Where Stories Come From: HOLLYWOOD MYSTERY - In The Frame

(Revised 03/09/2024) 

I know, it's been a while since I've blogged...at least, on this blog. (And I'll have my usual online appearance roundabout post out this weekend), but I thought it would be a great idea to launch into an explanation of how my latest published tale, "In the Frame" for ProSe Productions' Hollywood Mystery anthology, came to pass.

TL; DR - It's all Tommy Hancock's fault.

(OK, let me get one thing off my chest - people who use TL; DR should be shot. It's pretentious, pandering, and disrespectful because instead of getting to the point, they're choosing to lecture you....then summarize why they're lecturing you. But I digress...)

After "Cowboy of the Dakotas" was published in Pulpternative (still available for your reading pleasure), I had a great idea for a story. What if, after a disfiguring accident in 1918, Harold Lloyd decided to quit movies....and become a private eye? With the nascent idea for "Harold Lloyd: Private Investigator" ready for Pulpternative, Vol 2, I had encountered Tommy (head of Pro Se Productions, and the best editor I've ever worked with) at Windy City Pulp Con, and he had indicated a desire for stories for Hollywood Mystery So I gave him the best pitch I ever gave in my life...

…and he said "No".

As Tommy explained, Hollywood Mystery was focused on film stars who stumbled upon mysteries....but had to be realistic. So unless Harold Lloyd was a private detective...I needed to focus elsewhere.

So that weekend, I embarked on my quest to build out the idea....and ended up watching Buster Keaton's The General with The Rocketeer movie soundtrack playing in the background. And then, inspiration hit: Keaton, Lloyd, and Chaplin were always seen as the big three of silent comedy. Chaplin was a well-known superstar...so why wouldn't Keaton & Lloyd have some friendship? Or partnership?

It also helped that I was reading a book called Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood about the murder of William Desmond Taylor. It was one of the great mysteries of the silent movie age...and Hollywood during that particular period (1910s - 1920s) had a particularly sordid reputation. As I plotted the piece, I had ideas for two set pieces: Harold Lloyd scaling a building (shades of Safety Last!!) and Buster Keaton in a fistfight.

So hence, the research - checking out the three-part Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius on YouTube and several Buster Keaton documentaries....both of which proved fascinating. Keaton's childhood spent in vaudeville as a knockabout comedian (and yes, that means precisely what you think it means) meant that I had enough for a slightly comic - yet accurate - fight. (His home life and relationship with controversial figures also made him the ideal POV character). Harold Lloyd was a tougher character to get my head around...but I ended up thinking of him as the "straight man." So the planned climbing sequence....had to go. It wasn't a darling (as in "kill your darlings", and I won't open that can of worms again), but it created a more streamlined story...that had a slightly wicked sense of humor.

All I needed to do was find an appropriate year for Keaton & Lloyd to not be making movies (via each man's filmography), find an appropriate moment for them to work together (1925, when MGM was formed), and....start with their project being scrapped.

From there, it was a simple tale of a director being poisoned (thanks to a recent reading of The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York), and the resultant investigation. Of course, dealing with early 20th-century Hollywood, I had to deal with issues around race and sexual orientation...

...and here's where this gets a bit problematic.

I knew there were two six-letter words that I could have the investigating police officer say in the context of a certain scene. (Big hint: using one of them on-air got Bill Maher in trouble). However, as a white heterosexual male, I don't believe that I have the right to use those words, even in fiction. Other authors will disagree, citing Faulkner's quote about the only responsibility an artist has is to his work...but I didn't feel comfortable using either one. But I did not want to have him use slurs...

So that meant researching obscure racial and sexual slurs for one particular character to use. Was it right? I don't know. But I also wanted to use slurs that sounded (to a 20th-century ear, at least) awkward and idiotic. This way, the character in question would automatically be seen as not just problematic....but also lacking intelligence. Did I do it perfectly? Probably not, but at some point, I needed to address an obvious elephant in the room....and it also helped me grow a wee bit as a writer.
But all in all, "In the Frame" (which started as "The Badger Game") is a story that I'm proud to have written. Mixing humor and pulp action with one key sequence that has (at least, in my head) an exceptional punch line, I'm proud of how this story turned out. 

Think of it as the natural successor to "Cowboy of the Dakotas", except with more jokes. And you can purchase via my Amazon author page.

If It's Sunday, It Must Be a Blogaround

Well, things are perking up this Fourth of July weekend - I'm gearing up for a one week work assignment while putting another freelance project on hold; working on finishing a comic script and will be starting a short story due in August for later publication....

....not complaining, mind you, but things are keeping me active.

However, I'm not so busy as to avoid my usual monthly summary of other Internet goings on, mostly in an effort to keep my search rankings clean and, more importantly, provide content for the blog.

As you all know, my most recent story for Pro Se Productions was published in their Pulpternative anthology. If you're considering purchasing the book, why not take the time and purchase one of my other writings via Amazon? Or even subscribe to my Facebook author's page?

