Light Blanket of Snow for Christmas

In the two months leading up to Christmas Eve, I was treated to a double computer crash, recovery proved impossible, so purchased a new machine, and subjected the other two to low level formats. With the new version of Windows Seven, some of my trusted programs didn’t work anymore, and I had to purchase replacements. I also had to upgrade to the latest versions of Wordperfect X5, Adobe Acrobat X Pro, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe In-Design. This process necessitated my extra trips to the Big-Smoke (Toronto) for parts and visits to the computer doctor at the Lung Association.

At the moment I have a lot of unhappy customers since the bookhouse is chock-a-block full of new boxes of books that all need dustjackets, and a stack of orders for fulfillment — long overdue orders!

I have also been working away at the art of e-books. I think I have mastered the hurdles of Adobe.pdf files, with graphics and bookmarks, importing them into itunes, and the masterfully insightful bookshelves on the iPod itself.

I had originally planned to travel over the holidays, because I had deliveries to make in Sauk City, Wisconsin and Chicago, but this did not happen, instead the day before Christmas, a light blanket of white snow arrived, and the chill of cold weather which has finally frozen the lake in front of the house. The front curtains are now closed since they offer another layer of insulation from the cold through the windows.

The two events that highlighted the holiday for me were: a Christmas Eve Carol Service at St. John’s United Church in Flesherton, and a Turkey Dinner on Christmas Day at the Gentle Shepherd Community Centre. Indeed, this was an event to remember! It had been organized for a number of years by Nelson and Wendy Weber, but this year they had a number of volunteer helpers headed up by Kim Lucas and her husband. The tables were preset in the basement with Christmas cheer, including Jelly Beans. The meal was a sit down and not buffet; There was lots of delicious, home-cooked turkey, with all the trimmings, homemake cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, kernel corn, turnip, sweet potatoes, and an excellent turkey dressing, as well as a great selection of homemake pie and cakes. Every attendee left with a Christmas present.

Now that the computer is back in order, I will continue to work on The Wodehouse Bibliography, and get ready to celebrate Sherlock Holmes birthday in New York in the middle of January. I was invited to the preview of the new Sherlock Holmes movie, and the allusions to the Canon were superior to the first one, but the level of gratuitous violence should attract a youth audience, and hopefully lead them to the ready of the real McCoy. The high-point for me was seeing Stephen Fry, plump and past his prime in the buff.

Now it is time for a walk. I will particularly look for the various animals tracks in the newly fallen snow. I bought 50 pounds of carrots and a large salt block for the deer who frequent the old apple orchard behind the cottage.

it is also time to put another log on the fire.

 

 

My Want List

I have a number of rather large literary projects on the go, both with members of the Editorial Board and with individuals whom I have encountered on the World Wid Web, a truly fascinating mechanism to meet and correspond with people without the involvement of Canada Post or it’s counterparts in other nations. There surely must be a time when these organizatons must go the equivalent of bankrupt, and their service doesn’t improve with age either! In the process of creating a book, or books, I need content; I cannot create an omelette without eggs, the same way a creative writer does. Hence for each project I have a want list of stories, books, magazine appearances, newspaper appearances and or digest appearances. I shall endeavour to list them here by author. This blog entry is a work in progress, and I shall emend and update it, as well as link to it in the future. I shall be eternally grateful, as well as pleased to reimburse the reader for out-of-pocket expenses for any items on these lists that can be supplied, either by e-mail attachment or by the equivalent of that dinosaur Canada Post alluded to above.

