Norwescon 1 Program Book
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Norwescon
March 25 & 26, 1978
Sponsored by Northwest Science Fiction Society
Copyright (c) 1978 by the Northwest Science Fiction Society, for the Contributors.
Table of Contents
[Omitted]
Programming Schedule
THE FOLLOWING PHENOMENA WILL ALL TAKE PLACE IN ROOM 747A unless otherwise noted:
Friday, March 24, 1978
8:00 PM - Opening Party (In Hospitality Suite, Rms. 207 & 209) Solemn ceremony involving the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol.
12:00 PM - Special Sneak Preview Film Showing (in Room 747B) of something that you can see later in the con at a saner hour.
Saturday, March 25, 1978
8:00 AM - Registration Desk awakens, yawns (Lobby)
9:00 AM - Dealer Room Opens. Rabid collectors rush in. (Rooms 727/737)
10:00 AM - Film Room Opens. Celluloid addicts disappear into its maw, and are never heard from again. (Room 747B)
10:00 AM - Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Science Fiction Fandom But Were Afraid to Ask presentation. Clever slideshow followed by panel discussion between hardcore representatives of various fannish pursuits. (Indispensible for neofans yet entertaining for the rest of you).
11:15 AM - Guest of Honor Interview Theodore Sturgeon is interrogated unmercifully by Bob Brown.
12:15 PM - History of the Brass Bra. Nostalgic slide show of SF Pulp Cover Art from the Golden Age.
1:00 PM - How I Construct My Aliens. Panel of notorious authors (and an artist) tell how they make their little green men, give lessons on the care and feeding of little green men, and maybe even fabricate a few right before your very eyes!
2:30 PM - Meet-the-Authors Autograph Party (Upstairs in the 11th Floor Cocktail Lounge) Fifteen or so fascinating authors will scribble on their books for us and answer all our dumb questions. Books by attending authors will be available in exchange for money during the party, and a no host bar will be provided. Buy your favorite author a belt!
2:30 PM - Space Sciences Update. Slideshow covering recent developments in astronomy and space sciences, narrated by Dennis Pernaa.
3:15 PM - Life on Other Worlds. Panel of scientists and authors discuss the probability of life elsewhere in the universe, and speculate on the forms it might take.
6:00 PM - A screening of the film The Day the Earth Stood Still, which most of us will miss if we hope to have a meal this day.
8:00 PM - Masquerade and Miscellaneous Entertainments. Costume Show and other assorted amusements.
10:30 PM - Seattle in ‘81 Bidding Party. The Northwest Science Fiction Society tries to buy your Worldcon vote with liquor, fast women (or men, as the case may be)…and finger food?
Sunday, March 26, 1978
8:00 AM - Registration opens (maybe)
9:00 AM - Easter Egg Hunt Commences. There will be plastic Easter Eggs hidden in any or all of the rooms in which NORWESCON programming is scheduled. Inside most of these you will find a tiny morsel of carbohydrate nourishment. However, a few will hold a code number corresponding to a door prize, which could be anything from a free presupporting membership in Seattle in ‘81 to a NORWESCON T-shirt. To redeem your Easter Egg, drop by the hospitality suite any time after 6:00 PM on Sunday.
9:00 AM - Dealer Room Opens (727/737). A few die-hard collectors and even some of the dealers themselves actually show up at this hour!
9:00 AM - Film Room Opens (747B). The denizens are awakened in their seats for today’s celluloid ration.
10:30 AM - Northwest Science Fiction Community: Is There One? Panel of professional writers, publishers and booksellers discuss its purported existence.
11:30 AM - Gender in the Year 2200. Panel discussion on cultural revolution thru science fiction.
11:30 AM - Artists Demonstration (747B) Local artists conduct informal live-action exhibitions and answer your questions.
1:00 PM - Luncheon Banquet. Succulent braised beef tips garnished with silver tongued speechifying and topped with a generous helping of absurd awards. (Tickets available for $6 at registration).
4:00 PM - Space Industrialization Slide Show and Panel Discussion with Northwest L-5 Society representatives and aerospace industry spokesmen, discussing near-term opportunities for the colonization and industrialization of space to pay its own way.
