Posts Tagged ‘Gardner Dozois’

Library Additions: July 1—December 31, 2016

Wednesday, January 18th, 2017

Here’s the big rollup list of every book I added to my library in 2016. This includes three big multi-book purchases I made, from the Fred Duarte estate, a Cold Tonnage Books 40% off sale, and four lots from a Nation Book Auction.

  • Aldiss, Brian. Science Fiction Blues With Brian Aldiss. Avernus, 2000. First edition oversized chapbook original (A4 sized), a Fine- copy with a slight bit of bend on the left side. Program for some sort of Aldiss reading or performance, which also happens to contain three original Aldiss stories as well as other material. Odd little item. Bought for £3 after discount.

    Aldiss SF Blues

  • Allston, Aaron. Sidhe Devil. Baen, 2001. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy with some foxing to inside covers. Signed and dated by Allston.

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  • Andersen, Hans Christian. Andersen’s Fairy Tales. Grosset and Dunlap, 1945. Reprint edition, a Near Fine copy with color frontispiece affixed and decorated endpapers, no dust jacket. Illustrated by Arthur Szyk. Given to me by my mother as she was downsizing before moving.
  • Anderson, Poul. The Boat of a Million Years. Tor, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Hugo and Nebula Award nominee. Inscribed to Fred.

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  • Asimov, Isaac. Little Brothers. The Pretentious Press, 1988. First edition chapbook original, one of 126 copies signed by Asimov (the only edition), a Fine copy, with two photos (of Isaac and Stanley Asimov) tipped into front, as issued. Reprints Asimov’s first published work, an essay about how much he hated his little brother, from the Boys High Recorder in 1934. Bought for $35 plus shipping from a well-known literary dealer.

    little-brothers

  • Barrett, Neal, Jr. The Day the Decorators Came. Subterranean Press, 2000. First edition hardback, a signed but unnumbered copy among 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy with pictorial pastedown on front boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.

    day-decorators-hb

  • Barrett, Neal, Jr. Judge Dread. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight touches of edgewear. Signed by Barrett. Based on the Sylvester Stallone movie. Bought for $5 at Armadillocon

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  • Barrett, Neal, Jr. Spider-Man: Lizard’s Rage. Pocket Books, 1997. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with traces of edge wear, slight age darkening to pages and slight foxing to inside covers. Inscribed by Barrett: “For Fred/All the/best/Neal Barrett, Jr.”

    Spiderman Lizard's Rage

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  • Barrett, Neal, Jr. Way Out There. Subterranean Press, 2004. First edition hardback, a signed but unnumbered copy among 52 lettered copies, a Fine copy with pictorial pastedown on front boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.

    way-out-there-hb

  • Barry, Dave. Dave Barry Slept Here. Random House, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed to Fred by the author. Humor.

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  • Baxter, Stephen. Universes. PS Publishing, 2013. First edition hardback, #131 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine decorated slipcase.

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  • Beukes, Lauren. Zoo City. Angry Robot, 2010. First hardback edition and first UK edition, one of 100 signed copies (the only hardback edition), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a very slight wrinkle at rear heel join, otherwise new and unread. Preceded by the Jacana Media (South Africa) paperback edition. Bought off eBay for $99 (the opening bid).

    Zoo City

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  • Blaylock, James P. The Further Adventures of Langdon St. Ives. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #104 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Omnibus edition of Lagdon St. Ives novellas. “The Here-and-Thereians” plus a short coda (“Earthbound Things”) are original to this volume. Bought at 50% off cover price.
  • Blaylock, James P. The Further Adventures of Langdon St. Ives. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Trade edition. Bought at 50% off cover price.
  • Bloch, Robert. The King of Terrors. Mysterious Press, 1977. First edition hardback, #129 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Near Fine slipcase with a few white marks to black slipcase at heel. Currey A, page 46. Flanagan, Robert Bloch: A Bio-Bibliography, page 49. Won off eBay for $21.50. I also have Bloch’s Out of the Mouths of Graves by the same publisher in the limited edition.

    king-of-terrors

  • Boucher, Anthony. The Compleat Werewolf. Simon & Schuster, 1969. First edition hardback (“First Printing” stated), a Fine- copy with slight dust soiling at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with a thin line of dust staining along spine join on rear cover. Jones/Newman, Horror 100 66. Bleiler, Guide to Supernatural Fiction 232.

    Boucher Werewolf

  • Bradbury, Ray. A Christmas Wish 1989: The Bread of Beggars, The Wine of Christ. Privately printed, 1989. First edition broadsheet, a Fine copy, inscribed by the author: “Tim!—Love!—Ray!” Bought off eBay for $34 plus shipping.

    bradbury-christmas-1989

  • Bradbury, Ray. Green Shadows, White Whale. Random House Audio, 1992. Audio cassette (probably the “first edition,” as I suspect there was only one) in a Very Good- packaging with 1″ of the inner cardboard cassette sleeve missing at bottom. Signed by Bradbury across the rear of the package. Two cassettes adding up to three hours of audio (presumably abridged) of Bradbury reading from his own novel. (I also have a first edition of the novel signed by Bradbury.) Bought from the Duarte estate sale at Armadillocon for $5.

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    bradbury-green-cassette-sig

  • Bradbury, Ray. The Silver Locusts. Rupert Hart Davis, 1951. First UK edition and first hardback edition thus (includes almost all of The Martian Chronicles, dropping “Usher II” and adding “The Fire Balloons”), a Near Fine copy with dust soiling to top edge and a quarter-sized sticker for Foyle’s Bookstore (Charing Cross, London) affixed to bottom inside front cover, in a Very Good dust jacket with a 1/4″ chip at head, a 1″ tear and associated 1/4″ chip to top front cover, shallow chipping at points, foxing to white back cover and along flap edges, and general wear. Inscribed: “Fred!/Ray Bradbury/5/29/1992.” Weist, Jerry. Bradbury: An Illustrated Life, page 51 (where he notes that the cover is by Roy Sanford). Currey, page 56. Reginald, 01765. Tuck (Volume I), pages 62-63. Bought for approximately $320.

    Silver Locusts

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  • Bradbury, Ray. The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit. Hart-Davis MacGibbon, 1973. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Near Fine, corner-clipped (but otherwise fine) dust jacket. (Sadly, corner-slipped copies seem the norm for this title.) Signed by Bradbury. Collection of plays. Bought for £45 after discount.

    Ice Cream Suit

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  • Brennan, Joseph Payne. The Borders Just Beyond. Donald M. Grant, 1986. First edition hardback, one of 750 copies, all signed by Brennan, a Fine copy in a Fine-dust jacket with a tiny bit of wear wear at points. Chalker/Owings, 223.

    brennan-borders

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  • Broderick, Damien, and Paul Di Filippo. Science Fiction: the 101 Best novels 1985-2010. Nonstop Press, 2012. Trade paperback original, new, Fine. Non-fiction. Bought for 50% off cover price.
  • Buckell, Tobias, The Apocalypse Ocean. Self-published, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Buckell: “To Sarah,/Tobias Buckell.” Originally offered at $50 through Kickstarter. Bought for $6.39.

    apocalypse-ocean

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  • Buckley, William F. Atlantic High. Doubleday, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with wear at points. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “For Claire Worth/With deep appreciation/Bill Buckley.” Non-fiction book about Buckley sailing across the Atlantic.

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  • Buckley, William F. Execution Eve and Other Contemporary Ballads. Putnam, 1975. Hardback (no edition stated), a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with some tiny closed tears at head and heel. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “To Lorenzo Avera/[Something]/Wm. F. Buckley.”

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  • Buckley, William F. A Hymnal: The Controversial Arts. Putnam, 1978. Hardback (no edition stated), a Fine- copy with slight crimping at head and a page number circled in red with the word “Rush” written beside it on the table of contents on page 9, in a Very Good- dust jacket with chipping at head and heel. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “For Claire Worth/With high regards/Bill Buckley.” Collection of essays.

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  • Buckley, William F. Inveighing We Will Go. Putnam, 1972. Hardback (no edition stated), a Near Fine copy with slightly soft heel and waviness to first few pages and a couple of dust spots to page block edges, in a Very Good- dust jacket with a long semi-closed tear across the bottom of the front cover and two 1/4″ chips at heel. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “To Mrs. Helen C. Avera/[Something] all/Wm. F. Buckley.” Collection of essays.

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  • Buckley, William F. In Search of Anti-Semitism. Continuum Publishing Company, 1992. Hardback, no printing stated, a Fine- copy with slight bump at head and light crease to first few pages, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bump at head and small crease to corner of top rear flap. Long essay on charges of antisemitism against various figures on the right, followed by a round of essays and letters from various people in reaction.
  • Buckley, William F. Miles Gone By: A Literary Autobiography. Regnery Publishing, 2004. Fourth printing hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with CD of Buckley reading in plastic insert at back. Signed by Buckley on a bookplate. Regnery used a very heavy, high-quality paper on this book. Non-fiction.

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  • Buckley, William F. Marco Polo, If You Can. Doubleday, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with small crease to top inner flap. Inscribed by the author on a bookplate: “For Claire Worth/Best regards/Bill Buckley.” (I believe “Worth” is the last name; I have numerous example of books in this lot inscribed to the same person, and “Worth” seems the most obvious choice. In my (admittedly limited) experience, Buckley didn’t sign terribly many books “Bill”, “Wm. F.” seems considerably more common. If I had to guess, I’d say the books were signed for a longtime correspondent of Buckley’s, someone who took decent care of them but wasn’t a book collector per se (some, but not all, of the books in this lot were in a dust jacket protector, and a few others in plastic book bags).) Actually, I already had a signed first of this book, but this is a better copy. Smith/White, Cloak and Dagger Fiction 913.

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  • Buckley, William F. Mongoose, R.I.P.. Random House, 1987. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with large foxing squares (probably from a newspaper clipping) to rear inside cover and rear free endpaper, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with significnat creasing to rear cover. Inscribed by Buckley: “For Claire Worth/With best & warm wishes/Buckley.” Unlike most of the signed books in this lot, this was signed by Buckley directly on the front free endpaper rather than on a bookplate. Smith/White, Cloak and Dagger Fiction 914.

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  • Buckley, William F. On the Firing Line: The Public Lives of Our Public Figures. Random House, 1989. First trade hardback preceded by a signed edition from the Franklin Library), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just the lightest traces of wear. Collection of transcripts from Buckley’s Firing Line program on PBS, including Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater, Margaret Thatcher, Richard Nixon, Kurt Vonnegut, etc.
  • Buckley, William F. Overdrive. Doubleday, 1983. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with shallow chipping and creasing at heel and slight wear at head and points. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “For Claire Worth/With warm regards/Bill Buckley.” An autobiography of a week in Buckley’s hectic life.

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  • Buckley, William F. Racing Through Paradise. Random House, 1987. First edition hardback (stated, with a numberline starting with 2, as per standard Random House custom), a Fine- copy with line of wear across bottom of spine at heel, in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Buckley on the front free endpaper: “For Claire Worth/With higher [something]/Bill Buckley.” Non-fiction book about Buckley sailing through the Pacific.

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  • Buckley, William F. Saving the Queen. Doubleday, 1976. Hardback (there’s no First Edition statement on the title page, so this is possibly a reprint, though the R10 gutter code on page 248 would put it in March of its publication year, and occasionally Doubleday did slip up and forget to include the First Edition statement on the true first), a Near Fine+ copy with slight bumping at head and heel and front inner hinge a little bumpy from the glue line under the paper, in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of dust soiling along extremities. Inscribed by Buckley: “For Claire Worth/With warmest regards/Bill Buckley.” Another book directly signed rather than on a bookplate. Smith/White, Cloak and Dagger Fiction 912.

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  • Buckley, William F. See You Later Alligator. Doubleday, 1985. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head and heel and a 1″ closed tear to bottom rear cover. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “For Claire Worth/With best regards/Bill Buckley.” Smith/White, Cloak and Dagger Fiction 920.

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  • Buckley, William F. The Story of Henri Tod. Doubleday, 1984. First trade edition hardback (preceded by a Franklin Library signed edition), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wear at head and heel. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “For Claire Worth/With high hopes/Bill Buckley.” Smith/White, Cloak and Dagger Fiction 921.

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  • Buckley, William F. Who’s on First. Doubleday, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with 1/16″ chip at rear heel join, slight dust soiling to rear cover and a 1″ surface scratch. Inscribed by Buckley on a bookplate: “For Claire Worth/With high hopes/Bill Buckley.” Smith/White, Cloak and Dagger Fiction 918.

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  • (Buckley, William F., Jr.) Meehan, William H. III. William F. Buckley Jr.: A Bibliography. ISI Books, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought this after picking up these Buckley boks. Alas, though it contains a great deal of information, it doesn’t include the one thing I bought it for: first edition pints on Buckley’s books.

    buckley-bib

  • Bullock, Michael. Green Beginning, Black Ending: Fables. Sono Nis Press, 1971. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with slight wear to boards at head and heel, dusty page block at head, and small triangular abrasion to top front right board in a Very Good- dust jacket with spine fading, significant creasing and rubbing to top of front cover, 1/2″ semi-closed tear at top front fold, blindside tape at head and top front fold, and general wear. Inscribed by Bullock on the FFE: “With good wishes from/Michael Bullock 2.8.71.” There’s also what appears to be a stock number, a price, and “with odd vampire vignette” all in pencil, the last presumably from the vampire and werewolf collector whose collection this came from. Supposedly surreal stories by someone more famous as a translator and poet. Only two copies on Bookfinder, neither signed. Not in in Carter’s The Vampire in Literature, Bleiler’s Supernatural Fiction, Reginald, or, probably, anything else.

