Comps! Time's Last Gift

My Time's Last Gift  comps arrived today! Exterior and interiors look fantastic! Another quality production from Titan Books.

The book hits the street one week from today, June 12, and includes a revealing new afterword by Christopher Paul Carey, and a new chronology by me and Dennis E. Power.

 Pre-order your copy today!

• Amazon 
• Barnes & Noble
• Forbidden Planet

Reminder for Philip José Farmer fans!

Just a reminder that Titan Books kicks off it's Wold Newton Series of Philip José Farmer reissues in two short weeks with the elder steampunk novel The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, due in bookstores on May 8!

I'm also pleased to announce that this edition contains the original interior illustrations by Rick J. Bryant found in the 1982 Tor Books edition.

Of course, H.W. Starr's addendum entitled "A Submersible Subterfuge, or Proof Impositve" is also included.

The Titan edition also includes two new pieces:

• Afterword by Win Scott Eckert: "Only a Coincidence: Phileas Fogg, Philip José Farmer, and the Wold Newton Family"

(Family tree fans take note--this afterword has a new chart which is an extension of the Wold Newton Family tree charts found in Farmer's Tarzan Alive and Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life!)

• Chronology by Win Scott Eckert: "A Chronology of Major Events Pertinent to The Other Log of Phileas Fogg 

And if you already own a copy of the book, I can't put if better than my friend Mike Croteau, webmaster of the Official Philip José Farmer Home Page:

Let's face it, if you already own a copy (or several) of any of these titles, the bonus materials are why you are buying these books. The real key will be if new readers are attracted to the books and buy them (yea again for the great covers). If so, these bonus materials, most with an emphasis on the Wold Newton Universe and how the books are related to each other, should help make it so new readers don't stop at just one. How about this: Do Phil's memory a big favor and buy at least one of these titles just to give it to someone who has never read Farmer. See if you can't set the hook and reel them in. You know you would be doing them a great favor in the long run.

Order your copy now--and put the next book in the series, Time's Last Gift, on your list as well!

• Amazon 
• Barnes & Noble 
• Titan Books direct

Countdown to the new Philip José Farmer books from Titan! (post #1)

Over the next few weeks I'll be outlining Titan Books' current plans for its series of Philip José Farmer reissues, so stay tuned to this space, or Facebook!

As previously announced, three titles are coming very soon. And of course one Wold Newton book by Farmer has already been published, although it fell under the umbrella of their "Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" line.

The Wold Newton series will have several different "sub-series." Currently the "main" Wold Newton series and the "Prehistory" sub-series are listed. More to come!

Wold Newton Series

The Peerless Peer (June 2011)

•  Afterword by Win Scott Eckert
  

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Titan Books direct
  

 

The Other Log of Phileas Fogg (May 2012)

• Afterword by Win Scott Eckert: "Only a Coincidence: Phileas Fogg, Philip José Farmer, and the Wold Newton Family"
• Chronology by Win Scott Eckert: "A Chronology of Major Events Pertinent to The Other Log of Phileas Fogg"

• Amazon 
• Barnes & Noble 
• Titan Books direct

(Wold Newton Prehistory Series)

Time’s Last Gift (June 2012)

• Afterword by Christopher Paul Carey: ""John Gribardsun and the Prehistoric Wold Newton Family"
• Chronology by Win Scott Eckert and Dennis E. Power: "Gribardsun through the Ages: A Chronology of Major Events Pertinent to Time’s Last Gift"

• Amazon 
• Barnes & Noble
• Titan Books direct

Grandmaster Series

Lord Tyger (July 2012)

• (Bonus materials to be announced next post!)

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble

Wold Newton series: Time's Last Gift

For immediate release:

U.K publisher Titan Books has entered into an agreement with the Estate of Philip Jose Farmer to bring a large selection of Mr. Farmer's backlist titles back into print.


Significantly, many of the books which are a part of the arrangement initially were published as standalone novels, but came to be considered part of Mr. Farmer's ongoing Wold Newton Family cycle.


Now, for the very first time, these novels will be published and packaged as a formal part of a Wold Newton series.


