HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO 'THE MYTH HUNTER'!

TIPPIN' HANCOCK'S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock

THE MYTH HUNTER
Percival Constantine
Pulpwork Press
http://www.pulpwork.com/

One of the great things about New Pulp is that the old is often made, well, new again.  I'm not simply talking about styles, description, or even storylines and characters, although this has to do with a character.   What I'm referring to is archetypes.  They exist in Pulp as they do in genre, probably more so since there are so many facets to Pulp.  The standard 'types' of heroes and villains and such that populate stories and often reappear under different names penned by different authors.  Like the masked vigilante.  The Super Man of Science.  The Cowboy.  And the Explorer, the Archeological Adventurer.

It's that last one that Percival Constantine tackled within his new work, THE MYTH HUNTER.  Elisa Hill, the central character of the piece, is just what the title implies..a Myth Hunter.  This is basically an individual who goes on the hunt for strange and unusual artifacts, often thought to be the stuff of legend.  In this particular tale, she is in pursuit of artifacts related to a great lost civilization, a goal her parents pursued to the ruin of their professional reputations before their passing.  Initially a Myth Hunter for money, Elisa found a better path due to an old Myth Hunter and friend of her parents and now works for the betterment of the world.  This adventure brings her into contact with shady aspects of her dubious past, introduces her to new friends, sets her against a conspiratorial secret organization, and renews a feud with a psychopath named Seth that will likely be the death of Hill herself.

This book is full of vivid descriptions, fantastically crafted narrative, intriguing and engaging dialogue, but its biggest star is the characterization.  Constantine brings each and every character to life, not just with vivid details, but with emotions and passions.  Even the characters we are meant to like leave us feeling a little divided on just how much we like them, and that's a sign of humanity granted to a written creation, a skill many writers never ever develop. 

Constantine also takes the stereotype of the 'Indiana Jones-Lara Croft' type and ups the ante.  Elisa is complex, complicated, and admittedly confused throughout the book.  Not because she's not a great hero in all ways because she is just that, but because she is also human.  Simultaneously Constantine gives the reader a real woman, complete with desires, flaws, and strengths, and cloaks her in that nearly bullet proof visage of the explorer who always gets what she wants one way or the other.

There were some continuity gaffs here and there and editing issues in spots, but nothing that should keep anyone from picking up THE MYTH HUNTER by Percival Constantine and enjoying the heck out of it!

FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-This New Pulp tale delivers everything you want a Pulp story to with the added bonus of humanity within its characterization.

Percy Constantine's new novel THE MYTH HUNTER from Pulpwork Press (http://www.pulpwork.com/) hits the streets today!  The author takes some time out of his busy promoting schedule to do some...ah...promotion with ALL PULP!  Stay tuned for a couple of more tidbits related to THE MYTH HUNTER throughout the day!

AP:  Perry, welcome to ALL PULP!  First, share  a little bit about yourself with us.

PC: Well, I'm a writer in his late twenties (going to hold onto that tidbit for as long as possible). A native Chicagoan who has been residing in Japan for the past few years. I first entered the world of publishing in 2005 as a comic book editor and then in 2007 as a novelist. In 2010, my first pulp novel, LOVE & BULLETS, was released through Pulpwork Press. I'm also a professional comic book letterer and writer and have a few small press credits to my name in those areas. Other than that, I'm obsessed with movies, which is where I draw most of my inspiration from.

AP:  Your newest book, THE MYTH HUNTER debuts today.  What wonderful adventure awaits within its pages?

PC: With THE MYTH HUNTER, you are looking at an action-packed tale bringing mythology from various regions and eras into the modern age. You've got shadowy organizations, legendary creatures, lost continents, and a heroine who can both kick your ass and outsmart you.

AP:  Now, this project has taken some time to actually see print.  What can you say about that?

PC: THE MYTH HUNTER first began with Elisa Hill, the main character. I've always been drawn to heroines who can hold their own against the classic hero archetypes and I wanted to create one of my own. Derrick Ferguson (creator of the brilliant Dillon series) helped me with some of the initial ideas that really led to the character's first incarnation.

At first, THE MYTH HUNTER was intended to begin life as a comic book that Derrick and I were going to collaborate on with whatever artist we could locate. It didn't quite work out that way and after a few setbacks, I decided to just do it as a book series. I had two artists who contributed some character designs, which will appear on my blog (percivalconstantine.wordpress.com).

AP:  You’ve created a character in Elisa Hill that is multifaceted and seems to, while being your creation, draw from several ‘muses’.  What were your influences in creating her and why is it important that a lead character have such variety within its personality?

PC: I'd say my primary influences for the character were Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, as far as initial inspiration. Visually, I've always imagined Elisa as being similar to actress Kate Beckinsale. Her name was inspired by someone I knew in high school who's a very strong woman. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was also a source of influence, as I've found her to be a very positive, very strong heroine and she was really the first heroine who had a massive influence on me.

Other than that, I draw influence from wherever I can find them. Elisa, like many of my characters, are drawn from a hodgepodge of influences. But the ones I mentioned are really the major ones.

AP:  You’re known for writing strong female characters, particularly as leads.  Do you prefer female leads and if so, why? Or does the story just sort of write its own participants in as you go?

PC: I appreciate the fact that I've become known for strong female characters, as that's important to me. I've felt heroines are either under-represented or portrayed as inferior to the heroes. I guess part of that is because I've known a lot of strong women in my life, and so I want to give them their due. 

I don't have a preference for either gender, though. My first two novels featured male leads. And the next book in my Infernum series, OUTLAW BLUES (due for a release either later this year or early next year) will feature a male lead.

I'm attracted to aspects of both types and I enjoy writing them both. It's more the characters themselves that speak to me and when they first come to me in my mind, they come with their gender already predetermined. I never thought of Elisa Hill or Angela Lockhart (of LOVE & BULLETS) as anything other than female, just as I never thought of Riker Stone (of CHASING THE DRAGON) or Gabriel (of FALLEN) as anything other than male. That's just how they were when they first approached me.

