Two more Houston Half Price Books finds, the only connection being two Texas authors I know personally.
Archive for January, 2026
Library Additions: Lansdale, Sterling Firsts
Friday, January 9th, 2026Library Addition: Signed PBO of Elizabeth (Ann) Scarborough’s The Drastic Dragon of Draco, Texas
Thursday, January 8th, 2026Elizabeth Ann Scarborough is a writer I previously had one book for, The Healer’s War, because the Nova Express crew recommended it back in the day. But I found a signed copy of another Scarborough book I was intrigued about (mainly due to the title) quite cheap, so I picked it up.
Scarborough, Elizabeth [Ann]. The Drastic Dragon of Draco, Texas. Bantam Spectra, 1986. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with slight pine creasing and lean trace of edgewear and wear at tips, slight foxing and page toning, inscribed by Scarborough: “For Bobbi,/Not a tall tail but a long one./Elizabeth Scarborough/Ann[?].” Bought at a Half Price Books for $1.99.
I found several PBOs inscribed by Scarborough on the trip, the rest of which will be available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog (probably May).
Library Addition: Signed First of James Lee Burke’s In the Electric Mist With The Confederate Dead
Wednesday, January 7th, 2026Another Houston area Half Price Books find.
Burke, James Lee. In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead. Hyperion, 1993/ First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar protected dust jacket, inscribed by Burke: “To Morey,/All the best,/James Burke.” I picked this up because I heard good things about it (and the author), and since there’s a ghost in it, it qualifies as slipstream. Bought for $9.99.
Library Addition: First of The Survival of Freedom Signed by Pournelle, Anderson, and Heinlein
Tuesday, January 6th, 2026Shortly after I finished my DFW trip and sent out the latest Lame Excuse Books catalog, I had a chance to visit my mother in Houston, and do some book shopping while in town.
It’s always a good book hunting trip when you find a signed Heinlein for $2.99.
Pournelle, Jerry (with John F. Carr). The Survival of Freedom. Fawcett Crest, 1981. First edition paperback original (“First Fawcett Crest Printing: August 1981” and “10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1”), a Near Fine- copy with slight spine creasing and a touch of edgewear, a few other touches of wear, and pages slightly toned, signed not only by editor Pournelle, but also contributors Robert A. Heinlein (twice; once on the title page and once after his non-fiction piece on the L-5 society), Poul Anderson and Larry Niven. Proof, once again, of George Locke’s dictum not to look for books, but look at books. Heinlein didn’t make many (if any) public appearances after the Kansas City Worldcon in 1976. I found this book at the Half Price Books in Clear Lake City, so I wonder if the contributors might have signed this at a NASA or L-5 event. Contains a mixture of fiction and non-fiction, and includes contributions from Russell Kirk (non-fiction), Harlan Ellison (“‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman”) and Jack Vance (“Dodkin’s Job”). Bought for $2.99, quite a bargain considering that signed Heinleins start at about $300 these days.
This was the most valuable book I found on my Houston trip, followed by a signed first of Robert Caro’s The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate.
Library Addition: Michael Swanwick’s Winter Constellations
Monday, January 5th, 2026Another Dragonstairs chapbook:
Swanwick, Michael. Winter Constellations. Dragonstairs Press, 2024 (not seen until 2025). First edition chapbook original, #76 of 118 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought directly from the publisher.
Shoegazer Sunday: Echodrone’s “Falling From Planes”
Sunday, January 4th, 2026For today’s doze of Shoegazer Sunday, here’s “Falling From Planes,” another track from Echodrone’s Five.
(Previously.)
Library Addition: Paula Guran’s New Cthulhu
Friday, January 2nd, 2026I think this is the final library addition from my DFW trip.
Guran, Paula, editor. New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird. Prime Books, 2011. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Reprint anthology of Cthulhu Mythos and related stories, with stories from China Mieville, Neal Gaiman, Michael Shea, John Shirley, etc. Bought at Half Price Books for $13.
Library Addition: K. W. Jeter’s Slave Ship
Thursday, January 1st, 2026Another DFW Half Price Books purchases:
Jeter, K.W. Star Wars: Slave Ship: Book 2 of The Bounty Hunter Wars. Bantam Spectra, 1998. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight foxing to inside covers and a trace of edgewear. I already had volume 1 and volume 3 of the trilogy, as well a signed copy of the SFBC hardback omnibus. Bought for $3.99.
