Unpublished work urges to 'come on in'

By: Betty Williamson

You won’t find it mentioned in his autobiography or noted in any bibliography of his work, but I happen to own a small, unpublished work by my late uncle, Jack Williamson.link

It is an 8 1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper with these words written in blue marker: “Knock & come on in.” For the last 20 or so years of his life, it was taped to the door leading from his garage into his kitchen.

When any of us chided Jack for posting a potentially foolhardy invitation on a door that didn’t even have a lock, he would remind us that writing is a solitary life, and say, “I don’t want to be hermit.”

His faith in humanity stood him well. More than a few interesting characters came through his door during his lifetime, but Jack was never robbed or harmed, and no, he was never a hermit.

This week marks the 39th time Eastern New Mexico University has hosted a lectureship in Jack’s honor, and the ninth since his death. Even though the “Knock & come on in” sign now resides at my house, Jack’s friends and extended family from the science fiction community continue to come back to Portales each spring.

This year’s guest of honor — multi-award winning Colorado writer Paolo Bacigalupi — never had the opportunity to knock on Jack’s door. (At the age of 42, he’s but a young whipper-snapper by Jack’s standards.) But he will be here tonight and tomorrow, along with a slew of fascinating colleagues including Ed Bryant, Steve Gould, Darynda Jones, Emily Mah, Victor Milan, Laura Mixon, Joan Saberhagen, Melinda Snodgrass, Walter Jon Williams and Connie Willis, many of whom were regulars at the South Globe version of the Algonquin round table.

Most of the events of the lectureship are free and open to the public. Whether or not you consider yourself a fan of science fiction and fantasy, I can guarantee you that Jack was correct: any association with this community of interesting, well-read, and witty people is an opportunity not to be missed.

Come on in. No need to knock.

Betty Williamson will never stop pining for those kitchen table conversations. You may reach her at:

[email protected]