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  • Caldwell, Taylor. Dialogues With the Devil. Doubleday, 1967. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a slight bit of edgewear. Book in which Lucifer makes his case. Bought off eBay for $28 plus shipping.

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  • Campbell, Ramsey, editor. Superhorror. St. Martin’s Press, 1976 (stated; ISFDB says 1977). First U.S. edition (though stating it was printed in Great Britain, suggesting that St. Martin’s bound the W. H. Allen sheets, so it might be more technically accurate to call this “First Edition, U.S. (second) state”), hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket that appears to have had some sort of very thin laminate applied to it; the edges of the flaps have uniform yellowed strip running the entire length of the flap and feeling ever-so-slight raised; the rest of the flaps are a pristine white; very odd. Horror anthology with original stories by (among others) R. A. Lafferty and Manly Wade Wellman. However, I mainly decided to keep this because it has a story by Joe Pumilia in it, and I knew I could get him to sign it at this year’s Armadillocon (which, in fact, I did).

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  • Carroll, Jonathan. Teaching the Dog to Read. Subterranean Press, 2015. #281 of 1000 signed, numbered copies. Novella. Bought at 50% off cover price.
  • Chapman, Graham, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin with Bob Mccabe. The Pythons By The Pythons. Orion Books, 2003. Non-fiction book by and about Monty Pythons Flying Circus.
  • Clute, John. Pardon This Intrusion: Fantastika in the World Storm. Beccon Publications, 2011. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Collection of reviews and essays. Bought for 40% off cover price.
  • Clute, John. Stay. Beccon Publications, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Collection of reviews and essays. Bought for 40% off cover price.
  • Collison-Morley, Lacy. Greek and Roman Ghost Stories. B. H. Blackwell, 1912. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with a number stamped on page V, rubbing away of gilt spine lettering and points blunted, no dust jacket (possibly as issued). Non-fiction.

    greek-roman-ghosts

  • Chu, Wesley. The Days of TAO. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #268 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought at 50% off cover price.
  • Delany, Samuel R. The Complete Nebula Award-Winning Fiction. Bantam Spectra, 1986. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight touches of wear. Inscribed and dated (“Austin 88,” when Delany came to town to attend Sercon 2) by the author to Fred Duarte.

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  • Derleth, August and Mark Schorer. Colonel Markesan and Less Pleasant People. Arkham House, 1966. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of wear at points and a trace of dust soiling on white portions of dust jacket at rear. Collaborative short story collection. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 87. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 93. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 93. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 87. Currey, page 146.

    Colonel Markesan

  • Derleth, August, editor. Dark Mind, Dark Heart. Arkham House, 1962. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight dust soiling to white rear cover. Anthology. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 64. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 66. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 68. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 64. Currey, page 151.

    Dark Mind

  • Derleth, August, editor. Over the Edge. Arkham House, 1964. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight rubbing along rear cover fold. Anthology. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 75. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 79. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 81. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 79. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 6. Currey, page 153.

    Over the Edge

  • Disch, Thomas M. Triplicity (omnibus edition of Echo Round His Bones, The Genocides, and The Puppies of Terra). Nelson Doubleday (SFBC), 1980. First edition hardback thus (as per the ISFDB, i.e. 3816 printed at the bottom on the back flap of the dustjacket and gutter code K10 on page 408), and first hardback edition of The Puppies of Terra), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with several 1/16″ creases at head and wear at points. Inscribed to Fred Duarte and signed thrice by Disch (as was his custom for this title).

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  • Dozois, Gardner, editor. The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Third Annual Collection. St. Martin’s, 2016.
  • Effinger, George Alec. Death in Florence. Doubleday, 1978. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed: “To Stuart,/George Alec Effinger”. Bought for $35 off the Internet.

    Death in Florence

  • Effinger, George Alec. Planet of the Apes 1: Man the Fugitive. Award 1974. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with light reading creases, wear, and slight rubbing (and the usual age-darkening to pages). Inscribed to Fred Duarte by Effinger.
  • Effinger, George Alec. Planet of the Apes 2: Escape To Tomorrow. Award, 1975. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with light wear (and the usual age-darkening to pages). Inscribed to Fred Duarte by Effinger.
  • Effinger, George Alec. Planet of the Apes 3: Journey Into Terror. Award, 1975. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with very slight subbing (with usual age-darkening to pages). Inscribed to Fred Duarte by Effinger.
  • Effinger, George Alec. Planet of the Apes 4: Lord of the Apes. Award 1976.First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with light reading creases and wear (and the usual age-darkening to pages). Inscribed to Fred Duarte by Effinger.

    Planet of the Apes 1 2

    Planet of the Apes 3 4

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  • Ellison, Harlan. Coffin Nails. Charnel House, 2016. First edition oversized hardback, a Fine copy, #73 of 200 signed, numbered copies, sans dust jacket, as issued. The usual lavish Charnel House production, an attractive brown patterned (“crackle paper”) binding, with embossed silver nails spelling out “HE” on the front cover, and a giant silver nail on the cover. Features 25 uncollected Ellison stories from across his career.

    coffin-nails

  • Ellison, Harlan. The Illustrated Harlan Ellison. Baronet Publishing, 1978. First edition hardback, #2014 of 3000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine- copy with wear at tips, otherwise intact with inset color cover illustration still affixed and 3D glasses still attached in the middle, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought off eBay for $24.99 (the opening bid).

    Illustrated Ellison

  • Elwood, Roger, editor. The Berserkers. Trident Press, 1973. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with a slight wrinkle to top rear, a 1/32″ closed tear at head, and a tiny bit of crimping at head and heel. Original anthology by the prolific (but not particularly well-regarded) Elwood, who at one point in the 1970s was purportedly responsible for one quarter of all the original anthologies in science fiction. Keeping this because it includes an R. A. Lafferty story, “And Mad Undancing Bears.”

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  • Ferret, Tim: We Murder. Morrigan Publications/The Dog Factory, 1994. First edition center-stapled chapbook original, #165 of 200 signed, numbered copies (though the limitation sheet, slightly smaller than the chapbook itself, has merely been laid in, not attached, presumably as issued), a Fine copy. According to Cold Tonnage: “This was the last book(let) to be published by Morrigan Press and got very little (if no) distribution.” Chalker/Owings (2002), page 557, where they note “The 1994 Ferret chapbook was a surprise, but the fact that checks were made out to [Morrigan owner Les] Escott personally and the chapbook was typeset from Ferret’s The Dog Factory in San Francisco and printed in New Zealand (!) doesn’t suggest a really major reinvolvement and seems an aberration.” Bought for £3 after discount.

    Ferret We Murder

  • Frank, Frederick S. Gothic Fiction: A Master List of Twentieth Century Criticism and Research. Meckler, 1988. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Reference work.
  • Grimm, The Brothers. Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Grosset and Dunlap, 1945. Reprint edition, a Near Fine copy with color frontispiece affixed and decorated endpapers, no dust jacket. Illustrated by Fritz Kredel. Given to me by my mother as she was downsizing before moving.
  • Harrison, Harry. Winter in Eden. Bantam Spectra, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with wear to points. Inscribed to Fred Duarte.
  • Harrison, Harry. Return to Eden. Bantam Spectra, 1988. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed to Fred Duarte.

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  • Jablokov, Alexander. Brain Thief. Tor, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by the author: “2/13/10/To Fred—/It’s been a long time! I hope/you enjoy this./Alex Jablokov”

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  • Jablokov, Alexander. Deep Drive. Avon Eos, 1998. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by the author: “2/19/00/To Fred—/Thanks for everything./Alex Jablokov.” Note that this was part of an Eo launch with all the books being a much smaller trim size than normal (16mo, if I’m not mistaken), and I get the impression this format wasn’t popular with book buyers.
  • James, M. R. (Peter Haining, editor). The Book of Ghost Stories. Stein and Day, 1982. First American edition (this appears to be a reprint of the UK Book of the Supernatural (with the same contents) from 1979), a Fine- copy with slight wear at points in a Very Good dust jacket with significant rubbing to rear cover. A collection of some of James’ previously uncollected short stories, plus commentary on his work by various writers, Christopher Lee, etc., and even an anonymous piece, “The Vampire of Kring,” that James believed formed the basis of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Looks like an interesting miscellany in a book I probably couldn’t sell, so…
  • Jeter, K.W. Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Bloodletter. Pocket Books, 1993. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with slight wear along spine edges and points. Inscribed by Jeter: “For Fred +/Meschke/Signed @/Confrancisco/Best/Wishes/K.W. Jeter.” Karen Meschke was then Fred’s wife (they later divorced) and con chair of the 1997 San Antonio Worldcon. The proceeds of the sale of Fred’s books went to their son, Matthew Duarte.

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  • Jeter, K.W. Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Wars. SFBC, 1999. First edition hardback thus (omnibus edition containing The Mandalorian Armor, Slave Ship, and Hard Merchandise), first hardback editions of all titles, and first edition of Hard Merchandise (as per ISFDB), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Jeter.
  • Jeter, K.W. Star Wars: The Mandalorian Armor. Bantam Spectra, 1998. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with crease at front bottom right corner and wear at points, inscribed by Jeter.

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  • Jeter, K.W. and Gareth Jefferson Jones. Death’s Apprentice: A Grimm City Novel St. Martin’s, 2012. Bought off eBay for $1.99 plus shipping.
  • Kaufman, Lloyd and Adam Jahnke. The Toxic Avenger: The Novel. Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2006. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine copy with a crease to bottom front corner. Inscribed by Kaufman: “To Cynthia & Kazuyoshi/Toxie Loves You!/Lloyd Kaufman.” Novelization of the cult film by its writer/director. Bought for $6.98 (though at one point Half Price had it marked at $50).

    toxic-avenger

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  • Kress, Nancy. The Best of Nancy Kress. Subterranean Press, 2015. #212 of 1000 signed, numbered copies. Novella. Bought at 50% off cover price.
  • Langford, David. The Dragonhiker’s Guide To Battlefield Covenant At Dune’s Edge: Odyssey Two. Drunken Dragon Press, 1988. First edition hardback, one of 903 trade hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Langford: “For Alison, without whom this inscription could not have/been written—/Best wishes/David Langford/11-88”. Science fiction parodies and pastiches. Chalker/Owings, page 193. Bought for £9 after discount.

    Dragonhikers

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  • Lansdale, Joe R. Dead on the Bones. Subterranean Press, 2016. #308 of 1500 signed, numbered copies.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. The Drive-In 2 (Not Just One of Them Sequels). Bantam Spectra, 1989. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of wear along the spine. Inscribed by Lansdale: “For/Karen/Meschke/(Her Ownself)/Joe R. Lansdale/(His Ownself).” I already had the Kinnell first hardback of this inscribed to me by Joe, but just never picked up this PBO.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Hap and Leonard. Tachyon, 2016. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, inscribed to me by Joe.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. and John L. Lansdale. Hell’s Bounty. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 1,000 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Got this from Joe in trade.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. and John L. Lansdale. Hell’s Bounty. Short, Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2016. First edition hardback thus (the Subterranean Press edition precedes), 55 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Weird western, heavy on the action and bloodshed.

    hells-bounty-sst

  • Lansdale, John L. Zombie Gold. Short, Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2016. First edition hardback, 55 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. More weird western mayhem.
  • zombie-gold

  • Lansdale, Joe R. and Kasey Lansdale. The Case of the Bleeding Wall. First edition hardback, #363 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought as part of a $99 package deal.
  • Lee, Tanith. East of Midnight. Macmillan (UK), 1977. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed and dated 2008 by Lee. Bought for £18 after discount.

    Lee East of Midnight

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  • Leiber, Fritz. The Wanderer. Ballantine Books, 1964. First edition paperback original, a Very Good+ copy with stamp to blurb page, a bot of rubbing, and touches of general wear. Signed by Leiber. Hugo Award winner. Currey, page 309. Burgess, Anatomy of Wonder 4, 4-259. Reginald, 08843.

    Leiber Wanderer

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  • Lewis, Anthony R. An Annotated Bibliography Of Recursive Science Fiction. NESFA Press, 1986. First edition oversized 8 1/2″ x 11″ center-stapled chapbook original, a Fine copy. Non-fiction reference work. Bought for £3 after discount.

    Recursive SF

  • (Lovecraft, H. P.) Dobbyn, Nigel. The Cthulhu Coloring Book: Startling Images From the Imagination of H. P. Lovecraft. Acturus, 2016. Oversized trade paperback original, Fine. Having received this as a gift, I am unsure whether this is a first printing or not. States “Suppler 29, Date 0816, Print Run 5487” which sounds more like a job batch number than a printing.
  • (Lovecraft, H. P.) Guran, Paula, editor. The Mammoth Book of Cthulhu. Robinson, 2016. Trade paperback original, new, Fine. Received as a Christmas gift.
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Joshi, S. T. 200 Books by S. t. Joshi. Hippocampus Press, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed by Joshi. A self-bibliography of H.P. Lovecraft’s supreme scholar, biographer, and bibliographer. So a bibliography of a bibliographer. Bought off eBay for $4.50 plus shipping.

    joshi-200

  • Lupoff, Richard. Nebogipfel At The End Of Time. Underwood/Miller, 1979. First edition, tiny oblong (5 1/2″ wide by 4 1/4″ long) side-stapled chapbook, one of 300 copies printed, a Fine copy. According to Chalker/Owings, there are 15 different color covers; this one is beige. Supposedly a Cthulhu Mythos story, but not in Ernest or Harms. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 900. Bought for £4.80 after discount.

