tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24227741533798562102024-03-05T15:01:50.146-08:00FERGUSON, INC.Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-63863729719745118882015-12-22T17:05:00.000-08:002015-12-22T17:05:10.328-08:00LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Proudly Presents<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">LEGENDS
OF NEW PULP FICTION<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Earlier in
the year we learned that New Pulp writer/editor/publisher Tommy Hancock was
suffering from congestive heart-failure.
A relatively young family man, this was a dangerous condition that
threatened not only Tommy but his entire family. Almost immediately after this news was made
public, several members of the New Pulp community began putting their heads
together to see if anything could be done to help the Hancocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">“Jaime Ramos
proposed the idea of doing a benefit anthology,” says Airship 27 Productions
Managing Editor, Ron Fortier. “It was
such a great idea, I realized it needed to get done and we began planning such a
project.” The first thing Fortier did was bring aboard his partner in Airship
27, Art Director Rob Davis. “There was no way this was going to fly without Rob
handling the book’s overall artwork and design.” Fortier then went to Hancock and informed him
of their plans. With Hancock’s blessings, he then posted an ad on Facebook
explaining the project and seeking submissions from both writers and
artists. “It was always our intention to
do this as a traditional pulp tome and thus artwork would be a major element in
the final product.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Much to
Fortier’s surprise, and delight, the first creator to volunteer his assistance
was Douglas Klauba, one of the finest artists in the field. Klauba volunteered to paint the anthology’s
cover once the book was assembled.
“Honestly,” Fortier confesses, “I was in shock. Doug is an amazing
artist and his offering to do the cover was very much an omen that we were
about to put together something truly unique.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Within 48
hours after posting his recruiting ad, Fortier had received 57 commitments by New
Pulp writers while 36 artists in the field signed on to do the
illustrations. Amongst these creators
were some of the most popular New Pulp writers and artists in the field. In
fact, getting so many promised stories in just two days, Fortier begrudgingly
realized he and his associates were being handed a giant book and he publicly
closed the admission call. “It was
crazy,” he recalls. “Fifty-seven stories
in just two days! Of course there were
naysayers who warned me we’d never get all of them. They were right, we got 62 instead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And so the
project began with Fortier reading each entry and then assigning it to an
artist to illustrate. Each tale features
one black and white illustration. Ramos
acted as his assistant editor proofing teach story after Fortier with
them. Then, months into the project,
Ramos, who suffers from diabetes, found his own health in jeopardy and after
having handled half the stories, was forced to sideline himself. What looked to be a major set-back was
averted with writer/editor Todd Jones, a protégé of Fortier’s, volunteered to
take on the task of finishing the proofing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And so,
after months of ups and downs. Airship 27 Productions is extremely proudly to present
LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION. A giant
treasure chest of some of the finest New Pulp fiction ever produced in an 830
page collection. Representing the varied
genres of pulp tradition, this volume features tales of horror, mystery,
horror, suspense, pirates, fantasy, private eyes, crime-busting avengers and
westerns to name a few.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">“Rob and I
kidded during the long months of production that we had everything pulp save
for a romance story,” quips Fortier.
“Then in the final days of story submissions, we were sent a
romance. No lie!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">LEGENDS OF
NEW PULP FICTION is now available at Amazon.com in both hard copy and on
Kindle. All profits earned by this
amazing book are going to Tommy Hancock and his family. Sure to become a valued collector’s item,
LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION is a one of a kind title pulp fans young and old,
will cherish in years to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AIRSHIP 27
PRODUCTIONS – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Available
now from Amazon and on Kindle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">(http://www.amazon.com/Legends-New-Pulp-Fiction-Fortier/dp/0692601139/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450805945&sr=1-2&keywords=LEGENDS+OF+NEW+PULP+FICTION)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-12938955050005238432015-10-01T19:22:00.000-07:002015-10-01T19:22:50.434-07:0023 Months Later With CHUCK MILLER<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">It’s
been awhile since <a href="http://dlferguson-bloodandink.blogspot.com/2013/12/kickin-willy-bobo-with-chuck-miller.html" target="_blank">the original Kickin’ The Willy Bobo Interview with Chuck </a>so I
thought it way past time we caught up with what he’s all about and what he’s
doing 23 MONTHS LATER…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Derrick Ferguson: Have there been any major changes in your life personally
and professionally since we last talked?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Chuck Miller: Nothing major, though I have been a little busier in both
areas. I've been branching out and doing some different things, like Sherlock
Holmes, and a character called Zero that I've done some stories about for
Moonstone. I had a few health issues recently that slowed me down a little, but
I'm getting back on track now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: How do you feel your writing has developed since we last talked?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: I think it's gotten a little smoother. I'm starting to develop a better
sense of what should be left in and what should be cut out. I'm slightly less
neurotic about it. Usually. If I'm having a good day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: The universe of The Black Centipede has certainly expanded and grown
larger since <i>CREEPING DAWN: RISE OF THE BLACK CENTIPEDE</i>. Was this by
design or has the character’s popularity added fuel to your creative fires?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: Most of the characters I've been introducing have been around (in my head
and notebooks) as long as The Black Centipede has. I came up with them for a
comic book I wanted to do back in the 80s and 90s that never got off the
ground. Vionna Valis comes from that, as do Jack Christian and Dana Unknown.
Jack, Dana and Vionna are the main characters in "The Optimist," a
novel I wrote five or six years ago. Nothing much happened with that either,
but I decided to use some of the supporting cast in solo short stories, and
thus The Black Centipede developed into whatever he is now. I've been planning
to rewrite "The Optimist" to bring it in line with the continuity
changes I've made. I need to do that because the events in that story are
constantly being referred back to in my new stuff. Jack was originally supposed
to be the central character in my little universe, but The Centipede has stolen
his spot. Still, he is going to be more of a presence in future stories. He is
the narrator and central character in <b><i>The
Return of Little Precious</i></b>, and that story leads into other things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Aside from that, I knew that The Centipede would need a supporting cast. I
came up with Percival Doiley and Stan Bartowski. I have also made William Randolph
Hearst and Amelia Earhart into regulars, though that wasn't my original
intention. But the character needs to be grounded a little bit, and the
supporting characters do that, and they also give him different personalities
to play off of. He has a particular kind of relationship with Percy, another
kind with Hearst, yet another with Stanley, and so on. There is a lot of
potential for humor in all of these interactions, and humor is an essential
component. Really, the inspirations for the way most of my characters interact
are old sitcoms and comics like <i>Little Lulu</i>. You have characters with
well-defined personality quirks, and they play off of one another in ways that
are predictable in a good way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: Didn’t I read some time ago that Hollywood was interested in The Black
Centipede? Or is that just an unfounded rumor?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: I hope it isn't unfounded, but it's difficult to know who is serious
about what. I think The Centipede would make a great TV series, something along
the lines of "Boardwalk Empire," a period piece with lots of real
people showing up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: Tell us about THE BAY PHANTOM</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: He started out as the subject of a humorous short story I wrote a while
back called "The Return of Doctor Piranha." Set in the present day,
in my old hometown of Mobile, Alabama, it was about a down-and-out pulp
adventure hero from the 1930s. The magazine I wrote it for ended up never being
published, so I just posted it online for free and forgot about it for a while.
Later on, I started thinking about doing a new series, something totally
separate from the world of The Black Centipede, and I remembered The Bay
Phantom. So I took him back to the 30s, came up with some backstory, and
introduced a cast of supporting characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">He's a different kind of character from any of my others, and I use him to
tell different kinds of stories. He's actually a rather complex character. He
is competent and can be ruthless when he has to, but he is also rather naive,
and even innocent in a strange way. He has inner conflicts, but he doesn't let
them get in the way of what he's doing, though he goes to great lengths to
understand or resolve them. We'll see more of him grappling with his "dark
side" in the second book, <b><i>The
Feast of the Cannibal Guild</i></b>. That is still a work in progress, but I'm
hoping to finish it up before the end of October, or at least by Thanksgiving,
if not Christmas or Groundhog Day. In it, he will be separated from Mirabelle
for a while; she is off on a "secret mission" of her own, which is
basically the other half of the story. I like the way they work together, but I
wanted to see how they would fare as solo acts. Mirabelle is also a complex
character, and we'll get into more about her past and what motivates her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: Tell us about VIONNA AND THE VAMPIRES</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: It started out as a simple little novella in which Vionna Valis and
Mary Jane Kelly encounter Professor James Moriarty, who has for many years now
been Lord of the Vampires. It seems he was "rescued" by Dracula after
he took his plunge off the Reichenbach Falls and turned into a vampire. Vionna
and Mary encounter him when he starts bedeviling a young man named Scudder
Moran, a descendant of Moriarty's old lieutenant, Colonel Sebastian Moran. With
a little help from the ghost of Sherlock Holmes, the girls deal with him. When
I decided to make an official novel out of it, I needed a lot more material to
fill it out.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Since the main story was complete, I decided to do some background
stuff, showing how Moriarty got mixed up with Dracula in the first place. What
I came up with was a middle section in which Vionna finds herself transported
to London in the year 1888-- a sort of telepathic time-travel dream thing of an
uncertain nature, induced by the ghost of Holmes, who has been trapped in
Vionna's head. She takes the place of Watson as Holmes is engaged by the
still-human Moriarty to track down Jack the Ripper. The Ripper being one of the
main villains in The Black Centipede saga, I took the opportunity to fill out a
little bit of history there, and it builds on some of the events in <b><i>Blood of the Centipede</i></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: Do you think you have found an audience or has your audience found you?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: A little of both, I guess. But I'm hearing more and more from people I
don't know and don't have any connection to, which is good. I do a lot of
self-publicizing on social media, and I sometimes sell books one at a time to
people I come into contact with. I really need to start getting out to
conventions and things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: Where do you see Chuck Miller in five years?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: Wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice, more popular than the Beatles,
able to bend steel in my bare hands. Either that, or the same place I was five
years <i>ago</i>, which is basically right here. But five years older than now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: How do you see the New Pulp community these days? Is it a community?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: I think it is. Maybe not as much of one as it seemed to be for a while.
Whatever the definition of New Pulp is, it is nebulous enough to accommodate
all manner of things, and certain writers and certain kinds of stories which
could fit within those boundaries are not identified as such. There are lots of
gray areas around the edges, and any number of things <i>could</i> fit in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">That being the case, it isn't as much of a community as, say, Star Wars
fans or Batman fans or anything that has a very clear-cut definition. I don't
hear the term New Pulp used as often as I used to. But there are still these
core people who identify with it, so it is a community, albeit a rather small
one. Maybe some sort of big event is needed to draw more people in and generate
more interest. I don't know what form it would take, though. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: Do you think that New Pulp will ever have respectability?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: It might! I mean, it's respectable already, but in terms of gaining a
wider audience-- which we'd all like to see-- I think the potential is there.
The popularity of the superhero genre is ongoing, and may hold out for a few
more years. Since that is closely related to what we're doing, a little door is
standing open. The question is, how do we get through it? I don't have an
answer for that. I don't know a lot about marketing. It may come down to dumb
luck on somebody's part. The right book making its way into the right hands at
the right time. I don't know of any way to force that to happen. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We're not
really tapping into even the comic book/sci-fi community the way we ought to
be, but I don't know what the solution is. That would certainly be the first step,
before trying to break into any kind of mainstream recognition. But there are a
lot of talented people working in the New Pulp field, and if their work could
find its way into the hands of enough people, I think it would really take off.
After all, the most popular book series in recent memory is Harry Potter, and
those stories could easily fit under the pulp umbrella.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">DF: What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CM: I've got several things coming out over the next few months. As I
mentioned earlier, the next installment of The Black Centipede and his pals'
adventures, <b><i>The Return of Little
Precious</i></b>, is coming from Pro Se Press. This one stars Doctor Unknown
Junior, and it wraps up the Moriarty trilogy. There's also the return of a
villain from one of the early Centipede books. That's already done, and it's in
the editing stage now. I'm currently working on the second Bay Phantom novel, <b><i>Feast of the Cannibal Guild</i></b>, the
next Vionna and Mary, <b><i>Into the Void</i></b>,
and sort of tentatively sketching out the next Black Centipede. I'm also doing
things for Pro Se's Single Shot line, including new Centipede and Vionna short
stories, and a new character called the Red Dagger. He is a sort of spinoff
from <b><i>Blood of the Centipede</i></b>.
Lancelot Cromwell, the hedonistic actor who played The Black Centipede in the
movie decides to become a masked crime-fighter for real. It does not go
smoothly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we should know?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Chuck Miller: Well, a couple of "bucket list" projects have been
done and are working their way toward publication. One of them is a Sherlock
Holmes novel I've done for Airship 27. <b><i>Sherlock
Holmes: The Picture of Innocence</i></b> is a reworking of <i>The Sign of the
Four</i> and <i>A Scandal in Bohemia</i>. It guest stars Arthur Conan Doyle and
Oscar Wilde, and was also inspired by <i>The Picture of Dorian Gray</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The other one is something I've been wanting to do for a very long time. My
absolute favorite TV show ever is <i>Kolchak: The Night Stalker</i>. I recently
had the opportunity to do two Kolchak novelettes for Moonstone Books, and those
are set to be released in February of 2016. <b><i>Penny Dreadful</i></b><i> </i>and <b><i>The</i></b><i> <b>Time Stalker</b>
</i>are going to be published in a single volume. I don't want to give too much
away, but I'll tell you that one of them features the return of a monster from
the small screen, while the other deals with Carl Kolchak's encounter with one
of the most notorious real-life psychopaths of all time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-43616527763638519192015-09-22T12:28:00.000-07:002015-09-22T12:28:00.856-07:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With...Frank Schildiner<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who Is Frank
Schildiner?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Frank
Schildiner: Oh jeez, start with a hard one why don't ya? That's something I've
been wondering for 49 years and I'm still figuring it out. Well, I was born in
Queens, NY, raised in New Jersey and at night I fight crime under the
name...oops, slipped into my own reality for a minute there...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What do you tell the IRS you do
for a living?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Senior Probation Officer for the State of New
Jersey, Martial Arts instructor for Amorosi's Mixed Martial Arts and writer.
They also wonder if I have time to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us a little something about
your background.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: That'd
take a while, but I think I can sum up. I had amazing parents who managed to
deal with a slightly demented child by channeling him (i.e. me) into useful
areas. I grew up reading classics, both the fun variety like Burroughs and
Doyle, and the serious kind you were forced to read in school. They loved all
types of films and I got to see some of the best and worst </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">old films
as I grew up. This fostered my imagination and made me the rather crazy person
I am today. But it wouldn't have gone anywhere if I hadn't been encouraged to
take up martial arts in my mid-thirties. There I learned discipline and so much
more, channeling what was inside me into a more productive direction.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How long have you been writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: All my
life, but I wasn't published until I was 40. This was a good thing. I look back
at my earlier work and shudder. I was really bad and it took me that long to
learn the basics of storytelling. But thanks to some amazing teachers/editors,
I'm slowly getting there (I hope).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You a plotter or a pantser?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Pantser,
totally and completely. I tried forever to be a plotter and all my stories were
horrific, stilted and stiff. Then I read Stephen King's “On Writing” and he
explained he wrote his books the way I wanted to do it. I figured if one of the
bestselling authors on Earth, one of my heroes, did it that way, I could avoid
outlines.. .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What writers have influenced
you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Oh man,
so many! Lovecraft, Howard, Ernst, Jack London, Walter Gibson, Bram Stoker,
Jack Kirby, Harlan Ellison, Philip Jose Farmer, Will Murray, Win Scott Eckert,
JM Lofficier, David Gerrold, Clark Ashton Smith...I could be doing this for a
very long time...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are you interested in critics or
professional/amateur criticism of your work?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: In a
small sense, I think we all are to a degree. I hope everyone likes my work, but
I'm not going to worry about it overly. I do prize and listen to my editors and
friends who give me honest constructive criticism, that’s how I learned to
become a better writer. But a bad review doesn't shake me. A writer needs to be
immune to worries like that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What audience are you trying to
reach with your work? Is there an audience for Frank Schildiner?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Hmm,
that's a good one. Well, I think my two audiences are pulp and occult/horror
adventure. My main work is, surprising to me, very much in the weirder end of
the horror universe. My latest novel seems to cover both areas, but time will
tell if I actually have anyone reading me LOL!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you consider yourself to be a
New Pulp writer? If so, why? And if not, then why not?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Very
much a New Pulp writer. That's where I got started, writing French pulp
crossovers for Black Coat Press and Secret Agent X for Airship27. I love that
period of writing and the fact that it returned to the publishing world in the
last ten years or so was a gift from heaven, so to speak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Also I love
the amazing work New Pulp writers produce regularly. There are so many great
new characters coming out these days, Pat Wildman, Dillon, the Royal Occultist,
Sgt. Janus...it's an incredible time to be a writer or a reader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How important is it to follow
your instincts while writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: 100%
importance. At times I find myself writing entirely different directions than I
imagined a scene or a chapter would go in a book. It’s a surprising moment, an
internal and unconscious decision that makes the writing process all the more
enjoyable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about THE QUEST OF
FRANKENSTEIN</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: This is
the story of the French version of the Frankenstein monster. The creature is a
lethal and terrible monster, an evil being who meets up with the American
monster maker, Herbert West, in his quest for a mate. To get his mate, West
requires a list of items, most living and terrible beings themselves, and the
creature, known as Gouroull, wanders around the world to </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">obtain
these items. It’s a sweeping story, introducing monsters, many of whom were
forgotten by horror/occult fans.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: This is a different Frankenstein
Monster from the one that most of here in America are familiar with. Can you go
into the origins of this Monster and why you chose to use him for your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Oh yes,
this is a truly amazing story. Back in the 1950’s a French pulp paperback
publisher had on staff a man named Jean-Claude Carriere. He was asked to write
a series starring the Frankenstein monster, though he remade the creature. This
is not the tormented Byronic monster of Shelley, the allegorical Whale version
or the brutish version that followed when Whale stopped making the films. The
creature, named Gouroull, is a giant, chalky skinned, yellow-eyed,
nigh-invulnerable fiend. He’s nearly bulletproof, unafraid of fire and
possessing an alien intelligence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Carriere
wrote Gouroull in a series of novels that ended in 1959. He then went on to
become an Academy Award winning screenwriter whose work with Luis Brunel and
others has made him one of the legends in the film world. In 2014 he was also
given a lifetime achievement award by the Academy, which is quite a heavy legacy
to follow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I learned
of Gouroull through my friend and mentor, JM Lofficier and his company, BLACK
COAT PRESS. I’m proud he accepted the book and thus <b>THE QUEST OF FRANKENSTEIN</b> was born!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about TALES OF THE
SHADOWMEN and how you got involved with that anthology series.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: <i>TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN</i> is a yearly
publication by the amazing JM Lofficier and his company BLACK COAT PRESS. In
these anthologies, a writer takes a French character and writes them in a story
with heroes or villains they normally would not have encountered. It’s a
marvelous idea, a mean of introducing the world to the vast French literature
unknown to many. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Characters like
Doctor Omega, Fantomos, Judex, Lemmy Caution, Harry Dickson, Nyctalope and so
many more have become popular thanks to this incredible series of books. Major
writers like Michael Moorcock, Brian Stableford and Terrence Dicks contributed
and writers like </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">myself and
many others got their fiction writing start in these anthologies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I was
brought in because I wrote a short story for JM, an archaeologist named Jean
Kariven who was involved in ancient alien adventures. I’ve written Kariven
several times and also wrote my first Gouroull tale in the Shadowmen books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You’ve written quite a few
Classic Pulp heroes such as Thunder Jim Wade, The Black Bat, Secret Agent X and
The Avenger among others. Which one was your favorite?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Thunder
Jim Wade has become my favorite over the years. He was a Doc Savage knockoff that
was done by a great writer, Henry Kuttner (best known for the short story, “The
Graveyard Rats”). Kuttner, though an excellent tale spinner, didn’t seem
interested in the character or action hero pulps. He created a great origin for
Wade, being raised in a lost city in Africa, but the stories were bland at
best. I’ve taken the character a unique and fun direction and really love the
plans I have for the hero in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Any other Classic Pulp
characters you’d like to write?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: Operator
#5. Love the idea of a spy fighting lethal hordes who are trying to take over
the United States. I doubt that I ever will write the hero, but we all have
dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about BIG OL’ SCORPION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: <b>BIG OL’ SCORPION</b> harkens back to my
upbringing. I was blessed with parents who loved old films, good, bad and
otherwise. They showed me the old 50’s sci-fi films when I was young and I fell
in love with the ones starring giant monsters rampaging across the USA. “EARTH
VS THE SPIDER” “THEM!” and oh so many more were available on weekend TV when I
was growing up, so I got to watch them and imagine a world where this happened
for real. I always wanted to write short stories or novellas on these
creatures, even did a few team up tales when I was little. Happily none of
those embarrassing efforts survived, but I came up with the idea of a
rockabilly guitarist who encounters a giant scorpion in a town in the Midwest.
It was a major pleasure to write and seemed to work for many readers, I’m happy
to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are your plans for your
writing career? Is there anything you’re working on now that we should know
about?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FS: I’m
working on a Thunder Jim Wade novella for Pro Se Publishing right now and have
a possible series of novellas in the pipeline with another publisher. I’ve also
got two possible </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">short story
collections in works as well as a pulp novel series. Also coming soon is a
short story collection I’m in called </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE
LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> with Airship27. It’s an anthology book with a
total of 62 writers and 38 artists and being used as a fundraiser for Tommy
Hancock and his health problems.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: What’s a Typical
Day In The Life Of Frank Schildiner like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Frank
Schildiner: Up at 6am, at work by 8. Work until lunchtime, where I do a little
writing if I can. Work until 4:30 and then rush off to my dojo, AMOROSI’S MIXED
MARTIAL ARTS. I train and teach until 9 or so, then home and write a couple of
hours before bed. It’s a non-stop life, I’ve turned into a triple A personality
at nearly 50, which is shocking for me to say the least!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Schildiner/e/B009VRDXZC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1442949666&sr=1-1" target="_blank">FRANK'S AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE</a></span></div>
Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-28006696175314534132015-06-24T18:46:00.000-07:002015-06-24T21:44:07.462-07:00From The "A Nigger Moment" File<div class="MsoNormal">
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">If you’ve been reading BLOOD &
INK on a regular basis (and if not, then whyain’tcha?) The you’ll have noticed
that from time to time I’ll post something here that has been written by one of
the most extraordinarily talented artists it’s been my pleasure to work with; Sean
E. Ali.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Sean has a habit of writing these
amazingly perceptive and on point essays on his Facebook wall that should be
read by a wider audience. But Sean is truly a modest man and resists all my suggestions
that he should start a blog or something where these thoughts can saved and
savored and not lost in the blur of Facebooks posts. Sean’s a deep thinker who truly has something
worth saying about some very important societal topics affecting all of us
today.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Fortunately he has a friend like me
who has no shame at all in reposting his insightful words on his own blog.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Okay, I’ve run my mouth far too much
already. I now turn the floor over to Mr. Ali…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So let me
get this straight...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The people
upset most that the President used the word "nigger" in an
interview...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">...are the
very people who have been calling him that in one form or another since '08...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">...or
wasn't Cornell West using it to describe the President's avoidance of the
subject he was confronting when he used the word...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">...or are
people of color who use it as a part of their daily speech when referring to
themselves or people they know who think that tossing a bunch of different
vowels and consonants on at the end somehow makes the word something other than
what it was?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Uh huh...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">If that
ain't a "nigger moment", I don't know what is...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For the
record, I'm going for the Queen's English version of that word which denotes an
"ignorant person"...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The word
long before it was a racial slur was used to describe a lack of intelligence,
an ignorance of things that were obvious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In short,
there is no positive spin for the word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Sorry,
Chris Rock, I know you want to resurrect it after the NAACP did that whole
symbolic burial thing, but really it's not the kind of word that meant
"Freedom" in Swahili, it's still ignorant even when it's not racial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For the
youngsters and the hip hop community and those folks who think they are down
when they use it as a greeting or expression of friendship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">It isn't.
