The Mythopoeic Society on Live Journal

Mythopoeic Scholarship Award Winner now in paper!

2008-10-10T22:51:41Z

Yes, my precious, you can now buy Diana Glyer's fabulous book on the Inklings, creativity and community in a less expensive format! The Company They Keep in paperback.

I know that Amazon still has some hardcover copies, too, if you prefer them.

It's a terrific and inspiring book (and wouldn't you want to be an Inkling, too?!), if you haven't read it, go forth and do so immeedgeately!

Look What James Owen might be bringing to Mythcon

2008-10-08T21:00:54Z

coppervale just posted on Live Journal about a time machine like the one used in Indigo Dragon he has that he says he will be at Mythcon. Post is here. This is a 3-D version, not just a pretty drawing. Oo, Ah!

And do go and friend coppervale too. His journal is full of wonderful things about his various projects.

myth_soc @ 2008-10-01T00:28:00

2008-10-01T04:31:35Z

AINULINDALE:

ILUVATAR: Ahem.
AINUR: Wow! Existence!
ILUVATAR: *blows pitch pipe* LA!
AINUR: LA LA LA!
ILUVATAR: LA LA!
AINUR: LA LA!
MELKOR: This sucks. BUM BUM BA DUM!
AINUR: Um. . . la?
ILUVATAR: Ahem. LA!
MELKOR: Boop bop-a-doo-bop!
ILUVATAR: LA, dammit.
MELKOR: Bwam bardle ningle boom.
AINUR: . . .
ILUVATAR: Right, you're out of the band.
MELKOR: Fine, I was leaving anyway.
AINUR: . . .
ILUVATAR: What are you waiting for?
AINUR: Oh. Right. Newly created world. Sorry. Great jam session, big guy!
ILUVATAR: Yeesh.

VALAQUENTA:

MANWE: I'm in charge!
VARDA: I'm Manwe's spouse. And queen of the stars!
NAMO: I do death and fate. They call me Mandos.
VAIRE: I'm Namo's spouse. I weave things.
IRMO: I have gardens. They call me Lorien.
ESTE: I'm Irmo's spouse. I take care of the gardens.
YAVANNA: I make things grow.
NIENNA: I'm sad.
ULMO: I live in the ocean.
AULE: I'm Yavanna's spouse. I've got a great big hammer! I made dwarves.
NESSA: I dance.
OROME: I hunt!
VANA: I'm Orome's spouse. I make living things happy.
TULKAS: I'm strong. I'm Nessa's spouse. I got here last.
MELKOR: I'm bad, momma, I'm ONE BAD MUTHA-
TULKAS: Grar.
MELKOR: Um. Yeah. Hiding now.

QUENTA SILMARILLION:

VALAR: Hey! Ilmaren! Party on the island, everyone!
MELKOR: Bah. Too bright. *builds fortress, kicks over lamps*
VALAR: AUGH! *flee to west*
MELKOR: Hu hu hu.
VALAR: Oooooh SHINY TREES! Yavanna made shiny trees!
YAVANNA: Yep! Aren't they pretty?
MELKOR: Want shiny.
VALAR: Nope.
MELKOR: Why not?
VALAR: Because you're a jerk.
ELVES: Oh hey, stars. Shiny!
MELKOR: Oh hey, breeding stock.
ELVES: AUGH!
UNGOLIANT: Want shiny.
MELKOR: Let's go get shiny.
FEANOR: I've made more shiny!
VALAR: Good, 'cos Melkor took ours. Can we have yours?
FEANOR: No! MY SHINIES! MINE!
VALAR: Aw, !&*()!@&)!(&.
MELKOR: Got the shinies!
UNGOLIANT: Not enough shiny. Want more shiny!
MELKOR: You can't have 'em.
UNGOLIANT: Grar.
MELKOR: Eeek! *runs*
FEANOR AND SONS: We're gettin' our shinies back. And YOU CAN'T HAVE 'EM, Valar!
MELKOR/MORGOTH: No you're not. *stabbity fiery burny death*
BEREN: Ooo! Pretty elf lady!
THINGOL: You can have her if you ... BRING ME A SHINY!
BEREN: Worth a shot.
LUTHIEN: La la la
MORGOTH: Ooo baby... *zzz*
BEREN: Got your shiny!
MORGOTH: you BASTARD! I stole those fair and square!
CARCHAROTH: Grar.
BEREN: Ow!
THINGOL: Got the shiny?
BEREN: 's in my hand.
THINGOL: And?
BEREN: Hand's not here.
THINGOL: Crap, I really wanted that shiny.
CARCHAROTH: GRAR!!!!
BEREN: *dies*
LUTHIEN: *dies* La la la.
MANDOS: ... oh all right.
LUTHIEN: *returns to life*
BEREN: *returns to life*
LUTHIEN: Beren! Look! The shiny! In a necklace!
FEANOR'S SONS: *mutter*
LUTHIEN: *dies again*
BEREN: *dies again*
DIOR: Oo, Mom's shiny!
FEANOR'S SONS: WANT SHINY!
DIOR: *dies*
ELWING: Eek! *grabs shiny, runs*
FEANOR'S SONS: !*&(!)&)*!.
EARENDIL: Hey. Nice shiny. Yo! Valar!
VALAR: Well FINALLY. *stomp stomp stomp*
EARENDIL: Wow, planetary orbit!
MORGOTH: Eek!
VALAR: Got your shinies!
MAGLOR AND MAEDHROS: You mean OUR shinies!
VALAR: Oh *!&(!&).
MAGLOR AND MAEDHROS: Ow! Burny shinies!
MAEDHROS: Fine. This sucks. *jumps into chasm*
MAGLOR: Um... not really looking forward to meeting Dad again... *chucks shiny into sea* Bye. *wanders off*
VALAR: Well... um... okay.

AKALLABETH:

VALAR: Thanks for helping with Morgoth, Edain! Have an island! Elros is in charge!
EDAIN: Cool!
VALAR: Don't come looking for us.
EDAIN: Okay.
ELVES OF TOL ERESSEA: Have our stuff!
NUMENOREANS: Neat! Ooo, Middle-Earth!
GIL-GALAD: Dudes. Good to see you.
NUMENOREANS: Yeah, same here. What's going on?
GIL-GALAD: War with Sauron mostly.
MEN OF MIDDLE-EARTH: Shiny tall wonderful wise sea-king dudes! Yay!
NUMENOREANS: Here, have some stuff and wisdom.
MEN OF MIDDLE-EARTH: <3 <3 <3
NUMENOREANS: Life is cool. Why do we have to die?
ELVES: You're human?
NUMENOREANS: Can the Valar fix that?
VALAR: No.
NUMENOREANS: That sucks. Go away.
ELVES: Fine.
ELENDILI: Hey! Over here! We still like you!
MEN OF MIDDLE-EARTH: Gosh, we're lonely.
NUMENOREANS: Whatever, give us your wealth and your children.
MEN OF MIDDLE-EARTH: Um, okay.
ELENDILI: This isn't gonna end well, is it?
ELVES: No.
TAR-PALANTIR: We're sorry?
GIMILKHAD: *I'm* not.
AR-PHARAZON: Thanks for the throne, dude.
TAR-MIRIEL: Hey!
AR-PHARAZON: Shaddap, woman. Sauron, j00 suxx0r! I 0wnz0r j00!
SAURON: Okay.
AR-PHARAZON: Make me immortal.
SAURON: Human sacrifice is good. Also burn that pesky white tree.
AR-PHARAZON: Um. . .
ISILDUR: Hey! White tree! Got your fruit!
SAURON: *makes chicken noises*
AR-PHARAZON: Fine. Tree burn! Fire pretty!
ELENDIL: Isildur, Anarion, get the boats.
AR-PHARAZON: I've got a huge navy! Let's go conquer Valinor!
VALAR: Oh no you don't. *CRASHBANGBOOM*
AR-PHARAZON & CO.: Eeek!
ELENDIL, ISILDUR, ANARION: Wheee!
NUMENOREANS: Arrgh!
NUMENOR: SPLOOSH.
SAURON: Bwa ha ha! Um, where's my body?
ILUVATAR: Did I mention the world is round now?
NUMENOREANS IN EXILE: Well, crap.

