YOU SEE ON YOUR CRT SCREEN THE ONE, THE ONLY... THE OFFICIAL JACK L. CHALKER HANDOUT & BIBLIOGRAPHY! Electronic Edition  The Mirage Press, Ltd. 1996 Copyright c 1984-1996 by Jack L. Chalker. All rights reserved including electronic. Permission is granted to distribute this in electronic or print form so long as there is no charge to the receiving party for it and that nothing is added or subtracted from the entire text including this copyright notice. All other rights and all exceptions are reserved under the Universal, Pan American, and Berne copyright conventions and all other applicable conventions. The Mirage symbol, created by David Prosser, is copyright 1962, renewed 1990 by Jack L. Chalker. All rights reserved. Fonts used are Adobe Hobo and Adobe Times-Roman. If you don't have these on your system, they may display differently or cause some spacing problems. THE OFFICIAL JACK L. CHALKER HANDOUT & BIBLIOGRAPHY A Short Explanation From the Author: Until recently, I answered every single letter from a reader (who wasn't nasty) personally. It's something I still would love to do, but the volume is getting so great that, between writing the books and answering the mail, my sons were beginning to ask their mother who I was and she was having trouble remembering herself. As a result. I've been forced to this, which contains the answers to many of the most asked questions. So, unless you gave a compelling reason for requiring a personal answer (in which case you will receive an email reply if you left your Internet address) this is what you must content yourself with. Sorry but what can I do? The Most-Asked Questions: (1) Where do you get your ideas? A: K-Mart Idea Sales. (2) Why do you live in Maryland when you could live in southern California or Florida? A: How can anyone live in regions where you can't get Old Bay Seasoning, crab soup, and fresh oysters off the dock? Besides, I figure there's something wrong with a climate so boring it induces people to get up before noon and even jog. (3) Will there be more (a) Well World novels (b) Four Lords novels [c] Dancing Gods novels? A: [a] yes, see below, [b] definitely not, [c] see below under Novels. (4) What do you do for a living? A: I write novels. (5) Can you get me copies of books of yours that are out of print? A: No. For first editions, try the SF/F out of print booksellers and prepare to part with at least one arm and one leg. I do not have surplus copies lying about. If you just want to read them, all of my book-length fiction's in print anyway no matter what your bookstore tells you. (6) Which SF writers do you particularly like to read? A: Eric Frank Russell. James White, some Phil Farmer, early Raymond F. Jones, early Heinlein, Jack Vance, and others too numerous to mention. I do not read SF as much as I used to. It's too much like a busman's holiday. (7) Do you play role playing games? A: No. Why should I spend my free time doing for nothing what I get paid to do? (8) What SF movies do you like? A: Forbidden Planet, This Island Earth (MST3K notwithstanding), the even numbered Trek movies, several George Pals, all 4 Quatermass, and the first two Star Wars. O.K.? (9) If I send you something to autograph, will you? A: If it's a copy of one or more of my books, not all of them, and is accompanied by a return mailer (postpaid), sure I will. If not accompanied by return mailer and postage, it will be eaten. If you have too many, bring them to a convention I'm at. No, I don't autograph blank slips, checks, or stickers, and certainly no books without me in them. (10) Will you read my manuscript or help me with my writing? A: And you also get free doctor advice, free legal advice, etc.? Do you know how much they charge you at Clarion? And, yes, I am also a professional editor but I accept no unsolicited manuscripts. I have no incentive, economic or otherwise, to collaborate with anyone, either. If you got what it takes, you'll make it. If you don't, Shakespeare couldn't help you. (11) You write so much. Is there a list of all you've done? A: Glad you asked that question... NOVELS All of the works below are listed in order of publication as a form of checklist. Data on current editions !s given if and when available. 1. A JUNGLE OF STARS, Ballantine/Del Rey, 1976, et al. Also Editions Albin Michel, Paris, 1979 (in French). There was a German edition as well but I was never sent a copy and don't have any details on it except that it was in 1978. Of course, nobody sent me the French one, either. I got it because Somtow Sucharitkul spotted it in the Paris airport and bought it for me as a gift. 2. MIDNIGHT AT THE WELL OF SOULS, Del Rey, 1977, et. al. Also Penguin Books, U.K., 1981; Goldmann, Munich, 1978 (in German). Danish edition was a major best seller there; Dutch, Polish. and a half dozen other languages with more to come. Series sold to Italy in 1987, my first seven-figure advance. Unfortunately it's lira.... Hebrew is next in 1995. 3. THE WEB OF THE CHOZEN, Del Rey, 1978, et.al. Also Wilhelm Hein Verlag, Munich, 1981 (in German); also in a highly rewritten Hebrew edition (Tel Aviv, 1981). 4. EXILES AT THE WELL OF SOULS, Del Rey, 1978, et. al. Also Penguin Books, U.K., 1982; Goldmann, Munich, 1979 (in German). Danish, Dutch, Italian, Polish, etc. editions. 5. QUEST FOR THE WELL OF SOULS, Del Rey, 1978, et. al. Foreign editions as above. 6. AND THE DEVIL WILL DRAG YOU UNDER, Del Rey, 1979, et. al. German edition, Goodman, 1983, with same cover. French edition 1987 with new cover in large-size trade paperback format. Optioned to the movies but don't hold your breath. 7. A WAR OF SHADOWS, Ace: An Analog Book, 1979. Reprinted with new (good) cover and packaged like a mainstream thriller. Ace, October, 1984, Baen, 1993. Optioned off and on to the movies. Again, hold no breaths. 