It never was no matter how many times you add "az", "uh",
"a", "ruh", or whatever else you come up with, you're still
calling someone ignorant, you're still insulting someone's intelligence even
when race isn't a factor...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">But when
you do it to one another and then lose your minds because someone who isn't you
or yours uses the term...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">...then
it's racial and stupid, and you're a hypocrite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">If the word
is wrong, it's wrong all the way around. You can't pick and choose the moments
it's okay to speak a slur or insult, because it's a slur and an insult all the
time. You can dress it up if you like, but it is what it is all the time...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">At least
the President used it as a proper example of the ingrained nature of racism in
American culture and the difficulty of erasing nearly six hundred years (if you
take in the total time of Africans sending their own to the Europeans who then
bound them over into slavery overseas to well, now) of racial inequality in a
weekend when it's got that large a head start, is an accurate assessment and
summary of what he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And FOX
Newsertainment wants to act like what he said was somehow the most horrible
thing ever uttered by a president...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">....despite
their long track record of profiling people of certain ethnic groups and hiding
behind the new "nigger" trigger word of "thug"...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">All of you
need to take a breath and listen to yourselves before you start jumping on
someone else for using the EXACT SAME WORD YOU USE AND REFUSE TO LET GO OF in a
context that offends you...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">...probably
because what was said is true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And how
Black people can sit around demanding the removal of the Confederate battle
flag and not abandon the use of a word which is linked to that flag and that
era like a guy with a burning cross and a white hood on his head is one of
those things I'm not understanding...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Maybe the
Johnny Reb isn't the only thing that needs to be left in the past...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Something
to consider, friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sean.e.ali?fref=ts" target="_blank">Originally posted on Sean's Facebook wall June 23erd, 2015</a></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-55387168568917197582015-06-15T21:26:00.001-07:002015-06-15T21:26:59.274-07:00875 Words (More or Less) About Getting Caught Up In Researching<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">See,
research used to be a whole lot harder back in the day before the Internet. I
know there are a whole bunch of you right now clutching your hearts and staggering
around like Fred Sanford exclaiming; “No…no Internet? What did people do all day
long?” I could tell you but that’s another essay for another time. This one
here is about my ruminations and musings on the pitfalls of doing research.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Way back in
the 1980s in order to do my research for whatever I was working on at the time
what I would do is set aside a day (usually Saturday) to go to my local library
and spend the morning just researching. At that time I lived in Ebbets Field.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Which was
only a nice little thirty minute walk to the library on Grand Army Plaza. So I
got my exercise as well. Once the research was done I treated myself to the
rest of the day off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So now we fast-forward
to the Internet Age where I can now simply Google any information about
anything at all and do my research in my pajamas in the comfort of my home
because now the library comes to me. And that’s a good thing. Maybe too much of
a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Let me
explain: the current project I’m working on is set during World War I during
what was one of the most important conflicts in the history of warfare: The
Battle of Cambrai. Cambrai is a town in France that is distinguished due to the
fact that it was first time tanks were used in large numbers in combat successfully.
Now, I know as much about The Battle of Cambrai as I do about the dark side of
the moon. But that’s where things get interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I go ahead and
Google up The Battle of Cambrai and there’s a whole lotta good articles and
information on the battle. I breathe a sigh of relief and dig in. The trail of
research even leads me to YouTube as there’s a goodish number of documentaries
from the History Channel about The Battle of Cambrai. I’m encouraged now, y’see?
I hungrily absorb everything I’m learning and putting into the story as now I
feel much more confident being armed with dates, names and maps to give my
story a solid foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So what’s
the problem? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I re-read
the first three chapters of the book and it occurred to me that what I had
actually done was bury the story under the weight of the dates, names and maps.
So intent had I been making sure I had the historical stuff right I sacrificed
doing the stuff that I know how to do: dialog, characterization, action. Y’know…the
stuff I had been asked to do on this project as that was the reason I had been
engaged to work on it in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And I’ve
always been the guy who preached that if facts got in the way of telling a good
story then throw the facts away and don’t worry about it. But I didn’t do it
this time and after some time I had it figured out as to why I wasn’t doing it.
These weren’t my characters and this wasn’t a setting I had chosen. My
confidence wasn’t holding me up on this one. And usually my confidence level is
ridiculously high. But not this time. This time I felt I needed the facts to
prove that I knew what I was doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And after a
couple of days of burning up brain cells meditating about the situation it got
through to me that I did know what I was doing. I was asked to write an action
packed pulp adventure full of derring-do, thrills and chills. I hadn’t been
asked to write a historical fiction novel <i>ala</i>
John Jakes. The historical stuff of World War I and The Battle of Cambrai was
just the backdrop for the <b><i>story.<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So what did
I do? Why I scrapped the first three chapters and rewrote them, of course. But
this time I only used just as much research as I needed to move the story along
and that’s all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So what’s
the moral of this story? I guess it’s not to let research get in the way of
having fun writing. Unless of course you actually are writing a historical
fiction novel and in that case it’s of primary importance that you stick to the
facts. Or maybe the moral is that since
research is so easy to do now that it’s way too easy to get caught up in
research for research’s sake and convince yourself that you’re doing research
when you’re actually entertaining yourself swimming in the sea of research.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">But you’ll
be glad to know that once I got through trudging through that bog, the novel
proved to be a lot easier to work on and it’s going faster than I thought it
would. What novel is this you ask? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Well, if I
told you that now then I wouldn’t have a subject for us to talk about the next
time, would I? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-34603659704914250562015-05-29T09:03:00.000-07:002015-05-29T09:03:21.307-07:0032 Months Later With Balogun Ojetade<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: What are the major
changes that have taken place in your life personally and professionally since
we last talked?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Balogun
Ojetade: Personally, I now have two grandchildren (I had one back then), with a
third one on the way and my father passed October 16, 2013, a year and a day
after our first interview went live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Professionally,
I have published several books, completed a feature film, won a screenwriting
contest and participated in several panels around the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHRNbTT3297Fge6kD2tT7DnlnlG4uDdoKMCDs0EXhpR9teq3UhnWKZRZr2g4plvW_UWmKlgOKuLLtFaWPkIOOVLZT2S7Xvtbcd0qvn656Du6OOiK7RPoImorO9fyPGINJLnE5LJZX6GU/s1600/1426349_749788261715782_2071515409_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHRNbTT3297Fge6kD2tT7DnlnlG4uDdoKMCDs0EXhpR9teq3UhnWKZRZr2g4plvW_UWmKlgOKuLLtFaWPkIOOVLZT2S7Xvtbcd0qvn656Du6OOiK7RPoImorO9fyPGINJLnE5LJZX6GU/s400/1426349_749788261715782_2071515409_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How have you grown as a
writer/editor/publisher in the past 32 months?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: I
certainly have – physically, at least. I now weigh 220 pounds. Back in 2012, I
weighed about 180!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Seriously,
I believe I have. I certainly have much more experience in all aspects of the
business and the art. I have always worked hard at my craft as a writer, but I
am devoting almost as much time to learning the business side of books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Is the direction you’re heading
in now the same as it was 32 months ago?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: Pretty
much. I have a stronger focus on pushing Black Speculative Fiction to the
masses, now and I – with Milton Davis – have produced and / or curated nearly a
dozen events since we last talked. These events include <b><i>The Mahogany Masquerade; Alien
Encounters; the Black Speculative Film Festival; the Black Science Fiction and
Fantasy Youth Summit; The Black Speculative Fiction Author Showcase</i></b> and
many others. And now we are Co-Chairing SOBSFic Con (“State of Black Science
Fiction Con) in 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you see
yourself five years from now? </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: I see
myself publishing other authors, making more films and giving the world SOBSFic
Con II. I also see a vacation in there, as I have not taking a vacation (other
than working ones) in twenty-five years. My vacation spot of choice is Gabon,
in Central Africa, my ancestral home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you think you’ve found your
audience? Or that your audience has found you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: My
audience has found me. I wish I knew exactly who they were; it would certainly
help with marketing. However, in this digital age, people buy books and you
don’t know who they are unless they send you a message saying how much they
loved, or didn’t love, your book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Have any of your attitudes about
your work or your style of writing changed completely or modified?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: No sir.
I’m still the same old me. If anything, I am more willing to experiment. Three
years ago, I would have been too intimidated to write a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-style
book. I did that last year with The Keys and I am plotting out the second book
in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about Steamfunk and your
place in the genre</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO:
Steamfunk is the Black / African expression of Steampunk, but it is more than
that. While steam is the dominant technology in Steampunk it doesn’t have to be
in Steamfunk. Most non-European cultures did not rely on steam and saw steam
technology as a tool of the oppressor. We deal with that in Steamfunk. We tell
the stories of George Washington Carver, Bass Reeves, Harriet Tubman, John
Henry and Frederick Douglass – stories you won’t read in Steampunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">My place in
the genre is as an author and screenwriter. Up until this year, I would have
been considered the Steamfunk activist. But now I push Black Speculative
Fiction in general. I think Steamfunk has grown wings and really caught on,
which was my plan. No need for me to keep that as my focus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Rococoa is a genre that really
excites me. For those not in the know can you tell us what Rococoa is?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Where Sword
and Soul ends and before Steamfunk begins, there is the Age of Spring
Technology and Clockwork. Think Three Finger’d Jack; the pirate, Black Caesar;
and the Haitian Revolution. Think the Black Count, Nat Turner, and the Stono Rebellion…that
is <b><i>Rococoa!</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">A couple of
years ago, at the <i>Mahogany Masquerade: An
Evening of</i> <i>Steamfunk and Film</i>, I
inquired about the era that sits between Sword and Soul – the subgenre of
African-inspired epic and heroic fantasy that is usually set before colonization
– and Steamfunk, which normally takes place between 1837 and 1901. I asked if
anyone had a name for that time because it is a time that fascinates me – a
time of revolution (in particular, the Haitian Revolution); a time of pirates
and swashbucklers; a time of reverence for art and science. I am a huge fan of <i>The Three Musketeers</i> in all media and <i>Brotherhood of the Wolf</i>, also set during
that era, is one of my favorite movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAxJ6FF1l8XbY_gnU9FXjj66M_Ri2oRvxyJC8cOGSZJahCnkGb3yQUmTgP6qw5lwTs1plN2PpCx8zN4GplYXpW8w3RhDqDvZw6pGyMdkDgUuyt4nlfYlot3NFNlOtFa7omaM4izUsvfM/s1600/c9785587ffbfa43c97480b5ee6790ef5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAxJ6FF1l8XbY_gnU9FXjj66M_Ri2oRvxyJC8cOGSZJahCnkGb3yQUmTgP6qw5lwTs1plN2PpCx8zN4GplYXpW8w3RhDqDvZw6pGyMdkDgUuyt4nlfYlot3NFNlOtFa7omaM4izUsvfM/s400/c9785587ffbfa43c97480b5ee6790ef5.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">No one at
the event had a name for the era, however, everyone agreed the time possessed
that same “cool factor” found in
Steamfunk and Sword and Soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Curious by
nature and a researcher by choice, I immediately began my quest of discovery,
fueled by my determination to find a name for this era that fascinated me so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">After a
brief bit of research, I stumbled upon Rococo…and, to my surprise, Rococopunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Rococo is
derived from the French word <i>rocaille</i>,
originally meaning the bits of rocky decoration sometimes found in 16th-century
architectural schemes. It was first used in its modern sense around 1800, at
about the same time as baroque, and, like baroque, was initially a pejorative
term.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Rococopunk
is – like Dieselpunk – a sibling of Steampunk, set in the earlier Renaissance
era, primarily in the high-class French community of the time. Participants in
this movement wear outlandish makeup and hairstyles and sport bold, brightly
colored clothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Think <i>Amadeus, Pirates of the Caribbean, or The
Adventures of Baron</i> Munchausen. For darker Rococo, <i>think Last of the Mohicans, Perfume: The</i> <i>Story of A Murderer, Brotherhood of the Wolf, or Sleepy Hollow</i> (the
1999 film, not the television show).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Okay, I had
a name for the era. Now, I needed to come up with a name to define the Black
expression of Rococopunk; a name to define the subgenre so that – as author and
publisher Milton Davis says of Steamfunk and Sword and Soul – “when you hear or
read ‘Steamfunk’ or ‘Sword and Soul’, you know exactly what you’re getting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Before I
could come up with a name myself, the brilliant Briaan L. Barron, artist and
owner of <i>Bri-Dimensional Images</i>, did
it for me with her release of the documentary, <i>Steamfunk and Rococoa: A Black Victorian Fantasy</i>. While there is
not much talk of Rococo or Rococopunk in the documentary – it is mainly about
Steampunk and Steamfunk and features Diana Pho of Beyond Victoriana and Yours
Truly – the spelling, Rococoa, was perfect!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">At present,
I am seeking submissions of Rococoa stories for an anthology I will release in
early 2016. It is the first anthology I am publishing and I am very excited
about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You and Milton Davis won the <i>2014 Urban Action Showcase Award for</i> <i>Best Action Script</i> for your screenplay
NGOLO. How did you guys celebrate when you won?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: We
celebrated with some great Chinese food and a beer. The next day, we were back
on the grind, strategizing our next step with the screenplay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQh-jt4Tip6b6S66rPgoEWf07I9NmD-PiEpwFJBOR_voQ0aR0QphYy8U2gdqZA6_PX2Clmk-ZkmKEBDdGf6YYKtIrqxA2iaJLy5sQzRjCl98AklVcnFFfuJLcGcSy9U0Cf4VWRDOeUhc/s1600/ngolo-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQh-jt4Tip6b6S66rPgoEWf07I9NmD-PiEpwFJBOR_voQ0aR0QphYy8U2gdqZA6_PX2Clmk-ZkmKEBDdGf6YYKtIrqxA2iaJLy5sQzRjCl98AklVcnFFfuJLcGcSy9U0Cf4VWRDOeUhc/s400/ngolo-25.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about the story of NGOLO
and your plans for it. Will we eventually see the movie?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: The
basic premise of <b>NGOLO</b> is this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In the
near-future, assassinations are legal, as long as they are carried out by
government-sanctioned guilds of assassins, who settle disputes in boardrooms
and political offices around the world. One guild – the Bloodmen – is the most
skilled; the most dangerous; the most feared…until the day the hunters become
the hunted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Here’s the
plot:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When a
contract for the life of Senator PATRICK STANTON – a man hell-bent on
eradicating the assassin guilds – is issued and taken on by the Bloodmen, it is
suspected by the Bloodmen’s Guild Professor (2nd-In-Command), STEPHEN JONES,
that the master of the guild, KAMARA KEITA, accepted the contract pro-bono (an
illegal practice) in order to force Senator Stanton to vote in favor of the
continued existence of legal assassination and assassin guilds at the upcoming
vote on the Anti-Assassination Bill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Desiring
leadership of the Bloodmen, Stephen challenges Guildmaster Kamara to combat,
with the prize being command of the guild. Kamara defeats Stephen. Ashamed and
envious, Stephen leaves the Bloodmen and attempts to turn the other guilds
against Kamara. Instead, the other Guildmasters and Guild Professors back
Kamara and even encourage him to kill Stephen for his betrayal, which Kamara
refuses to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Stephen
goes to assassin wannabes, the TIGERS and offers them a chance to become a
legitimate guild if they help him bring down the Bloodmen. The leader of the
Tigers, CARLOS FAIRCHILD, is reluctant at first, but Stephen convinces him
that, under Guildmaster Kamara’s leadership, the Bloodmen have become corrupt
and they must be stopped before they cause the eradication of legal
assassination and all the guilds. Carlos joins forces with Stephen and hands
over leadership of the Tigers – and a few street gangs he has influence over –
to the former Bloodman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The
Bloodmen throw their annual Founders’ Day celebration. All of the Guildmasters
and Guild Professors from around the world attend. Kamara awaits the arrival of
his son, MALCOLM and Malcolm’s fiancée, JAMELA RASHON, both top Bloodmen
assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Jamela is
en route from an assignment in San Diego and Malcolm is en route from a job in
Japan. While on his way to the Bloodmen’s guild house, Malcolm is ambushed by
the Tigers. At the same time, the guild house is attacked by an army of Tigers
and thugs, led by Stephen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Jamela
comes upon the house as it is being attacked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And then…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">You’ll have
to wait for the movie or the graphic novel to find out what happens next. We
are negotiating both right now, so I can’t say much, but a major feature film
is going to happen, but man, it is a long process. Hopefully, the feature film
will hit the Big Screen in 2017. The graphic novel should drop a bit earlier in
the same year or in late 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You and Milton Davis have proven
to be quite the formidable partnership. What’s the secret of such a successful
team?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: Hard
work, consistency and courage. When Milton and I first met – to discuss
creating Ngolo, actually – I told Milton that I operate from a position of
power; not fear; that I get things done and have no time for naysayers. He had
the same principles, so we started setting up events and projects together. Of
course, we would discuss our stories with each other and that led to us doing
some collaboration with <i>Ki-Khanga, Rite
of Passage</i> and <i>Ngolo.</i> Now, my final installment of <i>Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet</i> <i>Tubman</i> will be set in Milton’s world of
Freedonia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">It’s fun
working with Milton and we have much more work to do together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlkY2qYZSnc22QIa95aba3RksMz78ADsPWKpjqbftbuxtCtb7tZzZxPk6F-Cu2nB3xRbQXOipL61CdIUCFmParOoIm7wQ4KIsMi8zsxAD5t-2gWYxGOvPdWSOXF5LAhOwKgWnunMd9i0/s1600/311151_10151220066209253_18053679_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlkY2qYZSnc22QIa95aba3RksMz78ADsPWKpjqbftbuxtCtb7tZzZxPk6F-Cu2nB3xRbQXOipL61CdIUCFmParOoIm7wQ4KIsMi8zsxAD5t-2gWYxGOvPdWSOXF5LAhOwKgWnunMd9i0/s400/311151_10151220066209253_18053679_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about the State of Black
Science Fiction Convention. How did it come about?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: Milton
and I have long discussed doing a convention. All of the Black conventions at
present are focused on comic books. That’s cool, but we need something more.
There are many fans of Black Speculative Fiction who aren’t into comic books.
I’m one of them. I lost a real interest in comic books after the last issue of
<i>Brotherman</i> dropped, but I never lost interest in novels, films and television.
Milton is not a fan of comic books either. I say that, not to bash comic books
or comic book conventions, but to say that we need conventions that offer more,
so we decided to create our own – one that would feature all aspects of Black
Speculative Fiction. After curating Alien Encounters, a four-day Black
Speculative Fiction conference (more academic than a convention) and sitting on
panels at cons across the country, we know how to do this and it is going to be
epic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">We call it
State of Black Science Fiction Con because State of Black Science Fiction is
the name of our collective. We call it SOBSFic [SAHBS-fik] Con for short.
SOBSFic Con is set for June 17-18, 2016. There is already a huge buzz around it
and we are expecting to get a great turnout.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6i_0lUyRLz0Md2cswSV021fOW7DQTC9Zs5izLVr33WlvlOe-S5dinhCzWn4f3tvagKVEH-8GtwEmyqYEpnluMZif5u11IhyphenhyphenjoBelsyV3rP-xfbUqZpoUK6YTVUuzBI3NY2YLQnqn4nc/s1600/sobsf-con-promo-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6i_0lUyRLz0Md2cswSV021fOW7DQTC9Zs5izLVr33WlvlOe-S5dinhCzWn4f3tvagKVEH-8GtwEmyqYEpnluMZif5u11IhyphenhyphenjoBelsyV3rP-xfbUqZpoUK6YTVUuzBI3NY2YLQnqn4nc/s400/sobsf-con-promo-2.jpg" width="370" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BO: I am
working on <i>Moses: The Chronicles of
Harriet Tubman: Freedonia</i> now. That will be the only novel I release this
year. The rest of my time will be devoted to developing and marketing SOBSFic
Con and doing panels at a few conventions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we
should know? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Balogun
Ojetade: I am always seeking to collaborate with other authors and artists, so
if any readers want to work on something, they can reach me at Chroniclesofharriet@gmail.com. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I also love doing cons, so if you are doing a
con and need a panelist or a moderator, let me know that, too. Oh, and buy my
books. Word on the street is, they’re pretty good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For more information about Balogun Ojetade and his work, check out his blog <a href="http://chroniclesofharriet.com/" target="_blank">Chronicles of Harriet</a></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-92417546380277492015-05-03T18:40:00.001-07:002015-05-03T18:46:27.352-07:0017 Months Later With...Percival Constantine<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Percival Constantine stays so fargin’
busy that I could easily do an update interview with him every three months and
he would always have some new project to inform us about. It’s taken me awhile
to catch up with him to find out what he’s up to 17 MONTHS LATER… <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: How do you feel
your career as a writer has grown in the past year?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Percival
Constantine: I’ve gotten more serious about it, I think. I’ve started planning
out a release schedule in advance and have that roughly set for the next two
years or so and I make it a point to try to write every day. Although I still
miss some days, I succeed more often than I fail, even on days when I feel like
I won’t be able to get anything done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You’re somewhat unique in that
you not only write; you design logos, format print books for a number of
publishers and have done lettering work for comic books. Was this a deliberate
career plan or did you just fall into these various creative arenas you operate
in?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">PC: It just
sort of happened. Formatting, lettering, logo design, this all came about out
of necessity. Someone had to do it. When I was putting together <b>FALLEN </b>for publication, I was a poor
college graduate without the money to afford for formatting and Microsoft Word
was just too frustrating to use. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So I read a lot of guides and taught myself
how to do it with InDesign. And while the first few books took days or even
weeks to format, I eventually did enough of them and got to the point where now
I can format a book in under an hour or so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Lettering
as well came about because of necessity. When I was putting together my first
comic book project, I found an artist who could pencil and ink, but he couldn’t
letter. So with the help of the fine folks over at NinjaLettering.com, I
learned how to do it myself. And I was surprised to find out that not only
could I do a pretty good job at it, but I enjoyed it, too. I then began
applying for lettering positions and was able to make some extra cash doing
those jobs. And logo design just grew out of the lettering work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In this day
and age, I think it’s important for authors—especially indies—to learn as much
about the production process as humanly possible. For one, learning new skills
is always a healthy thing. Two, you never know what you might be good at or
enjoy doing until you try it. And three, it can save you a lot of money in the
long run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you see yourself in
five years?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">PC: Hopefully
with a PhD or close to achieving one and able to make a living from my writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you think you have found an
audience? Or has your audience found you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">PC: I don’t
think they have yet. But it’s building slowly, little by little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about your latest
project.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">PC: Right
now I’m finishing up the first season of <b>VANGUARD.</b>
It’s a superhero team in the vein of the X-Men and the Avengers, and I’m a huge
fan of the Bronze Age comics. When I first discovered people were doing
serialized prose stories through e-books, I thought it was a great idea and I
felt like it would suit a number of concepts I had in mind which didn’t quite
lend themselves to novels or novellas. Vanguard definitely falls in that camp.
