Archive for August, 2013

Shoegazer Sunday: The Great Wilderness’ “Dark Horse”

Sunday, August 25th, 2013

The Great Wilderness is an all-girl post-punk band from Costa Rica, and “Dark House” has a nice gaze sound to the guitars.

Lame Excuse Books July Catalog

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

Time once again for Lawrence Just Plops the Latest Book Catalog on the Blog. I should be taking all these books (and many more besides) to Worldcon.


Greetings, and welcome to Lawrence Person’s Lame Excuse for a Book Catalog!

Before the catalog itself, some big news: I will be dealing books at this year’s Worldcon in San Antonio. I’ll have three tables there and as much of my stock as I think will fit. Come on by! (Also, if you have some tasty SF/F/H first editions you want to part with, let me know.)

Back to the catalog! Once again there’s lots of great stuff, including new books from Joe R. Lansdale, Philip K. Dick, Tim Powers, Avram Davidson and Jack Vance, Nebula and World Fantasy Award winners, some early Iain Banks (one signed), the collecting bible of the field (L. W. Currey’s guide to first editions), a big, thick guide to SF speciality publishers of the golden age, and numerous small press books from Golden Gryphon, Subterranean, PS Publishing, Centipede Press, and Fedogan & Breamer (yeah, they’re back) among others. Only a few sale books this time around, since I’m hoping to sell a boatload at Worldcon. Most in-print hardbacks start at $3 off cover price, and as usual I only have one or two copies for most titles, so you might want to act quickly.

The URL for the main Lame Excuse Books webpage is:

https://www.lawrenceperson.com/lame.html

My blog, where I do a lot of book geeking (including new additions to my own collection; I just bought a bunch of rare Zelazny) is:

https://www.lawrenceperson.com

I’m still doing a Lame Excuse Books Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/LameExcuseBooks

Payment, Contact & Shipping Information

E-mail me at lawrenceperson@gmail.com. I can hold books ten days on e-mail or phone requests (please leave a message on my voice mail for the latter: (512) 569-9036). U.S. shipping is $5.00 for the first book, and $1.00 a book thereafter. Foreign shipping is at cost (please inquire; for most locations, Global Priority starts at $23.95 now; yes, it’s gone up again). Books may be returned in the same condition sent for any reason within 10 days of purchase for a full refund. Please make checks payable to Lawrence Person. I can also take PayPal payment to this e-mail address at http://www.paypal.com, and I can take MC and Visa directly through my merchant account.

Please mail checks to:

Lawrence Person
Lame Excuse Books
P.O. Box 27231
Austin, Texas 78755

Finally, if you want me to take you off this mailing list, please let me know. I hate spam just as much as the next person.

Now the books!

Hardbacks

LP2063. Baker, Kage. Black Projects, White Knights. Golden Gryphon, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread.Short stories about The Company $15.

LP2064. Banks, Iain M. Against a Dark Background. Orbit, 1993. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight haze rubbing (which means the glossy black areas seem to have a bit of haze on them if you move them back and forth under a strong light), otherwise new and unread. Banks first “pure” non-Culture SF novel. Banks was a phenomenally talented writer who died way too young. $150.

LP2065. Banks, Iain M. Consider Phlebas. Macmillan, 1987. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at edge of head and heel, in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket. Read once, by me. The first Culture novel, and Banks’ first “pure” SF novel. Recommended. I’m not seeing a single unsigned first of the Macmillan Consider Phlebas anywhere online. $400.

LP2066. Banks, Iain M. Excession. Orbit, 1996. First edition hardback, a Fine copy (though with the characteristic slight page darkening of Orbit books of this era) in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Banks: “To Narayan/—best wishes/Iain M. Banks”. Recommended. A Culture novel. For some reason I can’t find a single signed Excession on Bookfinder. $200.

LP2068. Bradbury, Ray. Nemo! Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Previously unpublished Ray Bradbury screenplay set in Winsor McCay’s Little Nemo in Slumberland comic strip. Now sold out from the publisher, but I still have it at cover price. $35.

LP2070. Dahlquist, Gordon. The Dark Volume. Bantam, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Sequel to The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters. Only have one. $19.

LP2071. Dann, Jack. The Fiction Factory. A Thousand Deaths. Golden Gryphon, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Collection of all Jack’s collaborative stories, including those with Gardner Dozois, Michael Swanwick, Barry Malzberg, etc. haven’t read all of them, but recommended based on the ones I have, especially “Down Among the Dead Men.” $15.

