Ron Goulart was a historian of pop culture and a speculative fiction author. He was born January 13, 1933 in Berkeley, California, and passed from this plane of existence on January 14, 2022, one day after his 89th birthday.
He published about 35 short stories in the magazine Fantasy and Science Fiction before the publication of his first SF novel, The Sword Swallower (1968), which features the Chameleon Corps of Shapeshifting agents. The book – like much of his ensuing work – is set in a vast Space-Opera arena known as Barnum System universe; urbanized, helter-skelter, crazed and balkanized, the planets of this system, where the Corps originates and operates, are populated in large part by traditional comic stereotypes.
He wrote science fiction, mysteries, espionanage, and action-adventure novels based on ’50s pulp characters.
It was he who ghost wrote the TekWar novels for William Shatner. He also wrote for Marvel Comics in the 1970’s (mostly adaptations of classic science fiction stories), and went on to author books about comic books themselves.
Like many authors, he wrote under various pen names, included Kenneth Robeson, Frank Shawn, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson, and even wrote romance novels as Josephine Kains and Jillian Kearny.
He was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel for his 1970 science fiction novel After Things Fell Apart, and won the Inkpot Award in 1989.
Ron Goulart is survived by his wife (and occasional collaberator) author Frances Sheridan Goulart and their sons Sean-Lucien and Steffan Eamon.
Rest in peace, Mr. Goulart. May your memory be a blessing.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
