[Note from Matthew Gaylor: The Libertarian Futurist Society will
celebrate its 20th anniversary by holding its first national
conference over Memorial Day weekend, 2001, in Columbus, Ohio, as
part of Marcon 36, Ohio's oldest and largest sci-fi/fantasy
convention. Details follow at the end of this message. Over the
past few years I've had the pleasure serving as a finalist judge and
as an advisory member.]
From: Mikegrossb@aol.com
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 22:07:26 EDT
Subject: News release: Prometheus Awards/Hall of Fame finalists announced!
For immediate release: June 11, 2000
Libertarian Futurist Society announces Prometheus Award finalists, Hall of
Fame finalists
The Libertarian Futurist Society has chosen finalists for its annual
Prometheus Award for Best Novel and its annual Prometheus Hall of Fame for
Classic Fiction. The winners will be announced over the Labor Day weekend in
Chicago in an awards ceremony at the World Science Fiction Convention.
The 1999 Prometheus Award finalists (for the 2000 award):
"The Martian Race’" by Gregory Benford (Warner Aspect)
"Cradle of Saturn’" by James Hogan (Baen Books)
"The Cassini Division,"’ by Ken MacLeod (TOR Books)
"Cryptonomicon’" by Neal Stephenson (Avon Books)
"A Deepness in the Sky,"’ by Vernor Vinge (TOR Books)
The 2000 Prometheus Hall of Fame finalists:
"The Emperor's New Clothes,’’ by Hans Christian Andersen (1830s)
"Orion Shall Rise,"’ by Poul Anderson,’’ (1970s)
"Mirror Maze,"’ by James Hogan (1980s)
"It Can't Happen Here,"’ by Sinclair Lewis (1930s)
"The Wardove,"’ by L. Neil Smith (1980s ?)
Both awards honor outstanding science fiction/fantasy that explores the
possibilities of a free future, champions human rights (including personal
and economic liberty), dramatizes the perennial conflict between individuals
and coercive governments, or critiques the tragic consequences of abuse of
power-- especially by the State.
The Prometheus Award, sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS),
was established in 1979, making it one of the most enduring awards after the
Nebula and Hugo awards, and one of the oldest fan-based awards currently in
sf. Presented annually since 1982 at the World Science Fiction Convention,
the Prometheus Awards include a gold coin and plaque for the winners.
The Hall of Fame, established in 1983, focuses on older classic fiction,
including novels, novellas, short stories, poems and plays. Past Hall of Fame
awardwinners range from Robert Heinlein and Ayn Rand to Ray Bradbury and
Ursula LeGuin.
Last year's Prometheus Award winner for Best Book, presented at the Anaheim,
Calif. NASFIC, was John Varley’s “The Golden Globe’’ (ACE/Berkley Books).
Last year’s Prometheus Award Hall of Fame winner for Classic Fiction was H.
Beam Piper and John McGuire’s “A Planet For Texans’’ (1958)-- also known as
“Lone Star Planet.’’
Michael Grossberg, New Visions sci-fi book columnist at The Dispatch
(Columbus, Ohio), chairs the Prometheus Awards Finalist Judges committee. All
LFS Advisory members vote on the Prometheus Award from a list of five
finalists selected by a 10-member LFS Prometheus Award Finalist judging
committee, based on nominations from the entire LFS membership.
LFS Director Victoria Varga chaired last year's Prometheus Hall of Fame
Finalist Judges committee. All LFS Basic and Advisory members choose the
Prometheus Hall of Fame Award from a list of finalists selected by a separate
LFS Hall of Fame Finalist judging committee, based on nominations from the
entire LFS membership.
The Prometheus Award was founded in 1979 when a group led by L. Neil Smith
presented the first award to F. Paul Wilson for “Wheels Within Wheels.” Other
Prometheus winners include Vernor Vinge, Ken MacLeod, James P. Hogan, Brad
Linaweaver, Victor Koman, Poul Anderson, J. Neil Schulman Victor Milan, Larry
Niven and Jerry Pournelle, and Smith (who since 1979 has not been associated
with the awards judging.)
For more information, contact LFS Director Victoria Varga
(vvarga@compuserve.com, 716-248-5646), LFS co-founder Michael Grossberg (
614-236-5040, mikegrossb@aol.com) or awards ceremony coordinator Fred Moulton
(moulton@moulton.com)
Publishers who wish to submit 2000 novels for consideration should contact
Michael Grossberg (614-236-5040), Chair of the LFS Prometheus Awards Finalist
judging committee. Write Grossberg, c/o The Dispatch, 34 S. Third St.,
Columbus, OH 43215).
