Pub Meeting Tomorrow in Kultainen Hirvi

After a discussion on the TSFS discussion list (everybody is welcome to join the list, you don’t have to be a member of TSFS), it was decided to move the monthly Turku pub meetings to the restaurant Kultainen Hirvi for now. Bremer has been quite full lately, so it was time to try something new. The meeting will be held at the usual time, tomorrow (the first Thursday) at six. Everybody interested in meeting other fen and discussing sf (among other things) is welcome!

Finnish Anime Conventions

Jussi Nikander has written a short history of Finnish anime conventions along with some speculation about their future now that the co-operation of Finncon and Animecon is winding down.

Lars-Olov Strandberg 80 Years

The “grandfather of Swedish fandom” Lars-Olov Strandberg celebrated his 80th birthday last weekend in Stockholm. He’s been active in the Swedish fandom since the 1950s, been one of the founders of the Scandinavian SF Association and the Tolkien society Forodrim, and has served in many fannish organizations over the decades. He still goes to conventions and does his photo show at Swecons (the place to see the Swedish fen in their youth in funny clothes). Many Finns who’ve attended Swecons remember the friendly guy who came to greet all then new people—including us foreigners—and make sure everything was ok and they were having fun.

The birthday celebration was an open house at Forodrim’s clubhouse, which was packed with friends, relatives and fen of all ages. The occasion was merry, the food good and the speeches admirably short. In a manner very characteristic of him, I think Lars-Olov spent equal time conversing with old friends and playing with the smallest kids.


I brought him greetings from the Finnish fandom: a congratulations card about 50 people had signed at Finncon (with a picture taken at the dead dog). Everyone who signed also donated a little money, so in total we gave 100 euros to Rädda barnen (Save the children), Lars-Olov’s preferred charity.

Congratulations once again, Lars-Olov, thanks for the nice party, and here’s to the next 80 years!

photos

Mind Meld

The SF Signal science fiction site’s Mind Meld column ran a series of posts on the non-anglo science fiction scene. Part four is now online, and it has a contribution from Jukkahoo, as well as one from myself. I recommend the whole of the series (linked from the last part), not only for the other Finns who appear in the earlier parts, but because it is a very interesting look into the world of sf.

George R.R. Martin Signing in Turku

George R.R. Martin, Guest of Honor of Finncon held last weekend, will be signing books in Akateeminen bookstore in Turku today at 6 PM. So head there if you want an autograph and didn’t get one at Finncon.

Marika Riikonen wins Tähtivaeltaja competition

The winner of the second Tähtivaeltaja short story competition is Marika Riikonen from Tampere for her story Terveisiä älylliseltä elämältä, a story set on an alien planet, about curiosity, responsibility and growth. The jury commended the cultural description, dramatic consistency and the touching ending.

The top results are:

1. Terveisiä älylliseltä elämältä, by Marika Riikonen
2. Innamoramento, by Petri Laine
3. Minne yksikään herrasmies ei ole ennen mennyt, by Terhi Tarkiainen
4. Mummo kuoli saunan lauteille, by Harri Erkki
5. Jos tähdet voisivat todistaa, by Mirka Ulanto

The competition theme was space science fiction. There were 63 entries in the competition, and the award was picked by a preliminary jury of researcher Irma Hirsjärvi and author Anne Leinonen, and a jury of editor Toni Jerrman, editor Jukka Halme, and author Tiina Raevaara.

Tähtifantasia Award 2009

The Tähtifantasia award for best translated fantasy in 2008 was given to Ellen Kushner for her novel Thomas Riiminiekka (Thomas the Rhymer), published in Finnish by Vaskikirjat.

The novel talks about the power of words and speech. The jury commends Kushner’s characters as exceptionally well-rounded, feeling persons. The story uses point-of-view technics to bring multiple voices into a discussion about songs, stories, love and how language brings meaning to life.

The award is given by the Helsinki Science Fiction Society and the jury consisted of critic Jukka Halme, critic Aleksi Kuutio, author and editor Anne Leinonen, and Risingshadow representative Osmo Määttä.

You can meet Ellen Kushner next year when she will be the Guest of Honor of Finncon 2010.