More good news!

Ganked in its entirety from my pal Chris Carey's blog:

"Lots of good news coming in today. First the short story sale, and now news that my good friend and Farmerphile publisher Mike Croteau has started a blog, as well as an announcement by Subterranean Press of a new Philip José Farmer omnibus, The Other in the Mirror, which will feature three classic Farmer novels, Fire and the Night (the only edition of this book is extremely rare!), Jesus on Mars, and Night of Light. No mention yet who they asked to write the intro to the book, la, la, la... :-) Oh, and I just stumbled across this photo on Rias Nuninga's wonderful PJF International Bibliography from the panel during which the new Farmer collaborations were announced at this summer's Farmercon.


From right to left: Win Scott Eckert (co-author, The Evil in Pemberley House), Paul Spiteri (co-author, "Getting Ready to Write"), Tracy Knight (co-author, Cougar by the Tail), and me (co-author, The Song of Kwasin). Photo courtesy of Rias Nuninga."

Short story sale to Tales of the Shadowmen Vol. 5: The Vampires of Paris

I'm very pleased to announce that my friend and collaborator Christopher Paul Carey and I have sold our short story "Iron and Bronze" to Jean-Marc Lofficier at Black Coat Press, for the anthology Tales of the Shadowmen: The Vampires of Paris (due for release in January 2009).

The tale 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.

I have a deep admiration for Chris' atmospheric style and crisp plotting, and it was a real pleasure to work with him on the story. If our schedules permit, I have a feeling we'll do it again someday!

August pjfarmer.com website update: New Farmer novels!

Ganked from Philip José Farmer's MySpace blog... _____________________________________________________________

Dear friends of Philip José Farmer:

Please stop by The Official Philip José Farmer Home Page (http:www. pjfarmer. com) and check out our latest update. This month brings an exciting announcement made a couple weeks ago at Farmercon 90 about three "lost" Farmer novels and a Farmer short story, which have been completed or are being completed by writers of Phil's choosing. Also included with the update is a gallery of photos from Farmercon 90, as well as a newly discovered photo of Phil with his high school track team in 1936! And Philip José Farmer meets...Hellboy??? You'll have to visit Phil's site to find out about it!

Sincerely,Mike Croteau,
Proprietor, The Official Philip José Farmer Home Page
Publisher, Farmerphile: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer
________________________________________________________

Two of the lost Farmer novels described above are The Song of Kwasin completed in collaboration with Christopher Paul Carey, and The Evil in Pemberley House completed by my own self (Bronze pulp superhero's daughter in a 1970s Gothic horror, set at Pemberley House from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, against the backdrop of the Sherlock Holmes mythos. Only Phil Farmer.....). Both books in the hands of Phil's agent, so stay tuned (hopefully).

Farmerphile 13 Now Available - Includes excerpt from new PJF novel!

Issue No. 13 - July 2008
52 pages (5.5 x 8.5 inches)
$11 (includes shipping in the US and Canada)


Table of contents:
Farmerphile Interviews Christopher Paul Carey

Excerpt from The Song of Kwasin
- by Philip José Farmer & Christopher Paul Carey
--- illustrated by Keith Howell
--- map by Charles Berlin

Farmer of the Apes
- by Charles R. Saunders

Creative Mythography: Sahhindar through the Centuries
- by Win Scott Eckert & Dennis E. Power

Escape from Loki Again, and Again, and Again
- by Steve Mattsson

The Wild Weird Clime
- by Philip José Farmer

To Be, or Not to Be
- by Tom Wode Bellman

Bibliophile
- by Heidi Ruby Miller

Unpolished Pearls from the Magic Filing Cabinet
Polytropical Paramyths
- by Philip José Farmer

Getting Ready to Write
- by Philip José Farmer & Paul Spiteri
--- illustrated by Charles Berlin

Cover art by Vladimir Verano
Order your copy today at: http://www.pjfarmer.com/farmerphile.htm

Announcement: The Evil in Pemberley House - A new novel by Philip José Farmer & Win Scott Eckert

Earlier today, at FarmerCon 90, a convention in honor of Philip José Farmer's 90th birthday held at the Lakeview branch of the Peoria Public Library, a "Mystery Panel" was held in which it was revealed that Phil and Bette Farmer made the decision to have writers they trusted complete some of Phil's unfinished manuscripts.

Among these are:

• The Song of Kwasin, a continuation of the Khokarsa cycle, the first two books being Hadon of Ancient Opar and Flight to Opar - completed by collaborator Christopher Paul Carey (I've read it, and it's a wonderfully stirring conclusion to the saga, which fans of H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and, of course, Phil Farmer, are going to absolutely love; read Chris' own blog post here)


• A Western, Cougar By the Tail, with collaborator Tracy Knight (author of many short stories and two novels, Beneath a Whiskey Sky and The Astonished Eye
  
• "Getting Ready to Write," a very funny Polytropical Paramyth written with Paul Spiteri, and appearing in Farmerphile #13 (July 2008)


• The Evil in Pemberley House with collaborator Win Scott Eckert
  

I first discovered the short synopsis, longer outline, handwritten notes, and incomplete manuscript for The Evil in Pemberley House in the "Magic Filing Cabinet" in Phil Farmer's basement on a trip to Peoria with Mike Croteau, publisher of Farmerphile and webmaster of the Official Philip José Farmer Home Page, in July 2005. (During the same trip we also discovered the Kwasin manuscript and notes, much to Chris Carey's joy.) At Phil's bequest, I researched and prepared to finish the novel for two years (amidst other writing projects, in particular finalizing the manuscript for Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World, long-anticipated and coming in 2010 from MonkeyBrain Books) and wrote in earnest this past year.