Greye La Spina: (collaborating with J-P Gervais and Robert Weinberg for The Gargoyle and Others,The Compleat Greye La Spina) The Balkan Girdle, Action Stories Magazine, April 1922; The Broken Idol (as “by Isra Putnam”) The Thrill Book March 15, 1919; The Miser’s Stategem, Thrill Book, March 15, 1919; In the Fable’s Heart (as Baroness di Savuto) Top-Notch Magazine, Oct 15, 1918; Love Across the Ages, Metropolitan Magazine, May 1923; The Promise (vi), Parisienne Monthly Magazine, May 1919; On Scaring Oneself into Conniptions,(ar) Science Fantasy Correspondent Jan-Feb 1937; Popular Venetian Crochet, McCall’s Magazine, August 1915; Sacrificed for Love, Telling Tales Magazine, April 1922

“Wainwright T. Morton and McGarvey” by Donald Barr Chidsey: The Carrion Clue(Dime Detective Magazine Mar 15 1935); The Scar Clue (Dime Detective Magazine June 15, 1935); Once Too Often (Detective Fiction Weekly April 29 1939); The Jawbones of Nightmare Swamp (Detective Fiction Weekly Apr 5 1941)

Jack Boyle:(collaborating with Curt Ladnier for The Compleat Boston Blackie Stories) An Answer in Grand Larceny (The Red Book Magazine, January 1919) The Daughter of Mother McGinn(Cosmopolitan Magazine, June 1919) Alias Prince Charming (Cosmopolitan Magazine, July 1919) Black Dan(Cosmopolitan Magazine, October 1919) The Face in the Fog (Cosmopolitan Magazine, May 1920)

Henry St. Clair Whitehead: Mechanics of Revision (Writer’s Digest, September 1927); The Project Method (Date unknown); The Occult Story (The Free-Lance Writer’s Annual, 1927)

Fraklin H. Martin: (in collaboration with Edward Agnew for WWI Air Adventure Stories) Lone Eagle (Aces, September 1932); The Cloud Crasher (Wings, August 1932); Dealers in Death (Wings, October1934); God Help the Hun (Wings, January 1935); Song of the Eagle (War Birds, June 1937)

Frederick Nebel:  (in collaboration with Edward Agnew for WWI Air Adventure Stories) Skyrocket Scott (Wings, March 1928); Birdmen of Borneo (Air Stories, September 1927); Bolt From the Blue (Air Stories, October 1928); High-Flying Highbinders (Air Stories, March 1930); South of Saigon (Air Stories, June 1930); Boomerang Barnes (Air Adventures, January 1929); The Scourge of the South Seas (Flying Stories, 3 parts, September–November 1929).

Raoul Whitfield: (in collaboration with Edward Agnew for WWI Air Adventure Stories) The want list consist of 54 stories, instead of an individual list, here is a link to the web page where the entire table of contents can be reviewed and the wanted pulps are highlighted in red.http://www.batteredbox.com/LostTreasures/57-WWIWhitfield.htm

Nctzin Dyalhis:  (In collaboration with Robert Weinberg for The Nictzin Dyalhis Portfolio) The Whirling Machete (Underworld, December 1933)

August Derleth: (In collaboration with Robert Weinberg for a new short story collection) A Man’s Conscience (Life StoryMarch 1945); Phantom Lights (Fantasy Fan May 1934); The Splinter (Tryout March 1927)

E. A. Apple: (In collaboration with Randy Vanderbeek for The E.A. Apple Omnibus Voume 4) Hop Joint (Detective Story Magazine, Volume 121, #6 – September 27, 1930)

Michael Harrison: (in collaboration with John Michael Gibson for The Compleat Adventures of Chevalier Dupin) The Curious Illusions of General Hérouard: The Affair of the Mutton-fat Bowl; The Facts in the Case of the Banker’s Daguerrotype; The Peripatetic Numismatists; The Vampire of the rue du Bouloy; The Monster of Saint-Hillaire; A Major in the Aerial Army; Indiscretions of a Duchess; The Explosion in the rue Richelieu (Mazarine); The Financier of the rue du Four or The Banker of the rue Palantine.

