Many years ago, back in their college days, James P. Blaylock and Tim Powers created an alter-ego: William Ashbless. This chap appeared in Powers’ novel, The Anubis Gates, Blaylock’s novel, The Digging Leviathan, and in various incarnations since. There’s even an entry in the massively heavy PS Publishing edition of Powers’ Secret Histories about Ashbless (that book is so heavy, that you probably could strike someone with this book and immediately render them unconscious). Somewhere out there are limited edition chapbooks from 1985. There’s also an Ashbless cookbook? Would I want a copy? Probably not.

Blaylock and Powers are two of my favorite authors. With 33 of Blaylock’s books in my shelves, and 35 from Powers, I thought that I’d read most, if not all, of their novels and stories. Sure, I don’t have all editions from all publishers, nor some of the shorter collaborations. But it’s close, quite close, at least in terms of their stories. I’ve read quite a few of their books more than once, and always snap up new books the moment I’m aware that one’s been published. Still, I’ve missed out on many small press editions of books, especially of those where I already bought mass market editions.

Pilot Light, published by Subterranean Press in 2008, is attributed to William Ashbless, that Romantic era poet invented by Blaylock and his fellow literary conspirator, Powers. Clocking in at a mere 67 pages, this story is one that I always expected would appear elsewhere. The book is tiny, only 4 3/4 inches wide and 6 1/2 inches tall. It contains an introduction by Powers, an afterword by Blaylock, the “Ashbless” story, a postscript from Ashbless, and a fictitious interview with Ashbless. I’m sure the authors had a great deal of fun coming up with this book.

I combed through various collections from Powers and Blaylock, and did not find this story. Did it only appear as a stand-alone book from Subterranean Press? I kept seeing copies of this book online from various dealers, but each time I saw it, I thought, “Well, I have all their collections, I’m sure it’s in there somewhere.” Maybe I thought I’d already read the story. Then again, as I’m trying to pick up Sub Press books as part of my haphazard collector behavior, it was a burr under my saddle, so to speak. So, twenty years later, I finally bowed under time’s pressure and bought a copy. I think if I come across other Ashbless books, maybe I’ll buy them, but I don’t think I’ll actively look for them.