Snow on the Moon
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Snow On The Moon |
| Publisher: | T'Kuhtian Press |
| Editor(s): | Lori Chapek-Carleton |
| Date(s): | very late 1978 |
| Series?: | yes |
| Medium: | fanzine, print |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Original Fiction |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Snow On The Moon is an 188-page gen anthology fanzine collecting Klysadel Universe stories and articles, some previously published in other fanzines, into one volume. The content is all by Anji Valenza, and some issues included a 11" x 17" pull-out poster.
About
From a 1987 catalog:
SNOW ON THE MOON is an anthology of the Klysadel Universe, entirely created, written, and illustrated by Fa Shimbo, nee Anji Valenza.
The science-fiction showcase of Fa's universe includes seven never-before-published stories, a huge fold-out poster of many of the main characters, a glossary, and a Klysadel time-line. If you enjoy outstanding science fiction, like cats and dolphins, and can assimilate stories that range from stark drama to endearing (and wacky) humor, you owe it to yourself to buy this 'zine. Be the first one on your block to read all the naughty stones people only used to whisper about Thobo Telecom, android extraordinary!
Some Stories Were Previously Published
- The River (first appeared in Probe #5 Revised) (1977) Mpingo Press
- Teach Your Children Well (first appeared in Mind Sifter #1, #2) (1975, 1976) Catherine Keegan
- Days Surrounding Meldnight (first appeared in Probe #10) (1977) Mpingo Press
- Gohirsid Jon (first appeared in Warped Space #29) (1977) T'Kuhtian Press
- Voices on the Wind (first appeared in Warped Space #35/36, #38, #9) (1978) T'Kuhtian Press
Contents of the Zine
- Editor's Preface (iv)
- Foreword (v)
- Teach Your Children Well, fiction (1)
- Language and World View: Kwakyen & The Kheveh Outlook, article (7)
- What Power Fears, fiction (11)
- So What's a Satamuri?, article (27)
- The Embrios Cathedral, fiction (31)
- And What's a Shauneh?, article (35)
- Welcome to Wargentin, article (37)
- A Landing at Wargentin, fiction (41)
- Feh!, fiction (53)
- Slightly Naughty Stories About Thobo Telecom, vignettes (56)
- Snow on the Moon, fiction (59)
- The Wonderful Wargentin Werewolves, fiction (91)
- Little Brother, fiction (95)
- Voices on the Wind, fiction (115)
- SQRSHO, what it is and how to make one, includes patterns for a "Febenaqet t-shirt" (141)
- Kechefu Muaohaho's Song: What Power Fears, original music (referred to as "Raugk's Ballad" in the table of contents) (143)
- Welcome to the Sun, original music (147)
- Gohirsid Jon, fiction (151)
- a Klysadel Trivia Quiz (167)
- The Days Surrounding Meldnight, fiction (169)
- Timeline & Technicals, includes a glossary (185)
The Editor's Preface: Lori Chapek-Carleton
This page arrived in the mail with the non-repro blue pencil notation: "Lori! Fill in." So, I've got a page to say whatever I want to about Anji, about this collection, and about Anji's series in general. Heh-heh.
First, although this isn't the most vital part, you will probably note that there are at least three different type-styles (and probably more) in this collection. Anji typed and did the lay-out of this collection, for which I'll be forever grateful -- it's probably the main reason this collection is coming out now, instead of months from now. You all know how backed up I am ... Anyway, the messy, scribbled, hand-written corrections scattered over these pages are my responsibility. If you'll look at them, you'll know why I type my letters, instead of writing them. I hope the type, and corrections are readable — if not, let Anji and me know, and we'll see what we can do improve the legibility of future projects.
This collection had its beginnings, I suppose, about two years ago when I started hearing rumors that Anji Valenza was gafiating. Though I didn't know her at the time, I had long admired her work in the esoteric New York- area 'zines (you see, I have this theory that the New York-area 'zines are very different from 'zines found elsewhere. Look at THE MONKEY OF THE INK POT, TETRUMBRIANT, and PROBE, especially those of a few years back, to see what I mean. They were nearly my first exposure to fanzines, which I started buying as soon as I hit the convention circuit), and the thought of not being able to read and look at any more of Anji's work drove me to distraction. Being more than usually full of chutzpah one day, I wrote Anji (which whom I'd never corresponded or met) a letter
askingbegging her to consider sending WARPED SPACE some material. "Voices On The Wind" arrived almost by return mail, in bound xeroxed form, complete with a score of color xeroxed illustrations. I was speechless, but not for long. I only regret that we could not print those glorious illustrations in color, but maybe someday...Anji also sent me "Gohirsid Jon" at a later date, and I decided to run it first [in Warped Space], as it would more or less introduce the readers to several of the Klysadel's main characters. Despite this, many people complained that while they enjoyed Anji's stories (and loved her artwork), they still found the series difficult to understand.