Seabury Quinn: (In collaboration with Gene Christie from The Case Files of Major Sturdevant) The Washington Nights’ Entertainment: No. 2 Not seen? When V3#4; The Washington Nights’ Entertainment: V4#1; The Washington Nights’ Entertainment: V4#2; The Washington Nights’ Entertainment: No. 3 Not seen; “The Shrine of Seven Lamps” Real Detective Tales, V5#2 (September-October 1924; “No. 9. Voodoo” Real Detective Tales, V5#3 (November 1924)

Baroness Emmuska Oczy: The Miser of Maida Vale (Doran, 1925)

Adventure Fiction Index Wants (For Philip Stephensen-Payne)
======================

• ACTION NOVELS: Oct-1929
• ADVENTURE NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES: any except Jul-1937, Apr-1939, Dec-1939
• ADVENTURES OF THE SEA DEVIL: 1932 (only issue)
• AIR ADVENTURES: Nov-1945
• AIRPLANE STORIES: Mar-1930, Nov-1930, Jan-1931
• ARMY ROMANCES: any except Spring 1946 & Autumn 1946
• AVIATION STORIES: Jul-1930
• CANADIAN WAR STORIES: any except Jun-1929; 1-Oct-1929; 15-Oct-1929
• EAGLES OF THE AIR: Oct-1930
• EXCITING NAVY STORIES: all after Winter 1942
• FIFTH COLUMN STORIES: Aug-1940
• FIVE-CENT ADVENTURES: any issues
• FIVE-CENT FLYING STORIES: any issues
• FLIGHT: any except Oct-1929
• FLYING ACES: Sep-1928, Jan-1929, Feb-1929, Jun-1929, Nov/Dec-1929, Apr-1930, May-1930, Jun-1930, Dec-1931
• FLYING STORIES: Jul-1930
• FOREIGN SERVICE: any issues
• GEORGE BRUCE’S CONTACT: Jan-1934
• GEORGE BRUCE’S SKY FIGHTERS: any issues
• LUCKY STORIES: Jan-1930
• MOVIE ADVENTURES: Dec-1924
• MOVIE THRILLERS: any except May-1925
• NAVY ROMANCES: any except Spring 1946
• PRIZE AIR PILOT STORIES: Nov-1929; Jan-1930
• RAF ACES: Fall 1943 & Summer 1944
• RAPID-FIRE ACTION STORIES: any issues
• SAUCY MOVIE TALES: Jul-1937, Sep-1937, Oct-1937, any after Jan/Feb-1938
• SCARLET ADVENTURESS: Feb-1936
• SEA STORIES: any after Nov-1953
• SEA STORY ANNUAL: 1943 issue
• SECRET SERVICE STORIES: Oct-1928
• SKY BIRDS: Aug-1930
• SKY-HIGH LIBRARY MAGAZINE: Feb-1930 (and any other issues)
• SKY RAIDERS: Dec-1943, Summer 1944
• SPICY MOVIE TALES: any issues
• TALES OF ADVENTURE: Jul-1930, Sep-1930
• 10 ACTION ADVENTURES: Jan-1939 (and any other issues)
• THREE STAR MAGAZINE/STORIES: most issues
• THRILLING STORIES: all except Dec-1929
• THRILLS: any 1925 issues, Aug-1927
• 12 ADVENTURE STORIES: Aug-1939
• VARIETY STORY MAGAZINE: Jul-1938, Oct-1938
• WAR STORIES: Apr-1927, Jul-1927, May-1932
• WAR STORIES MAGAZINE: Jul-1953
• WILD GAME STORIES: May/Jun-1926, Jul/Aug-1926
• WINGS: Dec-1928, May-1931, Jun-1931, Jul-1931, Sep-1931
• WORLD WAR STORIES: any issues
• ZEPPELIN STORIES: May-1929

Crime Fiction Index Wants (For Philip Stephensen-Payne)
===================

• Amazing Detective Stories: Mar-1931
• Black Bat Detective Mysteries: Jan-1934
• Cabaret Stories: Nov-1928; Feb-1929
• Detective and Murder Mysteries: Jan-1938; any issues between Jun-1935 & Sep-1936
• Detective Tales: Nov-1923
• Detective Yarns: Vol 2 #3
• Gun Molls Magazine: Mar-1931
• Midnight Mystery Stories: 20-Jan-1923; 27-Jan-1923; 3-Feb-1923
• Movie Detective: Feb-1942
• Murder Mysteries: Aug-1929; May-1935
• Murder Stories: Nov/Dec-1931
• Mystery Magazine: May-1927
• Off Beat Detective Stories: Mar-1963
• Real Detective Tales: Jul-1924; Aug-1924; Sep/Oct-1924; Dec-1924
• Scarlet Gang Smashers: Jun-1936
• True Gang Life: Jun-1935; Nov-1936; Jan-1937; Mar-1938; Jun-1938
• The Underworld: 20-Oct-1927
• The Underworld Magazine: May-1929

