Archive for June, 2011

17
Jun

Membership Benefits

   Posted by: Rob Roehm    in Events, Merchandise, News, Newsletter

As Legacy Circle members already know, membership has its benefits. At this year’s Howard Days, not only did they enjoy a meal and fellowship at Jean’s Feedbarn (who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch), they also received a membership pin and a copy of The Hyborian Age. This limited edition chapbook contains Howard’s important essay, as well as the three, never before published drafts leading up to it. Hyborian scholars are having a field day.

Legacy Circle and Friends of REH members also received the latest Foundation Newsletter. This issue contains the first complete publication of Howard’s 1925 gag letter to Tevis Clyde Smith and an early draft of “Nekht Semerkeht”; both are copies of Howard’s actual typescripts. There’s also a News section, and a photocopy of Doctor Howard’s inscription from one of the books in the Robert E. Howard Memorial Collection at Howard Payne Library in Brownwood.

 

Finally, all of our members—Legacy Circle, Friend of REH, and Supporting—are enjoying their 10% discount on the REHF Press’ latest releases: The Collected Letters of Doctor Isaac M. Howard and School Days in the Post Oaks. And we’ve got several more items in the pipeline, including the forthcoming Spicy Adventures.

It’s not too late to receive these benefits. Sign up today and you’ll receive the goodies for that membership level. This offer is good for the rest of the year, but don’t delay—join today!

Another good thing about attending Howard Days is that fans get first crack at new releases. Foundation treasurer Paul Herman unveiled a new issue of The Howard Collector on Saturday. There are still a few copies left, and Paul provides ordering details below:

That’s right, after 28 years of quiet, THE HOWARD COLLECTOR, the first and greatest REH journal, has returned. Started by Glenn Lord in 1961, THC served as a venue for REH studies, and set the standard for REH periodicals. Collecting rare and previously unpublished REH stories, poems and letters, along with book reviews, and interesting historical information from REH’s friends and associates, THC was uniquely situated to provide the best of everything. Glenn acquired the famed Trunk of lost materials, and he served as the literary agent for the REH heirs for more than 30 years. Glenn also tracked down and visited with several of REH’s friends, and accordingly gaining access to even more material. AND finally, Glenn is the kind of person who crafts a book with class, subtlety, and care, to create a book without silly flash, just great meat on them bones.

THC ran for 18 issues, ending in 1973, as Glenn got too busy with the business of REH to deal with cranking out a fanzine. Those original 18 issues are now highly collectable, and contain all sorts of rare and interesting REH works and discussion. Go check them out on eBay, sometime, and see the prices these fetch.

Glenn has been retired from the world of REH for more than a decade now. But Dennis McHaney had the idea of seeing if Glenn would be interested in doing another issue in his spare time. A group of us chatted with Glenn, and he decided to do it. With the kind permission of Paradox, and the efforts of a few friends (including Rob Roehm), the latest issue is now available. A LOT of research and work went into trying to properly match fonts, styles, paper, etc. Contents include an introduction by Glenn Lord, a previously unpublished REH poem, a previously unpublished REH drawing, a previously unpublished Breck Elkins fragment, and the infamous first draft of “Black Canaan”, the one that REH said the editors “cut the guts out of”. The guts are back in. And finally some book reviews by the great Fred Blosser.

The print run is limited to 200 copies total. The book is a fat 52 pages, and sells for $20. As Glenn has better things to do, I’m handling the shipping. Shipping in the US is $3 First Class, $6 Priority. Insurance is $2. For non-US destinations, please contact me at piherman@yahoo.com. Checks or money orders can be sent to:

Paul Herman
PO Box 250526
Plano, TX 75025

or PayPal to godzilladude@sbcglobal.net. Profits go to Glenn.

Note this book was debuted and on sale for a couple hours in Cross Plains, and that sold about a third of them, without many folks even getting to see it. When they are gone they are gone.

