is an incoming Freshman at Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Kenji is interested in working in the aerospace or naval architecture industries, working toward a goal of providing safe, affordable and sustainable housing through the prefabricated building industry.
DR. JERRY POURNELLE SCHOLARSHIP
Awarded to a candidate of any gender majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences, and add “Science Fiction as literature” as an eligible field of study.
Victoria Woods – Victoria wins this year’s Dr. Jerry Pournelle Scholarship. In the upcoming academic year she will be a Sophomore at Trinity College Dublin, majoring in Geography and Geoscience. Last summer, Victoria interned studying the detection limits of hyperspectral sensors and is doing ongoing research in gamma ray spectrometry. She is active in her college’s Environmental Society and International Students Club.
The Heinlein Society received 744 applications this year, up from 567 in 2022. The number of international applicants increased to 84, including 15 who had multiple citizenship. The international applicants hailed from 28 different countries across the globe.
In addition to the winners, the names of six top finalists were announced:
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
Final voting will take place from July 14-23. Winners will be announced from Gen Con on August 4 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern in the Crown Plaza Union Station Grand Hall. The ceremony can also be watched live via the ENNIE Award YouTube channel.
Kevin Combs– One Breath left, Stout Stoat Press Author: Ian Howard
Jim D’Alessio – Dungeons of Drakkenheim, Ghostfire Gaming Authors: Monty Martin, Kelly McLaughlin
Christopher Gath – Void 1680 AM , Bannerless Games Author: Ken Lowery
Candace McAfee – Moonlight on Roseville Beach: A Queer Game of Disco and Cosmic Horror, R. Rook Studio Authors: Richard Ruane, Rob Abrazado, Bendi Barrett, Sharang Biswas, Rick Chia, Alison Cybe, Ezakur, Ethan Harvey, Maxwell Lander, Catherine Ramen, Erin Roberts, Ennis Rook Bashe, Noora Rose, R.J. Ryan, Sean F. Smith, Anne Toole, Preston Leslie, Logan Rollins
Shauna Ratliff – Faecraft, Exalted Funeral Author: Will Purves
BEST ADVENTURE
Broken Tales, The World Anvil Publishing Author: Alberto Tronchi
Journeys through the Radiant Citadel, Wizards of the Coast Authors: Justice Ramin Arman, Dominique Dickey, Ajit A. George, Basheer Ghouse, Alastor Guzman, D. Fox Harrell, T.K. Johnson, Felice Tzehuei Kuan, Surena Marie, Mimi Mondal, Mario Ortegón, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Pam Punzalan, Erin Roberts, Terry H. Romero, Stephanie Yoon
Flabbergasted!, The Wanderer’s Tome Artists: Andy Bennett, Fleur Sciortino, Ricardo Bessa, Dozerdraws, Daniela “Iella” Attard
Incantations, Metal Weave Games Artists: Zander Barcelo, Cher Chen, Stephanie cost, Reil Hye, Genel Jumalon, Maiwenn Kasprzyk, Allaine Kate B Leoncio, Erika Lundrigan (Mizomel), Patricia Maura L Mercado, Anna Moshak, Mike Pape, Devon Ste Marie Robin, The _Gobbo, Lauren Walsh
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game Starter Set, Magpie Games Authors: Sharang Biswas, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Brendan Conway, James Mendez Hodes, Yeonsoo Julian Kim, Simon Moody, Lysa Penrose, Mark Diaz Truman, Daniel Kwan, Sen-Foong Lim
Color My Quest, Dice Up Games Author: Kristin & Tim Devine
Horseshoe Academy, 9th Level Games Authors: Nat Mesnard & Patrick Watson
Princess Guard, Amalara Game Studio Author: David Garrett
The 2022 Level 1 Anthology, 9th Level Games Authors: Gabrielle Rabinowitz, Evlyn Moreau, Dustin Winter, Quinn B. Rodriguez, Sea Carnelian, Loretta Brady, Skylar Bottcher, Gianna Cormier, Glenn Givens, Samantha Sinacori, Steffie de Vaan, Graham Gentz, Monica Valentinelli, Kyle Ott, Desks and Dorks, Patrick Watson, Dare Hickman, V.R. Collins, Zane Graves, Scott Slater, Alexi Sargeant, Jim Dagg
BEST GAME
Fabula Ultima – Core Rulebook, Need Games, Rooster Games Author : Emanuele Galletto Editing/Sensitivity : Nicola Degobbis, Courteney Penney, Marta Palvarini Art : Moryo, Christian Benevides, Lorenzo Magalotti, Susu Nonohara, Catthy Trinh, ExtantLily, Ben Henry, Sascha Anderer, Lorc
Flabbergasted!, The Wanderer’s Tome Author: Chelsea Sciortino, Fleur Sciortino Editing/Sensitivity : Amber Logdson, Hannah Givens Art : Andy Bennett, Fleur Sciortino, Ricardo Bessa, Dozerdraws, Daniela “Iella” Attard
Pasión de las Pasiones, Magpie Games Authors: Brandon Leon-Gambetta, Brendan Conway, Claudia Sánchez Quiroz Editing : Mark Diaz Truman, Monte Lin Art : Miguel Angel Espinoza, Marissa Kelly
Slugblaster | Kickflip Over a Quantum Centipede, Wilkie’s Candy Lab Authors: Mikey Hamm, Robyn Slack, Michael Elliott and guests Editing : Ryan A. Markle Art : Sex on a Pizza, Galen Pejeau, Susanna Wong, Scott A. Ford, Halie Finney, Rupam Grimoeuvre, Taylor Reese, Mike Perschon
Trophy RPG, The Gauntlet Gaming Community, Hedgemaze Press Author: Jesse Ross Editing : Lauren McManamon, Jason Cordova, David LaFreniere Art : Anna Zee, Rian Magee, Anton Cheykin
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game,Magpie Games Author: Sharang Biswas, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Brendan Conway, James Mendez Hodes, Yeonsoo Julian Kim, Simon Moody, Lysa Penrose, Mark Diaz Truman, Daniel Kwan, Sen-Foong Lim
Rivers of London: The Roleplaying Game, Chaosium Inc. Authors: Ben Aaronvitch, Graeme Barber, Paul Fricker, Adam Guantlet, Llyod Gyan, Lynne Hardy, Gavin Inglis, Mike Mason, Keris McDonald, Lucya Szachnowski
Trophy RPG, The Gauntlet Gaming Community, Hedgemaze Press Author: Jessie Ross
BEST SETTING
Drakkenhall: City of Monsters, Pelgrane Press Authors: Liz Argall, AnneMarie Boeve, Benjamin Feehan, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Cal Moore, Corey Reddin
Barkeep on the Borderlands, Prismatic Wasteland Authors: W.F. Smith, Anne Hunter, Ava Islam, Ben Laurence, Chris McDowell, Emmy Verte, Gus L., Luka Rejec, Marcia B., Nick LS Whelan, Ty Pitre, Zedeck Siew
Incantations, Metal Weave Games Authors: HTTPaladin, Kirsten Bell, Lucia Versprille
Necrobiotic Core Rule Book, Penny for a Tale Authors: Valerio Amadei, Andrea Marmugi, Mitchell Wallace Editor: Hannah Wallace, Amber Logsdon, Adi Slepack
Swords of the Serpentine, Pelgrane Press Authors: Kevin Kulp, Emily Dresner Editing/Sensitivity: Tim Gray, Cathriona Tobin, Misha Bushyager
James Moriarty, Consulting Criminal, by Andy Weir (author), Graeme Malcolm (narrator)
Audible Studios, June 2017
Review by Lis Carey: I had no idea Andy Weir had written three short stories about Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis, Professor James Moriarty. But here they are, narrated quite competently by Graeme Malcolm.
