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(Progress Report 2 was mailed in April 1999 to members of WFC 1999. This web version has been modified with changes, but please also check the rest of this web site for other additions.)
Our theme is "Voyages", many and varied. Quests literal, metaphorical, and personal can all be fantasy's roads. We'll talk about journeying and travelers; about territories, maps, and cartographers. We'll talk about the paths of fantasy literature and the evolution of the genre. And we'll trace the first quarter-century of the World Fantasy Convention itself.
We plan to bring you a World Fantasy Convention program of extraordinary power. Look for enlightening panel discussions, readings, and other unique opportunities to examine the enormous domain we call fantasy: items interactive and informative, reflective and refined, meritorious and engaging, tightly-focused yet covering a broad variety of diverse interests and areas....
We already have many exciting ideas, and are soliciting more from people all over the country. If you have suggestions for program topics and/or ideas for who might discuss what, please write to us at our address on page 3 or send email to info@noreascon.org. We regret that, because of the relatively small number of program items and the large number of professionals expected to be attending, we cannot guarantee everyone the opportunity to participate.
We're planning two tracks of program, plus readings, all of the usual events, and a few surprises. We'll have an autograph reception from 8-11pm Friday night. On Saturday evening two proven delightful events--dramatic and musical--on fantasy themes will be performed by an experienced group of players. The 1999 World Fantasy Awards (for the best works of 1998) will be presented at a luncheon banquet on Sunday starting at 1:30pm.
Payment may be made by VISA, MasterCard, or by check payable to "MCFI" (US banks and funds only, please). Use the form on the inside back cover.
Massachusetts Convention Fandom, Inc. (MCFI) is a non-profit corporation organized to promote science fiction and fantasy through the sponsorship of conventions and related activities. We can be reached at:
25th WFC c/o MCFIhttp://www.mcfi.org/wfc
info@noreascon.org (for general information)
If you are interested in advertising in the book, please write to us,
"Attn: Souvenir Book", or send email to info@noreascon.org. All advertisements must
be "camera ready". We reserve the right to reject any advertisement for
esthetic, legal, or ethical reasons. Rates are:
| Size | Professional | Fan |
|---|---|---|
| Full page (7.5"w x 10"h) | $400 | $90 |
| Half page (7.5"w x 5"h) | $250 | $50 |
Fan rates are available to other 501(c)(3) conventions and publishing
organizations.
Deadline for space reservations: 15 June 1999
Deadline for our receipt of camera-ready ad copy: 15 July 1999
Charles de Lint has defined the contemporary urban fantasy, in both the real cities of Canada and the imaginary city of Newford, with novels such as Moonheart and Jack the Giant Killer, and several World Fantasy Award nominees including Trader, "Paperjack", and "The Conjure Man".
Leo & Diane Dillon have been creating award-winning
fantasy art for over thirty years. Their work, in a wide variety of media,
combines contemporary styles with influences from around the world, complementing
everything from literate fantasies to folktales for children. They received the
Caldecott Award for their artwork for Ashanti to Zulu and Why
Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears.
Patricia A. McKillip's The Forgotten Beasts of Eld won the first World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. She has gone on to bring us dozens of complex characters and worlds representing the best of high fantasy, from the Riddle of Stars trilogy to The Sorceress and the Cygnet, The Book of Atrix Wolfe, Winter Rose, and Song for the Basilisk.
Robert Silverberg has developed the territory outside traditional fantasy with everything from personal-scale works such as The Book of Skulls to Star of Gypsies, To The Land of the Living, and the epic Majipoor chronicles. He is also the founding editor of the New Dimensions series of original anthologies.
Special Guest Samuel R. Delany is known both as an author (The Einstein Intersection, the Nevèrÿon cycle) and as a teacher and scholar; his writings from The Jewel-Hinged Jaw to The New York Review of Science Fiction have extended the boundaries of criticism of fantastic literature.
Toastmaster John M. Ford is the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning The Dragon Waiting and "Winter Solstice: Camelot Station". He is also notorious as the improvising "Ask Dr. Mike", answering questions of science and philosophy with equal aplomb.
