The WSFA JOURNAL

"Moving Right Along"

NOVEMBER

Volume 7 Number 5

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WSFA MINUTES

Meeting of October 9 [sic - 7], 1983; at Gillilands', Alexis Gilliland presiding.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 P.M. Say what?

The meeting was called to order at 9:15 P.M. As the last minutes were lengthy, and the latest WSFA Journal was present, it was decided to waive reading the minutes. Read them to yourself! Any corrections will be made at the next meeting. As the treasurer didn't arrive in time for the meeting, his report was also waived.

Committees

MEMBERSHIP: None.

PUBLICATIONS: The September/October Journal was passed out.

ENTERTAINMENT: Doll Gilliland announced that they have a new addition to the family: a new kitten. As he's new to the house - having only arrived today - quote: "you may pet him, but don't pick him up." Unquote.

Also, if you want to see "Brainstorm", see it soon as it may not be around very long due to poor audience turnout.

OLD BUSINESS: Zip!

NEW BUSINESS: Ditto!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Kim Weston noted that the Westview Cinema 2 in Baltimore is a good place to see "Brainstorm".
Jane Wagner related that: a) Mike Walsh and Scott Dennis are not present as they're out in Ann Arbor, Michigan, helping Mr. Moose get married tomorrow. (Congratulations, Mr. Moose, er ... Mr. Monogamoose!) b) She has managed to combine a business trip with attending World Fantasy Con!
Joe Mayhew announced that next year's UniCon - July 20th-22nd - will have Gene Wolfe as its GOH and Dawn Wilson as its Featured Artist. Place: Sheraton Hotel, same as last year. Again, they will be serving no booze as they hud no trouble with the hotel last year when they handled the situation this way.
Martin Wooster reported that the Flying Karamazov Brothers are appearing at the Warner Theatre until Sunday (Oct. 11th). They now have a six-piece band accompanying them. Go see them!!!
Ellen Vartanoff announced that Douglas Adams will be at Montgomery College at the Rockville Campus. She has flyers.
Lee Smoire needs a ride or someone to share a cheap rental car out to OctaCon next weekend in San Duskee, Ohio; a total relaxacon. Rooms are $25 flat! If interested, see her after the meeting. Also, she recent won two tickets to Frankfurt, Germany. However, due to a lack of funds, quote: "I can get there, but I can't afford to get out of the airport!" Unquote.
Bill Mayhew relayed a message from Billie Grey, who lives in Wheaton: she needs a roommate to share her apartment starting November 1st.
Ginny McNitt announced that her hula troupe has been asked to dance at the Smithsonian Museum. Date: Friday, Oct. 21st; Time: 12 o'clock noon; Place: Air & Space Museum.
Rich Kolker asked if anybody was planning on going to NovaCon; if so, could you please take along some Brave New Con flyers? He'll be taking some with him to RovaCon 8. Joe Mayhew volunteered to take some. Rich also says that those people who have purchased memberships to Brave New Con should be receiving Progress Report 1 shortly.
Brian Lewis explained that you take the "Otherworlds Club" form that's in the current WSFA Journal to your friendly neighborhood Waldens Book Store (once it's been filled out), hand it to them and wait until they hand you the envelope which contains your membership card and all the pertinent information it contains.
Lee Smoire again pointed out that she still has Australian 1985 WorldCon questionnaires. If interested, please see her.
Michael Antonio Oliveri & Mary would like to split a room with someone going to the Darkover Grand Council convention held on Thanksgiving Day weekend. Also, he'll be driving if you need a ride.
Beverly Brandt (your humble editor) requested that people who plan on attending these various upcoming cons to PLEASE write up a little report on them for the Journal. (Editor's Note: This especially applies to those WSFA members who live out of town.)

The meeting collapsed at 9:27.

MORE MINUTES

Meeting of October 21, 1983; at Olivers'. Alexis Gilliland presiding.

The meeting was called to order at 9:16 P.M. The minutes were accepted as read. The treasury stood at $4,637.51.

Committees

MEMBERSHIP: None.

PUBLICATIONS: The September/October Journal is still available.

ENTERTAINMENT: A proposal for a movie party to go see "The Right Stuff" was voted upon. Result: Yea - 13, Nay - 0, Abstaining - 4. So, we'll be going to see it at the Springfield Mall, Cinema 1, at the 1:00 matinee which is $2.00. WSFA will pick up half the fare. Alexis will take money tonight from those people interested or you can pay at the First Friday meeting.

DISCLAVE '84: Chairwoman Jane Wagner announced that there will be a committee meeting downstairs after the WSFA meeting.