    Nebogipfel

  • McCammon, Robert. The Last Train to Perdition. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Trade edition. Bought at 50% off cover price.
  • McCammon, Robert. The Last Train from Perdition. Subterranean Press, 2016. #308 of 500 signed, numbered, slipcased copies. The trade edition precedes by several months. Bought at 50% off cover price.
  • McCammon, Robert. Stinger. Subterranean Press, 2015. Signed limited edition hardback, #467 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Came in as part of a grab-bag lot. Supplements a copy of the Kinnell first hardback.
  • McAuley, Paul J. A Very British History with A Very British History: Additional Stories. PS Publishing, 2013. First edition hardback, #127 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine decorated slipcase. Image above under Baxter.
  • Mieville, China. This Census-Taker. Subterranean Press, 2016. First limited edition hardback (the Del Rey trade edition precedes), #442 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Miller, John and Smith, Tim, editors. The Were-Wolf and Other Tales from the Dark Side of the Moon. Chronicle Books, 1995. First edition small trim sized hardback (4 3/4″ x 6 1/4″), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Reprint anthology, from mostly classical and other public domain sources (Ovid, Petronius, Bram Stoker), plus Angela Carter. Looks like an item that was aimed as an impulse buy at the register, but as such there are relatively few copies listed online. Unusual book design, consisting of white and red printing on black pages.

    miller-were-wolf

  • Moorcock, Michael. The Birds of the Moon: A Travelers’ Tale. Jayde Design/Nomads of the Time Streams, 1995. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Signed by Moorcock: “Dave/—/Written for the/hippy issue of New Statesman/that never happened./Mike”. £15 pounds after discount.

    Birds Moon

    Birds Moon sig

  • Moorcock, Michael. Breakfast in the Ruins: A Novel of Inhumanity. New English Library, 1972. First edition hardback (as per Currey, page 368), a Fine- copy with the age darkening of pages all too common for NEL books of this era, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wear at points. Inscribed by Moorcock to fellow science fiction writer Keith Roberts: “For Keith/with very best/wishes./Mike.” Tanelorn Archives, page 11. Of the several first editions inscribed by Moorcock to Roberts Cold Tonnage had, this was both the most affordable and a title by Moorcock I didn’t already have. £24 after discount.

    Breakfast Ruins

    Breakfast Ruins Sig

  • Moorcock, Michael, with James Cawthorn, as Desmond Reid. Caribbean Crisis. Sexton Blake Library 501/Fleetway Publications, 1962. First edition (“First Printing” stated) trade paperback original (digest format), a Very Good- copy with small stains to front and rear cover (some from bleed-through from rusting staple), general wear and wrinkling along spine edge, small line of thin blue handwriting at top of rear cover, and slight page darkening. 62 double-column pages, plus a two page “mailbag” at rear. Not sure if this counts as a book serial or a magazine, but it features an English detective who first made his debut in 1893! Currey, page 368. Tanelorn Archives, page 12. An online Sexton Blake bibliography says that W. Howard Baker also did some revisions on this. Bought online for $6.65 plus $12.96 in shipping from a UK dealer.

    caribbean-crisis

  • Munn, H. Warner. Tales of the Werewolf Clan Volume One: The Tomb of the Bishop. Donald M. Grant, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a few small nicks at extremities. Illustrated by “Jeff K. Potter” before he started initializing his first name. Chalker/Owings, 219-220.

    munn-werewolf-1

  • Munn, H. Warner. Tales of the Werewolf Clan Volume Two: The Master Goes Home. Donald M. Grant, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Also illustrated by Potter. Chalker/Owings, 220.

    munn-werewolf-2

  • Ortved, Douglas. The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History. Faber & Faber, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Non-fiction guide to the animated TV show.
  • Otten, Charlotte F. A Lyncanthropy Reader: Werewolves in Western Culture. Syracuse University Press, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with one 1/4″ closed tear at top front, slight edgewear, and slight wear at points. Non-fiction.

    lycanthropy-reader

  • Parry, Michael. The Hounds of Hell. Gollancz, 1974. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Reprint anthology of weird stories about dogs, including stories by Manly Wade Wellman, Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, etc.

    parry-hounds-of-hell

  • Pei, Mario A. Tales of the Natural and the Supernatural. Devin-Adar, 1971. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Short story collection by this noted Italian-American linguist and writer. Includes “The Sparrows of Paris” (see Bleiler, Supernatural Fiction, 1298), a short werewolf novel. Reginald, 11279.
  • Pollard, John. Wolves and Werewolves. Robert Hale, 1964. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a tint bit of crimping at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with one 1/8″ tear near spine, very slight dust staining to white rear dust jacket, and a tiny bit of edgewear, otherwise a nice, bright copy with unfaded orange lettering on the spine. Wolf and werewolf lore and myth from across Europe.

    pollard-werewolves

  • Porter, J. R. and W.M.S Russell. Animals in Folklore. D. S. Brewer Ltd and Rowman & Littlefield for the Folklore Society, 1978. First edition hardback, a Fine copy (with inserted color frontispiece intact) in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of edgewear. Non-fiction. This is pretty far afield of the research books I typically pick up, but two things made me keep it: 1. The fact the only other copy online lists for over $300, and 2. The presence of a sticker stating “From the Library of Angela Carter” affixed to the inside front cover (which is, in fact, identical to the one on the first edition of Carter’s The Infernal Desire Machines of Dr. Hoffman I bought from her estate off eBay). Not bad for a throw-in on a $30 lot…

    animals-folklore

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  • Powers, Tim. Down and Out in Purgatory. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Trade edition.
  • Powers, Tim (as Francis Thomas Marrity). Nine Sonnets. Subterranean Press, 2006. First edition hardback chapbook, letter Q of 52 signed, lettered hardbacks, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Berlyne, B14a2. (In addition to this and the wraps chapbook state made to accompany the Subterranean Press edition of Three Days to Never, there were 9 (!) hardback copies in a different patterned binding and matching traycase, not seen.) Bought for $50 from a Camelot Books 50% off sale.

    nine-sonnets

  • Reynolds, Alastair. Beyond the Aquila Rift. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, trade state, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Another huge career retrospective collection, and at 781 pages, I think it’s the largest yet.

    aquila-rift-trade

  • Reynolds, Alastair. Beyond the Aquila Rift. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #171 of 350 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. I find it slightly odd that the trade edition includes a wraparound dust jacket illustration, whereas the spine and rear of the limited are just a background dark blue color, but the cover art here is by Reynolds himself.

    aquila-rift-ltd

  • (Rice, Anne) Beahm, George. The Anne Rice Companion. GB Ink, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Reference work.

    anne-rice-companion

  • Sheckley, Robert. Notions Unlimited. Bantam Books, 1960. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with slight wear at head and heel. Signed by Sheckley. Currey, page 433. Bought for £4.80 after discount.

    Sheckley Notions

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  • Shepard, Lucius. Five Autobiographies and a Fiction. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Trade edition.
  • Silverberg, Robert. Early Days: More Tales from the Pulp Era. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #169 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Silverberg, Robert. Musings and Meditations Nonstop Press, 2011. Trade paperback original, new, Fine. Non-fiction. Bought for 50% off cover price.
  • Sladek, John. Black Aura. Jonathan Cape, 1974. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Currey, page 450. Mystery novel. Bought for £9 after discount.

    Black Aura

  • Simmons, Dan. Hard as Nails. St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Third Joe Kurtz hardboiled mystery. I really enjoyed the first two, I just never chanced across a cheap copy of the third until I picked this up from the Fred Duarte estate.
  • Sladek, John (as Richard A. Tilms) The Judgement of Jupiter. New English Library, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Ostensibly non-fiction, this is, like Arachne Rising (which I also have) a spoof of pseudoscience. Bought for £9 after discount.

    Judgement of Jupiter

  • Smith, Clark Ashton. The Double Shadow. Auburn Journal Print, 1933. First edition oversized (8 1/2″ x 11 1/2″, about the size of sheet music) side-stapled chapbook, a Very Good copy with light crease to bottom corner, bottom staple starting to go, page 19 torn most of the way through in the center (but still intact) and general wear. Inscribed by the author: “With compliments of Clark Ashton Smith.” There are also several hand corrections by Smith in blue ink. Smith’s first collection of prose. Currey, page 453. Bleiler, Supernatural Fiction, 1483. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 200. Emperor of Dreams, page 183. Bought off eBay (after a bit of haggling) for $220. I did not previously have anything signed by Smith.

    Double Shadow

    Double Shadow sig

  • Smith, Clark Ashton. Out of Space and Time. Arkham House, 1942. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight bumping to bottom corner points and slight bend at head and heel, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with yellowing tape at head, heel and top points and the usual age darkening of the spine lettering (turning it from pale green to off-white), plus extremely slight wear at edges; despite the flaws, this is actually an intact and attractive specimen of the dust jacket. The third Arkham House book published and, with only 1,054 copies printed, the smallest print run among all Arkham House titles until Leah Bodine Drake’s partially subsidized poetry collection A Hornbook for Witches (with a print run of 553 copies) in 1950. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 3. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 3. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 3. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 3. Sidney-Fryer, Emperor of Dreams, page 183. The Tales of Clark Ashton Smith: A Bibliography, page 1. Currey, page 453. Chalker/Owings, page 21. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 290. Bleiler, Checklist of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Fiction, page 252 (1948), page 181 (1978), Bleiler, Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 1484. Barron, Horror Literature 3-182. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 200-201 (he had Fryer’s inscribed copy!). Bought off eBay for $399.

    CAS Space and Time

  • Sotheby’s Catalogue: Science Fiction Art, Books And Related Memorabilia b/w Sotheby’s Catalogue: Comic Books and Comic Art. Sotheby’s, 1995. First edition oversize illustrated pictorial covers, a Fine copy. Illustrated color catalogue for the June 16/17, 1995, Comic Books And Comic Art and Science Fiction books auctions. Unfortunately for my purposes, there’s a lot more comic book and art material than SF first editions. Bought for £6 after discount.

    Sotheby's SF catalog 1995

  • Stapledon. Olaf (Sam Moskowitz, editor). Far Future Calling: Uncollected Science Fictions and fantasies of Olaf Stapledon Oswald Train, 1979. First edition hardback, one of 1,300 copies printed, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just of trace of rubbing on front cover along gutter line. Signed by Moscowitz and artist Stephen Fabian. Previously uncollected stories, plus a long bio by Moskowitz. Chalker/Owings, pages 607-8. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy 2, page 104. Bought for £18 after discount.

    Far Future Calling

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  • Sterling, Bruce. Pirate Utopia. Tacyhon, 2016. Advanced Reading Copy, trade paperback format, Fine.
  • Sterling, Bruce. Pirate Utopia. Tacyhon, 2016.
  • Straub, Peter. Sides. Cemetery Dance, 2007. First edition hardback, #89 of 300 numbered copies signed by Straub, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase. Non-fiction pieces. This was published at $50, but Half Price Books had it at half the price of the trade edition at $12.49, then took an additional 20% off, so I got it for 1/5th cover price. Supplements a copy of the trade edition, also signed by Straub.
  • Sturgeon, Theodore. The Worlds of Theodore Sturgeon. Ace, 1972 (stated; actually 1977). Paperback original, second printing (cover price of $1.50 rather than 95¢, as per ISFDB), a Fine- copy with traces of wear, slight foxing to inside covers, and a small wrinkle at heel.

    Worlds Sturgeon

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  • Swanwick, Michael. Not So Much Said the Cat. Tachyon, 2016. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Signed and dated by Swanwick. His latest short story collection.
  • Swanwick, Michael. Signed Poem on Leaf. Dragonstairs Press, 2016. First edition. Note: Signed poem on leaf is a description more than a title, since it’s literally a leaf with a poem written on one side, and signed and numbered (4/20) by Swanwick on the other. This just showed up unexpectedly in the mail. In cardboard sleeve stating “For a friend of/Dragonstairs Press” and the shipping envelope.

    swanwick-leaf-poem

    swanwick-leaf-sig

  • Swanwick, Michael. Solstice Spirits. Dragonstairs Press, 2015. First edition chapbook original, #62 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy new and unread. Four brief seasonal tales. Though dated 2015, I was only able to obtain it recently, and it’s already sold out from the press.
  • solstice-spirits

  • Swanwick, Michael and Marianne Porter. Universe Box. Dragonstairs Press, 2016. First edition “hardback” (oblong stiff stab-bound/side-sewn boards, no spine binding, with bead), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, in a Fine decorated traycase (i.e., an old cigar box) with several art assemblage pieces included, one of only 13 copies (of which only 10 were available for sale), of which this particular copy (the first one sold) is labeled “Draco/Recent.” See here for more details.

    Universe Box Outside

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    Universe Box Book

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  • Queen, Ellery (here a pseudonym for Jack Vance). The Madman Theory. Pocket Books, 1966. Signed by Vance. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with traces of wear to extremities and slight foxing to inside cover edges. Hewett, A25. Currey, page 499. Supplements a signed copy of the later first hardback printing. Bought for £15 after discount.

    Madman Theory PBO

  • Vance, Jack. Monsters in Orbit. Dennis Dobson, 1977. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Hewett, A20b. Currey, page 499. Bought for £30 after discount.

    Monsters in Orbit

  • Vance, Jack. The Seventeen Virgins. Underwood/Miller, 1979. First edition trade paperback chapbook original, one of 600 copies, a Fine copy. Hewett, A58. Supplements a copy of the combined hardback edition of The Seventeen Virgins & The Bagful of Dreams. Bought for £18 after discount.

    Seventeen Virgins

  • Varley, John. Wizard. Berkley/Putnam, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of wrinkling at upper top right corner. Inscribed to Fred by Varley.
  • Varley, John. Demon. Berkley/Putnam, 1984. First edition hardback, a Fine copy (sadly with the usual age darkening to the pages for this title; every copy I’ve seen has been so afflicted) in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of darkening along very top edge. Inscribed to Fred by Varley.

