Weirdbook Annual: Zombies [October 2021] ed. Doug Draa (Wildside Press, Kindle $3.99, Hardcover $29.99, Paperback $15.00, 295p, 6” x 9”) Cover by Fotolia, three interior illustrations by Allen Koszowski, plus others 1 • Contents 3 • From the Editor’s Tower • Doug Draa • ed 4 • The Meddler • Matthew John • ss 15 • Necrophalic Sin • Ashley Dioses • pm 16 • Tiger Girls Vs. The Zombies • Lucy A. Snyder • ss 26 • When They Come Back • Avra Margariti • pm 27 • Dead Between the Eyes [Nick Nightmare] • Adrian Cole • ss 43 • The Crimson Star • Josh Maybrook • pm 44 • Alive Again • Franklyn Searight • ss 54 • Love in a Time of Zombies • Darrell Schweitzer • pm 55 • The Last Final Girl • Lori R. Lopez • pm 58 • The Night Hans Kroeger Came Back [Bajazid] • Kenneth Bykerk • ss 63 • The Marching Dead • Andrew Darlington • ss 72 • I Wished for Zombies • D.C. Lozar • ss 77 • I Put a Spell On You • Allan Rozinski • pm 78 • O Mary Don’t You Mourn • Mike Chinn • ss 88 • Evil Harvest • K.A. Opperman • pm 89 • To Die, to Sleep, No More • Erica Ruppert • ss 96 • Run, Monster, Run • Teasha Seitz • ss 103 • Another Night in Bayou Savvage • Chad Hensley • ss 106 • Kifaro • Dilman Dila • ss 118 • But I Love Him • Scott Wheelock • ss 120 • Who Wants to Live Forever? • Angela Yuriko Smith • ss 123 • The Dead are Always Hungry • Christopher Alex Ray • ss 133 • Zen Zombies • Ryan Aussie Smith • vi 134 • Cassius Max • KT Morley • ss 146 • A Nanotech Samsara • J.N. Cameron • ss
150 • The Zombie Master’s Store • Gregg Chamberlain • pm 154 • Pine in the Soul • John Linwood Grant • ss 167 • “Welcome Home” • Craig E. Sawyer • ss 171 • Papa Hanco • Ed Reyes • ss 175 • They Shall Eat Dust • Josh Reynolds • ss 185 • In Shadow Valley • Nick Swain • ss 199 • Devil’s Bargain • J.F. Le Roux • ss 204 • Right for You Now • Andrew Jennings • ss 216 • E’Zunguth, the Zombie God • Maxwell I. Gold • vi 217 • Lazy River • Kelly Piner • ss 223 • The New Human • Shayne K. Keen • ss 228 • This Little Piggy • EV Knight • ss 237 • Ofactory Spectra of the Dead • Robert Borski • pm 239 • Life Unworthy of Life • Stephanie Ellis • ss 249 • More Blood • Carson Ray • ss 259 • Something Wakes • David C. Kopaska-Merkel • pm 260 • The Creeping Cold • Kevin Rees • ss 269 • Mummy’s Curse • Colleen Anderson • pm 270 • The Body I Used to Be • Scott Edelman • ss 281 • Stirrings • David C. Kopaska-Merkel • pm 282 • Queen of Hearts • S.E. Lindberg • ss
Contents formatted for inclusion in Phil Stephensen-Payne’s Galatic Central reference website. FictionMags Index Family Item Types & Other Abbreviations key.
I had the pleasure of interviewing John Shirley for The Digest Enthusiast No. 12 about Weirdbook No. 42 the special John Shirley issue. His novella, “Swords of Atlantis,” is the cornerstone of the issue.
In need of a quick payday, Snoori convinces his companion, Brimm the Savant, that treasure awaits them on Poseidonia, one of the ten kingdoms of Atlantis. “It is circled with fields and orchards and stream jumping with curious but delicious fish. And there, in an old palace, waits the beauteous Cleito, a princess who has offered ten bushels of gold to any ten men who will become the Swords of her Heart: the champions who will destroy a minor demon set in place by an addle-pated old sorcerer—a sorcerer long dead.”
Seeking passage to the island, Brimm and Snoori soon find themselves manacled in a ship’s bowels, shanghaied as galley slaves. The two irreverent heroes tax their wits and luck to escape one danger only to land in the midst of another. A rollicking, ricocheting adventure bordered by peril, magic, gold, and romance.
