First some news:
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
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....
NEW ROADS TO HELL
“Ghosts of Steel” (in THE SHAPE OF FEARS TO COME...portions of this story actually happen concurrently with NEW ROADS TO HELL)
“A Waltz In Scarlet” (in THE SHAPES OF FEARS TO COME and MYSTERY MEN AND WOMEN V. 4)
“Body of Proof: (in A GRIMOIRE OF ELDRITCH INQUESTS)
“A Bullet For The Bride” (in STRANGE AND COZY)
MACHINA EX DEUS
“The Ascension of Indio Blaque" (in THE SHAPES OF FEARS TO COME)
THE ELEMENTAL FURIES (Tentative title for Book 4)
“A Prayer For The Toy God” (in THE SHAPE OF FEARS TO COME)
THE BLOOD STAINED LOA (Tentative title for Book 5)
“A Game of Heads” (in MACHINA EX DEUS)
“The Fiend In The Factory” (in PULPWORKS HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2016)
“Jolly With A Pistol” (in PULPWORKS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2014)
Obviously, this is not hard and fast. The chronological order may change given new stories and how the next few books develop.
Check in to find out more about the upcoming books....
Showing posts with label Airship 27. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airship 27. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2016
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
The Shadow Legion Time Line!
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 Machina Ex Deus hits the stands, hopefully sometime late in 2015 or early in 2016.
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.
So, as of October 2014, here’s the proper reading order of The Shadow Legion Series:
1. New Roads To Hell
2. “Ghost of Steel” (Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come; portions of the story happen concurrent to New Roads To Hell; publication date TBA, Airship 27 Press)
3. “A Bullet For The Bride” (Strange and Cozy, coming late 2014, Atomic Anxiety Press)
4. “Body of Proof” (A Grimoire of Eldritch Inquests, publication date TBA, Embry Press)
5. “A Waltz In Scarlet” (Mystery Men and Women V. 4/Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come; publication date TBA, Airship 27 Press)
6. “A Prayer For The Toy God” (Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come)
7. “The Ascension Of Indio Blaque” (Shadow Legion: The Shape Of Fears To Come)
8. “Jolly With A Pistol” (The 2014 Pulpworks Christmas Annual; coming late 2014, Pulpworks Press)
9. Machina Ex Deus (Airship 27; publication date TBA)
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 A Grinoire of Eldritch Inquests), but this is how you should read the series if you're doing so in order.
Friday, June 27, 2014
ANOTHER PERIODIC UPDATE POST
Good afternoon! As we enter into summer, I continue to be busy, and Dreamcatcher is primary in my mind.
Right now I’m doing the rewrites on ‘A Bullet For The Bride,’ a new Dreamcatcher locked room mystery for Strange And Cozy. 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.
The other major Dreamcatcher project I’m working on is ‘Jolly With A Pistol,’ a Christmas tale for the Pulpworks Christmas Annual 2014. 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!
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, Machina Ex Deus. 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.
As for Shadow Legion: The Shape of Fears To Come, 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 Mystery Men and Women 4, 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!
(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!)
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.
So don’t worry, pals and gals. There will be plenty of new stuff coming from me in future months. Keep watching this space.
Right now I’m doing the rewrites on ‘A Bullet For The Bride,’ a new Dreamcatcher locked room mystery for Strange And Cozy. 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.
The other major Dreamcatcher project I’m working on is ‘Jolly With A Pistol,’ a Christmas tale for the Pulpworks Christmas Annual 2014. 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!
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, Machina Ex Deus. 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.
As for Shadow Legion: The Shape of Fears To Come, 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 Mystery Men and Women 4, 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!
(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!)
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.
So don’t worry, pals and gals. There will be plenty of new stuff coming from me in future months. Keep watching this space.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Meet Playmate
Happy New Year, Nocturners!
As you all know, I’ve been hard at work trying to close out The Shadow Legion Casebook V. 1. 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 Mystery Men and Women V. 4--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.
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 New Roads To Hell, 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!
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.
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.
This, Maybelle knew instinctively, was Playmate.
As you all know, I’ve been hard at work trying to close out The Shadow Legion Casebook V. 1. 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 Mystery Men and Women V. 4--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.
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 New Roads To Hell, 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!
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.
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.
This, Maybelle knew instinctively, was Playmate.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
The Periodic Update Post
Hey, again, my fellow travelers! Sorry for the radio silence. Here's what's going down....
First off, I want to thank everyone who picked up New Roads To Hell. 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 Amazon page and gift them with a sampler that contains excerpts from three of the four novellas that will make up The Shadow Legion Casebook! Just be sure to leave a link to your review in the comments below.
As for The Shadow Legion Casebook 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.
