This is more noisepop than Shoegaze, but it’s similar to some songs I’ve put up, so here it is:
Shoegazer Sunday: Stepdad’s “Must Land Running”
March 17th, 2019Library Addition: Signed Willis/Felice Light Raid First
March 14th, 2019Another ex-Meschke/Duarte book:
Willis, Connie, and Cynthia Felice. Light Raid. Ace, 1989. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with rubbing along gilt of spine and bumping at head and heel, in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by both the authors: “To Meschke,/The elegeantly/written half is by me./Connie/Willis” “To Meschke/The fun stuff is all/by me! Cynthia Felice.” Karen Meschke was con chair of the 1997 San Antonio Worldcon, where Willis won the Hugo for Best Short Story. Bought from Half Price Books for $13.50.
Library Additions: Signed Editions of Two H. G. Wells Classics
March 7th, 2019Not signed by H.G. Wells, alas, (I have one of those) but by the illustrator.
Wells, H. G. The Time Machine with The War of The Worlds. Limited Editions Club, 1964. First edition thus, #1327 of 1500 numbered sets signed by illustrator Joseph Mugnaini in each book, each Fine copies, sans dust jackets (as issued), in a Very Good+ slipcase with abrasions along the top and other touches of wear. Mugnaini is probably most famous to SF readers for his illustrations of Ray Bradbury books, especially the first edition of The Halloween Tree. This is a handsome set that usually lists for 2-3 times what I paid, and it’s possible I’ll never own nice copies of the true first editions of either. Bought off eBay for $50 for the set.
Library Additions: Two Signed Jack Vance Firsts
March 5th, 2019The Jack Vance buying spree continues:
Library Additions: Wolfe, Schow Signed Firsts
March 2nd, 2019Two signed firsts bought cheap off eBay:
Library Addition: Signed First of Robert Bloch’s Screams
February 27th, 2019This is an upgrade, replacing an unsigned copy of he trade edition with a signed copy of the trade edition:
Bloch, Robert. Screams. Underwood -Miller, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a $39.95 overprint pricing sticker on flap (as issued). Signed by Bloch. Omnibus edition of The Will To Kill, Firebug, and The Star Stalker, being the first hardback editions of each. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 440. Bought off eBay for $25.
Library Addition: Ward Moore’s Breathe The Air Again
February 21st, 2019Most SF readers think Ward Moore only published four books: Bring the Jubilee, Greener Than You Think, Joyleg (with Avram Davidson), and Caduceus Wild. However, Moore publshed two mainstream novels before any of those, Cloud by Day and the book below:
Moore, Ward. Breathe the Air Again. Harper & Brothers, 1942. First edition hardback (stated), an Ex-Lbrary copy with all the usual flaws, including spine sticker, stamps, pocket, internal stamps and stickers, etc., with touches of wear, some mild page-block soiling, points blunted, etc., lacking the dust jacket. Really only a reading/placeholder copy, but this seems to be a genuinely rare book; the only other copy I’ve seen pop up in all that time was about the same condition, but offered at over 10 times the cost. Reportedly a mainstream novel of labor organizing. Bought from a multilister for $18.63.
Including two Armchair Fiction magazine reprints, I have all Moore’s books except the Tachyon Press hardback of Lot and Lot’s Daughter.
Obituary: GAK
February 20th, 2019Only in reading the February Ansible did I learn that artist GAK died mid-January. His real name was evidently Gregg Kanefsky (edited to add: probably not; that seems to be a different GAK), though I also knew him as Glenn Denny Gak (the name he used on Facebook), and an obituary linked from his Facebook page referenced Glenn A. Klinger. He was obviously a man of many mysteries.
Back when I edited Nova Express, GAK became my go-to guy for cover art. His spikey style seemed a good fit for what I wanted to publish. Among his best covers was the one for the Tim Powers issue:
As well as the one for the Neil Gaiman issue, the original artwork for which I have matted and hanging in my house above a copy of the issue:
After Nova Express, he went on to illustrate a number of horor works, including the Dead Cat Bounce series.
I only met GAK once, at the 2002 World Fantasy Convention in Minneapolis, where I had dinner with him and Nova contributor Hank Wagner. I had no idea he was sick until I read that he had died.
Here’s his ISFDB listing.
One more for the road:
Library Additions: Three Joe R. Lansdale Firsts
February 15th, 2019Three more Lansdale first editions:
Library Additions: Two Signed Manly Wade Wellman Books
February 12th, 2019Picked up two signed Manly Wade Wellman firsts off eBay to replace unsigned copies:
