1992 - 01/1992 Meeting

Page Created: 09/25/10. Last Updated: 10/27/10. Last Google Group Page Update: 01/28/10.

KATINA ALEXIS / ATHENA ALEXIS

Katina Strauch writes under the above pseudonyms.

Novels:

Along Came a Spider (as Athena Alexis)

Scorpion (as Katina Alexis)

Souls (as Katina Alexis)

Witch (as Katina Alexis)

Young Blood (as Katina Alexis)

MEETING SUMMARY:

Meeting Date: January 11, 1992.

Meeting Site: Saddle River Valley Cultural Center, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Official Attendance: 22,

Meeting Program: Talk by horror writer.

Notes:

The Athena Alexis pseudonym was taken to help with the marketing of ALONG CAME A SPIDER, which was being promoted as being "In the best-selling tradition of V C Andrews."

Meeting Memories:

Newsletter Account:

Turnout was lighter than in recent months at the January 11, 1992 meeting of the Science Fiction Association of Bergen County. The meeting was held in the Cultural Center in Upper Saddle River. The low turnout may have reflected a bias against lesser known writers by many in the Association, or may have to do with a dislike for horror in general.

Two of our members made a point of mentioning how incredibly nice they found our guest. Katina had already put in a full day before showing up at the meeting, first going into Manhattan with a friend, then heading to the Barnes & Noble superstore in Paramus, then joining the Writers' Circle in the afternoon, and finally catching dinner with a group of us. It's a wonder she had any energy or enthusiasm left by the time of the meeting.

Douglas Finch once again took care of getting the television to the Cultural Center so that early arrivals could watch STAR TREK, THE NEXT GENERATION. After the usual set of announcements were made, the subject of the change in Membership Fees was reopened. After a short discussion, the new system was voted on and passed. A handout detailing the new method will be available at the February meeting.

Ms Strauch has written YOUNG BLOOD, SCORPION, WITCH, and the just released SOULS under the name of Katina Alexis. She has also written a Gothic Horror novel, ALONG CAME A SPIDER, and an unpublished sequel written as Athena Alexis.

Brief exceprts from some of her stories were read aloud by Nancy Cucci and Philip De Parto. The author talked about how YOUNG BLOOD started out as science fiction and was revised to conform to the horror market, how she learned that WITCH had been translated into Norwegian, the benefits of printing up book marks as selling aids, her family, and her career in general.

Two days after our meeting, Katina was able to hook up with Jim Freund and do a reading and an interview. The interview (Jim said it was a very good one) will be broadcast on HOUR OF THE WOLF on WBAI, 99.5 FM, on Saturday, February 1, 1992. WOLF is a two-hour show which begins at 5:00 AM.

Sharon Archer, William Molendyk, and Christopher Nash won door prizes. Nancy Renee Cucci Pietruska and Mary Nash kept the meeting chaotic. Most of the group stayed to watch "Stasis Leak," an episode of the SF Britcom, RED DWARF. Sharon Archer, Mark Blackman, Mary Ann Denny, Philip De Parto, Ira Donewitz, Evelyn Jabour, Brian Keveney, William Molendyk, Carol Smith and Joseph Surdy trekked out to the Horizon Diner after cleanup.