Exhibit Piece by Philip K. Dick is PUBLIC DOMAIN

Jesse Willis

SFFaudio News

Good news everyone! Exhibit Piece, a Philip K. Dick short story first published in the August 1954 issue of Worlds Of Science Fiction, is PUBLIC DOMAIN! The etext is HERE.

Exhibit Piece by Philip K. Dick
Exhibit Piece illustrated by Paul Orban

Exhibit Piece was protected by copyright at one time. It was not renewed.

This was not known previously as there was a was a fraudulent attempt to renew the copyright. This fact is evidenced by THIS scan of the associated U.S. copyright office renewal form. Here are the highlighted details:

Claimed issue of publication for Exhibit Piece

Here is a scan of the table of contents in the TRUE original publication (the August 1954 issue of If: Worlds Of Science Fiction):
Table of contents from the August 1954 issue of IF: Worlds Of Science Fiction

The renewal period had already lapsed by the time the bogus renewal attempt.

Here is the table of contents from the December 1955 issue of If: Worlds Of Science Fiction, note the absence of a story by Philip K. Dick in this issue:

Table of contents from the December 1955 issue of IF: Worlds Of Science Fiction

Exhibit Piece by Philip K. Dick is PUBLIC DOMAIN.

Also, here’s a |PDF|.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick is PUBLIC DOMAIN

Jesse Willis

SFFaudio News

Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick is a PUBLIC DOMAIN short story.

Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick - illustrated by Paul Orban
Paul Orban illustration from Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick

Back in 1983 an application was made to renew the copyright for Prominent Author, a short story by Philip K. Dick. The story’s copyright, however was not renewed in the time allotted. Instead the applicant, Paul Williams, mis-stated the original publication date giving Prominent Author the deceptive appearance of being within the renewal period. This is demonstrably false.

Here is the highlighted detail from the copyright renewal form:

Incorrect publication date for "Prominent Author"

Here is the complete page of the copyright renewal form for RE190631:
copyright renewal form for RE190631 (includes Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick)

Here is the table of contents from the May 1954 issue of IF: Worlds Of Science Fiction (note that it includes Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick):
Table Of Contents for IF: Worlds Of Science Fiction (including Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick)

Here is the table of contents from IF: Worlds Of Science Fiction, June 1955 (note the absence of a story by Philip K. Dick):
Table of contents from IF: Worlds Of Science Fiction, June 1955

Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick is a PUBLIC DOMAIN short story.

Posted by Jesse Willis

The SFFaudio Podcast #142 – AUDIOBOOK/READALONG – Accessory Before The Fact by Algernon Blackwood

Podcast

The SFFaudio PodcastThe SFFaudio Podcast #142 – Accessory Before The Fact by Algernon Blackwood, read by Gregg Margarite. This is a complete and unabridged reading of the short story (16 Minutes) followed by a discussion of it (by Jesse, Tamahome, and Gregg Margarite).

Talked about on today’s show:
Accessory Before The Fact was published in 1911, Jesse doesn’t understand this story, Wilkie Collins, ethereal planes are the hook (rather than the detail), Gilligan and The Skipper vs. Laurel and Hardu vs. Harold and Kumar, “this is not a time-slip story”, “this is a precognative story”, paranoia, “spirtitualized”, Germanophobia, WWI, bigotry on display, L. Frank Baum’s racism, Teutonic invasion, how many characters are in this story (4 or 3)?, peeling away the layers, déjà vu, see/feel the future, quantum theory, is time a superimposition onto real reality?, slipstream, fantasy, should we dismiss this story?, Ten Minute Short Stories, adventure, Accessory Before The Fact is at the genesis of all this, an accountant on vacation, “what do you do when you have one of these events and you can’t prove it”?, The Moment Of Decision by Stanley Ellin, 13 More Stories They Wouldn’t Let Me Do On TV edited by Alfred Hitchcock, An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce, time is an illusion, “time is a serious problem…”

Accessory Before The Fact by Algernon Blackwood - illustration by Bob Harvey

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: 13 More Stories They Wouldn't Let Me Do On TV

Posted by Jesse Willis

Review Of Mindstar Rising (Greg Mandel, #1) By Peter F. Hamilton

Tamahome

SFFaudio Review

Mindstar Rising (Greg Mandel, #1)
By Peter F. Hamilton; Read by Toby Longworth
Audible Download – 14 Hours 52 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audible Frontiers
Published: December 1st 2011
Themes: / Science Fiction / Mystery / Global Warming / Psychic Abilities

It’s the 21st century, and global warming is here to stay, so forget the way your country used to look. And get used to the free market, too – the companies possess all the best hardware, and they’re calling the shots now. In a world like this, a man open to any offers can make out just fine.

A man like Greg Mandel for instance, who’s psi-boosted, wired into the latest sensory equipment, carrying state-of-the-art weaponry – and late of the English Army’s Mindstar Battalion. As the cartels battle for control of a revolutionary new power source, and corporate greed outstrips national security, tension is mounting to boiling point – and Greg Mandel is about to face the ultimate test.

