Ray Nelson, Artist, Author, and Fan

 

Ray Nelson (1931-2022)

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Mike Glyer

Ray Nelson self-portrait

SF writer and Rotsler Award winning fan artist Ray Nelson died in his sleep overnight November 29/30 his son, Walter, announced today on Facebook. He was 91 years old.

As an author Ray Nelson was best known for his short story “Eight O’Clock in the Morning,” which became the basis of John Carpenter’s film They Live. He also had a short story, “Time Travel for Pedestrians,” in Harlan Ellison’s Again Dangerous Visions (1972). Nelson collaborated with Philip K. Dick on The Ganymede Takeover. His 1975 book Blake’s Progress, in which the poet William Blake and his wife are travelers in space and time, has been called his best work by critic John Clute.

As an artist, in the 1940s Nelson appropriated the propeller beanie as a symbol of science fiction fandom. His fannish cartoons were recognized with the Rotsler Award in 2003. He was inducted to the First Fandom Hall of Fame in 2019.

The Ray Nelson website, which Walter set up, has more bibliographical information, and samples of his artwork. There you can also read a humorous article about Ray’s collaborator, “The Last Days of Philip K. Dick”.

Nelson was born in Schenectady, NY in 1931. He became an active science fiction fan while attending high school in Michigan. After graduation, he went to the University of Chicago (studying theology). In the Fifties he lived for four years in Paris, and met Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and William Burroughs among others of the Beat Generation, as well as existentialists Jean Paul Sartre, Boris Vian and Simone de Beauvoir. He subsequently co-edited Miscellaneous Man, the first “Beatnik” little literary review. In Paris, he worked with Michael Moorcock smuggling Henry Miller books out of France.

Honors Nelson received as a writer included a special citation from the Philip K. Dick Award in 1983 for The Prometheus Man. As a fan, in addition to the awards already mentioned, he was a Best Fan Artist Retro Hugo finalist in 2001 (commemorating work done in 1950) and received the 2014 FAAn Lifetime Achievement Award.

 Reprinted from File 770 Copyright by Mike Glyer 2022

Christine McVie,

 

BREAKING NEWS

Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac is dead at 79. The singer-songwriter was a hitmaker for one of music’s most popular bands.

 

Greg Bear (1951-2022)

Posted on November 19, 2022 by Mike Glyer

Greg Bear

Five-time Nebula winner Greg Bear died November 19, a week after heart surgery from which he never awoke. A CT scan showed stroke damage was caused to many parts of the brain by clots that had been hiding in a false lumen of the anterior artery to the brain ever since an earlier surgery eight years ago. After a review of the possible outcomes by the medical team, and following the wishes expressed in his advance directive, Bear was taken off life support and died two hours later.

The author of over 50 books, Bear’s novels won Nebulas for Moving Mars (1995) and Darwin’s Radio. Three other works of short fiction won Nebulas, and two of those – “Blood Music” (1984) and “Tangents” (1987) — also won the Hugo.

Bear’s writing was very successful in translation, too. He twice won Japan’s Seiun Award, as well as the Ignotus Award (Spain), and Prix Apollo (France). Altogether his works have been translated into 19 languages.

Bear sold his first short story, “Destroyers”, to Famous Science Fiction at age 15, and along with high-school friends helped found San Diego Comic-Con.

He also published work as an artist at the beginning of his career, including illustrations for an early version of the Star Trek Concordance, and covers for Galaxy and F&SF. He was a founding member of the Association of Science Fiction Artists. He even created the cover for his novel, Psychlone, a 1988 reprint from Tor.

In 1983 he married Astrid Anderson. They have two children, Chloe born in 1986, and Alexandra, born in 1990.

He was a guest of honor at the 2001 Worldcon, Millennium Philcon.

He served as President of SFWA from 1988 to 1990.

A resident of the Pacific Northwest, he was eligible for and won the first Endeavour Award in 1999 for Dinosaur Summer – and won it again the following year for Darwin’s Radio.

Bear participated in Sigma, a kind of think tank where science fiction writers share insights about the future with agencies laying real-world plans, twice making national news as one of the group’s representatives to Department of Homeland Security conferences.

Bear’s career honors include San Diego Comic-Con’s Inkpot Award (1984), the Robert A. Heinlein Award (2006) presented by the Heinlein Society, and the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society’s Forry Award (2017).

Reposted from File 770 Copyright 2022.

