More BFS bits
Should probably mention that the BFS boards are here: http://www.marieoregan.net/bfsdiscuss/index.php
Ooh, just remembered, we've (BFS Publications... so many hats...) just announced the latest Special Publication (as opposed to the regular ones eg. Prism & DH..).
So: (drum roll...) the BFS 2006 Horror Calendar......
Featuring stories from:
Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Ramsey Campbell, John Connolly, Christopher Fowler, Simon Clark, Muriel Gray, Stephen Gallagher, Kelley Armstrong, Poppy Z. Brite, Stephen Laws & Graham Masterton.
And artwork by:
James Ryman, Mike Bohatch, Lew Lehrman, Michael Ian Bateson, David Anthony Magitis, Ian Simmons, Russell Dickerson, Lizzy Shumate, Lara Bandilla, Michelle Blessemaille & Bob Covington.
With stunning cover and internal artwork by Lord of the Rings, Constantine and Sin City matte artist Paul Campion. (Who's also doing the Fcon souvenir mag cover for me as well... but that's another hat.....)
Anyhoo, the calendar retails at £8.99 (plus p&p) and is now available for pre-ordering on the BFS cyberstore at http://www.britishfantasysociety.org.uk/shop/bpub.htm
It's going to be officially launched at Fcon at end of September but BFS members will receive their free members copy as soon as it's back from the printer. Which I think the Spec Pub Eds said would be early September.
Also also... in case you hadn't heard from other sources... PS Publishing are launching their book Cinema Macabre at Fcon and BFS members will also be getting a basic standard edition of the book free in whatever mailing comes after Fcon and before Xmas.
So there you go, 2 great reasons to join /re-join! And just wait til you see what we've got planned for next year...
21 June 2005
BFS bits
Ick, got a severe case of stamp licker's tongue! Yes, that's right, it's BFS mailing time again! In this month's mailing you BFS bods will get Prism, the latest Fcon Reporter (done by yours truly!), the Fcon booking form (do it if you haven't yet,) the awards showcase flier thingy and most importantly, the BFS Awards voting form. (Where you can vote for H&N in the best small press category, if you really want to.... oh, go on....) Also, if you want to nominate an H&N story from Issue 4, just pop it in the 'other' box. (Or if you're using the online form on the BFS site, just type it in any of the boxes in the Short fiction category. Of course box 1 will get you more points!)
Fcon bits
Still not having any luck with next years hotel. Everywhere in Reading is terribly expensive. Which is a shame, cos there were a couple of nicely positioned ones....
So we're looking at other areas.... priorities are:
1) single room rates that don't kill you - plus that are held at same rate for Thurs - Sun nights.
2) good transport links and a car park so everyone can get there easily.
3) size, of course. We need somehwere that has a minimum of 110 ish rooms.
4) Near to some shops/pubs/eateries so that you've got somewhere to go if you want to skip the hotel
5) cost of the function rooms & misc. hotel bits, is, of course, a factor, but the above are more important.
This is so frustrating cos we've got this lovely guest just waiting for us to say what the dates are, which we can't do until we've got a hotel.
Of course, it would be much easier if we just went for this years hotel next year, but we were rather hoping that we could get one nearer to a town centre - with, hopefully, better transport links for the non drivers.
Not that there's anything wrong with the Quality Hotel - it's dirt cheap, they've done the rooms up right nice since last year etc. etc. It's just that there's a minimal amount of local facilities for folks if they don't want to eat in the hotel.
Mind you, I really wouldn't mind doing the Quality again next year. Personally, it's easy for me to get to (only about 2 hours max drive up the motorways), the car park's handy (a necessity when you've got to lug the amount of boxes me and the rest of the Fcon girls have to) and it's nice and civilised!
Hmm, think I'll pop over to the BFS boards and start a 2006 poll/thread (will be in the 2005 Fcon section) - do me a favour and drop by to voice your opinions please. Along the lines of what's your most important considerations when you're thinking about attending...
