Author: Tommy Hancock

‘NOBODY DIES FOR FREE’ -Author Aaron Smith’s first Spy Novel Debuts from Pro Se Productions!

  • News
  • June 21, 2013

Intrigue, Espionage, and Danger are primary parts of one of the most enduring genres in modern fiction to date- the Spy Novel.  And now Pro Se Productions, a leading independent publisher of Genre Fiction and New Pulp enters into this dynamic field with the latest work from noted author Aaron Smith- NOBODY DIES FOR FREE!

Known for his thirty published stories in multiple genres as well as his work with a wide range of characters, including Sherlock Holmes and Allan Quatermain, Smith adds one of his many own original characters to his writing resume- Richard Monroe. 

“I first became aware of the spy genre,” Smith states, “as I suspect many people did, through the James Bond movies. I must have been six or seven when I saw my first one. I became a big fan of those movies and eventually of Ian Fleming’s Bond novels too. As the years went on, I came to enjoy other spy fiction as well, some as fun and occasionally over-the-top as Bond or Mission: Impossible, some much more serious, like the novels of John Le Carre, and some in-between the two extremes, stuff like the Jason Bourne movies. Having long had an interest in that type of story, I suppose it was inevitable that I’d eventually write my own.”

In NOBODY DIES FOR FREE, Richard Monroe wants nothing more than early retirement and a peaceful life in Pairs with the only woman he’s ever truly loved after years of loyally serving his country in the CIA. But when an assassin’s bullet takes his happiness away, Monroe embarks on a quest to find the man responsible for the tragedy. Monroe is soon recruited back into the clandestine services, but with a difference.

Now a lone agent reporting to a supervisor so mysterious that the official agencies don’t even know he exists, Monroe will deal with situations too delicate and too dangerous for the CIA or FBI to handle.  On his first assignment, he discovers a connection between the mission and the criminal mastermind behind his wife’s killing. Business becomes personal again and Richard Monroe sets out to teach his enemies a brutal lesson: Nobody Dies For Free. 

Featuring a stunning cover by Ariane Soares with Fitztown and formatting and design by Sean Ali as well as Ebook formatting by Russ Anderson, NOBODY DIES FOR FREE presents a brand new spy to fiction that, while bearing similarities to other literary brethren, clearly stands on his own merits. 

According to Smith, “He has certain similarities to James Bond and many other fictional spies: he’s handsome, brave, sneaky, ruthless, and enjoys the company of beautiful women. But he’s his own person too. He rarely uses clever gadgets and is more likely to rely on just his wits, his gun, his car, and a cell phone. He’s American, though his personality has also been shaped by the time he’s spent in many parts of the world. He doesn’t work for a large organization like the CIA or FBI, although he used to. Now he’s much more a solo agent, taking on missions too secret or sensitive for the more official agencies.”

NOBODY DIES FOR FREE by Aaron Smith from Pro Se Productions!  Available now!



Find more about Smith and his other work at www.godsandgalaxies.blogspot.com

Pro Se Productions- www.prose-press.com

Contact Morgan Minor, Director of Corporate Operations at MorganMinorProSe@yahoo.com for review copies, interviews, and further information!

GUEST REVIEW- PULP 2.0’S ‘THE AUSLANDER FILES’ REVIEWED BY ANDREW SALMON!

  • News
  • June 16, 2013

ICH BIN EIN AUSLANDER

A Review of Michael Patrick Sullivan’s THE AUSLANDER FILES

by Andrew Salmon

The debate has raged on since New Pulp first burst on the scene: what exactly is “new” about New Pulp? Should today’s pulpsmiths be trying to recapture the style and tone of the great pulp yarns of yesteryear or should they be trying to re-invent the form for a modern audience?

Here’s another question: what if you can do both?

THE AUSLANDER FILES by Michael Patrick Sullivan is the answer to that last question.