4:00 PM - Art Auction (Rooms 107 & 109) Starving artists cackle hysterically as stubborn art fanciers bid up their works to astronomical prices!
6:30 PM - Trivia Bowl. Teams of people whose minds are cluttered with the most incredible flotsam and jetsam vie for toss-up and bonus questions amid blinking lights and buzzers.
8:30 PM - Guest-of-Honor Reading: Theodore Sturgeon reads from an unpublished work.
9:00 PM - Dead-Sasquatch Party in Hospitality Suite (Rms 207/209)
Tapes
Tape recordings of all program events are available from:
David MacDonald
[address omitted]
Cassettes - $4 per 90 minutes
Reel to Reel - $12 per 6 hours (Minimum order)
Also available: Dimension X, X Minus One, and other old radio classics.
AD: There is no truth to the rumor…
that Seattle would be a bad place to hold the World Science Fiction Convention in 1981 because there’s bigfoots in the basement.
You see, in 1889, Seattle had a fire so big, it made the little thingie that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow started in Chicago look like a weenie roast. They decided to clean up the mess by burying the old city and starting again, from the ground up.
Well, somebody’s been spreading stories that there’s a race of troglodyte inhabitants in the famous Seattle Underground who come out at night to forage for nuts and berries, and that they are responsible for the numerous Sasquatch sightings of late.
They’re probably spreading those rumors because they can’t find anything else negatory to say about Seattle’s bid…with a better-than-adequate site reserved, con-committee experience on no less than eleven previous Worldcons at this writing…and we do not have Bigfoots in the basement!
But we do have a good convention in planning. Write to: WORLDCON SEATTLE 1981 [address omitted] for more information. SASE’s are nice.
Pre-supporting memberships $1.00 or 6,000 lbs. of nuts and berries.
Saturday Film Schedule
9:00 AM The Day the Earth Stood Still
11:00 AM Robinson Crusoe on Mars
1:00 PM Animation: Art in Motion (Ciberneticks 5.3 / The Critic / Experiments in Motion Graphics / Synchromy / A World is Born (From Disneys Fantasia) / Evolution / Megalopolis / Closed Mondays / Rainbow Pass)
3:00 PM Five Million Years to Earth
5:00 PM FILM ROOM CLOSES FOR ONE HOUR
6:00 PM The Day the Earth Stood Still
8:00 PM FILM ROOM CLOSES FOR MASQUERADE
11:00 PM On the Beach
Sunday Film Schedule
9:00 AM Five Million Miles to Earth
10:45 AM The Witches of Salem
11:30 AM FILM ROOM CLOSED FOR ARTISTS’ DEMO
1:00 PM Potpourri (Discovering Electronic Music / K-9000: A Space Oddity / Eat the Sun)
2:25 PM Things to Come
4:00 PM Robinson Crusoe on Mars
6:00 PM Space Travel: The Prophesy and the Reality (A Trip to the Moon / Man in Space / Moon Walk / Reflections in Space / Space: Beyond Tomorrow / Space Place)
9:00 PM The Day the Earth Stood Still
Continuous Programming
Film Room hours
Saturday 9 am thru 2 am
Sunday 9 am thru 12 PM
Art Room Hours
Saturday: 10 am thru 6 pm
Sunday: 10 am thru 1 pm (auction 4 pm to 5 pm)
Dealer Room Hours
Saturday: 9 am thru 6 pm
Sunday: 9 am thru 6 PM
Hospitality Suite
Friday - Opens 6 pm
Saturday - Opens 9 am
Sunday - Opens 9 am, Closed during Banquet
Games Room
Friday - Opens 6 pm
Saturday - Opens 9 am
Sunday - Open 9 am (Closed during banquet)
GAMES ROOM in room 207 will feature computer games and continuous video tape showings.
Personal home micro-computer systems are a fast-growing entertainment rage. Besides doing math drills, storing receipt files, computing moon orbits, and balancing a checkbook, micro-computers also play very clever games. In addition to several micro-computers, the games room has terminals connected to larger computer systems.
Video tapes of old science fiction movies, “Prisoner” episodes, and other special features will be shown continuously. Science Fiction and fantasy board games, and maybe a D & D game, are also available for playing.
