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| Novacon 33 Pauline brings you a personal appraisal of the UK's favourite
annual science fiction convention and why, after 33 years without missing one,
it is now almost a matter of pride for her to attend.
That
was fun, they said. Pity we can't do it again for a whole year. But why not? they asked each other. So,
the concept of Novacon was born. Vernon Brown, had been part of the Worcester
Committee and was part of the regenerated Birmingham SF Group, became the obvious
chairman. The rest of us were undergraduates. We had six months to prepare, but
with the legendary Peter Weston as our guru, we did it. The weekend, 7th - 9th November 2003, was Novacon 33. Seven
of us have been to every single one.
I needed to give
him fresh water but he had decided that a finger would make a good substitute
for rodent - I didn't. I had to wait until he got bored and suspended himself
under his sun-lamp. Once home, it was a case of feed, pack, shower and climb into the car, stopping only to pick up Dave Hardy. We regularly give Dave a lift, along with his artwork so that he can leave his wife with the car. This year, by avoiding the M6, we had a relatively smooth journey to Walsall and the Quality Hotel. It is a hotel Novacon has used before and the people on reception booked us in efficiently. The management are
friendly and co-operative and had solved the problem of our first visit by arranging
for all the electronic locks to be reprogrammed so both guests in a room could
have a key. The first time had meant hunting around the con for your room-mate
if you wanted to get into the room or following them around the whole weekend. As registration wasn't open yet, the first stop was the dealers' room. It was strange not to have Andromeda Bookshop represented but Rog Peyton was ensconced in a corner in his new incarnation of Replay Books selling a mixture of new and second-hand. As he says, he has gone back to his roots, doing what he knows best. Outside cons, most of his selling is done via the Internet and in particular on e-bay. Ken Slater had made it, though, setting out the merchandise of Fantast Medway including a good selection of American imports. Other stalwarts were still setting up. Brian Ameringam had brought his usual selection of second-hand stock and Roger Robinson represented the SF Foundation. In the other corner, Dave Holmes lamented the fact that he couldn't sell SF books in his Leicester shop but did a good trade in TV and film tie-in ephemera. If you wanted a Simpsons' doll or a Slave Cordelia (from Angel), he'd happily sell you one. Except for one other dealer, the rest of the stalls were non-book merchandise. Sue Mason had a good selection on pyro-work, ideal for Christmas presents, (Sue recently won a Hugo for Fan Art, which she had on display) and Carol Morton was busy making up Greetings cards using glass painting techniques - all hand done as were her light catching window decorations. Chris Donaldson and Julia de Cesere both offered a selection
of jewellery. If you couldn't see what you wanted, it could be made for you. It
was a small dealers room and it is interesting how the emphasis has changed over
the years from all books, to fifty per cent crafts. Perhaps this is a reflection
of the greater number of women who attend cons. The Art Show was split into three sections. In one room, a power point projection loop displayed artwork on a screen from CDs the artists had provided. The work for which con members could bid was divided between two small rooms. Compared with other years there were relatively few artists exhibiting. Dave Hardy had a couple of originals among his prints for sale (an increasing rarity as he does most of his work on computer these days) but had also brought along some exquisite prints by his daughter Meraylah Allwood ... more on her work can be found over at http://www.wrensden.fsnet.co.uk, BTW. Dave had also brought along a number of very nice paperweights. Colin Langveld had used digital techniques to good effect in his pictures and Sue Mason exhibited four of her pictures. One of the two rooms was designated the Dave Mooring Room, as attribute to the artist who died earlier this year. He had always brought excellent, simple pictures with him to Novacons. Nic Fairey,
a long-time friend of his was parting with some of the pictures Dave had done
for him, but only because he needed the money. It was an opportunity to see some
of the work Dave Mooring rarely exhibited. They showed how great a talent has
been lost. There some other artists represented, of varying quality. Along
the same corridor was the Dave Lally video room with an almost continuous programme.
I don't know what shown over the weekend. I didn't go in. There were too many
interesting conversations to take part in. All cons
seem to start off with an opening ceremony, introducing the Guest of Honour, who
this year was Jon Courteney Grimwood, and the committee, so the members know who
to blame. This was perfectly timed to coincide with the hotel serving food. I
chose food. This was remarkably good value for money with a hot selection and
as much salad as you could pile on your plate for £6. Sweets for an extra
£1.50 included a chocolate confection to die for, with added cream. There were probably other programme items on Friday evening
but I missed them. I was too busy catching up with friends in the bar. Okay, so
I see Lynn every Thursday, but last time I'd seen Lisanne Norman was last Easter. This time he was
assisted by Justin Ackroyd who was over from Australia. I was in the Jacuzzi with
Lisanne. The most interesting panel item, looking at the juxtaposition of Crime
and Science Fiction coincided with the hotel setting out its buffet supper. Food
won again. I am not sure where the day went. In the evening, however, I finally got to a couple of events. While Lynn was recovering from a training day with her union (they always manage to pick the Novacon weekend) and my husband had taken Lisanne away for a massage I attended the regular Saturday evening playlet. With the title 'Dark Volumes' it was a parody of the TV programme 'Black Books' but naturally included a number of in-jokes. As a piece of light entertainment it was enjoyable. This was followed half an hour later by the launch of Ken MacLeod's new book The True Knowledge Of Ken MacLeod published by the Science Fiction Foundation. Free drinks and nibbles were provided, briefly. At most Novacons you will find, late on Saturday night, a small group having a brainstorming session. Lisanne Norman, author of the Sholan series published by DAW, likes to get input from friends and experts into the problems she sets up in the process of writing her novels. In the past we have created aliens that use fart-propulsion (all scientifically worked out). Lisanne's next book will be set largely in the Voltagan City of Light. Using a city-builder software programme she has laid out in detail the things she needs to make a viable but enclosed city. The problem she wanted to solve was how to make the plot she had created work within the constraints laid on her design by elements from previous books. So while music and dancing were taking place in
the con hall, we were putting layers of history into an ancient palace. A newly instituted Nova Award,
for a Fan with outstanding service, was given to Ina Shorrock. Ina has supported
conventions from their earliest days, worked hard on committees and has always
been willing to give of her time and expertise. Presented at the discretion of
the Novacon Committee, it is nice to see her years of dedication being rewarded. For me, this signalled the end of the convention - some of us have to work on Mondays, but for those staying over there was the traditional Novacon beer tasting and a buffet meal with a North African flavour in honour of the theme of the Guest of Honour's Arabesk series. Novacon was devised as a convention for SF fans, the readers rather than the writers, editors and agents, but tends have a fair sprinkling of writers that started off as fans and graduated. It is a good place to meet like-minded
people and for a neo (first timer), it is small, friendly and an ideal starting
place. Eastercons are usually larger with several programme streams, several bars
and are generally larger and louder. There were panels that I missed that would
interest the newcomer or other old hands. Next year, Novacon 34 will be back at the Quality Hotel, Walsall. I intend to be there. After 33 years without missing one, it is almost a matter of pride. Novacon is
run under the auspices of the Birmingham Science fiction Group. Further
details can be found at www.bsfg.freservers.com Pauline
Morgan
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OTHER CONTENT - January 2004
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Once
upon a time, just after the Worcester Eastercon in 1971, a group of fans from
the Aston University SF group, sat in the bar of the Student's Union, reminiscing.
Unlike
many people, my job enables me to take the occasional half-day off. My escape
was delayed by the monster in the classroom. By monster, I mean a three-foot carnivorous
monitor lizard who had decided that three dead mice were insufficient for his
needs and was determined to find more. 
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