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.

T

• Tabloid – A magazine approximately 11 by 16 inches in size. The British magazine Science Fiction Monthly was this size.
• TAFF – Transatlantic Fan Fund (see Fan Funds).
• TANSTAAFL – Abbreviation for There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch (a fannish dictum coined by author Robert Heinlein).
• TAPA – Abbreviation for the APA Terran Amateur Press Association.
• TAPS – Abbreviation for the Terran Amateur Press Society, an APA characterized by a rotating Official Editor, in which each member takes a turn at sending out the mailing.
• TASFIC – Short for Tenth Anniversary Science Fiction Convention, held in Chicago in 1952 and popularly known as Chicon II. Hugo Gernsback was Guest of Honor; Julian C. May was Con Chair.
• TATS – Abbreviation for Tentacles Across the Sea, which see.
• TAWF – The Tenth Anniversary Willis Fund, a special fund set up to transport British SF fans Walt and Madeleine Willis to Chicago in 1962.
• TC – Short for The Circle.
• Techie – A member of General Technics, a Midwestern fan club whose members are interested in do-it-yourself technology and rocketry, or to anyone in fandom with such interests. The term has also come into mundane use to describe computer engineers and other technical professionals.
• Television Tie-In – A book issued in conjunction with a television feature or series.
• Tentacles Across the Sea – Organization formed in the 1950s to exchange dollar and sterling currencies, in order to facilitate payment of FAPA dues, etc.
• Texas SF Inquirer – Hugo-award winning (1987) SF fanzine, edited by Pat Mueller.
• TFS – Abbreviation for the Toledo Fantasy Society.
• TFSC – Abbreviation for the Teen’s Fantascience Club.
• “That crazy Buck Rogers stuff” – Public perception of science fiction, especially in the early pulp magazine days, the reference being to the Buck Rogers comic strip.
• “That REAL Old-Time Religion” – A filk song with over 650 verses, sung to the familiar revival tune, chronicling the lives of mythological gods/goddesses with outrageous puns.
• Thingie – An item, or any item. See Flange.
• Third Fandom – The historical stage of SF fandom from 1940 to 1944.
• Third Retch – An aborted plan of LAFandom to take over SF fandom. A parody of World War II.
• Thish/Thisish – Contractions of “This Issue”. See Ish.
• Thnx – Short for “Thanks” or “Thank You.”
• Thomas D. Clareson Award – The Clareson Award for Distinguished Service has been presented since 1996 for outstanding service activities: promotion of SF teaching/study, editing, reviewing, editorial writing, publishing, organizing meetings, mentoring, and leadership in SF/fantasy organizations. The first recipient was Frederik Pohl.
• Thought variants - An idea of pulp editor/writer F. Orlin Tremaine, intended to get original elements (ideas, plots, treatment, etc.) into SF stories. As editor of ASF in the 1930s, he featured at least one “thought variant” story in each issue.
• Thrust — Science Fiction in Review. A genzine that began as the organ of the University of Maryland Science Fiction Society early in 1972. Editor D. Douglas Fratz made it an independent publication in 1977, emphasizing critical comments on current SF. Several well-known SF writers/personalities contributed columns to the publication, including Michael Bishop, Charles Sheffield, and Ted White. Thrust was a Hugo finalist for best fanzine in 1980, and for best semi-professional magazine in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 (the last year under its new title Quantum).
• Thud and Blunder – Action stories in SF prozines that feature space opera.
• Th-v – Abbreviation for thought variants, which see.
• Tie-ins – Comic books that contain stories relating to other stories in other comic books. The term also refers to novelizations that are published to coincide with the release date of a film or TV program.
• Tightbeam – A fanzine of N3F. See National Fantasy Fan Federation.
• Timebinders – An organization of fans, established in 1994 as the Society for the Preservation of the History of Science Fiction Fandom; it is interested in the preservation of old fanzines and the promotion of research on fandom.
• Timebinding – A term/concept originated by semanticist Alfred Korzybski. In fandom it refers to the uniquely human quality of appreciating/passing on information to future generations through communication, thus allowing the future to build on the past. See Timebinders.
• Timebinding Day – August 9th honors the birthday of John B. (Jack) Speer, author of Up To Now (1939), the first history of SF fandom, and Fancyclopedia (1944).
• The Time Traveller – Early SF fanzine produced by Mort Weisinger and Julius Schwartz, with Allen Glasser as editor, premier issue dated January 9, 1932. It ran for nine issues — until November 1932. Often abbreviated as TTT.
• Tiptree Award – The James Tiptree Jr. Memorial Award recognizes “gender bending” SF or fantasy from the previous year. The name honors the SF writer James Tiptree, Jr. (1915-1987), the pseudonym of Dr. Alice B. Sheldon, an experimental psychologist.
• TLC – Abbreviation for The London Circle, a British SF club.
• TNFF – Abbreviation for The National Fantasy Fan, a fanzine of N3F. See National Fantasy Fan Federation.
• TNO - Abbreviation for The Nameless Ones, which see.
• TOC/ToC/toc – Abbreviations for Table of Contents.
• Tolkien Society – A British fan group devoted to fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien and his work.
• Tolkienzine – A fanzine featuring the life and work of J. R. R. Tolkien.
• Tomoro – Fan spelling of tomorrow.
• Torcon – The 1948 Worldcon, held in Toronto, Canada. Robert Bloch was GoH; Bob Tucker was fan GoH; Ned McKeown was Con Chair.
• Torcon 2 – The 1973 Worldcon, held in Toronto, Canada. Robert Bloch was GoH; William Rotsler was fan GoH; Lester del Rey was toastmaster; John Millard was Con Chair.
• Trade – Method of obtaining fanzines by fan editors (i.e., one fanzine is traded for another rather than obtained by buying or by a LOC, which see).
• Trap Door – An annual genzine, edited by Robert Lichtman.
• Trekfan – Name for the more serious Star Trek fan.
• Trekker – Another name for a fan of Star Trek.
• Trekkie – Another name for a fan of Star Trek.
• Tribe X – A British fantasy world, related to PADS, in which living fans are used as characters.
• Tricon – The 1966 World SF Convention, held in Cleveland, OH. L. Sprague de Camp was GoH; Isaac Asimov was toastmaster; Ben Jason was Con Chair.
• Trimbled – Lost under a pile of kipple, never to be found again. See Kipple.
• Tripoli – Nickname of SF personality E. Everett Evans (Triple E).
• True fan/Trufan – One who is seriously immersed in various forms of fan-ac. See Actifan. See FIAWOL.
• Trufandom – The body of trufans who make up the core of fandom.
• Tru fen/Trufen – Plural of True fan/Trufan, which see.
• Trumpet – A fanzine once published by SF fan Tom Reamy.
• TS – Short for the Tolkien Society, which see.
• TSR – Role playing game company in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, publisher of Dungeons and Dragons.
• TT – Short for the The Terrean.
• TTT – Short for The Time Traveller.
• Tubby – Nickname of SF fan T. Bruce Yerke.
• Tucker, Bob – Name by which SF fan Arthur Wilson Tucker was known in fandom. He published his professional work as Wilson Tucker.
• Tucker Hotel – A fan’s dream con hotel, complete with every desirable feature and none of the undesirable ones.
• Tuckerism – Long-time SF fan/author Arthur Wilson “Bob” Tucker made a habit of using the names of fans and writers for characters in his SF and mystery stories. Some members of fandom liked this practice, some did not.
• Tuckerize – To place the names of friends into one’s stories. See Tuckerism.
• TVTI – Abbreviation for Television Tie-In, which see.
• Twiddlepop – Sheer crud, garbage.
• The Twilight Zone Magazine – Slick genre magazine published during the 1980s, also known as Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone Magazine. Despite the title (Serling had died in 1975), the editor was T. E. D. Klein.
• Twil-tone – A brand name for an obsolete type of mimeograph paper once commonly used for fanzine reproduction.
• Twippledop – An individual zine made into a department of another zine.
• Twonk’s Disease – The ultimate in afflictions of any nature, possibly synonymous with falling of the armpits.
• Type 15 fan – A dangerous maniac who is to be avoided at all costs (from Joe Gilbert’s graphology article that described several types of fans).
• Typer – Short for typewriter.
• Typo – Short for typographical error.
• Typover – A method of ignoring typos by simply typing over them.