The RICC is our site for daytime program and hospitality, and for exhibits. All of our space is together on the ballroom level, and is accessible from the street or by connecting corridor from the Westin Hotel. We're working with the RICC to have lunches and snacks available in our space.
We are using two hotels. Our main hotel, the Westin Hotel, has a direct connection to the RICC, and will also be the location for evening program, events, and hospitality. The other hotel, the Providence Biltmore, is a 2-3 minute walk from the RICC.
You must be a member of the WFC to receive our
group rates. Taxes add 12% to all rates. Please contact the hotels directly to
make room reservations.
| Westin Hotel | 401-598-8000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 West Exchange Street | 401-598-8200 fax | |||
| Providence, RI 02903 | ||||
| Single/Double | $129 | Rates are in effect from 1 to 10 November 1999 | ||
| Triple/Quad | $149 | |||
Parking for the Westin Hotel is in the Convention Center Garage (a private concession). The parking rates are $8 for a 24-hour day, or $10 for a 24-hour day with in-out privileges. These rates are subject to change without notice, but are current as of 18 March 1999.
All suites in the Westin Hotel must be booked through us. Please contact
us at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Publiaison", or send email
to info@noreascon.org.
| Providence Biltmore | 401-421-0700 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Plaza | 401-455-3050 fax | ||||
| Providence, RI 02903 | |||||
| Superior Single/Double | $99 | Rates are in effect from 3 to 8 November 1999 | |||
| Junior Suite Single/Double | $109 | ||||
| Parlor Suite Single/Double | $159 | ||||
The parking rate at the Biltmore (it is a smallish private parking garage next to the hotel) is $14 per day for day-only parking, or $10 per day for hotel guests.
Air: We have been told that there are travel agents who still don't know that Providence (well, actually Warwick) has its own airport--T.F. Green--with nonstop flights to most of the hub airports in the eastern and central U.S.; given the airport locator code (PVD), you should be able to book a direct or one-connection flight from almost anywhere in the U.S. The airport is at exit 13 off I-95.
Southwest Airlines is the Official Airline of the 25th World Fantasy Convention. We've picked Southwest Airlines because, unlike most of the major carriers, they have substantial service into Providence, instead of serving Providence occasionally as an adjunct to Boston service. (Attendees flying from within the U.S. and Canada are likely to find it easier to make an air connection to Providence, instead of flying to Boston and going on to Providence via ground transportation.) Southwest has informed us that they are willing to co-book with other airlines to provide service from cities that they don't currently serve themselves; we don't know how much the other airlines will cooperate with this.
"Southwest Airlines is offering a 10% discount on most of its already low fares, for travel to and from the 25th World Fantasy Convention. Call (or have your professional travel agent call) the Southwest Airlines Group and Meeting Desk at 1-800-433-5368, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and refer to I.D. Code T8039. Call by no later than five days prior to first date of travel to take advantage of this offer. Call right away, as fares are subject to terms and availability.
"(Because advance bookings are accepted by Southwest only through dates for which schedules have been opened, reservations may not yet be available for confirmation.)
"Travel in or out of Dallas Love Field is subject to the requirements of the Wright Amendment."
The off-hours telephone tape message says that Southwest's groupline hours are 7am-8pm weekdays and 8:30am-5:30pm weekends, Central time.
Southwest books flights approximately six months in advance, so you may not be able to reserve before May. Our discount is available until five days before the start of your travel; if you have to change a flight after that time, you'll be charged the regular fares. Flights may be booked directly with their Group and Meeting Desk or through your travel agent; the discount is not available for "Ticketless Travel".
For our international visitors: The Providence airport is not a port of entry into the United States. Canadian members may be able to clear customs in Canada, flying to Providence on a U.S. or Canadian airline. Members flying across the Pacific can book from their port of entry, much like members from the U.S. Members flying across the Atlantic have two primary choices:
We estimate that the time between clearing customs and arriving at the convention will be about the same for either of these methods.
Rail: The Amtrak Providence station is a long walk or a short taxi ride from the RICC and the hotels. Train information is available at 800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) or http://www.amtrak.com.
Bus: Bonanza Bus Lines runs frequent trips to and from Boston and Logan Airport. Their Providence-area terminal is off I-95, at exit 25 (about two miles from downtown). Bonanza runs a free shuttle from that terminal to downtown Providence, about one block from the hotels. For a bus schedule call 403-751-8800.
