Happy Birthday to File 770

By James H. Burns: I’ve thanked Mike privately, many times, for the opportunity to appear here in “the pages” of File 770.

Happy Birthday File 770 THUMBOne of the greatest gifts a writer can receive is simply the knowledge that there’s a home for his thoughts.

To be sure, what I like to call my “memory pieces”, began about seven years ago, when it finally dawned on me, after a slow realization, that there were some elements of our shared past that hadn’t particularly been denoted, anywhere.

I decided it was time to begin “recording” them, before the day may come — God forbid — when I no longer remembered quite as well.

A trap memory can also be a blessing!

Mike was kind enough to begin plugging some of these articles, and somewhere along the way, with this tacit encouragement of acceptance, I simply began sending some of these pieces to him.

There have been columns on science and politics and theatre (Broadway and elsewise, even abroad), other arts, and even a bit of Americana

But when a notion comes to me, what helps most seeing it through fruition is the knowledge that File 770 will give it a showcase.

(Among the most fun, in a way, have been the actor tributes, quick slices of their impact, I hope, presented here with a lovely array of photos that I work hard to assemble, and that Mike always does a fantastic job of presenting.)

(But then, it’s also been particularly joyous to have a place to forward what I hope are interesting tidbits of space and technology news, and even intriguing invitations…!)

I’ve been friends with editors before. But Mike is the first one who has given me the boon of a welcome forum!

Slowly, too, has been my finally starting to write about my own history, nearly forty years now as a writer,  and sometimes actor, among other media professions, starting when I was thirteen, in our very mutual worlds of science fiction and fantasy

Mike is also an excellent editor, pointing out the occasions when a piece may not necessarily have been what I intended.

I had heard of File 770, of course, ages before Mike and I ever “met” online. How could I not have?  Mike has, of course, won several Hugos.

But Mike may be surprised to discover that I ordered an issue from him back in the late 1990s, when I began, slowly, reacquainting myself again with science fiction fandom.

I was impressed then, as I continue to be now, by the variety and range of what File 770 features.

(Although, I must admit, I will never get this “Sad Puppies” thing…) It should come as no surprise, of course, after all these years of such valued contributions to this field, the number of friends that Mike has gathered, in this vast audience.

Because one of the very best things about being involved here, is getting to “know” so many of the readership, as well.

7 thoughts on “Happy Birthday to File 770

  1. I had heard of File 770, of course, ages before Mike and I ever “met” online. How could I not have?

    There’s a certain guy I’d like to introduce to you….

    It’s certainly been an interesting year, and I thank Mike, and File770 for my not only my introduction to this whole “fandom” concept, but also to an unfamiliar part of the history of SF – not of it as literature (though it helped there as well!), but that of the people – writers, editors, and yes, fans – who were involved.

  2. All together now:
    “For it’s a jolly good fanzine,
    For it’s a jolly good fanzine,
    For it’s a jolly good faaaaanziiiiiiiiiiiiiine……
    Which nobody can deny!”

  3. One of the greatest gifts a writer can receive is simply the knowledge that there’s a home for his thoughts.

    So true. You’re pieces while I rarely comment are part of what makes file770.com what it is.

    Because one of the very best things about being involved here, is getting to “know” so many of the readership, as well.

    This.

  4. Like Tasha, I rarely comment in your pieces, but find them very interesting peeks into a place I know little about. 🙂

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