    IMG_0693

  • Waite, Arthur Edward. The Quest for Bloods: A Study of the Victorian Penny Dreadful. Privately printed (Ferret Fantasy), 1997. First edition oversized (8 1/2″ x 12″) hardback, no limitation stated on this copy of the “regular” edition (though I get the impression that there were less than 500 printed total, and possibly considerably less than that), a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a slight bump and associated wrinkle near the head (and possibly some slight fading of the spine and other portions of the yellowish orange dust jacket).

    img_0924

  • Watson, Ian. The Best of Ian Watson with Squirrel, Reich and Lavender: Bonus Stories. PS Publishing, 2014. First edition hardback, #47 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine decorated slipcase. Note that in this set the signature page is found in the additional volume, not the main volume. Image above under Baxter.
  • Watson, Ian. Miracle Visitors. Gollancz, 1978. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Pringle, SF 100 85. Bought for £24 after discount.

    Watson Miracle Visitors

  • Whates, Ian and Ian Watson, editors. Shoes, Ships and Cadavers: Tales from North Londonshire. NewCon Press, 2010. First edition hardback, #48 of 50 signed, numbered copies signed by all the contributors (including introduction author Alan Moore), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. The combination of the low print run and being signed by Moore enticed me into buying it. Bought for £12 after discount.

    Shoes Ships Antho

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  • Wells, H. G. The Camford Visitation. Methuen, 1937. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight spine darkening and shallow chipping at head. It’s probably foolish to try to assemble a collection of H.G. Wells first editions at this late date, but I do try to pick up true firsts in nice dust jackets and/or signed when they’re cheap enough. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 130. Currey, page 517. Bought for £36 after discount.

    Camford Visitation

  • Wolfe, Gene. A Borrowed Man. Tor, 2015.
  • Wong, David. John Dies At the End. Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Cult science fiction horror novel and basis of the Don Coscarelli movie of the same name. Bought for $32.50 from Half Price Books with a 50% off coupon.

    john-dies

  • Library Additions: July 1—December 31, 2014

    Monday, January 5th, 2015

    Here’s the comprehensive roundup of all the books I’ve added to my professional library between July 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014. Some of these I’ve blogged about before, but not all of them. All books are Fine/Fine first edition hardbacks, unless otherwise marked.

  • Allston, Aaron. Doc Sidhe. Baen, 1995. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with one non-breaking spine crease. Inscribed by Allston: “To Paul:/Aaron Alston/ 6/30/96”. This would likely have been signed at the New Orleans Science Fiction and Fantasy Festival, where Aaron was a guest that weekend. Replaces a less attractive signed copy.
  • Allston, Aaron. Galatea in 2-D. Baen, 1993. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with moderate foxing to inside covers.
  • (Alternate Classics of Filmdom) Mareth, Glenville. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Alternate Histories, 2014. First edition small trim sized chapbook, a Fine copy, new and unread. Transcribed script for the movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
  • (Alternate Classics of Filmdom) Warren, Harold P. “Manos” The Hands of Fate. Alternate Histories, 2014. First edition small trim sized chapbook, a Fine copy, new and unread. Transcribed script for the movie Manos: The Hands of Fate.
  • (Alternate Classics of Filmdom) Wood, Edward D. Plan 9 From Outer Space. Alternate Histories, 2014. First edition small trim sized chapbook, a Fine copy, new and unread. Transcribed script for the movie Plan 9 From Outer Space.

    Manos Plan 9 Santa

  • Anthony, Piers. Bio of A Space Tyrant 1: Refuge. Gregg Press, 1985. First hardcover edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust.
  • Anthony, Piers. Bio of A Space Tyrant 2: Mercenary. Gregg Press, 1985. First hardcover edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Anthony, Piers. Bio of A Space Tyrant 3: Politician. Gregg Press, 1985. First hardcover edition, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with edgewear at head.
  • Asimov, Isaac. In Joy Still Felt. Doubleday, 1980. First edition hardback, a near Fine copy with light spotting to lower page block edge, in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of edgewear at head and heel (the price is also marked out in ink, but I believe that will lift off with repeated treatment with Bestine). The second volume of Asimov’s two-part autobiography, covering 1954 to 1978.
  • Asprin, Robert and Jody Lynn Nye. Myth-Told Tales. Meisha Merlin, 2003. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed to a Jennifer by both authors on August 31, 2003 (when I believe they attended Dragoncon). I haven’t read Asprin’s work in quite a while, but this was only $3 at Half Price Books.

    Myth Told Tales

  • Aylett, Steve (with Michael Moorcock). Rebel at the End of Time. PS publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, an unnumbered version of the 100 numbered copy state signed by Aylett, a Fine copy. Stories set in Michael Moorcock’s Dancers at the End of Time setting, with an additional story by Moorcock. Bought for $9.99 at Half Price Books. (List price is £24.99.)
  • Bacigalupi, Paolo. Zombie Baseball Beatdown. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 331 of 500 signed, numbered copies.
  • Ballard, J. G. The Terminal Beach. Gollancz, 1964. First hardback edition, an ex-library copy with all the usual flaws, including dust jacketed taped to boards, pocket removal, tape stain bleed-through on first two and last two pages, front hinge starting. considerable wear at head and heel; call it a Good+ Ex_library copy in a Very Good- attached dust jacket. Important early Ballard collection. Bought for about $64 (depending on exchange right fluctuations) off eBay. Currey, 1979, page 23. Goddard & Pringle, Ballard: The First Twenty Years, page 85 (counting from the last numbered page, since the bibliography section is, irritatingly, unnumbered).
  • Banks, Iain. The Steep Approach to Garbadale. Little/Brown, 2007. First edition hardback, a limited edition of 1000 numbered copies signed by Banks distributed through the Waterstone’s bookstore chain, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket as issued. Supplements a trade copy.

    P1000915

  • (Banks, Iain) Novacon 25 Special. Novacon 25, 1995. First edition center-stapled chapbook original, a Fine copy. Features work by Banks, Brain Aldiss, Harry Harrison and Bob Shaw.
  • Bass, Thomas A. The Eudaemonic Pie. Houghton Mifflin, 1985. First edition hardback, a near Fine copy with slight bending at head and heel and a faint 3″ blackish line on top front boards, in a near Fine dust jacket with several tears at the edges and edgewear, with errata slip laid in. Non-fiction about building a shoe computer to roulette tables in Las Vegas.
  • Bear, Greg. Halo: Primordium: The Forerunner Saga Book Two. Tor, 2012. Media tie-in.
  • Benford, Gregory and Gordon Eklund. Find the Changeling. Dell, 1980. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with edgewear, faint creasing along front and rear joins, and trace of foxing to inside covers.
  • Blaylock, James P. The Adventure of the Ring of Stones. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 196 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies.
  • Bova, Ben. Viewpoint. NESFA Press, 1977. First edition hardback, #126 of 800 signed, numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought from Currey for $10.
  • Bradbury, Ray. The Collected Stories of Ray Bradbury: A Critical Edition: Volume I: 1938-1943. Kent State University Press, 2010. Bought at Half Price Books for just under $15, a considerable discount off the list price of $65.
  • Bradbury, Ray. A Graveyard for Lunatics. Knopf, 1990. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Bradbury. Bought for $19.99 off eBay.

    Bradbury Grave Signature

  • Bradbury, Ray. Old Ahab’s Friend, and Friend to Noah, Speaks His Piece. Roy A. Squires, 1971. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #152 of 485 copies, a Fine copy.

    Bradbury Old Ahab

  • Bradbury, Ray. That Ghost, That Bride of Time. Roy A. Squires, 1976. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #289 of 400 copies, a Fine copy, in mailing envelope. (You can’t see from the scan, but the title is just barely visible through the slightly translucent paper wrapper.)

    Bradbury That Ghost

  • Bradbury, Ray. That Son of Richard III. Roy A. Squires, 1974. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #164 of 400 “ordinary” copies, a Fine copy, in mailing envelope. With small typed note from the publisher laid in: “Send No Money, Rik. We’ll get squared away at Westercon.” and “RAS” signature.

    Bradbury Son Richard III

  • (Bradbury, Ray) Sam Well and Mort Castle, editors. Shadow Show: Stories in Celebration of Ray Bradbury. Borderlands Press/Gauntlet Press, 2012. First edition hardback, #425 of 500 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase, new and unread. Anthology featuring work by Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Margaret Atwood, Harlan Ellison, David Morrell, etc. Paid cover price ($75), but the slipcase (usually an additional $25) was included for free.
  • Briggs, Joe Bob. Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In. Delecorte, 1987. Presumed first edition paperback original (no additional printings listed), a Fine- copy with a few tiny touches of wear. Non-fiction collection of humorous film criticism. Introduction by Stephen King.
  • Brooks, Max. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. Crown, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket. Bought for $12 at Quarter-Price Books in Houston, which is conveniently close to Joel’s Classical Shop.
  • Buckley, William F. Marco Polo, If You Can. Doubleday, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bending at head and heel in a Very Good price-clipped and spine-faded dust jacket with shallow chipping at head. Inscribed by the author: “For Roger Birk/Warm regards/Wm. F. Buckley, Jr.” Blackford Oakes spy thriller. Bought for $5.99 at Half Price Books; I only checked it because it had a Mylar dust jacket protector on it. Actually the second signed Buckley I have, along with the copy of Right Reason he signed for me my senior year in college.
  • Bull, Emma. Finder. Tor, 1994.
  • (Card, Orson Scott). Collings, Michael. Storyteller: Official guide to the World of Orson Scott Card. Overlook Connection, 2001. Non-fiction. List price is $50; bought for $15 off eBay.
  • Carius, Otto. Tigers in the Mud: The Combat Career of German Panzer Commander Otto Carius. Stackpole Books, 2005. trade paperback reprint. Sent to me by my friend Nick Austin after learning of my interest in armored warfare. Thanks, Nick!
  • Clareson, Thomas D. (editor). Voices for the Future Volume Two. Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in Fine dust jacket. Reference work of essays on science fiction writers, including Robert Silverberg, Philip Jose Farmer, Walter M. Miller, Jr., J. G. Ballard, John Brunner, Mack Reynolds, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Roger Zelazny. Tymn, The Science Fiction Reference Book, page 75. Bought for $10.

    Voices Future 2

  • Clareson, Thomas D. and Thomas L. Wymer (editors). Voices for the Future Volume Three. Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1984. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in Fine dust jacket, with review slip laid in. Reference work of essays on science fiction writers, including Gene Wolfe, Damon Knight, Cordwainer Smith, Mervyn Peake, Frederik Pohl, C. S. Lewis, Samuel R. Delany and Thomas M. Disch. (No picture because the cover is identical to Volume 2 except for the editors names and saying Volume Three.) Bought for $10.
  • Clement, Hal. Half Life. Tor, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Clement: “”Hal Clement” (Harry C. Stubbs)”. Bought for $19 from an eBay seller.
  • Cowper, Richard. The Unhappy Princess with The Missing Heart. Cheap Street, 1982. First edition chapbook originals, #54 of 75 slipcased copies, Fine copies in a Fine slipcase. Chalker & Owings, 1991, page 106. Note: I store my slipcased chapbooks with the hardbacks. Bought from L. W. Currey for $10.

    Cowper Unhappy Missing

  • Crowther, Pete and Nick Gevers, editors. Postscripts 24/25: The New and Perfect Man. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, trade state, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Since I have a story in here, I already have one traycased copy of the signed state, so this will go downstairs with the rest of the Postscripts run. Bought for $14.99 at Half Price Books (list price is £30).
  • (De Camp, L. Sprague) Laughlin, Charlotte and Daniel J. H. Levack. De Camp: An L. Sprague De Camp Bibliography. Underwood/Miller, 1983. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by De Camp and others, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Supplements a copy of the trade edition. Bought from Currey for $10.
  • de la Ree, Gerry. Fantasy Collectors Annual—1974. Gerry de la Ree, 1974. First edition hardback, #78 of 80 signed, hardbound copies, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bumping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued. Odd miscellanea of SF/F/H-related items, including facsimiles of various SF author’s inscriptions, an unpublished letter from H. P. Lovecraft to Virgil Finlay, the text of an unpublished letter from Edgar Allen Poe (that may be a forgery), black and white artwork from Finlay, Stephen Fabian and Malhon Blaine (if that third name isn’t as well known as the first two, well, there’s a reason for that…), etc. De la Ree was an important publisher, book dealer and collector. In his introduction, he said he wanted to do one of these every year. According to Chalker/Owings, there was one more in 1975.

    fantasy Annual

  • Dick, Philip K. The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 5: We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. Subterranean Press, 2014.
  • Dick, Philip K. Four Novels of the 1960s. The Library of America, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in slipcase, as issued. Library of America produces these jacketless, slipcased editions of their books for subscribers, and the jacketed version (which I also have) for retail. I am unclear as to whether there is any precedence between the two states. Bought for $8 from Half Price Books.

    P1000943

  • (Dick, Philip K.) Levack, Daniel J. H. PKD: A Philip K. Dick Bibliography. Underwood/Miller, 1981. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by Dick, Levack and annotator Steven Owen Godersky. A Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $299 off eBay at the Buy-It-Now price, which is less than half what it usually lists for.

    PKD Bib signed

    Dick Bib Signatures

  • Di Filippo, Paul. Wikiworld. Chizine Publications, 2013. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. Short story collection.
  • Dozois, Gardner. The Peacemaker. Pulphouse, 1991. First edition hardback, #97 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Part of the short story hardback line, which was in turn a simultaneous extension of their short story paperback line. I thought at the time (and still think) that this was a stupid idea, that $1.95 for a single short story (the price point for the paperback) was a bad idea, and that this was symptomatic of the wild overproduction that help killed Pulphouse off. But I have been picking up the short story hardback for writers I collect when I stumble across them cheaply.

