(Ballard, J. G.) McGrath, Rick. Deep Ends: A Ballardian Anthology 2018. Terminal Press, 2018. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collection of essays on Ballard, including David Pringle’s continuing, invaluable “Ballard/Moorcock Chronology,” of which Moorcock himself says “I frequently trust his memory over my own.” Bought from Amazon.
Gaiman, Neil (with Leslie S. Klinger). The Annotated American Gods. Morrow, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Annotated version of Gaiman’s Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning novel, made into the acclaimed TV series of the same name. This edition follows the text of the 10th Anniversary edition, but the annotations note where it differs from the first edition (among other things). Bought for $24.99 from a Houston-area Half Price Books. I will have one copy of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
(Gibson, William) Westfahl, Gary. William Gibson. University of Illinois Press, 2013. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Critical companion to Gibson’s work. Bought at Half Price Books for $12.49.
The only theme here is various unsigned hardback firsts.
Egan, Greg. Dichronauts. Night Shade Books, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought at Half Price Books for $8.99.
Fraser, George MacDonald. Flashman and the Tiger. Harper Collins, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of three Flashman novellas. I’d always heard the Flashman books were great, but haven’t actually read any. Bought for $7.99.
Lansdale, Joe R. Coco Butternut. Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, trade edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Hap and Leonard novella. Somehow I ended up picking up two limited editions of this, so I never picked up a trade edition until now. Bought from Camelot Books for $17.50.
Moore, Alan. Jerusalem. Knockabout Books, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight edgewear and slight haze-rubbing. Massive, 1174-page novel whose premise is that Northhampton is the actual center of the world. Looks interesting, but Lord know when I’ll ever find time to read it. Actually, I should probably read Voice of the Fire first…
Reynolds, Alastair. Revenger. Gollancz, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight crimping at head. Bought at a Houston-area Half Price Books for $12.49.
Shea, Michael. Mr. Cannyharme: A Novel of Lovecraftian Terror. Hippocampus Press, 2021. First edition hardback, one of only 500 hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Previously unpublished Shea novel of Lovecraftian horror set in post-hippie San Francisco. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Tarantino, Quentin. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. Harper, 2021. First hardback edition and first edition thus, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Originally published as a PBO, this hardback edition includes not only Tarantino’s novelization of his own film, but also a script for an episode of Bounty Law, reproductions of fake movie posters and TV Guide covers featuring Rick Dalton, and even the Mad Magazine parody “Lousy Law.” Bought from The Mysterious Bookshop at a dealer discount. (Right now Amazon appears to be offering this at half cover price (though the usual Amazon caveats apply, and there’s no guarantee you’ll get a first printing).
Weir, Andy. The Martian. Crown Publishers. 2014. First edition hardback (preceded by a self-published ebook), a Near Fine copy with small, light spots of staining to heel and slight bend at head, in a Near Fine dust jacket with a 1/2″ closed tear at bottom front, slight crease along top front edge, slight edgewear and wear at points. Celebrated novel of an astronaut stranded on Mars made into the Matt Damon movie of the same name. Bought at Half Price Books for $9.99.
Picked this up on my Thanksgiving trip to Houston:
Rushdie, Salman. The Satanic Verses. Viking, 1989. Fourth printing of the first American edition, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with slight curl at head, signed by Rushdie, with sales slip from a bookseller stating it was a signed copy laid. The book that earned Rushdie a fatwa from the Ayatollah Khomeini. Supplements a first printing of the first American edition (the Viking UK edition precedes). Bought at a Houston-area Half Price Books for $7.99.
Something of an oddball category, all true firsts, all signed by contributors, but not by the most famous author.
Bierce, Ambrose. A Little Blue Book of Civil War Horror Stories. Borderlands Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 numbered copies signed by introduction author Lawrence C. Connolly, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bierce famously disappeared in Mexico after riding with Pancho Villa. Since he was born in 1842, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that he won’t be signing any more books. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Farmer, Philip Jose. Greatheart Silver and Other Pulp Heroes. Meteor House, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by editor Michael Croteau and introduction author Garyn G. Roberts. Collection of pulp hero tales. Bought off eBay for $24.