MARVEL MOVIE RELEASE DATES

 

Key Release Dates

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever               

    

• • 
    

  • • Release Date:2022-11-11

  • 
    

  • 
    

  • 
    

  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

    Release Date:  2023-02-17
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3       

  Release Date: 2023-07-28

• The Marvels / Captain Marvel 2

• Captain America: New World Order

  Release Date:

  2024-05-03
• Marvel's Thunderbolts

  Release Date:

  2024-07-26
• Blade 2024

  Release Date:

  2024-09-06
• Deadpool 3

  Release Date:

  2024-11-08
• Marvel's Fantastic Four      

  

• Release Date: 2025-02-14
• Avengers: The Kang Dynasty

  Release Date:

  2025-05-02
• Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date:

  2026-05-01

Donald M Grant Newsletter

 

Welcome to issue #107 of the Donald M. Grant Newsletter

4 October 2022

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1. ZDENEK BURIAN - CZECH ARTIST

2. PHIL HALE - ART BOOK - USE MUSIC TO KILL

3. THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE STILL AVAILABLE

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1. ADVENTUROUS WORLD OF ZDENĚK BURIAN

WONDERFUL WORLD OF ZDENĚK BURIAN

THE FORGOTTEN WORLD OF ZDENĚK BURIAN

THE PREHISTORIC WORLD OF ZDENĚK BURIAN

I was an admirer of the art of Zdenek Burian long before I traveled to Prague and

met him in 1975. Zdenek Burian is best known internationally for his paintings of

dinosaurs, extinct mammals and prehistoric man but his illustration work is only

known in the Czech Republic. These three massive, 9 1/2” x 13”, 414 page, 473

page and 508 page books reproduce, from the original art, mostly complete sets of

illustrations for books published by various

Czech publishers in the years 1921 to

the 1970’s.

Wonderful World of Zdeněk Burian contains over 400 illustrations for the 35

books by Jules Verne that Burian illustrated.

https://secure.grantbooks.com/product/adventurous-world-of-zdenek-burian/

https://secure.grantbooks.com/product/wonderful-world-of-zdenek-burian/

https://secure.grantbooks.com/product/forgotten-world-of-zdenek-burian/

TARZAN - ILLUSTRATED BY ZDENĚK BURIAN

From 1969 – 1970 renowned Czech artist Zdeněk Burian illustrated three of Edgar

Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan novels – Tarzan of the Apes, The Return of Tarzan and

The Beasts of Tarzan. John Coleman Burroughs, son of Edgar Rice Burroughs and

an artist himself, was so impressed with the art that he arranged to buy most of the

originals from Mr. Burian.

Published originally in softcover these three novels are now available in 6 1/4” x

9 1/4” hardcover format with the total of all 50 full page gouache illustrations

reproduced on coated stock. In

addition there are 28 smaller spot illustrations.

Note - Text is in Czech, not English

https://secure.grantbooks.com/product/three-tarzan-novels-by-edgar-rice-burroughs-illustrated-by-zdenek-burian/

The Mammoth Hunters (Lovci Mamutů) by Eduard Štorch

Full of amazing illustrations by Czech artist Zdeněk Burian who is internationally

known for his paintings of prehistoric life, The Mammoth Hunters is the story of a

tribe of primitive man living in ancient Central Europe. However, as the text is all

in Czech, you are most likely buying this book for the re-markable art.

This book includes 6 full page color plates and 52 pen & ink illustrations.

https://secure.grantbooks.com/product/mammoth-hunters/

The prehistoric world of ZdenĚk Burian

This 578 page book is the first of a projected series to publish the prehistoric

paintings and drawings of Zdenek Burian. We have not yet ordered copies from

Prague, so if you would be interested in buying a copy please send us an email at

office@grantbooks.com with Burian as the subject so we can gauge interest.

2.  PHIL HALE - NEW ART BOOK - USE MUSIC TO KILL

Now available is a new Phil Hale art book - USE MUSIC TO KILL - which

showcases the last fifteen years of Phil Hale’s art.

USE MUSIC TO KILL is a collection of over two hundred paintings, pho-

tovarish, drawings and collages in Phil's distinctive style, from a career that

has spanned fine art, portraiture, illustration, fashion photography, film and

music. It is a full color 11” x 11”, 272 page hardcover book. Copies include a

glued in signature plate.

For Donald M. Grant, Phil illustrated THE DARK TOWER II: THE DRAW-

ING OF THE THREE and A MONSTER AT CHRISTMAS as well as three

books of art - GOAD, MOCKING BIRDS/RELAXEDER and LIFE WANTS TO 

LIVE - as well as the collaborative DOUBLE MEMORY: ART AND 

COLLABORATION with Rick Berry,

https://secure.grantbooks.com/product/use-music-to-kill/

3. STEPHEN KING --THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

Still available are the Artist Edition of THE WIND THROUGH THE KEY-

HOLE (signed by Jae Lee). Please note that this Artist Edition was released

prior to the Trade Edition and so is the First Edition of this book:

https://secure.grantbooks.com/product/wind-through-keyhole-artist/

Thank you.

