Part Three

Reposing in a futuristic box are ninety-six autographs. Cummings, Flagg, Olsen, Repp, the three Smiths, Taine, Keller, Breuer, Hamilton, Merritt, Coblentz, Burks, Williamson, Farley, Meek, Paul, Morey, Wesso, Verrill, Leinster--and half a hundred more. Also, there is a special collection of scientifilm actors' autographs. These are more difficult to obtain, and some necessitate writing abroad, but to date I have "The Frankenstein Monster," the heroine of "Tarzan," J-21 and LN-18 of "Just Imagine," the director of "By Rocket to the Moon" and "Metropolis," "Dracula," Roxor of "Chandu," and many others too numerous to mention. Tho not a part of the collection, it may prove interesting to readers that I have seen in person "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," "Dracula," "Dr. Moreau," and "Chandu" (Frederic March, Bela Lugosi, Charles Laughton and Edmund Lowe).

I have autographed photographs from Leslie F. Stone, "Doc" Smith, Ed Earl Repp, Capt. S. P. Meek, Miles J. Breuer, Victor Rousseau, Sewell Peaslee, Charles Willard Diffin, Edmond Hamilton and others. Mr. Wright presented me with a personal sketch of his "Retired Commander Hanson."

I also have photos from the heroine of "High Treason," Frankenstein--the creator, and Fritz Lang, director of German scientifilms.

(Next month Mr. Ackerman tells of his collection of original manuscripts.)

CONGLAMITORIAL

Second in the series.... And speaking of the April 1933 Amazing, "Martian and Troglodyte," by Neil R. Jones was printed on the cover, but the story did not appear in the issue. The printing of the editorial, which took two more pages than hitherto, and some of the Discussions were increased in size.... The May 1933 Amazing was the first one of 86 not to contain part of a serial. The August-September had none either.... Have you ever wondered what letter of the alphabet authors pick on most as the first one in the title of their stories (omitting articles 'a,' 'the,' and 'an,')? Of course you haven't. Well, I'll tell you, anyway. An average of one-tenth of all the stories written begin with the letter "M," and another tenth with "S." That is their rating in a collection of over 2000 stories.... So, Amazing is trying to get rid of the word "scientifiction" that Gernsback coined, eh?... By the looks of the contents page of the May 1933 Weird, you would think that every story was complete.... The May, 1926 Amazing contains two stories by Jules Verne.... And the March 1930 Science Wonder had two stories by Frank J. Brueckel.... And you can find other similar cases, such as the Amazing Annual containing two stories by A. Merritt, and the June, 1930 Astounding with two of Diffin's yarns (one under the pseudonym of C. D. Willard).

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If you have any original fan material on hand, we would be pleased to have you submit it for our serious consideration.

HOW TO WRITE A STF STORY

by Hoy Ping Pong

The first thing to remember in writing a science story is originality. You must have that, so the first things to select for your brain-child is a hero, heroine, and villain. No plot is needed. Or, if you desire one, that can be thot up after the story is finished.

Have your hero a tall, slim, cold, grey-eyed chap, with an iron jaw, and a sturdy body. He also must know all there is to know about everything. Now for the heroine; she must be a small, slim blond, blue-eyed, and be a scientist's daughter. That's the big point in originality. Nobody has ever thought of her being a scientist's daughter before. Now next comes the villain. He must be tall, dark, with snapping black eyes, and a brush across his upper lip. He must have an impossible name that no one can pronounce, including yourself. I would suggest someone who desires to have world domination. That, also, is original.

The big surprise of your story is this: Your villain must desire the heroine for himself. That is something that is new to STF readers. And, of course, I would politely suggest that the hero also want the girl. That would make a triangle out of it. The hero must chase the villain all over the universe, because the villain has the heroine in his vile clutches. Don't forget the word vile. Nobody has ever used that.

Of course, the invaders from Mars arrive on the scene about this time, also desiring world conquest. It would be a nice point of originality here to have the villain throw in with the Martians. It wouldn't do to have the whole army overthrow the enemy. The hero must do it himself, singlehanded.

