Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Pro Se keeps the monthly in pulp with Pro Se Presents #4!
BUY THIS BOOK! -- Choke Hold by Christa Faust
Buy this book!
I'm recommending this one without having read it yet, based purely on the sheer awesomeness of the previous volume by the uber-talented Ms. Faust. If you haven't read Money Shot, click over to Amazon and buy that one now. Money Shot was easily my favorite book of the year when I read it in early 2009. I've been waiting forever for this follow-up adventure featuring Angel Dare. Needless to say, it's already on my Christmas list.
Today's To-Do
1. Finish fantasy story for Abyss Walker.
2. Begin The Danger People tale.
The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#4) -- Creative Influences
Who are some of your creative influences? -- Bobby Nash
I’ll admit up front it’s a mixed bag of goodness and badness. Coming from an English-Lit background, I’m the kind of guy who enjoys reading Shakespeare, Flannery O’Connor, Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald for fun. I’m also a big fan of Raymond Carver, Annie Dillard, C.S. Lewis, and Zora Neale Hurston.
But I’m love my thrillers too, and Ed McBain’s work is a huge influence as well as that of Donald Westlake and Christa Faust.
When I turn to sci-fi, I’m kind of old-school, and I prefer to read Vonnegut, Heinlein, and Bradbury, or sometimes Dr. Who novelisations (see that ‘s’ – that’s because it’s British… cool, huh?) from the old series.
And I've recently rediscovered the work of H. Rider Haggard, particularly his brilliant She series of tales, and the exciting Mars saga by E. R. Burroughs.
For comics, I always inspired by books written by Chuck Dixon, Steve Seagle, Beau Smith, or Gail Simone. Those guys (and that classy lady) really deliver the goods on a consistent basis.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Coming soon. Keep your eyes peeled, like Emma.
Here are a few illustration teasers of upcoming projects across the next two years. Enjoy!
Two Spectrums of Writers
I was thinking this morning about the different types of writers and how they tend to fall into one camp or the other (though on varying locations on the spectrum, of course). One of the things that got me thinking about it was simply remembering some of the conversations about writing I’ve had with my friend Frank.
As I see it, there are primarily two perspectives on writing – the practical perspective and the spiritual perspective. Sure, as I mentioned above, most of us fall somewhere on the number line between them, but we tend to favor one over the other.
The practical perspective tends to see writing as an exercise of the mind, learning rules and standards and discovering the mechanics or grammar, plotting, dialogue, form, etc, and they often edit themselves to death (as the saying goes) in order to improve their words. These poor writers are the ones who scour over their manuscripts, changing weak verbs to strong, red-inking superfluous adverbs and adjectives, and constantly “killing their darlings.” (If you get the reference, you’re likely this type.) If anything, they can miss the proverbial forest for its trees when it comes to communicating in a written form.
Writers in this camp are the ones who more often buy, read, and recommend books on writing to help others. They also tend to believe that anyone can learn to write just as anyone can learn to put together a barn if taught the basics of how to do it.
To them writing isn’t so much an art form as it is a skill that can be learned.
On the other hand, the spiritual perspective tends to see writing as an exercise of the soul, with a selected group of masters born with a predisposition to see the world through a “writer’s eye” able to pour forth the mutterings of their souls into word processors and onto paper or into song.
Writers in this camp don’t usually buy books on the mechanics of writing, and they also tend to not go through as many edits other than perhaps a few spell checks, as their words have come from their inner self and to “study” them in a thorough edit would be to taint them. Their copy can often be found disobeying the “rules” -- preferring instead to create their own rules and listen to the voice inside that exists outside of any imposed restrictions. Writing is writing, they reason, not learning about writing, and learning about writing only gets in the way of the actual writing itself.
To them writing isn’t a skill to be learned, but an art form that comes naturally to those who get it. They tend also to believe that, sure, anyone can learn the basics of putting sentences or words together, but not anyone could actually be a writer. A mere writer, they reason, is a far different noun than a real writer.
I’ve known writers from both camps, and I’ve enjoyed their works equally. I have friends from both camps, and I love to get them together to argue with each other about writing. (It’s a great way to learn how to snort coffee, I can tell you that much.)
Myself, I tend to fall just to the side of writing as a skill. I believe that most anyone can learn to write -- and write well -- but that there are a select few with a born “gift” for telling stories or communicating in a written form. For every Ed McBain, there are plenty of John Grishams, just as entertaining and well-crafted in their chosen field, but not as artistic.
But for me, that doesn’t have to detract from the ability of the Grishams. It only means that while some buildings are tall, others can be taller, and still others even taller. But that doesn’t make the tall building merely tall (or even small, since smaller can also be tall at the same time).
But me, I’m not going to be satisfied with being good. I want my writing to come from both my spirit and my intellect, my soul and my mind, my natural knack and my learned skill. I’ll do whatever it takes to hit great, starting with natural talent (or self-delusion anyway) and adding skill upon skill to that, never satisfied that I’ve hit “tallest” yet.
Addendum:
I don't read a lot of writing books now, unless it's something I'm looking for in particular (like a reference on crime scene investigation for writers or a book on screenwriting format, etc.) or a memoir by a writer I admire (Eudora Welty's A Writer's Life comes to mind).
However, having said that, there are a few volumes I really enjoyed that helped instill in me a love for the art (not skill) or writing -- The Triggering Town is a beautiful book about the power of words and sounds and how they affect reading. And as far as I'm concerned, How to Write a Damn Good Novel Using the Power of Myth is the only book about the hero's journey anyone ever needs to read to develop the skill (not art) of plotting and the art (not skill) of character development across a narrative.
I do think most beginning writers could benefit from a good book on writing dialog and developing character, though.
