Queen’s Own The official Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon fan club

Queen’s Own newsletter — January 2002

Queen's Own

The Official Mercedes Lackey Fan Club

P.O. Box 749 Laguna Beach, CA 92652 USA

Series 3, Vol. 3, No. 1 January 1, 2002

Heyla, Misty fans!

Happy New Year! Can you believe it? Another year has run its course, and we're starting our third series of QO newsletters! We have 89 people who have active memberships, and we've identified 475 people with approved personae! Several dozen newcomers are working on their personae, and we average about one former member per month who contacts us and has us activate his/her online membership.

This past year some new chapters started and others ceased publication. Several QO groups visited Ren. Faires, Cons and other fun places (such as Medieval Times). Some of us got together for a Midsummer Festival. A number of you contributed to charities, volunteered to help your communities, and performed other services that are strongly reminiscent of those services performed by the types of characters we admire in Misty's stories. We plan to have lots more fun in 2002, and we look forward to hearing about all the good work you folks are doing in the world.

We particularly want to thank all the writers and artists who have contributed to our newsletters and fanzines this past year. You folks are terrific! Please, keep up the good work! We delight in seeing the products of your creativity. Misty herself wrote for fandom before she became a professional filk lyricist-and later a professional novelist. You can read the story about her adventures breaking her career in The Valdemar Companion. If you have not acquired a copy of The Valdemar Companion already, we highly recommend that you do. It is an excellent work with thousands of bits of trivia every Misty fan should know. (For instance, Danya discovered that, as a Herald-Mage, she should have a golden-brown uniform instead of Whites. Birthday gift ideas for the New Year <g>.) You can find order information at http://www.dragonlordsnet.com/bkfanml.htm. Remember, every time you order something through the Dragonlords Bookstore, a portion of the proceeds goes to support QO. The website, PO Box, and other mundane stuff costs money to maintain, and this is how we keep our online memberships free. The maps in The Valdemar Companion are exelent, even though they cover only about the eastern 60% of what we know about Velgarth. You'll find far more detail than we've seen before. Misty, Larry and company are trying to get the complete map published as a poster. We'll let you know if we hear anything more about that.

Those of you on the QO chatlist may have noticed that it has been revived! If you are not on and wish to join, contact Healer Adept Moonstar at healermoon@gmail.com; she'll be glad to help set you up. We hope to get the chatroom and the Vanyel Fan Club list back up and running again soon as well. In the meantime, remember our message boards in our Delphi Forum. Also, for those of you with AOL, Arrows OnLine has message boards in the fandom section.

We will be doing a complete reworking of the site, based on information from The Valdemar Companion. We will be trying to fix all the webrings, broken links and other stuff that people have told us about. If you have suggestions for things you want to see, please let us know.

A little Companion (Paul <g>) told us that Larry [Dixon] has some art in the Dungeons and Dragons sourcebook: Oriental Adventures and in the Epic Level Handbook, which is due out next year. Misty is correcting the proofs for Gates of Sleep, which has a release date of March 2002.

We look forward to continuing our adventure in fandom with you in 2002. We hope to see some of you in person and the rest online. Again, wishing you and yours the happiest of New Years!

Zhai'helleva,

Herald-Mage Master Danya Winterborn and Healer Adept Moonstar

Ren Faires:

Here are the faires we know about that are happening in January. Faires are indexed alphabetically by state. Have any information about any other Ren Faires in your area? Send it to us at shashtah@gmail.com

Florida

FLORIDA KEYS RENAISSANCE FAIRE. Phone: 305-734-4620. E-mail: rosieqed@aol.com. Snail Mail: Rose Stayduhar, P.O. Box 504306, Marathon, FL 33050. Dates: 1/19/02 - 1/21/02. Open/Close: 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

South Dakota

LIVING HISTORY FAIRE. Phone: 605-692-9391. E-mail: beowulf@brookings.net. Website: http://www.osioc.net/nlight/history.html. Snail Mail: Bill Crasper, 1910 W. Kemp Ave, Watertown, SD 57201. Location: Watertown Expo Building. Dates: 1/26/02 - 1/27/02. Open/Close: 9:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

For additional Ren Faire information, visit the Renaissance Faire Homepage at http://www.renfaire.com/ and the Renaissance Magazine site at http://www.renaissancemagazine.com.

Conventions:

These are the upcoming cons we know about. Have any information about conventions in your area? Send it to us at shashtah@gmail.com.

