netbook musings

I've been doing the update on my catalog listings that Google Documents offers. This allows me to make them look more like they did in my old paper catalogs (e.g. hanging indents -- but I haven't figured out how to do a tab leader yet). For fun I picked up a little Windows netbook a couple weeks ago, to kind of see what it is like for Windows people to do stuff. All along I've always used Macs. The netbook might be fine once I get used to it, but so far: headache after headache. Right now, when I try to go to any of my Document links (for catalog entries), only the first window pane or so gets loaded. I had kind of wondered what it must be like for slower connections or PC users to try to view these links, thinking it might be better if I broke them up into smaller units, but if I had my druthers the whole thing would be in one Document file. There are limits to how big a file you can upload, though. I figured I'd go with as big of files as I could get away with, hopefully leaving room for some future expansion, to avoid having to jump around from place to place looking for things.
Anyway, the updated versions of the documents do seem to take a while to load up, and even on my Macbook the search function doesn't seem to go to listings I might be looking for, although I can scroll down, unlike with this netbook -- which only seems to get so far before it stops. Well, I still only have the Windows Starter system installed. Maybe with an upgrade to the Home Premium everything will work the way I think it should.

batch of books from book sale

If anyone is curious, here's where you can see the books I picked up at the Planned Parenthood Book Sale in Des Moines yesterday:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdrummbks/sets/72157626251697807/show/
It's anyone's guess when any of these might ever be cataloged -- I've become more of a hoarder than anything else. A lot of them I bought because I thought I'd like to read them myself (the especially worthless ones).

email from Sarob

Email rec'd:

Hi Chris

 Sarob Press is pleased to announce details of our Spring (April) 2011 title as follows.

Mark Nicholls: Dark Shadows Fall

Dr Nicholls is the President and Librarian at St John's College, Cambridge – surely a terrific place to soak in the atmosphere of centuries and quietly dream up tales of delicious and rather pleasing terror. Previously published in Ghosts & Scholars, All Hallows, Supernatural Tales, Enigmatic Tales and Black Rose, this is Mark's first collection of ghost stories. Here are 12 traditional tales, some Jamesian, some antiquarian, all ghostly and all dark and icily chilling.  Afterword by Mark Nicholls. Illustrations by Paul Lowe.   Limited Edition Hardcover. Printed Boards. Edition limited to 150 numbered copies.  Limitation will be reviewed if pre-publication interest suggests a larger print run is appropriate.

BOOK PRICE

UK: UK £20 

Europe: 25 euros

USA & Rest of World: US $35

Full details at http://sarobpress.blogspot.com

I hope to hear from you shortly.

Cheers, Robert.

---I will be getting this in. The previous Sarob title I've had here for a while, but I've been neglectful about getting it listed. In fact, only just yesterday I managed this:

Ward, C.E. SEVEN GHOSTS AND ONE OTHER, Sarob '10, Limited "Numbered" Edition, one of 200 copies, (author's long-awaited second ghost story collection; eight Jamesian tales include two new long and previously unpublished supernatural stories and the authorised completion of M.R. James' unfinished “The Game of Bear”), as new no dj as issued (pictorial boards) 40.00

---The slight bump up in price is owing to the fact that it is sold out at the publisher, and to allow for the 10% discount I give.

word from Tartarus

Email rec'd:

Dear Chris,

We have now received, and are shipping, our Guide to First Edition Prices. 50,000 titles are listed, including many authors from the supernatural/weird fiction genre (classic authors like Machen and Lovecraft, through Aickman, to Thomas Ligotti.)

800 page paperback, retail price £19.95

http://www.tartaruspress.com/guide.html

At the printers, and due for publication 15th October, is the promotional paperback "The Inner Room" by Robert Aickman. This will be published in association with the Halifax Ghost Story Festival in a limited eidtion of only 200 copies. As with the recent "N" by Arthur Machen, we do not expect it to stay in print for long.

Paperback, retail price £4.95

http://www.tartaruspress.com/aickmaninnerroom.htm

And last, but not least,

We now have permission to reprint all of Robert Aickman's short story collections, starting with Sub Rosa:

This will be a sewn hardback of 288+ ix pages, printed lithographically, with silk ribbon marker, head and tailbands, and d/w. Publication 31st October 2010. Limited to 350 copies.

Retail price £32.50

http://www.tartaruspress.com/aickmansubrosa.htm

Please let me know how many of each of the above you might like...

All best wishes,

Ray

---Anyone wanting any of these, let me know. (Discount: 15%)

word from Earthling

Email rec'd:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Earthling Publications Newsletter

September 20, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now available for preorder, the latest unclassifiable explosion of storytelling from award-winning author and Earthling favorite: THE BOOK OF BUNK An original novel by Glen Hirshberg Paul Dent, penniless and recently orphaned, hops a train in deepest Dust Bowl Oklahoma in the Spring of 1936, and winds up attached to the Federal Writers' Project, one of the least understood, shortest-lived, and most impossibly ambitious government undertakings in the history of the country. He is assigned to capture the essence of the mountain towns of eastern North Carolina for a series of travel books no one believes will ever be published. There, among writers and cheats, arsonists and Reconstructionists, blind and deaf children and disease-ridden Senators, Paul will meet the love of his life and her lover, witness the awakening of one great novelist and the possible resurrection of another, discover more than one America that could have been, and confront the truth about his relationship with his unpredictable, brilliant, and Machiavellian older brother. There are echoes here of Laurel and Hardy, Bonnie and Clyde, Powell and Loy, Cane and Abel. It's a book of bunk, in other words. A collection of lies. A creation myth about a vanished country that may or may not have existed, and the very real, conflicted nation that has sprung from it. Lucius Shepherd calls The Book Of Bunk "a miracle of narrative diversity and drive." Jeff Vandermeer said "it is anything but, by turns powerful, sad, ecstatic, and, above all, a clear sign that the uniquely American novel is alive and well. I loved it." From an author who Peter Straub called "a writer to watch and to treasure," Hirshberg's latest novel is a joy to read and to savor and is further proof that he is a masterful storyteller. Please click the below link to read more and to reserve your copy: Link to THE BOOK OF BUNK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now available for preorder, this year's Halloween Series book: BY WIZARD OAK An original novel by Peter Crowther It's just a book that the folks of the small town of Magellan Bend recall reading. A little gruesome, perhaps ... and, in more than one instance, not the reader's usual fare. But it's just a book. Nothing more. But when the town's resident sleeper awakes from an eight-year nap, his memories are much more than mere words and phrases in a cheap and gaudy horror novel. And as he becomes more and more aware of the shocking truth, the knowledge spreads like graveyard mist sending a clarion call far and wide ... but not only to the townsfolk. No, indeed. There are other things out there, things that ride the night winds on All Hallows Eve ... and they know a lot more about the events recorded in the fabled By Wizard Oak And Fairy Stream. Clearly, there is unfinished business in Magellan Bend this October and, as the night turns smoky and the world settles down for the onset of winter, the visitors arrive. Again. And no, it's not just a book. No way. BY WIZARD OAK is the 6th book in Earthling's Halloween Series, and features an Introduction by Rick Hautala and art by Glenn Chadborne. Sarah Pinborough says this about Pete's novel: "In Magellan Bend, Pete Crowther has created a deliciously dark and magical Halloween tale. Beautifully crafted, this rich delight takes the myths and motifs of a Halloween witching story and twists them into something all together the author's own -- something earthy and raw and haunting." And Rick Hautala says this: "BY WIZARD OAK is the real deal....Scary? You bet'cha. Well-written? Ditto. Peter Crowther takes the 'typical' Hallowe'en story in amazingly new directions that are anything but typical. I guarantee you'll read it in one delicious gulp and wish there were lots more." Please click the below link to read more and to reserve your copy: Link to BY WIZARD OAK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OTHER UPDATES Earthling is also currently working on The Rolling Darkness Revue 2010 (due out around November) and finishing content for Clive Barker's The Painter, The Creature, And The Father Of Lies (targeting publication by Spring 2011). The Very Best of Best New Horror is also back on track after an issue with the printer, and is set for publication by the end of this year; the deluxe edition is sold out, but a small pile of signed & numbered copies remain. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks and all best,

Paul Miller / EARTHLING PUBLICATIONS

Link to Earthling Publications

---I'd certainly be amenable to carrying more Earthling, if anyone is interested. Or buy from the publisher!

email from Sarob Press

Back from the virtual grave:

Hello Chris

Sarob Press is back! Originally, as you know, I closed completely when we moved to northern France but I have decided (now renovations to the main farmhouse are complete) to re-launch Sarob Press.

In 1998 I published Vengeful Ghosts by C.E. Ward. The collection was very well received, sold out pretty quickly and is long out of print.

And now – scheduled for October 2010 – comes Mr Ward’s long-awaited second “limited and numbered hardcover” collection. Seven Ghosts and One Other presents eight Jamesian tales including two new long and previously unpublished supernatural stories and the authorised completion of M.R. James' unfinished “The Game of Bear”. Cover and interior art by Paul Lowe.

