TAFF DOOR #1

This is TAFF DOOR #1, a newsletter for the Trans Atlantic Fan Fund published in late June 1990 by its North American administrator, Robert Lichtman, P. O. Box 30, Glen Ellen, CA 95442 USA. This premier issue is being sent to a list of over 600 individuals -- primarily in North America, but also Australia and scattered other locations around the planet. You are receiving this issue for one or more of the following reasons:

TAFF info/pubs/ballots sent by a previous administrator
voted in 1988 and/or 1989 TAFF election
nominator in recent TAFF races
bid on auction items from prior administrator, Jeanne Gomoll
purchased something from Jeanne's J. G. Taff catalog
inquiry or fanzine list request made to Robert Lichtman
purchased something from fanzine list
bought fanzines by the pound (or wanted to but we sold out)
fanzine editor or publisher -- please publicize TAFF and the upcoming race in your fanzine. (This includes apazines.) Ask your readers which U.K./European fan they'd like to see run for the trip to the Chicago worldcon in '91. Please also let them know they can send TAFF an SASE (or IRC) for a list of fanzines for auction and/or sale. TAFF's continued existence (both materially and spiritually) is greatly aided by these efforts on your behalf, and they are much appreciated.

In an effort to expand TAFF's constituency, members of various apas have been added to TAFF's already large mailing list. (Rosters of apas I'm not in were provided by obliging members.) Whoever remains on this list after bulk mail returns from this issue weed it out will also be sent TAFF DOOR #2 in late January 1991. It will include the ballot for the 1991 TAFF race and more. All voters, contributors and participants in TAFF's fund raising efforts (beginning with the mail auction and fanzine sales in this issue) will receive TAFF DOOR #3 in late May 1991, which will announce the winner of the 1991 TAFF race and provide details of the voting and other matters.

Announcing the 1991 TAFF Race:

The main purpose of this issue of TAFF DOOR is to announce the schedule for the 1991 TAFF race to select a European/U.K. delegate to attend the Worldcon being held at Chicago, Illinois. over the American Labor Day weekend. This is it:

Prospective European/U.K. candidates require three nominators from Europe/U.K. fans plus two North American nominators, a 100-word platform and a £10/$20 good faith bond. At this point in time, North American fandom (you who are receiving this newsletter especially, since you are the audience I've got for this official spouting off at the mouth) should be giving some thought about which European/U.K. fan(s) would be likely candidates for the trip to Chicon. This newsletter is being sent out early so that there is time for communication -- a dialogue -- to take place: to discuss this in fanzines, at club meetings and at conventions. If there is anyone reading this desiring more detailed information about TAFF, write to any of the current administrators.

European/U.K. fans: Please contact your local administrators when making nominations or otherwise inquiring about TAFF matters. They are:

Mail Auction Continues!

A popular feature in recent years, the mail auction is starting up again with a modest but juicy assortment of items. Minimum bids are indicated in the listings that follow. Here is how it will work:

When making your bid(s), be sure to indicate each item's number, title and your bid amount. Please do not send money to cover your bids! Instead, send a long SASE in which I will mail you a tally of bids received after the first round closes (overseas bidders please send two IRCs for air mail). This first round closes on October 15, 1990. Shortly thereafter, a publication will appear with the results of the first round. This will be sent only to bidders and to any interested others who provide a long SASE (or two IRCs) by the October 15th bidding deadline.

In the event of duplicate bids, the one received earlier will prevail. Bidders will then have the option of further raising their bid(s) by mail after October 15th, with no limit as to the number of increases in bids that may be made. Again, if you want a response to your bid, or to be kept apprised of competing bids on "your" items, send SASEs or IRCs accordingly. (Please, no phone calls about bids!)

This second and final round of bidding will close as of the mail delivery of January 15, 1991, the same day as the issuance of the TAFF ballot for the 1991 race. Winners will be notified and billed, including actual cost for postage, and winning items will be shipped upon receipt of payment.