(You can even read a sample of my story via Smashwords - formatting gets a little glitchy, but worth checking out)

Hey, look - one of my Flickr photos was cited in this recent article. I'm flattered!

Speaking of other writing, I've managed to highlight a great resource for nonprofits for Chicago Now's One Cause At A Time, and my CompleteSet piece made it to Den of Geek. Great to be mastering the art of online content!

Finally, in podcasting news, thanks to both Art Sippo and Matt Peters for featuring me on their podcasts. Listen to my talk with Art here, and my conversation with Matt here; finally, via YouTube, the latest episode of Zone 4: 

I've Been Published: PULPTERNATIVE

(My short story, "Cowboy of the Dakotas", has been published by Pro Se Productions, and yes, there will be a "Where Stories Come From" post shortly....but for now, here's the press release)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HISTORY THROUGH A PULP LENS! 

“PULPTERNATIVE” DEBUTS FROM PRO SE PRODUCTIONS!

An innovative publisher of Genre Fiction, Pro Se Productions announces the release of a unique anthology. Three authors tackle the concept of Alternative History, the Alternative being cast in a rather pulpish light.
 PULPTERNATIVE is now available from Pro Se Productions, featuring the work of Gordon Dymowski, Frank Sonderborg, and Dragan Stajic, in print and digital formats.

“History,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “is fun for writers. One of the more engaging aspects is the ability to take what has happened and tweak it, rewrite it, or even scrap it and start over. PULPTERNATIVE gives three authors the opportunity to look at actual history and essentially recreate it into something that would be more likely to appear in a Classic Pulp magazine than a textbook. These stories go full on with no limits into the past and history will never be the same!”

History is full of Wonderful Stories and Fantastic Mysteries. And One Question can make History so much more…. What If…? PULPTERNATIVE asks that question, giving three authors the imaginative task of answering it. Putting a Pulpy spin on history makes anything possible. Explore what might have been in PULPTERNATIVE. From Pro Se Productions.

Featuring a absurdly terrific cover by Larry Nadolsky and print formatting and book design by Antonino Lo Iacono, PULPTERNATIVE is available now at Amazon at Pulpternative - Softcover Edition and Pro Se’s own store at www.prose-press.com for 10.00.

The alternative history collection is also available as an Ebook, designed and formatted by Lo Iacono and available for only $2.99 for the Kindle at Pulpternative - Ebook Edition… and for most digital formats via Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/647491.

For more information on this title, interviews with the author, or digital copies to review this book, contact Pro Se Productions’ Director of Corporate Operations, Kristi King-Morgan at directorofcorporateoperations@prose-press.com.

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

Where Stories Come From: LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION

(Revised 03/05/2024)

You've probably all read the news about my appearance in the Legends of New Pulp benefit anthology....and the story behind the story is one that's very complicated. A bit "writey-whitey, typey-wipey", in Doctor Who terms.

(OK, forget I just said all that...but this story has a very interesting pedigree...and this is going to be a really long post)

It all started with news from pal Tommy of Pro Se Productions about his health, and some of the measures he would need to take to move forward. Soon afterward, pal Ron of Airship 27 Productions announced their plans to do a benefit anthology just before a Zone 4 podcast recording.

(Editor's note - Zone 4 is no longer active as a podcast as of 03/05/2024. Just in case you had questions) 

It was easy for me to say "yes", but since I didn't quite have a new idea for a story...I decided to do what any other author would: rewrite something I wrote years earlier. To organize my files, I came across multiple stories that I had written in college on a portable typewriter. (And which resulted in a vast collection of rejection slips).

One of these stories - 'Pather - was the kind of cyberpunk/superhero pastiche that many young wannabe writers like myself wrote. (It's the kind of story where I chose to write something just because rather than figure out a way to integrate it into my storytelling). Although it was an ambitious tale (with actual "real-time" telepathic readings) with a simple premise (a lawman hunts down a criminal in a dense urban landscape), 'Pather was a case of my youthful ambition far exceeding my talent.

The other story - a military/war tale entitled Mars Is Hell - had many red correction marks on it. At some point, I had plans to rewrite and resubmit; however, other plans (including possibly writing a column for the Loyola Phoenix) had gotten in the way. Although much of it I couldn't use, some of the details - focusing on life on an alien planet - could easily be integrated into a page one rewrite of 'Pather.

But what changed the younger version of 'Pather to its newer, more anthology-ready version was a change in tone. Thanks to the Chicago Public Library's Interlibrary loan system, I had binge-watched the final seasons of Justified. Rather than a straightforward science fiction police procedural, I had a more Western-influenced tale. It was no longer just lawman versus genetically enhanced criminal; there were elements of conspiracy and a down-to-earth element...despite it taking place on Mars.

