(Note: These are excerpts from the original newsletter that was published on this date. The Queen's Own address has been updated. The current President of Queen's Own is Herald-Mage Adept Danya Winterborn. For more information, see http://www.dragonlordsnet.com/qo.htm.)
[Begin Excerpt]
In Summoned to Tourney, we find Beth, Eric, and Kory preparing to perform at Northern Faire. Their transportation to the Faire site is two elvensteeds, masquerading as motorcycles . . .
"There was a cluster of bikes of all sorts off to one side, huddled together like musk-oxen; Beth brought the bike to a halt just behind Kory and all three of them got off. Eric took the bags from both of them, Beth and Kory walked the bikes over to the herd and parked them; Kory passed his hand over both.
"That was it; no fireworks, no flashes of light. But as the three of them moved off, a couple of other riders came up and parked their bikes right behind the 'steeds, blocking their egress--something that would never have happened if they'd "noticed" the bikes were in place. Eric grinned, and slung his bags over his shoulder. All was as it should be.
"Including Kory; when Kory took his helmet off, there was no way of telling him from an ordinary human. "Well, any ordinary, incredibly blond, six-foot-six, hunk-of-all-time, rad babe of a human, anyway.
"Pointy ears and cat-pupiled eyes had been effectively camouflaged by another tiny spell. Kory stood out, all right--and that was a good thing. He was the most striking of the three in the trio, visually; if there was anyone still looking for them, they wouldn't be looking for anyone who looked like Kory. That in itself should throw confusion into the pursuit. And anyone who was looking for 'Beth' and 'Eric' would spot Kory first; since he was a stranger to the Faire-circuit, no one would connect him to any of the regulars. Because of that, the existence of 'Tom and Janice Lynn'--who just happened to bear a superficial resemblance to 'Eric Banyon and Beth Kentraine'--would be more plausible. And they would all be accepted as newcomers without too much question . . . "
Summoned to Tourney is to be available in June, but start looking for it anytime now. Books sometimes reach the stores as much as a month early.
Firebird Arts & Music announces that Freedom, Flight and Fantasy is ready now. The lyrics on this tape were written by Misty, Leslie Fish wrote the music. Heather Alexander is the featured vocalist.
Future Misty-related projects from Firebird are a "Winds of Fate" tape, sung by Tom Payne and Cecilia Eng (with Juanita Coulson as the voice of Need); the Vanyel tape, "Shadowstalker," sung by Larry Warner; a "concordance of the Arrows books, being complied by Buck & Juanita Coulson, a companion tape for "The Lark and the Wren"; and, for "Born to Run, Celtic rock done by Tempest, the back-up band on Drunken Angel.
What is filk? It's folk/country/ethnic/social satire/ballads .... It's many things to many people, but most of us agree, it's ~~ fun! Send for Firebird's catalog of filk, books, collectibles, and other treasures by writing to them at [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld.]
If you are curious about swords, battle axes, shields, helmets, costumes, etc., write for the catalog of Museum Replicas Limited. Their address is [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld.].
A good source for simple cotton clothing that can be easily adapted for costuming is Deva Lifewear [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld.].
The border on the April newsletter was designed by Becky Kuesters; this issue, by Shelley Henkell. The QO logo at the top of the page is computer-generated.
Here's the latest from Patricia Riggs, QO Archivist:
As of 04/O1192, we had 189 Heralds, 36 Herald Trainees, 1 Herald-Priestess, 8 Bards, 4 Bard Trainees, 1 Free Bard, 1 Minstrel Trainee, 4 Healers, 6 Healer Trainees, 1 Shin'a'in, 1 Shin'a'in warrior, 1 Shin'a'in scout, 2 White Winds Sorceresses, and 1 Merc Captain.
"A special message for all confused members, especially those who have worked or are working for Healer, Bard, or Herald status: A misunderstanding as to yearmate has arisen lately. Your yearmates are the ones who were recognized in the same newsletter as you."
You can register your persona names with Pat as soon as you start on your requirements. Send the finished material to the QO address.
If you can't attend KeyCon 9, May 15-17 at the Best Western International in Winnipeg but would like to attend a con in Canada, come to Ad Astra in Toronto, June 4-5 at the Toronto Sheridan: Author guests include Katherine Kurtz, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Tanya Huff. Write to [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld.]. Send a self-addressed envelope and an IRC (International Reply Coupon) if writing from outside Canada.
