tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66339760590303703112024-03-28T20:29:55.287-07:00The Nocturne Travel AgencyYour Gateway To The Chimera Falls Universe and The Shadow Legion, Heroes of Nocturne.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-5663106111283059242016-09-30T06:44:00.000-07:002016-09-30T06:45:56.048-07:00The New Shadow Legion TimelineFirst some news:<br />
<br />
The first draft of MACHINA EX DEUS is done. I’ve sent it out to a few select beta readers before I start on the next draft. There will be a novel length story featuring our quartet battling a foe with desires to take over the minds of Nocturne--literally!--as well as a special back-up tale in which The Black Talon tries to bring the murderer of one of his friends to justice. The book also sets up the fourth book in the series, tentatively titled THE ELEMENTAL FURIES<br />
<br />
The thing that has developed about MACHINA EX DEUS is that it turned out to occur earlier in the timeline than I assumed. In fact, it happens between stories in THE SHAPE OF FEARS TO COME (which is still at Airship 27, awaiting release). That fact, plus the publication of a number of Dreamcatcher stories in the past year, dictates that I rework my reading order list I published a while ago. So below is the chronological reading order if you wish to experience The Shadow Legion linearly....<br />
<br />
NEW ROADS TO HELL<br />
“Ghosts of Steel” (in THE SHAPE OF FEARS TO COME...portions of this story actually happen concurrently with NEW ROADS TO HELL)<br />
“A Waltz In Scarlet” (in THE SHAPES OF FEARS TO COME and MYSTERY MEN AND WOMEN V. 4)<br />
“Body of Proof: (in A GRIMOIRE OF ELDRITCH INQUESTS)<br />
“A Bullet For The Bride” (in STRANGE AND COZY)<br />
MACHINA EX DEUS<br />
“The Ascension of Indio Blaque" (in THE SHAPES OF FEARS TO COME)<br />
THE ELEMENTAL FURIES (Tentative title for Book 4)<br />
“A Prayer For The Toy God” (in THE SHAPE OF FEARS TO COME)<br />
THE BLOOD STAINED LOA (Tentative title for Book 5)<br />
“A Game of Heads” (in MACHINA EX DEUS)<br />
“The Fiend In The Factory” (in PULPWORKS HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2016)<br />
“Jolly With A Pistol” (in PULPWORKS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2014)<br />
<br />
Obviously, this is not hard and fast. The chronological order may change given new stories and how the next few books develop.<br />
<br />
Check in to find out more about the upcoming books....Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-18898083194679439292015-10-14T06:55:00.000-07:002015-10-14T06:56:24.783-07:00WHERE WE’RE GOING WE DON’T NEED ROADS…: BOBBY NASH ON HIS TRIP TO THE EARTH'S CORE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPWZJl1xk9onsT-KrXIOwL05e2RgvcXAHNaQI7hJQlhBlShlVtEXN4jXVwmHxBKnrQT3jNs46w23Ar_0xxSqdv9294te14LhVoBVBVM2pfr6c6ygeECNUcw-OzrYxAIlDsJuT2spsqUw/s1600/1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPWZJl1xk9onsT-KrXIOwL05e2RgvcXAHNaQI7hJQlhBlShlVtEXN4jXVwmHxBKnrQT3jNs46w23Ar_0xxSqdv9294te14LhVoBVBVM2pfr6c6ygeECNUcw-OzrYxAIlDsJuT2spsqUw/s320/1c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I’ve always
enjoyed adventure. </div>
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Although I
have had a few in real life, the majority of my greatest adventures were found
between the pages of books or on the big and small screen. I’ve traveled to
strange new worlds, braved tests of strength and nobility, and even gotten the
girl a time or two. All of these were spurned onward by these tales of
derring-do that ignited my imagination.</div>
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For me, it
started in the comics—Spider-man to be specific. In our first outing together,
the wall-crawler and I were shackled to a bomb along with our nemesis, Daily
Bugle publisher and all around pain in the butt, J. Jonah Jameson. Then, we
fought The Fly at the Natural Museum of History, and fell head over heels for a
cat burglar named Felicia. That’s the rundown of Amazing Spider-man issues 192,
193, and 194, by the way, the first comic books I can remember owning as a
child.From comics, I found paperbacks, most notably a Han Solo adventure and
mysteries solved by young Encyclopedia Brown. From there, it was on to Conan,
Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, and Tarzan.</div>
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That’s the
long way of saying that I love a good science fiction adventure.</div>
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And that
brings me to Edgar Rice Burroughs.</div>
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Whether he
took us on a journey to the deepest jungles of Tarzan’s Africa, the red
mountains of Barsoom with John Carter, or Pellucidar with David Innes and Abner
Perry, author Edgar Rice Burroughs took me, and countless others on many an
adventure.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuki3eXOnPs-AxnwubshpMPyefG0m65JeDs8vLWHUl4b1HsiE30HHq-rt2umP8Fpmh3-bPOdHVZAJRA0zp7gdx4FluTGdfCl2jhyphenhyphenFNRe52vM2n6QkWsl7aWMZoVYeNLUcTy2IBb9zYN4/s1600/1+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuki3eXOnPs-AxnwubshpMPyefG0m65JeDs8vLWHUl4b1HsiE30HHq-rt2umP8Fpmh3-bPOdHVZAJRA0zp7gdx4FluTGdfCl2jhyphenhyphenFNRe52vM2n6QkWsl7aWMZoVYeNLUcTy2IBb9zYN4/s320/1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When the
opportunity came along to join artist Jamie Chase on a graphic novel adaptation
of ERB’s <i>At The Earth’s Core</i> for Sequential Pulp Comics and Dark Horse Comics,
I jumped at it. I was a latecomer to the project after the original writer had
to bow out. I quickly dove into a re-read of the novel we were adapting and
fell in love with Pellucidar all over again. I remembered the major beats of
the story, but it had been over thirty years since I read it originally that
some of the details were a little off center in my memory. It didn’t take long
to catch up though. One of Burroughs’ strengths as a writer is keeping things
moving. Sure, there are big chunks of time that pass in the narrative, but he
plows right on through to keep the story progressing.</div>
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For those
not familiar with the novel, the movie, or any of the adaptations of it, <i>At The
Earth’s Core</i> is the story of David Innes and Abner Perry. Together, in a newly
designed vehicle they dubbed The Iron Mole, the adventurers set off beneath the
earth’s crust in search of oil and precious minerals they can mine. When the
Mole goes off course, they are certain that their days are numbered as they
pass through layers of blistering heat and bone-numbing cold. The last thing
either of them expected to find was a paradise at the center of the planet with
the Earth’s core as the sun, keeping it constantly noon in this world they
learned was called Pellucidar.</div>
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As harrowing
as the adventure to get there, the real story begins once they reach Pellucidar
and discover ancient beings, intelligent telepathic Mahars, a holdover from
when dinosaurs roamed the surface, and the ape-like Sagoths who serve as their
enforcers. There are also humans there, enslaved, of course by the cruel
Mahars. That’s where David meets Dian the Beautiful.</div>
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One of the
great joys of working in comics if collaborating with artist. There are few
things as exciting as seeing pages of art in my inbox. They are rarely exactly
what I expect, but I am always fascinated by the different ways in which
artists interpret things. Working with Jamie Chase on this graphic novel, and
the sequel, which is currently in production, has been nothing short of a joy.
Like me, Jamie is a fan of the source material and wants to do justice to this
world created long before either of us were born. Staying true to the spirit of
the original was also important to Sequential Pulp’s Michael Hudson and our
Dark Horse editors, Patrick Thorpe and Everett Patterson. I think we succeeded.