Remember--members of The Shadow Legion will be appearing in Mystery Men and Women 4 and 5, so if you’re still hungering for more Ferryman, Dreamcatcher and Nightbreaker, be sure to pick those books up.
Then it’ll be time to gear up for writing the next full length Shadow Legion adventure, Machina Ex Deus. What’s it about? Maybe knowing a little something about Greek Theater may give you a hint!
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 The Gentleman’s Guide To Midnite Cinema, Earth Station One and Dread Media!
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 How The West Was Weird, available in 2014. I also just submitted the first draft of ‘Giants of Industry,’ my contribution to Monster Earth 2, 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.
I hope you’ll keep following the Travel Agency to learn when these and other projects come out.
First off, I want to thank everyone who picked up New Roads To Hell. 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 Amazon page and gift them with a sampler that contains excerpts from three of the four novellas that will make up The Shadow Legion Casebook! Just be sure to leave a link to your review in the comments below.
As for The Shadow Legion Casebook 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.
Remember--members of The Shadow Legion will be appearing in Mystery Men and Women 4 and 5, so if you’re still hungering for more Ferryman, Dreamcatcher and Nightbreaker, be sure to pick those books up.
Then it’ll be time to gear up for writing the next full length Shadow Legion adventure, Machina Ex Deus. What’s it about? Maybe knowing a little something about Greek Theater may give you a hint!
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 The Gentleman’s Guide To Midnite Cinema, Earth Station One and Dread Media!
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 How The West Was Weird, available in 2014. I also just submitted the first draft of ‘Giants of Industry,’ my contribution to Monster Earth 2, 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.
I hope you’ll keep following the Travel Agency to learn when these and other projects come out.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Cap'n Ron Fortier Visits THE NOCTURNE TRAVEL AGENCY!
Just in time for the release of New Roads To Hell, 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 here!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
NEW ROADS TO HELL is finally here!
“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.”
“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 SHADOW LEGION 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.”
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.
Now a new sinister force threatens Nocturne and only a handful of unique, gifted beings can protect the city’s innocent.
Nightbreaker; a radio star turned vigilante, he exist in a strange limbo world.
The beautiful Dreamcatcher who bends all magic to her will.
The mysterious Ferryman, a living conduit to the world beyond!
And their leader, Black Talon, the embodiment of the unfettered fury of the African Veldt...stalking a jungle of concrete and glass!
Together they are The Shadow Legion, a secret alliance of mystery men and women who battle the fantastic threats that can tear apart the metropolis they call home!
Their saga begins here in New Roads To Hell, 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.
AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – New Pulp Fiction for a New Generation!
Now available at Amazon.com & on Kindle.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Be Ready On September 16th....
....because what you've all been waiting for will finally be here.
(And trust me, by 'you' I include me. Hell, I think I'm the most anxious of all).
See you in about a week.
(And trust me, by 'you' I include me. Hell, I think I'm the most anxious of all).
See you in about a week.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Sorry For The Delay....
Here’s why I’ve been silent for a while.
Over the last few weeks, I turned in both ‘Sit By The Fire’ and Amazing Alternity Stories to Pulpworks Press.
‘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 How The West Was Weird, 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.
I personally am relieved that Amazing Alternity Stories 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 The Last Dangerous Visions, and mine being Amazing Alternity Stories. 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.
(And I think this book will mark the end of my career as an editor....)
As for other things...well, ‘The Town That Hated Santa,’ the Doc Thunder story for this year’s Pulpworks Christmas Annual continues apace. I’m still working on ‘Giants of Industry,’ the story for Monster Earth 2. I’ve started work on that story for that project I’m not allowed to talk about juuuuust yet.
That leaves The Shadow Legion stuff. I think I can safely announce that one of the stories that will ultimately appear in The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One, the Ferryman story ‘A Waltz In Scarlet,’ will be featured in Mystery Men And Women Volume Four...and another of the stories might appear in the fifth volume of that series from Airship 27.
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 Monster Earth 2 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.
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.’
Keep an eye on this blog, folks. There is going to be a very, very big announcement coming up very soon.
Over the last few weeks, I turned in both ‘Sit By The Fire’ and Amazing Alternity Stories to Pulpworks Press.
‘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 How The West Was Weird, 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.
I personally am relieved that Amazing Alternity Stories 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 The Last Dangerous Visions, and mine being Amazing Alternity Stories. 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.
(And I think this book will mark the end of my career as an editor....)
As for other things...well, ‘The Town That Hated Santa,’ the Doc Thunder story for this year’s Pulpworks Christmas Annual continues apace. I’m still working on ‘Giants of Industry,’ the story for Monster Earth 2. I’ve started work on that story for that project I’m not allowed to talk about juuuuust yet.
