Harlan. God Damned. Ellison.
One of the most prolific, celebrated, revered, and reviled writers in the modern era.
The man has created over seventeen thousand works of fiction since he sold his first stories to the Cleveland News in 1949. He has written episodes of The Outer Limits, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Star Trek, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E.. He has won multiple awards for his works, including eight individual Hugos and a shared Hugo for the film adaptation of A Boy and His Dog. Even his non-fiction is highly regarded by the literary community.
He is also a cantankerous and vitriolic bastard and may the gods adore him for that, too!
How much of a bastard, you ask? 18 months after enrolling at Ohio State University, Ellison would be expelled for striking a professor who had stated that his writing ability was inadequate. After leaving, Ellison would spend the next twenty-plus years sending that professor a copy of every story he published.
There was also that instance where he sent a dead gopher to the comptroller of Signet Books, but he tells it so much better than I ever could.
Ever since I first heard of him and ever since I read the first of his stories I could get my hands on ("I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream,") he has been and still remains my favorite author of fiction. And so, for this R.S.I.L., I am sharing my love of the man and his work with you!
Harlan Ellison's works, as they can be found on Amazon.com - HERE!
Harlan Ellison's Website, though it hasn't been updated in some time - Ellison Webderland
Harlan Ellison's YouTube Channel, which also hasn't been updated in a while, but is the repository of all his "Harlan Ellison's Watching" segments from The SciFi Channel (when it was good) - HERE!
And, as a writer myself (albeit a presently unsuccessful won,) I have always subscribed to Mr. Ellison's train of thought when it comes to writing: PAY THE DAMN WRITER!
So, I will end these shareable jollies (I knew I'd get to use that phrase again,) with this clip from the Ellison biofilm, Dreams With Sharp Teeth.
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