KaCSFFS Meeting THIS Weekend!

KaCSFFS Meeting for July 20, 2013:

The Writers Place

What time:  

Open Board Meeting: 5:30 p.m.

General Meeting: 7:00 p.m.

Food Theme: 

Deli/Coffee Shop

Where: 

The Writers Place,  3607 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, MO 6411 

What's going on there:

Joining KaCSFFS, Buying ConQuesT Memberships, Eating, Socializing, Promoting your club related events and, most importantly, HAVING FUN!

Interviewing Con Chairs

L-R ConQuesT 2013 (CQ44) and 2014 (CQ45)
Chairpersons Victoria L'Ecuyer and Jesi Pershing.

Ken Keller continues his interview series this time focusing on ConQuesT convention chairs. Starting with outgoing convention chair Victoria L'Ecuyer about her time and experiences. He will conclude with incoming chair Jesi Pershing. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about convention running, what it takes to make a convention happen, and what to look forward to for ConQuesT 45!


Meeting Proposals
We'll have a brief discussion before the interviews to review procedure for club promotions. (i.e. role of agendas, 5 minutes per promotion, 1-week advance notice (if possible), etc.) Shouldn't take more than a few minutes. 


For more information or to start the discussion early, please post to the Kaxfen list. Don't forget, we have a Facebook Group!

April Meeting Follow-up

Introducing our New Executive Board
We barely managed a quorum of dues-paid members at our April 27, 2013 meeting to hold an official election, but with a final flurry of payments, we did it.  We had no mail-in votes, but the online voting echoed and reinforced the verdict of those attending in person.

Incoming and outgoing Presidents Ty Gephardt
and Diana J. Bailey, at the April 2013 meeting.

It was a safe bet we'd make history, because the election of either President candidate would be historic for KaCSFFS in some way.

The history we chose to make was electing the first, second-generation KAXFAN President in club history: Ty Gephardt's birth was announced at a KaCSFFS meeting in 1985, he joined on his own for the first time at age 15, and he is now President for the coming year, Ghod help him.

President was the only contested position on the Executive Board, but we have new faces in other positions, as well.

L-R New Secretary Kristina Hiner takes over from
Sherri Dean, the outgoing Secretary.

When incumbent Secretary Sherri Dean announced she was not running for another term, relatively new member Kristina Hiner stepped up to self-nominate. No other Secretary candidates opposed her, so a vote for this office was not needed. 

Kristina already has become an active voice on the new Board. Along with other, younger members of this Board, she is helping to add a more youthful perspective than that of the Baby Boomers who have dominated for decades.

L-R ConQuesT 2013 (CQ44) and 2014 (CQ45)
Chairpersons Victoria L'Ecuyer and Jesi Pershing.

We also have a changing of the ConQuesT Con Chairpersons on the Executive Board.  

The 2013 ConQuesT Chairperson remains Victoria L'Ecuyer, but she stepped down from the Board position so her Vice-Chair, Jesi (Lipp) Pershing, another second-generation KAXFAN, could step up.  

For most of her term on the Executive Board, Jesi will be the Chairperson of the upcoming ConQuesT.  She also ran unopposed.

Cindy Norton (working hard
during the April meeting)
remains KaCSFFS Treasurer.

Jan Gephardt (giving a
report at the April meeting)
will remain Communications
Officer of KaCSFFS.

Other Board positions will remain unchanged, because the incumbents self-nominated, and no one ran against them.  

Cindy Norton remains the Treasurer for a fifth term.  An accountant for a local business and part-time IRS worker, she brings considerable experience to the post.

Jan Gephardt remains the Communications Officer for a third term.  She was trained as a journalist, and worked for many years in the fields of marketing and education.

Both of these are voting Board Member positions.  

Diana Bailey continues as the
KaCSFFS Registered Agent.

The Registered Agent for the club is a non-voting position that often remains unchanged for many years because there are legal aspects to changing it, and especially while we await a decision from the IRS regarding our 501 (c) 3 designation, we don't want any unnecessary legal rearrangements. Diana Bailey continues as the Registered Agent.