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.

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.

M

• Macrocosm – The world outside fandom, i. e., the mundane world.
• Madge – Pet name for the SF/fantasy magazine Imagination.
• The Mad 3 Party – Hugo-award winning SF fanzine (1989), edited by Leslie Turek.
• MAFF - The Mid-Atlantic Fan Fund. A fund that does not exist; nevertheless, fans continue to nominate their favorite fuggheads for it. See Fan Funds.
• MAFIA – Short for Minions of Anti-Fan, In America.
• Magazine of Fantasy, The – See F&SF.
• Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The – See F&SF.
• MagiCon – The 1992 Worldcon, held in Orlando, FL. Jack Vance was GoH; Vincent Di Fate was artist GoH; Walter A. Willis was fan GoH; Spider Robinson was toastmaster; Joe Siclari was Con Chair.
• Mail auction – A fan’s method of selling a collection by placing notices in adzines, or by mailing out flyers to other fans/collectors. Items for sale are listed with their minimum bids. The bidders send back their offers by return mail, and the seller compares prices. This process may go on for several rounds before winners are determined. Usually a mail auction is resorted to only when it is impossible to sell a collection at a convention. See Adzine.
• Mailing – An APA bundle of fanzines mailed out by an OE (which see), containing one fanzine from each of the contributing editors.
• Mailing comments – Comments in an apazine on the previous mailing. See Apazine. See APA. See Mailing.
• Mainstream – The traditional realistic fiction of human character, i. e., most serious prose fiction outside the several genre categories.
• Mana – SF term for magical energy. Attributed to SF writer Larry Niven.
• Mañana Literary Society – A loose-knit group of Los Angeles SF writers who met at the home of Robert Heinlein in the early 1940s. The Society was featured in Anthony Boucher’s SF/mystery novel Rocket to the Morgue.
• Manuscript Bureau – Service provided by N3F for distributing fanzine material to editors on receipt from contributors.
• Mapbacks/map backs – Term for the Dell paperbacks (1943-1951) that had maps on the back covers–drawings of scenes, cutaway views of buildings, or sections of cities in which events in the books took place. The SF/fantasy books with mapbacks are sought by collectors.
• Mark Time Award – Presented annually by The American Society for Science Fiction Audio, The Mark Time Awards honor the best SF audio production. See Ogle Awards.
• Married – A magazine or comic book is “married” when two different issues have been used to make one complete issue (e. g., cover or centerfold replacement).
• “Mary Sue” Story – A story in a fanzine that features a perfect heroine. Usually the heroine is the author as she would like to be. See “Marty Su” Story.
• “Marty Su” Story – A story in a fanzine that features a perfect hero. See “Mary Sue” Story.
• Mass-market paperback – A book intended for the widest possible distribution, usually printed on inexpensive paper and with cardboard covers. Most “popular” fiction – westerns, mysteries, science fiction, and romance novels – is published as mass-market paperbacks.
• Master – Original ditto or multilith sheet, equivalent to a mimeo stencil.
• Master costumer – The highest level of proficiency in fan costuming. A master costumer has won at least three “firsts” or “bests” at regional or Worldcon masquerades. See Novice costumer. See Journeyman costumer.
• Mathom – Something one can’t bear to throw away, but which one doesn’t know what to do with.
• Maxac – Short for maximum activity, term used by apas to limit the number of pages a member contributes. See Minac. See APA.
• MC/mc – Abbreviation for mailing comments, which see.
• Media – TV shows and movies, and anything related to such shows. See Media fan. See Literary fan.
• Mediazine – A fanzine devoted to fiction based on characters from TV series and movies. The first mediazines are reported to have begun with the “Star Trek” TV series. See Spockanalia. See Mixed-mediazine.
• Media fan – A person who is more interested in SF films and TV shows than in print SF.
• Megafandom – Science fiction Fandom in all its facets, including fans of SF-related genres (e. g., comics fandom).
• Mercer’s Day – The 31st of April, formerly May 1st. The addition of a 31st day to the month of May also eliminated May 1st (the day after Mercer’s Day is May 2nd). Mercer’s Day is named for fan Archie Mercer, who set a May 1st deadline for OMPA in 1957.
• “Mess transit” – A fannish comment on mass transit, the means by which many fans get to and from conventions. A major factor in scheduling a convention is its proximity to “mess transit.”
• MFS – Short for Minneapolis Fantasy Society.
• MIB – Abbreviation for Mint In Box, term used by dealers to describe a collectible in mint condition. See MIM, MIP, MOC.
• Microcosm – Used in the phrase, “Our microcosm,” to refer to SF fandom.
• MidAmeriCon - The 1976 Worldcon, held in Kansas City, MO. Robert A. Heinlein was GoH; George Barr was fan GoH; Wilson Tucker was toastmaster; Ken Keller was Con Chair.
• Milford Award – An award presented each year at the J. Lloyd Eaton Conference on Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature. The award is given for lifetime contributions to the publishing and editing of SF, fantasy, and horror literature.
• Military SF – Science fiction stories about or involving military forces, war, or other armed conflicts.
