VEGAS HEI$T Arrives in Trade Paperback and on Kindle!

Press Release – For Immediate Release

In the Spirit of Parker and Ocean’s 11 -- They’re Aiming to Knock Over 1965 Sin City!

White Rocket Books proudly announces the release in trade paperback and Kindle e-book formats of Van Allen Plexico’s VEGAS HEIST, the new crime novel from the creator of the Sentinels novel series.

John Harper and Saul “Salsa” Salzman have pulled jobs together before, but nothing like this. It's the holiday season of 1965 and the fabulous Caesars Palace Resort and Casino is about to open in Las Vegas. And its vault is filled to bursting with cash. Harper and Salsa roll into town with inside information: A secret way into the underground levels beneath the casino, leading right to the vault itself.

Putting together a small but highly skilled team, they make their move, aiming for untold riches. But jobs like this never go as planned. A beautiful widow, a jealous enforcer and a murderous rival casino owner all want a piece of the pie.

Before New Year's Day 1966 arrives, Harper and Salsa will be lucky to escape Sin City with their lives!

“When planning a heist, it’s good to learn from the masters, and it’s clear that Van Allen Plexico has,” says Charles Ardai, Editor of Hard Case Crime. “From Richard Stark to Lionel White to Ocean’s Eleven, the fingerprints of the greats are all over this smart, snappy casino job.”

“This is quite a departure for me,” adds Plexico, “but I’ve been a huge fan of Richard Stark’s PARKER novels for years, along with both versions of OCEAN’S ELEVEN and even the recent DEN OF THIEVES and LOGAN LUCKY and all the rest in that vein.  I’ve channeled all that love and all that fun into what I think is a blast of a Sixties heist tale, where all the best-laid plans go out the window and the Law is swarming and maybe, just maybe, somebody’s getting away with a whole lot of cash.”

Now in its fourteenth year, White Rocket Books is a leader in the New Pulp movement, publishing exciting action and adventure novels and anthologies, in both traditional and electronic formats.   White Rocket books have hit the Amazon.com Top 5-by-Genre and reached #1 on the New Pulp Bestsellers List, and have garnered praise from everyone from Marvel Comics Vice-President Tom Brevoort and Avengers scribe David Michelinie to Hard Case Crime’s Charles Ardai and Kirkus Reviews.

VEGAS HEIST is a $14.95, 6x9 format trade paperback and a $2.99 Kindle eBook from White Rocket Books.

236 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1986391429 (6x9” Trade Paperback)

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1986391426
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/VEGAS-HEIST-Van-Allen-Plexico-ebook/dp/B07B7FT9SD

For more information: 
www.whiterocketbooks.com
www.plexico.net

Pro Se Press Announces Open Submmissions for Genre Anthologies

With all the new projects Pro Se has announced, it seems like there's something to interest every writer out there looking for anthologies to pitch to.

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THREE POPULAR NEW PULP HEROES IN ONE BOOK BY OTHER WRITERS -- OPEN CALL FOR REESE UNLIMITED’S THREE TO FIGHT’ ANTHOLOGY!

Award winning Author Barry Reese has been a mainstay in New Pulp and Genre Fiction for years. Of his many creations, three stand out as notable characters in New Pulp-The Peregrine, Gravedigger, and Lazarus Gray. These three characters are the tent pole around which Reese Unlimited, Pro Se’s first Author imprint, was built and now, for the first time ever Reese and Pro Se announce an open call like no other. Submissions are now open for THREE TO FIGHT, an anthology that will, for the first time, feature stories written by other writers starring Reese’s three most popular and best known creations.

“THREE TO FIGHT,” says Tommy Hancock, “is an idea that has been discussed here and there, having other writers tackle some of Barry’s characters, as has been done in the past. The specific concept, though, for this anthology came from an image by Mark Propst, that Barry shared with me. As soon as I saw it, not only did I know I was looking at the cover for a future book, but the cool idea that has become THREE TO FIGHT basically exploded to life. And now, it’s time to bring the writers ready to get their hands on Barry’s wonderfully imaginative universe in and get this thing rolling.”

Two types of stories will be accepted for this anthology. The first type of story accepted for THREE TO FIGHT must feature TWO of the three characters-The Peregrine, Lazarus Gray, and/or Gravedigger. No story will only feature one and no story will feature all three. Another type of story that can appear in this volume can be stories featuring any TWO teams/supporting casts of the characters mentioned above, even if the characters themselves do not appear. Whole teams do not have to appear in these stories, but, as per the other type of story accepted, only TWO supporting casts/teams may team up, not all three.

Stories for THREE TO FIGHT series must be 8-10,000 words in length. Those interested in submitting a proposal should contactsubmissions@prose-press.com to request the Reese Unlimited Timeline. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

If accepted, final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. At point of acceptance, copies of all Reese Unlimited works related to the characters will be available to approved writers. Supplemental information may also be provided. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions.

THREE TO FIGHT is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company’s anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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THE CITY OF DARK VILLAINS AND DARKER HEROES RETURNS IN NEW CALL -- SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR ‘TALES FROM PORT VICTORIA’ ANTHOLOGY

First appearing in the pages of Pro Se Press’s break-through anthology, BLACK PULP and expanded on in other works by D. Alan Lewis, the fictional city of Port Victoria is a dark, crime-ridden metropolis, yet it also is home to the only superheroes to exist outside of the comics.

In the early years of the 20th Century, three college students volunteered for a secret government experiment which imbued them with unique abilities, including increased speed, dexterity, and strength. As the years passed, their abilities were passed on to their children and grandchildren, who took up wearing masks and capes to battle crime.

TALES FROM PORT VICTORIA will be a collection of 6 stories edited by the city’s creator, D. Alan Lewis, taking place anytime during the 20th and early 21st Century. Authors are encouraged to use characters presented in Pro Se’s THE BISHOP OF PORT VICTORIA, who are listed below by name and years they operated as heroes. A bible for the anthology is available for more in-depth information on characters, villains, and the city.

