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Newsgroups: mn.sf,mn.general,rec.arts.sf.misc,news.answers
Subject: mn.sf (Minnesota SF) FAQ
Followup-To: mn.sf
Organization: Vector, Mpls, MN
Sender: [e-mail]
Approved: [e-mail]
Expires: 26 March 1998
Summary:  Info on Minnesota (and nearby) sf resources.

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: sf/minnesota-faq
Last-modified: 1997/11/26
Version: 3.0

From: [e-mail] (Dan Goodman)
Lines: 194
Message-ID: <MmsJ.157$[e-mail]>
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 05:42:04 GMT
NNTP-Posting-Host: bambi.visi.com
NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 23:42:04 CST
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.arts.sf.misc:23723 news.answers:124200

'Add the following to your FAQ.

'For: First Minnesota:
"Meets Fridays 7pm-2am at The Source, NW corner of Snelling &
Larpenteur."

'Also add:

'18XX railroad gaming and Settlers of Catan: Mike Schneider,
612-529-7168.

'And don't forget mention of Red Dragon Hobby, on Lake Street.'

mn.sf Asked Questions

1.  How do I find gaming gatherings?

****SOME MINNESOTA GAMING GROUPS, ASSOCIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS****

Fantasy Role Playing Gamers Association
FRPGA is a student gaming organization at the University of Minnesota
For info try Jim Felling at [phone] or write c/o Dave Rust,
1826 North Alameda Street. Roseville, MN 55113

First Minnesota Historical War Gaming Society
Specializes in historical war gaming and multiplayer board gaming
For info contact Source Comics and Games [phone]

Gamesday Players
Board and card gaming almost every Friday evening
For info contact Richard tatge at [phone]

Lords of Chaos
Roleplaying emphasis on AD&D
For info contact John at [phone]

Midwest Area Gaming Enthusiasts
MAGE covers all aspects of gaming.
For info contact David Glewwe at [phone], or 2802 360th Street,
Rockvalley IA 51247

Nepenthe
Writes, produces, plays and promotes live action gaming in the Twin
Cities
For info contact Maurice 'Skip' Manton at [phone] or Penny
Robinson at [phone]

St. Paul Area Road Knights
SPARK is a Car Wars club.  Affiliated with the AADA.
For info contact Brian Strassman at [phone]

Role-Playing Special Interest Group
RPSIG is a loosely connected umbrella of gaming clubs focused on
promoting the hobby of gaming, educating the community on role-playing
and teaching members how to role-play.
For info contact

Twin Cities    Becky Teed           [phone]
Winona         Karl Unnasch         [phone]
Mankato        Dena Connort-Millard [phone]
River Falls    Charles Hahr         [phone]

Twin Ports Gamers Guild
for info contact Jason Winter at [phone]

Southern Minnesota Gaming Society
SMGS does gaming, role-playing, board games and historical simulations,
and meets in Savage, MN
For info contact Todd (612) 895--1744, or Mike or Angie at
[phone]

Twin Cities Area Historical Miniatures Group
Military history and historical miniatures.
For info contact the Source [phone]

University of Minnesota Gaming Society.
for info contact same as Fantasy Role Playing Gamers Association (above)

Gaming BBSes:
Fire Opal            [phone]
Science Fiction BBS  [phone]
Greylien             [phone]

Gaming list provided by Michelle Bottorff
Compiled Mar '97 **Some information may be out of date** Please send
updates, corrections, additions and meeting times to
[e-mail]

2.  Is this an appropriate place to ask about a puzzling line in
Eleanor Arnason's _Ring of Swords_?  (Approximately:  biters of rats
and poisoners of socks).