The serial format really lends itself to the types of comics I’ve always loved
to read, the ones which are pretty much self-contained stories, but have
overarching sub-plots that stretch out in the background. So I’m having a lot
of fun with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The concept
behind the series is that the world has changed through a mysterious occurrence
called The Event. No one knows what it was or how it happened, but what we do
know is that humanity has been changed on a genetic level. For the vast
majority of the population, this mutation hasn’t resulted in any obvious
change. But a small percentage have developed superhuman abilities as a result
of it. The President sees the potential for problems and secretly authorizes
the creation of Vanguard, a team of specials overseen by Colonel Leonard
Thorne. It’s their job to police the specials who would threaten humanity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The first
season ends with the release of <b><i>Vanguard #5: Rise of the Red Fist</i></b>
coming out on May 18th on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. Soon, the episodes will
be made available on all e-book retailers and I’m also going to release a
compilation of the first season in print and digital formats, probably in the
fall. I’m already in the middle of writing the second season and if all goes
well, it will also debut in the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Curse of the
Necronomicon</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">
comes out on June 22nd, and this is the third book in <b>THE MYTH</b> <b>HUNTER</b> series.
Elisa Hill is tasked with tracking down her former partner, Lucas Davalos, who
disappeared while seeking out the Necronomicon. Of course, as is usually the
case, things aren’t always as they seem and Elisa, Lucas, and Asami will soon
find themselves hip-deep in a world of trouble.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Gentleman Rogue</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> has a release date of July 20th and
it’s the third book in the <b>INFERNUM</b>
series. In this installment, a heist by a thief named Dalton Moore causes some
losses for Infernum’s mysterious leader, Dante, and so he tracks down Dalton
and offers him a choice—work for him on a job, or face the consequences. Dalton
is paired with Dante’s right-hand woman, Tauna, and sent to retrieve a deadly
biological weapon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I’ve also
got the third <b>LUTHER CROSS</b> story
coming out from Pro Se Productions sometime in the near future, called <b><i>Bloodlust.</i></b>
Some other work coming out through both Pro Se and Airship 27, but if I say
anything more about that, Tommy Hancock and Ron Fortier might team up to do
some unspeakable things to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Hollywood calls and says that
they’re going to give your $500 million and the director of your choice to
adapt one of your books into a movie. What book do you choose and which
director?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">PC: Good
question. I think I’d choose <b><i>The Lost Continent</i></b>, the first <b>MYTH HUNTER</b> book (and now free on all
platforms). Now as for director, that’s tough. I might have to go with Joss
Whedon or the Russo Brothers. Through “The Avengers” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”
and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” those directors have clearly
demonstrated that they understand the pulp mindset. They understand that these
movies can be fun and don’t have to take themselves super-seriously. So I think
they’d be wonderful to handle my work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Recommend a book, a movie and a
TV show.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">PC: I’m in
the middle of reading Russ Anderson’s “Myth World” right now and really digging
it. It’s a wonderful book that deserves more attention, so everyone head over
to your e-book store of choice and buy it. For movie, I just saw “Avengers: Age
of Ultron” and really dug it. I thought Joss Whedon and co. upped their game
from the first film by a massive degree and it’s now my favorite Marvel film.
And as for TV show, I’m really tempted to say “Daredevil” because it was just
balls-out awesome, but I don’t want to seem like too much of a Marvel zombie.
So instead, I’ll recommend “Sons of Anarchy”. The last season is finally on
Netflix and I just started watching it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we
should know</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Percival
Constantine: Both <b><i>The Lost Continent</i></b> and <b><i>Love & Bullets</i></b> are available for
free on all platforms and if you go to <a href="http://www.percivalconstantine.com/" target="_blank">percivalconstantine.com</a> and enter your
email address, you’ll get more free stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-68928477426818138862015-04-29T10:07:00.000-07:002015-04-29T10:07:02.782-07:00Just In Case You Missed It The First Time Around...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...I was interviewed by the writer A.K. Kuykendall over at his blog The Kuykendall Post. You can find the interview <a href="http://thekuykendallpost.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-kuykendall-review-dillon-and-voice.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Read, enjoy and thank you.</span><div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-85820212449457138942015-03-23T08:55:00.000-07:002015-03-23T08:55:04.833-07:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With...TOBIAS CHRISTOPHER<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who is Tobias
Christopher?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Tobias
Christopher: Well, I born on the wagon of a traveling show, mama had to dance
for the money they stole, papa would- oh, wait. Tobias Christopher is a writer,
movie watcher and some would say slightly not all there. I kid, no one ever
said slightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you live and what do
you do to keep yourself in cheese and crackers?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: I live
in Greenwood, Indiana and I currently work in the slave mines of Wal-Mart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What writers have influenced
you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: Mark
Waid and Grant Morrison in terms of comics since they were the writers whose
stories first really got me into the comic scene with the Flash and JLA. In
terms of books, Stephen King and Mark Twain were huge influences, but a really
special shout out goes Pat Frank, the writer of <i>Alas, Babylon</i>, who
inadvertantly inspired my first foray into fanfiction during an English
assignment in high school. We were tasked with writing an alternate ending to
the story. Things got insanely dark (my teacher even commented that I might
have taken things a bit far) and I started to realize where my passion for
storytelling would take me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Let’s jump right into it: why
Fan Fiction?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: Because
whenever I watch a movie or TV show, or read a book, I almost always ask myself
"What if this character did this? Or what kind of adventures would he/she
have after this? Or what's that guy in the background's story?" I just
love making up new adventures for characters I love, so fanfic just seemed like
a natural fit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How long have you been involved
with Fan Fiction?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: Officially,
since around (how long was that RPG Erik, MC and I were part of? 12- 15 years?)
I'm going to say at least 15 years. Unofficially it goes back to high school
when I was taking horror movies characters and making up new adventures for the
likes of Chucky, Gage Creed, Macauly Culkin's character in the Good Son, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Why should we be reading DC
Anthology and Marvel Anthology</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: Because
DCA offers a place for the pre-New 52 Universe to continue to grow and prosper,
and without 99% of the darkness that the actual DC Comics were putting out
there even before the New 52.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And MA I
believe gives the characters a chance to grow more since we're not shoehorning
Wolverine and Spider-Man into every title. The lesser known characters are
given a chance to step forward, like Jamie Primas' recently ended Avengers run,
which didn't rely on the big guns of the Marvel Universe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What is your favorite series
you’re writing for DC Anthology and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: Of the
two I'm writing for DCA, I'm going to say <b>TEEN
TITANS</b>. I'm not very far into the run, but I am enjoying the interactions
between certain characters. An upcoming issue (#12) made me realize how much I
love having Static as part of the team, and I'm looking forward to telling all
the stories I have planned for this group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What is your favorite series
you’re writing for Marvel Anthology and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: While I
love Captain America and Iceman, I'm going to go with <b>ALPHA,</b> the character no one seems to like. In the 10 issues I've
written so far, I've grown to love this character like he was my own. Plus I
have a huge love of Saturday Morning cartoons, which is a massive influence on
how I'm writing this series, so writing Alpha is like writing my own SMC series<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Detractors of Fan Fiction claim
that those who write it are wasting their time they could be using to write
original stories. What’s your response to that?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: Haters
gonna hate. But seriously, there's nothing saying you can't do both. You can tell stories about your favorite
characters and still make time to build your own universe with your own
original characters. I make time to do both, but of course I have no real life
to speak of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s the best advice you can
give someone wanting to write DC and Marvel Fan Fiction?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: Don't
be afraid to take chances with your characters, that's what fanfic is basically
for. And don't just rely on the huge names, use your stories to help give life
to the little guys that barely have any backstory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are you more of a DC fan than
Marvel? Or vice versa</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: I'm
more of a Marvel fan these days. I've pretty much given up on DC, they've
gotten WAY too dark and serious for my liking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s your opinion of DC and
Marvel these days</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: I think
Marvel still likes to have fun with its characters. I mean, Squirrel Girl and
Howard the Duck have their own series now, if that doesn't scream 'fun', I
don't know what does. As for DC, see my answer in the last question. They're
way too dark and serious for me. A universe where guys dress up like bats to
punch killer clowns, amazon women fly around with magic lassos, and an alien
who can put on a pair of glasses and fool EVERYONE into thinking he's a
completely different person shouldn't be steeped in realism in any way
whatsoever. I think DC's missed the point of why people read comics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Is Fan Fiction a viable
alternative for those readers dissatisfied with DC and Marvel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: It
depends on what you're looking for in fanfic, because there's an insane variety
of stories out there. Not just DCA/DCO/MA/MO, but fanfiction.net and dozens of
others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Why not just write original
superhero fiction? </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: I
actually have been for the last few years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3024820/1/Omega-Guardians-Season-1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I'm
currently writing the 4th season, although I am going back through and
*remastering* the first three seasons to fix continuity errors and such.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you yourself have any
aspirations for writing professionally</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: I used
to, and sometimes I still do, but for me writing's more of a hobby than
anything. Maybe someday I'd like to get a book or two out. Lord knows I have
plenty of original stories in me for that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s a typical Day In The Life
of Tobias Christopher like</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TC: A lot
more boring than most people would think. Wake up, get ready for work, work for
9 hours, come home, sleep, lather, rinse, repeat. Although there is the
occassional murder attempt, but I just shrug those off and go on with my day like
most people would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we
should know about Tobias Christopher</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Tobias
Christopher: Well, Tobias Christopher is actually just my pen name, taken from
a character from Animorphs (Tobias) and the first name of the actor who played
him in the horrible live action t.v. series (Christopher). Beyond that, I know
my style of writing isn't suited to everyone's taste, but I hope that those who
do read my work do enjoy what they see and hopefully come back for more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://dca.bhyphen.com/dcau.html" target="_blank">DC ANTHOLOGY</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://ma.bhyphen.com/titles.html" target="_blank">MARVEL ANTHOLOGY</a></div>
Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-52522368497801360592015-03-14T18:35:00.000-07:002015-03-14T18:48:52.618-07:00Kickin The Willy Bobo With...BEX AARON<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who Is Bex Aaron?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Bex Aaron: That’s
a great question! Bex Aaron is actually something of a chameleon – I’m a little
bit of everything. A long time ago, when forced to describe myself, I came up
with, “I’m a lover, a fighter, a poet, a dreamer, a dork and a smartass…not
necessarily in that order.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Basics: I’m
a 32-year old divorcee, who’s completely satisfied with that status. I’m an NBA
historian (I seriously know more trivia about NBA/ABA than most guys I know,
and I can quote stats like a pro), a Clippers fan, a Buddhist, a rock star, a
raging smartass, a Mac junkie, an unapologetic smoker, a bullying survivor, a
perfectionist and a master of accents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">If I had my
druthers, I’d be Canadian…and green eyed…and at least three inches taller. But
I must say, I’ve made peace with myself for the most part. It’s taken me some
time to get to this point, so it’s definitely worth heralding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you live and what do
you tell the IRS you do for a living?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: I live
in Texas, deep in the very heart of it (clap, clap, clap). I’m not enthused
about living here. I don’t think I ever have been. I long for colder weather and
more progressive thinking. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">As for my
day job, I’m a legal assistant at a personal injury law firm. My job entails
everything from client intakes, setting up insurance claims, gathering
medicals, preparing demand packages, negotiating settlements and finalizing
cases. It’s riveting stuff. Oh, and the phone never stops ringing. It is a very
stimulating environment – there’s never a dull moment, but at times, it can be
very stressful, I won’t lie. The key, at least for me, is to take a moment to
breathe and to remind myself that (in the words of my boss), that never-ending
to-do list is job security!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us a little something about
your background</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: I’m the
only child of a single mother. We were kind of like The Gilmore Girls. I had
the cool mom, the mom who not only allowed me to dye my hair pink at 14, she
also did the back because I couldn’t reach it! She is still my most steadfast
supporter and biggest fan. I’m everything I am today because of my mom, and I’m
not ashamed to admit it. My mom was the very epitome of what a mother is
supposed to be – absolutely nothing ever came ahead of me, and that’s the mother
that I someday strive to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">My life
hasn’t really been that interesting. I dropped out of school in 9th grade, went
back and got a GED at age 19, got married sometime in my twenties, realized
what a profound mistake that was, subsequently divorced and started my life all
over. The past few years have been the most turbulent of my life, but they also
taught me a lot about myself, and I’ve come out much stronger on the other side
of them…which, I guess, is the most anyone can hope for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s your philosophy of
writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: I find
that writing is a form of therapy. It’s a way to release some of your pent up
tensions, it’s a way to lose yourself in someone else’s misery for a while…it’s
very therapeutic. At the same time, though, it can also be very
heart-wrenching. I am the writer that gets far too attached to their
characters. I talk about them like they’re real people, and I hate the idea of
them suffering…which is really ironic, given that I wrote the most miserable
group of people you can imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you write for yourself or for
the readers?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: Probably
a little bit of both. I write to be read, absolutely, but I also write because
I love these crazy people and this crazy world I’ve created. I think the
validation trap is so easy to fall into when you are in this position. For me,
personally, I’m far more about feedback than sales. I have given away more
books than I’ve ever sold, in the hopes that it would generate readership and
feedback. I’m a slave to it, which is a double-edged sword. The positive
feedback is a great rush, and a wonderful confidence boost…and the sounds of
silence devastate me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are you interested in critics or
criticism?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: Yes, as
long as they are actually making a valid point. Those that criticize only to
bring someone else down hold no merit to me. The best critics can balance
positive with negative, and offer suggestions for improvement, rather than a
laundry list of everything that they hate about your books. I immediately
discount anyone that has nothing but negative things to say. There’s just not
room in my life for negativity for the mere sake of it. Not anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What audience are you trying to
reach with your work? Is there an audience for Bex Aaron?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: I’d
like to reach fans of small town suspense, gripping human drama and lots of layered
storytelling. Daytime or primetime soap fans. Those that enjoy a book where
there are no easy answers, nor are there any happy endings. Someone who wants
to immerse themselves in the messy, unraveling lives of characters that any of
us could know. That sort of thing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Is there
any audience for me? Well…I’d sure like to think so. I have found a nice little
core of people, who interact with me through my book’s FB page
(http://facebook.com/havenpark), so I know there are people out there actually
reading these books. I know that audience could always grow, though, and I
certainly hope that it does!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How important is it to follow
your instincts while writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: Very
important. My best advice to any writer is to know your characters inside and
out. Work on your characterization until they feel like real people. I’ve always
found that if you invest in them, it pays off. They sort of take over after a
while. I’ve learned over time that my characters are much smarter than I am,
and that if I just shut up and let them talk, the end result is much more
satisfying. This is why I’m not really strict with outlines. I never used to do
outlines at all, but I figured if I’m trying to plot a mystery series, it might
be in my best interest to have some idea of how I’m going to go about it.
Still, I always allow for the characters to improvise. It’s more enjoyable that
way and feels more authentic to me…even if it makes the backseat driver in my
own novel at times!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Give us an overview of
INDEPENDENCE DAY</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: INDEPENDENCE
DAY is the story of a series of murders taking place in the overheated summer
of 1966. Haven Park, Wyoming (fifteen miles east of Laramie) is the perfect
picture of Americana. Violent crime doesn’t exist there. Everyone knows
everyone else, and there’s a real community atmosphere…but there are also
secrets that come to light one by one as more and more people end up dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: While reading Book One I
couldn’t help but think that INDEPENDENCE DAY falls into a genre I like to call
The Little Town With Big Secrets Genre. It starts out like “Twin Peaks” what
with a surprising and horrifying murder that shocks the entire town. Then we
move into “Peyton Place” territory. Are you a fan of soap operas?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: First
of all, thank you for noticing! I always feel gratified when someone “gets it”,
and you totally nailed it! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I grew up
watching soap operas. As I said, my mom was the “cool mom”, so I had my own TV,
with no restrictions on what I could watch…of course, we didn’t have cable, so
I couldn’t run across anything too risqué. Still, I spent my days watching soap
operas and cooking shows, when I was about four or five years old. Funny thing,
I can’t cook at all…but that soap opera influence has never left my writing,
even after I gave up on the dismal soap genre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">What I
strived to do with this book series was emulate a classic soap opera called “The
Edge of Night.” For those unfamiliar with daytime, this was a series that
premiered in the 1950s, and in the beginning, it was designed to be a daytime
version of Perry Mason. It had the elements of mystery and classic soap drama
mixed together, and that’s what I was hoping for here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Now, when I
say “classic soap drama”, I do wish to clarify that I do not mean camp,
over-the-top antics like one might expect from today’s soap operas. I mean the
character-driven human drama that used to be a staple of daytime television.
Forbidden love, dark secrets – this sort of thing. I want to make abundantly
clear that once someone dies in Haven Park, they stay that way! And nobody has
an evil twin! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Is Haven Park entirely in your
imagination or is it a version of someplace you grew up or once lived?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: It’s
all my imagination, really. I grew up in a fairly small town, but nowhere near
that small. I have, however, incorporated elements of my own life into the
town. For instance, the church. I grew up in a Baptist church that was not
unlike the one depicted in the book. The congregation largely consisted of
elderly ladies who liked to backbite and talk about everyone else. There wasn’t
much room for progression or change, and unfortunately, they didn’t have a
pastor like Brett, who actually wanted to buck tradition and try something new.
I quit going there years ago, but I suspect that it’s much the same way I left
it. Cycles like that keep repeating themselves, I’ve found.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: INDEPENDENCE DAY is a five part
story. Why five parts? Why not write
just one huge Stephen King sized doorstop of a book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: INDEPENDENCE
DAY actually has roots in webfiction – which, for those initiated, is a genre
where one creates a website and serializes their novel, releasing one chapter
at a time. The story was originally divided into arcs, consisting of ten
chapters an interlude (or, as was the case of arc one, one prologue, ten
chapters and two interludes). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I made the
decision to remarket the story as a book series in 2011, after trying the
webfiction route with little success for two years. At that time, I had two
arcs completed and was laboring over the third. I decided to go ahead and
release what I had at the time, and the arcs became the books. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The plan is
once the story has wrapped up, I’m going to release the complete series as one
humongous book, with paperbacks and electronic versions available. I have no
idea how big those damned things will be, though, because this is going to be
one long story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Once INDEPENDENCE DAY is done do
you plan to do anything else with Haven Park and it’s good citizens?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: Absolutely,
because I have one hell of a time letting go. My plan was originally do a
prequel, but I’ve since scrapped that one. I am planning a sequel now, set 30
years later, in the summer of 1996. It would highlight the characters left
standing, and how their lives have changed in the years that have passed. It’s
in the very early planning stages, so I can’t really say too much about it, but
I think it will be an interesting look at the characters we’ve established in a
new, more jaded and even more miserable light…which, of course, is what I’m
known for, so it should be fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Anything else you’re working on
that we should know about?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: At this
time, no. I tend to be a writer that has a one-track mind. I wish I could work
on multiple projects at one time, but I always feel disloyal to them when I do
that. I just don’t possess that type of focus…perhaps this is why I just want
one child, because I would never want to shaft either of my children because
Mommy isn’t good at multi-tasking!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are your future plans for
your writing career?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BA: I want
to write as long as the inspiration as there and there are people still willing
to read my stories. I’d love to eventually hit it big and see big screen
adaptations of my novels – don’t we all want that? I try to be realistic,
though. I just want to reach a few people. I want to provide them an escape, a
world they can get lost in, and a way to forget about their own lives for a
little while. If I can accomplish that, I’ve succeeded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: What’s A Typical
Day In The Life Of Bex Aaron like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Bex Aaron: Weekdays:
Wake up, have coffee, smoke, get dressed, go to work, lose my mind in small
increments over the course of the day, come home, unwind and settle into bed
with my phone and Netflix. I’m not much of a partier. I’m a very boring old
woman, actually…but I like my life, and that’s what counts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Weekends:
Wake up, have coffee, smoke, repeat, listen to Mmmbop (seriously, that is what
I’m listening to as I type this), spend time with my mom and labor over my
writing. I used to be able to knock out a chapter a weekend, but not so much
these days. I need to get back into the habit, especially given that I have a
deadline to meet! I<b>NDEPENDENCE DAY</b>:<b> Book Four, Dirty Little Secret</b>, is
coming on May 1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Did you see
how subtly I snuck that plug in there? I’m so awesome at marketing, as you know.
