Helmuth Issue 5, Sunday morning, 2/14/99

General News.....

Today is Valentine's Day: remember to buy beautiful jewelry(Art Show/Hucksters' Room)

Attention Jonathon Saul: did you leave your book at NESFA Sales?

Chairman Calls in "Big Guns" to Resolve Anime Crisis

In a final effort to safeguard the attendees of Boskone 36, the Chairman of the convention petitioned, and was granted the appropriate firepower to contain "the anime threat" from the Commonwealth. The Home Guard placed at Boskone's disposal includes elements of Boston's renowned Gunhed batallion (GUNHED, 3:30 PM) and an experimental undersea battleship (SUPER ATRAGON: THE MOVIE, 1:30 PM), which was scheduled for time trials later next month.

Noted one delivery girl, "I think this is much ado over nothing." She promptly got back on her broom and flew off (KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE, 12 Noon). Check out was brisk in the lobby. (Press Anime)

Awards

Skylark - to Bob Eggleton (judged by the Regular Members of NESFA). Presented by Hal Clement and ex-birthday-girl Jane Yolen.

Gaughan (for best emerging artist) - to Brom (judged by Bob Eggleton, Ron Walotsky, and David Cherry). Presented by Phoebe Gaughan.

NESFA Short Story Contest - The winner is "Looped" by Linda A. Jacob (of Rocky Hill, CT). Runners-up were "Bug in the Brain" by Rick Heller (Reading, MA) and "Star Crossed" by Maria Isabel Pita (Ackworth, GA). The winners were chosen from a total of 31 valid entries. The final round judges were Alexander Jablokov, Warren Lapine, and Allan M. Steele.

Fellowship: Awarded in November, and announced at the Boskone. New FNs are Bonnie and Ted Atwood, and Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden("Hey, it's spelled correctly!")

Selected Willis Sound-Bytes (Devney!)

"The number one advantage of being a writer: you get to make up stories and not be subpoenaed by Ken Starr."

"You get to ask questions like 'If you had the plague and tried to lance one of the buboes, what exactly would come out of it? And how far would it spurt?'"

"Ovid said of writing, 'The very toil gives pleasure and the growing work glows with the writer's heart.'"

Art Show Awards

Judged Awards

Stephen Youll: Body of Work
Stephen Youll: "A Fire in the Sky"
Stephen Youll: "Ship of Magic"
Stephen Youll: "Blade Runner Replicant Night"
Jack Gaughan: Body of Work
Hannibal King: "Carrier"
Nicholas Jainschigg: "Thunderbeing"
Rob Anderson: "The Bone Carver"
Rob Anderson: "Atlantis"
H. Ed Cox: "A Hard Act to Follow"
Charles Lang: "The Bog Beast"
Omar Rayyan: "Sorcerer's Lore"
Bob Eggleton: "The Land of the Gods"
Craig Maher: "Brood"
Michael Martindell: "Jack in the Box"
Gloria Conwell: Body of Work
Lars Grant-West: "Fisher Dragon"
Linda Champanier: "Dark Dreaming Path"
Linda Champanier: "Castle at the Gate of Dawn"
Kelly Kotulak: "Kobold Guard"

Watchman

Stephen Youll: "Ship of Magic"

Popular Choice - Best Artists

Professional - Stephen Youll
Amateur - Marianne Plumridge

Judged Best of Show

Professional - Darrel Anderson: "Clockwork Ballet"
Amateur - Stanley Morrison: "Asian Wonders"

Art Show Staff Awards

Professional - Jennie Roller: "Harley"
Amateur - Marianne Plumridge: "Guardians"

Boskone 36 Chairman's Awards

Charles Lang: "Mr. Karloff"

Guest of Honor's Award

Lars Grant-West: (Untitled)

Art Show Directors' Choices

Craig Maher: "Brood"
Charles Lang: "Ghost of Winters Past"

Next Year's Boskone

Boskone 37 will be held February 18-20, 2000 (1900?). As usual, this is Presidents' Day Weekend. The Guest of Honor is Michael Swanwick; other guests to be announced. Memberships are $32.00 through February 14 (that's today) ((that's the cheapest rate you're going to get)), $36.00 through 6/15/99 (end of Readercon), and may cost more later. Visit our Web site at www.nesfa.org/boskone/

Next NESFA Meetings

On Monday, February 15 (tomorrow), the last of the area (and personal?) breakdowns and truck loading will occur at the hotel. The truck is expected to arrive at the NESFA clubhouse (504 Medford Street, Somerville, MA) about 4 PM. Help us! (Believe it or not, it's fun....and you'll even get fed!)

The Boskone debriefing is scheduled for Sunday, February 28, at 1 PM. Join us!

The next NESFA Business Meeting (at the clubhouse) is at 2 PM on Sunday, March 14.

Or, just come to the clubhouse on any Wednesday night, from about 7 PM onwards. There may be an Instant Message collation (the next are on February 24 and March 17), a NESFA Sales session, or just people hanging around shmoozing or playing Magic.

Get involved: We'd love to meet you!

Thanks

To the staff of Information (for gathering and disseminating information), to Services (who bailed us out at times), to Press Anime, to the Art Show, to Ben Yalow, Ernest Lilley (for digital photos - maybe next year?), to Mark Olson, Mark Hertel, and Mike Benveniste (for general support, technical and otherwise), to Joe Mayhew, Teddy Harvia, Stephen Youll for art, to Deb Geisler for healing hands, to Mr. Gestetner (we're feeling generous), to Bob Devney for cute copy, to Michael Burstein for comic relief, to Sharon Sbarsky for sharing, and to George Flynn (for the usual)......

This is the last issue of the newsletter. We hope you enjoyed it.
- Helmuth, speaking for Boskone