Tom Reamy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tom Reamy
Tom Reamy in the mid-1970s
Born	Thomas Earl Reamy (1935-01-23)January 23, 1935 Woodson, Texas, USA
Died	November 4, 1977(1977-11-04) (aged 42) Independence, Missouri, USA

Tom Reamy (born January 23, 1935 – died November 4, 1977) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy stories. He was also a very important person in the world of science fiction fans during the 1960s and 1970s. He passed away at the age of 42, before his first novel was even published. His stories are mostly a type of fantasy called dark fantasy.

Tom Reamy: Fan, Editor, and Event Organizer

Thomas Earl Reamy was born in Woodson, Texas, during a tough time called the Great Depression. When he was a teenager in the early 1950s, Tom became very active in science fiction fandom. This means he was part of the community of people who loved science fiction. He wrote for fan magazines, called fanzines, and helped organize fan events, known as conventions. He was both a writer and an artist for these fanzines.

During this time, Tom started trying to write his own fantasy and science fiction stories. Even though his friends thought he was talented and encouraged him, he wasn't quite ready to send his stories to professional magazines. He kept working on his writing for many years, while also exploring other ways to be creative.

Starting a Fan Club

Tom Reamy, along with his friend Orville W. Mosher, started the first organized science fiction fan club in Texas. It was called The Dallas Futurian Society (DFS). They named it after an older club in New York. The DFS started in late 1953 when Tom was 18. The club was active until July 1958.

For five years, Mosher and Reamy took turns editing the club's fanzine, CriFanAc. This fanzine had many writers from Dallas and other parts of the science fiction fan world. Tom became the only editor for the sixth issue. He also contributed his own artwork and comments to CriFanAc and other fanzines of that time.

Organizing Conventions

With fellow Dallas Futurians, James and Gregory Benford, Tom Reamy helped organize the first science fiction convention ever held in Texas. This event was called Southwesterncon VI and took place in Dallas in July 1958. A famous writer and fan, Marion Zimmer Bradley, was the special guest. Also, Forrest J Ackerman, a well-known science fiction fan and collector, came from Los Angeles to host the convention's dinner.

On the last day of the convention, the Dallas Futurian Society decided to close their club. Tom Reamy himself suggested that the club's co-founder, Orville W. Mosher, be elected as their new president. Moments later, Tom made another suggestion: that the club officially close forever. This idea passed, even though Mosher didn't agree.

Publishing Trumpet

In the mid-to-late 1960s, Tom Reamy worked as a technical illustrator for an aerospace company called Collins Radio in Dallas. During this time, he became the editor and publisher of Trumpet. This was a very well-made fanzine, printed professionally. Most fanzines back then were made using cheaper methods like ditto or mimeograph.

Between 1965 and 1969, ten issues of Trumpet were published. The later issues even had full-color covers! In 1966, Trumpet was nominated for the Hugo Awards, which are very important awards in science fiction. However, it was later decided that it couldn't win because it hadn't published enough issues to qualify. But in 1967 and again in 1969, Trumpet was nominated for the Best Fanzine Hugo Award.

Worldcon Bid and Dallascon Bulletin

In the late 1960s, Tom Reamy also led Dallas fans in their big effort to host the 31st World Science Fiction Convention, also known as Worldcon. This was called the "Big D in '73" bid. He also edited and designed the official publication for this bid, called The Dallascon Bulletin. Like Trumpet, this bulletin was printed using a high-quality method.

No other Worldcon bidders had ever produced anything like them before. These publications were given out for free to over 6,000 people and had a lot of paid advertisements. This caused some people to accuse the Texans of trying to "buy" the win for their Dallas bid. In the end, the Dallascon bid didn't succeed for other reasons, several months before the vote was taken in 1971. Because of this, Toronto won the bid and hosted the 31st Worldcon, which was called Torcon II.

Turkey City Writer's Workshop

In the early 1970s, Tom Reamy helped start the Turkey City Writer's Workshop in the Dallas area. Many new Texas writers of science fiction and fantasy came from this workshop. In 1976, this led to an anthology (a collection of stories) called Lone Star Universe, which featured only Texas writers. This workshop is still active today.

Impact on Fandom and Move to Kansas City

Tom Reamy's high-profile Worldcon bid and his Dallascon Bulletin, along with his fanzine Trumpet, had a lasting effect on science fiction fandom. They inspired the creation of the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society (KaCSFFS) in 1971. A few years later, Kansas City used many of Dallas's "Big Bid" ideas for their own bid to host the 1976 Worldcon.