Board members may be contacted online via the KaCSFFS Facebook Page, the KAXFEN Yahoo Group (for current members only), or by posting a comment to this blog (see below), or via snailmail at P.O. Box 34413, North Kansas City, MO 64116.

PHOTO CREDITS: We are grateful to several people for the photos used in this post.  The wonderful William Tienken provided the images of Ty with Diana, Kristina with Sherri, Jan Gephardt at the April meeting, and Diana Bailey at a meeting in the summer of 2012, all via his posts on Facebook.  The photo of Jesi Pershing is courtesy of Keith Stokes's MidAmerica Fan Photo Archive (Chicon VI section).  The photo of Cindy Norton was taken by Jan Gephardt, also at the April 2013 meeting.

Votes and Thank-Yous: Developments at the August meeting

New Developments:
At the August 18 meeting, members received several important pieces of news.

The Board is in the process of finalizing a bid from a new ConQuesT hotel. Free parking, Free wi-fi for hotel guests, extended food service hours, lower space costs for the convention, and room rates below $100 per night for attendees are some of the potential benefits of the move now under discussion. Stand by for updates!

The addition of several new members, including our ConQuesT Chair Victoria L'Ecuyer, makes it necessary to once again update the Directory. Stand by for a notice of when it is uploaded to the KAXFEN Yahoo Group.

KaCSFFS members will receive birthday cards, thanks to a
new effort by Sherri Dean.

Secretary Sherri Dean has undertaken a new project to send birthday cards to KaCSFFS members who have shared their birthdates with the club (any who have not will receive their cards at the first of the year!). This complements and extends the effort already being made by KaCSFFS President Diana Bailey, to send get-well or sympathy cards to members and friends of KaCSFFS, when they are needed.

Thank-Yous!

Continuing a program of recognizing outstanding volunteer contributors to KaCSFFS that was started at the 40th Anniversary last year, KaCSFFS presented an Award of Recognition to Tyrell Gephardt at the August meeting, "for outstanding contributions to Fhandom." It was presented by Treasurer Cindy Norton, who spoke of Ty's leadership of the podcasting group, his regular contributions to the KaCSFFS Blog, his frequent willingness to help with electronics and heavy-lifting, and his outstanding efforts that very night to help set up and tear down the August Art Night exhibition, and also to make a special run to pick up pizzas for the Pizza Feast at the meeting. 

Other appreciation recognitions were offered to Cindy Norton herself, for arranging for the pizzas, making an emergency run to the storage unit for electrical connections so viewers could see lighted art display panels at the August Art Night display, and a visit on very short notice with Victoria L'Ecuyer and Susan Satterfield to view and discuss negotiations with the potential new convention hotel, on the morning before the meeting.

We also would like to add a special thank-you to Corey Barber for his unflagging help with cleaning up after the meeting, and a special appreciation of Diana Bailey for coming to the Board Meeting, despite being in the midst of a medical problem. Our thoughts are with you, Diana!

Finally, appreciations are due to the artists who brought their work to the Second Annual August Art Night exhibition: Tracy Majkol, Lucy A. Synk, Jan Gephardt, Rachael Mayo, and a brand-new artist to KaCSFFS and fandom, Christopher Frye.

Preliminary Round of KaCSFFS and ConQuesT Logo Voting:

Our Logo Contest brought in submissions from several artists, and August 18 was the first chance the members had to look at them and comment. The commentary period is still open, so if you were not able to be at the meeting and have opinions, please let us know! Here are the results of the preliminary round of voting and commenting:

This is KaCSFFS Logo Proposal #1.

New KaCSFFS Logo Proposal #1:

4 voters liked it. One wrote, "Like this very much, but enhance the image with stars or some skiffy elements." Another wrote, "Like--City of Fountains, Art Deco, pointy bits all good. Is it too close to other KC designs, though?"

3 voters disliked it. Two wrote, "No-no-no!"

One voter wrote: "OK, [but] want to see suggestions made on others."

One voter wrote: "Not sure what change would work--like, but could like more."

