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News Digest July 24, 2020

Amazing Selects: The Guns of Pluto by Allen Steele

New Release
Amazing Selects: The Guns of Pluto by Allen Steele (Captain Future)
Contents Page
Paul Di Filippo’s Newton’s Laws of Thrills (Introduction)
Steve Davidson: Publisher’s Introduction
Who is Captain Future?
Interlude: Marshall Gurney Reports
Allen Steele “The Guns of Pluto” (The Return of Ul Quorn, Book II)
Edmond Hamilton “The Harpers of Titan”
About the Author: Allen Steele
About the Creator: Edmond Hamilton
About the Cover Artist: Renon Boe
About the Interior Artist: M.D. Jackson
About the Comet II Artist: Rob Caswell
5.5” x 8.5” 205 pages
Print $8.99 Kindle $8.99
Amazing Stories website

Worlds of Tomorrow Sept. 1965

Digest Magazine Reviews
Victoria Silverwolf
reviews Worlds of Tomorrow Sept 1965 at Galactic Journey.

Digest Magazines and Authors
Art Taylor’s
new e-newsletter is out.

Deborah L. Davitt discusses her poem “Vintage Years” at Asimov’s From Earth to the Stars.

David Bridge, whose story “Feral Flesh” appears in EQMM Jul/Aug 2020, recalls Creepers by Keith Gray at Something is Going to Happen.

Espionage No. 1

Andrew Kozma reflects on his story “Mars, the Dumping Ground of the Solar System” from Analog Jul/Aug 2020 at The Astounding Analog Companion.

John Floyd writes about his story “Crow’s Nest” from EQMM Jan/Feb 2020 at The First Two Pages. (Thanks, Kevin Tipple.)

Peter Wood examines apocalyptic fiction, while his story “Why I’ll Never Get Tenure” appears in Asimov’s Jul/Aug 2020, at From Earth to the Stars.

Josh Pachter recalls Espionage Magazine with Jeff Quest on the Spybrary Podcast.

Restoration by Art Taylor

Storytime
Hector Acosta’s
“La Cocinera” at Rusty Barnes’ Tough Crime.

Barb Goffman reports Art Taylor’s story “Restoration,” originally published in Crime Syndicate Magazine is available free at Black Cat Mystery.

Alec Cizak reads his story “The Bag Girl” from Tough 2 at ACTV.

TDE Contributors’ Corner
Michael Neno
, who drew the illustration for Rick Ollerman’s story “Sock Monster” for The Digest Enthusiast No. 12 posted his thoughts on the issue and awarded it a five-star rating on GoodReads. Thanks, Michael!

The issue also garnered a five-star rating from Steve Alcorn on Amazon.com. Thank you, Steve!

As long as I seem to be grouping all the TDE12 updates here, I’m also grateful to James Reasoner for his kind words at Rough Edges.

Vampi 19, Eerie 42, Creepy 48

Uncle Jack (Seabrook) and Cousin Peter (Enfantino) review Vampirella No. 19 & 20, Eerie No. 42 & 43, and Creepy No. 48 & 49 at bare•bones e-zine.

Vampi 20, Eerie 43, Creepy 49

Steve Carper takes a deep dive into Space Kit. That’s right, your very own chunk of space in a box! Get all the answers at Flying Cars and Food Pills.

Readin’ and Writin’
David Lovelock
created a story outline grid based on the Advanced Fiction Writing class at Writing Academy.

Gods of their own making. A book I picked up years ago because it sounded interesting was Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green. At long last, I finished reading it this week. The prologue explains the ancient civilization was “the most self-contained of all the countries of the ancient world; it lived its own life, practiced its own religion and made up its own stories…”

First conquered by the Greeks, and then the Romans, many of Egypt’s stories were lost. Those that survived were hidden in its hieroglyphs, rediscovered in more modern times. The stories in this collection were carved on tablets or painted on papyrus by Egyptians or preserved by Greek historians.

But all were recorded by or for the pleasure of the ruling class, and reflect their narrow perspectives. There are peasants included, but none rise above their station unless gifted with uncommon beauty or prophecy. The slaves who built the great pyramids and temples pass through unseen.

These stories and fables provide a fascinating glimpse into ancient Egyptian history and culture as perceived by those who benefited most. A single line repeated again and again throughout the stories and reigns, the first words uttered in the presence of a Pharaoh, “Life, health, and strength be to you!” speaks volumes.

