There are many words and abbreviations of special relevance to science fiction. In addition, over the years science fiction fandom has created many new terms. A list of some of these words and abbreviations is provided here for N3F members and for any others who are interested in the history of science fiction and science fiction fandom. Additions and/or corrections are invited.

S

• SAE – See SASE.
• SaM – Contraction of name used by SF personality Sam Moskowitz.
• S&S – Abbreviation for Sword & Sorcery, which see.
• Saphire Awards – Annual awards for the best SF romance stories of the year, given in both novel length and short fiction categories.
• SAPS – Abbreviation for the APA organization, the Spectator Amateur Press Society.
• SAS – Abbreviation for the phrase “smiling, always smiling,” used in fanzines and other APA publications.
• SASE – Abbreviation for Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope. Pronounced either as the initials or as “Say-See,” an SASE is considered a necessary enclosure with any request of a fan or pro editor, publisher, or author.
• SASP – Abbreviation for Self-Addressed Stamped Postcard, usually included with any manuscript submitted to a fan or pro editor, so a reply on the disposition of the manuscript may be made more easily.
• Satellite Science Fiction – Digest-sized SF magazine published from October 1956 until May 1959, for a total run of 18 issues (with the 1959 issues pulp-sized). Contents featured novel-length stories and a regular column by Sam Moskowitz. Editors included Sam Merwin, Leo Margulies, and Frank Belknap Long. Mrs. Leo Margulies (Cylvia Kleinman) was Managing Editor/Editorial Director.
• Satevepost – Fannish abbreviation for the slick magazine The Saturday Evening Post.
• Satirezine – Fannish term for a fanzine featuring satiric content.
• Saturn Awards – Awards presented in a number of categories by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films and Cinescape Magazine.
  SCA – Short for Society for Creative Anachronism, which see.
• SCC – Short for the Science Correspondence Club, an early SF club started in 1928 by Aubrey Clements, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama.
• Science fantasy – Fantasy stories with science elements. See Scientifantasy.
• Science Fantasy Correspondent – See Amateur Correspondent.
• Science fiction – A genre of fiction devoted to stories about the future, time travel, space exploration, and other fantastic topics. Originally considered to be a sub-genre of fantasy fiction, it is now thought of as a separate genre of fantastic fiction in which science and/or technology play an important role. Early writers in the field were Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, but science didn’t become a separate genre until Hugo Gernsback began publishing Amazing Stories in 1926. See SF/Sf/sf.
• Science Fiction – Early fanzine by Cleveland teenagers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, creators of Superman (“The Reign of the Superman” [this character a villain] appeared in their January 1933 issue). This mimeographed zine ran for five issues with Volume 1, Number 1 dated October 1932.
• Science Fiction Advancement Association – The SFAA was created in the 1930s by San Francisco fan C. Hamilton Bloomer. The official organ of the association was the fanzine Tesseract.
• Science Fiction Age – A bi-monthly slick SF magazine published during the 1990s by Sovereign Media Company in Virginia. The premiere issue was dated November 1992, and the magazine had a total run of some 45 issues. The editor was Scott Edelman, with Mark Hintz the publisher.
• Science Fiction Chronicle – New York SF news magazine, owned/edited for years by SF fan Andrew Porter. See Algol.
• Science Fiction Chronicle Awards – Annual awards sponsored by the magazine Science Fiction Chronicle. The awards were first presented in 1981 and were voted upon by readers of the magazine. See Science Fiction Chronicle.
• Science Fiction Collector, The – SF fanzine published from 1936 until 1941. It was edited first by Morris Scott Dollens (May 1936 to June 1937) and then by John V. Baltadonis (July 1937 to Winter 1941). At least one issue was titled The New Science Fiction Collector.
• Science-fictioneer/science fictioneer – Early term for a SF writer/fan.
• Science-fictionist/science fictionist – Early term for a SF writer/fan.
• Science Fiction Digest – Early SF fanzine (“The Fans’ Own Magazine”) edited by Conrad H. Ruppert and Julius Schwartz. Volume 1, No. 1 was dated September 1932. The title was changed to Fantasy Magazine with the January 1934 issue. Often abbreviated as SFD.
• Science Fiction Eye – A critical science fiction semiprozine that began publication with a Winter 1987 issue devoted to cyberpunk. The magazine was published irregularly in the 1990s, during which time Stephen P. Brown and Daniel Steffan were the editors. Brown assumed sole editorship with issue #6. In addition to SF topics, current controversies involving music, technology, and communications were featured. The magazine suspended publication after issue #15, dated Fall 1997.
• Science Fiction Fan, The – Early SF fanzine, published/edited during the 1930s-1940s by Olon F. Wiggins and others. Many well-known fans made contributions to this fanzine, including Donald A. Wollheim and other members of The Futurians.
  Science Fiction Five Yearly – Founded and originally edited by Lee Hoffman, this fanzine is advertised as the world’s only intentionally five-yearly publication. In recent years guest editors have been used, with Hoffman serving as the honorary editor. Issue #11, dated November 2001, was published 50 years after the first issue.
• Science Fiction Foundation - An organization, founded in 1970 and based at the University of Liverpool, England. The aim of the organization is the promotion of the study of SF as a serious form of literature, and its members are involved in the annual judging of the Arthur C. Clarke Award. The Foundation supports the publication of Foundation, a magazine devoted to the academic study of SF.
• Science Fiction League – The SF organization started by Hugo Gernsback in 1934 with his essay, “Science Fiction League” in Wonder Stories (May 1934). The SFL provided a structure for SF fans to communicate, and the fans then began publishing their own fanzines.
• Science Fiction Monthly – A large tabloid-sized SF magazine published by New English Library in London from February 1974 until May 1976, for a total run of 28 issues. Artwork was emphasized. A prominent feature of the magazine was a regular essay on “Modern Masters of Science Fiction” by Walter Gillings. A digest SF magazine of the same title was published during 1955-1957 in Melbourne, Australia. See Tabloid.
• Science Fiction Oral History Association – The SFOHA is a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation of the history of SF in audio form. Founded in 1975 at the first ConFusion in Michigan, it maintains an archive of audio and video recordings of historic people and events related to SF. Its ongoing mission is to capture future historical legends (both fan and pro) on tape for future generations to enjoy. SF author Lloyd Biggle, Jr. was associated with the organization until his death in 2002.
• Science Fiction Syndicate, The – Business name adopted by early SF fan, D. R. Welch, resident of Austin, Texas in the 1930s. Welch published Science Fiction Bibliography, credited with being the first SF bibliography, in 1935
• Science Fiction Times – Early Hugo-award winning (1955/Best Amateur Publication) fanzine when it was titled Fantasy Times, edited by James V. Taurasi, Ray Van Houten, and Frank Prieto, Jr. A monthly newspaper of the same name was published by Galileo Magazine, Inc., beginning in the late 1970s. See Fantasy Times.
• Science Fiction Review – Hugo-award winning (1969/Best Amateur Magazine) fanzine, edited by Richard E. Geis. The title was revived as a semi-professional magazine in the 1990s, with the first issue dated Spring 1990. See The Alien Critic. See Psychotic.
• Science-Fiction Plus – Hugo Gernback’s last SF magazine, the first five issues of which were published in a glossy, folio-format. A total of only seven issues appeared, March to December 1953. Sam Moskowitz was Managing Editor.
• Science Fiction Union of Unpublished Authors – The SFUUA (pronounced “S, F, double-U, A”) was founded by Lew Wolkoff. Any member who got published professionally had to consign all “futures” rights to the organization. Anyone with five or more stories published was deemed “irredeemably” published and drummed out of the organization.
• Sciencerely – Salutation used by some SF fans in closing letters.
• Scienti – Prefix meaning scientific or scientifictional.
• Scientifantasy/scienti-fantasy – Fantasy stories with science elements.
• Scientific – Early synonym for science fiction.
• Scientificombined – The merging of words in Fan Speak.
• Scientificomics – Comic strips of the SF/fantasy genre.
• Scientifiction – Early term for SF, which see. Term for scientific fiction (stf), coined by editor Hugo Gernsback. A UK fanzine of this title, edited by Walter Gillings, was published during 1937-1938. Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report is also the title of First Fandom’s official publication. See First Fandom.
• Scientifiction – British fanzine published in the late 1930s, edited by Walter Gillings.
• Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report – Official fanzine of First Fandom, the so-called “dinosaurs of science fiction.”
• Scientifiction Day – August 16th, commemorating the birthday of Hugo Gernsback, the founder of Amazing Stories. As the publisher of the first all-SF magazine, Gernsback is considered to be the “father of magazine SF” and therefore of SF fandom.
• Scientifilm – SF film/movie.
• Scientitale – An early proposed substitute for the term Scientifiction.
• Scientology – The first SF religion, created by pulp writer L. Ron Hubbard. See Dianetics.
• SCIFI – See Rotsler Memorial Fanzine Artist Award.
• Sci-fi/Sci-Fi/SciFi/scifi – A media term for science fiction, attributed to SF personality Forrest J Ackerman.
• SCIFS – Short for the Scifan Society.
• Scoops – Britain’s first all-SF magazine, published in tabloid format by C. A. Pearson, Ltd. in London from February 10, 1934 until June 23, 1934, for a total run of twenty issues.
• Scrod – Miscellaneous flea-market items, presented for sale at dealers’ rooms at conventions. See Convention. See Dealers’ room. See Hucksters’ room.
• Seacon – The 1961 Worldcon, held in Seattle, WA. Robert A. Heinlein was GoH; Harlan Ellison was toastmaster; Wally Weber was Con Chair.
• Seacon ’79 – The 1979 Worldcon, held in Brighton, England. Brian Aldiss was UK GoH; Fritz Leiber was US GoH; Harry Bell was fan GoH; Bob Shaw was toastmaster; Peter Weston was Con Chair.
• Section G Report, The – Fanzine of the 1970s devoted to SF writer Mack Reynolds.
• Second Fandom – The historical stage of SF fandom from 1937 to 1938.
• Secret Master of Fandom – A person who considers himself/herself one of the “rulers” of fandom, i. e., a person who runs fan politics, organizes conventions, etc. Often abbreviated as SMOF.
• Secret Master of Gaming – A person who is certain s/he knows every rule of every game ever played, what new games are being marketed and by whom, and can even tell anyone who will listen the “real” story behind every game. Often abbreviated as SMOG.
• Seduction of the Innocent – Book on comic book censorship by Dr. Fredric Wertham, published in 1953, that helped bring about the Comics Code. Often referred to as SOTI.
• Seiun Awards – The Seiun Taisho is the Japanese equivalent of the American Hugo Award, and is voted upon by members of the Japanese National Science Fiction Convention. The physical prize has varied from year to year.
• Selling out of the room – Practice of turning one’s hotel room into a salesroom at a con, instead of going to the trouble/expense of buying a table in the dealers’ room.
  Semi-cancel – To strike out words in such a way that they remain legible, usually used in a humorous fashion.
• Semi-professional fanzine – Fanzine that has gone beyond the status of an amateur magazine done for the amusement of its editor. A semi-professional fanzine may pay contributors, have paid advertising, and boast a relatively large circulation. See Semiprozine.
• Semiprozine/semi-prozine – A semi-professional magazine, strictly defined by using the criteria of the Hugo Awards. The category was adopted by the World SF Society in 1985 because several publications had been nominated for years as fanzines even though their circulation and/or format were no longer really in the fanzine category. In general usage, a semi-prozine is a type of magazine between a fanzine and a prozine.
• Sensawunda – A deliberate slurring of the original phrase “sense of wonder” which see.
• Sense of wonder – The feeling that SF/fantasy is supposed to inspire in readers. The phrase is attributed to SF personality Sam Moskowitz in the 1940s.
• Sensitive fannish face – The countenance of someone with a sense of wonder (which see), or perhaps just a myopic look about him/her. The phrase usually is used ironically.
• Sercon – Contraction of serious and constructive, and usually applies to a fan or fandom concerned with criticism, bibliography, and other factual information. Originally it insultingly referred to the fan who took his hobby too seriously.
• Serfan – Contraction of serious fan, a SF fan who took the hobby too seriously. See Sercon.
• Sergeant Saturn – The editor of letter columns for various pulp SF magazines in the 1940s-1950s.
• Serial – Short for a movie serial , which see.
• Serzine – Fanzines that discuss serious topics, such as the current state of SF or the growing importance of women in the genre.
• SESFA – Abbreviation for the Southeastern Science Fiction Achievement awards, which see.
• SETI – Short for Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.
• 770 – The room number of SF fandom’s most famous party, an all-night affair at the St. Charles Hotel during Nolacon I in 1951 (9th Worldcon). Mike Glyer named his fanzine after this party. See File: 770. See Worldcon.
