Apocalypse avoided

[jhetley]

For those of you who care (a small statistical universe, I'm sure), the SFWA membership has elected the following officers for the coming Silly Season:
President: Russell Davis
VP: Elizabeth Moon
Secretary: Mary Robinette Kowal
Treasurer: Amy Casil
Eastern Regional: Bud Sparhawk
Overseas Regional Director: Ian Whates

(Copied from the SFWA Live Journal post -- any misspellings came along for the ride...)

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

From your title, I'm guessing you at least don't feel bad about this. Yes? I know John Scalzi also seems to think this is a good working group.

I confess the only one of them whose work I've read is Moon.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I had intended the title as a reference to some of the pre-vote discussions about other candidates.

As far as the people involved go, I know next to nothing about most of them. My imputed regional representative, for example -- I don't think I have ever seen any fiction by Bud Sparhawk.

[asterling.livejournal.com]

It's truly not my fault you don't "know who I am."

If all you do is get your info via internet self-promoters then here's some promotion.

http://asterling.typepad.com/incipit_vita_nova/perfect-stranger-2006.html

I've published three novels, one short fiction collection and I am on my 20th nonfiction book. Approximately 50 short stories. In 2003 or so I began to "work for hire" for money for my family and have done media tie in books and have worked some on film and TV as well as for McGraw-Hill and Bedford St. Martins (textbook writing).

I don't know who either of YOU are. Bud Sparhawk fairly often writes for Analog.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Amy, you shouldn't get all hot and bothered that I say I don't know you. I know maybe five SFWA members, total. That's one side-effect of living in the backwoods of Maine. From what I've seen in SFWA discussion on-line, I'm not sure I _want_ to know some members better. The sharp tone of your response fits that profile, perhaps more than you intended.

I know the _work_ of many members, of course, but the work is not the writer. I also read the platforms that each candidate put out for the election, but I've learned to take those as I take the same material from any politician.

[asterling.livejournal.com]

Jim, I'm a fried twinkie compared to numerous others.

Please accept my apology for getting snippy. There'd be no way for you to know the tremendous number of snarky comments out there and I'm very sorry to have lost my temper.

As far as if you thought I was mean to Andrew, for example - this is where I was coming from. I had been asked several times to be the treasurer and said "no" because I was too busy and apathetic. Then I realized that a lot of "messes" had occurred because I hadn't stepped forward.

I see a very different response from Andrew now and I do feel badly that he seems to have been hurt in this situation.

As far as this being political - that is not where I would be coming from, for sure. Even the other day, a former SFWA member was pointing up he'd been Secretary and VP some years ago. He was laughing at what I'd signed myself up for.

I think due to apathy and lack of direction, I guess, there were just fewer and fewer people willing to step up and do various jobs. That situation caused a large amount of work to fall upon volunteers like Andrew. This eventually led to the bad situations that occurred.

So I am one person and I can only do the work I signed up to do. It's definitely my understanding that the other three officers each have a good idea of their jobs and are committed to do them. It's my job to support them and give them the financial information they need. We have a lot of work to do.

As far as "knowing" or "not knowing" or being political or not-political - one aspect of experience I do bring to the table is the reincorporation process and the by-laws work. I have been on that committee for about 18 months now, and our work must be finalized before the end of June - because I can't be treasurer and do that too (conflict of interest).

Anyway, snippiness was more about that I had earlier declined to run for office because I didn't think I was an experienced enough writer. I am on deadline for a book right now and in the beginning stages of another very exciting, upbeat project -- It did bother me to see people dominating the conversation who simply weren't working. I also ascribe to Elizabeth Moon's idea that the full-time working writers really need to take the lead. The rest of us need to listen carefully to them and respond and learn.

That is where I am coming from. I may not be the best qualified person, but I can do the financial work and set up a real accounting system, and I am not a barely-published, inexperienced writer.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I posted some rude comments about Dr. Burt myself, mainly stating the obvious -- careless action in the Doctorow affair. But other comments (and commenters) seemed to be based in long and acrimonious prehistory...

Knowing or not knowing -- you had no reason to include Bill in your blanket comments above. "I don't know who either of YOU are." Bill is a long-time internet friend of mine, but has no connection with SFWA or publishing except as a reader.

And God (god-of-your-choice) knows I _hope_ somebody in the reincorporation process has a clue. Some other members don't appear to.

[asterling.livejournal.com]

To Bill: I'm sorry!!! Both of you take care - I guess it would be easy to see me as an egotistical dope.

I could be! I'm awfully sorry for getting snippy and uppity.

The Reincorporation committee is me, Djonn Bunnell, and Charlie Petit, the attorney. I am able to help with this due to my on-again, off-again career as a nonprofit executive.