• Lady Victoria (1908 to 1922) (Also part of the Justice Trinity)
• Silver Shark (1908 to 1912) (Also part of the Justice Trinity)
• Thunder Jack (1908 to 1912) (Also part of the Justice Trinity)
• Stephanie Murray – unnamed hero (1933 – 1940)
• Dexter ‘Black’ Wolfe (1920 – 1944) This character has already been spoken for, but can be used as a background character.
• Stephanie Murry – unnamed hero (1933-1945)
• Dexter Wolfe Jr. – unnamed hero (1960 – 1973)
• Vicky Justice (1950-1952) (Also part of brother-sister team – The Justice Twins)
• Sargent Victory (1950 – 1954) (Also part of brother-sister team – The Justice Twins)
• Angelina Wolfe aka Lady Vic (1990 – present day)

If the author is using a new character, your story must contain information about the heroes’ origin and explanation of their abilities.

Stories for TALES FROM PORT VICTORIA must be set in the 20th or early 21st Centuries, and correspond with the years that existing heroes worked. Any elements of any genre will be considered appropriate in submissions and left to the discretion of Pro Se Productions and D. Alan Lewis to allow. This means that the supernatural, monsters, aspects of science fiction and fantasy, and so forth are allowed and encouraged to be included in submissions. As with THE BISHOP OF PORT VICTORIA, the stories can be (but don’t have to be) very dark in nature but some measure of restraint is asked for when using sex and violence. Authors are asked to use offensive or derogatory language only in very moderate amounts, if at all.

Stories for TALES FROM PORT VICTORIA must be 10,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. As previously mentioned, a bible is available upon request by mailing submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals. Authors whose proposals are accepted must submit the first four pages of their accepted stories as quickly as possible for review by Pro Se staff.

If accepted, final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions. This is a work for hire submission, as the properties used belong to D. Alan Lewis.

TALES FROM PORT VICTORIA is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company’s anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

COVER ART BY JEFF HAYES FROM 'BISHOP OF PORT VICTORIA'

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PRO SE PRODUCTIONS OPENS SUBMISSIONS FOR WESTERN ANTHOLOGY -- OPEN CALL FOR ‘ONE NIGHT IN DODGE’!

The Wild West of the United States has captured the attention of readers for well over a century, both in terms of history and fiction. The two collide in the latest anthology call from Genre Fiction Publisher Pro Se Productions-ONE NIGHT IN DODGE!

On June 10, 1883, one of the most iconic photographs taken in the West in its heyday of expansion and violence was snapped in Dodge City, Kansas. Featuring eight men, this portrait captured the members of the Dodge City Peace Commission.

The most famous of the eight in this image were Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Luke Short, but all the members of the Commission were a part of the force that, at least somewhat, provided law and order and kept their own version of the peace in Dodge City for a little over two years.

History paints this collection of men in a variety of ways, from upright lawmen to scoundrels out for themselves and every point in between. ONE NIGHT IN DODGE invites writers to share their takes on these men, either collectively or just focusing on some of them (stories must include at least two of the Commission members), and to tell a rousing, two fisted western tale that blends the best of history and fact.

Stories for ONE NIGHT IN DODGE must be 8-10,000 words in length. These should be set no earlier than November 1880 and no later than June 10, 1883. The story MUST take place one one night in Dodge City, a period of about twelve hours. These are to be straight westerns, no supernatural, science fiction, or weird tales allowed.

Those interested in submitting a proposal of 100-500 words should submit to submissions@prose-press.com. Although multiple resources exist with information on the Commission, this link goes to a comprehensive article as well as the famous photograph- https://truewestmagazine.com/the-man-behind-the-dodge-city-war/.

Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

If accepted, final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions.

ONE NIGHT IN DODGE is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company’s anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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FROM THE IMAGE COMES THE STORY -- SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR ‘WRITE TO THE COVER VOLUME THREE’

Known for being an innovative Genre Fiction Publisher, Pro Se Productions opens submissions for stories in a series unique to the publishing house-WRITE TO THE COVER VOLUME THREE!

“Every once in a while,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “we end up with an image suitable to be a cover that doesn’t really have stories to go with it…yet. To remedy this situation, Pro Se started the WRITE TO THE COVER imprint a few years ago to make sure that covers deserving of tales get them and make their way into readers’ hands. The image for the third volume is one that, while on the surface seems to point one direction or another, can definitely inspire and challenge writers to do something different with what their eyes see. Those are the kind of stories we look for this series particularly.”

The cover image that writers are to build proposals around is a work completed by artist Michael Hegedus. Stories can be of ANY Genre, but MUST involve enough aspects of the image shown that it could serve as a cover for said story.

Stories for WRITE TO THE COVER VOLUME THREE must be 8-10,000 words in length. Those interested in submitting a proposal of 100-500 words should submit to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

If accepted, final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions.

WRITE TO THE COVER VOLUME THREE is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company’s anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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AC COMICS’ HISTORIC SUPER HEROINE TEAM FLIES TO PROSE! SUBMISSIONS CALL OPEN FOR ‘FEMFORCE CLOSE UP’!

In 1985, AC Comics, founded by Bill Black, made history by forming a team like no other in comics then or since. The Federal Emergency Missions Force, popularly known as Femforce, was the first team made up of super heroines and for thirty plus years, characters like Ms. Victory, She-Cat, Nightveil and others have fought evil and stood for justice in comic books. And now, Pro Se Productions, through a licensing relationship with AC Comics and Nightveil Media, opens a call for the first anthology to feature prose adventures of the most powerful women ever drawn. FEMFORCE CLOSE UP VOLUME ONE is now open for submissions.

“There are certain properties,” says Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “ certain projects that a publisher, if they get the chance to work on them, recognizes as special and important. From the first moment discussions began with Bill Black about Pro Se producing the prose adventures of AC Comics’ characters, Femforce was the holy grail, the prize. These aren’t just super heroes who happen to be women. These characters are each very rich, fully realized not only as a part of Femforce, but as characters on their own. And, to introduce them to Pro Se properly, FEMFORCE CLOSE UP will focus on stand alone stories, each one featuring a Femforce member on her own.”

Stories for FEMFORCE CLOSE UP can be set in any period the heroines on the team were active, according to their comic history. Each story must feature only ONE of the following team members as the lead character-Ms. Victory, Nightveil, Stardust, She-Cat, Synn, Tara, Rio Rita, Garganta, The Blue Bulleteer. No other members from this list may appear in the story, but other heroes or villains from AC Comics can be used.

Stories for FEMFORCE CLOSE UP must be 8-10,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Although a working knowledge of the characters is best before proposing, information about the individual characters is available upon request by emailing submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

If accepted, final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions. This is a work for hire submission, as the properties used belong to AC Comics and Nightveil Media.