The premise is deceptively simple: a WW2 German agent wakes up in a hotel room in the US. He can’t remember who he is and he has false identification for multiple identities. He calls himself The Auslander, the Outsider. He dreams of terrorist acts, espionage, sabotage and concludes that he is the architect of these pending crippling attacks on the US war effort. Yet his devotion toNazism has been lost along with his name and identity and he must race against the clock, and around the country, to prevent the operations from taking place.

What follows from this are 10 punchy tales collected for the first time by Pulp 2.0, 10 sustained, machine-gun blasts of pulp action! THE AUSLANDER FILES is one of the best New Pulp releases of the year – hell, it’s one of the best New Pulp books I’ve ever read.

Each tale kicks off in the middle of the action. The Auslander is on the scene and fighting not only his own people but the average citizen as well, trying to save the day while every hand is against him. Assassinations, abductions, sabotage, bombings… The Auslander frantically attempts undo the evil he himself has devised before it’s too late. The tales are short, quick, addictive reads averaging out to about 10 pages a pop. Yes, they are formulaic but this must be overlooked inlight of the fact that they were originally published months apart, which required some recapping of the overall premise. This minor stumbling point is easily sidestepped by the intense writing and pace of each actioner. The Auslander is a complex character and this is no small feat as we do not learn who he is by the end of the collection. What does come across is his willingness to do whatever it takes to prevent the destruction he has set in motion.

I enjoyed all of the tales in this collection. If I had to pick a favorite it would be “The Yellow Star of Antwerp” for its emotional resonance as well as how it depicts just how far The Auslander will go to prevent further bloodshed. Ultimately, all of the stories work very well. Very well indeed.

My only knock against the collection is the odd problems with tense and a typo or two. Jarring, yes, but not debilitating. Bumps along this roller-coaster ride do not derail the train. Trust me, pulp fans, you want to get on board The Auslander express. If you like quick, shot-to-the-gut action tales, look no further. If you like a tormented lead character, THE AUSLANDER FILES has your poison. A great read, start to finish, don’t miss it.

GUEST REVIEW- SALMON REVIEWS TRILOGY OF TERROR!

TERROR TIMES THREE

A Review of Kelly Everaert’s TRILOGY OF TERROR by Andrew Salmon

What’s in a name? Well, plenty. Permit me to elaborate. The title of Kelly Everaert’s homage to the great horror magazines and comics of yesteryear might lead the reader to conclude that there are only 3 tales in this beautiful 54-page, black and white, 10.5″ X 8″ stroll through nightmares. Not so, the title refers to the volume being a collection of the 3 issues of Everaert’s small; press comic. There are 6 tales in this gloriously beastly book – tales you don’t want to miss.

That is if  you’re a fan of the EC horror comics, Eerie, Creepy and the like. If the style of the cover illustration alone doesn’t ring any bells, then you’re in troubled waters, hard about. However, for any fan of classic horror, and who isn’t, TRILOGY OF TERROR will fit your reading needs like your favorite easy chair fits your nether regions. Everaert has clearly done his homework with this volume. That he is a fan of this stuff shines through on every page.

“Retribution From The Deep” gets the bleeding started with a haunting tale of greed and revenge. “Awaiting Rescue” jumps ahead for a quick sci-fi tingler featuring a female astronaut stranded on an alien world who may, or may not, be alone. “The Curse” yanks us back to Victorian times for a journey into the occult for the book’s longest tale. The fast-paced “Open House”shows us that a lot can be revealed when showing a property to prospective buyers. Should one only be afraid of getting mugged while walking through New York’s Central Park? “A Walk Through the Park” answers that question. Here Everaert gets a helping hand with inks by Robin Thompson. Everaert brings the collection to a bloody close with “The Prize Catch”, a shocker Lovecraft would be proud of.

TRILOGY OF TERRORis a throwback in every sense of the word. Everaert is not trying to re-invent the wheel here. This is no updating or re-imagining of the classic horror comics. Rather the book stalks down this familiar territory with gusto and verve served up by an artist who knows the route to what scares us. The artwork is richly detailed, heavy blacks abound. The tales move quickly. The writing duties are shared between the writing tag-team of Kelly and his wife, Michelle and the tales move towards their grisly conclusions at a great clip. The variety of tales here also means that there’s something for everyone to scream at.

