Saturday, February 18, 2017

The Best of Farmerphile


The Best of Farmerphile

Farmerphile: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer was a quarterly fanzine that ran fifteen issues from July 2005 to January 2009. Michael Croteau served as Publisher for all fifteen issues; Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri coedited the first ten issues, while Spiteri and I coedited the last five. Thanks to the generosity of Philip José Farmer and his “Magic Filing Cabinet,” Farmerphile published—for the first time anywhere—short stories (mostly not science fiction), excerpts, articles, speeches, and letters written by Farmer. It even serialized the novel Up from the Bottomless Pit (not included in this collection, but forthcoming from Meteor House).

Farmerphile also contained articles and appreciations from Farmer’s fans and from his fellow science fiction authors, from critiques of his work to stories of personal encounters, and everything between.

I'm contributing four pieces to the Best of:

  • The Farmerian Holmes
  • Excessively Diverted, Or, Coming to Pemberley House
  • Only a Coincidence: Phileas Fogg, Philip José Farmer, and the Wold Newton Family
  • Gribardsun through the Ages (cowritten with Dennis E. Power)

The Best of Farmerphile is available in two editions: a Trade Paperback and a Hardcover Limited Edition. The hardcover is not “officially” a signed limited edition, but when the book debuts at PulpFest/FarmerCon XII in late July 2017, we will get as many contributors on hand as possible to sign it before we ship the books to those preordered (shipping will occur immediately after PulpFest/FarmerCon XII).

Preorder - Trade Paperback edition
Preorder - Limited Edition Hardcover

Green Ghost teaser!

Wondering what the Green Ghost is all about? Check out this teaser from Moonstone! This features the short story "Zombies under Broadway" (by Win Scott Eckert & Eric Fein) with "widevision" illustrations by David Niehaus). So, if you want a taste of The Green Ghost: Declassified collection but haven't yet taken the plunge on the whole book, please give our short story a shot

To be clear, the "Zombies" story is in the larger Declassified collection, so to those who already bought Declassified--thank you! If you've been on the fence, please give our "Zombies" teaser a look!

The Green Ghost: Zombies under Broadway (teaser)

The Green Ghost: Declassified (softcover collection)

The Green Ghost: Declassified (limited edition hardcover)

A Sherlock Holmes chapbook

"The Adventure of the Fallen Stone: Being the First Part of the Account of The Dynamics of a Meteor" By John H. Watson, M.D., edited by Win Scott Eckert, is now available for preorder! This is the second limited edition chapbook from Meteor House.

Preorder from Meteor House

April 1917. Sherlock Holmes has returned to Mother England following his 1916 African adventure. In retreat at his country cottage, tending to his bees, Holmes’ peaceful solitude (or perhaps deadly boredom) is shattered by a murder at a local inn… 
Thrust back into the shadowy fray of Great War espionage, the detective’s brother Mycroft sets Holmes and Watson on the perilous trail of a cunning German mastermind.
Join Holmes, Watson, sleuths Harry Dickson and J. Saxon Blake—intriguingly, both master detectives with digs on Baker Street, who greatly resemble Holmes in demeanor, speech, and aspect—and the alluring Isis Vanderhoek as they race across England in pursuit of a master villain and a stolen flower with remarkable medicinal properties.
WHAT is the mysterious lotus vitae?
HOW is it related to a meteor that fell in Yorkshire in 1795?
WILL Holmes and company success in preventing the nefarious Von Bork’s latest scheme?


There is a very short preorder window as I will be signing these at Fleur Fine Books in Port Neches, TX, on March 25th! (Facebook event: Win Scott Eckert Meet & Greet and Book Signing)

Preorder from Meteor House

Thursday, December 29, 2016

2017 (and Beyond) Writing Projects

Following on the heels of my 2016 writing review, this is an overview of what I have planned for 2017 and 2018. I'm happy to say that most these projects are firm commitments, and won't leave much space in my schedule for additional work.

That said, I am always open to discussing chance-of-a-lifetime, no-way-can-you-turn-this-down projects!


The Avenger–Domino Lady short story. In my Avenger story "Death and the Countess" (The Avenger Chronicles, Moonstone Books, 2008), I referred to an "untold tale," the first meeting of The Avenger and the Domino Lady. I am currently in progress on this story, which fills a neat little space between Ron Goulart's "The Return of the Iron Skull" and "Death and the Countess."

Next, an Avenger novel for Moonstone. Novella length, really, but who's counting. This one is already generally plotted and should not take long to write once I get cranking.



A Sherlock Holmes short story to be submitted to The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories – Part VII: Eliminate the Impossible. I have the idea for this, but have not plotted or outlined it yet. It may well be a semi-sequel to my tale "No Ghosts Need Apply" (The Phantom Chronicles 2, Moonstone Books, 2010). That story had a neat bit of Wold-Newtonry (if I do say so) which has gone largely unnoticed, and which I'd like to extend in the Holmes tale.

