Category: pulp

Amazon Review – Case of The Defective Detective

by Ernest Russell, posted in anthology, Crime, Detective, pulp, short stories

A review of my latest release from Pro Se Productions. You can check it out and buy the book or get it on Kindle Unlimited.

Awhile back I did a review of a pair of pulp collections from Popular Press: The Defective Detective in the Pulps (1983) and its followup.

Those two volumes reprinted various “defective detectives,” detectives with some physical disability: blindness, deafness, lameness, and the like. Almost all these characters appeared in Popular Publications’ Dime Mystery Magazine.

It was puzzling why no one seemed to have picked up on this by creating new “defective detective” stories. Until now.

From Pro Se Press recently is a thin volume with three short stories, The Case of the Defective Detective, from three different authors.

From Ernest Russell, we have a former police detective with a horribly scarred face, who is still kept on the payroll to solve crimes. He is aided by the fiancé of his murdered partner and a police sergeant. You’ll learn how that all came to be, as he looks into a case that appears to be a simple heart attack but is much more.

Then Gordan Dymowski gives us another former police detective, this one nearly crimpled by a car accident that killed his family and by diabetes. He is aided by a policeman who attends AA. They are given a case of the son of a slain FBI agent. The son committed suicide by his own gun in front of witnesses. But his mother thinks it’s something else. Is it?

Finally, Gavin Matthew gives us a very different detective. One who is a homeless man in Harlem, dealing with mental issues and maybe psychotropic drugs. He is working to help a mother find her kidnapped daughter when no one else will. Can he succeed or will his “defect” get the best of him?

Overall, this is a nice, if small, collection from Pro Se Press. I thought the first two where a little too similiar in that both were pretty much confided to their homes, with their associates doing the legwork.

I hope this book will lead to more as the number of such detectives in the old pulps should give a lot of inspiration to new authors. Check it out yourself, and get the original collections as well. – Michael R. Brown

Thank you for reading,

Ernest

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THE CASE OF THE DEFECTIVE DETECTIVE

by Ernest Russell, posted in anthology, Crime, Detective, pulp, short stories

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 CRIME SOLVERS OR PROBLEM CASES? ‘THE CASE OF THE DEFECTIVE DETECTIVE’ DEBUTS!

Not every hero is invulnerable or infallible, especially detectives. Men and women that make a living solving mysteries often can’t overcome their own riddles.

 But, sometimes, what many see as weakness may be the only strength needed to uncover a crime – or survive. That is, if a detective’s issue, the ‘defect’ which haunts them, doesn’t push them across the line no one should ever cross…

 THE CASE OF THE DEFECTIVE DETECTIVE features original investigators by three of New Pulp’s best authors taking on mysteries while battling endlessly against their personal demons. Ernest Russell, Gavin Matthews, and Gordon Dymowski ask the question readers are left to answer with these three stunning short stories: Detective or Defective?

 Featuring an atmospheric cover by artist Rick Johnson with print formatting and logo design by Cookie Morris, THE CASE OF THE DEFECTIVE DETECTIVE is available for 7.99 via Amazon.

 This unique mystery anthology is also formatted by Morris as an eBook for only 99 cents for a limited time from Amazon. Kindle Unlimited members can read for free!

 For more information on this title, interviews with the authors, or digital copies for review, email editorinchief@prose-press.com.

 To learn more, visit our website Pro Se Productions. Like Pro Se on Facebook for all the latest news and releases. 

Thank you for reading,
Ernest

2022 Pulp Factory Award winners

by Ernest Russell, posted in Adventure, pulp

All fine fellows you should put on your reading list!

Congratulations to the 2022 Pulp Factory Award winners.

Best Pulp Novel: Captain Hawklin and the Invisible Enemy by Charles F Millhouse. Stormgate Press.

Best Pulp Short Story: Snow Shorts #4: Snow Ambition by Brian K Morris. BEN Books.

Best Pulp Cover: Pulp Reality #2 by Clayton Murwin. Stormgate Press.

Best Pulp Interior Art: Pulp Reality #3 by Stephen Burks. Stormgate Press.

Best Pulp Anthology: Pulp Reality #2. Stormgate Press.

THE PULP FACTORY GROUP Awards were presented earlier this evening at the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention, LLC.

WEEK OF WRITERS CALLS! ‘PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE’

by Ernest Russell, posted in Adventure, pulp

WEEK OF WRITERS CALLS! ‘PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE’ NEEDS TWO MORE STORIES TO FILL THE ANTHOLOGY OF A CLASSIC RADIO SHOW!

Continuing its tradition of bringing back unforgettable characters that have somehow been forgotten by most, Pro Se Productions, as a part of its Week of Writers Calls states that a minimum of two stories are necessary to fill PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE, an anthology based on the now public domain radio series starring Jack Webb.