For those readers out there who can only look longingly at the original issues of the horror classics or shake one’s head in awe at the prices for the various collections of same, TRILOGY OF TERROR, coming in at $6 a throw over at IndyPlanet will seem like a steal. Don’t miss this one horror fans!

To find out more about the artist and his work check out: Kelly Everaert

BAD TIGER STUDIO OPENS ITS DOORS WITH COMICS, PROSE, STRIPS, AND MORE! MIND THE TIGER. HE BITES!

FROM www.badtigerstudio.com

Welcome to The Bad Tiger Studio premiere!

BAD TIGER STUDIO is proud to present its grand opening with action, thrills and tales of amazing adventure.

www.badtigerstudio.com

BAD TIGER STUDIO is the creation of C. William Russette and Justin Ditzler. The mission is simple. We will bring to you the kind of stories, in comic book and strip format as well as prose, that we want to be reading but have not found. This will range from Sword and Sorcery to Paranormal Thrillers to Pulp Fiction in all its glorious and sometimes gory forms.


In our premiere release we have two comic books, three comic strips and one prose serial:

OPERATOR ZERO by Justin Ditzler and C. William Russette

Operator Zero is the high speed, quick-draw, adrenaline packed saga of one man against overwhelming malevolent forces for the sake of Justice.
A poisonous business mogul, the crime cartels, and the government of a crime laden Chicago in the not too distant future all defy the law.  OPERATOR ZERO is beyond the courts law. He will hunt those that hide behind strength, money and power.  He will be the scourge that no one else dares become toset right the wrongs done him and those he considers his family.
Not for revenge but Justice has he taken the fight to the enemy.
His enemies will flood the gutter with blood.

THE HAWTHORNE CHRONICLES by Frank Dawson Jr.
The Hawthorne Chronicles is an adventure pulp tale based in the 1930’s. Three adventurers travel the world collecting supernatural artifacts that have fallen into the hands of people who would use them for evil purposes. James Hawthorne is the founder of the Hawthorne Foundation. The sole purpose of the foundation is the collection and return of artifacts for reward which funds the trios further adventures.
John Eagle Eye is a Native American of the Cherokee Nation. James and John met in World War I in Europe. They have saved each others lives several times and are blood brothers. Claire Hawthorne is the 16 year old daughter of James and Lilly Hawthorne. Claire is extremely talented at building gadgets, machines and their repair.
When Claire was a baby Lilly was murdered by a man using a supernatural artifact he was attempting to steal. Vowing to never let this happen to anyone else, James And John created the Hawthorne Foundation toremove such dangers from the hands of evil doers!

THE SKULL by D. C. Golightly and Brandon Wilt

Who is The Skull? This mysterious midnight manhunter has burst onto the scene of Delta Point, a city that loves it’s secrets. His bizarre mask is not only his trademark, but his curse as well. The underworld is just beginning to realize how dedicated this vigilante is in his quest for justice, even if it means circumventing the law.

JUNIOR’S WORLD by Frank Dawson Jr.





Junior’s world is a Strip about a Boy named Junior. He lives with his Uncle who is just a little too weird for Junior. Although they are very much alike, they are from different generations and don’t see the world in the same geeky light.









THE BLACK VIPER by Steven Wilcox and Justin Carmona

When darkness falls over the city of Bright Haven, a Hero will emerge from the shadows. The Black Viper: Enemy of Evil is a New Pulp Noir Serial that follows one Man’s quest to rid his city of the evil that has taken over.







THE BLACK KINGDOM by D. C. Golightly


A breeding ground for the evil that infects the seven nations, Nak Annih has been carefully barricaded to hold back further incursions from the Orc army and their terrible high priest. More and more outbursts of lone Orc contingents have been plaguing the borderlands, however, pushing the king to reach past the barrier and seek peace. His agent, a stalwart swordsman and campaign hero, Bolstagg Freilander, has been tasked with penetrating the barrier and bringing the treaty into the dark land. Even though he is renowned for his honor and bravado, Bolstagg knows that luck will outweigh skill as he ventures onward into THE BLACK KINGDOM.