Hopefully, readers will feel the same way. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote seven
novels taking place in Pellucidar. It is my fondest hope that Jamie and I get
the opportunity to adapt them all.</div>
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Edgar Rice
Burroughs’ <i>At The Earth’s Core</i> graphic novel is now on sale in standard
hardcover ($14.99) and limited edition hardcover ($49.99) wherever comic books and
graphic novels are sold, including comic shops, book stores, and on-line
retailers. I hope you’ll check it out. There are also links posted at <a href="http://www.bobbynash.com/">www.bobbynash.com</a> as well.</div>
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I know Tom
probably wasn’t expecting me to ramble this long, but I’m excited by this
project. Big thanks to Mr. Deja for allowing me to hijack the Nocturne Travel
Agency’s site to shamelessly plug our book. Make sure you check out his
offerings as well. It is some good reading.</div>
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As for me,
I’m off to my next adventure…</div>
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Just as soon
as I can remember where I parked that darn Iron Mole.</div>
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Bobby Nash</div>
<br />
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Somewhere
above the Earth’s Core</div>
Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-45899194434426444522015-09-11T11:27:00.000-07:002015-09-11T11:27:26.347-07:00FLYING WITHOUT A HELMET: RUSS ANDERSON, JR gives a crash course on FLY GIRL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEam_0Ph6CAYDEZXDm7xsHikxxFaI6GiqLmzcDa5V7vyrLoaS4d-LXkmB3WHLtizkghYrIt-5KazzN9yG6BjBxkjMSY3sRBsa-y-JelhP7j-A4i1LpK5kur5-f5dmfMPKO50MIkHcXlWg/s1600/flygirl1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEam_0Ph6CAYDEZXDm7xsHikxxFaI6GiqLmzcDa5V7vyrLoaS4d-LXkmB3WHLtizkghYrIt-5KazzN9yG6BjBxkjMSY3sRBsa-y-JelhP7j-A4i1LpK5kur5-f5dmfMPKO50MIkHcXlWg/s320/flygirl1.png" width="201" /></a></div>
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There’s something you should know
about me right off the bat, and you may find it a little shocking – I’m white.</div>
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I’m not just white, I’m also male, and
on the wrong side of forty. And I live on the East Coast.</div>
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I tell you all this to illustrate
that I am about as far from a sixteen year-old Navajo girl as you can get and
still be a member of the same species.</div>
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Which is sort of the point, I guess.</div>
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Let me back up…</div>
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Back in the heady days of 2003, Tom
Deja – writer, podcaster, and proprietor of this very blog – was editor for a
prose superhero anthology called <i>Truth,
Justice, And…</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QbRudijGBZnvjvfITIBRy_tysLUaPLBSjElybGvyXrZFqfuNNNi9kowv1t31dB91zKwfqDMsPuM4xZ5XsuhUVFwX8AS9Sg89U2xmPV1i2NEakro0mRd54FS0-NvsPayqsu63HWUwrSU/s1600/truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QbRudijGBZnvjvfITIBRy_tysLUaPLBSjElybGvyXrZFqfuNNNi9kowv1t31dB91zKwfqDMsPuM4xZ5XsuhUVFwX8AS9Sg89U2xmPV1i2NEakro0mRd54FS0-NvsPayqsu63HWUwrSU/s320/truth.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a>I wrote a story for it called “The
Origin of Flight” about a teenage girl who gained the power to fly when she
came into possession of a Thunderbird feather. The character didn’t exist, even
as an idea, before Tom put out the call for stories. I Frankensteined her
together from a bunch of different things I was interested in at the time (mythology
and coming-of-age stories, mostly) strictly to meet the requirements of the
anthology. I called her “Fly Girl” – a term that was about a decade past its
cultural sell-by date even then, but I liked it because it was silly and
simultaneously obvious and not obvious at all. For her real name, I decided on
“Caryn Clay” because there’s a long, proud history of alliterative civilian
names in superhero comics (Clark Kent, Lex Luthor, Peter Parker, Reed Richards,
etc.). I left things open at the end, like any good origin story, but I didn’t
have a venue to continue publishing her, so I moved on to other projects.</div>
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Over the next ten years, though, Fly
Girl kept nagging at me. Without consciously trying to, I was figuring out her
backstory, building a rogues gallery for her and a mythology around the feather
that provided her powers, answering questions I didn’t realize I’d left unanswered
in that first episode.</div>
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I think a lot of writers go through
a phase early on when their protagonists are essentially themselves – but aside
from the fact that we both went to high school in Phoenix, Caryn Clay was
nothing at all like me. I wasn’t born into a culture I didn’t want to be part
of, and, as noted above, I was never a teenage girl – not even for Halloween.</div>
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I couldn’t fly either, of course…
but it turned out that was the least interesting thing about the character –
any kid who’s ever picked up a comic book will tell you that “flight” all by
itself is just about the most bargain basement power-set a superhero can have,
after all. It was how different Caryn’s life experience was from mine that kept
my thoughts coming back to her, and that difference started long before she got
ahold of that Thunderbird feather.</div>
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I wrote two more episodes and took
notes on a handful of other Fly Girl stories over the next decade, with no real
idea of what I was going to do with any of it. Then, in 2014, I was developing
a serial for Pro Se Press’s new <i>Single
Shots Signature Series</i> line and realized that, for a variety of reasons,
the idea I’d pitched to editor-in-chief Tommy Hancock wasn’t going to work.
This realization came along pretty late in the game, and since I didn’t want to
back out of my commitment with Pro Se, I looked around for something else I
could do that would be a better fit in terms of tone and story length.</div>
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And here was all this Fly Girl
material I’d been poking away at since 2003.</div>
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Fortunately, Tommy was okay with the
substitution, and we’ve been publishing <i>Fly
Girl </i>as a series of ebooks ever since, each episode wrapped in a sweet
Jeffrey Hayes cover. It’s structured like an episodic television series, where
each part has a complete story, and a subplot that runs through the entire
season. We just published episode six, <i>The
Monster Inside of Me</i>, which means we’re a little better than halfway
through the first ten-episode season.</div>
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You should check it out – mostly
because I’m proud of the series… but also because I have small children, and
college ain’tgonna come cheap.</div>
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And if you like it, you can thank
our host, Tom Deja, for inviting me to pitch for that anthology,way back in the
dark times before Facebook and Gmail and Grumpy Cat.</div>
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*</div>
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<i>Fly
Girl: The Origin of Flight</i> is the first episode in the Fly Girl series, and
is available <b>for free</b> at all finer
e-book retailers. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Origin-Flight-Fly-Girl-Book-ebook/dp/B00N37B8C6/">Here’s
the link to the Amazon listing</a>.</div>
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<i>Fly
Girl: The Monster Inside of Me</i> is the sixth and latest episode in the Fly
Girl series, and is not free… but it’s a bargain at 99 cents. You can find it
at all those finer e-book retailers I m<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>entioned, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Inside-Fly-Girl-Book-ebook/dp/B014IEFQ2A/">like
Amazon</a>.</div>
<br />
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Russ Anderson Jr. has written a
bunch of other stuff – much of it readable. You can find it all listed on his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Russ-Anderson-Jr./e/B004CFUOBO/">Amazon author page</a>.</div>
Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-91943189073353702872015-08-21T13:07:00.001-07:002015-08-21T13:07:27.636-07:00SHADOW LEGION CASTING CALL PART TWOSo the timewasting exercise of the blog strikes again as I give you my ideal casting for the Shadow Legion and related people. To wit, it’s time to cast Alan Dennings, The Ferryman.<br />
<br />
The thing about The Ferryman is that he’s a man of influence who, due to tragic circumstances, gains an ability that, as we’ll learn as the saga of the Legion continues, is going to drive him a little nuts. Besieged by the spirits of the newly murdered, he is driven to avenge them and silence the howling in his head. So we’d need somebody who’s classy but a little off, as if something will snap at any time.<br />
<br />
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Now last time I gave you a retro casting as well as a modern one. If I had somehow gone back in time and somehow convinced a studio to make a SL movie, I would have ideally wanted Martin Landau to don the cloak and crimson blindfold for it. There’s an intensity to Landau that I think will translate well to the Ferryman’s visage.<br />
<br />
Now onto the here and now....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvPmuKV1m1EAOP4rUP88rWsATa95lPO7hxYDRCxNnh9HvU49oeC5q0gsQKCgUvQBilGc4cWS_hVKDgV65-cQqj8d24WG_Ujz43LeJUSdGHzJViWVIjOLT-8Zyq9dYSLFv1Vxm5d7teAo/s1600/CMurphy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvPmuKV1m1EAOP4rUP88rWsATa95lPO7hxYDRCxNnh9HvU49oeC5q0gsQKCgUvQBilGc4cWS_hVKDgV65-cQqj8d24WG_Ujz43LeJUSdGHzJViWVIjOLT-8Zyq9dYSLFv1Vxm5d7teAo/s320/CMurphy.jpg" width="240" /></a>There was one actor who I had considered who turned out to be too old, so I ended up going with 39 year old Irish actor Cillian Murphy for the role. Ever since I first saw him in the Wes Craven trifle <i>Red Eye</i>, I’ve always been struck by <br />
the way Murphy is good looking but...off. A lot of it is, of course, those far away eyes of his that always make me think he’s plotting something unsavory. More importantly, we’ve seen him play sober and serious as well as massively deranged--in the case of<i> Batman Begins</i>, in the very same movie! I can easily see him slowly transitioning from urbane socialite to tortured avenger over the course of a movie until the point where he’s actively scary. <br />
