Displacement Activity: Pulp Heroes

Showing posts with label Pulp Heroes. Show all posts

Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Pulp Heroes 3 - the cover

The cover for Pulp Heroes 3 - painted by my old mucker Bob Covington - has been released.

Feast your eyes, me beauties.

Monday, 9 June 2014

THE ALCHEMY PRESS BOOK OF PULP HEROES 3

I'm happy to announce the ToC for the forthcoming PULP HEROES 3 from The Alchemy Press. In order of author:

Gary Budgen – Kid Kafka and Doctor Pulp
Evan Dicken – Mono No Aware
Jay Eales – The Revenant
Iain Grant – The Big Picture
Emma Hinge – The Death of James E Steckle
Amberle L Husbands – Agent Midnight
Bracken MacLeod – No One Stays Dead
Kim Newman – Angels of Music
Rod Rees – A Helping Hand
Tony Richards – Rayven Black in the City of Night
Ralph Sevush – Emmett, Joey and the Beelz
Paul Starkey – You’re Majesty

The anthology will be launched at this year's FantasyCon, September 5th – 7th 2014, The Royal York Hotel, York.

Look out for more details.

Friday, 20 December 2013

Pulp Heroes: Andrew Coulthard

Andrew wrote the stirring sword and sorcery tale, "Ula and the Black Book of Leng" for THE ALCHEMY PRESS BOOK OF PULP HEROES 2. Here he generously answers questions on it and other topics.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alchemy-Press-Book-Pulp-Heroes/dp/0957348940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387542983&sr=1-1&keywords=pulp+heroes+2

Would you like to briefly introduce yourself: what inspired your writing and when you began, and – if possible – of all of your published work could you tell me which your favourites are (and why)?

I’m a 47 year-old Brit who has been living in Sweden for the past 23 years. I’ve drawn, painted and written in one form or another since I was a kid, but have only tried to get my writing into print the past few years. I tend to see each tale as a highly distinct outing into a very specific alternative world. They are generally quite different and that makes them hard to compare.

Do you have a favourite genre, or sub-genre? What exactly is it that attracts you?

I suppose fantasy has always been my favourite genre with sci-fi as a close second. Different things have attracted me to them over the years. As a youth there was the possibility of escape from banality into fantastical worlds of limitless adventure. There was also the feeling of being able to overcome all odds and the sense of wonder and scale that great science fiction can bestow. I think that I’ve increasingly come to value fantastic settings because of their potential for demonstrating complex ideas.

Some say Pulp is a genre, others a style; which side do you come down on?

I don’t really come down on either side. To me “Pulp” is a concept that is still developing and whose meaning is therefore refreshingly elastic. The term has certainly grown beyond its original reference to the low quality paper used in cheap short story collections of the 1930s. If Pulp is a genre it includes many sub-genres: detective, western, sword and sorcery, sci-fi and horror. But Pulp tales of all denominations tend to be colourful, fast-paced, laconic and full of action and so there is clearly a classic pulp style too.

What was the inspiration for “Ula and the Black Book of Leng”?

In my youth I was great fan of Robert E Howard and particularly of his Conan stories. In this story I wanted to pull together references to the pulp works I grew up with, and also to other influences that have been important to me, but which might at first seem at odds.

Howard made Conan his noble barbarian and gave him imaginary prehistoric Celtic origins. Ula is a name that can be found in a number of different cultural contexts, but I selected it because of its Gaelic meaning: Sea Jewel. She comes from the far north but plies the seas; a noble barbarian and, I like to think, every bit as hot-blooded, daring and courageous as her literary predecessors.

In the course of the story there are also, I think, echoes of my love of Ursula Le Guinn’s EARTHSEA books and of Coleridge’s ANCIENT MARINER.

Some of my favourite Howard stories contained Lovecraftian elements and of course those who know Lovecraft will already have encountered Leng in various settings. But THE BLACK BOOK OF LENG YEN, to use the black book’s full title, is also the name of a real book of apocalyptic Buddhist writings referenced in the SECRET OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER - THE LENG YEN CHING.

Do you have a particular favourite author, or authors? What is it about their work which appeals to you?

I’m an eclectic reader and would find it hard to pick out a specific favourite author. With regard to fantasy and SF I’ve already mentioned Howard and Le Guinn, but have also very much enjoyed Iain Banks (with and without the “M”), David Gemmell, Robert Holdstock, Peter F Hamilton and many of the classic SF and fantasy authors: Alan Garner, CS Lewis, Tolkien, Moorcock, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jack Vance and Gene Wolfe…

Outside writing, what else occupies your time (assuming you have any free time left)?