    Peacemaker

  • Dozois, Gardner. The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-First Annual Collection St. Martin’s, 2014.
  • Durbin, Frederic S. Dragonfly. Arkham House, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Just for a complete Arkham House collection. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 191.
  • Ebert, Roger. A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length. Andrews McMeel, 2012. Trade paperback original, Fine. Non-fiction collection of scathing movie reviews.
  • Ellison, Harlan. The Fantasies of Harlan Ellison. Gregg Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with boards just a tiny bit bowed and a few traces of dust soiling to page blocked edges, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Ellison: “To Dane! Harlan Ellison”.
  • Fabian, Stephen. Women & Wonders. Charles F. Miller, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrink wrap.
  • Farmer, Philip Jose. Down in the Black Gang. Signet, 1971. First paperback edition (Currey says the SFBC hardback, which I also have, precedes), a Very Good+ copy with faint spine creasing, very slight spine lean, edgewear, and darkening to pages. Inscribed by Farmer to Bruce Sterling. Picked up for $12 at Half Price Books.

    Black Gang

    Black Gang Sig

  • Finlay, Virgil. An Astrology Sketch Book. Donald M. Grant, 1975. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $10 which is, iddly enough, the actual cover price…

    Finlay Astrology

  • Finlay, Virgil. Finlay’s Illustrations for Weird Tales. Showcase Art Productions, 1976. First edition art portfolio of 9 illustrations (one in color) in a cardstock cover, a Fine copy.

    Finlay Weird Tales 1

  • Ford, John M. Growing Up Weightless. Easton Press, 1993. First hardback edition, one of an undetermined number of signed subscriber copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, in decorated leather boards. Bought from Half Price Books for $35.

    Growing Up Weightless

  • Gaiman, Neil. The Sleeper and the Spindle. Morrow/Harper Collins, 2014. First separate edition hardback (it appeared in an anthology in 2013), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Chapbook on the Sleeping beauty theme, only available through California bookstores on California Book Day (May 3, 2014).

    Gaiman Sleeper Spindle

  • Gibson, William. The Peripheral. Putnam, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed to me by Gibson at BookPeople on November 2, 2014: “TO LAWRENCE/WM GIBSON”. Near-future SF that sounds interesting. About a hundred people turned out for the Gibson signing, which is the second biggest crowd I’d seen there next to Neil Gaiman’s signing for Anansi Boys. I’ll have several signed William Gibson items available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
  • Haldeman, Joe, editor. Study War No More. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with crease to FFE and a BB-sized outward bump (probably a binding flaw) near top of spine, in a Near Fine+ slightly spine-faded dust jacket. Signed by Haldeman and contributors Harlan Ellison, Poul Anderson and George Alec Effinger. Anthology. Bought off eBay for $24.99.

    Study War

  • Hall, Hal W., editor. Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1878-1985: Volume 1: Author Entries and Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1878-1985: Volume 2: Subject Entries. Gale Research Company, 1987. First edition hardbacks, Very Good+ in decorated boards with bumping to extremities, slight wear at heel, and slight crease to second volume’s spine, sans dust jackets, as issued. Two large science fiction reference works. Massive two-volume reference index to non-fiction critical articles, reviews, books, etc. covering science fiction and fantasy. Hall was the long-time director of the Science Fiction collection at the Texas A&M Cushing Library, which has amassed a massive and impressive collection.

    P1000894

  • Heinlein, Robert A. (David Hartwell, editor). Destination Moon. Gregg Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Includes the novella “Destination Moon,” “Shooting Destination Moon“, numerous reproduced newspaper clippings on the movie, photo stills from the movie, and a new introduction by David Hartwell, who edited the volume.

    Gregg Ellison Heinlein

  • Hodgson, William Hope. The House on the Borderland and Other Novels. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with bumping at corners, small dust print at bottom page block outer edge, and faint foxing to gutters, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with 1/16″ chip at heel, wear at points (including a pinhead hole at lower front edge), and extremely mild sun-fading to the spine; it’s actually a wonderfully bright example of the Hannes Bok dust jacket, and the only better copies I’ve seen were at least three times the price. Includes the title novel, plus The Boats of the ‘Glen Carrig’, The Ghost Pirates, and The Night Land, all of which were previously published individually (and first editions of which all of which now go for well over a grand). One of the four large-format Arkhams, the other being H.P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider and Others and Beyond the Wall of Sleep, and Robert E. Howard’s Skull-Face and Others, all three of which I still lack. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 16. Derleth, 30 Years of Arkham House, 16. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 19. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 16. Blieler, Checklist of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 101. Blieler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 821. Bought for £220 plus shipping off eBay.

    House Borderland Arkham

    IMG_0287

  • Jeter, K.W. Fiendish Schemes. Tor, 2013. A sequel to Infernal Devices.
  • Joyce, Graham. Some Kind of Fairy Tale. Gollancz, 2012. One of 1,500 first edition copies signed by the author.
  • Kennedy, Leigh. Wind Angels. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, an unnumbered copy of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements the trade edition. Bought for $20 at Half Price Books.
  • King, Stephen. The Dark Half. Hodder & Stoughton, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Precedes the American edition.
  • (King, Stephen) Collings, Michael. Stephen King as Richard Bachman. Starmont House, 1985. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards (the covers from the trade paperback attached to the front cover). Reference work.

    King as Bachman

  • (King, Stephen) Reino, Joseph. Stephen King: The First Decade, Carrie to Pet Sematary. G. K. Hall, 1988. No dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction.
  • Knight, Damon. Why Do Birds Tor, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Knight: “for Mark/Damon Knight”. With review slip laid in. Bought for $12.50 from an eBay seller.
  • Lafferty, R. A. Horns On Their Heads. Pendragon Press, 1976. First edition hardback, #Q of 50 signed hardback copies, a Near Fine copy with 1/2″ inch of darkening around the top and outer edge of the rear panel, and darkening to spine, sans dust jacket, as issued.

    Lafferty Horns

  • Langford, David. Irrational Numbers. Necronomicon Press, 1994. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Got this inscribed to me by David at the London Worldcon.
  • Lake, Jay. Pinion. Tor, 2010. Third in the Clockwork Earth sequence.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Black Hat Jack. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 114 of 350 signed, numbered leatherbound copies in a different dust jacket.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Black Hat Jack. Subterranean Press, 2014. Trade edition.
  • Leiber, Fritz. The Leiber Chronicles. Dark Harvest, 1990. First edition hardback, #7 of 500 signed, numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. Bought for $38 off eBay, which is roughly half the original publication price of $65.
  • Lethem, Jonathan. Dissident Gardens. Doubleday, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of crimping at heel. Signed by Lethem. Bought from Half Price Books for $13.99
  • (LonCon3) LonCon3 Program Book and LonCon3 Pocket Programme Guide. LonCon3, 2014. Given out as part of membership for the 2014 London Worldcon. I hadn’t previously been cataloging things like this, but I probably should…
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Brennan, Joseph Payne. A Select Bibliography of H. P. Lovecraft. Self-published, 1952. First edition chapbook, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of wrinkling. Joshi, Lovecraft Bibliography, III-B-8. Bought for $10.

    Brennan Lovecraft Bib

  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Derie, Bobby. Sex and the Cthulhu Mythos. Hippocampus Press, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. Gahan Wilson cover. Non-fiction work examining sexual themes in a wide variety of Cthulhu Mythos-related work.
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Faig, Kenneth W. The Parents of Howard Philip Lovecraft. Necronomicon Press, 1990. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, signed on the inside front cover by Faig. Non-fiction.
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Joshi, S. T. Lovecraft and a World in Transition. Hippocampus Press, 2014. First edition hardback, one of 500 copies signed by Joshi (the only edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of Joshi’s most important essays on Lovecraft (of which there have been many).
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Squires, Richard D. Stern fathers ‘neath the mould: The Lovecraft Family in Rochester. Necronomicon Press, 1995. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Non-fiction. This and The Parents of Howard Philip Lovecraft bought for $28.29 off eBay.
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Wetzel, George (editor). Commentaries: Volume VI The Lovecraft Collector’s Library. SSR Publications, 1955. First edition oversized side-stapled mimeographed paperback, #46 of 75 copies, a Near Fine, age-darkened copy. Joshi, Lovecraft Bibliography, III-C-27. Tymn Schlobin Currey, 295. Bought for $25.

    Lovecraft Commentaries

  • Martin, George R. R., editor. Fort Freak. Tor, 2011.
  • McDonald, Ian. Planesrunner. Pyr, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald.
  • McDonald, Ian. Be My Enemy. Pyr, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald. Second in the Everness series.
  • McDonald, Ian. Empress of the Sun. Pyr, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald. Third in the Everness series.
  • Mieville, China. The Apology Chapbook. China Mieville/World fantasy Convention, 2013. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Issued in lieu of Mieville being able to make his scheduled Guest of Honor appearance at the 2013 World fantasy Convention in Brighton.
  • Moorcock, Michael (as Edward P. Bradbury). Barbarians of Mars. Compact, 1965. First edition paperback original, a Very Good copy with spine creasing and general wear. Really only bought it for the additional 15% discount coupon to kick in for a web bookseller; it was the cheapest book they had in science fiction, but it’s one I can actually use! Tanalorn Archives, page 7. Currey (1979), page 368.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The End of All Songs. Harper & Row, 1976. First edition hardback (with the author’s name misspelled “Moorock” on the spine, as per Currey), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Third book in the Dancers at the End of Time trilogy. Currey (1979), page 370.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The Golden Barge. New English Library, 1983. First hardback edition (preceded by a trade paperback original), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The Stealer of Souls. Neville Spearman, 1963. First edition hardback, a Fine- first state (orange binding with black lettering) copy with publisher stamp for “Wehman Bros./Publishers/138 Main Street/Hackensack, N.J.” on title page, and some slight bend at head and heel, in a Very Good-, price-clipped dust jacket with $3.00 stamp above price clip, rubbing and shallow chipping and wear at extremities. Though I usually look for books in better condition than this (at least for this era), this, Stormbringer and Sword of the Dawn were too cheap to pass up. Tanalorn Archive, page 32. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Stealer of Souls

  • Moorcock, Michael. Stormbringer. Herbert Jenkins, 1965. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with “Wehman Bros./Publishers/138 Main Street/Hackensack, N.J.” stamp on title page, and slight bend at head and heel, in a Very Good, price-clipped dust jacket with sticker pull just over the price clip, rubbing and shallow chipping at extremities. Tanalorn Archive, page 32. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Stormbringer

  • Moorcock, Michael. The Sword of the Dawn. White Lion, 1973. First hardback edition, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight rubbing. Tanalorn Archive, page 34. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Sword of the Dawn

  • Moorcock, Michael, and Philip James. The Distant Suns. Unicorn SF, 1975. First edition trade paperback original (perfect-bound comic book format), a Fine- copy with slightly yellowed pages. Currey (1979), page 369.

    Distant Suns

  • (Moore, Alan) Millidge, Gary Spencer. Alan Moore: Storyteller. Ilex, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of surface wear. Lavishly illustrated book on Moore’s career. Includes a CD of Moore’s “songs, readings and performances.” Bought from Brad Foster at Armadillocon for (IIRC) $16.
  • Morgenstern, Erin. The Night Circus. Doubleday, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by the author. Fantasy, a first novel that got a lot of positive buzz. Bought for $27 (including buyer’s premium) off Heritage Auctions.
  • Newman, Kim and Ian Freer. The First Empire Movie Almanac. Empire magazine, no date (but 1988). First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight waviness to pages due to glue bunching (probably a binding flaw common to the run). Signed by Newman. Freely distributed subscriber extra from Empire magazine (the British film magazine, not the American SF writing magazine), a non-fiction miscellanea of lists and movie trivia. It’s also an example of why the Internet isn’t an acceptable substitute for book scouting, since I had no idea this existed until I came across it in the Cold Tonnage stacks…

    Empire Movie Guide

  • Niffenegger, Audrey. The Time Traveler’s Wife. MacAdam/Cage, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $20 at Half Price Books. Replaces a less perfect copy.

    Time Traveler's Wife

  • Niven, Larry, and Jerry Pournelle. Oath of Fealty. Timescape, 1981. First trade edition, preceded by the Phantasia Press limited edition (which I also have), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of wear. Pringle SF 100 list.
  • Noon, Jeff. Vurt. Crown, 1993. First hardback and first American edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Noon: “To Shirley/Good Feathers/Jeff Noon” (with a drawing of a feather). Supplements an unsigned edition.

    Jeff noon Sig

  • O’Sullivan, Kevin M. editor. The Great War: A World War I Exhibit Featuring the Aggie Experience. Texas A&M University Libraries, no date (but 2014). Trade paperback original first edition, a Fine copy. Exhibit catalog highlighting World War I material held by Texas A&M University libraries. Picked up for free from library representatives at Armadillocon.
  • Parnell, Frank H. (with Mike Ashley). Monthly Terrors: An Index to the Weird Fantasy Magazines Published in the United States and Great Britain. Greenwood Press, 1985. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, with review slip laid in. Bought off Lloyd Currey for $22.50.
  • Pohl, Frederik, and Jack Williamson. Land’s End. Tor, 1988. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with slight crease to spine, slight bend at head and heel, and a trace of lean, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with 1″ x 1/8″ crease at top dj rear and wear at extremity points. Inscribed by both authors: [In Williamson’s hand] “For/Debbie/with the very best/Jack Williamson/[in Pohl’s hand] and/Fred Pohl.” Bought for $20 off eBay.

    Land's End Sig

  • Powers, Tim. Appointment on Sunset. Charnel House, 2014. First edition hardback, #115 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, with signed and numbered toe-tag affixed to the front cover.

