A 501(c)(3) organization: It is the mission of Parsec “to promote awareness of the richness of speculative fiction as literature, art and music; further general education in the sciences and arts, support contributions–both scientific and artistic–to society and to espouse the enjoyment of speculative fiction as literature, art and music with others.”
A 501(c)(3) organization: It is the mission of Parsec “to promote awareness of the richness of speculative fiction as literature, art and music; further general education in the sciences and arts, support contributions–both scientific and artistic–to society and to espouse the enjoyment of speculative fiction as literature, art and music with others.”
PARSEC, Pittsburgh’s premier Science Fiction & Fantasy Organization is returning to in-person meetings starting May 21, 2022. Parsec meetings will now be held in person at the Squirrel Hill Carnegie Library in meeting room B. We will have the room from 12:30-3:30pm (ET). See below for Zoom option.
Program Change:
Due to Unforeseen Circumstances, our guests The Dome and Commander Cam from SciFi Saturday Night will not be able to join us.
Instead, our co-chair, Scot Noel of DreamForge Magazine will talk about Short Story Plotting using “The Plotting Game,” a 9-step exercise to develop a workable story plot that, with practice, can be done in 30 minutes. Theory and explanations only go so far. Every writer needs a way to exercise their brain in some basic story patterns, so DreamForge created “The Plotting Game.” It can be done as a solo exercise, but is also designed to be played against an opponent or (most fun of all) in team play where players can argue for the points they feel their side deserves. And what do you win? A well-crafted story plot! This exercise is designed to strengthen creative thinking and replace some of the mystery of plotting with the fun of spontaneous imaginative performance.
If you would like to attend by Zoom, register for the May 21st Parsec meeting: https://bit.ly/Parsec-MeetingAfter registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The library meeting room now has a 60” wall TV with an HDMI connection. Scot Noel set up his computer and did a test ZOOM meeting. It worked great!
Every month Parsec invites new guest speakers for informative, lively discussions on everything science fiction, fantasy, horror, writing, publishing, podcasts, speculative fiction and more! Meetings are free to attend and open to the public!
Squirrel Hill Carnegie LibraryAddress: 5801 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Library masking rules: masks are optional for fully vaccinated visitors. Masks are recommended for unvaccinated visitors.
If you decide to drive, there is usually parking available on Marlborough Ave, the street that runs behind the library. The quickest entrance to reach the meeting room is located on Marlborough. The meeting room is wheelchair accessible.
This post includes the March Parsec meeting minutes.
Parsec is ISO a new Sigma editor.
Joe Coluccio recently retired from his position. Thank you Joe for providing many educational and entertaining Sigma editions!
If you are interested in the Sigma editor position, please Contact Parsec and we will be happy to provide more information.
March 2022 Meeting Minutes
By Parsec Program Secretary, William B. Hall
Movies can inspire in the oddest ways. Case in point: I had seen Belfast (it seemed to be the thing to do to mark St. Patrick’s Day), which is very nostalgic, and it briefly featured Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I’ve never really taken to that movie, but it must have been on my mind, because as I joined the pre-meeting chat I felt an urge to talk about flying cars, which in turn sparked a wide range of topics.
Attendance at our Zoom reached 21. We were again led by Scot Noel, who notified us that DreamForge Anvil #7 will address “Meaning of Life.” John Thompson informed us that “Triangulation: Energy” is still open to submission but already has many good stories. Our short story contest remains open through May 1st. Confluence is on for the end of July and our picnic returns to Dormont as of noon, Saturday August 20.
Our challenge this month was to come up with Confluence panel topics. Michael Net suggested rules for brainstorming, not too far from what we already use.
Topics were:
Flying cars, in particular the AI they use
Talking about the Drake equation and the Fermi paradox
Tendencies to hope or despair in spec-fic
Science on death and dying, also touching on suspended animation
How do editors judge what readers like?
