Posts Tagged ‘Horror’

Bill Spencer Needs Your Help

Tuesday, March 27th, 2018

William Browning Spencer is evidently suffering from some medical issues, and money issues that result from medical issues, which is why someone set up a Go Fund Me account for him.

If you’re a friend of Bill, or a fan of his work, you might consider pitching in.

Library Additions: Three Harlan Ellison Limited Editions

Saturday, March 24th, 2018

Two of these were bought as part of the Subterranean PC copy sale, and the other was an unrelated eBay purchase.

  • Ellison, Harlan. Can and Can’tankerous. Edgeworks Abbey/Subterranean Press, 2015. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 324 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase. Short story collection. This limited edition contains four stories not in the trade edition. Bought for $100.

  • Ellison, Harlan. An Edge in My Voice. Donning, 1985. First edition hardback, one of 1,200 copies signed by Ellison, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, in a Fine slipcase. Collection of non-fiction essays. Supplements a trade hardback and Edgeworks 1. Bought for $30 plus shipping off eBay.

  • Ellison, Harlan. Top of the Volcano. Edgeworks Abbey/Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase. Collection of Ellison’s award-winning short stories. Bought for $125.
  • Library Additions: Two Signed Firsts

    Wednesday, March 14th, 2018

    No theme, just two signed first editions, bought from different sources:

  • Matheson, Richard. Hunted Past Reason. Tor, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Signed by Matheson, with certificate of authenticity laid in. Supplements an unsigned copy. Bought for $18.
  • Reynolds, Alastair. The Iron Tactician. Newcon Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #197 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $57.60 from a fellow Biblio dealer.

  • Library Addition: Clive Baker’s The Body Book

    Saturday, March 3rd, 2018

    I had a solicitation for this for Lame Excuse Books a while back, and hesitated because Clive Barker isn’t quite the sure sale he was in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

    Then I saw this copy listed online for less than half cover price.

    Barker, Clive. The Body Book. Dark Regions Press, 2016 (stated, though evidently a production glitch meant some copies weren’t shipped until well into 2017). First edition hardback, a PC copy of 500 signed/numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Includes two stories from The Books of Blood, “The Body Politic” and “In the Flesh,” as well as screenplays for each of them, storyboard, and interviews with Barker and others who worked on them. Bought for $29.99 off eBay. (List price is $80.)

    Library Additions: July 1—December 31, 2017

    Monday, February 12th, 2018

    Usually I try to do these updates shortly after the period covered, but I’ve been busy. Here’s the comprehensive roundup of all the books I’ve added to my professional library between July 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. Some of these I’ve blogged about before, but not all of them. All books are Fine/Fine first edition hardbacks, unless otherwise marked.

  • Aldiss, Brain W. Billion Year Spree. Wiedenfield & Nicolson, 1978. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a touch of edgewear at bottom front. Non-fiction history of science fiction. Signed by Aldiss. Bought from Cold Tonnage Books for £12 plus shipping.
  • Asimov, Isaac. Little Lost Robot. The Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1977. First edition chapbook original thus, a Fine- copy with the barest traces of wear at points. “This edition first published 1977” on copyright page at rear of book, as per Currey (1979), page 18. Bought off Biblio for $42 plus shipping.

  • Barker, Clive. Infernal Parade. Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, #275 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Bought for $30 after discount.
  • Beagle, Peter S. In Calabria. Tachyon, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Beagle.
  • Bester, Alfred. The Deceivers. Severn House, 1984. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine, plastic-protected dust jacket. $5.
  • Beukes, Lauren. Slipping. Tachyon, 2016. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Short story collection.
  • Bradbury, Ray. Christmas Wishes 1986. Self-published, 1986. First edition 8 1/2 x 11″ broadsheet, folded once (as mailed), otherwise Fine- with slight wrinkling. inscribed by Bradbury: “Hans N!/Ray Bradbury”. A one page poem, like all Bradbury’s Christmas broadsheets. This one says “From Maggie & Ray Bradbury,” but I’m not sure it was actually co-written by his wife. Bought off eBay for about $35.

