Recipient of the 2012 Russell L. Paxton Award

Ken Faig, Jr.

From the October 2014 issue of The Fossil

Faig Replaces Bossler as Fossils President

Ken Faig, Jr., replaced Gary Bossler as president of The Fossils, effective September 30 [2014]. ...

Ken Faig’s first exposure to amateur journalism came from an interest in famed horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and his circle of writers. Faig’s activity in science fiction goes back to the 1970s, particularly in the Esoteric Order of Dagon Amateur Press Association. He established Moshassuck Press in the 1980s [1987] to publish books about Lovecraft and related writers. He has also authored books for Hippocampus Press and Necronomicon Press. An online description of his 2008 book The Unknown Lovecraft notes, “For nearly forty years, Kenneth W. Faig, Jr., has been a leading authority on Lovecraft. He has devoted his career to probing obscure corners of Lovecraft’s life.” He also edited several collections of works by Edith Miniter (two co-edited with Fossil Sean Donnelly), the result of painstaking research to recover the lost writings of NAPA’s first woman president (elected in 1909).

Faig joined The Fossils in 1995 and soon was contributing articles to The Fossil describing his research. The July 1999 issue announcing his appointment as historian also carried a multi-page article by Faig on Sam Steinberg, prominent NAPA publisher from 1889 to 1903. He continued as historian until his election as official editor in 2004. His volumes 101 to 108 turned out to be among the best ever, offering detailed coverage of historic topics and current ajay affairs. He also served on the Library of Amateur Journalism Committee in 2004 when it had to be moved from Stayton, Oregon; the committee’s work was vital to securing its new home at the University of Wisconsin.

Professionally, Faig worked as an actuary beginning in 1973. He retired last October [2013] after being employed by PolySystems, Inc., for 24 years. He met his future wife, Carol Gaber, when both worked at North American Company for Life & Health Insurance. Married in 1979, the Faigs have two grown children [an artist Edith and a statistician Walter].