Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action

Monday, April 9, 2012

[Link] Psychology of Reading

by J.R. Nova

To me storytelling goes deeper into the psychology of “character” than real life can, because real life develops too slowly for us to sit back and see it all unfold in one sitting. A well-written story is always going to be profound in some way because it captures a life and shows us what it contains.

I feel it's very important to understand psychology, to understand what makes people tick and why they do the things they do and feel as they do. Story has shined a light on aspects of human nature not readily available elsewhere.

Because, as I read, I've always been shining that light on myself.

Story lets me see how a human being reacts to life, and how those reactions eventually change who they are and what is happening to them. Real people have little perspective on their own lives, and it's often easier to understand what is happening to others than to understand what is happening to ourselves.

Real life is like standing inches from a stone wall, and not being able to tell that it's part of a mountain five miles high. What story offers us is a chance to get out from under the shadow of the mountain, to travel ten miles away, and see how the mountain looks in its entirety.

Reading a story is like seeing someone's life unfold in a single week (the time it takes to read a book). Whether it's fiction or biography, we have an opportunity to understand another life.

No matter how exotic a story may be, the emotions each character has is being fed by the real emotions and experiences of the author. The best books contain characters readers can relate to, because they can share the rich joy, sadness, anger or fear of the character as she reacts to plot.

This is why writing is so important. This is why reading is so important.

Continue reading: http://jrnova.blogspot.com/2012/04/psychology-of-reading.html

Ed Crandell's Wild, Weird West

Ed Crandell is the author of the West World trilogy -- a series of novels that combines elements of science fiction, westerns, and steampunk. He's also one of the most humble writers I've ever met. But don't let his quiet demeanor fool you -- he's churning with talent beneath that unassuming exterior.

So we were thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with him about his work.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

The latest novel I’ve just recently completed is Battle for West World—the third and final novel in my space-western trilogy. Writing it proved a real challenge because the entire novel, excluding prologue and epilogue, is one action scene told in real time, with the chapter “titles” actually being time markers. In other words, if the first chapter was, as an example, called “12:00p.m.”—and the action and dialogue in that chapter adds up to taking four minutes—the next chapter would be entitled “12:04p.m., and so on throughout the entire battle. Once the story begins, there are no time breaks in the story whatsoever. There is never a scene that ends with the next one beginning a few minutes or hours later—every moment of the battle for Endía is described. The pacing of this story is insane—but the results have been well worth the risk. This story ultimately ends with the character arc of the hero—Tom Shallowhorne—being brought to a resounding and dramatic resolution.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I tend to come back to the theme of the choices we make and their consequences—whether those are external or internal. Hand and glove with this, in the West World Trilogy, I examine the question of what it is that really makes a hero. Is it what popular culture tells a hero should be? Is it the guy who throws the hardest punch? Who is fastest with a gun? Who takes out all the bad guys with no emotional consequence? Or is being a real hero more than that?

What would be your dream project?

I’ve just finished it! The first spark of West World came in 1985, when I was 15. I started writing it in 1998, more for myself than anyone else, and just now completed it. As you can see, it has taken me several years as a hobbyist writing just to finish three novels.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I have no problem with the writing I have done. It would be the “business” end of things that I would do differently. But that's a whole other story...

What inspires you to write?

I basically started writing because I was sick of reading books I didn’t like. I find that writing for yourself is like cooking for yourself—you can put in all the ingredients that you like the best, and the results can be…tasty. And now I have at least three good books to read!

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

I grew up mainly reading a mix of movie novelizations and the classics—Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and the like. My favorite novel that I’ve read time and again is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I love the fact that, in that novel, the roles of antagonist and protagonist keep switching back and forth between Victor Frankenstein and the monster. How it influenced me, however, was in the way it presented these far-fetched characters in a very realistic manner. You can really believe that the characters could exist, and I tried to carry that over into my writing.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Being a hobbyist writer, I don’t know if I am qualified to put my two cents to this. But my gut tells me, “You can’t have one without the other.” Science is art, and art is science.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

Right now, I’m taking a breather from writing. But you can keep up with my newly completed project at www.westworld.mysite.com and my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/edcrandell.westworld. Also, search “Gnomon Chase” on Facebook.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#135) -- Time Periods & Pulps

What are the advantages and disadvantages of writing pulps and noir in their original time periods?