AUCTION ITEMS: FIRST WAVE

1. The Roots of Fantasy: Myth, Folklore & Archetype: The Book of World Fantasy Con, Seattle 1989. This elaborate production (designed by John D. Berry: 8½ x 11 trade paperback, 140 pages on good paper with heavy covers, perfectbound) exists in an edition of only 1,000 copies, most of which were part of the membership packets of those who were part of last year's WFC. The Committee has kindly donated two copies for this auction. One is still in its shrink wrapping, but the other has been opened and gently fondled for purposes of this description. The contributors include: Ginjer Buchanan, Suzanne Tompkins with Jerry Kaufman, Gene Wolfe, Vonda McIntyre, Joe R. Lansdale, Debbie Notkin, Kris Demian, Avram Davidson, Ursula LeGuin, Robert McCammon, S. P. Somtow, Terry Pratchett, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, M. J. Engh, Greg Bear, Sharon Baker, Karen Jay Fowler, and Bruce Taylor. Some of this consists of short stories and articles which appeared elsewhere, but it's a helluva anthology. New writing includes: Ginjer's opening remarks; Suzle and Jerry's biographical sketch of Ginjer; Gene Wolfe's article on Avram Davidson; Vonda's introduction to Ursula LeGuin; Lansdale's introduction to McCammon; Debbie's article about S. P. Somtow; Kris Demien on Joseph Campbell; Terry Pratchett on the roots of fantasy; Salmonson's delightful "Little Tales of Ho and Naipon"; and Sharon Baker's speech from the 1988 Conference of the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts (more roots of fantasy here). Color cover artwork (and some black and white interiors) by artist guest of honor Yoshitaka Amano. Somtow's contribution is worth noting, as it consists of the unexpurgated version of his story, "Lottery Night." The top bid at the end of this auction gets the shrinkwrapped copy, while the runner-up gets the one I've perused. Minimum bid on this is $25.

2. ALGOL No. 16, December 1970, 44 pages, 8½ x 11 offset, published by Andy Porter. Particularly noteworthy artwork is the hallmark of this issue of ALGOL. The cover is by noted artist/cartoonist Jim Steranko (though he was just a faan then) and is excellent. There is a half-page illustration by Vaughn Bode and an hilarious two-page comic strip ("It's a Sing-Along Sensation!") by Jay Kinney. The articles, for those interested, are by the likes of Ted White, Dick Lupoff, Greg Benford, and others. Minimum bid: $15.

3. A partial run of THE SATELLITE, for the early part of its life a pioneer fanzine of the Liverpool (England) SFA. Editors were John F. Burke and David McIlwain; the latter later wrote science fiction under the name Charles Eric Maine. The following issues -- all in good condition -- are in this lot:

4. This is a really esoteric offering: three little Walt Willis fanzines, two of which were riders with various issues of his legendary early fanzine, SLANT. The first is INPHANTASMAGORIA ("combined with SLANT"), consisting of "The Down and Outpost," by Walter, describing a hoax feud between him and Ken Slater and how it backfired. Ken also contributes an explanation. This zine is four half-quarto pages, mimeo except for a printed heading on the front page. It is dated October 1951. The next item is INCLINATIONS ("An Unprintable Publication"), the only issue according to the Pavlat-Swisher fanzine index (which doesn't list the first item at all), 6 foolscap (British legal length) mimeographed pages, dated Winter 1951/2 and a rider with the 6th SLANT. This consists of letters to SLANT (with WAW's comments) from Ken Bulmer, Peter Ridley, Eric Frank Russell, Shelby Vick, Ermemgarde Fiske, Chuch Harris, Vince Clarke and Julian Parr. Additionally the zine includes: the results of a reader poll ranking items in the previous issue, with a batch of humorous responses; a brief article, "I Rode With Bulmer," by James White; and a page of brief but effective fanzine reviews by Walt. Finally, a real curiosity: offprints, on foolscap, of "The Harp In England," Walt's five-page account (solid type except for a small heading) of the 1952 Loncon, as it was stencilled by him for publication in Lee Hoffman's QUANDRY #22, August 1952. It appears to have been run by Walter as the first page is printed on the back of a crudsheet for something else and several other sheets are printed one-sided on thin paper.