I have a family which keeps me busy and in my spare time I like hiking in the forests and mountains. As for my day-job, I run a training company in Stockholm that provides Business Communication and English services.

Is there any particular style of music – or musicians – which appeals to you?

An eclectic listener too, I like all kinds of music: symphonic and early music, ambient electronic music, rock music and even dance music (particularly when jogging, cycling or working out).

What are you currently working on?

I am currently writing a fantasy novel called RUTHGHER’S CONCEIT set in the same world as Ula’s adventures.

Monday, 9 December 2013

Pulp Heroes: Robert Iveniuk

Robert contributed the alien police-procedural story "The Law of Mars" to THE ALCHEMY PRESS BOOK OF PULP HEROES 2.

As a child, I suffered from asthma and my peers tended to view me as a pudgy punching bag until my mid-teens. During those times, television and comic books served as respite from the agony of reality. Time wore on, and one day I decided to tell my own tales. In the beginning, I thought I could hash it out as a comic creator, but I was always better at planning the stories than drawing them. Upon devouring Neil Gaiman’s NEVERWHERE and the story-heavy PC game PLANESCAPE: TORMENT, I decided that I had to be a writer.

Many years later (some would say too many), my first short story was published. Since then, four of my short stories have been published, I’ve written the screenplays for a short film and the pilot for an unreleased webseries, and I have been brought on as a regular contributor to the lifestyle and entertainment e-zine BlogTO. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite among my works; these are practically my children, after all. That said, there are a couple I wish I could redo, but I’d rather keep their names to myself.

Do you have a favourite genre, or sub-genre? What exactly is it that attracts you?

I grew up with fantasy and science fiction, but I’m also a fan of detective/spy fiction and horror. Mysteries intrigue me, and I find settings to be enchanting. When I travel, I tend to take a thousand photographs of buildings and neighbourhoods, because I love seeing how people live. As such, any story that drops me in an unfamiliar world, imagined or real, is welcome on my bookshelf.

Some say Pulp is a genre, others a style; which side do you come down on?

I’d have to say it’s a style. Remember, pulp magazines themselves were so called because they were printed on cheap paper. This alone is very indicative of not only the era, but also the part of the world that birthed them.

Consider Japanese animé (bear with me). Many people have argued that animé is a genre, but every series covers anything from sports drama and culinary comedies to epic fantasy yarns and space operas. What separates it from other animated works is the look and feel, the cultural sensibilities and fragments of history that go into bringing such stories to life. Much the same could also be said about noir, and how it has evolved and integrated into different genres.

In the traditional sense, we’ve seen pulp revived in the Indiana Jones films and in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, but those fall under fantasy or science fiction. Yet, it is their voice that is pulp, the same sensationalized mood that had peddled so many stories for decades. Hell, HP Lovecraft was a pulp author, and what exactly does Cthulhu have in common with Doc Savage?

What was the inspiration for “The Law of Mars”?

After finishing my last story for The Alchemy Press, the meta-fictional drama “House Name”, I decided to tell a story that would perhaps fit more in line with a Pulp Heroes anthology. Originally, I was working on one which focused on the forefathers of the costumed vigilante movement, but it got too big for its britches. It’s on hold until I can find a way to scale it down. Save a space for PULP HEROES 3, Mike.

It was around this time that I was reading the first three books in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series. Half-way through PRINCESS OF MARS, I couldn’t help but notice how phenomenally macho it all was. John Carter solves most of his problems by punching a thing, and then being elected God Emperor of Punching the Thing minutes later. Coupled with the fact that every woman on Mars is after Carter’s sweaty earthman bod, and it began to smell of wish-fulfilment. By the end of THE GODS OF MARS, gears in my head turned and a question arose:

How would Barsoom look a hundred years later?

Imagine if Earth learned they weren’t alone in the universe, and found ways to reach the worlds beyond. What if it wasn’t just Mars that was inhabited, but also Venus like in the Carson Napier novels? Would that mean Jupiter had its own intelligent species, or Mercury, or Neptune? Now imagine these races crossing the galaxy and eventually establishing a united solar system. Think of how wonderful and terrifying it would be. Then, I asked myself what a police force would look like in a world like this. And then “The Law of Mars” was born.

Oh, and I removed the whole “Mars’ gravity makes you superhuman” angle because that always struck me as convenient. Plus, it didn’t fit with the CSI: BARSOOM concept I’m going for.

Do you have a particular favourite author, or authors? What is it about their work which appeals to you?

Well, that’s a list and a half.