For starters, you decrease the risk of alienating your readers because you're beginning your story on familiar ground. That means that not only are your readers more comfortable, but they don't have the "wall" to get over of any updates to their expectations of the characters (moving heroes from a past in WWI to a past in Kuwait, or being the grandson of the original Shadow, for example). And readers love the familiar. That's why series sell so well for publishers. Selling a reader on "new" when "old and comfy" are right next door can be an uphill crawl that sometimes only a big name on the cover can manage successfully.

On the other hand, writers who are stuck (whether at their own behest or at the dictate of their publishers) to a certain time period can run the risk of just telling the same old plots over and over again. And that gets old fast -- even for pulp readers.

How do you overcome that? Right off the bat, I'd say research. Find something interesting like the Nazi search for biblical artifacts (Raiders of the Lost Ark) or the World's Fair (The Ruby Files) that will breathe new life into your same old setting.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Step up to the microphone! Updated article list.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#134) -- Stereotypes

How do you make the stereotypes work for the story and for you as a writer?
How do you tweak (or how much do you tweak) the stereotypes to make
the characters unique from others based on the same archetype?

Stereotypes are good for three things (that I've found) in fiction: foils, bit players, and starting points.

For foils who don't really need to be more than paper thin as characters, a stereotype is fine. After all, a foil's purpose is merely to bounce the real characters off him or her in order to show how interesting they are. The more fleshed out a foil character is, the more he or she would distract from the real characters. An example? Sure. Nick Carraway, from the Great Gatsby, remains your stereotypical Midwestern innocent (one might say doe-eyed) throughout the bulk of the novel, only growing beyond that after the murder.

For bit players who bob in and out of a story, it's not that important to know much more about them than they they are the "hooker with a heart of gold," "the street-crime sob story," the "pedestal princess," the "rich bitch," etc. In these cases, the stereotype is a sort of literary shorthand for getting them on the page without having to bore the reader with pages of unnecessary backstory.

As for starting points, every character begins life as a stereotype. All of them. It's only what the writer does with them beyond that moment of literary conception that makes them true characters rather than mere caricatures.

Let's look at Rick Ruby, created by Bobby Nash and me for the new book The Ruby Files from Airship 27. Rick started out as a paper-thin pastiche of the hard-boiled noir private eye. Even his name hearkens to the stereotype. Rick Ruby, a send-up of the classic Richard Diamond. But after that, when Bobby and I got together over dinner one night and really started to put the screws to Rick's personality and life, he outgrew that one-note stereotype and became the literary equivalent of "real." Is regularly seeing three women who want him for different reasons. Was orphaned. Left the police force to become a drunk after a personal tragedy. Most of his best friends are black, and not white like himself (and this in the 1930s). And so on. Rick stopped being a stereotype and became a character.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

A Punch and a Jab with Paul Bishop

A novelist and screenwriter, Paul Bishop also has a distinguished career with the Los Angeles Police Department, where he has twice been honored as Detective Of The Year. With over thirty years experience investigating Sex Crimes, Paul brings a gritty realism to his writing along with a healthy dollop of hard earned gallows humor.

As a nationally recognized interrogator, Paul appears regularly as one of two principal interrogators on the hit ABC reality series Take The Money And Run . . .

His novels include Hot Pursuit, Deep Water, Penalty Shot, and four novels in his L.A.P.D. Detective Fey Croaker series: Kill Me Again, Grave Sins, Tequila Mockingbird, and Chalk Whispers. He has also published two short story collections, Pattern Of Behavior and Running Wylde, as well as written scripts for episodic television and feature films.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

Currently, I’m busy writing and editing the books in the Fight Card series. These are 25,000 word e-novels, designed to be read in one or two sittings, and are inspired by the fight pulps of the '30s and '40s – such as Fight Stories Magazine – and Robert E. Howard’s two-fisted boxing tales featuring Sailor Steve Costigan.