• The Millennium Philcon – The 59th Worldcon, held in Philadelphia, PA in 2001. Greg Bear was GoH; Stephen Youll was artist GoH; Gardner Dozois was editor GoH; George Scithers was fan GoH; Esther Friesner was toastmistress; Todd Dashoff was Con Chair.
• MilPhil – Abbreviation for The Millennium Philcon, which see.
• Milwapa – An APA located in the city of Milwaukee. See APA.
• MIM – Dealer’s abbreviation for Mint In Mailer, a term used to describe a collectible in mint condition.
• Mimeo – Short for mimeograph machine, a dry-stencil duplicating process used in the production of fanzines. See Hecto, Ditto.
• Mimeozine – A fanzine printed on a mimeograph machine. See Mimeo.
• Mimetic fiction – All fiction that is not SF. See Mundane.
• Mimosa – Hugo-award winning (1992, 1993, 1994) SF fanzine, edited by Rich & Nicki Lynch of Gaithersburg, Maryland.
• Minac – Short for minimum activity, the least amount of work required to maintain membership in some form of fandom (e. g., an APA, which see).
• Minder – A person assigned to accompany the GoH at a convention to make certain the GoH gets to his/her scheduled activities on time.
• Minicon – A small convention that usually lasts only one day.
• Minneapa – An apa located in the city of Minneapolis, which at the time the term was coined had a strong fannish community.
• Minneapolis in ’73 – During their bid for the 1973 Worldcon, Twin Cities fans decided they didn’t want to run a Worldcon after all, but because bid parties were so much fun they’d keep on having them. See Worldcon.
• Mint – The highest grading classification. See Grading.
• MIP – Dealer’s abbreviation for Mint In Package, term used to describe a collectible in mint condition. See MIB, MIM, MISB, MISP, MOC.
• Mirrorshade SF – Another name for cyberpunk SF, referring to the rumor that the authors of such tales wear mirror-lensed sunglasses so others cannot see their crazed eyes.
• MISB – Dealer’s abbreviation for Mint In Sealed Baggie, term used by dealers to describe a collectible in mint condition. See MIB, MIM, MIP, MOC.
• MISHAP – Abbreviation for the Michigan Society of (Hapless) Amateur Publishers, an APA organization. See APA.
• MISP – Dealer’s abbreviation for Mint In Sealed Package. See MISB.
• Missing Scene story – A story in a fanzine that tries to explain what occurred between characters in a SF film (or an episode of a SF TV series), either during a particular scene or between scenes.
• MITSFS – Abbreviation for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Science Fiction Society.
• Mixed-mediazine – A fanzine with stories based on several different TV series or films, as opposed to a fanzine that concentrates on one series or film or on one character. See Mediazine.
• MLG(S)/Mlg(s)/mlg(s) – Abbreviations for mailing(s). See Mailing.
• M.L.S. – Short for the Mañana Literary Society, which see.
• MMM – Short for Murder Mystery Monthly, which see.
• MOC – Dealer’s abbreviation for Mint On Card, term used to describe a collectible in mint condition. See MIB, MIM, MIP, MISB.
• Mollycon – Also known as the Mollycoddle, the Mollycon is a convention of SF writers, publishers, artists, agents, and academics held at Mollymook on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. The inaugural con was held in 2003.
• MONSFS – Short for Montreal Sci-Fiction Society.
• Mosaic – Another term for fix-up. See Fix-up novel.
• Movie serial – A multi-episode film, usually an action/adventure melodrama, presented one chapter at a time in weekly installments over a period of months. Each chapter typically ends with a cliff-hanger, a moment of uncertainty that leaves the audience eager for a resolution that does not come until the next chapter. Also known as chapter plays, or just serials. Many serials of the 1930s-1950s featured SF/fantasy characters and/or plots.
• Movie Tie-In – A book issued in conjunction with a motion picture.
• MSFS - Short for Michigan Science-Fantasy Society.
• MTI – Abbreviation for a Movie Tie-In book, which see.
• Multiapan – A member of several APAs. See APA.
• Multi-fans – Fans of three or more genres of popular culture. See Double-fans.
• Munchies – Free food provided to con goers, usually in the con suite or at room parties. See Con suite. See Room parties.
• Mundac – Short for mundane activity. See Mundane.
• Mundane – Anything not pertaining to fandom, and sometimes used in a derogatory fashion by members of fandom when speaking of things not related to fandom.
• Mundania/mundania – Where mundanes live. See Mundane.
• Murder Mystery Monthly – This digest-sized Avon series of mystery and SF/fantasy books was introduced in 1942, beginning life as the Avon Murder of the Month series. The first title in the series was A. Merritt’s Seven Footprints to Satan, and all the SF/fantasy books of A. Merritt eventually were published in this format.
• Murphy’s Law – A satiric comment on the so-called Laws of Science, i. e., “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the worst possible time.” Several corollaries/similar formations also exist in fandom.
• MWA – Abbreviation for Mystery Writers Award. See Edgar Awards.
• Mystery Writers Award – See Edgar Award.
• Mythopoeic Awards – Annual awards given in several categories by the Mythopoeic Society, a nonprofit organization of readers, scholars, and fans of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Charles Williams (The Inklings, an Oxford affinity group in the 1930s) and related myth and fantasy studies. The awards are announced at annual conventions called Mythcons.
• MZB – Initials of SF fan/author Marion Zimmer Bradley. SF fans often are known by their initials, contractions of their names, or by nicknames. See FJA.

