FORTIER TAKES ON AGENT PENDERGAST'S LATEST FROM PRESTON AND CHILD!

FEVER DREAM

By Preston & Child

Vision Books

540 pages

Since creating their unique modern pulp hero, FBI Special Agent Pendergast, writers Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have miserly doled out small pieces of his background history.  The highlight of which seemed to be the monumental trilogy that depicted the battle with his demented brother, Diogenes.  Still there remains missing elements and with FEVER DREAM, the tenth book in the series, the pair once again sets about filling in those pieces.  At the offset we are introduced to Helen Esterhazy, the beautiful and brilliant woman who would be Mrs. Pendergast for an all too brief time only to die in a horrible hunting accident while on safari in Africa.

Now, twelve years after that tragic event, Pendergast uncovers irrefutable evidence that Helen’s death was not an accident but murder, the result of a well orchestrated scheme but a merciless killer. A man of obsessive passions, once this information comes to light, Pendergast becomes a living dynamo set upon a singular quest; to discover the murderers and wreak his vengeance upon them.  To accomplish this, he recruits his long time friend and ally, New York police detective, Vincent D’Agosta much to the frustration of the cop’s lover, Chief Laura Hayward.  Hayward doesn’t trust Pendergast because of his unorthodox methods and is forever worried his recklessness will jeopardize D’Agosta career or worse, get him killed.

This time her fears are almost realized as the pair begin traveling the globe unaware their inquiries into this decades old mystery has made them the targets of a ruthless, professional killer. The non-stop action moves from the African bush to the bayou swamplands of the south making FEVER DREAM another solid entry into what has become this reviewer’s favorite modern pulp series.  As I’ve always preferred paperback editions to the hardbacks, my apologies for these reviews being somewhat late.  If you love great characters and truly bizarre story plots, the Special Agent Pendergast books should be on your must-read list.  Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

MORE SKY RANGER FROM LANCE STAR AUTHOR NASH!

From http://www.lance-star.com/

The Lance Star: Sky Ranger Interviews Continue - Author Bobby Nash

Bobby Nash

With the announcement of Lance Star: Sky Ranger joining the iPulp Fiction Library, we wanted to introduce readers to some of the Honorary Sky Rangers involved with making these stories happen. Next up is Lance Star: Sky Ranger Author Bobby Nash.

LSSR: Tell us a little about yourself and where readers can find out more about you and your work?

One Shot! Art by James Burns

BN: I’m a writer of novels, comic books, novellas, short stories, graphic novels, and the occasional screenplay. My novels include Evil Ways and Fantastix. My comic book work includes Fuzzy Bunnies From Hell, Demonslayer, Lance Star: Sky Ranger “One Shot”, and the upcoming Domino Lady vs. Mummy. My short prose includes A Fistful of Legends, Full Throttle Space Tales Vol. 2: Space Sirens, and the upcoming Green Hornet Case Files and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. My novellas include Lance Star: Sky Ranger, Ravenwood: Stepson of Mystery, Domino Lady; plus the upcoming Secret Agent X and The Avenger titles. My graphic novels include Yin Yang; I Am Googol: The Great Invasion, and Fantastix. You can see a full list of credits on my website, www.bobbynash.com. I also regularly post at www.lance-star.com, www.facebook.com/bobbyenash, and www.twitter.com/bobbynash.

LSSR: How did you become involved with the Lance Star: Sky Ranger series?

Space Ranger Art By Jeff Austin

BN: It’s all Ron Fortier’s fault. Ron my table neighbor at the 2005 Dragon Con convention in Atlanta in 2005. At least I think that’s the right year. The cons start to run together after awhile. Anyway, Ron and I had corresponded via message boards and email before, but this was the first time we’d met in person. Ron picked up my novel, Evil Ways, and reviewed it at his Pulp Fiction Reviews site. When he started up what eventually became Airship 27, he invited me to work on an anthology featuring a pulp aviator hero. That book became Lance Star: Sky Ranger. The rest, as they say, is history.

LSSR: Who is Lance Star? What makes pulp characters like Lance and the Sky Rangers appeal to you as a writer and a reader?

Lance Star Vol. 2 Cover by Shane Evans

BN: Lance Star embodies the best aspects of a pulp hero. He’s smart, inventive, courageous, fearless, and not afraid to do what’s necessary to stop the bad guys. Lance is also a nice guy. You want to be his friend, and if you are his friend you know he’s got your back. He’s a little bit John Wayne, a little bit Jimmy Stewart, and a little bit Indiana Jones. As a writer and reader, that’s a lot of fun.

LSSR: Digital content has changed the publishing landscape. As a creator, what excites you about digital content? As a reader?