    Bradbury Christmas 1986

  • Bradbury, Ray. The R.B., G.K.C., and G.B.S. Forever Orient Express. Joshua Odell Editions, 1994. First edition chapbook original, consisting of a long, skinny (17 1/2″ x 5 1/2″) outer cardstock binding with the four pages of the poem laid in (not stapled or otherwise attached), a Fine- copy with a pinhole through the top of the chapbook and one tiny white scratch to rear, otherwise mint. Reportedly done in an edition of 300 copies. Signed by Bradbury. Poem, longish by Bradbury standards, about Bradbury riding a train with G. K. Chesterton and George Bernard Shaw in the afterlife. The rear cover says that this is an excerpt from the forthcoming Journey to Far Metaphor: Further Essays on Creative Writing, Literature and the Arts, a book that Joshua Odell Editions evidently cancelled. This work would later show up in Bradbury’s collection The Cat’s Pajamas. Bought off eBay for $37.79.

    IMG_1919

  • Brown, Christoper (formerly Chris Nakashima-Brown). Tropic of Kansas. Harper Voyager, 2017. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, with a long inscription to me by the author. (I’m also thanked in the acknowledgements.) His first novel, preceded by a co-edited anthology and a chapbook.
  • Caro, Robert. The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path To Power. Knopf, 1982. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a bit of wear in a Very Good+, price-clipped dust jacket and non-authorial inscription on FFE. Non-fiction. First volume of Caro’s massive, still in-progress biography of President Lyndon Johnson, the third volume of which (Master of the Senate) won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. I already had a first edition of the second volume, Means of Ascent.
  • Carr, Charles. Colonists of Space. Ward Lock, 1954. Presumed first edition hardback (states “First published..1954,” but the ISFDB lists two states of that HB, with differing prices, but this dust jacket, while intact, has no price whatsoever; if I had to guess, I would say this is a first edition with a variant dust jacket for the library trade), a Near Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel in a Near Fine- dust jacket with very shallow chipping at head, slight dust soiling to white rear, and wear at points, in plastic dust jacket protector. Bought for $5.

    Colonists of Space

  • Crowther, Pete and Nick Gevers. Postscripts 18: This Is The Summer of Love. PS Publishing, 2009. First edition hardback, Letter D of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Crowther, Pete and Nick Gevers. Postscripts 19: Enemy of the Good. PS Publishing, 2009. First edition hardback, Letter D of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Del Rey, Lester, editor. Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Third Annual Collection. Dutton, 1974. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight crimping at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with significant sun-fading to red portion of the spine. Currey, page 145. Gardner Dozois would later take over this series as editor for volumes six through ten, before beginning his own Year’s Best Science Fiction series in 1984. Bought for $6.

    Del Rey Best 3

  • Dozois, Gardner. The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fourth Annual Collection. St. Martin’s, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Elliot, H. Chandler. Reprieve from Paradise. Gnome Press, 1955. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a bit of crimping at the head and heel and a touch of spotting along inner join margin on front free endpaper, in a Near Fine dust jacket with usual age darkening and slight spotting on lower half of front spine join, in the first binding state (green boards lettered in maroon). Chalker/Owings (1991), page 202. Kemp, page 242. Bought for $9.99.
  • Ellison, Harlan. Brain Movies: The Original Teleplays of Harlan Ellison Volume One. Edgeworks Abbey, 2011. First edition trade paperback original (no hardback state), the “Babylonian Limited Edition,” a Fine copy signed by both Ellison and introduction author J. Michael Straczynski. In addition to many of Ellison’s most celebrated teleplays (“Soldier,” “Demon With a Glass Hand,” etc.), it also includes “Memos From Purgatory” featuring numerous holographic corrections in Ellison’s hand. Not in ISFDB. Edgeworks Abbey is Ellison’s own press and he’s issued a whole lot of trade paperback books through it of previously unpublished or uncollected material. (The Brain Movies series alone is now up to six volumes.) Bought for $29.99 (the opening bid) off eBay.

    Brain Movies

  • Ellison, Harlan (art by Larry Todd). Harlan Ellison’s Chocolate Alphabet. Last Gasp Eco Funnies, 1978. First edition comic book original, a Fine copy (or “Mint” in comic parlance) save slight age darkening to pages, signed by Ellison. Graphic novel version of a short story that appeared a few years earlier in F&SF. Bought off eBay for $18.96.