We promise an interesting ride. Do join us.


www.badtigerstudio.com

Mind the Tiger. He Bites.

Bad Tiger Studio Founders:

Justin Ditzer

C. William Russette

REVIEWERS NOTICE-HUGH MONN 2 FROM PRO SE AND LEE HOUSTON, JR. DIGITAL COPIES AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW!

FOR REVIEW IMMEDIATELY!

PRO SE PRODUCTIONS PROUDLY ANNOUNCES HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: CATCH A RISING STAR by Lee Houston, Jr.!


Houston’s futuristic detective with the 1950s sensibilities is back once again, this time in his first full length adventure! Hired as a security consultant for actress Ruby Kwartz’ latest project, Hugh discovers that everyone around the starlet has an agenda all their own and someone wants to make sure this production will be her last. Find out if Hugh can catch a rising star before she falls…to her death! 

If you are an established reviewer and wish a copy of this book to review, contact Morgan Minor, Pro Se Director of Corporate Operations at MorganMinorProSe@yahoo.com and she will send you a pdf copy for review. An established reviewer either writes reviews for another site or has established a site of his/her own for review purposes. This book will be available for three weeks for review before it is published on or about June 26th, 2013!

PRO SE EXPANDS AND WELCOMES GLOBAL RELATIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY COORDINATOR!

Pro Se Productions, a continually expanding and growing company focusing on Genre Fiction, New Pulp, and cutting edge Action and Adventure Books and Anthologies, announced today the addition of a new position within Pro Se Administration- Global Relations and Accountability Coordinator.

“Pro Se,” Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se, states, “has grown tremendously since opening our doors so to speak in early 2010.   We have every single writer, artist, editor, and administrative person that’s done even one little thing to thank for that.  With the fact that we intend to produce the most books we have yet in our history this year and next year as well, it’s become necessary to bring in others to help handle the growth.  To that end, we created a position that actually has two duties- Marketing and Social Networking as well as managing day to day affairs from the Editor in Chief’s office.  Essentially, making sure I get my myriad projects and jobs done successfully.”

The Global Relations and Accountability Coordinator will act as executive assistant to the Editor in Chief and will handle daily operations outside of the Editorial/Writing/Creative Staff.  The GRAC will also assist the Editor in Chief in creation of and distribution of press releases, setting up blog and podcast appearances, and utilizing Social Media of all types to its fullest extent.

“Pro Se,” Hancock says, “has a great catalogue that will continue to grow and be even greater.  We’ve spent three years intentionally growing our personal library of books and now it’s time to promote them, old and new, from the first book published to the latest and greatest, with every technique and tool we can come up with.  And as our Global Relations and Accountability Coordinator, Beth Alvarez will help us do that and we are proud to welcome her to Pro Se Productions!”

Beth Alvarez is a previously self-published author residing in Memphis, Tennessee with her growing family. A voracious reader in her free time, Alvarez specialized in the study of fine arts with a focus on visual arts and teaching. An accomplished programmer, she has spent time working as a freelance web development specialist and graphics designer since 2005 and now adds Global Relations and Accountability Coordinator for Pro Se to her accomplishments.

Beth can be contacted at BethAlvarezProSe@gmail.com and will in the future be making contact with reviewers, bloggers, websites, other publishers, and other parties related to Pro Se business.

Pro Se Productions- www.prosepulp.com

JIM BEARD’S LATEST PRO SE PROJECT OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS- TUNE IN AND DROP OUT INTO ADVENTURE WITH ‘THE LEMON HERBERTS’!

