Posts Tagged ‘Dennis Etchison’

Library Additions: Six Signed Books

Wednesday, January 10th, 2024

All these were found at various Half Price Books stores in the Dallas Metroplex.

  • Aldrin, Buzz, and John Barnes. Encounter With Tiber. Warner Books, 1996. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Aldrin: “To Michael,/Buzz Aldrin.” Pretty sure Barnes did the overwhelming majority of the writing, but it’s pretty cool to own a book signed by a guy who walked on the moon. Bought for $7.99.

  • Block, Lawrence. The Scoreless Thai. Subterranean Press, 2000. First hardback edition (previously published in a 1970s PBO), a trade edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Block. Novella. Bought for $10, 1/3rd of publication price, and the trade edition wasn’t issued signed by Block.

  • Block, Lawrence. Tanner’s Tiger. Subterranean Press, 2001. First hardback edition (previously published as a 1968 paperback original), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Block. Tanner novel. Bought for $10, 1/3rd of publication price, and the trade edition wasn’t issued signed by Block.
  • Chabon, Michael. Summerland. Hyperion, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head and heel, signed by Chabon. Bought for $9.99, which, oddly enough, seems to be about market. After he won the Hugo and Nebula for the excellent The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, I though Chabon books were going to head steadily upward in value; the exact opposite seems to have happened. It looks like every single one of Chabon’s novels except The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay can be found in signed first edition hardbacks at or less than cover price. I can’t figure it out, as all three of the Chabon books I’ve read (The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, and Gentlemen of the Road) were excellent.
  • Etchison, Dennis. Red Dreams. Scream/Press, 1984. First edition hardback, #192 of 250 numbered hardbacks signed by Etichson and artist J.K. Potter, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket and a Fine- slipcase with a trace of haze rubbing, and additionally signed by Etchison. The second short story collection by this acclaimed horror writer. The third publication of Scream/Press. Chalker/Owings, page 335. Supplements a trade copy. Bought for $30.

    (Surface wear is on the dust jacket protector.)

  • Fowler, Karen Joy. Booth. Putnam, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of edgewear, the signed publisher’s variant with a “Signed Copy” sticker on the cover and a page signed by Fowler bound in. Novel of the theatrical Booth family (including presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth) in early 19th century America. Bought for $13.99.

  • Library Additions: Complete Run of Pulphouse Short Story Paperbacks

    Thursday, December 14th, 2023

    When Pulphouse first unveiled the short story paperback, I remember thinking “That’s stupid.” For all they bragged about “buying a single story for $1.95,” you could buy an entire issue of Asimov’s (with 5-10 times as much content) for $2.50. And, indeed, they were not swift sellers. Though a few of these (the Wolfe, the Lansdales, etc.) became slightly collectable over the years. (And a few of the companion Short Story hardbacks even more so.)

    But I bough these from that same collector culling his collection for $1 each.

    Almost all of these are paperback originals thus (though some of these have previously shown up as the title stories in collections, like Bloch’s Yours Truly, Jack the Rapper or Zelazny’s The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth), though exceptions (like Blaylock’s Paper Dragons) are noted. Some of the early ones (“Loser’s Night,” “Xolotl”) are the first publication anywhere, but most of the stories have appeared somewhere previously. Unlike most Library Addition entries, these will be listed by series order rather than alphabetical by author.

    All of these are Fine copies unless otherwise noted.

  • “Author, J.Q.” Issue Zero. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #0, a binding dummy for the entire run of the series, with bank pages. Would never have bought this on it’s own, but since I was buying the entire thing I got this too. This one has a tiny bit of edgewear on rear spine join.
  • Anderson, Poul. Loser’s Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #1.

  • Brunner, John. A Case of Painters Ear. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #2.
  • Sheckley, Robert. Xolotl. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #3.

  • Boston, Bruce. All the Clocks are Melting. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #4.
  • Antieau, Kim. Blossoms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #5.

  • Friesner, Esther M. Ecce Hominid. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #6.
  • Duchamp, L. Timmel. A Case of Mistaken Activity. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #7.

  • Bryant, Edward. The Cutter. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #8.
  • Wilhelm, Kate The Girl Who Fell Into the Sky. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #9.