<br />
Incidentally, given that my first two casting choices were in their late 30‘s, I’m thinking I may have to adjust my requirements upwards so everyone can appear to be, well, peers.<br />
<br />
Do you agree? Disagree? Have another idea? Let me know.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-15856156824690021962015-08-20T08:51:00.000-07:002015-08-20T08:51:51.126-07:00BEING LIGHTWEIGHT: Nicholas Ahlhelm on his super-hero saga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every writer has a dozen projects for every one they produce. It’s the great ones that stick in your head, hold on tight and don’t let go no matter what. I created the first version of Lightweight when I was thirteen. Twenty-five years later, I’m embarking on the third novel in his now ongoing adventures.<br />
<br />
In many ways, Lightweight fits the tropes of the modern super-powered hero. He’s still in high school, he’s got as many everyday life problems as he does hero problems. He has a crush on his best friend. But Kevin is different because he understands the trappings of a hero. Costumed adventurers have ran around his world for decades. He knows what it entails to put on a mask. He knows that it could endanger everyone he knows if he can’t keep his identity secret in a world filled with cameras. He knows that all, yet he still sets out to make his city a better place.<br />
<br />
That tale is told in the pages of <a href="http://superpoweredfiction.com/the-books/lightweight-senior-year/"><i>Lightweight: Senior Year</i></a> and<i> <a href="http://superpoweredfiction.com/the-books/lightweight-black-death/">Lightweight: Black Death</a></i>, both available right now. But as his career expands so does his universe. In <i>Lightweight: Beyond</i>, he literally finds his universe expanded as a hero that has never left his hometown finds himself stranded on an alien world.<br />
<br />
The planet Nill opens up tons of new story elements that will change the course of Lightweight’s life and continue to revolutionize a new format for continuing superheroic adventures: prose. He will make new friends, gain new enemies and start on a path that will alter his life forever. Meanwhile, a new person will don his old costume in an attempt to carry on his legacy, but it is a path built for disaster for the friends he left behind.<br />
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<i>Lightweight: Beyond</i> is now<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ahlhelm/lightweight-beyond"> funding on Kickstarter</a>. Production costs are higher on <i>Lightweight</i> than anything else I have ever produced, which makes pre-orders an essential part of bringing the series to life. Anyone can put any amount of money they want behind the book, but $5 scores an ebook, $10 scores all three ebooks, $15 gives a print edition and for the bargain of $25, backers can get all three volumes of Lightweight.<br />
<br />
Stretch goals will fund Lightweight’s next year of adventures in their entirety. <i>Lightweight: Golden Age</i> and <i>Lightweight: Universal</i> will conclude the second year of Lightweight’s adventures, while <i>The Adventures of Lightweight</i> would allow other authors a chance to create their own Lightweight adventures.<br />
<br />
I’m not a person that asks folks to put money down sight unseen. The first chapter of Lightweight’s adventures is <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/385241">now free online</a>. Read it, see if you like it and if you do, please give Lightweight your support. The Kickstarter runs through September 14th.<br />
<br />
You can always find me at SuperPoweredFiction.com where I am always happy to answer any questions anyone might have.<br />
<br />
Nicholas Ahlhelm<br />
intergalactic storytellerThomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-76878653890380642462015-08-14T12:49:00.000-07:002015-08-14T12:49:34.995-07:00...AND WE’RE BACK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbdwtD7EZ2ZQx_Xmt94_AlW6JyeVv29KH5MRZBUynCVto5cCUiULxC3d0N5jPk7zI6sBbk6mtgHu6fkdZF_ThVXJS0QglglCC1Z_3PiuAT5B8-vJBx4Xjf5bM2ezIVWaMGXXdQd3QRqI/s1600/Strange+and+Cozy+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbdwtD7EZ2ZQx_Xmt94_AlW6JyeVv29KH5MRZBUynCVto5cCUiULxC3d0N5jPk7zI6sBbk6mtgHu6fkdZF_ThVXJS0QglglCC1Z_3PiuAT5B8-vJBx4Xjf5bM2ezIVWaMGXXdQd3QRqI/s320/Strange+and+Cozy+cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Sorry about the delays, everyone. We should be back to normal service soon.<br />
<br />
The big news since this site went dark is that <i>Strange And Cozy</i>, the anthology I co-edited with the creator of <i>Gunfighter Gothic</i>, Mark Bousquet, is out, available in paperback and Kindle format. The book features tales that fuse pulp genres with the cozy mystery, including new stories by NTA contributor I.A. Watson, Joel Jenkins and others as well as ‘A Bullet for The Bride,’ a new Dreamcatcher tale where Maybelle and Colin travel to San Christobal for a wedding...and a murder! This is the first story that explores a city outside of Nocturne, and it should be a doozy. Go get your copy from Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Cozy-Mark-Bousquet-ebook/dp/B013RHJUB2/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg07yX8WpkZx1AULS8KFEmOXJ8FnSDK1K21L9J0vfLrKilMZGGaWp4Cex-hEL4qB2fjJwUgmsPlRWplyZCmxxkgnyax-y0J0vXHfOYyj9iliJ60ZgaOLs4F2YWa-PW5DOVUVJ1G3VeTZY/s1600/616tPUBAWcL._SX300_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg07yX8WpkZx1AULS8KFEmOXJ8FnSDK1K21L9J0vfLrKilMZGGaWp4Cex-hEL4qB2fjJwUgmsPlRWplyZCmxxkgnyax-y0J0vXHfOYyj9iliJ60ZgaOLs4F2YWa-PW5DOVUVJ1G3VeTZY/s200/616tPUBAWcL._SX300_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="120" /></a>It’s also not too late to get a copy of <i>A Grimoire of Eldritch Inquests</i>, the Josh Reynolds edited collection of tales featuring psychic detectives. My contribution, ‘Body Of Proof’ sees Maybelle trying to determine why a man is still walking around after his son murdered him. Get your copy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grimoire-Eldritch-Inquests-Detective-Monster-ebook/dp/B00VH3B6QQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1439581521&sr=1-1&keywords=%22A+Grimoire+of+Eldritch+Inquests">here</a>.<br />
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The illustrations are being done for<i> Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come</i>, the next Legion book. While I can’t show you them just yet, let me just say they’re knockouts!<br />
<br />
‘Strange Weathers,’ the new El Cuevo story for this year’s<i> Pulpworks Christmas Annual </i>has been turned in. This story will be significant, as it will both make a connection between the Cuevo tales and the Shadow Legion and give fans of the frontier exorcist the biggest hints as to his true nature. And if you enjoy that when it comes out in the end of the year, wait until you see what I’ve got planned for Halloween next year....<br />
<br />
The next book in the Shadow Legion, the second novel, is in the process of being written. All the characters will be back, including a few from Shape in some new circumstances, and a new type of adventure as the Legion moves into a new era of history. <br />
<br />
So there’s plenty to explore now, and plenty to look forward to. And I’ll be back with more stuff soon!Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-81502459076811622822015-03-03T20:22:00.000-08:002015-03-03T20:22:31.345-08:00SHADOW LEGION CASTING CALL PART ONEYeah, that’s right....it’s time for that ‘killing time’ segment all authors with a series do. As we wait for <i>Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come</i> to be released and I work on not one but<i> two</i> Legion novels, I’m going to do some fantasy booking and tell you who I would cast in a Shadow Legion movie.<br />
<br />
And we begin with what has become The Legion’s most popular character--at least judging from the number of stories people have demanded about her--Maybelle ‘Dreamcatcher’ Tremens.<br />
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Anyone who’s listened to the podcast I co-host with Derrick Ferguson, Better In The Dark, might not be surprised to learn that I patterned Maybelle after Hammer Films icon Caroline Munro. Hell, the depiction of our favorite sorceress with a white streak through her dark hair is a conscious tip of the hat to that timeless beauty. And if the Shadow Legion had been created in the 70‘s or early 80‘s, she would be my choice.<br />
<br />
However, we are talking about casting someone in the here and now. And I have to also keep the cast relatively in the same age as each other. I’ve always pictured the quartet of heroes that are my protagonists as being in their late 20's or early 30's, so I’m going for actors in this general vicinity. And since I’m also a person who claims exact looks don’t matter as long as the essence is there, I’m not bound by casting exact replicas.<br />
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Which is why, for Maybelle, I would choose 38 year old English actress--and original member of The Better In The Dark Hottie Hall Of Fame--Rhona Mitra.<br />
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Yes, I will admit that Ms. Mitra might be a touch older than my stated age range (even though she’s only five years older than my choice for The Black Talon), but she beats out another Hottie Hall of Famer for a number of reasons. I think she’s always had this air of elegance that I always imagined Maybelle as having (I love how one reviewer for ‘Jolly With A Pistol,’ the Dreamcatcher story for this year’s Pulpwork Christmas Annual, referred to her as ‘nattily dressed.’), but with this undercurrent of fierceness that I imagine someone in a committed relationship with The Black Talon would have. Plus she’s got these long, wavy tresses like I’ve always imagined her as having that would look great with a white streak through it. Sure, her hair is more brown than black, but I can deal with that little variant. I can just imagine her in Dreamcatcher’s signature ‘battlecoat’ over her heroing uniform...and to be fair, given that her uniform is mainly khaki shorts and a white shirt, I know Rhona ‘they based Lara Croft on me’ Mitra can rock that outfit perfectly.<br />
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What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my choice? Who would you cast? Let me know!Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-72626879593990624252014-10-15T08:18:00.000-07:002014-10-15T08:18:01.404-07:00The Shadow Legion Time Line!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good day, Nocturners!<br />
<br />
