(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]
Dear Misty Fans,
Bardic Voices: The Eagle & the Nightingales has a January/February release date: "Why is the High King of the Human kingdoms not doing his job - and thereby allowing the Church to fill the power vacuum in the human lands of Alanda? This is a matter of some concern to Nightingale and her friends; the Church is becoming ever more overtly hostile to non-human sentients (of which there are several species in Alanda) as well as to anything that it does not at least indirectly control, such as gypsies and Free Bards.
"To discover just what is going on, Nightingale will join forces with T'tyrr, a birdman with the visage of a raptor and the voice of an angelic choir. And before the King - and through him the gypsies, Free Bards and non-humans of the twenty kingdoms - is saved, the Eagle and the Nightingale will have become if not quite lovers than far more than friends . . . "
Watch for Baen's special contest to promote The Eagle & the Nightingales in your favorite bookstore. Just fill out an advanced reservation form. There will be a random drawing among all the reservation forms for 25 autographed limited edition prints of the cover artwork. The top 50 stores handing in the most reservation sheets will also receive prizes.
In an earlier newsletter it was reported that The Silver Gryphon would be set in the same time as the STORM books. When asked how this was possible, Larry enigmatically replied "person, place, and thing." We met the person, Skandranon, in The Black Gryphon. In The White Gryphon we find the place, the city of White Gryphon, named as a tribute to Skan, now bleached white by his stay in the nether region between the collapsing Gates.
White Gryphon, the product of nine hard years of labor, is a terraced city carved into the face of a cliff on the edge of the Western Ocean. The city seems a secure stronghold, until a new threat appears, a fleet of ships from the mysterious Black Kings. The envoys of this powerful kingdom claim as theirs the very land where White Gryphon is built.
Skandranon and his friend Chief Kestra'chern Amberdrake agree to accompany the envoys back to the court of the Black Kings, hoping to negotiate an alliance and save their home. They soon realize they are up against unknown enemies who will stop at nothing, even the use of diabolical Blood Magic, to destroy White Gryphon and its peoples . . .
The White Gryphon has a gorgeous cover by Jody Lee, interior illustrations by Larry Dixon, and--unfortunately--a release date of April.
Holiday greetings may be sent to Misty and Larry and Mark Shepherd in care of Highlight [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. If you hurry you can get a card in the mail in time for Misty & Larry's wedding anniversary, December 10th.
Happy Holidays to you from Highflight, Teri Lee at Firebird, Lief Sorbye and Tempest, and Jody Lee (and me, of course!)
If there is no holiday greeting from Misty and Larry tucked into your envelope; you'll receive it with the January newsletter. My home address has been changed because we finally have 911 in this area and UPS and FedEx drivers are now completely confused. Packages sent to me at home are slow to arrive.
"Holiday greetings and best wishes from the folks at Firebird! It's been very busy this fall and winter; here's a preview of what's happening: The holiday catalog just went off to the printer - this year it's very, very, late. Given the post office, the holiday it may arrive in time for is Easter. We are just finishing up work on Lovers, Lore & Loss, the sequel to Heralds, Harpers & Havoc. With luck and a bit of free time in the recording studio, the album will be sent off to manufacturing in December and be ready to ship at the very end of the month or in early January. Margie Butler does the Herald Talia songs again, and the rest of GOLDEN BOUGH contribute their unique musical sound to the album. There is also a CD version of Heralds, Harpers & Havoc in the works.
"Michael Longcor was a guest at this year's Orycon, and we (of course) took advantage of his being in Portland to record two albums. Norman & Saxon is a new collection of Kipling songs, and "Dangerous Heroes" is an album of originals. Michael also took time to record another song for the Winds tape - a view of the Falconsbane character that quite nicely balances the dripping-with-evil song that he recorded the last time he was in Oregon.
"Work on the Concordances progresses. The text of all the Concordances has been completed and we are working out the final details. There is a map being created by Cecelia Eng that will incorporate all of the latest information from Misty, including the news that Valdemar is roughly equivalent to Indiana in size and placement in the continental mass.
"Two major bottlenecks in production have been solved by Larry Dixon and by Bill Roper of Dodeka Records. Larry sent me a piece of hardware that fixes the space-on-the-computer problem (a SyQuest cartridge drive for the computer curious) and Bill has loaned me a piece of software for music notation. Cecelia Eng and I are busy converting all of the music files from the Atari MIDI format to IBM musical scores. There are lots and lots of songbooks on the horizon. Thank you, Larry and Bill! Along with the drive, Larry sent art files for the Winds portfolios. Winds of Change is at the printer, and Winds of Fury is about to go off, and the posters are in the works.
