Descriptions of Books from Bob Gaines

Page 2

(in the order they appear)

Letters to Sherlock Holmes, selected by Richard Lancelyn Green. Penguin Books, New York. 1985. Trade paperback. 235 pages. (5½ X 8½). Evidently those letters you send to Sherlock Holmes are received by a secretary and a staff. They attempt to answer some of the questions and comments from people all over the world who still believe that Holmes was a living person. For the Holmes completist.

Field Guide to the Little People, A, by Nancy Arrowsmith with George Moorse. A Wallaby Book/Published by Pocket Books, New York. November 1978. Trade paperback. 296 pages. (5¼ X 8¼). Author’s Note by Nancy Arrowsmith. Introduction by the authors. The emphasis is primarily on different types of elves. A section of notes is provided at the end of the book to show the sources of the creatures. A bibliography is also provided.

Lord of the Elves and Eldils: fantasy and philosophy in c. s. lewis and j. r. r. tolkien. By Richard Purtill. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI. 1974. Trade paperback. 216 pages. (4¼ X 7). Introduction by the author. Purtill gives the philosophical and religious implications of the works of Lewis and Tolkien, and quotes many passages from their works. Definitely not light reading for the average reader.

Making Crime Pay: A Practical Guide to Mystery Writing, by Stephanie Kay Bendel. A Spectrum Book/Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 1983. Trade paperback. 234 pages. (5½ X 8). Preface by the author. One of the many early guides to writing mystery fiction. There are chapters on plotting, settings, researching, structure, and creating three-dimensional characters.

Myth and Modern Man in Sherlock Holmes: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Uses of Nostalgia, by David S. Payne. Gaslight Publications, Bloomington, IN. 1992. Hardcover in dust jacket. 311 pages. (6¼ X 9¼). Introduction by the author. Payne tries to explain why Holmes was one of literature’s most enduring characters. Notes cover all of the individual chapters. A bibliography is provided for additional reading. 

Modus Operandi: An Excursion Into Detective Fiction, by Robin W. Winks. David R. Godine, Publisher, Boston, MA. 1982. Hardcover in dust jacket. 131 pages. (6 X 9). A well-written study on mystery fiction by a prominent academic critic. Winks feels that mystery fiction should be taken seriously as an important form of literature.

Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction, by Patricia Highsmith. The Writer, Inc., Boston, MA. 1972. Hardcover in dust jacket. 149 pages. (5¾ X 8). Preface to the New Edition by the author. This is a how-to-write mystery and suspense novels by a well-known writer. Highsmith was responsible for the book Strangers on a Train, which Hitchcock turned into a memorable film and she also wrote The Talented Mr. Ripley

Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The, by Vincent Starrett. Pinnacle Books, New York. August 1975. Mass market paperback. 208 pages. (4¼ X 7). Introduction by Michael Murphy. One of the early biographies of Sherlock Holmes, and one of the best. Michael Murphy provides a short biography of Starrett at the end of the book.

Relics of Sherlock Holmes, by Gary Lovisi. Gryphon Books, Brooklyn, New York. August 1989 (Second Printing). Booklet. 58 pages. (5½ X 8½). Introduction by the author. A kind of scrapbook of Holmes material covering stories, films, plays, newsstand magazines, fanzines, and other subjects. Lovisi provides many interesting listings having to do with Holmes. I would like to see some of these listings expanded; especially the ones showing the many books on Holmes by other authors.

How to Write Romance Novels That Sell, by Marilyn M. Lowery. Rawson Associates, New York. 1983. Trade paperback. 236 pages. (5½ X 8¼). Introduction: Before You Read This Book by the author. Lowery covers the many branches of romance fiction, with examples from suspense novels, Regency romances, Gothics, the historical romance, the gay romance, etc. She includes sections from novels to illustrate writing points. Appendices list romance publishers and their lines and the author gives a list of resource works that you can use in your writing. Much of the information is now a quarter of a century out-of-date. 

How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card. Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH. 1990. Hardcover with no dust jacket. 140 pages. (6¼ X 9¼). Introduction by the author. Card does a good job of explaining the field and provides much advice on being successful.