This is KaCSFFS Logo Proposal #2.

New KaCSFFS Logo Proposal #2:

2 voters liked it.

One voter wrote, "OK." Another wrote, "MEH."

One wrote, "Nice design, [but] stars look a little crowded." (Note: the stars form the constellation Taurus, and are placed accurately, if rather close together).

Two more disliked it. One went to the point of "No-no-no!"

Legacy Logos:
Two more logos were presented, which actually have been used in the past. It is possible one of them might be retained for use, if members like it better than the new offerings.

Several members quickly pointed out that at least two additional "Legacy" Logos had been omitted. Members will have a chance to comment/vote on those at the September meeting.

Legacy Logo #1 had surprisingly strong support.

Legacy Logo #1:
Our 1970s logo appears to have considerable "staying" power.

5 voters liked it, though one added, "But . . . I vote for [the] Brad Foster logo [not offered for consideration in August]." Please note: this logo will be in the September voting. Another wrote, "Nice, clean design, [but] no obvious tie-in. I do know this design has lots of symbolism built in, but [I] don't recall what. The design is good."

One voter was kind of lukewarm, writing, "OK."

2 voters disliked it. One wrote, "No--too obscure. Time for something new." The other simply wrote, "No-no-no."

This is Legacy Logo #2.

Legacy Logo #2:
This logo was used in the 1980s and early '90s.

3 voters liked it.

2 voters were positive, but had comments. "I like this and would like to see it used somehow, but I think there are too many tiny details to work as a logo," one wrote. The other said, "Good design for a T-shirt, but not for a logo. Too complex. Can't be reproduced legibly in [small] sizes.

Others wrote: "OK, [but] large. Too busy, [and?] small." Another wrote, " Way, way too busy. Will not reduce well."

And 2 disliked it. One wrote, "No-no-no!"

ConQuesT Logos:
We also had three submissions for a ConQuesT logo, and some strong opinions were registered about them.

This is ConQuesT #1.

ConQuesT #1
This was a very popular logo. It got 10 "like" votes. One added, "Like-like-like: beautiful graphic and multiple KC icons. Should reduce very well." Another said, "LOVE this--best logo in show."

One voter wrote, "I like the rocket and the lettering--take out the tower/theater for a blank space."

Another suggested, "Remove the rocket. Put a dirigible moored to a sky station."

This is ConQuesT #2.

ConQuesT #2
This logo earned 4 "like" votes. One voter wrote, "Like--my second choice" (after #1).

However, one voter wrote, "The stars are too small and cluttered." (We should note this is another use of the Taurus constellation)

Others disliked it. It received 3 "No-no-no!" votes, with two adding that the rocket "looks too phallic."

This is ConQuesT #3.

ConQuesT #3
This logo also got 10 "like" votes.

However, three voters found it wanting in one way or another. One wrote, "DEATH TO COWS--Mooove on!" Another wanted "something in the empty space," and another suggested, "move the cow more center." It should be noted that the design was conceived for the number of the particular ConQuesT (for example, "43" for the convention held this year, or "44" for the one in 2013) to be shown in white in the blank space.

If you have opinions about any of these logos, please plan to come to the second round of voting at the September meeting, or share your opinions in a comment on the blog or Facebook page, or in an email to the KAXFEN list.

IMAGE CREDITS: The photo of a pile of birthday cards is from the "Photos Public Domain" website.  The logo images all have been submitted as part of our Logo Contest, with permissions included. Many thanks to all!

The Rest of . . . Several Stories

Scroll down for important notes on the KaCSFFS Election!

Laser Rangers Announce Special Saturday Show!

Game of Thrones Special Features Showcased

Get in the mood for Season Two on Saturday 24th!

Grab your broadswords and shields, pikes and battle axes..."Winter is Here!"  With the recent release on Blu-ray of the first season of HBO's multiple award-winning "Game of Thrones" (and the series' 2nd Season coming to HBO on April 1st), this coming Saturday, the Laser Rangers are hosting a special alternate Laser Rangers sequel/follow-up to our 10 episode Game of Thrones marathon held last November. All are invited.