OF THE RINGS OF POWER AND THE THIRD AGE:

ELVES: Wonder what's going on over the ocean. This crafting deal is pretty sweet, though!
DWARVES: Yeah, seriously.
ANNATAR: Hi, elves! Wanna learn some cool stuff?
ELVES: Okay!
SAURON: They fell for it.
SEVEN DWARVES: Thanks for the rings! . . oooh, GOLD! MUST HAVE GOLD!
NINE MEN: Neat rings. . . Hey, didn't Mom die like six hundred years ago?
CELEBRIMBOR: Okay, how about we do three more and call it a wrap?
SAURON: How about I do one more and claim them ALL?
ELVES: AUGH!
SAURON: Bwa ha ha!
LAST ALLIANCE OF ELVES AND MEN: Push off.
SAURON: Make me.
ISILDUR: Whack.
SAURON: Ow.
ELROND: Hey, you got his ring. Let's ditch it.
ISILDUR: No.
ELROND: This sucks.
ISILDUR: Tell me about it. *dies*
GONDORIANS: *change calendar*
CIRDAN: Hi, wizards! You in the grey, catch!
SAURON: Okay, that's long enough. Movin' into Dol Guldur.
SARUMAN: It's not him. Also the ring's lost at sea.
RING: No I'm not.
THE WISE: Augh.
THE WEAK: Bad ring! Volcano for you!
RING: *melts*
SAURON: AUGH!
MORDOR: BOOM.
GONDORIANS: *change calendar*
ELROND, GALADRIEL: Road trip!
GANDALF: Hi Cirdan! Still got your ring!
CIRDAN: Cool. Let's go to Valinor!

Source link.

Doh!

2008-09-08T21:21:22Z

Mythcon 40 page on the Mythopoeic Society's website; this is where you go for more information and to sign up. *blush*

Mythcon 40 (UCLA) reduced membership price until 9/15/2008

2008-09-08T20:57:41Z

You heard right, kiddos - you've got until September 15th to send in your money to get the cheapest Mythcon membership rate for NEXT summer's Mythopoeic Conference, first time ever at UCLA, July 17-20th, 2009 (nice history and invitation here from sartorias ).

There was a time when Mythcons seemed to alternate between Northern California and Southern California - but times change and the Society has grown; it's been twelve years since the last Southern California Mythcon, held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, a lovely, hilly setting. I remember the first midwest Mythopoeic conference, Mythcon 16 held at Wheaton College in Illinois and the chair of that conference will be Mythcon 40's author Guest of Honor, Diana Pavlac Glyer. I remember having a conversation with a renowned science fiction SMOF (attending his first Mythcon because it was local) who expressed such delight at Mythcon. "This is what the Worldcon used to be like, before they got so big!"

If you haven't attended a Mythcon, this will be a delightful introduction. If you have attended a Mythcon, this will continue the delight - and in an easy setting (all one air-conditioned building!) with good food and easy transportation from LAX.

If you're local, consider volunteering (contact satorias ) and enjoying the conference from the inside-out - it's a fun perspective and many hands make light work {{grin}}.

Hope to see you next summer at UCLA--

The Personal Heresy: A Controversy

2008-08-30T23:46:48Z

In some forum, in a neighborhood other than mine, maybe you've seen or taken part in discussion of this topic. Or maybe it's snowing papers by now. Anyhow, here is part of my personal engagement with the controversy

Thank you for the card

2008-08-29T06:14:06Z

Thank you to the friends who were at Mythcon and signed the card to us. Getting such a lovely thought when we got home after such a horrible two plus weeks was a wonderful thing.

