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!

Art and Pizza! What's not to love?

2nd Annual August Art Night, Logo Exhibition and first commentary, and Pizza Party Extravaganza

When: August 18th, 2012,  6:30-9:30 p.m.
Where: The Writer's Place (Map)
What: 2nd Annual August Art Night plus Pizza Party, plus choosing a LOGO!

This is a photo by Neelix, taken at the 2011 August Art Night.

Second Annual August Art Night 

We have reservations from Neelix, a totally new artist named Chris Frye, Nancy Nutt, Lucy A. Synk (with new prints!), and Jan Gephardt (hoping to be there with a new print!).

Art will be for sale at the show, but we cannot take credit cards on the artists' behalf. Most purchases will be by checks or cash only, so come prepared!

Logo Display 
We also will have our first chance to look at the logos that were submitted for the Logo Contest, and compare them with logos of the past. Each will have a "suggestion box" for you to submit suggestions or comments.

Pizza Feast

This is a "Papa Minsky's" pizza.

This meeting also features a Pizza Feast, via Business-Friend-of-KaCSFFS, 39th Street Minsky's--where your KaCSFFS membership card will get you a 10% discount! To see a PDF of a menu, check the Menus File on the KAXFEN Yahoo Group.

For those of you on the group email please find the menu in the files section and tell Cindy what you'd like. Thanks.

IMAGE CREDITS: "Neelix," A.K.A. Tracy Majkol, took the art show photo at last year's August Art Night; it is used here with his permission. We also should note that there will be a display of Neelix's photography in this year's show! The illustration of a "Papa Minsky's" pizza is from Jim Nichols' "Foodspotting" blog. The blog also includes images of food offerings from several other Kansas City-area restaurants.

August Laser Rangers 2012 Meeting

Doomsday, Knocking at Our Door

Date: August 11, 2012
Time: Around 4:45pm (fanish time)
Place: David Sooby’s home theater with 51-inch Samsung HDTV, a 5.1 Surround Sound Dolby Digital sound system, a full set of audiophile-grade speakers, and brand new seating for about 15 people without crowding.
Captain Laser: Bill O.Food Theme: Concession Stand/Drive-in
Dress theme: 1950's Garb

See more information at the Laser Rangers website!!  

A short feature will precede our first feature: 

The Magnetic Monster 

(1953, 76 minutes), starring Richard Carlson and King Donovan
IMDB Synopsis: Working for O.S.I., the Office of Scientific Investigation, A-Man agent Jeffrey Stewart and his partner Dan Forbes are sent to a local hardware store where they find a strong magnetic field has magnetized every metal item in the store. Investigating further, they eventually trace the source of the magnetism to an airborn [sic] flight carrying scientist Howard Denker, now dying of radiation poisoning, who has carted on board with him a new radioactive element which he has bombarded with alpha particles for 200 hours.
See the thrilling trailer on YouTube now! 

 

Following our potluck dinner (bring what you'd like to share) we'll be showing another short or two then our second, main feature.

The Satan Bug

(1965, 114 minutes) starring George Maharis, Richard Basehart, Anne Francis, and Ed Asner
IMDB Synopsis: A germ warfare lab has had an accident. The first theory is that one of the nasty germs has gotten free and killed several scientists. The big fear is that a more virulent strain, named The Satan Bug because all life can be killed off by it should it escape, may have been stolen.
What in amazement the trailer on YouTube now!







Reviews by Ken Keller of Kansas City.
The Magnetic Monster
First off, forget the title. If you go into director Curt Siodmak’s "The Magnetic Monster" looking for a monster movie, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. What we have instead is one of the most ernestly serious science fiction films of the 1950’s, and one of the very few that attempted to examine the newborn horrors of the Nuclear Age in a sober, non-sensational, but low budget manner. (Typical of producer Ivan Tors, who would use the same approach for his "Science Fiction Theater" syndicated TV series.)

The film opens with narrated exposition that science fiction film makers of the 1950’s loved so much: "One of the side-effects of this decade’s rapid expansion in the importance of cutting-edge science in all fields of human endeavor has been the emerging need for a federal investigative agency to deal with the unexpected consequences of these new sciences. Thus, the Office of Scientific Investigation was created to serve as a sort of scientific counterpart to the FBI." 