The first two e-novels in the series, Felony Fists (by myself) and The Cutman (by series co-creator Mel Odom) made their debut in November 2011 and have both been well reviewed. The third Fight Card e-novel, Slit Decision (by Eric Beetner), was released in December 2011. The fourth and latest Fight Card e-novel, Counterpunch (by Wayne D. Dundee), has just hit Amazon’s virtual bookshelves. All the Fight Card novels are listed under the 'open' pseudonym Jack Tunney to unify the series.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I often find myself writing about characters doing the right thing despite personal cost. I like to paint stories in shades of gray where there aren’t always easy answers about right and wrong, where actions have consequences – if a proverbial trigger is pulled, there is a price to pay.

What would be your dream project?

I’ve been very lucky in having been able to do so much – novels, produced TV scripts, produced movie scripts, co-starring in a TV show on a major network – all of those things being a dream.

That said, I dream about selling an action TV series and getting to be the show runner. However, I think that I should heed the warning, ‘be careful what you wish for.’

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

The reality television show, Take The Money And Run, in which I co-starred. I’d love to re-edit the episodes in a manner explaining the rules better to the viewers and showing how long the interrogations lasted and how many times we went back and questioned the ‘hider’ contestants. The current episodes sometimes make it look as if the ‘hider’ contestants gave up to easily. I’m here to tell cracking them was some of the hardest work I’ve ever done.

What inspires you to write?

The wolf at the door would be the obvious inspiration, but in reality I have a compelling need to tell stories. There are characters inside my head screaming to get out onto the page.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

My influences are as common as all the great pulp writers who have gone before, and as uncommon as writers such as Nevil Shute and Somerset Maugham. The Razor’s Edge was the seminal novel of my youth. Contemporary writers such as Dick Francis and Robert B. Parker are who I study to learn compelling narrative and striking dialogue.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Writing rises to the level of art when it not only tells a story, but helps the reader discover something about themselves, makes them question entrenched beliefs, or gives the reader a unique perspective they would not have otherwise encountered. The responsibility of a writer is to entertain a reader – the goal of a writer is to make a reader think.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

2012 will see Fight Card entries from Kevin Michaels (The Hard Road), James Hopwood (King Of The Outback), Heath Lowrance (Bay City Brawler), Eric Beetner (Mouth Full Of Blood), Gary Phillips (Bare Knuckles), Bob Randisi (The Knockout) and others – along with more from Mel and myself (Swamp Walloper).

Pulp is also rocking my world as I am in the middle of writing and editing stories for a series of new pulp anthologies (Pulse Fiction) set to premier next year – with all stories featuring new pulp characters spanning the width and breadth of pulpdom.

I’m also fleshing out plans for two Fight Card spin-offs, Fight Card: MMA and Fight Card: Now!
A wonderfully busy and creative time.

To learn more about Paul and his work, visit his blog at http://www.bishsbeat.blogspot.com.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#133) -- Pulps Needs Character

Why is (or isn't) characterization important in pulp fiction?

And how much character development is too much?

Character development is important in any kind of fiction. Period. Now, the question after that becomes to what extent do you want to develop your characters? And that depends on how you want your readers to react to the characters.

Let's take an example.

Any pulp fan knows that Doc Savage is a good guy with upstanding morals and great power.

In some cases, all a reader needs to know is that Doc Savage is a morally good guy with powers beyond that of average men. In other cases, you might want to get your readers' attention by putting Doc Savage in a situation where he is forced to choose between two immoral choices to save the day and face the outcomes of his choice. To me, that makes a more compelling story than just good guy beats bad guy.

I admit it. I'm a jaded and cynical reader. I like my layers of good and evil, and I like them to mix. (Call it a belief in original sin if you must.)

