Hello All,

Welcome to the latest update for events occurring at the SF Discussion Group. As many of you know, jan has left for his walkabout around the country. In his absence, i will attempt to keep you apprised of our activities.

News: Last month we alerted you to a visit by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague in Schenectady. Due to the bad weather, Jane Yolen was unable to make her scheduled signings. She intends to reschedule for sometime in Fall 2003.

On Wednesday, 9 April 2003 we once again welcomed Julie Czerneda. Julie discussed her new book Hidden in Sight and gave some new readers an overview of her academic books.

On Thursday, 10 April 2003 we welcomed back Walter H. Hunt for a special signing event. Walter discussed The Dark Path and Fans were invited to participate in a wide ranging discussion on aspects of the characters and their environments.

At 2:00pm on Sunday, 8 June 2003 the ALBACON concom will hold a meeting at the home of Christopher Ford, 310 Locust Avenue, Amsterdam, NY 12010; 518-842-7657; fcs@firstduty.com. Everyone is welcome. For directions, if needed, please call or email Chris. Note that the May meeting has been cancelled!

On Wednesday, 14 May 2003 we will meet at 7:00 PM over at Flights for an open discussion on Science Fiction. Have you seen the Internet ads and spam for 3000+ talking books on CD-ROM for minimal $. Is this legal? Are the original authors getting their share of the profits? Is there an appropriate response to online scams? We'll also be discussing any of books that you've read recently. And bring ideas for authors you'd like to see visit the area.

For signings at the Flights of Fantasy Bookstore, 488 Albany-Shaker Road, Loudonville, NY 12211; +1-800-300-READ; fof@nycap.rr.com & http://www.fof.net/. Also check: http://www.lastsfa.org/lastsfa_calendar.html.

Please drop by the LASTSFA web site at http://www.lastsfa.org/. It has lots of good stuff on it, including a number of neat links & a calendar of events. Please join LASTSFA and help support our efforts to bring in speakers. Your financial support helps make these speakers possible. Talk to us! Send us money! Don't just sit there! Make it happen! Full Membership - $10; Student - $5; Family - $25 Send name, address, and check or money order to LASTSFA, P.O. Box 2085, Albany, NY 12220-0085, USA.

Drop by the ALBACON web site at http://www.albacon.org/. You can see some pictures taken at ALBACON 97, 98, 99, Y2K, 01, & 02. Get a look at the great happenings that went on. SF cons are not a spectator sport. Participate in one of the best cons running. Have you joined ALBACON 03? If not, why not? You can go to our web site http://www.albacon.org/ and register there. DO IT TODAY!!! ALBACON 03 can't succeed without your involvement. ALBACON '03 registration is currently only $35 thru 13 September 03. Such a deal! Get a friend to come with you! If you are going to a con, bring the ALBACON 03 registration form with you and get someone to join.

Are you a gamer? Well, join us and help with the gaming portion of ALBACON, tyger@nycap.rr.com. You can join ALBACON 03 for a reduced rate if all you wish to do is game.

Prydonians of Princeton, meeting in Lawrenceville, NJ, will have on Saturday, 10 May 2003, Bob Walters; and on Saturday, 7 June 2003, Ian Randal Strock as their guest speakers. For more info contact the Pydonians at prydonians@aol.com or call 609-448-9062.

Middle-earth Travel Alert: Dear Hobbits, Elves, & Wizards, This is a Middle-earth Travel Alert: Janet Coyle of Pacific Pathways Tours, http://www.pacificpathways.com/, & a native New Zealander, is arranging a tour of Peter Jackson's New Zealand over 7-25 January 2004. Michael Stanton will be the tour scholar. He is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Vermont. Among the courses he taught was one on "The Lord of the Rings". He is the author of "Hobbits, Elves & Wizards" from Palgrave/Macmillan. [This service brought to you by the Numenorean Travel Agency. Please reference NTA when booking your reservations. Thank you. Yours sincerely, Numenorean Travel Agency, ATTN: Thain Peregrin Took II, 1 Minas Tirith Blvd., Osgiliath, C.o.t.S. 100002, Gondor, R.K.].

Nota Bene: In order to save some costs we need your help. If you are getting this via snail mail, please let me know if you have an eddress. We will send updates to you via the net. On the other hand if you don't wish to receive this at all, please let me know.

Looking forward to seeing you at the meetings.

Yours sincerely,

Christopher J. Ford
LASTSFA
PO Box 2085
Albany NY 12220 USA +1-518-842-7657
fcs@firstduty.com

ALBACON 03, 10-12 October 2003, Schenectady, NY, USA; committee@albacon.org The SF Con!

Save the Yaminon! http://www.yaminon.org/. [Listen to the music, see the pics!]

If you are interested, you can find a summary of jan's travels in Australia up thru its end on 4 FEB 2000 at http://www.lastsfa.org/finder/wombats_wanderings.html