During this time Chris Carey was also completing The Song of Kwasin and I can't thank him enough for the literally hundreds of emails and many phone calls, in which we bounced ideas around, exchanged feedback, and in general provided much needed support and encouragement.

It's an incredible honor and supreme thrill to have been selected to tell the story that Phil didn't complete, the "origin story" of Patricia Wildman, the "woman of bronze," the daughter of "Doc" Wildman, who was a renaissance man and battler of evil-doers from the Golden Age of the 1930s. (For fans who may have forgotten, Phil brought this bronze superman's real name and family background to the world-at-large in a "fictional biography" published in the early 1970s.)

With Phil and Bette Farmer's blessing, the manuscript is now in the hands of Phil's agent.

For more information, I've launched a website for The Evil in Pemberley House. Please bookmark it and check back often for news, a forthcoming book trailer, etc. I'm thrilled beyond belief to be involved in this project, and to finally launch it in earnest to the blogosphere. An excerpt from the novel will appear in Farmerphile #14 (October 2008).

In the meantime, content yourself with the gorgeous spot illustration of Patricia Wildman, woman of bronze (lovingly rendered by the amazing Keith Howell) and read below the summary which appeared in the convention booklet handed out today at FarmerCon 90.

THE EVIL IN PEMBERLEY HOUSE

For over thirty years, readers have marveled at Philip José Farmer’s clever integration of some of popular fiction and literature’s most beloved characters, in a mythical web known as the Wold Newton Family. First described in the fictional biographies Tarzan Alive and Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life, Farmer expanded the mythos in The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, the Tarzan-Sherlock Holmes pastiche The Adventure of the Peerless Peer, Time’s Last Gift, Hadon of Ancient Opar, Flight to Opar, and the authorized series novels The Dark Heart of Time: A Tarzan Novel and Escape from Loki: Doc Savage’s First Adventure.

Now, from imagination of Philip José Farmer and Wold Newton expert Win Scott Eckert, comes an addition to the Wold Newton cycle, a Gothic tale of adventure which builds upon the Canon of Sherlock Holmes mysteries and explores the psyche of a pulp superman’s offspring…

It’s 1973, and Patricia Wildman is traveling from New York to Derbyshire in England to claim her legacy, the grand estate known as Pemberley House. The descendant of famous and infamous dukes and duchesses, and of Pemberley’s memorable Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, Patricia is also the daughter of the world-renowned crimefighter of the 1930s and ’40s, Dr. James Clarke “Doc” Wildman. She is also the inheritor of her father’s bronzed skin, gold-flecked eyes, and his physical and intellectual perfection, as well as her mother’s cunning and compassion.

Patricia is looking to put her past behind her and start a new life at Pemberley. Instead, she’s almost immediately attacked by poachers and has to contend with the resentful inhabitants of Pemberley who would prefer the venerable estate pass to them. Foremost among those seeking to prevent Patricia from accepting her legacy and becoming the new Baroness of Lambton are the imperious 103-year-old dowager duchess of Pemberley, her adopted grandchildren, and her personal physician, Dr. Augustus Moran.

Patricia, however, is not only faced with the devious machinations of British nobility and greedy hangers-on, but must also contend with being haunted by her direct ancestor, the 16th century Baroness, Bess of Pemberley. Or is the “Pemberley Curse” really the product of the conniving residents of Pemberley House?

As Patricia struggles to reconcile the supernatural evidence in front of her with her rational scientific upbringing, she also attempts to work through unresolved feelings about her late parents. It’s not easy being the daughter of a superman, after all…

The Evil in Pemberley House is an adventure, Gothic horror, and genealogical mystery set against the backdrop of Jane Austen’s Derbyshire, which will excite a broad array of readers of both pulp and popular literature, especially fans of the Doc Savage pulp novels, the Sherlock Holmes mysteries of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Farmer’s own celebrated Wold Newton Family mythos.

FARMERPHILE - FREE samples online

Check 'em out, won't you? Most of the free sample essays happen to very Wold Newton oriented.

... and.... they're free! If you've been hankering for some new Wold Newton essays to read, and missing the website updates (sorry, I've been really busy with other writing projects, but I promise I haven't forgotten the Wold Newton Universe website and I will get back to it with new articles), well then here's your free articles right here:

http://www.pjfarmer.com/fpawards.htm

Also check out the info this year's FarmerCon. I and several other will be appearing on a Wold Newton Panel, giving presentations on several of our favorite Wold Newton topics. The current line up includes: me, Christopher Paul Carey, Dennis E. Power, Rick Lai, John Small and Henry Covert.

Anyway, the sample articles from Farmerphile: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer.... Did I mention they're free?

Win

Good news on "secret project x"

It took another positive step forward today.

And that's really all I can say about it. ;-)

Farmerphile #12 -- The Sherlock Holmes issue

FARMERPHILE: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer no. 12 is now available.