Slick as all hell, I am! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bex-Aaron/e/B0054HITKW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1426383034&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank">BEX AARON'S AMAZON PAGE</a></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-32161544268819591622015-01-08T21:12:00.000-08:002015-01-08T21:25:16.351-08:0012 Months Later With...Tommy Hancock<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://dlferguson-bloodandink.blogspot.com/2014/01/kickin-willy-bobo-with-tommy-hancock.html" target="_blank">It’s been a while since the original Kickin’ The Willy Bobo Interview with </a>Tommy Hancock. In that time, the flamboyant and outspoken Mr. Hancock has been hard at work doing what he does best: being the spokesman of Pro Se and the public face of New Pulp. So I thought it about time we caught up with him on the anniversary of that first interview and here he is 12 MONTHS LATER…</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Have there been any major changes in your life personally and professionally since we last talked?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Tommy Hancock: Nothing major, other than dealing with a few health issues that seemed to get in the way of creativity and spreading the word of Pro Se some. But overall things have remained much the same. Still have a great wife, three kids I totally do not deserve, and enjoying every day - and this has been happening daily for a while- hearing from a writer, artist, or fan about their interest in Pro Se and the work that everyone involved is doing.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How do you feel Pro Se has grown in the past 12 months?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: Pro Se won’t stop growing. Not only are we adding titles and creators right and left, but our numbers on all levels are on an upswing. More importantly, though, I think Pro Se’s greatest growth has been in its appeal to more readers and different audiences. We spent 2014 laying a lot of groundwork for expanding our readership and, although much of that won’t see fruition until this year, we’re already finding that what we do appeals to an extremely broad base. Being identified both as a Genre Fiction and a New Pulp Publisher has helped open up several titles that have sat dormant for months, even years to readers, that we always knew were there. And now we are finding them or, in a lot of cases, they are following all the bread crumbs Pro Se’s left in various ways and finding us.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How do you feel that you personally as an editor and publisher have grown in the past year</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: As a publisher, I have gained a tremendous amount of focus on just what Pro Se Productions is capable of. When I started out, I was like a wide eyed kid at a candy store, not only wanting to taste every little thing I could, but working up ideas on how to make it all even better. I’m still that kid, but I understand what I have the privilege of managing now isn’t candy, but little bits of magic. Not my magic, I’m not the wizard, I’m just the guy who gets to pull them out of his hat. And that’s not only a blast, but it’s a responsibility. One that I feel like I understand better than I ever have before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">It’s also one that all publishers approach in different ways. Some aren’t big fans of how I do what I do, others have said they think it’s the best way to go. Me, it’s what works for me. Pro Se Productions is a publishing company, but we’re a company with intentions, with various plans that all boil down to one mission- getting the best stories out to as many readers as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">As an editor, I think I’ve matured as well. And a lot of that I owe not only to having so much wonderful work that I get to help edit, but to one man. Joe Gentile, the mad genius behind Moonstone Books, has taught me more in five or six sentences over the last few years concerning editing than any course, seminar or book ever could.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Is the direction Pro Se heading in now the same as it was a year ago? </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: Yes, most definitely. I think we’ve discussed before that I sort of had a five-year plan for Pro Se from 2011 forward. It is moving exactly the direction I wanted it to when we started publishing novels and anthologies in 2011. Could things be better? Well, sure, every book could sell thousands and millions of copies. But we are heading in what I consider the right direction for what we want to do long term. And that, simply put, is to be around for many years to come and to be a defining voice in New Pulp and Genre Fiction.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you see Pro Se in five years?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well into
the next phase of our plan to be around awhile.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are building a catalog now and have done
quite well at that.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Five years from now,
I hope to see us still adding to that catalog, but also to have several properties
that readers are just seeing debut now or in the last few years, to have a
collection of flagship titles to rival any company out there.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’ve grown at an amazing speed intentionally
and that may level off beginning in the next two to three years, but growth
won’t stop.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’ve been building the
house from the ground up so to speak, hopefully in five years we’ll be
expanding, adding on bells and whistles to our many rooms.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s the best thing about dealing with writers? The worst?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: This can be answered with the same answer. Their excitement about their work. It is thrilling and invigorating to bask in and be a part of the fire that burns in a writer, or any creator for that matter. It is one of the major reasons I do this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And as for that being the worst thing, let me explain. Sometimes writers, and being one myself I have been guilty of this, believe that what they have is the best possible work ever and nothing can make it better and the world has to have it now. And all of those are wonderful emotions and feelings and attachments to have. But when a work comes to a publisher and the writer cannot let go of those feelings, then it becomes somewhat problematic at times. I’m proud to say that issues arising because of this have been few and far between at Pro Se. And also, I believe every writer should commit to that passion should stand up for their works. But there has to be a willingness to compromise when working with a publisher and although most every writer we have understands that, not all do and find their way to self-publishing or other avenues that are just as valid as what we would provide them.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How do you see the New Pulp Community these days? Is it still a community?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: I am told on a regular basis that I’m one of the organizers of the New Pulp Movement, and I suppose I am. Not that I invented New Pulp, as I didn’t, or that I was the first to envision the concept, because again I was not. But I did have a hand in organizing several publishers and creators under a unifying ‘New Pulp Movement’ banner of sorts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So there’s my answer. No, I don’t think New Pulp is a community and I really haven’t ever seen it that way. A community denotes a group of people all existing together and working in concert to better the group as a whole on a consistent, regular basis. And although New Pulp publishers and creators have done that and continue to do that every day – if one of us succeeds, then all of us float a little bit closer to the top is a concept I believe in – I do not see New Pulp as cohesive conceptual village all having the same goal. There’s a reason why I suggested calling it ‘The New Pulp Movement.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Movements move, and hopefully forward. And not only that, but Movements grow and change and rise and fall…and the people, the movers, they change also. Sometimes the faces change, other times the place the movers have in the Movement shift for better or worse, but everything in a successful movement continues evolving, expanding, becoming something different. And just about the time you think it’s matured into one thing, it pushes even harder and is on its way to being something else. That’s what New Pulp is to me.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you think that New Pulp will ever have respectability?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: It sort of depends on what you mean by that. I think New Pulp is very highly respected within a particular niche, that being that cadre of fans that identify themselves as New Pulp fans. Now, there’s at least one other niche that hasn’t always had the highest regard for what we do, but even that has changed in the last few years. If you mean do I think we’ll ever have the respectability of being considered ‘proper’ literature and completely mainstream, God, I hope not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">One of the great things about New Pulp, and in a larger sense specific Genre Fiction, is that there’s a roughness to it, a rawness that allows each writer to come at it individually, to put in appropriate elements shared by others, but also to leave a mark on a story, on a genre, on a reader that is uniquely the creator’s own. I would argue that being mainstream and literary, that that sort of respectability requires creators to give up that edge, that individuality to a large degree. So, no, in that sense, I hope New Pulp is never respectable.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are you working on any writing projects of your own?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TH: I have several things that are due, some a long time now, for Pro Se and others. Thankfully, I have patient publishers and can only hope the readers are as patient. Running a publishing company, especially one as aggressive as Pro Se has become, takes a lot of time. Writing has taken a back seat and will have to for a bit longer, probably through March. But, yes, there’s several things on the burners…and, of course, new ideas brewing as well.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: What is the one thing above all others we should be eagerly looking for from Pro Se in 2015?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Tommy Hancock: The best damn Genre Fiction and New Pulp on the market between the covers of every single book bearing the Pro Se logo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://prose-press.com/" target="_blank">Pro Se Productions</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions" target="_blank">Follow Pro Se Productions on Facebook</a></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-29895544738681441612014-12-29T20:26:00.002-08:002014-12-29T20:26:59.769-08:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With...RAYMOND EMBRACK<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who is Raymond
Embrack?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Raymond Embrack: <i>Escritor independiente de la ficcion</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you live and what do
you do to keep the bill collectors away?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Currently
in Los Angeles with years in an unnamed position in an unnamed industry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us a little something about
your background.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Some
film, some theater, some science fiction. Nothing much. Planning to start a new
background in the future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How long have you been writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Since
1978. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What writers have influenced
you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Harlan
Ellison. Ernest Tidyman. James Ellroy. Hunter S. Thompson. Iceberg Slim. Andrew
Vachss. Quentin Tarantino. Walter Mosely. Elmore Leonard. Robert B. Parker. Mickey
Spillane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s your philosophy of
writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Never
be boring. Leave out the slow parts. Write books that are non-stop pleasure. Write
like books have to compete with video games, blockbuster movies, strippers and cocaine.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How important is it to follow
your instincts while writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Always.
But I’m learning the critical instinct to question everything, including my
instincts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are you interested in critics or
criticism?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Of my
stuff? Your criticism helped me rewrite my first superhero novel. I don’t think
a writer can improve without criticism. But that opinion is subject to change
too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you crave recognition?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Anything
that hard to get deserves to be craved, hunted down, taken, beheaded then eaten.
It has taken a long time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What audience are you trying to
reach with your work? Is there an audience for Raymond Embrack?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: I write
for outlaw bikers and Japanese strippers. I made the mistake of writing the
work before defining the audience. Maybe I’ll do better next time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How do you use social media to
promote your writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: That’s
something I’m still figuring out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: One of the things I love about
your writing is that it so fearlessly non-PC and for me that’s refreshing. Was
that a conscious decision on your part or did your writing just develop that
way over time?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Why
does the best stuff tend to be anti-PC? It just is. For better or worse I have always
gone for that in my writing. To me there’s no point in holding back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Who is Peter Surf? Where did he
come from and why does he make you want to write about him?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Surf has
been around since the 1990s. He got his name from the music in “Pulp Fiction”. From
there my action hero took shape. Surf is a comedian, a badass, a killer. Surf
is not an anti-hero, he is my version of the most interesting man in the world.
That is a guy who does all things with swagger. Is he a male fantasy? I can’t
pretend he’s a realistic character. The action hero exists to hit that sweet
spot just short of the mask & cape. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: I love the concept of Blonde
City. Where did that come from?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: For me
there was more escapism value in making up a city than using an existing and
probably over-used setting. It gives me way more to play with. This is
America’s newest city, one made of sudden wealth, gloss and hype. It only hires
policemen who are hot. It gives the homeless lipstick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Which Peter Surf novel was your
favorite to write?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Has to
be<i> <b>The
Guns of Tony Franciosa</b></i>. I took it off the market just so I could keep
rewriting it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What is the future of Peter
Surf?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: He
seems a few books short, so more Surf will happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Perhaps my favorite book of
yours I’ve read so far is EL MOROCCO. It’s the swingin’ 60s on crack. What was the
inspiration for that story and the characters?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: The
inspiration was John Ridley’s “<i>A
Conversation with the Mann”</i> his comedian/swingin’ 60s novel. Had to write
my own version, plus I’m a fan of the “Mad Men era.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9UJMtsd0HYP1-PQIvEzBpXdHjT0GS0SE3O4mCr7ScApO4BC0JRJJkXg8NGXUxsmwNGSfEINRHB5xMIlo3AkYttqlxzE0NmWOgUZzJp7LJiec9l7zEFsaXicpd3TMFyXHXEN78Hb7bC8/s1600/12856432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9UJMtsd0HYP1-PQIvEzBpXdHjT0GS0SE3O4mCr7ScApO4BC0JRJJkXg8NGXUxsmwNGSfEINRHB5xMIlo3AkYttqlxzE0NmWOgUZzJp7LJiec9l7zEFsaXicpd3TMFyXHXEN78Hb7bC8/s1600/12856432.jpg" height="400" width="257" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How much of a superhero fan are
you? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: I’m an
unfrozen fan. I have to work my way up to “nerd.” Real nerds read and watch
everything and know all. After years focused on crime fiction, I’m returning to
the thing I started with. I now get that the superhero can be as ambitious a character
to write but one even closer to the brain’s pleasure center. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Marvel or DC?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: DC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Who are some of your favorite
comic book writers?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Howard
Chaykin. Alan Moore. Neil Gaiman. Ed Brubaker. Scott Snyder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Your five favorite superheroes?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Batman.
The Hulk. The Black Panther. Rorschach. Black Canary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Explain the concept behind the
AXIS Superhero Novels</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Typically
superheroes exist in a world where comic book superheroes never existed. In the
<b>AXIS</b> world they exist in this world
with its same comic book culture. That is only possible when somehow the
reality follows the archetype. I took that premise and fused it with my older
sci-fi concept of an alien that takes the form of an Earth city. That formed the <b>AXIS</b> concept. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqr34LuCzPBEK45dcAB5qNc0qALpg7l7dLgm59GVyDBXjtuhp6at4CBvimPVKWoIg5yWK6AgMwZaathRgJrsWf6s_ydwWx8hdlVUXWsc03yCOfcn0Bkuuiia9s8j-y0-Z6eKinsxOr0lM/s1600/51KDE9ylOtL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqr34LuCzPBEK45dcAB5qNc0qALpg7l7dLgm59GVyDBXjtuhp6at4CBvimPVKWoIg5yWK6AgMwZaathRgJrsWf6s_ydwWx8hdlVUXWsc03yCOfcn0Bkuuiia9s8j-y0-Z6eKinsxOr0lM/s1600/51KDE9ylOtL.jpg" height="400" width="258" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I wouldn’t
call it “alternate history” more like “alternate present.” In 1970, from
nowhere the city of Brutalia appeared in one day. It is the only city where
superpowers exist. Outside the city superpowers cease to exist. There, three
major organizations are at war, AXIS, the superheroes who seek to keep
superpowers from reaching the outside world; the OGD (Order of Global
Domination) the supervillains who seek to export superpowers to conquer the
outside world; O.U.T.S.I.D.E., superheroes seeking to export superpowers to
benefit the outside world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Oddly
enough, I see these characters with the realism I don’t see Peter Surf. These
are not anti-heroes or anti-supervillains, they are multidimensional people
redefined by gestalt myth made reality. Their superpowers are their career.
Both AXIS and the OGD have Washington lobbyists. Like real people, they don’t all
automatically invent new super identities, they become existing fictional
superheroes, as when one of them attempted to become a real Wonder Woman. The
leader of AXIS becomes the (fictional) KM Comics brand superheroes of his teens.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The novels
are themselves a process as, from an amnesiac fog, Brutalia, its people, their
memory, its mysteries, and the culture around it evolves, mutates, take shape.
There is room for years of this to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: The AXIS Superhero Novels are
quite explicit when it comes to sex and violence. Again, was this a conscious
decision on your part or did the novels just develop that way over time</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: That’s
what they are, adult content in comic book terms. The superheroes and
supervillains are adults at play with real weapons. The sex and violence are unleashed
id. I see the art by Howard Chaykin with splattered heads and “<i>Black Kiss”</i> nymphos. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are there graphic novels or
comic books based on characters from the AXIS Superhero Novels planned for the
future?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: In 2015
<b>AXIS</b> will start going visual. The
plan involves art, graphic comix and novels and animated films. And merch. In
the future there will be action figures. Someday, a Taco Bell tie-in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Have you thought about opening
up the AXIS Universe to other writers in a fashion similar to the “Wild Cards”
series?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: That
never occurred to me. I don’t think other writers want a piece of this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What is the future of the AXIS
Universe?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: There
will be more new superheroes and supervillains. The Carousel will change his
name to Spinrax. There will be more like <b><i>Bag of Green Army Men</i></b> that take
place in the multiverse of KM Comics. I have a thing for steampunk, so I see an
<b>AXIS</b> steampunk series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnXSRy6cqiyQXGMgHQk9ByddPiOlTstZcn_thQ82Upf2IQDq6qgw52y6g7Ep6v_5Bb18n6yzyCXscdOnShuYS4BP4W9BNzPvLiwYRiBApz7wn4bVcLdZHKxGK5nD2m6lJhqdYN_cqpcw/s1600/GREEN+ARMY+MEN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnXSRy6cqiyQXGMgHQk9ByddPiOlTstZcn_thQ82Upf2IQDq6qgw52y6g7Ep6v_5Bb18n6yzyCXscdOnShuYS4BP4W9BNzPvLiwYRiBApz7wn4bVcLdZHKxGK5nD2m6lJhqdYN_cqpcw/s1600/GREEN+ARMY+MEN.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are your plans for your
writing career? Where is Raymond Embrack going to be five years from now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Going full
time writer. Five years from now: even more full time with extra full time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: Planning
the next Surf novel and the next AXIS novel, both to write in 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s a typical Day in the Life
of Raymond Embrack like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">RE: It
begins in the compound known as Embrack Wonderland. Report to the day job,
which is at home, at a desktop. Maybe lunch at Fat Sal’s. Whistle blows. Return
to Wonderland. When an Embrack novel is in production, writing may occur. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Recommend a book, a TV show and
a movie</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BOOK: The
Storm Giants by Pearce Hansen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TV SHOW: The
Pleasure (Playboy TV Latin America)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">MOVIE: The
Raid 2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we
need to know?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Raymond
Embrack: This has been boss. Thanks for letting me kick it with you, Derrick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raymond-Embrack/e/B0066HVGAO/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1419912997&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank">RAYMOND EMBRACK'S AMAZON PAGE</a></span></div>
<br />
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-57383201869691569942014-11-30T12:13:00.000-08:002014-11-30T12:19:57.696-08:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With...TRACY ANGELINA EVANS<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick
Ferguson: Who is Tracy Angelina Evans?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Tracy Angelina Evans: That kid you
saw get picked on at school, but never really paid much attention to, ‘cos she
seemed to strive for invisibility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PhMnDVoJQmNB22Fj3t_8mPcxD1iWR5QcXAH0Yd5ekCSTJjZn5uNkw62VOh3YCmaHR7sfSXd0sji8CtuR3qbsuckrYjWsLPsoXnNxj0yG3in8RTTl_ASd2OOV4DlLZDhTKJy8mUi5WvE/s1600/100_0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PhMnDVoJQmNB22Fj3t_8mPcxD1iWR5QcXAH0Yd5ekCSTJjZn5uNkw62VOh3YCmaHR7sfSXd0sji8CtuR3qbsuckrYjWsLPsoXnNxj0yG3in8RTTl_ASd2OOV4DlLZDhTKJy8mUi5WvE/s1600/100_0595.JPG" height="355" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where
do you reside and what do you do to keep yourself in cheese and crackers?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: After “serving time” in South
Carolina for almost 33 years, I am now residing in San Diego. Cheese and
crackers are in abundance, since seven
of her roommates are birds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us
something about your background.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: I was born in Asheville, NC in
1967, but moved to Duncan, SC at the age
of 13. My entire family were artists of
some sort, but most were in love with writing or music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How
long have you been writing? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: Between the ages of 4 and
7. I was told by my paternal grandmother
to go draw flies. Taking her literally, I began to draw flies, then flies in
spider webs, and <i>then</i> I had to give a
reason why they ended up in such a horrible position. The writing of such a terrible tragedy was my
first attempt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What
are your influences?</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TAE: Music is my primary influence.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As for writers, Clive Barker is at the
top.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">His work is what eased me into the
idea I’d always wanted to share:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Monster Is the Beautiful One. Tolkien’s obsession with language is what drew me
to him. Others include Carl Jung, Stephen King, Salvador Dali, Leonard Wolf (in
particular), Russell Hoban, historical mysteries about the Cathars, the Great
Mortality, the Dyatlov Pass, and a variety of “expert” books on Shamanism,
prophecy, divine madness, and alchemy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What is
your philosophy of writing? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: It’s kind of Quantum theory, I
guess, since I lean toward the science that thought cannot happen without
having happened before or happened in complete reverse. That would certainly explain the similarities
of Vampires from one culture to another.
But, to take it a step further, your mere thought of a thing brings it
into existence. It may seem to be
fantasy to you, but in some spot in the multiverse, someone if fighting a real
fight, and probably losing, against a spectre calling himself Cadmus. Probable?
Don’t know. Possible? Maybe.
I’m not a Physicist. The Vampire
books I’ve written aren’t typical horror fair; rather, I consider recycled
Faery stories, and folklore from around the world, with the added luxuries of
electricity and social media. Trying to
combine the ancient and the modern is why I never give an actual time that
anything in the books happened. Also, I
deliberately moved around the dates of actual events in <i>our</i> reality, so it would be difficult to place the narrative of the
story with a calendar of any sort. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What is
your writing process? Are you a plotter or a pantser?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: Both! No, it really depends on what the story is
wanting. If I can outline it, I try to
remain to true to that, in typical Virgo fashion. But there are many times where I’ve seen the
story go off the rail and refuse to budge.
This can be rather painful, especially when it involves Cadmus Pariah
being needlessly cruel. One of my
editors, Jill Rosenburg, gave me the title of “method writer,” because I tend
to go too deep, feel too much, and leave with wounds that may not heal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How do
you use social media to promote your writing? </span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">What
audience are you trying to reach with your work? Is there an audience for Tracy
Angelina Evans?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: I try to mention it and sample
it as often as possible, everywhere I linger online, and do so in all social
formats all at once, or at least close to it.
Our Internet is no longer a giant web, or an endless sea, it’s grown to
the proportion of universe itself; as a result most everything gets lost in the
miasma. The more a worf, a phrase, or
hashtag comes closer to the surface, the more like it will be to get
noticed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Anyone who grows weary of
Hemingway’s Iceberg Style of writing may enjoy these. Those interested in Vampires, not so much the
American version, but the earlier European version may appreciate this. George Gordon Lord Byron’s groupies may also
love Thiyennen. Folks who like to read a
book or story, then get to say near the end, “So <b><i>this</i> </b>is why <b><i>that</i></b>
happened! Well, hootdang!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So, yeah, I’d like to think I had an
audience. That would be great! But I have no such delusion I will ever be a
subject at the dinner table. That’s
okay. The books were as much for my own
understanding of the Great Ineffable as they are for others’ enjoyment, horror,
or WTF moments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Two
more questions before we get to discussing your trilogy. First; why the
obsession with Shriekback and where did it begin? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: Oh, where there is a story and
a half for you. I’d heard the name of
the band over the years but growing up on the buckle of the Bible Belt with few
record stores around, and even less money with which to buy them, I remained
tight to my Electric Light Orchestra roots.
It was only until after cable finally made its way to my area that I
finally got to see MTV, before it became the joke it is today. I began collecting music videos, a lot of
which would be more prevalent at night.
Since I was working 1<sup>st</sup> Shift at BMG, I would ask Aunt Tudi
is she’d put my tape on record before she went to bed. One night, after taping the Cure’s
‘Lullaby,’ which I been dying to have, she decided to leave the tape recording
as she watched the video.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When I got up the next morning, she
told me she got the vid I had wanted, but she also had a video I may be
interested in, because it looked a little like “that Fellini movie you like so
much.” She was referring to <i>Satyricon</i>. So ‘Nemesis’ was the first song I
intentionally heard by the band. It
turned out years later, that I’d been listening to them four years <i>before</i> I saw ‘Nemesis,’ because one of
my first VHS movies was the first Hannibal movie, <i>Manhunter. </i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">It turned out that their music would
have a large part in creating the essence with which I wanted to blanket the
stories. Between European Classical
(mostly Czech in nature), Romani music, South African music, Klezmer, and
Shriekback, I had before me a musical Nirvana I really couldn’t explain. But I can say that the ebb and flow of <b>The Relics</b> are very closely tied to
Shriekback’s songs. That’s the primary
reason a portion of their lyrics are offered as each chapters’ lean-in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: And
what are The Tim Roth Tutorials?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: I started the Tim Roth
Tutorials as a way of dipping my foot in the video-making process, because I
wanted to create lyric videos for Illuminati’s songs, which have so far only
been released once via the Shriekback Digital Conspiracy back in the early
2000s. I didn’t know diddly about WSFTP,
so this was practice for me. Then it got
some attention of some of Tim Roth’s “Hooligans” – his fans – who wanted more
tutorials. I think I have around 200
now? I don’t know. When I switched to Mac, I’ve been trying to
learn iMovie, so I can continue them, ‘cos it’s a fun hobby, and some folk seem
to like them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Why
write about vampires?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: I write about Vampires because
I was raised on a steady media diet of vampirism, thanks to watching ‘Dark
Shadows’ in my playpen whilst the mother unit toodled about. Then came Shock Theatre on Saturdays,
followed by reruns of the original ‘Star Trek.’
Being an only child, Vampires and space men became my siblings. During college, I decided to study Vampiric
origins and discovered that every culture describes almost the same thing, when
asked about Vampires. The great thing
about <i>30 Days of Night</i> is that it’s
the most accurate account of Vampires, according to folklore. Even if they are accurate, they still aren’t
my favourite. Neither is the modern,
buddy-buddy attitude so many have to day.
Vampires do not sparkle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Honestly, though, I think I write
about Vampires for the same reason many others do, if I may make such a bold
assumption: I write them because they
allow me to be something on paper what I can never be in “reality.” Going to that place where philosophy is
uttered whilst a mage-like individual carefully vivisects his victim, because death
would just ruin the moment, frees me to be kinder in real life, whatever that
may be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And then there’s this whole
legendary vibe, where Vampires come into a story that has nothing to do with
them and, if you read between the lines, you can almost sense how some of the</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">earlier legends
manifested. Some of the greatest moments
of archetypal panic are of the Great Mortality, heavenly events (that we can
now explain), even crib death. I believe
everything is cyclic, and I believe in the ability to create Tulpas, and when
enough energy is focused on one thing or belief, that thing acquires power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you
think that popular culture is oversaturated with vampires? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: More often than not,
considering the <i>Twilight</i>
franchise. But we humans, as a whole,
prefer the presence of thought forms in our lives. They’re familiar, they answer questions,
especially about ourselves. As such,
every generation experiences a saturation of sorts. We need it, to carry on the stories, satiate
the monster with the blood of our imaginations.
It would be a much more depressing world, if we weren’t afforded that tinge
of possibility that the succubus is right around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What
makes your vampires and your conception of vampires different from those we’ve seen recently in books, movies and television?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: Well, they all owe their
existence to a race that inhabited the planet before humans ever walked the
surface. So the first ten Vampires were
of alien origin. There is a
science-fiction feel to the books, as a result, as well as a mythic/legendary
vibe, especially in the second book, <b>The
Blood Crown</b><i>. </i>Vampires are mostly just like us, some can
even withstand the sun. Believe it or
not, not all traditional Vampires would perish by sunlight. One, called <i>vrykolokas</i>, from Greek legend, would often go to his job after he’d
died, and go home to his family. There
were just those inconvenient times of drinking so much blood, he’d turn ruddy
and look like a barrel. That gave him
the name “drum-like” – <i>vrykolakas.</i> I haven’t been reading or watching much
Vampire media in years, because I tend to soak things up and I don’t want to
inadvertently steal something from someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Give us
an overview of The Vampire Relics Trilogy.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: <b>The Vampire Relics Trilogy</b> concerns three sacred objects that hold
the entire nation of Vampires (the Great Hive) sway. Each book is named for a relic and, even though
it is the relics that drive the story, it is how the character behaves during
and after the hunt. More about the
origins of the relics, the Vampires, and their maker comes to light with each
book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Did you
conceive of The Vampire Relics as a trilogy right from the start? And if not,
when did you know it was going to be a trilogy?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE<i>: </i><b>The Chalice</b> was
supposed to be one book, ending with the imprisonment of then-villain
Kelat. At that time, in 1987, it was my
attempt to come to grips with the idea of “soul mates,” how so many people find
a kind of psychic completion when they meet that <i>one</i>, the one who finishes your sentences or shares memories of
things that never happened to either of us.
