Black Cat Weekly 54

Our 54th issue is another good one. On the mystery side, we have a great original tale by Jacqueline Freimor (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), plus strong stories by Stephen D. Rogers (selected by Barb Goffman) and James Holding, another solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles (the writing team of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet), and an Edwardian mystery novel by Dick Donovan—whose popularity rivaled that of Arthur Conan Doyle in their day. On the science fiction side, Acquiring Editor Cynthia Ward has a stunning tale by Holly Wade Matter, plus we have classic shorts by James Blish, Robert Zacks, and Kendell Foster Crossen—plus a novel by Arthur K. Barnes. Good stuff! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “A Death-drop to Die For,” by Jacqueline Freimor [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Most Guilty Person,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Sensing the Fall,” by Stephen D. Rogers [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Phase Four,” by James Holding [short story] A Gilded Serpent, by Dick Donovan [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Russian Winter,” by Holly [short story] "Inside Matter," by James Blish “From Outer Space,” by Robert Zacks [short story] “The Gnome’s Gneiss,” by Kendell Foster Crossen [short story] Interplanetary Hunter, by Arthur K. Barnes [novel]

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #15—enjoy our holiday cat cover! The magazine is coming more sharply into focus, as our acquiring editors spread out through the mystery and science fiction fields and bring new stories to our lineup. This issue, we officially welcome Cynthia M. Ward to the editorial staff. She comes bearing a gift—Nancy Kress’s excellent science fiction story, “The Art of War.” Darrell Schweitzer was supposed to be back with his second acquisition this week (a comical Esther Friesner tale) but there were problems with the text and I’ve made a last-minute executive decision to push it back an issue or two, while it’s being fixed. I’ll slip in a replacement from my own backlist, another entry in my “Slab’s Tavern” series of fantasy bar stories. Barb Goffman and Michael Bracken have acquired a pair of original tales for us. First, Barb presents “The Importance of Being Urnest,” by Eleanor Cawood Jones. Then Michael selects “Romeo and Isabella” by John M. Floyd. Great stories, both. Thanks, everyone! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Westerns “The Writing Workshop,” by Janice Law [short story] “Romeo and Isabelle,” by John M. Floyd [short story] “Secret Santa,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself mystery] West of Quarantine, by Todhunter Ballard [novel] “The Importance of Being Urnest,” by Eleanor Cawood Jones [short story] “Dr. Kreener’s Last Experiment,” by Sax Rohmer [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy “Serendipity,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “The Art of War,” by Nancy Kress [short story] “Well Bottled at Slab’s,” by John Gregory Betancourt [short story] Forever We Die! by Stephen Marlowe [short novel]

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly. Our 107th issue has everything you could possibly want: police detectives, spacemen, cats, boy detectives, a man (literally) fighting cancer, an abandonned mill chimney, murder in space…. I could go on and on, but that would take all the fun out of it for you! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Up In Smoke,” by Gregory Meece [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Point Taken” by Hal Charles [short story] “Method for Murder,” by Michael Mallory [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Blue Line,” by Hal Meredith [short story] The Mystery Hunters at the Haunted Lodge, by Capwell Wyckoff [novel] “Earth Transit,” by Charles L. Fontenay [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Carcinoma Angels,” by Norman Spinrad [short story] “No Heaven Will Not Ever Heaven Be…,” by A.R. Morlan [short story] “Earth Transit,” by Charles L. Fontenay [short story] “Deadline,” by Walter L. Kleine [short story] “Rockabye, Grady,” by David Mason [short story]

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “An Adventure Aloft,” by A.L. Sirois [Michael Bracken Presents short story, Sherlock Holmes series] “The Case of the Murdered Manager,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Hidden,” by Victoria Selman [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “My Lord The Baby,” by Hal Meredith [short story, Sexton Blake series] “The Gallery Gods,” by Murray Leinster [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Sympathy For Vampires,” by John Gregory Betancourt [short story] “Sir Farley’s Story,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “Journals of the Plague Years,” by Norman Spinrad [short story] “The Enemy,” by Richard Wilson [short story] “Beyond Our Control,” by Randall Garrett [novelet]

Here’s the complete lineup for our 104th issue—technically, the 2nd anniversary issue, but since we had our big celebration with our 100th issue (whose number seems a more significant milestone), we simply note this new landmark. As always, we have a terrific lineup of original, modern, and classic fiction in multiple genres. Every reader is sure to find something to enjoy, no matter your tastes! Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Cargo,” by John M. Floyd [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Case of the Polluted Punch” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Carry-on” by Wayne J. Gardiner [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Dead Blood Runs Purple,” by Frank Kane [novelet] The Adventures of Tyler Tatlock, by Dick Donovan [short story collection] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Fine Art of Dreaming,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “Masters of the Metropolis,” by Lin Carter [short story] “Awakening,” by Bryce Walton [short story] “Fuzzy Head,” by Frank Belknap Long [novella] “Warrior of Two Worlds,” by Manly Wade Wellman [novella]

This issue, we have four original tales to entertain you—mysteries by Eve Fisher (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Joseph S. Walker (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman)—and science fiction by Janice Law and Alan J. Wahnefried. Three stories are Christmas-themed, and the holiday comes up in passing in a few other stories as well. Plus we have classics by Robert Silverberg, Ron Goulart, Evelyn E. Smith, ,and Sir Anthony Quiller-Couch, plus a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles. Great fun! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The Four Directions,” by Eve Fisher [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “A Christmas Surprise,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “A Right Jolly Old Elf,” by Joseph S. Walker [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “My Christmas Burglary,” by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch [novelet] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Argo,” by Janice Law [short story] “Garrison Is Dead,” by Alan J. Wahnefried [short story] “The Yes Men of Venus,” by Ron Goulart [short story] “Mr. Replogle’s Dream,” by Evelyn E. Smith [short story] “There Was an Old Woman—,” by Robert Silverberg [short story]

Black Cat Weekly #101 presents 10 great tales of mystery. fantasy, and science fiction -- a pair of novels, a novella, and 7 short stories. Hours of great reading await! Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Lost Boy” by Neil S. Plakcy [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Case of the Disappearing Document” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “River Secret” by Anne Swardson [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “A Network of Crime,” by Nicholas Carter [novella] Anybody’s Pearls, by Hulbert Footner [short story collection] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Knocker Baby,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story, Bart Maverel series] “Gentlemen: Please Note,” by Randall Garrett [short story] “Killer Cat,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story] “Pen Pal,” by Stephen Marlowe [short story] The Hidden Kingdom, by Francis Beeding