LP2072. Dick, Philip K. The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 3: On the Dull Earth. Subterranean, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. I don’t really need to provide a blurb here, do I? $37.

LP2073. Di Filippo, Paul. Strange Trades. Golden Gryphon, 2001. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection about various jobs. Introduction by Bruce Sterling. Recommended, especially for “The Mill.” $15.

LP1114B. Effinger, George Alec (Neil Gaiman, Howard Waldrop, Neal Barrett, Jr., Gardner Dozois, Bradley Denton, Michael Bishop, Mike Resnick, Barbara Hambly, Lawrence Person, Jack Dann, Pamela Sargent, George Zebrowski, Lawrence Person, Richard Gilliam).Live! From Planet Earth. Golden Gryphon, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. Posthumous collection of some of George’s best non-series stories, including “The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything,” “Two Sadnesses,” “All the Last Wars at Once,” and “Seven Nights in Slumberland.” Includes introductions by Neil Gaiman, Howard Waldrop, Neal Barrett, Jr., Gardner Dozois, Bradley Denton, Michael Bishop, Mike Resnick, Barbara Hambly, Lawrence Person, Jack Dann, Pamela Sargent, George Zebrowski, Lawrence Person, and Richard Gilliam. Signed by me (I did the introduction to “My Old Man”) at your request. You need one. $15.

LP1950. Effinger, George Alec. A Thousand Deaths. Golden Gryphon, 2000. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Includes all of George’s stories featuring his often-killed protagonist Sandor Courane, including the novel The Wolves of Memory, which George considered the best of his own work before When Gravity Fails. $15.

LP2074. Landis, George. Impact Parameter. Golden Gryphon, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection. $15.

LP904B. Lansdale, Joe R. Bumper Crop. Golden Gryphon, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. The second Golden Gryphon best of Lansdale collection, companion to the earlier High cotton (see below). Recommended. You can pay $15 for it now, or $20 after I get it signed at Worldcon (if there are any left).

LP2075. Lansdale, Joe R. Dead Aim. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Latest Hap and Leonard novella. This trade edition is already sold out from the publisher, but I’ve still got it at cover price. $25.

LP2077. Lansdale, Joe R. Devil Red. Knopf, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. The latest Hap and Leonard novel, and compulsively readable. The boys go up against another contract killer, and Vanilla Ride makes another appearance. $15.

LP1962B. Lansdale, Joe R. High Cotton. Golden Gryphon, 2000. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Best of Lansdale collection. Highly recommended. Same deal here: You can pay $15 for it now, or $20 after I get it signed at Worldcon (if there are any left).

LP2078. Lansdale, Joe R., with John Farris and Stephen Gallagher (with introduction by Robert R. McCammon). Night Visions 8. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Anthology series of original horror stories. The Lansdale story, “Incidents On and Off a Mountain Road,” was the basis of an episode in the Masters of Horror TV show. $20.

LP2079. (Lovecraft, H. P.) Price, Robert M., editor. Worlds of Cthulhu. Fedogan & Breamer, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Cthulhu Mythos anthology. Good to see Fedogan & Breamer wake from their deathless slumbers. $26.

LP2080. Lupoff, Richard A. Claremont Tales. Golden Gryphon, 2001. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. $15.

LP2081. McDevitt, Jack D. Seeker. Ace, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Nebula Award winner for best novel. $25.

LP2082. Powers, Tim. Salvage and Demolition. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, one of 350 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Powers latest novella, about a rare book dealer. Now sold out from the publisher, but I’m offering it at cover price. $60.

LP2083. Powers, Tim. Salvage and Demolition. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. This trade edition is also sold out from the publisher, and also offered at cover price. $30.

LP1970. Resnick, Mike. Blasphemy. Golden Gryphon, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. All of Resnick’s stories dealing with religion in one place. $15.

LP1698. Resnick, Mike. Dreamwish Beasts and Snarks. Golden Gryphon, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection. $15.

LP2084. Rusch, Kristine Kathryn. Recovering Apollo 8. Golden Gryphon, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. $15.

LP2085. Rusch, Kristine Kathryn. Stories for an Enchanted Evening. Golden Gryphon, 2001. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. $15.

LP1353. Russell, Eric Frank (edited by John Pelan & Phil Stephenson-Payne). Darker Tides: The Weird Tales of Eric Frank Russell. Midnight House, 2006. First edition hardback, one of only 500 copies. Fine in a Fine dj, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. $35.

LP2086. Swanwick, Michael. Vacuum Flowers. Arbor House, 1987. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with a bit of dust staining and age darkening to white rear cover and a bit of haze rubbing. His second novel, a well-regarded cyberpunk work. $9.

LP2087. Tidhar, Lavie. Osama. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, #36 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, as issued. Alternate History novel and winner of the 2011 World Fantasy Award. Only have one. $70.

LP2088. Tidhar, Lavie. Osama. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Trade edition. Only have one. $35.

LP2089. Vance, Jack. Magic Highways. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Third in Subterranean’s series reprinting the early Jack Vance, gathering sixteen early science fiction stories from 1946 to 1956. $42.

LP2090. VanderMeer, Jeff. Secret Life. Golden Gryphon, 2004. Golden Gryphon, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection. $15.

LP801B. Waldrop, Howard (with Bruce Sterling, George R. R. Martin, Leigh Kennedy, Steven Utley, Buddy (Jake) Saunders, and A. A. (Al) Jackson, IV. Custer’s Last Jump and Other Collaborations. Golden Gryphon, 2003. First edition hardback, Fine in a Fine dj. New and unread. Signed by Waldrop, Jackson, Sterling and Utley. In addition to the swell title story, there’s an 11th century Japanese detective story written with Bruce Sterling (“The Latter Days of the Law”) original to this volume, “Black as the Pit From Pole to Pole” (Frankenstein’s Monster in the Hollow Earth, with Utley), and tons more neat stuff. Highly Recommended. You need it. $15 now, $20 after I get Howard to sign it at Worldcon, assuming it doesn’t sell out there.

LP2091. Wellman, Manly Wade. The Complete John Thundstone. Haffner Press, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. All Wellman’s stories featuring his brainy/brawny psychic detective in one place. Gotta a love a scholar who has a swordcane to fight supernatural evil. Fun stuff. If you don’t already have Carcosa House’s long-out-of-print Lonely Vigils and the two Doubleday novels, What Dreams May Come and The School of Darkness, then you need this. Hell, you might need it anyway. Recommended. $42.

LP2100. Zebrowski, George. Empties. Golden Gryphon, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Horror novel. Howard says it’s a good one. $15.

LP2101. Zebrowski, George. Swift Thoughts. Golden Gryphon, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection, something of a a Best of from this hard SF writer. Introduction by Gregory Benford. $15.

LP2093. Zelazny, Roger. Bridge of Ashes. Gregg Press, 1979. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Near Fine- dust jacket with one tiny (1/32″) chip and several small (1/16″) closed tears along bottom front, and wear at points. One of Zelazny’s less common hardbacks. Levack 2e. $49.

Trade Paperbacks

LP2094. Anderson, Kevin David and Sam Stall. Night of the Living Trekkies. Quirk Books, 2010. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with black remainder mark to top edge, otherwise Fine. Zombies at a Star Trek convention. A little divertimenti to read between chapter’s of Finnigans Wake. $5.

LP2095. Davidson, Avram. The Wailing of the Gaulish Dead. The Nutmeg Point District Mail, 2013. Perfect-bound chapbook first edition, one of 200 copies in heavy cardstock with self-wrapper flaps and errata sheet pasted inside, a Fine copy. $22.

LP2096. Kemp, Earl Terry. The Anthem Series: A Guide to the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Weird Specialty Publisher’s of the Golden Age. The Last Stand, 2012. First edition trade paperback original (TPO), oversized, a Fine copy. Covers SF/F/H small press publishers from the beginning up into the early 1960s, including complete descriptions of all the contents, including plot synopsis for ever individual story! Scattershot and oddly organized, but contains lots of works that aren’t in Chalker/Ownings, as well as listing a lot of ephemera, and pictures of first edition covers compared to later covers. If you collect SF books of this period, you need it. $72.

LP2097. (Lansdale, Joe R.) Michael Blaine, Dennis Etchison, James Kisner, Dean R. Koontz, Joe R. Lansdale, Richard Christian Matheson, Robert R. McCammon, William F. Nolan, Alan Rodgers, David B. Silva, J. N. Williamson and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. The Monitors of Providence. World Fantasy Convention, 1986. First edition chapbook original, one of 1000 copies given out at the 1986 World fantasy Convention in Providence, RI, a Fine- copy with a tiny bend to one corner. These aren’t as easy to find as they used to be… $35.

