Press Release #22

World Science Fiction Convention to Invade Boston Labor Day Weekend

Noreascon Four

August 7, 2004

Noreascon Four
The 62nd World Science Fiction Convention
P.O. Box 1010
Framingham, MA 01701
info@noreascon.org
http://www.noreascon.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Boston will be invaded Labor Day Weekend. The world's most renowned science fiction and fantasy writers, scientists, artists, editors, filmmakers and fans will descend upon Boston from countries around the world. This diverse gathering, with people from all walks of life, will come together for a celebration of science fiction and fantasy literature, art, music and media.

They will all have one thing in common: stars in their eyes, the future in their dreams, and a sense of wonder in their minds. They will be in Boston, MA to attend the 62nd World Science Fiction Convention, September 2-6.

Confirmed convention attendees will arrive from more than 25 different countries and all 50 of the United States. Even the Guests of Honor are multi-national as well as multi-dimensional: Terry Pratchett and Peter Weston are from the U.K. while Philip Klass (known to several generations of science fiction readers as William Tenn) and Jack Speer live in Pennsylvania and New Mexico, respectively.

Lasting for five days, Noreascon Four will include a wide range of activities including writers reading their own works, popular authors signing their books, numerous simultaneous tracks of programming with demonstrations, debates, speeches and discussions about everything from recent scientific discoveries to alternative histories and the writing secrets of best-selling authors.

In addition, members may enjoy traditional and electronic games; movies; anime and videos; and theatrical performances as well as have the opportunity to participate in intimate kaffeeklatches and "literary beers" with science fiction professionals.

Four science fiction luminaries have been chosen as the 62nd Worldcon's Guests of Honor:

Terry Pratchett is Britain's best-selling living novelist and is the creator of numerous science fiction, young adult and fantasy novels, including the richly humorous "Discworld" series. His delightful and varied writing includes 35 novels, as well as short stories, non-fiction and even a cook book. Recent books, best-sellers in the U.S. and around the world include The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky and The Monstrous Regiment.

William Tenn [the pseudonym for Philip Klass] is both an educator/scholar and a crafter of "mordantly sardonic" short stories. Tenn published his first story in 1946, in Astounding Science Fiction, then the premier magazine of the field. He wrote many short stories, often for Galaxy magazine, throughout the late 40s and early 50s. Among his best-known stories is the chilling "Down Among the Dead Men" (1954), dealing with the use of reanimated corpses as front-line troops in a savage interstellar war. Tenn's sole full-length novel, Of Men and Monsters, serialized in Galaxy in 1963 and published in book form in 1968, deals with an alien-occupied Earth in which humans live, mouse-like, in the walls of the aliens' dwellings. He is emeritus professor of English and comparative literature at the Pennsylvania State University, where he taught a popular course in science fiction. His non-fiction work has recently been collected in a publication which will be available for sale at Noreascon Four.

Jack Speer is one of the "founding dinosaurs" of science fiction fandom, whose influential work includes writing fandom's first history, codifying the "fanspeak" language of fandom, writing the first Fancyclopedia, writing and editing small magazines called fanzines and developing the Fantasy Fiction Decimal Classification.

Peter Weston's fame as a British "fan of all trades" includes founding the longest-lived fan group in the U.K., chairing the 1979 Worldcon in Brighton, England, representing England at American conventions and lovingly creating and editing the fanzine Speculation. His company, in the U.K., also produces the actual rockets for the Hugo Awards.

Other major highlights include:

• The Hugo Awards Ceremony, where science fiction's highest honor will be given to deserving writers, artists, fans and filmakers for work published or displayed in 2003.
• The Art Show, featuring thousands of pieces of artwork, from book covers to sculptures, with a special "Retrospective Art" collection.
• An exhibit hall packed with everything from the scientific to the whimsical.
• More than 150 vendors in the dealers' room selling books, magazines, toys, memorabilia, curio and other "must haves".
• The Masquerade with contestants in beautiful, profound or whimsical costumes.
• Other special evens, including First Night at the Worldcon, the Retrospective Hugo Awards Ceremony (for work published in 1953), Guest of Honor Interviews, major films, studio sneak-peeks, a "One-Man Star Wars" presentation and more.

  The all-volunteer convention has been hosted in recent years by committees in Toronto, Canada (2003); San Jose, California (2002); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2001); Chicago, Illinois (2000); Melbourne, Australia (1999); Baltimore, Maryland (1998) and San Antonio, Texas (1997). The last Worldcon held in Boston was Noreascon Three in 1989.

  Next year's Worldcon, InterAction, will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, UK in August 2005. Columbus, Ohio, USA and Yokohama, Japan are competing for the privilege of hosting the 65th World Science Fiction Convention in 2007.

  "Worldcon committee members like science fiction and fantasy so much that they are willing to volunteer their time to share what they love with the world," said Chairman Deb Geisler, who fit organizing the 5000-person convention around her real job as a professor at Suffolk University. "Fans actually compete for a chance to have a Worldcon in their home town even though that means they have to run it."

  Noreascon Four will be held at the Hynes Convention Center and the Sheraton Boston over Labor Day Weekend. Memberships (full and one day) and other convention information, are available online at www.noreascon.org. Full, attending memberships include all activities during the five days of wonder.

  Noreascon Four: everybody in the worlds will be there!

  Press Credentials for Noreascon Four

  Please let us know if you desire press credentials for Noreascon Four. Credentials will be issued by the Noreascon Four Press Relations Department to officially accredited members of the news media in Room H108 on the ground floor of the Hynes Convention Center, beginning Wednesday, September 1, 2004 from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

  The Press Relations Office will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday.

  The Press Relations Office can arrange for guided tours of the convention, interviews and priority seating at the Hugo Awards Ceremony and Masquerade. No flash or flood photography will be permitted during these events; however, photo opportunities will be available. Details will be available in the Press Office.

  We would appreciate receiving clippings, printed commentaries, reader comments or tapes of all stories about Noreascon Four. You may send copies to the convention address: Noreascon Four, P.O. Box 1010, Framingham, MA USA 01701-1010. Email: pressrelations@noreascon.org. Phone: (508) 331-6765.