According to Garen Drussai, Kirk spent some time in New York City, where he me Tiffany Thayer, the one man operation behind the Fortean Society. Afterwards, he ended up in Hollywood. Garen Lewis—as Tiffany Thayer called her—and Kirk Drussai met somehow and were drawn together—by Forteanism, Thayer claims. This probably oversells the importance of Foreteanism to them, but there is no doubt that they were both interested in the subject.
Kirk Drussai was sending clippings to Thayer and promising a paper on heterodox cancer cures for the Fortean Society’s magazine, Doubt. It never appeared—whether Kirk never wrote it or Thayer never published it is not known. In his introduction to her first short story, Anthony Boucher noted that Garen Drussai was a vigorous debater on matters Fortean.
The Drussais seem to have been the motive force behind the organization of the Fortean Society in San Francisco after they relocated to the northern part of the state. (Garen said that they hitchhiked between the northern and southern parts of the state.) Thayer announced in Doubt 21 (published around June 1948): The San Francisco and Bay Area members have met informally as guests of MFS MacNichol, who shares honors for the idea with MFS Drussai [no mention as to which Drussai], and the labors of assembly with MFS di Gava [?].” The meeting was held on 1 April and attendees put their names in a ledger titles “The Book of the Damned.”
This founding of Chapter Two, as it was known, came at a time when Tiffany Thayer seemed to be interested in organizing Forteanism a little bit. He suggested a Fortean University, a Fortean arrangement of knowledge, and the announcement of Chpater Twos formation was soon followed by Chapters Three and Four—in Chicago and Dallas—although this burst of organization ended soon enough.
Drussais soon became moderator of the meetings, as well as its “Bugler,” or secretary.”
Doubt 24, published around April 1949, noted that the Drussais paid dues for their unborn child. This was, Thayer said, The Fortean Society’s Virginia Dare, referring to the first person born to English parents in North America. The Drussais named their son Milo. He was born 21 April 1949.
Within a few months, Thayer had overcome his interest in organization, reprimanded the chapters, and stopped reporting on them. A few years later, Garen was turning her attention to writing science fiction, and though the high tide of Chapter two had ebbed, her stories showed that she maintained an interest in Forteanism. As Garen remembered the times from years later, it was a brief, but fun interval, a chance to hang out with young oddballs, in her phrase.
Kirk Drussai was sending clippings to Thayer and promising a paper on heterodox cancer cures for the Fortean Society’s magazine, Doubt. It never appeared—whether Kirk never wrote it or Thayer never published it is not known. In his introduction to her first short story, Anthony Boucher noted that Garen Drussai was a vigorous debater on matters Fortean.
The Drussais seem to have been the motive force behind the organization of the Fortean Society in San Francisco after they relocated to the northern part of the state. (Garen said that they hitchhiked between the northern and southern parts of the state.) Thayer announced in Doubt 21 (published around June 1948): The San Francisco and Bay Area members have met informally as guests of MFS MacNichol, who shares honors for the idea with MFS Drussai [no mention as to which Drussai], and the labors of assembly with MFS di Gava [?].” The meeting was held on 1 April and attendees put their names in a ledger titles “The Book of the Damned.”
This founding of Chapter Two, as it was known, came at a time when Tiffany Thayer seemed to be interested in organizing Forteanism a little bit. He suggested a Fortean University, a Fortean arrangement of knowledge, and the announcement of Chpater Twos formation was soon followed by Chapters Three and Four—in Chicago and Dallas—although this burst of organization ended soon enough.
Drussais soon became moderator of the meetings, as well as its “Bugler,” or secretary.”
Doubt 24, published around April 1949, noted that the Drussais paid dues for their unborn child. This was, Thayer said, The Fortean Society’s Virginia Dare, referring to the first person born to English parents in North America. The Drussais named their son Milo. He was born 21 April 1949.
Within a few months, Thayer had overcome his interest in organization, reprimanded the chapters, and stopped reporting on them. A few years later, Garen was turning her attention to writing science fiction, and though the high tide of Chapter two had ebbed, her stories showed that she maintained an interest in Forteanism. As Garen remembered the times from years later, it was a brief, but fun interval, a chance to hang out with young oddballs, in her phrase.