The stories themselves are also well-written and fun. At least, as long as you’re okay with James Moriarty being, in fact, a very bad guy, and a cold-blooded killer.
These stories are told through the voice of Moriarty’s…friend? companion? assistant? audience for Moriarty’s demonstration of his brilliance? The companion and narrator mentions his suspicion that it’s because he owns a carriage, which relieves Moriarty of the expense.
The narrator is already a low-level criminal boss when they meet, due to a crisis involving the brothel he runs. It moves from place to place every night, and security is kept very tight, yet one night the police arrive at their latest location, and arrest all the women. Notably absent among the police who conduct the raid are any of the police whom the brothel owner is paying off.
The leak was one of his most trusted men, and there’s only a 24-hour period in which the betrayal could have happened. He narrows it down to three men, and can’t get a confession from any of them. He decides to ask the assistance of a “consulting” criminal he’s heard of, James Moriarty, already going by Professor Moriarty, though no one knows where his degree comes from. This is the first of the three stories here, and we see Moriarty’s basic approach to finding answers–the same as that of Holmes, very close attention to detail, along with deep knowledge of relevant subjects. We also see how coldly ruthless both men are.
In the next two stories, the narrator is already strongly connected to Moriarty, and Moriarty’s intelligence, observation, knowledge, ambition, and ruthlessness are on full display. In the first story, Moriarty is near the very start of his career. By the third story, he’s clearly on his way to becoming the criminal mastermind and head of the most dangerous criminal organization in London, Sherlock Holmes’ greatest enemy.
I can’t say there’s great originality here, beyond the fact of having the idea to write it in these stories in the first place. Yet they are solid, readable, enjoyable stories.
(1) DRAGON PRESERVATION SOCIETY? A Twitter user with 90K followers who goes by the handle Aristophanes claims to be incensed that works like John Scalzi’s Kaiju Preservation Society become Dragon Award finalists. As a remedy he is calling for people to band together and nominate all the works on his ticket. Can the Dragon Awards be saved? How would we know if they aren’t? Thread starts here.
All you need to give them in return is an email address. I am not asking a lot of you here. If you have personal favorites you would like to substitute with mine, then that is your prerogative. But don't forget that the date range is strictly enforced.
— ???? Aristophanes ???? (@Aristos_Revenge) July 6, 2023
The Dragon Award’s policy is to encourage people to campaign for fan support. Always has been. So this appeal violates no rule, written or otherwise. My only question about his list is — can it really be a Dragon Awards slate without a book by Declan Finn on it? This will be the first one without him I’ve ever seen!!
More than a century after the Season 1 finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy. As the Cleons unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari, Gaal, and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with special abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. Meanwhile, the Foundation and Empire are on a collision course for war with the fate of humanity in the balance.
(3) HOW MANY NAMES? Best Semiprozine finalist Strange Horizons tells how this year’s Hugo Administrator clawed back the progress SH had made in getting their full team listed. (They weren’t the only ones affected by the policy change, of course.) Thread starts here.
As many of you are aware, until three years ago, there was an informal limit of 6-7 names featuring as official "finalists" on the Hugo ballot.
This was unfair, in particular, to zines, which are collective projects, made possible by the labour of many individuals.
— Strange Horizons (@strangehorizons) July 6, 2023
This practice continued last year as well, without any problems. The ballot listed all our staff members, as did the screen at the awards ceremony. For practical reasons, during the reading out of the nominees, of course, we went simply by "the SH editorial collective."
— Strange Horizons (@strangehorizons) July 6, 2023
When we pointed out to the liaison about past practice, the reason given was that because this year, names had to be printed in both English and Chinese, there wasn't enough space on the "physical ballot", and that the online ballot had to be the same as the physical ballot.
— Strange Horizons (@strangehorizons) July 6, 2023
With that said, we proposed to the Committee that if it was simply impossible to have all staff members' names on the ballot, they could at least consider having all the names on the Hugo Awards website, which is not the formal "ballot".
— Strange Horizons (@strangehorizons) July 6, 2023
The Awards Committee's conduct – top-down, uncommunicative, and un-empathetic – has been in stark contrast with the spirit in which previous committees have approached this issue, and has been disappointing.
— Strange Horizons (@strangehorizons) July 6, 2023
We're also aware that other finalists in the semiprozine and fanzine categories have had the same experience. We can only hope that this is a blip, and that normal service will be resumed from next year.
— Strange Horizons (@strangehorizons) July 6, 2023
With that said, a very warm congratulations to all the finalists, and especially to our sibling zines. It is, as always, a privilege and an honour to share a ballot with you.
— Strange Horizons (@strangehorizons) July 6, 2023
…While writer and series creator J. Michael Straczynski has been teasing for months that he will be at the convention with lots to talk about the new animated film, Babylon 5: The Road Home, we’ve got our first look at just what that appearance will likely entail.
The upcoming animated film continues the story of the 1990’s space opera series, as John Sheridan unexpectedly finds himself transported through multiple timelines and alternate realities in a quest to find his way back home. Most of the cast is returning for the film, including Bruce Boxleitner as John Sheridan, Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova, Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari, Bill Mumy as Lennier, Tracy Scoggins as Elizabeth Lochley and Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander.
Patricia Tallman revealed on Instagram that she will indeed be at the convention — and so will most of her castmates.
Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, Tracy Scoggins, and Patricia Tallman will be signing in the Sails Pavilion on Saturday, July 22 from 11am-12pm, which certainly ups the odds of a panel with cast in appearance.
Patricia Tallman will also be signing on her own from 2:30pm-7pm on both Thursday, July 20 and Friday, July 21, and fans can pre-order her Pleasure Thresholds, a Babylon 5 Memoir, for $30 (or $40 if you purchase at the con). Copies can be autographed and personalized….
James Whitbrook, the deputy editor of G/O Media’s Gizmodo and its subsection io9, tore into management on Wednesday after the company published a “shoddily written” AI-generated article “riddled with basic errors.”
After it was revealed last week that G/O Media would begin rolling out articles generated by artificial intelligence, GMG Union — which represents many of the news outlets under G/O Media’s banner, including Gizmodo — protested the introduction of “computer-generated garbage” which “erodes trust in us as journalists, damages our brands, and threatens our jobs.”
Despite the protests of the union, however, G/O Media moved forward with its controversial decision this week.
“A Chronological List of Star Wars Movies & TV Shows” by “Gizmodo Bot” appeared on G/O Media’s tech and science news website on Wednesday, only to be swiftly ridiculed by social media users for messing up the chronological order of the franchise.
In a Twitter post, the deputy editor of the site revealed he had only been “informed approximately 10 minutes” before the article went live and that “no one at io9 played a part in its editing or publication.” In his own “personal comment,” Whitbrook added, “It’s fucking dogshit.”
Whitbrook also published the letter he sent to the management of G/O Media, which read:
“For 15 years, io9 has grown an audience that demands quality coverage of genre entertainment, from critical analysis, to insightful explainers, to accurate news and industry-shaping investigative reporting. These readers have grown io9 into one of the best performing desks at Gizmodo, G/O Media’s flagship site in terms of traffic, and they have done so by rigorously holding this team and the colleagues that came before us to a standard of expertise and accuracy that we have been proud to achieve. The article published on io9 today rejects the very standards this team holds itself to on a daily basis as critics and as reporters. It is shoddily written, it is riddled with basic errors; in closing the comments section off, it denies our readers, the lifeblood of this network, the chance to publicly hold us accountable, and to call this work exactly what it is: embarrassing, unpublishable, disrespectful of both the audience and the people who work here, and a blow to our authority and integrity. It is shameful that this work has been put to our audience and to our peers in the industry as a window to G/O’s future, and it is shameful that we as a team have had to spend an egregious amount of time away from our actual work to make it clear to you the unacceptable errors made in publishing this piece.”