X-Con Ltd. takes place in the Mart Plaza Hotel in Milwaukee in June. For more information, write to [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld.].
Gaylaxicon IV bills itself as "a Science Fiction - Fantasy - Horror convention for Gay people and their friends." This year the con is being held July 17-19 in Philadelphia, and Guest of Honor is Tanya Huff. Membership is $25 until June 30. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must attend with you. For more information, write to Gavlaxicon IV [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld.]. Misty will be GoH next year, at Gaylaxicon V, and this is the only con she plans to attend in 1993. ATTENTION all lucky people in the Dayton, Ohio area: Misty will be doing a book signing at Book People on Friday evening, July 24. The store hopes to have in stock by this time both the paperback version of Winds of Fate, and the Misty/Anne McCaffrey collaboration, The Ship Who Searched. Attending a book signing is almost as much fun as a convention.
RiverCon XVII is July 31-August 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville, Kentucky. Misty is Guest of Honor, and membership is only $18 until July 15. This is a fun con in a beautiful town. Write to RiverCon XVII PO [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld.] for registration information.
***Change of plans: Misty and Larry will not be attending WorldCon in Orlando this fall; their schedule just won't allow them the time off.***
Okay, okay, okay . . . so you're adamant about becoming a Herald-Mage or a Guardian. It is possible, but we're going to make you work for it.
Step i: Earn your Herald's whites.
Step 2: Roll two six-sided die to determine if you CAN become a Herald-Mage. A twelve--- and ONLY a twelve---gets you Mage-Gift. You may not re-roll any oftener than once a month. After twelve tries, give it up; Fate is against you.
Step 3: You are now at the Apprentice stage. To earn the rank of Herald-Mage, Hedge-wizard, learn the following stagemagic tricks well enough to fool your friends: Linking Rings, Restoring Cut Rope, Appearing Coins, and a simple Escape Trick. Step 4: To earn the rank of Herald-Mage, Journeyman, first qualify for Hedge-wizard. Then write a 20 page paper on the following subject and submit it to an essay contest or your history teacher for extra credit: analyze the Constitution, without the Amendments, and explain how the Amendments have made the original document work in the modern world. AND learn the following stage-magic tricks: Dancing Handkerchief, Multiplying Coins, Restoring Cut Newspaper, and Escape from Handcuffs.
**There are 2 more steps to Adept class, each one more difficult than the one before. To adopt a Guardian persona, one most first qualify as Herald-Mage, Adept, and then learn even more tricks and write 5 more papers, all of which must be accepted for publication by magazines, not our fanzines. Send a SASE for the complete requirements.
**SEND A SASE FOR GUIDELINES, FOR BACK ISSUES, FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU WANT ANSWERED!!!** i'il pay Xeroxing costs, but I resent the time it takes to decipher handwriting and address envelopes. On a more practical note, no, it is not necessary for you make your boots to claim that you have "created" your Herald whites.
Queen's Own doesn't have an official membership button, but we do have our own button machine. If you want a special button to represent your collegium, hall, or guild (or just one for yourself), contact [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld; we do have Queen's Own buttons now, thanks to Heartland Arrows: http://www.marymuse.com/HeartlandArrows/contest.html]. You can send finished artwork (to fit inside a 2" circle) or ask her help in creating your design. Write to Vicki if you have questions, or call her - [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld]. There is no minimum order.
MENTORS, WRITER'S CIRCLES, ZINE EDITORS, LOCAL CHAPTERS . . . Are you still there? New members want to know what's available. I hesitate to give them your addresses when I haven't heard from you recently. Please let me know your status for the June or July newsletter.
Send your questions (with SASE) on all aspects of the Writing Craft to [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld]. A list of publications accepting original SF/Fantasy poetry is available for $2.00 (payable to M.L. Janssen) & SASE.
From Heather Lantz to all who have sent inquiries on Star Trek: I will be in contact with you very soon! Sorry! My address for the summer is [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld].
A very few copies of Arrow's Message Vol. 3 #1, featuring the complete version of Kiri Namtvedt's "BURNING BLOOD" are still available. Vol. 3 #2 is planned for release June 15. It features stories by Catherine Faber, Kirir Namtvedt, Joe Sehl, and Elizabeth Weaver. Subscriptions are $4 an issue or $15 annually (4 issues, each approximately 40 pages). Send subscription money or a SASE for guidelines to Stephanie Wong [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld]. (New address)
The Southern Hall of Heralds is alive and well and welcomes any and all inquiries on room vacancies(?) and other important trivia. For a copy of the most recent issue of Southern Arrow, please send greetings and a SASE to SHOH c/o S. Ananavo & T. Nesbit. Eds.[Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld].
Attention VA/MD/DC 00'ers (and anyone else interested): We are finally organized! Introductory letters will be available after May third. The first newsletter will be out by the first weekend of June. The intro letter tells you specifically what we need help with. No SASE is needed for the intro. Write to Lavina CheunY [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld] or call her at [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld].
From Heather Lantz [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld] to everyone: My home address [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld] will be in effect from May 23 to September 1. Please do not send mail to the college address in the fall; I will be living off-campus. To all Colle˘ia's Tapestry (New England QO Chapter) members: The first issue of the newsletter will DEFINITELY be out in June. I've been backlogged with school work as usual. Also - some members have sent in their information sheets but not their dues- please send them to me ASAP! I'm still looking for artwork for the newsletter(and letterhead) and submissions for the newsletter (puleeze? I really can't draw and I'm 50% better at editing than writing.) Collegia's Tapestry, serving the New England area, is looking for more members. Membership is $S (payable to Heather Lantz) or equivalent in stamps. You receive the bi-monthly newsletter and the pen pal directory. For more information, please send a large SASE to Heather Lantz [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date contact information withheld].
I've gotten four bad checks in the past few months. My bank charges me $7 when a check bounces; I'm sure your bank charges you a fee too. If you're not sure there's enough money in your account, why not pay me in stamps? I use both forty and fifty cent stamps (easily divisible into $8 - no odd pennies).
The date by your last name on your address label tells when your subscription expires. If it's your last issue, I try to highlight that date to make it more noticeable. It's been suggested that my system "is a little obscure." Sorry, you-all, it works for me. Please take responsibility for checking your label and renewing on time.
On the other hand, some of you have renewed and I've never changed that date. Please don't wait more than one issue to tell me. I try to deposit checks within four to six weeks. All checks are Xeroxed before being deposited, names are recorded whenever I receive money or stamps. If you've paid, and the money wasn't swallowed up in transit by the post office monster (or hidden under the refrigerator by my cats), it should be easy enough to find my mistake. But I need to be told! My "office" is my kitchen table, my computer is in the dining room, the laser jet is across the street where I work, the copier is in the basement of my husband's store . . . things do get misplaced!
The good news is that by September of this year I hope to be settled in South Jersey. We'll have room for a QO office/computer room, floor to ceiling bookcases in at least two rooms, a workshop for Steve ( my tolerant, patient spouse), and lots and lots of space for the cats. The bad news is, of course, that moving all this "stuff" is going to leave me more confused than ever for awhile. Please continue to be patient.
[Ed. Note 2004: Fan messages are not being posted online because of the personal information they contained.]
[Ed. Note 2004: Personals are not being posted online because of the personal information they contained. Remainder of the newsletter was out-of-date contact info, and has been withheld.]
[Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date subscription information withheld.]
Queen's Own is the official Mercedes Lackey Appreciation Society. We are a not-for-profit organization. Address of publication: [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date information withheld.]. This newsletter is published solely to inform and entertain the club's membership; no infringement of anyone's copyrights is intended.
Editor, President, Dogsbody, Housemother--Judith Louvis [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date information withheld.]
Archivist and Organizer extraordinaire--Patricia Riggs [Ed. note 2004: Out-of-date information withheld.]
Mailing Day Helpers (last issue)--Suzanne Brenner, Frank Burkhead, Ana Casacuberta, Patti Hemeleski, Sharo Cris Martins, Joanne Mattern, and Sarah Meng.
Last month we asked "If your Companion stands on your foot, is that close Companionship?" Patti H[Ed. note 2004: Original Copy unreadable.] wants to know "If a Companion stomps on your foot are you a `defeeted' Herald?"
[End Excerpt]
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.
Editor/President Herald-Mage Adept Danya Winterborn (L.A. Malcor; AOL-IM SN Shashtah; Legend@malcor.com)
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 Adept Danya Winterborn
