Issue 3 of The Cimmerian. Edited by Leo Grin | Illustrated by Jason Castagna – 40 pages.

This issue was printed in two editions. The deluxe edition, numbered 1–75, uses a black linen cover with foil-stamped blood-red text. The limited edition, numbered 76–225, uses a blood-red cover with solid black text.

Contents

• “Cross Plains or Bust” by Leo Grin (Editorial)
• “Cross Plains Memories” by Leo Grin, with Bill “Indy” Cavalier, Mark Finn, Chris Gruber, James Reasoner, Gary Romeo, Damon Sasser, and Tom Verhaaren
• “Sacred Ground” by Robert Weinberg
• “Announcements” by Leo Grin
• “A Spirit on the Wind” by Frank Coffman (poem)
• “He Was Deadly” by Don Herron
• “The Lion’s Den” by Darrell Schweitzer, Gary Romeo,
• James Reasoner, Frank Coffman, and Charles Hoffman
• (letter column)
• Contributors

Notes

DELUXE COPIES DESTROYED: 0

LIMITED COPIES DESTROYED: 37

Features full coverage of Howard Days 2004, including thousands of words of commentary from numerous attendees, many pictures from the event, a transcript of the keynote address at the Howard Days banquet, a recollection of meeting someone who knew Howard, a poetic tribute to Howard by Frank Coffman, Letters, Announcements, and more.

Excerpts

As always, the trek up Caddo Peak was a joy. Once again the unbroken views of the Texas landscape found at this peak provide a most satisfying reward for those daring souls who risk life and limb (and cardiac arrest for some very un-barbarian-like fans) to scale its rough hide. We were warned by the local ranch hands, who escort us to the top of Caddo Peak each year, to keep a wary eye out for rattlesnakes, chiggers, and Pigeons from Hell — the latter apparently had been spotted in increasing numbers on June 10.

— Chris Gruber, from “Cross Plains Memories” by Leo Grin

My parents weren’t upset because they saw nothing wrong with collecting books. After all, how many paperbacks or magazines could I accumulate?
(laughter)
Sooner or later, as my mother said one day, “how long can you do it before it gets boring?” My mother, who turned eighty-nine this year, still wonders when that’s going to happen.

— from “Sacred Ground” by Robert Weinberg

One gaunt land there, seeming to shun the sun,
Clouds piled forever, arching hill on hill:
Cimmeria! Its dark woods stir again,
Rustling in shadows deep — then all goes still.

— from “A Spirit on the Wind” by Frank Coffman

According to Baker, Robert E. Howard “talked real slow” and “his voice was kind of like. . . ”

— from “‘He Was Deadly’” by Don Herron