It was that kind of day today. On the “bad news” front, I’m sad to announce that Liveright Publishing/W. W. Norton has delayed publication of my New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft: Beyond the Mythos to Summer 2019. This is partly due to other books in their pipeline and partly because my New Annotated Frankenstein (that they so beautifully published) will still be very much in the public eye during the 2018 bicentennial year. While this delay gives me an opportunity to add some additional great photos to the Lovecraft book (supplied by the tireless Donovan K. Loucks), I had hoped it would be out in late 2018. To all my friends in the Lovecraft community who have so kindly asked when the book would appear–it’s not my fault, but bear with us!

On the “good news” side, however–at least I hope you’ll think so–Pegasus Books has agreed to move up publication of the beginning of a new series I’m creating for them, tentatively titled Annotated American Crime Writing. The first volume, covering the 1920’s, includes The Tower Treasure by Franklin Dixon (the first Hardy Boys mystery), The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen (the first Queen book), House Without A Key by Earl Derr Biggers (the first Charlie Chan mystery),The Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine (the first Philo Vance mystery), and W. R. Burnett’s groundbreaking Little Caesar, on which the great Edward Robinson film was based. Future volumes are expected to cover the 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s.

You can tell that I don’t like sleeping. The clock is ticking…