 Not really a detective, but more of a man literally for hire on the waterfront in San Francisco, Novak found himself usually tied up with crime and cops to the tune of murder and his own life in danger. Along the way, he’d run head on into Lieutenant Hellman and often have to go to his old pal Jocko Madigan to get out of whatever soup he was in. What made NOVAK ‘one of radio’s most unusual programs’, as advertised in its opening, had to do with how it was written. Narrated by Novak, each episode was so full of one liners, extremely purple descriptions, and such use of language that many called the program hard boiled poetry. While some consider PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE a hard boiled spoofing program, it elevates the pace and concept of hard boiled to a whole new, slightly ridiculous level.

 All stories for PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE must be set between 1946-1950 and must include Lieutenant Hellman. The stories do not have to include Jocko Madigan, the other recurring character from the program, but Jocko appeared in every known episode, a part of the show’s formula. Writers may experiment with different structures and different formulas, including or not including Jocko, but editors will be looking for the show as a whole to be represented in proposals and stories.


Writers wanting to make proposals should listen to episodes of PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE at https://archive.org/details/PatNovakForHire. Interested writers should write a detailed proposal for a single 8 to 10,000-word story and email it to submissions@prose-press.com. If the proposal is accepted, the story will be due within 60 days of acceptance. When all stories are in, the book will enter the publication queue. Payment will be royalty based.

If you have any questions, email editorinchief@prose-press.com. To follow Pro Se Productions follow us on Facebook for all of the latest news and releases.

Thank you for reading,

Ernest

Open Anthology call for EDGAR ALLEN POE-TIME TRAVELER!

by Ernest Russell, posted in Adventure, historical fiction, pulp

WEEK OF WRITERS CALL! ONE STORY NEEDED FOR ‘EDGAR ALLEN POE-TIME TRAVELER’ ANTHOLOGY!

As part of its week of calls to fill open anthologies, Pro Se Productions announces that a minimum of one story is needed for a collection focusing on a wild alternative take on of the world’s best known and mysterious authors-EDGAR ALLEN POE-TIME TRAVELER!

 A concept that takes Poe to a whole new level comes from the creative brain of author and anthology editor Ernest Russell. The concept for this anthology comes from an old theory that makes a note of rather curious and seemingly prophetic events in Poe’s writings.

 Stories in the anthology should work from the premise Poe was a frequent time traveler. While examples represent only a few adventures/information he incorporated into his stories, this anthology shall feature the stories of his experiences that he did not report.

 • Stories can only travel to Poe’s future. No grandfather paradox.

 o Travel to a period can involve a historical event or occurrence but is not necessary.

 o These adventures do not have to relate to Poe’s published work.

 o Allies/Companions in the story will be considered. Still, many have been done using H.G. Wells and Nikola Tesla stories; using them will not be allowed.

 • Stories are not to be set within Poe’s lifetime.

 o One exception – because of the mysterious circumstance surrounding his death- stories involving the week before his death will be allowed, though limited in number.

 • Any method of time travel is available – Portal, Mental/astral projection, Magic, a mechanical device, etc.

 • Stories can be in any genre. Poe had an influence upon-Detective, Horror, and Science Fiction.

 All interested authors should request the anthology bible and submit proposals for a single 7-8,000 word story to submissions@prose-press.com. The story will be due within 60 days of acceptance if the proposal is accepted. Once the story is completed, the entire anthology will move into the publication queue. Payment will be royalty based.

 If you have any questions, email editorinchief@prose-press.com. Follow Pro Se Productions on Facebook for all of the latest new and releases.

Thank you for reading

Ernest  

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NED LAND

by Ernest Russell, posted in Adventure, pulp, Uncategorized

In Jules Verne’s classic ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’, a character debuted that brimmed with life and vitality. He deserved more stories to be told about him. Pro Se Productions has proudly taken up the challenge with its latest anthology collection. THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NED LAND is now available in print and digital formats.

 Ned Land was a man of strength, both physically and emotionally. He was not educated, but he was intelligent in ways necessary for a man of the world. He was skilled in the ways of a sailor and known as ‘The Prince of Harpooners’. While Captain Nemo continued on into other stories, this singular man of the sea, Nemo’s opposite in so many ways, did not.

 Until now.

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NED LAND sets sail with five new stories featuring Verne’s forgotten hero. Never venturing far from the water, Ned reaches for the stars in five exciting and thrilling tales. Sail, along with the storytelling sailor into the action tales, only a hero such as he deserves!

 THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NED LAND features a stunning cover by Antonino lo Iacono and print formatting by lo Iacono and Marzia Marina. It is available in print for $9/99 via Amazon.

 This innovative anthology is also available on Kindle formatted by lo Iacono and Marzia for $0.99 for a limited time, Kindle Unlimited Members can read this thrilling adventure for free!

 For more information on this title, interviews with the author, or digital copies for review, email editorinchief@prose-press.com.

 To learn more about Pro Se Productions, visit our website or like Pro Se on Facebook for the latest news and releases.

Happy Reading,

Ernest