This is the news for May 21 from Nan Dibble and Helpers' Network Hotline for fans of Beauty and the Beast. To contact me by e-mail, post to ndibble@fuse.net. To stop (or to begin) receiving updates as e-mail, notify me at the above e-mail address. To reach me by phone (evenings/weekends), call (513) 961-4813.The Helpers' Network website is at http://home.fuse.net/helpnet.

Only a couple of items of news, this week. First and foremost, the welcome news that the convention registration website is back online. Here's what Aurea Andino (chair of the ConCom) said:

Hi Friends,

First, I'd like to let you know that On-Line Registration is working again.
I ask you to be patient with response times because Runtime Chaos is operating on a slower, backup Internet connection we McGivered (with our provider being more of a hindrance than help). As many of you already know, Northpoint, a major provider of communications services, went bankrupt, and here in NYC, thousands are awaiting the installation of new lines. We are in the queue.

As I catch up on my mail I realize that there are quite a few questions for me. I will try to get to them as quickly as I can but I want to advise you that I had back surgery on May 14th and given that the operation was at the shoulder level, I'm no spring chicken and have several chronic conditions, recovery will be slow and I'll be in a hard brace for quite a while. The use of my hands is very painful still. On the upside, all the metal at the base of my neck will have interesting effects on metal detectors for the rest of my life. :) I had planned to delay the surgery until after the Con but when I was informed that some minor accident or fall could make me quadriplegic I caved in. I apologize for any delays or inconvenience my disappearance has caused.

Convention planning proceeds in the capable hands of the Con Committee and all is going as planned. Check the website, http://www.onceuponatimeinnyc.org, for announcements.

If you want quick answers on any convention related issues please contact Melissa Bartell (zenobia@zenitopia.com), who has her finger on the pulse of everything. (And her fingers work far better than mine). You may phone her at  408-287-6886.

My undying gratitude to the very sharp women of the Con Com who have continued quite ably without me and to all of you who sent all the lovely gifts and get well wishes. Thank you all very much.

I ask everyone to please be so kind as to pass this letter on to all B&B fans.

Thank you.

Aurea Andino,
On the disabled list of the Once Upon A Time in NYC Con Com

Nan again. Planning conventions is always a huge and difficult undertaking, as we all know. But when your website keeps crashing and you have to have surgery, that makes EVERYTHING harder! I wish Aurea a speedy recovery and wish the ConCom luck in wrestling with their website and on-and-off internet service provider.

Helper Tom Witt passes along this news:

Nan, if you go to the Linda Hamilton Online website (http://www.lhow.com) and click on "News", it says that Linda's latest film, "Skeletons in the Closet," will be out on video and DVD in the USA and Canada on July 24.

Thanks, Tom!

I have readied Bright Spirit Descending for downloading, and will probably have Beyond Words, Beyond Silence ready tonight. Only a couple of small pieces remain to be uploaded. I don't have enough space on the Helpers' Network website to present them there, so I've taken a site on Tripod. I think those interested will find downloading these novelizations, in self-extracting zip files, very easy and simple. The URL is http://nan_dibble.tripod.com/index.htm for the "front page" that in turn leads to information on and samples from each book, instructions, and the downloads themselves. All Tripod sites are case-sensitive, so be sure to keep the whole URL in lower case and use the underline, not a dash.

I hope those who wanted these books will enjoy them.

Now that I have about 40 meg of extra internet space to play around with, I may later add other B&B material that I've written--shorter things that can be read directly online. That's a project for another day..

Here are the Sightings through 5/27 from Helper/Correspondent Maxine Mayer, with some additions by me.

Saturday, May 19
8 a Linda Hamilton in King Kong Lives (STARZ)
12:05 p Ron Perlman in Ice Pirates (ENC)
2 p Ron Perlman in Blind Man's Bluff (COURT)
5 p Lance Henriksen in Gunfighter's Moon (MAX)
12 m Ron Perlman in Romeo Is Bleeding (USA)
12:15 a Delroy Lindo (Isaac Stubbs, "No Way Down") in Clockers (ENC)

Sunday, May 20
7:30 a Linda Hamilton in Mr. Destiny (HBO+)
9:30 a John Diehl in Mo' Money (HBO+)
11 a Ron Perlman in Price of Glory (STARZ)
4 p Ron Perlman in The Island of Dr. Moreau (FOX)
9:35 p Ron Perlman in Price of Glory (STARZ)
1 a Beauty and the Beast: Invictus (ODY)
3 a Ron Perlman in A Town Has Turned to Dust (SCI)

Monday, May 21
8 p Dorian Harewood (Jason Walker, "Terrible Savior") in Hendrix (SHO)

Tuesday, May 22
8 p Piper Laurie (mother, "A Gentle Rain") in The Hustler (AMC)
2 a Piper Laurie in The Hustler (AMC)

Wednesday, May 23
1 p Piper Laurie in Love, Lies & Lullabies (LIF)
9 p Edward Albert in Guarding Tess (TBS)
12 m Edward Albert in Guarding Tess (TBS)

Thursday, May 24
7:30 a Edward Albert in When Time Ran Out (MAX2)
11 a Roy Dotrice in Sliders: Data World (SCI)

Friday, May 25
12 a Jay Acovone in X-Files: Demons (FX)
2 a Lance Henriksen (Snow, "Snow") in Profile for Murder (MAX2)
3 a Bruce Abbott (Devin) in The Demolitionist (USA)

Saturday, May 26
10 p Edward Albert in Midway (TCM)
12 m Lance Henriksen in Scream 3 (SHO)
1:30 a Roy Dotrice in Suburban Commando (SCI)

Sunday, May 27
7:30 p Ellen Geer (Mary) in Patriot Games (USA)
8 p Linda Hamilton, Lance Henriksen in The Terminator (SCI)
1 a Beauty and the Beast: The Reckoning (ODY)

If it's news and has to do with Beauty and the Beast, please think of the Hotline and relay. We're all in this together, keeping the dream of Beauty and the Beast alive however we can. Beast wishes, be well, and goodbye.

ndibble@fuse.net
http://home.fuse.net/helpnet