Greetings Loyal Airmen, as you know, last week we reported that our writing mentor, Ardath Mayhar was in ill heath and in hospice care. We were keeping her in our prayers and hoping for the best when out of the blue last Sunday, Jan 14th, we received the horrible news that one of our close friends and colleagues, writer Howard Hopkins had died of a heart attack two days earlier.  Howard had just turned 50 on Dec. 12th, 2011.  The terrible irony, Howard was one of Ardath's most successful writing students.

                      
                            Howard Lance Hopkins  Dec 12, 1961-Jan 12, 2012
Howard and the Air Chief became friends many, many years ago through his early fanzine devoted to the pulps called, Golden Perils.  A lifelong resident of Maine, with the Air Chief living just across the border in New Hampshire, it was only a matter of time before we hooked up, having so many of the same interests in the world of writing.  After many years of corresponding back and forth and meeting a few times at Maine comic conventions, Howard suggested Valerie and the Air Chief come up to Portland to have lunch with him and his charming wife Dominique. It was on that day that we learned of still another unique connection we shared; Ardath Mayhar.  Not only was she the Air Chief's friend and mentor, she had also been Howard's teacher when he enrolled in a fiction writing correspondence course.  What a truly small world it is.

We learned how Howard had, since completing that course, gone on to become a professional western writer working for a British outfit called Hale Publications that published books under the Black Horse Western label.  Howard took his first and middle names to create the pseudonym of Lance Howard.  He would go on to write dozens of westerns under this tag and ultimately go on to publish others under his real name.

Howard's writing was brilliant, he had such a wonderful command of the language and his words were eloquent and graceful.  His prose rolled over a page effortlessly and he was truly a great writer.  Of course the Air Chief had to laugh at the idea of a Maine cowboy writer who had never been on a horse a day in his life and was in fact afraid of them.  Note, Howard's other passion was his life long love of the classic pulps and eventually this brought him contact with Moonstone Books' managing editor, Joe Gentile. Joe at first hired Howard to write classic pulps stories for Moonstone's pulp anthology line. Seeing just how talented Howard really was, Joe soon recruited him to act as an editor for the line and Howard would soon take charge of such books as the recent Avenger anthology, Justice Inc. in which the Air Chief had a story.  Working with Howard was a joy.  Recently Moonstone had acquired the rights to one of Howard's favorite fictional heroes, the Lone Ranger.  Although the company planned to do a full out anthology with a half dozen writers, Gentile was all too familiar with Howard's affection for the character and allowed him to write a brand new Lone Ranger novel before launching the anthology.

The Lone Ranger Vendetta was an exciting dream come true for Howard and his colleagues were all thrilled for him.  He did complete the book and submit the manuscript but sadly did not live to see it published. The book is scheduled to be released next month.  The Air Chief has had it on order since he first learned of it and now more than ever is anxious to hold it in his hands and read it.

There are no guarantees in this life and at best, as the poets tell us, it is only a fleeting thing.  It does come and go so quickly.  Howard Hopkins only had fifty years in this world, but he filled those years with so much creativity, laughter and love, his life changed for the better all of us lucky to have known him.  We will never forget our friend.  Ironically days after Howard's passing, we learned that Ardath Mayhar was miraculously regaining her strength and could possibly recover.  Miracles and loss, the roller coaster of life.  All over the internet this past week, Howard's pals have been writing so many wonderful, heartfelt tributes, many of them closing them with a very familiar western farewell Howard would have appreciated.

Happy trails, old friend.  Till we meet again.

Ron – Over & Out!