Hello All,

Welcome to the latest update for events occurring at the SF Discussion Group.

News: The anthology "Stars: Stories Based on the Lyrics of Janis Ian", hits bookstores in the US on August 5th. For more information, see http://www.janisian.com/.

At 2:00pm on Sunday, 10 August 2003 the ALBACON concom will hold a meeting at Flights of Fantasy, 488 Albany-Shaker Road, Loudonville, NY 12211; fof@fof.net or 1-800-300-READ for directions. Everyone is welcome. October is not that far away and additional help or ideas are always welcomed.

On Wednesday, 11 June 2003 we met at 7:00 PM over at Flights for an open discussion on Science Fiction. We covered several books as well as some movies. Paul Martens announced that the anthology Final Flesh was coming out.

On Wednesday, 9 July 2003 we met at 7:00 PM over at Flights for our monthly discussion. Paul Martens, a long time member and "Writers of the Future" award winner, read from his story in the new zombie anthology Final Flesh. An open discussion on the Albacon Science Fiction Convention preceded the reading.

On Wednesday, 30 July 2003 we welcomed Laurence Howard for a discussion of his new book The Identity of Diaconis Eprom published in February by Creative Arts.

On Wednesday, 13 August 2003 we will meet at 7:00 PM over at Flights for an open discussion on Science Fiction. What have you been reading? What gems have you found that others should read? Bring ideas for authors you'd like to see visit the area.

On Wednesday, 20 August 2003 LASTSFA and Flights of Fantasy will present an evening with Kristen Britain. We will be discussing her new book First Rider's Call due out in August 2003 and sequel to Green Rider. For those interested, please join us for dinner with the author. We will meet at the store at 4:51pm and return by 7:00pm for the event.

On Wednesday, 10 September 2003 LASTSFA and Flights of Fantasy will present an evening with Ryk Spoor. We will be discussing his new book Digital Knight to be published by Baen and available in September 2003. For those interested, please join us for dinner with the author. We will meet at the store at 4:51pm and return by 7:00pm for the event.

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, Contact Walter Wedenbine at tyger@nycap.rr.com. You can join ALBACON 03 for a reduced rate if all you wish to do is game.

For information on the Prydonians of Princeton, contact them 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; 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