Page:Weird Tales volume 24 number 03.djvu/122

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WEIRD TALES

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proved constantly and is the best magazine of any type on the market. I like Brundage's covers, though I think some weird monsters in addition to the human figures would be good. Please don't enlarge the Eyrie until it crowds out a couple of short stories. The plan of making extracts of the important parts of the letters is best. And I hope the majority of the readers vote against an author's page. In the July issue, Through the Gates of the Silver Key was my first choice. It was marvelous. It filled my head with mighty thoughts and great yearnings. I give The Illusion of Flame by Paul Ernst second place.... Your newest author, C. L. Moore, is excellent, I am eagerly waiting for his story, Dust of Gods. My favorite story characters are Conan and Northwest Smith. The bloody adventures of Conan are very interesting, and C. L. Moore has such unusual and original conceptions that reading his stories is a pleasure. I am fed up with stories of animated corpses and vampires.... I like the fantastic and imaginative story better than the scary one. Especially do I like stories about undeveloped and unknown powers of the mind."

About Our Authors

Robert Bloch, of Milwaukee, writes: "In heaven's name, publish that author's page! WT has a very interesting staff of authors, indeed. No one could claim a more interesting career than Price, soldier of fortune, etc.; Howard, a typical barbarian like his own Conan; Lovecraft, the recluse; Derleth, the descendant of a count who fled the French revolution; Quinn and his interesting job. Yet the bulk of your readers know nothing of these fascinating facts. Loosen up with them!"

Arlton Eadie's Stories

Emil Petaja, of Milltown, Montana, writes: "Although I have just had time to glance over the July issue of Weird Tales, the stories appear to be unusually excellent. I am glad to see a novel by Arlton Eadie. It seems to me that his stories have never been fully appreciated by your readers. One of his tales, The Avenging Shadow, which appeared in 1931, was never mentioned in the Eyrie, but it struck me as being one of the best tales you have ever published. . . . I want to say a word regarding suggestions made of late with reference to a quarterly or mid-monthly magazine, to be devoted to longer stories, reprints, etc. I consider this a splendid idea. You could publish in it long serial reprints, both from back issues of Weird Tales and stories such as The Wolf-Leader by Dumas, which appeared serially as a reprint in WT. This could appear quarterly and be twice as large as WT, and sell for fifty cents. In this, you could give information on old, forbidden magic, true weird tales, and old writers like Cagliostro, Roger Bacon, etc. With regard to a page giving information about your authors, I agree with you, by all means don't have one. In many cases these would detract from the author's popularity. I can see no reason for kicking about your covers. Individually, each is a work of art, and the weird atmosphere is uppermost in each."

More Vampire Stories

Miss Andre Cross, of Hollywood, California, writes: "For three years I have been a faithful reader of Weird Tales and I have never found anything to make a comment about. I was never very interested in writing fan letters, but it seems I must write to you and say how much I enjoy every word of your magazine. It is simply supreme. Your cover designs are extremely attractive, and if they are not actually done by a woman, they have the fine, delicate touch of a woman.... I think you should have more stories of vampires and stories such as The Return of Balkis, The Sapphire Goddess, and Revelations in Black. Give us more of the charming fascinating character Monsieur Jules de Grandin, the gallant Frenchman, and his adventures."

By Air Mail

Fred Anger, of Berkeley, California, writes: "Weird Tales is certainly improving steadily. Every new copy gets better and better; evidently there is no end to your progress. The first installment of The Trail of the Cloven Hoof is as good a piece of weird fiction as it is possible to find. Mr. Eadie has given us nothing but the best in all the years he has been writing. The Trail of the Cloven Hoof equals if not excels The World-Wrecker of several years ago. Congratulations, Mr. Eadie. Through the Gates