Quoth the Postmaster

Edgar Allan Poe has been all over crime fiction news recently, starting with last month’s Bouchercon, held in his adopted hometown of Baltimore, and the location of his final resting place. Mystery fans from all over the world paid homage to the great master, while celebrating the genre for which he is best known.

We learned earlier this week that Baltimore’s Poe House and The Edgar Allan Poe Society will receive the 2009 Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America, commemorating not only their fine work, but Poe’s 200th birthday.

And even though this news was apparently released three weeks ago, we only learned today that the United States Postal Service will be issuing a stamp honoring Poe on January 16, in Richmond, Virginia, where the Boston-born Poe spent most of his youth.

The portrait for this new stamp was painted by Michael J. Deas, a veteran stamp designer.