Submission horror stories
Treatment of gender neutrality
Low employment and minimum income
The writing of novels as opposed to scripts
Trans representation
Videogames
Views of the human body
With what do teachers teach spec-fic?
How D&D became “cool”
Mary Soon Lee asks “What can go wrong?”
Mary Soon Lee asks “What can go right?”
Graphic novels
How to write diversely
Ethics of AI and VR
What to watch out for if you’re new to the business
International spec-fic
Can AI help human relationships?
Overview of Kim Stanley Robinson
Jane Noel wondered about rules of Magic. Mary Soon Lee said it was important to advocate whatever is good right now. Kevin Hayes noted Pittsburgh’s own Ramon Frenz. We speculated on perhaps having hybrid meetings, in-person but also with Zoom, in the future. Mary saw us out with two poems. “What Trees Read” and “Daedalus’s Daughter,” an appropriately scathing speculation on how classic mythology might have portrayed a female Icarus.
-Secretary Bill Hall
If anyone has additional program topic ideas, they can be emailed to the program committee: conprogram@parsec-sff.org
Our Guest in April is New York Times Best Selling author Jane Lindskold. Jane will introduce her new Over Where Series: Library of the Sapphire Wind (out in February) and Aurora Borealis Bridge (being released in April). There will be a Q & A following her talk.
Parsec ZOOM meeting: Saturday April 16, at 1:00 pm (ET) Meetings are free to attend and open to the public! Register for the meeting: https://bit.ly/Parsec-Meeting
Following the April Parsec meeting, the Board of Directors is scheduled to meet and discuss organizational business, including a report on returning to in-person meetings in May. If you are a current member of Parsec, feel free to attend the Board meeting. We welcome suggestions and ideas from Parsec members.
Join us on March 19, 2022 for the monthly Parsec meeting at 1:00 pm (ET) on Zoom. This month will be the Confluence Program meeting.
During the March 19 th Meeting we’ll discuss panel topics for the conference such as:
The Drake Equation and the Fermi Paradox. If there are alien civilizations all around us, why are they invisible and silent?
Speculative Fiction as a Literature of Hope or Despair? Should writers point out all the ways humanity is failing, or our opportunities to transcend?
How Science Deals with Death and Dying. Have technology and medicine become new religions offering immortality?
These examples are just to generate ideas and discussion. Come chat with us during the March meeting to bring out the most challenging and imaginative panel topics we can think of!
The writing workshops will be facilitated by Scott H. Andrews, editor-in-chief and publisher of the nine-time Hugo award finalist and world fantasy award-winning online fantasy magazine Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
The Arcade Comedy Theater (Knights of the Arcade) will be the Saturday evening entertainment this year. Their performance is sure to be one you don’t want to miss!
Coming to Parsec in April . . .
Our Guest in April is Jane Lindskold. She will be talking about her latest novels in the new Over Where Series: Library of the Sapphire Wind (released in February) and Aurora Borealis Bridge (released this month) in relation to writing. There will be a Q & A following her talk. Check back here in early April for more information.
SAVE THE DATE!
The Parsec Picnic will be held Saturday Aug 20th starting at 12pm in the Dormont Park large pavilion. Watch this space for updates.
PARSEC, Pittsburgh’s premier Science Fiction & Fantasy Organization, welcomes guest author Bruce McAllister to our February 19th meeting on ZOOM at 1:00 pm. Open to the public.
Bruce’s short stories have appeared in many fantasy and science fiction magazines, including Analog and Asimov’s, college readers, and “year’s best” anthologies, including Best American Short Stories 2007, guest-edited by Stephen King.
His second novel, Dream Baby, was called a “stunning tour de force” by Publishers Weekly. Bruce will engage us with anecdotes of interest to fans, as well as people and events that have affected his fifty+ year career.
We’ll also hear poetry selections from Parsec’s resident poet Mary Soon Lee and from Bruce McAllister too!
by Kevin m Hayes, President, Parsec Inc., Board of Directors
Isn’t that the sentiment we always expect? This year–2022–is no different. Some things are the same, some things have changed.