AP:  THE MYTH HUNTER treads familiar ground for Pulp fans, that of the explorer finding strange artifacts, etc.  But you focus on the dichotomy of doing this for profit as opposed to doing it for betterment of mankind. Care to discuss that?

PC: The idea of profit vs. betterment of mankind has always interested me. And I know that the two aren't mutually exclusive, which is something you see a little bit of in the book. I don't think there's a black and white way to look at the two. I'm someone who believes in a balance and I think I try to get that across in the book. You see aspects of both in the characters on either side of the issue. Some are doing it for profit and are completely selfish. But some aren't doing it for profit but are still equally selfish. And some fall to a place in the middle. 

Dichotomy in general is something I really love to explore as a writer. To be, the best heroes and villains are the ones that are two sides of the same coin. So that's why I try to focus on those things in my writing whenever I can.

AP:  This novel is peppered with a ton of interesting supporting characters as well.  What makes a good supporting character for a Pulp tale?  And why does a strong lead like Elisa even need supporting cast?

PC: It's often been said that you can't have a good hero without a good villain, and that's true. But you need more than that--you need good supporting characters. The supporting characters are not just there to support the hero, they're also there to challenge him or her in ways that the villain can't. 

The various supporting characters are there to explore different facets of the hero. With Elisa, I think you see that a lot with her supporting players because they reflect different aspects of her. Max Finch is her experience and knowledge, Laki is her innocence, Lucas is her rebellious nature and Asami is her desire for adventure. Each of them are great characters in their own right, but when they interact with Elisa, it really helps to round her out as a better character.

AP:  You’re in the ranks of the New Pulp writers.  What is New Pulp to you?

PC: New Pulp to me is taking these classic techniques and aspects that made "old" pulp so great and seeing how we can add to them. I think New Pulp isn't just doing what Lester Dent, Robert Howard, and others did back in their time. It's taking what they did as an inspiration and building on it, incorporating influences from other writers who followed a similar path. 

As Bob Dylan said, the times they are a'changing. And we have to change with them. We can't just copy what the pulp founders did, because what they did was influenced from what they knew at that time. We have to build on it. We have to take what they did, incorporate what we've learned since then, and use it to create something that's different, that's relatable to modern audiences (regardless of the time period the story is set in) but still recognizable as pulp. One of the brilliant things about Indiana Jones is that even though the films were set in the age of pulps, they were still relatable to modern audiences.

And this can be done in a number of different ways. As Indiana Jones and authors like Barry Reese have proven, you can set these stories in the age of pulps and make them relatable to modern audiences because you have the benefit of hindsight or because you understand the tastes of modern audiences. Or you can take the route that the James Bond series or authors like Derrick Ferguson have done, which is take that style of storytelling and apply it to the modern day. 

There are some people who believe that it has to be either or. You can't appeal to modern audiences without alienating fans of the past or vice versa. And this kind of thinking is really lazy and uncreative. I was born in 1983 and yet Casablanca, a movie that was made decades before I was born, remains one of my favorite films of all time, and I know many people my age who feel the same. So to say that the past holds no appeal for the present shows creative bankruptcy in my opinion.

AP:  Any future plans for Elisa and company to return in future works?

PC: Oh absolutely. The sequel, DRAGON KINGS OF THE ORIENT, already has a draft that's been completed. There's no tentative release date for it yet, but it will be a bit of a wait. I've got some other tales in mind for Elisa and friends following that.

AP:  Speaking of future, anything else coming from you that ALL PULP should be on the lookout for?

PC: A few things. OUTLAW BLUES, a follow-up to LOVE & BULLETS and the second book in the Infernum series, is due for a release either the end of this year or early next year. As I've also mentioned I've got DRAGON KINGS OF THE ORIENT, the sequel to THE MYTH HUNTER.

Other than that, I'm writing a Domino Lady comic story for Airship 27's All-Star Pulp Comics anthology and Tommy Hancock and I are developing a project called THE ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS SAINT.

I also have a few other things in mind, but it's a bit too early to talk about those at the moment.

AP:  Thanks again for stopping by and great work on THE MYTH HUNTER!

PC: It's been an absolute pleasure and I hope everyone enjoys it! Also, please keep an eye on my site, percivalconstantine.wordpress.com, because we'll soon have some announcement about giveaways to be associated with the release of THE MYTH HUNTER!

ALL PULP BREAKS 100,000 VIEWS!!!!

All right, so ALL PULP takes its day off AFTER THIS!   Sometime in the wee morning hours of this Memorial Day, ALL PULP broke the 100,000 views mark.  This in itself is a milestone, but also has been done in our first nine months of existence!!  Everyone involved in ALL PULP, the Spectacled Seven especially, would like to thank each and every person who's followed, contributed, commented, and read ALL PULP.  Seriously, we'd like to come to your house, shake your hand, buy you a coffee or a soda, and-.... well,at least we can say THANK YOU here to all of you....and we do just that. Thank you for all the support and encouragement you've provided and please continue to do so as ALL PULP endeavors to continue bringing you...ALL THE NEWS THAT IS PULP...THAT'S ALL PULP!

ALL PULP WISHES EVERYONE A MEMORABLE MEMORIAL DAY!

On this day of honor and remembrance of those who fought and those who died to make what lives we live possible, ALL PULP extends its heartfelt thanks to all veterans, past, present, and future, for what you have given, regardless of whether you carried a gun or a pen, if you fought in war or worked in peace, regardless of your type of service.  We thank you!  In honor of this day, ALL PULP will observe it with its family and friends and encourages you all to do the same.  And personally thank a veteran/service person, why dontcha?!

NEW PULP GIVEAWAY-THE FIRST PULPTRESS STORY EVER!

Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions and member of the New Pulp Movement announced today that the first ever tale of THE PULPTRESS, 21st Century Pulp Heroine and spokesperson for Pro Se and New Pulp, would be available for anyone interested for FREE for a period of one week.