ART ROOM in room 107-109 displays the finest works of Northwest artists. Science fiction and fantasy art has a growing recognition as a viable art form. However, this art is rarely displayed other than at science fiction conventions. Here is a chance to enjoy, enjoy!
Many of the works on show will be for sale. Write-in bids will be accepted throughout the show, and a voice bid auction will occur at the end of the convention. Minimum bids may be set by the artists.
HOSPITALITY SUITE: No matter how enjoyable a con is, there are still sometimes hectic, high-pressure moments when one feels a need to escape, to find a place of quiet. The hospitality suite is that place. Whether you wish to only sit and relax, have a sip of coffee or tea, rendevous with old friends, or make new ones, the hospitality suite will be open soon after 9 AM each day, to be closed during the day only during the banquet, 1-4 PM Sunday. Beginning soon after 10 PM Saturday and 9 PM Sunday, the hospitality suite will also be the site of parties sponsored by the Northwest Science Fiction Society. Some food, wine, and beer will be available at the Bidding Party Saturday. For the Dead Dog Party Sunday, bring your own, and collapse in comfort and good company.
Masquerade Instructions
Participants in the Norwescon masquerade should sign up in advance at the registration desk before 6:00 PM on Saturday.
For those who need a dressing and make-up room, room 206 (next to the Hospitality Suite) will be available from 5:30 to 6:30 PM on Saturday.
Please come in costume at 7:30, a half hour before the masquerade, to the hallway in back of the 747 rooms (where you go into the film room). You should have with you a 3 x 5 note card giving your name and whatever information you want the emcees to read about your costume. You will be escorted to the stage and back to the staging area by Norwescon personnel.
Emcees for the Masquerade are Karrie Dunning and Greg Bennett. Don’t hesitate to contact Karrie before the event if you have any questions.
Judges will be artist William Warren and several of our guest celebrities. Certificates, signed by the judges, will be awarded to the best costumes.
Guest of Honor Theodore Sturgeon
[Reprinted work by Ray Bradbury omitted.]
The foregoing is the introduction from Theodore Sturgeon’s first book, Without Sorcery. Though written precisely 30 years ago (and thus preceeding most of Sturgeon’s best work) Ray Bradbury’s words from midcentury best capture the magical vitality of Sturgeon’s writing.
Although Theodore Sturgeon is probably best known for his classic novel More Than Human (published in 17 languages), it is his exquisite, gemlike short stories that have most contributed to the literary development of modern science fiction. Always years ahead of his time, Sturgeon’s depth of characterization and his exploration of emotion and the human condition have influenced many of today’s popular science fiction and fantasy writers.
Theodore Sturgeon currently resides in Los Angeles with his “keeper”, Lady Jayne. He appears to be continuously involved in a variety of fascinating projects, the next of which will be an extended trip to France starting later this spring, where he will write the screenplay for More Than Human.
Theodore Sturgeon Bibliography (Books Only)
Without Sorcery, Prime Press, 1948 (Reprinted as Not Without Sorcery, Ballantine)
The Dreaming Jewels, Greenburg, 1950 (Reprinted as The Synthetic Man, Pyramid, 1957)
E Pluribus Unicorn, Abelard Press, 1953
More Than Human, Farrar, Straus & Young, 1953
A Way Home, Funk & Wagnalls, 1955
I, Libertine, (as Frederick R. Ewing), Ballantine, 1956
Thunder and Roses, Michael Joseph (London), 1957
The Cosmic Rape, Dell, 1958
A Touch of Strange, Doubleday, 1958
Aliens 4, Avon, 1959
Beyond, Avon, 1960
Venus Plus X, Pyramid, 1960
Some of Your Blood, Ballantine, 1961
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Pyramid, 1961
Sturgeon in Orbit, Pyramid, 1964
Two Complete Theodore Sturgeon Science Fiction Novels Galaxy Magabook #3, 1965
The Joyous Invasions, Gollancz (London), 1965
Starshine, Pyramid, 1966
Sturgeon is Alive and Well…, Putnam, 1971
The Worlds of Theodore Sturgeon, Ace, 1972
To Here and the Easel, Gollancz (London), 1973
Sturgeon’s West, Doubleday, 1973
Case and the Dreamer, Signet, 1974
Forthcoming
Two new collections of previously uncollected stories (Fall, 1978)
Novelization of When You Care, When You Love (1979)
GODBODY (Magnum Opus - To be decided)
John Berry
John Berry stands at a perfectly reasonable height, and has done so for several years. I’m not really sur what effect this altitude has had on his career, but I suspect that the rarified atmosphere has contributed to such notable Berryzines as Hitchhike, Foolscap, Paper Soul, and (with Ted White) Egoboo.
