My Anniversary

Saturday was my fifteenth anniversary at the SFBC. (Yes, I did start on Tax Day; that does tend to make it easy to remember.)

Back then, of course, I was a mere Assistant to the Editor. I had to claw my way up to Editorial Assistant (and that one was actually a big jump, for indescribable publishing-world reasons), then to Associate Editor and once more to just plain Editor. Finally, a couple of years ago, I buried enough bodies and stabbed enough backs to finally be made a glorious Senior Editor -- lord of all I survey. (And all I survey right now is a structural pillar, a metal standing bookcase, two low file cabinets, and part of someone else's desk -- none of which, come to think of it, is actually mine.)

(I was reminded of this by Jennifer Jackson's similar thought on her blog.)

Of course, I work for Ellen Asher, the queen of job longevity -- she started at the SFBC in February of 1973, and is currently gunning for John W. Campbell's title as longest-serving SF editor in a single job. (Campbell was editor of Astounding/Analog from September of 1937 until his death on July 11, 1971 -- a total of 33 years and ten months. Ellen will pass his record at the end of this year.) So I'll always be "the kid" by comparison. I can live with that.