Guest of Honor
Walter Jon Williams is a critically acclaimed science fiction novelist and short story writer. His novels include Hardwired, Angel Station, Metropolitan, City on Fire, Aristoi, and the Maijstral series The Crown Jewels, House of Shards, and Rock of Ages. His best known shorter works include "Solip:System," "Red Elvis," "Wall, Stone, Craft," and his "Wild Cards" stories.
Official Artist
Omar Rayyan is a local Fantasy and SF artist who has illustrated many children's books and exhibited frequently at local SF cons, World Fantasy Con, and Worldcons. His work has appeared in collections such as Spectrum. We are pleased to showcase Omar in his premiere Official Artist role at a major regional convention.
Special Guest
Stan Schmidt is a highly respected writer of science fiction, one who has blended real science with strong character-driven fiction. He has written intriguing novels such as Newton and the Quasi-Apple and The Sins of the Fathers. All this, and he's developed some of the best and brightest talent as editor of Analog magazine.
Featured Filker
Joe Ellis, "the Synthetic Filker," writes and performs filksongs distinguished by their orchestrally conceived MIDI arrangements. He has published two tapes, "The Dream Is Alive!" and "The Synthetic Filker," and a songbook, "Sysex Dump!"
| Area | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Registration | 4 PM to 10:30 PM | 9:30 AM to 6 PM | 9:30 AM to Noon |
| Art Show | 8 PM to 10 PM | 10 AM to 10 PM | 10 AM to Noon |
| Con Suite | 5 PM to 1 AM | 9 AM to 1 AM | 9 AM to 4 PM |
| Dealers' Room | 5 PM to 8 PM | 10 AM to 6 PM | 10 AM to 4 PM |
| Information | 4 PM to 9 PM | 10 AM to 6 PM | 10 AM to 4 PM |
| Dragonslair | 7 PM to 9 PM | 10 AM to 9 PM | 10 AM to 4 PM |
| Space Cadets* | 7 PM to 10 PM | 9:30 AM to 10 PM | 9:30 to 4 PM |
*Note: closed for lunch and dinner break.
We have several wonderful events planned. On Friday evening we'll have a Meet the VIPs/Alien Casino: we invite attendees to wear the formal attire of their homeworlds, and we'll provide the chips. This extravaganza will be followed by a "Whose Line Is It?" improvisational series of games. On Saturday afternoon there'll be a concert by our featured filker, Joe Ellis. After the Boskone banquet (at 9 PM), we'll present for your edification and enjoyment a Boskone play authored by Mark Keller & Sue Anderson. This musical comedy will examine the future of civilization well, fandom anyway. Seating will be available for those not partaking of the banquet. Sunday afternoon features a Regency Soirée.
The Boskone 35 program offers discussions and workshops on many aspects of the science fiction and fantasy fields, including writing, art, filk, publishing (pro and fan), science, comics, gaming, and media. Our theme this year is celebrating the family of fandom. Our planned items include: "Knights in distress, and the damsels that save them," "Do they keep kosher on Mars?" "Beyond Godzilla: Japanese fantasy and sf without large reptiles," and "More lies with statistics." There will also be an Animé Video room, pickup your schedule at information.
Interested in participating in an informal discussion with one of our program participants over coffee or tea? Sign up for Kaffeeklatsches at Information.
Get an autograph from your favorite pro! Signings will be held in front of the Con Suite--check your Pocket Program to see when!
Come hear writers read and discuss their own works. Participating writers will be listed in the Pocket Program. Check the daily newsletter for additions and changes.
Additionally, we are particularly interested in setting up a variety of small-scale program items to appeal specifically to you. We'll need your help! This year we want to offer numerous Discussion Groups. Some of these will be pre-arranged (check the Pocket Program), but we'll have space available for last-minute, at-con groups to form as well. Sign up at Information.
Confirmed program participants as of January 12, 1998
Repeating last year's success, our Saturday evening begins with an Italian Buffet Banquet. The meal begins with fresh tomatoes with roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella with balsamic vinaigrette, along with an antipasto tray. Our entrees will include eggplant parmigiana, chicken puttanesca, and sweet and spicy Italian sausage with roasted peppers and onions. The entrees are accompanied by tortellini alfredo and fresh broccoli with lemon & olive oil. We will conclude our meal with sweet cream cannolis, macaroon cookies, coffee, tea and decaf. The cost is $27 per person. Reservations are required for the banquet: please see the registration form. We sold out of banquet seats before last year's convention, so order now!
There will be a Regency Soirée on Sunday afternoon at Boskone. Period costume appreciated but not required, spectators invited (and invited to become participants!). There will be a Dancing Master to teach and call contra dance, and instructors in whist and vengt-et-un.
