Over my shoulder : reflections on a science fiction era [First edition.]

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OVER MY SHOULDER

Reflections on a Science Fiction Era

by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Over My Shoulder is the informal story of the science fiction book field in the l 930's, 40's and 50's, then almost totally the province of the amateur specialist publisher, set against the background and life of an early science fiction fan and writer. But it is far more. It is a rummaging around in stores of memory-of many memories-of an era that is past, in an attempt to create a picture of a day which, surprisingly, has become history during the lifespan of its principals. This story had to be told, and perhaps only Lloyd Arthur Eshbach could tell it-not only because he lived through the era and was one of science fiction book publishing's pioneers, but because as a friend of many key figures in the field ht: was able to gain their full cooperation. Fantasy Press, Gnome, Shasta, Prime, Grant, FPCI, Arkham Hc:•o;e---those were the kingpins of science fiction publishing three or four decades ago. There were 13 other brave or foolhardy funs who issued a book or two, only to find the venture less glamorous from the inside. Their story is told in Over My Shoulder. Here is no formal history of the period, but rather a personal record, as honest as its writer could make it. Here one finds: A teenaged Ray Bradbury on his first trip to New York to sell his fiction ... The actual story of the 1914 beginning of The Skylark of Space, as told by Doc Smith himself ... Intimate anecdotes involving such fabled people as Hugo Gernsback, John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Harlan Ellison, Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert_Bloch . . . Over My Shoulder deals with the many personalities and happenings that make up an era. From its details emerges a picture of a handful of men who accomplished things as fantastic in their own way as the fiction they published. In the words of Algis Budrys: "What these people did, could not be done." Jacket painting by Stephen E. Fabian

In Preparation

A. MERRITT: Reflections in the Moon Pool by Sam Moskowitz A big book, long overdue-a full-length study

of the king of science-fantasy writers, whose books have been in print continuously for more than half a century. Sam Moskowitz presents the man, the editor, and the writer in a manner never before attempted. He has written the first extended biography of A. Merritt. This alone would warrant publication of the book-but there is much more. Moskowitz has

brought to light a previously unknown short story, totally unlike any other Merritt tales. He discovered among the writer's papers two fragments of fantasies, tantalizing with their promises, one of them containing an outline for at least part of a novel. There is also a short fantasy that appeared in The American Weekly under a pen name and which bas been republished as Merritt's work. There is still more. A section of poetry26 items here as.sembled for the first time. One of these is a major fantasy epic called "2000-The Triple City," never before published. Two other long poems-"Runes" and "Sir Barnabas"-reveal Merritt's versatility. Of interest is bis earliest known professionally published work, a poem called "The Birth of Art," appearing in print in 1904. The fourth section of the book is perhaps the most interesting of all-a collection of Merritt's letters. Obviously far from complete, these permit the reader to enter into the thinking, the personality, of the writer as nothing else would. Many of these letters came from the correspondence files of science fiction fans. And finally there are letters and essays about Merritt, written by the people who knew him best-the staff members of The American Weekly in whose editorial offices the writer spent so many years. This, with a 16-page photo supplement, rounds out the book.

Limited clothbound edition. Jacket painting by Stephen E. Fabian. OSWALD TRAIN: Publisher Box 1891 Philadelphia, Pa. 19105

OVER MY SHOULDER Reflections on a Science Fiction Era

OVER MY SHOULDER

Reflections on a Science Fiction Era by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach

Introduction by Algis Budrys

OSWALD TRAIN: PUBLISHER Philadelphia 1983

Copyright

©

1983 by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach

All rights reserved FIRST EDITION

To the memory of E.E. "Doc" Smith, Writer, Gentleman and Friend, to whom I owe so much in so many different ways.

Manufactured in the United States of America

CONTENTS Introduction by Algis Budrys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23

1

The Making of a Science Fiction Fan . . . . . . .

29

2

Author! Author! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

37

3

A Taste of Printer's Ink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

61

4

A Fan Among Fans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

71

5

The Fantasy Press Story ................. 109

6

August Derleth and Arkham House ......... 139

7

Grant-Hadley Enterprises-Plus ............ 163

8

Prime Press, Philadelphia ................. 181

9

Gnome Press ................ . .. . ...... 203

10

Shasta Publishers ....................... 225

11

Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc .......... 251

12

A Book or Two ...... .. . . .............. 265

13

I Forgot To Say- ...................... 301

14

The Books They Published ..... . ... .. .. . . 343 Index ................................ 389

Introduction

[g

ONTEMPORAllY SPECULATIVE FICTION IS A LITERA-

ture created by entrepreneurs. It is a literature, it subsumes both "science fiction" and massmarketed fantasy, and it has been decidedly shaped by the parameters of commerce since the mid 1920's. Although it has informed and sustained a great deal of academic study in the second half of the twentieth century, and although of late a significant number of academics or academically trained persons have published in the speculative fiction media, that is not a core development. It is a response to the power and attraction of what does lie at the core. And a tribute to the entrepreneurs who put it there, Lloyd Arthur Eshbach having played a major part among them. Now, as to what an entrepreneur is: An entrepreneur, as distinguished from any convenal picture of some simplistically motivated businessman, 9

Over My Shoulder

is someone who habitually reinvents the world. Where others begin any enterprise by tailoring themselves to fit a niche within the world's roster of career opportunities, an entrepreneur reshapes or creates a niche to fit him. This is not a trait that can be thrust upon one. It is a trait such people are born to. They depend not so much on training and experience as on intuition and faith in themselves. Although it might be said that their motto is "I can do that!", the fact is that they can't and won't do what they have just seen someone else doing; they will do something like it, but each of them will do it in a unique way. In just such a way, Hugo Gemsback (1884-1967), a publisher of popular science magazines, invented what he first called "scientific fiction," then "scientifiction," and eventually "science fiction." A minor inventor of actual electrical devices during the great wave of technological innovation in the early decades of this century, Gemsback soon found his major metier not in contributing hardware to the age of Tesla, Edison, Marconi and De Forest, but in voicing the optimism borne upon that flood tide of innovation. The world was being made anew; each day saw the appearance of fresh wonders, new handgrips on the universe. Even from the most conservative viewpoint, it was impossible to hold that the horizons of humankind had not suddenly been expanded by several orders of magnitude. In 1924, when Mars made a close approach to Earth, government agencies and academic bodies

Introduction

11

throughout the world paused to carry out elaborate procedures to receive signals from the civilization astronomer Percival Lowell had detected on the red planet. Telegraphic paper tapes of such signals received are still in existence.* In this context, Hugo Gemsback founded Amazing Stories in 1926 and put it out on the newsstands beside his nonfiction technology magazines. This did not represent the first mass-market appearance of technology fiction or any form of speculative fiction. Even setting aside a considerable body of protoSF in the nineteenth-century "dime novel" media, such general pop-literature magazines as Argosy, founded in 1882 and firmly entrenched before World War I, rather frequently carried the work of pioneers like Abe Merritt, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Will Jenkins ("Murray Leinster"), with Otis Adelbert Kline soon to follow. Gemsback himself had frequently inserted short fiction attempts in his science publications and had published his magnum opus, the novel Ralph 124C41+, as a serial in his Modern Electrics magazine in 1911 and '12. * No one can be sure what they arc. Electrical impulses heard from space were translated into deposits of carbon powder on a moving tape, in a manner analogous to the way radiophotos sent by exploring rockets arc built up one dot at a time on a television screen. Some say the 1924 tapes arc random noise, coincidentally regular in pattern. The pattern forms a row of faces, crude and schematic, remarkably similar to the face of Mickey Mouse in early experimental TV transmissions and to the schematic drawings we have since beamed at the stars.

12

Over My Shoulder

In one sense, Gernsback's early fictions were like those of his contemporaries in that his own prose did not attain to the gifts of insight and grace he had admired in his reading of precursors like Verne, Wells, or Rudyard Kipling. But in another sense, there is a significant distinction between Gernsback, the promulgator of technology, and those contemporaries who, however unsubtly they might construct their fictions, were still clearly well within the fringes of literature.* Gernsback did not entertain by capturing his readers' emotions in an interesting story. He addressed himself directly to his readers' minds by presenting a wonderful array of speculative technology. Where others were primarily storytellers, he was a didacticist who framed his expositions either as mild japes on fascinating facts or as guided tours through the technologically marvelous world of the future. Although he came to reprint Verne, Wells and Burroughs, he personally did not aspire to literature; he aspired to something much more like propaganda. To some, it was potent propaganda. The significance of Amazing Stories is not in having been the first allspeculative-fiction newsstand magazine; it was not, Weird Tales having been founded in 1923. The primary significance lies in that it was the first such magazine to • Kipling, for instance, could publish as much as he liked in the equivalent of Argosy and still be considered an artist. Those sharing the table of contents with him, even if perhaps crassly motivated in their work, were nevertheless considered literateurs to some extent.

Introduction

13

employ the new technological optimism as distinguished from older, classic foci for speculation. Secondarily, since the example set by Gemsback's own stories was that of the amateur wordsmith, he was declaring a market for work that was more enthusiastic than it was conventionally proficient. In practice, the Gemsbackian ideal could not sustain itself; too many of his new contributors were forced to rely on attempts at traditional story values as a cover for their less than Gernsbackian abilities to generate fresh suppositional technology. But nevertheless he had invented a set of laws sufficiently distinct from those of all other literatures. Some might not like it-many did not and do not-but those in the proper frame of mind when they encountered it in its and their formative years were apt to like it very much.

Amazing Stories coalesced a significant number of such individuals out of the mass of persons passing by the comer newsstand, the teenaged Lloyd Arthur Eshbach among them. What sort of person were they? They were the sort of person who, attracted by Gernsback, inevitably moved the field out of his control, despite their later nostalgias and their sincere gratitude to him. Gemsback was an entrepreneur, and thus unique to himself. So were they, each of them, and they outnumbered him. As they entered the ranks of scientifiction creators, they all said they were involved in the one named thing, and they believed they were all doing the same one thing. But, true to their nature, they were

14

Over My Shoulder

each doing a somewhat different thing, and .what we have is not something directed by one will and one intuition but the resultant effect of their contending creativities. Observation shows us something perhaps unexpected that has evolved into a literature of considerable depth despite beginnings that were nonliterary in most conventional senses. It is still a distinct literature of speculation-science fiction having conditioned significant evolutions in the fantasy stories created for sister newsstand magazines-which some such as myself have taken to carrying in a portmanteau labeled SF. It is today past all direct dependence on technology, or on Gothic fantasy, for that matter. But this evolution could not have occurred without Amazing and Weird Tales, and here is the core process that made it so: The fact that Amazing was (marginally) viable on the newsstand-it is still surviving, at the hands of a succession of owners-and the fact that it rapidly evolved competitors and successors argues for the existence of some attractive quality independent of skills in either sheer prose or sheer storytelling. But that quality is not the technology propaganda per se. Observation of scientifiction writing discloses that, despite continuing earnest editorial protestations at the time, many of the stories were flawed by serious but avoidable scientific errors. Gemsback, for instance, may have known his electrics, but his sincere expositions in physics and biology were quaint even by the standards of his day; many of his colleagues and competitors

Introduction

15

could not say even that much for themselves as teachers, however sincere. What else could one expect? A fully fleshed science fiction story written to the ideal standard requires an author with a forefront command of a broad spectrum of sciences. Such extraordinary individuals do from time to time appear. For various reasons, they are occasionally moved to interrupt their principal careers long enough to produce some fiction, but hardly in the numbers required to meet commercial periodical demands. Those demands are met in the main by energetic and ingenious persons who are not scientists. It seems inevitable to conclude that the person who has sustained science fiction from its very beginnings has been not so much the trained technologist but more the person in whom belief in technology is an article of faith.* An article of faith. This faith, expressed by the 1920's Amazing audience as a particularized belief in the world• The science-educational value of science fiction is still often cited. This is a shaky premise. For every genuine fact embodied in science fiction, there is at least one misstatement if not an outright lie generated by the author's ignorance or haste. Only someone already educated in science is equipped to discriminate between them. The educational capability of science fiction is limited to inculcating the novice with an awareness that systems for explaining and modifying the universe do exist, and that the virtue of scientific systems lies in their repeatability. This not inconsiderable accomplishment is nevertheless different from any asserted ability to teach facts as distinguished from an attitude.

16

Over My Shoulder

molding power of science, is now best understandable as a specific expression of a larger general belief. The evolving content and technique of speculative fiction over the years since 1926, validated by sales figures-i.e., one-to-one favorable transactions between the author and individual readers-convincingly argue for the existence within mass humanity of a noteworthy percentage of persons who find it desirable to at least flirt with the idea that the universe is not immutable (by some repeatable system, not necessarily science) and, more, that change might be desirable and ought to be attempted, if only as a reversal of undesired change. It so happens that this is a transliteration of the entrepreneur's creed; more, of the energizing inner instincts which are then later expressed at leisure as creeds. So "science fiction" becomes see able as a marketing label, not a literary description. The same is true of "fantasy" when the resulting prose is created by essentially the same authors and mass-marketed. These become coeval branches of a form which, paradoxically for its psychic content and other metaphysical features, is bound to speak with particular persuasiveness to entrepreneurs, and thus to recruit and compound their energy while it focuses their imaginations. We know what an entrepreneur is. What does one look like? In one incarnation, he looks remarkably like a member of the long succession of individuals who kept the cathedrals rising, the mill wheels turning and the foodstuff moving to the marketplace no matter what was being done by other more flamboyant entre-

Introduction

17

preneurs who were periodically overturning history. They are all kin; some operate on different scales and have more widespread public relations images, but each of them has empires inside. Outwardly large, outwardly small, but empires. This description suffices to encompass the freelance writer, mainstay of speculative fiction. It serves almost equally well to characterize most SF magazine publishers, from Gernsback on up to today's proprietors of what are essentially small, family-held corporations. There was a middle period in which significant SF periodicals were marketed by major publishing chains, emulating the entrepreneurial enterprises. Ziff-Davis Publishing Company owned Amazing for about 27 years beginning in 1939, and Street & Smith Publications and then the Conde Nast Publishing Co. owned the preeminent Astounding from 1933 to the verge of the 80's; Wonder Stories, founded by Gernsback in 1930 after he lost A mazing to the first of his successors, became Thr£lling Wonder Stories of the Thrilling division of Standard Magazines in 1936, and then died in 1955, as most chain publishing died, under the onslaught of television. The entrepreneurs remained. The incursion of factory publishing is all gone now; the magazines are ending, if they are ending, as they began: They are all essentially personal enterprises, from Amazing to Omni: Even in those cases where they were nominally ruled by broad-handed corporate policies tailored to squeeze maximum profit out of every title in the house from

18

Over My Shoulder

Jungle Stones to Planet Stones, these potentially stultifying effects were moderated by the essentially irrepressible orientations of their editors, few of whom regarded their timeclock employment as anything but a hiatus. With few exceptions, all of them began as freelance writers brought into the company on those credentials, and few of them planned or attained any future except a return to freelancing either as writers or as small publishers. They operated their particular titles as extensions of their writing careers, and they got back out again into the free air as soon as they decently could. Only one aspect of SF publishing today is different. It is, of course, the most productive aspect, in dollars and in wordage: book publishing. Here the milieu is not merely corporate but conglomerative and, begging the pardon of the often charming and ingenious staff persons who appear in it from time to time, often seems to emanate from sterile cubicles all piled one atop another, indistinguishable from each other and modularly accreted into one towering, gray-shouldered edifice called the Kafka Building. Often, but not always, even today, as the existence of this book testifies. And there was an era of SF book publishing when, for one cornucopious season, it was not so at all. There have always been small presses, and there always will be. Some of them had been producing SF titles before and during World War II, some are, obviously, still going on, and others will appear from time to

Introduction

19

time. But the period of this greatest flowering began with the end of the war, and heard its death knell, at first ever so faintly, in 1950. We are speaking of a handful of years. They suffice to make an age. And in a very real and important sense, the effects of that age still live on, even in the Kafka Building; it is as if, not to put too romantic a face on it and yet to pay due regard to both its realities and its poetry, it is as if even among the faceless panels and the plastic corridors, something continues that was put there by the small press entrepreneurs while the building was still being assembled, and now can never quite be epoxied over. It is the end of the war. Twenty years have passed since Vol. 1, No. 1 of Amazing Stories, A Gernsback Publication. The perspective is not ours; it is very little like ours. SF is in the magazines-all in the magazines. There have been two, no more than three or four, SF books that might have caught the eye of the casual bookstore browser: The Pocket Book of Science Fiction and The Viking Portable Novels of Science. Both are reprint anthologies, both edited by Donald A. Wollheim. Holt in 1941 published L. Sprague De Camp's Lest Darkness Fall. No one remembers. Toward the end of the year 1946, Random House will publish and distribute Adventures in Time and Space, edited by Raymond J. Healy and J. Francis McComas, reprinting largely from Astounding since the late 1930's; the term "modern science fiction" will thereby gain its first circulation in the universe outside the SF community.

20

Over My Shoulder

Everything else in the general bookstores is not SF as we mean it here. On the back shelves of the bibliophile shops there may-may-be one or two small-press SF titles; only the community knows they're there. They are not in the libraries. But the war has stirred up something. Saved-up pay and similar resources gathered over the past few years are available as working capital, in a general atmosphere of ebullience. Men who were adolescent in 1926, some of them men like Lloyd Eshbach who published his first story in a 1931 Amazing at the age of 21, are conscious that they have come into their maturity, and a mark must be made. They begin to go through the magazines of their youth, and publish books from them. The magazines feature cover paintings of melodramatic disaster, often with psychosexual overtones. In garish four-color and blotchy three-color renderings overlaid by expostulatory blurbs, they feature the lightly clad lady past maidenhood, the brawny hero, and the tentacular monster, testifying to the one pervasive effect of pulp chain publishing. No one with a shred of respectability will have these magazines. No one will look into them for reading matter worthy of a mom.en t's extended thought or appreciation. Only the small-press entrepreneurs know what's in them, and cherish it. Not all of it; there are sharp differences of opinion among them on what is worth preserving and what may safely be left to crumble forever into brittle yellow residue. But what they wish to preserve they will preserve, and if this is, sensibly enough, outwardly cast

Introduction

21

as a labor of profit, I think inwardly it 1s a labor of love; often, helpless love. You cannot imagine, now, what they went through. Just obtaining the right to republish was frequently an exercise in wriggling through corporate Wonderlandfew of the magazine writers sold anything less than "all" rights, frequently to outfits that vanished in a cloud of successors, or didn't know what they owned, or sold it for a pittance to someone else the day before your bona fide offer arrived. Then there was the matter of finding a printer at a price you could afford. And a supplier of paper. A book manufacturer. A freight line. Someone who knew how to take and fill orders. Someone who could offer cheap office space .... On, and on, and on; the daily, wearying, frustrating grind of inventing systems to replace the standard procedures used by the specialists working for the "real" publishing houses. To look at them now-to study the products of this industry of self-expression-is to see the idiosyncrasies: the peculiar typefaces, the odd page formats, the strange sorts of paper, the insistence on having artwork when there were neither the necessity, the resources, nor the sophistication of taste to include professional-quality artwork.* What one does not see is the lone individual, * Science fiction had always had artwork; ergo, it would have artwork now. It doesn't seem to have occurred to many of these publishers that the book format has different requirements. But, then, perhaps they were reaching a shrewd estimation of what the readers unquestioningly expected, too.

22

Over My Shoulder

at 3:30 a.m. in some back room or basement, gulping coffee and doing for himself some task to which Doubleday or Simon & Schuster would offhandedly assign some low-level nine-to-five specialist. It is to not see that "publisher" also means "janitor," as indistinguishable from stockboy, warehouseman, proofreader, accountant, art director, plumber, and the messenger sent to the post office for a fresh supply of stamps. Let me explain it this way: What these people did, could not be done. And as soon as they had made a success of it, Doubleday, Simon & Schuster and the others woke up and with one herbivorous snap took it away from them. Or took the best part, and, perhaps, unwittingly also learned something about SF that makes even the crassest commercial marketer tread a little more warily in this field than in some others. Let me repeat: What they did, these people who kept our past from oblivion, who cherished the despicable and made pioneers not bindlestiffs of all of us SF people, could not be done, except from love. There are those who feel that in terms of the breadth and depth of effort, of continuity and care, Lloyd Arthur Eshbach loved best. I am one of those, and I commend to you the story of his life to date.

-Algis Budrys Evanston, Illinois 1982

Foreword

[I]

HREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING-AND I HAD LAIN

awake for an hour or more. I had tried various ways to go back to sleep but nothing worked. I began reminiscing about the old Fantasy Press days. Incredible-I had published the last Fantasy Press book in 1955. Two near-publications had followed in 1960 and 1961-but even that was two decades ago. I thought of David A. Kyle's phone call-in 1973, I believe it was. "You should write the story of Fantasy Press. It's history now, and there are some things in the background of science fiction that only you know. It should be recorded." There was more in the same vein. At the time Dave had a British publisher interested in a book of this sort. Truthfully, I wasn't especially excited by the idea; I finally told him I might put the information on tape, though I didn't promise, and he could take it from there. If I found time to do it. 23

24

Over My Shoulder

And now I couldn't sleep-and in retirement I had time to write the Fantasy Press story. So I arose, quietly so that I wouldn't disturb my sleeping wife, found a yellow note pad, brewed some hot tea and began to write: "Three o'clock in the morning-" I thought of Tom Whitehead-Dr. Thomas Whitehead, archivist at Temple University, one of whose interests is their science fiction collection. Since SF has become respectable and historically important many major universities have added SF to their rare book collections. I met Tom through Ozzie Train* of Philadelphia, formerly a partner in Prime Press. Temple purchased my collection of Fantasy Press manuscriptsE. E. "Doc" Smith, John Taine, John W. Campbellwhich with some associated correspondence is now part of their archives. Later I gave them a lot of my own material, and' more will be added from time to time. The Lloyd Eshbach-Fantasy Press Collection. Tom is interested in anything I have which involves the history of science fiction in general and Lloyd Arthur Eshbach and Fantasy Press in particular. This includes my reminiscences-and that brings me to here and now. I've decided to write the Fantasy Press story. Not with publication in mind, particularly, for if I had to worry about the language, always seeking the right word, polishing every phrase for posterity, I'd never get the job done. But if I wrote informally, telling it as it came to mind, maybe-just maybe-I might keep going *I had no idea when I made this and other references to Oswald Train that he would publish this book.

Foreword

25

long enough to finish the manuscript. There would be other sleepless nights, and times during the day when I might feel the urge to write; and who knows-I might even find a publisher! So I've started (and who ever heard of a foreword being written before a book was completed!). As I sit here with a yellow legal pad on my lap, scribbling away, it occurs to me that my interest in SF spans almost sixty years. I've seen the field grow from the occasional scientific adventure in Argosy and All-Story through the first "scientifiction" magazine, Amazing Stories, to the present flood of "sci-fi" paperbacks ("sci-fi," a term I loathe and refuse to use) and Star Wars. Maybe I do have something to say about this crazy field of letters which may be of interest. I actually corresponded with ancients like George Allan England and J.U. Giesy; and I knew intimately many of the "greats" among the writers who established the patterns for SF which the modem writers are following, whether they like it or not. Since publication is of secondary importance I can deal with anything that pleases me, so I'll cover it allall that I find interesting and pertinent. Since I'm not claiming to be an historian, I don't have to pose as a scholar. I can simply be myself. My eyelids have grown heavy. I think I can go back to sleep. More than two years have passed since I wrote the foregoing paragraphs, two years crammed with

26

Over My Shoulder

life-changing happenings. A trip to the Pacific Northwest during which my wife became ill, dying about six weeks after our return home. Writing to keep my mind occupied. A decision to raise my sights from the Fantasy Press story to an informal record of the science fiction era which set the stage for the flood of SF and fantasy books of the seventies. A call to Dave Kyle at Hobe Sound for information on Gnome Press (he simply wouldn't answer mail inquiries), which resulted in my being invited to be the houseguest of Ruth and David Kyle in sunny Florida. Since it was cold and snowy in Pennsylvania, I accepted their invitation and spent a most enjoyable month at Hobe Sound. Dave had just completed the second draft of The Dragon Lensman for Bantam Books, inspired and commissioned by Fred Pohl, based on an uncompleted project of Doc Smith and approved by his daughter and heir Verna Smith Trestrail. I read and enjoyed the story, offered some suggestions for minor changes, and at Dave's invitation wrote the introduction for the book. I also helped to plot the next in the series, to be called Lensman from Rigel, and dealing with Second Stage Lensman Tregonsee of Rigel IV. On my return to Pennsylvania I felt the urge to write a science novel of my own-and did so during the next nine months. At this writing it has not found a publisher. During this period I also attended my first SF convention in two decades and entered into extensive correspondence to gain the information I needed to write what I've now called Over My Shoulder: Reflections on

Foreword

27

a Science Fiction Era. The history-if so pretentious a term may be used-is now approaching completion. Material on the several publishers, where possible, has been submitted to the people involved to insure accuracy. The book couldn't have been written without the cooperation and extensive help of the following, to whom I extend sincere thanks. (Names are listed in alphabetical order.) Jack A. Chalker, William L. Crawford, Gerry de la Ree, Ted Dikty, Phil Farmer, Donald M. Grant, Martin Greenberg, Tom Hadley, Erle Melvin Korshak, David and Ruth Kyle, Robert A. Madie, Sam Moskowitz, Dr. Alan E. Nourse, Darrell C. Richardson,Julius Schwartz, Dr. Fred Shroyer, Oswald Train, Verna Smith Trestrail, Wilson Tucker,James Turner and Ed Wood. Thanks also must be extended to the following for the use of photographs from their collections: Ray Beam, Margaret Kiefer, Jay K. Klein, Robert A. Madie, Bea Mahaffey, Darrell C. Richardson, Julius Schwartz, Lou Tabakow, Oswald Train and Verna Smith Trestrail. And finally, a word of appreciation to my son Daniel for his help with the illustrations, copying irreplaceable photographs provided by the people listed which for obvious reasons could not be trusted to the printers. The names on the photo credit lines, it should be noted, are not necessarily those of the photographers, since in many instances these are not known, but represent my source of the photos.

Chapter 1 The Making of a Science Fiction Fan

[I]

WAS THE FIFTH OF SIX CHILDREN BORN TO MY PAR-

ents, Kathryn and Oswin Eshbach. The date was June 20, 1910. The place, Palm, Pennsylvania-a crossroads village in one of the four ''Dutch" counties in the southeastern comer of the state. My dad was born on a farm, as were all his forebears since the coming of Christian Eshbach to the new world from the German Rhineland in 1734. My mother, on the other hand, came from a family of landowners, traders, merchants-Leeser their name, the first of whom came to America, probably from Switzerland, in 1738. My bookish interests are a heritage from my mother. My family left the farm when I was four, and a year later moved to Reading. Readers may be interested to learn that I could not speak English when the family moved to Pottstown, Pennsylvania, before settling in Reading. In that day the majority of rural dwellers 29

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Over My Shoulder

spoke Pennsylvania Dutch, a form of low German still in use in the area, the term "Dutch" coming from Deutsch or Deitsch, which was the way these pioneers referred to themselves. I learned to speak English, learned to read, and a new world came into being for me. By the time I was nine I was devouring everything readable that I could find. Since I had access to few children's •books I read what was at hand. I believe I started with what were called "dime novels." Two older brothers, Walter and Irvin, were the source of these fascinating literary creations. They permitted my reading them if I promised to be very, very careful. A few • years later I discovered Kinkaid's Book Store, several blocks from my home, where used dime novels were sold for a nickel-and when I acquired a nickel (this didn't happen too often) I'd get a book of my own. Much later I learned that one of my brothers in his early days would buy one copy and "liberate" two extras under his shirt. I never learned this trick. The publications I recall most clearly from this period were Pluck and Luck, Fame and Fortune, Work and Win, Wild West Weekly, Liberty Boys of '76 and Happy Days. Pluck and Luck stands out most prominently in my mind. There was a varied fictional fare in P&L including an occasional Jack Wright story by "Noname." These were early science fiction written by Lu Senarens of Brooklyn, New York, better known for his Frank Reade, Jr., stories. Somehow, I don't recall ever seeing any of the latter series. A peg above the dime novels in my early reading

The Making of a Science Fiction Fan

31

I

were the Street & Smith paperback novels. I recall The Medal Library and The New Medal Library. It is my impression that this was the original vehicle for the publication of many of the Merriwell stories, the Nick Carters, the Buffalo Bill tales, and others-after their dime novel appearance, that is. (The original Merriwells appeared in The Tip Top Weekly, I believe, two of the Tip Top stories making one S&S paperback.) I read hundreds of the Merriwell stories. It was in the New Medal Library that William Wallace Cook's Argosy SF serials were reprinted. These included Adrift in the Unknown, the story of a voyage to Mercury, and Cast Away at the Pole, a lost race story. These were recently issued by Amo Press in library editions. Another was A Round Trip to the Year 2000, a satirical time-travel tale recently reprinted in hardback form by Hyperion Press. During my early SF collecting days I had copies of at least two of these in the original New Medal Library format. The paper was badly yellowed and the books in poor condition-but I once owned them. Sam Moskowitz in his introduction to the Hyperion A Round Trip to the Year 2000 refers to these stories being reprinted in paperback for the first time in the middle twenties in the Adventure Library. This was a later printing, fifteen or twenty years later. This is a logical place to insert an interesting bit of information I found in a book called The Fiction Factory by John Milton Edwards, published in 1910. In his introductory remarks the author states flatly that Edwards is a pen name. Internal evidence positively

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identifies the author as William Wallace Cook. A feature of The Fiction Factory is a listing of annual sales by title and payment received. Cook's records for 1903 show an Argosy serial called -Prom Here to There and Back, which was either Cook's original title or his method of disguising the identity of A Round Trip to the Year 2000. He wrote the novel in twelve days and was paid $250.00 for it. Five years later Street & Smith paid $200.00 for the paperback rights. I've gone far afield from my first reading interests, my dime novel period. Fortunately, my two older brothers had interests above the Pluck and Luck level. One bought Argosy and the other bought All-Storyand they saved every copy. I was nine or ten when I discovered this treasure trove of reading material, and from then on I never ran out of entertainment. I know I read stories I didn't fully understand. Certainly there were words beyond my vocabulary, but repeated exposure to the words made them mine. I recall a serial called Ready To Occupy. I knew what occupy meant, though I pronounced it "ok-up-ee." In these two Frank A. Munsey magazines I read Westerns by Zane Grey, Max Brand, G.W. Ogden, George C. Shedd-mysteries by Frank L. Packard, Isabel Ostrander, Carolyn Wells and others-exotic adventure stories-and those thrilling "impossible" stories, my brother Walt's term for science fiction and fantasy, stories he didn't like. But Irv, my in-between brother, enjoyed them and encouraged my reading them. Burroughs for obvious reasons was an early favorite.

The Making of a Science Fiction Fan

33

I read 'em all. I read some of the Tarzan tales in magazine form, others in books which my brother Irvin started buying. The same is true of the Martian series. I've never forgotten the fascination of my first reading of The Gods of Mars. I couldn't stop reading-though the strangeness of the Martian creatures and setting scared the daylights out of me. Another high point was the appearance of Conquest of the Moon Pool by A. Merritt as an All-Story serial in six or seven installments. My brother Irv read it as each part appeared. When serialization was completed he urged me to read it, starting with the novelette, The Moon Pool. Needless to say, I was enthralled. After that experience, Merritt reigned supreme. All "impossible" stories were compared with the master-and the others always came in a poor second. Looking ba~k on those early years, other stories come to mind, some of which I know I read as a boy, and others of which might have been read in later years when I collected a great number of back issues of pulp paper magazines. These include After a Million Years and Between Worlds by Garret Smith;Draft of Eternity and The Eye of Ba/amok by Victor Rousseau; Citadel of Fear and Claimed by Francis Stevens; novelettes by Homer Eon Flint-The Planeteer, King of Conserve Island, The Lord of Death, The Queen of Life, The Devolutionist and The Emancipatrix; The Runaway Skyscraper, The Mad Planet and The Red Dust by Murray Leinster. Speaking of Leinster and Francis Stevens-never in my wildest dreams could I have

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visualized the day when I would publish some of their work in book form. My next divergence in my reading was the discovery of Weird Tales in its large page format. My recollection is that a schoolmate, Bill Baziotes, told me about it. I bought an issue but I didn't particularly care for it. For one thing, it was the wrong size. Magazines had to be the size of Argosy and All-Story. I didn't become a regular reader until they reduced their page -size. I can still recall the cover featuring The Wicked Flea by J.U. Giesy, a story about Xenophon Xerxes Zapt, whom I had met in the pages of All-Story Weekly. By the way, William Baziotes, mentioned above, later became a world-famous artist, best known among modems. In his field I believe he was reckoned near the top, being accorded substantial space in Who's Who in Modern Art. His paintings, especially since his death in the 1960's, command very impressive prices. And I can remember the time when Bill and I would go to the basement of my home where I had set up a sort of studio, and we'd take turns sketching each other. In those days I had ideas about becoming an artist. My sketches of Bill were always more lifelike than his sketches of me. I could draw anything I could see; Bill could do better with the things he imagined. Maybe this is the place to mention that Bill at my instigation illustrated a story for Frank Belknap Long, Jr., for an early Crawford Marvel Tales. The original of that drawing would be a collectors' item today-but, of course, it vanished long ago.

The Making of a Science Fiction Fan

35

One other mention of Baziotes. He introduced me to the fantasies of H. Rider Haggard. I'd never heard of Haggard until Bill pointed out his books on the shelves of the Reading Public Library. That must have been in 1923 or 1924. I believe I started with She and followed with all that the library had. I was hooked on Haggard. It was around this time that I found Science and Invention with its science fiction. Dr. Hackensaw's Secrets were running endlessly; and I recall a Ray Cummings serial about adventures in a watery world. Seems to me it was called The Man in the Meteor. But all this was as nothing beside the thrill that came early in 1926. I was fifteen. I had left school to go to work in a sign shop as an apprentice learning sho'card writing. I had spent two months in tenth grade. In junior high I had done very well in everything but math. Ditto for tenth grade-and ditto for math. I had copied all of my ninth grade algebra from Sammy Chernofskyand now he wasn't in the same class! Math! How I loathed it. I refused to have anything to do with it. My dad, in order to prod me to greater effort, told me if I'd flunk I'd have to quit school-so I told him there was no way I could pass math. Why wait? So I quit school. Of course that wasn't the thrill that came in 1926. I had stopped to look into the window of Kinkaid's Book Store. The back wall of the window was covered with magazines. And there it was-a picture of the planet Saturn and above it a comet-tail title, Amazing Stories! I had money in my pocket-after all, I was now a working man-and in moments I was the delighted

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Over My Shoulder

owner of the first issue of the world's first science fiction magazine. As the months passed, each eagerly awaited issue of Amazing Stories was devoured, usually within two days after it appeared on the newsstands. Then Science Wonder Stories appeared-and Amazing Stories Quarterly-and Air Wonder Stories-and Science Wonder Quarterly-and of course I bought and read 'em all. I had long since started buying my own copies of Argosy All-Story Weekly, the title of the combined Munsey publications; and at fourteen I had bought my first book, the Burt edition of Tarzan of the Apes. My brothers had married and had started their own homes. I had to rely on myself for reading material. Exactly when I began to write letters to Amazing and Science Wonder I don't recall. I have a hunch it was shortly after reading the first issues. Nor can I remember when I started corresponding with other fans, but that started shortly after addresses appeared in the magazines. In short, I became a typical science fiction fan, one of the first of the species. But more important (to me, at least), in one of those early issues of Amazing Stories there appeared an invitation for readers to submit stories of their own. And that, I decided, meant me!

Chapter 2 Author! Author!

[I]

HIS CHAPTER, OBVIOUSLY, WILL DEAL WITH LWYD

Arthur Eshbach, writer. Hence at the outset I want to make one fact perfectly clear. I know I was never more than a second-rate science fiction author. This is not false modesty . I'm aware that my fiction never made much of an impact on the SF field. When I began to sell stories there was little competition, and any halfway original idea written in halfway readable prose found a market. Oh-as time passed and I gained experience, I became more professional. Indeed, my ventures outside the SF field in the 40's and 50's were reasonably successful and I was a competent writer. But what I did as a science fiction publisher provides my chief claim to recognition in this field. But if I hadn't written science fiction there is no possibility that I would have published SF. There wouldn't have been an incentive, nor an opportunity. 37

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One thing led to another, as will be revealed. There was significance, however, not perhaps in what I wrote, but in when l wrote it. I was part of the very early SF scene, breaking into print in the 1930's when this brand-new world of imagination really began to develop. This also meant that I was writing during the Great Depression when rates were so low that recognized professionals simply could not afford to produce work for this market, had they been inclined to do so. Hence the tyro could receive the encouragement of publication for less than professional efforts, and could learn his craft, could serve his apprenticeship, while being paid something for what he did. So-since I'm writing what I want to write, and since it has bearing on the Fantasy Press story and the era in which it existed, I'll relate how I became a writer of sorts. It began in junior high school. The year, 1924. I was in the ninth grade. I answered a question in a written civics quiz, elaborating on the subject since even then I was never at a loss for words. The civics teacher, Miss Catherine M. Haage, just happened to be the faculty director of a projected school paper, The Magnet; and when the first issue appeared there was my answer under the heading "I Think." A new experience-my words in print. Miss Haage asked if I could write a short story for the next issue. I could and did, and for later issues. The next semester I was appointed literary editor of the magazine. At last little Lloyd Eshbach had found something

Author! Author!

39

in which he excelled. Athletics? A flop. Shy and retiring, lost in the crowd-but suddenly something new had entered my life. I had planned to be an artist, had even made a drawing to head one of the departments in the paper, and art was still okay-but thanks to Miss Haage I would become an author! But then I left school and needed a job. My brother Walter was a sheet metal worker, and he had a job lined up for me as an apprentice to a local tinsmith. I had had a summer job in a machine shop; and I viewed tinsmithing with dread. A classified ad for a sign shop apprentice was a lifesaver. My drawing ability got me the job-and my working life was diverted into whitecollar channels. After less than a year in the sign shop I became sho'card writer in a local department store; and I stayed with that trade until the Depression forced me into the ranks of the unemployed. Fell in love at sixteen-married the girl (Helen Richards) at twenty-one-set up my own household in a rented house. Out of a job at twenty-two. Moved home with Dad and tried to write for whatever I could earn while Helen worked as a waitress, primarily for tips. Fun! But that's not the subject of this chapter. I was going to write "scientifiction," as Gemsback called it in Amazing Stories. I believe I was seventeen when I began to write. My first effort, "Up from . the Pit," was a very poor Merritt imitation. (Need I say I had made the Master my model? I had no style of my own; I tried to use Merritt's

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Over My Shoulder

style.) My first offering came back from Amazing with a printed rejection slip, which I still have in my files. I sent the manuscript to Weird Tales in Chicago, mailing it on a Monday. It seems impossible, but I had it back by Friday of the same week, which must have set some sort of a postal record. I got the message. My second effort was "Out of the Past," rejected without comment by Amazing, and probably others, although my records don't show it. Rewritten as "The Beast Men," it finally sold in Britain at a very low rate. A terrible story. My third was the first version of "The Valley of the Titans." In its original form it was a hidden valley story with prehistoric monsters. Gernsback returned it (from Science Wonder Stories) with a detailed letter of criticism and suggestions for revision. It was a most encouraging rejection. I was making progress. I still have a copy of that original version-and nothing good can be said about it. I'm really surprised that Gernsback saw any signs of promise in its pages. For my fourth submission I wrote "A Voice from the Ether," about 12,000 words in length. In this and the next two stories I paid little attention to Merritt and simply told a story. I sent it to Amazing Stories-and the months passed. And passed. And I waited. I was afraid to write inquiring about its fate since this might lead to its return, so I waited, and waited. Meanwhile I wrote ''The Man with the Silver Disc," a sort of SF crime story-but in view of Gernsback's favorable response to ''Titans" and Amazing's long

Author! Author!

41

silence, I sent it to Science Wonder Stories. Then came that never-to-be-forgotten day, October 14, 1929. I was working at Sears as a card writer and window decorator, a little more than two blocks from my home. I walked home for lunch, but no lunch was eaten that day. When I entered the house my mother handed me an envelope from the publishers of Amazing Stories. I tore it open. They had accepted "A Voice from the Ether"! After the excitement had subsided a bit I phoned Helen to share the good news and reluctantly went back to work. But there was more. In those days there were two mail deliveries per day. When I returned home from work at the end of the afternoon, my mother was waiting with another envelope. How she refrained from opening it I'll never know. It was from Stellar Publishing Company-Science Wonder Stories. Two stories accepted by two different magazines-my first acceptances-on the same day! I had eaten no lunch. I was too excited to eat dinner. Again I phoned Helen, and a second family shared in the excitement. A detail in the Gemsback letter added to the thrill. He requested that a photo of me be sent Special Delivery. Since I had no photo made within a decade, I rushed to a studio and by next day had a print on its way. Weeks passed, and I haunted the newsstands looking for the next issues of Amazing Stories and Science Wonder. I knew it took time for stories to get into print, but one could never tell. And with the urgency of the photo

42

Over My Shoulder

request, it seemed likely that "The Man with the Silver Disc" was scheduled for early publication. Then one day I saw a new magazine on the standsScientific Detective Monthly. I opened it at randomto my own story! With it there appeared an almostrecognizable line drawing of me. In print professionally, it was almost as big a thrill as the first acceptance. This happened early in 1930. In the meantime I had finished another story which I called ''Vibratory Worlds." Gemsback accepted it on its first submission, and it appeared in still another magazine, Air Wonder Stories, retitled "The Invisible Destroyer." With "Vibratory Worlds" on its way, I went back to ''The Valley of the Titans" and began a rewrite. I really went all out in my Merritt imitation. I actually lifted phrases bodily from his writings, using the pilfered lines changed little or not at all. At last it was finished~ all 20,000 words of it. I had followed Gemsback's suggestions to the best of my ability. But by this time I had been paid for ''The Man with the Silver Disc" -the fantastic sum of $40.00 for 12,000 words-1/34 per word. I figured Amazing couldn't do any worse, so I sent the new version to Dr. T. O'Conner Sloane. It was accepted on December 5, 1930. More than a year passed before it appeared in the March, 1932, issue. The fact that I received the feature spot in the magazine and the cover design helped to boost my morale far more than the check that followed-$90 .00.

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43

There was one jarring note in the saga of "Titans"the editor's blurb. He used ·the phrase, "This story which is so reminiscent of The Moon Pool and The Metal Monster"-and that was too close for comfort. My "borrowing" had caught up with me. I decided to abandon any further Merritt imitation. My next story was ''The Gray Plague." A new magazine had appeared on the SF scene, Astounding Stories of Super-Science, edited by Harry Bates. "Gray Plague" went to the new market, and shortly thereafter I received my third big thrill-a check for $246.00, paid on acceptance at 2¢ per word. Five sales in succession to four different magazines! I was on my way. Or was I? After "Gray Plague" I wrote one dud after another: "In the Days of the Glacier," "World of Whispering Shadows," "Out of the Sun," and others I've fo~otten. Looking back I can see the folly of my reaction to these rejections. I hated to waste the stories. So I rewrote and rewrote instead of going on to new stories which might have sold. Later when John Campbell suggested that I rewrite stories which he rejected, I ignored his suggestions, preferring to sell to lesser markets without the labor of revision. So I never sold to Campbell. Eventually I placed a revised and expanded "In the Days of the Glacier" in Amazing as "The Kingdom of Thought." ''World of Whispering Shadows" found a home eight years later as "The Shadow from Hesplon," an almost new story. I sold other efforts, of course, always as a sideline

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Over My Shoulder

writer. A long novelette of straight adventure, '-'The Chimu Treasure," was published as a four- or five-part serial in the Toronto Star Weekly under the pen name of W. Anders Drake. Some mystery short stories appeared in Saint Detective and a couple of other detective story mags. Even some light romances-love storieswritten in collaboration with my niece Roma (now Roma Greth, a successful, selling playwright) published under the pen name of Judy Schuyler. As nearly as I can determine, I sold a total of 49 stories which were published in 30 different magazines-Amazing, Astounding, Weird, Startling, etc. These ranged from 2,000 words to 25,000 words, the longest being "The Time Conqueror" published in Wonder Stories, July, 1932, and reprinted in revised form as ''Tyrant of Time" in the Fantasy Press collection of the same name. Two of my stories have been a source of personal satisfaction for reasons having nothing to do with their merit as stories. The first, "The Meteor Miners." To the best of my knowledge I was the first writer to use the idea of mining the asteroid belt. Doc Smith in The Gray Lensman introduced a meteor miner, Wild Bill Williams, a disguise of Lensman Kim Kinnison, as a major character in the story. One day in conversation with Doc I asked him: "I've often wondered-where did you get the idea for a meteor miner?" To my delight, he answered, "From you." There's a sequel. In 1976 the Associated Press reported a lunar science conference held at Houston. Two speakers, Thomas B. McCord, director of MIT's

Author! Author!

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astrophysical observatory, and Michael J. Gaffey, a staff scientist at MIT, outlined the case for mining the heavens, with particular emphasis on the asteroid belt. In a paper delivered at the conference the scientists said, "We have concluded that there exist significant economic, environmental and political incentives for the utilization of extraterrestrial resources and that no insurmountable technical problems exist to prevent such utilization." The scientists have determined that many of the asteroids are composed largely of iron and nickel. They estimate that a space mining venture could bring back metal each year worth at least $140 billion. So I'm a prophet. The other story that has afforded me a kind of satisfaction is a little-noticed tale called "Dust." It was published in the August, 1939, issue of Marvel Science Stories. In it I sent the first two astronauts to the moon-and they went there in the Apollo! Fred Pohl included this in his 1975 anthology, The Science Fiction Roll of Honor, a collection of work by guests of honor at world science fiction conventions. A book appeared in England in 1974 which delighted me. Its title: The History of the Science Fiction Magazine-Part /, 1926-1935, edited by Michael Ashley. It has since been brought out in the U.S. in paperback. It includes one story for each year of the period coveredand "A Voice from the Ether" was selected as the representative story for 193_1-my first sale! Recently I learned of a fascinating developmentfascinating to me-of the early 1940's involving my

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Over My Shoulder

fantasy story "Singing Blades." Sam Moskowitz called it to my attention at the 1979 Philcon (a regional convention held in Philadelphia) and later sent me a copy of the material involved. Sam· had helped to settle the estate of the late Leo Margulies, one-time editor-in-chief of Standard Magazines, and in the files came upon a letter to Margulies from the Richard Burton Schools of Minneapolis, Minnesota-"The School of Personal Service in Creative Writing." I quote the letter which was dated March 19, 1940. Dear Mr. Margulies: It was kind of you to give us permission to use the story "Singing Blades," which appeared in a recent issue of Strange Stories as a model of the atmosphere story. Our students will appreciate that story, I know. It is mighty good stuff! Permission to run the story was given to our Educational Adviser, Darragh Aldritch. For her and myself, let me thank you heartily. I enjoyed reading and analyzing that story. You will find three copies of the story and its analysis enclosed. Perhaps you might like to let the author have one-we haven't his address. Again, thank you! Sincerely, Hazel Ward, Director Educational Dept.

With the letter there was a reprint of my story, divided into numbered sections, as well as a detailed analysis of why I did what I did. I was quite amazed to learn of my own motivation and procedure.

Author! Author!

47

I would have appreciated it far more had I been told about it at the time it happened. And I thought Leo was my friend! After my stories began appearing in the SF magazines I became an avid reader of the letter departments, which were carried by all publications. I had read them before as a fan, even contributing to them occasionally-but now I had a new interest. What, if anything, would the readers have to say about my work? I began a scrapbook of clippings of letters that mentioned L.A. Eshbach. Some of these were very gratifying to my ego while others served as a needed if not-too-welcome balance. A few examples culled from the yellowed pages of the scrapbook are of interest to me, if to no one else. Bernard J. Kenton of Cleveland, Ohio, wrote at length about all that was wrong with Amazing Stories, stressing its steady deterioration since the reprinting of The Moon Pool by A. Merritt. He concluded: About the only redeeming feature of your authors exists in L.A. Eshbach, whose "Valley of the Titans" transcended the bromidic paths of imagination; and Jack Williamson who in "The Green Girl" attained superb powers of expression.

Bernard J. Kenton, as Julius Schwartz reminded me, after reading an early version of this manuscript, was a pen name adopted by Jerome Siegel who, with J oc Schuster, created Superman and by so doing made a far greater impact on science fiction than anything I hoped to do. Not everyone shared this view of ''Titans," as a letter from Blake Nevins of Winona, Minnesota, indicated.

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Over My Shoulder

After pra1S1ng "Drums of Tapajos" by S.P. Meek he wrote, "Just as Meek is good, Eshbach is bad. 'The Valley of Titans' read like a nightmare. It started splendidly but grew worse page by page until I threw the magazine down in disgust." Since I had very little technical knowledge I was always concerned about scientific errors creeping into my stories. Readers like Melvin C. Tabler with a Johns Hopkins address did their best to keep writers in line. He wrote: In the last issue I found "The Light from Infinity" most unusual, very interesting, and practically free from errors in physics. One thing about it puzzles me. How could a beam of light be seen in the void of outer space by an observer not in line with the beam? There would be no dust particles to reflect the light.

To which the editor replied, "As regards the beam of light in space, there is cosmic dust in the great void and the author perhaps relied on that to make the ray visible." Which explanation was complete nonsense, of course. I had goofed. With unbecoming immodesty I must state that letters of praise far outnumbered those of criticism- which may well have been the result of judicious editorial selection. One high spot was a letter in Wonder Stories. It came from Cork, Irish Free State, and it was written by Fitzgerald P. Gratton. I'd like to state a little appreciation of the stories in the July issue. The very best story was "The Time Conqueror" by L.A. Eshbach. It was a most impressive and masterly

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piece of work, and merits the highest praise. Much credit is due to Mr. Eshbach for the original plot of his story. The thought of a completely dissociated brain' developing a "hyper sense" is intriguing and fascinating, to say the least. I should be very grateful if you would prevail upon Mr. Eshbach to give us more of this type of story.

And Charles D. Hornig, who later became editor of the magazine, had this to say: "'The Time Conqueror' by L.A. Eshbach was the best story (in my opinion) that you have published this year so far." There was more on the details of the story. Jack Darrow of Chicago went even farther: "'The Time Conqueror' is one of the most interesting novelettes ever pubUshed. L.A. Eshbach is to be complimented on his vivid imagination and realism." A letter from Richard P. Allen of Chanute, Kansas, went beyond Hornig or Darrow. What happened to L.A. Eshbach? He truly wrote "The Time Conqueror" like a master but did not receive the acclaim he deserved. I rank "The Time Conqueror" as a masterpiece along with''The Moon Pool," "The Skylark of Space," "The Human Termites," "The Man Who Awoke," and "The Exile of the Skies." A very good test for a story is its ability to stand rereading, giving more enjoyment each time. Each of the above oozes this quality. "The Time Conqueror" was the most engrossing time story I have ever read, not even excepting "The Man Who Awoke."

Enough of this. Another item which warrants mention in this summary of my less-than-sensational career as a science fiction writer-the novel which P. Schuyler Miller and

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Over My Shoulder

I almost wrote. Miller's and my first appearance in the SF magazines occurred at almost the same time. I enjoyed his stories, recognized their Merritt leanings, and wrote to tell him of my appreciation. This began an interchange of letters that covered a span of ten years. In one letter Schuyler made mention of an idea for a story to be called The Czar of Colour. He outlined some of his ideas-I followed up with comments and suggestions; and after a number of letters we decided we had material for a book-length novel, and we'd collaborate on it. There were two lead characters, one a scientist, the other a more physical type from the lower level of a future society. Miller would write the portions where the scientist was center stage; I the chapters from the other character's viewpoint. So we plotted it. We began with a lot of enthusiasm and got through the first 30,000 words in jig time. Then it slowed-and dragged-and interest waned. I finally wrote the first draft of my chapters, and Miller added some pieces of his. And there it died. On April 3, 1944, Miller wrote: A couple of months ago I came across the old Czar of Colour, which I so effectively sabotaged by inertia some years ago. I'll send it along. If only I had been able to sec a little free time of my own ahead, I was hoping to f"mish it and shoot it to you for a surprise, but I haven't been able to do much with stuff of my own. With some changes-we arc both older-something might yet be done with it."

That was 36 years ago. Miller died of a heart attack a few years back. I have all the correspondence and notes

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as well as the manuscript, and on occasion I've kidded myself into thinking maybe someday I'll finish writing The Czar of Colour. I've reread it-and there's some good stuff there. Who knows? If I live long enough maybe I will! During the more active years of my writing I employed the services of three agents-at different times, of course. Actually, I didn't produce enough to warrant one agent. The first of these was Julius Schwartz, longtime fan and friend. I'm certain he was the first agent specializing in science fiction and fantasy. I am indebted for much of my Schwartz information to a special Julius Schwartz issue of Amazing World of DC Comics, issued by National Periodical Publications, Inc., to commemorate Schwartz's thirtieth anniversary as comic book editor, and copyrighted by National Periodical Publications, Inc., in 1974. At the outset Schwartz was in partnership with Mortimer Weisinger, the agency the outgrowth of their editing The Time Traveller and later Science Fiction Digest, fan magazines without parallel in the early days of science fiction. To supply information for their news columns they called on the New York SF editors for information, thus learning to know them. Then as Julie recalls it, "Carrying on with the fan magazine, Mort came up with the idea that, as long as we were so familiar with the field's writers, and were always going up to see the editors ... we might as well making a living out of it. ''We knew the editors quite well from asking for information, much like fan magazines do today. And we

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knew what limited field there was quite well. So we wrote to a number of writers inviting them to send their stories to us. Mort and I would act as their agents." And so was born the Solar Sales Service. I was one of the writers they approached, and they made a number of sales for me. Later as Fantasy Press I dealt with Julie Schwartz as agent when I published the books of Stanley G. Weinbaum and John Taine. In 1936 Mort Weisinger received an offer of an editing job from Standard Magazines, and since they didn't consider it ethical to sell stories to themselves, Schwartz bought out Mort's share of the partnership and went on his own. Julie was responsible for the course of several fabulous careers. One of these was that of Stanley G. Weinbaum. When A Martian Odyssey appeared in Wonder Stories in 1934, F. Orlin Tremaine, editor of Astounding Stones, read it and raved about it. He told Julie when the young agent called at his office that any story from Weinbaum was a sure-fire sale. But there was a problem. Julie had no idea how to contact the author. He himself tells how he solved the dilemma: "My friend Charlie Hornig, who put out the second fan magazine, The Fantasy Fan, was the editor of Wonder Ston·es." Julie went to Hornig and suggested that Weinbaum was a pseudonym of a well-known writer. Charlie said, "You're kidding." Schwartz told him to look up the address. "I bet you '11 get a hint of who he is," he said. He looked it up. "Milwaukee," he said. "I bet it's

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Ralph Milne Farley." Farley, author of the Radio Planet stories, was a prestigious force in SF in the 30's. ''What address did he use?" Schwartz asked innocently, and when he saw it, as he put it, ''wrote it down in my head." Returning home he wrote to Weinbaum and told him that if he had any SF stories Schwartz had a sure market for him at twice the rate he was getting from Gernsback. "And so," Julie concludes, "Stanley Weinbaum sent me his every story from then on, all of which I sold." It occurs to me to wonder whether or not Julie ever told Charlie Hornig about his trickery. The two paid a visit to me in Reading and spent the night. Trickery aside, they were the best of friends. Their next stop on their way to the West Coast was Bill Crawford in Everett, Pennsylvania. Bill remarked later, "I wanted them to stay longer, but that Hornig guy was tied to a schedule." Among Julie's clients were Edmond Hamilton, Alfred Bester, Henry Kuttner, Robert Bloch, and for a period H.P. Lovecraft. His sale of Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness" and "The Shadow Out of Time" to Astounding brought the reclusive writer his largest checks. But Schwartz's most illustrious client had to be Ray Bradbury. During Bradbury's formative years as a writer, Schwartz was his mentor. Even in the beginning when he did not accept his earlier efforts for submission, he continued to encourage Bradbury, urging him to keep on writing. He made Bradbury's first sale, a collaboration

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with Henry Hasse called "The Pendulum," accepted by Super-Science. Schwartz estimates that \le placed the first 70 stories that Bradbury sold. Certainly Julius Schwartz had a greater influence on the developing science fiction field than he is ever credited with. My second agent was Charles Roy Cox. My memory of this association is quite vague, and it certainly was not of very long duration. I believe Cox was recommended to me as someone who could collect money due from Hugo Gernsback. My novelette "The Time Conqueror" had appeared in Wonder Stories, and for many months I had tried unsuccessfully to collect payment. Cox by threatening suit managed to collect. He may have sold a story or two for me, but I can't recall it. Lurton Blassingame was my third agent. He was then representing Robert A. Heinlein and had placed some of his work in such unlikely places as The Saturday Evening Post. I figured Blassingame was tops. I called on him in his office in N cw York and left samples of my work. He agreed to market my stuff with the comment: ''Writing this well you should be able to sell to all the adventure books. Just study the magazines and give the editor what he wants." Following this suggestion I studied Terror Tales, wrote "Isle of the Undead"-and Blassingame sold it to Weird Tales where it received the feature spot in the issue with aJ. Allen St.John cover. During my years of inactivity in the science fiction field Forrest J. Ackerman has represented me on the

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occasional reprint of an old story. Though such reprints occurred infrequently, they did happen; and Forry, somehow, was the agent publishers usually approached for the clearance of rights to old-time stories. I have a vague recollection of Ackerman writing a couple of decades ago for permission to represent me on such sales, permission which I granted, of course. This report about my writing "career" would not be complete without reference to my radio script writing phase. I had forgotten almost all of the details until a letter of inquiry from Dr. Curtis C. Smith set me on the trail. Dr. Smith has edited a major work called Twentieth Century Science Fiction Writers published by St. Martin's Press in 1981; I am one of the 600 writers included in the book. When filling in the questionnaire I mentioned my having written for radio in the early 1930's. Smith wanted details. I recalled that I had collaborated with H. Donald Spatz on quite a few radio plays, but details were gone from my mind. At about that time, while reading old correspondence with P. Schuyler Miller (research for this book), I discovered a wealth of information I had long since forgotten. Miller and I began corresponding in August, 1930. In 1932 we started plotting The Czar of Colour, and in order that both of us would have a complete record of ideas, I made carbon copies of every letter I wrote (not my normal procedure); and since we kept each other informed regarding progress in our "careers," my carbons reveal a lot I no longer recalled. I should introduce Spatz at this point. We're still

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friends. He's six or seven years my junior. We grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, and met when Spatz, in high school and an aspiring writer, called on the "author" for criticism and help. Interested -in theater and radio, he started an amateur theatrical group which enjoyed local success on stage and radio. Spatz stayed with radio, eventually joining the staff of WBAL-Baltimore. For almost two decades he has had an inspirational fiveminute spot just before the 7 a.m. news, plus other assignments. He is a well-known figure in the BaltimoreWashington area, in demand on the lecture platform. He's had five books published, two of them mystery novels, and three compilations of his radio scripts. Both Spatz and I were beginners-but radio in those days was hardly out of its swaddling clothes. To describe what happened I'll quote freely from my letters to Ski Miller. A letter dated March, 27, 1933: Radio writing takes up a good bit of my time just now. You may have read the article on radio writing by H. Donald Spatz in the current Writer's Digest. That article is largely bluff, though he really knows his stuff-I should know because he and I are collaborating on the things. I supply the ideas, he writes the first draft, then I revise and retype them for submission. We've written four 13-episode series thus far, and sold all of 'em, one to two stations. Because of the bank tie-up none are on the air yet. Here are the titles: The Crimson Phantom, 15-minute continued series; The Bronze Buddha, ditto; Tales of the Crystal, halfhour series, each episode complete in itself, but combined by the thread of the Crystal Gazer who sees the adventures

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take place in his glowing crystal sphere; and Cupid's Capers, also half-hour complete. All are mystery thrillers except the last which is a series of humorous love tales. The Bronze Buddha is a supernatural about an image that comes to life, a forgotten city under the Sahara, etc., etc. We're planning to write a pseudo-scientific series soon. Incidentally, the announcement in the current Science Fiction Digest doesn't mention Spatz, but that isn't my fault. I told Ackerman that I was collaborating with Spatz on the scripts. By the way, "The Mummy's Curse" that Ackerman mentions is the first episode of Tales of the Crystal.

A letter dated April 21: "During the week I sent out Doings of the Dinwiddi'es and Too Many Smiths." A letter for May 8: "Every Tuesday night starting tomorrow our series Doings of the Dinwiddies will be broadcast over WJSV, Washington and Alexandria." Later in the same letter: "Columbia Broadcasting System is considering a series of ours for the mouthwash company previously mentioned." (I'm certain we never sold Columbia; I would have remembered it.) A letter dated September 19, 1933: Radio Events (syndicate) has accepted our series, Cupid's Capers and The Pennington Saga, a series of 15-minute programs portraying highlights of Virginia history from 1607 to date. Possibly 50 or 60 episodes. They have a buyer for the latter already, and we only sent it to them a few days ago. In addition, WJSF Alexandria, for whom the program was planned, will broadcast the Pennington scripts.