This was when I started reading <i>A
Dream of Dracula</i> by Leonard Wolf and <i>Holy
Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. </i>Those books, combined with my life-long
fascination with Arthurian legends, along with learning about “alternative”
religions, where a cup was the most sacred of tools to have on an altar,
because the cup represented the feminine force, life, and immortality. I left it open-ended, not because I was
planning on writing another book, but because I thought I might one day revisit
those characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When I wrote a little drabble on my
Live Journal about Cadmus interrupting Kelat as she meditated in what she
thought was a secret temple, that gave rise to the second book of the Relics, <b>The Blood Crown</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Is it
accurate to say that The Vampire Relics began with Cadmus Pariah? Who is Cadmus
Pariah and why does he fascinate you so?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">TAE:
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">The stories that came to light in the three books were, some of them, decades
old. In the first bones of the story,
Kelat was the antagonist, the image of beautiful evil so reviled by her hero
brother Thiyennen, who happened to be a Vampire himself. Character-building and story construction
began in 1987. I knew what I wanted to
tell, but I didn’t know how I could tell it.
Also, I was very uncomfortable making Kelat out to be the antagonist,
based upon all I’d then read about Goddess worship and attempts of the
patristic tribes to wash any shred of history she had from human brains then
and forever. I wanted to mart of
campaign. But I was without a villain
again, so the story and its mythologies lay dormant for </span>almost three years. When I listened to ‘Deeply Lined Up’ by
Shriekback in 1990 that was the last straw.
It was that song that gave birth to the Pariah.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">But it’s Rob Dougan’s ‘Clubbed to
Death’ that has consistently aided in defining the character. That piece possesses a quiet menace that is
only magnified by the piano solo. It’s a
song of one-ness and alone-ness, and being perfectly all right with both
states. Almost everyone believes that
Cadmus was born from one inspiration.
True to his nature in the books, he has several parents, and belongs to
none of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You’ve taken great pains to create an entire mythology for your trilogy. How difficult
is it to create a universe?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: A lot of the mythology I used
in <b>The Vampire Relics</b> is material I
could never make fit into a proper book, and I perceive that “over” story to
still be telling else. The mythology was
there so the trilogy could be born. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Which
book was the most fun and easiest to write? Which one was the hardest?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE<b>: The Blood Crown</b> was the most fun, but the parts about what Cadmus
does to Faust weren’t very fun at all.
Otherwise, it was a joy, because I got to study Orphaeus and Cadmus much
more intimately than before. Their
travels, to me, took on a Hope/Crosby vibe, so that was a great deal of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The Chalice</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> was the first, and it
was the one that hibernated for the coming of the Shrieks into my life. After that, it was written pretty fast.</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The Augury of Gideon</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> has been most difficult, because “real life”
was taking up not only my time, but challenging the belief system from whence
the books came. There were some days I
struggled with not blurting out what Gideon’s augury really was.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: I know
you have a deep interest in conspiracy theories. How much of that went into
and/or influence you while writing The Vampire Relics?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: The back-story of the Apostate
came almost wholly from the arcane legends of ‘The Brotherhood of the Snake’,
the Cathars, and the Knights Templar.
The man, the human, who brought the curse of blood down on the ten
Tarmi, was in the Brotherhood of the Snake, and a student at the Tarmian
college of Khemeth. As you can see from
just that, conspiracy theories and ancient aliens take up a lot of my time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What
have you got planned next? And where do you see your writing career five years
from now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">TAE: Right now, I’m writing
what I <i>think</i> will be a standalone
book. It will feature Cadmus, of course,
as well as Orphaeus,Rebekah, and Mephistopheles. It’ll introduce Cadmus’ rival, Flint. The working title is </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TAE: The back-story of the Apostate
came almost wholly from the arcane legends of ‘The Brotherhood of the Snake’,
the Cathars, and the Knights Templar.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The man, the human, who brought the curse of blood down on the ten
Tarmi, was in the Brotherhood of the Snake, and a student at the Tarmian
college of Khemeth.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can see from
just that, conspiracy theories and ancient aliens take up a lot of my time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What
have you got planned next? And where do you see your writing career five years
from now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">TAE: Right now, I’m writing
what I <i>think</i> will be a standalone
book. It will feature Cadmus, of course,
as well as Orphaeus, Rebekah, and Mephistopheles. It’ll introduce Cadmus’ rival, Flint. The working title is <i>The Harming Tree</i>, which actually exists, and was a musical
instrument of sorts made by Barry Andrews.</span> which actually exists.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://shriekbackmusic.tumblr.com/post/101750933987/a-personal-account-of-the-years-1995-2010-barry" target="_blank">Here's what he said about the thing on the Shriekback Music Tumblr</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="line-height: 24pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s
a Typical Day In The Life of Tracy Angelina Evans like?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TAE: Get up, if I ever got
down. Get down, no matter what state
you’re in. Getting down is never a bad
thing. Attempt breakfast. Clean the cat box. Follow cookie crumbs and connect dots ~ kind
of a synchronistic Yoga to help with sanity-management. Research, research, research. Promote, promote, promote (not me). Read the latest news and let the anger flow
through me. Read the latest in space and
physics news, and let the wonder flow through me. Try to respond to all communications. Then write, to music. If there’s no music, there is no writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson:
Anything else we need to know?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 24.0pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Tracy Angelina Evans: Everything you
ever imagined might be in that scary closet in your is, <i>is. </i>And it’s your fault for
imagining it, in the first place. Rest
well, tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-92187849273391456282014-11-11T18:59:00.000-08:002014-11-12T17:16:27.945-08:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With...TOI THOMAS<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who is Toi Thomas?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Toi Thomas:
I am a big kid, a scared little mouse, a super hero, and a number of other
things when I let my imagination soar. At the very core of me, I’m a God
fearing wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend; my family means a lot to me.
But for the most part, people know me as a teacher, writer, blogger, comic book
lover, music lover, and movie lover. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you reside and what do
you do for a living?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: I live
in what most people know as the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, formerly the
Tidewater area. I live in a nice little city called Chesapeake which is located
right in the middle of all the action. It’s just down the road from all the
high life and tourism of Virginia Beach and the night life and commerce of
Norfolk. I currently work as a special education teacher’s assistant and use my
spare time to take on other interests and challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us something about your
background.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: I was
born and raised in Texas so there’s part of me that still belongs to the
southern mid-west and the good and bad that comes with that. All my life I’ve
been a bit adrift. Everyone who’s spoken to me on a frequent basis will tell
you that I seemed to have been born in the wrong time because of my maturity
and my appreciation and affinity for things of the past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are your
influences? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT:
I am influenced by life. Everything I come in contact with and am exposed to
influences me in one way or another. While there’s no denying the confidence
that facts and relative truths can offer, I often find that the challenge of
fiction makes more of an impact on my perceptions. I like knowing, figuring
out, and or determining for myself just where fact and fiction collide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Which do you like better:
writing fiction or reviewing movies and books?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: This is
a tough question; it’s almost not fair. I like all these so much. Writing fiction
is a creative process that breaks you down and tests your limits. Reviewing
books and movies dares you to speak your mind and leaves your opinions
vulnerable to challenge and critique themselves. I guess if I was forced to
only dedicate my time to one, I’d choose writing fiction. I don’t think I could
give up my habit of creative expression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What is your philosophy of
writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: Most
writers would probably look at my philosophy as self-torture, but it’s the way
I work. I’ve tried, but I can’t seem to limit myself to specific genres,
techniques, and tropes. I write what comes to me, but I also keep notes of
inspiration that often lead to the intentional development of a story. I have a
very methodical approach to my writing process, but my philosophy is quite
loose and unstructured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How have you grown as a writer
from five years ago to right now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: I still have much more growing to do. I never
set out to become a writer, but it just became who I am. If I had known this
was I path I would travel someday, I would have prepared better. I would have
taken more classes and immersed myself in the writing and publishing culture
during my youth when I was embracing classic films and literature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us how you created the
ETERNAL CURSE series<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: The
series started out as self-therapy, though I didn’t know it at the time. I had
a reoccurring dream that I decided to start taking notes on and write out, but
I couldn’t always remember what I wrote. That’s where my creativity was
sparked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Something compelled me to fill in the blanks of this dream and create
this story and the characters. The whole process was time consuming and calming
during a time in my life when I was going through some social, emotional,
financial, and other personal struggles. Writing the first book in this series
saved my life and when it was done, I knew I needed to keep it going. There was
still so much more to share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about GIOVANNI’S ANGEL<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: <b>Giovanni’s Angel</b> is a subheading or
installment title. The whole first book is centered on the understanding of who
or what is Giovanni’s Angel. Many different answers have been concluded about
what the title actually means and like leaving it open a bit so readers can
decide for themselves what Giovanni’s Angel really is. I will tell you that
what most people quickly figure out is that while Giovanni is the hero and star
of this series, the first book isn’t truly about him. It’s about another
character’s discovery of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are your future plans for
the series?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: I’m
working to release the second book in the series by 2016 at the latest, but
hopefully sooner. There is already a manuscript in the works for a third book
and I’m looking and thinking of ways to diversify the book’s reach. I have
dreams of doing a graphic novel, but at this point they are just dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You have your own YouTube video
channel where you read excerpts from books you like, review movies or just goof
around having fun. How did that start?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Well the
truth is, I just got tired of not sharing some of the other crazy stuff that
goes on in my head and thought that the visual media would be a good way to let
it all out. There’s only so much I can share on my blog that won’t scare people
away, so I figured this might be a good way to attract a different kind of
audience. I was actually hoping to work with and promote some authors along the
way, but apparently authors are camera shy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When it
comes to my content and my line-up, I decided that I need some original TV-like
content or shows people could hopefully get into. I’m small potatoes now, but
one day someone will get a greeting card covered in glitter and will go to You
Tube looking for solace, where they’ll find a video of me ranting about why I hate
glitter…Hey, a girl’s gotta dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You’re a writer I admire for the
way you’re using social media to aid your writing career. Why don’t more
writers use social media to be…well…social?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: That’s
a very good question and I wish I had an answer. I’ve tried to reach out to the
writing community, but it seems that anything that veers too far from actual
writing is looked upon as “sketchy” and or “gimmicky”. I guess some writers
don’t feel they need to be social outside of their blogs. If they have a pretty
big and loyal following I can’t argue with them, but it just seems like there
are opportunities slipping away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Another
dream, or perhaps fantasy, I have is that there would be an emerging writer
community on You Tube with its own shows, content, and fan-base. It’s not likely
to happen at the current rate. I have this philosophy that “authors are just as
important to the world of entertainment as music groups and movie stars”, but
unfortunately there’s not enough of them out there acting like rock stars. I
think they are all waiting to become New York Times Bestsellers first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are you a plotter or a pantser?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: Definitely
a plotter. I have been jokingly called “O.C.D.” by some, but I’m really not
that bad. I just believe in always having a plan whether it be for a road trip
or my next book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You’re quite the comic book geek
as well. What comic books are you currently reading?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: I’m
currently reading some back issues of <i>Guardians
of the Galaxy</i>, The original <i>Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> graphic novel, before the turtles had different colors
and distinct personalities, and I’m also reading some <i>Martian Manhunter</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Name your three favorite comic
book characters.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: Batman
is my number one. Hulk is my number two. I have a tie for number three between
Wonder Woman and Storm, but Storm- Princess of the Amazons from the Amalgam
Universe is pretty sweet (She a mix of Storm and Wonder Woman.) I’m mostly a DC
fan in terms of comic books, but in audio visual media it’s hard not to give
Marvel the credit they are due.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You ever thought of
creating/writing comic books yourself?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: All the
time; sometimes it keeps me up at night, but I don’t have the sketching talent
for it and need training to developing good panel story plotting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What audience are you trying to
reach with your work? Is there an audience for Toi Thomas?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: This is
also a good question. I think my writing philosophy is holding me back a bit. I
think there are definitive audiences for my individual works but as a whole,
they are contradictory and confusing to consumers who just want to read a good
book with no hassle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I’m
currently considering taking on some pen names to distinguish and promote my
varied works to genre specific markets. It’s all a work in process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s a typical Day In The Life
of Toi Thomas like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">TT: Sweet
question; I like the way you’ve honed in on one of my monthly blog posts. A Day
in My Life is not very exciting. I have a day job that is challenging and never
boring. When I come home, my life becomes a balancing act. I scramble each day
to find time to write, blog, read, exercise, cook, and spend time with my best
friend (this dude I picked up ten years ago who likes to call himself my
husband). For the most part, I wouldn’t change anything about my life. I like
my struggles, but if I could opt out of my day job I totally would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we
need to know?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Toi Thomas:
I don’t think there’s anything else I need to share though I could go on
talking about myself if I felt like it. It’s a good thing I don’t feel like it
most of the time. I’d rather talk about someone else, a good book, or a good
movie. I am working to release a new book outside my <b>Eternal Curse</b> series in the months to come and will be starting my
marketing strategy soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Thank you
so much for inviting me to participate in this lovely interview. It has been a
pleasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Website:
etoithomas.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">#thetoiboxofwords<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Google+:
Toinette "Toi" Thomas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">New email
list: author@etoithomas.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<br /></div>
Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-85116209626569139432014-11-05T08:13:00.000-08:002014-11-05T08:13:18.173-08:00From The "In Wonder I Wander" File...<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you've been reading BLOOD & INK on a regular basis (and if not, they whyain'tcha?) Then you'll have noticed that from time to time I'll post something here that has been written by one of the most extraordinary and talented artists it's been my pleasure to work with, Sean E. Ali. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He designed and created the cover of the 10th Anniversary Edition of "Dillon and The Voice of Odin" and he's become acclaimed in the New Pulp community for his outstanding cover design work for Pro Se Productions.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently I asked Sean to create a promotional piece for my upcoming "The Return of Fortune McCall" and I loved it so much I wanted it to be the cover. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. But the piece he did is so evocative and so much captures the spirit of Fortune McCall that I just could not let it be shown.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I also felt that Sean's story behind the creation of the illustration should be re-posted here. He's already posted it on Facebook but it hopefully will be seen by a wider audience here.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And since I've run my mouth far too much already, I now turn the floor over to Mr. Ali...</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> #</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday, I showed a piece of art to a writer who asked me to do a promo piece for his upcoming book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The piece was something I started over a year ago, and it was, remarkably the last thing I got done before becoming seriously ill...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yeah, you folks missed that episode, but only because I didn't tell you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was the kind of ill where you start wondering if maybe you should've done the things you said you were going to do, because you may not be here to do them in another week situations...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I lost my voice, was flat on my back, had a lingering cough that sent me to a doctor for answers and as I sat there listening to how I would weather this storm, I also heard about how if I didn't take better care of myself, this could be the beginning of one really long series of storms...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since I'm not a complete idiot (in theory), I took his advice, dropped everything I was doing and started making changes, exercising and all that good stuff...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, so far, those changes seem to be moving me in a positive direction. Which is why finding this piece is a little ironic. It was the last thing I started on the tail end of what had to be the mother of overextending myself to well past the point of burnout into the happy land of I just don't give a damn anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mostly because when a doctor says you're overdoing it, you get to choose if it's going to be you surviving or everything else taking you out for good...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And if that's the case, I'll be damned if I let go of life because I can't let go of other stuff...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I finished this piece at long last, sent it off to the author, he went over the moon and wanted it for a cover...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and it got shot down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I forget the specifics, once a job is dead, it's dead, and you put it in the rearview. But I was actually kind of glad it went down that way. It was something I hadn't let go of from the last time around, and I felt compelled to finish it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, here's the funny thing, I went back to the piece, which I fully intended to delete, and said, "Now that it's not a job, how would you fix this on a second pass?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it became something I did to wind down and start getting my chops back instead of me looking at a clock or a calendar. I had fun doing the work again, which is something I hadn't been able to say in a really long time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since the character, Fortune McCall, belongs to Derrick Ferguson and is published by Pro Se, this is in no way an official promo piece, it's just me doing a before and after for the fun of it...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And really, wasn't that the whole reason we got in the game to begin with?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This image is where I started, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyxAjmsIdGDbEGI7dF_sqfLKkwaQyTOu2OixeFEXg6hLaJv9OkqhCvzdY8Yj4V7rz7qI3VlI7VA3DshBGNXt2JiU5DjNkHp1EMw0nUgkQwDejyDFfFBHDphzXZesvG7ZHMWrLUIxf3MY/s1600/10751597_10201687866677147_1086994140_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyxAjmsIdGDbEGI7dF_sqfLKkwaQyTOu2OixeFEXg6hLaJv9OkqhCvzdY8Yj4V7rz7qI3VlI7VA3DshBGNXt2JiU5DjNkHp1EMw0nUgkQwDejyDFfFBHDphzXZesvG7ZHMWrLUIxf3MY/s1600/10751597_10201687866677147_1086994140_n.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this image is where I ended up...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAd22ij4uLL60eNUTPGdRC48LenPiUFtHnhPg4rcAqLst4kPVEiTLtDs5N79DS6UhUYhbWwsVzjeEcjO9JPJf7NS8QBkRQLEJJm5NLUsJG9OFlMXrNGrowqkOElR76odBArnZa4hpi8w/s1600/974420_10201690902953052_293134732_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAd22ij4uLL60eNUTPGdRC48LenPiUFtHnhPg4rcAqLst4kPVEiTLtDs5N79DS6UhUYhbWwsVzjeEcjO9JPJf7NS8QBkRQLEJJm5NLUsJG9OFlMXrNGrowqkOElR76odBArnZa4hpi8w/s1600/974420_10201690902953052_293134732_n.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm kind of glad it got shot down because I'd have never looked at it again...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and I would've missed unexplored possibilities...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In fact, outside of the author, who'll probably want a copy, this piece is pretty much off the table in any way shape or form as far as I know, so don't ask me when it's coming who's on it or anything else, because I honestly don't know...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...which, isn't nearly as nail biting a situation as it once was for me...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've let it go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I may not be where I once was, but I'm glad I've gotten where I need to be...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and from here, it only gets better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be good to yourselves and each other...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div>
<br /></div>
Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-59889459397198635762014-10-31T06:52:00.000-07:002014-11-03T07:29:09.538-08:00The Madness of Frankenstein<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FRANKENSTEIN</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A name that conjures up images of terrors unimaginable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FRANKENSTEIN</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Feared. Hated. Hunted. Cursed. Worshipped. Damned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FRANKENSTEIN</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once again pursuing his horrifying dream of creating a new race of humans and of mastering the secrets of Life and Death, Dr. Frankenstein seeks to not only to dominate Science but Sorcery as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE MADNESS OF FRANKENSTEIN</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It will infect and infest the souls of all who come into contact with Frankenstein. Pray it does not take hold of you.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Madness-Frankenstein-Derrick-Ferguson-ebook/dp/B00O2J2J3Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414762924&sr=1-1&keywords=Derrick+Ferguson" target="_blank">THE MADNESS OF FRANKENSTEIN is now available as an Ebook from Amazon for just $2.99!</a>Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-60932146799979059242014-10-06T20:00:00.000-07:002014-10-06T20:00:24.307-07:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With FRANK BYRNS<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who is Frank
Byrns?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Frank
Byrns: Let's find out together!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you live and what do
you do the keep the repo men from your door?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: I live
in Maryland, just about halfway between Washington and Baltimore. We move
frequently to keep the repo men from our door. (The first sentence of this
answer won't help in that regard.) Or, alternately, I work in the exciting
world of third party logistics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us something about your
background.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: I grew
up in a small town in North Carolina, went to school at Wake Forest University
(Go Deacs!), lived in Arizona for a bit as the husband of an itinerant grad
student, then settled down in the DMV region almost fifteen years ago. I worked
for a while in retail management for a series of professional sports teams,
then worked almost ten years for the Smithsonian Institution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How long have you been writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: All my
life, I guess? I have a whole stack of Robin Hood stories I wrote in second
grade, and some GI Joe stories from third grade that are only slightly worse.
But I've been writing seriously (as in occasionally for money) for the last ten
years or so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s your philosophy of
writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: I like
to show and not tell, but even more importantly, I like to say and not tell.