• SF/Sf/sf – The accepted abbreviation for science fiction and/or speculative fiction, pronounced “esseff.” Stf (pronounced “stef”) is an older term (from scientifiction). Sci-fi is a media term, and one not usually used by members of SF fandom for print SF.
• S-F, S-f, s-f – Variant abbreviations for SF/Sf/sf, which see.
• SFAA – Abbreviation for the Science Fiction Advancement Association, which see.
• SF Age – See Science Fiction Age.
• SFC – Abbreviation for the Southern Fandom Confederation, which see.
• SFC Bulletin – See Southern Fandom Confederation.
• SFCol – Abbreviation for The Science Fiction Club of London.
• SFCon – The 1954 World Science Fiction Convention, held in San Francisco, CA. John W. Campbell, Jr. was GoH; Robert Bloch was toastmaster; Lester Cole and Gary Nelson were Con Chairs.
• SFD – Abbreviation for Science Fiction Digest, which see.
• SF Eye – Abbreviation for Science Fiction Eye.
• SFF – Abbreviation for Science Fiction and Fantasy.
• SFFan – Abbreviation for the fanzine The Science Fiction Fan.
• SFFH – Abbreviation for the combined science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres.
• SFFY – Abbreviation for Science Fiction Five Yearly, which see.
• SFI – Abbreviation for Science Fiction International.
• SFL – Abbreviation for Science Fiction League, which see.
• SFOHA – Abbreviation for Science Fiction Oral History Association, which see.
• SFPA – Abbreviation for Southern Fandom Press Alliance, which see.
• SFR – See Science Fiction Review.
• SFSA – Abbreviation for Science Fantasy Society of America.
• SFT – Abbreviation for Science Fiction Times, which see.
• SFUUA – Abbreviation for the Science Fiction Union of Unpublished Authors, which see.
• SFWA - Abbreviation for Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the organization of SF professional writers and editors that awards the Nebulas each year.
• SFX – Pronounced as initials, this term is a shorthand for special effects, a staple of SF films and TV programs.
• Sgt. Ack-Ack – See Ack-Ack.
• Sgt. Saturn – See Sergeant Saturn.
• Shaggy – Nickname for Shangri-L’Affaires, the fanzine of LASFS.
• Shaver Mystery – A crackpot theory created by writer Richard S. Shaver (1907-1975) in a series of stories in Amazing in the 1940s, presented as based on fact by Ray Palmer (1910-1977), then AMZ’s editor. The June 1947 AMZ was an all-Shaver issue; and the July 1958 Fantastic was a “Shaver Mystery Issue” that contained a novel by Shaver and five articles concerning him and his mystery. Palmer later claimed that the Shaver stories gave AMZ the highest circulation ever achieved by a science fiction magazine.
• Shayol – A slick semi-pro magazine that was published irregularly from November 1977 until Winter 1982. During its run of six issues it served as a showcase for new writers and artists. Arnold Fenner was editor/publisher; Pat Cadigan was executive editor.
  Short story- A work of SF under 7,500 words in length.
• Sidewise Award – The Sidewise Award for Alternate History has been given annually since1995 for alternate history SF in the categories of Long-Form, Short-Form, and Special Achievement.
• Sinisterra – One of the club publications of The Nameless Ones, a SF club in Seattle, Washington during the 1940s-1950s.
• Sixth Fandom – The historical stage of SF fandom from 1950 to 1953.
• Sixth Transition, The – See The Phony Seventh.
• 60th Worldcon – See ConJosé.
• Skiffy – Another term for sci-fi, often used by those who are aware that sci-fi is not the preferred term in SF fandom. Also, sometimes used as an ironic term for the entire field of science fiction.
• Skyhook – Award-winning SF fanzine of Redd Boggs.
• Skylark Award – Given by NESFA at the annual Boskone convention, the Edward E. “Doc” Smith Award (also known as the Lensman Award) honors Smith’s “Lensman” series of stories. The award consists of a trophy with a large lens.
• Slan Center – Proposed project of Battle Creek, Michigan SF fans early in 1943. The Center was to consist of an entire city block and consist of homes, stores, and even its own heating/electrical generating plants. The only manifestation of this proposed plan was the Slan Shack, which see.
• Slans – Telepathic super-humans in a story by A. E. van Vogt, first published in 1940. The term was adopted by some SF fans, who identified with the fictional slans and sometimes announced themselves with the slogan: “Fans Are Slans!”
• Slan Shack/Slan-shack/Slanshack – Conceived in 1943 by Battle Creek, Michigan SF fans, the original Slan Shack was an eight-room house in which a number of fans resided for almost two years. The term later became a generic one, meaning any temporary residence in which two or more SF fans live. See Fan Shack.
• Slash fiction – SF fan fiction in which fictional characters are paired.
• Slashout – Fannish equivalent of the humorous stage aside, the slashout is used to indicate something the writer pretends to have decided that he shouldn’t have said. The slashout partially obscures the word or words, yet allows them to be read.
• SLF Awards – See Speculative Literature Foundation.
• Slick/s – Term for the mainstream magazines that paid higher rates and used more expensive, slick paper than the pulp magazines. SF writers/artists of the 1940s aspired to sell their work to the “slicks” rather than the “pulps.” A few, such as Robert Heinlein and Ray Bradbury, were able to do so on a regular basis.
• Slip sheet – A sheet inserted between the pages of mimeoed copy as they come off the machine in order to prevent ink spots.
• SMC – Abbreviation for Shaver Mystery Club. See Shaver Mystery.
• SMOF/Smof/smof – Abbreviation for the Secret Master of Fandom, which see. When written lower case (smof), also means to talk with fans about fan activity.
• SMOG/smog – Abbreviation for Secret Master of Gaming, which see.
• Smooth/Smoooth/Smooooooth – To enter into a drinking ceremony. The leader of the ceremony takes a sip from a bottle, puts his hand in the air, and passes the bottle to the next person in line who does the same. All keep their hands raised until the bottle comes back to the leader, who takes another sip, at which time everyone shouts “Smooth!” and swings their arms down in a wide curve. The ceremony is credited to Wilson “Bob” Tucker who once stated that he got it from a movie in which Red Skelton performed in a similar manner.
• Snailmail – The usual mailing of LOCs, fanzines, and other materials through the post office, as opposed to e-mail sent electronically via computer.
• Snide – A SF fanzine (the “thud and blunder” fanzine) published in the early 1940s by Damon Knight (2nd issue with fellow art student Bill Evans), before he moved to New York and joined The Futurians.
• Snogging – Fanish term for necking.
• Socialac – Short for social activity.
• Society for Creative Anachronism – A group founded in 1966 by SF/fantasy writers and their friends in Berkeley, California, the purpose of which was to re-create the Middle Ages as they would have liked to have lived them. Poul Anderson was one of the founders. The Society is often abbreviated SCA.
• Soft Science Fiction – Stories that feature the so-called “soft” sciences such as anthropology, economics, medicine, psychology, sociology, etc.
• Solacon – The 1958 Worldcon, held in South Gate, CA (suburb of LA). Richard Matheson was GoH; Anthony Boucher was toastmaster; Anna S. Moffatt was Con Chair.
• SOTI – Abbreviation for the book Seduction of the Innocent, which see.
• Southeastern Science Fiction Achievement Awards – Annual awards for achievement in science fiction, fantasy, or horror, to persons born or living in the Southeastern United States. The first awards (Best Novel, Best Short Fiction) were presented in 2002 for works published in 2001.
• Southern Fandom Confederation – An organization of SF fans in Alabama and other southern states, founded in the early 1970s mainly through the efforts of SF fan Meade Frierson III. The official organ of the SFC was the SFC Bulletin.
• Southern Fandom Press Alliance – An APA in southern states, begun in the early 1970s.
• SPA – Short for Spectator Press Association.
• Space opera – A sub-genre of SF for classic, but often hackneyed and without much characterization, “spaceship stories” in which “good guys” fight “bad guys” and usually win. The term was coined by Wilson “Bob” Tucker in 1941 as a complement to the term “soap opera” made popular on radio (to denote corny domestic dramas, often sponsored by soap companies).
• S.P.C.T.S.F.M.R. – Abbreviation for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Science Fiction Magazine Readers (from the fanzine Fantasy Herald).
• Special Convention Awards – See Worldcon Special Convention Awards.
• Spectrum Award – Short for the annual Gaylactic Network Spectrum Awards, which honor SF, fantasy, and horror works that deal positively with gay characters, themes, and issues.
• Speculative fiction – Any fiction of a speculative nature, but — in fannish terms — usually limited to the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
• Speculative Literature Foundation – A foundation founded in 2003 to give out an assortment of grants and awards in speculative fiction. The first of these awards was the SLF Fountain Award, a $1000 prize for excellence in short fiction.
• Spicey pulps – The pulp magazines that featured risqué subject matter and lurid covers.
• Splash panel – A larger-than-normal panel in a comic story, especially the lead panel of the story or the first panel of an episode.
• Spockanalia - Reputedly the first mediazine, begun in 1966 and devoted to the “Star Trek” TV series.
• Spot illo – Abbreviation for a spot illustration. Spot illustrations provide graphics to a text article.
• SPWSSTFM – Abbreviation for Society for the Prevention of Wire Staples in Scientifiction Magazines, a humorous group founded by Wilson “Bob” Tucker.
• Squinka – The written continuity for a comic book story or cartoon, attributed to SF writer Manly Wade Wellman. See Continuity.
• SSS – Abbreviation for Super Science Stories, a pulp SF magazine published in the United States from 1940 to 1951.
• Stand alone/standalone – A term used to describe a story that, while it may be related to other works (e. g., take place in the same fiction universe), is a complete story by itself and not part of a series.
• Standlee – A unit of measurement, approximately one meter, used to indicate the distance of con facilities from each other. The name comes from the length of the stride of Bay Area fan Kevin Standlee.
• Stan’s Weekly Express – A nostalgia adzine (1969-1972) begun by Stanley Blair, who was succeeded by Ron Frantz and then by Harry Hopkins.
• Staple bound/staple-bound – Publications with pages bound together with staples, as opposed to pages glued to a flat spine. See Perfect binding.
• Starship – See Algol/Starship.
• Stef – Pronunciation of the abbreviation for science fiction, from the early term “stf” (from scientifiction).
• Stef-fans – Early name for science fiction fans.
• Stefnist – Early term for fan (or for a former fan) who has little interest in professional SF.
• Stencil – In the language of fanzine publishing, a stencil is always a mimeograph stencil. See Mimeo.
• STET – Name of a SF fanzine began in 1990 by journalist Leah Zeldes Smith and her husband Dick. The title comes from a proofreaders’ term used to indicate copy previously marked for deletion that should be allowed to stand, and from the German word Gestetner.
• STF/stf – Early abbreviation for science fiction, pronounced “stef.” The pronunciation was once a matter of controversy. See SF/Sf/sf.
• Stfans – Early name for science fiction fans.
• Stfay – Abbreviation for the SF fanzine Scientifantasy, published quarterly — for a total of four issues — by Bill Kroll and John Grossman of Des Moines, Iowa in the late 1940s.
• Stfcon – Early term for a science fiction convention. See Convention.
• Stfn – Abbreviation for the early 1930s SF fanzine Stf News, edited by FJA.
• Stfnic – Early fandom adjectival term meaning SF-like.
• St.Louiscon – The 1969 Worldcon, held in St. Louis, MO. Jack Gaughan was GoH; Eddie Jones the TAFF guest (fan GoH); Harlan Ellison was toastmaster; Ray and Joyce Fisher were Con Chairs.
• Stoker Award – See Bram Stoker Award.
• Stranger Club – See Nameless Ones, The.
• Street and Smith Comics – A pulp magazine publisher since the 19th Century (Astounding Science Fiction), Street and Smith entered the comic-book field in 1940 with adaptations of two of its most popular pulp magazine characters, Doc Savage Comics and Shadow Comics. Its most innovative comic book was Supersnipe, featuring “The Boy With the Most Comic Books in America.” Street and Smith left the comic book business in the summer of 1949.
• Strip zine – A fanzine devoted to comic strips.
• STSFG – Short for Stokes on Trent Sci-Fantasy Group.
• Sturgeon’s Law – SF author Theodore Sturgeon once stated that, while it is true that 90 per cent of SF is crud, it must be remembered that 90 per cent of everything is crud. This statement has come to be known as “Sturgeon’s Law” and is quoted frequently in genre literature.
• Subzine – A fanzine that is part of another, larger fanzine.
• SunCon – The 1977 Worldcon, held in Miami Beach, FL. Jack Williamson was GoH; Robert A. Madle was fan GoH; Robert Silverberg was toastmaster; Don Lundry was Con Chair.
• Sunned – The fading of paper or binding as a result of sun exposure.
• Superhero – A fictional character with extraordinary abilities. Doc Savage was the prototypical pulp superhero, while Superman has become the prototype for all comic book superheroes.
• Super Science Stories – Pulp SF magazine published from March 1940 until August 1951. For a short period of time it was titled Super Science Novels Magazine. The first editor was Frederik Pohl. From 1940 until 1942 it was published as a companion magazine to Astonishing Stories, also edited by Pohl. There were Canadian versions of both magazines.
• Sword & Sorcery – A sub-genre of fantasy fiction in which magic and medieval fighting play important roles.

