| Robert Coulson | |
| Pseudonym: | Thomas Stratton |
| Birth Name: | Robert Stratton Coulson |
| Birth Date: | 12 May 1928 |
| Birth Place: | Sullivan, Indiana, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Writer, filk songwriter |
| Nationality: | American |
| Genre: | science fiction |
Robert Stratton "Buck" Coulson (May 12, 1928 – February 19, 1999) was an American science fiction writer, well-known fan, filk songwriter, fanzine editor and bookseller from Indiana.
He served as Secretary of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America from 1972 to 1974.[1]
Coulson and his wife, writer and filker Juanita Coulson, edited the mimeographed fanzine Yandro, which was nominated for the Hugo Award 10 years in a row, from 1959 through 1968, and won in 1965.[2] Yandro featured Coulson's incisive reviews of books and, especially, fanzines.
Film critic and one-time active fan Roger Ebert wrote: "Locs (letters of comment) were the currency of payment for fanzine contributors; you wrote, and in the next issue got to read about what you had written. Today I can see my name on a full-page ad for a movie with disinterest, but what Harry Warner or Buck Coulson had to say about me – well, that was important."[3]
Buck was a regular attendee, panelist, and bookseller at several Midwest science fiction conventions, including InConJunction and Chambanacon, as well as frequently attending Capricon, DucKon, Windycon, and Wiscon. He was frequently seen wearing a skunkskin cap. Characters modelled on and named after him appear in two novels by Wilson Tucker, To the Tombaugh Station and Resurrection Days.
Outside of science fiction, he worked as a technical writer. Coulson died on February 19, 1999, following a long illness.
Coulson's novels include But What of Earth? (1976,) (with Piers Anthony), To Renew the Ages (1976,), and Lazer Tag: Adventure No 1: High Spy (1987,). With Gene DeWeese, he wrote two novels set in science fiction fandom, Now You See It/Him/Them... (1975,) and Charles Fort Never Mentioned Wombats (1977,); and two Man from U.N.C.L.E novels under the pseudonym of Thomas Stratton, The Invisibility Affair and The Mind-Twisters Affair (both 1967). Thomas Stratton may be the only author to have a book accepted and the dedication rejected (the editor thought 'To my wives and child' was too risque for the intended audience).