illing itself as the largest Blake's 7 site on the Web, this fan page is a terrific source of late-breaking news on B7 events, actors and fandom. With everything from television listings that help would-be viewers find the show to Lego renderings of scenes from the 1978 BBC program, this
page is well organized, comprehensive and extremely good-humored.
The site includes a "Sevencyclopaedia" filled with facts and figures on the show. It also has a large archive of fan fiction, statistics on which characters killed the most people and screen shots containing major kissing moments from the program. On a more serious note, convention listings, fan club contact information and mailing lists are all provided to help fans get together.
There's more: connections to B7-related merchandise, such as books, audio tapes and CDs (including a multi-part Doctor Who recording which features actor Gareth Thomas), make it easy to purchase collectibles. And for those seeking unofficial tie-ins, Blake's 7 is a gateway to a database containing an exhaustive number of 'zines.
Finally, for those who come away from this information-rich site without having sated their curiosity, Blake's 7 has an up-to-date and well-annotated list of links to other Web shrines to the program.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—January 28, 2002
he next World Science Fiction Convention may be a good eight months away, but hotel bookings could open in as little as three weeks! This is just one of an array of useful Worldcon-related facts available on the official page of this mammoth convention, set to proceed on Aug. 29th in San Jose, Calif.
Worldcon pages have been evolving since the mid-'90s, and this is one of the most complete, prettily designed, and user-friendly, with information on everything from acquiring a convention membership to
biographies of its guests of honor—Vernor Vinge, David Cherry, Bjo and John Trimble and Tad Williams. As in previous years, the con's progress reports are available for download in PDF format, and data is available for those interested in renting space in the dealer's room or art show.
The Conjose page is undergoing constant revision, with new postings in subsections dealing with child care, special needs guests, sites of interest about San Jose and much more. As of yet there is nothing specific available about programming, but visitors can fill out a questionnaire about what they would like to see. As a result, Web surfers interested in attending the convention should consider this the first—perhaps the only—stop on the information-gathering trail.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—January 22, 2002
ublisher web addresses, scam warnings and advice on everything from submission no-no's to how to get an agent are all readily available at Preditors and Editors, a Web page that bills itself as "a guide to publishers and publishing services for serious writers."
Packed with stellar content, this is one of those pages that doles out large helpings of useful information and then sends visitors on to find even more. It's crammed with basic tips for writers, composers and artists, and the true backbone of this outstanding site is its exhaustive library of publishing-related links. Convention listings, writers' organizations, promotional services and much more are spotlighted here, along with comments about the status of the link, the usefulness of the service, and any writer complaints that may have been made about a company, market or organization.
Another endlessly helpful aspect of this site is its list of definitions, which include publishing contract terms and esoterica like the meanings of various industry acronyms. The page also runs an annual readers' poll which rates works published in the previous year, and an under-used listing of author signings.
Finally, Preditors and Editors makes an effort to recognize other Web pages that further the goals of aspiring authors, screenwriters and artists, including the Truly Useful Site Award and "sites of excellence" for artists and composers. By maintaining links to the selections, these awards highlight the best of the best, creating a top-notch selection of author-friendly information and places of interest.
— A.M. Dellamonica
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