BN: The digital frontier is an exciting undiscovered country for me. I’ve not read many eBooks, but that’s mainly because I spend all day writing and doing edits on computer so when I read for enjoyment it’s to get away from the computer. I like the idea of electronic books. Imagine the possibilities when you can have your entire library at your fingertips wherever you are. That’s pretty amazing.

The Adventure Continues...

As a writer, I think that eBooks, because of their easy access and generally lower prices, make it easier for readers to try something new. Someone who has never read my work may be more willing to give it a try for $1 as opposed to buying an entire novel or anthology. Digital content helps make that happen.

LSSR: Your Lance Star: Sky Ranger story, “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” is currently available in print and as an eBook from Airship 27, and is soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What can you tell us about this story? (plug it, tease it)

Where The Sea Meets The Sky. Cover art: Rich Woodall

BN: “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” was the first pulp story I ever wrote and I am quite proud of it. Lance Star flies his newest creation, a specialized seaplane called “The Nessie” to Hawaii where he intends to present it to the US Navy. Lance looked on this trip as a working vacation. The last thing he expected to find waiting for him was a sunken treasure, pirates, mobsters, and a rival pilot with a massive chip on his shoulder. If Lance isn’t careful, this adventure could be his last.

From the back cover of the anthology: Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, off the shores of Tropical Hawaii, a hidden treasure has been discovered. Now a band of sky pirates is out to steal it no matter how many innocent lives must be sacrificed in the process. Only Lance Star and the Sky Rangers can end their bloody assault.

LSSR: Airship 27 currently has two Lance Star: Sky Ranger anthologies in print and available as eBooks with several of those stories soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction as well as a Lance Star comic book. What’s next for these pulp heroes?

Still flying high...

BN: Volume 3 of the pulp anthology series from Airship 27 is in the works now. All four stories are in and the artist is currently busy working on the interior illustrations. Volume 3 features Lance Star: Sky Ranger stories from Bernadette Johnson, Sean Taylor, Van Allen Plexico, and myself. Interior art is by Shannon Hall. I’ll wait on the cover artist until the publisher announces it first.

In addition to volume 3, there are more comic book stories in the works, as well as some digital comic book offerings as well. Plus, the Lance Star: Sky Ranger novel, “Cold Snap!” is in production. I’ve had to set it aside for some other work, but it will be completed in 2011 to come out in 2012.

GH Cover Art: Reuben Procopio

LSSR: Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?

BN: July will see the release of two anthologies featuring stories by me. The Green Hornet Casefiles and Tales From The Zero Hour Vol. 4: Weird Tales. There are several other anthology tales in production, but I don’t know release dates as yet. On the comic book side of things, I wrote a Secret Agent X story (with Jeremy McHugh on art) for All-Star Pulp Comics, a one-shot comic anthology that should be out sometime this year. In October, Domino Lady Vs. Mummy will be out from Moonstone. Co-written by Nancy Holder and myself, this one-shot story is part of Moonstone’s Return Of The Monsters Halloween event and features gorgeous art by Rock Baker and Jeff Austin. Keep checking in at www.bobbynash.com for more information and release dates.

ZH Cover Art: Dirk Shearer

LSSR: Thanks, Bobby.

#####

Release schedule for Lance Star: Sky Ranger tales on iPulp:
06/17: Lance Star: Sky Ranger - Vol.1 #1: Attack of the Bird Man by Frank Dirsherl (now available)
07/07: Lance Star: Sky Ranger - Vol.1 #2: Where the Sea Meets the Sky by Bobby Nash
07/27: Lance Star: Sky Ranger - Vol.1 #3: Talons of the Red Condors by Bill Spangler

DL Cover Art: Dan Brereton

Visit the official Lance Star: Sky Ranger iPulp Library at http://www.ipulpfiction.com/bookstore.php?sort=Title
For more information on iPulp Fiction's offerings, please visit http://www.ipulpfiction.com/
For more information on Airship 27 Productions' offerings, please visit http://www.gopulp.info/
For more information on Lance Star: Sky Ranger, please visit http://www.lance-star.com/
For more information on Bobby Nash, please visit http://www.bobbynash.com/

ALL PULP INTERVIEWS NOTED PULP ARTIST ROB DAVIS ABOUT SKY RANGER!

With the announcement of Lance Star: Sky Ranger joining the iPulp Fiction Library, ALL PULP wanted to introduce readers to some of the Honorary Sky Rangers involved with making these stories happen. Next up is Lance star: Sky Ranger Art Director and Designer, Rob Davis.

AP: Tell us a little about yourself and where readers can find out more about you, your work, and Airship 27 Productions?

RD: I've been a freelance artist since 1986 working on such diverse projects as a Saturday morning cartoon adaptation for Marvel to Star Trek books for DC and Malibu Comics. Presently I'm the art director/designer for Airship 27, which encompasses the actual design and look of each of Airship 27's books to cover and interior illustrations. I'm also a comics publisher using the Redbud Studio Comics imprint to sell "print on demand" comics through IndyPlanet.com. Yeah, I'm busy!

AP: How did you become involved with the Lance Star: Sky Ranger series?

RD: Through my design work for Airship 27. We have been the publisher of the prose versions of the tales of Lance Star through anthologies and eventually novels featuring the pulp-era air ace.

AP: Who is Lance Star? What makes pulp characters like Lance and the Sky Rangers appeal to you as a creator, a reader, and a publisher?

RD: Lance is another star in the pantheon of pulp heroes in that he has a definite sense of right and wrong and will fight to the end to defend the right. In the pulp age aviators like Lance were like today's astronauts in that they were envied for their daring flight into the atmosphere. It's interesting to me to see what the interest was of pulp era readers in these cousins of Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart.

AP: Digital content has changed the publishing landscape. As a creator, what excites you about digital content? As a reader?

RD: As a reader it's exciting to think about being able to carry my whole library of books with me in my new iPad. As a creator and publisher it excites me that we now have a new, thrilling and inexpensive outlet to get our productions out to the reader. The first few weeks after Airship 27 opened up our Airship27Hangar.com site we had phenomenal response! It's exciting to put up another new book and see sales within just hours or minutes of the upload.

AP: As you are both a designer and artist, tell us a bit about your process for both the print and digital versions of the Airship 27 stories.

RD: Fortunately, there's not much difference in the two. Since I have so many irons in the fire I don't have a lot of time to devote to producing our digital versions. Mostly what I do is add the front and back covers to the interior PDF file that we send to our printing sources, reduce the file size (since digital screens need less resolution than traditional print) and then mark each page with a watermark to keep our books safe from pirating. The whole process takes less than an hour for each book. Add in the design time to create the online catalogue entry and within just a couple of hours we have a version of our latest masterpiece of New Pulp ready for viewing and enjoyment!

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?

RD: We have a number of different books in the Airship 27 pipeline. Right now my next illustrating gig for Airship 27 is calling to me: Robin Hood: Arrow of Justice written by Ian Watson, a very talented writer from the UK. This is the second of a three-part retelling of the Robin Hood legend and it is rollicking good fun! Ian is very gifted and his version of Robin Hood is a joy to read and illustrate!

AP: Thanks, Rob.

RD: Thanks for having me!

Release schedule for Lance Star: Sky Ranger tales on iPulp:

06/17: Lance Star: Sky Ranger - Vol.1 #1: Attack of the Bird Man by Frank Dirsherl (now available)

07/07: Lance Star: Sky Ranger - Vol.1 #2: Where the Sea Meets the Sky by Bobby Nash

07/27: Lance Star: Sky Ranger - Vol.1 #3: Talons of the Red Condors by Bill Spangler

For more information on iPulp Fiction's offerings, please visit www.ipulpfiction.com

For more information on Airship 27 Productions' offerings, please visit www.gopulp.info

For more information on Lance Star: Sky Ranger, please visit www.lance-star.com

For more information on Rob Davis, please visit http://homepage.mac.com/robmdavis/

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO A TOME ON THE SHADOW!!

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

THE SHADOW-The History and Mystery of the Radio Program, 1930-1954
Written by Martin Grams, Jr. 
Published by OTR Publishing
2011
830 pages

Reviewing Pulp is fun.  Reading a story full of derring do and dastardly do badders is invigorating.  Tackling a novel with larger than life heroes and plots that boggle the mind and senses makes me eager to pick up the next one and share with the world what I think.  I think the process of reviewing, of sharing insight and opinion on anything has to be, at its basis, fun for the reviewer.  Many would think, then, that tackling a book that is nonfiction, historical, and full of facts and such would be boring for a Pulp reviewer.  Maybe so.

But not this book.  Wow.

THE SHADOW-The History and Mystery of the Radio Program, 1930-1954, written by Martin Grams, Jr. opens with both of those on the first page-history and mystery.  Welcoming the reader in with opening paragraphs that could well be the lead in of a pulp story in any magazine or collection, Grams takes what some might consider mundane information only for the most die hard of radio and/or Shadow fans and makes this entire work a sprawling, epic narrative bulging not only with what happened, but why things happened and who was involved.  Grams tackles the variety of personalities involved in the development of the Shadow radio program and injects the feats and fallacies of all involved into every page.

This book is exactly what the title states, an extremely complex and comprehensive history of the phenomenon that was the long running SHADOW radio program.   Grams starts with the origins of the character as a narrator for pulp tales and step by step takes the reader through the growth spurts and growing pains of the program that truly made The Shadow a part of the modern pantheon of American heroes.  Although one would think that there would be urges to devote a lot of space to Orson Welles' time on the program or to the intricacies and involvement of Street and Smith, Grams not only gives those and other well known aspects of this history their due, but he brings into light so many, one would daresay every aspect of this show and then does something even more startling.  He makes every bit of it interesting, from the details about all the creative minds involved to the advertising to the effect that this program had on the industry and society alike. 