A gleam appeared in my eyes. "What if ... ?" (Actually, I think Anji may have had the idea floating around in her head for a while. In any case, I volunteered to sponsor a collection of Klysadel stories, and you hold it in your hand).
If you're anything like me, you want to read it all. If you like this collection, write in and let us know so. You can address letters-of-comment to either me or to Anji, or to both of us, since Anji has provided her address on a separate page. T'Kuhtian Press's address appears on the front cover. Let us know if you want to read further collections of the Klysadel.
Anji claims to have other stories written, in the process of being written, plotted out, and/or in the process of being revised. Most of her earlier published material is now out of print, and this is the first Klysadel collection ever. If response is favorable, it won't be the last.
Maybe the next project will be THE ASYMMETRICAL STAR?
The Author's Foreword: Anji Valenza
It was the crystal city that did it, actually; but I'd been drawn to science fiction since ... well, I can't remember when. My earliest pleasant memories include, in the main, scraps of Planet Patrol. Fireball XL6 and Superman; movies like Destination Moon, Angry Red Planet and The Day the Earth Stood Still (let me -date myself for you; I was bom in 1953, Year of the Dragon. Aquarius.) I moved from television to comic books as soon as my mother decided I had enough sense not to eat the latter. Comic books were my undoing; by the time I was four I had established myself as the family hermit, sitting for hours at my hallway desk, drawing comics of my own. But I never took any of this seriously.
That is, until I saw the crystal city, I was on,the verge of knowing how to read. My mother was reading this particular comic book aloud to me, translating whatever words I didn't understand. It was an issue either of Superman or Action. Superman was fighting Brainiac; I don't remember the plot. But somewhere within the book there were two "frames, one of which I remember quite distinctly, which depicted this crystal city, the capital, I guess, of some alien world. That city was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
I treasured that issue to death. And from that moment on, I was writing my comic strips in dead earnest. From that moment on, the future of my fantasy life was set. And now, almost a score of years after that initial shock, I have a crystal city of my own, peopled by characters some of whom are relics of old imaginary playmates. This is the Klysadel and its people, the Kheveh.
I sat down at my desk that fateful day, back when I was but five or six, and began designing my own world, from scratch, I thought at the time. Now I can see more clearly all the old in fluences that shaped it then. And the newer ones which have all helped to shape it now; years of college, fans, fanzines, conventions, movies from Robinson Crusoe on Mars to Stars Wars... everything from 8th Man to Asimov, and, of course, the comic books to which I am still loyal. It was not until last year, in 1977, when I could finally say that at last the structures of the Klysadel were in every way as. I wanted them to be.
As for you, the reader, I can only assume you like it as well, or else you'd not be spending good money on this thing. And although the universe itself is what I wan't it to be, my actual writing, of course, leaves much to be desired. There are stories in here which were embarassing to type up; but they were all well received when they were published, so I have tried not to alter them too much.
So here, then, is the Klysadel thus far. Along with the actual stories are included background material from the eight or is it nine now? — volumes of background material here in my apt. Even though I can't write music, I've included some of the music found in the stories, as well as other diabolical tidbits which might alleviate the most common complaint about the Klysadel series, that it's difficult to follow for those with only a one-or-two story background.
I hope after you read this that you all will feel that you've gotten what you've paid for. Between outings I am always open to suggestions and ideas; but don't try to get in touch with me dur ing the outings. During my outings I haunt comic-book stores and hucksters rooms of comicons, searching through the boxes for a certain magazine, which I'll recognize on sight, and for which I'd be willing to pay almost any reasonable price. Just for the chance to see if that original crystal city is still the most beautiful thing in the universe.