Two authors have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, the company behind the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT, claiming that the organisation breached copyright law by “training” its model on novels without the permission of authors.
Mona Awad, whose books include Bunny and 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl, and Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World, filed the class action complaint to a San Francisco federal court last week.
ChatGPT allows users to ask questions and type commands into a chatbot and responds with text that resembles human language patterns. The model underlying ChatGPT is trained with data that is publicly available on the internet.
Yet, Awad and Tremblay believe their books, which are copyrighted, were unlawfully “ingested” and “used to train” ChatGPT because the chatbot generated “very accurate summaries” of the novels, according to the complaint. Sample summaries are included in the lawsuit as exhibits….
(7) MEMORY LANE.
2010 – [Written by Cat Eldridge from a choice by Mike Glyer.]
Catherynne M. Valente’s an amazing individual. I’m proud to say that I’ve had coffee with her as she lives here in this city. And her writing is just as stellar as she is.
No Hugos so far but she has won Otherwise and Mythopoeic Awards for The Orphan’s Tales: In the Night Garden (both Awards) and The Orphan’s Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice (Mythopoeic). She also has won an Andre Norton Award.
Her other great series is the Fairyland series centered around twelve year-old September. And that’s all I’m saying about this delightful affair. Our Beginning is from the debut novel, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.
It was first published online on her site but she’s taken that down. The first print edition was by Feiwel and Friends thirteen years ago. It was an independent publisher that has since been acquired by Macmillan.
So here’s our Beginning…
EXEUNT ON A LEOPARD In Which a Girl Named September Is Spirited Off by Means of a Leopard, Learns the Rules of Fairyland, and Solves a Puzzle
Once upon a time, a girl named September grew very tired indeed of her parents’ house, where she washed the same pink-and-yellow teacups and matching gravy boats every day, slept on the same embroidered pillow, and played with the same small and amiable dog. Because she had been born in May, and because she had a mole on her left cheek, and because her feet were very large and ungainly, the Green Wind took pity on her and flew to her window one evening just after her twelfth birthday. He was dressed in a green smoking jacket, and a green carriage-driver’s cloak, and green jodhpurs, and green snowshoes. It is very cold above the clouds in the shantytowns where the Six Winds live.
“You seem an ill-tempered and irascible enough child,” said the Green Wind.
“How would you like to come away with me and ride upon the Leopard of Little Breezes and be delivered to the great sea, which borders Fairyland? I am afraid I cannot go in, as Harsh Airs are not allowed, but I should be happy to deposit you upon the Perverse and Perilous Sea.
“Oh, yes!” breathed September, who disapproved deeply of pink-and-yellow teacups and also of small and amiable dogs.
“Well, then, come and sit by me, and do not pull too harshly on my Leopard’s fur, as she bites.”
September climbed out of her kitchen window, leaving a sink full of soapy pink-and-yellow teacups with leaves still clinging to their bottoms in portentous shapes. One of them looked a bit like her father in his long coffee-colored trench coat, gone away over the sea with a rifle and gleaming things on his hat. One of them looked a bit like her mother, bending over a stubborn airplane engine in her work overalls, her arm muscles bulging. One of them looked a bit like a squashed cabbage. The Green Wind held out his hand, snug in a green glove, and September took both his hands and a very deep breath. One of her shoes came loose as she hoisted herself over the sill, and this will be important later, so let us take a moment to bid farewell to her prim little mary jane with its brass buckle as it clatters onto the parquet floor. Good-bye, shoe! September will miss you soon.
(8) TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS.
[Compiled by Cat Eldridge.]
Born July 6, 1945 — Burt Ward, 78. Robin in that Batman series. He would reprise the role in voicing the character in The New Adventures of Batman and Legends of the Superheroes, and two recent animated films, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face. (Has anyone seen these?) The latter are the last work done by Adam West before his death.
Born July 6, 1946 — Sylvester Stallone, 77. Although I think Stallone made a far less than perfect Dredd, I think the look and feel of the first film was spot on for the film which was something the second film, which had a perfect Dredd in Karl Urban, utterly lacked. And Demolition Man and him as Sergeant John Spartan were just perfect.
Born July 6, 1950 — John Byrne, 73. A stellar comic book artist and writer. He’s done far too much to detail here so I’ll just single out that he scripted the first four issues of Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, was the writer and artist on the excellent Blood of the Demon from 1-17 and responsible for Spider-Man: Chapter One which took a great deal of flak.
Born July 6, 1951 — Rick Sternbach, 72. Best-known for his work in the Trek verse starting with ST: TMP where he designed control panel layouts and signage for the Enterprise. He’s next hired for Next Gen where communicator badge, phasers, PADDs and tricorders are all based on his designs. These designs will also be used on DS9 and Voyager. He also pretty much designed every starship during that time from the Cardassian and Klingon to the Voyager itself. He would win the Best Professional Artist Hugo at SunCon and IguanaCon II.
Born July 6, 1951 — Geoffrey Rush, 72. First genre role is like the Mystery Men series which I’ll bet everyone has forgotten, followed by House on Haunted Hill, Finding Nemo and some other genre work as well with his major genre role being as Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. And I’ll include his role in Shakespeare in Love as Philip Henslowe even if strictly speaking it’s not genre related as I really, really love that film.
Born July 6, 1952 — Hilary Mantel. Though best remembered as the author of the Wolf Hall franchise, she’s actually written some genre fiction. The Mysterious Stranger involves supernatural occurrences in a small British town in the Fifties; and Beyond Black is about a psychic who sees more than she wants to. She also indulged in alternative history in the short story, “The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher – August 6th 1983”. (Died 2022.)
Born July 6, 1980 — Eva Green, 43. First crosses our paths in Casino Royale as Vesper Lynd followed by Serafina Pekkala in The Golden Compass, and then Angelique Bouchard Collins in Dark Shadows. Ava Lord in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (weird films those definitely are) with a decided move sideways into being Miss Alma Peregrine for Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. And she was Colette Marchant in Dumbo. She’s got two series roles to her credit, Morgan Pendragon in Camelot and Vanessa Ives in Penny Dreadful.
(9) TITAN COMICS GOODIES AT SDCC. The Titan Booth #5537 at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 will be the place to get some limited availability merchandise. Some of it looks pretty cute, like these pins.
Doctor Who: Thirteen Piece TARDIS Enamel Pin Collection
Titan Booth #5537 at SDCC 2023 is the only opportunity for US Doctor Who fans to buy this EXCLUSIVE Thirteen Piece TARDIS Enamel Pin Collection. Please note: this beautiful, one-of-a-kind TARDIS collection will be available from Titan Booth #5537 from Preview Night (Wednesday July 19th). Numbers are EXTREMELY LIMITED. First come, first served.
And there will be some collectible figures available, too.
Doctor Who: Fourteenth Doctor 3″ Kawaii TITAN Vinyl Figure
Doctor Who: Fourteenth Doctor 3″ Classic TITAN Vinyl Figure
David Tennant’s upcoming Fourteenth Doctor arrives in San Diego as a pair of separately-packaged, separately-available EXCLUSIVE 3” TITANS Vinyl Figures. Both releases (3” Kawaii Fourteenth Doctor and 3” Classic Fourteenth Doctor) are available from Titan Booth #5537.
