Editing Judy-Lynn del Rey

{{short description|Science fiction editor (1943–1986)}}
[[File:Judy Lynn and Lester Del Rey at Minicon 8 (1974).jpg|right|thumb|Judy-Lynn and Lester Del Rey at Minicon 8 in 1974]]
'''Judy-Lynn del Rey''' née '''Benjamin''' (January 26, 1943&nbsp;– February 20, 1986) was a [[science fiction]] [[editing|editor]].<ref name="clute">{{cite book | last = Clute | first = John | author-link = John Clute | author2 = Peter Nicholls | title = Encyclopedia of Science Fiction | publisher = [[St. Martin's Press]] | year = 1993 | location = New York, NY | pages = [https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofsc00ies1/page/319 319] | isbn = 0-312-09618-6 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofsc00ies1/page/319 }}</ref>

She was a fan and regular attendee at [[science fiction convention]]s and worked her way up the [[publishing]] ladder, starting with work at the science fiction magazine ''[[Galaxy science fiction|Galaxy]]''.<ref name="clute" /> She was Managing Editor of ''Galaxy'' magazine from July 1969 until July 1971, whilst also working on ''[[If (magazine)|If]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ashley |first1=Mike |title=Gateways to Forever: The Story of the Science-fiction Magazines from 1970 to 1980 |date=2007 |publisher=Liverpool University Press |isbn=9781846310034 |page=[https://archive.org/details/gatewaystoforeve0000ashl/page/448 448] |url=https://archive.org/details/gatewaystoforeve0000ashl/page/448 }}</ref>

Judy-Lynn was a friend of [[Lester del Rey]], marrying him on March 21, 1971, after the death of his third wife.<ref>{{cite book | last = del Rey | first = Lester | author-link = Lester del Rey |author2=Frederik Pohl |author2-link=Frederik Pohl | title = War and Space | publisher = NESFA Press | year = 2009 | location = Framingham, MA | pages = 12–13 | isbn = 978-1-886778-76-4}}</ref> After moving to [[Ballantine Books]], she revitalized the publisher's once-prominent science fiction line, and soon after brought in Lester to edit Ballantine's fantasy line. With their success, she was given her own [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]], called [[Del Rey Books]]. She also edited an original science fiction anthology series, ''Stellar'', one of which, ''Stellar'' #2, won the [[Locus Award]] for "Best Anthology" in 1976.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burgess |first1=Mary |last2=Menville |first2=Douglas |last3=Reginald |first3=R. |title=Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature Vol 1 |date=2010 |publisher=Wildside Press LLC |isbn=978-0941028752 |pages=773}}</ref> As an editor, she was known for her rapport with authors. [[Philip K. Dick]] called her a "master craftsman" and "the best editor I've ever worked with", and [[Isaac Asimov]] described her as "incredibly intelligent, quick-witted, hard-driving" and "generally recognised (especially by me) as one of the top editors in the business".<ref>{{cite book | last = Asimov | first = Isaac | author-link = Isaac Asimov | title = [[The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories]] | publisher = [[Victor Gollancz]] | location = London | year = 2000 | orig-year = First published 1976 by Doubleday | page = 4 | isbn = 1-85798-932-5}}</ref> She was also instrumental in obtaining the rights to publish novels based on [[George Lucas]]'s then-unreleased movie ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'', which would earn Ballantine/Del Rey several million dollars.

Del Rey was born with [[dwarfism]].

She suffered a [[brain hemorrhage]] in October 1985 and died several months later.<ref>White, Michael ''Asimov: The Unauthorized Life'' p. 224</ref>  In 1986, she was posthumously awarded the [[Hugo Award]] for [[Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor|Best Professional Editor]], but Lester del Rey declined the award in her name, saying that she would have objected to the award being given to her just because she had recently died.

On October 1, 2024, PBS premiered a documentary about her, ''Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal'',<ref name="Wilson 2024">{{cite web |last=Wise |first=Dennis Wilson |title=The woman who revolutionized the fantasy genre is finally getting her due |website=The Conversation |date=2024-10-15 |url=https://theconversation.com/the-woman-who-revolutionized-the-fantasy-genre-is-finally-getting-her-due-240198 |access-date=2024-10-15}}</ref> which also aired as an episode of the 2021 television series ''Renegades''. 

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{isfdb name}}
* {{LCAuth|n80160385|Judy-Lynn del Rey|7|}}
* {{youtube |id=bO9oSyR-5UM |title=How Judy-Lynn del Rey shaped science fiction as we know it today {{!}} Short Documentary {{!}} RENEGADES}}
* {{IMDb name|17341369}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Del Rey, Judy-Lynn}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:Science fiction editors]]
[[Category:American speculative fiction editors]]
[[Category:People with dwarfism]]
[[Category:American writers with disabilities]]
[[Category:American book editors]]
[[Category:Women print editors]]
[[Category:20th-century American women writers]]
[[Category:Speculative fiction editors]]
[[Category:American women editors]]
[[Category:20th-century American writers]]