The Parsec Inc Board of Directors has gone through a big change. Joe Coluccio stepped down from his president’s duties, giving me [Kevin Hayes] the opportunity and honor to serve as the new board president. Scot Noel, and Patrick Ropp were already serving on the board and continue to serve. New members added to the board are Karen Yun-Lutz as treasurer and John Thompson, as a member at large. Lara Van Winkle is continuing her service to Parsec–not as a board member, but as our corporate bookkeeper and board consultant.
The current board of directors and the standing committee chair and treasurer lists can be found HERE
A couple of board members stepped down from their duties; Barb Carlson and Greg Armstrong, and are taking well-earned breaks. Which leaves two unfilled board positions. If you’ve ever wondered how you can serve Parsec Inc., this is a great opportunity to add your voice to the Parsec Inc Board of Directors and help make a difference in 2022.
[Editors note: Parsec members are welcome to attend Parsec board meetings. To do this, Sign up for a Parsec membership and you will be sent an invitation to join the the ParsecTalk.groups.io email list, a member only chat group. Announcements regarding upcoming Parsec board meetings are sent through our groups .io email list.]
Scot and Jane Noel (Dreamforge magazine) are the new Program Committee, monthly meeting co-chairs and we all look forward to seeing the programming of interest and variety they have planned for 2022.
The Alpha Young Writers’ Workshop advised they wished to establish their own 501(c)(3) as Alpha.org and requested the opportunity to do so. Part of the reason for this decision and request was their sense that the mission of Alpha had diverged from the mission of Parsec Inc. The vote was taken by the new board of directors and approved in Dec. A sad change for me, personally, as I was one of the many people who helped Diane Turnshek get Alpha started and my daughter Nora was one of the first Alpha students.
Ultimately though, the membership is the foundation– that would be you, the members of Parsec!
Parsec relies on the membership to promote the different aspects of Parsec. Confluence relies on the program committee and membership to promote the conference every year. They also rely on Parsec members to provide panel topics and even new possibilities for invitees during the March Program meeting.
Parsec members are the foundation for the annual Triangulation anthology from Parsec Ink. We all promote, we all help–with our membership dues–to support the publication every year. You know how almost every acknowledgement says “. . . and thanks to the countless people who have helped with their time and involvement in what we do . . .” That’s you, that’s us! We are those countless people. And, of course, Confluence promotes Triangulation, as a publication and, believe it or not, it tries to engage people to join Parsec. Because the membership of this wonderful organization is the foundation that supports it and keeps it going year after year.
The new board of directors are attempting to reorganize and untangle some of the issues that have confused people about the inner workings of Parsec Inc–trying to make clear what the different standing committees do and what they’re responsible for. One of the things that becomes clear again and again is the interdependence of all the standing committees.
Another possibility we’re looking at in this new year is a re-evaluation and possible revision of our by-laws. There were a number of issues that arose with the new board that could have easily been resolved if the by-laws had been clearer.
I’ve heard change is difficult and have found that to be true, but it isn’t necessarily impossible. Changes are coming in 2022 and we’re looking forward to them.
Ultimately though, the membership is the foundation– that would be you, the members of Parsec!
If you’re not interested in becoming a Parsec member, but would still like information on all Parsec events (Confluence, open calls for the Parsec Inc Short Story contest or Parsec Ink open submission period for Triangulation and other limited SF/F/H community information) you can request to be added to the Parsec Announce groups io email list. This is a private, moderated, announcement-only email group. Replies to messages sent through this group will be received by the moderators only. We hope you will join us and maximize your experience with Parsec, Confluence, Parsec Ink Publishing and the SF/F/H community.
The new year has rolled in and with it a lot of updates!
Join the Parsec Program committee for the monthly meeting on 1/15/22 at 1:00pm EST. We bring in the New Year with a guest panel on Costuming and Cosplay!
