(Progress Report 2 was mailed in April 1999 to members of WFC 1999. This web version has been modified with changes, but please also check the rest of this web site for other additions.)
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The 25th
World Fantasy Convention

Guests of Honor

CHARLES de LINT

LEO & DIANE DILLON

PATRICIA A. McKILLIP

ROBERT SILVERBERG

Special Guest

SAMUEL R. DELANY

Toastmaster

JOHN M. FORD [^] [^]

4-7 November 1999

Providence, Rhode Island USA

Voyages

Progress Report Two

The 25th World Fantasy Convention

Our theme is "Voyages", many and varied. Quests literal, metaphorical, and personal can all be fantasy's roads. We'll talk about journeying and travelers; about territories, maps, and cartographers. We'll talk about the paths of fantasy literature and the evolution of the genre. And we'll trace the first quarter-century of the World Fantasy Convention itself.

We plan to bring you a World Fantasy Convention program of extraordinary power. Look for enlightening panel discussions, readings, and other unique opportunities to examine the enormous domain we call fantasy: items interactive and informative, reflective and refined, meritorious and engaging, tightly-focused yet covering a broad variety of diverse interests and areas....

We already have many exciting ideas, and are soliciting more from people all over the country. If you have suggestions for program topics and/or ideas for who might discuss what, please write to us at our address on page 3 or send email to info@noreascon.org. We regret that, because of the relatively small number of program items and the large number of professionals expected to be attending, we cannot guarantee everyone the opportunity to participate.

We're planning two tracks of program, plus readings, all of the usual events, and a few surprises. We'll have an autograph reception from 8-11pm Friday night. On Saturday evening two proven delightful events--dramatic and musical--on fantasy themes will be performed by an experienced group of players. The 1999 World Fantasy Awards (for the best works of 1998) will be presented at a luncheon banquet on Sunday starting at 1:30pm.

Membership

Attending:
$100 through 31 May 1999
$125 from 1 June 1999 through 15 October 1999
Supporting:
$35 throughout (includes all publications as well as the right to nominate works for the World Fantasy Awards for 1999, 2000, and 2001)

Payment may be made by VISA, MasterCard, or by check payable to "MCFI" (US banks and funds only, please). Use the form on the inside back cover.

How to Reach Us

Massachusetts Convention Fandom, Inc. (MCFI) is a non-profit corporation organized to promote science fiction and fantasy through the sponsorship of conventions and related activities. We can be reached at:

25th WFC c/o MCFI
Post Office Box 1010
Framingham, MA 01701

http://www.mcfi.org/wfc
info@noreascon.org (for general information)

Publisher Liaison

Our publisher liaison will be handling banquet tables, book distribution, hospitality suites, souvenir book advertising, etc. For information, please write to us, "Attn: Publiaison", or send email to info@noreascon.org.

Retrospective Exhibit

We are planning a retrospective exhibit to recall memories and give newer members an idea of the previous World Fantasy Conventions. If you have material that you think might be appropriate and would like to lend this to the convention for display, please write to us, "Attn: Retrospective", or send email to info@noreascon.org.

Souvenir Book

The souvenir book will include Guest of Honor appreciations and work, retrospective essays, and a color portfolio of the work of Leo & Diane Dillon.

If you are interested in advertising in the book, please write to us, "Attn: Souvenir Book", or send email to info@noreascon.org. All advertisements must be "camera ready". We reserve the right to reject any advertisement for esthetic, legal, or ethical reasons. Rates are:

SizeProfessionalFan
Full page (7.5"w x 10"h)$400$90
Half page (7.5"w x 5"h)$250$50

Fan rates are available to other 501(c)(3) conventions and publishing organizations.
Deadline for space reservations: 15 June 1999
Deadline for our receipt of camera-ready ad copy: 15 July 1999

Our Guests

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Charles de Lint has defined the contemporary urban fantasy, in both the real cities of Canada and the imaginary city of Newford, with novels such as Moonheart and Jack the Giant Killer, and several World Fantasy Award nominees including Trader, "Paperjack", and "The Conjure Man".

