Archive for the ‘Books’ Category
Monday, December 8th, 2025
I already had the signed, limited edition of this, but the true first disappeared before I was aware of its existence.
Chiang, Ted. Exhalation. Knopf, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bend at heel and a trace of haze rubbing. Short story collection, Ted’s second. Includes such Hugo and Nebula-winning stories as “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” (which he brought to a Turkey City Writer’s Workshop I hosted, despite it being, like all Ted’s short fiction, annoyingly perfect already), “Exhalation,” and “The Lifecycle of Software Objects.” Bought for $13 at Half Price Books.
Tags:Books, Half Price Books, Science Fiction, Ted Chiang
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Friday, December 5th, 2025
Another Metroplex find:
Allston, Aaron. Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal. Del Rey, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel and slight bumping at points, in a Fine- dust jacket with trace of bumping at points, signed and dated (“2006/6/24”) by Allston. Bought at Half Price Books for $9.99.
Aaron died in 2014.
Tags:Aaron Allston, Books, Movies, Science Fiction, signatures, Star Wars
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Thursday, December 4th, 2025
Another Metroplex Half Price Books find.
Jones, Diana Wynne. Minor Arcana. Gollancz, 1996. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dustjacket, signed by Jones, with sales slip laid in. Bought at a Half Price Books for $14.99 from a store that had a lot of Jones, some of which I picked up and will be in the already-in-progress Lame Excuse Books catalog. I kept this one because I like short story collections and I didn’t have a signed Jones in my collection.
Tags:Books, Diana Wynne Jones, Fantasy, signatures
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025
I was in the DFW Metroplex over Thanksgiving week, and did a lot of book shopping at various Half Price Books. I found quite a few things, some for myself, some for the already-in-progress Lame Excuse Books catalog. Here’s one outside what I usually collect, but a cheap signed edition from a notable author is usually a pretty good thing to pick up.
Michener, James A. The Eagle and the Raven. State House Press, 1990. First edition hardback, an unnumbered copy of 350 numbered copies signed by Michener and illustrator Charles Shaw, a Fine copy in a Fine Mylar-protected dust jacket. Novel of the clash between Sam Houston and Santa Ana, and unlike most Michener works, this one comes in at a sprightly 210 pages. Bought at a Half Price Books for $9.99.
Tags:Books, Half Price Books, History, James A. Michener, signatures, Texas
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Monday, November 10th, 2025
Another Borderlands Little Book:
Middleton, Richard. A Little Green Book of Ghastly Tales. Borderlands Press, 2025. First edition hardback, #462 of 350 numbered copies (Borderlands: “we only print 350 copies but if anyone has matching numbers above 350, we make sure they continue to get it”) signed by editor Nicholas A. Psaltso, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collection from this British writer and poet who died young, including his most famous story, “The Ghost Ship.”
I’ll have copies available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, which will probably be out in early December (Thanksgiving is too close to the end of the month to get it out in November).
Tags:Books, Borderlands Press, Horror, Little Books
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Monday, October 27th, 2025
I haven’t been buying too many signed/limited editions due to my current jobless state, but I decided I wanted this one.
Silverberg, Robert. Nightwings. Centipede Press, 2025. First limited edition hardback, #338 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, still in shrinkwrap. Somehow I never picked up the first edition hardback, even though the novella is one of Silverberg’s best. Includes a bonus interview with Silverberg and reproductions of covers of previous editions. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
I will have one copy of this available for sale in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, hopefully out around the end of September.
Tags:Books, Centipede Press, Limited Editions, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, small press publishers
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Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025
Another Lansdale book came in:
Lansdale, Joe R. (Joe Hill) The Essential Horror of Joe R. Lansdale. Tachyon, 2025. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed by Lansdale. According to the publisher, Joe showed up for their 30th Anniversary Party and “signed all the books.” I’m not sure if it means he signed all mine, signed all preorders, or signed every single book. Joe Hill provides the introduction. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
I will have a small number of signed copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, which I’ll start working on next month.
Tags:Books, Horror, Joe R. Lansdale, small press publishers, Tachyon
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Monday, October 20th, 2025
Stephen Hunter is a mystery/thriller writer I’ve heard good things about from people I trust, and I’ve picked up some first editions of their work, but haven’t actually read any yet. But I keep an eye out for cheap firsts of his work, and actually chanced across two signed firsts at a Half Price Books.
Hunter, Stephen. Dead Zero. Simon and Schuster, 2010. First edition hardback (“1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2” numberline), a Fine- copy with slight bends at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with traces of wear at head, heel and points, signed by Hunter. Bought at Half Price Books for $7.19.
Hunter, Stephen. I, Ripper. Simon and Schuster, 2015. First edition hardback (“10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” numberline), a Fine- copy with slight bends at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with traces of wear at head, heel and points, inscribed by Hunter: “To David,/All/best/Stephen Hunter”. Bought at Half Price Books for $7.19.
I should try to read a Hunter novel next year…
Tags:Books, Half Price Books, Mystery, signatures, Stephen Hunter, thrillers
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Tuesday, October 14th, 2025
Another Dragonstairs chapbook:
Swanwick, Michael, with Marianne Porter. Under A Harvest Moon. Dragonstairs Press, 2025. First edition chapbook original, #5 of 80 copies signed by both Swanwick and Porter, a Fine copy. “A very short, dark and romantic story of love and death,” and an outgrowth of Swanwick’s online ‘fallen leaves” project. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, probably out next month.
Tags:Books, chapbooks, Dragonstairs Press, Fantasy, signatures, small press publishers
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