Cheers
Ick, got a severe case of stamp licker's tongue! Yes, that's right, it's BFS mailing time again! In this month's mailing you BFS bods will get Prism, the latest Fcon Reporter (done by yours truly!), the Fcon booking form (do it if you haven't yet,) the awards showcase flier thingy and most importantly, the BFS Awards voting form. (Where you can vote for H&N in the best small press category, if you really want to.... oh, go on....) Also, if you want to nominate an H&N story from Issue 4, just pop it in the 'other' box. (Or if you're using the online form on the BFS site, just type it in any of the boxes in the Short fiction category. Of course box 1 will get you more points!)
Fcon bits
Still not having any luck with next years hotel. Everywhere in Reading is terribly expensive. Which is a shame, cos there were a couple of nicely positioned ones....
So we're looking at other areas.... priorities are:
1) single room rates that don't kill you - plus that are held at same rate for Thurs - Sun nights.
2) good transport links and a car park so everyone can get there easily.
3) size, of course. We need somehwere that has a minimum of 110 ish rooms.
4) Near to some shops/pubs/eateries so that you've got somewhere to go if you want to skip the hotel
5) cost of the function rooms & misc. hotel bits, is, of course, a factor, but the above are more important.
This is so frustrating cos we've got this lovely guest just waiting for us to say what the dates are, which we can't do until we've got a hotel.
Of course, it would be much easier if we just went for this years hotel next year, but we were rather hoping that we could get one nearer to a town centre - with, hopefully, better transport links for the non drivers.
Not that there's anything wrong with the Quality Hotel - it's dirt cheap, they've done the rooms up right nice since last year etc. etc. It's just that there's a minimal amount of local facilities for folks if they don't want to eat in the hotel.
Mind you, I really wouldn't mind doing the Quality again next year. Personally, it's easy for me to get to (only about 2 hours max drive up the motorways), the car park's handy (a necessity when you've got to lug the amount of boxes me and the rest of the Fcon girls have to) and it's nice and civilised!
Hmm, think I'll pop over to the BFS boards and start a 2006 poll/thread (will be in the 2005 Fcon section) - do me a favour and drop by to voice your opinions please. Along the lines of what's your most important considerations when you're thinking about attending...
Cheers
08 June 2005
Ooh ooh ooooohhh, we're on Shocklines now!
Issues 1 - 5/6 are up on this page here:
http://store.yahoo.com/shocklines/henowmasiis.html
Issues 1 - 5/6 are up on this page here:
http://store.yahoo.com/shocklines/henowmasiis.html
06 June 2005
H&N bits
Just when I thought I'd got on top things, a few cock ups come to light! Turns out a couple of orders vanished in one of the computer implosions so if you haven't had your copy of 5/6, tell me. (and if you've got your order details handy, that'd be a help to.)
Competency? I wish.
Ish 7 is bundling along nicely. Should go to print end of June/first week of July for appearance in the latter half of July.
Would love to see some more articles in it so you know what to do...
Just when I thought I'd got on top things, a few cock ups come to light! Turns out a couple of orders vanished in one of the computer implosions so if you haven't had your copy of 5/6, tell me. (and if you've got your order details handy, that'd be a help to.)
Competency? I wish.
Ish 7 is bundling along nicely. Should go to print end of June/first week of July for appearance in the latter half of July.
Would love to see some more articles in it so you know what to do...
26 May 2005
H&N News
How chuffed am I? Very very... not only have we sold out of issue Five/Six but Shocklines have agreed to stock us. Copies of all issues of H&N to date, were despatched to them today and they'll be taking copies of all future issues too so those of you in the US/Canada areas can get hold of the mag so much quicker now! It should be up on their catalogue in about a week I think. Will post the exact catalogue page link as and when....
