#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 5, 2025

 November 5, 2025 and three years ago on this day in 2022 was the official launch of “Victory Harben: Fires of Halos by Christopher Paul Carey. Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated celebrated the day by opening their offices for a tour. The book is available from ERB Inc. Here’s some information from the Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated website.

Born in Pellucidar, the world at the Earth’s core, in 1932, Victory Harben is the daughter of Gretchen von Harben and the warrior Nadok of the Voraki tribe. From a young age, Victory studied under Abner Perry and Jason Gridley, from whom she learned a deep love for science. At age eleven, she underwent a life-changing experience when she ran away from home and encountered a Mahar named Tu-al-sa in the subterranean city of Mintra. Victory traveled for the first time to the outer crust soon after, determined to unlock the secrets of advanced mathematics and physics hinted at in the Mahar archives. After graduating with a Master’s degree in theoretical physics, Victory returned to Pellucidar at the behest of Jason Gridley to help solve the mystery of the Gridley Wave’s failure.

The 100-word drabble for today, “Fabric of Space,” is excerpted from a press release by ERB Inc. dated July 25, 2025. The press release has been slightly edited to be exactly 100 words long.

‘When a mysterious force catapults inventors Jason Gridley and Victory Harben from their home in Pellucidar and flinging them across space and time, they embark on a grand tour of strange, wondrous worlds. Their search for one another leads them to the realms of Amtor, Barsoom, and other worlds even more distant and outlandish, Jason and Victory meet heroes and heroines of unparalleled courage and ability: Carson Napier, Tarzan, John Carter, and more. With the help of their intrepid allies, Jason and Victory uncover a plot, insidious and unthinkable—one that threatens to tear apart the fabric of the universe!’

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 4, 2025

 November 4, 2025, election day in New Mexico, and it’s reported that ninety-eight years ago on this day in 1927, Script Magazine published Ed’s travelogue, “Eleven Year Itch.” In commemoration of his family’s 1916 cross-country trip, the family traveled to the Grand Canyon North Rim. His 52nd birthday was spent in Arizona, as were his 21st and his 50th: The article Eleven Year Itch is written to describe the event. Unfortunately, I don’t have that issue and I can’t find the article electronically. I can’t even confirm that Script Magazine was published in 1927, I show the first issue with a 1929 date.

Since I can’t find the article, the drabble for today, “Check-In Time,” is entirely fictional. Well, almost, the information about the hotels is accurate.

“Dad,” said Hulbert. “It was a really hard drive to the north rim of the canyon. I can’t say that it looks differently than it does from the other side.”

“No, the other side has an hotel, the El Tovar.”

Joan said, “They’re building a hotel here. It’ll open next year. “Doesn’t do us any good. We’re here now.”

“True,” said Ed. “ The first man who saw the San Fernando Valley probably though someday this will be great city.”

“Excuse me if I don’t care to wait. No beans for me. I’d like a shower and a nice cabernet.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 3, 2025

 November 3, 2025 and on this day forty years ago in 1985, the Gray Morrow illustrated and Don Kraar scripted Tarzan Sunday newspaper story arc, The Night of the Meteor, concluded. The story arc ran for twelve weeks, typical of the time.

The entire story arc and several more Sunday Tarzans are available to read at www.erbzine.com. This one is available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag35/3513.html

A catastrophic meteor shower was predicted and Tarzan raced to save a lost colony of Boer settlers, a few of which didn’t believe him and refused his help.

The drabble for today is, “The Sky, The Sky,” and it was inspired by the story arc, “The Night of the Meteor.”

Tarzan was trying to save wildlife from an expected meteor shower. He discovered a lost Boer village. He said, “You must leave quickly. A terrible meteor shower is coming tonight. It will destroy your village.”

Jan, a Boer leader, laughed. “You sound like Chicken Little. “The sky is falling. The sky is falling. I won’t leave.”

The meteors destroyed the village and killed Jan and his followers.

Tarzan said, “Those people didn’t have to die. If I was wrong, he could have just returned to his undamaged home. My way was a win/win. His was a win/lose. He chose poorly.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 2, 2025

 November 2, 2025 and on this day years ago in 1942, Ed wrote to George Carlin, and no, not that George Carlin, thanking him for his United Press correspondent credentials. Edgar Rice Burroughs officially became the World’s Oldest War Correspondent. In early December, he reported for duty and began writing “Dairy of a Confused Old Man or Buck Burroughs Rides again” about his experiences. The entire diary is available to read online at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag68/6800.html. The diary is, of course, copyrighted by Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated.