Filksongs are fandom's folk songs, with themes of SF, fantasy, and fandom. The Filk Program will begin with group singing on Friday evening, including a Golden Oldies concert by Joe Ellis. On Saturday afternoon, there will be concert sets by local and visiting performers and a music workshop, followed by the Joe Ellis concert. Saturday evening, there will be more concert sets. On Sunday, there will be an open-mike concert on the theme of "Ships"; performers are asked to sign up in advance. There will be open filking on Friday and Saturday nights, and dead dog filking on Sunday afternoon.
Boskone will have an open gaming room. We will also have two events involving Magic: The Gathering. There will be an ongoing sealed-deck workshop, and a sealed-deck unsanctioned tournament on Saturday night (starting at 10PM). Cards for the tournament will be available at cost. Enrollment is limited, so sign-up early at Information.
Our Art Show will include a special exhibit of the works of our Official Artist Omar Rayyan, as well as over 60 panels and tables full of original SF artwork, most of which is available for bid and/or purchase at the con. Also check out our Print Shop for many great buys.
The Dealers' Room will feature a wide variety of sf, fantasy, and genre books, jewelry, clothing, and all manner of tchotchkes. A list of dealers scheduled to attend has been posted to the Boskone web site (address on back cover).
The Boskone 35 Con Suite is at the hub of the convention. Fans can join program participants for party-type refreshments, interesting conversation, and special events. There will be a toddler play area in the Con Suite so you may relax while supervising your child. Children may not be left unattended in the consuite.
Dragonslair is programming space for children 6-12 years old. We'll have readings and a variety of activities for kids.
Space Cadets is for active children 2½ to 6 years old, with plenty of energetic play, and simple arts and crafts. On Friday and Saturday evenings, Space Cadets will host a party and movie geared to a younger audience.
Purchase of a Boskone membership entitles a child to attend both programs. Advance registration is requested to assist us in planning and preparation. A child younger than 2½ is welcome to attend Boskone as a child-in-tow (at no cost). We do not provide baby-sitting, but we will assist parents in making private baby-sitting arrangements if requested (please write us).
Want more detailed information on local restaurants and stores? Want to pre-register for a discussion group or other event that requires sign-up? Have an item for the convention newsletter? Stop by the Information table on the Grand Promenade and we'll help you out.
Boskone needs you! Science fiction conventions run on blood, sweat, and volunteers. At Boskone, People Mover allocates volunteers among the many different areas that need them. If you are willing to help, please fill out the volunteer form at Information. Those who work at least six hours will receive our unique gopher tote bag.
Important: To work on the convention, you must sign the Legal Release Form at Information. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must sign (but you'll only have to work 4 hours for your tote bag).
Want to publicize your club, convention, or bid? We will have tables available for this purpose on the Promenade. Table space is limited, so please write or email us in advance.
Registration for Boskone will be open on the Promenade (outside the Grand Ballroom) all weekend. You'll get your convention material and name badge there. Everyone -- committee, staff, artists, program participants, dealers -- will be handled at Registration. We will make it as painless an experience as we can! You can help: bring your "Quickie Sheet" with you. (It's the cover of this Progress Report.) If you arrive late, ask at the Convention Office about after-hours registration. If you haven't yet bought a membership and wish to do so before the convention, please fill out the form in this PR and return it to us by January 19, 1998.
The cost of advance memberships is $34. We accept Visa, MasterCard, checks, and of course cash, but at the door only. At-con rates are: Full membership -- $45, Friday -- $15, Saturday -- $32, Sunday -- $17.
The cost of Dragonslair and Space Cadets is included in the con membership, so all children who use these services must be convention members. There is no reduced rate for children. However, children under 10 who are with their parents at all times are considered "kids-in-tow" and need not purchase memberships (and do not receive any convention materials).
Boskone does not refund memberships. However, you may transfer your membership to someone else. All membership transfers must be done in writing. Your transferee will be able to register much more quickly at the convention if you write to us in advance to let us know of the transfer and have your transferee bring a copy of the transfer letter and "Quickie Sheet" to Registration. Please note that life memberships are not transferable.
To keep track of last-minute changes, check Helmuth, Speaking for Boskone, the convention newsletter. It features updates and changes to the program as well as lists of parties and other news. Copies of Helmuth will be distributed around the hotel; e.g., Art Show, Dealer's Room, Con Suite, etc. You can always find copies at Information on the Promenade.
Boskone 35 will host a private workshop organized by David Alexander Smith, where 2 or 3 professional writers critique work by 3 to 4 amateur writers. The workshop is for serious amateur or newly professional writers who are curious about workshops, have work they want to improve, and are willing to devote a fair amount of time to it. To apply, submit up to 7500 words of fiction (a story, chapters from a novel, or an outline) by January 25, 1997. Three weeks before the con, those selected to be in the workshop will be notified and provided with a list of the other attendees, a summary of workshop procedures, and other background. At Boskone, the workshop will run about three hours. David Alexander Smith will moderate the workshop, and the other pros will be members of the Cambridge Science Fiction Workshop, a long-running Clarion-style workshop. To apply, or for more information, send submissions directly to David A. Smith, 112 Avon Hill St., Cambridge, MA 02140.