But those are the same things, you're thinking, and you might be right. I like
for the characters to say things, rather than the narrator to tell things. I
think one of my strongest suits as a writer is that I write pretty good
dialogue, and you can reveal a lot of character through dialogue. If it's done
right -- done wrong, it can be pretty terrible. So it's a balancing act,
without turning into Basil Exposition. I like it when characters say one thing
but mean another, and that's all pretty clear to the reader. That's the sweet
spot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I've written
stories that are all dialogue, without even so much as a single dialogue tag,
and I think they turned out pretty well. (And on the subject of dialogue tags:
it's SAID. Always SAID. SAID, SAID, SAID. Nothing else. Let the words the
character says tell you how they said them.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I'm also
not a big fan of a lot of flowery description or language. The language gets in
the way of the story, and the description gets in the way of the reader's
imagination. But I could read James Lee Burke describe the way a swamp smells
for five pages, so I dunno. Your mileage may vary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What audience are your trying to
reach with your work? Is there an audience out there for Frank Byrns?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: I have
to hope so, right? Otherwise, why bother?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I do write
a lot of stuff that lands in a weird gray area; they are superhero stories
enjoyed by people who don't always like superhero stories, and at the same
time, people that like traditional superhero stories may not like my stuff
because of the tone and the pace and the occasional lack of action (sometimes I
write thrilling stories about a conversation between two people sitting on a
roof, things like that). I've tried forcing some action scenes into stories,
but they feel exactly that -- forced. So I take them right back out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I don't
know -- I guess people who prefer the human side of superhuman. Something like
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I write
stories with supervillains that worry that their kids are turning out just like
them. (Don't we all?) Parents who are
afraid to let their superhero children out into the world alone. (Aren't we
all?) Parents who still love their supervillain children, even after
everything. (Don't we all?) I'm sensing a trend here.... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Before we get into ADONIS
MORGAN: NOBODY SPECIAL, let’s talk a bit about the superhero prose genre and
your place in it. The most obvious question being: why write superhero prose
stories?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: I
started writing superhero prose superhero stories a little over ten years ago,
and when I did, I didn't know if there was anyone else out there doing the same
thing. I naturally assumed that there were -- I'm not that original -- but I
didn't know them or how to find them. Kurt Busiek's work on <i>Marvels</i> and <i>Astro City</i> was a big influence that I was reading at the time. I
thought those books somehow made superheroes more real and more wondrous at the
same time by making a crucial distinction: instead of showing us what it would
be like it superheroes lived in our world, what would it be like if we lived in
theirs? They weren't realistic, obviously, but the human emotion in the stories
was real, and that really appealed to me as a reader, and eventually, as a
writer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gradually,
I stumbled across other folks doing the same thing -- Frank Fradella and Sean
Taylor and Tom Waltz at </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">iHero / Cyber Age
Adventures</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, Matt Hiebert at </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Superhero
Fiction</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, and later, Nick Ahlhelm at </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Metahuman
Press</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Then, of course, I threw my own hat in the ring by publishing </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>A
Thousand Faces: the Quarterly Journal of Superhuman Fiction</i></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. I started
that in 2007, and it ran for 14 issues before I shut it down. I tried to
publish the kinds of superhero stories I like to read, things a little more
thoughtful and a little less actionful. Through that experience, I met a lot of
other superhero writers who have also become friends: T Mike McCurley, Hg,
Andrew Salmon, Josh Reynolds, Van Allen Plexico, Rob Rogers, Ian Healy -- a lot
of names that will sound familiar to fans of the New Pulp movement. It's been
interesting to see superhero fiction get folded under this much larger tent of
late -- I'm excited to see where it goes from here.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: When did your love of
superheroes begin? And what is it about superheroes that speak to all of us?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: I can't
remember a time when I didn't love superheroes. I read tons of comics as a kid
-- my favorite was <i>GI Joe</i>, but that
got me into other stuff, <i>Captain America</i>
and <i>The Avengers</i>, specifically. I
watched <i>Superfriends</i> and the old Adam
West <i>Batman,</i> all of the usual
touchstones. I went away from superheroes for a while in high school through
college, but got back into it with <i>Astro
City</i>. I love that book. That, and Bendis' run on <i>Daredevil</i> are what got me back into comics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I think the
chance to put on a mask and be someone else for a while really appeals to a lot
of people. To live outside the law -- on either side of it, really, when you
get down to it -- and not have to rely on anyone else than your own awesome
ability? To be able to fly? Men have dreamed about flying since the first time
they saw a bird. How could that not speak to every one of us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: The main drawback of superhero
prose is that you don’t have an artist assisting in the storytelling. Is that a
drawback for you? Or have you found a way to make that work in your favor?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: Nope --
not a drawback to me at all. You have to approach it like writing any other
story. You're not writing a comic book without pictures, you're writing a story
about superheroes. Comic books are not a genre, they're a medium, but the two
(superheroes and comics) are so endlessly conflated, it's very hard to
separate. A great mystery story wouldn't work better as a comic book; some
probably would, but some work better as movies, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Here's what
I mean: I looooooooove the movie <b><i>Unbreakable</i></b>. I still claim it to be
the best superhero movie ever made. But I think it would be hard to tell that
story in a comic format. But certain kinds of superhero stories only really
work as comics. I can't imagine a Grant Morrison comic as a novel. Those DC
novels they produced in the past few years -- Infinity Crisis, 52, etc. --
adapting their big event comics? I didn't think they were very good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When I was
working with Pro Se Press on the cover design for <b>Nobody Special</b>, it was really hard for me. I don't think about the
Adonis stories visually at all. I had names for some of the bad guys -- had to
call them something -- but costumes? Nothing. I barely know what Adonis looks
like, and I've been writing these stories off and on for ten years. Some of
them I don't even know what their powers are. I know that's a weird way to
approach a superhero story, but that's how I'm wired, I guess. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about ADONIS MORGAN:
NOBODY SPECIAL.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB<b>:</b> <b>Nobody
Special</b> is a collection of five stories featuring the guy who has turned
out to be my most popular character, Adonis Morgan. He's a guy who used to be a
superhero, but to use his own phrase, "it didn't take." Something
happened a few years ago that caused him to hang up the cape and mask and the
whole bit -- but just exactly what happened is up in<b> </b>the air. (Either I don't know or I ain't saying, your mileage may
vary.) But at any rate, he just can't quite shake his past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So five
stories, one set in each of the past five years. There's <b>"Hollywood Ending",</b> the first Adonis story I wrote over
ten years ago (it's a reprint, but it's sort of the origin story, so I thought
I should include it here), with Adonis working in LA as a movie stuntman and
actor. The second one, <b>"Red Carpet
Blues",</b> picks up about a year later, and he's working as a limo
driver. The third, <b>"April
Fools",</b> excerpts the Adonis segments from a mosaic novella I wrote a
few years back called <b>"Friday".</b>
Adonis is driving a cab in this one, as he is in the fourth story, <b>"Walking After Midnight"</b>, set
a year or so later. The fifth and final story in this book, <b>"A Foregone Conclusion"</b>, is
one I'm very proud of, and might be my favorite of anything I've ever written.
In this one, Adonis gets hired on as part of a protection detail for a
political candidate's wife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Adonis is a
guy who says he's done playing the hero, who says he just wants to keep his
head down and out of the way, who says he just wants to be left alone. But
somehow, he just can't stop himself from doing the right thing. Someone once
described him as an extraordinary man trying to live an ordinary life, and I
really like that. Kinda the opposite of most of us, I guess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">He's a guy
who doesn't talk much, and when pressed, favors cryptic non-answers. Which can
prove difficult for me from time to time, since as I mentioned, I really like
to reveal character through dialogue. I try to reveal his character through the
avoidance of dialogue, I guess? It can be tricky, but I think it works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">"Walking After Midnight",</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> the fourth story in the book, has a
POV that shifts through several characters, none of whom are Adonis. He's just
this figure, lurking in the edge of their lives. He gets a little dialogue with
some of them, but the story's not about him. But at the same time, it's all
about him.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I tried
something a little different in <b>"A
Foregone Conclusion"</b> -- it's a first person narrative, told from
Adonis' point of view. I was a bit worried it would be a bit jarring coming
along after the other four third person narratives, but I think it works.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What was the inspiration for the
character of Adonis Morgan?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: He sort
of emerged fully formed from this stew of ideas and influences swirling around
in my head for years. I've always liked the idea of people who peaked early in
life, and things would never be that good again, but still have to play out the
string, so to speak. I also like playing with the idea that just because you
were born to do something (call it destiny, genetics, whatever you'd like)
doesn't mean you want to or have to or are even any good at it. What if you
don't want to be whatever it is that the universe demands you become? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So if you
are super strong and super fast and bulletproof, does that necessarily mean
you're a superhero? And even if you've got all those things, what if you try it
and you're no good at it? Or you hate it? And if you have enough of a moral
compass that you don't become a supervillain, what then?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Will we be seeing more of Adonis
Morgan?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: I'm
sure. I don't do a lot of recurring characters in my stories; the main
character from one story may float through the margins of another story, but
there are only a few I've returned to over the years. I never planned to go
back to Adonis after <b>"Hollywood
Ending";</b> that one ends in a pretty dark place for him. The last line
of the story is "Now what?" and I liked that. But the question
demanded to be answered, I guess. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I wrote another one a year or so later called
<b>"Barflies"</b> (not included
in <b>Nobody Special</b> but available
online in a few places) that was originally supposed to be about a bar where
metahumans hung out in their off hours. There are a few blink and you'll miss
them cameos in there from other stories, and at some point, I needed a cabbie.
And the first thought in my head was that that is the now what? for Adonis. One
of my writerly friends, T. Mike McCurley (read <b><i>Firedrake</i></b>, it's great!!!)
emailed me after reading and said that it was good to see Adonis again after <b>"Hollywood Ending",</b> and that
he had been afraid Adonis had been lost forever. That really stuck with me, and
I thought that maybe I was on to something. Before long, he started popping up
in other story ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I've got an
Adonis novel I've been working on off and on for a while (he's driving a cab in
a small North Carolina beach town as a massive hurricane bears down on the
island); I've got a couple of other stories percolating in various stages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">You'll see
him again soon, I'm sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s a typical Day In The Life
of Frank Byrns like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">FB: Working
the pay job, coaching sports after school with the kids, homework / dinner /
bed, maybe say hi to my wife before I try and steal some time to write before I
fall asleep? Lather, rinse, repeat. Exciting stuff, I know....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we
should know?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Frank
Byrns: God help anyone who's read this far, so I'll just wrap it with the news
that <b>Adonis Morgan: Nobody Special</b>
is available in print and ebook format at Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
Smashwords, and wherever fine books are sold! Ask for it by name!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Thanks,
Derrick!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Byrns/e/B00AGHGXA8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1412650127&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank">Frank's Amazon Page</a></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-63503520311832361782014-10-06T18:29:00.000-07:002014-10-06T18:29:01.190-07:00Lines I Wish I'd Written #1<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#1: "Those
motherfuckers had a Gatling gun and more bullets than China had rice."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#2: "Peace!
Freedom! And a few less fat bastards eating all the pie!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#3: “Would it be all right
if I show the children the whoring bed?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#4: “Now listen to me
you benighted muckers. We're going to teach you soldiering. The world's noblest
profession. When we're done with you, you'll be able to slaughter your enemies
like civilized men.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#5: “You can push them
out of a plane, you can march them off a cliff, you can send them off to die on
some God-forsaken rock, but for some reason, you can't slap them. Now apologize
to that boy immediately.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#6: “She wasn’t just
tall. She was great big. She was honey blonde with the mark of The Valkyrie and
her mouth was curved in a moist, lush grin because my eyes swept over her so
fast. Her body seemed to want to explode and only the tailored suit kept it
confined.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#7: "You couldn't
fool your mother on the foolingest day of your life even if you had an
electrified fooling machine."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#8: “You're a funny
guy Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#9: “I don't think I'd
like to be God. Not that I'm turning down any offers, mind you. But there are
six billion people on this planet and I still feel alone. Imagine being One
God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">#10: “Even if he does
have a little bacon on the side, that doesn’t make him Eggs Benedict Arnold.”</span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-58361099053053545042014-10-02T17:15:00.000-07:002014-10-02T17:18:28.742-07:0015 Months Later With JOEL JENKINS<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><i>It’s been a
while since the <a href="http://dlferguson-bloodandink.blogspot.com/2013/08/kickin-willy-bobo-with-joel-jenkins.html" target="_blank">original Kickin’ The Willy Bobo Interview with Joel</a> so I thought it about time we caught up with what he’s all about and what he’s doing <b>15 MONTHS LATER</b>..<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Have there been
any major changes in your life since we last talked?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Joel
Jenkins: Most of the major changes are family oriented. I've got one twin daughter
going to the University of Washington now, and another heading out for an 18
month mission in San Antonio with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. And I've got a son who is now driving not just my car but the cost of
my auto insurance to astronomical levels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8uKgzLipOmXoue7bePs4LO5jGkkHK_9ttEHnmfZiZxBugRprVdgiZkl3AQtnB3iw1YpAeefT7_G5cIQBfYnBql4AKImn4DjKPUtcwOZwYQH8EgjX_YEDCwkq3O5QKAJXjGBE-3gxXZI/s1600/7727_100796923270820_3126576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8uKgzLipOmXoue7bePs4LO5jGkkHK_9ttEHnmfZiZxBugRprVdgiZkl3AQtnB3iw1YpAeefT7_G5cIQBfYnBql4AKImn4DjKPUtcwOZwYQH8EgjX_YEDCwkq3O5QKAJXjGBE-3gxXZI/s1600/7727_100796923270820_3126576_n.jpg" height="400" width="331" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about SKULL CRUSHER<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">JJ: <b>Skull
Crusher</b> is a continuation of a short story I wrote a couple of decades ago, and
which was published in <i>Pulp and Dagger</i>.
This short fantasy story featured Prince Strommand Greattrix, a great warrior
who is seduced, drugged, and captured so that he cannot bring his great sky
ship, The Skull Crusher, into play to defend against the surprise attack
against his city and family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The short
story ended with Greattrix plunging off the side of the enemy's sky ship. The
novel includes this short story and follows Greattrix as he swears an oath of
sobriety and celibacy until he can gain vengeance and retake his realm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Strommand
is a very powerful warrior, but he also has a high estimation of himself and a
weakness for women. Besides all the sword fights and bloodshed, writing the
story was an interesting journey. I was curious to see if Strommand could keep
his baser instincts in check or if he would again succumb to the folly that had
caused the downfall of his kingdom and the death of his clan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How do you feel your writing has
developed since we last talked?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">JJ: I think
I've been letting the stories go to some darker and grittier places than I have
in the past. I'm tackling protagonists with greater flaws and letting them
suffer the consequences of their poor decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you think that you have found
an audience? Or has your audience found you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">JJ: It's
more like a cult following than an audience. Maybe I'll hit critical mass after
I write another 18 books, or so, and I'll gain enough readers to call them an
audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Have any of your attitudes about
your work or your style of writing changed complete or modified in any way?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">JJ: Yes,
I've been able to nearly double my productivity by keeping a tighter focus, and
having a brief outline to guide me through the day's writing (and by day, I
mean 2 hours each morning before my work day begins). As a consequence, I've
got two Barclay Salvage space opera novels written for release in 2015. I've
also finished 72,000 words of Sly Gantlet/Dillon team up stories for release in
2015 with Derrick Ferguson's much anticipated <b><i>“Dead Beat in Khusra</i></b><i>”.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Hollywood calls and says that
they’re going to give you 500 million dollars and the director of your choice
to adapt one of your books into a movie. What book do you choose and what
director?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">JJ: I would
see if it can be done on a lesser budget. The expectations of a big budget
movie are so outrageous that they're almost impossible to fulfill. Maybe I
could get John Woo to film a Monica Killingsworth film. That would be cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Recommend a movie, a book and a
TV show</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">JJ: I
happen to be of the opinion that the PulpWork Press stable of authors include
some of the best in the world. I'd recommend trying <b>The Vril Agenda</b> by Josh Reynolds and Derrick Ferguson or <b>Dragon Kings of the Orient</b> by Percival
Constantine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The last
movie I saw was <i>The Expendables 3</i> and
you couldn't wipe the grin off my face. It was everything I loved about 80's
movies, just with a few more lines and creases in the faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">As far as
TV, any recommendations I might proffer would be 3 to 5 years out of date,
since I don't even have an active TV feed coming into my house. I enjoy
watching a handful of series, but since I detest wasting time on commercials I
wait until they are on DVD, pick them up and watch them at my own leisure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">JJ: I just
started a <b>Damage Inc</b>. story called “<b><i>The
Madagascar Hole”</i></b>. With this and the previously published novellas “<b><i>On
Wings of Darkness”</i></b>, and the infamous “<b><i>Sun Stealer”</i></b>, I should
have enough to publish a <b>Damage Inc. </b>collection
next year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For those
not familiar with Max Damage he is my take on Doc Savage...if Doc Savage had a
flaw for every magnificent ability. Max Damage is incredibly strong and heals
quickly, but his metabolism is so fast he has to eat like a horse. He has amazing
eyesight, but bright light blinds him, so he must wear sunglasses any time he
is in the daylight. He has a photographic memory, but he is dyslexic. With his
cohorts, the genetically engineered Minnie Zhinov, and the diminutive accountant
Seth Armstrong, they encounter all kinds of strange doings--mostly on account
of Max's dead father and his vast and shady business dealings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we
should know</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Joel
Jenkins: Check Amazon later this month (October 2014) for <b>The Coming of Crow</b>, which features the Native American supernatural
investigator and gunfighter Lone Crow. Anyone who thinks that a mélange of
Western and Horror sounds interesting, might enjoy this collection of stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joel-Jenkins/e/B003CM3KIW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1412295002&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Joel's Amazon Page</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://percivalconstantine.com/pulpwork/book/" target="_blank">PulpWork Press</a></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-43702925138573482722014-09-14T10:28:00.000-07:002014-09-14T10:28:59.035-07:00Three More Examples Of Today's New Pulp<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://dlferguson-bloodandink.blogspot.com/2014/04/three-examples-of-todays-new-pulp.html" target="_blank">You may recall that back in April of this year I wrote an article in which I gave three examples of New Pulp in today’s popular media. </a>My
hope was to show that the Pulp tradition never really went away and is alive
and well. It’s just that the tropes of Pulp have been conscripted by Action
Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction and many other genres. But there’s New Pulp
aplenty all around. You just have to look for it:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">CONGO</span></b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">: This is one of
the most spectacular examples of New Pulp. And when I say spectacular I’m
talking about the sheer audacity of the story which is primarily a jungle
adventure with a diverse and eccentric band of explorers looking for The Lost City
of Zinj and the diamond mines located there. It’s a strictly 1930’s plot successfully
transplanted to the 1990’s and enhanced with modern day technology.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The movie is directed by Frank Marshall, who frequently
collaborated with Steven Spielberg and written by John Patrick Shanley. It’s
based on the novel by Michael Crichton but take it from me, the movie is way
better than the novel. Which is the case with most of Crichton’s novels. Probably
because Crichton really wasn’t interested in characterization. Crichton was
more interested in the technology and the effects of science going wrong. But <b>CONGO</b> is the stuff of Saturday
afternoon cliffhangers than most of his other stuff and that’s what Marshall
and Shanley wisely decided to focus on. ‘Cause trust me, this movie <i>moves</i>. There’s enough fights, captures,
escapes, close shaves with death and breathtaking action to give Lester Dent on
his best day a run for his money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s not to say they throw out the technology entirely.
One of Our Heroes is Dr. Peter Elliott (Dylan Walsh) a primatologist who has
taught a gorilla named Amy how to speak using sign language. Her sign language
is translated into digital speech by means of a special backpack and glove.
Peter decides to return her to Africa and is funded in this endeavor by
Herkermer Homolka (Tim Curry) a shady character who has led unsuccessful
expeditions to Zinj in the past and thinks that Amy may be the key to this one
being successful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also joining the expedition is Dr. Karen Ross (Laura
Linney) a communications expert who needs to get to the Congo to find her fiancé
(Bruce Campbell) who was looking for a rare blue diamond that can only be found
near volcanos. Guess where the Lost City of Zinj just happens to be in the
neighborhood of?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Along with The Great White Hunter Munro Kelly (Ernie
Hudson and yes, I do know he’s black. But that’s how he always introduces
himself and it leads to one of the movie’s funniest lines later on) and his
team, they set off to find the Lost City of Zinj which is guarded by killer
gorillas.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There’s no adequate way I can tell you just how much
sheer fun <b>CONGO</b> is. Just let me say
that if you don’t want to see a movie where Laura Linney is blasting away with
a laser at killer gorillas while fleeing from an exploding volcano, then this
obviously isn’t the movie for you. But for those of you who want to check it
out, it’s available for instant streaming on Netflix.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">DIRK PITT: </span></b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">Described by his
creator, Clive Cussler as a modern day homage to Doc Savage, I’ve always
admired Cussler’s unashamed love of Classic Pulp and his enthusiasm for it. A
good case could be made that Cussler was writing New Pulp long before the title
was ever coined. He’s certainly the most successful at it and the character of
Dirk Pitt is by now as well-known as Doc Savage and James Bond, another
fictional grandfather of Pitt’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So far there have been 22 Dirk Pitt novels written with
more to come, especially since Cussler’s son Dirk has co-written the last six
with his father and most likely will eventually take over the series entirely.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When it comes to branding Dirk Pitt as New Pulp one has
only to check out a few of the novels to see that he comes by that
legitimately. Despite working as marine engineer for the National Underwater
and Marine Agency, in every novel Pitt finds himself battling megalomaniacal
supervillains with world conquering schemes that would wring gasps of envy from
Fu Manchu or Ernst Stavro Blofeld. In the course of his adventures Pitt has
recovered Captain Nemo’s ‘Nautilus’, raised the ‘Titanic’, discovers the
existence of a secret base on the moon, finds Atlantis, stops a plot by a race
of genetic supermen to destroy civilization and create a Nazi empire… need I go
on?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dirk Pitt hasn’t had much success outside of the novels.
He’s been in two movies so far. He was played by Richard Jordan in 1980’s <b>RAISE THE TITANIC! </b>which you should
avoid as if it were Ebola.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But 2005’s <b>SAHARA
</b>with Matthew McConaughey as Pitt and Steve Zahn as his sidekick Al Giordino
is way better and even though Cussler was very unhappy with the movie I found
it a lot of fun. Only thing I can complain about it is that McConaughey and
Penelope Cruz have zero chemistry together on screen. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE SIMPSONS
Episode #150: “RAGING ABE SIMPSON AND HIS GRUMBLING GRANDSON IN ‘THE CURSE OF
THE FLYING HELLFISH’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Written by Jonathan Collier and directed by Jeffrey Lynch
this is not only an hilarious <b>SIMPSONS</b>
episode but an outstanding pulp action adventure story as well. Don’t believe
me? When was the last time you saw an episode of an animated show where the
plot hinged on Nazi art treasures and a tontine?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We find out in this episode that Abraham J. Simpson was
the commanding officer of “The Flying Hellfish”, a gung-ho infantry squad in
WWII whose members included the fathers of Chief Clancy Wiggum, Seymour Skinner
and Barney Gumble. The laziest and most cowardly member of the squad is Corporal
Montgomery Burns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the final days of WWII, The Flying Hellfish take a
German castle and discover it’s full of priceless artwork. Through quick
talking, Burns convinces the others to enter into a tontine. Upon the death of
the others, the treasure, now called The Hellfish Bonanza goes to the last
survivor.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Burns and Abe Simpson are the last two survivors and Burns hires
Fernando Vidal, the world’s most devious assassin to kill Abe. Naturally pissed
off by this, Abe, with the help of his grandson Bartholomew J. Simpson
determines to go get the Hellfire Bonanza before Burns gets his hands on it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From start to finish this is a delightful episode that
plays out like a miniature summer action movie. And it’s downright touching how Bart and Abe bond together while on this wild treasure hunt and see Bart gain a new found respect for his grandfather who he had previously only
thought to be a nutty old coot. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s three more examples of New Pulp for you and I
hope you enjoyed them. If any more occur to me, you’ll be the first to know.
Peace!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-88290440659753323752014-09-09T19:03:00.000-07:002014-09-09T19:03:46.640-07:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With: DON GATES<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who is Don Gates?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Don Gates: Don
Gates is a 40 year-old guy who has spent way too much time in his own little
world and now it’s finally spilling out of his head onto paper. I’m married to the sweetest and gutsiest girl
I’ve ever known and we have some crazy pets and a fairly quiet, happy life
together. I’m a geek from the old-school
who grew up in the 80’s and has a head full of movie quotes and useless
trivia. I’m a casual gamer and former
casual musician (I once played the bass, although probably not that good).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you live and what do
you do to keep the bill collectors away?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: In 2012
we relocated from Florida, where I was born and lived all my life, to Canada to
be near my Mom after my Dad passed away.
I am a dual-citizen of both the US and Canada. My day job is doing network tech-support for
a Canadian cell-phone provider: I’m lucky enough to work from home, so I
usually spend my workday in my pajamas.
It’s not always as nice as it sounds though: cabin fever can be a bitch
sometimes, and sitting at home around all of my distractions can make the
workday feel like it’s dragging on. The
job isn’t the most creatively-rewarding but I usually end my day feeling good
that I’ve been able to help somebody fix their problems, so that’s something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us something about your
background<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: Born in
1974. Dad was a cop who got injured on
the job and retired early, Mom was a stay-at-home housewife. I was an only child, so I was probably
spoiled. I was (and am) an introvert so
I spent lots of time reading or drawing or daydreaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How long have you been writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: I had
been creating for years – superheroes and sci-fi tales – but was always limited
to my own headspace for that stuff. I’d
be pushing carts at Pic N Save or working in the electronics department at Toys
R Us or whatever menial job I had at the time but I’d constantly be coming up
with stuff in my head. I never thought
any of those ideas could be turned into anything worth writing, so I’d never
develop them to the point of committing them to paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In 2007 I
began to come up with my own pulp characters, ones that I felt I actually could
expand upon and maybe even start writing and maybe – just maybe – get
published. I tossed my ideas around with
a few online friends who gave me some invaluable feedback, and I went from
there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What's your philosophy of
writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: I don’t
know if I really have one. I try to
entertain but to also make the characters human and believable, if not
relatable. The best reading experiences
to me are always the ones where you can see the main characters as whole
people, and so I try to do that a little bit without making them so complex
that it bogs the story down. This is
pulp, after all, so it’s gotta move fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I also
don’t have an exact plan of attack when I write: I try to outline everything
but I usually end up with a beginning, an end, and a few points between and
then flesh it out and connect the dots.