Mythopoeic Awards 2008 Winners

2008-08-18T19:46:37Z

I'm posting this from the Mythsoc email list. Congrats to all the winners!

Press Release: Mythopoeic Awards: 2008 Winners Announced

August 17, 2008

The Mythopoeic Society has announced the winners for the 2008 Mythopoeic Awards. Download the press release in PDF format. For more information about the awards, visit the Awards section of this site.

Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature

* Catherynne M. Valente, The Orphan’s Tales, consisting of In the Night Garden (Spectra) and In the Cities of Coin and Spice (Spectra)

Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature

* J.K. Rowling, The Harry Potter series, consisting of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s [Sorcerer’s] Stone (Bloomsbury); Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Bloomsbury); Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Bloomsbury); Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Bloomsbury); Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Bloomsbury); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Bloomsbury); and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Bloomsbury)

Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies

* Diana Pavlac Glyer; appendix by David Bratman, The Company They Keep: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community (Kent State University Press, 2007)

Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies

* T.A. Shippey, editor, The Shadow-Walkers: Jacob Grimm’s Mythology of the Monstrous (Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2005)

you-tubing mythcon?

2008-08-16T21:32:13Z

so, will there be that?

http://www.youtube.com/

Not only Oxonmoot - Mythcon, too!

2008-07-30T03:05:14Z

Get yer moolah in to the MythSoc for Mythcon 39 in New Britain, Connecticut, August 15-18th. The ability to pre-pay absolutely disappears on Friday, August 1st - so make sure your registration, room & board, meal package, etc., have all been paid for.

We will take memberships at the door but we will have an EXTREMELY limited ability to sell banquet tickets on-site. We may not be able to
sell room & board packages or the full meal package on-site at all.

This announcement has been brought to your by your friendly nagging SMC (Steward for Mythopoeic Conferences)--

Hope to see you all in a few weeks on the east coast! Pray for nice weather... :D

-- Lynn --

Oxonmoot

2008-07-29T12:09:05Z

A reminder that if you want to book places for this year's Oxonmoot at the cheap rate, you only have until this Thursday to do so!

http://www.tolkiensociety.org/oxon/2008/Info.html

You can join for another week (you just have to work harder to do it!)

2008-07-24T03:44:55Z

DESPITE the fact that the easy PayPal buttons have been taken down from the Mythcon 39 website, you can still register and buy the room & board or meal packages until the end of July. Email me (mythcon AT mythsoc DOT org) or our lovely registrar (see website) for detailed instructions.

Just don't tell lisa_marli! (kidding, really - it's okay with her, she's letting us play like grown-ups and everything).

DO COME to Mythcon!

The Lord of the Ringos will be performing again... more instruments... hey!

MythCon Pre-Con Registration Closes July 15

2008-07-14T06:07:42Z

The 39th Annual Mythopoeic Conference
Mythcon XXIX

August 15-18, 2008

Author GOH - Sharan Newman
Scholar GOH - Marjorie Burns

Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT

Pre Con Registration Closes July 15 - Rates Until then
$80 - Mythopoeic Society Members
$90 - Non Members
$50 - Registered Students (ages 12 and up)
Free - Kids under 12

Stay on Campus with the Rest of us - Reservations close July 15
Friday Night through Monday Morning - Meals and Banquet Included
Residence Hall - $235 - Double per person
Residence Hall - $265 - Single

Come to our website for further information - http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon39.html

Everybody's Tolkien At Me--

2008-07-09T08:31:40Z

beautifully named blog entry by a Connecticut journalist in response to pleading for press coverage, announcements, etc. Hopefully he'll come, too.