Attached is a PDF of the flyer that I’m sending out which gives lots more details [which I can forward to anyone interested].

I am hoping that all my old bookseller friends will be interested in stocking this new Sarob Press title.

BOOK PRICE

UK: UK £20

Europe: 25 euros

USA and Rest of World: USA $35

Visit our new web presence at: http://sarobpress.blogspot.com

The print run for this title will be very limited so please order early to avoid any disappointment.

I hope to hear from you very shortly.

Kind regards.

Cheers, Rob.

ROBERT MORGAN

SAROB PRESS

word from Ramble House

Emailing from Fender Tucker:

The Ramble House Rambler #76
July 28, 2010

Newsletter of Ramble House, publisher of Harry Stephen Keeler and other loons, produced by Fender Tucker ( fender@ramblehouse.com ), mailed whenever something happens. To be removed from this list, please respond to this message and ask, or go to the RH website and unsubscribe. Fender Tucker, 10329 Sheephead Drive, Vancleave MS 39565, 318-455-6847 (cell) or 228-826-1783 (better).

The headlines:

~ Bouchercon 2010 in San Francisco

~ Hardcovers and the Death of Ramble House

~ Kindle and e-books

~ New Titles

~ Coming Up

And now, the details:

~ Bouchercon 2010

When I heard that the Bouchercon in 2010 was to be held in San Francisco in mid-October I looked into taking our annual trip to see my daughter and family at that time, instead of in the spring as we usually do. Then I talked Gavin O’Keefe into flying up from Australia for the show. So it’s arranged: Gavin, Dick and Pat Lupoff and I will be at the Bouchercon in the bookroom on October 14, 15 and 16. It’s at the Hyatt Regency at the Embarcadero Center.

What sort of people go to book conventions? Let me tell you a little anecdote about a book show I went to in Austin a few years back. I was sitting in the book room and noticed, in a seizure of abject egotism, that I was probably the most fit male in the room, even though I weigh 200 pounds with little of it being muscle. I was also perhaps the most attractive male in the room, even though I have only a fringe of hair, a gray beard and thick glasses. I decided to throw in the females in the room and still, in my feeble opinion, I rated near the top. My thought: what is it about books that attracts the least attractive people around? Including me?

Then on the last day of the show I spotted a winsome 20-something blonde beauty walking into the room. Before long she was joined by a couple of more babes, with long black hair and come-hither widespread eyes. Then came the redhead, with a body like Buffy’s and a dazzling smile. What the ??? Had the whole universe of bookdom changed?

Well, no. I did a little reconnoitering and found that another convention had just started in the same hotel and the babes were all from that convention. A district attorneys convention.

So when you see a good-looking woman approaching your table at a book convention, she’s probably not going to buy any of your books, and you might want keep your stash well hidden while she’s around.

Kids, if you want to meet good-luckin’ people when you grow up, stop reading and get into law enforcement – or crime. I bet those district attorney babes are suckers for a well-pecced felon.

~ Hardcovers and the Death of Ramble House

Each stage of my working life has followed a pattern: exuberant start, triumphant success, diminishing results, and then a long drawn-out period of hanging on while everything turns to crap. It happened when I was a musician, at every bar I worked at. I worked at the Las Cruces Inn for 6 years and the first 4 were terrific. Then it went bad and instead of getting out at the diminishing results stage, I held on for another 2 years of abysmal music played to five or six drunks who wished we’d turn down the damn music. I learned to dislike music and all that it stood for.

In 1987 I quit music and became a software magazine editor. I had a wonderful time for about 5 years then the Commodore world became stagnant. Instead of getting into the PC where the money and progress was I kept on with the Commodore for another 6 years, each year worse than the last.

Then in 1999 I gave up computing and started making books and it was great fun for several years. But I have to admit that for the past three years – ever since I moved to the gawdawful state of Mississippi – I haven’t had any fun with books. I can’t enjoy reading a book anymore.

But I’m happy to keep on with Ramble House as long as I don’t run into too many snags. And with trade paperbacks and my handmade editions, there are very few snags. Not so with hardcovers. Lulu does hardcovers fine but they overcharge for them. A 300-page hardcover from Lulu will cost ME $30. I hate selling books for outrageous prices and Lulu forces me to overcharge. Even so, I make maybe $3 for every hardcover I sell. After paying a royalty to the author I end up making $1 for the 15 minutes it takes for me to place a hardcover order.