My Hero Academia: Dabi 3″ Glow-In-The-Dark Kawaii TITAN Vinyl Figure
My Hero Academia: Shigaraki 3″ Glow-In-The-Dark Kawaii TITAN Vinyl Figure
My Hero Academia TITANS Viny Figures return to Titan Booth #5537 as a pair of separately-packaged, separately-available San Diego EXCLUSIVE 3” Kawaii TITANS Vinyl Figures. Both releases (Dabi and Shigaraki) feature Glow-In-The-Dark effects and are available from Titan Booth #5537.
(10) CARVING UP THE STREAMING MARKET. JustWatch has shared their graphs about the market shares of streaming services for the second quarter in 2023.
SVOD market shares in Q2 2023 Prime Video continues to hold down the streaming crown in the US with a 1% lead over global giant, Netflix. Major players: Max and Disney+ also face similar challenges with a 2% gap separating the two.
Market share development in 2023 Newly rebranded streaming giant: Max (formerly HBO Max) displays positive development, gaining +1%; Paramount+ also won with a +1% increase in shares. On the other hand, Disney+ and Hulu drop in shares, suffering -1% losses each.
Gravitational waves are back, and they’re bigger than ever.
After the historic first detection of the space-time rattles in 2015 using ground-based detectors, researchers could have now rediscovered Albert Einstein’s waves with an entirely different technique. The approach tracks changes in the distances between Earth and beacon stars in its Galactic neighbourhood called pulsars, which reveal how the space in between is stretched and squeezed by the passage of gravitational waves.
Whereas the original discovery spotted waves originating from the collision and merger of two star-sized black holes, the most likely source of the latest finding is the combined signal from many pairs of much larger black holes — millions or even billions of times the mass of the Sun — slowly orbiting each other in the hearts of distant galaxies. These waves are thousands of times stronger and longer than those found in 2015, with wavelengths of up to tens of light years. By contrast, the ripples detected since 2015 using a technique called interferometry are just tens or hundreds of kilometres long.
[Thanks to Andrew Porter, John King Tarpinian, Chris Barkley, Michael Toman, Cat Eldridge, SF Concatenation’s Jonathan Cowie, and Mike Kennedy for some of these stories. Title credit belongs to File 770 contributing editor of the day Jim Janney.]
The Chengdu Worldcon committee today posted the finalists for the 2023 Hugo Awards.
Astounding Award for Best New Writer
Travis Baldree
Naseem Jamnia
Isabel J Kim*
Maijia Liu
Everina Maxwell*
Weimu Xin*
* – finalist in their 2nd year of eligibility
Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book
Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts), by Nnedi Okorafor (Viking Books for Young Readers)
Bloodmarked, by Tracy Deonn (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak, by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor Teen/Titan Books)
The Golden Enclaves, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey)
In the Serpents Wake, by Rachel Hartman (Random House Books for Young Readers)
Osmo Unknown and the Eightpenny Woods, by Catherynne M. Valente (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Best Fan Artist
Iain Clark
Richard Man
Laya Rose
Alison Scott
España Sheriff
Orion Smith
Best Fan Writer
Chris M. Barkley
Bitter Karella
Arthur Liu
RiverFlow
Jason Sanford
Örjan Westin
Best Fancast
Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe, produced by Jonathan Strahan
Hugo, Girl!, by Haley Zapal, Amy Salley, Lori Anderson, and Kevin Anderson
Hugos There, by Seth Heasley
Kalanadi, created and presented by Rachel
Octothorpe, by John Coxon, Alison Scott, and Liz Batty
Worldbuilding for Masochists, by Cass Morris, Rowenna Miller, Marshall Ryan Maresca
Best Fanzine
Chinese Academic SF Express, by Latssep and Tianluo_Qi
Galactic Journey, by Gideon Marcus, Janice Marcus, Tammi Bozich, Erica Frank, Arel Lucas, and Mark Yon
Journey Planet, by Regina Kanyu Wang, Yen Ooi, Arthur Liu, Sara Felix, Amanda Wakaruk, Olav Rokne, Jean Martin, Steven H Silver, Chuck Serface, Erin Underwood, Alissa Wales, John Coxon, Pádraig Ó Méalóid, James Bacon and Christopher J Garcia
Nerds of a Feather, by Roseanna Pendlebury, Arturo Serrano, Paul Weimer, Adri Joy, Joe Sherry, Vance Kotrla, G. Brown
Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog, by Olav Rokne and Amanda Wakaruk
Zero Gravity Newspaper, by RiverFlow and Ling Shizhen
Best Semiprozine
Escape Pod, Co-editors Mur Lafferty & Valerie Valdes; Assistant editors Benjamin C. Kinney & Premee Mohamed, host Tina Connolly, Producers Summer Brooks and Adam Pracht
FIYAH, edited by the entire FIYAH team
khōréō, edited by team khōréō
PodCastle, Co-Editors Shingai Njeri Kagunda and Eleanor R. Wood; Assistant Editor Sofia Barker; Host Matt Dovey; Audio Producers Peter Adrian Behravesh, Devin Martin, and Eric Valdes
Strange Horizons, edited by The Strange Horizons Editorial Team
Uncanny Magazine, publishers and editors-in-chief: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas; managing/poetry editor Chimedum Ohaegbu; managing editor Monte Lin; nonfiction editor Meg Elison; podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky
Best Professional Artist
Sija Hong
Kuri Huang
Paul Lewin
Alyssa Winans
Jian Zhang
Enzhe Zhao
Best Editor, Long Form
Ruoxi Chen
Lindsey Hall
Lee Harris
Sarah Peed
Huan Yan
Haijun Yao
Best Editor, Short Form
Scott H. Andrews
Neil Clarke
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Sheree Renée Thomas
Xu Wang
Feng Yang
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
Andor: “One Way Out”, written by Beau Willimon, Tony Gilroy, and George Lucas, directed by Toby Haynes (Lucasfilm)
Andor: “Rix Road”, written by Tony Gilroy and George Lucas, directed by Benjamin Caron (Lucasfilm)
The Expanse: “Babylon’s Ashes”, written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck, Naren Shankar, directed by Breck Eisner (Alcon Entertainment)
For All Mankind: “Stranger in a Strange Land”, written by Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, directed by Craig Zisk (Tall Ship Productions/Sony Pictures Television)
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: “Whose Show is This?”, written by Jessica Gao, Francesca Gailes, and Jacqueline Gailes, directed by Kat Coiro (Marvel Entertainment)
Stranger Things: “Chapter Four: Dear Billy”, written by Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, and Paul Dichter, directed by Shawn Levy (21 Laps Entertainment)
Best Dramatic Presentation，Long Form
Avatar: The Way of Water, screenplay by James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver, directed by James Cameron (Lightstorm Entertainment / TSG Entertainment II)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, screenplay by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, directed by Ryan Coogler (Marvel Studios)
Everything Everywhere All at Once, screenplay by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Sheinert (IAC Films / Gozie AGBO)
Nope, written by Jordan Peele, directed by Jordan Peele (Universal Pictures / Monkeypaw Productions)
Severance (Season 1), written by Dan Erickson, Anna Ouyang Moench et al., directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle (Red Hour Productions / Fifth Season)
Turning Red, screenplay by Julia Cho and Domee Shi, directed by Domee Shi (Walt Disney Studios / Pixar Animation Studios)
Best Related Work
Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road, by Kyle Buchanan (William Morrow)
Buffalito World Outreach Project, by Lawrence M. Schoen (Paper Golem LLC)
Chinese Science Fiction, An Oral History, Volume 1, by Yang Feng (Chengdu Times Press)
“The Ghost of Workshops Past”, by S.L. Huang (Tordotcom)
Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir, by Wil Wheaton (William Morrow)
Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes, by Rob Wilkins (Doubleday)
Best Graphic Story or Comic
Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams, by Bartosz Sztybor, Filipe Andrade, Alessio Fioriniello, Roman Titov, Krzysztof Ostrowski (Dark Horse Books)
DUNE: The Official Movie Graphic Novel, by Lilah Sturges, Drew Johnson, Zid (Legendary Comics)
Monstress vol. 7: Devourer, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
Once & Future Vol 4: Monarchies in the UK, by Kieron Gillen / Dan Mora (BOOM! Studios)
Saga, Vol. 10, by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples, Fonografiks (Image Comics)