(That was the other thing I took from Mars is Hell: the location. Thanks to research for that story and a Doctor Who/Indiana Jones fanfiction round-robin, I had the details to establish my setting. Most science fiction stories about colonies are about empires - either establishing an outpost on a distant world or the fall of an empire through colonial independence. 'Pather would look at Burroughs Urbplex - the most established colony - as just another city that happened to live in outer space).

So now came the important part - "casting" the main characters in my short story. Given my interest in Native American culture (in light of a then-recent story about a walk-off from an Adam Sandler film), I chose to make my leading man an Apache....and a rerun of Law & Order: SVU gave me the idea "candidate" for what he looked like. (And yes, I did some research into Apache culture...because too often, writers focusing on external cultures tend to write towards the stereotype; I wanted to be sure my efforts gave Natan Bodaway - my lead character - a slightly more detailed cultural life. I'm not sure I quite got it). Our main antagonist was...well, I pulled him straight from Justified. Other characters had their basis in both actors and people I had known...

...and the other major change was in the story's plot. Initially, 'Pather focused on creating genetically enhanced warriors. Since that plot was a bit cliché by current standards, I chose to focus on another aspect. A misheard name led me to the phrase "tear in the sky"....and the reason why someone was given telepathic powers led me to a greater, more malevolent purpose. It also gave me a greater puzzle to work within the context of the greater story.

(No spoilers, though - if you want to learn more, purchase and read it in Legends of New Pulp Fiction)

Despite a then-heavy work and writing schedule, I managed to breeze through the writing/editing/ rewriting of 'Pather, fueled by enthusiasm and copious amounts of coffee. (Only the first few paragraphs were kept; the rest of the story is a page-two rewrite, so to speak). Thankfully, I was able to beat the deadline by a few weeks, mostly by design (I hate riding the edge of deadlines). And when Ron sent me the illustration that would accompany 'Pather, I was blown away...so much that I asked him if my story was that good...

....but see for yourself. All proceeds benefit Tommy in handling medical expenses. (With my mother's recent health issues, I am more than empathetic). You can purchase it via the link above in softcover; it will soon be available on Kindle, and you can also order a PDF version of Legends of New Pulp Fiction via this link.

Consider it my very public thank you - for Tommy Hancock, for his encouragement and support; for Ron Fortier, for suggesting that I consider writing; for Chuck, John, and Brant at Comic Related for their first roll of the dice....and younger me for allowing current me to pay tribute.

Check out this and other written works via my Amazon author page! 

I've Been Published! LEGENDS OF NEW PULP

Just in time for the holidays....my short story 'Pather has been published in the Legends of New Pulp anthology published by Airship 27 Productions.

I'm particularly proud because Legends is a benefit book - all proceeds go to help Tommy Hancock of Pro Se Productions. (Details below, and in light of my recent issues with Mom's health - and that's a post yet to be written - it takes on additional emotional weight).

Yes, there will be a Where Stories Come From post about 'Pather, but until then....here's the newly minted news

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS

Proudly Presents

LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION

Earlier in the year we learned that New Pulp writer/editor/publisher Tommy Hancock was suffering from congestive heart-failure. A relatively young family man, this was a dangerous condition that threatened not only Tommy but his entire family. Almost immediately after this news was made public, several members of the New Pulp community began putting their heads together to see if anything could be done to help the Hancocks.

“Jaime Ramos proposed the idea of doing a benefit anthology,” says Airship 27 Productions Managing Editor, Ron Fortier. “It was such a great idea, I realized it needed to get done and we began planning such a project.” 

The first thing Fortier did was bring aboard his partner in Airship 27, Art Director Rob Davis. “There was no way this was going to fly without Rob handling the book’s overall artwork and design.” 
 Fortier then went to Hancock and informed him of their plans. With Hancock’s blessings, he then posted an ad on Facebook explaining the project and seeking submissions from both writers and artists. “It was always our intention to do this as a traditional pulp tome and thus artwork would be a major element in the final product.”
Much to Fortier’s surprise, and delight, the first creator to volunteer his assistance was Douglas Klauba, one of the finest artists in the field. Klauba volunteered to paint the anthology’s cover once the book was assembled. “Honestly,” Fortier confesses, “I was in shock. Doug is an amazing artist and his offering to do the cover was very much an omen that we were about to put together something truly unique.”

Within 48 hours after posting his recruiting ad, Fortier had received 57 commitments by New Pulp writers while 36 artists in the field signed on to do the illustrations. Amongst these creators were some of the most popular New Pulp writers and artists in the field. In fact, getting so many promised stories in just two days, Fortier begrudgingly realized he and his associates were being handed a giant book and he publicly closed the admission call. “It was crazy,” he recalls. “Fifty-seven stories in just two days! Of course there were naysayers who warned me we’d never get all of them. They were right, we got 62 instead.”