OLD BUSINESS: Zip!

NEW BUSINESS:

Jane Wagner brought up the problem concerning Disclave membership sales. John Sapienza had mentioned earlier that with our current new status we may not sell Disclave memberships in the old fashion. However, as he was not present and was supposed to be looking further into the matter, it was decided to go ahead and sell the memberships until John can supply us with the relevant data.
At the next meeting, we will be holding elections for Disclave '85 chairperson.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Mary Morman says: a) she and Kent Bloom want to host the next Fifth Friday Party after the New Year's Party, but they don't know when that will be. (Editor's Note: That's in March, Mary.) b) She's taking Darkover Con memberships; they're $12.00. c) On November 5th she'll be cooking a feast; the price is $8.00.
Sue Wheeler has available a librarian's view of Connie. Also, at the BSFS Dec. 10th business meeting, the program will be a showing of "The Great Muppet Caper". Members of WSFA are invited; price is $1.00.
Jane Wagner & Co. sang "Happy Birthday" to Bill Jensen.
Mike Walsh reported that: a) Mr. Moose did indeed get married on October 10th. Quote: "He's now Mr. Toots!" Unquote. Scott Dennis was Best Man. (Ed. Note: Best Man For What?) Mr. Smoff says Mr. Moose did throw out the garter, but not the antlers. End comment: The wedding was mundane, but nice. b) He has books to sell; come and buy!!!
Joe Mayhew passed out the last issue (No.5) of "Fantagony". He also has complete sets if anyone would like one.
Lee Smoire says: a) she still has Australian questionnaires; b) the Maryland Academy of Sciences will be showing a travel film of Australia on Thursday, November 10th and Friday, November 11th. Tickets are $3.00 and can soon be bought from Lee. Also, Qantas Airlines is doing something - along with a dinner - on Australia; tickets are about $13.00 or $14.00. c) she's having a party tomorrow night in Baltimore.
Alan Huff is also having a barbeque party tomorrow night at his place. Next he related the interesting story of how Dave Bischoff went up to MY to discuss doing a novelization of the upcoming TV movie, "The Day After" but was told to forget it 'cause Uncle Sam doesn't really want info on this film to be out as they aren't too fond of anyone finding out how people will have to survive AFTER a nuclear attack. Quote: "It's better if you DON'T survive!!!" Unquote.
Kathleen Aranyosi has moved in with Peggy Rae Pavlat.
Lee Shehr won the 3rd runner-up award for Best Writer of the Year in the magazine, "Translog, the journal of Military Traffic Management". Congratulations!!!
Dick Preston says he has room for 3 more people in his van for those people attending PhilCon.

The meeting fell into the Twilight Zone at 9:38.

November's New Books

(Courtesy of Moonstone Bookcellars, Inc.) Key: H - Hardback, P - Paperback & T - Tradepaperback

