Letters on this page
Posted 26 April:
Note: Return e-mail addresses will be posted only if you include it in your closing, or your subject matter specifically requests some sort of response; otherwise it will be omitted.
Dear Locus,
It's been pointed out on Rec.arts.sf that there's not a single American
science fiction novel on the Hugo ballot this year.
There's one American fantasy novel, two Canadian SF novels, a British
SF novel, and a British fantasy novel.
Has there ever been even remotely so international a Hugo ballot at an
American Worldcon? I don't think so, and it seems worth noting.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden
26 April 2001
Dear Locus,
I note that one of your poll correspondents [considering which 5 deceased writers would still be read in 50 years] wrote "Edward Whittemore (because otherwise there's no hope for the future)."
I -- i.e. Old Earth Books -- will be reprinting all 5 of Whittemore's published novels, in trade paperbacks, at the Philly Worldcon. No pricing, or ISBNs yet, but soon.
And since I'm plugging OEB projects, also due out the same time will be the first two of my reprinting of all of Edgar Pangborn, West of the Sun and A Mirror for Observers. Also at the Philly Worldcon will be Michael Swanwick's booklength interview with Gardner Dozois. Working title: Being Gardner Dozios.
Lastly, there will be an OEB website, www.oldearthbooks.com; it will be live soon.
In regards to the Hugos, I'm handling US sales of the Hugo-nominated Terry Pratchett: Guilty of Literature; details at http://www.rdg.ac.uk/~lhsjamse/guilty.htm.
Michael Walsh
25 Apr 2001
Dear Locus,
Re: Clint Bright's query about an all-time SF bestseller list.
Yes, there are just two that have been systematically compiled that we are aware of.
Beccon Publications has produced a readers' checklist based largely on Awards and critical review. You can find the purchase details from beccon@dial.pipex.com.
We (the Science Fact and Fiction Concatenation) have just produced something similar but solely based on fan readers' polls and fan awards (the core bold listing) as well as supplementary reading (non-bold listing) based on looser criteria.
The listing can be found on www.concatenation.org. We currently have entries for each item on the listings and are in the process of negotiating
with publishers to produce this as a paperback.
Jonathan Cowie
25 Apr 2001
[ OK, but we answered the earlier query at face value, concerning bestselling books -- not books that won awards or reader polls -- which is why we suggested L. Ron Hubbard. There have been lots of checklists and core collection lists and whatnot assembled over the years, based on various criteria, and in fact Locus Online is compiling yet another, but more systematic and comprehensive (including short fiction), list, as part of the under-construction Locus Index to SF Awards... which should be done by the Philly Worldcon, if not before.
--ed. ]
Dear Locus,
I am compiling an anthology of Rhysling winning SF poetry. For the anthology I need current address for the following people:
- Siv Cederling
- Adam Cornfield
- Sonya Dorman
- Ken Duffin
- Helen Erlich
- Alan P. Lightman
- Patrick McKinnon
- Susan Palwick
Please contact me at PO Box 564, Beloit, WI 53512 or e-mail sfpoetry@yahoo.com.
Thank you,
Roger Dutcher
23 April 2001