One stand out section of this fantastic work is the episode guide.  Grams is meticulous in not only describing the episode, but the way his guide is constructed lets you know not only where everything fits in continuity, but also gives you a sense of the impact of many of the episodes.  This is not simply a reprinting or even a presentation of a new broadcast log or notes taken on each episode.  Grams did a truly masterful job of providing information that was simultaneously educational and gratifying in this well done blow by blow episode guide.

THE SHADOW-The History and Mystery of the Radio Program, 1930-1954 is a must read for so many people-For the die hard pulp fan; for the Shadow fan; for the reader interested in OTR; for students of American culture; for the casual reader who wants to be exposed to multiple interests all at once; and probably several others I'm forgetting.   This may sit on shelves as a reference or research book, which it is, but it is also highly entertaining and engaging.

FIVE OUT FIVE TIPS OF HANCOCK'S HAT-The Shadow may know what evil lurks in the hearts of men, but nobody knows the Shadow radio program and its history like Martin Grams, Jr.

Reviews from the 86th Floor: Barry Reese looks at Howard Chaykin's The Shadow

THE SHADOW: BLOOD & JUDGMENT
Howard Chaykin
Published by DC Comics

This was the era of Watchmen. Of The Dark Knight Returns. It was the boom of grim and gritty. Howard Chaykin, whose brilliant American Flagg! was already a modern masterpiece, was chosen to bring The Shadow back to life for DC Comics. He elected to bring the character into the 1980s rather than stick to being a period piece and he approached The Shadow with obvious knowledge but not necessarily a fan's reverence. He had no problem ramping up the sex and violence, while emphasizing the fact that The Shadow himself is a grade-A jerk.

We get to see Kent Allard's transformation into The Shadow, as well as he met Lamont Cranston, via flashback -- and we learn that the real Cranston is a major jerk. A jerk who still hates The Shadow, even in the 1980s. Killing off The Shadow's old aides in order to draw the mysterious vigilante back to the scene, Cranston is aided by a slutty secretary and an idiotic clone. He hopes to force The Shadow to take him back to the lost city where The Shadow gained his powers but he doesn't count on treachery in the ranks, nor does he realize just how dangerous his old enemy truly is.

Classic artwork from Chaykin and a story that hits on nearly all cylinders, this is one of my favorite pulp-to-comics transformations. Chaykin avoided being a pastiche by updating the character and refusing to place him on a pedestal. While the ongoing series by Andy Helfer that followed was a piece of steaming dog poo, this kick-off miniseries deserves a place on every pulp fan's shelf. It's proof that the classic pulp heroes can work in the modern day.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

ALL PULP'S OFFICIAL PODCAST-THE BOOK CAVE! It's been busy, but that's no reason why you can't catch up on THE BOOK CAVE!  Ric Croxton and Art Sippo provide the best in Pulp reviews and discussions, on track and off tangent as well every week!  Here's the last few weeks of material from these two podcasting legends and be on the lookout for the latest episode on ALL PULP!

Thu, 16 June 2011 The book Cave Episode 131: How The West Was Weird Vol 2 Russ Anderson, Josh Reynolds, David Boop and Tommy Hancock join Art and Ric to discuss the latest volume in How The West Was Weird. Technical problems cut us off at the end, but we got a full episode in. http://www.pulpwork.com/2011/05/how-west-was-weird-2-now-available-for.html Joshua M. Reynolds argus33@hotmail.com http://joshuamreynolds.blogspot.com/ David Boop www.davidboop.com RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html Direct download: Book_Cave_ep_131.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:05 PM

Thu, 9 June 2011 The Book Cave Episode 130: Percival Constantine Perry Constantine returns to the Book Cave to discuss his new novel The Myth Hunter. Art was unable to join us due to be under the weather. Percival Constantine - http://percivalconstantine.wordpress.com Pulpwork Press - http://www.pulpwork.com -- Percival Constantine Writer, Letterer percivalconstantine.wordpress.com pc812.deviantart.com RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html Direct download: Book_Cave_ep_130.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:11 PM

Thu, 2 June 2011 The Book Cave Episode 129: Brain Boy Art and Ric go over the Brain Boy comic book series from the early 1960s. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Book_Cave_ep_129.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:01 PM

Fri, 27 May 2011 The Book Cave Episode 128: Post Pulp Ark Wrapup The Book Cave is crowded tonight with a cast of thousands. Art and Ric are joined by Barry Reese, Ron Fortier, Bobby Nash, Tommy Hancock, Wayne Reinagel and later in the show, Ken Janssens. Artwork was given to us by Cari Reese. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Book_Cave_ep_128.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:58 PM