The story begged for a follow-up, so I asked John if it was part of a series. Below is his reply:
“While ‘Swords of Atlantis’ is self-contained, a complete tale (with several parts) in and of itself, it is indeed also designed to be the first half of a novel, and the beginning of a series of novels. The second half has been roughly outlined. I would like to write a series of stories about Brimm and Snoori. They are an amusing duo. I wanted to write something that, while not satire or parody, still had a sense of humor. While the novella has its horrific and traditionally fantastic core, I was looking for every possible way to make the story more entertaining, and having a sense of humor about the heroes is another facet. In this I’m a bit influenced by certain Jack Vance tales, perhaps especially the Cugel stories. I grew up loving the sword and sorcery fantasy stories of Robert E Howard and Fritz Leiber, and, when I was in my early teens, Moorcock’s Elric stories. I’ve always wanted to explore that genre in my own way and thus, here is “Swords of Atlantis.” Additionally, the Atlantis story has always held a certain fascination for me. I tried to ground the novella in a reasonably real-seeming setting, as it might have been in ancient times, centuries before Anno Domini.”
Approximately twleve months later, Hippocampus Press has published A Sorcerer of Atlantis with further adventures of Brimm and Snoori as well as the novella “A Prince in the Kingdom of Ghosts.”
For more background on the book see Doug Draa’s interview with John Shirley at BlackGate.com.
Weirdbook [Vol. 2 #14, #44, May 2021] ed. Doug Draa (Wildside Press, $13.00, 179p, 6” x 9”0 Cover by Fotolia, interior illustrations by Allen Koszowski 1 • Contents 2 • From the Editor’s Tower • Doug Draa • ed 3 • Let Me Be Your Swamp Snake [Nick Nightmare] • Adrian Cole • ss 16 • Warning • Darrell Schweitzer • pm 17 • A Whisper in the Death Pit • Kyla Lee Ward • ss 25 • Absent a Passion Play • Allan Rozinski • pm 26 • Deadest Man in Town • Franklyn Searight • ss 63 • Penumbra Over Millwall • Jan Edwards • ss 75 • Fragile • Lucy A. Snyder • pm 76 • Birth • M. Stern • ss 88 • Spectres Untold • Maxwell I. Gold • pm 91 • Belladonna’s Kiss • Ashley Dioses • pm 91 • Among the Fallen • Ann K. Schwader • pm 92 • Okiko’s Doll • Stefano Frigieri; translated by Amanda Blee • ss 102 • Heatseeker • Tim Curran • ss 121 • Witch’s Barrow • Chad Hensley • pm 122 • The Librarian • Sharon L. Cullars • ss 128 • The Third Obscenity • Frederick J. Mayer • pm 129 • Dream Warriors (1) Team Spirit • D.C. Lozar • ss 148 • Bang! • Chris Kuriata • ss 160 • Death and the Vampire • James Dorr • ss 162 • Mind Rot • Cindy O’Quinn • pm 163 • The Dust of Sages and Fools • John R. Fultz • ss 176 • Push Dagger • John C. Hocking • ss 179 • Song of the Goat • K.A. Opperman • pm
Contents formatted for inclusion in Phil Stephensen-Payne’s Galatic Central reference website. FictionMags Index Family Item Types & Other Abbreviations key.
Changes My blog posts here at larquepress.com aren’t drawing as much traffic as I’d like, so I’m changing things up again. Most of my weekly summary content will be posted on FB and Twitter as it arrives. I will reserve the blog for New Releases, mini reviews of recent reads, and updates on development of the issues of The Digest Enthusiast. I’ll post as things develop rather than saving items up for one post on Fridays.
Readin’ and Writin’ Startling Mystery Stories was a fine companion digest to Magazine of Horror. The first issue is a solid representative of its 16-issue run. Although most of the magazine is reprints, they are carefully culled from their sources by one of the best editors of the pulp and digest heyday: Robert A.W. Lowndes.
Weirdbook seems to have fallen out of their quarterly schedule lately, so I was happy to dive into issue 43 shortly after it arrived. It’s another excellent collection of weird fiction and poetry. My favorites this time out include stories by Darrell Schweitzer, John R. Fultz, Sharon Cullars, D.C. Lozar, and Adrian Cole. The issue also includes a tribute to the late Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. (1955–2020) and one of his final stories.
I have to admit I’ve been majorly distracted this week over the election and didn’t get as much accomplished as I’d planned. However, the news gathering process has begun, with requests sent out to all the digest magazine editors I know. The big, newsstand titles as well as the indie variety self-published and small press.