Tom joined the Kansas City bid shortly before they won in 1974. He took on two important roles on the convention committee. The "Big D in '73" bid, which didn't work out for Dallas, was reborn in Kansas City as "KC in '76." Kansas City went on to win their Worldcon bid in 1974.

After moving to Kansas City in late summer 1974, Tom stopped publishing Trumpet and started a similar fanzine called Nickelodeon. There, with a new business partner named Ken Keller, he started a business for typesetting and graphic design called Nickelodeon Graphics Arts Service.

Together, they created the publications division for Kansas City's official MidAmeriCon, the 34th Worldcon. Tom immediately brought a strong editorial style and modern graphic design to the convention's reports and other publications. This included a first: a full-sized, hardcover program book, an idea he had from the old Dallascon bid. All of this had a lasting impact on all Worldcon publications that came after. Tom Reamy also led the convention's film program. This program was another first: an amazing 80-hour film festival of 35mm science fiction movies within a Worldcon. It even had a movie theater-style concessions area with fresh popcorn, soda, and candy.

Tom Reamy: Published Writer

In the early 1970s, after many years of quietly improving his writing, Tom Reamy felt ready to start sending his stories to science fiction magazines and story collections. His work began to sell almost right away, with his first two stories being bought on the very same day. He completed thirteen stories of different lengths and one novel before his early death.

Blind Voices

Tom Reamy's only novel, Blind Voices, was published after he died. It came out in both hardcover and mass-market paperback versions. Critics compared it to the works of famous authors like Richard Matheson, Ray Bradbury, and Harlan Ellison. The novel is about a strange and wonderful "freak show" that arrives in a small town in Kansas during the 1920s and how it changes the lives of the people living there.

Even though some wondered if Tom planned to polish the novel more, critics thought Blind Voices was an amazing first novel. It made both fans and critics wonder how important a writer he could have become if he had lived longer.

San Diego Lightfoot Sue and Other Stories

Besides Blind Voices, the only other book by Tom Reamy is a collection of his shorter stories, published after his death. It's called San Diego Lightfoot Sue and Other Stories. This book also came out in both hardcover and mass-market paperback. It includes a thoughtful introduction by Harlan Ellison, who discusses Reamy's stories and his short career.

The story "San Diego Lightfoot Sue" won the 1975 Nebula Award for Best Novelette, which is a major award for short science fiction and fantasy. It was also nominated for the 1976 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.

His Passing

Tom Reamy passed away on November 4, 1977, at the age of 42. He was found at his home in Independence, Missouri. He died from a heart attack, found slumped over his typewriter while working on a new story. He was laid to rest in Woodson Cemetery in Woodson, Texas, where other members of his family are buried.

Before he died, Tom Reamy and artist George Barr had started working again on a graphic novel version of Poul Anderson's fantasy novel The Broken Sword. This project had first appeared in parts in Tom's fanzine Trumpet a decade earlier. The project was never finished after his death.

Published Works

• Novels:
  • Blind Voices (1978)
• Collections:
  • San Diego Lightfoot Sue and Other Stories (1979)
  • Under the Hollywood Sign (2023)
• Short stories:
  • "Jenny's Friends" (1954)
  • "Beyond the C"left" (1974)
  • "Twilla" (1974)
  • "San Diego Lightfoot Sue" (1975)
  • "Under the Hollywood Sign" (1975)
  • "Dinosaurs" (1976)
  • "Mistress of Windraven" (1976)
  • "The Sweetwater Factor" (1976)
  • "The Detweiler Boy" (1977)
  • "Insects in Amber" (1978)
  • "Waiting for Billy Star" (1978)
  • "2076: Blue Eyes" (1979)
  • "M is for the Million Things" (1981)
  • "Potiphee, Petey and Me" (2023)
• Screenplays:
  • "The Goddaughter" (produced 1972; Tom Reamy was credited as Assistant Director)
  • "The Mislayed Genie" (produced 1973)
  • "Sting" (1975) (not produced)
  • "The Screaming Night: A Screenplay" with Howard Waldrop (?) (not produced)
• Hollywood Film Crew:
  • He worked in the Art Department as a property master for the movie "Flesh Gordon" (1974).

Awards and Nominations

• Hugo: Best Fanzine nominee (1967) for Trumpet
• Hugo: Best Fanzine nominee (1969) for Trumpet
• Nebula: Best Novelette nominee (1974) for "Twilla"
• Nebula: Best Novelette winner (1975) for "San Diego Lightfoot Sue"
• Hugo: Best Novelette nominee (1976) for "San Diego Lightfoot Sue"
• John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer: winner (1976)
• Nebula: Best Novel nominee (1978) for Blind Voices
• Hugo: Best Novel nominee (1979) for Blind Voices