I’m a huge fan of HG Wells’ symbolism, China Miéville’s terrifying imagination, Raymond Chandler’s distressingly charming cynicism, and the sense of dread William Hope Hodgson evokes. Plus, Neil Gaiman’s charm – even in his darkest stories – is infectious, and there will always be room in my heart for Terry Pratchett’s wit and Haruki Murakami’s complex mind. Honourable mentions go to Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, Ivan Turgenev, and Thomas King. And as a comic geek, I also can’t go five seconds without praising Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, Sam Kieth, Grant Morrison, or Mike Mignola in some capacity, so there’s that.

Of the pulp fiction fare, I enjoy Robert E Howard’s Conan, Dashiell Hammett’s Continental Op, and Maxwell Grant’s The Shadow most of all. I’ve read some Doc Savage, Avenger, and Fu Manchu novels, and they’re intriguing reads (Fu Manchu is a laugh and a half), but they don’t strike me in the way the others do. They lack the unfettered psychosis of Lamont Cranston, the Cimmerian Freebooter’s brutish demeanour, and the Op’s casual disregard for human life.

Outside writing, what else occupies your time (assuming you have any free time left)?

I tend to live simply. My free time is divided up between seeing friends, drawing, reading, long walks, video games, getting lost in the information vortex that is the internet, and saving up for travelling. Outside of that, I work in the not-for-profit sector, something Canada’s current Prime Minister doesn’t quite support, and so the rest of my time gets spent looking for full-time employment.

Is there any particular style of music – or musicians – which appeals to you?

Just as I tend to enjoy different genres of fiction, I also enjoy all kinds of music. Hitting shuffle on my Winamp playlist (MP3 players are for squares, daddy-o) will summon up just about anything. Some personal favourites for my ears, and also my imagination, include Garbage, Rob Zombie, The Black Angels, The Protomen, Dakota Star, Altan Urag, K-Os, Lordi, and Gnarls Barkley. I also adore instrumentals, so much of what I listen to comes from television, film, and game soundtracks.

What are you currently working on?

What am I not? My final-until-further-notice contribution to the Pulp Heroes series, “Legacy”, is in the works, as I said, so that I’ll be ready for Book 3, should it emerge. Beyond that, I’m sitting on fifteen unpublished short stories, three-and-a-half novels, and a slew of ideas for comics, video games, movies, and TV series that I’m fighting to get accepted somewhere. Being a writer’s a long and hard road to take, but I’ve made it this far already, so why stop now?

Sunday, 5 May 2013

The Alchemy Press Book of Pulp Heroes 2 ToC

I'm proud to announce the final Table of Contents for the next volume of THE ALCHEMY PRESS BOOK OF PULP HEROES:

Pandora’s Box Chico Kidd
The Flier Bryn Fortey
Griffon’s Gamble Arch Whitehouse
Night Hunter Pauline E Dungate
Meeting at the Silver Dollar Marion Pitman
The Monster of Gorgon Ian Hunter
Dragon’s Breath Anne Nicholls
The Law of Mars Robert William Iveniuk
The Penge Terror William Meikle
Ula and the Black Book of Leng Andrew Coulthard
The Sons of Crystal City Martin Gately
Kiss the Day Goodbye Adrian Cole
Do Not Go Gently Stuart Young
The Incarceration of Captain Nebula Mike Resnik

It's an impressive line-up, I think you'll agree, more than complimented by the cover art by the wonderful Les Edwards. Along with two other titles from The Alchemy Press, PULP HEROES 2 will be launched at the World FantasyCon in Brighton this year - October 31st-November 3rd.

Saturday, 23 June 2012

The Alchemy Press Book of Pulp Heroes

Deadline's up, reading period gone - and the contents of Alchemy Press's celebration of good old fashioned Pulp fiction has been announced:

Origins by Mike Resnick
House Name by Robert William Iveniuk
Eyes of Day, Eyes of Night by Anne Nicholls
Ripples in the Ether by William Meikle
The Perfect Murder by Chris Iovenko
Ivy's Secret Origin by Bracken N MacLeod
Crossing the Line by Joshua Wolf
Jean Marie by James Hartley
Currier Dread and the Hair of Destruction by Ian Gregory
The Going Rate by Amberle L Husbands
No Way But the Hard Way by Michael Haynes
The Vogue Prince by Adrian Cole
Upon a Granite Wind by Joel Lane
The Last Laugh by Milo James Fowler
In the Margins by Allen Ashley
Heroes and Villains by Peter Crowther
The Return of Boy Justice by
Peter Atkins

To be launched at FantasyCon, on Saturday 29th September 2012 - the time and date now confirmed:

http://www.fantasycon2012.org/launches.htm

Displacement Activity