Act of Love

Act of Love
by Joe R. Lansdale

About the Book:
In 1981, Act of Love was published by a then small publishing house called Zebra Books. It was published without fanfare. It was Joe R. Lansdale's first novel and it was received with much controversy and a spate of good, if somewhat apologetic reviews.

Since that first appearance, the novel has become something of a milestone for crime and horror fiction of the eighties. It was among the first novels to combine crime, police procedural, horror, mystery, social commentary, and an eye to graphic detail unsurpassed to this day. And if it was not the first, it was certainly the one with the most impact and influence. It was a kind of warning shot that proceeded the rash of graphic fiction to follow, books like Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs, "literary" movements like "Splatterpunk," and novels bearing warning labels to potential buyers.

Act of Love, though stylistically surpassed by Lansdale's later fiction, is still a book of tremendous power and energy. A pioneer novel paving the way for a generation of writers to come; a tour-de-force and minor classic of crime and horror fiction.

This deluxe limited edition features an Introduction from Andrew Vachss, a new Afterword from Joe R. Lansdale, and wrap-around dustjacket art and interior signature page art from Mark Nelson. Signed by both Joe R. Lansdale and Mark Nelson!

With more than twenty books to his credit, Lansdale has been called "an immense talent" by Booklist; "a born storyteller" by Robert Bloch; and The New York Times Book Review declares he has "a folklorist’s eye for telling detail and a front-porch raconteur's sense of pace."

Lansdale is a student of the martial arts for more than thirty years. He’s a two-time inductee into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame, one such honor bestowed upon him for his founding of Shen Chuan, Martial Science.

He holds belts in Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu, Combat Hapkido, American Combat Kempo, and Aikido, amongst others; in fact, his standard day is six hours at the typewriter, three hours at Lansdale’s Self Defense Systems, the martial-arts studio which he owns and at which he teaches.

Lansdale has won five Bram Stoker horror awards, a British Fantasy Award, the American Mystery Award, the Horror Critics Award, the "Shot in the Dark" International Crime Writer’s award, the Booklist Editor’s Award, the Critic’s Choice Award, and a New York Times Notable Book award.

Lansdale lives in Nacogdoches, Texas, with his wife, Karen, writer and editor.

Published as:
• Limited Edition of 750 signed and numbered copies ($50)

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