Mon, 29 Sep 97
David Lenander <[e-mail]>
Re: mn.sf (Minnesota SF) FAQ

'Actually, I THINK Eleanor has an e-mail address (unless it's lapsed
in the past couple of months)....  I have an Eleanor Arnason page,

'http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/m391/d-lena/Eleanor%20%26%20trog.html

'and you could direct this question to me for asking her.  As it
happens, I have asked this question, as someone asked it of me a while
back.  It's a reference to CIA plans that became public in the 70s to
try to assassinate Fidel Castro with poisoned socks.  The other
reference is to G. Gordon Liddy (I think) who was deathly afraid of
rats.  In some autobiography, he recounts how, in order to overcome
this fear, he made himself eat a rat.  Unfortunately, these references
were not as widely-known as Eleanor thought, and she regrets that she
put them into the book in a fashion that confuses people--many readers
seem to think they're missing another of the garblings of common
American aphorisms, which is something that occurs frequently in this
book.'

2. Are there any formal or informal groups which get together to Watch
Babylon 5?

3.  What sf organizations, stores, etc. are there outside the Twin
Cities, in Minnesota and nearby parts of other states and provinces?
(Fargo and Thunder Bay, for example.)

4.  How does a newcomer get in touch with Star Trek groups in
Minnesota?

email Joan Verba at [e-mail] for information.

5.  Is there an organized Babylon 5 fandom in this area?

The Minnesota sf community/communities

Note that "Minnesota SF community" is larger than "Minnesota fandom"
or "Minnesota fandoms".  It includes, for example, people who
regularly buy sf at specialty bookstores.  It's also larger than
Minnesota.

I know there are groups, stores. etc. not mentioned here.  Some will
be, if you (or someone) send me the information.  Some won't be -- I
don't see any purpose in listing an invitational writing group, for
example.

Additions and corrections from people in Minnesota (and adjacent
states and provinces) are welcome.  If you _thoroughly_ disagree with
what I say here, it's probably easier to write and post a competing
guide than to change my mind.

Written SF

Central Club:  Mnstf (aka Minn-StF, etc.) is less central than it used
to be.  But it's where you go for information by phone [phone]),
mail (EINBLATT) or web (www.mnstf.org); and it runs Minicon, the
largest local mostly-written-sf convention.  Mnstf meets the first and
third Saturday of every month (usually); usually in someone's home,
usually starting at 2:30 pm.  There is no programming.

Rivendell is the University of Minnesota Mythopoeic Society group.
Usually meets once a month for discussion focusing on one fantasy
book.  During the school year, usually meets at Coffman Union; in the
summer, meets at people's homes.
David Lenander.  Internet: [e-mail] home: [phone]
work: 626-3375 Rivendell Group web-page:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/m391/d-lena/RIVENDELL.html

North Country Gaylaxians is for gay, bisexual, etc. sf fans.  They
have good taste in restaurants.

Second Foundation meets about every six weeks to discuss one science
fiction author's works.  Call Eric Heideman, [phone].

Bookstores

Uncle Hugo's has a very good stock, both new and used.  The new books
include some British paperbacks.  Note:  For most Post-Apocalypse
novels, you'll need to visit the siamese-nonidentical-twin Uncle
Edgar's Mystery Bookstore.  [e-mail].

Dreamhaven also has a very good stock.  Dreamhaven has magazines and
books Uncle Hugo's doesn't and vice versa.  The main store on Lake
Street could be considered two stores:  one for sf and one for popular
culture.  The Dinkytown store is, I understand, mostly comix now.
[e-mail].

Visual sf

For Star Trek groups, see Joan Verba, above.

Writing

Minnesota Imaginative Fiction Writers Alliance (MIFWA) meets quarterly
to discuss writing.  If you're looking for a writing group, or your
writing group is looking for new members, this is a good place to
start.  Call Eric Heideman, [phone].

The Worldbuilding Society meets monthly to discuss worldbuilding --
that is, the background for sf and fantasy.  For further information,
email [e-mail] or call [phone].

Open writing groups:  Are there any?

--
Dan Goodman
[e-mail]
http://www.visi.com/~dsgood/index.html
Whatever you wish for me, may you have twice as much.