Email97

From: agl007@ix.netcom.com
Date: 16 Aug 97 21:23:08 -0600

Rick,

I just wanted to drop you a note complimenting you on your HE web site.
The info's good, and thorough. And I especially like your sarcastic sense of humor. Excellent!

- Alan G. Labouseur
AlphaPoint Systems, Inc.

EDITOR'S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TWO E-MAILS ARE EXAMPLES OF THE KIND
OF STUFF I GET EVERY DAY...

From: jeff.reger@sanjose.vlsi.com
Date: 20 Aug 97 12:09:28 -0600
Subject: RE BABALON5

I am REALLY UPSET that BABALON5 has mad a NASTY turn in its show. NO more good effects and shitting story line. I dont know what happened their, But somebody is SLEEPING on the job. When i first watch the show it was FULL of GREAT EFFECTS and a good story line. THATS WHY PEOPLE WATCHED!.

Now its no better than watching ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Why dont you people over there GO BACK to what ever was working, Because NOW IT DOSNT!

Donald Swauger
Owner of Swauger Technical International
A semiconductor industry service and support company

Date: 15 Jun 97 14:35:20 -0600
Subject: Hirsuite

Hi
when i searched in Yahoo for
+hirsuite and
+women
the web took me to your page unfortunately I don't know how to find where in all your pages you made reference to such. Please advise

thanks
volks@ij.net

From: leo.quinn@sympatico.ca
Date: 7 Mar 97 04:28:10 -0600
Subject: Xenogenisis... to be or not to be?

Dear Rick,
I'd written you, awhile back, about getting in touch with
Harlan; "the only writer who really matters anymore..." and all that crap. After rereading it I feel mighty silly, so contrived. Anyway, I was glad that you got back to me and mentioned the collect call just thinking about censorship pisses me off. Let me finish by saying that although I've found a lot of garbage and crass commercialism on the Internet, I've also found havens of intellegent thought where people like you can offer your opinions and provide information on people like Harlan Ellison. It's like a breath of fresh air in the city. You've got a great site and keep up the good work.

Tony Ellis(aellis6183@ aol.com Yes, aol)

From: devnull@dekalb.dc.peachnet.edu
Date: 20 Feb 97 10:26:14 -0600
Subject: Harlan got me laid.

Um... I realy like the idea of people like you populating the internrt with neat@ sites like this one(Webderland). I'm a nineteen year-old who really enjoys comics and reading in general. About two months ago a co-worker let me borrow a copy of Shatterday and since I've been drawn to Mr. Ellisons writing style and....well..... just overall
knock-me-on-my-ass imagery and ideas. I've been searching for a writter like this for awhile. One who is personal, but not at all, and can spin a yarn a mile long in only minutes. I'm sorry that I didn't know what kind of effect he would of had on me when I first met him at the Dragon Con two years ago. The things I could tell him though. Thanks again for doing what you do, "We" (meaning literates who appreciate a good read) can only hope for good things in your future.

From: dorje@interport.net
Date: 29 Apr 97 09:14:02 -0600
Subject: Webderland

Just another good word to you about this site.
Great job. Keep it going. Hope HE realizes how lucky he is to have
someone doing this for him.

-cw

Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 15:53:04 -0500
From: Ryan Greene
Subject: Neat site!