  • Bloch, Robert. Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #10. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. The Steel Valentine. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #11. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C01.a.i. Supplements another copy and a Short Story Hardback version.

  • Bishop, Michael. The Quickening. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #12.
  • Zelazny, Roger. The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #13. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name. I needed this for my Zelazny collection.

  • Haldeman, Joe. More Than The Sum of His Parts. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #14.
  • Clemence, Bruce No Way Street. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #15. Guy had this, and a story in Synergy 3, and that was it…

  • Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn. The Spider Glass. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #16.
  • de Lint, Charles. Uncle Dobbin’s Parrot Fair. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #17. One of the harder titles to find.

  • Williams, Walter Jon. Dinosaurs. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #18.
  • Charnes, Suzy McKee. Listening to Brahms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #19.

  • Robinson, Kim Stanley. Black Air. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #20.
  • Etchison, Dennis. The Dark Country. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #21. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.

  • Aldiss, Brian W. Journey to the Goat Star. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #22. Tiny bit of rubbing along spine.
  • Brin, David. Piecework. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #23.

  • Caraker, Mary. I Remember, I Remember. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #24.
  • Schow, David J. Sedalia. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #25.

  • Stableford, Brian. Slumming in Voodooland. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #26.
  • Yolan, Jane. The Sword and the Stone. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #27.

  • Fowler, Karen Joy. The War of the Roses. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #28.
  • Morlan, A.R. The Cat With The Tulip Face. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #29.

  • Shiner, Lewis. Twilight Time. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #30.
  • Wagner, Karl Edward. Where the Summer Ends. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #31.

  • Lee, Tanith. Into Gold. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #32.Tiny rub on spine.
  • Willis, Connie. Daisy, in the Sun. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #33. Tiny rub on spine.

  • Bell, M. Shayne. Inuit. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #34.
  • Wilson, F. Paul. The Shade of Lo Man Gong. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #35.

  • Wilson, F. Paul. Buckets. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #36.
  • Martin, George R. R. The Pear-Shaped Man. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #37.

  • Butler, Octavia. The Evening and the Morning and the Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #38. Holy moley, the prices on this online are crazy. The prices for the signed hardback I can at least sort of understand, since Butler died young, but the prices for unsigned copies like this are still crazy. I had no idea.
  • Dozois, Gardner. The Peacemaker. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #39. Supplements a copy of the Short Story Hardback edition.

  • Wolfe, Gene. The Hero as Werewolf. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #40. This is one I did actually need, and I still need the hardback version. Also, this is the last one from 1991. Pulphouse put out 40 of these in 1991. This is called “channel stuffing.” I wasn’t dealing books at the time, but I’m pretty sure SF/F/H dealers were not thrilled at this tsunami of small press books of dubious sales-worthiness.
  • Oates, Joyce Carol. The Bingo Master. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #41.

  • Effinger, George. Schrodinger’s Kitten. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #42. Supplements the hardback version.
  • Bear, Greg. Sisters. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #43.

  • Holder, Nancy. The Ghosts of Tivoli. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #44.
  • Brin, David. Dr. Pak’s Preschoool. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #45. Supplements a copy of the Cheap Street edition (which precedes).

  • Lansdale, Joe R. Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #46. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C03.a.i. Supplements a copy of the Short Story hardback version.
  • Somtow, S. P. Fiddling for Waterbuffaloes. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #47.

  • Murphy, Pat. Rachel in Love. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #48.
  • Card, Orson Scott. Unaccompanied Sonata. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #49.

  • Le Guin, Ursula K. Nine Lives. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #50.
  • Bloch, Robert. The Skull of the Marquis de Sade. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #51.

  • de Lint, Charles. Merlin Dreams in the Mondream Wood. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #52.
  • Kress, Nancy. The Price of Oranges. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #53.

  • Busby, F.M. If This Is Winnetka, You Must be Judy. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #54.
  • Cadigan, Pat. My Brother’s Keeper. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #55.

  • Bryant, Edward. The Thermals of August. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #56.
  • Blaylock, James P. Paper Dragons. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #57. A few small rubs along spine. Supplements a copy of the Axolotl Press hardback (which precedes).

