Posts Tagged ‘Mike Resnick’
Tuesday, October 7th, 2025
Two more purchases from that ongoing library sell-off on Facebook:
Niven, Larry. Ringworld. Ballantine Books, 1970. First edition paperback original (“First Printing: October 1970,” as per Currey), a Near Fine copy with just a start of spine creasing, traces of soiling to rear cover, and trace of wear at head and heel and tips, otherwise a tight, square, beautiful copy. Hugo and Nebula winner for Best Novel. Currey, page 387. Pringle, Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, page 262 (“***”). Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4 *4-316. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction Literature, pages 1799-1804. The true first edition and the one in which Niven infamously had the earth rotating the wrong way. Supplements a copy of the Gollancz hardback first and replaces a less attractive PBO copy I’ll offer up in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog (probably November). Bought for $5.
Renick, Mike. Eros Descending. Signet, 1985. First edition paperback original (“First Printing, December, 1985/1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9”), a Near Fine- copy with spine crease just beginning, start of a hairline crease along front spine join, a dozen or so very small rubs to bottom half of front cover, bookstore stamp to blurb page, and a trace of edgewear, otherwise a tight, square copy, signed by Resnick. Third book in the Tales of the Velvet Comet. Bought for $5.
Tags:Books, Facebook, Hugo Award, Larry Niven, Mike Resnick, Nebula, PBO, Science Fiction, signatures
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Thursday, December 19th, 2024
Another DFW Half Price Books purchase.
Resnick, Mike. Walpurgis III. Signet, 1982. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight edgewear, inscribed on the insider cover by Resnick to Horseclans author Robert Adams: “For Bob Adams/From Mike/Resnick.” Bought for $8.
The book is so tight I didn’t want to risk cracking it by scanning the inside cover, so this crappy iPhone snap is all you get of the inscription.
This is the second associational PBO I have inscribed to Roberts by another writer.
Tags:Associational Copy, Books, Half Price Books, Mike Resnick, PBO, Robert Adams, Science Fiction
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Thursday, December 14th, 2023
When Pulphouse first unveiled the short story paperback, I remember thinking “That’s stupid.” For all they bragged about “buying a single story for $1.95,” you could buy an entire issue of Asimov’s (with 5-10 times as much content) for $2.50. And, indeed, they were not swift sellers. Though a few of these (the Wolfe, the Lansdales, etc.) became slightly collectable over the years. (And a few of the companion Short Story hardbacks even more so.)
But I bough these from that same collector culling his collection for $1 each.
Almost all of these are paperback originals thus (though some of these have previously shown up as the title stories in collections, like Bloch’s Yours Truly, Jack the Rapper or Zelazny’s The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth), though exceptions (like Blaylock’s Paper Dragons) are noted. Some of the early ones (“Loser’s Night,” “Xolotl”) are the first publication anywhere, but most of the stories have appeared somewhere previously. Unlike most Library Addition entries, these will be listed by series order rather than alphabetical by author.
All of these are Fine copies unless otherwise noted.
“Author, J.Q.” Issue Zero. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #0, a binding dummy for the entire run of the series, with bank pages. Would never have bought this on it’s own, but since I was buying the entire thing I got this too. This one has a tiny bit of edgewear on rear spine join.
Anderson, Poul. Loser’s Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #1.
Brunner, John. A Case of Painters Ear. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #2.
Sheckley, Robert. Xolotl. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #3.
Boston, Bruce. All the Clocks are Melting. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #4.
Antieau, Kim. Blossoms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #5.
Friesner, Esther M. Ecce Hominid. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #6.
Duchamp, L. Timmel. A Case of Mistaken Activity. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #7.
Bryant, Edward. The Cutter. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #8.
Wilhelm, Kate The Girl Who Fell Into the Sky. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #9.
Bloch, Robert. Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #10. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Steel Valentine. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #11. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C01.a.i. Supplements another copy and a Short Story Hardback version.
Bishop, Michael. The Quickening. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #12.
Zelazny, Roger. The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #13. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name. I needed this for my Zelazny collection.
Haldeman, Joe. More Than The Sum of His Parts. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #14.
Clemence, Bruce No Way Street. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #15. Guy had this, and a story in Synergy 3, and that was it…
Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn. The Spider Glass. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #16.
de Lint, Charles. Uncle Dobbin’s Parrot Fair. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #17. One of the harder titles to find.
Williams, Walter Jon. Dinosaurs. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #18.
Charnes, Suzy McKee. Listening to Brahms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #19.
Robinson, Kim Stanley. Black Air. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #20.
Etchison, Dennis. The Dark Country. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #21. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.