"The Pulptress," Hancock said in his statement, "is a concept and a figure that has already drawn much interest since her debut two weeks ago at Pulp Ark. But she's more than that.   She is just a hint at all that New Pulp has to offer any reader, from the uninitiated person to the avid, obsessed Pulp fan.  There's a vibrance, an excitement to The Pulptress that draws directly from the vibrant exciting pace and and action that New Pulp is rifled with.  And to celebrate that connection as well as to put a little more New Pulp out there, we'd like to offer this first tale of The Pulptress for free to any takers for a limited time.  And New Pulp fans take note-There is a special guest star in this first tale that many New Pulpsters may recognize."

The tale, written by Hancock, is one of a collection that is being written and will be printed by Pro Se Productions when complete.  Other writers currently participating in this collection include Derrick Ferguson, Robin Bailey, Ron Fortier, and Barry Reese.  

In order to get your free copy, email Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net between now and Sunday, June 5th, 2011 and the story will be emailed to you directly.

"This is an opportunity," Hancock pointed out, "to introduce your friends who may know nothing of New Pulp to the Movement and get others interested in the heroic fiction some of today's best writers are producing!"

ALL PULP INTERVIEWS THE FACE OF NEW PULP-THE PULPTRESS!

AP:  It is indeed a pleasure to have you at ALL PULP today!  I’m fairly sure this will be a short answer, but can you tell us something about you personally?  Some background maybe?

PULPTRESS: (laughs) Sorry, but the mask is my free pass on most of that question.  Let’s see, I’m twenty something…maybe.   I have august red hair…unless I don’t.   My eyes are brown with hints of green…except when they aren’t.  I’m just your every day average girl…who can use any weapon put in her pretty porcelain hands.  I will say that I came into the world much like everyone else did, even though things changed dramatically not long after my auspicious beginnings.   But looking back on it, I don’t think I’d change a day.  Except maybe one, my ninety third one, so I’ve been told.

AP:  Your…when you were three months old.  That would be when your parents…

PULPTRESS:  Yes, when they disappeared.    They were well known in the Pulp crime fighting circle, probably the best known.  I haven’t been told much about them, only that they had made a plan in case something like….them disappearing happened.  Which it did, so I’m thankful they planned ahead.

AP:  Best known?  Many people speculate that your parents weren’t just any crimefighters, but-

THE PULPTRESS as drawn by
Rob Davis

PULPTRESS:  Ah, ah, ah. (shaking a single red nail tipped finger playfully) Not something to discuss on, off, or even to break a record.  I didn’t have them at all that I can remember, but they gave me the next best thing.  A family like none anyone has ever had.

AP:  Yes, you had a particularly interesting raising.  Can you talk about that at all?

PULPTRESS:  Enough just to tease your readers, certainly.  The plan that my parents had devised in case of their…being unable to raise me was basically the next best possible option.  I was left with one of my parents’ closest confidantes until I was able to walk and talk. At that point, my training began.  I have lived with Cherokee Indians, Inuit tribesmen, Shinto priests, and any other group of experts in anything you can think of.  I’ve been taught every style of fighting by the fiercest warriors, academics by today’s greatest minds, science and other disciplines by people that most only believe are legend and rumor.  From my first steps until my 18^th birthday, I was steeped in disguise, strategy, espionage, and every learnable skill, field, and technique that the world had an expert in. 

AP:  Really?  To what purpose?

PULPTRESS:  That’s another thing wrapped in innuendo and smoke.  Some say that there’s a greater good I’m being prepared for, something my parents knew I would have to be ready to face.  Others say it wasn’t so grand, that they just wanted to groom me to follow in their footsteps.  (Chuckles)  There’s a few who think that I was brought up that way because it was the only life my parents ever knew.  Regardless, I consider myself the luckiest gal in the world for the way I came up in the world.

AP:  And now that you’ve survived until adulthood, you seem to actually have taken up where your parents left off.  Why?

PULPTRESS:  Not just my parents, but most of my foster family as well.  And the why is fairly simple.  Even though I learned many different things from all the teachers and mentors I had around the world, they each imparted one common idea to me, almost a mantra.  ‘Regardless of how the world changes, it will always need a Hero.”  I had other options, choices I could have made.  Any career I wanted was an open door.  But those words were etched in my heart and wear heavy on my mind every day.  And there’s not a truer statement.  So, yeah, that’s why.

THE PULPTRESS as drawn by
Ralf van der Hoeven

AP:  Interesting.  All right, what is it you do, then?  How do you describe your chosen vocation?

PULPTRESS:  Adventurer, Explorer, Problem Solver, a gal who likes a good fight and is good at fighting?  All of those fit and a few more.  Basically I’m the person that Henry Fonda described even better than Steinbeck himself wrote it.  Wherever someone is need, wherever someone is hurt and abused, wherever there’s absolutely no chance to survive, no way out, no justice at all, I am there.  I do all I can to meet the need, fix the hurt, save all I can, cut a door where there isn’t any, and bring justice in the prettiest package ever.  That’s what I do.

AP:  And on top of that, you recently debuted as the public face and voice for Pro Se Productions and even more than that, for the New Pulp Movement at the recent first PULP ARK Convention/Conference.  How did that happen?

PULPTRESS:  Have you met Tommy Hancock?  That man could talk the North Wind into blowing from the South if he wanted to.  (Laughs) Among many of the attributes that I picked up through the years was reading.  I often would rather read than eat and sleep and almost more than punching bad guys.  (Grins) Almost.   I’ve read thousands and thousands of volumes, tomes, and manifestos, but my favorite genre has always been Pulp.  I know, right?   But it has.  The classic heroic fiction rendered by Gibson, Burroughs, Dent, and others has a special place in my heart.  Part of that has to do with it being so reminiscent of people I have known throughout my life, heroes who lived Pulp lives all their own.

When I got to know Tommy due to our paths crossing, and that’s a tale someone should one day write, he exposed me to the writers and artists that have made New Pulp the force it is today.  And he brought up the fact that many consider me the New Pulp Heroine of the 21^st Century and that New Pulp, while continuing the traditions established by the classics, is its own Movement, so there’s a relationship of sorts between the two.  And it doesn’t hurt a girl, even one in a mask, to be associated with the best stories told today for the readers of tomorrow!

