Neal Barrett, Jr. is the Toasmaster of the 1997 World Science Fiction Convention 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:     August 26, 1997
Contact:  Laurie Mann, LoneStarCon 2 Press Relations
          210-601-5343
          Room 108, Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
          http://www.io.com/~lsc2/press


SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- The 55th World Science Fiction Convention, 
LoneStarCon 2, will take place here from August 28-September 1, 1997.  
The Worldcon is the annual gathering of science fiction writers, artists,
publishers and readers.  LoneStarCon 2 will attract about 5,000
attendees from around the world and feature programming, an art show,
dealers room, masquerade and the annual Hugo Awards.  Austin Author 
Neal Barrett Jr., will be the Toastmaster for the convention.

Barrett has published novels and stories in a variety of literary fields 
including westerns, historical novels, young adult fiction, mystery, 
suspense and science fiction. He has been the Guest of Honor at Austin's 
Armadillocon and Toastmaster for Texas A&M's AggieCon and the 
Oklahoma City SoonerCon.
        
His work has appeared in such disparate collections as _The Best of 
the West, _Razored Saddles, _The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction,
_OMNI's Best Science Fiction I, _Asimov's Robots, and _The Year's 
Best Science Fiction (fourth, fifth, seventh, tenth and eleventh 
annual collections).
        
He was a finalist for both the Nebula and Hugo Awards for his 
novelette "Ginny Sweethips." His short story "Stairs," earned 
him the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award. Well-known for crossing 
the boundaries of various literary genre, Barrett was runner up for 
the Best Western Short Story of the Year (voted on by the Western 
Writers of America) for "Winter on the Belle Fouche," which was 
included in _The Year's Best Science Fiction.

Barrett's primary role as Worldcon Toastmaster will be to host the Hugo
Award Ceremony, to be held Saturday, August 30 in the Grand Ballroom
of the Marriott RiverCenter Hote.
 
 
     LoneStarCon 2 is a service mark of Austin Literary Arts 
     Maintenance Organization (ALAMO), Inc., a 501(c)(3) 
     non-profit literary, educational corporation. All rights 
     reserved.  "World Science Fiction Society", "WSFS", 
     "World Science Fiction Convention", "Worldcon", "NASFiC", 
     and "Hugo" are registered service marks of the World Science 
     Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.

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