London Paperback & Pulp Bookfair 2012

Since Trent’s currently in the process of confirming, cataloging, and showcasing every single sleaze paperback Donald E. Westlake ever wrote (under various pseudonyms), I thought I’d take the opportunity to draw the attention of British VWoP readers (and any vacationing Americans) to a forthcoming event where there’s guaranteed to be a fine selection of smutty softcovers on sale. Held just once a year, the Paperback & Pulp Bookfair is the UK’s only show dedicated entirely to vintage softcover crime fiction, science fiction, sleaze, westerns, and horror. Last year I came away with a stack of paperbacks (actually two stacks), and the year before I scored a Pocket printing of The Hunter (among other things), so I speak from experience when I say that it really is a show not to be missed. The date for this year’s event is Sunday, October 28, and once again it’ll be at the Park Plaza Hotel in London (just around the corner from Victoria Station). There’ll be a number of special guests attending, including horror editor Stephen Jones, acclaimed artist Les Edwards, and fantasy author Adrian Cole, but more importantly than that, I’ll be there, so if you see this lanky idiot wandering about:

come and say hello. Maybe wait till an hour or so after the doors open though; I’ll be too busy rifling through boxes of paperbacks before then.