And, a few death rays can be used in the story. Select a fitting color, (some authors prefer pink). I would suggest lavender, which would just match the heroine's pocketbook, and have it wipe out millions by merely a few puffs. However, if you could do it all in a puff and a half, that would merit you another point. Then you must have the hero invent a ray that stops the lavender death rays. Yellow would be best for this. It makes such an excellent color scheme.

Throw in a few space ships, a couple fights, a shot in the dark, four or five corpses, a high official who turns traitor, a last flight for help, and end it up with a lone man battling hundreds. Mix thoroughly, and type out on paper, forgetting to double space your lines, as all editors request that you doublespace, thereby showing them that you are really original.

No plot is needed, as mentioned in paragraph one, but if you want one, read one of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and borrow a plot. It makes no difference what kind, as they are all fairy tales, anyway. As a final bit of advice, fold the manuscript several times, and send it to the editor with no enclosed postage for its return. By doing this the editor will not have to go to the trouble of returning it to you, and, so long as the Chief Waste Paper Basket Monitor doesn't get snoopy and start reading the refuse, there will be no ill effects on anyone--(providing the editor hadn't read it in the first place--and in the case that he did--well, there's places for people like that. New editors are cheap nowadays, anyway.)

FAMOUS FANTASY FANS

2--Conrad H. Ruppert

Heart disease was CHR's means of becoming introduced to science fiction. Confined to bed he was given a copy of Science and Invention which he read and re-read many times, liking its science fiction story, "The Man on the Meteor" by Ray Cummings, best of all. He never lost one whit of his interest in fantasy fiction, and has become a keen judge of what is best in this field.

Always retiring in nature, he first came to notice in a vigorous campaign he conducted for increasing the membership of the International Scientific Association, and for innovating a Science Fiction Week. Hugo Gernsback was so pleased with this latter idea, and with CHR's work in trying to put it over, that CHR was awarded a $50 prize in the "What I Have Done for Science Fiction" contest that Science Wonder Quarterly conducted at that time.

His pet idea for many years was to issue a science fiction fan magazine. The Depression decided him upon the desperate expedient of launching the SCIENCE FICTION DIGEST without adequate preparation. Unwilling to take any credit for the work he appointed Maurice Z. Ingher as the Digest's editor, but when Mr. Ingher was forced to resign because of other duties, he reluctantly took the editorship. There is plenty of testimony to satisfy all as to the success he has attained with his little magazine, the SCIENCE FICTION DIGEST.

As for his age, and other personal points, he is 21, unmarried, and considers life quite thrilling. He is a printer by occupation, being one of the partners of the ARRA Printers, who have given the fans several science fiction pamphlets.

Though he declares he is not modest, he cannot be convinced that he has done anything unusual. It is his courage and determination that has carried the 'Science Fiction Digest' through the rough spots of its career, and it is stern judgement that selects the articles and stories which so please the readers of SFD, or FANTASY Magazine, as it will be called.

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The word "weird" as meaning bizarre probably originated with Edgar Allan Poe, who was one of the greatest coiner of words. Is his poem "Ulalume," he speaks of the country of "Weir" from which the word "weird" was derived to describe anything horrible or unique.

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Come over to "Our Readers Say" and "The Boiling Point" and join in the comment. We always like to get letters from our readers.

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Send in your comments on the current issue. We want to know your likes and dislikes. That is the only way we can supply you with the kind of material you like.

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Subscribe now and insure yourself of a monthly copy. Only a limited number are printed.

CELEBRITIES I'VE MET

by Mortimer Weisinger

Dr. T. O'Conor Sloane--who wishes he were related to the owner of 'Sloan's Liniment.'

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Hugo Gernsback--who, when commended for his ability to turn out new editorials month after month, modestly shrugged it off with: "It's all in the day's work."

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Harry Bates--who evasively answers all questions pertaining to the identity of Anthony Gilmore by saying, "I'll speak only upon advice from my counsel."

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A. Merritt--who, though he is perhaps the greatest man I have ever known, is incredibly unaffected for a person with his success.

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Dr. David Henry Keller--who can tell a story almost better than he can write, as witness the tale, "The Dead Woman," told to me in his room at the Hotel New Yorker.