It would appear that Tales of Tomorrow was the last series on which Spatz and I collaborated. Since this was science fiction and for that reason of greater interest

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to me than the others, I recall that it was a half-hour series, each episode complete in itself. There must have been some sort of connecting thread between episodes, but I can't recall what it was. I had retained carbon copies of all this material until around the mid-1960's. It was quite a stack of paper, yellowed and brittle with age. Then one day I read some of the stuff-and it was dreadful. That was when I destroyed every sheet. Within the past year or two in conversation with Spatz I mentioned our radio writing days, and he commented: "The stuff was incredibly bad. I put it out of my mind long ago." To summarize, following are the seven series which Spatz and I wrote: The Crimson Phantom-15-minute continuing series-mystery. The Bronze Buddha-15-minute continuing series-mystery. Tales of the Crystal-half-hour series, each complete, mystery-fantasy. Cupid's Capers-half-hour series, each complete-humorromance (sitcom). The Doings of the Dinwiddies-15-minute continuing serieshumor-romance (sitcom). The Pennington Saga-15-minute continuing series-fictionalized history. Tales of Tomorrow-half-hour series, each complete-science fiction.

It is evident that these were written and broadcast during 1933, 1934 and 1935. All ran for at least 13 weeks and some double that. Pay was incredibly lowsometimes as little as $5.00 per broadcast. Syndication helped-a little. Those were Depression years. I did the

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plotting and Spatz most of the writing. A lot of the material must have been derivative. I had read an appalling amount of fiction of every kind, and I'm sure I helped myself to any story ideas I found useful. Since I only used plot gimmicks and situations from stories which Spatz had never seen, they had to change radically during their transformation into plays. I've devoted far more space to my radio writing than is warranted by its relative unimportance. In self-defense may I suggest that with Tales of Tomorrow I was certainly one of the first if not the first writer to put SF drama on radio. After all, this was almost fifty years ago.

Chapter 3 A Taste of Printer's Ink EPRESSION YEARS, THE EARLY- 19!10'S. THE SCIENCE

fiction magazines, never enjoying wide circulation, were beginning to feel the financial pinch. As an aspiring author I was seeking markets for my writing efforts. Like so many others I had spent a year among the unemployed. Married in June of 1931, I was given the proverbial pink slip on Christmas Eve, together with hundreds of other employees in the department store where I worked. , Anticipating the layoff, I had moved back to my paternal home (with my wife) from our home of less than six months. Helen, my wife, after a while found work as a waitress, and I continued writing. But with a declining market-rates at one-half cent per word or less-payment on publication (or later-much later)-it wasn't a bright picture. I finally found employment in a small suburban 61

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department store as window decorator and sho'card writer-and circular distributor, carpenter, stock clerk, salesman, and eventually buyer. The pay-$15.00 a week-but it was a job. I stayed with it for nine years, my salary increasing as business picked up, till I was earning $60.00 per week, a respectable figure in those days. I finally left it to become advertising copywriter for the Reading branch of the Glidden Company, a national paint manufacturer. My specific task was the writing of a house magazine, The Wilhelm Ambassador, featuring "the romance of paint." All of which sets the stage for a letter and printed flier announcing the coming of Unusual Stories, a projected science fiction magazine to be issued by William L. Crawford of Everett, Pennsylvania. The letter asked for submissions to the new magazine which would feature the "off-trail" SF story, the story that didn't fit the stereotypes of the regular commercial magazines. There was a problem, however. Crawford could not afford to pay for material initially; but this was no problem for me, since I had stories that had been rejected by every editor. And since he listed names of writers who had already contributed material-good writers, names well-known in the field, I felt I had nothing to lose by sending Crawford a story. I answered with a manuscript, "The Man with the Hour Glass," and a letter of encouragement. Then the months dragged by and nothing happened. Again I wrote. Could I help in any way? And Crawford's reply was a tale of woe.

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He had no money. He had been promised funds but they hadn't materialized. A local print shop was for sale. He was not a printer, but he could learn-and things would break if he only had more time. But something had to go out to the fans he had already approached or they'd lose confidence. And so on. Looking back over the span of years I marvel at my next step. By any logical thinking I should have shrugged and said, "A good idea gone glimmering. Better luck next time." Instead, I offered to produce a brochure for Crawford at my expense to help him launch Unusual Stories. I did so, writing the copy, getting the artwork done by a budding area artist, Guy L. Huey (who never quite blossomed, later achieving success in an advertising agency), and having the folder printed by a Reading printer. It was a good professional piece in two colors, and I'm sure it created a favorable impression among the fans. Unfortunately, Crawford couldn't have had more than two hundred names to which to send the brochure (probably a lot less), and money was still very tight, so the response was quite disheartening. More time passed with nothing happening. Crawford acquired a used printing press, but he had no type. If only he could get enough type to get started, he wrote, he could really begin to roll. So-out of my meager wages, I bought a font of body type for him. I selected the type face, and a bad_ selection it was, though it looked fine in the catalog. In return for my help my name would appear as one of the editors, and because

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I was providing the drawings I would also be art director. And so it was. But instead of Unusual Ston·es he would issue a smaller companion magazine which would sell by mail, something to get going, and he'd reserve Unusual Stories for later newsstand sale. We considered a number of different titles, and I came up with Marvel Tales. The first issue appeared. Two illustrations by Guy L. Huey were included, printed from plates which I had produced at my expense. The cover was printed from a linoleum block which I had designed and cut, bearing my initials. Later blocks were signed F.V.C., which stood for "Frederick Van Cortland," a phony pen name I had adopted for my "art" work. I was not an artist, but Bill had to have illustrations, and linoleum blocks were cheap. For a later issue I illustrated a Robert E. Howard story with a line drawing, buying the printing plate, of course. It was about this time that Crawford hired a secretary, a pretty, perky, vivacious thirteen-year-old named Polly Bussard, who lived in Everett not far from Crawford's home. I used the term "hired," though l don't see how he could have paid her anything. Probably she felt quite grown up in her position and worked with the hope of future rewards. According to her own statement she was the world's worst typist. She worked as secretary for a very few months, then faded from the SF picture. I mention Polly Bussard only because some years later she returned to the SF scene as pretty, perky, vivacious Polly Freas, bride of Frank Kelly Freas, Hugowinning artist. A small world, science fiction.

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Sometime during this period Crawford and I decided we should meet. My brother Walt had acquired a car, an ancient Nash, I believe it was, so one Saturday we made the trip from Reading to Everett, over the Allegheny Mountains. The Pennsylvania Turnpike did not exist, so it was literally a trip over the mountains. Our wives went with us, and we spent a few hours with Bill, returning to Reading the same day. Later Crawford returned the visit, hitch-hiking-and before he left he gave us a dollar bill to buy something for a several-months-old son, Donald. I've always had a hunch that the gift cost Crawford a meal or two. In the meantime another factor had entered the picture-the Galleon Writers' Guild. A group of aspiring Reading authors organized a writers' club. I learned about it and decided to join. I was welcomed enthusiastically since I had actually sold stories-a real author! We met in a conference room of the local YWCA, 30 or 40 people, of whom no more than three or four had ever had any of their efforts published, and a dozen at the outside who ever wrote anything. The rest merely liked the idea of belonging to a writers' club, promising themselves that someday they, too, would write. A major project of the new club was the publishing of a magazine. We called it The Galleon, A journal of Literary Achievement. That subtitle is amusing in retrospect, but at the time we thoµght it a happy bit of phrasing. The editors were H. Donald Spatz and L.A. Eshbach. Spatz, as mentioned earlier, had gained some local fame as a playwright.

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Material for the first issue was assembled-but we had no money. In those days very few people had any money. So we sold advertising to local merchants. Amazingly, we sold enough space for a nonexistent magazine to pay the production costs of the first issue. Some of the nonwriters really could sell. Bill Crawford did the printing at a very reasonable rate which helped us and him. He also printed the second issue. By the time the third issue came out we switched to a local commercial printing service. Material in the second issue was so bad that somehow I sold the club on the idea of opening our pages to outside contributors. (I believe it was a case of "do it or else!') So I wrote to H.P. Lovecraft, David H. Keller, August Derleth and a few other writers who might have short material to contribute. Also I sent announcements to the writers' magazines asking for submissions. We published six issues, maximum circulation 500 copies. I sent review copies to EdwardJ. O'Brien whose Yearbook of the American Short Story was a national institution, and some of our stories were listed. I've always lamented the fact (in a small way) that two of my own short stories, published under the pen name Peter Gaunt, were listed in the Yearbook, and I had thought so little of them that I hadn't indicated their actual authorship in the copy I sent O'Brien, so Peter Gaunt got the credit. After the sixth issue of The Galleon appeared I was faced with an ultimatum. Henceforth only local material would be used. Outside writers were barred. After all,

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the club members wanted their own work used regardless of its quality. So I resigned as editor-and the seventh issue never appeared. Not too long afterward, tom by internal bickering, the writers' club faded into the sunset. But out of that group came a number of successful writers. Spatz I've already mentioned. Donald Radcliffe Shenton, added to the editorial staff about the fourth issue, was one of the most talented of the locals. One of his Galleon stories was reprinted in Fiction Parade, a national slick magazine of substantial stature in its day. Shenton later became editor of The Berks County Historical Society Review, a handsome periodical of regional importance. Rudy Shook sold sophisticated humor to The New Yorker, Mademoiselle and similar slicks. Byron Vazakas gained national recognition as a poet with Macmillan publishing several volumes of his verse. One of these, The Marble Manifesto, brought him a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize. And Floyd W. Miller went into journalism, became editor of a major newspaper, and wrote numerous successful books. Of interest to fantasy fans were appearances of work by H.P. Lovecraft, ''The Quest of Iranon," a short story, and two poems; ''The Mist" by David H. Keller, and ''Dinner at Eight" by August Derleth. The Galleon experience was interesting, a lot of fun, and it gave me an additional taste of printer's ink. Meanwhile Bill Crawford- was getting nowhere fast. Marvel Tales continued to appear at irregular intervals. To stir up interest Crawford proposed that we run a

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short story contest. We discussed it and I suggested a contest based on titles around which stories were to be written. He liked the idea and I provided the titles"The Shapes," "Dwellers in the Dust," and "The Elfin Lights." There may have been others but these are the ones I recall. An interesting development warrants recording. One day an S.O.S. came from Bill. The contest had to be ended. He had received a number of good stories, but he had no money to pay the prizes. Could I write the first prize winner to bail him out? I could-and did-and "The Elfin Lights" by W. Anders Drake appeared as the prize story. My pay-six copies of the story printed on good paper as a little booklet with my name as author. Crawford announced the winners-W. Anders Drake, R. DeWitt Miller, Richard Tooker and ForrestJ. Ackerman. The Drake title was the only one published, and, obviously, no prizes were awarded. P. Schuyler Miller's entry, "The Shapes," not listed as a winner, eventually sold to Astounding Stories. It would be interesting to learn whether any of the other stories ever appeared in print. Another crack-brained idea surfaced during this period. Bill suggested we collaborate on some storiesmy plotting-his first-draft writing-my polishing. A fifty-fifty division of the proceeds, his half going into the publishing venture. We tried it with a story called "Purple Chaos." Bill had an idea which he outlined in a two-page letter. I wrote a 20-page synopsis, chapter by chapter. Then Bill expanded it into a 57-page story. And

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there, deservedly, it died. Later Bill asked for my release of rights so that he could have someone else do the final revision. I agreed. It never appeared anywhere. I have the stuff in my files. It's absolutely awful. During the last days of Marvel Tales a new artist appeared on the horizon, Clay Ferguson, Jr. Crawford couldn't pay for his drawings, so he made him art director-with my full blessing; I knew I wasn't an artist. About the same time another name appeared as editor, a fan who had put a little money into the venture, and I dropped out of the picture. I think I should make it clear that I was never Crawford's partner in any business sense. I was never promised any financial return, nor did I expect any. Looking back on those years inevitably leads to the thought: "Why didn't you stop playing and get to work?" If all the effort I had put into those sophomoric literary sidetrips had been devoted to actual writing I might well have been successful as an author.

Chapter 4 A Fan Among Fans HEN AMAZING STORIES AND ITS "SCIENTIFICTION"

entered my circumscribed world in 1926 it not only broadened my reading horizon, but it also made me aware that other people shared my interests. Theretofore my brother Irvin and Bill Baziotes were the only kindred minds I knew. Now through the letter columns I learned that I was not alone. Out there were many others with the same unorthodox taste in reading material. Occasionally readers invited correspondence, and in the course of time I wrote to some of them and received letters in response. Then-I think through P. Schuyler Miller-I learned of an organization called the Science Correspondence Club. I joined. I corresponded with Frank B. Eason, its president, and others of its members. Unfortunately, none of these letters has survived. 71

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I remember the club publication, Cosmology, to which I contributed one article-and thereby learned a lesson. My article purported to be scientific-and some inconsiderate reader challenged everything I said, asking me to defend my position. Of course I ignored the challenge, since I didn't have a leg to stand on. Lesson learned: you may be able to fake science in stories, but it doesn't work in articles. Another contribution I made to Cosmology was its cover. Eason, as I recall it, suggested a title change from The Comet, the original name of the mimeographed sheet, to Cosmology; and he wanted a distinctive cover design. I volunteered to produce the art, and not only did so, including the title lettering with "appropriate" drawings, but had a quantity of covers printed for the club. Unfortunately we got crossed up on size, and the publication appeared with an inch of white paper extending beyond the bottom edge of the pale blue cover-most disturbing to my artistic sense. It would be interesting to examine those publications after the lapse of a half century, but they've long since gone the way of similar "important" ephemera. I believe it was in the mid-1930's that I learned about the Philadelphia fan group. Philadelphia, about 50 miles from Reading, had a number of fans who had organized a science fiction fan club. Somehow I learned of a fan get-together on a Saturday or Sunday and decided to attend. As I recall it, by arrangement I took a certain train to Philly and was met at the Reading terminal by two of the fans, one of them Milton Rothman, who held

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a copy of Amazing Stories, cover exposed, so I could pick him out of the crowd. This first physical excursion into SF fandom is now a vague impression of six or eight young fellows who gathered in the home of one of them-probably Rothman or John Baltadonis-and a hodgepodge of conversation about science fiction. It was at this meeting that I met Oswald Train and a friendship began which has lasted to this present hour. There were other meetings of the Philly group which I attended. In the course of time they adopted a name, the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society, the PSFS to most fans, and later more formal meetings were held. These were gatherings in unpretentious halls, and special speakers were featured, usually writers from the area. These local annual conventions, now called The Philcon, are still being held. After skipping them for almost two decades I attended that of 1979-and what a difference! A first-class hotel, speeches by famous writers and editors, the usual parties-but the real center of interest was the crowded huckster room with its tons of books, novelties, T-shirts, and the like, plus a separate room for the display of SF art, thoroughly professional work. In Newark, N.J., another fan group formed the Eastern Science Fiction Association, ESF A to the initiates. I attended some of their meetings though this probably was several years after my initial Philly visits. I never really got involved in the fan clubs of the period. I made visits to gatherings in the East; contributed material occasionally to fan magazines and

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subscribed to some of them, and of course wrote letters. I was present during some of the fan feuding of the day and found it boring and futile. Indeed, I then considered it the proverbial tempest in a teapot, and nothing has happened during the passing years to make me change my mind. Less than one hundred SF fans were involved at any time and what they did had little influence on anything. One possible exception to that "influence" observation might be the first World Science Fiction Convention, which set a pattern for all that followed. I recall I was present at a Philadelphia conference-I think it was in 1937-when Donald A. Wollheim read a speech written by John B. Michel which was a strong and obvious pitch for communism. A lengthy discussion followed and after it had gone on interminably I finally stood up, was recognized by the chairman, and voiced my protest ag~nst the insertion of politics into science fiction. I received a round of applause, which showed what most fans thought about the proceedings, and the discussion ended. It is interesting to note that among the feuding fans were Sam Moskowitz, Donald A. Wollheim, David A. Kyle, Robert W. Lowndes and Fred Pohl, all of whom later made science fiction their profession, either as editors, agents, authors or all three. Years later I visited Wollheim in his home and in the course of conversation mentioned that turbulent period. Wollheim smiled and shook his head. "That was a long time ago." In 1938 Newark was the site of the most ambitious

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fan gathering to date. A one-day affair, it was thoroughly enjoyable. By this time I was a minor "somebody" due to my stories having appeared in the SF magazines, but I was just as impressed as any other fan by my meeting such celebrities as John W. Campbell, Jr., Otis Adelbert Kline, Manly Wade Wellman, Leo Margulies and others. An amusing incident occurred at a Philly get-together during the Fantasy Press years. Willy Ley, fact and fiction writer and rocketry expert, was there. He had brought with him a tall, handsome Nordic-appearing young man who had a beautifully designed and constructed cutaway model of a space rocket. We were introduced to Wernher von Braun-and no one was greatly impressed. How were we to know that not many years later he would be world famous, a prime figure in NASA's space program? Oh yes, the incident. Willy Ley indicated he wanted to speak to me privately. We found a quiet corner, and Willy said with his heavy Germanic accent: "I haf been avay from home longer than I planned and haf spent too much money. Can you help me out?" Of course I could. "How much do you need?" A very modest sum met his requirements; and a few days after the meeting I received his check. Looking back on those early fan conventions, the most outstanding has to be the first Worldcon held in New York City in 1939. The ''World" designation had little foundation in fact, though there were a few Canadian fans present. "National" would have been

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more accurate, but regardless of title, it was a huge success. The New York World's Fair was being held that year, and the convention committee hoped that many SF enthusiasts would bring their families and attend both attractions. Their hope was realized. Though I was recognized as an author, I was so greatly outclassed by the big name writers present that I simply vanished among the fans. I had met some of the authors in Newark; others were first-time meetings. I recall conversing with Ray Cummings, whose work I had read in All Story Weekly in 1919. Tall, straight, with a shock of white hair and a white stock about his throat, he was a picture of what one expected a science fiction writer to look like. He obviously enjoyed the attention he was receiving. I spoke with Edmond Hamilton who with J. Schossel were the first of the super-space-warfare writers in the early Weird Tales. I had read Hamilton's first published story, "The Monster-God of Mamurth," when it first appeared. Others I remember were Jack Williamson, Ross Rocklyne, Nelson Bond, L. Sprague de Camp, Malcolm Jameson and artist Frank R. Paul. Forrest Ackerman had come fr~m California. With him had come a young fan, 18 or 19, bright-eyed and bushy-haired, bubbling with enthusiasm. He had brought dozens of samples of artwork by an aspiring West Coast artist. The artist, Hannes Bok. The fan, Ray Bradbury. it is my recollection that Bradbury made the trip with the dual purpose of introducing Bok's work to the New York editors and his own fiction to the same important

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people. He succeeded with Bok to a degree, and this led Hannes to move to New York City. At that time Bradbury couldn't peddle his own wares, but as everyone knows, within a comparatively few years he was to achieve success as a writer far beyond any that Bok ever attained as an artist. Isaac Asimov was there, just beginning to appear in print. So too were Otto Binder, the writing half of Eando Binder; NormanL.Knight, Manly Wade Wellman, Harl Vincent, Julius Schwartz, then an active agent, and Frederick C. Painton, a regular contributor to Argosy. The editors were also there. These included John W. Campbell, Jr., editor of Astounding Stories; Leo Margulies, editor-in-chief of Standard Magazines; Mort Weisinger, editor of Captain Future; and Charles D. Hornig, editor of Wonder Stories. Speaking of the editors leads me to correct an error which has been perpetuated in several accounts of one particular session in which the editors spoke. Time magazine reported the incident. I don't recall what Ti'rne said, but in part they quoted a statement to this effect: "I didn't know you were so sincere." Isaac Asimov in his massive autobiography credits this to Mort Weisinger, which just isn't so. The statement was made by Leo Margulies. I heard it and I recall it well. Logically, it could not have been a statement by Weisinger, himself a fan for many years, whereas Margulies, on the otherhand, was an outsider looking in. Reverting to the convention, in addition to writers

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and editors there were fans by the score. It was some convention! Over the years I attended many other world SF conventions. These fell chiefly in the Fantasy Press period when my time and interests were occupied with huckstering-the promotion of Fantasy Press books, contacting authors and the like. Nevertheless, this was truly fan activity and logically fits into this chapter. I skipped Chicago in 1940, Denver in 1941 and Los Angeles in 1946, all for the same reason-I couldn't afford to attend. But the Philcon, the convention held in Philadelphia in 194 7, was a different story. Fantasy Press had come into existence and by convention time had already published four books. When I learned about the convention I knew I was going to attend, but I suggested to my three partners that it would be good public relations if they also appeared. They agreed. Chronologically, my telling of the conventions at this point plays havoc with my plans. Since my partners in Fantasy Press figure in two of the cons they'll have to be introduced briefly at this point. There were three of them, none at all interested in science fiction: G. Herbert MacGregor, paint salesman; A.J. Donnell, artist (both employees of the Glidden Company where I also worked); and Lyman Houck, accountant for a major insurance company. More will be said about them in the Fantasy Press account. We attended the Philcon together. Houck, with his background of participation in insurance company conventions, suggested we take a case of whiskey with

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us and make the Fantasy Press suite a sort of social headquarters. I wasn't enthusiastic, being a nondrinker, but I was outvoted. So I suppose Fantasy Press has the dubious distinction of having introduced free drinks at Worldcons. The convention was all we could have hoped for. Houck and MacGregor, good listeners, spent their time getting acquainted with fans and plugging Fantasy Press. Donnell, an excellent photographer, was everywhere with his camera. I was photographed with everybody famous or near-famous. A wry note. Years later, in 1974, at the request of a fan who said he was working on his doctoral thesis and who asked for any photos I might have of old-time writers, I foolishly sent him all those negatives. I figured he could have prints made of any he could use. I also sent a bound copy of my file of The Galleon so he could have copies made of the Lovecraft material. The fan never returned negatives or book, and I don't have prints of the photos to use in illustrating this opus. During the convention itself I was busy being a fan engaged in round-the-clock gabfests with fellow writers and fans. It was here that I met Doc Smith for the first time, and a friendship begun by mail became a man-toman matter. Doc remained a very close friend until his death in 1965. I consider it a privilege to have known him, one of the finest gentlemen I ever met. One bit of Philcon trivia comes to mind which awakens a personal chuckle. MacGregor also had a camera and took occasional flash pictures. He happened

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to see an attractive gal-fan sitting on John Campbell's lap and he snapped the picture. John wasn't too happy about it and the girl moved. Mac said something like: "The sucker better be nice to us or else-" I wouldn't have done it, but Mac enjoyed the episode. A year later the Torcon was held, the first Worldcon outside the United States. An active fan group in Toronto conducted a very quiet affair, with the scene of formal activities in a hall some distance from the convention hotel. And because the number of attendees was under 200, the hotel where the majority stayed was concerned about other guests and all-night parties were frowned on. So revelry was somewhat subdued. Robert Bloch was Guest of Honor. The Torcon has one distinction-it was the first "smoke-filled room" convention. With the present orderly method for the selection of world convention sites, today's fans may be surprised to learn about the wheeling and dealing that went on behind the scenes in earlier days. It started at the Torcon. I was there and observed it. William S. Sykora, who had been involved in the New York convention of 1939, came to Toronto determined to have New York named for the 1949 con. The feuding of the first Worldcon still lingered in many memories; New York fandom was divided into opposing factions; and many fans felt that since Philadelphia, an East Coast city, had had it in 194 7, it should go to another part of the country. Smoke-filled rooms became the order of the day. Influential fans tried to talk Sykora out of his

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bid, but he was adamant. Since there was no other substantial bid in view, it looked as though New York would get it by default. At this point Jim Williams of Prime Press swung into action. Meetings of selected fans were called in smokefilled rooms. Some of these belonged to the Cincinnati group, Dr. C.L. Barrett and Don Ford among them. Some fast phone calls were made to Cincy-and a Cincinnati bid was made for 1949. New York lost in the voting and Cincinnati won. And Will Sykora faded from the fan scene. It was at the Torcon that we formed the Associated Fantasy Publishers-a colossal mistake which will be discussed later. One bit of trivia stands out in my memory of the Torcon-an item sold at the fan auction. These auctions, by the way, were highly important for each convention in the early days. Donated artwork and manuscripts were sold to help defray the costs of putting on the con. At the Torcon a particularly beautiful Virgil Finlay cover original from Fantastic Novels was offered, and two men wanted it. One was Harry Moore (who later chaired the Nolacon, the 1951 New Orleans convention) and the other a fan whose ·name I've forgotten. In a day when cover originals usually went for $50 or $75, this painting brought $300 into the convention coffers. It was probably the most dramatic moment in the entire convention. Neither bidder wanted to pay that much, but neither wanted to admit defeat. Moore finally bowed out, making a quiet comment

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to me, "Well-I gave him a good run for his money!" Southern pride had kept him going far beyond what he really wanted to pay. Of all the Worldcons, the Cinvention of 1949 stands out most vividly in my mind-for an obvious reason. I was the Author Guest of Honor. In my speech, which I called "Science Fiction Comes of Age," I told the audience that I was chosen, not because of my writing, but because of my contribution to the science fiction field through Fantasy Press. Fred Pohl echoed this thought in 1974 in a book entitled Science Fiction Roll of Honor published by Random House and featuring a story or article by each of the conventions' Guests of Honor. He selected my story "Dust,'' a 1939 effort. In his introduction he wrote: Lloyd Arthur Eshbach was one of the big-name writers in the thirties, but it was not for that reason he was chosen Guest of Honor in Cincinnati. Eshbach did something more significant than write stories; he started the first publishing house in the world to bring out a whole line of ScienceFiction books. . . . He founded the firm called Fantasy Press, and started what has now become a multi-milliondollar business.

Ted Carnell, brought over from England, was the Fan Guest of Honor, though he had recently turned professional, becoming a major British SF editor. Six of us from Reading attended the CinventionDonnell, MacGregor, Eshbach and our wives. We drove to Cincinnati in Donnell's car with Don doing the

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driving. He was notorious for riding on fumes, ignoring the empty light. Inevitably we ran out of gas somewhere in the Ohio farmlands and had to walk a couple of miles for gasoline. The convention itself was one of the last of the smaller and less formal fan gatherings. By comparison with today's mammoth affairs with 7,000 and more in attendance, it was simply a more sophisticated version of the Bellefontaine Midwestcons started by Doc Barrett. It was unhurried, with none of the hectic pace of the later cons. Charles R. Tanner, himself an SF writer, was chairman of the Cinvention. About 200 people attended, among them an unusual number of professionals. These included (in alphabetical order) Poul Anderson, Hannes Bok, Arthur J. Burks, Lester Del Rey, Ted Dikty, Vince Hamlin (creator of the famous cartoon character Alley Oop), Mel Korshak, Dave Kyle, Fritz Leiber, Judy Merril, Sam Moskowitz, Ray Palmer, Rog Phillips, Frank M. Robinson, E.E. "Doc" Smith, George 0. Smith, Wilson "Bob" Tucker, Jim Williams and Jack Williamson. It seems to me that Edmond Hamilton was there, too, though his name does not appear in the convention reports. Speakers included Lester Del Rey who spoke on "Sex and Science Fiction," Jack Williamson, whose subject was "Science and Science Fiction," Hamlin on "Alley Oop, the Man I'd Like To Be," and Ted Carnell, Doc Smith, and Arthur J. Burks, with talks untitled. One unusual outgrowth of the Cinvention needs to be

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recorded. Ray Palmer, for 12 years the successful editor of Amazing Stories and Fantastic Universe, spent just one day at the Cinvention. It was here he announced that he was going on his own and had plans for a professional magazine "patterned after what I think science fiction should be, as a fan, and not as an employee of a publisher." In time his digest-size magazine Other Worlds appeared. But more happened than the mere announcement of Palmer's plan. At the Cinvention Ray Palmer met Bea Mahaffey, a Cincy fan and a member of the convention staff. On the strength of that brief contact Palmer hired Bea as his associate editor. He did it properly, calling on Bea's mother and clearing it with her. There can be little question that Palmer was influenced by Bea's dark Irish beauty, but in short order she proved there was a brain behind that lovely face and showed her worth on the Other Worlds staff. When Palmer was seriously injured in an automobile accident Bea carried the entire load, keeping the magazine appearing on schedule. She spent five years on Palmer's staff. Probably the most noteworthy happening at the Cinvention was its publicity. It should be remembered that up to the Cinvention, publicity had been limited to brief-and usually snide and derogatory-mention in the local papers. Dave Kyle came to Cincinnati with plans to change this. Dick Wilson and Cyril Kornbluth, fans and writers and long-time friends of Kyle, were then heading Transradio Press in Chicago and New York, and each evening Dave phoned them reports of

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the day's happenings, with said reports going out over the teletypes to the radio stations of the nation. And it worked, relatives of fans telling of reports on local broadcasts in all parts of the country. But an even more innovative publicity ploy came out of the Cinvention, also arranged by Kyle. This was the appearance of a discussion panel on TV station WLW, Cincinnati. Dave made all the necessary arrangementsbut when it came to the actual program he received quite a surprise. He assumed the interview would be conducted by station personnel, but he was wrong. After the announcer made preliminary references to the Seventh World Science Fiction Convention he said: "So, at this time I'd like to introduce to you a gentleman who knows much more about science fiction than you or I, I'm sure-of the Gnome Press, formerly connected with radio stations in New York State, Mr. David Kyle." With that he vanished into the woodwork, leaving the startled and unprepared Dave to moderate the interview. And Dave did an excellent job-though it's interesting to note that twice he tried to toss the MC spot to others on the panel. He had the help of the following writers and fans, listed in the order of their appearance: Fritz Leiber,Jr., E. Everett Evans, E.E. "Doc" Smith, Jack Williamson, Hannes Bok, John Grossman, Forrest J. Ackerman, Ted Carnell, Bob Tucker, Melvin Korshak, Lloyd A. Eshbach, James A. Williams and Dr. C.L. Barrett. Judy Merril was there, too, but apparently the chauvinistic moderator ignored her, or she was too timid

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to speak up. As I recall Judy, the second alternative is absurd. Actually, time ran out before Daye got around to her. I had considered quoting briefly from the broadcast, but upon rereading the transcript I've decided that it is of sufficient interest both historically and in content to be included in its entirety. The program, it should be said, was recorded on wire by fan David A. Mcinnes, and the transcript made from Dr. C.L. Barrett's copy of the original recording. For the sake of convenience, quotation marks have been omitted. ANNOUNCER: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Did you ever read Buck Rogers? Of course you have; for at one time or another you've all been interested in science fiction. More than 2QO delegates are here in Cincinatti for this weekend at a gathering as the Seventh World Science Fiction Convention. Convention chairman, Charles R. Tanner, says that the convention delegates are followers of the future before it gets here. And he goes on to point out that the atomic bomb was actually foreseen over 20 years ago in science fiction and that today the atomic age is a reality. So, at this time I'd like to introduce to you a gentleman who knows much more about science fiction than you or I, I'm sure-of the Gnome Press, formerly connected with radio stations in New York State, Mr. Dave Kyle. DAVE KYLE: Thank you.

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Science fiction is a very unusual field and I know quite a few people know nothing at all about it. We have some celebrities here tonight-Jack Williamson, Fritz Leiber, Jr., E.E. Smith, Ph.D., Judy Merril, and E.E. Evans-all of whom are well-known authors of science fiction. Tell me, as our board of strategy tonight, what the introduction to science fiction, of someone who knows nothing about it, should be. FRITZ LEIBER, JR.: I would say that the person who is interested in science fiction today, or who wants to become interested in science fiction, can find any number of ways to further that interest. Science fiction is in magazines of several sorts, in books, and, in fact, I believe that we'll be seeing it in pictures more than in the past. KYLE: You mean something like Mighty Joe Young? LEIBER: Well, that belongs to the sort of imaginative literature that's called fantasy, the fairy tale for adults. KYLE: Ah, now we have two distinct facts here; we have science fiction and we have fantasy. Well, science fiction convention, I guess, means that we don't think we care for fantasy fiction. What would you say, Mr. Evans? E.E. EV ANS: No, we car.e for both science fiction and fantasy and also what is known as "weird" and any of the off-trail writing. It is called a science fiction convention merely for convenience, but it takes in all four types of literature and art. KYLE: But of course this is not confined to just a masculine readership?

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EVANS: No, probably twenty-five percent of the readers belong to the fair sex. KYLE: Do you visualize more and more feminine readers, Dr. Smith? E.E. SMITH: Yes, definitely. I think that anyone who is interested in exercising his or her imagination is going to be interested in science fiction and the other forms of fantasy. KYLE: Well, Mr. Williamson just had a book published this past month by Simon and Schuster. What do you think of the trend toward "popular" science fiction? JACK WILLIAMSON: It's a very pleasing trend, and it seems to me that as science and its effects on everyday life become more and more apparent, more people will become interested in science fiction, which is the projection of possibilities into future times and other worlds. KYLE: Well, I can readily follow that. All you people here are representative of authors. I'd like to take a look at the other side of the picture, the artists. We have over here Hannes Bok and Mr. Grossman. Hannes Bok is a well-known fantasy artist whose pictures many people undoubtedly recognize but whose face perhaps hasn't been seen by many. Well, Hannes, what's your conception of art in science fiction? HANNES BOK: Well, we know all art is art, whether it's in science fiction or not, but it has to make all things seem possible. Fantasy, of course, has to be done very

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photographically and realistically because to draw a Martian and do it modernly and sketchily, well, people can't believe it's quite possible. You do it photographically and people say, subconsciously, he must exist because this looks like a photograph. KYLE: I see. Well, then, you think that there is definitely a chance for realism in fantasy and science fiction? BOK: Oh, I think fantasy is about the best of all forms of art because you have free rein and can do exactly as you like. KYLE: Why don't you ask your compatriot there, Mr. Grossman, what his ideas are on the subject? BOK: That's right. John, what do you plan to do with the commercial aspects of fantasy art? JOHN GROSSMAN: Well, I believe in trying out your imagination. I draw mostly just gadgets and things like that; the more mechanized type of thing. In regard to fantasy, I like to draw machinery; it's more intriguing to me. That is, rather than figures or something like that. I get a bigger kick out of it. I don't care too much for fantasy because I don't know too much about it. KYLE: Ted Carnell is the editor of this new English magazine, New Worlds. He is a well-known science fiction fan, active for many years in this sort of thing. And for the first time he's come to America to visit at this convention and meet the people with whom he's corresponded for years. Now let me turn this interview over to a real science fiction fan who for many years was called America's

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number one fan, Forrest J. Ackerman. Well, Mr. Ackerman, if you '11 carry on as MC here, I'll step out of the picture. FORREST J. ACKERMAN: Thank you, Dave. Ted, I was just looking at that cover. (Reference to a New Worlds cover painting which fan artist John Grossman had bought and had brought with him to the studio.) You know, I've been reading science fiction since 1926 and of course in that time I've seen hundreds of covers on American magazines. I think that's one of the finest I've seen on either side. TED CARNELL: Well, that's very nice of you, Forry, because, you know, I don't think it's very good, really. But it's something a bit different. We haven't exactly the same setup in Great Britain that you have here. You have a long record of good magazine publishing. England isn't such a good magazine publishing country at all, whereas we specialize in books-and we're finding a great deal of difficulty in producing a magazine which will conform to the readers' tastes and yet not differ too greatly from the American counterpart-and that particular cover is one of a long line of-I should say-dismal failures. But we think we're beginning to get somewhere, along the line that you have already .blazed. ACKERMAN: Well, what I particularly liked about it was that it's up to tomorrow in its concept, you might say. I think it won't be long before we'll be seeing that sort of thing in reality: rockets to the moon-and too, a cover like that will attract a higher type of reader. CARNELL: I would like to say one word here, Forry,

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before we pass away from the cover. The artist who painted it has never read a science fiction story in his life, and he's never done any drawing of fantasy before. But I really think he's done a good job. ACKERMAN: Now, out in Hollywood before I left, Bob (Tucker) was talking on the phone to John Payne. I don't know how many people are aware that this wellknown movie actor is himself a science fiction fan. He was telling me that he's interested himself in your detective book, The Dove. Is that true? WILSON "BOB" TUCKER: That's true. I understand that Mr. Payne himself sometimes writes science fiction under a pen name. ACKERMAN: I ran across him when I was in the Army, but I could not pin him down to just what the pen name was. TUCKER: He didn't want to influence an editor into buying his stories, so he adopted a pen name. Ted brought up something a moment ago which strikes me as typical of science fiction fans. Here are four of us who started out as mere fans and each of us in our own way has worked up to something. Ted has become an editor, and you in turn have become an agent, and, I understand, a prosperous one. I branched off a little bit-I'm writing detective stories now-and this young man who was able to buy an original cover for forty-eight dollars is the most successful of all of us. I think that the one value of science fiction fans that is seldom touched on is that quite often it is a proving ground for the future professionals. You run off the

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names of the professionals who started as fans; just dozens of writers, almost, you could say, ;µid numerous artists. Yesterday they were just young fellows reading their magazines and turning out their amateur publications; today they're either editing for slicks or pulps, writing for slicks or pulps, or selling them as an agent. I think that fandom is a wonderful proving ground from the professional science fiction angle. CARNELL: We have exactly the same setup in Britain where as far back as ten or fifteen years, science fiction fans who had grown up with it had become highly successful authors. Several of them recently had books about science fiction published in England, which is very rare; the British publisher does not really understand the fantasy field from the book angle. KYLE: If I may sneak in on this conversation, Mr. Carnell, I undtrstand you to say that the publishers don't really understand science fiction. Just by some strange coincidence we have gathered on the other side of the studio some representatives connected with the publishing end of science fiction. So I'd like to shift the camera over to our publishers, who are, from left to right: Lloyd Eshbach of Fantasy Press, Jim Williams of Prime Press, and Melvin Korshak of Shasta Publishers. Inasmuch as I'm figured in on this, I think I'll introduce Mr. Korshak as MC and let him take over so I can sit down. MELVIN KORSHAK: Okay, Dave-why don't you just take a seat and we'll kind of throw this problem around a bit.

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The publishers in this field seem to feel that we are publishing tomorrow's fiction today, that we are putting the headlines that you '11 read in the newspaper tomorrow into book form at the present time. Now, just to get some different slants on this, I'd like to call the audience's attention to Mr. Eshbach of the Fantasy Press in Reading, Pennsylvania-and he in tum will give you some idea of what Fantasy Press sees in science fiction and what they're doing about it. LLOYD A. ESHBACH: Mel, it seems to me that, as you mentioned, science fiction is the fiction of tomorrow being published today. But it's a whole lot more than that-first of all it's good entertainment. It's the sort of entertainment which lets people escape from the present, awakens their imagination, and at the same time gives them a vision of what modem science can develop in the future, so that we, as publishers of science fiction in book form, are doing more than just providing entertainment. We are actually opening the future to the general public. KORSHAK: But never let us forget that the important fact is entertainment. After all, people are interested in entertainment in all mediums, and I think that our most important job is to provide that entertainment. ESHBACH: Well, obviously, Mel, if we don't entertain we can't sell books, so entertainment value very naturally has to come first. At the same time I think we're providing a type of entertainment that isn't found anywhere else. KORSHAK: Well, even besides that-and I want you

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to come in on this, Dave-this field is unusual in publishing in that there are a number of specialists who are doing nothing but publishing in this particular line. I'd like you to comment on that. KYLE: As we are here as representatives of the specialists, we have a very unusual operation in the publishing field. We're giving the reading public a type of literature that's long been ignored; a type that is in demand and is certainly proving that it is growing in popularity every minute. Your discussion of the entertainment value of literature is a very interesting point, because after all that's what literature is for. But I'm glad to see that Lloyd sort of eased up on the point that he made in Convention Hall yesterday about entertainment being the primary reason for science fiction. I might be a little too idealistic, but I think that science fiction is one of the best forms of education we have today. I mean that in the sense that we can prepare the people of America and the people of the world for progress. The outstanding example of that is, of course, that in 1944 one of the science fiction magazines published a story on the atomic bomb which caused an investigation by the FBI because they couldn't believe that any layman had any knowledge about the atomic bomb. Well, the fact that something like that exists is proof to me that people as a whole are familiar with the rate of progress the scientific world is reaching. I think that science fiction will be able to give to the reading public of America a new conception of mankind's progress.

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JAMES A. WILLIAMS: What you tried to express, Dave, and you did it very well, was that shooting the books out and taking them so far in the imaginative field, although scientifically there's some point of takeoff, that you prepare the people for what normally will come out of straight facts. ESHBACH: It may be changing the subject, Mel, but it may be interesting to the public to know that we too are science fiction fans-that we started out as science fiction fans. KYLE: That's right. I remember when I first met Mel at the Chicon in 1940 when I took an automobile trip across the country and back; I measured it by flat tires. I had twenty-four. WILLIAMS: I understand, Lloyd, that outside of being a publisher you had experience as a writer in the field in the early days. KYLE: As a matter of fact, Lloyd, aren't you the Author Guest of Honor at the convention? ESHBACH: Yes, but that's a queer state of affairs. KYLE: Well, that means you're sitting on the wrong side of things. If the camera will move over to my right, we'll have the authors on whose side you really should be. We have Doc Smith, Dr. C.L. Barrett, E.E. Evans, and Judy Merril back with us again. Tell me-you just heard the publishers talk about the publishing business. What do you take exception to? As authors you must take exception to some of their remarks. E.E. SMITH: I take exception to very few things that

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they said. In fact, before we go any further with this, I would like to reinforce something that was said about the way science fiction has anticipated actual scientific developments. I have an autographed book which was written by John W. Campbell, entitled The Atomic Story. KYLE: By the way, John W. Campbell is the editor of Astounding Science Fiction. SMITH: Right. And his autograph-when I got that it was one of the proudest moments of my life, because it said: "To Doc Smith, who commercialized atomic energy twenty-five years before the Manhattan Project was ever heard of." KYLE: Well, that's really something, doctor. Let me ask this-what are you commercializing now? SMITH: Well, inertialness and special drives which will take us through space at the rate of multiples of the speed of light. KYLE: Using that measure of twenty-five years you used in predicting atomic energy, do you think we're going to have space travel in the next twenty-five years? SMITH: No-that is, we will have space travel in a small way. I believe that I will live to see the first rocket trip to the moon, and I hope to live to see the first trips to the planets by way of a space dock in space, to fuel rockets which will go to the moon, from which they will take off for the planets. Now, as far as deepspace travel is concerned, that is not in the foreseeable future, because the strict application of mathematical and physical principles does not seem to permit the

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development of velocities greater than the speed of light. KYLE: Well, that's really a fascinating thing, I'm sure, to our audience. To me it doesn't sound out of this world at all, although it may be, by a few million miles. DR. C.L. BARRETT: Dave, you'd better correct one thing. I'm a collector, not an author. KYLE: I was just going to get to that. I'm afraid I got carried away listening to Doc Smith. BARRETT: You're so used to eulogizing him as "Skylark" Smith that you tried to include me in the same category. KYLE: That's right, Doc Barrett, you represent the opposite side. BARRETT: We're the rank and file; the ones who are not authors, editors or publishers, but the ones who read it and collect it. I've been collecting it since 1923 and I've accumulated some four thousand books and six thousand magazines. I don't collect as many pictures as some of the others; I don't have the space for it. But it's the most fascinating type of literature and we are the only group which will go to the authors and tell them what we don't like about their stories. Doc Smith will tell you that I've driven clear to Michigan to tell him what I don't like about his stories, and to argue for hours about the incongruities that occasionally creep into the science attempted. KYLE: Well, thank you very much for the two sides of the story, one from the readers and one from the authors.

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So, leaving you at the studio, I'll tum you back to your studio announcer. ANNOUNCER: Thank you very much, Mr. Kyle. Ladies and gentlemen, you've just seen and heard a very fascinating discussion carried on by Mr. Kyle, our moderator, and authorities who are meeting in Cincinnati this week for the three-day gathering of the Seventh World Science Fiction Convention. I think that by now, Mr. Kyle, we realize that the reality of the future is certainly based on today's knowledge and that science fiction's growing popularity indicates the changing perspective of this world. This has been a production of WLW-Television, the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation. I suppose, in retrospect, that there was nothing remarkable about our TV appearance. Certainly our comments were hardly brilliant-but since there was no preparation whatever by anyone, I think we did quite well. Certainly we did not disgrace ourselves or science fiction. And it was an important first. I have dealt with the Cinvention to this great length since for obvious reasons it made a deeper and more lasting impression on me than any that preceded or followed it. However, lest I be accused of having an extraordinary memory, I must confess that I was helped immeasurably by The Cinvention Memory Book edited by Stan Skirvin, Roy Lavendar and Lou Tabakow, and published by Don Ford in May of 1950 in an edition of 500 copies.

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At this point in time (1949) the first informal fan gathering that later became the Midwestcon was held in Ohio. It was a sort of post-convention party at Beatley'son-the-Lake with Doc Barrett as host. The following year Doc Barrett sent invitations to a selected group of fans and pros to meet again at Bcatley's, and that was the first official Midwestcon meeting. In a few years it became too big for the small resort hotel at Bellefontaine and it was moved to the Cincinnati suburbs. From the beginning the Midwestcon was an informal get-together of congenial fans wanting to meet with old friends. There were no guests of honor, no programs, no speakers, just SF friends meeting once a year for a long weekend visit. An effort has been made to keep attendance down. Publicity has not been sought, indeed, has been avoided. Never has it exceeded 400-and that's actually larger than its sponsors wish. I first met Arthur C. Clarke in Bellefontaine; and Ian Ballantine, famous for Ballantine books, first announced his entry into SF publishing at a Midwestcon, bringing pay rates into the field unheard of up to that time. It was at the Midwestcon that Randall Garrett, having imbibed a bit too freely, received a black eye from a member of the motel staff; and it was there that Doc Barrett's intervention prevented Harlan Ellison's spending a period in the local slammer. Oh-we had fun in those days. Out of the Midwestcon came First Fandom-but that didn't happen until 1959. Its story will be told in chronological order.

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Back to the Worldcons. I passed up the next convention in Portland, Oregon, but went to New Orleans the following year, 1951. Fritz Leiber was Guest of Honor; and I recall a talk session in which he provided a needed ending for a short story I was writing and which was giving me difficulty. I have some photos taken at the Nolacon which seem to indicate that I had a good time, as I'm certain I did. I was on one panel, sitting next to Bea Mahaffey, with Bob Tucker, Howard Browne and Mel Korshak on the same panel-I have a picture to prove it-but for me the Nolacon is a mental blank. Except, that is, for the ride home by car with Marty Greenberg, Dave Kyle and Judy Merril, which was a balll I'll never forget the fleabag of a motel in the Tennessee mountains where we spent a night, and the clerk who couldn't understand our wanting four separate rooms. Showers that discouraged use despite the September heat. It was getting late so we grabbed the first accommodation available-only to find out next morning that 20 minutes farther up the road was a beautiful top-rated motel. To pass the time on the trip we cooked up what was to be the biggest hoax ever perpetrated on SF f andom. We created a mythical fan, Chester A. Polk. We planned to have him enter the scene as a correspondent, then a contributor of articles and stories to fan magazines, and even signed art (since Kyle was an artist), each of us contributing to the effort. Unfortunately we never carried it out, though Dave Kyle started the ball

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a-rolling; and there's a reference to Chester A. Polk in -one of his illustrated SF history books. Then there was Chicago-Chicon II in 1952. This was the first really big one, an estimated 1,000 people in attendance. By this time Fantasy Press had published more than 30 titles, most of which were still in print, so I recall having quite an impressive display. Hugo Gemsback was Guest of Honor. The days and nights sped by in a hectic whirl. Everybody-and his brother and sisterwas there. It was at Chicon II that Ted Sturgeon spoke to me about Fantasy Press possibly being interested in publishing a Sturgeon book; and I answered with a polite but negative, "Let's see what you have to offer." I never heard from him again-which emphasizes my being well-supplied with stupidity. • Two other convention bits come to mind, the first a fabulous three-hour session in 1956 at the New York Biltmore. My participation came about only because of Fantasy Press-but in this instance I was all fan. As I recall it, early in the afternoon of the second day of festivities Doc Smith met me in the lobby. "I've been looking for you. A few of us are meeting in Campbell's room. You're invited." He told me the time, and on schedule I made my way to the suite occupied by John W. Campbell, Jr. Already there were Campbell, Isaac Asimov and Doc Smith; and moments later George 0. Smith arrived. Then Campbell locked the door. He told us something all of us already knew-that he enjoyed throwing ideas around-and he thought the rest

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of us might enjoy a similar interchange. Then John began with a mentally stimulating remark; one of the others made a comment-and in moments the ideas began to flow. I've long since forgotten what was said, but I sat there enthralled, an audience of one, while the assembled brains sparked ideas! If only I had had a tape recorder! Material for a score of books was tossed about that afternoon. Those four men were more than science fiction writers. They were high-powered intellects in a brainstorming session-and I experienced one of the most enjoyable three hours of my life, just listening. Obviously, I had nothing to offer to that group. I'm sure I was included only because Doc suggested it. Knowing Campbell's mental gifts, it may well be that some of the ideas of that afternoon found their way into the pages of Astounding as editorials or as plot germs passed on to writers. The other convention reference came out of Chicon III held in the Pick-Congress Hotel in Chicago in 1962. It's a personal note. Here I met the complete Doc Smith family for the first time. I had met Verna Smith Trestrail at Chicon II and again when I drove with Doc and Jeannie Smith from a Midwestcon to visit the Smiths at Des Plaines, Illinois, stopping en route at the Trestrail farm at Leesburg, Indiana. But this was the only convention at which Doc's aeronautics engineer son Rod and his daughter Clarrissa appeared. Together we had a most delightful time. Amusing notes-Verna with a companion waiting for

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a green traffic light to tum red before crossing. Her sister getting into a shower fully dressed to reach a drying garment, and inadvertently ruining a lovely hairdo with a blast of water from a shower, to Doc's complete disgust. There were other incidents but they would hardly interest anyone but me. Earlier I mentioned First Fandom. Today this is a respected branch of science fiction fandom which has existed with greater or lesser activity since 1959. It sprang from the creative brains of Doc Barrett, Don Ford and Bob Madie, and it was their efforts that got it going. It began in July with 21 members, adding six more in early \August. After the original three Robert Bloch was the first to sign up. Robert A. Madie was the first president, an office he still holds. I joined in the fall of 1959, and the year ended with 55 members. Membership was limited to fans who started reading SF prior to January, 1938. Associate members were admitted in the early 1970's and consisted of fans who showed unusual interest in early science fiction. Probably the group's most noteworthy accomplishment (aside from the maintaining of a united interest in fandom of those who were in it at the beginning) is the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award. Interest in this kind of an award was expressed in some of the earliest meetings. First Fandom seemed to be the logical organization to choose the recipients of such awards, but several years passed with the actual award no nearer than when it was first proposed. Finally at the 1963 Midwestcon the First Fandom members voted to have a

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trophy prepared to be awarded at the Discon, the 21st World Science Fiction Convention at Washington, D.C. And it was voted unanimously (in Doc Smith's absence) that he receive the first trophy. Shortly after Chicon III Don Ford, Dale Tarr and Lou Tabak.ow took it upon themselves (with the tacit approval of FF president Bob Madie) to design and produce a trophy. Since standard trophies with a science fiction theme were nonexistent, and since funds were lacking to produce a new design commercially, the three decided on a standard base with a mobius strip mounted on its top. They encountered problems with the shaping of the mobius strip from sheet steel or aluminum, but it was accomplished finally, formed of polished spring steel lined with blue, the end result quite appropriate and pleasing in its appearance. On Sunday ,night at the Discon, First Fandom was given time at the business session for the presentation. Forry Ackerman led off with the annual presentation of the Big Heart Award, an award given in memory of E. Everett Evans. The 1963 recipient was James V. Taurasi. Next appeared Bob Madie who, as president of First Fandom, briefly outlined the nature of the organization, its reason for existing, then called on Sam Moskowitz. Sam in his booming voice told of the purpose behind the new First Fandom Hall of Fame award-to honor the great authors, editors, artists and fans for their contribution to science fiction. Sam continued with a summary of the earlier writings of Doc Smith, but handling

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it so well that unless one knew whom he had in mind, one couldn't be quite certain. Finally it became clear that it must be Doc Smith as Sam continued building up to a climax when he unveiled the trophy and called for Doc Smith to come forward. Applause was deafening, and such was the emotional impact of the moment that there were few dry eyes in the room. A standing and noisy ovation was long in subsiding. Doc was simply too overcome with emotion to speak, and after saying, "I just can't say anything," he returned to his seat amid more applause. As the tumult quieted Sam leaned over to Madie and Ford and said, "I think the award was a success." Later when Doc was asked if he'd known about it in advance, he replied: "If I had, do you think I would have made such a fool of myself on the stage this afternoon?" Proud as Doc must have been, I'm certain his daughter Verna, who idolized her father and who was present, was even more delighted, ready to "bust a button." First Fandom's Hall of Fame Award became an annual affair. Initially, the selections were carefully concealed from the recipient, but after several years the group decided it would be wis.er to let the individual know in advance. One sad note-Dr. David H. Keller died shortly after he was chosen and never learned of his being so honored. His was the first posthumous award. Campbell's was the second. Following is the list of awards.

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1963: Discon (Washington, D.C.)-Edward E. Smith. 1964: Pacificon II (Oakland)-Hugo Gernsback. 1965: Loncon II (London)-None presented. 1966: Tricon (Cleveland)-David H. Keller (posthumously). 1967: Nycon III (New York)-Edmond Hamilton. 1968: Baycon (Oakland)-Jack Williamson. 1969: St. Louiscon (St. Louis)-Murray Leinster. 1970: Heicon (Heidelberg, Germany)-Virgil Finlay. 1971: Noreascon (Boston)-John W. Campbell,Jr. (posthumously). 1972: L.A. Con (Los Angeles)-Catherine L. Moore. 1973: Torcon II (Toronto)-Clifford D. Simak. 1974: Discon II (Washington, D.C.)-ForrestJ. Ackerman and Sam Moskowitz Uoint award). 1975: Aussiecon (Melbourne, Australia)-Donald A. Wollheim. 1976: Midamericon (Kansas City)-Harry Bates. 1977: Suncon (Miami Beach)-Frank Belknap Long,Jr. 1978: Iguanacon (Phoenix)-E. Hoffman Price. 1979: Seacon (Brighton, England)-Raymond Z. Gallun. 1980: Noreascon II (Boston)-George 0. Smith. Two other fannish incidents come to mind, one out of my writing days and the other in the Fantasy Press period. I mention them because of the people involved. The first occurred while I worked in the Glidden Company offices. I had had one of the secretaries, an expert typist, copy one of my stories. This suggested to

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her that she might earn extra money by getting manuscript typing jobs. I recommended an ad in Wri"ter's Di"gest. She placed the ad and in the course of time got a few responses. Then one day she showed me a most unusual letter she had received from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was typed on a roughly torn section of a brown paper bag. The typing was awful, full of errors and overtyping, and it was written with what appeared to be a foreign accent. Summed up, it said: "You got it the good typing and I got it the ideas. We get together and make much money." It was signed "Pedro Moke." I examined the strange note, and suddenly something struck me oddly. The return address seemed familiar, one I knew. I checked-and it was! "Pedro Moke" was the author with the other-worldly sense of humorRobert Bloch! The other fannish incident involved my custom in the Fantasy Press days of trying to acknowledge all fan orders as they came in-advance orders, that is-adding a personal note if there was any reason for my doing so. The order in question came from a young fan living, as I recall it, in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. In my acknowledgment I casually mentioned that I planned to be in his city on business during the following week. A few evenings later I received a long-distance phone call. It was the young fan, inviting me to stay in his apartment while I was in Cleveland. It was quite all right with his mother-and it would mean so much to him. Though it was the last thing I wanted to do, he was so

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eager, so insistent, that I finally permitted myself to be persuaded. Only a complete science fiction fan would have given the invitation a second thought. I spent an evening and a night in the lad's apartment, discussing SF, visiting with him and his mother (his father having died when the fan was quite young) and heard his story. The only Jewish boy in a small Ohio town, below average in size, just to survive among the other kids he had to develop the courage of a gladiator and a brashness which remains with him to this day. To illustrate both traits he told of the time he and his mother were ordered to move from an apartment because of one of his escapades. Painters were working on the outside of the building and had the usual swings hanging from the roof. Because no one else had the nerve-or foolhardiness-to do it, he climbed up one of the ropes, hand over hand, and crawled through an open window into his sixth-floor home. In the process he frightened other tenants who rose up in protest, hence the eviction notice. That was my introduction to Harlan Ellison, age fifteen. There are numerous other f annish happenings which I could relate-but enough, I've heard it said, is enough.

Chapter 5 The Fantasy Press Story

[I]

T CERTAINLY ISN'T AN ORIGINAL IDEA-BUT INSIGNI-

ficant happenings often have far-reaching results. Certainly the arrival of a poorly mimeographed postal card from "Buffalo Book Co., Providence, R.I." late in 1945 or early in 1946 did not seem important. Yet that card in the course of time was instrumental in changing the direction of my life. The card has long since vanished, but as I recall it, it announced the coming publication of The Skylark of Space by Edward E. Smith, Ph.D., in book form. Price, $3.00. Because I was a Doc Smith fan I ordered the book, sending cash with the order. Time passed-months-with no further word from Buffalo Book Co. Then came another card, this one saying that Skylark had been delayed but that The Time Stream by John Taine was ready for mailing. This was the first I had heard of the Taine book coming, but 109

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since Taine was another favorite author I wanted it too, so I instructed Buffalo Book Co. to senp it. Finally it arrived, to be followed later by Skylark of Space. Both were a lot better physically than I expected them to be, and I was pleased. I was then working as an advertising copywriter for The Glidden Company, paint manufacturer, and part of my job was selling paint by mail. Because I wanted books like Smith's and Taine's to continue appearing to be added to my collection, and because Buffalo Book Co. had been anything but professional in their sales efforts, I decided to give the new and obviously amateur publishers some friendly advice. So one evening I wrote a long and I believe cordial letter of comment and suggestion, criticizing what I called shortcomings and offering ideas for possible future use. In my letter I explained my ,motivation and mentioned my experience on the Glidden staff to add weight to my observations. Weeks passed with no response to my letter. Then one day I received a long-distance phone call at the Glidden office. "This is Tom Hadley." The name didn't mean a thing to me. "Who?" "You knowTom Hadley." My reply: "No, I don't know Tom Hadley." Answer: "You wrote me about the books I published. You seem to know something about this business-and I need help." Light dawned at last. Hadley continued, "I've published a thousand copies of two books-sold a hundred or so of each and don't know what to do with the rest." There was more; but finally I terminated the conversation which after all had

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nothing to do with paint, and my time was Glidden's. During the following weeks there was an interchange of letters and phone calls-my letters and Hadley's calls. He rarely wrote letters. Among other things I asked about review copies. He didn't know the term, had sent none out. So I had Tom send me 10 copies of Skylark of Space which I mailed out to the editors of the SF magazines and book review editors of such newspapers as The New York Times, Boston Post, San Francisco Chronicle and the like. Shortly thereafter John W. Campbell, Jr., reviewed Skylark in Astounding-and Hadley sold out the first printing at $3.00 per copy in one month! It is not my purpose to tell the Hadley story here; it isn't Tom's alone and all of it will be recorded in a later chapter. But some of it must be told since it is basic to the Fantasy Press record. It appears that my association with Hadley began at about the time Don Grant and Ken Krueger, his partners, were bowing out-Grant to leave for college and Krueger, discharged from military service, to return home to Buffalo, New York. At the time I knew nothing about the existing partnership; and Hadley's publishing from that point on was entirely his own. One fact needs to be emphasized. During my brief and very loose association with Tom Hadley I was not his partner. There was never any mention of my cutting in-or contributing-financially. My sole purpose in doing what I did was to aid in the continuing flow of books for my collection.

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David Kyle, in his excellent and major work, A Pictorial History of Science Fiction, gives credit to Ken Krueger for starting Buffalo Book Co. The name suggests this, since Krueger came from Buffalo, but in fact he attached himself to a Hadley-Grant partnership alrea~y formed. Also incorrect is Kyle's statement that Buffalo Book Co. split into Hadley Publishing Co. and Fant~~}' _P!ess. When Grant and Krueger bowed out Hadley planned to continue as Buffalo Book. Since this made no sense to me-Buffalo Book Co. for a Providence, R.I., publisher-I suggested he change the name to Hadley Publishing Co. So Hadley simply continued with the name change. And since I was never a part of Hadley's venture, FP could not have been a split-off. Some of the details are hazy, but as I recall it, I designed a letterhead for Tom and had it printed in Reading-with his paying the bill, of course. About this time I began writing some letters for Hadley since he simply never got around to answering inquiries. I also learned that he kept no records, so I had him send me his orders after he had filled them. They arrived in a carton just as he had dropped them into it, envelopes and letters, after shipping the books. So I typed up a 3 x 5 card for each fan. Hadley made a visit to Reading during this period, arriving on a Saturday and spending a night. He stayed in a hotel, preferring this because of his having a colostomy (which accounts for my learning of this problem). On Sunday morning he drove to Philadelphia with me as guide to meet some of the Philly fans. These included

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Ozzie Train, with whom I had arranged things by phone. ·we enjoyed some time with the Philly group; but the trip ended on a sour note. Hadley became excessively thirsty, and since Philadelphia had no open bars on Sunday and none of the fans had anything stronger than Coke, Tom insisted on driving into New Jersey for a drink. At that juncture I left the group and returned to Reading by train. Other sour notes made themselves heard. Because my name had appeared on some letters of acknowledgment and the like, I began getting complaints concerning nondelivery of books, something over which I had no control. (Looking back, I wonder why I ever put my address on any communication.) A letter from the Better Business Bureau of Spokane, Washington, threatening legal action was the last straw. I had nothing to gain and plenty to lose by Hadley's carelessness (and I'm certain that's all it was), so one day I phoned Tom to tell him, regretfully, he'd have to get along without my help. I warned him of possible trouble ahead for him indicated by letters I had received and which I sent him. I told him I was sending him all his correspondence, now organized, and a full set of file cards listing his customers and their purchases. With his permission I'd make a copy of the names and addresses for myself. Hadley agreed without argument. He said he didn't blame me for saying I had had enough-that his interest was dying, and one of these days he'd quit the game himself. And that was that. For my efforts I had gained some experience, had

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added several welcome books to my collection, but most important for future developments, had a thousand addresses of fans who had bought Skylark of Space. Looking back over the years and trying to be completely honest, I don't think I had even a remote idea that I might go into the SF book publishing business. Certainly I must have thought of it as something I'd enjoy, but I had no money. And with a wife and two sons to support, there was no possibility of my gambling on so speculative a venture. Then one day in the Glidden office the picture quite unexpectedly changed. My closest associates there were Herb MacGregor and A.J. Donnell. Mac, as everyone called him, was the assistant sales manager for the Syndicate Sales Department, dealing with Woolworth, Grant and other chains of stores. He and I shared the same office. And Donnell was the artist with whom I worked on the house magazine, The Wilhelm Ambassador, all of which I wrote. The "A.J." stood for Andrew Julian, which names he disliked exceedingly, answering only to A.J . or Don. On this particular day the three of us were in Don's office and somehow the subject of science fictio n-came up. (They were not even casual SF readers.) During the conversation I said, "How'd you guys like to go into the science fiction book publishing business?" It was an idle question spoken in jest. MacGregor answered, "You mean like Hadley?" He and Don knew about Hadley through his too-frequent phone calls to the office. "Yes, like Hadley."

