Page 55
to let fandom know about like other fanzine writers.
Most Scintillation readers know that I own a science fiction bookstore in Portland, Oregon. That store is doing well and has now been open seventeen months. Last month we had our first autograph party with John Varley for the release of his first novel, The Ophiuchi Hotline. That went very well.
The store had to move from downtown Portland to an outlying area in November 1976 due to downtown reconstruction. The store is now just a short distance from Portland’s other SF book specialists, Garvin and Levin, and is located at 1808 E. Burnside (in case you’re visiting Portland someday).
I have also initiated a small one-man freelance graphic firm called Great Graphics! Arts Service, and am working on various freelance jobs (when I have time) here locally.
I must confess I have the rest of this page to fill with type and have nothing to say. Nothing of any worth, I must append. Anything of worth might be classified as an opinion or comment connected with the science fiction field. Something other than that just doesn’t belong in the magazine. That editorial policy makes this a ‘sercon’ fanzine, if Scintillation is to be considered a fanzine. I no longer do think of Scintillation as a fanzine, but rather as a small magazine. With the vast amount of my time taken up with the shop and the construction of this magazine, I haven’t the time to read but a small handful of fanzines and pro fiction magazines. Without this background of recently published and read material, I really cannot form any opinions about the field I’m working in. I was never very good at forming opinions — I never studied oration, I acted when I was younger and spent quite a bit of time speaking other people’s words. When I was even younger I followed others around. So, I never became very adept at expressing opinions. For the most part I learned how to assimilate other people’s opinions and express them by rote. I acted my opinions.
These days I prefer to confess my ignorance of a subject matter than recite.
I’ve been asked whether I really edit my magazine. Do I really believe in the things I publish? I don’t believe IN anything, and believe only one thing. To believe in something I would have to have an opinion on it. I have few true opinions; I have an opinion on drawing — something I have been studying for the past eighteen years, ever since I could hold a pencil in my first. I have an opinion on air, light, food and sound; things I have lived with all my life. But to have a real opinion on science fiction, something I have been reading for only seven or eight years altogether, that is ridiculous. Opinionists go where thinkers fear to tread.
Susan Wood asked me if I believe in the material I publish, or do I print it because it is controversial. A good question, but I have no real answer. An opinion would be detrimental to the open-minded approach I take with Scintillation. I believe in nothing I publish in this magazine. Instead, I feel that each piece has its valid points. On that basis I publish this material. If I had opinions on every topic mentioned, I certainly wouldn’t be publishing other people’s writing, I would write everything myself. Instead, I offer a forum.
I publish Scintillation out of curiosity. I am interested in what other people say in SF, but find there’s very, very few outlets like this one. There is only one person working in SF I won’t publish, but that is fine because he is published in many other magazines.
Altogether, that was a very good question. I have been thinking on that one deep inside for two weeks, Susan. But I believe one thing, and that is not at all connected with this magazine or science fiction. That, however, is my own business and is mine alone to dwell over.
On that somewhat final sounding note comes the time for the heartfelt thanks. Thank you to Richard Weholt, John Shirley, Philip José Farmer, Ted White, Doug Barbour, Steve Brown, Kathy Mayo, the artists, the letter writers, and the helpful subscribers. Thanks also to 20th Century-Fox, Dan DePrez, John Varley, Gil Gaier and Susan Wood.
A few more thanks to Rick Bilyeu, and to Jim and Jay at Photocraft for their invaluable help.
•
|