Ask David for location information!

     Start Time: 4:45 PM
     Location: The Usual (several miles N.E. of The Kansas Speedway and Nebraska Furniture Mart in KCK--see contact information in the proscenium arch illustration).

     Dinner: Join us for a Pot Luck (or just bring your own dinner)

Enjoy the 51" Samsung Plasma Screen 1080P viewing, 5.1 Audiophile Grade Sound System, and comfortable, theater-style seating.

For this special session we'll be showing various Blu-ray extras, both before and after the dinner break. Here's a sampling of what's available that you've not seen before:
     A Making of "Game of Thrones" Documentary

     15 Character Profiles 

     Creating the Dothraki Language 

     Inside the Ancient Order of the Night's Watch 

     From Book to Screen: How It Was Done 

     Creating The Series' Emmy-Winning Opening Title Sequence

     7 Voice-Over Audio Commentaries Guide to Westeros

Blu-ray Exclusive Features:
     The Complete Field Guide to Westeros: What You Need To Know 

     An In-Episode Guide 

     Anatomy of An Episode
And, as one additional, sepcial extra:
     7 Hidden "Dragon Eggs" (i.e., actors' audition tapes that won them their roles)

Keep scrolling down,  for important notes on the KaCSFFS Election!
Program Notes for Writers at the Last Meeting
We didn't have information about the fiction pieces to be read before the meeting. In case you'd like to follow up and read more, here it is:

Notes on fiction read Saturday March 17 follows.
L-R, our guests were: Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Sarah Frost, and Sherri Dean.

     Sherri Dean was first to read. Her story was "“Possum Love, Princess of Mars,” published in two different Yard Dog Press “Bubba” anthologies, Flush Fiction and Houston: We’ve GotBubbas!
     Sarah Frost next read an excerpt from a short story, “A Pilgrim at the Edge of the World,” possibly soon to be published in On Spec: the Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic.  
     Bryan Thomas Schmidt finished the evening with two excerpts from his recently-published novel, The Worker Prince, which in December was recommended as one of the Honorable Mention group of “Barnes & Noble's Best SF Releases of 2011." 
     Contrary to the previous announcement, Jim Murray did not present a reading. The evening's three readers were recorded, for possible future use in a podcast. We will keep you posted.


You're here at last! More important notes below, too! 
We Have A Contested Officers' Race!!!!
Well, SOMEWHAT contested. There are two self-nominations for the post of Secretary. Here's who they are, along with their "Why you should vote for me" statement (in their own words):

Jeff Orth (incumbent):
"Jeff is bad secretary. he will continue to be a bad secretary. Some body should kick his ass. Diana certainly would appreciate it."

Sherri Dean (challenger):
"I already did this [serve as Secretary] before, but . . . I could do it again if you like." (Author's note: Not only did she serve with distinction as Secretary, but she also has chaired ConQuesT).

Since Jeff did not withdraw his self-nomination upon hearing this (in fact, affirmed that he would not), we will have an election. It will take place at the April 21, 2012 KaCSFFS Meeting at The Writers Place.

In addition to a live election at
the April meeting, KAXFEN also
can vote Absentee this year.

Only current, dues-paid members are eligible to vote (memberships were due for renewal March 17). If you have not renewed your dues but wish to vote, you may pay online. See the sidebar at right for the PayPal button.

If you are a current, dues-paid member, but you know you will be unable to come to the April meeting in person, you may vote via Absentee Ballot this year, for the first time. Copy your Absentee Ballot from the ABSENTEE BALLOT page at the top of this blog, or download the PDF from the KAXFEN Yahoo Group.

All Absentee Ballots must be filled out, signed, and received at the KaCSFFS Post Office Box before the April meeting. Complete instructions can be found on the Official Ballot form.  Be sure to mail yours in plenty of time!

Introducing Your 2013 ConQuesT Chairperson-Elect, 
Victoria L'Ecuyer
Victoria responded to my pre-meeting call for self-descriptions by nominees with an interesting, much more lengthy response than those of other would-be office holders. She was unopposed on the 17th, so our Bylaws dictate that she is considered to have won by acclamation.