FEMFORCE CLOSE UP VOLUME ONE is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company’s anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

COVER FROM AC COMICS' FEMFORCE COMIC. COVER FOR PRO SE COLLECTION NOT YET CREATED

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SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR SECOND ENTRY IN ‘THE PEERLESS’ SERIES-OPEN CALL FOR ‘THE PEERLESS: HANNAH BRADE, MAID OF MYSTERY

In December, 2017, Pro Se Productions announced a call for the first anthology in a new series. Now, the cutting edge Publisher opens up for submissions for the second collection in the innovative series-THE PEERLESS: HANNAH BRADE, MAID OF MYSTERY.’

THE PEERLESS refers to characters that will be featured as leads in various anthologies, all set in the same universe. The concept basically takes actual historical figures that were unique or extraordinary in some way and posits that they had adventures beyond what they are known for in history. One of the unique aspects of this idea is that the characters will not usually be the typical suspects for such a project. They won’t be well known, even with their oddity or bizarre history, but through this series, Pro Se hopes to make them the next group of heroes…and villains that fans clamor for.

HANNAH BRADE, MAID OF MYSTERY is a collection of stories focusing on the further adventures of a woman who left a singular strange mark on history. In March, 1830, Hannah Brade applied for a job as a maid for an English widow and her two children in Liverpool. Seemingly simple and shabby at first, over two years, Hannah proved to be much more than expected. Showing talents in music, medicine, art, mastery of several languages, and more. Hannah also became nervous each time someone visited the home. At the end of two years, Hannah left the home without warning. Two months after this, the family received a package of expensive gifts from Hannah, but never heard from her again.

Stories for THE PEERLESS: HANNAH BRADE, MAID OF MYSTERY will focus on Hannah’s adventures following her time a maid. Stories must be 8-10,000 words in length. Those interested in submitting a proposal should contact submissions@prose-press.com to request a bible for this project. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

Final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions.

THE PEERLESS: HANNAH BRADE, MAID OF MYSTERY is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company's anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2018-2019 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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CONFIDENCE MEN (AND WOMEN), THIEVES, FRAUDS, AND MORE-SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR ’ROGUE LIT’

Known for reaching into the past for ideas for stories for the future, Pro Se Productions seeks to revive a near forgotten genre in its latest anthology. Submissions are now open for ROGUE LIT!

A popular genre particularly in the 16th and 17th Centuries, Rogue Literature refers to stories about criminals living in the shadows of society. Not murderers or those seeking to destroy body and blood, but these types of stories focused on the colorful, yet often dark personalities of people making their way through life by picking pockets, flim flaming innocents, or relieving others of their wealth and dignity while leaving them alive. Popularized by authors such as Thomas Dekker and Charles Dickens, Rogue Literature has never really gone away, it has simply been absorbed into the Crime genre.

With ROGUE LIT, Pro Se seeks to return the spotlight to this exciting, often dangerous genre of tales with a modern twist. Writers are encouraged to set tales in the time period of their choosing that have as their protagonists men and women who make crime their profession and grow from the seedier side of life. Action and adventure are both welcome and, as usual, Pro Se will be looking for stories with a fast paced plot and larger than life characters, all about the shadiest souls of society.

Stories for ROGUE LIT must feature usually non violent criminals of some sort. No murderers, rapists, or other violent offenders, but instead thieves, frauds, grifters, and schemers. It is not necessary that the lead character be heroic or even the hero, but it is also allowed to do just that with the leads. And be aware, these should be stories full of danger and action and even death, if the story dictates it. The lead characters simply can’t be violent by nature, they must simply be rogues.

Stories must be 8-10,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

Final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions.

ROGUE LIT is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company's anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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HEROIC PUBLISHING’S HEROINE OF HOLIDAY HI-JINX MOVES TO PROSE! SUBMISSIONS CALL OPEN FOR ‘THE ADVENTURES OF CHRISSIE CLAUS!

One of Heroic Publishing’s most creative characters, first appearing in the pages of FLARE, now makes the transition to Genre Fiction prose. Pro Se Productions, in conjunction with Heroic Publishing, announces an open submissions call for stories featuring Santa’s elfin granddaughter in THE ADVENTURES OF CHRISSIE CLAUS!

“Chrissie,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “is the best of two worlds. Not only do we get fantastic, action packed, and even at times funny tales featuring an awesome super heroine, but we get to tell Christmas Stories! Having a character that is so woven into both the sheer insanity of comic books AND Christmas mythology means that writers will have an opportunity to explore all sorts of avenues for stories that most comic book types can’t conceivably travel.”

Stories for THE ADVENTURES OF CHRISSIE CLAUS must be 8-10,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Although a working knowledge of the characters is best before proposing, information about Chrissie and her world is available upon request by emailing submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

If accepted, final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions. This is a work for hire submission, as the properties used belong to Heroic Publishing.

THE ADVENTURES OF CHRISSIE CLAUS is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company’s anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

COVER IMAGE FROM THE ADVENTURES OF CHRISTIE CLAUS VOLUME ONE COMIC FROM HEROIC. PRO SE COVER NOT YET CREATED.

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WHERE HEARTS MEET HANDCUFFS-ROMANCE AND CRIME COLLIDE! SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR ‘LOVE ON THE RUN'

Two of the most popular genres both currently and historically come together as Pro Se Productions announces an open call for submissions to a new anthology -- LOVE ON THE RUN.

“Everyone,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “enjoys a good love story, or so it seems. It also appears readers are huge fans of crime stories, liberal doses of noir mixed in with sinful acts and a dash of always being one step outside of jail. LOVE ON THE RUN takes both of those concepts and tangles them together for what we will hope will be a marriage made in mayhem.”

Stories for LOVE ON THE RUN must feature a romance at their core, a romance featuring two people who are considered criminals by their actions. These tales can be about fugitives from the law, a crime being committed, the consequences of two or more such people falling in love, or any variation on the theme, but romance and crime must both be integral parts of stories in the anthology. Also, although the stories can be set in any time period from the present day back, these must be realistic tales, not paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, or ‘weird’ fiction.

Stories must be 5-8,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

Final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions.

LOVE ON THE RUN is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company's anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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LIBRARIANS ON HORSEBACK IN THE WILDS OF APPALACHIA! SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR NEW ANTHOLOGY-‘BOOKRIDERS’!