How chuffed am I? Very very... not only have we sold out of issue Five/Six but Shocklines have agreed to stock us. Copies of all issues of H&N to date, were despatched to them today and they'll be taking copies of all future issues too so those of you in the US/Canada areas can get hold of the mag so much quicker now! It should be up on their catalogue in about a week I think. Will post the exact catalogue page link as and when....
25 May 2005
20 May 2005
Even more H&N bits!
New version of the website is now live! Wahey! Seems to be working ok so far, despite the plain design.
Check out the expanded links sections - which now have webpages for almost every single H&N contributor (excepting the ones I can't find any pages for) as well as links to a few contributors books (which I don't earn money for btw, they're a 4the luv thing!). If you've been in the mag and your website is wrong or missing, let me know and I'll wang it in for you.
And don't forget to add your latest news to the promo thread in the messageboards too...!
Then there's the all new issue extracts pages which include the reviews of each issue. (Except I'm missing the Fix #7 review of H&N #3 as I 'safely' stashed my copy somewhere and can't find it. so when I can get hold of it, it'll get added.. unless someone wants to photocopy the page and fax/post it over to me? )
I've mucked around with the submission guidelines again and added the new contributor payment rates (applicable from Issue 9); and the new cover price (which I mentioned months ago, which is, basically, only 25p more).
Also, there's a few commercial bits - google ads (which I'm still working out how to use properly) and Amazon links (both of which I get click-thru on apparently, so please do...!) as well as a paypal donation button in case you've got a spare 50p you want to throw my way! (Spare money, I remember the days...sigh....)
And there's a google site search facility too!
Phew.
I'm also mid-process in getting us on that Froogle thingy in the vain hope of getting more people to buy the mag (which benefits you, the contributors, natch!)
Which pretty much wraps up the web changes. (when I can get my brain working, I'll be attempting to match the look of the blog to the look of the rest of the site. God knows if that'll work though.)
I'm also midway through doing a proposal for an artsboard grant - which would be handy (but not essential to survival!); as well as sorting out Shocklines & Project Pulp thingies. Will let you know how they go!
New version of the website is now live! Wahey! Seems to be working ok so far, despite the plain design.
Check out the expanded links sections - which now have webpages for almost every single H&N contributor (excepting the ones I can't find any pages for) as well as links to a few contributors books (which I don't earn money for btw, they're a 4the luv thing!). If you've been in the mag and your website is wrong or missing, let me know and I'll wang it in for you.
And don't forget to add your latest news to the promo thread in the messageboards too...!
Then there's the all new issue extracts pages which include the reviews of each issue. (Except I'm missing the Fix #7 review of H&N #3 as I 'safely' stashed my copy somewhere and can't find it. so when I can get hold of it, it'll get added.. unless someone wants to photocopy the page and fax/post it over to me? )
I've mucked around with the submission guidelines again and added the new contributor payment rates (applicable from Issue 9); and the new cover price (which I mentioned months ago, which is, basically, only 25p more).
Also, there's a few commercial bits - google ads (which I'm still working out how to use properly) and Amazon links (both of which I get click-thru on apparently, so please do...!) as well as a paypal donation button in case you've got a spare 50p you want to throw my way! (Spare money, I remember the days...sigh....)
And there's a google site search facility too!
Phew.
I'm also mid-process in getting us on that Froogle thingy in the vain hope of getting more people to buy the mag (which benefits you, the contributors, natch!)
Which pretty much wraps up the web changes. (when I can get my brain working, I'll be attempting to match the look of the blog to the look of the rest of the site. God knows if that'll work though.)
I'm also midway through doing a proposal for an artsboard grant - which would be handy (but not essential to survival!); as well as sorting out Shocklines & Project Pulp thingies. Will let you know how they go!
19 May 2005
More H&N bits
(because someone hit the publish button instead of the return button...ahem...)