And so the project began with Fortier reading each entry and then assigning it to an artist to illustrate. Each tale features one black and white illustration. Ramos acted as his assistant editor proofing teach story after Fortier with them. Then, months into the project, Ramos, who suffers from diabetes, found his own health in jeopardy and after having handled half the stories, was forced to sideline himself. What looked to be a major set-back was averted with writer/editor Todd Jones, a protégé of Fortier’s, volunteered to take on the task of finishing the proofing.

And so, after months of ups and downs. Airship 27 Productions is extremely proudly to present LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION. A giant treasure chest of some of the finest New Pulp fiction ever produced in an 830 page collection. Representing the varied genres of pulp tradition, this volume features tales of horror, mystery, horror, suspense, pirates, fantasy, private eyes, crime-busting avengers and westerns to name a few.

“Rob and I kidded during the long months of production that we had everything pulp save for a romance story,” quips Fortier. “Then in the final days of story submissions, we were sent a romance. No lie!”

LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION is now available at Amazon.com in both hard copy and on Kindle. All profits earned by this amazing book are going to Tommy Hancock and his family. Sure to become a valued collector’s item, LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION is a one of a kind title pulp fans young and old, will cherish in years to come.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

Where Stories Come from: MOOSE & SKWIRL

(Revised 03/05/2024)

As I stated last week, my short story "All Roads Lead to Rome" in Pro Se Productions' The Adventures of Moose & Skwirl isn't just notable because it's another published work....but it's my first pitched-and-published work.

Let's go back to approximately late 2013/early 2014 - I'm in the midst of job seeking/freelance seeking, and I need something to take my mind off of things. Projects to keep me busy. Idle hands and whatnot.

So I began looking at Pro Se Productions' website...especially the open call for new writers. I knew Tommy Hancock very casually (mostly some back-and-forth via Facebook groups), and felt like it was time to begin a fiction-writing career in earnest.

When it came to choosing my first solicitation, I loved the description of Moose & Skwirl, which made it seem like Sapphire & Steel with more action and violence.

(And if you've ever watched Sapphire & Steel...yes, it could use a little more action in places).

The spine of the story was easy - I found an old Doctor Who/Dark Shadows fanfic that dealt with the main story theme. (Yes, I did type that out loud). Thinking that "parallel world gone wrong" made a great story idea, I then realized that I could pull on my knowledge as a Roman history buff (including a working knowledge of Latin) to fill out the details...

....and I learned the first lesson of writing my first draft: anything worth losing is best cut. Taking my lead from Mort Abrams in Behind the Planet of the Apes, I realized that I had too many elements - for example, my parallel Rome had touchpads coexisting with manual typewriters, and a stray line about how "even the rules of magic are different here."

If you read the story, you won't find either....or a gladiator named Bestiarius. The name threw off the rhythm of the story, and so he became Phaedrus. An ending scene written to fill out the word count became part of the overall plot. And I was able to figure out how to fix a parallel timeline without relying on "going back and fixing the mistake in the first place." And then, contracts were signed, bodies were buried....and the wait began.

(Although it was written after Moose & Skwirl, my story in Tall Pulp was the second one I wrote for Pro Se. And it's the first time I felt I "got it right" as a writer.)

But the other advantage is that I got to know Tommy Hancock...who is a knight errant, a man who walks these mean streets but who is himself not mean. And he would love the fact that I'm using that Raymond Chandler quote in talking about him. And who has, well, encouraged me to continue writing...

...and hopefully, you'll soon be reading about a parallel timeline where Theodore Roosevelt is a bounty hunter. Or my yarn about a First Nation Apache lawman on 23rd-century Mars. Or even the time Buster Keaton & Harold Lloyd broke up a blackmail ring.

(Amongst others which I can't discuss until they're released).

So this may seem like "just another" story....but it's my first. And it's with a pair of characters I hope to rejoin in Volume 2.

Check out this and other works via my Amazon author page!

I've Been Published: THE ADVENTURES OF MOOSE & SKWIRL

Coming on the heels of my Black Bat debut for Airship 27, I'm proud to say that not only am I making an appearance in a volume by Pro Se Productions.....this also has special significance for me.

Please check out the latest Pro Se volume called The Adventures of Moose & Skwirl. Think of it as Sapphire & Steel meets Fight Club - a steampunk sorceress and alien fighter find themselves jaunting to a variety of times and places fighting evil, getting into trouble, and cracking wise.

Or for me, "just another Saturday night".

My tale (and yes, there'll be another "Where Stories Come From" entry - soon) is something I like to call "All Roads Lead to Rome", in which the pair find themselves in a parallel world....where Rome never fell.

And the secret behind why it never fell.

But the reason why this tale has special resonance for me...is that it's my first professional fiction writing. Yes, I pitched the story idea (this is purely work-for-hire), it was accepted, and I wrote the story. So this will be a great way for you to get a small piece of my writing history.

Available in softcover and Kindle formats, you can purchase the book via Amazon or Smashwords.

And also, if you haven't already, please follow my Amazon Author's page. At the very least, you'll get some good reading out of it.