I believe that the best stories are those in which any character, including pulp classics, are faced with situations that cause them to grow as individuals. Either that, or they risk (a) becoming mere setting within their own stories while more interesting, malleable characters take center stage away from them, or (b) their stories become no longer stories but mere by the numbers plots.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Looking Out for Number One... or Is That Number Two? Writing for Yourself or For the Fans?

So, you've got a hankering to write a hard sci-fi or a classic whodunit, but your fans are clamoring for more super-heroes or demon-witches turned romantic spies. Hence this week's questions for the roundtable.

Providing we're not otherwise contractually obligated for a certain book or series, as creators, how much do we try and placate our fans, even when we would rather be writing something else?

To whom do we owe our primarily devotion, our drives as writers or our fans? Do we do what we want to do, put our own preferences as creators first?

Matt Adams: Writers owe it to themselves to write what makes them happy. Otherwise, what's the point? Why slog through a story you have no passion for? My first book is a superhero novel, setting me up as the "superhero guy" whether I like it or not. I love the genre and will embrace that. Every book I write, though, does not involve superheroes. My novels span several different genres (really, science fictional subgenres): space opera, high-concept sci-fi, sports sci-fi, fantasy.

Right now, I can afford to do that because I'm a newbie author. If I make any money at this point in my writing career, it's a bonus. I'm not doing it for a living. My answer would likely be different if I had to sell books for my livelihood. Then, I'd have to gauge what my fans wanted. If they overwhelmingly cried out for another superhero book, I'd write it, but I'd also work on that paranormal romance idea I was jazzed about writing. In related news, if I have an idea for a paranormal romance book, please discourage me from writing it. I don't think I have a knack for the genre.

Patrick Tomlinson: My primary devotion is to my rent, car payment, and disposable income to dispose of upon young women.

David Boop: I write what I'm inspired to write, never to the fans of a specific genre. The fact that I write what some people want to read is a blessing.

John Morgan Neal: One of the reasons I created Aym Geronimo the way I did was so that I could tell all kinds of stories. Sci-fi, adventure, action, mystery, horror etc etc. My other properties were horror/adventure (Rex Solomon), western (Gone to Texas/Death and Texas), and Sci Fi heroes (THEM: Atomic Age Heroes). So I tend to do what I want. Now if someone were to give me gobs of money...

Ed Crandell: I write for me. The fans are just along for the ride. ;]

John Hartness: I tend to write multiple projects at once. So one thing I'm working on is for a deadline or the fans, and another thing is something new that I want to play around with. Like this week I've done half my time on the new Black Knight novel, because it's on deadline, and half the time on a redneck steampunk short that I wanted to write.

Mark Bousquet: I went through this a couple years back. More people seemed to like my first novel, Dreamer's Syndrome (a contemporary fantasy) than my second, Adventures of the Five (a kid's book), though I liked the second novel much more. I got a more enthusiastic response about Five, but a larger overall respnse about Dreamer's. So I did the only logical thing - I wrote something completely different for novel #3. So I guess the answer is that I don't write specifically for the fans but I'm certainly not blind to their likes and wants, either. Knowing that there are people out there who want more adventures with my characters can help me through the slow times.

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For more information: Patrick Tomlinson, David Boop, John Neal, Ed Crandell, John Hartness, Mark Bousquet

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#132) -- Tinkering with Old Characters, part two

Yesterday you said, "The secondary elements can change as needed as long

as the core of the character remains the same." What did you

mean by that? What is the core, and what are secondary?

The core is who the character is, plain and simple. For example, Conan is a heroic warrior prone to fight rather than diplomacy. John Carter is a soldier. Captain America bleeds red, white and blue as a super soldier.

The secondary elements are things like time period, costumes, sidekicks, etc. (Unless they have direct bearing on the core of the character.) Tonto shouldn't be a wise-cracking comedian, for example, nor should Kato be the leader of the Green Hornet.

For an example, let's look at the recent Land of the Lost film. When the core dynamic of the group changed from a father trying to protect his children, the story lost it's footing and became a trapped by dinosaurs and mutant lizards generic story... then a comedy. Even with the cast and with humor, the movie could have added the kids to play it true to the core of the characters, and fans would have flocked to see it.