In the past few weeks, I’ve gotten word that some of my Shadow Legion stories have been accepted to various venues. That means that soon you’ll have new tales of Nocturne to tide you over until <i>Machina Ex Deus</i> hits the stands, hopefully sometime late in 2015 or early in 2016.<br />
<br />
Now I know a lot of readers don’t like reading series out of order. So, as a way of both letting you know what stories are going where and giving you a proper reading order, I’ve set up a Shadow Legion Time Line that will be updated from time to time.<br />
<br />
So, as of October 2014, here’s the proper reading order of The Shadow Legion Series:<br />
<br />
1. <i>New Roads To Hell</i><br />
2. “Ghost of Steel” (<i>Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come</i>; portions of the story happen concurrent to<i> New Roads To Hell</i>; publication date TBA, Airship 27 Press)<br />
3. “A Bullet For The Bride” (<i>Strange and Cozy</i>, coming late 2014, Atomic Anxiety Press)<br />
4. “Body of Proof” (<i>A Grimoire of Eldritch Inquests</i>, publication date TBA, Embry Press)<br />
5. “A Waltz In Scarlet” (<i>Mystery Men and Women V. 4/Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come</i>; publication date TBA, Airship 27 Press)<br />
6. “A Prayer For The Toy God” (<i>Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come</i>)<br />
7. “The Ascension Of Indio Blaque” (<i>Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come</i>)<br />
8. “Jolly With A Pistol” (<i>The 2014 Pulpworks Christmas Annual</i>; coming late 2014, Pulpworks Press)<br />
9. <i>Machina Ex Deus</i> (Airship 27; publication date TBA)<br />
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Granted, there may be new stories written and published (one I’m working on hints at a history between one of our Legionnaires and a certain Royal Occultist that’ll also be appearing in <i>A Grinoire of Eldritch Inquests</i>), but this is how you should read the series if you're doing so in order.<br />
<br />
<br />Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-29434102391731246652014-10-02T17:27:00.002-07:002014-10-02T17:28:55.288-07:00TWEED FOR SPANDEX: THE BRITISH SUPERHERO: I.A. WATSON offers excuses for his latest novel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Brits do superheroes differently.<br />
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It’s a cultural thing. If an American gets bitten by a radioactive spider then he’ll dress up in bright spandex, develop a secret identity, possibly get hunted by a mistrustful government, and punch people through walls. If a Briton gets bitten, and assuming he doesn’t turn into a ravening monster lurking in the shadows of society preying on the weak, he is more likely to end up working for a secret government agency assisted by an eccentric professor and a plucky sidekick, or else as a crumpled trench coated outcast thumbing his nose at society. Far less masks and body-hugging<br />
costumes, rather more saying “bollocks”.<br />
<br />
The British superhero tradition traces it pedigree back to Dan Dare and his generation, and to heroes who used gadgets or remarkable vehicles as their special advantage. When Americans create a British superhero he’s a mansion-dwelling Union Flag-wearing equivalent of Captain America. When Brits create one he travels round in a police public call box and sometimes wears a really long scarf or a bow-tie. All of which is a really long-winded preamble to introducing Sir Mumphrey Wilton.<br />
<br />
A year or two back when I was talking with Pro Se supremo Tommy Hancock he wondered why I hadn’t evolved any “signature” characters. After twenty-plus publications in print into my time as an author, most of my work had been on legendary and public domain characters – the Robin Hood series, Sinbad, airman detective Richard Knight, Africa merc Armless O’Neil – or on other folks’ creations like Blackthorn and Gideon Cain. There’s a list at <a href="http://www.chillwater.org.uk/writing/iawatsonhome.htm">http://www.chillwater.org.uk/writing/iawatsonhome.htm</a><br />
<br />
“People keep asking em to write things,” I excused myself. “I don’t like to say no.” It goes back to school, I think, where it was drilled into me that every educated person should be able to write a decent essay on any set subject.<br />
<br />
But what did I want to write?<br />
<br />
On any list of literary influences I’ve ever prepared, Stan Lee of Marvel Comics fame looms large. I discovered his Fantastic Four, Avengers, Spider-Man etc. at exactly the right age for them to forever impact on how I think; and how I think a story should go. So what I wanted to write should be steeped in Lee, and Kirby, and Ditko, and all the rest of those extraordinary talents that gave us 1960s comics.<br />
<br />
But... I’m British. Therefore out with the lycra and in with the tweed. Less utility belts, more pocketwatches. Overlay any melodrama with stiff upper lip. Bad behaviour from the ungodly is no reason for a proper hero to be unsporting, what?<br />
<br />
Sir Mumphrey Wilton coalesced over many years from several sources: from Simon Templar’s distinctive parlance in Leslie Charteris’ earliest Saint books; from Dr Who’s unorthodox methods of dominating a room of vile monsters by sheer force of personality; from all those intrepid imperial colonialists in politically-incorrect boys stories of the 1900s; from student roleplaying and fansite drafts; from a general desire to see what happened if John Steed got cast instead of Indiana Jones in <i>Temple of Doom</i>.<br />
<br />
Like all characters that come alive in an author’s mind, somehow Mumphrey demanded what the world in which he adventured must be. He needed a great conflict as his backdrop, and surely there is no such sweeping panorama as World War II? He needed a vibrant female companion who could stand her own against him. He needed grotesque villains worthy of being smitten in the name of decency. He needed a super-power, but let’s keep that in the spoiler zone.<br />
<br />
Most of all, it became clear that Sir Mumphrey insisted on being a Saturday matinee hero, leaping from one cliffhanger to the next, occasionally blurring into a black and white map with dotted travel lines on it before a new caption appears to read “Hong Kong: Three Days before the Japanese Invasion” or whatever.<br />
<br />
And so it was.<br />
<br />
So, SIR MUMPHREY WILTON AND THE LOST CITY OF MYSTERY is what happens when an editor doesn’t give me a suitably restrictive brief. It’s what happens when the secret origin happens to someone who is perhaps not a typical square-jawed hero. It’s about a very British superhero.<br />
<br />
Jolly good show.<br />
<br />
I.A. Watson<br />
<br />
SIR MUMPHREY WILTON AND THE LOST CITY OF MYSTERY<br />
Saturday matinee cliffhanger adventure meets weird science<br />
By I.A. WATSON<br />
<br />
Out 7th OCTOBER 2014 from CHILLWATER PRESS in print and kindle<br />
<br />
ISBN-13: 978-1502438485 ISBN-10: 1502438488<br />
<br />
Available at <a href="https://www.createspace.com/5008409">https://www.createspace.com/5008409</a> and on Amazon KindleThomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-38026866201286353762014-09-13T19:13:00.000-07:002014-09-13T19:14:29.641-07:00MACHINA EX DEUS....It’s Begun! And Here Are Some Things You’d Like To Know!I know it’s been a long time since the Agency has been updated, and there’s lots to talk about--the acceptance of ‘Jolly With A Pistol,’ the finding of an artist on <i>The Shape of Fears To Come</i>--but the biggest news for all Shadow Legion fans is that I’ve begun writing the second full novel featuring the dark defenders of Nocturne, <i>Machina Ex Deus</i>. Now I’m literally taking the very first steps in transcribing the next adventure of the united heroes of The City That Lives By Night, and the stuff that’ll reach the page a year or so down the line may be different from what’s in the outline I’m working from now...but here are some teases for what you can look forward to.<br />
<br />
It’s set in the 60‘s, which means this will be a Silver Age tale much as <i>New Roads To Hell</i> was a Golden Age tale!<br />
<br />
There will be two new heroes making the scene!<br />
<br />
Legacies will be passed on, one more than once!<br />
<br />
Someone is going to change sides!<br />
<br />
Someone is going to fall!<br />
<br />
The villains of this piece aren’t human!<br />
<br />
The team will face opposition not only from the new bad guys, not only from older bad guys, but from the organization called....W.E.I.R.D.!<br />
<br />
There will be pirates!<br />
<br />
There will be monsters versus pirates!<br />
<br />
There will be more revelations about the plans of everyone’s favorite Mistress of Murder, Rose Red!<br />
<br />
There are elements and threads that will be carried over from <i>The Shape Of Fears To Come</i>, the first ‘Casebook’ collection of short stories--but I hope that you could read this book on its own, or directly after <i>New Roads</i> and not be lost.<br />
<br />
(Incidentally, if you haven’t read the first Shadow Legion novel, it’s still available in digital and dead tree version <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615883672/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_asp_GZmNG.18F7B92">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
Now once again, I want to warn you--this novel is still a long ways off, but there will be lots of Shadow Legion stuff coming your way before then....and I’ll tell you more about that in an upcoming entry. So stay tuned!<br />
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Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-7683956106183346452014-06-27T13:53:00.000-07:002014-06-27T13:53:47.866-07:00ANOTHER PERIODIC UPDATE POSTGood afternoon! As we enter into summer, I continue to be busy, and Dreamcatcher is primary in my mind.<br />
<br />
Right now I’m doing the rewrites on ‘A Bullet For The Bride,’ a new Dreamcatcher locked room mystery for <i>Strange And Cozy</i>. This story gives you a lot about Maybelle Tremens’ backstory, as we meet a number of friends from her past! The tale also features her paramour, Colin ‘Black Talon’ Palmersdale, in his first appearance outside a Shadow Legion book.<br />
<br />
The other major Dreamcatcher project I’m working on is ‘Jolly With A Pistol,’ a Christmas tale for the <i>Pulpworks Christmas Annual 2014</i>. This is another murder mystery take, as Maybelle is asked to investigate the killing of a toy maker wrapped in tinsel and dubbed ‘Naughty.’ It wasn’t until I was deep into writing it that I realized it was something of a tribute to one of my comic book writing heroes, Steve Gerber. You’ll have to wait until Christmas to find out how!<br />
<br />