This is the Sherlock Holmes issue, and as such it's selling out quickly. Plus, those interested in Phil's Wold Newton family tree are going to want to pick up this issue, because we've discovered an addition to the tree by him that somehow didn't make it into the final printed version of DOC SAVAGE: HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE!

http://www.pjfarmer.com/farmerphile.htm#iss12

Full Contents:

The Roller Coaster Ride with Phil Farmer- by Bette Farmer

We Were Introduced by Sherlock Holmes- by George Scheetz

Sherlock Holmes and Sufism- by Philip José Farmer--- illustrated by Charles Berlin

Philip José Farmer and The Case of the Two Jungle Lords- by Dennis E. Power

Urania's Babysitter- by Rick Lai

A Study of Ralph von Wau Wau- by Danny Adams

Creative Mythography: The Farmerian Holmes- by Win Scott Eckert

Bibliophile: The Other Log of Phileas Fogg- by Paul Spiteri

How Much Free Will Does a Pumpkin Have?- by Christopher Paul Carey

Jongor in the Wold Newton Family- by Philip José Farmer

The Lure of the Emergency Shelf- by Michael Carroll

Full Blown Comic Book Images of the Beast- by Steve Mattsson

Unpolished Pearls from the Magic Filing Cabinet:

• Three Metafictional Proposals- by Philip José Farmer


• Uncle Sam's Mad Tea Party- by Philip José Farmer


• Down to Earth's Centre- by Philip José Farmer

Cover art by Keith Howell

And Doc Savage aficionados... If you're thinking that the title "Down to Earth's Centre" might be something Doc-related... you're right!

Dedicated Sherlockians, Savageologists, and of course Farmerphiles won't want to miss this issue. Ordering info is here:http://www.pjfarmer.com/farmerphile.htm

We put a lot into this issue, so please check it out!

Best,

Win

www.winscotteckert.com

Dave Stevens, R.I.P.

I usually restrict my blogging to my own writing and podcast news. Today I am making a sad exception.

Dave Stevens, creator of the magnificent comic series, The Rocketeer, has passed away. The Rocketeer, with its unnamed but crystal clear cameos by pulp heroes Doc Savage and The Shadow, was the very first story that got me started thinking in terms of an expanded Wold Newton Universe that had a continuity and character list which went beyond Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Family tree. The Rocketeer was without a doubt the very first entry in what would become the Crossover Chronology, which will see print next year from MonkeyBrain Books. Steven's artwork was absolutely gorgeous, a retro merging of photo-realistic and Golden Age comic-booky that I have rarely seen elsewhere. His good girl art is spectacular, and he almost single-handedly responsible for the pop-cultural resurgence of Bettie Page.

Stevens was a comics hero of mine, probably THE comics hero, although he was never prolific. With The Rocketeer, he taught me there was a lot more to comics, a lot more potential there, than superheroes. He reinvigorated the interest of my adolescent self in the pulps (of course my love for the pulps was originally inspired by Phil Farmer) at a time when I was being distracted by superhero comics.

The closest I came to Stevens was at Comic-Con International 2005, when Savage Chuck Loridans saw him at his booth. At least I got to shake his hand and thank him for his influence.

It's just depressing to see someone go who is so young and talented.

Geekerati - Pulp podcast tomorrow night (Mon., Feb. 11, 2008): "Black Coats and Justice Inc."

Black Coats and Justice Inc.: Black Coat Press and Moonstone Books Keep the Pulp Tradition Alive

"For many young readers, the discovery of the adventures of Doc Savage, John Carter, the Spider, the Shadow, or Richard Benson can lead to a life time love affair with literature of all kinds. Our guest Win Scott Eckert, and host Bill Cunningham, are two individuals who are continuing in the noble tradition of action storytelling. They will be discussing the 'Chronicles' series by Moonstone Books in addition to the Tales of the Shadowmen project of Black Coat Press."

The podcast starts at 7 pm Pacific / 10 pm Eastern time.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Geekerati

Hope you'll give it a listen. If you can't make it, the podcast will be available as an mp3 download after the show, both from the Geekerati website and from iTunes.

Best,

Win

www.winscotteckert.com

Tales of the Shadowmen 4: Lords of Terror

For immediate release:

"Tales of the Shadowmen 4: Lords of Terror has been released by Black Coat Press. It features the talents of contributing sf, mystery, and horror writers Kim Newman, Brian Stableford, John Shirley, John Peel, and Jean-Marc Lofficier, as well as newer genre writers familiar to followers of Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton Universe, such as Matthew Baugh, Jess Nevins, Bill Cunningham, Rick Lai, and Win Scott Eckert.

Join us again for this fourth volume and meet the most villainous cast to ever grace the pages of popular literature, spreading evil from the foggy underworld of London to the seedy taverns of Mars, and from the flowery banks of the Seine to New York's grimy Hell Kitchen...

Fantômas, Countess Cagliostro, Victor Frankenstein, Irma Vep, Count Orlock, Erik, Madame Atomos, the Black Coats, Charles Foster Kane, and even Great Cthulhu himself... Dare meet--the Lords of Terror!"

Ordering info:
Amazon.com
Publisher direct

My story pits Madame Atomos, female Fu Manchu-like mastermind of Japanese descent, against the agents of U.N.C.L.E.

A letter Philip Jose Farmer once wrote to The Baker Street Journal indicates he was a fan of, or at least interested in the show The Man From U.N.C.L.E. We don't know the contents of the BSJ articles Phil was defending in his letter, but it makes sense that he was interested in the show, since several of the original U.N.C.L.E. novels written by the late David McDaniel have strong ties to the Sherlockian canon, and also contain crossovers galore with popular characters such as Fu Manchu, The Saint, The Avengers, Miss Marple, and Sherlock Holmes himself. (See my Wold Newton Universe Crossover Chronology for the complete listings).

I hope you'll check it out.

Win
www.winscotteckert.com

Moonstone Books' THE AVENGER CHRONICLES

Yesterday morning I received word that Moonstone considers my tale, "Death and the Countess," finalized and ready to go for the anthology.

The Avenger Chronicles comes out in March. More details on the three variant edition are at Bill Thom's Coming Attractions site, the destination for info about neo-pulp, pulp reprints, pulp-related comics and films, etc.

Last post I showed off the cover by Peter Caras, the cover artist for the first eight Avenger novel reprints by Warner Books in the early 1970s.