I have yet to write a rough draft or a second draft or whatever. I usually write and edit as I go, and let the
story evolve while making sure to hit those specific points along the way. I guess I’m a plotter and a pantser… a
pants-plotter?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What audience are you trying to
reach with your work? Is there an audience for Don Gates?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: I want
to reach anybody that wants to read an adventure. I’m sure that when it comes to my Challenger
Storm stuff, part of me wants to reach the Doc Savage pastiche fans, although I
really don’t think of Storm as a pastiche.
He’s influenced by Doc Savage a bit, yes, but I’m certainly not trying
to write Doc stories with the names of the cast changed or anything. (Not that there’s anything wrong with
pastiches, mind you, they just aren’t what I want to do.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Is there an
audience for Don Gates? I hope so. So far I haven’t gotten fan comments from strangers
who say “I love your stuff!” or anything, but I can tell there’s a few people
out there who do like what I’m doing. I
kinda hope there will be an audience one day, actual “Don Gates fans”. That’d be cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Why New Pulp?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: because
it’s so damned fun! Ever since I was
introduced to The Shadow when I was twelve years-old or so I’ve had pulp on the
brain, because it’s just pure excitement.
Adventure in far off lands, devious villains, heroes of action,
beautiful dames… there’s such a feeling of glamour and romance to it (not the
“lovey dovey” kind of romance but that great “lost golden era” kind). It’s nice that in this day and age there’s a
place to escape to where dreams could come true, where there were still places
on the map that were blank and unexplored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And New
Pulp as a concept is terrific because it throws in “post-pulp” influences and
sensibilities and opens up new grounds for pulp to tread. It keeps it from getting stale but also keeps
the familiar and comfortable tropes.
Before “New Pulp” became a phrase, I liked to think of it as “pulp
remixed."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What writers have influenced
you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: I’m
pretty sure that anyone that I’ve ever read and enjoyed has influenced me in
one way or the other. My first big
reading experience was Jules Verne’s <b>20,000
LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA</b>, I’m pretty sure that stayed with me. William Gibson in his prime (the “Sprawl
Trilogy” that began with <b>NEUROMANCER</b>)
was very important to me, and I loved his prose: “J.G. Ballard meets Raymond
Chandler in cyberspace”. I love
Lovecraft and periodically go on Lovecraft reading-binges. And I love the greats from the hero pulps:
Walter Gibson for his genius, Lester Dent for his inventiveness, and Norvell
Page for his visceral energy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Probably
the biggest influence on my writing has probably been Dave Stevens’ <b>THE ROCKETEER</b>. That comic changed my life and showed me that
you can create “new old adventures”. I
read a magazine article about the series when I was thirteen and before I was
finished reading it I knew that I couldn’t rest until I’d tracked down every
Rocketeer appearance I could find. It
even influenced me in ways I didn’t realize until after I’d been writing a
while: the similarity of the name Clifton Storm to Cliff Secord was entirely
subconscious, for example. That’d be a
crossover I’d love to write, though. A
dream project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What's your career plan as a
writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: There’s
supposed to be a plan?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Seriously,
I don’t know if I have one. I want to
write stuff that I’ll enjoy writing and to write as much as I can crank out…
which isn’t really that much. I’m a
pretty slow writer which is something I need to work on. And should my path somehow take me to “the
big leagues” then I’d be cool with that. (REALLY cool, actually)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Do you think it's desirable for
us as New Pulp Writers to chase Mainstream audiences or is that just a dream
always out of reach?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: No, I
don’t think it’s out of reach. The other
day Annie and I were at Wal-Mart and we came across a display stand filled with
those “Hard Case Crime” novels. She
hadn’t seen them before and was kinda surprised to see all these books with
pulpy covers and big name writers. She
said something like “I can see this as a sign; maybe pulp is coming back into
mainstream popularity.” This was only a
day or so before the news of the Bradley Cooper <b>EXECUTIONER</b> movie and the Shane Black <b>DESTROYER</b> movie news, so maybe she’s right. And that’d be fine with all of us, I’m sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Who is Challenger Storm?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: Clifton
“Challenger” Storm is a guy of incredible potential, a hero who does what he
does not only because it’s the right thing to do but because of a burning need
for redemption. He was brought up
wealthy (because all pulp heroes like him need a big bank account), but while
his parents were philanthropic with their wealth he was arrogant, cruel and
cold and extremely self-centered and spoiled.
At around age nineteen his parents died in a car accident, and while he
was returning home to take over their fortunes the passenger plane he was
travelling in crashed in the mountains during a freak blizzard. Although the accident left him with three
long scars on the left side of his face, he was otherwise unharmed while
everyone else aboard the plane was killed.
He was left alone to survive in the mountains and he experienced an
epiphany, the same kind of soul-searching I imagine a lot of sole survivors go
through: “Why was I left alive? Why me?”
etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The answer
comes to him that he’s still around to become the opposite of who he was, to
help build the world instead of bleeding it.
He throws away his old ways and leaps into a rabid self-improvement
regimen to try and become as skilled as he can both mentally and
physically. After graduating college at
the top of his class and with numerous extracurricular activity achievements,
he disappears and travels the world, learning as much martial and esoteric
skills as he can manage. When he returns
home to the US, he sets up the Miami Aerodrome Research and Development Laboratories
(MARDL for short), a collective think-tank of designers, scientists,
engineers… All are like-minded
individuals who want to make the world a better place through science and
technology. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">MARDL also has a “troubleshooting”
arm, a ragtag group of adventurers and thrill-seekers who join Storm on his
missions against the human predators of the world. If someone needs aid and they can’t get it
elsewhere, Storm and his troubleshooters will help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Storm is
not as infallible as guys like The Shadow or Doc Savage. When creating him, I always used the mantra
“He’s not Doc Savage, but he’s trying to be.”
Storm screws up, he gets emotional, he feels guilt or second guesses
himself, he has self-doubt. He may know
arcane martial arts, can design and build revolutionary aircraft &
equipment, and runs a gigantic utopian-minded organization, but he’s also messy
and has no idea how many people are on his payroll. His secretary, Marie, is indispensable to him
and MARDL because she helps keep everything in check.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about <i>THE ISLE OF BLOOD</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: <b><i>THE
ISLE OF BLOOD</i></b> is the first Challenger Storm novel and winner of the
2012 Pulp Factory Awards for Best Cover Art and Best Interior Art, both of
which were handled by the legendary comic artist and illustrator Michael Wm.
Kaluta.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In the
novel Storm and his team are asked for help by an aviation tycoon whose
daughter, a teacher on the tiny impoverished island-nation of La Isla de
Sangre, has been kidnapped by a vicious group of guerilla warlords known as the
Villalobos Brothers. They’re holding his
daughter ransom, but soon after the team begins the rescue mission they
discover there’s more to the story than they thought. Meanwhile, the Villalobos Brothers begin to
unleash a mysterious super-weapon called “the Goddess of Death” upon their
enemies and start to set their sights on taking over the island itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">There’s
also a framing device in the book in the form of a mysterious secret agent on
his way to Florida to meet Storm to offer him the chance to work for his
agency, the Eye, in exchange for government sanctioning of MARDL’s vigilante
activities. During the “intermission”
chapters we see the agent learning about Storm’s past, and through these scenes
the reader also experiences Storm’s “origin”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The print
edition of the book is out of print right now, but there are plans for a newly
edited and tweaked edition: while I fix some bugs inside the book, Michael
Kaluta is doing some cover touch ups that have been bugging him (what exactly
they are, I couldn’t say because that cover is terrific).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about <i>THE CURSE OF POSEIDON</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: <b><i>THE
CURSE OF POSEIDON</i></b> is the second Storm novel. Ships and their crews are mysteriously
disappearing without a trace in the Aegean Sea near Greece, the victims of a
rumored “curse” of the ancient sea-god Poseidon. Meanwhile, freak tsunamis are striking
coastal villages and weird black-armored beings are spotted at the scene
afterward. Storm becomes embroiled in
these events through one of his troubleshooters, Diana St. Clair (who Storm has
an unrequited crush on). Diana’s
ex-lover – a former MARDL scientist – is among those missing aboard the
disappearing ships. Storm and his team
join the hunt and eventually confront a villain who can use water itself as a
weapon and can make mindless slaves out of free men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The cover
and interiors are again supplied by Michael Kaluta, who has done some
astounding artwork once more. The
response to the art – especially the cover – has been extraordinary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Okay, so let's get to the
question that I'm sure you get asked many times and here's your chance to have
it in print so that when you're asked in the future you can just refer them to
this interview: How did you get Michael Kaluta do to the covers and interior
illustrations for your Challenger Storm novels?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: By
reading aloud from the Necronomicon while standing in an ancient and powerful
magic circle of stones, pledging my eternal soul to the Outer Gods in exchange
for Kaluta’s participation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Actually,
what happened was this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I’ve been a
huge fanboy of Kaluta’s art since I discovered his work on The Shadow (through
the very same issue of COMICS SCENE magazine that introduced me to the
Rocketeer and Doc Savage, I may add… it was a landmark moment for me, and I
still have the issue). For years my wife
heard me go on and on about his artwork, and eventually she did what I didn’t
have the balls to do: she sent him an email to tell him how much of a fan I
was, etc. Michael is a very personable
guy and he and Annie struck up a friendly email acquaintanceship. She eventually mentioned to him that I had
written a New Pulp novel and jokingly asked if he wanted to do the artwork for
it. To our surprise, he said something
to the effect of “let me see what I can do”.
Next thing you know, he signed on and soon he and I were trading emails
and shooting the breeze about classic warplanes and art nouveau illustrators.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I’m still
not sure exactly what made Michael agree to do the artwork. Perhaps it’s because he has an affinity for
the subject matter, or maybe it gave him an excuse to draw classic airplanes
(an interest that I didn’t know we shared until he started working on <b><i>THE
ISLE OF BLOOD</i></b>). One thing’s for
certain: he has never “phoned the artwork in”.
He has approached every illustration and cover with a thorough,
professional attitude and has never settled for anything that he feels is
sub-par. Mike is a true craftsman. It may sound biased, but some of his work on
Challenger Storm is some of my favorite Kaluta art ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And it’s
also very cool that one of my idols is now someone I can call a friend. I owe it all to my wife, who I’m sure has
voodoo powers now because she was able to somehow bring this all to pass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You've got prestigious names
such as Ron Fortier and Michael Kaluta attached to your books. How does that
make you feel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: Bluntly,
I’m living the dream. I grew up reading
Ron’s terrific work in <b>THE GREEN HORNET</b>
and looking at Michael’s awesome and intricate artwork, so to have these guys
participating in my project is an incredible feeling. I’m honored to be working with them, and I’m
standing on the shoulders of giants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How many Challenger Storm novels
do you have planned?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: Approximately
14. Now, it sounds like I’ve got an
awesome lineup in the works, but some of these are fleshed out into plot germs
while others are just a line or two in a notepad file that I want to expand
upon further.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">After <b><i>THE
CURSE OF POSEIDON</i></b> comes <b><i>WHITE HELL</i></b>, currently “in production”. Anyone who has read the epilogue in <b><i>CURSE</i></b>…
can probably tell where <b><i>WHITE HELL</i></b> will be going. After that I definitely know the next 2 books
I want to do but beyond those I’ll need to do more expanding of my plot
ideas. I also have some ideas of where
the world of Challenger Storm will be headed into the modern era. There’s a heroic legacy brewing slowly here…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Keep in
mind too that I’m a super-slow writer and have other projects going at the same
time, so whether I ever hit my goals or not depends on how well I can beat my
procrastination and laziness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What's a Day in the Life of Don
Gates like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: I get
up about an hour before my workday starts and begin drinking my requisite
dosage of coffee. I work my shift, the
length of which can vary, and when I’m done I usually relax with the Missus and
the dogs & cats and watch something on TV.
If any writing is gonna get done, I either need to force myself to do it
during this time or wait until I have no distractions whatsoever. I usually end my night watching Japanese
tokusatsu shows for a while in bed before going to sleep and probably getting less
shut-eye than I should be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Recommend a movie, a book and a
TV show.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: Oh
damn… see, I suck at this kind of thing because I’m really behind and I’m
constantly catching up. We started
watching BREAKING BAD a night or two after the series finale. Okay, I’ll try to recommend stuff that isn’t
the norm and that folks might’ve missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For a
movie, I’d recommend BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW.
It’s a very oddly-paced sci fi film from Canada involving an esoteric
clinic and institute gone wrong. There
are psychics, sinister New Age stuff gone awry, and a weird ALTERED
STATES-esque sequence in which something comes back from the “other side” with
an acid tripper who took it too far. It
looks and feels like it was made in the 80’s, and not the fun-time 80’s either
but a weird technophobic underbelly of the era instead. I’d probably throw it in the same loony bin
that VIDEODROME came from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For a
recommended book, I’d say to check out THE ARCANUM by Thomas Wheeler. It brings together Harry Houdini, Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle, HP Lovecraft, and Marie Laveau in an epic fictional
crossover. Folk who enjoyed Paul
Malmont’s fictionalized pulp writers’ adventures will probably dig this. It was a lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And for a
TV show, folks who’ve never seen THE PRISONER should watch it (and stay away
from the AMC remake). Hell, folks who’ve
already seen it a million times should watch it again. It’s not just entertainment, it’s thought-provoking
televisual art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: What can we look
forward to from you in 2015?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DG: Hopefully
a lot more than what I’ve been able to crank out so far. I’ve got a short story in Airship 27’s
upcoming 2nd volume of TALES OF THE HANGING MONKEY, which was a blast to write
and led me to creating a heroine who’ll probably show up again elsewhere. I’ve also just completed a short story for
another publisher that’s unlike anything I’ve written yet. Not only is it a modern-day story, it’s also
in a genre that doesn’t really have a lot of prose material out there. Beyond that I’ve got another short story slot
in one of Airship 27’s future volumes of MYSTERY MEN & WOMEN, a tale
featuring a character I’ve wanted to do for a long time and only recently was
able to flesh out. And another short
story slot in an anthology I can’t talk about yet: very top secret right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Apart from
all this short story stuff (which is proving to be really fun and liberating),
I’d also like to get around to finishing the Challenger Storm web serial I
started on my blog a long time ago: that’s been really neglected. I’m still cooking up Storm #3, <b><i>WHITE
HELL</i></b> while making sure it hits the right notes it needs to hit. There’s also a dream novel I’m working on
that focuses on a favorite public domain superhero of mine. And I’d love to go ahead with plans of the
“Storm legacy” novel, where we catch up with his grandchildren as they find
their own way into adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Yikes,
that’s a lot. As long as I can kick
myself in the butt hard enough, I can deliver on all of that. Wish me luck: I’ll need it! And thanks for this interview: it’s been fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Don-Gates/e/B0068QIAWA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1410314476&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank">Don's Amazon Page</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://challengerstorm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Adventures of Challenger Storm</a></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-56775926570922085412014-08-29T16:28:00.000-07:002016-11-16T22:09:47.022-08:00Derrick Ferguson Has A Martini At EL MOROCCO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBWgC2dJzAR-LKowHsTtFmAhS2HiY8XdhC5qMik6Xj5c5HHrpIFdzvnNR1EvRgYPloLHDGtEpPvSJCD278HeiobtqUWFPesSFdf29RryPK5x5Q_lrTiiHh2ZGqdtVJg_l61GFh_NptWU/s1600/15039538_1113738458747641_1283854962893416591_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBWgC2dJzAR-LKowHsTtFmAhS2HiY8XdhC5qMik6Xj5c5HHrpIFdzvnNR1EvRgYPloLHDGtEpPvSJCD278HeiobtqUWFPesSFdf29RryPK5x5Q_lrTiiHh2ZGqdtVJg_l61GFh_NptWU/s400/15039538_1113738458747641_1283854962893416591_o.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">Having read
four of his books now and one of them twice I think it’s safe to say that I’ve
become a fan of Raymond Embrack. It’s always such a pleasant surprise to
discover a writer who really makes me sit up and pay attention to what he’s
doing and Raymond Embrack certainly does that. Why do I like his writing so
much? I think it’s because he has that Swing For The Fences quality I always
enjoy reading. Each and every one of his books I’ve read so far reads as if
he’s afraid he’ll never write another one again and so they’re stuffed with off
the wall characters, wild ideas and wilder concepts. Add to that playful dialog married to
descriptive passages and labyrinthine plot twists that I do think he gets
carried away with at times. But we’ll
get into that later on. Right now let’s get into the plot of <b>EL MOROCCO</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">It’s the
swingin’ hepcat 1960’s and Guy Roman is a hot up-and-coming comic working
Atlantic City. He’s not quite big time yet but he’s on his way. Until he gets
derailed by New Jersey wiseguy wannabe Jackie Rockafero who blatantly hijacks
Guy’s comedy routine as he thinks it would be fun to trade leg-breaking and
loan sharking to be a stand-up comic. Naturally Guy takes exception to this.
Jackie offers Guy gold or lead. Guy takes lead and winds up left for dead in a
filthy A.C. alley alongside the ridiculously gorgeous showgirl Tess Revere who
has also pissed off Jackie in a way I would not dare dream of revealing here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">Once he
recovers, Guy, along with the brain damaged but still recovering Tess heads to
Los Angeles where Jackie has become a comedic megastar. Guy’s intention is to
not only take back his act but to make Jackie Rockafero sorry he was ever born.
The conflict between them escalates into a major war that before it’s over
involves the Hollywood film industry, celebrity gangster Mickey Cohen, crooked
gossip columnists, high powered agents who are little more than scam artists
and the West Coast Mafia a.k.a. The L.A. Set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">One of the
things that makes <b>EL MOROCCO</b> so much
fun to read is Raymond Embrack’s affinity for the language, attitudes and feel
for the 1960’s. His characters all have a wonderfully smart-ass way of talking
and yet he manages to not have them all sound the same. Everybody’s a smart-ass
in their own way, if you know what I mean. And the characters and tone of the
book are totally authentic to the time period. So those of you who are actively
PC should be warned. The people in <b>EL
MOROCCO</b> talk, act and think like people who lived in the 1960’s talked,
acted and thought and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m actually more
comfortable with that than with books that are supposed to be set in the
1930’s, 40’s, ‘50’s or ‘60’s but are peopled with characters from the ‘00’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">What else
can I say to recommend the book? Raymond’s way of writing is one where he’s
clearly having fun with language and with words. He obviously enjoys the way
he’s telling the story in the language and style and rhythm of the dialog and
description. It’s really enjoyable to read his prose as it sings and swings
with the patois of 1960’s hipster jive talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">What’s my
only quibble with the book? Remember earlier when I mentioned that Raymond gets
carried away with plot twists? The plot twists at the conclusion of <b>EL MOROCCO</b> come so fast and there are
so many of them that I felt he was pushing it and I was wondering if he was
deliberately trying to see how many plot twists he could throw in there before they
collapsed under their own weight. But that’s okay. Above all, I like and admire
Raymond Embrack for his sheer audacity and willingness to take the chance of
going too far with his bizarre plots and outrageous characters. It’s always
more fun to read a writer who isn’t afraid to Go There instead of one that
offers up easily digestible prose that is no more exciting to read than
recycled oatmeal is fun to eat. He’s an extremely entertaining writer and if
you’re going to start reading him, <b>EL
MOROCCO</b> is a great place to start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">File Size:
313 KB<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">Print
Length: 174 pages<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">Sold by:
Amazon Digital Services, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">Language:
English<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";">ASIN:
B009625IDC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-54447319485631193802014-08-28T10:49:00.003-07:002014-08-29T16:38:29.370-07:00Derrick Ferguson Battles The BRIDGEPORT BRAWLER!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Jd42s5yamlkVfUIDJXO8MXHJK-crKLxdC28DmY6ZIsaAWIB4bZBeC-IvQk2JwofD7Y9JU9HYAJCChBdRKQnlCoINUGCBUxhO4nRvSdE-J5dBdbYkzEGImog1_-1HW2G0XiyOVMk4FqA/s1600/BRIDGEPORT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Jd42s5yamlkVfUIDJXO8MXHJK-crKLxdC28DmY6ZIsaAWIB4bZBeC-IvQk2JwofD7Y9JU9HYAJCChBdRKQnlCoINUGCBUxhO4nRvSdE-J5dBdbYkzEGImog1_-1HW2G0XiyOVMk4FqA/s1600/BRIDGEPORT.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I think
it’s safe to say that the FIGHT CARD series of books are not only a success but
a validation of something that New Pulp writers, editors and publishers have
been saying all along: it doesn’t matter what you call it. If it’s written well
and professionally packaged, people will read it. By the end of 2014, there
will be thirty-six FIGHT CARD books, all unique in their own way and touching
on various aspects of the fight game. FIGHT CARD has evolved enough to now
boast romance, luchadore and MMA novels as well as the core group of FIGHT CARD
books which take place in the 1950’s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For those
of you unfamiliar with the traditional FIGHT CARD books, here’s the set-up: the
protagonists are orphans that grew up in Chicago’s St. Vincent’s Asylum For
Boys where Father Tim Brophy, a battlin’ priest of the real old school teaches
boxing to his boys as a way to help them grow up and be men. At 25,000 words,
the novelettes are designed to be read in one or two sittings. Having
contributed to FIGHT CARD myself I can testify to the fact that it’s a genre
that’s a lot of fun to work in and really put me in touch with the spirit of
being a real pulp writer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BRIDGEPORT BRAWLER</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> by David White (writing under the
FIGHT CARD house name of Jack Tunney) is a little different from other FIGHT
CARD books in that it sometimes reads more like a character study than a boxing
novel. Don’t get me wrong now. There’s boxing action. Plenty of it. In and out
of the ring. But I can’t help but wonder if David White was more concerned in
his story in trying to show us how sometimes the best thing in the world we can
do can also be the thing that leads to our downfall. Our protagonist Pat White
is simply not smart enough to do anything to solve his problems except use his
fists. And using his fists only gets him into deeper and deeper trouble. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Asked by
his best friend and manager Homer to throw a fight because of a heavy debt he
owes the mob, heavyweight boxing champ Pat “The Hammer” White is understandably
upset, to put it mildly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And even though he agrees to do so, his pride and his
anger gets the better of him and he reneges on the deal. A decision that has
the expected result. But it doesn’t end there. That decision not to throw the
fight results in Pat White descending into a black hell of alcoholism,
depression and petty crime. It seems as if no matter what he does to try and
pull his life together, things just don’t go right for Pat. And as usual in
these kinds of story, the hero is redeemed by the love of a good woman and
reaching deep inside himself for that reservoir of hidden strength he never
knew he had, brought out by a wise old mentor. And as in every FIGHT CARD
novel, the hero must step into the ring one more time to prove to himself that
he’s worthy enough to call himself a man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">BRIDGEPORT BRAWLER</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> is a good fast read. Maybe too fast
in spots. There were some sections where I wished David White had taken more
time with the characters and firmed up their relationships. There are several
parts where characters make life-changing decisions on the spur of the moment
and it’s in those parts where I can see the wires being pulled by the writer.
