Robert W. Krepps (1919-1980) produced Science Fiction and Fantasy under the more romantic name of “Geoff St. Reynard” for two publishers in particular, Ray A. Palmer‘s Fantastic Adventures and William Hamling’s Imagination. When he appeared in Macleans‘ Magazine in Canada with H. L. Gold for “When the Earthlings Came” (July 23, 1955) he oddly used his real name.
His profile in Imagination (November 1951) says: “I’m so used to “St. Reynard” that I sometimes feel my own name is a nom-de-plume: but under it (Krepps) I’ve had two novels published in this country and in Sweden (latest one, The Courts of the Lion, now available in a 35 cent Bantam reprint)… besides yarns in Colliers’, Argosy, Adventure, and other mags…” Krepps explains why he appeared in Fantastic Adventures then Imagination: “…I sold a couple of pieces to FA, which printed nearly all my fantasy between ’44 and ’51. Naturally, when Bill Hamling left FA to publish Madge, I came with him. ” Madge, of course, is short for Imagination. Hamling had been managing editor at FA from 1947 to 1951. He later went into the dirty magazine and book business and ended up in jail.
Krepps also mentions his first sale was to John W. Campbell‘s Unknown Worlds but the magazine ended before seeing the tale in print. Campbell used “By Yon Bonnie Banks” in Astounding Science Fiction, November 1945. He never sold anything to Campbell again, perhaps because of his tendency towards Science Fantasy and not nuts and bolts hard SF.
So it appears the “St. Reynard” nom-de-plume was especially for Science Fiction and Fantasy beginning in 1945 with “Wink Van Ripple” (Fantastic Adventures, December 1945) and ending with “The Cosmic Bunglers” (Imaginative Tales, January 1956). These two dozen or so stories forms about half of Krepps’ magazine sales. The other half are predominantly Westerns and African adventure tales. He ended his career writing novelizations and Gothic romances under a female pseudonym.
“Wink Van Ripple” (Fantastic Adventures, December 1945)
“Through a Dead Man’s Eyes” (Fantastic Adventures, October 1945)
“By Yon Bonnie Banks” (Astounding Science Fiction, November 1945)
“Androcles and the Buccaneer” (Fantastic Adventures, January 1947)
“Mr. Beller and the Winged Horse” (Fantastic Adventures, October 1947)
“The Warder and the Wampum” (Fantastic Adventures, December 1947)
“Make Yourself a Wish” (Fantastic Adventures, March 1948)
“The Plaid Pterodactyl” (Fantastic Adventures, March 1949)
“A Nickel Saved–” (Fantastic Adventures, March 1949) as Robert W. Krepps
“Blue Bottle Fly” (Fantastic Adventures, April 1949)
“Five Years in the Marmalade” (Fantastic Adventures, July 1949) This story appeared in Bleiler and Ditky’s Best Science Fiction Stories: 1950, his only work to receive critical attention.
“The Usurpers” (Fantastic Adventures, January 1950)
“Elementals of Jedar” (Fantastic Adventures, May 1950)
Mistress of the Djinn (Fantastic Adventures, November 1950)
“The Radiant Menace” (Fantastic Adventures, January 1951)
“The Sword of Ra” (Fantastic Adventures, February 1951)
“Beyond the Fearful Forest” (Fantastic Adventures, April 1951)
“Beware the Usurpers” (Imagination, November 1951)
“Wrestlers Are Revolting!” (Fantastic Adventures, January 1952)
“Tomorrow the World” (Imagination, September 1952)
“Armageddon, 1970” (Imagination, October 1952)
“The Enchanted Crusade” (Imagination, April 1953)
“The Buttoned Sky” (Imagination, August 1953)
“The Enormous Room” (with H. L. Gold) (Amazing Stories, October-November 1953)
“The Giants From Outer Space” (Imagination, May 1954)
“Vengeance From the Past” (Imagination, September 1954)
“Don’t Panic!” (Imagination, November 1954)
“When the Earthlings Came” (Macleans‘, July 23, 1955) with H. L. Gold
“The Cosmic Bunglers” (Imaginative Tales, January 1956)
After 1956, Krepps, like many Pulp writers, moved into the paperback business. The Geoff St. Reynard pseudonym was retired until after his death. In May 1996, “Not an Accident” appeared in Abberations #29 under his real name. Armchair Fiction used some of his longer pieces to create new “Ace Doubles” in this new millennium but no large collections have followed like a Megapack volume. St. Reynard’s Fantasy and Science Fiction remains largely unknown and ready for the eager fan to discover. Enjoy.
