Sunday, July 26, 2009

Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter - July 2009

Contents:
* WESTERCON REPORT
* JEAN'S WORLDCON PLANS
* JEAN PUBLISHES INDIA/NEPAL JOURNAL
* NEWSLETTER NEWS
* SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY
* WORLDCRAFTER'S GUILD BLOG
* Check our our new Amazon "Stores"
* NEW PROJECT FOR JACQUELINE
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* BOOK REVIEWS
* PATRIC MICHAEL'S FIRST PUBLICATION
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

*****WESTERCON REPORT

For the full report on Westercon, please go to:
http://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2009/07/westercon-2009.html

here is a sneak peek:
Science Fiction conventions aren't like political conventions where large bodies of people send "delegates" to represent them. Cons are a 'y'all come' gathering of anyone and everyone interested in the array of topics and the professionals working in the various fields from books, e-books, and other text media all the way to feature films.
I posted my panel schedule here:
http://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2009/06/snow-dogs-and-happily-ever-after.html
******

******JEAN'S WORLDCON PLANS******

Jean is getting ready to leave for WorldCon in Montreal on August 4. She will fly to NY and stay with Anne Pinzow for a couple of days, and then they will drive up into Canada from there. Jean is on the program in six different places, and will also be manning the SFWA table in the dealer's room for a couple of hours on Saturday. The writing workshop for new writers has been revived, and Jean will be taking part in that as one of the pros reading and commenting on works by aspiring writers. Anne has been given a convention Press Pass, and will be covering the convention for the newspapers she works for.
******

******JEAN PUBLISHES INDIA/NEPAL JOURNAL******

Jean has posted the first part of her India/Nepal journal for December 30, to her blog at http://houseofkeon.blogspot.com/ Lost in Agra. Revolt against the tour guide. More photos of India.

Jean took a tour of India and Nepal over the Christmas/New Year's 2008-2009 break. While there, she kept a daily journal of her experiences. Now she has begun to publish that journal on her blog, http://houseofkeon.blogspot.com/ Stop by to read her experiences, and if you would like to be notified each time she posts a new entry, scroll down to the bottom of her blog page and subscribe to receive notices.

Jean's recent blog posts (7/25/09) include:
On House of Keon, the second part of my India/Nepal journal entry from the busy day of Dec. 30, 2008--the Taj Mahal, soldiers in saris, photos and video. http://houseofkeon.blogspot.com/2009/07/december-30-2008-agra-part-two.html

On ListsForYou, Eight Ways to Find Time to Write, http://listsforyou.blogspot.com/2009/07/eight-ways-to-find-time-to-write.html

******

******Advertisment******

TENTH ANNIVERSARY SALE! During 2009 we are offering any of the advertising packages at http://www.simegen.com/agreements/pricing.html for four months for the price of three, or eight months for the price of six. Ad packages must be reserved by December 15, 2009, for ads to begin any time up to June, 30, 2010. Lock in this low price by contacting advertising@simegen.com and putting down a 25% deposit, remainder due at the time the ad is posted. Limit of two ad packages per advertiser.Use code SGNL to claim your bargain ad package.

******Please Support Those Who Support Us******

******NEWSLETTER NEWS******

NEW NEWS: We have a new way of accessing WHAT'S NEW on simegen.com

It is a blog where you can read the monthly Newsletter and drop your own comments and news, tell us what you need done, or report problems with pages.
http://whatsnew.simegen.com/
Click in the right margin to follow this Newsletter, and the news will appear in your blogger.com account. Or you can use the RSS feed. If there's another follow-tool you would prefer, please e-mail simegen@simegen.com asking for it (give the URL) and we'll enable it. There are a few handy tools we haven't enabled yet, but they are available (such as feedburner).

Patric set this magical thing up on our server and Karen has posted the Newsletters from Jan 2009 to now, so you can access past news just by scrolling.

Please visit our top page, simegen.com, and note that my Twitter scroll is there for you -- plus a very nice Writing Tips Twitter scroll. Click and read the entire scroll on Twitter.

******

******SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY

It's the tenth anniversary of Sime~Gen Inc. and simegen.com. We will be celebrating all year long--and we need your contributions to the festivities. Please send your ideas for ways to celebrate to simegen@simegen.com. But please remember that our small staff is already overburdened, so we need easy to implement ideas, not projects for our staff to put in even more hours of work than they already do. If you would like to implement your idea for us--YAY!
******

******Advertisment*****

When you enter the imagination of L. H. Young, you begin a fascinating ride, whether you are traveling the time stream with witches, finding love the stuff of legends with her wonderful vampires, traipsing across the universe with her Sci-fi, or going to school with four unusual teenagers born with the ability to heal by touch. Don’t forget that she even writes for the imagination of the very young as seen in The Christmas Kitten.
www.authorlhyoung.com

*****Please Support Those Who Support Us*****

******WORLDCRAFTER'S GUILD BLOG******

We have another new blog for the WorldCrafter's Guild students that is just taking shape.
Here you can read a lesson, post homework, and get a response.
http://www.editingcircle.blogspot.com/

There will be a new lesson on Scene Structure posted soon.

******

****** Check our our new Amazon "Stores"

Blatant commercial to keep simegen.com on the air. If you buy from Amazon using one of our search boxes at the bottoms of many of our pages, or find what you're looking for in our a-stores, we get a few cents to pay the bandwidth bills. Our Amazon stores (we recommend buying directly from Amazon itself, not one of their onboard retailers unless you know the retailer very well -- we get paid the same, but have found better customer service with amazon.com shipments).
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ -- NEW STORE created to hold gift items specially useful to writers, both in writing and in just finding the TIME to write.
Also we now have Google ads on our main entry pages -- and they pay nicely when someone finds what they want via one of those ads. But don't click just to click -- click something that looks like what you really want.
******

******NEW PROJECT FOR JACQUELINE******

MY CURRENT MAIN EFFORTS:
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/downloads/

That is a page that needs redesigning, just as the /marketplace/ top page will.

We are preparing to make available in e-book and on paper, a set of 7 textbooks on writing, 5 of which are on philosophy, the wellspring of ideas and the bulwark against writer's block.

The particular philosophy showcased is the structural framework behind Tarot, but you don't have to be interested in Tarot to use this information in writing or many other endeavors.

Novel and Screenwriting are both very much rooted in structure which becomes invisible when clothed in unique details. Learning to perceive the underlying structure behind seething masses of detail is somewhat like learning to spot starfish against an underwater boulder full of barnacles.

It's pattern-recognition, a brain function we all have and sometimes fail to buff up. These first 5 volumes help train the mental "eye" in a kind of abstract "pattern recognition" that will serve to sharpen results in everything you do.

The final 2 (or possibly more) volumes are directed at readers and writers who want to understand the application of the pattern recognition principles showcased in the first 5 volumes. These volumes are designed to be of use specifically by writers, but writers working in fiction, non-fiction, or screenwriting.

Currently, this project stands at the beginning of Volume #5, with several more weeks work to do on that volume, plus artwork and packaging efforts. This is a team effort that has absorbed Karen, Patric, Jean, me -- and others here -- for a year or more.

Some of these Tarot and Writing Lesson chapters have been posted to the blogs
http://www.editingcircle.blogspot.com/
And, on Tuesdays where I post on
http://www.aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/
The better entries on these two blogs will be compiled and presented in PDF (or other e-book formats) plus, on paper.