The biggie... completing Philip José Farmer's unfinished fourth Doc Caliban novel, The Monster on Hold, due out from Meteor House in Summer 2018. This will require rereading A Feast UnknownLord of the Trees, and The Mad Goblin (for the umpteenth time), as well as intensive research, detailed outlining, worldbuilding, writing, rewriting, and polishing. I expect to spend the bulk of my writing time between now and spring 2018 on this. 

Slipped in the cracks of all this I will be continuing to research and put together material which will result in a proposal for a licensed character I would very much like to write.

It feels good to be back in the game.











Tuesday, December 27, 2016

2016 Writing in Review

2016 has seen a slight uptick in productivity after an unwanted writing/publishing hiatus in 2014–15, due to my move from Colorado to Louisiana and starting a new job. For some reason this was a year which saw several previously published stories reprinted (six tales, in fact). I can't take credit for that from a productivity perspective, but I'm certainly not complaining.

"Being an Account of the Delay in Green River, Wyoming of Phileas Fogg, World Traveler, " Meteor House Chapbook No. 1 (Meteor House, July 2016)

Doc Ardan: The Abominable Snowman by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (eds.) (Black Coat Press, November 2015)

  • "Iron and Bronze" (with Christopher Paul Carey; reprint from Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 5: The Vampires of Paris)
  • "The Eye of Oran" (reprint from Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 2: Gentlemen of the Night)
  • "Les Levres Rouges" (reprint from Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 3: Danse Macabre)
  • "The Vanishing Devil" (reprint from Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 1: The Modern Babylon)
"Star Wars: The Early Media Tie-In Universe Chronology" in A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics, Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato (eds.) (Sequart, December 2016)

The Green Ghost: Declassified (Moonstone Books, December 2016)

  • "Zombies under Broadway" (with Eric Fein)
  • "Chance of a Ghost" (reprint from Legends of New Pulp Fiction)
  • "Dame Sinestre" (team-up with the Domino Lady)
In addition to the Star Wars nonfiction piece, I also wrote introductions to The Green Ghost: Declassified and to Sean Lee Levin's Crossovers Expanded, Volume 1 (Meteor House).

Here's to an even more productive 2017.






Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Green Ghost Arriving in Comic Shops December 28

Arriving in comic shops December 28!

Moonstone Books
The Green Ghost: Declassified
By Win Scott Eckert & Eric Fein
Now available direct from Moonstone Books!

The Green Ghost—magician sleuth George Chance—returns! Once a debunker of the supernatural, the Green Ghost terrorized criminals with his horrific skull-face and wraithlike abilities. But criminologist Chance came back from Europe changed—for his wartime experiences taught him: the occult and night creatures were real! Thrill to new prose and comic book tales featuring a multitude of murderers, monsters, and crossovers with I.V. Frost, the Domino Lady, and more!

I hope that Sax Rohmer would be pleased by my Green Ghost/Domino Lady crossover tale, "Dame Sinestre."

This project has been brewing for almost eight years. I'm very happy to see our hard work come to fruition and hope you'll check it out.

Authors: Win Scott Eckert, Eric Fein, Howard Hopkins
Artist: David Niehaus
Cover: Malcolm McClinton
Softcover, 7” x 10”, grayscale, $14.99

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Book birthday, part two....

The Green Ghost: Declassified has arrived!

I have two solo short stories, and one cowritten with Eric Fein. Eric has several prose tales and two short comic stories. 

Spot & comic illustrations by David Niehaus. 

Limited edition cover art by David; trade edition cover art by Malcolm McClinton. 

Book design by Erik Enervold; published by Joe Gentile at Moonstone. 

Plus, a bonus tale, never-before-published, by the late Howard Hopkins.

One of my solo tales is a sequel to Howard's story. In the other, the Green Ghost teams with the Domino Lady against a very sinister, almost Rohmer-esque lady... And in my collaborative tale with Eric... Zombies! Under Broadway!!

List of Contents

Available direct from Moonstone:

Book birthday, part one....

Book birthday, part one! A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics.

My essay is entitled: "Star Wars: The Early Media Tie-In Chronology." 

I've had the opportunity to skim the rest of the book since it arrived yesterday and all the essays look top-notch! 


Available now from Amazon, just in time for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and the holidays. 

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Green Ghost books back from the printer

Very pleased that The Green Ghost: Declassified is back from the printer, and I'm told the books look great. The publisher will ship them to retailers next week, so customers should receive their books in December!

Of course, if you haven't already, you can still order the book direct from Moonstone.



Between this and my prior note that my nonfic Star Wars essay is coming out soon, it's welcome the good news that I have two books coming before the end of the year.

Exploring the Star Wars Comics

I'm reliably informed that A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics (a collection of essays from Sequart edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato) is at the printer and will be out in time for a certain blockbuster film in December.

My contribution is "Star Wars: The Early Media Tie-In Universe Chronology."

Look for it soon!

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Four Doc Ardan Tales

I received my contributor's copy of Black Coat Press' DOC ARDAN: THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN last week. This volume contains several French pulp tales by Guy d'Armen (translated and "retold" in English by editors Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier), as well as newer stories by writers such as Jason Scott Aiken, Rick Lai, and John Peel.

