Index

SKYRACK number 85, dated 1st December 1965 and published by Ron Bennett, 52 Fairways Drive, Forest Lane, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. Six issues for 2/6 d or 35. Six issues airmailed for 5/- or 70c. Subscriptions may also be sent to good old Robert Coulson, Route 3, Hartford City, Indiana 47348. Contributors include Archie Mercer, Tony Walsh, George Locke, Alan Dodd. Heading & illustration by Arthur Thomson.

VIENNA IN SIXTY - SIX

THE RECENTLY FORMED BRISTOL & DISTRICT S.F. GROUP threw its first Fan Fawkes party on 6th November with attendees travelling from Peterborough, London, Manchester and Birmingham and other fan centres. Alan and Linda Rispin travelled all the way from Newcastle for the conclave at which there were some 47 fans crowding through the Walshes' new Bristol home. The party began at six and a firework spectacular was staged at 7.10, after which the drink began to flow freely, though the Phantom Punch Spoiler was present once again. Until about ten o'clock there seemed to be three distinct parties being conducted at the same time. There was the back-room slide and film show, with the now-famous Breathworld taking pride of place, the front room philosophisers, and the breakfast room brag school conducted by who else but Phil Rogers. At 1.30 the first fifteen were laid out to sleep in the back room and at three a further fifteen talked themselves to sleep before the stupefying fire built by Tony Walsh in the front room for that very purpose. A few hardies actually tried to sleep in the bedrooms, a false hope as Tony had dismantled all the beds for wall to wall matressing downstairs. The card school continued through the night, almost until the eight o'clock breakfast after which the YarCon committee held a meeting. "There," writes Tony, "is a sense of duty for you." At 11.30 about 20 fans were still present and so an excursion was held down to the Chopstick for an early lunch, the party finally dispersing about 1.30pm.

Also present were: Ethel Lindsay, Diane and Dick Ellingsworth, Peter Mabey, Keith and Wendy Freeman, Harry Nadler, Peter Weston, George Locke, Chris Priest, Doreen Parker, Don Geldart, Bette Woodhead, Archie Mercer, Beryl Henley, Daphne Sewell, Dave Barber, Jim Groves and Tony and Simone Walsh. George Locke writes that it was an ideal party but for one thing "You should have been there, Ron," he says. "We wanted a guy to burn in effigy." (AW & GAL)

CONVENTION PARTY AND FAN–GATHERING SECTION

In addition to the recent B.A.D. Fan Fawkes party, November saw the first Leeds fanclave for some few years when neo-Loiners Brian and Frances Varley and Bill Burns gathered at the home of Michael and Betty Rosenblum. Meanwhile, some six thousand miles away the Los Angeles Halloween party was suffering from knife-pulling and gun-shooting gatecrashers. Upon being thrown out the gatecrashers were involved in a knife incident during which Owen Hannifen was slightly cut. Shortly afterwards someone began to shoot at the house from a passing car, one shot passing between Dian Pelz and Bill Rotsler as they sat side by side, Dian being hit in the face and shoulder by splintered wood.

The TriCon(24th World S.F.Convention), P.O.Box 1372, Cleveland, Ohio 44103 which will take place at the Sheraton-Cleveland Hotel from 2nd to 5th September next year will have L. Sprague de Camp as its Guest of Honour. Briefly, points to note on the TriCon are as follows: Hotel guests will have free 24 hour parking. Room rates are $7.85 single, $13.85 double, $16.00 twin. All rooms air-conditioned, with bath, radio and TV. The hotel sports 5 speciality restaurants. Ceiling price on the banquet will be $5. Display tables are available (6' x 3') at $5 per additional table, the first table being free. Registration desk opens 6pm 1st Sept., to be followed at 8pm by a Warm-Up Party. For the final Farewell Party on 5th (Labor Day), the TriCon Committee is donating a room and free beer to serve in it. Copy deadline for the 2nd Progress Report is 1st March 1966 with rates varying between $8 the page and $1 the filler for adverts. Try TriCon in '66.

