This month, Rhonda will run the meeting as I will be out of town and unable to attend.

This month, DASFA will host the dynamic writing duo of Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem. The inimitable Ed Bryant will show up to perform toastmaster introductory duties (which may or may not involve newspaper clippings).

This month, we welcome Todd Neff. A former Boulder Daily Camera staff writer (2003-2007) who focused on science and the environment, his book From Jars to the Stars: How Ball Came to Build a Comet-Hunting Machine was published last year. The novel tells the story of how Ball Aerospace—an organization evolved from the Ball Brothers Company of Muncie, Indiana and a group of students in a University of Colorado basement—managed to blast a sizable crater in the comet 9P/Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005.

This month, join Gary Raham for his presentation, “Wandering on the dinosaurs’ last seashore,” and enjoy a journey to an ancient Colorado that features dinosaurs, sea monsters, giant crocodiles, and some surprising creatures that helped transform their world into the Colorado we enjoy today. Learn how Raham’s fossil hunting adventures and his love of good writing inspired his graphic short story, “The Dinosaurs’ Last Seashore.” See amazing fossils and some of the original art created for the work. Books available for purchase at $9.50 each.

We continue the year in a literary vein with Ed Bryant as our February speaker.

I’m kicking off my second term (this time around) as director with a great program. Award-winning fantasy author Carol Berg will begin her Soul Mirror book launch with an appearance at DASFA (we get her even before Tattered Cover!), The Soul Mirror is the sequel to The Spirit Lens. The Collegia Magica trilogy will conclude in 2012 with The Daemon Prism.

Our December meeting will be the annual and traditional Christmas Orgy, once again hosted by Bruce and Sandy in their palatial and art-filled party pad. I’m already contemplating what to make and bring to our yearly culinary blowout…I may also bring a game or two.

Looks like I’ll be directing for one more year. I don’t know yet what the January program will be but hope to get started lining up things by the beginning of the year (or earlier, if I get the holiday/time continuum under control).

Past/Upcoming Parties & Plans

Our October meeting will feature Six-Guns Straight from Hell Laura Givens, who will talk about her involvement with the anthology in her triplicate role as co-editor, contributor and art director. It’s a busy life!

There will also be a preview of MileHiCon programming … it’s coming up fast! … and quick discussion of plans for the DAFA con suite sponsorship.

I currently have no idea what the November program will consist of other than looking for nominations for next year’s officers. Be thinking about whether this is the year YOU step up to help run the club and keep it going!

Our September meeting will feature the musical stylings ….wait a minute—the comedic prowess … true, but not really relevant. Let’s try again.

It’s time for the August picnic, this year at Progress Park in Littleton. There should be a map elsewhere in this month’s DASFAx, but the address is 5100 S. Hickory St. There apparently is a grill available, so check around and bring charcoal and tongs, etc., if you want to cook. I’m likely to bring pre-made food, but then I’m lazy efficient … and I’ll probably also haul along a couple of Frisbees for low-key physicality.

Don’t miss our July program—double the authors, double the fun with Mario Acevedo and Jeanne Stein. Jeanne’s series about Anna Strong, the vampire bounty hunter, is now six books long with the upcoming release of Chosen. Mario’s vampire detective, Felix Gomez, has starred in 5 books and now is appearing in a graphic novel series. Expect a program with some bite to it as these two vampire-loving novelists speak.