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April 2018

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Analog May/Jun 2017 “Tenéré” with Manny Frishberg Cover design by Victoria Green

From the introduction to Edd Vick’s interview, conducted by D. Blake Werts, from The Digest Enthusiast book six.

“Edd Vick works for the University Book Store, and buys so many books that his library is a stuffed three-car garage. He published The Comics Fandom Examiner in the early 1990s, which reviewed thousands of creator-controlled comics, then started issuing them under the name MU Press and its imprint AEON. The publishing company lasted fifteen years into the mid-2000s, printing well-received work by Donna Barr, Cathy Hill, Matt Howarth, and others. Edd’s stories have appeared in Analog, Asimov’s, The Year’s Best SF, and many other magazines and anthologies. He was a founding member of the website The Daily Cabal, an early online outlet for flash fiction. He lives in Seattle with SF novelist Amy Thomson, their adopted daughter Katie, three chickens, a dog, and a cat.”

International Science Fiction #1 cover“A new science-fiction magazine with a new concept in publishing. Each issue will be filled with stories by Foreign Authors. International Science Fiction Will give American readers a chance to read the science-fiction stories by Authors popular in the rest of the world. Written and translated by top writers throughout the world.”
–Inside front cover, International Science Fiction #1 Nov. 1967

EQMM Nov. 1960 coverThe third section of Josh Pachter and Dale C. Andrews’ anthology, The Misadventures of Ellery Queen, is Potpourri—stories inspired by Queen. First up is “The Norwegian Apple Mystery” by James Holding, originally from EQMM Nov. 1960.

Two mystery-writer partners, vacationing on a cruise ship, are intrigued by the death of one of their fellow passengers, who choked to death on an apple while reading in bed, alone. The event sparks their collective curiosity, and once they begin speculating that it was not an accident, they soon find themselves creating a plausible plot for murder. A highly entertaining lesson in how to create a murder mystery.

EQMM base image from Galactic Central.

This review continues on April 22nd . . .

Selected from a digest featured in The Digest Enthusiast book five:

“Their women came first.

“One was a blonde, one a redhead, one a brunette. They were tall, extremely so; as though height had been a determining factor in their present status. Among others. They were beautiful, in a spectacular fashion. It was not a friendly sort of beauty. Their blue-painted eyelids were held far down over their eyes; not in modesty, but in a sort of supercilious disdain. As though rejecting the stares they were long since used to receiving.”
“The Black Bargain” by Cornell Woolrich Justice Vol. 2 No. 1 January 1956

Proofread the layout for Peter Enfantino’s synopses of Manhunt 1953 part three, today. This will conclude his wrap-up of the magazine’s first year of publication. Peter also includes his “top ten” stories from the magazine for that year.

Tom Brinkmann emailed a few corrections for his fascinating piece on Connie Kreski, so lots of progress today, as TDE8 comes together.

Magazine of Horror #36 coverContents
“Dread Exile” by Paul Ernst (Strange Tales June 1932)
“The Testament of Athammaus” by Clark Ashton Smith (Weird Tales Oct. 1932)
“The Vespers Service” by William R. Bauer
“The Artist of Tao” by Arthur Styron (Strange Tales Oct. 1932)
“The Key to Cornwall” by David H. Keller (Stirring Science Stories Feb. 1941)
“The Executioner” by Rachel Cosgrove Payes
“The Settlement of Dryden vs. Shard” by W. O. Inglis (Harper’s Magazine Sep. 1902)
“The Grisly Horror” by Robert E. Howard (Weird Tales Feb. 1935)

Espionage June 1986, page 140Writer/editor Josh Pachter granted permission to reprint his story from Espionage, June 1986, in The Digest Enthusiast book eight. I asked Marc Myers if he’d create a collage artwork piece to accompany the story, and he agreed. The first look arrived in today’s email.

In the meantime, here’s page 140 from the story’s original appearance.

Broadswords and Blasters #5 coverThe pulp magazine with modern sensibilities.

Contents
From the Editors
Alison McBain “After War”
Aaron Emmel “Irini”
J. Rohr “Let It All Bleed Out”
David F. Shultz “Jerold’s Stand”
Dianne M. Williams “Giving Up the Ghost”
Tom Howard “Lost Train to Oblivion”
L. Chan “Petals, Falling Like Memories”

Broadswords and Blasters #5 back coverEditors: Matthew X. Gomez, Cameron Mount
Cover: Luke Spooner
6” x 9”, 98 pages
POD $6.99, Kindle $2.99 (free with print version)

Broadswords and Blasters website

EQMM July 1967The final entry in the parody section of The Misadventures of Ellery Queen, edited by Josh Pachter and Dale C. Andrews:

Like co-editor Pachter, Dennis M. Dubin placed his first published story while still in high school—in EQMM (July 1967). However, unlike the former, Dubin’s story, “Elroy Quinn’s Last Case” was prophetic, as it seems to be the author’s last mystery as well. I can see why it concludes the parody section, yet its madcap elements balance nicely with its drama and provide a smooth transition to the collection’s final, more serious Potpourri section.

As the story opens, Elroy Quinn already long retired, is coaxed into action by Inspector Thomas Velie, who explains, “the king of Ubinorabia arrived here two days ago to begin talks on the huge oil deposit recently discovered in his country.” It’s large enough to incent dialog between East and West, but only the king supports it. His heir does not. One of the king’s bodyguards is dead, a victim of mistaken identity—meaning the monarch himself is marked for murder. Who wants him dead? The clues only deepen the mystery: “…a gladiator’s helmet and pair of cats, one with a plethora of tails.” Baffling to Velie and most mortals, but Quinn’s cogitations overcome all obstacles and justice, is at last, laid to rest.

EQMM base image from Galactic Central.

This review continues on April 18th . . .

Black Cat Mystery Magazine #2 coverContents
John Gregory Betancourt and Carla Coupe: From the Cat’s Perch
Charlie Hughes “The Cleansing Soil”
Michael Bracken “Skirts”
Elizabeth Zelvin “A Disturbance in the Harem”
Shout Out to Art Taylor
Debra H. Goldstein “A Weighty Matter”
Steve Shrott “Buried Secrets”
Cynthia Benjamin “Jacob’s Ladder”
BK Stevens “Things Past”
Trey R. Barker “Thin Blood”
John M. Floyd “Two in the Bush”
John Hegenberger “The Bad Sleep”
Melba Marlett “The Second Mrs. Porter”

Black Cat Mystery Magazine #2 back coverBlack Cat Mystery Magazine #2 Spring 2018
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Editors: John Gregory Betancourt and Carla Coupe
Cover: Prudkov/Fotolia
6” x 9” 138 pages
POD $10.00 Kindle $3.99
Wildside Press website