Laurence Janifer
Encyclopedia
Laurence M. Janifer was an American science fiction author, with a career spanning over 50 years.
grandfather.
Though his first published work was a short story
in Cosmos
magazine in 1953, his career as a writer can be said to have started in 1959 when he began writing for Astounding and Galaxy Science Fiction
. He co-wrote the first novel in the "Psi-Power" series: Brain Twister, written with Randall Garrett
under the joint pseudonym
Mark Phillips
. The novel was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel
in 1960, and published in book form in 1962. Janifer's best known work is the "Survivor" series, comprising five novels and many short stories. The series follows the career of Gerald Knave as he visits (and survives to tell the tale of) planets on the outskirts of the civilized galaxy.
In addition to his career as a novelist and short story author, Janifer was an editor for Scott Meredith Literary Agency; editor/managing editor of various detective and science fiction publications; film reviewer for several magazines; and a talented pianist.
Biography
Janifer was born in Brooklyn, New York with the surname of Harris, but in 1963 took the original surname of his PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
grandfather.
Though his first published work was a short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
in Cosmos
Cosmos (magazine)
Cosmos is an Australian popular science magazine that is published six times a year. It is subtitled "the science of everything" and is described as "a magazine of ideas, science, society and the future"....
magazine in 1953, his career as a writer can be said to have started in 1959 when he began writing for Astounding and Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L...
. He co-wrote the first novel in the "Psi-Power" series: Brain Twister, written with Randall Garrett
Randall Garrett
Randall Garrett was an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was a prolific contributor to Astounding and other science fiction magazines of the 1950s and 1960s...
under the joint pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Mark Phillips
Mark Phillips (author)
Mark Phillips was the joint pseudonym used by science fiction writers Laurence Mark Janifer and Randall Philip Garrett in the early 1960s. Together they authored several humorous short novels in the so-called "Psi-Power" series: Brain Twister , The Impossibles , and Supermind...
. The novel was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel
Hugo Award for Best Novel
The 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...
in 1960, and published in book form in 1962. Janifer's best known work is the "Survivor" series, comprising five novels and many short stories. The series follows the career of Gerald Knave as he visits (and survives to tell the tale of) planets on the outskirts of the civilized galaxy.
In addition to his career as a novelist and short story author, Janifer was an editor for Scott Meredith Literary Agency; editor/managing editor of various detective and science fiction publications; film reviewer for several magazines; and a talented pianist.
As Laurence Janifer
- Slave Planet, Pyramid Publications, 1963.
- The Wonder War, Pyramid Publications, 1963.
- You Sane Men, Lancer Books, 1964, reprinted as Bloodworld, 1969.
- The Woman without a Name, Signet, 1966.
- (Editor) Masters' Choice: The Best Science-Fiction Stories of All Time Chosen by the Masters of Science-Fiction, Simon & Schuster, 1966.
- The Final Fear, Belmont BooksBelmont BooksBelmont Books was an American publisher of paperback books founded in 1960. It specialized in science fiction, horror and fantasy, with titles appearing from 1961 through 1971...
, 1967. - A Piece of Martin Cann, Belmont Books, 1968.
- Impossible?, Belmont Books, 1968.
- Target: Terra (With S. J. Treibich), Ace Books, 1968.
- The High Hex (With S. J. Treibich), Ace Books, 1969.
- The Wagered World (With S. J. Treibich), Ace Books, 1969.
- You Can't Escape, Lancer Books, 1969.
- Power, Dell, 1975.
- Survivor, Ace Books, 1977.
- Knave in Hand, Ace Books, 1979.
- Reel, Doubleday, 1983.
- Knave and the Game: A Collection of Short Stories, Doubleday, 1987.
- The Counterfeit Heinlein, Wildside PressWildside PressWildside Press is an independent publishing company located in Maryland, USA. It was founded in 1989 by John Gregory and Kim Betancourt. While the press was originally conceived as a publisher of speculative fiction in both trade and limited editions, it has broadened out somewhat since then, both...
, 2001. - Alienist, Wildside PressWildside PressWildside Press is an independent publishing company located in Maryland, USA. It was founded in 1989 by John Gregory and Kim Betancourt. While the press was originally conceived as a publisher of speculative fiction in both trade and limited editions, it has broadened out somewhat since then, both...
, 2001. - Two, Borgo Press, 2003.
as Larry M. Harris
- The Pickled Poodles, Random House, 1959.
- Pagan Passions (With Randall GarrettRandall GarrettRandall Garrett was an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was a prolific contributor to Astounding and other science fiction magazines of the 1950s and 1960s...
), Beacon-Galaxy, Galaxy novel No. 34, 1960. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22767 - The Protector, Random House, 1960.
as Alfred Blake
- The Bed and I!, Intimate Books, 1962.
- Faithful for Eight Hours, Beacon Press, 1963.
as Andrew Blake
- I Deal in Desire, Boudoir, 1962.
- Sex Swinger, Beacon Press, 1963.
- Love Hostess, Beacon Press, 1963.
as Barbara Wilson
- The Pleasures We Know, Lancer Books, 1964.
- The Velvet Embrace, Lancer Books, 1965.
as Mark Phillips (Joint Pseudonym with Randall Garrett)
- Brain Twister, Pyramid Publications, (1962). http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22332
- The Impossibles, Pyramid Publications, 1963, 2nd edition, 1966. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22338
- Supermind, Pyramid Publications, (1963). http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22342
Ghost Writer
- Ken Murray's Giant Joke Book, Ace Books, 1957.
- The Henry Morgan Joke Book, Avon, 1958.
- Jeff Harris, The Foot in My Mouth, Caravan Book, 1958.