8. DANCERS IN THE AFTERGLOW, Del Rey, 1979,1982. Also Goldmann, Munich, 1982 (in German as Der Tourister Planet), Urania, Italy, 1989. 9. THE RETURN OF NATHAN BRAZIL, Del Rey, 1980, et. al. Foreign editions as above (see Midnight). 10. THE DEVIL'S VOYAGE, Doubleday, 1980, in hardcover. Japanese rights were sold but no book produced so far in Japanese. Out of print at Doubleday, after 3 printings. After a long dispute with me over paperback rights, Doubleday found a loophole and sold it at the last minute to Critic's Choice paperbacks, a new company formed by old Pinnacle execs. Unfortunately, they published the Doubleday version. not the one I wrote; 1985, with a great cover. Book is a WW2 novel, not SF, although h John W. Campbell is a minor character. If you wonder why I don't write more non-S F, note that none of my SF/fantasy characters has ever threatened to sue me for libel but one in this book did. Critics Choice reissue, October, 1988, under more than one imprint for some reason (same cover). We have finally reverted the rights in mid-1991 and will attempt to get the complete book republished in some form when I get the time to reassemble the manuscript. Yes, there's interest in doing the complete work, but finding those missing pages after all this time is not easy. 11. TWILIGHT AT THE WELL OF SOULS, Del Rey, 1980 et. al. Foreign editions as per Midnight. 12. LILITH: A SNAKE IN THE GRASS, Del Rey, 1981 et. al. Also Goldmann, Munich, 1982 (in German). British: Penguin, 1991. Wydawnletwo Alfa, Poland, 1991; also Italian and Romanian editions. Four Lords I. 13. CERBERUS: A WOLF IN THE FOLD, Del Rey, 1982 et. al. Also Goldmann, Munich, 1983 (in German). British, Penguin, 1991; Italian edition Urania, also Polish, Romanian. Four Lords II. 14. THE IDENTITY MATRIX, Timescape: Pocket Books, 1982. Reprinted, with new cover and fresh typesetting, by Baen Books, January, 1986. Sold to Goldmann. Germany, other foreign sales pending. Although #14 in publication, this was written #3, immediately after Midnight at the Well of Souls. Long story-ask me at a convention about it sometime. Reissue with new packaging (and higher price) by Baen in 1994. 15. CHARON: A DRAGON AT THE GATE, Del Rey, 1982 et. al. German edition (Goldmann), 1984. British, Penguin, 1992; Italian Urania, Polish, also Romanian. Four Lords III. 16. THE FOUR LORDS OF THE DIAMOND, The Science Fiction Book Club, 1983, March main selection. Contains all four "Diamond" books (#s 12,13, 15, and 17) although slightly rewritten by me to eliminate some recap that was needed in the four but unnecessary in a single volume edition. Original cover by Richard Powers for this book. SFBC now lists this as out of print. Too bad. I also wish they'd do more combos of my stuff (they did do the new Well trio, but 12 years is a long time to wait). Write them and demand it! 17. MEDUSA: A TIGER BY THE TAIL, Del Rey, 1983. Foreign editions per Charon,, etc. Four Lords IV. 18. THE RIVER OF DANCING GODS, Del Rey, delivered in March of 1982 but Del Rey did not publish it until February, 1984. British edition, Futura, 1985. Wydawnletwo Alfa, Poland, 1991, in Polish. believe it or not. Nobody but the Poles has yet dared to try and translate this one. OP as an stand-alone but available as part of The Dancing Gods: Part I with Demons, below, see #51 below. 19. DEMONS OF THE DANCING GODS, Del Rey, delivered in October, 1982; published May 24,1984. British edition, Futura, 1986, Polish, 1992. Paired with River above in omnibus (see #51 below). 20. SPIRITS OF FLUX AND ANCHOR, Tor Books, 1984. First of a large novel split by economics, sheer size. and greed into eventually 5 books. Delivered in February, 1983. Series was also sold to Holland for 1988-89 publication, not seen. British: Penguin, first 3 in series, starting in 1990. German, first 3, starting with first in Nov. 1989. 21. EMPIRES OF FLUX AND ANCHOR, Tor Books, 1984. Second in the Soul Rider books, delivered in May. 1983 and written continuously with #20 above. Marketed as Soul Rider: Book Two with the title off to one side. Br: Penguin; German, Dutch, 1990. 22. DOWNTlMING THE NIGHT SIDE, Tor Books, May, 1985. A complex time travel novel not connected to a series or other works. Delivered December, 1983. Many of the "literary" type critics think it's my best book. To be repackaged and reissued by Baen with new afterword by me done for the edition in May, 1993. 23. MASTERS OF FLUX AND ANCHOR, Tor Books, January, 1985. Third but not last in the Soul Rider saga, although it completes the original novel as outlined. Delivered January 25, 1984. Copies were received in Nov. 84. The Dutch edition of this one will be abridged, and not by me. Br. Penguin; German, Dutch, 1990-91. 24. VENGEANCE OF THE DANCING GODS, Del Rey, July, 1985. Third but not the last of the Dancing Gods series, although the last written to date. Delivered April, 1984. Futura, U.K., 1986. 25. THE MESSIAH CHOICE, St. Martins/Blue Jay, May, 1985 in hardcover. Mass market paperback, Tor Books, May 1986. A horror novel with SF overtones, should appeal to my regular readers who don't like horror. Delivered August 1,1984. Blue Jay is out of business (not my doing!) and the copies were remaindered by St. Martins and may be available cheap somewhere. All out of print now but still common. 26. THE BIRTH OF FLUX AND ANCHOR, Tor Books, 1985. A "prequel" to #s 20, 21, and 23 above, set 2600 ears earlier. Delivered January 15,1985, copies received November 14,1985. No, they called it Soul Rider Book 4, not Book 0. Dutch, Danish, German, Italian editions as well. 27. CHILDREN OF FLUX AND ANCHOR. Tor Books, September, 1986. Not a sequel, as originally intended. but actually the last part of the mega-novel I thought I could cover in #3 but ran out of room to do. The way it was always supposed to end, not an add-on. Same foreign sales as above. 