Winning a Bob

Well, as many of you already know, Scientifiction Five-Yearly was granted a Bob Award for Achievement in Scientifiction and the Fantastic by the members of the 65th World Scientifiction Convention, held in Yokohama, Japan this weekend. The Bob is of course named after the legendary Munsey magazines editor, Bob Davis, who was the crucial figure in the development of the scientific romance in the Teens and early Twenties of the last century, before Hugo Gernsback took the baton and gave the genre a new name in 1926.

Meanwhile back in reality, the awards given at the World Science Fiction Convention are actually called the Hugos, but it's true that Science-Fiction Five-Yearly just won one in Yokohama. I don't think there's any doubt that this is fandom's tribute to Lee Hoffman, the founder and guiding spirit of the zine, who died in February this year and thus isn't here to enjoy this token of continuing respect from her community. I'm proud beyond expression that we as a group honored LeeH's memory in this way.

It seems appropriate, too, to reflect that my participation in this final issue of the zine -- and thus my share in the glory, such as it is -- was the result of one of those great fannish traditions, a roadtrip to a convention, when gerisullivan and I drove from upstate New York to Toronto for Corflu last year. Thanks for the ride, Geri. It took me somewhere completely unexpected.