The New York Review of Books will host a tribute to satirist and editor Robert Sheckley on April 7. There will be a reading of a classic Sheckley story and a panel about his life and work. Featured participants are Alisa Kwitney (Sheckley), Ziva Kwitney, Henry Wessells and Ellen Datlow.

Alisa Kwitney is a former editor for the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics, a graduate of Columbia’s MFA Fiction program and the genre-bending author of various works of fiction, non-fiction and comic books, including Till the Fat Lady Sings, Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold, The Better to Hold You (as Alisa Sheckley) and the just completed Cadaver and Queen. She was born and raised in New York City, and grew up reading the contents of her father’s bookcase.

Henry Wessells is a writer and antiquarian bookseller in New York City. He is author of Another green world (2003) and The Private Life of Books (forthcoming, September 2014), and editor of several volumes by American fantasist Avram Davidson. His imprint, Temporary Culture, has published works by Michael Swanwick, Ellen Kushner, Don Webb, Gregory Feeley, and Judith Clute.

Ziva Kwitney is Alisa Kwitney’s mother, and a journalist who lives in New York City.

Ellen Datlow, the award-winning editor and anthologist, succeeded Robert Sheckley as Fiction Editor at Omni Magazine.

The full press release follows the jump.

For immediate release

Contact: Jim Freund

[email protected]

images available for publication

Press contact number: 718-395-7458

presents

A Tribute to Robert Sheckley

featuring

 Alisa Kwitney (Sheckley)

Ziva Kwitney

Henry Wessells

Ellen Datlow

(and perhaps more)

 

     Monday, April 7th — doors open 6:30 p.m.

     $7 suggested donation

     The Soho Gallery for Digital Art / Soho Artspace

     (address and links below)

Our long-awaited tribute to the wonderful, whimsical and occasionally serious satirical writer and editor Robert Sheckley is finally at hand.  The first Tuesday of the month is April 1st, so it all looked like perfect timing, but alas, conflicts arose.  So this month our event will occur on Monday, April 7th.  We plan on having a reading of a classic Sheckley story and a panel about his life and work.

 

—

Alisa Kwitney is a former editor for the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics, a graduate of Columbia’s MFA Fiction program (where classmate Henry Wessells baked her rhubarb pie) and the genre-bending author of various works of fiction, non-fiction and comic books, including Till the Fat Lady Sings, Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold, The Better to Hold You (as Alisa Sheckley) and the just completed Cadaver and Queen. She was born and raised in New York City, and grew up reading the contents of her father?s bookcase. Alisa now lives, writes and edits in Rhinebeck, NY, with assorted human and animal family members. She begins teaching a series of writing courses online for McDaniel College this summer.

 

Henry Wessells is a writer and antiquarian bookseller in New York City. He is author of Another green world (2003) and The Private Life of Books (forthcoming, September 2014), and editor of several volumes by American fantasist Avram Davidson, including El Vilvoy de las Islas (2000), The Wailing of the Gaulish Dead (2013), and, with Grania Davis, The Other Nineteenth Century (2001) and Limekiller (2003). His imprint, Temporary Culture, has published works by Michael Swanwick, Ellen Kushner, Don Webb, Gregory Feeley, and Judith Clute. He likes to walk in the woods.

 

Ziva Kwitney is Alisa Kwitney’s mother, and a journalist who lives in New York City.

 

Ellen Datlow, aside from being an award-winning editor and anthologist extraordinaire, succeeded Robert Sheckley as Fiction Editor at Omni Magazine for 14 years.  She co-hosts the KGB Fantastic Fiction reading series.

 

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The New York Review of Science Fiction Reading Series provides performances from some of the best writers in science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, etc.  The series usually takes place the first Tuesday of every month, but maintains flexibility in time and space, so be sure to stay in touch through the mailing list, the Web, and Facebook.

 

After the event, please join us as we treat our readers for dinner and drinks nearby.

 

—

Jim Freund is Producer and Executive Curator of The New York Review of Science Fiction Readings.  He has been involved in producing radio programs of and about literary sf/f since 1967.  His long-running live radio program, ?Hour of the Wolf,? broadcasts and streams every Wednesday night/Thursday morning from 1:30-3:00 AM.  Programs are available by stream for 2 weeks after broadcast.  (Check http://hourwolf.com, follow @JimFreund, or join the Hour of the Wolf group on Facebook for details.)  In addition, Jim is Podcast Editor and Host for Lightspeed Magazine.

 

The SoHo Gallery for Digital Art (AKA Soho Artspace) is dedicated to re-establishing SoHo as an international center for the development of new artistic forms, concepts and ideas.  A screens-instead-of-canvases approach allows a wide selection of art from around the world which would otherwise never make it to the City.  The SGDA is available for private gatherings and events of all kinds.  For bookings call (800) 420-5590 or visit sohodigart.com

 

—

WHEN:

MONDAY, April 7th

Doors open at 6:30 — event begins at 7

 

WHERE:

The SoHo Gallery for Digital Art/Soho Arthouse

138 Sullivan Street  (between Houston & Prince St.)

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=138+Sullivan+St.+New+York+NY+10012

 

<http://maps.google.com/maps?q=138+Sullivan+St.+New+York+NY+10012> HOW:

By Subway

6, C, E to Spring St.; A, B D or F to West 4th; 1 train to Houston St; or R, W to Prince St.

There are many convenient bus lines that come within a couple of blocks of the gallery.  Use the link above for an interactive transit map.

 

LINKS:

http://hourwolf.com/nyrsf

<http://hourwolf.com/nyrsf> https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYRSF.Readings

 

<https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYRSF.Readings> —

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   PO. Box 78, Pleasantville, NY, 10570

   NYRSF Magazine: http://nyrsf.com