28. LORDS OF THE MIDDLE DARK. Del Rey Books, June, 1986. First volume of The Rings of the Master, which was not my series title (I called it The Malebolge Rings). Delivered July 15,1985. British: Hodder (NEL) pb, 1988, with new cover and big promotional blitz. Also British hardcover of this and subsequent volumes in series, Severn House, with awful covers. Also Japanese, whole series, starting in 1990. 29. PIRATES OF THE THUNDER. Del Rey Books, March, 1987. Continuation of the Rings of the Master series begun with #28 above. Delivered March 27,1986. British edition from Hodder/NEL, 1988. hb, Severn House, 1990, the latter so hard to get even I had to buy a copy! 30. THE LABYRINTH OF DREAMS. Tor Books, March, 1987. First of the G.O.D., Inc. books. Originally intended as a mega-novel, this turned out to be a true series, each book complete. I had so much fun with the first one I wrote it in near record time and delivered it on August 10, 1985, five months before it was due. It sort of does to parallel worlds and thirties' detective fiction what the Dancing Gods does for Conan. Rescheduled because of the St. Martins buyout of Tor so while I had no books for 9 months come out this comes out the same month as Pirates. I don't control those things, which is why I put the delivery dates in this. This book and its sequels have been banned in parts of Alabama, Tennessee, and the Carolinas because distributors considered the overtitle sacrilegious. Chain book stores there sell it, though. 31. THE SHADOW DANCERS, Tor Books, July, 1987. Second of the G.O.D., Inc. books. The first was sort of Raymond Chandler; this one is more like Alternate World Vice although it has a parody of The Thin Man at the end. More serious and "heavy" than #29 but still fun. Delivered December 15, 1985, copies received June 17,1987. See banning notice on #30 above. 32. WARRIORS OF THE STORM. Del Rey Books, August, 1987. Third in the Rings of the Master series begun with #28 and #31 above. Delivered May 25,1986 at Disclave. British: Hodder/NEL, 1989. hb: Severn House bought this one, too, but still hasn't done it that I know of. 33. WHEN THE CHANGEWINDS BLOW. Ace/Putnams, September, 1987. After 3 books from 3 publishers in 3 consecutive months people thought I had Clark Kent's typing speed. Delivered October 20, 1986. The book has a really fine wrap-around Darrell Sweet cover. British: NEL, 1991. Katakawa Shojin, Tokyo, 1989, in Japanese (and illustrated!). Series currently OP in English but bought for reprint by Baen starting some time in 1996. 34. MASKS OF THE MARTYRS, Del Rey, February, 1988. Last of the Rings of the Master series, delivered February 24, 1987. Yes, it ends the series, and quite bizarrely, too. No further books planned in this series. British: Hodder/NEL. hb: Severn House bought this one, too, but if it did it I never saw or heard of it. 35. RIDERS OF THE WINDS. Ace Books, May, 1988. Second book in the Changewinds series see #33 above) for Ace/Putnams. Delivered May 22, 1987. Katakawa Shojin, Tokyo, 1990, in Japanese; N L, U.K., 1991. Series currently OP in English but will be reprinted by Baen starting in 1996. 36. DANCE BAND ON THE TITANIC. Del Rey Books, July, 1988. Story collection with lots of commentary. You will even learn such things as why I write a lot of books on transformation themes. Contains all the stories listed in "Stories" below. Also includes Moths and Candle (never before published) and the article Where I Get Those Crazy Ideas originally done for Del Rey but not used by them (it shows exactly how the Well World developed) along with lots of prefatory matter, commentary, barbs and darts, and even some memoir, much taken from the stuff I do at conventions but a lot blunter, particularly my views on critics, criticism, and failed writers. Some sting was lessened at the insistence of publisher's lawyers. Note: that is not me on the cover even though it should be; it is cover artist Darrell Sweet. My photo, however, is inside the back cover of the U.S., but not the Canadian, edition. I'll redo this sometime, with updated nonfiction parts. Currently OP but we're working on it. 37. WAR OF THE MAELSTROM. Ace/Putnams, October, 1988. Delivered late on February 10,1988. The third and climactic Changewinds book. I got the nukes in but it ran so long the climax had to be tightened, so sorry if the end's not quite what was advertised here earlier. It's still 140,000 words and I like the ending fine. Katakawa Shojin, Tokyo, 1990, in Japanese. British: NEL, 1993. Series currently OP in English but will be reprinted by Baen. 38. THE MAZE IN THE MIRROR. Tor Books, January, 1989. Third in the G.O.D., Inc. series begun with #29. Each book is complete in and of itself. These are parallel worlds private detective novels featuring the same detectives in each book. Due in July, 1987, but between illnesses and worldcon trips it wasn't handed in until October 29, 1987. Much more science fictional than the first two, and more cerebral, but you will find out where Slim Whitman is the #1 recording artist and the true origin of (and intended use for) Ginsu knives. 39. THE DEMONS AT RAINBOW BRIDGE. Ace-Putnam's, hardcover, September, 1989. The Quintara Marathon is the overtitle for this, the first of a projected three-book serial novel which has met with exceptionally good mainstream reviews (it's been mostly ignored by the SF press as usual). Pb, June, 1990, got to #12 on the real pb bestseller list and #2 on the SF lists. Sold to Italy for 1991 publication in Italian. 40. SONGS OF THE DANCING GODS. Del Rey, August, 1990. Delivered July 15,1989. Yes, there Will be another at some point, as the end to this one makes obvious. British: Futura, as usual. 