Author Archives: Lawrence Person

About Lawrence Person

Lawrence Person is a science fiction writer living in Austin, Texas. His short fiction has appeared in Asimov's, Analog, Postscripts, Jim Baen's Universe, Fear, and several anthologies. He also edits the Hugo-nominated SF critical magazine Nova Express, and runs the Turkey City Writer's Workshop. His non-fiction has appeared in National Review, Reason, Whole Earth Review, The Freeman, The World & I, Science Fiction Eye, The New York Review of Science Fiction, and Slashdot.org. He owns such a large library (mostly science fiction first editions) he had to buy a two-story house to put it in, and then adopted a golden retriever to drag him out of his house on a regular basis. He also makes a mean batch of salsa.

Library Additions: Three Signed/Limited Subterranean Press First

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Three books bought from Subterranean Press at the usual discount: Bennett, Robert Jackson. In the Shadows of Men. Subterranean, 2020. First edition hardback, #134 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Novella by the … Continue reading →

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Halloween Horrors: The Teaming Basement

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Imagine that you’re a well-off Chinese businessman who lives in a posh condo in Beijing. Now imagine that you start seeing people in your building who are decidedly un-posh, people who actually seem to be quite poor, but somehow they’re … Continue reading →

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Library Additions: Five More Books, Two Zelazny, Two Signed

Posted on October 27, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Still more from the Bob Pylant purchase, including two more Zelaznys that I thought I didn’t need, but it turns out I did. Bass, T. J. The Godwhale. Eyre Methuen, 1974. First hardback edition (the Ballantine PBO precedes) and first … Continue reading →

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Halloween Horrors: Three Bedrooms, Two Bathes And A Murder Tunnel

Posted on October 25, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Many of the must-have homeowner amenities considered an essential feature are no longer to be found on modern homes. No longer are buildings including such once-essential features as coal cellars, lightning rods, fallout shelters or murder tunnels. And remember: A … Continue reading →

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Halloween Horrors: How Long Does A Decapitated Head Retain Awareness?

Posted on October 23, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Any schoolboy whose studied the French revolution has wondered: How long does a human head retain awareness after decapitation? Here’s a roundup of information on that topic. Here, then, is what I was able to note immediately after the decapitation: … Continue reading →

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Halloween Horrors: Know Your Yokai

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Yokai is a very broad category of Japanese supernatural entity that can include demons, ghosts, monsters, and just about any other creature from folklore, from microscopic monsters than infect your spleen to dragon-sized titanic snails. Many, but not all, are … Continue reading →

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Halloween Horrors: Ghostwatch

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Back on Halloween in 1992, the BBC played a trick on its viewers by broadcasting a program called Ghostwatch. It was an early example of what we would call “Reality TV,” and like the overwhelming majority of Reality TV shows, … Continue reading →

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More Austin Restaurant Closures

Posted on October 15, 2020 by Lawrence Person

While no one was looking, a whole bunch of Austin restaurants closed: BRIO Tuscan Grille: Pricey Italian chain location in the Arboretum. Good food, but I only ate there on the very occasional Sunday (when Reale’s is closed). Blue Baker: … Continue reading →

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Halloween Horrors: Fleischer Cartoon’s Swing You Sinners

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Lawrence Person

In this one, Bimbo is menaced by a veritable legion of phantoms in a graveyard. (Hat tip: Don Webb.)

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Library Additions: Random Firsts, Some Signed

Posted on October 12, 2020 by Lawrence Person

Non-Zelazny (mostly) hardbacks from my most recent Bob Pylant purchase. de Camp, L. Sprague. Warlocks and Warriors. Putnam, 1970. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with five tiny ink “x”s next to stories on the copyright page and a trace … Continue reading →

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