Oftentimes some of the best ideas for fiction come from fact. Pro Se Productions announces an anthology that has its roots in 1930s Kentucky, the WPA, and some of the most amazing women ever to carry a book. Submissions are now open for BOOKRIDERS, an anthology of fiction tales based on the Pack Horse Library initiative.

“The old concept,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “about someone not being able to write a fiction story as good as the truth sometimes rings true more often than not. It definitely does where the Pack Horse Library initiative comes into play. Getting books out to the people who lived across eastern Kentucky in the 1930s was not only hard, but nearly impossible. In an attempt to employ women and to make sure books were accessible, the WPA started a program that actually, in its nine year history, employed 274 women as librarians riding horses or mules, literally spreading knowledge a book at a time to people that had no access otherwise. Who could make that up? And what better basis for a collection of great stories focused on fantastic women and the danger, adventure, and success they had to encounter on those backwoods trails? That is why BOOKRIDERS will be a collection, one we will dedicate to every single woman who rode hard with saddlebags loaded down with books. ”

Stories for BOOKRIDERS must be set in eastern Kentucky within the years of 1934 to 1943, the year the WPA ended. The central character of each story must be a woman employed by the Pack Horse initiative as a librarian. If writers find women who were actually a part of the program and they wish to base their stories on them, that is allowed. Fictional librarians are also appropriate as well. These stories must be true to the period, must contain some semblance of action or danger, adding to the pacing of the tale, and must be set firmly in reality and history. No supernatural, science fiction, or otherworldly elements allowed.

Although authors may submit their own creations as librarians, Pro Se will provide a bible on this concept, which will include five characters created by Pro Se that writers may also use. Writers interested in proposing for this anthology should request the bible.

Stories must be 5-8,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

Final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions.

BOOKRIDERS is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company's anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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FROM COWBOY TO SUPER HERO TO DARK AVENGER! SUBMISSIONS CALL OPEN FOR ‘PARAGON’ ANTHOLOGY FROM PRO SE AND AC COMICS!

Pro Se Productions and AC Comics/Nightveil Media have joined forces to bring AC’s classic lineup of characters to the prose pages of New Pulp Fiction. That cannot be done without including one of AC’s most imaginative and strongest characters. Pro Se Productions is now taking submissions for short stories in an anthology featuring Bill Black’s creation- PARAGON!

“Paragon,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “is not just the requisite guy in tights and a cape that every comic company seems to have. No, Bill Black made sure Charlie Starrett stood out in many ways, including essentially giving him three separate identities, or phases of existence. With Paragon, stories can actually be told of his time as the western hero, The Latigo Kid or as the Golden Age hero Captain Paragon, or even as simply Paragon, a darker version of the hero as seen in DARK APOCALYPSE. This diverse history of the character makes him ideal for an anthology focused on any and all of his various phases. I cannot wait to see what writers come up with. ”

Stories for PARAGON must be 8-10,000 words in length. Each story must focus on ONE period of Paragon’s life --The Latigo Kid, Captain Paragon, or Paragon. Supporting characters from the AC Universe can be used in the stories, pending approval of proposals. A bible will be available for this call by emailing submissions@prose-press.com. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

Final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions. These are considered works for hire as PARAGON and related characters are the property of AC Comics/Nightveil Media.

PARAGON is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company's anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

IMAGE FROM AC COMICS, NOT THE COVER FOR THE UPCOMING BOOK

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A MYSTERIOUS KEEPER OF CREATURES OF IMAGINATION -- CALL OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS TO ‘MATAGORDIA’S MYTHICAL MENAGERIE’ ANTHOLOGY

Known for its unique anthologies, Pro Se Productions ups its game as a cutting edge genre fiction publisher with its latest submissions call. Based on a concept created by Pro Se’s Editor in Chief, Tommy Hancock, proposals are now being accepted for ‘MATAGORDIA’S MYTHICAL MENAGERIE VOLUME ONE.’

“Perhaps the greatest part of my job, ” says Hancock, “is getting to be a part of the creative process at Pro Se. To not only make sure great writers and artists work for the company, but to also build concepts that challenge creators and draw in readers is one of the major reasons I do what I do. MATAGORDIA’S MYTHICAL MENAGERIE is a concept I’ve toyed with for a while, looking for a way to combine aspects of my favorite concepts from different genres and stories. I think this is it and one that will definitely excite both readers and writers.”

The world is not simply a blue and brown ball called Earth. It is a wondrous mix of magic, mystery, and madness. And from this tangle of wonder and wild come beasts, beings, and monsters thought to be fantasy…or fears alone. Yet, the truth is that humans and the animals we know to exist are not alone, never have been. And those things, those living things that belong to legend and nightmare, to dream and story…they need a place to be as well. A way to live, many of them the last of their kind. And someone to take care of them.

“Matagordia,” explains Hancock, “is a person that has what some would call a circus, a freak show, a traveling extravaganza…it all sort of depends on which time period you’re talking about. Be it a circus tent in the middle of a Midwestern field in the 19th Century or a small auditorium that somehow suddenly appears in Chicago in the 1930s…or any other such thing…Matagordia’s Mythical Menagerie is a place where not only can regular folks see creatures they thought to be made up…but those very beasts aren’t on display as much as they live in a world all their own, one that is more than tent flaps or doors. Where outsiders see a warehouse actually may exist entire landscapes…and then there’s Matagordia him…or herself.”

Stories for this anthology must be set in between the years 1800 to the present day. Writers interested in submitting proposals must request the bible for the concept by emailing submissions@prose-press.com. Stories will focus either on Matagordia’s work/hunt/rescue of creatures considered mythical from multiple beliefs, stories, and cryptozology or on adventures that take place within Matagordia’s unique mobile world. A list of creatures will be available and listed in the concept bible. No submissions will be considered for this anthology without the writer having reviewed the bible.

Stories must be 8-10,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to submissions@prose-press.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals.

Final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals. Payment will be in the form of royalties, the percentage determined by number of accepted submissions. These are considered works for hire as the properties are based on concepts created by Tommy Hancock and Pro Se Productions.

MATAGORDIA’S MYTHICAL MENAGERIE is a part of the Pro Se Open, the company's anthology project, and is scheduled to be published in the 2019-2021 calendar years, depending on submissions and other factors.

