What to Expect at the 40th Anniversary

By Robin W. Bailey

The Writers Place: 3607 Pennsylvania, KCMO

In honor of the 40th anniversary of KaCSFFS, the Writers Place will transform into a museum as we celebrate the many accomplishments and highlights of Kansas City fandom.  Along with LASFS (Los Angeles SF Society), NESFA (New England SF Association) and only a few others, KaCSFFS now standsas one of the oldest, continuously operating science fiction fan clubs in the country.  

We think that’s worth honoring.

Your ticket down memory lane!

Memory Lane Awaits! 

Take a trip down Memory Lane.  Attendees can look forward to a number of special displays and collections.  

We’ll have a nearly complete collection of ConQuesT tee shirts through the years, as well as badges and KaCSFFS newsletters.  Look for a display of the many terrific fanzines published right here in Kansas City during the great heyday of fan publishing.  Check out the numerous gubernatorial and mayoral proclamations honoring our Nebula Awards weekends, and see the original Science Fiction Hall of Fame plaque and trophy once again.

  

In keeping with this museum theme, be sure to check out the KaCSFFS Facebook page where, under the heading of “Countdown to the 40th Anniversary,” Robin Bailey has spent the past month posting many interesting photographs and bits of KaCSFFS history.

Special Awards and Swag!

But that’s not all!  Jim Murray is producing a commemorative 40th anniversary fanzine.  Tracy Majkol is preparing a special slide show highlighting members and events.  Joyce Downing, a longtime member and terrific musician, will entertain us with several songs.  We’ll make the evening special in other ways, too, and we’ll offer a few surprises.  Among them, a very special surprise autographing event.  You won’t want to miss it.

 But that’s not all!  One of the highlights of the anniversary will come when Ken Keller, who along with Gary Mattingly co-founded our club, is honored with an award and lifetime honorary membership to recognize his achievement.  This is an overdue and much-deserved recognition, and we’re very happy to make it on this special night.

And that’s still not all!  The anniversary will also feature the launch and first-time presentation of a brand new, board-approved KaCSFFS honor -- The Tom Reamy Award for Excellence in Science Fiction Endeavors.  We’ll explain the origin and purpose of the award as we name its first recipient.  We think everyone will be pleased.

Food!

Don’t forget that the Marrakech Café is catering our event.  Expect an array of appetizers, hors douerves and desserts, along with coffee and tea.  Attendees are also encouraged to bring any additional beverages of your choice.  Hey, BYOB is always in vogue in this group!  By the way, we’re very pleased that we’ve been able to finance this entire evening with advance ticket sales and contributions without dipping directly into the club’s treasury.  

Your Master and Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening: Robin Wayne Bailey and Sherri Dean.

PHOTO/IMAGE CREDITS:

The photo of the Writers Place is from their website.

The 40th Anniversary Ticket SAMPLE was compiled by Jan S. Gephardt.

The 1971 "K.C.S.F.F.S."  organizational flier is from the collection of Robin W. Bailey.

KaCSFFS Happenings!

Lots of things are set for the days and weeks ahead!
As a group, KAXFEN are active people.  This blog exists to help them keep everyone posted on upcoming activities.

If this compilation has missed a group who'd like to have an announcement made, please contact Jan Gephardt with information! (We like photos, too!) The deadline is midnight Monday of the week the post will be published.

SF & F Literati Meet Monday, 8/22

Vegas Knights is the August book.

The book club associated with our group meets the last Monday of each month, and August is no exception. 

Meeting time: 7:30 p.m.

Meeting location: 2nd floor lobby of the Oak Park Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 11323 W. 95th St., Overland Park, KS 66214.

Book under discussion: Vegas Knights, by Matt Ferbeck

Next month's book: To be announced


ACT NOW for the 40th!
If you don't have your 40th Anniversary Ticket, please buy it soon!
The deadline for ticket sales is August 27!
Tickets are $11, and are available online.

We will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of KaCSFFS:
Where: The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO 64111.
When: September 17, 2011, 6:30 p.m.

Get your 40th Anniversary tickets by Aug. 27!

Coffee and tea, will be served, but please bring other drinks, according to your preference. Also welcome: a side dish, appetizer, or dessert. 

Please dress up a bit: not formal, but "cocktail nice."

