and then I wrote

[calimac]

In 2006 I wrote:

1. "The Year's Work in Tolkien Scholarship 2003," already published in the annual issue of Tolkien Studies (these guys are fast)
2. the index to The Company They Keep: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community by Diana Pavlac Glyer, imminently due from Kent State; if the publisher doesn't mess it up (which they're quite capable of), it'll be a thorough analytical index of the kind I always like to see
3. a long article on the history and significance of the Inklings for a C.S. Lewis encyclopedia forthcoming from Praeger, a summation of 15 years of study in this tiny topic
4. three very short articles on Tolkien posthumiana and scholarship due to appear on the Tolkien Estate website when it goes live in the spring, for which I am to be impressively overpaid
5. reviews of works of Tolkien scholarship for Tolkien Studies, Seven, and Mythprint, raw material for future "Year's Work in Tolkien Scholarship" articles
6. Eighteen reviews and two feature articles (one a two-parter) at San Francisco Classical Voice, by far the most I've done in one year and close to as many as I want to do - this isn't quite like tossing off a few wry comments on LJ

During the year three scholarly papers I'd written earlier appeared in print:

1. an essay on Tolkien's textual revisions in a collection called The Lord of the Rings 1954-2004, edited by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (Marquette University Press). This is the proceedings of the invitational conference at which I delivered the paper two years ago. I'm fairly pleased with the piece, and very happy with the publication. It's an outstanding collection of Tolkien scholarship, though inevitably on the detailed side, and I feel honored to be in it.
2. a paper on "A Game of You" in The Sandman Papers edited by Joe Sanders (Fantagraphics). This one's less scholarship than a polemic defending (my perception of) Gaiman's intent against criticism; that means, in this case, that I have the moxie to slag off on Chip Delany and Rachel Pollack. One reviewer called my essay "tart, funny and incisive." Wow.
3. a dozen entries in J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment edited by Michael D.C. Drout (Routledge). My 13 subjects were assigned to me, and range from entries on posthumous publications and some of the Inklings to Mercy (the theological concept) and Parodies. They all had to be short (250 words for some, as many as 1500 for some others), and I enjoyed the nugget format. The encyclopedia, alas, was orphaned by the publisher, badly and inconsistently edited, ranges from excellent to embarrassing in quality, and costs a mint.

During 2006 the last APA that I was in folded, so I am now without an APA membership for the first time in over three decades. As at one time I was contributing to four or five regularly and nominally belonged to as many more (they tend to be reluctant to let members drop) this is a major life change. Many longtime friends were first met in the pages of APAs.

Instead I have LJ. I don't know how many people on my FL, or not on it, read this regularly, but judging from the comments I get, it's more than the membership of most of the apas I've been in. Thanks.

Comments

[liveavatar.livejournal.com]

Still room in LASFAPA, which doesn't (to my knowledge) contain anyone too noxious to stand being in an apa with.

[asimovberlioz.livejournal.com]

LASFAPA, hmmm, whatever happened to the Grand Old Duck, did he ever gafiate?

[liveavatar.livejournal.com]

(scratching head and pondering) Not to my knowledge.

[kip-w.livejournal.com]

I reluctantly let Apatoons drop after Sarah started consuming time, though I did contribute a post to an anniversary issue this year. I still consider myself an Apatooner, and my one regular social contact (chat room) is with fellow Apatooners.

Not quite the same, the online thing.

[whumpdotcom.livejournal.com]

Many TurboAPAns are on LJ. If I recall right, it was the TurboAPAns who got me on LJ.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I should admit this, after having known you for probably a couple of decades -- and maybe a half too -- through conventions and various other social interactions out here on the Left Coast, but one of the unexpected pleasures of LJ has been to get to know you better and come to really enjoy your writing. I guess I hadn't been exposed to much of your writing before I started reading LJ. In any case, you've been one of the reasons that LJ has been an eye-opener to me, and a good one. Thanks, and Happy New Year.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. I write here in hopes that some might find it interesting, and less tedious than listening to me natter on in person. In turn, I've enjoyed this opportunity to enlarge my acquaintance with others including yourself.

Mazel Tov

[benjd.livejournal.com]

A very impressive list, including but not limited to the item for which you are "impressively overpaid," and a list to make your younger brother proud.