******

******COAL FOR CHRISTMAS**********

COAL FOR CHRISTMAS by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah finished in the top ten family screenplays in the 2008 TheMovieDeal contest. http://www.themoviedeal.com/#/finalists/4532422034 Find the SCROLL icon at the lower left, and scroll down to see the top ten in each category.
******

******BOOK REVIEWS******

Recommended Books is now posted, with all the books to be reviewed through December 2009 posted.
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/ is our review department. It's now recruiting staff. To apply, e-mail simegen @ simegen.com
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/ is an SF/Fantasy Review Column. The columns will be linked to this index page after they are published on paper in The Monthly Aspectarian which buys first serial rights.
Book Review columns through June have been posted:
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
You may navigate to previous columns back to 1993 using the COLUMNS BY YEAR feature on the left of the page or search for a particular author or title using the domain wide google search.
******

****** Patric Michael (our Webmaster) is pleased to announce his first publications!******

Out since he was a freshman in high school, Nate meets Andy, who is gorgeous, and unfortunately, straight. They're best friends through thick and thin until a practical joke leads Nate to a surprise revelation: ...If I had known just how thoroughly it would turn my world upside down, I would never have kissed Andy in that damned banquet room. I would have kissed him a hell of a lot sooner...
"Timeless" from Dreamspinner Press (https://dreamspinnerpress.3dcartstores.com/search.asp?keyword=dd115&search=GO)
Now Available -- Patric Michael writes Romance, Guy to Guy
"Night Moves," in the Sindustry Vol. 2 anthology (http://dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/Sindustry/sindustry2info.htm)
Check out http://www.patricmichael.com for the Start of Something Great.
*******

******JOIN THE REVIEWERS

I'm developing a new way to find books to review -- via Twitter! And with more people helping we could, perhaps, find more reviewers. I've been collecting people in writing, editing, publishing, and various parts of the film industry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

I really could use some help with this. To connect with me on Twitter
http://twitter.com/jlichtenberg

To connect with me on Facebook -- http://facebook.com/jacqueline.lichtenberg

To connect with me on LinkedIn --
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinelichtenberg
Karen MacLeod and Patric are also available on LinkedIn. We are moving gradually into the networking space and evaluating the uses of cloud computing. We need a new coordinator for the Reviews department who can work with the social networking tools.

For the moment, we have only a few reviewers responding to the e-mail List, and I suspect that's the drift away from e-mail because of the spam load.

We need to launch a blogspot blog for our Reviewers instead of a List, or perhaps establish a Group on Facebook.

I will continue to post books to be reviewed to the reviewers List as I discover them. As Coordinator of our Reviews Department, I ask for your help. With the current upsurge in e-book publishing that is sweeping the Internet, we daily receive an increasing number of books to review. Yet, in counterpoint, we have a shortage of reviewers, and many of our reviews staff are several books behind. We are eagerly and actively seeking new people to review for us. As with all of Sime~Gen, our reviewers are volunteers. When they write a review, it is posted
with their byline, and they get to keep the review copy of the books they have read and reviewed.
For more information on our Reviewers Agreement, visit:
http://www.simegen.com/agreements/revagr.html
Please help us by passing this information along to anyone you know who might want to join our happy band. If interested, they can send a note expressing their interest to Jean Lorrah at simegen@simegen.com
******

******Advertisement******

Anyone shopping Amazon who wants to contribute to simegen.com without it costing them a cent, please start by using any of the Amazon Search boxes on our pages. Our top page has three really handy ones near the bottom. http://www.simegen.com

******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS

A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them!
We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else.
http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income. If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois at lois@lochness-monster.com and she'll get it ready for you to order.
******
******HELP WANTED*****

The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time
daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.
Individuals to take over, or assist with the SIMECENTER Site -- It isn't at all hard, but a bit time-consuming...and very rewarding ("meeting" these marvelous authors and artists, if only via E-Mail and their websites.) Please write me, Kaires Tevesu, if you are interested. People who talked to me earlier about helping: I've lost track of your communications in the throes of several changes of computer. PLEASE contact me again. The time is right, the templates are much more robust, I have a small backlog of stories (the hardest part of operating SimeCenter), and I've even documented some of the processes. I'd like to talk to you again.

****** Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE********

We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing. So we are now actively in search of another publisher.
THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.
******

******AVAILABLE RELEASES***********

~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING --
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210013X/rereadablebooksr/ is #1 in the reprint program.
~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932100253/rereadablebooksr/
Read the comments here:
http://www.simegen.com/writers/luren/dreamspy/dreamspyreviews.html
~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210030X/rereadablebooksr/ is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire series.
Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592220037/rereadablebooksr/
******

***** Sites to Remember *****

Author spotlights: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/
Chats: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/chat.html
Romance articles: http://www.simegen.com/romance/articles.html
Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg:
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/
Reviews: http://www.simegen.com/reviews/
Shopping: http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/
Sound files of Jacqueline Lichtenberg pronouncing Sime~Gen vocabulary words can be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/nivetsoundfiles/index.html
To sign up for classes, go to http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html
To volunteer, go to http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html for the latest openings.
******
To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to listserv@simegen.com with no subject and the text "unsubscribe NEWSLETTER-L".
To contact editor for any reason, please e-mail Lisa Saunders at simegen@simegen.com
*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright © by Sime~Gen Inc. and all rights are reserved. To get your Sime~Gen(tm) material
sanctioned for web posting or to get permission to repost from official materials, e-mail ambrovzeor@aol.com, contact simegen@simegen.com.
Sime~Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe copyright © by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime~Gen Inc. 1999-2009.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter - June 2009

Contents:
* MEDIAWEST*CON REPORT
* WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON
* JACQUELINE'S WESTERCON SCHEDULE
* JEAN PUBLISHES INDIA/NEPAL JOURNAL
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY
* Check our our new Amazon "Stores"
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* BOOK REVIEWS
* PATRIC MICHAEL'S FIRST PUBLICATION
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

******MEDIAWEST*CON REPORT******

From Jean
Over the Memorial Day Weekend I attended MediaWest*Con 29 in Lansing, Michigan. Oh, my--is it almost thirty years we've been doing this? Longer, actually, for before MediaWest there was SequesterCon for three or four years!

I've been to all the SequesterCons and most of the MediaWest*Cons through the years, madefriends, sold fanzines and books, appeared on panels. Like all the old fannish cons, it now has a preponderance of members over fifty years old. There are young people coming in, but not nearly enough to replace the people who are now too old to travel ... or who have died. Still, MediaWest*Con is fun. People rave and write about their latest fandoms. The door decorating contest goes on, with more innovative ideas every year. There are room parties every night. And people still bring their pets.

There were fewer pets this year because the hotel has changed hands and now charges a pet fee. Still, there were several dogs, a parrot, some cats that stayed in people's rooms, and Dudley. My con cat, Dudley, was there for his fourth or fifth time, and was completely at home and in his element. He loves being the center of attention, and is happy to give anyone who wants one a "cat fix." He has long since gotten over anxiety that I will leave him, so he happily stays with anyone I leave him with if I need to go elsewhere, and is just glad to see me when I return. He has no problems with dogs, as he has his own dog and works with many different dogs in pet therapy. Also, I'm pretty sure he is the reincarnation of Cuddles, the little dog who went to
cons with me for so many years, whom I'm sure some of you remember. Dudley goes with me to panels, and of course sometimes he steals the show. He also loves to go partying at night--cats instinctively understand that an open door is an invitation to enter. He loves to poke around people's luggage and boxes, and of course he is always available to be worshipped.

Something interesting happened this year: the new Star Trek movie brought back an interest in original Trek. I did a little bit of sorting and shelf clearing, and took along about 25 used Trek fanzines from the 1970's, fully expecting to cart them all back home again. Boy, was I wrong! In the first two hours of the con they were GONE, snapped up by just two people! Strangely, for bad economic times, I sold more of my books than I usually do--used paperbacks, and new discounted copies of UNITY, SAVAGE EMPIRE, and BLOOD WILL TELL. As usual, there were many people wanting to know if and when there will be new Sime~Gen books. *sigh*

I was on several panels, most of them "the usual." However, this time there was a panel on surviving a disaster--for which I was eligible because I survived the Great Ice Storm last February. The storm pretty much closed down the entire MidWest for a week, and it took over a month to get power restored to many outlying areas. My preparations were really simple, yet I was comfortable and able to help friends out. It amazes me how many people didn't have so much as a battery-powered radio and a lantern, when we had more than a week's warning that the storm was on its way.

