Written by Fred Patten, and published on the LASFS Rex Rotary, August 11, 1966. Intended for Apa L, Ninty-Fifth Distribution, LASFS Meeting no. 1513, August 11, 1966. Address: 1825 Greenfield Avenue, Los Angeles, California, 90025. Phone: GRanite 3-6321.

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The Pelz' idea of a Baskin-Robbins party was quite a success, although -- as they realized -- there are so many more men than women in Fandom that it'll be necessary for at least some of the men to bring the ladies' admission of soda pop, to balance out the two comestibles. The ice cream came in a pleasing array of flavors -- there were few duplications of selections -- but an unfortunately large percentage of the soda pop turned out to be of the mixer variety, which wasn't entirely to the tastes of those who prefer to drink their pop straight rather than using it to mix with something else. With luck, there'll be more pop of the Coke/root-beer variety next time. As the party ended, Bruce was making noises of making an arrangement with his local Baskin-Robbins store for future parties, to the effect of posting a score-sheet in their store so the fans stopping there to buy their admission to the party could see which flavors had already been purchased. At the least, it'd be an interesting experiment.

Possibly the single individual hit of the party was Dian's pachinko machine; a miniature Japanese pinball machine. It w as a shame that the electronic circuitry was out of order, so that none of the usual flashing lights were working; though possibly it was all for the best, since the machine proved to be enough of an attention-magnet as it was. Fred Hollander, Mike Klassen, Jack Newkom, Owen Hannifen, and I were among several fans who seemed to spend most of their time trying to bat the steel ball bearings into the various cups. The main drawback to the game is a psychological one; it's annoying to have to return half of your jackpot to the machine each time you finally win something, to stock it for the next jackpot. The jackpot reservoir runs dry all too fast.

Jerry and I were the first to arrive at the party, about 10 after 4 Saturday afternoon. Others soon followed, though, and the Pelz' apartment became crammed with people in short order. Besides the ice cream and soda pop that the guests supplied as their admission, there were the usual nibblements, and a couple of excellent cakes. A card game got started in the back room, as usual; Jerry persuaded me to drag out my "Summit" board game, which I haven't played in years, and bring it along. I did, and promptly came in at the bottom of the only game we could get up. Ted Johnstone had an advance copy of his new U.N.C.L.E. novel, The Vampire Affair, but I didn't get a chance to look at any more than the cover blurbs. Some slides were shown of the various entries in this WesterCon's Art Show. I got tired early, as usual; and as the apartment was too packed for me to find a place to curl up and go to sleep, I came on home and went to bed. Jerry stayed on and got a ride home later with Barry Gold at around 4 a.m. As the first in a possible series of parties, this one was a rousing success.

-- NAMELY, COMMENTS ON LAST WEEK'S DISTRIBUTION

Bill Glass -- When I was working at the Hawthorne Public Library a couple of years ago, the Angélique books were about the hottest things in the Fiction stacks. We couldn't keep 'em in, and there was usually a reserve list on most of 'em.

Ruth Berman -- I blush to admit that I didn't recognize the Scalawagon until now, when you made the connection with Oz obvious. I am waiting eagerly see whether this is going to be just an Ozzy adventure, or whether Dave is going to visit other fantasy worlds, as well. And it's extremely fortuitous that you've left lots of room for a good Dian illo.

Dwain Kaiser -- If you like spy novels, you might be interested to know that Patrick Macnee, "John Steed", is writing his own "Avenger" paperbacks (well, at least one; Dead Duck). I'd like to see how Robert Vaughn would do in writing the next Man from U.N.C.L.E. paperback? I agree that the 5th in the series was the only really acceptable one outside of Ted's; in fact it's about the best writing I've seen from Phillifent yet.

Alton Chermak -- Did I ever say "straffen"? I don't even know what it means!

Andy Porter -- I dunno what's happened to all those copies of the 91st Dist'n that were sent to you New Yorkers (except for Alan Shaw; I know I didn't get any to send him, no matter what the handout record says). And I have no extra copies; sorry. ## I sure hope you do reconsider about dropping out of Apa L, though I agree with you about the feuding. It's not even very interesting to most of us localites, but just try to get the feuders to drop the subject! ## I don't know quite what you mean about contact with LA Fandom at the WesterCon making you feel that certain segments of it have nothing in common with you? This is true, but it always has been; why should personal contact at the WesterCon make it any more intense? There are always segments of any fan group with which one has little in common; has the %age in Apa L with which you're not in contact increased at all lately? ## It's true that we do try to get the neos in the club interested in Apa L, to get them active in pubbing fandom as a whole. So far, I think that Fred Hollander is the only one who's responded really satisfactorily, though Barry Gold and Jim Schumacher show promise. (I refer to those who learned about fanzine pubbing in Apa L; not just all neos who happen to be active in Apa L. Jim, you did get your first pubbing experience in Apa L, didn't you?) Tom Gilbert, on the other hand, seems to've been a flash in the pan, unless he's still in TAPS and STOBCLER. Anyhow, we welcome neos in Apa L, but we certainly don't want them taking over! That's one reason we want fans like you and Dave Van Arnam to stay around. ## I'll hope most of this is just reaction to too much fanac all at once, and that you'll change your mind once you've rested up. However, if you still decide to drop out, I'd suggest that you wait around at least long enough to get our 105th distribution, which will be our Second Anniversary Dist'n, and should be extra big. (Everybody is planning something special for it?) ## Don't forget my World's Fair button.