Now I have been asked to do one more Dreamcatcher story. I’m not sure what it’s going to be about, but it’ll probably the last solo story for Maybelle Tremens for a bit, as I’ll start working sometime afterwards on the second novel,<i> Machina Ex Deus</i>. However, she’s not the only Shadow Legionnaire about to venture out solo; I’ve been talking to an artist friend of mine about doing a Nightbreaker comic book story. More on that as it develops.<br />
<br />
As for <i>Shadow Legion: The Shape of Fears To Come</i>, an artist for the twelve illustrations has been found. This morning I sent off costume and character notes for the four main character and Playmate (who serves as a kind of ‘guest star’ in the Dreamcatcher story). This means that shortly after <i>Mystery Men and Women 4</i>, which contains ‘A Waltz In Scarlet,’ the Ferryman story that will serve as a preview of the book, you’ll be able to experience a fistful of solo Shadow Legion action!<br />
<br />
(And wait until you see what the next Case Files book will contain. I’ve been talking to some people, and it’s going to be insane!)<br />
<br />
There are two non-Legion projects in the hopper. One is still super-secret, but the other is ‘The Domino Lady Goes Mad,’ a 15000 words tale for an upcoming Airship 27 anthology. I had so much fun doing that Domino Lady comic strip with Michelle Scuito for All Star Pulp Comics that I wanted another crack at Ellen Patrick, and this is my chance. In it, the daredevil doll faces off against a peculiar scientist--and herself, as she falls prey to his handiwork.<br />
<br />
So don’t worry, pals and gals. There will be plenty of new stuff coming from me in future months. Keep watching this space.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-76702575006431957302014-05-08T10:30:00.002-07:002014-05-08T10:30:35.345-07:00The Periodic, Western Flavored Update Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, everyone! It’s time for another general check in on what’s going on.<br />
<br />
The biggest news is that <i>How The West Was Weird Volume Three</i>, the final volume of bizarre tales of The Old West edited by Russ Anderson and released by Pulpworks Press, will be released as an e-book this Monday, May 12th. Amongst the stories in this collection is a new El Cuevo story by me that was inspired by the amazing spaghetti western <i>The Great Silence</i> (and if you don’t know about this beautiful, powerful and dark movie, check out my <a href="http://thomas-damnyoureyesdamnyourears.blogspot.com/2014/04/ten-statements-aboutthe-great-silence.html">10 Statements</a> on the film and seek out the DVD!); a new Sebastian Red adventure by my <i>Better In The Dark</i> partner Derrick Ferguson, a spooky tale of hanged men and ghost towns by <i>Dread Media</i> maven Des Reddick and more! And if you prefer a dead tree version, it will be forthcoming in July. Check out the cover by Jim Woodring, and if you haven’t read the first few volumes and the spinoff <i>Campfire Tales</i>, be sure to order them from Amazon!<br />
<br />
Also, don’t forget that<i> Betrayal On Monster Earth</i>, Mechanoid Press' anthology of stories where giant monsters are the weapons wars are fought with edited by James Palmer and Jim Beard, is still available from Amazon. This book features my story about corporate dragons, “Giants Of Industry,” and other amazing stories. Pick it up now!<br />
<br />
I’m already hard at work on some new things. Presently, the thing occupying most of my time is “A Bullet For The Bride,” a new Dreamcatcher story for the upcoming anthology I’m collaborating with Mark Bousquet on, <i>Strange and Cozy</i>. In this tale, Nocturne’s psychic detective travels to San Christobel for a wedding party and has to solve a locked room mystery in a movie star’s mansion! “Body of Proof,” the Dreamcatcher story where Maybelle has to figure out why a dead man is acting as if his demise never happened, has been submitted to the occult detective collection <i>A Grimoire of Eldritch Inquests</i>, and is awaiting a decision. Finally, I’ve just begun another Dreamcatcher story, “Jolly With A Pistol”....can you guess what this uses as a backdrop? At this rate, there might be a Maybelle Tremens collection coming sooner than anyone thought!<br />
<br />
And maybe I shouldn’t say anything...but I have been working not only on the outline for the second Shadow Legion novel, <i>Machina Ex Deus</i>, but I've written a tiny bit of it as well!<br />
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There are some other things I’m working on that are Super Top Secret, but once I’m told I can spill the beans, beans will be spilt! But until then, enjoy <i>How The West Was Weird Volume Three</i>!Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-59865980077277007902014-03-23T16:46:00.000-07:002014-03-23T16:46:51.914-07:00WAKE UP ON MONSTER EARTH!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, gang! Just wanted to let you know that<i> Betrayal Of Monster Earth</i> is finally here from Mechanoid Press in Kindle format on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-Monster-Earth-Jeff-McGinnis-ebook/dp/B00J4WOVRS">Amazon.com</a>!<br />
<br />
This is the second collection of a series where the major super-powers have invested their defense money into the discovery and training of cryptids. Beginning with World War Two, battles are fought not with nuclear weapons, but with monsters. This new volume covers the 80‘s and 90‘s, as the recovery of genetic material from a lost dinosaur in the Congo allows countries to tailor make future monsters...but the material also falls into the hands of a secret cabal conspiring to pave the way for something from beyond Earth itself!<br />
<br />
My story for this volume, ‘Giants of Industry’ tells of a multinational corporation trying to manipulate world events for their own ends using their own monster...but the leader of this project soon finds out that the agenda of his bosses is much more difficult to carry out than he thought!<br />
<br />
And if you haven’t done so, be sure to pick up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Earth-Nancy-Hansen-ebook/dp/B00B0QIVAE/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1K3YBMRW99C3025DHT88">Monster Earth</a>, the first volume in the series, which chronicles the history of Monster Earth from the 40‘s to the 60‘s.<br />
<br />
I’ve got my hand in another secret project from Mechanoid Press which I’m sure fans of The Shadow Legion will love...but more on that when it becomes available!Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-12764690540009692922014-03-09T10:37:00.000-07:002014-03-09T10:37:40.762-07:00An Abundance of Dreamcatcher!So as we’re between the release of <i>New Roads To Hell</i> and the next Shadow Legion book, <i>The Shadow Legion Casebook: The Shape Of Fears To Come</i>, and something unusual has come to light.<br />
<br />
Namely, that people want to read more about Maybelle Tremens, the Dreamcatcher.<br />
<br />
I honestly did not expect Maybelle to be a breakout star. <i> New Roads</i> was primarily Nightbreaker and Ferryman’s story. I did manage to put in some time to sketch out Black Talon’s background, but Maybelle? Outside of a conversation, not a lot was paid to Dreamcatcher or the Tremens family. Add into the fact that ‘A Prayer For The Toy God,' the Dreamcatcher story for the Casebook took the longest to write (there’s literally four story fragments representing four false starts, including a baseball-themed tale I’m tempted to revisit), and you’d think our magic wielding maven would be the character least likely to generate interest.<br />
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But first Joshua Reynolds, the creator of Charles St. Cyprian and Ebe Gallowglass and author of their first full length adventure <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Whitechapel-Demon-Josh-Reynolds/dp/1940344042">The Whitechapel Demon</a></i>, requested that I provided a story for the anthology of occult detectives,<i> <a href="http://joshuamreynolds.wordpress.com/2014/02/03/a-grimoire-of-eldritch-inquests/">A Grimoire Of Eldritch Inquests</a></i>. This resulted in my coming up with a little mystery tale involving greed, murder and the undead that, for some frustrating reason, is untitled. Once a title becomes apparent, I promise I will reveal it.<br />
<br />
At the same time, the great Mark Bousquet and I decided to produce<i> Strange And Cozy</i>. This is an anthology of cozy mysteries (think of Agatha Christie) written in different pulp styles. The original idea was for me to contribute a Don Cuevo story, but it became apparent that a Dreamcatcher story would be a better fit. This resulted in me beginning ‘A Bullet For The Bride,’ where Maybelle and her paramore, Colin ‘Black Talon’ Palmersdale travel to the glamorous city of San Cristobal for a wedding....and end up having to solve a locked room mystery! I’m working on that right now, and it should be available in the fall.<br />
<br />
(And if you’re a writer who wants to contribute to our anthology, you can find more information <a href="http://themarkbousquet.com/2014/02/28/strange-cozy-now-accepting-submissions/">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
So those of you who liked <i>New Roads To Hell</i> and can’t wait to read more Shadow Legion should feel secure--there’ll be more Dreamcatcher stories than you can shake a magic wand at soon enough!Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-1902731868945360722014-02-19T07:15:00.001-08:002014-02-19T07:16:32.534-08:00El Cuevo Rides Again In HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD VOLUME THREE!This week, the esteemed Russ Anderson of Pulpworks Press announced the Table of Contents for the third entry in the <i>How The West Was Weird</i> series. Check out this line-up!<br />
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Sorrowful Are the Souls That Sleep With Gold by Derrick Ferguson<br />
A Night In Deadwood by Ian Taylor<br />
The Steam Devil by Joel Jenkins<br />
Ellie Froggett and the Charnel Pit by Dale Glaser<br />
Sit By the Fire by Thomas Deja<br />
Trail's End by Stacy Dooks<br />
The Bone Picker by Kevin Ross<br />
Pater Syn by Matthew Sylvester<br />
The City of Hanged Men by Desmond Reddick<br />
Death Comes For the Anglerfish by James Pratt<br />
The Pulse by Kevin Thornton<br />
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In case you’re wondering, ‘Sit By The Fire’ features the return of frontier exorcist El Cuevo and his beautiful assistant Dolores set in the snowy Rocky Mountains.<br />
<br />
If you haven’t read the first El Cuevo story, you can pick up the first <i>How The West Was Weird </i>on your Kindle <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-West-Weird-Thomas-Deja-ebook/dp/B0047GN7OO/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392822561&sr=1-3">here</a>.<br />