Curious about this I looked up Origa. Apparently she is a Japanese woman of Russian descent. She has worked with Yokko Kanno in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Gundam (both of which are sci fi anime).

I have 3.9 hours worth of Origa in my iTunes, how did I not know this? I suppose it was something my husband purchased at some point and never got around to telling me about it. It’s all labelled as pop, but it’s not like american annoying pop. This is subtle.

Here is a wikipedia article on her: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/>Origa She has a nice voice. Her music is not overly complex but is rich in its simplicity.

On youtube you can listen to “Rise” from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bOhI-P6de4

However, after listening to a few songs, thus far Aurora is my favorite, and if you are a Final Fantasy X (a sci fi/fantasy mix RPG for the PS2) fan, you’ll like the video as well. It was suprisingly good. Spot on. I want a hi-rez version of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi_5JH49gsg

The song, “Yoru no Melody”, the one that caught my attention in the first place, is not on youtube or on playlist.com though a few of her other songs are, including the two mentioned above. This is too bad because “Yoru no Melody” really does have a nice melody. It caught my attention while I was in the middle of doing some cleaning and I’ve listened to quite a few times already. Though, admittedly not nearly as much as I have with “Aurora.”

There are many words and abbreviations of special relevance to science fiction. In addition, over the years science fiction fandom has created many new terms. A list of some of these words and abbreviations is provided here for N3F members and for any others who are interested in the history of science fiction and science fiction fandom. Additions and/or corrections are invited.

Q

• Quantum: Science Fiction & Fantasy Review - Formerly titled Thrust—Science Fiction in Review, Quantum was a fanzine published and edited by D. Douglas Fratz that boasted several award-winning SF authors as contributing editors. It was a Hugo finalist for best semi-professional magazine in 1991. See Thrust.
• Quasi-quote – Not an exact quote, but a fair summation of the speaker’s remarks (the substance, but not the exact words), indicated by quote marks with hyphens.
• Quish – The 1st anniversary issue of Lee Hoffman’s fanzine Quandry.
• Quote cards – Cards sent with letters, containing a witty or unusual saying, to be signed by the recipient and then passed on to someone else.
• Quote cover – A fanzine cover filled with remarks made by fans or other individuals; a cover filled with linos. See Lino.