Anyway, Dudley and I had a good time at the con. A big thank you to Kaires for running my table while I was on panels. If all goes well, we'll be back again next year!

******

******WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON******

WESTERCON is now FIESTACON this year.
FiestaCon is scheduled for July 2-5, 2009 and will be held at the Tempe Mission Palms hotel in Tempe, Arizona. Westercon is a science fiction / fantasy convention held annually in the western half of North America or in Hawaii. Our panels cover a broad array of topics, both traditional and contemporary, with special emphasis on Literature, Science and Art. Please visit our website for more info: www.fiestacon.org

Jacqueline Lichtenberg has accepted an invitation to be a speaker.
Note that the Artist Guest of Honor at FiestaCon is Todd Lockwood, who created the amazing cover art for The Unity Trilogy. By tradition, and honoring the presence of JL and Todd, there will be a Sime~Gen party at FiestaCon.

Jacqueline's Westercon schedule.
(http://www.westercon.org fiestacon this year in Tempe, AZ.)
LIT/MED-What Universe Are You In?
Fri 10a-11a, Palm E room
w/ Jacqueline Litchtenberg (moderator), Dani Kollin, Etyan Kollin, Janice Tuerff

LIT-How Are Small Presses
Fri 11a-noon, Palm E room
w/ Jacqueline Litchtenberg (moderator), Adam Niswander, Michael D'Ambrosio

MED-Star Trek Movie Review
Fri 2p-3p, Palm F room
w/David A. Williams (moderator), Alan Dean Foster

LIT-It Was A Dark & Stormy Night
Fri 4p-5p, Abbey South
w/ Jacqueline Litchtenberg (moderator), Kevin Andrew Murphy, Moira Greyland,
Shirley Runyon

AUTOGRAPHING Fri 5p-6p, Dealers Room

LIT-Writer's Support Groups
Sun 11a-noon, Boardroom
w/ Jacqueline Litchtenberg (moderator), Rick Novy, Dennis McKiernan

FAN-Effect of Web on Fanzines
Sun noon-1p, Jokake room
w/John Hertz (moderator)

FAN-SF/F Websites
Sun 2p-3p, Augustine
w/ Jacqueline Litchtenberg (moderator), Lee Gilliland, Lee Whiteside

******

******JEAN PUBLISHES INDIA/NEPAL JOURNAL******

Jean took a tour of India and Nepal over the Christmas/New Year's 2008-2009 break. While there, she kept a daily journal of her experiences.
Now she has begun to publish that journal on her blog, http://houseofkeon.blogspot.com/
Stop by to read her experiences, and if you would like to be notified each time she posts a new entry, scroll down to the bottom of her blog page and subscribe to receive notices.

******

******Advertisment******

TENTH ANNIVERSARY SALE! During 2009 we are offering any of the advertising packages at http://www.simegen.com/agreements/pricing.html for four months for the price of three, or eight months for the price of six. Ad packages must be reserved by December 15, 2009, for ads to begin any time up to June, 30, 2010. Lock in this low price by contacting advertising@simegen.com and putting down a 25% deposit, remainder due at the time the ad is posted. Limit of two ad packages per advertiser.Use code SGNL to claim your bargain ad package.

******Please Support Those Who Support Us******

******SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY

It's the tenth anniversary of Sime~Gen Inc. and simegen.com. We will be celebrating all year long--and we need your contributions to the festivities.
Please send your ideas for ways to celebrate to simegen@simegen.com. But please remember that our small staff is already overburdened, so we need easy to implement ideas, not projects for our staff to put in even more hours of work than they already do. If you would like to implement your idea for us--YAY!

******
******Advertisment*****

When you enter the imagination of L. H. Young, you begin a fascinating ride, whether you are traveling the time stream with witches, finding love the stuff of legends with her wonderful vampires, traipsing across the universe with her Sci-fi, or going to school with four unusual teenagers born with the ability to heal by touch. Don’t forget that she even writes for the imagination of the very young as seen in The Christmas Kitten.
www.authorlhyoung.com

*****Please Support Those Who Support Us*****

****** Check our our new Amazon "Stores"

Blatant commercial to keep simegen.com on the air.
If you buy from Amazon using one of our search boxes at the bottoms of manyof our pages, or find what you're looking for in our a-stores, we get a few cents to pay the bandwidth bills.
Our Amazon stores (we recommend buying directly from Amazon itself, not one of their onboard retailers unless you know the retailer very well -- we get paid the same, but have found better customer service with amazon.com shipments).
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ -- NEW STORE created to hold gift items specially useful to writers, both in writing and in just finding the TIME to write.

Also we now have Google ads on our main entry pages -- and they pay nicely when someone finds what they want via one of those ads. But don't click just to click -- click something that looks like what you really want.

******

******COAL FOR CHRISTMAS**********
COAL FOR CHRISTMAS by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah finished in the top ten family screenplays in the 2008 TheMovieDeal contest. http://www.themoviedeal.com/#/finalists/4532422034 Find the SCROLL icon at the lower left, and scroll down to see the top ten in each category.

******

******BOOK REVIEWS******

2009 Books to be Reviewed
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/ is our review department. It's now recruiting staff. To apply, email simegen @ simegen.com http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/ is an SF/Fantasy Review Column.
Books to be reviewed through December 2009 in the column ReReadable books are now listed here http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
The columns will be linked to this index page after they are published on paper in The Monthly Aspectarian which buys first serial rights.

Book Review columns for March & April Posted

The March and April 2009 review columns in ReReadable Books are now posted.
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
You may navigate to previous columns back to 1993 using the COLUMNS BY YEAR feature on the left of the page or search for a particular author or title using the domain wide Google search.

******

****** Patric Michael (our Webmaster) is pleased to announce his first publications!******

Out since he was a freshman in high school, Nate meets Andy, who is gorgeous, and unfortunately, straight. They're best friends through thick and thin until a practical joke leads Nate to a surprise revelation: ...If I had known just how thoroughly it would turn my world upside down, I would never have kissed Andy in that damned banquet room. I would have kissed him a hell of a lot sooner...
"Timeless" from Dreamspinner Press (https://dreamspinnerpress.3dcartstores.com/search.asp?keyword=dd115&search=GO)
Now Available Patric Michael writes Romance, Guy to Guy

Coming July 13: "Night Moves," in the Sindustry Vol. 2 anthology
http://dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/Sindustry/sindustry2info.htm
Check out http://www.patricmichael.com for the Start of Something Great.
*******

******JOIN THE REVIEWERS
As Coordinator of our Reviews Department, I ask for your help. With the current upsurge in e-book publishing that is sweeping the Internet, we daily receive an increasing number of books to review. Yet, in counterpoint, we have a shortage of reviewers, and many of our reviews staff are several books behind.We are eagerly and actively seeking new people to review for us. As with all of Sime~Gen, our reviewers are volunteers. When they write a review, it is posted
with their byline, and they get to keep the review copy of the books they have read and reviewed.
For more information on our Reviewers Agreement, visit: http://www.simegen.com/agreements/revagr.html
Please help us by passing this information along to anyone you know who might want to join our happy band. If interested, they can send a note expressing their interest to Jean at simegen@simegen.com
******

******Advertisement******

Anyone shopping Amazon who wants to contribute to simegen.com without it costing them a cent, please start by using any of the Amazon Search boxes on our pages. Our top page has three really handy ones near the bottom. http://www.simegen.com

******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS

A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them!

We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else.

http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income. If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois at lois@lochness-monster.com and she'll get it ready for you to order.

******

******HELP WANTED*****
The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time
daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.

Individuals to take over, or assist with the SIMECENTER Site -- It isn't at all hard, but a bit time-consuming...and very rewarding ("meeting" these marvelous authors and artists, if only via E-Mail and their websites.) Please write me, Kaires Tevesu, if you are interested. --- People who talked to me earlier about helping: I've lost track of your communications in the throes of several changes of computer. PLEASE contact me again. The time is right, the templates are much more robust, I have a small backlog of stories (the hardest part of operating SimeCenter), and I've even documented some of the processes. I'd like to talk to you again.

****** Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE********

We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing. So we are now actively in search of another publisher.
THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.

******
******AVAILABLE RELEASES***********

~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING --
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210013X/rereadablebooksr/ is #1 in the reprint program.
~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932100253/rereadablebooksr/
Read the comments here:
http://www.simegen.com/writers/luren/dreamspy/dreamspyreviews.html
~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210030X/rereadablebooksr/ is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire
series.
Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592220037/rereadablebooksr/

******

***** Sites to Remember *****

Author spotlights: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/
Chats: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/chat.html
Romance articles: http://www.simegen.com/romance/articles.html
Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg:
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/
Reviews: http://www.simegen.com/reviews/
Shopping: http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/
Sound files of Jacqueline Lichtenberg pronouncing Sime~Gen vocabulary words can be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/nivetsoundfiles/index.html
To sign up for classes, go to http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html
To volunteer, go to http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html
for the latest openings.

******

To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to listserv@simegen.com with no subject and the text "unsubscribe NEWSLETTER-L".
To contact editor for any reason, please e-mail Lisa Saunders at simegen@simegen.com
*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright © by Sime~Gen Inc. and all rights are reserved. To get your Sime~Gen(tm) material sanctioned for web posting or to get permission to repost from official materials, e-mail ambrovzeor@aol.com, contact simegen@simegen.com.
Sime~Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe copyright © by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime~Gen Inc. 1999-2009.



Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter - May 2009

Contents:
* MEDIAWEST CON REPORT
* WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON
* WRITING WORKSHOP
* SIMECENTER NEWS
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY
* Check our our new Amazon "Stores"
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* BOOK REVIEWS
* PATRIC MICHAEL'S FIRST PUBLICATION
* BORDERLAND UPDATE
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

******MEDIAWEST CON REPORT******

Dudley and I had a great con. Dudley, the therapy cat, greets people at my dealer's table and soaks up as much petting as people care to give. Then after a good nap he is ready to go out for the evening, party hopping. At this con there are people who deal out of their rooms as well as lots of people who just open their doors to invite people in. Dudley understands that invitation: boxes and suitcases to sniff, and more people to pet him and exclaim over how well he walks on a leash.

MediaWest*Con is graying. It was smaller thisyear, fewer attendees, fewer dealers, fewer events. In fact my last panel, later this morning, is about why we older folk remain in fandom. Yet I have had steady sales at my dealer's table. I brought about 25 used Star Trek zines from the 1970's, and was surprised to have just two people wipe me out of that commodity on the first day. I've also sold a number of copies of the books I brought, Unity, Blood Will Tell, the Savage Empire compilations.

I was on panels about horse books and disaster preparedness (how I survived the ice storm), as well as one about how to write when your inspiration takes a leave of absence.
On Saturday I recorded a podcast with a man who has podcast his way into a small press picking up his books. He is a new author, but through podcasting made connections that made him a judge for a new "reality" TV series called The Write Stuff that will begin airing on the CW in June. Contestants are would-be authors vying for publication of their books by a small press plus a marketing campaign. As obviously the TV audience would not be interested in people talking about plot structure and character development, I fear that the show will be all about marketing strategies, with the cleverest marketer, not the best writer, winning. We'll see.

But it is still interesting that even a very small network would take on a show about writers!
Those are pretty much my adventures at this year's con.
Jean

******

******WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON

WESTERCON is now FIESTACON this year.
FiestaCon is scheduled for July 2-5, 2009 and will be held at the Tempe Mission Palms hotel in Tempe, Arizona. Westercon is a science fiction / fantasy convention held annually in the western half of North America or in Hawaii. Our panels cover a broad array of topics, both traditional and contemporary, with special emphasis on Literature, Science and Art. Please visit our website for more info: www.fiestacon.org

Jacqueline Lichtenberg has accepted an invitation to be a speaker.
Note that the Artist Guest of Honor at FiestaCon is Todd Lockwood, who created the amazing cover art for The Unity Trilogy. By tradition, and honoring the presence of JL and Todd, there will be a Sime~Gen party at FiestaCon.

******

******WRITING WORKSHOP

New Writing Workshop Lesson Posted
Our Journalist In Residence, Anne Phyllis Pinzow, has given us another challenging writing lesson. Read an article on Parole Laws that was published in a newspaper then do the homework assignment. http://www.simegen.com/school/workshop/visualwriting/
******


******Advertisment******

TENTH ANNIVERSARY SALE! During 2009 we are offering any of the advertising packages at http://www.simegen.com/agreements/pricing.html for four months for the price of three, or eight months for the price of six. Ad packages must be reserved by December 15, 2009, for ads to begin any time up to June, 30, 2010. Lock in this low price by contacting advertising@simegen.com and putting down a 25% deposit, remainder due at the time the ad is posted. Limit of two ad packages per advertiser.Use code SGNL to claim your bargain ad package.

******Please Support Those Who Support Us******

****** SIMECENTER NEWS ********

You will see that the same story and artwork are still posted. The Wiseman Foundation site disappeared, along with the donation page, soon after I posted the last SimeCenter. To be fair to our author, I must leave her page up until the donations page for this important organization has been available for 30 days.
Within the next week, the new SimeCenter will be up, and the information about our new story, artwork, and recipient will be posted tothe main Sime~Gen list:
http://www.simegen.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/simegen-l, and
the SimeCenter list: http://www.simegen.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/simecenter-l

Apologies to those who tried to donate to The Wiseman Foundation earlier. The page is available now. The Center, Donna (our author), and SimeCenter thank you for your support.

This month's story is a first for SimeCenter: a non-fiction article about the effect of Star Trek on a small town:
STAR TREK CONNECTION by Donna McCrohan Rosenthal
- memories are made of this.
The accompanying artwork is:
TINGUINS, by G.B. Chew
- they move if you glance away
These works are submitted in support of a new recipient, one that is meaningful to many of us:
Wiseman Cancer Research Foundation
<http://www.wisemanfoundation.org/>
world-renowned research, development and testing center for cell-line vaccines against cancer.
Send your comments, questions, etc.--about the site, the stories and art...whatever--to the address below. [Mention 'SimeCenter' in the subject so I'll know it isn't spam.]
In Service to Unity,
Kaires Tevesu

*****

******REREADABLE BOOKS

The March and April 2009 review columns in ReReadable Books are now posted.
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
You may navigate to previous columns back to 1993 using the COLUMNS BY YEAR feature on the left of the page or search for a particular author or title using the domain wide Google search.
******

******SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY

It's the tenth anniversary of Sime~Gen Inc. and simegen.com. We will be celebrating all year long--and we need your contributions to the festivities.
Please send your ideas for ways to celebrate to simegen@simegen.com. But please remember that our small staff is already overburdened, so we need easy to implement ideas, not projects for our staff to put in even more hours of work than they already do. If you would like to implement your idea for us--YAY!

******

******Advertisment*****

When you enter the imagination of L. H. Young, you begin a fascinating ride, whether you are traveling the time stream with witches, finding love the stuff of legends with her wonderful vampires, traipsing across the universe with her Sci-fi, or going to school with four unusual teenagers born with the ability to heal by touch. Don’t forget that she even writes for the imagination of the very young as seen in The Christmas Kitten.
www.authorlhyoung.com

*****Please Support Those Who Support Us*****

****** Check our our new Amazon "Stores"

Blatant commercial to keep simegen.com on the air.
If you buy from Amazon using one of our search boxes at the bottoms of many of our pages, or find what you're looking for in our a-stores, we get a few cents to pay the bandwidth bills.
Our Amazon stores (we recommend buying directly from Amazon itself, not one of their onboard retailers unless you know the retailer very well -- we get paid the same, but have found better customer service with amazon.com shipments).
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ -- NEW STORE created to hold gift items specially useful to writers, both in writing and in just finding the TIME to write.
Also we now have Google ads on our main entry pages -- and they pay nicely when someone finds what they want via one of those ads. But don't click just to click -- click something that looks like what you really want.
******

******COAL FOR CHRISTMAS**********

COAL FOR CHRISTMAS by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah finished in the top ten family screenplays in the 2008
TheMovieDeal contest. http://www.themoviedeal.com/#/finalists/4532422034 Find the SCROLL icon at the lower left, and scroll down to see the top ten in each category.
******

******BOOK REVIEWS******

2009 Books to be Reviewed http://www.simegen.com/reviews/ is our review department. It's now recruiting staff. To apply, email simegen @ simegen.com

http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/ is an SF/Fantasy Review Column.
Books to be reviewed through December 2009 in the column ReReadable books are now listed here http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/ The columns will be linked to this index page after they are published on paper in The Monthly Aspectarian which buys first serial rights.