Does that make sense? I hope so. Because I'm not sure else how to explain it.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

My Convention Schedule for Anime Blues Con

As we get closer to the Anime Blues Con 2012, here' s a list of the Art Track events I'll be a part of:

Artists of ABC
This is where the fun begins! Want to meet the featured artists as well as your favorite creators from Artist Alley? Come mingle and talk shop with the Artist of ABC 2012.

Writing for Comics and Manga 101
Manga isn’t all about the art. You have to have a story. Join Action Lab Entertainment President, Shawn Pryor and IDW writer, Sean Taylor as they break down the ins and outs of storytelling.

Breaking into the business of Comics and Manga
If you are a writer, artists or future publisher, this panel is for you. From Manga, to comic books, to animated and live action feature films, the influence of the comic medium on pop culture is astounding. Find out how to get your ideas from your mind and to the printed page. Join Dave Beaty, illustrator for DC Comics, Shawn Pryor, President of Action Lab Entertainment, and Sean Taylor, writer for IDW, for an in-depth conversation on the business of Manga and comic books.

Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa -
Graphic Novels, Music and Movies
Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa has been a graphic novel fixture for 17 years as readers have followed Shianndrea Toshigawa, AKA Jetta, on her journey to become the Chosen One of the Toshigawa Ninja clan. Now, the books climatic end is fast approaching. With a live action movie in the works, the creative team that brought you this independent hit would like to celebrate this 17 year journey with Anime Blue Con! Come meet MAW Productions creators, Martheus Wade, Kevin Williams and Janet Wade with special guests Alex Zemke as they talk the past, present and future of this exciting story. This panel will be kicking things of with live music from Iyse Gibson and D’Voted as they perform tracks inspired by the Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa - Defiance soundtrack! Don’t miss this celebration! (I may jump in on the "future" part of this to discuss the upcoming Turra: Gun Angel book.)

Hope to see all of you there!! It's going to be an AWESOME time!!

ANIME BLUES CON 2O12
JUNE 15-17, 2012
AT THE MEMPHIS HILTON
http://animeblues.com/

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#131) -- Tinkering with Old Characters

When is tinkering with a character for the benefit of reaching a new audience a good thing?

Okay. Several of you have asked me to start answering my own questions that I pose for the weekly roundtable interview articles, so I'll be doing just that for the foreseeable future in my questions of the day.

The simplest answer is this: when it works.

The trouble is there's no magic formula to make it work. I guess my own guideline is this. The secondary elements can change as needed as long as the core of the character remains the same.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Ex and Future Files of Stefan Petrucha

He has written perhaps the one single comic book most read by non-comic book readers -- the X-Files comic by Topps that ran in TV Guide back in 1995.

A few years later, around the early 2000s, I had the luxury of having him write a story for the indie publisher I was working for as a partner and EIC at the time, Shooting Star Comics.

It was like having Apollo step down from Olympus to like a candle in your kitchen. Needless to say, we've kept in touch, off and on, and I was glad Stefan had a break to spare a few minutes for some questions from Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

That would be Ripper, a young adult thriller set in 1895 from Philomel Books. I like to describe it as sort of like Harry Potter, but without magic and with a serial killer.

Basically, a series of Jack the Ripper-like slayings take place in NYC (where, btw, six of the real-life Ripper suspects spent time). 14-year-old orphan and wannabe detective, Carver Young, searching for his father, comes to believe he may be related to the killer.

Aside from being the most page-turning piece I’ve ever produced, physically the book is gorgeous, with a truly great cover design. There’s also a fantastic promo video (about to break 10k views on YouTube). Reaction from reviewers and readers have been, thus far, amazing.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Going back to The X-Files comic for Topps, on up to co-writing Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown, with series star Ryan Buell, I’ve always had a fondness for the paranormal. For me, the paranormal lends itself to some really interesting ways of looking at the nature of reality, and the self.