R

• Radio premium – A toy given away (or sold for a box top and postage) by the sponsor of an OTR show to stimulate interest in the program and the sponsor’s product and to get an estimate of the size of the listening audience. Many were SF/fantasy related. See OTR.
• RAE/Rae/rae – Abbreviations for read and enjoyed, used in fanzines and other APA publications.
• RAE BNC – Abbreviation for the comment read and enjoyed, but no comment, used in fanzines and other APA publications. Although rarely used, this term is pronounced “ray bink” when spoken.
• RAP – Initials of SF personality Raymond A. Palmer, former SF fan and one-time editor of the SF magazines Amazing, Fantastic Adventures, and Other Worlds, and the occult magazine Fate.
• Rare – Any collectible of which twenty or fewer copies are known to exist.
• Rasff – The Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.sf.fandom, a sort of online con-cum-electronic APA. See APA.
• Ratings – In fanzine reviews, ratings usually range from 1 to 10, with 10 the highest.
• Raymond Z. Gallun Award – Award established at SUNY-Stonybrook to honor “outstanding contributions to the science fiction genre.” The award is named for the popular pulp SF author, Raymond Zinke Gallun (1911 – 1994).
• RBCC – Abbreviation for The Rocket’s Blast–Comicollector, one of the early comic book fanzines (1965-1976).
• Reader – In SF fan language, a mundane who only reads SF/fantasy. See Mundane.
• Readercon Small Press Award - An award, given in a variety of categories, that honors small press books and magazines. The awards are presented annually at the Noreascon by the Small Press Writers and Artists Organization.
• Real Soon Now – A promise of fannish activity that currently has the meaning of “far into the future.” Denotes sarcasm when written in all capital letters.
• Realms of Fantasy – A fantasy fiction magazine, published bimonthly in a slick format. The current editor is Shawna McCarthy.
• Re-creation costume – Judged by different standards than other costumes at a con, a re-creation costume attempts to reproduce an already existing costume seen on TV, in a movie, in a comic book, etc.
• Recursive science fiction – Self-referential SF stories (i. e., science fiction stories that refer to science fiction), the references usually being to authors/editors, fans, books/magazines, and/or conventions. An award-winning, recursive SF book is The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick.
• Reference Library, The – The book review section in Astounding which began in the October 1951 issue — originally conducted by P. Schuyler “Sky” Miller.
• REH – Initials of genre author Robert E. Howard, by which he is often identified.
• Rejected Canon – The material Dick Eney left out of Jack Speer’s Fancyclopedia I.
• Relaxacon – A con with no set program, usually intended as a relaxing weekend of socializing.
• Renaissance Fair – Gathering of actors, musicians, and craftsmen who try to reproduce the atmosphere of a medieval fair for a paying audience. Often abbreviated as Ren-Faire.
• Ren-Faire – See Renaissance Fair.
• Repro – Short for the quality of reproduction in a fanzine, for reproduction of a fanzine by any means, and as a verb meaning to make copies. Dealers often describe approved copies of collectibles offered for sale with this term.
• Restoration – Any attempt to improve the appearance of a collectible, professional or amateur.
• Retro Hugo Awards - In 1996 “retrospective” Hugo Awards (which began in 1953) were awarded for the year 1946. Isaac Asimov’s The Mule (a two-part “Foundation” serial in Astounding’s November and December 1946 issues) was named best novel. In 2001 Retro Hugo Awards were awarded for work published in the year 1950. Robert A. Heinlein’s Farmer in the Sky and The Man Who Sold the Moon were named best novel and best novella, respectively. Awards may be made for years in which the Worldcon had taken place but for which no Hugo Awards had been given. Awards are allowed only for specific years: 50, 75, or 100 years before the current Worldcon. See Hugos. See Worldcon.
• Revenant – A gafiate who has returned to fandom, usually after a long absence. See Degafiate. See Gafiate.
• Reviewzine – A fanzine specializing in reviews.
• Rhodomagnetic Digest – The official publication of the Elves’, Gnomes’, and Little Men’s Science Fiction Chowder and Marching Society. See Little Men. See Invisible Little Man Award.
• Rhysling Award - Created by the Science Fiction Poetry Association in 1978 (with winners selected each year by members of SFPA), this award is presented annually for the best poem in two categories: 1) long poem (50 lines or more), and 2) poems of shorter lengths. The name of the award comes from the Robert Heinlein character in “The Green Hills of Earth,” the blind poet Rhysling.
• Rider – A separate, usually smaller, fanzine that is mailed out with another fanzine.
• Riverside Quarterly – A fanzine edited/published by Leland Sapiro, a South Carolina (later California) SF fan, beginning with an August 1964 issue. For a few issues in the beginning RC carried the label “formerly Inside” [Jon White’s earlier fanzine]. Sapiro once wrote that his title/policy on RC was intended “to emulate the Hudson Review, possibly the best literary magazine of the time, performing the same office for SF/fantasy that the HR did for literature in general. RQ was considered by many to be the most academic zine of the 1960s, and was nominated for a Hugo Award in 1967, 1969, and 1970. After a lapse of several years, it resumed publication in 1977.
  Room parties – Parties held for fans at conventions, held in one of the private rooms being used by the con membership.
  Roomstuffing – The practice at conventions, usually among the younger fans, of allowing several people to stay in a hotel room that is registered to only one person. The idea is to share the cheaper cost of a single room among as many fans as possible.
• Roscoe – One of the fannish Ghods, incarnate as a beaver. See Ghods.
• Roscoe’s Birthday – Labor Day is a holy day for Rosconians, who gather with their friends to celebrate the birth of the beaver ghod. See Roscoe. See Ghods.
• Rosconians – Followers of the fannish ghod Roscoe. See Roscoe. See Ghods.
• Rotsler Award – See Rotsler Memorial Fanzine Artist Award.
• Rotsler Memorial Fanzine Artist Award – Presented annually by the Southern California Institute for Fan Interests (SCIFI), the Rotsler Award honors the lifetime work of outstanding fan artists. The award was created in 1997 and is named for the esteemed fan artist William Rotsler (1926-1997). The award consists of cash and a plaque. The first winner was Steve Stiles in 1998.
• Rotsler’s Rules of Costuming – Informal guide for would-be costume contestants at fan cons, drawn up by fan artist William Rotsler.
• Rotation Plan – The procedure by which Worldcons are moved each year to a different part of the United States or Canada (i. e., East, Midwest, and West), or overseas.
• Round Robin – Something started by one writer and continued/completed by others (e. g., a story in a fanzine).
• RPG – Abbreviation for Role Playing Game.
• RSN/rsn – Abbreviation for Real Soon Now, which see.
• Run off – To create copies on mimeo or ditto, which see.
• Ruthiechan – Fan name of Ruth R. Davidson, former president of N3F.

There are many words and abbreviations of special relevance to science fiction. In addition, over the years science fiction fandom has created many new terms. A list of some of these words and abbreviations is provided here for N3F members and for any others who are interested in the history of science fiction and science fiction fandom. Additions and/or corrections are invited.

I

• IA – Short for Interplanetary Adventurers.
• IAFA – Abbreviation for The International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, which see.
• IASFM – Short for Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, which see.
• IBIS – Abbreviation for the Imaginative Book Illustration Society, which see.
• Icarus Award – An award for the most promising newcomer to the fantasy field, given by the British Fantasy Society.
• I Check You To 19 Decimals – Translates as “You are absolutely right!” [from “Doc” Smith’s Lensman series]
• Ideatripping – Going as far as possible with a simple idea. Attributed to fan Dan Goodman.
• IE – Abbreviation for Insurgent Element.
• IF/If- A prozine that later merged with Galaxy. Also known as If: Worlds of Science Fiction, If Science Fiction, and Worlds of If. Also, short for Irish Fandom, a group once active in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• IFA – Abbreviation for the International Fantasy Award. Also, at one time, the Indian Fantasy Association. See International Fantasy Award.
• IFF – Short for the Illini Fantasy Fictioneers.
• IguanaCon – The 1978 Worldcon, held in Phoenix, Arizona. Harlan Ellison was GoH; Bill Bowers was fan GoH; F. M. Busby was toastmaster; Tim Kyger was Con Chair.
• Ilford Science Literary Circle – The first SF group of British fandom, which held its first meeting on October 27, 1930.
• Illo – Short for illustration. See Illos.
• Illos – Abbreviation for illustrations, the fan and/or pro artwork appearing in a SF prozine or fanzine. Story illos depict events in a particular story; fillos are decorative pieces placed here and there to fill up otherwise empty space.
• Imagination – This SF prozine (October 1950–October 1958) was known for its friendly and chatty departments. In particular, “Fandora’s Box,” a fan column conducted by Mari Wolf (and later by Robert Bloch). At the time Wolf was Mrs. Rog Phillips. From March 1948 to March 1953 Phillips (pen name of Roger Phillips Graham) conducted a similar department, “The Club House,” in Amazing.
• Imagination! – Early SF fanzine that was the forerunner of Voice of the Imagi-Nation (VOM), which see.
• IMAO – Abbreviation for the expression In My Arrogant Opinion, used in fanzines and other apa publications. See IMHO.
• IMHO – Abbreviation for the expression In My Humble Opinion, used in fanzines and other apa publications. See IMAO.
• Immortal Storm, The – An early history of SF fandom written by Sam Moskowitz.
• Imprint – A division within a publishing house that specializes in a particular genre, or that publishes a certain type of book and has its own logo. Within an imprint, there may be different lines or series, each distinguished by its own characteristic design or logo.
• Incompl. – Abbreviation for incomplete, used by dealer’s to describe a collectible item that has some part missing.
• Infintesimags – Extremely small mags, with just the bare essentials (from Jack Speer).
• Inkpot Awards – Annual awards presented at the San Diego ComicCon for achievement in comic arts, animation, film/TV, science fiction/fantasy, and service to fandom.
• Inside – A SF fanzine edited/published by Jon White, predecessor to Riverside Quarterly.
  Inside and Science Fiction Advertiser – Hugo-award winning SF fanzine (1955/for Amateur Publication), edited by Ron Smith.
• Insurgents – The fun-loving crowd in fandom, happy rebels who defy authority.
• Interaction – The 2005 Worldcon, held in Glasgow, Scotland. Guests of Honor were Christopher Priest, Robert Sheckley, and Jane Yolen. Fan Guests of Honor were Greg Pickersgill and Lars-Olov Strandberg. This was the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention.
• InterApa – An international APA, started in 1964.
• International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts – An organization devoted to the study of the fantastic as it appears in literature, film, and the other arts. Often abbreviated as IAFA.
• International Fantasy Award – Created in 1951, the IFA was the first award in the SF/fantasy genre, and was given in both fiction and nonfiction categories. The awards were discontinued in 1958.
• International Science Fiction Guild – The ISFG was created by Wilson Shepard of Oakman, Alabama in 1934, with the first issue of the society’s Bulletin bearing the date of May-June 1934.
• Intersection – The 1995 Worldcon, held in Glasgow, Scotland. Samuel R. Delany was GoH; Gerry Anderson was media GoH; Les Edwards was artist GoH; Vin¢ Clark was fan GoH; Peter Morwood & Diane Duane were toast mr.& mrs.; Vincent Docherty and Martin Easterbrook were Con Chairs.
• Interzone – A semi-professional magazine published in the UK, beginning with an issue dated Spring 1982. Originally published by an unpaid collective of eight people, the SF magazine still is being published today in a slick format. David Pringle was editor and publisher for 22 years, stepping down in 2004 when Andy Cox became editor/publisher.
• Into – Fan slang for “interested in,” probably borrowed from Hippie slang of the 1960s.
• Invisible Little Man Award – Award for service to the SF field created and given by The Elves’, Gnomes’, and Little Men’s Science Fiction, Chowder and Marching Society of Berkeley, California. The first recipient was George Pal in 1951.
• Isaac Asimov Award – Sponsored by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts and Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Isaac Asimov Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing is given annually for the best SF short story by a college undergraduate. The Award honors the award-winning writer/editor Isaac Asimov.
• Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine – Abbreviated IASFC, this Davis Publication prozine , first issue dated Spring 1977, was created as a SF counterpart to the company’s mystery titles that also featured prominent names in the titles– Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. All three magazines are now published by Dell Magazines of New York and IASFC is now titled Asimov’s Science Fiction.
• ISFCC – Abbreviation for the International Sci-Fiction Correspondence Club.
• ISFG – Short for the International Science Fiction Guild, which see.
• Ish – Short for an issue of a fanzine. See annish.
• Italia Awards – Awards administered by World Science Fiction Italia. World SF is an international association of people with a professional interest in the field of science fiction: authors, editors, publishers, translators, academics, bibliographers, musicians, film-makers, artists, librarians, critics–anywhere in the world. It was founded in Dublin in 1976 and began operation at the 1978 Dublin meeting.

