I suspect there must be quite a few folk on these boards who met KEW (I know Des did). Though the tales contain many dark and outre manifestations of sexuality, and some outright spoofs, it's fascinating to read all the personal reminiscences of KEW, and it contains an invaluable bibliography.
Exorcisms and Ecstasies is a great book to have too. Although I didn't start reading his stories in earnest until around a decade ago it was always the ones from In A Lonely Place and Why Not You And I? which stood out. They weren’t to my taste and I very much missed the early Karl Edward Wagner. These stories were modern in themes and execution, dark fantasies dealing with psychological obsession, addiction, sexuality. In the 80’s his work changed to such an extent it could have been the product of a different writer. Wagner’s best stories were influenced by writers like Lovecraft, Howard and Chambers and were extraordinarily good some of the early tales can be regarded as a continuation of the pulp tradition-not parodies or homage-but with more sophistication. Though I don't know whether that would really be the best place to start reading KEW. There's also Exorcisms and Ecstasies but that's probably pricey too. I think KEW must have signed quite a few of these on his trips to the U.K. There's also Unthreatened by The Morning Light (Author's Choice Monthly #2) that collects together the stories "Endless Night", "Neither Brute Nor Human" and "The River of Night's Dreaming". But that's the collection to get if you possibly can. I don't own a copy of In A Lonely Place (it's probably still rare and super expensive) and had to cobble together all the stories from it via various anthology appearances. Why Not You and I (title taken from BOC's Don't Fear The Reaper) can be found cheaply it's a good collection but In A Lonely Place is the one you want. In a Lonely Place contains several of his best tales. Even the used paperbacks are a bit pricy, I'm afraid, but Wagner at his best was a fine writer and worth it.
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