NESFA Press will be releasing a limited, illustrated first-edition collection of Walter Jon
Williams' short fiction and poetry at Boskone 35. Frankensteins and Foreign Devils will
include ten of the author's most acclaimed stories, including "Solip:System," "Foreign
Devils," and "Wall, Stone, Craft." Also appearing for the first time in print are two stories:
"The Bad Twin," and a prototype Wild Cards story--"Bag Lady." The book will be
available in a limited numbered boxed edition for $20.80, autographed by the author and
cover artist, and a limited numbered trade first edition for $14.50 (tax included). The
cover art and interior illustrations are by B35 Official Artist Omar Rayyan, and the
introduction is by Gardner Dozois.
Hotel
Boskone's hotel is the Sheraton Tara in Framingham, Mass., located on Route 9 (west off exit 12 of the Mass Pike), a short distance from several restaurants and shopping malls. The hotel rates per night are: single or double $93, triple or quad $99 (please contact us for suite availability). Phone (508) 879-7200 for reservations by 5 PM EST January 30, 1998, and be sure to mention "Boskone" to get the convention rate.
Special Requests: A limited number of handicapped-access rooms and non-smoking rooms are available, so please let the hotel know right away if you have any special needs. Likewise, rollaway beds and cribs are in short supply, so let them know if you think you'll need one. (There will be a $10 charge for a cot.)
Check-in and Check-out: Check-in begins at 3 PM. Check-out time is 12 noon. You may request a late check-out of 2 PM. Avoid morning check-out lines by pre-paying as early as the night before!
Last-minute information about Boskone will be available in the week preceding Boskone on our answering machine (617-625-2311), or, for the electronically inclined, on the web at <http://www.nesfa.org/boskone/>, USENET (newsgroup rec.arts.sf.announce), Genie (SFRT3, Cat 22, Top 15), and CompuServe (SFLIT Forum, Section 21). In addition, the near-final Program will be uploaded to the aforementioned services and our Web page about a week before the con.
The Sheraton Tara, Framingham, is located on Route 9 west at the Framingham exit (exit 12) of the Mass Pike (Interstate 90), about halfway between I-495 and Route 128 (I-95). The hotel is a castle (You can't miss it!--trust us!) clearly visible from both the Pike and Route 9. Take the Mass Pike to the Framingham exit and bear left onto Route 9 west. Drive 150 yards to the Tara on the right. Parking is free.
Fly into Boston's Logan Airport or Worcester's airport. From any terminal at Logan take the Logan Express to Framingham. (There are Logan Express buses to other destinations, so be sure you get on the right one.) The ride costs $8 ($6 on Saturday and Sunday) and takes 30 minutes. You pay at the Framingham end. It leaves the airport every half-hour. The bus schedule is complicated, but it's on a half-hourly schedule essentially the entire time that fans will be traveling. The Saturday schedule is hourly. The last bus leaves the airport at midnight. Call (800) 23-LOGAN at any time for details. Once you are at the Framingham terminal, use the Shuttle Bus, below, to get to the hotel. Outside of the Shuttle Bus hours, we recommend you call the hotel for a pickup. Failing that, we suggest you take a taxi. There is an enclosed waiting room, phones, and lists of taxi companies at the Logan Express terminal next to Shoppers' World, just off Route 30. Airport Limos from Worcester or Logan: Worcester Airport Limo (800) 660-0992 provides transportation from both Logan and Worcester airports to the Tara. Transportation from Logan direct to the Tara is $18 per person, one way, and from Worcester Airport direct to the Tara is $32 per person, one way. Reservations are strongly recommended. Another company serving Logan is Knight's Limo Service (800) 822-5456, which costs $22.
Framingham has a twice-a-day Amtrak service from New York. The station is about five miles from the hotel. We recommend taking a taxi from there to the hotel (taxi cost is about $15). The route 128 terminal (about 15 miles from the hotel) has Amtrak trains from points east and west which run several times a day, seven days a week. Call (800) USA-RAIL or your local Amtrak office for schedule and ticketing information.
Framingham has frequent commuter rail trains throughout the week. Trains leave from Boston's South Station. The cost is $3.25 one way. In Framingham, the station is about five miles from the hotel. We recommend taking a taxi to the Tara (cost is about $15). Call MBTA Commuter Rail at (617) 222-3200, (800) 392-6100, and hearing-impaired TDD-222-5246 for schedules, or surf to: <http://www.mbta.com>.
You can get to Framingham from Boston from the bus terminal at South Station. The bus runs every 2 hours on Friday and less frequently on Saturday and Sunday. The round trip fare is $11.90. Call Peter Pan Bus Lines, (800) 343-9999, for schedule and ticketing information. See below for Shuttle Bus information.