Also, made serious headway on the Roman Scott collection. The book will be published in hardcover through Lulu.com and include about 150 pages of Scott’s comix and art, with recollections by Marc Myers, Jonathan Falk, and Todd Mecklem.
Also received three new cartoons from Bob Vojtko for the issue of Pulp Modern that’s in development.
Our current issue: The Digest Enthusiast No. 12 is available in print at Lulu.com and Amazon, and in digital formats at Kindle Books and Magzter.
New Releases Weirdbook No. 43 Contents “An American Story” by Darrell Schweitzer “Impervious to Reason, Oblivious to Fate” by John R. Fultz “The River” by Sharon Cullars “Taking Out the Trash” by by D.C. Lozar “Arthur Wardrobe And Asia Anastacia: A Love Story” by Andrew Darlington “Snack Time” by Franklyn Searight “Godlike” by Edward Morris and Konstantine Paradias Ronkonkoma” by Glynn Owen Barrass “The Fury of Angels” by Adrian Cole “Keisha’s Dinosaur” by Nicole Givens Kurtz “Will Home Remember Me?” by Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. “You’re Gonna Love This Song” by Michael S. Walker “Frozen Time” by Rivka Jacobs “Lucien Greyshire and the Ghost from Applebee’s” by L.F. Falconer Plus poetry by Jeff Barnes, Maxwell I. Gold, Neva Bryan, Ashley Dioses, K.A. Opperman, Ann K.Schwader, W.D. Clifton, Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Chad Hensley, Frederick J. Mayer, and Gregg Chamberlain.
Weirdbook Vol. 2 No. 13 Issue 43 August 2020 Publisher/Executive Editor: John Gregory Betancourt Editor: Doug Draa Consulting Editor: W. Paul Ganley Cover: Fotolia Interior Artwork: Allen Koszowski 184 pages, 6” x 9” Print $12.00 , Kindle* Wildside Press website *Not available at the time of this writing
Fantasy & Science Fiction Sep/Oct 2020 Contents “Of Them All” by Leah Cypess “The Shadows of Alexandrium” by David Gerrold “My Name Was Tom” by Tim Powers “The Fairy Egg” by R.S. Benedict “Weeper” by Marc Laidlaw “Do AIs Dream of Perfect Games?” by Angie Peng “The Martian Water War: Notes Found in an Airlock” by Peter Gleick “Little and Less” by Ashley Blooms “The Cry of Evening Birds” by James Sallis “The Dog and the Ferryman” by Brian Trent “This World Is Made for Monsters” by M. Rickert “The Writing of Science Fiction” by Timons Esaias (verse) Books to Look For by Charles de Lint Games by Marc Laidlaw Plumage from Pegasus: Keeping Up with the ISBNs by Paul Di Filippo Television: The Devil in Devs by Karin Lowachee Science: The Science of Printing by Jerry Oltion Coming Attractions Curiosities by Paul Di Filippo
Fantasy & Science Fiction Vol. 139 No. 3 and 4, No. 751, Sep/Oct 2020 Publisher: Gordon Van Gelder Editor: C.C. Finlay Assistant Publishers: Barbara J. Norton, Keith Kahla Assistant Editors: Robin O’Connor, Stephen L. Mazur, Lisa Rogers Contests Editor: Carol Pinchefsky Cover: Bob Eggleton for “The Shadows of Alexandrium” Cartoons: Arthur Masear, Mark Heath, Nick Downes, Bill Long 258 pages, $8.99 on newsstands until Nov. 2, 2020 Fantasy & Science Fiction website
Zandra Renwick, whose “Killer Bisnez” appears in EQMM Sep/Oct 2020, discusses “The Moment Expectations Change” at Something is Going to Happen.
James McArthur writes about “The Devil’s Footprints” for Fate magazine.
Robert Reed on his cover story, “The Ossuary’s Passenger” from Asimov’s Sep/Oct 2020, at From Earth to the Stars.
Storytime David Rachels’ “Death Comes to Uncle Bob” at Pulp Modern Flash.
Close to the Bone provides “The Otsego House” by DAH via their newsletter.
TDE Contributors’ Corner Steve Carper delves into Jetta: Teen-Age Sweetheart of the 21st Century at Flying Cars and Food Pills.
Uncle Jack (Seabrook) and Cousin Peter (Enfantino) review Eerie No. 47, Vampirella No. 24, and Creepy No. 53 at bare•bones e-zine.