Second in Titan's lineup is Mr. Farmer's Time's Last Gift, a time travel novel featuring a well known Lord of the Jungle, whose initials, TLG, happen to match the abbreviation of the book's title. First published in 1972, and revised in 1977, Time's Last Gift is one of Mr. Farmer's finest novels, and serves as a prequel to his series of books featuring the land of Khokarsa in Ancient Africa (Hadon of Ancient Opar, Flight to Opar, and the forthcoming The Song of Kwasin.)


Time's Last Gift is currently scheduled for release in June 2012, and will be available at major outlets such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Editions will include trade paperback and digital (Kindle & Nook).

Stay tuned to this space, Mr. Farmer's official website, and Facebook (Philip Jose Farmer | Win Scott Eckert) for information on other forthcoming titles.

Wold Newton series: The Other Log of Phileas Fogg

For immediate release:

U.K publisher Titan Books has entered into an agreement with the Estate of Philip Jose Farmer to bring a large selection of Mr. Farmer's backlist titles back into print.

Significantly, many of the books which are a part of the arrangement initially were published as standalone novels, but came to be considered part of Mr. Farmer's ongoing Wold Newton Family cycle.

Now, for the very first time, these novels will be published and packaged as a formal part of a Wold Newton series.

First up is Mr. Farmer's The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, a "secret history" novel revealing the hidden events behind Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. First published in 1973, the book is considered to be one of the first examples of elder steampunk.

The Other Log of Phileas Fogg is currently scheduled for release in May 2012, and will be available at major outlets such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Editions will include trade paperback and digital (Kindle & Nook).

Stay tuned to this space, Mr. Farmer's official website, and Facebook (Philip Jose Farmer | Win Scott Eckert) for information on other forthcoming titles.

THE PEERLESS PEER - available today!

To all fans of Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton Universe...!

Fellow Wold Newton expert Brad Mengel wrote the following to me today:

"I picked up my copy of Titan Books' [new edition of Philip Jose Farmer's classic Sherlock Holmes-Lord of the Jungle crossover novel] The Adventure of The Peerless Peer. Looking at the back cover I was amazed to see 'A Wold Newton Universe Novel.'"

Yes indeed. :-)

Titan is clearly testing the waters with creating a "brand" line of Wold Newton books, just like their "Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" line.

I know that may of us, as Wold Newton fans, already have copies of The Peerless Peer, but if you want to see more Philip Jose Farmer books brought back into print, as a series of "Wold Newton Universe Novels," then buy this new edition, please spread the word to all other Wold Newton fans you can get in contact with, and get them to buy it too. ;-)

We're great fans of Phil's fabulous Wold Newton concept. I can't spread the word alone. I need your help. :-) Blogs, Facebook, twitter, word of mouth, etc.

Anything and everything will help. Thanks in advance. :-)

P.S. Readers and fans may also be interested in the new Afterword which I contributed to this edition. ;-)

The Peerless Peer by Philip José Farmer - Direct from Titan Books - Afterword by Win Scott Eckert
* Amazon
* B&N
* B&N NOOKbook (eBook)

Wold Newton wikipedia corrections continue...

Sean Levin continues his fine series correcting misinformation regarding Wold Newton mythology. Many thanks, Sean!

• Part 7
  
• Part 8
  
• Part 9
  
• Part 10
  

More Wold Newton and Wikipedia corrections...

Sean Levin continues his rehabilitation to the misinformation which continues to be perpetuated on the Internet, and particularly wikipedia, regarding Wold Newton mythology. Wold Newton writers, "Game" players, and general fans of the Wold Newton Family and Universe should rejoice at his detailed work:

• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6

Wold Newton Universe and Wikipedia corrections

Those fans who follow and understand the Wold Newton mythos and Game understand that an incredible amount of research goes into creating well thought out articles, chronologies, and fictional genealogies.

Then there are those who think Wold-Newtonry is merely making what effectively amount to wish lists of characters, and proclaiming they are "in" the Wold Newton Family or the Wold Newton Universe without any thought, consideration, research, or logic. Many times these lists erroneously proclaim that Philip José Farmer himself added these characters. These lists are prevalent on the internet, and unfortunately contribute to giving the Wold Newton concept a bad name among those who don't take the time to study and evaluate the ideas and the mythology.

Ah, the internet.

Now, Wold Newton fan Sean Levin has set out to correct, entry by entry, one particularly bad example of these baseless lists of alleged Wold Newton characters. The work Sean is doing is detailed and meticulous, which is what Wold-Newtonry is all about.