41. (with Mike Resnick and George Alec Effinger): THE RED TAPE WAR, Tor hardcover, April, 1991; pb 1992. A pure old-fashioned science fiction space opera that treats the genre with the same reverence and respect as the Dancing Gods book treat epic fantasy, written one chapter at a time by each of us in turn and each chapter ending an attempt to screw the next guy. Action filled? A guy answers a distress call from a distant planet and 70,000 words later he not only hasn't gotten there, he hasn't gotten anywhere. Delivered some time in August, 1990. A major seller in both hb and paper. but when we offered to do another the publisher turned us down saying that he still couldn't explain the sale of this one and it had to be some sort of fluke. Yeah. Ever since they got that Politically Correct editor, Tor's had no sense of humor at all. 42. THE RUN TO CHAOS KEEP. Ace/Putnams, May, 1991 in hardcover, Feb. 1992 in pb. Second book of The Quintara Marathon, essentially a long shooting chase across myriad alien worlds, with everything from interdimensional travel to psi to space suits to ghosts, demons, eldritch horrors, and even an explanation of how idols work. Delivered 2/7/90. I can't understand why the hb was delayed this long. Ace, not me, decided this, and I objected. When sales were below expectations, they still blamed me. 43. THE NINETY TRILLION FAUSTS. Ace/Putnams, October 1991, in hardcover, November, 1992 in pb. Third and final Quintara book. Delivered July 3,1990. A big one, 25% bigger than the either of the first two Yes, the universe really does go to Hell in this one. I was extremely pleased with this book in particular, but be warned-no recap. Starts with the next line after Keep. 44. ECHOES OF THE WELL OF SOULS, Del Rey, trade paperback, May, 1993; mass market pb Feb. 1994. Volume I of The Watchers of the Well. It's been 11 years since I wrote in this universe and I proclaimed at the time that I wouldn't write another unless I got an offer about the equivalent of winning the state lottery and I had a good idea for one. Well, I got the offer (from Del Rey, of course, who also offered to repackage and do a neat new promotion of the first ones but so far hasn't done them, damn it) and discovered that when somebody names a figure that high ideas just rush into my head. This is at least up to the later ones at least, I promise. Delivered February 25,1992. 45. SHADOW OF THE WELL OF SOULS. Vol. II of The Watchers of the Well; continues the complex Machiavellian mess I started in Echoes above, and has a really ugly finish to make you come back for the finale but it's not a `fill" book_lots of new hexes and races and al the rest and the best villain I've done in years. Delivered December, 1992; due out in trade pb Feb. 1994, mass market in Sept. 1994. 46. GODS OF THE WELL OF SOULS. Del Rey, 1994. Vol. III and climax of The Watchers of the Well. It's a big double or triple whammy finish. Delivered August, 1993; trade pb Sept., 1994, mass market 3/95. 47. [edited by] HOTEL ANDROMEDA, Ace, 1994, mass market pb only. Anthology of original stories set in a massive intergalactic hotel and truck stop way out there created by me. Unfortunately, creative differences and serious personality problems between me and this publisher meant that there's no story by me in it, nor the extensive background stuff I wanted to do, either. Still, I did select and edit the stories and I did create the universe in which they're set and I recommend it for that. 48. THE WATCHERS AT THE WELL. Science Fiction Book Club, 1994, hardcover, $14.95. Contains the entire text of #s 44,45, and 46 above in the only hardcover edition. Wish I could get `em to do Midnight. 49. HORRORS OF THE DANCING GODS. Delivered 4/1/94. Mass market pb not until December of 1995! It seems that the new regime at Del Rey doesn't much like this series. Latest in this open-ended series and kind of a wind-up of the original premise as the original characters travel to the continent of horror clich‚s via H.P. Hovecraft in search of the Great McGuffin, along with an almost grown Irving. Needs another book to wrap, but no offer yet. 50. THE CYBERNETIC WALRUS. The Wonderland Gambit I, Del Rey, trade pb in November, 1995 (official pub date 12/14/95), mass market edition probably May, 1996; actually a saga of virtual realities so realistic that you aren't sure what's real and what's not and in which virtually anything is possible. Not cyberpunk; this is more my homage to Phil Dick, only you'll understand the ending. Not a Del Rey sort of saga, but it's doing well from them. 51. THE DANCING GODS: Part One. Del Rey, November, 1995, $6.99. Contains the complete text of The River of Dancing Gods and Demons of the Dancing Gods, currently the only English language edition in print of either book. The third and fourth in this series will be Part Two later. 52. THE MARCH HARE NETWORK. The Wonderland Gambit II. Lots of twists and turns but not yet the truly bizarre. Delivered March 28, 1995. No publication date from Del Rey, yet., but it looks like the trade pb edition will be out in May, 1996. Not Yet Written or Delivered 53. THE HOT-WIRED DODO. The Wonderland Gambit III. The current work in progress. Probably very late 1996 or early 1997 in trade pb. Will be delivered sometime in January, 1996. 54-55. TALES OF THE WELL WORLD I & II. 1997. Trade pb first. May have individual titles_I haven't decided yet. 56-58. THE PRIAM LENS. A new saga, science fiction for sure, aliens and spaceships and much more, and the 1998 (!) project! SHORT FICTION Almost no one seems to know I write short fiction. Not much of it, I admit, but I have written some. much of which is quite different from my novels. All to date are in Dance Band on the Titanic (see #36 above). The title story', by the way, is my own personal favorite of all my writings, and it seems that while everyone who read it who I've met loved it and remembered it even years later, nobody seems to have remembered it was a story of mine. That's why we do collections. 