J

• Jacket - See dust jacket.
• Jack Gaughan Memorial Award, The – Award presented annually at the Boskone conference to the most promising new artist in the SF field. The award honors SF artist Gaughan (1930-1985). See Boskone.
• JAFA – Short for the Junior Amateur Fantasy Association.
• JAM/jam – Short for Jacket and Mint, used in referring to a book that has its dust jacket and is in mint (fine) condition.
• James Tait Black Memorial Prize -  Scotland’s oldest book awards, given annually for Fiction and Biography, written in English and originating with a British publisher during the previous year.
• James Tiptree Jr. Memorial Award – See Tiptree Award.
• James White Award – Original short story competition for non-professional writers throughout the world, presented for the first time in 2000. The award, sponsored by the SF magazine Interzone, honors SF fan/writer James White (1928-1999), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. White is known primarily for his “Sector General” series of books.
• Jiant Jack – Nickname of BNF fan John B. (Jack) Speer (1920-2008).
• J. O. Bailey Award – See Pilgrim Award.
• Joe Fann – A typical fan. The term originated in Bob Tucker’s fanzine, Le Zombie.
• Joe Phan – Alternate spelling of Joe Fann, which see.
• John Bristol – Pseudonym used by SF fan Jack Speer in his prankster days.
• John W. Campbell, Jr. Memorial Awards – Awards that honors the best SF novel of the preceding year. The award is named for the well-known editor/writer who was one of the founding fathers of modern SF.
• Jophan – Character in The Enchanted Duplicator by Willis and Shaw (from Tucker’s Joe Fann, which see) and in many other works of fan fiction.
• Journeyman costumer – The division of costuming judging, between that of “novice” and “master,” which see.
• Judging – The evaluation of costumes in a variety of categories at a convention masquerade. See Novice, Journeyman, and Master costumer.
• Juffus – A nickname for Jack F. Speer, originating from the time when he wrote his initials j’f's.
• Julie Award – Award presented annually at Dragon*Con for “universal achievement spanning multiple genres” and named for Julius Schwartz. “Julie” Schwartz was co-founder of the first SF fan magazine, the first Worldcon, and the world’s first SF literary agency. The initial recipient of the award was Ray Bradbury in 1998.

There are many words and abbreviations of special relevance to science fiction. In addition, over the years science fiction fandom has created many new terms. A list of some of these words and abbreviations is provided here for N3F members and for any others who are interested in the history of science fiction and science fiction fandom. Additions and/or corrections are invited.

G

• GAFIA - Acronym for Getting Away From It All. Originally used to mean getting away from the mundane world to join fandom; more recently, it has meant just the opposite: giving up fandom and returning to more mundane activities.
• Gafiate - To leave fandom. See GAFIA.
• Galactic Central – A publishing company created by Gordon Benson, Jr. in the early 1980s as a way of providing SF fans with inexpensive but comprehensive author bibliographies. Phil Stephenson-Payne joined the company in the late 1980s and took over as Benson’s health failed.
• Galaxy - Abbreviated title for the magazine Galaxy Science Fiction, published regularly from 1950 to 1980, and revived briefly during 1994-1995. GalaxyOnline, published by Ben Bova, appeared on the Internet in the late 1990s.
• Galaxy Science Fiction Novels – A series of original and reprint novels and collections published in conjunction with Galaxy Science Fiction from 1950 until 196l. The first 31 issues were in digest size, with cover/paper stock identical to that of Galaxy, the parent magazine. Issues 32 through 35 were in a standard mass-market small paperback size. The final 11 books in the series were published by Beacon Books as a kind of SF pornography in large mass-market paperback size. Several of the titles were award-winning SF books.
• Gallun Award – See Raymond Z. Gallun Award.
• Gamer - One who regularly participates in role-playing games.
• Games - Many games created by Sf/fantasy fans are played at fan gatherings. Some of these are listed separately. See Gaming Room.
• Gaming - Taking part in a SF/fantasy adventure, using a persona developed with the aid of a guidebook or dice and often taking place at a convention.
• Gaming Room – At many conventions a Gaming Room is set up in which various games are played and from which other games are directed, such as Dungeons and Dragons, which see.
• GAMOIA - Getting Away from Most Of It All.
• Garb - Costumes worn by the Society for Creative Anachronism at various fan events. It is intended that such costumes be historically accurate, and many have been entered in con masquerades.
• Gaughan Award – The Jack Gaughan Memorial Award is presented annually at the Boskone Convention to the most promising new artist in the SF field.
• Gct/gct – Short for good comment to, an expression of approval.
• Geek - A socially inept, but generally harmless person, often an adolescent male. The original stereotype of a SF fan was that of a geek.
• Geffen Awards – Genre awards named for Amos Geffen, co-founder of the Israeli Society of Science Fiction and Fantasy and a founding publisher of SF in Israel.
• Gen. - Short for genzine or generalzine, which see.
• General Semantics – See Null-A.
• General Technics - See Techie.
• Generalzine – A fanzine not written by the editor alone.
• Genzine – A general fanzine, one intended to have universal interest.
• Gerfandom - Fandom in Germany and Austria.
• Gernsback Awards – The Gernsback Awards were created by SF personality Forrest J Ackerman as a sort of retrospective Hugo Award for SF works published before 1953 (the first year Hugo Awards were given).
• “Get’em” story - A story in a fanzine in which the protagonist is mistreated in some fashion.
• GGA/Gga/gga – Abbreviations for Good Girl Art, which see.
• GGFS - Short for Golden Gate Futurian Society, a SF club active in the San Francisco Bay area during the 1940s-1950s.
• Ghid-Ghid - Noun having several meanings, originally referring to the sex organs.
• Ghods - The ghods of fannish mythology include FooFoo (or Foo), GhuGhu (or Ghu), Roscoe, Herbie, The Great Spider, Pthalto, Bheer, etc.
• Gholy Ghible – The sacred scriptures of GhuGhu, which see.
• Ghost - Someone who attends a con without paying for membership. Also, to attend a con in such a manner. See Con.
• GhuGhu – The first ghod of fandom whose chief prophets were Donald Wollheim and John Michel, usually referred to as Ghu. Today Ghu is thought of as a mostly benign fannish deity, usually invoked in moments of exasperation.
• Ghu Year’s Day - June 20, the New Year of the Ghuists, is celebrated on the summer soltice. Celebrants wear something purple.
• Glerbins - Fandom’s gremlins, creatures that foul up everything.
• GM - Abbreviation for Grand Master, which see.
• Golden Gryphon Press – A specialty press founded in 1997 by Jim Turner, a long-time editor at Arkham House. Upon his death in 1999, Gary Turner and his wife Geri took over the operations. Jim Turner won the 1999 World Fantasy Award for his work at Golden Gryphon Press.
• Glop - A disgusting mess, often referring to a nutritious (but unappetizing) food.
• Gofer/Gopher - Volunteers who work at a con, also called helpers. For their work they receive various advantages at the con, such as free membership.
• Gofer Hole – The place at a con from which gofers are assigned to their various stations. See Gofer.
• GoH - Abbreviation for Guest of Honor. Most SF conventions have at least one GoH.
• Golden Age – Term used to describe the most interesting, memorable, and influential period of a product. See Golden Age of Science Fiction.
• Golden Age of Science Fiction – Generally speaking, the “Golden Age” of SF refers to the period from the late 1930s to the early 1940s when such authors as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, Theodore Sturgeon, and A. E. van Vogt were publishing their stories in Astounding Science Fiction, edited by John W. Campbell, Jr. (An excellent example of Astounding in this period is the July 1939 issue, reprinted in 1981 in hardcover book form by Southern Illinois University Press).
• Golden Duck Awards – Awards given annually in several categories for excellence in children’s science fiction books. The Hal Clement Award is one of the categories.
• Gongulator - A type of mimeograph that incorporates an e-stenciler, but works from the users’ point of view—like the photocopier it resembles.
• Good - A grading classification between fine and fair. See Grading.
• Good Girl Art – An expression coined to indicate artwork in SF/fantasy pulps, paperbacks, comic books, and other publications that feature attractive and scantily clothed women. Often these women are pictured in bondage or other perilous situations.
• Goon - Fandom’s answer to the private eye of mystery fiction.
• Go pro - To become a professional author by receiving payment for a piece of work.
• Gosh Wow/Goshwow/Goshwowboyoboy – Cries of joy frequently uttered by neofans. A fanzine titled Gosh Wow! was published in the late 1960s.
• Gostak - A meaningless noun. From the story by Miles J. Breuer, “The Gostak and the Doshes” (Amazing, May 1930), apparently picked up from an early text in semiotics (The Meaning of Meaning, first published in 1923).
• Goths - A group of people, usually young, with an interest in vampires, dark clothing, and moody music.
• GR - Short for Galactic Roamers.
• Grading - A system for rating the condition of collectibles, using mutually accepted standards. Grades such as Mint, Fine, Good, Fair, and Poor (and gradations in between) generally are used.
• Grand Master – The Nebula Award for lifetime achievement in SF and/or fantasy, presented by the SFWA.
• Granfalloon - A SF fanzine that contained book reviews and a letter column. It was published by Linda Eyster and Suzanne Tompkins.
• Graphic album – A large comic book of stories in the comic format, usually bound in hardcover. See Graphic story/novel.
• Graphic story/novel – An original, artistic and/or literary story or novel told in the comic format (term coined by Richard Kyle, editor-publisher of the fanzine Graphic Story World). See Graphic album.
• Great Bird of the Galaxy – Nickname of Star Trek fans for ST creator Gene Roddenberry.
• The Great Spider – A ghod of SF fandom, first proselytized by John Kusske of Minneapolis in the late 1960s. See Ghods.
• Grok - An action that combines thought, emotion, and ESP (which see). From Robert A. Heinlein’s novel Stranger in a Strange Land.
• Grommish - How a person feels the next morning after a terrible night. Term is attributed to Bjo Trimble.
• Grotch - To complain.
• Grotched - To be irritated.
• Group/Groupzine – A fanzine done by/for a particular fan group.
• Grundge - A groaning sound.
• GUFF - Going Under Fan Fund (see Fan funds).
• Gutter - The space between panels in a comic strip or book is known as the gutter.