Tales of Ancient Egypt, White Fragility, F&SF 7/8 2020

Finished listening to the audio book White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, with a forward by Michael Eric Dyson. The book defines white privilege and advises us that eradicating systemic racism is a continuum for American society and every individual white person who benefits from it. The book increased my understanding of its topics. I think its reviews and ratings on amazon tell a story of their own. Ratings (7-21-20) 70% 5-Star, 8% 4-Star, 3% 3-Star, 2% 2-Star, and 17% 1-Star.

Also, finished reading the Jul/Aug 2020 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction. It’s a satisfying collection of stories spanning the breadth of its territory. Some light and humorous, some deep and sombre. All well written. Since I prefer action/adventure fiction my favorites lean in that direction; those by David Erik Nelson, Bennett North, Madeleine Robins, and Brian Trent. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the balance. Taken as a collection, the variety adds to the overall strength and enjoyment of the issue.

TDE12 pages 52 & 53

Read all about Lester del Rey’s “Five Ages of Science Fiction” by Vince Nowell, Sr. in The Digest Enthusiast No. 12 available at Lulu.com in print and in digital format at Kindle and Magzter.

Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Nov. 1964

Vintage Crime Digest
Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Nov. 1964
Contents Page
Brett Halliday “Death in Cell Five” (Mike Shayne)
Alson J. Smith “The Name of the Game”
Walter Dallas “Killer in the Bleachers”
Morris Hershman “Chicken Contest”
Dennis Lynds “No Loose Ends”
Maurice Leblanc “The Escape of Arsene Lupin”
James Holding “The Spook Goes West”
Carroll Mayers “One Hour for Crime”

Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 15 No. 6 Nov. 1964
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Editorial Director: Cylvia Kleinman
Associate Editor: Frank B. Long
5.5” x 7.75” 144 pages 50¢

News Digest Feb. 28, 2020

Astounding 5-44, Fantastic 3-65

Paul Fraser reviews Astounding Science Fiction Vol. 33 No. 3 May 1944 on SF Magazines.

Victoria Silverwolf reviews Fantastic Vol. 14 No. 3 March 1965 on Galactic Journey.

Guns + Tacos Vol. 1 & 2

The print version of season one of Guns + Tacos season one arrived last Saturday. Each of its two volumes, created and edited by Michael Bracken and Trey H. Barker include three stories around 40 pages each. Volume One: Gary Phillips, Bracken, and Frank Zafiro. Volume Two: Barker, William Dylan Powell, James A. Hearn, and a bonus story by Bracken, making this the thicker of the two volumes. Season Two has been ordered and will begin later this year from Down & Out Books.

Boy Detective, Find the Money

Art Taylor writes about the story order in his new anthology The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 at Auntie M Writes. (Hat tip Kevin Tipple).

Artist and author Tony Gleeson’s new book, Find the Money, is now available on amazon. The mysterious Vanessa has vanished, and it’s worth a million dollars to a vicious drug lord to get her back. But the ransom disappears, turning up in the hands of a bewildered innocent bystander, while ruthless gangsters and hapless kidnappers alike desperately search for the money. Meanwhile, Detective Marlon Morrison, who only wants to comfortably ride out the final year and a half before his retirement without incident, finds himself involved with a growing succession of murder victims, and a bizarre case growing in complexity by the hour…

Josh Pachter talks to Publisher’s Weekly about his anthologies The Misadventures of Ellery Queen and The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe. (Hat tip Michael Bracken)

Doug Draa announced on Facebook that Weirdbook No. 42 has gone to print!

A.T. Sayre describes his joy and appreciation at having his first story, “Rover,” published in the venerable Analog.

AHMM & EQMM Mar/Apr 2020

Found all four March/April 2020 Dell digests on shelves this week at my local Barnes & Noble’s. Alfred Hitchcock’s features William Burton McCormick’s cover story “Night Train to Berlin.” Ellery Queen’s cover highlights its “Mystery Strangers” theme. Although not listed on the cover, indie favorite Preston Lang also has a story inside—congrats!

Asimov's & Analog Mar/Apr 2020

Asimov’s cover features Nancy Kress’ “Semper Augustus” and Analog continues their retro-look celebration of their 90th year. Note F&SF Editor C.C. Finley’s name on the cover, and inside there’s a new story by Edd Vick* and Manny Frishberg. *Vick as interviewed by D. Blake Werts in The Digest Enthusiast No. 6.

Fantasy & Science Fiction Jan/Feb 2020

Corey Flintoff talks about his “Interlude in Arcadia” (F&SF J/F 2020) on the Fantasy & Science Fiction blog.

Readin’ and Writin’
Finished the audio book version of The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler and loved it. I listened while driving and more than once got so lost in the gorgeous prose I had to try to remember what was happening in the plot. Narrator Ray Porter’s cadence and inflections are a perfect match to Tom Hanks’.