As I see it, there are primarily two perspectives on writing – the practical perspective and the spiritual perspective. Sure, as I mentioned above, most of us fall somewhere on the number line between them, but we tend to favor one over the other.
The practical perspective tends to see writing as an exercise of the mind, learning rules and standards and discovering the mechanics or grammar, plotting, dialogue, form, etc, and they often edit themselves to death (as the saying goes) in order to improve their words. These poor writers are the ones who scour over their manuscripts, changing weak verbs to strong, red-inking superfluous adverbs and adjectives, and constantly “killing their darlings.” (If you get the reference, you’re likely this type.) If anything, they can miss the proverbial forest for its trees when it comes to communicating in a written form.
Writers in this camp are the ones who more often buy, read, and recommend books on writing to help others. They also tend to believe that anyone can learn to write just as anyone can learn to put together a barn if taught the basics of how to do it.
To them writing isn’t so much an art form as it is a skill that can be learned.
On the other hand, the spiritual perspective tends to see writing as an exercise of the soul, with a selected group of masters born with a predisposition to see the world through a “writer’s eye” able to pour forth the mutterings of their souls into word processors and onto paper or into song.
Writers in this camp don’t usually buy books on the mechanics of writing, and they also tend to not go through as many edits other than perhaps a few spell checks, as their words have come from their inner self and to “study” them in a thorough edit would be to taint them. Their copy can often be found disobeying the “rules” -- preferring instead to create their own rules and listen to the voice inside that exists outside of any imposed restrictions. Writing is writing, they reason, not learning about writing, and learning about writing only gets in the way of the actual writing itself.
To them writing isn’t a skill to be learned, but an art form that comes naturally to those who get it. They tend also to believe that, sure, anyone can learn the basics of putting sentences or words together, but not anyone could actually be a writer. A mere writer, they reason, is a far different noun than a real writer.
I’ve known writers from both camps, and I’ve enjoyed their works equally. I have friends from both camps, and I love to get them together to argue with each other about writing. (It’s a great way to learn how to snort coffee, I can tell you that much.)
Myself, I tend to fall just to the side of writing as a skill. I believe that most anyone can learn to write -- and write well -- but that there are a select few with a born “gift” for telling stories or communicating in a written form. For every Ed McBain, there are plenty of John Grishams, just as entertaining and well-crafted in their chosen field, but not as artistic.
But for me, that doesn’t have to detract from the ability of the Grishams. It only means that while some buildings are tall, others can be taller, and still others even taller. But that doesn’t make the tall building merely tall (or even small, since smaller can also be tall at the same time).
But me, I’m not going to be satisfied with being good. I want my writing to come from both my spirit and my intellect, my soul and my mind, my natural knack and my learned skill. I’ll do whatever it takes to hit great, starting with natural talent (or self-delusion anyway) and adding skill upon skill to that, never satisfied that I’ve hit “tallest” yet.
Addendum:
I don't read a lot of writing books now, unless it's something I'm looking for in particular (like a reference on crime scene investigation for writers or a book on screenwriting format, etc.) or a memoir by a writer I admire (Eudora Welty's A Writer's Life comes to mind).
However, having said that, there are a few volumes I really enjoyed that helped instill in me a love for the art (not skill) or writing -- The Triggering Town is a beautiful book about the power of words and sounds and how they affect reading. And as far as I'm concerned, How to Write a Damn Good Novel Using the Power of Myth is the only book about the hero's journey anyone ever needs to read to develop the skill (not art) of plotting and the art (not skill) of character development across a narrative.
I do think most beginning writers could benefit from a good book on writing dialog and developing character, though.
The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#3) -- Environment & Upbringing
How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing? -- Andrea Judy
I also have to credit (on the upbringing side) my Mom for helping to instill in me a strong sense of accomplishment and confidence. She lived up to that cliched parent who believes in her child to the point of encouraging me to be whatever I wanted to be and letting me know I could accomplish it. I'm sure a writer may not have been her first choice, but she was always encouraging me at each step, even before I knew I wanted to be a writer.
On that note, it was actually my wife, Lisa, who encouraged me to pursue writing when she saw that it was my dream. She believed in me, and in spite of the feast or famine nature of a writer's finances, she still does.
Growing up in the South definitely influenced my early choices of reading and my early writing as well.
I’m definitely drawn to a sort of Southern type in my characters. I know that and have to fight it sometimes, but at other times I just run with it and try to make it work for me. I’m very partial to Southern fiction and in college I devoured the works of Flannery O’Conner, Eudora Welty and William Faulkner. There was something almost but not quite magical realism about their writing and I like to think I take a bit of that into everything I create, whether comics or prose, from sci-fi to fantasy to pulp action.
That's quite a debut, Mr. Blackthorn!
It's around #24,000 out of 700,000 books on Kindle.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Coming in 2012 -- Turra: Gun Angel
It'll be an action-packed combination of guns, martial arts, babes, dudes, romance, and -- most of all -- butt-kicking when Martheus Wade (Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa, Bad Girls Club) and Sean Taylor (Gene Simmons Dominatrix, Fishnet Angel: Jane Doe, Bad Girls Club) team up to tell the all-new adventures of Jetta's (don't call her a) sidekick -- Turra.
Coming in 2012 from Maw Productions!
Coming in 2012 from Maw Productions!
BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS debuts first on Kindle!
Press Release – For Immediate Release
BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS debuts first on Kindle!
General Blackthorn and his Companions Battle Evil-- on Amazon’s Popular e-Reader
(November 28, 2011) White Rocket Books proudly announces the release
in Kindle format of BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS, a science fiction
action-adventure anthology set on far-future post-apocalyptic Mars.
