Back in 1974 I had my first review published in issue 9 of the Harry Morris, Jr. zine Nyctalops, which will make it 50 Years Worth of selected essays and reviews when collected, crammed into two eBook LitCrit MegaPacks. Guessing, they’ll be 600 or 700ish pages each.
One ought to come out later this year. Two requires some new writing, but there’s no reason it can’t roll out by next spring or summer.
If you noticed, I’ve been missing from blog action a lot recently, so that’s the explanation. Digging through old files — all of them — figuring out contents, going over Word docs. Scanning.
I also got jumped by another round of COVID, as if I really needed a knockdown for a couple of days.
And as if that wasn’t enough on the plate, John D. Haefele and I finally — finally — are punching through a print book on Arkham House ephemera. I’ve mentioned the project several times over the years.
In 2002 for the October issue of Firsts: The Book Collector’s Magazine I did a list of 100 Items, assisted by Haefele and Paul Dobish and others.
I finished a list yesterday totaling 150 Items. We think we must have most of it.
We just had bookseller Terry McVicker check two major ephemera collections currently in his stock. We’ve devoted 22 years to the hunt. Sure, if we live long enough we could research for another 20 years, maybe dig up two or three more pieces.
Or maybe now we have it all.
Time to call it.
If you’ve got some Item of Arkham ephemera you think we ought to know about, something no one nowhere knows about, send in a brief description or a scan. Last chance.
The book will come out as soon as we can jump it through the hoops. I’ll make sure to tip you off. The people who can profit most from it will be booksellers, who will suddenly know what they’re selling. Others can simply enjoy the pretty pictures.
Arkham House Ephemera: The Classic Years 1937-1973. A Pictorial History and Guide for Collectors.