Where Stories Come From: "Crossing McCausland" - TALL PULP

(Revised 03/04/2024)

And now for a new, semi-occasional feature on the blog - since I'm now seeing my fiction published, I'll write some "how-this-story-came-together" essays. (At least one of my publishers had me do that; I'll be sure to write something cool so that you're not getting a blog version of a published essay). And for this inaugural edition of "Where Stories Come From", it's easy - my first published (for pay) short story, "Crossing McCausland", in Pro Se Productions' anthology Tall Pulp.

Ironically, "Crossing" was my second pitch to Pro Se - the first was....well, that's a tale for another time. But I was coming off the euphoria of writing my first professionally pitched story. ("Out There in the Night" from Les Vamps was submitted for a contest, and that original draft....hoo, boy, remind me to always rewrite after a first draft). So in looking at the then-available anthologies, I came across the blurb for Tall Pulp - a mixture of American folklore and pulp storytelling. And so, without further adieu, I went onto Wikipedia to try to find a local, Chicago-based figure like Pecos Bill, or Paul Bunyan...

....and I failed miserably. However, I came across another figure and began developing an idea. However, the research proved too great (after all, I was crafting a pitch and working freelance and seeking work), so I shifted gears and came across an entry for Joe Magarac. At first glance, learning about this "man of steel" was a revelation - he reminded me of my paternal grandparents, offspring of immigrants who held onto values that many may consider old-fashioned. (It also meant that I could easily empathize with the character). Thankfully, I never checked out images of Magarac - in many pictures, he's portrayed as human, but I decided to pursue a route similar to Kurt Busiek's approach in the Astro City: The Tarnished Angel miniseries.

In short, Magarac was a literal man of metal, with no specific origin - I had no intention of writing an "origin" story. (Let the reader sort that one out). Plus, it made much more sense if Magarac had no idea how he came to be, or even if he had a "normal" life. (You may think of it as clever....in reality, it was merely sloth on my part to not give him much of a past). Although I considered making him a Doc Savage-type...I kind of preferred the idea of the loner who traveled from town to town, helping hard-working people and....well, living up to the "legend".

So now, where (and when) would I set it? Although tempted to set it in the 1930s, I decided that I wanted to set it in a more "modern" era. Given that Magarac was Eastern European in origin, that meant that the most logical place was the early 1950s. (Yes, I went totally "Red Scare"). Placing him in St. Louis meant that I was sticking him in an already segregated area - municipalities in St. Louis county were growing at a fast rate due to state law. Since the Metropolitan Sewer District was founded in 1950....it just made a lot of sense. I even went so far as to consult my copy of E. Terrence Jones' Fragmented by Design (now available on Amazon for astronomically high amounts of money) to research the politics and policies. (Luckily, I also served as a volunteer stakeholder for Advance St. Louis, a short-lived attempt to revise the city charter and acquire home rule).

And for those who are wondering...yes, I integrated my love of dry, dusty public policy issues into a pulp story. Where's my cookie?

But after that, crafting a plot wasn't too hard - after all, it's a 1950s version of the classic "evil ranchers vs decent homesteaders" plot, complete with frequent references to Communists. Crafting a villain was easy - after all, I simply broke out a copy of classic Dark Shadows - then the original Rocky - and Thayer David was "cast" as McCausland. (And yes, there is a street named McCausland, which turns into Skinker when you move further north). As far as Rosalie, his companion in crime....well, she only became a companion in crime because I forgot to include an "enforcer", and it simply made sense to combine both characters. (As far as "casting", well....you can guess in the comments. Winners will receive a customized e-mail message from me.)

After that, it was submitted...I went on to a third pitch (which I'm proud of, but I will write about it when it's published), and another great opportunity arose. Once I heard about "McCausland" being published, it was simply a matter of waiting for the proofs, submitting my edits....and getting word via Facebook that the book had been released.

And I'll never get used to seeing my name in print. Never.

But now, the blatant plug - if you liked this essay, go ahead and buy Tall Pulp, either as a trade paperback or in Kindle form. Either way, once you read it, you can decide for yourself whether this essay justifies the care that went into the tale....or is wildly inaccurate. Either way, having a formal document on how this story came to be is always beneficial.

You can find this and other works I've written via my Amazon Author Page. Enjoy! 

My Online Shenanigans - August Edition

Yes, just in time for August to begin - my semi-regular update on a variety of online shenanigans, mostly to provide some fodder for the blog, as well as improve search results on my name.

And as always, here we go.....

