Cheerio: About the matter of Al Leverentz' red-nosed reindeer. This is a version of Rudolph's birth that I picked up somewhere, I don't remember just where, but it sounds only too true. You might check with Bob Bloch—he's in the advertising business and will probably know the score. ### My understanding is that the song was deliberately written a few Christmasses ago to promote Sears-Roebuck merchandise. [Am inclined to think it was Montgomery Ward rather than Sears—I can remember when the first rash of that Rudolph bilge came out.—Ed.] Some bright advertising genius sold that company a package deal: a song to do the plugging, and "Rudolph" toys, books, soap, clothing, etc. It worked very well, too, with perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of junk being palmed off on the kids and their helpless parents. ### That sort of promoting is done all the time to sell many products. When one of George Pal's interplanetary movies, WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, was being readied for the theaters, one of the movie trade journals I subscribe to reported that Paramount had arranged to plant an article on how the picture was made, in ASTOUNDING. And that's just what happened. At least, friend Campbell printed it. ### Meanwhile, they've got a new picture coming up next May, WAR OF THE WORLDS, and the publicity men are bust again. One of them has been in contact with me, getting names and addresses of both pro and fan magazines, so there's no telling what kind of propaganda barrage is about to come our way!——Bob Tucker, P.O. Box 702, Bloomington, Illinois.
Dear Bob: I'm a little confused about the Lovecraft Collectors' Library. On the contents page of F-F it states that one volume has been published and there are six more to go, the set to sell for $2.25. On page 18, it says the set will consist of six volumes and sell for $1.20. I'd like to get the set, but ... well, could you clear up the confusion? And what about GROTESQUE? I'd like to sub, but how much does it cost and how often is it published?——Richard Billings, 610 E. Street, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
[The true state of affairs with regard to the Lovecraft Library is as follows: there are seven volumes in the set, one of which has been published and a second of which is about to appear. Price for the set of seven is $2.25, or 35¢ per volume if purchased separately. As for GROTESQUE: as was stated in F-F, the magazine is now defunct, due to the induction of the editor into the Army. The first three issues of the magazine, however, are still available from the editor of FAN-FARE @ 50¢. Take it from us, they are well worth getting!—Ed.]
Dear Bob: On the pleasant side of the ledger, the fiction. A PHONE IS RINGING——a rather excellently integrated yarn. A certain resource of technique and imagination definitely present. TARRY THOU HERE—well done. Maybe I had better say no more, except that to the best of my knowledge my reason for the placing of this story is entirely aesthetic. COLIN & THE LEPRECHAUN—clever. SOLUTION T-400—this is a story? The title was good enough as a pun, but that was about the best part of the whole thing. ### Now for the CAT. If this were the only communication I ever received from Al Leverentz (direct or indirect), I would think him a terrible fellow indeed. Actually, he seems to be a rather nice guy. However, I can't let a challenge of this magnitude go by without some response. Case I: My reaction is entirely wrong. Conclusion: Al was deducing entirely too much from my short remarks, and his lack of acquaintance with my personality at the time. Case II: Al is completely wrong. Conclusion: of my remarks in preceding FAN-FARE. I probably erred in the direction of charity. Case III: Article fails insofar as it led to individual interpretations on the part of the reader—interpretations which were false, but please! not maliciously so. Conclusion: Al errs by excess in his reaction. This I think is the most probable. There may be many more positions, but I think I've covered the ground sufficiently. Now that the fiery one is in the Army, it may not be just to get the last word by default, but there seemed no other course. I trust Al Leverentz will forgive me.—Keran O'Brien, 186-29 Avon Road, Jamaica 32, New York.