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