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This is SKYRACK number 91, dated 27th July 1966 and published by Ron Bennett, 52 Fairways Drive, Forest Lane, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. Six issues for 3/6d or 50c ($1 airmail). Stateside subscriptions may be sent to fandom's own old man of the hills, Robert Coulson, Route 3, Hartford City, Indiana 47348. Contributors to this issue include Ethel Lindsay, Archie Mercer, Dave Kyle, Steve Oakey, Harry Nadler, Charles Partington, Harry Harrison, George Locke and Michael Moorcock. Illustration by will be Arthur "Atom" Thomson.

BONFIGLIOLI BOWS OUT

Harry Harrison, one time professional artist and editor of Rocket Stories, who has in more recent years become one of the world's leading sf writers with stories like The Stainless Steel Rat, Deathworld and Bill The Galactic Hero and who has been accepted as a native Anglo-fan by dint of his British convention attendances, is to take over the editor's chair of Impulse (formerly Science Fantasy) in the near future. Because of the resignation of Oxford art dealer and antiquarian bookseller Kyril Bonfiglioli due to pressure of other interests, Harry will take over Impulse with its eighth (October) issue which will feature the last part of his own Make Room, Make Room serial and a story by Fred Pohl, Impulse 9 will contain the first part of a new Moorcock serial, The Ice Schooner.

As Harry will very shortly be leaving these shores to return to the U.S., his editing of Impulse will be something of an experiment. There is no reason why it should not be successful (for some years Tony Boucher successfully edited F&SF from the same distance). Keith Roberts, as associate editor will handle British material while Harry will scout for material by U.S. "name" writers, something sadly lacking in the British field of late. Submissions should be sent to impulse, 42-44 Dock Street, London E.1.

Peter Weston’s fanzine, Zenith-Speculation, has again been nominated for a Hugo Award. Zenith takes the place in the original nomination lists of Tom Reamy’s Trumpet which is not eligible as there were not four issues published during the 1965 qualifying period. (An item from Ratatosk, Bruce Pelz’s newszine which may be obtained @ 7/6 for 9 issues from Archie Mercer, First Floor Flat, “Rosehill,” 2 Cotham Park South, Bristol 6).

JOHN BRUNNER will be Guest of Honour at next Easter’s Bristol Convention.

THORPE & PORTER IN HANDS OF RECEIVERS. Retailers and newsagents who have been distributing U.S. material imported into the U.K. by Thorpe & Porter Ltd. recently received the following letter:

J.D.Spooner, A.C.A., Receiver & Manager
THORPE & PORTER LIMITED
Melton Road, Thurmaston, Leicester.1st July, 1966

Dear Sirs,
This letter is to tell you that, following my appointment as Receiver and Manager on 30th June, the management of the above Company is now in my hands and my representatives will continue to service your account as in the past. Should you have any queries arising from this letter, my Representative will be pleased to clarify them on his next call.
Yours faithfully, James D. Spooner, Receiver and Manager.

DO IT YOURSELF FAN HOLIDAY CAMP IN SOMERSET.

What was virtually Anglofandom's first motor rally convened on Barrow Sands on Saturday, 18th June, with eleven fannish vehicles bringing along a complement of some twenty-eight fans, including three small children. (Most of the extra seating is reported to have been taken up by assorted gear, including a Christmas tree.) In the frequent intervals between heavy showers of rain some light-hearted filming was done, history (in the form of sundry tree trunk souvenirs of arboreal vegetation long conspicuous by its absence in the neighbourhood) was assiduously set fire to, and a crazy expedition of ten fen on and around the Walsh car was hastily mounted to rescue the Mercer car from mud in which it had become embedded during driving practice.

Because of the weather and possibly because it was expressly prohibited, plans for a general all-night encampment on the beach were abandoned. Most of the company eventually spent the night back at the Walsh abode, though when the occupants of the last three vehicles to leave discovered that they all had tents this rearguard did indeed pitch them in a nearby field for the night, being later joined by a fourth vehicle whose occupants had second thoughts.

Present were (and many thanks for the card): Tony, Simone and Sarah Walsh, Archie & Beryl Mercer, Brian Hampton, Graham Boak, Bob Franklin, Mea Wentworth, Phil Rogers, Dave Barber, Geoff Winterman, Helen Fortescue, Gerry Webb, Anne Keylock, Steve Oakey, Vic Hallett, Marilyn Williams, Frank, Shirley, Anthony and Stephanie Herbert, Chris Priest, Gray Hall, Peter Mabey, Keith and Wendy Freeman and Tony Underwood.

N3F STORY CONTEST. This was mentioned in last month's Skyrack but as has been subsequently revealed, invaluable information was omitted. Entry to this contest, with its cash prizes and its possible lead to prozine publication, may be gained by sending the story and a 7/6d entry fee to Steve Oakey, Rectory Lane, Somersham, Huntingdon. BSFA members, however, need send no money. Entry is free to them. Closing date for entry is 7th October. Get writing, folks.

JUST THE THING FOR A SCIENCE FICTION CLUB OF LONDON MEETING, says Ethel Lindsay, who has recently been offered a charter, half price, membership of the London Playboy Club. That's only 5 guineas a year......plus an initial membership entrance fee of 6 guineas.Yates's Wine Lodge, anyone?