Created by Van Allen Plexico (Sentinels, Lucian), the book features
stories by New Pulp luminaries Mark Bousquet, Joe Crowe, Bobby Nash,
James Palmer, Sean Taylor, I. A. Watson, and Plexico, along with six
full-page illustrations by Chris Kohler (Sentinels). In addition, the
Kindle edition includes two bonus stories not included in the upcoming
trade paperback edition, by Mark Beaulieu and Danny Wall. Cover art
and design are by James Burns (Lance Star: One Shot).
The book will debut in trade paperback format later in December of this year.
In the spirit of “Thundarr the Barbarian” and “John Carter of Mars”
comes the gripping saga of US General John Blackthorn. Betrayed and
left for dead on the battlefield, Blackthorn awakens many thousands of
years later to find himself trapped amidst the ruins of a
post-apocalyptic Mars, his only companions a savage Mock-Man and a
mysterious sorceress. They battle to free this strange new world from
oppression, but it won’t be easy, for arrayed against them are the
tyrannical First Men: the Black Sorcerer, the Sorcerer of Fatal
Laughter, Lord Ruin, and the Sorcerer of Night—masters of magic and
technology alike—the dreaded Sorcerers of Mars!
“The awesome array of talent assembled on this book really speaks for
itself, and guarantees a fun time will be had by all,” promises Editor
Van Allen Plexico. “Each of the writers jumped on the project with
huge enthusiasm and each brought something unique and very exciting to
the table. And there’s no question Chris Kohler, who is also interior
artist on my Sentinels superhero novels, has done some of the best
work of his career here with BLACKTHORN.”
Says noted New Pulp author Wayne Reinagel, “BLACKTHORN is one of the
best sword-and-sorcery spaceman anthologies to arrive on Earth, or
Mars, in the last century or more. Clearly inspired by an equal
combination of Hanna-Barbera’s ‘Thundarr the Barbarian,’ DC Comics’
‘Kamandi,’ and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ ‘John Carter of Mars,’ BLACKTHORN
is an original, entertaining, action-packed saga.”
The Kindle edition presents all seven core stories in their entirety,
including the double-length origin, along with two bonus stories not
included in the upcoming trade paperback, plus Chris Kohler’s
artwork—and all at the incredibly low price of only $2.99.
White Rocket Books is a leader in the New Pulp movement, publishing
exciting action and adventure novels and anthologies since 2005, in
both traditional and electronic formats. White Rocket books have hit
the Amazon.com Top 15-by-Genre and have garnered praise from everyone
from Marvel Comics Editor Tom Brevoort to Kirkus Reviews.
On sale as of November 28, 2011, BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS is a
$2.99 e-book from White Rocket Books.
www.whiterocketbooks.com
On Amazon Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Blackthorn-Thunder-on-Mars-ebook/dp/B006FBRHG8
Promo video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRvtgCzEY6s
Front cover image:
http://www.whiterocketbooks.com/blackthorn/blackthorn_front_mock.jpg
What Is New Pulp?
In light of that, it got me thinking: What exactly does New Pulp or any Pulp cover?
Bear in mind, these are only my thoughts.
1. Historical pulp -- Airship 27's bread and butter, stories set in the classic pulp age of the 30s, whether masked vigilantes, private eyes, aviators, or jungle lords and queens.
2. Contemporary pulp -- Christa Faust, for example, or Deadly Games by Bobby Nash, stories set in today with modern characters, but written with a pulp sensibility, Van Allen Plexico's Sentinel's series, etc.
3. Horror -- including some pulp-inspired crossover big time series like Dresden Files and Kim Harrisons The Hollows books. Also, stories like those in Weird Horror Tales and the horror stories in Pro Se Presents.4. Sci-Fi -- just what is says.
5. Romance -- I wonder about how the cheaply produced and straight-forwardly written thousands of romantic novels now available on ebook format fits into this. There was certainly a place for them back in the old days of pulp.
6. Superhero pulp -- Van Allen Plexico's Sentinels comes to mind, as well as perhaps my own Show Me A Hero collection.
7. Fantasy/Adventure -- things in the vein of Burroughs and (sadly, I'm not as well versed in the fantasy side of things) Shane Moores Abyss Walker series, Alex Adams Brotherhood of Dwarves series, and Stephen Zimmers' series.
8. Westerns.
What doesn't define pulp? Again just my thoughts. But POV doesn't define it, although a publisher certainly has the right to request a certain POV for it's books. Time period. (Again, as said earlier, most of the early pulp stuff was written to be contemporary at the time).
Is pulp anti-literary? I'd say no, although it can't be held by the same rules of "literary" fiction. After all, Lovecraft would most definitely be considered a literary horror writer, although his stuff fit pulp standards of the day. So can a pulp book still be pulp even if it tries to do more than just be a straight-ahead action tale? I'd say yes. And after reading lots of Lovecraft over the past few years, his stuff certainly wouldn't fall into a "hard-boiled action" category.
I'd say, and say very strongly, that new pulp isn't defined by words as much as by action. We who write the stories define it with each tale. We who publish the stories define it when we utilize new technologies such as print on demand and ebook publishing. We who read the stories define it when we recommend books to others and review them on websites and for newspapers and newsletters and zines and magazines. We define it and change it a little every day simply by continuing to publish it.The trouble (and the slippery slope) we run into comes when we use our definition as a way to reduce new pulp to something we can keep a lock on. We become a lot like Mr. Nastos when we do that, only with a different set of criteria. He's says it's price and paper. We say it's a time period or a "hard-boiled" style.
What defines New Pulp?
Personally, I'm more than happy to define New Pulp by the authors and the stories.