    Powers Sunset

  • Powers, Tim. Nobody’s Home. Subterranean Press, 2014. Trade edition. Anubis Gates story.
  • Purdom, Tom. Reentry and other thoughts on Science Fiction. Dragonstair Press, 2014. First edition chapbook, a Fine- copy with slight crease to left edge. Non-fiction essays on science fiction.
  • Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. Random House, 1957. First edition hardback (“First Printing” stated), a Fine- copy with just a tiny bit of bend at head and a tiny bit of pulling away of just the center of the top page block, and a tiny dust print at the outer bottom near page block edge, in a Very Good- first printing ($6.95 price and 10/57 code on front flap) dust jacket with shallow chipping at extremities (most notable at head and heel, perhaps 1/8″ at front and rear spine join points) and associated abrading, and blind-side age darkening, but otherwise an intact and fairly attractive example of the dust jacket. With clipping of a letter from Rand from the March 21, 1960 issue of Time magazine laid in. Bought for $270 from Half Price Books during a coupon sale, marked down from $450.

    Atlas Shrugged

  • Russ, Joanna. We Who Are About To…. Gregg Press, 1978. First hardback edition, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $20 off eBay.
  • Samuelson, Todd, editor. One Hundred Years Hence: Science Fiction & Fantasy at Texas A&M. Texas A&M University Libraries, 2010. Trade paperback original first edition, a Fine copy. Exhibit catalog highlighting the science fiction holdings at the Cushing Memorial Library at Texas A&M University. Picked up for free from library representatives at Armadillocon.
  • “Sarban” (pseudonym for John William Wall). The Sound of His Horn. Peter Davies Ltd., 1952. First edition hardback, a Very Good copy with some wear at head and heel, front free endpaper missing, and an inked name on half-title page, in a Very Good- dust jacket with shallow staining to head and heel, dust soiling to white rear panel, and two small blue ink spots to front flap. Actually a fairly attractive copy of this alternate history set after the Nazis win World War II. Pringle, Modern Fantasy, 12. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 189.

    Sound of His Horn

  • Schow, David J. Internecine. Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2010.
  • Schow, David J. A Little Aqua Book of Creature Tails. Borderlands Press, 2014. First edition hardback, number 136 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Sheckley, Robert. The Robot Who Looked Like Me. Sphere, 1978. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with edgewear and a few slightly dog-eared pages. Short story collection. Not in Currey (though it should have just made it in based on the publication date), but the ISFDB says the Sphere edition precedes the Bantam edition by four years.

    Sheckley Robot Who

  • Shepard, Lucius. Beautiful Blood. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 191 of 1,000, unsigned (due to Shepard’s death) copies.
  • Silverberg, Robert. Blood on the Mink. Hard Case Crime, 2012. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. reprints a Silverberg crime novel published in the pulps, plus two additional stories and a new afterword.
  • Simmons, Dan. Flashback. Reagan Arthur/Little Brown, 2011.
  • Smith, Clark Ashton. The Immortals of Mercury. Stellar Publishing Corporation, 1932. First edition chapbook original, Very Good only, more browned than usual. Probably the most expensive of all the Stellar series, as it frequently lists for over $100. Bought for $29.99 off eBay. For more on the Stellar series, see here.

    CAS Immortals Mercury

  • Stephenson, Neal. Some Remarks. Morrow, 2012. Non-fiction.
  • Sterling, Bruce, editor. Twelve Tomorrows: MIT Technology Review SF Annual • 2014. Technology Review, Inc., 2014. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. Bruce had extras at October’s Turkey City Writer’s Workshop.
  • Strahan, Jonathan. The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume Two. Night Shade Press, 2008. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine copy with a slight bend top top rear corner (bumped it carrying it around). Got this copy signed by Ted Chiang at Armadillocon.
  • Strahan, Jonathan. The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume Three. Night Shade Press, 2009. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Got this copy signed by Ted Chiang at Armadillocon.
  • Strahan, Jonathan. The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume Four. Night Shade Press, 2010. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy.
  • Stross, Charles. Equiod. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 188 of 350 signed, numbered copies. Laundry novella.
  • Stross, Charles. Equiod. Subterranean Press, 2014. Trade edition.
  • Stross, Charles. Neptune’s Brood. Ace, 2013. Bought from Half Price Books for $9.99.
  • Stross, Charles. The Rhesus Chart Ace, 2014. Laundry novel.
  • Swanwick, Michael. The Dragons of Babel. Tor, 2007.
  • Swanwick, Michael. American Cigarettes. Dragonstairs Press, 2011. First edition chapbook, a slender 8 pages (including self wrappers), #85 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine, with advert for Dancing With Bears laid in.
  • Swanwick, Michael. The Nature of Mirrors. Dragonstairs Press, 2011. First edition chapbook, a slender 12 pages (including self wrappers and two blanks), #67 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine.
  • Swanwick, Michael. Song of the Lorelei. Dragonstair Press, 2011. First edition chapbook, a slender 8 pages (including self wrappers), #88 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine.

    Swanwick Chapbooks 100814

  • Swanwick, Michael. Solstice Fire. Dragonstairs Press, 2013. First edition side-sewn chapbook original, #42 of 100 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy.

    Solstice Fire

  • Teitler, Stuart A. By the World Forgot. Privately printed (Ferret Fantasy), 2014. First edition trade paperback original, one of 50 numbered copies (this one inscribed to me by compiler George Locke, noting he hadn’t gotten around to numbering them yet), a Near Fine copy with slight creasing near the spine (a result of carrying it around in my carry-on luggage). A 130 page (plus a catalog at the back) annotated bibliographic compendium of lost race fiction compiled by Teitler, a noted American book scout and lost race collector. Probably destined to become the definitive book on the subject.

    By the World Forgot

  • Teitler, Stuart A., George Locke and Others. By the Book World Remembered. Privately printed (Ferret Fantasy), 2014. First edition trade paperback original, one of 50 numbered copies (this one also inscribed to me by compiler George Locke, but not yet numbered), a Fine copy. Another non-fiction reference book, 146 pages, something of a memorial to Teitler, told largely in epistolary format, of the friendship between the two, covering book hunting, finer points of lost race bibliographic information, catalog and collection listings, etc. If you’re a hardcore book geek, you’ll love this stuff; if you’re not, it will probably leave you cold.

    By Book World Remembered

  • Tuttle, Lisa. A Spaceship Built of Stone and Other Stories. The Women’s Press, 1987. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Inscribed to me by the author: “For Lawrence/A spaceship built of stone/should not fall apart. I/hope this one lasts/All the best/Lisa Tuttle/20 Aug 2014”. (An additional personal postcard to me is laid in as well.) Sent to me by the author. The story is that I found a less perfect copy of this book at an Oxfam shop for £1.50, and bought it with the intention of having Lisa sign it at Worldcon. However, when I did so, the first leaf of the book fell out! At which point Lisa said she’d mail me a copy…
  • Vance, Jack. The Worlds of Jack Vance. Ace Books, 1973. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy. Currey, page 501. Hewett, A44.
  • (Wagner, Karl Edward) Szumskyj, Benjamin, editor. Black Prometheus: A Critical Study of Karl Edward Wagner. Gothic Press, 2006. First edition chapbook original, Fine in center-stapled wraps. Non-fiction. Missed this when it came out.
  • Walton, Evangeline. Witch House. Arkham House, 1945. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 11. Derleth, 30 Years of Arkham House, 11. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 11. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 11. Blieler, Checklist of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 202. Blieler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 1655. Crawford, Donahue and Grant, 333, page 67. Barron, Horror Literature: A Reader’s Guide, 3-203. Tymn, Horror Literature: A Core Collection and Reference Guide, 4-216. Bought for $47 off the Internet. It seems that every time I would see a copy at auction, I’d ask myself “Do I already have a copy of that?” Now I know the answer to that question…

    Witch House

  • Webb, Don. Through Dark Angles: Works Inspired by H. P. Lovecraft. Hippocampus Press, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, Fine.
  • Wells, H.G. Experiment in Autobiography (Volumes I and II). Gollancz, 1934. First edition, a Very Good copy with dust soiling to boards and crimping at head and heel, in Good only dust jackets with significant chipping at extremities. Text of J. B. Priestley’s eulogy delivered at Wells’s funeral clipped from newspaper tipped in on front free endpaper of volume 1. Bought from L.W. Currey for $10 for the set.

    Wells Experiment 2

    Wells Experiment 1

  • Wells, H. G. Men Like Gods. Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1923. First edition hardback (a probable third binding state, as per Currey’s listing, with decorated brown boards with black lettering, which is not recorded in Currey (2002)), a Near Fine copy with slight wear at heel, small, faint stamp to FFE, foxing to gutters and slight bend at head in a Very Good- dust jacket with small sticker remnant on front and shallow chipping at head and heel, and chips at points. Wells’ second socialist utopia. H.G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 85. Bought for $22.50

    Wells Men Like Gods

    Wells Men Like Gods boards

  • Wells, H. G. The Secret Places of the Heart. Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1922. First edition hardback, first state binding (title blindstamped on cover, as per Currey (2002)), a Fine- copy with slight bending at head and heel and foxing to gutters in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of edgewear. H.G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 81. Bought for $37.50

    Wells Secret Places

  • 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. Miscellany of film and screen memories and pictures of signed publicity photos, lobby cards, etc. from Yellin’s collection. Yellin was publisher of Lord John Press.

    Lord John Film

    Lord John Film sig

  • Copies of most of the small press books from Subterranean, Hippocampus, etc. listed above will be available through the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

    Library Additions: Books Bought From Cold Tonnage Books

    Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

    On my London Worldcon sojurn, I took a day to visit Andy Richards of Cold Tonnage Books, who I’ve been buying from and trading with for a quarter century. In addition to swapping old bookseller stories (and it was a shock to realize I’m considered one of the “old timers” by now), I went over his stock and picked out a few things, some to buy and some for Lame Excuse Books stock. Below are just the items for my own library.

  • de la Ree, Gerry. Fantasy Collectors Annual—1974. Gerry de la Ree, 1974. First edition hardback, #78 of 80 signed, hardbound copies, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bumping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued. Odd miscellanea of SF/F/H-related items, including facsimiles of various SF author’s inscriptions, an unpublished letter from H. P. Lovecraft to Virgil Finlay, the text of an unpublished letter from Edgar Allen Poe (that may be a forgery), black and white artwork from Finlay, Stephen Fabian and Malhon Blaine (if that third name isn’t as well known as the first two, well, there’s a reason for that…), etc. De la Ree was an important publisher, book dealer and collector. In his introduction, he said he wanted to do one of these every year. According to Chalker/Owings, there was one more in 1975.

    fantasy Annual

  • Dozois, Gardner. The Peacemaker. Pulphouse, 1991. First edition hardback, #97 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Part of the short story hardback line, which was in turn a simultaneous extension of their short story paperback line. I thought at the time (and still think) that this was a stupid idea, that $1.95 for a single short story (the price point for the paperback) was a bad idea, and that this was symptomatic of the wild overproduction that help killed Pulphouse off. But I have been picking up the short story hardback for writers I collect when I stumble across them cheaply.

    Peacemaker

  • Durbin, Frederic S. Dragonfly. Arkham House, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Just for a complete Arkham House collection. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 191.
  • Ellison, Harlan. The Fantasies of Harlan Ellison. Gregg Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with boards just a tiny bit bowed and a few traces of dust soiling to page block edges, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Ellison: “To Dane! Harlan Ellison”.
  • Hall, Hal W., editor. Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1878-1985: Volume 1: Author Entries and Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1878-1985: Volume 2: Subject Entries. Gale Research Company, 1987. First edition hardbacks, Very Good+ in decorated boards with bumping to extremities, slight wear at heel, and slight crease to second volume’s spine, sans dust jackets, as issued. Two large science fiction reference works. Massive two-volume reference index to non-fiction critical articles, reviews, books, etc. covering science fiction and fantasy. Hall was the long-time director of the Science Fiction collection at the Texas A&M Cushing Library, which has amassed a massive and impressive collection.

    P1000894

  • Heinlein, Robert A. (David Hartwell, editor). Destination Moon. Gregg Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Includes the novella “Destination Moon,” “Shooting Destination Moon“, numerous reproduced newspaper clippings on the movie, photo stills from the movie, and a new introduction by David Hartwell, who edited the volume.

    Gregg Ellison Heinlein

  • Langford, David. Irrational Numbers. Necronomicon Press, 1994. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Got this inscribed to me by David at the London Worldcon.
  • Newman, Kim and Ian Freer. The First Empire Movie Almanac. Empire magazine, no date (but 1988). First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight waviness to pages due to glue bunching (probably a binding flaw common to the run). Signed by Newman. Freely distributed subscriber extra from Empire magazine (the British film magazine, not the American SF writing magazine), a non-fiction miscellanea of lists and movie trivia. It’s also an example of why the Internet isn’t an acceptable substitute for book scouting, since I had no idea this existed until I came across it in the Cold Tonnage stacks…

    Empire Movie Guide

  • “Sarban” (pseudonym for John William Wall). The Sound of His Horn. Peter Davies Ltd., 1952. First edition hardback, a Very Good copy with some wear at head and heel, front free endpaper missing, and an inked name on half-title page, in a Very Good- dust jacket with shallow staining to head and heel, dust soiling to white rear panel, and two small blue ink spots to front flap. Actually a fairly attractive copy of this alternate history set after the Nazis win World War II. Pringle, Modern Fantasy, 12. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 189.

    Sound of His Horn

  • Just noticed my cheap all-in-one HP scanner/printer/etc. is starting to develop streaks. Might need to get a new one before too long…

    Library Additions: January 1—June 30, 2014

    Monday, July 7th, 2014

    Here’s all the books I added to my professional science fiction library over the first half of the year. All these are Fine first edition hardbacks in Fine dust jackets unless otherwise noted.