H

• Hal Clement Award – Named for the grandmaster SF writer, this award is given annually for children’s SF. See Golden Duck Awards.
• Hanging fee – A nominal fee charged by a con to an artist for space in an art show. See Art show.
• Hard core stories – See Hardware stories.
• Hard Science Fiction – Term for stories that emphasize the scientific aspects of SF, usually featuring plots involving mathematics, physics, or chemistry. Origin of term attributed to James Blish.
• Hardware stories – Stories that deal with problem-solving in a high-tech environment. Also called Nuts ‘N’ Bolts or Hard-core stories.
• HC/hc – Abbreviation for a hardcover book (including a hardcover edition of a comic book), as opposed to a paperback. Also (when capitalized), abbreviation for Hydra Club, which see.
• ‘H’ Day – See Holy Herbie Day.
• HDBK/hdbk – Abbreviation for Handbook.
• Headlights – Term used for illustrations that emphasize a woman’s breasts, seen frequently on the covers of early SF pulp and comic book magazines.
• Hecter Graf – A punnish name for hekto (hectograph) , attributed to Forrest J Ackerman.
• Hecto/Hekto – Short for hectograph, an early method of reproduction, later replaced by mimeo and ditto.
• Hectographer’s hands – A malady afflicting users of hectographs and ditto machines, who find that no matter how carefully they handle the materials, smudges of purple appear on their fingers, and mysteriously spread to the backs of their hands and elsewhere.
• Heesh – Short for he or she, as the case may be.
• Heicon ’70 International – The 1970 World SF Convention, held in Heidelberg, Germany. Guests of Honor were Herbert W. Franke (Germany), Robert Silverberg (U.S.), and E. C. Tubb (U.K.). John Brunner was toastmaster. Manfred Kage was Con Chair.
• Heinlein Award – Award established by The Heinlein Society to recognize “outstanding published works in hard SF and technical writings that inspire the human exploration of space.” The award will be given periodically but no more often than annually.
• Herbangelism – Fannish religion of belief in Herbie, which see.
• Herbie – A fannish deity. See Ghods.
• Herbiemas – January 11th, commemorates the birthday of the fannish ghod Herbie. Also known as the Herbangelist Universal Gift Exchange Day (because the date was chosen to take advantage of holiday sales and opportunities to exchange and/or recycle Christmas gifts).
• Hermit – Term used to describe reclusive SF fans, such as Harry Warner (the Hermit of Hagerstown).
• HHOK – Abbreviation for “Ha, ha, only kidding,” an expression frequently used in apa fanzines and other fannish publications. See HHOS.
• HHOS – Abbreviation for “Ha, ha, only serious,” an expression frequently used in apa fanzines and other fannish publications. See HHOK.
• Hieronymus Machine – John W. Campbell’s gadget for demonstrating psionic powers. Name taken from Baron Munchausen’s middle name.
• Hoax – A popular SF fan activity, especially during the 1930s-1940s. See Fan hoaxes.
• Hogu Awards – A mock award ceremony, in which token awards are given to what the donors think is the worst SF of the year. A spoof of the Hugo Awards, created by Tom Digby, and inspired by a typo occurring on a Hugo Award Ballot.
• Holy Floor Plans – Floor plans for the facilities of a proposed Worldcon, presented during the bid made for the convention.
• Holy Herbie Day – April 1st , also known as ‘H’ Day. A time to worship Herbie and feast. See Ghods.
• HOMer Award – The HOMers, annual SF awards in a variety of categories, are voted upon by the membership of an electronic bulletin board service for on-line pros and fans, CompuServe Science Fiction and Fantasy Forum.
• HOMers – See HOMer Award.
• Horror Writers Association – See Bram Stoker Award.
• Hot Fout – See Fout.
• House names – Pseudonyms used by publishers of pulp magazines or books, sometimes called “floating pseudonyms.” House names were used to conceal the fact that more than one person was writing a particular series (e. g., “Kenneth Robeson” as the author of the Doc Savage stories). House names were also used for other purposes, but in general it was to conceal the fact that a particular author had written a particular story.
• Howard Awards – The Howard Awards are in the form of a misshapen bust of genre author Howard Phillips Lovecraft, created by Gahan Wilson.
• Hoy Ping Pong Day – November 23rd, the birthday of Arthur Wilson “Bob” Tucker, famous SF fan and author. Hoy Ping Pong was one of his early fannish pseudonyms.
• HPL – Initials of famous genre author Howard Phillips Lovecraft, by which he is often identified. An extensive fandom devoted to HPL still exists.
• HSFS – Short for the Hanover Science Fiction Society.
• HTF – Dealers’ abbreviation for Hard to find.
• Huckster/Huxter – See Dealer.
• Hucksters’ Room/Huckster Room – Name given to the area at a convention where dealers sell their merchandise. See Dealer.
• Hugo Awards – Annual achievement awards presented at Worldcons in a variety of categories, including fannish activities. The award is named for SF legend Hugo Gernsbach.
• Humorzine – A fanzine featuring humor.
• HWA – Short for Horror Writers Association.
• Hyborian Legion – A fan club for fans of Robert Howard’s Conan and other fantasy heroes. The club fanzine is Amra.
• Hydra Club – An organization of professional SF writers, artists, and editors that was formed with nine charter members (hence the name) in September 1947, with no stated purpose at all other than getting together on a regular basis. A brief history of the club (by Judith Merril) and caricatures of 41 of the club members (by Harry Harrison) appear in the November 1951 issue of Marvel Science Fiction. Other prominent members were Isaac Asimov, Fredric Brown, L. Sprague de Camp, Lester del Rey, H. L. Gold, Daniel Keyes, Damon Knight, Willy Ley, Frederik Pohl, and Theodore Sturgeon.
• Hyperfanac – Short for hyper fan activity: “Running like mad to stay even.”

Description: Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the US. Our host hotels for 2008 will again include the familiar surroundings of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta along with the legendary Atlanta Marriott Marquis and the Atlanta Hilton. The Hilton is across the street from the Marriott which is connected by a climate-controlled tube-way to the Hyatt. The Marriott is easily the most architecturally unique hotel in the city, if not the entire Southeast. We are pleased to announce the addition of the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel to the list of fabulous hotels hosting Dragon*Con 2008! Dragon*ConTV will be available in all four host hotels.

Start Date: 2008-08-29
End Date: 2008-09-01
Website: http://www.dragoncon.org/index.php

There are many words and abbreviations of special relevance to science fiction. In addition, over the years science fiction fandom has created many new terms. A list of some of these words and abbreviations is provided here for N3F members and for any others who are interested in the history of science fiction and science fiction fandom. Additions and/or corrections are invited.