Thu, 26 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 9 Art Sippo wraps up the last of the specials with his talk on Sun Koh, Germany's Doc Savage. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-009.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:41 PM

Wed, 25 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 8 Ron Fortier heads a panel talking about popularity of the New Pulp. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-007.mp3 Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-008.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 9:48 PM

Wed, 25 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 7 Van Plexico and crew talk about writer super hero prose. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-007.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:47 AM

Mon, 23 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 6 It's Tommy Hancock's turn for a panel. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-006.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:31 PM

Sun, 22 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 5 Ron Fortier leads a panel on writing for the new Pulps. http://stores.lulu.com/airship27 RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-005.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:06 PM

Sat, 21 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 4 Rob Davis of Airship27 spills all his secrets on how to do art for new Pulps. http://stores.lulu.com/airship27 RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-004.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:12 PM

Fri, 20 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 3 Pro Se takes the lead in this panel. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-003.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:56 PM

Thu, 19 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 2 Wayne Skiver tells you what you wanted to know about Doc Savage. http://stores.lulu.com/goldenage1 RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-002.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 10:44 PM

Wed, 18 May 2011 The Book Cave: Pulp Ark Special 1 In this episode is the All Pulp panel, the first panel for the weekend. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Pulp_Ark_Special_-001.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:18 PM

Tue, 17 May 2011 The Book Cave Episode 127: Pulp Ark Art and Ric's adventures in Pulp Ark. The reason this episode is up early this week is because we have all the Pulp Ark panels recorded and we want you to have them as early as we can. I will be adding Book Cave: Pulp Ark Specials this week. The Clones of Langston Carol Fullerton-Samsel Summer Read Publishers Benton, AR 72018-0592 RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Book_Cave_ep_127.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:35 PM

Thu, 12 May 2011 The Book Cave Episode 126: Pre Pulp ARK Chatting Art and Ric chat up a storm before they head to Batesville, Arkansas for Pulp ARK. RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Store: http://www.cafepress.com/thebookcave PayPal: RJCroxton1@yahoo.com Coming Attractions - http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html All Pulp - http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ Direct download: Book_Cave_ep_126.mp3 Category:podcasts -- posted at: 5:25 PM

ALL PULP INTERVIEWS ANDREW SALMON ON iPULP RELEASE!

Andrew Salmon Secret Agent X iPulp Launch Interview

With the upcoming June 27 release of his Secret Agent X tale, The Icarus Terror, All Pulp sat down with Andrew Salmon to get the skinny on Secret Agent X and the digital revolution.

AP: Tell us a little about yourself and where readers can find out more about you and your work?

AS: All right. I was born in Montreal, Canada but my wife and I now live in Vancouver. I’ve been writing pulp for more than three years now and really feel at home in the genre. I’ve had the great good fortune to have picked up three award nominations for my pulp work in the last couple of years and am still amazed I actually won a Pulp Factory Award for Best Pulp Short Story in ’09 for my contribution to Airship 27’s Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Volume One. Folks interested in my output to date can check out my author page on amazon. It’s got it all. Plus you’ll find almost all of my stuff on Airship 27’s various sites.

AP: How did you become involved with Secret Agent X?

AS: When I first hooked up with Airship 27 I was completely new to the pulp genre having read three or four Shadows and a couple dozen Docs. But I fell in love with the genre immediately and leapt at the chance to try my hand writing it. Well, my inexperience led Airship’s Ron Fortier to assign me a Jim Anthony tale since Anthony was a Doc Savage clone and I’d read more Docs than anything else at that point. So I banged out an Anthony tale and had a ball doing it! So much so that when I was done, I was hungry for more! Around the same time, Airship 27 was re-issuing the titles they had originally published with Wild Cat Books during their brief association and their first Secret Agent X anthology was on deck. Thing was, one of the contributors to that release decided, for whatever reason, to bow out of Airship 27’s re-issue of the book. My Anthony tale had not been released at this point and X was the next book they had on the flight deck. Ron knew I was chomping at the bit to officially become part of what has now become the New Pulp movement and offered me the slot – if I could bang out a Secret Agent X tale quickly. I did . They loved it. And I got the spot! I made my pulp debut with Secret Agent X and have loved the Agent ever since! 

AP: Who is Secret Agent X? What makes pulp characters like Secret Agent X appeal to you as a writer and a reader?

AS: X is just a great character! He can be anyone and the fun in writing and reading X tales is to discover where he’s going to turn up next. The mysterious element to the character is what really drew me in. Along with his abilities as a master of disguise, readers are never sure who he really is as his true identity is never revealed. That’s a lot for a pulp writer to play around with and makes X novels and stories a delight to read. X is the Bond of his time and yet has a selfless dedication to duty. He has no time for martinis and fair ladies. He’s got a job to do and he does whatever it takes to get that job done. Also, in a way, he’s the quintessence of what pulp is all about. Very little time is spent on X’s background. Oh, he’s got a regular cast and a love interest, but X tales are all about action, misdirection, gadgets and disguises. Bond meets Mission: Impossible – that’s Secret Agent X!

