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Terry Carr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the actress who was credited as "Terry Carr" early in her career, seeTeri Garr.

Terry Carr
Terry Carr c.1972
Born
Terry Gene Carr

(1937-02-19)February 19, 1937
Grants Pass, Oregon,U.S.
DiedApril 7, 1987(1987-04-07)(aged 50)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCity College of San Francisco
University of California, Berkeley
Spouses
Miriam Dyches
​
​
(m.1959;div.1961)​
Carol Stuart
​
(m.1961⁠–⁠1987)​

Terry Gene Carr(February 19, 1937 – April 7, 1987[1]) was an Americanscience fictionfan,author, editor, and writing instructor.

Background and discovery of fandom

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Carr was born inGrants Pass, Oregon.He attended theCity College of San Franciscoand theUniversity of California, Berkeleyfrom 1954 to 1959.

Carr discoveredscience fiction fandomin 1949,[2]where he became an enthusiastic publisher offanzines,which later helped open his way into the commercial publishing world. (He was one of the two fans responsible for the hoax fan 'Carl Brandon' after whom theCarl Brandon Societytakes its name.) Despite a long career as a science fiction professional, he continued to participate as a fan until his death. He was nominated five times forHugosforBest Fanzine(1959–1961, 1967–1968), winning in 1959, was nominated three times forBest Fan Writer(1971–1973), winning in 1973, and was Fan Guest of Honor atConFederationin 1986.

Professional work

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Though he published some fiction in the early 1960s, Carr concentrated on editing. He first worked atAce Books,establishing theAce Science Fiction Specialsseries which published, among other novels,Behold the ManandThe Warlord of the Airby Michael Moorcock,The Left Hand of DarknessbyUrsula K. Le GuinandRite of PassagebyAlexei Panshin.

After conflicts with Ace headDonald A. Wollheim,he worked as afreelancer.He edited an original story anthology series calledUniverse,and a popular series ofThe Best Science Fiction of the Yearanthologies that ran from 1972 until his death in 1987. He also edited numerous one-off anthologies over the same time span. He was nominated for the Hugo forBest Editorthirteen times (1973–1975, 1977–1979, 1981–1987), winning twice (1985 and 1987). His win in 1985 was the first time a freelance editor had won.

Terry Carr commissioned a first novel fromWilliam Gibsonfor the second series of Ace Science Fiction Specials, shortly after the Denver WorldCon, 1981. The purpose of the series was to give attention tofirst-time novelists.Gibson's fellow Ace Specials first-timers wereKim Stanley Robinson,Michael Swanwick,Lucius Shepard,Carter Scholz,andHoward Waldrop.[3]William Gibson mentions Carr in the introduction to the 20th Anniversary Edition of the book: "Having been talked into signing a contract (by the late Terry Carr, without whom there would certainly be noNeuromancer)... "[4]

Carr taught at theClarion WorkshopatMichigan State Universityin 1978, where his students includedRichard KadreyandPat Murphy.

Personal life

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Carr married a fellow science fiction fan, Miriam Dyches, in 1959.[1]They were divorced in 1961. Later that year, Carr married Carol Stuart. He remained married to her until his death. Under her married name of Carol Carr, his widow has also sold science fiction: "You Think You've Got Troubles" (1969), "Inside" (1970), "Some Are Born Cats" (1973, with Terry Carr), "Wally a Deux" (1973), and "Tooth Fairy" (1984).

Death

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On April 7, 1987, Carr died ofcongestive heart failure.A memorial gathering of the science fiction community was held inTilden ParkinBerkeley, California,on May 30. An original anthology of science fiction,Terry's Universe,was published the following year; all proceeds went to his widow.[5]His papers and his large collection of fanzines (71 linear feet and almost 2000 titles) have become part of theEaton collection of Science Fictionat theUniversity of California, Riverside.[6]

Published works

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Novels

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Collections

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Anthologies

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World's Best Science Fiction

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The Best Science Fiction of the Year

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Universe

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Other anthologies

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  • New Worlds of Fantasy(1967)
  • New Worlds of Fantasy #2(1970)
  • New Worlds of Fantasy #3(1971)
  • Year's Finest Fantasy(1978)
  • Year's Finest Fantasy 2(July 1979)
  • Fantasy Annual III(May 1981)
  • Fantasy Annual IV(November 1981)
  • Fantasy Annual V(November 1982)
  • Science Fiction for People Who Hate Science Fiction(1966)
  • The Others(1969)
  • On Our Way to the Future(1970)
  • This Side of Infinity(1972)
  • Into the Unknown(1973)
  • An Exaltation of Stars(1973)
  • Fellowship of the Stars(1974)
  • Worlds Near and Far(1974)
  • Creatures from Beyond(1975)
  • Planets of Wonder(1976)
  • The Ides of Tomorrow(1976)
  • The Infinite Arena(1977)
  • To Follow a Star: Nine Science Fiction Stories About Christmas(1977)
  • Classic Science Fiction: The First Golden Age(1978)
  • Beyond Reality(1979)
  • Dream's Edge(1980)
  • A Treasury of Modern Fantasy(1981) withMartin H. Greenberg
  • 100 Great Fantasy Short Short Stories(1984) withIsaac Asimovand Martin H. Greenberg

References

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  1. ^ab"Terry Carr Dies".Locus.20:1. May 1987.
  2. ^"SFE: Carr, Terry".
  3. ^Gibson, William (September 4, 2003)."Neuromancer: The Timeline".Archived fromthe originalon December 30, 2006.RetrievedNovember 26,2007.
  4. ^Gibson, William (2004).Neuromancer.Ace Books.
  5. ^"Terry Carr Dies".Locus.20:4. May 1987.
  6. ^Layton, Kristy L., ed. (Fall 1989). "Fanzines at UCR".J. Lloyd Eaton Collection Newsletter.1(2).University of California, Riverside.

Sources

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