 

Bookmarks for 2011

I borrowed a couple of books from Robert Weinberg of Virgil Findlay’s illustations. I thought there would be something there to create new bookmarks — perhaps 4 per year? — and I was not disappointed. I plan to use them as premiums for book purchases from The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, and they will have a limited run changing every year.

In the process, I had the idea to share the two volumes with my friend John Robert Colombo, because he was in the process of republishing a volume of Supernatural Stories by Canadian authors titled “Not to be Taken at Night.” which will appear later this year. JRC found a number of suitable illustrations for the cover, and the one we decided on “The NIght Road.” Now this story was originally drawn to illustrate the story by August Derleth which appeared in the Weird Tales, May 1952. The story was subsequently collected in Dwellers in Darkness (1976, Arkham House) and again in Volume 2 of The Macabre Quarto in 2009. the the illustration was not included; in hind sight it would have been a good idea to collect all the original magazine illustrations fromt he magazine appearances for the stories in the Macabre Quarto; hind sight is always clearer than foresight! I also selected a striking image for the back cover titled “Other Worlds.”

On the facing page of the Virgil Fndlay volume was another illustration for “Sexton, Sexton, On the Wall” a story by August Derleth which appeared in Weird Tales, January 1953. this story subsequently appeared in Lonesone Places (1966, Akrham House) without an illustration.

Now I pose the quetion — How many other times did Virgil Finlay illustrate the work of August Derleth, and I will leave the answer to the readers of this post, and invite dialogue. I know VF illustrated “Roads” but although that was an Arkham House publication in 1948, it was written by Seabury Quinn.

I attach all three illustrations by VIrgil FInlay, as additiional eye candy for the reader.

The Night Road

“Sexton, Sexton, on the Wall”

Other Worlds

 

The Suicide Squad in the Pulps

Another Lost Treasure that is on the verge on going to press is The Compleat Adventures of the Suicide Squad. These are the escapades of 3 American gentleman, a blond, a red-head and a dark haired fellows who go through life before and during the Second World War rescuing blond ladies, usually in a red dress from impossible situations from dastardly villains. This is not enduring literature for the ages, but it was a great escapist literature for our grandfathers. The Boche don’t fare very well, and there’s a great poster of the Squad defacing a propaganda poster of Adolf Hitler. The Japanes fare less well, with Oriental thugs being decimated en masse, with never a scratch nor injury to the members of the Squad. There are a total of 23 stories, almost all appearing in Ace. G-Man Stories. You can check out the website at: http://batteredbox.com/LostTreasures/17-SuicideSquad.htm. There are also a great batch of covers to illustrate the Dustjacket, and the internal illustrations are full of action. The project will go to press, just as soon as Robert Weinberg completes his introduction, and with a bit of publihser’s luck, it will be ready for Pulpfest in Columbia, Ohio at the endof July!

 

 

In Re: Satan Hall

This week has been challenging. I have rediscovered all the Lost Treasures that I had been working on, before I was appointed Editor of Arkham House Publishers by April Derleth in February 2009. Now that is not to say, I haven’t been working on all of these projects in the interim, but none of them has gone to press for a variety of reasons, mainly because I was developing projects with Bob Weinberg to re-establish the Arkham House forthcoming list in a definitive manner. To answer the question I have been asked many times since March 21st 2011 as best I can – Arkham House is in transition.

Now about these Lost Treasures. Where do I start? Well let’s start with yesterday. I worked through the fully proof read galley of The Satan Hall Omnibus, and inserted all the illustrations and covers where applicable. The galley grew to 538 pages, and Bob Weinberg is going to write an Introduction. There is some great eye-candy and I will provide some representative illustrations below.