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To learn more about Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com. 
Like Pro Se on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.

Everything Old Is New Again -- Reviving Old-School Literary Tropes and Techniques for Contemporary Fiction

There are so many literary conventions that have fallen out of use -- or at least out of favor -- in modern fiction. You hear it all the time: Don't use infodumps, show don't tell, no page after page of description, don't jump heads, no omniscient narrators, etc.

With that in mind, there's only one question for this new writers roundtable...

What is your favorite of the old conventions or tropes to revisit, and how do you use it effectively for contemporary readers?

Amanda Niehaus-Hard: I think genre writers have been steadily incorporating more literary techniques into their writing, but instead of thinking of these things in academic terms, they’re often referred to as “easter eggs.” Allusion and parallelism in themes are there, but they aren’t called out as such.

One of the literary techniques that I miss in genre fiction is the omniscient narrator. What’s in favor right now is that very close limited point-of-view, where you’re plugged into the brain and sensory system of one character, and this can be extremely effective, especially in horror. This technique fell out of favor years ago, (even inside literary fiction) but YA authors are bringing it back, in a way, in the voice of a ghost narrator.  There’s a lot you can do with omniscience – especially in a longer work. Ellen Gilchrist is a contemporary literary author using the omniscient narrator to provide commentary on the story, even entering the story as a character herself. It’s a powerful tool that I’d like to see the genre community experiment with. 

Another technique that is not only out of favor, but often warned against by editors, is the use of multiple points-of-view (derisively called “head-hopping” in the romance community.) Now it’s true this is a technique that can get out of hand quickly, so authors are usually encouraged to limit point-of-view to alternating sections or chapters, or for shorter works alternating paragraphs. Virginia Woolf was the master of “head hopping,” so authors who want to experiment with this should look at how she handled it. I see it being much more effective in some genres than others. (In horror, sometimes the dread and sense of isolation can be enhanced by staying firmly inside the head of one character. With a larger fantasy series, being entirely in one mind can become tedious for the reader. Even books in the Harry Potter series play with this – pulling away from Harry’s direct experience as the series goes on, to give the reader an overall picture of the very-real problems both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds are about to confront.)

I do wish genre writers would consider what they could accomplish if they were as precise with language as some varieties of literary fiction authors. One aspect of lit fic (some would say the only important aspect) is the sound of the language, the rhythms of the sentences. Ray Bradbury was a genius at finding language that actually sounds like the thing he’s writing about. (Remember the scene in “Something Wicked This Way Comes” where the mirrors are breaking? Those sentences, read aloud, actually sound like breaking glass. It’s amazing.) Genre writers would be well-advised to pay as much attention to the pacing of the sentence as they do the pacing of the unfolding plot. Borrow and steal from poetry techniques, from Gertrude Stein. Borrow and steal from the language of Ulysses, of Borges and Calvino. 

Literary writers pride themselves on breaking with tradition, and I’d like to see more genre writers attempt the same. Ursula LeGuin was a proponent of breaking literary “rules” inside imaginative fiction. She encouraged writers of all stripes to overturn conventional ideas about “story,” even questioning the advice to build a story on “conflict.” Literary writers very often will craft short fiction that doesn’t follow Freitag’s pyramid or Aristotle’s Poetics. The story might end just before or just at the moment of the “crisis.” We might never see falling action or any kind of resolution. Try mapping LeGuin’s famous story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” on that pyramid. That story reads more like a sonnet, with a two-line turn at the end rather than an actual conflict/crisis/resolution structure.  Last month I read two different independent works advertised as short story collections, but that were really more like novels in fragments – a literary technique that I hadn’t seen in genre fiction. This excited me to no end. I’m seeing a lot more experimentation inside YA, where the phrase “novel in verse” isn’t looked on with suspicion but with delight. I would love to see genre writers experiment with structure and form the way literary authors do. Of course that’s a huge risk. The experiment might pay off or it might fail miserably. Ultimately your “art” still has to communicate enough to the reader to make the process of reading it worth their time. I imagine that for every story she places in The New Yorker, even Joyce Carol Oates has one or two that never see publication, and that’s okay.

Ultimately, fiction supplies us with an enormous tool box of techniques and devices we can use, and I don’t think we should necessarily limit ourselves to what’s in fashion today, or even what’s considered “the law” today. Tell a good story, use whatever methods you need to in order to do so, and don’t let how we currently view fiction limit how you see it. 


Rob Cerio: The infodump can still be done well, when presented in the proper literary device. One of the reasons I admire Douglas Adams so much is his use of the narrative tool of the hitchikers guide entries to do the infodumpingin the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Perry Constantine: I like omniscient narration, but it’s really tough to get right. I’ve done it myself on occassion, though I can’t say for sure if it’s been effective.

Gordon Dymowski: When I'm writing, I actively try to avoid obvious tropes. After all, part of storytelling should be as much in subverting the obvious direction as it is in straightforward storytelling. But there are two tropes that I think have been overused...and that I try to openly integrate into my storytelling in clever ways.

One is the Inevitable Corruption of The Hero. You know the drill -- the hero has a gun on the villain. The villain says "Kill me." The hero drops the gun and says, "If I kill you, I'm no better than you."

Not every hero is ethically pure, and I like the idea of temptation...but the whole I-won't-kill-you cliche is overplayed. But planting some smaller incidents of moral question help flesh out the hero's limits. After all, having the big twist doesn't make sense without some examples of how the hero can go wrong. Another (which I'm integrating into one of my current projects) is to suggest that the hero may cross that line...but less out of moral certainty and more out of their own self-destructive or morally righteous behavior.

(Note - I'm not spoiling anything; these are storytelling choices. Your mileage may vary).

The other is the ever-popular Romantic Triangle. Or to quote the J. Geils Band: "You love her, but she loves him/And he loves somebody else, you just can't win..."

Whether you grew up with 1980s romantic comedies...or even more popular current fare, you know how much this gets overplayed. And the approach, which leads to the "Stalking for Love" trope....just won't cut it with a modern audience.

Part of the way try to subvert this in my writing? Make sure that it's a triangle that has a healthier resolution. Perhaps one of the characters in the main couple realizes that their feelings aren't as strong. Or that the pursuer ends up finding strength through a strong friendship with the person that they desire. (Or even that the pursuer finds their feelings stem from some other inadequacy). It's also easy to fall into the lazy trope of having the pursuer...well, "keep tabs" on their desired one. It's much more interesting to focus on the internal struggle of someone who has feelings for someone but also has to acknowledge that the person does not share that feeling. Or even discuss such a relationship in a different historical context to create a unique set of dynamics.