Aldiss, Brian W. Journey to the Goat Star. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #22. Tiny bit of rubbing along spine.
Brin, David. Piecework. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #23.
Caraker, Mary. I Remember, I Remember. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #24.
Schow, David J. Sedalia. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #25.
Stableford, Brian. Slumming in Voodooland. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #26.
Yolan, Jane. The Sword and the Stone. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #27.
Fowler, Karen Joy. The War of the Roses. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #28.
Morlan, A.R. The Cat With The Tulip Face. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #29.
Shiner, Lewis. Twilight Time. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #30.
Wagner, Karl Edward. Where the Summer Ends. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #31.
Lee, Tanith. Into Gold. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #32.Tiny rub on spine.
Willis, Connie. Daisy, in the Sun. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #33. Tiny rub on spine.
Bell, M. Shayne. Inuit. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #34.
Wilson, F. Paul. The Shade of Lo Man Gong. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #35.
Wilson, F. Paul. Buckets. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #36.
Martin, George R. R. The Pear-Shaped Man. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #37.
Butler, Octavia. The Evening and the Morning and the Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #38. Holy moley, the prices on this online are crazy. The prices for the signed hardback I can at least sort of understand, since Butler died young, but the prices for unsigned copies like this are still crazy. I had no idea.
Dozois, Gardner. The Peacemaker. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #39. Supplements a copy of the Short Story Hardback edition.
Wolfe, Gene. The Hero as Werewolf. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #40. This is one I did actually need, and I still need the hardback version. Also, this is the last one from 1991. Pulphouse put out 40 of these in 1991. This is called “channel stuffing.” I wasn’t dealing books at the time, but I’m pretty sure SF/F/H dealers were not thrilled at this tsunami of small press books of dubious sales-worthiness.
Oates, Joyce Carol. The Bingo Master. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #41.
Effinger, George. Schrodinger’s Kitten. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #42. Supplements the hardback version.
Bear, Greg. Sisters. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #43.
Holder, Nancy. The Ghosts of Tivoli. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #44.
Brin, David. Dr. Pak’s Preschoool. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #45. Supplements a copy of the Cheap Street edition (which precedes).
Lansdale, Joe R. Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #46. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C03.a.i. Supplements a copy of the Short Story hardback version.
Somtow, S. P. Fiddling for Waterbuffaloes. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #47.
Murphy, Pat. Rachel in Love. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #48.
Card, Orson Scott. Unaccompanied Sonata. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #49.
Le Guin, Ursula K. Nine Lives. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #50.
Bloch, Robert. The Skull of the Marquis de Sade. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #51.
de Lint, Charles. Merlin Dreams in the Mondream Wood. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #52.
Kress, Nancy. The Price of Oranges. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #53.
Busby, F.M. If This Is Winnetka, You Must be Judy. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #54.
Cadigan, Pat. My Brother’s Keeper. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #55.
Bryant, Edward. The Thermals of August. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #56.
Blaylock, James P. Paper Dragons. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #57. A few small rubs along spine. Supplements a copy of the Axolotl Press hardback (which precedes).
Resnick, Mike. Kirinyaga. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #58. Kelleghan, Mike Resnick: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to His Work A39.
Sloca, Sue Ellen. Candles on the Pond. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #59. As far as I can tell, this is her only publication anywhere.
Wu, William F. Shaunessy Fong. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #60. Has some slight rubbing along front near spine. Last in the Short Story Paperbacks series.
Reference: Jack Chalker and Mark Owings, The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Critical and Bibliographic History, 2002, page 719 (numbers 1 through 10), page 721 (numbers 11-20), pages 722 (numbers 21-30). This is what Chalker had to say about the Short Story paperback line:
In January, 1991, Pulphouse continued its expansion with the Short Story Paperbacks and the selected Short Story Hardbacks, although we’re still only half- convinced that these are in any sense legitimate books. What they were, though, was what seemed to be a quick way to make money, and if people bought them, fine. They brought the whole operation as of the start of 1991 at a whopping 80+ titles a year. It should be noted that the paperbacks series was supposed to be originals and reprints, but became, after the initial ones, primarily reprints, a move that, while understandable, seemed to us to take away the one good reason why most people might buy them.
Money held by SF/F/H collectors is a finite commodity, and Pulphouse in the early 1990s seemed to treat it as a limitless resource. If you’re publishing books by Lansdale, Zelazny, Wagner, De Lint, etc., that’s a license to print a little money. But Antieau, Clemence, Caraker? Not so much. Why they thought collectors were going to shell out money for such items is a mystery.
The entire set bought for $61.