Book Review columns for March & April Posted

The March and April 2009 review columns in ReReadable Books are now posted.
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
You may navigate to previous columns back to 1993 using the COLUMNS BY YEAR feature on the left of the page or search for a particular author or title using the domain wide google search.
******

****** Patric Michael (our Webmaster) is pleased to announce his first publication!

Out since he was a freshman in high school, Nate meets Andy, who is gorgeous, and unfortunately, straight. They're best friends through thick and thin until a practical joke leads Nate to a surprise revelation: ...If I had known just how thoroughly it would turn my world upside down, I would never have kissed Andy in that damned banquet room. I would have kissed him a hell of a lot sooner...
"Timeless" from Dreamspinner Press
Coming in June! (http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/)

We are also happy to report that another Patric work, "Night Moves," has been accepted for publication by Dreamspinner Press and will appear in the "Sindustry" anthology, to be released on July 6th, 2009.


*******

****** BORDERLANDS UPDATE ***********

Borderlands Part 31, "Till Death Do Us Part", has been posted at
http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html#part.31
This is a very concentrated part, showing us different camera angles on Brenn and Pametta Pollovic's wedding reception (sorry, you don't get the actual ceremony) and wedding night (NOT what you might expect). Plenty of surprises here from beginning to end, culminating with a wedding horror story that makes Robert Altman's look like peanuts. Then there are a few episodes of followup over the next two weeks.
After that, you'll just have to send us your comments (go ahead, do it!) and wait for the not-yet-posted Part 32, tentatively titled "On The Run."
******


******Advertisement******

Anyone shopping Amazon who wants to contribute to simegen.com without it costing them a cent, please start by using any of the Amazon Search boxes on
our pages. Our top page has three really handy ones near the bottom. http://www.simegen.com

******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS

A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them!
We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else.
http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income. If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois at lois@lochness-monster.com and she'll get it ready for you to order.
******

******HELP WANTED*****

The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time
daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.

Individuals to take over, or assist with the SIMECENTER Site -- It isn't at all hard, but a bit time-consuming...and very rewarding ("meeting" these marvelous authors and artists, if only via E-Mail and their websites.) Please write me, Kaires Tevesu, if you are interested. --- People who talked to me earlier about helping: I've lost track of your communications in the throes of several changes of computer. PLEASE contact me again. The time is right, the templates are much more robust, I have a small backlog of stories (the hardest part of operating SimeCenter), and I've even documented some of the processes. I'd like to talk to you again.

****** Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE********

We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing. So we are now actively in search of another publisher.
THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.
******

******AVAILABLE RELEASES***********

~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING --
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210013X/rereadablebooksr/ is #1 in the reprint program.
~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932100253/rereadablebooksr/
Read the comments here:
http://www.simegen.com/writers/luren/dreamspy/dreamspyreviews.html
~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210030X/rereadablebooksr/ is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire
series.
Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592220037/rereadablebooksr/
******

***** Sites to Remember *****

Author spotlights: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/
Chats: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/chat.html
Romance articles: http://www.simegen.com/romance/articles.html
Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg:
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/
Reviews: http://www.simegen.com/reviews/
Shopping: http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/
Sound files of Jacqueline Lichtenberg pronouncing Sime~Gen vocabulary words can be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/nivetsoundfiles/index.html
To sign up for classes, go to http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html
To volunteer, go to http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html
for the latest openings.
******

To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to listserv@simegen.com with no subject and the text "unsubscribe NEWSLETTER-L".
To contact editor for any reason, please e-mail Lisa Saunders at simegen@simegen.com
*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright © by Sime~Gen Inc. and all rights are reserved. To get your Sime~Gen(tm) material sanctioned for web posting or to get permission to repost from official materials, e-mail ambrovzeor@aol.com, contact simegen@simegen.com.
Sime~Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe copyright © by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime~Gen Inc. 1999-2009.

Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter - April 2009

Contents:
* WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON
* RELAY FOR LIFE
* SIMECENTER NEWS
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY
* Check our our new Amazon "Stores"
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* MEDIAWEST*CON
* PATRIC MICHAEL'S FIRST PUBLICATION
* BORDERLAND UPDATE
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

******WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON

WESTERCON is now FIESTACON this year.
FiestaCon is scheduled for July 2-5, 2009 and will be held at the Tempe Mission Palms hotel in Tempe, Arizona. Westercon is a science fiction / fantasy convention held annually in the western half of North America or in Hawaii. Our panels cover a broad array of topics, both traditional and contemporary, with special emphasis on Literature, Science and Art. Please visit our website for more info: www.fiestacon.org
Jacqueline Lichtenberg has accepted an invitation to be a speaker.
Note that the Artist Guest of Honor at FiestaCon is Todd Lockwood, who created the amazing cover art for The Unity Trilogy. By tradition, and honoring the presence of JL and Todd, there will be a Sime~Gen party at FiestaCon.
******

******RELAY FOR LIFE

April is the month when Relay for Life teams raise money for cancer research, culminating in hundreds of Relays across the country in May. Jean is a member of the 8th Wonders, a Relay team made up entirely of breast cancer survivors. If you are not already supporting a local team, let us invite you to support Jean's team at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrah . Every penny raised goes to the American Cancer Society, where it is used to support the research and education that have dramatically increased survivorship. But the fight is not over--we still cannot entirely prevent cancer, or entirely cure it. Please join in the ongoing fight against cancer.
******

******Advertisment******
TENTH ANNIVERSARY SALE! During 2009 we are offering any of the advertising packages at http://www.simegen.com/agreements/pricing.html for four months for the price of three, or eight months for the price of six. Ad packages must be reserved by December 15, 2009, for ads to begin any time up to June, 30, 2010. Lock in this low price by contacting advertising@simegen.com and putting down a 25% deposit, remainder due at the time the ad is posted. Limit of two ad packages per advertiser.Use code SGNL to claim your bargain ad package.

******Please Support Those Who Support Us******

****** SIMECENTER NEWS ******

This month's story is a first for SimeCenter: a non-fiction article about the effect of Star Trek on a small town:

STAR TREK CONNECTION by Donna McCrohan Rosenthal
- memories are made of this

The accompanying artwork is:

TINGUINS, by G.B. Chew
- they move if you glance away

These works are submitted in support of a new recipient, one that is meaningful to many of us:
Wiseman Cancer Research Foundation
<http://www.wisemanfoundation.org/>
world-renowned research, development and testing center for cell-line vaccines against cancer.

Send your comments, questions, etc.--about the site, the stories and art...whatever--to the address below. [Mention 'SimeCenter' in the subject so I'll know it isn't spam.]