  • Uncategorized
  • May 28, 2013

Pro Se, a leading independent Publisher specializing in cutting edge Genre Fiction announces the latest mindbending concept from the mind of ‘Monster Aces’ Creator Jim Beard!  Get yourgroove on with ‘The Lemon Herberts!’
Beat it, Beatles! Move over, Monkees! Here come the Lemon Herberts, the kookiest, kickiest quintet of fun-lovin’ musicians ever to hit the Summer of Love! This anthology of tales will cover the very first world tour of the Lemon Herberts, a late-1960s musical group with not only a flair for inventive pop songs, but a pulpy taste for adventure. Each story will be set in a different country along the group’s tour, setting the stage for colorful, groovy plunges into peril for the Herberts. Think Help! plus Head and divided by Donovan and you’ll be on your way to imagining all the peace, love and DANGER the Lemon Herberts could get themselves into in the incredible year of 1967!
This happening collection of Music Themed Adventure type Pulp has openings for five stories, each one 10,000 words.   If interested in going on tour with ‘The Lemon Herberts’, request the  concept bible by emailing Morgan Minor, Director of Corporate Operations at
Deadlines for proposals are June 15th.   Notification of acceptance will be sent following that date.  This is scheduled for publication in early 2014 by Pro Se Productions.
Channel the Psychedelic Sixties and give ‘The Lemon Herberts’ a spin!
For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to www.prosepulp.com.

PULPED! RETURNS WITH PULP 2.0’s BILL CUNNINGHAM!

From PULPED-THE OFFICIAL NEW PULP PODCAST
PULPED! is back!  But first, a note-
To all Our Fans and Listeners,
My apologies for the irregularity of PULPED! for the last few months and the downright absence of it the last three.   No excuses, just real life and the commitments of being a writer and publisher got in the way and pulled me away from this.  What has pulled me back though is the sincere interest so many of you have expressed in hearing more and the comments I’ve gotten at all the conventions this year I’ve been to about how people are listening and enjoying.  It’s taken some time, but due to adding some much needed help for other things and life settling down in general, you can expect to hear not only me and many guests on PULPED! each week, but I expect my three co-hosts will be making a few appearances as well! Thank You all again for your support and interest and let’s get PULPED!, shall we?
Tommy Hancock
PULPED!
This week’s episode finds Pulp 2.0 Press’ head honcho, the Mad Pulp Bastard himself, Bill Cunningham as our guest!  Frankenstein, Miracle Squad, Big Bang Comics and more- Bill shares Pulp 2.0’s mission to bring great stories back from the past for today’s audience to enjoy as well as fresh New Pulp for all us fans to graze on!  Listen in as Tommy Hancock makes sure that Bill Cunningham gets PULPED!
PULP 2.0 PRESS- http://pulp2ohpress.com
Check out New Pulp on at www.newpulpfiction.com and on Facebook and at http://www.comicrelated.com/forums
Tommy Hancock- www.ideaslikebullets.blogspot.com
Ron Fortier- www.airship27.com
Barry Reese- www.barryreese.net
Derrick Ferguson- www.dillon-dlferguson.blogspot.com
Listen to the latest episode of PULPED! Here!

PRO SE ANNOUNCES TWO UPCOMING RELEASES AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW!

Pro Se, a cutting edge independent Publisher of New Pulp, heroic fiction, and genre anthologies and novels, announces two if its next titles and makes them available to reviewers today!

BADGE OF LIES by Jason Kahn focuses on what a policeman does after his partner dies, leaving questions laced in mystery, blood, and death!  Find out how who one man was in secret affects the life of the partner left behind in this raw, gritty noirish crime novel!

Also from Pro Se comes the spy thriller NOBODY DIES FOR FREE by noted Pulp Author Aaron Smith.  When CIA operative Richard Monroe’s world is shattered by an assassin’s bullet, the retired agent finds his way back into the shadowy world of espionage, but not for an official government entity.  Working for a mysterious lone figure, Monroe deals with missions that the three letter types won’t even acknowledge.  The rules are the same, though, for Monroe-NOBODY DIES FOR FREE!
Expected release date of both books is the first week of June.  Any reviewer interested in receiving an advanced Digital Review Copy of NOBODY DIES FOR FREE and/or BADGE OF LIES, contact Pro Se’s Director of Corporate Operations, Morgan Minor at MorganMinorProSe@yahoo.com!
To qualify to receive a reviewer’s copy, you must either be a Reviewer for an established outlet, be it a website, blog, newspaper, etc. OR maintain your own blog that You regularly run reviews on.   Reviewers also are not to share copies they receive with anyone else and Reviewers will be expected to share the review and/or the link to the review with Pro Se.  Reviewers may also be asked to allow quotes to be used from their review in publicity for the above books.
For more information on Pro Se, go to www.prosepulp.com and www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com

THE MUSIC MAN BEHIND THE FICTION-CHARLES BOECKMAN AND JOHNNY NICKLE!