My frustration with Mythcon the first time anywhere is that I absolutely know there will be dozens of people who would love to come who don't find out about it until after it's finished. *sigh* Frustrating.

So help spread the word, especially to folks in the New Britain/Hartford Connecticut area...

I just mailed off a bunch of promo postcards to the local Library (spoke with their reference desk: lovely, charming people!).

COME TO MYTHCON 39!!!

Mythcon 39 Room & Board

2008-06-06T02:09:56Z

Prices and packages can be found at the Mythopoeic Society website - follow the frontpage link.

ANYBODY living on the east coast, especially the northeast, do come join us - this is only the second time we've had a Mythcon on the east coast; the last time was 1994 in Washington D.C.

Lots of fun and good people {big grin}

Room and Board for Mythcon 39 Now Up!

2008-05-30T01:12:53Z

We have Room & Board Rates here . You can use Paypal through our website on send us a check.

Room & Board

Friday Night Through Monday Morning

Residence hall, double occupancy - $235
Residence hall, single room - $265
Meals only - $120

Thursday Night Through Monday Morning

Residence hall, double occupancy - $280
Residence hall, single room - $320
Meals only - $145

Our primary dorm, Barrows Hall, is not air-conditioned (we had plans to use a different air-conditioned dorm, but it is being renovated this summer). We are told this shouldn't be a problem, but veteran Mythies may look askance. We will endeavor to make circulating fans available for use in Barrows Hall.

We have been informed that some rooms in air-conditioned Sheridan Hall will be available to us but at this time we don't know how many. The downside is that Sheridan's beds are non-detachable bunk-beds.

When purchasing a room and board package, please specify if you would prefer Sheridan Hall (air-conditioned with bunk beds) or Barrows Hall. We will assign the Sheridan rooms on a first-paid, first-served basis to those that prefer them; everyone else will be assigned a room in Barrows Hall.

As much as we always encourage attendees to stay on campus because of the communal fun atmosphere all Mythcons are noted for having, we understand that these conditions may not meet everyone's needs. We have included some area hotels at the bottom of this page for those that would prefer off-campus accommodations.

Purchase Packages By Mail

Make checks payable to The Mythopoeic Society and mail to the following address:

Emily Rauscher
434 W120th St. #5E
New York, NY 10027
erauscher AT gmail DOT com

Nearby Hotels

We always encourage attendees to stay on campus because of the communal fun atmosphere all Mythcons are noted for having. Here is the contact information for area hotels for those that need off-campus accommodations:

Hotels listed at the website. Gotta keep this post civil in length.

"The New Shoggoth Chic: Why H.P. Lovecraft Now?"

2008-04-12T17:21:49Z

Hi everyone! Just FYI, my essay "The New Shoggoth Chic: Why H.P. Lovecraft Now?," which was originally published in Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest (Dec. 2005) and discusses what I call "the H.P. Lovecraft-J.R.R. Tolkien connection," is now available online here.

Dr Sturgis News

2008-04-02T16:56:41Z

Amy Sturgis aka dr_sturgis or eldritchhobbit has announced

I've begun narrating contemporary science fiction stories for one of my very favorite podcasts, StarShipSofa. I've read about half a dozen thus far, and today my first narration went live. It's a reading of Elizabeth Bear's short story "And the Deep Blue Sea," and it's available here or via iTunes under StarShipSofa.

(Since this narration, I've invested in a new microphone setup, so my other readings sound a bit crisper.)

Please check it out - and the rest of the podcast installments for StarShipSofa, as well - if you're interested. Thanks!

Yeah, it's Science Fiction series not Fantasy. We'll forgive her.
Go forth and enjoy!

Ravelry Inklings Forum

2008-03-29T02:45:53Z

If anyone here is on Ravelry, someone started an Inklings forum the other day.

(Ravelry is another web thing for knitters and crocheters. You can track your own projects and stuff and participate in groups about particular topics.)