This is not to suggest that John is one-dimensional, the one dimension being up. He has unsuspected depths as well. Who else, for example (with the possible exception of his co-editor, Calvin Demmon), would create a weekly fanzine filled with casual ramblings about San Francisco, his own life, and fandom in general, and call it Hot Shit? For more weeks than one can count (unless one has six fingers on each hand, and a similar number of toes) John and Calvin wrote about themselves, each other, everybody else, everything in general, and nothing at all, while continuing to be witty and literate.
That was the “San Francisco Period”. During what John seldom refers to as his “Virginia Period”* John also conducted “The Clubhouse” in Amazing Stories, and is thereby responsible for dragging (in some cases while they kicked and screamed) several people into the wonderful world of fanac. John’s distinctive style of fanzine reviewing was opinionated and subjective—and interesting enough that people who had never even heard of fanzines found themselves sending off sticky quarters to people they hand never even met.
Meanwhile, John has continued to cheerfully amble towards a career, writing the type of personal journalistic material he likes to read. He couples a degree in history with an interest in people, a juxtaposition which has led to sales to The People’s Almanac and to newspapers in the U.S. and Canada.
John is also the only editor I know who has operated an ice cream concession in France, bought rugs in a Turkish Bazaar, and driven from Palo Alto, California to Carson City, Nevada for the sole purpose of buying a decent burrito.**
That’s John D. Berry, your Fan Guest of Honor: Traveling Jiant, Famous Fan Ed, Starving Writer. I think you’ll enjoy meeting him.
— Loren MacGregor
* Actually, he never refers to it as his “Virginia Period”. But considering that he never refers to his San Francisco period as his “San Francisco Period” either, I consider the point academic. This has been an official footnote.
** If you ask him, he’ll tell you the burrito was wretched.
Toastmaster Alan E. Nourse
Although a practicing physician in North Bend, Washington, for many years, Alan E. Nourse has somehow found the time to write many fine stories and no less than 42 books! The books have ranged from medical texts like The Family Medical Guide to science books like Universe, Earth and Atom, to the following science fiction titles:
Trouble on Titan
A Man Obsessed
Rocket to Limbo
Scavengers in Space
Star Surgeon
The Invaders are Coming (with J.A. Meyer)
Tiger by the Tail
Raiders from the Rings
The Counterfeit Man
The Universe Between
PSI-High and Others
The Mercy Men
℞ for Tomorrow
The Bladerunner
Dr. Nourse’s major new medical novel, The Practice, will be published in April.
Poul Anderson
Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Poul Anderson is the author of too damn many fince science fiction and fantasy novels to list here. However, it is books like Brain Wave, Three Hearts and Three Lions, The High Crusade, and Tau Zero that prompted Harlan Ellison to write, “the man is incapable of writing a dull word!”. Some of Poul Anderson’s long out-of-print earlier works are currently being reprinted by Ace Books. Anderson is also the author of a speculative ‘science’ book entitled Is There Life on Other Worlds?
J. F. Bone
J.F. Bone, a resident of Corvallis, Oregon, is the author of THE LANI PEOPLE, THE MEDDLERS, and LEGACY. Another novel, THE MATADOR, is due to be published later this year.
Mildred Downey Broxon
Mildred Downey Broxon has had a number of stories published in original anthologies, some of which have been re-printed in Best-of-the-Year anthologies. She has recently finished her first book, a fantasy novel entitled TOO LONG A SACRIFICE. Mildred Downy Broxon is also the current vice-president of the Science Fiction Writers of America.
F. M. Busby
F.M. Busby is the author of numerous science fiction stories which have appeared in magazines, original anthologies and best-of-the-year anthologies. His published novels are CAGE A MAN and its sequel THE PROUD ENEMY, plus the epic RISSA KERGUELLEN. His next published novel, ALL THESE EARTHS, will be available at this year’s Worldcon, where “Buzz” will be toastmaster. He has sold an additional S.F. novel entitled ZELDE M’TANA and has recently finished a suspense novel.