"Thanks for all your support over the years and good luck and best wishes for a wonderful New Year!"--Teri Lee, Firebird
"Dear friends & fans: Solstice Greetings from TEMPEST. Thanks for showing up in force at our shows across the country. We have enjoyed meeting and talking with you all from Ottawa, Canada to Montclair, New Jersey. Your response to my solo recordingAcross the Borders and the new TEMPEST album Surfing to Mecca has been phenomenal. At the moment we are taking a break from touring in order to work on material for our next album. Also, in response to your requests, we are going to make arrangements to play more all-ages shows on our '95 tour. We wish you a great holiday season and peace in the New Year."--Lief and the boys (Send your holiday greetings to Lief, Ian, Rob, Jon, and Adolfo at TEMPEST [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
Two shows by TEMPEST in California this month: TEMPEST appears at BROOKDALE LODGE [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.] on December 9 at 9:30 and on the 10th at THE BASTILLE [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.] at 9 pm. See the Acoustic Duo of Lief Sorbye & Jan Berger at O'CONNELS, [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.] on December 15-17 at 9 pm. They will be appearing at PLOUGH & STARS, 116 Clement San Francisco, CA [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.] at 9:30 on the 20th. December 22 Lief has a solo appearance at GALLAGHER'S, [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.] at 7:30.
The Fireblrd catalogue carries the music of TEMPEST, Misty's books and tapes (and CD's), Misty-related Jody Lee prints, stationery designed by Misty &. Larry, soft sculpture Companions (dragons & fire lizards too), Hawkbrother feather jewelry . . . and much, much more. To order, or to ask to be added to Firebird's mailing list, call them at 1-800-752-0494. Send holiday greetings to Teri Lee [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
The Cerridwen Enterprise carries all of Jody Lee's prints, (Tapestry of Lions is gorgeous!) and a Winds of Fate T-shirt. To order, call [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. QO members get a $2 discount so be sure to tell CE that you belong to QO.
Holly Lisle is having more than her share of problems. You can send her good wishes in care of Baen Books [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. (You can write to all authors and cover artists in care of their publishers. The mail IS forwarded.)
The Eagle and the Nightingales and the paperback version of The Robin and the Kestrel will be available sometime in January, and HOORAY!, The White Gryphon and the paperback version of The Black Gryphon, March/April 1995.
Elizabeth Barrette's Pros & Cons: an Introduction to Fandom can be yours [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. Don't send a SASE because I have envelopes just the right size. This little booklet has definitions of most of the "fan jargon" used in the newsletter and at cons and is especially valuable for new members.
Holders--Crafters--Dragonriders---Dreamers--Windsong Weyr is a fan club for anyone who is interested in adventure and fun in Anne McCaffrey's world of Pern. For more information, send a SASE to Windsong Weyr [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
ATTENTION all lonely Misty fans stranded in the far southern way-stations of Australia and New Zealand: I am currently compiling a newsletter to link all interested in Mercedes Lackey and her worlds. If you would like to contribute or receive a copy of the pioneer newsletter Oceanic Arrows, please write to Nancy Ford [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. (If any one in the US is curious about Oceanic Arrows, send Nancy at least two IRC's for postage.)
Heyla to all Anne McCaffrey Fans! Looking for a fan club involving all of Anne's work--not just Pern? Well, we were too. There weren't any out there, so we decided to start one ourselves- -Startire Weyr. It's a place where dragonriders, harpers, healers, telepaths, and crystal singers alike can come together to spread news, share ideas, or simply gossip. We need members and contributors for our first newsletter. Anyone interested? If so, write to Allyson Giesen [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
Collegium Chronicles is the newsletter of Pacific Northwest Collegium. All in the Washington, Oregon and Idaho area are especially invited to join. Their September issue contained news of filk gatherings, local conventions, Heather Alexander's schedule, member biographies, book reviews . . . Send a SASE for a sample issue and more information.
There's a collegium of Valdemar located on America OnLine called..Arraws OnLine. To find us you must travel to a private room called "Valdemar" on Wednesday nights at 10:00 PM EST where WestHaven Collegium is located on the shores of Lake Evendim. Our Dean Anne, Seneschal Martyn, and Archivist Trystane will gladly greet all comers with good company and information, including orientation packages. We post topic discussion ideas on the Mercedes Lackey Bulletin Board under Swords and Sorcery. Upcoming plans are: working on our continuing newsletter Heartstone, birthing day exchanges, mentors for all trainees, and Mid-Winter festival. Logs of our meetings are available and our doors stand open to all who wish to share and learn.