CHARLES BOECKMAN PRESENTS JOHNNY NICKLE, recently released from Pro Se Productions, is the first volume in a fantastic, already popular new imprint from the cutting edge Publisher.   The imprint centers on characters created by classic Pulp Author Charles Boeckman in original stories beginningin the 1940s being written in new stories by some of today’s best authors.  CBP PRESENTS JOHNNY NICKLE contains tales by Richard White and Brad Mengel and focuses on a jazz musician with a penchant for getting into trouble and mystery around every corner.   Even more amazing than Boeckman’s wonderfully colorful characters is the fact that Johnny Nickle, as well as others, have their origins in a real musician.  Charles Boeckman himself.
A renaissance man in many ways, Boeckman is a self-taught man of many skills. He taught himself to play his horns, about music theory, to write, and about photography and darkroom work, as well as many other talents.  Knowing a great deal about music theory, Boeckman wrote all the arrangements for his own Jazz band. He used lead sheets. The real Dixie musicians didn’t need them, but he had them for all the instruments in case he had to get a substitute who needed them. 

Boeckman (left) and Pete Fountain
92 year old Boeckman literally wrote the book on Jazz.  “Cool, Hot and Blue’, published in 1968, is a history of Jazz aimed at young readers.  Another book by Boeckman, “And the Beat Goes On,’ has been used as a text book in universities.  He also wrote a novel, THE LAST JAZZ BAND, based on some wacky musicians he knew and played with on bands where he was a sideman before he started his own band.. 

Performing professionally since 1938, Boeckman is remembered as the founder of the 1970s tradition of Sunday evening Jazz marches down Starr Street in Corpus Christi.  According to Charles’ wife, Patti Boeckman, “As a matter of fact, at its height, the Dixie band played in a smoky dive (the perfect venue for Dixieland) in downtown Corpus Christi, and during the evening, the band played The Saints, marched out the door with customers following in a long line, marched to the end of the sidewalk and back, and then finished the tune back in the dive. After a few months, the police noticed what we were doing and said we needed to get a parade permit. So Charles went to police headquarters every week for the permit, until they finally told him not to bother anymore.”

Charles Boeckman’s Band, featuring Patti Boeckman
Boeckman’s band, which Patty was a member of as a Bass player and a Charleston dancer, played in various locations in the area.  According to Patti, “The band played in some of the most prestigious locations in town, the Country Club, the Town Club (for rich folks), in church, etc. We did play other kinds of music. For example, we put on two gospel concerts. We also had two locally promoted concerts with our band and the Jim Cullum band from San Antonio, well known in jazz circles, in a battle of the bands contest.”

Charles Boeckman was awarded a star on the SOUTH TEXAS MUSIC WALK OF FAME in 2009.  This honor is the South Texas version of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, but for musicians, recognizing those who were born in or have lived in Texas and who have made a lasting contribution to music in South Texas.  Boeckman received over 300 nominations for his Star.

Inductees include the likes of Selena, Kris Kristofferson, Freddy Fender, and more. The star is embedded in concrete in the courtyard of a complex called Water Street Marketplace in down town Corpus Christi.

CHARLES BOECKMAN PRESENTS JOHNNY NICKLE is available from Pro Se’s own store at  http://tinyurl.com/c52g4cc and at Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/cz6s2q3for $8.00!  Available for $2.99 for the Kindle at www.Amazon.com , the Nook at www.barnesandnoble.com, and in other formats at www.smashwords.com!

For more information concerning Pro Se Productions, go to www.pulpmachine.blogspot.comand www.prose-press.com.


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