author
Vernon L. McCain
A mid-century science fiction writer and active fan, he is best remembered today for "The Hitch Hikers," a short tale of Martians, survival, and an unexpected visitor made mostly of water.
1 Audiobook
The Hitch Hikers
by Vernon L. McCain
About the author
Vernon L. McCain was an American science fiction writer and fan active in the 1940s and 1950s. Reference sources identify him more fully as Vernon Leroy McCain and describe him as part of Pacific Northwest fandom, where he wrote widely for fanzines and built a reputation as a prolific correspondent.
He is most closely associated with The Hitch Hikers, a science fiction story later preserved by Project Gutenberg. The story was illustrated by Kelly Freas, and its premise has helped keep McCain's name in circulation among readers of classic pulp-era SF.
Although not a widely known mainstream author, he seems to have had a lively presence in fan culture as well as in magazine fiction. That mix of storytelling and fandom gives his work a distinct place in the history of early science fiction communities.