Leo & Diane Dillon have been creating award-winning fantasy art for over thirty years. Their work, in a wide variety of media, combines contemporary styles with influences from around the world, complementing everything from literate fantasies to folktales for children. They received the Caldecott Award for their artwork for Ashanti to Zulu and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears.
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Patricia A. McKillip's The Forgotten Beasts of Eld won the first World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. She has gone on to bring us dozens of complex characters and worlds representing the best of high fantasy, from the Riddle of Stars trilogy to The Sorceress and the Cygnet, The Book of Atrix Wolfe, Winter Rose, and Song for the Basilisk.

Robert Silverberg has developed the territory outside traditional fantasy with everything from personal-scale works such as The Book of Skulls to Star of Gypsies, To The Land of the Living, and the epic Majipoor chronicles. He is also the founding editor of the New Dimensions series of original anthologies.

Special Guest Samuel R. Delany is known both as an author (The Einstein Intersection, the Nevèrÿon cycle) and as a teacher and scholar; his writings from The Jewel-Hinged Jaw to The New York Review of Science Fiction have extended the boundaries of criticism of fantastic literature.

Toastmaster John M. Ford is the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning The Dragon Waiting and "Winter Solstice: Camelot Station". He is also notorious as the improvising "Ask Dr. Mike", answering questions of science and philosophy with equal aplomb.

The Venue

Rhode Island Convention Center

The RICC is our site for daytime program and hospitality, and for exhibits. All of our space is together on the ballroom level, and is accessible from the street or by connecting corridor from the Westin Hotel. We're working with the RICC to have lunches and snacks available in our space.

Hotels

We are using two hotels. Our main hotel, the Westin Hotel, has a direct connection to the RICC, and will also be the location for evening program, events, and hospitality. The other hotel, the Providence Biltmore, is a 2-3 minute walk from the RICC.

You must be a member of the WFC to receive our group rates. Taxes add 12% to all rates. Please contact the hotels directly to make room reservations.

Westin Hotel 401-598-8000
1 West Exchange Street 401-598-8200 fax
Providence, RI 02903
 Single/Double$129 Rates are in effect from 1 to 10 November 1999
 Triple/Quad$149

Parking for the Westin Hotel is in the Convention Center Garage (a private concession). The parking rates are $8 for a 24-hour day, or $10 for a 24-hour day with in-out privileges. These rates are subject to change without notice, but are current as of 18 March 1999.

All suites in the Westin Hotel must be booked through us. Please contact us at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Publiaison", or send email to info@noreascon.org.

Providence Biltmore 401-421-0700
Kennedy Plaza 401-455-3050 fax
Providence, RI 02903
 Superior Single/Double$99  Rates are in effect from 3 to 8 November 1999
 Junior Suite Single/Double$109
 Parlor Suite Single/Double$159

The parking rate at the Biltmore (it is a smallish private parking garage next to the hotel) is $14 per day for day-only parking, or $10 per day for hotel guests.

Getting There

Air: We have been told that there are travel agents who still don't know that Providence (well, actually Warwick) has its own airport--T.F. Green--with nonstop flights to most of the hub airports in the eastern and central U.S.; given the airport locator code (PVD), you should be able to book a direct or one-connection flight from almost anywhere in the U.S. The airport is at exit 13 off I-95.

Southwest Airlines is the Official Airline of the 25th World Fantasy Convention. We've picked Southwest Airlines because, unlike most of the major carriers, they have substantial service into Providence, instead of serving Providence occasionally as an adjunct to Boston service. (Attendees flying from within the U.S. and Canada are likely to find it easier to make an air connection to Providence, instead of flying to Boston and going on to Providence via ground transportation.) Southwest has informed us that they are willing to co-book with other airlines to provide service from cities that they don't currently serve themselves; we don't know how much the other airlines will cooperate with this.