Example: one of my current projects involved women in the 19th century. Extended friendships which involve hand-holding, some physical affection, and emotional intimacy led to strong relationships between women. So much so that the concept of a "Boston marriage" arose - this is a state where two women live together like a married couple normally would. (And given the historical context, this wasn't seen as problematic or "bad". It just was.) Having someone infatuated with a woman in a "Boston marriage" would give it added texture...and making the person infatuated a third woman might even give it more poignancy and grace.

But from a storytelling perspective, it would make it worth it, because sometimes subverting and reshaping well worn cliches provides for more effective storytelling options.

Bill Craig: Flashbacks are good places for exposition and infodumps.

Richard Laswell: I'm a fan of very detailed descriptions. Tolkien would not have been nearly as popular if his world was a vague shadow in the background. I'll likely get in trouble here but witness the difference between Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia. I fully admit the Narnia books are vivid and entertaining, but more in an action thriller way than the rich sprawling tapestry of Middle Earth.

Michael Woods: I like the omniscient narrators. I like to tell some of my stories as if they are being told by a bard entertaining folk in a tavern or traveling show. Other times I like to be highly descriptive of the details. Never blend the two though. It makes for boring reads.

PJ Lozito: What I'm working on now revives the old saw of challenging the reader to guess the identity of a masked vigilante from a pool of possibles.

Nugget #126 -- Flush 'Em

Don't get me wrong. I still live by the axiom
I learned from my friend James R. Tuck:
"Life's too short to read shitty books." 

And I still draw a hard line in the proverbial
sand after a few paragraphs. I haven't learned
to have more patience with bad stories, just
that like a tasty bite of apple could be the
sole good spot on a bruised piece of fruit,
sometimes I need more than a mere sentence
to get the true feel of a story and its writer. 

[Link] The Agony and the Ecstasy of Taking Author Photos

By Tom Rachman

I walked into the bookstore gripping my debut novel, its cover puckering where my sweaty fingers clutched tight, as if to remind myself: You’ve published a book, you’re not an absolute imposter. What awaited was a lectern and a huddle of sad chairs. This was back in 2010, at one of my first readings. Here I was, a writer at last. Only, how to appear writerly?

“Oh, hey!” the event organizer said, noticing me hesitating in the doorway. “I actually recognize you from your author photo.”

“You sound a bit surprised—do authors not look like their photos?”

Not usually, she answered. The writer on the book jacket and the writer in store often differ by more than a decade. We chortled about vain authors. Didn’t they realize they’d be unmasked at every public event?

Flash forward to my third novel. The publishers need a publicity photo of me for the inside cover. I’m glancing at an old headshot, then at the 43-year-old in the mirror: grayer, pudgier, baggier. Is it a crime, I wonder, to stay 33 for another book?

Problem is, books are written slowly, and aging happens all of a sudden. So the author is secreted away during the composition of a new novel, typing and deleting, until finally it’s complete and ready for exposure, at which point the writer stumbles from a study into the (very minor) flurry of publicity. By then, the previous shot compared with the new one is like a Before-and-After for a spa you’d best avoid.

Stressing about an author photo isn’t just vanity. It’s also about career survival, given that the spoils of fiction are meager, and accrue to the few. Writing novels is often a business of lionized old lions and bright young debutants, with prairies of middle-aged mid-listers between. An author’s image—not beautiful necessarily, but of striking looks—helps the sales package. Consider Virginia Woolf or George Orwell, Zadie Smith or Karl Ove Knausgaard. When I think of them, I have plenty of opinions about their work. But what I picture is their author photos: flinty or debonair or aloof. Culture—no matter how we hate to admit it—is a style choice too. This is disenchanting for all the obvious reasons, not least because many writers chose this line of work partly because relying on looks seemed a dismal answer to the world’s indifference.

Read the full article: https://lithub.com/the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-of-taking-author-photos/

#MotivationalMonday -- Bully English

[Link] Hey, Your Writing Sucks

by Zarah Parker

Let me explain.

When I first decided to pursue writing seriously (as in, put my all into something that might not give me any return) all I wanted was someone to tell me that I was making the right decision. I didn’t know if I was good enough at writing to make it my career choice.

My entire way of thinking was wrong, but I’ll get back to that.

What I actually needed was someone to tell me my writing sucked. Because it did, and hey sometimes if I’m in a hurry it still does. (I’ve had to delete a few blog posts due to my hastiness.)

Pretending someone is better at something than they are is detrimental to their growth, especially while learning a craft. My biggest pet peeve in workshops is when people are so nice that the person whose work is getting critiqued thinks that their work was great…when it needed a lot of work. I don’t think being rude is the answer, but I think being kind while being honest is.

Which doesn’t happen a lot to young writers. Which might be surprising, but this is my own experience, it could have been different for you. Throughout my college workshops everyone was too scared to point out the flaws in a work, and when they did it was done so nicely that it was more of a ‘maybe you could change this, but you’re fine if you don’t.”

Once, a professor stopped me from commenting on the grammar of a short story. The entire story was atrocious, but I was trying to nicely point out that the grammar was so bad it was hard to read the story. (And to be honest, grammar isn’t on the top of my list to criticize.) I overheard the student later boasting about how much everyone in class loved her story. Because we weren’t honest, she saw no need to fix her story.

Read the full article: https://thememoirofawriter.com/2017/11/30/hey-your-writing-sucks/

THE MOON MAN RETURNS

Airship 27 Productions is proud to announce the releases of their second volume in their series of all new Moon Man adventures.

In the middle of the Great Depression, many unscrupulous people found ways to enrich their own wealth while ignoring the plight of those less fortunate. It was an injustice the law could not remedy. Men like Detective Sgt. Stephen Thatcher found themselves at odd with the very laws they were sworn to uphold. But, unlike the others, Thatcher solved his moral dilemma by creating an alter-ego who would rob from the very rich and give to the poor. Wearing a bizarre argus glass globe over his head, the Moon Man became the Robin Hood of Great City and one of pulpdom’s most endearing classic heroes.