Auto: The venue is immediately off I-95 in downtown Providence. Detailed driving directions will be provided in Progress Report 3.
Parking: The rate at the Convention Center Garage (a private concession which also serves the Westin Hotel) is $8 for a 24-hour day, or $10 for a 24-hour day with in-out privileges. The parking rate at the Biltmore (it is a smallish private parking garage next to the hotel) is $14 per day for day-only parking, or $10 per day for hotel guests. These rates are subject to change without notice, but are current as of 18 March 1999.
This is only a small sampling of what is available in the neighborhood.
Providence has strong ties to the fantasy genre. One of Providence's notable citizens was H. P. Lovecraft, who deeply identified with Providence, declaring it the only "livable" city. Seeking to bring the wide-ranging scope of science fiction to the horror genre, Lovecraft was inspired by the Gothic-style College Hill atmosphere and the abundant colonial architecture. Providence was such an important city to Lovecraft that he chose "I Am Providence" as his epitaph.
Providence has many attractions for visitors to explore--museums, theaters, historic sites, colleges and universities, an award-winning zoo, and world-class dining.
Providence is a very walkable city. For more details you can contact the Providence-Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, One West Exchange St., Providence, RI 02903; 800-233-1636 or 401-751-1177, or browse http://www.providencecvb.com or http://www.ProvidenceRI.com/home.html.
For a few suggestions, we offer:
Information is available from the Visitor Information Center, 23 America's Cup Ave., Newport RI 02840; 401-849-8048, fax 401-849-0291, and at http://www.riedc.com/mcds/Newport.html#points.
Little Compton, RI
West Warwick and Cranston, RI
Foxboro, MA
The banquet will begin at 1:30pm Sunday afternoon and will be followed by the Awards presentations. The menu is:
You can order your banquet tickets using the form on the inside back cover. The cost is $42/ticket (this includes tax and gratuity). Banquet tickets are available only to convention members.
We can arrange for a vegetarian dinner (same price) if you write to us in advance about it.
Publishers (or others) who wish to purchase an entire table (10 settings) should write to us at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Publiaison", or send email to info@noreascon.org.
The judges for the 1999 World Fantasy Awards are:
Material to be considered by the judges must be sent to each judge individually at their above addresses. Please mark all packages as "World Fantasy Awards Materials". A file copy of all material must also be sent to WFA Administrator Peter D. Pautz, 4525 164th St. SW #EE102, PO Box 1666, Lynnwood, WA 98046-1666.
Qualifications: All books must have been published in 1998; magazines must have a 1998 cover date; only living authors and editors are eligible.
Fantasy Types: All fantasy is eligible, from supernatural horror to Tolkienesque to sword & sorcery to the occult to children's and YA books, and beyond.
Categories: Life Achievement; Best Novel; Best Novella (10,001 to 40,000 words); Best Short Story; Best Anthology; Best Collection; Best Artist; Special Award - Professional; Special Award - Non-Professional. Please note that the nominees in the Life Achievement category will not be publicized; only the winner's name will be anounced at the awards banquet.
We have allocated most of the tables we expect to have available in the Dealers' Room. A small "waiting list" is being kept. Detailed mailings will be sent directly to the dealers. For information, write to us at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Dealers", or send email to info@noreascon.org.
The following dealers will be present:
|
b. brown & assoc.
| J-J Books
Klon's Interplanetary Books Janet Kofoed Jewelry Erin McKee Charles F. Miller, Publisher, Inc. NESFA Press Niekas Publications Old Earth Books Kimball M. Rudeen Books Sign of the Unicorn Larry Smith, Bookseller Tachyon Publications W. C. Thornton Tigereyes Press J. Arthur Vaughan R F Wald Whispers Press Willow Zarlow |
A mailing was sent in mid-April 1999. The WFC Art Show is juried (the only exception is that artists who've exhibited in any of the latest three WFC shows, and the artist guests of previous WFC, need not submit slides). If you are interested, write to us for details at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Art Show", or send email to info@noreascon.org.
25th World Fantasy Convention Membership List.
25th World Fantasy Convention Membership Registration Form
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