Robert K. Wiener, President

Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc.

 

To all my friends

 To all my friends who are observing Yom Kippur, 

g’mar chatima tova

I hope you have an easy and meaningful fast.

Veteran suicides

 

Veterans suicides drop to lowest rate since 2006

By Leo Shane III, reprinted from the Military Times, 9/20/2022

The number of veterans suicides in America fell to less than 17 a day in 2020, a positive sign that efforts to provide additional mental health care and support service to veterans may be saving lives, Veterans Affairs officials said Monday.

The department’s annual suicide prevention report — released each September — showed that 6,146 veterans died by suicide in 2020, the latest year for which data is available.

 

That’s a decrease of 9.7% (650 fewer cases) since 2018, nearly double the drop seen in the suicide rate among the general population over that time span (5.5%).

In a statement, VA Secretary Denis McDonough expressed tempered optimism over the findings.

“This year’s report shows real progress, but there is still so much work to be done,” he said. “One veteran suicide is one too many, and VA will continue to work with our federal, state, local and private partners to tackle this problem and save veterans’ lives.”

About 16.8 veterans a day died by suicide in 2020, the first time that calculation has fallen below 17 a day since 2006. The figure has risen to as high as 18 a day in recent years.

When active-duty and reserve suicides are included in the totals, the estimate is about 20 suicides a day, a figure widely quoted in the military and veterans communities.

Despite the positive news, however, veterans remain more likely to die by suicide than Americans who never served in the military. The suicide rate among veterans is roughly 31.7 deaths per 100,000 veterans, almost double that of non-veterans (16.1 per 100,000).

Suicide was the second leading cause of death among veterans 45 years of age and younger in 2020, behind only accidents.

The improvements in the suicide rate coincide with the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term in office. But VA officials cautioned against attributing the changes to any single program or initiative, saying the causes — and solutions — to suicide are complex. (Emphasis is mine, BRH)

“Improvement involves addressing suicide prevention, incorporating consideration of multiple risk factors and predictive factors, and building evidence-based clinical interventions as well as community-based interventions,” said Dr. Matt Miller, VA’s director of suicide prevention.

 

“I see [in this report] that the VA, in collaboration with the community and other federal agencies, is making a difference.”

 

The report also found no real change in suicide rates because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in spring 2020. That had been a concern among mental health specialists, who feared increased isolation and stress as a result of the pandemic response effort could trigger suicidal thoughts among vulnerable veterans.

The VA findings come just two days after officials from America’s Warrior Partnership, in a joint study with University of Alabama and Duke University, released their own study suggesting that the official suicide numbers from state census data may be dramatically under counting veterans deaths.

If the numbers were to include additional deaths from accidental drug overdoses and deceased individuals whose veteran status was reported inaccurately, the figure could be as high as 44 veteran deaths by suicide a day, AWP officials said.

As part of the VA report release Monday, department officials also announced $52 million in community-based suicide prevention grants to 80 organizations in 43 states, and another $8.5 million in awards as part of their Mission Daybreak suicide prevention challenge.

Veterans in need of emergency counseling can reach the Veterans Crisis line by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-8255 and selecting option 1 after connecting to reach a VA staffer. In addition, veterans, troops, or their family members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.

About Leo Shane III

Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.

 

 

 

GOD REST THE QUEEN

 QUEEN ELIZABETH II HAS PASSED OVER THE THAMES ON HER WAY TO REJOIN PRINCE PHILLIP.

GOD REST THE QUEEN!

TO KING CHARLES IN WAITING - GOD BLESS THE KING

A New Edgar R[ce Burroughs Universe Novel

 

August 30, 2022 (Tarzana, California) The Swords of Eternity super-arc of the groundbreaking Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe series concludes with Victory Harben: Fires of Halos by Christopher Paul Carey—featuring the world of Halos from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ legendary unpublished novel fragment, The Ghostly Script! 

Preorders of Victory Harben: Fires of Halos are now available directly from ERB, Inc. Softcover and hardcover editions, as well as a limited Collector’s Edition with a signed bookplate, will be available in a simultaneous release. The novel is expected to ship to customers Fall 2022.

Born in Pellucidar...Mentored by Jason Gridley...Trained to Fight by Tarzan of the Apes...