Readin’ and Writin’ Since it’s a reference guide, I’ve been slowly making my way through Martin Roth’s (1924–2000) The Crime Writer’s Reference Guide for several months now. He updated it in the early 1990s and this edition was published after his death in 2003. A fair amount of the data is dated, but the concepts remain solid and the author includes plenty of suggestions on how/where to get the latest information on various topics. The reference is divided into sections on Crime, Criminals, Cops, Investigations, The Courts, Prisons, and Language (slang and legal). It also includes an exellent list of further reading books for each of its sections. If one were writing a story set in the early 1990s it would be invaluable to set the stage on then current practices and techology.
Finished reading Unsolved Murders No. 1 from June 1954, the first of only two issues. The first thing that strikes you about this vintage true crime digest is its production values. Printed on a higher grade of paper than newsprint, UM is able to include a generous assortment of quality photographs to support its reports. The writing is also a notch above many of its rivals of its era. If I had to guess why it didn’t catch on, I’d cite it’s lack of closure. Although unsolved murders makes a great hook to grab attention, reading case after case without resolution leaves a void. Somewhat pricy, but worth the splurge, I’m still waiting for a copy of the second issue to surface.
Thoroughly enjoyed a few hours with Paperback Parade No. 108 this week. Full page cover repros dominate this edition, exposing the delights of Pan Books’ Agatha Christie novels (article be Jules Burt), Monarch movie novelizations (article by Bruce Tinkel), the British Tit-Bits crime books (article by Tom Lesser), and Canada’s Westerns and Northerns from Halequin Books (article by Jim Fitzpatrick). Editor Gary Lovisi and Designer Rich Greene round out the issue with news and features on artist Gil Cohen, paperback promotional matchbooks, and Spain’s Celebridades series. Outstanding!
I joined the Rock and a Hard Place fanclub this week, via issue three. Their tag line “A Chronicle of Bad Decisions and Desperate People” aptly sums up the package. The stories here are often crime and often noir, but the magazine also explores characters who may not be criminals in storytime, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they took the plunge somewhere down the line. A great collection of trouble and its aftermath, well worth the support of hardluck story lovers. See my full review in the upcoming TDE13.
Been a tough week motivation-wise. Air quality in the Pacific Northwest has been literarlly off the charts. It rained last night, and the weather people tell us we’re in for big improvements now. I sure hope so, three crises is becoming more than I can handle.
Bright spots: Rick McCollum is working on illustrations for my story, and I completed the retouch repair work on five covers for Steve Carper’s article on Digest SF Novels. Also did clean-up on two more issues of Head for the upcoming Roman Scott collection edited by Marc Myers.
Our current issue: The Digest Enthusiast No. 12 is available in print at Lulu.com and Amazon, and in digital formats at Kindle Books and Magzter.
Vintage Crime Digest Mantrap No. 1 July 1956 Contents Page Richard Hardwick “One-Way Cruise” art by Tom O’Sullivan Jack Richie “A Torch for Tess” Dan Sontup “Murder for a Doll” art by Dick Shelton Derek Krull “Stake Out” John R. Starr “Target Sighted” Allen Lang “Body in Blue Jeans” Robert Turner “The Man Who Never Hurried” James J. Dwyer “Hunch” Helen Nielsen “A Bad Night for Murder” art by Ray Houlihan C.L. Sweeney, Jr. “A Certain Kind of Caper” art by Dick Shelton Harold George Shadd “The Escape of Willie Croton” Harry Whittington “The Glass Alibi” Richard Harper “Storm” (from Best Western March 1956)
Mantrap Vol. 1 No. 1 July 1956 Secret Life Publications Publisher: Michael St. John Gen. Manager: R.E. Decker Editorial Director: Walter R. Schmidt Managing Editor: N.F. King Associate Editor: William Manners Art Director: Charles W. Adams Assistant Art Director: Gerald Adams 5.5” x 7.75” 128 pages 35 cents