I have four contributions:

  • "Iron and Bronze" - cowritten with Christopher Paul Carey
  • "The Eye of Oran"
  • "Les Lèvres Rouges"
  • "The Vanishing Devil"
The stories by latter-day writers utilize Ardan as a pastiche stand-in for Doc Savage. 

Those who are sharp-eyed or versed in popular fiction will pick up references from Jules Verne, Sax Rohmer, Ian Fleming, H. Rider Haggard, Walter Gibson, J.-H. Rosny Aine, Philip José Farmer, Pierre Benoit, Albert Camus, Harry Kumel, Leo Malat, Dave Stevens, Vladimir Volkoff, H. P. Lovecraft, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, among others.

The latter three tales listed above were among my first published stories. They were not rewritten for this volume. Be kind. :-)

Saturday, October 15, 2016

The Green Ghost: Declassified - Order Direct from Moonstone

The Green Ghost: Declassified can now be preordered direct from the publisher, Moonstone Books!

I can also now announce that there will also be a limited edition hardcover, available only direct from Moonstone.

The Green Ghost—magician sleuth George Chance—returns! Once a debunker of the supernatural, the Green Ghost terrorized criminals with his horrific skull-face and wraithlike abilities. But criminologist Chance came back from Europe changed—for his wartime experiences taught him: the occult and night creatures were real! Thrill to new prose and comic book tales featuring a multitude of murderers, monsters, and crossovers with I. V. Frost, the Domino Lady, and more!

Authors: Win Scott Eckert & Eric Fein (with a bonus tale by Howard Hopkins)
Artist: David Niehaus



It's also worth noting that our friends at Altus Press are reprinting the entire series of original Ghost/Green Ghost pulp novels and stories by G. T. Fleming-Roberts. The first volume is George Chance: The Ghost Omnibus, Volume 1.

Finally, I'd like to call out that our stories are a continuation of the original George Chance stories—not a "reboot." As such, we we view our tales as complementarynot competitive—with the new Green Ghost tales published by our New Pulp colleagues at Airship 27: George Chance-The Green Ghost, Volume 1.

Collect and read 'em all, kids!

The Green Ghost - original pulp covers

With The Green Ghost: Declassified just around the corner from Moonstone Books, a quick revisit of the original pulp covers is timely. Enjoy!





























Sunday, October 09, 2016

The Green Ghost: Declassified - Final Cover Reveal!

Reveal! Final cover treatment for The Green Ghost: Declassified

Coming soon from Moonstone Books, with a mix of prose and comic stories by Win Scott Eckert and Eric Fein, and interior illustrations by David Niehaus. Cover for the softcover trade edition by Malcolm McClinton, with thanks to Erik Enervold at Simian Brothers Creative for his fantastic cover design!

Link to contents.

The Green Ghost: Declassified is listed in the August 2016 Diamond Previews catalog and ships to local comic shops in late October.

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Green Ghost: Declassified - Contents Reveal!

On behalf of my fellow creators, Eric Fein, David Niehaus, and Malcolm McClinton, I'm very pleased to announce the contents for The Green Ghost: Declassified, coming in late October from Moonstone Books. The collection features a combination of seven prose tales (some with accompanying illustrations) and two comic stories.

The Green Ghost—magician sleuth George Chance—returns! Once a debunker of the supernatural, the Green Ghost terrorized criminals with his horrific skull-face and wraithlike abilities. But criminologist Chance came back from Europe changed—for his wartime experiences taught him: the occult and night creatures were real! Thrill to new prose and comic book tales featuring a multitude of murderers, monsters, and crossovers with I. V. Frost, the Domino Lady, and more!

ZOMBIES UNDER BROADWAY by Win Scott Eckert and Eric Fein, illustrations by David Niehaus


DEATH SCREAM OVERDRIVE by Eric Fein

Featuring The Black Shrike and The Green Ghost


THE MYSTERY NAMED ROSABELLE writer: Eric Fein / artist and letterer: David Niehaus


GHOST OF A CHANCE by Howard Hopkins


CHANCE OF A GHOST by Win Scott Eckert


THE PHANTOM’S GHOST by Eric Fein, illustrations by David Niehaus

Featuring The Green Ghost and the Phantom of the Opera


DAME SINSESTRE by Win Scott Eckert

Featuring The Green Ghost and The Domino Lady


OF MONSTERS AND MEN writer: Eric Fein / artist and letterer: David Niehaus


MURDER IN THE MIND’S EYE by Eric Fein

Featuring The Green Ghost and I. V. Frost

I'm especially pleased to announce the existence of a previously unpublished Green Ghost story by the late Howard Hopkins. Howard was a fantastic writer and a pulp expert. Hopefully the rescue of this tale and it's inclusion in this collection begins to pay back, in some small way, the inspiration and friendship which Howard showed me.

The Green Ghost: Declassified is available now for preorder from the August 2016 Diamond Previews catalog and ships to local comic shops in late October.

Alternatively, you can order direct from sites such as Things from Another World.