The new British promag mentioned in the June Skyrack, Harry Nadler's and Chuck Partington's Alien Worlds, is expected any time now, as the following official press release shows! -

Alien Worlds is the new Science Fiction and Fantasy magazine to be published at the end of July this year.
Aimed at brightening the current British SF scene all artwork in Alien Worlds is reproduced in full colour offset-litho.
Harry Harrison's Contact Man and Ken Bulmer's Not Human are both action packed SF stories of the kind we have always enjoyed from these top authors.
J. Ramsey Campbell’s fantasy contribution, The Childish Fear, exudes a growing sense of horror in the true tradition of Lovecraft.
Movie fans will delight in the Flash Gordon item, lavishly illustrated by some large rare stills from the classic serial of 1936 with Allan Asherman providing the story line and analysis. The film section also carries latest information on the latest SF films in production.
A column by Ken Slater, one of the best SF book reviewers in the business, provides a guide to the latest in print.
Combine all this with the excellent .artwork of Eddie Jones, Terry Jeeves and a newcomer of whom you'll be seeing more, Jack Partington, and you have a magazine that's bright, enjoyable and interesting.
64 pages, eight in full colour. Size: 7”x 4½”.Price......2/6d

GEORGE LOCKE, who still insists that he's virtually out of fandom these days and who is in the States on a gliding expedition, has been taking in places like the Meteor Crater, Tombstone, New Mexico, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Colorado Springs and has been meeting most of the well known fans over there, amongst them the Trimbles, Ron Ellik, Roy Tackett, Bill Rotsler, Fred Patten, Bruce Pelz, Chuck Hansen and Dean Grennell. And Dave Kyle relates this story of George's wanderings!
"British fan, Trevor Hearnden, whom I met at the Yarmouth Convention at Easter, left for the States on 19th June, just in time to show up at the MidWestcon in Cincinnati on the weekend of 25-26 June. That Friday morning, at 7.30, Lou Tabakow's phone rang just as he was about to leave for his office. It was Trevor saying he had just arrived at the bus terminal in downtown Cincinnati. (Good Lord," said Lou, later explaining the story, "Another five minutes and communications would have been gone....") So, Lou drove down, picked him up and established Trevor in the Carrousel's the con hotel) neighbouring Schuler's Motel, the Carrousel being sold out. At ten o'clock that morning another Englishman comes along to Lou, saying, "I'm here. Can you help me to.....?" Yes, George Locke! So Lou gets him a room with a readily installed room-mate, another Englishman, Trevor Hearnden....and the utterly fascinating punchline to this story is that Lou had the jaw-dropping experience of introducing the two English fans to each other!"

TYPED ADVERTISMENTS. There appears to be a crying need in certain quarters for a regular and frequent advertising section to circulate fandom and, Charles Kearns, I'll accept them at £l per page and pro-rata or 10 words for 6d. Samples follow!

THE 1966 DIRECTORY OF SF FANDOM. Over 500 addresses of SF fans the world over. Now reprinted following a first run sell-out. 7/- or $1 (half price to fans). Ron Bennett, 52 Fairways Drive, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.
WANTED. Two copies American Galaxy Oct 1950. Ron Bennett.
500 American magazines for sale. Reasonable prices. Post paid. SAE for list. Ron Bennett.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
Joan & Harry Harrison, c/o Robert P. Mills, 20 E 53rd St., New York, NY 10022, USA.

INSTANT FANZINE REVIEWS. Fanzines from British publishers have been at a premium during the past five weeks. Beryl Mercer has published Linklox, a letter-column zine to follow the final issue of her fanzine, Link, and Peter Weston (9 Porlock Crescent, Birmingham 31) as produced the 13th issue of Zenith-Speculation, which, at 2/- or 30c per copy, is the nearest thing I've ever seen to a regular fanzine being sadly underpriced. Mainly devoted to review, criticism and comment of and on the current sf scene, contributors this time include Ben Solon, both Mercers, Richard Gordon, Martin Pitt, John Boston, Lang Jones, Brian Aldiss, Chris Priest, and one F.M. Busby whose return from limbo is headline news in itself. As usual, this zine is highly recommended.

BREATHWORLD COMMENDED. The Salford-based Delta Film Group's 1965 epic, Breathworld, has received a Highly Commended Award in the Amateur Movie Magazine's Top Eight Competition. The Judges' comments were as follows: "This very ambitious production owes something to a number of sources, from James Bond, through the western, to science fiction, and it is good to see that the producers have an obvious interest in showmanship. The sets, props and costumes are very elaborate and, on the whole, quite effective, as are the special effects. Particularly impressive are the split screen effects, and the cunning and amusing way in which all the Casino staff in the gambling sequence are played by the same actor. On the whole an enjoyable - though perhaps overlong - romp into the realm of science fantasy, with slapstick thrown in for good measure." Before you applaud and offer congratulations (and like that) note also that Delta's Frankenstein's Xperiment received a Diploma of Merit in the recent Scottish Amateur Film Festival. Congratulations! And Delta's new production, a serial in four parts entitled Doctor Doom & The Annihilation Ray is now under way. It is hoped that this will be ready for the Easter Bristol Convention.

Many thanks, Keith Freeman, Dave Barber, Phil Rogers, Steve Oakey, Ken & Joyce Slater, Jim Groves (Jim Groves!) et al who sent the card from the Bragcon in Reading this last weekend.

SNIPPETS: Mervyn Barrett recently in London ::: Bragcon at Wisbech last week - thanks to all the above-mentioned Reading brag players for the card. A floating brag school?