F

• Faaan – A fan more interested in fandom itself than in the SF literature. See Faaanfiction.
• FAAANFICTION – Fiction about fans, usually found in fanzines. See Fan fiction.
• Facs. – Dealer abbreviation for facsimile, which see.
• Facsimile – An exact copy of a collectible. Also known as a fake copy.
• Factsheet Five – The one truly influential guide to the (mostly printed) small press, or “zine,” movement of the 1980s. It was founded in 1982 by Mike Gunderloy. Starting as a two-page dittoed newsletter, Factsheet Five grew into a massive newsprint magazine that reviewed every small publication known to Gunderloy. Gunderloy was responsible for hijacking the term “zine” from SF fandom and applying it to any small press effort, from which the current term “e-zine” later sprang. In the late 1980s, Cari Goldberg-Janice joined first as Art Director and later as co-editor. Gunderloy and Goldberg-Janice co-authored The World of Zine for Penguin Books in 1991, an anthology of some of the best zines to have appeared in Factsheet Five. Ironically, just as the book was published and large scale success seemed to be near, Gunderloy quit the magazine. R. Seth Friedman picked up the pieces and ran Factsheet Five through the 90s. Friedman has since stopped publishing, and Factsheet Five appears to be history.
• FAFIA – Abbreviation for Forced Away From It All, i. e., involuntary GAFIA. See GAFIA.
• Fafiate – Verb form of term FAFIA, which see.
• Fafiation – Noun form of term FAFIA, which see.
• Fair – A grading classification between good and poor. See Grading.
• Fake copy – See facsimile.
• Fakefan – A person who is no longer (or never was) interested in science fiction or fandom per se but who enjoys the company of fans and fandom’s social life. Term sometimes is used to tease fans who are not keeping up a high level of fanac.
• Famous Fantastic Mysteries – SF/fantasy reprint magazine, published from September/October 1939 until October 1951, for a total run of 81 issues. Mary Gnaedinger was editor of this long-running pulp magazine. See Fantastic Novels.
• Fan – Short for fanatic, a fan (plural: fans or fen) is a person who actively engages in activities related to his/her special interest. See Fanac.
• The Fan – Nickname for The National Fantasy Fan, the official organ of The National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F), which see.
• Fanac – Fan activity: writing LOCs, collecting, editing/publishing a fanzine, attending SF conventions, etc.; distinguished from proac (professional activity). Also, Fanac was a Hugo-award winning fanzine (1958/Amateur Publication) edited by Terry Carr and Ron Ellik).
• Fanartist – A fan artist.
• Fanboys – Comic book fans who worship the heroes of mainstream comics.
• Fan Club – Clubs of SF, comics, pulp magazine, radio/TV, and other genre fans exist all over the world, with memberships ranging from a handful to several hundred. These clubs advertise in magazines, on the Internet, and on bulletin boards at many colleges and universities.
• Fan-con/Fan-Con – A convention run entirely by fans and /or fan clubs, as opposed to a convention run by professionals. See Pro-Con.
• Fancy I, Fancy II – Nicknames for Fancyclopedia I and Fancyclopedia II, respectively.
• Fancyclopedia – An encyclopedia about SF fandom. The first such publication, Jack Speer’s Fancyclopedia, appeared in 1945.
• Fandom – The body of SF fans that usually includes those who actively take part in Fanac.
• Fandom Directory – An ongoing publication that lists genre fans, collectors, clubs, fan publications, conventions, etc. The first edition was published in 1979.
• Fandora’s Box – Fan column in the prozine Imagination (April 1951 to April 1956) conducted by SF fan/writer Mari Wolf, first wife of SF author Roger P. Graham (Rog Phillips). See Imagination.
• F&SF – Abbreviation for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, a prozine that began in the autumn of 1949 as The Magazine of Fantasy. It is still being published today.
• F&SF Review – See Delap’s F&SF Review.
• Fan-ed/faned – The editor of a fanzine who is also usually the publisher and finances the undertaking.
• Fanewscard - A weekly postal card fan publication, begun by Willson (Bob) Tucker in 1943. This fanzine went through several formats, policies, and editors over a five-year period for a total of 339 issues, the last in 1948. Other editors/publishers were Frank Robinson, Ed Connor, and Walt Dunkelberger.
• Fanfare – Title of a regular feature in the SF magazine Infinity Science Fiction which reprinted items originally published in fanzines.
• Fan-fic – Short for fan fiction, which see. Also see Faaanfiction.
• Fan fiction – Fiction written by fans, usually amateur SF for publication in fanzines. Originally, the term referred to fiction about fans and fandom.
• Fan Feud – An argument among fans, involving almost anything, that escalates into a major controversy involving many people and sometimes all of fandom.
• Fan funds – Money raised to send fans from one country to another in order to attend a con, meet other fans, etc. See CUFF, TAFF, DUFF, FFANZ, GUFF, and MAFF.
• Fanhistory – The history of fandom (also an early fanzine published by Lee Hoffman).
• Fan hoaxes – Common in the history of fandom, fan hoaxes were easier to carry out when most communication was by mail. Mild hoaxes included the creation of nonexistent people, fake fanzines and prozines, and imaginary conventions. Cruel hoaxes included reports that certain fans had died or committed suicide. See Pseuicide.
• Fankind – The totality of fandom (from “mankind”).
• Fanmag/Fan mag – Short for fan magazine, an early term for fanzine.
• Fansmanship – The art of convincing one SF fan that you are a bigger fan. [Attributed to U.K. SF fan/author Bob Shaw]
• Fanne – Female fan. See Fem fan/Femmefan.
• Fannish/Fannishness – Anything pertaining to fans, fandom, and the things that fans do in fandom; also, fit only for fans.
• Fanny – Pet name for Fantasy-News.
• Fanorama – Column by Walt Willis that appeared in the British SF magazine Nebula Science Fiction, 1952-1965. [reputedly the longest running column about fandom/fanzines ever to appear in a professional SF magazine]
• Fan pub – Short for fan publication and fanzine publication.
• Fan pubber – A fan publisher.
• Fan regular – A tee-shirt size, roughly equivalent to XL.
• The Fanscient – A SF/fantasy fanzine (13 issues published, dated from September 1947 to Spring/Summer 1951), edited by Donald B. Day, and published by the Portland Science-Fantasy Society. Its main feature was “Author, Author” which consisted of autobiographical sketches of noted authors, accompanied by photos of the authors and bibliographies of their work.
• Fan Shack – A term for the habitation of two or more fans. See Slan Shack.
• Fan Slants – SF fanzine edited/published by Mel Brown (Los Angeles, CA) in the 1940s.
• Fan Speak/Fanspeak – The language of fandom. Fan speak includes contractions, neologisms, and adopted expressions with new meanings. Although spoken, it is primarily a written language and requires the printed word to express much of its playfulness.
• Fantastic – SF digest magazine that debuted as a “slick” magazine in the Summer of 1952. At various times during its history it was known as Fantastic Science Fiction, Fantastic Science Fiction Stories, Fantastic Stories of Imagination, Fantastic Science Fiction & Fantasy Stories, and Fantastic Sword & Sorcery and Fantasy Stories. The last issue was October 1980, at which time it was merged with Amazing (beginning with the November 1980 issue of that publication). See Amazing.
• Fantastic Adventures – A companion publication to Amazing Stories, the pulp magazine FA was published from May 1939 (Volume 1, Number 1) until March 1953 (Volume 15, Number 3), for a total of 129 issues. Raymond A. Palmer was the first managing editor.
• Fantastic Novels – A companion to Famous Fantastic Mysteries, this pulp magazine published novel-length SF/fantasy stories. It was published from July 1940 until April 1951, for a total run of 25 issues. Mary Gnaedinger was editor. See Famous Fantastic Mysteries.
• Fantasy – A genre of fiction devoted to the imaginary. SF is generally considered to be a sub-genre of fantasy fiction.
• Fantasy Fan, The – Early SF fanzine, published by Charles D. Hornig and devoted to weird fiction. The fanzine was published for 18 issues (September 1934 to February 1935).
• Fantasy Foundation – Project originated in the early 1940s by Forrest J Ackerman to establish a permanent home for a great collection of fantasy stories and related items. This collection was to be for the benefit of all fans.
• Fantasy Magazine – See Science Fiction Digest.
• The Fantasy Showcase Tarot Deck – Described in the fannish literature as being inspired, compiled, and edited (1969-1980) by Bruce Pelz.
• Fantasy Times – Winner of the first Hugo Award for an amateur publication, winning the award in 1955. This important fanzine, edited by James V. Taurasi & Ray van Houten, was later titled Science Fiction Times, which see.
• Fanthology – A combination fanzine and anthology.
• Fantome – A combination fanzine and book (fanzine + tome) created by Edward C. Connor in order to qualify his fanzine, S. F. Echo, for book rate shipping. The fantome consisted of mimeographed pages, cut and bound into a book-like format.
• Fantopia – A fannish utopia.
• Fanvariety Enterprises – A group of affiliated publishers started in 1952. A large number of well-known publishing fans were included.
• Fanvet – A fan who is also a veteran of the armed services.
• Fan wampum – A fannish substitute for money, invented in 1948 by Stan Woolston as a new form of currency to fit the peculiar needs of fans.
• Fanzine – A fan magazine. “Most fanzines exist to generate egoboo” (which see).
• Fanzine Clearing House – Program begun by SF fan Seth Johnson to collect and distribute surplus fanzines in bundles, especially to neofans.
• Fanzine Day – February 12th, honoring the birthday of Louis Russell Chauvenet, editor of the amateur publication Detours, who coined the term fanzine in 1940.
• Fanzine Foundation – A plan for maintaining a permanent collection of fanzines for preservation and research
• Fanzinographic – Fannish term for “bibliographic”.
• FAPA – Acronym for Fantasy Amateur Press Association, the first recorded apa in SF, founded in 1937 by Donald A. Wollheim. See Fap.
• Fap – A member of a fantasy amateur press association. See FAPA.
• FAQ/faq – Short for Frequently Asked Questions.
• Fassbinder – Nickname/pseudonym for SF fan T. Bruce Yerke.
• Faunch – A vague indeterminate yearning or tendency, sometimes the physical activity resulting therefrom; also, a nervous or impatient person (e. g., someone waiting for something to happen).
• Faunching backwards – An extreme form of faunching. See Faunch.
• Fawcett Collectors of America – Originally a comic book fanzine, edited by P. C. Hamerlinck, and dedicated to Fawcett comic books, their writers and artists. Later, a section in the Alter Ego magazine published by TwoMorrows.
• FCA – Abbreviation for the Fawcett Collectors of America, which see.
• Feast-gear – Tableware brought to an event by a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. See Event. See Society for Creative Anachronism.
• Feghoots – Elaborate puns, name taken from a character (Captain Ferdinand Feghoot) created by Grendel Briarton (pseudonym of SF author/editor Reginald Bretnor).
• Fem fan/Femmefan – Female fan. Once rare in SF fandom, fem fans now are commonplace.
• Feminist SF – Science fiction stories that deal with so-called “women’s issues” such as gender roles, the place of women in society, behavior between the sexes, etc.
• Fen – Plural of fan, which see.
• Fennes – A written term for indicating female fans, i. e., fem fans.
• FF – Another abbreviation for fan fiction, which see.
• FFANZ – Fan fund intended to bring the fandoms of Australia and New Zealand closer together. FFANZ was founded in 1983 by John Newman and Sue Dickie.
• F-5 -Abbreviation for the publication Factsheet Five, which see.
• FGoH – Fan Guest of Honor. Some conventions have a FGoH.
• FIAWOL – Acronym for Fandom Is A Way Of Life, a slogan of those heavily involved in fanac. See FIJAGDH.
• Fido – Nickname for the Futurian War Digest, an English SF fanzine edited by J. Michael Rosenblum during 1940-1945.
• Fifth Fandom – The historical stage of SF fandom from 1947-1949.
• FIJAGDH – See FIJAGH.
• FIJAGH – Acronym for Fandom Is Just A God-Damned Hobby, the slogan attributed to fans who say they only read SF for fun and aren’t interested in fandom. See FIAWOL.
• FIJAWOL – See FIAWOL.
• File: 770 – SF fanzine edited/published by Mike Glyer. Winner of several Hugo Awards for best fanzine, most recently in 2001. Named after a famous party in Room 770 of the St. Charles Hotel during Nolacon I (9th Worldcon). See 770. See Worldcon.
• Filk – The music of science fiction, often performed by fans at conventions (see Filker).
• Filk-con – A convention of filkers, which see.
• Filker – A person who composes and/or performs filk, the music of SF.
• Filk Sing/Filk-sing – A gathering of fans at which filk songs are performed.
• Filksinging – The singing of filk songs, a tradition at many conventions.
• Filk song/Filksong – A fannish song, usually a parody.
• Filk-tapes/filk tapes – Audio cassettes of recorded filk songs, performed by filk singers, and usually available for sale in dealers’ rooms at cons.
• Filkzine – A fanzine devoted to filk.
• Filler – Words put in to fill up empty space, especially by an editor on a page of a fanzine. One of the art forms of fandom.
• Fillos – A combination of filler and illo. See Illos.
• Film clips – See Clipper.
• Filthy pro – Name given to fans who turn professional, but not always meant as an insult.
• Fine – A grading classification between mint and good. See Grading.
• First Fandom – An organization of science fiction fans, founded in 1958, who have been active in SF fandom since 1939 (member), or who can demonstrate fanac for a duration of at least 30 years (associate member). At each year’s Worldcons First Fandom presents its Hall of Fame, Posthumous Hall of Fame, and Sam Moskowitz Achievement Awards. The term “First Fandom” also refers to the first stage of historical SF fandom (1933-1936).
• FISTFA – Abbreviation for the Fannish Insurgent Scientifictional Association.
• Fix-up novel – A book made up of previously published stories, usually with new material added, that are “fitted together” to make a novel-length story. An example is Clifford D. Simak’s award-winning City that was published originally as eight separate stories in two different SF magazines. A. E. van Vogt is credited with originating the term.
• FJA – Initials of American SF personality Forrest J Ackerman. Other nicknames/pseudonyms Ackerman has used are Ackermonster, Dr. Acula, Fojak, Forijay, Forjak, 4e, 4sj, Mr. SF, Jack Erman, Claire Voyant, Weaver Wright, Garrett P. Serviss, Aime Merritt, and many others. Use of initials, nicknames, and contractions of names is widespread in SF fandom. See ATom, Bjohn, MZB, SaM, WAW.
• Flake – Subtitled “the Magazine of Cereal Box Collecting,” this fanzine was published by Boston-based collector Scott Bruce from 1989 through 1998. Twenty issues were published of the odd little publication that Newsweek once praised as “a real journalistic gem” and counted Jerry Seinfeld as a subscriber.
• Flaking - The condition of old, brittle books, comic books, paperbacks, and pulp magazines in which small pieces of the edges of the pages chip off.
• Flange – A generic term for anything a fan can’t remember the name of. A thingie or a watchamacallit.
• Flash Gordon – The archetypal science fantasy hero, created by Alex Raymond in a comic strip in 1934. Flash Gordon operated in a magical universe, as opposed to the SF hero Buck Rogers, who operated in a technological universe. See Buck Rogers.
• FLEAC – Short for Fandom’s Leading Expert And Critic, attributed to Walt Willis.
• Flying Saucer – See UFO.
• FMWBAWOF – Abbreviation for the motto Fandom May Well Be A Way Of Life. See FIAWOL, FIJAGDH.
• FMZ/Fmz/fmz – An early, largely unsuccessful, abbreviation for fan magazine that is still used by some. See Fanmag.
• Foobang – A nonsense word having many variations in spelling: foonbang, fnoobang, fnoobag, gnabnoof, etc.
• FooFoo – Oldest of the fannish Ghods, also known as Foo. See Ghods.
• Foogey – A word jumble. Also foogie.
• Foogie – See Foogey.
• Forecasts – Personal magazine of Hugo Gernsback, published at the end of the year in a 32 page, digest-sized format. In this magazine Gernsback gave his predictions for the coming year. Frank R. Paul and other noted artists provided illustrations.
• Fornchy – Fan term meaning raunchy.
• Forry Award – Presented by the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society for lifetime achievement in SF, fantasy, or horror, it is named for longtime SF personality Forrest J Ackerman.
• Fortean phenomena – Inexplicable events such as mysterious disappearances, flying saucers, etc. Named after Charles Fort (1874-1932), American journalist who culled reports of mysterious events from newspapers, magazines, and scientific journals and later published them in book form.
• Fossils, The – Organized members of the “First Fandom” of amateur publishing. Their official organ is The Fossil.
• FotR – Abbreviation for Fellowship of the Ring, a club for fans of writer J. R. R. Tolkien.
• Four color/four-color printing – Comic books printed in full color, using the basic four inks–red, yellow, blue, and black–in various combinations and strengths.
• Four Horsemen of the Fannish Apocolypse, The – Avarice, Feud, Cynicism, and Idiocy. Over the years various fans have been given these titles.
• Fourth Fandom – Period of SF fandom from 1945-1947.
• Fout – An exclamation of surprise, disgust, and/or annoyance. “Hot Fout” is the superlative form. See Fouty.
• Fouty – Miserable or no good.
• Frank Hays Disease – A sudden attack of amnesia in which a filker forgets the lyrics to a filksong. Named for West Coast filker Frank Hays.
• Frank R. Paul Award – Award named to honor the late SF artist Frank Rudolph Paul (1884-1963), Austrian-born illustrator who was the GoH at the first World SF Convention in 1939. SF artists Paul Lehr, Alex Schomburg,Vincent Di Fate, and Ron Walotsky all have won the award.
• Freaking the mundanes – Deliberately behaving in an outrageous manner at a con in order to upset the non-SF guests at the hotel.
• FreFanZine – An apa devoted to libertarian/anarchist politics.
• Friends of First Fandom – New category of membership in First Fandom, begun in 2002.
• FS – Short for Fortean Society.
• Furry Fandom – A fan group that enjoys watching cartoons of anthropomorphic animals.
• Franson Award – Formerly called The President’s Award, this N3F award was renamed in honor of Donald Franson (1916-2003). The award began as a means for club presidents to show appreciation for the work of members who may have won the club’s Kaymar Award, which can only be won once. See Kaymar Award.
• Frapping – Fanspeak for “blasted” (attributed to Bjo Trimble).
• Frappling – The fannish practice of putting strawberry jam into someone’s shoes.
• Freebies – The items given away at conventions (books, magazines, buttons, posters, bumper stickers, flyers, etc.), often displayed on a Freebie Table. Also, copies of fanzines sent out as payment (in lieu of money) to contributors by fanzine editors.
• Freebie Table – See Freebies.
• Freezine – A fanzine intended to be given away by the publisher rather than sold.
• Fringe fan – Someone who is interested in only a small part of fandom (as opposed to a trufan, which see).
• Furry – A devotee of anthropomorphic cartoon animals, sometimes depicted in a pornographic fashion.
• FSS – Abbreviation for the Futurian Society of Sydney, Australia.
• FUBAR – Abbreviation for Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition.
• Fugghead – One who speaks before he thinks, if he thinks at all; a stupid, assinine, moronic dolt (i.e., anyone you dislike).
• Fuggheadedness – See Fugghead.
• Funk – A fannish term referring to an esoteric outlook on life.
• Funnies – See Newspaper Sunday Pages.
• Future Fiction – A pulp, later digest-sized, SF magazine that went under several titles, including Future Combined with Science Fiction, Future Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Science Fiction Stories during its first series; and Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories, Future Science Fiction Stories, Future Science Fiction, and Science Fiction Stories during its second series. A total of 65 issues were published under these various titles. Editors included Charles D. Hornig (1939-1940) and Robert A. W. Lowndes (1941-1960).
• Futuria Fantasia – Title of Ray Bradbury’s fanzine that he published in the 19xxs after graduating from high school and attempting to become a professional author.
• Futurian House – Name of a house in the Kensington district of Brooklyn in which several of the Futurians (Wilson, Wylie, Michel) lived in 1939. The idea for a house of Futurians who would live together and share expenses was that of Pohl and his financee Doris Baumgardt who planned to marry and move in with the others, but never did.
• Futurians – Initially formed in 1938 as the Futurian Science-Literary Society, the Futurian Federation of the Worlds was created in 1939 and known more generally as the New York Futurians or simply Futurians. The group is famous today because of the many later SF professionals who were members, among them Isaac Asimov, James Blish, Hannes Bok, Virginia Kidd, Damon Knight, Cyril Kornbluth, David Kyle, Robert Lowndes, Judith Merril, John Michel, Frederik Pohl, Richard Wilson, and Donald Wollheim.
• FVA – Abbreviation for Fantasy Veterans Association.