Dr. Jeffrey Stewart (Richard Carlson) is one of the OSI’s most talented investigative scientists. As the film opens, he and his partner, Dr. Dan Forbes (King Donovan), are sent out to look into a very strange occurrence: Every metallic object in a Los Angeles hardware store has been endowed with a very powerful magnetic charge. Stewart and Forbes determine that the source of the intense magnetic field is in one of the apartments above the store, and they go upstairs to investigate. When they do, they discover that a very odd magnetism emanates from the body of a dead man, killed apparently by some sort of unusual, unknown radiation. Stewart orders the store closed and the building evacuated, and then returns to OSI headquarters with the magnetized and radioactive body. From then on, their investigation grows only stranger, pushing the known boundaries of 1950's science, as they pursue something quite unexpected and extremely dangerous to all of humanity.

Art and KaCSFFS!

Meet us at the World's Fairs!
Who: All interested KAXFEN and/or Laser Rangers
When: THIS Sunday, August 5, at 1 p.m.
Where:Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO 64111
Exhibit Title: "Decorative Arts at the Worlds Fairs, 1851-1939" (more information)
Admission: Museum admission is free; tickets to this exhibition are normally $8--for a $2 discount coupon, click here. Note: there is a $5 fee to park in the parking garage, but there also is offsite parking nearby.

Several of our members have already seen this show, and praised it as outstanding and enjoyable. Here's a chance to go (or go again!) with friends!

This is a photo by Neelix, taken at the 2011 August Art Night.

 

We go to see art--and 

Art Also Comes to Us: Second Annual August Art Night 
Several artists--including some who are new to the event--already have reserved their spaces for the Second Annual August Art Night! Others who exhibited last year will be back, with new artwork!

Art will be for sale at the show, but we cannot take credit cards on the artists' behalf. Most purchases will be by checks or cash only, so come prepared!

When: at the monthly KaCSFFS meeting, August 18, 6:30-9:30
Where: our usual venue, The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, MO 64111.

This is a "Papa Minsky's" pizza.

Note: this meeting also features a Pizza Feast, via Business-Friend-of-KaCSFFS, 39th Street Minsky's--where your KaCSFFS membership card will get you a 10% discount! To see a PDF of a menu, check the Menus File on the KAXFEN Yahoo Group.


IMAGE CREDITS: The World's Fairs poster is from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. "Neelix," A.K.A. Tracy Majkol, took the art show photo at last year's August Art Night; it is used here with his permission. We also should note that there will be a display of Neelix's photography in this year's show! The illustration of a "Papa Minsky's" pizza is from Jim Nichols' "Foodspotting" blog. The blog also includes images of food offerings from several other Kansas City-area restaurants.
 

IRON SKY: We Come in Peace

ALERT TO ALL: Nazis from the Dark side of the moon are invading Independence, MO on August 23rd, 2012!  

Join the resistance for freedom and the American way, y'all.

Where: Independence Commons 20 (MAP HERE!) 
When: Thursday, August 23, 7:30pm - 9:18pm
What: Nazis!!! That's what! In an alternate future, Nazis from the darkside of the moon come to create the Fourth Reich. Also, Palin is president. Lol.
For more details check out the Wikipedia page (Potential spoilers): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Sky

You MUST reserve your tickets ASAP!--> http://www.tugg.com/events/1115
(Deadline for tickets reservation is August 16! WE NEED TO FILL 40 SEATS!!!! 10 Seats left! Full refund if quota is not met and event is not confirmed.)

Possible pre-show dinner: TBD (Options: Fazoli's, Smokehouse BBQ, and Chili's, Applebee's, Texas Roadhouse, Chik-Fillet, and 54th Street Grill. Located in (or near) the very same (large) out-front parking area near the AMC Independence Common theatre. Suggestions by Ken K.)

OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER:



If you would like more information please check out these helpful sites:
IRON SKY movie page: http://www.ironsky.net/
The Events page: http://www.tugg.com/titles/iron-sky?region=global&state=upcoming#.UBGeilTYNSo

Photo and media credits are © their owners. All rights reserved.