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14
Jun

Now Available

   Posted by: Rob Roehm    in News

 

The Robert E. Howard Foundation is proud to announce two new titles: School Days in the Post Oaks and The Collected Letters of Dr. Isaac M. Howard. These books are available in both hard and soft covers. Jackets designed by Jim & Ruth Keegan.

School Days in the Post Oaks is an anthology of newspapers articles covering Robert E. Howard’s life and times in the post oak country. The articles were pulled from community papers—Cross Plains Review, Brownwood Bulletin, Dallas Daily News, etc.—and school publications—The Tattler, The Progress, Daniel Baker Collegian, Yellow Jacket. These articles cover a range of activities: from Robert Howard’s graduation from Cross Plains High to his summer graduation from the Howard Payne Commercial School. They describe events that occurred both on campus and off; for example, Howard’s Brownwood High graduation is narrated in detail, even including the text of the commencement speech. Other articles describe what it was like to work for the Yellow Jacket, the overcrowding at BHS, the senior picnic, and more. Along the way, other Howardian personalities receive equal attention: Tevis Clyde Smith, Echla Laxson, Novalyne Price, C. S. Boyles and others.

This heaping helping of Howard’s “time and place” also includes all of Howard’s stories and poems from the above-named publications, including the recently found “Letter of a Chinese Student” and items whose authorship is uncertain. There’s even an index.

Hardbacks are $33 for non-members; members pay $30. Paperbacks are $20, or $18 for members.

The Collected Letters of Doctor Isaac M. Howard is a lot more than the title implies. It begins with a “Prelude” section which contains letters to Robert E. Howard: items from August Derleth, C. L. Moore, Farnsworth Wright, Otis Kline, and others. Following a handful of newspaper articles describing Robert E. Howard’s death and funeral, Isaac Howard’s letters begin. These are interspersed with responding letters from Wright, Derleth, Kline, and E. Hoffmann Price, as well as other, related letters (in a letter from Kline to Carl Jacobi, it’s easy to see the myth-making of Howard’s suicide beginning). The sections with Isaac Howard’s letters end with a couple of newspaper articles announcing his death and a letter from Alla Ray Kuykendall which describes the doctor’s final moments.

As a post script, E. Hoffmann Price’s articles and letters regarding the Howards are included. Readers can eavesdrop on Price as he describes the contents of Howard’s fabled Trunk to August Derleth, and trace Price’s changing view on Two-Gun as Howard’s fame and popularity surpassed his own.

A “Miscellanea” sections concludes the volume, with a copy of Doctor Howard’s will, the Kline ledger and lists of stories and poems, letters from P. M. Kuykendall and Oscar J. Friend that detail a plan which could have altered the course of Howard publishing, and, finally, subject and title indexes.

This fat hardcover is $35 for non-members, $32 for members. The paperback is $25 for the public, or $22 for our members.

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Shipping (rates updated as of 12/14/10)

Lulu shipping options for one book are:

Domestic via USPS Book Rate, $5
Domestic via USPS Priority, $10
Canada via “Mail,” $9
Canada via Priority, $18
Europe via “Mail,” $7.50
Europe via Priority, $12

Combined shipping for both books:

Domestic orders, is $6.50 for Media Mail or $12.00 for Ground.

Canadian orders are $10.00 or $13.

Other orders should enquire about combined shipping here: info@rehfoundation.org.

Interested in adding another of our Lulu projects: The Wordbook, The Collected Drawings of Robert E. Howard, The Brownwood Connection, and “So Far the Poet . . .” Send an email to info@rehfoundation.org for rates.

Ordering and payment

To order, pay directly via PayPal to paypal@rehfpress.com, via check (personal or cashier’s) or money order sent to: The REH Foundation Press, PO Box 251242, Plano, TX 75025. ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE IN US DOLLARS. Be sure that all the necessary shipping information is included and accurate, and that the total price includes correct shipping and insurance (if wanted). NO FOREIGN MONEY ORDERS.

Non-members can order directly from our lulu storefront, here.

Books will not be shipped prior to checks clearing the bank. If you have any questions or comments regarding pricing or shipping, please contact us at info@rehfoundation.org.

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