This post, here is the alternate cover by Dave Dorman. (There will be a third cover, for the Limited Edition, by Douglas Kaluba.)

The book is due out in March/April 2008. Hope you'll check it out!

In a flaming crucible was born... The Avenger!

In a move that has left me utterly gobsmacked -- and thrilled beyond belief -- Moonstone Books, which recently licensed the rights to the classic pulp hero, The Avenger, has asked me to contribute a tale to their upcoming prose anthology The Avenger Chronicles.

Here is the preliminary cover art by Peter Caras. Caras, along with George Gross, did the covers for the paperback reprints (and new novels by Ron Goulart) by Warner Books in the 1970s.

Wow.

Based on the guidelines I've received, Moonstone is intent on doing this character right, with tales that honor the spirit of the original characters and stories.

The original pulp novels were written by Paul Ernst and appeared under the traditional Street & Smith byline of "Kenneth Robeson," the same byline used on the Doc Savage novels (although Ernst did not write the Doc Savages). The later 1970s books by Goulart also appeared under the Robeson name.

I don't think that Moonstone is issuing the new stories under the Robeson byline (don't quote me on that, I'm not really sure), but either way, what a blast to be able to say -- in a very small, small way -- I am one of the "Kenneth Robesons!"

The story is due in 30 days, so I'll been running fairly silent for the next few weeks.

New Interview - Heidi's Pick Six

Over at LiveJournal, ambasadora was kind enough to include me in her Heidi's Pick Six interview project. You can check it out here.

LANCE STAR--SKY RANGER - available only for a limited time....

Reposted from my fellow writer Bobby Nash at: http://www.myspace.com/bobbynash:

"LANCE STAR--SKY RANGER PULP ANTHOLOGY - STILL AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME

Wild Cat Books has announced that the Lance Star--Sky Ranger pulp anthology will be out of print effective January 1, 2008. This is your last chance to pick up this amazing collection that Amazon.com reviewers labeled as "a gem of an adventure" and "high-soaring, fast-paced adventure."

Order from Amazon or B&N.com.

The LANCE STAR--SKY RANGER anthology is a collection of stories features pulse-pounding prose by Frank Dirscherl, Bobby Nash, Win Scott Eckert, and Bill Spangler and produced by pulp fiction wordsmith, Ron Fortier. Artwork by Rich Woodall... Stories include: "Attack Of The Bird Man", "Where The Sea Meets The Sky", "Shadows Over Kunlun", and "Talons Of The Red Condors"... plus the special feature article "Pulp Aviation Heroes and the Rise of the Model Aviation Press" by Larry Marshall..."

Wold Newton Universe fans take note...My tale, "Shadows Over Kunlun" has plenty of Wold Newton goodness. Check it out, won't you?

-Win
www.winscotteckert.com

Novel progress

Although I can't provide details, I received what one would term "Good News" -- one might even say Excellent News -- today regarding the novel I'm writing.

Wish I didn't have to be so cryptic, but when the stars are right, I'll go public.

And in the meantime, I'll just keep on writing.

-Win

Wold Newton San Diego Comic-Con videos now on YouTube

Thanks to Savage Chuck Loridans, video editor extraordinaire, videos of the Wold Newton panel presentations at the 2004 and 2006 San Diego Comic-Cons are now online.

I linked to them from various places on my sites, both with external links and embedded video.

http://www.winscotteckert.com/
http://www.winscotteckert.com/Writings5.htm
http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Articles10.htm#Parascholarship
http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Articles11.htm#Myths
http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/2004SanDiego.htm
http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/2006SanDiego.htm

Enjoy!

-Win

Pulps / Wold Newton Podcast - Monday 9/3 @ 7pm Pacific Time

This week Bill Cunningham and Christian Johnson will be discussing "Barsoom, Hyboria, and Urban Mean Streets: The Pulps and Their Modern Legacy" on the weekly online radio show Geekerati. Two of the books they will be discussing are MYTHS FOR THE MODERN AGE: PHILIP JOSE FARMER'S WOLD NEWTON UNIVERSE and the Nebraska Press edition of TARZAN ALIVE. The podcast is Monday, 9/3/07 at 7pm Pacific Time.

Geekerati Radio is an online radio show which includes Christian Johnson, Shawna Benson, Bill Cunningham, Eric Lytle, and guests in a round table discussion of popular culture by geeks for geeks. Geekerati Radio is a featured show in the BlogTalkRadio network. The Geekerati Radio show airs Monday nights at 7pm Pacific.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/geekerati
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?show_id=50000

I will be a guest on the Geekerati Radio Podcast this Monday night, so I hope you'll check it out.

Best,

-Win
www.winscotteckert.com

FarmerCon II

Via SavageChuck.... More later!

Farmerphile: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer - Issue No. 9

Farmerphile #9 is now available for ordering and will be shipping sometime in the next couple weeks.

The issue is Ancient Opar themed. Table of Contents:

• The Archaeology of Khokarsa - by Christopher Paul Carey
• White Skinned Grey-Eyed God- by Dennis E. Power
• Sketches from the Ruins of My Mind- by Robert R. Barrett
• The Brueckel/Harwood Letter- by Philip José Farmer
• Bibliophile- by Paul Spiteri
• The Rebels Unthawed- by Philip José Farmer (Star Trek fans, take note!)--- illustrated by Shannon Robicheaux
• Star Trek’s Loss Is Your Gain- by Danny Adams
• Creative Mythography: "The Shades of Pemberley, Part II"- a Sexton Blake/Sherlock Holmes/Farmerian homage by Win Scott Eckert--- illustrated by Chuck Loridans
• Up from the Bottomless Pit (part 9)- by Philip José Farmer
  
  
  Check out this utterly gorgeous cover art by Charles Berlin. That’s Phil Farmer exploring the ruins of Opar with the specter of Hadon of Opar hauntingly behind him. Chris Carey consulted with Charles on this illustration so that the symbols you see on the ruins and on the paper in Phil’s hand are actually the real characters Phil devised for the Khokarsan language (but have never previously been published anywhere). The stylized ant head painted on Hadon’s chest was also designed by Phil.