California

BAY AREA GAMES DAY XIX. E-mail: davekohr@best.com. Website: http://www.best.com/~davekohr/gamesday/. Location: Los Altos Public Library, San Francisco. Dates: 1/02.

FURTHER CONFUSION. E-mail: info@furtherconfusion.org. Website: http://www.furtherconfusion.org/. Location: San Mateo Marriott, San Mateo. Dates: 1/24/02 - 1/27/02.

Florida

DIRK BENEDICT CRUISES THE CARIBBEAN WITH HIS FANS. E-mail: Susan@Swaintours.com. Website: http://www.SwainWorldCruises.com. Location: Holland America Cruise Line, Ship: Maasdam, Ft. Lauerdale. Dates: 1/20/02 - 1/27/02.

JONESCON 2002. E-mail: afn53824@afn.org. Website: http://www.jonescon.org/. Location: Holiday Inn, Downtown, Gainesville. Dates: 1/18/02 - 1/20/02.

NIKITA CRUISE. E-mail: oversight_1@hotmail.com. Website: http://www.oversight.org/cruise.html. Location: Cruise Ship, Port Canaveral. Dates: 1/24/02 - 1/27/02.

VULKON FORT LAUDERDALE. E-mail: joemotes@aol.com. Website: http://www.vulkon.com/. Location: Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport. Dates: 1/11/02 - 1/13/02.

Georgia

GAFILK 2002. E-mail: michael@gafilk.org. Website: http://www.gafilk.org/. Location: Ramada Atlanta Airport South. Dates: 1/11/02 - 1/13/02.

SIEGE OF AUGUSTA. E-mail: tortjag@aol.com. Website: http://www.hmgs.org/upcoming.htm. Location: Sheraton Hotel, Augusta. Dates: 1/18/02 - 1/20/02.

Indiana

WINTER FANTASY 2002. E-mail: cherieh@wizards.com. Website: http://www.wizards.com/rpga/winterfantasy. Location: Grand Wayne Center, Ft. Wayne. Dates: 1/24/02 - 1/27/02.

Massachusetts

ARISIA 2002. E-mail: info@arisia.org. Website: http://www.arisia.org/. Location: Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers. Dates: 1/18/02 - 1/20/02.

VERICON. E-mail: twlim@fas.harvard.edu. Website: http://www.vericon.org. Location: Harvard, Cambridge. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/27/02.

Michigan

CONFUSION 2002. E-mail: confusion@stilyagi.org. Website: http://www.stilyagi.org/cons/confusion.html. Location: Van Dyke Park Suites, Warren. Dates: 1/18/02 - 1/20/02.

WINTERCON. E-mail: dolphin2@oeonline.com. Website: http://www.oeonline.com/~dolphin2/winter.html. Location: Italian Cultural Center, Warren. Dates: 1/26/02.

Minnesota

SUPERCON:IX. E-mail: supercon@iname.com. Website: http://www.visi.com/~spk/supercon/. Location: Best Western Fifth Avenue, Rochester. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/27/02.

Missouri

12TH NIGHT. E-mail: alesia@12th-night.org. Website: http://www.12th-night.org/. Location: Radisson Hotel Clayton, St. Louis. Dates: 1/3/02 - 1/6/02.

New York

GENERICON XV. E-mail: chair@genericon.org. Website: http://www.genericon.org/. Location: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/27/02.

STAR TREK. E-mail: sfedora1@aol.com. Website: http://www.sfedora.com/. Location: Holiday Inn Broadway, New York City. Dates: 1/4/02 - 1/6/02.

North Carolina

STAR TREK. E-mail: sfedora1@aol.com. Website: http://www.sfedora.com/. Location: Durham Marriott, Raleigh/Durham. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/27/02.

Ohio

OHAYOCON 2002. E-mail: OhayoConPrez@aol.com. Website: http://www.ohayocon.com/. Location: Sheraton Airport Hotel, Cleveland. Dates: 1/18/02 - 1/20/02.

Rhode Island

WIZARDS GATHERING 2002. E-mail: nproulx@aol.com. Website: http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/nproulx/. Location: Roger Williams living and Convention center, Portsmouth. Dates: 1/15/02.

Tennessee

CHATTACON XXVII. E-mail: chairman@chattacon.org. Website: http://www.chattacon.org/. Location: Clarion Hotel, Chattanooga. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/27/02.