March Releases Fantasy & Science Fiction Mar/Apr 2020 Contents Pages Dare Segun Falowo “Kikelomo Ultrasheen” SL Huang “The Million-Mile Sniper” Matthew Hughes “The Last Legend” Charles de Lint’s Books to Look For –Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer –A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker –I Know What I Saw by Linda S. Godfrey –In the Heart of the Fire by Dean Koontz –Photographing the Dead by Dean Koontz –The Praying Mantis Bride by Dean Koontz –Red Rain by Dean Koontz –The Mercy of Snake by Dean Koontz –Memories of Tomorrow by Dean Koontz –Women of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television by Karen A. Romanko –Mingus Fingers by Jacob Weisman Elizabeth Hand’s Books –Ormeshadow by Priya Sharma –The Muders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson –The Survival of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson –A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurance Gidney Ian Tregillis “Come the Revolution” John Possidente “Red Sword of the Celiac” Lauren McBride “To My Shipmates at Journey’s End” (verse) Amman Sabet “Say You’re Sorry” Gregor Hartmann “A Solitary Crane Circles Cold Mountain” Deborah L. Davitt “4 Vesta” (verse) Amanda Hollander “A Feast of Butterflies” David J. Skal’s Films: Wet Screams Jerry Oltion’s Science: Natural Disasters in Utopia William Ledbetter “Hungry Is the Earth” Elizabeth Bear “Hacksilver” Brian Trent “Death on the Nefertem Express” James Patrick Kelly “The Man I Love” Coming Attractions F&SF Market Place Graham Andrews’ Curiosities: Public Faces by Harold Nicolson (1932)
Fantasy & Science Fiction Vol. 138 No. 3 and 4, No. 748, Mar/Apr 2020 Publisher: Gordon Van Gelder Editor: C.C. Finlay Assistant Publishers: Barbara J. Norton, Keith Kahla Assistant Editors: Robin O’Connor, Stephen L. Mazur, Lisa Rogers Contests Editor: Carol Pinchefsky Cover: Mondolithic Studios Cartoons: Arthur Masear, Kendra Allenby, Mark Heath, Nick Downes 258 pages, $8.99 on newsstands until May 4, 2020 Fantasy & Science Fiction website
Hard Case Crime released Are Snakes Necessary? by Brian De Palma and Susan Lehman on March 17, 2020. Hardcover $22.99 Kindle $7.99 from amazon.
Digest and Book Reviews Repo Shark by Cody Goodfellow reviewed by J.D. Graves at EconoClash Review.
The premise of “single paragraph book reviews” seems apt for this age of browsing. The March 15th review at Mostly Old Books and Rust features Thunder Wagon by James Reasoner and L.J. Washburn.
Worlds of Tomorrow May 1965 reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf at Galactic Journey.
Hell Chose Me by Angel Luis Colon reviewed by Matthew X. Gomez at EconoClash Review.
Fantasy & Science Fiction April 1965 reviewed by Gideon Marcus on Galactic Journey.
Free Online Fiction “The Man Who Wouldn’t” by Joseph S. Walker on ToughCrime.
Free Newsletter The American Bystander is standing by at home with too much time on their hands, so they’ve created Bystander’s Quarantine Cavalcade. Subscribe here.
Readin’ and Writin’ Alec Cizak added several of the earliest issues of Pulp Modern to Magzter this week. Of course, all of our joint issues from Volume Two are there as well.
And speaking of Pulp Modern, all the stories have been selected for the next issue. I’ll be working on layouts for the final three this weekend.
Finished reading and made notes on the second issue of Fotocrime for my article for the next issue of The Digest Enthusiast. Part of my research included reading True Crime, True North, full review here. Since the book’s focus is Canadian true crime magazines, it’s not directly relevant to Fotocrime, but seeing how the authors approached their topic was useful. Also exchanged a series of emails with John Shirley about Weirdbook No. 42, to provide readers with the backstory on the issue.
Also read Guns + Tacos Volume One, but I write more about that next week.
Vintage Crime Digest Verdict Vol. 1 No. 2 July 1953 Contents Page Cornell Woolrich “All at Once, No Alice” art by Tom O’Sullivan H.H. Holmes “The Stripper” art by R. Cossette Dorothy B. Hughes “Homecoming” Henry Kane “Kudos for the Kid” art by Tom O’Sullivan Francis Lewis “Has Anybody Here Slain Kely?” Samuel Blas “Revenge” Rex Stout “Fer-De-Lance” (Part 2 of 5) Bruno Fischer “The Man Who Lost His Head” Frank Kane “Suicide” Leonard S. Grey “What’s Your Verdict?”