That leaves The Shadow Legion stuff. I think I can safely announce that one of the stories that will ultimately appear in The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One, the Ferryman story ‘A Waltz In Scarlet,’ will be featured in Mystery Men And Women Volume Four...and another of the stories might appear in the fifth volume of that series from Airship 27.
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 Monster Earth 2 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.
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.’
Keep an eye on this blog, folks. There is going to be a very, very big announcement coming up very soon.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The Periodic Update Post
Sorry for the delay, my fellow travelers, but trust me...I have lots to tell you about.
First off, I’m roughly five thousand words away from closing out The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One. The last story to be completed will be ‘Amongst Monsters,’ which sees Maybelle Tremens, the psychic detective known as Dreamcatcher, comes to the aid of a brand new hero whose encounter with a hideous creature has led them to a veritable house of horrors! You will learn a lot about Maybelle and what sets her apart from her fellow Shadow Legionnaires mentally, emotionally and physically while also getting more glimpses of the menace that will be looming over the city of Nocturne in the next two novels, which are tenatively titled Machina Ex Deus and Urban Inferno!
I also recently finish the preliminary draft for ‘Sit By The Fire’ (the title may change), the first new Don Cuevo story in years. An old man is visited by our frontier exorcist and his beautiful assistant during one of the nastiest snowstorms in memory. The old man serves them some food and is willing to let them warm up....but Cuevo has some suspicions about the man’s hospitality and a mission he must carry out. I know where I’d like for this story to go, but I don’t want to jinx it by saying much more.
Now onto things still being worked on...
You’ve probably already seen the announcement that I am the one new author to play in the worlds of Monster Earth for it’s second collection. The story I’m working on is called ‘Giants of Industry,’ and I’ll tell you more as we get closer to completion.
Then there’s ‘The Town That Hated Santa Claus,’ the new Doc Thunder story that’s slated to appear in this year’s Pulpworks Press Christmas Annual. I’m roughly two thousand words in, and the story might be self-explanatory from the title, as Elias Thunder responds to a curious letter to Saint Nick from a child, teaming up with a mysterious stranger to visit a small town that shuns the holidays.
There’s also a third project that I was just invited to. I can’t go into details just yet, but I will say it plays into one of my great passions (one that I devote an entire blog to, in fact) and it’s one I’m looking forward to letting loose on!
Since these three projects have roughly the same deadline (October or thereabouts), I’ll be focusing on them before returning to The Shadow Legion Casebook and The Adventures of Tao Jones. Plus, there’s the other project that needs a little explanation....
Several years ago, I proposed a short story anthology to Pulpworks Press called Amazing Alternity Stories, a collection of tales in alternate universes where famous personages took very different paths. Amongst the tales pitched to me and turned in were ones where Abraham Lincoln was a crime-busting boxer, Charles Darwin was an intergalactic lawman; Winston Churchill was a spy; Barack Obama was a masked avenger; and a number more (although I will admit I regret that the writer who pitched the story featuring George Carlin as a Vietnam-era fighter pilot never submitted anything). I asked for a few rewrites....
And then I stalled. I can’t honestly say why the progress on the anthology stopped so dead for so long. When I got the opportunity to write New Roads To Hell, the collective brain trust behind Pulpworks Press took the project off their production slate and asked me to concentrate on the novel.
Well, the novel’s been finished for a while. The second book is just about done. I had an idea for what will become my second novel I was looking for a home for. Pulpworks Press wanted to do it, but we both knew there was a big ol’ elephant in the room that needed to be put behind us....
Thus, Alternity Lives!
I am in the process of compiling the stories into the final manuscript. God willing, you’ll see it this winter!
So yes, it’s true. I’ve got a lot on my plate. And hopefully, you’ll all enjoy what I serve up in the coming months!
First off, I’m roughly five thousand words away from closing out The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One. The last story to be completed will be ‘Amongst Monsters,’ which sees Maybelle Tremens, the psychic detective known as Dreamcatcher, comes to the aid of a brand new hero whose encounter with a hideous creature has led them to a veritable house of horrors! You will learn a lot about Maybelle and what sets her apart from her fellow Shadow Legionnaires mentally, emotionally and physically while also getting more glimpses of the menace that will be looming over the city of Nocturne in the next two novels, which are tenatively titled Machina Ex Deus and Urban Inferno!
I also recently finish the preliminary draft for ‘Sit By The Fire’ (the title may change), the first new Don Cuevo story in years. An old man is visited by our frontier exorcist and his beautiful assistant during one of the nastiest snowstorms in memory. The old man serves them some food and is willing to let them warm up....but Cuevo has some suspicions about the man’s hospitality and a mission he must carry out. I know where I’d like for this story to go, but I don’t want to jinx it by saying much more.
