John Hertz (fan)

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John Hertz is a long-time Los Angeles, California attorney and science fiction fan.

Winner of the Big Heart Award at the 61st World Science Fiction Convention (Toronto, 2003) ^[1], he is active in the fanzine community, publishing the fanzine Vanamonde. Two anthologies of his fanwriting have been published, West of the Moon (2002) and Dancing and Joking (2005). He received a nomination in 2006 for the Hugo Award for Best Fanwriter. He received another nomination in the category the following year.

The fanzine Argentus (2004) contains an interview with Larry Niven's fictional character, Hanville Svetz, co-authored by Hertz and Niven.^[2]

At conventions, Hertz can be found moderating panels, leading Art Show tours, or judging the costume competition called the Masquerade. He can be easily spotted at conventions sporting a colorful propeller beanie.

He is also renowned for his stewardship of Regency dance. Hertz has perpetuated the Regency dance mania at science fiction conventions in the United States since the 1980s, with the practice continuing to the present day. Hertz currently instructs dance workshops and choreographs balls across the nation, and in addition he has written a booklet on Regency era dancing, included in the West of the Moon anthology.