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Mac then asked, "How much money would it take?" "Oh, about two thousand dollars to put out the first book." ''Well, there are three of us here-you, Don and me. We could get Lyman Houck-he's an accountant-we could each put in five hundred. Why not?" "You're serious?" "Sure. You get the stories, Don will do the illustrating, Lyman can do the bookkeeping, and I can wrap and ship books. How 'bout it, Don?" And as simply as that the idea of Fantasy Press came into being. For the moment the discussion ended there. Mac said he'd talk to Houck, his next-door neighbor, a good friend and a fellow Mason (as were we all), and report back. He did, and Houck was interested. With the wild idea now within the realm of possibility, I began giving serious thought to some of its ramifications. I didn't have five hundred dollars, but one way or another I could raise that much. We'd need a name. -I'd have to decide on a couple of stories for our beginning, the first title being of utmost importance. And I'd need a gimmick to bring in advance orders. A week or two later the four of us met in Houck's basement to discuss details of our organization-if, indeed, we were going to organize. We started by agreeing to go ahead. We'd have a lawyer, a friend of MacGregor's, draw up partnership papers. Then we discussed possible trading names. I've forgotten the names I suggested, but Fantasy Press was the final choice. SF was a kind of fantasy, and if we wanted to

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branch into the weird and supernatural, the name would still fit. The key to our initial success was the 'acquiring of a story by Doc Smith-Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. We had a thousand Smith fans to promote, and logically they'd buy a second Smith book. This was entirely up to me, my new partners agreed, since they knew absolutely nothing about the SF field. I had never met or corresponded with Smith, but his address was available through the letter departments of the SF magazines. Then I presented my idea for a gimmick. We'd issue a limited quantity-say 500-numbered copies of each book, inscribed by the author to the. individual fan, on all orders received before publication. These autograph sheets would be sewn into the books during the binding process, not merely tipped in. The others weren't particularly impressed with this idea, but I was certain that what would appeal to the fan in me would also appeal to other fans. And it meant that specially printed sheets with the list of names and numbers could be shipped to the author well in advance of the completion of a book. To have the finished books autographed would have been out of the question. The final item of business: before we could do anything else we'd need a letterhead and envelopes. That was Don's department; he'd come up with a design, and one of the printers with whom we worked on our Glidden advertising would produce our stationery for us. We'd need postage stamps for a promotional mailing, and that would suffice for the moment. I believe we

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each contributed $20.00 toward these initial expenditures, a total of $80.00 as our starting capital. Don designed a letterhead, quite unusual, which we had printed on goldenrod bond with maroon ink in imitation embossed effect. We bought postage stamps. I wrote to Doc Smith telling of our plans and asking for the book rights to Spacehounds of /PC. I chose this title because it was complete in itself. Hadley had announced plans to publish Skylark Three and Skylark of Valeron so I didn't consider these. Doc replied promptly and with characteristic enthusiasm. Of course we could have Spacehounds. So we drew up a contract which he and we signed, paid him a token fee to make it legal, and went ahead with publication plans. At this point the contacts which Glidden afforded us became invaluable. I called Fred Woerner, Printer, and told him of our plans. He was quite interested. But since we were just starting out and had no established credit, he'd have to have a cash advance before beginning work. I suggested $500 and he readily agreed. About this time I wrote a letter which went out to the fans on our mailing list. It was a professional selling letter (if I do say so myself) announcing the formation of Fantasy Press, our purpose, . our first book, and the signed, numbered copy feature for advance orders. We also announced a publication date. The results were overwhelming. Orders flowed in to our post office box with enthusiastic letters-we opened a bank account-and by the time the manuscript was given to Woerner we not only had more than the $500

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needed for deposit, but we had enough cash on hand to pay the entire printing -and binding bill, to buy shipping cartons and to care for incidental expenses. Technically, I suppose, we shouldn't have used the money; but we always were ready to put in our $2,000. We never needed to do so. Our initial investment of $80.00 was all the cash we put into the business. Or should I say, that was all my partners advanced? After I had bought out their share of the business, and after I incorporated, and after things went sour, and after I threw in the towel-I continued paying off debts for years out of personal earnings because I refused to go bankrupt. But that's a development which will be told later. In the beginning we were really riding high, though there were minor aggravations. For example, with Spacehounds, after all the artwork was completed and plates were on hand, and all proofs had been okayed by Smith and me, the printer reported that the paper mill could not make delivery of the paper for at least 60 days, probably longer. Woerner blamed the mill, but I've always believed he was late in placing the order for the sheet I had selected. This meant that publication of the book would be at least six or eight weeks late. And I wanted desperately to meet the announced date. I can still recall my session with Fred Woerner. I flatly refused to accept the delay. I had leverage-we were going to publish other books-there were other printers-and we had some say as to where Glidden's printing business went. He'd better find an answer. So

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he came up with alternate paper-not white but ivoryexpensive deckle edge which would have to be trimmed off-not enough for the 3,000 copies we had ordered; we could produce only about 2,000 copies-but we'd have a book. Spacehounds of /PC came out only two weeks after the announced date; and fans responded with congratulations and praise. After Hadley's delays I suppose nobody really expected us to live up to our schedule. Within a few months we sold out our initial printing. By that time we had other books under way, with still others signed up and announced. Then the partners had their first ruction. I suggested that we reprint Spacehounds, and they didn't see why we should. We had a "discussion" during which I blew my stack. Afterward I apologized-but what was really important, I had my way. Two printings followed with a total of 5,518 copies produced-and of course all copies sold. A number of times I was asked, "Did you really need your partners?" The answer is an unqualified "yes." True-with the exception of the artwork there was nothing they did which I couldn't have done myself-and drawings could have been bought. But-I would never have taken the chance on my own. I'm not a gambler by nature, and there were too many uncertainties for me to have made the venture alone. So without the partners there would never have been a Fantasy Press. I've related these details because they were part of the beginning of FP, part of the history of an era. We

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had learned a lot, and we were on our way. It is not my purpose to discuss the individual volumes we published, but I cannot resist reference to our fourth title, a slim book of 96 pages, with surprising longevity. It is Of Worlds Beyond, The Science of Science Fiction Writing, which I edited. During my early years of SF writing I had read numerous texts dealing with the craft; and I decided the time was ripe for a how-to book specifically directed to the beginning SF writer. I had already published or had contracted for books by the seven authors I felt could make important contributions to the field: Robert A. Heinlein, John Taine, Jack Williamson, A.E. Van Vogt, L. Sprague de Camp, Edward E. Smith and John W. Campbell. Each, it seemed to me, wrote a specific kind of story; and I asked each to write an article dealing with the area that best represented his work, actually assigning the topic. Each complied willingly; and even after more than 30 years much of their advice is still sound and of value to SF writers, tyro or journeyman. Two thousand copies of the book were ordered from the printer, but as had happened with Spacehounds, he ran out of paper. Only 1,262 copies were produced, making the first edition a very scarce volume. Fortunately Advent: Publishers reprinted the book in 1964, following with later printings, and copies are still available today. In 1965 Dennis Dobson published it in England. It would be possible, I suppose, to reconstruct a stepby-step record of the progress of Fantasy Press including

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a title-by-title report. Possible-and boring. So I've decided to tell of the high spots of FP in its heyday, the incidents which stand out in my memory as being most interesting or most significant. Accordingly, this will be in large part a rather loosely connected series of anecdotes. Having said this, I depart immediately from the announced plan with an observation that keeps intruding in my thoughts. How little we knew about the publishing business! And by "we" I mean Fantasy Press, Gnome Press, Shasta Publishers, Prime Press and every other SF specialist publisher. It is amazing that we succeeded to the degree we did. Our pricing of the books, for example. My partners and I figured on a probable average cost including royalty of $1.00 per book. We reasoned-if we'd set the retail price at $2.50, we'd make out quite well, even though we sold an unknown quantity at an average discount of 40%. To provide a margin of safety we decided to charge $3.00. It was much later, during my days at Moody Press in the middle 1960's, that I learned the rule of thumb of book publishing. For a non-royalty book you multiply your manufacturing cost by four and for a royalty book by five to arrive at a retail price. Anything less than this will lead to trouble. Our manufacturing costs without royalty ranged from 75¢ to $1.15 per copy. A further observation. When Fantasy Press was at its peak I remember sitting in the office of Walter Bradbury of Doubleday. As I recall it, he was the managing editor, the big editorial boss of the giant publisher. I had met

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him earlier, how and when I've forgotten. A fine man, by the way, a real gentleman. This was about the time when Doubleday was planning to launch its Science Fiction Book Club. I was in his office at his invitation to discuss his plans for the club. In the course of conversation, referring to FP and Gnome Press, Bradbury said: "If you fellows succeed it will be unique in publishing history. You publish one kind of fiction, and that's all. What if interest dies? You have nothing else to fall back on, nowhere else to go." I recognized the obvious truth of his statement, but there was nothing I could do about it. We were committed to science fiction and fantasyeven our logo bound us to one kind of fiction. That visit to Doubleday brings to mind another New York meeting. Many of the details are quite hazy in my memory, but as I recall it, Marty Greenberg of Gnome Press was approached by a couple of the major publishers who had started to dabble with SF publishing. They suggested that we combine in a full-page ad in the prestigious New York Times Book Review magazine. Mel Korshak of Shasta Publishers had come in from Chicago, and I had taken a train from Reading via Philadelphia. We met in the offices, I believe, of Henry Holt or Greenberg Publishers-swank quarters in a skyscraper suite-discussed details, and went along with plans for the combined ad. As we were waiting for the down elevator after the meeting-Korshak, Greenberg and I-Mel made some sort of delighted remark about our having arrived. And I said something like this:

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"Let's keep our sense of balance. We definitely did not belong in that meeting-we with our t,wo-bit businesses-and let's not forget it!" Actually, looking back, I see now that the whole idea was a blunder. We were being used. The general publishers were seeking the fan acceptance they thought we had; and that one-time appearance in The Times was of no value to anyone-not to the big publishers, not to FP, Gnome or Shasta. Another blunder in which Fantasy Press and its friendly competitors participated was the formation of The Associated Fantasy Publishers. There were nine publishers involved originally: Arkham House, Avalon Company, Fantasy Press, Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc., Gnome Press, Hadley Publishing Company, New Era Publishers, Prime Press and Shasta Publishers. The Grandon Company joined the group a few months later. The inclusion of Avalon and New Era, each with a single book, was hardly justified, but the added numbers helped to make the association appear more important. The first proposal that the SF specialty publishers organize for publicity purposes came from Jim Williams. He and Oswald Train visited the Eshbachs in Reading a short time before Christmas, 194 7. My partners, MacGregor, Donnell and Houck, were invited for the evening; and out of the blue during small talk Williams made his suggestion. It was probably an idea that occurred to him at that moment, since he hadn't previously discussed it with Train. Memories are vague, but the reaction must have been

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favorable. What if anything was done about the suggestion during the following months is even more uncertain; but evidently the plan was discussed with the larger publishers, Gnome, Shasta, FPCI and probably Arkham House, since action was taken in 1948. The formation of the loosely organized group took place at the Torcon, the World Science Fiction Convention at Toronto in 1948. We exhibited first as a group with a booth at the Book Festival, Museum of Science and Industry, in November at Radio City, New York. We used a colorful backdrop painted for us by Hannes Bok_ This was followed by a similar display with wider exposure at the American Booksellers' Association Convention at Washington, D.C., in May, 1949. A Danish dealer, Boghallen, arranged a large combined display at Raadhuspladsen, Copenhagen, in cooperation with the ASFP. All of this was written up in a special science-fantasy issue of The Antiquarian Bookman dated September 3, 1949. I refer to all of this as a blunder. We were seeking publicity as a group that we could not get-could not afford-as individual publishers. In this we succeeded, but with negligible returns in sales. We succeeded in accomplishing a secondary and . unforeseen result. By our increased visibility we called the attention of the major general publishers to what they suddenly decided was a market they were missing-and their ill-conceived entry into the SF book field hastened our demise. I suppose the failure of the specialist publishers was inevitable anyway because of our inadequate financing,

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plus the fact that we were ahead of the times, but this hardly justified our hurrying our collective failure. During this period I made frequent business trips to New York City, meeting with people in the SF scene. A few of these visits come to mind, and because of the people with whom I was associated, I believe they may be worth recording. I think of the time while in New York I took John W. Campbell, Marty Greenberg and L. Ron Hubbard to lunch. Someone suggested a Swedish smorgasbord, and I had my first-and last-taste of kidney. Yuck! Afterward we wound up in my hotel room for relaxed conversation. The incident is stamped indelibly in my mind because of one statement that Ron Hubbard made. What led him to say what he did I can't recall-but in so many words Hubbard said: "U:l like to start a religion. That's where the money is!" There was a sequel to that gathering in my hotel room. The place-the kitchen of John W. Campbell's home in New Jersey. Present were Campbell, Hubbard and an author who is as big a name today as he was then-bigger, if anything. He is the source of this information, but his name cannot be used. It was at that session at Campbell's kitchen table that the initial ideas for a new "science" were developed. That's where Dianetics was born, later to father an abortion called Scientology. Not many months later the first of the Dianetics articles appeared in Astounding. Significantly, at the

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beginning stress was placed on the "science" of Dianetics. Today the same mishmash of yoga, psychology, psychiatry and what-not is now labeled Scientology, a religion with "churches" scattered around the country. And L. Ron Hubbard, one-time pulp paper fiction writer, is now a millionaire. How right he was when he said, "That's where the money is!" During another business trip to New York City I was invited to a fan get-together, as I recall it, in the apartment of Harry Harrison. "If you want to," I was told, "bring along a bottle." Since, if I drank at all, I preferred wine, I stopped at a liquor store and bought a bottle of the best port wine they carried. Port from Portugal. Present that evening was Basil Davenport, book reviewer, editor-and of importance to me because he had access to the unpublished manuscripts of Austin Tappan Wright, author of Islandia, a fantasy of almost a thousand pages which in the early 1940's had created a literary sensation. A review in Saturday Review of Literature, for example, called it "A miracle ... something to marvel at." Davenport had written a slim, little-known volume, An Introduction to Islandia. I introduced myself to Davenport and offered him some of the wine I had brought. He took a sip, then picked up the bottle. "Good port wine!" He sat there with me until he had finished the quart. I told him I was interested in considering some of the unpublished Islandia material for possible book publication. He was enthusiastic about

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my idea, telling me The History of Islandia was really Wright»s major work. It needed extensive cutting, but he'd be glad to work with the material. The unpublished manuscripts had been placed by Wright's heirs in (I think) the archives at Yale University. Nothing ever came of the idea or contact. I had too many irons in the fire to do anything about it then, and later FP's financial troubles started. I had told Davenport I'd get in touch with him, but I never did. Part of the motivation behind my New York trips was the possible sale of paperback reprint rights to Fantasy Press books. I made a few sales, the authors and publisher sharing the proceeds, but I was two decades too early. In later years at least 30 of the books I published were reissued as paperbacks, but that didn't help me a bit. I recall a visit to the offices of Pyramid books. I had one objective in mind-to sell them the Skylark series. I played up the growing importance of paperbacks in the SF field and urged them to take a chance on one bookSkylark of Space by Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. I told them they'd have to deal with Doc, since this was not my publication; but if it succeeded, they'd want the second and third book in the series which I had published. They finally brought out Skylark of Space, followed later by the other Smith books, all too late to help Fantasy Press. The Smith paperbacks have been in print continually since their first appearance three decades ago. My daytime visits to editorial offices led to personal

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evening visits in the homes of some fine people ... Don Wollheim, then editor of Ace, invited me to see his L. Frank Baum collection-fine copies of the very rare first editions of the famous juvenile fantasies including the Oz books . . . The apartment of Herb Alexander, editor of Pocket Books, its walls lined with a fortune in 16th-century color originals by Hogarth ... I accepted an invitation by Oscar J. Friend to visit him and his charming wife-and George 0. Smith, Will Jenkins ("Murray Leinster,,) and his wife, and Willey and Olga Ley, who were there for the evening ... Or Horace and Evelyn Gold's apartment, Isaac Asimov and Judy Merril and a few other authors present . . . Or the unique Fletcher Pratt flat with enough birds and animals to rival a small zoo. Of course-I know I'm name-dropping-but these experiences linger in my memory as some of the frosting on the cake called Fantasy Press. Another surprising development delighted me. For publicity purposes I sent two copies of each new publication to Publishers' Weekly. Each week they selected a book of the week, representing the best of the new books with regard to its design, typography, physical makeup and general appearance. To my elation and to the surprise of the judges at PW, The Cometeers by Jack Williamson was selected for the week of its publication. In their writeup they referred to the "unlikely" source of the design selection. I believe they used a photo of the book on the PW cover. Since I designed all the books, naturally I was pleased.

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Two or three other developments have to be told. First, the withdrawal of my three partners from Fantasy Press. The partnership was set up on November 1, 1946. It was dissolved on January 2, 1950. When FP began publishing books, packing and shipping were carried out in the basement of MacGregor's home. Reserve stocks of books and cartons were also stored there. When a new book came out all of us pitched in to pack, address and ship the advance orders. Daily orders were handled by MacGregor. Houck took care of the general bookkeeping. I kept the fan address list up to date, took care of all correspondence, read proof, made printer and binder contact and so on. Donnell, of course, was busy with artwork. Don probably put in more hours than any of the rest of us. After months of disorder in MacGregor's basement, with a growing stock and the inevitable dust that went with it, spurred by Mrs. MacGregor's complaints, we decided we should rent separate quarters for our operation. We found a room at a low rental, a basement room at 9th and Washington Sts. in Reading-a building long since demolished. All book stock, cartons, work tables, etc., were transferred to our new base of operations. Some months later the four of us discussed possible ways for me to leave Glidden and handle Fantasy Press full-time. The partners were getting a bit weary of the endless work; and I was willing. To avoid taking too much cash out of FP for my salary we decided to rent a storeroom on a secondary shopping street and set up a

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used bookshop (which idea appealed to me) and operate Fantasy Press and the store from the same address. We hoped that profits from the bookstore would help to defray a major part of my family's support. We found this storeroom at 120 N. 9th Street, just a half-block away from our new warehouse, and there we set up The Book Shelf. This happened, I think, in 1948. By the time the bookshop was well established and I was doing all the work of Fantasy Press (except art and bookkeeping), I decided the time had come to try it on my own, if possible. I broached the idea of my buying out my partners, and they were willing. We arrived at a mutually acceptable figure-I paid a substantial portionand at the beginning of 1950 I was sole owner of the publishing business. I was also out of ready cash. In passing, eventually I had to sell my quite extensive SF and fantasy collection to complete paying off my former partners. I continued operating from the North 9th Street address until mid-1952. My time had to be divided between the store and Fantasy Press. I carried new SF and fantasy in stock, buying at dealer's discount from all the U.S. publishers who issued material I could use and importing some books from Britain. Because I was building up a walk-in trade at The Book Shelf, I had to spend time buying used books, which meant attending auction sales and calling at homes where books were available. Fortunately my mother lived nearby and could take my place in the .store when I had to be absent.

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At one time I hired a secretary and concentrated on mail-order business, sending catalogs to the Fantasy Press list. I tried selling used books to 'dealers everywhere, answering ads in the used book trade magazine The Antiquarian Bookman. Finally I decided that the store was not worth the time and effort it demanded. I determined to consolidate everything. itd hunt for a small farm with a house to live in and with the usual extra buildings from which I could operate Fantasy Press. In the course of time I found what I wanted, bought it and sold my home in Reading. Ten acres of land came with the £armlet, six acres tillable-and I tried to play farmer, based on book larnin'. I wasn't too successful. Shortly after moving to the country I sought for a way to make use of my general book stock left from The Book Shelf, then stored in the barn. I discovered a large general f~ers' market called The Green Dragon a few miles from the farm, near Ephrata. The market operated on Fridays, so I rented space and opened a book stand. This helped to buy groceries and took far less time to operate than the store had required. Late in 1951 or early in 1952 I put into action another idea I had been entertaining for some time-the creation of another imprint for a series of collectors' items, books which I thought should appeal to tht: select group of aficionados who would appreciate the best in format, rareties which were virtually unobtainable in their original magazine appearances. Thus came into being the short-lived Polaris Press.

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In the brochure announcing The Polaris Fantasy Library, after referring to pioneer writers setting the course for modem fantasy craftsmen to follow, I wrote: Polaris Press has been created to make the more meritorious of these tales available to the discriminating modem readen and collectors of science-fantasy fiction. In the Polaris Fantasy Library we will present these legendary stories in a format which will delight the most exacting bibliophile. The name Polaris, by the way, seems to us to be a singularly happy choice. Just as Polaris, the North Star, has served to guide ships at sea, so the works we will publish have directed other literary voyagers on the rough seas of fictional creation. Selections for the Polaris Fantasy Library will be divided equally between the two categories, science fiction and socalled "pure" fantasy. At least two judges will read and approve each selection. Their comments on each book will be passed on to you in a brochure similar to this one. The judges are: P. Schuyler Miller, well-known as a science fiction author and book reviewer; Oswald Train, a science fiction and fantasy collector for many years, and a member of the publishing house, Prime Press; and Norman F. Stanley, one of the younger SF fans, but one who in our opinion knows fantasy and can express his ideas in clear, concise language.

Later, before the issuance of the second title, a fourth judge was added-"Darrell C. Richardson, a Baptist clergyman who is also a book reviewer, a collector of fantasy (among other things), and a mine of information on the classics of the field." Only two books appeared with the Polaris Press logotype (the design the work of Hannes Bok). They were printed on rag-content paper, bound with top-grade

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cloth and having both dust wrapper and slipcase. In editions of 1500 numbered copies, they sold at $3.00 per copy, an economically impossible price. I limited sales to direct orders at full price, but even then did not recover costs. The first in the series was The Heads of Cerberus by Francis Stevens, a reprint of a serial from the incredibly scarce magazine Thrill Book. All that is known about this author, by the way, appears in the introduction which I wrote for the book. "Francis Stevens" was a pen name used by Gertrude Barrows Bennett whose writing career covered six years during which she published six novels and four shorter stories-1917 to 1923. Damon Knight in his criticism of The Heads of Cerberus, published in In Search of Wonder, though pointing out weaknesses inherent in most magazine writing of the period, says: Those who yearn for the Good Old Days are bound to like it . . . . Those who insist on the close reasoning and the satirical wit of modem science fiction will find surprising amounts of both here; and if, like myself, you have a foot in both camps, you're sure to be delighted by this connoisseur's blend of the quaint and ageless.

Later he adds: "Francis Stevens" ... wrote in the only way good writing is ever done: with joy. There is no plot necessity for the interlude in the half-world of Ulithia; it's pure fantasy for the love of it; and there are lines in that chapter that are feathertouches along the cheek.

In 19 78 Arno Press published a facsimile edition of The Heads of Cerberus in its Lost Race and Adult

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Fantasy Fiction collection, a series whose advisory editors are R. Reginald and Douglas Menville. The second volume in the Polaris Fantasy Library was The Abyss of Wonders by Perley Poore Sheehan, lostrace fantasy. Of it Darrell Richardson said: "These are some of the ingredients of this first-class tale of fantasy : at the outset a genuine mystery-racial memory-a suggestion of preincarnation ... more than just an exciting story of fantastic adventure-but perhaps a parable as well." Oswald Train adds, "When this novel of a dual personality, of reincarnation with a new twist, appeared in magazine form, it brought in a flood of letters from the readers praising it highly. The passing years have not in any way lessened the charm of this story." And P. Schuyler Miller, who wrote the introduction, comments: "Reading the book now, it seems unbelievably fresh and modern to have appeared in the old Argosy of 1915. Cruder and stuffier stories are written and published today and labeled 'modern'." Both books fully deserved their handsome format. Both were publishing disasters. What were the future plans for Polaris Press, had the venture succeeded? I had approached Brandt & Brandt, agents for the A. Merritt estate, concerning rights to The Metal Emperor, the rewritten version of the Merritt tale which was serialized in Science and Invention . . . I had considered a volume containing Homer Eon Flint's "The Lord of Death," "The Queen of Life," ''The Devolutionist" and "The Emancipatrix," a series of four related novelettes from All-Story. Perhaps The Nebula

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of Death and The Empire in the Air by George Allan England, the latter to the best of my knowledge the first novel dealing with an invasion from the fourth dimension. And Beyond Thirty by Edgar Rice Burroughs. And so on. But it was not to be. As for Fantasy Press, sales continued to decline. The competition of the major publishers, as well as growing lists from the other specialist houses, meant that the buyers' dollars were spread over a steadily broadening market. But I felt that my operation was sound, and if I could just keep going, continuing to issue books, I'd make it. There was still some good reprint material to be had-Jack Williamson's Golden Blood, The Reign of Wizardry and The Metal Man and Others, for example. Then there were other John Taine books: Tomorrow and Twelve Eighty-Seven, which had been published in magazines, as well as To Be Kept, a novel never published anywhere. I had ideas for original books, had indeed set one such idea into motion. This was to be a series of connected novels based on the central theme, The Undying, an idea advanced by P. Schuyler Miller. Six authors had agreed to participate-Murray Leinster, E.E. "Doc" Smith, Jack Williamson, Eric Frank Russell, George 0. Smith and, of course, P. Schuyler Miller. This would have been something brand-new in the field. Planning had begun with suggestions from five of the six-but rising problems prevented my carrying it through to completion. Capital-this was the problem-I just had to have a better financial base. So I decided to incorporate.

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I took the necessary legal steps. The corporation was formed in 1954. I wrote to a selected list of fan customers. I made no glowing promises, but presented facts as I saw them, as well as plans I had made. Seventy fans responded with purchases of stock ranging from a single certificate at $25 up to 40 shares at $1,000. It was a financial shot in the arm for Fantasy Press-but it wasn't enough. Looking back on everything I tried as a publisher, I regret this step above all others I took. I can see now that I should have quit long before I did-and certainly before I incorporated. But like others in failing businesses, I could not or would not recognize facts. Things just had to get better! But they didn't. And my fan friends, who I'm sure were more concerned about giving me an assist than in making money, lost all they invested. The failure of Fantasy Press came gradually. I persisted quite stubbornly, hoping against hope. I fell farther and farther behind with royalty payments and payment of paper, printer and bindery bills. I reached a point where I drew nothing from Fantasy Press for myself, using every cent that came in to apply to debts. Those were difficult days. Income from the bookstand was undependable at best, but it kept us going. I would be remiss if I failed to express appreciation for my faithful wife Helen, who gave me her full support during the roughest and most trying hours. It was during this time that a truly pathetic letter came from A. Hyatt Verrill, whose Bridge of Light I had published, pleading for a royalty check, no matter how

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small. He was by then in his eighties, living with his equally aged wife at Lake Worth, Florida. He must have been in truly desperate circumstances. But there was simply no way I could send him anything. My own case was little better than his. This has always disturbed me. Dates are vague in my mind-and I don't consider them of sufficient importance to ask one-time creditors to check their records-but about this time I made settlement with everyone, paying what I could, which was little enough. I wrote to all the authors fully explaining the situation, declaring our contracts void, all rights reverting to them. I sold some unbound books to Greenberg for his Pick-A-Book business, actually an insignificant number. Unfortunately his financial state was no better than mine; he just persisted longer and owed a lot more when he finally failed. Then-perfect timing-a job opportunity presented itself, the position of publisher in charge of my church denomination's printing facility in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles from my farm home. The incumbent publisher was retiring. I applied, worked a trial period at my suggestion, and was made publisher. This meant moving to Myerstown, not only my family and household goods, but a barnful of books. I found warehouse space and moved to the house that went with the job, my recently married elder son Donald occupying the farmhouse. I had to give up the book business at the Green Dragon Market, but my older brother Walter, then

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retired, bought the business for the value of the books. He operated it successfully until a few years ago, when he suffered a debilitating stroke. His granddaughter took over the operation and continues with it to this day. There was more-lots more-but no one, really, could be interested in the details, largely domestic. One final item, however, should be recorded. The day came when the owner of the warehouse in Myerstown where the Fantasy Press stock was stored wanted the space-and I was offered a better and more challenging job, advertising manager of Moody Press, Chicago, a major religious publishing house. I needed a buyer for the remainder of the Fantasy Press inventory, mostly skids of unbound books, though there were several thousand finished books as well. I finally per· suaded Don Grant to take them off my hands. He had no ready cash, but he had storage space. We settled on a nominal purchase price on a long-deferred payment plan, and I was free to move to Chicago. I should add that eventually Don paid the sum agreed upon plus a generous bonus. I should also add that this sum did not cover the amount I paid out of my earnings to settle a Fantasy Press bank note and other debts. Fantasy Press did not go out with a bang-rather, it died with hardly a whimper. A list of all the Fantasy Press books-as well as those • of all the publishers treated in this work~appears at the end of the book.

Chapter 6 August Derleth and Arkham House N WRITING THE HISTORY OF PIONEER HARDBACK

science fiction publishing in the 1940's, what does one do with Arkham House? Should August Derleth's venture be included? Arkham House was not nor ever professed to be a science fiction publisher. Their field was the weird and supernatural, the macabre, the outre, the fantastic-yet inevitably they also published SF. Indeed, some borderline science fiction was inlcuded in their very first book, The Outsider and Others by H.P. Lovecraft. Certainly ''The Colour out of Space," ''The Shadow Out of Time'' and ''At the Mountains of Madness'' fit into the SF category. And in Slan by A.E. Van Vogt they published a landmark science fiction classic. In today's broad usage of the ter1n much is being called SF which the aficionado knows is sheer fantasy. Indeed, in the minds of the general public, the countless

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new readers in the genre, the entire field of fantasy is classed as science fiction. Even if this were not so, Arkharn House, logically, would have to be treated in this book. David A. Kyle, one of the founders of Gnome Press, cites Arkharn's persistence in publishing as one of the considerations which led to Gnome's entry into the field. Fantasy Press. on the other hand, was not influenced by Derleth 's "success" with his books. Derleth wrote in his Thirty Years of Arkham House, published in 1970: "By the close of the first decade of publishing, the seeming success of Arkharn House brought into being a dozen other small houses in direct competition, following the lead of Arkharn House." Mr. Derleth's statement was characteristic of the man, but hardly valid. Though Derleth 's attractive looking editions and numerous titles served as an example of what could be done by a specialist publisher, he was not the first nor the major influence in bringing into the field Fantasy Press and other specialists who concentrated on science fiction as opposed to fantasy. I also disagree with his statement regarding "direct competition." To say that buyers of novels by Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, E.E. Smith and Williamson are the same people who purchased short story collections by Derleth, Clark Ashton Smith, Dunsany-or even Lovecraft-is absurd. True, there were collectors like me who had to have all of both fields-but there were not enough completists to support even one publisher. A bit later in the same Thirty Years Derleth wrote

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that these same "imitators," "lacking any real editorial acumen from people widely-read in the field, spewed forth many books of little or no merit, cluttered the limited market, and succeeded in turning away potential buyers from the field in general." In short, he is saying we destroyed the market-which in actuality we created. Between 1939 and the end of 1945 Arkham House published 13 books. The first six ranged in print orders from slightly over 1,000 copies to 1,600. Five of the next seven ran in the 2,000-copy area, and two of the last three in the 3 ,000-copy area. A limited market indeed! In the remaining years of Derleth's publishing activity only four books had 4,000copy runs, one of these, Slan, science fiction, until the Lovecraft reprints in 1963 and 1964, which were issued in editions of 9,500, 6,500 and 5,400 respectively. In contrast, the very first Fantasy Press book, Spacehounds of IPC by E.E. "Doc" Smith, sold over 5,500 copies; and I'm certain Gnome and Shasta had comparable sales figures for early books. Of course all of us published some inferior selections, books which should not have been published-but so did Derleth. I particularly resent Derleth's reference to our lacking "people widely-read in the field." I am certain that there were at least four of the people involved with SF specialist publishing who had read as widely as or more widely than Mr. Derleth. In science fiction. Perhaps not in the weird and supernatural-but that was not our major area of interest. I should add that Derleth succeeded fantastically in

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achieving his initial goal-bringing enduring recognition to H.P. Lovecraft. In so doing he made himself highly unpopular among certain fans who wished to publish Lovecraft material, some of which was in public domain (unprotected by copyright). Derleth, in my opinion, bluffed them into desisting. There was no legal control over uncopyrighted material, and no such control exists today. Even his placing his collections under copyright did not change the status of the material in public domain. But he accomplished what he set out to do, and as a Lovecraft fan I owe him a debt of gratitude. Also, he did a first-rate job with Arkham House, continuing when the rest of us failed. That he did so, as he himself admitted, by pouring into his venture money earned by his writing-as much as $25,000, by Derleth's own statement-doesn't detract from his accomplishment. I may be giving the impression that I object to Arkham House. I do not, nor to Derleth himself. I'm just annoyed by his superior attitude, and I strongly disagree with some of the conclusions at which he arrived. Too bad he isn't around to defend himself. At any rate, Arkham House played a part in this history and must be included. Though I didn't meet August Derleth until Chicon II in 1952, I corresponded with him in my Galleon period, the early 1930's. As I recall it (the correspondence vanished long ago), as editor of The Galleon I wrote to Derleth asking if he had anything we could use. Without pay, of course. In response he sent me a few poems, out of which I was told I could select one or two. I

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followed this by asking if he had any short stories he could let us have. In response he sent "Dinner at Eight," which we published. He also suggested that I write to H.P. Lovecraft, who might have available material. I did-and he did-and I published "Quest of Iranon," as well as a poem or two. Later, after the death of Lovecraft on March 15, 193 7, I learned of the Derleth-Wandrei plans to prepare a memorial volume of HPL stories. I wrote to Derleth reminding him of The Galleon appearances of Lovecraft, and shortly thereafter he requested copies of the material and asked permission to use the work in any way he saw fit. Since we had paid nothing for the story and verses I felt we had no rights, or if we did we relinquished them freely. Besides, by that time the Galleon Writers' Guild no longer existed. This correspondence was carried on in July and August, 19 3 7, I believe. Still later a form announcement (undated) reached me, evidently early in 1938. Since this, amazingly, is still in my files, and probably very few copies have survived, and since the information it contains may be of historical interest, I repeat the announcement in full. Punctuation and the like are Derleth's. TO ALL FRIENDS OF HOWARD PHILLIPS LOVECRAFT: a report on progress made in regard to the memorial work now going forward! It has seemed to Donald Wandrei and me that, insofar as almost a year has now elapsed since H.P. Lovecraft's death, all his friends have a right to know what progress has been made to date in the disposal of Howard's literary

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remains. In regard to the first projected volume: THE OUTSIDER: a collection in omnibus form of his best prose work, this book is now being typed and will shortly be submitted to publishers: its progress has been held up by the necessity of seeking disposal of magazine rights to various titles. The sale of the titles listed below has now been accomplished, and Howard's aunt, Mrs. Phillips Gamwell, will receive ALL income therefrom, as would have been Howard's wish. From the time of Howard's death up to and including January 1, 19 38, Donald and I have managed to sell to WEIRD TALES, the following titles, poems listed in lower case: The Howler $3.50, The Lamp $3.50, Zaman's Hill $3.50, The Canal $3.50, The Gardens of Yin $3.50, Psychopompos $35 .00 (of this $25 was direct payment, $10 was added as payment for a poem in memory of HPL by a member of our group), THE SHUNNED HOUSE $110, second rights to COOL AIR $25, second rights to FROM BEYOND $12, second rights to THE OTHER GODS $12, second rights to POLARIS $12, second rights to BEYOND THE WALL OF SLEEP $20, THE QUEST OF IRANON $25, Harbour Whistles $3.50, Night Gaunts $3.50, The Wood $5, Where Once Poe Walked $3.25, The Dweller $3.50, THE NAMELESS CITY $55, and THE DOOM THAT CAME TO SARNATH $25. In addition to this, Mrs. Gamwell's income from this source has been increased by the generosity of two friends, to whose work, especially the titles in point, HPL contributed advice or revision: Kenneth Sterling's IN THE WALLS OF ERYX, $60 of payment for which goes to Mrs. Gamwell; and Mrs. Zealia Brown Reed Bishop's MEDUSA'S COIL, $60 of payment for which goes to Mrs. Gamwell. This brings Mrs. Gamwell's total income from this source up to the sum of $447 .25 to date. Of these titles, Psychopompos appeared in WEIRD

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TALES for September; THE SHUNNED HOUSE in the magazine for O~tober; POLARIS in the issue of December, 1937; The Canal in WEIRD TALES for January 1938, FROM BEYOND in the February issue, and BEYOND THE WALL OF SLEEP in the March 1938 issue. In addition to this, we now have virtually all HPL's prose and poetry, apart from his letters, and of his letters, we have read those sent to about one-fourth the hundred plus correspondents we know to have existed. From some of those correspondents we have not yet heard. In consequence, we urge those of you who have not yet sent your letters from Howard to me at Sauk City, Wisconsin, to do so at your earliest opportunity, UNLESS a) you live in or near New York City, in which case Donald will examine them on the premises; b) you would rather go over them yourself. In this case, select all salient material designed to give readers a good picture of Howard and the workings of his mind, his tremendous store of knowledge, etc., and type these excerpts, together with headings, salutations, and endings of all letters from which the excerpts have been made, date or approximate date being of importance in assisting us to put together the omnibus volume of his SELECTED LETTERS, and type them on standard-size typing paper, leaving wide margins, in duplicate, single space, to facilitate binding at this end for further excision in preparation for the final draft. It should be noted, in closing, that so far the co-operation among Howard's friends has been excellent; no greater tribute could be paid to his memory. August Derleth, Sauk City, Wisconsin

It is certain that Derleth had no thought of going into the publishing business when he began the Lovecraft project. He was a successful author who had gained wide recognition in several fields. Not the producer of

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bestsellers, he nonetheless supported himself in evident comfort as a writer. His Sac Prairie Saga., a continuing series of fictional studies of Wisconsin life, past and present, found ready publication and critical approval. His full-length Judge Peck mysteries sold well enough to induce his publisher to continue issuing them, and most were reprinted in British editions. His verse appeared in the better poetry journals, in anthologies and collections; and his weird fiction was a regular feature in the fantasy pulps. His Solar Pons stories were among the better Sherlock Holmes pastiches or parodies. In 1946 Derleth issued a 20-page booklet entitled August Derleth-Twenty Years of Writing-1925-1946. An interesting and perhaps unique display of selfaggrandizement, it was "prepared by the staff of Arkham House: Publishers, to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of August Derleth 's initial appearance in print, April 1, 1946." (Who am I to criticize, since much of this book is my own effort in the same direction?) The Derleth booklet tells of his first sale at age 17, "Bat's Belfry," to Weird Tales, a story written when he was 14. Biographical material is quoted from Who's Who in America and from Twentieth Century Authors. A portion of the latter comment is worth quoting: Hobbies: fencing, swimming, hiking, chess, stamp-collecting, and collecting comic strips . . . This dizzying fount of energy is a "burly-chested blond," a "champion letterwriter to the press," the ''watchdog of village politics," on which he writes and distributes broadsides. In spite of his incredible prolificity, his work, including his poetry, is not

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superficial, and he is considered a leading authority on regionalism in American literature. His Judge Peck mysteries are among the best of their kind.

Again quoting the booklet: Sinclair Lewis in Esquire, November, 1945, has this to say about August Derleth: "When he was very young, he had a notion worthy of a giant, and with gigantic industry he has pursued it; that his Wisconsin village is a microcosm of the whole world. His series of the Sac Prairie Saga, most of them novels, is already formidable. He has not trotted off to New York literary cocktail parties or to the Hollywood studios. He has stayed home and built up a solid work that demands the attention of anybody who believes that American fiction is at last growing up. It is a proof of Mr. Derleth's merit that he makes one want to make the journey and see his particular Avalon: The Wisconsin River shining among its islands, and the castles of Baron Piemeau and Hercules Dousman. He is a champion and justification of "regionalism." Yet he is also a burly, bounding, bustling, self-confident, opinionated, and highly-sweatered young man with faults so grievous that a melancholy perusal of them may be of more value to apprentices than a study of his serious virtues. If he could ever be persuaded that he im 't half as good as he thinks he is, if he could learn the art of sitting still and using a blue pencil, he might become twice as good as he thinks he is-which would rank him with Homer. Faults or not, Mr. Derleth is more interesting than literary pots of far greater notoriety, and I invite you to join me in watching the possibly greater future that is in his own hands, to canonize or to kill."

Sam Moskowitz, in his article "I Remember Derleth," published in Starship, quotes a detail from the Lewis article which Derleth omits. Following the thought that

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a study of his faults might be worth more than a study of his virtues, Lewis adds, ''With a glad wilfulness rarely excelled, with a primitive and Babbitt-like superstition about the virtue of Keeping Busy and Doing Things, Mr. Derleth has tried to destroy himself." To this Moskowitz adds, ''What I didn't know," on the occasion of his visit to Derleth, "and what I couldn't know and what apparently Derleth did know, was that he was at his zenith. That the future did not hold continued ascendency but a grim, painstaking agony to retain what he had in the way of life style, curtailed by declining health and dimmed talent." Later Sam adds, "At the age of 39 he was 'burned out' as a truly creative artist. He had his accomplishments to list impressively on the jackets of his books, he had his literary reputation and he had his house which epitomized the residence of a financially successful writer." That Derleth knew his star was fading is obviously an assumption on the part of Moskowitz. However, there are supporting indications that this may well have been the case. In 1945 Scribners, on the evidence, had decided against publishing any additional books by Derleth. Derleth bought back the rights to his Sac Prairie Saga. In the· same year, 1945, under the Stanton & Lee imprint, created in part for this purpose, he brought out Evening in Spring. No other publisher picked up the series, and Derleth continued a reprinting program under the S&L logo until his death. An opposing point of view suggests that the expanding Arkham House publishing program curtailed any

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major writing effort by Derleth, consuming too much of his time and energy. The year 1946, the year following the appearance of the Sinclair Lewis article, was the biggest year for Arkham House, at least in production. I have no way of knowing whether or not sales kept pace with the flow of books. Eight volumes appeared under the Arkham House imprint, the largest number of books to appear in any one year. Two of them were oversize omnibus volumes matching the size of The Outsider-The House on the Borderland and Other Novels by William Hope Hodgson, and Skull-Face and Others by Robert E. Howard. Three others were substantial volumes of more than 300 pages-West India Lights by Henry S. Whitehead, Fearful Pleasures by A.E. Coppard, and The Hounds of Tindalos by Frank Belknap Long. And there was Slan by A.E. Van Vogt. That, I contend, was enough to keep any man busy, particularly when the publishing business was largely a one-man affair. There could not have been much time left for creative writing. It may well be, on the other hand, that Derleth expanded his publishing program with the hope of making a living out of publishing alone. As sales picked up in 1945-1946, it might have appeared that he could do it, but when his own poor judgment led him to make heavy printings of Coppard, LeFanu, Wakefield and Dunsany, he found himself on the verge of bankruptcy. Instead of admitting his error he blamed the influx of science fiction book publishers for his difficulties.

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All of this, quite obviously, is speculation. There can be no positive answers. There were five new titles in 1947, all of them substantial volumes, six in 1948 and only two in 1949. In addition, in 1948 and 1949 Derleth published the eight issues of the quarterly magazine, The Arkham Sampler. Though this was an excellent publication, beautifully edited and printed, 1,200 copies of each issue certainly did not warrant the time and effort which Derleth must have expended in their production. It is interesting to note in passing that the Winter 1949 issue, the single Sampler devoted to science fiction, had a printing of 2,000 copies. It should also be remembered that Derleth issued non-fantasy under the imprints Mycroft & Moran and Stanton & Lee. There were 14 M&M books issued from 1945 to 1969, and there were 14 S&L books during the same period. Derleth published a total of 84 Arkham House books in three decades, from 1939 up to and including 1969. This does not include the magazine The Arkham Sampler nor the several booklets usually shown in Arkham House bibliographies. This was an average of about three books per year. Personally, I think the worst thing that could have happened to August Derleth, Author, was the entry of August Derleth, Publisher, on the scene. His attention was diverted from writing and he lost the discipline and concentration which had enabled him to produce the major works in the Sac Prairie Saga. It's pure conjecture,

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of course, but I believe that if Arkham House had never been started, Derleth might well have achieved the great success as a writer which Sinclair Lewis envisioned. Derleth 's obituary as prepared by Associated Press appeared in the nation's ·newspapers on July 5, 1971, as follows: Sauk City, Wis., July 5 (AP)-Author August Derleth, 62, died of an apparent heart attack here yesterday. He wrote about 150 books, many of them about the people and countryside of the Sauk City-Prairie du Sac area. Many of his novels were historical, though he also wrote mysteries and biographies. Derleth reached the height of his fame during the mid40's when two of his works, "And You Thoreau" and "Edge of Night" appeared. Among his other major works were "Wind Over Wisconsin," "Village Fear," "Country Growth" and "Still Small Voice."

There was no reference to his weird fiction and, ironically, no mention of Arkham House in the notice. Having said all this, I think I should return to some of the details involved in the actual beginning of Arkham House. It starts with Derleth's receiving a letter from Howard Wandrei telling of the death of Howard Phillips Lovecraft on March 15, 19 3 7. He and Lovecraft were friends, and he greatly admired the latter's work. Immediately he began thinking of the possibility of having Lovecraft's major stories published in book form. He -wrote to Donald Wandrei, Howard's brother and a fellow contributor to Weird Tales, telling of his thoughts. Wandrei replied with a far more ambitious idea-that all of Lovecraft's work be reprinted, including his many

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letters. Whereupon Derleth selected the stories to be included in the first collection, calling it The Outsz"der and Others, the title being chosen in part because of the popularity -of the title story, but more specifically because Lovecraft himself was certainly an outsider in his view of life and the world and his interest and preoccupation with the strange and unearthly. Wandrei evidently saw the list of stories and approved, since both names appear as having selected the contents of the first Lovecraft collection. A typescript was prepared by Derleth 's secretary, and since Scribners was Derleth's publisher at the time, the collection was submitted to them. They rejected it because of the expense involved in producing so large a book, Lovecraft's comparative obscurity as a writer, and lack of readership for weird fiction, especially in shorter lengths. When Simon & Schuster returned the script for similar reasons, Derleth began thinking about bringing out the book himself. He wrote again to Wandrei who agreed with his suggestion, managing to raise $400 toward the production costs of the first volume, Derleth supplying the remainder from a mortgage loan made at the time to finance the building of a new home, plus a portion from advance subscriptions. This undertaking had the full approval of Mrs. Annie E. Phillips Gamwell, Lovecraft's surviving aunt, and Robert H. Barlow, whom Lovecraft had named his literary executor. The name Arkham House, quite obviously, came from legendary Arkham, the setting of so much of

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Lovecraft's fiction. Formal announcements concerning the forthcoming book offered it at $3.50 before publication, $5.00 after its release. Late in 1939 Arkham House was born when 1,268 copies of The Outsider and Others were delivered to Derleth by the George Banta Company of Menasha, Wisconsin. One of the copies was delivered to me on an advance subscription basis. According to Derleth, only about 150 prepaid orders had been received before publication. Despite the 8-point type it was (and still is) an excellent book which remained a much-prized volume in my library until I was compelled to sell my fantasy and SF collection to pay off my former Fantasy Press partners. The second Arkham House book was a Derleth short story collection called Someone in the Dark, published at $2.00, with 1,415 copies printed. When Derleth submitted the manuscript to Scribners, the editor, who knew of the establishment of Arkham House, suggested this be a book to fill the gap between The Outsider and the second Lovecraft volume. It was issued in 1941, two years after the publication of The Outsider. The following year Arkham House published Out of Space and Time by Clark Ashton Smith, a 392-page book with only 1,054 copies produced, an incredibly short run for so large a book, precluding any possibility of a profit at its $3.00 list price. This Smith collection included a small amount of science fiction. In 1943 Derleth brought out Beyond the Wall of Sleep, the second Lovecraft omnibus collection which included most of the lesser stories and some of the collaborations.

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One major work in this volume is "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward," a novelette considered by some to be one of HPL's better efforts. The edition was limited to 1,127 copies. Finally, in 1944 Derleth began a more ambitious publishing schedule, issuing The Eye and the Finger by Donald Wandrei, Jumbee and Other Uncanny Tales by Henry S. Whitehead, Lost Worlds by Clark Ashton Smith and Marginalia by H.P. Lovecraft. The Wandrei and Smith collections included some science fiction. Evidently Derleth had decided to continue in the publishing business for an indefinite period; indeed, to expand his operation. To that end he signed contracts with many of the major writers of the weird and fantastic, with a strong emphasis on famous British writers. These books would be published during the next several years. In 1945 he introduced his two non-fantasy imprints-Mycroft & Moran and Stanton & Lee-both of which lie outside the scope of this record. The 1940's were the peak years for Arkham House. Four titles appeared in 1944, five in 1945, eight in 1946, five in 1947, six in 1948 plus four Arkham Samplers, and six in 1949, again with four Arkham Samplers. And Derleth was in trouble. Again (with Sam's permission) I quote the Moskowitz article, "I Remember Derleth." Derleth had overextended himself in 1948. He had printed six Arkham House titles, three Stanton & Lee and four issues of Arkham Sampler. Three of the titles were his own and two of these were non-fantasy. His mobbery

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in attempting to get books by all the old-time favorite British authors gave him titles by L.P. Hartley and Lord Dunsany respectively that remained on his list as long as thirty years. His warehouse was bulging with 4,000 copies each of titles by A.E. Coppard and H. Russell Wakefield he had published in 1946. (In 1955 he offered me copies at 50¢ each.) In fact, he was then building a new combination garage and warehouse to accommodate more books, most of which had been stored in the hou_se . Be~een 1949 and 1959 he published only ten titles, three of them vanity books paid for by the authors and four books of poetry ranging from 54 to 86 pages in length.

It was during the period of peak production that Sam Moskowitz accompanied Dr. David H. Keller, his wife Celia and their dog Yum-Yum on a visit to Sauk City. The good doctor was interested in having Derleth publish a Keller collection. For those to whom the Keller name may be unfamiliar, in 1935 the readers of Wonder Stories had voted him the field's most popular author. By 1948 his name did not even appear in a list of the top 30 science fiction and fantasy writers. Because Sam had set in motion a minor revival of interest in Keller's stories with the publication of the collection Life Everlasting and Other Tales of Science, Fantasy and Horror, he had established a warm relationship with the retired army officer-medical doctor. Similarly Sam had been involved in Derleth's visit to Newark, New Jersey, and the Eastern Science Fiction Association (ESFA) in 1947, where he spoke to a large fan gathering. Also, because Sam was an important dealer in Arkham House books, and because he had contributed

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three major articles to the special SF issue of The Arkham Sampler, he was a logical go-between during the projected visit. The group set out on the morning of Tuesday, July 6, 1948, from Toronto, Canada at the conclusion of Torcon I. In his article Moskowitz describes the visit in detail, but interesting though it is in its entirety, much of it is outside the province of this book. However, some of the details will help to create a more complete picture of August Derleth and Arkham House. I cannot resist the temptation to insert one amusing anecdote which grew out of the trip, though it tells nothing about Derleth. In Sam's words: From Milwaukee we continued southwest, arriving within a few miles of Sauk City. The Kellers did not feel up to going into town that night, though it was still early, so we checked in at one of those motels created by adding, patchwork style, onto an existing house. We rang the bell and an old couple came to the door. They surveyed the Kellers up and down and then the man said: "I dunno. We don't go for any of that funny stuff in our place." Old Keller, who stood in baggy pants and on the verge of collapse, straightened up as if he had been shot. Assuming his most gracious, Southern-style manner he replied: "If I were less tired and less sick I would express my most fulsome appreciation of the high compliment you have just paid me, but things being as they are, I would appreciate it if you would give us the keys to two rooms." Then pointing to me, "The second room is for our friend here. Normally we would occupy one, but none of us is in the mood for an orgy tonight!"

They got their rooms after paying in advance, but were refused use of a phone to call Derleth. Moskowitz

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found an old-style crank wall-phone in a restaurant across the road and made an appointment with the Squire of Sauk City for ten the following morning, when Derleth would meet them at the drugstore in town. As they drove into town the next morning, Keller at the wheel, Sam noticed a small signboard approaching, black letters on a white background. Calling for Keller to slow down, he read: THIS IS SAUK CITY HOME OF AUGUST DERLETH AUTHOR

After stopping at a restaurant for breakfast, they found the drugstore on the main street of Sauk City, a street typical of countless other Midwest villages of 1,500 population. They were well ahead of the appointed 10 o'clock, so they waited. Again I quote Sam Moskowitz: Celia needed cigarettes, so I offered to go into the drugstore and get some for her. The store, though in excellent shape, looked as though it had been built seventy years ago and had never been altered. I entered and asked for the cigarettes, glancing around the place which was practically a museum piece. There was a stand with a selection of black and white tourist postcards at five cents each. It was unusual to see black and white tourist photos so I took a closer look at them . The first one showed a house with a low-sloping roof, almost obscured by trees, and underneath it appeared the line: "Home of August Derleth-Sauk City, Wis." Another showed Derleth seated in a high-backed chair, near what might have been the edge of a fireplace . A third card showed Derleth in the rather unusual working section of his second-floor room, with a rounded desk

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section circling his working space, entered through a wooden lift flap, with books outside and inside the section . . . . There were three other views ... The druggist handed me the cigarettes with book matches. I paid him and went back to where Celia was sitting alone in the car. Keller was phoning Derleth.

As he was giving Mrs. Keller the cigarettes, Sam glanced at the book matches, and with Celia's permission kept them. Against a solid black background was imprinted in silver letters the logo Arkham House. Sam still has those book matches. The Moskowitz account covers additional revealing details, all of which are interesting but which must be omitted from this account. The meeting with Derleth, a big man with a jutting jaw. His home, "The Place of Hawks, .. set in a 10-acre lot surrounded by giant trees, an architectural wonder built of native limestone with a thatched roof of imported Spanish straw. Its interior, floors, walls and ceilings, of beautifully finished knotty pine. A long table in a modem kitchen, its top bearing fruit and other food, none of which was offered to the guests, nor was any beverage, though it was a hot July day. The object of the visit was consummated with Derleth agreeing to publish a Keller book under the Arkham House imprint, Keller to advance Derleth a loan against the cost of the book. During the course of the visit Derleth revealed that he was in financial trouble, needing $2,500 due his printer, and with every possible source of help exhausted. Upon

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Keller's return to his home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, he wrote a check for the needed sum and sent it to Derleth as a loan at 3% interest on Derleth's personal note. Reporting the transaction in Thirty Years of Arkham House, Derleth adds: "I had not asked for it; he had offered it with the comment, 'I pride myself on my judgment of character.' No greater compliment could have been paid me or Arkham House.'' This may well have been the determining factor in the continuance or failure of Arkham House in the publishing business. Concerning authors financing publication of their own books, Derleth comments: "Three Arkham House books were subsidized by their authors; all three earned their authors royalties in full." Celia Keller, after the doctor's death and during a Moskowitz visit in 1969, told Sam that Keller through the years had received not only his original $2,500 loan repaid in full but several thousand dollars in royalties as well. Arkham House persisted through the years, and today does honor to the dedication of its founder. Though I've probably appeared somewhat critical of August Derleth in what I've written, I freely acknowledge the genius of the man, the versatility of his talents, and the importance of his contnlmtions as a writer and publisher. In 1977 the casual purchase of a used copy of Derleth's Walden West set into motion a series of incidents which began a movement to seek national recognition

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for the man and his work. Richard Fawcett, a school administrator from Uncasville, Connecticut, familiar with Derleth's tales of the macabre, bought the regional novel mostly out of curiosity. Greatly impressed with the book, which he classed with the work of Sherwood Anderson, John Steinbeck and Thomas Hardy, he determined to do what he could to make Derleth's literary accomplishments better known and appreciated. By letter and phone Fawcett began a survey of writers and others who had known Derleth, leading to the formation in mid-1978 of The August Derleth Society. This is an organization whose purposes are "to support and encourage the study and preservation of the work and memory of the Wisconsin writer August Derleth of Sauk City." The society has as its goals the gaining of an honorary doctorate of letters degree to be conferred posthumously on Derleth from the University of Wisconsin, of which he was an alumnus and where he also taught creative writing. In addition, they seek a repository for Derleth memorabilia, books, photos, clippings and personal items. They have begun producing an oral history on tapes, preserving comments of people who knew Derleth best. And finally, they hope to start an August Derleth scholarship fund to help other writers reach their full potential. The society now has approximately 200 members. Certainly August Derleth has not been forgotten. At this writing Arkham House is still operating under the management of Derleth's son and daughter. After

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the founder's death in 1971, Donald Wandrei served as editor for a period, severing his relationship in 1973. After a two-year interregnum, in April, 1975, James Turner, the present editor, joined the company. Turner has continued in the tradition of August Derleth with his selections of the weird and macabre. New authors have appeared on the scene, logical successors to H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith and the other gifted writers who found fame through the pages of Weird Tales. A few of the old-timers still persist-but the years are passing, and with them the pioneers. It is interesting to note that many of the more recent books are the work of modern British writers, possibly suggesting that the genre finds a wider market in England than in the United States. Roderick Meng, based in Sauk City, is in charge of the day-by-day operations at Arkham House. The most recent Arkham catalog reveals a very interesting development. All of the older titles have joined the extensive out-of-print list-except, of course, the Lovecraft works, which are to remain permanently in print. Some of these books lingered in the Sauk City warehouse for decades, then they became tangible assets, available to a new generation of collectors. Alas! Today books which took years and years to sell command unbelievable prices in the marketplace. A substantial number of new titles has been issued since the founder's death, and Arkham House continues a publishing program that began in 1939.