• Although submitted in July, my latest Comic Related column just hit the Net, and I'm focusing on Orphan Black: Season 2. Thanks to BBC Home Entertainment, I was able to acquire a DVD set for review, and the results....well, just go ahead and read the column, won't you?
• In other news, back when I was proofing for Radio Archives, I really found myself enjoying a great novel of the Spider (and no, that's not a typo - you're supposed to italicize the character's name) called Volunteer Corpse Brigade. Thankfully, it's now available as an ebook via Radio Archives. Trust me, it's a really good read.
• On the business front, I had an opportunity a few months ago to discuss social entrepreneurship & social enterprise on Brian's podcast. Let's just say that yes, I have made some definite progress on plans since then, and that's been taking up a lot of my professional effort. And it's worth it.
• As always, be sure to purchase Pro Se Productions' Tall Pulp  (which features my story Crossing McCausland)  as well as Airship 27 Productions' Hitwolf (which I was lucky enough to edit). Both are really good reads and in the case of Tall Pulp , something I'm very proud of. (If you ask nicely, I'll even do interviews about it....but let's keep Tommy of Pro Se in the loop, OK?)

More Adventures in Editing & Writing

As I'm slowly returning to the blogging life (currently working on a consulting business - drop me a line at gordon@gordondymowski.com if you want more details), I'm finding that I want to avoid turning into a self-promotional blog. However, with not one, not two, but three projects published, I thought it was time to make the announcements....and to engage in a little capitalistic endeavor.

First, as always, my story Crossing McCausland was published in Pro Se Productions' Tall Pulp, an anthology focusing on tall tales and legends in a pulp-style setting. Stories range from a science fiction Paul Bunyan to female pirate Anne Bonney. (My story features Joe Magarac, a literal "man of steel", in 1950s-era St. Louis). There are some really great stories in this collection (I didn't just read the proofing copy for my own story), and comes highly recommended. (It's also available as softcover, and if you click the graphic on the left, you can order the Kindle version.

On the editing side, my first selection is from Airship 27 Productions, and it's a really great book. It's called Hitwolf , and it's a clever mix of Goodfellas and The Howling. (Because werewolves plus gangsters makes a great combination). There's the right amount of urban grit, and there isn't a false step in the book. It's a great example of modern "new pulp" at its best, and you would be remiss in not reading it.

Another editing project come to fruition is the vintage pulp reprint The Crime Master from Altus Press. (I had reviewed their rerelease of stories featuring Inspector Allhoff, and they also specialize in some pulp scholarship like Phillip Jose Farmer's Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life ). Crime Master focuses on Gordon Manning's conflict with super-criminal The Griffin. (And no, you may not make a Family Guy joke). It's a series of stories with a serial feel, and is a really good example of pop culture from an age now past. It's also worth checking out, and will make its debut at PulpFest in early August.

So now that I'm entering the field of "professional writer/editor" as well as "freelance marketing consultant" and "intimidatingly charming podcast host", my blog posts have been a little self-referential lately, and that's fine. If it means getting some great works into people's hands, all the better.

All the News From 'Round the Web

As you've read just a few days ago, my short story Crossing McCausland was published in Pro Se Productions' latest anthology, Tall Pulp. (Soon to be available as an ebook - keep watching Amazon). Yes, I get royalties, so please feel free to purchase multiple copies to hand out to your friends.

(And if you encounter me in person and ask nicely, I will autograph it for you)

But now, for some other news from around the web:

• This Saturday, July 19th, I'll be leading the Chicago Nerd Social Club in putting on a great Doctor Who 101 session. It's free, family-friendly, and quite honestly - worth your time. Join us, won't you?
• Recently, I wrote a post about Sherlock Series 4 for I Hear of Sherlock. May have posted this previously, but hey....it's my blog, after all.....
• Although I've had some professional successes, I'm still keeping an eye out for professional/freelance gigs. Know someone who can use my talents? Please have them check out my Linked In profile.
• Thanks to the internet, my sordid past writing Dark Shadows fan fiction is now public.

I Wrote This: TALL PULP ("Crossing McCausland")

You know all that hinting and teasing I've been doing....and the writing I've been doing?



Well, today I can finally discuss this publicly.
Pro Se Productions is releasing Tall Pulp, a collection of pulp-inspired takes on familiar tall tales and legends. One of the stories is a tale I wrote (my second story for Pro Se) entitled Crossing McCausland. It's a tale set in 1950s-era St. Louis (yes, that place again) and concerns Joe Magarac, hard-working hero of the steel mills, and...well, why don't I just present a slightly modified version of my pitch:

Whether you're in Pittsburgh or Racine, you've probably heard the tale of Joe Magarac - born from a mine, he is a literal "man of steel", making his way throughout the country to sacrifice himself to help his fellow workers, doing so to build a better world.

So Joe finds himself in a comfortable St. Louis suburb in 1950, having just
participated in a rescue. So when he hears that the people of Appleton are being threatened by the residents of neighboring Pitchford, Joe finds himself involved in helping protect a town of decent residents from a growing threat within their borders.

There's a saying in St. Louis - "Nobody crosses McCausland." McCausland
is a street that divides city and county: Mayor McCausland wants to divide
Appleton towards his ends. And only one person will dare cross Mayor McCausland: Joe Magarac."

