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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

• Sci-Fi Scanner shows us the luckiest kid I know! Apparently this young brit got a TARDIS for Christmas.
• The new Dr. McCoy speaks in a TV Guide Interview.
• and last but not least, Quasar Dragon has some Christmas goodies for sci-fi lovers.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Are you the fan of a particularly obscure science fiction or fantasy book, movie or television show?  Or perhaps the fan of something well-known that just doesn’t have an active fan community.  If so, and you enjoy fanfiction, you may want to check out this year’s Yuletide, a fanfiction exchange held every Christmas especially focused on these obscure fandoms.  While not limited to SFF only, it does include a lot of great content for SFF fandoms that don’t tend to have a lot of writers.  The archive will open shortly after midnight on Christmas day.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Readercon is unique amongst sci-fi and fantasy conventions because it focuses exclusively on literature.  While fairly small by most conference stanards (500 attendees or less), it’s a beloved event because it provides an intimiate forum for book geeks and SFF writers to commune.  The conference has been growing, and last year even included Thursday night programing for the first time.  The decision as to whether that will continue will be made in the new year, but SFF book lovers may want to register now while the cost remains $40.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Among other things, sci-fi has always been the literature and entertainment of otherness, which is why events like Gaylaxicon make so much sense.  2008 is the 20th anniversary of this GBLT sci-fi con, with guests of honor Geoff Ryman and Alicia Austin.  On January 1, registration rates go up to $65 per person, so those planning to attend the October event may want to register now.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Speaking of places to be in 2008, Wiscon 32, which doesn’t take place until teh end of May, has already sold out its hotel rooms for the four day event.  While space can still be found in overflow hotels, those planning to attend the feminist sci-fi con featuring Guests of Honor Maureen McHugh and L. Timmel Duchamp, may want to register early, as membership is capped at 1,000.   Those interested in being program participants should know that programing suggestions close on January 31.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

I’ve talked a lot about some of the other Harry Potter conferences coming up in 2008, but haven’t yet had an excuse to mention Terminus 2008, which will be taking place in Chicago in August.  I attended Narrate’s 2007 conference, Phoenix Rising, in New Orleans this past summer and had an absolute blast, and am already registered for Terminus (I hope to be presenting as well, but won’t know for some time).  This year’s event includes an all day Wizard Rock concert, a night devoted to fan art and writing, trivia challenges and lots of academic and creative programming.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Since we’re on the subject of erotic novels with sacriligous angel mythology (*waves to the AFA*), if you haven’t read The Vintner’s Luck, run, don’t walk to find yourself a copy of this unfortunately out of print novel.  I’ve probably never read more beautiful prose than Elizabeth Knox’s in this book which is by turns a murder mystery, a love story and a medtitation on mortality.  Rumors have circulated for the last year or so that it’s going to be made into a movie by the team that did Whale Rider, a notion which makes somewhat more sense if you know Knox is a New Zealander.  Speculation as to who will play Xas, the angel who is clearly male in form at the center of the novel, have included Gaspard Ulliel and Keisha Castle-Hughes (whose ability to play masculine androgyny I’m more than a little doubtful of.  Give me Tilda Swinton as the angel Gabriel in Constantine any day).

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Last night was the Winter soltice, which is the longest night of the year. Some of my friends do their holiday gift-giving then for various reasons, including a determination a few of us have to cycle through as many fictional winter gift-giving holidays as we can. Which brings us to Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart and its Longest Night. Kushiel’s Dart is one of those books I resisted reading for ages — it just looked so trashy and not in a particularly good way. Well, it’s entirely trashy, but it’s also surprisingly great, with a fabulous mythology, lots of war and politics, some creepy supernatural elements and several surprisingly well-drawn and complex characters (some of whom you may not want to get too attached to — there are a lot of deaths). If you haven’t read it yet, this may be the break from the holiday family madness you need. And FYI, Carey will be the Guest of Honor at Lunacon 2008.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

A very interesting documentary about the little known disease “Metalosis Maligna”. There is currently no cure, but in this holiday season we at Illusion urge everyone to take some time out from holiday shopping and family get-togethers to ponder the plight of those less fortunate.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

