PULP NOVELS

PULP NOVELS – As a genre, the pulp novel is a wide open category; with everything from serious writers to sensational sleaze. And for many of us, interested in literary criticism, it can be argued the pulp never really went away. The picture gallery represents many of the pulps from my own personal collection. This was the golden age of the paperback novel, when it was the most frequently used format. American publishing history takes the reader back to our lost lurid literary past. With plotlines involving alternative lifestyles, crime, science fiction; amidst changing cultural norms. There are so many of these stories to love, but so little time, see below for my short list.

• The Third Sex by Artemis Smith
• Caves of Iron by Chris Davidson
• Rendezvous with a Lost World by A. Bertram Chandler
• The Black Angel by Cornell Woolrich
• Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
• Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
• Junkie by William S Boroughs
• The Nine Wrong Answers by John Dickson Carr
• Jailbait Street by Hal Ellson
• Cosmic Puppets by Philip K Dick
• Twilight Girls by Judson Grey

THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES

The Martian Chronicles

RAY BRADBURY

RAY BRADBURY - He was a literary legend; Ray Bradbury is credited for bringing sci-fi into popular culture, in a way it was never appreciated in the past. There was a time when the science fiction genre was not literature and sci-fi films were relegated to B movie status. Now, nothing could be further from the truth. He was a prolific author with an impressive body of work. See below for the favorites on my short list. I have also included a link for the New York Times article.

1.    Fahrenheit 451

2.    I Sing the Body Electric

3.    Something Wicked This Way Comes

4.    The Martian Chronicles

Ray Bradbury, Master of Science Fiction, Dies at 91

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/books/ray-bradbury-popularizer-of-science-fiction-dies-at-91.html?_r=1&emc=na

FREE EBOOK PDF DOWNLOAD BRADBURY

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

GOLDEN GATE

GOLDEN GATE - Tens of thousands of participants attended the Golden Gate Festival on Sunday marking the historic 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Construction began in 1933 resulting in 11 deaths. It was erected with the assistance of Native American ironworkers known as Skywalkers, due to their fearless approach to heights. On a grisly side note, it has also been given the nickname ‘Suicide Bridge’. That supposedly boasts the highest numbers of bridge suicides in the world, a figure which is almost impossible to quantify. A movie titled ‘The Bridge’ depicts this grim reality when it secretly captured fatal leaps from a height of 245 feet to the frigid waters of the Pacific.  

THE MEN IN BLACK

THE MEN IN BLACK - While I am NOT a fan of the MIB movie franchise, I am FASCINATED by stories of secret agents that ‘encourage’ eyewitnesses to keep quiet. The video clip comes from the TV series ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ about UFO’s and MIB’s. Do you believe in the conspiracy theory that the government and media are cooperating in a cover-up? Read my novelette Walker- that deals with human-alien hybrids, UFO’S and cover-ups- in an alternative to the vampire myth.  

Follow this link to read the full article in Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/men-in-black-inspired-ufos-government-agents_n_1536996.html?ref=topbar

MEN IN BLACK

BLADE RUNNER BY PHILIP K DICK

'Blade Runner' Sequel Confirmed, With Original Creative Team.

Director Ridley Scott and writer Hampton Fancher, who worked together on Blade Runner, are now in talks for a sequel, according to reports.

A press release from Alcon Entertainment (which produced Insomnia, The Wicker Man remake, The Blind Side, and The Book of Eli) also said Thursday that the new movie would take place "some years after the original," according to Slashfilm and other reports. A release date hasn't been announced.

Follow the link to read the full article in PC Magazine.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404622,00.asp

CASINO ROYALE

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

CASINO ROYALE - The first book in a series, which spawned a franchise, is Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale. James Bond, secret agent 007, targets a communist paymaster, LeChiffre, under the Soviet murder organization named SMERSH. A game of baccarat, white hot lovers, a dapper dashing gentleman, a femme fatale, some brutish torture and a double crossing twist ending … rise and fall in this suspenseful spy thriller. The introduction and resolution occur outside the casino; otherwise the characters inhabit a world of sumptuous elegance amidst lurking danger in Royale-les-Eaux. The casino is set in a fictional seaside resort off the coast and beaches of Brittany. Fleming’s vivid descriptions are effortless, no doubt firmly rooted in the years he spent as a foreign correspondent in Europe. His expert command of French and English references are admirable, leaps and bounds above mediocre fare of the spy/ thriller idiom.


View all my reviews

MISSION DOLORES

MISSION DOLORES – Founded in 1776, Misión San Francisco de Asís was named for Saint Francis of Assisi. The common name is Mission Dolores, for its proximity to the "Creek of Sorrows". The name remains but the creek is long gone.  The mission is the city’s birthplace and oldest intact building, surviving the great earthquake of 1906. It is the only intact settlement in the chain of the original California missions. The old mission trail is the definitive road map of California history; the most important settlement of the west. The cemetery and gardens of the current Mission Dolores are located adjacent to the old mission, the only remaining cemetery within city limits. 

Chad Schimke author appearance to promote Weirder @ Serving Fish Deco Lounge on Larkin Street in San Francisco Friday 5-4-12 @ 10 pm

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Free Writing Craft ebook by Writer's Digest books

Click on the link below, this link was posted on Monday 4-30-12, often these free books are only available one or two days. This is a free book that will go onto your Kindle through your Amazon account. FYI you can read this type of book on a Kindle, most smartphones and your PC or Mac computer.

Crafting Novels & Short Stories: Everything You Need to Know to Write Great Fiction [Kindle Edition]

WRITING REFERENCE #3 70 Solutions

WRITING REFERENCE #3 - This post is part of a series devoted to writing reference. This e-book, 70 Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes, uses what NOT to do as a guide to improved writing. This is an extensive resource, around 70 pages. So, it’s a worthwhile read to explore and find what works for your writing. Not all of it will be relevant to your creative process so pick and choose. The main ideas are as follows.

1.    Habits

2.    Ideas

3.    Plot

4.    Structure

5.    Character

6.    Re-writing

7.    Selling

8.    Publishing