1. No Hiding Place, in Stellar 3, edited by Judy-Lynn Del Rey, Del Rey, 1977. As far as I know this is still in print on a special order basis. This was also sold to a Martin H. Greenberg/Charles Waugh anthology of haunted house stories called, appropriately, House Shudders, for DAW which was supposed to be out in late `87 but I never saw a copy and have never been offered one to sign so I don't know if it actually appeared. 2. In the Wilderness, Analog, July, 1978. A stand-alone chapter from a proposal for a sequel to A Jungle of Stars that was never written because of problems coming to terms. Original title: Forty Days and Nights in the Wilderness, which was used in the story collection. The title was too long to fit the page footers in Analog so Bova cut it and destroyed any meaning it had. 3. Dance Band on the Titanic, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, July/August, 1978. Magazine version in Best of Asimov's Vol. I, Dial/Davis hardcover & pb, 1979. Preferred version in Best SF 1979, edited by Donald A. Wollheim with Art Saha, DAW Books, 1979, reissued (for some reason) as Best SF 4, DAW, 1987. The only one of this series not to be published by the SF Book Club, before or since. If you must know, my favorite of all things of all lengths that I have ever written. I wish I could do it again. There is a British edition of this anthology with a different title, but I haven't seen it. There was also a Best of Asimov's anthology for the supermarket trade that included the magazine version of it, but I never got a copy of that one, either, only checks. The Wollheim version is the one in the collection and after. The story has also been licensed at no fee to a number of suicide prevention clinics in the U.S. 4. Stormsong Runner, in Whispers II, edited by Stuart David Schiff, Doubleday & Co., 1979. Out of print. This anthology went OP before publication yet they would not reprint it and it took until late 1987 to sell it to paperback. You figure it out. A "little" ghost story about the girl who's in charge of thunderstorms for southern West Virginia. Also in Dixie Ghosts, a southern regional anthology from a regional publisher, 1988. 5. In the Dowaii Chambers, in The John W. Campbell Awards Anthology, Vol. V, edited by George R. R. Martin. Blue Jay Books, NY, January, 1984. Written a couple of years a 0 when the anthology was called New Voices V, this is a 24,000 word novella. Trade paperback. As the publisher is now out of business and no mass market paperback was sold, I assume it's out of print, although all remaining Blue Jay stock was remaindered, not destroyed, so somebody probably still has it somewhere. 6. Adrift Among the Ghosts, written for and sold to The John W. Campbell Awards Anthology, Vol. VI, edited by George R. R. Martin. This is a 5900 word short story and somewhat avant garde and off the wall. See? I can too write something short. Originally to be published in October, 1986 by Blue Jay Books and actually typeset, etc. but the publisher went broke in October and it was never printed. George Martin has allowed the story to go into the collection since he hasn't yet found a home for the anthology, so the collection was its first appearance anywhere. However, is in Best SF 1989, edited by Donald A. Wollheim & Art Saha, DAW Books, 1989, Don's best of the year annual, so it'll have a wider audience anyway, and is an SF Book Club alternate (although for the first time not a main selection!) 7. Moths and Candle appears for the first time in the collection, although it's an old story. In fact, it was rejected by John W Campbell Jr. and the rejection letter is included in the collection. It is also an unpublished segment of the "Jungle" sequence never done, set in the post-Jungle universe but originally written 7 years before the novel. if you're curious to see how that was possible, read the introduction to the story in the collection. 8. And Falls The Still, Still Night. Short story in Alternate Presidents, edited by Mike Resnick & Martin H. Greenberg, Tor, 1992, paper only; US SFBC edition, mid-1992, only U.S. hardback. NOVELTIES 1. THE NECRONOMICON: A STUDY, Mirage Press, 1967, as by Mark Owings. Because of this book, "Mark Owings", a very real person, has been listed as a pen name of mine and in a sense really was. Actually he was to do the book, then could not, and I did it for him. He got the billing and I got paid. However, Owings, the field's leading bibliographer, has other books in his own right on his own and with me. All books, articles, etc. bylined by him alone other than this one are in fact his alone and not mine. 2. AN INFORMAL BIOGRAPHY OF $CROOGE McDUCK, Mirage Press, 1974. Done before Scrooge had a TV series and with the cooperation of McDuck creator Carl Barks, I have never given up hope of illustrating an edition with Barks panels in spite of Disney's refusals to date. With the upsurge in interest over McDuck thanks to the TV series we'll get a new edition out at some point. I offered it to Another Rainbow/Gladstone but they decided it wasn't big enough for them. If I can find someone else to distribute, a new edition is not out of the question. RELEVANT NONFICTION Actually, I've written quite a lot over the years, including much not in the SF or related fields. much in other works, etc. both credited and uncredited. But is anyone fanatical enough to want to know that I wrote the course of study for high school geography for the Baltimore City Public Schools, for example? Those below are both major and minor material, but all relate to SF/fantasy. 1. THE NEW H.P. LOVECRAFT BIBLIOGRAPHY, Anthem, 1961. Compiler. Out of print. An updating of George Wetzel's 1952 bibliography authorized by Arkham House but not Wetzel. Long story. 