LP2098. Mieville, China. London’s Overthrow. The Westbourne Press, 2012. First edition trade paperback original (I code on copyright page), a format every-so-slightly bigger than a mass market paperback, a Fine copy, new and unread. Appears to be a political rant with color pictures of run-down London, just shy of a hundred pages. Only have one. $25.

LP2099. Robinson, Kim Stanley. The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson. Night Shade Books, 2011. First trade paperback edition, reprinting the hardback of the year before. $10.

LP2113. Shaver, Richard S. The Shaver Mystery Volumes I-IV. Armchair Fiction, 2011-2013. First edition trade paperback editions, all Fine, new and unread. Collects stories and ancillary material from the “Shaver Mystery,” Shaver’s weird, strangely compelling conspiracy theory/alternate reality in which a hateful race of “deros” (“detrimental robots”) lived inside he earth, beaming mind-control rays at surface dwellers (and occasionally kidnapping them for torture, food, or sport). Shaver’s elaborate, unhinged vision brought a vast legion of cranks out of the shadows and onto the subscriber ranks of Amazing, whose editor Ray Palmer started publishing Shaver’s stories in 1947, which was to have a considerable impact on SF fandom. I doubt much of this has seen print since it’s original appearance in Amazing, or in Palmer’s subsequent The Hidden World. If you’re a connoisseur of crank literature, Shaver is up there with the whackiest. Collective list price of $52, but yours for $45.

LP2102. Zelazny, Roger. (and Thomas T. Thomas). The Mask of Loki. Baen, 1990. Uncorrected page proofs, trade paperback format, of the paperback first edition, a Fine copy, new and unread. Don’t see another copy online. Previously part of Bob Pylant’s vast collection of Zelazny first editions. $49.

Mass Market Paperbacks

LP2103. Broderick, Damien. The Dreaming Dragons. Pocket Books, 1980. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy, with wear at tips, otherwise tight and square. Interesting novel about an investigation that leads to a dramatic revelation about human consciousness. Pringle, SF100 list. $7.

LP2104. Carriger, Gail. Blameless. Orbit, 2010. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Third book in the very clever Parasol Protectorate steampunk series that started with Soulless. $10.

LP2105. Crichton, Michael. Westworld. Bantam, 1974. Presumed first edition paperback original (no additional printings listed), an Ex-Library copy with stamps and checkout sheet inside front cover, blurb page clipped, stamp on title page, bottom 1″ of front cover starting to detach, and general wear; call it Good+, but it is structurally sound. The novelization of his own script for the “robots go crazy” thriller he directed. $10.

LP2106. Eckert, Allan W. The Hab Theory. Popular Library, 1977. Apparent first paperback edition, preceded by the hardback, a VG copy with spine creases and lean. Well-regarded 700 page disaster novel. $10.

LP2107. Herbert, Frank. The Worlds of Frank Herbert. Ace, 1971. First edition paperback original thus (adding one story not in the UK PBO) with no statement of printing on copyright page and 75¢ on the cover, as per Currey, a VG+ copy with stamp at heel, wear along extremities and at tips, and a pinhead sized indention/scrape to front cover. Short story collection. $5.

LP2108. McDonald, Ian. Empire Dreams. Bantam Spectra, 1988. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with edgewear at head, otherwise tight and square. His first short story collection, including the short version of “King of Morning, Queen of Day” and “Unfinished Portrait of the King of Pain, by van Vogh.” Recommended. $7.

LP2109. Moon, Elizabeth. Lunar Activity. Baen, 1990. First edition paperback original, a VG+ copy with spine creasing and lean, crease along top front cover, and general wear. Short story collection. $5.

LP2110. Moon, Elizabeth. Phases. Baen, 1997. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with one page (9/10) formerly dog-eared, otherwise apparently new and unread. Inscribed by Moon: “For Lauren/Best wishes/Elizabeth Moon.” Short story collection. $10.

LP2111. Nolan, William F. Logan’s World. Bantam, 1977. First edition paperback original (no additional printings listed), a Near Fine copy with phantom creasing to front cover, and a few touches of general wear, but tight and square. Sequel to Logan’s Run. $10.