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, by Tom King, Bilquis Evely, and Matheus Lopes (DC Comics)
Best Series
Children of Time Series, by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Pan Macmillan/Orbit)
The Founders Trilogy, by Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey)
The Locked Tomb, by Tamsyn Muir (Tordotcom)
October Daye, by Seanan McGuire (DAW)
Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovich (Orion)
The Scholomance, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey)
Best Short Story
“D.I.Y.”, by John Wiswell (Tordotcom, August 2022)
“On the Razor’s Edge”, by Jiang Bo (Science Fiction World, January 2022)
“Rabbit Test”, by Samantha Mills (Uncanny Magazine, November-December 2022)
“Resurrection”, by Ren Qing. Translated by Blake Stone-Banks (Future Fiction/Science Fiction World, December 2022)
“The White Cliff”, by Lu Ban (Science Fiction World, May 2022)
“Zhurong on Mars”, by Regina Kanyu Wang (Frontiers, September 2022)
Best Novelette
“The Difference Between Love and Time”, by Catherynne M. Valente (Someone in Time: Tales of Time-Crossed Romance, Solaris)
“A Dream of Electric Mothers”, by Wole Talabi (Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, Tordotcom)
“If You Find Yourself Speaking to God, Address God with the Informal You”, by John Chu (Uncanny Magazine, July-August 2022)
“Murder By Pixel: Crime and Responsibility in the Digital Darkness”, by S.L. Huang (Clarkesworld, December 2022)
“The Space-Time Painter”, by Hai Ya (Galaxy’s Edge, April 2022)
“We Built This City”, by Marie Vibbert (Clarkesworld, June 2022)
Best Novella
Even Though I Knew the End, by C.L. Polk (Tordotcom)
Into the Riverlands, by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom)
A Mirror Mended, by Alix E. Harrow (Tordotcom)
Ogres, by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Solaris)
What Moves the Dead, by T. Kingfisher (Tor Nightfire)
Where the Drowned Girls Go, by Seanan McGuire (Tordotcom)
Best Novel
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey)
The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi (Tor Books)
Legends & Lattes, by Travis Baldree (Tor Books)
Nona the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir (Tordotcom)
Nettle & Bone, by T. Kingfisher (Tor Books)
The Spare Man, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor Books)
[A bilingual copy of the list follows the jump. It has been added by the Chengdu Worldcon site since the above English-only list was originally published this morning.]
By Chris M. Barkley: Wednesday, 28th of June. Another day in a string of long summer days.
I rise early in the morning and immediately check my email on social media sites and email in-box. There is no sign of the Hugo Award Finalists for 2023.
And the beat goes on.
For a majority of this month, I have been awaiting the results of the Hugo Award nomination process to find out who the Finalists this year are.
I checked my email account in the morning before breakfast and before I left the house early this morning on my way out the door.
The smoke from the Canadian wildfires have drifted down all along the east coast and extends as far west as Chicago and south into the Ohio Valley where I live.
A report on NPR’s Morning Edition stated that prolonged exposure to the wood smoke particles would be the equivalent of smoking a half a pack of cigarettes a day. I have been feeling congested for the past few days and I am quite sure that there is a causal relation between these conditions and my recent spate of sinus headaches.
Today, as I have been all of this week, I was transporting my granddaughter Lilly to her summer nature camp at a large city park for a majority of the day. I picked her up at 8:30 a.m. and, befitting all seven-year-olds on summer vacation, she was the complete opposite of being bright eyed and bushy-tailed that early in the morning.
The drive to the park was ominous and foreboding; as we drove through the city, the hills in the distance looked as though they were shrouded in a thick fog. The previous weekend there had been clear skies and a marginal amount of humidity in the air.
When Lilly and I arrived, I presented her with a N-95 surgical mask for protection against the smoke. She rejected it once she noticed that other kids there weren’t wearing masks. I didn’t push it; I know how badly kids her age want to fit in and appearances and peer pressure can be big factors. Been there, bought the tee-shirt…
Before I left the park, I checked my email in-box on my phone. There was no notice from the Chengdu Worldcon about the Hugo Finalists this year.
There had been an announcement earlier in June stating that they hoped to make the list public by the end of June and I had been checking my social media accounts and email on an almost hourly basis.
While I made the long drive back to the house (and intermittently stuck in rush hour traffic), I had plenty of time ruminate on many things: -What was my next column going to be about? I was going to do a column each on Across The Spider-Verse, The Flash and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny but I decided to hold off and do a story about the entire (and incredibly remarkable) month of sff releases. And, of course, the Hugo nominations.
– I have to admit (to myself) that I had an unspoken and ulterior motive for keeping an eye out for the 2023 Finalists. Although I would be happy if any of my fellow 2022 Finalists were nominated, I held some tiny, infinitesimal, almost impossibly small hope that I might make the cut. But, I knew this was certainly a pipe dream at best; it was way too far into the month and all of the nominees had to have been contacted by now. Well now, maybe next year…
-Yesterday, the Science fiction Hall of Fame announced their inductees for 2023: multiple Hugo Award winning author N.K. Jemisin, writer/director/composer John Carpenter, the entire Dune franchise (created by the late Frank Herbert and continued by his son Brian and many others) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show film (based on the original stage musical by Richard O’Brien) whose accomplishments and influence are so monumental enough that it needs no further comment from me.
– In turn, what about me? Could I ever contemplate being in the SF Hall of Fame? Well, again, probably not. All of the notable things I have done in my fannish life (these series of columns notwithstanding) have been mostly out of the public eye. But I recall the wise words of Wendell Pierce, one of the outstanding ensemble of actors who were part of HBO’s The Wire, considered nowadays as one of the greatest television series ever created. But, incredibly, in its highly acclaimed five season run (from 2002-2008), the series was nominated for only TWO Emmys, both for Outstanding Writing for A Drama Series in 2005 and 2008. Last year, while performing a starring turn as Willy Loman in a Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Pierce was pretty blunt about The Wire’s lack of recognition from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences:
“I didn’t want an Emmy. I said then the lasting testament will be: This show will be one of the most revered and critically acclaimed shows that will never have any awards, and it will just show you how shallow people’s approach to commercialized art can be. That they missed the point of the power of art. I wear it as a badge of honor that we didn’t receive any Emmys.”
And when I read that, I instinctively knew that as far as artistic attitudes were concerned, that THIS was the best and most admirable attitude to have. And make no mistake; I was ecstatic AND quite honored to be nominated for the Hugo Award last year but, in the long run, what I have done as a fan has been noted, logged and a part of fandom’s history. I wouldn’t turn down an award or honor (and I have been a Fan Guest of Honor at three conventions since 2019) but in my lifetime, it’s the work that matters.
My head was really aching when I got home so I took a decongestant and two Advils. After dropping a few packages at the post office, I headed over to our county’s Friends of the Library resale shop for some therapeutic shopping. The biggest dilemma I had while I was there was trying to remember whether or not I had previously purchased a copy of the 2009 Nebula Award Showcase (edited by Ellen Datlow). A check of a list in my wallet confirmed I had. Crisis AVERTED!