Past that, I like genre in general; zombies, vampires, werewolves, detectives, ghosts – that sort of thing. I prefer to work on the edges of genre, trying to shake up the rules a bit in interesting ways. Ripper, for instance, is a mystery/thriller with some steampunk elements. There, I mostly use technology actually around at the time, though most people may not realize it, such as electric taxis and the Alfred Beach Pneumatic Subway System.

What would be your dream project?

Honestly, I’ve been doing dream projects from the beginning of my career. My first comic book works were original concepts, like Squalor back in the late eighties with Tom Sutton, which later became a series of Young Adult novels.

Rather than a new dream project, I would like one of my existing projects to “break out” so I could more easily pay my mortgage. Content-wise, I’ve been pretty happy. Perhaps I’d like to do something more literary on the one hand, but I’d also love to write for TV or have a screenplay produced.

Oh, and I’d love to write a novel or comic for Dark Shadows. It’s the last thing in the media world that has my unconditional love.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

Tough question – on the one hand, anything can always be improved, but right now I’m in a place where I prefer to forge ahead.

That said, the rights for two of my properties, Timetripper and Wicked Dead (with co-writer Lee Thomas) have recently reverted, and I’m planning to release them as e-books as soon as I find the time. So there is an opportunity to go back and clean things up a bit. I enjoy the editing process a lot – it’s less angst-ridden than creation itself, so I’m looking forward to it!

What inspires you to write?

I’ve been doing it so long, I really can’t remember. Great writing, when I can find it, always inspires me to try to do better, both in life and in writing. On a deeper level, entertaining as it is, the writing process can be spiritual for me, an effort to forge connections between myself, other people and the world.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

So many! A short lost would include, Stan Lee, Alan Moore, Herman Hesse, Shakespeare, Robert Pirsig, Rumi, Vonnegut, Emily Dickinson, Douglas Adams, Steinbeck, MT Anderson and Joss Whedon.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I understand that people like to separate art and science for a variety of reasons but I don’t like the distinction. Art can be a science, and science an art. In writing, I flip between the two, sometimes focusing on the mechanical, sometimes the muse, and I find both invaluable. Ultimately, I rank my work as the best I can make it.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I’m doing a number of fun graphic novels with Papercutz these days, including our latest Slices with Rick Parker -- The Hunger Pains, a parody of you-know-what. The rest of the year will see Power Rangers Super Samurai (a lot of fun), a new Nancy Drew series (with my wife, Sarah Kinney) and The Three Stooges.

Past that, this September will see the second in my zombie detective series, which began with Dead Mann Walking, called Dead Mann Running. And I’m currently working on the sequel to…. Ripper.

(What is that? Six projects? No wonder I’ve forgotten what inspires me. But I figure that’s okay, as long as I don’t forget to be inspired.)

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For more information about Stehan and his work, visit his website at www.petrucha.com.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#130) -- Currently Reading

What are you currently reading?

Less than normal, actually. Let's see.

Smile No More by James A. Moore
The Complete Adventures of Senorita Scorpion by Les Savage Jr.
The Abyss Walker Saga by Shane Moore

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

[Link] Live Art Tutorials at Anime Blues Con 2012

We will be foregoing our regular tutorials in order to let you guys know about an important event that is directly related to what we do here on MAWPRO.COM.

You all know that we love to teach what we know to aspiring artists, writers, performers and illustrators. As indy comic book guys (and gal), we feel a need for the artistic community to embrace the new, the young, and the undiscovered talent in the comic book industry in order to further its growth and survival. What you may not know, is that Martheus Wade is the Art Track head for a huge convention called Anime Blue Con, June 15-17, 2012. It's a convention in Memphis TN that specializes in all things anime and beyond. From movies, to cartoons, to books, Anime Blues Con has it all. And, in the realm of artistic education, Anime Blues Con is just as effective. We have set up a great line up of tutorial classes and informational panels that are sure to give you a leg up when looking to further your skills or break into the industry. Check out what we've set up for you at Anime Blues Con 2012!