Welcome Lisa Ashton, Karen Schnaubelt, and Pam Smith, all highly active in the costume community and willing to share their decades of experience with us, providing insights and perspectives into a rich, beautiful, and creative world.
We look forward to gaining a glimpse inside the worlds of Costuming and Cosplay and how they enrich the lives of these very talented women.
Hello Parsec-sff, Confluence and Parsec Ink people!
There are lots of great changes happening within the Parsec Inc. organization.
In January 2022, our new Parsec Program Committee meeting co-chairs will be Scot Noel and Jane Noel from DreamForge Magazine of Science and Fantasy Fiction!
Welcome Scot and Jane!
We look forward to seeing the programming you schedule for us during 2022!
Jane Noel is the Founder of Chroma Studios, a digital marketing agency located in Jeannette PA. She holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and more years of experience than she cares to count. Before founding CME, Jane worked as an Artist, Art Lead, Art Director, and Project Manager for the computer game developer DreamForge Intertainment, where she worked on a number of early computer games, including Roger Zelazny’s Chronomaster. Jane manages Illustration, Design, and Layout for DreamForge Anvil and DreamForge Magazine.
Scot Noel is a content writer and content manager for websites, blogs, social media, e-newsletters, and the like. Speculative fiction has always been his obsession, resulting in a Writers of the Future 2nd place win in 1990, a 7-year career in computer game development, and a handful of published stories, ranging from far future and zombie fiction to the tale of a fairy sheriff fighting an evil dragon. He serves as the editor and publisher of DreamForge Anvil and DreamForge Magazine.
Parsec Ink’s 2022 Triangulation anthology is now OPEN to submissions!
VIEW NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS Our NEW Board is moving forward to bring Parsec members more information about everything happening within the organization. Which leads us to . . .
Parsec Inc now has two groups.io groups to help you get information on ALL Parsec standing committee programming faster and easier!
Parsec Announce is for anyone! An announcement-only, moderated email group. Members cannot send messages to each other, only to the moderators. This group will be used similar to the newsletters so you get your information faster and can respond to the moderators with questions. Sign up asap to get the scoop on Confluence, Parsec Ink publishing, and other great Parsec programming. Use this link to Apply For Membership In The Group: https://parsecinc.groups.io/g/ParsecAnnounce
Parsec Talk is for Parsec members only! A chat email group for members of Parsec. Members can send messages that everyone receives, including the Board of Directors. Use this link to Apply For Membership In The Group: https://parsecinc.groups.io/g/ParsecTalk
Check your Parsec membership status through the Google Doc database: HERE
If you need to renew your Parsec membership or want to become a Parsec member, annual dues are only $25.00! All dues go to support Parsec programs. Use the Parsec website form: https://parsec-sff.org/membership-form-2/ The form uses PayPal for payment processing. You do not need to have a PayPal account, just a credit or debit card.
Or you can mail your check to: Parsec – Membership PO Box 3681 Pittsburgh PA 15230-3681
There will be no Parsec Holiday Party or Zoom meeting in Dec 2021.
Unfortunately we do not have a location to hold an in-person party and there is little interest in trying a Zoom party again this year.
We hope you and your family have a wonderful Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year!
The new Parsec Inc logo was officially adopted by the Board of Directors on Dec 4th, 2021
Cat Rambo, educator, podcaster, former two-term SFWA president, managing editor of Fantasy magazine, editor of multiple anthologies, and author, will talk about her upcoming book release, You Sexy Thing, the difference between writing short fiction and novels, the Satanic Panic and RPGs.
She will also be giving a writing talk on Three Tools for Plotting that Every Writer Needs!
Cat Rambo (they/them) is an American fantasy and science fiction writer whose work has appeared in, among others, Asimov’s, Weird Tales, Chiaroscuro, Talebones, and Strange Horizons. A graduate of the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars, where they studied with John Barth and Steve Dixon, they also attended the Clarion West Writers’ Workshop. They are currently the managing editor of Fantasy Magazine. They published a collection of stories, Eyes Like Sky And Coal And Moonlight, and their collaboration with Jeff VanderMeer, The Surgeon’s Tale and Other Stories, appeared in 2007. They live and write in Washington State, and “Cat Rambo” is their real name.