AP:  So, you signed on just because you liked to read Pulp?  Or is there more, does New Pulp have an importance all its own?

PULPTRESS:  Of course it does.  Actually, it’s the same importance, the same mission that I feel like I have.  Regardless of how the world changes, it will always need stories about Heroes.  New Pulp provides that in spades and aces.   You don’t just get a rapid action high adventure tale with New Pulp stories.  You get ideals to reach, models to follow, and the reassuring fact that no matter how dark reality gets, the light eventually shines through.  You can’t get more important than that. 

AP:  What about your stories?  Any plans for a New Pulp writer to tackle the life and times of The Pulptress?  Or are you more of a to yourself kind of girl?

PULPTRESS:  Are you kidding?  The lady who, depending on what the adventure is, comes dressed as a cowgirl, a space explorer, pirate, or whatever fits being a to herself kind of girl?  Yeah, right.  Stories are not only underway, but multiple authors, like Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, Ron Fortier, and Robin Bailey, are already committed to a collection spotlighting me and my rollicking adventures. The collection, when ready, will be available from Pro Se Productions. And, on the ball as he is, Tommy has already completed one story about me in the Big Apple and is hard at work on another one…one about me at home. 

 AP:  That brings up a good final question.  Where is home?  Who are you when you hang up the mask on the hook beside your fedora?  Who are you when you’re not The Pulptress?

PULPTRESS:  Home is…the only place where The Pulptress isn’t.  Other than there, I can’t be…don’t want to be anything other than The Pulptress.

AP:  And the New Pulp Movement and the world are thankful for that.  Thank you so much for taking time to talk to ALL PULP.

PULPTRESS:  Hey, anytime.  It’s not often bullets stop flying and villains stop trying to conquer the world long enough for me just to visit. So thank you!


(Want to follow The Pulptress daily?  Then join 'The Pulptress' Page on Facebook!!!  And follow her here at ALL PULP, as well as at pulpmachine.blogspot.com and http://www.newpulpfiction.com/!)

PORTABLE NEW PULP PROGRAMMING FOR CONVENTIONS OF ALL TYPES NOW AVAILABLE!

 

Press Release-

PRO SE PRODUCTIONS’ NEW PULP PROGRAMMING

SETS SAIL TO A CONVENTION NEAR YOU!

May 28th, 2011                                                              Batesville, AR

Pro Se Productions, LLC.,  a Publisher of New Pulp books, anthologies, and magazines, as well as the sponsor of PULP ARK, a Creators Conference/Fan Convention that debuted in Arkansas May 13-15, 2011, announces today plans to offer Pulp convention programming to other Conventions, Pulp and otherwise.

Dubbed NEW PULP CONVENTION PROGRAMMING, Pro Se Productions Partner and Editor in Chief Tommy Hancock states, “With the success of PULP ARK in terms of programming, education, and entertainment all in a Pulp vein, there has been much discussion on how to share this with others that can’t get to Arkansas. PULP ARK 2012 is already being planned, but we began looking at avenues to do even more than that.  Out of a discussion about possibly hosting other NEW PULP conventions came an extremely interesting idea.

“So many conventions,” Hancock continued, “that have or should have aspects related to New Pulp already exist.  Comic conventions, old time radio and new audio drama shows, genre specific gatherings like Horror, Western, etc., the list is probably endless.  Instead of adding a whole roster of NEW PULP Cons to that, Pro Se Productions now offers NEW PULP CON PROGRAMMING PACKAGES.  Essentially what this means is Pro Se Productions will provide any interested convention or show with Pulp related programming.  These packages will range from a single one hour session to a full blown multiday experience, including panels, classrooms, interactive theater drama, and other special events.  Although this is New Pulp programming, panels and classrooms will also include sessions on classic Pulp as well because without those at the beginning, there would not be a New Pulp Movement today.”

These packages, according to Hancock, will include Panel and Classroom presenters, actors for any dramas and participants from other activities drawn from some of the biggest names in New Pulp today. The packages emulate the program used for the first PULP ARK, one that received rave reviews from guests and fans in attendance.  And location is not a concern.  “If your show is in Colorado for example,” Hancock explains, “then we would draw our presenters for various panels and classrooms from the New Pulp community that exists there.  The same goes for Georgia, New York, other states, and even Canada.   Our plan is to provide conventions with the best New Pulp programming possible at the best rate possible. However, if you want a full line up of top of the line New Pulp writers and artists and are willing to cover expenses, Pro Se will at the best of our ability arrange to partner with the best possible and get them to your event.”

The Packages are as follows-(NOTE-All packages depend on Author/Artist availability.  No financial exchange will occur until the Convention Producers, Pro Se Productions, and the Staff Pro Se will dispatch are in full agreement)

NEW PULP PACKAGE ONE-Introduction-Basic

If a New Pulp Artist or Author is within 50 miles of your convention/show and you are interested in a one hour Classroom or Panel, then Pro Se will set this up.  The only cost is that the attending NEW PULP Author/artist be provided a table at the convention free of charge, if requested.

NEW PULP PACKAGE TWO-Single Day-Full Basic Programming

Three Classrooms and/or Panels utilizing a minimum of Three NEW PULP Artists/Writers. (If more than three are wanted/necessary, then cost may be higher)

Cost-$200.00 plus free tables for each Artist/Author Attending as well as any travel expenses incurred by Authors/Artists more than 50 miles away from Convention site.

NEW PULP PACKAGE THREE-Single Day-Deluxe Programming

Three Classrooms and/or Panels utilizing a minimum of Three NEW PULP Artists/Writers. (If more than three are wanted/necessary, then cost may be higher)

A fully produced Pulp Drama done onsite or another similar event (total time 1.5-2.5 hours

Cost-$300.00 plus free tables for each Artist/Author Attending as well as any travel expenses incurred by Authors/Artists more than 50 miles away from Convention site.

