We Made The Front Page!

Folks:

I am first and foremost a FAN -- an SF Fan! And for me, that's the most prestigious status I have won in life.

How did that happen? Well, it's a lifelong story and the story of my life. I was a very lonely person outcast among my age-mates for having a huge vocabulary strewn with 4-syllable words and for loving school except for recess.

And then when I was in 7th Grade, I wrote a Letter of Comment (fan-speak LoC) to AMAZING MAGAZINE, and they published it with my address (not illegal in those days). My mailbox exploded with letters from the N3F (National Fantasy Fan Federation now on the web at http://www.n3f.org/N3F.shtml ) Welcommittee, and I dove in and became a snailmail letterhack because the dolts hadn't invented the web yet!

THIS is the world I was born to live in.

Over the years my books have been published and reviewed in the New York Times (in addition to reviews, a featured article on the front page of the Sunday Books section), Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal, etc. etc. -- a number of magazines and newspapers across the country and internationally, and I've even had a few articles and interviews -- radio, TV, focused on me and what all I do. Even internet radio interviews! (see? THIS is my world!)

But THIS MONTH Jean Lorrah (http://www.jeanlorrah.com ) and I made the front page of a FAN NEWSPAPER!!!

We did the interview at WorldCon -- squeezing it in over breakfast before the daily race from panel to panel, and filled a couple of tapes which the reporter, Catherine Book, had to condense into some kind of sense. She did a great job.

But I had expected to be placed somewhere past the centerfold with 2 continuations. Instead, when my paper copy came in the mail, I saw that we're featured on the front page, ABOVE THE FOLD!!!! With a large picture of both of us!

Most writers would find this event of no note whatsoever. The newspaper circulates only within the SF/F community and mostly in the Southwest -- though a few subscribe from elsewhere. Nowadays it's posted on the internet too. But the paper is by fans about SF/F, and cons, and things of fannish interest. Others wouldn't find the target audience exciting.

For me this is an event to celebrate loudly and joyously.

I MADE THE FRONT PAGE! (with Jean's help of course!)

At this posting, the issue hasn't been put up on the web yet, but you will eventually find it under October/November at

http://www.casfs.org/ConNotations/Index-CN.html

And if you're into SF, you might want to read some previous issues or check out the advertisements which are demographically focused at US!

And hey, you can use 4-syllable words and not be rejected!

Live Long and Prosper,
Jacqueline Lichtenberg

http://www.simegen.com/jl/