But because many KAXFEN don't know her well, here is her self-introduction:

Victoria as Co-Chair, at last year's
Closing Ceremonies (by K. Stokes)

Hello, my name is Victoria L'Ecuyer and this is my 12th year working ConQuesT.

I started out as a simple volunteer who showed up and helped out when there was nothing happening that I wanted to attend. For a couple of years I'd pop up at Joyce Downing's elbow, asking, "What can I do to help?" Then, when I just showed up and did the work without asking, Joyce made me her staff. When she thought about stepping down, she made me her co-director. 

About the time I was thinking of stepping down as Director of Registration, John asked me to be his vice-chair. I thought about it for a while. I really wanted to say "no" and walk away for good, but in the end I said "yes."

This was because I tell people to "quit bitching or do something about it" when they go into long rants about what is bothering them about a situation (or person)  they're involved in (or with). John offered me a chance to "do something" and I took it. 

You know how good (or bad) I was at running registration. (I'm well aware that some people think I sucked at it. I am also aware that I can't please everyone.) Right off the bat I was asked to make pre-printed badges happen. It was a challenge first implementing then working the kinks out badging process, but it happened. Along the way, and with Cindy Norton's help, I found and closed every single crack where stuff can get lost regarding paying membership and registration. (Getting a new Head of Registration and new Treasurer at the same time makes for Interesting Times.)

As Vice Chair last year, I created the concom's agenda and took minutes for the concom, then distributed them. This had the effect of reducing the five-hour meetings down to two or less. Setting the agenda and taking minutes is still being done by the Vice Chair. Our new record set by the current Vice Chair is a one-hour meeting.

As acting Co-Chair last year, I started the Chart of All Knowledge in an effort to manage convention logistics for scheduling. I did it again this year as official Co-Chair. This has made things easier for the various departments to keep track of who is doing what. It also helps the hotel to know when they can get in to clean and refresh the meeting rooms and con suite during the convention.  Because most authors schedule their appearances 1-3 years out, I've been working on next year's Guests of Honor for the last few months.

Because this year's Vice Chair is moving to Alaska in September, there is a chance you'll have me as chair for two years running. Yes, I'm already scouting for a new Co-Chair and Vice Chair. Unless someone decides to take over my duties, I'll show up and do the work in 2013. And possibly 2014. 

The Remaining Uncontested Nominations for the 
Board of Directors are:

President (formerly Director):
Diana J. Bailey (incumbent)
"Well, I guess I'm crazy enough to try it again."

Treasurer:
Cindy L. Norton (incumbent)
"After 3 years still attempting to figure out who was crazier, Ken K.  for asking, or me for accepting, I figure it is a tie. [There has been] no impeachment, and I keep nominating myself.  Still working on achieving the 501(3)c; setting up a record-keeping method for the Con that is simple enough that anyone can take over, and, importantly, the fun days still outnumber the crappy days, so [I'm] still having fun."  

Communications Officer (formerly Editor):
Jan S. Gephardt (incumbent)
"I used to be a graphic designer and marketing specialist, and I have tried to use these skills to develop the Blog, enliven the Directory, and aid other communications efforts on the Club's behalf . In my second term I hope to continue expanding and streamlining KaCSFFS communications, and aligning the design of all KaCSFFS public media, so we present a consistent image."

IMAGE CREDITS: The Game of Thrones title is from the Screen Rant blog. The movie screen frame image used for the Laser Rangers contact information is courtesy of Psychology Today Online. The photo of Bryan Thomas Schmidt came from the bio page on his website. The photo of Sarah Frost is from her Writertopia profile. The photo of Sherri Dean is her Profile Picture on Facebook. The Ballot Box image is from the MyLot image service. The photo of Victoria L'Ecuyer in Valkyrie chapeau is from the Midamericon Photo Archive (ConQuesT 42 photos by Keith Stokes. THANKS, Keith!!).