Notes to a Science Fiction Writer, by Ben Bova. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 1981 (Second Edition, Revised and Expanded). Trade paperback. 193 pages. (5½ X 8¼). Introduction: The Slushpile by the author. Bova was the editor of Analog Science Fiction and Omni, and he knows a lot about publishable science fiction. He provides much good information for the new writer. Bova provides a short bibliography of titles mentioned in the text.

Seventeen Steps to 221B: A Sherlockian Collection by English Writers, with an introduction by James Edward Holroyd. Otto Penzler Books, New York. 1994. Trade paperback. 182 pages. (4¼ X 7). A collection of essays on Sherlock Holmes by A. A. Milne, Dorothy L. Sayers, John Dickson Carr, and others.

Who’s Who in Sherlock Holmes, by Scott R. Bullard and Michael Leo Collins. Taplinger Publishing Company, New York. 1980. Trade paperback. 251 pages. (5½ X 8¼). Preface by the authors. Alphabetical paragraphs of the characters in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Each item is coded to Baring-Gould’s two volume The Annotated Sherlock Holmes.

Staying Alive: A Writer’s Guide, by Norman Spinrad. The Donning Company/Publishers, Norfolk, VA. 1983. Hardcover with no dust jacket. 162 pages. (5¾ X 8¾). Introduction: An Education in Science Fiction by the author. Most of these chapters appeared as columns in Locus: The Newspaper of the Science Fiction Field. Spinrad covers all the information you need to know to be successful as a writer.

Secret of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, The, by Carol Billman. The Ungar Publishing Company, New York. 1986. Hardcover with dust jacket. 187 pages. (5¾ X 8½).

221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes, by Various Hands. edited by Vincent Starrett. Otto Penzler Books, New York. 1994. Trade paperback. 249 pages. (4¼ X 7). Explanation by Vincent Starrett. An anthology of nonfiction articles on Sherlock Holmes. Many of the items are by well-known Holmes scholars. There are a number of illustrations throughout the text.

This Is Murder, Mr. Herbert, and Other Stories, by Day Keene. Avon Publishing Co., Inc., New York. 1948. Mass market paperback. 158 pages. (4¼ X 6½).

Tolkien Companion, The, by J.E.A. Tyler. edited by S. A. Tyler. Illustrated by Kevin Reilly. Avon Books, New York. March 1977. Trade paperback. 531 pages. (5½ X 8). Preface by the author. A guide and companion of Tolkien’s world. The entries are arranged alphabetically, and many of the entries are quite lengthy. Similar to the Robert Foster book from Ballantine.

Tolkien and the Critics: Essays on J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, edited by Neil D. Isaacs and Rose A. Zimbardo. University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN. 1969. Trade paperback. 296 pages. (5¼ X 8). Foreword by the editors. This is an academic collection of original and reprint essays on Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings. C. S. Lewis, W. H. Auden, and Marion Zimmer Bradley are featured.

Tolkien Quiz Book: 1001 Questions About Tolkien’s Tales of Middle-earth and Other Fantasies, by Bart Andrews with Bernie Zuber. Signet Books, New York. February 1979. Mass market paperback. 154 pages. (4¼ X 7). Nice cover by Tim Kirk. Notes from Middle-Hollywood by Bart Andrews. 100 quizzes on every facet of Tolkien’s creation.

Tolkien Scrapbook, The, edited by Alida Becker. Illustrations by Michael Green. Color illustrations by Tim Kirk. Running Press, Philadelphia, PA. 1978. Trade paperback. 191 pages. (8¼ X 10¾). The world of Tolkien is examined in a series of essays by Edmund Wilson, W. H. Auden, Colin Wilson, Baird Searles, Ruth Berman, and others. Some of the material is poetry and crossword puzzles. Appendices cover the fan clubs, fanzines, and a Tolkien bibliography.

Tree By Tolkien, by Colin Wilson. Capra Press, Santa Barbara, CA. 1974. Booklet. 47 pages. (5 X 7). This chapbook was a brief essay on Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings.

