This is SKYRACK 96 dated 18th July 1971 and published by Ron Bennett, 52 Fairways Drive, Forest Lane, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. Co-publisher is Terry Jeeves, 23 Bannerdale Road, Sheffield 11, Yorkshire, England whose duplicator and coffee have been co-opted for the occasion. The coffee was drunk and not poured into the duplicator, incidentally.
Derleth dies, - Campbell ?
AUGUST DERLETH whose nane is synonymous in the science-fantasy field with the Wisconsin Arkham House publishing company died on 4th July at the age of sixty-two. In addition to publishing qualitative fantasy and horror fiction Derleth was himself a most prolific writer and editor, being well-known in the sf field and also in historical research of his own home state.
Arkham House books are amongst the most coveted of collectors-items with such examples as Dark Carnival by Ray Bradbury, Opener of the Way by Robert Bloch, Robert Howard’s Skullface and Clark Ashton Smith's Lost Worlds. The five-star list of Arkham’s authors is equally impressive, including David H. Keller, Donald Wandrei, Carl Jacobi, William Hope Hodgson, more recently our own John Ramsey Campbell and of course Howard Philips Lovecraft who was virtually unknown outside a small Weird Tales readership until the Arkham publication of The Outsider & Others in l939.
AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT from a usually very reliable source tells of the sudden death of John W. Campbell on 11th July. Aged about sixty years John Campbell has been a giant amongst giants in the science-fiction world because of his thirty-five year association with Analog (formerly Astounding) Campbell sold his first story to the magazine in 1934 having already been firmly established as an Amazing author since the publication of When the Atoms Failed which appeared in the January 1930 issue when Campbell was but nineteen years old. A stream of superlative stories followed, many, like Who Goes There? and Cloak of Aesir appearing under the Don A Stuart byline, a pseudonym taken from the name of his first wife, Donna Stuart. In September 1937 John Campbell was appointed editor of Astounding Stories in succession to F. Orlin Tremaine, a chair he continued to occupy with distinction.
1971 TRANS-ATLANTIC FAN FUND WOUND UP 10th July with Gerfan candidate Mario Bosnyak emerging as clear winner. Mario will travel to the American World Convention at the Sheraton Hotel, Boston, over Labor Day weekend and will represent not only the Knights of St Fantony but the whole of European fandom. Final first place votes tallied as follows:
USA EUROPE TOTAL
Mario Bosnyak 32
106
138
Peter
Weston 51
33
84
Terry
Jeeves 44
22
66
Per
Insulander 27
20
47
European votes came from UK (48), Germany (52), Italy (46), Sweden (19), Austria (11), Holland (2), Belgium (2), and Turkey (1).
CHESTER WAY OF LIFE. This issue of SKYRACK - the original - accept no substitute - is being produced by two members of the National Association of Schoolmasters and readers will appreciate our fortitude as we pass over the fact that the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool, original siting of the 1972 British EasterCon, has been instead booked by the National Union of Teachers, a rival body. Convention Chairman Harry Nadler has had to look elsewhere. The Prospect in Harrogate was considered as a good – er - prospect in order to make it a tenth anniversary return-con for the Yorkshire spa, but the hotel’s conference hall was not suitable to our requirements. Instead The Blossoms Hotel, Chester, has been booked and Harry writes ecstatically about the hotel’s food.
News Items thish are gleaned from Eddie Jones, Terry Jeeves, Bob Sampson, Harry Nadler and Locus 89, Stateside fandom’s premier newszine which is produced by Charles & Dena Brown, 2078 Anthony Avenue, Bronx, New York 10457. Locus may be obtained also from UK rep Malcolm Edwards (a quick man with a postage stanp and address label), 28 Kinch Grove, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 9TF. 12 for £1.25.
TAFF KITTY stands at over $1,200 with slightly over £180 on hand with European Administrator Eddie Jones ($450) and roughly $830 on hand with American Administrator Elliot Shorter. Individual contributions to the fund ranged from 50 cents to fifty dollars.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE VICTORY, MARIO, say Ron Bennett and Terry Jeeves, Terry adding with the traditional stiff upper lip that the European representation is in good hands. “I hope you have a great time, Mario,” he says.
F0LLOWING HIS MOTORWAY BLOWOUT IN APRIL Ron Bennett experienced another high-speed puncture on the Brussels-Ostend Autoroute last month. “Can’t understand it,” he says, “the original tyres on my 1935 Morris look almost new.”
TERRY CARR has left Ace Books and plans to move back to the West Coast September.