  • Allston, Aaron. Doc Sidhe. Baen, 1995. First edition paperback original, Very Good with multiple spine creases and spine lean. Signed and dated 5/25/01 by Allston. His Doc Savage homage. Found at a Half Price Book for half cover price a couple of months after he died.
  • (Anderson, Poul) Gardner Dozois and Greg Bear, editors. Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson’s Worlds. Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, one of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, new and unread. Poul Anderson tribute anthology, including stories using his characters and settings.
  • (Anderson, Poul) Gardner Dozois and Greg Bear, editors. Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson’s Worlds. Subterranean Press, 2014. One of 1,500 copies trade copies.
  • (Ballard, J. G.) Baxter, John. The Inner Man: The Life of J. G. Ballard. Weidenfield & Nicolson, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Critical biography.
  • (Bester, Alfred) Wendell, Carolyn. Alfred Bester: Starmont Reader Guide 6. Starmont House, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by Wendell.
  • Bloch, Robert. American Gothic. Simon and Schuster, 1974. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a couple of large, faint light brownish stains on front free endpaper and one much smaller one on the rear free endpaper, in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Bloch, who actually mentions the stain: “Clean up this page/immediately! ——->/ Robert Bloch” (with the arrow pointing toward one of the stains). Replaces an unsigned ex-library copy in my collection. Price paid: $30.00.

    Bloch Inscription

  • Borst, Ronald V. Graven Images. Grove Press, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Oversized art book reprinting science fiction, fantasy and horror movie posters, production art, etc., from Borst’s own extensive collection. Signed by Ray Bradbury, who provided the introduction to the chapter on the 1930s. Amount paid: $26.24. This is actually not hard to find signed by Bradbury, but it usually goes for about twice that.
  • Bradbury, Ray. Bradbury Speaks: Too Soon from the Cave, Too Far From the Stars. William Morrow, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of spine-join haze rubbing. Signed by Bradbury: “MARK!/Ray/Bradbury”. Collection of essays.
  • (Bradbury, Ray). Nolan, William F. and Martin H. Greenberg, editors. The Bradbury Chronicles: Stores in Honor of Ray Bradbury. Roc, 1991. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of wrinkling at head. Signed by Bradbury. Anthology.
  • Burroughs, William S. Interzone. Viking, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with traces of wear and slight dust soiling along spine join. Shoaf, Collecting William S. Burroughs in Print, 60.
  • Card, Orson Scott. The Folk of the Fringe. Phantasia Press, 1988. First edition hardback, #140 of 400 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, new and unread. Supplements a trade copy. Bought for $10. (Original list price was $75.)
  • De Camp, L. Sprague and Fletcher Pratt. Wall of Serpents. Avalon, 1960. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with some bending at head and heel in a Very Good+ dust jacket, with crimping and rubbing at head and heel and slight dust staining to back cover. Signed by De Camp. Currey (1979), page 135. Supplements an unsigned copy. Bought for $17.50
  • (Clement, Hal) Hassler, Donald M. Hal Clement: Starmont Reader Guide 11. Starmont House, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by Hassler.
  • Coover, Robert. A Child Again. McSweeney’s, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket (as issued), still in shrinkwrap with cards attached. Bought at Half Price Books for $6.99.
  • (Delany, Samuel R.) Weedman, Jane Branham. Samuel R. Delany: Starmont Reader Guide 10. Starmont House, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by Delany: “Samuel R. Delany/Madison/2006”.
  • Del Rey, Lester. The World of Science Fiction, 1926-1976: The History of a Subculture. Garland, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight crimping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued. A history of science fiction fandom by someone who witnessed it.

    Del Rey World of SF

  • Denton, Brad. Sergeant Chip and Other Novellas. Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, one of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread.
  • Diaz, Junot. The Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao. Inscribed by the author: “To Lance/Oscar Wao.”
  • Ellison, Harlan. Flintlock. Charnel House, 2013 (actually 2014). First edition hardback, #55 of 274 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Unproduced screenplay for James Coburn’s Derek Flint character.

    Flintlock

  • Farmer, Philip Jose. The Dark Heart of Time: A Tarzan Novel. Del Rey, 1999. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Evidently this is pretty hard to find…
  • Farmer, Philip Jose. River of Eternity. Phantasia Press, 1983. First edition hardback, #81 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase, new and unread.
  • (Farmer, Philip Jose) Brizzi, Mary T. Philip Jose Farmer: Starmont Reader Guide 3. Starmont House, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Gaiman, Neil (illustrated by Eddie Campbell). The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains. Morrow, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Illustrated story.
  • (Gilliam, Terry) McCabe, Bob. Terry Gilliam, The Brothers Grimm, and other cautionary tales of Hollywood. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with what appears to be “delamination” of otherwise shiny area at base of the spine, in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Book on the making of the Terry Gilliam film The Brothers Grimm.
  • (Haldeman, Joe) Gordon, Joan. Joe Haldeman: Starmont Reader Guide 4. Starmont House, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by Haldeman (and also an unreadable signature that I take to be either Gordon’s or the cover artist).
  • Howard, Robert E. and Richard A. Lupoff. The Return of Skull Face Fax Collector’s Editions, 1977. Lupoff’s expansion of an unfinished Howard manuscript.
  • Griffith, Nicola. Hild. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2013.
  • (Heinlein, Robert A.) Thorner, J. Lincoln. A Guide Through the Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein. Gryphon Books, 1989. First edition trade paperback chapbook original, a Fine- copy with touches of wear along the spine. 48 pages critical guide, including a small bibliography of reference works in the back.

    Worlds of Heinlein

  • Lafferty, R. A. The Man Who Made Models: The Collected Short Fiction Volume 1 Centipede Press, 2014. First edition hardback, one of 300 copies signed by Michael Swanwick, John Pelan, and cover artist Jacob McMurray, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. The Ape Man’s Brother. Subterranean Press, 2014.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. The Drive-In: The Bus Tour. Subterranean Press, 2005. First edition hardback, #223 of 350 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase, new and unread. Supplements a signed trade edition.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Hot in December. Dark Regions Press, 2013 (though I don’t believe it was released until 2014). First edition hardback, one of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread.
  • Le Guin, Ursula K. Four Different Poems. Longhouse, 2007. First edition chapbook original, a 3″x5″ card with an accordion foldout attached and a title band signed by Le Guin wrapped around, one of only 24 signed copies, a Fine copy. An odd item with a very small limitation. Bought for $20 off the Internet.

    Le Guin 4

  • Leiber, Fritz. Gummitch and Friends. Donald M. Grant, 1992. First edition hardback, #237 of 1000 signed, numbered copies (though not signed by Leiber, who died before the book was finished), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase, new and unread. Contains both Leiber’s cat stories, as well as memorial appreciations of Leiber by Stephen King, Robert Bloch, etc. bound at the front of the volume. Also, for some reason, an unsigned limitation number plate for the Grant edition of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Black House is also laid in.
  • Leiber, Fritz. Our Lady of Darkness. Berkley Putnam, 1977. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), a Near Fine copy with slight dust staining and wear to bottom boards and small white abrasion to bottom rear boards, in a Near Fine, price-clipped dust jacket. Inscribed by Leiber in purple ink: “For my Dear Friend/Doris Cornejo with/my very best/wishes. Enjoy!/Fritz Leiber/March 4, 1977”. At the bottom of the name Grace Cornejo has been written in red ink, possibly by a different hand. Supplements an unsigned copy (also, alas, with an imperfect dust jacket) in my library. Price paid: $33.74.

    Leiber Inscription

  • Ligotti, Thomas. The Spectral Link. Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, #333 of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread.
  • Ligotti, Thomas. The Spectral Link. Subterranean Press, 2014. Trade edition.
  • Lovecraft, H.P. (S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, editors. O Fortunate Floridian: H.P. Lovecraft’s Letters to R. H. Barlow. University of Tampa Press, 2007. First edition hardback (stated), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread.
  • Lovecraft, H. P. Envelope Addressed to Robert Barlow, with Lovecraft’s return address on the back, in Lovecraft’s own handwriting. Postmarked December 4, 1931. Bought for $328 off eBay. More details here.

    Lovecraft Envelope Front

    Lovecraft Envelope Back

  • MacDonald, John D. The Girl, The Gold Watch, & Everything. Robert Hale, 1974. First hardback edition, a near Fine+ copy with a ex-ownership plate inside the front cover, in a Fine dust jacket. Pringle, Modern Fantasy 100 26. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 146.

    Girl Gold Watch

  • Matheson, Richard. Matheson on Matheson: A Conversation With Dennis Etchison. Bad Moon Books, 2013 (actually 2014). First edition hardback, #22 of 100 copies signed by Etchison and Richard Christian Matheson, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Matheson, Richard. 7 Steps To Midnight. Tor Forge, 1993.
  • Moskowitz, Sam. The Immortal Storm. The Atlanta Science Fiction Organization Press, 1954. First hardback edition, a very good+ copy with slight rubbing to spine ends, slight bump at top rear board, and slight crimping at head and heel, in very good dust jacket with shallow chipping at head, heel and top front, and slight age-darkening to white areas. His acclaimed book on the early history of science fiction fandom. This is the first hardback edition, having been preceded by a mimeographed edition. Currey (1979), page 380. Chalker/Ownings (1991), page 51. Interestingly, Currey and Chalker/Ownings disagree on the print run, with Currey citing 1000 copies printed, but Chalker/Owings saying only 500. Bought for $36 off a major SF book dealer.

    Immortal Storm

  • (Moskowitz, Sam) The Sam Moskowitz Collection of Science Fiction b/w Comic Books and Comic Art. Southbys, 1999. First edition oversized trade paperback original, Fine. Auction catalog for the Sam Moskowitz’s science fiction collection held June 29, 1999 (plus a collection of rare comics sold the next day).
  • Pohl, Frederik. The Early Pohl. Doubleday, 1976. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with remainder speckling at heel in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Pohl: “To Fred—/Cordially/Fred Pohl/(No relative!)/Fred Pohl/198-” Bought for $10.
  • (Pohl, Frederik) Clareson, Thomas D. Frederik Pohl: Starmont Reader Guide 39. Starmont House, 1987. First edition hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by Pohl.
  • Powers, Tim. The Anubis Gates. Centipede Press, 2014. First edition hardback thus, a Fine copy save two flaws (the slipcase keyhole cutout is about 1/4″ misaligned between the two halves, and it lacks the signature page) bound in decorated red and black velvet with a lenticular image embedded in the front cover, in a Fine slipcase. The thing is ginormous, resting in a 2-half red velvet slipcase which houses the book and an accordion portfolio of the color art plates in the book, and includes an appendix of deleted scenes from the original manuscript and a fold-out map of 1810 London.

    Anubis Case

    P1000144

    P1000146

  • Radner, Gilda and Alan Zweibel. Roseanne Roseannadanna’s Hey, Get Back to Work! Book. Long Shadow Books, 1983. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine copy with a few small sports to page block edges. Inscribed by Radner and Zweibel: “Thanks/a lot to/Tim/Gilda Radner” and “”To Tim-/You just brought back/a million great/memories when you/handed me this book./Al”

    Roseanne Roseannadanna's

    Radner Sig

  • Bought in a lot with:

  • (Radner, Gilda) Zweibel, Alan. Bunny Bunny: Gilda Radner: A Sort of Love Story. Villard Books, 1994. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a clipped price. Early Saturday Night Live writer’s memoir of working with Radner. Bought for $40.49 for the pair.
  • Resnick, Mike. Adventures. Signet, 1985. First edition paperback original (PBO), Near Fine with interior stamps.
  • Reynolds, Mack. Looking Backward From the Year 2000. Elmsfield Press, 1973. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Pringle, SF 100 70. Currey (1979), page 417.
  • Roberts, Keith. The Passing of the Dragons. Signet, 1977. First edition paperback original (PBO), Near Fine with light yellow line at head and traces of wear. Short story collection. Currey (1979), page 419. Short story collection. Bought from Half Price Books for 49¢.
  • Shea, Michael. The Mines of Behemoth. Baen Books, 1997. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Signed by Shea. Price paid: $4.49.
    DAW

  • Shepard, Lucius. The Jaguar Hunter. Kerosina, 1988. First edition hardback thus (contents differ from the Arkham House edition), #128 of 250 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, new and unread. Supplements a signed copy of the Arkham House first edition. Bought for $22.50. (Originally issued at £40.00.)
  • Shepard, Lucius. Life During Wartime. Bantam Books, 1987. Uncorrected proof, trade paperback format, of the trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with the title and author written on the spine in ballpoint pen, with a proof of the cover laid in. Signed by Shepard. I have the UK first hardback edition, but I never picked up the TPO when it came out because I had already read most of the stories that make it up in Asimov’s
  • Shepard, Lucius. The Scalehunter’s Beautiful Daughter. Mark V. Ziesing, 1988. First edition hardback, a #104 of 300 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Supplements a signed trade copy. Bought for $10.
  • Shirley, John. Demons. Del Rey, 2002. Novel-length expansion of the earlier novella (which I also have). Bought for $7 at the Austin book show.
  • Silverberg, Robert. Thebes of the Hundred Gates. Axolotl Press/Pulphouse, 1991. First edition hardback, a #78 of 300 signed numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Supplements a signed trade copy. Bought for $10. Pulphouse wildly overpriced a number of titles, including this one, but $10 (down from the initial list price of $35) seems about right…
  • (Silverberg, Robert) Gardner Dozois and William Schafer, editors. The Book of Silverberg: Stories in Honor of Robert Silverberg. Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, #165 of 250 signed, numbered copies, signed by all contributors except the late Kage Baker, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Tribute anthology.
  • (Silverberg, Robert) Gardner Dozois and William Schafer, editors. The Book of Silverberg: Stories in Honor of Robert Silverberg. Subterranean Press, 2014. trade edition.
  • (Silverberg, Robert) Clareson, Thomas D. Robert Silverberg: Starmont Reader Guide 18. Starmont House, 1983. Second Printing hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by Silverberg.
  • Simmons, Dan. Prayers to Broken Stones. Dark Harvest, 1990. First edition hardback, #329 of 500 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, new and unread. Supplements a signed trade copy. Bought for $37.50. (Originally issued at $75.)
  • Smith, Edward E., PhD. The Skylark of Space. Buffalo Book Company, 1946. First edition hardback, a VG+ copy with slight bumping at head, heel and corners and faint dust staining at heel, in a VG- dust jacket missing a small 1/4″ triangular chip from center of dj spine, plus about 1/4″ of chipping loss at head and heel, and slight overall rubbing, otherwise intact with $3.00 price on flap. The very first of Doc Smith’s famous space operas. Currey (1979), page 457. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 78. One of two books done by the Buffalo Book Company (the other of which, John Taine’s The Time Stream, I picked up in December). Bought for $237 from Heritage Auctions.