Verdict Vol. 1 No. 1 June 1953 Published monthly by Flying Eagle Publications, Inc. Editor: John McCloud Managing Editor: E.A. Tulman Art Director: Chas. W. Adams Business Magager: R.E. Decker 5.5” x 7.75” 144 pages 35¢
The Beat of Black Wings, an anthology of crime fiction stories inspired by the music of Joni Mitchell, launches on April 7, 2020. Many of Mitchell’s classics are represented: “Both Sides, Now” by Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski, “Big Yellow Taxi” by Kathryn O’Sullivan, “River” by Stacy Woodson, “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire” by Donna Andrews, “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines” by Amber Sparks, “Ray’s Dad’s Cadillac” by Michael Bracken, etc. The collection was edited by Josh Pachter. The book will be released on April 7, 2020. Preorders are available in Hardcover $29.75, Softcover $19.55, and Kindle $5.99.
Steve Davidson reviews the premier episode of the new Amazing Stories series on AppleTV+ on, what else, the Amazing Stories blog.
March 2020 Digests Nostalgia Digest Spring 2020 Contents Steve Darnall “Hello, Out There in Radioland!” A Few Moments with . . . Chuck Schaden Chuck Schaden “Those Were the (Early) Days” (cover story) “Those Were the Dates” Ten pivotal moments from the 50-year history of Those Were the Days. Necrology for 2019 Laura Milbraith Stewart “All in the Families” (Tina Cole) Dan McGuire “At This Theatre Next Week” Chapter Two Stone Wallace “Everybody Loves Raymond” (Raymond Burr) Greg Kreinberg “The Daly News” Wayne Klatt “A Free Soul” (Jean Arthur) Mail Call
Plus, the Radio Program Guide for Those Were the Days and WGN Radio Theatre
Nostalgia Digest Book 46 Chapter 2 Spring 2020 Editor: Steve Darnall 5.5” x 8.5” 64 pages, b&w interior $4.50 on newsstands Four-issue subscription $17 Eight-issue subscription $30 Nostalgia Digest website
Readin’ and Writin’ Finished the audio book of The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells. First published in 1896, Moreau is a science fiction classic. Its concept isn’t as revolutionary in 2020 as 1896, but for its era it must have been horrific and shocking. Even today, the prose is terrific, my favorite parts were Wells’ fastidious descriptions of his animal hybrids.
Also immensely enjoyed the print edition of Weirdbook No. 42, a special all John Shirley issue, edited by Doug Draa. A triumphant collection of short stories and poetry capped by a sword and sorcery epic that wraps the volume with an enthralling finale.
I completed reading and making notes on the first issue of Fotocrime this week. Still lots to do but it feels good to get this article for TDE12 started.
Rick McCollum sent the cover art for the next issue of Pulp Modern which should see release sometime this Spring. I loved Rick’s artwork for the last PM and the current TDE, but I gotta say, I think this is the best one yet. It’s based on a story called “Ghost Town.”
PM editor, Alec Cizak, has selected another two stories for the issue, so I’ll be working on layout for those over the next few days.
Vintage Crime Digest Verdict Vol. 1 No. 1 June 1953 Contents Page Rex Stout “Fer-De-Lance” (Part 1 of 5) Craig Rice “His Heart Could Break” (John J. Malone) art by R. Cossette Dan Stoup’s Tricks of the Trade: Fingerprints Henry Kane “A Glass of Milk” Steve Fisher “Goodbye Hannah” Chester B. Himes “Marihuana and a Pistol” art by R. Cossette Fredric Brown “Don’t Look Behind You” Edward Clark’s Crime Firsts: The La Rosa Case Raymond Chandler “Trouble Is My Business”
Verdict Vol. 1 No. 1 June 1953 Published monthly by Flying Eagle Publications, Inc. Editor: John McCloud Managing Editor: E.A. Tulman Art Director: Chas. W. Adams Business Magager: R.E. Decker 5.5” x 7.75” 144 pages 35¢
Essa Hansen answers a few questions about her story “Save, Salve, Shelter” (F&SF J/F 2020) on the Fantasy & Science Fiction blog.
J.M. Landels, Managing Editor of Pulp Literature shares a draft of “The Queen of Swords” via Google Docs.
Hats off to Steve Alcorn of Writing Academy for his 5-Star review of The Digest Enthusiast No. 11 on amazon. He notes the upgrade to full color and the timeline of Leo Margulies’ digests, which I had fun putting together. The visual helps understand when each title appeared in relationship to each other. Turns out Steve was a big fan of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Matthew X. Gomez reviews Rusty Barnes’Kraj the Enforcer. Scotch Rutherford describes it: “Kraj is a human wrecking ball, hiding a tactical mindset, along with his sense of humor.” The collection of fourteen stories is detailed on the EconoClash Review blog.