    Chocolate Alphabet

  • Ellison, Harlan. Dreams With Sharp Teeth. Quality Paperback book Club, 1991. First edition paperback original, a Very Good+ copy with spine slightly concave, light crease across entire front cover, wear at points, and wrinkling to first few pages. Signed by Ellison. Omnibus edition of the collections I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream, Deathbird Stories and Shatterday, minus duplicated stories between the volumes plus an original introduction by Ellison and slightly revised texts and story introductions. Bought off eBay for $12.50. Below the condition I usually collect, but there were no other signed copies online at all…
  • Farmer, Philip Jose. The Classic Philip Jose Farmer: 1964—1973. Crown, 1984. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Farmer. Companion piece to The Classic Philip Jose Farmer: 1954—1962. Bought for $17.99.
  • Farmer, Philip Jose. Red Orc’s Rage. Tor, 1991. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight spine fading. Signed by Farmer. Bought off eBay for $14.99.

    IMG_1393

  • Farmer, Philip Jose. The World of Tiers Volume One. Nelson Doubleday (SFBC), no date (but 1981). First edition hardback thus, an omnibus edition of Maker of Universes and The Gates of Creation, a true first edition thus as indicated by the L44 gutter code on page 311, as per the ISFDB, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with a bit of rubbing. Signed by Farmer. Bought for $9.99.
  • Farmer, Philip Jose. The World of Tiers Volume Two. Nelson Doubleday, Inc. (SFBC), no date (but 1981). First edition hardback thus (first printing has gutter code “L44” on page 531, as per the ISFDB), an omnibus edition of A Private Cosmos, Behind the Walls of Terra and The Lavalit World, a Fine copy in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with edgewear at head and heel and a few small rubs. Signed by Farmer. Bought off eBay for $15.99.

    IMG_1394

  • Furze, Colin. This Book Isn’t Safe! Penguin Razorbill, 2017. First edition hardback (the U.S. and UK editions seemed to be simultaneous), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction book by the very popular YouTuber/crazy inventor, somewhat geared toward a Young Adult audience, on how to craft various projects and inventions. Click here for some of the Colin Furze videos I’ve posted here.
  • Handey, Jack. The Stench of Honolulu. Grand Central Publishing, 2013. Novel by the author of Deep Thoughts (and yes, he’s a real guy).
  • Harrison, Harry. Backdrop of Stars. Dennis Dobson, 1968. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with age darkening to pages in a Very Good+ dust jacket with rubbing (heaviest along spine join) and moderate dust soiling. Bought for $5.99.
  • Howard, Robert E. Three-Bladed Doom. Ace Books, 1979. First Ace edition paperback original (preceded by a Zebra paperback edition), a Very Good+ copy with wear at points, black signature squiggle on inside front cover, store stamp on teaser page, and general wear. El Borak stories.
  • Hughes, Matt[hew]. Fools Errant. Maxwell Macmillan Canada, 1994. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Hughes. Bought from an online seller for $35.

    Hughes Fools Errant

  • Knight, Damon. The Best of Damon Knight. Pocket Books, 1976. First paperback edition (the SFBC edition precedes), a Fine- copy with age darkening to page and foxing to inside covers.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Bubba and the Cosmic Blood-Suckers. Subterranean Pres, 2017. First edition hardback, #580 of 1500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Prequel (of a sort) to Bubba Ho-Tep. Elvis, Nixon, Colonel Parker, and cosmic horrors.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Coco Butternut. Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, #274 of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Hap and Leonard novella. Bought for $22.50 after discount.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade. Tachyon, 2017. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Honky Tonk Samurai. Mullholland Books/Little Brown, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Lansdale. Hap & Leonard novel.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Hoodoo Harry. Mysterious Bookshop, 2016. First edition hardback (small trim size), letter T of 26 lettered copies (along with an additional 100 hardback numbered copies, not seen), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. “Bibliomysteries 33.” 72 page Hap & Leonard novella. Bought directly from the publisher for $100, since they were already out of the numbered edition.