  • Resnick, Mike. Kirinyaga. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #58. Kelleghan, Mike Resnick: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to His Work A39.
  • Sloca, Sue Ellen. Candles on the Pond. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #59. As far as I can tell, this is her only publication anywhere.

  • Wu, William F. Shaunessy Fong. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #60. Has some slight rubbing along front near spine. Last in the Short Story Paperbacks series.

  • Reference: Jack Chalker and Mark Owings, The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Critical and Bibliographic History, 2002, page 719 (numbers 1 through 10), page 721 (numbers 11-20), pages 722 (numbers 21-30). This is what Chalker had to say about the Short Story paperback line:

    In January, 1991, Pulphouse continued its expansion with the Short Story Paperbacks and the selected Short Story Hardbacks, although we’re still only half- convinced that these are in any sense legitimate books. What they were, though, was what seemed to be a quick way to make money, and if people bought them, fine. They brought the whole operation as of the start of 1991 at a whopping 80+ titles a year. It should be noted that the paperbacks series was supposed to be originals and reprints, but became, after the initial ones, primarily reprints, a move that, while understandable, seemed to us to take away the one good reason why most people might buy them.

    Money held by SF/F/H collectors is a finite commodity, and Pulphouse in the early 1990s seemed to treat it as a limitless resource. If you’re publishing books by Lansdale, Zelazny, Wagner, De Lint, etc., that’s a license to print a little money. But Antieau, Clemence, Caraker? Not so much. Why they thought collectors were going to shell out money for such items is a mystery.

    The entire set bought for $61.

    Library Addition: Traycased Edition of Karl Edward Wagner’s HorrorStory Volume Four

    Thursday, September 3rd, 2020

    Stumbled across this on eBay and went “Hmm, that’s pretty close to a great deal!”, then made an offer that was accepted.

    Wagner, Karl Edward. HorrorStory Volume Four. Underwood-Miller, 1990. First edition hardback, #82 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine- traycase, with just a touch of blunting at points, a touch of edgewear around spine label, and a trace or two of wear. Omnibus and first hardback editions of Year’s Best Horror Stories X, XI and XII. Signed by Wagner, Harlan Ellison, Dennis Etchison, Michael Kube-McDowell, Richard Laymon, Michael Swanwick, David Drake, and many others. Chalker-Owings (1991), page 441. Supplements the trade edition. Bought off eBay for $65, or less than half the original offering price of $150.

    Now I guess I need the limited editions of the other two…

    Library Addition: Lord John Film Festival

    Friday, October 17th, 2014

    This is one of those cases of coming across something on eBay and going, “Yes, I do want that.”

    Yellin, Herb. Lord John Film Festival. Lord John Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Signed by Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Ramsey Campbell, Dennis Etchison and Janet Leigh.

    Lord John Film

    Lord John Film sig

    Yellin was the owner of Lord John Press, and this book is a miscellanea of remembrances and appreciations of various films interspersed with examples from his large collection of signed movies photos, posters, lobby cards, etc.

    I was briefly worried when I realized that Bloch died in 1994, and Janet Leigh in 2004, but the book has evidently been in production for quite a while. A copy up on Amazon is signed by the same five people, but the signatures look slightly different.

    Lord John was an interesting, eclectic press, with both genre and mainstream books (along with signed Gerald R. Ford books). I have a significant fraction of their SF/F/H output, but don’t have Stephen King’s Dolan’s Cadillac.

    Items in Evidence of a Case of Bibliomania (or, How I Spent $1,000 in One Week and All I Got Were These Cool Books)

    Sunday, February 6th, 2011

    You may have noticed that I buy a lot of books. This year I had another family event in the Dallas area in mid-January, so I took time out to drive up to Recycled Books in Denton (where I found so much cool stuff that time last year) once again, though this time I only found $500 in books worth buying (as opposed to the $1,200 last year). And the same week I had an order come in from a notable SF book dealer having a 50% off sale, including a couple of Stephen King signed/limited editions. I don’t normally concentrate on limited and ultra-limited editions, but when one comes along at the right price…

    So here’s a description of what I bought. As usual, all books are Fine hardback first editions in Fine dust jackets, unless otherwise noted. The books on their side in the first picture are ones I bought to sell, and should show up in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

    Stuff I bought at Recycled Books in Denton:

  • Clement, Hal. The Essential Hal Clement Volume 1: Trio for Slide Rule & Typewriter. NESFA Press, 1999. Signed by the author: “Hal Clement”/Harry C. Stubbs”. Bought for half cover price ($12.50).
  • Clement, Hal. The Essential Hal Clement Volume 2: Music of Many Spheres. NESFA Press, 2000. Signed by the author: “Hal Clement”/Harry C. Stubbs”. Bought for half cover price ($12.50). Replaces an unsigned copy in my library.
  • Clement, Hal. The Essential Hal Clement Volume 3: Variations on a Theme by Sir Isaac Newton. NESFA Press, 2000. Signed by the author: “Hal Clement”/Harry C. Stubbs”. Bought for half cover price ($12.50). Replaces an unsigned copy in my library. When Hal was a guest at one Armadillocon one year, I ended up driving him to and from the after-con BBQ dinner, and we discussed his career flying B-24 Liberators in World War II…
  • Etchison, Dennis. The Dark Country. Scream Press, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine- dust jacket, with sheet laid in describing how the book was one of two boxes of distributor returns with imperfect covers, and were the last first printings available, and had been signed by both Etchison and artist J. K. Potter.
  • Howard, Robert E. The Sword of Conan. Gnome Press, 1952. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with wear at head and heel, but otherwise a bright, beautiful dust jacket.

  • Howard, Robert E. The Pride of Bear Creek. Donald M. Grant, 1977. First edition thus.
  • Howard, Robert E. Mayhem on Bear Creek. Donald M. Grant, 1979.
  • Howard, Robert E. The Vultures. Fictioneer Books, Ltd., 1973.
  • (King, Stephen) Collings, Michael B. The Stephen King Phenomena. Borgo Press/Starmont House, 1987. First edition hardback, Fine- with slight bumping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued. One of a very small number bound in boards by Borgo Press.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. A Fist Full of Stories. Cemetery Dance, 1996. First edition hardback, one of only 26 lettered copies bound in leather, containing two additional stories (“Subway Jack” and “Belly Laugh or The Joker’s Trick or Treat”) not in the trade or regular limited edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, in traycase. Decided to pick this up since I already have the lettered edition of For a Few Stories More.
  • Lovecraft, H. P. To Quebec and the Stars. Donald M. Grant, 1976. Non-fiction. I have no idea why they printed this as an oversized book when the margins are those for a regular book. Sadly, Jack Chalker and Mark Owings The Science Fantasy Publishers sheds no light on the issue either…
  • Pohl, Frederik. The Age of the Pussyfoot. Trident Press, 1969. First edition hardback, Fine in a Near Fine dust jacket with edgewear along far front edge, with review slip and photo of Pohl laid in.
  • Vance, Jack. The Book of Dreams. Underwood/Miller, 1981. First hardback edition, Fine, sans dj, as issued. Fifth and final book of the Demon Princes series, and the hardest to find. Replaces an imperfect copy.
  • Stuff I bought at 50% off from a notable SF dealer:

  • Brunner, John. Quicksand. Doubleday, 1967. First edition hardback, Fine in a Near Fine dust jacket with a few spots of staining or dust soiling. Signed by Brunner.
  • King, Stephen. Desperation. Donald M. Grant, 1996. First edition hardback, one of 2000 signed, numbered copies bound in leather, Fine, sans dj, as issued, in leather traycase.
  • King, Stephen, and Peter Straub. Black House. Donald M. Grant, 2002. First edition hardback, one of 1520 numbered copies signed by both authors, bound in leather, a Fine copy, sans dj, as issued, in leather traycase. Met Straub at the 2009 Readercon, and he seemed like a nice guy.
  • (Shaver, Richard) The Hidden World, Spring, 1963, Issue # A1. Magazine edited by Richard Palmer and dedicated to “The Shaver Mystery,” a pseudoscientific belief system that “detrimental robots” (or “deros”) live in caverns deep into the earth, and which beam mind-control rays at humans on the surface, occasionally taking people (and especially women!) as captives. I already have issues 2-4 as part of my crank/pseudoscience library.
  • Williamson, Jack. Wizard’s Isle: The Collected Stories of Jack Williamson, Volume Three. Haffner Press, 2000.
  • Of course, since that week, more books have come in…