Fourth Street Fantasy

4th Street takes us in another direction...

2 comments|post comment

[Oct. 27th, 2009|04:02 pm]

skylarker

After a bit of back-and-forth I think we've come up with a final version for a 4th Street logo.

( You can see larger versions here! )

9 comments|post comment

[Oct. 21st, 2009|10:55 pm]

skylarker

Hey, I just noticed that it's possible to register for the 2010 4th Street Fantasy convention from the website now! And it's only $60 until December 31st.

Stepping Down

[Oct. 21st, 2009|07:46 pm]

Due to some personal and health issues I have resigned as co-chair for 4th Street Fantasy Convention. I leave the con in the capable hands of Tom and Janet. I love 4th Street Fantasy Convention and will be attending in 2010. I will even help out a bit, here and there, after I do some healing.

With this I remove my dragon hat and look forward to seeing some of you at 4th Street.

Your ex-dragon,
-Peggy

Help me identify a novel?

2 comments|post comment

[Oct. 16th, 2009|10:24 am]

greykev

[Edit: identified as Blood & Honour by Simon Green. Huge thanks to

carbonel for the correct venue for the question. I'm a fan of the author's Nightside and Hawk & Fisher series, no wonder this one kept nagging at me!]

Published late seventies to mid eighties, this novel is set in a fantasy world. A traveling player/actor with a flair for pyrotechnics is hired to impersonate a wayward prince(or other nobel heir) with a talent for pyrokinesis. The imposter is "returned" to the family castle where politics and adventure ensue. His backers have political machinations, the castle has magical dimensions, and the name and author elude me completely. I think there was something about the castle becoming unstable if there wasn't someone to care for it? I'm fuzzy on that part.

I read this in high school and would like to read it again. I've checked used book stores looking for anything with 'fire' or 'prince' or 'castle' in the title to no avail which makes me suspect the title is non-intuitive. It is not Castle Perilous or lord valintine's castle, though those are fine books. There are no sci-fi elements at all that I recall.

Help?

8 comments|post comment

4th Street Fantasy News

[Oct. 9th, 2009|06:50 pm]

Hi all, Janet recently sent out the following announcement through email. I am posting this here so we don't miss someone who would like to know.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are pleased to announce 4th Street Fantasy Convention 2010 to be held June 25-27 at the Doubletree Park Place in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

The best part of 4th Street is that it really belongs to all of us, so we are asking for your input. Do you have suggestions for panels or panelists? What sort of hospitality features do you want? What vendors? What is your understanding of the very essence of 4th Street? Basically, what do you want us to be aware of as we plan 4th Street 2010? Also, many hands make light work and there’s plenty to do. You might want to help with hospitality, panels, vendors, hotel logistics, convention materials….

Our most immediate task has been to get the website--www.4thstreetfantasy.com -- current. It will be the primary source of information for you. The best contact address for 4th Street business for now is info@4thStreetFantasy.com. We will also send out updates such as this one, not frequently, but appropriately, as specifics about the 2010 gathering are determined.

We look forward to seeing you at 4th Street Fantasy Convention 2010. If you can't come, tell a friend; if you can come, tell a friend anyway.

The conversation will continue.

Your 2010 co-chairs (the Dragons),
Janet Grouchy
Peggy O'Neill
Tom Whitmore

[Please note: You received this announcement because you attended 4th Street Fantasy Convention either in 2008 or 2009. To continue receiving 4th Street Fantasy News, you must send an email reply to 4thstreet-announce-subscribe@puremagic.com . You will be able to unsubscribe from 4th Street news at any time using a link provided in each email.]

And we're off....

[Oct. 6th, 2009|09:02 pm]

[

mood

bouncy

]

The website is now up.

http://www.4thstreetfantasy.com/2010/

5 comments|post comment

Nearly there.....

[Oct. 6th, 2009|12:25 am]

[

mood

chipper

]

We have a place and a date:

4th Street Fantasy Convention
Doubletree Minneapolis Park Place Hotel
June 25-27, 2010

As for the nearly there part...that would be the website. Due to a couple of minor setbacks the website for 2010 is not yet up; however it will be soon. When it is, I will post the website here. Our new goal is to get the website rolling no later than the Thursday before Convivial (October 15, 2009). With any luck this should happen with time to spare barring any new road bumps.

Plus if you are going to Convivial, I will be bringing 2010 4th Street Fantasy Convention registration forms for all those who would care to register early.

2 comments|post comment

Panel Notes Pt. 5

[Aug. 25th, 2009|04:25 pm]

cloudscudding

These are my much belated* notes about what I found useful and interesting and what thoughts and ideas I had that were sparked from these 4th Street Fantasy Convention panels:
How to Give & Take Critique
Learning Structure and Pacing
The Stuff Panel (Worldbuilding from History)

( Panel notes )

*There was knee surgery. And a tiny kitten to nurture. And a tornado. Also, procrastination.