  • Lansdale, Joe R. Hoodoo Harry. Mysterious Bookshop, 2016. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with bend to bottom outer tip (due to the way Mysterious Bookshop packaged things), otherwise new and unread. Presumably simultaneous with the hardback issue.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Miracles Ain’t What They Used To Be. PM Press, 2015. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed by Lansdale. Collection of non-fiction essays, many autobiographical.
  • Leckie, Ann. Ancillary Justice. Orbit, 2013. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine, new and unready copy. Hugo and Nebula Award winner. Bought for $7.99 at Half Price Books. Supplements the later Gale/Thorndike Press large print hardback edition and the Subterranean Press signed/limited edition.
  • Lee, Tanith. The Silver Metal Lover. DAW, 1982. First paperback edition (the SFBC edition precedes), a Fine- copy.
  • Le Guin, Ursula K. The Real and the Unreal: Seclected Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin Volume 1: Where on Earth. Small Beer Press, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Already had Volume 2.
  • Lethem, Jonathan. The Fortress of Solitude. Doubleday, 2003. Bought at Half Price Books for $5.99.
  • Lippman, Laura. Snowflake Time: A Christmas Story. Mysterious Bookshop, 2017. Center-stapled chapbook. Back cover reads “A holiday gift with the compliments of The Mysterious Bookshop.”
  • Mieville, China. Railsea. Del Rey, 2012.
  • Lovecraft, H.P. (edited by David E. Schultz and S. T. Joshi). Letters to C.L. Moore and Others. Hippocampus Press, 2017. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Non-fiction.
  • Lovecraft, H.P. (edited by S. T. Joshi). H. P. Lovecraft’s Collected Fiction: A Variorum Edition: Volume 4: Revisions and Collaborations. Hippocampus Press, 2017. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Companion to the three volume hardback Variorum edition volumes (but no hardback edition for this one, alas).
  • Lovecraft, H.P. and Clark Ashton Smith (edited by David E. Schultz and S. T. Joshi). Dawnward Spire, Lonely Hill: The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith. Hippocampus Press, 2017. First edition hardback, one of 500 copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Huge 800 page non-fiction volume of Lovecraft/Clark letters.
  • Moorcock, Michael. London’s Bone and Other Stories. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2016. Trade paperback reprint, a Fine unread copy.
  • Morrow, James. The Asylum of Dr. Caligari. Tachyon, 2017. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Short novel that uses the silent German Expressionist film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
  • Norton, Andre. Ordeal in Otherwhere. World Publishing, 1964. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with patterning on spine in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with edgewear at head and heel and some blind-side transfer from spine (but no sun fading to spine), in plastic dust jacket protector. Currey, page 391. Bought for $5.

    Ordeal Otherwhere

  • Pohl, Frederik and Lester Del Rey (as Edson McCann). Preferred Risk. Simon and Schuster, 1955. First edition hardback, a Near Fine- copy with page block spotting at heel, in a Near Fine dust jacket with traces of wear at points and moderate soiling to white rear panel. Inscribed by Pohl: “To Rick—/With all good/wishes—/”Edson”/or/Fred Pohl.” Currey (1979), page 404. Bought for $8, down from $10 with a 20% off coupon. This is a case of knowing more than the bookseller, since I knew this was a Pohl/Del Rey pseudonym and what Pohl’s signature looks like. As for the book itself, evidently Galaxy magazine and Simon and Schuster ran a contest for an SF novel, didn’t like any of the submissions, and got Pohl and Del Rey to write this under a pseudonym for the contest.

    Preferred Risk

    IMG_1405

  • Powers, Tim. Medusa’s Web. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #226 of 474 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, new and unread. Bought for $62.50 after discount.
  • Pratt, Fletcher. Double in Space. Doubleday, 1951. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with moderate spine fading. Bought for $8.

    Double in Space

  • 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.”

  • (Shea, Michael). Shea, Linda, and S. T. Joshi. And Death Shall Have No Dominion: A Tribute to Michael Shea. Hippocampus Press, 2017. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. A miscellany related to Shea, including short stories, novel segments, verse, unpublished work, and several tributes to him by other writers.
  • Simmons, Dan. The Children of the Night. Lord John Press, 1992. First limited edition hardback, #221 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $35 from a fellow collector who was downsizing.
  • Simmons, Dan. The Hollow Man. Lord John Press, 1992. First limited edition hardback, #324 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued, with errata slip laid in. Bought for $35 from a fellow collector who was downsizing.
  • Lord John Simmons

  • Straub, Peter. The Process (is a Process All Its Own). Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, #650 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Novella. Bought for $20 after discount.
  • Swanwick, Michael. Midwinter Fables. Dragonstairs Press, 2016. First edition chapbook original, #22 of 110 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, new and unread. Four short recastings of classic fables (“The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” “The Fox and the Crow,” “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” “The North Wind and the Sun”) and a frame story (“Midwinter Fables”).

