Podcast # 530 - Harlan Ellison

[Rico]

New podcast is now up covering news along with a look at one of my favorite authors, Harlan Ellison.  Hope you enjoy this one!

Podcast Notes:  http://treksinscifi.com/podcast_notes/?p=3582

http://www.treksinscifi.com/podcasts/TreksinSciFi_530_Harlan_Ellison.mp3

[Bromptonboy]

cool!  One of my favorite stories 'A Boy And His Dog'.  looking foward to this one.

[Jen]

I enjoyed your episode, Rico. Thanks for putting that out. I'm not sure I would get along with Harlan, even if he has good points. Is he going to come after you for using his voice and story in your podcast? ;)

[Rico]

I enjoyed your episode, Rico. Thanks for putting that out. I'm not sure I would get along with Harlan, even if he has good points. Is he going to come after you for using his voice and story in your podcast? ;)

I hope he doesn't - he scares me!  LOL!  Harlan might be abrasive but I truly always felt he did it to push people and make people stand up for their work and themselves.  Check out some of his writing and stories when you can.  His imagination is very impressive and it's always fantastic to read his stuff.

[davekill]

Harlan can certainly be harsh

JMS once told about his first contact with Harlan.
He was a young writer, about 20 and saw Ellison's phone number published in the back of a book. Straczynski called Harlan and asked why he couldn't sell the stuff he was writing. Ellison proclaimed that if he couldn't sell it, it was probably crap, and he needed to keep working at it. Then he hung up.
JMS claims it was sound advice and kicked him in the butt to get better.

Later he hired Ellison as a creative consultant on Babylon 5.
To play angel on his shoulder and stomp on his coattails when he started getting ahead of himself. Essentially a creative filter which JMS ran his stuff through, to get an unbiased, straight out honest appraisal, and advice.

[WillEagle]

Enjoyed the podcast on Harlan and I will admit to not reading any of his books. I don't even have the book he did for the "City on the Edge of Forever". But like I said it was interesting to learn about him on the podcast. And I do hope he recovers as much as possible from his stroke. I read in the IDW "City on the Edge" comics that he was supposed to write something in the last issue. They hoped that they would be able to get it for the Graphic Novel release. Very good series of comics that would be well worth your time and money. If you didn't get the comics get the Graphic Novel. It was released last month.

[Jobydrone]

This one took me by surprise Rico, thanks for doing it!  Harlan is one of my absolute favorite writers of all time, though his personality and stories of his eccentric behavior sometimes got in the way of the greatness of his work.  Aside from his creative brilliance, what impresses me most is his commitment to his beliefs. In this world if you don't believe in yourself and stand up for what you think is right, nobody is going to do it for you.

[Bromptonboy]

My sister told me once she went on a date with him back in the late 70's.  Can you believe that?  :)

[Jobydrone]

Wow it's the Foltz brush with greatness!

[Jobydrone]

Loved the podcast. The Essential Ellison is probably my most treasured sci fi/fantasy tome. Great job!

[Rico]

Loved the podcast. The Essential Ellison is probably my most treasured sci fi/fantasy tome. Great job!

Glad you liked the show.  Hard to cover for one podcast but I hope I was able to encourage some people to read some of his stuff that may never have tried to before.

[owenbre]

Great podcast,very enjoyable.He's a real character eh?

[Rico]

Yep. Harlan is one of a kind.