These are all extremely scarce items, as you can imagine. Other than the usual staple rust, these copies are in excellent condition. Minimum bid for the lot: $20.

5. BEABOHEMA: Frank Lunney's excellent '70s genzine. Issue No. 9, 68 pages. This issue is dominated by Ted White, who provides a length and fascinating lead article, "The Inside Story of Hugo-Winning Debunked," as well as a lengthy series of letters, touching on many subjects of fan and pro concern, taking up over half of the 30 pages letter column. Other letter writers include Mike Glicksohn, Harry Warner Jr., Dean Koontz, Philip Jose Farmer, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Sam Moskowitz, William Rotsler, David Gerrold and James Blish. Both front and rear covers are by Mike Gilbert, rendered in offset; the balance of the issue is well mimeographed on some sort of Twiltone-like substance. Minimum bid: $10.00.

6. DREAM QUEST: A relic of fandom in the '40s, this 1948 publication was one of the leading fanzines of its era. (It was contemporary with Art Rapp's SPACEWARP.) Coedited by Don Wilson and Howard Miller, it published a wide variety of material. In addition to the written material, Howard Miller furnished quite a lot of full-page cover and interior artwork; his work is not technically complicated in the way today's fanzine art can be, but it's competent, pleasant enough, and totally representative of most fanzine art of the period. Two issues are available:

7. SPICY No. 2, sometime in 1976, 12 pages. This is Rich Coad's second fanzine in America. Rich is an American who discovered fandom while living in England. He was a contemporary of Ratfandom. In this zine, Rich is lamenting about how he went to his first American convention and didn't know anyone. He also writes of going to club meetings and being bored out of his skull because sf was being boringly discussed. He then proceeds to write about science fiction himself in an offbeat kind of way. There are letters of comment, from Ratfans and Harry Warner Jr., brief review of current science fiction (!), reviews of Rat fanzines, and some music commentary. Despite being published in Oakland, California, this has the feel of a Rat fanzine through and through. Minimum bid: $5.00.

8. A friendly near-gafiate has contributed for auction a collection of Fannish Buttons spanning three decades. There are convention buttons for the following: L.A.-Tokyo '68 (a hand made button with what appears to be artwork by Bjo Trimble), St. Louis in '69 (two separate different buttons), Heicon '70 (a large illustrated plastic button), D. C. in '71, Boston in '71, L.A. in '72 (an English/German button for Heicon), Minneapolis in '73 (legendary), D. C. in '74, Stockholm in '76, Britain is Fine in '79 (two different buttons -- one small, one illustrated large), and Seattle '81. There is also a button that says, simply, "Syracuse," and a Chamber of Commercey looking button reading, "Los Angeles Invites You --- Year-Round Convention City" with no year designation. Wait, there's more: "Hugo Gernsbach (sp) for President" and "Kimball Kinnison for President." And, for the trufan, "Let's Grok" and "FIJAGH." Twenty buttons altogether, in good condition. Minimum bid for the lot: $25.00.

8a. There were a few duplicate buttons as well. First, there's the Minneapolis '73 button with a minimum bid of $3.00. There's a $2.00 minimum bid for each of the following: St. Louis '69, Heicon '70, Boston in '71, D. C. in '71, Britain '79 and Seattle '81. Please specify which button(s) you're bidding on here.

9. FOCAL POINT, edited by rich brown and Mike McInerney, the original version from back in the '60s. This was the fannish newszine of the period. Outside writers often contributed, as noted below. On hand are a pair of issues:

a. #10, June 1965, 6 pages. This issue has fanzine reviews by the long forgotten Frank Wilimczyk. The news announces the abortive Harold Palmer Piser fanzine index (Piser died before much work had been done) and reports a hot rumor about Calvin W. "Biff" Demmon. Minimum bid: $2.50.

b. #19, January 1966, 2 pages. This issue reports on Calvin W. "Biff" Demmon's appearance on TV show, "The Dating Game." Minimum bid: $1.50.

