Juanita Coulson

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Fan
Name: Juanita Coulson
Alias(es): JWC, Juanita W. Coulson, JW Coulson, J. Coulson, Juanita R. Wellons, John Jay Wells, John J. Wells [1]
Type: Fan Writer, Fan Artist, Filker, Zine Editor
Fandoms: Star Trek TOS, Starsky & Hutch, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Lord of the Rings, Lois McMaster Bujold, Darkover.
Communities: Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans, Eastern Indiana Science Fiction Association, Indiana Science Fiction Association , STF League of Indiana
Other:
URL: Juanita Coulson @ Fancyclopedia 3;
last.fm
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Juanita Coulson is a long-time science fiction and fantasy writer, filker, actifan (active fan), fanwriter and fanzine editor. She has been active in fandom since the 1950s[2], when she was introduced to the concept while a member of EISFA[3]. She was instrumental in the zine publishing movement of the 1960s and 1970s, editing several fanzines and assisting and encouraging others to set up their own[4]. Encouraged by Marion Zimmer Bradley[5], she published her first science fiction novel in 1967. She continued her involvement in fandom at the same time and had been particularly well-known for her singing and songwriting since the 1950s, having been instrumental in establishing filk at conventions[2].

Juanita and her husband Rob Coulson were guests of honour at the 1972 Worldcon, L.A. Con, making Juanita the first female Fan Guest of Honour. Over the years she has been the GoH at a variety of cons and as recently as 2021 was GoH at ChambanaCon 50.[2]

An article by Juanita, Juanita Coulson's Reminiscence of Fandom in 1953, written in 2004 for the Noreasoncon #4, provides a perspective of early convention fandom and the first ever Hugo Awards:

1953 was a critical year for fandom in a great many ways. The SF magazine boom had passed its peak. Fanzine editorials and fan correspondence were filled with worried speculation that if the collapse continued there wouldn't be anything left for us to read. Such concern was valid. Remember: in 1953 the SF and Fantasy magazines drove our entire subculture; there were precious few hardbacks or paperbacks around. And fans in those days, even fannish fans, were thoroughly addicted to reading science fiction. Media SF, for the most part, just didn't exist. By and large, fans were a pretty serious bunch, still infected with leftover viruses of the technocracy-loving fandom of the 30s and 40s.

Fancyclopedia 3. Juanita Coulson's Reminiscence of Fandom in 1953

Fan Activities (Fanac)

Zines

Editor/Publisher

Juanita collects the mail in 1968 -- from Yandro #168, artist is Juanita herself

Contributor

Filker

Coulson has been repeatedly nominated for Pegasus Awards, winning in 2012 for Best Writer/Composer. In 1996, she was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame at FilKONtario [6]

Albums

Artist

Coulson had art in several zines; some of them were Man from U.N.C.L.E. art in Paladin, Star Trek art in T-Negative, and Darkover/Tolkien art in Starstone and Andúril.

Some other art is shown below.

Fanfiction

Meta

Professional Author

Coulson has written many books and collaborated with other authors such as Marion Zimmer Bradley

  • Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction - 1963
    • "Another Rib" (as John Jay Wells, in collaboration with MZB)
  • Crisis on Cheiron - 1967 (first novel)

(see SFE: Coulson, Juanita for a full list of her novels)

Conventions

right a pitch to fans to send Buck and Juanita Coulson to the 1979 Worldcon, organized by Paula Smith

Coulson is a convention attendee and was fan guest of honor and panelist at a number of cons including

Awards

Interviews

Further Reading

References

  1. ^ Internet Speculative Fiction Database
  2. ^ a b c Fancyclopedia 3, article on Juanita Coulson
  3. ^ Fancyclopedia 3, article on EISFA
  4. ^ Masiform D #1, editorial by Devra Langsam.
  5. ^ Darkover Newsletter #15/16 (December 1978) - letter by Juanita Coulson.
  6. ^ Juanita Coulson – 1996, includes a photo