This issue also has the second part of my "The Shades of Pemberley." Please be sure to check out the Shades of Pemberley Contest; you can win copies of books signed by Phil Farmer, me, Chris Carey, Chuck Loridans, and Mike Croteau.

Best,
Win
http://www.winscotteckert.com/

Steven Colbert puts the Wold Newton Family On Notice

Via cpc: First Colbert put metafictional authors On Notice.

Now he's after the Wold Newton Family.

Somebody stop this man.

Up from the Bottomless Pit shipping soon

Via Christopher Paul Carey:

"The word is in from Subterranean Press that Up from the Bottomless Pit and Other Stories will be shipping in July. This collection features the first book publication of Philip José Farmer’s Up from the Bottomless Pit, an eco-thriller that Phil wrote in the late-1970s about a worldwide disaster in the oil industry. The book never saw print until its serialized publication in Farmerphile (2005-2007) and now in this handsome limited edition from Subterranean Press. The book also features fourteen previously rare and uncollected Farmer stories and public talks, as well as an introduction and story headers by yours truly, and a special introduction to one story by Win Scott Eckert. Since this is a limited edition, which collectors will doubtless be after because it’s a first edition Farmer, I suggest you get 'em while they’re hot, folks."

My "special introduction" is Star Trek-related, although it is not to, alas a Trek story by Philip José Farmer. Still, if you're a Farmer fan and a Trek fan, you'll want to check it out. As well as the whole Chris Carey-edited collection, of course. :-)

At the Locus Awards & a MYTHS signing

Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe is a 2007 Locus Award Finalist in the Non-Fiction Category. Myths contributor Christopher Paul Carey and I will be attending the Award Ceremony this coming weekend in Seattle, and taking in the festivities at Science Fiction Museum 2007 Hall of Fame Awards Weekend.

Friday, June 15, 2007
8:00 to 11:00 pm: Costume party and exhibition preview of Out of this World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television at Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. This event is open to EMP/SFM members and to attendees of the Locus Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Saturday, June 16, 2007
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: “Thinking about Humanity” Panel with Connie Willis, Gardner Dozois, and Nancy Kress, moderated by Eileen Gunn at the Courtyard Marriott.

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.: “Thinking about the World” Panel with Vernor Vinge, Greg Bear, and Neal Stephenson, moderated by Charles N. Brown at the Courtyard Marriott.

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Locus Awards Banquet at the Courtyard Marriott with emcee Connie Willis, who will present the awards and judge the traditional Hawaiian shirt contest.

3:00 to 3:30 p.m.: Book signing with Gene Wolfe, Connie Willis, John Picacio (of Myths cover art fame), and others at the Courtyard Marriott.

8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.: 2007 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony honoring Gene Wolfe, Ed Emshwiller, Ridley Scott and Gene Roddenberry.


Chris Carey and I will be at the Book Signing at the Courtyard Marriott from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m., so if you're in the Seattle area, please drop by, we'd love to see you and mark up your copy of Myths -- or sell you a new one. ;-)

Best of luck also to John Picacio and Mark Finn, who also have MonkeyBrain-published books in the running, and of course Subterranean's The Best of Philip José Farmer.

Best,

Win
winscotteckert.com

FARMERPHILE no. 8 shipping... and a contest to win signed books!

Issue no. 8 of Farmerphile: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer is now shipping. Just click here for contents and ordering information.

We've doing something a bit different with this issue and the next for the Creative Mythography section of the magazine. We're running a contest for the readers who can identify the most "Easter egg" references in the two-part "The Shades of Pemberley," which runs in issues 8 and 9. Issue 9 ships in July and contest entries will be due after that.

Full details on the rules and prizes--including a copy of Venus on the Half-Shell signed by Philip José Farmer!--are here.

Let the Games begin!

Locus Award Finalists

From Chris Roberson, publisher of MonkeyBrain Books:

"Looks like MonkeyBrain has three horses in this race (and two of them in the same category!)."

The full list is online , but here are the relevant parts:

*Best Non-Fiction *
- About Writing, Samuel R. Delany (Wesleyan University Press)
- Blood & Thunder: The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard, Mark Finn (MonkeyBrain Books)
- The Darkening Garden: A Short Lexicon of Horror, John Clute (Payseur & Schmidt)
- James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon, Julie Phillips (St. Martin's)
- Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe, Win Scott Eckert (MonkeyBrain Books)

*Best Art Book *
- Cathy & Arnie Fenner, eds. Spectrum 13: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Underwood)
- Edward Gorey, Amphigorey Again (Harcourt)
- John Jude Palencar, Origins (Underwood Books)
- John Picacio, Cover Story (MonkeyBrain Books)
- Boris Vallejo & Julie Bell, The Fabulous Women of Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell (HarperCollins/Collins Design)

My congratulations to fellow MonkeyBrain scribe Mark Finn, and to John Picacio (who also happened to do the cover art for Myths) for his dual nomination in the category of Best Artist!

I should also point out that The Best of Philip José Farmer (Subterranean Press) is up for Best Collection.

I am very, very thankful to everyone who voted for Myths. And most grateful, once again, to all the wonderful creative mythographers who contributed to the book.