Now onto things still being worked on...
You’ve probably already seen the announcement that I am the one new author to play in the worlds of Monster Earth for it’s second collection. The story I’m working on is called ‘Giants of Industry,’ and I’ll tell you more as we get closer to completion.
Then there’s ‘The Town That Hated Santa Claus,’ the new Doc Thunder story that’s slated to appear in this year’s Pulpworks Press Christmas Annual. I’m roughly two thousand words in, and the story might be self-explanatory from the title, as Elias Thunder responds to a curious letter to Saint Nick from a child, teaming up with a mysterious stranger to visit a small town that shuns the holidays.
There’s also a third project that I was just invited to. I can’t go into details just yet, but I will say it plays into one of my great passions (one that I devote an entire blog to, in fact) and it’s one I’m looking forward to letting loose on!
Since these three projects have roughly the same deadline (October or thereabouts), I’ll be focusing on them before returning to The Shadow Legion Casebook and The Adventures of Tao Jones. Plus, there’s the other project that needs a little explanation....
Several years ago, I proposed a short story anthology to Pulpworks Press called Amazing Alternity Stories, a collection of tales in alternate universes where famous personages took very different paths. Amongst the tales pitched to me and turned in were ones where Abraham Lincoln was a crime-busting boxer, Charles Darwin was an intergalactic lawman; Winston Churchill was a spy; Barack Obama was a masked avenger; and a number more (although I will admit I regret that the writer who pitched the story featuring George Carlin as a Vietnam-era fighter pilot never submitted anything). I asked for a few rewrites....
And then I stalled. I can’t honestly say why the progress on the anthology stopped so dead for so long. When I got the opportunity to write New Roads To Hell, the collective brain trust behind Pulpworks Press took the project off their production slate and asked me to concentrate on the novel.
Well, the novel’s been finished for a while. The second book is just about done. I had an idea for what will become my second novel I was looking for a home for. Pulpworks Press wanted to do it, but we both knew there was a big ol’ elephant in the room that needed to be put behind us....
Thus, Alternity Lives!
I am in the process of compiling the stories into the final manuscript. God willing, you’ll see it this winter!
So yes, it’s true. I’ve got a lot on my plate. And hopefully, you’ll all enjoy what I serve up in the coming months!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Coming Soon....
As we get closer and closer to the release of New Roads To Hell, the first Shadow Legion novel from Airship 27, a bunch of my friends and I got together and made an old-school audio promo! You can download it here!
I want to thank my cast for stepping up. To wit:
Narrator: William Robinson
Gunsel: Paul Herrman
Black Talon: Kelen Conley
Gloria: Rachel Bailey
Nightbreaker: Michael Bailey
Ferryman: Desmond Reddick
Dreamcatcher: Trelina Gonzalez Anderson
Rose Red: Megan Reddick
Johnny Seven: Andew Leyland
Kelen Conley also provided the musical bed. Let's all give them a round of applause!
I'll have more goodies for you to enjoy as we get closer to the release date...so stay tuned!
I want to thank my cast for stepping up. To wit:
Narrator: William Robinson
Gunsel: Paul Herrman
Black Talon: Kelen Conley
Gloria: Rachel Bailey
Nightbreaker: Michael Bailey
Ferryman: Desmond Reddick
Dreamcatcher: Trelina Gonzalez Anderson
Rose Red: Megan Reddick
Johnny Seven: Andew Leyland
Kelen Conley also provided the musical bed. Let's all give them a round of applause!
I'll have more goodies for you to enjoy as we get closer to the release date...so stay tuned!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
ALL STAR PULP COMICS #2 Is Here!
AIRSHIP 27 presensts
ALL STAR PULP COMICS # 2
(Portion of Profits Goes to Boston Red Cross)
Airship 27 Productions has once again teamed with Redbud Studio comics to release the second in their on-going pulp comics anthology. The first giant issue in this series won the coveted Pulp Ark Award for Best Pulp Comic of 2010.
Volume two of the series, co-edited by creators Ron Fortier and Rob Davis, is even bigger than that stellar premier issue. Contained here are eight stories featuring both modern and classic pulp heroes; Ki-Gor the Jungle Lord, the Black Bat, Cain, Robin Hood, Lance Star, Brothers Bones, Dillon and Domino Lady.
The cover is by Will Meugniot and features Ki-Gor’s lovely mate, Helene, battling back to back with Derrick Ferguson’s modern day adventurer, Dillon. Other creators represented are Russ Anderson, Fortier, Davis, Ian Watson, Thomas Deja, Michelle Sciuto, Sean Taylor, Aaron Meade, Todd Jones, Lee Oaks, James Gaubatz, Van Plexico,
Andrew Salmon and Kelly Everaert.
