Loc on Ansible 447-449 (Dave Langford, ed.)
Dear David:
It is that time of the year, three Ansibles are together in my fanzine IN box, 447, 448, and 449 for the last three months of this year. Add it all together, and here’s a loc on all three issues.
447… We all know by now that Samantha Harvey did indeed win this year’s Booker Prize for Orbital, thereby proving that good writing can transcend the critics’ harsh words about SFFH. Go, us!
A shame about Uncle Johnny. I enjoyed his fanzines, and his words. I will look into that proposed collection. That list keeps threatening to overcome the whole zine, or at least push it to a third page.
You may have seen words on Facebook from Steve Davidson about reviving Amazing Stories in its original magazine format. I am definitely there for that, and hope I am around to see this revival, and its success. Eyes open and fingers crossed.
448… From what I have gleaned from the various Facebook pages, it looks like the charges against Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki were mistaken, and he may be reinstated. Looks like it all may have been misunderstandings. I don’t know for sure, I hope it’s all cleared up soon, and he can return to SFWA and other responsibilities. More and more, I agree with Alan Moore on his opinions about fandom. Still lots positive, and lots negative, too.
Worldcon…I do not think we will be able to go to a Seattle Worldcon, not enough saved after our trips to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY, for the NASFiC and World Fantasy Convention respectively. However, we do have pre-supports for LAconV in Anaheim, and Montreal in 2027, so the end of our convention-attending lives are in sight. Edmonton in 2030 sounds good, but I am not sure I’ll be around then.
WFC awards…Premee Mohamed is Canadian, lives in Edmonton, and I think her WFC Award-winning collection of stories was published by Undertow Press, a small publisher from Pickering, Ontario, just east of Toronto. This was a pleasant surprise; I hadn’t heard of either Premee nor Undertow, but now, everyone has.
Alvin Rakoff used to discuss film and television on the CBC here years ago. I remember wondering where he went, figuring his contract has expired. I regret his passing.
449… I hope we won’t be blaming ChatGPT or any other AI system for crapulent writing. That, we can do ourselves, thank you very much! We want AI to do the cooking and laundry, not the writing.
Phil Rickman…any relation to Alan? I still see tributes to Alan Rickman long after his passing. The extensive RIP file every issue continues to amaze and depress.
I must try the London Zoom on a third Thursday. I doubt I will ever be able to return to The Bishop’s Finger, so virtually will have to do.
All done for the time. I have some comments on issue 450, but I think I will save those for the next time. We hope your Christmas and New Year’s were fine times, and I hope you got our Christmas card. The postal strike here screwed up schedules galore. See you in the spring.
Yours, Lloyd Penney.