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*************************************************** Laurence Mark Janifer (1933-2002) *************************************************** There was a small paid announcement in the New York Times this morning saying that Laurence Mark Janifer had died on Sunday, age 69. He was an editor with the Scott Meredith Literary Agency in the '50s, then became a free-lancer in 1957. His first SF story was "Expatriate" in the 11/53 COSMOS (under his birth name, Larry Mark Harris), although he'd published several pseudonymous "true war" stories the previous year. During this period, he was also a member of the Hydra Club. He continued to use his birth name until 1963, when he changed it to his old family name, Janifer (apparently, when his grandfather immigrated from Poland, the last name was changed by an immigration officer). In the meantime, he collaborated with Randall Garrett on a number of books and stories, beginning with _Pagan Passions_, a Galaxy SF Novel published by Beacon Books. Other collaborations with Garrett were published under the name Mark Phillips, including Brain Twister, The Impossibles, and Supermind (all Pyramid, 1962-3). With S. J. Treibich, he wrote three connected novellas, each published as half of an Ace Double: Target: Terra (H-91, 1968), The High Hex (72400, 1969) and The Wagered World (81680, 1969). In 1977, he published the first of the Gerald Knave books, Survivor (Ace); there was a second novel and a collection in the next decade. Although he published little from 1987 until his death, there have been two new Gerald Knave titles from Wildside Press ( The Counterfeit Heinlein and Alienist , both 2001) and he continued to write short fiction, the most recent being "Vibes" in the 1/01 Analog. I liked Larry, both as a writer and as a person. He was generous with his time and criticisms, funny as hell, and unfairly unrecognized. He moved back from Australia to the US in 2000, and I lost touch with him then. I regret that now. ---Bud Webster ------------- Barry N. Malzberg adds these unusual details... For what it is worth - nothing is what it is worth - Janiifer's great and most admired influence, Robert Heinlein, was born on 7/ll/07 and his second great and most admired influence, John W. Campbell, died 3l years ago today. Norman Mailer would call these "factoids." ------------- Your members might be interested to know that the last piece he wrote was published on twoheadedcat.com shortly after his death. There is also another Knave novel due to be published soon from Wildside Press, entitled TWO. Thanks!
yours, Updated July 20, 2002 |