2. (editor) IN MEMORIAM: CLARK ASHTON SMITH, Anthem, 1963. There is talk of a new edition of this excellent anthology, but don't hold your breath. Contains some Smith material never published anywhere else including a complete play in blank verse set in Zothique, and appreciations by Fritz Leiber, Sprague deCamp, many of Smith's closest friends, a memorial poem (also never published elsewhere) by Theodore Sturgeon, Introduction by Ray Bradbury, etc. etc. In case you haven't guessed, I grew up in this field and there are few in it past or present I don't or didn't know. 3. (editor) MIRAGE ON LOVECRAFT, Anthem, 1964. I also wrote the long introduction to this small collection of articles by August Derleth and David H. Keller, plus some obscure Lovecraft writings, mostly from the pages of Mirage magazine. 4. (with Mark Owings) THE INDEX TO THE SCIENCE-FANTASY PUBLISHERS, Mirage Press, 1966, two editions. The revision took another 25 years to do (see #7 below). 5. H.P. Lovecraft: A Bibliography, in The Dark Brotherhood And Other Pieces, Arkham House, 1965. Reprinted in French) in L'Herne, 1967. An attempt to do it new rather than from old bibliographies, Derleth reformatted this to the Wetzel style without my knowledge or permission. 6. (with Mark Owings) THE REVISED H.P. LOVECRAFT BIBLIOGRAPHY, Mirage Press, 1971, OP. Almost all Owings, really, but based on my original 1965 bibliography for Arkham House (see above) which Derleth did not use. 7. (with Mark Owings) THE SCIENCE-FANTASY PUBLISHERS: A Bibliographic and Critical History, Mirage Press, 1991. This is a history and bibliography of the specialty presses, with commentary and analysis. Already controversial, this massive 764 page 8 X 11 hardcover volume is available for $75.00. Expensive, but even our detractors say that once they start reading it they can't put it down (and what other reference work have you heard that said about?) Called by one critic "The Kitty Kelly School of Bibliography," what other reference work gives you Tom Hadley's infamous recipe for the nuclear fizz? A Version 3.5 is planned in 1996 that will incorporate the new and corrected information in the first three supplements but not rewrite any text that isn't obviously wrong or totally dated. That will await a future 4th edition. 8. (with Mark Owings) THE SCIENCE FANTASY PUBLISHERS: Supplement One, Mirage Press, September, 1993, 8 X 11 trade paperback, $10.00. First in our annual supplements in which we update all the entries in the big book, plus revised entries and corrections and additions to same, etc. This one covers 1991-93. 9. (with Mark Owings) THE SCIENCE FANTASY PUBLISHERS: Supplement Two, Mirage Press, September, 1994, 8 X 11 trade paperback, $10.00. Second supplement, this one covers just 1993-1994. 10. (with Mark Owings) THE SCIENCE-FANTASY PUBLISHERS: Supplement Three, Mirage Press, October, 1995, 8« X 11 trade paperback, $10.00. Third supplement, covers 7/94 through 9/95. PERIODICALS 1. MIRAGE, an amateur magazine of fantasy, 1960-1971,10 issues. My only Hugo nomination was for this magazine, which produced some major work by top names, both fiction and scholarship. and inspired all of today's fan interest in fantasy/horror. For example, this contained Ed Bryant's first published story and Seabury Quinn's last. Never officially folded, I occasionally get the urge to do another but sanity prevails. Still, who knows what might emerge in playing with the laser printer? 2. INTERJECTION, a small fanzine that usually appears in February (and occasionally August) of each year in the mailings of the Fantasy Amateur Press Association, 1968-1987. Essays and commentary on various subjects, mostly not SF or fantasy related. Available only to FAPA members. Please don't ask for a copy, but if you publish a fanzine you might consider applying to FAPA for membership. If you don't, or don't even know what a fanzine is, forget it. GAMES Role Playing (past): TAG Industries, which specializes in miniatures for war games, has done a Well World role-playinggame, released in fall, 1985. I do not play role-playing games for fun; I get paid to do that, so I don't even understand the rules and I am not responsible for the descriptions of some of the races used in the game. The game was available from game stores and wholesalers; the box is a large reproduction of the cover of the U.S. edition of Midnight. At least all of you who keep pleading for more Well World books can act out your own script. I neither wrote nor did anything more than license these and do not feel bound to honor their description of some of the hex creatures. The game did O.K. but TAG suffered from distribution problems, has changed owners, and the game is now a collector's item. Too bad. CD ROM (future): Legend software, however, has bought CD ROM interactive rights to the Well World. We have no details or date and I haven't been consulted on the game, but they sure paid well and fast so I expect them to do something in 1996, since it clearly didn't make Comdex or Christmas 1995_. Watch this space. COLUMNS For four years until the magazine's sad demise, I wrote a regular column on SF/fantasy small press for Fantasy Review as referred to elsewhere here, and I continue the column on an irregular basis in Pulphouse magazine, which is pretty irregular itself these days. I also wrote a computer column for Supermicro magazine (formerly S-100 Journal, a quarterly of interest only to those with 5-100 computers and CDOS/Flexdos/Turbodos users but have stopped because I ran out of things to say in that area and nobody in the PC world has made me an offer yet. But if you want to be a completist, I mention it here. It's a lot less folksy than Pournelle's and I called `em as I saw `em. Probably why Pournelle still has his column and I don't.... ODDBALL MISCELLANY In addition to the above, I wrote almost all of the uncredited text of Progress Reports #3 and 4 and the Program Book of Discon II, the 1974 World Science Fiction