So now I see this Director of DASFA gig is a learning experience. Why was I not told of this when I was tricked into volunteering? Somehow things do not always go as planned making it so there are times we need to work on the fly to keep things going. There is actual work involved in doing this director thing.

At our February meeting our guest for the night, Kronda Seibert, was a no show. As it turns out she had been given the correct date but somehow got it in her mind the meeting was week later. A simple mistake that we have all made at times, so it is easily forgiven.

Interested in some fantasy ebooks? Don't want to wrestle with DRM? Want to donate to charity?

Want to set your own price?

Check out The Story Bundle website for an offer to buy eight fantasy novels:

• The Book of Deacon - Books 1 & 2 by Joseph Lallo
• The Second Coming by David H. Burton
• The Duchess of the Shallows by Neil McGarry and Daniel Ravipinto
• Sword and Chant by Blair MacGregor
• The Tormay Trilogy - Books 1 & 2 by Christopher Bunn
• Strange Places by Jefferson Smith

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America announces the nominees for the 2012 Nebula Awards (presented 2013), nominees for the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, and nominees for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Novel

Throne of the Crescent Moon, Saladin Ahmed (DAW; Gollancz ’13)
Ironskin, Tina Connolly (Tor)
The Killing Moon, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
The Drowning Girl, Caitlín R. Kiernan (Roc)
Glamour in Glass, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
2312, Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

Greetings one and all. As the new Grand High Director Potentate Supreme of DASFA for Life or until I step down or am voted out, my understanding is that I am expected to write a little article every month for your entertainment. As this is the first of these articles for me to write, I shall start off by thanking you all for allowing me this chance. This position will help me to recruit forces to combat and soon destroy the infidels.

Many details at http://revelatormagazine.com/from-the-vaults/brattleboro-days-yuggoth-ni...

Gene Wolfe has been chosen as the next recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award this year, although a lot of better verbiage about it is seen on Scalzi's Blog: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/12/13/gene-wolfe-chosen-as-sfwa-grand-ma...

This month Bruce and Sandy will again be hosting the hallowed-in-tradition DASFA Christmas Orgy. Yes, it’s that time of year again already…

The November Dead Dog at our place was fun and a number of folks showed up. Then the December Alternate was a Yuletide celebration at the Cup & Eagle (otherwise known as Mishalak Manor). There were sugarplums and baked yams, hot toddies and a goodly crowd … fun times!

Here's a fun blog to read! Each entry is a bad book cover, some of them really bad, with a bit of commentary, sometimes from the author.

http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk/

Such winners as:

and

Check it out!

After a full weekend of fannish fun at MileHiCon, we’re back to regular meetings. I trust you all had a good time at the con and am always interested to know what people did, what programming they attended and liked, and any ideas they have for next year. We have two Guests of Honor lined up so far--author, filker and Hugo-winning podcaster Seanan McGuire and writer and also Hugo Award-winning podcaster Catherynne M. Valente . (They both are involved with The SF Squeecast.) And New Mexico author and physicist Ian Tregillis will be our toastmaster.

I’m sure everybody remembers that we are not having the regular DASFA meeting this month because we will be at MileHiCon! At the Hyatt Regency DTC October 19-21, we have a full lineup with guests of honor Cherie Priest, CJ Henderson, Steve Brust, artist Stephen Hickman and toastmaster Stephen Graham Jones. Programming starts at 3 pm Friday, so if you can get off work early, do it! The full schedule is up on the con website (www.milehicon.org) for your perusal and planning purposes.