This is an older Peter F. Hamilton novel, first published in 1993.  It’s relatively short compared to his later books.  Just this year it got reprinted in America with Quantum Murder as one book.  (I guess thick books sell more?)  It has also just gotten the audio treatment from Audible Frontiers.  Peter F. Hamilton is kind of a potboiler sf writer, and yet he’s really smart.  He seems to put a lot of research into his scenes, including some science.  Sometimes I feel like he’s giving too many details compared to someone like Joe Haldeman, and I get a little restless.   Maybe it’s my fault and I’m getting confused, which is easier to do in an audiobook.  But then something shocking or intense happens, and it keeps me going.  Plus his character development is above average for a genre writer.  And he doesn’t shy away from sex or violence as much as other writers.  I feel like he writes for adults.  If you thought the Night’s Dawn or Void trilogies had too many fantasy elements, you might prefer this series.  It is more straight science fiction.  That’s assuming you don’t consider psychic abilities to be fantasy.  At least they’re framed here in a scientific way.  You may encounter some libertarian political messages as well.  The setting is a post global warming world where a Leftist government has left England in shambles.  It will become important to the plot.

I happen to know that Hamilton is a plotter and outlines in advance.  I experienced the ‘Connie Willis effect’ while reading — I wasn’t sure why a certain character or location was introduced, but then it all tied together in the end.  The last three or four hours here really cooked.  He can describe beam weapons and explosions well.  (Compare the end of his The Neutronium Alchemist with the end of Samuel R. Delany’s Nova.)  Although I caution you there’s a somewhat grisly escape.  And I don’t like the word ‘tropes’, but some of the ‘cool stuff’ you’ll see in this novel are mind uploading, cybernetic brain enhancement, and genetically enhanced animals.

No messing.

Posted by Tamahome

 

CBC: The Mystery Project: Flynn – RADIO DRAMA

Jesse Willis

Aural Noir: News

Fynn was a thirteen episode radio drama series of The Mystery Project (CBC Radio’s long running series featuring original radio drama produced in Canada and the UK). Flynn aired weekly in the Fall of 1994. Its eponymous hero was a private detective who lived on a sailboat in Vancouver harbour. The show was recorded in Vancouver too.

Here’s the description from the Thrilling Detective website:

“A middle-aged drop-out from UBC Law School , he now lives on the “Blarney Boy”, a weather-beaten sloop moored at the marina on Granville Island in the trendier-than-thou False Creek area, and works, when he feels like it, for his ex-boss lawyer Sam Greene, an eccentric old coot. All in all, though, he’d rather be sailing. It’s a simple life, and Flynn’s more than happy with things just the way they are. And then Sam’s niece, W.P. (Willie) Greene, arrives from Toronto to complicate life for everyone.”

Written by Lyal and Barbara Brown
Produced and Directed by Don Kowalchuck

Regular cast:
Boyd Norman as Flynn
Colleen Winton as Willie
Robert Clothier as Sam

Here are the broadcast details:
Episode 01 – Overdue Account – October 8, 1994/10/08
Episode 02 – Red Tiger – October 15, 1994
Episode 03 – Whirlpool October 22, 1994
Episode 04 – Ghosts – October 29, 1994
Episode 05 – Imaginary Enemies – November 5, 1994
Episode 06 – The Stalker – November 12, 1994 <-NEVER COMMERCIALLY RELEASED Episode 07 - The Box – November 19, 1994
Episode 08 – The 12 Penny Black – November 26, 1994
Episode 09 – Framed – December 3, 1994
Episode 10 – Hollywood North – December 10, 1994
Episode 11 – The Fall – December 17,1994
Episode 12 – A Christmas Carol – December 24, 1994
Episode 13 – Year End Clearance – December 31, 1994

Durkin Hayes, which bankrupt itself in the early oughts, produced at six audio cassettes (each with two episodes) of the CBC radio drama series in the mid to late 1990s. Here’s all the remaining stock I have left:

Durkin Hayes audiobooks - The Flynn Series

In order from left to right here are the audiobooks and remaining stock levels:

Flynn: Whirlpool (also includes The 12 Penny Black) Quantity 1
ISBN: 0886467705

Flynn: Red Tiger (also includes Overdue Account) Quantity 3
ISBN: 0886468620

Flynn: A Christmas Carol (also includes Year End Clearance) Quantity 2
ISBN: 0886469805

Flynn: Ghosts (also includes Framed) Quantity 2
ISBN: 0886469783

Flynn: Imaginary Enemies (also includes The Box) Quantity 7
ISBN: 0886467608

The only one not pictured above is Flynn: Hollywood North (also includes The Fall) ISBN: 1552046087, I have one opened copy of it:

Flynn: Hollywood North (also includes The Fall)

If you’re a fan of the show, remember it fondly, or are intrigued enough to give it a try. I’ll sell you cassettes for $5.00 each (that’s just 1¢ above the original retail price). Send me an email with the subject line THE MYSTERY PROJECT.

And with all six cassette releases above that makes twelve of the thirteenth episodes released. The unreleased episode, The Stalker, shall remain a mystery to me and the world until it gets some sort of release.

Posted by Jesse Willis

The Book Cave interviews James Campanella

Jesse Willis

SFFaudio Online Audio

The Book Cave podcastProfessor James Campanella, of the Science New Update and Uvula Audio podcasts, is the latest guest on The Book Cave podcast!

Here’s the show |MP3|

But, if we’re competing with The Book Cave for Campanella content I’d say we had Jim on our show first (SFFaudio Podcast #089)! But, if the truth is told, The Book Cave actually had Jim on earlier (in their episode #84) |MP3|.

Myself, I think our show is slightly better – but that’s mostly because of the sound quality. The sound on The Book Cave #084 is REALLY AWFUL – and the sound quality on #160 is only passable. With that in mind, and taking an idea from the RateMyProfessor.com site, here’s my rating of the sound quality on the two Book Cave episodes I’ve heard so far:

Rate My Podcast

Incidentally, according to his students Professor Campanella is a very hard marker.

Podcast feed: http://thebookcave.libsyn.com/rss

Posted by Jesse Willis