Chapter 7 Grant-Hadley Enterprz"ses-Plus • BOUT THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO A WELL-KNOWN LAND-

mark in Providence, Rhode Island, Dana's Old Comer Bookstore on Weybosset St., was the scene of an encounter that made science fiction history. To a casual observer it would have seemed totally unimportant-two tall, slim young men, one a high school student, meeting by chance, drawn to each other by a mutual interest in science fiction. They were Don Grant and Tom Hadley, both typical New Englanders, Don reserved, soft-spoken, Tom more outgoing, volatile. Out of that chance meeting grew the first fan SF publishing company worthy of the nameGrant-Hadley Enterprises. The Old Comer Bookstore (which had purchased H.P. Lovecraft's library from his estate) is only a memory today, but Don Grant, after three and a half decades, is still publishing books, filling a niche all his own, 163

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producing some of the finest examples of bookmaking in the field today. It wasn't quite that way at the beginning when, in 1945, Grant-Hadley Enterprises published its first modest effort, Rhode Island on Lovecraft, edited by the two young publishers. Everything considered, it was a commendable try, but it wasn't a book, rather a 26-page pamphlet which now commands incredible prices on the used book market. It consisted of five articles on Lovecraft by Rhode Islanders who had been associated with the writer during his lifetime. Two editions were printed, the first 500 copies and the second 1,000. Their second effort was far more noteworthy-a hardbound edition of The Time Stream by John Taine, a landmark time-travel tale that had appeared originally as a serial in Wonder Stories in 1931. This was published in 1945; elsewhere I have recorded my own fannish response to its release. The book was quite professional in appearance, awakening hopes of a line of the best novels from the SF magazines appearing in permanent form. The publisher's credit line at the foot of the title page is quite unusual-"Buffalo Book Company and G.H.E." The initials were the dying gasp of Grant-Hadley Enterprises. The name "Buffalo Book Company" made no sense for a publisher in Providence, Rhode Island. It marked the entry of a third person on the scene-Ken Krueger, a fan from Buffalo, New York. By this time Don Grant had entered military service, and Krueger, also in the service, was stationed in the

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Providence area. Enthused about the Grant-Hadley plans, he joined the venture and urged the use of the Buffalo name. Either Krueger was a super-salesman or Hadley's sales resistance was very low, probably the latter. (Grant, in the service, was unaware of the change.) One can only conjecture, but it seems to me that Krueger made his suggestion with the thought that after the war a time might come when he could acquire an established publishing company when its founders lost interest, or it failed. The second book, issued in 1946, was Skylark of Space by Edward Elmer Smith in collaboration with Lee Hawkins Garby. It is interesting to note . that nowhere inside the book does a publisher's name appear! It is stamped on the front of the cloth cover in a handlettered logotype and in the same logo at the base of the spine on the jacket. The jacket design, quite amateurish, was the work of the printer of the book, Allan Halladay. But despite these shortcomings, plus an abundance of typographical errors, misplaced copyright notice, and the like, it was Skylark in book form. As recorded in the beginnings of Fantasy Press, it was about this time that I became involved. And Hadley Publishing Company was born, with Tom going on his own. I recall asking Hadley about his working capital. He told me his mother had given him $5,000, and if he needed more he could get it. Pm certain he never required any such sum, but it was good to know it was there if he needed it. Hadley went ahead with his enthusiastic publishing

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plans, ;bringing out The Weapon Makers by A.E. Van Vogt in 1946; The Mightiest Machine. by John W. Campbell, Jr., and a second edition of Skylark of Spac~ by Smith-Garby in 1947; and Final Blackout by L. Ron Hubbard in 1948. All were competeptly produced in limited editions which eventually sold out. In addition to the books Hadley published he had announced Skylark Three and Skylark of Valeron by Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.; Tales from Cornwall and Taine of San Francisco by David H. Keller; The Wizard and the Witch by L. Ron Hubbard; and White Lily and Seeds of Life by John Taine. He published none of these. By 1948, when Final Blackout appeared, competition had entered the picture, substantially changing the market. Indeed, the floodgates had opened, and Hadley dropped out of the running. Don Gran4 meanwhile, had been discharged from the service and had gone to college. Krueger, apparently, had returned to Buffalo. And Grant, in 1949, reentered the field as The Grandon Company. Biographical details about these men may be of interest and certainly should be recorded. Donald Metcalfe Grant was born in 1927 in Providence, Rhode Island. I have referred to him as a New Englander-and he was that, a New Englander among New Englanders. The Grants had come to the New World from Scotland in 1630. The family's Scots background is fascinating, hardly germane to this record-though in all candor, if it were not for Don's reticence, I'd record it anyway. Grant's interest in fantasy and science fiction started

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in childhood. His introduction to the genre came when as a boy of ten he was attracted to the stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs. In the very early 1940's, his discovery of Burroughs fiction in Amazing Stories led him into its pages. From Amazing he went to Fantastic Adventures, to Famous Fantastic Mysteries and Fantastic Novels, and to Weird Tales, and to a lesser extent to the numerous other SF magazines then being published. In later years his reading, his interests and his publishing fell more into the area of fantastic adventures. Grant was the fortunate participant in one of these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. It happened when he was in the Army in early 1946. He was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and while on furlough he went to Dallas and Fort Worth, naturally visiting all the bookstores he could find. In Fort Worth he came upon his incredible discovery-a complete file of Weird Tales from the first issue to the early 1940's, as well as complete runs of Amazing, Astounding, Thrilling Wonder, Startling, Tales of Magic and Mystery, Miracle Science, and so on! And the prices the dealer was asking-50¢ each for the first two issues of Weird Tales, and 15¢ per copy for the rest! I suppose Don had quite a bit of trouble getting all those magazines on their way to Providence-but needless to say, he found a way. One can picture an unhappy collector going into military service and disposing of his treasured store of magazines before departing. This acquisition of more than 20 years of Weird Tales was at the root of Don's later interest in the work of

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Robert E. Howard, leading to his eventually becoming the publisher of Conan and everything else that Howard wrote. Grant has been a lifelong resident of Rhode Island. He married in 1956 and is the father of two children. (His daughter Nancy works at Little, Brown & Company, Boston book publishers.) A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, he has worked for a number of years as director of publications at Providence College. Thomas P. Hadley, though involved in SF publishing for only three years, actually made a greater impact on the field than his list of seven titles (including the three Grant-Hadley-Buffalo Book efforts) would suggest. For one thing, Hadley had access to money. Though Don Grant made an equal contribution on the Lovecraft booklet and probably on the Taine novel, from then on I believe it was largely Hadley's financing that made production possible. Hadley knew the printers, the Halladays, socially, and the affluence of Tom's mother made possible book production on credit. With Don's entering college, the business was Tom's, though Grant helped on occasion. Tom Hadley was four years older than Don Grant, having been born in Providence in 1923. Born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, he received his schooling from private tutors. At age 13 he was afflicted with cancer, which obviously he survived, but which led to some physical problems which prevented his serving in the military during World War II. Because he could afford to do as he pleased, he spent most of the

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years after his excursion into publishing traveling about the world, living where he chose and for as long as he chose. As he described it: "I never really had to do anything." About 20 years ago he married, and he and his wife have two adopted children. With hjs family he returnetl to Rhode Island where he'll probably stay~ according to his own statement. Would Grant have entered the publishinitfield without Hadley? Probably. Both men had leaninfP.;J.h this direction even before they met. But the course:of events as they developed led to the partnership,·-aad.eventually to Fantasy Press. Certainly there never would have been a Fantasy Press without the Hadley influence. And I believe it's a safe assumption that most of the specialist publishers treated in this book were largely inspired to take the plunge by the apparent success of the Buffalo Book-Hadley Publishing-Fantasy Press chain reaction. Kenneth J. Krueger, though only of peripheral importance in this record, was involved, hence deserves more than a bare mention. Two things can be said of Krueger. He was persistent; and he has had a greater number of trading names than anyone else in the field. Over the years, with or without several partners, he has been Pegasus Publications, Shroud: Publishers, Ken Krueger Productions, Valcour-Krueger, and Fantasy House. His address has changed more frequently (or so it seems) than his name. I have tried to gain a clear picture of what he has done, but without success, rve seen several lists of his numerous publications, but failing

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to find anything I considered important to the genre, I've decided against a detailed consideration of him and his efforts in this study. Don Grant warrants the lion's share of attention in this chapter, chiefly because he stands beside August Derleth, and to a lesser degree Bill Crawford, as one of the three remaining in the specialist field when failure drove the rest of us into ignominious retreat. Don's path was not one- of unqualified success, and there were periods in his career when he must have considered abandoning the whole idea-but despite the ups and downs he persisted. And today Donald M. Grant, Publisher, is issuing books which are ajoy to own, a pleasure to read and a credit to a field that has at long last gained critical acclaim which few of us ever believed would be achieved. Grant reentered the arena in 1949 as The Grandon Company. ~ssociated with him in this venture was James J. Donahue, a long-time associate and friend. Donahue was a Rhode Island native, a science-fantasy collector, and a full partner in the business. The Grandon Company came into existence with The Port of Peril by Otis Adelbert Kline. This was a sequel to The Planet of Peril and The Prince of Peril, both Argosy serials which A.C. McClurg had put into book form as competition to Burroughs' Martian tales. The first Grandon selection had appeared as a serial in Weird Tales. Grant published it in an edition of 3,000 copies with illustrations by J. Allen St. John. It should have been an overnight success. It wasn't.

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Grant had negotiated for its publication in 1948 with Otis Kline Associates, literary agency. Arrangements were made with the author's daughter, who was then running the agency. Oscar J. Friend, SF writer and editor, later bought the agency and operated it successfully until his own death in 1963. An interesting fact has come to light concerning the 1949 negotiations in which Kline's daughter and widow engaged with Don Grant. The subject-Robert E. Howard and the Conan stories. Don wanted the series and the Kline Agency, then representing the Howard estate, was quite willing to let him have it. Unfortunately, as Don put it, "I couldn't deliver!" The Grandon Company's first book, Port of Peril, moved slowly, Grant lacked capital, and the deal fell through. Later he took up the matter with Oscar J. Friend, and again it looked as though he had Conan. For a second time lack of funds interfered. After a time Conan went to Gnome press, who sold one printing of each title. In 1950 The Grandon Company published Dwellers in the Mirage by A. Merritt. At the time I thought this a poor choice, since it had already been issued by Liveright, and had been remaindered by them. It was a superior story, one of Merritt's best, and it continues to sell in a Liveright reprint after all these years-but for a new publisher with limited capital I thought it a poor selection. And so it proved. Sales were slow. Three years passed before Grandon issued its third book-this one with 450 copies in wraps and 50 copies in hardcover. This was 333: A Bibliography of the

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Science-Fiction Novel, edited by Joseph H. Crawford, Jr., James J. Donahue and Donald M. Grant. Four years later in 1957 The Return of Tharn by Howard Browne followed; and in 1958 The Werewolf of Ponkert by H. Warner Munn was issued in an edition of 350 clothbound, signed copies. Three other books had been announced by Grandon-The Golden City by Ralph Milne Farley, The Swordsman of Mars by Otis Adelbert Kline, and The Face in the Abyss by A. Merritt-but none appeared. After the Munn book The Grandon Company ceased operations. It had not been an impressive performance. Indeed, it gave no indication of any particular business acumen. Certainly Grant's selections as Grandon were credible but not outstanding. The books were what one might expect of a hobby publisher. There was no indication that within two decades Donald M. Grant would receive national awards as Outstanding Professional-yet that lay in his future. Really, all his Grandon days revealed were prudence and tenacity. He never ventured over his depth, and he persisted. Six years later, in 1964, Grant tried again, this time as Donald M. Grant, Publisher. His first book under the new imprint was A Golden A1miversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs by Henry Hardy Heins. Heins, a Lutheran minister and obviously a Burroughs fan, had issued a greatly abbreviated version of his work in mimeographed form in 1962. Grant's edition was a beautifully produced book, more than 400 large-sized pages, in an edition of 2,000 copies. Selling at $10.00

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per copy, it was out of print in two months. Today, on the rare occasion when a used copy is offered, prices start in excess of $100. For Don Grant this was an astounding development. The book had been costly to manufacture, but he had made a respectable profit. He could have figured he was on his way-but his New England conservatism came to the fore. He followed the Heins book in 1965 with A Gent from Bear Creek by Robert E. Howard, his first book by the writer who more than any other was to become identified with Donald M. Grant, Publisher. This was a collection of tall-tale Western short stories with one central character, Breckenbridge Elkins; and there was a logical financial reason for its selection. Since the early 1960's Grant had been dealing with Glenn Lord, the official representative of the Howard estate, discussing the possibility of his publishing a Howard book. Lord suggested an· American reprint of Howard's first book, which had been published in England in 1937, a year after Howard's death. This was A Gent. Grant read it and liked it, and since the book could be reproduced by photo-offset, it was a very economical job, even in an edition of 600-odd copies. In 1955 he issued The Pride of Bear Creek, typeset on IBM, justified (with uniform margins on right and left), and a clean printing job-but a far cry from his current beautiful volumes. There were two books in 1967. One in 1968. The next effort, one book in 1970. But something new had been added-illustrations artistically used. Don began planning books for their

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total impression, typeface, page layout, illustrations and binding. Holding to limited press runs, he set prices on the basis of costs, and found that his books sold. There was a market for high-priced books in fine format with full-color illustrations. Also, suddenly, there was a demand for all of the works of Robert E. Howard. The interest was not there when Gnome Press first issued the Conan series in the 1950's; it developed with the sword and sorcery craze that swept the field in the mid-1960's. Indeed, when a name was selected for a publishers' award for best fantasy book, it was called a "Howard." Actually, the "Howard" name, the brainchild of Kirby McCauley, was prompted by the position of Howard Phillips Lovecraft in the genre, but consideration of R.E. Howard also entered into the name selection. The award itseH is fashioned in a likeness of Lovecraft, the work of Gahan Wilson, and is a highly prized recognition of excellence in the field of the fantastic. A summary of Donald M. Grant, Publisher's production is quite revealing, showing a steady, ·solid growth. There were three books in 1971, two in 1972, two in 1973, three in 1974, nine in 1975, eight in 1976, six in 1977, seven in 1978, 10 in 1979, and as of this writing (the fall of 1980) five titles, with three scheduled for the rest of the year. It should be pointed out that Grant's emphasis has been on fantasy-adventure, not science fiction. The work of Robert E. Howard has dominated the list, but in the future names like Talbot Mundy and Harold Lamb

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will appear with increasing frequency. An ambitious Grant project has been a uniform Howard set, each volume with an illustrator chosen for his own individual contribution toward a graphic portrayal of Howard's fantastic concepts and heroic characters. Grant anticipates a total of 15 titles, nine of which have appeared to date. A f cw other books issued by Grant deserve specific mention. In addition to the Burroughs bibliography, there are two collections of Virgil Finlay's drawings; The Last Celt, edited by Glenn Lord, a bibliographybiography of Robert E. Howard; To Quebec and the Stars by H.P. Lovecraft, edited by L. Sprague de Camp, Lovecraft's longest single composition; Emperor of Dreams: A Clark Ashton Smith Bibliography, compiled by Donald Sidney-Fryer and others; The Magic Pen of Joseph Clements Coll, edited by Walt Reed (Coll a master of line drawing during the first 30 years of this century); and the coming major biography and bibliography of Talbot Mundy, written by Don Grant and called Talbot Mundy: Messenger of Destiny. A pair of most unusual books came from Grant in the fall of 1980, the work of Sam Moskowitz. These represent another of Sam's fantastic discoveries in the history of the genre-Science Fiction in Old San Francisco. The first numbered volume is History of the Movement from 1854 to 1890; the second, Into the Sun & Other Stories by Robert Duncan Milne...,..and material is on hand for several more volumes. As usual with Grant, the books are handsomely produced in every way.

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Probably less well known than Grant's books issued under his own name are those produced by two other publishing companies with which he was (and with one still is) associated-Macabre House and Centaur Press. Macabre House, in which Grant joined Joseph Payne Brennan, published only three books, all of them the work of Brennan. These appeared in 1959, 1963 and 1973 in very limited editions. This association grew out of Grant's producing some issues of Brennan's fan magazine,Macabre. Centaur Press, on the other hand, is a far more ambitious undertaking. It came into existence in 1969 as a three-way partnership-Don Grant with Charles Collins and Chris Steinbrunner. The press was created to bring out worthwhile fantasy-adventure stories which had long been buried in the files of unobtainable magazines for as much as a half-century, or as books had been out of print for decades. Centaur's books, with one exception, were mass-market or trade paperbacks. The Treasure of Atlantis by J. Allen Dunn appeared as both paperback and in a very limited hardcover edition-750 copies. To date 16 books have appeared in the Centaur Press line, the most recent, two unusual trade paperbacks. The first of these deals with Tolkien's famous Ring trilogy-Middle Earth: The World of Tolkien Illustrated. This is primarily a book of illustrations by David Wenzel, with brief comments by Lin Carter. The second is Kingdom of the Dwarfs, conceived and illustrated by David Wenzel, with text by Robb Walsh. Both are fullcolor productions.

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Centaur books are referred to by the publisher as "Time-Lost" fiction. I quote from the jac;ket of J. Allen Dunn's The Treasure of Atlantis: Why ''Time-Lost"? During the first half of the Twentieth Century, the popular magazines of the day-the "pulps"played a major role in the development of new writing talents. They were a perfect apprenticeship for the young author, and a means of supplying a thirsty public with escape literature. Of the thousands of stories written for the pulps in this era, a respectable number went into book form. Today, however, these stories are in part forgotten. Castaways of time ... "Time-Lost."

Later the blurb writer adds: "The .basic premise of 'Time-Lost' books is swashbuckling high adventure and heroic action. The setting is almost always in a realm that is strange to civilization." The outstanding feature of Grant's publications, more noticeably during the later years, is his lavish use of illustrations. He has been called the publisher of the finest illustrated fantasy books in the field today, and there is little likelihood that this statement will be challenged. Certainly no other publisher has employed as many artists, leaders in the genre as well as talented newcomers, some of whom surely will be the big names of tomorrow. Following is an alphabetical list of these artists: Robert Bruce Acheson, Alicia Austin, George Barr, Marcus Boas, Hannes Bok, Randy Broecker, Joseph Clement Coll, Ned Dameron, Stephen E. Fabian, Virgil Finlay, Dan Green, Michael Hague, Cathy Hill, David Ireland, Jeff Jones, David Karbonik, Tim Kirk,

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Roy G. Krenke!, John Linton, Neal MacDonald, Rob Macintyre, Dean Morrissey, Robert James Pailthorpe, Chris Pappas, Jeff Potter, Richard Robertson, Michael Symes and David Wenzel. Despite the fact that Don Grant has not had an education in art, he has revealed excellent taste in book design and art selection. This, coupled with the finest kind of book production, led to his being awarded the "Howard" as Outstanding Professional in 1976, finishing second in the 1979 voting for the same award and again winning it in 1980 at Baltimore. He was also awarded the 1979 "Balrog" as Best Professional; and Alicia Austin's Age of Dreams, which he published, was chosen for the Balrog award in 1979 as Best Publication. The Howard has been described. The Balrog is an award conferred at the Fool's Con at Johnson Community College, Kansas City, Missouri. (Fool's Con got its name from the date it is held, about April 1 each year.) The Balrog is sculptured in the fashion of Tolkien's famous character from The Fellowship of the Ring. Grant had a part in conducting the First World Fantasy Convention held in Providence in 1975. He relates that the possibilities of such a convention had been discussed a number of times-not a science fiction convention, but one centered on fantasy. Grant, Charles Collins, Chris Steinbrunner and others felt that Providence, with its Lovecraft associations, would be a natural site for the gathering. During a visit by Kirby

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McCauley the latter was given a tour of Lovecraft's Providence. Grant had dinner with McCauley that evening and Kirby announced: "I went to the Holiday Inn and reserved a group of rooms for the convention!" Time, the Halloween weekend. As simply as that the World Fantasy Convention was born. The 1980 convention, the sixth, was held in the Baltimore area, the site chosen because of its association with Edgar Allan Poe, of course. Featured were tours through Poe's old haunts as well as a midnight visit to Poe's grave and catacombs. In my description of the last days of Fantasy Press and of my final disposal of the FP stock, most of it in unbound books, I told of Don Grant's acquiring a trailer-truckload of material. This has been stored away for two decades, with an insignificant number of books surfacing now and then. Within the past few years these have been appearing in greater quantity with no set schedule, bound in cloth and gold stamping to match the original Fantasy Press edition. For the collector who is concerned about such things, the new releases have stamping which is sharper than the original. This is a very minor difference, but on careful examination it can be seen. Also, the gold stamping is brighter, since the passage of time has dulled the original gold. Technically, I suppose, one could call Grant's releases a second state or variant binding of the first edition.

Chapter 8 Pr£me Press, Ph£ladelph£a

[f]

HE ONLY ONE OF THE LARGER PIONEER SCIENCE FIC-

tion specialist book publishers to grow out of a fan club was Prime Press. The idea was proposed at a Philadelphia Science Fiction Society meeting late in 1946. Expressing interest in the plan were Oswald Train, James A. Williams, Alfred C. Prime and Armand E. Waldo, who became partners in the enterprise. Robert A. Madie also viewed the idea with favor, but for some forgotten reason he didn't join the group in their venture. Later he and Jack Agnew, another member of the club, took the plunge as New Era Publishers. In December of that year Ozzie Train entered the hospital for treatment, and when he emerged, partnership papers had been drawn up (with Train included) and Prim~ Press had started on its uncertain way. Each of the four partners came up with $500, giving them a working capital of $2,000. 181

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According to Train, what Fantasy Press had done was a major consideration in their decision. Through my attendance at meeting of the Philly club I knew the four men involved, being a close friend of Ozzie. James A. Williams was a successful bookseller, well known in Philadelphia and New York. At one time he operated a chain of three bookstores specializing in rare books. As with anyone in the used book business, Jim had his share of fascinating anecdotes of unusual finds, of embarrassing blunders. One of these incidents demands retelling because it was so influential in his success as a dealer. During his very early years in the business he received a call from a member of an old and famous Philadelphia family who wished to sell a library. I omit the name for reasons which will become evident. The library in question was on a farm in northern Virginia. Williams agreed to examine the books and if interested make an offer. He made an appointment with the caller and was taken to an unoccupied farmhouse, arriving in late evening. The electricity had been turned off, and neither man had a flashlight, so the books were examined by the light of match after match held in Williams' fingers. He gained a vague idea of what was there-very old books, many bound in calf-made a very rough count, and offered $1,500 for the lot, a figure he thought was safe and fair. The offer was accepted, after which the man said, "My sister also has a library on her farm, which is not too far from here. She also wants to sell. Would you be interested in looking at her books?"

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Jim was interested. They made the short trip, found the same conditions, and Williams appraised a second library by matchlight. Roughly it was a duplicate of the first lot, and the same sum was offered and accepted. The next day Williams borrowed $3,000 from a Philadelphia bank on a short-term note, paid for the books, got the keys, rented a truck and with a helper went to pick up the books. For the first time he really saw the libraries, and as Jim told it, his eyes popped. Had he appraised the books in broad daylight he would have told the owner it was a library he wasn't financially able to handle, and he would have brought in a big New York dealer who would have given Williams a commission. Because of the unusual conditions attending his purchase, he "stole" the books, a term familiar in the book trade, doing so in complete innocence. Williams issued a catalog in the form of an inch-thick clothbound book-and over and above all expenses he cleared $35,000 on his purchase! This is not an apocryphal story. I saw the catalog with its fantastic prices, an extraordinary collection of rare and unusual books. This single deal put James A. Williams in the book business. This has little to do with Prime Press, but I simply had to relate the story. A further word needs to be said about Jim Williams. He knew books, especially antiquarian books, and he had an extraordinary ability to recall details about rare volumes-points, editions, dates, authors and the like. This led to his employment as appraiser by Freeman Auction Galleries and several

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major insurance companies. He had only a casual interest in science fiction. He also had qeart problems which led his doctor to order him to avoid the use of all alcoholic beverages-and he drank heavily. Oswald Train, my friend for more than 40 years, and without question the Prime Press partner with the widest knowledge of SF, was born at Haswell, a small village in County Durham, England, on June 8, 1915. Starting school at age five gave him a slight advantage over his schoolmates when in 1923 the family moved to the United States, but in order to be with children his own age, he dropped back a year. This was in Barnesboro, a busy little mining town in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Ozzie-and no one calls him Oswald, not even his 90-year-old-plus mother (recently deceased)recalls that seated ahead of him in the third grade was a lad named Daugherty who later distinguished himself as a football coach at Michigan State University, the famed Duffy Daugherty. He recalls an amusing incident involving Duffy. The third grade didn't take its recess break at the same time as first and second grade, and on the day in question, with weather unfit for outdoor play, the second grade recess was under way in the room overhead. The clatter of racing feet came through the ceiling-and with it a huge chunk of plaster that shattered on Ozzie's desk, barely missing Duffy's head. Fortunately no one was hurt, but little Duffy was so splattered with plaster dust that the teacher sent him home for the rest of the day. Ozzie, unfortunately, had

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to remain. He wonders if Duffy remembers this incident. Graduating from high school in Barnesboro, Oz worked for nearly a year in a coal mine-as he puts it, "deep in the bowels of the earth." Late in 1935 the family moved to Philadelphia where Ozzie has lived ever since. At 14 Oz began reading the science fiction magazines, but his interest in the genre started with his reading Verne and Burroughs at age eight or nine. Over the years he has accumulated one of the largest and finest collections of science fiction and fantasy in the world. His collection of H. Rider Haggard is probably the finest in the United States; and on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Haggard's death, the total collection was on display at Temple University's Samuel Paley Library for the summer of 1975. The first friend Train made in Philadelphia after moving from Barnesboro was Milton Rothman, followed shortly thereafter by Robert A. Madie, Jack Agnew and Alexander M. Phillips, members of the Philadelphia SF Society which had been started earlier in 1935. It became really active in the fall of that year, at which time Ozzie joined the group. Oz has held every office in the PSFS and each of them at least three times. Alfred Prime, the third partner, gave his name to the publishing venture. It was a logical name, bringing to mind prime quality fiction or perhaps Prime Base in Doc Smith's Lensman series. Prime was a tall man, not especially prepossessing in appearance, but he was the

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most scholarly of the four, having graduated from Yale University with high honors. His ancestry has been traced back to the Mayflower, and many heroes of the American Revolution appear on his family tree. He, with "Bud" Waldo, left the partnership after the first year, withdrawing his investment, leaving Train and Williams to continue the operation. This early departure led to the erroneous impression held by many that it was a two-man venture from the beginning. I have only a vague recollection of Armand E. "Bud" Waldo, whom I met several times at PSFS meetings. As I recall him, he was a tall, rather husky dark-haired man about the same age as Al Prime. He served in the Sea Bees during World War II. Initially Prime Press operated out of Jim Williams' home at 122 South Eighteenth Street. Later for about two years they rented office space, but this proved costly and impractical, so they gave it up. In time they acquired storage space and shipping quarters on Sansome Street, a block away from the Williams' apartment. The first Prime Press book was The Mislaid Charm by Alexander M. Phillips. This short fantasy novel, originally published in Unknown, was the work of another PSFS member. Phillips had just been discharged from the Army after service in the Middle East. His story had been popular among magazine readers, and the publishers thought it a good selection. Like Gnome Press after them, they made the mistake of starting with fantasy instead of science fiction. From the beginning The Mislaid Charm was a comedy

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of errors. Herschel Levitt, a well-known local artist, did the illustrating. His drawing for the frontispiece was responsible for the book's unconventional size, 6 x 9 inches. Train wanted a standard-size book, but Williams insisted that this would make the frontispiece too small and would destroy its appeal. And instead of a title page set in type, Williams insisted on a handwritten title page to "harmonize with the tone of the book." Instead of being quaint and unusual, it merely looked amateurish. While the composition was in progress one of the letter mats kept sticking, resulting in countless errors appearing on the galley proofs. When these errors were being corrected others occurred, some of them carrying over into the completed book. A drab dust wrapper didn't help the total picture. Because they greatly overestimated the market, they ordered 5,000 copies. That wouldn't have been so bad, except for another very costly blunder. They had ordered 1,000 copies bound. While this work was under way, Al Prime stopped at the bindery to check on their progress. At this point the binder told him how much money they would save per copy if they completed the entire run-and Prime okayed the change! Alfred was undoubtedly given a snow job by the binder. When the others learned of this error in judgment, it was too late to countermand the order. Copies-a lot of copies-of The Mislaid Charm were still in stock when Prime Press went out of business. Truly a comedy of errors. The second book by Prime Press was Venus Equilateral, George 0. Smith's very popular series from

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Astounding Science Fiction. This should have been their initial volume. It sold well, their first printing of 2,000 copies selling out and necessitating a second run of the same size, which also sold out. The book contained nine of the original stories, plus one written especially for the Prime Press edition. A book of more than 400 pages, it was a bargain at $3.00. It was illustrated by a young Philadelphia artist, Sol Levin, except for the cover, which was a blueprint, the work of George 0. himself. This second effort helped to overcome their mistakes with the Phillips book and could have sent them on their merry way. Unfortunately, it was followed by another blunder. Jim Williams' influence exerted itself on the selection of the third title. His antiquarian interests and his involvement in library sales led him to suggest an old and rare story, the anonymous Equality-Or a History of Lithconia, the first American Utopian tale, originally appearing in 1802. Albert Prime researched it and wrote the introduction. Later, in 1950, they published 3000 Years Hence by Mary Griffith, a quite large selection from a much longer book originally issued in 1835, its title News of Our Neighborhood. The Griffith book was reprinted recently by Gregg Press. These were part of a projected series of early Utopian tales, small books bound in buckram and intended for the library market. Though they may have been important as literature, they weren't what the fan readers wanted. During a visit to Philly I asked Jim why these titles were selected. He said, "Oh, they'll sell well to the libraries."

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They didn't. Though only 500 copies of each were produced, they remained in stock for years. Of course, like all the books of the specialist publishers with very limited editions, they command premium prices today. Book number four was the excellent collection And Some Were Human by the popular and gifted Lester del Rey; this and the Theodore Sturgeon short story collection, Without Sorcery, were probably the most important books issued by Prime Press. At this point it should be said that Prime Press was the first book publisher to issue the work of Lester del Rey, Theodore Sturgeon and George 0. Smith, two of whom, after three decades, are still prominent in the SF field, both del Rey and Sturgeon being among the giants. Few actual adventures occurred to the SF specialist publishers. One notable exception marked the evening Oswald Train and James A. Williams received the manuscript for Without Sorcery from Theodore Sturgeon. They had arranged to meet Sturgeon at a Hydra Club meeting in New York City. As usual, a social evening ensued, with the normal amount of elbow-bending. Also as usual, when the Prime Press partners left to head for the railroad station and Philadelphia, Williams was a bit under the influence and not too steady on his feet. Ozzie, of course, was cold sober. They hadn't walked very far when three young goons caught up with them. One of them was obviously trying to get behind them, but Ozzie was too fast for him and made Jim stand beside him against a wall. ''Wanna fight?" their ringleader asked Ozzie, who

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declined. After a bit of idle chatter, he asked Williams the same question, who answered, "No, you (expletive having to do with the other's canine parentage), we don't want to fight." And that's when the fight began. The three apparently thought they had two drunks to deal with who could be finished off quickly and their pockets emptied. The ringleader punched Williams and knocked him down-easily done in his delicate condition-whereupon Ozzie set down the Sturgeon manuscript and flattened the one in front of him. A moment later Ozzie decked the ringleader, while Jim (who had graduated from the U.S. Navy) had grabbed one and was enthusiastically pounding away at him. Ozzie kept the other two busyand they were by now a bit wary. They reckoned without Ozzie's days in the coal mine and his years as a cabinet finishftr with endless hours of sanding and hand rubbing and polishing, which gave him powerful arms and shoulders and back. At that moment one of New York's finest approached and stopped the proceedings, giving Williams a whack across the buttocks with his nightstick. Ozzie walked to the policeman to explain, but he never got a chance. He also got a whack across the backside as the cop said, "So you want more, do you?" That ended it, with the three goons walking up the surprisingly quiet street with the officer. Suddenly Jim started after the four, growling, "That (expletive) hit me!" Ozzie grabbed him and held him back, hailed a cruising cab, and they made it safely to Pennsylvania

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Station and home. Surprisingly, Train still had the Sturgeon manuscript. That happened on a Saturday night. The next day Ozzie and his close friend Harry Buck drove to Stroudsburg to visit Dr. and Mrs. David H. Keller. This was strictly a social visit, but out of it later came publication of The Homunculus. All that day Ozzie had trouble sitting. The reason was a huge purple bruise where the nightstick had landed. On Monday morning Ozzie went to Jim's home, to learn that he was at one of his favorite watering places. He found him there and asked him how he felt. "All right," Williams answered. "Why?" He recalled nothing whatever of the activities of the previous Saturday night! Ozzie refreshed his memory, and Jim exclaimed, "I wondered where that bruise came from!" Mention should also be made of L. Sprague de Camp's Lest Darkness Fall and The Incomplete Enchanter (with Fletcher Pratt). These were reprints of earlier editions from Henry Holt, a major general publisher. A little-known error occurred during the production of Lest Darkness Fall. L. Robert Tschirky was assigned to draw the jacket art. Through a misunderstanding the impression was gained that Tschirky could not produce it, and Hannes Bok was given the job. Then Tschirky's drawing arrived, and Williams was told to cancel the order to Hannes. Incredibly this was not done, so with the original cover in production, the Bok drawing arrived. So both had to be paid for. Bok's work was used as a cut for the title page of the

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book; and later 500 jackets were produced on special order from Julius Unger, probably the leading SF book dealer in the field in his day. This accounts for the existence of two jackets for Lest Darkness Fall. The Bok jacket, only available from Unger, is a scarce collectors' item today. One other Prime Press book deserves special mention, The Wolf Leader by Alexander Dumas. Surprisingly, despite the fame of the great French writer, this novel had never appeared in book form in an American edition, its initial publication in English being in serial form in Weird Tales. After editing by L. Sprague de Camp, Prime Press published it in a handsome edition illustrated by the late Mahlon Blaine. Though not well known in the fantasy field, Blaine had done extensive illustrating of fine editions of classics of the macabre issued by general publishers. He had a style all his own, as distinctive in its way as that of Hannes Bok. Later Canaveral Press had him illustrate some reprint editions of Edgar Rice Burroughs, but this was not a happy combination and met with general disapproval. Twice Prime Press tried reprinting old "classics" from Argosy and Argosy All-Story Weekly. Neither was successful. The first, The Torch by Jack Bechdolt, was a novel of survival and reconstruction after world catastrophe, and in its day a popular venture into speculative fiction. Bechdolt was a competent writer, well known in the pulp magazines of the day, who produced an entertaining tale, and probably his only venture into fictional

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prophecy. He was still living at the time The Torch appeared in book form. Ozzie Train, while planning publication of the novel, visited Bechdolt; he recalls some anecdotes which the aging writer related which bear retelling, though they have no direct bearing on this history. Bechdolt commented: "There was one fellow I used to see in Bob Davis' office at times."(Davis was the famous editor in the Munsey Company offices who discovered more successful writers than any man before or since his reign.) "He had a glass eye and would look at you in the strangest way with that unblinking eye. I think his name was England." He evidently referred to George Allan England, an author of venerable classics like Darkness and Dawn. England sold his first story in 1902 while an undergraduate and reputedly never had a story rejected. Bechdolt and his author brother, Frederick R., were in San Francisco in 1906 at the time of the great earthquake and fire. They were young college students and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. "The Army fed us very well," Bechdolt told Train. The other reprint from the Munsey magazines was The Blind Spot by Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint. In its time it was highly popular. It was published as a "Different" novel-and it certainly was. I read it when it first appeared, and I confess I was impressed, though somewhat confused. An attempt to reread it in the Prime Press edition failed. The years had made a difference-in me, I suppose.

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This was the last Prime Press book. Of an edition of 3,000 copies, only 900 were bound, the remainder being destroyed during the death throes of the venture. It is a truly rare book, aside from any consideration of its success or failure as a story. In his comments on the Prime Press story Ozzie Train wrote: It has often been said that Damon Knight's review of The Blind Spot killed the book. It is true that sales of the book were slow after the initial orders, but it certainly wam't the review that brought this about. At the time Prime Press was in very bad shape and had no money to promote the book. And it was just about the time that the bottom started to drop out of science fiction publishing.

Train continues with his opinion of reviewers who give no consideration to the period in which a work was originally published; the differences in audiences; the economic pressures on the writers who produced notable pioneer works in days of low rates when it was economically impractical to spend a lot of time in cutting and revision. He concludes: As an example, Jim Blish gleefully ripped apart old novels by Burroughs and Merritt, but to what purpose? He could have done far better picking on new stories rather than on books that were in print continually for thirty or forty years.

During the publishing years of Prime Press the latch string was always out at Jim Williams' apartment. Though I was a competetive publisher I was always welcome. Whenever I made business trips to Philadelphia, if possible I stopped in. This became a fan-writers' open

C.L. Moore, circa 1933, in the days when she wrote Shambleau. (Photo credit: Julius Schwartz)

1st Lieutenant Edward Elmer Smith, U.S. Cavalry, World War I. (Photo credit: Verna Smith Trestrail)

Coney Island, N.Y., July 4, 1939. Rear, I to r-V. Kidwell, Robert Madie, Melvin Korshak, Ray Bradbury. Front, I to r-Mark Reinsberg, Jack Agnew, Ross Rocklynne at the wheel. (Photo credit: Robert Madie)

A group of writers at the First National SF Convention, ewark, N .J ., May 1938 . L to r - Otis Adelbert Kline, Frank Belknap Long, Jr., R.D. Swisher,John W. Campbell,Jr., Otto Binder, L. Sprague de Camp, John D. Clark and Manly Wade Wellman. (Photo credit: Robert Madie)

Standing: Myrtle Douglas,Julius Schwartz, Otto Binder, Mort Weisinger, Jack Darrow . Seated: Forrest]. Ackerman, Ross Rocklynne, Charles D. Hornig, Ray Bradbury .. (Photo credit: Julius Schwartz)

Philadelphia, 1937. Standing, I to r-Donald A. Wollheim , Robert Madie, Richard Wilson , Sam Moskowitz, David Kyle, G .C. Burford, Julius Schwartz and Leon Blatt. Kneeling, I tor - Robert G . Thompson , Edward Sandberg, Jack Gillespie, James V. Taurasi and Oswald Train. (Photo credit: Robert Madie) Oswald Train, Lloyd Eshbach and Julius Schwartz - Philadelphia, 1937. (Photo credit: Robert Madie)

Willis Conover, Jr., and Virgil Finlay (foreground), 1937. (Photo credit: Robert Madie)

Frank R. Paul, pioneer SF artist, circa 1930. (Photo credit: Julius Schwartz)

Hugo Gernsback, Publisher, Wond er Stories, circa 1930. (Photo credit: Julius Schwartz}

Ray Bradbury walking with Editor Leo Margulies, First World SF Convention, New York, 1939. (Photo credit: Julius Schwartz)

Raymond A . Palmer, author, editor and publisher, circa 19 30. (Photo credit: Oswald Train}

Robert W. " Do c" Lowndes and Forrest J . Ackerman - 1st World Science Fiction Convention, New York, 1939. {Photo credit:Julius Schwartz).

P. Schuyler Miller in 1930 , age 18. {Photo credit: P .S. Miller)

Farnsworth Wright, Editor Weird Tales. C. C. Senf, Weird Tales artist. {Photo credit: Julius Schwartz)

Julius Schwartz and Conrad H. Ruppert. {Photo credit: Julius Schwartz)

Fans outside the Field Museum, Chicago, while attending Chicon, World SF Convention, 1940. L tor - Ross Rocklynne, Dale Tarr, Trudy Kuslan, Wilson "Bob" Tucker, Walt Liebscher, Morojo, Melvin Korshak, ForrestJ.Ackerman,Julius Unger, Robert Madie and Robert Thompson . (Photo credit: Paul Freehafer)

August Der!eth, Dr. David H . Keller and Sam Moskowitz during the Keller-Moskowitz visit to Sauk City, Wisconsin, in July, 1948. The Keller dog, Yum-Yum, is in the foreground. (Photo credit: Sam Moskowitz)

Edmond Hamilton reading one of his Captain Future stories during his trip to California with Julius Schwartz in 1941. The arm is that of Schwartz, representing his 10% comm1ss10n. (Photo credit: Julius Schwartz)

Abe Klein, Sales Representative for Associated Fantasy Publishers; Lloyd Arthur Eshbach, Fantasy Press; David A. Kyle, Gnome Press; Erle Melvin Korshak, Shasta Publishers. (Photo credit: Charles Meyer)

The Associated Fantasy Publishers' display at the Book Festival, Museum of Science and Industry, Radio City, N.Y ., Nov. 1948. Background painted by Hannes Bok. (Photo credit: Charles Meyer)

Nolacon-New Orleans World SF Convention, 1951. Standing-Wilson "Bob" Tucker, Irene Korshak, Fredric Brown, publicity man for Th e Day the Earth Stood Still, premier showing at Nolacon, Melvin Korshak, David A. Kyle. Seated-Robert Bloch, Fritz Leiber,Jr., Hans Santesson, Judy Merril and Ted Dikty. (Photo credit: Ray Beam)

Harlan Ellison - Midwestcon, 1952. (Photo credit: Bea Mahaffey)

Arthur C. Clarke at Indian Lake, Ohio (Midwestcon), 1952. (Photo credit: Bea Mahaffey)

Bea Mahaffey and Hannes Bok on the rooftop of the building housing the artist's studio-apartment. (Photo credit: Darrell Richardson)

Lloyd Eshbach and Dr. C.L. Barrett at Midwestcon, 1954. (Photo credit: Ray B·e am)

Fans in Doc Barrett's library, Midwestcon, circa 1950. Rear - Steve Schultheis, Art Rapp, Darrell Richardson, Stan Skirvin, Lloyd Eshbach and Ben Kiefer. Front- Ben Singer, George Young, Randall Garrett, Doc Smith and Earl Perry. (Photo credit: Darrell Richardson)

Brains at work - Midwestcon, 1954. Starting at left - Martin Greenberg, John Millard, E. Everett Evans, Philip Jose Farmer and Edward E. Smith {plus a few others we can't definitely identify). {Photo credit: Ray Beam)

James A. Williams, Allison Williams, his daughter, Alexander M. Phillips and Oswald Train. Section of banquet photo, New York Science Fiction Conference,July, 1950. {Photo credit: Liberty)

Doc Smith made up as " orthwest Smith" for the costume ball, Chicon III, 19 62. (Photo credit: Oswald Train)

Doc Smith with his First Fandom Hall of Fame Award, Discon (Washington, D.C .), 1963. (Photo credit: Jay Klein)

Doc Smith receiving the first First Fandom Hall of Fame Award from Sam Moskowitz at the Discon, World SF Convention, Washington, D.C., 1963. At left are Forrest J. Ackerman and Don Ford. (Photo credit: Jay Klein)

The E.E. Smith family at Chicon III, the World SF Convention, Chicago, 1962-the only convention at which they all appeared . L to r - Clarrissa, Jeannie, Doc, Rod and Verna. (Photo credit: Verna Smith Trestrail)

Edmond Hamilton with his First Fandom Hall of Fame Award, presented at Nycon 3 (New York City), 1967. (Photo credit : Jay Klein)

"Murray Leinster" (Will F. Jenkins) holding a plaque honoring his fifty years as an SF writer. Awarded by ESFA, Newark, N.J., March, 1968. (Photo credit: Jay Klein)

Julian May, Frank M. Robinson and Beatrice Mahaffey, Chicon III, World SF Convention, 1962 . (Photo credit: Bea Mahaffey)

Lou Tabakow, Edmond Hamilton and Leigh Brackett, Midwestcon, 1955. (Photo credit: Ray Beam)

Robert Bloch on Indian Lake (Midwestcon), early 1950's. (Photo credit: Dean Grinnell)

John W. Campbell's daughter receiving from Isaac Asimov the posthumous First Fandom Hall of Fame Award. Clifford D. Simak is standing on the other side of the microphone with Harry Warner beside him. (Photo credit: Jay Klein)

John W. Campbell, Lunacon, N.Y. SF Convention , 1971. (Photo credit: Jay Klein)

Robert Bloch , Fritz Leiber, unidentified fan and Manly Wade Wellman at Sixth World Fantasy Convention , Baltimore, 1980. (Photo credit : L. Eshbach)

Lloyd Arthur Eshbach today. (Photo credit: Daniel Eshbach)

David and Ruth Kyle in their home at Hobe Sound, Florida, February, 1979. (Photo credit: Lloyd Eshbach)

Jack Williamson and Donald M. Grant at the Denvention II, World SF Convention, Denver, 1981. (Photo credit: Jay Klein)

C.L. Moore, William L. Crawford and Jody Clampett, Science Fiction Weekend, Los Angeles, 1979. (Photo credit: R. Daniels)

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house with frequent gatherings of the Philly group and visiting writers and fans. Some of the people one might meet there were L. Sprague de Camp, Willy Ley, Allen Nourse, George 0. Smith, Ted Sturgeon, Dr. David H. Keller, Nelson Bond, L. Robert Tschirky, Lester del Rey, Hannes Bok and Seabury Quinn. Plus, of course, the PSFS members. I believe I met Samuel Loveman, a friend of H.P. Lovecraft, there-though perhaps it was in New York City in Jim Williams' company. Memory is so unreliable. Mention of New York brings to mind an amusing if trivial incident which may be of interest. I was in the big city on business and in the company of Marty Greenberg and Jim Williams, as well as one or two others. We were in a restaurant, and Jim had been drinking, a not unusual happening. Apparently he was low in funds for he asked me to buy him a drink. I refused, not because I objected to liquor (though I did), nor was I concerned about the cost of the drink. I knew Jim should not drink hard stuff, and I knew that he had had more than enough, so I said, "Sorry, Jim, I won't buy you a drink." I still remember his disgusted reply: "The Scotchman is tight-the Jew is careful with his money-but the Pennsylvania Dutchman has 'em both stopped!" He wasn't kidding-bu ti didn't buy the drink. During the time when negotiations were under way for the publication of Seabury Quinn's weird novel, Alien Flesh, the author made several trips to Philadelphia. (Prime Press failed before the book could be

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published, but Oswald Train: Publisher issued it two decades later.) Quinn was working in a government agency in Washington, and according to Train, knew a great deal about international affairs. He was an unusual man with a warm and friendly personality, but a conversationalist who could lace his remarks with more cuss words than anyone Ozzie had ever heard. During one Quinn visit his novel was openly discussed, and Sprague de Camp made some valuable suggestions which led Quinn to rewrite the entire story. George 0. Smith and L. Sprague de Camp were frequent visitors at Prime's headquarters, and they helped to make any gathering a memorable occasion. Train tells of the first visit of Dr. David H. Keller who "never enjoyed himself more than on this occasion with the incomparable pair present, all of us swapping stories, jokes, experiences and just plain talk. At such times we all saw facets of each other that were seldom seen elsewhere. It was fun." It was at the Williams apartment that the now-famous Hugo was born. It happened before the 1953 World Convention, and the convention committee met several months before the big event. Harold Lynch suggested that an award be given to the best writer. This is part of fan history. But what isn't well known is the one who suggested the name. Let Oswald Train tell it. He was there. The awards were under discussion, and Jim Williams said they should have a name because, after all, we had the Oscar. "What shall we call them-Hugos?"

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I was standing beside Jim and said, ''Why not-sounds good!'' It caught on immediately, and henceforth we had Bugos, named after Hugo Gemsback, of course. Others, among them Robert A. Madie, have received credit for this, but the fact remains that it was Jim Williams who came up with the name. The first Bugos were made by Jack McKnight, a highly skilled machinist, and Manny Staub, a talented silversmith~ Their tribulations in getting them completed in time for the convention is a story in itself.

So now it has been told with credit given where credit is due. Three David H. Keller books appeared under the Prime Press imprint. The first of these, The Homunculus, was probably the publisher's idea. The other two, The Eternal Conflict and The Lady Decides, were suggested and completely financed by Keller. Though they are handsome books physically, printed on excellent paper, numbered, autographed and boxed, they were vanity publishing and could only serve to weaken the Prime Press line. In addition to the books usually listed as Prime Press publications, there are several editions which are almost unknown to science fiction and fantasy collectors. These are genuine rarities. Between 25 and 50 copies of two books were bound in paper and sent out to book reviewers. None was sold. These were And Some Were Human by Lester del Rey and The Incomplete Enchanter by de Camp and Pratt. Four books, in addition to the regular trade edition, had a special printing of 100 copies each on fine paper,

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with top quality binding, in a labelled slipcase. Of these, Without Sorcery by Theodore Sturgeon was signed by the author and the artist, L. Robert Tschirky. The other three, The Homunculus by David H. Keller, Lords of Creation by Eando Binder and Exiles of Time by Nelson S. Bond, were numbered and autographed. In addition, a set of the Hannes Bok illustrations for The Blind Spot and its sequel The Spot of Life was reproduced in an edition of 150 copies, packed in a special envelope and signed by the artist. Needless to say, all of these are among the scarcest collectors' items in the field. A number of books were scheduled by Prime Press which never appeared or were published by others. One of these was L. Sprague de Camp's The Glory That Was. This never got beyond the planning stage. His Lost Continents was also prepared by Prime Press and was actually set in type-but the failure of Prime Press led to its being published by Gnome Press. The Spot of Life by Austin Hall was to have been issued, as was Alien Flesh by Seabury Quinn and The Planeteer and Other Stories by Homer Eon Flint. Also in their plans were The Rebel Soul by Austin Hall and The Collected Letters of H. Rider Haggard, edited by J.E. Scott and Oswald Train. James A. Williams died suddenly in March, 1953. I quote Ozzie Train's report: I was in the hospital for a few days with an infected hand. Since the hospital was in center city I stopped to see Jim on my way home. Things were very bad for Prime Press and he was feeling quite ill. I stopped in again a few

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days later-a Wednesday night-and he complained of severe abdominal pains. When I left he was about to soak in a tub of very hot water. I didn't know it, but that was the last time I was to see him. I called again on Friday and I was told he was in the hospital. On Saturday he was in critical condition. His wife Marian and I planned to see him Sunday afternoon, but on Sunday morning she phoned to tell me he had died a few hours earlier. He had massive blood clots in his legs, and one had reached his heart. An autopsy showed he had cancer of the throat which eventually would have caused his death.

With Williams gone, Prime Press and its problems fell on the shoulders of Train. He and Williams had been equal partners, but Jim had handled all business transactions. It was a logical arrangement since Train was employed full-time as a cabinet finisher, and Williams had his own business and obviously had more time to handle details. Things came to light which made bankruptcy the only answer. Bills which supposedly had been paid were still due. There is no point in conjecturing or attempting to assign blame. Prime Press was insolvent. Oswald Train was blamed for matters which were not his fault, except for the fact that each member of a partnership is equally responsible for the conduct of the organization. Ozzie's trusting nature had led him into a painful situation from which there was no easy escape. Train had made no money from the venture, any profits having been plowed back into the business-in fact, in the final settlement he lost quite heavily. On the positive side was the experience which proved invaluable

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when, more than two decades later, Oswald Train: Publisher came into existence. For a number of years Ozzie, before his second venture into publishing, had been engaged in a mail-order used book business, specializing in detective and mystery fiction. In this field, as in SF and fantasy, there are collectors and rarities. One of the latter was the British book The Adventures of Romney Pringle by Clifford Ashdown, of which Ellery Queen estimated there were no more than four or five copies in existence. "Clifford Ashdown" was the pen name of R. Austin Freeman and J .J. Pitcairn in collaboration. Becoming aware of the possibilities in modern photooffset printing, Train secured a photostat of the rare book from the British Museum and, with the help of Don Grant, brought out the book in a modest edition of 1,000 copies. It sold, leading to another edition of 600 copies. Train's next four books were rare mystery items, all of which enjoyed modest success. Then he tried fantasy with a reprint of The Lost Continent by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne with an introduction by L. Sprague de Camp. Unfortunately a paperback reprint appeared at about the same time. Two more mysteries followed and then Train published the long-delayed Seabury Quinn fantasy, Alien Flesh, very nicely done. This was followed by Far Future Calling by Olaf Stapledon, edited and with an introduction by Sam Moskowitz, a compilation of shorter material by the famous writer as well as a detailed biography by Moskowitz. Certainly Stapledon was

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one of the most influential science fiction writers of all time, whose Last and First Men and Star Maker stagger the imagination, the first the history of man from the present to a million years in the future, and Star Maker the history of the entire universe. At this writing, Train has in preparation A. Merritt: Reflections in theMoonPool, edited by Sam Moskowitz. This is a collection of Merritt's miscellaneous writingspoetry, articles, two new stories, photographs and appreciations. It would appear that Train is veering toward science fiction; certainly the Merritt volume should be a major contribution to the genre. But this chapter deals not with Oswald Train: Publisher but with Prime Press, a publishing venture pulled in two directions by its major partners, James A. Williams, antiquarian bookman, and Oswald Train, science fiction fan-another venture that failed.

Chapter 9 Gnome Press ARTIN GREENBERG-MARTY TO EVERYONE IN THE

science fiction field during the specialist publishers' era-set in motion the publishing venture called Gnome Press. A native New Yorker, he developed an ,early interest in SF, collecting the magazines, meeting other fans, a hobby far removed from his occupation, that of glass blower. World War II interrupted everything for him, as it did for most young men of his generation. After his discharge from military service late in 1945, he found that his mother in her patriotic zeal had donated his science fiction collection to the wartime paper drive. Attempts to rebuild his collection were difficult and costly-and out of this dilemma came the idea that other SF fans might be having the same problem, hence there should be a market for book reprints of some of the more important stories. There was no fast action. Time passed while Marty, 203

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like so many other servicemen returning to civilian life, got back into the swing of things, renewing former associations, attending fan club meetings and so on. Publishing seemed quite remote. A brief association late in 1947 or early in 1948 with Paul Dennis O'Conner of New Collectors Group (to be discussed in Chapter 12) further stimulated Marty's interest in publishing; and he came out of that association with the rights to a book, The Carnelian Cube by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt. Then a chance conversation at a session of the Hydra Club, a new and different SF club, set things in motion. At this point we need to backtrack a bit. The year-1947. Two men who had renewed their friendship following their discharge from the Army were living in Manhattan. They were Captain David A. Kyle and Sergeant Frederik Pohl, one-time members of the Futurians, a famous or notorious fan club, depending upon one's viewpoint. Their friendship, since their teens, led to a number of developments, two of them important to this record. One day Fred Pohl told Dave Kyle that there was a so-called Fifth World Science Fiction Convention being held in Philadelphia that weekend. This was an opportunity to rediscover old friends and find out about postwar science fiction fandom. That Saturday they took a train to the City of Brotherly Love and went to the hotel where the con was being held after the hiatus of the war years. The few hours they had intended to stay in Philly extended into the next day, becoming an

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enjoyable reunion with many ol_d friends, and resulting in the reawakening of a donnant interest in fannish activities. On their way home Pohl and Kyle discussed the need for some kind of group or organization to continue to bring such old friends together. They decided to form a club-not an ordinary fan club, but one for authors, artists, editors-personalities in the SF field and their friends. They got in touch with some likely prospects, such as Lester Del Rey, and received a positive response. Personal invitations went out, and a meeting was held in Fred Pohl's apartment. Thus the Hydra Club came into being. Nine friends attended that first meeting, among them Pohl, Del Rey, Kyle, Phil Klass (William Tenn) and Judy Merril. The name was chosen from mythology to represent the nine-headed entity that was being formed. At a Hydra Club meeting in mid-1948 Marty Greenberg told of his recent and not-too-happy association with O'Conner, which had just terminated, and of his wish to continue in publishing. Dave Kyle was in the group. It happened that the Kyle family owned a newspaper and printing business in Monticello, New York, which gave Dave access to some of the tools of publishing. In addition he was an artist and writer and he had stashed away several thousand dollars from his earnings in the military. So when he expressed interest in joining Greenberg as a partner in a new publishing business, Marty welcomed him with figurative open arms. Though details were not worked out immediately, for all practical purposes Gnome Press was born at that

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Hydra Club meeting in 1948. At this point it should be emphasized that Greenberg and Kyle were equal partners, and after they incorporated both held an equal number of shares of stock. Many contemporaries of the two were unaware of this, since Greenberg was the front man and generally operated the business. After discussion the partners adopted Gnome Press as their name, and Kyle drew the characteristic colophon which appeared in the first years of Gnome Press books. Later Edd Cartier drew another colophon with a gnome in space hehnet riding a rocket-propelled book; and with the possibility of their branching into Western and mystery fiction, a cowboy gnome and a Sherlock Holmes gnome. At the beginning they were impressed by the "success" of Arkham, not realizing how limited its printings and sales were, and they planned to divide their list equally between fantasy and science fiction. And because they began with fantasy, their venture ahnost failed before it began. The first Gnome book was the never-before-published The Carnelian Cube by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt, already mentioned as having come with Marty after his severance of relations with New Collectors Group. It had been advertised in Astounding Science Fiction as coming from New Collectors Group; and according to Marty enough advance orders had come in to cover printing costs. I doubt this statement for reasons of my own-but even if it were true it raises a natural question. How could Gnome Press use funds

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sent to New Collectors Group after Greenberg had left the,partnership? I have no answer. Be this as it may, except for the initial linotype composition and the feeding of the paper into the press, Kyle did all of the production work-the proofreading, linotype corrections, make-ready and the like. Lack of experience made it a thinner book than they wanted; they knew about weights of paper, but they did not know that varying bulks were available. Before drawing the jacket design, Kyle had determined the number of pages, got a novel of matching size, and made up the jacket to fit the book as it was to be after binding. The jacket, to the bewilderment of the designer, didn't fit the spine, missing badly. An oddity appears in The Carnelian Cube. Below the copyright notice appears the line, "Second Printing." Since there was only one press run, apparently there never was a first printing-something unique in book publishing! What actually happened was this: The first two books of the Gnome line were printed on a flatbed, single-sheet press directly from type. After running a thousand copies of the first side of the large sheet, probably "work and turn" which divided into two sheets with 32 pages on each side, the forms were taken off for the next set of forms, another double 32 pages. While the second forms were being run, Dave personally corrected any errors he had found in the first double one thousand so that for the second run those sheets were corrected. Clear? I'm certain it isn't. Anyway, with the addition of a slug line reading "Second Printing,"

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Gnome Press succeeded in having a second printing even during its first run! The second Gnome Press book was a near-disaster. It was a typical Arkham House title by a Weird Tales author-The Porcelain Magician by Frank Owen. The Carnelian Cube was a so-so seller-but no one wanted the Frank Owen short-story collection. And with limited capital this created problems. Their imitation of Arkham House had not produced the expected results. With the third book, Pattern for Conquest by Hydra Club member George 0. Smith, they went to science fiction, following this with Sixth Column by Robert A. Heinlein. Both were popular authors and the books were well-designed and produced by a major book manufacturer, with jackets by Edd Cartier-and these started them on their way. The fifth book was fantasy, the sixth SF ... but it didn't take too long for Greenberg and Kyle to see that the real market lay in science fiction. This is indicated by the fact that of the 86 books Gnome Press published, only 16 were fantasyand these were by such authors as Robert E. Howard, C.L. Moore and Fritz Leiber. In passing-a lesson that all tyro publishers learned early in their careers. Perfection is most elusive. The jacket design for Pattern for Conquest was drawn and hand-lettered by Edd Cartier-and at the last moment Kyle noticed that an "s" had been omitted on the spine. It read "Conquet." The patch-up job Kyle produced accounts for the white block dividing the title. (A note inserted for collectors interested in such trivia.)

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On January 5, 1950, Gnome Press became a corporation. The decision to incorporate came from Greenberg's determination that they must secure substantial working capital; by incorporating they would have shares of stock which would serve as security for a loan. Marty found men with money-$10,000-who became figurehead secretary and treasurer in the corporation, with Greenberg as president and Kyle as vice president. The agreement was supposedly that of gentlemen, sealed by a handshake-and it cost Gnome Press dearly. Kyle's father was an attorney; he drew up the necessary legal papers and, sensing future trouble, warned against the plan, as did Dave. Marty comments today that Dave was right, but for the wrong reasons; they needed the working capital, but Marty's confidence in men not worthy of his trust led to trouble. Without going into details, the whole transaction cost Gnome Press an additional $10,000; they had to repay the loan twice-a loss which was one of the major factors in putting them out of business. Coincident with this disastrous loss, Doubleday started its Science Fiction Book Club-and in the following year Gnome experienced a 90% drop in sales. But I'm ahead of my story-ending Gnome Press just as it got started. So we'll begin again, taking a look at the two publishers. Martin Greenberg started life in New York in 1918, and he has lived in the area all his life. He is a bit above average height and somewhat stocky, and I remember him as being prematurely gray and wearing a small black

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mustache. Marty was characterized by boundless enthusiasm. It was contagious, uninhibited-and sometimes misdirected. It led him to make commitments impossible to keep. He knew science fiction and fantasy and he had good ideas. He thought big-he quite seriously tried to buck the Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club, and even to this day thinks he had a chance of succeeding. I once visited the Greenberg home on Long Island as Marty's guest. It was very comfortable, well cared for, and strictly kosher (his wife's influence). As I recall it, Mrs. Greenberg's parents lived with them. I enjoyed my visit. My memory is a bit vague, but it seems to me that Marty returned the visit shortly after I moved to Myerstown. With the demise of Gnome Press he vanished from the science fiction scene. During the years that followed he worked for Abelard-Schuman, a general publisher; I'm not certain in what capacity. More recently he earned a degree in art from National Community College and for a period operated an art shop in a shopping mall. When the mall itself folded, he moved the operation to his garage and home on Long Island. He continues to take an occasional picture-framing assignment, chiefly as a hobby. Today he is credit manager of the largest manufacturer of metal tubular goods in the nation. Probably Marty's major contribution to the SF field (other than Gnome Press itself) was his concept of the theme anthologies which began with Men Against the Stars. So far as I have been able to determine, this and the others that followed were the first collections of this

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nature to appear, setting a pattern for future anthologists. These were the most successful of all the Gnome Press books, their sales figures only approached by Asimov's Foundation stories. In the Gnome Press days David A. Kyle was a tall, slim, debonair young man with light hair and a small reddish mustache. A graduate of Columbia University with a B.S. degree in 1951, he also received formal training in art at the Commercial Illustration Studios in the old Flatiron Building in New York City. He began his studies at Columbia with a professional course in book publishing and met Ian Ballantine there when he appeared as a guest lecturer. As he had been a science fiction fan from age eight, it was natural that he utilized his abilities and training to become an illustrator of SF stories. His artwork appeared in magazines edited by Fred Pohl, Donald Wollheim, F. Orlin Tremaine and Robert W. Lowndes, as well as in British SF publications. Years after their initial appearance, he discovered some of his drawings reprinted in Canadian periodicals. He illustrated many of the dust jackets for earlier Gnome Press books, but his best known work, most often reprinted, is the map of the Hyborean Age, appearing first as endpapers in Conan the Conqueror. It is interesting to note that some of the current reprints of this map bear Kyle's name while with others it has been deleted. Kyle's contribution to the field is not limited to his illustrations. His fiction appeared in magazines edited by

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Pohl, Wollheim and Lowndes in this country and by Ted Carnell in Great Britain. He wrote more widely in the mystery and detective field than in SF, this phase of his career beginning while he was a member of the Dirk Wylie Literary Agency when that consisted of Pohl, Wylie and Kyle. Street & Smith Detective Stories was probably the leader in its field in that day, and they published Kyle fiction. However, without question David A. Kyle's greatest claim to fame in the SF field lies in his two history books, both published in England by Hamlyn Publishing Co. First to appear (1976) was The Pictorial History of Science Fiction, a big book with a really comprehensive and well-written history of the genre. It is handsomely and profusely illustrated with full-color and black-and-white reproductions of magazine and book illustrations from the U.S., Britain and other countries. It traces in word and picture the development of science fiction from pre-19th century to 1976, plus a projection into the future. It is truly an enjoyable voyage in to nostalgia. The second book, in matching format, is The Illustrated Book of Science Fiction Ideas and Dreams, published in 1977. Broad in its scope, it treats the SF gadgets and gimmicks, the dreams, nightmares, aliens, supermen, monsters, space and time vehicles, even future philosophy-all of the concepts on which SF is built. There are histories upon histories in the science fiction field, but this one, to the best of my knowledge, is unique in its approach.