Regarding the stories, they're (1) engaging, and (2) targeted to the common man and woman. (That's as simple a line in the sand as I can reduce it too, yet it's open enough to allow interpretation that hopefully doesn't foster argument but circumvents it.) Whether they scare, enthrall, titillate or take the reader on a grand adventure, they're a simple contract between the author, the publisher and the average reader. Pulp, both old and new, is escapist fiction. Like classic pulp, some is deftly written by literary masters, some is averagely written by good writers who know their trade well, and some is, well, some is quite bad.In defining Pulp by the authors, I know that if I read a story by Andrew Salmon, even if it's a futuristic sci-fi tale, it's going to feel like a pulp, so it's pulp. If I read something by Tommy Hancock, it's going to be literally drenched in pulp sensibilities. And as I go deeper into the new pulp movement, I expect to find more names that become synonymous with the words "New Pulp."
Those are my thoughts anyway. You're mileage may differ.
BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS EXPLODES ONTO KINDLE!
Direct link: http://www.amazon.com/Blackthorn-Thunder-on-Mars-ebook/dp/B006FBRHG8/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1322503101&sr=8-15
Print editions will follow in about two weeks.
ABOUT BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS:
Betrayed and left for dead on the battlefield, US Army General John Blackthorn awakens many thousands of years later to find himself trapped amidst the ruins of a post-apocalyptic Mars, his only companions a savage Mock-Man and a mysterious sorceress.
Their war to free this strange new world from oppression won’t be easy: Arrayed against them are the four tyrannical First Men--masters of magic and technology alike--the dreaded Sorcerers of Mars!
BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS is a post-apocalyptic adventure saga in the spirit of "Thundarr the Barbarian" and "John Carter of Mars," featuring original stories by New Pulp luminaries Mark Bousquet, Joe Crowe, Bobby Nash, James Palmer, Van Allen Plexico, Sean Taylor, and I. A. Watson, and illustrated by Chris Kohler.
"Original, entertaining, action-packed!" --Wayne Reinagel, author of the Pulp Heroes and Modern Marvels novels.
BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS
Cover by James Burns
Interior art by Chris Kohler
Stories by Mark Bousquet, Bobby Nash, James Palmer, Van Allen Plexico, Sean Taylor, and I.A. Watson. Bonus e-book stories by Mark Beaulieu and Danny Wall.
Created and edited by Van Allen Plexico.
In the spirit of "Thundarr the Barbarian" and "John Carter of Mars," it's action and adventure as General Blackthorn and his companions battle the tyrannical Sorcerers of Mars!
Blackthorn: Thunder On Mars features the story "City of Relics" by Sean Taylor.
The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#2) -- When Good Girls Go Bad
From a writers standpoint how would you have handled the Mary
Marvel situation in the 52 series from 2007? Why can't an inherently
good character become permanently evil? -- Patrick Scott
I'll take both parts of that separately.
I would go back an redo the story so that Mary didn't turn evil in the first place. It just didn't fit the character. To me it was one of those "let ramrod a character into a story" type of situations, rather than a "let's plot in a way that begins from the character" situation.
As for good characters becoming permanently evil, well, in comics, nothing is permanent. I used to think as least some things were, but short of Uncle Ben being dead, nothing seems sacred any longer. I have to admit that I much prefer the reverse of that story -- the evil character becoming a changed person. Perhaps my favorites in this camp have been Mach V and Songbird of the Thunderbolts, Sandman from Spidey, and Heatwave from the Flash's Rogues Gallery. But even some of these have been reverted back to the criminal ways now.
Having said that, I have no problems with good characters becoming bad guys (or girls), as long as the story warrants it. Case in point, Hal Jordan. After having his city destroyed, if anyone was in a position to let vengeance and anger and insanity take over his soul, it was Hal. I loved Hal as a villain. He had so much more depth that way.
But the trick with comics marketing is maintaining the status quo, so after a few years, he had to be back as the main Green Lantern.
I guess that's the answer to your question then, Patrick. Why don't they stay evil (or stay good for that reason)? Because of the compelling and overriding power of the status quo and how it must be adhered to in order to market characters to the masses.
My Favorite Films with a Redemptive Theme
If you know me at all, you know I'm an easy sucker for a redemptive story. Not necessarily a religious one, but one that has the inner changing of a lead character from darkness to light in some way, usually at the sacrifice of another. (Okay, maybe a little religious, but without all the trappings.)
Don't be surprised not to find these recommended by churches or anything, necessarily, but at their core, films all have messages that "preach" better than most sermons.
And yes, if you're a moral majority type, be warned that a lot of these are rated R and include things like "bad words" and some nudity.
In no particular order...
1. The Spitfire Grill
2. The Apostle
3. Saved
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. Chocolat
6. The Sky Is Watching
7. Black Snake Moan
8. Shadowlands
9. Cool Hand Luke
10. The Green Mile
11. Meet John Doe
12. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
13. The Poseidon Adventure
14. Luther
15. Spirited Away
16. The Return of the Jedi
17. Blade Runner
18. The Matrix Revolutions
19. Unbreakable
20. Pulp Fiction
21. Kal Ho Naa Ho
22. 16 Blocks
23. The Dark Knight
24. Superman
25. The Reaping
26. The Exorcist
27. Star Wars: A New Hope
28. Ghost in the Shell
29. Stephen King's Desperation
30. Stephen King's The Stand
31. Ikiru
Don't be surprised not to find these recommended by churches or anything, necessarily, but at their core, films all have messages that "preach" better than most sermons.
And yes, if you're a moral majority type, be warned that a lot of these are rated R and include things like "bad words" and some nudity.
In no particular order...
