Recursive Science Fiction

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Van Cleave, Fran, "Ataxia in Ataraxia"

At the Beginning of the story, the narrator is playing the role of Buck Rogers in the play Look Homeward, Spaceman on the colony planet of Tierra Florida.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact 119:12 December 1998 (pp.64-93)

Van Gelder, Gordon, "False Assumptions"

Josh has sold a pun-filled short-short to an anthology of editor saves the world stories. This annoys his fellow worker Anne, an editor who wishes the world could be saved from such self-important people and from puns. Not having any bombs, she drops a heavy book from the window as a balm.

Swashbuckling Editor Stories (edited by John Gregory Betancourt), The Wildside Press, October 1993; lettered hardcover 1-880448-21-1; numbered hardcover 1-880448-20-3; trade paperback 1-880448-22-X (pp.94-96)

Van Hollander, Jason, "The Hell Book"

Eli Needleman is an illustrator. He started putting his fream drawings of Hell into underground comics—including the famous set Hell Comic Books.  The narrator was one of Needleman's neighbors and he, as well as other neighbors and Needleman's family, appear in these stories. However, he appears only in Book 1 and then more as ineffectual than evil. For years Needleman has been working on the real Hell Books—the story of his life. When the narrator sees this version, he flees because he is both terrified and drawn to it.

Weird Tales 53:1 Fall, 1991(pp.52-60)

VanderMeer, Jeff, "The Secret Lives of Rick and Peggy"

Rick works in a bank and believes that the bank managers are "The Old Ones" or shuggoths who spend nights writhing in money. He monitors the media and responds, under different names, to any negative reference to H. P. Lovecraft. As Gerald Rebard, he particularly attacked Jeff VanderMeer for his slighting remarks about "At the Mountains of Madness" published in Locus. His girl friend Peggy may seem to be an advertising stylist be in reality she is protecting Rick from the Old Ones of the bank because Rick is a portal. Peggy is the ggg-granddaughter of Dexter Ward and is familiar with the writings of Abdul Alhazred.

Agog! Ripping Reads (edited by Cat Sparks) Agog! Press June 2006 0-8095-6238-3 [978-0-8095-6238-1] (pp.64-65)

http://vanderworld.blogspot.com/2005/01/progress-on-secret-lives-project.html

 

Varley, John, "The Unprocessed Word"

This is a series of letters between John Varley and Susan Allison, his editor at Berkley Books. Varley claims that word processors contaminate stories and demands advertisements in his books to the effect that his VarleyYarns® are free of such, being written by hand (or typewriter). During an argument, Varley produces testimonials from SK [Steven King] in Maine, SR [Spider Robinson] in Halifax, and DT [?] in Oakland supporting his views. However, in the end, he must yield to the inevitable. The final letters come all caps with misspellings and incorrect placing of spaces (but they are right-justified) and he requests being identified by his Universal Writer Code of 2100061161.

Blue Champagne, Dark Harvest 0-913165-09-3 (trade), 08-5 (limited), 1986 (pp301-317)

Berkley Books, 1986 (pp211-229)

Vaughan, Ralph, "The Adventure of the Ancient Gods"

Professor Martin Philips' cousin, Carter Randolph, disappears in Arkham under strange circumstances. The professor calls upon Sherlock Holmes, who is visiting in Boston. As part of the investigation, they travel to Providence to talk to H. P. Lovecraft about his knowledge of Randolph. Eventually, Holmes decides that he must enter the strange dimensions and confront the Elder Gods; can one doubt that, there too, he will prevail.

The Holmesian Federation 4, 1983 (pp.10-29)

Sherlock Holmes in the Adventure of the Ancient Gods, Gryphon Books 19-2, May 1990

Veal, Tom, "Moskva 1995: Igor's Campaign"

At the 1995 Worldcon in Moscow, Igor Alexeivich Strudelorski (head of the Russian space program) is taking over he business meeting under the procedural rules of the Zemsky Sobor. Once it is incorporated, both he and the Western SMOFs make great efforts to buy up the stock certificates to gain control of the corporation. The protagonist turns over his shares to Strudelorski in return for stock in Cosmodrome Ventures, Ltd.—Luna City in 2007.

Alternate Worldcons and Again, Alternate Worldcons (edited by Mike Resnick), WC Books, September 1996 (pp.211-222)

Venable, Bill. "Theft"

Laurence Thompson is an author who finally sees little green men. They want to help him by dictating stories. He believes himself to be mad and goes to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Herman Vossman. Dr. Vossman hypnotizes him so that he no longer sees the little green men. Then, Dr. Vossman starts a new career as a fantasy writer using their stories.

Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy 3:5 September 1952 (pp.112-119)

Vinge, Vernor, "Grimm's Story"

In this part of the story it is revealed that the only complete set of a 700-year old magazine Fantasie is to be destroyed in a potlatch ceremony!  Could any true SF fan stand around and let this happen?

Orbit 4, (edited by Damon Knight), Putnam, 1968 [as "Grimm's Story"]

Grimm's World, Berkley Medallion X1750, October 1969

Hamlyn 34083-X, September 1978

Tatja Grimm's World, Baen 65336-9, July 1987 [Ch 6, pp. 71-82]

Vollman, William T., "The Grave of Lost Stories"

Edgar Allan Poe is a central character in this semi-fictional biographical sketch. Poe wanders on the borderline between sanity and madness, between living in reality and living in the worlds he created. Or did he visit these worlds and bring back distorted visions of them.

The New Gothic: A Collection of Contemporary Gothic Fiction, (edited by Bradford Morrow and Patrick McGrath), Random House

58767-7, October 1991 (pp.311-334)

Vonnegut, Jr., Kurt, Breakfast of Champions

This novel (?) contains a considerable amount of biographical information about the science fiction writer Kilgore Trout (1907-1981).

Delacorte 0789, May 1973

Dell Delta 03148, Dell April 1974; January 1975; February 1976; May 1976; July 1976; September 1976; November 1976; March 1977; June 1977; 13148-0, February 1978; Delta 28364-4, March 1986

Delacorte SFBC 19P, June 1974; SFBC H08, April 1977

Vonnegut, Jr., Kurt, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

In one segment Mr. Rosewater visits a science fiction writers' workshop at Milford, Pennsylvania. Vonnegut himself has written many science fiction novels and stories, although he claims they are not SF. This is just another example of foma. This was adapted as a musical comedy in 1979 by Howard Ashman.

Holt, Rinehart & Winston, March 1965; May 1965

Cape, 1966

Dell 2929, April 1966; 02929, November 1968; December 1968; May 1969; July 1969; September 1969; December 1969; January 1970 (pp. 17-22); February 1970; March 1970; September 1970; November 1970; December 1970 (twice); March 1971; June 1971; September 1971; December 1971; March 1972; June 1972; August 1972; September 1972;March 1973; June 1973; July 1973; September 1973; October 1973; November 1973;February 1974; 12929-X, November 1988; June 1975; June 1978

Panther 2279, 1967; 02279-1, April 1972; March 1973; June 1976

Delacorte, August 1971

Delacorte Book of the Month Club 7, September 1971

Delacorte Literary Guild 7, 1973

Grafton 02279-1, June 1986

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