Posts Tagged ‘Pat Murphy’

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: Signed First Of Pat Murphy’s The Falling Woman (And The Solution To A Bibliographic Mystery)

    Monday, January 24th, 2022

    I picked this up a while back, but it took me some time to track down a thorny bibliographic point.

    Murphy, Pat. The Falling Woman. Tor, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine first state dust jacket, signed by Murphy. Winner for the Nebula Award for best novel. Supplements a copy of the first edition with a second state dust jacket inscribed to me by Murphy. You can tell the first state from the second state dust jacket by at least four different points:

    1. The lettering on the spine of the first state dust jacket has curvy features (the bottom of “Falling” is concave, and the top of “Woman” is convex), while the second state spine letters are straight.

    2. The lines in the center of the title on the front cover are black on the first state dust jacket, but red on the second state dust jacket.
    3. The back of the dust jacket is blank on the first state dust jacket, but has “Praise for The Falling Woman” followed by four blurbs on the second state dust jacket.
    4. The back of the second state dust jacket has an author photo of Murphy on the rear flap absent from the first state dust jacket.
    5. I confirmed with Murphy with the “curved letter” spine version is indeed the first state dust jacket, and she says both first and second state dust jackets went out on first printings. Bought off eBay for $15.50.

    Photos from Worldcon Part 1 (The 2014 London Worldcon, That Is)

    Tuesday, August 18th, 2015

    So this year’s Worldcon is this week, and you’re posting photos from last year’s Worldcon?

    Yep.

    And didn’t you already post some of these photos?

    Yep.

    So why do it again?

    Last year at Worldcon, I uploaded these photos in a big bunch to Facebook, then linked to the Facebook photos from this blog. However, Facebook, evidently hating the idea that people outside their walled garden of changing preferences and sunglasses spam might see said photos, keeps changing their URLs, thus breaking links to them. So the photos themselves disappeared from the old post. These I’m uploading directly to my blog.

    Also, I didn’t blog all the images I meant to, so there will be some new ones in Part 2.

    So without further adieu…

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    Leigh Kennedy, who I had lunch and dinner with, along with Nick Austin, the Monday before the con. We have loads of common friends, but knew them at different times, so there was a lot of trading stories…

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    In profile.

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    Cory Doctorow, exhibiting his unique sense of style…

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    …and with an actual top to his head.

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    John J. Miller of Wild Cards fame, with Gail Gerstner-Miller.

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    Kim Newman, in his usual natty, multilayered attire. Wear this in Texas in August and you’re asking for heatstroke.

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    Jonathan Strahan and David Hartwell.

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    Pat Murphy, all scarfed-up.

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    Lavie Tidhar, who used to do reviews for me back in the Nova Express days.

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    Ian Watson and Lavie Tidhar, signing books at the PS Publishing table in the dealer’s room. I asked Watson what the genesis of the Watson-Aldiss feud was. “I’ve gotten to the age when I’m not sure I remember it properly anymore…”

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    Connie Willis.

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    Liz Hand.

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    And looking slightly less crazed.

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    Ellen Datlow and Liz Hand fan themselves and look down upon the peasantry.

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    Elle Datlow solo.

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    Guest of honor John Clute.

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    Adam Roberts.

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    Geoff Ryman peers at me suspiciously.

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    Gary K. Wolfe.

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    Andy Duncan.

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    Didn’t get all the names, but this is something like 75% of the Israeli SF publishing industry.

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    Kim Stanley Robinson.

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    John Gibbons.

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    Michael Swanwick, Geoff Ryman, and Ellen Datlow.

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    Michael Swanwick and Gordon Van Gelder, looking way too befuddled for the first day of the con.

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    Lisa Tuttle, who I had lunch with, joined by…

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    …George R. R. Martin.

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    George R. R. Martin and the Spanish George R. R. Martin.

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    Michael Swanwick and George R. R. Martin, enjoying fine dining in an atmosphere of unpretentious ambiance.

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    Parris McBride Martin.

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    Alastair Reynolds.

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    Pat Cadigan.

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    Pat Cadigan in green.

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    Pat Cadigan with fan-drawn cyberpunk.

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    Finally, Pat Cadigan with her spiffy Doc Martin boots.

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    The elusive Richard Calder.

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    Michael Swanwick showing off his outfit. “This shirt is bespoke! Bespoke, I tell you!”

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    Finally, Michael Swanwick showing off the t-shirt for MidAmericon II, the 2016 Kansas City Worldcon he’s Guest of Honor at. (Pat Cadigan is Toastmistress.)

