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Shangri-la, issue 7, July-August 1948

Page 10

[title underlined] LETTER TO WILSON TUCKER; or, THE CASE OF THE FACE ON THE DUST JACKET

Four year ago, in 1944, the best reading in book form I ran across was NONCE, by Michael Brandon. The book reminded me of the late William Seabrook, and the picture of the author appearing on the dust jacket fascinated me. I studied that face a lot; and, later, when reading a fan magazine called AD INFINITUM, I found that I was not alone. You, Bob, had been intrigued by that magnetic face of the author, and you, too, felt the great resemblance to Seabrook in the writing. 
In that article of yours concerning NONCE which appeared in AD INFINITUM you went much further than I did, though. You felt a great suspicion and scented a hoax. You went ahead and made up a good case around your theories involving the book's actual authorship, publication, and the photographing of author Brandon. Not having a copy of AD INFINITUM here at hand, I can't quote you. But I believe you almost proved (to my satisfaction, at least) that the book was authored by Seabrook or some equally great writer in that genre. Also, you convinced me that photographers had taken parts of various people's face and had wrot, via the picture-making art, the face on that dust jacket. I believe you said there there was also the chance that the author could be, possibly, a woman, because Michael Brandon's first names, was a masculine name chosen often by women writers as pseudonyms and as character names. 
All the way through your reasoning, Bob, I went with you.
But!..four years have elasped since NONCE was published, read, and enjoyed. And, now,  along comes a movie actor named John Hopdiak and an actress named Franes Gifford, plus a writer who writes the script for the movie, "The Arnelo Affair."
I buy a ticket to the said "Arnelo Affair." I'm reading who got all the credits for production. I'm reading the names of those in the cast. And I see the name Michael Brandon. And it doesn't take long to associate that name with NONCE while I'm sitting there. I decide to wait until the character portrayed by still-vivid mind's-eye picture of the NONCE author. 
Bob, they check! Brandon's real! He's no composite face.
By the time "The Arnelo Affair" got into Idaho, no doubt, it was slashed all to hell...but watch closely the scene where the detective sits in his office. Before the scene is over, in pops a rather swarthy gent. He stays for only a moment. 
That guy is Brandon, fascinating face and all!
Just thought you might like to know....
[underlined] Your Idaho Correspondent,
F. LEE BALDWIN

[centered line break] **********

BACK ISSUES OF SHNGRI-LA: The Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, and May-June numbers are still available in limited quantities. Price: 10c ea.

[page number centered] (10)

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[title underlined] LETTER TO WILSON TUCKER; or, THE CASE OF THE FACE ON THE DUST JACKET Four year ago, in 1944, the best reading in book form I ran across was NONCE, by Michael Brandon. The book reminded me of the late William Seabrook, and the picture of the author appearing on the dust jacket fascinated me. I studied that face a lot; and, later, when reading a fan magazine called AD INFINITUM, I found that I was not alone. You, Bob, had been intrigued by that magnetic face of the author, and you, too, felt the great resemblance to Seabrook in the writing. In that article of yours concerning NONCE which appeared in AD INFINITUM you went much further than I did, though. You felt a great suspicion and scented a hoax. You went ahead and made up a good case around your theories involving the book's actual authorship, publication, and the photographing of author Brandon. Not having a copy of AD INFINITUM here at hand, I can't quote you. But I believe you almost proved (to my satisfaction, at least) that the book was authored by Seabrook or some equally great writer in that genre. Also, you convinced me that photographers had taken parts of various people's face and had wrot, via the picture-making art, the face on that dust jacket. I believe you said there there was also the chance that the author could be, possibly, a woman, because Michael Brandon's first names, was a masculine name chosen often by women writers as pseudonyms and as character names. All the way through your reasoning, Bob, I went with you. But!..four years have elasped since NONCE was published, read, and enjoyed. And, now, along comes a movie actor named John Hopdiak and an actress named Franes Gifford, plus a writer who writes the script for the movie, "The Arnelo Affair." I buy a ticket to the said "Arnelo Affair." I'm reading who got all the credits for production. I'm reading the names of those in the cast. And I see the name Michael Brandon. And it doesn't take long to associate that name with NONCE while I'm sitting there. I decide to wait until the character portrayed by still-vivid mind's-eye picture of the NONCE author. Bob, they check! Brandon's real! He's no composite face. By the time "The Arnelo Affair" got into Idaho, no doubt, it was slashed all to hell...but watch closely the scene where the detective sits in his office. Before the scene is over, in pops a rather swarthy gent. He stays for only a moment. That guy is Brandon, fascinating face and all! Just thought you might like to know.... [underlined] Your Idaho Correspondent, F. LEE BALDWIN [centered line break] ********** BACK ISSUES OF SHNGRI-LA: The Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, and May-June numbers are still available in limited quantities. Price: 10c ea. [page number centered] (10)