Review

November 2003
© 2003 Ernest Lilley / SFRevu
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SFWA NYC Reception 11/17/03
Photos by Ernest Lilley

This year's annual Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Editors and Authors NYC reception went uptown, all the way to the Society of Illustrators on the Upper West Side. The doors opened at 7, and SF'ers thronged in. The location was appropriate and probably intentional as this was the first time that illustrators were invited as well as editors and authors.

For more information on SFWA, visit www.sfwa.org.

In from the street we swirled, filling the first floor in seconds...

These are a few of my favorite folks: Teresa Nielsen Hayden (editor - Tor), Jack Womack (Author and Eos Publicist) with Ellen Datlow (editor), Lucy Schmeidler (reviewer in red).

Four Jakes and a Jae: Joe Haldeman, Jeff Lyons (SFRevu), Shane Tourtellotte, Jae Brim (Ms. Brim has just finished a fantasy novel, after a string of short story publications, and is now shopping for a publisher.)

Jack Womack (EOS PR) and David Hartwell (Sr. Editor - Tor) compare baby pictures. Author Gregg Feeley, with Merrilee Hiefitez (Writers House)

Clan MacDonald: Katherine and James, and I believe that would be Debra Doyle on the left. Right - Donato, looking as snappy as one of his covers.

Where's Waldo? I think that's the back of Charlie Brown (Locus)'s head, and Ian R. Strock (Artemis editor) to the far right, Glenn Hauman (publisher), the rest are left as an exercise for the audience., Right - The new location was more crowded, but classier than previous digs, at least until we discovered that there was more than one floor...or bar.

Laura Chavoen (Scholastic) with authors Authors Paul Witcover and Bill Shunn. Claudia Carlson (Oxford U. Press) and Deanna Hoak (world famous copy-editor).

Approaching the bar, someone looked straight at me and exclaimed: "Gardner!" For the briefest instant I thought I'd been mistaken for the World's Greatest Editor, Gardner Dozois. Well, he was standing behind me. Right - Jim Freund (WBAI-Hour of the Wolf) tears himself away from Author Terry McGarry so I can snap his picture.

Patrick Neilsen Hayden (Tor - Editor), Katya Pendill (one of the crew that launched Tor, now on to other things), Robert Legault (writer-reviewer) Far Right - Beryl Bush (illustrator)

Keith R.A. DeCandido (Author, Editor, SFReviewer, and Musician) Right - Esther Friesner (Author and Queen of the Hamsters, in red. Despite the conveniently placed name tag, I'm afraid I don't know her companion's name.)

Four Aces: Technically at least one "Roc"ker as well. Ginger Buchanan (editor), Anne Sowards (editor), Jerri Heddle(?)-Roc, John Morgan - Ace Curious crew: Claudia Carlson (Oxford U. Press.), Jim Rachoff, Sally Weiner Grota (Ziff Davis) Author Daniel Grota

Great location, great party, and when it's time to go...easy access to the subway. I don't know where the reception will be held next year, but we hope to be there.