Fiction Market Window April 15–25 “Submissions for Switchblade reopen on tax day, for a 10 day window. April 15–25. Crime/Noir short Fiction (2k-4.5k), Flash (up to 1k), and Noir poetry (3 pages max). This will be the only submissions call this year for regular issues. We’ll be filling Issues 12 and 13. (issue 12 will be out in June, 13 will arrive in October) Please see our guidelines at switchblademag.com.
“Remember that Switchblade is a no limit gutter noir mag. We publish the stuff no one else will. Not the best of the best. Switchblade is the lowest of the low. (wouldn’t have it any other way) You don’t see “lit” in the title, do you? Right. And you won’t find our authors listing their literary agents in their bios. If you’re working on your Rizzoli&Isles style commercial novel for the NY5, but would like to slum with us, remember this: gutter noir will always get preference. Vulgarity (something other mags despise), words you’re not supposed to use, amoral protagonists–these are tools you can utilize to forge outlaw fiction. Ten days is a big submissions window for us. There will be a lot of competition. Good storytelling about dark corners, bad people, and worse situations to the front.”
C.C. Finlay announces the March/April edition of Fantasy & Science Fiction and hightlights its contents on the F&SF blog.
Likewise, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine announces their March/April lineup on Trace Evidence.
Tony Gleeson will be signing books and artwork at the upcoming Vintage Paperback Collectors’ Show in Glendale, CA on Sunday, March 8, 2020.
Mystery Weekly Magazine No. 55 March 2020 is now available, with stories by Scott Forbes Crawford, Denise Robbins, E.R. Brown, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, L.A. Wilson, Jr., Andrew McAleer, and a You-Solve-It by Eric B. Ruark. MWM is published by Chuck Carter, and edited by Kerry Carter. Cover by Robin Grenville-Evans. Kindle $2.99 (Print edition coming soon)
“The Big Ticket” by Stefen Styrsky was published online this week at Tough Crime.
Amman Sabet’s “Say You’re Sorry” is a story about the power that apologies hold over us. For more about it, see the Fantasy & Science Fiction blog.
Weirdbook No. 42, the special John Shirley issue is now available. The issue includes a novel, five short stories, and five poems by John Shirley. Editor Doug Draa introduces the issue with resounding praise for the author’s work, “Mr. Shirley has such sights to show you!” Supporting imagery by Allen Koszowski and John Betancourt—plus a wraparound cover by Fotolia. Print $12.00
David Levinson takes the April 1965 issue of Worlds of If on a Galactic Journey.
Brenda Kalt talks about her story “Lemonade Stand” in the March/April issue of Analog on the The Astounding Analog Companion.
Edith Maxwell stars a hyperpolyglot in her story “One Too Many” (EQMM Mar/Apr 2020). Read more on Something is Going to Happen.
Matthew Hughes gives insights into “The Last Legend” in the Mar/Apr 2020 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction.
Readin’ and Writin’ Best of the Small Magazines: John O’Neill provides a detailed overview of The Digest Enthusiast No. 11, Pulp Modern: Tech Noir, and Weird Fiction Review No. 9 on Black Gate.
Mike Chomko Books and Modern Age Books are both stocked with copies of the full color print edition of The Digest Enthusiast No. 11.
Read The Living End by Frank Kane (Black Gat Books No. 22) this week. One of Kane’s standalone novels. It details the rise and roil of sociopath Eddie Marlon as he corrupts his way to success in the music business of the late 1950s. A roadmap for an insecure egomaniac whose inflated sense of entitlement and grievance grants him license to destroy any challenger or lackey who fails to kowtow. He strikes back tenfold to the few who defy his commands, doing his best worst to destroy their careers and lives. But this is fiction, so comeuppance is more easily dealt on the page than its real life reflection.
Started work on an article about Fotocrime, a pocket-size true crime magazine from 1954/55. The last time I wrote about a true crime book was for the debut issue of TDE, on The Big Story.
From the Vault I believe this is the final issue of this digest’s remarkable twelve-issue run. Several times I’ve been surprised by the writers who show up in its pages. This final issue is no exception with Fredric C. Wertham, M.D.
