egoboo n.
the gratification of seeing one’s name in print
[< ego boost]
Fancyclopedia
SF Fandom
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1944
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Forrest J. Ackerman
But I want U all to know that the entire evening at Burbee’s was a farce, & I stand aghast at the lengths to which some editors will stoop (& he has just the build for it) for a scrap of ego-boo. It is my considerd opinion that Chas (Droll) Burbee did wittingIy conspire with malice aforethot & intent to ego-inflate, to invite the Efjay of Akkamin, Alva Rogers, Vic Clark & the Laney ménage, to his domicile.
ACKorns in Shangri-L’Affaires (#20) Nov. (unpaged) -
1945
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Forrest J. Ackerman
[Replying to the query ‘Does anyone have a science-fiction book written in French? If so, I’m in the market.’] (Oui, mon soldat, j’ai quelques romans fantastiques dans la langue française [...] Unfortunately, The Garage does not carry any of these items in duplicate, so the foregoing stf-tease will have to be attributed to a touch of ego-boo.)
Voice of the Imagi-Nation (#39) Feb. 6
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1946
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Francis T. Laney
The warm glow of righteous egoboo arising usually makes the character feel quite kindly towards me—and of course I’m not proud; I don’t mind someone’s going to a good deal of trouble for me. Only trouble is, such a procedure knocks me out of my ego-boo. Ho hum.
Comments on the Spring Mailing in Fan-Dango (#12) Summer 6
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1948
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Rick Sneary
Well after the pile of ego-boo I got in the Oct. issue I just couldn’t let it slip by without telling you what I think of this much heralded issue.
Letter in Thrilling Wonder Stories Feb. 98/1
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1948
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Rick Sneary
Dear Sir: Time, tide and publishers wate for no man, so if I expect to get my monthly dose of ego[-]boo I had better get at it. It really does serve a perpose, I keep telling myself. By interesting the pasifans that write me in ative fandom, I draw in a little new blood.
Letter in Startling Stories Sept. 124/2
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1954
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George O. Smith
bibliography
Being a space pilot has—well, a certain egoboo. You find yourself invited here and there by people who have never been any farther out of new York than Hackensack, or maybe no farther out of Chicago than Evanston.
Spacemen Lost in Startling Stories Fall 47/1
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1956
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Robert Bloch
bibliography
This is often done for purposes of egoboo (ego-boosting activity).
Some of Best Fans are Friends in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Sept. 56/1
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1992 SFRA Review July–Aug.–Sept. 34
I am not convinced that the membership of the SFRA should be subsidizing egoboo, and I doubt that any would-be assistant professor will really be helped by this type of publication.
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1999
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Paul J. McAuley
bibliography
It’s great for egoboo, but nice to meet your readers, too.
Alien TV in Interzone (#142) Apr. 27/1
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2013
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Wen Spencer
bibliography
Had she ever read any blog comments that even suggested homicidal tendencies? Any off-the-wall remarks on her twitter feed? Nothing came to mind. ‘No. I don’t know who is reading my blog here in Osaka. I honestly wasn’t aware of the number of hits. I used to compulsively check my stats before my first novel sold; it was a way to stroke my ego. I stopped needing that kind of egoboo when I got my first check.’
Eight Million Gods iv. 33
Research requirements
antedating 1944
Earliest cite
Forrest J. Ackerman
Research History
Bill Mullins submitted a 1950 cite from "Chaos" by Lee Hoffman.Fred Galvin submitted cites from letters by Rick Sneary to Thrilling Wonder Stories: one from 1948 cite for "ego-boo", and one from 1947 for "ego boo" as a verb.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1956 cite from an article by Robert Bloch, "Some of my Best Fans Are Friends".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1954 cite from George O. Smith's "Spacemen Lost".
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 1946 cite from F. T. Laney.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 2013 cite from Wen Spencer.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 1944 cite from Forrest J. Ackerman, in Shangri-L’Affaires.
We would be interested in any examples of "egoboo" as a verb.
Last modified 2023-05-25 16:34:50
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entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
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