10. KARASS, ably edited by Linda Bushyager, is a news and views sort of fanzine from the '70s. Typical issues are full of news, fanzine, film and book reviews, gossip, the usual newszine stuff but also occasionally other stuff, as noted below. In this lot, the following issues are offered:

A variety of fanzines produced by Terry Carr are available. These are from Terry's personal duplicates and made available thanks to Carol.

11. CLARION FANNISH, published for SAPS, April 1986, 8 pages. This is the first-draft version of this whimsical faan-fiction story, later somewhat reworked and published in Bill Bowers' OUTWORLDS. Minimum bid: $5.00.

12. DIASPAR #17, November 1975, 11 pages. A two-page editorial by Terry, followed by a small play, "The Doppelganger Ark," by Brian Aldiss, and an article, "Prediction or Predilection?" by Bob Shaw, which was originally to be published in the special Bob Shaw Fund issue of INNUENDO. Artwork by ATom and Rotsler. Minimum bid: $5.00.

13. DIASPAR #19, November 1977, 12 pages. With front and rear covers by Rotsler, this consists of Terry's ten-page account of SunCon, the Miami worldcon of 1977. Entertaining reading interspersed with illos by Rotsler, ATom and Sidney Coleman. Minimum bid: $10.00.

14. DIASPAR #22, June 1981, 37 pages. This issue also has a two-page editorial by Terry, but otherwise has outside material by James Sackett, Melissa Michaels and Lois Metzger -- all pretty interesting writing. Minimum bid: $5.00.

15. DIASPAR #24, August 1986, 10 pages. Terry's last publication, this has a front cover by Lou Goldstone and a rear cover by Frank Kelly Freas, with all interior artwork by Rotsler. Terry wrote all the contents: a two page editorial about a Sam Moskowitz book; "A Proud and Lonely Thing," a brief piece of faan fiction; and "I Was A Teenage WereWolfe," an enjoyable entertainment about writers and writers' groups which includes an hilarious Ray Nelson anecdote in its closing paragraphs. Minimum bid: $10.00.

16. FANTHOLOGY '64, edited by Terry with Mike Domina. This was published in 1972 and is 60 pages of one-sided dittography with much still-bright color artwork. In addition to the artwork, there's an interesting cross-section of 1964's best fan writing, including the work of Bob Tucker, Ted White, Harry Warner Jr., Dick Lupoff, Carol Carr, Walter Breen, Grania Kaiman Davidson and Len Moffatt. Terry is also present with a two-page introduction. Minimum bid: $15.00.

17. GILGAMESH #44, September 1972, 7 pages. Terry writes about his and Carol's move to California, culminating in the purchase of their Broadway Terrace home. It also reports on LACon I and reprints an interview with him published in The Montclairian, a small Oakland neighborhood newspaper. Terry published GILGAMESH occasionally as a letter substitute. Minimum bid: $7.00.

18. GILGAMESH #53, June 1978, 10 pages. Terry writes about his early ambitions to be a cartoonist and includes some drawings from his early creative years. He also writes about gossip and various other stuff, all interesting. Minimum bid: $7.00.

19. GILGAMESH #65, August 1983, 12 pages. Terry admits that he's no longer a publishing jiant, then goes on to do a long con report on the 1983 San Jose Westercon, including his account of the presentation of the Little Man Award to him. Good reading. Minimum bid: $10.00.

20. GILGAMESH #66, January 1984, 16 pages. Terry writes about a visit from Sid Coleman, and shares some of his impressions of books read during his vacation. Amid the details of This-is-what-has-been-going-on-in-my-life, which are the usual content of GILGAMESH, Terry describes his business relationship with Bridge Publications, Fred Harris and L. Ron Hubbard. Minimum bid: $10.00.

21. GILGAMESH #69, July 1985, 8 pages. In this final issue, Terry writes mostly of the 1985 Sacramento Westercon, concluding the issue with the short but punchy "You'll Never See It In To The Stars." Many Rotsler illustrations throughout. Minimum bid: $5.

