Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 158: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

STINKERS On average your magazine has _ improved month by month. Of course, you sometimes let a “stinker” creep in, but what editor doesn’t? No human is infallible. I like your policy of encouraging new authors. Natur- ally, it means that we must accept a lower standard of writing from _ some of these new men, but even Asimov and van Vogt-and all the other top men had to start at the bottom as well. Keep up this practice and it is bound to pay dividends eventually. J. L. Grant, 38 Lady Helen Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife. Editing a magazine is not all plain Sailing, Mr. Grant, and one of the things that compensates for all the headaches is in helping a new author to make the grade. We intend to maintain this policy. Thanks for your comments. NIGHT SKY I think Authentic is the tops, and it’s nice to have a book one can hold in comfort. I would like to suggest a series on the night sky each month, the stars and their positions and a few details. When reading stories of other worlds it would be very nice to have a little idea of their whereabouts. F. M. Hills, 34 The Close, Babraham, Cambridgeshire. 157 Thank you for your suggestion, Mr. Hills. We will certainly bear it in mind for fvture consideration. SAME FLAG If this letter sees print there are a few things I would like to bring to the attention of British fans. Here in Canada we have just initiated a nation-wide Stf club, whose purpose is to bring Canadian fans together, let them get to know each other, and in general raise the standard of Canadian fandom. With the debut of Authentic on the stands here, we came up with the idea of taking British fen into the club too. After all we are all under the same fiag. With British fen in the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, we feel we will benefit by the material they contribute and the part they take in the club, for we know there is an abundance of talent over there. As Chairman of this club I would like to extend an invitation to any British fans who are interested. There are still a few copies of our first bulletin on hand and will be sent to any fans writing to me about the club. Harry Calnek, Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia, Canada. Congratulations and good wishes, Mr. Calnek, and we hope many of our readers join you. One ‘thing, though, puzzles us. If you are not British, what are you? conmicloooks.comn