King, Stephen, and Richard Chizmar. Gwendy’s Button Box. Cemetery Dance, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Chizmar. “A brand new Castle Rock novella.” Bought at a Half Price Books in Houston for $30.
Three more chapbook additions, including the latest Swanwick:
“Conrad, Joseph” (Adam Newell). At the Door of Darkness. Sangrail Press, 2020. First edition chapbook original, #66 of 100 numbered copies, a Fine copy in white envelope and numbered brown cardboard mailer, as issued. Somewhat elaborate production, with tipped-in linocut frontispiece and tissue guard and duplicated pages from the “original” manuscript for Heart of Darkness featuring a deleted scene. A very sly literary endeavor. I will have one copy of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
“Fitzgerald, F. Scott” (Adam Newell). Gods of Darkness. Sangrail Press, 2021. First edition chapbook original, #150 of 250 numbered copies, a Fine copy in numbered brown cardboard mailer, as issued. Another elaborate production, with tipped-in frontispiece illustration. “F. Scott Fitzgerald’s forgotten tale of a Lovecraftian witch cult, not in any edition of his collected works.” I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Swanwick, Michael. Rainbow Clause. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook original, #72 of 120 copies, a Fine copy with multicolored snowflakes appliqued to the front cover. Collection of extremely short stories about various Santas (“Red Santa,” “Orange Santa,” “White Santa,” “Blue Santa,” “Black Santa,” “Yellow Santa,” “Purple Santa” and “Green Santa”). I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Magill, Frank, editor. Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction Authors. Salem Press, 1988. First edition hardbacks, a four volume set, reasonably clean Ex-Library copies, with slight signs of sticker removal from spine and a few bits of interior writing or marker crossout, but no pocket removal, sans dust jackets, as issued. Four volumes covering just about every important mystery writer up to that time (no Joe R. Lansdale, though, as this was right before the first Hap & Leonard novel). Bought for (I think) $20 from Scott Cupp at Armadillocon.
Vance, Jack. Wild Thyme, Green Magic. Subterranean Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 signed lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. The only edition of this book issued signed by Vance. Formerly Subterranean Press founder William Schafer’s copy. Bought from Camelot Books for $525.
Lansdale, Joe R. (edited by Bill Sheehan and William Schafer). Joe R. Lansdale’s Lords of the Razor. Subterranean Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and what would be a Fine leather traycase, save: A.) The leather stitching is somewhat uneven around the perimeter of the book, and B.) When I went to open this, the glued-on leather tab for the book fell off. I’m guessing these production problems were why Subterranean abandoned this design for lettered editions. Anthology featuring Lansdale’s God of the Razor from The Nightrunners. Formerly co-editor (and Subterranean Press founder and owner) William Schafer’s copy. Supplements a signed, numbered copy. Bought from Camelot Books for $346.50.
Simmons, Dan. Lovedeath. Subterranean Press, 2013. First limited edition a PC copy of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Mylar-protected dust jacket. Formerly Subterranean Press founder William Shafer’s copy. Supplements a copy of the Warner Books first edition inscribed to me. Bought from Camelot Books for $52.50.
Spiner, Brent with Jeanne Darst. Fan Fiction: A Mem-Noir Inspired By True Events. St. Martin’s Press, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, signed by Spiner. Mystery by Spiner, starring Spiner, revolving around a box he received during the filming of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Bought for $22.39 from The Mysterious Bookshop.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Rebel Boast. Henry Holt and Company, 1956. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy from which the FFE has been excised and a cracked front hinge, otherwise nice, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with a few 3/4″ closed tears along the top edge that have been mended (fairly skillfully) with blindside tape, signed by Wellman. Non-fiction about a group of Confederate soldiers that fought the entirety of the Civil War. “First at Bethel — Last at Appomattox.” Bought for $15 off eBay.
Wolfe, Gene. Home Fires. Tor, 2011. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with black remainder dot to top page block and slight bumping at head in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Wolfe. Supplements an unsigned first and a copy of the PS Publishing signed, limited edition.
