Guests

Another one down the hatch World Fantasy 2008 is now over. We hope everybody had a good time. Please visit the World Fantasy 2009 website (http://www.worldfantasy2009.org/) for information on next year’s convention.

Last news and notes There has been a change in transportation information. The shuttle company mentioned in PR 4 no longer does individual service. We have looked into it and have found an alternate shuttle service: It's a private company called Sundog Tours. They leave once per hour at the half hour. The cost is $15 per person or $25 for two people (CDN includes tax). One of our committee spoke to them and they do not take reservations from the Airport but they will for your return trip. If you want to call them their direct number is 403 291-9617 and toll free at: 1-888-786-3641. Their website is: http://www.sundogtours.com/transp/airport.html. Their desk can be found by international arrivals at the airport.

World Fantasy Conventions are run by groups of volunteers. The WFC Board is always interested in talking to potential bidders for future WFCs; if you have been to some WFCs, have convention-running experience, and are considering bidding, please see the requirements for bidders at http://www.worldfantasy.org/bidding.html, and/or come to the WFC Board meeting at 10am Friday in The Nelson 1.

Registration will be open on Wednesday at 5pm outside the McTavish Boardroom. To go to the evening “Meet and Greet” and concert you will need to be registered. We are asking everyone who will be joining us on Wednesday to check-in prior to the concert. On Thursday and for the rest of the convention registration will be in the official registration room that is shown on the hotel map. Registration will re-open on Thursday at 9am.

There will be free public readings at Calgary’s W.R. Castell Central Library in downtown on both Thursday and Friday lunch hours. Each reading will be a half hour. On Thursday there will be readings by L.E. Modisett and Tad Williams and on Friday readings will be by Dave Duncan and Barbara Hambly. They will begin at 12 Noon. The library is only 2 blocks east of the hotel at: 616 Macleod Trail SE. This is at the corner of 7th Avenue and Macleod Trail.

A map of the hotel has been put up. It can be found in the details section of the website.

We have put our restaurant guide on the website also. Check it out and plan your yummy meals ahead of time.

Art Show has put up a map of panel assignments, check it out in the art show section of the website.

We have been getting lots of people volunteering, all of whom we wish to thank. We are always on the lookout for more. If you wish to volunteer, just send us a note of what times you are available and we will be sure to make good use of you.

On that note, we are looking people to help stuff our tote bags. If you are in and available on Wednesday, we will be at Herald/Doll room starting at 9:00 am.

The hotel has informed us that elevator passes are needed to get beyond the 3rd floor convention space to the con-suite and launch suite. We will be assigning some volunteers as “elevator personnel”, so if you are attending the convention but not staying at the hotel you can still get to all the events.

If you are bringing goods to the hotel (ie. Dealers), the loading dock can be accessed from 1st street east. The entrance is right at the corner once you cross the LRT tracks. It is well marked with Hyatt/Convention Centre loading areas. Once you go up the ramp, the Hyatt’s receiving area is on the right and the convention centre is on the left . There is a door that may be closed. It is automatic, though so don’t let it fool you. We will be allowing dealers in to set up at 9:00 am Thursday.

Another couple of Book Launchs to announce:
Redjack Books; Fairwood Press/Talebones; Paper Golem will be having their book launches in the Launch Suite on Friday @ 8:00pm

Hades Publications will be having a multi author book launch on Saturday afternoon at 1:00, called “Books, Bytes and Chocolate Delights” Please check our website here (http://www.worldfantasy2008.org/PDF/bytesprint.pdf) for a list of authors featured in the book launch.

Thanks to everyone who pre-registered for the Un-CON-ventional, pre-CON -vention Event with the Plaid Tongued Devils, sponsored by Hades Publiction. All of your names have been entered into our draw for the Hades Publications Prize pack. If you have not pre-registered, please do so now, by writing events@hadespublications.com.

Calgary Weather: Calgary is a city variable temperature. If you are expecting to be outside anytime on the weekend, the best suggestion for dress is “in layers”. Sunglasses are a must, but not sunscreen. The forecast for the next few days leading into the convention calls for warm days but cold evenings (below freezing). Here is a link to The Weather network so you can have an idea of what to expect: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/caab0049.

Lastly (I bet you thought it would never end), don’t forget to say “hi” to everybody who put this convention together. That way you can put a face to all the names. We promise we won’t bite… hard.

Calgary Weather Calgary is a city variable temperature. If you are expecting to be outside anytime on the weekend, the best suggestion for dress is “in layers”. Sunglasses are a must, but not sunscreen. The forecast for the next few days leading into the convention calls for warm days but cold evenings (below freezing). Here is a link to The Weather network so you can have an idea of what to expect: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/caab0049.

If the temperature outside is listed as 0 (zero) then it will be 32 degrees F, 5 degrees C it will be 41 degrees F, 10 degrees C, it will be 50 degrees F. 20 C will be 68 F. An easy way (though not perfectly accurate) is to double the degrees C and add 30 to give you a rough degrees F. (If you like doing the math, the formula is: multiply the Celsius temperature by 9, divide by 5 and add 32.)

