wenn@cmu-cs-g.ARPA (06/12/85)
I was browsing through my neighborhood book store, when I saw "Free Sampler. Spectra. An Introduction to Eight Remarkable Works of Imaginative Fiction." It contains short excerpts (~10 pages) from: "The Book of Kells" by R.A. MacAvoy "Child of Fortune" by Norman Spinrad "The Christening Quest" by Elizabeth Scarborough "The Darkling Wind" by Somtow Sucharitkul "The Dream Years" by Lisa Goldstein [The Red Magician] "The Last Rainbow" by Parke Godwin "Polar Fleet" by Warren Norwood "West of Eden" by Harry Harrison Apparently this is an attempt to reach beyond the usual circle of SF readers. Nowhere in the sampler are the dreaded words "SF", "Science Fiction", or even [yesterday's buzz words] "Speculative Fiction". They are all "Imaginative Fiction", or occasionally "Fantasy". They go to great lengths to explain the IF can take place anywhere in space, time, or imagination. However, they were not above mentioning that an author was nominated for a Nebula or Hugo; won a World Fantasy Award, John W. Campbell Award, or American Book Award; or is well respected "in the field". As for the books themselves, the excerpts were long enough to give a feel for what the books are like. I'm looking forward with even greater anticipation to the R.A. MacAvoy and Lisa Goldstein books. I may even pick up a few others that I might not have otherwise. This seems like an interesting marketing ploy. I hope it works. Lord knows that the best SF deserves a wider readership than it is getting. (What constitutes 'best' has been flamed about for the last month. No need to get into that argument). /john "Then they tie the boots around the old ladies necks and throw them into the fjords."