Volunteers for 4th Street

3 comments|post comment

[Aug. 24th, 2009|11:07 pm]

[

mood

hopeful

]

It is never to early to ask for help. We are looking for department heads as well as other folks.

If you would like to be involved in the running of the con, just want to lend a hand or know anyone who would like to be involved, this is an opportunity to connect with us.

Please respond here or drop me an email at 4thstreet at peggyoneill dot net and I will patch you through to the con-chair handling those functions.

Con-Suite
Vendor Liaison (one off-site and one on-site)
MN Realities (day time mail pick-up, gatherers of this and that, etc.)
Hotel Liaison & Minions
Website (pro bono work only)
Registration
Publications

For those who have stepped up already - I have passed the information along.

Thanks,
Peggy O'Neill
LJ Contact Dragon

A Web Goddess to be Missed.

2 comments|post comment

[Aug. 17th, 2009|11:27 pm]

[

mood

melancholy

]

Laurel Krahn has decided to step down as web-mistress of Fourth Street Fantasy. This is a sad moment for all of us because she was one of the reasons that that the re-birth of the convention has gone so very well. It is my hope that the next web guru will continue in her tradition with a site that highlighted the varied and interesting elements that make up our community.

I, for one, will miss her as our web goddess, but look forward to seeing her enjoy the fruits of her labor. As the LJ representative of the Dragons:

Thank you, Laurel!

Five Things from your Con-chair

2 comments|post comment

[Aug. 16th, 2009|08:00 pm]

[

mood

productive

]

1. The 2010 Fourth Street Fantasy will be June 25-27, 2010.

2. Sadly, Laurel Krahn has stepped down as the web-mistress and will shortly hand the reins over to a temporary web guru. The 2010 Fourth Street Fantasy website will be up within one week after the handover occurs.

3. The hotel will be announced within the next few following weeks.

4. The con-chair after much serious, scholarly, and otherwise debate have decided our affectionate title will be "The Dragons". (Although the Junta, Triumvirate and Unholy Three were fine names, we feel this title fits us best.)

5. The Dragon's Hats

Tom Whitmore: Programming and National Level realities
Peggy O'Neill: Volunteers, Vendors, MN realities, Hotel (with expert help) & Updating LJ until the website is in business.
Janet Grouchy: Paperwork – (registration, publications, website interaction) & 501c3 research

Post here or email me through livejournal, if you have anything con-related you wish to offer or ask of the con-chair. As always we are open to your ideas.

The Approach of the Con Com Meeting Two

[Aug. 10th, 2009|06:26 pm]

[

mood

accomplished

]

Hi everybody,

I wanted you all to know that we three are busily working on the next 4th Street.

We have rough con-chair responsibilities now. {Other areas will be decided in this next and future meetings}.

Tom Whitmore: Panels and Panelists
Peggy O'Neill: Volunteers, MN realities (feet and face at ground zero so to speak) & Updating LJ until the website is in business.
Janet Grouchy: Paperwork – (registration, publications, website interaction) & 501c3 research

Post here or email me through livejournal, if you have anything con-related you wish to add or ask of the con-chair. As always we are open to your ideas.

4th Street Wiki Updated with Booklist and some other stuff.

[Aug. 1st, 2009|04:49 pm]

[

mood

worky beasty

]

www.4thstreetfantasy.com/wiki/index.php

Update: 10/09/09 Alas the wiki has disappeared.....so long little wiki ....you served us well.

Yes, there will be a 4th Street

[Jul. 29th, 2009|08:14 pm]

[

mood

busy busy busy

]

Yes,there will be a 2010 4th Street Fantasy.
We, the dashing triumvirate or unholy three or junta, are working out the details like:

Where (making sure that we have the best accommodations for the con - the search is nearly complete)
When (before or after Duckcon whose con com beat us to the usual 3rd weekend in June for 2010.)
How (mission statements, reviewing the previous years financial and contractual doings, who does what, etc)

Mission statement bits and bobs right now include:

This convention is a conversation that starts on Friday and keeps them on going even after the convention is over.
Steve’s quote: It’s a convention of people who like to read, write, and edit good books, and want there to be more good books to read, write, and edit.
Respect the traditions of Fourth Street
Encourage intelligent discussion about the full range of fantasy
Respect our staff and volunteers

Ideas and thoughts are welcome.

You can post them here or email me at.... 4thstreet at peggyoneill dot net
(for those of you who tried to write me using this email address from a previous post - the darn thing should now work now... if not, please post here that the email is not working and I will have to do some ~~screaming at~~ calling to my service provider.)

- or- email Janet Grouchy at.... janetat4thstreet at gmail dot com

It has to start somewhere....(or is that somehow?)