    Photo Gallery: Writers at the 2014 London Worldcon Part 1

    Monday, September 8th, 2014

    Leigh Kennedy, who I had lunch and dinner with the Monday before the con. We have loads of common friends, but knew them at different times, so there was a lot of trading stories…

    In profile.

    Cory Doctorow, exhibiting his unique sense of style…

    …and with an actual top to his head.

    John J. Miller of Wild Cards fame, with Gail Gerstner-Miller.

    Kim Newman, in his usual natty, multilayered attire.

    Jonathan Strahan and David Hartwell.

    Pat Murphy, all scarfed-up.

    With scarf and shoes.

    Lavie Tidhar, who used to do reviews for me back in the Nova Express days.

    Ian Watson and Lavie Tidhar, signing books at the PS Publishing table in the dealer’s room. I asked Watson what the genesis of the Watson-Aldiss feud was. “I’ve gotten to the age when I’m not sure I remember it properly anymore…”

    Connie Willis.

    Liz Hand.

    And looking slightly less crazed.

    Ellen Datlow and Liz Hand fan themselves and look down upon the peasantry.

    Elle Datlow solo.

    Guest of honor John Clute.

    Adam Roberts.

    Geoff Ryman peers at me suspiciously.

    Gary K. Wolfe.

    Andy Duncan.

    Didn’t get all the names, but this is something like 75% of the Israeli SF publishing industry.

    Kim Stanley Robinson.

    John Gibbons.

    Michael Swanwick, Geoff Ryman, and Ellen Datlow.

    Michael Swanwick and Gordon Van Gelder, looking way too befuddled for the first day of the con.

    Lisa Tuttle, who I had lunch with, joined by…

    …George R. R. Martin.

    George R. R. Martin and the Spanish George R. R. Martin.

    Michael Swanwick and George R. R. Martin, enjoying fine dining in an atmosphere of unpretentious ambiance.

    Parris McBride Martin.

    Alastair Reynolds.

    Pat Cadigan.

    Pat Cadigan in green.

    Pat Cadigan with fan-drawn cyberpunk.

    Finally, Pat Cadigan with her spiffy Doc Martin boots.

    The elusive Richard Calder.

    Michael Swanwick showing off his outfit. “This shirt is bespoke! Bespoke, I tell you!”

    Finally, Michael Swanwick showing off the t-shirt for MidAmericon II, the 2016 Kansas City Worldcon he’s Guest of Honor at. (Pat Cadigan is Toastmistress.)

    Photos from the 2013 San Antonio Worldcon

    Monday, December 9th, 2013

    I knew that dealing books at Worldcon would eat up a lot of time, but I had no idea just how much time it would take me to not only get all the books back on the shelf, but to catch up on everything I set aside while getting ready for, then recovering from, Worldcon.

    Which explains why I’m just now putting up the pictures I took there. Here are the handful of pictures I took at Worldcon that came out decent.

    Clotheshorse that she is, the lovely and talented Gail Carriger kicks off our review with the first of three outfits I managed to photograph.

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    A second.

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    And a third.

    And here’s the same outfit she insisted I snap with her own camera. “You’ve got to include the shoes!”

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    Stina Leicht, sitting next to me at the Rayguns Over Texas event at the San Antonio Library.

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    Scott Cupp and Josh Rountree at the same event. The other photos I took there came out crappy.

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    Bookseller and con chair Mike Walsh.

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    Lou Antonelli channels Flavor-Flav.

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    Howard Waldrop and Eileen Gunn, just before Howard went three rounds with a concrete step.

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    And here’s Howard just after that bout.

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    Andrew Porter, now free of the terrible burden of publishing a semi-prozine.

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    Pat Murphy, back again.

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    Ex-NASA employee Al Jackson.

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    Ex-Austinite Maureen McHugh.

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    Kim Stanley Robinson, back from whatever frozen locale he’s visiting this time. Possibly Iapetus.

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    Gardner Dozois at full rant.

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    Gardner Dozois at full rest. The two modes are deceptively similar.

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    In 2012, Pat Cadigan asked me to take down one of her pictures. So this year I made sure that this picture with Robert Silverberg was 100% flattering.

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    I think this is a very good picture of Dwight Brown.

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    Rich Simental, who spent much of the con in his room working on a completely different con.

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    Ben Yalow. Or possibly one of those hundreds of Ben Yalow impersonators you hear so much about.

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    Max Merriwell, in a very clever diusguise.

    David Kyle

    David Kyle, who I think has passed the late Forrest J. Ackerman for Most Worldcons Attended.

    I’m sorry that I didn’t get pictures of Alastair Reynolds, David Brin, Jack McDevitt, Joe and Joy Haldeman, and Lois McMaster Bujold (among others I missed), who were all kind enough to come by the Lame Excuse Books booth.