1. The Spitfire Grill
2. The Apostle
3. Saved
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. Chocolat
6. The Sky Is Watching
7. Black Snake Moan
8. Shadowlands
9. Cool Hand Luke
10. The Green Mile
11. Meet John Doe
12. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
13. The Poseidon Adventure
14. Luther
15. Spirited Away
16. The Return of the Jedi
17. Blade Runner
18. The Matrix Revolutions
19. Unbreakable
20. Pulp Fiction
21. Kal Ho Naa Ho
22. 16 Blocks
23. The Dark Knight
24. Superman
25. The Reaping
26. The Exorcist
27. Star Wars: A New Hope
28. Ghost in the Shell
29. Stephen King's Desperation
30. Stephen King's The Stand
31. Ikiru
For those who wanted to know, the complete list of books and comics
Prose:
Dreams of Steam II: Brass and Bolts, Kerlak Publishing, 2011
Golden Age Good Girls, Mini Komix, 2011
Lance Star: Sky Ranger Volume III, Airship 27 & Cornerstone Book Publishers, 2011
Pro Se Presents #1, Pro Se Productions, 2011
Required Reading Remixed, IDW Publishing, 2011 (Wal-Mart exclusive)
Gomer and Other Early Works, Createspace, 2011
Show Me A Hero, New Babel Books, 2011
Zombiesque, Penquin/Daw Books, 2011
Classics Mutilated, IDW Publishing, 2010
Warts and All: Comics Scripts and Tutorials, Self-Published for Convention Sales, 2009
The Gotham City Sourcebook, West End Games/D6 Legend, 2000
A Private Little Corner of the Universe, Cyber Age Adventures Press, 2000
Playing Solitaire, Cyber Age Adventures Press, 2000
The Gotham City Sourcebook, West End Games/D6 Legend, 2000
O' Georgia! A Collection of Georgia's Newest and Most Promising Writers Volume 3, Humpus Bumpus Press, 1999
O' Georgia! A Collection of Georgia's Newest and Most Promising Writers Volume 2, Humpus Bumpus Press, 1997
Comics:
All-Star Pulp Comics, Airship 27 Productions, 2011
Feline Force, Mini-Komix, 2011
Adventures of the Bad Girls Club: An Illustrated Episode #0 , IDW Publishing, 2011
The Tantalizing Ti-Girl, Mini-Komix, 2010
The Invisible Man graphic novel adaptation, Campfire Publishing, 2009
Gene Simmons Dominatrix Trade Paperback, IDW Publishing, 2008
Gene Simmons Dominatrix #1-6, IDW Publishing, 2007-2008
Gene Simmons House of Horrors Trade Paperback, IDW Publishing, 2007
Gene Simmons House of Horrors #1, IDW Publishing, 2007
Fishnet Angel: Jane Doe #1-2, Shooting Star Comics, 2005
Shooting Star Comics Anthology #1-6, Shooting Star Comics, 2002-2005
Dreams of Steam II: Brass and Bolts, Kerlak Publishing, 2011
Golden Age Good Girls, Mini Komix, 2011
Lance Star: Sky Ranger Volume III, Airship 27 & Cornerstone Book Publishers, 2011
Pro Se Presents #1, Pro Se Productions, 2011
Required Reading Remixed, IDW Publishing, 2011 (Wal-Mart exclusive)
Gomer and Other Early Works, Createspace, 2011
Show Me A Hero, New Babel Books, 2011
Zombiesque, Penquin/Daw Books, 2011
Classics Mutilated, IDW Publishing, 2010
Warts and All: Comics Scripts and Tutorials, Self-Published for Convention Sales, 2009
The Gotham City Sourcebook, West End Games/D6 Legend, 2000
A Private Little Corner of the Universe, Cyber Age Adventures Press, 2000
Playing Solitaire, Cyber Age Adventures Press, 2000
The Gotham City Sourcebook, West End Games/D6 Legend, 2000
O' Georgia! A Collection of Georgia's Newest and Most Promising Writers Volume 3, Humpus Bumpus Press, 1999
O' Georgia! A Collection of Georgia's Newest and Most Promising Writers Volume 2, Humpus Bumpus Press, 1997
Comics:
All-Star Pulp Comics, Airship 27 Productions, 2011
Feline Force, Mini-Komix, 2011
Adventures of the Bad Girls Club: An Illustrated Episode #0 , IDW Publishing, 2011
The Tantalizing Ti-Girl, Mini-Komix, 2010
The Invisible Man graphic novel adaptation, Campfire Publishing, 2009
Gene Simmons Dominatrix Trade Paperback, IDW Publishing, 2008
Gene Simmons Dominatrix #1-6, IDW Publishing, 2007-2008
Gene Simmons House of Horrors Trade Paperback, IDW Publishing, 2007
Gene Simmons House of Horrors #1, IDW Publishing, 2007
Fishnet Angel: Jane Doe #1-2, Shooting Star Comics, 2005
Shooting Star Comics Anthology #1-6, Shooting Star Comics, 2002-2005
The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#1) -- Collaboration
Have you enjoyed collaborating on projects in the past with other writers and how
did you approach writing other characters than your own? -- John Morgan Neal
I thoroughly enjoy collaborating with other writers. In fact, it seems that I get more work based on characters who aren't my own than I do for characters I've created. Even with that said, though, in most cases, I'm not "officially" working with another writer, just being paid to create a story for the character(s) in question.
Case in point, when I was writing Gene Simmons Dominatrix for IDW, I was the sole writer on the book, but obviously Gene had to approve the plots and final versions (along with my editors). The same goes for the work I did on The Bad Girls Club. Although I was the only credited writer on the book, at times it felt as if the book were being written by committee, which is normal for a TV-tie in, because there are advertisers, cast members, etc. to be taken into account.
Most of the fiction I've written works the same way, with characters such as Lance Star: Sky Ranger (owned by Bobby Nash), Blackthorn (owned by Van Allen Plexico), Zombies vs. Robots (owned by Chris Ryall) and others, but in those cases, I have carte blanche pretty much as soon as the creator of the character signs off on my plots.