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Unfortunately, these two books are not readily available to American readers. While referring to Dave Kyle, it seems logical to add a further note-the publication of his latest book. Bantam Books issued it in September, 1980, its title The Dragon Lensman. It is the first in a series of books set in the Lensman universe created by E.E. "Doc" Smith, suggested by Fred Pohl, and written by arrangement with Verna Smith Trestrail, Doc's heir. Kyle has completed the second and third in the series, dealing with the exploits and adventures of Tregonsee the Rigellian Lensman and Nadreck of Palain, respectively. The series is set in the 20-year span between Second Stage Lensman and Children of the Lens. I read the Worse! story in manuscript and thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that I wrote an introduction to the book. I see my comments on Kyle are more extensive than those on Greenberg. This is not an indication that Kyle was more important to Gnome Press-merely that I found more to write about. To return to Gnome Press, the operation was carried on initially from Greenberg's home on Claremont Parkway in the Bronx, New York, while Kyle still lived in Monticello. They had rented a small basement storeroom for storage and shipping. But as more and more books were published and their inventory grew, it became necessary for Greenberg and Kyle to find other quarters. Late in 1949 they decided that Marty should quit his job and devote full time to the publishing business. Early in 1950 they moved into a room on the

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third floor at 80 East 11th St. in New York City. About a year later they moved to the second floor into two rooms, one serving as an office and the other for storage, packing and shipping. Actually, the second room had "Martin Distributing Company" painted on its glass door, but the only books distributed so far as I ever saw were Gnome Press books. This eventually expanded into four rooms for warehousing as inventory grew. Plans had called for the two bookmen who had advanced the working capital to contribute in sales and distribution and general business operation, while Greenberg concentrated on author contacts, developing ideas, and so on, and Kyle handled artwork, layout and production. The outsiders' interests lay in other areas, and they failed to produce, so Marty had to handle sales and other internal details. An assistant was hired to work in the office, thus giving Greenberg greater freedom to travel. The first of three assistants was Algis Budrys, who began working for Gnome in the fall of 1952, leaving that winter to join the staff at Galaxy as assistant editor. Among other Gnome duties, he did some editing; the last book he worked on was Children of the Atom by Wilmar Shiras. Budrys, who over the years has achieved substantial stature as a talented SF writer with a dozen or more books to his credit, began his science fiction career by selling his first story to John W. Campbell for Astounding. He has a fascinating personal story, as related in Dream Makers by Charles Platt, but unfortunately his part in the Gnome Press story does

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not warrant a detailed presentation in this work. However, one anecdote out of Budrys' experience with Greenberg deserves inclusion as an amusing sidelight on Marty. I quote Algis: I was supposed to open the shop at 9 :00 every day, with Marty coming in toward noon, but he wouldn't give me a key, always promising that starting tomorrow he'd be there on time. Fortunately, the very first day I found myself pacing those long and ugly narrow halls with nothing to do, I discovered that the key to the front door of Jerry Bixby's Brooklyn apartment house, if put halfway into the Gnome Press lock and jiggled, would do the trick. Marty then pointed out that obviously I didn't need an official key. He also demonstrated thereafter that he didn't need to come in before noon, either.

With Budrys' departure from Gnome Press, Marty hired Joe Wrzos, who left in the course of time to become a librarian at Rutgers University. He was followed by an attractive, auburn-haired girl from Pennsylvania named Ruth Landis. Ruth had entered the SF community in 1955 when she attended the Clevention (the World SF Convention held in Cleveland that year) where she met Dave Kyle, Marty Greenberg, Isaac Asimov and many other writers and fans. A mutual attraction between Ruth and Dave grew during the following months, Ruth moving to New York from Princeton, New Jersey-she had worked at the university-and they met quite often, both of them serving on the committee for the 1956 World SF Convention which was to be held at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City. Kyle was convention chairman. By the

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time the convention ended Ruth and Dave were engaged to be married, and Dave arranged for her to work at Gnome Press with Marty. The move to lower Manhattan provided several bonuses. First, Gnome Press was now a New York publisher in the heart of the book business. Prime Press was in Philadelphia, Shasta Publishers in Chicago, Fantasy Press in Reading (and who ever heard of Reading?} while Gnome was in New York, a magical name. In addition, they were located where things were happening. Fred Pohl, then the most active agent in the SF field, had an office in the same building, and their little area became a meeting place for many of the authors and artists visiting New York. The rest of us had to make our author contacts by mail or phone, thus losing the personal association. I cannot resist adding a personal comment. Martin Greenberg's accessibility was not an unmixed blessing. This also meant that authors could visit him in person when they were pressing for payment of royalties which might be a bit late-a not unheard of situation in those days, and not only with Gnome Press! As mentioned earlier, probably the most successful ventures of Gnome Press were its theme anthologies. They were credited to Martin Greenberg, who unquestionably was an idea man, but it is my opinion that the collections were actually the work of Greenberg and Kyle. Marty disputes this, insisting that he alone was responsible for the concepts and story selections. Be this as it may, it is fact that the material signed by Greenberg

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was written originally by him and then rewritten by Kyle to make the copy suitable for publication. Marty never professed to be a writer. All of the other material which might be designated editorial comment was Kyle's work. Lest this seem to be a claim which cannot be substantiated, a careful examination of the second anthology, Journey to Infinity, will prove the assertion. Each story in the collection begins with a comment by the editor tying the pieces together. There are 12 stories in the book-just enough to spell out "D-A-V-1-DA-K-Y-L-E-E-D," or "David A. Kyle, Ed." without the punctuation-and they do just that, using the first letter in each introductory paragraph to form an acrostic. When Marty Greenberg read the first draft of this chapter it was his first knowledge of Kyle's longconcealed trick-and I don't think he was overjoyed at the revelation! Despite the success of this anthology series and other books that sold well, Gnome Press began to encounter the same sort of financial problems their competitors faced. I should point out that Gnome on the average printed more copies per title than the rest of us, which brought down the price per copy; and later Greenberg's decision to use very cheap paper, ground wood pulp, further reduced their costs. But this last step also made the books less attractive. And as time passed sales continued to decline, cash flow became sluggish, debts mounted-and Gnome Press was struggling for its life. As the end approached, with book manufacturers accepting no more orders until all bills were paid to

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date, Greenberg approached me with the suggestion that I print his books. I was then manager of Church Center Press in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, and had facilities available. It was a non-union shop in a small town, and costs were substantially lower than in metropolitan areas. I had to keep 15 employees busy because they had to be paid regardless of how they put in their time. I estimated costs, holding everything to a minimum, and agreed to print one book, Marty supplying the paper. The paper, by the way, was the worst stuff my pressman had ever run, so dusty that a wash-up was necessary halfway through a 3,000-copy run to remove the muck. Anyway, I had type set, read proof myself and printed the first book, The Vortex Blaster by E.E. Smith, followed by Invaders from the Infinite by John W. Campbell, Jr., both of them titles that I had turned over to Gnome Press (with the authors' approval) when it became certain that Fantasy Press would never publish them. I ran extra copies of both books on better paper with the Fantasy Press imprint (with necessary permission)-341 copies of the Smith title and 112 copies of the Campbell novel. To keep the record straight, I paid Church Center for paper, press time and labor. I insisted on payment for the Smith book before doing any work on the Campbell, finally receiving a check which cleared. When I insisted on payment for the second job before tackling a third book, Marty pleaded with me on the phone to go ahead with production, to give him a little additional time, but I

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remained adamant. After all, I was responsible for the printing company that I was managing. There was no third book, and Church Center Press never received payment for the second printing job. And, incredibly, Marty accused me in so many words of putting Gnome Press out of business. He denies this, but my memory is good; and when I insisted it happened, he said it must have come out of desperation-which no doubt is true. Since Marty published three books after those I printed for him, apparently I merely contributed to the demise of Gnome Press. The paperback reprint market was beginning to develop, though slowly, and Greenberg saw possible daylight ahead through the sale of reprint rights, in the proceeds of which Gnome Press as original publisher would share. I quote a paragraph from Marty's version of the Gnome Press record: I made arrangements to sell the rights to the Conan series to Bantam, but L. Sprague de Camp, without my knowledge, sold the rights to Lancer Books. I got an injunction to stop the publication, and the cost of the suitwhich we lost-just about broke us. I believe the sale of the Conan series would have brought in sufficient capital to allow us to recoup and get back into full production. My printer at this time took possession of our inventory to cover bills due, and that put the finishing touch to Gnome Press.

The fact that de Camp won the court battle would indicate that he acted within his legal rights. While all this was taking place, where was David Kyle? One would think that Martin Greenberg was sole

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owner of Gnome Press, based on appearances. In truth, that was the way Marty operated. It was his nature to take over and run things; but in justice to Greenberg, in 1954 Kyle moved to Potsdam, New York, where with his father he became involved in setting up and establishing a radio station. He was still doing some writing for Gnome Press, supplying cover copy, editorial comments and the like, but it was a long-range association. While Dave had worked in Monticello it was a short trip into Manhattan. But Potsdam, about 25 miles from the Canadian border, was another matter entirely. In addition, Dave's thoughts and interests were now divided, and the radio station took most of his time. So Marty Greenberg, practically, was Gnome Press. It occurs to me as I write that many authors whom Gnome Press published probably never associated Dave with the operation. To some extent Kyle participated in the publication of all books up to and including Colonial Survey by Murray Leinster. There his connection with Gnome Press, for all practical purposes, ended. The last 26 titles were solely Greenberg's efforts. But enough of details. During its 14 years of existence, Gnome Press played a major role in developing science fiction as an acceptable field of book publishing. Gnome was the first to put Arthur C. Clarke's SF into book form. Though not first, they were right behind Doubleday with Isaac Asimov's books. In fact, many of the writers they published would have to be included in any list of the most popular and most important authors today. With many

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they were first. These include Robert A. Heinlein, L. Sprague de Camp, Jack Williamson, Frederik Pohl, Poul Anderson, Leigh Brackett, Clifford D. Simak, Robert E. Howard, Murray Leinster, James E. Gunn, Robert Silverberg, James Blish, Fritz Leiber, Gordon Dickson, Andre Norton, A.E. Van Vogt, Henry Kuttner, Hal Clement and of course the aforementioned Clarke and Asimov. An ironic note out of the recent past deserves mention here. A year or two ago David Kyle, during a visit to New York City, called on Isaac Asimov. They've been friends for a long time. During the course of conversation Asimov mentioned his recent sale of reprint rights to the Foundation series at a fantastic figure in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Gnome had issued the original hardback editions of the series.) Isaac added this thought, "If Marty had only paid promptly and kept on my good side so that I was willing to let him continue handling the books, he might have had half of all this." Asimov had evidently forgotten Kyle's involvement in the Gnome Press venture, that Kyle would also have shared in the fortune, and did not realize his words were rubbing salt into an open wound. To complete the picture of Gnome Press and its contributions to the genre, a few peripheral activities have to be mentioned. One of these was their Fantasy Book Club. The word "Fantasy" was chosen as a broad general term which included every phase of the field, of course including science fiction. The Fantasy Book Club was a good idea, introduced very early in Gnome's

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existence. Unfortunately, there was never the necessary capital to exploit their plans as practically every cent, including unwitting investments of authors' royalties, went into the Gnome book production. In November 1948 a Fantasy Book Club "Bulletin" was published as a sort of miniature news magazine about the club, its selections and items of general interest. A similar publication followed in 1955-1957 called Science Fiction World, edited by Bob Tucker. It ran for six issues. In 1949 Kyle was informed that Ken Kreuger, fan, bookseller, and briefly publisher (see Grant-Hadley Enterprises) had registered the Fantasy Book Club name in New York State in 1946, though he had done little with it. And later in 1949 Doubleday announced that it was starting its own Science Fiction Book Club. Once again a mistake had been made; Kyle and Greenberg didn't even have the right name to sell to Doubleday for at least a small profit. The FBC continued limping along for several years, but it was never really successful. Compared with Doubleday's operation, still going strong after three decades, Fantasy Book Club never really got off the ground. Conceived primarily to sell Gnome Press books, it used selections from .other publishers as well, purchased, as I recall it, at 50% discount. They made special offers including premiums, and they did sell books. Whether the club created new customers or simply deprived the other specialist publishers of direct sales is an open question. Pick-A-Book was a sort of successor to Fantasy Book

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Club-the name, by the way, suggested by Horace Gold. It too was a marketing device employed by Greenberg. Reference to Pick-A-Book brings to mind a long-standing error, mentioned earlier in this record. Several SF histories state that Fantasy Press sold its close-out stock to Greenberg for Pick-A-Book. This is not so. I sold Greenberg a limited number of unbound books of several titles-but the actual remainder stock went to Don Grant. Finally, for all of this the end came. Gnome Press by means of one expedient after another managed to survive longer than any of its major SF specialist competitors, but eventally they too bowed to the inevitable. They lasted longer, published more books-but also were far deeper in debt when they finally failed. With their demise a noble experiment ended.

Chapter 10 Shasta Publ£shers

[I]

T CAN BE SAID WITH REASONABLE ACCURACY THAT

Shasta Publishers had two beginnings, the first involving The Checklist of Fantastic Literature and the second their venture into science fiction book publishing. Despite the fact that both Checklist and Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, Jr., appeared in print in the same year, 1948, there was a span of eight years between the inception of Checklist and the launching of Shasta Publishers. Nowhere but in the unlikely world of science fiction could the specific circumstances have arisen as they did to bring about the idea behind Checklist and, eventually, the formation of Shasta Publishers. Two fantasy collectors in Indiana meeting through their hobby-two fans from Chicago (one of them a parttime mail-order book dealer) visiting the Indiana fans while driving to New York to attend the Nycon (the 225

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1939 World Science Fiction Convention)-and so on. It began in 1939-not Shasta Publishers but some of the circumstances which led to its founding. Ted Dikty and Fred Shroyer met through their hobby, the reading and collecting of fantasy and science fiction. Shroyer lived in Decatur, Indiana, about 20 miles from Dikty's home in Fort Wayne; and together they came to the conclusion that they would do better in their book hunting if they had a list to tell them what to look for. They began assembling all the information they could find, at this point entirely for their own use. Mel Korshak had been corresponding with Dikty; and when he and Mark Reinsberg, fellow Chicagoans and close friends from boyhood, drove east to attend the Nycon they stopped at Fort Wayne to visit Dikty, their first face-to-face meeting. They met again during the late summer of 1939 when Korshak and Reinsberg hitchhiked to Fort Wayne, staying at Ted's house for several days, during which time Shroyer joined them, Dikty having phoned him to tell of his visitors. It must be remembered that these were young SF fans. Korshak was born in 1923, so in 1939 he was 16. Dikty and Reinsberg were in the same general age span. Shroyer was then in his early 20's. A third visit by Korshak followed in 1940, this time as the guest of Fred Shroyer, in whose home Mel spent most of a week. Dikty joined them there, and it was on this occasion that the first specific plans were made for a definitive checklist of fantastic literature. Letters were written to the readers' columns of such

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publications as Saturday Review of Literature as well as to fellow collectors, asking for help with the project. Progress was slow, but gradually a shoebox began to fill up with file cards. These were in Dikty's possession. Memories vary; a partial manuscript may have been prepared. Then came Pearl Harbor, and Dikty was called up by the draft board. The mass of material was put away for safekeeping. Four years later it was missing, a war casualty. Exactly what happened to shoebox or manuscript must forever remain a mystery. So the compilation of the information for the checklist had to start anew, from scratch. Before I resume a chronological narrative, this seems to be a logical place for me to present a picture of the men involved in the checklist and, later, in Shasta Publishers. I have secured the cooperation of Dikty, Korshak and Shroyer in the preparation of the Shasta story, so my. information should be accurate. We'll start with Ted Dikty, with whom it all began. He was born into a family of readers-an older brother, Bernard, started to read Argosy in 1910-and it would have been unusual for Ted not to become a reader of the pulps. From youngest childhood he recalls impressions of vast piles of magazines stacked in the attic as well as in a huge cupboard at the end of a hallway. His addiction to adventure magazines began in 1929 when a June issue of Argosy featured the first part of a George F. Worts serial, "Screen of Ice," a story about Gillian Hazeltine, an earlier Perry Mason whom many readers consider better than Erle Stanley Gardner's legal

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detective. The same year he read the issue of Amazing Stories Quarterly containing "Dragons_of Space" by Aladra Septama and like many another addict he was hooked. In those Depression years money was in short supply, but somehow his brothers managed to raise enough money between them to buy Astounding, Wonder and Amazing, as well as Argosy, Blue Book and Weird Tales. The collecting urge developed in Ted at an early age, and just about all the money he could raise went toward the purchase of back issues of his favorite magazines. During his high school years (1934-38) he operated a trapline of used magazine sources;- old furniture and clothing stores, Salvation Army and thrift shops, all were checked on a regular basis. School was some 25 blocks from Dikty's home, and he walked. Aside from the folly of ,spending good money for streetcar fare, there was no way to cover his magazine route except on foot. Prices were within his range, since it was possible to pick up most pulps at three for a dime or a nickel each. He recalls buying nine issues of Weird Tales (1925 and 1926) at 25¢ for the lot. Looking for an occasional find, he would dig through stack after stack of pulps, any of which now command prices from $10 to $100when they can be found. As the preceding sketch would indicate, Dikty's interest was centered largely on magazine SF and fantasy; nevertheless he picked up the occasional book in the field when he encountered it in his searching. He had an extensive knowledge of SF in general. As with

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the other principals in this record, the war interrupted his f annish endeavors. Frederick Benjamin Shroyer, though withdrawing from the enterprise early in its history, was nonetheless important in its initial phases. Born in Decatur, Indiana, in 1916, he probably added a bit of stability to the early stages of checklist preparation. From 1935 to 1937 he attended the University of Michigan, continuing his education after World War II. He served as captain in the USAAF from 1942 to 1946, enrolling at the University of Southern California shortly after receiving his military discharge. He was awarded a bachelor's degree in 1948, master's in 1949 and PhD. in 1955. From 1950 to his recent retirement he was a member of the faculty of the California State University at Los Angeles, becoming Professor of English and American Literature in 1959. He has been the recipient of numerous honors in his chosen field and is certainly among the most respected educators in America, if not in the world. Obviously, with his concentration on the field of letters, his interest in science fiction had to be relegated to a hobby status. However, in 1946 he was the leading force behind the formation of Carcosa House, which existed just long enough to publish one book, Edison's Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss. An illustration of collector's mania came out of Shroyer's wartime stint. As aide-de-camp to a commanding general in the Air Force in the Pacific, when Japan surrendered, he had occasion to be in Shanghai immediately following withdrawal of Japanese occupation

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forces. Many of the English-language bookshops in the International Settlement had been closed and boarded up at the war's beginning. Shroyer, scenting prewar books of all sorts, made book-hunting "raids" as they opened up, garnering huge quantities of books. With his connections and official position, he was able to load up the tail end of a B29 Super Fortress with his literary loot and have it transported to Saipan, and eventually to his home. Shroyer's contribution to the beginnings of Checklist and Shasta Publishers cqnsisted of his enthusiastic support of the original project and his wide knowledge of fantasy books. Indeed, he may well be said to have launched the postwar Checklist project by making available the 2 ,000-card index file of his fantasy library. Out of recognition for his great contribution, the book was dedicated to (Dr.) Frederick Benjamin Shroyer. Third in order of their mention in this chapter is Erle Melvin Korshak, called interchangeably Erle and Mel. When the distinction began to matter, Korshak used "Erle" for fannish references and "Mel" for his profes• sional name. Amusingly, this led to the mistaken impression that there were two Korshaks, possibly brothers. Korshak was born in Chicago in 1923. He began reading science fiction in 1934, regularly getting issues of Astounding Stories and Wonder Stories from an older cousin after he had finished reading them. (The cousin later became an oil geologist, a logical development for a Depression teenager who started on science fiction magazines.) Mel saved the issues he received since he had

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no one to pass them on to in turn. By the later 1930's he had built up quite a collection, which included items ~f his own finding-runs of Weird Tales going back to the first issue, early Electrical Experimenters and the like. By 1938 he had begun selling used magazines by mail order in order to secure funds to build and add to his own collection of science fiction, fantasy and weird books. By the time he visited New York for the first World Science Fiction Convention he had already issued several book catalogs. After his second trip east, already mentioned, he moved to New York City where he spent a period of six to nine months. This was late in 1939. He returned to Chicago in May or June, 1940, to take an active part with Reinsberg and Wilson "Bob" Tucker in preparation for the Chicon, the 1940 World Science Fiction Convention. Korshak enrolled in the University of Illinois in 1941, completing his first year before entering the Army in 1942. Fortunately, a large part of his collection, plus choice duplicates, was safely stored away during the war years, and when he got out of the service in 1946 he had available the stock of scarce imaginative fiction to go right into rare bookselling in a big way. I recall Mel telling of book-hunting trips during those years, scouting used book stores in all parts of the country-of the speed with which bookshelves could be scanned, of sleepers found, rare books turning up in the most unlikely places to be bought for the proverbial song. Later I gained some of the same

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expertise in my own used-book-dealer days. Ted Dikty joined Korshak in Chicago in 1946, bringing his extensive collection, giving them as partners as large a stock as was available anywhere. The equal parnership was called Melvin Korshak, Bookseller; and they started to issue some of the most lavish illustrated catalogs of SF, fantasy and weird books to appear anywhere up to that time. It was against this background in late 1946 and early 1947 that Korshak and Dikty determined to publish Checklist as an essential reference tool for their own bookselling activities. Meanwhile Korshak had matriculated at the University of Chicago in the fall quarter, 1946, his field sociology and anthropology. Mark Reinsberg had started at C.U. on the G.I. bill in the preceding quarter, majoring in English. It was during this period, through a newspaper ad offering books for sale, that Korshak met the final individual to work on the checklist-Shasta efforts. This was Everett Bleiler, who became the editor of The Checklist of Fantastic Literature. Everett Franklin Bleiler came from a New England family who owned farmland in an outlying area of Boston which, in Everett's time, was in danger of being overrun by the expanding city. Everett himself was the product of an exceptional education which was by no means unique in his farming family; he was a graduate of both the Boston Latin School and Harvard College. By the time he came to the University of Chicago to take his master's degree, his specialties were in the fields of anthropology and the history of culture.

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Beside his mastery of ancient and modem European languages he was also fluent in Japanese. While still at Harvard Everett had written his senior honors thesis on a remote Indian tribe in the Northwest Argentine who spoke a language known only to a handful of scholars in the United States. One of these was Dr. Bennett, head of the anthropology department at Yale. Bennett read Bleiler's thesis-and although Bleiler had never been there, his study of the tribe's artifacts had reached such highly original conclusions that Bennett asked Bleiler to collaborate with him on a book. This work, Northwest Argentine Archaeology, was published by the Yale University Press in New Haven almost at the same time as Bleiler's Checklist of Fantastic Literature was being published in Chicago, thus giving Everett the honor of having two new books reviewed in the same issue of the prestigious U.S. Quarterly Book List of the Library of Congress. When Bleiler became interested in the Checklist project he brought into it an expertise in the field of fantastic fiction equal to that of any of the other participants. Until he got into college and learned that there were other ranges of literature, he had read little else. He had been collecting SF and weird fiction since 1932, and at the time he went into the Army in 1942 he owned (and had read) almost ever SF magazine ever published, scores of Munsey and other excerpts, all Weird Tales except the early issues, and about 300 SF and weird books, a respectable number for that day. Was Bleiler a science fiction fan? It's a matter of

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definition. In the 1930's by his own statement, he (and many another in the Boston area) would have been outraged if called an SF fan, since they watched with fascinated disgust the antics of the New York and California fans. But in that prewar period he corresponded regularly with many of the leading fans of the day, and even with a few authors. He also subscribed to the leading fan magazines. So despite their "looking down their Bostonian noses" (Bleiler's words) at fan activities, Bleiler was a fan. In addition to this background in the field, Bleiler brought another enormous asset to his task-the ability to read fiction at the rate of a novel every hour or two. When he became involved with the project early in 1947, he had the knowledge, interest and organizing ability that the production of Checklist needed. Offering his help, he soon, quietly and efficiently, took over the project, carrying it to its completion. He added the final ingredient-a mastery of general reference techniques. He succeeded in turning Checklist into what the Library of Congress called "a lasting contribution to American letters in the field of the humanities." Before I resume the Shasta story, I feel I should add a word about Mark Reinsberg and his role in this history. An SF fan, he was much more. He wrote some science fiction as well as continuity for SF comic books; he was also a poet who published in major "little" magazines, a critic and book reviewer (SF reviewer for The Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine of Books), and later an English teacher at the university level.

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Reinsberg's name is rarely associated with Shasta Publishers, though it was anticipated from the beginning that he would be a third partner along with Korshak and Dikty. He never became a principal, however, because at the last minute he dropped out of the formation, opting for an academic career instead. He continued with numerous contributions to Shasta, including help with book designing, writing jacket copy and the like. It was Reinsberg who suggested the name Shasta Publishers. And thereby hangs a tale. In 1942, on summer vacation from the university, Korshak obtained an appointment with the U.S. Forest Service, assigned to the Shasta National Forest in northern California, headquartered below Mt. Shasta. Korshak then got a similar appointment for Reinsberg, and they worked together until they joined the Army in November of that year. When they selected the name for their publishing enterprise they may have had in mind the high goals as typified by the majestic peak of Mt. Shasta. With editorial work on Checklist completed, production became the next concern. Korshak gave the job to a neighborhood printer, the bulk of whose work consisted of what were known as "butcher shop" ads, handbills printed for local merchants-usually grocery stores and butcher shops-and circulated from house to house in controlled areas. Dikty knew all about this chore, having worked in the distribution as a boy during the Depression. The complexity of the composition and page makeup

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of the book, with its corrections on corrections to the fifth order, was such that Bleiler finally went into the composing room and supervised the work. The large press in the shop was so ancient that it still used gas flame jets to dry the ink as the sheets came through. At the time of the actual printing, Bleiler and Dikty found themselves standing guard on opposite sides of the conveyor which passed the sheets through the flame. It took a quick eye and fast concerted action to jerk out sheets which caught fire. As it was, despite a 2,200-copy print order, only 1,933 complete sets of pages came through for binding. The Checklist was the printer's first book, his first venture into real "class" printing. Many years later Dikty had occasion to visit him in another part of Chicago, at his large modem plant filled with the latest equipment-a far cry from 1948. Of interest to those who want every detail (and there are such among that strange breed known as collectors), there was one actual printing of Checklist, but after the first 1,000 copies were run, a line was inserted on the reverse of the title page-"Second Printing: February, 1948." The tyro publishers wanted to see how the first batch of 1,000 copies sold (the original bindery order) before binding the remainder. At 30¢ per copy for binding, they didn't want to invest any more than they had to until they saw how the book would be received. Actually, they had a small tiger by the tail. Within a few weeks after the first publicity went out the first binding was ahnost depleted, and the

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book was completely out of print by late 1949 or early 1950. Since the book sold for $6.00 per copy in 1948 and most copies were purchased without discount, it was certainly the most profitable book issued by any of the specialist publishers. According to Korshak, they cleared an average of more than $4.00 per book-close to $8,000-and they owned all rights. Bleiler had received an agreed-upon sum of $500 for his work. There were no royalties to pay. It literally put Shasta Publishers in business, more adequately financed than any of their • competitors. A second reference work ~as planned to fallow their first success-The Guide to Imaginative Literature, also edited by Bleiler. With this book, the Shasta staff reasoned, librarians could build a first-rate fantasy section in eac;h library. Bleiler completed the manuscript but the book had not been published when Shasta went the way of almost all the specialist houses. Though the original plans of Shasta Publishers centered on reference books, it is evident that a rapid change of direction occurred before the release of their first book. Later in 1948 they issued Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, Jr., and three months later they followed with Slaves of Sleep by L. Ron Hubbard. Since time was required to contact writers, produce artwork, and print and bind books, obviously plans must have been under way while Checklist was in production. At any rate, Shasta Publishers was in business. From the very beginning the Shasta books were

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thoroughly professional productions, equal to the best of the specialist publishers-or the trade houses, for that matter. This is rather surprising when one considers the fact that type for one book, Space on My Hands by Fredric Brown, was set by the pupils of the Chicago Linotype School as part of their on-job training. The price was low-but Dikty, even to this day, has not forgotten the appalling proofreading job. Initially, before Checklist, during the mail-order bookselling period, the office was Korshak's bedroom. Books were stored and wrapped in the basement of his aunt's dress shop, a block away down the street. Once Checklist was under way and other titles scheduled, it became necessary to find a suitable location for an office and warehouse. They encountered no difficulty, and an English basement room of ample size was leased in a nearby apartment building. This was the address used by Shasta Publishers for most of its existence-5525 Blackstone, Chicago 3 7, Illinois. For a number of years during this era Wilson "Bob" Tucker issued a fanzine (fan magazine) called The Bloomington News Letter. Need I say he lived in Bloomington, Illinois? Tucker, himself a well-known SF fan, became a successful writer of mystery and science fiction novels. His publication, produced as a hobby, was terminated when he found it too costly in time and money, but during its existence it was recognized as one of the better and more accurate fan publications. In the issue dated April, 1949, as part of a series featuring the specialist SF publishers, he dealt with

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Shasta Publishers. With his permission I quote from his report: Shasta Publishers' rapid growth can best be measured by the size of the press runs they have given the printer for each of the four books currently in print. Never large to begin with, the fantasy publisher must base his order on the number of copies the previous book sold, and his editions cannot compare in size with those of the big New York houses. Despite this, Shasta points to a steady, unspectacular upswing. Their first book saw 2000 copies in print (actually 1932); the second rose to 3000; the third up to 3500; and the fourth climbed to 4000. On the press now is another, with 4000 copies, and coming later this year is the first of a series in which each book will see between 4000 and 5000 copies. In a fantasy house that is growth.

The projected figures were a bit more ambitious than the actual press runs, as a check of the bibliography will reveal. The series referred to was the Heinlein "Future History" series. I have avoided posing as a critic in these reminiscences. It is not my purpose to comment on the relative merits of Gnome Press books, for example, as compared with those of Fantasy Press. However, I have on occasion expressed my opinion regarding some titles. I trust I'm not breaking my own rules by saying that Shasta Publishers, in their short line of 19 titles, published a number of books of major importance. Obviously, Heinlein's Future History series prompted this observation. In addition, the two collections of John W. Campbell's best short stories are noteworthy volumes. On the other hand, Shasta, like all the others in the

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field, also published books which were hardly worthy of inclusion in their line. I'm thinking of two-but on second thought I'll let the readers decide on these for themselves. During this period I became well acquainted with both Korshak and Dikty. Twice Korshak paid me unexpected visits, once while I lived in Reading, and a second time during my years on the farmlet near Adamstown, Pennsylvania. Neither time did he stay overnight, though invited, making the trip from Chicago to New York on No-Doz. We were competitors-but friends. In turn, when I moved to Chicago in the early 1960's I phoned Mel and was invited to join him and Irene Korshak for dinner at their apartment. I spent a most enjoyable evening with them, reliving experiences of the past decade. I met Mel again on a Chicago street corner a number of months later, at which time he told me their marriage had gone on the rocks, news I received with regret. Several futile attempts to salvage their relationship had ended with the realization that there were irreconcilable differences. That chance encounter was the last time I saw Mel. One of the important background facts of this entire record was the youth of most of the people involved. This is illustrated by an incident that took place at one of the world conventions during the Shasta years. By word of mouth news spread through the crowd of fans that there was a wedding reception at the convention hotel with an abundance of food and drink free for the

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taking. A number of fans slipped in unobtrusively and helped themselves to refreshments. I was one of the group but left almost immediately. (I'm naturally shy and retiring!) Dave Kyle, who remained, was an observer of the incident which I am about to relate. Among the party-crashers were Mel Korshak and Bill (William Lawrence) Hamling, the latter an important fan in the late 30's, a professional SF writer in the 40's, associate editor of Amazing Stories under both Ray Palmer and Howard Browne, and at the time the fannish incident occurred, publisher of his own professional magazine, Imagination. While most of the party crashers remained in the background, Korshak and Hamling, perhaps aided by the free champagne, became a bit boisterous. Quietly they were informed that this was a private party, and would they please leave? Korshak rq,lied with a question-which side (bride's or groom's) was he on. When he answered "groom's," Korshak responded that they were the bride's guests! There are differing opinions concerning the effectiveness of this strategem; but apparently it was successful, since Korshak and Hamling and the latter's wife Frances returned to the party a bit later in the evening. A small orchestra had been brought in, and Korshak recalls having several delightful waltzes with the bride. My own reaction to this incident after all these years may be summed up in four words: "Boys will be boys!" To resume the Shasta story, it must have been late in 1948 that Everett Bleiler and Ted Dikty put together a

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tentative anthology of what they considered the year's best SF stories. It was to be the first of a Shasta series, patterned after the Martha Foley and 0. Henry Award volumes. However, Shasta, with a series of books coming off the press, needed cash. Korshak came up with a plan which promised some of that necessary commodity. Instead of the annual series being issued by Shasta, they'd have a trade publisher do it. Since this was a mutual project owned by BleilerfDiktyfKorshak in equal parts, this would mean a personal return for Bleiler, and a steady cash flow for Shasta, since their share would go into the business. Korshak put the idea into the hands of Abe Klein, a publishers' representative (who was selling the lines of the members of the Associated Fantasy Publishers), who then sold the idea to Frederick Fell, one of the smaller New York trade publishers. Fell liked the idea and signed it up, presumably thinking the project farther along than it actually was. Being new to the anthology business, Bleiler and Dikty had a manuscript typed from tear sheets of the stories while they negotiated authors' permissions. As Dikty recalls it, the job was done in one week; and Korshak adds that he wrote the introduction overnight. In subsequent volumes tear sheets were used, this being acceptable to the publisher. Another anthology came from the same triumvirate: Imagination Unlimited, published by Farrar, Straus & Young in 1952, with the same division of royalties. Korshak's friendship with John Farrar was a factor in

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the sale of this book. Others in the "Best" series, 1952 and 1953 specifically, were edited by Bleiler and Dikty working together, as was the companion series The Year's Best Science Fiction Novels, which began in 1952. Then Bleiler left for Europe to study at a Netherlands university, and Dikty assumed sole editorship starting with the 1954 volumes. It should be added that years later Everett Bleiler became the editor of Dover Publications and for years was that firm's very capable guiding light. To keep the record straight, he was never a part of the Shasta organization. We now come to a phase of the Shasta story which to say the least is painful to all concerned. Korshak conceived an excellent idea-a prize contest for science fiction novels, the winner to be published first by Shasta and, after a S\litable time lapse, by a major paperback house. He sold the idea to Pocket Books, who were to advance a certain sum to the winner, Shasta to pay a lesser amount. Not only would this give both publishers a first-class, original SF novel to publish, but it would probably make available for regular contract publishing a number of excellent original non-prizewinning works. The project was given extensive publicity-entries came in-and a winner was chosen, approved by both Shasta Publishers and Pocket Books. The novel submitted by Philip Jose Farmer, I Owe for the Flesh, was the winner. This was a 150,000-word novel written in one month in order to meet the contest deadline. Of this transaction, Farmer says in his introduction to

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Riverworld and Other Stories: "Because of c1rcumstances I won't go into here, it was never published and I got only a fraction of the money due me." Later the novel, extensively rewritten, was published serially as three novelettes, and still later it became the Hugo~award novel To Your Scattered Bodies Go and its sequels, published by Putnam starting in 1971. Unfortunately, Farmer's statement is correct. The prizewinner was never published, and though Pocket Books paid its portion of prize money to Shasta, Farmer received only a part of the moneys due him. And Farmer is quite bitter about the matter, for what was to have been his big break actually set back his career for a number of years, not to mention other related difficulties. I have received both Farmer's and Korshak's version of this unfortunate development; as might be expected, they differ. After carefully weighing the various ramifications and details I have decided against placing myself in the unenviable position known as the middle. With sincerity I can say-I sympathize with Farmer-and Korshak and Dikty-in this time of trouble. I had my share of difficulties, as did all the others in this pioneer field. Another factor had entered the picture. It was a complete departure from normal Shasta publications, a Beauty Book by the Westmores, Hollywood's Royal F~ily of Makeup. It was the joint work of Pere, Wally, Bud, Frank (brothers), and a nephew Mont; and without question in its area it had the potential to be a world-beater. It was to be a full-color production, the

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last word in feminine beauty enhancement. And it was to be the answer to Shasta Publishers' problems. For Shasta, like all the specialist publishers, was having financial difficulties. All these problems would be dissolved, it was believed, with the Westmore book released, with the most famous of the brothers, Pere, demonstrating his skills in department stores from coast to coast, tied in with book sales-in short, they'd have a bestseller in their hands. All that mattered was to produce The Beauty Book and get it on the market. Their total concentration on this project is verified by a letter I found in my files from Shasta Publishers, written by Ted Dikty, dated December 13, 1954: We've been working harder than ever, what with our Westmore Beauty Book due out this coming spring. Things are coming along very well, but there's little time left to relax for even a bit. Best Holiday wishes from all of us here to you, your wife and the boys!

But apparently things weren't ''coming along very well.'' The Westmore book was delayed-there were cost overruns-dealers who had ordered in advance became impatient-printers were crying for paymentand when the book finally was completed, no funds were available for shipping. These funds were borrowed from a most unlikely source, Sam Moskowitz, who by his own admission never loaned money to anyone. In passing, he finally received repayment by accepting Shasta books of comparable value. All of this difficulty is understandable when one realizes that a total of $60,000 went into the book in

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preparation and production. Despite everything the book finally appeared-under the logo of Melvin Korshak: Publishers. This was a new corporation with Korshak as president and Ted Dikty as vice president. And they almost pulled it off! There was a 15,000-copy first printing, and at that point advance sales looked so encouraging that they printed 10,000 more while the first printing was still in the bindery. An ambitious and well-planned sales campaign was set in motion, with Pere Westmore, king of Hollywood makeup artists, selling the book with personal appearances in department stores, backed up by multiple newspaper, radio and TV interviews. These included his appearing with his book on coast-to-coast TV on Steve Allen's Tonight show and on Art Linkletter's Houseparty. With all this going for them, success seemed certainthen Westmore collapsed from exhaustion while on his first tour. Overweight and (unknown to Korshak and Dikty) with a long coronary history, he simply could not stand the rigors and pressures of the tour. Twenty-five thousand copies of Beauty Book were sold-but unfortunately they needed a sale of 40,000 to 50,000 copies to break even. And with the collapse of Westmore, there was another collapse-that of Shasta and Melvin Korshak: Publishers. The Shasta-Korshak venture into general trade publishing was a worthy effort, deserving a better fate. At the time I recall thinking, "Why in the world are they wasting time and money on a book like that?" I

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was still the fan; and anything outside SF and fantasy wasn't worth a thought. This despite Walter Bradbury's question, "If your science fiction stops selling, what do you do?" I realize now that Mel and Ted were trying to do what none of the rest of us could have done-to bust out into the big time of trade book publishing. Everything considered, they didn't do too badly for a couple of boy publishers. What isn't generally known is the fact that they had built in that same period of time a projected trade list from scratch. There was Vilhjalmur Steffanson's Survival (Steffanson at that time was probably the world's greatest living explorer), in with Pocket Books on that one, all the way from creation to publication. There were a dozen other books under contract with advances paid: books ranging from general fiction to nonfiction like an illustrated in-depth study of the Navajo-Hopi country of the American Southwest, Martin Gardner's Great Sermons from the World's Great Literature, and Hubert Rogers' biography of Colonel Tracy Richardson, American soldier of fortune. Their plans included other volumes under the Shasta imprint-Bleiler's Guide to Imaginative Literature; the last two Heinlein Future History titles; at least two more from Van Vogt in his Linn series (of which Empire of the Atom was planned to be the first); two more by Will Jenkins ("Murray Leinster") in the Space Platform, Space Tug series; plus titles by S. Fowler Wright, Jack Williamson, Poul Anderson and Rog Phillips. Plus the contest

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winner by Phil Farmer, I Owe for the Flesh, and The Lovers. But it was not to be. So much had been ventured on the Westmore book that when it didn't make it, Korshak and Dikty had nowhere else to go. They had exhausted credit with their paper supplier, Perkins and Squire, and printer-binder, H. Wolfe; they couldn't live up to author contracts-in short, they lost their big gamble-and Shasta Publishers and what might well have become a successful trade publisher went down the tube. In my first draft of this chapter I included as an ending a tragic story I had heard about the remaining stock of Shasta books being stacked on the sidewalk in front of their old Blackstone Avenue address, put there by the landlord who wanted the space, and with no one around to claim it. And the rains descended and washed out those (now) rare and valuable books-a tragic ending to a noble effort. Fortunately, this sad tale is true only in part. Rent hadn't been paid for months for what then amounted to storage space, and the long-suffering landlord had gotten a court order, and a sheriff duly arrived and moved whatever was left out onto the sidewalk. By sheer chance this was observed by an acquaintance of the Korshaks, and in minutes someone was guarding the stack until Korshak was reached, and the material was picked up by a nearby storage company. Carefully boxed and fully preserved, the books, artwork, etc., still remain in that same warehouse (with charges paid)

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awaiting whatever disposition Korshak decides. I relate this to set right the fiction which some readers may have heard. It should be added that after the passing of decades Dikty ventured into publishing again in partnership with Darrell C. Richardson as FAX Collector's Editions; but since there is no continuity between Shasta and FAX, I have decided not to treat the enterprise in this record.

Chapter 11 Fantasy PubUsh£ng Company, Inc.

[I]

T WAS INEVITABLE THAT BILL CRAWFORD-OR MORE

formally William L. Crawford-should enter this newly developing field of publishing. As I have written earlier, he was bitten by the publishing bug in the early 1930's. Not only did he publish Maroel Tales and Unusual Stories, but he produced three books-not good jobs-but they were books, creditable efforts by a self-taught printer. This venture, Visionary Publishing Company, is treated in the next chapter. Fantasy Publishing Company Incorporated was the name Crawford chose for his venture-and FPCI has always been exclusively his, and only his, and his wife Margaret's. He called her his righthand ''man," and he says he "dragged her along," so I guess she really had no choice in the matter. Finding herself married to a man who insisted on publishing, she helped where she could, help that appeared to be quite substantial. Crawford and 251

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FPCI, like August Derleth and Arkham House, managed to ride out the lean times and is still in business, though he has done no publishing in recent years. Forrest J. Ackerman has been credited with being a partner in the enterprise, or a member of the corporation, under the business name of Garret Ford, but there is no truth in this. Garret Ford was another Crawford name, employed, I suppose, to suggest a larger staff. The relationship with Ackerman was of a different nature. During the early days of FPCI Forry made author contacts and drew up contracts, acting as agent for the authors, but the pul>lishing company belonged to the Crawfords. Wilson Tucker in his report on FPCI appearing in the Bloomington Newsletter dated August, 1949, mentions Marvin Neumann as production manager. This actually was a pseudonym used by Margaret Crawford when signing business letters, in the same class as Crawford's "Garret Ford." William L. Crawford was born in 1911 in Trafford, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the Everett area, living with his grandparents, first on a farm and then in town. His interest in science fiction developed early through the SF magazines; this led to his Marvel Tales venture when he was in his early twenties. Following this, in 1939 he worked for Farm Journal as a subscription salesman, as he tells it, "one of the few salesman jobs I was able to handle." Then a minor crisis arose. The selling team had finished up its section of Pennsylvania and was ready to take off for Maine. Crawford (whose car "was

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not exactly a Rolls Royce") wanted to take his SF collection with him, but his district manager said, "No deal!" So the team left for Maine without Crawford, and he, without his collection, spent a period of vagabond existence on the road hitchhiking, visiting for a while in Oakman and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Eventually his wanderings took him to California. He had sent his collection to a friend in Cleveland (with whom he was going to continue publishing-plans that never developed). Eventually his friend forwarded a part of his collection to the West Coast. In California he picked oranges, washed dishes, sold papers, and finally started taking candid street photos. There was a further interval spent in Kansas City, Missouri, and Baton Rouge, Louisiania, with Bill supporting himself with his candid photos, marrying Margaret, then returning to California and making his second venture into publishing. Crawford's return to publishing began with a slim paperback called The Garden of Fear by Robert E. Howard, issued as A Crawford Publication. It was a compilation of stories of various writers, reprints from Maroel Tales. It included "Celephais" by H.P. Lovecraft, which had appeared in 1934 in the first issue of Maroel, copyrighted by Crawford. When the reprint appeared on the newsstands Crawford received a letter from August Derleth demanding $25.00 for his use of the story. Crawford pointed out that through prior publication he owned the copyright, to which Derleth answered it had first appeared even

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earlier-and if Crawford refused to pay he'd get an injunction against distribution of the paperback. So after consulting an attorney Crawford paid-only to learn later that "Celephais" had indeed been published before 1934 in a fan publication, but that it had not been copyrighted, hence was in public domain with no restrictions on its publication. It is worth pointing out that Garden of Fear was one of the few Crawford efforts that worked. He had arranged with a West Coast agency to handle distribution. When he had 37,500 copies completed the distributor decided to get on with it. There was a postwar shortage of publications, so Crawford's book got good exposure on the newsstands, with half the run selling, making a nice profit. Thus encouraged, Crawford went ahead with the first issue of Fantasy Book. Commenting on this, Crawford adds: If I had had any brains I would have quit right there, because after printing 10,000 copies of the blasted thing, I discovered that my distributor-the only one on the West Coast, so far as I knew-had gone bankrupt!

But he didn't quit. Instead, in December, 1946, he formed the corporation called Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. He continued publishing Fantasy Book and began issuing books-Out of the Unknown by A.E. Van Vogt and E. Mayne Hull, his first. This selection had strengths and weaknesses. It had the strength of Van Vogt's name, and the stories were well written, meriting book publication. (As is fairly well known, E. Mayne Hull was Van Vogt's wife.) The book itself

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was nicely done. But it was fantasy rather than science fiction, it was a short story collection rather than a novel, and it was an odd-sized book. Nevertheless, it was the most successful title of the FPCI list. The first printing of 1,000 copies sold out, followed by a second and third printing of 1,000 copies each, a total of 3,000 copies, all of which sold. Of later books, no titles including second printings exceeded 2,700 copies, except for Farley's The Radio Man in a run of 3,000 copies (though it never sold out completely). Generally speaking, I have avoided commenting on the editorial decisions of my competitors. Their selections certainly were influenced by factors of which I could have no knowledge; and all of them, I'm certain, disagreed with some of my choices. I'm making an exception to this somewhat flexible rule in the case of FPCI. An analysis of the 31 titles Crawford published reveals more weakness than strength. Obviously, this is merely my own opinion; others might totally disagree. The stronger titles, as I see them, include the Van VogtHull collection, already discussed, Death's Deputy by L. Ron Hubbard, The Sunken World and After 12,000 Years by Stanton A. Coblentz, Murder Madness by Murray Leinster, Worlds of Wonder by Olaf Stapledon, The Cosmic Geoids by John Taine, The Undesired Princess by L. Sprague de Camp, and Garan the Eternal by Andre Norton. Death's Deputy, a very small book, should have included another story to build the volume up to

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standard size. Coblentz's two books, despite critics' comments on his "broad satire," were true classics deserving book format. The Leinster novel was a thoroughly professional job, as would be expected from a man justly called "the dean of science fiction writers." It should have sold on the strength of the author's name. The Stapledon collection, which included three stories which had appeared as three separate books in England-"The Flames," "Old Man in New World" and "Death Into Life"-though not on a popular level, were top quality works. The Cosmic Geoids was up to Taine's usual excellence. In passing, probably the best books FPCI published were Taine's The Iron Star and Green Fire-yet I feel it was a mistake for a specialist publisher to reprint them; being reprints they lacked that magic "First Edition" appeal for collectors. The Undesired Prin,cess by de Camp was another of the pixilated fantasy novels from Unknown as only de Camp could write them. And the 1972 Garan the Eternal by Andre Norton, though a mixture of old and new stories, deserved hard covers. The rest, in my view, could not succeed. The fact that Hubbard's other titles sold out through the author's Dianetics-Scientology notoriety does not change my thinking about these books. The greatest weakness, however, in the FPCI line was the matter of book size. There was no consistency-it was a hodgepodge of big, little and medium books. Even the weaker titles Crawford issued would have sold better if they had been produced in uniform size. This

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is not only my opinion, the view is shared by others with experience in both publishing and retailing. One of the several books dealing with the history of science fiction refers to the FPCI volumes as having a "homemade" look. I don't think this was a reflection on the printing, but rather on design, the odd sizes, and the artwork. Crawford reports that most of his artwork came from friends of Ackerman or would-be illustrators who dropped in or wrote offering their skills. The results were less than professional. There was one advantage FPCI had over all its competitors. Crawford had equipment to set type and print his own books. Only the binding had to be farmed outthough Crawford contends that his binding costs were much higher than those of the East Coast specialist publishers. There were a few instances when type was set by commercial composition houses. Bill paints a verbal picture of the FPCI 800-squarefeet printshop-warehouse with himself hard at work at the printing press, and his wife making her way through stacks of paper-flat sheets and unbound books-doing the office work, at the linotype keyboard, wrapping books, filling orders, and so on. Initially Ackerman drew up all contracts for manuscripts. In short order Crawford found himself unable to keep up with royalty payments so, he says, "we went on our own, trying to obtain contracts more favorable to our situation." But this meant, in a market increasingly competitive, he had less to offer writers. This, coupled with a decline in good reprint material with more and

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more books appearing, inevitably led to a weakening line. Crawford's catalogs included several titles with the Griffin Publishing Company imprint. Griffin has been something of an enigma to most bibliographers. The original Owings-Chalker index states, "It would appear that someone in Los Angeles wanted to publish a couple of books, and talked William Crawford into partially subsidizing it, since all were distributed by FPCI." Actually, the explanation is quite simple. Griffin Publishing Company was an unregistered trading name of William L. Crawford. Crawford and I corresponded in 1954 regarding his suggestion that Fantasy Press market some of his FPCI books. One item discussed was a book edition of Stairway to Mars by E. Everett Evans, concerning which Crawford wrote, "Would you be interested in marketing a book edition under the name of Griffin, maybe?" This was his response to my objection to getting Fantasy Press involved in an FPCI title, thus compounding the confusion in names that already existed. Coming upon this letter in my files while working on this chapter, I asked Bill for an explanation. The answer, as I surmised-Griffin belonged to Crawford. Two books were issued under the Griffin imprint, the first People of the Comet by Austin Hall, a reprint of an early Weird Tales serial. It was a small book in an edition of 1,500 copies, appearing in 1948. The second was The Machine God Laughs by Festus Pragnell, another small book published in 1949, with 800 copies produced. There was also a booklet, The Hypnotism Handbook by

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A.E. Van Vogt and Gharles Edward Cooke. One reason for the Griffin imprint, according to Cra\Vford, was the planned issuing of books outside the SF field. When I asked Crawford to relate some interesting anecdotes in his life as a publisher, he said there really weren't any. I cannot believe this; I think, rather, that he simply cannot recall them. He mentioned their occasional visits to John Taine (Dr. Eric Temple Bell). They enjoyed these visits, for Taine was "an extremely nice person. He seemed to like Peg very much, and I hope he liked me too." Bill then told of the blunder that occurred in the production of his first Taine book, The Cosmic Geoids, a mistake that slipped by everyone and was only caught by the author himself long after it happened. "Geoids" should have been "Geodes." The word used has a totally different meaning than the author intende,d. The mistake, by the way, is repeated throughout the story. An experience involving another writer centered on the occasion of a visit to the Crawfords by L. Sprague de Camp during which the two men began discussing Olaf Stapledon. It appears that de Camp didn't think very highly of the British writer who during World War II was accused of Communist leanings. Both men have strong opinions and are willing to say what they think. The discussion evidently became an argument. Crawford adds the note, "We survived it, however, and are now, I hope, reasonably good friends." Another incident with a rather macabre note grew out of Crawford's correspondence with Miles J. Breuer,

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M.D. He hadn't heard from the author for quite a long time. When he finally received a short letter-he replied with a note that included the comment, "I thought you had died or something ... " Between letters he had! Mrs. Breuer wrote consolingly, "Don't feel bad; it could have happened to anyone . . . " But this didn't make Crawford feel any better about the gaffe. Earlier reference has been made to Crawford's magazine publishing. His first title was Fantasy Book which started in 1946 and ran for eight issues, appearing at irregular intervals and in varying sizes from 5 x 7 to 9 x 12, and making it into general distribution. It was not a profitable venture. However, Fantasy Book has one distinction. In issue no. 6 it published the first known science fiction by Paul M.A. Linebarger who, under the pseudonym "Cordwainer Smith," won enduring fame as one of the most innovative and unique writers ever to enter the SF field. This story, "Scanners Live in Vain," has been reprinted again and again. His second magazine venture was called Spaceway, which was a thoroughly professional digest-size publication. Unfortunately, it had distribution problems and only eight issues appeared in two different attemptsfrom 1953 to 1955 and 1969-1970. Editor of both publications was "Garret Ford," Crawford himself. His third attempt was called Witchcraft & Sorcery, which followed on the heels of his second try with Spaceway. This was an outgrowth of another company's magazine, Coven 13. Four issues of the latter had appeared before its publisher found he couldn't

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continue. When Crawford picked it up he felt he had a better chance of making a profit because his production costs and overhead were substantially lower than those of the original publisher. Again problems arose, including a change of page size requested by the distributor after the type had already been set, and a title change because Coven 13 "didn't mean anything." All of this led to a loss of four or five months in production and the probable loss of any following which Coven 13 had built up. This and other problems led to Crawford's abandoning Witchcraft & Sorcery after five issues. As FPCI he continued to bring out books until 1955-then Crawford reached a point where he couldn't sell enough books to pay even his comparatively low overhead. So he obtained work as a commercial linotype operator. Thenhislandlord-a most cooperative and considerate man-decided he needed their quarters to expand his own business, and they had to move. Fortunately for the Crawfords, at this time Bill's father, as Bill expressed it, "decided he should do something for his neglected first son and bought us a house." So the Crawfords, Bill, Peg, and two sons and a daughter, moved into their own dwelling in Baldwin Park, California. Telling of this, Crawford continued, "Our landlord was nice enough to help us move-otherwise we probably would never have gotten all of that junk out of there." Some FPCI plans that did not materialize included publication of the Palos series, Palos of the Dog Star Pack, The Mouthpiece of Zitu and Jason, Son of Jason by J .U. Giesy. This trilogy of science fantasies originally

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appeared in All-Story Weekly and Argosy All-Story Weekly. He had reached terms with the author or his heirs, but could not get a release from Popular Publications, who had bought out the Munsey Company and who owned the copyright. Crawford also had planned to publish the remaining Ralph Milne Farley Radio series-The Radio Beasts, The Radio Planet, The Radio Menace and Radio Pirates-but these too never appeared. For about 13 years FPCI was dormant. A large attic provided storage space, and there was no pressure to liquidate inventory, so the Crawfords marked time. Then Bill decided to take his second fling at Spaceway. The magazine didn't go over, but ads showed him he could sell the books so long in storage. A few other books were published after the reawakening of FPCI, manufactured by commercial printers and binders. Among these was Garan the Eternal by Andre Norton. Crawford had been holding two Andre (Alice) Norton novelettes since the old Marvel Tales days; and now Norton, a friend of Crawford's for many years, had become a very popular SF and fantasy writer, including children's fantasies. In addition to these early stories, Miss Norton supplied two original Witch World adventures. Crawford felt he had a winner-but again problems arose. There were production delays; and Don Wollheim of DAW Books decided he wanted to publish the collection in paperback. He bought the reprint rights with author and hardback publisher sharing in the proceeds. But unfortunately for FPCI, because of the production delays paperback and hardback came out

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at about the same time, which certainly didn't help the sale of the FPCI edition. A 1979 flier from FPCI lists the following as available, apparently in the original editions: After 12,000 Years by Stanton A. Coblentz, The Atlantean Chronicles by Henry Eichner, The Radio Man by Ralph Mibe Farley, The Rat Race by Jay Franklin, The Toymaker by Raymond F. Jones, The Works of M.P. Shiel by A. Reynolds Morse, Garan the Eternal by Andre Norton, Stardrift and Other Fantastic Flotsam by Emil Petaja, The Machine God Laughs by Festus Pragnell, The Radium Pool by Ed Earl Repp, The Stellar Missiles by Ed Earl Repp, The Cosmic Geoids by John Taine, and a few paperbound items including The Moon Maiden by Garrett P. Serviss, a reprint from a 1913 Argosy. Some of these may well have sold out since the catalog was issued. Beside these, a number of titles required the reprinting of one or two signatures (16- or 32-page sections) to fill in missing portions of available unbound copies, thus adding the following to his lists: The Undesired Princess by L. Sprague de Camp, Death's Deputy by L. Ron Hubbard, The King Slayer by L. Ron Hubbard, The Triton by L. Ron Hubbard, Worlds of Wonder by Olaf Stapledon, The Iron Star by John Taine and The Dark dther by Stanley G. Weinbaum. This represents a surprising number of books still available after more than two decades. However, of this latter group, at this writing only the Stapledon, Taine and Weinbaum books remain in stock.

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There exists a rather substantial number of copies of FPCI books in variant bindings produced by Martin Greenberg of Pick-A-Book, a marketing device which Greenberg operated in addition to Gnome Press. As Crawford remembers it, he made these sales after FPCI had practically abandoned publishing activity. Greenberg was supplied 200 or 300 each of the following titles, listed alphabetically: After 12,000 Years, The Cosmic Geoids, The Dark Other, Death's Deputy, Doorways to Space, Green Fire, The Iron Star, The Kings/ayer, Out of the Unknown, Planets of Adventure, The Radfo Man, The Radium Pool, The Rat Race, The Stellar Missiles, The Sunken World, The Triton, The Undesired Princess and Worlds of Wonder. These were folded and assembled sheets, requiring sewing and casing-in to complete the binding process. Greenberg also received dust wrappers for the books, but apparently did not use them. Though this cannot be stated with certainty, it appears that these were bound with the Gnome Press imprint. Ten years ago a new activity developed for the Crawfords-the promoting and conducting of conventions. They began this in 1971 with Fantasy Faire, which has continued annually. In 1979 they put on the first Science Fiction Weekend. This was repeated in 1980. Crawford comments: "This is getting to be like the book publishing business. We were one of the pioneers in individually run SF cons. Now everybody is getting into the act!" A startling commentary on something or other.

Chapter 12 A Book or Two PHENOMENON OF THE 1940'8 WHICH HAD NO PRIOR

parallel in publishing history-though definitely no longer true-was the surprising number of individuals who decided that they could be publishersor fan organizations which reached the same conclusion. They played a minor role in the publishing picture of the era, but they did play their part, hence deserve treatment in this record. The amount of space devoted to specific publishers is not an indication of their relative importance, an appraisal I need not make, fortunately, but will be determined by the amount of information available and by my view of its interest. I discuss them in alphabetical order. 265

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The Avalon Company The Avalon Company was the brainchild of Sam Moskowitz and Will Sykora, two prominent SF fans in that day. (It should be established at the outset that this was not the forerunner of the New York publisher of the same name, who appeared on the scene at a later date.) The two had worked together in the Queens Science Fiction League, and in helping to plan and conduct the first World Science Fiction Convention in New York City in 1939, as well as in the production of the fan newsweekly, Fantasy Times. World War II interrupted their association, but it was renewed after the war. Their familiarity with the several pioneer SF publishers described in the preceding chapters gave them the idea of starting a publishing company of their own. In view of Sykora's strange economic attitude, which surfaced later, it is surprising that a book was ever produced, or that he thought of joining in a business venture in the first place. A major factor in the launching of Avalon was Sykora's occupation, that of a teacher in a printing school, with access to equipment for a nominal charge during summer's enforced idleness'. This meant that a book could be produced at far below normal costs. Sykora was to set type, make up the forms, and supervise the printing. Moskowitz was to do everything else-procure the manuscript, do the editing, promote and sell the book, wrap and ship it, handle receipts and keep records. In

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addition to this work, Moskowitz contributed $800 from his savings; Sykora, on the other hand, invested $19.50 in actual cash. Moskowitz had always admired the writing of David H. Keller, M.D. In the mid-1930's in a Wonder Stories survey Keller had been voted the most popular science fiction writer. In a decade his popularity had vanished, and to a new generation of readers he was merely a name in the past. Sam decided on a Keller collection for the first Avalon book. He was motivated only in part by his admiration for Keller's work; he also sought to reintroduce the man to the SF reading public. There was a third factor, one highly practical. Keller agreed to waive royalties, accepting, instead, 35 copies of the completed book. In addition, he advanced $200 to the Avalon Company toward production costs. This was repaid in full. After the book was out the good doctor ordered an additional 100 copies, all of which he sold to friends and admirers at full list price. Keller recognized the value of having his work appear in permanently bound form and enjoyed the personal satisfaction he gained from the book itself. Because he was financially independent he could well afford to indulge his vanity-as he did a number of times in the years that followed. The book was called Life Everlasting and Other Tales of Science, Fantasy and Horror, containing a collection of Keller's better short fiction published in the magazines, plus two stories never before in print. Moskowitz made the selection and wrote a

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5,000-word biographical introduction to the volume. This was the first book to carry his name as editor or author, a figure that was to grow to 54 in little more than three decades. The book came out in 1948, quite a good job, everything considered. Sykora had had to be prodded by Moskowitz repeatedly to avoid production dragging on interminably, prompting which Sykora resented. The book was priced at $3 .50 per copy, all copies numbered, the 240 books ordered before publication also au to graphed by Dr. Keller. - Exactly 1,250 copies were delivered to the bindery for completion. About 50 bound copies were unsaleable through printer or bindery errors. For all practical purposes 1,200 copies constituted the edition. However, approximately 300 copies were reputedly destroyed by flooding in Sykora's basement, so in actual fact about 900 copies made it to the marketplace-truly a limited edition. Moskowitz 's records show that 506 copies were sold during the life of The Avalon Company. In May, 1949, Moskowitz told Sykora that they were approaching the break-even point on the book, and he expected by Christmas the two could split some kind of profit-actually a very inadequate return for their investment, time and labor. Amazingly, Sykora objected. He did not believe in the profit motive-he had undertaken the project for the good of the SF field. He wanted to disband the company and planned to dump his share of the books at any price he could get.