Tags:Books, Brian Aldiss, Bruce Boston, Charles de Lint, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Connie Willis, David Brin, David J. Schow, Dennis Etchison, Ed Bryant, Ester M. Friesner, F. Paul Wilson, Fantasy, Gardner Dozois, Gene Wolfe, George Alec Effinger, George R. R. Martin, Greg Bear, Horror, James P. Blaylock, Joe Haldeman, Joe R. Lansdale, John Brunner, Joyce Carol Oates, Karen Joy Fowler, Karl Edward Wagner, Kate Wilhelm, Kim Stanley Robinson, Lewis Shiner, Michael Bishop, Mike Resnick, Nancy Kress, Octavia Butler, Orson Scott Card, Pat Murphy, Poul Anderson, Pulphouse, Robert Bloch, Robert Sheckley, Roger Zelazny, S. P. Somtow, Science Fiction, Suzy Mckee Charnes, Tanith Lee, Ursula K. Le Guin, William F. Wu
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021
Here are two different signed, limited edition anthologies from different publishers that, spine-out, look a whole lot like each other because they were printed using the same printing and binding technology. Chalker/Ownings called it the “Newcomer-Dikty process,” which turned out to be an early example of what became “Print On Demand” publishing, though both books below are true first editions with defined print runs.
Cahill, James, editor. Lamps on the Brow. James Cahill Publishing, 1998. First edition hardback, #70 of 274 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in a Fine slipcase, as issued. Low print-run anthology of original stories (all save the last one by A. E. van Vogt), featuring Gene Wolfe, Mike Resnick, Andre Norton, Bruce Bethke, etc., plus an introduction by Ben Bova. I also have Ten Tales, a similar Cahill anthology. Cahill was active in the 1990s, publishing books by Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Powers, etc. I also think he did some mystery limited editions. Bought off eBay for $58, slightly more than half the original publication price of $100.
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn, editor. Pulphouse Winter 1990: Issue Six. Pulphouse Publishing, 1990. First edition hardback, #196 of 250 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine- copy with a tiny crease at head, sans dust jacket, in a Fine slipcase, as issued. Back in the dim mists of the late 1980s, I thought the black trade edition of Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine, with it’s faux leather, embossed covers and deckled edges, was fairly attractive. Many of the Author’s Choice Monthly volumes were also worthwhile. Then Pulphouse wildly overproduced a huge variety of material nobody wanted, almost single-handedly depressing the market for small press books in the early 1990s. This volume has work (and signatures) from Avram Davidson, George Alec Effinger, Bradley Denton, Charles De Lint, Susan Palwick, etc. “Shrunk,” the Effinger story, is actually one George brought to the second Turkey City Writer’s Workshop I ever threw, which he said he had just missed selling to Playboy. According to him, Alice Turner had said “Well, I looked at it, and looked at it, and I finally decided it just wasn’t right for us.” Said George: “Do you realize what she said? ‘You just missed $5000 by that much.’ Tell me what’s wrong with it! I’ll walk to New York on my knees and fix it!” I already have all 12 issues of the trade edition of the hardback magazine run, and pick up the signed editions when I find them cheap, and I now have four. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 715. Bought off eBay for $25, more than half off the original offering price of $60.
Tags:A. E. van Vogt, Ben Bova, Books, Bradley Denton, Bruce Bethke, Fantasy, Gene Wolfe, George Alec Effinger, James Cahill, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Mike Resnick, Pulphouse, Science Fiction
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Thursday, January 9th, 2020
Science fiction writer and editor Mike Resnick died this morning a little after midnight according to a post by his daughter Laura Resnick, due to an aggressive lymphoma that followed on the heels of major surgery.
Mike was a friend from way back in the pre-WWW days of the Delphi Wednesday Night Group in the late 1980s, where a bunch of science fiction people (Resnick, Pat Cadigan, Gardner Dozois, myself, Dwight and many others) hung out on a regular basis. I sold Mike one of my earliest stories, “Huddled Masses” for his Alternate Presidents anthology, as well as “Saul’s Diary” for Galaxy’s Edge, and Mike used “Crucifixion Variations” for World’s Science Fiction Story Collection II, my only story ever published in China.
He got involved with science fandom early in life and never left. Mike was one of the last of a dying breed of science fiction’s writing machines, someone who early-on mastered the ability to crank out a prodigious amount of wordage every day. The Kirinyaga stories in the 1980s, set an orbital African primativist tribal “utopia,” was where he really started to make his mark, and he became a regular Hugo and Nebula winner back when that meant something. He edited dozens of anthologies, frequently buying work by new writers, and eventually founding Galaxy’s Edge. He raised prize-winning collies and collected books on Africa. When the Social Justice Warrior mob came for him and Barry Malzberg for the usual stupid reasons he told them to go pound sand.
