Isaac Asimov - The Early Asimov. Volume 2

I caught my breath. 'But Mr. Mac, you just said you iced the time pussy in a quarter of a second. It didn't have time to spoil.'

'That's just it, leetle feller,' he said heavily. 'We did it too doggoned fast. The time pussy didn't keep because we froze that hot water so darned fast that the ice was still warm!'

The most unusual thing about this small item is that it was not published under my own name. Campbell wanted one item in that first 'Probability Zero' to appear to be by a non-professional, just to encourage the newcomers he hoped would try to break in. He had three entries in that first department and the other two were by L. Sprague de Camp and Malcolm Jameson. Both were longer-established and (despite 'Nightfall') more renowned than I. As low man, it was up to me to use a pseudonym and pretend to be a newcomer.

I saw Campbell 's point and, just a little sullenly, agreed. I used the name George E. Dale. It is the only time I ever used a pseudonym in the magazines. In later years I used the pseudonym Paul French on a series of six teen-age science fiction novels for reasons that are another story altogether. That was a special case, and in 1971 and 1972 those six novels appeared as paperbacks under my own name. Now 'Time Pussy' appears here under my own name, and the record is at last absolutely clean.

[1] Astounding Science Fiction, September 1940 Copyright © 1940 by Street amp; Smith Publications, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1967 by Isaac Asimov

[2] Astonishing Stories, December 1940 Copyright © 1940 by Fictioneers, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1967 by Isaac Asimov

[3] Super Science Stones, November 1942 Copyright © 1942 by Fictioneers, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1969 by Isaac Asimov

[4] Astonishing Stones, April 1941 Copyright © 1941 by Fictioneers, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1969 by Isaac Asimov

[5] Super Science Stories, March 1941 Copyright © 1941 by Fictioneers, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1968 by Isaac Asimov

[6] Startling Stones, January 1942, Copyright © 1941 by Better Publications, Inc., Copyright renewed © 1968 by Isaac Asimov

[7] Fantasy Book, Volume 1, Number 6, Copyright © 1950 by Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc.

[8] Thrilling Wonder Stories, October 1942 Copyright © 1942 by Better Publications, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1969 by Isaac Asimov

[9] Astonishing Stories, September 1941 Copyright © 1941 by Fictioneers, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1968 by Isaac Asimov

[10] Does anyone know in what essay, and in what connection, Emerson says this? Every once in a while I make a desultory search through quotation books or through a collection of Emerson but haven't found it yet. I hope it exists and that the quote is "given correctly.

[11] 'Black Friar of the Flame' was three thousand words longer than 'Nightfall,' but the former was not to be sold for another half year, and since it earned merely one cent a word, it brought in only $161. Of course, first-time earnings are not the whole story, either. 'Nightfall' has earned me some thousands of dollars since 1941 and will yet earn me more; 'Black Friar of the Flame' has not yet earned me one cent over the original check - till its appearance in this book.

[12] In telling the story, in that collection, of how 'Nightfall' came to be written, I mentioned that I had received $150 for it, quoting from memory. Once again, I must confess fallibility. The records say $166. It is a small point, and perhaps not worth noting, but I know my readers. By explaining this now, I fend off dozens of letters that will mention the discrepancy and demand an explanation.

[13] Astounding Science Fiction, October 1941, Copyright © 1941 by Street amp; Smith Publications, Inc., Copyright renewed © 1968 by Isaac Asimov

[14] Weird Tales, September 1950 Copyright © 1950 by Weird Tales

[15] Astounding Science Fiction, April 1942, Copyright © 1942 by Street amp; Smith Publications, Inc.