Archive for June, 2014

Today’s WTF Crime: Attempted Murder for Slenderman

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2014

From the annals of inexplicable crimes, here’s news that two 12-year old girls tried to murder a friend as a sacrifice for Slenderman.

You know, the entirely made-up CreepyPasta horror character.

It’s bad enough to be offered up as a human sacrifice to a real dark god, much less an Internet meme. It’s like a deranged bassist attempting to murder Harry Shearer so he can take Derek Smalls’ place in Spinal Tap…

(First video yanked, replacement inserted.)

Library Additions: Seven Signed First Editions

Monday, June 2nd, 2014

L.W. Currey had another $10 sale, so I bought several signed books at that price, and a few that were slightly more expensive.

  • Card, Orson Scott. The Folk of the Fringe. Phantasia Press, 1988. First edition hardback, #140 of 400 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, new and unread. Supplements a trade copy. Bought for $10. (Original list price was $75.)
  • De Camp, L. Sprague and Fletcher Pratt. Wall of Serpents. Avalon, 1960. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with some bending at head and heel in a Very Good+ dust jacket, with crimping and rubbing at head and heel and slight dust staining to back cover. Signed by De Camp. Supplements an unsigned copy. Bought for $17.50
  • Pohl, Frederik. The Early Pohl. Doubleday, 1976. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with remainder speckling at heel in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Pohl: “To Fred—/Cordially/Fred Pohl/(No relative!)/Fred Pohl/198-” Bought for $10.
  • Shepard, Lucius. The Jaguar Hunter. Kerosina, 1988. First edition hardback thus (contents differ from the Arkham House edition), #128 of 250 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, new and unread. Supplements a signed copy of the Arkham House first edition. Bought for $22.50. (Originally issued at £40.00.)
  • Shepard, Lucius. The Scalehunter’s Beautiful Daughter. Mark V. Ziesing, 1988. First edition hardback, a #104 of 300 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Supplements a signed trade copy. Bought for $10.
  • Silverberg, Robert. Thebes of the Hundred Gates. Axolotl Press/Pulphouse, 1991. First edition hardback, a #78 of 300 signed numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Supplements a signed trade copy. Bought for $10. Pulphouse wildly overproduced a number of titles, including this one, but $10 (down from the initial list price of $35) seems about right…
  • Simmons, Dan. Prayers to Broken Stones. Dark Harvest, 1990. First edition hardback, #329 of 500 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, new and unread. Supplements a signed trade copy. Bought for $37.50. (Originally issued at $75.)
  • Jay Lake, RIP

    Sunday, June 1st, 2014

    Jay Lake lost his long, well-documented fight with cancer today. He was 5 days shy of his 50th birthday.

    I saw Jay at the San Antonio Worldcon. When he rolled up in his scooter, I went “Jay, you know the same conversation you’ve already had with every one of your friends this weekend? Let’s just pretend we already had that conversation.”

    He was a swell guy and a good writer who will be missed.

    I’m actually about to go off and visit a relative recovering from cancer in the hospital, which is one reason this is so brief…

    Shogazer Sunday: Trespassers William’s “Lie in the Sound”

    Sunday, June 1st, 2014

    Imagine Mazzy Star on Quaaludes, but not as good. That’s Trespassers Wiilliams, a sort of twangy Shoegaze-meets-Slowcore outfit. Here’s “Lie in the Sound,” which strikes (as much of their work does) as slight, pleasant chill-out music.