Howard documentarian Ethan Nahté, who has been working on a professional video about REH for the last few years, has sent out his latest press release, which contains some Howard information that might be of interest to readers of this blog. Here it is:

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year and to let you know about some of the REH stuff going on here in Texas.

1st of all, there is a 100th birthday celebration going on in Fort Worth on Jan. 21 to honor Howard. The cost is only $5/person and all of the proceeds go to Cross Plains, TX (home of the REH Museum) where the recent wildfires did the most damage. I have attached a press release with all of the info on the event.

We are also accepting monetary donations, clothing or small household goods at Titan Comics (http://www.titancomics.com) until the end of January. Then I will drive out to Cross Plains to deliver all of the donated money and goods. So far we’ve got 4 or 5 boxes of items and some money. Any help is appreciated.

In REH News in regards to the documentary, we did a fun interview with James O’Barr (http://www.jamesobarr.net/) creator of the movie/comic book character The Crow. He has done some Conan art in the past and is a big fan of REH. He had some interesting thoughts on REH’s characters and how vivid Howard’s writing is when an artist reads his work.

I won’t be at the birthday celebration but LIVE’N’LOUD will be setting up as well as presenting REH panels at All-Con (http://www.all-con.org), St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Dallas.

We’ll also be at the REH Days event June 9th & 10th in Cross Plains. Hope to see everyone there.

Sincerely,

Ethan Nahté

This kind of thing doesn’t come up too often. Heritage Galleries and Auctioneers, the world’s largest collectible auctioneer, is going to be selling the manuscript to one of Howard’s best stories,"The Grey God Passes," along with the rejection letter the story received from Weird Tales. Something like this could go for anywhere from $5000 to $30,000, depending on the players and heat.

Here is the relevant information from their website:

Robert E. Howard Typed Manuscript and Rejection Letter for: The Grey God Passes. This lot features the original typed manuscript of The Grey God Passes, and the rejection letter it got from Weird Tales magazine. The rejection letter states in part, "I am sorry to return your story, THE GREY GOD PASSES. The story itself, the plot, seems very slight, and the weird element is not as strong as I would like it to be." The manuscript itself is 36 pages long and contains editorial marks and occasional notes. Accompanying the manuscript and letter is a typed letter from the original consigner which explains the provenance of the manuscript. Robert E. Howard is best known for his creation, "Conan the Barbarian!" Conan got his start in Weird Tales magazine, so this lot is significant in that it features both the work of a great science fiction author and the magazine that gave his most popular character his start.

The manuscript is in good condition, with some minor problems. The paper is beginning to yellow and turn brittle. There is already some mild flaking around the ages and some rust stains from a paper clip on the first page. The letter is also yellowing slightly, and has rust stains from a paper clip on its upper edge. Bring the axe down on this lot today! *****  

The Consignment Deadline for this auction has passed, but we are always accepting quality consignments. E-mail us at Consign@heritageamericana.com if you are interested in information.

Auction Information 
Location:   Dallas, TX
Auction:   2006 February Dallas Books, Autographs and Manuscripts Auction "New York City" #626
Internet Bidding Begins   February 1, 2006
Auction Dates:   February 20-21, 2006
Note:   Internet Absentee Bidding Ends at 10 PM CDT the night before the floor session of any particular lot. See the individual lot page for specific times. 

Paul Herman is hosting a blowout centennial bash on January 21, 2006 in a Dallas, Texas pub. There will be readings, things for sale, and lots of other things to see and do. Many popular Howard scholars from around the country will be in attendance, including Rusty Burke, Bill Cavalier, [redacted], Gary Romeo, and your truly. If you are in the area or can make the trip, it would be well worth attending. REH’s centennial only will come once, and any self-respecting Howard fan should be loathe to miss out on it.

Paul’s press release is reprinted below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JANUARY 06, 2006
ROBERT E. HOWARD 100th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

FORT WORTH, TX – Robert E. Howard was the first great fiction author born and bred in Texas. He is now considered an inspiration to a who’s-who of modern horror and fantasy fiction writers and illustrators. On January 21 2006, from 2-p.m., the 100th anniversary of his birth will be celebrated in Fort Worth, Texas. An open mic will be available, and various people will be reading excerpts from the vast range of REH works, from Sword & Sorcery (REH was the creator of Conan the Barbarian, and generally considered the godfather of the entire genre), to horror, fantasy, boxing, westerns, humorous, pirate, and historical adventures. Excerpts from letters will also be presented, as REH tells others about his love of Texas, the creation of his characters, and his views on the times he lived in. And various poems from his extensive portfolio of over 700 works will be presented. REH was a master poet, and skilled at all the various forms in which he worked. Guests are invited to participate, reading either their own favorite excerpts and verses, or serving as a reader of material that will be provided to them there. Or just come and listen.

The event will be at The Black Dog Tavern, recently moved to 2933 Crockett, just a block east and south of the intersection of 7th and University in the city of Fort Worth.

Admittance is only $5/head with all proceeds benefiting the town of Cross Plains, TX, a small ranch and farm community in West Texas (and REH’s hometown) that was recently consumed by wildfires, with over 100 homes destroyed. Books will be on sale, there will be door prizes and various scholars and editors will be on hand to sign books. Your envoy for the afternoon will be Paul Herman, a somewhat wizened and knowledgeable character familiar with the works of he who shall be honored, toasted and commemorated. Other REH editors and scholars will be on hand as well to sign books, answer questions and discuss topics of interest.

If you are unfamiliar with Howard’s work or would like to get to know it better, this is the perfect opportunity to meet people and fans that will happily tell you everything they know about this true Texas legend. There’s a lot more to him than you think.

The Robert E. Howard 100th Birthday Celebration:
Saturday, January 21, 2006
2:00 – 5:00 PM
The Black Dog Tavern
2933 Crockett (new location)
Fort Worth, Texas
$5.00 Per Person – All Proceeds will go the Cross Plains Fire Relief Fund, to benefit the city of Cross Plains, TX, home of the Robert E. Howard Museum
For More Information – Contact Paul Herman @ 972-418-3571, or paul.herman@halliburton.com

This is a special centennial issue of The Cimmerian. For details on the contents, visit here.

Project Pride president Era Lee Hanke was kind enough to send me these pictures of the Robert E. Howard House and Museum, taken mere days after the devastating fire that destroyed much of the town in late December.

The above pic was taken while standing next to the pavilion built next to the Howard House, looking east. Note how badly scorched the ground is. The building on the left in the background is the Motel 36, which suffered heavy damage, but intends to be open and ready for REH Days 2006 in June.

Here is a picture of the front yard of the Howard House. The fire roared right up to the front steps before being halted by a hastily dug trench and some water sprayed on the house and ground. The big black circle in the grass is a large scorch mark. Much of the fence was damaged, but not beyond repair.

This shot was snapped while standing in the front yard of the Howard House, looking north across Highway 36. There used to be a few residential houses in this area; both burned to the ground.

The damage was severe, and donations are still very much needed. I was just reading the latest Cross Plains Review, which had many pictures and stories of the many homeless people trying to put their lives back together. Give all you can, as many times as you can, in the coming months. Send checks or money orders to:

City of Cross Plains Fire Relief Fund
c/o Texas Heritage Bank
PO Box 699
Cross Plains, TX 76443

The above bank does not accept credit cards, but Bill “Indy” Cavalier has set up a PayPal account specifically for the purpose of accepting credit card donations, every cent of which will then be mailed to the bank fund. To send a credit card donation, use your PayPal account and email the payment to 2cavaliers@sbcglobal.net.