Understanding Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, by William Ready. Paperback Library, January 1969. Mass market paperback. 96 pages. (4¼ X 7). Originally titled The Tolkien Relation. A very slight book on Tolkien that should lead you to more substantial books on the

How to Write Western Novels, by Matt Braun. Writer’s Digest Books, New York. 1988. Hardcover with no dust jacket. 166 pages. (6¼ X 9¼). Introduction: A Craftsman on His Trade by the author. Braun, a writer of successful western novels, tells how to put together saleable fiction.

World of Oz, The, Allen Eyles. HPBooks Inc., Tucson, AZ. 1985. Trade paperback. 96 pages. (8¾ X 10¾). Foreword by Walter Murch. Introduction by the author. This title is a pictorial history of Oz. There are many black-and-white and color illustrations of the characters. All types of media is covered with depictions from books, movies, plays and other sources. The appendices cover the books and the films.

How to Write Romances, by Phyllis Taylor Pianka. Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH. 1988. Hardcover with no dust jacket. 164 pages. (6¼ X 9¼). Introduction: About This Book by the author. The author shows how to write believable dialogue, how to develop the romantic plot, how to do your research, and where to find ideas. There is a listing of fifty-three reasons why a book may be rejected. A reference section has many books listed to help the writer with information and help.

How to Write a Romance and Get It Published: With Intimate Advice from the World’s Most Popular Romantic Writers, by Kathryn Falk. Signet Books, New York. January 1990 (Revised Edition). Mass market paperback. 515 pages. (4¼ X 7). A revised version of the 1984 edition.

How to Write Horror Fiction, by William F. Nolan. Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH. 1990. Hardcover with no dust jacket. 143 pages. (6¼ X 9¼). Introduction by the author. Nolan explains all of the elements that make up a good horror story. He devotes a chapter to the major writers in the field: Stephen King, Anne Rice, James Herbert, Peter Straub, Dean R. Koontz, and Robert R. McCammon. An appendix lists many good horror anthologies and a number of reference titles.

How to Write Mysteries, by Shannon OCork. Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH. 1989. Hardcover with no dust jacket. 131 pages. (6¼ X 9¼). Introduction by Hillary Waugh. OCork gives a little bit of history on the different kinds of mystery novels. The author covers all of the important points in writing mystery fiction, including plotting, suspects, clues, suspense, and how to give your book the proper title.

How to Write Romances, by Phyllis Taylor Pianka. Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH. 1988. Hardcover with no dust jacket. 164 pages. (6¼ X 9¼). Introduction: About This Book by the author. The author shows how to write believable dialogue, how to develop the romantic plot, how to do your research, and where to find ideas. There is a listing of fifty-three reasons why a book may be rejected. A reference section has many books listed to help the writer with information and help.

To Writers With Love: On Writing Romantic Novels, by Mary Wibberley. Buchan & Enright, Publishers, London. 1986. Trade paperback. 192 pages. (5 X 7¾). Introduction by the author. Wibberley gives a lot of advice for the new writer of romance novels and answers the questions that you might have.

How to Write Tales of Horror, Fantasy & Science Fiction, edited by J. N. Williamson. Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH. 1987. Trade paperback. 242 pages. (6 X 9). The Editor’s Foreword: “Certain of What We Do Not See.” Introduction: How to Write Horribly for Fun and Profit by Robert Bloch. This title is a collection of essays on writing horror fiction and is by many prominent writers in the field. Ray Bradbury, William F. Nolan, Dean R. Koontz, Robert M. McCammon, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Ramsey Campbell, and Colin Wilson are just a few of the authors who provide interesting essays on writing horror fiction. A large number of authors were asked to name their “favorite” novels and short stories. The stories and novels all had to be published after 1940. Many writers sent in their lists and they are very interesting. The editor ends the book with a long alphabetical listing of recommended titles of horror, fantasy, and science fiction that should be read.

Writing Science Fiction, by Christopher Evans. St. Martin’s Press, New York. 1988. Hardcover in dust jacket. 97 pages. (5¾ X 8½). Introduction by the author. A short guide to writing science fiction.

You Can Write a Romance! And Get It Published!, by Yvonne MacManus. Pocket Books, New York. March 1983. Trade paperback. 96 pages. (5¼ X 7¾). The author gives all of the basics in writing a successful romance novel. There is a glossary of terms that have to do with the field of writing.