The drabble for today, “Pack Up Your Ole Kit Bag,” is excerpted from the first entry in that diary. It’s been slightly edited for length to be exactly 100 words long.

Hulbert phoned to say G-2 had called to say there was a seat for me on a plane leaving the next morning reserved for me. I was in the midst of a poker hand, stayed to win it, got up, and walked out with the money.

I packed my B-4 and musette bag. G-2 told Hulbert I was allowed 55 pounds. My gear weighed much more than fifty-five. The B-4 was jammed full; so was the musette bag. I also had a tin hat and a typewriter. Later, I acquired a gas mask. When fully loaded, I could just stagger.

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - October 29, 2025

 October 29, 2025 and eighty-four years ago on this day in 1941, Edgar Rice Burroughs completed the unpublished article, Fall of Democracy. The Second World War was raging in Europe and the attack on Pearl Harbor was less than six weeks in the future when the article was written. Soon America would be embroiled in the conflict and magazines were inundated with such articles, most of which were rejected. I’ve never seen the article. One can only hope that it’s survived in the archives at Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated and we’ll see on some future July 4th.

The drabble for today, “It’s Only Wrong in the Third Person,” is 100-words long and it reflects my understanding of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s patriotism.

The war in Europe threatens freedom everywhere. It will ultimately determine whether we live in a democracy or under totalitarian rule. Democracy is delicate balance. It can be toppled by power-hungry men appealing to the worst in us. Divide and conquer. All it takes is the application of freedom and fairness disproportionally. Laws must be applied fairly, especially to those with whom you disagree. Good for the goose, good for the gander. Whenever we limit behavior and rights to those that only agree with our points of view, that very second the Statue of Liberty will tumble into the harbor.

NEW ANTHOLOGY - LURKING IN THE GENE POOL

 LURKING IN THE GENE POOL, the fourth anthology published by THREE COUSINS PUBLISNING, an imprint of WEST MESA PRESS, was published yesterday. Three formats are available from Amazon, hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. Two formats are available from LULU, hardcover and paperback. An EBook version will be available soon from Lulu.

Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXV398DZ/

The book contains the story, ON A FROZEN NIGHT, by CHRIS L. ADAMS. Chris spent years playing guitar in bands and, during that time, was more a voracious reader than writer. After his last band collapsed, he turned from writing songs to writing stories, including "Dark Tides of Mars" and its sequel, "Gauntlets of Mars."

Chris’s first published tale was a supernatural story titled "On a Winter’s Eve" and as it ended up, that tale inspired a retelling of it from a different POV, yielding an altogether different story. Should you enjoy On a Frozen Night, you may wish to read its sister story.

In addition to writing, Chris also dabbles in painting. As a matter of fact, the cover art for his Prehistoric Tales series features his paintings. Chris resides in Southern West Virginia with his wife and kids but may be found on the web at ChrisLAdamsBizarreTales.

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - October 26, 2025

 October 26, 2025 and on this day thirty-years ago in 1992, Season 2, episode 3, “Tarzan and the Forbidden Jewels,” the Wolf Larson Tarzan television series, aired. A complete list of the episodes, along with a review of each, may be found at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag74/7464.html

It should be noted that the episodes did not always appear in the order they were written and filmed. Hauser, played by James Healy, is back and…wait. He claims he’s a reformed man and none of the regulars, Wolf Larson, Lydie Denier, and Roger Taft Jr. seem to question that he was supposed to serve five years in prison. Is this five years or later? Some sources ---Amazon, for one, claim that this season came out in 1997 (in some countries, namely America, this season didn’t air until then or later and season three in 1998). Did Hauser get out of jail early for good behavior? It would be nice if we were told. If it is 1997 here, everyone is six years older? It would explain why Roger looks older, a bit? The plot involves a lost temple that contains hidden jewels.

The 100-word drabble for today, “Forbidden,” was inspired by the story and by the thought of forbidden items and behavior.

Hauser said, “Tarzan, there’s a lost temple filled with jewels. Take me there.”

“I know the place. The temple is forbidden, as are the jewels.”

“Take me or my men will burn villages. You can’t stop them all.”

“Hauser, you do understand the word, forbidden?”

“I do, but I ask, forbidden by who?

Jane said, “You mean, by whom?”

Tarzan said, “It’s not the whom, it’s the why that matters. An American President said, ‘Forbidden fruit tastes sweeter, but the aftertaste is bitter.”

Hauser laughed, “Who cares. With the jewels, I’m sure I can afford mouthwash and a new toothbrush.”