Continue reading: http://mawproductions.blogspot.com/2012/03/live-art-tutorials-at-anime-blues-con.html

Pulp Ark update!

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#129) -- Covers Without Pictures

What are your thoughts about the trend of book covers
not to use pictures, just text, to sell the book?

I like them but I realize they don't work for most books. I think typography can be an art in and of itself, but it takes a knack for it that a lot of designers may not have.

I do think, however, they a typographic cover tends to work better for thrillers. Even so, I still prefer the ones that add at least one illustrative idea (like a small gun or a fingerprint) to the design.

Now that I think of it, the "how-to" book also works well with a typographic cover.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Alan Lewis' Bloody Garden

Some titles resonate with you and grab you by the throat. That's the way it is with Alan Lewis' novel The Blood in the Snowflake Garden. Six words and I'm hooked.

So I was thrilled that he loans us a bit of his time to chat with us about his work.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

The Blood in Snowflake Garden is my first novel, released by BeWrite Books in December. Set in an alternate 1965 at Santa’s North Pole, the novel revolves around the murder of the Premier of the NP. Max Sneed, a retired police chief is called back to duty in investigate the high profile killing. Helping him along is Rob Watson, a London reporter. It is through Rob’s eyes that we see what life is really like at the top of the world. The novel is a gritty, hardboiled detective story at its core. Make no mistake about it; this isn’t the kind of funny, goofy tale that’d be made into a Tim Allen movie. Political intrigue, Cold War politics, infidelity and racial tensions are just some of the obstacles facing the citizens of the NP and lend motive to the many suspects of the killing.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I’m an amateur historian, so I love alternate history or using historical themes as a basis for a story. Also, dark comedy is a must for me.

What would be your dream project?

My next novel is a steampunk adventure. I dream is that it will be received well enough to turn into an ongoing series, maybe movies, and will generate more money than the Harry Freakin Potter books. Well, you do say ‘dream’, right?

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I’m too much of an editor and perfectionist to ask me that question. I look at everything I’ve done and start rethinking how it should have been done.

What inspires you to write?

Bad writing will inspire me faster than anything. When I read or hear something awful, I think to myself, ‘Damn, my kids could have done better.’ Then to prove I’m better, I start writing.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Hard question. There have been many that I’ve enjoyed over the years and that have helped shape my style. Douglas Adams has always been a favorite of mine. Although my humor isn’t as farfetched as his, I do find myself thinking of the times when I would laugh my butt off at a particular line and it makes me look for ways of inserting my own brand of humor into a scene. Tom Clancy’s way of taking a mammoth storyline, filled with dozens of subplots and yet making it all come together in the end has always fascinated me. I feel like BSG was like that, plenty of subplots that I had to bring together at the end. I studied his writing as a way of pulling that novel together in the end.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I’d said it would depend on whose writing we’re looking examining. Some writers are true masters at grammatical form, structuring and word choices. Those writers can use the beauty of words to hide the imperfections in their plots or flat characters. Other writers are gifted at the art of storytelling. They may not be the best writers, but damn they can tell a great story that will keep you turning the pages. The true masters are those few among us that are skilled at both.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

My second novel will be a steampunk tale due out this summer called The Lightning Bolts of Zeus. It’s a steampunk action/adventure novel, which will be the first in The Hawke Girl’s Series. After that, I’ve got a dark comedic werewolf novella, Wild Pooch, due out in October.

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To learn more about Alan's work, visit: http://www.snowflakegarden.com.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#128) -- Most Interesting People

Who are some of the most interesting people you've met during your writing career?

I mentioned in an earlier post about the time I met Ray Bradbury. That's easily the top spot on this list. But a few others include:

1. While getting a sketch from Carmine Infantino, I listened to him and Julius Schwartz carry on like two grumpy old men about the good old days.

2. Being on a panel with Denny O'Neil.

3. Moderating a panel at Dragon*Con with George Perez, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Amanda Conner.

4. Doing multiple panels with Peter David and learning all his good stories.

5. Having a table next to Dick Giordano and getting to meet him and hang out with him for the whole weekend at ACE (Atlanta Comics Expo).