CHATTANOOGA RAIL GAMING CHALLENGE. E-mail: derrick@chattanooga.net. Website: http://home.chattanooga.net/~derrick/gaming.htm. Location: Country Inn, Chattanooga. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/27/02.

SHADOWCON VI. E-mail: Kane1Lissa@aol.com. Website: http://www.shadowcon.org/. Location: Wilson World Hotel, Memphis. Dates: 1/4/02 - 1/5/02.

Virginia

MARSCON. E-mail: info@marscon.net. Website: http://www.marscon.net/. Location: Ramada Inn and Conference Center, Williamsburg. Dates: 1/11/02 - 1/13/02.

Washington

RUSTYCON. E-mail: Turned2@nwlink.com. Website: http://www.rustycon.com/. Location: Doubletree Hotel Bellevue, Bellevue. Dates: 1/11/02 - 1/13/02.

Australia

ARCANACON. E-mail: arcanacon@vurt.net. Website: http://www.vurt.net/arcanacon/. Location: Collingwood College, Melbourne, Victoria. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/28/02.

CANCON 23. E-mail: unreal@macquarie.matra.com.au. Website: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mmjm1/tourney.htm. Location: EPIC (Canberra Showground), Flemington Road, Mitchell, Canberra, Australian Capitol Territory. Dates: 1/26/02 -1/28/02.

VICTORIAN DIPLOMACY CHAMPIONSHIPS. E-mail: rstephenson@mfbb.vic.gov.au. Website: http://daanz.org.au/dip-tournaments.htm. Location: Melbourne High School, Melbourne, Victoria. Dates: 1/26/02 - 1/27/02.

WRITE (C)ON. E-mail: e.harvey@unsw.edu.au. Website: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~sfoz/cons.htm. Location: Barker Lodge Motel, Kensington, New South Wales. Dates: 1/18/02 - 1/20/02.

Canada

PANDEMONIUM 19. E-mail: pandemoniumcon@home.com. Website: http://www.realmsquest.org/. Location: The Inn on the Park Hotel- Centennial Ballroom, Toronto, Ontario. Dates: 1/18/02 - 1/20/02.

Germany

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL SHANKS. E-mail: information@wolfevents.co.uk. Website: http://www.wolfevents.co.uk/. Location: OPEL Live Conference Center, R'sselsheim. Dates: 1/25/02.

Ireland

WARPCON 12. E-mail: info@warpcon.org. Website: http://www.warpcon.org/. Location: University College Cork Campus, Cork. Dates: 1/25/02 - 1/27/02.

New Zealand

KAPCON XI. E-mail: info@kapcon.iwarp.com. Website: http://www.angelfire.com/realm/kapcon/. Location: Northland Community Hall, Wellington. Dates: 1/19/02 - 1/20/02.

Scotland

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL SHANKS. E-mail: information@wolfevents.co.uk. Website: http://www.wolfevents.co.uk/. Location: Marriott Hotel, Glasgow. Dates: 1/27/02.

United Kingdom

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL SHANKS. E-mail: information@wolfevents.co.uk. Website: http://www.wolfevents.co.uk/. Location: Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow Airport, London. Dates: 1/26/02.

STABCON. E-mail: bookings@stabcon.org.uk. Website: http://www.philm.demon.co.uk/RPGs/conventions.htm. Location: Woolton Hall Fallowfield Campus of the University of Manchester, Manchester. Dates: 1/4/02 - 1/6/02.

For additional Convention information, visit Convention Outpost by Jenga at http://go.to/conventions.

Member News:

For definitions of our fannish jargon, read the 12-page booklet "Pros & Cons: An Introduction to Fandom" written by Elizabeth Barrette. Send $1.00 and a $0.34 stamp (or $1.00 and 2 IRCs) to Queen's Own, P.O. Box 749, Laguna Beach, CA, 92652. Make checks payable to "Linda Malcor" in US funds only.

Local chapters:

Zines and Newsletters:

Other Fandoms:

Collegium News:

We have individual handouts for aspiring Heralds, Healers, Bards, Blues, Mercenaries, Tayledras, Shin'a'in, and White Winds Sorcerers/Sorceresses and instructions on how to work for Herald-Mage status if you are already a Herald or for a Kal'enedral if you are already a Shin'a'in. You can find these handouts online at Persona handouts and submission instructions.

You need a release form (online at Release form instructions) if you write a story set in Misty's worlds or using any of her characters. You do not need a release for a character sketch, poem or filk. All Misty wants to do is protect her characters and her worlds. Send the release form (you do NOT need to include the story) to Misty c/o High Flight Arts and Letters, P.O. Box 2970, Claremore, OK 74017. Do NOT include the original of the release form with your persona material; send it to Misty. Send a copy to us.