LAST CALL for Logos and Call to Pod-Play - 1 Act Plays due by October!

Logo Contest Closes Aug. 1! 

Submit entries now! 

Please refer back to our July post for details. <Insert Link>

Pod-Play 1 Acts

Guidelines

• Must be Family Friendly
• Fall within a genre we cover as a club
• Include more than two people
• Can be comedic, dramatic, or any tone you’d like
• Not more than an hour long
• Is ready by October 20, 2012 (meeting date). 

 

This is an open topic project with endless possibilities. Some prompts are provided below to get you thinking. Have fun and enjoy this. We are also looking for voice talents. Please contact us if you are interested.

 

Format Guidelines

Please refer back to our July post. <Insert Link>

Thank you for your interest and participation. We look forward to seeing what you bring and the performances that result. Good luck and start writing!

Prompts

• A group of people discovers a strange object
• An out of this world party
• A UFO lands
• Guidelines for Alien encounters with dramatic enactments
• Science fiction serial series take off
• Family of psycho killers recounting “just another day.”
• Epic Fantasy quest in 1 act
• Time Safari
• Colonist’s first day on a new world
• Broken down on the galactic highway
• Adapt a 1-act play into a science fiction, horror, or fantasy genre. 
• Our Neighbors are Aliens
• Our Neighbors are LARPers
• Fantasy quest that is really just a well-played D&D game
• Lost Time Traveler

Photo Credits:

Comedy/Drama Faces by Clipart Guide: http://www.clipartguide.com/_pages/1386-0904-3008-0919.html

Parchment by KSU:

http://ocw.ksu.edu.tw/file.php/40/openclipart/index_56.html

Radio Presenter US CA NY Radio Clip art:

http://modise.ns02.biz/2805/home/radio-clipart

Did you Chase it?

Then it's time to talk about it! 
SF&F Literati meet Monday July 23!

Prepare for a rollicking review session! 

Where: The Oak Park Barnes & Noble Booksellers (see embedded map below!)
When: 7:00 p.m. Monday July 23, second floor
What: A. Lee Martinez's Chasing the Moon
B&N Overview:

“Unspeakable horrors threaten the earth in this fantastic new comic fantasy from the author of Divine Misfortune.
“Diana's life was in a rut - she hated her job, she was perpetually single, and she needed a place to live. But then the perfect apartment came along. It seemed too good to be true - because it was.
“The apartment was already inhabited - by monsters. Vom the Hungering was the first to greet Diana and to warn her that his sole purpose in life was to eat everything in his path. This poses a problem for Diana since she's in his path...and is forbidden from ever leaving the apartment.
“It turns out though that there are older and more ancient monstrous entities afoot - ones who want to devour the moon and destroy the world as we know it. Can Diana, Vom, and the other horrors stop this from happening? Maybe if they can get Vom to stop eating everything...and everyone.”

Publishers Weekly Review:

A talking closet and a landlord who's "a bit of a nut" herald the beginning of the end of human civilization in Martinez's lighthearted tale. When Diana moves into apartment 5, she accidentally becomes the caretaker of monstrous, ancient Vom the Hungering. It doesn't seem all bad at first: the fridge is never empty, and she meets interesting neighbors. But she also acquires the startling ability to straddle "multiple floors of reality" and see that the world is suddenly full of bizarre creatures and their squabbling cliques: "It's like high school, except instead of jocks versus nerds, it's the things who eat civilizations versus things who eat galaxies." When Diana learns that Calvin, one of her monstrous new buddies, is planning to destroy the world, she must persuade her other bizarre friends to help head him off. Martinez (Divine Misfortune) excels at off-the-wall storytelling that perfectly suits this cheerful apocalyptic fantasy. (June)

Now's the time to buy next month's book!

In August: old story, new "take."

Same time

Same place

New book: Cinder, by Marissa Meyer

B&N Overview:

“Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
“Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.”

