Weirder Tales

Texas Jack Page, on the eve of his 48th birthday, emptied his last seven cartons of books, placing them volume by volume across his front door - a one-man human cask of Amontillado interring himself inside a shining silver Airstream trailer sized aluminum tomb of tomes.

"The story is a cracker. An ageing book collector called Texas Jack Page looks back over his life, his loves and hopes and regrets, and waxes philosophical about the books that have kept him going. Avid readers and collectors will recognize some of themselves in Texas Jack Page; everyone else will be touched by the pathos of this character. To say more would be to ruin the effect, so I'll say only that this story tugged at my heartstrings while making me smile. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. The tale is lyrical and knowing, and the chapbook itself is a thing of wonder, created with real affection." (Whispers of Wickedness)

"Steve Vernon pays homage to horror authors and bibliophiles in this tale of Texas Jack Page, a collector of books including horror books. Texas Jack’s obsession with his books, starting from an early age, continues to dominate his life and ultimately leads to some very strange developments." (Monster Librarian)