Over 60 fans have already joined the membership list of the 1966 Great Yarmouth Convention which will be held over the Easter weekend. Details from Chairman Dave Barber, la Walsoken House, Walton Road, Wisbech, Cambs.

Fliers relating to the 1966 Vienna Convention and the proposed coach convention which is being organised by Tony Walsh to travel in orbit to converge with the WienCon are being included for British and European subscribers only. Collectors who desire the fliers for their files may have them on request. Fandom's only News apa....

HARRISON HITS ENGLAND and other Professional Pearls

"ENGLAND IS BLESSED, Harrison is here," writes Mr. Harry Harrison. "All fen in Greater London beware. After a month in Spain, we have returned to these fair and rain-swept shores for an endless visit/stay. Send Skyrack so I can laugh, cry, etc. Roll on the con. Bring meat pies and drink. Better, stay at home with meat pies and drink and send wife.” Aw, tourist, go home, and other similar frenzied welcomes.

S.F. had quite a spread in the October 3rd Sunday Times Magazine with articles on the Clarke-Kubrick 2001 A Space Odyssey, Irene Shubik's Out of the Unknown BBC 2 series (which last week featured Bradbury's Fox and the Forest) and on John W. Campbell in an extremely frank manner, Good stuff ::: The Science Fiction Writers of America is/are instituting a series of awards for the year's best SF, selected by members of the SFWA ::: A recent note from Ken Slater included the news that the October F&SF had not been received by Ken from Atlas (a note to them also not having been answered) whilst the November F&SF which has arrived directly from the States shows that the 3/6d imprint which has been appearing both on U.S. and British-distributed copies has been dropped from the cover.

ZENITH SPECULATION 10 (Pete Weston, 9 Porlock Crescent, Northfield, Birmingham 31; Oct 65; 36pp 2/- or 30c) The first post-Worldcon appearance of Britain's Hugo contender which thereby puts aside its thoughts of passing from the zinescene. Thank Ghu. And Foo-Foo. The editor writes on Christopher Anvil, Joe Patrizio writes on humour in sf and Ian McAulay writes on The New Establishment which article contains some excellent points spoiled to some small degree by both generalisations and the fact that the article is altogether too short. There are two very good review sections and several pages of mature letters round off another satisfying and worthy issue.

HYDRA 6 (Nov 65; Peter Campbell, 15 Wilson Street, Workington, Cumberland; 5/– per year) Personal slim-zine, linked in no small way to the Hydra League. Not quite my own cup of tea, but readable.

LINK 4 (Beryl Mercer, 70 Worrall Road, Bristol 8; Nov 65 1/6d; 48pp) A very meaty latest issue of the British fanzine which depends greatly for its existence upon the new wave femme-fan. This is the best issue to date, with Link cutting its adolescent and forced humour down to a happy minimum. The best article is Archie Mercer's Utterly Longrigg (I take it that you've heard of Al Read?), whilst the letter-column is a fanzine - and a good one - on its own.

XERON 1 (Oct 65; John Quattromini and Michael Ashley, 9 Shurland Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent: 52p:10;1/6d). Apart from a sprinkling of names such as Terry Jeeves, Gray Hall and Richard Gordon, this fanzine would appear to have leapt in through the letter box from another dimension. The duplicating and material (mostly fiction) is generally very first-issuish. Of decided value, however, is the checklist of recent sf. John and Michael are undoubtedly keen and would doubtlessly improve with contributions, encouragement, and better reviews than that they are suffering here.

VECTOR 35 (Oct 65; The Official Organ of the BSFA, edited by Roger Peyton). A ½ foolscap printed Vector this time, containing all the usual excellent news and review departments (my first professional review, Graham Hall, Thank you). Bob Parkinson takes a further look at obscurity, this time the Fantasies of Jorge Luis Borges, David Sparrow writes a light article and Charles Winstone uses an old Hyphen pun for the title of his brief but thorough WorldCon coverage. I never cease to be amazed at the over-all high quality of Vector. Riding along with V35 is the 1st issue of the BSFA's new newsletter, four pages entitled The BSFA Bulletin. Well produced by Archie Mercer.