He was a jovial presence at conventions, and he will be missed.
Tags:Mike Resnick, Obituary, Science Fiction
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Thursday, December 26th, 2019
Bought from the publisher at various discounts:
Crowley, John. Reading Backwards: Essays & Reviews, 2005-2018. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #101 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
Egan, Greg. The Best of Greg Egan. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #248 of 1,000 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Another giant career retrospective collection.
Resnick, Mike. Voyages: The Chronicles of Lucifer Jones, 1938-1941. Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, #128 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought from the publisher during a 50% off sale.
I have copies of both the Crowley and the Egan available through Lame Excuse Books.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Greg Egan, John Crowley, Mike Resnick, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Subterranean Press
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Monday, July 30th, 2018
All of these books were bought at Half Price Books, and the majority of them came from the Karen Meshcke/Fred Duarte collection(s).
Baker, Kage. Black Projects, White Knights. Golden Gryphon, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of edgewear at head, heel and points. Inscribed by Baker: “For Fred/Kage Baker.” Short story collection. Baker died at age 57 of an aggressive form of cancer in 2010. Supplements an unsigned copy. Bought for $5.
Bear, Greg. W3: Women in Deep Time. iBooks, 2002. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy. Bought for $3.49.
Effinger, George Alec. Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson. SWAN Press, 1993. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Inscribed by Effinger: “To Fred & Karen,/Con Mucho Loved!/George Alec Effinger (Yer Pal)”. Signed by introduction author Mike Resnick. Inscribed by artist Peggy Ransom: “To Fred & Meschke,/Come see us often!/And we’ll Frankie & Johnny again,/best,/Peggy Ransom.” Effinger was co-Guest of Honor at Armadillocon 4 in 1982, and a frequent Armadillocon attendee. George died in 2002 at age 55. Replaces a signed copy in my library. Bought for $4.99.
Oliver, Chad. Unearthly Neighbors. Crown SF Classics, 1984. First hardback edition (reprinting a Ballantine paperback from 1960), a Near Fine copy with red remainder mark at head in a Fine- dust jacket with a few touches of wear. Inscribed by Oliver: “10/7/88/To Meschke/All best/Chad Oliver.” Chad was the dean of Austin science fiction writers and the former chairman of UT’s Department of anthropology. The date indicates he signed this during Armadillocon 10, where Duarte and Meschke were co-chairs. Chad died in 1993. Supplements a Fine/Fine unsigned copy. Bought for $4.99.
Sladek, John. Bugs. Macmillian (UK), 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine-dust jacket with some wear at heel. Signed by Sladek. Bought for $5.
Stableford, Brian. Swan Songs. Big Engine, 2003 (but see below). First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Omnibus edition containing six Hooded Swan novels (Halcyon Drift, Rhapsody in Black, Promised Land, The Paradise Game, The Fenris Device, and Swan Song), the last two of which were previously published only as paperback originals. ISFDB says that SFBC produced this edition, which I can believe, given the trim size and the fact Big Engine (a short-lived UK small press SF publisher) only did trade paperbacks. The mystery is that the book seems much higher quality than the usual SFBC fair, with tight bindings and bright page blocks. Maybe they subcontracted with a different printer for this one.
Young, Jim. Armed Memory. Tor, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Young: “For Karen Meschke/ & Family/Jim Young/L.A./April 24, 2009.” Young died in 2012. Supplements an unsigned copy. Bought for $9.99.
Zahn, Timothy. Cascade Point. Bluejay Books, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $8.48.
Other signed books I bought there will be available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Tags:Austin, Big Engine, Brian Stableford, Chad Oliver, Fred Duarte, George Alec Effinger, Greg Bear, iBooks, Jim Young, John Sladek, Kage Baker, Mike Resnick, signed, small press publishers, Swan Press, Timothy Zahn
Posted in Austin, Books, Fantasy, Science Fiction | No Comments »
Saturday, January 27th, 2018
Here’s something I didn’t buy, it showed up on my doorstep as a contributor copy:
Haijun, Yao and Mike Resnick, editors. World’s Science Fiction Story Collection II (ISBN 978-7-5364-8711-6). Sichuan Science and Technology Publishing House, 2017. Trade paperback original, a Fine copy, still in shrinkwrap. Chinese language anthology that prints a translation of my story “Crucifixion Variations.”
I’m pretty sure this is the only time my name has appeared higher on a cover than Robert Silverberg’s…
Tags:anthology, Books, China, Mike Resnick, Science Fiction
Posted in Books, Science Fiction | 1 Comment »