AP: Digital content has changed the publishing landscape. As a creator, what excites you about digital content? As a reader?

AS: Well, this is the burning question of our time – right across the publishing landscape. The digital world has exploded traditional publishing in a good way. It’s easy to get stuff out there and doing so digitally means you can keep prices down. Everyone is pinching pennies these days and folks are careful about what they spend their money on. People want bang for their buck and tend to stick with content and creators they know to be, in their minds, a sure investment.

However, with digital publishing, readers can now branch out. Whether it be with a tablet, an e-reader or their cell phones thanks to iPulp, content, both good and bad, is now readily available at a great price. Pulp creators and fans have seen the impact the internet has had on creating the New Pulp revolution. Now with the surge in e-readers and the like, it’s not so big a gamble to try something other than whatever is on the Best Seller’s list at any given moment. What once was a $15-$30 roll of the dice can now be had for $3 or even $1 with iPulp. There are a lot of really great writers out there and their voices can now be heard thanks to the digital revolution. Readers can take chances now, branch out and it won’t break the bank. It’s great! I can’t tell you the number of writers I now read regularly that I’d have never heard of if not for the digital explosion. Or, if I’d heard of them, I probably couldn’t afford to take a chance on. No more! Now dabbling is easier than ever and it’s just great to wade into the tidal wave of New Pulp authors and artists. For avid readers, the digital boom is a dream come true!

AP: Your Secret Agent X story, "THE ICARUS TERROR" is currently available in print and as an eBook from Airship 27, and soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What can you tell us about this story?

AS: My simple rule for an X tale is to have the thing start pedal to the metal and not let up for a heartbeat. That’s what I did for “The Icarus Terror” and the result is a wild ride. Imagine 1930s New York and an airship festival – airships and blimps hovering over the city, blocking out the sun. Then imagine those ships descending, squeezing between the towering, concrete spires of the city and before anyone can figure out what’s happening, the helium-filled airships begin to explode! How is it being done? Is some evil genius behind it? Is the city being held hostage? Can Secret Agent X get to the bottom of the mystery before more of the airships explode? Talk about bang for your buck! With iPulp offering “The Icarus Terror” for only $1, truer words were never spoken. Edge of your seat thrills await!  

AP: Airship 27 currently has three Secret Agent X anthologies in print and available as eBooks with several of those stories soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What’s next for these pulp heroes?

AS: I’ve got a Secret Agent X tale in the third Airship anthology and I’m hoping it will one day make its way to iPulp along with the other X tales they’ve done to date. X is made for this format. The stories are fast-paced, action-packed – just the sort of thing to read on the go or during brief breaks or down time on the job. They will get your heart pumping! As for the future of the great pulp heroes, the sky really is the limit. Back in the Golden Age of pulp fiction, the exploits of these great heroes were great escapism from the everyday. Folks in the 1930s craved these kinds of adventures and nothing has really changed. Action movies, books, video games and the like are still as popular as ever. Pulp fiction and the great pulp heroes of yesterday and today can still thrill while providing that much needed escapism we all need from time to time. Getting pulp tales out in all different formats means that readers looking for a white-knuckle thrill ride can access these tales however they prefer. A Mount Everest of pulp thrills was compiled during the heyday of pulp fiction and millions of readers enjoyed the terrific exploits of these timeless characters. Most of that stuff is becoming available for today’s readers. But, more importantly, a sister peak is being compiled of New Pulp tales, characters, exploits with a modern sensibility, currently created by talented writers and artists for today’s readers. It’s all breaking at the same time. Tons of great reading you do not want to miss! Whether you’re an old pulp fan or someone coming to the genre for the first time, you will find something you like. I guarantee it. Get your feet wet digitally if your wallet is a little light. Try an Airship PDF for $3 or an iPulp tale for $1. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you’re in for a real treat! Once you see what a wonderful reading experience one can have with pulp, you can upgrade to printed books to stock your library if you want or fill up the memory on your tablet with as much pulp as it’ll hold. You won’t be sorry.



Andrew Salmon (on left)



AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?

