Roger C. Schlobin Papers (ca. 1963-2013), including bibliographies, correspondence, clippings, contracts, computer diskettes, compact disk, drafts of published works of fiction and literary criticism, research materials, reviews and other manuscripts related to science fiction and fantasy, and to the literary career of Andre Norton.
Roger C. Schlobin earned a bachelor's from C.W. Post College, a master's degree from The University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. in English from Ohio State University. Schlobin taught at The Ohio State University and Purdue University before accepting a position as a visiting assistant professor for the English department at East Carolina University in 2000. While at ECU, Schlobin taught science fiction writing and interpretive literature. Outside of the classroom, Schlobin was a founding member of the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts as well as founder and former editor of both "The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts," and "The Year's Scholarship of Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror." Schlobin also served as editor of the "The Aesthetics of Fantasy Literature and Art." In total, Schlobin authored over one hundred essays, short stories, scholarly reviews, and science fiction/fantasy bibliographies. Schlobin's 1979 work "The Literature of Fantasy: A Comprehensive, Annotated Bibliography of Modern Fantasy Fiction" is praised by critics as being one of the most complete annotated bibliographies of the genre. Schlobin's 1994 novel "Fire and Fur: The Last Sorcerer Dragon" is the first original fantasy novel to be published online. In 2004, Schlobin donated his personal library to ECU's Joyner Library in member of his late father and mother. Today, James H. and Virginia Schlobin Literature of the Fantastic Collection consists of over 3,700 individual books, mostly primary literature in the form of novels, and collected short narratives with some additional secondary literature and scholarly criticism related to the various genres that are represented. Roger C. Schlobin passed away in April 2017 in Greenville, North Carolina
Written February 2024
The Roger C. Schlobin Papers is arranged into eight series based on topic and contents. The first series includes Schlobins's writings including his; academic essays, bibliographic reviews, short stories, and poetry; arranged by format. Series 1 also contains Schlobins's novel "Fire and Fur" as well as the unpublished sequel, "Lost Soul." Schlobins's correspondence related to the "Fire and Fur" novel, including letters to prominent individuals such as Steven Spielberg and others is also located in Series 1.
Series 2 contains Schlobins's personal research material, his reference notes, and copies of reviewed works with handwritten notes attached to them. Items of specific interest are his notes on Arthurian literature and science fiction. Series 3 contains correspondence between Schlobin and other authors, publishers, and scholars. Much of the correspondence in series 3 is between Schlobin and famed science fiction and fantasy writer Andre Norton between the years 1977-1996.
Series 4 contains syllabi for courses developed by Schlobin during his time at Purdue University (syllabi for courses at ECU were transferred to University Archives in February 2024) arranged chronologically by course. Series 5 contains photographic prints of the original handwritten manuscript of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from 1769. Also in series 5 is a color photograph of Schlobins's parents, James Henry and Virginia Clark Schlobin that was taken in 1972. There is also a black and white copy of the photograph made in 2005.
Series 6 contains materials related to the World Science Fiction Convention (1980-1983) as 25th annual International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts (1999). Series 7 contains oversized newspaper clippings (1983-2001) related to prominent science fiction authors as well as oversized science fiction posters. Series 8 contains a documentary on the first 25 years of the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts (1999). Access to original audiovisual and digital file is restricted.
April 3, 2020, (Addition 11), 0.25 cubic feet; Material removed from the James H. and Virginia C. Schlobin Literature of the Fantastic Collection (a part of the Rare Books Collection) including clippings, correspondence, printed materials such as order forms, programs, announcements, book reviews, and a poster.
Gift of Roger C. Schlobin
Processed by Martha G. Elmore, October 18, 2007
Encoded by Martha G. Elmore, October 18, 2007
Reprocessed by Patrick Cash, February 2024
Container list prepared by Antonio Lajcin, Septmeber 2021
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.
Some of the items are digital files. Access to the original digital files is restricted, but access copies of some of the contents are available in our Digital Collections repository or can be made available by contacting Special Collections at specialcollections@ecu.edu.
These are digital files.