For all those Red Dwarf fans that, like me, never thought we’d be seeing another episode of Red Dwarf again, Red Dwarf is back, this time on your mobile phone. These animated mobisodes feature the return of all your favourite characters, including Rimmer, Cat, Lister and Kryton. And for those of us that aren’t able to get these mobisodes which are currently in the UK and only certain other markets, check out YouTube for clips

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

^{The first straight to DVD Stargate movie will be released on March 11th 2008. This movie will wrap up the Ori story as well as follow on from SG1’s final episode. I say everybody jump onto Amazon and pre-order it. Make those people at the SciFi Channel sorry that they decided to cancel the longest running science fiction series ever, in favour of shows like Flash Gordon.}

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

In addition to the cancellation of The 4400, according to Ausiello at TV Guide, the USA network has also given Dead Zone the axe. Does the USA network have any other genre shows or have they just gotten rid of all of them altogether? As with The 4400, I have to wonder how much the writers strike had to do with this cancellation. It’s just a shame that they weren’t able to do a proper finale.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

^{According to scifi.com, 4400 creator Scott Peters has confirmed news of the show’s cancellation, after a long campaign by fans to bring back the show. The final episode of The 4400 aired on September 16th of this year. I have to wonder if this isn’t the sign of some fallout with the WGA strike. Certainly, the show was already going to be cancelled, but perhaps with the writers strike in full swing and with no signs of letting up, the USA Network simply decided it was easier to cancel the show and replace it with yet another reality show. Either way, it’s most definitely a shame.}

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Scifi.com reports that Catherine Tate who plays Doctor Who’s latest companion Donna, last seen in the last Christmas special episode has let slip that season four may be David Tennant’s last season. The BBC hasn’t commented on this yet. I’m not sure how much credence to give to this rumour right now. It’s already been well publicized that aside from a few movie length Doctor Who episodes, season 5 would be delayed anyway so that Tennant could do theatre. However, if it is true, it really would be a shame. As much as I loved Eccleston for the one season he did, I can’t believe how much energy Tennant has given the latest incarnation of the doctor.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Not exactly hot off the presses, but some very cool images from the upcoming Ghostbusters video game from Vivendi.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Actually, make that anti-fanfiction bingo.  Thanks to the recent formation of the Organization for Transformative Works which is focused on the preservation and study of fan culture and works, a bunch of bloggers and authors are once again up in arms about whether fanfiction is a good thing or a bad thing.  As both a professional and fan writer, you can imagine where I stand.  Most amusing in the current debate?  The Anti-Fanfiction Bingo Card which lists some of the most commonly heard objections to fan writing, art and other work.  Currently, the OTW is soliciting responses to the first row of objections from folks in fandom.  Let them know what you think!

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Doctor Who fans rejoice! Classic Who is returning to American television on Illusion! Beginning with Tomb of the Cybermen Illusion is airing some of the best Who storyline of all time.

The Doctor’s page on our site has gone live with clips, quizzes, pictures and a Doctor Who buying guide. So teleport your TARDIS down in front of the TV and enjoy some classic Doctor. The adventure begins on Illusion!

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

Well, it looks like youtube took down the bootleg footage. Oh well.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

The first six minutes of The Dark Knight has been leaked to the internet and I suggest you all watch it before it gets pulled from youtube.

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Originally published at Better Living Through Science Fiction. Please leave any comments there.

With Peter Jackson back on with New Line executive producing The Hobbit movies, talk of who will best direct it and its sequel has been circulating. While New Line is trying to suggest Jackson may direct and write it, as our JEO noted, Jackson’s manager has voiced how unlikely that would be on account of Jackson’s preexisting obligations to The Lovely Bones and Tintin. Plus Jackson doesn’t want fans to have to wait years for him and his creative partners to get through those projects before tackling The Hobbit movies. It’s seemingly smarter and better for him to executive produce the movies.

So who may direct?

Guillermo del Toro’s name has come up as a possibility. I’d be down with this because I feel del Toro is utterly devoted to any project he helms, so that would be a huge argument in his favor. Just watch him talking on Charlie Rose with his auteur buddies, the glorious Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez. Look at his creative diary! Listen to his buddies talk about him! Listen to his expound on his philosophies! I’m a big believer in passion, but he also has painstaking craftsmanship to back that up.

Entertainment Weekly chats with del Toro about the buzz and whether or not he’d be open to directing The Hobbit films. And, indeed, he’s eager for an offer to be made.

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