AS: I’m currently working feverishly on a pulp novel featuring German pulp heroes called All-Men: The Shadow-Line. The book, if I can ever get the darn thing finished, is going to be something very different and, I hope, very eye-opening for pulp fans. I’m going out on more limbs than I can keep track of but I’m risking the fall in the hopes of providing readers with a reading experience they’ve not encountered with pulp to date. The novel is taking up almost all of my writing time these days but that doesn’t mean I don’t have other irons in the fire. I’ve contributed an easter-egg laden, hardboiled detective tale for an anthology Airship 27 is putting together featuring a PI named Rick Ruby and that was a lot of fun. I also collaborated with Mark Halegua crafting the first tale with his hero, the Red Badge, which is forthcoming as part of Airship 27’s Mystery Men & Women Volume Two which should be out before the end of the year. There are a lot of other things on the horizon both with Airship 27 and Pro Se that I’m not at liberty to talk about at the moment. Let’s just say that the pulp world hasn’t seen the last of me yet and leave it at that. I’m having a ton of fun writing pulp and it’s my hope that readers are having as much run reading what I’ve churned out so far. Hang on to your fedoras folks, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

AP: Thanks, Andrew.

For more information on iPulp Fiction's offerings, please visit www.ipulpfiction.com

For more information on Airship 27 Productions' offerings, please visit www.gopulp.info

NEW PODCAST FOCUSED ON NEW PULP DEBUTS-Go Get PULPED!

Press Release-

Four New Pulp creators and proclaimed members of what some are calling The New Pulp Movement, announced today that they have united to present the world with the first official New Pulp Podcast!  PULPED!, a podcast focused on the works and trends that comprise and contribute to works created after the heyday of the Pulps that have the sensibilities of classic Pulp works and yet are new tales, debuted with its first episode on June 20th.

Tommy Hancock, Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, and Ron Fortier, all noted pulp authors and personalities within New Pulp, make up the core circle behind PULPED!  Functioning as a rotating circle of hosts, the PULPED! Four will spotlight different creators and New Pulp works each week as well as discussing trends in the sub genre.  There will be a News section of the podcast, but it will be slightly different than traditional newscasts.  Each co-host will bring a topic of New Pulp news to the table and then the assembled hosts will discuss and/or debate it.  Also, PULPED! will be the home of reviews done by THE PULPTRESS, the spokesperson for New Pulp!  Each week, she will deliver a review of current New Pulp books, audio, movies, tv, and other things that qualify as New Pulp.

"New Pulp," said Tommy Hancock, "is a vibrant, relevant part of the fiction Pulp fans love and enjoy.  Edgy at times, traditional at others, New Pulp shows that the fantastic heroic adventure fiction enjoyed by so many in the early 20th Century is not only still alive and well, but is on the verge of being an important part of literature of the 21st Century.  PULPED!'s focus will not simply be on books, but on all aspects of how New Pulp permeates our society. It will also focus on everyone from major players in publishing and other fields right down to the small press publishers and independent creators that truly are the lifeblood of this movement."

PULPED! will post a new episode every Monday at http://www.pulped.libsyn.com/ and will be available in the coming weeks via ITunes and other providers.

"Anyone who is a writer, artist, publisher," Hancock stated, "that wants to be a guest on PULPED!, all they need to do is to send an email to braedenalex@centurytel.net or contact any of the four hosts."

The first episode is now available at http://www.pulped.libsyn.com/ and its description is as follows-

PULPED! The Official New Pulp Podcast-Episode 1-PULPED! For The First Time!

PULPED! is a Podcast dedicated to the creators and fans of New Pulp!  New Pulp, heroic fiction by modern artists written with the sensibility and in the tradition of the Pulp genre!  Pulp creators Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, Ron Fortier, and Tommy Hancock kick off this podcast dedicated to the promotion of The New Pulp Movement by explaining what the podcast is about, defining and discussing New Pulp, and letting know listeners what they're in store for. 

Then Tommy and Barry take off their hosts hats and climb in the guest spotlight to discuss Barry's latest book, THE ROOK-VOLUME SIX, published by Hancock through the company he's a partner in, Pro Se Productions.  The origins of the Rook, Reese's inspirations, and the logic behind Pro Se acquiring the Rook as well as future plans for the well known character are discussed in length.  Following that, our intrepid co-hosts take on the PULPED! News.  Each week, the co-hosts will bring one topic of New Pulp news to the table and they will discuss, analyze, explore, and debate it!  If you like your fiction heroic, if you seek adventure and action in every word you read, then come on in, take a seat, and get PULPED!

PULPED! will post each Monday!

Check out PULPED! and the New Pulp Movement at www.newpulpfiction.com and at the New Pulp forum hosted by Comic Related at
http://www.comicrelated.com/forums/ under NEW PULP!  Also, like New Pulp on Facebook!

TUNE INTO PULP RETURNS ON A TRIP TO 'PYTHON ISLE'!

First, some housekeeping.  Yes, it's been a while since I debuted this column and due to a variety of reasons, this is the first one in awhile.  Do not worry, pulpsters, there will be one a week after this ad infinitum!  Audio Pulp is not only an important part of Pulp history that many are not aware of, but its a growing facet of the genre even today, as you will see in this column today and weeks to come.