As 3:00 p.m. approached, I gathered my purchases and checked out. The volunteer workers there asked about Lilly, who was a frequent visitor there when she was much younger. I showed them a recent photo of her on my phone and I told them that was now a tall, seven-and-a-half-year-old. They all marveled at how much she had grown and they were happy to know that Lilly was an avid reader. I also promised to bring her by for a visit before the summer was over.
After picking up and dropping off Lilly, I headed home with thoughts of taking an afternoon nap. The humidity had increased considerably and I was still feeling a little congested.
I checked in with my partner Juli, who was working at home out of the spare bedroom. I won’t describe what she does but let’s just say that the application of coffee every day has prevented a lot of needless deaths in the financial consulting industry.
But, before my head hit the pillow for a well deserved nap before All Things Considered, I made one more check of my emails on my phone…
The time stamp on the email was 1:31 p.m., EDT.
Hugo Awards – CONFIDENTIAL – Best Fan Writer
What?
Dear Chris Barkley,
WTF?????
I am delighted to inform you have reached the list of Finalists for the 2023 Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer, to be presented by the 81st World Science Fiction Convention (Chengdu Worldcon 2023). Please keep this nomination strictly confidential until the public announcement of the full ballot at the end of June.F**K!!!!!
The Hugo Awards are presented to specific works of science fiction or fantasy and to people with a body of work in science fiction or fantasy appearing in the preceding calendar year, in this case 2022. A work eligible for the Best Fan Writer category is defined as:
Any person whose writing has appeared in semiprozines or fanzines or in generally available electronic media during the previous calendar year
F**K!!!!!
The rules for the Hugo Awards as a whole may be found in Article 3 of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) Constitution:
We would very much appreciate a response to this letter no later than Friday June 30th to inform us whether you accept this nomination, wish to withdraw your novel from consideration, or must inform us that your novel does not qualify for the ballot under the above definition.
F**K!!!!!
If you accept the nomination as a Hugo Award Finalist, please reply-all to this email with the following information:
(1) Provide information confirming that you have published a work that qualifies you for Best Fan Writer for 2022, as described above.
(2) Confirm or correct your name as it should appear on the list of finalists. At present we have:
Chris Barkley
(3) Confirm this email address or let us know if there is a different one you would prefer to use for communication regarding the 2023 Hugo Awards.
F**K!!!!!
Traditionally, the Hugo Awards are presented in person at a ceremony during the current year’s Worldcon. The convention is scheduled to be held in Chengdu, China, from October 18 through 22.
Provided you accept your nomination, we will soon be seeking further information from you as we move toward the formal announcement of the awards and the preparation of the Hugo Packet of nominated works. The Hugo Finalist Liaison Team will coordinate communication between Hugo Award Finalists and Chengdu Worldcon from the composition of the final ballot through the post-convention wrap-up.
F**K!!!!!!
If you have any immediate questions about your Hugo Award nomination, please contact me by reply to this email, or, if you have matters you do not wish to entrust to email, I will be happy to arrange to speak to you by phone or Zoom equivalent at your convenience.
Best,
By this time, Juli was thinking that by shouting this series of loud expletives that I had either a) gotten suddenly sick, b) somebody died, c) lost my damned mind or d) ALL of the above.
When I came into the office, she looked quite alarmed. “Are you ok? What happened?” I gave her the phone. Her eyes widened in surprise. Her mouth dropped open in shock.
Juli took off her headphones, leaped up and hugged me. “I am so happy and proud of you!”
THAT felt better than getting the nomination itself.
I don’t know how or why this happened. It doesn’t matter either. I and everyone else will find out when the long list of nominations are finally released after the Hugo Ceremony in October.
A subsequent announcement from the Chengdu Hugo Award administrators made it clear that they were still in the process of notifying all of the finalists and that the delay in the announcement will be pushed into July.
Here’s the thing; it occurs to me that some people who are either disenchanted with how the Chengdu Worldcon Committee has handled their responsibilities or that this year’s Worldcon was being held in the People’s Republic of China, were refusing their nominations. And that’s their right to do so.
I am also aware that in accepting this nomination, I will be opening myself up to a typhoon of criticism from people who think that I, and others who will be on the final ballot, should have refused to have anything to do with a prestigious convention being held in a totalitarian state.
Compounding all of this are the deterioration of financial, political and diplomatic relations between the United States and China and the almost daily confrontations between the two aerial and naval services in the areas surrounding Taiwan.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China three weeks ago in an attempt to cool tensions and today, the very day the Hugo Finalists are being announced, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has begun a trip to Beijing which will include several meetings between US business leaders and prominent Chinese economic officials: (“Janet Yellen heads to China, seeking to ease tensions” at NPR.)
I am a proud American. I love my country, cotton candy, warts and all. On several occasions, I have taken an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States and I did so of my own free will.
BUT, I am neither a nationalist nor a populist in my personal beliefs. Many times over the decades I have not hesitated to express my displeasure with my government, at the local, state or federal level.
I am a human being and a citizen of this planet, first and foremost, a member of fandom and then a citizen of the United States
Additionally, I want to point out that my 2023 Hugo Award Finalist nomination came from the sf fans in our community, who have ALWAYS have (and hopefully, always will) be the driving force of the nomination process.
I did not openly campaign for this nomination. To me, this nomination is a clear indication that not only are people reading my column, they also appreciate what they’re reading. I also think my, and the other nominees from the US and (presumably, other nations) refutes any claims that the Chengdu Worldcon Committee or the Chinese Communist Party have the final say or control over the process.
To those fans who nominated me, I humbly and profusely thank you for your continuing support. I am grateful and honored to be recognized in this fashion and I will continue to do so for as long as I am able to. To me, the work I have done and being read, is the greatest reward a writer can wish for.
I also want to thank Our Gracious Host, File 770’s Editor-In-Chief, Mike Glyer for publishing these rather annoying and idiosyncratic opinions and my partner and beta-reader, Juli, for putting up with me on a daily basis.
What’s Next?
As Rachel Maddow says, Watch This Space…
“The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off.” — Gloria Steinem
(1) SHEILA GILBERT RETIRES. DAW editor Sheila Gilbert retired on June 30. Author Julie Czerneda paid tribute on Facebook.
After 53 years in publishing, my long-time fiction editor, Sheila Gilbert, retires today. We are family and always will be. As an author, what I’ve been able to put forth in story owes everything to Sheila. For her support, her “sure, write that” enthusiam no matter what I came up with, and above all, her many many insightful, invaluable comments and catches to make everything better.
As a friend, I look forward visits and adventures–and to hearing what she has to say about the next book. As a fan. Who could ask for more? Please join me in congratulating someone who has filled our shelves and hearts–and can finally ignore deadlines!!!
Sheila Gilbert and Betsy Wollheim at the 1995 World SF Convention. Photo by and (c) Andrew Porter.
(2) SO MAYBE KEEPING EPH WAS A GOOD IDEA. Ersatz Culture has been studying the withdrawn list of 2023 Hugo finalists and comparing it with the recommendations Science Fiction World posted in Chinese social media in April.
…by my reckoning 14 of the "recommendations" on that list also made it on the "leak" list. Not all of the "recommendations" were on the "leaked" finalist list, and not all categories had recommendations, but in a few categories, all the recs got through
Yao Haijun and Yan Huan (editor long form) Wang Xu (short form) Zhao Enzhe (pro artist) Terry Pratchett: A Life in Footnotes and Art of Ghost of Tsushima (best related) Cyberpunk 2077 and Dune GN (graphic/comic) Chinese SF Academic Express (fanzine)
As I said, I only came across this earlier today, and was hoping to have a few more days to properly research it, but as the official announcement is tomorrow, I thought it might be better to post this now.