The Libertarian Futurist Society's Prometheus awardwinners
Founded in 1982, the Libertarian Futurist Society sponsors the annual
Prometheus Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame, publishes reviews, news and
columns in the quarterly “Prometheus,” arranges annual awards ceremonies at
the Worldcon, debates libertarian futurist issues (such as private space
exploration) and provides fun and fellowship for libertarian-SF fans. Here
are the past winners of the Prometheus Awards and Hall of Fame:
Prometheus Award winners*
Wheels Within Wheels, by F. Paul Wilson (1979)
The Probability Broach, by L. Neil Smith (1982)
Voyage From Yesteryear, by James Hogan (1983)
The Rainbow Cadenza , by J. Neil Schulman (1984)
Cybernetic Samurai, by Victor Milan (1986)
Marooned in Real Time, Vernor Vinge (1987)
The Jehovah Contract by Victor Koman (1988)
Moon of Ice, by Brad Linaweaver (1989)
Soloman’s Knife, by Victor Koman (1990
In the Country of the Blind, by Michael Flynn (1991)
Fallen Angels, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (1992)
The Multiplex Man by James Hogan (1993)
Pallas by L. Neil Smith (1994)
The Stars Are Also Fire, by Poul Anderson (1995)
The Star Fraction, by Ken MacLeod (1996)
Kings of the High Frontier, by Victor Koman (1997)
The Stone Canal, by Ken MacLeod (1998)
The Golden Globe, by John Varley (1999)
* None of the Above” won in 1985, and no awards were given in 1980 and 1981.
Prometheus Hall of Fame winners
Robert Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (1983)
Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged (1983)
George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1984)
Poul Anderson’s Trader to the Stars (1985)
Eric Frank Russell’s The Great Explosion (1985)
C.M. Kornbluth’s The Syndic, (1986)
Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson's Illuminatus trilogy. (1986)
Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land (1987)
Ayn Rand’s Anthem (1987)
Alfred Bester’s The Stars My Destination (1988)
J. Neil Schulman’s Alongside Night (1989)
F. Paul Wilson’s Healer (1990)
F. Paul Wilson’s An Enemy of the State (1991)
Ira Levin’s This Perfect Day (1992)
Ursula LeGuin’s The Dispossessed (1993)
Yevgeni Zamiatin’s We (1994)
Poul Anderson’s The Star Fox (1995)
Robert Heinlein’s The Red Planet (1996)
Robert Heinlein’s Methuselah’s Children (1997)
Robert Heinlein’s Time Enough for Love ·(1998)
H. Beam Piper and John McGuire’s A Planet for Texans (Lone Star
Planet) (1999)
###
From: Mikegrossb@aol.com
Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 14:23:40 EDT
Subject: Your invitation to join the LFS at its first con next year!
I thought you'd be interested in being among the first to hear some
exciting official news: the Libertarian Futurist Society will celebrate its
20th anniversary by holding its first national conference over Memorial Day
weekend, 2001, in Columbus, Ohio, as part of Marcon 36, Ohio's oldest and
largest sci-fi/fantasy convention.
If you are interested in attending this event-- either under your own
steam, if you're a friend or fellow libertarian, or as one of Marcon's or the
LFS's special guests of honor, if you're a published novelist-- please let me
know before the end of June, if you can. (Please also include your mailing
address, email and regular name, and a contact phone number, so we can send
you more info and follow up.)
Anyone can attend this fun culturally-oriented event: LFS members,
Prometheus Awardwinning novelists, their family and friends, libertarians and
sf fans from across the country and the general public.
Not only that: Marcon will offer a special advance discount registration
for LFS members, their family and friends, and other libertarians. While we
are planning to a special LFS membership offer during this next year as part
of our 20th anniversary membership drive/celebration, you don't have to join
the LFS to join the fun next May 25-27, 2001, in Columbus!!
For a free (and fun) future,
Michael Grossberg
Co-founder, Libertarian Futurist Society
Chair, LFS Prometheus Awards Finalist Judging Committee
P.S. Here is the full email alert that was just sent out to all online
Libertarian Futurist Society members:
----------------------------------------
For the past three years, LFS members have discussed ways to celebrate our
upcoming 20th anniversary in 2001, and whether it's time to hold our first
LFS conference. You may recall reading an article in Prometheus last year
proposing that the LFS meet over Memorial Day weekend in 2001 as part of
Marcon, Ohio's oldest and largest science fiction, fantasy, media and science
convention.
