Gene DeWeese
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Thomas Eugene DeWeese (January 31, 1934 – March 19, 2012) was an American writer of
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
, best known for his ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' novels. He also wrote Gothic, mystery, and young adult fiction, totalling more than 40 books in his career. He published as Gene DeWeese and Jean DeWeese; his pseudonyms as a collaborator included Thomas Stratton and Victoria Thomas.


Background and fandom

DeWeese was born January 31, 1934 in
Rochester, Indiana Rochester is a city in, and the county seat of, Fulton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,218 at the 2010 census. History Rochester was laid out in 1835. The founder Alexander Chamberlain named it for his former hometown of R ...
. He began writing science fiction stories in grade school, beginning with a Mickey Mouse story he wrote. In high school, he wrote articles and science-fiction columns for his local newspaper. DeWeese became an active member of
science fiction fandom Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or fandom of people interested in science fiction in contact with one another based upon that interest. SF fandom has a life of its own, but not much in the way of formal organization (although ...
, and his stories were published in
science fiction fanzines A science-fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of science-fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day. They were one of the earliest forms of fanzine, within one of which the term "''fanzine''" was ...
such as '' Yandro'', ''Fan-Fare'', and ''The Chigger Patch of Fandom''. He earned an associate degree in
electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
from Valparaiso Technical Institute in 1953. He worked for
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
'
Delco Electronics Delco Electronics Corporation was the automotive electronics design and manufacturing subsidiary of General Motors based in Kokomo, Indiana, that manufactured ''Delco'' Automobile radios and other electric products found in GM cars. In 1972, Gene ...
Division as an electronics technician in
Kokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( ) is a city in Indiana and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard County, the Kokomo-Peru CSA, which includ ...
, from 1954–1959, and as a technical writer (including for the Apollo Program) in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
, from 1959 to 1974 (when he became a full-time
freelance ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...
writer).


Professional writing

DeWeese's first professionally published fiction was a ''
Man from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by MGM Television, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who wo ...
'' book written with
Robert Coulson Robert Stratton "Buck" Coulson (May 12, 1928 – February 19, 1999) was an American science fiction writer, well-known fan, filk songwriter, fanzine editor and bookseller from Indiana. Biography He served as Secretary of the Science Fic ...
under the pseudonym Thomas Stratton, which used DeWeese's first name and Coulson's middle name. This first novel was ''The Invisibility Affair'' and was followed up in the series by ''The Mind-Twisters Affair'' (both 1967) Coulson was a fellow science fiction fan, and the two had previously used the Stratton name for fiction published in fanzines. He wrote nine Gothic novels as Jean DeWeese, and co-wrote a romance novel with Connie Kugi under the pseudonym Victoria Thomas. DeWeese wrote over forty books, including science fiction, mystery, horror, and romance, and nonfiction books on computers and doll making. He has written novels in the ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'', ''
Lost in Space ''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series, created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on CBS. The series was inspired by the 1812 novel ''The Swiss Family Robinson.'' The series fo ...
'', and
Dinotopia ''Dinotopia'' is a series of illustrated fantasy books, created by author and illustrator James Gurney. It is set in the titular Dinotopia, an isolated island inhabited by shipwrecked humans and Sapience, sapient dinosaurs who have learned to H ...
series. His best-known
young adult novel Young adult fiction (YA) is a category of fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. While the genre is primarily targeted at adolescents, approximately half of YA readers are adults. The subject matter and genres of YA correlate ...
is ''
The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf ''The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf'', also called ''The Adventures of a 2-Minute Werewolf'' is a 1985 television film produced by American Broadcasting Company, ABC television as part of its ''ABC Weekend Special'' series. It is based on t ...
'', which was made into a
television movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
of the same name. He has also written for
Ravenloft Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a ''Demiplane, pocket dimension'' or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of la ...
('' King of the Dead'' and ''Lord of the Necropolis'') and the ''
Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...
'' series.


Papers and personal life

His papers from 1967–2002 are held at the library of the
University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a public research university with its main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, ma ...
. He and Beverly lived in Milwaukee from 1959 to his death at home in 2012 from
Lewy body dementia Lewy body dementias are two similar and common subtypes of dementia—dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). Both are characterized by changes in thinking, movement, behavior, and mood. The two conditions have sim ...
.


''Star Trek'' novels

*'' Chain of Attack'' (1987) - Based on ''
Star Trek: The Original Series ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' (''TOS'') to distinguis ...
'' *'' The Peacekeepers'' (September 1988) - Based on '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' *'' The Final Nexus'' (December 1988) - Based on ''
Star Trek: The Original Series ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' (''TOS'') to distinguis ...
'' *''Renegade'' (1991) - Based on ''
Star Trek: The Original Series ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' (''TOS'') to distinguis ...
'' *''Probe'' (1992) - Credited by
Margaret Wander Bonanno Margaret Wander Bonanno (February 7, 1950 – April 6, 2021) was an American science fiction writer, ghost writer, and small press publisher. She wrote seven '' Star Trek'' novels, science fiction novels (including ''The Others'' series and the ' ...
for being the actual writer of most of the bookBonanno, Margaret Wander
"Probed,"
Bonanno's official website. Archived a
the Wayback Machine
Retrieved June 15, 2022.
*''Into the Nebula'' (1995) - Based on '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' *''Engines of Destiny'' (2005) - Based on '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', though the main character is
Montgomery Scott Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is a fictional character in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. First portrayed by James Doohan in the original ''Star Trek'' series, Scotty also appears in the animated ''Star Trek'' series, 10 ''Star Trek' ...


References


External links


2003 interview with DeWeese
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Deweese, Gene 1934 births 2012 deaths 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American novelists American male novelists American science fiction writers Novelists from Indiana Novelists from Wisconsin People from Rochester, Indiana Science fiction fans Valparaiso University alumni Writers from Milwaukee