Kudos to Sean... you can check out his posts here and here, the first two in a series entitled "Of Wikis and Wold Newton." And I'll be continuing to post about his ongoing efforts in this area.

pic o' the day

Happy Wold Newton Day, in celebration of a very special meteorite which fell 214 years ago today.

And cheers to the man who created the Wold Newton Family, Philip José Farmer.

We miss you.

Green Man Review on THE EVIL IN PEMBERLEY HOUSE

Robert M. Tilendis over at the Green Man Review has some very nice things to say about The Evil in Pemberley House.

"This one is fun--a good, tight story, enough psychology to keep it interesting, villains galore, characters with eccentricities that only the English can manage gracefully, a rich context, and lots of sex."

Check out the complete review here!

Interview in German SF/F magazine Phantastisch! - Follow-up

A few months ago I posted about an interview I did for an article on Philip José Farmer with the German SF/F magazine Phantastich! I've finally scanned the pages in question. Of course, I know what I said in English, but I don't read German so I don't know how the whole article reads, but I'm told it's very good. In any event, if you happen to read German, have at it!

Another early review is in...

... and it speaks for itself!

Interview in German SF/F magazine Phantastisch!

I was recently interviewed for a piece on Philip José Farmer and the Wold Newton Universe by writer Christian Endres for the German SF/F magazine Phantastisch! (no. 34, April 2009).

I'm sad to say I don't read German, although I can certainly follow along well enough to understand what Christian is discussing in a particular section or page.

Christian's article is entitled "Modern Myths," and, I am told by Rias Nuninga, is very comprehensive and well-written. It discusses both Phil's foundational Wold Newton Family concept, and the later expansion of the Wold Newton Universe by other writers, with Phil's blessing. There is even a foray into crossover territory, and a brief discussion on how comic-book superheroes might fit into the larger "Crossover Universe," (see Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World, when it comes out next year from MonkeyBrain books) and the limits thereon.

It's well-illustrated with cover scans of U.S. and foreign editions of many of Phil's books (the Riverworld series, The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, Tarzan Alive, Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life), as well as Myths for the Modern Age, and books by Jules Verne, H. Rider Haggard, Kim Newman, and Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

In addition, the mag itself has a glossy cover and is very professionally produced. My sincere thanks to Christian and the editorial staff at Phantastisch! for their efforts to bring Phil Farmer's work to a non-U.S. audience!

New Interview at Comic Book Resources: Philip José Farmer, The Evil in Pemberley House, and Crossovers...

The fine folks at the Comics Should Be Good! blog over at Comic Book Resources have posted an interview with me. We talk about The Evil in Pemberley House, the Wold Newton Universe, Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World, and certainly not least, Philip José Farmer.

Check it out, won't you?

Self-publishing, writing, and the Wold Newton/Crossover Universe concept, etc.

I was corresponding with a pal, and have edited the notes down to some generic thoughts...

With the advent of Print On Demand (POD) technology, people can make their own real books. With the advent of web-publishing, creators can now put their own comics online. Why should I not now include in the Wold Newton Universe (WNU)/Crossover Universe (CU) crossover stories previously eliminated as "fan fiction"?

I already have incorporated some web-only stuff via crossovers, such as Tom Floyd's Captain Spectre and Chris Mills' Port Nocturne/Femme Noir. Criteria: Floyd is a pro artist with pro credits (Moonstone book covers). Mills' comics made the jump to print. In my view, there has to be some external criteria that speaks to quality.

The ability to use POD technology and secure an ISBN number is not a marker of quality control, and thus not a marker of "legitimacy" in my mind, for incorporation into the WNU/CU. There is a ton of POD drek out there that is poorly written, not copyedited, poorly laid out & designed, etc.

If I'm going to spend the same (or more) for very small press POD book, as I'd spend on a book from a more traditional publisher, it had better be very close to the same quality standards, Otherwise I feel ripped off -- like I felt ripped off by a neo-pulp anthology I picked up a few years back. One story was fine. Some of the others were horrendous, I don't think they went through Word spell-check, let alone even one round of human proofreading. I never finished the story, or the book, and I paid over $20 for it. Rip off.

OTOH, there are high quality presses like Black Coat Press that use POD tech. They proofread, they copyedit, they are selective about the stories to be included. Why? Because there's a professional behind it.

