On Wednesday Sept. 10, a district grant brought Harlan Ellison, an author and lecturer of speculative fiction to Glendale and Estrella Mountain Community Colleges.

Ellison made his appearance by bursting through the doors bellowing about a man who struck the vehicle transporting him to GCC.

Noticing a few attendees, who chose to sit in the last row, he shouted at them to move to the front so he would not have to scream. The audience sat in silence while Ellison continued to wave his arms and speak about the accident that occurred.

“I say what I think,” Ellison quoted Voltaire, regarding the fact that he did not mention the book or screen play that he was currently working on. Instead he spoke about things he felt were current to him.

“Only occasionally bordering on rationality,” Ellison says of himself, “I always take my writing seriously; very rarely do I take myself seriously” This was present when asked if the lecture could be tape recorded.

“Why not?” he replied. He then took the recorder and placed it in his pants. With a wiggle or two the recorder dropped out of his left pant leg.

“Ellison’s sarcastic wit and the ability for his writing to be sensitive...and very perceptive” are reasons that his fans are loyal, said Steve Vandermolen, a fan of Ellison and former GCC student.

Ellison’s life began in Cleveland, Ohio in 1934. He began writing short stories, essays, and screen plays when the term speculative fiction was used. (This term predates Science Fiction.) He now lives in Los Angeles with his wife Susan, where he claims to sit on the floor with friend, Robin Williams and play with Transformers.

The author of 75 books, over 1700 stories, essays, articles, newspaper columns, and two dozen screen plays, Ellison is an award winning writer. His awards include the P.E.N. award, two Audies, Locus Poll for Best Story Collection, a Ray Bradbury and more. The Twilight Zone and Babylon 5 are examples of his screen writing.

“Ellison has created more than any other fantasist,” notes the biography on his web page www.harlanellison.com. The biography also compares his writing to that of a 20th century Lewis Caroll.

“Be brave enough and talented enough to do something different,” says Ellison as he spoke. This came from the man who is reported to write only on a typewriter and prefers to type in the nude. A piece entitled “Terrorists,” was read in the evening at EMCC, by Ellison who used a make shift podium made of cardboard to lean on. After which he took questions.

“Pay attention, there is no secret, just pay attention. Go become a plumber or an electrician where you can work hard with your hands and you can think, then write in your own time.” This was the advice that he gave to writers and the audience.

“He (Ellison) sees writing as a job, he’s not the trembling artist, to him it is work and he works hard.” Justin Stuyter, a UofA student and friend described the author.

Ellison pointed out that hard work is how you become famous, and said, “I am so famous that sometimes I can’t get out of bed.”