August 19th, 2024
All my hard work as a writer has finally paid off, and I’m now the grand prize winner of a major literary award.
Chosen from over 6300 submissions to the 42nd Annual Lyttonaid, Lawrence Person of Austin, Texas has risen to the top of our (steaming) pile to take the crown:
She had a body that reached out and slapped my face like a five-pound ham-hock tossed from a speeding truck.
Our champion is a published author, blogger, and of course, book lover extraordinaire. Congratulations to Lawrence and a hearty thank you to all the creative (if demented) Bulweriers who kept us chuckling again this year.
Top of the world, ma. Top of the world…
Tags: Awards, Bulwer-Lytton Contest
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August 5th, 2024
This is another item from that third major Zelazny purchase that I’ve finally gotten around to adding to my library.
Somtow, S. P. (AKA Somtow Sucharitkul). Valentine. Gollancz, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a signed bookplate laid in. Second book in the Vampire Junction trilogy (and I already had a first of Vampire Junction, also with signed bookplate laid in). The Gollancz edition precedes the U.S. edition by about six months.
Tags: Books, Horror, S. P. Somtow, vampires
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July 29th, 2024
Not my usual collecting vector, but a signed Milton Berle/Bob Newhart lot came up for auction that I was thinking of putting a lowball bid on. When I did comps on Bookfinder, I found that all the signed Berle firsts comped out at over $100…except this.
Berle, Milton. Milton Berle’s Private Joke File. Crown, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with slight age darkening to spine and at top front, 1/4″ closed tear at top rear, slight bend at head and heel, and slight blind-side foxing, otherwise quite nice, inscribed by Berle: “To my friend Jim!!/One of the Really great Story tellers. best wishes/Milt/9/1/89.” Massive 642 page joke book. Bought for $15.87 plus shipping after Biblio discount, which is less than the original cover price of $24.95 (though knowing Crown, this could have been an “instant remainder” sold at a considerable discount).
Tags: Books, Comedy, signatures, signed
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July 23rd, 2024
A signed Farmer PBO at a bargain price.
Farmer, Philip Jose. Cache from Outer Space b/w The Celestial Blueprint. Ace Double, 1962. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing on copyright page and price of 40¢, as per Currey), a Very Good copy with 3/16″ abrasion at head, moderate spine creasing, wear at head and heel, and trace of wear at points, signed by Farmer. Ed Emshwiller. Currey, page 183. Brizzi, Reader’s Guide to Philip Jose Farmer, page 66. Bought off eBay for 99¢ plus shipping.
Tags: Ace Double, Books, PBO, Philip Jose Farmer, Science Fiction, signatures
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July 22nd, 2024
Two more signed Lansdale firsts, one I got him to inscribe to me at his signing at Book People here in Austin on Friday, July 19, the other a lettered edition I was previously unaware of that I bought directly from the publisher.
Lansdale, Joe R. Sugar on the Bones. Mulholland Books, 2024. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed to me by Lansdale. Hap & Leonard novel. Bought at cover price.
Lansdale, Joe R. and Kasey Lansdale. Dark Kin. Thunderstorm Books, 2023. First edition hardback, Letter L of 26 lettered copies, a Fine leatherbound copy in a Fine traycase, sans dust jacket (though the front panel of the regular dust jacket is bound in as a frontispiece), as issued. Bought from the publisher for $250, which is only twice the list price of the regular signed/numbered (and only other) edition.
I didn’t scan the traycase because the design is identical to the book.
Reminder: Through it’s sold out from the publisher, I still have copies of the signed/numbered edition of Dark Kin available at cover price.
In addition, Joe also signed the few books I had by him that he hadn’t already, including Apache Witch, The Gonzo Tapes, Mule Tales and Cody’s Army.
Tags: Books, Hap & Leonard, Horror, Joe R. Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale, Limited Editions, Mystery, signatures, Thunderstorm Books
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July 18th, 2024
I don’t have signed firsts of all Neil Gaiman’s children’s books, but I’m closing in on it.
Gaiman, Neil, and Adam Rex (illustrator). Chu’s First Day of School. HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2014. First edition hardback (“First Edition” stated and numberline ending in “1”), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Gaiman. Illustrated children’s book about a Panda, and a sequel to Chu’s Day, which I don’t have. Bought for $30 off eBay.
Note: This is just slightly too wide for my scanner, so a sliver of the right side of the book is cut off in the scan.
Tags: Books, Fantasy, Neil Gaiman
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July 17th, 2024
I already had a first of The Seventeen Virgins, but not a signed first.
Vance, Jack. The Seventeen Virgins. Underwood/Miller, 1979. First edition chapbook original, a Fine- copy with one wrinkle to top corner and slight fading along spine, signed by Vance. Hewett, A58. Cunningham, B.70a. Chalker/Owings, pages 430-431 (where they note that only 400 were produced, not the 600 stated). Supplements an unsigned copy and the signed, limited hardback edition of The Seventeen Virgins & A Bagful of Dreams. Bought off eBay for $32 plus shipping.
Tags: Books, chapbooks, Fantasy, Jack Vance, signatures, small press publishers, Underwood/Miller
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July 5th, 2024
Another Dragonstairs chapbook.
Swanwick, Michael. The War with the Zylv. Dragonstairs Press, 2024. First edition chapbook original, #50 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. A story based on the piece of art used as the cover.
I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Tags: Books, chapbooks, Dragonstairs Press, Michael Swanwick, Science Fiction, small press publishers
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July 1st, 2024
The only theme here is books received as gifts.
King, Florence (as Laura Buchanan). The Barbarian Princess. Berkley Medallion Books, 1978. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with a trace of edgewear, otherwise new and unread. Historical bodice-ripper set in Roman Britain written by Florence King, who was better known for her political non-fiction, under the transparent pseudonym of Laura Buchanan (King is credited on the copyright page). King wrote a fairly amusing essay about writing it (“When in doubt, rape”). Given to me as a birthday gift by Dwight, who knew I already had several of her non-fiction books.
Martin, George R. R., editor (Howard Waldrop, Roger Zelazny, etc.). Wild Cards I: Volume One. Tor Books, 2017. First edition thus, a small format hardback reprint of the first Wild Cards superhero anthology, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Robert Taylor bought me this to display as part of the Howard Waldrop memorial he organized, along with my other Waldrop first editions, because the cover depicted Howard’s Jetboy character from the opening story, “Thirty Minutes Over Broadway!” I was also one of the speakers at the memorial. Supplements a copy of the PBO first inscribed to me by most of the contributors as well as the SFBC first hardback edition. My tribute to Howard can be found here.
Tags: Austin, Books, Florence King, George R. R. Martin, Howard Waldrop, Science Fiction
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June 28th, 2024
Here’s a book I was tempted to pick up copies of when it was announced, but passed because I wasn’t sure how well it would sell. With The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos, Wyndham is probably considered a top 10 SF all time writer in the UK, but he’s less well known on this side of the pond.
Wyndham, John (David Dyte, editor). Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham. Subterranean Press, 2024. First edition hardback, #361 of 1,000 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag, with bookmark laid in. Bought for $25 plus shipping during a Subterranean sale.
Tags: Books, Fantasy, John Wyndham, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Subterranean Press
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