Clicking on the Pro Se link above will provide you with ordering information: it's available via CreateSpace, and will be made available as an ebook shortly.

Just the kind of news I needed today....good news.

Review: BLACK PULP

(First, in full disclosure - I have some stories to be published by Pro Se Publications, but that has not influenced my opinion one way or another - my opinions are my own)

One of the many issues my friends and colleagues discuss is the idea of representation and diversity in genre literature. After all, the argument goes, why should all literature be focused on white, male heroes? In fact, it's almost a divine mandate (trust me, I've had several people offer....well, "constructive advice" on the situation), encouraging authors to not only write such characters, but openly advocate and give a voice to those underrepresented in popular literature.

So in that spirit, I offer Pro Se Production's Black Pulp , which is not only a great read, but raises the bar when it comes to diversity and inclusiveness in genre literature.

As you can guess by the title, all of the stories feature main characters of African descent (although the authors are diverse), and provide a wide range of styles. From the noir-fueled Six Finger Jack by Joe R. Lansdale to Kimberly Richardson's more mystical Agnes Meridian and the Search for Scales, the range of stories included in Black Pulp provides for a well-rounded reading experience. (My only complaint - where's the science fiction? - but don't worry: plans are afoot for  Black Pulp 2).

But it's not just the issue of representation - these are some great, short, entertaining stories that serve to please. From the action-oriented Dillon & the Alchemist's Morning Coffee (written by fave-of-the-blog Derrick Ferguson) to the hip-hop fueled Jaguar & the Jungleland Boogie (by Michael A. Gonzalez), there is a wide variety of pulp styles and imaginative tales. If you're looking for a different take on genres, consider Charles Saunders' Mtimu (a better take on Tarzan), Ron Fortier's The Lawman (which reads like a perfectly great piece of fiction....but is based on a real-life figure), and Gary Phillips' hard-boiled Decimator Smith and the Fangs of the Fire Serpent. In fact, there isn't a bad story to be found in the collection.
(Although I'm hard pressed to choose a favorite - right now, it wavers between D. Alan Lewis' Black Wolfe's Debt and Christopher Chambers' Rocket Crockett and the Jade Dragon. Both feature characters that I would love to see more of..especially Rocket Crockett. I just really like the name "Rocket Crockett")

Granted, diversity in literature is often used as a way to determine an author's - or publisher's - values. Although it might look otherwise, Black Pulp never panders and never feels pretentious. In a media/literary culture that increasingly focuses on the cool and the "hip", there's something incredibly satisfying about reading straightforward prose. (It's also great that pulp literature is a little more democratic and doesn't lend itself to book vs. adaptation conflicts, and yes, I'm looking at you, Game of Thrones fans). Black Pulp is the next, best step in bringing greater diversity to literature, and is definitely a must-read for anyone looking to broaden their literary tastes.

Available in softcover and Kindle...you really don't have an excuse not to pick this up and read it.

Beginning a Writer's Life

The Scan That Started
It All

To think that this all started with a Facebook post...

As part of the "Throwback Thursday" hashtag on Facebook (otherwise known as #tbt, I had posted some photos and documents that I had scanned, but never had done anything with. One of them - you'll find it on the left - was a rejection letter for a Columbo proposal that I had submitted back in my college days....and it not only got some great comments (including pal Jeff's "All the cool kids were writing Murder She Wrote", but it also got me thinking about my current writing "career"....

(Just thank God I couldn't find my long-lost Doctor Who pitch from high school, which involved the Fifth Doctor, Ice Warriors, and crystallized uranium)

One of the reasons I started this blog ten years ago was to keep my writing skills up to scratch (as well as - let's face it - have some kind of presence online). It's faltered in the past year due to other issues, but ironically, one of those issues has been an increase in other forms of writing...the kinds of writing that can potentially pay bills, or - more realistically - grab me an extra-large coffee from Dunkin' Donuts.

It's a challenge trying to balance both blogging and writing fiction - in fact, that's Chicago Now and Comic Related. Yet, since I began writing the Wonderman webcomic for Excelsior (check out Siskoid's great blog breakdown/shout-out), things have been busy. (One note - I've actually written three scripts for Wonderman, due to my not reading e-mails properly...and yes, my comic script is a little wordy, why do you ask?)

part of the reason why I've given myself a bit of a break when it comes to blogging. (Although I've worked hard to maintain my regular work for both

But creative/fiction writing has been a challenge - partially, it's about carving out an appropriate amount of time. (Meaning that I am learning the hard way that insomnia can be a writer's best friend). Mostly, it's the cliche of perfectionism, and my desire to have my characters to seem real, even if I'm "only" writing pulp.

