Jack Wodhams is Australian! I’ve found another Australian science fiction author…I know there are plenty of you out there but I’ve never really worried about the country of the author when reading so finding out where they live has been an interesting experience.
Wodhams wasn’t actually born in Australia but came here at a youngish age. He was born London and either came here as a child or a youngish adult, I’ve seen various stories and they don’t agree.
But you’re really after his writing. A lot of it can be found in Analog although he has written a few stand alone books which some people feel don’t hang together as well as his short stories. I have read Looking for Blücher but couldn’t find it despite looking for it on my shelf. Can you get a more clunky sentence? I was looking for Looking for Blücher on my shelf. At one time he was Australia’s premier science fiction author.
Wodhams did write for other publications and this issue of New Writings in SF-11 proves it.
Despite being such an important author I couldn’t actually find any new copies for you to buy. What I did find was a reference book Strange Constellations: A History of Australian Science Fiction which looks absolutely fascinating and wonderful, you should look at it.
I don’t think he’s done anything for a while, or not in Australia, anyway. I do remember when he was writing for Void Publishing, editor Paul Collins, which became Corey and Collins, and now Paul runs Ford Street Publishing, but that is dedicated to children’s and YA fiction. But no Jack Wodhams that I know of.
According to all I could find he was fairly big outside Australia. I might ask Paul some questions if I do a followup article. Thanks for the info!