Category Archives: birthday

Emsh

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Artist Ed Emshwiller (1925-1990) was born today, February 16. He signed his work Emsh.

Emshwiller was best known for his covers for Galaxy in the 1950s and for F&SF in the early sixties. That’s one of my favorites there ont he left. He also did a series fo Christmas covers for Galaxy. Mush of his work for Galaxy had a a whimsical flavor to it.

His covers for F&SF and other magazines tended to be more serious and even dark at times.

In the 1970s his interests moved to film. Here are som of his covers. Continue reading →

Jo Clayton

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Jo Clayton (1939-1998) was born on this day, January 15.

In a post earlier this  year, I asked what writers should be remembered. One of the suggestions was Jo Clayton.

I’ve never read her work, although based on some of the covers, they look like a lot of pulpy fun. The Diadem series was publiished  back in the days when DAW was still being run by Donald A. Wolheim. And old Don, he did love him some pulp.

I have most of this series in a box (or boxes) somewhere that I haven’t unpacked yet. I picked most of them up at the Friends of the Library sale on the cheap.

They are on my radar and have been for q while. I just haven’t worked them in. I’ll be unpacking boxes when I get the new bookcases next week, and I’ll keep an eye out for them.

This isn’t the only series Clayton wrote, but it is the one I’ve seen most associated with her. I’m not familiar with her other work.

DAW covers back in the 1970s really made the books look like fun. Those yellow spines were an eye-catching thing in a bookstore when the books were shelved spine out.

If any of you have read Clayton, what do you think of her work in general and this series specifically?

 

Terry Bisson

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January 12, today as I write this, is the birthday of Terry Bisson (1942-2024). We lost Terry last month.

He was a critically acclaimed writer. I hate to say that I’ve not read much of his work. Maybe a few short stories over the years.

If any of you have read much of his work, what would you suggest I read?

Two by Hautala

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Today, February 3, is the birthday of Rick Hautala (1949-2013). I actually had some time today while sitting in the Husband Holding Area while my wife did some shopping, so I read a couple of his stories. Both of these stories can be found in Glimpses: The Best Short Stories of Rick Hautala.

I’ve read some of Hautala’s work before, but that was years ago. It was good to be reminded of why I like his stuff.  Feel free to consider this post to be another in the informal series I’ve been doing of writers whose work shouldn’t be forgotten.

Before I get to the stories, let me say that Glimpses is a great  collection. I’ve only read a little of it, and the stories I chose are in the middle of the book, but if you want to sample Hautala’s work, especially at shorter lengths, then this is a great place to start. Continue reading →

C. L. Moore, Pioneer of Fantasy and Science Fiction

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Catherine Lucille (C. L.) Moore (1911-1987) was born in Indianapolis on this date, January 24. She is the third of three major fantasy writers whose birthdays are every other day in January. The first was A. Merritt, and the second was Robert E. Howard.  She is someone whose work should not be forgotten. If you haven’t read her work, or if it’s been a while, do yourself a favor and do so.

Like Howard, I’ve written about Moore so many times over the years that it’s becoming a challenge to come up with something  new. Work and some travel have kept me from doing much reading for the last week, so there won’t be a review of any particular story.  Forgive me if I rehash things from older posts. Continue reading →

Robert E. Howard, Second of Three

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Born Januarry 22, 1906, Robert E. Howard is the second of three birthdays that fall every other day here in late Janaury. The first is A. Merritt, whom I wrote about two days ago.

I’ve been writing about Howard and doing birthday posts for him for years, so I’m not sure what else I could say. I’d better think of something, though, because I have a REHUPA article due by the end of the month, and it needs to be four pages.

I’ve got time. (Famous Last Words.)

So, today I want to talk about Howard’s work ethic as a writer. Writing practices have been on my mind lately, so I thought I would examine a few of Howard’s. Continue reading →

Abraham Merritt, First of Three

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Abraham Merritt (1884-1943) was born today, January 20. His birthday is the first  of three giants of the fantasy field who birthdays fall every other day. The next two are Robert E. Howard and C. L. Moore. Posts on their birthdays to follow over the next couple of days.

There’s been something of a theme running through this year’s posts, and that is authors who have either never really received the recognition they deserve and are still writing, or they were once major figures who have been forgotten or nearly so. Continue reading →

Coming to Poe by Way of Bradbury

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Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was born on this date, January 19. He was one of the greatest writers of the strange and macabre. Depending on how you split hairs when defining your terms, he has been credited with creating the detective story and science fiction. And while some might say that’s a stretch, there’s no denying that he was an early practitioner of those genres as well as a writer of some truly gothic tales. H. P. Lovecraft, himself no slouch in the weird fiction department, was greatly influenced by him.

I don’t recall when I first became aware of Poe. I have vague memories of someone talking about “The Pit and the Pendulum” when I was very young, like about five or so.

I was certainly aware of him and his work when I first read The Martian Chronicles. This would have been in fifth grade, I believe. You might be wondering what The Martian Chronicles has to do with Poe. So let me explain. Continue reading →