Donald Metcalf Grant died August 19, 2009 in North Port, Florida. He was 82 years old.

Don founded DONALD M. GRANT, PUBLISHER in 1964. For many years he operated it from his home in West Kingston, Rhode Island. I became his partner in 1981.

In 1945, when Don was 18, he published his first book: RHODE ISLAND ON LOVECRAFT, edited by Donald M. Grant and Thomas G. Hadley and published under the Grant-Hadley Enterprises imprint. Over the years other publishing companies he was part of included The Buffalo Book Company, The Hadley Publishing Company, Grandon and Centaur Press. In 1964 he went out on his own and the rest is history.

Donald Grant was instrumental in the creation of THE WORLD FANTASY CONVENTION in 1975. He received three World Fantasy Awards in the special professional category (1976, 1980, and 1983), one special convention World Fantasy Award (1984), and a World Fantasy Life Achievement Award (2003). He published one Hugo Award winning book: TIME AND CHANCE by L. Sprague de Camp.

In the mid-1990’s Don moved to North Port, Florida. He is survived by his wife Shirley, daughter Nancy Mahoney, granddaughter Ellen Mahoney, son Douglas and sister Meg Moreau.

Mr. Ottinger is currently collecting an updated list. Submissions will be accepted until August 16, 2009. If you run a blog or web site that reviews SF/F/H books and would like to be included you can register your site using the form on the GftW post SF/F/H Book Reviewers Linkup Meme, 2nd Edition Submissions. The original list appears at the bottom of the post.

Cover and interior art by Kris Kuksi
Foreword – S.T. Joshi
Introduction – William F. Nolan and Jason V Brock
“Some Of My Best Friends Are Martians” – Ray Bradbury
“De Mortuis” – John Tomerlin
“Love & Magick” – James Robert Smith
“Madri-Gall” – Richard Matheson & R.C. Matheson
“Hope and the Maiden” – Nancy Kilpatrick
“The Death and Life of Caesar LaRue” – Earl Hamner
“A Certain Disquieting Darkness” – Gary A Braunbeck
“The Boy Who Became Invisible” – Joe R. Lansdale
“Getting Along Just Fine” – William F. Nolan
“The Grandfather Clock” – George Clayton Johnson
“Triptych: Three Bon Bons” – Christopher Conlon
“The Hand That Feeds” – Kurt Newton
“The Central Coast” – Jason V Brock
“Omnivore” – Dan O’Bannon
“Just A Suggestion” – John Shirley
“I, My Father, and Weird Tales” – Frank M. Robinson
“Silk City” – Lisa Morton
“Red Light” – Steve Rasnic Tem
“How It Feels To Murder” – Norman Corwin
“At The Riding School” – Cody Goodfellow

The Deluxe Edition is on sale for $175.00 ($20 off for pre-orders) and features a special handmade binding with textured faux leather, foil stamping, a reading ribbon, individual signed colophon author sheets, 7 art pieces (including 4 inserts), and a color dust jacket.

Here’s the link to order: http://jasunni.com/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1

There will also be a trade hardcover retailing for $65 ($55 with newsletter coupon or pre-reserve). These will be unnumbered and 400 copies will be done. These will be signed by the editors William F. Nolan and Jason V Brock. If interested you can drop them a note via email or snail mail to reserve a copy and get the discount for it.

The listing includes 126 books covering 82 titles (many titles won both awards), and 95% of the titles are signed or inscribed, and in fine or better condition. When a paperback is the true first edition, then the first hardcover is also included. In some cases, US and UK hardcovers have been included where the paperback is the true first edition, then the first hardcover is also included. In some cases, US and UK hardcovers have been included where the paperback is the true first.”

You can find the full article at AbeBooks.com here.

This substantial prize stands out as an international and cross-disciplinary award. It will be given biennially for an excellent and substantial piece of writing in the English language, in any genre or form. The theme will change with every prize: the 2009 theme is Complexity.

All members of the University of Warwick Staff – from nursery staff and gardeners to professors and porters – are invited to make a nomination for a prize entry by August. Warwick’s honorary professors and honorary graduates will also be asked to make nominations.

