I had the first two Joe Kurtz books (Hard Case and Hard Freeze) signed by Simmons, but the third wasn’t, so I pick this up cheap when I heard about his untimely death.
Simmons, Dan. Hard as Nails. St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at heel, in a Fine dust jacket (taken from my existing copy), signed by Simmons. Bought for $14.95 plus shipping off eBay.
This Kickstarter from 2024 finally came in.
Aquilone, James, editor. Kolchak Meets the Classic Monsters Volume 1. Monstrous Press, 2026. First edition hardback graphic novel, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, with three cards laid in. Just what the title says, the latest graphic novel featuring dogged investigative reporter of the supernatural Carl Kolchak. Brought to you by the same people who previously brought you the 50th anniversary edition graphic novel compilation and the first hardback edition of the original Jeff Rice Night Stalker novel. Bought from the Kickstarter for $32.
From David Morrell comes the sad news that Dan Simmons has died:
My dear friend & incomparable author Dan Simmons died Saturday from a stroke at age 77. He defied literary norms, exploring historical fiction, horror, crime & other genres. His must-read titles include THE SONG OF KALI & HYPERION. He was one of a kind.https://t.co/NcBFT4hBc6 pic.twitter.com/kNbof3MPyG
— _DavidMorrell (@_DavidMorrell) February 27, 2026
Of all the modern writers I read and collect, Simmons had, next to Gene Wolfe, the most complete writer’s toolkit of any of them. Characterization, plotting, pace, point of view, voice, he was a master of them all. He could write science fiction, horror, hard-boiled mysteries and thrillers, mainstream, you name it.
After his World Fantasy Award-winning Song of Kali in 1985, Simmons would burst on the field like a supernova in 1989 with the publication of the Hugo-winning Hyperion, the Stoker-winning Carrion Comfort and the under-appreciated Phases of Gravity, and then it was off to the races. Simmons would be one of many writers tagged “The next Stephen King!”, and Summer of Night would make it onto the bestseller lists. But Simmons wouldn’t stick to horror for long, going on to publish more science fiction and a series of acclaimed historical novels that usually contained fantastic elements.
I met Simmons a few times, and even did an interview with him for Nova Express that, alas, had tape recorder problems, so it never appeared. He was one of the best writers of his era, in any genre, and will be missed.
Another PS Publishing book came in:
Matheson, Richard Christian. Bombyx. PS Publishing, 2025 (not shipped until 2026). First edition hardback, #58 of 200 copies signed by both Matheson and Mick Garris (who is co-credited with the story), a Fine copy in decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket. Novella of a guy graduating rehab who suddenly feels that everyone hates him.
I will have one copy of this in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
This PS Publishing anthology finally came in, after difficulties getting the signing sheets all around the world.
Schweitzer, Darrell. Cold War Cthulhu. PS Publishing, 2025 (though I don’t think this hardback edition was actually released until 2026.) First edition hardback (the hardback state was preceded by the trade paperback edition from PS’s Drugstore Indian Press imprint in May 2025), #45 of 100 signed, numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Cthulhu Mythos stories set from 1950-1989. Includes familiar names like Paul Di Filippo, Harry Turtledove, and Don Webb (two stories). Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. Already sold out from the publisher.
I will have a very small number of these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, hopefully in May.
This is a strange one, in that this original version of “See The Sun” from 2009 has under 10,000 hits, but some of the remixes has hit ranging up into the millions. And while it might qualify more as Synthpop than Shoegaze, it has that “floating” sensation that some of the best Shoegaze invokes. And Kate Louise Smith has a voice very reminiscent of Sarah McLachlan.
For contrast, here’s the longer, dance-oriented Aurosonic Remix, which I don’t like as much as the original.
More good news on the Rifftrax MST3K Kickstarter, where I said “I think many have preferred Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank” to be involved.
Well shiver me timbers! I spake thus, and lo, it has come to pass!
Yes, those Mads. Mike, Kevin and Bill are incredibly happy to announce that MST3K legends Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff will be the guest bad guys on the fourth and final show of this run.
Trace and Frank will return to their iconic roles of Dr. Clayton Forrester & TV’s Frank, taking the reins for one cheesy movie experiment (title TBD) – tormenting Mike and the bots just like in the good ol’ days.
In addition to that, Trace and Frank will be cowriting this episode along with the RiffTrax gang. We’re over the moon to work with our old friends again!
Given that Joel Hodgson is still a consultant to the whole shebang, I think this indeed counts as “Getting the band back together.”
This set is the second set in this Centipede Press signed/limited prestige hardback reprint series of Dick’s books, following The Cosmic Puppets, Dr. Futurity, and Vulcan’s Hammer.
Dick, Philip K. Eye in the Sky with The Man Who Japed with The World Jones Made with Solar Lottery. Centipede Press, 2025 (stated; actually not released until 2026 due to a signature sheet problem). First editions thus for Eye in the Sky, The World Jones Made and Solar Lottery, and the first U.S. hardback edition for The Man Who Japed, each #92 of 300 signed, numbered copies, each signed by Michael Swanwick, and the respective artists, each Fine copies in Fine dust jackets (with Mylar dust jacket protectors!) and a Fine slipcase, still in shrinkwrap (though it has been opened to the front to correct the signature sheet problem), with #92 sticker affixed to shrinkwrap. All four of these supplement first hardback editions of each (Gregg Press for Eye in the Sky and Solar Lottery (plus the Rich & Cowan true hardback first until the title World of Chance), Eyre Metheuen for The Man Who Japed (plus the Ace Double PBO)), and Sidgwick & Jackson for The World Jones Made). Not seeing this on the Centipede Press website, so it may have been sold out upon publication.
I tried to order copies of this right after Howard told me about it, way back in 2022, before it was even announced. It finally came out in January.
Waldrop, Howard. Masters of Science Fiction: Howard Waldrop. Centipede Press, 2026. First edition hardback, #13 of 500 numbered copies signed by Waldrop, introduction author Paul Di Filippo, and artists Jim & Ruth Keegan, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrinkwarp. Massive 1,048 page compilation of Howard’s short work, including pretty much all his great stories, and even a sampler of his early work. Bought from the publisher, though I got far fewer signed copies than I ordered.
I will have a very small number of unsigned copies in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog (hopefully in May).
Well, this is some news.
Something colossal is happening in the not-too-distant future — Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments! For the past two decades, we’ve been serving up fresh movie riffs as RiffTrax, but in celebration of our 20th anniversary this year, we’re going back to where it all began.
We’re thrilled to announce that for 2026, in partnership with Shout! Studios, we will be making FOUR brand-new episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000! Mike Nelson is returning as host, alongside Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett as his robot friends Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot.
The entire production will take place this spring/summer in Minnesota with Mike, Kevin, and Bill as creative leads. We’ll be building all-new, hand-crafted sets and props. And the hilarious MST3K host segments WILL, of course, be back! We plan to release all four episodes by the end of 2026.
I’m assuming this is a direct result of Shout factory buying out Joel Hodgson’s share in MST3K.
Well, people have been asking for the original cast back since the first reboot, and now they’re getting it (though I think many have preferred Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank involved).
I would totally back this is I weren’t broke.