Looking for a unique holiday gift? How about: FANTASY STATIONERY and BOOKMARKS! I offer quality multi-colored handcrafted designs. From mythological creatures to Misty-related designs--unicorns, dragons, fairies, Heralds, Shin'a'in, gryphons, and more. Send a SASE to [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
NINE ABOVE! is a fan club for Tanya Huff. Dues are $10 a year, and the newsletter contains information on Tanya's books--Tanya has a short story in the upcoming anthology Vampire Detectives (edited by Martin H. Greenberg) and her latest novel, Sing the Four Quarters, should be in the bookstores now - a column where you can make your casting suggestions for Tanya's characters, other books of interest, and more. For a sample newsletter, send a SASE to NINE ABOVE! [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
Do you live far away from a book store? Looking for an out of print volume? Want to trade some of your books for new (to you) tales? Send lists or wants plus SASE to Herald-trainee Mareesa Rainseer [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
Bored? Lonely? Modems of the Queen, the GEnie chapter of Queen's Own, can relieve you of your spare time while providing you with dozens of people to chat with about Misty's stories. We have an extensive Bulletin Board, an intriguing File Library, weekly Real-Time Conferences, and a friendly attitude. GEnie's Science Fiction & Fantasy RoundTables are just crammed full of other neat stuff as well. For info [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
ATTENTION WRITERS! The Fantasy Writer's Group is off and running. The first issue of our newsletter is hot off the presses and can be yours for $1.00 plus 2 stamps. Send for it, and check out the FWG. We're full of fun and mayhem as we write our stories. If you don't mind editors with elven-halves then this group is for you. Our guidelines are available for a SASE. (NO SASE, NO GUIDELINES!) Send for the newsletter or Guidelines to [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
Herald's Hearth is a Mercedes Lackey Fan Club that publishes stories, word finds, book and movie reviews, questions about Misty's books, and poetry. Join now! Send a SASE to Meg.han O'Toole [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
From Jenna Wilson: Due to overwhelming piles of books falling on me (thanks, Dr. Aronson), I've had to delay the October issue of NIGHT SONGS. It should have been an animal-themed issue but didn't get nearly enough submissions (hint, nudge) so I'll make it a regular issue and delay the animal issue 'til March. BUT, I still need stories, poetry and art from the realms of fantasy and dark fantasy, so please, please send me stuff! Night Songs [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
She lifted her tear-stained face to the heavens, a jagged sob escaping her lips as she released her lover's hand. He stared at her weakly, his beauty all the more brilliant in the moonlight. The sounds of the ball still raged on in the farthest rooms of the castle; she still clutched the ribbons of the magnificent mask in her hand. "Remember . . . " he whispered, pleaded, backing away with a sweet, soft kiss. "Always remember this night, and the Moonlight Masquerade." From MOONLIGHT MASQUERADE [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. Issue 5, Midwinter's Eve, is 52 pages in 11x17 professional magazine format with two color illustrations, filled with enchanting tales of true love and adventure for only $5.50! Special Savings: Buy any 2 issues (1 through 3, and 5) for $8.50 ($11 separately), the first 3 for $12 ($16.50 separately), or a115 for $20 ($25 separately). Checks/money orders made payable to Nicole Blackwell, please.
Presenting NIGHTSHADE PRODUCTIONS--handcrafted bookmarks, Companion wrindchimes and Christmas ornaments, at affordable prices! Send SASE for information to NIGHTSHADE PRODUCTIONS [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. Do you love vampires, wolves, full moons, old graveyards and the Gothic scene? Then check out the FRESH BLOOD zine! Issue #2 is printed and ready to mail and #3 will be out in January. Send $5 for a sample copy, or an SASE for info on Club Vampyre to Riyn Gray [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. Make checks/money orders out to Mary J. Meyer.
The National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F for short) has something for everyone with pen pal groups, Round Robins, a Games bureau, zine lists.... New fans and new enthusiasms are welcome. If interested, send a SASE to Michelle Nowak [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
The Parallax Society is another excellent organization for those of you who are new to fandom. Their newsletter The Convergence shares information on other fandoms, TV shows, movies, art.... Dues are $15. Write to The Parallax Society [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
For you Babylon 5 fans: Michael O'Hare, the former Commander Sinclair of Babylon S, has an official fan club. Membership is $15 a year and provides an autographed photo of Michael, a membership card, a quarterly newsletter, and news about any convention and professional appearances he is making. For more information, send a SASE to The_ Michael O'Hare Fan Club [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
Good news for Highlander: The Series fans: Adrian Paul also has an official fan club. The club will feature quarterly newsletters and Adrian will be actively involved in the club and the newsletter. Dues are $15 US; $18 far Canada and Europe. Far more info, send a SASE to PEACE. The Adrian Paul Fan Club [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
For information on joining The Westerfield Club, the official fan club of The Adventures of Brisco County, send a SASE to [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. If, like Herald Housemother, you miss Brisco and the gang, write to John Matoian [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. It was fan interest that brought back Alien Nation in a two-hour movie; let's see if we can do it for Brisco.