Vonda N. McIntyre
Vonda N. McIntyre became the youngest Nebula Award recipient with her short story OF MIST AND SAND AND GRASS. Her first novel, THE EXILE WAITING, was a Science Fiction Book Club selection. Her new novel, DREAMSNAKE, which is an enlargement of the Nebula-winning story, will be published shortly in hardcover.
Harold Warner Munn
Harold Warner Munn’s early work was published in Weird Tales magazine in the 1920’s, and he was acquainted with many of the other Weird Tales authors, including H.P. Lovecraft. His works include The Werewolf of Ponkert, King of the World’s Edge, Ship from Atlantis, The Banner of Joan, Merlin’s Ring, and Merlin’s Godson.
Oscar Rossiter
Oscar Rossiter is the pseudonym of a Seattle doctor whose well-received first science fiction novel, Tetrasomy Two, was a Frederick Pohl selection in paperback. He has just completed a second novel entitled The A.C. Scrolls.
Alex Schomburg
Alex Schomburg did his first color magazine covers for Hugo Gernsback in 1925 and continued to work for Gernsback through 1965. He did many black and white story illustrations for detective, Western, mystery, sports, love, and science fiction pulp magazines. In the late 1940’s, 50’s, and 60’s he painted covers for such magazines as Amazing, Fantastic, Startling, Wonder, Galaxy, Future, F. & S.F., and Satellite. Schomburg also illustrated the entire Winston series of juvenile S.F., did over 400 comic book covers, and worked briefly with Stanley Kubrick on the film 2001, A Space Odyssey. His work is currently appearing in Asimov’s S.F. Magazine, F. & S.F., and Analog.
Jody Scott
Jody Scott is the author of PASSING FOR HUMAN, a satire on contemporary society and science fiction.
Sydney J. Van Scyoc
Joyce Van Scyoc is the author of the popular science fiction novels Saltflower, Assignment Nor’Dyren, Starmother, and Cloudcry. She has recently completed a new novel, Sunwave.
John Varley
In the few short years since the publication of his first story in 1974, John Varley has become a perennial contributor to best-of-the-year anthologies and to Hugo and Nebula award ballots, including two nominees on last year’s final Hugo ballot for Best Novelette. His highly-regarded first novel, The Ophiuchi Hotline, was the premier selection of the new “Quantum” series of high quality science fiction, and his first collection, entitled Persistence of Vision, will also be published soon by Quantum. John Varley’s second novel, Titan, is scheduled for publication this fall.
Observations on the Oogenesis of the Northwest Science Fiction Society
by Stephen T. Bard
At something called “SeaCon ‘76”, whilst skulking amongst vast mounds of comic books in search of an elusive science fiction collectible, I chanced upon a little scrap of paper purporting to organize a “Northwest Science Fiction Society”.
“Preposterous and pretentious” I thought sneeringly. A regional science fiction society germinating in our midst, totally unbeknownst to the venerable “Nameless Ones”? (That grand old monthly convocation of intrepid and decrepit fans, published and would-be writers, book junkies and their connections, plus other assorted oddities).
I steadfastly resolved not to send this Gregory R. Bennett fellow the 25¢ that he had the gaul to solicit from me for an initial “newsletter”…
Curiosity!! My great frustration at the lack of interest among the Nameless Ones in sponsoring conventions and other S.F. activities was tantalized by this bold message from terra incognita (Lands East of the Big Lake).
So, after steadfastly resolving not to get my hopes up, I taped my little coin onto a skeptical little note inquiring as to the predicted doings of this alleged science fiction “society”, and entrusted it to my postman with the usual prayer.
In due course I received a short newsletter and a curt reply to my inquiry, stating that of course the Northwest Science Fiction Society planned to do things; that is it’s purpose!
Now, while this was what I wanted to hear, I brought a “show me” attitude to the first meeting of the Society. Although there were only three attendees besides the organizers, and although this Greg Bennett was obviously suffering from delusions of grandeur (he was already talking about putting on a Worldcon!), he exuded an unmistakable aura of calm competence and leadership, and he certainly had no dearth of enthusiasm.