True Crime Detective Vol. 3 No. 4 Fall 1953 Contents Page Kevin Wallace “The Great Screwball Bank Robbery” Frank Mullady “The Red Circle Murders” Monster of Monsters: I The Question: The Kidnapping of Grace Budd by Capt. John Ayers & Carol Bird II The Answer: The Sanity of Albert Fish by Fredric C. Wertham, M.D. Stuart Palmer “The Ministering Angel” Forbes Parkhill “The Strange World of Alex Miller” Verdict of Two: a book review department by The Editors Edgar Lustgarten “Small H, Mr. Pigott!” Irwin Ross “Boom in Counterfeiting” Robert Tallant “I’m Fit as a Fiddle and Ready to Hang”
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: Uncredited, but likely Dirone Photography from “I’m Fit as a Fiddle and Ready to Hang” 5.5” x 7.75” 128 pages 35¢
Weirdbook Vol. 2 No. 11 Issue 41 June 2019 Contents Doug Draa: From the Editor’s Tower
Stories Adrian Cole “Tonight I Wear My Crimson Face” Darrell Schweitzer “The House of the Witches” Erica Ruppertabout “The Bones” Steve Dilks “The Idols of Xan” Marlane Quade Cook “Conjurings” Glynn Owen Barrass “Matriarch Unbound” Luke Walker “The Mouth at the Edge of the World” Alistair Rey “An Autumn Settling” K.G. Anderson “I Know How You’ll Die” Jack Lee Taylor “Fair Shopping” Marina Favila “Black Aggie” Arasibo Campeche “The Chroma of Home” Dean MacAllister “The Last Resort” S. Subramanian “The Crypt Beneath the Manse” C.M. Muller “A Winter Reunion” Leonard Carpenter “The Stravinsky Code” Matthew Masucci “She Talks to Me” L.F. Falconer “Wings of Twilight” Thomas C. Mavroudis “A Pantheon of Trash” D.C. Lozar “Juliet’s Moon” Jean Graham “The Gargoyle’s Wife” Justin Boote “The Melting Man” Sean McCoy “Dead Waves” J.D. Brink “The Proposal” Kevin Hayman “Dark Energy” S. L. Edwards “Christmas at Castle Dracula” M. Ravenberg “There Was Fire” Sharon Cullars “Them” C. I. Kemp “For Love of Lythea”
Poetry K.A. Opperman “Beltane” Scott J. Couturier “Twin Hungers” Ashley Dioses “The Jackal” Joshua Gage “Our Family Ghost” Russ Parkhurst “Le Gargoyle”
Weirdbook Vol. 2 No. 11 Issue 41 June 2019 Publisher/Executive Editor: John Gregory Betancourt Editor: Doug Draa Consulting Editor: W. Paul Ganley Cover: Iuliia Kovalova Interior Artwork: Allen Koszowski 235 pages, 6” x 9” POD $12.00 , Kindle* Wildside Press website
Weirdbook Annual No. 2: Cthulhu Contents Doug Draa: From the Editor’s Tower
Stories Robert M. Price “The Shining Trapezohedron” Lucy A. Snyder “A Noble Endeavor” Cynthia Ward “Ancient Astronauts” John R. Fultz “The Thing in the Pond” Adrian Cole “Enter the Cobweb Queen” Paul Dale Anderson “Tricks No Treats” Christian Riley “Ronnie and the River” Franklyn Searight “Cellar Dweller” R.C. Mulhare “Yellow Labeled VHS Tape” L.F. Falconer “Tuama” Kenneth Bykerk “Mercy Holds No Measure” Glynn Owen Barrass “Treacherous Memory” Darrell Schweitzer “The Hutchison Boy”
Poetry Deuce Richardson “Dolmen of the Moon” Andrew J. Wilson “Lovecraftian Limerick” Ann K. Schwader “A Wizard’s Daughter” DB Spitzer “The Shadow of Azathoth is Your Galaxy” Mark A. Mihalko “Ascend” Allan Rozinski “The Solace of the Farther Moon” Charles Lovecraft “The Stars are Always Right” K.A. Opperman “Daemonic Nathicana” Ashley Dioses “Asenath” “The Book of Eibon/Le Livre D’eibon” trans by Frederick J. Mayer
Weirdbook Annual No. 2: Cthulhu Publisher/Executive Editor: John Gregory Betancourt Editor: Doug Draa Consulting Editor: W. Paul Ganley Interior Artwork: Allen Koszowski 148 pages, 6” x 9” $13.00 POD, Kindle (Cthulhu Mythos Megapack No. 3) 55¢ Wildside Press website