These 24 stories by Carroll John Daly can hardly be described as great literature. They appeared between 1931 and 1954 in a series of Pulp magazine including Detective Story Magazine, Black Mask, Detective Tales, FLynns. New Detective, Black Book Detective and finally Famous Detective. They all can be described as great reads, and provided escapist reading for our grandfathers before there was television, the internet and iPads.

Satan Hall went through life, climbing up stairs annihilating bad guys stating the mantra “I am the Law,” which happens to be the title of two fo the stories! The one title proved elusive in the original form, and for a long time I believed that it was a reprint of the the first title, but I was wrong, bith titles are very different in content — same mantra however. You can link to my web page for further details:http://batteredbox.com/LostTreasures/26-SatanHall.htm

 

Walking around my Home in Spring

I live on a property with a 100 foot frontage on Lake Eugenia, and it runs back to the road about 250 feet. It’s Spring here, and the crosuses along the driveway are in full bloom — purple, violet, yellow and white. The daffodiles and tulips are sprouting through the fall leaves, and are about two weeks away from bloom.

You will notice at the top of the small patch of crocuses they is a black outline. Ths is the back of my Dr. John Watson silhouette who collapsed over the course of the winter. I shall resurrect him shortly when the weather improves.

At the entrance there is some debris from the missed garbage put out by my neighbour who rents the cottage over the winter. Rather than complain, it will be easier to collect it myself with a green garbage bag in hand.

There are the usual twigs and branches fallen with the winter ice on trees and wind. One tree has snapped off altogether, and is hanging suspended over the driveway only supported from falling altogether to the ground by the adjacent treetrunks and branches.

Walking down behind the bookhouse I find a large patch of residual snow beneath the cedar hedge that edges the property. Maybe winter isn’t over after all?

Last year at the rock and stone quarry I acquired a number of patio stones, which had cracked or fractured in the wrong place. I thought they would make an excellent irregular patio around the poetry bench, but never got around to placeing them. They are all piled together ready for placing. I inspected the top of one of them, and noticed a fossilized snail. I wonder how long ago this little fellow lived upon the face of this earth?

When I returned to the cottage, I discovered my neighbour, a feral cat on the deck looking for a meal. When I approached she made her getaway. I wonder if she wanted some of those kernels of corn, and I’ll put a fresh batch of ears out a little later.

Finally I came in to find a bat flying around the cathedral ceiling. From time to time a bat falls into the cottage through the chimney, especially when it is not in use. the bat landed, a blue towel was thrown over it, and then placed outside on the deck. The little fellow rested there for about an hour, flapped his wings, opened his mouth, and made strange with me. I initially though the fellow was in ill health, but it flew away never to be seen again about an hour later.

 

The Ice is Gone

Over the past week, I have been watching the ice melt off Lake Eugenia. On Sunday I saw free water around the shore line, and then some free water in the middle of the lake. Not a good idea to walk on the remaining ice! It was a sunny day yesterday, and the ice all appeared to be gone. The water was flat, but there were a number of wind squalls that made their way across the dark blue water – swirling, twisting and turning. The crows were making merry with the dried ears of Wisconsin corn that I had placed in the bird feeders. They would sweep down and pick at the ear when I wasn’t present on the deck. When the ears disappeared altogether I surmiss the local squirrels and chipmunks walked off with them. I also noticed the resident muskrat swimming a little off shore and diving to rise 50 feet farther along. Likely having his/her lunch before breeding. Now today it was relatievely warm and sunny. I could now hear the waves of water lapping onto the shore. The water level has risen, along with the spring run-off.

I sat on the deck and contemplated nature. Somehow it never seems to let you down. It is all-powerful, and a wonder. But one should never forget, that our neighbour to the South is now engaged in no less than three wars around the globe. The last one was initiated by the gentleman that received the Nobel Peace Prize the year before. I wonder how History will interpret this apparent oxymoron.