    Smith Skylark

  • Stephenson, Neal. In the Beginning was the Command Line. Avon Books, 1999. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Long essay on the history of computing, the Internet, and cyber culture.
  • Straub, Peter. Mrs. God. Donald M. Grant, 1990. First edition hardback, #179 of 600 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket (as issued) in a Fine slipcase, new and unread.
  • (Tiptree, Jr., James) Siegel, Mark. James Tiptree, Jr.: Starmont Reader Guide 22. Starmont House, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine copy- copy with slight rubbing, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Vance Jack. Araminta Station. Tor, 1988. First U.S. trade hardback, a Fine- copy with pinhole cracks to front gutter in a Fine- dust jacket with slight dust soiling to rear cover. First book in the Caldwell Chronicles. Signed by Vance. Hewett, A79c.
  • Vance Jack. Ecce and Old Earth Tor, 1991. First trade hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with crinkling and wrinkles along extremities. Second book in the Caldwell Chronicles. Signed by Vance. Hewett, A84b.
  • Vance Jack. Throy. Tor, 1992. First trade hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Third book in the Caldwell Chronicles. Signed by Vance. Hewett, A85b. Price for all three Caldwell volumes: $52.49.
  • Vance Jack. The Five Gold Bands. Underwood/Miller, 1993. First hardback edition and first edition thus, originally published in pulp paperback as The Space Pirate, a Near Fine copy with small orangeish spots to all three page block edges, in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Vance. Hewett, A2k. Price: $37.49.
  • Vane, Jack. Galactic Effectuator. Underwood/Miller, 1980. First edition hardback, one of 800 trade copies, a Fine- copy with slight spotting at head in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Vance. Hewett, A63. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 432. Price: $26.24.
  • Vance, Jack, and Tony Russell Wayman. The Last Castle b/w World of the Sleeper. Ace Books, 1967. First edition paperback original (H-21 and 60¢ on cover, as per Currey and Hewett), a Very Good+ copy with long faint crease on the Russell side and slight overall wear. Signed by Vance. Hewett, A30. Currey (1979), page 499. Price: $8.99.
  • Vance, Jack (edited by Miguel Lugo). The Wit and Wisdom of Jack Vance. AuthorHouse, 2011. First edition trade paperback (POD) original, a Fine copy. Selection of excerpts from Vance’s works. Signed by Vance (though the signature (see below) is very shaky, as Vance was pretty much completely blind by the time this book came out). I was unaware of this before I saw the listing for it, and I can’t imagine that Vance signed terribly many. Price: $29.99.

    Wit Wisdom Vance

    IMG_0146

  • Vance, Jack. Minding the Stars: The Early Jack Vance Volume Four. Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread.
  • Vance, Jack. Son of the Tree. Underwood/Miller, 1983. First hardback edition, #183 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a tiny bit of wrinkling at head and heel. Hewett, A13g.

    Son of the Tree

  • Vance Jack. Vandals of the Void. John C. Winston, 1953. First edition hardback, Very Good- with a two inch split to outer back spine join and dust soiling to page edges, lacking the dust jacket. Signed by Vance. Hewett, A3. Currey (1979), page 501. Price: $29.99.
  • (Wolfe, Gene) Borski, Robert. Solar Labyrinth: Exploring Gene Wolfe’s BOOK OF THE NEW SUN. iUniverse, 2004. First edition hardback (no additional printings listed, though I believe iUniverse is a POD outfit), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Critical guide to Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun. Supplements a trade paperback edition in my library. Bought for $20 off an Internet bookseller.
  • Wolheim, Elizabeth (Betsy), and Sheila Gilbert, editors. DAW 30th Anniversary Box Set (including 30th Anniversary DAW Science Fiction and 30th Anniversary DAW Fantasy). DAW, 2002. First edition hardbacks, Fine leatherbound copies with gilt endpapers, #312 of 350 sets so produced, in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jackets, as issued. (I have not been able to determine if the leather binding state is simultaneous with the trade editions or not.) Signed by editor Sheila E. Gilbert and contributors Michael Shea, Tad Williams, C.S. Friedman, Melanie Rawn, Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon, Kate Elliott, and Irene Radford. This set was originally offered at $125 (though copies can now be found on Amazon for considerably less). The sets were not, as far as I can tell, offered in a signed state; these were signed independently by the contributors. Price paid: $59.99.
  • Zelazny, Roger. A Rose for Ecclesiastes. Rupert Hart-Davis, 1969. First edition thus and first hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with very slight spine fading. First hardback edition of Four For Tomorrow. Levack, 17b. Kovacs, V11c/V20. Zelazny’s first short story collection.

    Rose for Ecclesiastes

  • Science Fiction Collector’s Watch: Gardner Dozois’ Personal Archive Offered Up for Sale

    Tuesday, March 25th, 2014

    Bookseller James Cummins is offering up Gardner Dozois’ personal archive for sale for a mere $150,00:

    35 linear feet (17 standard archive boxes and 11 letter files). The Science Fiction Archive of Gardner Dozois. Generally very good to fine (some early note books and letters with toning or crumpling). References: Encyclopedia of Science Fiction http://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/dozois_gardner. Item #262493

    Papers and correspondence of science fiction author, editor, and anthologist Gardner Dozois, whose early stories established him as one of the most talented writers of the American New Wave (though at first perhaps better known to his fellow authors than to a wide readership) and whose subsequent work as editor and anthologist has shaped the field of science fiction more than anyone since John W. Campbell. His stories were collected in The Visible Man (1977), Strange Days: Fabulous Journeys with Gardner Dozois (2001) and When the Great Days Come (2011); many of his story collaborations (with Jack Dann, Michael Swanwick, and others) were collected in Slow Dancing through Time (1990) and The Fiction Factory (2005). Dozois twice won a Nebula Award, for his stories “The Peacemaker” (1983) and “Morning Child” (1984). “Counterfactual” (2006) won the Sideways award for works of alternate history. His first novel, Nightmare Blue (1975) was an adventure tale co-written with George Alec Effinger; his novel Strangers (1978), a love story between human and alien, like his fiction and the anthologies he produced, challenges many of the earlier notions of science fiction. Another novel, Nottamun Town remains unpublished; it is present in the archive in many draft forms and in a finished typescript.

    Snip.

    For nearly twenty years (from 1985 to 2004) Dozois was editor of Asimov’s Science Fiction, where he discovered and encouraged many new talents in the field. He won 15 Hugo Awards during this period. Dozois’ circle of personal and professional correspondence has been wide ranging and it documents the changes in the genre over more than four decades. He was an early and clear-headed reader of James Tiptree, Jr., and the introduction Dozois wrote for the Gregg Press edition of Ten Thousand Light-Years from Home (1976) presented an analysis that was psychologically acute and was in no way overturned by the revelation the next year that Tiptree was Alice Sheldon. Tiptree letters in the archive (12 T.L.s., 1974-1977, and 9 postcards) include Tiptree’s reponse to the introduction and the letter in which Alli Sheldon reveals her identity to Dozois in advance of the public acknowledgment.

    Snip.

    The correspondence also documents long friendships with Pat Cadigan, Eileen Gunn, Howard Waldrop, Mary Rosenblum, Joe Haldeman, Jack Haldeman; the long connection with agent Virginia Kidd; and working relationships with Gene Wolfe, Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Silverberg, and almost every notable science fiction author and editor of the late twentieth century and into the new century. Since 2005, an increasing portion of Dozois’ correspondence has been electronic, and the archive includes a digital file of approximately 35,000 e-mails (sent & received) and 2,250 electronic documents.

    $150,000 is:

    A. Too rich for my blood.
    B. Probably a comparative bargain for an institution or serious SF collector who has everything else (“Just put it over there between the first edition Alice in Wonderland and all those Lovecraft manuscripts.”)

    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.

    Pictures from the 2012 Chicago Worldcon: Saturday

    Saturday, September 8th, 2012

    Dantzel Cherry, show us your buffalo!

    As long as you’re not using it to flack for another science fiction writer named Lawrence…damnit!

    Part of a big crowd (along with Beth Mechem and Willie Siros) in the Tor Party:

    David Brin, caught mid-laugh:

    A very sleepy Lawrence Watt-Evans:

    One spins, one measures, one cuts.

    I attended the Worldcon SFWA Business meeting at 9 AM that morning, which included a “breakfast” of fruit and bagels. For San Antonio, may I suggest breakfast tacos?

    Joe Haldeman also attended.

    As did Eileen Gunn.

    Gardner Dozois and Eileen.

    Elizabeth Bear. If Elizabeth Bear and Greg Bear ever meet, they have the power to transform into a giant grizzly.

    A crappy picture from the totally awesome “Secret History of Worldcon” panel. George R. R. Martin (who I was finally able to get my Hugo Loser ribbon from), Mike Resnick, Joe Haldeman, Robert Silverberg. Gardner Dozois, who spaced on the time, joined later. I hope someone recorded that panel. It was epic!

    Paolo Bacigalupi and his crying/vomiting cat t-short.

    Night Shade Press publisher and infamous clothes horse Jeremy Lassen.

    And I never knew he was a Texas Longhorns fan!

    John Two-Time Hugo NomineeOne-Time Hugo WINNER DeNardo of SF Signal.

    Sue Burke and hubby. I wanted to get pictures to remember them by after the Iberian cannibalism breaks out.

    Scott Lynch, with nifty Lovecraft & Tesla T-shirt.

    Up close and personal.

    James Patrick Kelly must be going.

    Gardner Dozois and Amy Sisson:

    Janis Ian. Yes, that Janis Ian.

    Worldcon 2011 Photos for Sunday, August 21

    Friday, August 26th, 2011

    Just a few more to round out the set.


    I’m sorry if my previous picture gave you the impression that Lauren Beukes is merely attractive rather than gorgeous.


    Newly-named 2013 Worldcon Toastmaster Paul Cornell.


    Gardner Dozois, 700-time Hugo winner and the man I made my first professional science fiction sale to, which obviously makes him an editor of superb taste…


    The newly married George R. R. Martin. I tried to get pictures of him and his bride Parris a couple of days before, but my camera battery died first.

    And that’s the last of the Worldcon photos. And Armadillocon starts, er, today…

    Worldcon 2011 Photos for Wednesday, August 17

    Thursday, August 18th, 2011

    After a few technical difficulties, I think I have this sussed out…


    Scott Edelman, Cory Doctorow, John Scalzi, Ian MacDonald


    Alastair “Ten Book Contract” Reynolds


    Lou Anders


    Ellen Datlow and Susan Casper, counting up the money from the marks


    Gardner Dozois and Joe Haldeman


    The one only Pat Cadigan, shortly after she drank Andre the Giant under the table.


    Joe Haldeman and Robert Silverberg, getting together to see if either of them could actually remember the 60s.


    Martha Wells


    David Hartwell looms large in science fiction.


    Copy-editing Goddess Deanna Hoak


    John Scalzi, displaying the horrific befuddlement and inevitable mental degeneration that comes with being SFWA President.


    Right before I snapped this picture, Ian McDonald said he always photographs horribly, then went out of his way to demonstrate the accuracy of the statement.

    My apologies if I’ve misspelled anyone’s name, but I haven’t had breakfast yet. More later…

    George Scithers, RIP

    Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

    George Scithers, founding editor of Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, has died. Those whose science fiction reading habit started after his tenure there may know little about him (especially since his reputation has been eclipsed by subsequent Asimov’s editors like Shawna McCarthy and Gardner Dozois), but many writers working in the field today remember two particular things about him:

    • His love of short, 1-2 page pun stories (sometimes called “Feghoots,” after Reginald Bretnor’s “Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot” series of stories, of which Scithers published many).
    • His use of an army of editorial assistants to personally comment on every rejection and sign his name. So an aspiring writer submitting to Asimov’s wouldn’t just get back a form rejection letter, they’d get back a slightly personalized form rejection letter with a tiny scribbled comment like “Needs work” or “Getting better,” with Scither’s name scrawled at the end.

    Strangely, this combination may have done more to encourage new science fiction writers than anyone else of that era. You’d read one of those pun stories and go “That’s terrible! I could write a better story than that!” (And, eventually, you could.) Plus, once you got back your rejection, you’d notice the personalization and go “Ah-ha! A personal rejection slip! I’m getting close! Any day now I’ll sell a story!” Of such small, innocuous frauds were many a notable career launched.

    The puns aside, Scither’s wasn’t a bad editor, and he won two Hugos at Asimov’s (to go along with two for editing his fanzine Amra). I never sold anything to him (being all of 17, with a single non-fiction sale to The Space Gamer under my belt, when he left the magazine probably had something to do with that), but he did well enough that the magazine survived, and I made my first fiction sale to Gardner Dozois in 1990.

    RIP