As for the work I've done in a more collaborative way, I think some of the most fun I've had the crossover comic book story I did with John Morgan Neal that featured his Aym Geronimo and my own Fishnet Angel in the pages of The Shooting Star Comics Anthology #4. It was an odd pairing, no doubt, because Aym's world is one of science and FA's is one of magical goddesses. The twain don't usually meet, so we had to work together to come up with a plausible way to mesh those worlds together that remained true to the nature of both characters.
And I'm currently collaborating on a few other projects as well -- Turra: Gun Angel with Martheus Wade and an as of yet officially unannounced manga project with Kittyhawk, the creator of Sparkling Generation Valkyrie Yuuki. With each of those, the collaborating begins at the plots and character level, long before we ever start writing the first word of the script.
And not to forget, Bobby Nash and I collaborated two create the 1930's gumshoe Rick Ruby for Airship 27 Productions' new book The Ruby Files, which is coming out early in 2012. We actually sat down over dinner and hashed out the beginning of the story bible for that one then finished it up via email.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
War of the Independents -- Diamond listing for #3
Title: The War of the Independents #3
Plot & Art: Dave Ryan
Cover art: Todd Nauck
Flip cover art: Chris Giarrusso
Script: Robert Sodaro
Colors & Letters: Wilson Ramos Jr.
Imprint: Red Anvil Comics
Rating: All Ages
Format: Comic (32 pgs)
UPC: 609224530005
Price: $2.99
The Story: The War of the Independents raves across the multiverse, and in this issue the supermen are on their way to Norway to locate the fabled hammer, belt and gloves of Thor, the legendary Norse god of thunder. Meanwhile the villain, Maldestrak — a being of godlike power who is pure evil, and bent on the utter destruction of all forms of life — arrives there first, acquires the magical items as well as their incredible power; then proceeds to kick everyone’s butts. Guest stars this issue include the Tick, Atomica, Karma and El Gato Negro, as well as many others.
Look for my own creation, Fishnet Angel, in #5.
Plot & Art: Dave Ryan
Cover art: Todd Nauck
Flip cover art: Chris Giarrusso
Script: Robert Sodaro
Colors & Letters: Wilson Ramos Jr.
Imprint: Red Anvil Comics
Rating: All Ages
Format: Comic (32 pgs)
UPC: 609224530005
Price: $2.99
The Story: The War of the Independents raves across the multiverse, and in this issue the supermen are on their way to Norway to locate the fabled hammer, belt and gloves of Thor, the legendary Norse god of thunder. Meanwhile the villain, Maldestrak — a being of godlike power who is pure evil, and bent on the utter destruction of all forms of life — arrives there first, acquires the magical items as well as their incredible power; then proceeds to kick everyone’s butts. Guest stars this issue include the Tick, Atomica, Karma and El Gato Negro, as well as many others.
Look for my own creation, Fishnet Angel, in #5.
MeMe's House -- my favorite escape!
Sean Taylor's Show Me A Hero only $.99 for Nook Until the End of November
Reposted from: http://allpulp.blogspot.com/2011/11/sean-taylors-show-me-hero-only-99-for.html
"That's 500+ pages of my short stories from Cyber Age Adventures and iHero Entertainment for less than a measly buck," said Taylor in his press release.
Here's what some of the critics said about Sean Taylor's Show Me A Hero:
"...More fully-rounded, more realistic and, as a direct result, more human than all but the best superhero comic book work."
—From the introducton by Dwayne McDuffie
“Sean Taylor’s stories focus less on the obvious trappings of the genre, instead homing in on the conflicted, flawed human beings for whom greater-than-mortal powers don’t convey greater-than-mortal morality.”
—Tom Brevoort, Executive Editor, Marvel Comics
“Show Me a Hero delivers a series of stories that are dangerous, intriguing, fun and lathered with that sense of character readers will be sure to love. Once you’re done reading, you’ll know you read a well-crafted, fully rounded piece of work.”
—Dan Jurgens, author of The Death of Superman
“Hitting a heavy beat on the ’human’ in superhuman, Taylor’s stories pulse with a visceral reality. The biggest villains his heroes face might be their own bad habits; their greatest challenges are working through relationships—not surviving the battle. Show Me a Hero lives in the place where modern fiction meets mythology.”
—Barbara Randall Kesel, author of Alien vs. Predator, WildC.A.T.s, Rogue Angel: Teller of Tall Tales
“’Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy.’ Sean Taylor takes F. Scott Fitzgerald to heart in a selection of stories that reveal the high price even super heroes often pay to do the right thing. If there are any tears in these riveting tales— and, I’m afraid, there are—they do not diminish the courage of Taylor’s champions or the power of his writing. These are the quiet pains that stay with the readers and, hopefully, help them appreciate the heroes in their own lives.”
—Tony Isabella, author of 1000 Comic Books You Must Read, Star Trek: The Case of the Colonist’s Corpse
“I’ll sum it up as simply as I can: you’re going to care. That’s what Sean does with his characters and the stories they inhabit. He makes you care.”
—Erik Burnham, author of A-Team: War Stories, Ghostbusters Infestation, Nanover, Civil War Adventures
“Show Me a Hero is not about powers, costumes or catchy code names. It’s about heart and soul, and the choices that make heroes out of ordinary lives.”
—Bryan J.L. Glass, author of Mice Templar, Thor: First Thunder
“A lot of writers talk about trying to introduce superheroes into the real world, but Sean Taylor does it better than most. Perhaps because his stories don't just have plot, they have a point. They're not about a series of circumstances and events, but about how those circumstances and events make the people living through them feel. You may not like every story in Show Me A Hero, but I defy you to finish one and be indifferent. You may love them or hate them, be inspired or unsettled, but they're going to get inside your head and gut and make you think and feel.”