Beyond that, I'm mostly speechless right now.

Locus poll ends tomorrow

Friends,

The Locus Magazine annual "best-of" poll ends tomorrow!

If you haven't had a chance to vote yet, your support for Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe in the non-fiction category will be most appreciated...

Best,

-Win

Philip José Farmer and LOST

Doc Jensen (and a whole bunch of other people all over the 'net) does what is essentially a creative mythography analysis of LOST every week.

This week, Philip José Farmer and his work are name-dropped--multiple times. There are some amazing theories in here. Check out the links at the bottom for other essays.

I know that the latest hot genre show is HEROES, but for me, LOST is still where it's at.

THE GHOST Lives!

Wild Cat Books proudly announces THE GHOST, an upcoming pulp anthology featuring brand new stories by some of today’s most acclaimed writers of mystery, horror, and science fiction. The Ghost, a fascinating, nearly forgotten pulp hero, is magician detective George Chance, (later known as the Green Ghost), whose thrilling adventures were originally written by G.T. Fleming-Roberts, pseudonym of George Thomas Roberts, a prolific contributor to pulp magazines. As the Ghost, Chance adopts a terrifying disguise, using his superior skill as an illusionist and master escape artist, to battle the criminal Underworld.

THE GHOST resurrection is the collaborative brain-child of Wild Cat founder and publisher Ron Hanna, who has been printing new editions of pulp material for over a decade, and writer/editor Martin Powell, a contributor not only to Moonstone’s eagerly awaited pulp anthologies reviving THE SPIDER, THE PHANTOM, THE AVENGER, and CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT, but was also a featured writer in KOLCHAK: The Night Stalker Chronicles, which earned a Bram Stoker nomination.

“About a year ago, publisher Ron Hanna approached me with the idea of doing something new with the Ghost, an old favorite character for both of us,” Powell said. “He generously gave me the freedom to select my own writers and illustrator, and I immediately knew exactly who I wanted for the book. As busy as all of these guys are, I was genuinely surprised when every single writer that I’d hand-picked enthusiastically joined the project. Already this has been an awesome experience.”

The featured “Ghost Writers” are an impressive group, including: James Chambers (The Midnight Hour), Win Scott Eckert (Tales of the Shadowmen), Mike Frigon (Doctor Satan), Joe Gentile (Kolchak the Night Stalker & Sherlock Holmes), Howard Hopkins (Night Demons), Christopher Mills (Femme Noir), and Powell himself. Larry Marshall (Flying Models) is on board as co-editor.

Thomas L. Floyd, creator of the web-comic strip, CAPTAIN SPECTRE, has also joined THE GHOST, contributing a new painted cover and providing a series of b&w interior illustrations, as well.

Hanna and Powell also hint at a major surprise within the covers of THE GHOST, yet to be announced, that they guarantee will give pulp fans a reason to celebrate.

The resurrection of THE GHOST promises to be as cool a pulp publishing "event" as anything that's come before!

CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT Returns at Moonstone Books

Well, the contract's signed, so I guess it's official. I've been invited to contribute to Moonstone Books' new Captain Midnight anthology, and couldn't be more pleased.

Moonstone is the outfit responsible for bringing back many favorites in prose, four-color/b&w glory, or both, including Sherlock Holmes, Kolchak the Night Stalker, The Phantom, Mr. Moto, The Mysterious Traveler, I Love a Mystery, Buckaroo Banzai, Bulldog Drummond, The Spider, The Avenger, and even Doc Savage (radio scripts).

This is exciting stuff! I don't have any more info right now, but when I do I'll post it.

Index to MYTHS FOR THE MODERN AGE: PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER’S WOLD NEWTON UNIVERSE

Adrian Nebbett, gentleman proprietor of the Sherlock Holmes Pastiche Character Index, a resource I turn to often, e-mailed me out of the blue to say he's done an index for MYTHS FOR THE MODERN AGE: PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER’S WOLD NEWTON UNIVERSE.

It's a fantastic bit of work, for which I've thanked him profusely.

You can download your copy by going to his page "Indexes to Classic Sherlockian Works."

And no, it is not lost on me that Mr. Nebbett considers MYTHS to be a "classic Sherlockian work." High praise, indeed.

MYTHS FOR THE MODERN AGE now listed on 37th annual Locus Awards ballot - Please Vote

Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe is on the 37th Annual Locus Awards ballot for best Non-Fiction book of 2006.

If you've read Myths and enjoyed it, then please consider voting for it; I and the other contributors would be most grateful.

THE BEST OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER is also listed on the ballot for Best Single-Author Collection, so be sure to vote for that as well.

Be sure to also give props to Chris Roberson and the other MonkeyBrain Books titles, and consider a vote for Myths contributor Chris Carey's former Writing Popular Fiction mentor, Tobias Buckell, who is up for Best First Novel for CRYSTAL RAIN.

Anyone can vote. Please post this on your blogs, forward to friends and family, etc, ASAP. And ask them to vote and forward it on.

https://secure.locusmag.com/2007/2007PollAndSurvey.html

Best,

Win

MYTHS FOR THE MODERN AGE now listed on 37th annual Locus Awards ballot - Please Vote

Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe is on the 37th Annual Locus Awards ballot for best Non-Fiction book of 2006.

If you've read Myths and enjoyed it, then please consider voting for it; I and the other contributors would be most grateful.

THE BEST OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER is also listed on the ballot for Best Single-Author Collection, so be sure to vote for that as well.

Be sure to also give props to Chris Roberson and the other MonkeyBrain Books titles, and consider a vote for Myths contributor Chris Carey's former Writing Popular Fiction mentor, Tobias Buckell, who is up for Best First Novel for CRYSTAL RAIN.