Rick-

I really like the site here, I mean it's a site about a man that doesn't even have a freaking computer, but has been more prolific than the
majority of "Popular" writers out there. The first collection of his works that I have read is "Deathbird Stories", and a weighty week that was, sitting and reading two or three stories a night. And, if that book is any indication of the overall tone of HEs writing, I can understand why he's not more popular. I read those stories, and to some extent could see myself as the character in each of the stories, some aspect of my persona, that I was not particalrly proud of. There was some
statement or action that made me shudder, for remembering the time when I acted in a similar manner. It forced me to look at my own self, to regard my life, and it sickened me, to know what I had done, and how it mirrored a person I found to be reperehensible in a story. It made me feel dirty. It made me consider my life, which, while I have committed no single great offense, I have committed many slights, and it is those same slights, that make you look at yourself, and see your weakness.
Aand therin lies the reason for Halans lack of popularity, I think. He forces us to look at ourselves, and it shows us that we are human, and not gods, and that is something that no one wants to see. That is why I read Conan stories, to imagine myself as some mighty, rightous
Barbarian, who wants to conquor, and rule, not some pathetic accountant who stabs the monster in the back, and smashes his boat on the shore.
the accountant is human, and unable to rise above himself.

Sorry to go on so long, keep up the good work1

Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 22:12:10 -0400
From: "David M. Bent"
Subject: Enquiring Minds Want to Know

Greetings!

It is certainly a pleasure to see a useful web page on the net. I
have been a fan of HE for many years. I have found myself constantly having to explain to slack jawed teenagers that HE is one of the greatest living writers in the world, or explaining to fat matronly types in bookstores that it's HARLAN Ellison not RALPH Ellison. The younger crowd go back to their Nintendos and the old women usually patronize me until they can get to the phone and call the police.
Be that as it may, my reason for E-Mailing is an esoteric one I'm
sure but here it is. I know that Harlan is a pipe smoker and has said on more than one occasion that it is something that he enjoys. I'm sure you've guessed that I am also a pipe smoker. One of my favorite pictures of HE is the one on the back of Harlan Ellisons Watching. What I would be interested in is really HE's taste in tobaccos and pipes. I'm just curious.
Well, thanks for the consideration and now, back to your Web Page.
Give HE and his wife Susan my regards and best wishes.

Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 23:18:58 +0000
From: Preston Klik or Thomas Cray
Subject: Great Page!

Howdy! Just wanted you to know I love your page. Half my interest in getting on the web was to read about Ellison. Thanks for helping me feed the beast. Thomas

From: james todd haney
Subject: great web page

just got on line today, and after rummaging around the babylon 5 site, headed straight for webderland (an e-ticket ride, to be sure). i had heard HE speak of this holy place on tom snyder and knew that i had to check it out. just finished "city"--incredible the amount of proof that the man has and yet he still has to bear these outrageous slings and arrows! i first bumped into him with "an edge in my voice" in my
undergrad days (i had seen "city", but had not yet read any printed work). to say the least, i was both blown away and inspired all in the same shot. From "edge" to "dream corridor" (finally back!), i've stuck with this guy and he has yet to disappoint. it was a joy to see him with Snyder (the first extended video/tv interview i had seen of his) and experience the voice behind the words that had charmed me for so, so long.
once again, an excellent page set up for a monumental writer. i hope to be back many more times in the future.
keep the faith!

Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 05:55:22 -0800
To: rwyatt@crl.com
Subject: Your Ellison web page

As a fourteen year old boy I had only recently heard of Harlan Ellison and never taken the time to find and read one of his books. Today, I did and I'm damn glad. I went to the local library and borrowed out two of Mr.Ellisons novels (as I couldn't find any of his books in any of five stores!) and bought the latest issue of Dream Corridor from my local comic shop. On the back of this comic was an address for an Ellison web site. Your's is a bloody good sight for a bloody good writer.
Keep up the good work,
Austin Armatys

Date: Sun, 1 Dec 1996 12:33:25 -0500
From: TWalker538@aol.com
Subject: an Ellison anecdote