NEW PULP PACKAGE FOUR-MultiDay Deluxe Programming

Three Classrooms and/or Panels  each FULL DAY utilizing a minimum of Three NEW PULP Artists/Writers. (If more than three are wanted/necessary, then cost may be higher) (One-two panels/classrooms on partial days)

A fully produced Pulp Drama done onsite (total time 1.5-2.5 hours) that can either be performed in one setting or throughout the convention’s run.

An event to be determined in negotiation (Old Time Radio recreations, further drama, Pulped! Game Show, and other possibilities exist)

Cost will include free tables for each Artist/Author Attending as well as any travel expenses incurred by Authors/Artists more than 50 miles away from Convention site and Hotel expenses incurred by those who are not local to the area.   Cost beyond this must be negotiated due to multiple factors, including number of days expected, etc.

Hancock also reports, “Although we have a beginning list of writers and artists from one coast to the other and beyond that will participate in this Programming, schedules allowing, any New Pulp Writer/Artist interested in participating can contact me and if they fit what we’re looking for, we’ll add them to our list of available personalities to participate.”

Hancock states, “What we want to do with NEW PULP Programming is allow any Convention or Show interested in having a Pulp line of programming included in their regular schedule of events, programming that they do not have to plan, design, recruit, or set up for.  We will come in and all we’ll require is to be pointed in the direction where we’ll speak, teach, and perform from.  This will be beneficial to not only New Pulp, but also to the Convention itself as well as bringing new fans to each and introducing existing fanbases to another entertaining aspect of Pop Culture-New Pulp!”

For More information, contact Hancock at 870-834-4022 or at proseproductions@earthlink.net.

TIPPIN’ HANCOCKS HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock

HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD: VOL II-

Barry Reese, David Boop, Ian Taylor, Joel Jenkins, Ron Fortier, Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Deja, Desmond Reddick, Grahm Eberhardt, Dale W. Glaser, Ian Mileham, Stacy Dooks, Mark Mousquet, Matthew P. Mayo, Kevin Thornton, David Golightly, Tommy Hancock, Tony Wilson, Derrick Ferguson, Mike McGee

Edited by Russ Anderson

Published by Pulpwork Press

A truly American genre, the Western story holds so much meaning, so much emotion, so much raw action for anyone who reads it.  It also holds a whole passle of potential that until recent years, people were afraid to explore.  Due to the impact of western movies and such iconic luminaries as Louis L’Amour (one known to put the genre on its ear every now and again himself), the Western had for many years this ‘Oh, you can’t go outside the established boundaries’ unspoken rule.   And I’ll be the first to say that there are still a ton of stories that can be told within those parameters.  But I’m also glad to say that there’s a group of writers, an entire movement known as New Pulp, that recognizes just where Westerns can go that they haven’t yet, and those writers are taking this genre there yet again.

HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD: VOL II, edited by Russ Anderson and published by Pulpwork Press, is a follow up collection to the very popular bestselling first volume, but stands on its own as a stellar collection of speculative Western fiction.  Not only are the traditional trappings strapped on for this rollicking rodeo of weirdness, but even the ‘supernatural’ or ‘strange’ elements seem to go beyond the ken in several of the stories.  This is a major positive because it shows that New Pulp can be different, can be enjoyable, and yet still hold on to the traditions and style that classic Pulps originated.

NOTE-As I review each story and the book overall, I will not be commenting on my story in this volume.  WEST OF FORT SMITH is my tale and that will be reviewed by others when they look at the collection, but I do not feel right talking about my work. 

DESIGN AND FORMAT-This is absolutely an exceptionally formatted book.  Easy to read, well laid out, and the Tamas Jakab designed cover, fantastically rendered by Jim Rugg adds that ‘new classic’ touch to this gorgeous looking paper back collection.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

EDITING-Anderson does a tremendous job at not only providing mostly error free editing, but also in how these tales were placed in the book.  Each one seemed to build on the ones previous to it in terms of tension and quality.  Determining placement in such a mixed bag anthology as this one is extremely difficult, so fedoras off to Russ for handling this extremely well.  FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

STORIES-

DESOLATION by BARRY REESE-This is a tale about family, about belief, and about just how crazy perception can be.  But it’s more than that, it’s a peek into the desperation that haunts every human soul, but must have been particularly strong in the wide open spaces of the West.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

THE RAG DOLL KID by DAVID BOOP-This is not just any ghost story, although it is a well crafted one of those.  This tale takes the reader on a journey of what makes a man who he is and how even at the end of his life, keeps him going until the job is done.  FIVE OUT FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

THEY CALL HIM PAT by IAN TAYLOR- This one falls into the weird category because of ‘Pat’ and is one of those that goes a little farther than most would think.  Saying that, this is one helluva classic western ‘Stranger in town’ tale and were Clint Eastwood prone to play weird parts, Pat was written for him.  FIVE OUT FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

THE LOST VALE by JOEL JENKINS-Mixing historical characters with Doyle influenced locations and creatures is something that sounds easy, but would actually take an artisan to pull off.  Joel Jenkins proves to be just the man for the job.  The story reads as it should, like a Western with weird sprinkled throughout it for good taste and measure.  The sheer number of characters to follow is a slight drawback, but Jenkins turns out one heckuva tale that would make a Challenger proud! FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

THE YELLOW DOG by RON FORTIER- This story goes into an area many Western writers haven’t gone, even traditionally and that’s the Western Animal subgenre.  Typified by such books as OL’ YELLER and the FLICKA series, writers tend to shy away from this direction because it’s a fine line between Western rawness and sentimentality.  Fortier walks that line well, dipping liberally from both sides and producing a hard edged Western tale that explores the connection between man and beast.  FIVE OUT FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

MR. BRASS AND THE DEVIL’S TEETH by JOSHUA REYNOLDS-Reynolds gets points right off the bat for teaming up his steampunk Pinkerton with one of the most underrated yet interesting outlaws that ever rode the West.  Frank James and Brass set out after a whole pack of owlhoots that have a bit of an advantage, thanks to cursed objects.  Reynolds keeps a distinctly Western flavor throughout, while still interspersing the conflict Brass feels about being more…or is that less…than human.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