So where were we...(and I really must stop starting each post with 'so')
News, news... ah yes. Apparently someone nominated us for a BFS small press award (which is a little embarassing because it's for work in the year 2004 and last year was one issue and worse than lousy response times.) On the plus side there's about 20 or so other things nominated in the Small Press category so we can just ignore that blip this year. Now next year, we might actually deserve the nomination.... (still be a bit embarassing though... would rather one of the stories won best short fiction, then the mag won best small press...)
BFS bits
While we're on awards, it's always so tempting to gossip and I'd get strangulated for going into actual details... but at the moment the BFS committee bods have started up the annual discussions on who's going to get the Special Award this year. (The only award where final voting is down to the committee & RAmsey C., whereas all the rest are membership voted.)
Anyway, we had about a dozen nominations from the membership and the fun always comes because one portion of us go for one type of person, another portion go for another type of person and we then spend weeks seeing who can argue their case best.
As for the rest of the voting... the forms are getting copied up at the moment, ready to go out with the next Prism (which should be due in a couple of weeks) and there's tons of buggers nominated for the first wave.
Fcon bits
The Walsall hotel visit was a fun one - they've repainted and fixed the air-con so it was actually possible not to freeze this time. And not only did we get free rooms as con organisors, but it was an executive suite! Thank you very much!! (I've never had a kitchen in my hotel room before! Or a living room!)
We've had Steven Erikson confirmed as our 3rd guest (cue grumbles becuase it's an all bloke line up this year) and Graham Joyce has kindly agreed to be Master of Ceremonies.
For next year we've got a Big Name American Guest semi confirmed, pending confirmation of dates from us.
But to do that, first we need to lock down the venue.... argh!
The first hotel I scouted looked perfect... right up until they gave me their best prices. The award for biggest bunch of jokers go to the Renaissance Hotel in Reading! You don't even want to know what their room rates rise to for the Sunday night...
Next on my list is the hotel on Caversham Bridge (down the road from where they do the Reading Festival...) - which looks like it might be a possible (pending prices) - although it is further away from the town centre than I'd like. (Close enough to Reading Station though..)
At least there's a couple of restaurents/cafe's etc nearby so if we do get it, and the hotel food stinks, then there's other options available.
If their prices are stupid though, I'm not sure where to look next as that's it for suitable Reading hotels. We want somewhere near civilisation for '06, but town centre hotels with conference facilities tend to go for a vast hike in prices. We can deal with pricy venue hiring I think - at least as far as next year is confirmed, but the goal is to get decent rates on the accomodation.
So if Reading bottoms out where next? Stay south and hit Bracknell or Swindon, or move back to the middle and go for maybe Birmingham or Manchester or similar.
(Or really shock the northerners and do a Newcastle one!)
Will keep you updated!
Other bits
So (argh! did it again!), mum, the publicity slut, is going on the local radio next week to pimp her book. (Then she's got Newcastle radio in Sept/Oct and various student paper articles/columns/ god knows what as well..)
And, the funniest thing is that, according to mum's publisher chappie, the AIIC (Association of Independent Inventory Clerks, to you. Regulatory body kinda thing.) want to incorporate vast chunks of the book into their training courses. The funny bit being that mum knew nothing about this and she's actually on the committee!
(because someone hit the publish button instead of the return button...ahem...)
So where were we...(and I really must stop starting each post with 'so')
News, news... ah yes. Apparently someone nominated us for a BFS small press award (which is a little embarassing because it's for work in the year 2004 and last year was one issue and worse than lousy response times.) On the plus side there's about 20 or so other things nominated in the Small Press category so we can just ignore that blip this year. Now next year, we might actually deserve the nomination.... (still be a bit embarassing though... would rather one of the stories won best short fiction, then the mag won best small press...)
BFS bits
While we're on awards, it's always so tempting to gossip and I'd get strangulated for going into actual details... but at the moment the BFS committee bods have started up the annual discussions on who's going to get the Special Award this year. (The only award where final voting is down to the committee & RAmsey C., whereas all the rest are membership voted.)
Anyway, we had about a dozen nominations from the membership and the fun always comes because one portion of us go for one type of person, another portion go for another type of person and we then spend weeks seeing who can argue their case best.