—Paul Storrie, author of Gotham Girls, Justice League Unlimited, Captain America: Red, White & Blue
“Sean Taylor’s work is gripping, sincere and relevant.”
—Dwight MacPherson, author of The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo, American McGee’s Grim
“Full of dynamic action and a range of intriguing characters, Sean Taylor gracefully delivers moments of dimension and depth in his stories that explore what being heroic is truly about.”
—Stephen Zimmer, author of the Rising Dawn Saga and Fires in Eden Series
“What will certainly surprise new readers of Sean Taylor’s work is how mature and entertaining the story lines are, not to mention the amount of realism he injects into each and every one of his characters. If you’re on the fence about super hero fiction—if you think it’s just kid stuff—then pick up Show Me A Hero and find out how glad you’ll be to learn you were wrong.”
—Tom Waltz, Editor, IDW Publishing; author of Silent Hill: Sinners Reward, Gene Simmons Zipper
“Instead of the all-powerful visitor from another planet or the millionaire with crimefighting devices that cost more than my house, Taylor shows us a more human hero—and more often than not, a less than perfect one. Show Me A Hero reminds us that heroes come in all shapes and sizes as it takes us down the less traveled path to see just what defines a hero.
—Bobby Nash, author of Evil Ways, Lance Star: Sky Ranger, Deadly Games!
“Guaranteed to pull at your emotions—a must read!”
—Shane Moore, author of the Abyss Walker series
“Show Me a Hero is a great mix of super hero stories that appeal to every reader—dark, sweet, strong and funny, each story has a unique take on the super hero setting. Taylor has done a fantastic job, enticing me every step along the way to draw me into the worlds and become passionate about the characters.”
—Christina Barber, author of Seely’s Pond and Spirits of Georgia’s Southern Crescent
"Sean Taylor’s stories are in-your-face, emotional, and immediate. In this collection, he examines from all angles the odd yet undeniable impulse that drives some people to put on a costume and fight crime in the streets. No kid stuff here—this is serious, intelligent drama and deep, human introspection spiced with plenty of action and intensity (and often a nice twist along the way). Well worth your time."
—Van Allen Plexico, author of Assembled! and the Sentinals series
Sean Taylor's Show Me A Hero is published by New Babel Books and is available for the Nook at the low price of $.99. You can learn more at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/show-me-a-hero-sean-taylor/1103852669?ean=2940011330957&itm=8&usri=sean%2Btaylor
To learn more about Sean Taylor, visit his website at http://www.taylorverse.com/.
A Sneak Peek at The Blue Lady!
Page one from the story James Ritchey III and I did for All-Star Pulp Comics #1.
You know you like it. You know your want it. Now go buy it at: www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6195
AIRSHIP 27 PRESENTS: ALL-STAR PULP COMICS NOW ON SALE!
 |
| Cover Art; Jeff Butler |
AIRSHIP 27 PRESENTS – ALL-STAR PULP COMICS
Ron Fortier and Rob Davis are thrilled to announce the release of the first Redbud Studio/Airship 27 Productions venture in All-Star Pulp Comics # 1. You can find it at www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6195.
This massive comic one shot features 58 pages of wall to wall pulp adventure in graphic form. Seven old and new pulp heroes as written by today’s most exciting new pulp writers and brought to glorious graphic reality by super talented artists.
Here are the Green Lama, Domino Lady, Jim Anthony Super Detective to name only a few. The volume also contains the very first ever comic adventure of Barry Reese’s highly popular hero, the Rook.
The color cover featuring the Green Lama & the Domino Lady is by Jeff Butler.
This is a comic you don’t want to miss and is available only at Indy Planet Com at www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6195.
Stories include:
•Green Lama by Adam Garcia & Mike Fyles
• Jim Anthony by Erwin K. Roberts & Pedro Cruz
• Black Bat by C. William Russette & Wayne Beeman
• The Blue Lady by Sean Taylor & James Ritchey III
• The Rook by Barry Reese & Craig Wilson
• Secret Agent “X” by Bobby Nash & Jeremy McHugh
• Domino Lady by Percival Constantine, Rock Baker & Jeff Austin
• Cover by Jeff Butler
Standard Sized Trade Paperback
Black & White
Page Count: 58
$6.99
POD
A collection of stories in varied styles from retro to new age digital painting here comes a collection of Pulp Age characters in comic storytelling- some in that form for the very first time. New Pulp writers and artists bring you stories with fists flying and action galore. Join the fun in ALL-STAR PULP COMICS #1.
Bringing together some of the most intriguing characters from the Golden Age of the Pulps in comics form- some for the very first time!
Redbud Studio’s Airship 27 Presents: All-Star Pulp Comics # 1 is now available at www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6195.
Check out this from my buddy, Bobby Nash!
Bobby Nash’s DEADLY GAMES! Nook Edition Now Available At Barnes & Noble.
Deadly Games! by Bobby Nash.
They played the most dangerous game of all and death was only the beginning...
Six years ago, Police Detective John Bartlett and journalist Benjamin West were instrumental in the capture of notorious master criminal Darrin Morehouse. Their story played out in the media, rocketing both Bartlett and West into local celebrity status.
Today, Morehouse, still a master game player and manipulator, commits suicide while in prison. His death initiates one final game of survival for the people Morehouse felt wronged him the most. At that top of the list are Bartlett and West, who must set aside their differences to save the lives of Morehouse's other victims and solve one last game before a dead man’s hired killers catch them and his other enemies.
Deadly Games! is a fast-paced action/thriller featuring action, suspense, murder, and the occasional gunfire from Author Bobby Nash, the writer of Evil Ways, Domino Lady, Lance Star: Sky Ranger, and more.