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There’s more exciting news coming, including new stories featuring other members of the Chimera Falls Universe, but that’ll be showing up soon. Stay tuned! <br />
<br />Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-21032045749840825732014-02-08T09:27:00.000-08:002014-02-08T09:27:12.154-08:00Do You Wanna Talk To Me Live And Other UpdatesHey, again, my fellow travelers, and Happy New Year! Sorry for the radio silence. Here's what's going down....<br />
<br />
First off, just a reminder if you haven’t picked it up yet, but <i>New Roads To Hell</i> is still <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615883672/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_asp_GZmNG.18F7B92">available through Amazon </a> and direct from Airship27.com. I hope those of you who bought it enjoyed the first adventure of The Shadow Legion, and rest assured there’s lots more where that came from.<br />
<br />
...like <i>The Shadow Legion Casebook: The Shape of Fears To Come</i>! The book has been finished pending a polish of the last story, ‘A Prayer For The Toy God.’ This is a collection of four short stories, each one highlighting a different hero from the novel. When you buy this amazing book, you’ll witness The Ferryman fighting a bizarre figure over the fate of a young girl; The Nightbreaker learning about the legacy of super-heroes in Nocturne as an old enemy comes looking for his mentor; The Black Talon facing a cult devoted to destroying the protectors of The City That Lives By Night; and The Dreamcatcher trying to unravel a mystery involving a young boy...and encountering the macabre protector of the city’s children. If you’re looking for a preview, be sure to pick up <i>Mystery Men and Women V. 4</i>, which features stories by my good friend Derrick Ferguson and Joel Jenkins, and the first appearance of ‘A Waltz In Scarlet,’ the Ferryman story that will appear in The Casebook.<br />
<br />
Before that comes out, we should see the appearance of <i>Monster Earth 2 </i>from Mechanoid Press, the anthology about an alternative Earth were the super powers wield giant monsters instead of nuclear weapons. This book takes place in the 80‘s and 90‘s, and my contribution, “Giants of Industry,” witnesses an attempt to utilize a genetically created monster fabricated by a corporation to manipulate the affairs of a foreign country. I had the most fun doing research for this story, and I hope you have a much fun reading it.<br />
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Also coming up is ‘Sit By The Fire,’ the new El Cuevo story that will appear in the third and final volume of <i>How The West Was Weird </i>from Pulpworks Press. My hope is to write some more stories featuring my frontier exorcist and his beautiful assistant, with an eye towards producing a new collection in 2015. If you like westerns with a touch of the strange, be sure to pick up the first two volumes of Russ Anderson’s excellent series, which features stories about El Cuevo and the steampunk scientist Doc Thunder.<br />
<br />
And speaking of collections, I have started editing <i>Amazing Alternity Stories, </i>a collection featuring stories about historical personages in unusual roles. This has been on my desk for literally years, and I am glad that it will finally see print from Pulpworks Press.<br />
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I bet some of you might have questions about The Shadow Legion, El Cuevo and the other denizens of The Chimera Falls Universe--and this Wednesday, February 12th, you’ll get the chance! I’ll be appearing on my friend Viktor Aurelius’ podcast <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/viktoraurelius/2014/02/13/whispers-in-the-dark--episode-85">Whispers In The Dark</a>, and I’ll be taking live calls from fans and readers. The show will be live at 9pm, and if you want to call in, do so at (347) 884-9923. I can’t wait to talk to some of you readers and find out what you think of my babies.<br />
<br />
There’s other stuff in the pipeline, including new characters and adventures, but there’ll be more on that as soon as I know. So keep watching this space, and be ready for more from The Chimera Falls Universe!<br />
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Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-27574757367803101292014-01-09T06:10:00.000-08:002014-01-09T06:10:48.099-08:00Meet PlaymateHappy New Year, Nocturners!<br />
<br />
As you all know, I’ve been hard at work trying to close out <i>The Shadow Legion Casebook V. 1.</i> Three of the stories are in house at Airship 27, ready to go--and hopefully you’ll see the Ferryman adventure, ‘A Waltz In Scarlet,’ in the upcoming <i>Mystery Men and Women V. 4</i>--and I’m hard at work on the final tale. I’ve got roughly 8500 words to go before the book is closed out, and I’m really hoping that you’ll have it in your hands by the end of this year.<br />
<br />
One of the cool things you’ll be seeing in this collection are some new characters that will add more depth to the city of Nocturne. Now most of them are villains....but one of them is kinda, sorta a hero. This was one of the characters I had included in my original pitch document I sent to Ron Fortier all those years ago. There was no place for it in <i>New Roads To Hell</i>, but I’ve found a place for it in the new book....and now I’d like to give you a small preview of what’s in store for you, from the unvarnished initial draft of ‘A Prayer For The Toy God.’ Enjoy!<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06;">Standing over them, however, was the true answer. It--if it had a sex, Maybelle could not see any indication--stood over what remained of the men who she assumed had arranged the kidnapping. It was bent over like an animal, but the disturbing thing was how its limbs seemed...fluid. There were no angles in its stance, just curves, as if there were no bones underneath. It was dressed in a badly stained children’s costume, a mockery of her lover’s secret identity with the name ‘Black Talon’ written across its chest in a tiger-striped pattern. The costume was too small, and it was ripped at the seams and frayed at the cuffs. A thin cardboard mask hung from its too-thin neck, this depicting the Talon channeling Brother Lion, ripped at the eyes and mouth.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06;">It had the head of one of the unfortunate criminals in one long-fingered hand. The digits unfurled, allowing the corpse’s skull to fall to the concrete floor with a wet thud. Its head raised up on a stalk-like neck and swiveled around, revealing a mockery of a face, contours fashioned by mismatched swatches and uneven stitches, eyes that could have been black buttons if not for the strange, dim glow within them. A crooked mouth brightly colored like a crayon gash moved in what could be construed as speech. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06;">This, Maybelle knew instinctively, was Playmate.</span><br />
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Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-6364049249581148282013-11-21T10:32:00.000-08:002013-11-21T10:32:38.315-08:00The Periodic Update PostHey, again, my fellow travelers! Sorry for the radio silence. Here's what's going down....<br />
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First off, I want to thank everyone who picked up <i>New Roads To Hell. </i>The first adventure of The Shadow Legion spent the entire month on Barry Reese’s New Pulp Best Seller list, and contributed to one of the best months in the history of Airship 27! If you’ve already read the novel, why don’t you take the time to leave a brief review on Amazon to help other people find the book. Hell--over the next two weeks, I’ll randomly choose a reader who places a review on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615883672/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_asp_GZmNG.18F7B92">Amazon page</a> and gift them with a sampler that contains excerpts from three of the four novellas that will make up <i>The Shadow Legion Casebook</i>! Just be sure to leave a link to your review in the comments below.<br />
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As for <i>The Shadow Legion Casebook</i> itself....a few weeks ago, my present laptop had a bit of a coma (the Best Buy Geek Squad member who helped me called it ‘the Blue Screen of Death’), and had to have its entire hard drive replaced. This resulted in my losing a slew of data, including 6000 words of ‘The Ascension Of Indio Blaque,’ the Black Talon novella. I’m presently doing a rewrite of the 9000 words I still have in anticipation of trying to recreate the rest of the story. Finishing up this book so that it can be released sometime late in 2014 is one of my primary goals.<br />
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Remember--members of The Shadow Legion will be appearing in <i>Mystery Men and Women 4 </i>and <i>5, </i>so if you’re still hungering for more Ferryman, Dreamcatcher and Nightbreaker, be sure to pick those books up.<br />
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Then it’ll be time to gear up for writing the next full length Shadow Legion adventure, <i>Machina Ex Deus</i>. What’s it about? Maybe knowing a little something about Greek Theater may give you a hint!<br />
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I’m presently at the end of my publicity podcast tour. If you’re not tired of hearing me talk about the novel, you can hear me on <a href="http://ggtmc.libsyn.com/episode-262-a-special-thirst">The Gentleman’s Guide To Midnite Cinema</a>,<a href="http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2013/11/20/earth-station-one-episode-189/"> Earth Station One</a> and <a href="http://www.earth-2.net/podcasts/dreadmedia/episodes/dreadmedia_322.mp3">Dread Media</a>!<br />
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There are, of course, other things I’ve been hard at work on. My new Don Cuevo story, ‘Sit By The Fire,’ will be featured in the third volume of <i>How The West Was Weird</i>, available in 2014. I also just submitted the first draft of ‘Giants of Industry,’ my contribution to <i>Monster Earth 2</i>, forthcoming from Mechanoids Press. And I’m going to begin doing research for a novella that will witness my return to writing a blonde daredevil doll I had so much fun writing before! And that’s just the most immediate stuff.<br />
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I hope you’ll keep following the Travel Agency to learn when these and other projects come out.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-67477697474031876092013-10-16T09:54:00.000-07:002013-10-16T09:54:56.417-07:00Secrets Of The Shadow Legion: Their Police Ally's Inspiration Retires!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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By now, I'm sure a lot of you have read some, if not all, of <i>New Roads To Hell. </i><br />
