(Note: These are excerpts from the original newsletter that was published on this date. The Queen's Own address has been updated. The club's name changed from Queens' Own to Queen's Own in January 1989. The current President of Queen's Own is Herald-Mage Adept Danya Winterborn. For more information, see http://www.dragonlordsnet.com/qo.htm.)
[Begin Excerpt]
Dear Misty fans:
Bright blessings to you all in the new year!
Since the October fan letter, there has been quite a lot of correspondence and several telephone calls in regard to comments about Misty's relationship with THOR Records herein. That company has paid the appropriate licensing fees for the disputed song and the dispute is resolved. Period.
Julie Bowman of Mythical Creations wrote us that your response to our write-up was quite a surprise to her, "I never dreamed I would get the response I have, 11 letters and 2 phone calls in 3 weeks!" And Judith says that those of you who've written her about them have raved about your new Companions. Plus Misty wrote, "It's lovely; it really is--wonderful work and just adorable." They're exclusive to QO members so we're doubly fortunate. Thanks again to Richard for telling us about Julie.
Misty also wrote, "Well the holidays are over and I'm still behind. Sigh. I am amazed at the number of cards I got [from Australia yet!] Please tell everyone that I'm thrilled and just sorry I couldn't respond individually as much as I would have liked to."
And didn't you love OATHBREAKERS!?! We've asked Misty where she got her equine education. It seemed more knowledgeable than one could get just from a library. We'll pass on what we learn. Herewith we're also passing on inquiries Judith has received from many of you asking when we can expect to read again about our friends in Valdemar. We'd like to know, too, and hope our favorite author will offer some encouragement. [How 'bout it, Misty?]
Lucy Synk, whose "The Hunt Thwarted" [based on Misty's song "The Bait", wherein a sorceress turns three hunters into rabbits to protect her golden unicorn] is reproduced here, is offering it and the print "Golden Eyes" [based on the filk song of the same name by Misty] at a discount to members of QO.
Judith has three of Lucy's prints and they are beautiful.
Lucy writes that there are/were only 25 of the 200 limited edition prints of "The Hunt . . . " left. They and "Golden Eyes", a 100 limited edition print, come matted 11 X 14". [Ed. Note 2002: The remainder of the purchase information has been omitted since it is obsolete.] All prints are full color. The originals are oil paintings.
To update you on our inquiries of Jody Lee, cover artist for Misty's books to date, she wrote us that she is ". . . generally very busy illustrating . . . I'll try to get back to you in the Spring."
And now please turn to Page 2, our first, and to the first of the fanmessages!
[Ed. Note 2002: Fan Messages omitted from the online version because of personal information contained therein.]
Patrick Petty wrote us that Misty has a fabulous new story called "Were Hunter" in Andre Norton's new anthology Witchworld I. Judith is furious that she hasn't been able to find it yet. Hope the rest of you have/had better luck. Patrick also sent Judith a super Christmas present, [for which we thank him again,] of computer generated mailing labels of our penpal address list. Others have also sent labels, to Judith's undying gratitude. Our total mailing is now over 150 per month! An equally sincere thanks to those who've sent $$, especially those who had to have it changed to US$ first, like Adam Puche, from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, who asked how QO got started.
Judith and Sally have been book swappers for years. Then came Misty's ARROWS . . . . and Sally wrote her first fan letter. Misty responded. Judith wrote. Misty responded. We liked her book. We liked her. We suggested QO and, perhaps a bit skeptically, Misty gave us the go-ahead. Then DAW gave us their support by putting QO's blurb in the back of Misty's books. And that's how we got to where we are today, [more or less].
Can you help? We have a letter from Terry L. Barnholdt, which was postmarked Erie, PA. Terry included neither his/her address nor a SASE. Initially Judith had forwarded it to Misty. Tony took the bull by the horns and called directory assistance. He got a telephone number and they sent it back with same to your editor. We called the number and were told it had been disconnected or was no longer in service. [Ma Bell's babies won't give out addresses.] We double and triple checked that we had and were dialing the right number. Still no luck. If anyone lives near Erie or has access to an Erie 'phone book and could get us an address, even if Terry's moved the P.O. might forward a letter for us. [Editor's Note: We will go to almost any lengths for a fan!]
Expletive deleted department: On OCTOBER 29, 1988, we sent a [modestly speaking] super letter to the Science Fiction Book Club, using their Garden City, New York, address, urging them to consider Misty as an addition to their list of authors. On JANUARY 5, 1989, we got said letter back, [2+ months later,] envelope torn up and scotch-taped back together, stamped "FORWARD", with "RETURN TO SENDER" and "Mercedes Lackey" [not our name] on it. Did you write them? Did you fare any better? Very frustrating.
Reminder: If you want to see a Misty fanzine, all you talented artists and writers get your material to Richard Corbin [Ed. Note 2002: Out-of-date address withheld.] as soon as possible. We limit our efforts to fanletters, but we'd like to see your work.
Judith Louvis and Sally Paduch
[End Excerpt]
Queen's Own is the official Mercedes Lackey Appreciation Society. Our purpose is to share our enjoyment of Misty's worlds. We are a fan-run not-for-profit organization, not a business. Our address of publication: P.O. Box 749, Laguna Beach, CA 92652 USA. This newsletter is published solely to inform and entertain the club's membership; no infringement of anyone's copyrights is intended.
Newsletters are published on (or near) the first of each month.
Editor/President Herald-Mage Adept Danya Winterborn (L.A. Malcor; AOL-IM SN Shashtah; Legend@malcor.com)
Lucy Synk was the featured artist for this newsletter. If you would like your art to be featured in the online version of the QO newsletter, send .gifs or .jpgs to Legend@malcor.com or hardcopy to Queen's Own, P.O. Box 749, Laguna Beach, CA 92652.
Mercedes Lackey does not receive mail at the Queen's Own address. Fanmail to Mercedes Lackey and releases for fan fiction should be sent to:
Mercedes Lackey
c/o High Flight Arts and Letters
P.O. Box 2970
Claremore, OK 74017
Zhai'helleva,
Herald-Mage Adept Danya Winterborn