Also on audio, I listened to Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor. A intimate memoir with Taylor’s recollections of family dysfunction, fighting addiction, and working with Danny (Kootch) Kortchmar, Peter Gordon, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, and Carol King. This guided tour of his early life is interspersed with his gorgeous melodies. Riveting, sad, and unforgettable.

Mike Shayne June 1957

In print, I read Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine June 1957. This issue wraps up the trilogy of the serialized Weep for a Blond Corpse, with more action and excitement than the previous two installments. It also boasts two outstanding novelets by Helen Nielsen and Tedd Thomey, as well as some fine short stories by Fletcher Flora, James Schucker, D.E. Forbes, Murray Wolf, and F. Keston Clarke. A great issue of a great digest magazine! Watch for my reviews in a coming issue of bare•bones.

Jeff Vorzimmer, editor of Stark House Press’ Best of Manhunt, read through the current issue of The Digest Enthusiast and awarded it a 5-Star rating this week on GoodReads. Thanks much, Jeff!

TDE12 Update: Met with my writing group on Thursday and shared my review of Paperback Fanatic No. 43, which will appear in TDE12. Also completed the initial layout of my interview with Tony Gleeson for the issue. Thanks to Tony, it’s loaded with beautiful artwork—mostly from vintage digests.

True Crime Detective Summer 1953

From the Vault
Ad copy on page 2: “. . . if you enjoy this issue let us enter a subscription for you so that True Crime Detective may be delivered to you on or before publication date without extra cost. You will find each issue a little better than the one before—an anthology of the best detective true crime stories new and old.” Cost? $1.40 for 4 issues. In 2020 dollars that’s $13.53. I have a feeling it would be more, but I’d get it if it were still being published today. Next week: the final issue.

True Crime Detective Vol. 3 No. 3 Summer 1953
Contents Page
W.T. Brannon “Rendezvous at Rondout”
Joseph Shillips “They Wrote Their Own Convictions”
Homer Croy “Cherokee Bill”
William Roughead “The Merrett Mystery”
Manly Wade Wellman “The General Dies at Dusk”
Miriam Allen deford “The Reluctant Lover”
Frank Mullady “Judgement for a Messiah”

Publisher: Lawrence E. Spivak
Editors: Anthony Boucher, J. Francis McComas
General Manager: Joseph W. Ferman
Managing Editor: Robert P. Mills
Advisory Editor: Charles Angoff
Art Director: George Salter
Cover: Dirone Photography from “Rendezvous at Rondout”
5.5” x 7.75” 128 pages 35¢

Mike Shayne Oct. 1957

Mike Shayne Oct. 1957

Brett Halliday: Variety and Range
Contents Page
Brett Halliday “One Death Too Many”
Robert Turner “Accident”
Earl Basinsky, Jr. “The Prison Break”
Robert Sheckley “Charter for Murder”
Theodore Sturgeon “A Crime for Llewellyn”
Roe Richmond “Assignment at Las Vegas”
Dick Boylan “Blueprint for a Blonde”
Hal Ellson “Sooner or Later”
Stan Mumme “Eye-Witness”

Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 2 No. 4 Oct. 1957
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
5.25” x 7.75” 128 pages 35¢

Mike Shayne Dec. 1957

Mike Shayne Dec. 1957

Brett Halliday: Weddings . . . and Funerals
Contents Page
Brett Halliday “Lilies for the Bride” art by Leo Morey
John Jakes
“The Affair of the Second Dracula”
D.E. Forbes “The Fifth One” art by Bowman
Rufus King
“Murder on Her Mind” art by Leo Morey
Henry Slesar
“Fly Home to Betsy” art by Leo Morey
Frederic (Fredric) Sinclair “Sky Caper”
John Bennett Stacey “The Dangerous Decision”
Curtis W. Casewit “You Can’t Buy Guts” art by Leo Morey
W.R. Drobnich
“Who Else, Mac?

Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 2 No. 5 Dec. 1957
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
5.25” x 7.75” 128 pages 35¢

Mike Shayne June 1957

Mike Shayne June 1957

Brett Halliday: The Challenge in Mystery Writing
Contents Page
Helen Nielsen “The Long Walk to Death”
Fletcher Flora “Only the Best for Bowser”
James Shucker “Carny Blood”
Tedd Thomey “Slay-ride to Eternity”
Ted Reynolds “Identification in Red”
D.E. Forbes “In a Neat Package”
Brett Halliday (Davis Dresser) “Weep for a Blond Corpse” part three
Murray Wolf “The Little Glass Tubes”
Keston Clarke “Poison at Eight”

Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 2 No. 2 June 1957
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
5.25” x 7.75” 144 pages 35¢

Mike Shayne April 1957

Mike Shayne April 1957

Still a bi-monthly in April 1957, this issue is the first to use the new title “Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine.” Page count drops from 160 to 144.