Upcoming: December 18 TBD January 15: Costume workshop with Karen Schnaubelt, Lisa Ashton, Rae Bradbury-Enslin & Pam Smith
Media notice: PARSEC staff may choose to record, live-stream, or otherwise capture or record images and comments during the Zoom event. By registering for this event you agree that Parsec may use your likeness in the screen captures and recordings to publicize, reproduce, exhibit, distribute, broadcast, or digitize the resulting content for use in marketing, promotion, and advancement efforts that may contain your likeness . This may include publications, marketing videos, advertising, websites and/or other public marketing for any purpose consistent with the Parsec status as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. If you prefer that your likeness not be used, please turn off your camera during recordings. Announcements will be made prior to the start of recordings and/or image captures.
Join us for the October Parsec meeting Saturday 10-16-2021 at 1:00pm EST
Our guest authors, Michael A. Arnzen, Scott A. Johnson & Frank J. Oreto will entertain us with frightful readings of their own horror stories, and feed us goodies galore about the craft of horror writing!
The Zoom moderator will open the room at 12:30 for an informal social time.
Parsec meetings are always open to the public and FREE to attend!
For even more fun, wear your Halloween costume to the meeting and be entered to win a copy of the Parsec Ink 2021 anthology, Triangulation: Habitats!
About our guests:
Michael Arnzen is the four-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of the novels Grave Markings and Play Dead. Arnzen teaches fulltime in the MFA in Writing Popular Fiction program at Seton Hill University, in Greensburg, PA. Known particularly for his experiments in minimalist horror, in such books as 100 Jolts and The Gorelets Omnibus, he invites readers to subscribe to his newsletter at gorelets.com, where they can get free short-shorts delivered to their inbox when they least expect them. Creative Horror: http://www.gorelets.com Social Network : http://michaelarnzen.com
Frank Oreto is a writer and editor of weird fiction living in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. His work has appeared or is upcoming in Pseudopod, the Year’s Best Hardcore Horror, and the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Frank also co-edited two volumes of Parsecs annual anthology Trianglulation. When not writing he spends his time creating elaborate meals for his wife and ever hungering children. Like weird fiction? I write it. You can find links to free stories and audios at my author page: https://www.facebook.com/FrankisWriting
Scott A. Johnson writes horror, dark urban fantasy, and science fiction. He is the author of eleven novels, multiple short stories, and three books of true ghost stories. He has an MFA from Emerson College and teaches in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program. He is currently located near Austin, Texas. Visit the website: http://www.creepylittlebastard.com
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Nov 20th:Cat Rambo talks about her upcoming new release, You SexyThing, the difference between writing short fiction and novels, the Satanic Panic, and RPGs. and all the great online writing classes she offers through the Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers.
Dec 18th: Holiday Party! More information coming soon.
January 15, 2022: A special presentation panel on costuming!
Feb 19, 2022: The month of love and poets.
March 19, 2022: TBA
Use the registration link at the top of this post to register once for all of the upcoming Parsec meetings.
Have an article, note or announcement that you would like to see published in the Sigma newsletter? The deadline for submissions is always the first Sunday of every month – Use our CONTACT FORMto send your information to Joe Coluccio, our Sigma editor.
Media notice: PARSEC staff may choose to record, live-stream, or otherwise capture or record images and comments during the Zoom event. By registering for this event you agree that Parsec may use your likeness in the screen captures and recordings to publicize, reproduce, exhibit, distribute, broadcast, or digitize the resulting content for use in marketing, promotion, and advancement efforts that may contain your likeness . This may include publications, marketing videos, advertising, websites and/or other public marketing for any purpose consistent with the Parsec status as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. If you prefer that your likeness not be used, please turn off your camera during recordings. Announcements will be made prior to the start of recordings and/or image captures.