Convention. I also wrote almost all the uncredited text for all progress reports and the Program Book for Suncon, the 1977 World Science Fiction Convention. I have columns in all four of the progress reports of ConStellation, the 1983 World Science Fiction Convention (all bylined, for a change at which I was Toastmaster, and have a very tongue in cheek `biography" of 1988 worldcon toastmaster Mike Resnick in the Nolacon II Progress Report #2 getting even for what Resnick did to me in 1983. I also did an appreciation of Ron Goulart for the 1979 Lunacon Program Book (bylined) and another (shorter) depreciation of Resnick in the Lunacon Program Book for 1987 where he was the Roastmaster and they "roasted" me. I did a funny insult piece on Resnick for a Disclave program book when he was GoH, and I did a serious, even nice one on him for Rivercon (he held a gun to my head). I still occasionally appear in fanzines as the mood and time strikes me, always nonfiction. I also just wrote the entry for "Small Presses" in Jim Gunn's SF Encyclopedia. My family recipe for Maryland Crab Cakes will be in Anne McCaffrey's Cooking Out of This World II. For the record, a book once listed in the colophon of one of my other books titled War Game was changed by Doubleday to The Devll's Voyage to avoid confusion with the movie of similar title. Another listed, Ripsaw, I intended to write that year but suddenly got too busy to do so. It is yet to be written, but one of these days I'll get to it. It's not SF/fantasy, anyway, but a rather bizarre murder mystery set in Arizona in the 1 880s. I occasionally review computer software and hardware; I used to do it for Advanced Computing on a regular basis until it folded, then for a while as "Bus Lines" for Supermicro (see above) and various other magazines on an irregular basis. I have electronic mail addresses on Delphi (JCHALKER@DELPHl.COM), CompuServe, and several private and public BBSs and have done on-line interviews for most of the commercial services who have SF SiGs. A newsgroup devoted to me on the Internet is alt.fan.nathan.brazil. ERIC FRANK RUSSELL REISSUES In 1985-1986, Del Rey Books, at my urging, reprinted five of the best novels of the late Eric Frank Russell. Anyone who likes me and has never read Russell is urged to do so. These include the first complete publication in the U.S. of Wasp and Next of Kin (a.k.a. The Space Willies). Also included are new printings of Sinister Barrier, Three to Conquer, and Sentinels From Space All have introductions by me. If you can read Next of Kin without cracking up you're not my kind of person and Sentinels is one of my primary influences as a budding writer. SUMMING UP I have not missed a World SF convention since the 1965 LonCon, so if you want to make sure and see me I'll always be where the worldcon is. 1996's is at the Anaheim Convention Center in Orange County, CA, 1997 is in San Antonio, and though a prophet without honor in his own land, 1998 will be in my home town of Baltimore, MD with me having no official anything. I'll still be there. As Bob Silverberg says, you do something for twenty, twenty-five years, it gets to be a habit. I'm trying to cut down on the cons I go to, but, in spite of my efforts, still get to 6 or 7 a year. If there's an SF con near you but you've never seen me there, the odds are I wasn't asked or the Powers That Be didn't want me. I don't go where I'm not wanted, but try hard to make it wherever I am wanted. Exception: I general I turn down cons with a strong media bias Trek, etc.) or ones that are heavy on non-reading or non-print media not because I disapprove of them but because I don't have fun at them myself. I want to go places to talk to people who actually have heard of me and read books for pleasure. If you do see me at a con, and I'm not obviously doing business, don't hesitate to come up, say hello, talk, comment, etc. I'm a very old hand at cons and started off as a fan myself. I rarely hang out at secret pro parties (they are incredibly boring) and generally will settle in at the best arty and watch the world go by `til dawn. If a party is serving coffee, the odds are that's the one I'm at. Fort those who know me at least a little, I actually did quit smoking in 1993 and haven't smoked since. And, no, it was no big deal. Smoking may cause all the world's evils, but one thing it wasn't, at least for me, is addictive. Conventions: I have not been asked to be at any convention as GoH, Toastmaster, or whatever in 1996, so I'm picking and choosing my own. I intend to be at the Lunacon in Rye, New York in mid-March, Balticon in Baltimore over Easter weekend, probably Disclave in May at the Washington, D.C. Hyatt Regency over Memorial Day weekend, Midwestcon in Cincinnati the end of June, possibly the Pittsburgh SF con in Mars, PA in midsummer, Rivercon in late July or early August in Louisville, the Worldcon in LA over Labor Day week, most likely the World Fantasy Convention in Schomburg, IL (near O'Hare airport in Chicago) Halloween weekend, and Philcon in mid-November in Philadelphia. More may be added but those are more than enough. This bibliography is kept on a computer disk, and will be updated as there are things to update. This version is January 1, 1996, and hopefully answers the bulk of requests and questions from my readers. Thanks to you all, and keep reading, and enjoy! --JLC Concise Biographical Notes for the Interested Born: 12/17/44, Baltimore, MD (although all bios and even Who's Who say Norfolk so who am I to argue with Who's Who?). It's a self-perpetuating error that has grown too large to be worth correcting. I really don't mind since I have roots and tons of family in Norfolk, anyway. Education: Baltimore City public schools, Towson State College (B.S.), graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins University. Although I