Toastmasters for the evening are Sherri Dean and Robin Wayne Bailey; T-shirt display is by Cindy Norton; commemorative fanzine is by Jim Murray.

Longview Literary Festival is October 15!

Our own Susan Satterfield is involved in organizing this.  We will post more information as soon as we can.

Our October Meeting is rescheduled to October 29

We didn't want to keep anyone away from the Longview event, so we've decided to have a Halloween meeting, complete with costumes. We'll update again with more information soon!

August Art Night was such a success, we are now planning a Thanksgiving Visual Feast!

Thanksgiving Meeting is November 19 

This is one of the most popular meetings of the year, because we feed you! KaCSFFS supplies the turkey, and we all bring the trimmings.  Help us fill the first floor of the Writers Place with tables for dining and an even bigger buffet than last year!

This year, also enjoy a Visual Feast!

Because the August Art Night display was such a resounding success, we've decided to do it again! The Thanksgiving Visual Feast will have expanded floor space, for local and regional artists to display their work and offer it for sale, just in time for Holiday shopping!

Officer Self-Nominations begin in November:

Begin thinking about who might be good candidates for Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and Communications Officer--then try to talk them into nominating (or re-nominating) themselves!

PHOTO CREDITS: 
Many thanks to Barnes & Noble Booksellers, for the cover image for Vegas Knights.
Kudos to Robin W. Bailey, for design of the 40th Anniversary ticket. 
And much gratitude to "Neelix" (Tracy Majkol) for the art display image. Artists featured, L-R, in case you can't recognize them: Allison Stein, Jan Gephardt, Lucy A. Synk, and Rachael Mayo. Also participating in the display but not shown were Bev Hale and Signy Gephardt.

First (Annual?) August Art Night is August 13

Bad Boys, by Allison Stein.  

KaCSFFS will host the first of what may become an annual "August Art Night" event, in conjunction with its monthly meeting at The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO 64111. The meeting and display begin at 6:45 p.m.

Seven artists, two from outside the Kansas City metro area, will display their artwork. They are Sherri Dean, Bev Hale, Jan Sherrell Gephardt,  Signy Gephardt, Rachael Mayo, Allison Stein, and Lucy A. Synk.

Avatar 3, Bev Hale

Jazzdragon 18, by Rachael Mayo

Art media will range from original paintings and paper sculpture, through prints, to jewelry. Rachael Mayo has requested extra space so she can exhibit "some new, large-ish stuff" that she wants "to show off." Rachael was one of our top-sellers at ConQuesT, so this should be a treat!

Oriental Delight, by Lucy A. Synk

Nearly all of the artwork will be for sale, and most of the artists will be there in person.

NOTE: We cannot process charge cards at the show, so if you think you might even possibly want to buy some artwork, please bring cash and/or your checkbook!

Treetop Primaries, by Jan Sherrell Gephardt

In addition to the art display, several other things will be going on as well:

• A short business meeting. 
• An old-time radio play program, coordinated by Robin W. Bailey.
• Sharing of cookies brought by any members who wish to bring them (each person should bring his/her own drink and ice).
• One last raffle to help fund the 40th Anniversary celebration, which is scheduled for next month, September 17, 2011, at the Writers Place.
• The last chance to reserve your 40th Anniversary admission (which includes hors d'oeuvres and dessert). You may place reservations online for $11 via PayPal, or pay in person on Aug. 13, via cash or check for $10 (children ten years old or younger get in free). Either way, the deadline is Aug. 13!
• This also is a final chance to share ideas with Diana Bailey, about names for the pair of bats, and also "the ghosts currently calling the Writers Place home." Any final name choices must be approved by the Writers Place management, and the deadline is approaching soon.

Looking Ahead to Two Events Happening Soon:
"KaCSFFS Memories" are due September 1!
Please write a short description of some of your KaCSFFS memories, and send or give them to Diana Bailey, between now and September 1. She also is looking for recipes that have been favorites at KaCSFFS meetings in the past, and artwork. Here's the format for "Memories" and recipes:

• Typed 11-point Times New Roman
• One page or less
• NO LATER THAN Sept. 1, 2011

These are for a presentation on the 40th Anniversary, Sept. 17.