Author's Comments About What Is, and Isn't In This Zine
I hope everyone realizes that this book is an anthology of Klysadel stories, and not a collection of all the stories I have written. I have been informed to the effect that this may not be the case.
I chose these particular stories for this volume on two bases: Were they, in my opinion, decent literature? (I say decent because there are things I've written and hated which others have told me are the best work I've ever put out.) This excluded, as Sturgeon's Law predicts, about ninety percent of everything I'd had published to date, and about half of everything in the unfinished piles. Having thusly narrowed down my available choices, I asked, were the stories part of the timeline that I had at long last established for the Klysadel, and part of the history as I wished it to be? All the stuff in the piles then fit, but only about a tenth of what had otherwise been published. One story, to be exact, which had not been in WS, did fit into what I wanted. All the stuff which I wrote when I was tirading against the "Prime Directive" and those who "fought to uphold it" — that is, the ST related stuff I'd written, was out.
[snipped, see "Star Trek Content Was Tossed Out"]
There is one story which should be in here but which, I discovered when preparing it for publication, would have been as long or longer than this volume itself, and that is TEI DAMNINEN. TD was published in Tettrumbriant as a short visual. It was chopped and mangled to death, for the original was done in comic strip form. It was three hundred pages long — that's about two-thousand frames. I was putting it into novelization form, and realizing that a picture worth a thousand words, at the very least.... But I wish it were in here, because it covers a lot of ground in how Thobo and Fara became such good buddies.
Star Trek Content Was Tossed Out
In the zine, the author explains her connection to Star Trek fandom and how it was a planned hook to get readers:
All the stuff which I wrote when I was tirading against the "Prime Directive" and those who "fought to uphold it" — that is, the ST related stuff I'd written, was out.
I no longer want even to remember that I once inserted ST characters into my universe, even though doing this was what made my stuff "salable" to the only people who seemed interested in it at the time, the trekfolk. Not that I'm not grateful that they published it at all; no sir, for unless they did I'd have no reason to be writing this now, for there'd be no anthology; sf fandom does not have an outlet for a new writer who writes long stories. But unfortunately, many people now think I'm an ST writer— PLEEEZ, this is not the case. I was trying to get your attention, folks, and now that I have, he he he, well, welcone to the world of sf for some of you out there, and I have accomplished that which I set out to do.
Sample Interior
detail from a page
clothes pattern
original music
detail from a page
detail from a page
Reactions and Reviews
[The Days Surrounding Meldnight]: I started to say that Anji scarcely showed her talents in the illos for "Death of a Vulcan", when I looked at "Days Surrounding Meldnight". She does put a bit more into her own stories. But then she can visualize the characters better. Even there, though, she goes a bit overboard, a la page 97, and you start wishing she would do something that...striking more often. [1]
[Voices on the Wind]: I flatly refused to read this story [in Warped Space] after reading the introduction. It is so involved and convoluted that I felt like I was reading another language, indeed, Anji even redefines the use of pronouns in her story. Look people, if I wanted to learn another language, I would take up French or something practical. Creating alternate universes may be fun, but don't get so carried away that your readers need to spend a lifetime buried in some abbey somewhere before they can amass enough knowledge to read your work... Kraith is a good example because it is so familiar... Even so, Kraith does get a little too over-involved in made up words... [2]
[zine]: Welcome to Anji's mind. 'Snow' is a ringside seat on the Valenza a corpus callosum, pictures and worlds flashing between the brain's bicamerae before your very eyes, ladies and gentlemen; each zip of information intricately fascinating, but alas, such a tiny part of something so big it can't even be grasped all at once. I have been reading /watching the Klysadelian antics for years now, even longer than Lori who published this, and I still don't understand what's going on, or does it seem that anyone is suppose to, save Anji herself. It is, after all, sahn's mind. But it's rewarding to try. This is comic book science fiction (mention is made of 'southpole magnets' as if they were monopoles, and 'square parsecs of space'), not Star Trek, nor any medium-fandom; but as science fiction, may compelling characters populate it, like Thobo Telecom, Fara MaKi, the dolphins, the gohirlsid, the Kheet, and 3/8 of the most Jewish of New York's fandom in disguise, all Heinleinesque supermen who don't give a damn about any man who don't give a damn about us. Try it. A little goes a long way, you know, but it may hook you before you know it. [3]