| Author | Message | ||
     R.B. Russell (Tartarusrussell) Username: Tartarusrussell Registered: 02-2010 Posted From: 81.154.154.197 |
FantasyCon is nearly upon us, and I've blogged on the subject: http://tartaruspress.blogspot.com/2011/09/fantasycon-2011.html Hopefully the comments about publicity for the event won't upset anyone on the BFS committee, but it is frustrating that more ordinary fans don't come along... It seems odd to me that with so many great writers, artists, film makers etc that there aren't more ordinary punters. Just about everyone seems to be "trade". | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.156.210.82 |
Hear-hear. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.215 |
How about volunteering as the promo person, Ray? | ||
| R.B. Russell (Tartarusrussell) Username: Tartarusrussell Registered: 02-2010 Posted From: 81.154.154.197 |
"How about volunteering as the promo person, Ray?" I was waiting for that entirely reasonable suggestion, Gary :-) I have enough on my plate trying to promote Tartarus Press and the Friends of Arthur Machen (the best single-author literary society in the world...) I know only too well that all Societies rely on hard-working committee members who put in lots of time and effort, unpaid and often unthanked. The BFS is no different. But it would be great if somebody with the dynamism, savvy and contacts could do something to really promote the BFS so that it could realise it's full potential. Having said my piece, though, Marie O'Regan has just sent around an email saying that attendance is going to be around 500 this year, which must be higher than most years? If so, it bodes well for there being more fans...? | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.215 |
>>>But it would be great if somebody with the dynamism, savvy and contacts could do something to really promote the BFS so that it could realise it's full potential Aren't they all in London working for the Torys and snorting coke every night?  Maybe the psychological profile of this person needs to include "altruism" as a governing trait. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.143.98.239 |
I don't think there many real punters in the Small Press. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
I totally agree with you Ray! (and as someone who is just about to start being a BFS volunteer, I may be putting my foot in my mouth by saying so) This is one reason why I liased with my local literature festival this year to have a BFS event as part of that festival (see my post which I'll link to in a minute when I've found it again). My idea was to try to broaden the appeal of the genre to the "ordinary punters" out there. Ideally, I'd have liked to have tried to arrange further BFS events as part of literature festivals in other parts of the UK next year, but with my current workload - and my new role as BFS online news person - I'm not going to be able to do that myself. But, yes, I've felt for a long time that the BFS needs to broaden its appeal to fans as well as writers, etc. I'm not a writer and I held off from joining for many years for that very reason. I still feel a bit "out of place" in BFS circles, including FCon. Looking forward to it though, if I manage to get all the way down to Brighton! | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Here's my thread about the Ilkley Lit Fest event: http://www.knibbworld.com/campbelldiscuss/messages/1/5079.html?1316613462 I honestly don't know if we'll attract many "real punters" but I hope we do. It would be nice to make some converts! | ||
| R.B. Russell (Tartarusrussell) Username: Tartarusrussell Registered: 02-2010 Posted From: 81.154.154.197 |
"I don't think there many real punters in the Small Press." I'm not sure I agree with you, Des. My Tartarus Press mailing list is mainly made up of non-writers (as far as I can tell.) If I thought we were all only selling within our own little circle I'd give up and get a proper job! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.215 |
That's the way it is for most small presses. Certainly for Gray Friar Press. I probably won't give up, tho. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.143.98.239 |
Not sure if Gary is agreeing with me or Ray. Whatever the case, I hope you all have an enjoyable and successful time in Brighton. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.176.127.208 |
You're not coming then, Des? | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.143.98.239 |
No, I'm afraid not, Mick. I spent all my spare cash securing 20 great stories for the HA of HA. Next year, hopefully. I'll be thinking of you all. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Aw, I was hoping you'd be there too, Des. Would be great to see you again, and my copy of Weirdmonger is still lacking your signature.  | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.143.98.239 |
Yes, sorry not to see you again, Caroline. I could claim that a real book in the eternal hand is better than an ebook in the flaming bush. But face-to-face sociability is more important than both... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
But face-to-face sociability is more important than both Amen, brother. None of this online stuff is real. | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 86.131.61.19 |