(3) SAVOYARDLY. [Item by Daniel Dern.] I saw Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny last night (first time in a movie theater since the beginning of Covid) with a friend, and, when Sallah began singing from G&S/Pinafore’s “He Is An Englishman” I quietly noted to him “Gilbert and Sullivan, Pinafore” (just in case he wasn’t familiar enough to spot it). He said “There’s a G&S song bit in every Indiana Jones movie.”
Ten or twenty minutes of web search later, I’m not yet convinced.
I’m finding cites for three G&S songs in only two Indiana Jones flicks — Raiders, and Dial — all from HMS Pinafore, all, I think, sung by Sallah. (No, I’m not prepared to rewatch the other three, just for this.)
Here’s what I found (including the usual lagniappe).
Songs that search hits confirm:
“He Is An Englishman”
“I Am The Monarch of The Sea”
“A British Tar”
(One search hit mistakenly ID’s the lyric from “Englishman” as part of “British Tar”)
Here’s some links (not finding one for Dial/Destiny):
And here’s performances/fragments, including “Englishman” from not just Star Trek but also (in the same link) The Simpsons, and West Wing along with Batman (Adam West – from the 1960’s TV series) singing “I’m Called Little Buttercup”; Animaniacs; Family Guy; Car 54; some Alan Sherman parodies: “H.M.S. Pinafore – The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company”.
(It feels like the above compilation link’s been in an item before… if nothing else, I recommend the Simpsons, West Wing, and Car 54 ones there.)
(4) MEDICAL UPDATE. Ursula Vernon tells her news like nobody else.
*after several minutes where we wade through her desire to be professional and my desire to be me*
ME: So it’s some kinda random lump? DR: Yes. But there’s a LOT of things that can be a lump on your thyroid. Just…so many things. ME: Well, my thyroid always has been wonky…
(I mean, hell, I’m already gonna get chemo, what’s another one more or less?)
ME: How worried should I be? DR: I wouldn’t worry til after the ultrasound. ME: Wasn’t worried about Cancer-Bob until after the ultrasound either… DR: Pardon? ME: Nothing.
DR: But only for the first day or two after treatment. ME: *Keanu Voice* Whoa. DR: I know how you feel, I was worried that it wouldn’t be safe for me to kiss my kids. ME: (thinking) You are so much more wholesome a person than I am.
ME: Okay, so if he doesn’t wear a condom, what’s going to happen to his— DR: THESE ARE REALLY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHEMO EDUCATION COURSE ME: Right. *brief pause* DR: I bought one of your hamster books to read with my daughter. ME: …I hope she likes it.
(5) FLYNN UPDATE. Meantime, Michael Flynn’s daughter told Facebook readers that Flynn “is on a step-down unit, meaning on a regular medical floor and out of ICU.”
(6) TAFF NEWS. The latest Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund newsletter has 2023 delegate Sandra Bond’s travel plans and other information: TAFFest 3. Says Bond:
…Since being announced as the delegate-elect in April, I have been privileged to receive invitations and offers of hospitality from all over North America. It very soon became clear that I wasn’t going to be able to accept anything like all of them; well, perhaps if I spent a year over there, but I’m not sure who would object more violently to that, the TAFF administrators or the immigration officials.
I know, I know – we should all have this problem.
In considering my route, I’ve worked on the basis that TAFF is in part a reward and in part an ambassadorship; in other words, that I may feel at liberty to do a certain amount of sightseeing, but that I also have a duty to make myself available at the conventions I’ll be attending, and at any other fannish events at which I may find myself. Don’t feel bad for me – this will be a pleasure as much as a duty….
Felicia Day is launching a new science-fiction comedy audio series titled Third Eye, featuring renowned author Neil Gaiman as The Narrator.
Created in partnership with Audible Inc., Third Eye promises an abundance of iconic geek and gaming culture, with Easter eggs cleverly woven throughout the series. Written by Day, the story follows Laurel, a wizard who once failed in her battle against Tybus The Terrible (Christopher Judge) and is still grappling with the repercussions a decade later, despite being a “Chosen One.” Along the way, Laurel uncovers shocking secrets while encountering old adversaries.
Day stars as Laurel, a heroine forced to overcome her tattered reputation and self-loathing to save her friends.
Despite its dark premise, Third Eye will take listeners on an entertaining comedic journey with a host of unique characters like Kate Chen (Lily Pichu), a quirky teenager determined to learn about the supernatural world. Frank Fletcher (Sean Astin) is a cranky, stubborn vampire. Robigus (Wil Wheaton) is the local San Francisco enforcer for Tybus and a constant thorn in the side for Laurel. Sybil (London Hughes) is an exiled Faerie princess in her 20s who is best described as a hot mess. Neil Gaiman headlines the all-star cast as The Narrator….
(8) THE STARS WILL COME OUT FOR BRADBURY. The Library of America is hosting a free online panel, “The Enduring Genius of Ray Bradbury”, on Wednesday, July 19 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Register at the link.
In The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, Fahrenheit 451, and other visionary works melding science fiction, horror, fantasy, and high literature, Ray Bradbury electrified readers and inspired generations of genre-bending younger writers. Acclaimed authors Connie Willis and Kelly Link join LOA Bradbury editorJonathan R. Eller and SF expert Gary K. Wolfe for a conversation about this American original’s towering legacy.
There will be a brief Q&A at the end of the program; you will be able to type a question and submit it to the event moderator.
(9) MEMORY LANE.
2010 – [Written by Cat Eldridge from a choice by Mike Glyer.]
Cherie Priest is one of those writers that everyone really should read at lest once. When she was living in Chattanooga, she created her Eden Moore series which is set there and strongly recommend. The final of the three novels, Not Flesh Nor Feathers, was nominated for an Endeavour Award.
The other series that I really like of her is Clockwork Century Universe. Steampunk at its very, very best. Mike decided the third book of the seven that were done, Dreadnought, would be our Beginning.
It was published by Tor thirteen years ago, and it would win the Endeavour Award which given to a genre book written by a Pacific Northwest author or authors. The cover art is by Jon Foster.
And now for the Beginning…
Down in the laundry room with the bloody-wet floors and the ceiling-high stacks of sheets, wraps, and blankets, Vinita Lynch was elbows-deep in a vat full of dirty pillowcases because she’d promised—she’d sworn on her mother’s life—that she’d find a certain windup pocket watch belonging to Private Hugh Morton before the device was plunged into a tub of simmering soapy water and surely destroyed for good.
Why the private had stashed it in a pillowcase wasn’t much of a mystery: even in an upstanding place like the Robertson Hospital, small and shiny valuables went missing from personal stashes with unsettling regularity. And him forgetting about it was no great leap either: the shot he took in the forehead had been a lucky one because he’d survived it, but it left him addled at times—and this morning at breakfast had been one of those times. At the first bell announcing morning food, against the strict orders of Captain Sally he’d sat up and bolted into the mess hall, which existed only in that bullet-buffeted brain of his. In the time it took for him to be captured and redirected to his cot, where the meal would come to him, thank you very kindly, if only he’d be patient enough to receive it, the junior nursing staff had come through and stripped the bedding of all and sundry.
None of them had noticed the watch, but it would’ve been easy to miss.
(10) TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS.
[Compiled by Cat Eldridge.]
Born July 5, 1941 — Garry Kilworth, 82. The Ragthorn, a novella co-authored with Robert Holdstock, won the World Fantasy Award. It’s an excellent read and it makes me wish I’d read other fiction by him. Anyone familiar with his work?