22. HOBGOBLIN #4, January 27, 1960. HOB in its first incarnation: a fanzine review rider with FANAC. This issue extensively reviews the 102-page CRY OF THE NAMELESS 10th Annish. Minimum bid: $2.00.

23. VULCAN #2, August 1952, 52 pages. Terry did VULCAN with Pete Graham when he (Terry) was 15 years old. An interesting mix of mimeography in several colors, with some ditto pages thrown in at the rear of the zine. Material mostly by Pete and Terry including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Artwork by Terry (including the cover), Dave Rike and others. Rusty staples, but otherwise in great condition for such an old zine. Minimum bid: $15.00.

24. MOTA, edited and published by Terry Hughes: the legendary and highly regarded fannish fanzine of the late '60s and '70s. A few later issues are available:

25. MEXICON 2 -- THE FANZINE, edited by Abi Frost and Pam Wells, and published for the 1986 Mexicon. Includes an excellent array of articles by Colin Greenland, Christina Lake, Anne Page, Paul Kincaid, Linda Pickersgill, Maureen Porter and one each by the editors. 28 A4 pages. Minimum bid: $8.00.

26. EMBRYONIC JOURNEY. Subtitled "From Leeds to Leeds in 50 Years," this 61-page volume was published for Conception 1987, a convention held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first-ever convention held in Leeds in 1937. (On my TAFF trip, Mal Ashworth drove me by the former Theosophical Hall where that 1937 con took place and I got out to take its picture.) This is an anthology of British fanwriting spanning this 50-year stretch and including among its contributors the likes of Harry Turner, Vince Clarke, Harry Bell, E. C. Tubb, Terry Jeeves, Malcolm Edwards, Kev Smith, Jim Barker, Jim Linwood, ATom, D. West, Greg Pickersgill, Alan Dorey, Rochelle Dorey, Dave Langford, Chris Atkinson, Jimmy Robertson, Simon Ounsley and Abi Frost. Edited by Graham James for Conception 1987. With writing from all eras, this collection has a wonderful time-binding quality. Minimum bid: $10.00.

27. The Program Book for the first Mexicon, held at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1984, 68 A5 pages offset. Besides the usual author introductions and program listings (but no ads except for one on the back cover), this volume presents a transcript of Christopher Priest's speech, "The Pernicious Cult of the Expert." Chris Evans writes about the programming at Mexicon (a convention for science fiction readers) and ties it together nicely. Geoff Ryman writes about his presentation of a play based on Phil Dick's last stf book, The Transmigration of Timothy Archer. Finally, and most unforgettably, Ann Warren writes of "Being Different," the essential weirdness in all of us. Minimum bid: $8.00.

28. PULP, a British fanzine with a rotating editorship, has been appearing more or less regularly since 1986. In the early days, the editors included Pam Wells, Vince Clarke, and Avedon Carol & Rob Hansen. These early issues are available:

29. TAFFLUVIA #3, November 1985, 10 pages. This is Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden's TAFF newsletter, a lively collection of TAFF chatter and some pages devoted to their mail auction. DUFF also has a copy of this in its current mail auction and I will parallel their minimum bid: $3.00.