2 comments|post comment

[Jul. 18th, 2009|10:31 pm]

[

mood

excited

]

Tomorrow is the first meeting of the unholy trinity (or junta or dynamimic trio) for 2010 4th Street Fantasy. We (Tom W, Janet G & I) hope this meeting will give us a good skeleton (where, when, what, etc.) of the con and we will flesh it out (details, details, details, etc.) in the year to come.

Your input is welcome. This is the brainstorming phase of this endeavor. We would especially like to hear about your favorite parts.

2009 4th Street-A booklist of sorts -

9 comments|post comment

[Jul. 12th, 2009|01:56 am]

[

mood

curious

]

Hey everybody,

Many panelists and other people mentioned books and authors at 4th Street. Sooo....for those of us who have memories for titles like a sieve. (ok, me) Could those people post what you recall? Or fill me in on the authors for the books. This is in hopes of possibly putting up a book list for the con at least on the wiki page.

{For those of you who are on my friends list. Thank you for being beta to this list.}

Some that have already been posted:
1491 - Charles C Mann
Alcatraz vs the Scriveners Bones - Brandon Sanderson
Amber books - Roger Zelazny
A Brothers Price - Wen Spencer
The Cabinet of Wonders - Rick Riordan,
Caught in Crystal - Patricia Wrede
Changeling - Delia Sherman
Color - Victoria Finley
Dead Girl Walking - Linda Joy Singleton
A Deepness in the Sky - Vernor Vinge
The Dragon Princess - ED Baker
Elements of Arousal: How to Write and Sell Gay Men's Erotica - Lars Eighner
Even the Queen - a short story included in the collection Impossible Things - Connie Willis
The Ever After War - Michael Buckley
Fablehaven - Brandon Mullen
A Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge
Food Before 1066
The Fortunate Fall - Raphael Carter
Game of Thrones series - George RR Martin
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Hellspark - Janet Kagan
Homeward Bounders - Diana Wynne Jones
Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
How to Ditch Your Fairy - Justine Larbalestier
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
The Infinity Concerto - Greg Bear
Into the Wild - Sara Beth Durst
Iron Man - Chris Crutcher
Jennifer Morgue - Charles Stross
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell - Susanna Clarke
Lavender Blue: How to Write and Sell Gay Men's Erotica - Lars Eighner
Lifelode - Jo Walton
The Magician - Michael Scott
Making a Good Script Great - Linda Seger
Melting Stones- Tamora Pierce
Mission - San Xavier del Bac
Mairelon the Magician- Patricia Wrede
Munby
My Own Kind of Freedom - Steve Brust
Mysterious Mr. Spines Series - Jason Lethcoe
Narrative Design: Working with Imagination, Craft, and Form - Madison Smartt Bell
A Tiny Feast - Christ Adrian (Short story in The New Yorker printed April 20, 2009: based on the Indian child fought over by Titania and Oberon)
Pattern Recognition - William Gibson
Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George
The Redwall books - Brian Jacques
Route 66 AD : On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists - Tony Perrottet
Secret Country trilogy-Pamela Dean
Shadow Castle-Marian Crockrell
The Siren Song - Ann Ursu
Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town- Cory Doctorow
The Sorceress- Michael Scott
The Tenth Ghost - Jennifer St. Clair
Tooth and Claw - Jo Walton
Understand Comics - Scott McCloud
Vlad Taltos series- Steven Brust (Taltos -and- Teckla in particular)
Vorkosigan series -Lois McMaster Bujold
Voyager
The Well-Favored Man-Elizabeth Willey
Why Cooking Works that Way- Alton Brown
Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences - Edward Tenner
Witch High - Denise Little

Authors who weren’t panelist:
Daniel Abraham
Aristotle
Ross Collins
Medusa Jones
Tanith Lee
Henry Petroski
Daniel Pinkwater
Terry Pratchett
Sherwood Smith
TH White
William Shakespeare

4th-Street-inspired fiction

10 comments|post comment

[Jul. 8th, 2009|07:18 pm]

brooksmoses

A short vignette (story? thing? I'm not sure exactly what one would call it) by

andres_s_p_b, clearly inspired at least partly by 4th Street. Thought some of the rest of you might like to know about it.

1 comment|post comment

4th St Panel Notes Pt. 3

[Jul. 8th, 2009|04:56 pm]

cloudscudding

These are my panel notes about what I found useful and interesting and what thoughts and ideas I had that were sparked from these panels:
Fantasy and the Family
Embracing Exposition
What is Fan-Fic?
Food, Fashion, and Fornication

Here: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/846330.html

Con report

[Jun. 28th, 2009|07:11 pm]

aedifica

I've written up a con report here. Since the link goes directly to the entry, you get the whole shebang instead of the liberally cut-tagged version you'd see if you were browsing my journal. You Have Been Warned.

(It's on Dreamwidth rather than on LiveJournal. If you want to comment, you can do so by using your LiveJournal ID as an OpenID. There's more information on how to do that here.)