However, bizarrely enough, what did NOT get lost, and was rediscovered today while I was unpacking and dealing with the remaining boxes of stuff after my fairly recent move, was my green spiral bound notebook labeled “Music Bu.” You can imagine my surprise when I saw this. Inside contains how and what I was going to do for the bureau.  Somehow this notebook has stayed with me when I left the nest and got married, moving to Vegas, then moving to Gimp City (my “pet” name for Yuba City), and then returning to San Jose where I am now.

I wanted to do an AudioZine! Now, there’s a nifty idea that’s probably more plausible now, but it wasn’t just gonna be people talking. This was gonna be 1-2 90 minute tapes long. The zine notes, which were to be on paper, would contain the group or artist name, the writer, the copyright and words (if applicable), album name, what movie (if applicable) and other such things. This could contain any and all types of music including original music by the members as long as nothing was risque or vulgar. Of course the focus was SFF. I reserved the right not to accept submissions (that’s probably not something I would have thought to include, so I’m sure the big sister fan was influencial in the way I wrote this stuff, though I must note, that I am not actually quoting myself entirely word for word).

Now, my youth at the time shows because I also had an idea for an Audio RR, which was very similar to the Audio Zine.  The difference was a 60 minute tape, with only ten minutes per RR member, and we were going to be talking to each other and have some music from SFF as well, so we apparently were going to be discussing the music we’re sharing with one another. It was also not directly controlled by me either. So it would have been more cut loose than the Audio Zine would have been.

I also had an idea for a general newsletter with the following column ideas, Latest music/the 90′s, Artist’s: Dead or Alive, Elementary Music Theory? (complete with question mark), Musical Info, Sheet Music, What Grooves and What Doesn’t, and Music in SF/F (the crux of the whole idea).

I also got my mother involved with the idea of allowing people to play or sing their songs on tape and have it notated with the first melody being for free. My mother is a musician and is real good at ear dictation, one of my uh, not so strong suits. I have to have a piano with me in order to do that stuff with any sort of accuracy.

And last but not least I had this whole “tell me about yourself” form to help me assess the interests of those wanting to get involved so I could better serve them. Unfortunately, I seem to recall that the tape recorder broke down, well, the record button stopped working, along with family and schools issues that this whole idea fell by the way side. . . I still think it’s a valid topic, and maybe I’ll stick a Music in SF/F in the N3F Forums that just started back up again.  Afterall, the music is what broke the series Andromeda for me. I couldn’t watch it because the music was that bad. . . On the other hand, it was the music that turned me on to Babylon 5, and it was the music that got me to play the sci fi MMORPG Anarchy Online, my first MMO experience. . .

Now the ideas and thoughts of my youth are returning to me, and you know they’re not half bad. I dunno if *I’d* wanna be the one to handle an online audio zine, that could be tricky, but it is definitely a neat idea, and I still believe that music plays an important part in the SF/F genres we love to watch so much.