You'll notice an addition to our logo.  Yes, its true, Radio Archives has stepped forward, noticing the trend toward Audio Pulp and entered into an arrangement with All Pulp to sponsor this column.  RA produces top of the line audio material bringing old time classic radio of all varieties to a modern audience.  Fantastic sound quality, tremendous effort to not only preserve material, but also provide new and interesting information on material, and awesome packaging make RA's offerings top notch.  RA as well is readying itself to be one of the leaders in New Audio Pulp with its foray into audiobooks based on Pulp characters starring in new stories, just like the one I'm about to leap into the middle of.  I will continue to cover all aspects of New Pulp Audio, not simply RA's contributions, but I do want to thank Harlan Zinck and RA for the support and material and willingness to see the importance of this column enough to sponsor it.

PYTHON ISLE-A Doc Savage Audiobook
Written by Will Murray based on a concept By Lester Dent
Narrated by Michael McConnohie
Directed and Produced by Roger Rittner
Published by Radio Archives (www.radioarchives.com)

Not only has Radio Archives decided to move into New Pulp audio, They have done it by taking giant steps.  The first RA offering in their Pulp Audiobook lineup is not only no lightweight when it comes to Pulp, but instead it is probably the top of the heap, the primo of premium pulp.  And, not to telegraph this review or anything, Radio Archives meets that challenge just the way Doc Savage would have.

PYTHON ISLE is an audiobook version of the novel written in 1991 by Will Murray, based on a concept by Lester Dent.  Directed and produced by Roger Rittner for RA and narrated by Michael Mcconnohie.  The story opens with diamond smugglers catching sight of a plane they believe to be the authorities.  Once the plane is downed, the smugglers discover that not only are there two strangely garbed people aboard, but the plane, once damaged, had been patched and repaired with what appears to be soft, pure gold.  One of the plane passengers, a man who can speak English, is desperate to protect a bamboo tube he has and to make contact with only one man-Doc Savage!



Author Will Murray

 What ensues from this tense, in your face opening is the stuff pulp dreams are made of.  From fist fights and gun battles to harrowing chases in various locales all the way to a ride and epic conflict aboard a Zeppelin, PYTHON ISLE delivers all the thrills and chills anyone could want.  Add into that that this is a Doc Savage tale complete with Doc's stoic presence, supreme intelligence, and skills honed finer than any blade as well as three of the five aides in their finest form ever and what you have in PYTHON ISLE is more than a treat, better than a nice surprise.  It is simply New Pulp storytelling at its best. 



Narrator Michael McConnohie

 With material like this, one would think that it would be difficult for an audiobook version to add anything at all to it.  Boy, one would be wrong.  PYTHON ISLE from Radio Archives takes this story from the pinnacle it already reaches in prose to an unbelievable high mark as an audiobook.  Michael McConnohie is more than the 'reader' or 'narrator' of this adventure.  He brings the exact intensity and passion to this story that any well crafted Doc tale would command.  His mastery of his own voice is phenomenal, switching back and forth from Monk's high pitched affectation to Renny's thunderous rumblings and then to Bull Pizano's gravelly retort.  McConnohie makes this feel like a full cast audio drama and that brings the listener completely into the folds of the story.



Director/Producer Roger Rittner

 One issue many audiobooks have, and this is in part due to the fact that they are based on written prose, not scripts, is pacing.  At times, audiobooks lag in the middle and whatever gait had been set previously is lost.  This is definitely an issue with Pulp stories due to the naturally frenetic pacing good Pulp should have.  PYTHON ISLE does not fall victim to this.  Due to McConnohie's voicing as well as Roger Rittner's directing, this tale moves along at a good clip from beginning to end.  There are points that I, being both an avid Pulp reader and an audio fan, predicted were going to be those spots where things started to plod and slow down, but every single time due to either a musical sting or a change in inflection or even the speed at which the words were delivered, that plodding never came, nothing slowed down.  Rittner produced a fine piece of roller coaster up and down drama, probably the finest I've ever listened to.

Could PYTHON ISLE be better?  Usually I would say that any audiobook could be improved by adding voices and sound effects and changing the leopard's spots, so to speak, from audiobook to full cast drama.  And don't get me wrong, I would love to hear this story given that treatment.  Having said that, though, I think that in this case, it would not improve what has been done to make it a full cast drama. I feel like that this audiobook would sit on a shelf right alongside the best possible version of this story as a full drama and still hold its own.   The feeling I got from listening to PYTHON ISLE was much akin to what it must have felt like sitting in a darkened theater in the 1940s waiting to see what Captain Marvel or Gene Autry would do in the next chapter of the latest serial.  It was nail biting, cliff hanging, and inspiring.

Radio Archives has announced that this is only the first of their Pulp Audio books and that future volumes would not only include Doc, but cover other characters as well.  If that's the case, then I'm one heckuva happy Pulpster.