Dan Simmons sagt ElsterCon 2000 wegen Krankheit ab!

Dan Simmons, der bekannte Autor des Hyperion-Zykluses, mußte leider seinen Besuch beim diesjährigen ElsterCon 2000 in Leipzig wegen gesundheitlicher und zeitlicher Probleme absagen. Die anderen internationalen Ehrengäste George R. R. Martin, Michael Bishop und Michael Marshall Smith haben unterdessen ihre Zusage nochmals bekräftigt und werden neben vielen bekannten nationalen Autoren vom 6. bis 8. Oktober in Leipzig beim SFCD-JahresCon anwesend sein. Die Veranstalter verhandeln währenddessen bereits mit einem weiteren internationalen Gast.

»A Note from Dan Simmons to Those Attending the Oct. Convention in Leipzig:
I’ve conveyed my apologies to Dirk Berger and the organizers of the Leipzig con about my last-minute cancellation of my Guest of Honor appearance this year (2000), but I wanted to express my regrets and explanations to those attending.
My wife and I had been looking forward to the convention (and I had even been re-reading Goethe in preparation for my GoH speech!) and it was going to be an extra treat to appear there with George R.R. Martin. In addition, it was to be our first trip to Germany and we were anticipating it very much. Unfortunately, a combination of sneaky deadlines and even sneakier health problems made it impossible for me to travel in early October.
It was with the deepest regret that I had to cancel this appearance — and I apologize again to the organizers and guests. It is my hope that I will be invited back to the convention in Leipzig at some future date . . .is next year too soon?
One note: I was pleased to include portions of my screenplay adaptation of my novel CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT in the con booklet this year and I would appreciate any feedback you might have. My e-mail is DSimShrike@aol.com. CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT (the movie, starring Lance Henriksen, Rachel Ward, and other interesting people) is scheduled to begin shooting in late November of 2000, and the film’s director, Robert Sigl, and I are working on last-minute tweaks to the shooting script even as you read this.
You’re all invited to the World Premiere! (Wherever that will be.) Do feel free to give me your thoughts on the screenplay and — again — I’m sorry that I can’t be in Leipzig this October to speak with you in person.
Most sincerely,
Dan Simmons«