LP2112. van Vogt, A. E. Masters of Time. Manor Books, 1975. Paperback reprint, Near Fine. $3.

LP2113. Waldrop, Howard, and Jake Saunders. The Texas-Israeli War: 1999. Ballantine Books, 1974. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with a bit of bunching near spine and a small crease along outer front cover edge, otherwise a solid square copy. $10.

Shoegazer Sunday: 93MillionMilesFromTheSun’s “Waiting There”

Sunday, August 18th, 2013

Here’s UK nugaze band 93MillionMilesFromTheSun (yes, they jam the letters all up together like that; probably works well for Twitter) with “Waiting There.”

An Overview of Gene Wolfe’s Time at Plant Engineering Magazine

Saturday, August 17th, 2013

Nigel Price alerted me to his short but interesting piece on Gene Wolfe’s time at Plant Engineerring magazine, where he got to write on a number of interesting engineering subjects, including robotics. (And there are a number of other pieces up at Ultan’s Library (which boasts an A-List cast of Gene Wolfe scholars) worthy of your attention. ) It, in turn, quotes the Nova Express interview I did with Gene at the 1998 Baltimore Worldcon (which I think is worth your attention if you haven’t read it already).

Alas, Gene won’t be able to make the San Antonio Worldcon, since the folks at DragonCon have evidently paid his way there instead….

Oversized Arachnid Cinema

Tuesday, August 13th, 2013

Looks like I’ve been falling down on my Giant Spider reporting duties. A retro black-and-white giant spider film has been released called, oddly enough, The Giant Spider.

There’s an IMDB listing for it as well.

UT’s Ransom Center Gets Glenn Lord’s Robert E. Howard Manuscripts

Monday, August 12th, 2013

Robert E. Howard fans (I’m looking at you Mark Finn) will be interested to know that the estate of late REH-scholar Glenn Lord has donated “more than 15,000 pages of manuscripts, sketches and ephemera” to the University of Texas Harry Ransom Center.

Knowing what Howard manuscripts go for on the open market, that’s probably a 7-figure bequest. I’m sure REH scholars will be pouring over that treasure trove for years to come.

Library Additions: Various Interesting Books Bought on Sale

Monday, August 12th, 2013

Unlike the Zelazny or Bradbury book acquisition posts, the only common theme among these books is who I bought them from and why. The who, in this case, is Cold Tonnage Books in the UK. The why is that they had a 40% off sale if you bought more than £500 worth of books. I saw this as a chance to pick up several important first editions cheaper than I would have been able to otherwise. So this is a mixture of first rate titles in areas I collect, valuable firsts too cheap to pass up, signed, pristine copies of some relatively cheap books, and a few odds and ends.

  • Aldiss, Brian. Moreau’s Other island. Jonathan Cape, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Aldiss on the front free endpaper.
  • Aldiss, Brian. This World and Nearer Ones: Essays Exploring the Familiar. Weidenfield and Nicolson, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • (Aldiss, Brian) Aldiss, Margaret. Item Eighty-Three: Brian W. Aldiss: A Bibliography: 1954—1972. SF Horizons, (1973). Chapbook, Fine. Non-fiction.
  • Asimov, Isaac. Nine Tomorrows. Doubleday, 1959. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with moderate wear at heel and slight wear along folds. A very nice copy of this important Asimov short story collection. Currey, page 19. Replaces an Ex-Lib copy in my library.

  • Brackett, Leigh. The Sword of Rhiannon. Boardman, 1955. First hardback edition (“First published in Great Britain, 1955″, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel and foxing to interior gutters, in a Very Good dust jacket with 1/4” of wear rubbing/chipping (dust jacket is present, but image has been worn away) at head, a similar, smaller amount of wear at heel, a shallow chip with associated wear at top rear, and crease along front cover spine join running the entire length of the jacket, and wear along extremities; despite all that, the rest of the jacket is quite bright and attractive. Currey, page 53. Cawthorn & Moorocock, Fantasy: The Hundred Best Books 75. A fairly uncommon book these days.