“The Moon Man was one of the most original pulp heroes of them all,” says Airship 27 Productions’ own Managing Editor, Ron Fortier. “His adventures were always fun and unique unlike any other character from the Golden Age of the Pulps.”

Now writers Gene Moyers, Greg Hatcher, Tim Bruckner and Terry Alexander have whipped up four new stories pitting the Moon Man against a variety of foes and challenges. From a group of street kids emulating him to deadly Nazi saboteurs, the globe wearing champion of the underdogs, finds himself battling as never before to see that justice will triumph in the end. 

This new volume features a stunning cover by British artist Mike Files with twelve interior illustrations by Richard Jun and designed by award winning Art Director Rob Davis.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION !

Available from Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Editor's Note: There's still a little bit of time to enter.

Welcome to the 26th annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $5,000 in prizes.

Judges

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Dennis Norris II

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Lauren Singer Ledoux

Recent Winners

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Joan Corwin
Length of Days

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Debbie Weingarten
The Mule Deer

Please submit between October 15, 2017 and April 30, 2018.

Prizes:

STORY: First Prize, $2,000
ESSAY: First Prize, $2,000
10 Honorable Mentions will receive $100 each (any category)
Top 12 entries published online

For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction. Judge: Dennis Norris II, assisted by Lauren Singer. Please submit as many entries as you like. All themes accepted. Entries may be published or unpublished. Length limit: 6,000 words. No restrictions on age or country. Please click the Submittable button below for full details. Fee: $20 per entry. The results of our 26th annual contest will be announced on October 15, 2018.

For more information or to submit, click here.

Literary Pulp -- The Roundtable

 

Several of my fellow writers have asked to be able to chime in on the discussion about blending literary fiction and pulp fiction, so this new writer roundtable will be that very topic.

Robert B. Parker

Can the two be mixed together, or does a literary story with too much fast-paced action or a pulp story with too much literary technique cease to be the thing it was created to be? Where does one draw the line?

Bill Craig: Why does one have to draw the line? Literary stories can contain mystery and romance and action. Pulp stories can tell literary tales of redemption and self-discovery. The only real difference that I have ever found is in the eyes of the reader. Lord Jim, literary fiction, but it also has elements of pulp to it. Some people refer to the collected works of the late Robert B. Parker as literary fiction where I've always considered them to be hard-boiled pulp mystery fiction.

PJ Lozito: Distinctions are made up. My friend told me in Italy, the common folk go to the opera, know all the words and sing along!

Robby Hilliard: Yes they can be mixed. Does it change what they are? I don't know. I'm sure someone will claim it does.

Stuart Hopen: I think it is mostly an arbitrary distinction. You might want to write the kind of spy novels that appeals more to fans of John LeCarre than those of Ian Fleming, but both authors have a mix of literary and pulpy elements. I mean, Anthony Burgess listed Goldfinger as one of the top 100 novels of the 20th century, along with Finnegans Wake and Gravity's Rainbow. A great deal of really classic literature has pure pulp elements. Poe for certain. Melville. Hawthorne. H.G. Welles. Shakespeare. I mean, what is Macbeth if not a horror story? Yeah, Melville could have picked up the pace by deleting the cetology chapters (many abridged versions do) but then he wouldn't have created a bible of the whaling industry, which was part of his vision as well. You might think of the slogan they used to sell the pulps initially -- all action and no philosophy. But you also can express philosophy in terms of action. Robert E. Howard did. Or you can stop the action and have someone give a speech, but that's also the hallmark of sloppy writing whether you're in the literary aisle or the pulp aisle. But it worked for Ayn Rand, whose work has deep pulp roots.

Ayn Rand

Gordon Dymowski: I think that there's a false dichotomy between "literary" writing and "pulp" writing. Dashiell Hammett is a great example: his prose influenced both Raymond Chandler and Ernest Hemingway. Jim Thompson's novels have as much creativity in its prose as it does "pulpiness". Modern authors like Michael Chabon, Jonathan Kellerman, and Sara Paretsky have as much "pulp" in them as they do "literacy". (And there's something very literary about how Emile C. Teppermann uses the "retrospective-on-alternate-history" approach in his Operator 5 Purple Invasion novels)

Yes, I'll get in trouble with many authors for lumping those three in the same category.

I think the line comes when the writer is focused more on "art" than on writing. There's more literary content in a Mickey Spillane novel (and let's be honest - this was a guy who believed that literature was "anything that sells") than in any flavor-of-the-month literary honor. Every writer has only one job: to be honest in their writing. Tell the story and tell it the best way you can. Don't worry about posterity -- it will take care of itself. Just tell the damn story.

(And remember what Groucho Marx once asked - "What has posterity ever done for me?")

Lucy Blue: I think the line between literary fiction and pulp fiction is getting thinner and more transparent all the time, at least for readers. I mean, the winner of this year's National Book Award for novels, Sing, Unburied, Sing, is an incredibly artful, clear-eyed, brilliant literary novel - which also happens to be one hell of a horror story. The winner the year before, The Underground Railroad, has strong elements of dystopian science fiction. And if you look at contemporary pulp, you find some of the most word-drunk writers alive -- if you're going to stand out and show pulp readers a world they haven't seen before, you have to get poetic and creative while staying focused, and you have to be madly in love with the language--all keystones of real literary fiction. I think all of us, pulp and literary writers and publishers alike, have been hornswoggled into believing that "literary fiction" is the stuff that happens when people with other sources of income get graduate fellowships in fiction and get their MFA thesis published by their mom's college roommate who now heads up Blah Blah Division of Scribner & Random Penguins, Inc. (a division of Big Corporate Everything) and genre/pulp fiction is everything else. And it doesn't have to be that way. It ISN'T that way for anybody but people actually in publishing; readers couldn't care less.

Raymond Chandler

Nikki Nelson-Hicks: I've been fighting with this very question. I know a woman who only reads novels that have won Pulitzer's. Even if she hates the book, she will spend months reading it. I asked her why? You're 70 years old. You don't have time to wade through shit that doesn't sing for you. Ugh. She is blinded by branded. And I think that's a big problem: Blinded by Branding. A good story is a good story is a good story. And that's what a writer should be focused on. A good story tells an entertaining tale. A great story tells an entertaining tale but also has a deeper meaning IF you are of the mind to find it. But, in the end, the story has to be ENTERTAINING. Look at Aesop. His stories have lasted for millennia. Why? Because they masquerade as children's tales but are actually life lessons for those that can see it. The same goes for Pulp/Literary or whatever you want to call it. Tell a story, make it good, leave branding to damn marketers.