The August book

SF&F Literati Meeting
This KaCSFFS-affiliated book club is set to meet August 22 at the Oak Park Barnes & Noble.

The book under discussion will be Vegas Knights, by Matt Forbeck. Start reading today!


IMAGE CREDITS:
Many thanks to the artists who gave permission for us to use the images of their artwork in this blog post. EACH IMAGE IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT. Please respect this, and DO NOT RE-POST THEM WITHOUT THE ARTISTS' PERMISSION (their contact information is linked to their names, so that should be easy). Specifically, we thank Allison Stein for Bad Boys; Bev Hale for Avatar 3, Rachael Mayo for Jazzdragon 18, Lucy A. Synk for Oriental Delight, and Jan Sherrell Gephardt for Treetop Primaries.
We also wish to thank Barnes & Nobles Booksellers for the Vegas Knights cover illustration.

Post July 16 Meeting Wrap Up

Hello all,

Last weekend was a lot of fun. We had a meeting that focused mostly on the 40th Anniversary prep, books sold, eating pizza and a fun time recording the podcast on High Fantasy!

Here are some of the highlights of the meeting!

THE KaCSFFS 40TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING
September 17, 2011 -- The Writer's Place!!

As of now, Robin Bailey and Sherri Dean are leading the group that is helping to put it together.

They need your help!

Here's what you can do:
--Volunteer to bring appetizers and desserts to the part.

--Donate any old convention booklets, Videos of past events (or future, you know, because we can!).

--Contact James M. if you have any articles or art for the 40th Anniversary zine!

--Volunteer! Contact Robin Bailey and Sherri Dean and get them your e-mail address so they can keep in contact!

--Cindy N. is in charge of the shirt display! Donate any old shirts from previous years!

--Tracy M. is setting up a slideshow. Donate any pictures you might have taken at our events!

--David M. is looking for Conbadges from before 1983.

If you can think of anything else you'd like to do to help out, please feel free to comment below or e-mail Robin or Sherri!


Mark you Calendars!

Upcoming events include the Laser Rangers Meeting and Film Cadets/Fanivores posted below.

The August Meeting is taking place on the 13th. The theme is CUPCAKES!!!! Be sure to bring something sweet!

This month is special since there will be two events being held at the same time. On side of the Writer's Place will be the KaCSFFS Art show run by Jan G.

On the other side of the Writer's Place will be Robin Bailey's Radio Plays.

Come and join the fun.

40th Anniversary - September 17th (see above).

October Meeting

October (duh) 29, 2011.
Susan and Becky are in charge of this event. We don't know what they have planned (something spooky!), but we know it will include a Costume Contest, Scary Food Contest, and other surprises. Come if you're will be strong enough!


HIGH FANTASY PODCAST!



The podcast went off amazingly well. Our main panel was hosted by:
Sherri Dean
Holly M.
James M.

It was produced by KaCSFFS and was directed and written by Tyrell G.

Tech Support by handled by the KaCSFFS Crew

Guests heard on the show, in order of appearance, include:
Ken K.
David S.
Diana B.
David M.
Dane G.
Robin B.

If you would like to learn more about, at least two of our panelists, you can find them at there websites:

Holly's Blog can be found here:
http://www.hollymessinger.com/

Holly has released books through Baens Universe:
http://www.baens-universe.com/authors/Holly_Messinger

And sells her costumes on her ETSY Page
http://www.etsy.com/shop/hollymessinger


Sherri Dean has books released through Yard Dog Books:
http://www.yarddogpress.com/Books.htm#D (search for Dean!)


Speaking of Books

Our own Dane Grannon has published a book! Go check it out now.

Lucky Streak
by Dane Grannon
Published By May December Publications LLC
Words: 68148 (approximate)

Go buy it on Amazon eBook Market or at Smashwords

Blurb from Smashwords:
Lucky is an 18 year-old with a record and is in debt. He pulls a final job which provides the means for clearing his accounts. A path to the straight and narrow is open before him, but a vivacious neighbor talks him out of his money. Faced with missing a court-ordered restitution payment, he decides to pull one final job. Things go terribly wrong and he comes face with a zombie outbreak. Drawing upon his skill, courage, and luck, he struggles to keep his streak alive.

Enjoy reading.

That concludes this wrap up for KaCSFFS July meeting. Hope to see you at the next one.