DEADLY GAMES! is available in multiple formats and can be purchased in print and ebook editions at the following:
Print Direct Sale - $11.99: https://www.createspace.com/3704764
Print at Amazon - $11.99: http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Games-1-Bobby-Nash/dp/0615553435/ref=sr_1_17?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319831122&sr=1-17
Kindle ebook - $3.00: http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Games-ebook/dp/B005ZN8VPS/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319820451&sr=1-3
Smashwords ebook - $3.00: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101814
Barnes & Noble Nook Book - $3.00: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1107149904?ean=2940013554849&itm=2&usri=bobby%252bnash
Plus, you can always ask your favorite bookseller to order a copy for you.
Visit BEN Books at http://ben-books.blogspot.com/.
Visit Deadly Games! author Bobby Nash at http://www.bobbynash.com/.
Check out the New Babel books online shopping experience!
New Babel Books Opens New eStore
Awesome books at awesome prices!
All without battling the mall mobs!
New Babel welcomes Black Friday with an eStore! Debuting on the virtual shelves are Sara M. Harvey’s romantic tale, Seven Times a Woman, in the new release line-up alongside Ian T. Healy’s superhero novel, Just Cause. For more superhero pathos, check out Frank Fradella’s new release of Swan Song, the first full-length novel in the award-winning iHero Universe.
The highly-anticipated zombie book, The Apocalypse of Enoch by Shane Moore will also be available for pre-order at a price so low you’ll think the zombies ate our brains.
And here's the best part — from now through Monday, November 28, 2011 plug in the code "NBB-Black" at checkout and they'll get 25% off everything in the store (except shipping). This sale also includes the already low-priced ebooks.
The coupon expires on Monday, so poke your audience with something hot and sharp and get them moving!
Visit the New Babel eStore at http://www.newbabelbooks.com/estore.
I'm a guest on the ESO podcast!
Earth Station One Episode 87 is now live. ESO Spins our webbed tales of the Amazing Spider-man!
You can listen now at http://www.esopodcast.com./
This week ESO goes live once again and this time we landed at World of Heroes in Dacula, GA. Well, true believers we swing into back into the Marvel Universe and talk about everyone’s favorite web head, the Amazing Spider-man.
Join us for yet another episode of The Earth Station One Podcast we like to call: ESO Spins our webbed tales of the Amazing Spider-man at http://www.esopodcast.com/.
Direct link: http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/earth-station-one-episode-87-eso-spins-our-webbed-tales-of-the-amazing-spider-man/
Table of Contents
0:00:00 Intro / Welcome
0:04:18 Rants & Raves
0:32:02 The Geek Seat w/ Kenneth Lee McDaniel
0:43:18 Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
1:48:55 Khan Report
1:52:30 Let’s meet Dean Trippe and The Geek Seat II
2:03:45 Shout Outs
2:10:22 Show Close
Khan! Report
Nov 25-27 Chicago TARDIS
Dec 9-11 Starbase Indy
Dec 18 Charlotte Comicon
If you would like to leave feedback or a comment on the show please call the ESO feedback line at (404)963-9057 (remember long distance charges may apply) or feel free to email us @ esopodcast@gmail.com
You can listen now at http://www.esopodcast.com./
This week ESO goes live once again and this time we landed at World of Heroes in Dacula, GA. Well, true believers we swing into back into the Marvel Universe and talk about everyone’s favorite web head, the Amazing Spider-man.
Join us for yet another episode of The Earth Station One Podcast we like to call: ESO Spins our webbed tales of the Amazing Spider-man at http://www.esopodcast.com/.
Direct link: http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/earth-station-one-episode-87-eso-spins-our-webbed-tales-of-the-amazing-spider-man/
Table of Contents
0:00:00 Intro / Welcome
0:04:18 Rants & Raves
0:32:02 The Geek Seat w/ Kenneth Lee McDaniel
0:43:18 Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
1:48:55 Khan Report
1:52:30 Let’s meet Dean Trippe and The Geek Seat II
2:03:45 Shout Outs
2:10:22 Show Close
Khan! Report
Nov 25-27 Chicago TARDIS
Dec 9-11 Starbase Indy
Dec 18 Charlotte Comicon
If you would like to leave feedback or a comment on the show please call the ESO feedback line at (404)963-9057 (remember long distance charges may apply) or feel free to email us @ esopodcast@gmail.com
Blackthorn: Thunder on Mars coming soon!
James Burns, cover artist/designer, whipped up this little video tidbit to whet folks' appetites for the upcoming BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS anthology from White Rocket Books:
Check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRvtgCzEY6s
Cover by James Burns; interiors by Chris Kohler; stories by Mark Bousquet, Bobby Nash, James Palmer, Van Allen Plexico, Sean Taylor, and I.A. Watson. Bonus e-book stories by Mark Beaulieu and Danny Wall.
Created and edited by Van Allen Plexico.
In the spirit of "Thundarr the Barbarian" and "John Carter of Mars," it's action and adventure as General Blackthorn and his companions battle the tyrannical Sorcerers of Mars!
Keep watching this space and http://www.whiterocketbooks.com/ for details as they become available.
Check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRvtgCzEY6s
Cover by James Burns; interiors by Chris Kohler; stories by Mark Bousquet, Bobby Nash, James Palmer, Van Allen Plexico, Sean Taylor, and I.A. Watson. Bonus e-book stories by Mark Beaulieu and Danny Wall.
Created and edited by Van Allen Plexico.
In the spirit of "Thundarr the Barbarian" and "John Carter of Mars," it's action and adventure as General Blackthorn and his companions battle the tyrannical Sorcerers of Mars!
Keep watching this space and http://www.whiterocketbooks.com/ for details as they become available.