Keith Howell

Farmerphile was a quarterly magazine completely dedicated to works by and about Philip José Farmer. It seriously the previously unpublished novel UP FROM THE BOTTOMLESS PIT, a suspense-thriller about the ultimate disaster in the oil industry, serialized over the first ten issues. Originally planned to run ten issues, it grew to 15 issues and included other unpublished stories, speeches and letters by Farmer himself, as well as articles about the Grand Master and his work from his fans and peers.

The cover I digitally painted, entitled "Riverworld Dawn," for the final issue is an interpretation of Phil himself newly resurrected on the fabulous Riverworld he once imagined.  In one of those moments of bittersweet confluence of timing, Phil passed away within just a few days after this issue was published.

At the FARMERCON memorial gathering in Phil's hometown of Peoria, later that year, I was honored to have my cover voted by the readers to receive the FARMERPHILE ART AWARD.