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No argument could prevail, so on June 27, 1949, The Avalon Company and the partnership were legally dissolved and the assets equally divided. Sykora had threatened to dump his share of the books at 50¢ per copy to prevent Sam's making any profit. Swiftly Moskowitz wholesaled his copies at 50% discount off list, plus 10% commission off the net to the salesman who arranged the deal. Total profit for Sam, about $300, not even wages for the time expended. Ironically, it was later reported that Sykora had a flood in his basement, destroying most or all of his copies before he could remainder them. He had his wish. He made no profit! One book for The Avalon Company-period. But the effects of that book were far-reaching in the small world of SF three decades ago. Dr. Keller wanted-and would get-additional books of his composition.

Carcosa House In science fiction and fantasy circles during the early days there were semi-mythical volumes reputedly published but never seei:t by anyone. The classic example would have to be the Necronomicon by the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred, for which rare book dealers and collectors hunted for decades. This, of course, never existed anywhere but in the imagination of H.P. Lovecraft and the pages of his macabre fiction. A novel by Garrett P. Serviss named Edison's Conquest of Mars was in this mythical category, differing from the Necronomicon in one major respect. It existed,

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though eluding even the most tireless searchers. Among these avid seekers was Dr. Fred Shroyer, a one-time Hoosier who left Indiana for California, where he still lives. (Details concerning Shroyer appear in the Shasta Publishers chapter.) In time he learned, probably through A. Langley Searles, that the elusive story had appeared as a serial in a newspaper, The New York Post, in 1890. This information enabled him to obtain copies of the 13 installments from the Library of Congress. The novel turned out to be a sort of sequel to The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. With its receipt-a period piece, of course, but a novel rather entertaining and historically important-an ambition was born. Shroyer wanted it as a book to be added to his extensive SF collection. There was only one way to bring this about-publish it himself! He didn't quite do that, instead joining with Ted Dikty, an Indiana friend, in a decision to publish it in partnership, each putting up $500. Shroyer at about that time moved to California and shortly afterward was joined in the enterprise by Russ Hodgkins, a fellow fan, and Bill Crawford, the latter supplying his services as printer toward his share of the parnership. Meantime Dikty had moved to Chicago to attend school; and when the partners decided to use the original newspaper art, Ted had his roommate redraw the illustrations, following the originals as closely as possible. When the book was printed Dikty also arranged to have it bound. Russ Hodgkins, his wife Mary, and Fred Shroyer did the proofreading and, as he put it, "alot of other non-unionjobs."

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A. Langley Searles, PhD., wrote a scholarly biographical-critical introduction and supplied a Serviss bibliography for the book. As originally planned, Edison's Conquest of Mars was to have had a multicolored illustrated jacket, but the cover, the work of Russell Swanson done in the style of the newspaper art, didn't turn out too well, was unusable and was discarded, and a glassine wrapper was substituted. A number of illustrated jackets got into circulation; I once had one in my collection-which, as I recall it, I received from Bill Crawford. There must be very few of these in existence. The redrawing and use of the newspaper art, though maintaining the tone and flavor of the original publication, probably was a handicap in the book's selling. It dated its appearance, fitting it into the era of the 1890's where, pbviously, it belonged. Sales were very slow, and the last copies were finally remaindered to Julius Unger, Brooklyn fantasy book dealer. An edition of 1,500 copies was published in Los Angeles in 194 7 under the Carcosa House imprint. It was the only book they published. At least one other title was discussed, Enter Ghost, a history of the supernatural in literature to be written by Paul W. Skeeters and Samuel D. Russell. It appears that the work was never written. Eventually the partners got back their initial investment of $1,500, and they were satisfied. Crawford expresses the belief that Carcosa dropped out of publishing because he and his wife were eager to move into the field in a substantial way and decided

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to start Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. Certainly Dikty's living in Chicago and becoming involved with Checklist and later Shasta publishers had to be a factor. And when the Serviss book fizzled, so did plans for Carcosa House.

The Chamberlain Press, Inc. Chamberlain Press was conceived by Alan E. Noursethough in a way it could also be called the offspring of Prime Press. Strange as it may seem, if Jim Williams and Oswald Train had not been in financial trouble with their publishing venture, there is little likelihood that Nourse would have considered launching onto the rough waters of science fiction book publishing. In the early 1950's Nourse was a medical student at Pennsylvania Medical School in Philadelphia. As a science fiction fan he attended meetings of the Philadelphia Science Fantasy Society and became a member. He, with the rest of the PSFS, knew that Prime Press was having financial difficulties. But he also believed there were possibilities of salvaging something from the operation. Prime had a half-dozen or so titles in print in hardback which were selling-stories by Smith, Sturgeon, del Rey, and de Camp and Pratt. A few paperback reprints would pay off the creditors in full. Scheduled and already set in type was de Camp's Lost Continents, which should enjoy a good sale as the first Chamberlain title. Nourse figured that the cash flow from the in-print titles would permit his hiring a part-time factotum to do

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the packing, shipping and billing, while he devoted a minimum amount of time to supervising and making executive decisions. Williams knew of his plans and fully approved. Prime Press was being pushed toward bankruptcy by creditors, and Williams was interested in getting out from under. Train recalls none of this, having the impression that Nourse and Smith were interested in becoming Prime Press partners. In 1952 The Chamberlain Press, Inc., came into existence as a Pennsylvania corporation. Fred C. Smith of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and Alan E. Nourse were equal majority shareholders, with Fred and Fem Smith of Knoxville as minor stockholders. Fred C., then an affluent centrifical engineer, supplied most of the capital. All were relatives. The name came from Nourse's grandmother, Harriet Chamberlain, which remained a family name as his father's middle name and the middle name of his firstborn son. According to plans, with Chamberlain Press in existence, Nourse approached the Prime Press creditors-and found that Williams' fairy tales had so totally alienated them that they wouldn't even talk with him. They were interested only in full payment of the ten or twelve thousand dollars which Prime Press owed them. This effectually eliminated Chamberlain's acquiring the Prime Press book stock. Eventually in Prime's bankruptcy proceedings, by Nourse's guess tinged with disgust, the creditors were lucky if they got five cents on the dollar. But Chamberlain Press had to formulate new plans.

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Alan Nourse had begun to sell his own science fiction and he had acquired an agent whose services he shared with another up-and-coming writer, named Richard Matheson. Nourse admired Matheson's work; both had begun their writing careers at about the same time; and the agent talked Matheson into letting Chamberlain put out a collection of his short stories. To be included were two previously unpublished tales which logically would help to sell the book. Its title, Born of Man and Woman. Dr. Nourse tells of his first experience as a publisher: "It was shoestring all the way. Mel Hunter, as a kindness, did the jacket design for $50; we used a weird little printer/typesetter in downtown Philadelphia who talked me into a Mickey-Mouse typeface that gave the whole book a distinctly odd look-and so on and on. When the book was finished Tony Boucher gave it a rave review, but the response of the science fiction community was distinctly underwhelming and I don't think I've ever really forgiven them. One does get one's heart into this sort of thing, and they seemed to think it was funny." Four (or possibly five) thousand copies of the Matheson book were printed and 2,000 were bound and delivered to Chamberlain's storage and shipping area-Fred Smith's garage-in Jenkintown. About 150 review copies were sent out and over the course of time approximately 500 copies were sold. Ultimately the remaining bound copies in the garage were destroyed in a flood; and the 2,000 (or 3,000) unbound copies stored in the printshop went up in smoke when a fired destroyed the building. Quite obviously this makes the first edition of

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Born of Man and Woman a very rare book indeed, with no more than 650 finished books in existence. A $3,500 reprint sale to Bantam Books helped greatly in reducing the Chamberlain Press losses, and when the corporation was dissolved in 1958 or 1959, Nourse estimates that they had lost a mere 10% of their total investment. With the experience of their first book behind them, Nourse and his cousin considered doing a second title. Scott Meredith, agent, showed them two Poul Anderson manuscripts, The Broken Sword and Brain Wave-a submission which may well be news to Anderson. Nourse loved them both but turned them down because he had begun to realize that book number two just wasn't in the cards financially or time-wise. Time was the greater problem. Nourse was deep in medical school, and his own writing was beginning to pay off in desperately needed grocery and tuition money. Looking at it realistically, he felt that writing was going to bring a far better return for his efforts than playing with a poor-risk publishing company that had never really gotten started. To verify this conclusion, Don Wollheim paid him $1,000 for a short novel (which Don called A Man Obsessed) for an Ace Double book. It paid the bills for six months-and the decision re: Chamberlain had made itself. The subsequent history of Alan E. Nourse is fairly well known, but I think it warrants inclusion here. He earned his medical degree, served his internship, and began practicing medicine. His writing continued as a

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sideline. At least three of his science novels employed medical themes-A Man Obsessed, Star Surgeon and The Mercy Man. Other novels also appeared-Rocket to Limbo and The Invaders Are Coming-as did three collections of short stories gleaned from the pages of the science fiction magazines. Probably less well known to SF readers are Dr. Nourse's books outside the fantasy field. In 1965 his nonfiction book, Intern, was published under the name of Dr. X. Concealing authorship was necessary at the time because of the nature of the book. It generated a lot of attention and gained a wide circulation. The New York Times Book Review called it " ... an immensely human story which, for sheer suspense, heroism, heartbreak and soaring triumph makes the travails of Ben Casey and Dr. Kildare seem like kindergarten tales.... Here is a dedicated doctor with human frailties and often peevish gripes he is not afraid to set down in a daily journal." His other books include The Ladies' Home journal Family Medical Guide, Nine Planets, The Outdoorsman 's Medical Guide, Universe, Earth and Atom: The Story of Physics and most recently The Practice, the engrossing novel of life in a small town as it is lived by a young doctor and his wife-not, by the way, biographical in any degree. For future researchers, everything dealing with The Chamberlain Press and its founder is part of the Alan E. Nourse collection in the Muger Memorial Library at Boston University.

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Fantasy Fiction Field Different motives led different of the small publishers to make the venture. Now in view is a bookseller who issued one book because no one else would. I am ref erring to the third edition of Skylark of Space by Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. After Fantasy Press had published Skylark Three and Skylark of Valeron, both of which were selling well, Julius Unger wrote to me urging me to reprint Skylark of Space. He had been selling the trilogy as a set and had disposed of hundreds of sets. Then the Hadley second edition had gone out of print, and Unger's stock of the first volume was soon exhausted. He said it was a "natural"-the first book matching the format of the others, making a uniform set. He was certain that issuance of Skyla,rk of Space would increase the sale of all three. I agreed with Unger's reasoning, but I felt the reader demand would not be great enough to justify the expense of setting type and producing 1,500 or 2,000 copies. Finally, he was convinced that I couldn't be persuaded, so he decided he'd have to issue his own edition. Unger operated his book business under the trading name of Fantasy Fiction Field, or simply the initials. He had built up a very profitable mail-order business by buying one-inch classified ads in such publications as The New York Times, where a single insert might cost several hundred dollars. His ads appeared consistently.

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I once asked him how he could afford such rates, to which he replied: "It pays! It pays!" So Julius Unger secured permission from Doc Smith to reprint the classic space opera. I once knew but have forgotten how many copies he produced-seems to me he ran two printings-but at any rate he sold all of them. I should have taken his advice. Needless to say, it was not the only mistake I made as a publisher. Elsewhere credit is given to Don Grant and Tom Hadley for publishing the third edition of Skylark. They had nothing whatever to do with it.

The M£lwaukee Fictioneers The inspiration for the single book published by the Milwaukee Fictioneers was respect and affection for one of the club's most promising and at that time, in SF circles, most illustrious members, Stanley Grauman Weinbaum, recently deceased. Weinbaum's first published story, A Martian Odyssey, appeared in Wonder Stories for July, 1934, winning immediate and growing acclaim. Here was something new-nonhuman intelligences which were really alien yet believable beings with which the reader could feel empathy. No one having met the amazing Martian "Twe-er-r-rl" could forget him-and he was the first of many fascinating creatures of other worlds to spring from Weinbaum's fertile imagination. The pathetically stupid Loonies, the tiny ratlike Slinkers with their toy cities-W einbaum brought these and other aliens to life with a deft, masterful touch.

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Science fiction after Weinbaum would never be quite the same. On December 14, 1935, a year and a half after his initial appearance in print, Stanley Weinbaum died. Only 33 years old, he certainly had not reached his prime-yet it is indicative of his unusual talent and popularity that stories he had written continued to appear several years after his death. The Milwaukee Fictioneers in the 1930's was a writers' club rather than an average SF fan group. Its membership included Robert Bloch, Raymond A. Palmer, Ralph Milne Farley, Lawrence Keating and Weinbaum. There may have been others. With the loss of Weinbaum, the group (with the addition of Julius Schwartz, who had been Weinbaum's agent) decided that a memorial volume should be prepared. They enlisted the services of Conrad H. Ruppert, a young New York SF fan whose interest in amateur journalism had led to his acquiring printing equipment, which he had been employing with unbelievable dedication in the production of leading SF fan magazines of the day. They called the memorial volume Dawn of Flame and Other Ston·es, the title story a previously unpublished novelette later issued with its sequel in The Black Flame by Fantasy Press. Ruppert handset all the type of the 313-page book and printed it two pages at a time. And it was a quite competent job. The book was attractive, bound in gold-stamped flexible black leather. But that simple description hardly tells the tale. Raymond A. Palmer, who had been handling all the

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details involved in getting out the volume, including editing and promotion, also wrote the introduction. When Weinbaum's widow Margaret read what Palmer had written, she felt it was too personal and refused to permit its use. Lawrence Keating wrote another introduction, which appeared in the book. Since only 500 copies were being printed, and the book had not yet been bound, there was little difficulty in making the substitution. However, the group involved in the project had copies bound for themselves containing the Palmer introduction, thus creating a special variant of the first edition-though hardly a special first edition, as some insist. The year Dawn of Flame appeared was a Depression year. A circular letter from Palmer, still in my files, serves to emphasize the financial difficulties of the fans of that day: 2616 West Michigan St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin June 10, 1936 Dear Friend: The memorial volume of the works of Stanley G. Weinbaum goes to press immediately. Due to urgent appeal, we are including an original work, "Dawn of Flame," a long novelette, one of Weinbaum's best. This story will be well worth the price of the book itself. So that there will be no delay in issuing the book, it will be necessary for all subscribers to forward the sum of $2.50 immediately. Make checks payable to "Raymond A. Palmer," forward to the above address with this letter, for use in mailing volume to you.

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If full amount cannot be raised, remit what you can, with explanation, and your subscription will be entered. We want no one to miss the opportunity to own this volume. The book will be off the press about October 1st, and will be announced in your favorite magazine. I wish to extend the sincere thanks of Mrs. Weinbaum, the Milwaukee Fictioneers, and myself, to you for yopr wonderful support and your kind letters. Sincerely yours, Raymond A. Palmer

According to authoritative estimates, no more than 250 copies of the Weinbaum Memorial Volume were initially bound; and it is probable that the remaining copies were never completed due to a lack of a market. Though this section is the story of the Milwaukee Fictioneers as publishers, it really centers on Stanley G. Weinbaum. It should be recorded that five Weinbaum books appeared after the memorial volume-The New Adam, published by Ziff-Davis; The Black Flame, A Martian Odyssey and Others and The Red Peri by Fantasy Press; and The Dark Other by Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. Though I have no knowledge to the contrary, I doubt that Weinbaum wrote all of his fine stories in the year and a half between his first sale and his death. I think it likely that The Dark Other and The New Adam were earlier efforts, as were some of his short stories. New Collectors Group Paul Dennis O'Conner, among other things, was a waiter, living and working in Manhattan. He was also a

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science fiction and fantasy collector and a part-time mail-order bookseller, operating from his apartment. In addition he was a friend of Hannes Bok-a friendship that later soured. And by devious ways he became a publisher. He brought out two books of importance in the genre under the New Collectors Group logo, both unfinished novels by A. Merritt, completed by Hannes Bok. These were The Fox Woman & The Blue Pagoda and The Black Wheel. The Fox Woman, by the way, according to a statement by Julius Schwartz in Fantasy Magazine for August, 1934, was written as the beginning of a collaboration with "Max Brand" (Frederick Faust). They abandoned the idea because of the differences in their writing styles and treatment of the story. In the foreword to The Fox Woman O'Conner wrote: I have chosen to publish The Fox Woman for several reasons, first of all because-when I heard of the existence of unpublished, incomplete manuscripts by the late A. Merritt-I wanted to see them in print and on the shelves with those other masterpieces Mr. Merritt wrote. And knowing Hannes Bok personally, knowing too that Mr. Bok has always yearned for, but never been given, the opportunity of illustrating Mr. Merritt's writings-I wanted to see that he was given the chance he desired. The difficulty was-the manuscripts had never been finished. How could I present them to the public, stories without end? They must be supplied with further material so that their readers would be satisfied as to the probable denouement of each story. But what writer among those known to me would be qualified for the task? I chose Mr. Bok-for besides being an artist, he is a

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writer. He has a complete collection of Mr. Merritt's work . . . . While in junior High School he was forced to copy The Metal Emperor in longhand to secure a copy of it, and-he hoped to be a writer then-it influenced his manner of writing . . . . So I offer The Fox Woman, regretting its fragmentary state, with HannesBok's speculative ending ...

A nice story, sounding most important, designed to build up O'Conner; but actually much of what he wrote was fiction-by his own later statement. The story behind the formation of New Collectors Group is presented in an article written by O'Conner and published in the March, 1949, issue of Pan Demos, a fan magazine he issued from Denver, Colorado, in association with Donald Kunde and Austin Miller. The article was called "Some Notes on the Background of The Fox Woman." Many of the facts that follow are taken t;rom the article; the conclusions drawn are mine. Sam Moskowitz researched much of this material for me. The idea of writing possible endings for the two unfinished A. Merritt novels came from Hannes Bok during a Sunday afternoon dinner party at O 'Conner's New York apartment. Present beside Bok and O'Conner were Donald and Elsie Wollheim and Alyce Dailey, sister of the movie star Dan Dailey. It may well have been that Wollheim, with detailed knowledge of Merritt material through his editorial activity, brought up the matter of the incomplete stories, but that is only conjecture. At Bok"s suggestion O'Conner got in touch with Brandt & Brandt, agents for the Merritt estate, and was

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sent the two novel fragments. Originally, the new publishing company was to have been made up of Hannes Bok, Donald A. Wollheim, and John B. Michel, with shares of 20%, 50% and 30% respectively. It is evident that O'Conner objected to this arrangement which excluded him, so he optioned the rights to the manuscript himself, eliminating Wollheim and Michel; and thus the New Collectors Group was made up of 0 'Conner and Bok. This original brand of ethics, by the way, was typical of the man. Bok was a struggling artist, barely keeping his head above water, and O'Conner at that time was working in an antiquarian bookshop. Neither man had any money, but with considerable difficulty they managed to raise the necessary funds to cover the option on the two typescripts. I have strong reasons for believing that Hannes borrowed the needed money at O'Conner's prompting in order to bring to fruition the project so near to his heart-not only for the option, but for the printing and binding of at least the first book. There's a letter in my files from Hannes dated December 4, 1954, asking for prompt payment for the jacket design he had just shipped to me-that for Under the Triple Suns-because "I won't. eat until the check comes." He added the following: Why don't I borrow money to eat on? Simple. I can't afford it. I hate owing people money, especially when I don't know WHEN (if ever) I'll be able to pay it back . It took me seven years of grabbing any cheesy job (many of which I didn't want) to manage to pay back debts incurred

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(with O'Conner's aid) in 1945 8c I swore I'd starve to death before I'd get in that kind of hole again. I'm not Jim Williams or O'Conner or Marty Greenberg. I'm me.

(In passing I should add-Bok received prompt payment for his cover art from Fantasy Press.) As a further word on Hannes' involvement financially, after O'Conner had moved to Denver, Mrs. Eleanor Merritt pressed Bok for money due her, evidently unpaid royalties earned by the two books. Martin Greenberg joined New Collectors Group while The Black Wheel was in production. According to a report in Fantasy Times, Bok and O'Conner attended the May 4, 1947, meeting of the Newark fan club, the Eastern Science Fiction Association. This was one of two visits they paid to ESF A. Greenberg had been attending meetings with fair regularity; and this gave him an opportunity to discuss his ideas for book publishing with the two men. O'Conner, liking his ideas, invited him to buy into the partnership, which Greenberg did-though there was probably a lapse of a number of months before he actually joined the New Collectors Group. The association didn't last very long. They had differing ideas as to what constituted a good-looking book. O'Conner had the type set for the first book by the publisher of a French newspaper, using 8-point type and setting it in narrow columns, apparently the only style of composition they knew. He went to the same compositor for the second book. Marty disagreed; there were other points of conflict; and O'Conner had decided

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that with the completion of The Black Wheel he would relocate in Denver. What may have been a factor in this decision was Stanley Mullen's approaching O'Conner with the suggestion that New Collectors Group publish what Greenberg recalls was a book of Mullen poems. (Mullen lived in Denver.) This might well have been Moonfoam and Sorceries, which Mullen published himself as Gorgon Press. While the association lasted, letterheads were printed with Greenberg's Bronx address. Some dates from this period are interesting. Early in February, 1948, 0 'Conner wrote that he expected momentary delivery of The Black Wheel. After it was delivered and mailed he would be moving to Denver. On March 9 he wrote from Denver (on the new stationery with Greenberg's address) telling of a NCG booklet coming shortly, The Sphinx Child by Stanley Mullen. In September, according to L. Sprague de Camp's records, de Camp and Fletcher Pratt sold Greenberg book rights to The Carnelian Cube, another of their pixilated fantasies, written for Unknown just before it ceased publication. An ad for this book, as coming from New Collectors Group, appeared in the August, 1948, issue of Astounding Science Fiction. It was published just before the end of the year by Gnome Press. The contradiction in dates appearing in the preceding paragraph probably indicates that Greenberg negotiated his contract for New Collectors Group with Fletcher PraJt earlier than the date in de Camp's records. Between the time of Marty's placing the ad in Astounding

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and its appearance in print, he withdrew from the partnership, taking the de Camp and Pratt collaboration with him. Views differ as to how many copies of Fox Woman and Black Wheel were published. The books themselves refer to "1,000 numbered copies." My copies are numbered 75; but I know as a dealer I was sent unnumbered copies, which means, obviously, that I could have numbered them as I wished-something which purchasers probably did. It is likely that at least 2,000 copies of each title were produced. At one time o•conner announced that in the course of the press run one of the Bok plates had been "broken," making it necessary for Hannes to draw a different illustration-an inducement for collectors to order an extra copy. Whatever the reason, these variant copies exist, a female figure appearing in one drawing and a male in the other. How many of each were printed is anybody's guess. In 1976 Amo Press reissued both Merritt-Bok books in one binding as part of their library of Supernatural and Occult Fiction. From Denver New Collectors Group, then O'Conner and Mullen, produced one more book, Some Chinese Ghosts by Lafcadio Heam, a poorly chosen item since a Modem Library reprint was already available. They also announced that they would publish Presages of Nostradamus by Paul Dennis O'Conner. It never appeared. And in New York Hannes Bok, whose idea had

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started the whole thing, whose writing and illustration had made it possible, received nothing but grief for his efforts.

The New Era Publishing Company The Philadelphia Science Fantasy Society was the birthplace of three of the specialist SF publishers. Prime Press began it with four of the members forming a partnership. Encouraged by their getting off the ground, three other PSFS fans formed New Era. They were Robert A. Madie, Jack Agnew and Albert Pepper. Chamberlain Press was the third. In 194 7 Madie wrote to Sam Moskowitz suggesting that he join the three named in publishing a David H. Keller book. Sam had already made plans with Will Sykora to publish Keller's Life Everlasting, so obviously could not join Madle's venture. Sam did say, however, that Keller would be very interested in their idea, and he had just written a short novel called The Abyss which the good doctor would most assuredly be happy to see in book form. Moskowitz arranged to have Keller speak at a meeting of the PSFS in June of 1947 and set up a meeting with Keller and his wife, Moskowitz, Madie, Agnew and Pepper all present. This resulted in New Era Publishing Company getting the new story and, at Madle's suggestion, The Solitary Hunters, a Weird Tales Keller serial, to fill out the volume. Keller agreed to accept payment of $100 for all rights.

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John V. Baltadonis, another Philly fan, prepared the artwork for the book, a two-color jacket design and an interior illustration for each of the novellas. He did the work for 10% of the profit-which added up to zero since there were no profits. He did receive 10 copies of the finished book for his efforts. With the contract signed and the manuscript on hand, each of the four partners came up with $300. Agnew and Madie tried to borrow their share from a bank. The banker apparently was processing the loan until mention was made of their plans to publish a book. The atmosphere changed, and the loan was refused. This meant that their shares had to come from their respective "household" funds, making Mrs. Madie, for one, quite unhappy. Chalker and Owings in their Index state that the Madles had to live on beans for a couple of years as a result of the venture into publishing. Bob Madie assures me they exaggerated-their leguminous diet persisted for a mere six months! In September, 1948, The Solitary Hunters and the Abyss by David H. Keller came from the binder, a nice job of bookmaking. They had printed 2,000 copies and had had 1,000 copies bound. Having no money, The New Era Publishing Company could not afford to advertise, though they placed one $10 ad in Weird Tales, which they believed sold about five copies. Jim Williams, bookseller, took 200 copies on consignment, 100 of which he reported were shipped to a distributor in Canada where, somehow,

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Jim reported, they were lost. There was never an accounting for the other 100, though, according to Madie, on Williams' death in 1953 about 40 copies were seen at Jim's house; but under the circumstances nothing was said about them. In 1952, when Alan Nourse started Chamberlain Press, he suggested that New Era permit him to advertise their book with his projected first publication. But nothing came of this idea. Another offer came in or about 1955-someone wanted to buy the 1,000 unbound copies for 50¢ per copy. This would have helped greatly in bailing out the partners-but unfortunately the bindery had changed hands, and the new owners had "thrown all that stuff out." In 1935 Bob Madie left Philadelphia, moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. He had been doing what little had been done to sell the book. Five or six hundred copies of The Solitary Hunters had been sold, the majority of them to SF specialist dealers like Julius Unger, at dealer discount, of course. On Madle's moving, approximately 150 copies still on hand were stored in Al Pepper's basement. When Pepper died in the late 1960's, his widow arranged to have Ozzie Train ship these to Madie, many of the books suffering from dampness and water damage. In the course of time Madie sold these, dividing the proceeds with Mrs. Pepper, Agnew refusing his share because Madie had done most of the work. To summarize, 2,000 copies of The Solitary Hunters and the Abyss were printed, and 1,000 copies were

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bound. It may be assumed with reasonable justification that most of these were circulated in one way or another, including the 100 "lost" copies shipped to Canada. A final note on the original Keller story, The Abyss. In 1967 Robert W. Lowndes purchased the reprint rights from Madie for use in Magazine of Horror. Since they had secured all rights to the story for their initial $100 investment, this helped further to recoup their losses. Robert A. Madie is still in the book business as a sideline, issuing catalogs and selling SF and fantasy by mail, as well as at conventions. As for his venture into publishing, he says with enthusiasm, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world!"

Visionary Publishing Company During William L. Crawford's very early ventures into publishing, the period that included Maroel Tales, he tried his hand in the book field. He called his enterprise (if we may use the term) Visionary Publishing Company-and it was long on vision and short on accomplishment. His first book was called Mars Mountain, written by Eugene George Key. It was a little book of 142 pages containing three short stories. It was badly printed on bulky newsprint with cardboard covers. As I recall it, it was stapled together, though it was a squareback book. There were 200 copies printed, though I doubt that the entire edition was bound. I've discovered a postscript in an undated letter from

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Crawford written during this period. I quote: "Have Eugene George Key's tale on hand. 'Sterrible, but we've got to use it, and soon, too. I mean, I believe it'll be to our advantage, as he's going to give us a writeup in two newspapers, and get us some subs from friends." Instead of the "terrible" story appearing in one of the magazines, I believe it became the title story of the book. It also seems to me that Key contributed to the few expenses, though I'm not certain about this. Visionary's second book was The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft. This was a bit better in production, but it fell far short of being a good job. There were typographical errors galore and the register was bad-but it was a clothbound book with a professionally drawn dust wrapper by Frank Utpatel. It has the distinction of being Lovecraft's first book, the only one produced during his lifetime. Accordingly, it's the only one that could carry a Lovecraft autograph. In retrospect I bemoan my lack of vision. I had a copy of the book-could have bought a dozen at $1.00 per copy-I was corresponding with Lovecraft-and I could have had him inscribe a copy to me. But I didn't! And when Arkham House published The Outsider I sold my copy of lnnsmouth to another collector. Crawford printed 400 copies and bound half of the edition, the unbound copies almost certainly winding up in a bale of scrap paper. H is interesting to note that Derleth in his reprinting the story lists Visionary Publishing Company's original

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copyright but used the story without bothering to secure Crawford's permission. There was a third book from Visionary Publishing Company, a better job than either of its predecessorsand one I never see listed. It wasn't fantasy, but it was written by Amelia Reynolds Long, a regular contributor to Weird Tales and occasionally to the SF magazines. The book was called Behind the Evidence by Peter Reynolds, a pseudonym. It was a novel based on the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Amelia Long felt that Bruno Richard Hauptmann hadn't received a fair trial, and Crawford agreed with her. Her story was a parallel of the Hauptmann case-but set in Germany with an American accused of kidnapping (or murdering) the baby of a famous German. Crawford printed a thousand copies, but by his own statement, if more than 75 copies ever got into circulation he'd eat them-and most of the 75 were sent to Amelia's friends. Sam Moskowitz tells of an incredible experience involving a copy of Behind the Evidence-an indication that at least one copy went beyond the author's immediate circle. In London a few years ago he came upon a used copy for sale. On the front flyleaf was written, "Peter Reynolds is Amelia Reynolds Long." And it was Sam's handwriting! The book had evidently once been his, though he had no recollection of having written the comment. As for Visionary Publishing Company, it was what its name suggested. A short, frustrating and hardly illustrious career-this sums up Bill Crawford's first

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venture into book publishing. Actually, the most amazing fact about Crawford in those days was that he succeeded in issuing even a single book. An amateur printer with no capital, and no appreciable market, what he accomplished is a testimony to his dogged persistence .

. . . And Others There are several additional publishing ventures which logically should receive expanded treatment in this record. They were active during the same period as the others I've discussed, and most of the books they issued were of some significance, one being unique in its field. In one instance the publisher produced three books, more than several of those to which I've devoted space in this chapter. My reason for not saying more than I do is simple. I lack information, and my efforts to find the people involved were unsuccessful. However, if this book is to boast even a semblance of completeness, these efforts must be mentioned. Three of these were ventures by fan clubs, each of which produced one book.

ASFOPress ASFO Press is an acronym for the Atlanta Science Fiction Organization Press. In 1954 they published The Immortal Storm, A History of Science Fiction Fandom by Sam Moskowitz. This was the second book to carry Sam's name on the byline, but it was the first of his multi-faceted writings about and commentaries on every phase of science fiction, past and

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present, 11 of which have appeared to date. An acknowledgment or dedication by Moskowitz appears in the book itself, which tells the story of its creation. I quote: To Dr. A. Langley Scarles, who inspired and carried forth the serial publication of this History; to Henry Burwell who successfully put the History into one mimeographed package and conceived its present form; to Dr. D.C. Montgomery whose interest extended beyond moral support; to Ian Macauley who kept the project alive during transition, and finally to Carson Jacks and J crry Burge who carried it through to successful completion.

The Immortal Storm has the strengths and also the weaknesses which characterize Sam's histories. The treatment is exhaustive (almost exhausting) but it is also subjective. Since Sam was involved in much of the history, it presents his side of happenings. (The same is true, of course, of Over My Shoulder.) But it is an important book in that it records a wealth of information on a unique phase of the background of science fiction. This was the only book ASFO Press published, publisher and club ceasing activity shortly after its release. Everything considered, it was a surprisingly competent production. Recently (1974) it was reissued by Hyperion Press in both clothbound and paperback format. The Council of Four The Council of Four is the name of a Denver branch of the Baker Street Irregulars. I hardly think it necessary to say that the Irregulars make up a worldwide

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organization of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts. Not at all surprising is the fact that there is a substantial crossover of Sherlockians into SF fandom. But less well known is the existence of a science-fictional influence on Sherlockiana, some of the devotees among the writers producing Holmes chronicles and pastiches in the SF realm. The Council of Four, in 1960, published a compilation of these tales, calling it The Science Fictional Sherlock Holmes, edited by Robert C. Peterson. Contributing authors include Anthony Boucher, Poul Anderson, Gordon R. Dickson, Mack Reynolds, August Derleth, H. Beam Piper andJohnJ. McGuire. A scarce book in two editions, probably 500 copies each, the first with white dust wrapper, the second yellow.

NFFF The N-3-F is the way fans usually refer to the National Fantasy Fan Federation, for obvious reasons. This was (and may still be) a loosely organized grouping of numerous fans who form local subgroups which produce their own fanzines. Their claim to fame, so far as this record is concerned, lay in the single hardback book they produced, The Sign of the Burning Hart by David H. Keller. • The book had appeared originally in an English language edition published at St. Lo, France, in 1938, in an edition of 100 copies. The story has been called Keller's finest single work of fantasy. The NFFF edition was a photo-offset reproduction of the original pages,

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with a dust wrapper carrying a sketch taken from Keller's personal stationery. The American edition appeared in 1948, with only 250 copies produced. I thought at the time that Keller had paid the bill for both editions-and I have found no reason to change my opinion.

Futile Press One publisher whose very existence is probably questioned by the few who have heard of it is Futile Press, the venture of Claire P. Beck of Lakeport, California. I debated the advisability of including this reference, chiefly because Beck's three books had such small press runs-75 copies of each title. But then, Crawford's Visionary Publishing Company hardly achieved more. Futile Press published three small books-Hammer and Tongs by Clyde F. Beck (1937), Nero and Other Poems by Clark Ashton Smith (1938) and The Commonplace Book by H.P. Lovecraft (1938). These were little books of small page size, but they were books, bound in boards, and a credit to their publisher. There is a rumor that a few additional copies were bound in blue paper covers, but I have not been able to verify this. Beck had entered the fan scene in 1935 with a fanzine called The Science Fiction Review which, with its second issue, changed its name to Science Fiction Critic to avoid conflict with another SF Review. Early in the Critic's existence the Beck brothers acquired a small printing press, using it to produce their fan magazines. This included a column of SF criticism by Clyde called

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"Hammer and Tongs," which series later became their first book. Their second book, Nero and Others by Clark Ashton Smith, which included 10 poems and along appreciation of Smith, was autographed by the author. This was followed by Lovecraft's Commonplace Book which was later included in the Arkham House volume, Beyond the Wall of Sleep. True, Futile Press made hardly a ripple on the SFfantasy stream, but it was part of the total picture; and certainly it produced three of the rarest collectors' items in the genre.

Gorgon Press Gorgon Press was Stanley Mullen. And the single book he published was written by Stanley Mullen, Moonfoam and Sorceri"es its title. Which would indicate that Mullen created Gorgon Press to publish his own work. Gorgon Press started by publishing Mullen's fanzine, The Gorgon, one of the few printed fan magazines, then brought out the book. There is little real justification for including Gorgon Press in this record; I only do it because of Mullen's later association with Paul Dennis O'Conner. Moonfoam and Sorceries was a collection of short stories and verses arranged alternately. More than 350 pages long, it was published in 1948 in an edition of 500 copies. All copies were signed by Mullen, who lived, wrote and published in Denver, Colorado. When 0 'Conner moved to Denver, Mullen became involved

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with him in the publishing house called New Collectors Group, which was treated earlier in this chapter.

* * * * *

Perhaps there were other individuals or groups who made publishing attempts in this same era; if there were, they never came to my attention.

Chapter 13 I Forgot To Say-

[Q]

N RETIRING FOR THE NIGHT, FEW OF US PLUNGE IN-

stantly into oblivion. A day has ended-but there are usually those final moments of wakefulness when the mind persists in reviewing events of the hours past. On occasi,on one is keenly aware of things that should have been done, should have been said, but weren't. So it is with these reflections. On the whole I've said what I set out to say-or so I thought until I read the final draft of the "completed" book, not the individual parts as I had been doing. Then I recalled details which perhaps should have been mentioned, or I saw items that on second thought might better have been omitted. If I were to take a bit more time-be just a bit more selective-avoid some of the personal references . . . In short, I was experiencing what most writers encounterdissatisfaction with a job done-the impulse to change and rewrite and reconstruct. 301

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But I'm not backtracking. I've spent enough time on this manuscript. Other work is waiting. What I've written I've written. This final chapter will be a sort of catchall, bringing in the afterthoughts, the things I forgot to say. For one thing, I realize that I have created a false impression in the story of my own growing up. I mentioned my dime novel and pulp paper magazine reading starting at age nine. I failed to tell of the part the Reading Public Library played through these years and on into adolescence. I read a lot beside low-grade and better-grade fiction. I read books in every possible area-the sciences, philosophy, travel, religion-everything but math-often wading in beyond my mental depth. At age 10 or 11 I came upon a book called The Boy Mineral Collectors, which was simply sugar-coated mineralogy and geology; and I wound up traveling through the countryside around Reading with a World War I gas mask bag on my back (I thought it was a knapsack), breaking open rocks with a shoemaker's hammer (which I thought was a geologist's tool). I was a mineral collector. During this period I somehow acquired a Webster's Unabridged Dictionary without covers; I went through it page by page, marking and reading every reference to minerals. Many years later while I lived in Chicago, this interest reasserted itself, and I took up gem polishing and silversmithing under an expert instructor-and stones which I cut are in the Smithsonian-and jewelry I designed and crafted from rough stone to finished

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piece won trophies in regional competition, and were displayed in the Field Museum in Chicago. I should be more modest-but actually, I'm an expert lapidary. However, that's another story. There were years when I read very little science fiction-and when I did read an occasional book, it was the work of some of my favorites of the 40's and 50's. Recently I've been collecting the "Best Of" series, either in the Del Rey paperbacks or the Science Fiction Book Club hardbacks, preferably the latter, since to me paperbacks are a necessary evil. Out of curiosity I checked a dozen of the collections for publication dates and found the results quite interesting. Of 200 stories, five were copyrighted in the 1970's, 33 in the 1960's, 86 in the 1950's, 46 in the 1940's, 29 in the 1930's and one in 1926. I concede that six of these writers are deceased and in the classic category; but six are still writing. A surprising commentary on something or other. I've been reading the new science fiction, a fairly large amount of it during the past two years. I'm trying to write for the present market so I want to see what's being done. Some books I enjoyed immensely. Some I admired because of the writing skill of the authors, though I didn't particularly enjoy the stories. Some of them nauseated me; I found it impossible to finish reading them. I read for fun, for relaxation. Antiheroes leave me cold. Why expose myself to such revolting people? And gutter language doesn't shock me-I just find it stupid, inexcusable and annoying. Since I

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don't willingly associate in my daily life with people who speak that way, why expose myself to them in fiction? I'm wondering if the present popularity of socalled "classics" isn't an indication that a lot of modem readers-not in my generation-still prefer some of the older entertainment values and not their modem eccentric counterparts. In the classic category one must include a littleknown product of the 1930's, a multi-author collaboration called Cosmos, not because it's a great story-it's not-but because it's a book that in its writing is without parallel in its field. In these reminiscences I have made several references to Ray Palmer. It is not generally known that Palmer plotted and directed the writing of this most unique novel. Cosmos was published as a book-page-size supplement in Science Fiction Digest in 1933 and 1934. In this early period of SF publishing the Digest was unquestionably the leader among fan magazines, and Cosmos was its crowning achievement. Cosmos is a space adventure written in 1 7 chapters by 18 authors, each chapter ranging in length from 5,000 to 10,000 words. None of us received any remuneration for our work; these were contributions by writers who were also fans, and who were willing to cooperate on a fannish project that at most could not reach more than 500 readers. The authors who contributed to this unparalleled effort were the following-and I list both chapter title and author, believing the lineup will be of interest:

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1. 2. 3. 4.

"Faster Than Light" by Ralph Milne Farley "The Emigrants" by David H. Keller, M.D. "Callisto's Children" by Arthur J. B·urks "The Murderer from Mars" by Bob Olsen 5. ''Tyrants of Saturn" by Francis Flagg 6. "Interference on Luna" by John W. Campbell,Jr. 7. "Son of the Trident" by Rae Winters (Raymond A. Palmer) 8. "Volunteers from Venus" by Otis Adelbert Kline & E. Hoffman Price 9. "Menace of the Automaton" by Abner J. Gelula 10. "Conference at Copernicus" by Raymond A. Palmer 11. "The Last Poet and the Robots" by A. Merritt 12. "At the Crater's Core" by J. Harvey Haggard 13. ''What a Course!" by Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. 14. "The F~te of the Neptunians" by P. Schuyler Miller 15. "The Horde of Elo Hava" by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach 16. "Lost in Alien Dimensions" by Eando (Earl and Otto) Binder 17. "Armageddon in Space" by Edmond Hamilton Since close collaboration between authors was impossible with so many men involved, complex plotting could not be attempted. Actually, each chapter was essentially a complete story, though related to the others in the overall plot. I recall that Palmer in his instructions for the writing of my chapter told me my story should begin with certain alien characters and a situation developed by P. Schuyler Miller, and that the

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chapter had to end with a certain denouement. For my guidance Miller would send me a copy of his part as soon as it was written. What I did between the beginning and the end of the chapter was entirely up to me. It appears that Miller's and my sections were more closely associated than most of the others. At this point in my writing I stopped and reread my chapter. I didn't recognize a word of it. A project of this size could not be completed without incident. Trouble arose when Chapter 2 came in from Dr. David H. Keller. He had made it almost impossible for the story to continue. I've forgotten the details, but it seems to me that the editor decided simply to ignore the problems Keller's effort created .... Another problem arose when Chapter 7 was due. This was scheduled to be written by Dr. Miles J. Breuer; but Breuer had suffered a nervous collapse and was unable to produce his part. Palmer wrote in his SF Digest column, "Spilling the Atoms," after reporting the problem: This is certainly a great loss to the super-serial Cosmos and to us, who love his writings, and we will have no time to replace him with a writer of equal reputation, but we have secured the services of Miss Rae Winters . . . . Miss Winters shows extreme promise, and I'm sure will develop in to a fine writer.

"Rae Winters," the author showing "extreme promise," was Palmer himself. Forrest J. Ackerman reprinted Cosmos in the Perry Rhodan paperbacks as an endlessly running serial in the early 19 7 0 's. The E.E. Smith chapter appeared as a short

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story, retitled "Robot Nemesis" in Thrilling Wonder Stories and in the collection The Best of E.E. "Doc" Smith. Merritt's chapter was included in his short story collection, The Fox Woman and Other Stories. With Cosmos acclaimed as a huge success by the readers of Science Fiction Digest (later Fantasy Magazine), who clamored for more, the astute editors came up with another idea. Based on the title The Challenge from Beyond, they had two groups of five writers each produce a round-robin short story-one science fiction and the other fantasy, each about 6,000 words in length. These were typical of this sort of novelty, with each author writing to a high point and then passing the narrative on to the next writer, the final section bringing the story to a suitable conclusion. The science fiction story was written by Stanley G. Weinbam, Donald Wandrei, Edward E. Smith, Harl Vincent and Murray Leinster, in that order. The fantasy was the work of C.L. Moore, A. Merritt, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard and Frank Belknap Long. This was an unbelievable list of stellar writers, again working without pay, participating for the fun of it. The stories were published in the third anniversary issue of Fantasy Magazine dated September, 1934. The fantasy version was reprinted in the Lovecraft omnibus, Beyond the Wall of Sleep, and in the Moskowitz anthology,Horrors Unknown. Necronomicon Press also published it as a deluxe illustrated booklet. So far as I know the science fiction story has never been reprinted professionally. * * * * *

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I had planned to include a chapter dealing with the authors and artists with whom I had been associated in Fantasy Press, then decided it would hardly be suitable to give a lot of space to the people FP had published without doing the same for all the publishers-a difficult task that would double the size of the manuscript and add another year to the writing time. But since the writers usually get a fair amount of attention and the artists are often neglected, I've decided to make some comments on the SF and fantasy artists with whom I was involved. In the section dealing with New Collectors Group and Hannes Bok, I referred to a cover design for which Hannes was awaiting payment. This was the design for Under the Tri"ple Suns by Stanton A. Coblentz. For this cover painting Hannes had employed a new process which woukt eliminate the costly photographic color separation entailed in the usual four-color process. (For the uninitiated, in full-color printing four halftone plates are made, the colors separated photographically by use of filters so that a red, a yellow, a blue and a black plate result.) Hannes, using transparent inks, painted the picture in three layers on three sheets of clear plastic, each color laid carefully upon the previous color-and so meticulously did he work, making his own color separation, that the end result looked like a four-color process job. It really worked-for Hannes. He said he always painted in layers, using glazes, so it presented no difficulty for him. Perhaps I should explain that what I've referred to

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as Bok's method was really a modification of the Bourges process. The original process used water-based paints. Bok's use of transparent printing inks with thinners was his own idea, his results being far superior to the original process. What he did was of interest to the Bourges Company, who wanted progressive proofs as well as completed jackets of the Fantasy Press books as promotional samples. I have no way of knowing whether or not this new modification worked out commercially. While the plates for this cover were being made, Hannes wrote to Gerry de la Ree: "Gotta live on nothing till Eshbach okays the next jacket job (he wants to see first if the new process I used will really save as much printing costs as it should)." There was an appreciable saving-not as much as Hannes had hoped-and I gave him one more job, the cover for Alien Minds by E. Everett Evans, which turned out even better than the first painting. Unfortunately for Hannes, the Evans book was the last regular issue from Fantasy Press. It is rather well known now that "Hannes Bok" was a pseudonym. Wayne Woodard was his real name. This was first revealed by Calvin Beck, a friend of Hannes, in 1974 in a Gerry de la Ree book-Bok, a Tribute to Hannes Bok (1914-1964). Once during a visit to Hannes in his New York apartment on 109th Street he told me that Bok was not his name, but that he simply didn't want his real name known. He didn't reveal what it was, but told me why he had renounced it. I tell it here as accurately as I can recall what he said.

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When Hannes was quite young-but old enough to remember-his father had walked out never to return, leaving the family without means of support. He spoke of deprivation, of a frigid house in winter with snow visible through cracks in the floor-of his wish to erase all traces of his father from his life, even to the abandonment of his name. This may have been over-dramatized,, but Hannes was really bitter and he sounded sincere. Wayne Woodard, born July 2, 1914, grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. His interest in art has been traced back to his high school days. Drawings dated 1930 and signed Wayne Woodard are reproduced in A Hannes Bok Sketchbook, edited by Gerry de la Ree and Gene Nigra and published by de la Ree. Later drawings were signed Hans Bok, which in time became the Hannes Bok we knew. His distinctive style underwent a similar evolution, the early drawings being quite conventional. After high school Hannes made his way west to Seattle, Washington, where he found friends in aspiring science fiction writers Henry Hasse and Emil Petaja. His drawings began appearing in the fan magazines, his first exposure to the SF world. Later, moving to Los Angeles, his SF circle widened through the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society. It was here that he met Ray Bradbury who, in 1939, took samples of Bok's work with him when we went to the first world science fiction convention, leading to Bok's move to New York, his entry into Weird Tales and all that followed. I can't recall when I first met Hannes, though I'm

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sure it must have been at one of the conventions. My •early recollections of the man are very similar to those of Lin Carter who, in his introduction to the Ballantine edition of The Sorcerer's Ship, called him "one of the most marvelous people I have ever known: a plump, jolly, excited little elf of a man with a beaming grin, mischievous twinkling blue eyes, and gray tousled hair that fell over his forehead." Bok was a self-taught artist whose ideal was the work of Maxfield Parrish, an illustrator whose colorful and fanciful landscapes with their magical kingdoms, shimmering lakes and unrestrained romanticism exercised a greater influence than the creations of any other artist. Parrish in art, Merritt in fiction, and Max Steiner in music were his great enthusiasms-to which must be added a veritable obsession with astrology. In the later years of his life, when he had completely forsaken SF and fantasy, his astrological readings and writings provided him with a sort of living. "A sort of living', describes the existence of Hannes Bok for most of his adult life. In art he refused to accept the restraints of commercial illustrating, insisting on drawing what he wanted to depict, which naturally limited his commissions. His greatest enemies were his -fan correspondents. Unnumbered hours were spent at the typewriter composing letters which he felt compelled to send because someone had written to him. Nor were they short letters. In my Bok files are letters on legal-size paper, three pages in length, single-spaced, with no margin worthy of the name-these representing

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time which had better been spent at drawing board or easel. These letters provide interesting details about forgotten facts in the genre. For example: Will be having a little extra time on my hands soon, so thought it would be a good time to ask if you' re still intending (I hope and pray you are!) to publish the de luxe edition of Metal Emperor (or better still the fourth version, The Metal Horde)-because as you may recall, I screamed to do illustrations for it (in the endpapers-for-Crystal Hordestyle) and I still want to.

A fourth version of The Metal Monster! Later in the same letter he adds an interesting bit of information: "Sequel to Blue Flamingo is about to be published by newly organized Jupiter Press, & I'm going to whomp out a jacket for it." A sequel to Blue Flamingo (published by Ballantine as Beyond the Golden Stair)? And Jupiter Press? Never heard of 'em. Probably died a-homing. What happened to the manuscript? The last letter I received from Hannes Bok is dated January 1, 1964. It appears to have been written in response to a request from me for Hannes to return a manuscript which I evidently had sent him-about which I can recall absolutely nothing. Because his letter reveals a lot about Hannes, and because it may well be one of his last communications to anyone in the field, I quote pertinent portions of it: Dear Lloyd: Good to hear from you again; I'd given you up as lost. Gosh wow, a Chicago address!

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My health problem wasn't so much a case of creeping senility as the natural result of "sedentary overwork," or living the life of a convict or shut-in, chained to this desk and typer with nary a day off (not even Sundays). All of which was brought upon me via my astrology articles in magazines, which brought too much idle curiosity; I tried to be a good sport & answer every letter, but all that resulted was each recipient deciding to make me his/her pen pal bosom buddy, and to encourage his/her friends to write. I did free astrology to poor souls who threatened suicide or leaving home & husband if I didn't help; instead of thanks, I then received birthdates of all their relatives having problems too. In result of all this, work-work-work plus galloping anxiety, I got very ill indeedy for 3½ years. It wasn't until last June, when I decided to chuck any letter into wastebasket which wasn't a job-order that I began to get well. Was feeling almost human again by Xmas (though far from my old ebullience) when the usual Xmas rush & personal mail got me down all over again .... Now I'm shaky, ready to bust into tears any minute, not enough sleep, eyes smarting as if splashed with acid (and everything quadruple, not merely double) headachy-and appalled at all this big pile of mail ... I've had less and less to do with the scifantasy crowd, thank God. I met & liked Avram Davidson last year, and aside from him, the only scifantasy folk I ever see are Frankie Dietz, Lin Carter & Marty jukovsky-and these usually about once per 4 months ... I've finally got my painting technique to about what I want and have been making some biggish sample/experimental paintings to test the technique's applications. I'm hoping to finish second of two variations on Rubaiyat theme which are very Maxfield Parrishy in conceptdeliberately so-just to see where there's a likeness & where

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there's a difference . I think they're good examples of a "jumping-off place" between his work and mine-a lot of basic similarities in tightness of technique, primitive love of detail, and use of vivid colors-but from there & on, the difference sets in. The manner may be the same, but not the mood nor message. So, I feel I'm on the brink of a real career (and horoscope sez ditto, if I can survive a few more years) . .. With fliblers, H

There was much more-a page and a half more-which I've omitted, some upbeat, some very down. And two months and ten days later Hannes Bok had ceased to survive-a policeman breaking into his apartment to investigate a light burning day and night, with no answer to knocks. At age 50 he had died of a heart attack. Fantasy Press used Bok's work in seven books, five with cover dtsigns alone and two with interior illustrations as well. Arkham House, Shasta Publishers, Prime Press and Gnome Press also used his work. Each of the artists I employed in illustrating Fantasy Press books certainly should receive space in this record. A.J. Donnell was one of my partners, and his only illustrating was done for early Fantasy Press books. Most of his work lay in the area of graphic design . . .. Robert Breck, who drew the interior illustrations for Beyond This Horizon by Robert A. Heinlein, was a successful portrait artist, related to another FP partner, Herb MacGregor.... John T. Brooks was a local commercial artist on the staff of a Reading advertising agency. I used him for five books, his interior work for The Abyss

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of Wonders probably being his most successful effort .... Ric Binkley was an area artist, a graduate of Pratt Institute, who came to me with excellent samples and the complaint that none of the publishers would look at his work because he had had nothing published. After I had him illustrate several books he was able to break into the New York market, later moving to New York City. Both Fantasy Press and Gnome Press used his work quite extensively; indeed, for several years he was Gnome's chief jacket artist. Binkley was quite young when he died . . . . Mel Hunter, a Californian who did beautiful work, gained wide recognition for his detailed depiction of space and otherworld scenes. He painted two covers for Fantasy Press .. . . But I must say more about another artist who stands with Hannes Bok as a unique stylist in his own way. I refer to Edd Cartier. From his first appearance in the first issue of Unknown, I admired Cartier's skills. Although he had been a staff illustrator for other Street & Smith publicationsWild West Weekly, Love Story, Detective Story and The Shadow-I became aware of his distinctive drawings only through Unknown and later Astounding Science Fiction. He first appeared in Unknown with his illustrations for Sinister Barrier by Eric Frank Russell. His first drawings for Fantasy Press were interior illustrations for the same novel. Donnell drew the jacket design for the Russell book; and I recall my having difficulty in convincing my partners that we should spend the money for another artist

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when Don's work was free. I used the argument that since Cartier was identified with the story through its magazine appearance, his art would help to sell books. The identical situation-and argument-applied to Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson. For details on Cartier's background I quote, with permission, from Edd Cartier: The Known and the Unknown. This is a handsome book of Cartier's fantastic art, edited and with text written by Dean Cartier, Edd's elder son, and published by Gerry de la Ree of Saddle River, New Jersey. "Within the span of thirty-one remarkable days during the summer of 1914, three of fantasy and science fiction's most renowned artists, Edd Cartier, Virgil Finlay, and Hannes Bok, were born. Edd Cartier, my father, was born on the first of August, the day that marked the outbreak of World War I. "Edward Daniel Cartier (the appellation, Edd, is a combination of his first name and middle initial) was born in North Bergen, N.J., almost within sight of Teterboro Airport. Indeed, the flat roof of his father's tavern and machine shop was painted with a huge white arrow that helped guide the early pilots to the small but famous airport. With his older brother, Joseph, who worked and flew at Teterboro, Cartier met such notables as Howard Hughes, Charles A. Lindbergh, Igor Sikorsky, and even flew with Anthony Fokker. Those meetings inspired an early interest in aviation and science fiction that foreshadowed Cartier's own involvement with science fiction. He began reading such pulp magazines as

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Aces, Wonder Stort'es, and Astoundt'ng Ston'es while in his teens. "Along with those interests grew a rapidly developing skill in art. In high school, Cartier's artwork outclassed his teachers' abilities and they urged him to consider an art career. Most influential in Cartier's decision to enter the field was his admiration for such illustrators as Dean Cornwall, Arthur Rackham, Howard Pyle, Frederick Remington, Maxfield Parrish, and Norman Rockwell. "Edd Cartier's professional training began at Pratt Institute in 1933. In Pratt's School of Fine Arts, where he majored in illustration, one of his favorite instructors was Harold W. Scott. Years later, Scott illustrated the first cover for the pulp, Unknown; and Cartier depicted two stories in the interior of the same issue." While in his third year at Pratt, Cartier began illustrating Street & Smith magazines. For 17 years he was one of the company's major illustrators, being remembered today, however, for his work in Unknown and Astoundt'ng. Unfortunately for the genre, in 1953, with the birth of his first son, Edd Cartier decided he could no longer afford to continue in the field of SF illustration. Rates of payment were low; and graphic art and design was a more dependable and profitable field. Today he is the senior artist in the graphics art department of a flexographic design corporation. Fantasy Press used Cartier illustrations or jacket designs for seven books, and Gnome Press featured his

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work in eight. In addition, Gnome fantasy calendars for 1949 and 1950 carried some of his best work. Edd's book illustrations, obviously, were a very minor part of his art production during this period. His magazine drawings probably exceeded 1500 items. On a very slight basis I am including another artist in this reference to the graphic side of science fictionFrank Kelly Freas. During a recent conversation with Kelly I learned that he had painted a number of covers for Gnome Press books. This gives me an excuse for writing a few paragraphs about the man who has been called "the world's most renowned science fiction illustrator." Certainly he has created some of the finest paintings and drawings ever to appear in the genre, displaying a versatility and skill which justifies his being elected Dean of Science Fiction Artists by the Eastern Science Fiction Association, as well as the other honors he has received. Ten times the World Science Fiction Society has awarded him Hugos as best artist, five of these in successive years: more Hugos, certainly, than any other artist, and probably more Hugos than any other individual. NASA selected his design for a shoulder patch for the astronauts on the Skylab I mission. Kelly Freas posters were used to awaken new interest in the space program; and those posters now are displayed in the Smithsonian Institution-a distinction never before accorded a science fiction artist.

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Frank Kelly Freas was born in 1922 in upstate New York, but grew up in Canada. Quoting his book, Frank Kelly Freas-The Art of Science Fiction: He studied engineering and medicine before turning his talents to art. He has done photography, advertising, industrial illustration, television commercials, religious painting for the Franciscans, Alfred E. Neuman for Mad magazine, slot machine decorations, and, of course, science fiction and fantasy art.

Kelly's first appearance in the genre was the cover painting for the November, 1950, issue of Weird Tales. From that beginning came hundreds of covers for practically every magazine in the field, book jacket art, and countless black-and-white interior illustrations. During the two-year existence of Laser Books, Kelly painted every cover. Versatility characterizes his work, every picture carefully thought out and beautifully executed. Though his style is not as distinctive as that of Bok or Cartier, a Kelly Freas painting is still readily recognizable as the work of the Dean of Science Fiction Artists. His cover art and illustrations have been exhibited around the world, and many of his originals have found their way into valuable private collections. Kelly Freas is still as busy as he wants to be, his wife, pretty, perky, vivacious Polly, organizing and controlling the business details. From Frank Kelly Freas to Roger Elwood-quite a transition! On second thought, there i's a relationship

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between the two. It was Elwood who, as editor of Laser Books, approached Kelly about his doing the covers and persuaded him to talk with the publishers. At any rate, an incident involving Roger occurs to me as something which might be of interest. A few years ago Roger Elwood was a near-nova on the SF horizon, compiling and selling more anthologies in a shorter time than anyone else in the history of the genre. He vanished from the scene just as suddenly as he appeared. At the time to which I refer, I was on the road as a sales rep for Moody Press-probably in 1974. I called on a customer, a Christian bookstore, in eastern New Jersey, a few miles from Atlantic City. The proprietor mentioned one of her customers, interested in science fiction, who wanted to meet me-name of Roger Elwood. I had never heard of him. She phoned him. We met-went to lunch together. In the course of conversation-I've forgotten what brought up the subject-I mentioned my having two or three unpublished John W. Campbell manuscripts, left over from the Fantasy Press days. Roger dropped his fork. "What did you say?" I repeated my remark. There was more conversationhe told me of his publishing contacts; and later at his request I sent him photocopies of the stories"Marooned" by "Karl Van Campen," "All" by "Don A. Stuart," and "The Space Beyond" by John W. Campbell, Jr. These had been sent to me with the manuscripts of The Incredible Planet and The Moon Is Hell, and I had hoped to get around to publishing them-someday!