Well, now it's official: Marcon organizers are rolling out the red carpet
for us, and LFS leaders have voted in favor of accepting Marcon's very
gracious offer.
Much more on this later-- in Prometheus and by email-- as we invite and
confirm many of the Prometheus Award winning novelists and LFS members that
we hope to include on many Marcon panel discussions, etc.
But here's the first official announcement, so you can put the dates on your
calendar and start planning to join us for what should be the most fun-- and
only culturally oriented-- libertarian convention of 2001:
The LIBERTARIAN FUTURIST SOCIETY
will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2001
with its first national conference!!
“FreeFenCon’’
May 25-27, 2001
Hyatt Regency Hotel,
Downtown Columbus, OH
MARCON 36,
Ohio’s oldest and largest science fiction, fantasy, media and science
convention, will host the LFS’s first conference.
* MARCON, which annually attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 people from 25
states, offers a 125-table dealer’s room, a large art show/auction, a fun
masquerade/dance (usually DJ'ed by California's Dr. Demento), six
simultaneous program tracks of panel discussions, writer’s workshops, gaming
rooms, and video screenings (including libertarian sf films) ; children’s
programming and a 24-hour con suite with free refreshments.
* The LFS will present its Prometheus Hall of Fame awards to classic
libertarian fiction during Marcon’s Saturday night masquerade! (Our 2001
Prometheus Award for Best Book will continue to be presented, as it usually
is, at the 2001 Worldcon, which will take place over Labor Day weekend in
Philadelphia.)
* JAMES HOGAN (“Voyage From Yesteryear,’’ “The Multiplex Man’’) will be
Marcon’s “Prometheus Awards Guest of Honor.”
* Marcon also is inviting Grand Master POUL ANDERSON (“No Truce With Kings,
“Trader to the Stars,’’ “Operation Chaos.’’)
* The LFS also hopes to invite other Prometheus Awardwinners to be LFS Guests
of Honor. Who would you like us to invite? Please let us know! Our
conference budget is limited, but we are asking LFS members who register to
earmark a separate check for a Speakers Travel Fund, so we can help pay for
at least a substantial part of the airfare for our most important guests of
honor.
* Prometheus winner Brad Linaweaver (“Sliders,’’ “Moon of Ice’’), who is an
enthusiastic supporter of the LFS meeting at Marcon, already has confirmed
that he will attend, because Brad is part of the LFS convention organizing
committee, which also includes all four LFS Advisory members in Ohio:
Michael Grossberg, Matt Gaylor, Joseph Martino and Jeff Wolfe.)
* Other confirmed LFS guests and Marcon panelists: LFS Director Victoria
Varga, LFS founder and newspaper journalist Michael Grossberg, libertarian
author/sf writer Joseph Martino (“Science Funding: Politics & Porkbarrel’’) &
sf author Steve Burgauer (“The Grandfather Paradox’’).
* MARCON also will host a dozen other guests, including author Robert Jordan,
artist Ellisa Mitchell, and major sf editors, comix artists, gamers, TV
actors, scientists.
* If you would like to be a Marcon panelist, let us know. Just send your bio
and what types of panel subjects you'd enjoy talking about, to Michael
Grossberg (mikegrossb@aol.com). Marcon's program director is very receptive
to including at least one or two dozen LFS members (not just sf authors, but
libertarian activists, journalists, editors, booksellers, publishers,
artists, and issue experts) on as many of their 50-60 panel discussions as
possible.
* Marcon is arranging special discount rates for the Hyatt Regency hotel and
other nearby hotels (Red Roof Inn, Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, Courtyard by
Marriott, etc.) We will provide this information in future updates.
* Columbus, Ohio, pretty centrally located within LFS' farflung national
membership, is rather inexpensive to fly to, since it's a very competitive
air market, with no major airline dominating the city as a hub. Among the
more competitive airlines: USAir, Delta, America West, Southwest Airlines,
United, TWA.
* Advance registration: Only $35 before Dec. 31, 2000. (That includes a $25
check made out to Marcon and a $10 check made out to the LFS, for our
speakers' travel fund. Additional donations are welcome.) Send checks to
LFS, c/o Michael Grossberg, 3164 Plymouth Place, Columbus, OH 43213.
For more information, contact Michael Grossberg -mikegrossb@aol.com,
614-236-5040. Or write Grossberg at 3164 Plymouth Place, Columbus, OH 43213.
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