Tag Archives: birthday

Singing the Body Electric

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Let’s talk about cycles and rhythms of life, shall we? If you are fortunate to have enough stability in your life, then life will begin to develop cycles and rhythms. For example, it’s August. Summer classes are over, but the fall semester hasn’t started yet.

For a number of years now, I’ve read something by Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) and posted about it on this date, August 22, in honor of his birth. The fact that the high temperatures for the last couple of days have been in the 70s (in Texas in August!!), making me think of fall and October and Bradbury. Continue reading →

The Best of H. P. Lovecraft: Del Rey vs. the SFBC

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August 20 (today as I write this) is the birthday of H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937). I’ve not had a chance to read anything by him, so I’m going to do something different. There have been two different collections claiming to representative of his best fiction. I’ll survey them here, discussing what stories each contain, where they overlap, and where they differ. Continue reading →

Happy Birthday, James Stoddard

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James Stoddard, photo swiped from his web site.

James Stoddard was born on this day, August 13. What year? I don’t know.

So how do I know it’s his birthday? Because we are in the same writer’s group, and he wasn’t at today’s meeting. When I asked at lunch if anyone knew where he was, someone (waves at Dan) said that James had told him that he (James) wouldn’t be there because it was his birthday.

So Happy Birthday, James!

James is the author of five novels and ten short stories. If you are a fan of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, you need to read his Evenmere series, which was inspired by them. Start with The High House. It’s been a while since I read them, so a reread is probably due on my part.

Anyway, Happy Birthday, again, James.

Happy Birthday Farnsworth

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Farnsworth Wright (1888-1940) was born on this date, July 29. Farnsworth, as I’m sure you all know, was editor of Weird Tales during its glory years.

I wanted to give a quick shout-out to him today since I haven’t posted much lately.I’ll post an update soon. The summer hasn’t been dull.

Next year (2023) is the centennial of Weird Tales. I’m in the planning stage for a series of posts that will run next year.

In the meantime, keep your eye out for guest posts by John Bullard and Will Oliver over the next week.

Kardios Slaughters the Gods

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Today, May 21, is the birthday of Manly Wade Wellman (1903-1986). Although best known for his tales of Jon the Balladeer, Wellman also wrote a number of stories in a variety of subgenres, including sword and sorcery. These stories aren’t as well-known as his Appalachian tales. They are still worth reading.

One of the sword and sorcery characters he wrote about was a chap named Kardios, the sole survivor of Atlantis. The reason Atlantis sunk is that Kardios did something he shouldn’t have. By kissing the queen, he institutes the curse that causes the island to sink. Now he wanders the world having adventures. Continue reading →

Kuttner’s “Line to Tomorrow”

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One of the things Henry Kuttner excelled at was the dark, sardonic twist at the end of many of his stories. Another thing he excelled at was time travel stories. Often in the same story. We’ll look at one of these today that he wrote in collaboration with his wife C. L. Moore that was published under their pen name Lewis Padgett.

Speaking of today, it’s Kuttner’s birthday, April 7, as this post goes live. I wasn’t able to read something for the birthday of Kuttner’s friend Robert Bloch. I wasn’t going to make that mistake for Kuttner.

“Line to Tomorrow” begins with Jerry Fletcher answering the phone way too early in the morning. He can only hear one voice. It seems to be a call between two people, but much of what they’re talking about doesn’t make sense. Continue reading →

I Didn’t Forget Bloch’s Birthday…

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…not exactly. I’ve been swamped with other things.

Robert Bloch, one of the best short fiction writers of the weird and fantastic was born today, April 5, 1917. Hey, it’s still the 5th where and when I’m writing this.

I’ve not read any of his work in observance of his birthday yet, but I’ll try to fit something in over the next few days. Sadly, much of his work is currently out of print. There are a few things  up on Amazon, but they look sketchy.

What short story of Bloch’s would  you suggest I read (or reread)?

Third Brief Shoutout: C. L. Moore

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While I made my deadline for submitting to the anthology I was trying for, I still haven’t had a chance to read anything by the birthday girl for today (Jan. 24), C. L. Moore (1911-1987). I blame labs starting today and another writing assignment I had due.

She’s no stranger to regular readers of this blog. I fell in love with her writing way back in middle school, and she’s been a favorite ever since.

I’ve read pretty much all of her solo work, and most of what she wrote in collaboration with her husband Henry Kuttner. But it’s been a while since I’ve read some of it.

Maybe I’ll revisit some of those stories.

If you’ve not read her, give her work a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Another Brief Shoutout, Howard This Time

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January 22 is the birthday of one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century, Robert E. Howard. Not only did he pen some of the best horror and fantasy stories of all time, he excelled in other genres as well, such as boxing, adventure and both humorous and serious westerns. And let’s not forget two literary categories, poetry and corresponding with H. P. Lovecraft.

I’m still trying to get a piece of fiction finished before a deadline, so I haven’t had a chance to read anything of Howard’s. I’d hoped to, but then one of our for-legged family members died suddenly. That’s thrown everything off.

But one thing that’s been at the back of my mind about Bob while I’ve been writing is what I mentioned in the first paragraph. He was a versatile writer. And he was not afraid to stretch himself and grow, to take chances. This can be seen in the works of a number of writers.  That’s the example I’m trying to follow.

A Brief Shoutout to Abraham Merritt

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Abraham Merritt (1884-1943) was born on this date, January 20. This is just going to be a brief post. I’m working on a tight deadline for an anthology submission, so I’ve not had a chance to read anything by him (or anyone else, for that matter.)

He was once one of the most revered names in fantasy. His influence was such that he was, to the best of my knowledge, the first genre writer to have a fiction magazine named after him. There’s an example of one of the issues on the right. I’d like to get my hands on a copy. That cover looks great.

Hopefully we’ll see a resurgence of interest in the man and his work. He could spin a yarn. I want to reread Dwellers in the Mirage later this year.

I’ve missed a couple of birthday’s lately, such as Brackett and Clark Ashton Smith. Once my writing commitments lighten up, I’ll post something about them.