China Miéville, award- winning writer of what he describes as ‘weird fiction’, will chair the panel of five judges. Other judges include mathematician Professor Ian Stewart and literary blogger Stephen Mitchelmore. A longlist of 15 to 20 titles will be announced in October 2008 followed by a shortlist of six titles in January 2009. The winner will be announced in February 2009 in Warwick.

The winning submission will represent an intellectual, scientific and/or imaginative advance and be written with an energy and clarity that make it accessible and attractive to a wide audience.
David Morley, Director of the University of Warwick’s Warwick Prize for Writing, said: “We are tremendously excited about the Warwick Prize for Writing.  The award brilliantly reflects the University’s thematic approach to learning and reputation for creative excellence. The prize itself will help define where writing might be going; what new shapes and forms it may take; and even through what media it might be conducted – including electronic forms as well as the traditional form of a book”

The University of Warwick’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Thrift said:
“I am delighted that the University of Warwick is making this major commitment to excellence in writing.  This new prize is part of the University’s Vision 2015 plan to enhance the University’s already significant international links and position it as an intellectual gateway to the UK and beyond. The University’s Warwick Writing programme is already one of the largest and most successful in the UK and this substantial new prize will help it build its international profile in the world of literature and creative writing. “

In addition to the £50,000 monetary prize, the winning author will be awarded the opportunity to take up a short placement at the University.

To find out more visit www.warwick.ac.uk/go/prizeforwriting

Complete article here.

An era passes.  A moment of silence please.

I’ve never used a desiccant in storing my books as I live in a relatively dry climate (although after writing this I’m now seriously thinking about it) but it’s certainly something worth considering if you’re planning to store your books for any length of time in a climate prone to humidity or excessive damp.

There are a number of commercial products that one can find in prepackaged form which can be placed in your boxes with your books.  Salt is a common desiccant and is a natural antibiotic and anti-fungal agent as well which is why it is commonly used in the preservation of food.  Rice is another low-cost desiccant and you can easily make small packets of either tied up in a piece of porous cloth to pack with your books.

Thanks to ScifiDrive for this comment on an added precaution for protecting ones books in storage.

At noon on Wednesday 19th March Tennants in Leyburn will host their Spring Book and Map Sale with over 340 lots of books covering a vast variety of subjects. There are some first edition gems by Beatrix Potter including ‘The Tale of Two Bad Mice’, ‘The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes’ in its original dust jacket, ‘The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck’, ‘The Tale of Mr Toad’, ‘The Pie and the Patty-Pan’ and ‘The Roly-Poly Pudding’ estimated to sell for £100 to £500.

In the science fiction and fantasy genre is a 36 lot collection built up over many years by Barrie Stirzaker.  Many are signed first editions in fine condition and are estimated to sell from £50 to £300.

Additionally,

For James Bond fans there is a first edition of ‘Live and Let Die’ with its first issue dust jacket, estimated at £800-£1,200.  A rare first edition of Pullman’s ‘Northern Lights’ from his ‘Dark Materials’ Trilogy is estimated at £800 to £1,200.

Tennants auctioneers Book Sale

Long Term Storage

As much as we love to have our books near us and at hand to admire and reference there will almost inevitably come a time you have to put a number of books in storage for a time. If you must store your books in boxes there are a number of things to keep in mind to maintain your books in a clean and healthy state.

When selecting cartons for storage make sure they are well constructed, preferably with reinforced seams, and on the small side. Books are heavier than they look and keeping your individual containers small will help prevent the likelihood of injury both to the box of books and to you.

Ideally books should be packed into boxes just as they would on the shelf, which is to say, upright and resting on their bottom edge. Often this will lead to a gap between the top of the books and the lid of the box. Using “filler” like bubble-wrap or air-filled plastic bags (like the ones Amazon.com uses for shipping) can help support the lid of the box if others are stacked on top. Avoid stacking too many boxes as the weight will crush the containers underneath.