Aldiss, Brian: Helliconia Spring - $6.95 (T)
Anvil, Christopher: The Steel, the Mist and the Blazing Sun - $2.75 (P)
Asimov, Isaac: The Currents of Space - $2.95 (P)
Foundation's Edge - $3.95 (P)
Pebble In the Sky - $2.95 (P)
The Stars, Like Dust - $2.95 (P)
Baker, Scott: Nightchild - $2.95 (P)
Bova, Ben & Dickson, Gordon R.: Gremlins Go Home - $2.95 (P)
Chant, Joy: When Voiha Wakes - $2.95 (P)
Cleve, John: Spaceway's #14: Assignment: Hellhole - $2.50 (P)
Compton, D.G.: Windows - $2.95 (P)
Crowley, John: Beasts - $2.50 (P)
Cunningham, Jere: The Abyss - $2.95 (P)
Drake, David: From the Heart Of Darkness - $2.95 (P)
Elgin, Suzette Hadin: And Then There'll Be Fireworks - $2.50 (P)
Ellison, Harlan: Memos From Purgatory - $2.95 (P)
Eshbach, L.A.: Over My Shoulder - $20.00 (H)
Farmer, Philip Jose: Nights of Light - $2.50 (P)
Haining, Peter (Ed.): Ghost Stories of Charles Dickens - $3.95 (P)
Hancock, Neil: The Road to the Middle Islands - $2.95 (P)
Howard, Robert E.: Heroes of Bear Creek - $3.95 (P)
Hyde, John: The Prediction - $3.50 (P)
Ing, Dean: Single Combat - $2.95 (P)
Jackson & Livingstone: The Citadel of Chaos - $1.95 (P)
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain - $1.95 (P)
Jakuhowski, M. & Edwards, M.: The SF Book of Lists - $7.95 (T)
Janifer, Laurence: Reel - $11.95 (H)
King, Stephen: Pet Sematary - $15.95 (H)
Martin, George R.R.: Fevre Dream - $3.95 (P)
Mayhar, Ardath: Runes of the Lyre - $2.75 (P)
McCaffrey, Anne: Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern - $14.95 (H)
Meaney, Dee M.: Death of the Raven - $2.75 (P)
Miller, P. Schuyler: Alicia In Blunderland - $10.00 (H)
Michener, James: Space - $4.95 (P)
Moorcock, Michael: The Vanishing Tower - $2.50 (P)
Morganstern, S.: The Silent Gondoliers: A Fable - $12.95 (H)
Ormondroyd, Edward: Castaways on Long Ago - $1.95 (P)
Paltrowitz: The Science Fiction Computer Storybook - $4.95 (T)
Piper, H.B.: The Cosmic Computer - $2.75 (P)
Pournelle, Jerry: Janissaries: Clan and Crown - $3.50 (P)
Robeson, Kenneth: #26, Death In Silver - $2.50 (P)
#27, Mystery Under the Sea - $2.50 (P)
Robinson, Spider: Mindkiller - $2.95 (P)
Ryan, Alan: Dead White - $3.50 (P)
Schmidt, Stanley (Ed.): Aliens From Analog - $12.95 (H)
Shelley, Mary W.: Frankenstein - $14.95 (H)
Silverberg, Robert: Valentine Pontifex - $15.95 (H)
Simmons, John: The Sharing - $3.50 (P)
Straub, Peter: Leeson Park and Belsize Square - $15.95 (H)
Vonnegut, Kurt: Dead-Eye Dick - $6.95 (T)
Waldron & Whigham: Lightrunner - $9.95 (T)
Webb, Sharon: Earthchild - $2.50 (P)
Wolfe, Gene: The Citadel of the Autarch - $3.50 (P)
Zebrowski, George: The Omega Point Trilogy - $2.75 (P)
A N D
Lucasfilm: The Art of "The Return of the Jedi" - $17.95 (T)

Upcoming Cons

Nov. 4-6:: SCICON 5 at the Sheraton Beach Inn in Virginia Beach, VA. Room rates: S - $32, D - $38. GOH: Alan Dean Foster, FGOH: Curt Harpold, AGOH: Ron Miller. Membership: $13. Send a SASE to SciCon 5, P.O. Box 9434, Hampton, VA 23670
Nov. 11-13:: CONCLAVE VIII at the Sheraton Hotel in Ann Arbor, MI. GOH: Spider Robinson. Membership: $15. Write to Waldo & Magic, Inc., P.O. Box 2915, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
Nov. 11-13:: ORYCON 5 at the Portland Hilton in Portland, OR. Room rates: S - $45, D - $50, T/Q - $55. GOH: Octavia Butler. Membership: $15. Champagne brunch: $12. Write to OryCon 5, P.O. Box 14727, Portland, OR 97214; (503) 761-8768
Nov. 12:: APRICON 6 at the Ferris Booth Hall at Columbia University, New York City, NY. Membership: $4. Write to Barnard-Columbia SF Society, 317 Ferris Booth Hall, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027
Nov. 18-20:: OUTRE-VENTION in Salt Lake City, UT. GOH: Poul Anderson, AGOHs: Lynnanne & Michael Goodwin. Membership: $15. Write to Outre-Vention, 2246 Windsor, Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Nov. 18-20:: PHILCON '83 at the Franklin Plaza Hotel, 17th & Vine Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Room rates are a flat $59 BUT a credit card or a one-night deposit is required. GOH: James Hogan, AGOH: Real Musgrave. Membership: $14. Write to PhilCon '83, P.O. Box 8303, Philadelphia, PA 19101
Nov. 25-27:: DARKOVER GRAND COUNCIL VI and MYTHOPOEIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE at the Radisson Wilmington Hotel, 700 King Street, Wilmington, DE. Room rates are a flat $47. Tel No.: (302) 655-0400. (Make sure you mention DarkoverCon.) Special Guests: Marion Zimmer Bradley and Katherine Kurtz. GOH: Nancy Springer. With Jo Clayton, Hal Clement, Diana Paxson & others. Membership: $12 until 11/12, then $15. Registration is limited to 500 attendees. Make out all checks to "Armida Council" and send to P.O. Box 8113, Silver Spring, MD 20907
Nov. 25-27:: CON-TEX at the Southwest Hilton in Houston, TX. GOH: Anne McCaffrey, FGOH: Joanne Burger. Membership: $15. Write to Friends of Fandom, Inc., P.O. Box 772473, Houston, TX 77215
Nov. 25-27:: CHAMBANACON 12 + 1 at the Ramada Inn, 1501 S. Neil Street, Champaign, Il. Room rates: S - $37, D - $44, T - $51 & Q - $58. Special Guest: John Cleve, GOH: andrew j. offutt, FGOH: Margaret Middleton & Toastmaster: Al Babcock. Membership: $8 until 11/20, then $10. There will be a banquet; tickets are $11. Write to ChambanaCon, P.O. Box 2908, Springfield, IL 62708
Nov. 25-27:: DALLAS FANTASY FESTIVAL at the Sheraton Park Central, corner of Colt & LBJ in Dallas, TX. Room rates are a flat $45. With Roger Zelazny, Alan Dean Foster, George R.R. Martin, Howard Waldrop & others. Membership: $10 until 11/12, then $12. One-day tickets - $5. There will be a banquet; tickets are $13.50. Write to Dallas Fantasy Festival, 1017 Birchwood, Garland, TX 75043