THUNDER PURSUED by THOMAS DEJA-This was a fantastically fun tale that went a different direction than most of the others did.  Suffice it to say, seeing a Western character that had hints and glimmers of Doc Savage is not only something I enjoyed, but something I hope I see much more of.    Deja also deftly handled an exploration of Western family and friendship dynamics as well.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

WALKER ON THE WIND by DESMOND REDDICK-Reddick takes the reader to the far West, using members of the Mounted Police, and plunges them all into the desolate, frozen West and all the horrors that and a man’s mind may hide.  The suspense built well, the character narration was engaging, and the end result extremely and appropriately disturbing.  Although putting together the pieces of the story seemed to be a bit slow, Reddick definitely knows how to make one’s hair stand up and never hear the wind blowing the same way again.  FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

THE VELVET SCOURGE by GRAHM EBERHARDT-This story so intrigued me I had to immediately read it again.  Eberhardt must have been channeling Sergio Leone with a liberal dash of Poe and Hitchcock to boot.  A totally reprehensible character takes the lead and by the end of it becomes the only one I was cheering for.  Characterization was top notch, establishment of atmosphere was unbelievable, and I’d be more than happy to see more from this author and this character in the near future.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

THE DEMON WRESTLER by DALE W. GLASER-This story took a little bit to get into, but as the smoke cleared, what remained in whole was a fantastic story of just what people will believe and what others will go through to benefit from those beliefs.  FOUR OUT FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

TELL ME YOU LOVE ME AND THAT’LL BE AN END TO IT by IAN MILEHAM-Mileham does two things in this tale:  He delivers one heck of an atmospheric telling of just how a murder might be handled in the Old West; and He drifts into the psychological as well as supernatural thriller realm as smoothly as silk and leaves the reader happily frighteningly chilled.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

UNHALLOWED GROUND by STACY DOOKS-Going back North for this Western tale, Dooks creates two memorable leads that basically fit the ‘buddy cop’ motif Old West style and then promptly throws them into a psychedelic Hell.  Even with that twist, this story holds up as a wonderfully written Western because, after all, Westerns are about ordinary men facing extraordinary challenges.  And Dooks definitely provides all of that in spades.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

TRAIN COMES A-BURNIN’ by MARK BOUSQUET-I don’t know how to summarize this tale except to say that I hope there’s a novel that rises out of it in the future.  Two women board a train, each with a shared, yet their own distinct missions to complete.  Throw in a special forces type outfit, some monsters, and kids and their teddy bears, and you have one wild Western roundup.  It very much felt like the middle of a story, though, and sorting things out was a bit jarring, but as I opened with, I want the novel.  Now.  FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

THE WITCH HOLE by MATTHEW P. MAYO-Let me admit, this type of tale is not usually my favorite.  I can’t really tell you why, except that I wasn’t the kid who was into the mystery comics and such when I was young.  And this one reads as if it would fit perfectly in an old DC House of Mystery or an EC comic.   That, however, is the reason that I liked it as much as I did-because as I read it, I could see the artwork, I could see the creepy green and black coloring.  The set up, the premise, and the characters smack heavily and enjoyably of that 1950s and 60s weird tale comic story, even though it’s in prose.  FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

THE TESTIMONY OF CONSTABLE FRASER by KEVIN THORNTON-It’s interesting that in this volume of Western tales, so many writers chose to explore the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for stories.  And thankfully so.  Thornton not only paints a great image of a central character in Fraser, but he tells a story that simultaneously is serial killer/Western/ancient history mystery and it all blends together like hardtack and coffee at a campfire.  And yes, that’s good.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

RAID AT RAZORFANG RANCH by DAVID GOLIGHTLY-This was refreshing in the midst and toward the end of the book. Golightly takes us not only into the Weird West, but into ranch life and shows how hard both the work and that sort of living can be in general.  Combining that with the peculiar livestock the ranch deals in, Golightly delivers a quick draw blast of action and characterization.  FIVE OUT FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

WEST OF FORT SMITH by TOMMY HANCOCK-As said before, skipping this one.

BEAST OF THE BLACK HILLS by TONY WILSON-Yes, this is a weird tale, involving everything from green glowing severed heads to hairy bipeds and more, but Wilson does something even more fantastic.  The two main characters in this story could just as well be in any John Wayne buddy western or Larry McMurtry’s LONESOME DOVE or Robert B. Parker’s turn at Western series.  They are men fully realized, strengths and flaws and bonds between them included.  The internal voice of one of them that Wilson uses for narration is absolutely dead on.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

STORMS OF BLOOD AND SNOW by DERRICK FERGUSON-Derrick Ferguson has a gift.  That is to take aspects and traits and render whole cloth full blown love and hate ‘em characters from varied pieces and parts.  Sebastian Red and the cast he leads through Derrick’s multilayered Western tale, that is part ‘man in pursuit,’ ‘blood feud’ and ‘Act of God versus Man’ all rolled together, are real people by the time you finish the story, real enough you want to see them again.  And often.  FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT

TERROR IN TOYLAND by Mike McGee-Now, for me, this story just didn’t fit.  It’s a modern tale, which is all right with me, but I didn’t get that it had a Western feel to it.  It was, however, a fantastic slice of life after some apocalyptic event had changed at least the part of the world it’s set in.  McGee tells a great story and the narration was fun and equally creepy, which I feel like was the intent.  As a matter of fact, the strength of the story itself overcomes a little of my discombulation about its inclusion in this collection.  FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT.

HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD: VOLUME II will be out  July 1^st, 2011.  You’re a dagnabbed fool if you don’t get it as soon as it splits the batwing doors of your favorite online book outlet.  Stay tuned at http://www.pulpwork.com/ for more details and get it on your wish list today, Pard. Or Else.

OVERALL RATING-FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-Yeehaw, indeed!

RADIO ARCHIVES KEEPS POUNDING OUT CLASSIC AUDIO PULP!

May 27, 2011

It's the Latest Newsletter from RadioArchives.com!