In Service to Unity,
Kaires Tevesu

*****

******REREADABLE BOOKS

The March and April 2009 review columns in ReReadable Books are now posted.
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
You may navigate to previous columns back to 1993 using the COLUMNS BY YEAR feature on the left of the page or search for a particular author or title using the domain wide Google search.
******

******SIME~GEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY

It's the tenth anniversary of Sime~Gen Inc. and simegen.com. We will be celebrating all year long--and we need your contributions to the festivities.
Please send your ideas for ways to celebrate to simegen@simegen.com. But please remember that our small staff is already overburdened, so we need easy to implement ideas, not projects for our staff to put in even more hours of work than they already do. If you would like to implement your idea for us--YAY!
******

******Advertisment*****

When you enter the imagination of L. H. Young, you begin a fascinating ride, whether you are traveling the time stream with witches, finding love the stuff of legends with her wonderful vampires, traipsing across the universe with her Sci-fi, or going to school with four unusual teenagers born with the ability to heal by touch. Don’t forget that she even writes for the imagination of the very young as seen in The Christmas Kitten.
www.authorlhyoung.com

*****Please Support Those Who Support Us*****

****** Check our our new Amazon "Stores"

Blatant commercial to keep simegen.com on the air.
If you buy from Amazon using one of our search boxes at the bottoms of many of our pages, or find what you're looking for in our a-stores, we get a few cents to pay the bandwidth bills.
Our Amazon stores (we recommend buying directly from Amazon itself, not one of their onboard retailers unless you know the retailer very well -- we get paid the same, but have found better customer service with amazon.com shipments).
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ -- NEW STORE created to hold gift items specially useful to writers, both in writing and in just finding the TIME to write.
Also we now have Google ads on our main entry pages -- and they pay nicely when someone finds what they want via one of those ads. But don't click just to click -- click something that looks like what you really want.
******

******COAL FOR CHRISTMAS**********

COAL FOR CHRISTMAS by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah finished in the top ten family screenplays in the 2008 TheMovieDeal contest. http://www.themoviedeal.com/#/finalists/4532422034 Find the SCROLL icon at the lower left, and scroll down to see the top ten in each category.
******

******MEDIAWEST*CON

Jean will appear at MediaWest*Con 29 in Lansing, Michigan over the Memorial Day weekend.
She has signed up for programming, and will have her usual table in the dealer's room. Drop by to talk, browse through books, and pet Dudley, the Therapy Cat.

****** Patric Michael (our Webmaster) is pleased to announce his first publication!

Out since he was a freshman in high school, Nate meets Andy, who is gorgeous, and unfortunately, straight. They're best friends through thick and thin until a practical joke leads Nate to a surprise revelation: ...If I had known just how thoroughly it would turn my world upside down, I would never have kissed Andy in that damned banquet room. I would have kissed him a hell of a lot sooner...

"Timeless" from Dreamspinner Press
Coming in June! (http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/)
*******

****** BORDERLANDS UPDATE ***********

Time for another catch-up Part in the ongoing Borderlands soap opera. This is the first Part in which Flora Raynor actively participated.
The title is "The Rising Generation," and there's no single dominant plot thread, but there is a common theme to most of the episodes: a baby is conceived, some children get changeover training, a Companion gets a visit from his first cousin twice removed. We also see a new young donor, a budding criminal, and a young Sectuib who's found a new way of life.
Some of these characters are new, some are familiar. Read about them all at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html#part.30
And give us feedback! The more feedback, the better we like it! (Sneak peek: the next Part is called "Till Death Do Us Part," and it's not about death.)
******

******JOIN THE REVIEWERS

As Coordinator of our Reviews Department, I ask for your help. With the current upsurge in e-book publishing that is sweeping the Internet, we daily receive an increasing number of books to review. Yet, in counterpoint, we have a shortage of reviewers, and many of our reviews staff are several books behind.We are eagerly and actively seeking new people to review for us. As with all of Sime~Gen, our reviewers are volunteers. When they write a review, it is posted
with their byline, and they get to keep the review copy of the books they have read and reviewed.
For more information on our Reviewers Agreement, visit:
http://www.simegen.com/agreements/revagr.html
Please help us by passing this information along to anyone you know who might want to join our happy band. If interested, they can e-mail me at rvcoord@simegen.com or send a note expressing their interest to Jean at simegen@simegen.com
Midge Baker
Reviews Coordinator
******

******Advertisement******

Anyone shopping Amazon who wants to contribute to simegen.com without it costing them a cent, please start by using any of the Amazon Search boxes on
our pages. Our top page has three really handy ones near the bottom. http://www.simegen.com

******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS

A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them!
We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else.
http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income. If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois at lois@lochness-monster.com and she'll get it ready for you to order.
******

******HELP WANTED*****

The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time
daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.

Individuals to take over, or assist with the SIMECENTER Site -- It isn't at all hard, but a bit time-consuming...and very rewarding ("meeting" these marvelous authors and artists, if only via E-Mail and their websites.) Please write me, Kaires Tevesu, if you are interested. --- People who talked to me earlier about helping: I've lost track of your communications in the throes of several changes of computer. PLEASE contact me again. The time is right, the templates are much more robust, I have a small backlog of stories (the hardest part of operating SimeCenter), and I've even documented some of the processes. I'd like to talk to you again.


****** Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE********

We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing. So we are now actively in search of another publisher.
THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.
******

******AVAILABLE RELEASES***********

~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING --
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210013X/rereadablebooksr/ is #1 in the reprint program.
~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932100253/rereadablebooksr/
Read the comments here:
http://www.simegen.com/writers/luren/dreamspy/dreamspyreviews.html
~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210030X/rereadablebooksr/ is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire
series.
Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592220037/rereadablebooksr/
******

***** Sites to Remember *****

Author spotlights: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/
Chats: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/chat.html
Romance articles: http://www.simegen.com/romance/articles.html
Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg: http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/
Reviews: http://www.simegen.com/reviews/
Shopping: http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/
Sound files of Jacqueline Lichtenberg pronouncing Sime~Gen vocabulary words can be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/nivetsoundfiles/index.html
To sign up for classes, go to http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html
To volunteer, go to http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html
for the latest openings.

******
To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to listserv@simegen.com with no subject and the text "unsubscribe NEWSLETTER-L".
To contact editor for any reason, please e-mail Lisa Saunders at simegen@simegen.com
*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright © by Sime~Gen Inc. and all rights are reserved. To get your Sime~Gen(tm) material sanctioned for web posting or to get permission to repost from official materials, e-mail ambrovzeor@aol.com, contact simegen@simegen.com.
Sime~Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe copyright © by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime~Gen Inc. 1999-2009.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter - March 2009

Contents:
* WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON
* TRIBUTE: MAJEL BARRETT RODDENBERRY
* SIMECENTER NEWS
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* SIMEGEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY
* Check our our new Amazon "Stores"
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* CONFERENCE ON THE FANTASTIC
* KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED
* BORDERLAND UPDATE
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**


******WESTERCON IS NOW FIESTACON

WESTERCON is now FIESTACON this year.

FiestaCon is scheduled for July 2-5, 2009 and will be held at the Tempe Mission Palms hotel in Tempe, Arizona. Westercon is a science fiction / fantasy convention held annually in the western half of North America or in Hawaii. Our panels cover a broad array of topics, both traditional and contemporary, with special emphasis on Literature, Science and Art. Please visit our website for more info: www.fiestacon.org

Jacqueline Lichtenberg has accepted an invitation to be a speaker. There may be a Sime~Gen party.
******

******TRIBUTE: MAJEL BARRETT RODDENBERRY******

Donna Halper has created a wonderful tribute to Majel Barrett Roddenberry who played Nurse Chapel on Star Trek, and went on to marry the producer, Gene Roddenberry. She also played the computer voice for the Enterprise and many other major contributions -- read here:
http://www.simegen.com/fandom/startrek/history/MajelBarrettRoddenberry.html
and visit our entire Star Trek section http://www.simegen.com/fandom/startrek/
where you will find many classic Star Trek fan fiction pieces and more information on the connections between Sime~Gen and Star Trek.
******

****** SIMECENTER NEWS ******
This month's story is by a talented author who is also announcing the availability of her second novel, GRIFFIN'S SHADOW.
THE INTERVIEW, by Leslie Ann Moore
- history is written by the winners
The accompanying artwork is:
WIND DANCING, by Michael Cox
- a faraway secret place
These works were both submitted in support of an important organization for writers:
Clarion Writers Workshop
<http://www.theclarionfoundation.org/donate.htm>
teaching science fiction and fantasy writing since 1968.