It doesn’t feel as if the characters are making the decisions organically and
naturally. The last thing you want as a writer is for the reader to be able to
see you working the story from backstage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">But there’s
no doubt that David White knows how to keep a story moving. There’s absolutely
no fat or padding here and if you’re looking for a quick yet solid read to
entertain you a couple of hours then you should pick up a copy of <b>BRIDGEPORT BRAWLER</b> and enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">File Size:
2216 KB<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Print
Length: 80 pages<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Simultaneous
Device Usage: Unlimited<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Publisher:
Fight Card Books (July 9, 2014)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Sold by:
Amazon Digital Services, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Language:
English<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">ASIN:
B00LNOK49E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-18149754112322446822014-08-24T19:13:00.000-07:002014-08-24T19:13:56.448-07:00Kickin' The Willy Bobo With: ANDREW SALMON<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Who is
Andrew Salmon?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Andrew
Salmon: Andrew Salmon is a pop culture junkie with occasional deep thoughts. He
loves his wife, football, hockey, great movies, books and comics, nature and
writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKcn9__a9L17HpCkaTMCOKHA0RHHNhyQuGdTP9-xjLtxhiisODL3EN6vbLMUWT2sTrN5zA1udjMPjEESaayqMgFi5TcZOlFsGyTDwUKifm8dHdyQhF2guK7gwIhBSKMFdmso-tYYiEn0/s1600/944378_10201165280082081_1328818584_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKcn9__a9L17HpCkaTMCOKHA0RHHNhyQuGdTP9-xjLtxhiisODL3EN6vbLMUWT2sTrN5zA1udjMPjEESaayqMgFi5TcZOlFsGyTDwUKifm8dHdyQhF2guK7gwIhBSKMFdmso-tYYiEn0/s1600/944378_10201165280082081_1328818584_n.jpg" height="400" width="371" /></a></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Where do you live and
what do you tell the IRS you do for a living?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
I currently live in Vancouver, BC. Hey, I'm Canadian! I don't have to tell the
IRS anything. Ha! Seriously though, I work as an extra in the film industry
here as well as being a full-time writer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us a little
something about your background.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, which is not a good thing if you're
English. They've got a few hang ups about French there and the discrimination
is palpable. I graduated from Loyola High School, an all boys school and, yeah,
that sucked. Got a BA in Creative Writing from Concordia University, which
allowed me to work in a cabinet factory (because I didn't speak French) where I
somehow managed to become head of my department. With no desirable future in
Quebec, the wife and I went West for greener pastures, no winter, and plenty of
opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are your
influences?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
My Holy Trinity of writing influences consists of Charles Dickens, Rod Serling
and John D. MacDonald. Great TV like the original <i>Star Trek, Babylon 5, 24, The Shield, The Wire, The</i> <i>Twilight Zone</i> all push me to create.
Classic literature helps as well as dozens of great writers past and present.
Crime fiction, hardboiled fiction, pulp - these are my reading passions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How long have you
been writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
I began writing before I knew I was a writer. Back in grade school, we'd be
asked to write a half-page story based on an image or idea and I'd write 12
pages without batting an eye! I didn't know I was a writer until June, 1982
when I went into <i>Star Trek II: The Wrath
of Khan</i> as a fan and came out a writer. The movie changed my life as, for
the first time, I saw the machinery that drove storytelling. I got a glimpse
behind the curtain and instantly understood how it was done. Of course learning
to do it oneself takes a little bit longer. But that day in '82 was the day I
became a writer so we're looking at 32 years! Yikes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s your
philosophy of writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Make it good. Know the clichés and don't use them. Drop into the text what John
D. MacDonald called a little unobtrusive poetry so that the prose is a pleasure
to read. Create interesting characters or if you're using someone else's, do so
with respect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You a plotter or a
pantser?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Bit of both. I'll start out with the overall plot concept, then just wing it on
that first draft to see what happens. I don't know what any of my stories are
about until I've finished that first draft. This is why I suffer the woes of
Job when I have to pitch. "So, what's your story about?" "I
don't know! I haven't written it yet!" Just letting it happen for that
first draft works well for me because the story is at a point where it can go
anywhere. Revising the first draft, the story and its meaning slowly rise out
of the mire and I shape the revised versions of the work accordingly. I wrote
once from a detailed outline and, I have to tell you, it was boring as hell!
Each day was, okay, I have to do this, then this, then this. Ack! I went nuts!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You write in a
variety of genres. Which one is your favorite?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
I love writing historical action. I'm a research guy. Hey, I'm nuts for research!
I love digging into the past for those entertaining, thought-provoking or just
downright fun elements of yesteryear and weaving those into my tales across
genres ranging from detective, hardboiled and hero pulp. Detective fiction
seems to be my meat and potatoes these days, which makes sense since I've been
reading classic hardboiled fiction for decades. So, yeah, it's detective
fiction for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What audience are you
trying to reach with your work? Is there an audience for Andrew Salmon?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
I hope so or I'm out of a job! I'm trying to reach an audience who likes a good
tale. Historical fiction really strikes a chord with many readers and I'm with
them so that seems like a good enough answer so far as an audience goes. Of
course historical fiction must resonate with today's reader and that's a
challenge I find invigorating. As for a specific audience for what I do, I
don't think I've done enough stand alone work to determine that. I've been so
busy working on classic, public domain characters that I haven't had a chance
to create enough of my own work. That's going to change though, soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: You've had Sherlock
Holmes stories in Volumes 1 to 5 of airship 27’s SHERLOCK HOLMES-CONSULTING
DETECTIVE anthology series. And you've written a FIGHT CARD novel featuring Sherlock
Holmes. Obviously you like the character. What is it about Sherlock Holmes that
fascinates you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
That I'm able to write him! Seriously, that fascinates and mystifies me. When
Airship 27 first tossed out their offer, I said no simply because I hadn't read
the tales and had seen the bare minimum of the endless adaptations on TV and
for the movies over the years. I knew only what had seeped down through pop
culture so who was I to write a Holmes tale? Only thinking about it later, did
I realize that I couldn't pass up the chance to write, arguably, the most
popular character in the history of pop culture so I grabbed the last opening
for that first anthology, then tried to figure out how the hell I was going to
write the story. Bring on the research! </span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When that first tale won an award, I
knew I was on to something. What came out of that first experience was a
fondness for Watson and now, with 7 Holmes tales under my belt to date (multiple
nominations and two awards), that fascination hasn't faltered. I like Watson
and his voice. From that my obsessive research into Victorian times and trying
to get at the heart of Holmes keeps me on my toes. Doyle created characters for
the ages and doing them justice is important to me. Holmes and I seemed to have
found each other - and things are getting freaky. Fooling around with those
stupid online quizzes recently, I learned that I'm Arthur Conan Doyle (What
Famous Classic Author Are You?) and that Doyle should be writing my biography
(Which Author Should Write Your Biography?) so things are getting a bit weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyubBM_cjXdEKG7x1xjqIXg5s46L-utdpoUSZn3U2k3wAyl0x-_coJGs98nlrKiH5U4PcqXx093kKPxQM6rPj3zZ0YD68TyQCKhq_ZYc1PVNPAnMqqv75RjjOgyCOsA2GWpk2qhBRQag/s1600/Airship27-60-sherlockholmesconsultingdetective.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyubBM_cjXdEKG7x1xjqIXg5s46L-utdpoUSZn3U2k3wAyl0x-_coJGs98nlrKiH5U4PcqXx093kKPxQM6rPj3zZ0YD68TyQCKhq_ZYc1PVNPAnMqqv75RjjOgyCOsA2GWpk2qhBRQag/s1600/Airship27-60-sherlockholmesconsultingdetective.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: For those reading
this who may want to write a Sherlock Holmes story of their own: how do you
construct a proper Sherlock Holmes mystery true to the character and his method
of solving mysteries?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
For me, it begins and ends with the canon and getting the characters right.
This is the foundation on which to build. Read through the canon, and only the
canon, to get a handle on Holmes and Watson, how they think, how they speak,
the whole nine yards. Once you have an understanding of who they are - and that
will grow with time - then you have to come up with something to get Holmes off
his butt. There are examples of his solving cases Nero Wolfe style. It takes something
of great interest to get him on his feet and working. And here's where the
understanding of the characters comes into it. This 'something' can't just be
of interest to you, the writer. No, it's got to be something that piques the
interest of the greatest fictional brain that ever lived. For me, that's the
hardest part of writing a Holmes tale. </span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I've gotten to the point where Holmes
and Watson will have discussions in my head when I'm not writing so I've
developed an understanding of who they are. It's the damned case that's the
challenge. What can be so important, mysterious or challenging that Holmes
would want to look into it? You've got to impress Holmes! That ain't easy. This
is why it takes me longer and longer to write my Holmes tales. After that,
you've got to make the detecting difficult, throw in things that only Holmes
could uncover. If your reader has it figured out before Holmes does, you're in
trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Did you have much of
a problem selling the idea of a FIGHT CARD novel featuring Sherlock Holmes to
Paul Bishop and Mel Odom?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Actually it was the reverse. Fight Card came to me. The way I heard it, it went
like this: Paul Bishop was at the Pulp Ark convention and a bunch of the
creators in attendance were sitting around shooting the bull when someone
mentioned doing a Fight Card Sherlock Holmes. The assembled liked the idea and
the question of who to approach to write it came up. My name was thrown out
there and was met with some enthusiasm so when Paul returned home, he got in
touch. The funny thing was that I had been thinking for awhile that I'd like to
be part of the Fight Card team and was going to approach them when I'd finished
the tale I was working on at the time. So Paul's call to me was met with
considerable excitement. I said yes right off and was honored that the folks at
the con gave me the thumbs up. Of course after we'd ended the call, I was left
trying to think how to write the thing. Ha!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Are you working on a
sequel to SHERLOCK HOLMES: WORK CAPITOL?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Yup. The working title is <b><i>Sherlock Holmes: Blood to the Bone</i></b>
and it's for a December release. Unlike <b><i>Work Capitol</i></b>, this one won't be a
Christmas tale but will still make a great stocking stuffer regardless! The
going has been tough this summer as the last few months have been marred by
personal tragedy but the work progresses. The idea was to top the first one,
which was very well received. So far so good but there's still a long row to
hoe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: Tell us about THE
DARK LAND.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
The novel was a long time coming. I got the idea during the Clone Saga in the
Spider-Man comics back in the 90s. The name of the lead, C-Peter Reilly, should
be a tip-off there. The first Clone Saga, from the 70s, was and still is my
favorite Spider-Man story and I loved the conundrum of how do you prove you're
you? Then, during the terrorist attacks in 2001, I was struck by the tragic
loss of so many police- and firemen who were killed en masse while doing their
jobs. Taking this a step further, I wondered what would happen if disasters
killed these first responders on a global scale? Who would be left to maintain
order? This lead to the idea of gifted police officers having their DNA and
minds preserved for future catastrophes where billions of people perished and
chaos resulted. </span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The idea that a ready-for-the-street police force could be
produced quickly via cloning with digital mindfiles inserted into the new-grown
clones seemed like a strong premise. Instant experienced law enforcement rather
than rookies overwhelmed by what was going on around them. When a clone dies or
is killed, you just grow another one and insert the updated mindfile if it can
be recovered. For the novel, the disasters have already happened, and C-Peter
Reilly is grown to do his part. </span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In this world, clones are given
computer-generated, random names and all of the personal memories of the
original officers have been deleted from the mindfiles. So why does C-Peter
Reilly have the memories of his Source? His search for the truth while hunting
a killer in the ruins ensues. Although this one tells a complete story, <b><i>THE
DARK LAND</i></b> is the first of a series. The next two books are mapped out. I've
already written a short story that is the last C-Peter Reilly adventure,
jumping 100 years into the future. I want to return to the world again. However
a certain Victorian consulting detective is taking up a lot of my times these
days...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZWdjvGa5WLEtZsn84milTCkg6Se7TePJuHin7Chz4M5UJdDud27mcQOA1iD0_tAkJ9PxHlwsLOKdYFyJMh34o-aPg8K17IrOcJiaQR8x8RSrbbGfn1Otczj_6SAY1zmXFyxFg8Qtls8/s1600/darkland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZWdjvGa5WLEtZsn84milTCkg6Se7TePJuHin7Chz4M5UJdDud27mcQOA1iD0_tAkJ9PxHlwsLOKdYFyJMh34o-aPg8K17IrOcJiaQR8x8RSrbbGfn1Otczj_6SAY1zmXFyxFg8Qtls8/s1600/darkland.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: How come we haven't
seen a sequel to GHOST SQUAD: RISE OF THE BLACK LEGION yet?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Ask Ron Fortier. I had a lot of fun working on the first one. Ron's the
plot-master here and he's been kicking around an idea for a few years. And it's
a good one. But he's a busy guy. When he's got it locked up, I'll get an email,
I'm sure. Hey, if there are any Ghost Squad fans out there, start a sequel
campaign and we'll make it happen. I'm game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5pCdUNEnR9jJSWpMxZaj7DUKz_WBdv0FfOCgeSJ7Fmct_lb4AwPqieN5cWUaqExN4wl-wb4klAI94pCboLTEtMYmX3rJKWzxvztZuoorq3EATvpswjMgphrJ7ulNpqkBLU8ksBdVEMs/s1600/ghostsquad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5pCdUNEnR9jJSWpMxZaj7DUKz_WBdv0FfOCgeSJ7Fmct_lb4AwPqieN5cWUaqExN4wl-wb4klAI94pCboLTEtMYmX3rJKWzxvztZuoorq3EATvpswjMgphrJ7ulNpqkBLU8ksBdVEMs/s1600/ghostsquad.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: THE LIGHT OF MEN is
probably your best reviewed book and one you obviously invested much of
yourself in. What was the initial idea that spurred you to write the book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Well, that horrible chapter of human history has always fascinated me as much
as it repelled. Reading through the history, I found I was more overcome with
anger than sadness. I would become furious that such a abominable situation
would ever arise and that no one could do anything about it. Then while reading
an account of people who had visited Auschwitz, I learned that visitors tended
to burst into tears upon first passing through the gates, as if the very ground
was steeped in sadness but, upon leaving, they were angry, furious. I had never
visited any of the camps still standing but shared the same feelings towards them
as those who had. So I decided to channel that, empower the powerless while
trying to come to some personal understanding of how and why these camps
happened and the effect they had on survivors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjOVKjsH_DpMAbL8l-chH_8WymAY5rp8aXqFN03jrdkKxvnFq1DTm1PhLJxyrz0aBtL1DnJdCHlN5KFo4IJjG6MN5s3BlqVWGXLYYJY6uCf8H0JX3eYxPH6glc3KZZ9-FXjYXTt36SOE/s1600/64487_10200609323663518_776309584_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjOVKjsH_DpMAbL8l-chH_8WymAY5rp8aXqFN03jrdkKxvnFq1DTm1PhLJxyrz0aBtL1DnJdCHlN5KFo4IJjG6MN5s3BlqVWGXLYYJY6uCf8H0JX3eYxPH6glc3KZZ9-FXjYXTt36SOE/s1600/64487_10200609323663518_776309584_n.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: THE LIGHT OF MEN is a
unique book. Was the writing of it equally unique?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Thanks! I lived with this book for 12 years. Researching/writing the novel
while working on other things. I started out on the novel having barely written
anything and one reason the book took so long to write was because I wasn't a good
enough writer to write it. There was so much I wanted to do with the story. It
was beyond my abilities. So I kept researching while I wrote other things, kept
honing the plot. Then when the time came to sit down and do it, I still didn't
know if I was up to the task. The novel kept changing and evolving. The last
chapter, set in stone for 12 years, suddenly had a new ending WHILE I WAS
WRITING IT! 12 years of getting to this point just flew out the window and what
took its place was infinitely better. The writing process was difficult as well
because I had to reconcile whether or not to present the history or shape it
and tone it down for fiction. I decided to go for accuracy because it seemed to
me that the camps have faded into history. People know the basics of course,
but the details have been glossed over by time. Believing that nothing about
the camps should be sugar-coated, I set out to place the reader in one so they
could experience it first hand and KNOW what such a camp was like. But did I
pull it off? Even after the novel had been accepted for publication and was
released, I still didn't know. </span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">It was only after reading positive reader reviews,
receiving thanks from the 761st Tank Battalion (the African-American unit that
had liberated a camp only to have their name scrubbed from history), having the
book included in the Holocaust Memorial Museum Library, a nibble of interest
from the film industry and seeing the novel become the subject of book club
readings/discussions that I was assured I had done the material and the history
some justice. Sadly the book has yet to find a wider audience but I'm hoping
the Kindle version will encourage readers to give it a try without breaking
their wallets. It's not for the squeamish but it'll stick with you. I guarantee
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: I’m fascinated with
your BERLIN NOIR website. For those who are unfamiliar with the genre, explain
what Berlin Noir is and what you accomplish with your website.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Berlin Noir began with Philip Kerr's initial trilogy of books: MARCH VIOLETS,
THE PALE CRIMINAL and A GERMAN REQUIEM. These were released as separate novels
before being collected in an omnibus entitled BERLIN NOIR:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTvQImLUfwiSbehjT9FpzBgepLZPmsW-zB_4e3wVKyZCOmoIBZQX9IwZUJhgaX52Zg_PjH8sT0ICF5khu9OeGdfqAtKxvxDsfxY4Ons3FZ0XuuGUCCi2BjqlP1PDGpOfY_PMZgX7AQVA/s1600/berlin-noir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTvQImLUfwiSbehjT9FpzBgepLZPmsW-zB_4e3wVKyZCOmoIBZQX9IwZUJhgaX52Zg_PjH8sT0ICF5khu9OeGdfqAtKxvxDsfxY4Ons3FZ0XuuGUCCi2BjqlP1PDGpOfY_PMZgX7AQVA/s1600/berlin-noir.jpg" height="400" width="257" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The genius of the
set up was to have the novels follow a police detective, Bernie Gunther, from
the early days of Nazi rule (March Violets) when Germans had just begun to
learn and deal with the fact that the Nazis weren't a joke, then move on to
1938 for THE PALE CRIMINAL when the Nazis had a stranglehold on Berlin, and the
rest of the Germany as war loomed before jumping to REQUIEM where it's 1947 and
Germany is a graveyard. The collection proved so successful that the title
became the name for this type of fiction. Kerr went on to write more successful
Bernie Gunther novels, which inspired others to write tales of crime and
espionage with this fascinating historical setting and a new genre was born.
From series to stand alone novels set during the Nazi regime, the books kept
piling up. </span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">But when you google Berlin Noir or punch it in at Amazon, you get
Kerr's collection for the most part and it's hard to find the others entries in
this burgeoning genre. As a fan, I thought a one-stop place to learn about the
books would be a great help. I read the books anyway, so why not review then
for the blog? This way fans, new and old, can see what's out there, read reviews,
see the cover art on the various editions and from there, hopefully, decide
what their next Berlin Noir fix will be. I've heard from visitors to the blog
who were unaware there were so many Berlin Noir books (29 reviews to date) and
have been grateful for the blog. More than 9000 visits later and the blog is
still going strong.</span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I have had to cut back on the reviews because I'm running
out of books! Ha! Turns out reviewing them takes less time than writing them.
Who knew? So to give the various authors time to add to the genre, I've slowed
things down to once a month or so. That seems to be working and it gives
readers time to find the blog and read the reviews before the next one comes
along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What are your future
plans for your writing career?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
More Holmes! The idea is to do one more Fight Card Holmes after this year's to
make three entries overall. After that, unless I get an idea for a fourth,
it'll be time to move on. Ultimately it'll depend on the readers. If they
really like the books, that fourth idea might come a little more easily. We'll
see. I've got a Holmes book to do for Pro Se Press as well as a Moon Man story
for them. I've got an idea for a Holmes novel I've been toying with and I hope
that will come together. There's also my own Berlin Noir entry that's been
simmering for a few years now and looks to be about ready to serve. Other than
the above, I'll see what comes along. Earlier this year, I was offered a chance
to contribute to a different type of Holmes anthology and that was a lot of fun.
Can't say more about it just now but the news will be breaking soon. That
invite was out of the blue so I'll keep my eyes and ears open for more of those
should they come down the pike. </span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Hint to publishers: I'm always open to hear
what's cooking so don't be shy. I've got a Secret Agent X idea I'm going to
develop once more of the stuff mentioned above is in the can. And I want to
give Mack Bolan a try. There's more but who wants to hear about vague stuff in
the works? I'll be keeping myself busy at any rate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">DF: What’s a Day In The
Life of Andrew Salmon like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">AS:
Just the typical glitz and glamour of a writer's life. I run errands in the
morning to get the blood going, then it's keyboard time followed up by research
then more keyboard time and revisions. Added to that is beating the drum online
to get readers interested in what I do. And all this between film gigs. Not
terribly exciting stuff. Unless you're a writer, and then you know just how
exciting all this can be. I love what I do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Derrick Ferguson: Anything
else we should know?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="yiv8945617714msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Andrew
Salmon: Well, I think it's all about covered. If anyone's interested in my
stuff, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Salmon/e/B002NS5KR0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1408932648&sr=8-1" target="_blank">they can look me up on Amazon</a>. And the <a href="http://berlin-noir.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">BERLIN NOIR blog can be found here</a> Thanks for getting this far, dear readers. And thanks to everyone who has tried
something I've written. I hope you enjoyed it. Much appreciated!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422774153379856210.post-57939923988541643232014-08-01T19:40:00.001-07:002014-08-01T19:40:46.887-07:00Courtesy of Mr. Sean E. Ali....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kUvaAi6UzIeeFpmwEyyS_XgL9lTc5ZmXsM_jgKladw5x8gnKXOjbvmkCP9JeJtXAYyMD0YFIwOdTBPMBvdo9dHPi-xYpUfvZEIJCD40CJMXQ5E_BN3DyEa687-WYhDK5LfqKcBi-_v8/s1600/10552602_10201225163669861_1818726814163956607_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kUvaAi6UzIeeFpmwEyyS_XgL9lTc5ZmXsM_jgKladw5x8gnKXOjbvmkCP9JeJtXAYyMD0YFIwOdTBPMBvdo9dHPi-xYpUfvZEIJCD40CJMXQ5E_BN3DyEa687-WYhDK5LfqKcBi-_v8/s1600/10552602_10201225163669861_1818726814163956607_n.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since the management is running this elsewhere, I get to embellish a bit on the image I posted earlier...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Coming soon in print (though it is already available as an ebook) PulpWork Press proudly presents the final entry in the <b>HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD</b> anthology series with, <b>HOW</b> <b>THE WEST WAS WEIRD, VOLUME III</b> (naturally)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Featuring 12 stories, including tales by talented folks like Derrick Ferguson, Joel Jenkins, Thomas Deja, and Dale Glaser among others, it takes the western, mashes it up with genres like horror, science fiction and fantasy, mixes liberally, then conservatively (that way no one's offended), and BOOM! you have some fine reading...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Edited by Russ Anderson, it's bound to make the world a cleaner, brighter place, change your life as you know it, it'll pick up your dry cleaning and bring world peace...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...or whirled peas, I really didn't read the box that closely...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And if it doesn't do a single one of those things that I never really promised it would do in the first place...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...wait for it...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...you STILL have some fine reading ahead...!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BOOM goes the dynamite!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So buy a dozen (they make great gifts for Yom Kippur or Columbus Day), and share the love!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now get out there and pick up a case and inhale that new book smell...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...unless you're doing the ebook thing, then I guess you have to just sort of wing it...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I digress, buy it already!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You did? Well buy it again...!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These guys are trying to support a lifestyle they'd like to become accustomed to...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and I'm out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(insert mic drop here)</span>Derrick Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16781081269516018422noreply@blogger.com0