(First big news - I'm stating, for the record, that I'm a pulp writer. There may be some that will complain that I'm "better" than that, or that I may be wasting my talents....but have you read any Raymond Chandler? Dashiell Hammett? Jim Thompson? I'll wager that some of my favorite authors like Jonathan Kellerman and Sara Paretsky are pulp. But I also like the fact that pulp is the ultimate democratic art form, and that with an increased call for a diverse range of characters in more literary aspects, pulp seems a natural choice. Plus, I happen to like writing stories that are a bit escapist - as a child, I would be off in a corner drawing superhero stories as I recited the dialogue; it only makes sense that I want to continue that in my adulthood)

It also means that, within the next few months, I'll have some works coming out that I'll definitely promote here - stories that were written late last year, and which kept me from writing the blog. Details are forthcoming, but expect to see me in several Pro Se Productions anthologies. (Oh, and by the way? Tommy Hancock, the impresario of Pro Se, is a gentleman and a scholar, and knows how to rock a fedora). I will also have a story published in Dreamer's Syndicate: New World Navigation, an anthology assembled by a great blogger/writer named Mark Bousquet. (Read his blog - you'll like it, trust me). And in my "free" time, I'm crafting a tale of a "classic" pulp character for Airship 27 (which will be everything you've come to expect from me....and which I'd better get back to writing at some point...)

Writing has been a welcome relief from some of my other, more down-to-earth pursuits. (Plus, writing fiction is more enjoyable than revising and editing cover letters). But when I look at the scope of my life - how creativity has driven much of what I've done - I realize that right now, on some level, I'm only just starting....and at an age where I'm wondering if many other chances have passed me by, at least I can take advantage of one opportunity that makes me feel less obsolete.

Review: THE ADVENTURES OF FORTUNE MCCALL

FULL DISCLOSURE:Thanks to a special promotion, I had acquired a complimentary electronic copy of this book for purposes of review. In addition, not only has Mr. Ferguson said positive things about my own writing, but I have submitted several stories to this company for potential publication. My opinions, however, are still my own

As I'm gradually entering the world of pulp and "new pulp", I'm learning that there's an awful lot of books....and a lot of awful books. Occasionally, I'll come across the odd piece that I find myself enjoying (like Pro Se Production's The Adventures of Lazarus Gray), and there's a book that simply blindsides me, and is so good that I can't wait to write a formal recommendation.

Derrick Ferguson's The Adventures of Fortune McCall is such a book - it's short (about four stories), but quite frankly, is one of the best reads I've experienced this past year. (And between this blog, proofreading, and my tech/social good blog, I've read quite a number of books, and still have both review and personal copies to read).

Fortune McCall is an adventurer (think "Indiana Jones meets Phillip Marlowe with a healthy side order of Bret Maverick mixed in with Shaft") who operates in Sovereign City - the kind of metropolis that only seems to be found in pulps. With a trusted crew of aides, McCall finds himself becoming the city's unofficial "troubleshooter" after his first adventure, drawing attention of both nefarious evildoers and slightly well-meaning rivals. (One such rival, John Lawman, swears to bring McCall in for crimes real and/or imagined).

Quite simply, this is a fun, no-nonsense read, with plenty of pulp action with a sly, dry wit that is sorely lacking in a lot of popular culture. It's a short book, but packs a wild punch, and has an old school pulp spirit evoking a strong sense of homage rather than pastiche. The Adventures of Fortune McCall is a must-add for anyone enjoying solid pulp writing.

Buy it. Now.

Modern-Day Pulp: ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY

(NOTE: A complimentary electronic copy was provided for purposes of review).

Ironically, although I starting blogging as a comics blogger, I'm finding myself increasingly drawn to pulp fiction. Much of it is the poor quality and inappropriate shenanigans of certain Distinguished Companies, but when I had the opportunity to review The Adventures of Lazarus Gray Volume 1 by Barry Reese, well....life got in the way, until now.

And I regret that, because after reading it this past week, I have to state that this is a really great book.

Don't let the John Byrne-style cover by Anthony Castrillo fool you: Lazarus Gray (published by Pro Se Press) is  not a pastiche, not a parody - it's a pretty strong set of tales. It would be easy to dismiss this as "Richard Benson as played by David Bowie"....but that would be patently unfair. Reese takes some of the stalwarts of pulp fiction (action hero, band of assistants, various supernatural elements) and weaves some fine, enjoyable tales.

Plus, the great advantage is that there is a distinct lack of nostalgia - concepts that would have been out of place or even extreme back in the "classic" pulp era fit well in these tales. This isn't the kind of book I would give, say, a ten year old....but I can heartily recommend it for older readers. People who are seeking alternatives to some of the less-than-stellar modes of entertainment.

(Plus, Mr. Reese is no slouch when it comes to knowing his pulps - he is the mastermind behind The Shadow Fan podcast, which...if you're not listening to it already, you really should be)

The first volume of Adventures of Lazarus Gray is available in paperback (via Createspace) and Kindle (and yes, you can actually read it online via Kindle Web reader). If you like great pulp, you'll dig this book. If you want a good read, you'll dig this book. And you have no excuse not to read this book.