GRIFFIN'S SHADOW, just released this month, has been endorsed by both Publisher's Weekly and the Library Journal. The first book, GRIFFIN'S DAUGHTER, won the Benjamin Franklin award for best first novel. Impressive!
Send your comments, questions, etc.--about the site, the stories and art...whatever--to the address below. [Mention 'SimeCenter' in the subject so I'll know it isn't spam.]
In Service to Unity,
Kaires Tevesu


******

******Advertisment******

TENTH ANNIVERSARY SALE! During 2009 we are offering any of the advertising packages at http://www.simegen.com/agreements/pricing.html for four months for the price of three,
or eight months for the price of six. Ad packages must be reserved by December 15, 2009, for ads to begin any time up to June, 30, 2010. Lock in this low price by contacting advertising@simegen.com and putting down a 25% deposit, remainder due at the time the ad is posted. Limit of two ad packages per advertiser.Use code SGNL to claim your bargain ad package.

******Please Support Those Who Support Us******

******REREADABLE BOOKS

ReReadable Books Reviews by Jacqueline Lichtenberg posted for January and
February 2009
http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
February includes a review of "The Book of Names" which someone mentioned at
the Annual Chat.
Some of you may be interested in my posts on Tuesdays at the co-blog
http://www.aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, February 17th's entry points to a number of blogs and forums where I've been involved in discussions of writing, and comments on Linnea Sinclair's latest novel.
******

******SIMEGEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY

It's the tenth anniversary of Sime~Gen Inc. and simegen.com. We will be celebrating all year long--and we need your contributions to the festivities.
Please send your ideas for ways to celebrate to simegen@simegen.com. But please remember that our small staff is already overburdened, so we need easy to implement ideas, not projects for our staff to put in even more hours of work than they already do. If you would like to implement your idea for us--YAY!
******

******Advertisment*****

When you enter the imagination of L. H. Young, you begin a fascinating ride, whether you are traveling the time stream with witches, finding love the stuff of legends with her wonderful vampires, traipsing across the universe with her Sci-fi, or going to school with four unusual teenagers born with the ability to heal by touch.
Don’t forget that she even writes for the imagination of the very young as seen in The Christmas Kitten.
www.authorlhyoung.com

*****Please Support Those Who Support Us*****

****** Check our our new Amazon "Stores"

Blatant commercial to keep simegen.com on the air.
If you buy from Amazon using one of our search boxes at the bottoms of many of our pages, or find what you're looking for in our a-stores, we get a few cents to pay the bandwidth bills.
Our Amazon stores (we recommend buying directly from Amazon itself, not one of their onboard retailers unless you know the retailer very well -- we get paid the same, but have found better customer service with amazon.com shipments).
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ -- NEW STORE created to hold gift items specially useful to writers, both in writing and in just finding the TIME to write.
Also we now have Google ads on our main entry pages -- and they pay nicely when someone finds what they want via one of those ads. But don't click just to click -- click something that looks like what you really want.
******

******COAL FOR CHRISTMAS**********

COAL FOR CHRISTMAS by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah reached the semi-finals in the Fade-In Writers Network competition:
http://www.fadeinonline.com/Contests/Screen_Fict_semi.html
It would be great to win one of these contests, but even making the semi-finals is a minor credential in our quest to sell our scripts to Hollywood.
Coal for Christmas has not won any contests yet, but it is currently under consideration at one major studio and two independent production companies. What that means is that after reading our logline and synopsis, they have asked for and are reading our script. BTW, multiple submissions are not only the norm, but are virtually REQUIRED in Hollywood. We have had to learn a whole new set of rules, very different from the rules for book publishing.
******

******CONFERENCE ON THE FANTASTIC
Jean will be at the 30th Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts in Orlando, March 18-22.
A charter member of the organization, Jean is attending for the 30th time! She will appear on a panel of people who have been with the IAFA from its early days, as well as a panel on vampires organized by Margaret Carter. Finally, she will read from POP-UP KIDS, a script she has written with Lois Wickstrom. Imagine if a group of tweenage kids discovered the secret of teleportation.
******

******KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED******

Keybooks, the book store for writers needing inspiration and ideas, and KeyGifts, the store full of gifts for hard working writers have been redesigned and restocked with new items.
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/ - for books and DVD's
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ - for items of use to writers
*******

****** BORDERLANDS UPDATE ***********

Time for another catch-up Part in the ongoing Borderlands soap opera. This is the first Part in which Flora Raynor actively participated.
The title is "The Rising Generation," and there's no single dominant plot thread, but there is a common theme to most of the episodes: a baby is conceived, some children get changeover training, a Companion gets a visit from his first cousin twice removed. We also see a new young donor, a budding criminal, and a young Sectuib who's found a new way of life.
Some of these characters are new, some are familiar. Read about them
all at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html#part.30
And give us feedback! The more feedback, the better we like it! (Sneak peek: the next Part is called "Till Death Do Us Part," and it's not about death.)
******

******JOIN THE REVIEWERS

As Coordinator of our Reviews Department, I ask for your help. With the current upsurge in e-book publishing that is sweeping the Internet, we daily receive an increasing number of books to review. Yet, in counterpoint, we have a shortage of reviewers, and many of our reviews staff are several books behind.We are eagerly and actively seeking new people to review for us. As with all of Sime~Gen, our reviewers are volunteers. When they write a review, it is posted
with their byline, and they get to keep the review copy of the books they have read and reviewed.
For more information on our Reviewers Agreement, visit: http://www.simegen.com/agreements/revagr.html
Please help us by passing this information along to anyone you know who might want to join our happy band. If interested, they can e-mail me at rvcoord@simegen.com or send a note expressing their interest to Jean at simegen@simegen.com
Midge Baker
Reviews Coordinator
******

******Advertisement******

Anyone shopping Amazon who wants to contribute to simegen.com without it costing them a cent, please start by using any of the Amazon Search boxes on our pages. Our top page has three really handy ones near the bottom. http://www.simegen.com
******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS

A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them!
We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else.
http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income. If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois at lois@lochness-monster.com and she'll get it ready for you to order.
******

******HELP WANTED*****

The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time
daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.
Individuals to take over, or assist with the SIMECENTER Site -- It isn't at all hard, but a bit time-consuming...and very rewarding ("meeting" these marvelous authors and artists, if only via E-Mail and their websites.) Please write me, Kaires Tevesu, if you are interested.

****** Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE********

We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing. So we are now actively in search of another publisher.
THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.
******

******AVAILABLE RELEASES***********

~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING --
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210013X/rereadablebooksr/ is #1 in the reprint program.
~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932100253/rereadablebooksr/
Read the comments here:
http://www.simegen.com/writers/luren/dreamspy/dreamspyreviews.html
~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210030X/rereadablebooksr/ is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire series.
Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592220037/rereadablebooksr/
******

***** Sites to Remember *****

Author spotlights: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/
Chats: http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/chat.html
Romance articles: http://www.simegen.com/romance/articles.html
Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg: http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/
Reviews: http://www.simegen.com/reviews/
Shopping: http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/
Sound files of Jacqueline Lichtenberg pronouncing Sime~Gen vocabulary words can be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/nivetsoundfiles/index.html
To sign up for classes, go to http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html
To volunteer, go to http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html
for the latest openings.
******

To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to listserv@simegen.com with no subject and the text "unsubscribe NEWSLETTER-L".
To contact editor for any reason, please e-mail Lisa Saunders at simegen@simegen.com
*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright © by Sime~Gen Inc. and all rights are reserved. To get your Sime~Gen(tm) material
sanctioned for web posting or to get permission to repost from official materials, e-mail ambrovzeor@aol.com, contact simegen@simegen.com.
Sime~Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe copyright © by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime~Gen Inc. 1999-2009.



Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter February 2009

Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter
February 2009

Contents:
* TRIBUTE: MAJEL BARRETT RODDENBERRY
* ALTERNATE UNIVERSE 4
* SIMECENTER NEWS
* REREADABLE BOOKS UPDATE
* Check our our new Amazon "Stores"
* COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
* NEW IN COMPANION IN ZEOR -- Farris Factor Pts. 5 and 6
* KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED
* BORDERLAND UPDATE
* JOIN THE REVIEWERS
* NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
* HELP WANTED
* PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
* AVAILABLE RELEASES
* SITES TO REMEMBER
* SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

******TRIBUTE: MAJEL BARRETT RODDENBERRY******

Donna Halper has created a wonderful tribute to Majel Barrett Roddenberry who played Nurse Chapel on Star Trek, and went on to marry the producer, Gene Roddenberry. She also played the computer voice for the Enterprise and many other major contributions -- read here:
http://www.simegen.com/fandom/startrek/history/MajelBarrettRoddenberry.html
and visit our entire Star Trek section http://www.simegen.com/fandom/startrek/
where you will find many classic Star Trek fan fiction pieces and more information on the connections between Sime~Gen and Star Trek.

******


****** ALTERNATE UNIVERSE 4******

Alternate Universe 4, the famous classic Star Trek fanzine cooperative fiction published by Shirley Maiewski in 1974 (see our tribute to Shirley at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimonslibrary/cz/cz20/Shirley.html) is now available for free reading in our Star Trek section. http://www.simegen.com/fandom/startrek/au4/

The authors say:
"We count our familiar Star Trek Universe —— Television's Star Trek —— as number one; The "Mirror, Mirror" Universe as number two; the KRAITH Universe (http://www.simegen.com/fandom/startrek/kraith/) as number three; and Light Fleet's Universe as number four. Alternate Universe 4."
******

****** SIMECENTER NEWS ******

We finally have a science fiction story again (my favorite kind):
ZERO MIND, by Katy Thorp
- trust in the technology
The accompanying artwork is:
LILLIPUT PERSPECTIVE VI, by G.B. Chew
- overwhelming view
These works were both submitted in support of an important recipient
of olden days:
Clarion Writers Workshop
<http://www.theclarionfoundation.org/donate.htm>
teaching science fiction and fantasy writing since 1968.
Send your comments, questions, etc.--about the site, the stories and
art...whatever--to the address below. [Mention 'SimeCenter' in the
subject so I'll know it isn't spam.]
In Service to Unity,
Kaires Tevesu

******

******REREADABLE BOOKS

ReReadable Books Columns for January and February Posted 02-18-2009 -
ReReadable Books Reviews by Jacqueline Lichtenberg posted for January and
February 2009 http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2009/
February includes a review of The Book of Names which someone mentioned at the Annual Chat.
Some of you may be interested in my posts on Tuesdays at the co-blog
http://www.aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, February 17th's entry points to a number of blogs and forums where I've been involved in discussions of writing, and comments on Linnea Sinclair's latest novel.
******

******Advertisment*****

When you enter the imagination of L. H. Young, you begin a fascinating ride, whether you are traveling the time stream with witches, finding love the stuff of legends with her wonderful vampires, traipsing across the universe with her Sci-fi, or going to school with four unusual teenagers born with the ability to heal by touch. Don’t forget that she even writes for the imagination of the very young as seen in The Christmas Kitten.
www.authorlhyoung.com

*****Please Support Those Who Support Us*****

****** Check our our new Amazon "Stores"

Blatant commercial to keep simegen.com on the air.
If you buy from Amazon using one of our search boxes at the bottoms of many of our pages, or find what you're looking for in our a-stores, we get a few cents to pay the bandwidth bills.
Our Amazon stores (we recommend buying directly from Amazon itself, not one of their onboard retailers unless you know the retailer very well -- we get paid the same, but have found better customer service with amazon.com shipments).
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ -- NEW STORE created to hold gift items specially useful to writers, both in writing and in just finding the TIME to write.
Also we now have google ads on our main entry pages -- and they pay nicely when someone finds what they want via one of those ads. But don't click just to click -- click something that looks like what you really want.

******

******COAL FOR CHRISTMAS**********

COAL FOR CHRISTMAS by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah reached the semi-finals in the Fade-In Writers Network competition:
http://www.fadeinonline.com/Contests/Screen_Fict_semi.html
It would be great to win one of these contests, but even making the semi-finals is a minor credential in our quest to sell our scripts to Hollywood. Coal for Christmas has not won any contests yet, but it is currently under consideration at one major studio and two independent production companies. What that means is that after reading our logline and synopsis, they have asked for and are reading our script. BTW, multiple submissions are not only the norm, but are virtually REQUIRED in Hollywood. We have had to learn a whole new set of rules, very different from the rules for book publishing.

******

****** NEW IN A COMPANION IN ZEOR *********

Doreen DaBinett's continuing tales -- The Farris Factor -- Part 5 and 6
http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimonslibrary/cz/cz24/Farris-5.html
http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimonslibrary/cz/cz24/Farris-6.html


******KEYBOOKS RESTOCKED******

Keybooks, the book store for writers needing inspiration and ideas, and Key Gifts, the store full of gifts for hard working writers have been redesigned and restocked with new items.
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keybooks/ - for books and DVD's
http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/keygifts/ - for items of use to writers
*******

****** BORDERLANDS UPDATE ***********

Well, time for another catch-up Part in the ongoing Borderlands soap opera. This is the first Part in which Flora Raynor actively participated. The title is "The Rising Generation," and there's no single dominant plot thread, but there is a common theme to most of the episodes: a baby is
conceived, some children get changeover training, a Companion gets a visit from his first cousin twice removed. We also see a new young donor, a budding criminal, and a young Sectuib who's found a new way of life.
Some of these characters are new, some are familiar. Read about them all at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html#part.30
And give us feedback! The more feedback, the better we like it! (Sneak peek: the next Part is called "Till Death Do Us Part," and it's not about death.)
******


******JOIN THE REVIEWERS

As Coordinator of our Reviews Department, I ask for your help. With the current upsurge in e-book publishing that is sweeping the Internet, we daily receive an increasing number of books to review. Yet, in counterpoint, we have a shortage of reviewers, and many of our reviews staff are several books behind.We are eagerly and actively seeking new people to review for us. As with all of Sime~Gen, our reviewers are volunteers. When they write a review, it is posted
with their byline, and they get to keep the review copy of the books they have read and reviewed.
For more information on our Reviewers Agreement, visit:
http://www.simegen.com/agreements/revagr.html
Please help us by passing this information along to anyone you know who might want to join our happy band. If interested, they can e-mail me at rvcoord@simegen.com or send a note expressing their interest to Jean at simegen@simegen.com
Midge Baker
Reviews Coordinator
******

******Advertisement******
Anyone shopping Amazon who wants to contribute to simegen.com without it costing them a cent, please start by using any of the Amazon Search boxes on our pages. Our top page has three really handy ones near the bottom. http://www.simegen.com

******Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS

A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them! We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else. http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income. If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois at lois@lochness-monster.com and she'll get it ready for you to order.
******

******HELP WANTED*****

The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time
daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.
Individuals to take over, or assist with the SIMECENTER Site -- It isn't at all hard, but a bit time-consuming...and very rewarding ("meeting" these marvelous authors and artists, if only via E-Mail and their websites.) Please write me, Kaires Tevesu, if you are interested.

****** Please Support Those Advertisers Who Support Us *****

******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE********

We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing. So we are now actively in search of another publisher.
THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.
******

******AVAILABLE RELEASES***********

~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING --
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210013X/rereadablebooksr/ is #1 in the reprint program.
~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932100253/rereadablebooksr/
Read the comments here:
http://www.simegen.com/writers/luren/dreamspy/dreamspyreviews.html
~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/193210030X/rereadablebooksr/ is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire
series.
Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592220037/rereadablebooksr/
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