This happened to me twice at World Horror earlier this year: I was having a friendly chat with someone who'd come up to me and the next thing I knew they were flogging their self-published book. I felt like I'd stumbled into an Amway convention or something. It's great that everyone's a writer and all, but it's sad when I have to be apprehensive about talking to people I mistake for fans and fellow enthusiasts because they might turn out to be salesmen in disguise. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.156.210.82 |
Kate - that kept happening to me at World Horror, too. I hate that. I never network in that way; I just want to have a chat and a laugh with people, not pimp myself. It's unseemly, and it's also kind of dull. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.26.154.182 |
It's terrible, isn't it? Shameless. www.grayfriarpress.com | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.156.210.82 |
 | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Oh well, I'm not a writer, so if I see any of you at FCon I've nothing to sell to you. Mind you, I'll probably be too shy/nervous to talk to any of you anyway.  By the way, two things to warn you about if I do manage to get to Brighton. One, I'll be travelling light on public transport so I'm not going to be able to buy many books anyway (though I think I'm going to make an exception for Mrs Midnight, Ray). And two, if I've met any of you just once or twice before I'm hopeless at putting names to faces, so please forgive me if I stare at your chest to read your name badge so that I know who you are. Oh, and if anyone wants to stare at my chest to find out who I am, that's fine! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.26.154.182 |
Everyone has to stare at Mick's chest. It's the only option without putting your neck out. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.173.166.157 |
Everyone has to stare at Mick's chest. It's the only option without putting your neck out. In that case, everyone has to bring a chair to stand on. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.173.166.157 |
...although as I'll be sitting in your lap again, GF, you should be fine. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.143.98.239 |
I have started a real time review of Reggie Oliver's MRS MIDNIGHT collection (received today) - being launched, I believe, in Brighton this very day: http://nullimmortalis.wordpres​s.com/2011/09/30/6512/ | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.143.98.239 |
I have started a real time review of Reggie Oliver's MRS MIDNIGHT collection (received today) - being launched, I believe, in Brighton this very day: http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2011/09/30/6512/ | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.143.98.239 |
Garnered from elsewhere: ------------------------------ BEST ANTHOLOGY: Back from the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories, Johnny Mains (ed.) (Noose & Gibbet) BEST COLLECTION: Full Dark, No Stars, Stephen King (Hodder & Stoughton) BEST ARTIST: Vincent Chong BEST COMIC/GRAPHIC NOVEL: At the Mountains of Madness: a Graphic Novel, Ian Culbard (Selfmadehero) BEST MAGAZINE/PERIODICAL: Black Static, Andy Cox (ed.) (TTA Press) BEST NON-FICTION: Altered Visions: The Art of Vincent Chong (Telos) BEST SMALL PRESS: Telos Publishing BEST SHORT STORY: "Fool’s Gold", Sam Stone, from The Bitten Word, ed. Ian Whates (NewCon Press) BEST NOVELLA: Humpty’s Bones, Simon Clark (Telos) BEST NOVEL: Demon Dance, Sam Stone (House of Murky Depths) BEST FILM: Inception BEST TELEVISION: Sherlock KARL EDWARD WAGNER SPECIAL AWARD: Terry Pratchett SYDNEY J. BOUNDS AWARD FOR BEST NEWCOMER: Robert Jackson Bennet, for Mr Shivers (Orbit) ------------------- Congratulations, everyone. My real-time reviews of three of the winners: http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2010/08/22/back-from-the-dead/ http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/full-dark-no-stars-by-stephen-kin g/ http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2010/09/25/tta-press-my-real-time-reviews/ | ||
| David_m (David_m) Username: David_m Registered: 07-2011 Posted From: 95.147.193.75 |
Well done to TTA Press for their well deserved win with Black Static, my favourite magazine. | ||
| Stephen Theaker (Stephen_theaker) Username: Stephen_theaker Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 94.169.3.199 |
Very pleased by Black Static's win, and not a little surprised given the way the other awards went. I'll be taking 0.16% of the credit for it - roughly the amount of the year's issues I wrote. Maybe Andy will shave the end off a tentacle for me... | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
Congrats to Black Static. Excellent publication. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 121.90.31.72 |
Yes! Well done Black Static. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 81.131.175.228 |
BFS: Extract: “It was always a vulnerable system and with its weakness to “boosting” votes now only too exposed, it is in my view irreparable.” http://www.britishfantasysociety.co.uk/news/fourth-update-from-the-acting-chair- graham-joyce/ |