Publishers Weekly Review

First in the Lunar Chronicles series, this futuristic twist on Cinderella retains just enough of the original that readers will enjoy spotting the subtle similarities. But debut author Meyer’s brilliance is in sending the story into an entirely new, utterly thrilling dimension. Cinder is a talented teenage mechanic and cyborg—part human, part robot—who has been living in New Beijing with a demanding adoptive mother and two stepsisters, ever since her late stepfather took Cinder in after a hovercraft accident. Several events abruptly turn Cinder’s world upside down: a chance meeting with the handsome Prince Kai has her heart racing; a plague pandemic threatens her beloved sister Peony; Cinder learns she is immune to the plague; and the evil Lunar Queen Levana arrives on Earth, scheming to marry Kai. Though foreshadowing early on makes it fairly clear where the story is headed, it unfolds with the magic of a fairy tale and the breakneck excitement of dystopian fiction. Meyer’s far-future Earth is richly imagined, full of prejudice and intrigue, characters easy to get invested in, and hints of what might await in future books. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)


Join SF&F Literati each month!

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PHOTO CREDITS: All book covers are courtesy of Barnes & Noble Booksellers: Martinez-Chasing the Moon; Meyer-Cinder

Dos por del Toro

Laser Rangers + Guillermo del Toro = ONE NIGHT OF FANTASY BASED HORROR! -- DOS POR del TORO!!!!

ALERT!!::: THIS MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE *THIRD* SATURDAY OF JULY!!!!!:::  ALERT!!!

Date: July 21, 2012

Time: Around 4:15 p.m., “fan time”

Place: David Sooby’s home theater with 51-inch Samsung HDTV, a 5.1 Surround Sound Dolby Digital sound system, a full set of audiophile-grade speakers, and brand new seating for about 15 people without crowding.

Food Theme:

Captain Laser: Marylin

The Program: "Dos por del Toro" (Two for del Toro)

Check the Laser Rangers website for more information.

The Pre-Dinner Show

We're kicking off this evening with Cronos
(1993, 94 minutes)

IMDB Synopsis: "A mysterious device designed to provide its owner with eternal life resurfaces after four hundred years, leaving a trail of destruction in its path. "

Watch a trailer for Cronos, from IMDB:

Cast:
Federico Luppi
Ron Perlman 
Claudio Brook 


Crew: 
Director: Guillermo del Toro 
Screenwriter: Guillermo del Toro
Producers: Arthur Gorson, Bertha Navarro 

Dinner Break:

The Laser Rangers take a dinner break between the two features of the evening, to share a potluck dinner and discuss the movie they have just seen, or get caught up on other events.

Shorts: 

TBA

Second Feature: 

Pan's Labyrinth (El Labertino del Fauno)

(2006, 119 minutes, on Blu-ray in 1080P)
IMDB Synopsis: "In the fascist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world."

Watch a trailer for Pan's Labyrinth, from IMDB:

Cast:
Ivana Baquero 
Sergi López 
Maribel Verdú

Crew: 
Director: Guillermo del Toro 
Written by: Guillermo del  
Producers: Belén Atienza, Elmundo Gil

The home of the Laser Rangers is located about two miles north of the Kansas Speedway, NW of the intersection of I-70 and I-435 on the Kansas side of the Greater Kansas City area. For the exact address and directions, e-mail David Sooby at the email address given here.




IMAGE CREDITS: The information and movie poster images for all of these shows come from the invaluable IMDB or the movie's  respected distrubutors. The movie screen frame image used for the Laser Rangers contact information is courtesy of Psychology Today Online. Many thanks to these websites!

An Indoor Garage Sale for All Things F&SF!

KaCSFFS Meeting Date Changed! 
Coming THIS SATURDAY!

   Due to a maintenance-related issue, our Writers Place location is not available on our usual third Saturday, so we have "traded weekends" with the Laser Rangers. 
   This means the meeting happens THIS SATURDAY, July 14.
   As usual, the General Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. 
   There also is an open Board Meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m., at which the budget--and, we hope, bids for next year's ConQuesT hotel--will be discussed.


Summer Swap 'N' Shop

Robin Bailey sold books
at an April 2011 meeting.

