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READERS, we can not reiterate too often that Weird Tales belongs to you. We welcome your suggestions, and you will find no magazine more responsive to your wishes than Weird Tales. We especially invite discussion of the stories themselves. We want to know what stories you like best, and why you like them. And if there are any stories that you don't like, we want to know about those, too. Write a letter to the Eyrie, Weird Tales, or fill out the coupon at the end of the Eyrie and mail it to us. As this issue goes to press three stories are in a neck-and-neck race for most popular story in our September issue. These are Seabury Quinn's story of Jules de Grandin, The Jest of Warburg Tantavul; the opening installment of Robert E. Howard's tale of Conan, The People of the Black Circle; and the third part of Arlton Eadie's novel, The Trail of the Cloven Hoof.
WT Opens New Vistas
Clyed Birdie Bacon, of Vashon, Washington, writes: "My husband and I have been steady readers of your magazine since first we found a copy among a pile of discarded books. It has opened new vistas, much as did the key in that rather breath-taking story, Through the Gates of the Silver Key, in your July issue. The Three Marked Pennies in the August number is a masterpiece in prose. I wouldn't be surprized to find it in a book of little classics some day."
'New Idea in Fantasy Fiction
Harold F. Keating, of Quincy, Massachusetts, writes: "The September issue of Weird Tales was just about perfect. The People of the Black Circle promises to be up to Howard's usual high standard, while the third part of The Trail of the Cloven Hoof is Eadie's best yet. It introduces an entirely new idea in fantasy fiction; at least, new to me. Vine Terror, by Howard Wandrei, is one of those rare stories that entirely gripped my attention to the very end. I did not care much for The Pale Man, as it seemed quite senseless to me, and attempted no explanation whatsoever. . . . The Sinister Painting was very good, and Naked Lady was perfect. The Jest of Warburg Tantavul, needless to say, was superb, as Seabury Quinn could not write any other kind."
A Plea for Shorter Stories
Jack Snow, of Dayton, Ohio, writes: "There isn't a weak story in your latest issue, but I wonder why it is that your Eyrie writers never put in a word for the shorter stories. For years I have noticed that these stories—two, three, four and five pages in length—are usually much more entertaining and in most cases weirder than the longer efforts. I think this is because the longer stories are usually written intentionally; that is, they are carefully planned and plotted to develop so much material, while the shorter stories in many cases are the result of a sudden flash of inspiration and take complete form before the author touches the typewriter. At any rate, such stories as Mary Elizabeth Counselman's tale of the three pennies and Paul Ernst's madman story in the August issue are many times more effective than some of the longer stories. And I don't think Lovecraft's longer stories such as the one of the silver key in the July issue can touch his old tales of a few years ago—the shorter ones—The Outsider and Pickman's Model."
First Place to Robert E. Howard
Claude H. Cameron, of Toronto, writes: "I have just finished the September issue of