Along comes Lightning Source, offering hardcovers that are better than Lulu’s and I can get them for $13 or so. You’d think that all I have to do is switch from Lulu to LS. But LS is full of snags. Their art department hates Gavin’s covers and keeps sending them back, telling us we have to redo them. The text department doesn’t like the fact that I don’t have a current copy of Acrobat ($500) and won’t allow the texts that worked quite well at Lulu to pass. I’m having to spend hours every week getting our files to a state where LS will deign to print them.

In other words, with Lightning Source and hardcovers I have reached beyond the diminishing results stage and I’m in the “hanging on while everything turns to crap” stage.

There’s no reason why the books already done can’t be available forever – or as long as Lulu, Create Space and Lightning Source remain in business. But I think the coming years are going to see me move away from the bookmaking business into general decrepitude. And Mississippi is a perfect state for decrepitude. I’m hoping that once my wife’s obligations are deceased we can move to New Mexico where I will try to feel good about myself again. And maybe revive the robustness and good cheer that Ramble House had back when I was making all my books by hand.

~ Kindle and e-books

I can’t get excited about e-books even though they will probably take over one of these days. I’d like to be able to supply everyone with cheap, paperless copies of the RH titles but the industry can’t seem to decide what format to use. My complaint is that they aren’t choosing the same standard that the paper world uses, the PDF.

Gavin and I have spent hundreds of hours getting the 350+ RH titles into a format suitable for printing on paper and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life converting those books into the 5 or 6 different e-book formats. When I finish a book I want to forget about it until I get nostalgic about it 10 years later.

I recently sent someone a PDF of a Keeler book and he thought it looked great on his e-reader. But PDF isn’t what the places like Amazon want. They want me to format my files so they look good on their reader.

I don’t think it’s going to happen. But stay tuned and maybe something will change. Feel free to tell me what you’d like from RH in the way of e-books. If it doesn’t require much of my time, I’ll look into it.

~ New Titles!

TRAIL OF THE CLOVEN HOOF by Arlton Eadie. Written in 1935, this is #7 in the DTP series of supernatural revivals from the past. This is the complete novel, as it was written, not the bowdlerized version that was previously published in the pulps.

ULTRA-BOILED by Gary Lovisi. Over 20 short stories about the underside of crime from our man in Brooklyn. $20 trade paperback; $35 hardcover with jacket.

SAVAGE HIGHWAY by Jack Moskovitz. His latest novel of the road and its denizens. Like his previous book, HELL FIRE, you are subjected to the sights, sounds and, most particularly, smells of modern noir as you follow the anti-heroes from truckstop to barroom to abbatoir, each more disgusting than the last. No one writes like Jack Moskovitz.

SAND’S GAME by Ennis Willie. Back in the 60s and 70s he was one of the most hard-boiled writers going and here’s the first of what we hope will become a complete revival of his epics. It has two novels, three short stories, an interview, and several articles about Ennis by the likes of Max Allan Collins, Ed Gorman, Bill Crider, Bill Pronzini, James Reasoner, Lynn Myers and Steve Mertz. $20 trade paperback; $32 hardcover with jacket.

THE BORDER LINE by Walter S. Masterman. #6 in the Dancing Tuatara Press collection from Ramble House, this is one of Masterman’s almost-supernatural novels. John Pelan’s excellent introduction tells the story of Masterman and his place in the world of supernatural fiction.

BTW, the hardcovers mentioned above have passed Lightning Source’s censors and are actually available to buy.

~ Coming Up

THE DAY KEENE in the DETECTIVE PULPS Series. We don’t know yet how many volumes in this series we will have, but Day Keene wrote a LOT of short stories and novellas that were published in the pulps like Detective Tales and Dime Mystery Magazine. John Pelan has collected them and will introduce each of the volumes, except for the ones introduced by Ed Gorman and other pulp experts. The first two volumes, LEAGUE OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD And Other Stories, and WE ARE THE DEAD And Other Stories, are soon to be released, followed by DEATH MARCH OF THE DANCING DOLLS And Other Stories.

REUNION IN HELL by Arlton Eadie and THE TONGUELESS HORROR by Wyatt Blassingame are next in line from John Pelan. Each is a collection 6 or 7 of long short stories, taken from the pulps.

THE WHITE OWL by Edmund Snell. There’s always time for an old lost race novel from 1930. They just don’t write ’em anymore. Where are the racist authors of yesteryear? At Ramble House.

And here the Ramble House Rambler mercifully ends.

--
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