What are your favorite "art" techniques for decorating the bare bones structure of your pulp prose?

Gordon Dymowski: One of my best creative "arty" tools is Oblique Strategies (Google it) - musician Brian Eno would utilize a series of cards to jump-start creativity. I use an online version to give me a sudden flash of inspiration, and that usually helps me take the story in a unique direction.

When I'm writing, I also try to express complicated emotions and situations in a simple, straightforward manner. I think too many writers (myself included) aim for being "clever" rather than being "honest." (See, there's that word again!). It's easy to think that creating stories gives us superhuman powers and authority...but it doesn't. At the end of the day, we're working hard at writing stories that people will read.

(And if you ever need an additional dose of humility -- try copywriting for a living. Cranking out boilerplate, commercial text has helped me not only develop an appreciation for the work, but also the awareness that there's a difference between straightforward prose and trying to tell a story. Plus, cranking out marketing/web copy/blog text that doesn't emotionally engage people? Soul crushing. And that's what I try to do - engage emotionally as well as intellectually).

H.P. Lovecraft

Lucy Blue: For me, I don't know if this counts as an "art" technique, but in writing genre and pulp fiction, I still try to make the story relevant to real time and place and experience, to have something to say beyond a curiosity or freak show or roller coaster ride. And in fiction I intend to be literary, I always make sure to have enough curiosity, freak show, and/or roller coaster to make it a good read -- I've lost all patience for navel-gazing, my own or anybody else's. I want my characters to be real, but I want them to do and experience something beyond exploring their own unique psyches, which is where I think bad literary fiction fails.

Bill Craig: Art techniques, I assume you speak to adding the grit and texture to the story. Make your character human and give them flaws. Nobody wants to read about someone who is perfect because nobody has ever met someone who is perfect. My characters get hurt, they bleed, they cry. I use my words to paint a picture and then give it color and texture by showing what they are feeling, how they react or how they prepare for what is coming at them. Fear is a natural part of life. Everybody fears something.

Robby Hilliard: Characters with complex and conflicting emotional and moral depth. All too often we see simplistic characters in pulp (not a bad thing if that is the goal) when a little more depth might add that "oomph" to a pulp story. Especially if it is something to be serialized. Make the characters complex with tons of issues to deal with over time. How do we do this? We give our characters real backstories, real past traumas, and real human reactions to them. Then we manifest those demons and flaws from the past into current behavior/traits.

Sara Paretsky

What advice do you offer to those who would like to either pick up the pace of their literary stories or increase the artistic content of their pulp stories?

Nikki Nelson-Hicks: Remember the three things a story needs: Scarcity, Danger, Courage.There is something you want, something in the way, and you pull up your Big Girl Panties and go and get it.

Lucy Blue: This is the best advice I could offer anybody; find a balance. Give the reader a strong story to hold on to but don't act it out with stick figures.

Gordon Dymowski: Read, read, read. But read with a critical eye towards "what makes this story work" -- I've read comments by my fellow writers that suggest they only read one type of pulp...or even one type of literature.

Head the library. Renew your library card, if needed. Go shopping for books that you're curious about. And read them. (I've been getting involved with the work of Chester Himes). Because being exposed to different types of literature will help you develop a greater skill set. And read more than just your favorite genre - take a chance and read something you never thought you would. Because the only way to build your writing muscles is to read how others have done it...and then adapt to your own style.

And again, focus on the damn story. Posterity will take care of itself.

Michael Chabon

Robby Hilliard: For literary and pulp, make the characters face realistic moral/emotional/ethical dilemmas. Sorry, but if your character is just running to the store to pick up a jar of mayonnaise and decides on the spur of the moment pick up a hitchhiker AND decides to screw around on spouse, all without some kind of meaningful backstory AND this is supposed to be 'literary', guess what? I don't care about your character's inner journey. Sounds like a piece of sh--,uh, someone I don't like. So why would I care about his or her decisions? (Sorry. Short story from college popped into my head. Yeah, that really was in the story.)

For pulp, sure, stay focused on the action. That's why we read pulp isn't it? Just maybe layer in something that is orally/ethically/emotionally complex as well. Throw in some symbolism if it fits and works with your story. Make it pose a question, one the story doesn't attempt to answer, that will keep your reader pondering your story long after they've finished reading it.

For literary -- Use actions to flavor and imply/show internal state. It's great to have internal monologue, we all have them. But also add in some actual action and some stakes to be won or lost. It's great that you're character experienced change. But was there anything riding on whether or not that change took place?


Bill Craig: Read, read, and read some more. Look at what has been done before and then figure out what you can do to add texture to your characters and stories to make them reach out and grab the reader by the throat and drag them into the story!

Walter Mosley

Stuart Hopen: I would submit that excellence in pulp or literary fiction depend on the simple formula of maintaining all the elements in balance, recognizing their interdependence. Plot is driven by players being confronted with hard choices, with outcomes based on the exercise of will in making those choices, and style shaping perception of the characters and conveying the way they perceive the world, and they way in which their perceptions are transformed by the unfolding of events, all of which relate to theme. Unity of all elements is the simple basic formula, whether you're dealing with a style as ornate as Norvel Page, H.P. Lovecraft, William Faulkner, or James Joyce, or as simple as Mickey Spillane or Ernest Hemingway. Unity and balance -- that's the simple formula. Only it is the hardest thing in the world. What I learned from pursuing a vision of literary pulp while holding myself to rigorous standards imposed by a merciless muse is that what made the most sense for me is not to depend on it for a livelihood.

Nugget #125 -- Biggy Smalls

By CharlesAPhillips63 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36109241

There's an art to writing small and there's 

an art to writing big. It's not an either/or. 

[Link] Two Tips for Copyediting Dialogue

by Amy Schneider

Accurately representing dialogue in fiction can be tricky business for both authors and editors. In its most basic form, words spoken aloud by a character, you can’t go wrong with the good old journalistic style of “comma quote name said”: “Just do it this way,” Amy said. But there are so many more ways that characters express themselves, and the editor’s job is to help such expression be true to the character while being understandable to the reader. In this article we’ll touch on the two most common issues I see.

Read the full article: https://www.copyediting.com/two-tips-copyediting-dialogue/