Harry Monthly Newsletter -- 2023-03

Our discussion group usually meets from 6:30pm to 7:45pm on the 3rd Monday of each month.

Most months, we meet at the Stark County District Library's North Branch (near Malone College): 189 - 25th Street NW, Canton OH 44709; (330) 456-4356.

[The library sometimes closes on the 3rd Monday of a month; for example, January, February, and June.  Then, we may get together at a house, or on-line.] 

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REPORT FROM THE LAST MEETING

ATTENDANCE: 10

MAIN-DISCUSSION SUBJECT / PREMISE / WHAT WE SAID ABOUT IT

- At the meeting, we tabled our scheduled main-discussion subject, Hugo-winner _A Desolation Called Peace_, until next month!

- Future meetings’ main-discussion subjects will be a month later than first scheduled.   

OTHER-SUBJECT DISCUSSIONS:

- Local Science Fiction author Marie Vibbert visited.  She shared a lot of news, and added quite a bit to our usual rollicking discussions! 

- Several meeting attendees (including Marie) enjoyed Cleveland Concoction last weekend. 

- Marie told us an amusing story about how she learned that she was a Nebula finalist for her novelette, “We Built This City.” https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/vibbert_06_22/

- Speaking of awards, 2023 Hugo nominations are open through 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, on April 30.  The 2023 awards are generally for works first published in 2022.

- Hmm.  Marie’s latest novel, _The Gods Awoke_, was published in 2022.  Just saying!

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NEWS ... NEWS ... NEWS ...

As previously mentioned:

- Linda’s combo retirement/birthday party will be Sunday, June 25th.  Details to be announced.  Congrats, Linda!

- Confluence will be July 21-23, 2023, at Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel.

Big news from Marie:

- Marie wants to bring WorldCon back to Cleveland (last time was 1966).  Spread the word!

- A big advantage held by Cleveland is that our facilities are fantastic.

   -- A high-tech, ADA-compliant convention center https://www.clevelandconventions.com/

   -- Within walking distance of 5000 hotel rooms, including an attached hotel.

   -- Less than a day’s travel away, for a majority of the U.S. population.

   -- Etc.

- Marie is assembling a Con Committee.  Wants to bid in February 2024, for a 2028 con.    

   -- Cleveland doesn’t have a base of fans experienced in running large cons.

   -- Fortunately, there are fans who run nearby small to medium-sized cons.

   -- We also have some fannish/nerdy organizations whose members might want to help.

   -- Marie hopes to have big-time con-runners mentor and coach newer people. 

   -- So far, she has had large-con runners tour our convention center. They liked it! 

   -- Future plans include Cleveland people attending big cons, networking and gaining experience by volunteering in various areas, etc.  They should also attend SMOFcon. 

- Marie has put together on-line resources for people to get info, to volunteer, etc:

   -- clevention.org  [Also, send email to clevention@...]

   -- https://groups.google.com/g/clevention

   -- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSejLzqjCArxmx2iX_hhs8nvzQtioA35LcpjbAv85oIen8evGg/viewform

So, to anyone reading this, please amplify the signal.  Please consider volunteering.  And if you know people who might be interested, please pass this information on to them.  Thanks!

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NEXT MEETING:  Monday, April 17, 2023, at 6:30pm.  

DISCUSSION:  Arkady Martine’s _A Desolation Called Peace_ (Teixcalaan Book 2) [2022 Best Novel Hugo winner.]

PREMISE:  A human from a multi-stellar-system empire, and a human from an independent space station, join forces to negotiate with an alien species.

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SCHEDULED FUTURE SUBJECTS

Monday, May 15, 2023, at 6:30pm. John Scalzi’s _The Kaiju Preservation Society_ [2022] During the COVID pandemic, someone in a dead-end job is offered work with large animals.  Very large animals ...

Monday, June 19, 2023, at 6:30pm, at ?????????. Alan E. Nourse’s _Star Surgeon_ [1959] In this classic, Earth’s recognized “specialty” among star-faring species is medicine.  However, one ambitious young alien wants to become a doctor ...

Monday, July 17, 2023, at 6:30pm.  Mary Robinette Kowal’s _The Spare Man_ [2022].  This homage to Dashiell Hammett’s whodunit _The Thin Man_ [1934] is updated to take place on a near-future interplanetary cruise ship.