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And I'm sure some of that lot have encountered, at least partially, Detective Munchen, who becomes a friend to The Nightbreaker and an ally to The Shadow Legion in their battle against Rose Red.<br />
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And I'm sure some of that smaller sub-group might have a suspicion that our urbane detective is based on another, more famous urbane detective who holds the record for appearing in more television shows than any other television character.<br />
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You'd be right.<br />
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Today, on the day of Detective John Munch's retirement from his present home as a supporting character on <i>Law And Order: SVU</i>, I can reveal that Detective Munchen was based on Richard Belzer. I've been a fan of Belzer reaching back to his comedian days, and followed his career as a character actor. Back when I was writing fanfiction, I needed a detective character based in Baltimore for GREEN LANTERN: YEAR ONE. Since Belzer was playing John Munch in <i>Homicide: Life On The Streets</i>, I choose to create Munchen as a not-very-subtle tribute to the Belz. And when I wrote FURY OF FIRESTORM for DC Legends and needed a detective character, it made sense to have Muchen transfer to New York as Munch transfered to <i>L&O:SVU</i>. <br />
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Of course, sending my own version of Belz back in time and relocating him to the New Orleans manque that is Nocturne is probably the most audacious thing I've done. But it seemed right, given that Belzer had appeared on two super-hero shows in the past (<i>Lois And Clark </i>and <i>The Flash</i>), to place him in my own super-hero universe. And I admit, he seemed to work real well with The Nightbreaker; so much so that he makes an appearance in 'Ghost of Steel,' the Nightbreaker novella that'll appear in <i>The Shadow Legion Casebook V. 1</i>. <br />
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I don't know if Belzer is aware of his alternative literary version of himself; I hope that if he is aware, he'll realize it was meant as a fond tribute to a performer I love, and look upon it as further proof that John Munch is the glue that holds the pop culture multiverse together.<br />
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Happy retirement, Munch! Hope you enjoy your new posting in Nocturne!Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-82694687649117898852013-10-13T09:14:00.001-07:002013-10-13T09:14:40.662-07:00The Travel Agency Travels To...ZONE 4As part of the NEW ROADS TO HELL Podcastapalooza, I appeared on Zone 4's most recent episode, where John, Ron and Gordon interview me about the book, the city of Nocturne, The Shadow Legion, and writing in general. Check out Episode 238 <a href="http://www.zone4podcast.com/zone-4-episode-238-shadow-legion-new-roads-to-hell/">here</a>!<br />
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Also, in case you missed it, I talked with Ric Croxton and Lee Houston, Jr. on Ric's Comics <a href="http://thebookcave.libsyn.com/ric-s-comics-episode-77-the-shadow-legion">here</a>, and did a little prose back and forth with my BETTER IN THE DARK partner Derrick Ferguson <a href="http://dlferguson-bloodandink.blogspot.com/2013/09/kickin-willy-bobo-with-thomas-deja.html?spref=fb">here</a>.<br />
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Coming up...I'll be talking about the 20th Anniversary of THE X-FILES with the crew of <a href="http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/next-on-earth-station-one-74/">Earth-Station One</a>, and talking about the horrific elements of NEW ROADS with Des Reddick at <a href="http://www.dreadmedia.net/">Dread Media</a>! And there's more coming soon! So don't miss out on a single stop on the Nocturne World Podcast Tour!<br />
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(And maaaaaybe, if you're in the general New York City area, there might be a chance to meet me in person and get a signed copy--keep watch for more developments!)Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-9674635109763151132013-09-19T19:43:00.000-07:002013-09-19T19:43:04.978-07:00Behind The Scenes: The Original Character Notes For The Shadow Legion!<p>Hey, gang. Since the book is now out (and if you haven’t picked up your copy, <a href="http://http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Legion-Roads-Hell-ebook/dp/B00F2RJI7W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379633584&sr=8-1&keywords=Shadow+Legion+New+roads+To+Hell">why haven’t you</a>)?, I thought I’d share part of the original proposal document I sent to Ron Fortier back when he offered to publish New Roads To Hell. This section outlines our quartet of heroes, and presumed a modern day setting for the novel. As you’ll see, some of these characters went through some pretty radical changes as they made their way to the page; there’s even a reference to two who didn’t make the final version of the novel but might debut in the future.
<p>Hope you enjoy this little behind the scenes glimpse, and don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon if you liked the book!
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<p><b>Isaiah Copper, The Nightbreaker</b>
<p>Isiah Copper begins his road to being a hero by being what he is not. As a light skinned black man, Isiah passed himself off as white to gain better access to what society could offer him. As a voice actor, Isiah pretended to be The Nightbreaker, a pulp hero who thrilled the children of Nocturne every Wednesday and Friday night on WDSK.
<p>And his practice of wearing social masks worked; WDSK's owner, Alan Dennings, was planning on exploring the idea of syndicating the Nightbreaker show...and to publicize the move, the station threw a charity ball...
<p>And that's where everything went to Hell.
<p>For you see, the ball was targeted for the debut of the woman calling herself Rose Red, obstensively a robbery, but in reality a distraction for the desperate woman to test her abilties. Just as Alan Dennings was blinded attempting to save the life a family, Isaiah was murdered by the ruthless killer in the second between 11:59 pm and midnight...
<p>And Isaiah discovered that, since he died in the literal ticks between days, he was not going to die ever. He slipped out of phase with reality, neither dead nor alive, a physical being who might as well be a ghost. People on the other side of this schism didn't even recognize he existed unless he concentrated, and even then that recognition would fade the moment he left their presence.
<p>Most people would go insane. But Isaiah chose a different method of coping--by becoming something akin to the mask he hid behind professionally, acting to right wrongs an repel evil in a continuing crusade to prove to the world that yes, he still exist. This has been an uphill battle, although recent innovations in video technology has enabled him to be caught on camera as a smudgy, ill-defined form...so the story of man dressed as an old-time radio hero has been added to the library of weird and mystical stories that make up Noctune's heritage.
<p>Luckily, there is another group of people who can perceive and interact with. Those people who are sensitive to mystical energies are able to perceive Isaiah's presence constantly. This is an island of relief to our friend, knowing there are people out there who do recognize he exists as more than a legend. He may become the one member of this Legion who actually thinks this is a formal Legion.
<p><b>Alan Dennings,The Ferryman</b>
<p>Even though he was left alive after trying to prevent the death of occultist Maybelle Tremens (the grandaunt of April, and maybe one of the reasons her descendant has become the equivalent of a mystical bug zapper) at that Halloween Charity Ball, but Alan Dennings might as well have died.
<p>Yes, he attempted to carry on with his career in spite of his blindness...but the voices started. Voices that registered in the back of his head, voices telling their stories and demanding he deliver vengeance. There were so many, and when Alan tried to ignore them, they just got louder until he couldn't hear what was going on in the real world. Alan quickly was ousted by his investors from WDSK, was evicted from his home and took to wandering the streets....
<p>...where he was found by the retired Black Talon, Colin Palmersdale. Having struggled with the Talon's own curse, Colin was able to train Alan to master his condition, and endeavored to bring him back from the brink of insanity.
<p>Colin Palmersdale failed. All he succeeded in doing was give Alan the means to transcend his mortal form and become something greater...something that allows him to assuage those voices. With each transgression he avenges for them, he lives a little longer, his body held in a sort of mystically sanctioned stasis until every last one of these voices are satisfied.
<p>Alan is...well, he's not well at all...
<p><b>April Tremens, Dreamcatcher</b>
<p>To the Narrow World, April Tremens is a mentally ill young woman who suffers from one of the most extreme forms of Disassociative Personality Disorder known to man. Psychiatrists have mapped out a staggering amount of personalities in April, almost all of them malevolent. Even with heavy medication, these personalities manifest--but they are at least managable.
<p>The Wide World, the world that the Shadow Legion operates in, know better.
<p>April Tremens' codename is equal parts sarcastic and ironic. Just as a dreamcatcher is supposed to catch nightmares in its web before they get to the dreamer, April Tremens is a giant paranormal scoop, catching demons and other malignant supernatural entities inside her corporeal form before they can manifest on our plane and wreck havoc. Having all these monstrosities rattling around inside her head has driven her hopelessly insane, and only a heroic effort on her part allows her to retain control of her body the majority of the time.
<p>Oddly enough, April is a vital resource to the Legion, as she has a unique insight into the way evil works. I envision her allowing one of the myriad entities to surface so her fellows can gain knowledge that will help them in their battles. Also, I figure having mystical creatures literally dwelling inside her has given April a working practical knowledge of magic. She can do minor spells at will...and as she gains a modicum of freedom through her association with the Legion, those abilities will grow.