In due course Greg was elected dictator of this otherwise Democratic body (nobody else was masochistic enough to want the job) and the rest, as they say, is history…
During its first year the fledgeling Society has published its informative and entertaining monthly newsletter without missing an issue.
At something called SeaCon-77, the Society appropriated enough hotel space to practice all the non-financial aspects of convention organizing and had a grand time in the process.
Last fall NWSFS (pronounced “NOOS-fuss)” organized a ‘phone patch from a back yard in Kenmore to the World Science Fiction Convention in Miami, Florida, and listened live to the banquet speeches and Hugo Awards presentation. When it was announced that NWSFS was listening in, we were greeted with applause from the entire throng there in Miami, and when toastmaster Robert Silverberg later quipped “Are there really a bunch of people in Seattle listening to all this?!” we all grinned ridiculously.
And now, a little more than a year after its founding, NWSFS has over 140 newsletter-subscribing members, it operates a book service, providing new books to members at a 20% discount, and it has published two issues of its clubzine entitled “Hydrazine”.
You may have noticed that you are now attending “NORWESCON”, a conservative “first-convention”, also sponsored by the Northwest Science Fiction Society. This madness is expected to recur every spring, in increasing quality, providing that the con-committee members don’t end up in an asylum in the meanwhile.
The Society is also sponsoring a chartered bus to this year’s World Science Fiction Convention, “Iguanacon” in Phoenix, Arizona, and is very actively bidding for a Worldcon of our own in Seattle in 1981 (which even the most inveterate skeptics are beginning to take seriously).
If you think that the Northwest Science Fiction Society has something to offer you (and you it), drop by to one of our monthly meeting/parties and check it out.
Society memberships, which include a subscription to the monthly newsletter, are available at $5.00 yearly at:
NWSFS
P.O. Box 24207
Seattle, WA 98124
Naming the Convention
Norwescon’s name goes beyond just reflecting the name of its sponsoring organization, the Northwest Science Fiction Society. This name was chosen also to honor one of the first major events in science fiction fandom in the Northwest: the 1950 World Science Fiction Convention, which was held in Portland, Oregon. In this small way, our Northwest Regional pays tribute to the pioneers of Northwestern fandom, and to the early fans who sponsored Norwescon in Portland in 1950, and who sponsored Seacon in Seattle in 1961.
AD: PSST CON-III
The Third Annual Star Trek Convention of one of the 3 largets Star Trek Clubs in the Entire United States!
Harlan Ellison
Nichelle “Uhura” Nicholls
George “Sulu” Takei
Bjo Trimble
Susan Sackett
Bill Malone and for certain, Robby the Robot!
Star Trek Episodes • A Boy And His Dog • War of the Worlds • THX-1138 • The Day the Earth Stood Still • West World • Much More!
Costume Contest (Clothes Encounters of the Third Con) and other contests…Cash Prizes!
9:AM to 11:PM Sunday, April 16 at the Seattle Center North Court. Call [omitted] or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Puget Sound Star Trekkers [address omitted]
Restaurant Listing
[omitted]
AD: V-CON VI
SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION
VANCOUVER, B.C.
Gage Residence, U.B.C.
MAY 26-28, 1978
A. E. VAN VOGT - GOH
SUSAN WOOD - FAN GOH
Rates: $8.00 at the door
Room rates:
Single - $12/day
Suites
Single - $24/day
Twin - $31/day
(Suites have kitchens)
Norwescon members
[omitted]
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the time and effort put forth by the many people who worked on this convention. Among these many are our own Chairman, Greg Bennett, Jane Hawkins, Richard Wright, Bill Warren, Gordon Erickson, Cliff Wind and his pet carrot, Bob Doyle, Karrie Dunning, Becky Bennett, Steve Bard, Lauraine Miranda, Elizabeth Warren, Dave Bray, Ed Thorburn, Pat Mallinson, Dave MacDonald, Lance Kittamura, Ray Bradbury, and Bellevue Graphics (for making this program book possible).
We also express our gratitude for the heartwarming support given us by the authors, artists and panelists on this, our first Northwest Science Fiction Convention.