Anyone can vote. Please post this on your blogs, forward to friends and family, etc, ASAP. And ask them to vote and forward it on.

https://secure.locusmag.com/2007/2007PollAndSurvey.html

Best,

Win

MYTHS makes Locus Magazine's Recommended Reading: 2006

I've very pleased to note that Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe made the Locus Magazine's Recommended Reading List for 2006. The list will appear in the February issue.

Continuing the Farmerian trend, The Best of Philip José Farmer was also listed.

Props also to Chris Roberson, publisher of Myths for the Modern Age, for his own mentions and the other MonkeyBrain titles!

FARMERPHILE - Issue No. 7 – January 2007 – Now Available!

FARMERPHILE: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer

Farmerphile is a quarterly magazine completely dedicated to works by and about Philip José Farmer. It features the unpublished novel Up from the Bottomless Pit, a suspense-thriller about the ultimate disaster in the oil industry, serialized over the first ten issues. These ten issues will also include other unpublished stories, speeches and letters by Farmer himself, as well as articles about the Grand Master and his work from his fans and peers. Farmerphile is fabulously illustrated by such talented artists as Jason Robert Bell, Charles Berlin, Keith Howell, Karl Kauffman, Chuck Loridans, and Shannon Robicheaux.

Issue No. 7 – January 2007 – Now Available!

The January 2007 issue of Farmerphile features Philip José Farmer’s previously unpublished science fiction story “The Frames,” a prophetically disturbing look at the electronic duplicity of our media. Next up is “The Light-Hog Incident,” a never before seen in print excerpt from PJF’s unfinished novel The Man Who Loved the Great Wizard. But that’s not all: Be the first to read an excerpt from the upcoming short novel The City Beyond Play (PS Publishing, 2007) by Philip José Farmer and Danny Adams, and an exclusive interview with the two authors about the writing of this new and exciting release. Also included in this issue: a little known account by author David Bischoff in which he inadvertently becomes involved in an uncomfortable near miss with one of his favorite authors; the hilarious Riverworld parodies of fan legend Walt Liebscher; a look at the mysteries of The World of Tiers by Dennis E. Power (contributor to Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe); and features by our regular contributors Bette Farmer and Paul Spiteri (editor of Pearls from Peoria).


Table of contents:

Riverworld in Parody – Walt Liebscher

The Rollercoaster Ride with Phil Farmer – Bette Farmer

An Excerpt from The City Beyond Play – Philip José Farmer & Danny Adams

Farmerphile Interviews Danny Adams and Philip José Farmer

The Frames – Philip José Farmer

illustrated by Charles Berlin

The Light-Hog Incident – Philip José Farmer

A Letter from Farmer – David Bischoff

Creative Mythography – Dennis E. Power

Bibliophile: a discussion on The Long Warpath – Paul Spiteri

Up from the Bottomless Pit, Part 7 – Philip José Farmer

illustrated by Keith Howell

Cover art by Shannon Robicheaux

Complete ordering information for Farmerphile may be found at:

http://www.pjfarmer.com/farmerphile.htm

___________

(Note from Win: my pal and fellow Wold Newton/PJF researcher Dennis Power kindly agreed to do a guest Creative Mythography column for this issue. Check it out, why don't you? I'll be back in issue no. 8.

Interviewed in STARLOG!

The March 2007 issue of Starlog magazine (the issue with Heroes on the cover, now on the newsstands) features an article on Philip José Farmer and the Wold Newton Universe.

If you haven't yet found a copy, Starlog has put up an excerpt from the article on their website. The front page of the Starlog website features a picture of Phil and a link to the excerpt, or you can go straight to the excerpt.

Phil agreed to a new interview for this article. I was also interviewed, as well as Farmerphile editor Christopher Paul Carey.

This is just a teaser (the full printed article is a glossy four-page spread), so if you're a fan, it's still worth picking up a physical copy of the magazine for your collection. B&N and Borders should both be carrying it.

Oh yeah, this issue of Starlog also hypes Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 3: Danse Macabre. Cool.

-Win

www.winscotteckert.com

CROSSOVERS: A Chronology of Adventure Heroes

Announcing CROSSOVERS: A Chronology of Adventure Heroes (working title) by Win Scott Eckert

The book will be an enormous expansion and revision of what is currently called the Crossover Chronology. The current version of the Crossover Chronology (online here) has approximately 400 entries. For the book version, those entries have been revised, as needed, and will contain approximately an additional 1,200 entries -- for a grand total of about 1,600 entries -- to what will be called the "Crossover Universe."

Readers can still think "Wold Newton Universe," if they prefer, and all the current references in the chronology to the Wold Newton Family, the Wold Newton meteor event, etc., will be maintained.

The basis for CROSSOVERS: A Chronology of Adventure Heroes will be fictional biographies, such as Philip José Farmer's TARZAN ALIVE and DOC SAVAGE, but also other works such as C. Northcote Parkinson's biography of Horatio Hornblower, or the short biographical pieces of the detectives in Anthony Boucher's FOUR-&-TWENTY BLOODHOUNDS.

In addition, the book will contain appendices on TV crossovers, and extensive Alternate Universe entries for stories that don't fit into the main continuity of CROSSOVERS, as well as an introductory essay on the history of the crossover by the incomparable Jess Nevins.

Coming in Spring/Summer 2008 (date tentative) from MonkeyBrain Books.

Lance Star--Sky Ranger now available on Amazon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

LANCE STAR--SKY RANGER NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

If you're a pulp fan, Lance Star--Sky Ranger is for you.  Along with my
fellow writers [Bobby Nash, Frank Dirscherl, and Bill Spangler] we have crafted four tales to excite and thrill.