N

• Nameless Ones, The – 1) A group formed by SF fan Art Widner in 1940 at the home of Louis Russell Chauvenet in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Later the group became the Stranger Club (the Strangers), and still later changed its name to the Eastern Massachusetts Fantasy Society and published the fanzine Fanfare; 2) A SF club in Seattle, Washington in the 1940s-1960s. The club fanzines were Sinisterra and Cry of the Nameless.
• Nank – A nonsense word, invented to pair with poo, as in “nank and poo.”
• NAPA – Abbreviation for the National Amateur Press Association.
• NAPFC – Abbreviation for the Napoleon Fantasy Club.
• NASFIC/NASFiC – Abbreviation for the North American Science Fiction Convention, held during years when Worldcons are located outside of North America.
• National Bob Tucker Death Hoax Week – September 10 to September 16, the week commemorating the two hoax announcements of Tucker’s death.
• The National Fantasy Fan – Current fanzine of the National Fantasy Fan Federation, known by the abbreviated title The Fan. See National Fantasy Fan Federation.
• National Fantasy Fan Federation – Known as the N3F and the NFFF, the National Fantasy Fan Federation, a SF/fantasy fan club, was founded in April 1941 through the efforts of Damon Knight. Over the years it has published several different fanzines, including The National Fantasy Fan (TNFF) [The Fan], and Tightbeam. It gives the annual Neffy Awards, which see. Its members are known as Neffers.
• NCI NCO – An apa acronym for “no comments in, no comments out” and refers to the belief in fan circles that one is required to write comments in apas in order to receive them from others.
• N.D./n.d. – Abbreviation for no date.
• Nebula Awards – Awards presented annually in a number of categories by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
• Neffer – Nickname for a member of the National Fantasy Fan Federation.
• Neffy Awards – Awards given in a variety of categories by the National Fantasy Fan Federation. The first of these were presented in 2005. See National Fantasy Fan Federation.
• Neo – See Neofan.
• Neofan/Neo-fan – A newcomer to fandom.
• Neofan’s Guide – The Neo-Fan’s Guide to Science Fiction Fandom, edited by Wilson “Bob” Tucker, the eighth edition of which was published in 1996.
• Neo-Pagan Movement – An attempt to recover the religious fervor of the pre-Christian worship of natural phenomenon. Members of the various cults associated with the movement often appear in distinctive clothing at Worldcons. See Worldcon.
• Neopro – A person who is new to the professional side of SF.
• NESFA – The New England Science Fiction Association. The NESFA Press has an ongoing publishing program devoted to keeping worthwhile SF/fantasy books in print.
• NESFA Press – See NESFA.
• New Era Publishing Company – Specialty press formed in 1948 in Philadelphia by SF fans Robert Madle and Jack Agnew.
• Newfangles – Comic fanzine, edited by SF fans Don and Maggie Thompson from March 1967 (issue #1) through December 1971, for a total of 54 issues.
• News – Short for newszine, which see.
• Newsletter – A small publication, usually no more than 8 pages, that contains news items about a particular club, or that announces forthcoming publications of a particular publisher. Newsletters may also be called fanzines, but they are more ephemeral and usually limited in distribution.
• Newspaper Sunday Pages – The Sunday funnies, from the early 1900s to the present day and usually in color, are often collected by SF/fantasy fans. The full-page strips are the most desirable.
• Newszine – A fanzine that publishes news about fandom and/or a particular genre. The newspapers of fandom.
• Newt Award – Annual award presented by the Czech Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. The name of the award is taken from Czech author Karel Capek’s novel War Against the Newts.
• New Wave – SF literary movement in the late 1960s-early 1970s that emphasized the “soft” sciences over the “hard” sciences. The term was borrowed from the French films of the same period, and first used by Judith Merrill who applied it to British SF stories of the mid-1960s.
• New Worlds – Influential British SF magazine, published from July 1946. John Carnell was the first editor. The title began as a fanzine called Novae Terrae in 1936. After 29 issues, Carnell became editor. He reverted to Volume 1, Number 1 with the March 1939 issue, and changed the title of the fanzine to New Worlds.
• NewYorCon – The 1956 Worldcon, held in New York. Arthur C. Clarke was GoH; Robert Bloch was toastmaster; David A. Kyle was Con Chair.
• NFC – Short for Neo Fen Club.
• NFFF – See National Fantasy Fan Federation.
• Niekas – Hugo-winning SF fanzine (1966/Amateur Publication), edited by Ed Meskys and Felice Rolfe. The first issue was dated June 1962.
• Nippon2007 - The 65th World Science Fiction Convention, held in 2007 in Yokohama, Japan. Sakyo Komatsu and David Brin were Guests of Honor; Takumi Shibano was fan GoH; and Yoshitaka Amano & Michael Whelan were artist Guests of Honor.
• Ni var/ni var – A form of poetry, consisting of antiphonal verses that express a duality of conceptions or that compares two unlike things. By extension, the term has come to mean any artistic effort that contrasts two aspects of something.
• NMBG – Abbreviation for the dealers phrase Near Mint By God, meaning that an item is really in mint condition. See Grading.
• Nolacon – The 1951 World SF Convention (Worldcon), held in New Orleans, LA. Fritz Leiber was GoH; Harry B. Moore was Con Chair.
• Nolacon II – The 1988 Worldcon, held in New Orleans, LA. Donald A. Wollheim was GoH; Roger Sims was fan GoH; Mike Resnick was toastmaster; John H. Guidry was Con Chair.
• Nonfannish – See Unfannish. See Mundane.
• Noreascon – The 1971 Worldcon, held in Boston, MA. Clifford D. Simak was GoH; Harry Warner, Jr. was fan GoH; Robert Silverberg was toastmaster; Anthony Lewis was Con Chair.
• Noreascon Two – The 1980 Worldcon, held in Boston, MA. Damon Knight and Kate Wilhelm were Guests of Honor; Bruce Pelz was fan GoH; Robert Silverberg was toastmaster; Leslie Turek was Con Chair.
• Noreascon Three – The 1989 Worldcon, held in Boston, MA. André Norton and Ian & Betty Ballantine were Guests of Honor; The Stranger Club was fan GoH; Mark Olson was Con Chair.
• NorWesCon – The 1950 Worldcon, held in Portland, OR. Anthony Boucher was GoH; Theodore Sturgeon was toastmaster; Donald B. Day was Con Chair.
• NOSFS – Short for the New Orleans Science-Fantasy Society.
• Novae Terrae – British SF Fanzine founded by Maurice Hanson and Dennis Jacques in 1936 (later edited by E. J. Carnell as the forerunner of New Worlds). See New Worlds.
• Novice costumer – A costumer who has never won at a Worldcon, or someone at a regional con who has never competed. See Journeyman costumer. See Master costumer.
• Now and Then – See Widowers.
• N.P./n.p. – Abbreviation for no place.
• NR – Short for No Reserve.
• NrMt – Short for Near Mint.
• N3F – See National Fantasy Fan Federaton.
• Nufan – See Neofan.
• Nuke – To utterly destroy something, with the term coming from the use of nuclear weapons. Also, applied to the use of a microwave oven, as in “nuke a dinner.”
• Null-A/Ā – Non-Aristotelian logic (from General Semantics), the subject of several SF stories, including early novels by A. E. van Vogt.
• Number One Fan – At one time, the most active fan of the year (as determined by an N3F member poll). See National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F).
• Number One Rat of Fandom – Early nickname for Donald W. Wollheim, according to Jack Speer’s Up to Now.
• Number zilch – See Zilch.
• Numerical fandoms – The belief that the history of SF fandom can be divided into discrete numbered eras, beginning with Eofandom in 1930. First Fandom followed in 1933, Second Fandom in 1937, etc. The idea was discredited in the 1950s. See First Fandom, Second Fandom, Third Fandom, etc.
• Nuts ‘N’ Bolts – See Hardware stories.
• NWSFS – Short for the Northwest Science Fiction Society (pronounced Niss-Fiss).
• Nycon – The first Worldcon, held in New York in 1939. Frank R. Paul was GoH; Sam Moskowitz was Con Chair.
• NYCon II – See NewYorCon.
• Nycon III – The 1967 Worldcon, held in New York City. Lester del Rey was GoH; Wilson “Bob” Tucker was fan GoH; Harlan Ellison was toastmaster; Ted White and Lester Van Arnam were Con Chairs.