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Mrs. David Keller--who enjoys piquing one's curiosity when quizzed about the name of the magazine for which her husband writes under a nom-de-plume.

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Angelica Keller--who is the 'Angelica' of scores of Keller stories, and upon whom Dr. Keller's story, "A Pyschological Experiment," was based.

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Abner Joseph Gelula--who gleefully claims that he wishes the movie magnates would buy each of his stories for the movies, as they did "Automaton."

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Miss Florence Bothner, Dr. Sloane's capable secretary, who rightly insists that Bob Olsen is the wittiest s-f writer.

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Leo Morey--one of the most handsome chaps of the science fiction gang, and perhaps the slickest dresser of them all.

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H. W. Wesso--who confesses that he knows less about technical sciences than Homer Eon Flint knows of the sequel to "The Blind Spot."

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Miss Miriam Bourne--whose pet diversion is telling Dr. Keller that he is not a real author, in the true sense of the word, although she tells friends that Doctor Keller is the greatest of them all, when he isn't around!

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Arthur J. Burks--who reeled off his five thousand word part for the serial, COSMOS, in exactly two hours! I vas dere, Sharlie.

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Gawain Edwards,--who when asked to pay only one dollar as initiation fee for membership in the old Scienceers, slapped it down with such contempt as if to say, "What Pikers!"

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Charles D. Hornig, a New Jerseyite, who wishes there were dozens of Clark Ashton Smiths and also dozens of H. P. Lovecrafts.

UNUSUAL STORIES

The new magazine of fantastic fiction presents such stories as:

"The White Sybil" by Clark Ashton Smith

"Countries in the Sea" by August W. Derleth

"The Sixth Sense" by Stanton A. Coblentz

"On Board the Space-Ship Terra" by L. A. Eshbach

"The Strange Case of Tony Rizutti" by Ralph Milne Farley

"The Doom that Came to Sarnath" by H. P. Lovecraft

"Tharda, Queen of Vampires" by Richard Tooker

"The Garden of Fear" by Robert E. Howard

"Mars Colonizes" by Miles J. Breuer, M.D.

"When the Waker Sleeps" by Cyril G. Wates

"The Torch of Life" by Joe W. Skidmore

"The Ogre of Space" by Manly Wade Wellman

"A Diamond Asteroid" by Lowell H. Morrow

"Binding de Lux" by Dr. David H. Keller

"Master of Matter" by Amelia Reynolds Long

"The Titan" by P. Schuyler Miller

"Synthetic" by Harl Vincent

and others.

Subscribe now: Single copy: 20--Three months: 50--eight mo.: $1.00--year: $1.50

Special offers to be withdrawn soon.

Published by Fantasy Publications, Everett, Pa.

QUINTESSENCE OF QUINN: a quarter of a hundred unique Jules de Grandin tales from Weird, $1. One selection only, for some Quinn fan. List of other fantasies, stf, for stamp. Forrest J. Ackerman, 530 Staples Avenue, San Francisco, California.

FOR SALE: Back numbers of all science fiction magazines. Send for free list. Charles' Book Haven, 238 Seventh Ave., New York, N.Y.

CLARK ASHTON SMITH presents THE DOUBLE SHADOW AND OTHER FANTASIES--a booklet containing a half-dozen imaginative and atmospheric tales.--Stories of exotic beauty, glamor, terror, strangeness, irony and satire. Price: 25 cents each, (coin or stamps). Also a small remainder of EBONY AND CRYSTAL--a book of prose poems published at $2.00, reduced to $1.00 per copy. Everything sent postpaid. Clark Ashton Smith, Auburn, California.

SCIENCE FICTION DIGEST

will be known as

FANTASY MAGAZINE

The Digest of Imaginative Literature

beginning with its

January, 1934 issue

COSMOS, and all the other SFD will be continued in FANTASY.

Subscription rates remain the same, 25 cents for 3 months, 50 cents for 6 months, $1. per year.

Science Fiction Digest Company 87-36 162nd Street Jamaica, New York

Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed.

Words printed in bold are marked with tildes: ~bold~.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Fantasy Fan November 1933, by Charles D. Hornig