Anecdotes Ian Wallace and Acquaintences Correspondence collected 1980 - 2003 This text is presented as a profile of Ian Wallace (nom de plume of John Wallace Pritchard) in his late career, reflecting the cultural moment of its publication. Reprinted with permission. Letter to Malcolm Henderson, author of “Who Is Ian Wallace?” September 1980 Dear Mr. Henderson: You exempted me from replying again, but I can't resist. You, however, I do exempt. Your compliments are appreciated because they are discerning; I have no suspicion of flattery, and therefore I value what you say; it is a definite lift. "...writing and rewriting": indeed, but no time wasted-- I've been more than half a century an editor, so it comes naturally.The "spoiled paper", as Cabell expressed it, is used to enshroud tobacco ashes and dirty pipe cleaners. No waste at all, you see:efficiency enshrined. In Figures of Earth, as you may remember, Cabell had a mountaintop dream wizard named Miramon Lluagor. I am semi-recalling two sentences about him that went something like this (from imperfect memory): "A small unfinished dream came whimpering up to him, rubbing itself against his leg. MeditativelyMiramon picked-up the dream, twisted-off its head, and threw the dream into the wastebasket." Yes, Cabell was an influence; in my twenties, thirties, and forties, I steeped myself in his novels, short stories, poems, and essays. Early-on, I tried to imitate his style; that phase is long gone, but it is superb training, as Robert Louis Stevenson once pointed-out. But from time to time some Cabellian mannerisms and attitudes creep consciously in, as some of my quotes have suggested; and while my motifs are different from his, I feel that he is responsible (with Thomas Mann) for my tendency to use motifs. Remember Cabell's six rules for a writer: something like (this is not exact) "Distinction and beauty and clarity, tenderness and truth and urbanity." Certainly the most sophisticated of the fantasists, he may well have been the best. By the way, the new one will be called THE LUCIFER COMET (not "Constellation"). I had first called it "The Backside of Lucifer", but my publisher feared that "backside" would not fly with dealers in our Bible Belt. Should you wish to research Ian Wallace even further, there was a 1952 novel, EVERY CRAZY WIND, signed John Wallace Pritchard: perhaps you'll find it in some library. My doctoral dissertation in philosophy of education, A NOVEL AS PRO-INQUIRY, includes a novel-digest that you may like; that one is a bit costly, having been published in microfilm, but offprints are available from University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan. I wish you success in what seems, on internal evidence, to be a humanities career of promise, perhaps already in part fulfilled. Most cordially, Ian Wallace Letter the editor of this website, excerpted May 2003 Enclosed is my article from UNHINGED magazine - you have my permission to use it on the net - the magazine no longer exists therefore the publisher will not be bothered. Also enclosed is a scan of a photograph that John sent me many years ago. The section of the article marked, near the photograph was added by the editor of 'Unhinged'. I was annoyed at this addition because I consider Timothy Leary to be a fool and John also remarked that this man was also his anathema however I do respect the works of Carlos Castenada and the work and achievements of R.D. Laing. If you do use the article please omit this section where I have mentioned. A few years ago LOCUS magazine had an obituary to John however I seem to have mislaid it - if I find it I shall forward it. John was very pleased with the article and told me that so far I was the only person who understood his novels in depth (I was flattered by this comment and immodestly tell you). The only book I never found was "Every Crazy Wind" - however I can be sure that the internet will provide me with a copy one day. Best Wishes Malcolm P.S. My opening comment still makes me cringe every time I re-read this! Letter the editor of this website, excerpted February 2002 The last time I saw John Pritchard was in 1974, following a retirement party for him. At age 64, he had completed 30 years with the DetroitPublic School system. For a goodly portion of that time he was a school psychologist, administering, among other things, Rorschach tests for children (!). He was also, when I first met him, the director of theDPS publications department. At the time I was newly hired by the DPS to be a junior administrative assistant (read, assistant editorial writer). John set up a series of "tests" which each of the 40applicants were graded on. After an initial interview by five DPS administrators (including John) we were given the tasks of: 1) writing a 500 word news article on the school system's lunch program; 2)editing an article that had already appeared in print, and 3) designing a form for use in the school system. I remember vividly that when I was told that I had gotten the job I actually wept for joy. I was 37 at the time, and the job security afforded (after seven years of substitute teaching) changed my life economically for the better. I have been retired five years now, and have been able to devote my time to writing a weekly history column and to creating my art. Alas, I did not get to know John very well. Out of the blue he announced his retirement one month after I came on board. I shutter now (27 years later) when I think about the vacancy he left. He was admired by all of his colleagues, most of whom did not know that he was a respected scifi writer until the night of his retirement party. Our graphics artist did a marvelous picture of John in a space suit backgrounded by some unknown planetary landscaping. He dropped in on the PublicationsDepartment a year after leaving. I had mixed feelings about his visit.I realized that had he continued as director I would have found him perhaps a too-exacting task master. Also, he left me with his reputation to measure up to -- damn hard if not impossible to do. (I had no administrative experience, and it fell my lot to run thePublications Department for the next ten years. I survived, but barely.The department as he created it no longer exists. His procedures have all been pretty much done away with. I know that John's wife died several years before him. (Oh, yes; I remember being invited to dinner at their home -- an unassuming place with a traditional turkey dinner served. They were quite pleasant to be with as I recall. John has a son who probably is in his late 50s now. Another son died early and, I understand, was a sustained loss to John. Of John: he had a keen mind and a look that was analytical, sharp, autocratic -- you knew he was nobody's fool. Your welcome Web site honoring John filled me in with things I never knew. Apparently he lived a long and creative life. Thanks for keeping his memory alive. Charles Alexander http://home.earthlink.net/~alexandersart/ Page compilation © 2025 Isaac Roll. Other text reprinted with permission.