As for the rest of the voting... the forms are getting copied up at the moment, ready to go out with the next Prism (which should be due in a couple of weeks) and there's tons of buggers nominated for the first wave.
Fcon bits
The Walsall hotel visit was a fun one - they've repainted and fixed the air-con so it was actually possible not to freeze this time. And not only did we get free rooms as con organisors, but it was an executive suite! Thank you very much!! (I've never had a kitchen in my hotel room before! Or a living room!)
We've had Steven Erikson confirmed as our 3rd guest (cue grumbles becuase it's an all bloke line up this year) and Graham Joyce has kindly agreed to be Master of Ceremonies.
For next year we've got a Big Name American Guest semi confirmed, pending confirmation of dates from us.
But to do that, first we need to lock down the venue.... argh!
The first hotel I scouted looked perfect... right up until they gave me their best prices. The award for biggest bunch of jokers go to the Renaissance Hotel in Reading! You don't even want to know what their room rates rise to for the Sunday night...
Next on my list is the hotel on Caversham Bridge (down the road from where they do the Reading Festival...) - which looks like it might be a possible (pending prices) - although it is further away from the town centre than I'd like. (Close enough to Reading Station though..)
At least there's a couple of restaurents/cafe's etc nearby so if we do get it, and the hotel food stinks, then there's other options available.
If their prices are stupid though, I'm not sure where to look next as that's it for suitable Reading hotels. We want somewhere near civilisation for '06, but town centre hotels with conference facilities tend to go for a vast hike in prices. We can deal with pricy venue hiring I think - at least as far as next year is confirmed, but the goal is to get decent rates on the accomodation.
So if Reading bottoms out where next? Stay south and hit Bracknell or Swindon, or move back to the middle and go for maybe Birmingham or Manchester or similar.
(Or really shock the northerners and do a Newcastle one!)
Will keep you updated!
Other bits
So (argh! did it again!), mum, the publicity slut, is going on the local radio next week to pimp her book. (Then she's got Newcastle radio in Sept/Oct and various student paper articles/columns/ god knows what as well..)
And, the funniest thing is that, according to mum's publisher chappie, the AIIC (Association of Independent Inventory Clerks, to you. Regulatory body kinda thing.) want to incorporate vast chunks of the book into their training courses. The funny bit being that mum knew nothing about this and she's actually on the committee!
H&N bits
So I've just spent 4 solid days doing nothing but mucking around with the new version of the website - we're almost there. Packed with content, but the design's still a bit iffy. One day I'll have no trouble with getting images and amazon product links to actually appear... however that day is not yet here. And the title/header thingy is still a bit boring. Think I'll get that one sorted out in the version after the one I'm working on!
Meantime, big thanks for all the words of encouragement and wotnot that have been coming over the email - totally appreciated! Glad you all like the Fabulous Beast!
Now I'm waiting with bated breath for the reviews... should eventually see one on the Whispers of Wickedness site, also in one of the BFS mags. And have sent review copies off to Locus just on the off chance; also Year's Best F&H cos they really do need to honourably mention some of the stories in #5/6. Oh yes they do.
So I've just spent 4 solid days doing nothing but mucking around with the new version of the website - we're almost there. Packed with content, but the design's still a bit iffy. One day I'll have no trouble with getting images and amazon product links to actually appear... however that day is not yet here. And the title/header thingy is still a bit boring. Think I'll get that one sorted out in the version after the one I'm working on!
Meantime, big thanks for all the words of encouragement and wotnot that have been coming over the email - totally appreciated! Glad you all like the Fabulous Beast!
Now I'm waiting with bated breath for the reviews... should eventually see one on the Whispers of Wickedness site, also in one of the BFS mags. And have sent review copies off to Locus just on the off chance; also Year's Best F&H cos they really do need to honourably mention some of the stories in #5/6. Oh yes they do.
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