First Passage – Early Drafts of Beloved Yarns (paperback)

First Passage is a special fundraising volume produced by Dennis McHaney in support of the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas. All earnings from this book go directly to the museum.

This book is not part of the Ultimate Edition series. It is an independent project created specifically as a fundraiser for the Museum.

This substantial 504-page hardcover presents early drafts of some of Robert E. Howard’s most celebrated stories, offering readers a rare look at the author’s working process. These drafts reveal revisions, structural changes, tonal shifts, and the development of characters and themes before the stories reached their final published form.

The volume is illustrated by Gary Gianni, with cover design by Jim Keegan, and includes a foreword by Dennis McHaney.

For scholars, collectors, and dedicated readers, First Passage provides valuable insight into Howard’s creative evolution across multiple genres, including adventure, horror, historical fiction, and fantasy.