The book is available from Indy Planet.com and part of the proceeds are being donated to the Boston Red Cross. “We were the last stages of assembling the book,” explains Editor Foriter, “when the Patriots’ Day bombings occurred in Boston. All of us, like the rest of the country, were in shock and felt helpless to do anything.” It was writer Van Plexico who contacted Fortier about possibly offering some of the sales proceeds to help those injured in the terror attack. “The second Van brought up, I knew it was something we had to do,” Fortier continues. He contacted Davis and all the creators and the decision was made to take all the profits earned by the book during its first six months in print and donate them to the Boston Red Cross.
“We truly hope our fans, when they learn of this idea, will want to rally around a truly good cause and help us put sales over the top,” adds co-editor Rob Davis. “We really want this to be the best selling title Redbud Studio has ever produced.”
The issue is now on sale at –(http://www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=8450)
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Pssssst....Wanna See Something Cool?
Remember a while ago, when I revealed that California-based artist Chris Kemple was going to be providing the interior illustrations for New Roads To Hell?
Well, yesterday, Captain Ron Fortier lit down from good ol’ Airship 27, and he was bearing this gift--one of the nine illustrations that will add heat to the Shadow Legion’s initial adventure. Here we see his version of Nightbreaker going all Babe Ruth (or maybe I should say Jackie Robinson?) on a couple of thugs with a handy tree branch!
We’re well on track for the release of this novel (and I’m 10,000 words away from finishing up the second book in the series, The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One), so there will be more news and goodies in the near future. Keep an eye on the Travel Agency, Airship 27, and the Nocturne Facebook Page to get in on everything about The Shadow Legion, Tao Jones, the Pulpworks Weird Western Heroes, and more!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
The Periodic Update Post
Hey, again, my fellow travelers! Here's what's going down....
Two more of the three stories for The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume 1 are done.
One is 'Ghosts of Steel,' the Nightbreaker tale, which is going through its polish phase before I send it off to Cap’n Ron at Airship 27. This has shaped up to be both the most pulp and the most superheroic of the four stories, as our pistol packing protector comes to the aid of a young heiress is the target of a decade-long vendetta. This is going to be pure action with Isaiah Copper fighting all sorts of mechanical horrors manufactured by the insidious Dr. Creole. Plus you’ll learn more about the history of vigilantes in Nocturne’s past and see the debut of Nightbreaker’s signature weapon, the Multi-gun!
More importantly, however, is that ‘Ghosts of Steel’ gave me a chance to fill in something I had to leave out of New Roads To Hell. You’ll learn how Nightbreaker gained control of his powers and developed the fighting style that will become his signature. I originally had scenes addressing this in the initial draft of the novel, but cut them due to flow and time constraints. Now, through this story, I get to share this angle with you.
The other completed story is ‘The Ascension of Indio Blaque,’ which will be the Black Talon story in this volume. In this tale you’ll see Talon at the mercy of a cult headed by the titular Indio Blaque. Talon will find himself without the powers given him by The Circle as he combats the sinister cult leader and his crusade to stave off a disaster by killing off every superhero in Nocturne!
You’ll notice that I’ve not used the original subtitle for the Casebook, Four For Danger. That’s because I’ve experienced another happy accident. Namely, I’ve noticed how even though each story can be read on its own, certain elements carry through the stories that will give you a greater sense of the world The Shadow Legion will exist in. You’ll see the creation of the fifth (and the seeds for the sixth!) member of Nocturne’s heroic community, the introduction of the threats that will plague the Legionnaires in the next two novels, more about the history of the city, and other goodies. My goal has always been to create a fully realized world which authors--both myself and others--can tell super-hero stories, and a lot of what you’ll learn goes to bringing Nocturne and its environs to vivid life. But that means that the collection needs a title that ties into the theme a little more. And once I have it, I’ll announce it right here.
Once I finish the final story in the collection, I’m going to concentrate on a few other things, primarily The Adventures of Tao Jones for Pro Se Press and the new Doc Thunder story for Pulpworks Press. I do want to write something else before beginning the second Shadow Legion novel. I don’t want to say much, as it’s still coalescing in my mind, but I will say this...if the Legion is my tip of the hat to The Defenders, then the new project is my way of genuflecting towards another famous Legion. More as it develops!
I’m now going to go and do my final prep for the first Nocturne Travel Agency podcast, where I sit down and talk with famed fantasy author Richard Lee Byers about his super-hero e-book series, The Imposter! Talk to you soon!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
The Periodic Update Post
Hey, folks--I got some crazy stuff for you this time around...starting with this photo.