    Midwinter Fables

  • Swanwick, Michael. Touchstones. Dragonstairs Press, 2017. First edition chapbook original, #9 of 50 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, new and unread. Three one page stories: “Lovers and Lunatics,” “Bradbury Jar 2.0” and “A Jarful of Keys,” as well as an Afterword. Related to Swanwick’s trip to China in 2017.

    Swanwick Touchstones

  • Vachess, Andrew, Geoff Darrow, Michael Black and Gary Gianni. The Shaolin Cowboy Adventure Magazine No. 1. Dark Horse, 2012. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with a small scrape at heel and just a trace of wear. Signed by Vachess, Darrow and Black. Pulp fiction homage that looks like fun. Bought for $7.99.

    Shaolin Cowboy

    IMG_1408

  • Vance, Jack. Cadwell II: Ecce and Old Earth. Underwood/Miller, 1991. First edition hardback, #107 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket in a Fine- slipcase with one 1/8″ square spot of soiling to spine rear. Hewett, A84. Bought from a fellow Jack Vance collector who was downsizing for $75.
  • Van Vogt, A. E. The Battle of Forever. Author’s Co-Op, 1978. First edition hardback, #57 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with rubbing at head and along rear edges. Bought for $8.

    Battle of Forever

  • Van Vogt, A. E. The Beast. Doubleday Science Fiction, 1963. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with the barest traces of wear at head and heel. Signed by van Vogt: “Sincerely/A.E. and Lydia van Vogt.” Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought for $8.

    van Vogt Beast

  • Van Vogt, A. E. The War Against the Rull. Simon & Schuster, 1959. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with soiling along join line of white rear cover and touches of wear elsewhere. Inscribed by the author: “With the compliments/of the author/A. E. van Vogt.” Bought for $8.

    War Against the Rull

    IMG_1822

  • Wallace, F. L. Address: Centauri. Gnome Press, 1955. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with the usual age-darkening to the paper, in a Very Good dust jacket with shallow chipping at head and heel, rubbing along spine and fading to spine, and other touches of wear, in the first state binding (gray boards lettered in black). Chalker/Owings, page 202. Kemp, page 236. Bought for $8.
  • Wilhelm, Kate. The Infinity Box. Harper Science Fiction, 1975. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket, with just a trace of surface wear (exaggerated in the scan); this reflective metallic dust jacket is usually found much, much more badly scratched up. Currey, page 538. Bought for $5.99.

    Infinity Box

  • MST3K Film Candidate: The Wraith

    Saturday, February 3rd, 2018

    How was I unaware of this film until now?

    Not only is it Knightrider meets supernatural revenge fantasy, it’s so 80s it hurts.

    Library Additions: Lettered Edition of Joe Lansdale’s Hoodoo Harry

    Wednesday, January 17th, 2018

    This is one of those books that almost eluded me, but I snagged what was evidently the last hardback copy:

  • Lansdale, Joe R. Hoodoo Harry. Mysterious Bookshop, 2016. First edition hardback (small trim size), letter T of 26 lettered copies (along with an additional 100 hardback numbered copies, not seen), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. “Bibliomysteries 33.” 72 page Hap & Leonard novella. Bought directly from the publisher for $100, since they were already out of the numbered edition.

    Included with the same purchase:

  • Lansdale, Joe R. Hoodoo Harry. Mysterious Bookshop, 2016. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with bend to bottom outer tip (due to the way Mysterious Bookshop packaged things), otherwise new and unread. Presumably simultaneous with the hardback issue. Plus:
  • Lippman, Laura. Snowflake Time: A Christmas Story. Mysterious Bookshop, 2017. Center-stapled chapbook. Back cover reads “A holiday gift with the compliments of The Mysterious Bookshop.”
  • Not part of the bundle, but I might as well list it here:

  • Lansdale, Joe R. Bubba and the Cosmic Blood-Suckers. Subterranean Pres, 2017. First edition hardback, #580 of 1500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Prequel (of a sort) to Bubba Ho-Tep. Elvis, Nixon, Colonel Parker, and cosmic horrors. What’s not to like?
  • Library Additions: Two Signed Harlan Ellison Firsts

    Thursday, December 28th, 2017

    Two more books bought relatively cheap off ebay:

  • Ellison, Harlan. Brain Movies: The Original Teleplays of Harlan Ellison Volume One. Edgeworks Abbey, 2011. First edition trade paperback original (no hardback state), the “Babylonian Limited Edition,” a Fine copy signed by both Ellison and introduction author J. Michael Straczynski. In addition to many of Ellison’s most celebrated teleplays (“Soldier,” “Demon With a Glass Hand,” etc.), it also includes “Memos From Purgatory” featuring numerous holographic corrections in Ellison’s hand. Not in ISFDB. Edgeworks Abbey is Ellison’s own press and he’s issued a whole lot of trade paperback books through it of previously unpublished or uncollected material. (The Brain Movies series alone is now up to six volumes.) Bought for $29.99 (the opening bid) off eBay.

    Brain Movies

  • Ellison, Harlan. Dreams With Sharp Teeth. Quality Paperback book Club, 1991. First edition paperback original, a Very Good+ copy with spine slightly concave, light crease across entire front cover, wear at points, and wrinkling to first few pages. Signed by Ellison. Omnibus edition of the collections I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream, Deathbird Stories and Shatterday, minus duplicated stories between the volumes plus an original introduction by Ellison and slightly revised texts and story introductions. Bought off eBay for $12.50. Below the condition I usually collect, but there were no other signed copies online at all…
  • Library Additions: Two Dan Simmons Lord John Press Books

    Friday, December 22nd, 2017

    Lord John Press was an odd press, ranging from small-run SF first editions by Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin and Stephen King to books by John Updike and Gerald R. Ford.

    The two Dan Simmons books listed here (of four they did total) were the right author with the wrong titles at the wrong time at the wrong price points and the wrong print runs. Simmons was a hot writer at the time, but these books came after his “miracle year” duo of Carrion Comfort and Hyperion, were not nearly as well-regarded, were post-first limiteds (they didn’t beat the Putnam edition out) at high price points (starting at $125 and going up to $800) in too large a print run for too many states (500 quarter-leather, 250 half-leather, and 26-lettered copies in full leather). And they both came out the same year. They’re nice, but not so awesome as to inspire bibliolust in casual collectors. When I saw those price points and print runs, I went “Gonna pass,” and a lot of other collectors evidently said the same, as these limiteds have littered bookdealer inventories ever since.

    I do like and collect Simmons, and I always thought I would pick them up when they got cheap enough. That finally happened.

  • Simmons, Dan. The Children of the Night. Lord John Press, 1992. First limited edition hardback, #221 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $35 from a fellow collector who was downsizing.
  • Simmons, Dan. The Hollow Man. Lord John Press, 1992. First limited edition hardback, #324 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued, with errata slip laid in. Bought for $35 from a fellow collector who was downsizing.
  • Lord John Simmons

    I also have Entropy’s Bed at Midnight and Summer Sketches, his other two Lord John Press books.

    Library Additons: Two Signed Lettered Hardbacks of Postscripts

    Wednesday, December 6th, 2017

    In addition to having stories there, I used to have a subsciption to the signed hardback version of Postscripts magazine Back In The Day. Now I pick up individual issues to round out my collection when I find them cheap. Like these two, which I bought for $25 each from Camelot Books:

  • Crowther, Pete and Nick Gevers. Postscripts 18: This Is The Summer of Love. PS Publishing, 2009. First edition hardback, Letter D of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Crowther, Pete and Nick Gevers. Postscripts 19: Enemy of the Good. PS Publishing, 2009. First edition hardback, Letter D of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Unlike my contributor copy of Postscripts 24/25: The New And Perfect Man, these lettered copies did not come in a traycase, and indeed are not readily distinguishable from the regular signed/numbered editions

    I now have signed, numbered copies of all of Postscripts 1-19, 24/25, and 30/31. Which means I’m missing 20/21, 22/23, 26/27, 28/29, 32/33, 34/35, and 36/37.