UBIK, Venezuelan Science Fiction and Fantasy Association.

Science fiction is a serious thing (as some people say). It is a way of thinking and reasoning (the same way everyone thinks). When we dream up fantasies that may be science fictional, although we do not realize it, these worlds are really there within our heads. Also, brilliant ideas, insightful to the point of shock, are found in the precious classics of science fiction (to be read again and again). At these moments, literature becomes science, and human hopes and fears, reality. Then we can close the book and explore a new universe. That is science fiction.

History: Almost 10 years ago, 24 May 1984 the first Science Fiction Association in Venezuela was founded at the Simón Bolívar University. It was UBIK (in memory of Philip K. Dick). Most members were university students. The original objectives were:

a) spread the appreciation of science fiction as a genre;

b) organize regular meetings, forums, and literary workshops;

c) establish a bibliographical fund.

As time went by, UBIK manifested itself mainly as a non-profit literary association, dedicating most of it's meager resources in promoting an annual science fiction story contest. Thus, would-be writers all over the country could send that dusty, long-hidden manuscript, expressing some private vision, for evaluation without fear of the ridicule characteristically aimed at science fiction by the elitist pundits of the traditional literary Establishment. In view of the surprising amount of literary production received, there arose the idea of publishing the best (in the opinion of our members) in an occasional magazine. With some trepidation, therefore, we brought out "CYGNUS - La Revista de Ciencia Ficción" (CYGNUS – The Science Fiction Magazine), the only magazine of it's kind in Venezuela. This has become our major medium of expression.
We are all aware, though some will not admit it, that science fiction, as a genre, has limits as tenuous as those of it's own stories. So, within the conceptual universe of science fiction, almost any variation and combination is possible (some, perhaps confused by the whirlpool of ideas, have gone so far as to announce, straight-faced, that even Magic Realism is sciencefiction). Anyway, without going to extremes, CYGNUS is a sample of not only science fiction, but fantasy also; the annual anthology of UBIK stories.

Since life has it's ups and downs, production of the magazine proved too strenuous for more than one issue a year, and it's distribution was limited. Therefore, we faced the necessity of creating a new vehicle of communication to keep in touch with fans who couldn't wait a full solar cycle for more science fiction. "La Gaceta de UBIK" (The Gazette of UBIK) appeared in May 1988 (our fourth anniversary); twenty four numbers have come out so far. Later, in 1993, we published the first of two numbers of "NECRONOMICON"' named in honor of H.P. Lovecraft, master of cosmic horror.

We have not yet described our literary workshops, our "exquisite cadaver", our role playing games, etc. We invite you to contact us at avcff@avcff.org (language is no barrier, some of us are bilingual, and if you write us, we'll write you back).