If you are driving, speed limits are posted in kilometres. 50 KPH is roughly equivalent to 30 MPH, 80 KPH to 50 MPH, and 100 KPH to 60 MPH. On a map, ten km will be roughly the same distance as six miles. Gasoline is sold by the litre. There are just under 4 litres in one U.S. gallon.

Programming Final Thank you everyone for your feedback on the schedule. A printed booklet will be available when you register. Please take the time to mark any panels or readings you are participating on, as well as those you wish to attend. We look forward to seeing you in a few days.

Find it here!

Airport Shuttle Change The airport shuttle mentioned in PR 4 no longer does personal service. However a private shuttle company called Sundog Tours does. They leave once per hour at the half hour. The cost is $15 per person or $25 for two people (includes tax).

They do not take reservations from the Airport but they will for your return trip. If you want to call them their direct number is 403 291-9617 and toll free at: 1-888-786-3641. Their website is: http://www.sundogtours.com/transp/airport.html
taxi costs about $35 (these are Canadian Prices, of course)

Restaurant Guide A restaurant guide for the convention area can be found HERE.
printed copies of the guide will be give out to all members.

News and Notes We apologize programming is late. Circumstances beyond our control have contributed to this, we will have it up as soon as possible.

Don’t forget to check out the con-suite and the party room beside it during the convention. We have several book launches and parties scheduled including:
The Seattle World Con Bid on Thursday
SF Canada in conjunction with the Friends of Merril and ASFA will be hosting a party on Friday. Come and meet the friendly Canadians
These are just a taste of what you will find.

If you’re attending the Wednesday night social, sponsored by Hades Publications, don’t forget to get your name in for the prize pack. Just send an e-mail to events@hadespublications.com

We have received several items for our tote bags. We want to thank everybody who has donated. Without you, our convention wouldn’t be the same.

Deadlines Well peeps, only two and a half weeks until the convention. Things are starting to come together.

A reminder, pre-registration is now over. Banquet selections cannot be changed, nor can any more banquet tickets be purchased. If you wish to purchase a membership for the convention, the at door rate will be $180. We have put our at door registration form online for those who wish to fill it out and have it all ready ahead of time.

A few weeks ago an article on World Fantasy was in one of our local newspapers. The article can be found here.

Hades Publications has the following announcements for those attending the convention:
o If you are attending the Wednesday night Social sponsored by Hades Publications, don’t forget to send them an e-mail at events@hadespublications.com to be entered into a draw for a Hades Publications prize pack. Space is limited, so please pre-register today. Thanks! If you have not seen the official invitation yet, you can view it here.

EDGE's own Queen of the podcasts, Marie Bilodeau, will be podcasting live throughout World Fantasy Con from the Hades Publications booth ( where you will find EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, Dragon Moon Press, Tesseract Books and our new imprint Absolute XPress.) Marie has asked if you have any questions for any of your favorite EDGE, Tesseract, Dragon Moon authors. If so, please send your questions to events@hadespublications.com.

Breakfast at Tesseracts...
Join us Saturday morning at the EDGE booth from 11-12 to visit some of your favorite Tesseracts authors, including Susan Forest and Randy McCharles (Randy is featured in the newest edition of this 20+ year old series - Tesseracts Twelve: edited by Claude Lalumière). Also featured will be the editors of the forthcoming Tesseracts Thirteen: GOH David Morrell and Nancy Kilpatrick. Submissions deadline for Tesseracts Thirteen is October 31st. For submissions information, please visit here: Guidelines

Several publishers will be having parties and book launches at the convention, we’ll mention them in the next “news and notes” so you can make sure you don’t miss anything.

If you have any special events happening at the convention, let us know, we’ll be glad to put an announcement in our last two (wow only two left), “news and notes”.

News and Notes: October Pre-Registration is now closed! You can purchase a membership at the door for $180. The banquet is now sold out.

The deadline for purchasing Awards Banquet tickets and selecting your choice of entrée is upon us: Sunday October 5th. If you have not purchased your Banquet tickets please do so ASAP at http://www.worldfantasy2008.org/reg.html

For those who already have purchased your tickets, the default entrée is Chicken Brochette. It is to late to change this now. The October 5th deadline is firm as we need to provide the banquet requirements to the hotel. If we have not heard from you regarding your entrée preference you will receive the Chicken Brochette.

If you will be attending the art show and plan to bid on any of the artwork or purchase anything from the print shop, our bidding information and art show rules and regulations can be found on the website under Art Show in the Details section of our website

For those who will be at the convention early, we will be having an Early-Bird Social on the evening of Wednesday October 29th. This event will feature the band The Plaid Tongued Devils. We want to make sure everybody is aware this event is sponsored by Hades Publications. Please check the picture link in the news entry under this one.

Plaid Tongued Devils - Click image to expand If you will be attending the Wednesday Night Social, sponsored by Hades Publications, don’t forget to put your name in for their prize pack. E-mail events@hadespublications.com to enter.

Press release The WF08 press release can now be found in the publications section.

FAQ A new World Fantasy FAQ can be found here!

WF2008 Awards The World Fantasy 2008 award nominees have been announced and can be found here.

Other World Fantasy 2008 is a part of World Fantasy.
Want to be updated with information as it happens?
Send us an email at info@worldfantasy2008.org and we will add you to our mailing list.

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