* New in Old Time Radio: Joe Palooka
* New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49
* A Pirate's Booty in Our Treasure Chest
* Also New in Old Time Radio: The Jimmy Durante Show, Volume 2
* Letters, We Get Letters...

Have a Problem? Have a Question? Just Need Some Assistance? We're Here to Help! We all know that, though technology can be tremendously useful and convenient, it can also be confusing and unpredictable. When the unexplainable happens, it's nice to have someone to turn to for assistance - and that kind of personalized help is what RadioArchives.com offers you every day of the week!

At RadioArchives.com, we believe in real customer service - the sort of patient one-on-one help that it's hard to find anymore. If you find yourself having trouble ordering from us, or if you just aren't sure how to do something, feel free to drop us a line at Service@RadioArchives.com or give us a call at 800-886-0551. We'll be happy to diagnose the problem, walk you through the process, and also answer any questions you may have.

New in Old Time Radio: Joe Palooka During radio's heyday, it was common to adapt stories and characters from the comic strips into shows for radio listeners to enjoy. In some cases, the results were extraordinarily successful; Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie, sponsored by Ovaltine, became a radio legend, while both Jungle Jim and Flash Gordon enjoyed weekly success. But, surprisingly, some of the biggest names in the comics failed to click with listeners – and, in 1945, one of those big names was that of the popular prizefighter of the funny papers, Joe Palooka.

Created by cartoonist Ham Fisher, Joe Palooka had made his newspaper debut in 1930. Since that time, his popularity had grown to the point that his exploits were being carried in 900 newspapers throughout the country – helped, no doubt, by the fact that the pugilist had spent the war years serving in the United States Army. One of the earliest characters to enlist, Joe joined the military in 1940 and spent the next five years fighting the Axis forces in both his daily and Sunday comic strips. Not surprisingly, he was a big hit with GI's, his adventures printed in both Stars and Stripes and Yank, two newspapers printed exclusively for military personnel.

Realizing that the war had brought fame and respect to the character far beyond his expectations, in 1945, Ham Fisher decided that it was time to bring Joe Palooka back to radio in a new series of peacetime adventures. To bring his comic strip to life, Fisher first contacted Harold Conrad, a former Broadway columnist who had lately turned to press agentry and free-lance writing. There was no question that Conrad had knowledge of the boxing world and Fisher felt that his fascination with the eccentrics and rogues that populated the sport would infuse the radio version with an authentic ringside flavor. Conrad agreed to write a couple of radio scripts for a syndicated series to be produced by Graphic Radio Productions, Inc. Two audition shows were quickly produced by the NBC Radio-Recording Division in their Chicago Merchandise Mart studios, but the series failed to sell.

Undaunted by this, Ham Fisher then took the concept to John Boler, the President of the North Central Broadcasting System, which supplied programming to a number of midsized radio stations. Boler, in conjunction with Fisher's partners, agreed to produce a five-a-week radio series to be recorded in the studios of the L. S. Toogood Recording Company in Chicago. Recording began in the fall of 1945 and, over the next few months, a total of 130 fifteen-minute episodes were produced – 26 weeks worth of daily shows. As it turned out, however, 1946 was not a good year for North Central Broadcasting; in the summer, the company filed for bankruptcy and, by the end of the year, it was no more. With all of the financial complications, "Joe Palooka" failed to get the publicity and salesmanship that it deserved and, unfortunately, the series never aired outside of a few small local markets.

Though disappointed by the way things turned out, Ham Fisher remained enthusiastic about Joe Palooka's potential for broadcasting – but radio, it seemed, was not to be his medium. Fisher turned his attention to television and, by 1953, "The Story of Joe Palooka" made its video bow in a syndicated series produced by Guild Films. The radio series, having been heard by very few people, fell into obscurity and has been almost completely forgotten by radio historians – but luckily, a few months ago, Radio Archives acquired twenty episodes of the series, as well as the 1945 audition recordings made by NBC. The result is a brand new five-hour collection containing twenty episodes of "Joe Palooka", as well as the two NBC auditions. For fans of comic strips, as well as those who grew up with Joe Palooka in the movies and on television, it's a rare chance to hear this iconic American hero on the air in his own radio series.

For over fifty years, Joe Palooka, his colorful manager Knobby Walsh, his girlfriend Ann Howe, and the many other characters that populated the comic strip brought enjoyment to millions of devoted readers. In this five CD set, priced at just $14.98, you'll enjoy five full hours of his radio adventures, made available here for the very first time since 1945. It's a fascinating glimpse into the history of an American icon who entertained and inspired American youth – and it's now available from RadioArchives.com.New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49Back in the 1930s, it was common to find teenagers and grown men alike gathering around their neighborhood newsstand, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the latest adventures of their favorite pulp heroes. Nowadays, however, it's far easier for fans of Doc Savage and The Shadow to get the latest tales of these two timeless adventure favorites: just stop by RadioArchives.com and you'll find two brand new and just released reprints featuring the Man of Bronze and the Knight of Darkness waiting for you!

In "Doc Savage Volume 48", priced at just $14.95, you'll thrill to the classic adventures of the Man of Bronze in two original novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, what is the bizarre connection between the appearance of "Red Snow" and the disappearance of a United States senator? Our national security may depend on Doc Savage's discovery of the sinister secret! Then, in "Death Had Yellow Eyes", Monk Mayfair is abducted while the Man of Bronze is framed for bank robbery and murder. This classic pulp reprint is available in two editions: one features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, while the alternate edition features an impressive painting by Bantam artist James Bama. Both feature Paul Orban's classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of seven Doc Savage novels which are soon to be released as audiobooks by RadioArchives.com. (For more information on these exciting new releases, click here: Audiobooks from RadioArchives.com)

Next, the radio origins of the Knight of Darkness are showcased in "The Shadow Volume 49", priced at just $14.95 and featuring two classic pulp novels by Walter Gibson, writing as Maxwell Grant. First, the Dark Avenger teams with Secret Service agent Vic Marquette to investigate a far-reaching counterfeiting ring in "The Shadow Laughs!", the landmark novel that introduced the real Lamont Cranston. Then, how can The Shadow prove that an innocent man is not a murderer when several witnesses have identified the young man as the "Voice of Death"? This instant collector's item features the original color pulp covers by Jerome Rozen and Graves Gladney, classic interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular-culture historians Will Murray and Anthony Tollin.

