Mailing Comments

[page 16] MAILING COMMENTS I come at last to mailing comments, and realize we haven't really stated much editorial "policy", except WE'RE GLAD TO BE HERE AND WE HOPE TO HAVE LOTS OF RESPONSE. Perhaps here is as good a place as any to pledge that HOOM will try to maintain as good a quality as possible within our limits of prduction facilities and talent. Of course, I am becoming more practical by the minute. Original plans were that HOOM would, natchelly, have even right- and left-handed margins, and would be done with one typewriter--no mixed up type styles for us! Comes 'round to getting one of these little devils typed, illustrated, run off, stapled, and all the rest, and I find that quality standards relax a bit... I do note, though, that many of the zine eds make up a "mailing comments" zine, and save the good stuff for a genzine, distributed to N'APA members, but not included in the general mailing, and with, of course, an additional mailing list. Not only because time does not permit more than one zine and leave any extras moments for other N3F activities and contributions and LOCs to other zines (if I'm not too discouraged by the reaction to HOOM to presume to contribute to anything else!), but because I feel that an apa should stand for quality as well as communication between members, HOOM will attempt to be a genzine distribute to meet the mailing requirements of N'APA. Perhaps when I stop being naive, I will see things differently (or even when I foul up a couple of masters in the duplicator running off _this_ ish)--but for the time being at least, we'll try to keep this of interest to N'APA members, and any other fen @fan@ who might wish to clutch a copy in their hot little hands. Now--to the comments: As Mailing #36 is the first N'APA material I've had, and since I've had the pleasure of being in N3F for a couple of months only, there were many of the letters and comments which were over my head. I won't try to get in on the middle of something I know nothing about and get my foot in my mouth (a feat for which I am noted, anyhow). (Hmmmm-- I mean hoooom-- "feat in my mouth, maybe? Sorry--I couldn't resist.) Besides, I have never owned so many fanzines. . .and I'm all starry eyed. I couldn't be critical of any of them if I tried. SANDWORM #3 FEDAYKIN - Bob Vardeman Always good to find another devotee of _Dune_! I even like the paper you use for run-off. . .it's so, well, SANDY. I refuse to enter your song contest. Not because I'm not interested in your prize. One-way ticket to Swamp Pocket, Va., indeed. MAN, I LIVE THERE! [Page 17] THE NEW NEWPORT NEWS NEWS [Page 18] CITHARA the fifth - lesleigh and Chris Couch I liked your cover! It illustrates what I have always liked about Oriental art--the beautiful simplicity. They seem able to face an object and depict it for itself, without feeling the need for adding something to "enhance" it. I hope you decide to use this type of art on future covers. . .they're so _peaceful_. THE SEEDLING #2--Evelyn Lief A very nice second issue, and I enjoyed the story and book reviews. Someone else, I see, who makes an interesting mine and includes mailing comments. The reason I chose ditto process for publication purposes was that mimics are treacherous things. I have done a lot of work with them, but always at an unexpected (and crucial) moment, they do things like tear up stencils, and pour out all their ink in one great blob. Dittos, too, I guess, get temperamental once in a while--I was running off laboratory writing assignments last week, when the ditto decided to pour fluid all over everything. I finally got them dried out enough to distribute in class. Had to chastise one of my angels for going to sleep instead of doing his lab work, and he looks up wistfully, sniffs his paper, and says, "But this stuff makes us SLEEPY." Then the rest of the class takes it up, starts breathing the papers, and decide unanimously that it is almost at good as glue-sniffing. FATHER #5 - Terry Romins Just starting out in this fanzine business, I couldn't help but be interested in the mechanics of publishing as well as the content. So I enjoyed seeing your ditto zine, and admiring the art work. A belated welcome to Virginia! Have courage, you'll get used to it. CRABAPPLE GAZETTE - Martin M. Horvat It did my morale a lot of good to see so many new publishers in N'APA, so I don't feel so - alone. While I have been contemplating HOOM for some months, the decision to take the plunge was quite a hasty one. It has been a very short time, therefore, between the time I received the mailing and the time I must actually be producing my own zine. Your articles are very thought-provoking and something I want time to savor. I thought of several very superficial comments, but that had best wait until I read them more thoroughly. Most interesting, nonetheless. Don't be too hard on Janie Lamb for trying fill out the pages of her zine--I think it's sometimes very difficult to finish out a stencil or master. Sometimes you have space at the bottom that's too much to just leave blank and not enough for any weighty comments, That's the place to discuss the weather. . .and by the way, it's Freezing today in these hyar @here@ parts. The calendar says Spring ought to be here, so they have turned off all the furnaces, and come a cold day, well, you just shiver. My boys said they had an electric heater in their other classroom bulding, so I told them, for heaven's sake, to go back and get warm. And now that I have finished this page (18) I shall go home and get warm even if it's only 2:30 Having committed the the impardonable sin of discussing the weather I shall herewith conclude my mailing comments. DOWN WITH REALITY Ned Brooks I've already told Ned in a personal letter that I admired his zine, and complimented him on his reproduction. Was very elated to see such a nice ditto job with good illustrations, as (obviously) that was the method I had shosen for my zine. "Fragment..." and your solution to the Vietnam situation were very thought provoking. I thought you ought to know that I read the Vietnam solution to my English class (all boys, all draft age) and it got a standing ovation. They are ready to run you for President. . .but I think I convinced them that you were too nice a guy for such a fate. FRINGE #13 Carol Ballard Best wishes to you, Carol, and congratulations to Wrai! A completely charming issue of a fanzine--and you have my admiration for getting it out with such distracting things as weddings going on. A shining example of loyalty to N'APA for the rest of fandom to admire! And--a beautiful mimeograph job, if one can leave romance long enough to be practical. KTEMA ES AEI-- Richard Lebonte I enjoyed Dave Studer's satirical story, and am glad to find another kindred spirit who believes apa zines should contain more than mailing comments. I can't see why mailing comments can't be included in a genzine, even if the general fan can't understand them. I didn't understand a lot of the comments in Mailing #36. . .but I enjoyed reading them (a human compulsion to read other peoples' mail, I guess). On the other hand, I don't think that should be all that is included in an apa zine- why don't apa members enjoy stories, poems, articles, book reviews, etc.? Maybe you and I are starry eyed beginners in the rituals of an apa, but keep on with that "enduring, significant literature" of yours. HOLLA -Wally Weber Your editorial letter "_Dear Whom_?" Your spelling is awful, but how did you know that HOOM would be in the next N'APA mailing? MAELSTROM - Fred Hypes What beautiful, clean-cut mimeo! I shall look forward to having your "real" zine. You have, of course, won my heart by stating _Lord of the Rings_ is your favorite book. There was much interesting information in your six pages. You have a a SF background which I envy. Perhaps this is as good a place as any to say that I'm fairly new to the Sf world. While I was brought up on fantasy, I lost that background somewhere along the way--too many intellectual EnglishLit teachers, I guess. It wasn't until all the publicity aroused my curiosity about _LotR_ and I set aside my snobbish taste and read it, that I got involved in fandom and zines. I read all those interesting-sounding reviews, and decided I had been missing something. And when _I_ teach English Lit, I shall permit book reports on Heinlein, Andereon, Norton, Howard, deCamp, Mundy, Herbert, et al.