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I never got to them-and they remained tucked away with other FP manuscripts (including two unpublished John Taine works) for at least 25 years, the only copies in existence. It occurs to me as I write that all of the Campbell stories had come from a friend of Campbell's, to whom he had given them, and whose name escapes me. Anyway, John had said they need not be returned, since he'd never do anything with them. I told Roger I had no publishing rights and he'd have to clear things with John's heirs. He did so, and found a publisher, Pyramid Books, the three stories appearing as The Space Beyond in 1976. The original manuscripts, by the way, are in the archives at Temple University. This brings to mind other dealings with John W. Campbell. When I wrote to him asking permission to reprint his Arcot, Morey and Wade stories, he readily agreed but said: ''The stories need some work, but unfortunately I don't have the time to do it. You'll have to make any changes you want made." So on the three stories in The Black Star Passes, I made extensive revisions, Campbell giving the work his okay, of course. I was quite amused by a fan who wrote concerning the changes: "One can see the Don A. Stuart touch in Campbell's revisions." When autographing my copy of the book John wrote over his signature: Dear Lloyd: Since this is to be signed by the author, and in view of the amount of work you did on this, I suggest it's not completed until you sign too!

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It would be interesting (to me) to compare the Amazing Ston·es and the Fantasy Press versions to see what changes I made almost 30 years ago .... I believe, though I'm not certain, that I did extensive editing of Islands of Space; but I know Invaders from the Infinite was published with no editing whatever, since type was set from tearsheets in the print shop I managed.... I also did an extensive polishing job on The Incredible Planet by Campbell, but since this had never been published before the Fantasy Press edition, no one could ever know. John wrote in my copy: "To Lloyd Eshbach: Who should appear on the title page! Thanks for a fine job of making two weak stories into one good one!" More grew out of my contact with Roger Elwood. I saw him again on a later selling trip to New Jersey and told him of some preliminary basic material in my files on Doc Smith's The Imperial Stars. At his urging I sent him a copy of these notes as well as the published story. I told him if he planned to do anything with the d'Alembert material he'd have to deal directly with Doc's daughter, Verna Smith Trestrail. He found a publisher and arranged with Stephen Goldin to continue the series-but Verna insisted on dealing directly with the publisher. Since I'm not exactly delighted with the resulting series, I'm not very happy with the part I played. Goldin has departed completely from what Doc originally planned-a circus-centered series. Speaking of Doc-and I can do that at great length-

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I have decided to end this book where Fantasy Pressnot this record-began: with Edward Elmer Smith, Ph.D. Nothing could be more fitting. And certainly no more suitable occurrence could be selected than the time Smith, while working as an ore miner, awakened in the middle of the night to find his bed engulfed in flames. You see, that fire is probably responsible for Fantasy Press and a lot of other things, including this book. Growing up on a homestead in Northern Idaho, Smith did all the things one would expect-working as a lumberjack, in a sawmill, helping on his father's potato farm-and some things one wouldn't expect, like being a streetcar conductor. Without going into details concerning his early schooling, at one time young Ted Smith decided he wanted to be a civil engineer. With this in mind he spent seven months in the wilderness, helping a surveying crew run a railroad line from Belton, Montana, into Canada. I recall his telling me-I think it was when we were walking together in hilly Pittsburgh during a science fiction convention-that those months of walking had developed his leg muscles far beyond those of his upper body. This leg strength may have played a part in his eventually becoming "Skylark" Smith. Changing his mind about civil engineering, he got a job in an ore mine. Then one night, asleep in his fourthfloor bedroom, he awakened surrounded by flames, his bed afire. With lightning reflexes and his powerful legs, he made a single leap that carried him through the closed window, taking sash and glass with him. In the

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fall he suffered a broken leg, fractured ribs, and worst of all, a damaged wrist that gave him problems for years afterward and prohibited any hard physical labor. Ted Smith headed for home. His older brother Daniel came to his rescue with the winnings from a weekend of poker playing and told E.E. it was time to go back to school. His two sisters also contributed savings-and Ted Smith was on his way to becoming Edward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., author of Skylark of Space-food chemist and science fiction writer. Was that fire and the injuries that resulted the factor that determined Doc Smith's future? None can say with certainty. Knowing Doc, rm compelled to think that he'd have gotten the schooling he wanted, one way or another, sooner or later. We can only speculate. But the timing is interesting; for me, even fascinating. Going back to school when he did-not months or perhaps a year later-led to Doc's getting a certain roommate, Allen MacDougall-who had a lovely sister, Jeannie Craig MacDougall-who became Jeannie Smith-who worked as a stenographer to help Doc earn his doctorate. But suppose I let Doc himself tell it as it appeared in a supposed interview in the August, 1933, issue of the fan magazine Science Fiction Digest. It was published under the byline of Julius Schwartz, but on rereading it I had a hunch. I phoned Julie and had my suspicions verified. Doc wrote every word of the "interview,,, including what Julius supposedly said. And since it's Doc's own story, as he told it, I reproduce it here as it appeared, with a few very minor deletions.

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SCHWARTZ: Ah, Pm on your wave at last. Good morning, Doc! QRM's pretty bad, isn't it-your old pan looks like a Chinese puzzle! SMITH: Normal, huh? Partly due to the width of your beam, though-you're covering half the planet. That's better-I can see who you are now. Hi, Julius; what's the big idea? SCHWARTZ: Your own fault; I had to cover 14 states to find you. The idea is that the readers of SFD want the dope on you, and have appointed me a committee to get it. We already have Merritt, Bates, and the other big guns, and now we want you. So you might as well start dishing it out. SMITH: Where? SCHWARTZ: Start way back and work up to now. Make it complete, but snappy. SMITH: Allx. Great-great-grandfather, Edward Elmer Smith, captain in British Navy under Nelson. Edward Elmer Smith II, also captain British Navy. Edward Elmer III came to America and made whaling his life work. Incidentally, the youngest of these Edward Eimers to die went at the age of 107. Besides breaking away from England and her navy, EEIII broke the succession of Edward Eimers by naming my father Fred Jay. Said Fred, after devoting his youth to the pursuit of the sportive cetacea, was shipwrecked one time too many for his peace of mind and moved from Maine to Michigan. There he married Caroline Mills-lines of descent Mills of Michigan, Denis of New England. Deponent was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on May

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2, 1890. Moved to Spokane, Washington, when one year old. In 1902 moved to Seneaquoteen, Idaho (10 miles from a post office). There about three years-clearing land, farming, lumbering. At 15 went on my own. Sawmilling, railroading, mining (everything from mucking to running a two-fifty Sullivan slugger). Streetcar conductor (looked older than I was, so could claim to be 21), teamster, asphalt foreman, freight checker, shipping clerk. Tired of city work, went surveying. Axeman, stake-artist, rear-flag, head-flag, levelman. In meantime had begun to realize my own ignorance and had picked up enough knowledge to pass eighth-grade examination. Older sister and brother rounded me up, backed me into a stiff collar, and sent me to the prep school of the University of Idaho. For a year or so I went in for study in a big way and got to be a freshman. Went out for athletics, but was a flop; too light for football, stripping only 180 and not having brains enough to be a quarterback ( that was under the old rules, you know); not so good at baseball; ditto at basketball-mostly because of slowly improving anklyosed joints in arm, wrist, and leg resulting from various smashups in woods and mines. Won the engineering scholarship for three-year highest standing in College of Engineering, and graduated in chemical engineering. First job offered was in food work in the Bureau of Chemistry, in Washington. Took it, and started studying organic and food chemistry in George Washington University. Married Jeannie Craig MacDougall of Boise, Idaho (formerly of Glasgow, Scotland) on October 5, 1915. Became a cereal technologist. Resigned to take

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job as flour specialist with Corby Co., Langdon, D.C. Went back into Bureau of Chemistry as research specialist in wheat flour. Came the war. Wanted to be an aviator, but the authorities couldn't see it; so was "loaned" to the Food Administration, and tried to find out how to make bread without flour. Had picked up M.S. degree-en passant, so to speakfor some emergency work done at Harvard and Johns Hopkins. Went ahead and got my Ph.D. at George Washington on "The Effects of the Oxides of Nitrogen upon the Carotin Molecule-C40H56." In 1919, the war over, I came to Hillsdale, Michigan, as chief chemist for F.W. Stock & Sons. Did quite a lot of work on fully prepared flours-doughnuts, waffle, biscuit, etc.-and finally this sideline grew into really important business. So important, in fact, that the firm took me out of the main laboratory, built me a research laboratory, and called me "Director_of Research." That brings us up, not only to now, but up into next summer. Better we sign off, huh, Julius? SCHWARTZ: Nix-not yet. How about the family? SMITH: Oh, sure. Roderick N ., born Washington, D.C. Verna J. and Clarrissa M., both born Hillsdale, Michigan. SCHWARTZ: One more thing. Tell us about your writing science fiction; how come you started and everything. SMITH: Started in prep school-always have wondered about things, and you got a wonderful look at the stars from a surveyor's camp in Montana. I wrote "themes" in English 4-a which drew praise from a

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hard-boiled English prof. He wanted me to write as a business, but I soon discovered that, liking to eat occasionally, I had better stick to chemistry. Now it so happened that Carl Garby, my lifelong friend, had also entered the government service. Since I had also known his wife for years before their marriage, it was natural that the families would live in the same apartment house. We lived across the hall from each other, and developed a four-fold friendship of an extremely rare kind-a friendship which, although rendered only threefold by the untimely death of Dr. Garby, and strained by the removal of the Smiths to Michigan, still endures. Seated in the small, hot living-room of our apartment, under two electric fans, I began to rave one evening of how comfortable it would be out in the absolute zero of interstellar space. Lee Hawkins Garby, Dr. Garby's charming wife, played up, as did Carl and Jean. During the next hour or so we actually lived through some of the fundamentals of The Skylark of Space. "Why don't you write that up as a book, Ted?" asked Mrs. Garby. "Can't, Lee,'' I replied. "Got to have a love story to write a book, and I don't see how a love story would fit in with that kind of stuff." ''Well, you write the wild stuff, and the scientific stuff, and I'll put in the love story." Thus was the "Skylark" born. Lee and I worked on it, off and on, for months, ably assisted by Dr. Garby, a mathematical physicist of no mean attainments; and my wife Jean-the Dorothy of the "Skylarks," the Nadia of

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the "Spacehounds," the Clio of "Triplanetary." Gradually, however, the embryonic masterpiece was abandoned; and it remained buried and forgotten during the war, while I was almost everywhere except home. By the winter of 1919, my first winter in Hillsdale, I had forgotten the "Skylark's" very existence until I stumbled upon the outline while hunting for something else. Feeling a resurgence of interest, I resumed work on it; and by dint of much correspondence with Mrs. Garby, it was finally finished in 1921. Then, while the manuscript was making the rounds of the publishing houses, I began work on "Three." Collaboration, bad enough when the partners can sit at the same table, becomes impossible at a distance; hence I became solely responsible for "Three." Meanwhile, The Skylark of Space traveled from one publisher to another, its travels producing what is probably the most complete collection of rejection slips extant. Finally, 'however, I heard of Amazing Stories, who accepted the novel and wanted its sequel. Since neither Amazing Stories nor I had any idea of the enthusiastic reception to be accorded the stories, I blithely cleaned up all the loose ends in "Three" and began work on "Spacehounds." I abandoned the "Skylarks" deliberately, because the original and fundamental concepts were essentially pseudo-scientific and in many places grazed the impossible altogether too closely for comfort or defense. Also, deliberately, I retained in "Spacehounds" the same characters in essence, because they were real people, and people whom I knew and loved. I, myself,

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consider "Spacehounds" the best story of science fiction I have written. I like Triplanetary too-but while it may be called a lot of things, I do not believe science fiction will be one of them. "Spacehounds" was finished in the fall of 1930. In the meantime there had arisen a certain amount of demand for another "Skylark"; and after I had managed to evade the epilogue of "Three" (which was designed especially to make further "Skylarks" impossible), I started to work out an outline for such a story. Needless to say, it was no easy task to design a yam in progression with The Skylark of Space and "Three" that would not be either an anticlimax or a sheer fairy tale. Meanwhile, I had decided to try my hand at an outand-out pseudo-scientific story, one which would not even pretend to be limited by such trifles as scientific plausibility; and for over a year a let my pencil run wild between spells of really hard work upon the heavy framework of the new "Skylark." There resulted Triplanetary. I can't say much about Triplanetary here, of course-I can say, though, that it has in it all the ideas I considered too wild for either the "Skylarks" or "Spacehounds"; and that it was altogether too much for Wonder Stories. Since December 28, 1931, all my writing time has been spent upon the as yet unnamed "Skylark." It is far from done yet, but I hope to have it in shape by the end of the year. I'm not making any definite statement, however-it isn't going in until I like it myself, if it takes from now on.

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That's about all, I guess,Julius; the old well's run dry. Dope enough? SCHWARTZ: Plenty! All x, Doc, and thanks a lot; for all of us. SMITH: Allx. Clear ether, fans! Signing off. Click! And that's how, more than 60 years ago (with a lot of other information thrown in), Dick Seaton and his Skylark began a galactic voyage that continues to this very day. I have a lot of memories about Doc Smith. I recall the night Verna Trestrail phoned to ask me to call Doc and try to calm him down. He had just read Sam Moskowitz 's sketch of his life in Amazing Stories, and he was so furious that Verna was afraid he might have a heart attack or stroke. I had already read the article, so I called Doc, let him blast off into my sympathetic ear and succeeded in getting him over the peak of his fury. His wrath, for those who may have read the article, perhaps as reprinted in Sam's Seekers of Tomorrow, was aroused by several things. I never clearly understood the cause of his anger until recently, when Verna Trestrail sent me a copy of the letter Doc wrote at the time to Dick Lupoff. I quote the letter in part with Verna's permission, to give Doc a belated chance to refute what Moskowitz said: What brought me to a boil was two absolutely false statements. First, that at age 7 3 I became so senile that I became an imitator and a slanter. I have never imitated anybody,

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Second-and here's where you (Lupoff) come in-that Subspace Explorers (which he never read) is a second-class job of work that I tried to slant at Campbell and couldn't do a good enough job to make the grade; that I gave it to Canaveral as a last resort. Since I told Sam the exact truth about that-that Campbell refused to accept it without revisions that I refused to make-my conclusion is that Sam was doing a deliberate job of downgrading. To the Smith fans, Sam's indefensible statements and conclusions won't make any difference. They know my work and how I work. All it will do will be to make them mad at Sam. Anyone who do~sn't know my work, however, would certainly not be inclined to buy the book after reading Sam's slams at it. Also, Sam knows damned well that I did not start writing about psionics to slant at Campbell; that I've been writing about the power of mind, under one aspect or another, ever since I began to write. Also that I never made an "agonizing reappraisal" of my writing in my life. I have written, am writing, and will continue to write stories that please me. ME-and I will not make any radical revision of the final draft of any story I myself like. I'm sending Sam a carbon of this letter. Sincerely, Doc

There is a detail involving Smith which I should have included in the Fantasy Press chapter. For a period early in 1958, when to all intents and purposes my publishing venture had gone under, Doc and I discussed the possibility of my continuing to publish Smith books under another name, perhaps Eshbach Press. If necessary he would finance the project. He suggested the idea and I

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liked it. After all, I could sell Smith books even when nothing else moved; I had done well with every title I had issued. We would begin with The Vortex Blaster and continue with other books that Doc considered writingthe Worse! story, the Nadreck autobiography, and so on. But it all -hinged on my selling out the Fantasy Press inventory and paying off my creditors, including authors' royalties, and buying out the stockholders. It soon became evident that I couldn't accomplish this. I couldn't find anyone with money who was interested in buying 25,000 books, most of them requiring the last, and most expensive, step in binding. So the idea died. It seems to me, in view of my reference to the Worse! and Nadreck stories, that this is the logical place to quote a part of a sort of circular letter, dated March 14, 1962, a copy of which I received from Doc. The letter was headed "Unwritten Lensman Stories and Present Activities.,, While Ev Evans-than whom there will never be a finerwas still with us, he led a movement to have two more Lensman stories written. . . . The two stories would have had Worsel of Velantia and Nadreck of Palain Seven, respectively, as heroes. Ev and I and several other fans discussed the project at some length, both in person and by correspondence, and I did a lot of thinking and some plotting. The first one, about Worsel, could have been writtenas I have always written-in the third person, and could have been made (I think) interesting. Worsel was nearly enough like us mentally so that his thought-processes would

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have been comprehensible. He could have been handled sympathetically. He had enough experiences and adventures, merely hinted at in the Lensman books, to fill a couple of books. If Fantasy Press had stayed in business this book probably would have been written; even though Lloyd Eshbach wasn't too enthusiastic about it. He thought that nobody except the hard-core Doc Smith fans would buy it-but there were enough of them so that he would probably at least break even on it. However, the second book, about Nadreck, was an altogether different breed of cat. He was by definition incomprehensible, both physically and mentally. Therefore I could not write about him in the third person. It would have to be in the first person; a style of writing I had never tried. Nadreck was also, by definition, sly, treacherous, devious, cowardly, and utterly without conscience, scruple or mercy. Just how could I possibly write, even in the first person, about a character like that so that even hard-boiled Smith fans could get any fun out of identifying with it? The only possible way, I decided finally, would be for the thing to be an autobiography-which to me, from an author's standpoint, piled Ossa right on top of Pelion. I would have to stretch my imagination completely out of shape, extrude it into the fourth dimension, and so twist and distort it as to make black white and to reverse completely all standards of honesty, decency, and courage. I didn't-I still don't-know whether I could do it or not. It would be a terrific challenge, and there would be some fun in it, along with extremely hard work. In various episodes I made it clear what Kinnison thought of Nadreck as a person-it would be fun to try to put down on paper what N adreck, in his queerly twisted mind, thought of Kinnison!

Parenthetically, these stories-those of Worse!, Tregonsee and Nadreck-have been written by David A. Kyle.

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Doc continues with further comments on stories beyond Children of the Lens which some fans had urged him to write, an idea he rejected with an emphatic, unequivocal NO I Then he refers to the sequel to the novelette, Subspace Survivors, on which he had spent a couple of years. He adds: "I tried to put all the stuff I had in mind in one book, but couldn't do it; so there'll have to be one more." Doc continued writing, and our association continued as well. Some time during this period-probably late in 1962-Doc underwent surgery for lung cancer. This slowed him down for a while, but he seemed to make a full recovery. However_, in 1962 he was 72; and at that age recovery of strength after major surgery is slow, and relative. The year 1~65 saw the publication of three of his works-Skylark Duquesne, the fourth "Skylark," a serial in Worlds of If; The Galaxy Primes, an Ace paperback, a reprint of an Amazing Stories serial; and Subspace Explorers, a clothbound book from Canaveral Press. The latter story was written with Astounding Science Fiction in mind and was submitted to Campbell in January, 1963. Doc liked the story and thought it would be accepted. It wasn't. John wanted extensive changes made which would have necessitated his rewriting major parts of the story. This Doc flatly refused to do. Because it was closely related to the Astounding novelette, Subspace Survivors, even used parts of the story, any other magazine was out of the question.

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Also in 1963 Doc had written The Imperial Stars for Fred Pohl, which was to have been the first of a series. He had done all the groundwork for the series and was at work on the second story, most of it in the outline stage. Between the two stories he had been writing a sequel to Subspace Explorers, its working title Subspace Safari, a title he didn't like. This book-length manuscript had been completed, all but the final draft, when he got another idea. I recall his phoning me one evening, quite excited, to tell me of his plans. He'd write a novel which would have no apparent connection with Subspace Explorers, though it would employ the psionics, the psi powers and subspace travel of the earlier story. It would be a narrative complete in itself. Part of it would come out of the already written sequel, greatly expanded, with new story threads and developments. Finally the third book (formerly the second) would appear, tying the two books together, creating a surprise trilogy. He had worked on this new story for several months, sending me copies of each chapter and discussing details as the work progressed. Then came Fred's request for a second d'Alembert story; and Doc and Jeannie set out on their last journey. This was early ~n 1965. From Florida they had driven to Indiana and Michigan, towing a small travel trailer, spending time with their daughters Verna and Clarrissa. They had continued to Chicago, visiting the Eshbachs; and while we were together we discussed plot details of his second d'Alembert story which Fred Pohl was urging him to write.

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They left to continue their journey to Oregon to visit Jeannie's sister, stopping en route to call on Verna's daughter on a ranch in Montana. On August 27, 1965, Doc wrote to me from Seaside, Oregon: Dear Lloyd: Enclosed herewith find spare carbon of a letter I'm just mailing Fred Pohl-save typing a long letter twice. In checking it over I note I forgot to say that the new car has automatic transmission- and is fire-engine red in color with a white top. Who says nothing ever happens after age 75? Wheeelll We'll be leaving here for Portland about Sept 1. ... We'll be there until about Sept. 7th or 8th, when we'll head south for the Los Angeles region .... I don't think I'll be doing any writing at all until I get back to Florida. I've got to have a free and unencumbered mind to write. Jean sends her best, to you and Helen both. As everDoc

The carbon copy of the letter to Fred, same date, adds details: Dear Fred: I told you I would try to have this second d'Alembert story done by the time I got back to Florida this fall; but recent developments make that impossible. I won't. Lloyd and I had done some nice plotting on it and I was pecking right along when, early last week. I had a heart attack. Me; who has never even known that I had a heart! It wam't a very serious one, as heart attacks go, but it scared the living bejasus out of me, to say nothing of Jean and her sister who was visiting us at the time. Four days of flat bedrest brought my blood pressure

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back down to 140/90, my EKG back to a lot more normal curve, and made us feel a lot better-but the doctor told me (and with a lot more emphasis) what they said at Ann Arbor, I've got to slow down. (I thought I was slowing down, honestly!) Although I do know, of course, that there's a lot of hard physical labor involved in hooking up and unhooking a trailer every day, especially when the terrain is on a slant. So Jean and I have stopped being trailerites and are now in the process of swapping the big red truck and the little white travel trailer in on a 1965 Plymouth Fury III Eight two-door hardtop with power brakes and power steering-truly a weakling's chariot if there ever was one; a car that practically drives itself, with no effort at all on the part of the driver. So we'll ship our household stuff and most of my literary and office equipment to Florida and continue our trip through California, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, and back to Florida first-class, like quality white folks instead of the po' white trash that we now of course think all trailerites are. I'm in no particular danger, the croaker says, if I learn to live with it. I can live with it 25 years yet and die of something else. So that's what I'm figuring on doing. I'll write you again after we get back to Florida and I can concentrate on writing again. So you needn't answer this .... As everDoc

I received Doc's letter and the copy of the one to Fred on September 1. That evening Verna phoned with the shocking news that Doc had died of a second heart attack. Next day, knowing that Fred Pohl was attending the SF convention in London, I cabled news of the sad event and wrote at greater length to his home in Red

I Forgot To Say-

339

Bank, New Jersey. From his reply to my letter I learned, "The convention was actually over when I got your message, but there were still some subsidiary gatherings going on, and I passed on the word. Naturally, everyone was sorry to hear it. As for myself, I've lost a friend." In November of 1965 there appeared an Edward E. Smith memorial issue of a fanzine, Science-Fiction Times, put out by James V. Taurasi, Sr. Testimonials to Doc made up the issue, written by, among others, Hugo Gernsback, Bob Silverberg, L. Sprague de Camp and Larry T. Shaw. Had I known of Taurasi's plans a word from me certainly would have appeared. Evident among the tributes to Doc as a science fiction wn.ter were repeated emphases on Doc as a man. Dick Lupo££ said it for all of us; and I quote only a part of what he wrote: Doc's stories are only half the story of his popularity in our community. More than an author, Doc was one of the most loved people ever to enter the microcosm of the science fiction community. He was an inveterate convention attender. His appearance at the costume ball of Chicon I, before the second World War, was a triumph. He went, not as one of his own creations, but as C.L. Moore's Northwest Smith. In 1962 he recreated the role at Chicon IIIproudly wearing the same belt! In all the years that he attended science fiction conventions, invariably in the company of his wife (and great fan) J can, Doc would never take any of the privileges of his standing. He did not limit his associations to his fellow authors, editors, artists or publishers. Nor, for all that he was a great favorite among the older fans who best appreciated his contribution to science fiction, did Doc restrict

340

Over My Shoulder

himself to the Big Name Fan or even the mature one. He was available any time, to anyone who approached him in a corridor, lobby or meeting room. He would talk science fiction to the youngest fuzzy-cheeked adolescents as readily as he would to the leading fan or pro. He had a willing opinion on any matter, strongly held and argued when he felt strongly, yet he was fair in his willingness to listen to opposing views. He was a generous, gentle man. He was a man whose like has not graced our community before, and I doubt that the like of Doc Smith will come our way again. His was too rare a combination of talent, vigor, buoyant youthfulness of spirit, kindly and outgoing nature, good will and sheer humanity of the highest type, to occur more than very, very rarely. Good-bye, Doc. We will miss you more than I know how to say.

So say we all. What about the unfinished Smith story-the fragmented original sequel to Subspace Explorers and the new material? I have a copy of all of this, and with his daughter Verna's full approval it is my intention, upon completion of these reminiscences, to put together a coherent, completed manuscript so that E.E. "Doc" Smith's last work may be presented to his many fans. Because I was informed of each step Doc took, I am probably better qualified than anyone else-indeed, the only one so qualified-to put the pieces together. It should require a minimum of write-ins on my part; it should really be Doc's work. I wrote the preceding paragraph in the original version of Over My Shoulder. Months passed while editors

I Forgot To Say-

341

were considering the manuscript-and during those months I completed the task which I had assigned myself. I put together the pieces of Doc's last novel, Subspace Encounter. I had to write a total of about 10,000 words, largely connecting passages scattered throughout the book, and embellishments of incidents not fully developed. These are passages which he certainly would have inserted had he lived to complete the task. What I wrote did not change the story in any way. The book is still Doc's. I am happy to report that it has already been accepted for publication. It will appear under Doc's name, "Edited and with an Introduction by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach." So I've finished reflecting-I've stopped looking over my shoulder. It has been a lot of work, but it has been fun. I've enjoyed rummaging around in the attic of my mind and prodding others into a backward look or two. But science fiction is forward-looking, and though there may be rewards in delving into the past, the future lies ahead with all its fascinating ramifications. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow!

Chapter 14 The Books They PubHshed HY HAVEN'T ICALLEDTHISLISTINGABIBLIOGRAPHY?

Because a bibliography customarily contains more information than I plan to provide. I am merely listing title, author and number of copies produced, with, in a f cw instances, other figures which may be of interest to the collector. Some booklets which in my view have no real significance have been omitted. The publishers are listed in alphabetical order, and the books are listed in order of publication. All of the quantities of the major specialist publishers have been provided by the publishers themselves or have been checked by them, so that our figures should be accurateor as accurate as incomplete records and failing memories can make them. 343

344

Over My Shoulder

Arkham House The figures from Arkham House represent total printing and binding. It was evidently Derleth's custom to bind the total press run at the time of publication. Although some books were sold at what could be classed as remainder prices, they were part of the regular edition. The quantities for Lovecraft's Dunwich Horror and Others, At the Mountains of Madness, Dagon and Other Macabre Tales and Selected Letters, Vols. I and II, are totals for first editions only. All have been reprinted, some four and five times. TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Outsider and Others H.P. Lovecraft

1939

1,268

Someone in the Dark August Derleth

1941

1,415

Out of Space and Time Clark Ashton Smith

1942

1,054

Beyond the Wall of Sleep H .P. Lovecraft

1943

1,217

The Eye and the Finger Donald Wandrei

1944

1,617

1944

1,559

1944

2,043

Jumbee and Other Uncanny Tales Henry S. Whitehead Lost Worlds Clark Ashton Smith

The Books They Published

345

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

Marginalia H.P. Lovecraft

1944

2,035

Something Near August Derleth

1945

2,054

The Opener of the Way Robert Bloch

1945

2,065

Witch House Evangeline Walton

1945

2,949

1945

2,026

The Lur/r.er at the Threshold 1945 H.P. Lovecraft 8c August Derleth

3,041

The Hounds ofTindalos Frank Belknap Long

1946

2,602

The DoU and One Other Algernon Blackwood

1946

3,490

The House on the Borderland and Other Novels 1946 William Hope Hodgson

3,014

S/r.ull-Face and Others Robert E. Howard

1946

3,004

West India Lights Henry S. Whitehead

1946

3,037

Fearful Pleasures A.E. Coppard

1946

4,033

Green Tea and Other Ghost Stories J. Sheridan Le Fanu

NO.PRINTED

346

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Clock Strikes Twelve H. Russell Wakefield

1946

4,040

Slan A.E. Van Vogt

1946

4,051

This Mortal Coil Cynthia Asquith

1947

2,609

1947

2,634

Dark Carnival Ray Bradbury

1947

3,112

Revelations in Black Carl Jacobi

1947

3 ,082

Night's Black Agents Fritz Leiber,Jr.

1947

3,084

1948

2,047

1948

3,068

The Fourth Book of Jorkens 1948 Lord Dunsay

3,118

Roads Seabury Quinn

1948

2 ,137

Genius Loci and Other Tales 1948 Clark Ashton Smith

3,047

Dark of the Moon: Poems of Fantasy and the Macabre Ed. by August Derleth

The Travelling Grave and Other Stories L.P. Hartley The Web of Easter Island Donald Wandrei

347

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

1948

2,067

1949

2,995

The Throne of Saturn S. Fowler Wright

1949

3,062

A Hombook for Witches Leah Bodine Drake

1950

553

The Dark Chateau Clark Ashton Smith

1951

563

•Tales from Underwood David H. Keller

1952

3,500

1952

4,500

The Curse of Yig Zealia B. Bishop

1953

1,217

The Feasting Dead John Metcalfe

1954

1,242

The Survivors and Others H.P. Lovecraft & August Derleth

1957

2,096

1957

636

Not Long for This World August Derleth Something About Cats and Other Pieces H.P. Lovecraft

•Night's Yawning Peal: A Ghostly Company Ed~by August Derleth

Always Come Evening, Collected Poems of Robert E. Howard Comp. by Glenn Lord

348

Over My Shoulder

TITLE &: AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

Spells & Philtres Clark Ashton Smith

1958

519

The Mask of Cthulhu August Derleth

1958

2,051

Nine Mirrors and a Dream Joseph Payne Brennan

1958

1,336

**Arkham House: The First Twenty Years August Derleth

1959

815

**Some Notes on H.P. Lovecraft August Derleth

1959

1,044

1959

2,527

The Abominations of Yondo 1960 Clark Ashton Smith

2,005

Pleasant Dreams Robert Bloch

1960

2,060

Invaders from the Dark Greye La Spina

1960

1,559

Strayers from Sheol H. Russell Wakefield

1961

2,070

1961

2,026

The Shuttered Room and Other Pieces H.P. Lovecraft and Divers Hands

Fire and Sleet and Candlelight: New Poems of the Macabre Ed. by August Derleth

349

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTIIOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

"'"'*The Shunned House H.P. Lovecraft

1961

100

Dreams and Fancies H.P. Lovecraft

1962

2,030

Lonesome Places August Derleth

1962

2,201

Dark Mind, Dark Heart Ed. by August Derleth

1962

2,493

100 Books by August Derleth 1962

1,225

The Trail of Cthulhu August Derleth

1962

2,470

The Dunwich Horror and Others H.P. Lovecraft

1963

9,123 /

Collected Poems H.P. Lovecraft

1963

2,013

Who Fears the Devil1 Manly Wade Wellman

1963

2,058

1963

2,546

The Dark Man and Others Robert E. Howard

1963

2,029

The Horror from the Hills Frank Belknap Long

1963

1,997

Mr. George and Other Odd Persons Stephen Grendon

350

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

The Inhabitants of the Lake and Less Welcome Tenants J. Ramsey Campbell

NO.PRINTED

1964

2,009

Poems for Midnight Donald Wandrei

1964

742

Over the Edge Ed. by August Derleth

1964

2 ,520

At the Mountains of Madness and Other Novels 1964 H.P. Lovecraft

6,539

Portraits in Moonlight Carl Jacobi

1964

1,987

Tales of Science and Sorcery 1964 Clark Ashton Smith

2,482

Nightmare Need Joseph Payne Brennan Selected Letters /, 1911-1924 H.P. Lovecraft Poems in Prose Clark Ashton Smith Dagon and Other Macabre Tales H.P. Lovecraft Something Breathing Stanley McNail

1964

500

1965

2,504

1965

1,016

1965

5,459

1965

500

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

351

NO.PRINTED

The Quick and the Dead Vincent Starrett

1965

2,047

Strange Harvest Donald Wandrei

1965

2,000

1966

3,460

1966

2,405

Blach Medicine Arthur J. Burks

1966

1,952

Deep Waters William Hope Jlodgson

1967

2,556

Travellers by Night Ed. by August Derleth

1967

2,486

The Mind Parasites Colin Wilson

1967

3,045

3 Tales of Horror H.P. Lovecraft

1967

1,522

Strange Gateways E. Hoffman Price

1967

2,007

The Green Round Arthur Machen

1968

2,058

The Dark Brotherhood and Other Pieces H.P. Lovecraft and Divers Hands Colonel Markesan and Less Pleasant PeofJle August Derleth & Mark Schorer

352

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

Selected Letters II, 1925-1929 H.P. Lovecraft

NO.PRINTED

1968

2,482

1968

2,040

Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos 1969 Collected by AugustDerleth

4,024

Nightmares and Daydreams Nelson Bond

The Folsom Flint and Other Curious Tales David H. Keller

1969

2,031

Thirty Years of Arkham House, 1939-1969 August Derleth

1970

2,137

1970

500

1970

4 ,058

1970

3,144

Songs and Sonnets Atlantean 1971 Donald Sidney Fryer

2,045

The Caller of the Black Brian Lumley

1971

3,606

1971

2,513

Demons and Dinosaurs L. Sprague de Camp The Horror in the Museum and Other Revisions H.P. Lovecraft Other Dimensions Clark Ashton Smith

Selected Letters III, 1929-1931 H.P. Lovecraft

The Books They Published

353

PUB.DATE

NO. PRINTED

Selected Poems Clark Ashton Smith

1971

2,118

Dar/r. Things Ed. by August Dcrlcth

1971

3,051

Eight Tales Walter de la Marc

1971

2,992

The Face in the Mirror Denys Val Baker

1971

2,045

1972

676

Disclosures in Scarlet Carl Jacobi

1972

3,127

The Rim of the Un/r.nown Frank Belknap Long

1972

3,650

Demons by Daylight Ramsey Campbell

1973

3,472

From Evil's Pillow Basil Copper

1973

3,468

1973

4,138

1974

3,842

Collected Ghost Stories 1974 Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman

4,027

TITLE & AUTHOR

The Ar/r.ham Collector: Vol. 1 (bound set)

Stories of Dar/r.ness and Dread J oscph Payne Brennan Beneath the Moors Brian Lumley

354

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

The Watchers Out of Time and Others H.P. Lovecraft & August Derleth

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

1974

5,070

1975

4,991

Xelucha and Others M.P. Shiel

1975

4,283

Harrigan 's File August Derleth

1975

4,102

The House of the Worm Gary Myers

1975

4 ,144

Nameless Places Ed. by Gerald W. Page

1975

4,160

The Purcell Papers J. Sheridan Le Fanu

1975

4,288

Dreams from R 'Lyeh Lin Carter

1975

3,152

Selected Letters JV, 1932-1934 H.P. Lovecraft

1976

4,978

Selected Letters V, 1934-1937 H.P. Lovecraft

1976

5,138

1976

3,926

Howard Phillips Lovecraft: Dreamer on the Night Side Frank Belknap Long

Dwellers in Darkness August Derleth

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTIIOR

Literary Swordsmen and Sorcerers L. Sprague de Camp

PUB.DATE

355

NO.PRINTED

1976

5,431

1976

4,348

1976

4,391

1977

4,259

1977

4,162

In Mayan Splendor Frank Belknap Long

1977

2,947

Born To Exile Phyllis Eisenstein

1978

4,148

Half in Shadow 1978 Mary Elizabeth Counselman

4,288

The Height of the Scream Ramsey Campbell Keclcsies and Other Twilight Tales Marjorie Bowen .And .Afterward, the Darlc Basil Copper The Horror at Oalcdeene and Others Brian Lumley

In the Mist and Other Uncanny Encounters Elizabeth Walters

1978

4,053

The Princess of .All Lands Russell Kirk

1979

4,120

The Blaclc Boole Clark Ashton Smith

1979

2,588

356

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO. PRINTED

1980

4,000

New Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos 1980 Ed. by Ramsey Campbell

4,000

Necropolis Basil Copper

* Books published jointly by Arkham House and Pellegrini & Cudahy, produced and marketed by the latter. ** Derleth called these chapbooks; they are actually booklets which hardly deserve listing. ***Not actually an Arkham House book. Published by W. Paul Cook in 1928; bound by Derleth in 1961.

AS FOPress TITLE & AUTHOR

The Immortal Storm, A History of Science Fiction Fandom Sam Moskowitz

PUB. DATE

1954

NO. PRINTED

500

The Avalon Company TITLE & AUTHOR

Life Everlasting and Other Tales of Science, Fantasy and Horror David H. Keller

PUB.DATE

1948

NO.PRINTED

900

357

The Books They Published Buffalo Book Company TITLE It AUTHOR

The S/r.ylar/r. of Space Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

PUB. DATE

1946

NO.PRINTED

1,000

Buffalo Book Company & Grant Hadley Enterprises TITLE It AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

The Time Stream John Taine

1946

NO.PRINTED

1,000

Carcosa House TITLE It AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

1947

1,500

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

1969

30,000 (2 printings)

The Pathless Trail Arthur 0. Friel

1969

20,000

The Hand of Kane Robert E. Howard

1970

30,000 (2 printings)

The Treasure of Atlantis J. Allen Dunn

1970

20,000

1971

750

Edison's Conquest of Mars Garrett P. Serviss

Centaur Press TITLE It AUTHOR

The Moon of S/r.ulls Robert E. Howard

The Treasure of Atlantis (hardcover) J. Allen Dunn

358

Over My Shoulder PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

Solomon Kane Robert E. Howard

1971

30,000 (3 printings)

Tiger River Arthur 0. Friel

1971

15,000 (2 printings)

The Wolf in the Garden Alfred H. Bill

1972

10,000

Swordsmen and Supermen

1972

10,000

City of Wonder E. Charles Vivian

1974

10,000

Caesar Dies Talbot Mundy

1974

10,000

Grey Maiden 1974 Arthur D. Howden Smith

10,000

Dr. Cyclops Will Garth

1976

10,000

The Werewolf of Ponkert H. Warner Munn

1976

10,000

1977

15,000

Kingdom of the Dwarfs David Wenzel (Text by Robb Walsh)

198'0

20,000 paper 10,000 cloth 511 deluxe

The Black Wolf Galad Elflandsson

1980

TITLE & AUTIIOR

Middle Earth: The World of Tolkien Illustrated David Wenzel (Text by Robb Walsh)

5,000

The Boo.k s They Published TITLE & AUTHOR

Out of the Storm William Hope Hodgson

PUB. DATE

1980

359

NO.PRINTED

5,000

The Chamberlain Press TITLE & AUTHOR

Born of Man and Woman Richard Matheson

PUB. DATE

1952

NO.PRINTED

650

The Council of Four TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

The Science Fictional Sherlock Holmes 1960 Ed. by Robert C. Peterson

NO.PRINTED

1,000 (2 printings)

Fantasy Fiction Field TITLE & AUTHOR

The Skylark of Space Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

PUB. DATE

1949 (?)

NO.PRINTED

2,000

Fantasy Press The publication dates shown are the bindery billing dates for first production. The total editions were not necessarily bound at the same time, but because cloth and stamping were identical, all are first editionsexcept, of course, where later printings are indicated. When figures appear under "Remaindered," these were unbound copies sold to DonaldM.Grant. No accounting has been attempted for the several hundred unbound

360

Over My Shoulder

books sold to Martin Greenberg of Pick-A-Book since no record of these transactions exists. I cannot be certain of the date when the three Golden Science Fiction Library titles were produced, but because the books were announced at the same time as Islands of Space, it was evidently in 1956. Where very low figures appear as "Remaindered," these were flat sheets held at the bindery for possible offset reprint editions. TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

Spacehounds of /PC Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

2/12/47

2,008 (1st printing) 3,510 (2nd 8c 3rd)

The Legion of Space Jack Williamson

5/24/47

2,970

The Forbidden Garden John Taine

8/29/47

3,029

Of Worlds Beyond Ed. by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach

8/30/47

1,262

The Boo/r. of Ptath A.E. Van Vogt

12/8/47

3,021

The Blac/r. Flame Stanley G. Weinbaum

2/20/48

3,246

Triplanetary Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

4/26/48

4,941 (1st printing)

2 ,505 (2nd printing)

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

361

NO.PRINTED

Beyond This Horizon Robert A. Heinlein

6/30/48

3,502

Sinister Barrier Eric Frank Russell

8/6/48

3,918 (834 remaindered)

Skylark Three Edward E. Smith, PhD.

10/5/48

4,017

Divide and Rule L. Sprague de Camp

ll/26/48

3,111

Darker Than You Think Jack Williamson

12/30/48

4,351 (472 remaindered)

Skylark of Valeron

3/7 /49

4,958

4/12/49

3,158

Seven Out of Time Arthur Leo Zagat

7/1/49

3,037 (425 remaindered)

The Incredible Planet John W. Campbell,Jr.

10/7 /49

3,998

First Lensman Edward E. Smith, PhD.

1/2/50

5,885

Masters of Time A.E. Van Vogt

3/30/50

4,064 (30 remaindered)

The Bridge of Light A. Hyatt Verrill

6/9/50

2,556

Genus Homo L. Sprague de Camp & P. Schuyler Miller

7 /15/50

Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

A Martian Odyssey and Others Stanley G. Weinbaum

2,999 (168 remaindered)

Over My Shoulder

362

PUB.DATE

TITLE & AUTHOR

The Cometeers Jack Williamson •Galactic Patrol Edward E. Smith, Ph.D .

NO. PRINTED

11/5/50

3,192 (32 remaindered)

11/24/50

6,628 (30 remaindered)

The Moon Is Hell John W. Campbell,Jr.

1/2/51

3,706

Dreadful Sanctuary Eric Frank Russell

3/27 /51

2 ,975

Beyond Infinity Robert Spencer Carr

6/8/51

3,109 (330 remaindered)

I

Seeds of Life John Taine

6/29/51

4,273

Gray Lensman Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

10/15/51

5,096

The Crystal Horde John Taine

6/20/52

2 ,976 ( 648 remaindered)

The Red Peri Stanley G. Weinbaum

8/15/52

3,185 (1,453 remaindered)

The Legion of Time Jack Williamson

11/10/52

4,604 (1 ,955 remaindered)

The Titan P. Schuyler Miller

12/10/52

3,042 (97 3 remaindered)

Second Stage Lensman Edward E. Smith, PhD.

2/20/53

4,962

The Black Star Passes John W. Campbell, Jr.

6/30/53

2,994 (43 remaindered)

363

The Books They Published TITLE &: AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

Man of Many Minds E. Everett Evans

12/23/53

4,098 (540 remaindered)

Assignment in Eternity Robert A. Heinlein

1954

4,026 (911 remaindered)

Deep Space Eric Frank Russell

7 /2/54

2,986 (729 remaindered)

Three Thousand Years Thomas Calvert McClary

8/5/54

3,153 (1,699 remaindered)

Children of the Lens Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

9/13/54

5,042 (168 remaindered)

The History of Civilization Edward E. Smith, PhD.

10/54

Operation: Outer Space Murray Leinster

10/27 /54

3,523 (1,481 remaindered)

G.O.G. 666 John Taine

12/31/54

3,042 (1,228 remaindered)

Tyrant of Time Lloyd Arthur Eshbach

1/2/55

3,051 (1,504 remaindered)

Under the Triple Suns Stanton A. Coblentz

2/11/55

3,121 (1,593 remaindered)

Alien Minds E. Everett Evans

8/30/55

2,988 (1,571 remaindered)

Islands of Space John W. Campbell,Jr.

1956

3,000 (1,195 remaindered)

The Vortex Blaster Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

8/27 /60

75 sets

341

364

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

Invaders from the Infinite John W. Campbell,Jr.

1961

NO.PRINTED

112

(In addition to the figures given, of all Fantasy Press titles except the last three, there were two copies bound in full leather.) THE GOLDEN SCIENCE FICTION LIBRARY 1. Galactic Patrol Edward E. Smith, PhD.

1956

500

2. The Moon Is Hell John W. Campbell,Jr.

1956

500

3. Operation: Outer Space Murray Leinster

1956

500

Fantasy Publishing Co., Inc. These statistics were provided by William L. Crawford. Some estimates may be involved, but the quantities on the whole are accurate. The only unknowns are the unbound books sold to Greenberg for Pick-A.Book. TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

Out of the Unknown A.E. Van Vogt & E. Mayne Hull

1948

1,000 1,000 (2nd) 1,000 (3rd)

The Sunken World Stanton A. Coblentz

1948

1,000 1,500_ (2nd)

Death's Deputy L. Ron Hubbard

1948

1,200

The Radio Man Ralph Milne Farley

1948

2,400 300 paper

The Books They Published TITLE&: AUTIIOR

PUB.DATE

365

NO.PRINTED

The Works of M.P. Shiel A. Reynolds Morse

1948

1,000

The Cosmic Geoids John Taine

1949

1,200 1,500 (2nd) 300 paper

The Kingslayer L. Ron Hubbard

1949

1,200

Planets of Adventure Basil Wells

1949

2,000

Murder Madness Murray Leinster

1949

800 300 paper

The Radium Pool Ed Earl Repp

1949

1,000 200 paper

The Triton L. Ron Hubbard

1949

1,700

Worlds of Wonder Olaf Stapledon

1949

900

The Stellar Missiles Ed Earl Repp

1949

1,000 200 paper

The Rat Race Jay Franklin

1950

1,700 300 paper

After 12000 Years Stanton A. Coblentz

1950

1,750 250 paper

The Omnibus of Time Ralph Milne Farley

1950

2,000

The Dark Other Stanley G. Weinbaum

1950

1,200

366

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Hidden Universe Ralph Milne Farley

1950

The Undesired Princess L. 'Sprague de Camp

1951

1,200

The Toymaker Raymond F. Jones

1951

1,700 300 paper

Doorways to Space Basil Wells

1951

1,200

The Iron Star John Taine

1951

1,200

The Atom Clock Cornell Lengyel

1951

Drome John Martin Leahy

1952

1,500

Green Fire John Taine

1952

1,250

The Planet of Youth Stanton A. Coblentz

1952

500 300 paper

1952

900

1953

800

1971

1,500

1971

1,500

Max Brand: The Man and His Work Darrell C. Richardson Science and Sorcery Ed. by Garret Ford Stardrift and Other Fantastic Flotsam Emil Petaja The Atlantean Chronicles Hank Eichner

700 200 paper

250 750 paper

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

Garan the Eternal Andre Norton

1972

367

NO.PRINTED

1,300

FPCI also combined a number of books into sort of hybrid omnibus volumes. Pagination of the original books was unchanged; it was simply an expedient devised to move previously unbound books. Not included in the above quantities were the additional sheets that went into the following: SCIENCE FICTION QUINTET The Triton, Hubbard; The Radium Pool, Repp

300

FROM DEATH TO THE STARS 300 Death~ Deputy, Hubbard; The Kingslayer, Hubbard FANTASY TWIN 300 The Undesired Princess, de Camp; The Dar/c Other, Weinbaum 300 STRANGE WORLDS The Radio Man, Farley; The Hidden Universe, Farley 300 QUADRATIC Worlds of Wonder, Stapledon;Murder Madness, Leinster

Futile Press TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

Hammer and Tongs Clyde F. Beck

1937

75

Nero and Other Poems Clark Ashton Smith

1938

75

The Commonplace Boole H.P. Lovecraft

1938

75

368

Over My Shoulder

Gnome Press Martin Greenberg provided the information on the Gnome Press books, the first really authoritative list ever published. His information came from his royalty records which reflect such items as number of free copies, including those sent out for review, and number of copies remaindered. I have not included free copy information because in my view researchers or collectors are interested only in the total quantity of books printed and bound. Among the latter titles were unfinished books which were sold by the bindery to a New York remainder house, where logically they were completed to make them salable. These quantities are shown, since the books found their way into the market place with variant bindings. TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Carnelian Cube L. Sprague de Camp 8c Fletcher Pratt

1948

3,400

The Porcelain Magician Frank Owen

1948

3,500

Sixth Column Robert A. Heinlein

1949

5,000

The Thirty First of February 1949 Nelson Bond

5,000

112 (special edition)

Men Against the Stars 1950 Ed. by Martin Greenberg

5,000 3,000 (2nd)

The Books They Published

369

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Castle of Iron L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt

1950

5,000

Minions of the Moon William Gray Beyer

1950

5,000

Conan the Conqueror Robert E. Howard

1950

5,000

I Robot Isaac Asimov

1950

5,000 1,000 (Army paperback)

Cosmic Engineers Clifford D. Simak

1950

5,000 (Army paperback)

Seetee Ship Will Stewart

1951

4,000

1951

4,000

Renaissance Raymond F.Jones

1951

4,000

Typewriter in the Sky L. Ron Hubbard

1951

4,000

Travellers in Space Ed. by Martin Greenberg

1951

5,000 2,500 (2nd)

Journey to Infinity Ed. by Martin Greeberg

1951

5,000 2,500 (2nd)

Foundation Isaac Asimov

1951

5,000 2,500 (2nd)

TITLE &: AUTHOR

Tomorrow and Tomorrow & The Fairy Chessmen Lewis Padgett

370

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTIIOR

PUB. DATE

The Mixed Men A.E. Van Vogt

1952

5,000

City Clifford D. Simak

1952

5,000

Robots Have No Tails Lewis Padgett

1952

4,000

Judgment Night C.L. Moore

1952

4,000

Sword of Conan Robert E. Howard

1952

5,000

Five Science Fiction Novels Ed. by Martin Greenberg

1952

6,500

Sands of Mars Arthur C. Clarke

1952

5,000 1,500 (2nd) 1,500 (3rd)

The Starmen Leigh Brackett

1952

5,000

Foundation and Empire Isaac Asimov

1952

5,000 2,500 (2nd)

Children of the Atom Wilmar Shiras

1953

5,000

Space Lawyer Nat Schachner

1953

4,000

Mutant Lewis Padgett

1953

4,000

Shambleau and Others C.L. Moore

1953

4,000

NO.PRINTED

The Books They Published

371

NO.PRINTED

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

Complete Book of Outer Space Jerry Mason

1953

3,000

The Coming of Conan Robert E. Howard

1953

5,000

King Conan Robert E. Howard

1953

5,000

The Robot and the Man Ed . by Martin Greenberg

1953

5,000

/ceworld Hal Clement

1953

4,000

Against the Fall of Night Arthur C. Clarke

1953

5,000

Second Foundation Isaac Asimov

1953

5,000 2,500 (2nd)

Conan the Barbarian Robert E. Howard

1954

5,000

Undersea Quest Fred Pohl & Jack Williamson

1954

5,000

1954

4,000

Northwest of Earth C.L. Moore

1954

4,000

Forgotten Planet Murray Leinster

1954

5 ,000

Mel Oliver and Space Rover on Mars William Morrison

372

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

Lost Continents L. Sprague de Camp

1954

5,000

Prelude to Space Arthur C. Clarke

1954

5,000

Star Bridge Jack Williamson & James E. Gunn

1955

5,000 (900 remaindered)

Address: Centauri F .L. Wallace

1955

4,000

Sargasso of Space Andrew North (Andre Norton)

1955

4,000

Tales of Conan Robert E. Howard

1955

5 ,000

This Fortress World James E. Gunn

1955

4,000

All About the Future 1955 Ed. by Martin Greenberg

5,000

Reprieve from Paradise H. Chandler Elliott

1955

4,000

Science Fiction Terror Tales Ed. by Groff Conklin

1955

5,000

Highways in Hiding George 0 . Smith

1956

4,000

Undersea Fleet Fred Pohl & Jack Williamson

1956

5,000

The Books They Published

373

NO.PRINTED

TITLE &: AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

Plague Ship Andrew North

1956

5,000

1956

3,000

Interplanetary Hunter Arthur Barnes

1956

4,000

The Shrouded Planet Robert Randall

1957

5,000 (2,038 remaindered)

The Return of Conan Bjorn Nyberg & L. Sprague de Camp

1957

5,000

SF: 57-The Year's Greatest Science Fiction & Fantasy 1957 Ed. by Judith Merril

3,000

SF: 56-The Year's Greatest Science Fiction & Fantasy Ed. by Judith Merril

Colonial Survey Murray Leinster

1957

5,000

Two Sought Adventure Fritz Leiber

1957

4,000

1957 Coming Attractions Ed. by Martin Greenberg

5,000

They'd Rather Be Right Mark Clifton & Frank Riley

1957

5,000 (2,065 remaindered)

The Seedling Stars James Blish

1957

5,000

374 TITLE&: AUTHOR

Over My Shoulder PUB. DATE

NO. PRINTED

Earthman 's Burden Poul Anderson & Gordon Dickson

1957

5,000 (2,000 remaindered)

Path of Unreason George 0 . Smith

1958

5,000 (2,000 remaindered)

Starman '.s Quest Robert Silverberg

1958

5,000 (2 ,000 remaindered)

Undersea City Fred Pohl & Jack Williamson

1958

5 ,000 (2 ,000 remaindered)

Tros of Samothrace Talbot Mundy

1958

5,000

1958

4,000 (1 ,263 remaindered)

SF: 58- The Year'.s Greatest Science Fiction & Fantasy Ed. by Judith Merril Methuselah 's Children Robert A. Heinlein

1958

7,500

The Survivors Tom Godwin

1958

5,000 (1,084 remaindered)

The Bird of Time Wallace West

1959

5,000 (2,102 remaindered)

The Dawning Light Robert Randall

1959

5 ,000 (1,530 remaindered)

The Purple Pirate Talbot Mundy

1959

5,000

1959

5 ,000

SF: 59-The Year's Greatest Science Fiction & Fantasy Ed . by Judith Merril

The Books They Published TITLE &: AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag Robert A. Heinlein

375

NO.PRINTED

1959

5,000

The Menace from Earth Robert A. Heinlein

1959

5,000

The Vortex Blaster Edward E. Smith, Ph.D .

1960

. 3,000

Agent of Vega James A. Schmitz

1960

4,000

Drunkard's Walk Fred Pohl

1960

3 ,000

Invaders from the Infinite John W. Campbell,Jr.

1961

4,000

Gray Lensman ' Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.

1961

3,000

The Philosophical Corps Everett B. Cole

1962

4,000

Gorgon Press TITLE &: AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

Moonfoam and Sorceries Stanley Mullen

1948

NO.PRINTED

500

The Grandon Company TITLE&: AUTHOR

The Port of Peril Otis Adelbert Kline

PUB.DATE

1949

NO.PRINTED

3,000

376

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

Dwellers in the Mirage A. Merritt

PUB.DATE

1950

333: A Bibliography of the Science Fantasy Novel 1953 Ed . by J .H. Crawford, J.J. Donahue & D.M. Grant

NO. PRINTED

1,000

500

The Return of Tharn Howard Browne

1957

500

The Werewolf of Ponkert H. Warner Munn

1958

500

Donald M. Grant, Publisher

The figures for the various publishing ventures involving Donald M. Grant-Centaur Press, The Grandon Company, Grant-Hadley Enterprises, Macabre Househave been provided by Grant himself. In a few instances definite figures are not available. The generally accepted total for Skylark of Space by Smith is 500 copies. I disagree with this on the basis of Tom Hadley's statement to me in our very first contact, and because there were approximately 1,000 Skylark buyers in the customer list I compiled for Hadley from the actual orders. If only 500 copies had been produced, there would have been as many unhappy fans who never received books. TITLE & AUTHOR

A Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs Ed. by Rev. Henry Hardy Heins

PUB.DATE

1964

NO. PRINTED

1,000

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

377

NO.PRINTED

A Gent from Bear Creek Robert E. Howard

1965

732

The Pride of Bear Creek Robert E. Howard

1966

812

Goddess of Ganymede Michael Resnick

1967

750

Red Shadows Robert E. Howard

1968

896

Singers in the Shadows Robert E. Howard

1970

549

Red Shadows (2nd ed.) Robert E. Howard

1971

741

Red Blades of Cathay Robert E. Howard

1971

1,091

Virgil Finlay (art volume)

1971

1,202

Marchers of Valhalla Robert E. Howard

1972

1,654

Echoes from an Iron Harp Robert E. Howard

1972

1,079

The Sowers of the Thunder Robert E. Howard

1973

2,509

The Temple of the Ten H. Bedford Jones & W.C. Robertson

1973

1,000

Worms of the Earth Robert E. Howard

1974

2,500

Tigers of the Sea Robert E. Howard

1974

3,400

378

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINfED

People of the Black Circle Robert E. Howard

1974

2,850

Almuric Robert E. Howard

1975

3,438

1975

1,495

A Witch Shall Be Born Robert E. Howard

1975

3,400

The Tower of the Elephant Robert E. Howard

1975

3,100

1975

2,000

Out of the Storm William Hope Hodgson

1975

2,100

The Bowl of Baal Robert Ames Bennett

1975

1,600

Red Nails Robert E. Howard

1975

3,400

The Banner of Joan H. Warner Munn

1975

975

Black Vulmea's Vengeance Robert E. Howard

1976

2,750

The Iron Man Robert E. Howard

1976

1,500

Rogues in the House Robert E. Howard

1976

3,400

A GentfromBearCreek (2nd ed.) Robert E. Howard

Virgil Finlay : An Astrology Sketch Book

379

The Books They Published TITLE&: AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

The Sowers of the Thunder (2nd ed.) Robert E. Howard

NO.PRINTED

1976

1,250

1976

2,600

Upon the Winds of Yesterday 1976 George Barr

2,500

The Devil in Iron Robert E. Howard

1976

3,200

To Quebec and the Stars H.P. Lovecraft, ed. by L. Sprague de Camp

1977

2,200

1977

1,540

1977

2,020 200 deluxe

The Last Celt Ed. by Glenn Lord

The Chronicles of Lucius Leffmg Joseph Payne Brennan The Dream of X William Hope Hodgson

Marchers of Valhalla (2nd ed.) 1977 Robert E. Howard The Pride of Bear Creek (2nd ed.) Robert E. Howard

2,050

1977

1,550

Black God's Shadow Robert E. Howard

1977

2,400 150 deluxe

The Three Palladins Harold Lamb

1977

1,950

Red Shadows (3rd ed.) Robert E. Howard

1978

1,350

380

Over My Shoulder

TITLE 8c AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

1978

2,400

Emperor of Dreams: A Clark Ashton Smith Bibliography Ed. by Donald Sidney-Fryer

1978

1,375

The Magic Pen of Joseph Clements Coll Ed. by Walt Reed

1978

750

Alicia Austin's Age of Dreams Alicia Austin

1978

1,800 200 deluxe

Queen of the Black Coast Robert E. Howard

1978

2,700

Bazaar of the Bizarre Fritz Leiber

1978

1,350

Act of Providence Joseph Payne Brennan & Donald M. Grant

1979

1,100 240 deluxe

Revenge of Dracula Peter Tremaine

1979

1,250

The Road of Azrael Robert E. Howard

1979

1,800 300 deluxe

Black Colossus Robert E. Howard

1979

3,050

The Black Wolf Galad Elflandsson

1979

1,020

King-of the Khyber Rifles Talbot Mundy

381

The Books They Published PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

1979

1,000

1979

2,500

1979

1,000

Mayhem on Bear Creek Robert E. Howard

1979

1,900

Hawks of Outremer Robert E. Howard

1979

1,625

Fields of Sleep E.C. Vivian

1980

1,300

1980

1,500

1980

1,500

1980

900

TITLE &: AUTHOR

Tales of the Werewolf Clan (Vol. 1) H. Warner Munn Jewels of Gwahlur Robert E. Howard Lovecraft's Providence and Adjacent Parts Henry L.P. Beckwith

Science Fiction in Old San Francisco (VoL 1): History of the Movement from 1854 to 1890 Sam Moskowitz Science Fiction in Old San Francisco (VoL II): Into the Sun and Other Stories Robert Duncan Milne Vision of Doom-Poetry of Ambrose Bierce Ed. by Donald Sidney-Fryer

382

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

Tales of the Werewolf Clan (Vol. 2) H. Warner Munn Ealdwood CJ. Cherryh

NO.PRINTED

1980

1,018

1981

1,000

Grant-Hadley Enterprises PUB. DATE

TITLE & AUTHOR

Rhode Island on Lovecraft Ed. by Donald M. Grant & Thomas P. Hadley

1948

NO.PRINTED

500 1,000 (2nd)

Griffin Publishing Company TITLE& AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO. PRINTED

People of the Comet Austin Hall

1948

1,500

The Machine God Laughs Festus Pragnell

1949

800

Hadley Publishing Company TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Weapon Makers A.E. Van Vogt

1946

1,000

The Mightiest Machine John W. Campbell,Jr.

1947

1,200

1947

1,000

The Skylark of Space ~ndedJ Edward E. Smith, PhD.

