Pulp Ark 2013, a Convention/Creators Conference centering around all aspects of New Pulp, was held April 26-28, 2013 in Springdale, AR. As a part of the convention, the Pulp Ark Awards were given for the third year in a row. The only comprehensive awards in the Pulp field chosen specifically by anyone wishing to nominate writers, creators, etc. for an award, The Pulp Ark Awards are given in a variety of categories.
Only one
category within the Pulp Ark Awards is determined, not by the vote of the public,
but by a committee selected to determine the winner. The Pulp Ark Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a Person
involved in Pulp that has devoted much of their life to participating in the
production of and/or furthering the promotion and preservation of and education
in Classic Pulp as well as supporting New Pulp either by being a participant or
providing encouragement other ways.
This year’s Pulp
Ark Lifetime Achievement Award Winner as selected by the Committee began his
Pulp involvement in the 1930s, finding many of his stories printed in the 1940s
and 50s and moving onto other publications with fiction after the Pulps faded
away in the mid 1950s. Born
in Texas, this year’s recipient learned much about life that he later
translated into great western tales.
Being a self taught Jazz Musician, he saw much in his travels that
informed his mystery and suspense stories, many with a Jazz background. Writing for digests as well as penning
his own books well after Pulps left the bookshelves, this author recently
collected his stories and has released two date two volumes of work, with the
assistance and support of his wife, Patti. This work has so inspired writers today that a New Pulp
Publishing company, Pro Se Productions, has licensed and began an imprint
utilizing characters originally written by the author in his early career.
The recipient of
the Pulp Ark 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award is Charles Boeckman.
Upon
notification of receiving the award, Charles Boeckman provided the following
statement-
“I am very
honored to receive the Pulp Ark Convention 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award.
This was so unexpected and so gratifying. Until a couple of years ago, I
thought the pulps were just a faded memory in the minds of anyone still alive
who read them back in their hey day. Then I discovered the vibrant community of
pulp and new pulp fans and writers, and my life suddenly took on new meaning.
Connecting with pulp fans, republishing some of my vintage stories in
anthologies, and finding some of my forgotten manuscripts in an old trunk have
reawakened my passion to write, and at age 92, I am once again pounding on the
keyboard.
It means so much that I will have concrete recognition of my
contribution to pulp fiction, something that I can proudly display and eventually
leave to my progeny. Maybe it will help inspire them in some way.
Thank you so much, Pulp Ark Convention 2013.”