Yes, that's me. I'm posing with sword and gun props designed by my dear friend Dave Lugo. Dave's passion is munitions, and he specializes in creating these cool pulp weapon props...and he's going to be making props of such key weapons in my stories as The Nightbreaker's Multi-Gun, and Tao Jones' exotic blades. I'll be sharing his progress with you as he moves forward on this, and if I come to a show in your town, you might be able to see them up close and personal! Check out Vortexx Press, the site Dave runs with his son, and take a look at some of his props and sculpture.
What's that you say? The Multi-Gun? Well, in the last two weeks I've been riding a real creativity tsunami surrounding the Nightbreaker story, which I'm now calling 'Ghosts of Steel.' And it all began when I realized that the story I was struggling with was also the story I had started out to write, 'The Tick Tock Men.' The biggest flaw with that original version was that I had our hero in the status quo I wanted him in, and didn't realize the story was about how he got to that status quo. The Multi-Gun is a key part of that movement to where I want Isaiah Copper to be when I begin writing The Devil's Toybox, and it'll make its debut in this very same story!
(and because David Lugo's knowledge of weaponry is the best, bar none, he's been giving me some good background on how the Multi-Gun could work, and what parts would be used to build it...I hope this will create a veracity in future Shadow Legion stories and novels that will wow the fans!)
I'm also making slow progress on The Adventures of Tao Jones, my contribution to the Sovereign City Universe...plus I'm working on two new short stories for each of my Weird West characters, Doc Thunder and El Cuevo. You'll definitely be seeing the Doc Thunder story at the end of this year...and as for the El Cuevo story, well, you'll know as soon as I do.
And, as with last time, let me direct you to some coolness I've been listening to and reading of late.
The 'listening to' is John Anealio, who writes these cool science fiction and geek-related songs. John's been doing a project he calls '23 in '13,' where he vowing to write a new song every two weeks for the whole year--and these songs are free to download and listen to! Check out his blog.
Finally, in the nonfiction groove, I've been digging Epic Fail: Bad Art, Viral Fame and The History of The Worst Thing Ever by Mark O'Connell, a discussion of how we tend to obsess over examples of unintentionally awful art, from the world's worst novelist to Rebecca Black's amatuer teen pop. O'Connell is a very engaging writer who has a lot to say about this recent phenomenon--and how that phenomenon is not so recent after all. It's a Kindle Single, which means it's a short and entertaining read....and it's only two bucks.
Well, time to get back to work....talk to you soon!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Periodic Update Post
Hey, pals and gals...I'm sorry for the radio silence. I've been doing some big things in my private life, including making arrangements to finally get the diploma I apparently earned twenty-five years ago but didn't claim, which precluded myself from updating until now.
That doesn't mean I've been lazy. Right now I'm still concentrating on getting the first drafts together for The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One: Four For Danger so it can quickly follow-up New Roads To Hell. In fact, the first story is already in the can--it's 'A Waltz In Scarlet,' featuring our very own Avenger For The Other Side, Ferryman! Alan Dennings finds himself questioning his own methods when he finds himself protecting a little girl trapped and pursued on the mystical plane where he keeps his mental sanctum. And, like all of the stories I'm working on, this will introduce new characters and concepts that will play out in both The Devil's Toybox and other, future books.
Truth be told, I've been working pretty hard on all the stories in this collection--and I'm over a third of the way done with the book overall. If you can't wait to see one of these tales (and I'm hoping you will after New Roads To Hell is in your hands), the plan is for one of them to appear in Volume Four of Mystery Men and Women, also coming from Airship 27 in 2013.
Speaking of New Roads To Hell, the book continues winding its way through the Airship 27 pipeline. I've been seeing preliminary artwork from Mike Fyles for the cover, and let me tell you it's great. I can't share it with you right now, but trust me, your eyes will pop!
I'm still working in low-impact mode on The Adventures of Tao Jones for Pro Se Press, and should kick into overdrive on that once I get at least one more story for the Casebook done. The one that's coming along the best is 'The Damocles Gun,' which introduces a character who I may have big plans for--but more on that as it develops.
And I'm still going to be doing more 'Elsewhere In The Multiverse' interviews. In the coming months I have Lee Houston, Jr. and Jeff Deischer coming by to discuss their own super-heroic fiction pursuits.
So don't forget to check in on The Agency periodically for more news, commentary and pulpy fun!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
What Makes Our Heroes Great!
 |
| Here's some really early concept art, featuring the first version of New Roads To Hell Rose Red and two versions of Dreamcatcher... |
(I'm also working on The Adventures of Tao Jones, but that's a story for another blog entry...)
