NEXT CLUB MEETING: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
1:00PM-5:00PM, Le Nouvel Hotel, 1740 Boul. René-Lévesque (corner St-Mathieu), “Salle Maisonneuve” (South Tower)
…and concurrently on ZOOM!
MonSFFA’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 14! We are meeting in our usual hall, “Salle Maisonneuve,” at Le Nouvel Hotel! Le Nouvel is located on a major bus line, and is just a short walk from either Metro Guy/Concordia or Lucien-L’Allier.
We’re back in our old, familiar neighbourhood, just one block west of our pre-pandemic meeting place, the Hôtel Espresso (corner Guy and René-Lévesque)! And, as always, we hope to welcome home both current and former club members, and new members, too! Come check us out!
Meeting Theme: Cool science fiction and fantasy names! We ask MonSFFen to consider which character name from SF&F literature, or film and television strike them as classic, the most memorable, or the utmost in cool SF&F names?
SEPTEMBER’S AGENDA:
1:00PM – Report on Worldcon 2024
MonSFFen who attended the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, offer a report on the convention, sharing anecdotes and photos with the club.
2:00PM – Montreal’s Bid for Worldcon 2027!
Did you know that Montreal is bidding to host the Worldcon in 2027? We offer an update on the latest bid news.
2:15PM – Tom Swift and his Science Fiction Book Series
Originally slated for last month’s meeting but, regrettably, postponed, we are pleased to bring you, now, this primer on the numerous Tom Swift sci-fi/adventure books, published in various series from the 1910s to the present day. The adventures of the original Tom Swift and later, his descendants, introduced many a young lad to science fiction, and in its nascent years, helped to popularize the science fiction genre.
3:15PM – Break!
Raffle, announcements, brief discussion of club business.
3:30PM – What’s in a Name?— Thoughts on Naming SF&F Characters
Flash Gordon, Honor Harrington, Clark Kent, Sarah Conner, Valentine Michael Smith, Buffy Summers, Bernard Quatermass, Harley Quinn, and Darth Vader—some names simply roll off the tongue with a certain ease, a je ne sais quoi, and just sound so cool, and ideal for a given character! But why are the names of some of our favourite genre characters so much more memorable than others? Is there a psychology at play, a particular trick, method, or talent involved when naming characters? Whether writing a novel, short-story, or screenplay, how do writers come up with a memorable name that so perfectly fits their character? How does a skilled wordsmith evoke a square-jawed hero or plucky heroine, a dark, pitiless villain, or a brilliant scientist type? And what about alliteration: pro or con?
