Alice K. Turker (photo credit Ellen Datlow)
I’m very sorry to hear that Alice K. Turner has passed away Jan 16, 2015. She was the Playboy fiction editor for many years, and before that she worked at New York Magazine and Publishers Weekly.
In 2002 I took a writing class at the New School in Manhattan taught by Alice Turner. I had no idea the class would change my life. Alice’s class was my introduction to the genre. I had always read SF&F, but this was the first time I seriously tried writing some. And I was terrible. But Alice was patient with all the students and even suggested to another writing group that I and one other “showed promise.” And because of that email I joined the Altered Fluid writers group. And later, after going to lots of Fantastic Fiction at KGB events, a reading series that Alice co-founded with Terry Bisson, I met Ellen Datlow, and a few years later was asked to co-host with Ellen. Now, almost thirteen years later, I’ve been nominated for a Nebula, published a few dozen short stories in pro markets, co-host the series that Alice founded, and have a trilogy book series coming out this fall. And all of that — ALL of it — wouldn’t have been possible without that first class I took with Alice. She was always warm and friendly and patient with everyone. When I saw her at various events, a few times at KGB or at the SFWA reception, no matter how much time had passed, she always remembered me and our class and asked how we were doing. I’m very sorry to hear of her passing, and despite not having seen her for a couple of years now, I will miss her very much. Thank you, Alice, for all that you have given.
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January 19, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Oh, my. I just saw Alice Turner’s name up on sff.net. with a flower next to it.
Alice was an editor at Playboy who bought a few stories from me. She really went to bat for me a couple of times.
She once accepted a story, “Graves,” but her own managing editor rejected it, saying it was “too gross” for Playboy. Maggots, I think. She tried to sneak it in a year later, but he sent it back with a note saying it was still too gross. So I sent it over to F&SF, with Alice’s blessing. Ed Ferman took it, and it went on to win the World Fantasy Award for best fantasy story of the year, and the Nebula as well.
I finished a novelette, “Feedback,” just before the World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago. The night before the convention started, we went to the Playboy headquarters for a cocktail party. Alice was there, of course, and I told her I’d just finished a great story, but I wasn’t going to send it to her: She’d never printed a story that long unless it was by Norman Mailer or someone, and Playboy wouldn’t do a story with a homosexual male protagonist.
“Listen to me, Haldeman,” she said, waving a cigarette dangerously close to my eyes. “There’s only one person in the world who can tell you what a Playboy story is, and that’s me.”
She bought it right away, perhaps to prove her point.
She had a keen editorial eye and a marvelous laugh. Gay and I always looked forward to dinner with her whenever we were in New York.
She will be sorely missed.
Joe
January 25, 2015 at 1:16 pm
Thanks for sharing your stories of Alice, Joe. I’m glad I got to know her.
Also, I actually heard you read “Graves” at WFC in Toronto. Great story, and surprising how what’s considered acceptable has changed.