The memoir I have been working on for over two years will be released later this summer. It tells the story of my ten year friendship with Science Fiction author, Philip K. Dick. His work has been used in Hollywood for decades: Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, and more recently The Man in the High Castle on Amazon, as well as many others. He has quite the reputation personally, which causes some amusement and head-shaking from his friends, particularly Tim Powers, James P. Blaylock, Merry Lou Staylor and me. We know the truth. And I’m finally going to share a far different view of our friend from the crazy, drug-addicted visionary others have portrayed.
I’m very grateful to Tim and Jim for their support and willingness to contribute to this book. Tim does the Foreword and there is also a note from Jim about my book and Phil.
Pre-order information will be coming in the near future.
The Other Side of Philip K. Dick
“As a literary figure, Philip K. Dick is popularly perceived as a crazed, drug-addled mystic with a sinister Third Eye. Nothing could be further from the truth – the Phil I knew was a warm, humane, very funny man. Maer Wilson understands these truths far better than I, and The Other Side of Philip K. Dick casts a welcome shaft of daylight upon the real PKD, as opposed to the dark, distorted caricature Dick has become.” Paul M. Sammon, Author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner
What is the truth behind the legend of Science Fiction great, Philip K. Dick?
In spring, 1972, Phil Dick moved to Fullerton, CA, where he met Theatre student Mary (Maer) Wilson. Amid marriage proposals, marathon talk-fests and a love for music and films, they forged a strong friendship that would last the rest of his life.
Wilson’s quirky, yet unflinchingly honest, memoir reveals a funny, compassionate and generous man. She captures an inside view of one of our literary greats – a brilliant writer who gave the world some of its most revered Science Fiction.
“I found this book engrossing and authentic — a truthful and serious account of the last part of Phil Dick’s life by someone who was a fundamental part of it and who has the skill to write about it. There is evident love and friendship in this book, but also honesty. This was the Phil Dick I knew.” James P. Blaylock, World Fantasy Award-Winning Author
Excerpt
From the Introduction
“But first let’s set the scene.
It’s April, 1972 in Fullerton, California around 7:00 PM. The sun has set and the night is cool, balanced between full spring and hints of summer. Can you feel the slight breeze?
The street is Quartz Lane. Some of the many apartment buildings in the area line the short road. We’re going to go to the first complex on the right, just past the church. There’s a small courtyard and the residents all have their curtains drawn. Most are translucent and clearly show the light from the apartments. But there. That first apartment on our right? The one upstairs. Yes, that one with the light shining through a gap in the curtains.
And the one across from it. The light isn’t as bright, but we need to note that one, too.
We can almost hear the giggles of two girls as we make our way up the stairs and fade through their door. Shhh… We’ll be as quiet as the ghosts from the future that we are.
The scene is set. The actors and orchestra are in their places as the curtain rises.
The stage lights come up.
The conductor taps his baton on the music stand.
The music begins.
Chapter 1 – At First
It happened back when I was still immortal.”
Early Reviews
“I found this book engrossing and authentic – a truthful and serious account of the last part of Phil Dick’s life by someone who was a fundamental part of it and who has the skill to write about it. There is evident love and friendship in this book, but also honesty. This was the Phil Dick I knew.” James P. Blaylock, World Fantasy Award-winning Author
“As a literary figure, Philip K. Dick is popularly perceived as a crazed, drug-addled mystic with a sinister Third Eye. Nothing could be further from the truth – the Phil I knew was a warm, humane, very funny man. Maer Wilson understands these truths far better than I, and The Other Side of Philip K. Dick casts a welcome shaft of daylight upon the real PKD, as opposed to the dark, distorted caricature Dick has become.” Paul M. Sammon, Author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner
“The strongest piece of writing I’ve read in years. Wilson’s pacing is perfection. The Other Side of Philip K. Dick is filled with laughter and the kind of love only true friends can share. Even if, for some reason, you’ve never heard of Philip K. Dick, you will fall in love with him and Wilson. The ending had me crying, like “end of the Notebook” crying. Utter perfection.” M. Joseph Murphy, Author of the Activation series
“There are many tales of epic friendships, but there is one huge difference here: The Other Side of Philip K. Dick is real. Wilson’s prose gives us an inside view into two minds, a genius and a young girl. Through her eyes I am left with one thought — this is a man I wish I had known.” –Danielle DeVor, author of the Marker Chronicles.
“Frank and revealing. One part faithful memoir, one part a wonderful evocation of Phil’s final 10 years. Writing with crisp clarity, Maer’s humorous anecdotes wonderfully evoke both the times and the man. Her conversational prose sparkles with truth and winning story-telling. Best of all, this warm tribute replaces the oft-told myths about Phil with unique insights into his caring, compassionate and generous nature.” Daniel Gilbertson, Friend of PKD
“As a fan of Dick’s fiction, I was engrossed by these amusing, insightful, and poignant reminiscences of the last ten years of his life. Wilson evokes a human portrait of a warm, funny, unassuming man who was a good friend to a young student. This memoir is well-written and heart-felt. It illustrates not only the private world of a great writer but what it was like to be young in the seventies in California.” Carol Holland March, Author of The Dreamwalkers of Larreta
The Other Side of Philip K. Dick will be available at your favorite retailer Summer, 2016
I own seven of his classic tales. Dr. Bloodmoney, The Zap Gun, Galactic Pot Healer (my favorite), Dr. Futurity, The World Jones Made, The Crack in Space and last but certainly not least The Preserving Machine.
You’ve noticed that these are all from the late 50’s into the 60’s. I would buy them so I could get away from my own life and into ones of adventure and a future that had to be better then the one I was headed for.
Yeah, his classics were fun weren’t they? Thanks for sharing. I bet he’d be thrilled to know he had helped you in some way.
Very nice. I’m sure it will do well
Thanks. 🙂
Sounds great! I can’t wait!
Thanks!
So you saw him or knew him differently in the last 10 years as this kind, gentle man . But what I dont understand is how can so many others think he was the crazed drugged stereotypical crazy genius?
Thanks for stopping by and for asking such a great question. That’s the whole reason I wrote this book, Lewis. Most of those “others” never met Phil and they are going by things they heard second- or even third-hand. Also there are those who may have had their own agendas or perhaps knew Phil prior to his move to SoCal. He was quite a different person before that move from what I understand. Those who actually knew him in SoCal and are reliable sources – Tim Powers, Jim Blaylock, Paul Sammon, Daniel Gilbertson – have all been rather surprised that this mythology has grown up about Phil. Powers, Blaylock and Sammon have tried to dispel it for years. None of us are saying Phil was your average person. He was eccentric and brilliant. But he was also not like he has been portrayed and there was much more to him that has been lost or obscured. We have been baffled that this crazy persona has been the one that endures and figure it’s time someone told the truth. Hope that helps.