O

• OAK – Initials of SF/fantasy author Otis Adelbert Kline, by which he is often identified.
• Ob – Prefix denoting “obligatory or expected reference to” a topic.
• OC – Abbreviation for Official Collator, one who is in charge of putting together the pages of a document (e. g., a fanzine, an APA, or a program book for a con).
• OE – Abbreviation for Official Editor, the person who runs an APA (which see).
• Offprint – A separate printing of part of a larger publication (e. g., a story from a magazine or from a collection of stories).
• Offset – A printing process in which the inked impression is first made on a rubber-covered roller, than transferred to paper. Used in fannish publications when high quality reproduction of drawings, photographs, and text is desired.
• Ogle Awards – Presented annually by The American Society for Science Fiction Audio, Ogle Awards honor the best fantasy audio production. See Mark Time Award.
• Oily Will – Nickname of SF fan Will Sykora.
• Old & Tired Fan – One who has been in SF fandom for more than five years.
• Old Guard – The oldtimers of SF fandom.
• Old Wave – Out-of-date term for stories that emphasized the scientific aspects of SF. See Hard Science Fiction.
• One-shot/one shot/oneshot – A publication, such as a fanzine, that is intended to be for only one issue.
• On Stencil – Term meaning to compose as you are typing.
• On the Drawing Board – Early comics newszine published by Jerry Bails.
• OO – Abbreviation for Official Organ, the newsletter of a club, society, or APA.
• Oocho – A putrid echo.
• Ook Ook – Phrase signifying putridity. See Ook Ook Slobber Drool.
• Ook Ook Slobber Drool – Complete phrase signifying putridity as witnessed by an individual.
• OOP/oop – Abbreviation for Out Of Print.
• OOTWA – Abbreviation for Out of This World Adventures, which see.
• Op. cit./op cit – Abbreviation for Latin term opere citato, meaning “in the place cited.” This term is used in footnotes to indicate that a source has been previously documented.
• Open-ended series – A series of stories that goes on and on for as long as an audience exists that is willing to read them. Often the characters seem to exist in a timeless place where they never seem to age and where they are never changed by their experiences.
• Origanth – Short for original anthology.
• Original art – Actual drawings done for magazines/comic books/comic strips. Such artwork is often offered for sale at convention art shows.
• Originals – Drawings made by the artist, as opposed to photocopies of these drawings. See Original art.
• Orphanzines – Either new issues of a fanzine, or fanzines that someone is selling out, by a dealer for a commission and not by their own publisher/editor. For this reason such zines are said to have no “home.”
• OS – Abbreviation for The Outlander Society, which see.
• Ose – Filk songs of a long, morbid, miserable content, in imitation of many Middle Age ballads. The name is a pun: the joke is that there is “ose. . .and more-ose (morose).” See Filk song.
• OSSF – Abbreviation for the Oregon Society of Scientifantasy.
• OTC/Otc/otc – Abbreviations for over the counter.
• Other Worlds – Short for Other Worlds Science Stories, which see.
• Other Worlds Science Stories – Digest-sized (November 1949 to November 1955) SF magazine, edited by long-time fan Raymond A. Palmer. Bea Mahaffey was associate editor. In its final years (May 1955 to November 1957) it was published in a pulp format.
• Otoh – Abbreviation for on the other hand.
• OTR – Abbreviation for Old Time Radio, generally the period of time from 1926 until 1962. Some OTR programs and the premiums associated with them are sought by genre collectors.
• Outfit – Any clothing used by the SCA for ordinary dress. See Society for Creative Anachronism.
• Out of This World Adventures – A SF pulp magazine that lasted for only two issues in 1950. Edited by Donald A. Wollheim, this publication had the distinction of containing 32-page comic book inserts in each magazine.
• The Outlander Society – A SF club organized in October, 1948 by fans who lived in outlying areas around Los Angeles. The original eight members were Len Moffatt, Rick Sneary, Stan Woolston, John Van Couvering, Con Pederson, Bill Elias, and Alan & Freddie Hershey. The club’s fanzine was The Outlander (1949-1952).
• OWSS – Short for Other Worlds Science Stories, which see.

In the past 30 days, we’ve accomplished quite a few things:

1. Complete site redesign from a one-person blog to a Fan-based news zine.
2. Added many features that made it both writer and reader friendly.
3. Used as many Internet standard features as possible to allow for both compatibility with various types of computers, but also a way to speed up the adaption process for newbie readers.
4. Developed a viable e-zine for N3F with rolling deadlines.

As I write this, I am in the midst of summer finals at law school. So, developments over the next few weeks should be slower than June. Development speed should pick up in august, though.

Features to be added in the future, depending upon reader interest, could include:

• A fan fiction archive
• A master calendar of upcoming fannish events (Cons, etc.)

