Peter Weston
Encyclopedia
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
. Now retired, he lives in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, UK.
Weston's made many contributions in fan writing, fanzine
Science fiction fanzine
A science fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of science fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day...
editing, convention-running and in local science fiction clubs. His 1960s pseudonym "Malcolm Edwards" caused some confusion several years later, when a real Malcolm Edwards
Malcolm Edwards
Malcolm John Edwards is a British editor and critic in the science fiction field. He received his degree from the University of Cambridge. He is currently Deputy CEO at the Orion Publishing Group. Edwards resides in London with his wife, the CEO of a public relations company...
began contributing to British fanzines. They met in 1970.
He produced the first issue of the science fiction fanzine Zenith (later Speculation) in 1963 and he edited the Andromeda series of original anthologies from 1975 until 1977. In 2006, following the success of his Hugo-nominated memoir With Stars in My Eyes, Weston relaunched his fanzine Prolapse (re-titled Relapse in 2009), after a 23-year hiatus. He was rewarded with a pair of Nova Awards
Nova Awards
The Nova Awards are presented annually at the UK science fiction convention Novacon and recognise achievement in British and Irish sf fanzines.When initiated in 1973, a panel of sf fans named the best fanzine that year...
the following year, for "best fanzine" and "best fan" (the latter being a committee award).
As well as organising a series of science fiction symposia in Birmingham inspired by Speculation, Weston co-founded the Birmingham Science Fiction Group
Birmingham Science Fiction Group
The Birmingham Science Fiction Group, , also known as the Brum Group, was founded in 1971 . It is non-profit-making, and runs regular meetings in Birmingham, England, where SF fans can meet one another and professionals in the field informally...
(BSFG) in 1971 and helped originate the convention Novacon
Novacon
Novacon is an annual science fiction convention, usually held each November in the West Midlands, UK. It is now the annual convention of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.-History:...
later that same year. He later chaired Seacon '79
37th World Science Fiction Convention
The 37th World Science Fiction Convention was Seacon '79, which was held in Brighton, UK, 23–26 August 1979 at the Metropole Hotel...
, the third Worldcon
Worldcon
Worldcon, or more formally The World Science Fiction Convention, is a science fiction convention held each year since 1939 . It is the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society...
to be held in the UK, and in October 2008 ran Cytricon V at the George Hotel in Kettering, a sequel to and commemoration of the event at which the modern British Science Fiction Association
British Science Fiction Association
The British Science Fiction Association was founded in 1958 by a group of British science fiction fans, authors, publishers and booksellers, in order to encourage science fiction in every form. It is an open membership organisation costing £26 per year for UK residents and £18 for the unwaged. The...
was created. At the last, a surprise ceremony was held, inducting him and fellow science fiction fan Rog Peyton into the long-dormant "fannish" organisation the Knights of Saint Fantony.
Since 1984, the Hugo Awards (modelled in the shape of rockets and presented at the annual Worldcon) have been cast by the car-parts factory which Weston owned and managed until he retired.
Awards and honours
- 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971 nominee for Hugo Award for Best FanzineHugo Award for Best FanzineThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
- 1973 Nova awardNovaconNovacon is an annual science fiction convention, usually held each November in the West Midlands, UK. It is now the annual convention of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.-History:...
winner, "best fanzine" for Speculation - 1974 TAFFTransAtlantic Fan FundThe Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund, often known as TAFF, was created in 1953 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular members of science fiction fandom familiar to fans on both sides of the ocean, across the Atlantic.-History:...
winner - 1975 Doc Weir AwardEasterconEastercon is the common name for the British national science fiction convention. From 1948 until the 1960s, the convention was held over the three-day Whitsun bank holiday at the end of May. Since then it has been held over the four-day Easter holiday weekend...
winner - 2005 nominee for Hugo Award for Best Related Book for With Stars in My Eyes: My Adventures in British Fandom
- 2007 Nova awardNovaconNovacon is an annual science fiction convention, usually held each November in the West Midlands, UK. It is now the annual convention of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.-History:...
winner, "best fanzine" for Prolapse - 2007 Nova awardNovaconNovacon is an annual science fiction convention, usually held each November in the West Midlands, UK. It is now the annual convention of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.-History:...
winner, "best fan" (committee award)
He has been an official guest at a number of conventions, including:
- 1974 Fan Guest of Honour: TyneconEasterconEastercon is the common name for the British national science fiction convention. From 1948 until the 1960s, the convention was held over the three-day Whitsun bank holiday at the end of May. Since then it has been held over the four-day Easter holiday weekend...
- 2000 Special Guest: Boskone 37New England Science Fiction AssociationThe New England Science Fiction Association, or NESFA, is a science fiction club centered in the New England area. It was founded in 1967, "by fans who wanted to do things in addition to socializing"...
- 2002 Guest of Honour: Helicon 2EasterconEastercon is the common name for the British national science fiction convention. From 1948 until the 1960s, the convention was held over the three-day Whitsun bank holiday at the end of May. Since then it has been held over the four-day Easter holiday weekend...
- 2004 Fan Guest of Honor: Noreascon 462nd World Science Fiction ConventionThe 62nd World Science Fiction Convention was Noreascon 4, which was held in Boston, Massachusetts, from September 2–6, 2004. The venues for the 62nd Worldcon were Hynes Convention Center, Sheraton Boston Hotel and Boston Marriott Copley Place...
(2004 Worldcon)