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Savior -- Now Available from Pro Se Productions

Pro Se Productions, a leading publisher of New Pulp, announces its latest volume today, a debut novel from a long time contributor to Pro Se's award winning magazine line.

"Science Fiction," Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions stated, "is definitely a cornerstone of Pulp Fiction, both Classic and New. It's an area, though, that Pro Se really hasn't gotten into until recently with some entries in our magazines. 'Savior' by Don Thomas is our first novel jumping nose first into that genre and we're really proud of that. And it's a vein of science fiction that's somewhat popular lately, apocalyptic virus takes on the world and a small portion of the population rises to combat it. But it's also different, too, in that Don exposes what happens when that small section of humanity becomes heroes of almost cosmic proportions in the eyes of the world and at what costs this takes place."

From the back cover copy for SAVIOR by Don Thomas:

In the Near Future, a Red Death will cover the world. As civilization struggles to survive, one government emerges with a sliver of hope- The Strategic Agency against Viral Infections by Organized Resistance. SAVIOR.

SAVIOR delivered on the promise of a miracle cure, elevating themselves into legends...but behind every legend lies truths and secrets...truths and secrets former SAVIOR agent Steve Ryker has sworn to bring into the light...even if it kills him.

SAVIOR is the debut novel of author Don Thomas, a mainstay writer of Pro Se Presents, a two year award winning New Pulp magazine. Complete with fully realized characters, lightning fast pacing, and more meteoric action, SAVIOR proves to be a solid, taut science fiction thriller!

SAVIOR -- Edited by Nancy Hansen, Cover Art by Marc Guerrero and Design by Sean E. Ali! Ebook Formatting by Russ Anderson! Available now on Amazon and at www.prosepulp.com and in ebook form at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble!

SAVIOR! From Pro Se Productions- Puttin' The Monthly Back In Pulp!

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#127) -- Magical Realism

You've compared telling superhero stories to writing magical realism. What do you mean by that?

Art by Lauren Hoffman

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge fan of magical realism, and that I'm a sucker for most of the work written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jorge Luis Borges. That said, yes, I do believe that (at least the way I write them) writing modern superhero stories are a lot like magical realism.

First, let's look at what the critics say magical realism is:

Gabriel García Márquez uses the technique of magical realism in his novels as well as his short stories. Marquez uses magical realism to blend reality and fantasy so that the distinction between the two erases. (http://mockingbird.creighton.edu/ncw/marquez.htm)

Literature of this type is usually characterized by elements of the fantastic woven into the story with a deadpan sense of presentation. (http://www.themodernword.com/gabo/gabo_mr.html)

In magical realism, the supernatural is not displayed as questionable. While the reader realizes that the rational and irrational are opposite and conflicting polarities, they are not disconcerted because the supernatural is integrated within the norms of perception of the narrator and characters in the fictional world. (http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/MagicalRealism.html)

Art by JP Dupras

Taking these qualifications into account, what I see as good, strong super hero fiction does this well. It places the natural, normal (some might say mundane) reality smack dab alongside the fantastic "reality" of magic, supernatural forces, and unexplained abilities to override the natural laws or chemistry and physics (i.e., look under the heading "science becoming indistinguishable from magic").

How else do you describe a story in which a man has carte blanche to risk death time and time again simply because he has been foretold the day of his death (the Grandstander, Show Me a Hero)? Or a tale in which a woman who grew into a gargoyle form from birth is able to inspire others with her acts of heroism (Frique, Show Me a Hero)? Or a man is transformed into the living embodiment of an long-forgotten, ancient goddess (Fishnet Angel, Show Me a Hero)?

Super hero tales work as magical realism when the setting doesn't wink with a knowing grin at the reader. It works when the writer and the characters play it straight, as it were. The trick is to treat it with both a sense of wonder and sense of being commonplace somehow simultaneously. Miss that tricky line, and super hero stories become either farce or fantasy, both of which are fine, but not (in my opinion) the best that super hero fiction has to offer.

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