And for those of you who have asked:

• If you are looking for a BBS or Forum, one already exists on the main N3F website:
  http://www.n3f.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

If you have any wish lists, comments or suggestion on how to make this site more responsive to your needs as a fan of SF/F/H, please use the comment feature below. I will read it and respond. And if your ideas are possible and practical, they will come to life as soon as we are able to figure out how do to it.

Five years after Ang Lee’s disappointing Hulk, Marvel decided to reboot the comic hero with a new film, The Incredible Hulk, which picks up roughly where the 1970s-80s TV series left off; ignoring the 2003 film altogether.

The film also features fa nod to long-time Hulk fans with witty cameos of the stars from the TV series.

Mainstream critics had been lukewarm on the film, with the most scathing comments from those critics who are quick to pooh-pooh most genre films anyway.

But the consensus is that those who are looking for a great action film with killer CGI animation, this Hulk will not disappoint.

Also noted in most reviews is a stand-out performance by Oscar-winning actor, William Hurt – who make the most of his part of a military leader teetering on the edge between loyalty to his orders and loyalty to his conscience.

Some thought the message was a little too preachy and most found the end battle scene too predictable.

Below are selected reviews from prominent critics:

<!– {rw_good}

• Outstanding Special Effects
• Great Supporting Cast
• Action packed

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

• Too Scary for Small Children
• End is Predictable

{/rw_bad} –>

<!– {rw_score}

{for="National Post – Canada" value="5"}

"For all its ground-shaking, the final battle amounts to no more than a pause between the creation story we have just witnessed and the inevitable sequel." – Chris Knight

{/for}

{for="Christian Science Monitor" value="6"}

"Now that we've demonstrated that comic book icons can look like you and me, how about we go back to the Christopher Reeve era when they looked like square-jawed movie stars?" – Peter Rainer

{/for}

{for="CNN" value="7"}

"The climax is a bit of a yawn — it boils down to two big apes slugging it out with an entirely predictable outcome — but most of what precedes it is vigorous and sharp." – Tom Charity

{/for}

{for="Washington Post" value="7"}

"There are sequences that are genuinely beautiful, especially the scenes shot in the Brazilian favela, with its rich visual textures and evocative roofscapes." – Ann Hornaday

{/for}

{for="San Jose Mercury News" value="8"}

" The Incredible Hulk has a few annoying flaws, but it’s gratifying in many of the ways a Marvel Comics movie should be.” – Bob Straus

{/for}

{for=”New York TImes” value=”6″}

“The Adequate Hulk would have been a more suitable title.” – A.O. Scott

{/for}

{for=”Chcago Tribune” value=”7″}

“The Incredible Hulk keeps slamming everything forward, satisfyingly.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Entertainment Weekly” value=”7″}

“The audience, in all likelihood, will be so grateful not to see another joyless, inert, pea green dud that it may not mind that The Incredible Hulk is just a luridly reductive and violent B movie — one that clears a bar that hadn’t been set very high.” – Owen Gleiberman

{/for}

{for=”USA Today” value=”6″}

“The saga is uneven and there are plot holes, but as a popcorn movie steeped in action, it keeps our attention.” – Claudia Puig

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

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.

