NINETOES ON SCI-FI

Today is International Sci-Fi day and Ninetoes is discussing the little lady who influenced most of Gen X with her Ballantine books imprint, Judy Del Rey.

Dynamite comes in small packages.

Such is the case with Judy Lynn del Rey. She was born with dwarfism, and at her full height, she stood a mighty 4.1”. Oh, dear reader, she was a powerhouse, especially in the publishing world. He maiden name was Benjamin, but that changed when she went to work with science fiction legend, Lester del Rey. But I am getting ahead of myself…

Ms. Benjamin was a regular attendee of science fiction conventions. She worked her way up in the publishing world, working as a managing editor at Galaxy magazine and also working at If magazine. Her stint as managing editor ran from July 1969 to July 1971.

During that time, she was also good friends with Lester del Rey. She married Lester on March 21, 1971. Soon after this, she went to work for Ballantine Books. It was here that she revitalized its line of science fiction novels. It was shortly after she achieved this that she brought her husband into Ballantine Books to edit its fantasy line.

With the combined success of Judy and Lester’s work at Ballantine, Judy was given her own imprint, and Del Rey Books was born! As an editor, she worked with Phillip K. Dick and Isaac Asimov. Both men held her in high regard. Phillip K. Dick called her “a master craftsman” and the best editor he ever worked with. Asimov also gave the same compliments.

Now, I have been a fan of Del Rey Books all of my life. Whenever I went into any bookstore and went to the science fiction section, I scouted the Del Rey books out first. Every. Single. Time. For me, Del Rey Books was and is the pinnacle of quality science fiction and fantasy. One of my friends was astounded that I searched by publisher and not by author.

BUT, there is a point to Judy’s story that shows just how damned good she was at her job and how sharp her eye was for a quality story…and it takes place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away…

Before STAR WARS ever hit the screen, there were those in the publishing world who looked upon it as a lost cause. Some thought the movie would flop, and any books associated with this movie would drag a publishing house down. Not Judy.

The novelization of Star Wars hit Judy’s desk. It was credited as being written by George Lucas (but it was ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster. I was this many years old when I learned that nugget.) Judy KNEW that his movie was going to be a massive hit and made a sub-imprint for the book line. She also got Ralph McQuarrie (who did the conceptual art for the movie) to do the book’s cover.

The book launched in February 1977 (I remember getting a copy…oh what I discovered), and the initial print of 50,000 copies sold out. The book would go on to sell over 4 million copies BEFORE THE MOVIE WAS EVER RELEASED!!!

Was she the “force” that made the movie such a blockbuster? Ask the four million+ people who read the book before the movie saw the light of day. I know it worked for me. I all but dragged my father to see it…twice!

Judy Lynn del Rey was also responsible for bringing a well-known fantasy hit back from the brink of obscurity. Would you like to know more? As you wish…that’s right, in 1977, she reissued William Goldman’s The Princess Bride. This novel was originally published in 1973 and pretty much fell to the wayside with lackluster sales. When she reissued the book, it came with a gatefold die-cut cover and a new promotional campaign.

She and the Del Rey imprint did have their detractors. The line was often criticized for valuing monetary gain over literary quality. That did not stop authors of the line from gaining literary praise. Among the authors are Isaac Asimov, Julian May, Larry Niven, Robert A. Heinlein, Patricia A. McKillip, and Barbara Hambly.

As much of a powerhouse editor as she was, she was never nominated for any awards. Judy Lynn del Rey passed away in 1986. The Hugo Award committee tried to grant her a posthumous award, but her husband, Lester, refused to accept it, saying that the award came too late.

If you are a science fiction fan and are enjoying what you are reading, you may have Judy Lynn del Rey to thank for the quality of your current read.

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.