Welcome to my world! My Back Pages is a personal anthology project of my previously published articles and essays.
I've been a writer for several decades, so this is a multiple-issue collection.
For the first issue I selected seven pieces which provides an indication of some of my interests—sports, music, travel, fan history, and family.
The second issue, published just before the 2010 Australia worldcon, is book-ended by articles I wrote and co-wrote about two previous epic adventures Down Under.
Issue #3 is a travel-themed issue with essays involving undocumented historical sites, valorous stadium vendors, large bronze bulls, Broadway shows, winged warriors, evening receptions, vicarious interplanetary journeys, notable old buildings, amber jewelry, semi-obscure composers, famous science fiction fans, and snow emergencies.
Issue #4 is a summer-themed issue, with essays involving famous bulls, gargantuan lawn ornaments, favorite buildings, ornery babushkas, unruly sheepdogs, human lemmings, legendary musicians, unusual ceiling fans, memorable conventions, larger-than-life superheroes, different kinds of cathedrals, and absent friends.
Issue #5 is a western-themed issue about conventions and absent friends, with essays involving talented writers, big blue bears, popular aquatic creatures, famous shrines, ceramic teapots, chocolate rockets, legendary fanzines, erroneous street maps, famous fan communities, unusual things to collect, fannish hijinks, language barriers, financial karma, unexpected silver linings, damaged suitcases, and far-reaching results of chance remarks.
Issue #6 has been built to withstand some cold weather and features some of my articles and essays about experiences in (or leading up to) the cold weather months, involving gigantic sand dunes, unusual financial wizardry, wading flamingos, historical museums, fabulous beasts, cape-ified statues, entertaining musicals, deserving authors, notable fans and fan organizations, legendary composers, frightened housepets, historical artifacts, favorite buildings, crocheted sea creatures, thunder snow, and one truly awesome robot.
Issue #7 is structured as a personal journey, with essays involving long walks, barroom brawls, gamma rays, signature screams, album cover recreations, lucrative tourist attractions, singing subway attendants, famous paintings, skyscrapers old and new, conversations with strangers, strawberry shortcake, good and bad karma, foreign visitors, visits with foreigners, movie script ideas, and lots and lots of beer.
Issue #8 was assembled in the dog days of a hot summer, with essays involving award-winning authors, capital cities, unhappy gamblers, excruciating meetings, victory laps, reunited roommates, science fictional road trips, human pinball machines, acrylic rockets, ocean views, famous astronauts, eye-glazing viewgraphs, malevolent-looking handguns, unusual culinary delicacies, aggressive salesladies, popular tourist attractions, good beer, favorite destinations, and absent friends.
Issue #9 pays homage to some of the famous #9s of the world, and has essays involving large and small Chinatowns, magnificent cathedrals, unusual wedding strategies, new kinds of metrics, expert craftsmanship, large sports trophies, tardy commuter buses, hotel lobbies, small fanzines, long road trips, un-dark skies, expensive food, cool breezes, spectacular views, scale models, tourist attractions, dangerous places, good beer, and many, many absent friends.
