Educated in Belfast at a technical school, Shaw worked as a structural engineer then moved into airplane design. Eventually, he tried his hand at industrial PR and journalism. Bob left Ireland and moved about the world a bit, finally settling down in England in 1973. His Irish wit never failed him even when, in his last decade, luck did...and the death of his first wife brought on a bout with 'Nancy Whiskey' while cancer came to call. Shaw's health was conditional for the rest of his life.

Shaw was one of many writers who rose from the ranks of active fandom, where one learns to fight and write or write and fight. Bob was never able to shake himself free of the hassle and maintained a fannish link to conventions and fanzines throughout his life. The urge to contribute sort of sneaks up on you and Shaw was 36 years old when his first SF novel, Night Walk, was published in 1967. His first short story had appeared in 1954, but it wasn't until "Light of Other Days," sold to Analog in 1966 that Shaw announced himself as the latest arrival on the competitive professional scene.

Once Shaw found his writing form, he managed to average publishing a novel every year (there's the trick) for the rest of his life, along with occasional collections ... possibly the most noted of the latter was Other Days, Other Eyes (1973), four merged tales that used 'slow glass' as a means to view the past.

PEN NAME: BoSh

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Mine here.

BIOGRAPHY (in): The SF Encyclopedia, Peter Nicholls

OBITUARY: Various.

Send relevant email to George C. Willick