Brett Halliday: Dr. Shamus Shayne
Contents Page
Frank Ward “Death Aboard the Cruiser”
Lawrence Treat “Twice Around the Block”
Brett Halliday (Davis Dresser) “Weep for a Blond Corpse” part two
Walt Sheldon “Line of Fire”
C.L. Sweeney, Jr. “Soft, White Body”
William R. Cox “Who Wants You?”
Richard Deming “The Strange Collaboration”
Arthur Feldman “The Cardinal Sin”

Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 2 No. 1 April 1957
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
Cover: Vic Donahue
5.25” x 7.75” 144 pages 35¢

Michael Shayne Feb. 1957

Michael Shayne Feb. 1957

Most of the Mike Shayne short novels that appeared in his digest magazine were ghost written under the Brett Halliday pseudonym. But this issue features the first of a three-part series presenting a brand new full-length novel by Davis Dresser himself. “Weep for a Blond Corpse” ran in the Feb., April, and June 1957 issues. This issue was the last one with “Michael,” in the title; it was strictly ”Mike” from here on.

Brett Halliday’s Goal to Go! (intro)
Contents Page
Brett Halliday “Weep for a Blond Corpse” part one
Veronica Parker Johns “The Cannibal Oxen”
Lee E. Wells “Desert of Death”
Robert O’Niel Bristow “The Naked Trap”
Jay Carroll “A Dress for May Lou”
Irving Burstiner’s Find the Detective (puzzle)
Henry Slesar “The Right Kind of House”
Samuel W. Taylor “Night of the Full Moon”
Robert Bloch “The Real Bad Friend”
Frank Kane “The Rumble”

Michael Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 1 No. 6 Feb. 1957
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
5.25” x 7.75” 160 pages 35¢

Michael Shayne No. 5

Michael Shayne No. 5

Contents
Leo Margulies’s Big Shayne Coming UP
Brett Halliday (unknown ghost writer) “A Challenge in Corpses”
Will Cotton “A Long Time Dying”
Jonathan Craig “Sunday’s Slaughter”
Thelma L. Beach “The Frightened Passenger”
Tedd Thomey “Brother, Brother . . .”
Theresa Anne O’Malley “No Questions”
William Campbell Gault “I’ll Be Waiting”
Richard Deming “Comfort for the Grave”
Peter Cheyney “He Walked in Her Sleep”

Michael Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 1 No. 5 Jan. 1957
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Editor: Sam Merwin, Jr.
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
5.25” x 7.75” 160 pages 35¢

Michael Shayne No. 4

Michael Shayne No. 4

Contents
Brett Halliday’s (Leo Margulies?) The Heel’s the Thing
Brett Halliday (Sam Merwin, Jr.) “Mark Me for Murder” (Mike Shayne)
Mann Rubin “The Gold Ring”
George Fielding Eliot “Emergency Call—State Police”
De Forbes “The Secret Secret Secret”
Kenneth Fearing “Shadow of Fame”
Margaret Manners “Hard Way Out”
David Margerson “Cyanide Cocktail”
Walt Sheldon “The Silent Weapon”
W.T. Ballard “Crescent City Blues”
Val Morrow “The Black Box”

Michael Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 1 No. 4 Dec. 1956
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Editor: Sam Merwin, Jr.
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
5.25” x 7.75” 160 pages 35¢

Michael Shayne No. 3

Michael Shayne No. 3

Contents
Brett Halliday’s (Leo Margulies?) Salute from Mike Shayne
Brett Halliday (Sam Merwin, Jr.) “Who Shot the Duke?”
Theodore Sturgeon & Don Ward “The Deadly Innocent”
Walt Sheldon “Dead Man’s Cat”
Vic Rodell “To Anita—With Murder”
Herbert Harris “A Grave for Lydia”
Raymond Drennen “The Generous Corpse”
De Forbes “Lie Down—You’re Dead”
Colin G. Jameson “Blood on the Golden Fleece”
G.B. Gilford “Marked for Murder”
Norman Struber “New Man in Town”

Michael Shayne Mystery Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3 Nov. 1956
Publisher: Leo Margulies
Editor: Sam Merwin, Jr.
Managing Editor: Cylvia Kleinman
Production: Joan Sherman
Cover: Ed Emshwiller
5.25” x 7.75” 160 pages 35¢