In the early days of science fiction when there were not many authors who wrote it and Amazing was chiefly a magazine of Verne-Wells-Poe reprints, Bob Olsen was writing and had a friend who thought he could too. Bob had two tales published in Amazing without mentioning the accomplishment to his friend who succeeded in having nothing accepted (he was not writing stf). Then, with the third story, Bob's name appeared on the cover, giving him quite a thrill. 'Stories by: H. G. Wells, Bob Olsen, Edgar Allan Poe', it read. "Uh, what do you think of that?" asked Bob proudly, now displaying his work, his name with Wells and Poe. The friend sized up a moment. Then, "They've got you just right, all right," he seemed to have to admit, Bob swelling with pride--"half way between a live one and a dead one!" Bob still thinks he was a little bit envious, tho. * * * * * Tell your friends to read THE FANTASY FAN * * * * * ALIER'S ALIBI by Mortimer Weisinger Years ago, when Hugo Gernsback's "Scientific Adventures of Baron Munchhausen" were appearing serially in the Electrical Experimenter, it occasionally transpired that an installment was omitted. At such intervals various ingenious excuses were offered to explain the missing chapters. Perhaps the gem of them all is the one which we are reproducing herewith, taken from a 1915 issue. "Baron Munchhausen, as will be noted, has failed to make his appearance this month. Urgent wireless telegrams to his chronologist-in-chief, the Hon. I. M. Alier, of Yankton, Mass., disclosed the fact that the venerable old gentleman had contracted a virulent case of Atmospheris Marsianis, which sometimes attacks Interplanetary travellers not acclimatized to the peculiar Martian air. Mr. Alier, however, states that Professor Flitternix, the Baron's companion, advises him that Munchhausen will be back on the job next month. Of course we're sorry, but what can we do?" * * * * * ADVERTISEMENTS Rates: one cent per word Minimum Charge, 25 cents * * * * * Back Numbers of _The Fantasy Fan_: September, 1933, out of print; Oct., Dec., 1933--Jan., Feb., Mar., May, June, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec., 1934, 10 cents each. Nov., 1933--Apr., July, 1934, 20 cents each. * * * * * CLARK ASHTON SMITH presents THE DOUBLE SHADOW AND OTHER FANTASIES--a booklet containing a half-dozen imaginative and atmospheric tales--stories of exotic beauty, horror, terror, strangeness, irony and satire. Price: 25 cents each (coin or stamps). Also a small remainder of EBONY AND CRYSTAL--a book of prose-poems published at $2.00, reduced to $1.00 per copy. Everything sent postpaid. Clark Ashton Smith, Auburn, California.