RIP, Bud Webster
Posted on February 16, 2016 Posted by John Scalzi 8 Comments
A moment here to note the passing of Bud Webster, science fiction writer and fan, and a SFWA colleague of mine who ran the SFWA Estate Project, which helped editors, publishers and others find rights holders to the work of writers who had passed on. I was privileged while SFWA president to be on the board that commemorated his good work for the organization with the Service to SFWA Award. I know he was genuinely honored to receive it, and we were genuinely honored to give it to him. His good work survives him.
A longer obit for Bud is at File 770, and I encourage you all to check it out. And if you are a writer, I encourage you to read this piece by Bud, about why it’s important to get your estate in order. He would know. He was the expert on it.
Condolences to Bud’s wife Mary and to his many friends.
Bud was also collecting information from as many living writers as he could about our own heirs and will plans. I hope that part of the project is still moving forward as well.
Aw. Terribly sorry to hear that. Bud and I had only had occasion to communicate once a year or so in the last decade, but there were a couple periods of our lives when it was more frequent. He was a pleasant, diligent, thoughtful person who left almost any situation better than when he walked into it. I’m sure others who knew him better will chime in soon, but meanwhile: so sorry to see him go. The time was too short.
He was a great guy, knew him for decades. It was always fun talking book collecting minutiae with him … Gollancz yellow jackets … Rouge Queen … and other fun things.
At the DC/Crystal City Nebs I made him smile and chortle like a gleeful child … i gave him a Groff Conklin book he did not have.
I didn’t know Bud for long, but he was an excellent person, both as an individual and as a professional. Sad but true, we were hashing out the possibility of doing a book together and, as cool as the subject was, I don’t think there is anyone who can fill his shoes on that project.
Damn. I’m a poorer person for having not known him in person. I’m a richer person for you sharing so briefly these few words about him. Thank you.
I am one of those estate rights holders- for Robert Adams. If Bud hadn’t tracked me down, the works wouldn’t be available today.
Thanks again, Bud.
My primary interactions with Mr. Webster were his tables selling books at the local cons in SE Virginia. He was really missed at the recent Marscon. It’s nice to be reminded that his contributions spread much further than our little neck of the woods.
Bud was good folk, and will be missed by many far and wide. How I feel about him is summed up pretty well in a blurb I wrote for his book The Joy of Booking: “Some might say that Bud Webster is a dinosaur. Unabashedly in love with real books printed on real paper, he has found a way to take something he would do anyway – press a book into someone’s hand and force them to read it – and make a little money doing it. In The Joy of Booking, he shows you, the new or hobbyist seller, how to do it too. Bud isn’t just a dinosaur – he’s a dinosaur in a fez!”