WSFA BIRTHDAYS!

11/4 Michael Harris
11/5 Joanna Dionne
11/5 Lee Shehr
11/16 Tim Childers
11/19 Bob Oliver
11/19 Linda Sweeting
11/23 Chris Callahan
11/24 Forrest J Ackerman
11/24 Jane Woodward
11/30 Martin Wooster

IMPORTANT NOTE: The birthdays of Lynn Barber on Oct. 3rd and Brian Lewis on Oct. 24th were inadvertently left off last month's list. My apologies.

Address Correction

Mr. Robert Lovell
P.O. Box 854
Moss Beach, CA 94038

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The WSFA Journal is the capricious monthly newsletter of the Washington Science Fiction Association. Editor-in-Chief: Beverly L. Brandt, 3326 Lauriston Place, Fairfax, VA 22031 Tel. No.: (703) 573-8230. Assistant Editor and In-House Artist: Warren A. Rodgers

"Patriotism"

by Joe Mayhew

The King of Shoplift had a candy-striped Cadillac the size of a nun's apology and a chauffeur named Luigi Crematello to drive it and swab at it in odd moments with a big blue hanky. As the King rounded each corner of the town a crowd of adoring citizens would line up along the curb and sing the Shoplift national anthem, which goes like this:

Shoplift is the kind of kingdom
That you want to raise your kids in!
lots of good times and scenery
Makes Shoplift nice, ta-ding-dum.

There's more, but as each verse has to rhyme with "kingdom" it gets silly faster than a cat in a refrigerator. Anyway, the King stopped for a malted milk at the drugstore and had a conversation with the soda-jerk about politics and how nice it was for kings to keep the common-touch. Just as he was finishing his malted milk, a dangerous looking lawyer came into the drugstore and tossed in a bomb.

The King grabbed his crown and a candy bar and tore out of the store as fast as an army haircut. The soda-jerk started to run out too, but the druggist said, "Hold it, Clarence!" and caught Clarence by the belt.

"Run for our lives!" suggested Clarence.

"That ain't a real bomb, any more than that was a real lawyer. That was just the Royal Chauffeur, Luigi Crematello in a false-pinstripe suit. He was just creating a diversion so that the King could get out without paying for his malted milk."

"What a cheap bastard!" said Clarence.

"Don't get so mad, everyone knows that the King is a hit and run when it comes to paying bills."

"Then why is everyone in Shoplift so patriotic? They always stand on the curb singing the national anthem when he goes by."

"That's the least they can do," said the druggist. "He's a pretty good king; he hasn't collected taxes for thirty years and doesn't wage son-killing wars, or even make long political speeches on the television when your favorite program is supposed to be on, and he keeps other, greedier, deadlier, and more boring people from moving in on us, so who minds if he sharps them out of a few bucks now and then?"

The King was outside rolling up his car windows and trying to ignore the perpetually silly national anthem. "God!" he swore, "That is MONOTONOUS!"

Luigi said, "Should I turn on the radio, Sire?"

"Only if you can get something besides the national anthem."

"Sorry, Sire," said Luigi, "that's about it. Maybe we can get some new verses, people are making them up all the time."

"But why do they all have to rhyme something with 'kingdom'?" said the King.

"I don't know, Sire, but you've got to admit the tune is catchy."

The King slumped down into his seat and waved mechanically as they passed through the adoring throng of smiling faces.