So I'm not going to include something in the Crossover Universe (which I am documenting in the book Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World, coming from MonkeyBrain Books in 2010) just because someone got on the Internet and posted something they wrote or drew, or got ahold of some POD tech, and put in crossover references.

I understand the point that the line has blurred between what is "fan fiction" or not because of these technologies. In the past I could merely point to the online/print distinction and draw the line that way. Now I have to make an editorial call, which is purely subjective to me, and since I don't want to take a lot of shit from people who want their special project in Crossovers, or get into lengthy discussions about what is "quality" and what isn't (and thus what is "in" Crossovers
or what isn't), I'm not entering the fray. So this is basically my final word on that -- not that anyone probably really cares. ;-)

So then the question came up: isn't Lulu a publisher, just like Black Coat Press (BCP)?

No.

Lulu is not a publisher. Lulu is a company that people pay to self-publish their stuff using their POD tech. Very different from Black Coat Press. Now, there may be some publishing companies that use Lulu in the background to support their non-traditional POD publishing model, and that's fine. Some of those publishers undoubtedly have good quality control (people who are willing to spend the extra time and effort to proofread, copyedit, and in general adhere to a high quality standard of writing).

Many do not.

If you want to be taken seriously as a writer, and you feel you must use Lulu to get your stuff out there, then at a minimum you should layer your own publishing imprint over them ("NonSuch Books," or whatever), and don't use the Lulu name anywhere on your book. Don't sell your books off of Lulu; Lulu is not a bookbuyers' destination site. The most you will sell there is 15 copies to your 15 friends. If you launch NonSuch Books (or whatever), get your own site or blog where people can buy direct from you. Get an online presence so that you and your own books become their own "brand." Lulu is not a brand that people seek out.

So... Lulu is really not akin at all to Black Coat Press. Let me see if I can explain this clearly.

Altus Press is a publisher that uses POD tech to publish their books. Their POD tech vendor is Lulu. It could be anyone.

BCP is a publisher that uses POD tech to publish their books. Their POD tech vendor is Lightning Source. It could be anyone.

Now.. lest you think I'm getting all high on my horse... yes, there can definitely be copyediting issues with books that have a traditional (non-POD) publishing model. I've learned a lot of lessons, lessons about speaking up when things might be going wrong, and pushing for answers, rather than just trusting someone else to take care of everything. Trust, but verify. No one will love your book as much as you do.

Of course, there will still be issues, even with outfits that care deeply about high writing and editorial standards, especially with small outfits that have almost no staff. But the error ratio is definitely a lot lower among those who care than, say, in that horrendous pulp anthology I previously mentioned.

I am not Mr. Know-It-All writer. I have a ton to still learn, with every new piece I write. My last bit of unsolicited advice is to pick up these books:

CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE

SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS (authors: Browne & King)

CHARACTERS AND VIEWPOINT (author: Orson Scott Card)

Read the latter two and apply the lessons in them to each piece. Go back to them again and again. And if you're the least bit unsure about proper usage of anything, look it up in the CHICAGO MANUAL.

Finally:

1. start using standard manuscript format (just Google search on that phrase, there are a lot of examples out there)
2. turn in the cleanest manuscript you possibly can (when you think you're "done," think again; put it aside for a week, then come back and proof it again before sending)
3. follow all other instructions from the publisher with whom you're working; be flexible, friendly, and cooperative (if you can't do that, for "creative" reasons or whatever, then you probably don't have a good fit with that publisher or editor anyway; move on); and
4. keep commitments and turn in manuscripts on time; this means planning for your proofing and self-editing in your overall schedule, not "finishing writing" your piece the day it's due.

Oh, and 5... Have fun!

Tales of the Shadowmen 5: The Vampires of Paris -- now available!

Once upon a time, the world was but a stage for the exploits of the Shadowmen... The Vampires haunted the rooftops of Paris... Count Zaroff hunted the Serpent Men in the streets of New York... The Queen of Atlantis killed to save her mythical Kingdom... Arsene Lupin prowled the back alleys of Saigon... While in outer space, Doctor Omega and Professor Moriarty finally set foot upon an asteroid...

