Short Stories & Novellas

The Face in His Belly

Part 1: Perihelion #6

Release Date: January/February 1969
Copyright: Copyright © 1968 by Sam Bellotto Jr.
Publisher: Sam Bellotto Jr.
Page Count: 38
Issue: Jan : Feb ‘69 – NR. 6
Appears on page(s): 5-15
Cover Price: 50¢

Part 2: Perihelion #7

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Release Date: Summer 1969
Copyright: Copyright © 1969 by Sam Bellotto Jr.
Publisher: Sam Bellotto Jr.
Issue: Summer ‘69 – NR. 7
Appears on page(s): 28-32
Cover Price: 50¢

Notes

The following appears on page 122 of Dean Koontz: A Writer’s Biography:
“Dean published seven short stories that year, including two that formed his third novel. In Perihelion, The Face in His Belly” was published in two parts. Like many of Dean’s tales its hero is a mutated man who, because of his deformity, is an outsider. His name is Link Forrester and his task is to infiltrate a cult of Muties and kill God. This time, God is not responsible for the mutations but is kin to those who bear them. His own face is on his torso. When Link ultimately confronts God, he plays out his part in a prophecy, showing Dean’s early penchant for the quirks of destiny.”

This story is also listed in the short story bibliography on page 473.

A review of Perihelion #6 appears on pages 133-4 of the September 1969 issue of Amazing. The review does not mention this story.

Perihelion relaunched in 2012 and can be found online @ http://www.perihelionsf.com.

Regarding Fanzines: (From DeanKoontz.com)
“In the earliest couple of years of his career, Dean wrote a few letters and articles for science-fiction fanzines. He was not prolific in this area because he was too busy writing fiction to pay the bills and to learn his craft. Therefore, in 1991, Dean was shocked to learn that a person he had previously worked with professionally had, beginning in 1969 and continuing at least through the early 1970s, been writing letters in Dean’s name to individuals and had submitted letters, and even some articles, in Dean’s name to fanzines. The name “X” will do until the full story can be told in Dean’s memoirs. All of this information was first disclosed to Dean in 1991 when X provided a written admission of these activities, although he could not remember everyone to whom these forged letters and articles had been sent. Consequently, any fanzine appearances by Dean after 1968 are highly suspect unless they were submitted with a cover letter on his own letterhead of that time.”

Last updated on May 21st, 2018