Press Release

During the awards ceremony at this weekend’s annual Boskone science fiction convention, the members of the New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA) awarded their annual Edward E. Smith Memorial “Skylark” Award to Ian Randal Strock.

The Skylark is presented annually by NESFA “to some person, who, in the opinion of the membership, has contributed significantly to science fiction, both through work in the field and by exemplifying the personal qualities which made the late ‘Doc’ Smith well-loved by those who knew him.” (For the full definition, see below.)

The award citation reads:

This year’s Skylark winner is the editor and publisher of Fantastic Books, but he’s much more than that. He’s worked at Asimov’s and Analog and (the now defunct) Artemis magazines. At Fantastic Books, he’s not only published original works (such as the Hugo finalist Jar Jar Binks Must Die), but also kept in print works by authors as diverse as Shariann Lewitt, Walter Hunt, and Allen Steele. He is one of the nicest people in SF (and Mensa, too). We are pleased to present this year’s Skylark Award to Ian Randal Strock.

Also known as a public speaker, Strock gives talks on presidential history, publishing and writing, punctuation, and more. But in the moment, standing on that stage receiving the award, he had no coherent thoughts. “It was my worst performance on the stage ever,” he said. “I think I said ‘thank you,’ but I’m quite certain I could not come up with anything more insightful or erudite.” A few days later, he was finally able to gather his thoughts, commenting “To say the award was unexpected would be to say that I believed I might one day be nominated for it. I never even imagined I would be considered for the Skylark. I am humbled by this award, and by the awe-inspiring list of prior recipients. I will try to live up to their illustrious examples. Thank you, NESFA.”

For more information, see the following:
Ian Randal Strock, personally: http://www.IanRandalStrock.com
Strock’s publishing company: http://www.FantasticBooks.biz
NESFA: http://www.nesfa.org
The Skylark Award: http://www.nesfa.org/awards/the-skylark
Boskone: http://www.boskone.org

The Skylark is defined in NESFA’s bylaws: The Edward E. Smith Memorial Award for Imaginative Fiction, or “Skylark,” shall be presented from time to time by NESFA to some person who, in the opinion of the Membership, has contributed significantly to science fiction, both through work in the field and by exemplifying the personal qualities which made the late “Doc” Smith well-loved by those who knew him. Doc was so well thought of that he was invited to be Guest of Honor at the Second World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago, 1940 (Chicon I). Only two years before his death, Doc was given the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award at the Twenty-First World Science Fiction Convention in Washington, 1963 (Discon I). Doc Smith attended many conventions and participated in them as a pro and as a fan. He was one of the earliest enthusiasts in what are now called hall costumes and often dressed as characters from his stories—the good guys, of course. Smith was one of the old breed of SF writers who did not distinguish between pro and fan. He talked on panels; he talked informally; he never thought himself too important. He was, in a word, a mensch. It is fitting that this convention’s name was, is, and always will be Boskone and that the Skylark Award was, is, and always will be given out to someone who exemplifies Doc’s qualities both as a professional contributor to the field and as a human being.