What that means is I've got four different files, one for each of our initial heroes, that I've been hopping between. Sometimes all I write is a single sentence in one story, then switch to a second story to write a whole scene, then off to a third to write a paragraph. It's a heady experience doing all these very different stories that are still unified in some way, and I am enjoying it.
And one of the reasons I'm enjoying it so much is that I get to create some new villains.
And let's be honest--our heroes would be nothing without villains just as colorful as they are. Used correctly, Villains help draw the hero into sharper relief--how can we understand the selflessness and dedication to protecting other of Superman if we didn't have the venality and self-interest of Lex Luthor to contrast it with? How can we appreciate the discipline and relentlessness of Batman without the chaotic nature of The Joker to play against it? Villains can be more than just colorful excuses for our heroes to save lives, do the right thing and...well, act heroic.
Now I'm pretty confident that Rose Red is a bad girl on a scale big enough to give the initial quartet that comprise The Shadow Legion fits in New Roads To Hell (and trust me when I tell you she'll be back in future books)....but the idea of the next book is to create four epic short stories showcasing each of my original heroes at different points in the twenty five years between New Roads and the next novel, The Devil's Toybox. The earliest takes place partially concurrent to New Roads and in the weeks immediately after; the latest will take place at the dawn of the 60's, when culturally and intellectually the country expanded its boundaries--sometimes into darker territories.
But the cool thing is I can now create some villains who are specific to our individual Legionaires--and that's proving to be very fun. You see, I can indulge in a little more creativity when it comes to these guys. With Rose Red and the villains you'll meet in The Devil's Toybox, I have to think in broad strokes. My bad guys there have to be huge, massive threats that can occupy all four of my heroes. But because of the nature of the Casebooks (Think of them as the equivalent of those bags of comics that used to be sold at Toys R' Us and Walmat with four random issues of the individual Legionaires whereas the novels are graphic novels collections gathering up a complete story arc), I can now do smaller villains, the type of characters that will provide the same contrast to my heroes as Lex Luthor provides to Superman and The Jokes does for Batman.
And because each of these baddies is only for one hero, I can create a wider variety of villains. Unless things change, I'm going to have a dark mirror of one of my heroes who confronts him with questions on how he will deal with his burgeoning powers; a wild visionary whose idea of Nocturne's future is at odds with another of my heroes; and a otherworldly creature that will help a third discover new abilities. I may even have a peculiar comedic one that will provide a bit of relief from the darkness of the Shadow Legion series as a whole.
I can't wait for you all to meet these characters (and I'll be honest; one of these is proving to be so fun I'm looking for a way to work him into one of the future novels)....but then, I love my bad guys as a whole, no matter how nasty they can be.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Covering Me...Is A Great Artist!
Last week I got an email from good ol' Captain Ron Fortier, mastermind of Airship 27 and the man who'll be publishing the Shadow Legion's adventures, as I continued to slave away on the stories that will comprise the follow-up to New Roads To Hell....and he brought some good news.
It seems that Ron has located the cover artist for the book that'll introduce The Shadow Legion to the world...the one, the only Mike Fyles!
If you're not familiar with Fyles, you're missing out. He's one of the premiere artists in the field of New Pulp, having provided gorgeous fully-painted covers for loads of magazines and books...but don't take my word for it, check out this interview and ogle some of the work he's done previously!
There's more to come her at the Agency, including another great 'Elsewhere In The Multiverse' interview with Project: Alpha author Lee Houston, Jr. and more previews and goodies to get you up to speed on The City of Nocturne!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
The Periodic Update Post
Sorry for the delay, guys. I know I've been away for a while. One of the things I did was take a quick trip to Philadelphia to meet with Michelle Scuito and look at the layouts for 'Bad Faith Healer,' the eight page Domino Lady comic story we've done for All Star Pulp Comics. They look fantastic, and they'll be speeding Airship 27's way by the end of the month for publication! When we get closer to release, I'll maybe tease you with a page or two!
You'll notice, incidentally, that 'The Tick Tock Men' is not up there. I've decided there's a more immediate story for the Nightbreaker that needs to be told. That doesn't mean you won't see that story; I fully intend to write it, and it will see light of day. It's just that the story I realize I need to tell with our Man Who Wasn't There is an integral one that I wanted to touch on in New Roads To Hell, but didn't get a chance to!
The Sinbad story is in slow mode; I want to watch some more Harryhausen and see what other people have done with the set-up before I get deep into it--but 'Sinbad And The Frozen City of Shazarehbad' should be a kick!
I've been told that the release of New Roads To Hell, the first Shadow Legion novel, will occur most likely early next year.
