Today is February 20, and it’s the birthday of two writers, Richard Matheson (1926-2013) and Ardath Mayhar (1930-2012). It’s been a full day, and it’s late. I’m going to keep this short, but I did want to acknowledge these two writers.

Matheson needs no introduction. He was the author of such classics as I Am Legend and The Shrinking Man, as well as a number of scripts for the original Twilight Zone.

His first shorrt story was “Born of Man and Woman”, a chilling little horror tale. Other famous stories include “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”, which was a Twilight Zone episode starring William Shatner, and  “Duel”, which was made into a movie starring Dennis Weaver. He played the detective Mc Cloud in the seventies.

Matheson also wreote the scripts for Roger Corman’s movies based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe starring Vincent Price.

I listened to The Best of Richard Matheson on audiobook last year when I was driving back and forth between where I live now and Lubbock. It was good to revisit many stories that I had read years ago.

Ardath Mayhar was a Texas writer who had her own unique voice.The person with the  most similar voice would probably be Joe Lansdale, although they are very different in some ways. They were from the same part of Texas and knew each other. I was walking up to the door of a convention, carrying in some things after checking in, a van pulled up. Joe got out and opened the door for Ardath. I knew it was going to be a great convention. I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting her at a few other Texas conventions. She had spunk and was always fun to talk to.

She is probably best remembered today for the novel Golden Fuzzy, which was a sequel to H. Beam Piper’s Little Fuzzy told from the point of view of the fuzzies.

Check out some of her work, particularly her short fiction. You won’t regret it.