I also reflect on the terrible evolving situation in Japan. It is also an overwelming situation, and I was influenced by the content of an e-mail from a friend, and I include it here to close.

10 things to learn  from Japan – SKYNEWS reported this few days  back.
1. THE  CALM
Not a single visual of  chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
2. THE  DIGNITY
Disciplined queues for water  and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture. Their patience is  admirable and praiseworthy.
3.. THE  ABILITY
The incredible architects, for  instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
4. THE GRACE  (Selflessness) 
People  bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get  something.
5. THE  ORDER
No looting in shops. No  honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just  understanding.
6. THE  SACRIFICE
Fifty workers stayed back to  pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?
7. THE  TENDERNESS
Restaurants cut prices. An  unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the  weak.
8. THE  TRAINING
The old and the children, everyone  knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
9. THE  MEDIA
They showed magnificent  restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage. Most of  all – NO POLITICIANS TRYING TO GET CHEAP MILEAGE. 
10. THE  CONSCIENCE
When the power went off in a  store, people put things back on the shelves and left  quietly.
With their country in the midst of a  colossal disaster – The Japanese citizens can teach plenty of lessons to the  world.

 

Whence CRKP?

I am now reading in the medical literature about the super-bug Carbapenem Resistant Klebsiella pneumonia (CRKP) Before I retired, I dealt with more than a few cases of MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphlococcus aureus) and VRE (Nancomycin Reistant Entercoccus). The overuse and in appropriate consumption of antibiotics in general has lead to these kinds of anitbiotic resistant organisms. In addition, I now hear on the news that radioactivity from the nuclear accident in Japan is spreading across world spread by the wind. We collectively are reassured that the quantitative amount is very small. Now we hear that the water off-shore the defective six pack of reactors is highly contaminated. We are reassured that the ocean will dilute the radioactivity. Japan is still subject to further earthquakes in the future; and I can only conclude that the situation is still very unstable. I am reminded of my medical school days of cultures in Petri dishes, how the organism progressed, and the appearance at the end with overgrowth and death.  If we consider the earth one huge Petri dish, will the same process take place on a grand scale? or will Mother Nature bail humans out in the face of an ever increasing population numbers? It seems to me, we are not creating a suitable legacy for our descendents these days.

 

The Derleth-Trimpey Correspondence

Ephraim Burt Trimpey of Baraboo, Wisconsin was a photographer and a philatelist. He did photographic work for Arkham House and Derleth, and the two exchanged Christmas greetings. The back of the card featuring John and his wife in a sleigh is the inscription “Again old Dobbin and the Trimpeys bring you friendly Christmas greetings.”  Here are three covers which Derleth saved for the stamps and not the envelopes themselves. I have described the Derleth cinderella elsewhere, but you should also not the strip of three 1 cent National Parks issue with a plate number “21247.” This was a common practice for Derleth. He would include a return envelope addressed with postage — many with collectible plate numbers — to his customers when sending book orders out. When Augie received payment he would add the used plate numbers to his collection. Also note the 1 cent George Washington with plate number “21826″ and the motto “Portraiture of the Better Kind.” It is interesting to contemplate that what is ephemeral and quite disposable one day becomes a collectible in the following decades — in this case seven decades.

 

The Real John Wyndham

In the cupboard at The Place of Hawks there was also a manuscript with accompanying correspondence titled TIME TO REST by John Beynon. I have to admit I didn’t know what I was looking at but after consulting Sixty Years of Arkham House, here’s the scoop: John Beynon Harris of 22 Bedford Place. London, W.C.1– MUSeum 2161 submitted this story to August Derelth on September 3, 1948. It was accepted and was subsequently published in The Arkham Sampler Volume 2, No. 1 Winter 1949. The manuscript was bound in blue card with dark blue ribbon and consisted of 24 typed pages. The manuscript and correspondence is reproduced below. The author — John Beynon Harris (note his signature) is better known in fiction by his pseudonym JOHN WYNDHAM. Interesting historical footnote to The Arkham Sampler!