Vegetarian Entries at Mythcon

2008-03-26T06:38:22Z

Ok, the usual. They are talking two meat entries and a vegetarian pasta. Will this work for the Vegetarians in the group? Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks

Alexei Kondratiev - One of us Mythies - was Interviewed - Podcast info

2008-03-12T21:56:22Z

Alexei Kondratiev was interviewed on WBAI about some of the social, political and religious aspects of J.R.R. Tolkien ("Lord of theRings"), J.K. Rowling ("Harry Potter"), C.S. Lewis ("Narnia"), Ursula K. LeGuin ("Left Hand of Darkness"), and other authors of fantasy literature was aired at 9 PM March 10 on WBAI-FM, 99.5 FM.

It is archived and podcast on http://www.archive.wbai.org It will be available for the next 2 weeks days.

When you access the page go to the date and time and you can download it or listen to it.

I am forwarding this because (apart from the fact that some of you may enjoy listening to the interview -- it was broadcast on the local NYC Pacifica station). I also took it as an opportunity to plug the Mythopoeic Society and MythCon 39. Hope it draws in a few people.

Alexei

And for anyone in Massachusetts...

2008-02-07T09:23:52Z

There's an organ concert, a premiere of a new 'organ symphony'.

WHY am I posting this here? Check out the name...

"Cathedral music director and organist Edward A. Broms, and organist Peter Krasinski, will premiere Broms’ recently completed Organ Symphony No.1: Ainulindale (for pipe organ without orchestra; pronounced: eye-new-'lin-duh-lay) on two nights—March 28 and 29—at Holy Name Parish (Catholic) in West Roxbury."

Mythopoeic Award Challenge

2008-02-07T08:57:23Z

The MythSoc's webmaster notices things like "who is linking to us?" and so he noticed this fun little event:

From Foxy Writer

The Mythopoeic Society is dedicated to the study and enjoyment of fantasy and mythic literature, especially the works of the Inklings, an informal literary circle at Oxford that included the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and others. Each year the Society awards the best scholarly and literary achievements exemplifying “the spirit of the Inklings” with the Mythopoeic Award.

The challenge is to read seven books between JANUARY 1ST 2008 to DECEMBER 31ST 2008 from the list of Mythopoeic Award Winners. (See? All kinds of brilliant Fantasy books to choose from!) [EDIT: Becky requested that I broaden the challenge to include the nominees for the fantasy and scholarship, which gives you a lot more choices!]

Here are the rules:

1. Choose seven books from the list of Mythopoeic Award Winners (or nominees, here for fantasy or here for scholarship).
2. Anything on the list is fair game, fiction or non-fiction.
3. Post a link to your list in the comments of this post (if you don’t have a website, post your list in the comments.)
4. Somewhere in your post, link back to this challenge post. (permalink)
5. Read the books between January 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2008.
6. You may start anytime in 2008, but you must finish by the end of December 31st, 2008.
7. You may combine this challenge with other challenges.

- - - - - -

Now I think that's pretty fun! We can't link to her, not officially as the Mythopoeic Society, but I think it's nice to encourage folks to participate - cool, eh?! She's made these tasty banners; there are more on her site and, as she says: "Here are some banners and buttons to link back with. (Please upload these images to your own webspace. DO NOT DIRECT LINK, PLEASE.)"

So have fun reading, guys!

== Lynn ==

Personal News Update

2008-01-22T13:37:45Z

Hi everyone! I just gave an interview to Talking With Tim, in which I discuss several of my recent book projects, including The Magic Goblet, Past Watchful Dragons: Fantasy and Faith in the World of C.S. Lewis, and Tecumseh: A Biography, as well as upcoming appearances and other subjects. You can read it here. Thanks for letting me share my news!

The Battle of Pelennor Fields

2008-01-14T21:36:24Z

Remember the Battle of Helms Deep made out of Candy?

They're Ba-ack. This time with the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Awesome.

Some people have Way too much time on their Christmas vacation. Enjoy!