Festival of The Imagination 1996 – Apologies

Being page 3 of the December 1995 Newsletter. Faithfully transcribed by Anna Hepworth. Fancy fonts and formatting at the bottom of the page have been ignored as too hard for this time of night.

Apologies

Why We’re So Late, and What About Bruce?

I regret to inform you that I cannot attend your conference as I have recently discovered that my wife will be giving birth in April. I’m professionally quite disappointed and personally very elated. A development of this magnitude is one of the very few things that could have kept me away from Perth — but well, this is in fact one of those things.

Please convey my apologies to the committee and my hopes that another opportunity may offer itself at some later time.

Yours sincerely, Bruce Sterling

Yes, this was meant to be the October Newsletter for the Festival of the Imagination 1996, and yes, Bruce Sterling was one of our guests. Isn’t it amazing how much can change in the space of one newsletter? As you can see, we received correspondence from Bruce in October, giving us the good news that his wife was expecting a child. Unfortunately for us, this happy event was due to take place in April of next year, inconveniently clashing with our schedule. Suggestions that the birth be made an impromptu panel item were, naturally enough, rejected by all and sundry, and thus the search for a new guest was begun. “We’ll put off the next newsletter until we have some positive news to impart”, our chairman assured us.

Now we are pleased to announce that Jack Dann has accepted our invitation. Both Jack and his wife, Dr. Janeen Webb (see page 5 for biographical details), will be most welcome at the Festival of the Imagination 1996, and we’re sure they will be invaluable guests. Of course, Neil Gaiman has sent his congratulations to Bruce and has assured us he is still most definitely on his way, bringing with him preview material from his new television series. In addition we are looking at the possibility of acquiring yet another overseas guest, as well as more local guests. There will be more details in subsequent newsletters, which will, god and contributors willing, be on schedule this time.

The Festival of the Imagination 1996 would like to wish everybody a
Merry Christmas
and a happy New Year

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