30. IZZARD #9, February 1987, 90 pages. Patrick and Teresa are responsible for this hefty volume, too. IZZARD started out its life as a frequent, short and snappy zine, sort of a spiritual successor to Ted White and Dan Steffan's fannish and frequent PONG, which had folded somewhat earlier with a plea for someone to start a successor zine. It lasted on that basis for about half a dozen issues; then Things Happened (mostly health-related) and the issues following those were successively larger and more infrequent. This is the most recent issue (one can only hope for more, someday) and is jam-packed with choice stuff. Besides considerable writing from both editorials (especially Teresa), Terry Carr contributes his excellent faan fiction tale, "Night of the Living Oldpharts," which for me ranks with "Forever and Fandom" as among his most evocative. Steve Stiles is present with an article and his long-unpublished cover for VOID #30. Tom Whitmore writes on some Rare Stuff he discovered in an attic. Greg Benford writes of his trip to Egypt in 1983. Christopher Hatton writes about Heinlein's famous use of the word "spung" in several of his books. Ted White writes at length about the Breendoggle, an event which caused fanzine fandom fandom to go "spung" in 1964. Simon Ounsley writesabout having glandular fever. Greg Pickersgill, Teresa, Avedon Carol and Dave Langford contribute a column entitled "The Social Season: 1985." Britain's D. West provides an hilarious four-page comic strip, "Death Star Ship Revengeance." Sidney Coleman and Stu Shiffman also contribute articles; there's a hefty letter column; and Steven Bryan Bieler contributes a poem, "Another Seattle Party." The front cover and much of the interior artwork is by Stu Shiffman, but Steve Stiles, Taral, Ray Nelson, Alexis Gilliland and D. West also provide visuals. I remember that when I received and read this fanzine in 1986, I thought it was among the best of that year's crop. It would be a good fanzine any year. Minimum bid: $15.00.

Well, that's enough auction items for this time around. There are other rarities and oddities coming up in future rounds of this auction, but not a whole lot of them. This of course leads me to issue a plea: If you have any fanzines or other items and are willing to donate them to a Good Cause, please contact me. In addition to the type of item suitable for auction (for examples of which, see above), I am interested in fanzines generally for TAFF's fanzine sale list and for "fanzines by the pound," TAFF's bulk fanzine fund raiser. If able to donate a sizable quantity, please contact me first for shipping information and suggestions. As always, TAFF appreciates the continuing generosity of its supporters.

In addition to the auction above, TAFF has a wide variety of fanzines and other items (books, magazines, apa mailings, convention stuff) for sale. There isn't sufficient room available to describe everything in this newsletter, but a listing is available to anyone who is interested. Please send a self-addressed long envelope with 25 cents postage attached (non-U.S. send two IRCs for airmail delivery).

I must mention one particularly wonderful item that is available: The Enchantment, a Trip Report by Walter A. Willis. Walt's trip to America in 1952 set the stage for the establishment the following year of the Trans Atlantic Fan Fund. His account of that journey, The Harp Stateside, is one of fandom's classic trip reports. In 1988, Walter and his wife, Madeleine, were guests of honor at Tropicon, a regional convention in Florida. The Enchantment is his stimulating account of that trip. 36 pages with numerous photographs, plus illustrations by ATom, Gail Bennett, Alexis Gilliland and Lee Hoffman. $3.00 a copy. Add $1 postage U.S. or $1.50 elsewhere.

For those reading this who may be totally or partially unfamiliar with fanzines (a minority, but there are some on the list) and would like to see a random but representative selection, send $5.00 for a two-pound sample parcel ($6.00 overseas). A copy of the fanzine sale list mentioned above will be included with each such order. I have sufficient fanzines on hand to cover about 25 such orders, so promptness is suggested. If ordering after September 1st, please include a 25 cent stamp or an IRC to return your payment in case you're too late.

Please make all drafts payable to Robert Lichtman, not to TAFF. Send orders and requests to me at P. O. Box 30, Glen Ellen, CA 95442 USA. Thanks for supporting TAFF!

Some have asked of my progress on a trip report. When I first came back, I wrote a 5,000-word chronology of events, strictly from memory with no reference to my taped notes or photographs, which I ran through a small apa and sent to about half a dozen others. I also wrote a brief, preliminary account (about 1,000 words) of a day spent in Cambridge with a non-fan friend which I published in my FAPAzine. I've incorporated both together in my ongoing trip report computer file, and have doodled here and there since then filling in little details as I write of them in correspondence, etc. If anyone would care to see this work in progress, send a long SASE (non-U.S. send 2 IRCs for airmail) and a $3.00 donation to TAFF (payable to me). I will complete a report someday ...

Next regular issue, with 1991 TAFF ballots, out in late January 1991. See ya!