  • Ellison, Harlan. All the Lies That Are My Life. Underwood/Miller, 1980. First edition hardback, one of 400 unsigned trade hardcover copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Chalker/Owings, page 432.
  • Ellison, Harlan. Harlan Ellison is Watching. Underwood/Miller, 1989. First edition hardback, #46 of 600 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase. Chalker/Owings, page 440.
  • Ellison, Harlan. Stalking the Nightmare. Phantasia Press, 1982. First edition hardback, #240 of 700 signed hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase. Supplements a copy of the trade edition. Chalker/Owings, page 340.
  • (Leiber, Fritz) Morgan, Chris. Fritz Leiber: a bibliography, 1934—1979. Morgenstern, 1979. Chapbook original, one of 1000 copies, a Near Fine+ copy with spots of age darkening to cover.
  • Moorcock, Michael. Sailor on the Seas of Fate. Quartet Books, 1976. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a chip out of the corner of the front free endpaper, in a Fine dust jacket. Currey, page 372.
  • Roberts, Adam (as A. R. R. R. Roberts). The Soddit, or Let’s Cash In Again. Gollancz, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Roberts. Parody of The Hobbit.
  • (Simak, Clifford D.) Becker, Muriel R. Clifford D. Simak: a primary and secondary bibliography. G. K. Hall, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction. I do wish the books were separated from the short fiction listings…
  • Smith, Edward E., Ph.D. Skylark Three. Fantasy Press, 1948. First edition hardback, one of 500 subscriber copies with a signature page inscribed by Smith bound in: “To Hugh F. Henry—/Three in a row — Hot dog!/And thanks a million for/the compliment./Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.” (Doc Smith had marvelously clear handwriting), a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of crimping at head and heel and faint foxing to gutters, in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight rubbing to top 1/2″ of front, slight edgewear at head, and slight dust soiling to rear cover. E. E. “Doc” Smith is someone I only pick up as a target of opportunity, but I couldn’t pass up a chance to pick up a very attractive example of one of the Fantasy Press subscriber copies for one of their most popular writers for approximately $150 after sale discount.

  • Turner, Gary, and Marty Halpern. The Silver Griffith. Golden Gryphon, 2003. First edition hardback, #34 of 100 numbered copies signed by all the contributor, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, in slipcase.
  • Vance, Jack (as John Holbrook Vance). The Deadly Isles. Bobbs-Merrill, 1969. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of crimping at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with a few bare traces of dust soiling and a tiny bit of rubbing at extremities. Overall a beautiful copy of this Vance mystery. Currey, p. 497. Hewett, A33.

  • Also a signed first of Iain Banks A Song of Stone that came in with a couple of dust jacket flaws; I’ll end up marrying the signed book to my existing pristine dust jacket…

    Preview of My Story in Rayguns Over Texas

    Sunday, August 11th, 2013

    Editor Rick Klaw has been previewing one story a day from the forthcoming Rayguns Over Texas anthology due out at LoneStarCon3, and today he’s previewing my story, “Novel Properties of Certain Complex Alkaloids.”

    First hit’s on me…

    Shoegazer Sunday: Highspire’s “Glacier”

    Sunday, August 11th, 2013

    After meaning to for a while, I finally picked up Highspire’s Aquatic, which is definitely a strong Shoegaze album. Here’s “Glacier,” my favorite track off it.

    Library Additions: Three Interesting Ray Bradbury Chapbooks

    Monday, August 5th, 2013

    I recently picked up three Ray Bradbury chapbooks, two signed stapled chapbooks from Heritage Auctions, one bound in decorated boards from Half Price Books. One is pretty well documented as a first edition. However, the other two, being for the scholastic market, are not.

  • Bradbury, Ray. Collected Short Stories. Petersen Publishing Company (The Great Author Series), 2002. Presumed first edition hardback (no additional printings listed), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, presumably as issued. 96 page book which collects three stories (“The Other Foot,” “The April Witch,” and “The Veldt”), reading comprehension questions, and a biography. Not to be confused with the much larger The Stories of Ray Bradbury, which I also have.

  • Bradbury, Ray. The Dragon. Footsteps Press, 1988. First edition chapbook, #72 of 300 signed, numbered copies, Fine. Has affixed wrappers with a transparent blue Mylar window (there were evidently also red and yellow window variants).

  • Bradbury, Ray. The Veldt. The Perfection Form Company, 1982. (Possible) First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy in stapled wraps, inscribed by Bradbury on the cover. Reading comprehension questions at the back.

  • I’m not aware of a comprehensive Ray Bradbury bibliography out that, or I would no doubt own it. Does anyone know if The Veldt and Collected Short Stories are indeed first editions of those works or not, or how I would tell?