Readers have come to know Victory Harben from her side storyline in the novel Tarzan: Battle for Pellucidar; her adventures in the bonus novelettes “Pellucidar: Dark of the Sun,” “Victory Harben: Clash on Caspak,” and “Victory Harben: Stormwinds of Va-nah” in the first three Swords of Eternity books; and her starring role in the comic book miniseries Beyond the Farthest Star: Warriors of Zandar. Now, at last, get Victory’s complete origin story in Victory Harben: Fires of Halos, which can be read as either a standalone novel by new readers or the epic conclusion to the four-book Swords of Eternity super-arc!

The daughter of Gretchen von Harben from Tarzan and the Tarzan Twins by Edgar Rice Burroughs and the warrior Nadok of Pellucidar, Victory spent the first twelve years of her life at the Earth’s core under the tutelage of two of the greatest minds of the twentieth century: Jason Gridley and Abner Perry. On the outer crust, she further honed her intellect at Oxford’s prestigious Darkheath College, earning an advanced degree in Theoretical Physics while she took breaks to exercise her muscles and fighting skills at Lord and Lady Greystoke's Chamston-Hedding estate. Now all of Victory’s abilities and talents will be put to the test as she is hurled upon one of the strangest and most daunting odysseys imaginable!

VICTORY HARBEN: FIRES OF HALOS

When Gridley Wave contact between worlds is inexplicably broken, young physicist Victory Harben returns to her home at the Earth’s core to help solve the mystery. Soon Victory finds the riddles of her past are hopelessly entangled with the machinations of an ancient and inscrutable queen of the Mahars, the inner world’s dethroned reptilian overlords. Unwillingly hurled into the cosmic void by the queen, Victory is hunted down across space and time by a vengeful being whose flaming sword absorbs the souls of the slain, delivering them to the ravenous lords of Halos. As Victory races to track down the key to her destiny, a storm of malevolent forces gathers against her, unleashing the secret rulers of the afterlife in an unholy tempest that threatens to shatter reality itself.

Bonus Novelette: “Beyond the Farthest Star™: Rescue on Zandar” by Mike Wolfer

When a hunting party from the village of the Ki-vaas goes missing, the tribe’s age-old customs decree the fate of its lost members to have been dictated by the gods. But the young woman Tii-laa cannot abide such hopeless dogma. Striking out on her own, she must risk both her place in the tribe and her very life, facing the planet Zandar’s deadly wilds and savage creatures in a desperate attempt to save her missing tribespeople!

Preorder your copy of Victory Harben: Fires of Halos today!

 

PACT ACT Additions

 

Gulf War era and post-9/11 Veteran eligibility

These cancers are now presumptive:

• Brain cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
• Glioblastoma
• Head cancer of any type
• Kidney cancer
• Lymphatic cancer of any type
• Lymphoma of any type
• Melanoma
• Neck cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Reproductive cancer of any type
• Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type

These illnesses are now presumptive:

• Asthma that was diagnosed after service
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Chronic rhinitis
• Chronic sinusitis
• Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
• Emphysema
• Granulomatous disease
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
• Pleuritis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Sarcoidosis

We’ve added these 5 new locations to the list of presumptive locations:

• Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976 
• Laos from December 1, 1965, through September 30, 1969
• Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969
• Guam or American Samoa or in the territorial waters off of Guam or American Samoa from January 9, 1962, through July 30, 1980
• Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972, through September 30, 1977

If you served on active duty in any of these locations, we’ll automatically assume (or “presume”) that you had exposure to Agent Orange.

SEE YOUR LOCAL VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

 

the PACT Act

 

VA Secretary's Statement on the Signing of the PACT Act "The PACT Act is a historic new law that will help VA deliver for millions of Veterans — and their survivors — by empowering us to presumptively provide care and benefits to Vets suffering from more than 20 toxic exposure-related conditions. It will also bring generations of Veterans into VA health care, which will improve Veteran health outcomes across the board. We at VA are ready to implement the PACT Act and deliver for toxic-exposed Veterans and their survivors. If you think you might be eligible for PACT Act benefits, here’s what you need to know: You can apply for PACT Act-related benefits now by filing a claim at VA. As President Biden announced at the bill signing, we are making all 23 presumptive conditions in the PACT Act eligible for benefits effective today, August 10. You can learn more about the PACT Act by visiting VA.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MyVA411. Thank you to all of the Veterans, survivors and family members who fought tirelessly to make this day possible, and thank you to President Biden for keeping our nation’s promise to those who served. We at VA will stop at nothing to make sure that every Veteran and every survivor gets the PACT Act-related care and benefits they deserve." - VA Secretary Denis R. McDonough REPRINTED FROM THE VA NEWSLETTER