C

• Canfan – A Canadian fan.
• CANSFA - Abbreviation for the Canadian Science Fiction Association.
• CAPA - Abbreviation of the Carboniferous Amateur Press Alliance, founded in 1961 by former N3F president Rick Sneary. The five original members were Sneary, Len Moffatt, Art Rapp, Ed Cox, and Roy Tackett (and their wives as associate members). Their monthly publication is Five By Five. The current members are Ray Nelson, Len Moffatt, Jim Harmon, Ben Singer, and Jon D. Swartz (with wives June Moffatt and Barbara Harmon as associate members).
• CAPA-alpha - Comicdom’s Amateur Press Alliance, an APA for members of Comic Book Fandom, founded by Jerry Bails in the early 1960s. It’s publication is KAPPA-alpha, abbreviated as K-a.
• Captain George’s Comic World – A comics fanzine published in folded newspaper format on newspaper stock by Memory Lane Publications of Toronto, Canada in the 1960s-1970s. Reprints of cartoons and SF/fantasy artwork were featured.
• Carbonzine - Fanzines of very limited distribution that are literally carbon copies.
• Cardzine - A newszine printed on the back of a postcard.
• Casper Award – Known as the Canadian Hugo, the Casper Award was created to recognize achievement by Canadian SF writers. A. E van Vogt was the first recipient in 1980 (for “lifetime contributions to science fiction”). Beginning in 1985 the awards were given in a variety of categories. In 1991 the awards were renamed the Aurora Awards.
• Caveat Emptor – Warning placed on ads by some dealers, meaning “Buyer Beware.”
• CBG - Short for Comics Buyer’s Guide, which see.
• CBM - Short for Comic Book Marketplace, which see.
• CCA – Short for Comics Code Authority, which see.
• Centerfold - The two center pages in the middle of a magazine or comic book.
• Centurion League – A New York SF club in the late 1940s. The stated purpose of the League was criticism of SF and speculative science. The first president was Walter R. Cole.
• Celephant - The cellophane covering of a paperback book.
• Cello - Short for celluloid, which see.
• Celluloid - A type of pinback button in which a design is printed on paper with a celluloid protective covering.
• Cereal premiums – Toys and trinkets given away in cereal boxes. In the Golden Age of radio programming, many cereals sponsored radio programs and the premiums had tie-ins with radio characters, some of which were SF/fantasy.
• Cfandom - Short for comic fandom.
• CFG - Abbreviation for Cincinnati Fantasy Group, which see.
• CFG Rules – The prohibition against saving seats at fan gatherings. The prohibition comes from the practices of the Cincinnati Fantasy Group.
• CFO/cfo – Short for centerfold out. See centerfold.
• Challenger - Hugo-nominated fanzine edited/produced by Guy H. Lillian, III.
• Chandler Award – See A. Bertram Chandler Award.
• Chapter play – Another name for a movie serial.
• Chat - Fanzine published monthly by Rich & Nicki Lynch for 40 issues, beginning in October 1977. Also the name of their mascot, “the fourth fannish ghod,” created by SF artist Teddy Harvia.
• Chesley Awards – Named for the astronomical artist, Chesley Bonestell, the Chesley Awards are given annually in a variety of categories. The awards were begun in 1985 to recognize artistic achievement during a given year.
• Chiac - Short for Chicago fandom, composed of the Chicago SF League and the University of Chicago SF Club.
• Chicon - The second Worldcon, held in Chicago, IL in 1940. E. E. “Doc” Smith was Guest of Honor; Mark Reinsberg was Con Chair.
• Chicon II – See TASFIC.
• Chicon III – The 1962 Worldcon, held in Chicago, IL. Theodore Sturgeon was Guest of Honor; Wilson “Bob” Tucker was toastmaster; Earl Kemp was Con Chair.
• Chicon IV – The 1982 Worldcon, held in Chicago, IL. A. Bertram Chandler and Frank Kelly Freas were Guests of Honor; Marta Randall was toastmistress; Ross Pavlac and Larry Propp were Con Chairs.
• Chicon V – The 1991 Worldcon, held in Chicago, IL. Hal Clement was GoH; Martin H. Greenberg was editor GoH; Richard Powers was artist GoH; Jon & Jone Stopa were fan Guests of Honor; Marta Randall was toastmistress; Kathleen Meyer was Con Chair.
• Chronicle - Monthly SFFH trade journal, founded in 1979 by Andrew I. Porter as Science Fiction Chronicle; later published by Warren Lapine, with news editor John Douglas. No longer being published.
• Cincinnati Fantasy Group – An influential SF club that originated in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1941 and over the years produced many prominent SF fans. Members have included Dale Tarr, Don Ford, Roy Lavender, Bea Mahaffey, Darrell Richardson, Mark Schulzinger, Stan Skirvin, Lou Tabakow, and several out-of-town honorary members. Don Ford edited/published a history of the club, The Cincinnati Fantasy Group, in July 1957. The name of the club often is abbreviated as CFG.
• Cinvention - The 1949 Worldcon, held in Cincinnati, OH. Lloyd A. Eshbach was GoH; Ted Carnell was fan GoH; Charles R. Tanner was Con Chair.
• Circle of Lassitude – A trap for the neofan that can occur between initially contacting fandom and actually becoming involved in fanac. Some fans attend con after con, unaware that they are trapped in this activity and have not really found fandom. Term comes from the fan publication The Enchanted Duplicator.
• Clareson Award – See Thomas D. Clareson Award.
• Clarion - Short for Clarion: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop, a writing workshop for beginning SF/fantasy writers which began at Clarion College in Pennsylvania. Later Michigan State University hosted Clarion for 30+ years.
• Clarke’s laws – A set of truisms, formulated by SF author and scientist Arthur C. Clarke: 1) any technology sufficiently advanced in relation to its observers is indistinguishable from magic; 2) the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible; and 3) when a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right, but when he states that it is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
• Clevention - The World SF Convention held in Cleveland in 1955. Isaac Asimov was GoH; Sam Moskowitz was mystery GoH; Anthony Boucher was toastmaster; Nick & Noreen Falasca were Con Chairs.
• Clip art – Art used in fanzines, obtained from a variety of places, and not signed.
• Clipper - A collector of film clips, especially of TV science fiction series. Clippers trade snippets of film with each other.
• Cloning - Reproduction of videotapes of television series that are not shown in the U.S., for personal use and/or sale to others.
• Clubfen - Fans whose main fanac is attending meetings of their local SF club.
• The Club House – Fanzine review column conducted in Amazing (March 1948 to March 1953) by SF author Roger P. Graham (Rog Phillips). See Amazing.
• Clubzine - A fanzine of a SF club.
• CoA/COA/coa – Abbreviation for Change of Address. Some fanzines publish CoAs when their subscribers move.
• CoC - Abbreviation for the SF club Cream o’ the Crop.
• Collate - To assemble the pages of a fanzine, thus readying them for stapling.
• Collectibles - Anything related to a hobby that is collected by fans pursuing that hobby. In the SF field books, magazines, fanzines, original art, and related materials routinely are collected by fans. See collecting fan. See Collector.
• Collecting fan – A fan whose primary interest is in collecting things related to fandom: books, magazines, art, etc.
• Collector - One who collects SF or other genre material. See Completist.
• Colophon - The typical fanzine’s equivalent of a newspaper’s masthead, giving information on the zine’s editor, publisher, information on how to obtain further issues, etc. The term is derived from book publishing where a colophon, located at the end of a book, serves as an alternative to a copyright page.
• Com/Comp – Abbreviations for compiler.
• Comet, The. The first science fiction fan magazine, edited/published by early SF fan Raymond A. Palmer (later editor of the prozines Amazing, Other Worlds, Fate, etc.). Volume 1, Number 1 was dated May 1930, and a total of seventeen issues were published. The title was later changed to Cosmology. The last issue was dated Volume VI, Number 1 (1933).
• Comicdom - The world of comics enthusiasts, including both fans and pros.