In addition, be careful not to over pack your boxes and never force a book into a space that is too small for it. If packing books for a short period of time, say during a move, you may wrap books in newspaper or bubble wrap for protection against rubbing. However it’s not a good idea to store newspaper-wrapped books for longer periods as the newsprint can become acidic, damaging the book. For longer storage, acid-free tissue paper is available from many archival suppliers.  I list a number of them on the Resources page of my web site Collecting Science Fiction Books.

Avoid storing your boxes in the basement or attic if possible unless the space is climate controlled. Remember, if you don’t want to live there, then neither do your books. Try and keep boxes off the floor on raised shelves or pallets to minimize exposure to insects and moisture and protect the one on top from sprinkler heads, heaters and windows. Restrain from stacking too many boxes as the weight of those above will crush the containers underneath.  If your books are in a commercial storage facility attempt to find a space that is close to the middle of the building, as far away from insects and weather as possible. In addition, arrange frequent visits to check up on conditions and make rearrangements as necessary.

I highly recommend that you clearly label your boxes so you’ll be able to locate individual books later on. Generally a box number and the authors’ surnames it contains is enough to locate the appropriate container. I also recommend keeping an index of your collection either by hand or on a computer. There are a number of software programs available to keep track of bibliographical and storage location information for your collection. Not only will such a record be helpful in hunting for books to add to your collection but it will be invaluable when trying to locate a single book amongst several boxes in storage.

By and large books are pretty resilient but they can be damaged through neglect and careless handling.  However with a little forethought, a little effort and a little care, you can help the books you love retain their sparkle and extend their life.  Every collector understands the importance of a book’s condition and almost every book owner wants to keep the books they own looking their best.  I hope this series has given you a few tips on keeping your books in the condition you wish for as long as you have them.

Occupo Libri!

Care and Storage Series: Part 1  Part 2  Part 3

Environment

As a basic rule of thumb, if you feel comfortable, so will your books. If the environment is too extreme – too hot, too dusty, too damp, – you wouldn’t want to live there and neither is it a good place for your books.

Heat will dry out the glue or boards and cause warping and discoloration; layers of dust can be abrasive and attract moisture leading to mold.  It is a good idea to incorporate cleaning your books and shelves with your normal household cleaning routine.

Dusting done on a regular basis can be done gently with a clean cotton cloth or a clean feather duster.  Avoid using a household vacuum cleaner (even with handheld attachments) as the power of the average vacuum can easily further damage weak or delicate book jackets and spines.

Some collectors I know use a small handheld vacuum such as one used for computer keyboards.  These have considerably less power than the household variety and can be useful for edges and gutters with less chance of injury.  Care is the watchword here.

A low powered hair dryer may also be used if the unit has a no-heat/low power setting.  These devices can be useful for blowing away accumulated dirt and grime from deckled (rough or uncut) edges, decorated boards or any part of a book you would prefer not to touch directly.

High humidity in the environment can also promote mold and attract insects, whereas extremely low humidity, as found above hot radiators and next to heaters, can dry out glues and leather bindings.  As a rule of thumb, if you find the climate pleasant chances are your books will too.

Direct sunlight or light with a high ultraviolet index will break down paper, cloth and leather and fade colors. Known as “sunning”, it the most common cause of damage to older books other than physical damage caused by mishandling, and is frequently seen as a lightening of the spine of a book or dust jacket as pictured on the left.

Avoid shelving books in direct sunlight or, if necessary cover them with a drape or cloth.

Barrister cases or glass enclosed cases should be opened periodically to allow the air to circulate and to allow the books to be dusted and inspected for mold and insects.

Boric acid is a simple preventative against most pests. A small, open container, tucked in the free space between your books and the back of the shelf, will help keep insects away. A clove or two of garlic per shelf may also help.

The general rule stated at the beginning is worth repeating; keep your books in the same environment that you would prefer to live in yourself.  Books that are keep clean and comfortable and treated gently and with respect will be healthy and happy for many, many years.

As much as we love to have our books near us and at hand there may come a time when we have to put a number of books in storage for a time.  In the final part of this series I will address the dos and don’ts of long-term storage.

Until then, Occupo Libri!

Care and Storage Series: Part 1  Part 2