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VITAL STATISTICS
Name: CARR, Terry Gene
Aged: 50
Born: February 19, 1937
Where: Grants Pass, Oregon
Died: April 7, 1987
Where: Oakland, CA
Interred: Cremated
Married#1: Miriam Dyches
When: January 31, 1959 (div 61)
Married#2: Carol (Newmark) Stuart
When: September 7, 1961
Awarded: 1959 Hugo, Best Amateur Magazine;
1973 Hugo, Best Fan Writer; 1985 SF Chronicle Award; 1985 Hugo & 1987
Hugo, Best Professional Editor.
Terry Carr
"Science Fiction is literature about the future, telling
stories of the marvels we hope to see...or for our descendants to see...tomorrow,
in the next century, or in the limitless duration of time."
A major fan figure, a SF writer/editor, and an especially strong anthologist.
Terry Carr rose to prominence in SF fandom as the co-editor, with Ron Ellik,
of Fanac, a West Coast fan newszine. Together, these two were a force and they
shared the 1959 Hugo for Best Fanzine. Terry's wife, Miriam, was also a fan, and helped
with the publishing chores.
Life with Miriam changed for Terry in 1961 and Carr headed out for Eastern skies (to quote Bob
Dylan). Living in 1962 New York City, Terry sold
his first short story to Avram Davidson at F&SF; and his first novel
(3 chapters and an outline) to Donald Wollheim at ACE Books. [Oddly, I was with both of
those editors when they decided to buy those stories. Fate can be strange. GCW] On arrival, Terry had lost the Berkeley
beard, socialized, knew his field, and seized the assistant editorship at ACE Books when it came.
Carr realized early on that he was not going to be a great writer. There are two kinds of
authors; those who pay the bills and write, and those who write and pay the bills.
Terry was firmly in the first camp, too practical to escape very far from reality.
But Carr had all of the other tools and corrected his career into editing. It was
fortunate in the short term that Terry was able to acquire an editing job under
Donald Wollheim at ACE Books. It was unfortunate in the long term because these two fine
men seemed to grate upon each other, and what we all thought would be a powerful
partnership, just crumbled away.
At ACE Books, Terry was able to bring his growing editorial skills to bear over the ACE
Special Editions of SF. Carr's editorship over this series was definitive. So much so that
ACE rehired Terry to resume control of the Specials after he had returned to California
(and Don had left to form DAW Books after A. A. Wyn's death). The ACE Specials are generally
divided into three groups: Carr's original issues, the second group
done after he left, and the third group after Terry resumed editing.
Apart from the editing of novels, Carr edited many anthologies of short stories, both
collected and original. Possibly the highlight of Carr's anthology editing was the
Universe series of
original short fiction. These books began in 1971 and ran for 17 annual volumes.
The first two published by ACE, next three Random House, and then a home was found
at Doubleday for all of the rest. Prior to these, Carr and Wollheim had been editing
for ACE Books an annual World's Best Science Fiction that was highly praised.
Carr also edited an annual series of the Year's Finest Fantasy in the late 70s
to early 80s.
Strangely, Terry's last major appearance before the Science Fiction world was as
Fan Guest of Honor at Atlanta's 1986 World Con. Fandom, it seems, never forgets.
PEN NAMES: Carl Brandon (shared), Norman Edwards (w Ted White)
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Mine here.
BIOGRAPHY:
OBITUARY: Not yet, but a Pamela Sargent appreciation here.
Send relevant email to
George C. Willick
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