"Southwest Airlines is offering a 10% discount on most of its already low fares, for travel to and from the 25th World Fantasy Convention. Call (or have your professional travel agent call) the Southwest Airlines Group and Meeting Desk at 1-800-433-5368, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and refer to I.D. Code T8039. Call by no later than five days prior to first date of travel to take advantage of this offer. Call right away, as fares are subject to terms and availability.
"(Because advance bookings are accepted by Southwest only through dates for which schedules have been opened, reservations may not yet be available for confirmation.)
"Travel in or out of Dallas Love Field is subject to the requirements of the Wright Amendment."

The off-hours telephone tape message says that Southwest's groupline hours are 7am-8pm weekdays and 8:30am-5:30pm weekends, Central time.

Southwest books flights approximately six months in advance, so you may not be able to reserve before May. Our discount is available until five days before the start of your travel; if you have to change a flight after that time, you'll be charged the regular fares. Flights may be booked directly with their Group and Meeting Desk or through your travel agent; the discount is not available for "Ticketless Travel".

For our international visitors: The Providence airport is not a port of entry into the United States. Canadian members may be able to clear customs in Canada, flying to Providence on a U.S. or Canadian airline. Members flying across the Pacific can book from their port of entry, much like members from the U.S. Members flying across the Atlantic have two primary choices:

  1. Fly into an eastern-US port of entry and take a US carrier to the Providence airport. Most of these services use propeller aircraft or smaller jets. Some choices are American from New York City (JFK), Continental from Newark (EWR), USAir from Philadelphia (PHL), United from Washington DC (IAD), Southwest from Baltimore (BWI), or various commuter airlines from Boston (BOS).
  2. Fly into Boston (Logan Airport/BOS) and take ground transportation to downtown Providence. NOTE: The highway from Logan to Providence has very heavy traffic from as early as 3pm local time; if you arrive on one of the later trans-Atlantic flights, it may take you significantly longer to get to Providence.

We estimate that the time between clearing customs and arriving at the convention will be about the same for either of these methods.

Rail: The Amtrak Providence station is a long walk or a short taxi ride from the RICC and the hotels. Train information is available at 800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) or http://www.amtrak.com.

Bus: Bonanza Bus Lines runs frequent trips to and from Boston and Logan Airport. Their Providence-area terminal is off I-95, at exit 25 (about two miles from downtown). Bonanza runs a free shuttle from that terminal to downtown Providence, about one block from the hotels. For a bus schedule call 403-751-8800.

Auto: The venue is immediately off I-95 in downtown Providence. Detailed driving directions will be provided in Progress Report 3.

Parking: The rate at the Convention Center Garage (a private concession which also serves the Westin Hotel) is $8 for a 24-hour day, or $10 for a 24-hour day with in-out privileges. The parking rate at the Biltmore (it is a smallish private parking garage next to the hotel) is $14 per day for day-only parking, or $10 per day for hotel guests. These rates are subject to change without notice, but are current as of 18 March 1999.

Providence and Rhode Island and Thereabouts

This is only a small sampling of what is available in the neighborhood.

Providence has strong ties to the fantasy genre. One of Providence's notable citizens was H. P. Lovecraft, who deeply identified with Providence, declaring it the only "livable" city. Seeking to bring the wide-ranging scope of science fiction to the horror genre, Lovecraft was inspired by the Gothic-style College Hill atmosphere and the abundant colonial architecture. Providence was such an important city to Lovecraft that he chose "I Am Providence" as his epitaph.

Providence has many attractions for visitors to explore--museums, theaters, historic sites, colleges and universities, an award-winning zoo, and world-class dining.

Providence is a very walkable city. For more details you can contact the Providence-Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, One West Exchange St., Providence, RI 02903; 800-233-1636 or 401-751-1177, or browse http://www.providencecvb.com or http://www.ProvidenceRI.com/home.html.

For a few suggestions, we offer:

Rhode Island

Newport, RI

Information is available from the Visitor Information Center, 23 America's Cup Ave., Newport RI 02840; 401-849-8048, fax 401-849-0291, and at http://www.riedc.com/mcds/Newport.html#points.

Little Compton, RI

West Warwick and Cranston, RI

Thereabouts

Fall River, MA

Foxboro, MA

World Fantasy Awards and Banquet

Ballot

All members of the 1997, 1998, or 1999 World Fantasy Conventions (London, Monterey, and Providence) are eligible to nominate. You do not need to submit copies of the work to the judges in order to nominate. Ballots must be postmarked by June 30, 1999, to be counted. (The address is on the ballot.)