You can go to www.amazon.com and search for "Lance Star Sky Ranger" or follow this direct link.

My story, "Shadows Over Kunlun," has a lot of Wold Newton crossover referenecs, and and contains my answer to what happened to a particular second-tier pulp aviation hero. I hope you'll check it out.

Best,

Win Scott Eckert
Sky Ranger
www.winscotteckert.com


OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:

LANCE STAR - SKY RANGER Now Available from Wild Cat Books!

LANCE STAR - SKY RANGER... In the summer of 1936, a new flying hero magazine was created called LANCE STAR - SKY RANGER. It was produced by the small time Canadian publisher, Dutton Press, out of Ontario. Managing Editor, Saul Kingman, wanted a title to compete with the flying titles that were popping up all over the U.S. He wanted a title that would join the ranks of such pulp heroes as G-8, DUSTY AYRES and BILL BARNES... Wild Cat Books is proud to announce the return of this classic pulp hero! This new collection of stories features pulse-pounding prose by Frank Dirscherl, Bobby Nash, Win Scott Eckert, and Bill Spangler and is produced by pulp fiction wordsmith Ron Fortier. Artwork by Rich Woodall... Stories include: "Attack Of The Bird Man", "Where The Sea Meets The Sky", "Shadows Over Kunlun", and "Talons Of The Red Condors"... plus the special feature article "Pulp Aviation Heroes and the Rise of the Model Aviation Press" by Larry Marshall...

152 pages, 6"x9" Trade Paperback... $15.00.  An electronic version is
available as an e-book for $7.43.

Available at Wild Cat Books and at Amazon.com.

Tales of the Shadowmen 3: Danse Macabre

... is now available!

Crossover stories featuring French, British, and American literature and pulp sources and characters:

Fantômas is dead, long live Fantômas! Doctor Omega and Captain Kronos challenge the might of the Vampire City! The Animalists overthrow Babar, King of the Elephants! King Kong falls in love for the first time! Hercule Poirot stalks a Murderer from Beyond! The Sûreté du Temps Perdu faces the Vampires and the Cat Women of the Moon invade the 20th Century–but which 20th Century? And also Fu-Manchu, Judex, Maciste, the Black Coats, Biggles, John Devil, Barbarella and many more! Welcome once again to our merry-go-round of heroes and villains of popular literature, the danse macabre of the Shadowmen.

Order it here!

Well-known Wold Newton writers Matthew Baugh, Rick Lai, Greg Gick, Bill Cunningham, Brad Mengel, and myself (I contribute a "Doc Ardan," aka Doc Savage tale), along with well-known writers such as Paul Di Filippo, John Peel, Brian Stableford, Chris Roberson, and Michael Moorcock(!!)... Don't miss it, order your copy today! ;-)

Lost footage from Trek second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before"

As much as I'm enjoying the Original Star Trek series remastered with updated effects, this news just blows me away: there's "lost" footage from the second pilot which has been unearthed and is now available on YouTube. Enjoy.

FARMERPHILE: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer, Issue 6 – the DOC SAVAGE themed issue - Shipping soon!

FARMERPHILE: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer

Farmerphile is a quarterly magazine completely dedicated to works by and about Philip José Farmer. It features the unpublished novel Up from the Bottomless Pit, a suspense-thriller about the ultimate disaster in the oil industry, serialized over the first ten issues. These ten issues will also include other unpublished stories, speeches and letters by Farmer himself, as well as articles about the Grand Master and his work from his fans and peers. Farmerphile is fabulously illustrated by such talented artists as Jason Robert Bell, Charles Berlin, Keith Howell, Karl Kauffman, and Chuck Loridans.

Issue No. 6 - October 2006 – Shipping soon!



The October 2006 issue of Farmerphile features Philip José Farmer’s previously unpublished short story "Keep Your Mouth Shut" and the sixth exciting installment of Up from the Bottomless Pit. Also spotlighted is an insightful look at Farmer's "writings in bronze" by Doc Savage author and expert Will Murray. Carrying on the theme of Murray’s essay, Danny Adams (co-author of The City Beyond Play), Win Scott Eckert (editor of and contributor to Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe), and Christopher Paul Carey (contributor to Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe) all pay tribute in this issue to Farmer’s Doc Savage-related work; and Bette Farmer shares behind the scenes reminiscences from the Farmers' visit to the home of Lester Dent, the first "Kenneth Robeson." Also included is an essay on collecting PJF worldwide by Rias Nuninga (webmaster of The Philip José Farmer International Bibliography) and a Bibliophile column on Farmer’s only mainstream novel, Fire and the Night, by Ramble House publisher Fender Tucker.

Table of Contents:

The International Appeal of Philip José Farmer - Rias Nuninga

Bibliophile: a discussion on Fire and the Night - Fender Tucker

Keep Your Mouth Shut - Philip José Farmer
illustrated by Jason Robert Bell

The Roller Coaster Ride with Philip José Farmer - Bette Farmer

Caliban - Will Murray

A Box within a Box - Danny Adams

Creative Mythography: Doc Wildman: Out of Time* - Win Scott Eckert
illustrated by Chuck Loridans

Through the Seventh Gate - Christopher Paul Carey

Up from the Bottomless Pit - Philip José Farmer
illustrated by Keith Howell

Covert art by Charles Berlin

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Complete ordering information for Farmerphile may be found here.

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"Doc Wildman: Out of Time" is the written version of my Wold Newton panel presentation at the 2006 San Diego ComicCon, reviews of which are here, here, and here.