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Writer's pictureRay T Walker

An ode to one of my mentors.

In the early seventies the editor and author Micheal Moorcock was given a deadline; pay up or we shut "New Worlds" magazine down In three weeks time. Mr Moorcock, once a lauded pulp fantasy and science fiction author had given it up to run his third magazine and attempt a career in literary fiction. Faced with this problem he spoke to many and asked how long it would take to publish a new fantasy novel, get it in book shops and for it to sell enough to pay the magazines debts. nineteen days was the earliest estimation. He had eighteen hours to write a novel, have it produced and send it to the publishers. Mr Moorcock, produced that new book, edited it in his office with only a secretary and had it in his publishers hands within said eighteen hours. The cover was designed by a magazine artwork contributor who, upon finishing it, sped through 1970's London at four in the morning on his motorbike to get it to the publisher on time. The book "The Eternal Champion" sold thousands of copies (made the bestsellers lists in the US, but not in the UK) and kept "New Worlds" alive for another few years. I was relayed this tale from books, anecdotes and from others that know the man. I suspect it an urban legend but care not wither it is not. It sounds cool and I am a writer not a journalist.

Alas I am a pale imitation of Mr Moorcock and so under the current coronovirus conditions, I have been unable to keep the titles; "Wondrous Tales", "Astounding Stories" and "The Seething Darkness" alive. Perhaps when all this passes, if it passes, I will open for business again but I suspect that the print mag is gone forever. That said, "The Dark Kind" still lives even if on a shoe string now and I am hoping that it will be published again in the near future.


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