Mr. Wyatt,
Let me tell you about the day Harlan called me...
But first, let me say I love your Ellison website -- I think you've done a fantastic job on this. I'm a writer myself, and I've followed Ellison's writing for years, and although I'm new to this computer thing ("What're all these little lights for?") I think Webderland is a great way to keep computer people informed as to what's going on with the man and his work, especially his many upcoming publications. Thanks again.
I was a sometime writer for SCIENCE FICTION EYE magazine (also a
contributing editor to three different literary magazines, one of whom is entitled MAGIC REALISM, but that's another story), and I sent Harlan a letter a few years ago letting him know I wanted to do a short piece on him and his recent work, called "The Last Dangerous Visionary", for SF EYE. A few weeks after sending the letter I came home and found Harlan's voice on my answering machine, asking me to call him back.
I have to admit I was floored -- this is the man who, through his work, has shaken me up more than anyone; more than Garcia Marquez, more than Bradbury, more than McGuane or Ballard or Kafka. Harlan has introduced me to Pynchon, to Borges, to Dan Simmons, to Terry Gilliam, to Bernard Wolfe and Tom Reamy and Ed Bryant and half a dozen other artists, from whom I've learned a great deal. I felt I owed Harlan a huge debt.
So I called him back. Hands shaking, of course. I mean, lots of people call Harlan, right? But the man himself had ASKED me to call.
He was most gracious and generous with his time -- we talked for over an hour, about everything under the sun: editors and markets and "The Man Who Rowed..." and Craig Kee Strete and films, but mostly about writing. Nuts and bolts stuff, about being a writer, and staying a writer, from one of the best in the business.
He passed on two pieces of wisdom: 1. Get Payed for What You Write (no matter how little -- in other words, write the piece but don't do it for SF EYE, which is a non-paying market -- "For christsakes, Steve pays the PRINTERS, doesn't he?" Harlan said at one point).
And 2. "The trick isn't BEING a writer -- anyone can do that. The trick is STAYING a writer, year after year, book after book."
I liked that one. A neat trick if you can pull it off.
So I've maintained -- year after year, story after article after
screenplay, through the divorce and the depression and getting fired and losing friends, I still feel Harlan just behind me, over my shoulder, nudging me to continue.
Maintain.
Stay a writer.
Fight the good fight.

Yours,
Tim Walker

Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 09:13:16 -0800
From: shanahan
Subject: HE OFCOURSE

Having only recently joined the electronical age and joined the latter half of the 20th century by actually traveling the information highway, albiet by hitch hiking and a thumbs down attitude, I was most happy to find things about my all time favorite author. I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the pages... especially the part where HE (AS I have never heard him referred to as...) answers the questions etc.

I, being one of those who can't in a world of HE's and others who can and who put two million words in the trash can by age 21 because they were so godawfulbad, I have relegated myself to being a damned good audience.

However, I do have a story that truly did happen. To make it short, l972... reading "Whimper Of Whipped Dogs" and hearing a particular and peculiar music in my head while doing so. It was a screaming, agonizing blues harp that was there no matter where I chose to be and either reading or thinking of the story.

1982... Phoenix I entered the side-band radio station as a volunteer and was soon given my own program where I could read short stories. I also ran the boards for others. Jean Evens, an actress from Chicago via Broadway and
"between jobs" came in to read Capote's "Dazzle". She handed me a record album and told me to bring it up at her signal. It turned out to be the same music heard in my head ten years earlier. "Three Pieces For Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra." I was stunned but I did put the story and the music together for the program and it received calls and letters from the listeners.

Oh, lest copyright infringement concerns concern you, this was Sun Sounds a sideband station for the blind and print handicapped.

I always wanted to tell this story to HE but, being a total failure and useless literary entity, I was too shy to go to the convention when it was held in Phoenix and introduce myself. I still am. This does have a kind of anonymous quality and so I give it to you.

Thank you again for the page. Bob Shanahan Shanahan@tcsn.net

From: jones960@concentric.net
Date: 30 Dec 96 22:55:32 -0600
Subject: I've died...

...and gone to heaven. I found this page while cruising the Babylon 5 lurker, and can't believe my luck. Maybe I'll finally be able to find every thing my favorite author ever wrote (I've sure found his stuff in the strangest magazines, entirely by accident.) Thank you, thank you.