• Comics Buyer’s Guide – Weekly comics news magazine, currently edited by Maggie Thompson. It was founded in 1971 by Alan Light as The Buyer’s Guide for Comic Fandom, a comic book fanzine in a newspaper format.
• Comics Code Authority – A committee formed in 1954 by major comic book publishers to set up guidelines for acceptable content in comics. The committee’s responsibility is to inspect and approve the contents of comic books before they are published. Approved comic books are identified on their covers by an “Approved by the Comics Code Authority” logo.
• Comics fandom – Many people in SF fandom have an interest in comic strips, comic books, and other forms of comic art.
• Comics History Magazine – Fanzine on comics published by SF author Ron Goulart during 1996-1997 (six issues).
• Comiphile - A lover/collector of comics.
• Comix/commix – Iconoclastic comic books by independent and usually nonprofessional artists, a product of the counterculture of the 1960s. Some had SF/fantasy content. Also called Underground Comics.
• Comixzine - A fanzine consisting of comic strips and/or discussions of the comic strip field.
• Comicologist - Another term for a person who studies, preserves, and/or collects comic art.
• Communicationzine - A fanzine whose main purpose is to be a means of communication among fans.
• Completism - See Completist.
• Completist - A collector who has completed or aspires to complete his/her collection of SF or other material.
• Con - Abbreviation for convention, often used as part of a compound word such as Worldcon for World SF Convention.
• ConAdian - The 1994 Worldcon, held in Winnipeg, Canada. Anne McCaffrey was GoH; George Barr was artist GoH; Robert Runté was fan GoH; Barry B. Longyear was toastmaster; John Mansfield was Con Chair.
• Concom/Con-com – Short for Convention committee, which see.
• Condition - See Grading.
• ConFederation - The 1986 Worldcon, held in Atlanta, Georgia. Ray Bradbury was GoH; Terry Carr was fan GoH; Bob Shaw was toastmaster; Penny Frierson & Ron Zukowski were Con Chairs.
• ConFiction - The 1990 Worldcon, held in The Hague, Netherlands. Harry Harrison, Wolfgang Jeschke, and Joe Haldeman were Guests of Honor; Andrew Porter was fan GoH; Chelsea Quinn Yarbro was toastmistress; Kees van Toorn was Con Chair.
• ConFrancisco - The 1993 Worldcon, held in San Francisco. Larry Niven was GoH; Alicia Austin was artist GoH; Guy Gavriel Kay was toastmaster; Mark Twain was dead GoH; David W. Clark was Con Chair.
• Congoer - One who attends conventions, which see.
• Congoing - The act of attending conventions, which see.
• ConJosé - The 60th Worldcon, held in San José, CA. Guest of Honor was Vernor Vinge; artist GoH was David Cherry; fan Guests of Honor were Bjo & John Trimble; Tad Williams was toastmaster; imaginary GoH was Ferdinand Feghoot. See Con.
• Connie - Nickname for the British fanzine Cosmos, published in the early 1940s (J. Edward Rennison, editor).
• Conrunner - A concom member. British for SMOF, which see.
• Conrunning - Serving on a concom. See Convention committee.
• The Conservative – Mundane fanzine published by SF/horror author H. P. Lovecraft.
• Con society – A convention society, usually with a life expectancy of only two years, that exists for the sole purpose of sponsoring the annual Worldcon. The group’s work is to organize and manage the convention.
• Consuite/con suite – The hospitality suite at a con, where all members of the con are welcome to sit and relax, talk with other fans, and enjoy refreshments.
• Contact - The first exposure of a person to fandom.
• Convention - A gathering of fans and pros for business and social reasons. Conventions (cons for short) began in the late 1930s with meetings of SF fans, many of whom were would-be writers and editors. Today there are cons for just about every hobby activity. The biggest con in SF is the Worldcon.
• Convention Awards – See Worldcon Special Convention Awards.
• Convention committee – The group of people responsible for organizing and running a convention. Responsibilities include arranging for site, registration, programming, art show, dealers’ room, etc.
• Convention fan – The fan who appears only a few days a year at some convention. See Fringe fan.
• Conrep - Short for Convention Report.
• Conspiracy ’87 – The 1987 Worldcon, held in Brighton, England. Doris Lessing (UK), Alfred Bester (US), Arkadi & Boris Strugatsky (USSR) were Guests of Honor; Jim Burns was fan GoH; Ray Harryhausen was film GoH; Joyce & Ken Slater were fan Guests of Honor; Dave Langford was Special Fan GoH; Brian Aldiss was toastmaster; Malcom Edwards was Con Chair.
• ConStellation - The 1983 Worldcon, held in Baltimore, Maryland. John Brunner was GoH; David A. Kyle was fan GoH; Jack L. Chalker was toastmaster; Michael Walsh was Con Chair.
• Conzine - A fanzine published for a convention, often a daily newsletter with updated information for con attendees.
• Corefandom - See Trufandom.
• Corflu - Correction fluid, used when correcting typed stencils. Also, the name of the first annual convention for the editors/publishers of fanzines. See Ditto.
• Cosmen - Members of the Cosmic Circle, a 1940s organization of one-time BNF Claude Degler. See Cosmic Circle.
• Cosmic Circle – In theory, a union of all persons everywhere who had a cosmic outlook, established by BNF Claude Degler in 1943. See Cosmen.
• Cosmology - See The Comet.
• Courtney’s Boat – The subject of a fannish catch phrase, based upon a real incident in 1879 in which a boat owned by a man named Courtney was sabotaged before a race.
• Cover/covers – The upper cover is the front of a book, the lower is the back side of the binding. Upper and lower are preferable terms, as opposed to back because of the possible confusion of this term with the spine of a book.
• Cover art – The artwork on the dust jacket of a book or on the cover of a paperback book, a prozine, or a fanzine.
• Cover-Copper – The story in a prozine that is illustrated on the cover.
• Cowbird - A fanzine that “rides on the back” of another fanzine (i.e., the flip side).
• Cowboy hat - Fannish device for covering bald spots.
• CP/Cp/cp – Short for Ceased Publication.
• Crawford Award – See William Crawford Award.
• Crawford, William – See William Crawford Award.
• Credit - In an APA, the number of pages needed to fulfill activity requirements.
• Credits - The name many SF authors use in place of “dollars” in stories set in the future.
• Crifanac - Abbreviation for Critical Fan Activity and used with varying degrees of sarcasm, depending upon the perceived worth of the activity being described.
• Croggle - Amazement or awe. Also used as a verb (i.e., croggled).
• Croggled - See Croggle.
• Cross Over/Crossover – The appearance of one character in the book/prozine/fanzine of another character.
• Crud - A derogatory term denoting something of very poor product, especially when applied to fanzines (crudzines).
• Crudzine/crud-zine – A fanzine of very poor quality.
• Cry of the Nameless – The – Hugo-winning fanzine (1959/Amateur Publication), edited by G. M. Carr, F. M. Busby, Richard Frahm, and others. One of the club publications of The Nameless Ones, a SF club in Seattle, Washington.
• Ct/ct – Short for comment to.
• Ctrspd – Abbreviation for centerspread.
• CUFF - Canadian Unity Fan Fund.
• Cult, The – An unusual APA in which 13 members took part through the publication of an official organ, The Fantasy Rotator, by each member in turn.
• Cut - To type a stencil.
• Cvls/cvls – Dealer’s abbreviation for coverless, as in a prozine or comic book being sold without a cover.
• CVR/Cvr/cvr – Abbreviations for the cover of a book or magazine.

And in case you are one of the 15 people who missed it, here is the original, “Shoes” by Kelly.

You now have your very own podcast about SF in your preferred language.

Called Utopod, creators Lucas Moreno and and Marc Tiefenauer offer new episodes every few weeks which feature readings from science fiction and fantasy literature as well as other accouterments.

(via open culture)

Hollywood Fest Honors Genre Flicks: Cinemateque kicks of 6th annual SF/F/H film fest.

NY Ground Zeroed: Two new genre films have NYC in their destructive cross hairs.

China Fansite Moves: The defunct The Chinese Science Fiction and Fantasy has a new home at Twelve Hours Later.