have a strong science background, my degrees are in history and English. My graduate specialty is the "History of Ideas," which is to say I'm a certified expert on isms and ologies. I have taught history on the high school and college levels, and am or have been a lecturer at the Smithsonian, The National Institutes of Health, and numerous colleges and universities, mostly on science fiction and technological subjects. Occupations: Aside from the usual kid occupations, I've been a professional typesetter, a sound engineer for outdoor rock concerts, an audio and computer reviewer, free-lance editor, a publisher (founder and now sole owner of The Mirage Press, Ltd.), a book packager, an Air National Guard Information Director, new and used book dealer, and teacher as mentioned above. I was a special forces Air Commando during the Vietnam war period but never served west of Amarillo (note, however, that no Viet Cong penetrated east of Albuquerque while I was there). I was, however, in the war--my TDY duty tour in Vietnam lasted a bit over 4 hours, but I got the ribbon and combat pay. Since 1978 I have made my living solely by writing, although Mirage Press continues in business and produced The Harlan Ellison Hornbook/Harlan Ellison's Movie in 1990 and The Science-Fantasy Publishers in 1991 and its 1992 supplement, with possibly more as time and market permits. Family: Married Eva C. Whitley on the ferryboat Roaring Bull in the middle of the Susquehanna River in 1978; 2 sons, David Whitley Chalker, b.1981; Steven Lloyd Chalker, b.1991. Also inhabiting the house is Stonewall J. Alleycat, one of the dumbest cats in history and a strong argument against evolution, and a newcomer about which more below, and Mavra Chang, the Valley Girl of Pekinese. Memberships: Sierra Club (life member), National Parks & Monuments Association, Amnesty International, The Natural Resources Defense Council, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, The National Aquarium, Maryland Academy of Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Smithsonian, Maryland Historical Society, Washington Science Fiction Association, American Film Institute, American Legion, many others, with varying degrees of activism. I have long been active in and supportive of conservation and historical preservation causes. I'm also a past 3-term treasurer of the Science Fiction Writers of America. I am a registered Democrat and two-time unsuccessful candidate for office. I am also a Kentucky Colonel and an Honorary Mayor of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, among other things. This information is given not as advocacy to my readers but basically to show you where the "real" Jack L. Chalker is coming from, which, I know, is not the political image I tend to have from people who read and don't quite understand my works. Awards include the Dedalus Award (1983), The Gold Medal of the West Coast Review of Books (1984), Skylark Award (1985), Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award (1979), others of varying importance. 2 time John W. Campbell Award nominee, no wins. Hugo nominee 4 times, 0 wins (but, hey, Spielberg finally got an Oscar so who knows?). Continuing Interests and Avocations: Ferryboats, travel, national arks and monuments, consumer electronics, politics, history, space program, printing and publishing, boo collecting, auctioneering, old time radio and classic TV, computers. This one is a Gateway 2000 Pentium 133 running, yes, Windows 95 if you care, and also around is a Toshiba 405CS notebook computer that I take with me when I travel. My wife uses my old 486 DX2/66E and my oldest son uses an AST 486/33. Printing is via a Lexmark Optra R+ in Postscript mode or the HP 1200C/PS inkjet. My novels are written and spell checked in what used to be called FinalWord then called Sprint (you'll find most writers use old word processors because they let you write, not desktop publish). Yes, I know how to program but consider it in the same thrilling vein as being asked to inventory sand grains in Libya. I am frequently on Compuserve in the HPPERlPH and CORELAPP sections (not in the SF section there_too huge), but if you have a specific question for me the best way (if you have a computer and modem) is to ask it on Delphi's SF SiG, where I tend to hang out regularly. Any EMail for me should be sent there, or to the SF SiG Forum. Many SF writers hang out Wednesday nights in Delphi's SF conference, occasionally including me. (To join Delphi in the US or Canada, all you need is any computer, communications software, modem, and a credit card; then call them (voice line) at 1-800-544-4005 for sign-up information and the local access number in your area. You can also reach me via the Internet at JCHALKER@Delphi.com, and on CompuServe as 75162,1442. CIS is actually your best bet if it's pressing; because I help out some folks there in product support for the heck of it, I tend to check in almost daily when not on the road. For those wondering, that is me in Faces of Science Fiction, and my satellite dish, and my oldest son (who's 14 now), and my dog, but it's not my house. The photo was taken with my old house at the photographer's back. She wanted the dish more than the house in the picture; it seems I'm the only US SF author she photographed who owned one. Now you'll never see that house; I moved to a much larger one further into the mountains. I still have a dish, though, whose input I can watch from the indoor Jacuzzi. Decadence is wonderful. Incidentally, not only is that not my house, but my son's now far older and my beloved little puppy dog in the photo, Hoy, died Nolacon weekend (1988). He could not be replaced, but his successor is Mavra Chang, a sable Pekinese who is giving a good imitation of a canine airheaded valley girl, and is David's dog in the same way Hoy was mine.