Leading the trail of overseas fanzines is, once again, Bob Coulson's Yandro of which the 151st issue has appeared (with 152 no doubt being on its way). Yandro is available from Alan Dodd, 77 Stanstead Rd., Hoddesdon, Herts at 1/9d per, 4 for 6/- and 12 for 14/-. Ted White is missing this time but there is much resulting from his recent, and excellent, series of articles on writing. Yandro also seems to be becoming a focal point for Tolkien and Raymond Chandler fans ::: Another leading Stateside zine well worth a try is Niekas,from Ed Meskys and Felice Rolfe or in the U.K. from Gray Hall, 57 Church St., Tewkesbury, Gloc (2/6d), a beautifully produced and very meaty zine :::  Zingaro number 5 from Mark Irwin,1747 Elmwood Dr.,Highland Park, Illinois 60035 is also meaty and worth trying but at 35c (2/6d) is probably a little highly priced for the U.K. fan. Some very good Midwestcon photos here, however ::: And of course there is the good ol’ regular G2, monthly and foolscap, published by Joe and Robbie Gibson, 5380 Sobrante Ave.,El Sobrante, Calif 94803 @ 2/25c. British fans can obtain their copies @ 2 for 1/9d, 8 for 7/- from Colin Freeman, Ward 3, Scotton Banks, Knaresborough, Yorks.

CHANGES OF ADDRESS: Two new addresses for one fan! Bill Burns has a new home address in Manchester and is meanwhile studying in Leeds:
Bill Burns, 13 Swanage Road, Winton, Eccles, Manchester and 9 Brudenell Mount, Leeds 6.
Roje Gilbert, 92 St Fabians Drive, Chelmsford, Essex.
Harry Galactic Harrison, 68 Banstead Road South, Sutton, Surrey.
Beryl Henley, c/o 70 Worrall Road, Bristol 8.

And before the inhabitants of Eccles, Lancashire take up their pens and swords, here are two corrections to previously listed addresses:
Dave and Ruth Kyle, Route 4, Potsdam, New York 13676, USA.
George H. Scithers, European Research Office, 1G Hochhaus, Zimmer 030, 6 Frankfurt am Main 1,
W. Germany.

SNIPPETS: Apologies to TAFF Administrator Arthur Thomson who sent along the enclosed flier for distribution over a month ago. You may have noticed that Skyrack skipped an issue. Not lethargy or apathy, just 46 children and two evening classes ::: Pyramid is slowing down on sf; 1966 publishing schedule will see mostly reprints ::: Oxford's big day, nay BIG DAY, is 11th December when Brian Aldiss and Margaret Manson wed. The best of best wishes to you both ::: Say the Scott Meredith Agency, "We've never sold any book to Simon & Schuster so fast," Novel in question is William F.Temple's Shoot at the Moon, slated for a late Spring publication. A $2,500 advance already paid ::: November Books & Bookmen gave a two page spread to Tom Boardman interviewing Harry Harrison ::: Lowndes' Magazine of Horror has bought several R.E. Howard poems and one unpublished short, King of the Forgotten People ::: Advent will not publish Harry Warner's Fan History or the revised Tuck Handbook until next year. They hope however to have out The Many Worlds of E.E.Smith later this year ::: Enterprise Films are making Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 with Julie Christie ::: New mag on the U.S.stands - Sol Cohen's Great SF From Amazing, reprints naturally ::: Roje Gilbert and Brenda Piper plan a new fanzine. Details from Roje ::: Congratulations to Peter and Betty Campbell whose son, Brian Paul (6 lb 11 oz) was born 8th Oct ::: New London pop group is called "The Golden Apples of the Sun ::: Thomas Schluck for TAFF.