Born July 5, 1946 — Joyce Ballou Gregorian Hampshire. A fascinating woman who was way too short-lived due to a long illness with cancer. She was an SF writer, an expert on Oriental rugs, and a horse breeder. She wrote the Tredana trilogy, an alternative world fantasy. She collaborated with her father, Arthur T. Gregorian, and her nephew, Douglas Christian, on a book on Armenian oriental rugs. (Died 1991.)
Born July 5, 1948 — Nancy Springer, 75. May I recommend her Tales of Rowan Hood series of which her Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest is a most splendid revisionist telling of that legend? And her Enola Holmes Mysteries are a nice riffing off of the Holmsiean mythos. She won an Otherwise Award for her Larque on the Wing novel, and her latest, The Oddling Prince, came out several years ago on Tachyon.
Born July 5, 1957 — Jody Lynn Nye, 66. She’s best known for collaborating with Robert Asprin on the ever so excellent MythAdventures series. Since his death, she has continued that series and she is now also writing sequels to his Griffen McCandle series as well. She’s got a space opera series, The Imperium, out which sounds intriguing. Her latest two novels are both written with Travis Taylor, Moon Beam and Moon Tracks
Born July 5, 1962 — Marc Gascoigne, 61. Winner of the World Fantasy Special Award—Professional for his Angry Robot press, and later he won the British Fantasy Award in the category Best Independent Press, again for Angry Robot. If you’re a gamer, you’ll be impressed by knowing that he co-wrote Games Workshop’s original Judge Dredd RPG, and wrote the original Shadowrun source book.
Born July 5, 1963 — Alma Alexander, 60. Author of three SF series including the Changer of Days which is rather good. I’m including her here for her AbductiCon novel which is is set in a Con and involves both what goes on at that Con and the aliens that are involved.
Born July 5, 1964 — Ronald D. Moore, 59. Screenwriter and producer who’s best remembered for his work on Star Trek: The Next Generation where he fleshed out the Klingon race and culture, on the rebooted Battlestar Galactica, and Outlander. He’s the creator and writer of For All Mankind. He was one of the folks who won a Hugo at Intersection for the Next Generation’s “All Good Things…” and among the group nominated for one at LoneStarCon 2 for First Contact. His latest Hugo was won at Interaction for Battlestar Galactica’s “33”.
Even though Hall H might be found a bit lacking, this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) still has a lot to offer inside and outside the San Diego Convention Center. And when we’re talking about animation, we’re learning that Warner Bros. Discovery’s Warner Bros. Entertainment is looking to make an impact in some very big ways. So what can folks look forward to? How do screenings, Q&A sessions, and more sound? We thought you’d approve. As for what you should be keeping an eye out for, there are going to be four panels focusing on the following animated films: Adult Swim’s The Venture Bros.: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart, Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar, DC’s Justice League: Warworld, and Babylon 5: The Road Home….
(13) EYES ON STREAMING. Here are JustWatch’s top 10 movie and TV streaming lists for June 2023.
FAA preliminary approval, but not yet road approved by NHTSA
When it is road approved, it’ll be a “Low Speed Vehicle” limited to 25 mph
$300,000
See linked article for video (all of which may be digitally rendered)
Linked article also has a bunch of pics (again, likely digitally rendered)
Under experimental status, the first flying car has officially been cleared for take off.
This week, Alef Aeronautics revealed its flying car “Model A” was granted legal permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to test run the vehicle on the road and in the sky − a move needed before it can be released to the public.
Alef is the first company to receive a Special Airworthiness Certification from the FAA, the company said in a news release. The certification limits the locations and purpose for which the vehicle is allowed to fly.
… The company, founded in 2015 by Dukhovny, Konstantin Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov in Palo Alto, California, has been test driving and flying the car’s prototype since 2019.
A robot has become the first of its kind to conduct an orchestra in South Korea, in a high-profile concert hall debut last week.
Standing at 1.8 metres tall, the EveR 6 robot led the National Orchestra of Korea in a sold-out performance at the National Theatre of Korea in Seoul on Friday 30 June.
The legless automaton was developed by the Korean Institute of Industrial Technology over a year ago, to test whether ‘robots could replace conductors’. Equipped with two arms housing ‘wrist’ and ‘elbow’ joints, the machine is able to delicately replicate the baton movements of the human maestro.
In a video advertisement for last Friday’s performance, a senior researcher at the Korean Institute of Industrial Technology, Dong-wook Lee, explained: “We got involved in this project to see how far robots can go in more creative fields like the arts, and what the challenges are.”…
[Thanks to Mike Kennedy, Andrew Porter, John King Tarpinian, Kathy Sullivan, David Langford, Chris Barkley, Michael Toman, Cat Eldridge, and SF Concatenation’s Jonathan Cowie for some of these stories. Title credit belongs to File 770 contributing editor of the day Daniel Dern.]
Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas have launched a Kickstarter for Year Ten of their five-time Hugo Award-winning professional online Science Fiction and Fantasy magazine: Uncanny Magazine.
Each issue contains new speculative fiction, podcasts, poetry, essays, art, and interviews. UncannyMagazine is raising funds via Kickstarter to cover some of its operational and production costs for its tenth year, with an initial goal of $30,000, plus added stretch goals of three original covers, flash fiction, and a novella. The Kickstarter will run through August 4, 2023. In the first few hours backers have already donated over $13,000. “Uncanny Magazine Year 10: A Decade of Delightful Defiance”.
“Uncanny features passionate SF/F fiction and poetry, gorgeous prose, and provocative nonfiction, with a deep investment in our diverse SF/F culture. We publish intricate, experimental stories and poems with verve and vision, from writers from every conceivable background. With the hard work of the best staff and contributors in the universe,Uncanny Magazine has delivered everything as promised (or is in the middle of delivery) with our Years One through Nine Kickstarters. This year, four stories have been recognized as Nebula Award finalists (with two winning), and five stories, the editors-in-chief, and magazine have been recognized as Locus Award finalists (with two stories winning). We are deeply honored and grateful,” Lynne says.
“We couldn’t have done all of this without the amazing support of our Kickstarter community, who we call the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps after our logo mascot. This is their magazine; their support makes it possible for us to make all of this amazing content available for free on our website. We still feel Uncanny‘s mission is important, especially in these times. And hopefully, we will meet the stretch goals and be able to give everyone a spectacular tenth year of Uncanny,” Michael adds.
For its special tenth year, Uncanny has solicited original short fiction from Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Award-winning and nominated authors and bestselling authors including: Lauren Beukes, John Chu, C.L. Clark, Tananarive Due, Greg van Eekhout, Jeffrey Ford, Arkady Martine, Annalee Newitz, Sarah Pinsker, Eugenia Triantafyllou, Valerie Valdes, and Nghi Vo. (There will also be numerous slots for unsolicited submissions.) Uncanny has also solicited original essays by Sophie Aldred, Amy Berg, Lee Mandelo, Brandon O’Brien, John Scalzi, Cecilia Tan, and G. Willow Wilson, and solicited poetry by Roshani Chokshi, C. S. E. Cooney, Tiffany Morris, Terese Mason Pierre, Ali Trotta, and Fran Wilde.
Uncanny Magazine issues are published as eBooks (MOBI, PDF, EPUB) bimonthly on the first Tuesday of that month through all of the major online eBook stores. Each issue contains 5-6 new short stories, 4 poems, 4 nonfiction essays, and 2 interviews, at minimum.
Material from half an issue is posted for free on Uncanny’s website (built by Clockpunk Studios) once per month, appearing on the second Tuesday of every month (uncannymagazine.com). Uncanny also produces a monthly podcast with a story, poem, and original interview. Subscribers and backers will receive the entire double issue a month before online readers.
For more information, interview requests, or guest blog invitations, please contact Lynne and Michael Thomas at uncanny@uncannymagazine.com.
