Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Howard Days is One Week Away! Here are some Random Reminders for Attendees

It might be hard to believe that Howard Days starts in one week, but hear us now and believe us later! For all you lucky attendees, here are some random yet helpful reminders about coming to The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom!
  • There are still seats available for the Friday night Celebration Banquet. You can Paypal your $15.00 to Projpride@yahoo.com, or check with Arlene in the Gift Shop at the House on Friday. We've moved the Banquet to a larger facility, the Family Life Center at the Baptist Church on Main Street.
  • You can also bring Silent Auction items to the Museum on Friday if you like. The earlier the better. Right now we've got 130 items plus, including some rare REH collectibles.
  • There are also tables still available for the Dealers Area. $25.00 for both days for your REH/related items, payable in the Gift Shop.
  • Speaking of money, please remember that the Museum Gift Shop and the Silent Auction can only accept cash or checks. So bring your checkbook or hit one of the several ATM's around Cross Plains.
  • The Postal Cancellation Souvenir only happens on Friday, so be sure to get up to the Cross Plains Post Office for this unique memento.
  • The Robert E. Howard Foundation Press will set up under their shady canopy, selling pure text REH. Their latest release, PICTURES IN THE FIRE, will debut there, with Editor Paul Herman and cover artist Bill Cavalier available to sign your book!.
  • Skelos Press will also be on hand, debuting the English version of Patrice Louinet's THE ROBERT E. HOWARD GUIDE. The handsome Frenchman will also gladly sign your copy!
  • The Conan Role-Playing Game will be presented at the Cross Plains Library along with the Conan Board Game and a little bird has told us the new Solomon Kane RPG will be on display.
  • Here's a health reminder: The weather forecast for Cross Plains next week calls for hot as the slag heaps of hell (as REH would say) temperatures in the 100's. Consequently, dress accordingly, use sunscreen and make sure to stay extra-hydrated. Free water is available in the big cooler at the Pavilion, so everybody water up!
  • In a related vein - Cross Plains is perpetually under a BURN BAN. The hot Texas air makes everything susceptible to fire, so PLEASE be very careful with matches or smoking.
  • Finally, we will celebrate the 90th birthday of Solomon Kane with CAKE at the Friday Hot Dog Lunch. Cutting it with your rapier is optional.
There may be more reminders as we think of them. Stay tuned to this blog or the Facebook page for updates and additional pertinent info.

And remember: all the activities at Howard Days: Tours, panels, Hot Dogs on Friday and the BBQ on Saturday are free. Everyone is welcome, so y'all come! See you next week!

Friday, May 25, 2018

Howard Days Presents Two Book Debuts



If all goes as planned, we should see the release of two new books at Howard Days 2018. One is about Robert E. Howard, the other is by Robert E. Howard.

Patrice Louinet, world-renowned Howard Scholar, will be on hand in Cross Plains for the unveiling of his newly-translated-into-English THE ROBERT E. HOWARD GUIDE. This book is a comprehensive look at the life and writings of REH, done by this prominent Howard devote, scholar, collector and fan, who will indeed "guide" you through all things Howard within these pages!

The Robert E. Howard Foundation Press is pleased to announce the arrival of their latest book, PICTURES IN THE FIRE, Remaining Weird Tales and Esoterica. This tome features an interesting mix of Howard's original typescript writings and includes stories, poems, drafts and fragments (that were not included in previous works) and many little 'esoteric" bits that came from Bob's Underwood No. 5 or from the tip of his pencil. The cover to this book is a watercolor painting done by Bill Cavalier, this year's Howard Days Guest of Honor.

Both Monsieur (and soon to be Dr.) Louinet and The One and Only "Indiana" Bill Cavalier will be on hand to sign (and maybe doodle) in these books at Howard Days. Also, PITF editor Paul Herman will be around to sign as well.

These and other surprises await you in Cross Plains at The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom. (Although now that we've mentioned the books - not so much of a surprise...) 

We are "Celebrating REH Fans" this year and hope you can be there! To celebrate Solomon Kane's 90th birthday: THERE WILL BE CAKE!

Click on the little info tabs on this page for everything you need to know about Howard Days, and

Y'all come!




Monday, May 21, 2018

Updates for Howard Days - New Banquet Location



With two and a half weeks left, we've got one important update for you: there is a change in venue for the Friday night Celebration Banquet.

The Banquet will now be held at the Family Life Center of the Baptist Church on Main Street in Cross Plains. It's a well-labeled building that is hard to miss, just north of the downtown section.

This change will provide more space for both the Banquet and the Silent Auction held at the same time. And more importantly, the caterer is happy, so: happy cook, happy...well, the chicken fried steak will taste a little extra special this year.

There are still seats left at the Banquet. $15.00 per person will do the trick, sent to Project Pride, POB 534, Cross Plains, TX 76443 or via Paypal at ProjPride@yahoo.com.

Our panel presentations this year will be extra special as well. Fred Malmberg, Jay Zetterberg and Steve Booth from Cabinet Entertainment will be on hand with all of their REH-related updates coming down the pike. Robert E. Howard is hitting the big time in the form of multi-media entertainment. New books, new games and new television presentations featuring REH characters are being planned to really get the Howard name and brand to more people. Patrice Louinet will be here to talk about the ongoing Howard publishing being done in France, along with some exciting Howard-related gaming news. There'll be gaming presentations at the Cross Plains Library as well as notable Howard Heads on hand there for your question-answering pleasure.

We'll be hearing about these events and more at our panel presentations, but all the Howard Heads will be available all weekend all over town to answer your questions and keep things exciting.

Speaking of books, looks like the newest offering from the REH Foundation Press will be available for the first time at Howard Days. Pictures in the Fire, Remaining Weird Tales and Esoterica, should be front and center under the Foundation Press canopy set up just east of the Robert E. Howard Museum. This book features a cover by Bill Cavalier, who is also the 2018 Howard Days Guest of Honor. It will include REH stories, poems, letters and well, esoterica not yet published.

So, the time for Howard Days is drawing near, but there's still plenty of room for y'all to come! Hope to see you there!

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Howard Days Poster


Here is the official Howard Days 2018 poster, done by Guest of Honor Bill Cavalier.

We see where "Indy" put in a reference to the newly uncovered storm/storage cellar, discovered last month during "The Dig" at the house. This newly uncovered part of the Howard Museum will now be on permanent display, as Project Pride has decided to add it to the Museum tour. Details are still to be worked out, but the cellar will be open for viewing during Howard Days and on other special occasions.

The poster lists a number of activities to be experienced during Howard Days, but the experience of coming to Cross Plains to appreciate the life and legacy of Robert E. Howard is like no other.

There's plenty of room for everyone and as almost all the activities are free, so y'all come!