"The Neofans's Guide to Star Trek Fandom" is available for $1.00 or 4 IRC's from [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.]. This is similar to our "Pros and Cons" but contains definitions peculiar to ST and a brief history of Trek fandom.
Star Trek Welcommittee is a service organization and central information center, not a club to join. Its volunteer workers answer fans' questions about ST and ST fandom. All they ask is a SASE. Questions about ST clubs, zines, conventions, merchandise? Ask the Welcommittee! Star Trek Welcommittee [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
Brightest blessings on you all during this holiday season - and during 1995 too for that matter. Queen's Own is very important to me, and has enriched my life in many ways. Club membership is nearly a thousand, and it is a lot of work for one person. I am sometimes slow to answer letters, and I apologize. Another apology is in order: While preparing for a houseful of people for Thanksgiving Day I packed away QO material - neatly and orderly, I thought--but I do seem to have misplaced some mail. It isn't last, it's just here "someplace" and will be discovered in time for the January newsletter I'm sure. Your patience and kindness are appreciated.
As of last month, QO had 9 members in Australia, 1 in Belgium, l in Bermuda, 31 in Canada, 19 in England, 2 in Finland, 5 in Germany, 2 in Ireland, 6 in The Netherlands, 4 in New Zealand, 2 in the Philippines, 4 in Singapore, 1 in Sweden, and 1 in Wales. We truly are an International club.
DO NOT USE QO ADDRESSES FOR CHAIN MAIL LETTERS! I don't care if the letter's sender wishes me only good luck, it annoys me that you think I have time to "make six copies of this letter and pass it along to your friends." Chain letters are NOT real mail, they are trash.
Sorry guys, there are no shape shifters, changelings, transformers, or Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in Valdemar! The rules are simple: You may NOT be related to any of Misty's characters, you may NOT be royalty; you may NOT invent gifts, you may NOT be Kestra'chern, you may NOT be a Herald-Bard-Mage-Healer-Hawkbrother-whatever combination, and you MUST stay within the proper timeline. I salute your creativity, but I'm going to start throwing personas in the trash when the rules are ignored.
Anyone interested in joining the Mercenaries Guild and working on a mercenary persona can send a SASE for persona guidelines to Mercenaries Guild, [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
We have individual handouts for aspiring Heralds, Healers, and Bards, and instructions on haw to work for Herald-Mage status if you are already a Herald. We have basic guidelines for Shin'a'in, Tayledras, or White Winds Sorceress personas--incomplete but enough to give you an idea of how to start. Send a SASE to Guardian of the Web [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.] or to the QO address and specify which handout you are requesting. No SASE, no answer!
You need a release form (send the Guardian or me a SASE) only if you write a story set in Misty's worlds or using any of her characters. 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 at H[Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.].
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Queen's Own [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date content withheld.], for 9 issues of the newsletter. Sending out only nine issues per year will let me keep the dues at [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date content withheld.] and still nearly break even. Please make checks payable to Queen's Own in US funds only--my bank charges me $10 to cash a foreign currency cheque. You may pay [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date content withheld.] if you wish. The $8 fee covers the cost of printing and mailing; I have no objection to your sharing a newsletter. Check the date on your address label to see when your membership ends.
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: [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date content withheld.]. This newsletter is published solely to inform and-entertain the club's membership; no infringement of anyone's copyrights is intended.
Next Mailing Day: January 14, 1995--Call [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date info withheld.] for directions. Always call before coming, family emergencies can cancel mailings.
Editor, President, Dogsbody, Housemother - Judith Louvis [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date content withheld.] (Call only before 10 pm and let it ring.)
Archivist and Organizer extraordinaire - Patricia Riggs, [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date content withheld.] Write to Patricia with your questions about the club and also to register your persona's names. (Finished persona material should be sent to the QO address.)
Herald-Mage Registrar and Dispenser of handout sheets--Guardian of the Web, [Ed. note 2005: Out-of-date content withheld.] (Send proof of completed Herald-Mage criteria directly to the Web address, not to NJ.)
Newsletter Border Designs - Gibel Encarnacion
Mailing Day Helpers (last issue)--Helen Edwards and Rusty, and of course, Steve Louvis.
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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