This fifth anthology of pastiches features some of the most amazing encounters between the legendary heroes and villains of popular literature: Count Dracula and Joséphine Balsamo, Lord Ruthven and the Count of Monte Cristo, the Nyctalope and Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Arsène Lupin and Hanoi Shan, Irma Vep and Fascinax, Monsieur Lecoq and Dr. Loveless... and even Sherlock Holmes and Tevye the Milkman!

I was fortunate enough to convince my good friend (and very talented writer!) Christopher Paul Carey to collaborate on a tale, and our editor and publisher, Jean-Marc Lofficier, was very pleased with the result. Our story, "Iron and Bronze," combines elements drawn from Pierre Benoit's L'Atlantide, Jules Verne's duology The Barsac Mission, J. H. Rosny and Philip José Farmer's Ironcastle, and Guy d'Armen's Doc Ardan, against the backdrop of H. Rider Haggard's Africa.

Tales of the Shadowmen 5: The Vampires of Paris, is now available direct from Black Coat Press and from Amazon.com -- coming soon to B&N.com and Borders.com We hope you'll check it out!

Crossover: Shell Scott meets Secret Agent X-9 (Secret Agent Corrigan)

Check this out! I'll definitely be adding this to Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World.

I'm also feeling a short Wold-Newtonry essay coming on sometime soon. I think it's about time that Shell Scott was linked into Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Family.

Since I'm particularly jazzed at discovering this crossover tonight, here's a bonus Shell Scott oriented pic o' the day. :-)

The 2008 Wold Newton Award

Better late than never, it's worth noting that Jean-Marc Lofficier won the 2008 Wold Newton Award, or the "Woldy," which was handed out at Farmercon 90 in on July 26 in Peoria, IL. (Hey, I haven't even had time to download the Farmercon pics from my digital camera yet! But I will soon, I promise, and post a few good shots here.)

Here is the message about the award on Jean-Marc's Black Coat Press website.

Congrats to JM!

Two books of interest to Wold Newton fans

In THE ELDRITCH NEW ADVENTURES OF BECKY SHARP, the villainess of the Victorian classic Vanity Fair enters the Cthulhu Mythos as an agent of H.P. Lovecraft's Great Race of Yith!Cover, frontispiece, and title page illustrations by Loston Wallace! With a mini-introductory essay by Mark (Xenoxoic Tales, The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, King Features' Prince Valiant) Schultz!

And the answers to these and other metafictional mysteries: 1) The circumstances of the unheralded first attempted Lidenbrock Expedition to the Center of the Earth! 2) The secret parentage of Ann Darrow, bride of the fearsome Kong! 3) The apocalyptic origins and final fate of Queequeg's fetish and how it went from pagan idol among the wreckage of the Pequod to a dust-gathering paperweight at 221-B Baker Street!

The Eldritch New Adventures of Becky Sharp by Micah S. Harris is now available for $14.95 ($15.27 Canada) plus $4.00 postage and handling for First Class mailing US (Total: $18.95) and $7.00 postage Canada (Total $22.27). Overseas mailing is priority only at $15.00 ($29.95 total).Pay via Paypal and pay to MHa6106@aol.com. Please specify "Becky Sharp Book" and include your name and complete address (including country if overseas) and if you wish your copy to be signed by the author. Also available on Amazon.com.

******

Altus Press has put together a collection of Rick Lai's articles (mainly involving heroes). The book is entitled SECRET HISTORIES: DARING ADVENTURERS.

Contents:

A Chronology for the Avenger

Yasmini of India

The Life and Times of Steve Harrison

The Legend of El Borak

The Life and Times of Wild Bill Clanton

The Saga of Singapore Sammy

The Sgt. Jaeger Chronology

The Mystery of Harry Quatermain and Other Conundrums

The Saga of John Gorman

Secrets of Sir Henry Merrivale

The Lecoq Universe

Peter the Brazen: The Inconsistencies

Peter the Brazen Vs. Fu Manchu

The Hand of Kong

The Contradictions of Khlit the Cossack

The A.J. Raffles Chronology

The Insane Captain Wentworth

The Anomaly of Professor Challenger’s Daughter

A Scandal in Ruritania

The Holmes-Lupin Rivalry

The Savage Family of India

The Tragic Case of John Blakeney

The Jules de Grandin Chronology (co-authored with Matthew Baugh)

There will be a collection called SECRET HISTORIES: CRIMINAL MASTERMINDS in the future. This will include all Rick's other Fu Manchu articles.