   Now is the time to root through your library and collectibles: what can you part with, to make room for new things? Consider bringing SF & F-themed:

• Books
• Magazines
• Games
• Art for resale
• Music
• Collectibles
• Mugs, bowls, etc.
• Clothing
• Miscellany

Paula Murray and Corey Barber, at
the April 2011 Swap 'N' Shop

Once you've found some treasures that need new homes, remember to ALSO bring:

• Table/Display equipment (we can't count on using many of the Writers Place tables)
• Your own cash box (or whatever) and change (all transactions are between individuals)
• Bags for your customers' purchases (do you have extra plastic grocery bags to bring?)

Salad Days!

Unfortunately, no recipe came with this "T-Rex Fruit Salad"
photo, but we'd love to see you try something similar!

   The food theme for this meeting is SALADS. 

   No, don't make a face (well, maybe you could make one)! Get creative! Play with our food, and explore the wonderful range of possibilities that lie in fruit, vegetable, pasta, potato, and many other types of salads.

   We found a wide range of wonderful salad recipes at the Smitten Kitchen and Delicious Cooks websites, so you have no excuses not to bring something inspired!

   As ever, we will get competitive. We will vote on, and give recognition certificates for:

• Best-tasting salad
• Most creative (edible) salad

   One warning, though: KAXFEN DON'T EAT BROCCOLI. We know this from years of sad broccoli leftovers. So don't even try, okay??

PHOTO CREDITS: The Writers Place photo is from the Writers Place website. The two photos from the April 2011 Swap 'N' Shop were taken by Jan S. Gephardt. The T-Rex Fruit Salad photo is from the Buzz Feed website.

Humor, Apocalypse, Cyborgs and Japanese SF

SF&F Literati Announce New Books
At their June 25 meeting the SF&F Literati chose three new titles to round out their summer reading selections and take them into the fall. 
We've listed the entire lineup here, so you can place your orders and start reading!

Did you think you had monsters in the
closet, as a child? If so, you had
nothing on Diana's problems!

July 23

Chasing the Moon, by A. Lee Martinez (who is becoming sort of a summertime reading “regular” author).

B&N Overview:

“Unspeakable horrors threaten the earth in this fantastic new comic fantasy from the author of Divine Misfortune. 
“Diana's life was in a rut--she hated her job, she was perpetually single, and she needed a place to live. But then the perfect apartment came along. It seemed too good to be true--because it was. 
“The apartment was already inhabited--by monsters. Vom the Hungering was the first to greet Diana and to warn her that his sole purpose in life was to eat everything in his path. This poses a problem for Diana since she's in his path . . . and is forbidden from ever leaving the apartment. 
“It turns out though that there are older and more ancient monstrous entities afoot - ones who want to devour the moon and destroy the world as we know it. Can Diana, Vom, and the other horrors stop this from happening? Maybe if they can get Vom to stop eating everything . . . and everyone.”

Based (very) loosely on the fairy tale, this
sf novel opens the Lunar Chronicles series.

August 27

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer

B&N Overview:

“Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 
“Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. 
"But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.”

The Literati explore new worlds in a
popular Japanese sf novel, soon to
be a Warner Bros. film starring Tom
 Cruise.

September 24

All You Need is Kill, by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and illustrated by anime and manga graphic artist Yoshitoshi ABe (no, that's not a typo).

B&N Overview:

“L to R (Western Style). There’s one thing worse than dying. It’s coming back to do it again and again… When the alien Gitai invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many raw recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor and sent out to kill. 

"Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to find himself reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On the 158th iteration though, he sees something different, something out of place: the female soldier known as the Bitch of War. Is the Bitch the key to Keiji’s escape, or to his final death?”

Note: This novel is identified as Sakurazaka’s “breakout” science fiction novel. It has been optioned by Warner Brothers for production, with the working title of We Mortals Are.  According to IMDB, the film is in pre-production and scheduled for release as All You Need is Kill in 2013.  Doug Liman will direct; Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star.

The SF&F Literati meet every fourth Monday of the month (with a couple of exceptions) on the 2^nd floor of the Barnes & Nobles Booksellers at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park.

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IMAGE CREDITS: All cover art is courtesy of Barnes & Noble Booksellers.