<p>I also envision a sort of strange, symbiotic relationship between April, mentally disabled by the constant war she wages in her mind against these unwelcome lodgers, and Playmate, drawn to the delicate young woman due to its instinctive motivation to protect children. This might be what keeps the strange creature around, cooperating with the adults it usually shuns.
<p>Oh, and sadly, Ron--April will most likely be the one Legionnaire who will not have a costume or unform...although I imagine Playmate might try to make one for her, and fail, down the line.
<p><b>Mawbry Palmersdale, The Black Talon</b>
<p>For centuries, the Black Talon has been the enforcer of The Circle, the strange morphogenetic field that binds all life of earth. The Talon wears a ceremonial tribal mask that allows him to tap into the Circle's abilities, borrowing specific animal traits to give him special abilities. A Talon can briefly become as strong as an elephant, agile like a cheetah or blend into the background like a chameleon. However, accessing a single ability for too long allows the Circle's representative to leave a little of itself in the user, resulting ultimately in physiological changes in the wearer. Each Talon ultimately has to be put down when his body becomes twisted into an impossible patchwork of animal traits.
<p>For the last two hundred years, the custodian of the Talon legacy has been the Palmersdale family, and for the last eighty of those years the Palmersdales have called The City That Lives By Night home. And the Palmersdales have had a rather unique hand in shaping the Legion through the years...
<p>It was a Palmersdale who tried to save Alan Dennings from becoming the Ferryman. It was a Palmersdale who gave shelter to the Tremens family when they fell on hard times in the 80's. It was a Palmersdale sponsorship which allowed Tsura Boswell to go to law school, and a Palmersdale who suggested she use her pyrokine abilities to benefit others. One would almost think that the Circle wants there to be a unified force of protectors in this small Gulf Coast city....Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-47379740442167904472013-09-16T17:53:00.000-07:002013-09-16T17:53:21.806-07:00Cap'n Ron Fortier Visits THE NOCTURNE TRAVEL AGENCY!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjCV8dRB9hjog0ve2qud6l6dYKlKHoXXwNQxFpzYFM019fRTOi1HZE9rfrGvm9yiQ1NcbaykRwNfEKGYmEHpX6KEgLcQN8MFX6vL2MK2GSiHDMCGCb3HN-uRYpdunt8c7mKW7oiEwlqk/s1600/ntap-03-cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjCV8dRB9hjog0ve2qud6l6dYKlKHoXXwNQxFpzYFM019fRTOi1HZE9rfrGvm9yiQ1NcbaykRwNfEKGYmEHpX6KEgLcQN8MFX6vL2MK2GSiHDMCGCb3HN-uRYpdunt8c7mKW7oiEwlqk/s320/ntap-03-cover.png" width="320" /></a>Just in time for the release of <b>New Roads To Hell</b>, I sit down with the man behind Airship 27, Ron Fortier to talk about his distinguished career as a comic book writer, author and publisher! Listen to it<a href="http://archive.org/download/NocturneTravelAgencyPodcastEpisode3/Nocturne%20Travel%20Agency%20Podcast%20-%20Episode%20%233.mp3"> here!</a>Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-10140512442210157522013-09-15T05:14:00.000-07:002013-09-15T05:14:39.607-07:00NEW ROADS TO HELL is finally here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Airship 27 Productions is excited to debut the first of a new line of pulp-superhero books with, <b>SHADOW LEGION – New Roads to Hell</b> as written and created by Thomas Deja.<br />
“Thomas proposed this idea to me last year,” explains Airship 27 Managing Editor Ron Fortier, “and I thought it contained fascinating perspectives on the whole idea of supernatural beings.”<br />
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“Every sci-fi, pulp fan knows comic book superheroes evolved from the pulps heroes,” Fortier goes on to say. “The idea of turning the tables and doing prose stories of superheroes isn’t anything new and there have been several publishers who have explored that hybrid world recently. We didn’t want to copy what others had done; which is why <b>SHADOW LEGION </b>appealed to me in the first place. In creating the city of Nocturne and its unique characters, Thomas has put a decidedly fresh spin on this genre and we think our readers are really going to enjoy these adventures.”<br />
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There has always been something strange about Nocturne, Florida; the City That Lives by Night. It is an entertainment nexus luring tourist from around the world to its night clubs, music venues and other, more adult entertainment venues. But there is a darker side to which these carefree revelers never see; one of dark doings, violence and eldritch evil.<br />
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Now a new sinister force threatens Nocturne and only a handful of unique, gifted beings can protect the city’s innocent. <br />
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<i>Nightbreaker; </i>a radio star turned vigilante, he exist in a strange limbo world.<br />
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The beautiful <i>Dreamcatcher </i>who bends all magic to her will. <br />
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The mysterious <i>Ferryman, </i>a living conduit to the world beyond! <br />
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And their leader, <i>Black Talon, </i>the embodiment of the unfettered fury of the African Veldt...stalking a jungle of concrete and glass!<br />
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Together they are<b> The Shadow Legion,</b> a secret alliance of mystery men and women who battle the fantastic threats that can tear apart the metropolis they call home!<br />
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Their saga begins here in <b>New Roads To Hell,</b> a gripping novel by Thomas Deja that reveals the secret origins of Nightbreaker and Ferrymen, and features the menace of Rose Red, a crimson haired devil with a talent for murder! The book features interior illustrations by Chris Kemple and a cover by Pulp Factory Award winning artist, Mike Fyles with designs by Rob Davis, another PFA art winner.<br />
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AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – New Pulp Fiction for a New Generation!<br />
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Now available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Legion-New-Roads-Hell/dp/0615883672/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378817231&sr=1-1&keywords=Shadow+Legion+New+Roads+To+Hell">Amazon.com</a> & on Kindle.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-56213637815105963532013-09-09T17:48:00.000-07:002013-09-09T17:48:06.246-07:00Be Ready On September 16th........because what you've all been waiting for will finally be here.<br />
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(And trust me, by 'you' I include me. Hell, I think I'm the most anxious of all).<br />
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See you in about a week.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6633976059030370311.post-85691813944795095642013-08-29T05:20:00.001-07:002013-08-29T05:20:29.885-07:00Sorry For The Delay....Here’s why I’ve been silent for a while.<br />
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Over the last few weeks, I turned in both ‘Sit By The Fire’ and<i> Amazing Alternity Stories </i>to Pulpworks Press. <br />
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‘Sit By The Fire’ is a new Don Cuevo story told from a unique viewpoint. If you liked 'Don Cuevo’s Curative,’ from the first volume of <i>How The West Was Weird</i>, you may enjoy the further clues this story gives as to the nature of our frontier exorcist and his comely assistant. I think I may make one of my goals for next year to write a few more Cuevo stories with an eye towards compiling a collection of them for 2015 when I’m not working on my next novel; hell, a third tale formed so quickly in my mind I’ve started writing down the initial licks.<br />
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I personally am relieved that <i>Amazing Alternity Stories </i>has been delivered to its publisher. There have been nights I’ve had dreams of me and Harlan Ellison sitting on a bench in the afterlife with manuscripts chained to our spirits--his being <i>The Last Dangerous Visions</i>, and mine being <i>Amazing Alternity Stories. </i>I am so grateful to the quartet behind Pulpworks Press for their patience when it came to this anthology, and am so glad that all the writers who showed faith in my for all these years will finally see their work brought to the public.<br />
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(And I think this book will mark the end of my career as an editor....)<br />
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As for other things...well, ‘The Town That Hated Santa,’ the Doc Thunder story for this year’s <i>Pulpworks Christmas Annual </i>continues apace. I’m still working on ‘Giants of Industry,’ the story for <i>Monster Earth 2</i>. I’ve started work on that story for that project I’m not allowed to talk about juuuuust yet.<br />
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That leaves The Shadow Legion stuff. I think I can safely announce that one of the stories that will ultimately appear in <i>The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One</i>, the Ferryman story ‘A Waltz In Scarlet,’ will be featured in <i>Mystery Men And Women Volume Four...</i>and another of the stories might appear in the fifth volume of that series from Airship 27.<br />
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Right now I’m holding off on finishing the Dreamcatcher story for the Casebook. Part of that is because of the more pressing deadlines for <i>Monster Earth 2</i> and the other project...and the implied short deadline for the Doc Thunder story. But the other reason is that I realized that ‘Amongst Monsters,’ which I was over halfway done with, is going to make a much better fit for what I want to do with the second novel. My intention is to focus primarily on the legacy of Black Talon in that novel, as well as some new additions to the cast, and the threat for the story works much better in concert with that. That means it’s back to square one for my Dreamcatcher tale. I think I have a good idea for a replacement tale that will hit the same beats as the story it’s replacing, but I’ll only know until I start back up.<br />
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Incidentally, the Dreamcatcher story has proven to be the most difficult. There are story fragments from two, maybe three previous attempts. Maybe if Airship 27 is willing to do it, I’ll provide some excerpts as a ‘CD Extra.’<br />
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Keep an eye on this blog, folks. There is going to be a very, very big announcement coming up very soon.Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404896748431996295noreply@blogger.com0