Both of these collectable publications are now available at RadioArchives.com – and, to get one or both, you'll pay just $3.00 flat rate shipping, delivered anywhere in the United States. If you just can't get enough of these two exciting heroes – as well as The Spider, The Avenger, and The Whisperer – stop by RadioArchives.com and place your order right away.A Pirate's Booty in Our Treasure Chest
If you keep up with the movie business, you know that pirates have once again returned to the silver screen in another big-budget blockbuster. Hoisting the Jolly Roger and setting sail for adventure on the high seas, these bloodthirsty characters have been a part of film history since the days when Douglas Fairbanks drew his sword and slid down the mainsail in "The Black Pirate".

One of the motivations of any good buccaneer has always been the pursuit of buried treasure – legendary mother lodes of gold doubloons, jewels, and untold riches, hidden away and just waiting to be plundered. But if you're a regular Radio Archives customer, you know that you don't need to find a hidden map or sail the seven seas to uncover that treasure chest; you'll find one waiting for you every time you visit our home page at RadioArchives.com. Just see the booty that's coming your way this week:

* Today through Monday May 30th, you can get our newest CD set - "Joe Palooka", a $14.98 value - for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.

* On Tuesday May 31st, pulp fiction's legendary super-sleuth returns in "The Shadow Volume 5", featuring two classic stories by Walter Gibson. In "The Black Falcon", Lamont Cranston is abducted by a kidnapper who unearths secrets from The Shadow's mysterious past. Then, the Knight of Darkness must defeat a Dragon of Fire before the city becomes a blazing inferno in an action-packed thriller titled "The Salamanders". This instant collector's item also features the original pulp covers by George Rozen, interior illustrations by Tom Lovell, and "The Island of Ancient Death," a bonus Shadow story adapted from the Mutual Broadcasting System radio program by scriptwriter Gibson Scott Fox. This beautifully reformatted double-novel reprint is normally priced at $12.95 - but you can enjoy these two exciting adventures for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.

* On Wednesday June 1st, lovers of both pulp and radio adventure will thrill to "Adventures by Morse, Volume 1", a ten-CD collection featuring two bloodcurdling multi-part tales from the pen of radio's renaissance man, Carlton E. Morse: "The City of the Dead" and "The Cobra King Strikes Back". Transferred from the original one-of-kind test pressings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity, this exciting set offers the finest sounding and most complete versions of these two suspenseful tales ever made available. This timeless compact disc collection normally sells for $29.98 - but, for one day only, it can be yours for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more. But wait! There's more pulpy excitement to come!

* In the 1930s, writer George Harmon Coxe introduced a new character to the pages of "Black Mask Magazine": a hardboiled newspaper photojournalist named Casey. Instantly popular with readers, in 1943, CBS brought his pulp exploits to radio in "Casey, Crime Photographer", a series of lighthearted mystery tales that combined solid plots, eccentric characters, and the off-center dialogue that could only come from a series set in The Blue Note Bar. Adapted for radio by Alonzo Deen Cole ("The Witch's Tale"), the series is a true radio classic - and on Thursday June 2nd, you can get "Casey, Crime Photographer, Volume 1", a 10-CD set featuring twenty original broadcasts, for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more. This collection normally sells for $29.98. 

We're sorry but, at these low prices, multiple orders cannot be combined into single shipments. Each separate order must be placed on the days on which the specials are offered and no early or late orders will be accepted.

So don't wait until you've seen the latest pirate movie. Stop by RadioArchives.com today and stake your own claim to the Treasure Chest that's waiting for you. It's a simple and affordable way to add something special to each and every one of your orders with us – and you'll never even have to leave port to get it!

Letters...We Get Letters...

Listen to this Newsletter!

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The releases we've described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you'll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it's pulp fiction classics, colorful and exciting books from Moonstone, timeless movies and televisi on shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you'll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in entertainment.
We'd love to hear from you! Send an e-mail to Service@RadioArchives.com or call us toll free at 800-886-0551 with your comments, questions, or suggestions.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you'll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!

A lot of companies complain about the amount of mail they receive each day – but here at RadioArchives.com, we love to read the letters we get from our customers. It's wonderful to see how many of you appreciate and enjoy the many products we have to offer, as well as our low-cost shipping and world-class customer service. Here are a few of the e-mails we've received recently, with many thanks to the nice folks who sent them to us.

Bill Downs listens to "The Lives of Harry Lime" and writes:
The quality of the recordings is outstanding. Orson Welles is Harry Lime as he was created to be. Thanks again for preserving an important part of our history.

Tom Kokenge writes:
I find the audio version of your newsletter and it's production values to be of the same high caliber as the newsletter and the website. Frankly you don't get any better than your website so, trust me, that is high praise indeed. You have a great voice for radio, as the saying goes, and it sounds like you are really enjoying yourself as you do them. The hard work to write and produce the newsletter really shows in the finished product.

Gary Kalin reads his copy of "Doc Savage Volume 7" and writes:
"The Lost Oasis" is one of my favorite Doc Savage novels, with "The Sargasso Ogre" a close second. "The Lost Oasis" has everything that make this a first class story: zeppelins, vampire bats, diamond mines, and poor souls in trouble. Mr. Dent had a true talent for writing about flying and airships. Where "Oasis" left off, "The Sargasso Ogre" picks up as Doc and his crew make their way back to New York. "Ogre" is interesting that Doc goes up against a bad guy just about as strong as he is. If you have never read a Doc Savage, this would be a good book and two stories to start with.

We appreciate both your thoughts and your letters. If you'd like to see your comments and reviews in our newsletter, just send an e-mail to Service@RadioArchives.com. We'll be happy to hear from you.