All personae materials should be sent to the QO address or submitted by e-mail to shashtah@gmail.com and healermoon@gmail.com.

We have no new personae to announce at this time (although three people are very close to approval). Several former members, however, have returned. Check out Persona directory as well as our Delphi forum to see who has reappeared! (If you know any of the people listed who do not have active memberships, please tell them about us so they can contact us and we can activate their memberships.)

From Healer Adept Moonstar:

Heyla, all!

This month has been very hard for me. My husband and I are both in school online. I am in my second class, which is tremendously more difficult than my first and requires much more time spent on the computer. Our laptop died, bad hard drive, and Best Buy didn't fix it the first time it was sent out, which required me going to the store and screaming at the manager. It is still out '<grrrr>. Our laptop has been gone all month; we are trying to figure out how to share our desktop, and that is not going as well as we would like <grin>. End result: My e-mail is backed up since the beginning of December. If I owe you an e-mail I will get to it soon. I hope.

Other news, I am going out for surgery twice in February. At the beginning of the month I am getting a laparoscopy for possible endometriosis. I am a little nervous about this because my younger sister had to have a partial hysterectomy at 23 due to endometriosis. I don't really know much about this. It will be at the beginning of the month, but I am unsure when. I am also getting shoulder surgery. I have more details on the shoulder surgery. This surgery will likely be the 27th of February and will require 4-6 weeks to recover from. I have a large bone spur, and they will remove it as well as drill away part of my collarbone to make more room for my shoulder to move in the socket. They will also likely have to sew my rotator cuff back together as the spur has probably ripped up the muscle and/or tendon. I am having an MRI next month to determine the extent of the damage in my shoulder.

However, Yule was great! My mom called and wished me a "Cool Yule." In years past she accused me of becoming a Pagan so that I could open my presents a few days early. This is a big step for her, and I am really happy. Yule evening, Danya and her family joined us as well as some friends of mine from Los Angeles and my favorite cousin has flown in to spend some time with us for the holidays. We had more dirty dishes than at Thanksgiving <grin>. Thanks to my husband, Jay for filling the dishwasher 'I am not sure how many times to wash all the dishes. I also got some pretty neat gifts. Thanks, everyone!

I am planning on spending New Year's with Danya and her family, and I hope you all have wonderful plans for your holiday!

Happy New Year!

Hugs-

Moonstar

Fan Messages:

The newsletter is routinely posted to the Net. If you are concerned about your address falling into unfriendly hands, don't place a fan message! You may answer fan messages without ever placing one yourself. The editors reserve the right to edit--and shorten!--all messages. (Remember to tell your Post Office about your alternative name if you wish to receive mail addressed to your persona at an addressed where you receive mail under your real name.)

The only "fee" for a fan message is to write to two other people. If your mailbox is empty, don't complain--write letters!

Personals:

Queen's Own is the official Mercedes Lackey Appreciation Society. Our purpose is to share our enjoyment of Misty's worlds. We are a fan-run not-for-profit organization, not a business. Our address of publication: P.O. Box 749, Laguna Beach, CA 92652 USA. This newsletter is published solely to inform and entertain the club's membership; no infringement of anyone's copyrights is intended.

Newsletters are published on (or near) the first of each month.

Co-Editor/Co-President Herald-Mage Master Danya Winterborn (L.A. Malcor; AOL-IM SN Shashtah; shashtah@gmail.com)

Co-Editor/Co-President Healer Adept Moonstar (Kendra Renaud; AOL-IM SN healermoon; healermoon@gmail.com)

In this newsletter, the amazing cover art for Misty's novels by Jody Lee appears in place of original art by a featured artist. All drawings in this newsletter are © to the credited artist. All rights reserved. If you would like your art to be featured in the online version of the QO newsletter, send .gifs or .jpgs to shashtah@gmail.com or hardcopy to Queen's Own, P.O. Box 749, Laguna Beach, CA 92652.

Mercedes Lackey does not receive mail at the Queen's Own address. Fanmail to Mercedes Lackey and releases for fan fiction should be sent to:

Mercedes Lackey c/o High Flight Arts and Letters P.O. Box 2970 Claremore, OK 74017

Zhai'helleva,

Herald-Mage Master Danya Winterborn and

Healer Adept Moonstar