Right now, my focus has been fully on writing the stories for what I've been tentatively been calling The Shadow Legion Casebook Volume One: Four For Danger. This will be four 15,000 word solo stories for the quartet of heroes you'll be meeting in the first novel, all taking place in the twenty-five years between the first novel and the second, The Devil's Toybox. I can reveal the names of two of them--and the first person to connect the name with the hero will get a special mention in an upcoming post--'A Waltz In Scarlet' and 'The Ascension of Indio Blaque.'
You'll notice, incidentally, that 'The Tick Tock Men' is not up there. I've decided there's a more immediate story for the Nightbreaker that needs to be told. That doesn't mean you won't see that story; I fully intend to write it, and it will see light of day. It's just that the story I realize I need to tell with our Man Who Wasn't There is an integral one that I wanted to touch on in New Roads To Hell, but didn't get a chance to!
(And yes, I promise that there will be a Shadow Legion story in an upcoming volume of Mystery Men and Women...I just won't tell you which one...yet.)
The Sinbad story is in slow mode; I want to watch some more Harryhausen and see what other people have done with the set-up before I get deep into it--but 'Sinbad And The Frozen City of Shazarehbad' should be a kick!
And there's a new thing I'm developing on the back burner...something connected to the next guest in my 'Elsewhere In The Multiverse' series....but you might learn more about that when I sit down with the writer of Yesteryear, a great story about super-heroes, legacies and conspiracies that's available right now through Pro Se Press and one of the architects of one of New Pulp's most exciting new setting, Tommy Hancock! Check out the cover art for Yesteryear, and join me here soon for my conversation with Tommy and what he's got cooking...and I'll keep you up to date on more New Pulp goodness in the coming weeks!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Some Updates
Since my planned update this weekend for The Agency--another 'Elsewhere In The Multiverse' where I talk Jack Kirby, world building and writing the opposite sex with Ian A. Watson--is going to be delayed until Monday for reasons that will become apparant when you read it, I wanted to update you on the progress of The Shadow Legion and other things.
In addition to the Shadow Legion stuff, there are two other items I'm involved with for Airship 27. The script for Bad Faith Healer, the Domino Lady comic book adventure destined for All Star Pulp Comics #2, has been turned in...and I've been asked to work on a new adventure for the Greatest Sailor Of All--no, not Popeye, but Sinbad--for an upcoming volume of Sinbad: The New Voyages.
The manuscript for New Roads To Hell has been delivered and edited, and it's now being enhanced with ten new illustration by my partner on this journey, Michelle Scuito. A new teaser for the book has started to surface on blogs around the internet....to wit:
There has always been something strange about Nocturne, Florida.
Built over some of the most dangerous swamp land in the 18th century, Nocturne has become known as The City That Lives By Night due to its multitude of night clubs, music venues and other sources of entertainment. But it has another reputation, one spoke of whispers in places the revelers and tourists don't go. That reputation is one of dark doings, of violence and hate and eldritch evil.
Luckily, The City That Lives By Night....has a darker shade of protector.
Nightbreaker
He spent his life hiding who he was...and now he fights to prove that he exists!
Dreamcatcher
There is magic all around us....and she can bend it all to her will!
Ferryman
He's the conduit to the other side...and its instrument of revenge!
Black Talon
He is the embodiment of the unfettered fury of the African Veldt...stalking a jungle of concrete and glass!
Together they are The Shadow Legion, a secret alliance of mystery men who battle the fantastic threats that can tear apart the metropolis they call home--and beyond!
The saga of The Shadow Legion begins with New Roads To Hell, which reveals the secret origins of Nightbreaker and Ferrymen, and features the menace of Rose Red, the crimson tressed devil with a magical talent for murder--available soon from Airship 27 (airship27.com) and the mind of Thomas Deja!
For further information, including exclusive artwork from Michelle Scuito (character designer for the series) please visit the Nocturne Travel Agency at welcometonocturne.blogspot.com.
Now New Roads is not the end of The Shadow Legion's story. I'm already over a third of the way done with "The Tick Tock Men," a Nightbreaker story that will appear in a future volume of Airship 27's Mystery Men And Women. The present plan is for this story to act as one fourth of a collection I'm working on. Each story will showcase each of our initial quartet of Legionnaires, helping to fill in more about each character and serve as the bridge between New Roads and Book Two, The Devil's Toybox.
In addition to the Shadow Legion stuff, there are two other items I'm involved with for Airship 27. The script for Bad Faith Healer, the Domino Lady comic book adventure destined for All Star Pulp Comics #2, has been turned in...and I've been asked to work on a new adventure for the Greatest Sailor Of All--no, not Popeye, but Sinbad--for an upcoming volume of Sinbad: The New Voyages.
As all these projects continue to progress, I will let you know. Until then, join me in a few days for my talk with Ian Watson!
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