Banquet

The banquet will begin at 1:30pm Sunday afternoon and will be followed by the Awards presentations. The menu is:

Appetizers:
New England Clam Chowder and Fresh Fruits with Coconut Crème
Salad:
Mixed Seasonal Greens
Entrée (choice of one):
Prime Rib of Beef with Horseradish Cream Sauce
Broiled Salmon Filet with Dill Hollandaise Sauce
Roasted Double Breast of Chicken with Tomato and Tarragon Concasse
Dessert:
Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte--three layers of fudge cake, filled with chocolate mousse, coated with chocolate ganache

You can order your banquet tickets using the form on the inside back cover. The cost is $42/ticket (this includes tax and gratuity). Banquet tickets are available only to convention members.

We can arrange for a vegetarian dinner (same price) if you write to us in advance about it.

Publishers (or others) who wish to purchase an entire table (10 settings) should write to us at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Publiaison", or send email to info@noreascon.org.

Submissions

The judges for the 1999 World Fantasy Awards are:

Gregory Frost
22 Kenilworth Rd., Merion Station, PA 19066-1358
Don Hutchison
585 Merton St., Toronto, Ontario M4S 1B4 CANADA
(N.B. Mailing label must identify submissions as Promotional Material)
Michael Kandel
Modern Language Assn., 10 Astor Pl., New York, NY 10003
Rebecca Ore
3511 Baring St., Apt. 3C, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2416
Al Sarrantonio
106 Heather Cir., Newburgh, NY 12550-5726

Material to be considered by the judges must be sent to each judge individually at their above addresses. Please mark all packages as "World Fantasy Awards Materials". A file copy of all material must also be sent to WFA Administrator Peter D. Pautz, 4525 164th St. SW #EE102, PO Box 1666, Lynnwood, WA 98046-1666.

Qualifications: All books must have been published in 1998; magazines must have a 1998 cover date; only living authors and editors are eligible.

Fantasy Types: All fantasy is eligible, from supernatural horror to Tolkienesque to sword & sorcery to the occult to children's and YA books, and beyond.

Categories: Life Achievement; Best Novel; Best Novella (10,001 to 40,000 words); Best Short Story; Best Anthology; Best Collection; Best Artist; Special Award - Professional; Special Award - Non-Professional. Please note that the nominees in the Life Achievement category will not be publicized; only the winner's name will be anounced at the awards banquet.

Dealers' Room

We have allocated most of the tables we expect to have available in the Dealers' Room. A small "waiting list" is being kept. Detailed mailings will be sent directly to the dealers. For information, write to us at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Dealers", or send email to info@noreascon.org.

The following dealers will be present:

b. brown & assoc.
Bereshith Publishing
Joseph T. Berlant
The Bookie
Chimera Publishing
Cold Tonnage Books
Darlene P. Coltrain
Crossroads Press
Davis Books
DNA Publications
DreamHaven Books
The Fantasy Connection
Richard Fawcett Publisher
Flying Coyote
Gaa Books
Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc.
Henderson's Books
Intergalactic Book Works

J-J Books
Klon's Interplanetary Books
Janet Kofoed Jewelry
Erin McKee
Charles F. Miller, Publisher, Inc.
NESFA Press
Niekas Publications
Old Earth Books
Kimball M. Rudeen Books
Sign of the Unicorn
Larry Smith, Bookseller
Tachyon Publications
W. C. Thornton
Tigereyes Press
J. Arthur Vaughan
R F Wald
Whispers Press
Willow Zarlow

Art Show

A mailing was sent in mid-April 1999. The WFC Art Show is juried (the only exception is that artists who've exhibited in any of the latest three WFC shows, and the artist guests of previous WFC, need not submit slides). If you are interested, write to us for details at our mailing address on page 3, "Attn: Art Show", or send email to info@noreascon.org.

Membership

25th World Fantasy Convention Membership List.

25th World Fantasy Convention Membership Registration Form


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