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTIIOR

PUB.DATE

Final Blackout L. Ron Hubbard

1948

383

NO.PRINTED

1,000

Macabre House TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Doric Returners J oscph Payne Brennan

1959

150

Scream at Midnight Joseph Payne Brennan

1963

250

1973

750

The Casebook of Lucius Leffing Joseph Payne Brennan

The Milwaukee Fictioneers TITLE & AUTIIOR

PUB.DATE

Dawn of Flame and Other Stories Stanley G. Weinbaum

1936

NO.PRINTED

250

National Fantasy Fan Federation TITLE & AUTIIOR

PUB.DATE

The Sign of the Burning Hart David H. Keller

1938

NO.PRINTED

100

New Collectors Group TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

The Fox Woman and The Blue Pagoda 1946 A. Merritt & Hannes Bok The Blac/c Wheel 1948 A. Merritt & Hannes Bok

NO.PRINTED

2,000 2,000

384

Over My Shoulder

TITLE Be AUTIIOR

PUB.DATE

Some Chinese Ghosts Lafcadio Hearn

NO.PRINTED

1948

1,000

PUB.DATE

NO.PRINTED

1948

1,000

The New Era Company TITLE 8c AUTHOR

The Solitary Hunters and The Abyss David H. Keller

Polaris Press The completed Polaris Press books were published with both dust wrapper and slipcase. The remaindered copies of The Abyss of Wonders had no slipcases produced for them, and were sold as folded and gathered but unbound sheets. TITLE 8c AUTIIOR

PUB. DATE

NO.PRINTED

The Heads of Cerberus Francis Stevens

4/1/52

1,563

The Abyss of Wonders Perley Poore Sheehan

4/8/54

1,545 (555 remaindered)

Prime Press These figures came from Oswald Train 's memory, so obviously they are rounded numbers; but he is confident that they are quite accurate. The last figure, that for The Blind Spot, represents all that were bound, the remainder of the printing having been destroyed while held in the bindery.

The Books They Published TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB. DATE

385

NO.PRINTED

The Mislaid Charm Alexander M. Phillips

1947

5,000

Venus Equilateral George 0. Smith

1947 1949

2,000 2,000 (2nd)

Equality, or a History of Lithconia Anonymous

1949

And Some Were Human Lester Del Rey

1948

The Torch Jack Bechdolt

1948

Without Sorcery Theodore Sturgeon

1948

It

1948

500 2,000 100 (special edition) 2,000 3,000 100 (special edition) 50 paper

Theodore Sturgeon

Lest Darkness Fall L. Sprague de Camp

1949

2,000

The Homunculus David H. Keller

1949

2,000 100 (special edition)

Lords of Creation Eando Binder

1949

2,000 100 (special edition)

Exiles of Time Nelson S. Bond

1949

2,000 100 (special edition)

386

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUfHOR

PUB. DATE

The Eternal Conflict David H. Keller

NO. PRINTED

1949

400

Three Hundred Years Hence 1950 Mary Griffith

500

The Incomplete Enchanter L. Sprague de Camp

1950

2,000 50 paper

Nomad George 0. Smith

1950

2,000

The Wolf Leader Alexander Dumas

1950

2,000

The Lady Decided David H. Keller

1950

400

The Blind Spot Austin Hall & Homer Eon Flint

1951

900

Shasta Publishers Thaddeus Dikty provided the Shasta quantities from memory, not having access to records, but he actually handled the books in receiving and shipping so his memory should be quite accurate. On three booksThe Man Who Sold the Moon, This Js/o,nd Earth and Empire of the Atom-there may have been an additional printing. TITLE & AUfHOR

PUB.DATE

The Checklist of Fantastic Literature Ed. by Everett F. Bleiler

1948

NO. PRINTED

1,900

The Books They Published TITLE& AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

387

NO.PRINTED

Who Goes There'! John W. Campbell, Jr.

1948

3,000 2,000 (2nd)

Slaves of Sleep L. Ron Hubbard

1948

3,500

The Wheels of If L. Sprague de Camp

1949

4,000

The World Below S. Fowler Wright

1949

2,000

1950

3,000 2,000 (2nd)

Sidewise in Time Murray Leinster

1950

3,000

Kinsmen of the Dragon Stanley Mullen

1951

2,000

Space on My Hands Fredric Brown

1951

3,000

The Green Hills of Earth Robert A. Heinlein

1951

3,000 2,000 (2nd)

The Cloak of Aesir John W. Campbell,Jr.

1952

3,000

This Island Earth Raymond F. Jones

1952

4,000

Murder in Millenium VI Cunne Gray

1952

1,500

The Demolished Man Alfred Bester

1953

3,000 2,000 (2nd)

The Man Who Sold the Moon Robert A. Heinlein

388

Over My Shoulder

TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

NO. PRINTED

Space Platform Murray Leinster

1953

3,000

Revolt in 2100 Robert A. Heinlein

1953

3,000

Science Fiction Carnival Ed. by Fredric Brown & Mack Reynolds

1953

3,000

Space Tug Murray Leinster

1953

3,000

Empire of the Atom A.E; Van Vogt

1956

1,000 1,500 (2nd)

The Westmore Beauty Book The Westmores (Melvin Korshak: Publisher)

1956

25,000

Visionary Publishing Company TITLE & AUTHOR

PUB.DATE

Mars Mountain Eugene George Key

NO.PRINTED

1935

250

The Shadow Over lnnsmouth 1936 H.P. Lovecraft

200

Behind the Evidence Peter Reynolds (Amelia Reynolds Long)

1936

1,000

Index Abelard-Schuman (publisher), 210 "Abyss, The" (Keller), 228,291 Abyss of Wonders, The (Sheehan), 134,314 Acheson, Robert Bruce, 177 Ackerman, Forrest J., 54, 55, 57, 6~7~85,90,91, 104, 106,252,257,306 Adrift in the Unknown (Cook), 31 Advent: Publishers, 120 Adventure Library (paperback books), 31 Adventures in Time and Space (Healy and McComas, eds.), 19 Adventures of Romney Pringle ("Ashdown," pseud. Freeman and Pitcairn), 200 After a Million Years (Smith), 33 After 12,000 Years (Coblentz), 255,263,264 Agnew, Jack, 181, 185, 288290 Air Wonder Stories (magazine), 36 Alexander, Herb, 128 "Alhazred, Abdul," 269 Alicia Austin's Age of Dreams (Austin), 178 Alien Flesh (Quinn), 195,200 Alien Minds (Evans), 309 "All" (Campbell), 320

Allen, Richard P., 49 "Alley Oop, the Man I'd Like To Be" (Hamlin), 83 All-Story (magazine), 32-34, 76,134,262 Amazing Stories (magazine), 11-14, 17, 19, 20, 35, 36, 39-41, 44, 71, 84, 167, 228, 241, 322, 329, 331, 335 Amazing Stories Quarterly (magazine), 36, 228 A mazing World of DC Comics, 51 American Booksellers Association, 124 Anderson, Poul, 83,221,275, 296 Anderson, Sherwood, 160 And Some Were Human (del Rey), 189, 197 And You Thoreau (Derleth), 151 Antiquarian Bookman (magazine), 124, 131 "Arcot, Wade and Morey" Series (Campbell), 321 Argosy (magazine), 12, 25, 31, 32, 34, 134,192,227, 228,263 Argosy All-Story Weekly (magazine), 36,192,262 Arkham House (publisher), 123, 124, 139-142, 146, 148-156, 158-161, 206,

390

Over My Shoulder

208, 252, 292, 298, 314, 344-356 Arkham Sampler, The (magazine), 150, 154, 156 "Armageddon in Space" (Hamilton), 305 Amo Press (publisher), 31, 133,287 ASFO Press (publisher), 294, 295,356 "Ashdown, Clifford" (pseud. Freeman and Pitcairn), 200 Ashley, Michael, 45 Asimov, Isaac, 77, 101, 128, 140,211,215,220,221 Associated Fantasy Publishers, 81,123,242 Astounding Science Fiction (magazine), 96, 102, 111, 125, 188, 206, 214, 315, 335 Astounding Stories (magazine), 17, 19, 44, 52, 53, 68, 77, 167,228,230,286,317 Astounding Stories of Super Science (magazine), 43 Atlanta Science Fiction Organization Press (publisher), 294,295,356 Atlantean Chronicles, The (Eichner), 263 "At the Crater's Core" (Haggard), 305 At the Mountains of Madness (Lovecraft), 53, 139

August Derleth Society, 160 August Derleth-Twenty Years of Writing (Derleth), 146 Aussiecon, 106 Austin, Alicia, 177, 178 Avalon Company (publisher), 123, 266-269 ,356 Baker Street Irregulars, 295 Ballantine Books (publisher), 312 Ballantine, Ian, 99,211 "Balrog, The,"· 178 Baltadonis, John V., 73,289 Banta, George, Company, 153 Bantam Books (publisher), 26, 213,219,275 Barlow, Robert H., 152 Barr,George, 177 Barrett, C.L., 81, 83, 85, 86, 95,97,99, 103 Bates, Harry, 43, 106, 325 "Bat's Belfrey" (Derleth), 146 Baum, L. Frank, 128 Baycon, 106 Baziotes, William, 34, 35, 71 Beam, Ray, 27 "Beast Men, The" (Eshbach), 40 Beauty Book, The (Westmores), 244-246 Bechdolt, Frederick R., 193 Bechdolt,Jack, 192,193 Beck, Calvin, 309 Beck, Claire F., 297

Index Beck, Clyde P ., 297 Behind the Evidence ("Reynolds," pscud. Long), 293 Bell, Eric Temple ("John Taine," pscud.), 24, 52,109, 120, 135 Bennett, Gertrude Barrows ("Francis Stevens," pscud.), 33,133 Berhs County Historical Society Review (magazine), 67 Bester, Alfred, 53 Best of E.E. "Doc" Smith, The (Smith), 307 Between Worlds (Smith), 33 Beyond the Golden Stair ("Bok"), 312 "Beyond the Wall of Sleep" (Lovecraft), 144,145,153, 298,307 Beyond Thirty (Burroughs), 135 Beyond This Horizon (Heinlein), 314 Big Heart Award, 104 Binder, Otto (Eando Binder), 77,198,305 Binkley, Ric, 315 Bishop, Mrs. Zcalia Brown Recd, 144 Bixby,Jcrry, 215 Blach Flame, The (Wcinbaum), 279,281 Blach Star Passes, The (Campbell), 321

391

Blach Wheel, The (Merritt and "Bok"), 282,285,287 Blaine, Mahlon, 192 Blassingame, Lurton, 54 Bleiler, Everett Franklin, 232234, 236, 237, 241-243, 247 Blind Spot, The (Hall and Flint), 193, 194, 198 Blish,Jamcs, 194,221 Bloch, Robert, 53, 80, 107, 279 Bloomington News Letter (fan magazine), 238, 252 Blue Booh (magazine), 228 Blue Flamingo, The ("Bok"), 312 Boas, Marcus, 177 Boh, a Tribute to Hannes Boh (1914-1964) (de la Rec), 309 "Bok, Hannes" (pscud. Wayne Woodard), 76, 77, 83, 85, 88, 89,124,132,177,191, 192, 195, 198, 282-288, 308-316, 319 Bond, Nelson, 76, 195, 198 Book Shelf, The, 130, 131 Born of Man and Woman (Matheson), 274, 275 Boston Post, 111 "Boucher, Anthony" (pscud. William A .P. White), 274, 296 Brackett, Leigh, 221

392

Over My Shoulder

Bradbury, Ray, 53, 54, 76, 77,310 Bradbury, Walter, 121, 122, 247 Brain Wave (Anderson), 275 "Brand, Max" (pseud. Frederick Faust), 32,282 Brandt and Brandt, 134, 283 Breck, Robert, 314 Brennan, Joseph Payne, 176 Breuer, Dr. MilesJ ., 259,306 Bridge of Light, The (Verrill), 136 Broecker, Rand, 177 Broken Sword, The (Anderson), 275 "Bronze Buddha, The" (Eshbach and Spatz), 56-58 Brooks,John T., 314 Brown, Fredric, 238 Browne, Howard, 100, 172, 241 Buck, Harry, 191 Budrys, Algis, 9-22, 214,215 Buffalo Book Company (publisher), 109,110,112,164, 169,357 Buffalo Book Company and Grant Hadley Enterprises (publisher), 164,357 Burge,Jerry, 295 Burks, Arthur J ., 83, 305 Burroughs, Edgar Rice, 11, 12, 32,135, 167, 170, 192, 194 Burton, Richard, Schools, 46

Burwell,Henry,295 Bussard, Polly (Polly Freas), 64,319 "Callisto's Children" (Burks), 305 Campbell, John W., 24, 43, 7 5, 77, 79, 96,101,102,105, 106, 120, 125, 166, 214, 218, 237, 239, 305, 320, 322,332,335 "Canal, The" (Lovecraft), 144, 145 Canaveral Press (publisher), 192,332,335 Captain Future (magazine), 77 Carcosa House (publisher), 229, 269-272, 357 Carnelian Cube, The (de Camp and Pratt), 204, 206, 208, 286 Camell, Ted, 82, 83, 85, 89, 90,92 Carter, Lin, 176, 311, . 313 Cartier, Dean, 316 Cartier, Edd (Edward Daniel Cartier), 206, 208, 315-319 Cartier,Joseph, 316 Case of Charles Dexter Ward, The (Lovecraft), 154 Cast Away at the Pole (Cook), 31 "Celephais" (Lovecraft), 253, 254 Centaur Press (publisher), 176,

Index 357-359 Chalker, Jack A., 27, 258, 289 "Challenge from Beyond" (SF by Weinbaum, Wandrei, Smith, Vincent, Leinster; fantasy by Moore, Merritt, Lovecraft, Howard, Long), 307 Chamberlain, Harriet, 273 Chamberlain Press, Inc. (publisher), 272-276, 290, 359 Checklist of Fantastic Literature (Bleiler,ed.),225,230, 232-238, 272 Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine of Books, 234 Chicon I, 231,339 Chicon II, 101, 142 Chicon III, 102,339 Children of the Atom (Shiras), 214 Children of the Lens (Smith), 213,335 "Chimu Treasure, The" ("Drake," pseud. Eshbach), 44 Church Center Press (publisher), 218,219 Cinvention, 82, 98 Cinvention Memory Book (Skirvin, Lavendar and Tabakow, eds.), 98 Citadel of Fear ("Stevens," pseud. Bennett), 33

393

Claimed, ("Stevens"), 33 Clarke, Arthur C., 99, 140, 220,221 "Clement, Hal" (pseud. Harry Stubbs), 221 Clcvention, 215 Coblentz, Stanton A., 255, 256,263,308 Coll,Joscph Clements, 177 Collected Letters of H. Rider Haggard, The (Scott and Train, eds.), 198 Collins, Charles, 176, 178 Colonial Survey ("Leinster"), 220 "Colour Out of Space, The" (Lovecraft), 139 Comet, The (fan magazine), 7 2 Cometeers, The (Williamson), 128 Commonplace Book, The (Lovecraft), 29 7, 298 "Conan" Series (Howard), 168, 171, 174,219 Conan the Conqueror (Howard), 211 Conde Nast Publishing Co., 17 "Conference at Copernicus" (Palmer), 305 Conquest of the Moon Pool, The (Merritt), 33 Cook, William Wallace, 31 Cooke, Charles Edward, 259 "Cool Air" (Lovecraft), 144 Coppard, A.E., 149, 155

394

Over My Shoulder

Cornwall, Dean, 317 Cosmic Geoids, The ("Taine"), 255, 256, 259, 263, 264 Cosmology (fan magazine), 72 Cosmos (18 authors), 304-307 Council of Four, The (publisher), 295,359 Country Growth (Derleth), 151 Coven 13 (magazine), 260,261 Cox, Charles Roy, 54 Crawford,Joseph H., 171 Crawford, Margaret, 251-253, 259 Crawford Publications (publisher), 253 Crawford, William L., 27, 53, 62-69, 170, 251-262, 264, 270,271, 291-294 "Crimson Phantom, The" (Eshbach and Spatz), 56, 58 Cummings, Ray, 35, 7 6 "Cupid's Capers" (Eshbach and Spatz), 56, 58 Czar of Colour, The (Eshbach and Miller), 50, 51, 55 Dailey, Alice and Dan, 28 3 Dameron, Ned, 177 Dana's Old Comer Bookstore, 163 Darker Than You Think (Williamson), 316 Darkness and Dawn (England), 193 Dark Other, The (Weinbaum),

263,264,281 "Darrow, Jack" (pseud. Clifford Kornoelje), 49 Davenport, Basil, 126, 127 Davidson, Avram, 313 Davis, Robert H., 193 DAW Books (publisher), 262 "Dawn of Flame" (Weinbaum), 280 Dawn of Flame and Other Stories (Weinbaum), 279 Death Into Life (Stapledon), 256 Death~ Deputy (Hubbard), 255,263,264 de Camp, L. Sprague, 76, 120, 175, 191, 192, 195, 196, 198, 200, 204, 219, 221, 225, 256, 2'39, 263, 272, 286,287,339 de la Ree,Gerry, 27,309,310, 316 Del Rey, Lester, 83, 189, 195, 205,272 Derleth, August W., 66, 139142, 145-151, 153-161, 170, 252, 253, 292, 296 Detective Story Magazine, 315 "Devolutionist, The" (Flint), 33,134 "Dianetics" (Hubbard), 125, 126 Dickson, Gordon, 221,296 Dietz, Frank, 313 Dikty, Bernard, 227

Index Dikty, Thaddeus (Ted), 27, 83, 226-228, 232, 234-236, 238, 240-248, 270,272 "Dinner at Eight" (Dcrlcth), 67,143 Discon, 104, 106, 256 Discon II, 106 Dobson, Dennis (publisher), 120 "Doings of the Dinwiddies" (Eshbach and Spatz), 57, 58 Donahue,Jamesj., 170 Donnell, Andrew J ., 78, 79, 82, 114-117, 123, 129, 314,315 "Doom That Came to Sarnath, The" (Lovecraft), 144 Doorways to Space (Wells), 264 Doubleday and Co. (publisher), 121, 122, 209, 220, 222 Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club, 209,210,222, 303 Dougherty, "Duffy," 184 Dove, The (Tucker), 91 Dover Publications (publisher), 243 Draft of Eternity (Rousseau), 33 Dragon Lensman, The (Kyle), 26,213 "Dragons of Space" (Scptama),

395

228 "Drake, W. Anders" (pseud. Eshbach), 44, 68 Dream Makers (Platt), 214 Drums of Tapajos (Meck), 48 Dumas, Alexander, 192 Dunn,J. Allen, 176, 177 Dunsany, Lord, 140, 149, 155 "Dust" (Eshbach), 45, 82 "Dweller, The" (Lovecraft), 144 "Dwellcn in the Dust," 68 Dwellers in the Mirage (Merritt), 171 Eason, Frank B., 71 Eastern Science Fiction Association (ESFA), 73, 155, 285,318 Edd Cartier: The Known and the Unknown (Cartier), 316 Edge of Night (Dcrlcth), 151 Edison's Conquest of Mars (Serviss), 229, 269-272 "Edwards, John Milton" (pscud. Cook), 31 "Effects of the Oxides of Nitrogen Upon the Carotin Molecule C40H56, The" (Smith), 32 7 Eichner, Henry, 263 Electrical Experimenter, The (magazine), 231 "Elfin Lights, The" ("Drake"), 68

396

Over My Shoulder

Ellison, Harlan, 99, 108 Elwood, Roger, 319-322 "Emancipatrix, The" (Flint), 33,134 "Emigrants, The" (Keller), 305 Emperor of Dreams: A Clark Ashton Smith Bibliography (Sidney-Fryer, ed.), 17 5 Empire in the Air, The (England), 135 Empire of the Atom (Van Vogt), 247 England, George Allan, 25, 135, 193 Enter Ghost (Skeeters and Russell), 271 Equality-or a History of Lithconia (Anonymous), 188 Eshbach, Christian, 29 Eshbach, Daniel, 27 Eshbach, Donald, 65, 137 Eshbach, Helen (Richards), 39,41,136 Eshbach, Irvin, 30, 32, 33, 71 Eshbach, Kathryn, 29 Eshbach, Lloyd Arthur, 9, 13, 20, 22, 24, 37, 38, 41-50, 61-69, 82,85,92,93,95, 122, 305, 309, 322, 341 Eshbach, Oswin, 29 Eshbach, Walter, 30, 32, 39, 65,137 Esquire (magazine), 147 Eternal Conflict, The (Keller),

197 Evans, E. Everett, 87, 95,104, 258,309,333 Evening in Spring (Derleth), 148 Exile of the Skies, The (Vaughn), 49 Exiles of Time (Bond), 198 Eye and the Finger, The (Wandrei), 154 Eye of Ba/amok, The (Rousseau), 33

Fabian, Stephen, 177 Face in the Abyss, The (Merritt), 172 Fame and Fortune Weekly 0uvenile magazine), 30 Famous Fantastic Mysteries (magazine), 167 Fantastic Adventures (magazine), 167 Fantastic Novels (magazine), 81,167 Fantastic Universe (magazine), 84 Fantasy Book (magazine), 254, 260 Fantasy Book Club, 221,222 Fantasy Faire, 264 Fantasy Fan, The (fan magazine), 52 Fantasy Fiction Field (publisher), 277, 359

Index Fantasy House (publisher), 169 Fantasy Magazine, 282, 307 Fantasy Press (publisher), 23, 24,26,38,44,52, 78, 79, 82, 92, 93,101,106,107, lll, ll2, ll5, 117, 119, 120-123, 127-131, 135, 136, 138, 140, 141, 153, 165, 169, 179, 216, 218, 223, 239, 258, 279, 281, 285, 308, 309, 314, 315, 317, 320, 322, 323, 332, 334, 359-364 Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. (publisher), 123, 124, 251, 252, 254-258, 261264, 272, 364-367 Fantasy nmes (fan magazine), 266,285 Far Future Calling (Stapledon), 200 "Farley, Ralph Milne" (pscud. Roger Sherman Hoar), 53, 172, 255, 262, 263, 279, 305 Farmer, Philip Jose, 27,243, 244,248 Farm Journal (magazine), 252 Farrar, Strauss & Young (publisher), 242 "Faster Than Light" ("Farley"), 305 "Fate of the N cptunians, The" (Miller), 305

397

Faust, Frederick (''Max Brand," pscud.), 282 Fawcett, Richard, 160 FAX Collector's Editions (publisher), 249 Fearful Pleasures (Coppard), 149 Fell, Frederick (publisher), 242 Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien), 178 Ferguson, Clay,Jr., 69 Fiction Factory, The ("Edwards," pscud. Cook), 31, 32 Fiction Parade (magazine), 67 Fifth World Science Fiction Convention, 204 Fmal Blackout (Hubbard), 166 Finlay, Virgil, 81, 106, 175, 177,316 Firebell Books (publisher), 243 First Fandom, 99, 103, 104 First Fandom Hall of Fame Award, 103-105 First World Fantasy Convention, 178 First World Science Fiction Convention-1939. 74,231, 266,310 Flagg, Francis, 305 Flames, The (Stapledon), 256 Flint, Homer Eon, 33, 134, 193,198

398

Over My Shoulder

Fokker, Anthony, 316 Fool's Con, 1 78 Ford, Don, 81, 98, 103, 104 "Ford, Garret" (pscud. William L. Crawford), 252, 260 "Foundation" Series (Asimov), 211,221 "Fox Woman, The" (Merritt), 282,283,287 Fox Woman and Other Stories, The (Merritt), 307 Fox Woman and the Blue Pagoda, The (Merritt and "Bok"), 282 Frank Kelly Freas-The Art of Science Fiction (Freas), 319 Franklin,Jay, 263 Freas, Frank Kelly, 64, 318-320 Freas, Polly, 64,319 Freeman Auction Galleries, 183 Freeman, R. Austin, 200 Friend, Oscar J ., 128, 171 "From Beyond" (Lovecraft), 144,145 Futile Press (publisher), 297, 298,367 "Future History" Series (Heinlein), 239,247 Futurians, The, 204 Gaffey, Michael, 45 Galaxy (magazine), 214 Galaxy Primes, The (Smith),

335 Galleon, The (magazine), 65, 67,79,142,143 Galleon Writer's Guild, 65, 143 Gailun, Raymond Z., 106 Gamwell, Mrs. Annie E. Phillips, 144, 152 Garan the Eternal (Norton), 255,256,262,263 Garby, Carl, 328 Garby, Lee Hawkins, 165, 166,328,329 Garden of Fear, The (Howard), 253,254 "Gardens of Ym, The" (Lovecraft), 144 Gardner, Erle Stanley, 227 Gardner, Martin, 247 Garrett, Randall, 99 "Gaunt, Peter" (pscud. Esh_bach), 66 Gelula, Abner J ., 305 Gent from Bear Creek, A (Howard), 173 Gemsback, Hugo, 10-14, 3941, 53, 54, 106,197,339 Giesy,J .U., 25, 34,261 Glidden Company, 78, 106, 110,111,129 Glory That Was, The (de Camp), 198 Gnome Press (publisher), 26, 85 , 86, 121-124, 140, 141, 171, 174, 186, 203, 205-

Index 211, 213-223, 239, 264, 286, 314, 315, 317, 318, 368-375 Gods of Mars, The (Burroughs), 33 Gold, Evelyn, 128 Gold, Horace, 128, 223 Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs, A (Heins), 172 Golden Blood (Williamson), 135 Golden City, The ("Farley"), 172 Golden Science Fiction Library, 360, 364 Goldin, Stephen, 322 Gorgon, The (fan magazine), 298 Gorgon Press (publisher), 286, 298,375 Grandon Company, The (publisher), 123, 166, 170-172, 375,376 Grant, Donald M., 27, 111, 138, 163, 164, 166-179, 200,223,278 Grant, Donald M., Publisher, 170, 172-175, 376-382 Grant, Nancy, 168 Grant-Hadley Enterprises (publisher), 163,164,222,382 Gratton, Fitzgerald P ., 48 Gray Lensman, The (Smith), 44

399

"Gray Plague, The" {Eshbach), 43 Great Sermons (Gardner, ed.), 247 Green, Dan, 177 Greenberg, Martin, 27, 100, 122, 125, 137, 195, 203, 205, 206, 208, 209, 213217, 264,285,286 Greenberg Publishers, 122 Green Dragon Market, The, 131, 137 Green Fire ("Taine"), 256, 264 "Green Girl, The" (Williamson), 47 Gregg Press (publisher), 188 Greth, Roma, 44 Grey,Zane,32 Griffin Publishing Company, 258,259,382 Griffith, Mary, 188 Grossman,John, 85, 88-90 Guide to Imaginative Literature, The (Bleiler, ed.), 237,247 Gunn,James E., 221 Hadley Publishin~ Company, 112, 123, 165, 169, 382, 383 Hadley, Thomas P., 27, 110114, 163, 165, 168, 169, 277,278 Haggard, H. Rider, 33, 185

400

Over My Shoulder

Haggard,J. Harvey, 305 Hague, Michael, 1 77 Hall, Austin, 193, 198, 258 Halladay, Allan, 165 Hamilton, Edmond, 53, 76, 83,106,305 Hamlin, Vince, 83 Hamling, Frances, 241 Hamling, William Lawrence,241 Hamlyn Publishing Company, 212 Hammer and Tongs (Beck), 297,298 Hannes Bok SketchBook,A (de la Ree and Nigra, eds), 310 Happy Days Guvenile magazine), 30 "Harbour Whistles" (Lovecraft), 144 Hardy, Thomas, 160 Harrison, Harry, 126 Hartley , L.P., 155 Hasse, Henry, 54,210 Hauptmann, Bruno Richard, 293 Heads of Cerberus, The ("Stevens"), 133 Heicon, 106 Heinlein, Robert A., 54, 120, 140,208,221,314 Heins, Henry Hardy, 172 Hill, Cathy, 1 77 History of Islandia, The (Wright), 127 History of the Science Fiction

Magazine (Ashley, ed.), 45 Hodgkins, Mary, 270 Hodgkins, Russ, 270 Hodgson, William Hope, 149 "Holmes, Sherlock," 146 Holt, Henry (publisher), 191 Homunculus, The (Keller), 191,197 "Horde of Elo Hava, The" (Eshbach), 305 Hornig, Charles D., 49, 52, 53, 77 Horrors Unknown (Moskowitz, ed.), 307 Houck, Lyman, 78, 79, 115, 123,129 Hounds of Tindalos, The (Long), 149 House on the Borderland, The (Hodgson), 149 "Howard, The," 174,178 Howard, Robert E., 64, 149, 168, 171, 173-175, 208, 221,253,307 "Howler, The" (Lovecraft), 144 Hubbard, L. Ron, 125, 126, 237,255,256,263 Huey, Guy L., 63, 64 Hughes, Howard, 316 "Hugo, The," 196, 197, 318 Hull, E. Mayne, 254, 255 Human Termites, The (Keller), 49 Hunter, Mel, 274,315

Index Hydra Club, The, 189, 204206, 208 Hyne, C.J. Cutcliffe, 200 Hyperion Press (publisher), 31,295 Hypnotism Handbook, The (Van Vogt and Cooke), 258 lguanacon, 106 Rlustrated Book of Science Fiction Ideas and Dreams, The (Kyle), 212 Imagination (magazine), 241 Imagination Unlimited (Bleiler and Dikty, eds.), 242 Immortal Storm, The (Moskowitz), 294, 295 Imperial Stars, The (Smith), 322,336 Incomplete Enchanter, The (de Camp and Pratt), 191, 197 Incredible Planet, The (Campbell), 320, 322 Index to the Science-Fantasy Publishers (Owings and Chalker), 258,289 In Search of Wonder (Knight), 133 ''Interference on Luna" (Campbell), 305 Intern ("Dr. X," pseud.Nourse), 276 "In the Days of the Glacier" (Eshbach), 43 "In the Walls of Eryx" (Ster-

401

ling), 144 Into the Sun and Other Stories (Milne), 175 Introduction to Islandia, An (Davenport), 126 Invaders Are Coming, The (Nourse), 276 Invaders from the Infinite (Campbell), 218,322 "Invisible Destroyer, The" (Eshbach), 42 I Owe for the Fles.h (Farmer), 243, 248 Ireland, David, 177 "I Remember Dcrleth" (Moskowitz), 147, 154 Iron Star, The (''Taine"), 256,263,264 Islandia (Wright), 126 Islands of Space (Campbell), 322 "Isle of the Undead" (Eshbach), 54 Jacks, Carson, 295 Jameson, Malcolm, 76 Jason, Son of Jason (Giesy), 261 Jenkins, Will F. ("Murray Leinster," pseud.), 11, 33, 106, 128, 135, 220, 221, 247,255,256,307 Jokovsky, Marty, 313 Jones,Jeff, 177 Jones, Raymond F., 263

402

Over My Shoulder

Journey to Infinity (Greenberg, ed.), 217 Jumbee and Other Uncanny Tales (Whitehead), 154 Jungle Stories (magazine), 18 Jupiter Press (publisher), 312 Karbonik, David, 177 Keating, Lawrence, 279,280 Keller, Celia, 155, 157, 159 Keller, David H., 66, 67, 105, 106, 155-59, 191, 195-197, 267-269, 288, 289, 296, 297,305,306 "Kenton, Bernard J ." (pseud. Jerome Siegel), 4 7 Key, Eugene George, 291,292 Kiefer, Mar,taret, 27 Kingdom of the Dwarfs (Wenzel and Walsh),'l 76 "Kingdom of Thought, The" (Eshbach), 43 "King of Conserve Island" (Flint), 33 King Slayer, The (Hubbard), 263,264 Kipling, Rudyard, 12 Kirk, Tim, 177 Klass, Phil ("William Tenn," pseud.), 205 Klein, Abe, 242 Klein,Jay K. 27 Kline, Otis Adelbert, 11, 75, 172,305 Kline, Otis, Associates, 171

Knight, Damon, 133, 194 Knight, Norman L., 77 Kornbluth, Cyril, 84 Korshak, Erle Melvin, 27, 83, 85,92,93, 100,122,226, 227, 230, 232, 234, 235, 237, 240-242, 244, 246249 Korshak, Irene, 240 Krenkel, Roy, 178 Krueger, Kenneth, 111, 112, 164-166, 169,222 Krueger, Ken, Productions (publisher), 169 Kunde, Donald, 283 Kuttner, Henry, 53,221 Kyle, David A., 23, 26, 27, 74,83~9,92,94~8,100, 112, 140, 204-208, 211213, 215,217,219,221, 241,334 Kyle, Ruth Landis, 26, 27, 215 L.A. Con, 106 Ladies' Home Journal Family Medical Guide (Nourse), 276 Lady Decides, The (Keller), 197 Lamb, Harold, 174 "Lamp, The" (Lovecraft), 144 Lancer Books (publisher), 219 Landis, Ruth (Kyle), 215 Laser Books (publisher), 319, 320

Index Last and First Men (Stapledon), 201 Last Celt, The (Lord,ed.), 175 "Last Poet and the Robots, The" (Merritt), 305 Lavendar, Roy, 98 LeFanu,J.Sheridan,149 Leiber, Fritz,83,85,87, 100, 208,221 "Leinster, Murray" (pseud. William Fitzgerald Jenkins), 11,33, 106,128, 13~220, 221, 247, 255, 256, 307 Lensman from Rigel (Kyle), 26 Lest Darkness Fall (de Camp), 19,191,192 Levin, Sol, 188 Levitt, Herschel, 187 Lewis, Sinclair, 147-149, 151 Ley, Olga, 128 Ley, Willy, 75, 128, 195 Liberty Boys of '76 Quvenile magazine), 30 Life Everlasting and Other Tales of Science, Fantasy and Horror (Keller), 155, 267,288 "Light from Infinity, The" {Eshbach), 48 Lindbergh, Charles A., 316 Linebarger, Paul M.A. ("Cordwainer Smith,"pseud.), 293 Linton,John, 178 Liveright (publisher), 171

403

Loncon, 106 Long, Amelia Reynolds ("Peter Reynolds,"pseud.), 293 Long, Frank Belknap,Jr., 34, 106,149,307 Lord,Glenn, 175 "Lord of Death, The" (Flint), 33,134 Lords of Creation (Binder), 198 Los Angeles Science Fiction Society, 310 Lost Continent, The (Hyne), 200 Lost Continents (de Camp), 198,272 "Lost in Alien Dimensions" (Binder), 305 Lost Worlds (Smith), 154 Lovecraft, Howard Phillips, 53, 66, 67, 139-143, 145, 151-154, 161, 174, 175, 178, 253, 269, 292, 297, 298,307 Loveman, Samuel, 195 "Lovers, The" (Farmer), 248 Love Story (magazine), 315 Lowndes, Robert W., 74,211, 212 Lupoff, Richard, 331, 332, 339 Lynch, Harold, 196

Macabre (fan magazine), 176 Macabre House (publisher),

404

Over My Shoulder

176,383 Macauley, Ian,-295 MacDonald, Neal, 178 MacDougall, Allen, 324 MacDougall, Jeannie Craig, 324,326 MacGregor, G. Herbert, 78, 79, 82, 114, 115, 123, 129,314 Machine God Laughs, The (Pragnell), 258,263 Madie, Robert A., 27, 103105, 181, 185, 197, 288291 Mad Magazine, 319 "Mad Planet, The" ("Leinster"), 33 Magazine of Horror, The, 291 Magic Pen of Joseph Clements Coll, The (Reed, ed.), 175 Magnet, The {school magazine), 38 Mahaffey, Beatrice, 27, 84, 100 Man in the Meteor, The (Cummings), 35 Man Obsessed, A (Nourse), 275 Man Who Awoke, The (Manning), 49 "Man with the Hour Glass, The" (Eshbach), 62 "Man with the Silver Disc, The" (Eshbach), 40, 42 Marble Manifesto, The (Vaz-

akas), 67 Marginalia (Lovecraft), 154 Margulies, Leo, 46, 75, 77 "Marooned" (Campbell), 320 Mars Mountain (Key), 291 "Martian Odyssey, A" (Weinbaum), 52,278 Martian Odyssey and Others, A (Weinbaum), 281 Marvel Science Stories (magazine), 45 Marvel Tales (magazine), 34, 64, 67-69, 251-253, 262 Matheson, Richard, 274 McCauley, Kirby, 174, 179 McClurg, A.C. & Co. (publisher), 170 McCord, Thomas B., 44 McGuire,JohnJ ., 296 Mcinnes, David A., 86 McIntyre, Rob, 178 McKnight,Jack, 197 Medal Library, The (paperback books), 31 "Medusa's Coil" (Bishop), 144 Meek, Capt. S.P., 48 Melvin Korshak, Bookseller, 232 Melvin Korshak, Publishers, 246,388 "Menace of the Automaton" (Gelula), 305 Men Against the Stars (Greenberg, ed.), 210 Meng, Roderick, 161

Index Menville, Douglas, 134 Mercy Man, The (Nourse), 276 Meredith, Scott, 275 Merril, Judith, 83, 85, 87, 95, 100,128,205 Merritt, A., 11, 33, 39, 40, 43, 47, 134, 171, 172, 194, 201, 282, 283, 305. 307,325 Merritt, A.: Reflections in the Moon Pool (Moskowitz, ed.), 201 Merritt, Mrs. Eleanor, 285 Metal Emperor, The (Merritt), 134,283,312 Metal Horde, The (Merritt), 312 Metal Man and Others, The (Williamson), 135 Metal Monster, The (Merritt), 43,312 "Meteor Miners, The" (Eshbach), 44 Michel,John B., 74, 284 Midamericon, 106 Middle Earth: The World of Tolkien Illustrated (Wenzel), 176 Midwestcon, 83, 99, 103 Mightiest Machine, The (Campbell), 166 Miller, Austin, 283 Miller, Floyd W., 67 Miller,P. Schuyler, 49,50, 55,

405

56, 68, 71,132,134,135, 305 Miller, R. DeWitt, 68 Mills, Carolyn, 325 Milne, Robert Duncan, 175 Milwaukee Fictioneers (publisher), 278-281, 383 Miracles, Science and Fantasy Stories (magazine), 167 Mislaid Charm, The (Phillips), 186,187 "Mist, The" (Keller), 67 Modern Electrics (magazine), 11 "Monster-God of Mamurth, The" (Hamilton), 76 Montgomery, Dr. D.C., 295 Moody Press (publisher), 121, 138,320 Moonfoam and Sorceries (Mullen), 286, 298 Moon ls Hell, The (Campbell), 320 Moon Maiden, The (Serviss), 263 Moon Pool, The (Merritt), 33, 43,47,49 Moore, Catherine L., 106, 208,307,-339 Moore, Harry, 81 Morrissey, Dean, 178 Morse, A. Reynolds, 263 Moskowitz, Sam, 27, 31, 46, 74, 83, 104-106, 147, 148, 154-159, 175, 200, 201,

406

Over My Shoulder

245, 266-269, 283, 288, 294,295,331,332 Mouthpiece of Zitu, The (Giesy), 261 Muger Memorial Library, 276 Mullen, Stanley, 286,287,298 "Mummy's Curse, The" (Eshbach and Spatz), 57 Mundy, Talbot, 174, 175 Munn, H. Warner, 172 Munsey Company (publisher), 32,193,262 "Murderer from Mars, The" (Olsen), 305 Murder Madness ("Leinster"), 255 Museum of Science and Industry, 124 Mycroft & Moran (publisher), 150,154 "Nameless City, The" (Lovecraft), 144 NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), 318 National Fantasy Fan Federation (NFFF), 296, 383 National Periodical Publications, Inc., 51 Nebula of Death, The (England), 134 "Necronomicon" (Alhazred), 269 N ecronomicon Press (pub-

lisher), 307 Nero and Other Poems (Smith), 297,298 "Neumann, Marvin" (Margaret Crawford), 252 Nevins, Blake, 47 New Adam, The (Weinbaum), 281 New Collecton Group (publisher), 204,206, 207,281288, 299, 308, 383, 384 New Era Publishing Company, 123, 181, 288-291, 384 N cw Medal Library (paperback books), 30 News of Our Neighborhood (Griffith), 188 New Worlds (magazine), 89, 90 New York Post, 270 New York Times, 123, 277 New York Times Book Review, 111,122,276 Nigra, Gene, 310 "Night Gaunts" (Lovecraft), 144 Nine Planets (Noune), 276 Nolacon,81, 100 "Noname" (pseud. Luis Senarens), 30 Noreascon, 106 Noreascon II, 106 Northwest Argentine Archeology (Bennet and Bleiler), 233

Index Norton, Andre (Alice), 221, 255,256,262,263 Nourse, Dr. Alan E., 27, 195, 272-275, 290 Nycon I, 226 Nycon III, 106 0 'Brien, Edward J ., 65

O'Conner, Paul Dennis, 204208, 281-286, 298 Of Worlds Beyond (Eshbach, ed.), 120 Ogden, G.W ., 32 Old Man in New World (Stapledon), 256 Olsen, Bob, 305 Omni (magazine), 17 Ostrander, Isabel, 32 Oswald Train: Publisher, 196, 200,201 "Other Gods, The" (Lovecraft), 144 Other Worlds (magazine), 84 Outdoorsman 's Medical Guide (Nourse), 276 Out of Space and Time (Smith), 153 "Out of the Past" (Eshbach), 40 "Out of the Sun" (Eshbach), 43 Out of the Unknown (Van Vogt and Hull), 254, 264 Outsider and Others, The (Lovecraft), 139, 144, 149,

407

152, 153 Owen, Frank, 208 Owings-Chalker Index, 258, 289 Pacificon II, 106 Packard, Frank L., 32 Pailthorpe, Robert James, 178 Painton, Frederick C., 77 Paley, Samuel, Library, 185 Palmer, Raymond A., 83, 84, 241, 279-281, 304-306 Palos of the Dog Star Pack (Giesy), 261 Pan Demos (fan magazine), 283 Pappas, Chris, 178 Parrish, Maxfield, 311, 313, 317 Pattern for Conquest (Smith), 208 Paul, Frank R., 76 Payne,John, 91 Pegasus Publications (publisher), 169 "Pendulum, The" (Bradbury and Hasse), 54 "Pennington Saga, The" (Eshbach and Spatz), 57, 58 People of the Comet (Hall), 258 Pepper, Albert, 288, 290 Perry Rhodan (magazine), 306 Petaja, Emil, 263,310 Peterson, Robert C., 296

408

Over My Shoulder

Philadelphia Science Fantasy Society (PSFS), 73, 181, 185,272 Philcon,46, 73, 78, 79 Phillips, Alexander M., 185187 Phillips, Rog, 83,247 "Pick-A-Book," 137, 222, 223,264 Pictorial History of Science Fiction (Kyle), 112, 212 Piper, H. Beam, 296 Pitcairn, J .J ., 200 "Planeteer, The" (Flint), 33 Planeteer and Other Stories, The (Flint), 198 Planet of Peril, The (Kline), 170 Planet Stories (rpagazine), 18 Planets of Adventure (Wells), 264 Platt, Charles, 214 Pluck and Luck (juvenile magazine), 30 Pocket Book of Science Fiction (Wollheim, ed.), 19 Pocket Books (publisher), 128, 243,244,247 Poe, Edgar Allen, 179 Pohl, Fredrik, 26,45, 74,204, 205, 211-213, 216, 221, 336-338 "Polaris" (Lovecraft), 144, 145 Polaris Fantasy Library, 132,

134 Polaris Press-(publisher), 131, 132,134,384 "Polk, Chester A.," 100, 101 Popular Publications (publisher), 262 Porcelain Magician, The (Owen), 108 Port of Peril, The (Kline), 170,171 Potter,Jeff, 178 Practice, The (Nourse), 276 Pragnell, Festus, 258, 263 Pratt, Fletcher, 128, 204,272, 286,287 Presages of Nostradamus (O'Conner), 287 Price, E. Hoffman, 106, 305 Pride of Bear Creek, The (Howard), 173 Prime, Alfred C., 181, 185, 187,188 Prime Press (publisher), 24, 92, 121, 123, 132, 181, 183, 184, 186-192, 194, 197, 199, 201, 216, 272, 273,314, 384-386 Prince of Peril, The (Kline), 170 Providence College, 168 "Psychopompos" (Lovecraft), 144 Publisher's Weekly (magazine), 128 "Purple Chaos" (Eshbach and

Index Crawford), 68 Putnam, G.P. 8c Sons (publisher), 244 Pyle, Howard, 317 Pyramid Books (publisher), 127,321 "Queen of Life, The" (Flint), 33, 134 Queens Science Fiction League, 266 "Quest of Iranon" (Lovecraft), 67,143,144 Quinn, Seabury, 195,200 Rackham, Arthur, 317 Radio Man, The ("Farley"), 255,263,264 "Radio" series ("Farley"), 262 Radium Pool, The (Repp), 263,264 Ralph 124C41 (Gernsback), 11 Random House (publisher), 19 Rat Race, The (Franklin), 263,264 "Reade, Frank, Jr." (pseud. Luis Senarens), 30 Reading Public Library, 33, 302 Rebel Soul, The (Hall), 198 "Red Dust, The" ("Leinster"), 33 Red Peri, The (Weinbaum),

409

281 Reed, Walt, 175 Reginald, Robert, 134 Reign of Wizardry, The (Williamson), 135 Reinsberg, Mark, 226, 231, 232,234,235 Remington, Frederick, 317 Repp, Ed Earl, 263 Reynolds, Mack, 296 "Reynolds, Peter" (pseud. Amelia Reynolds Long), 293 Return of Tharn, The (Browne), 172 Rhode Island on Lovecraft (Grant and Hadley, eds.), 164 Richardson, Darrell C., 27, 132,134,249 Riverworld and Other Stories (Farmer), 244 Robertson, Richard, 178 Robinson, Frank M., 83 "Robot Nemesis" (Smith), 307 Rocket to Limbo (Nourse), 276 Rocklynne, Ross, 76 Rockwell, Norman, 317 Rogers, Hubert, 247 Rothman, Milton, 72, 73, 185 Round 1rip to the Year 2000, A (Cook),31

410

Over My Shoulder

Rousseau, Victor, 33 "Runaway Skyscraper, The" ("Leinster"), 33 Ruppert, Conrad H., 279 Russell, Eric Frank, 135, 315 Russell, Samuel W., 271 "Sac Prairie Saga" (Derleth), 146-148, 150 Saint Detective Magazine, 44 St.John,J.Allen,54, 170 St. Louiscon, 106 St. Martin's Press (publisher), 55 San Francisco Chronicle, 111 Saturday Evening Post (magazine), 54 Saturday Review of Literature (magazine), 126, 227 "Scanners Live in Vain" (Smith), 260 Schlossel, J., 7 6 Schuster,Joe, 47 "Schuyler, Judy" (pseud. Eshbach and Greth) Schwartz, Julius, 27, 51-54, 77, 279, 282, 324~31 Science and Invention (magazine), 35, 134 "Science and Science Fiction" {Williamson), 83 Science Correspondence Club, 71 Science Fictional Sherlock Holmes, The (Peterson,ed.),

296 "Science Fiction Comes of Age" (Eshbach), 82 Science Fiction Critic (fan magazine), 297 Science Fiction Digest (fan magazine), 51, 57, 304, 306,307,324 Science Fiction in Old San Francisco (Moskowitz), 175 Science Fiction Review (fan magazine), 297 Science Fiction Roll of Honor (Pohl, ed.), 45, 82 Science-Fiction Times (fan magazine), 339 Science Fiction Weekend, 264 Science Fiction World (fan magazine), 222 Science Wonder Quarterly (magazine), 36 Science Wonder Stories (magazine), 36, 40, 41 Scientific Detective Monthly (magazine), 42 "Scientology'' (Hubbard), 125, 256 Scott, Harold W., 317 Scott,J .E., 198 "Screen of Ice" (Worts), 227 Scribners (publisher), 148, 152,153 Seacon, 106 Searles, A. Langley, 270,271, 295

Index Second Stage Lensmen (Smith), 213 Seeds of Life (''Taine"), 166 Seekers of Tomorrow (Moskowitz, ed.), 331 Selected Letters (Lovecraft), 145 Senarens, Luis ("Noname, pseud.), 30 Septama, Aladra, 228 Serviss, Garret P., 263, 269, 271,272 Seventh World Science Fiction Convention (Cinvention), 98 "Sex and Science Fiction" (Del Rey), 83 Shadow, The (magazine), 315 Shadow Out of Time, The (Lovecraft), 53', 139 Shadow Over lnnsmouth, The (Lovecraft), 292 "Shadows from Hesplon, The" (Eshbach), 43 "Shapes, The" (Miller), 68 Shasta Publishers, 92, 121, 123, 124, 141, 216, 225227, 230, 234, 235, 237249, 270, 272, 314, 386388 Shaw, Larry T., 339 Shedd, George C., 32 Sheehan, Perley Poore, 134 Shenton, Donald Radcliffe, 67

411

Shiras, Wilmar, 214 Shook,Rudy,67 Shroud: Publishers, 169 Shroyer, Dr. Frederick Benjamin, 27, 226, 227, 229, 230,234,270 "Shunned House, The" (Lovecraft), 144, 145 Sidney-Fryer, Donald, 17 5 Siegel,Jerome, 47 Sign of the Burning Hart, The (Keller), 296 Sikorsky, Igor, 316 Silverberg, Robert, 221, 339 Simak, Clifford D., 106, 221 Simon & Schuster (publisher), 22,152 "Singing Blades" (Eshbach), 46 Sinister Barrier (Russell), 315 Sixth Column (Heinlein), 208 Sixth World Fantasy Convention, 179 Skeeters, Paul W., 271 Skirvin, Stan, 98 Skull-Face and Others (Howard), 149 Skylark DuQuesne (Smith), 335 Skylark of Space, The (Smith), 49, 109, 110, 111, 114, 127, 165, 277, 324, 328, 329 Skylark of Valeron (Smith), 117,166,277

412

Over My Shoulder

Skylark Three (Smith), 117, 166,277 , 329,330 Slan (Van Vogt), 239, 141, 149 Slaves of Sleep (Hubbard), 237 Sloan, Dr. T. O'Conner, 42 Smith, Caroline Mills, 325 Smith, Clark Ashton , 140, 153, 154, 161, 175, 297, 298 Smith, Clarrissa M. (Wilcox), 327,336 "Smith, Cordwainer" (pseud. Paul M.A. Linebarger), 260 Smith, Curtis C., 55 Smith, Daniel, 324 Smith, Edward Elmer, 24, 44, 79, 83, 85, 87, 88, 95-97, 101 , 104-106, 109, 116, 117, 120, 135, 140, 141, 165, 166, 185, 213, 218, 278, 305-307, 322-341 Smith, Edward Elmer I, 325 Smith, Edward Elmer II, 325 Smith, Edward Elmer III, 325 Smith, Fern, 273 Smith, Fred C., 273, 274 Smith, Fredjay, 325 Smith, Garret, 33 Smith, George 0., 83, 101, 106, 128, 135, 187-189, 195,196,208,272 Smith, Jeannie MacDougall, 326,328,337,339 Smith, Roderick N., 327

Smithsonian Institution, 318 Solar Sales Service, 52 "Solitary Hunters, The" (Keller), 289 Solitary Hunters, The, and The Abyss (Keller), 289, 290 Some Chinese Ghosts (Hearn), 287 Someone in the Dark (Derleth), 153 "Some Notes on the Background of the Fox Woman" (O'Conner), 283 "Son of the Trident" ("Winters," pseud. Palmer), 305 Sorcerer's Ship, The ("Bok"), 311 Space Beyond, The (Campbell), 320,321 Spacehounds of /PC (Smith), 117-120, 141, 329, 330 Space on My Hands (Brown), 238 Space Platform ("Leinster"), 247 Space Tug ("Leinster"), 24 7 'Spaceuxry (magazine), 260,262 Spatz, H. Donald, 55, 56-59, 65 Sphinx Child, The (Mullen), 286 Spot of Life, The (Hall), 198 Stairway to Mars (Evans),258 Standard Magazines (publish-

Index er), 46, 52, 77 Stanley,Nonnan F., 132 Stanton 8c Lee (publisher), 148,150,154 Stapledon, Olaf, 200, 255, 256,259,263 Stardrift and Other Fantastic Flotsam (Petaja), 263 Star Maker (Stapledon), 201 Starship (magazine), 147 Star Surgeon (Nourse), 276 Startling Stories (magazine), 44,167 Star Wars (film), 25 Staub, Manny, 197 Steffanson, Vilhjalmur, 247 Steinbeck,John, 160 Steinbrunner, Chris, 176, 178 Steiner, Max, 311 Stellar Missiles, The (Repp), 263,264 Stellar Publishing Company, 41 Sterling, Kenneth, 144 "Stevens, Francis" (pseud. Gertrude Barrows Bennet), 33,133 Still Small Voice (Derleth), 151 Strange Stories (magazine),46 Street 8c Smith (publishers), 17,31,32,315 Street and Smith Detective Stories (magazine), 212 "Stuart, Don A." (pseud.John

413

W. Campbell), 320, 321 Stubbs, Harry C. ("Hal Clement," pseud.), 221 Sturgeon, Theodore, 101, 189, 190, 195, 198, 272 Subspace Encounter (Smith), 341 Subspace Explorers (Smith), 332,335,340 Subspace Safari (Smith), 336 Subspace Survivors (Smith), 335 Suncon, 106 Sunken World, The (Coblentz), 255,264 "Superman" (Siegel and Schuster), 47 Survival (Steffanson), 247 Swanson, Russell, 271 Swordsman of Mars, The (Kline), 172 Sykora, William S., 80, 81, 266-269, 288 Symes, Michael, 178 Tabakow, Lou, 27, 98, 104 Tabler, Melvin C., 48 "Taine, John" (pseud. Eric Temple Bell), 24, 52,109, 120, 135, 255, 256, 263, 321 Taine of San Francisco (Keller), 166 Talbot Mundy: Messenger of Destiny (Grant), 175

414

Over My Shoulder

Tales from Cornwall (Keller), 166 Tales of Magic and Mystery (magazine), 167 "Tales of the Crystal" (Eshbach and Spatz), 56, 58 "Tales of Tomorrow" (Eshbach and Spatz), 57, 59 Tanner, Charles R., 83, 86 Tarr, Dale, 104 Tarzan of the Apes (Burroughs), 36 Taurasi, James V., 104, 339 :remple University, 24, 285, 321 "Tenn, William" (pseud. Phil Klass), 205 Terror Tales (magazine), 54 Thirty Years of Arkham House (Derleth), 140 333: A Bibligraphy of the Science Fiction Novel (Crawford, Donahue and Grant), 171 3000 Years Hence (Griffith), 188 Thrill Book (magazine), 133 Thrilling Wonder Stories (magazine), 167 ''Time Conqueror, The" (Eshbach), 44, 48, 49, 54 "Time Lost" Fiction, 177 TIME Magazine, 77 Time Stream, The ("Taine"), 109, 164

Time Traveller, The (fan magazine), 51 Tip Top Weekly (magazine), 31 To Be Kept ("Taine"), 135 Tolkien,J .R.R., 176, 178 Tomorrow ("Taine"), 135 Tooker, Richard, 68 "Too Many Smiths" (Eshbach and Spatz), 57 To Quebec and the Stars (Lovecraft; de Camp, ed.), 175 Torch, The (Bechdolt), 192 Torcon I, 80, 81,124,156 Torcon II, 106 Toronto Star Weekly, 44 Toymaker, The Qones), 263 To Your Scattered Bodies Go (Farmer), 244 Train, Oswald, 24, 27, 73, 113, 123, 132, 134, 181, 182, 184, 185, 189, 191, 193, 194, 196, 198, 199, 201,272,273,290 Treasure of Atlantis, The (Dunn), 176, 177 Tremaine, F. Orlin, 52, 211 Trestrail, Verna Smith, 26, 27, 102, 105, 213, 322, 327,331,336 Tricon, 106 Triplanetary (Smith), 329,330 Triton, The (Hubbard), 263, 264

Index Tschirky, L. Robert, 191, 195, 198 Tucker, Wilson ''Bob," 27, 83, 85,91,100,222,231,238, 252 Tumer,James, 27, 161 'Jwelve Eighty-Seven ("Taine"), 135 Twentieth Century Authors (Kunitz and Haycraft, eds.), 146 Twentieth Century ScienceFiction Writers (Smith, ed.), 55 Twenty-First World Science Fiction Convention, 104 Tyrant of Time (Eshbach), 44 "Tyrants of Saturn" (Flagg), 305

Under the Triple Suns (Coblentz), 284,308 Undesired Princess, The (de Camp), 255, 256,263,264 Undying, The ("Leinster," Smith, Williamson, Russell, Smith, Miller), 135 Unger, Julius, 192, 271, 278, 279,290 Universe, Earth and Atom (Nourse), 276 University of Idaho, 326 Unknown (magazine), 186, 256,286,315,317 Unusual Stories (magazine),

415

62,63,251 "Unwritten Lensmen Stories and Present Activities" (Smith), 333 "Up from the Pit" (Eshbach), 39 Utpatel, Frank, 292 U.S. Quarterly Book List, 234

Valcour-Krueger (publisher), 169 "Valley of the Titans" (Eshbach), 40, 42, 47, 48 "Van Campen, Karl" (pseud. Campbell), 320 "Van Cortland, Frederick" (pseud. Eshbach), 64 Van Vogt, A.E., 120, 139, 149, 166, 221, 247, 254, 255,259 Vazakas, Byron, 67 Venus Equilateral (Smith), 187 Veme,Jules, 12, 185 Verrill, A. Hyatt, 136 ''Vibratory Worlds" (Eshbach), 42 Viking Portable Novels of Scence (Wollheim, ed.), 19 Village Fear (Derleth), 151 Vincent, Harl, 77,307 Visionary Publishing Company, 251, 291-294, 388

416

Over My Shoulder

"Voice from the Ether, A" (Eshbach), 40, 45 "Volunteers from Venus" (Kline and Price), 305 Von Braun, Wernher, 7 5 Vortex Blaster, The (Smith), 218,333

Wakefield, H. Russell, 149, 155 Walden West (Derleth), 159 Waldo, Annand E., 181, 186 Walsh, Robb, 176 Wandrei, Donald, 143, 144, 151, 152, 154, 161, 307 Wandrei, Howard, 151 War of the Worlds, Wells,

2'ioWeapon Mabf:s, The (Van Vogt), 166 Weinbaum, Margaret, 2'80, 281 Weinbaum Memorial Volume, 281 Weinbaum, Stanley Grauman, 52,53, 263,278~81,307 Weird Tales (magazine), 12, 14, 34, 40, 54, 76, 144146, 151, 161, 167, 170, 208, 228, 23.1, 258; 288, 289,310 Weisinger, Mortimer, 51, 52, 77 Wellman, Manly Wade, 75, 77

Wells, Basil, 264 Wells, Carolyn, 32 Wells, H.G., 12,185,270 Wenzel, David, 176, 178 Werewolf of Ponkert, The (Munn), 172 West India Lights (Whitehead), 149 Westmores, The, 244-246 "What a Course!" (Smith), 305 "Where Once Poe Walked" (Lovecraft), 144 Whitehead, Henry S., 149, 154 Whitehead, Dr. Thomas, 24 White Lily ("Taine"), 166 Who Goes There? (Campbell), 225,237 Who's Who in America, 146 Who's Who in Modern Art, 34 ''Wicked Flea, The" (Giesy), 34 Wilcox, Clarrissa Smith, 327, 336 Wild West Weekly (juvenile magazine), 30,315 Wilhelm Ambassador, The (trade magazine), 62, 114 Williams, James A., 81, 83, 85, 92,123, 181-183, 186191, 194-196, 198, 199, 201, 272, 273, 285, 289, 290 Williams, Marian, 199

Index Williamson, Jack, 47, 76, 83, • 85, 87, 88, 106, 120, 128, 135 , 140 , 221, 247, 316 Wilson, Dick, 84 Wilson, Gahan, 174 Wind Over Wisconsin (Derleth), 151 ''Winters, Rae" (pseud. Palmer), 305, 306 Witchcraft & Sorcery (magazine), 260,261 Without Sorcery (Sturgeon), 189,198 Wizard and the Witch, The (Hubbard), 166 Woerner, Fred, Printer, 11 7, 118 Wolf Leader, The (Dumas), 192 Wollheim, Donald A., 74,106, 211, 212, 262, 275, 283, 284 Wollheim, Elsie, 283 Wood, Ed, 27, 128 "Wood, The" (Lovecraft), 144 Woodard, Wayne ("Hannes Bok," pseud.), 309, 310 Wonder Stories (magazine), 17, 44 , 52, 54, 77, 155, 164, 228, 230, 278, 317, 330 Work and Win (juvenile magazine), 30 Works of M.P. Shiel (Morse), 263

417

"World of Whispering Shadows" (Eshbach), 43 World Science Fiction Association, 318 Worlds of IF (magazine), 335 Worlds of Wonder (Stapledon), 255,263,264 Worts, George F., 227 Wright, Austin Tappan, 126 Wright, S. Fowler, 247 Writers Digest (magazine) , 56, 107 Wrzos,Joe, 215 Wylie, Dirk, Literary Agency, 232

Yearbook of the American Short Story (O'Brien, ed.), 66 Year's Best Science Fiction. Novels (Bleiler and Dikty, eds.) , 243 "Zaman's Hill" (Lovecraft), 144 Ziff-Davis (publishers), 17, 281

LLOYD ARTHUR ESHBACH started reading science fiction in 1919, wrote his first salable SF story in 1929, and began publishing SF books as Fantasy Press in 1947. Although he was not the first specialist publisher in the field, he was the fist to present a full line of science fiction titles. His own writing, always a spare time effort, included, in addition to science fiction, tales of fantasy and the supernatural, mystery stories, adventures, romances, and juveniles, some published under pseudonyms. With his entry into publishing his writing became quite sporadic, with his last story written and published in 1957. In 1978 Eshbach began writing again, his first effort being Over My Shoulder: Reflections on a Science Fiction Era. Three other books followed, one scheduled for publication, another presently being rewritten, and the third and most recent on its first submission. In addition, he completed Dr. Edward E. Smith's last novel, Subspace Encounter, left unfinished at Doc's sudden death. This will be published in June, 1983. Eshbach published two books of his own during his active writing years. One, Of Worlds Beyond, which he edited, was the first published text on writing science fiction, six of the leading writers of the day telling how they did it. The other, Tyrant of Time, is a collection of his stories. Both books are currently in print.