Felice Rolfe -- "Galloping" is right, although when in doubt, you can always be fannish and use "galooping". ## I feel that way -- about novels not worth the time to read, but that hold your attention to the end anyway -- about most of the old pulp novels. That's certainly a good description of any Shadow or Doc Savage story, at any rate. Of course, then there's the good story that's so badly told that it's infuriating, because you realize that it could and should have been so much better. Two recent examples that come to mind immediately are Harlan's "'Repent Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman", and James White's The Watch Below. ## Apa L's back to only 50 required copies. ## I'm sure it's true, about the lack of a market for fantasy and the dissatisfaction of us fantasy buffs. The British SCIENCE FANTASY is dead; the publisher replaced it with something called IMPULSE SCIENCE-FICTION -- but the real SCIENCE FANTASY had been dead since Cornell sold it, anyway, so the loss of the title doesn't mean anything. Similarly, if Cohen should decide to kill off FANTASTIC, it won't really mean anything, since the current magazine isn't producing anything new of interest today. (It even ran out of decent reprints a couple of issues ago.) That's one reason I'll accept Carter's Jockstrap novels; it's the only stuff around. And it's why I'm sorry to see Dave Van Arnam's report that Ace isn't going to handle fantasy as a regular policy, or publish his Zantain novel. Lancer paperbacks seem to be the only hope for any of us these days. I hope Pyramid reprints the rest of the de Camp - Pratt collaborations.

Don Fitch -- It would probably be a good idea to put all the white pages together, and all the blue pages together, then all the yellow ones, etc., for a couple of weeks, so people will stop asking me why I'm so persnickety about alternating colored paper with white paper. I'll let you take the responsibility for the experiment. ## You know, that's been exactly the chain of thought of at least Bruce and myself, and I suspect of Len as well: "I haven't seen Tom Gilbert for over a month now. I wonder if he's thinking of selling his collection?" Of course, you realize that Tom is under no Obligation to attend LASFS Meetings.

Dave Van Arnam -- Keep at it; maybe you can get some fantasy through Ace yet -- a super-scientific witch would be better than nothing at all. How about something à la the Northwest Smith stories, of novel length? (Hmm, I'll have to suggest to Terry that Ace bring out the two Northwest Smith/Jirel of Joiry collections.) Let us know how you do in getting The Black Magician through Lancer, too.

Steve Salo -- The way I heard it, Gil was being drafted into the Army, and can he be drafted into the U.S. Army if he's a British citizen? (Also, if he's in the Army, he's unlikely to be firing on many ships of any Navy, Bob Kanigher's war comics to the contrary.)

Alan Shaw -- Well, at least people aren't sending me threatening letters any more. (Not threatening me -- threatening Dwain Kaiser. They seem to've thought that I was responsible for him, or something.) ## I dunno what happened to your copy of the 91st Dist'n, either. I see I was credited with picking one up for you, but I don't know how that note got there, because I definitely did not get one. If Barry doesn't bring that copy he says he's willing to sell, to tonight's Meeting, I'll return your $1.25 to you, and let you make your own arrangements with whoever's willing to part with their copy.

Terry Romine -- You're still striking out. Why don't you drop the comic pages for awhile and try some one-panel cartoons, or some straight art, or anything else for a change? It may help you to get out of the artistic rut you seem to be in.

Neal Reynolds -- The old Operator 5 series is okay (I've only read the first so far), but nothing special. I notice that They've again tried to update it, by writing in a couple of pages about our nuclear weapons to try to make it look as though the arms crisis is taking place today between us and the Communists, instead of between us and the Nazis 30 years ago. Some of the writing is quaint: "Clean-cut, sharp-eyed, alert, ... [h]is face was that of an American, while in the mob were scores of faces of foreign cast." (Legions of the Death Master, p. 5-6) Actually, of all the series you mention (plus the Shadow), I prefer the Phantom Detective. The stories are among the best written of the lot -- without nearly as much of the extraneous verbiage obviously included only to get the author an extra few dollars at 1¢ a word. I also find it easier to accept a lone-wolf avenger, than one with battalions of assistants or a whole army of agents in skeleton costumes who go running around taking over New York or Washington (only temporarily, for the people's own good, of course), that I never see any mention of elsewhere. And the Phantom Detective doesn't always telegraph who the mystery villain is, either.